Lan Yuxi took a sip of tea and continued, "After leaving the Nan family, I originally intended to return to Hongmen, but I was afraid that Master would believe the old woman from the Nan family and think I had disgraced him, expelling me from the sect. So I didn't dare to return. I wanted to stay with my best friend for a few days, and come back when Master wasn't angry anymore. But less than a mile from there, I was kidnapped."
Old Hong's fists instantly clenched, and he stared at his beloved disciple without blinking.
Lan Yuxi patted the back of his hand reassuringly, smiling, "Don't worry, Master. I was taken by my older brothers."
"Earlier, Fourth Junior Brother asked if my encounter was accidental. In fact, my experience is similar to an accidental encounter. I am not the daughter of Jin Song's father and Lingyun's mother. My birth mother's surname is Tang, and my birth father's surname is Lan. He is the fifty-first generation successor of the Lan Ling Jin Zhen."
"Speaking of the Lan Ling Jin Zhen, I must tell you about its legend.
In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the ancestors of the Lan and Ling families jointly developed a set of acupuncture techniques for saving lives – the Lan Ling Jin Zhen.
After the Lan Ling needle technique had been popular for a hundred years, the descendants of the Ling family forgot their original intentions and used the Lan Ling Jin Zhen to amass wealth.
The descendants of the Lan family disapproved of their actions. Wherever the Ling family opened a medical clinic, the Lan family would open one.
They amassed wealth, while the Lan family provided free treatment to the poor.
This action by the Lan family undoubtedly blocked the Ling family's source of wealth. Thus, the Ling family launched a deadly attack on the Lan family and colluded with the authorities to seize the secret manual preserved by the Lan family.
There were few remaining descendants of the Lan family, so they had no choice but to live in seclusion.
However, the Ling family did not achieve ultimate victory, because the box containing the secret manual had a seal, which could only be opened by the blood of a direct female descendant of the Lan family as a guide.
In the blink of an eye, it reached the end of the Republic of China period, and the descendants of the Lan family successfully retrieved the Lan Ling Jin Zhen.
But for a hundred years, there were no daughters in the direct line of the Lan family, causing the Lan Ling Jin Zhen to be lost to this day.
Meanwhile, the Ling family, living overseas, had never given up on the Lan Ling Jin Zhen. Twenty-four years ago, they learned that the direct line of the Lan family had finally given birth to a baby girl, so they sent people to snatch her.
However, they only took the secret manual.
Because my birth mother was saved by my maternal grandmother, Madam Ling.
Later, my maternal grandmother and my mother, Lingyun, to help their benefactor preserve the bloodline of the direct female descendant, swapped me, who was born on the same day, with the daughter of Lingyun, my older sister Zi Xin."
Lan Yuxi spoke a great deal in one breath and took a large gulp of tea.
Everyone listened intently, and no one noticed that Old Hong's eyes had turned red.
"In the past twenty years, Sister Zi Xin has saved me from danger more than thirty times, and this last time, she nearly lost her life. My brothers' kidnapping me was actually a diversion. They wanted me to go back and open that newly recovered box, and then use the Lan Ling Jin Zhen to save her. Sister Zi Xin bore all the disasters for me, so what belongs to me should also belong to her. This is also the main reason why I only recognize my parents but am unwilling to acknowledge my ancestors."
"Oh, by the way, my current identity is just my parents' goddaughter. Don't let it slip. Although I saved Sister Zi Xin four years ago, her health has never been good. I'm afraid that if she knew the truth, her condition would worsen."
After Lan Yuxi got everyone's promise, she looked at Old Hong.
Old Hong recovered quickly, and Lan Yuxi didn't notice anything unusual. She reached out and took his hand.
"Master, my parents and my older brothers all wanted to come and see you. It was I who stopped them. Although the Lan family has encroached on the Ling family over the years, the direct line of the Ling family has escaped. I'm afraid they will cause you trouble if they get too close to you."
Old Hong patted her hand affectionately, "Master is not afraid of the Nan family, let alone the Ling family. However, since you want to conceal your and Zi Xin's identities, not interacting is the safest approach."
Everyone present nodded in agreement.
"Eldest Senior Sister, based on what you've said, the Ling family probably won't give up. Will they cause trouble for you when you openly establish an academy?"
Third Junior Brother San Wan, who was well past forty, considered issues with foresight and asked his concerns in a deep voice.
"They tried, but not to cause trouble for me, but for my second brother. My second brother is an医痴 (medical fanatic). He learned better than I did. After mastering the Lan Ling Jin Zhen, he opened a traditional Chinese medicine academy in Norcas, teaching everyone the acupuncture techniques of the Lan Ling Jin Zhen. The Ling family's attempt to cause trouble that time did not benefit them at all, but instead made my second brother's traditional Chinese medicine academy grow larger and larger."
Seventh Junior Brother Qi Wan smiled and said, "As more and more people learn the Lan Ling Jin Zhen, it's meaningless for the Ling family to try and snatch it. Senior Sister can rest assured and open her academy in the capital."
Shi Wan, ignoring Seventh Senior Brother's words, curiously asked, "Norcas? Is it that Kingdom of Norcas in the Middle East?"
Lan Yuxi smiled and nodded, "Yes, Old Ten, you have a good grasp of world geography!"
Shi Wan was already over thirty, and being praised by Lan Yuxi, he chuckled and scratched his head sheepishly.
"It's not that I studied well. It's that our Hongmen's security company took on a big contract in Norcas, that's how I found out."
Lan Yuxi paused slightly.
Old Hong smiled knowingly, "Xi'er, your family is all in Norcas, right? This contract must have been your family secretly looking after Hongmen's business."
Lan Yuxi shrugged her shoulders, "It must be them. However, I haven't lived with them all these years, so I don't know what they do."
Wu Wan stood up and refilled Lan Yuxi's water, "Senior Sister, where have you been all these years?"
Lan Yuxi looked at Fifth Junior Brother, whose face bore a long knife scar, and smiled, "Do you remember the Wan Qi sister who used to follow me here for meals back then?"
Wu Wan smiled and touched the scar on his face, "Of course I remember. The first time she came, she cried when she saw the scar on my face."
Lan Yuxi smiled, "After I saved Sister Zi Xin, I went with her to...
Lan Yuxi suddenly laughed at this point, "Master, I didn't disgrace you. After going to Country M, I single-handedly destroyed their entire research institute. Then, we became friends through conflict. I also accepted a grand-disciple for you. In a while, he will come to pay his respects to you and his several martial uncles."