9 – Nighttime Talk (II)

Golden Hill [1]? It took Xue Qilin a bit of time to realize that Qi Qiqi was talking about Nanjing. However, she still had a question, “Heavenly Sword Gate? Is that a sect? Why do you want me to go there?”

“You know that the Merak Palace is one of the Five Great Sects, right?”

“You don’t say!” Qi Guiyuan naturally spoke to Xue Qilin about the Merak Palace’s circumstances, although not in depths, but he still mentioned that the Merak Palace was part of the Five Great Sects.

Qi Qiqi glared at Xue Qilin, clearly dissatisfied. She probably thought that the latter was too impolite.

“All right, go on.” Xue Qilin shrugged her shoulders and made an inviting gesture.

Qi Qiqi picked up a cup of tea, ready to have a sip. But when the cup touched her lips, she suddenly stopped. With the cup covering half of her lips, she sighed: “The title of the Five Great Sects is a sweet poison.”

Don’t people in ancient times like to speak normally? Why do they insist on speaking in metaphors? Xue Qilin frowned, completely at a loss.

“Get to the point!”

“Can’t you be more patient? That’s what I was going to do next! Really, are you in a hurry, or something?” Qi Qiqi gave Xue Qilin the stink eye and scolded her, expressing her dissatisfaction.

“Yes, yes, please continue, please continue.” Xue Qilin didn’t argue with her, following the principle: a gentleman doesn’t bicker with women.

“You’re so annoying.” Qi Qiqi grumbled, and then looked at Luo Qing, “Senior Disciple Sister Luo, can I get seconds?”

Unwittingly, her bowl was empty.

Isn’t this too fast?

“How are you eating so fast?” Xue Qilin looked at her bowl, then at Qi Qiqi’s, which was quite a bit bigger than hers and was engraved with a special symbol. She felt like she herself wasn’t eating slowly, yet she had just finished one-third of her bowl, while Qi Qiqi was already going for seconds, not to mention that the other party’s bowl was more than twice as big as hers.

“I’m hungry, okay?” Qi Qiqi was embarrassed by Xue Qilin’s stunned expression.

“Please continue! A healthy appetite is a blessing, a blessing! Eat more! Reportedly, some people like fat…”

Suddenly, a piece of meat was put into Xue Qilin’s bowl. Stunned, she thanked: “Ah, thank you.”

Luo Qing, who had just taken the rice bowl from Qi Qiqi, used her other hand to hand Xue Qilin a piece of meat. Presumably, the purpose behind this action was to prevent Xue Qilin from continuing to make fun of Qi Qiqi.

Looking at Qi Qiqi’s flushed cheeks, Xue Qilin felt a little embarrassed, and then complied with Luo Qing’s intention, saying no more.

Luo Qing smiled, and then went to fill Qi Qiqi’s bowl.

“Well, then?”

“What is it?”

“The matter with the Heavenly Sword Gate!” This lass is a bit slow on the uptake! Xue Qilin felt like laughing. But of course, she didn’t laugh. She reckoned that Qi Qiqi was at the limit of her patience. If she continued to tease the other party, she might really have to eat a punch.

“Look, whose fault is it that I forgot what we were talking about?” Qi Qiqi pointed at Xue Qilin and uttered, unreasonable.

“Okay, okay, it’s my fault, my fault…” Xue Qilin was too lazy to bother, “So, this Heavenly Sword Sect, what’s its relationship with our sect? You want me to go there for a stroll?”

Qi Qiqi took a sip of tea, then lowered her eyes and said unhurriedly: “The Merak Palace lost many experts five years ago. Now, Ye Zhen is our only remaining Heaven Realm expert. And recently, the Heavenly Sword Gate’s Gate Master has stepped into the Heaven Realm…”

Qi Qiqi concisely explained the current situation of the Merak Palace as well as the matter with the Heavenly Sword Gate to Xue Qilin, who listened while eating. When Xue Qilin finished her bowl, Qi Qiqi’s explanation came to an end.

