Zou Xueqing, Is That You?

Ling Yao snorted coldly and slowly descended to the ground.

"You should know that by now, very few people still know of your Patriarch Zou Xueqing, right?" Qin Yu said calmly.

Ling Yao did not answer. The expression in her eyes beneath the veil gave her away; she was deeply curious about how Qin Yu had heard of Zou Xueqing. After all, she herself had only learned of her by consulting the secret history of the Jade Pool Sect.

"Because my ancestor knew your Patriarch Zou Xueqing. Not only your patriarch—even the Blood Emperor and Wang Qing, the founding patriarch of the Myriad Heavens Battle Sect, knew him." Qin Yu spoke slowly. He had originally only wanted to inquire about Zou Xueqing, but he had not expected Ling Yao to know of her—and to worship her so fervently. That gave Qin Yu an opening.

"Impossible!" Ling Yao blurted out without a second thought.

"What's impossible about it? Though my family has fallen on hard times, our ancestors once produced top-tier experts as well," Qin Yu said.

Without waiting for Ling Yao to respond, he continued, "Have you heard of the Tian Qi Sect? My ancestor was a disciple of the Tian Qi Sect!"

"The Tian Qi Sect?" Ling Yao frowned. The three words felt vaguely familiar, yet she could not recall where she had heard them.

"My ancestor, your Patriarch Zou Xueqing, the Blood Emperor, and Wang Qing were fellow disciples. They were all disciples of the Tian Qi Sect." Qin Yu spoke with great fluency. Once he noticed Ling Yao was half-convinced and half-doubtful, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Impossible!! What proof do you have?" Ling Yao stared at Qin Yu and demanded sharply.

"Proof?" Qin Yu nearly laughed. Even if he made everything up, could Ling Yao tell? Besides, he knew these people inside and out. He immediately said slowly, "Celestial Maiden Dance should be a secret of your Jade Pool Sect, shouldn't it? Why would I know about it? And you've also heard that the ancestral hall of the Myriad Heavens Battle Sect holds a portrait left behind by its founding patriarch, Wang Qing, haven't you?"

"Y-you mean the person in the portrait left behind by Patriarch Wang Qing is your ancestor??" Ling Yao was stunned. She had heard of this as well, but no one knew who the person in that portrait was.

Qin Yu coughed dryly a few times and nodded faintly.

"How could that be? How could that be?" Ling Yao murmured in disbelief. After a long while, when she noticed the smile on Qin Yu's face, she suddenly came to her senses and shouted furiously, "You're fooling me?"

"Why would I lie to you? The notes my ancestor left behind recorded it all clearly. Would my ancestor deceive his own descendants?" Qin Yu rolled his eyes at Ling Yao.

"Then where are those notes? Hand them over, or I'll take it that you're lying to me," Ling Yao snapped.

"Why would I carry something so important on me? When there's a chance later, I'll bring it for you to see." Qin Yu spoke slowly. He could simply write one himself. Besides, once they left this place, whether they would ever meet again was another matter entirely.

"I'll spare your life for now! If you can't produce those notes, I'll still kill you." Ling Yao snorted coldly. In her heart, she was not certain whether Qin Yu was telling the truth.

"Fine. Can you let me go now?" Qin Yu asked tentatively.

"Don't even think about it. Until you hand over the notes and capture those two lechers, don't think of running. Oh, and the Eternal Youth Pill!" Ling Yao said coldly. Though her words remained icy, her tone had softened considerably.

Qin Yu wanted to slap himself several times. Why had he dragged out some notes for no reason? Then he said, "I don't have the Eternal Youth Pill."

"You..." Ling Yao's willow brows shot up, killing intent bursting forth.

"I have the pill formula," Qin Yu said slowly.

Ling Yao's expression froze, her beautiful eyes widening round. When she came back to herself, she raised her giant sword as though to attack again. "You're courting death!"

"You don't believe me again? Fine, then kill me. You don't believe anything I say, so is there any point in continuing this conversation?" Qin Yu hardened his heart and closed his eyes.

The spirit sword hung above his head. Ling Yao's ample chest rose and fell. Looking at Qin Yu's manner, she grew increasingly suspicious. "The formula for the Eternal Youth Pill was lost after the Immortal Martial World shattered. Aren't you lying to me again?"

"Did everything I told you before go in one ear and out the other? My ancestor and the Blood Emperor were fellow disciples. Wouldn't my ancestor have passed down the Eternal Youth Pill formula?" Qin Yu replied coldly.

Ling Yao's breathing caught. That was right—if his ancestor was Patriarch Zou Xueqing's senior brother, then perhaps he truly did possess the Eternal Youth Pill formula? At that thought, an inexplicable excitement rose within her. What woman did not love beauty? What woman did not wish for eternal youth?

