Chapter 21：Visiting The Storage Realm

After waking, I finally could feel that I've recollected the 10% I was missing. Now that that was done, I need to visit my ocean. I'm sure they are missing me.

While Zhao Ling was in deep thoughts upon awakening, Prince Wu was spending his time to admire the beauty. She got even more prettier. I feel guilty for having this thought, but I really wish I could lock her up in my Ponder Residence and be the only one who can view her beauty.

"Ling'er, what are you thinking about so intensely?"

"Huh?" Zhao Ling may have been my name for 10 years, but I can't seem to get used to it. "Nothing at all. Just how I've been able to restore myself after unlocking my ocean."

"If your ocean is locked, that means that you can't cultivate, so how did you cultivate?"

"Hehe... My body is different from normal humans. My body is similar to a god and demon's body. Gods can use the dew from the Dai Flower, and demons have two oceans. One that they were born with and the other is from achieving it. The second ocean is like a storage mostly though. Demons don't usually see that it has a use for cultivating because its spiritual aura is not strong like the main one."

"So your body is like that?"

"Yes. Somebody helped made my body like this because that person was worried I'd be harmed in some way. That person was always so over-protective of me. Hehe... Now that I think about it. It wasn't over-protective, it was over-over-protective."

"Who is that person?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not? Do you not trust me?"

"No, it's not that. Someday in the future when you meet him, you'll kill him for sure. Well, you didn't kill him really. He was already dead anyways, but his body is still alive. You'll figure out for yourself in the future."

"Alright, since you don't want to tell, I won't force you."

"Thank you. It's not that I don't want to tell you, but it's still a painful memory for me. I'm still in mourning."

"Okay."

"Ah! I need to change my clothes. I've stunk this with all my sweat. I'm sure you are getting disgusted by my stink."

"Not at all, whether you stink or not, you always smell nice."

"Um... Thank you..." I said this shyly mostly because I don't know how to take comments from other people besides him. Even if this man before me was my husband, I don't think it will be able to replace him yet. Because, I was sure he was still alive. After all, I met him in this life. "Still, I'll take my leave now. I need to go back to Winter Court or Hao'er will start screaming that I've disappeared."

"Don't worry about that. I've already told her that I've brought you to my residence."

"Ahem... Your Highness, it's called that Madam may call for me at anytime, so please spare me. Please?"

"Alright, but visit me again, Ling'er."

I can't seem to get used to the name Zhao Ling. You are Zhao Ling. You are Zhao Ling. Repeat that into your head Xia Lin. Zhao Ling. After I've calmed down, I teleported back to my court. My dress was getting stinky. I can't believe I chose this dress myself. It must be the style of that man Lu Ming. It's not bad taste, but my taste are more similar to that of him.

"Hao'er, prepare a bath for me."

"Yes!"

Hao'er went to prepare the bath quickly.

The water was warm against my skin. It wasn't too warm though. This warmth reminds me of the time of when he didn't let me take a bath with warm water, but only cold water. Whether it was winter or spring, he would say, "Every bath you take, must be with me. I want to be your warmth in the coldness that you sink in."

Maybe it was because because I was in the water for too long, but Hao'er became worried about me and called out my name. "Sister? Is there something wrong?"

"No. I was just thinking about the past. Say, Hao'er, you don't think it's weird at all that your master's appearance had changed at all?"

"Sister's past is a mystery to me, so if something were to happen to Sister, Hao'er is sure that there is a reason behind it. Not only that, Sister was in the prince's Ponder Residence for 3 days, Hao'er is sure something happened, but Hao'er does not know what it is."

"Hao'er you are such an intelligent child. Do you want to learn how to cultivate?"

"Eh!? Sister, Hao'er doesn't think Hao'er can do it. Hao'er is not good at cultivating."

"There is always a first at eevrything, and also, didn't you say that you wanted to be useful to me? If you learn how to cultivate, you will have more use for me. Hao'er, I don't live in a peaceful world. Since I can't assure our safety, I can only bring myself out if I ever do and leave you here."

"Eh! Sister, Hao'er will learn! Hao'er wants to be beside Sister for Hao'er's entire life."

"Mm! That's good! That's my little sister!"

"Does Sister need help putting on her robe?"

"No." After saying that, while I was still in the water, I changed my robe. It was a purple dress. It had many details to it and the material used was not only beautiful, but it was expensive and rarely found materials. This dress had been made by me using the materials that he had given me. I had barely became his wife, but he knew that I rather liked wearing things made by me, so he ordered his people to find these materials. I was ecstatic, but at that time, I felt my heart swell for how he could understand me so well.

Many of the men who courted me gave me well prepared dresses of which I threw away, but he gave me the materials to make them instead. Those men who courted me did good by giving me such luxurious dresses, but they don't know me well enough to find out that all my dresses were made by me. I had started to make my own dresses because I found that the dresses I bought were not to my style. Being able to create my own dress gave me more choices.

This dress that I was wearing never got wet because it wasn't a normal dress. All the dresses made by me had some spiritual magic put in. The dress would never get dirty, stinky, or burn. It also protected the owner's body. If someone tried to harm me, they would ultimately fail because this purple dress here repelled physical attacks. If they tried to kill me with an arrow, the arrow would go back and strike them dead instead.

After changing, I got out and went to stare at myself in the mirror. My reflection was the same of how I looked like back then. As beautiful as ever. I used to hate this face, but after meeting him, I came to love this face... Because it was of this face that I was able to meet him. The weakling me and the overpowered lord him.

