Translator: Henyee Translations
Editor: Henyee Translations
The reception banquet turned out to be a rather dull event. The Li siblings’ older brother had just passed away, and needlessly to say, they weren’t exactly in a merry-making mood nor would it have been appropriate even if they were. Hence, they only had a typical dinner, during which Li Qinglin introduced his trusted followers to Qin Yi.
There were four or five men whom Li Qinglin considered his confidants, civil and military officials included. They all greeted Qin Yi in a polite but formal manner. After all, with their social status, it was very unlikely that they would reveal their true feelings. Even if one of them found this random alchemist unconvincing, they didn’t let it show.
Everywhere Qin Yi turned, he saw warm smiles, but that politeness masked subtle searching looks and a sense of alienation.
Even Li Qingjun didn’t behave like his close comrade-in-arms anymore. She kept her distance from Qin Yi and behaved like a perfectly graceful young lady. Qin Yi even saw her covering her mouth with one hand while sipping her wine.
That young woman who had tossed her head back and gulped down the wine in his gourd in that pavilion seemed like an illusion now.
“That felt so depressing.” After returning to his courtyard, Qin Yi sat down by the window and leaned on the window sill to look at the flowers outside. “I’d much prefer to travel the world and fight demons with the Li siblings than watch the way they act in the capital.”
Li Qingjun had long returned to her own residence as it was inappropriate for her to stay at her brother’s place. Li Qinglin was also engaged in a meeting with his confidants, which was probably about his future as a crown prince. Qin Yi wasn’t invited, but he didn’t think much of it and went back to his courtyard on his own.
Liusu sounded somewhat sarcastic. “Do you regret coming here with them? Your life in Immortal Deeds seems pretty sweet now, doesn’t it?”
“Home is where your heart belongs. The actual location doesn’t matter.” Qin Yi only realized his gourd was empty when he tried to take a sip and had to toss it aside.
“You can keep lying to yourself,” Liusu said. “Why didn’t you bring that peach wood sword to that welcome dinner?”
“What for?” Qin Yi asked. “Even if there were demons around Li Qinglin, that wouldn’t prove he killed his brother. Instead, it would only make me look like I’m trying to assault people during a banquet. That wouldn’t do me any good if I wanted to stay here.”
Liusu asked casually, “If he really murdered his brother, would you still work with him?”
Qin Yi stared blankly into the yard for a very long time before replying. “I don’t know.”
“Actually, even if he killed his brother, you shouldn’t be bothered, because the master teacher is the one you’re after.” Liusu prompted him. “It’s good that Li Qinglin wants the throne. That way, he’ll be better prepared for his war against the master teacher.”
Qin Yi was still lost in thought and only spoke after a long while. “I choose to believe him for the time being because he was looking for me on that mountain when the crown prince was assassinated. I’d be a moron if I started suspecting my partner as soon as some unknown priestess tried to drive us apart.”
Liusu smiled and saw what he meant.
Qin Yi said “for the time being” which meant that despite his little speech, he still had some suspicion about the prince. At the very least, he would be more cautious going forward.
He suddenly said, “By the way, can you control this sword? I don’t want to keep something I can’t control.”
Liusu chuckled. “You could always start cultivating with me.”
Qin Yi sneered. “I see. You can’t control it.”
The spiked club jumped to its “foot”. “Says who?!”
…
Meanwhile in a secret chamber, Li Qinglin and his confidants were discussing how to handle the situation going forward. It was deep into the night by the time they figured out the details.
Once his subordinates left, Li Qinglin heaved a sigh, sat in the chamber, and stared at the luminescent pearls for a very long time.
A woman’s voice suddenly rang out in a corner where the light of the pearls couldn’t reach. “A very powerful mind has been probing around recently, and I’m too afraid to even go outside.”
It was a cold yet childish voice, and if Qin Yi had heard the language she used, he would’ve jumped to his feet in surprise.
Needless to say, it was the demon Minghe had been looking for.
Li Qinglin chuckled. “That’s why you’re still here. I thought you were going to leave after you did that thing for me.”
“How can you laugh?” the voice asked coldly. “You do realize that means my cover is blown, don’t you? Some unknown travelling cultivator has made me their target.”
Li Qinglin was still smiling. “You said so yourself that you would take your life if things went south, and that was going to be your way of repaying my favor. You promised you wouldn’t get me involved, so I hope your so-called blood oath of the soul is more reliable than the oaths humans make.”
The voice remained silent for a very long while before turning into a sigh. She then said, “You don’t have to worry about that. My blood oath is very powerful. Did you bring back an alchemist with you?”
Li Qinglin asked, “Are you hoping he can help you out?”
“Even an ant prefers life to death, so of course I… I don’t want to die.”
Li Qinglin pondered for a moment and sighed. “Since that person isn’t staying at my residence, you can stay here for a while. I’ll talk to Qin Yi tomorrow and see what we can do…”
“You…” The woman’s voice sounded surprised. “Are you still willing to help me? It may get you into trouble, and that Qin Yi may suspect you.”
Everyone knew the best solution for Li Qinglin was to let her die. No one would ever know that a demon used to live here, that cultivator included, and her death would tie up all the loose ends of the crown prince’s murder.
The woman sounded confused by Li Qinglin’s choice, because that wasn’t the sort of thing Li Qinglin would normally do.
Li Qinglin didn’t need her concern, and he only murmured, “Actually, me keeping a demon around isn’t all that unbelievable, and Qin Yi isn’t the unreasonable type who would want to kill a demon as soon as he laid eyes one one. Without any evidence, no one would link you to the assassination of the crown prince. Wouldn’t it be expected of me to ask him for help regarding a demon I’ve been raising in my home?”
“I know, but it’s still more complicated than we discussed…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Li Qinglin waved her off. “I want to help you, but I also want to use this opportunity to see how capable a real cultivator is. After all, Qin Yi is only an ordinary person. If he isn’t skilled enough to help me, maybe this travelling cultivator you mentioned could be a last resort. They may not be on Donghuazi’s side.”
The female voice went silent again.
A travelling cultivator had no connection with local forces, and Li Qinglin might be able to win them over to his side. The only price he had to pay was the life of this demon.
“Does a person like you ever fear that your plot might not work?”
“It all depends on who’s planning it,” Li Qinglin said casually. “At least for now, everything has been going smoothly.”
The female voice said coldly, “I could understand you using your enemy and me as pawns, but you went away using the excuse that you were looking for immortals with Princess Zhaoyang. That way, you were able to find your alchemist and give yourself an alibi. So far, everything has been going as planned, and the only one who’s been kept in the dark is the princess, who’s been so happy to go on an immortal-searching trip with her brother. Do you not feel guilty at all?”
Li Qingjun pondered and murmured, “Qingjun is like an innocent monkey before it obtains immortality. She’s still pure at heart, but she’ll have to grow up eventually. I wonder what would make her grow up eventually.”
“A monkey?”
“Yes, a monkey. And I’m a monkey who made a bet with Buddha and is fighting for a good result. If I was still as naive as Qingjun, I’d have ended up imprisoned under a mountain as well.” Li Qinglin’s face became expressionless again when he said, “I’m already treading on thin ice. I don’t have any more energy to worry about other people’s feelings.”