I Became Love Rivals With My Crush Ch.68
The sky was clear, the sun was shining brightly, and majestic Huangyuan Mountain basked in the golden sunlight, emitting a faint glow as if wearing a cloak of sacred and bright feathers.
Qu Panyan and Ling’er stopped from afar, hiding their figures while observing the situation on Huangyuan Mountain. The Liu Clan guards were stationed both on and around the mountain, maintaining strict vigilance with a strong killing intent, making it daunting for anyone to intrude. Furthermore, they had cast a silver light barrier around Huangyuan Mountain.
Qu Panyan recognized this type of barrier; it didn’t have strong defensive capabilities but served as a warning. If someone intruded and touched the barrier, it would immediately turn into a dazzling and glaring red, much like an alarm, alerting everyone on the mountain that an intruder had arrived.
Unless they could break this barrier, they couldn’t enter Huangyuan Mountain without being noticed.
Qu Panyan’s gaze turned solemn as she remained silent, looking at the sturdy and robust Liu Clan guards in the distance.
It was impossible; forcing their way in would only attract more enemies and put them in a more dangerous situation.
Ling’er asked quietly, “What now, should we go in?”
Qu Panyan pondered for a moment and said, “Let me think it over.”
She needed someone to help them break this barrier and divert the attention of the Liu Clan guards, but calling for assistance now might be too late—she didn’t know if the Divine Beast had already descended and if A Yiduo had completed the fusion.
Everything was uncertain, leaving her feeling anxious and frustrated.
In an instant, snowflakes filled the sky, and a chilling aura enveloped the land, turning everything within a hundred miles into ice. The icy landscape sparkled under the dazzling sunlight, exuding a cold and frosty brilliance.
Before Qu Panyan and Ling’er could react, several fierce and powerful sword auras tore through the air, surging towards Huangyuan Mountain.
In the midst of it, Qu Panyan saw a dazzling and compelling sword light, and the next moment, the barrier around Huangyuan Mountain shattered into countless crystal fragments without warning.
After having accomplished the mission, the Thousand Frost Sword gracefully formed a beautiful sword flower in mid-air and then returned. A slender and elegant hand with delicate fingers firmly gripped the sword hilt.
Su Lingyu stood tall and graceful on the solid and gleaming ice, her clothes fluttering. One hand was behind her back, and the other held the sword hilt. Her exquisite brows and eyes exuded a cold aura, and her aloofness emanated a majestic steadiness, unshakable like a grand mountain.
The guards stationed at the foot of the mountain immediately formed a defensive formation. The leader in front shouted, “Who are you?”
Su Lingyu remained unfazed, gently turning the sword hilt in her hand. Suddenly, a powerful and intimidating chill burst forth from her, shaking the mountains and rivers, but she didn’t bother to respond.
Qu Panyan heard Su Lingyu’s voice in her heart, “Go, I’ll handle things here, be careful.”
Qu Panyan felt warmed inside and quickly seized the opportunity. Taking Ling’er with her, she soared into Huangyuan Mountain.
As there were still many guards within Huangyuan Mountain, and Ling’er couldn’t conceal her presence for too long, the two of them observed the patterns of the guards’ numbers and speculated that A Yiduo was at the mountain’s summit. They stealthily made their way upward, hiding and evading along the journey.
During the journey, Ling’er even took the time to catch various mountain beasts in the grass and trees, blinking her big eyes expectantly and asking, “Is it a Divine Beast?”
Qu Panyan looked at those obviously ordinary creatures like snakes, tigers, and birds, and smiled helplessly, “No, they’re not.”
Moreover, if they were Divine Beasts, A Yiduo wouldn’t possibly be unaware of them.
Ling’er made a sound of acknowledgment, but her emotions couldn’t be discerned. Suddenly, she pulled out a small, furry, all-black creature with two big round red eyes from behind her. It was hard to tell if it was a kitten, a tiger, or some other cub. Ling’er held it up and asked, “How about this one? Does it look like it?”
The all-black cub blinked its bright eyes together with Ling’er, filled with boundless curiosity and seeming to anticipate what Qu Panyan would say next.
Qu Panyan didn’t know from which thicket Ling’er had picked it up, so she smiled helplessly. Just then, she heard footsteps behind her, and the fallen leaves on the ground made crisp sounds as they were stepped on. Qu Panyan quickly picked up Ling’er and the cub, flew up to a nearby sturdy tree, and concealed themselves among the dense and intertwining branches and leaves.
Qu Panyan placed a finger on her lips and whispered in a lowered voice, “Shh, don’t make a sound.”
Ling’er obediently covered her mouth, and the cub imitated her, raising its little paws to cover its small mouth.
Qu Panyan focused her mind and breath, silently watching the people below, only to find that the incoming group was none other than the irritable and aggressive girl, A Yiduo!
There was also Ba Tu, Wu Yi and Liu Yizhi.
Qu Panyan narrowed her eyes and noticed that Wu Yi held a glass bead of a considerable size between his hands. Inside the glass bead, there was a floating ball of fire—a ball of white, pure, and flawless fire.
