A servant rushed forward upon seeing the newcomer.
"Eldest Miss Ling has arrived. This humble one will escort you to a private room."
Ling Luo Yi was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, lead the way."
The servant chuckled. "The Young Pavilion Master has reserved the best private room for you, on the fifth floor. Eldest Miss Ling, please follow me."
The fifth floor?
The Ming Yue Tower had five floors in total. The first and second floors were accessible to anyone with money. The third and fourth floors were for guests who not only had money but also status. The fifth floor had two private rooms: one for the owner and the other for the owner's friends.
Even the young masters and ladies from the Fang family last time could only be accommodated on the second floor, yet Li Shu had arranged for her on the fifth.
Ling Luo Yi thought to herself: This partnership is truly worth it.
Of course, this was all information Ling Luo Yi had received from Ling Luo Xiao previously.
The scene of the servant escorting Ling Luo Yi upstairs was witnessed by everyone queuing.
Seeing her bypass the line alone, someone grumbled, "Who is she? Why isn't she queuing?"
"Are you blind? She's the Eldest Miss of the Ling family."
"The Eldest Miss of the Ling family!"
No one dared to complain anymore. They were still waiting for the premium elixirs, and who would dare to offend her now?
Inside the private room on the fifth floor, after ordering her meal, Ling Luo Yi sat by the window, taking in the surroundings of the room.
Calling it a private room was an understatement; it was more like a fully equipped chamber.
It contained a large bed, a desk, a bookshelf, a spacious wardrobe, and ample space for movement.
They truly knew how to enjoy themselves.
This thought was overheard by Guan Yue, who rolled his eyes. Who else could enjoy themselves like you?
A quarter of an hour later, the servant arrived with the dishes.
"You may leave. Call for you when it's time to pay."
"Eldest Miss Ling, the Young Pavilion Master said you wouldn't need to pay. Please don't make things difficult for this humble one."
"Very well, you may go."
"Yes."
After the servant left, Ling Luo Yi released Guan Yue and Chen Sha.
Guan Yue and Chen Sha had not reverted to their original sizes but remained as small bundles.
"Eat."
Guan Yue complained as he ate, "Master, you've finally let us out. It was too boring inside the Feng Xi Realm."
Inside the Feng Xi Realm, there were only the two of them, Guan Yue and Chen Sha, lively beings. However, Chen Sha was reserved and rarely left his own quarters, leaving Guan Yue extremely bored.
"Stop complaining. You can't stay out for too long anyway."
Guan Yue understood the reason and only grumbled, not begging to stay out.
Their cultivation had already surpassed the limitations of this continent, making it impossible for them to remain here for extended periods.
It had been fine for the first few days after their return, but after undergoing tribulation the previous day, the Heavenly Dao had clearly become suspicious.
If the Heavenly Dao discovered them, they would be in for trouble.
Half an hour later, Ling Luo Yi recalled Guan Yue and Chen Sha back into the Feng Xi Realm, preparing to leave.
As she descended to the second floor, she was stopped by a guard.
"Eldest Miss Ling, my master requests your presence."
"Who is your master?"
"You will know when you arrive, Eldest Miss Ling."
"What if I refuse?"
"My master says you will not regret it."
Since it was still early, going would not take much time.
"Lead the way."
"Eldest Miss Ling, this way please."
After walking for a short while, the guard stopped and pushed open the door to a private room.
"We have arrived. Eldest Miss Ling, please enter."
Ling Luo Yi stepped inside. The room contained only a man in a wheelchair, wearing a mask.
At that moment, the man had just poured a cup of tea. He put down the teapot and said, "Eldest Miss Ling, please sit."
Ling Luo Yi sat down.
"Eldest Miss Ling, please have some tea."
Ling Luo Yi did not drink it and asked, "May I ask why you summoned me?"
The man paused and said, "Aren't you curious about who I am, Eldest Miss Ling?"
"Why should I care? If you want to tell me, you will. If not, why should I ask?"
The man chuckled and removed his mask.
Ling Luo Yi didn't understand the man's situation. He wore a mask to conceal himself, but why would he remove it in front of someone?
