……  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 lass’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 lass 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 space 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 lass 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 hit, 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 lass 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 lass’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 lass 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 lass’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 assume 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 circumstances, 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 lass 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 lass gritted her teeth .