The dormitory was fully equipped, and Ling Li did not need to prepare much. She only replaced the bedding with her own accustomed ones. As for other things, with her small world, Ling Li didn't need to take them all out.
After Zhu Xue and Zhu Shuang had changed the bedding and tidied up again, Ling Li said, "Alright, let's go find Chen'er and the others."
"Okay. Big Brother and the others should be at the Martial Arts Academy, right?"
"Presumably."
On the way to the Martial Arts Academy, Qiu Yuanxi sidled up to Ling Luoyi and said, "Little Luoyi, I've found that the rules here are no different from Cang Lan Academy."
"Aren't the rules of academies generally like this?"
Qiu Yuanxi was somewhat disappointed and said, "I thought there would be something different here, but I didn't expect it to be mostly the same."
"It's always been like this, everywhere is the same."
"Little Luoyi, this is the outer court, right?"
"Mm."
"Can you take me to see the inner court?"
"The inner court? Gu Ling Academy only has one inner court, located in the Tian Xuan Domain. It's too far from here. Besides, I haven't been there either, so I don't know what's fun there."
"Ah~" Qiu Yuanxi became unhappy again.
Ling Luoyi glanced at her and said, "A Yuan, you're not here just to play, are you?"
"Of course not, I'm here to help you."
"Then why are you so disappointed?"
"Helping you and playing are not mutually exclusive."
"Alright," Ling Luoyi chuckled, "If you want to play, go ahead and play. After we go back, we won't have any time."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Yuanxi couldn't help but sigh. Due to Ling Li and Zhu Xue and Zhu Shuang's presence, she didn't say anything further.
Ling Li looked at the two of them and couldn't help but ask, "Luoyi, what is this Cang Lan Academy that Miss Qiu mentioned?"
"Little Aunt, it's an academy in the Upper Realm, similar to Gu Ling Academy."
"Oh~" Ling Li actually wanted to ask why they wouldn't have time, but she didn't voice it.
As the three of them spoke, they arrived at the Martial Arts Academy.
After walking for a while, they heard a commotion from a nearby courtyard.
Ling Li intended to keep walking, but Ling Luoyi pulled her back. Before she could ask in confusion, she heard Ling Luoyu's voice, so she also stopped and listened carefully.
"Young Master of Jing, it seems we have no connection. Why are you blocking our path with your men?" Ling Luoyu said.
He had originally agreed to meet Luoyi and Little Aunt with his elder brothers. His eldest and second elder brothers had temporary matters and hadn't arrived yet, so he was waiting here with his younger siblings. They hadn't done anything, but unexpectedly, someone still came to cause trouble.
"This Young Master is not here to cause trouble. I merely heard that the exceptional alchemist Ling Luoyi, who has been making waves in Nanxin City recently, is from Tian Wu Kingdom. I thought of you all, so I came to ask." Jing Wang Shizi Shangguan Min said.
Shangguan Min had always looked down on those who entered the academy through the back door, like Ling Luoyu. If their strength were higher, he wouldn't say anything. However, Ling Luoyu and the others did not meet the admission requirements when they entered the academy, so he had always disliked them. Even with Ling Luoyi's connection now, he still couldn't stand people like Ling Luoyu who entered through the back door.
However, Shangguan Min dared not offend Ling Luoyi, so he couldn't speak to them in his usual tone. He also couldn't bring himself to lower his pride, hence his current somewhat strange tone when speaking to Ling Luoyu.
Ling Luoyu and the others frowned. They had been staying in their courtyard since returning to Gu Ling Academy. Because other disciples looked down on them, no one had informed them of the outside news, so they were still unaware of it.
"Third Brother, it is indeed Eldest Sister's name," Ling Luoran asked, "Could it be that Eldest Sister has caused a major stir again?"
The others, hearing Ling Luoran's words, pursed their lips uncomfortably. They all recalled Ling Luoyi's ability to stir up trouble. After experiencing it so many times, they found it acceptable this time.
Ling Luoyu hesitated, unsure of what to say.