She could tell it was his true face.
"What is the meaning of this, sir?"
"I wish to cooperate with Eldest Miss Ling on a matter. Facing you with my true face is a sign of respect and sincerity."
"I have no matters that require cooperation. If you wish to cooperate, perhaps you should find someone else."
"I know why Eldest Miss Ling has returned, and I can cooperate with you."
Ling Luo Yi's gaze sharpened. "If we are to cooperate, I must know your background. Who are you, sir?"
"You don't know me, Eldest Miss Ling?" the man asked, somewhat surprised.
Ling Luo Yi looked confused. "Should I know you?"
Seeing her genuine ignorance, the man said, "I am Yuan Cheng Xi, the third young master of the Yuan family's direct lineage. Yuan Cheng Jie, who attempted to bully your fourth sister and was killed by your second sister, is my fifth brother."
Ling Luo Yi's expression turned peculiar upon hearing this.
From the Yuan family? What did he want with her?
After speaking, Yuan Cheng Xi intended to observe her reaction. However, seeing Ling Luo Yi looking at him with a strange expression, he couldn't help but cough a few times.
"Eldest Miss Ling returned for revenge, didn't you? The Yuan family is one of them, isn't it?"
Ling Luo Yi chuckled. "Since Young Master San knows, what do you want to cooperate with me on?"
Yuan Cheng Xi suddenly said fiercely, "I want to destroy the Yuan family!"
"Ah?" Ling Luo Yi exclaimed in confusion. "Why?"
Weren't these young masters and ladies all living for their families? Why would this fellow want to destroy his own family?
"You might not believe me, Eldest Miss Ling, but I hate every single person in the Ling family!" Yuan Cheng Xi suppressed his anger as he explained.
Ling Luo Yi didn't understand and asked, "Since Young Master San wishes to cooperate with me, shouldn't you explain yourself clearly? If we are to cooperate, we should know each other's backgrounds, shouldn't we?"
"I know."
Yuan Cheng Xi knew that for cooperation to occur, one must clearly state their intentions for the other party to agree. Therefore, the moment he conceived this idea, he had already prepared himself mentally. He sighed and began to speak.
"When I was eight years old, my mother passed away. I originally thought she died of illness, so I had no suspicions about her death at the time. However, less than half a year later, Yuan Zhan remarried. I knew the family needed a mistress, and I was mentally prepared for Yuan Zhan's remarriage. I just didn't expect the new wife to enter the household only five months later. And two months after that, that woman was already five months pregnant. That's when I realized they had been together for a long time."
At this point, Yuan Cheng Xi could no longer contain himself. He punched the table and continued, "Later, for some reason, that woman miscarried, but she falsely accused me of causing it. I tried desperately to explain, but no one believed me. Yuan Zhan even had me held down and beaten, and at that time, I hadn't even managed to guide spiritual energy into my body. From then on, I couldn't guide spiritual energy into my body until my tenth birthday, and I still can't cultivate."
Yuan Cheng Xi suddenly stopped, took several deep breaths, and said, "Also, because of that beating, my legs were injured. Although doctors and alchemists were called promptly, my legs were still crippled. I don't know who was responsible. Later, that woman gave birth to a son. As a useless cripple, I had even less status."
Ling Luo Yi listened quietly, offering no reaction.
Yuan Cheng Xi looked at Ling Luo Yi, unsure whether he should continue.
Seeing that he had stopped speaking, Ling Luo Yi said, "Young Master San, is that all? Please continue."
Yuan Cheng Xi hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Later, I was inexplicably poisoned and became foolish. It was at this time that the woman secretly visited me and revealed everything. Only then did I learn that my mother was killed by this woman, and my father, knowing this, still helped her to kill my mother."
Yuan Cheng Xi spoke of his deepest secrets, filled with immense anger and sorrow.
Ling Luo Yi paid no mind to Yuan Cheng Xi's distress and said, "A biological father helping an outsider kill his biological mother. This reason alone doesn't seem sufficient to destroy an entire family."