“Judging from your tone…” Li Qinglin finally spoke. “I think you’re going to say no when I tell you the name.”
Qin Yi said decisively, “Yes.”
“Why? Are you afraid that Qingjun will find out you killed her father?”
Li Qinglin’s voice was so calm that Night Wing held her own shoulders and recoiled. She looked terrified.
He said it. He really wanted to kill his father.
Fratricide wasn’t uncommon in ordinary families or among animals, which Night Wing could understand. However, the idea of killing one’s own father was very disturbing, but Li Qinglin had brought it up in such a calming voice.
Night Wing didn’t think even demons would do such a thing and wondered why Minghe disliked them so much.
Qin Yi replied, “That’s one of two reasons. If Qingjun finds out that I killed her father, our lives would be ruined.”
“She won’t find out.”
“But I won’t be able to live with my conscience.”
“Hah…” Li Qinglin chuckled and asked another question. “One of two reasons? What about the other one? Are you afraid that I’ll treat you like a disposable pawn?”
“Actually…” After a moment of silence, Qin Yi slowly said, “It’s because I don’t want my friend to do such a thing. I won’t know how to face him when he sits on the throne, nor will I know if he meant what he said the night we drank together.”
Li Qinglin was surprised and he didn’t know what to say.
Qin Yi didn’t look at him. Instead, he walked over to Night Wing to check her pulse.
He then realized that she didn’t have one, for she wasn’t human. Even the greatest doctor wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, let alone Qin Yi, who wasn’t much better than an amateur.
He was about to ask Night Wing how she felt when Li Qinglin spoke behind him. “Xihuang and Donghuazi must have a plan against Nanli, but Donghuazi is much more influential here than you think, and I can’t run an investigation on him. The most efficient way for me to make a breakthrough in the case is for me to become the king, which is likely my only choice now. Caring too much about your petty kindness will only ruin the entire plan.”
Qin Yi didn’t reply.
Li Qinglin added, “Using poison is the ideal choice. That way, no one will challenge my succession, and we can blame everything on Donghuazi’s pills as well, which will help with our next move. Of course, if worse comes to worst, I can deploy the troops, take command of the royal guards, and force my father to abdicate and become a Taoist priest… But doing so would create legal loopholes and make the kingdom unstable. Donghuazi and Xihuang might take advantage of the situation.”
Qin Yi finally turned around and said, “You don’t need me to poison your father, so please leave me out of this. I’ll take Qingjun and go away. You don’t have to worry about intervention from us.”
Li Qinglin said, “He won’t take medicine from others without testing for poison first.”
“I see.” Qin Yi sighed. “You’ve had that idea since you learned the details about my audience with the king, haven’t you?”
Li Qinglin said honestly, “Yes. I wouldn’t have thought of that if I hadn’t been reminded of that detail.”
“I guess that’s my most important function here in Li Fire, isn’t it?” Qin Yi smiled self-mockingly and said, “If that’s the case, I didn’t really need to come here at all.”
Li Qinglin could detect the insinuation in that remark, so he frowned and asked, “What do you mean?”
“What I meant was: your father doesn’t have much time left. No medicine can save him, and you don’t have to kill him yourself. Donghuazi probably already realized your father’s situation, and that was why Mang Zhan showed up so suddenly, asking for a political marriage. What you should do in the next few days is prepare for all possible situations. If something really happens to you, Qingjun will become the only heiress to the throne,” Qin Yi said indifferently. “I don’t want to see her trapped in that throne room. That’s not the life Li Qingjun wants.”
Li Qinglin’s pupils contracted. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that my father was dying?”
Qin Yi smiled. “Brother Li, you’ve been testing me all along, so I thought I should test you as well.”
Taking a deep breath, Li Qinglin cupped one fist with the other and bowed. “No matter how you think of me… that’s still a piece of important information. Thank you.”
He then strode off.
Liusu’s voice rang out in Qin Yi’s head. “Are you sure the king is going to die?”
“Yes,” Qin Yi said. “I wasn’t so sure before, but after Li Qinglin mentioned why Mang Zhan wanted a marriage, I realized what was going on. Donghuazi knew perfectly well that the king was dying, and he couldn’t let Li Qinglin take the throne. While Li Qinglin has been trying to get rid of him, he’s been trying to do the same to Li Qinglin. Killing Li Qinglin will make Qingjun the only heiress, and Mang Zhan is here to occupy a spot in advance. He’s ready to pick the fruit.”
