The group of people who appeared at Ling Town was actually Liu Ting, Wei Li, and a few other from Nebula Pavilion.
Qin Lie frowned and wore a conflicted expression on his face as he hid beneath the window.
He stared quietly into the room from the window and noticed that Wei Li and Liu Ting were arguing about something.
It’s been two years, but that Yao Tian hadn’t come to Nebula Pavilion to search for you or return to Ling Town at all. To a wandering martial practitioner like him, you… are just an interesting woman and nothing else.
Wei Li snorted with a stiff expression.
You were never in his mind!
Liu Ting bit her lips and said,
Maybe Big Brother Yao was delayed by something. That’s why he hadn’t returned yet. Also, he… killed those Dark Asura Hall men, Feng Yi and the Feng Family clansmen. The reason he hadn’t come to look for me at Nebula Pavilion must be because he was worried for trouble.
Women really do become foolish when they fall in love!
Wei Li sneered.
It’s none of your business even if I’m acting foolish!
Liu Ting’s face turned cold.
I just came to Ling Town to relieve some boredom. Why have you come with me?
Wei Li’s eyes dimmed.
You know my feelings already.
Liu Ting frowned and thought for a moment. Then, she answered,
You and I grew up together. We are too familiar with each other. I… can only think of you as my little brother, but not as a lover.
You’ve only known that Yao Tian for several days. Is he really that attractive? It’s been two years. For the past two years, you’ve not only turned me down, but many other suitors your father had sought for you. Is it all because of that Yao Tian?
Wei Li found it hard to accept.
I don’t understand myself. I just… can’t forget him,
Liu Ting said quietly.
Two year had gone by, and Liu Ting had grown taller since he last saw her. Her figure was slim, and her legs were straight. An attractive glimmer circulated around her eyes.
She was growing to be more and more beautiful.
Outside the window, Qin Lie’s figure melted into the night. He couldn’t help but smile when he heard Liu Ting and Wei Li’s conversation.
He never thought that Liu Ting would actually fall in love with him.
When he first entered Nebula Pavilion, he was just a young teenager with nothing special to speak of. He was just an artificer apprentice working under Yao Tai.
Due to his relationship with Kang Zhi and the others, Liu Ting had hated him and targeted him on every possible occasion.
Later on, the innocent Yao Tai was dragged into a mess and was swept out of Nebula Pavilion as a result. He himself was chased by Nebula Pavilion for the murder of Du Haitian and had vanished since then.
As a result, Qin Lie harbored ill intentions towards Liu Ting.
Two years ago, the reason he donned a new identity, changed his countenance and seduced Liu Ting under the name of
Yao Tian
was for vengeance.
He was hoping to attack Feng Yi through Liu Ting and expose Liu Ting’s fickle nature in the process.
He had succeeded in the end.
Driven to a corner, Feng Yi took drastic measures and was ultimately killed by him. Liu Ting herself was fooled like a headless chicken.
Once he had succeeded in his objective, he found a random excuse and left the place. Not long after that, he clashed against Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple and forgot about Liu Ting entirely.
He never thought that Liu Ting would turn down one proposal after another for two years straight, seemingly waiting for him all this time.
He suddenly felt a bout of strange amusement.
Back then, he, a ripe greenhorn who entered Nebula Pavilion, was given no attention by Liu Ting at all. Moreover, he was often scorned against and attacked repeatedly by her.
But after he grew stronger at Armament Sect, experienced a breakthrough in realm and encountered Liu Ting once more, he only needed to switch a face and an identity to easily win Liu Ting’s heart. He had caused Liu Ting to lose two years of her life in a false relationship; one that she was so deep in that she couldn’t walk away.
The two points of interaction between Liu Ting and him were as different as heaven and earth.
Why is that?
Qin Lie thought to himself.
A long time later, he gradually came to understood why.
Liu Ting had never changed. She had always been the way she was be it in terms of identity, behavior, appearance, or realm. She had never changed.
But he himself had changed completely.
When he first entered Nebula Pavilion, he was wooden, shy, weak and introvert. He possessed neither an outstanding identity nor any self-confidence.
The second time he encountered Liu Ting, he was arrogant, brash, powerful and full of confidence. He had also picked up a brand new identity.