"As long as you spare my two friends, I'll give you the Eternal Youth Pill formula." Seeing Ling Yao's expression, Qin Yu knew she believed him eight parts out of ten, and his confidence grew stronger.

"This... is impossible!" Ling Yao declared flatly.

"Don't answer so hastily. You can go back and discuss it with your junior sisters first—ask for their opinions. If you compensate them with an Eternal Youth Pill, they should agree. You can take your time considering it." After speaking, Qin Yu slowly began walking forward with the young wolf in his arms.

Xiong Tatian and Li Tianji were Qin Yu's true friends after his rebirth. He did not wish to see them hunted down by the Jade Pool Sect over this matter. Besides, Li Tianji would be of great use in the future—how could he allow the Jade Pool Sect to kill him?

Whoosh! The sharp sound of a weapon tearing through the air suddenly rang out.

Every pore on Qin Yu's body stood on end, and his heart jolted in alarm. They had already talked to this extent, yet Ling Yao was still attacking??

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Qin Yu's mind. He considered using the Six Transformations of the Mad Demon to fight desperately. He also considered that Ling Yao might not be trying to kill him, but merely teach him a lesson and beat him up to vent her anger. Yet no matter which it was, Qin Yu would not gamble with his life.

Qin Yu tossed the young wolf aside, clenched both hands into fists, spun around, and struck out.

Heaven-Shattering Fist!!

But at the instant he threw the punch, Qin Yu's pupils shrank violently.

Ling Yao's spirit sword had somehow turned into a golden whip.

Seeing this, Qin Yu tried to forcibly withdraw his fist, but it was already too late.

Ling Yao had not expected Qin Yu to react so quickly, much less expected him to strike back. She had never intended to take Qin Yu's life, and for a moment, she froze on the spot.

Qin Yu cried out bitterly in his heart and could only forcibly twist his fist away. Unfortunately, it brushed against the veil on Ling Yao's face and swept the white veil away.

In an instant.

Qin Yu's pupils contracted to pinpoints, and his entire body felt as though he had been struck by five bolts of lightning.

At that moment, Ling Yao also came back to her senses, and fury surged in her heart. She had not expected Qin Yu to dare strike back. The golden whip in her hand tore through the air and lashed directly onto Qin Yu's body.

Smack!

Qin Yu was sent flying by the whip. Yet Ling Yao was still not satisfied. She continuously swung the golden whip, lashing Qin Yu in fury.

Smack! Smack!

Smack! Smack!

Sharp cracks split the air one after another. In the distance, the Wolf King grew increasingly anxious and let out repeated howls, afraid that its cub might be harmed.

After whipping him for a quarter of an hour, Ling Yao finally seemed to have vented enough and stopped. Her phoenix eyes fixed coldly on Qin Yu, whose clothes had been shredded and whose body was covered in bloody welts. "You had been calculating against me from the very beginning? Hmph, you calculated that I wouldn't kill you—but did you calculate that I would teach you a lesson? If you dare scheme against me again, just see how I deal with you next time."

Qin Yu was drenched in blood. Ling Yao had truly struck hard. Though none of the blows had damaged his bones or tendons, the pain in his flesh still made his whole body twitch. Yet he did not utter a single sound. He merely slowly climbed to his feet, his gaze hazy and complicated as he looked at Ling Yao.

Ling Yao was startled, but quickly recovered. She abruptly touched her face. When she discovered that her veil was gone, she froze. After a long while, she cast Qin Yu a cool glance, her eyes filled with disgust and mockery. With calm self-assurance, she thrust out her full chest and sneered, "Didn't you say you disliked my appearance? What are you staring at now?"

Ling Yao had seen gazes like Qin Yu's far too many times—so many that they disgusted and repulsed her. Yet for some reason, seeing Qin Yu look at her that way now gave her an inexplicable sense of comfort and pleasure.

Qin Yu said nothing. He did not even feel the searing pain across his body. He only stared blankly at Ling Yao, at that exquisite face so nearly flawless.

Her delicate face and moth-like brows shone as crystal-clear as jade, like the soft glow of a new moon. Her vermilion lips gleamed in the sunlight, while her bright, limpid eyes, dazzling as stars, were the finishing touch. Her beauty was beyond compare.

What moved Qin Yu was not Ling Yao's beauty. Her looks were on par with Zi Xun'er's, yet when he had first seen Zi Xun'er, he had not lost control like this. But this face stirred endless memories within him.

In a daze, Qin Yu seemed to return to the Tian Qi Sect, to that bright and beautiful noon.

The woman who looked seventy percent like Ling Yao, as ethereal as a celestial maiden, had silently slipped into Qin Yu's heart.

"Zou Xueqing... is it... is it you?" Qin Yu murmured painfully.