There were many different colors of flames, and the flames of fire cultivators might not necessarily be the same. However, one thing was certain: in the world of cultivation, there was no one with white flames.
Except for the secluded and unknown Skyfire Tribe.
Qu Panyan thought, this must be the Heavenly Fire.
A Yiduo’s smile was arrogant, and she walked with her head held high. “Finally, you’ve come! Hurry up and fuse! I still need to go kill that dishwashing girl and make Su Lingyu apologize to me!”
Qu Panyan, the dishwashing girl in question, stood on the tree and was speechless for a moment: “…”
After all this time, you still haven’t forgotten. You sure can hold a grudge.
By the way, why would Su Lingyu apologize to you, this rude person?
How about you start by apologizing to the entire Xianmeng Sect!
Liu Yizhi’s reaction, on the other hand, was quite calm. “Sure, go ahead. The Liu Clan will take measures to protect you and ensure your fusion process isn’t disturbed.”
A Yiduo sneered, “With Ba Tu and Wu Yi here, what do I have to fear?”
Ba Tu and Wu Yi’s golden pupils flickered slightly. They exchanged a knowing glance, then withdrew their gaze, remaining silent, an unspoken understanding passing between them in an instant.
Liu Yizhi was perceptive and noticed their subtle changes, but A Yiduo remained oblivious. Liu Yizhi lowered his head, his thoughts unclear.
He composed himself, raised his head, and said, “The Divine Beast is about to descend. We shouldn’t delay. Let’s proceed.”
Qu Panyan was taken aback. It seemed that the little cub wasn’t the Divine Beast; the true Divine Beast had not yet descended. With the urgent situation, she pointed at A Yiduo and whispered softly to her, “That’s A Yiduo.”
Ling’er nodded, her gaze firmly fixed on A Yiduo, and the cub also looked over curiously. Qu Panyan diverted her attention, then pointed to the Heavenly Fire in Wu Yi’s hand. “That, I want to snatch it too.”
That was the key to saving Kang Congshuang and the Qu Clan.
Ling’er also looked over with the little cub. Not knowing what was happening, the cub released its small paw from covering its mouth and suddenly let out an excited and milky-sounding roar.
Qu Panyan instinctively held the cub in her arms to stop it from making any more noise, but it was already too late. The four people below had already focused their gazes on them, some sizing them up, some resentful, and some vigilant.
Liu Yizhi never expected that the first person from the Qu Clan to arrive would be Qu Panyan; he thought it would be the head of the family, Qu Muqiu.
Beside him, A Yiduo suddenly raised her hand and pointed, shouting excitedly and loudly, “You, the smelly dishwashing girl! You dare to show up at our doorstep!”
Liu Yizhi was stunned, and his disbelieving gaze followed A Yiduo’s finger and fell directly on Qu Panyan – Third Miss Qu…was that the dishwashing girl?!
Qu Panyan, holding the cub in one hand and Ling’er’s hand on the other, lightly jumped down from the branch and stood openly in front of them. Since they couldn’t hide anymore, there was no need to hide.
Qu Panyan smiled at A Yiduo, calmly saying, “Well, I came from afar to celebrate the birth of the Skyfire Tribe’s Saintess. Can’t I?”
A Yiduo disliked Qu Panyan as a person, and even if she were to apologize and show goodwill, A Yiduo wouldn’t like her. Even if Qu Panyan had traveled thousands of miles to come, A Yiduo would only sneer at her and be even more arrogant, “Who do you think you are? A lowly dishwashing girl, what gives you the right to celebrate for this Saintess?”
Ling’er blinked in confusion and asked softly, “Does the Sect Master’s wife also have to wash dishes herself?”
Qu Panyan smiled at her and softly replied, “Yes.”
Then she looked at A Yiduo and smiled disapprovingly, “Hey, everyone is equal, why would washing dishes be considered lowly?”
A Yiduo sneered with a mocking smile.
Equal? She was the esteemed Holy Child of the Skyfire Tribe. Why should she be on the same level as those commoners? Did they deserve it?!
This was clearly defiling her prestigious status!
“You lowly person,” A Yiduo pointed at Qu Panyan sharply, “you are not worthy to be on the same level as this Saintess!”
“Since you dare to come to our door, be prepared to die!”
“If you want to celebrate, fine! I’ll use your life to celebrate!!!”
A Yiduo raised her hand, palm facing upwards, and the Heavenly Fire in Wu Yi’s hand voluntarily flew out of the glass bead that served as its protective shell, slowly landing in A Yiduo’s palm.
Qu Panyan’s eyes flashed with a hint of astonishment, but she quickly concealed it with calmness. She hadn’t expected A Yiduo to directly use the Heavenly Fire against her. If that was the case, she didn’t even need to fight back; she could just wait to die.
