Ming Qi's actions truly struck Xiao Longzhen hard, leaving him dizzy and frustrated.
Ah~~
Little did Xiao Lingyun know that her mind was also suddenly buzzing.
Only one thought swirled in her mind.
This guy took it seriously.
This annoying guy really took it seriously!
This guy really took it seriously!
Ming Qi, on the other hand, remained calm, chuckling as he watched the two people with differing expressions.
Xiao Longzhen was stunned for a long moment, connecting all the possible scenarios he could think of, and finally came to a conclusion.
This guy seemed to have gotten the better of Lingyun!
And right in the Purple Bamboo Forest!
This made Xiao Lingyun's sudden loss of control in the square that day easy to understand. Even more plausible was that Xiao Lingyun had been hiding this incident from him.
Had his innocence been robbed by this shameless brat?
This?
Xiao Longzhen was furious.
"You're courting death!"
Xiao Longzhen clenched his fists, ready to strike.
"No, brother."
Xiao Lingyun spoke, and her words nearly made Xiao Longzhen faint.
No?
So you're still willing to do it?
Xiao Longzhen had no idea his train of thought had strayed.
Xiao Lingyun didn't intend to explain further, but simply lowered her head and entered Luoying Palace.
"Just wait, kid, before I get any evidence against you! Humph!"
Seeing that the real sister had left, Xiao Longzhen was in no mood to vent his anger. However, he had no intention of letting Ming Qi go.
If he got any evidence against Ming Qi, he wouldn't hesitate to attack him.
Ming Qi, for his part, was already ignoring him.
He had come to find Meng Ling. The Tianqing Palace was located deep within the inner gates, still some distance away.
It didn't take long for them to reach the Tianqing Palace.
Ming Qi finally saw Meng Ling. Yue Dongqing hadn't lied; Meng Ling was very kind to her.
Ming Qi's arrival coincided with Yue Dongqing seeking instruction from Meng Ling on the art of the qin.
Meng Ling's mastery of the qin was undoubtedly unparalleled, a fact Ming Qi had long since confirmed. Yue Dongqing's instruction was far superior to Ming Qi's.
"I'm here."
Yue Dongqing still wore her peacock mask, concealing her unseen features.
Upon seeing Ming Qi approach, she simply greeted him briefly before returning to her full concentration on the qin.
Meng Ling, standing nearby, saw Ming Qi approach, and a hint of complexity crossed her eyes.
The scene of that night was deeply etched in her mind.
Along with the scene that brought her to tears, she also deeply remembered Crown Prince Xu's aggressive sword energy and the constant calls for "demon slayer."
Is she truly a demon?
Meng Ling didn't know. Her memory hadn't fully recovered, but one thing left her deeply perplexed.
That was her mastery of the zither, as if it were an innate instinct, impervious to the passing of memory. Everything related to the zither remained crystal clear in her mind.
"Are you feeling better?"
Meng Ling knew Ming Qi had been severely injured that time. She also knew that the power that could burn everything didn't truly belong to Ming Qi, but rather came from a mysterious dimension.
She thought for a moment, but still didn't ask about the mysterious fire.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Ming Qi, sensing a change in the atmosphere, replied simply.
After a while, Yue Dongqing finally regained consciousness from his moment of contemplation.
"I have something to tell you."
Yue Dongqing's tone was tinged with seriousness.
Ming Qi was startled; it seemed this matter wasn't over.
"Go ahead."
Having considered countless possible consequences, Ming Qi remained calm.
"Her matter has already attracted the attention of the Grand Elders. This is a serious matter."
Grand Elder!
Although Ming Qi expected the Biyou Sect's leadership to remain vigilant, he hadn't anticipated alerting the elusive old man.
Ming Qi was no longer a novice in the world of monastic sects. He knew that the Grand Elder of each sect was the true anchor and powerful guardian of the entire sect.
Where a Grand Elder set his sights, there was bound to be unrest.
This matter had already caught the Grand Elder's attention, and it was bound to cause a stir.
"What does the Grand Elder mean?"
Ming Qi asked cautiously.
Although the Biyou Sect was only a third-rate sect, even a third-rate sect was undoubtedly a behemoth that Ming Qi could only look up to.
Any decision made by the Grand Elder could directly affect Ming Qi's life or death.
"Although the Sect Master hasn't expressed his opinion, Elder Zhijian and I have also intervened, but after all, we younger generations can't control the situation."
Control, yes, control.
When Ming Qi heard those two words, he understood the Grand Elders' meaning.
The Biyou Sect wanted to revitalize, to soar from a third-rate sect to the top, to gain pride of place among the righteous sects. Therefore, there was no thought of showing mercy to demons!
"The Grand Elder has issued a demon-slaying order. It will likely be issued throughout Xilan Province in the next few days, inviting all sects to participate."
A demon-slaying order!
A surge of inexplicable anger rose within Ming Qi.
Meng Ling was a demon or a devil, but regardless of whether she was a demon or a devil, was it her fault?