Although in both cases it was still him, his time at Armament Sect, his battles in the Nether Realm, and his experience as a foreign delegate at Profound Heaven Alliance had increased his charisma by leaps and bounds when he encountered Liu Ting once more. He was a far better man, which was why Liu Ting had looked favorably upon him and fell for him easily.
Change and the improvement of one’s insight, mind and strength would naturally cause someone to exude a completely different aura. So that’s why…
Qin Lie abruptly came to realization.
It was at this moment he experienced a magical feeling of enlightenment, deepening his knowledge.
Fulfillment Realm focused on the evolution of a martial practitioner’s mind. Such enlightenments were useful to the improvement of his strength and realm.
The realization of his life’s experiences made Qin Lie feel as if he had suddenly grown mature. As he compared the past him and current him, he noticed that he was gradually understanding himself and his mind better and better.
Understanding of one’s true self and mind was a problem that every Fulfillment Realm martial practitioner had to face.
He had no intentions of meeting Liu Ting again. After comparing the past and present, and achieving a minor breakthrough in the attainment of his mind, Qin Lie quietly retreated and headed outside Ling Town.
He was ready to leave.
However, just as he walked out of Ling Town and was about to take out his crystalline war chariot, he sensed a soul ripple.
He looked to the distance and, much to his surprise, he saw a small group of Nebula Pavilion martial practitioners riding on some Golden Crag Beasts.
The leader of the group happened to be none other than Liu Yan.
A moment of surprise later, he suddenly changed his mind, paused his footsteps and stood right at the entrance of Ling Town.
Liu Yan and his team swiftly approached.
Eh?
Liu Yan pulled the reins and stopped his mount forcefully after letting out an outburst of exclamation. He looked at him in puzzlement.
Qin Lie smiled as he looked at Liu Yan.
You’re…
Liu Yan’s eyebrows became locked as he thought hard.
You look very much like a friend of mine.
May we talk in private?
Qin Lie smiled and said.
Liu Yan nodded after a moment’s hesitation. He told his subordinates to head to Ling Town first while he stayed back alone.
Which friend of yours do I look like, pray tell?
Qin Lie finally asked with a smile.
You’re… Qin Lie?
Liu Yan gradually came to realization and couldn’t stop himself from letting out a soft exclamation,
It can’t be? Are you really Qin Lie?
Hello, Big Brother Liu!
Qin Lie laughed loudly.
Liu Yan’s mind went blank for several seconds. Then, he suddenly rushed to Qin Lie and punched him solidly in the chest, exclaiming in a low tone,
How dare you show up at this place?
Why would I not?
Qin Lie countered.
Two years ago, Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple had sent the word saying that all Scarlet Tide Continent martial practitioners are to kill you on sight! Moreover, we were all ordered to report if we ever saw you!
Liu Yan said anxiously,
No one saw you, did they?
Liu Yan was a Nebula Pavilion martial practitioner, and Dark Asura Hall stood between his sect and Profound Heaven Alliance. That was why Profound Heaven Alliance’s news took a long time to reach Liu Yan.
It was obvious that he didn’t know the changes in the outside world.
From today onwards, Eight Extreme Temple and Profound Heaven Alliance will only be fit to grovel under my feet. There’s no way they would dare to go against me, so you may relax,
Qin Lie smiled and replied.
You’re much more boastful than you used to be, I see!
Liu Yan chuckled softly and said,
Why have you suddenly decided to come home? I haven’t seen you since you left Icestone City.
As nostalgia caught up to him, he sighed.
It’s been so many years since then.
Back then, Qin Lie, the Ling Family clansmen, and Gao Yu were workers mining spirit materials from Celestial Wolf Mountain. Liu Yan was the supervisor.
Later on, the discovery of the Fiery Solar Jade resulted in Feng Family leaking the information to Shattered Ice Manor, causing Qin Lie and others to be chased into Celestial Wolf Mountain in order to silence them.
The strong friendship between him and Liu Yan was built from the moment they joined hands against Shattered Ice Manor’s Yan Dewu, and strengthened by the time they spent escaping.
We’ve met each other two years ago. Do you remember?
Qin Lie smiled strangely.
We’ve met each other two years ago?
Liu Yan shook his head in a daze and said,
No way. I would remember if we met.