“I have now a rough understanding of the overall situation.” Xue Qilin sipped her tea, “In short, the Merak Palace’s strength is not what it used to be. When the tiger is down on its luck, dogs will feel emboldened, right?”

Qi Qiqi bit her lower lip and shook her head reluctantly: “The situation is more serious than that. We are no longer a tiger. If we hadn’t relied on great grandpa’s remaining prestige, we would have been reduced to a second-rate sect by now.”

Xue Qilin put down her cup and knocked on the table: “So you want to unleash a dog to bite people?”

“Something along those lines… But anyhow, don’t make it sound so bad!” Qi Qiqi frowned, “What unleash a dog to bite people, aren’t you saying that you’re a dog?”

Hey, isn’t she just shooting herself in the foot? Xue Qilin’s expression stiffened, but she soon coughed and said: “You want me, a lo… Cough, Qilin, make a trip to show off and intimidate people harboring evil designs, and have them weigh the consequences of their actions, right?”

Qi Qiqi was stupefied. Suddenly, she sized Xue Qilin up, and then said somewhat unexpectedly: “You unhinged lass, you aren’t stupid after all!” She viewed Xue Qilin in a new light

“Unhinged, you’re the unhinged one! I’m free-spirited and benevolent.”

“Benevolent, the hell? That’s a load of bull! It couldn’t be further from the truth.” Qi Qiqi mocked. She was so excited that she stood up.

“Palace Master, here is your bowl.” Whether it was good timing or not, but Luo Qing put the bowl in front of Qi Qiqi, and then put another piece of meat into Xue Qilin’s bowl.

“Young Ancestor, speak less and eat more.”

After being interrupted by Luo Qing, Qi Qiqi paused and sat down. Xue Qilin also had nothing else to say.

Little Qing is really skilled at controlling the pace… Xue Qilin sighed inwardly.

“Are you going to the Golden Hill, or not?” Qi Qiqi spoke awkwardly.

“Oh… what do you think I should do?” Xue Qilin pretended to be distressed.

“Just make up your mind.”

“Young Ancestor, I think that there should be a lot of interesting things outside. Whether to relieve boredom, or to do the Palace Master a favor, you might as well go out for a walk.” Luo Qing uttered indifferently, her tone containing an unclear overtone.

Qi Qiqi’s intention is obvious, but why does Luo Qing repeatedly emphasize that I should “go out for a walk?” Xue Qilin was a little confused.

Hold on, she said to relieve boredom… Does she feel like I should go out and see the world after being cooped up inside the Sword Mound for many years? Xue Qilin guessed.

“Then I’ll just go out for a walk.” Xue Qilin really wanted to do just that. After all, she was curious about what this world looked like.

Everyone was curios by nature, and she was no exception. In addition, she would do Qi Qiqi a favor as well as accept Luo Qing’s good intentions. In that case, why not do it?

“Then it’s settled.” Qi Qiqi’s tone seemed somewhat relaxed.

“When do I set off? Who will accompany me?”

“Senior Disciple Sister Luo will accompany you…” Qi Qiqi turned to ask, “Is that okay, Senior Disciple Sister Luo?”

Hey, Seven Seven-seven, so you act first and report later? Xue Qilin thought in amusement, yet she didn’t voice it.

Luo Qing nodded, “Of course, I was supposed to represent the Merak Place at the Heavenly Sword Gate to begin with. Besides, I rather like the Young Ancestor, and we’re getting along.”

Xue Qilin blushed a little. After all, she was originally a middle aged wizard without a girlfriend… As such, for a beautiful woman like Luo Qing to say that she liked her, she naturally felt shy.

Of course, she overlooked the fact that what the other party meant by liking was different from what she thought, she also overlooked the fact that she was now a loli.

