Chapter 0 154. Xiao Lizi
Jing Liyu blinked and appeared before Qin Gou, scrutinizing him. Her eyes, full of doubt and even more anticipation, asked, “Is what the Spirit of the Secret Realm said true or false?”
Hearing this, Qin Gou’s expression remained unchanged. He reached up and lightly pressed his forehead.
To understand a person, one must not listen to what they say, but observe what they do.
As things stood, Jing Liyu was naturally straightforward and candid. Even if there were reasons for her to avoid him, Qin Gou believed he could find a way to open their hearts and resolve any misunderstanding through honest conversation.
Furthermore, since the Spirit of the Secret Realm had gone this far, Qin Gou couldn’t let it remain in doubt.
In an instant, Qin Gou reverted to his true appearance and, in front of everyone, removed the Desireless Bracelet from his left wrist.
“It really is Eldest Senior Brother!” Jing Liyu exclaimed, her clear eyes widening in excitement.
A person’s appearance could be disguised, but the unique aura of each cultivator was extremely difficult to forge. With Qin Gou not deliberately suppressing his aura, the White Tiger Primordial Lord, like Jing Shixue, could easily discern the presence of someone they knew and were close to.
“M, Eldest Senior Brother?!”
The Spirit of the Secret Realm, weak and weary, already had a pale, lifeless complexion. At this moment, its face turned several shades whiter.
“Indeed.”
For a moment, Qin Gou couldn’t help but smile at the Spirit of the Secret Realm, saying, “Youngster, you cannot blame me either. After all, it is rare for me to encounter someone as stubborn as you, who insists on walking to their own death.”
“You…”
The Spirit of the Secret Realm trembled. Its legs grew weak, its vision swam with stars, and it doubted its very existence, feeling the entire world blur before its eyes.
Normally, Qin Gou’s secretive behavior would suggest he had offended the White Tiger Primordial Lord in some way and was afraid of his true identity being revealed. Who would have thought it was just fellow disciples, a family playing a whimsical game of hide-and-seek? The Spirit of the Secret Realm couldn’t help but collapse on the spot.
Jing Shixue, the Cloud Tiger Beast King, was equally astonished.
When Qin Gou first revealed his identity, stating he was the esteemed master of her admired Brother Zhao, and still allowed her to call him ‘Fellow Daoist Qin,’ Jing Shixue had thought him to be approachable and righteous.
It was only now, upon discovering he had transformed once more into the Eldest Senior Brother of the White Tiger Primordial Lord, the most astonishing ancestor of their Great Marsh Cloud Tiger Clan, that Jing Shixue realized just how much consideration Old Qin had shown her.
The fact that Qin Yuan was Fellow Daoist Qin’s biological daughter must be true. But if that was the case, was Fellow Daoist Feiyan, who had always seemed like A’Yuan’s younger sister, also his daughter? After all, they were of similar age, shared many resemblances in appearance, and both possessed eye-type Natal Spirit Tools! Clearly… Tiger Girl Jing’s little head wasn’t sufficient to comprehend the astonishingly chaotic state of Old Qin’s family.
“Eldest Senior Brother and Little Master, how could you collude like this to trick me?” Jing Liyu’s fair and pretty little face was filled with grievance, her voice choked with emotion. “You two are going to scare me to death!”
“Your Little Master? Did Banwei say anything to you?” Qin Gou looked at the Little White Dragon, puzzled, and continued, “Besides, didn’t you tell Banwei yourself that since Eldest Senior Brother wasn’t here to discipline you, you were quite pleased? I was worried that my sudden appearance would startle Liyu.”
“I… it was because of this?”
Jing Liyu’s little face instantly turned red with embarrassment, feeling like crying but having no tears. She could only choke out a dry sob, inexplicably feeling indignant. “Eldest Senior Brother, you know I’ve always been a bit mischievous. Can Jing Liyu’s words be taken seriously?!”
Seeing this, Qin Gou instinctively reached out as if to comfort Jing Liyu by placing a hand on her shoulder. He was also stunned by her overbearing reason, utterly at a loss for how to refute it.
Following this, the Junior Sister, truly treating him as one of her own, promptly hugged Qin Gou’s right arm tightly, refusing to let go. After all, Qin Gou had gone through life and death with her in that perilous ancient world. Even before she transformed into a human form, he had bathed and fished with her in the lake. What room was there for the rules of propriety between men and women?
“And speaking like that, Liyu was half being stubborn and half trying to comfort herself. Master didn’t want me to interfere too much with her revival plan, and Eldest Senior Brother… I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve dreamt of returning to those days, happily following Eldest Senior Brother and picking up scraps to eat… I always wonder how Eldest Senior Brother is doing now.”
“Picking up… scraps to eat?” Qin Gou was bewildered, clearly shocked by the information conveyed in her words.
“Yes, with my bloodline, I can digest anything. Besides eating good food, anything Eldest Senior Brother couldn’t successfully refine back then, or discarded pills, were all Liyu’s treasures.” Jing Liyu said earnestly. “Otherwise, my cultivation wouldn’t have grown so rapidly back then!”
Qin Gou felt deeply ashamed. Fortunately, Jing Liyu explained clearly, indicating she had good things to eat. All of this depended on her incredibly strong bloodline and careful planning. Otherwise, Old Qin would have suspected what kind of super scoundrel he had been, who loved to bully little girls.
“But, Eldest Senior Brother, how could you forget even this? Also, why did Eldest Senior Brother just call me Liyu? It sounds so unfamiliar; didn’t you always call me ‘Xiao Lizi’ before?” Jing Liyu asked, looking up at Qin Gou’s eyes, bewildered.
“Xiao Lizi?”
Qin Gou’s mouth twitched. So, even with his memory lost, his knack for giving nicknames had never faltered.
“Liyu, I don’t wish to lie to you. It is true that I have forgotten many things due to certain circumstances.” Qin Gou took a deep breath, his gaze sincere.
“Due to circumstances? But, Eldest Senior Brother, have you really forgotten everything, even about me?” Jing Liyu’s crimson eyes trembled slightly, seemingly finding it hard to accept, her disbelief evident.
Qin Gou nodded helplessly. However, seeing Jing Liyu’s profound disappointment, he couldn’t help but change the subject. “Actually, regarding the Nine Saint Monarch, I didn’t retain any memories of her at first… It’s highly possible that a certain Spirit Charm that caused me to lose these memories was specifically targeting those I cherished most dearly at the time, intentionally making me forget them! Liyu and Saint Monarch are both like that.”
“So, so in Eldest Senior Brother’s heart, Liyu and Master are equally important?”
Upon hearing this, Jing Liyu’s small mouth parted in surprise. It was as if she had received an immediate adrenaline shot, and she quickly regained her spirits, her eyes shining with excitement. “If anyone else said this, Liyu might have mistaken it for a well-intentioned lie to comfort me. But you, Eldest Senior Brother, are notoriously bad at lying… So it must be because of this!”