Think harder. We met right here.
Qin Lie tried to jog his memory.
Nope, we’ve definitely not met each other,
Liu Yan said affirmatively.
Two years ago, I’ve asked you about medicinal herbs around Ling Town. However, hehe, it seemed that you were pretty annoyed by me back then,
Qin Lie said with a smile.
After Qin Lie’s reminder, Liu Yan tried for a long time to recall the memory as best as he could until, finally, he shuddered as the light of amazement burst from his eyes,
Were you Yao Tian?!
Qin Lie nodded with a smile.
You bastard! I can’t believe I’ve been deceived for such a long time!
Liu Yan punched Qin Lie’s chest several times again in anger.
You’ve grown a few sizes, huh? You enjoy teasing your Brother Liu that much?
I had my reasons back then.
Qin Lie sighed.
Liu Yan frowned and pondered for a moment. Then, he said suddenly,
What you did to Liu Ting was a little too despicable and dishonest.
You’re right.
Qin Lie admitted it obediently.
It may have been a moment of inspiration for you, but it was two years of misery for Liu Ting. She couldn’t forget you for the past two years.
Liu Yan shook his head with a sigh and said,
Liu Yuntao may have been unfair, and Liu Ting may have caught a lot of unruliness because of him, but her nature wasn’t really that bad. What you did was a little excessive.
Will it be better if you tell her about my identity and explain things so that she’ll forget about me?
Qin Lie said, feeling a headache coming on.
Oh no! Absolutely not!
Liu Yan’s expression changed.
She’d suffered enough misfortune already. She didn’t know that she was being tricked by you back then and thought that she had found her true love.
He sighed.
If she learned your true identity and figured out that Yao Tian had all along been that Qin Lie she used to disdain, I’m afraid she would crumble under the pressure and attempt suicide.
Liu Yan sighed again and added,
Her punishment is cruel enough already. If she learned that you were Yao Tian, then it wouldn’t just be cruel—it’d be ruthless!
Alright.
Qin Lie nodded.
Big Brother Liu, what are you doing at Ling Town?
I’m here to summon Liu Ting and her people back to Nebula Pavilion, of course.
Liu Yan looked helpless.
How is Nebula Pavilion doing?
What can we do? Liu Yuntao had no notable achievements, and Nebula Pavilion hadn’t improved for the past couple of years. If Liu Yuntao hadn’t managed to cling onto Han Pu’s thigh he probably wouldn’t have been able to preserve his seat as pavilion master.
What about you? And what about Enforcer Ye Yangqiu? How are you guys doing at Nebula Pavilion? Oh right, if you feel like this life isn’t right for you, you can seek out Tu Shixiong at Dark Asura Hall.
We’ll definitely be heading to Dark Asura Hall, but now is not the time. We’ll need to improve our strength before we can cross over from a Limestone rank force to a Black Iron rank one.
I see.
Qin Lie thought for a moment and passed a spatial ring to Liu Yan, saying,
Big Brother Liu, there are some spirit materials, spirit pills, and some Profound Grade and Earth Grade spirit artifacts here. Keep a part of them to yourself and help deliver the rest to the Gao Family’s patriarch for me, will you? Just say that Gao Yu had sent him the goods.
Liu Yan received the spatial ring and was stunned beyond imagination after he checked its contents for just a little. He even stuttered as he spoke,
W-where did you get so many treasures?
I snatched them.
Qin Lie grinned.
Liu Yan’s eyes burst with the light of amazement, and it took him many deep breaths before he finally calmed down.
Have you seen Gao Yu?
Mm, Gao Yu and I are both at the same place. He’s doing well, you don’t need to worry about him,
Qin Lie answered.
Even back then, I knew that both you and Gao Yu possessed limitless potential. Now, I’ve been proven right
Liu Yan sighed.
But still, isn’t it a little too fast? It’s only been a little over ten years!
Qin Lie gave Liu Yan a smile and chatted with him for a while. A jug of wine later, Qin Lie ultimately got up and left.
When he took out the crystalline war chariot and soared to the sky while accompanied by the rumbling sounds of its engine, Liu Yan stared blankly at him from the ground with even greater amazement.
That’s a flying spirit artifact! I may have underestimated the little guy! Amazing, truly amazing!
