After a few days of rest, Sheng Ruiming's injuries had healed by seventy percent. Upon hearing that they planned to go to Dongji Island to attend the Five Sects Conference, he was visibly pleased, and even his pale cheeks showed a bit of color.
"Ever since you left, the master has been rather gloomy, often mentioning you in our conversations. If he learns that you're returning to Dongji Island, he will certainly be very happy!"
He was so excited that he couldn't help but cough twice, as if genuinely happy for his master.
But after witnessing Sheng Jing's behavior, everyone knew what was really on the minds of this father and son duo. Even Su Luowei, who was usually good-tempered, didn't think much of them and coldly said, "You are a disciple of Dongji Sect, and I am a disciple of Qingxu Sect. Although there are some ties between us, to avoid any misunderstandings, it's better that we address each other as 'Daoist friends.'"
Though rejected to his face, Sheng Ruiming still maintained the demeanor of a gentleman, "As you wish, Daoist Su."
They rested for a few more days in Dawn City before Sheng Jing reluctantly saw Sheng Ruiming off, filled with concern for his son.
The journey from Dawn City to Dongji Island required a four-day carriage ride to a coastal town, followed by a ten-day sea voyage before the island would come into view.
Unlike riverboats, the ship heading to Dongji Island was particularly large, capable of accommodating up to two hundred people. Onboard, they encountered many cultivators, most of whom were disciples of Dongji Sect, wearing its attire. The rest, like them, were there to attend the Five Sects Conference.
It was the first time the group had seen such a large ship, and they were excited at first. But after a few days at sea, their enthusiasm waned, and they spent most of their time in their rooms cultivating.
During her breaks from cultivation, Su Luowei couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. Once they reached Dongji Island, it would be inevitable for her to meet the original owner's parents. What would she do if they noticed that she wasn't their daughter?
This anxiety caused her to lose sleep for two consecutive nights.
Meng Shuying somehow noticed her unease and subtly asked her several times if something was troubling her.
With such a big secret hidden in her heart, Su Luowei hesitated several times but ultimately swallowed her words: "It's probably just nerves from being near home."
Meng Shuying misunderstood her meaning, thinking that Su Luowei, like herself, was not well-liked by her family and thus was reluctant to face them.
After all, in all the years they had spent together, Su Luowei had never mentioned her family.
Even though Meng Shuying had never felt warmth from her own family, the thought that her senior sister might also be unloved by her parents made her heart ache.
Surely it must be like that—they must not care for her senior sister, which is why they sent her to Qingxu Sect to cultivate under the sect leader.
Meng Shuying's heart ached, and her concern was almost overflowing. She couldn't help but clasp her senior sister's hands to her chest and solemnly said, "Don't worry, Senior Sister. I'm here for you."
Su Luowei: "?"
The weather at sea was unpredictable. One moment the sky was clear, and the next, a fine drizzle began to fall.
The rain lasted for several days, and when the clouds finally dispersed, they had arrived at Dongji Island.
Before arriving, Meng Shuying had assumed that Dongji Island was just like any other small island she had visited.
But once she set foot on Dongji Island and saw the bustling town before her, she realized that it was nothing like she had imagined.
Of course, it was different.
The Dongji Sect had established itself here many years ago, turning Dongji Island into a prosperous city.
The streets were crowded, shoulder to shoulder. Vendors with their wares, tea houses, and inns filled the place, and the well-dressed passersby all spoke of the island's wealth.
Meng Shuying suddenly understood why the Sheng family father and son were after her senior sister.
Dongji Island was not just any place. Flying was not prohibited here, and one could see sword-flying cultivators everywhere. Sheng Ruiming had wanted to guide them, but was refused: "Although I haven't been home in a long time, I can still find my way back."
Her firm stance left Sheng Ruiming with no choice but to leave, somewhat disappointed.
That day, with clouds covering the sun and a gentle warmth in the air, Su Haocang had just finished hearing his disciples report their cultivation progress when someone suddenly came to report: "Master, Mistress has summoned you to return home."
Although everyone in Dongji Sect knew that Su Haocang was a strict wife-fearing man, he still wanted to maintain some dignity in front of his disciples.
He stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and calmly asked, "Did Mistress say what it was about?"
"Mistress said... the eldest daughter has returned home."
"What! Weiwei has come back!" Su Haocang's half-closed eyes suddenly widened. He leaped from his chair and disappeared in an instant, leaving behind a group of bewildered disciples.
Someone curiously asked, "Senior Brother, who is the eldest daughter you mentioned?"
Senior Brother Mu Xiu smiled elegantly, "She is the master's only daughter, his most cherished treasure."
Su Haocang hurried back to his residence and, before even stepping inside, heard his wife laughing in the main hall.
"It was the right decision to send you to your aunt. To have formed a Golden Core at your age, there are few like you even in the entire Dongji Sect."
His daughter had formed a Golden Core!
Su Haocang's heart was full of pride when he suddenly heard his wife say, "Fortunately, we didn't listen to your father back then. If you had joined Dongji Sect, who knows if you'd even be at the Foundation Establishment stage by now."
Standing outside the door, Su Haocang thought of all the arguments he had with his wife over their daughter's cultivation and felt too embarrassed to enter.
