Chapter 95
"Brother Qi, five years ago, I asked whether you had ever entered the Linwang Secret Realm, and you said yes!"
Kong Qianyun's heart was in complete turmoil. Seeing that Qi Qingxiong seemed genuinely unaware of what she was talking about, she hurriedly tried to jog his memory.
Qi Qingxiong still looked baffled.
"I did enter the Linwang Secret Realm," he said slowly, "but what does that have to do with this? Are you saying I saved you there?"
Then he shook his head.
"That's impossible. I never saw you inside the secret realm. The first time we met was three years ago during the exchange gathering between the Cloud Soaring Sect and the Suyin Sect."
Kong Qianyun's mind went blank.
After a long moment, she looked at Qi Qingxiong almost desperately.
"Brother Qi, don't you remember? Back in the Linwang Secret Realm, I was being chased by a demonic beast. I thought I was going to die."
Her voice quickened slightly.
"Then you appeared. You used the Qingfeng Sword to save me. When I woke up afterward, I was already outside the secret realm."
She clenched her hands unconsciously.
"I've always wanted to repay that kindness, but I didn't know who you were. It wasn't until two years later, at the exchange gathering, that I saw the Qingfeng Sword again and finally realized your identity."
Her gaze remained fixed on him. "After that, we started interacting more and more."
A trace of hope appeared in her eyes.
"Think carefully, Brother Qi. Do you really not remember any of it?"
The more Qi Qingxiong listened, the deeper his frown became.
He could tell she wasn't lying.
But throughout the Linwang Secret Realm, he had always acted alone. He never involved himself in other cultivators' affairs.
His natal sword...
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
He lifted his hand.
A streak of sword-light flashed across the air.
The Qingfeng Sword appeared in his grasp, its sharp aura instantly spreading through the valley.
Holding it horizontally before him, he asked, "You're certain it was this sword?"
"It was!" Kong Qianyun's eyes brightened immediately. "I'll never forget it. When that demonic beast was about to kill me, this sword saved my life! Brother Qi, you're my savior!"
Qi Qingji felt as though he was starting to understand what was going on.
Unfortunately, that feeling lasted only a moment before the situation became incomprehensible again.
He stood there staring at the two of them, completely lost.
Meanwhile, Si Nidie rested her chin on one hand, equally baffled.
There was nothing strange about identifying someone through their natal sword. A sword cultivator's natal sword was unique, practically a second identity.
Take Sword Venerable Chengfeng, for example. The moment the Seven Emotions Sword appeared, most cultivators would immediately recognize its owner.
By that logic, Kong Qianyun shouldn't have been mistaken.
Yet Junior Sister had said she was.
And given everything that had happened so far, Si Nidie was inclined to trust Lou Yuqing's mysterious insights.
Which left only one question: Where exactly had things gone wrong?
Lost in thought, she suddenly paused.
Wait, Junior Sister's voice had been silent for quite a while now.
Had she figured something out?
Si Nidie immediately turned to look at Lou Yuqing.
Then she saw her junior sister staring fixedly at Qi Qingxiong and Kong Qianyun.
Her eyes were brighter than the sun overhead, her entire attention devoted to the drama unfolding before her.
Si Nidie: "..."
Forget it.
Junior Sister clearly hadn't discovered anything. She was simply enjoying the gossip.
Sometimes, Si Nidie genuinely wondered how someone could be both frighteningly perceptive and unbelievably dense at the same time.
Unlike the suddenly silent valley, the spectators outside the small world exploded into discussion.
Especially the disciples of the Cloud Soaring Sect, Star Pavilion, and Suyin Sect.
"What exactly happened?"
"If Senior Brother Qi says he didn't save her, then he definitely didn't!" a Cloud Soaring Sect disciple declared.
"I think Qi Qingxiong is deliberately pretending not to remember because he doesn't want to accept Kong Qianyun's feelings," a Star Pavilion disciple argued.
"Senior Sister Kong would never mistake a natal sword. It has to be that Qi Qingxiong!" a Suyin Sect disciple insisted.
Each sect stood firmly on its own side.
At that moment, Lou Yuqing's inner voice shattered the frozen atmosphere.
[Speaking of which, this whole mistaken-identity situation is honestly ridiculous.]
[Qi Qingxiong is one of the Cloud Soaring Sect's most outstanding disciples. He has an equally famous fellow disciple, and the two are fierce rivals.]
