Once Nuantang and Yue Lishan had completely disappeared from sight, Qin Luo sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes, and his gaze fell on the ring on his finger.
"Senior You," Qin Luo said softly, his voice tinged with inquiry, "what exactly are you planning by having her come to me?"
A faint light flickered within the ring, and You Yueying's voice drifted out, carrying a hint of subtle irony:
"What, isn't this exactly what you wanted? With your personality, would you not want meat delivered to your door?"
Qin Luo frowned slightly, about to retort, when You Yueying's voice rang out again:
"However, I must remind you that Yue Lishan is merely a tool to enhance your soul. Don't develop any improper thoughts about her. Otherwise, you'll lose both your wife and your army, and don't blame me for not warning you beforehand."
Qin Luo's expression was solemn as he spoke again:
“Senior, you seem to have gone off-topic. What I’m wondering is, why would she be willing to pay such a high price for a spot? Just for the sake of reverting to her ancestral bloodline, that reason is really hard to believe.”
Within the ring, You Yueying's aura suddenly faltered, as if she were weighing her options.
A moment later, that familiar voice rang out again, its tone full of nonchalance and contempt:
"Hmph, I hold her life in my hands, how dare she refuse? She has no other choice! What, you're starting to feel sorry for her so soon? Look at your pathetic self!"
At this moment, Qin Luo also sensed the change in You Yueying's tone. It seemed that beneath her nonchalant demeanor lay a barely perceptible hint of jealousy.
Although her tone still sounded as assertive as ever, Qin Luo, with his keen senses honed through countless romantic encounters, could not miss these subtle emotional fluctuations.
When You Yueying saw him fall silent, she assumed that she had guessed correctly, and her displeasure intensified, her tone becoming increasingly sharp.
"Qin Luo, when did you become so weak and indecisive? She's just an escaped mermaid, what trouble can she cause? Since I can control her life, I can naturally make her obey. You only need to focus on improving your strength and using her soul gift to enhance yourself. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Seeing that Qin Luo still didn't respond, You Yueying paused, her tone softening slightly, and added:
"As long as you don't let your emotions control you and make good use of her, it might even help you break through your current level. This is a rare opportunity that many people would love to have, so don't be foolish."
Qin Luo narrowed his eyes slightly, secretly pondering how to subtly test You Yueying, but on the surface he remained calm. After clearing his throat, he slowly spoke:
“Senior, it’s not that I’m indecisive. It’s just that this Soul Gift is too special, and I can’t help but have some concerns.”
"As you know, I'm not that kind of person. It's really hard for me to accept a mermaid woman with whom I have no emotional connection."
Upon hearing this, You Yueying looked at Qin Luo with surprise from inside the ring, seemingly confirming whether it was indeed him, before she sneered:
"I think you're getting more and more pretentious! You're a mermaid woman, and you're already talking about emotional foundations? Don't forget, in this dog-eat-dog world of demons, where are all these romantic notions? This is just a transaction where each of you gets what you want. She's willing to give up her soul to save her life, and you're willing to accept it to increase your strength. It's not like you're some kind of romantic hero."
Qin Luo remained composed, unfazed by You Yueying's mockery, and calmly said:
“Senior, I don’t mean to be a romantic. I just thought that if I could develop some feelings for her and get her to cooperate sincerely, the soul-gifting process would definitely be smoother. You also said that this is a transaction where both parties get what they want, but if the two parties could have more trust, wouldn’t they be able to achieve their goals better? So, I think it’s still necessary to develop some feelings for her.”
Upon hearing these words inside the ring, You Yueying felt a sudden alarm bell ring in her heart, and at the same time, a trace of regret began to grow in her heart.
If I had known Qin Luo would have such a "troublesome" idea, I shouldn't have gone to all that trouble in the first place.
"Don't do anything foolish. Let me tell you, Yue Lishan is nothing more than a tool to achieve our goals. Remember that well. Don't develop any inappropriate feelings for her. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"
At this point, You Yueying realized she had gone a bit too far, and offered another explanation as if to cover it up:
"I don't necessarily want to meddle in your private affairs, but for now, you should focus on finding the Taixu Sacred Lotus in the ancestral land soon. After I am truly resurrected, you can cultivate your relationship however you want. As for Yue Lishan, she is just an aid to achieving your goal for now. Don't put the cart before the horse."
Hearing her stubborn words, Qin Luo wondered why he hadn't noticed before. But today's probing had finally given him a glimpse of what was going on.
Unbeknownst to her, You Yueying had developed a strange affection for her. However, she was always proud and arrogant, and unwilling to face this feeling directly, so she resorted to this self-deceptive and forced explanation.
With this in mind, Qin Luo stopped playing along with You Yueying.
He said calmly, "Senior, there is no need to worry. I know what I'm doing. Right now, finding the Taixu Sacred Lotus to help you revive is the most important thing."
"As for my dealings with Yue Lishan, I will carefully consider the appropriate boundaries and handle them properly."
Before You Yueying could respond, Qin Luo continued:
"Now it's time for this junior to try to break through the Spirit Tribulation. This Spirit Tribulation allows no room for distraction. I imagine that since you awakened, you haven't had the chance to appreciate the unique scenery of this region on your own. This place, while not absolutely beautiful, has its own unique charm."
"Therefore, I humbly suggest that you take a trip and relax for a while. This will allow me to focus wholeheartedly on my sprint. We can discuss the follow-up matters in detail after I have successfully overcome the spiritual tribulation."
These words, on the surface, were a sincere plea for You Yueying to leave, but in reality, they were a veiled message, subtly conveying the message that she should not interfere excessively with her subsequent actions.
Upon hearing this, You Yueying immediately became alert, convinced that Qin Luo still harbored feelings for Yue Lishan and that his words were merely an attempt to distract her.
A surge of uncontrollable anger welled up inside him, and he said in an icy tone:
"How long has it been since you survived your physical tribulation? Besides, I haven't seen you cultivate diligently during these two months of travel. Judging from your current spiritual energy accumulation, I think you are still quite far from being able to touch the threshold of the spiritual tribulation."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
