“Young Martial Uncle, it’s me,” Luo Jin Xiao held her hand and felt the chill in her touch. She couldn’t help but tighten her grip, hoping to warm her up.
Qu Wei Yin gasped a few times, fully regaining consciousness, and when she looked at Luo Jin Xiao’s face, she froze, lost in thought.
After coughing, she hid her emotions and withdrew her hand, asking in a cold tone, “Why are you here?”
Luo Jin Xiao hesitated and stammered, “I came, I… I…”
“To convince me?” Qu Wei Yin’s words had a sharp edge to them.
Luo Jin Xiao seemed to be choking as she struggled to find words. What did she know about her hardships? What right did she have to advise her?
The pressure of the dragon-bound whip weighed heavily on her heart, draining her strength. Half a moment had passed before she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She had no choice but to grab Qu Wei Yin’s arm again and said earnestly, “Young Martial Uncle, we need to find a way out. If you continue like this, you’ll just be waiting for Qu Chengzhou to get rid of you.”
“The Dragonbound Whip isn’t easy to escape. This matter has nothing to do with you. You should leave!” Qu Wei Yin pushed Luo Jin Xiao away, her eyes filled with anger.
“As for me, why has this gotten you into such trouble?” Qu Wei Yin’s tone turned bitter as she spoke, almost through gritted teeth.
“I have my own business to take care of, everyone has their own destiny. Besides, you are not weak. It would be best if you distanced yourself from me in the future. That way, you can avoid inheriting my misfortune.”
Luo Jin Xiao sensed a hint of guilt in her words and felt genuinely guilty. She hurriedly said, “I didn’t want to hide my cultivation level. Elder Liu advised me to do so…”
“I’m not blaming you,” Qu Wei Yin interrupted, cold and distant.
Even though she knew Qu Wei Yin’s usual behavior, Luo Jin Xiao still felt a chill in her heart, as if something had frozen inside her.
She tightened her lips and pulled Qu Wei Yin closer with determination, covering her shoulder with her hand, forcing her own spiritual energy into Qu Wei Yin’s body to protect her heart.
“Luo Jin Xiao!” Qu Wei Yin struggled, but she was already exhausted and powerless, unable to resist. She could only stare at Luo Jin Xiao.
“But you’ve saved me so many times. How could I watch and do nothing?” Luo Jin Xiao bit her lip, her eyes reddened, her tone soft but firm.
A deep silence fell around them. Qu Wei Yin seemed to be moved by her words as she looked into Luo Jin Xiao’s tearful eyes, but remained silent.
She had rarely felt so helpless, and now it had reached its peak.
Outside the door, it felt like a separate world, cut off by the Dragonbound Whip. Unable to hear the noise outside, Luo Jin Xiao’s hand that protected Qu Wei Yin’s heart began to tremble. However, she was determined to endure it.
“Let go,” Qu Wei Yin ordered.
Luo Jin Xiao shook her head and refused to let go, shielding Qu Wei Yin from the damage caused by the dragon-bound whip.
“You have your own reasons, Young Martial Uncle. But I cannot stand idly by,” Luo Jin Xiao said as she moved closer and used her spiritual energy to create a barrier, “You have always been kind to me, more than anyone I have ever met.
Qu Wei Yin looked at Luo Jin Xiao’s face so close to her, her lips trembled slightly. The firelight reflected in her eyes, and her warm breath sprayed across her forehead, sending a tingling sensation through her heart.
“Childish,” Qu Wei Yin shook her head with a heavy heart, feeling a sudden pain in her nose.
After looking at Luo Jin Xiao for a while, she slowly stood up and leaned on the ground. Her movements were deliberate, as she struggled to keep herself from swaying and rejected Luo Jin Xiao’s outstretched hand.
“I will see you out,” she said.
Alarmed, Luo Jin Xiao stood up and asked, “What are you going to do?”
“He wants to be the head of the family. I won’t challenge him,” Qu Wei Yin said lightly, but Luo Jin Xiao knew that it was incredibly difficult for her to make such a decision.
“Vengeance can be taken at any time, there’s no need to rush,” Qu Wei Yin shook her head. Strangely enough, she didn’t have any vengeful thoughts this time.
Was it because of her two thousand years of experience and her acquired sophistication, or some other reason?
As she watched Qu Wei Yin’s figure pass by the tablets and head towards the door, Luo Jin Xiao’s mind was filled with anxiety. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her thoughts, convinced that there must be another way.
The door was knocked, and Qu Wei Yin’s hoarse voice rang out, “Open the door.
Outside, Qu Chengzhou’s voice was stern, “Wei Yin, openly disrespecting your elders and speaking nonsense. Do you realize your mistake?”
Qu Wei Yin’s voice, calm and composed, replied, “Wei Yin acknowledges her mistake.
Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant. She opened her fingers, revealing tiny specks of blood. Looking at it, Luo Jin Xiao found it terribly disturbing.
The gate suddenly swung open, casting sunlight on Qu Wei Yin’s face as she squinted and raised her head to look at the azure sky. Those waiting outside felt as if the entire courtyard had brightened.
“If we had known earlier, we wouldn’t have come to this!” another elder with white hair and a black beard said, tapping his stick.
Qu Wei Yin stepped out, her every step steady and purposeful. There was no sign of the weakness she had shown earlier. As she looked at the onlookers, a feeling of trepidation spread through the crowd.
Qu Chengzhou’s lips twitched, a faint smile dancing on his face as he watched Qu Wei Yin approach. The look of satisfaction on his face disappeared, and he kindly said, “Admitting your mistake is good. Remember not to repeat it.”
