People from the Central Plains had come, looking for someone.
Was this a gesture of returning the peach for the plum after he had provided that rough framework?
After pondering for a moment, Qin Yi casually handed the note to Ruan Su. He slowly walked to the door and saw off the chirping azure bird, his gaze lingering as he watched it fly toward the blue sky after the rain. Then he remarked brightly:
"The old boss's people are pretty decent, huh."
Ruan Su was holding the note, hesitating over whether she could read it. At his words, she immediately stole a glance at its contents, then looked up and blinked. Whatever she thought of, she ultimately nodded.
"Hm? Mm... mm!"
Qin Yi turned back with some amusement.
"Sis, do you even know why I said that? You're just standing there going mm-mm-mm."
Ruan Su thought for a moment, then looked away. Her tall, graceful figure curled in slightly, her shoulders lowered, and she raised a hand to grasp the crook of her other arm. Shaking her head, she laughed softly.
"N-No... I don't... hehe."
"..."
Looking at her like this, Qin Yi knew that over these seven days, she had changed even more than he had expected. He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head and began reconsidering Sister Correction Plan 2.0.
Ruan Su's subjective will, instincts, and nature could be viewed separately.
Just as Qin Yi had seen when he first picked her up, compared to a human, Ruan Su's nature had always been more like that of a beast.
All these years, driven by that nature, Ruan Su had constantly tried to seize Qin Yi's control over the entire "family." Though unconsciously, she truly had been doing it—using all sorts of means to establish her authority. It was simply that Qin Yi had dealt her a dimensionality-reduction blow with his systematic theoretical framework.
But that did not mean Ruan Su had failed entirely.
Qin Ke was the most recent example.
Her beastly nature governed Ruan Su's actions, making her seize the leader's position, while her instinctive gifts allowed her to always make the right choices.
Together, those two had created a natural-born "torchbearer."
A leader destined from birth,
Born to light the road ahead for others and lead them onward.
That was how it should have been, and how it ought to have been.
But—
She had met him.
Ruan Su's subjective consciousness should have slowly taken shape through the mutual support of her instincts and nature. But for his own survival, Qin Yi had forcibly interrupted that process, twisting Ruan Su's subjective consciousness into his dependent. In turn, it suppressed and even permanently wore away at her nature and instincts.
The old Ruan Su could still sustain her leader's nature through indispensable violence. But once that indispensability had been diluted, once both of Qin Yi's only weaknesses had gradually been remedied, the leadership traits emanating from him had already become overwhelmingly powerful in comparison to hers.
Whether it was one mountain being unable to contain two tigers, or creatures of the same kind repelling one another.
Theoretically speaking,
Ruan Su's best choice at this point was to leave.
Once she left Qin Yi, the nature and instincts in her bones would gradually repair her subjective consciousness. But the "dependence" forged by their past years meant she would not make such a choice.
And Qin Yi would never take the initiative to push her away.
He knew perfectly well what kind of rotten things he had done before.
If this big sister truly came to her senses, he would have raised a monster to become his enemy.
So,
Was Ruan Su's current posture an inevitable outcome?
Before an absolute superior, animals instinctively restrain their aggression and use movements suited to their bodies to express harmless submission, thus obtaining things such as protection.
Ruan Su was now like such a little beast. She cautiously hid her claws and fangs, showing him that she meant him no harm, exposing her most vulnerable "belly" to him.
The subjective consciousness Qin Yi had cultivated within Ruan Su, along with the beastly part of her, had begun to gradually press the heads of her "instincts and nature" down, making them "acknowledge him as master."
Having understood this,
Qin Yi directly changed his line of thinking.
Originally, he had planned to painstakingly arrange one or two scenes akin to "a beauty saving a hero," perhaps even fabricate an incident where he "could not cultivate," so Ruan Su would once again realize how indispensable her martial strength and abilities were, thereby awakening that suppressed portion of her nature and instincts.
But thinking about it carefully, was that really necessary?
No one was indispensable.
Once he himself became sufficiently powerful, a siphoning effect would naturally arise, and great numbers of talented people would naturally gather at his side.
Whether Ruan Su ultimately became a torchbearer, a marshal, a general, or even fell into becoming a soldier, Qin Yi could accept it all.
