Chapter 168: Everything Still Requires Careful Consideration

Page (1/3)

Song Qing’an was slightly taken aback, unable to understand why Qin Sheng would ask such a question.

“All right.”

Even so, he agreed.

Following one’s heart was also a way of being true to oneself.

His world could be without anything else, but it could not be without Qin Sheng.

The moment she heard Song Qing’an’s answer, Qin Sheng suddenly felt enlightened, and the smile on her face grew brighter.

Song Qing’an’s mood brightened as well at the sight of her smile.

Having been separated from the woman he loved for so long, Song Qing’an finally gave in to the desire he had suppressed for so long. He pulled Qin Sheng tightly into his arms, as though he wanted to press her into his very body.

Qin Sheng was still immersed in the fact that Song Qing’an had agreed to her request when, in the next instant, she was swept into his embrace.

He held her so tightly that she had no room to break free.

Not that she had any intention of doing so. She merely raised her arms and embraced the Song Qing’an who was holding her so fiercely.

Song Qing’an naturally felt her return his embrace. He smiled softly, and everything became clear without words.

Two hearts drew close once more, beating in perfect harmony.

This time, they no longer had only themselves. They had each other.

Qin Sheng had no idea how long she and Song Qing’an had been embracing. She only knew that even after Lu Shenshen had long since sobered up, the two of them were still holding one another.

Watching the happy couple in each other’s arms, Lu Shenshen shook his head helplessly.

Why had they not simply talked everything through? What on earth had they been acting so strangely about yesterday, forcing a lonely bachelor like him to endure suffering he never should have had to bear?

Those two had no conscience.

And now they were still acting lovey-dovey right in front of him, having completely forgotten the misery he had suffered because of them the day before.

Lu Shenshen patted his own aching heart as if to comfort it, then coughed to remind them that he was still in the room.

“Ahem!”

Qin Sheng immediately opened her eyes at the sound. When she saw Lu Shenshen staring at her and Song Qing’an with an expression that clearly said he could not bear to look at them, her little face flushed crimson. She gently pushed against Song Qing’an, signaling for him to let her go.

Song Qing’an had barely enjoyed having his beloved in his arms for a few minutes before Lu Shenshen had ruined everything.

Seeing the dissatisfied, desire-filled look in Song Qing’an’s charming eyes, Lu Shenshen swallowed nervously, suddenly lacking in confidence.

Song Qing’an narrowed his eyes slightly, released Qin Sheng from his arms, and turned toward Lu Shenshen. With a smile that did not reach his eyes, he said, “You’ve only just woken up. Don’t you have anything better to do?”

Sensing the resentment in Song Qing’an’s gaze, Lu Shenshen gave an awkward little laugh.

“Hehe… It’s already noon.”

Song Qing’an fell silent.

Qin Sheng heard only a sigh from beside her. Song Qing’an had been rebuffed by Lu Shenshen, and this was the first time she had ever seen him like this.

Looking at the resentment in his eyes, Qin Sheng could not help laughing. By the time she realized she ought to stop, it was already too late.

She clearly saw that when Song Qing’an’s resentful gaze turned toward her, it had instantly become aggrieved and reproachful.

It was almost as though he were asking whether she truly thought he was ridiculous.

Was that why she was laughing so happily?

That familiar, puppy-like look appeared in his eyes once more, and Qin Sheng’s heart seemed to melt.

She sat up slightly, stroked Song Qing’an’s hair, and comforted him, saying, “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the single man.”

Lu Shenshen was speechless.

Page (2/3)

Qin Sheng’s words clearly pleased Song Qing’an. He immediately wrapped himself around her arm like an insecure little puppy.

The sight tugged painfully at Qin Sheng’s heart.

“Be good. I’m right here.”

Song Qing’an nodded obediently, then glanced at Lu Shenshen with the faintest curve at the corner of his lips.

Lu Shenshen’s face turned livid. He had known that Song Qing’an might shamelessly play up his relationship with Qin Sheng, but he had never imagined that he could be this shameless.

He was actually pretending to be an innocent, calculating flirt!

And the worst part was that Qin Sheng was completely falling for it.

Song Qing’an was truly a dog.

Lu Shenshen was cursing furiously inside, yet he still had to watch Song Qing’an act pitiful and seek comfort from Qin Sheng. He dared not expose him, afraid that if he did, he might end up blacklisted by every tavern in the capital.

After all, Song Qing’an had indeed done such things before.

The power of authority was terrifying. Lu Shenshen had no choice but to submit.

After comforting Song Qing’an for a while, Qin Sheng suddenly seemed to remember something. Her expression turned grave as she asked, “Song Qing’an, why did those people try to abduct Xingyu and Lin Xing yesterday? Was it only because they were outsiders and not from the capital?”

Qin Sheng instinctively felt that the matter was not so simple. More than that, it was possible that Granny Wang’s missing daughter had disappeared because of the same reason.

She had asked Song Qing’an because she had heard those people address him as their young master yesterday, and they had treated him with great respect.

She assumed that Song Qing’an knew the truth behind the matter.

Song Qing’an had already guessed that Qin Sheng would ask. He had prepared himself to tell her everything honestly.

“Because they possess supernatural abilities,” Song Qing’an said frankly.

Qin Sheng frowned. The Suppression Rings had remained on their bodies ever since they had transformed. Chu Xingyu and Lin Xing had clearly not used their abilities directly the previous day, so why had the fluctuations still been detected?

Song Qing’an naturally knew what she was thinking and continued explaining, “The Suppression Rings came from another world. Naturally, they are useless here.”