[They fought countless times while competing against each other.]
[Back in the Linwang Secret Realm, they encountered one another inside the Inheritance Palace and immediately started fighting over the inheritance left behind by the realm's master.]
[The battle was so intense that dust filled the sky and chaos erupted everywhere.]
As everyone listened, a vague sense of foreboding appeared on Qi Qingxiong's face.
[The strange beast guarding the inheritance got fed up with them.]
[With a roar, it blasted both of them away, and accidentally swept their natal swords out of the palace in the process.]
Qi Qingxiong: "..."
Just as he thought.
[By sheer coincidence, their natal swords switched places and landed beside the wrong owners.]
[As a result, Qi Qingxiong's Qingfeng Sword ended up in the hands of his greatest rival.]
[Neither of them had time to switch them back. They were too busy running for their lives from the strange beast.]
[They fled ten miles from the Inheritance Palace before the beast finally gave up and returned.]
Qi Qingxiong closed his eyes briefly.
This was getting increasingly troublesome.
Kong Qianyun stiffened.
An inexplicable sense of dread rose in her chest, and her heartbeat gradually quickened.
Somehow, she felt as though she already knew what the voice was about to reveal.
[When that person later returned to the Inheritance Palace, he found Kong Qianyun trapped in a life-or-death situation.]
[He drew his sword, killed the beast, and teleported her safely out of the secret realm.]
[Actually, aside from carrying the Qingfeng Sword, he looked nothing like Qi Qingxiong.]
[Unfortunately, Kong Qianyun only remembered the sword before she lost consciousness. And so, through an absurd twist of fate, she mistook her savior for someone else.]
Lou Yuqing couldn't help feeling emotional.
Everyone: "..."
It sounded ridiculous and yet somehow perfectly reasonable.
Kong Qianyun clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Her voice trembled as she asked, "Brother Qi... has your natal sword ever been lost before?"
Qi Qingxiong met her gaze and answered without hesitation.
"Yes. It happened in the Linwang Secret Realm. During a fight with a fellow disciple, the Qingfeng Sword ended up in his hands."
After a brief pause, he added, "If what you've described is true, then your savior was most likely him."
Kong Qianyun's pupils contracted.
The last trace of certainty in her heart shattered.
So she really had mistaken the wrong person.
After a long silence, she lowered her head slightly.
"How could this happen...?"
Her thoughts were a tangled mess.
She genuinely liked Qi Qingxiong.
Over the years, she had come to admire his character, his dedication, and the quiet reliability he carried wherever he went.
Yet she also couldn't forget the person who had appeared when she was drowning in despair and pulled her back from the brink.
The figure she had searched for all these years.
If those two people were not the same person...
Then what exactly were her feelings?
Even she couldn't give herself a clear answer.
One thing, however, was undeniable.
Everything had begun with that life-saving grace.
Only afterward had affection quietly taken root and grown. There was a reason she had fallen for him in the first place.
"Brother Qi..."
Holding onto the final shred of hope in her heart, Kong Qianyun looked straight into his eyes.
"Have you ever felt even the slightest affection for me?"
In that moment, she completely forgot his earlier warning not to say such things in front of Qi Qingji.
Qi Qingxiong instinctively glanced at his cousin.
Qi Qingji met his gaze, frustration written plainly across his face.
The look alone told him everything.
So Qingji had known all along.
Qi Qingxiong let out a quiet sigh.
There was no point concealing it any longer.
Under Kong Qianyun's unwavering gaze, he slowly shook his head. "No."
Kong Qianyun's fingers tightened.
"Not even a little?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Silence fell.
Watching the hope drain from her eyes, Qi Qingji felt an uncomfortable tightness in his chest.
So Qianyun's feelings for Qingxiong really weren't sibling affection.
Qi Qingxiong looked at her apologetically.
Then he sighed softly. "Fellow Daoist Kong, from beginning to end, I have never had romantic feelings for you. If I unintentionally gave you the wrong impression, I apologize."
"You didn't do anything wrong."
Her voice was so quiet it was almost inaudible.
"You simply didn't like me. You didn't mislead me either. It was just wishful thinking on my part."
The mysterious voice had made her realize something.
Pursuing someone who did not return her feelings was far harder than she had imagined.
Qi Qingxiong's heart had always belonged to the Sword Dao.
