To prove that he really was unaffected, Qin Yi invited Li Qingjun to go with him to the Eternal Temple to examine the medicinal materials. Li Qingjun happily took his hand and walked down the street of Nanli.
Qin Yi blushed a little when he noticed the passersby stealing glances at them, but Li Qingjun was quite at ease.
“Don’t mind them. My brother is on our side, so we…” Li Qingjun sounded a little shy when the subject was brought up. After a pause, she went on. “Our wedding is set, and we’re only waiting for an auspicious day—that is, if you won’t leave me now.”
Qin Yi immediately said, “Why would I do that?”
“You’re the master teacher now…” Li Qingjun slowly said. “Beautiful women will throw themselves at you, and you won’t have time for me anymore.”
Qin Yi clicked his tongue. “Even your little finger means more to me than all of those women put together.”
Li Qingjun tilted her head and glanced at him. “You mean that?”
“You used to trust me a lot. Why not now…”
After a moment of silence, Li Qingjun said quietly, “I thought everything was so far away back then, and I could believe whatever I wanted. But now that it’s within my reach, I begin to worry that I may lose it. It’s just like… My brother used to despise immortality, but now… who knows what he thinks now?”
Qin Yi sighed as well and didn’t answer that question.
Qingjun smiled at him again. “If he gives you some pretty women to serve you, just accept them. Night Wing can’t even take care of herself, let alone you.”
Qin Yi was embarrassed. “Why are we talking about that all of a sudden…”
“Because…” Li Qingjun hesitated and finally said, “I’m not sure you’ll stick around.”
Shocked, Qin Yi halted.
She had a point…
Everything would be fine if the problem was resolved and Li Qingjun could leave. They would then travel the world together like two free birds.
However, if Li Qingjun really had to stay behind to protect Nanli, what would Qin Yi do?
Was he going to stay here with her as the master teacher and her husband?
Not only was it not the life Li Qingjun wanted, but it wasn’t the life he wanted either.
The two of them stood in the street and looked at each other in silence. After a long while, Qin Yi said, “I…”
Li Qingjun put a finger on his lips. “Don’t say it now.”
Qin Yi stopped talking.
Li Qingjun’s eyes flickered, and she whispered, “Kiss me.”
Right in the middle of the street…
There were indeed countless treasures in the sealed vault of the Eternal Temple.
As a small, remote kingdom, Nanli didn’t have all that many resources, but Donghuazi had still managed to build quite a collection over a decade.
Qin Yi found numerous things that met his needs and even a few herbs that might help stop Li Qinglin from getting even older. Unfortunately, the soul-nourishing objects Liusu was looking for were simply too rare, and in the end he only found a few pieces of “soul-lingering grass”. But they had been poorly preserved and had lost a lot of effectiveness.
He took the grass and a handful of other herbs before sealing the vault back up.
Li Qingjun leaned against the door frame, asking, “Is that it?”
“That’ll do.” Qin Yi picked up a rootstock and grinned. “Do you know what this is?”
“How am I supposed to know…”
“This is the purple lotus root I needed for my medicine when I followed you out of the mountain.”
Li Qingjun smiled in a reminescent way.
Qin Yi said, “This is used for a herbal bath that can help with nourishing one’s internal energy. Back then, I needed it because I wanted to make it to the Innate Stage, but now that I’m there already, I’m preparing it for you.”
Li Qingjun bit her lower lip. “Are you going to bribe a princess with that root?”
Qin Yi moved closer, held her in his arms, and whispered in her ears, “I have something else to bribe you with… I promise you’ll like it.”
Li Qingjun blushed and giggled.
Liusu grimaced as well.
Well, Qin Yi had always had the tendency to talk dirty. He had simply stopped retraining himself and had taken Li Qingjun along with him on that path.
Liusu decided it would cut them out.
It could always switch off its soul power.
Liusu hit the switch.
Just then, they heard everyone speak in unison outside. “Your Majesty.”
They immediately stepped away from each other, and Li Qingjun was too shy to look up.
Li Qinglin slowly walked towards them. Looking at him from afar, Qin Yi forgot about the romantic feeling a moment ago and felt rather heavy now.
Because Li Qinglin was walking very slowly.
He used to walk with large strides wherever he went and had insisted on doing so even in front of other people after he had just been cursed. This was the first time Qin Yi had ever seen him walking as slowly as a hobbling old man.
Qin Yi had to remind himself again that this young Li Qinglin was only Minghe’s illusion, and behind it was a genuinely old man.
Li Qinglin walked up to them and smiled at his blushing sister. He then slowly asked, “Master Teacher, are you happy?”
Qin Yi sighed. “How about taking that title back? I’m going to keep these things, because some of them can help with your situation… At least they can slow it down.”
“I’m still getting older.” Li Qinglin acted as though he didn’t hear Qin Yi and went on talking. “At this pace, I might not even be able to survive a year.”
Li Qingjun suddenly looked up.
Li Qinglin went on. “Brother Qin, we have a big problem here.”
Qin Yi said, “Do tell.”
“I realize it’s not just my weakened energy—even my mind has slowed down,” Li Qinglin spoke in a low voice. “In this state, there’s no way I can carry out my plan. I can’t even correct the wrongs Donghuazi brought us since he came to Nanli.”
He was weighed down with age, weak in energy and slow in thinking.
It wasn’t just about facing death. He couldn’t do anything he wanted in such a state.
But he wouldn’t get anywhere if he started cultivating, which might even make it worse.
The only option he had seemed to be to give away the throne.
But Li Qinglin had his own agenda on this matter and didn’t want to abdicate. Qin Yi had his selfish plan as well and didn’t want Li Qingjun to take the throne.
Hence, there was a tacit silence.
“Qingjun.” Li Qinglin turned to his sister. “It’s time you start participating in political affairs, starting from today. As for your big day with Qin Yi… you can decide yourself. There’s no need to rush.”
Li Qingjun sighed. “Alright.”
Li Qinglin gave a long look and his lips quivered, as if he was trying to say something. In the end, he bit his lower lip and fought it back. After he turned around, he said, “Brother Qin, I’m counting on you for the medicine to slow down the process…”
After returning to the crown prince’s residence, Qin Yi squeezed the juice of the soul-lingering grass onto the spiked club before making it into a paste and spreading it evenly over the club. His mind was somewhere else the entire time.
Liusu enjoyed his service, but it said grumpily, “Where has your mind gone off to?”
“I’m just wondering if Nanli is going to be sacrificed to fulfil Li Qinglin and my selfish needs…”
“So be it,” Liusu said indifferently. “It’s his kingdom, not yours. It’d be better if Nanli saw its end. That way, you can take Li Qingjun away and forget about this mess.”
That revealed Qin Yi’s secret wish, and he paused for a moment.
Maybe Minghe thought that Qin Yi was conflicted because of his friend, which was quite noble. However, what had been bothering him was this selfish idea, and that was the hidden demon in everyone’s hearts.
Having lived with him day in and day out, Liusu was the only one who knew his real thoughts.
Qin Yi didn’t say another word. After rubbing the paste onto the spiked club, he carefully put it aside before taking out the materials he selected and starting the preparations for making medicine.
A fire was started on the stove, and Qin Yi sat motionlessly next to the stove, staring at it. His face flickered in the light of the blue flame.