Lingyin’s expression turned somewhat ugly; she had not expected Qin Yuanshan to give the sect master token to this young girl.
In the world of cultivation, tokens represent authority. One could say that the true master of the Gushu Sect was now Qin Yu, and even Qin Yuanshan would have to listen to her.
However, people generally still respected traditional ethics and hierarchies, so most people still acknowledged Qin Yuanshan as the head. But if things were truly pushed to a legalistic extreme, it would be a completely different story.
Lingyin felt rather unwilling to let it go, but the present situation did not allow for reckless behavior. “Is your Gushu Sect really determined to set yourselves against us to the very end?”
Seeing that the other party had been deterred, Qin Yu thought to herself that the token given to her by her sister was indeed effective. Putting on a composed and righteous front, she declared, “The Gushu Sect only opposes demonic paths and evildoers.”
Realizing that Qin Yu had completely disregarded her face and authority, Lingyin knew there was no point in arguing further at the moment. “If that is the case, we shall see just how long your Gushu Sect can protect them. Let’s go!”
Watching these people retreat, Qin Yu finally let out a sigh of relief. She gently touched Yu Qingya’s hand. “Sister, it’s safe now.”
Sensing that the grip on her hand had gone from tense to relaxed, Qin Yu looked at Yu Qingya and smiled softly.
A wave of emotion stirred within Yu Qingya’s heart. She raised a hand to instruct the disciples to fall back, then said softly, “You didn’t have to go this far for me. Those sects are not easy to deal with.”
Qin Yu knew that Yu Qingya did not want to drag her into danger, but if Qinglian Pavilion were occupied today, the next target would undoubtedly be the Gushu Sect. Qin Yu understood the principle of sharing the same fate like lips and teeth.
“You said it yourself, we are best friends. When a friend is in trouble, how could I stand by and do nothing?”
Qin Yu’s gaze toward Yu Qingya was exceptionally steadfast.
At this moment, Yu Qingya also revealed a trace of a smile. “Indeed, we are friends.”
Looking at Yu Qingya’s smile, Qin Yu once again felt her heart beat wildly. However, this was not the time for flirting; she still had much more important matters waiting for her to accomplish.
Inside the Gushu Sect Master’s chambers.
“Xiaoyu, is this your request?”
Qin Yuanshan glanced at the daughter kneeling before him, a complex mixture of emotions swirling in his heart.
This daughter had always been mischievous and used to acting wildly and willfully. While she had matured considerably lately, no one could have anticipated that whenever she took action, she would make such a massive fuss.
“Father, it was my own rash decision, but our Gushu Sect cannot simply stand by and ignore this matter. Sect Master Lingyin has long been dissatisfied with how our two sects absorb the most talented disciples. If I hadn’t happened to be at Qinglian Pavilion today, once they forcibly annexed it, we would have been their next target.”
Qin Yu looked at Qin Yuanshan with an unwavering attitude.
“Xiaoyu, your father understands the reasoning, but you acted far too impulsively. With external enemies pressing in, if we burn our bridges like this, the future troubles will be endless,” Qin Yuanshan said.
Hearing this, Qin Yu jerked her head up. “Father, do you mean to say that the death of the Qinglian Pavilion master was suspicious and related to the Lingyin Sect?”
Qin Yuanshan stroked his beard. “Otherwise, why would the Lingyin Sect arrive with people looking for trouble the moment the Qinglian Pavilion master passed away?”
Qin Yuanshan’s words served as an awakening. That’s right. Previously, she had simply assumed they were taking advantage of the chaos to annex Qinglian Pavilion, but she hadn’t realized there was such a connection behind the scenes.
“Father also feels that the Qinglian Pavilion master’s death was suspicious?” Qin Yu could not help feeling a sense of admiration. As expected of a sect master, even without being at the scene, he could tell the situation was far from simple.
“I have always been on good terms with her, so naturally I know how cautious she was during cultivation. I just never expected…” Qin Yuanshan sighed, expressing his sorrow over the passing of an old friend.
After all, reaching their level of cultivation made advancing even a single step exceptionally difficult, and barring some unforeseen disaster, there shouldn’t have been any mortal danger before the very end.
“I ask Father to help Xiaoyu with this favor: officially announce our alliance with Qinglian Pavilion to the outside world.” Seizing upon Qin Yuanshan’s slightly softened expression, Qin Yu pressed her request.
Qin Yuanshan helped his kneeling daughter to her feet, a helpless look in his eyes. “Xiaoyu, you must think this through carefully. If Father agrees to your condition, we will not only be opposing other rival sects, but the foreign tribes as well.”
Qin Yu understood her father’s reservations, but still spoke up, “Even if we don’t oppose them, will the foreign tribes simply let us go? I killed their Seventh Elder with my own hands.”
Qin Yuanshan knew his daughter’s upright and kind nature, but this path was destined to be arduous. “Xiaoyu, are you doing this for yourself, or for Yu Qingya?”
Having lived for so many years, Qin Yuanshan was hardly a fool. Ever since meeting Yu Qingya, his daughter had behaved as though she had lost her mind whenever it concerned her.
Qin Yu froze slightly. “Father, I…”
After all, she had only arrived in this world recently and was unsure how its people viewed such matters. She could still fool the emotionally clueless Yu Qingya into believing they were just best friends, but could she fool Qin Yuanshan, who had lived for so many decades?
“Xiaoyu, Father needs to know what you are truly thinking. This is more than just forming an alliance; I know what kind of person Yu Qingya is far better than you do, and what you do might not necessarily be met with reciprocation.”
Qin Yuanshan sighed. Yu Qingya’s suitors were as numerous as crossing a river, yet he never expected his own daughter to also do so.
Qin Yu wore a look of shame, yet her gaze remained exceptionally firm. “Father, your daughter is fond of Sister Qingya. If Father can agree to this, your daughter will cultivate diligently from now on. Once the ancient secret realm opens and concludes, your daughter wishes to go to the Realm of Silence.”
As these words left her lips, not only Qin Yuanshan, but even Qin Huan standing nearby was profoundly shocked. “Xiaoyu, you…”
The Realm of Silence was a place few cultivators in the cultivation world dared to set foot in. Those who managed to emerge from it were without exception the supreme powerhouses of the continent.
Since ancient times, only two types of people went to the Realm of Silence: those with transcendent talent who sought to push further, and those with nothing left to lose who wanted to gamble their lives. Entering the Realm of Silence meant nine chances of death for every one chance of survival.
Qin Yuanshan looked at his daughter, feeling as though a myriad of emotions were churning inside him.
Although her talent was extraordinary, Qin Yu had always been pampered and unable to endure hardship. Seeing her study diligently recently had already made Qin Yuanshan quite gratified, but he never expected this.
“Xiaoyu, is doing this really worth it?”
Qin Yuanshan knew his daughter’s mind. Once they chose to ally with Qinglian Pavilion, lacking formidable strength to guard the sect would leave them as the primary target for all sects and foreign tribes alike.
Yet for them, there truly was no second path left. Submitting to foreign tribes would only buy a fleeting peace, so how could they guarantee they wouldn’t eventually be consumed body and soul by them? Yet Qin Yu’s choice meant shouldering every single accusation and consequence upon herself alone.
“It is worth it.”
“Even if there is no reward or return whatsoever?” Qin Yuanshan asked once more.
Qin Yu nodded firmly, gentle warmth filling the depths of her eyes. “To strive for the person you love is, in itself, a worthwhile thing.”