In this situation, asking Li Qingjun to leave was something Qin Yi knew she wouldn’t agree to, not even for herself. After all, she was a girl who wouldn’t even think of abandoning her people, saying, “It’s my duty to protect the country and its people.”
At this moment, her sense of “duty” seemed to outweigh her “dreams,” and maybe even her feelings for him? Qin Yi had this thought flash through his mind, but he didn’t dwell on it. He never thought it was necessary to weigh which was more important, like deciding whether to save his mother or his wife first if they fell into water. It was a pointless dilemma. When her country was in trouble, it was only natural for her to prioritize her responsibilities.
In fact, this sense of responsibility was one of the reasons he liked Li Qingjun. He should be supporting her…
But the current situation was anything but ordinary. He realized that if things continued this way, Li Qingjun might end up perishing alongside Nan Li. This wasn’t just a matter of support; he couldn’t stand by and let that happen.
He wasn’t Huang Rong, and he couldn’t act like her.
Lost in thought, he noticed that Li Qingjun had tiredly laid her head on the stone table and fallen asleep. Looking at the sky, he saw the sun had just set. She was exhausted…
He sighed, quietly carried Li Qingjun to bed, and tucked her in.
Standing by the window, he gazed at the sunset for a while when suddenly he communicated with Liu Su: “Liu Su…”
“Hmm?” Liu Su didn’t really want to pay attention to him. When he didn’t call her by her nickname, it usually meant trouble.
“I want to take her away directly; I can’t worry about Nan Li anymore.”
“Aren’t you afraid she’ll wake up and yell at you, or even hate you?”
“I’d rather she hate me than watch her die.”
Liu Su praised him: “That’s good.”
Qin Yi shook his head. “I don’t think it’s good; it just seems like I have no other choice.”
“I meant it’s good that you finally have the determination to make a tough decision. You may not have realized it, but you’ve always acted passively, going with the flow. This is the first time you’ve proactively made a difficult choice. Right or wrong, that’s a good thing.” Liu Su smiled. “It seems this journey to Nan Li has helped you grow a bit.”
“...Maybe.”
Liu Su continued, “By the way, do you have no expectations for a response from the Minghe sect?”
“I still have expectations; I just want to discuss it with you first and prepare. If the Minghe sect replies that there’s no solution, then I’ll have to act.”
Before he could finish, there was a knock at the door, and Minghe’s voice came through: “Are you there, friend?”
Before Qin Yi could respond, the sound of the knock woke Li Qingjun. Hearing Minghe’s voice, she looked a bit strange, her beautiful eyes landing on Qin Yi’s face, blinking a couple of times.
Qin Yi was sweating: “I’m not, I didn’t, don’t misunderstand…”
“The sect has replied.” Minghe called from outside.
Qin Yi swallowed his words and jumped up, rushing to the door: “What did they say?”
Minghe’s gaze briefly swept over Li Qingjun on the bed, as if she understood why it took Qin Yi so long to open the door. She calmly advised, “Your friend is at a crucial stage of growth; she should focus on her foundation. If she indulges in youth, even with the techniques of the mystical realm, her future achievements may be limited. This is a reminder from me, so don’t take it too harshly.”
Goodness, do you think you’re giving a lecture? For Qingjun, this sounds like the third party coming to stir trouble! Qin Yi almost cried out in frustration and hurriedly said, “I think the reply from your sect is more important…”
“My sect can’t solve this technique; after all, our learning systems are different.” Minghe continued without taking a breath. “But my master recognized the origin of this object; she saw it during her travels years ago.”
Qin Yi was overjoyed: “Where did she see it?”
Li Qingjun understood what they were discussing and didn’t bother guessing their relationship anymore. She jumped out of bed like a flash: “Thank you, sister, for your help. I’m very grateful.”
Sister? Minghe looked at her with some confusion but ignored her, turning to Qin Yi: “It was in the Broken Rift Valley.”
Qin Yi was stunned, his expression like he had swallowed something rotten: “Isn’t that the valley where even birds can’t fly over?”
“Exactly.” Minghe replied nonchalantly.
Li Qingjun exclaimed, “Our country has sent people to explore the valley multiple times, and no one has returned! It’s a deadly place!”
