This is indeed a significant problem, but did Ling Luo Yi not consider these issues when she made her decision?
"Master, we have been fighting against the Outer Realm demons for who knows how many years. It's not just the human realm that is fighting; the other five realms have also been constantly battling the Outer Realm demons. People in both the human and divine realms have placed something on the Outer Realm demons, and naturally, the other realms have as well. The human realm has weakened their strength, the divine realm has restricted their highest cultivation, and the immortal realm has limited the number of people who can leave the Outer Realm. The other three realms also have their own restrictions or weakening measures."
Upon hearing this, Wen Zong Lin was no longer so despairing.
"Master, even if the Outer Realm demons manage to open the spatial passage to the Ancient Spirit Continent, the maximum number of them that can arrive here cannot exceed one hundred. Only one can be at the first-tier Spirit Emperor cultivation, ten can be at the Spirit King realm, and the rest can only be Great Spirit Masters. Furthermore, the human realm's great powers have weakened them by fifty percent, so a first-tier Spirit Emperor can only exert the strength of a fifth-tier Spirit King. However, we have also been weakened by ten percent."
After listening to Ling Luo Yi's explanation, Wen Zong Lin felt that they could fight back. A desperate struggle was much better than surrendering without a fight.
Having made up his mind, Wen Zong Lin asked, "Girl, if only the Ling family handles this, won't it take too much time? The Tian Wu Kingdom is located in the southeast of the Ancient Spirit Continent, and there are many countries in the northwest of the continent. If they want to come here, they will have to cross the entire continent. I only came from the center of the continent, and with your cloud boat, it only took me three months to get here. If it were them, it would likely take one to two years."
"That's why I wanted to bring Master here."
Wen Zong Lin was startled, and then he heard Ling Luo Yi say, "Master, I plan to establish a teleportation network on this continent! With the Ling family's influence alone, it's definitely impossible. This matter will require Master's help."
Knowing that establishing a teleportation network would bring more benefits than drawbacks, Wen Zong Lin nodded and said, "Girl, I understand."
Ling Luo Yi glanced outside and called out, "A Yuan!"
Before Wen Zong Lin could recover from his surprise, he saw a young girl run in. The girl appeared to be in her early twenties, but from his perspective, she was indeed a young girl.
"Little Luo'er, you called me." Qiu Yuan Xi saw a white-haired old man beside her and tentatively asked, "Who is this?"
"A Yuan, he is my Master." She then pointed to Qiu Yuan Xi and said to Wen Zong Lin, "Master, this is my friend, her name is A Yuan. I might not have time to communicate these matters with you later, so I'll trouble you to discuss them with her. She knows everything I just told you."
Upon hearing this, before Wen Zong Lin could react, Qiu Yuan Xi anxiously asked first, "Little Luo'er, are you going to do something again?"
"I need to go into seclusion for a while to handle some matters."
"Do they know about it?" Knowing what she was referring to, and with Wen Zong Lin present, Qiu Yuan Xi couldn't ask too directly.
Knowing that Qiu Yuan Xi was referring to the Domain Lord and the Grand Elder, Ling Luo Yi nodded.
Seeing her nod, Qiu Yuan Xi said, "Alright, I'll take care of things here. You go into seclusion properly."
"Mm, thank you."
Qiu Yuan Xi suddenly bowed to Wen Zong Lin and said, "Greetings, Little Luo'er's Master. My name is Qiu Yuan Xi, and I am Little Luo'er's friend. I will be in contact with you regarding future matters."
"Okay, okay." Wen Zong Lin responded dazedly.
In the afternoon, after Ling Hua Yu saw off the last batch of guests, he arrived at Ling Luo Yi's Qing Yin Pavilion. At this moment, Ling Luo Yi, Qiu Yuan Xi, and Wen Zong Lin were talking. Seeing him arrive, Ling Luo Yi beckoned him to sit down and said, "Grandfather, why have you come at this time? Are all the matters outside finished?"
Ling Hua Yu picked up the tea Ling Luo Yi poured for him and drank it, managing to suppress the shock in his heart.
