Chapter 84: The Weak Deserve to Be Bullied
Wu Zhongdao’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but praise, “Senior Brother Chen, you’re brilliant!”
Chen Chuangfu smirked with satisfaction, tossing his head back. “Let’s go, we’re heading back!”
“Yes, Senior Brother Chen!” Wu Zhongdao grinned and quickly followed him.
...
When Qu Yiqiu returned to her cave abode, she casually laid down several layers of wards before releasing Qian’er.
Qian’er seemed not to have realized what was happening. She remained in the same posture as she had inside the spirit beast pouch—squatting with her arms wrapped around her legs, head buried low, muttering foolishly, “Is my benefactor planning to make me acknowledge her as my master? She’s kept me locked away for so long, maybe she wants to punish me! What should I do? Should I pledge myself to her? I can’t die… My parents are still waiting for me to come home on Salamander Spiral Mountain… sob, sob…”
“I shouldn’t have sneaked out against their wishes… Father, Mother, Qian’er was wrong, sob sob…”
A shadow crossed Qu Yiqiu’s face; she hadn’t expected that she’d frightened this child so much by accident.
The merfolk, as the tales went, truly were innocent and naïve, ignorant of the ways of the world.
Clearing her throat gently, she softened her tone and said, “Fellow Daoist Qian’er, the situation was urgent at the time. I had no choice but to put you into the spirit beast pouch. Please don’t hold it against me—it was all to save our lives.”
Qian’er’s huddled form froze. After a moment, a pair of stunning ice-blue eyes peeked out hesitantly.
“Benefactor… you never meant to make me your spirit beast?”
Her voice was soft and trembling, betraying her fear and anxiety.
Qu Yiqiu looked into those watery blue eyes, rubbed her temples, and replied, “That thought never crossed my mind. Tomorrow I’ll take you to a city where you can use a teleportation array to leave.”
A single Muyun Jin and a nine-colored deer were trouble enough; she had no intention of raising a mermaid as well.
Qian’er’s eyes widened; her lovely face lifted in surprise. “Is it true? Benefactor, you’ll send me home?”
Qu Yiqiu put down her hand and nodded.
Qian’er sprang to her feet, eyes brimming with grateful tears, her rosy lips half-biting. “I knew I wasn’t wrong about you! Benefactor, allow me to offer my deepest thanks!”
She immediately kowtowed, but Qu Yiqiu reached out and lifted her up lightly. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m only responsible for getting you to a safe place. As for the road back to Salamander Spiral Mountain, you’ll have to find that yourself.”
Qian’er remained full of gratitude, nodding fervently. “Qian’er understands. Thank you, Fairy Qu, for saving my life!”
“It’s nothing, really, you don’t need to thank me… Wait—what did you just call me?” Qu Yiqiu’s pupils contracted as she stared at the girl.
Qian’er froze, then suddenly raised her hand to cover her mouth and shook her head vigorously. “I didn’t say anything! I was only thanking you for saving me!”
---
Qu Yiqiu frowned. She hadn’t misheard—Qian’er had just called her Fairy Qu…
This girl had seen through her true identity?
Qu Yiqiu pondered for a moment, then looked up at the girl. Suddenly, she noticed the depths of those eyes—bottomless, and occasionally catching a strange light even as they faced her disguised appearance.
“There’s no need to be nervous. Even if you know my true identity, it’s no big deal.”
As if! She’d stolen the Red-eyed Golden Toad, swindled Spring Rain Pavilion, and tricked Wu Dingshan. If her true identity was exposed, she’d never live in peace again!
Qian’er seemed convinced by her words and breathed a sigh of relief, sticking out her tongue playfully and patting her chest. “I thought you’d silence me! On Salamander Spiral Mountain, my parents always warned me that humans have many secrets, and if anyone discovers them, they’re killed—just like that!”
Qu Yiqiu’s mouth twitched. She hadn’t intended to kill her, but the fleeting thought of keeping things secret wasn’t much better.
“Ahem, some bad people might do that, but I am from an upright and noble sect—I uphold justice and would never do something so cruel!”
She wore an expression of sincerity. Qian’er blinked, her smile pure and bright. “I’m so lucky to have met you, Fairy Qu! Otherwise, I’d have been sold off by those demonic cultivators for sure!”
Qu Yiqiu gazed back into her eyes and asked, “How did you see through my disguise?”
Qian’er scratched her head sheepishly.
Father always said never to tell the humans this secret, but my benefactor saved me—and I know her secret—so in exchange, I should tell her, too!
Summoning her courage, Qian’er said, “I’m a princess of the merfolk, born with a pair of demon-blue eyes that see through all barriers. No matter how advanced someone’s cultivation, I can see through any disguise!”
Qu Yiqiu was astonished, though she kept her face composed.
So, Qian’er must have seen her true face the first time they met. Coupled with Qu Yiqiu’s growing reputation and Qian’er following her secretly, she’d pieced it together.
She’d planned to send this mermaid princess home, but now… that plan would have to change.
“Qian’er, you’ve come all this way. Wouldn’t it be a waste to go back so soon?”
Qian’er’s expression faltered, and she lowered her head sadly. “But it’s too dangerous out here. My parents said merfolk can’t survive in the outside world… I’ve been gone so long, I wonder if they’re thinking of me every day… sob, sob…”
Qu Yiqiu’s head ached. Qian’er hadn’t done anything to deserve being killed, and she wasn’t so ruthless.
She rapped herself on the head and steadied her tone. “It’s true you can’t make it alone. But with me protecting you, you can stay here a few days without any trouble.”
The sobs stopped abruptly.
Qian’er’s head shot up, her eyes shining with delight and disbelief. “Benefactor, you’ll protect me?”
Qu Yiqiu smiled and nodded, “Yes, that’s right.”
---
Qian’er’s sorrow vanished, replaced by joy. She leapt up and hugged her, exclaiming with radiant gratitude, “You’re the best, benefactor! The absolute best!”
Qu Yiqiu forced a stiff smile, but she didn’t push her away.
Just get through tonight! She needed to go to the All-World Cultivation Mall and buy a memory-erasing pill right away!
Qian’er was so excited she didn’t notice the subtle changes in Qu Yiqiu’s expression.
...
Dawn broke.
Qu Yiqiu cradled the porcelain bottle in her hand, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.
She would take Qian’er to a city far from here, drop her off, and then have her swallow this Parasite Forgetfulness Pill!
But not for another day or two. Glancing at the bright sunlight outside her cave, she reached into her storage pouch, drew out a rainbow-hued bundle, and hurled it toward the summit of Ten Thousand Peaks.
“Hong Bingyin, I’d really love to see your face when you find your beloved mount reduced to a pile of bones!”
A vengeful thrill gleamed in Qu Yiqiu’s eyes.
She could not deny she bore grudges.
Her enmity with Hong Bingyin dated back to her very first arrival at Little Flat Peak.
She still remembered him, standing before her, mocking her parents and Mo Qingli, ridiculing them as worthless!
His mocking gaze, his arrogant jeers—every word, every gesture—was seared into her memory.
“Hong Bingyin, you lost to my master before. Now, you will not defeat me either!”
Fire danced in her eyes; a faint smile curled her lips.
Thank you all for reading~ Special thanks to the adorable ones, eyeful, Doctor at Ease, That Fatty Is Me, Bookfriend 20171228185848926, Uncle Zhilin, Bookfriend 20180713204050689 for your recommendations~