Qin Sheng pressed her lips together. She had confronted those people directly the day before, yet they had apparently not sensed the abilities within her. Otherwise, they would certainly have taken her as well.

“I saw them yesterday too. Why didn’t they discover the abilities in me?”

Lu Shenshen frowned slightly and quickly replied, “That shouldn’t be possible. If there were fluctuations from supernatural abilities, the Wind Listener Pavilion’s people would definitely have detected them. Why didn’t they?”

Qin Sheng could not figure it out either. Since neither Song Qing’an nor Lu Shenshen could explain it, she could only let the matter go for the time being.

“What does the Wind Listener Pavilion do with people who possess supernatural abilities after abducting them?” Qin Sheng had a faintly ominous feeling. She could more or less tell that even Song Qing’an seemed powerless before this matter, and yet it appeared to violate the laws of Heaven.

“Refinement.”

Song Qing’an truthfully told Qin Sheng, one by one, what the Wind Listener Pavilion had secretly been doing all along.

Lu Shenshen naturally understood that Song Qing’an had made up his mind to confess everything to Qin Sheng. It seemed, however, that he had no intention of telling her about the Positive Factor.

After all, only one fragment of the Positive Factor remained to be found. If they confronted the Wind Listener Pavilion directly, their chances of finding that last fragment would be greatly reduced. Perhaps Song Qing’an would have to trade his life to replenish the power of the final fragment.

If that was the case, once Song Qing’an sacrificed himself to the Positive Factor, he would have no future left.

Lu Shenshen would never agree to it, and Qin Sheng would agree even less.

But the matter was too dangerous and uncertain. Song Qing’an would not even allow Qin Sheng to worry about it.

“So you mean that they capture people with supernatural abilities, separate those abilities from their bodies, and use them for themselves to increase their own power?” Qin Sheng could hardly imagine it. In her previous life, there had been machines capable of stripping away supernatural abilities, but they had only been experimental devices, and the experiment had ultimately failed.

She had never imagined that such a dark existence could be found even in a beautiful and harmonious place like this otherworldly continent.

Qin Sheng knitted her brows, silently pondering the matter. The next moment, she felt a warm hand gently smoothing away the crease between her brows.

She knew that the pressure on Song Qing’an was immense as well. Even as the nominal young master of the Wind Listener Pavilion, he could never wish to see others destroy the reputation the organization had built over generations.

She reached out and took his hand. With a soft smile, she said, “Song Qing’an, I want to stand beside you and fight against the Wind Listener Pavilion.”

Page (3/3)

Qin Sheng did not want Song Qing’an to fight alone. She also wanted to rely on her own abilities to protect more of the people she wished to protect.

She wanted to help Granny Wang find her daughter as well, and confirm whether her suspicions were true.

Song Qing’an and Qin Sheng gazed at each other for a long time. She could not decipher the complicated emotions in his eyes; she saw only worry and delight.

“All right.”

In the end, Song Qing’an surrendered and agreed to fight alongside Qin Sheng.

He knew that even if he refused, she would join the fight anyway.

It was better to honor her wishes and trust that she would accomplish what she had set out to do.

“So, do you have a plan to deal with them?” Qin Sheng asked the crucial question.

Lu Shenshen glanced at Song Qing’an, silently asking whether he intended to tell Qin Sheng about the Positive Factor. After all, it had been their only plan all these years.

Song Qing’an gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

“No. The Wind Listener Pavilion has too many powerful experts. We have no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.” Lu Shenshen was speaking honestly. Without the Positive Factor, he and Song Qing’an alone had no chance whatsoever.

Qin Sheng bit her lip, troubled. If even Song Qing’an and Lu Shenshen had no solution, it showed just how difficult the matter truly was.

Everything would have to be considered carefully. At least now, they were no longer facing it alone.

“Young Master, someone from the Wood Spirit Clan has arrived.”

When Xunfeng entered to deliver the report, he clearly froze upon seeing Qin Sheng beside Song Qing’an, though he quickly concealed his reaction.

The Wood Spirit Clan?

Qin Sheng had never heard of them.

She only vaguely remembered that when Qin Mengchun had stripped away her spirit core the last time, she seemed to have heard her mention something about spiritual power.

“Let him in,” Song Qing’an said.

Xunfeng nodded, then quickly ushered in the person sent by the Wood Spirit Clan.

The moment Qin Sheng saw the visitor, she could not stop herself from trembling.

“Qin Zongming of the Wood Spirit Clan pays his respects to the Young Master.”

Grandfather!

Tears burst from Qin Sheng’s eyes. She was so overwhelmed that her grip on Song Qing’an’s hand tightened several times over.

Song Qing’an noticed that something was wrong with her and gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

“Grandfather…”

Looking at that familiar face, Qin Sheng’s sobs carried the longing she felt for her family.

Qin Zongming had naturally noticed Qin Sheng as well, but his emotions did not appear particularly stirred.

Qin Sheng’s heart instantly turned cold. It seemed she had mistaken someone else for him again. Though they shared the same name and looked remarkably alike, the feeling he gave her was not that of her grandfather, Qin Zongming.

“Elder Qin, what brings you here?”

The five great spirit clans had always been suppressed by the Wind Listener Pavilion’s influence. As the pavilion’s young master, Song Qing’an naturally knew that the visitor had not come with good intentions.

However, he had never interfered in the affairs between the Wind Listener Pavilion and the spirit clans, nor had he formed any enmity with them. Thus, Song Qing’an had no idea what exactly had brought the old man there.

“This old man has not come for the Young Master, but for the beloved woman at his side.”