This Little Seven learned how to act moe! Anyway, is it really alright to say that in front of the person herself? Xue Qilin involuntarily looked at Li Wanting and found that she is smiling bitterly.

  “But then what about you? The imperial capital is too dangerous! What if the Emperor wants to harm you again?”


  Xue Qilin threw these questions at Qi Qiqi.

  Although she thinks that the way Qi Qiqi is asking her is cute, but that’s beside the point. She still can’t easily relent.

  “Qilin, I understand your worries! But it’s not like I’m going into the tiger’s den that is the imperial capital without preparations!”


  Qi Qiqi, who probably feels that Xue Qilin thinks that she is a child who doesn’t do things properly, is a little unhappy.

  “Younger Sister Shui wrote to the Ninth Princess a few days ago, asking her to look after me.”


  “Ah? Is that so? Why didn’t Little Yun mention it……”


  Xue Qilin complained that Shui Yun’er didn’t tell her anything.

  Qi Qiqi, however, doesn’t look like she’s going to defend Shui Yun’er. Instead, she went on to say, “She just received a reply from the Ninth Princess. It states that the Ninth Princess welcomes me to stay at her mansion as a guest.”


  “So, she promised to look after you?”


  Xue Qilin raised her eyebrows as she asked thusly, and Qi Qi nodded in reply.

  “Yes, and there’s still Old Master Gong. He hasn’t left the imperial capital yet. For Qing’er’s sake, he will take care of me…… Qilin, in the imperial capital, influence is more reliable than your strength! Moreover, apart from the Shadow Gate, who as a rule doesn’t attend these occasions, there are still the leaders of the other three sects. His Majesty the Emperor probably won’t do anything to us.”


  Both the Poster Princess and Gong Jing have “influence”, while Gong Jing even more so has a massive military force.

  If they really stand on the side of the Merak Temple, they can protect Qi Qiqi better than the lone Xue Qilin.

  On the other hand, although Xue Qilin is a Heaven Realm practitioner, she is only a Heaven Realm practitioner in the end. Most of the sect leaders of the other three sects are Heaven Realm practitioners themselves and they may be no weaker than her. If someone tries to harm Qi Qiqi, the other three sects should step in and help her out.

  When faced with the outside world, the Wulin sects are surprisingly united, not unlike when they joined hands against the Imperial Court’s army five years ago.

  — of course, the Shadow Gate is an exception.

  Under such circumstances, Xue Qilin seems a little superfluous. To put it in an unpleasant way, “it won’t make much difference whether she is present or not”.

  Although she understands what Qi Qiqi said on a rational level, but Xue Qilin still cannot reconcile on an emotional level.

  However, different things have different degrees of importance and urgency. Since Qi Qiqi’s safety has been guaranteed, Li Wanting appears to need Xue Qilin’s protection more. With this in mind, Xue Qilin’s scales gradually leaned towards Li Wanting.

  Just as she wanted to yield and agree —


  “Oh, wait –”


  Xue Qilin suddenly realized something and looked at Qi Qiqi with suspicious eyes.

  “Little Seven, you can’t fool me? Little Qing said that you decided to go to the imperial capital only yesterday! How on earth did you have Little Yun write the Ninth Princess in advance? What’s more, the Ninth Princess has already sent a reply? Even if Dark Crows were used, that would still take quite a few days!”


  “What! As if I would fool others!”


  Dissatisfied with Xue Qilin’s query, Qi Qiqi crossed her arms and didn’t look away, a displeased expression on her face.

  At this time, Li Wanting, who has been quietly listening to the conversation between the two people, interrupted and explained, “It’s true that the departure date was decided only yesterday, but the decision to attend the meeting was made earlier.”


  “Ah, then why didn’t you tell me!”


  Xue Qilin pouted and looked dissatisfiedly at Qi Qiqi.

  “At that time, Qing’er went missing and so I wasn’t in the mood……”


  “Ah……” Xue Qilin was taken aback, “Was it decided a month ago?”


  “Yes. I was worried about Qing’er at that time. I was going to tell you about it…… but due to the commotion, I forgot to tell you!”


  Qi Qiqi’s red cheeks are filled with apology. Consequently, in the next moment, she assumed an expression used when trying to coax a child.

  “Qilin, if it’s really dangerous, others would have stopped me before you got the chance to protest. Since they agreed with my decision, it means that this trip isn’t that dangerous. So, don’t worry, okay?”


  Qi Qiqi placed her palms over Xue Qilin’s palms and spoke steadily in a soft tone, revealing a rare tenderness.

  “But……”


  Xue Qilin still hesitated.

