Ancestor Wenxuan stared at her in disbelief. “What did you say?”

Qin Ruqing remained calm. “I said I know where the Mysterious Heart Elixir is.”

The Mysterious Heart Elixir could directly increase the chance of successful pill formation by 20%.

It was a treasure coveted by every influential family!

The Ancestor stood up abruptly, took a few quick steps, wanting to ask something.

Seeing the child blinking calmly, she was momentarily at a loss for words.

Taking a deep breath, the Ancestor asked, “Is it a revelation from your memory or a dream?”

Qin Ruqing hesitated for a moment and shook her head. “Ancestor, this time it’s not. It’s something Hao Gou told me just before he left.

I visited the prison cell earlier and slipped something good into the mouth of Elder Zhang from the Zhang family. He thanked me and gave me this information.”

At these words, the corner of the Old Ancestor’s mouth twitched.

“Slipped something good” – he didn’t dare imagine what “good thing” it could be.

Yet this girl dared to say he “thanked me,” was he sure he was thanking her and not seeking revenge?

“How can we trust Hao Gou’s words?” The Ancestor frowned.

“Naturally, we can’t fully trust them. That’s why I immediately came to consult with you, Ancestor.” Qin Ruqing flashed a smile, innocent and harmless.

The Ancestor shook her head with his hands behind her back, her expression still serious.

Obviously, she attached great importance to this information. “Tell me more.”

Qin Ruqing sat upright, serious now. “Hao Gou told me that the Mysterious Heart Elixir appeared in a trace at Xiaofu Kong in the Western Ridge.”

Western Ridge, Xiaofu Kong.

The Ancestor frowned, “It appeared in the Western Ridge?”

Across the Southern Domain, a mountain range called Duanmai Mountain divided it into eastern and western halves.

To the east of Duanmai Mountain was Luoxia Ridge, which further divided the region horizontally, forming the largest mountain and ridge in the Southern Domain..

This split the Southern Domain into three sections: Nanling, Beiling, and the largest area, Xiling.

West of Duanmai Mountain, the terrain and population of Xiling were completely different from those of Nanling and Beiling, mostly desert and wasteland, with very sparse population.

A treasure like the Mysterious Heart Elixir being in the distant Western Ridge made the Ancestor’s heart skip a beat.

“Ancestor, what place is Xiaofu Kong?” Qin Ruqing asked, resting her chin on her hand.

She was surprisingly calm now, unlike the Ancestor.

The Ancestor turned to look at her. “Xiaofu Kong is a secret realm in the Western Ridge, appearing once every ten years, controlled by the Western Ridge Celestial Bureau.”

“A secret realm appearing once every ten years? It sounds different from our recurring secret realm.”

The Ancestor nodded approvingly. “Indeed, each secret realm is unique.

Some are stable in structure and often have signs before appearing, like the recurring secret realm in Nanling, allowing the three major families there to be informed and prepared in advance.

However, places like Xiaofu Kong in the Western Ridge are very elusive and not easily accessible; they require regular human effort to open.”

“In that case, our recurring secret realms seem more reassuring,” Qin Ruqing sighed.

The Ancestor chuckled, her restless heart calming gradually.

She sat back down and even took a sip of Spirit Milk Tea, mimicking Qin Ruqing’s earlier urgency and subsequent calmness, realizing that a calm approach was effective.

Qin Ruqing then raised the crucial question again, “If this information is true, Ancestor, will the Qin family go for the Mysterious Heart Elixir?”

The Ancestor closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them firmly placing the porcelain cup down.

She spoke in a low voice, “If the information is true, the Qin family will spare no expense to obtain the Mysterious Heart Elixir.”

In the Ancestor’s solemn tone, Qin Ruqing felt her unwavering determination.

She couldn’t help but console, “We shouldn’t rush into this. We need to confirm its authenticity. After all, as you said, Hao Gou might be out for revenge on me. After all, heh heh, I fed him something good…”

The Ancestor glanced at her, unsure of what to say.

Qin Ruqing smiled awkwardly, changing the subject, “Oh, I also asked Hao Gou for someone.”

“Asked for someone?” After a brief thought, the Ancestor understood, “The person who wrote the note for the Zhang family.”

