Yue Zhiyin also felt quite awkward, but he was in no mood to mock Ming Lou. He was worried about being exposed.
Thinking of this, Yue Zhiyin suddenly felt he couldn't just wait for doom.
He glanced at Qi Yu, who was still in a state of surprise, then suddenly threw Ming Lou to the ground, soared into the sky, and vanished without a trace.
"I'm sorry, Junior Brother Ming Lou."
"You're on your own with the exposure, just don't drag me down."
Ming Lou, lying on the ground, extended his hand towards Yue Zhiyin in a gesture of desperation, cursing inwardly:
"Senior Brother, is this how you treat me! You're actually running away to avoid being exposed in front of Junior Brother Qi Yu!"
"How could you do this?!"
Ming Lou cried out in his heart.
By the time he came to his senses, Qi Yu had slowly walked up to him.
Ming Lou licked his paws and looked up to meet Qi Yu's gaze.
Qi Yu stared at him for a while before saying in a deep voice, "Senior Brother Ming Lou, why don't you turn back into your original form first?"
Ming Lou hesitated, feeling that staring at each other awkwardly like this wasn't ideal, and speaking in his original form felt strange. So, he could only nod.
In the next moment, he transformed back into a human.
Qi Yu looked at Ming Lou's small fangs and round, big eyes, and couldn't help but reach out and pet him a few times.
Ming Lou cautiously asked, "Junior Brother Qi Yu, why aren't you asking about that dragon, or why I'm hiding my identity as a Winged Tiger?"
"If you don't tell me, I'm really panicking!"
"If you don't say you're from the Winged Tiger tribe, you must have your reasons," Qi Yu smiled gently. "As for the dragon, he's your friend. You'll introduce him to me someday, won't you? So why should I press you?"
Ming Lou was deeply moved. "Boohoo, Junior Brother Qi Yu, I didn't expect you to trust me so much!"
Qi Yu stroked Ming Lou's fluffy head.
Well, it wasn't about trust or not. It was mainly because she already knew that dragon was Senior Brother.
As for Senior Brother Ming Lou being a Winged Tiger...
How to put it? Senior Brother can be a dragon, so what's so strange about Senior Brother Ming Lou being a Winged Tiger?
She had developed a strong heart by now.
Even if someone told her that no one in her sect was human, she wouldn't be surprised!
Ming Lou stood up. "Junior Brother Qi Yu, the reason I hid my identity and joined the Beiyuan Sect was because a wise elder guided me, saying that my savior would appear here in the future and that I should wait at the Beiyuan Sect."
"Savior?" Qi Yu propped her chin on her hand. "Senior Brother Ming Lou, what's this all about?"
"Ah, it was when I was very, very young. Although I could already transform, my magical powers were unstable. Once, I trespassed into someone's territory and was almost caught and skinned. Then, a very beautiful young girl saved me." Ming Lou sighed. "That little girl was very cute. She didn't have any demonic energy; instead, she felt very beautiful and spirited."
"I want to repay this life-saving grace, so I came to the Beiyuan Sect to learn arts, hoping to see that little girl again and see what I could do for her."
Qi Yu looked at Ming Lou's profile and fell into thought.
A long, long time ago... she had indeed saved a little cutie from a group of rogue cultivators.
The process... sounded quite similar to what Senior Brother Ming Lou had described.
But...
Wasn't the little white cat she saved then?
Qi Yu held her forehead. She remembered kissing the little white cat's head several times after saving it...
"Junior Brother Qi Yu?" Ming Lou waved in front of Qi Yu. "What are you thinking about?"
"Ah, nothing," Qi Yu felt inexplicably guilty. "Senior Brother Ming Lou, have you found your benefactor yet?"
"No, I haven't," Ming Lou's Winged Tiger ears popped out, their tips twitching.
His fluffy tail behind him swayed invitingly towards Qi Yu.
Qi Yu was relieved to know that Ming Lou hadn't found his savior yet.
After a while, Qi Yu raised her hand and patted Ming Lou's shoulder. "Senior Brother Ming Lou, don't worry, you'll find her soon. You'll find her sooner or later."
Ming Lou nodded.
They chatted for an hour.
When they were almost done chatting and preparing to go back to sleep, the sky was already turning pale.
Yue Zhiyin emerged from his tent, pretending to have just woken up. "Junior Brother Qi Yu, Junior Brother Ming Lou, why are you two chatting here? Haven't you slept all night?"
Ming Lou looked at Yue Zhiyin with a hint of resentment and glared at him.
Qi Yu gave Yue Zhiyin a wry smile. "Yes, we've been chatting all night and haven't slept. Senior Brother, you're up so early."
Yue Zhiyin nodded. "I couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk. You two should go and rest too."
Qi Yu and Ming Lou stood up and bowed. They turned and left.
