"Who are they? They all look quite strong," someone asked.
"They don't look like people from our Yun Yuan City. Could they be elders from families in other cities?"
"Speaking of which, the genius selection is in just over twenty days. People from other cities are also on their way. Perhaps these are the ones who arrived early?"
"Isn't this too early? In previous years, they only arrived three days before the genius selection. Is it this fast this year?"
"Didn't you forget? Eldest Miss Ling is back this year."
"Oh, right, right! News about Eldest Miss Ling has already spread. By now, it has likely reached the Middle Kingdoms."
"More than that! It's probably reached the Upper Kingdoms too."
"Do you think Eldest Miss Ling can survive?"
"This...?"
The crowd hesitated. Tian Wu Kingdom was a lower-ranked kingdom on the Ancient Spirit Continent. Its strongest individual was merely a second-tier Spirit Master, not even worth mentioning in front of those from the Middle Kingdoms.
If they were to wage war on Tian Wu Kingdom to contend for Eldest Miss Ling, Tian Wu Kingdom would not be able to protect her.
At that point, they could all imagine what fate awaited Eldest Miss Ling.
She would be kept like a prized possession, refining pills day and night.
After a moment's thought, they all shook their heads in fear.
In a room upstairs, Ling Luo Yi sat at the head of the table, poured a cup of water, and drank it.
After staying downstairs for so long, she was a bit thirsty.
The ten elders who followed her exchanged glances. The old woman at the forefront spoke, "Eldest Miss Ling, we believe you know our intentions, so we won't waste time. We heard that Eldest Miss Ling can take pre-orders for pills, so we also wish to pre-order a batch. We wonder if Eldest Miss Ling agrees?"
Ling Luo Yi smiled at them and suddenly asked, "You are not from Tian Wu Kingdom, are you? Why have you come here?"
"Little girl, aren't our intentions obvious? Your news is spreading the fastest right now, so we've come to see you," said an old man with white hair dressed in grey.
Although he didn't answer whether they were from Tian Wu Kingdom, it was quite obvious.
He was the sect leader of the Azure Cloud Sect, one of the major sects in Shui Yue Kingdom.
"Is that so? It's more than that."
"Little girl, you're quite smart," the old woman said with a smile. "We just wonder if you accept orders from us old men and women?"
Ling Luo Yi chuckled. She knew what their words implied.
They were all from major powers in Shui Yue Kingdom, and they had no grievances with the Ling family, so there was no reason for her to refuse.
If she refused, the rulers of other kingdoms would soon know that Ling Luo Yi was unwilling to provide pills for other countries. Then, other countries would send troops to Tian Wu Kingdom and destroy it.
The first to attack would undoubtedly be Long Qing Kingdom, which was affiliated with Tian Wu Kingdom.
And Long Qing Kingdom was a Middle Kingdom.
"Of course, I'll accept the orders. I'm not a fool to refuse money placed right in front of me. I just wonder when you all need them?"
The old woman said, "We heard Eldest Miss Ling took quite a few orders yesterday. Are you busy enough to handle them?"
"You don't need to worry about that. Since I dare to take them, I will naturally be able to deliver them."
"Good! Eldest Miss Ling, you must remember these words. If you can't deliver them then, don't blame us."
"Old Madam, are you threatening me?"
As soon as she spoke, a powerful pressure instantly filled the room, only to disappear within a breath.
The ten people from Shui Yue Kingdom were shocked. They had never experienced such powerful pressure. It was fortunate that it lasted only a breath, otherwise, they would have all perished here.
Calming down, the old man in the Taoist robe said, "Eldest Miss Ling, you've misunderstood. We've simply never seen top-grade pills before, and Eldest Miss Ling took many orders yesterday, so Madam Feng was a bit worried."
They had arrived in Yun Yuan City yesterday morning. After settling in, they first went to Flowing Cloud Pavilion and met the young pavilion master. However, the top-grade pills from Flowing Cloud Pavilion were not for sale, and they hadn't even seen them.
Then they came to the Ling family's Pill Pavilion, but by the time they arrived, the Ling family's Pill Pavilion was already closed. They hadn't even detected the medicinal fragrance.
Therefore, they still harbored doubts.
However, today, as they walked up from the first floor, someone among the people buying pills opened a medicine bottle and caught a whiff of medicinal fragrance, confirming their suspicions.
They all had backing from their respective powers, so they wanted to buy pills in large quantities.
However, Ling Luo Yi had taken many orders yesterday, and each of them needed a large amount. Alchemy was a time-consuming process, and they were due to return to Shui Yue Kingdom in seven days, so time might be an issue.
"What is there to worry about? As a businesswoman, if I can't deliver, I can't run away. The Ling family is right here."
"That's true," the old man in the Taoist robe said. "In that case, we'll state the pills we require."
"Wait a moment. My maid will be here shortly. You can find her for the pills you want."
"For such an important matter, you're sending a maid?" asked an old man dressed in dark cyan, displeased.
Ling Luo Yi was not angered. She said, "My maid has been properly trained and knows what to do. She will be here soon, so please wait for a while. Serve tea."
Two maids waiting outside the door entered with teapots.
They didn't wait long; within fifteen minutes, Zhu Xue arrived.
"Miss, why have you come today? You didn't even call for your servant."
"Don't talk so much. Get to work quickly. These esteemed guests want to pre-order pills. Record them as discussed yesterday," Ling Luo Yi said. "You will wait here today and return to the manor at the precise hour of Shen, and I will have someone pick you up."
"What about these orders?"
"Bring them to me this afternoon when you return to the manor. Don't send them over one by one."
"Yes, Miss."
"Alright, esteemed guests, I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
After Ling Luo Yi left, Zhu Xue sat down at a nearby desk, took out five notebooks, and said, "Esteemed sirs, please take a look at this first. It lists all the pills available for pre-order, along with their grades and corresponding prices."
After speaking, Zhu Xue prepared to write.
The seemingly youngest elder picked up a notebook and began to read.
After flipping to just one page, the elder pointed to a pill and asked, "Little maid, can all the pills listed here be pre-ordered?!"
"That's what my Miss said."
"Even the seventh-grade ones?!"
"What?"
The others stood up upon hearing this. The faster ones grabbed the remaining four notebooks.
Upon opening the first page and seeing the grades one to seven listed next to the first pill mentioned, they all looked at Zhu Xue in disbelief.
Hearing them ask the question again, Zhu Xue put down her brush and said with a hint of anger, "Esteemed sirs, my Miss said that everything written here can be pre-ordered. Isn't that clear enough?"
They didn't notice Zhu Xue's tone, only hearing "everything written here can be pre-ordered," and were filled with disbelief.
Shui Yue Kingdom also had branches of the Alchemist Guild and Flowing Cloud Pavilion, but their pills only reached the fourth grade.
"Esteemed sirs, may we begin?"
"Let this old man take another look."
"Certainly. Once you have reviewed them, please come to me to record them."
A quarter of an hour later, the first elder began to record.
"Name, pill, grade, pickup time."
After the first elder announced everything, Zhu Xue calculated the total price. The elder paid the deposit, and then the next elder stepped forward.
Seeing Zhu Xue handle the matters methodically and without any trouble, Ling Luo Yi withdrew her spiritual sense and left with peace of mind.
She did not return to the Ling family but instead began to wander around Yun Yuan City.
As she strolled, she found herself at the Bright Moon Tower again. Thinking it was close to lunchtime, Ling Luo Yi walked inside.