As he hesitated at the door, Fu Ling, his wife's eldest disciple, came out and bowed to him, "Mistress asks why, now that you've returned, you haven't come inside."
When Su Luowei saw Su Haocang enter, she immediately stood up, somewhat nervous, and said, "Father."
According to the original owner's memories, because she was not easily conceived, Su Luowei's parents had always doted on her, with her father being particularly indulgent. His love for his daughter was so boundless that it spoiled her into a rather arrogant character.
Sure enough, seeing her, Su Haocang's eyes grew red with emotion. He walked quickly to her side, placed his hands on her shoulders, and carefully examined her face. After a long while, he finally spoke in a deep voice, "Weiwei, you've lost weight..."
Su Luowei had been quite young when she left home, with her cheeks still carrying the faint roundness of baby fat. Now, she had grown into a graceful young woman. The thought of having missed so many years of his daughter's life made Su Haocang's eyes well up with tears.
"Did your aunt not treat you well? How did you get so thin?"
Originally, Zhan Xueying was sitting beside them, snacking on melon seeds and watching the scene unfold. But when she heard her husband unjustly accusing her sister, she furrowed her brows and slammed the seeds onto the table.
"Su Haocang, what do you mean by that! Xuehan is my sister—how could she mistreat Weiwei?"
Su Haocang, known for his fear of his wife, immediately abandoned his daughter and rushed over to console her: "I was just speaking off the cuff. It's been so long since I last saw our daughter, I couldn't help but feel concerned for her."
Ignoring the presence of others, he continued to placate his wife until she was no longer angry. Only then did he turn to Su Luowei and ask, "And who are these young friends?"
Su Luowei quickly introduced her three junior sisters, and when she introduced Meng Shuying, she glanced at her and softly added, "Although Junior Sister Meng is young, she is already at the peak of the Golden Core stage and will soon reach the Nascent Soul stage."
"Oh?" Su Haocang stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly. "A Golden Core peak at around twenty years old—such a talent is rare in the entire cultivation world. Very good, very good. However, I am curious as to why, when I entered, this young friend was glaring at me with hostility. Did I do something to offend you?"
Meng Shuying's face flushed with embarrassment, and she wished she could shrink into a ball: "No, not at all..."
When she first saw Su Haocang, she had indeed mistaken him for the person who had made her senior sister afraid to return home, and had instinctively shown killing intent.
She hadn't thought much of Su Luowei's mother either, but seeing how much Su Luowei resembled her, she had been momentarily stunned.
By the time she realized it, Su Luowei's mother was already hugging her senior sister and crying her heart out. Anyone could see that her feelings were sincere, not feigned.
Su Luowei's father didn't look much like her—one could even say they had no resemblance at all. When he returned, he had lingered outside the door instead of eagerly rushing to see his daughter.
So Meng Shuying had shown her hostility toward him.
Though the killing intent had only lasted for a moment, it was enough for Su Haocang to notice.
"Did you mistake me for someone else?" Su Haocang laughed heartily. "Then take a good look. I am your senior sister's father—don't get it wrong."
After some polite conversation, Zhan Xueying used the excuse that they had traveled a long way and needed rest to have someone escort them to the guest rooms. Su Luowei didn't need any guidance and, relying on the original owner's memories, smoothly found her way back to her own room. The furnishings inside matched what she remembered, with no signs of neglect, indicating that someone had been regularly maintaining the place, always ready for her return.
She couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy and murmured to herself, "Your family… really cares for you."
Whether it was Zhan Xuehan or her parents, they all truly cherished her, treating her like a precious gem.
She couldn't help but ask Xiao Ba, "Am I not just taking over her life?"
Sensing her low mood, Xiao Ba uncharacteristically refrained from joking and replied seriously, "You can't think like that. The original Su Luowei died because of her own recklessness—you just happened to take over her body. Even without you, she couldn't have escaped that fate. If you look at it from another angle, your arrival prevented her parents from enduring the pain of losing a child, which is also a good thing."
Su Luowei still couldn't shake her guilt: "But my presence has altered her life's course. Originally, she could have lived until Meng Shuying unlocked the Demon Seal."
"No, Host." Xiao Ba sighed softly, speaking vaguely, "Some things aren't as they appear. You shouldn't overthink it. Just focus on completing your task and returning to your original world as soon as possible."
Not as they appear?
Su Luowei keenly sensed something off in Xiao Ba's words and pressed further, "What exactly do you mean by that?"
She carefully recalled her conversations with Xiao Ba and began to piece things together.
"Could it be that there was more to the original Su Luowei's story?"
This question seemed difficult for Xiao Ba to answer, and it fell silent.
Su Luowei patiently waited.
After a long pause, Xiao Ba finally spoke softly, "The original Su Luowei also died on the day you crossed over."
Su Luowei was so shocked by this revelation that she was unable to react for a long time, almost suspecting that Xiao Ba had made up a lie to comfort her.
"It's true." Now that it had started, Xiao Ba decided to reveal everything it knew. "The one who humiliated Meng Shuying in every possible way wasn't the real Su Luowei. Someone from the demon world implanted their consciousness into her spiritual sea, controlling her body to commit those acts."
Su Luowei was first shocked, then puzzled: "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
Xiao Ba was also troubled: "I didn't know about it before. It was as if... someone suddenly placed this knowledge into my mind one day."