Lin Youqing opened the brocade pouch and looked closely, but her vision was obscured by a small illusion formation, leaving only a hazy gray. Through touch, she knew it contained a small, delicate dagger.
Qin Gou quickly reached out and pressed down on the pouch, chuckling awkwardly. “Youqing, just say what help you need. This brocade pouch is for you to use when you encounter particularly difficult situations in the future.”
Old Qin was both relieved that he had a backup plan and astonished by the girl’s unconventional thinking. She acted on impulses immediately without any patience. No wonder she was called the ‘Fearless Princess’ in the Daojun Dynasty; she was simply a hot-headed, reckless, silly girl who charged headfirst into everything.
“Don’t you understand what I mean, Brother Qin?” Lin Youqing’s face turned a little red from her earlier impulsiveness. She carefully put the brocade pouch into her Nas.
Qin Gou naturally understood. Besides a change of clothes, the only other thing this girl expected from him was to be sworn brothers.
“How about this, Youqing? The next time we meet, I will definitely call you ‘Pious Younger Brother’ to your face, fulfilling your wish. How’s that?” Qin Gou thought for a moment and spread his hands.
“Okay!”
At this moment, Lin Youqing’s pretty face lit up with radiance, her beautiful eyes shining as she cupped her fists towards Qin Gou. “Brother Qin, until we meet again.”
“You’re really leaving just like that?” Qin Gou asked in surprise. “Should I alert everyone now so we can send you off together?”
“No need. I’ve already informed Master Li and Banwei. As for your words, Brother Qin, they are already the best farewell gift for me.” Lin Youqing smiled a brilliant, innocent, and lively smile in the gentle breeze, genuinely happy and content.
“Smooth sailing.”
With a slight nod, Lin Youqing stepped out, transcending the void and turning into a green streak of light that flew into the distance.
Qin Gou stood in place, watching with a smile as the green streak of light, representing Lin Youqing, gradually receded, becoming smaller and smaller until it completely disappeared… Then, he suddenly noticed the green streak of light reappear, growing larger and larger, his smile gradually freezing.
In the blink of an eye, the tomboy in male attire had completely returned before him.
“Big Brother! We meet again. I’ve missed you so much,” Lin Youqing said, blinking her shy eyes and impudently cupping her fists.
“Come a bit closer, and I promise I won’t beat you to death,” Qin Gou said, deliberately glaring fiercely at the silly girl.
“Uh… I know I was wrong, I shouldn’t have messed around!” Lin Youqing sheepishly scratched her head and turned to flee again.
“Take care, Little Brother,” Qin Gou said with a helpless laugh.
Lin Youqing, who had just taken a step, suddenly trembled in her shoulders and then looked back, her smile exceptionally brilliant, filled with pure innocence and beauty that made hearts flutter.
“Pious Younger Brother departs!”
“What pious younger brother? You’re at most a foolish brother,” Qin Gou said with a chuckle.
“Whatever Elder Brother says is right!”
“Silly goose.”
…
That evening, Qin Gou wanted to understand the situation with Gu Feiyan and Qin Yuan. He asked if they had successfully met Mu Tangchun and tried to summon Xiao Yan in the dreamscape space of the Soul Spirit Tool using his dreams, but he received a system notification.
“Ding. Gu Feiyan is currently in seclusion and cannot respond to the host’s summons. Do you wish to force the summon?”
“No.”
Qin Gou refused and woke up immediately.
“Why would Xiao Yan suddenly go into seclusion without a word?”
Qin Gou was quite puzzled. Given Gu Feiyan’s considerate nature, she would have informed him in advance about something so important.
“Could it be that she suddenly encountered some misfortune and had to go into seclusion to heal injuries?”
Thinking of this, a deep look of worry flashed across Qin Gou’s eyes. But no matter what, he couldn’t forcibly summon Gu Feiyan to meet in the dreamscape right now, as it would risk causing her to go mad.
The next day.
Qin Gou woke up very early, or rather, he hadn’t slept soundly at all. As soon as he opened his eyes, his mind started thinking about the possible situations that Xiao Yan and A’Yuan might be in.
“Bang bang bang.”
The door made a soft sound. Qin Gou assumed it was a maid from the Abyss Palace bringing him breakfast. He remained lying on the bed and said faintly, “Come in.”
“Father!”
That familiar voice almost sent Old Qin, who had been contemplating with his eyes closed, out of his body.
“A’Yuan?” Qin Gou abruptly turned his head, his eyes wide open.
The charming girl standing before him, with a carefree smile and dressed in a capable white dress, was none other than his precious jewel, Qin Yuan!
“Father, aren’t you very surprised to see A’Yuan?” Qin Yuan mischievously winked at Old Qin, a smile creeping up her lips.
“Extremely surprised,” Qin Gou said, an uncontrollable gentle smile on his face. “Your father was just thinking about you and Xiao Yan… Where is Xiao Yan? Where is she hiding?”
“Mother isn’t here. A’Yuan came alone.”
“Why?” Qin Gou asked, confused. “What happened to Xiao Yan? Where is she now?”
Seeing this, Qin Yuan pursed her lips and smiled, her tone relaxed. “I know you’re worried about Mother, but you really don’t need to be so concerned. She is currently in seclusion in a secret realm, receiving the inheritance from a remnant soul of that mighty figure! And A’Yuan knows this secret realm is one of the safest in the world.”
“I see,” Qin Gou said, finally relieved. Then, as if remembering something, he pulled his blanket tighter around himself.
“But you’re also a mischievous girl. As soon as Xiao Yan went into seclusion, you couldn’t sit still, could you?”
“Not at all! Didn’t Father say before that he wanted to go with me to see that Taiping Tower Master, Mu Tangchun? That’s why A’Yuan hurried here as soon as possible,” Qin Yuan said, rubbing her nose in a gesture identical to someone else’s, speaking with righteous indignation.
Qin Gou chuckled. “Nonsense. Your father said we’d meet at that Taiping Tower, not that you’d travel thousands of miles alone to the Abyss Palace. The secret realm where Xiao Yan is must be in the Human Realm, right? After all, secret realms of the Demon Race are useless to her. If you had gone directly to Taiping Tower earlier, it would have been closer than coming to the Abyss Palace to find me.”
“That… there’s a reason for that too.” Caught in a lie by her own father, A’Yuan’s face turned shy and embarrassed as she scratched her head to hide her awkwardness.
“What reason?” Qin Gou asked curiously.
“Because.”
Qin Yuan’s little face flushed red. She carefully sat on the edge of Qin Gou’s bed, her back to Old Qin, her small hands intertwined. Her voice was shy yet carried a hint of tenderness. “A’Yuan wants to spend more time with Father. I missed you.”
After speaking, Qin Yuan’s face was rosy. She quietly waited for Old Qin’s response. After all, she didn’t often say such affectionate words, and she felt a little unaccustomed to it. Judging by Qin Gou’s past behavior, he would most likely immediately hug her tightly from behind and comfort her, wouldn’t he?
“Get out of bed! Next time you come to see me, can you choose a more appropriate time…” Qin Gou’s slightly awkward voice sounded.
“Ah? Did A’Yuan say something wrong?” Qin Yuan was utterly confused and lost.
“No, it’s just that your father is slightly disheveled at the moment!” Qin Gou’s old face turned red. He was both moved and undeniably embarrassed… If it were anyone else, not his little nemesis A’Yuan, Qin Gou wouldn’t be so flustered and annoyed right now.
In reality, he was completely naked, wearing nothing at all.
Moreover, it was precisely this time, right on schedule, that roosters were crowing in the early morning!