However, the fact that A Yiduo was willing to use the Heavenly Fire against her…
Ling’er saw that Qu Panyan showed no intention of retaliating and feared that she truly wanted to sacrifice herself. She immediately stood in front of her, her eyes emitting a mysterious azure light, and stared fiercely at A Yiduo. The faint blue scales on the back of her hand appeared and disappeared: “No, you can’t!”
Seeing the faintly visible dragon scales on Ling’er’s hand, Qu Panyan recalled how she had asked about her identity a few days ago. She was the little princess of the Western Sea Dragon King, with the entire Western Sea Dragon Clan backing her, and a brother who was a True Lord in the Heavenly Court. Her identity and background were solid; anyone who dared to touch her would cry out in pain in return.
Qu Panyan suddenly felt a sense of relief. With this immortal backing her, it would be difficult to die even if she wanted to.
A Yiduo was momentarily stunned, then her expression turned sinister as she said, “Who are you? Get out of my way! Otherwise, I’ll kill you along with her!”
Qu Panyan raised an eyebrow and reminded her, “You can’t just touch as you please with her.”
The Western Sea Dragon Clan had an innate divine physique, while the Skyfire Tribe had only one Holy Child with some connection to divinity, but that was only after fusing with the Heavenly Fire. With a simple glance, one could easily determine who was stronger in a conflict between the two.
Of course, if A Yiduo planned to single-handedly challenge the entire Western Sea Dragon Clan and became a glorious Saintess of the Skyfire Tribe, then she could ignore what Qu Panyan said.
A Yiduo spat out, “Can’t touch her? How ridiculous! There’s nothing in this world that I, as the Saintess, can’t touch!”
The young cub in Qu Panyan’s arms seemed to be triggered by something and suddenly jumped onto her shoulder, roaring at A Yiduo. Ba Tu and Wu Yi’s cold and indifferent eyes glanced over, but their expressions remained unchanged as they shifted their gaze away.
Wu Yi spoke up, reminding her, “Lady A Yiduo, the fusion is crucial. Avoid unnecessary killings.”
A Yiduo paid no attention, and her five fingers slightly curled up and then opened again, as if it were an instinctive reaction. Qu Panyan keenly caught this instinctive response and was confident that A Yiduo still couldn’t freely control the Heavenly Fire.
Perhaps A Yiduo could only use it for a short while?
Just like her own Minor Heavenly Punishment, the spiritual power was sometimes present and sometimes not, and she could only control it freely after fusing with it.
A Yiduo didn’t care about that, and she took a step forward, about to charge at Qu Panyan.
With a sound of “swish—”, A Yiduo’s hand holding the Heavenly Fire was blocked by a jade bone folding fan with a red tassel hanging from it.
A Yiduo glared at him in anger, “What are you doing?!”
Liu Yizhi remained composed, “Fusion is crucial. Don’t waste time on these matters.”
A Yiduo withdrew her hand and then launched another attack. Liu Yizhi’s expression remained unchanged as he deftly countered her every move with the folding fan in his hand. A Yiduo became even more frustrated, “You promised me that you would kill her!”
Liu Yizhi nodded and openly admitted, “I did promise you that, but I agreed to help you after you become the Saintess. So, I hope you’ll fuse quickly and not waste time.”
He looked at A Yiduo, “Don’t you want her to die quickly?”
Upon hearing this, A Yiduo tossed the Heavenly Fire back into the glass ball, glared at Qu Panyan, and then turned around, huffing and puffing as she headed towards the mountaintop.
The three watched A Yiduo walk away. Qu Panyan gazed warily at Liu Yizhi and said, “So, Clan Leader Liu actually wants my life.”
Liu Yizhi paused for a moment and said, “I never thought it was Third Miss Qu.”
Who would have thought that the dignified Third Miss Qu from the Qu family would be reduced to being called a dishwashing girl?
He admitted that he was ruthless when it came to fulfilling alliances and agreed to kill anyone, no matter how innocent they were. However, when the target of the assassination became the beloved sister of someone he cared for, he hesitated.
Because he knew that Qu Muqiu was his weakness, he never considered going to the point of bloodshed and sacrifice with the Qu family, and he would never let A Yiduo kill Qu Muqiu’s most beloved sister.
At that moment, he understood that perhaps the elders within the clan were right, that he wasn’t heartless enough to be the head of the family.
But so what? He was already the head, and whether he was suitable or not, he was already in that position. With the solid foundation of the Liu family, he knew what to do and what not to do, and he had the right to make those decisions.
No one had the qualification to dictate how he should act—he was the head of the Linshan Liu family.
Liu Yizhi looked at Qu Panyan with a serious expression, “Go back to your sister’s side and don’t appear in front of A Yiduo again.”
Qu Panyan looked back at him fearlessly, “Then how will Clan Leader Liu explain to your ally, A Yiduo?”
Liu Yizhi toyed with the folding fan, “That’s my business, Third Miss Qu doesn’t need to worry about it.”
Qu Panyan smiled faintly and suggested, “Then Clan Leader Liu, why not…”
“…Make a deal with me?”
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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: iToon
