20 – Luo Qing’s Past
Reclining in the chambers arranged for her by the Heavenly Sword Gate, Xue Qilin stared at the ceiling and counted the woodgrains. She couldn’t sleep.
After the banquet, because the gate of the Jinling City was locked, many guests were settled down by the Heavenly Sword Gate in the city. Because of the Merak Temple’s high position, Xue Qilin and them have been arranged to stay in a villa.
Of course, the bed wasn’t too bad, but she still tossed and turned restlessly. It wasn’t that she had something on her mind, she just had too much sleep already.
After another quarter of an hour of tossing and turning in bed, Xue Qilin resigned herself and exhaled – it looks like I have insomnia.
But it was understandable. After all, due to practicing martial arts, martial practitioners were filled with energy. In general, they didn’t need more than two or three hours of sleep.
After sleeping all day, it would be strange if she could sleep now.
I better get up and find something to kill time… Xue Qilin sat up, put on shoes, and then picked up some outer garments placed next to the bed and put them on.
If only there was alcohol. Xue Qilin started to miss beer. Previously, when she couldn’t sleep, she liked to drink a few cups. She wasn’t a hollow leg. Instead, she regarded herself as being weak-headed. Due to this, she was prone to get sleepy after drinking a little.
To put it bluntly, drinking was a trick that helped her fall asleep.
But where can I find alcohol? Xue Qilin sat at a table and propped her chin with a hand.
Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps.
Knock knock – just as Xue Qilin wondered who it was, the door was knocked.
“Young Ancestor, you aren’t asleep yet?” It was Luo Qing’s voice.
“Little Qing? I’m not!” Xue Qilin promptly rose to her feet and went to open the door.
Still dressed in the green dress, Luo Qing gracefully stood outside the door.
Xue Qilin looked at the sky. Judging by the bright moon, it was already quite late, “Little Qing, what can I do for you? Why are you up this late…”
“I guessed that you couldn’t sleep after sleeping so much today, Young Ancestor. I’m also not sleepy, so I came to talk with you…” Luo Qing gave a tranquil smile, and then shook something in front of Xue Qilin’s nose.
The elegant fragrance of vine assaulted her nose.
“Is this wine?” Xue Qilin blinked her eyes and asked in surprise.
The delicate porcelain contained wine, and it was fine wine. There was no mistake.
Even though Xue Qilin couldn’t be regarded as wine connoisseur, but judging from the aroma, how could the wine not be fine?
However, what left Xue Qilin sigh the most was the fact that Luo Qing came with wine in hand just as she wanted to have a drink.
Can she read my mind? This wasn’t the first time that Xue Qilin had this thought. Luo Qing often appeared when she needed help.
“Young Ancestor?”
“Oh, oh, come on in. I just wanted to find something to pass the time. You came just in time!”
“That’s good.” Luo Qing smiled, and then Xue Qilin took her to sit down at the table.
The other party fished out two small wine cups god know from where, then unplugged the cork of the wine jug and filled Xue Qilin’s cup to 70% capacity.
“Thank you!” Xue Qilin took the cup, and then asked curiously: “Little Qing, where did you get the wine?”
“The cups came from the Heavenly Sword Gate…” Luo Qing suddenly became shy and said uneasily: “Qin Chen has good wine, he has a wine cellar. I ‘borrowed’ this bottle the day before we left.”
She spoke the word borrowed a bit mischievously.
Borrowed? Isn’t that taking without permission? Xue Qilin was stunned. She didn’t expect Luo Qing to do such a thing.
The face of the girl in the green dress flushed red. Probably because this was the first time she did such a thing, so she felt embarrassed, “I thought that taking a bottle of wine could serve as punishment for his poor character.”
Punishment? Isn’t this no different from mischief? Oh no, that’s a little cute! Xue Qilin’s face was slightly hot, and she hurriedly looked away.
In order to calm her heart, she gave a light cough and said solemnly: “Little Qing, you did…”
Seeing Xue Qilin seem dissatisfied with her practice, Luo Qing became nervous, and tensed up.
This was the first time Xue Qilin saw her act like this, and she couldn’t help smiling.
“Young Ancestor?”
“It’s nothing, you did well!”
“That’s good. I thought you were angry.” Luo Qing breathed a sigh of relief, and then put on her signature smile again.
