"Good!"
Zi Lingling nodded and forced out a drop of her vital blood, dripping it onto the colorful ball.
After a brief pause, the drop of blood slowly seeped into the colorful ball.
As the vital blood continuously infiltrated, the color of the colorful ball gradually changed to purple, black, gray, and white, finally becoming a murky mess.
At the same time, the Goddess Palace transformed into a miniature palace and burrowed into Zi Lingling's glabella. Every corner of the Goddess Palace was clearly reflected in Zi Lingling's mind.
Ye Lingyuan and Xue Ying, who were cultivating, felt the world around them spin, and they were instantly transported away from the Goddess Temple.
When Xue Ying recovered, she found herself at the corner near the Zi family's residence, with Zi Lingling standing beside her with her eyes closed.
"Miss!"
Xue Ying saw Zi Lingling, exclaimed with surprise, and rushed to her, examining her.
She scrutinized Zi Lingling from head to toe, feeling that something was amiss, yet unable to pinpoint what it was.
Firstly, Zi Lingling's cultivation was higher than hers, and secondly, Huang Yi had given Zi Lingling an Obscuring Spirit Jade, which concealed Zi Lingling's cultivation.
Therefore, although Xue Ying sensed a difference in Zi Lingling, she didn't attribute it to her cultivation.
However, this did not dampen her good mood upon seeing Zi Lingling.
So, she said excitedly, "Miss, that senior didn't lie to me! It's great that you're alright!"
"Senior? What senior?"
Zi Lingling opened her eyes, slightly bewildered.
"A beautiful girl wearing pink clothes!"
Pink clothes? Beautiful girl? Could it be Yiran?
With a moment's thought, Zi Lingling understood that the senior Xue Ying mentioned was none other than Yiran, the spirit of the Goddess Palace.
She said, somewhat speechlessly, "You call her a senior?"
Xue Ying nodded, "That girl is so powerful, if not a senior, then what is she?"
Zi Lingling smiled faintly and said, "Yes, you are not wrong to call her a senior."
Yiran was well over a hundred thousand years old, truly deserving of being Xue Ying's senior.
"Master, she's not wrong, but I am! Although I am indeed a hundred thousand years old, in the world of artifact spirits, I'm still a young girl! Calling me like this makes me sound old. I'm not that old, am I?"
Yiran's somewhat plaintive voice echoed in Zi Lingling's mind.
"Miss, where have you been these three days? That senior only said you were alright but didn't tell me where you went. I was so worried!"
Three days?
Zi Lingling pondered for a moment and understood.
Yiran had mentioned that time flowed three times faster in the Goddess Palace than outside. She had spent nearly ten days inside, so outside it would indeed be a little over three days.
She shook her head and said, "It's a long story, we'll talk about it when we get back!"
"That's fine, we've been out for three days, it's time to go home and have a look, lest some people always think we don't exist."
As Xue Ying spoke, she grew a little dejected.
Those people in the Zi family, taking advantage of the absence of the master and madam, had bullied Miss relentlessly.
Now, it was different. She could cultivate, and she could protect Miss.
Zi Lingling looked at her dejected expression and smiled, "Don't worry, I promise, they won't be able to bully us anymore."
Xue Ying nodded and said firmly, "Miss, look, I can cultivate now too. I will protect you well from now on and won't let them bully you again!"
Although Yiran had mentioned that she had cleansed Xue Ying's meridians and imparted the "Water Spirit Record" to her, Zi Lingling carefully sensed Xue Ying's cultivation and couldn't help but be greatly surprised.
Xue Ying's cultivation had astonishingly reached Body Tempering Triple.
In other words, Xue Ying had broken through three minor realms in just three days.
Recalling what Elder Du had said before, Zi Lingling secretly thought, "Is this the astonishing effect of a pure heart?"
Xue Ying, unaware of Zi Lingling's thoughts, assumed that Zi Lingling was stimulated by her ability to cultivate.
She quickly comforted her, "Miss, you can definitely cultivate too. I believe in you!"
Zi Lingling was bewildered by her sudden statement.
However, after careful consideration, she understood Xue Ying's intentions.
She had to admit that she was touched by Xue Ying's warmth again. She smiled and said, "Silly girl, what are you thinking? I'm overjoyed that you can cultivate!"
"Miss..."
Xue Ying was about to speak again when she heard Zi Lingling continue, "Even if your young lady can't cultivate, she will never be at the mercy of others. Besides, who said I can't cultivate?"
A trace of coldness crossed Zi Lingling's heart. The original owner's soul had merged into her body, so she would be the one to collect the debts owed to the original owner.
Xue Ying, who had always been simple-minded, did not grasp the deeper meaning of Zi Lingling's words.
Zi Lingling also wished for Xue Ying to retain her pure heart forever, not wanting her to become complicated.
Therefore, before Xue Ying could speak, she said again, "Let's go, we're going back to... collect debts!"
She didn't say "go home" because the Zi family, in her eyes, was not a home at all.
Moreover, her purpose for returning was to collect debts.
Xue Ying nodded and said, "Okay! Let's go home!"
She called the cold Zi family home because, for her, where Zi Lingling was, there was home.
However, regardless of their different perspectives, the mistress and servant had reached an agreement.
But after taking just two steps, Zi Lingling stopped again.
Her face was somewhat dark, and a blush also crept across it.
This was because she saw Ye Lingyuan.
Ye Lingyuan had been sent back with Xue Ying, but Zi Lingling had been so focused on Xue Ying that she had overlooked his presence.
Seeing Ye Lingyuan reminded Zi Lingling of the painting in the bamboo house of the Goddess Palace, and also of Yiran's teasing words.
She wanted to "settle accounts" with Ye Lingyuan, but upon seeing him, her heart started to race.
Therefore, at this moment, Zi Lingling was somewhat flustered.
Ye Lingyuan looked at her and was also somewhat bewildered.
Although he was cunning and scheming, the hearts of women were as unfathomable as the sea, impossible to predict or calculate.
He moved his lips but didn't know what to say.
After a long pause, he finally uttered four stiff words: "Are you alright?"
That cold voice made Zi Lingling's heart beat even faster.
"I'm fine!"
"Xue Ying, let's go!"
Zi Lingling, taking Xue Ying with her, quickly skirted around Ye Lingyuan and headed towards the Zi family.
Ye Lingyuan was left utterly confused by her actions.
Watching Zi Lingling's retreating back as if she were fleeing, he ruefully touched his nose and muttered to himself, "Am I a flood or a ferocious beast?"
He was sure that anyone in Tianqi Kingdom who heard him say this would surely reply, "You are not a flood or a ferocious beast, because even floods and ferocious beasts are not as terrifying as you."