"Sister, it was you who taught me. You said I shouldn't be so weak anymore. I should learn to fight back. Otherwise, those people will only think less of me as time goes by," Zhao Shuning said.
"From the very beginning to now, I've never blamed you. I know that most of the time, you had no choice. And I never meant for you to endure silently. That's why I left you the cultivation books. But Xiao Qiu, I did say that you should fight back when someone bullies you. However, now, it's you who has become the bully," Luo Qiu took a few steps back.
"Sister—"
"I've said that I don't like who you've become," Luo Qiu panicked. She took five or six steps forward but didn't dare to reach out and grab Zhao Shuning, not even daring to hug this sister she had missed for over a thousand days and nights.
She was terrified. She didn't want to hear her sister say that she didn't like her.
"Sister, I really know I was wrong. I tried, tried to write to you, but I never got a reply. Lord Moyan said it was because my spiritual power wasn't strong enough, so I couldn't reach you. I panicked and desperately tried to improve my spiritual power. I was afraid that I'd never be able to contact you again. If you don't like what I've done, I won't do it anymore, okay?"
Looking at Luo Qiu's anxiety, Zhao Shuning sighed.
She knew Luo Qiu's original character. She wasn't a bad person.
"Sister, Xiao Qiu is begging you. Please forgive me," Luo Qiu suddenly knelt down.
Under their feet were thorns everywhere. As Luo Qiu knelt, many sharp thorns from the vines pierced firmly into her knees, and blood dripped down along the thorns.
"Get up."
"Sister, I'll get up when you forgive me. Sister, I'm not threatening you. I really know I was wrong. Please give me this chance, okay?"
Zhao Shuning had no choice. She quickly stepped forward and helped Luo Qiu up.
As soon as her hand touched Luo Qiu, a warm feeling came over her.
Luo Qiu stood up and immediately hugged Zhao Shuning.
"Sister, I missed you so much."
"Don't do such things again in the future. As an alchemist, there are countless things you can do. But the path of doing evil is the last one you should take."
"I understand."
Zhao Shuning let go of Luo Qiu.
Luo Qiu's knees were already covered in blood.
Zhao Shuning took out some spiritual herbs from her Qiankun Bag, ground them into powder, and applied it to Luo Qiu's knees.
"You're such a beautiful girl. You should take good care of your body. How can you just kneel down like that? Do you want your knees to be as scarred as your arms?"
Listening to Zhao Shuning's scolding, Luo Qiu felt very happy. She didn't seem to feel the pain in her knees at all.
"Sister, I'm sorry."
"The past can't be changed. Who you should be sorry to are those beasts that died at your hands. You used their core pills. In the future, you have to compensate the descendants of the beast world a hundred or a thousand times over."
"I understand." Luo Qiu lowered her eyes.
Zhao Shuning let out a sigh of relief.
In fact, if it were herself, after going through so many setbacks, she wasn't sure if she would become like Luo Qiu. So now, Zhao Shuning couldn't stand on the moral high - ground and blame Luo Qiu. The words she had just said were just a reminder because of her deep friendship with Luo Qiu.
"Sister, what are you doing in Loulan?"
"I'm looking for a Starlight Grass."
"Starlight Grass?" Zhao Shuning nodded.
"The Starlight Grass grows near the border of the desert close to the Loulan City. The total amount of Starlight Grass that grows each year doesn't exceed five zhu. I never saw it when I was in Loulan before. This thing should be in Lord Moyan's city."
"Sister, what do you need the Starlight Grass for?"
"To save someone."
"Is it a man or a woman?"
"A man."
Luo Qiu's expression was a bit intriguing.
"Is it the man who stood beside you last time?"
"No."
Master was extremely powerful and would never need her help. Instead, it was she who had troubled Master time and time again.
"Does sister have another man?" Zhao Shuning was surprised. "What do you mean by 'another'?"
"Then who is it?"
"Xia Qingyan. Just a friend."
"Then I'll help sister."
"If you can help, that would be great. But if you can't, don't force it. This is my own business. I shouldn't involve others."
Luo Qiu said, "When sister says that, I'm really envious of Xia Qingyan. After all, for Xia Qingyan, sister treats his matter as her own. I wonder if one day, if I'm in the same situation, sister would treat me like she does him."
"You won't be."
"What if I am?"
"There are no so many assumptions."
"Sister means that you're politely rejecting me."
Zhao Shuning thought for a while. Then she said seriously, "Xiao Qiu, you'll be very powerful in the future, so powerful that you won't need anyone. Maybe I'll even need your protection."
"Sister—"
"Yes?"
"Do you trust me so much?"
"Of course. If you don't use those despicable methods, I'll surely admire you more."
Luo Qiu lowered her head. She murmured again, "I'm sorry."
"I'm leaving. What about you?"
"I'll go with sister."
"You won't be able to do much by being with me. I don't plan to stay in the main pavilion of Loulan. I'll just randomly choose an inn on the street. When the moon is full, I'll go to the border between the Loulan City and the desert and wait to see if I can find the Starlight Grass."
"The night of the full moon is still fifteen days away."
"Cultivating the Starlight Grass isn't that simple. I want to stay there myself, so it'll be much more convenient to live outside."
Zhao Shuning walked in front. Luo Qiu followed behind.
"Saintess, what about Lord Moyan?"
"You guys go back first. Tell Lord Moyan that I won't be going back today. Also, don't tell him what happened today."
"But today is—"
"I told you to go back, so go back."
If looks could kill, the citizen who was speaking would probably be riddled with holes by now.
"Yes, sir. I'll obey."
"I came here. Meeting you was just an accident. You don't need to follow me like this."
"Sister, when you say that, it really breaks my heart."
"I just don't want you to worry."
"At least for now, let me accompany you."
Zhao Shuning couldn't persuade Luo Qiu, so she had to let her follow.
She walked in front. Luo Qiu followed behind.
The two of them chatted and laughed along the way.
When Hundun sensed someone coming, it had already entered the Qiankun Bag at Zhao Shuning's signal, so Luo Qiu didn't see Hundun when she came.
After walking for about half an hour, they left the jungle. After entering Loulan, Zhao Shuning randomly chose an inn to stay in, and Luo Qiu stayed with her.
She had thought she could have a good sleep tonight. But before she could fall asleep, there were rustling footsteps outside. Then the angry voices of the officers scolding the innkeeper and the waiter reached Zhao Shuning's ears.
"Is it this room?"