She likes to smile. Well, at least of the people Xue Qilin has met, she was the one that smiled the most.
Xue Qilin took a sip of wine. A cool feeling filled her mouth, but when it reached her throat, the cool feeling became an incredible warmth.
Mellow and fragrant – these two words were probably the most suitable to describe Qin Chen’s wine.
Although he has a poor character, but his wine is very good… This wine is wasted on him. It’s just right for me to drink with Little Qing! Xue Qilin thought.
She took another sip and carefully savored the unique warmth. She gave a refreshed sigh and said unhurriedly: “Little Qing, what did you want to talk about?”
“Well…” She pondered for a long time, “I know a lot about you, but I don’t think you have heard anything about me, Young Ancestor. It’s a little unfair… In that case, why don’t you listen to my story, Young Ancestor?”
“Okay!” Xue Qilin agreed quickly. Gossip was the best side dish for when drinking. But…
“I’m an orphan.” Her tone was flat.
When she heard Luo Qing’s words, Xue Qilin was shocked. She didn’t expect such a heavy topic, “Little Qing, if…”
“No, I want to. Would you please indulge me and listen…, Young Ancestor?” She spoke in a nearly pleading tone.
“Okay, go ahead, I’ll listen!” Since the other party insisted, Xue Qilin could not refuse. However, in order to ease the atmosphere, she deliberately picked her ears, to indicate that she was all ears.
“I still remember…” Luo Qing spoke in a flat tone, as if this was of no concern to her. She diligently told the story of her past.
*
That day was Luo Qing’s ninth birthday, and it was on that day that she lost everything…
Blood slid down that man’s sword body and finally dropped to the ground.
The blood staining the sword body came from Luo Qing’s parents and the people of her village.
The man in front of her murdered everyone in the village. However, he didn’t seem to have enough.
He turned around, and his emotionless gaze fell on Luo Qing huddled in a corner. He wanted to kill her!
“Don’t…” Luo Qing trembled and backed off repeatedly. Yet behind her was the corner of the wall, so she nowhere to go.
“Don’t, don’t come here…” Scared as she was, she had to spend a lot of effort to squeeze out her voice.
But the other side didn’t care. In just two steps, he stopped in front of her.
“Please, please don’t kill me…”
The man didn’t respond, as if he couldn’t hear her. He looked down at her and raised his sword body wordlessly.
The sword body was covered in rust, but it was more than enough to cut down a defenseless girl.
He’s going to kill me! Even though she understood this, but the terrified Luo Qing didn’t know what to do.
The sword body fell.
She subconsciously closed her eyes, yet her body moved on its own and rolled aside at the critical moment. It was an instinct that saved her. However…
A sharp pain came from her back. She was still cut.
She felt like something was slowly leaving her body, which was probably what they called life.
Luo Qing curled up in pain.
With the sound of footsteps, she saw a pair of straw sandals with the toes exposed.
During deadly danger, it was instinct that prompted people to react.
Driven by instinct, Luo Qing struggled to get up. Although she staggered, but she still stood up.
Nearly dragging her body, she took a step, just a single step. Then there was a heavy impact on her waist, and she was sent flying.
The sense of being tossed enveloped her, and everything in her field of vision span.
Then, there was a thud, and she bumped into the wall. The strong impact prompted her to spurt out scarlet blood from her mouth, which drew a bewitching arc in the air.
She slid down and crumpled to the ground.
Pain reverberated throughout her entire body, and tears blurred everything in her field of vision.
The sense of weakness grew, as if about to devour her.
Perhaps it was a misconception, but the wound on her back didn’t seem to hurt as much.
It was just a misconception. When the sword body ran through her right shoulder, the pain came again.
“Ahhhhhhh……” Her body tightened and straightened suddenly, and she opened his mouth, yet only a hoarse sound came out.
Pain stabbed her mind, rousing her fading consciousness.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Someone help me! I don’t want to die I don’t want to die! Yet her pleading wasn’t heard by anyone.
There was another burst of pain, and the cold feeling left her shoulder.
She knew that the man had raised his sword body – the sword body that was about to end her life.
“Help… me… ” This was just her subconsciousness driven to seek rescue. The girl’s consciousness was blurred due to her life sleeping away.
This time, someone responded.
There was a flash of silver light in her eyes.
Thump. The sound of heavy objects falling to the ground reverberated.