Minghe didn’t respond but pulled out a map: “My master marked the general location. Be careful; the red area on the map is an absolute danger zone. Even my master wouldn’t dare to enter. The other areas vary in danger—but for you, it’s likely that no matter where you go, it’s death, so you can treat all those areas as red. Only the white areas are worth attempting, but it’s still a life-or-death situation.”
Qin Yi’s eyes widened as he searched the map for the white area, finally finding a tiny dot the size of a grain of rice after searching for a long time.
He looked up, staring blankly at Minghe.
Minghe nodded.
Qin Yi: “…”
Minghe said, “My master mentioned that not only is there a stone tablet inscribed with this witchcraft there, but even Dong Huazi’s demon-refining formation originated from there. There may be some real demon cores inside, which could be incredibly effective in breaking this curse.”
If that’s true, then it’s not just a matter of luck; it’s a real chance to find a solution. Qin Yi looked at that tiny white dot, hesitated for a moment, and cautiously asked, “Friend… will you help?”
Minghe replied coolly, “I’ve been reprimanded by my sect for getting too involved in the Nan Li conflict.”
In other words, she definitely wouldn’t go.
“I’ll go!” Li Qingjun reached for the map.
Qin Yi quickly held her wrist down, and she turned to look at him. He smiled slightly: “Of course, I’ll go. You need to participate in politics; how can you leave? Besides, I’m also skilled in both martial and mystical arts. Is there anyone more suitable than me in all of Nan Li?”
Liu Su wanted to say, “Did you forget about Ye Ling?” But then she thought about how that person had no loyalty and wouldn’t risk going to such a dangerous place for Nan Li. The chance of not coming back was over ninety percent; he really couldn’t be relied upon.
Li Qingjun stared at Qin Yi in shock: “You… this is a life-or-death matter; it has nothing to do with you…”
“How can it not be related to me?” Qin Yi said. “Aren’t you my fiancée?”
Li Qingjun looked at him for a long time before softly saying, “Yes.”
Qin Yi added, “I’m not going for nothing; I have one condition.”
Li Qingjun lowered her head slightly: “About you and sister Minghe… even if you don’t go, I won’t oppose it…”
“?” Minghe’s eyes widened.
Qin Yi almost spat blood, feeling more confused the more he explained. So he continued directly: “My only condition is that if I don’t come back, or even if I do come back but it’s too late to change anything… then you must not stubbornly cling to Nan Li. If you need to leave, then leave.”
Li Qingjun’s heart skipped a beat.
Qin Yi spoke clearly: “Qin Yi is selfish; I have no feelings for country or family. Whether it’s alchemy or facing danger, it’s never been for Nan Li, only for you.”
Li Qingjun swallowed hard, her heart racing. Even when he kissed her for the first time, she didn’t feel this out of control. It felt like a thousand words were stuck in her throat, but she couldn’t say a single one.
After a long, long time, she finally choked out, “I… don’t agree.”
“Hmm?”
“That condition needs to change. If you can come back, I promise to accompany you away from here, no matter the situation. I won’t be a person of Nan Li anymore; I’ll just be a woman of the Qin family.” Li Qingjun looked straight into his eyes: “But if you don’t come back… let’s set a deadline. If you don’t return by then, I’ll go down to accompany you.”
Qin Yi knew he couldn’t get caught up in the details with her at this moment; otherwise, it would turn into a never-ending melodrama. So he extended his hand: “Let’s make a pact, within half a year.”
Li Qingjun reached out her delicate hand and firmly slapped it against his.
Minghe was still pondering what Li Qingjun meant by “you and sister Minghe” when she suddenly heard Qin Yi’s thought: “I’m not going to die; if I really thought it was dangerous, would I give up and run away? Setting a deadline is the dumbest thing; if there’s a delay, that’s just throwing away a life. If you still have a bit of compassion, please keep an eye on this silly girl and don’t let her die. I’ll definitely repay you in the future.”
A smile gradually formed on Minghe’s lips, illuminating the whole room. In Qin Yi’s mind, he received her thought, which was just one word: “Okay.”
(End of Chapter)