Meanwhile.
In the Nine Heavens.
Ling Ruo walked back and forth in the garden of Divine Venerable Si Qing, her hands behind her back, plucking many immortal herbs wantonly.
She tied these immortal herbs into a bunch, added some flowers, and when she was sure it looked good, she ran to the Heavenly Emperor's palace with a smile. She knelt on the ground, replaced the fresh flowers in the Heavenly Emperor's palace, bowed to the Heavenly Emperor, and said with a smile, "Heavenly Emperor Brother, Ling Ruo has brought fresh flowers again. The flowers in the palace should be changed frequently to maintain a good mood."
"You've taken the trouble, Ling Ruo," the Heavenly Emperor looked up from his desk and smiled at Ling Ruo.
"Not at all, Ling Ruo is just doing what she should do." Ling Ruo knelt beside the Heavenly Emperor. "By the way, Heavenly Emperor Brother, my brother, Divine Venerable Si Qing... he's been paying a lot of attention to a cultivation sect in the mortal realm called the Beiyuan Sect recently..."
Ling Ruo looked worried. "Because of this Beiyuan Sect, he's always been absent-minded. The last time I went to the mortal realm to check the situation, I was even attacked by a disciple named Qi Yu from this Beiyuan Sect. Although I wasn't injured, Qi Yu, as a disciple of a cultivation sect, actually attacked a high god... it's unthinkable."
The Heavenly Emperor raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Such a thing has happened."
"Yes, Heavenly Emperor Brother," Ling Ruo looked at him with a pitiful expression. "I don't want to interfere with my brother's life, but I feel that Qi Yu is not a good person. She's just a mere spiritual artifact. If this continues, my brother might be attracted by such a beast."
"And eventually become like my parents, making irreparable mistakes due to an unfounded rumor of soul possession."
Ling Ruo looked sad.
The Heavenly Emperor looked very concerned. "Ling Ruo, what do you plan to do?"
"Ling Ruo wishes for the Heavenly Emperor to grant me the title of Divine Official of the Department of Education, so that Ling Ruo can descend to the mortal realm and the cultivation world, and educate those cultivation sects," Ling Ruo knelt and pleaded.
The Heavenly Emperor waved his hand, and a conferment seal appeared on Ling Ruo's forehead.
Ling Ruo was excited and turned to leave.
But she hadn't gone far before the Heavenly Emperor summoned Divine Venerable Si Qing.
Si Qing entered with a cold expression and knelt to pay his respects.
The Heavenly Emperor looked at Si Qing, narrowed his eyes, and said in a chilling voice, "Divine Venerable Si Qing, I see you seem to have some free time lately. Since that's the case, I have a task for you to undertake."
Si Qing clasped his hands and requested permission.
The Heavenly Emperor's tone was playful. "Ling Ruo mentioned that in the mortal realm's Beiyuan Sect, there is a disciple named Qi Yu. As a spiritual artifact, she has improper conduct and has committed many evils. Si Qing, you will go down to the mortal realm, abolish her cultivation, and throw her into the River of Oblivion in the Underworld."
Si Qing stiffened.
The Heavenly Emperor opened his hand, revealing Si Qing's natal primordial dan. "Why aren't you replying? Divine Venerable Si Qing, do you not want your parents to return to the divine realm? Or do you want me to crush this primordial dan, so you can experience the taste of utter annihilation?"
Hearing the Heavenly Emperor say this, Si Qing's face turned extremely grim.
The Heavenly Emperor held his natal primordial dan, clutched it into his sleeve, descended the steps, patted Si Qing's shoulder, and said, "I know who that Qi Yu is. I've been in this Heavenly Realm for so long, do you think your actions can escape my eyes?"
"Divine Venerable Si Qing, let me be frank. Although Ling Ruo is a soul from another world, I have calculated that when the great catastrophe comes in a hundred years, only she can save the beings of the Three Realms. Therefore, regardless of whether Qi Yu is your sister or not, she must make way for Ling Ruo."
"Kill Qi Yu, acknowledge Ling Ruo as your sister, and I will let your parents return to the divine realm."
"Otherwise..."
The Heavenly Emperor met Si Qing's eyes. "I will have to cripple everyone in the Beiyuan Sect in front of you."
"Si Qing, choose between saving your sister, or saving your parents and everyone in the Beiyuan Sect."
With that, the Heavenly Emperor turned and left.
Si Qing was left standing there, stiff and numb, staring at a corner of the Heavenly Palace.
Ling Ruo slowly walked in and stood on the steps, looking down at Si Qing.
"How pitiful. Being ordered to kill your own sister firsthand, that must not feel good, right? Divine Venerable Si Qing, why don't you kneel down and call me sister, and beg me for help? Perhaps if I soften my heart, I might agree."