“Now that everyone has no objection, Qu Chengzhou will be our future family head,” the white-bearded elder announced in a hoarse voice.
The crowd erupted in applause, though it was somewhat muted. Some were very supportive, others shook their heads frequently, but no one dared to openly disagree.
Even though Qu Chengzhou had been running the Qu family’s affairs for years, it was clear to the observant that he had taken over Qu Wei Yin’s position. However, such comments were kept to a murmur because no one wanted to offend him. After all, in terms of ability, Qu Chengzhou was undoubtedly the most important person in the family.
No one wanted to incur his displeasure.
Following the old man’s lead, everyone bowed their heads and shouted their approval. Only Qu Wei Yin stood motionless.
“Wei Yin, don’t be stubborn. It’s childish,” Qu Chengzhou said with a tone of helplessness.
“Qu Wei Yin, you are being disrespectful in front of the family head and the clan elders. How dare you?” the elder scolded.
Qu Wei Yin took a deep breath and was about to apologize when Luo Jin Xiao burst out of the door and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to spin in place, causing her dress to billow and twirl.
“Qu Wei Yin,” she frowned as she warned her not to interfere, but Luo Jin Xiao paid no attention. Shaking her head, her face a mixture of joy and seriousness, she asked, “Young Martial Uncle, can you trust me?”
Qu Wei Yin’s lips parted, but she didn’t answer.
Luo Jin Xiao, who had been too nervous to consider this plan before, had just remembered it. Fortunately, this was a ray of hope.
“Luo Jin Xiao?” Qu Chengzhou frowned. He sensed that something was wrong, and his expression darkened. He scolded, “This is the Qu family. It’s no place for you to barge in.”
Ignoring him, Luo Jin Xiao held something in her hand and suddenly covered Qu Wei Yin’s mouth, then quickly threw the pill into her mouth.
Qu Wei Yin instinctively tried to spit it out, but she was held tightly and could not move.
“Don’t struggle. Be careful not to choke,” Luo Jin Xiao said softly, releasing her hand only after making sure that she had swallowed the pill.
“What is this?” Qu Wei Yin exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked at Luo Jin Xiao’s hand. The sudden shock of the hand covering her mouth made her cheeks blush slightly, and she instinctively covered herself with her sleeve, leaving only the top half of her face visible.
Seeing her nervous reaction, Luo Jin Xiao found her adorable and took out a wooden box hidden in her sleeve, smiling, “It’s a spiritual pill.”
Qu Wei Yin stared for a moment, then suddenly, the previously clear sky became as dark as ink, and the atmosphere grew heavy. Thunder rumbled from the horizon as rolling clouds filled with tremendous power reached their ears. It was as if countless thunder gods and goddesses were playing a symphony, shaking the hearts of the people.
“Someone is about to ascend in cultivation!” a voice shouted in the crowd, and everyone looked around and speculated as to who it might be.
The celestial phenomenon indicated that it would be a two-stage ascension, indicating an extremely high level of cultivation. Astonished, Qu Wei Yin clutched her chest and could not believe her eyes as she looked at Luo Jin Xiao.
“This is the spiritual pill from the Ten Realms Gathering? It’s incredibly valuable. You…” Qu Wei Yin couldn’t finish her sentence. An endless stream of spiritual energy surged into her, instantly repairing her previously damaged meridians and reshaping her entire body.
Luo Jin Xiao couldn’t help but smile when she saw her actual ascension. She boldly reached out and patted Qu Wei Yin’s wind-tangled hair.
“You saved my life,” she said, her voice crisp and clear.
Qu Chengzhou, who was about to step forward, was pushed back by the sudden rustle of Qu Wei Yin’s robe and almost stumbled. He lifted his robe to steady himself and then said sternly, “Wei Yin!
“Stop,” Qu Wei Yin’s gaze was icy, and the pressure of her spiritual energy surge, characteristic of the Crossing Tribulation stage, filled the air. The force resembled a gust of wind, causing chaos in the crowd as they staggered and stumbled.
In the faint daylight, her crimson skirt fluttered in the wind, casting her regal and seductive presence, reminiscent of a divine being descending from heaven to the mortal realm.
Qu Wei Yin turned back to Luo Jin Xiao and reproachfully warned her, “Step back and take care of your own safety. You have presumed too much. We will settle this later.”
Hearing this, Luo Jin Xiao smiled even brighter and obediently stepped back.
Although it was regrettable to lose such a fine spiritual pill, she had no remorse. Turning around, she fetched a carved chair and sat down comfortably, gazing at Qu Wei Yin’s graceful figure swaying in the wind.
Sensing that a battle was imminent, the members of the Qu family scattered and fled in all directions, hiding under eaves and in corners to secretly watch the confrontation. Even the fearsome elder from earlier limped away with his stick, surprisingly fast.
“I am the rightful heir to the position of family head. If Elder Qu wants to challenge it, we will use the old ways and have a duel,” she said, her clothes billowing in the wind as the Crescent Moon and Stars Sword blazed into existence, surrounded by a faint glow of lightning that amplified its power.
“The Crossing Tribulation stage,” Qu Chengzhou remarked, his face now as dark as the heavy mist that filled the sky.
“No, Elder Qu. It’s the second stage of the Crossing Tribulation,” Luo Jin Xiao reminded him helpfully. Qu Chengzhou pointed his finger at Luo Jin Xiao and sternly told her to be quiet.
Seeing this, Qu Wei Yin released her sword, pushed aside Qu Chengzhou’s blade, and scowled, “Elder Qu, I told you not to touch her.
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