“How much time do you think the king has?”
“No incense could cover the stench coming off him, and the five signs of a deva’s imminent death are already showing. I think he’ll have no more than a week left. Don’t blame me if I get it wrong, though. My teacher didn’t teach me well.”
“Tsk, tsk…” Liusu clicked its tongue but didn’t say anything.
“Q- Qin Yi,” Night Wing gulped and asked, “Who are you talking to?”
“Huh?” Only then did Qin Yi realize that the little girl was still around. He was too absorbed in his thoughts, and she had remained silent for so long that both Liusu and Qin Yi had forgotten about her.
“Well… I was just thinking out loud and clearing my head. A dumb snake like you won’t understand.”
“I see…” Night Wing said gingerly. “Is he not going to kill his father now?”
“He should hope that his father will live a bit longer now, because Donghuazi must be better prepared than he is, and he will need some more time.”
Night Wing sighed in a grown-up way.
“Quit acting like an adult! How blind was I to have been fooled by you when we first met?” Qin Yi pinched her cheeks and lifted them a little, and Night Wing rose to her feet, staring at him with puffed out cheeks.
“Now, tell me what’s going on with you. Not only has your demon energy weakened, but according to Minghe, its property has changed as well. Your wings have also shrunk. Do you feel unwell in any way?”
“It was quite painful when my demon energy burst into fire, and it still hurts. I can’t gather my strength… but I don’t know how to describe it… I don’t know what happened to my wings either….”
What a dumb snake… Qin Yi then teased her, “How about I give you a full body examination?”
Night Wing scratched her head and said, “Sure.”
“Ahem…” Qin Yi had to clear his throat to cover his embarrassment.
Liusu said, “Her shrunken wings are a sign of her progress. Once she stops walking around with those wings and only shows them when she needs to, she’ll have reached perfection in the Transformation Stage. As for her weakened demon energy, that’s because she’s been severely injured. And about the changed properties…”
It hesitated and only continued after a moment. “It’s because her heart fire has left her, taking away some of her wild nature, but the effect shouldn’t have been so prominent… I think it also has something to do with the ‘thing’ she forgot the other day.”
Qin Yi felt like yelling at Liusu. “Why did you say the other day that she didn’t forget anything important?! Her demon energy has changed, and that’s a big deal!”
“Winged snakes are in charge of terror, intimidation, and nightmares. They’re cunning abnormal creatures that are supposed to bring fear or confusion to human beings. If she remains the same way as when we first met her and gets influenced by what she sees and hears around Li Qinglin, she might actually evolve into such a creature. Is that what you want to see?”
Qin Yi was rendered speechless. He then took out a couple of pills and put them into Night Wing’s palm. “I’ve never made pills specific to your injuries, so you’ll have to make do with these for the time being. I’ll try to make something for you some other day. You’ve been pretty badly hurt, so get some rest. I’ll check up on you later.”
Night Wing tugged at his sleeve and was reluctant to see him go.
Rubbing her head, Qin Yi said quietly, “A lot is going on lately, and we both have to get better at protecting ourselves.”
Night Wing nodded obediently.
Qin Yi walked out of Night Wing’s little courtyard to realize that the sun was setting.
“That’s why you didn’t like Night Wing at first. You were worried about the nature of winged snakes…” Qin Yi asked Liusu as he strolled back to his own courtyard. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Liusu said coldly, “I thought you could use a lesson. Winged snakes are known for their mesmerizing ability, and you’ve doted on her. Heh, right now, I’m not sure how dumb she really is.”
Qin Yi was surprised. After a moment, he said quietly, “Thank you.”
Liusu didn’t reply, and they walked in silence. Liusu then suddenly said, “Don’t keep your eyes on the road. You’re not going to find any lost treasure there. Look at your courtyard. Minghe is there.”
Qin Yi looked up to find Minghe standing in the middle of the yard. At this hour, all was quiet. She was looking at the half-finished light foot talisman on the table, and the setting sun cast a soft glow onto her. From afar, it looked as if he had an exquisite jade sculpture in his room.