In Qingyin Pavilion, Ling Luoyi suddenly sneezed.
Touching her nose, Ling Luoyi was bewildered. Who was scolding her?
Beside her, Gu Yuncheng, seeing Ling Luoyi sneeze, picked up a blanket and covered her with it.
Seeing that Ling Luoyi accepted it, Gu Yuncheng said aggrievedly, "Luoluo, you haven't spoken to me for two days."
Ling Luoyi looked at him. She indeed hadn't paid attention to him for the past two days, and felt a little guilty. She said, "A Su, I..."
"Luoluo, you don't need to feel guilty. I just want to know what's wrong with you."
"I..." Looking at Gu Yuncheng's serious eyes, Ling Luoyi didn't want to lie to him, but she didn't dare to say it.
Seeing her difficulty, Gu Yuncheng said, "Luoluo, if you really can't tell me, then forget it."
"I..." Looking at Gu Yuncheng's understanding demeanor, Ling Luoyi suddenly asked, "A Su, have you ever hated yourself?"
"Hate myself? Why should I hate myself?" Gu Yuncheng asked subconsciously, but then saw Ling Luoyi's expression suddenly turn ugly. It seemed that what she didn't want to tell him was related to this. Had he said something wrong?
"Luoluo..." Gu Yuncheng wanted to say something, but Ling Luoyi stopped him.
"A Su, I'm fine. I've been busy all day and I'm a bit tired." Ling Luoyi turned her head away, refusing to communicate with Gu Yuncheng.
Gu Yuncheng looked at her back, very worried.
Little Fengxi watched and couldn't help but say, "Master, you can actually say it."
"Little Fengxi, you saw it too. A Su thinks people who hate themselves are strange."
"Master, the Demon Emperor Venerable didn't mean it that way." Little Fengxi wanted to explain for Gu Yuncheng, but Gu Yuncheng's words clearly expressed his opinion. He didn't understand why someone would hate themselves, so Ling Luoyi thought he would consider people who hated themselves abnormal.
"Little Fengxi, you don't need to say more, I don't want to listen."
"But Master, you have this idea because she is influencing you. I told you at the time that you cannot resist the subtle influence. She will gradually infiltrate your life, make you accustomed to her, and even accept her. Master, you are already accepting her thoughts." Little Fengxi knew she didn't want to hear it, but it had to be said.
Ling Luoyi gave a wry smile and transmitted, "So, I was too conceited."
That was the truth, and Little Fengxi couldn't comfort her, but, "Master, your only way now is to accept her, otherwise, with time, you will collapse."
"Master..." Little Fengxi wanted to say more, but Ling Luoyi cut off the divine sense transmission.
Little Fengxi sighed, knowing she couldn't persuade her any further.
Ling Luoyi closed her eyes, her expressionless face, but her mind was filled with Little Fengxi's words.
Should she...
Accept her?
She needed to think about it carefully.
*
At Gu Ling Academy, Wen Ting'an was about to return to his courtyard when he met the old sect master of Yu Jian Sect on the way.
"Junior greets Old Sect Master Shen."
"Ting'an, is your master here?" The old sect master of Yu Jian Sect was a long-time friend of Wen Zonglin, and he knew all of Wen Zonglin's disciples, except for the youngest one.
"Replying to Old Sect Master Shen, my master has already left the academy."
"Left?!" Old Sect Master Shen was very surprised. His old friend used to like traveling outside, but after returning eight years ago, he rarely went out. Why did he go out again this time? Moreover, he used to inform him when he went out, but this time he didn't even tell him.
"Yes. Master left about an hour ago. Does Old Sect Master Shen have something to discuss with Master? You might as well tell me."
Old Sect Master Shen sighed and said, "It's nothing to tell you. Do you know the rumors outside?"
"Does Old Sect Master Shen mean that supreme alchemist?"
"Yes." Old Sect Master Shen said, "Since you know the rumors, I have nothing to hide. In fact, the rumors are not scary, but what's scary is that almost everyone knows about it now. Didn't your master give a family five enrollment quotas before? It sounds like it was the family of the rumored supreme alchemist. You know the implications. If someone connects these two matters, I'm afraid that supreme alchemist will use your master, so I wanted your master to clarify it early."
"Old Sect Master Shen, I cannot interfere with Master's affairs. It's just that when Master left, my second and third junior brothers were present. They said that Master's departure seemed to be because of this matter."
"Why did he leave to clarify? He could have done it within the academy. He's not going to find trouble with someone, is he?! That won't do!"
"Old Sect Master Shen, I don't know the specific details. I only heard from my third junior brother that the supreme alchemist might be Master's youngest disciple."
Old Sect Master Shen was worrying that Wen Zonglin would go to trouble a little girl, when he heard Wen Ting'an's words and fell silent.
After waiting for a long time, Old Sect Master Shen finally found his voice, "Ting'an, is what you're saying true?"
"This..." Wen Ting'an hesitated and said, "Actually, I wasn't present when Master left. I met my second and third junior brothers when I went to find Master. They were the ones who said it."
"Them?" Old Sect Master Shen said, "That Qin Yu kid doesn't speak properly, but Gu Yuan's words are credible. However, since your master is not here, we cannot be sure."
"Old Sect Master Shen, let's wait for Master to return. No matter how much we guess, only Master and the little junior sister know the whole story."
"Forget it, forget it." Old Sect Master Shen waved his hand and said, "Ting'an, tell me the moment your master returns."
"Yes."
The next day, Ling Manor.
Ling Luoyi had been thinking about things all night, so she woke up late. Passing by the training ground, she found that all the Ling family members were there.
"Why are you all out?"
Weren't they all in the small world? Even if they were out for training, they wouldn't all come out at once.
"Eldest Sister, don't you know yet? Our Ling family is now the head of the five great families!" Ling Luozhi said happily, her eyes curved into crescents, extremely cute.
"Oh. Isn't that supposed to be the case? Why are you so happy?" Ling Luoyi said indifferently.
Hearing Ling Luoyi's words, the Ling family members were first stunned, then laughed happily.
Watching them all laughing, happily laughing, easily laughing, Ling Luoyi didn't understand. Knowing the outcome, do they still need to be happy about it?
Ling Luoyi didn't understand, but she didn't disturb them.
After they had laughed enough, Ling Luoran said, "Eldest Sister, when the rankings came out yesterday, it was also when you received your awards. You didn't go yesterday, and Eldest Brother accepted the award for you."
That's right, all the top ten in the competition had rewards, which would be distributed uniformly on the afternoon of the tenth day.
She had forgotten.
"Luoluo, the reward for first place is a Dragon Phoenix Rejuvenation Pill, a fourth-grade pill, of superior quality." Ling Luochen said, "I originally wanted to give it to you when I got back, but you went back to your room to rest. Eldest Brother gave the pill to your personal maid, Zhu Shuang. Didn't she give it to you?"
"Zhu Shuang? Oh. Zhu Shuang and Zhu Xue were both sent out on errands by me, so they left early." Ling Luoyi pointed at them and asked, "Then what are you guys doing here?"
"Grandfather gave us a holiday, so we're all out to relax."
Ling Luoyi nodded and said, "Indeed, you've been cultivating for a month, so you should go out and relax."
"Luoluo, do you want to join us?"
"No, I still have something to discuss with Second Aunt. You guys go and have fun, and remember to bring enough money."
"Luoluo, we're not stupid."
"Luoluo, we're leaving then."