Zi Lingling rolled her eyes again and said, "You're quite skilled at blaming others!
How about this, I'll ask you a few questions. If you can answer them, I'll tell you my name again. What do you say?"
Xuanyuan Zhe nodded and said, "There's nothing I don't know. Ask away!"
Zi Lingling chuckled inwardly.
This brat was indeed a handful, but he was just a blank slate, completely unaware that she was trying to glean information from him.
She calmly sat down not far from the Spiritual Washing Pool and asked with a smile, "Then, I'll begin asking?"
Xuanyuan Zhe sat opposite Zi Lingling and patted his small chest, saying, "Ask away!"
Zi Lingling pointed at the Spiritual Washing Pool and asked, "What is this thing? Why does it have such dense spiritual energy?"
Xuanyuan Zhe looked at Zi Lingling in surprise and said, "You're not really from the lower realm, are you?"
Zi Lingling's little face stiffened, and she said coldly, "So what if I am? So what if I'm not? I'm asking you now, not the other way around!"
Xuanyuan Zhe proudly said, "On the Tianci Continent, even three-year-olds know that this thing is called a Spiritual Washing Pool.
As the name suggests, the Spiritual Washing Pool washes away impurities in spiritual energy, making it more refined.
There are at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, Spiritual Washing Pools on the Tianci Continent, primarily for cultivators who ascend from the lower realms.
This is because people from the lower realms not only have impure spiritual energy but also find it difficult to be recognized by the Tianci Continent.
After passing through the Spiritual Washing Pool, their spiritual energy is not only refined but they can also adapt more easily to the rules of the Tianci Continent."
Xuanyuan Zhe's words greatly shocked Zi Lingling.
She had only noticed her spiritual energy surging, but hadn't paid attention to the purity of the spiritual energy.
Now, with Xuanyuan Zhe's reminder, she suddenly realized that both the spiritual energy within her body and the spiritual energy she had absorbed in her nascent world had become very refined.
It seemed she had struck quite a bargain this time!
Thinking of this, her mood instantly improved, and she no longer cared about Xuanyuan Zhe's previous rudeness.
"Oh, so the Spiritual Washing Pool has such benefits!"
Zi Lingling's exclamation was genuine, not a false compliment.
Xuanyuan Zhe said proudly, "Of course!"
Zi Lingling chuckled and said, "It's not your family's Spiritual Washing Pool, so why are you so proud?"
Xuanyuan Zhe looked at Zi Lingling with a strange expression and remained silent for a long time.
Zi Lingling's heart skipped a beat. Had she stepped on a mine?
She tentatively asked, "What's with that look? Don't tell me the Spiritual Washing Pool really belongs to your family?"
Xuanyuan Zhe nodded and said, "I'm now certain that you're from the lower realm.
Because everyone on the Tianci Continent knows that all Spiritual Washing Pools are the common property of the Xuanyuan family, the Duanmu family, and the Hu Yan family!"
The Xuanyuan family? The Duanmu family? The Hu Yan family?
Zi Lingling silently noted these three names, or rather, three surnames.
She had a feeling that her time on the Tianci Continent would inevitably involve dealing with these three families.
Not good!
This Xuanyuan Zhe, with the surname Xuanyuan, couldn't possibly be from the Xuanyuan family, could he?
"Are you from the Xuanyuan family?"
Although Zi Lingling already had a guess, she couldn't help but want to confirm it.
Xuanyuan Zhe gave her another "figure it out yourself" look before saying, "What's so strange about that? Although the Tianci Continent is vast, it's jointly managed by the Xuanyuan Dynasty, the Duanmu Dynasty, and the Hu Yan Dynasty.
The Xuanyuan Dynasty is backed by the Xuanyuan Divine Clan, so naturally, there are many members of the family.
Furthermore, all Xuanyuans are one family, so it's nothing to be curious about that I am from the Xuanyuan family.
Let me tell you, I am not only from the Xuanyuan family, but also one of the youngest candidates for the patriarch of the Xuanyuan Divine Clan!
How about it? Want to consider buttering me up a bit?"
Xuanyuan Zhe's face was filled with pride, as if he had "I'm this awesome" written all over him.
"Tsk!"
Zi Lingling scoffed and said, "Just a candidate for patriarch, what's there to be proud of?"
Xuanyuan Zhe pouted and said, "That's a classic case of sour grapes!"
Zi Lingling was speechless.
This brat was incredibly arrogant!
Oh well, considering he had answered her questions, she wouldn't expose his act.
"By the way, Xuanyuan Wan, according to you, is the Duanmu Dynasty backed by the Duanmu Divine Clan, and the Hu Yan Dynasty by the Hu Yan Divine Clan?"
Just as Xuanyuan Zhe was about to nod, he felt something was off.
He huffily corrected her, "My name is Xuanyuan Zhe, not Xuanyuan Wan!"
Zi Lingling smoothly said, "Alright, Xuanyuan… Zhe, you haven't answered my question yet!"
Having suffered a setback, Xuanyuan Zhe learned his lesson and added, "It's 'Zhe' as in 'as like as two peas,' not 'Zhe' as in 'to break'!"
Zi Lingling didn't speak, her expression clearly showing a hint of disdain.
Seeing that she no longer insisted, Xuanyuan Zhe nodded and continued, "That's right! On the surface, the Tianci Continent is controlled by the three great dynasties, but in reality, all power is granted by the three Divine Clans!"
Zi Lingling nodded and said, "So, people who ascend from the lower realm are absorbed into your three Divine Clans, right?"
Xuanyuan Zhe thought for a moment. He neither agreed nor denied.
After all, this was an open secret among the three Divine Clans, and it wasn't convenient for him to say too much.
Zi Lingling smiled and said, "The three Divine Clans probably aren't on the best of terms, are they?"
Xuanyuan Zhe blinked in confusion and asked, "What do you mean?"
Zi Lingling smiled and said, "Among these thousand-plus Spiritual Washing Pools, there must be quite a few people from the lower realms, right? Wouldn't you be fighting amongst yourselves to recruit them?"
Xuanyuan Zhe shook his head and said, "No. The three Divine Clans each take turns managing the thousand-plus Spiritual Washing Pools for a year.
During that year, everyone who ascends from the lower realm will be taken in by the Divine Clan that controls the Spiritual Washing Pool!
Since each clan has a year, it's relatively fair, thus preventing them from fighting amongst themselves."
"Is that so?"
Zi Lingling smiled enigmatically and continued, "Where there are people, there is strife. It's unavoidable, and it has nothing to do with rules!"
Xuanyuan Zhe was stunned and asked, "What do you mean?"
Zi Lingling shook her head and said, "It doesn't mean anything in particular, I'm just speaking my mind!
Oh, right! I saw the Spiritual Washing Pool glow brightly before, and then the person inside disappeared. What's going on with that?"
Xuanyuan Zhe thought for a moment and said, "Those people were likely being teleported to a location for tribulation because they were about to face one!
Tribulations are not allowed in the Spiritual Washing Pool, as the heavenly lightning would damage the array surrounding it."
Zi Lingling appeared enlightened and said, "So that's how it is! There are actually dedicated places for tribulation. The three Divine Clans are really thoughtful!
By the way, Xuanyuan Wan… Xuanyuan Zhe, after they finish their tribulation, will they be sent back?"