Luo Qing saw, saw the death god’s head fall in front of her.
Blood drizzled like rain.
There was still no emotion in those eyes, even though his head was separated from his body. Whether he killed others or died, the look in his eyes was the same.
Who saved me?
Suddenly, she saw a man. Unlike the killer, this man’s eyes had emotions. There was rejoicement and affection – just like a parent.
The man gently picked up the weak Luo Qing, seemingly using no strength. He was very warm.
“Great…” He looked at Luo Qing with a miserable look on his face.
“Did you save me?” Luo Qing’s voice was so low that she herself could hardly hear it.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I should have come sooner.”
Luo Qing shook her head quietly, and then coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“… your name?” It took all her strength to ask this question.
She knew that she was probably going to die, but… she wanted to know the man’s name – the name of the person who saved her, at least. She had to know.
After a long silence, the man finally spoke: “I am Qi Yixin.”
Luo Qing smiled at the man. It was a very ugly smile.
*
“Sect Master Qi saved my life.”
Xue Qilin opened her mouth several times, yet no words came out.
It was just too heartbreaking.
What was her frame of mind when she spoke about her past? Xue Qilin didn’t know.
What prompted her to tell me all this? Xue Qilin felt that she didn’t need to know.
Feeling a little stifled, Xue Qilin picked up her cup, yet found out that it was already empty. She took the wine jug. However, it was also empty.
“… the Merak Temple has given me everything I have now, so all my accomplishments are for the sake of the Merak Temple.” This sentence was overcome with an invulnerable will.
Everyone must have something that is irreplaceable to them. For Luo Qing, that something is the Merak Temple. Xue Qilin couldn’t help but have this thought.
“So, I want to ask you, please protect the Merak Temple, Young Ancestor.”
“Did you tell me your story for the sake of this request?”
“Yes.”
Puzzled, Xue Qilin couldn’t help but ask: “What are you worried about? Do you think that I will abandon the Merak Temple? ”
“I fear that you hate the Merak Temple, Young Ancestor.” Luo Qing replied with a bitter smile.
Xue Qilin asked: “Why?”
“Because it ruined your life… and… ” Although Luo Qing didn’t continue, but Xue Qilin already understood what she meant.
She’s afraid that I’m resentful because of being locked up in the Sword Tomb from young… Xue Qilin stood up, pretending to be angry, “Little Qing, I’m very angry.”
“Oh?” Luo Qing raised her head, looked at Xue Qilin’s puffed up cheeks, and blinked her eyes, a puzzled expression on her face.
“If I really hated the Merak Temple, I would have acted already. Am I not that kind of person?” Xue Qilin placed her hands on her hips, leaned forward and put her face close to Luo Qing’s, and stared straight into her eyes.
Luo Qing was stunned, and then burst out laughing.
“I did worry too much…” She lowered her head, and the shadow of her bangs covered her expression.
“Young Ancestor, don’t blame me… it’s all for the Merak Temple.” Her tone was oppressive, and there was also a hint of remorse and determination.
“Blame you for what?”
Luo Qing shook her head, an ineffable expression on her face.
Why overthink so much? Xue Qilin sighed helplessly.
“I don’t know what to tell you… you…” Her voice came to an abrupt stop. Xue Qilin suddenly turned her head, and her sharp gaze stabbed at the door.
“Young Ancestor?”
“Little Qing [1], go wake up Little Qing.”
“What’s the matter?”
Her eyes narrowed, and Xue Qilin said expressionlessly: “People, there are many people approaching! They’ll be here soon!”
When she heard this, Luo Qing’s expression became dignified. She nodded and went towards the door without saying a word.
But after taking just a few steps, her steps became unsteady, and she plopped down.
Xue Qilin just took a step and wanted to ask what happened…
A burst of intense dizziness assaulted her. As if blocked by something, her true qi became stagnant.
Xue Qilin gently held her own forehead. What’s the matter? Did I got drunk with just that bit of wine?
Impossible! There was no way she would get drunk without being aware of it. Besides, being drunk shouldn’t affect her true qi.
From the corner of her eyes, Xue Qilin saw the wine cups, and she thought of something. Her eyes widened – there…
… was poison in the cups!
[1] – The first Little Qing (小青) is referring to Luo Qing, the second Little Qing (小晴) is referring to Gong Tianqing