  Probably because she doesn’t want to make things difficult for her, Li Wanting spoke up, “Qi’er, let Young Ancestor accompany you.”


  Hearing Li Wanting unexpectedly back her idea, Xue Qilin looked at Li Wanting in amazement. At the same time, she felt a little guilty, thinking that her words and actions soaked with excessive bias towards Qi Qiqi might have hurt Li Wanting.

  “Older Sister Ting, what are you saying! I tried so hard to coax her! Why did you undermine my efforts! How annoying!”


  Feeling that Li Wanting betrayed her, Qi Qiqi protested in a lovely voice.

  “Wait –! Why do you talk as if you were coaxing a child!”


  So she acted cute and pitiful a moment ago just to coax me? Upon hearing Qi Qiqi’s words, Xue Qilin was indescribably angry, feeling that she was deceived.

  “Shut up, Qilin!”


  Qi Qiqi discarded her act and stared at Xue Qilin in vexation. Then, not caring about the lass’s reaction, turned her gaze to Li Wanting.

  “Older Sister Ting, do you want to go to the School of Mo’s secret hall or not?”


  “Of course I do!”


  Li Wanting answered without hesitation.

  “Alright. But, if Qilin doesn’t go with you, the Merak Temple won’t send people there!”


  With that, Qi Qiqi snorted and briskly turned her head away.

  Hey, whose child is this? Xue Qilin was stunned by Qi Qiqi’s peeved reaction.

  “You can’t do this, Qi’er!”


  Li Wanting exclaimed in disbelief.

  Consequently, Qi Qiqi just ignored the two and put on “there’s nothing else to discuss” expression.

  “If you won’t send people there, then I’ll just go by myself.”


  Frowning, Li Wanting assumed an unyielding attitude.

  She, who is a competitive and stubborn person, won’t change her mind because of Qi Qiqi’s obstruction. However, Qi Qiqi is not someone easy to deal with, either. She doesn’t lose out to Li Wanting in terms of obstinacy.

  Sure enough, after hearing what Li wanting said, Qi Qiqi slapped the table from anger.

  “If I say no, then it’s a no. Even if it’s Older Sister Ting, if you leave the Merak Temple without my permission, I’ll have Uncle Teacher Ye catch you and bring you back!”


  The two stared at each other.

  Seeing the signs of a dispute, Xue Qilin promptly took up the role of a mediator. She waved her hands and advised in a panic, “Hey, hey, don’t be like that! If there’s a problem, talk it out. Don’t fight. It’s not good to fight –”


  However, Qi Qiqi, who wasn’t persuaded, glared at Xue Qilin and had her stop talking.

  “There’s nothing to talk out! If I say no, than it’s a no, period! Besides, this is all Qilin’s fault!”


  “Oh, it’s my fault?”


  In the face of Qi Qiqi’s accusation, the confused Xue Qilin pointed at her own nose with a finger and asked.

  “Yes, it’s your fault! If you were willing to accompany Older Sister Ting, wouldn’t everything be settled then? But you don’t agree!”


  On second thought, Xue Qilin realized that she is really the main cause of the conflict.

  She scratched her cheek in embarrassment and said hesitantly, “I didn’t say I don’t agree…… I’m just a little hesitant. In fact, when you mentioned that the Ninth Princess and Old Master Gong will protect you, I was already a little swayed…… ”


  “Oh?” Qi Qiqi raised her eyebrows, “So, do you agree?”


  “This……”


  “Can you be a bit more straightforward? Why are you humming and hawing!”


  Qi Qiqi glared at Xue Qilin and indignantly criticized the other party’s indecision.

  Xue Qilin nervously shrunk back and spoke in a tone of resignation, “Okay, okay, I’ll go! Just stop quarreling!”


  “Great!”


  As if the anger just now was all a pretense, Qi Qiqi instantly showed a smile and nodded with satisfaction.

  Then, she began to explain some things about the School of Mo’s secret hall and the journey.

  “Go get ready and set out at noon! I’ve already ordered people to prepare things. Older Disciple Sister Xia will go with you…… ”


  How come it seems like Little Seven expected that I would agree to accompany Little Ting? Xue Qilin felt strange as she listened to the other party.

  Li Wanting appears to have the same suspicion.

  The two exchanged a sympathetic look.

  They can read the “why do I feel like I was deceived” message from each other’s eyes.

  It was not until Qi Qiqi finished the explanation and got up to leave that Xue Qilin finally remembered what happened when she let Liu Chengzong go. She realized that the other party may have used the same trick again.

  Little weasel! Xue Qilin gnashed her teeth and secretly scolded, yet Qi Qiqi has already run away.