Seeing the sadness flash in Qin Xiaolin's eyes, Li Xi felt a surge of sympathy and tenderness.
She gently patted the back of his hand, trying to comfort him.
Unexpectedly, Qin Xiaolin grabbed her hand tightly in return, as if he needed that warmth and support at that moment.
Li Xi did not pull her hand away, but let him hold it, a strange feeling welling up in her heart.
And so, the two sat together in silence.
After a long pause, Qin Xiaolin continued, "I didn't mean to hide it from you, I..."
“I understand,” Li Xi interrupted him softly. “Everyone has their own past, and you naturally have your own difficulties. Besides, we’re all brothers, so those are minor matters.”
She quietly withdrew her hand and got up to stretch her body.
Qin Xiaolin looked at her, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes. Just brothers?
After a while, Li Xi sat down again, her face now calm.
"Brother Qin, why don't you ask me why I dressed as a man?" Actually, she felt that there was not much difference between her male and female attire.
Qin Xiaolin chuckled inwardly, because he had known this from the very first meeting.
He looked at her with eyes full of affection: "Just like you, there must be a reason why you do this."
Moreover, he didn't want others to see her current appearance.
"Ugh, you're such a spoilsport. I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to sleep." Li Xi went back to sleep on her own.
Seeing her feigning anger, he could only smile helplessly.
The next day, with Wan Yue's consent, Li Xi took Qin Xiaolin to the secret room.
He was the owner of Yinxian Manor and also the son of the Duke's manor.
She must be very knowledgeable, so she felt it was absolutely necessary to find someone like that to help her.
"Brother Qin, what's so special about these?"
Li Xi led Qin Xiaolin into the secret room and pointed to the items there.
Qin Xiaolin looked around, his gaze finally settling on the box.
He took the paper out and looked at it carefully.
He smiled slightly, shook his head, and said, "This is a treasure map. Aren't you afraid I'll keep it all for myself?"
"Brother Qin, I believe you." She said dismissively, "Besides, with your status as the wealthiest manor lord in the world, would you even care about these things?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Xiaolin couldn't help but chuckle.
He put down the treasure map in his hand and teased her on purpose: "No one will complain about having too much money. It's rumored in the martial arts world that there is a treasure trove somewhere, containing the treasures of the previous dynasty."
Li Xi had also heard this rumor. "I've heard about these things too. It's said that some people also have treasure maps, but when they go there, they find out they're fake. I wonder who spread so many fake treasure maps."
She remembered the jade pendant Qin Xiaolin had found for her last time, and she took it out of her purse.
"Brother Qin, I learned from Zhao Kuang of the Red Lotus Sect that my jade pendant is related to those treasures. I wonder what the purpose of the person who spread the rumors is."
Qin Xiaolin took the jade pendant from Li Xi's hand, examined it carefully for a moment, and frowned slightly. He looked up at Li Xi, a deep light flashing in his eyes, "This jade pendant is indeed related to the treasure, but it is not an ordinary jade pendant."
Li Xi asked curiously, "What's so special about it?"
Qin Xiaolin said in a deep voice, "This jade pendant actually belongs to the royal family of the previous dynasty and is called 'Jade Linglong'."
According to legend, during the reign of the last emperor of the previous dynasty, the country was prosperous and the people lived in peace and contentment.
However, after his death, a struggle for the throne triggered palace intrigue, which ultimately led to a change of dynasty.
In that chaos, many royal treasures were lost to the common people, and this 'Jade Linglong' was one of them.
The Jade Linglong is precious not only because of its exquisite craftsmanship, but also because it hides the secrets of the previous dynasty's royal family.
Legend has it that this jade pendant can open the entrance to a treasure trove.
Li Xi took it and looked at it again and again but couldn't see anything special about it. "You brought this jade pendant back to me back then. Does the Red Lotus Sect know the secret of that treasure?"
He recalled that the envoys had been discussing this matter when he infiltrated the Red Lotus Sect last time.
Only then did he realize that she had snatched it from him, so he devised a plan to take it back.
"They only know that the jade pendant can open the treasure door, but they haven't gotten the treasure map yet." Qin Xiaolin folded the map and handed it to her.
Li Xi had some questions: "When Zhao Kuang and his accomplices took the jade pendant from me, did they know my true identity?"
They probably didn't know; if they had, they would have arrested her then and there.
He wouldn't stab her directly and then retreat off the cliff.
He recalled the scene, “They probably didn’t know that you were a woman. It’s said that their informant knew that your adoptive father had a jade pendant that could lead to the treasure.”
"So they plotted to kill my adoptive parents, and when they couldn't find the jade pendant, they plotted to harm me instead." Li Xi's face darkened.
Her fingers gripped the jade pendant tightly, as if she wanted to crush it.
"They'll stop at nothing to get that treasure," Li Xi said, her voice filled with coldness.
“Yes, they were willing to pay any price for that treasure.” His voice was low, as if he also felt sorry for the innocent victims.
"Brother Qin, do you think the annihilation of the Xuanming Sect back then was related to the treasure?" Li Xi asked angrily.
Qin Xiaolin paced back and forth in the secret room, and said in a deep voice, "It's hard to say. As far as I know, it is widely rumored that the Xuanming Sect possesses the 'Heavenly Fate Stone,' which can be used for divination and fortune-telling to predict the future. The Red Lotus Sect's ambitions may be related to this. But the specific situation is far more complicated than the rumors outside."
Li Xi nodded; she decided to no longer hide her identity.
“I am the granddaughter of the Xuanming Sect Master. I was rescued by the steward, Uncle Li, who is also my adoptive father. To protect me, he never mentioned the Xuanming Sect. I lost my memory many years ago, and I can no longer remember many things.”
Qin Xiaolin looked at her, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "I see."
He remained silent for a moment, seemingly processing this sudden news. "Now, the scheme laid out by the Emperor Emeritus is beginning to take shape. Perhaps we should return to the capital."
She remembered something else. "Brother Qin, Brother Song and I set up a scheme. That man was involved in the massacre back then. I want to lure him out."
"Since that's the case, let's bring him to the capital together. I'm sure the Emperor Emeritus and the others know what to do." He secretly contacted many capable and righteous people in the martial arts world.
The two packed up all the useful items in the secret room and took them with them.
The two packed up all the useful items in the secret room and took them with them, making sure that nothing important was left behind.
Li Xi carefully checked to make sure all the important items were packed properly.
Just as they were about to leave, Wan Yue's voice came from the doorway: "Xiao Xi, come and have your meal. It's getting late, why have you been inside for so long?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com