249.1 – Gong Tianqing’s Change

  “Well, I should go apologize to Little Ting and ask her for help……”


  Xue Qilin gave up resistance and got up.

  If I apologize well, the other party will certainly forgive me. With this thought in mind, she dejectedly walked to in front of her armoire, opened the bottom drawer, searched for a few seconds, and finally pulled out a folded, thin quilt.

  After unfolding it, Xue Qilin threw all the parts of the mechanism sword on top of the quilt, forming a bundle half the size of a person. She tied the bundle to her back and left the room.

  Head lowered, shoulders slumped, downcast expression, she looks like she’s carrying all her belongings — Xue Qilin looks like a child who ran away from home in anger after a big argument with their family.

  In fact, she attracted the gazes of many disciples along the way. But the lass, who was worried about how to explain things to Li Wanting, didn’t notice it.

  “Young, Young Ancestor!”


  She just arrived in front of the suspension bridge that connects to the East Peak, when Xue Qilin heard someone call for her in a panic and looked back.

  Except from Gong Tianqing and new inner disciples, no one else would call her Young Ancestor in such a startled tone.

  Sure enough, Xue Qilin soon saw a petite figure in her field of view.

  It is a weak lass that gives off an “ah, it’s a poor, homeless kitten” misconception.

  She always has a timid and weak expression on her childish face. When she walks, the little bells that she uses as ornaments make melodious sounds. Her nut-brown eyes easily flicker unsteadily. Once she is scared, she shrinks back exaggeratedly. Xue Qilin thinks that the word “kitten” captures the nature of this weak lass quite well.

  The lass called Gong Tianqing easily stimulates the desire in others to protect her.

  That said, although she is always obedient and submissive. But she possesses a courage and stubbornness that are inconsistent with her appearance.

  While gazing at Gong Tianqing, a boy’s face suddenly appeared in Xue Qilin’s mind, and her thoughts gradually drifted away.

  A month ago, Gong Tianqing left the Merak Temple with the State Guard’s Luo Hong and returned to the Gong Clan without saying a word. She didn’t hesitate to sacrifice her own life in exchange for the health of her younger brother, Gong Tianyang. She even refused Xue Qilin, who sneaked into the Gong Clan in order to take her away, adamant about sacrificing her life for her younger brother.

  Afterwards, she was abducted. But unlike an ordinary lass, she didn’t cry. Instead, she seized an opportunity and successfully escaped from the place where she was imprisoned. Even though she ultimately failed and was trapped in a tight encirclement, but she didn’t give up.

  Regrettably, this was all based on a curse — a distorted conviction.

  Sacrifice yourself for the sake of others.

  Gong Tianqing has a tendency of “seeking self worth from satisfying the needs of others”, which leads to her satisfying other people’s requests almost unconditionally.

  It was her twisted conviction that drew Xue Qilin into that event a month ago.

  Although the event ultimately ended thanks to the everyone’s efforts, but the price of Gong Tianyang’s life still had to be paid.

  However, after experiencing this event, Gong Tianqing seems to have changed a little. At least, she is now able to refuse some requests from others and think about herself a little bit.

  Nevertheless —


  “Where, where are you going, Young Ancestor?”


  Gong Tianqing still seems to be unable to reveal self-confidence, still has a timid and cowardly appearance. She furtively glanced behind Xue Qilin, shrunk her shoulders, and asked weakly, “Are, are you running away?”


  “Ah?”


  Xue Qilin, who momentarily couldn’t understand what she said, made a sound of confusion.

  “Could, could it be that it’s not the case?” Gong Tianqing blinked and uttered hesitantly, “You look like you’re running away……”


  What the hell…… run away? Why should I run away without rhyme or reason? Xue Qilin’s knees almost buckled.

  Probably taking Xue Qilin’s silence as a tacit confirmation, Gong Tianqing panicked.

  “No, No! Young Ancestor, if Older Sister Teacher learns of this, she will get mad. Then, she will…… she will……”


  Gong Tianqing’s voice gradually trailed off, and she twisted her fingers, not knowing what to do.

  Then, she will hit you again — Xue Qilin secretly finished the other party’s sentence.

  “Okay, Little Qing! Calm down first! I don’t know why you think I want to run away, but that’s really not the case! I have no other place to go, so how could I run away…… ”


  Except for the Merak Temple, Xue Qilin really has nowhere to go. She is not a person of this world. Although she can easily adapt to a new life because of her easy-going personality, but she’ll still lack a homeland — or real “roots”.

  Therefore, she can only regard the Merak Temple as her home and the people of the Merak Temple as her loved ones and friends. Only in this way, will she not become a vagrant.

  People can’t live without a place they can fit in.

  For Xue Qilin, the Merak Temple is where she fits in. Even if she didn’t have an agreement with Qi Guiyuan, she could still only stay here.

  Having said that, even if she could choose, she probably wouldn’t leave the Merak Temple. After all, the people she cares about are all here. The familiar faces is something she could never part with.

  What’s more, she also likes the Merak Temple.

  Even if something happens and she is no longer happy, Xue Qilin wouldn’t make such childish decision as running away. She doesn’t want others to worry about her.

  However, Gong Tianqing doesn’t seem to understand.

  After hearing Xue Qilin’s explanation, she gazed at the bundle behind Xue Qilin with a skeptical look on her face.

  “But, but…… Young Ancestor, you are carrying such a large burden……”


  After leaving all the documents she’s holding for her left hand to carry, Gong Tianqing raised her right index finger and pointed at the large bundle behind Xue Qilin.

  “If you aren’t running away, then why do you carry such a large bundle?”


  After finally understanding what Gong Tianqing is thinking, Xue Qilin buried her face in her hands.

  “First of all, regardless of how you came to the ‘carrying a bundle equals running away’ idea, if I really wanted to run away, what would I be doing here? I would go straight down the mountain.” Xue Qilin wrinkled her nose. “I’m going to see Little Ting in the Sword Casting Workshop.”


  “Eh, to see Aunt Teacher Li?”


  “Correct! I’m really not running away.”