Over the years, he had never shown interest in any female cultivator.
Yet she had stubbornly convinced herself there was still hope.
Now she finally understood.
From the very beginning, she had never occupied a place in his heart.
The realization was painful, but strangely enough, it also brought a sense of clarity.
If Qi Qingxiong had truly been her savior...
If he had ever felt even a fraction of what she felt for him...
She would never have given up.
Unfortunately, reality offered no room for such assumptions.
Kong Qianyun lowered her gaze.
The last trace of expectation in her heart quietly faded away.
Seeing her expression, Qi Qingxiong fell silent for a moment.
Then a flash of white light appeared in his hand.
An ancient sword manual materialized.
A hint of reluctance crossed his eyes before quickly disappearing.
"This sword manual was the gift you gave me at the exchange gathering. I didn't know it was originally intended as a token of gratitude for your savior."
He extended it toward her.
"Take it back and give it to the right person."
"You also gave me a defensive artifact," Kong Qianyun replied without even looking at the manual. "We can consider them exchanged gifts."
Then she asked, "Who is that person? Please tell me, Brother Qi."
Whatever happened afterward, the debt of gratitude still had to be repaid.
Qi Qingxiong quietly withdrew the sword manual.
There was still a chance he might keep it someday, and he naturally wasn't eager to part with it.
"He's also participating in the Seven Sects Trial. With his reputation, it won't be difficult to find him. Just ask around."
"Alright."
Ignoring Qi Qingji's attempts to persuade her to stay, Kong Qianyun activated her teleportation jade bracelet.
She already had a rough guess.
Among the participants, only one person could truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Brother Qi.
The thought made her feel somewhat embarrassed.
In the past, whenever that person clashed with Qi Qingxiong, she had cursed him countless times behind his back.
Now fate had turned the tables completely.
Before anyone could react, a teleportation light suddenly enveloped Kong Qianyun.
Her figure dissolved into white radiance and disappeared from the small world.
Silence descended.
Whether inside the valley or outside the projection screen, everyone was left staring blankly at the spot where she had been standing.
The entire sequence of events had unfolded so quickly that no one had quite caught up yet.
One moment they were still debating whether she had mistaken someone. The next moment she had resolved her feelings and voluntarily eliminated herself.
Gu Buqi chuckled.
Others might not know what had happened, but he did.
His little disciple had clearly used her ability again.
Eliminating an opponent without lifting a finger was certainly efficient.
Luo Buqi ground his teeth.
"They got off easy, but Qi Qingxiong's team still has six people left. Their luck won't last forever."
His followers remained silent.
It was obvious their senior brother now hated the Wendao Sect group with every fiber of his being and desperately wanted to see them eliminated.
Unfortunately, they doubted it would be that simple.
That Lou Yuqing was frighteningly capable.
Meanwhile, back inside the small world, Qi Qingji suddenly exploded.
"Qi Qingxiong!" His roar echoed through the valley. "You watched me make a fool of myself this whole time! Were you enjoying it?!"
Knowing that Kong Qianyun liked him but never saying a word, watching him repeatedly try to get closer to her, watching him get ignored over and over...
Who knew how many times Qi Qingxiong had secretly laughed at him?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
"Qingji, I—"
For the first time, Qi Qingxiong looked utterly helpless. His usual calm had completely collapsed.
All that remained was anxiety and frustration.
[The consequences of being mute have arrived. Serves you right for refusing to speak.]
Lou Yuqing commented cheerfully.
Qi Qingxiong: "..."
Could you stop making things worse?
"Qi Qingxiong, explain yourself!"
Qi Qingji's aura surged violently.
"Let's hear what excuse you come up with!"
This wasn't because their relationship was poor. On the contrary, because they were so close, he felt even more betrayed by the secrecy.
Qi Qingxiong understood that perfectly.
Which only made his headache worse.
The disciples of the Cloud Soaring Sect and Star Pavilion looked between the two cousins, wanting to mediate but having no idea where to start.
After all, Qi Qingxiong really was at fault, and this was a family matter. Outsiders had no place interfering.
Si Nidie clenched her fist excitedly.
Fight! Fight!
Completely unaware that someone was enthusiastically hoping he and his cousin would start throwing hands, Qi Qingxiong finally steadied himself.
"Qingji. We're brothers. I've never mocked you. I wanted to tell you before, but I was afraid you wouldn't accept it. I even hinted at it several times. But who knew..."
