Qi Yu hummed, released her hand, pointed at Ling Sheng, and instructed the reporting evil ghost, "You can have her. Her yang energy isn't that much, so don't scare her to death. I still have use for her."
"Thank you, Master!" The evil ghost, as if it had found a treasure, rubbed its hands and floated towards Ling Sheng.
Ling Sheng let out a scream and ran around in terror.
Seeing them "playing" happily, Qi Yu got up and walked to the outer hall, pressing her fingers against her temples, her expression languid. "Where are the people from the Beiyuan Sect? Have him come in."
As she said this, a faint pain spread across Qi Yu's forehead.
Ever since she fell into the Hell of Bitter Cold, in order to escape, she had merged her body with the hellish glaciers. Her heart had been frozen long ago, leaving her with little capacity for emotion.
This led to her now... She remembered every detail of her time in the Beiyuan Sect, the warm embrace of her parents and younger brother, yet each recollection brought unbearable heartache and a surge of irritability.
Qi Yu lowered her head and looked at her fingertips.
Before long, Si Qing walked in from outside.
He had heard of the Ice Demon's many exploits but had never seen her in person. He had prepared himself for a terrifying, hulking figure, but when he entered, he was stunned.
The pale-skinned beauty sitting on the high platform... was it Sister?
"Sister..." Si Qing, like a lost child who had finally found family, his eyes reddened, tears welling up in his eyes.
He wanted to step forward but dared not. He knelt on the ground, staring blankly at Qi Yu.
At the same time... dark clouds suddenly churned in the sky above Qi Yu.
Qi Yu blinked.
She wasn't entirely surprised when she saw Si Qing.
But when she heard Si Qing call her Sister, Qi Yu's icy expression faltered, and her hands began to clench involuntarily.
What was happening?
Why did Si Qing... still remember her?
Qi Yu thought this, then lowered her gaze to meet Si Qing's eyes. After a long pause, she said indifferently,
"Fellow Daoist, don't call out 'Sister' just because you see a beauty. I don't have a brother like you."
As soon as she spoke, the thunderclouds that the Heavenly Dao had gathered above Qi Yu's head gradually dispersed.
There was the oath sworn with the Heavenly Emperor, the three-time clap of hands.
If Qi Yu acknowledged Si Qing, it would be a unilateral breach of contract.
It would bring heavenly retribution upon everyone.
Si Qing, as if driven mad, stumbled forward and grabbed her hand:
"Sister, how could Sister not remember me? I'm Si Qing, why don't you remember? Are you angry? It's my fault, I couldn't protect you, it's all my fault... Sister, if you're angry, hit me, do whatever you want, just don't disown me... I didn't mean to acknowledge Ling Ruo as my sister, she's not my sister..."
As he spoke, he continuously rubbed Qi Yu's hands.
He couldn't understand why his Sister was so devoid of warmth, so cold.
But he couldn't warm Qi Yu's hands as he had imagined.
Instead, his own hands, from holding hers for so long, gradually began to freeze, turning a dark blue and stiff.
The glaciers of the Hell of Bitter Cold could not only freeze souls, resentful spirits, and fierce ghosts, but also had a considerable effect on deities.
"Release this Seat," Qi Yu waved her hand, sending Si Qing several meters away. "I told you, I don't know any brothers or sisters. You'd best stay away from this Seat."
Si Qing wiped his tears. Seemingly realizing that Qi Yu had no intention of acknowledging him, he suddenly transformed back into his War God form and charged towards Qi Yu.
Qi Yu raised an eyebrow.
With a flick of her finger, an ice chain wrapped around Si Qing's neck.
She had expected Si Qing to struggle free and counterattack.
Who would have thought...
Si Qing dropped his weapon and sat down cross-legged in front of her. "I lost. I'm your captive now."
Qi Yu: "..."
Are you trying to scam me!
Si Qing said this and then lay down on the ground with his arms and legs spread.
Qi Yu rubbed her temples. "Get out of here."
"I'm injured, you broke me," Si Qing lowered his gaze and extended his frostbitten hand. "Our Beiyuan Sect doesn't want useless people. I can't go back now. If you, the Ice Demon, don't take me in, I'll have to commit suicide."
Qi Yu slammed the table heavily.
The table froze solid.
"According to the order of precedence, I should have gone first," Yue Zhiyin gritted his teeth at Ming Lou.
Ming Lou insisted, "What order of precedence is there in such matters? It's about who is suitable to go first."
Li Yu rubbed his temples with a headache and said solemnly, "Why are you two arguing? Can you two deal with the Ice Demon? Of course, it should be your master..."
"You can't," Yue Zhiyin, Ming Lou, and the others said in unison.
Li Yu closed his eyes, stunned by their response.
Yue Zhiyin cupped his fists towards Li Yu. "Master, I believe it would be best for me, your disciple, to go and see the Ice Demon first. After all, I am the eldest..."
Li Yu raised his chin. "He's already run off."
Yue Zhiyin froze. He turned back and realized that Ming Lou's original position was empty.
Ming Lou had already slipped away unnoticed while he was speaking.
"Ming Lou!" Yue Zhiyin gritted his teeth in anger. That scoundrel had stolen his chance to see his junior brother!
Buzhou Mountain.
Ming Lou, with a small bundle on his shoulder, used the technique of Shrinking the Ground to a Thousand Li and quickly reached his destination.
Upon arrival, he fought his way through evil spirits and appeared outside Qi Yu's palace. He lay down on the ground, refusing to move, and repeatedly shouted, "Ice Demon, see me!"
The group of evil spirits circled Ming Lou for a long time. Seeing that he was not afraid and not moving, they could only enter the palace and report to Qi Yu, "Master, another disciple from the Beiyuan Sect has come, clamoring to see you..."
After speaking, the evil ghost muttered to itself, are these Beiyuan Sect disciples crazy? One after another, they're running over here, you'd think they were visiting relatives.
Qi Yu had a headache. She slammed the table, preparing to blast the scoundrel outside, whoever he was from the Beiyuan Sect, away.
Si Qing grabbed her clothes at the hem. "Sister, Sister, the one outside is probably Ming Lou. He doesn't know you're a woman. You should wear men's clothes... Look, I have several sets here. Which one do you like?"
Qi Yu angrily grabbed Si Qing's collar. "Aren't you afraid of this Seat at all? Believe it or not, I'll freeze you!"
"Then you won't get to eat the food I make," Si Qing said pitifully. "And you won't get to drink the wine I brew."
Qi Yu: "..."