I Will Also Test You

"Brother Qin's tone..." Li Qinglin finally spoke. "If I give you that answer, you'll refuse, won't you?"

Qin Yi said decisively, "Yes."

"Why? Because you're afraid Qingjun will find out... that you poisoned her father?"

Li Qinglin spoke with extreme calmness. Ye Ling hugged her shoulders and shrank back, her expression terrified.

He really said it. He really wanted to commit parricide.

If it were just fratricide, there are many examples even in ordinary families, and it's not uncommon among animals. Ye Ling could understand that. But a son killing his father, that's truly shocking, yet Li Qinglin could say it so calmly.

Ye Ling felt that even demons wouldn't be like this... Why does Minghe have such strong opinions about demons...

Then she heard Qin Yi reply, "There are two reasons. If Qingjun knew I poisoned her father, we wouldn't be able to live together in the future."

"She won't know."

"But I wouldn't be able to face it."

"Heh..." Li Qinglin chuckled and asked again, "Is that the only reason? Hmm, could the second reason be that you're afraid I'll treat you as a disposable pawn?"

"The second reason is..." Qin Yi was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I don't want my friend to do such a thing. It would make me unable to look him in the eye when he sits on the throne, and I would no longer be able to confirm whether what he said that night over wine was true or false."

Li Qinglin was startled for a moment, looking at Qin Yi without speaking.

Qin Yi, however, didn't look at him anymore. Instead, he turned and went to Ye Ling's side, taking her pulse.

"..." Then he found that her pulse was cold and completely different from a human's. Let alone his own rudimentary medical skills, even Hua Tuo transmigrating here wouldn't be able to take such a pulse...

Just as he was about to ask Ye Ling how her body felt, Li Qinglin spoke from behind him: "The Western Wilderness and Dong Huazi definitely have designs on Nanli, but Dong Huazi's influence in Nanli is greater than you imagine, and I can't investigate at all. The most accurate and fastest way to break the situation is to ascend the throne. This step is now imperative. Being soft-hearted at this time will only ruin things."

Qin Yi did not reply.

Li Qinglin continued, "Poisoning is the best method. Not only will my claim to the throne be completely legitimate, but I can also blame everything on Dong Huazi's pills, which will facilitate the next step. Of course, there is also a last resort: I can mobilize the army, control the Imperial Guards, and directly force Father to abdicate and cultivate... But this would damage the legitimacy and make the situation unstable, giving Dong Huazi and the Western Wilderness a large loophole to exploit."

Qin Yi finally turned back: "In this matter, using someone else's poison would be the same; there's no need to involve me. Qingjun and I can just leave and fly away, and we won't hinder you."

Li Qinglin said, "Others can't make him take it directly without testing it first."

"So that's how it is." Qin Yi sighed. "Perhaps when you learned the details of my meeting with the king, this idea occurred to you?"

Li Qinglin said frankly, "That's right. If that detail hadn't enlightened me, I might not have thought of this step."

"Perhaps this is my greatest use in coming to Lihuo City?" Qin Yi smiled self-deprecatingly. "If that's the case, I actually could have not come."

Li Qinglin felt there was a hidden meaning in his words and frowned, asking, "What does Brother Qin want to say?"

"I want to say that your father doesn't have much time left anyway. He's beyond medical help, so there's no need for you to commit parricide. Dong Huazi probably already knew about your father's lifespan, which is why Mang Zhan suddenly came to form an alliance and propose a marriage alliance. What you should do is prepare everything to deal with this within the next few days, otherwise, if something unexpected happens to you, Qingjun will truly become the sole heir." Qin Yi said lightly, "I don't want her to be trapped in the Golden Hall; that's not the life Li Qingjun wants."

Li Qinglin's pupils contracted. "Father doesn't have much time left? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Qin Yi smiled. "Brother Li, you've always been testing me. Today, consider it my turn to test you."

Li Qinglin took a deep breath, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "No matter how Brother Qin sees me... this news is very important. This foolish brother thanks you."

After speaking, he turned and strode away.

Liu Su's voice echoed in his sea of consciousness: "Are you sure the king doesn't have long to live?"

"Certain." Qin Yi said, "Originally, I wasn't too confident in my judgment, but combining it with the reason Li Qinglin mentioned about Mang Zhan coming to propose a marriage alliance, it makes sense. Dong Huazi clearly knows the king is dying, and he won't be willing to let Li Qinglin ascend the throne. Li Qinglin wants to get rid of him, so why wouldn't he want to get rid of Li Qinglin? If Li Qinglin is killed, Qing Jun will be the only heir left in Nanli. Mang Zhan came ahead of time to establish the name, preparing to pick the peach."