“Alright, I’ll also get a disciple to accompany you.” Then Qi Qiqi murmured: “From the Merak Palace to the Heavenly Sword Gate, it’s about 2,000 kilometers. If you go by carriage, it’ll take you six to seven days to get there. And the appointment at the Heavenly Sword Gate is scheduled to be half a month from now… Um… ” Qi Qiqi contemplated for a moment before going on to say, “In that case, you should set off a week from now. What do you think?”

Luo Qing nodded her head in assent.

“I don’t care.” Xue Qilin responded casually.

Anyway, whether it was the Merak Palace or Golden Hill, they were both unfamiliar to her.

“Very good! It’s settled then.” Qi Qiqi nodded with satisfaction.

Thus, this topic came to a conclusion.

Next, Qi Qiqi talked to Xue Qilin about the Merak Palace’s circumstances. They chatted while eating, and Luo Qing sat quietly aside.

When Xue Qilin asked about Ye Zhen’s loyalty, Qi Qiqi hesitated for a long time before saying: “It’s not a matter of loyalty, but a disagreement we have in politics. He advocates for an all out revitalization of the Merak Palace, while I feel like we should keep a low profile.”

Qi Qiqi ate three servings before she felt full. She put the empty bowl down, and then sipped her tea in satisfaction.

Suddenly remembering something, she turned toward Xue Qilin and asked: “Anyway, where is your sword?”

Xue Qilin blinked her eyes several times before uttering, baffled: “Sword? I don’t have any.”

“You don’t use a sword?”

“Did you see me use any?” Xue Qilin rolled her eyes.

In response, Qi Qiqi questioned with surprise and suspicion: “How is it possible that you don’t use a sword? The Merak Palace focuses on the sword. Even if you cultivate an air-bending method, you should still have a comprehension regarding swordsmanship, right?”

Xue Qilin spread her hands: “I don’t have any.”

Qi Qiqi and Luo Qing looked at each other. After a while, Luo Qing spoke: “Although you don’t use a sword, you still should carry one on you, Young Ancestor.”

“Why?”

Qi Qiqi was choked by Xue Qilin’s question, “The Merak Palace uses swords! As an ancestor of the Merak palace, how can you not carry a sword?

“Hey, if I carry a sword as decoration despite not using it, isn’t that asking for trouble? Why do you care about keeping up appearances?”

Qi Qiqi was nearly going mad from anger. She scratched her hair several times before saying with some anger: “This is not keeping up appearances! It’s a matter of dignity, okay? Do you know dignity?”

“Palace Master is right. Young Ancestor, it’s best you carry a sword.” Luo Qing smiled wryly and spoke in agreement.

Xue Qilin stared blankly for a moment, then sighed gloomily: People from ancient times really attach importance to keeping up appearances…

“I’ll do as you say! However, where am I going to find a sword?”

Qi Qiqi kneaded the space between her eyebrows and responded, clearly sounding rather tired: “Tomorrow, after you wake up, come find me. I’ll take you to the Sword-casting Chamber to ask Senior Sister Li to make a sword for you…”

“Senior Sister Li? Who is that?”

“She is the Sword-casting Chamber’s Elder – Elder Li Wanting.” Luo Qing explained.

“Oh, so there’s a Sword-casting Chamber… Okay then. But where do I find you tomorrow? I don’t know where you live.”

Qi Qiqi sighed, and then pointed to the door: “You can find me by going out and turning right. I live in the room next door.”

“Ah? You’re actually my neighbor?”

“Why would I lie to you?” Qi Qiqi asked in reply, feeling funny.

“That…” Xue Qilin hesitated for a moment, then continued, “Can I change rooms? Yes, to next door to Luo Qing? I’m afraid that my wall may suddenly crash at some point in time.”

“XUE QILIN, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY?” That night, the Palace Master’s roar reverberated throughout the Merak Palace.

[1] – Golden Hill (金陵 – Jinling) is an old name for Nanjing

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