Chapter 99: 99
Chapter 99 – Little Vixen
… It must be the voice of hope .
“… Qilin, dodge to the right!”
Trusting the voice instinctively, Xue Qilin watching Phecda approach from the left leaned her head back .
A fireball broke into the la.s.s’s field of vision from the peripheral .
It is a small, a pitifully small fireball . It’s not in the same league as Thunder Flame Dragon No . 3 in terms of power .
Even so, after hitting Shui Yuner’s wrist, it was enough to make the latter become sluggish, enough to allow a gray sword blade containing red intrude between Phecda and Xue Qilin .
The la.s.s recognizes the long sword that saved her life .
It is Sky Apart .
Tilted at a small angle, Sky Apart deflected Phecda .
At the same time, Ye Zhen hurriedly hugged Shui Yuner from behind .
“Qilin, don’t s.p.a.ce out! Grab the sword!”
The familiar voice awakened Xue Qilin, who was still in a trance .
“Alright!”
Xue Qilin let go of Empyrean Universe, and the large sword fell to the ground .
“Eat my loli kick!”
The la.s.s spun her body, and blueish-white light wrapped around her slender leg .
“No!”
Shui Yuner finally panicked .
No, it should be said Phecda!
The delicate sole of a a blue embroidered shoe whipped the joint of Shui Yuner’s right wrist, and a violent force penetrated her entire arm .
Crack – the unpleasant sound of bones breaking rang .
Shui Yuner’s right hand suddenly lost all strength .
However, Phecda is still firmly attached to her hand .
“Eat another kick!”
Taking advantage of the reaction force, Xue Qilin changed the direction of the spin, kicking violently from bottom to top .
Phecda’s sword blade was. .h.i.t, and it finally left Shui Yuner’s hand and shot high into the air .
At the same time, Shui Yuner tilted her head slightly, lost consciousness, closed her eyes, and collapsed . If she wasn’t held by Ye Zhen, she would have fallen on the ground .
Phecda stopped strangely in the air, shaking fiercely .
When Xue Qilin saw this, she realized that she wanted to return to Shui Yuner’s hand again .
“Don’t even think about it! Brat!”
Pulled by the domain, Empyrean Universe that fell on the ground rose into the air and knocked Phecda away .
“Young Ancestor, catch!”
“What!”
Ye Zhen suddenly tossed Shui Yuner and rushed towards Phecda, who stopped in the air again .
Xue Qilin quickly caught Shui Yuner .
A scent close to that of water entered her nose . The warm, soft sensation from the girl’s body made the la.s.s feel at ease .
After landing on the ground with Shui Yuner in her arms, Xue Qilin immediately looked down and found that Shui Yuner’s eyelashes are trembling slightly, as if she’s just asleep .
“It’s nothing serious…”
Xue Qilin breathed a sigh of relief .
“That’s good then!”
A familiar voice sounded next to her ear, which made Xue Qilin suddenly feel moved .
She turned and saw Qi Qiqi, who just so happened to have an expression of relief .
“I already called a doctor . ”
Qi Qiqi’s fiery red eyes are resolute .
“Yo yo yo, you made thorough preparations!”
“Who do you think you have before you?”
Qi Qiqi rolled her eyes . However, the smugness at the corners of the girl’s mouth didn’t escape Xue Qilin’s eyes .
“Yes yes yes, our Little Seven is the most reliable . ”
Xue Qilin placed Shui Yuner on the ground and laid the girl’s head to her lap .
Sleeping with a peaceful face, Shui Yuner appears not to feel the pain stemming from broken bones .
She must have fainted .
Xue Qilin placed her porcelain hand on Shui Yuner’s forehead .
“What are you doing?”
Seeing the la.s.s’s hand suddenly release gentle white light, Qi Qiqi asked curiously .
Xue Qilin closed her eyes, not replying . When Qi Qiqi saw this, she didn’t pursue it, but just stood quietly aside .
Soon after, Xue Qilin withdrew her hand and breathed out heavily .
“I was checking her soul for damage . ”
“And?”
“Have a guess . ”
Qi Qiqi just raised her fist, causing Xue Qilin’s expression to freeze .
“Don’t don’t don’t… everything’s okay! Phecda didn’t seem to do anything to her, she just took over her body . ”
At this time, Ye Zhen came over, holding firmly the struggling Phecda .