"In your opinion, how many days does the king have left?"

"His body has an unbearable stench, and the Five Signs of Decay have appeared. I estimate he has five to seven days left. I'm not responsible if I'm wrong; it means my master didn't teach me well."

"Tsk tsk..." Liu Su clicked her tongue a few times and said nothing more.

"Qin, Qin Yi." Ye Ling's voice, accompanied by a gulp, came from beside him: "Who are you talking to?"

"Huh?" Qin Yi only then realized there was a little one sitting beside him. He was too engrossed in his thoughts, and this fellow was shrinking to the side without speaking. From Liu Su to Qin Yi, they had actually forgotten about her.

"Uh... I was just talking to myself to clear my thoughts. You stupid snake wouldn't understand."

"Oh..." Ye Ling said weakly, "He... isn't going to kill his father anymore?"

"He should hope his father lives a few more days now, because Dong Huazi's preparations are definitely more complete than his. On the contrary, he needs time."

Ye Ling sighed like a little adult.

"What are you pretending to be a little adult for? I was fooled by you when I first met you, consider me blind." Qin Yi pinched her cheek and lifted her up. Ye Ling immediately stood up straight, puffing out her cheeks and glaring at him.

"Quickly tell me about your current situation. Not only has your demonic energy weakened, but according to Minghe, the nature of your demonic energy seems to have changed, and your wings have also become smaller. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere on your body?"

"It was just that sudden surge of demonic fire before that burned and still hurts. I can't muster any strength... but I can't explain it clearly... and I have even less idea about the wings..."

Truly a stupid snake... Qin Yi joked, "How about Uncle helps you check your body?"

Ye Ling scratched her head: "Okay."

"Cough cough cough..." Qin Yi couldn't help but cough.

Then he heard Liu Su say, "Her wings becoming smaller is a sign of her breakthrough. When these wings are no longer visible in everyday life and can extend and retract freely when used, then her transformation realm will be complete. As for the weakening of demonic energy, it's naturally due to severe injury, and the change in nature..."

She hesitated here, pausing for a while before saying, "It's caused by the heart fire leaving her body, taking away some of her wild nature, but it shouldn't be this exaggerated... I estimate it's probably also related to 'something she forgot' that day."

Qin Yi almost spat blood. That day you said there was nothing important in her head to forget, but now even the attribute of her demonic energy has changed! This isn't important?!

"The Teng Snake, it controls fear and terror, nightmares and palpitations. Its nature is cunning, and it is a strange beast that can bring fear or bewitch people. If she remained as she was when you first met her and continued to be influenced by Li Qinglin for a while, she might really evolve in that direction. Are you truly willing to let that happen?"

Qin Yi was stunned for a moment and didn't say much. He just took out two pills and placed them in Ye Ling's palm: "I haven't refined pills for this kind of injury. Use these two for now. I'll try to refine some targeted ones for you in the next couple of days. You're seriously injured, so rest first. I'll come see you another day."

Ye Ling tugged at his sleeve, somewhat reluctant to let go.

Qin Yi stroked her head and whispered, "Things are turbulent recently. Strengthening your self-preservation is paramount, for both of us."

Ye Ling nodded understandingly.

Leaving Ye Ling's small courtyard, Qin Yi looked up and realized it was already late.

"No wonder you didn't like Ye Ling at first. It turns out you thought the Teng Snake's nature was problematic..." He slowly walked back to his guest courtyard, asking Liu Su as he went, "Why didn't you tell me directly?"

Liu Su said coldly, "I originally wanted you to learn a lesson. The Teng Snake inherently has the ability to bewitch. Seeing how much you doted on her after only meeting her once, hehe. But now even I don't know if she's truly stupid or pretending."

Qin Yi was stunned for a moment, then whispered, "Thank you."

Liu Su didn't show any reaction. The two walked in silence for a while. Liu Su suddenly said, "Don't keep looking down at the ground. Are you picking up magic treasures? Look at your room, Minghe."

Qin Yi looked up. In the twilight courtyard, in the quiet room, Minghe stood silently in the center, looking down at the Swift Travel Talisman Qin Yi had half-drawn on the table. In the afterglow of the setting sun, she looked somewhat hazy, like a beautiful jade sculpture added to the room.