Bai Shengyi refused Qin Si's offer to escort her home, choosing to return to the Rongguo Duke's mansion alone.
The front courtyard of the mansion was brightly lit, and Bai Murong's crying could still be faintly heard.
"Today is a good day~" Bai Shengyi hummed a tune, walking cheerfully towards her own courtyard.
"What good day?"
"Oh, Little Reincarnation, you're awake?" Bai Shengyi exclaimed upon sensing the Reincarnation Brush's consciousness returning. She hurried back to her room and closed the door tightly.
The Reincarnation Brush couldn't help but become agitated again, "Master! I'm not called Little Reincarnation, I have a name, I am... what was it?"
It was horrified to discover it had forgotten its own name!
"It's okay, we can change it back when you remember," Bai Shengyi said affectionately.
The Reincarnation Brush felt something was off but couldn't quite pinpoint it. Hearing Bai Shengyi ask about the reason for its sudden disappearance last time, it stopped dwelling on it.
"Because I am too weak right now, so even though my consciousness has recovered, I can only last for two days before needing to 'rest' again. However, it should get much better after you establish your foundation."
"Then you said you were a divine artifact last time?"
"Did I? Did I say that? No, I'm just a spiritual artifact with some minor abilities," the Reincarnation Brush played dumb, quite shamelessly.
Bai Shengyi's eyes widened, "You also said you wanted the Nine Divine Fires..."
The Reincarnation Brush mumbled, "You must have misremembered, I wanted the Nine Nether Desolate Fires. Shengyi, there are only Nine Nether Desolate Fires in this world."
"This world?" Bai Shengyi keenly caught onto the anomaly.
The Reincarnation Brush started playing dumb again, "I meant the Divine Enlightenment Continent. Shengyi, do you have any other questions? I'm tired again."
Bai Shengyi understood that the Reincarnation Brush was deflecting the topic, but she couldn't force it if it didn't want to talk.
So, she could only swallow her many doubts and seize the time to ask other things.
She asked, "Do you know what that ball of black mist in my dantian is?"
"I don't know," the Reincarnation Brush replied with disgust. "But that smell is very unpleasant. Shengyi, don't bother with it. You can't deal with it anyway. It's better to focus on your cultivation so I can accompany you properly..."
As Bai Shengyi listened to the Reincarnation Brush's chatter, her eyes gradually became unfocused. Wasn't it tired?
How had she not noticed before that besides having a bad temper, the Reincarnation Brush was also quite a chatterbox?
However, the Reincarnation Brush's words did remind Bai Shengyi that her strength was the most important thing right now.
So, Bai Shengyi went out, gave a word to the butler, and returned to her room to go into seclusion.
"Has Shengyi returned?"
Meanwhile, the Duke of Rong had finally pacified Bai Murong and then remembered he had left Bai Shengyi at the banquet. He asked the butler with some guilt.
The butler bowed his head, "Third Miss has returned. She just informed this old servant that she has gone into seclusion to prepare for the Divine Enlightenment Academy's assessment."
"Indeed my granddaughter!" The Duke of Rong was very pleased with Bai Shengyi's diligence. He patted Bai Murong's shoulder and said, "Murong, look, Shengyi isn't even concerned about this matter. She definitely didn't do it on purpose today, so you shouldn't worry."
"Grandfather, I'll listen to you. As long as you believe your granddaughter, I am content."
Where the Duke of Rong couldn't see, Bai Murong's expression turned terrifyingly grim. Grandfather was indeed starting to show favoritism! No, Bai Shengyi absolutely had to be eliminated.
The Duke of Rong was very satisfied with Bai Murong's docility. "Don't worry about Princess Mingyu either. Grandfather will handle it for you. You should also go into seclusion and cultivate. Once Grandfather finds the recommendation post for you, you can go and take the assessment."
Bai Murong understood that this was the Duke of Rong's way of appeasing her, but she still had to smile gratefully and try to please him. "Really? Thank you so much, Grandfather! I'll go into seclusion right away and will not fail your expectations."
Understandingly, Bai Murong then turned to ask about the difficulty and trouble of the Duke of Rong getting the recommendation post, coaxing him into a state of happy amusement before leaving.
"Murong is just too sensitive. She's so sensible; it's truly a hardship for her," the Duke of Rong said as he accompanied the butler outside after Bai Murong left, sighing.
The butler lowered his head, a slight surprise in his eyes. Hardship? The second young lady lived better than the legitimate young lady; what hardship was there?
The third young lady's courtyard still had no maids serving her, and she had never complained of hardship.
The butler had long known the Duke of Rong's favoritism, but he hadn't expected him to be not only biased but also blind. However, he didn't say much, just quietly followed the Duke of Rong.
Time flowed by like water, and in the blink of an eye, it was the sixteenth.
Bai Shengyi woke up early, tied up her hair, and left the house with a refreshed spirit.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw the Duke of Rong and Bai Murong standing at her door. Seeing Bai Shengyi about to leave, Bai Murong waved, smiling joyfully, "Shengyi, elder sister can accompany you today. Are you happy or not?"
She shook the recommendation post in her hand at Bai Shengyi, displaying it with proud炫耀.
So what if Bai Shengyi didn't want to give up the recommendation post? She still got it. In the Bai family, there was nothing she couldn't obtain.
"You, you are the elder sister, you should take good care of Shengyi. Be more steady, do you hear?" The Duke of Rong patted Bai Murong's hand with a fond smile, his affection boundless.
Bai Murong replied, "Grandfather, please don't worry, I will definitely take good care of Shengyi."
Bai Shengyi stood at the doorway, watching their harmonious performance, before saying, "Does the mansion have a carriage prepared?" If she could share a ride, she wouldn't have to walk.
"Naturally. Butler, you personally escort the two sisters there." The Duke of Rong originally wanted to say a few more words to Bai Shengyi, but seeing her indifferent expression, he frowned and said nothing. After all, he had already told Murong everything he needed to say.
Bai Shengyi couldn't be bothered with the omnipresent and ostentatious Bai Murong, and got into the carriage herself. A moment later, Bai Murong also boarded.
She gently smiled, covering her mouth, "Shengyi, you don't know yet, do you? The Third Prince, Prince Gong, and Princess Mingyu are all participating in this assessment?"
"Oh," Bai Shengyi replied indifferently.
Bai Murong concealed the flicker of darkness in her eyes. "Aren't you scared?" Bai Shengyi, don't you feel any guilt? Because of your nonsensical words, they have been much gossiped about by everyone in the capital recently!
This time, Bai Shengyi finally showed a slight reaction.
She looked at Bai Murong, raising her eyebrows slightly, "Not scared. Shouldn't you be the ones avoiding me?"
Not them, but *you*!
In Bai Shengyi's eyes, Bai Murong and Princess Mingyu were no different.
At this moment, back at the Rongguo Duke's mansion, after seeing off his two granddaughters, the Duke of Rong heard a servant report that his grandson had returned with his teammates and friends!
Upon hearing that the friends included the First Prince of the Golden Sparrow Kingdom, he hurried out personally to greet them.