Ning Yao focused her attention: "What exactly does that mean?"

A clap of thunder exploded beside her ear. Ning Yao subconsciously looked up, and a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by large raindrops falling rapidly.

Ning Yao subconsciously reached out to catch the rain, but although she felt the dampness, the rain didn't actually wet her.

Looking at the leaf in her hand, Ning Yao suddenly had a bold idea.

"The divine tree protects all things. Besides Kunlun Mountain, does that mean other places in the world are also within its protection? Are these leaves related to rainfall?"

The Divine Tree of the Netherworld rests on the Kunlun Mountains, the location of the dragon vein of the Yan Kingdom. The mountain ridge stretches for thousands of miles, ancient and solemn.

To some extent, this also provided protection for the sacred tree, but ten thousand years is too long, and the sacred tree's life began to wither.

What should have protected the entire Kunlun Mountains was reduced to the area she could see.

Even when the world is in severe drought and everything withers, it cannot help.

However, since I went to Kunlun Mountains and extended the life of the sacred tree, I have also subtly changed other things.

Ning Yao murmured to herself, "If that's really the case, what should I do? Is it a sign of future weather changes, or is there something I need to do?"

Suddenly, the rain stopped and the storm cleared up in the secret realm. The previous thunderstorm had vanished, and the sky was clear and blue.

Ning Yao stayed in the secret realm until late at night before leaving.

As dawn approached, Ning Yao simply changed her clothes and went out.

I ran into Zhilan outside the door; she was also up early.

"Miss, you're up? Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

Ning Yao shook her head: "I can't sleep. Come with me to the city today. Didn't you say you bought a few shops? Let's go take a look."

"Yes, Miss, I'll go prepare breakfast."

Ning Yao stopped her: "Don't bother, I have some here. Have something simple to eat. You should go to Shi'an Garden and say goodbye to your parents."

"Yes, Miss."

Zhilan turned around and hurriedly left Qinyao Pavilion.

Ning Yao took out two breakfasts from the secret realm.

When Zhilan returned, Huayan was following behind her.

What brings you here?

Hua Yan raised an eyebrow: "I heard from Zhilan that you're going into the city?"

"That's right."

“I’m going too. I’ve never been to Licheng before, and I want to go and see it.”

Ning Yao thought about it and agreed without refusing.

After a quick breakfast, the three of them left the manor and hitched up a carriage to go to the city.

Ning Yao and the other two left through the back door, while Shen Wei and Shen Ci'an entered through the front door, just missing each other.

Their arrival in the city was also at a time that avoided Jiang Shilin's group; Jiang Shilin went first, and Ning Yao followed behind.

Hua Yan and Zhi Lan were sitting outside in the carriage, while Ning Yao was the only one inside.

Inside the carriage, Ning Yao held an account book containing all of the Ning family's current properties in Licheng, which Zhi Lan had brought from Shi'an Garden.

Ning Yao glanced through it briefly.

"The property includes a suburban manor, a five-courtyard house in the city, three three-courtyard houses, and eleven one-courtyard houses..."

"The estate comprises tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, with a small Liangshan mountain behind the manor..."

"The shops consist of three grain shops, three clothing shops, two pharmacies, two cloth shops, two teahouses, five general stores, one restaurant, and one inn..."

Upon reaching the end, Ning Yao's eyes widened, and she raised her voice: "A brothel???!!!"

Ning Yao immediately decided to visit a brothel first, as she had never been to a brothel in ancient times.

"Zhilan went to Pinglan Tower in the west of the city."

"Yes, miss."

Leaning on the railing at the west end of the city.

The main gate of the Pinglan Tower was tightly closed, and a group of women dressed in flamboyant attire sat in the hall.

Normally they would be active at night and resting during the day, and at this time they would still be resting.

Now, more than half a year has passed, and Pinglanlou has been closed for several months. They have also resumed their normal daily routine.

"Big sister, are you really leaving?" a beautiful woman asked.

Ruoxiang said with a worried face, "What can we do if we don't leave? This Pinglanlou has been closed for so long, and the sisters haven't made any money. If we stay here, we'll just be waiting to die."

Yuedie asked, "The Pinglan Tower has changed hands. What if the new owner arrives and can save us?"

"Second sister, what are you thinking? Pinglanlou changed owners before last summer, but the new owners haven't shown up yet. We can't just keep waiting like this!"

The one who spoke was Tingyun, the fourth among them. He was young, but the most composed.

"It's all that Liu Niangzi's fault! She ran off with all the money after the incident, leaving us sisters with only enough to barely make ends meet!" Qin Ya said bitterly.

The youngest among them, Xiang Ning, was only about fifteen years old and was quietly listening to her older sisters talk.

"Xiang Ning will stay with her sisters; wherever they go, Xiang Ning will go!"

The huge Pinglan Tower was now empty except for the five of them. The madam, Liu Niangzi, had absconded with the money, and the other girls in the tower had also fled.

The five of them were the closest of friends, and after discussing it, they unanimously decided to stay at Pinglan Tower.

At least there's a place to shelter from the wind and sun, so you don't have to wander around.

In fact, their choice was correct. In the chaotic world outside, hiding in this railing tower was a way to escape a disaster.

The eldest brother, Ruoxiang, said, "I heard someone in the city say that Nanjiang City has water and is distributing grain to the people. If we go there, we can live in anonymity, acquire some land, and not live in constant fear here."

The fourth brother, Tingyun, felt that although this older sister was old, she was a bit too naive.

"Big sister, have you forgotten who we are? Do you think we can live a peaceful life even if we hide our identities and live with our appearance?"

Everyone fell silent.

Pinglanlou is the largest and only brothel in Licheng.

The women inside the building were all incredibly beautiful, each with their own unique charm.

Even the servants who swept and cleaned, as well as the maids who served them, were all of decent and pretty appearance.

“The four of us are no good, we’re already past our prime, but Xiang Ning is different. She’s still young, she still has a chance to succeed. We can’t hold her back!”

Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning immediately became anxious: "Fourth Sister, I don't want to leave you! You are my family. If it weren't for Eldest Sister taking me in, I would have starved to death long ago."

"It was my third sister who begged Lady Liu to take good care of me, which is why I survived."

"When I was being bullied, it was you, Fourth Sister, who helped me fight off those people."

“Even…” Xiang Ning started crying as she spoke, “it was my second sister who helped me out when Lady Liu was forcing me to take customers…”

Xiang Ning sobbed, "If it weren't for my four older sisters, where would I be today? I don't want to leave you."

When Xiang Ning was taken in by Ruo Xiang, she was only seven or eight years old. She was practically raised by the four of them, who fed her with every bite of food and every drop of water.

If they really had to let Xiang Ning leave, they would be extremely reluctant.

But Xiang Ning is different from them. She can leave them, leave Pinglan Tower, change to a new identity, get married, have children, and have a fulfilling future.

"Silly girl, if you follow us older sisters, you'll only ever be the lowest of prostitutes. Be good, okay?"

"Who told you that you can only be a prostitute?"