“Young Ancestor, I’m going to put Phecda back into the Sword Mound . ”
“Wait…” Xue Qilin said lightly, “Give me Phecda . ”
“Why do you want it? This is the founder’s sword! No matter what, you can’t…”
“I won’t take her, relax!”
Unconvinced, Qi Qiqi looked at Xue Qilin suspiciously .
“Really?”
“What do I need another sword for?”
Xue Qilin uttered, vexed .
“Okay…” Qi Qiqi turned to Ye Zhen, “Uncle Teacher Ye, give the sword to the Young Ancestor . ”
Ye Zhen nodded and gave Phecda to Xue Qilin, expressionless .
The la.s.s held Phecda’s hilt with one hand and stroked the sword blade with the other hand . Phecda calmed down gradually .
After a long silence, Xue Qilin finally spoke .
“Phecda, I can hear you . ”
‘… You can hear me?’
A childish voice sounded directly in Xue Qilin’s head .
“Yes, I can . ”
‘… You really can?’
Her tone is that of incredulity .
This isn’t surprising .
Phecda is still some distance away from being a complete item spirit . She’s only an embryonic form with a consciousness . Ordinary people simply can’t perceive her existence . If it weren’t for Shui Yuner’s physique, she wouldn’t be able to communicate her either . But Shui Yuner’s physique is beyond rare .
However, Xue Qilin is also able to hear her voice .
‘Don’t put me back there again!’
Phecda pleaded emotionally and sorrowfully .
“Really, I’m actually quite angry . You made such a… But I have to say, I also am responsible… If it weren’t for me, Little Yun wouldn’t have sneaked into the Sword Mount and taken you out . ”
Xue Qilin lowered her eyes and spoke lightly, sounding like she is talking about something trivial .
‘I… I’m sorry… I just don’t want to go back there…’
Phecda sounds wronged, like a child scolded by their parents for doing something wrong .
‘Sorry, I’m sorry… I rarely meet someone who can hear me . I really don’t want to go back there again . There, it’s so quiet, dark, cold… Please, don’t make me go back . ’
“You can’t become a sword spirit, you know this, right?”
‘I know… I tried various methods . But alas… I still haven’t transformed . ’
Xue Qilin nodded .
“I can keep you by my side – I won’t give you to Little Yun, though . I can’t trust you . I don’t want what happened today to repeat . ”
‘I’m okay with anyone!’
Phecda’s voice sound’s urgent .
‘I just… want someone to talk to . ’
“Yo yo yo, you’re also okay with me?”
Xue Qilin teased .
Phecda was silent . Instead, the sword blade shook slightly, as if nodding .
“That’s good . However, you can’t stay in Phecda sword anymore . This sword doesn’t belong to me . It can only return to the Sword Mound, that’s where it belongs – you can separate your spirit from Phecda sword, can’t you?”
‘But…’
Phecda is very hesitant . Probably because she lived in Phecda sword for a long time, she is reluctant to part with it .
“I have a way to nurture you and make you into a sword spirit . ”
Xue Qilin uttered, playing it down .
‘Really?’
She felt like a la.s.s’s face with round eyes appeared in front of her .
Is what I said so unconvincing? Xue Qilin rolled her eyes .
“If you don’t believe me, then forget about it . ”
‘I believe you, I believe you . ’ Phecda is quite excited, but she still remembered to say, ‘But if you lied to me, you will lose your teeth!’
“Okay, I don’t want to eat without teeth anyway!”
Xue Qilin knocked Phecda’s sword blade impatiently .
Then she turned to look at Ye Zhen .
“Is it okay if Phecda stays with me for a few days?”
“Only if the Temple Master agrees . ”
Ye Zhen kicked the ball to Qi Qiqi .
Xue Qilin turned her attention to Qi Qiqi .
“Little Seven, what say you?”
“Do as you like…”
Qi Qiqi answered after a moment of thought, and the Xue Qilin snapped her fingers .
“Then it’s settled . ”
“I’ll go deal with the aftermath . ”
With that, Ye Zhen turned around and left .
After his figure disappeared from view, Xue Qilin picked up Shui Yuner and walked towards the Middle Peak .
“When did you learn Fireball?”
When she was at death’s door, Qi Qiqi was the one who released a fireball that won her a chance to live .
Walking side by side with her, Qi Qiqi’s cheecks flushed like two small red flowers, and she said meekly: “Some, Some… time ago . ”
Xue Qilin raised her eyebrows, unhappy .
“Then why didn’t I know of it? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to surprise you!”
