THDP Ch 157 Part 8 – Who Is Your Most Trusted Person? (VIII)

“Xiao… Meng Qi.” Ling Ji called out unwillingly, “Who exactly is he? Are you sure you weren’t deceived by him?”

“Deceived?” Meng Qi was startled for a moment, then instinctively stepped forward to stand in front of Yun Qingyan, facing Ling Ji.She knew Yun Qingyan was extremely powerful, and even though Ling Ji was formidable, he was likely not a match for Yun Qingyan; Ling Ji couldn’t harm him. Before she could even think it through, her body had already moved, entirely instinctual: “He wouldn’t deceive me!”

Meng Qi repeated softly; her voice was low but resolute: “Absolutely not!”

Ling Ji: “…”

Meng Qi’s gaze was clear and unwavering, looking straight into Ling Ji’s eyes without the slightest fear. She had always been polite, maintaining a respectful demeanor towards Ling Ji from the beginning, even when she initially thought Duankong Sect was looking for her with malicious intentions. Right now, her words carried no hint of aggression or offense, yet Ling Ji inexplicably saw a defiant resolve in her clear eyes—

Her reverse scale!

It seemed that the poised man behind her, who should be more powerful than her, was her reverse scale, the person she was determined to protect at any cost. Even someone as composed as Meng Qi could show her protective side when her reverse scale was touched.

A bit… envying, actually. Ling Ji suddenly let out a soft sigh. He knew about the events in the Apricot Forest and even how Meng Qi had joined and then left Qingfeng Valley, and her journey up to this point. Just like a child, her heart was pure and open, without any prejudices. She would protect those she wanted to protect, and would never waver from her beliefs. Give her a peach, and she would return a jade. Gradually, she gathered around her these trustworthy friends who supported each other, and now, she even had a Dao companion.

Ling Ji suddenly felt a pang of deflation. Meng Qi didn’t need him at all! Really, she didn’t need him in the slightest. Relying only on herself, she had paved her own way and entered the highest levels of competition among the young cultivators of the Three Thousand Worlds.

She stood shoulder to shoulder with Pei Mufeng, his disciple Qiao Ran, and Xue Chengxuan from the Feng Alliance. Once they left here, she would need him even less.

“Master.” Qiao Ran suddenly called out softly, bringing Ling Ji back to the present. He looked up to find Meng Qi and the others had moved a short distance away, only Qiao Ran had patiently stayed by his side, waiting as he lost in emotions.

“Let’s go,” Ling Ji gestured, and his natal sword returned to his spiritual sea.

“Yes,” Qiao Ran respectfully walked by his side.

The journey was rather quiet. Meng Qi walked side by side with Yun Qingyan. Pei Mufeng and Xu Zijun flanked them, their natal swords floating beside them respectively.

Qin Xiumo silently walked on the other side of Meng Qi, keeping a slightly greater distance from her and Yun Qingyan. Xue Chengxuan followed a few steps behind the two, with Yan Xuan about three steps behind him.

By now, Ling Ji and Qiao Ran had fallen to the back, some distance away from the rest of the group. “Master,” Qiao Ran quietly glanced at his master. In fact, he knew some details about Meng Qi and his master, as Ling Ji hadn’t tried to hide them, and he could guess more or less about the rest. He had been with Ling Ji for a long time, enjoying the admiration and good treatment that comes from being his disciple. Having been a master and disciple for so long, Qiao Ran could understand Ling Ji’s thoughts to some extent.

“What is it?” Ling Ji asked flatly, his tone sounding rather forced, as if he suddenly lost interest in everything.

“In this disciple’s first year entering the sect, I was ranked last among seven hundred, yet you looked favorably upon me and took me under your wing. This disciple has always been grateful for that,” Qiao Ran suddenly said.

“You have talent; I saw your potential, that’s all,” Ling Ji responded.

“This disciple’s talent began to show only after a year of practicing swordsmanship,” Qiao Ran continued. “But at my first major examination three months after joining, no one was willing to take me as a disciple. Three months later, at the next exam, I still wasn’t selected. On the ninth month again, no one showed interest, and I ranked last once more.” Qiao Ran gave a wry smile. “Later, you said that my perseverance was also a form of talent.”

Qiao Ran was not a natural genius like Yan Xuan, Pei Mufeng, or Qin Xiumo, those who dazzled the world the moment they started their cultivation journey. In his first year as a sword cultivator, Qiao Ran faced much disdain and contempt. If it weren’t for his extremely firm resolve, he might have given up back then. By now, there would be no Duankong Sect’s top disciple who achieved great mastery in swordsmanship, who shocked the entire Western Realm with a single strike on the day he perfected his natal sword.

So, he understood Ling Ji’s sudden melancholy.

Geniuses rarely face setbacks. Like his master, Ling Ji, who in his youth dazzled all with a single stroke of his sword, attracting countless admiring beauties and powerful figures. Ling Ji probably never tasted the frustration of showing goodwill and not having it reciprocated or valued.

Ling Ji was stunned. His steps suddenly paused, and he turned to look at his disciple.

Qiao Ran didn’t dare to lift his head, staring only at his shoetips in silence.

“Heh…” Ling Ji suddenly patted Qiao Ran on the shoulder and strode forward.

“Xiao Meng Qi.” Ling Ji approached Meng Qi, pushing Qin Xiumo aside, “What are your plans?”

Meng Qi turned. Noticing that Ling Ji had regained his composure, she said, “We’re planning to first check out the situation with the Earthly Camp.”

As they spoke, the group followed the mountain path to the peak. The grotto-heaven where they had been was already close to the top of the mountain. Now at the cliff’s edge of the summit, overlooking at the vast landscape, they felt a surge of exhilaration.

Over there must be…

Meng Qi couldn’t help but gasp. Directly opposite them was another mountain, though significantly shorter. Atop this mountain was a large flat area, upon which stood a small city. The city, while not large, had everything—a wall, watchtowers… everything needed for defense. Plus, with steep mountain paths and cliffs on three other sides, leaving only one side with a road leading to the city, that place was a natural fortress—easy to defend and difficult to attack.

“This… seems like a bad joke,” Qiao Ran had regained his usual demeanor. Now somewhat more familiar with the others, even in the presence of his master, he was much more lively than when Meng Qi first met him.

“The city walls are equipped with defensive artifacts,” Xu Zijun spoke up. He had been part of the Earthly Camp and had been in that city for a short while: “You can activate the city’s defensive arrays through those artifacts. The arrays are ancient, and not even disciples from Tianhai Pavilion and Duankong Sect could recognize them. They can only surmise that the arrays have strong defensive power and are probably hard to break.”

“…” Meng Qi silently glanced at Yun Qingyan. In the presence of what might be the greatest array master of the current age, no array couldn’t be broken. When it came to array vs array, she believed Yun Qingyan would not lose.

Catching her gaze, Yun Qingyan reached down and took her hand again.

Meng Qi’s face flushed once more. She still felt it was a bit odd, holding hands with Sovereign Qingyan in front of so many people. It wasn’t a feeling of dislike, nor fear, but something she couldn’t describe…

It was just very, very strange. It made her feel like she should pull away, yet she also wanted to keep holding on, feeling there was nothing wrong with it as long as he liked it.

Yun Qingyan was clearly in a good mood, “The arrays are nothing to worry about.” He waved his hand dismissively.

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Translator’s Note: