I Weigh You Too

"Brother Qin, that tone of yours..." Li Qinglin finally spoke. "If I gave you that answer, you would refuse, wouldn't you?"

Qin Yi answered decisively, "Yes."

"Why? Because you fear Qing Jun would find out... that you poisoned her father to death?"

Li Qinglin spoke with utter calm. Ye Ling, hugging her arms, shrank back to the side, terror written across her face.

He had really said it. He really wanted to murder his father.

If it were merely brothers killing one another, there were plenty of such examples among ordinary families, and it was not rare among animals either. Ye Ling could understand that. But a son murdering his father—that was truly horrifying. Yet Li Qinglin could speak of it so calmly.

Ye Ling felt that even demons would not be like this... Why did Minghe have such a huge prejudice against demons...

But Qin Yi replied, "Two reasons, I suppose. If Qing Jun learned that I poisoned her father, there'd be no way to go on living together afterward."

"She won't find out."

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

"Heh..." Li Qinglin smiled, then asked, "That's only one reason? Mm, could the second be that you fear I'll treat you as a discarded piece?"

"The second is..." Qin Yi fell silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I don't want my friend to do such a thing. It would leave me unable to look squarely at the man sitting upon the throne, unable to tell whether what he said over wine that night was true or false ever again."

Li Qinglin froze for a moment, staring at Qin Yi without speaking.

But Qin Yi did not look at him again. Instead, he turned and went to Ye Ling's side, taking her pulse.

"..." Then he discovered that her pulse was cold, completely unlike a human's. Forget his own shallow medical skills—even if Hua Tuo came through, he would not be able to read such a pulse...

Just as he was about to ask how Ye Ling was feeling, Li Qinglin spoke behind him. "The Western Wasteland and Dong Huazi must have designs on Southern Li, but Dong Huazi's influence in Southern Li is far greater than you imagine. I have no way to investigate him at all. The most accurate and swift way to break the deadlock is to ascend the throne. At this point, that step is imperative. To indulge in a woman's softness at such a time will only ruin matters."

Qin Yi did not answer.

Li Qinglin continued, "Poisoning is the best method. Not only would there be no issue with the legitimacy of my ascension, we could also pin everything on Dong Huazi's pills, making the next step easier. Of course, there is also an inferior option: mobilize the army, seize control of the palace guards, and directly force Father King to abdicate and pursue the Dao... But that would damage my legitimacy and destabilize the situation, leaving Dong Huazi and the Western Wasteland a great opening to exploit."

Qin Yi finally turned back. "In this matter, using someone else's poison would work just as well. There is no need to drag me into it. Qing Jun and I can simply fly far away; we won't stand in your way."

Li Qinglin said, "No one else can make him swallow it directly without testing the medicine first."

"So that's how it is." Qin Yi sighed. "Perhaps once you learned the details of my audience with His Majesty, this thought arose in you?"

Li Qinglin admitted frankly, "Correct. Without that detail to wake me up, I might not have thought of this course."

"Perhaps this was the greatest use of my coming to Lihuo City?" Qin Yi gave a self-mocking smile. "If so, I really needn't have come."

Li Qinglin sensed a hidden meaning in those words and frowned. "What does Brother Qin mean to say?"

"I mean that your father has little time left to live. Medicine and stone cannot cure him; there is no need for you to murder your father at all. Dong Huazi may have long known the extent of your father's lifespan. That is why Mang Zhan abruptly came to propose a Marriage Alliance. What you should do is make every preparation over the next few days. Otherwise, should anything happen to you, Qing Jun truly will become the sole heir." Qin Yi said blandly, "I don't want her trapped in the Golden Hall. That is not the life Li Qingjun wants."

Li Qinglin's pupils contracted. "Father King has little time left? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Qin Yi smiled. "Brother Li, you have been weighing me all this while. Today, consider it my turn to weigh you."

Li Qinglin drew a deep breath and cupped his fists in salute. "No matter how Brother Qin sees me... this news is extremely important. This foolish elder brother thanks you."

With that, he turned and strode away.

Liusu's voice rippled through Qin Yi's Sea of Consciousness. "Are you certain the king has little time left?"