“Yes, I suspect he’s the guest alchemist invited by the Zhang family. Bringing him here will allow us to find out whether he’s friend or foe!”

The Ancestor didn’t pay much attention to such a figure.

She simply said, “If you’re interested, there’s no harm in bringing him here.”

After all, he was just a guest alchemist.

Whether to investigate or recruit him as a servant, it didn’t matter much.

In a way, the Ancestor did indulge Qin Ruqing, not afraid of spoiling her.

Qin Ruqing understood the Ancestor’s favor towards her, giggling and saying no more.

Sure enough, Hao Gou was highly efficient. Within a day, he brought the person Qin Ruqing requested.

This individual wasn’t particularly significant.

Since she initiated this, and considering her current status, reporting to her posed no problem.

The servant indeed brought this person before Qin Ruqing.

Unexpectedly, this dark-skinned alchemist’s first words upon seeing her were, “I want to see the noble Ancestor.”

This statement left Qin Ruqing stunned.

“See our Ancestor? Who are you? By what authority do you wish to see our Ancestor?”

Honestly, Qin Ruqing was taken aback, encountering someone even more eccentric than herself (you do realize you’re eccentric, right?), and couldn’t help but size him up with surprise.

Clad entirely in a dark robe that covered him from head to toe, not a single strand of hair visible, he seemed tall.

When she tried to probe with her spiritual awareness, it bounced back, indicating the robe had some kind of enchantment, likely a device to block aura and awareness.

Interesting.

Qin Ruqing chuckled, leisurely sat down, propped her head on her hand, and looked at him askance. “You want to meet our Old Ancestor?”

“Yes,” the dark robe replied succinctly.

Qin Ruqing idly played with her nails. “Our Ancestor doesn’t meet people without a background. If you want to see him, you could try shedding this black skin first, and then state your identity and purpose.”

The dark robe remained silent for a moment, seemingly surprised at Qin Ruqing’s composed demeanor.

“Who are you?” the dark robe unexpectedly asked, turning the question around.

“Ask who I am?” Qin Ruqing lifted her clear eyes to glance at him, smiled, and said, “I am Qin Ruqing.”

Her answer was quite clever.

It answered, yet seemed to leave something unanswered.

“…I mean, I’m asking which member of the Qin family you are, and your status,” the dark robe clarified.

Qin Ruqing chuckled lightly, “You hide yourself and ask who I am. Since you won’t tell me, I’ll tell you—I’m Qin Ruqing, from the Qin family.”

For a moment, the dark robe stood like a statue, even though his face was obscured, Qin Ruqing could sense his speechlessness.

After a while, he spoke again, “I recall, according to protocol, I should be led to meet Grand Elder and then arrangements would be made… Why am I meeting you?”

“Oh, you understand protocol well. So, you think you should be taken to Grand elder,” Qin Ruqing raised an eyebrow. “How about this, why did they bring you to meet me?

Are you such an esteemed guest that you need a senior member of the Qin family to personally receive you?”

The dark robe fell silent again for a while, then flatly said under his robe:

“Shall I leave?”

Qin Ruqing: “?”

Honestly, Qin Ruqing was genuinely surprised for a moment.

Are you kidding or genuinely questioning?

If it’s the former… well, that’s amusing.

Qin Ruqing stood up, walked a few steps to stand in front of the dark robe, tilted her head back to look at his face under the mask.

The mask showed no expression, but Qin Ruqing could feel the person underneath staring at her inexplicably, as if questioning her.

“Pfft~” Qin Ruqing burst into laughter, unable to contain herself.

Just a moment ago, she had almost thought this person was a compatriot from another world, after all, “Shall I leave?” was a famous internet meme.

But after staring at him for a while, she realized that the perplexing aura emanating from him confirmed he was genuinely asking whether he should go.

—Since you won’t let me see your Old Ancestor, I’ll leave.

Clear thinking, logical reasoning, quite amusing.

Watching Qin Ruqing’s odd behavior, staring and laughing at his mask, the dark robe became even more puzzled.

If the mask could express emotions, he might have written a big “speechless” on it.

After laughing for a while, Qin Ruqing finally straightened up, took out two pieces of paper.

Both papers were written with rough, straight strokes, clearly from the same hand.