Had she done anything wrong along the way?
Ming Qi didn't see that. He only saw Meng Ling's delicate side. She was just like a human! She was just a young girl, inexperienced in the world. Was she wrong?
"The Demon Slayer Order, hehe."
Ming Qi suddenly laughed. So what about the Demon Slayer Order? He didn't believe it. The world was so big, wasn't there a place for the two of them?
He absolutely didn't believe it.
"Don't be impulsive. This isn't to say there's no room for maneuver."
Seeing Ming Qi's emotional fluctuations, Yue Dongqing's tone was tinged with worry.
"No, I'm calm."
"I'm leaving."
Just then, Meng Ling beside her suddenly spoke.
She had listened to Ming Qi's conversation and knew that her identity had ultimately brought disaster upon Ming Qi.
"You were right. I really shouldn't have followed you."
Meng Ling slowly stood up, her expression unusually calm, as if she had expected this to happen.
"I said that back then, but things are different now."
Ming Qi suddenly turned and looked at Meng Ling.
This girl, whose identity was unknown, had red hair, red eyes, and a red dress. She looked exactly the same as when Ming Qi first met her.
The only difference was that she had matured considerably. She was no longer the little girl who couldn't even speak clearly. What Ming Qi found most gratifying was that she had learned to love and to care for others.
"If you want to leave, I'll take you with me. Until your memory returns, I'll always be the one to take you."
Ming Qi's unwavering tone surprised even Yue Dongqing.
In a trance, she realized that this man and this demon seemed a little alone.
Yes, demons, no matter what, are unacceptable to the world.
Even if you haven't made any mistakes, as a demon, this seems like an irreparable mistake.
Dong, dong, dong!
There were hurried footsteps outside the door, and the three of them turned to see Yue Qinglong rushing in.
Yue Qinglong rushed into the hall and looked up to see Ming Qi. He breathed a sigh of relief, but he couldn't hide the anxiety on his face.
"Sister, this is bad! The Supreme Elder has issued the Biyou Demon Slaying Order. All of Xilan Province!"
All of Xilan Province!
Biyou Demon Slaying Order!
"So fast!"
Yue Dongqing also immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.
The Supreme Elder had issued the Biyou Demon Slaying Order, which meant that from this moment on, Meng Ling and even Ming Qi had become their unshirkable targets.
"Sister, what should we do?"
Yue Qinglong was at a loss. The situation was now extremely critical. Crown Prince Xu might have temporarily held back last time due to impatience, but this time, with the Supreme Elder's Demon Slaying Order, there was no turning back.
Once the Supreme Elder issued the Biyou Demon Slaying Order, all Biyou Sect disciples were required to obey unconditionally, or face expulsion!
"What are you talking about? What did your father teach you?"
Yue Qinglong was momentarily flustered. Yue Dongqing was much calmer, leaving Ming Qi once again astonished at the difference between the siblings.
Yue Qinglong, a face filled with shame, silently stepped aside.
"Don't get involved in this mess. They're coming for me."
Ming Qi knew the Biyou Demon Slaying Order was targeting Meng Ling. He didn't know if she was one of them, but that didn't matter.
From the moment Meng Ling risked her life to save him in the sea of fire, he had bound her safety to his own.
"What a joke! We're friends!"
Yue Qinglong finally mustered up the courage to speak.
After saying this, Yue Qinglong glanced at Yue Dongqing beside him, noticing she showed no sign of objection, and his heart instantly calmed down.
Not objecting meant acquiescence, and Yue Qinglong could see that.
Yes, friends. Two simple words, yet so profoundly meaningful.
Hearing the word 'friends,' Ming Qi suddenly thought of something and whispered, "Not good!"
At that moment, he thought of Tianqi Academy, of Ouna, of Meng Junyi, of everyone in Tianqi Academy.
What would they do if the Demon Slaying Order was issued?
Yue Qinglong had already arrived at Tianqing Palace, but what about them?
At this moment, in the passage leading from the outer gate to the inner gate,
Everyone in Tianqi Academy was already clashing with the law enforcement disciples guarding the gate.
Everyone in Tianqi Academy's eyes were red. Yes, their hearts ached, the pain unbearable.
"We have an important matter to discuss with the Canglong Guardian!"
Meng Junyi appeared relatively calm, but his heart was as restless as everyone else's.
It all seemed to happen too quickly, so fast that he was completely unprepared.
Once the demon slayer had arrived, the fight would end until death!
"Junior Brother Ming, I was still going to surpass you. How could something happen to you so soon?"
Meng Junyi pondered, his face thick with resentment.
He cultivated recklessly, never giving up even after falling unconscious several times in the Tianguan Tower. Because at that time, he had only one goal: to surpass Ming Qi.
This wasn't jealousy, but a conviction. Tianqi's will told him he could do better!
And now, that seemed a bit hopeless.
"Charge!"
Ouna, who had been standing silently beside Meng Junyi, suddenly took action!