"Certain." Qin Yi said, "I was not entirely confident in my judgment before, but once I connected it with Li Qinglin's earlier explanation for why Mang Zhan came to propose marriage, it became clear. Dong Huazi plainly knows the king is about to die. He would never willingly let Li Qinglin ascend the throne. Li Qinglin wants to get rid of him, but why would he not want to get rid of Li Qinglin? Kill Li Qinglin, and Southern Li has only Qing Jun left as heir. Mang Zhan came early to establish his claim, preparing to pluck the peach."

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

"The stench of decay from his body can no longer be concealed; the Five Signs of Decay have appeared. I estimate five to seven days. Don't hold me accountable if I'm wrong—my master didn't teach me well."

"Tsk, tsk..." Liusu clicked her tongue a few times and said no more.

"Q-Qin Yi." Ye Ling's swallowing could be heard beside him. "Who are you talking to?"

"Huh?" Only then did Qin Yi realize the little one was still sitting beside him. He had been too absorbed in thought. She had curled up at the side without a word, and from Liusu to Qin Yi, both of them had actually forgotten her.

"Well... I was just talking to myself, sorting out my thoughts. A stupid snake like you wouldn't understand."

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

"Right now, he should be hoping his father lives a few more days. Dong Huazi's preparations must be more complete than his, so he is the one who needs time instead."

Ye Ling sighed like a little adult.

"What are you pretending to be a little adult for? I was even fooled by you when we first met. Guess I was blind." Qin Yi pinched her cheek and lifted it upward. Ye Ling immediately sprang straight up, puffing out her cheeks as she glared at him.

"Hurry and tell me what's going on with you now. Your Demon Qi has weakened, and from what Minghe meant, even the nature of your Demon Qi seems to have changed. Your wings have gotten smaller too. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

"It was just that burst of demon fire earlier. It suddenly flared up and burned so badly. It still hurts now, and I can't muster any strength... But I can't explain the details... And I know even less about the wings..."

What a stupid snake... Qin Yi joked, "How about uncle helps you examine your body?"

Ye Ling scratched her head. "Okay."

"Cough, cough, cough..." Qin Yi could not help coughing aloud.

But Liusu said, "Her wings becoming smaller is a sign that she has made a breakthrough. When those wings can no longer be seen in ordinary times, and she can extend and retract them freely when needed, her transformation realm will be complete. As for her weakened Demon Qi, that is naturally because her injuries are severe. But the change in its nature..."

She hesitated there, pausing for a while before continuing, "It is because the heartfire left her body and took away part of her wild nature, but it should not be this drastic... I reckon it may also have something to do with whatever she 'forgot' that day."

Qin Yi nearly coughed up blood. That day, Liusu had said there was nothing important in Ye Ling's head for her to forget. But now even the attributes of her Demon Qi had changed—how was that not important?!

"Soaring Serpents govern terror and dread, nightmares and fright. Their nature is cunning; they are strange beasts capable of bringing fear or bewitchment to others. If she continued to be influenced by Li Qinglin at close range for a while, as she was when you first met her, she might truly evolve in that direction. Would you really want that?"

Qin Yi froze for a moment. He said nothing more, merely took out two medicinal pills and placed them in Ye Ling's palm. "I have never refined pills for this kind of injury. Make do with these two for now. Over the next couple of days, I'll try refining one suited to your symptoms. Your injuries are not light, so rest first. I'll come see you another day."

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

Qin Yi rubbed her head and said softly, "The winds and clouds are surging these days. Strengthening our ability to protect ourselves comes first, for both you and me."

Ye Ling nodded obediently.

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

"No wonder you didn't like Ye Ling at first. So you thought there was something wrong with a Soaring Serpent's innate nature..." He slowly strolled back to his own Guest Courtyard, asking Liusu as he went, "Why didn't you tell me directly?"

Liusu said coldly, "I originally wanted you to learn a lesson. Soaring Serpents possess the ability to bewitch people in the first place, yet after meeting her only once, look how doting you became. Heh. But now, even I don't know whether she is truly stupid or only pretending to be."

Qin Yi stood stunned for a while, then quietly said, "Thank you."

Liusu gave no response. The two walked in silence for a while before Liusu suddenly said, "Stop staring at the ground. Did you find some treasure? Look at your room. Minghe."

Qin Yi raised his eyes. In the dusky courtyard, within the quiet room, Minghe stood silently in the middle, her head lowered as she looked at the half-drawn Swift Travel Talisman on the table. In the lingering glow of the setting sun, she seemed faintly hazy, as though an incomparably beautiful jade sculpture had been placed within the room.