The guest who was talking with him when Wen Zong Lin arrived was from a superpower and also a disciple of the outer court of the Ancient Spirit Academy. Therefore, upon hearing Wen Zong Lin's name, he knew his identity. Seeing that Ling Hua Yu was unaware, he kindly informed him. Thus, everyone in the main hall at that time knew that Wen Zong Lin was the Dean of the inner court of the Ancient Spirit Academy, and they were all astonished.
In fact, Ling Hua Yu did not know much. When Wen Zong Lin gave the Ling family enrollment quotas, Ling Hua Yu was in another country and only heard rumors, not the full story. After returning, Ling Qi told him about the events of the past ten years. Having been away for ten years, he knew more than Ling Qi and had even connected these two individuals, but he dismissed the idea as it seemed too impossible.
Ling Hua Yu knew that the inner court of the Ancient Spirit Academy was in the Tian Xuan Domain. Although there were outer courts of the Ancient Spirit Academy distributed in other countries, there were none in the lower-tier countries. The place where Ling Luo Yi disappeared was the Falling Sunset Forest, which was within the borders of a lower-tier country. Ling Hua Yu did not know that Wen Zong Lin had ever been to the Falling Sunset Forest, so he thought it was impossible for these two to know each other.
But he never expected that this fleeting thought would actually be true!
Ling Hua Yu was finding it difficult to calm down, but considering that the other party had given them five enrollment quotas, he still had to express his gratitude. Thus, he said, "Dean Wen, my son has already told me everything. Dean Wen has granted the Ling family five enrollment quotas annually. I am very grateful for Dean Wen's favor towards the Ling family."
Wen Zong Lin had indeed put this matter out of his mind. Seeing him bring it up, he finally remembered and said, "This is nothing. I merely asked my subordinates to do it at the request of this girl to look after the Ling family. It was just a word, so there's no need for thanks."
Ling Hua Yu smiled. He was not one to stand on ceremony and was rather curious about how these two met. He asked, "Dean Wen, may I ask how you met my granddaughter? And why did you take her as your disciple?"
Speaking of this, Wen Zong Lin became annoyed, and his tone was not very good. "Patriarch Ling, it's not that I want to blame you, but what kind of parent would let such a young child go to such a dangerous place alone! She was less than nine years old at the time, and her cultivation had not even reached the Houtian realm. I can't even imagine how she survived!"
Wen Zong Lin was about to say more when he heard Ling Luo Yi's coolly spoken "Master," and also saw the self-blame and regret on Ling Hua Yu's face. He immediately fell silent. The self-blame and regret on his face were not fake. It seemed that if it weren't for unavoidable circumstances, he probably wouldn't have let her enter the Falling Sunset Forest alone, right?
Ling Hua Yu looked at Ling Luo Yi, lost in thought, wondering what she was thinking.
Seeing this, Ling Luo Yi was worried and said, "Grandfather, it's all in the past."
Upon hearing this, Ling Hua Yu smiled reluctantly.
"Alright! Little Luo'er's grandfather, Little Luo'er's Master, it's all been a long time ago, why bring it up again?! Isn't the important thing the present and the future? Little Luo'er is fine now, and she will be fine in the future too." Qiu Yuan Xi couldn't stand the atmosphere and said.
After Qiu Yuan Xi's words, the two elders were somewhat stunned. They had lived for so many years, yet they hadn't seen things as clearly as a young girl.
"Yes, Grandfather, Master, bringing up the past will only make us sadder, so let's just let it go."
"Alright, since the protagonist herself says so, this old man won't mention it anymore."
"Master, how long do you plan to stay this time?"
"What? Are you trying to kick me out just as your Master has arrived at your home and hasn't even warmed his seat?" Wen Zong Lin narrowed his eyes and threatened Ling Luo Yi, as if daring her to admit it.
Ling Luo Yi was helpless. She had never been able to get used to this old man's temper before, and she couldn't beat him then. She still couldn't get used to it now, but she didn't want to fight him even though she could, for fear that this old man would extort her.