To some extent, it was really a big surprise… Xue Qilin doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry . Not only did the girl learn Fireball, but she also saved her .
Qi Qiqi suddenly stopped, and her face darkened .
Realizing that the person walking beside her stopped, Xue Qilin blinked her eyes and asked: “What’s wrong?”
“… Uncle Teacher Liu, what are you going to do?”
Xue Qilin froze, and then sneered .
“It never ends . ”
She showed restraint repeatedly, yet the other party is always pushing his luck .
… Even a saint won’t bear it, let alone Xue Qilin who has nothing to do with the word “saint” .
“Shui Yuner has caused a big disaster, she can’t stay in the Merak Temple . ”
Qi Qiqi’s tone suddenly became cold . She can’t bear to look straight at Xue Qilin .
What did she say? Xue Qilin looked back at Qi Qiqi in disbelief, not expecting to hear such words coming from the other party’s mouth .
“Not only did she enter the Sword Mound without permission, stole Phecda, wrecked the tournament, and ruined the martial arts ground, but she also hurt the vice-Temple Master and dozens of outer sect disciples . You tell me whether she should be expelled or not . ”
An expressionless look in her eyes, Qi Qiqi counted on her fingers and enumerated Shui Yuner’s crimes .
“I’m already giving you face by expelling her . ”
“I won’t allow it!”
Xue Qilin frowned .
“So what?”
“I am your senior!”
Qi Qiqi snorted .
“How shameless . Only at this time do you a.s.sume the mantle of an ancestors . However, let me tell you, fat chance!”
Qi Qiqi continued overbearingly: “Although you are an ancestor, but I am the Temple Master, I am the one in charge here! If I don’t expel Shui Yuner, how do I explain this to the forefathers? How do I explain this to the disciples of the Merak Temple?”
An obscure fire lit up inside her, and Xue Qilin uttered in anger .
“If you insist on expelling Shui Yuner, then I’ll…”
Xue Qilin couldn’t voice the latter part of the sentence .
Qi Qiqi showed a disconsolate and disappointed look, which was like a bucket of cold water poured onto Xue Qilin’s rage .
“Then you’ll what? Say it . Will you leave the Merak Temple?”
Qi Qiqi’s senses are very sharp under such circ.u.mstances, as if she can see through people’s hearts .
“I…”
A bitter expression on her face, Xue Qilin is left speechless .
She did want to say this just now .
However, after calming down, she became ashamed .
She forgot Qi Qiqi, forgot Luo Qing, forgot Xia Xue, forgot Gong Tianqing – she forgot these most important people she once called “family” .
“… Sorry . ”
Qi Qiqi’s expression became colder .
“Either the Merak Temple or Shui Yuner, choose one . ”
As if she became another person, estrangement permeates her tone .
“I…”
Xue Qilin is in a bind . Whether it is the Merak Temple or Shui Yuner, she doesn’t want to abandon either of them .
However, she knows that she might lose both if she doesn’t make a choice .
After much consideration, she came to the answer…
“I want both!”
Qi Qiqi looked askance at the la.s.s and sneered .
“You really are overbearing…”
Speaking till here, she suddenly switched gears .
“Well, it’s actually not impossible . ”
Qi Qiqi extended her index finger .
“But there are conditions . ”
“What conditions?”
“First, you have to cover all the damage out of your pocket! Your monthly allowance will be reduced from 5 to 1 silver tael!”
“Wait a moment! This is not my fault!”
My allowance is the lowest in the Merak Temple’s inner temple to begin with, and now you want to reduce it? Xue Qilin released a sad cry .
“The Teacher sharing half of the disciple’s debt is a matter of course! Shui Yuner’s allowance will also be reduced!”
Qi Qiqi’s heartless words left Xue Qilin speechless .
“Second…”
After hearing Qi Qiqi’s second request, Xue Qilin was taken aback for a while .
It was act just now in order to make Xue Qilin agree to her second request .
She got played! It took a bit of time for Xue Qilin to understand it .
“Little Seven, when did you become so clever?”
“Why, do you want to eat a fist?”
Qi Qiqi arched her eyebrows and waved her fist, and Xue Qilin shivered .
“No no no!”
“Then do you agree or not!”
Qi Qiqi hasn’t put away her fist yet .
“Fine, I agree!”
Helpless, Xue Qilin can only agree to her request .
This little vixen! Seeing Qi Qiqi smile smugly, the la.s.s gritted her teeth .