The only difference was that, I didn't have my silver hair or purple eyes like I did back then, but it was understandable. It was my demon form after all. I don't think it will come out unless I forced it to. That was a good thing however... My true past will never be revealed.

"Concubine Xiu, Madam calls for you immediately."

"This concubine understands. Please lead the way."

The Madam's runner was shocked when he saw my face and kept on looking at my face when we were walking to her room. It was only understandable that he would be shocked. I had a different appearance just 3 days ago.

When we finally came to her room, I also Madam's shocked face. I was sure she already knew seeing that the prince was with her, but of course she would still be surprised to know that I got even more prettier than before.

"Hehe! My son had told that you had changed, but it seems to me that he'd rather keep locked in his residence seeing your appearance. Your dress is also very pretty. It has enhanced your looks, but it somehow hides you. That dress is a very mysterious creation."

"This concubine thanks for Madam's compliments. This concubine is sure that His Highness has already told Madam my background, so this concubine thanks Madam for still being able to accept me."

"Hehe, what are you talking about? I won't be able to get another daughter as good as you. I will be letting go of a good chance at break if I didn't accept you. Zhao Ling is a beautiful name by the way."

"Thank you. Is there a reason why Madam has called this concubine here? I am sure that Madam did not call me here for small talks."

"Hm... It seems you are the perfect candidate."

"Perfect candidate?"

"Ling'er, I want to hand the house matters to you, but I must test you first. I hope you will meet my expectations."

"Yes, this concubine understands. What would Madam like to test this concubine in?"

"Do you know abacus?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, I will be giving you the finance books for the house. Finish looking over them and return them to me tomorrow."

"Alright, but Madam, you have no suspicions towards me that I might do something underhanded?"

"As long as I trust you, Mother will too."

"Your Highness, I was questioning Madam, but your response will do good. I suppose? Hehe..." I had on a surprised face hearing that sentence. "Well then, this concubine shall take her leave."

"There's no need to rush. Join us for lunch."

"Since Madam has said so, then this concubine will stay."

A second later, food was brought in to the dinning table and we ate. I was a little nervous being there, but I ate peacefully in quietness. I was also staring at the prince and Madam for a split second, but looked back down to my food. The Madam was whispering to his ears, but I didn't want to intrude in any of their private talks, so I didn't abuse my powers to this.

If Zhao Ling heard what the Madam said to the prince, she would have surely choke on her food.

What the Madam had whispered to her son was, "Xiao Lim, use this chance to romanticize her. Make sure you feed her and so on. Take this chance to get closer to her."

Prince Wu had on a smile hearing what his mother said. He then continuously put food on her bowl of rice. Every time he did, Zhao Ling would say thank you. Somehow, Zhao Ling felt like this was her most uncomfortable meal ever although the food was very good.

After finishing the meal, she bid her farewell to the Madame and the prince and left back to her court by teleporting. She hadn't brought Hao'er with her, so she just teleported instead. It was just a short walk, but she'd rather take a faster route.

After coming back, she told Hao'er about what the Madam had tasked her with. Doing math was easy for her with even the abacus. As a person from the modern world, if she didn't know how to do math, she would be a disappoint.

Hao'er surprised that her master, a female, could do math so fast without the need for an abacus. Not only that, there was nothing wrong with the it. Everything was right. She was even able to see where something looked suspicious although it was small. All above that, she completed the task in only 1 hour. Zhao Ling could have completed it in a minute, but she didn't to scare her servant with her inhumane skills. Besides, she didn't want to brag about her skills. She needed to visit her pets.

After completing her task, she went into a meditative state or rather an ethereal state. It was how she had protected herself while visiting her pets. A habit she can't get rid of. A habit that man had given her.

Once she had entered her storage realm, she saw her pets. They were all in a corner sulking. "Did you all miss me? I'm sorry for leaving without any notice."

The first pet to respond was the dragon, Wan Shi. It was a powerful dragon. Well, all of the spiritual pets were over powerful being that everyone of them were above or at Godly. "Master, where were you all these years? We were so worried! We wanted to go out and search for you, but we were locked in here and didn't know what to do."

"I'm sorry. An incident happened, but don't worry, it will never happen again."

The other pet was the snow wolf, Tan Zan. "Master, what about your husband?"

"He... I don't know..." I had on a sad face. We were connected by blood and soul. When I came back to, I felt that he was alive, but his soul was flickering as if fighting. I have to find him immediately, but I can't leave without notice. Those people has helped me over the day and I have to be thankful to His Highness for helping me.

The white tiger, Mo Jingyi noticed her sad expression and said in a comforting voice, "Master, it's okay, you still have us. We'll help you find him."

"There's no need to find him. He'll come."

"Master what do you mean?" This one was the old and wise turtle, Yu Zhong.

"Sigh, something happened while I was still unconscious. He will come, but I don't know when. You guys know him. As mysterious as ever."

"That's true." The one who spoke this time was the fire phoenix, Shen Ru. "However, I don't think he'll be coming back, so Master, don't wait for him."

"You seem to know what I was thinking."

"We made a contract while Master was on your trip. It is a contract with our souls. I can sense that his soul is flickering. Our contract is coming to an end soon."

"How long?"

"I can estimate about 8 months from now."

"Thank you Shen Ru."

"It's okay, but don't beat yourself for this. Please. You are my only master in this world, if you are feeling down, even someone as cold as myself, will cry. Please be happy for us. I'm not asking now, but don't be down for too long."

"Mm... I'll try my best for you guys."

After hearing what I wanted to, I left my storage realm and went back to reality.