"So now it's my fault?" Qi Qingji nearly exploded again. "Tell me exactly when you hinted at it!"
Then the mysterious female voice rang out.
[Of course it's your fault.]
[Back at Xipo Mountain. In Minghuan City. At the Wudu Sea. Which time didn't he hint at it?]
[How dense do you have to be to mistake Kong Qianyun's concern for Qi Qingxiong as sibling affection?]
[Her feelings were practically written across her face!]
Qi Qingji froze.
As he stared at the place where Kong Qianyun had disappeared, fragments of the past resurfaced one after another.
Every expression that once seemed ordinary suddenly became painfully clear.
The shy smiles.
The unconcealed happiness.
The way her gaze always lingered on Qingxiong.
Things he had never paid much attention to before suddenly took on an entirely different meaning.
Only then did he finally understand.
Those were never the reactions of a grateful beneficiary. They were the reactions of a woman in love.
"Qingji..."
Qi Qingxiong tightened his grip on the sword manual.
He had never understood matters of the heart. Nor could he comprehend why so many people in the world became trapped by love.
But looking at Kong Qianyun's expression just now, he understood one thing.
Rejection was painful.
To his surprise, Qi Qingji merely shook his head. "Brother Qingxiong. I shouldn't have gotten angry with you."
Then he took out a bottle of pills.
"These are my newest pills. Consider them my apology."
Qi Qingxiong sighed. "Fine."
If he refused them, Qingji would only feel worse.
Si Nidie looked utterly disappointed.
They hadn't fought after all.
If Junior Sister had revealed the truth just a little later, maybe there really would have been a fight.
Just as she was drowning in regret, Lou Yuqing's inner voice appeared once more.
[I genuinely admire Qi Qingxiong.]
[After eating so many bottles of bizarre experimental pills, he's somehow still alive and kicking.]
Si Nidie immediately perked up.
Qi Qingxiong's hand paused.
By now, experience had taught him one thing: whenever that mysterious voice spoke, it was usually telling the truth.
His gaze slowly dropped to the jade bottle in his hand.
Then he turned toward Qi Qingji.
The fleeting guilt on his cousin's face was answer enough.
Qi Qingxiong's expression darkened slightly.
Uncorking the bottle, he looked inside.
Resting at the bottom was a perfectly formed pill no larger than a fingernail.
The moment the stopper was removed, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the air.
Even at a glance, its quality was extraordinary.
A Soul-Nourishing Pill.
Qi Qingxiong fell silent.
Soul-Nourishing Pills were notoriously difficult to refine.
Even for someone as talented as Qingji, producing one could not have been easy.
After a brief silence, Qi Qingxiong decided to give his cousin an opportunity to explain himself.
"Qi Qingji."
He lifted the jade bottle.
"What kind of pill is this?"
Spiritual power unconsciously seeped into his voice.
The question echoed through Qi Qingji's ears like a warning bell.
Already carrying a guilty conscience, he immediately stiffened.
"A... Soul-Nourishing Pill."
Qi Qingji gritted his teeth.
Damn that mysterious voice.
They were brothers. What was wrong with asking him to test a few medicinal effects?
Qi Qingxiong narrowed his eyes.
"Is that so?"
Qi Qingji's heart immediately skipped a beat.
Had he been discovered?
No.
Impossible.
As long as he refused to admit anything, there was no evidence.
Steeling himself, he shot back, "Brother Qingxiong, what exactly do you mean by that? Do you think I'm trying to harm you?"
The words came out a little too quickly at first, but once he started talking, his confidence steadily grew.
"I spent so much time refining pills for you, and this is how you repay me? You doubt my intentions and trample all over our brotherly bond! Tell me, what did I do wrong? The Soul-Nourishing Pill was supposed to be a surprise! If you don't want it, then give it back!"
By the end of his speech, his voice was filled with indignation.
The grievance on his face looked so genuine that anyone unaware of the truth might have believed he was the wronged party.
Qi Qingxiong hesitated.
Looking at Qi Qingji's aggrieved expression, he couldn't help feeling a trace of uncertainty.
Had he really misunderstood Qingji this time?
Just as the thought surfaced—
[Qi Qingji can lie without batting an eye.]
[He's clearly using his cousin as a test subject, yet somehow he's managed to turn himself into the victim.]
Everyone: !!!