Still, Ruan Su's upbringing would have to continue. He simply would not spend as much effort on it as before.
In the end, he still would not stop walking forward for her sake.
The siblings walked together along the road toward Yellow Bamboo Town.
This time, Qin Yi did not have Ruan Su carry him on her back.
Though he had suffered a heavy blow only seven days ago, with the medicinal stones his sister had bought in town and the changes Spirit Resonance had wrought upon his body, Qin Yi's physical condition was now much better than when he had awakened ten days ago.
And he had grown taller.
Half a cun, two centimeters.
He was now one meter and thirty-two centimeters tall.
Ruan Su walked about one step behind and to Qin Yi's side. She seemed to be unconsciously imitating those guards. A cloth bag hung from her waist, heavy with all the family's possessions—Xiao Yi had told her to bring them all.
Though she did not understand why, she had done as instructed.
Qin Yi tried entering Cultivation Sight. Finding no discomfort whatsoever, he openly resumed his breathing exercises.
Because of the autumn rain that had continued for seven days, most of the traffic on the main road was coming out of Yellow Bamboo Town. There were not many people coming down from the mountains.
After carefully considering his words, Qin Yi suddenly asked:
"Sis, why do you think the old boss sent me that paper slip?"
Ruan Su froze at the question, pursed her lips, and replied softly:
"Because... he thinks highly of you?"
Qin Yi did not waste the effort of discerning whether that was a belly-exposing sort of flattering lie. With a faint smile, he replied:
"Thinking highly of me is true, but that's not the answer. I've told you before that the old boss is someone who puts profit above all else. The relationship between us is fundamentally transactional. Didn't I have you trade that sheet of rough paper to him for silver that day? You probably peeked at what was written on it too, right?"
"Mm..."
Ruan Su became somewhat nervous, an embarrassed flush spreading across her cheeks. She truly had peeked at it back then.
Qin Yi paused, reached out, and took the girl's slightly cool little hand in his. He spoke softly.
"This transaction seems equal, but supply and demand are actually unbalanced. I can find other forces to sell the knowledge in my head to, but for now, only I can provide the old boss with a solution. The essence of this transaction is that the old boss used unequal violence to forcibly pin me to this bargaining table."
"..."
Warmth spread through her palm. Ruan Su half understood, half did not. She only remembered that Xiao Yi had never told her such things before.
Qin Yi paid her no mind. He knew Ruan Su could understand—it was merely a matter of whether she was willing to. He continued:
"And the old boss has realized this as well. He wants to establish a long-term partnership with me, so he used his displaced intelligence advantage to compensate me."
"Oh... so that's how it is."
Ruan Su seemed to have finally recovered some of her intelligence. She did not say any more nonsense like "Xiao Yi, you're amazing." Thinking of the note delivered by that sparrow, she asked quietly:
"Is it... that girl?"
Qin Yi nodded and immediately affirmed her.
"Sis, you're really smart. From the information we currently have, it seems only that girl's family could have come from the Central Plains."
Ruan Su was a little happy at being praised. She giggled, then curiously asked:
"Then... Xiao Yi... are you going to find the old boss?"
Qin Yi immediately rolled his eyes at her.
"That sparrow flew west. The west is where the prefectural city lies."
Seeing Xiao Yi's expression, Ruan Su felt an urge to rub his cheeks. Yet she instantly suppressed it. The joy of being praised faded, and she dejectedly said:
"...Oh."
"And following our earlier deduction, the old boss should have another purpose. Sis, do you know what it is?"
"...I don't."
"Think carefully."
"Mm... to win you over?"
"..."
Qin Yi took back his thought that this big sister's intelligence had reclaimed the high ground and patiently explained:
"Even you noticed that half of the girl's clothing was extraordinary. The old boss saw it that day too. This paper slip can be called a favor, but it can also be called a warning.
"In short,
"The old boss is an interesting man. We should be able to work together for a long time."
Ruan Su thought seriously for a moment and nodded. Then she suddenly asked softly:
"So... we're going to Yellow Bamboo Town now to pin what happened to that girl... on the Meng Family?"
Before you continue