"Are you talking about me?"
Just as Ling Luoyu was hesitating, he heard a familiar voice. He looked up and saw Ling Luoyi standing not far away.
"Luoyi!" Ling Luoyu exclaimed.
The others also looked over, exclaiming in surprise, "Eldest Sister! Little Aunt!"
Ling Luoyi walked over. Her imposing aura caused Shangguan Min's men to involuntarily step aside, clearing a path for her.
Ling Luoyi walked to Ling Luoyu and asked, "Third Brother, Fourth Brother, what's going on?"
"Luoyi, it's like this. We originally planned to take you all around Nanxin City today. Big Brother and Second Brother hadn't arrived yet, so we were waiting here for them. We didn't expect the Young Master of Jing to bring people to cause trouble for us."
Ling Luoyi didn't need to ask to guess their situation. The Ling family enjoyed privileges that even great families didn't have, yet they lacked sufficient strength to support it, naturally leading to others looking down on them. This was why she had revealed a bit of her strength and caused a stir to deter them, so that the Ling family disciples could have an easier time at Gu Ling Academy.
Ling Luoyi turned around and asked, "Young Master of Jing?"
Shangguan Min met Ling Luoyi's calm, unruffled eyes and felt a tremor in his heart. Maintaining a composed expression, he said, "It is this Young Master."
Shangguan Min tried hard to maintain his dignity, but Ling Luoyi pretended not to see it and asked, "May I know why the Young Master of Jing is troubling my kin? Have they offended the Young Master of Jing in any way?"
Ling Luoyi's tone remained calm, but Shangguan Min inexplicably felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't gone to the inn the night before, but his father had. Upon returning, his father had warned them not to bully the Ling family anymore! When his mother asked why, his father seemed to be in a daze, not hearing anyone.
Shangguan Min later overheard from someone that Ling Luoyi might not be a fourth-grade alchemist; her alchemy level should be higher!
Shangguan Min was brought back to his senses by a reminder from someone nearby and hastily said, "I am not here to cause trouble. I truly just came to ask a question!"
He even forgot to refer to himself formally, which showed how flustered he was.
"From the Young Master of Jing's previous question, it seems to be related to me. Since I am here in person, what does the Young Master of Jing wish to ask?"
"I..."
The Young Master of Jing stammered "I" for a long time but couldn't utter anything.
"Since the Young Master of Jing has no questions to ask, could you please let us pass? We have matters to attend to."
"Oh."
Shangguan Min obediently stepped aside. Seeing him move, his men naturally dared not block the way.
Ling Luoyi turned back and asked, "Third Brother, Fourth Brother, where have Big Brother and Second Brother gone?"
Ling Luoyu shook his head and said, "We don't know either. We were supposed to meet here yesterday, but I've been waiting all morning and they haven't arrived."
Ling Luoyi looked at the others; they also didn't know.
Just as Ling Luoyi was considering whether to use her 'Divine Eye', an elder approached.
After the elder saluted Ling Luoyi, he said, "Miss Ling, someone from the palace has come to invite you to the palace."
Ling Luoyi was stunned for a moment, then smiled knowingly and said, "Thank you, Elder, for delivering the message."
"Miss Ling is too polite."
Calling her Miss Ling, it seemed Elder Qu had revealed her identity.
Ling Luoyi said to Ling Li, "Little Aunt, please let Third Brother and the others take you to tour the academy. I need to go to the palace."
"Luoyi," Ling Li grabbed Ling Luoyi's hand, unwilling to let go, her face filled with worry.
The Dragon Qing Kingdom was a middle-tier country, and its emperor was not the same as the Emperor of Tian Wu. Ling Li was worried that the Emperor of Dragon Qing might do something to Ling Luoyi, and the Ling family could not protect her.
"Little Aunt, I'll be back soon," Seeing that she still wouldn't let go, Ling Luoyi said, "Little Aunt, A Yuan will accompany me. You know her strength to some extent."
Only then did Ling Li release her hand, her worry increasing rather than decreasing.