The first paper didn’t need explaining.

As for the second one mentioning “Elder Zhang of the Zhang Family,” without this note’s reminder, Qin Ruqing wouldn’t have focused on Hao Gou.

After an investigation, it was found that Hao Gou was in an awkward position in the Zhang Family.

Qin Ruqing felt there was room to maneuver with this person, so she instructed the Ancestor to spare Hao Gou’s life.

After settling matters with the Zhang Family, Qin Ruqing couldn’t help but feel a strong curiosity about the person who wrote these notes, which is why she had him brought here.

“These two pieces of paper, you handed them over?” Qin Ruqing asked.

The dark robe remained silent for a moment, then asked in return, “Why are they in your hands?”

Qin Ruqing calmly put away the notes. “You don’t need to worry about that. Just tell me, did you write these notes?”

After waiting for about two breaths, the disguised voice under the dark robe said a single word, “Yes.”

Qin Ruqing nodded, seemingly satisfied with his cooperation.

She looked up at him and said seriously, “You want to see our Ancestor, that’s fine. But, as I said earlier, first shed this black skin, declare your family name, then it might be possible.”

Before the dark robe could say anything, Qin Ruqing raised her hand to interrupt him and added, “Let me clarify: it’s almost impossible for someone to see our Ancestor without a proper introduction.

No one in the Qin family would agree to such rude terms. Your only hope—” Qin Ruqing pointed at herself, “is me.”

“Only I can smoothly bring you before our Ancestor. So, if you want to see our Ancestor, you’ll have to pass through me first.”

“Of course, if you refuse, the Qin family won’t force anyone. Just turn right out the door and go back to being a guest elder in Zhang Family.”

“Do you understand?”

Qin Ruqing was practically implying: since you handed me the note hoping to connect with the Qin family, don’t act all mysterious and secretive now.

The Qin family won’t tolerate it.

If you still want to achieve your goal, do as I say. If not, you can leave.

The dark robe remained silent for a long time.

Suddenly, he extended his hand and slowly lifted the robe.

The contrast between the black and white was stark.

After a while, as if he had finally made up his mind, he briskly opened the robe.

Qin Ruqing raised her eyebrows as she saw his face under the robe.

The attendant next to her was dumbfounded.

He couldn’t have imagined that someone hidden under such a dark robe, with a coarse voice, would turn out to be an extremely handsome young man.

Appearing about the same age as a young master, even taller than most, with extremely fair skin, bordering on sickly pale from perhaps years spent under the robe, away from sunlight.

His hair was neatly tied back with a jade crown, not a strand out of place.

Lips pursed, eyelashes fluttering slightly, as if not accustomed to sudden exposure to light.

He truly had an exceptionally good-looking face, not like a quirky alchemist traveling the rivers and lakes, but more like a well-bred young master from a noble family.

Despite the attendant’s astonishment, Qin Ruqing remained calm, though her gaze was subtly nuanced.

She casually crossed her arms, naturally appraising him from head to toe, then nodded.

“Good, the black skin is off, first step completed. Now, it’s time to declare your family name.”

The young man’s throat moved slightly, seeming about to speak, but Qin Ruqing raised an eyebrow and gestured for him to continue.

After looking at her for a moment, the young man finally spoke, “My surname is Tang, given name Zifeng.”

Tang Zifeng. A good name.

But with that surname, Qin Ruqing raised an eyebrow and asked, “Is it the Tang family I’m thinking of? The Tang family of Xiling?”

As someone educated in a strict family background, Qin Ruqing had studied the genealogy of the surrounding noble families, although not in great detail.

Still, she knew about the most prominent families.

The Tang family of Xiling, a giant in Xiling, a renowned silver-grade noble family.

This person was actually a member of the Tang family?

The young man looked at her for another two seconds, whether in thought, hesitation, or just blankly staring.

His lips moved, clearly articulating, “Yes.”

Qin Ruqing was about to ask why a member of the Tang family didn’t enjoy life in Xiling and came to Nanling to be an unpopular alchemist.

He turned his head slightly and added, “However, although I’m surnamed Tang, I’m no longer part of the Tang family.”

Qin Ruqing raised her eyebrows subtly.