Luo Qiu's feet were firmly rooted to the spot.
She knew that, with Zhao Shuning's current abilities, although she was already an eighth - rank alchemist, her skills were still inferior to Luo Qiu's, and she couldn't detect Luo Qiu's hiding place.
But Luo Qiu just felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
Five hundred years ago, when she saw her elder sister, she felt the same way.
Now, in the face of Zhao Shuning's interrogation, her state of mind was fluctuating once again.
"I know it's you." These five words were like thorns piercing into Luo Qiu's body.
If, before, she had never believed that Zhao Shuning had any connection with her elder sister, at this moment, that thought was completely overturned.
The Zhao Shuning opposite, even if she wasn't her elder sister, must have a very close relationship with her.
After Zhao Shuning said these words, there was still complete silence from the other side.
All Zhao Shuning could feel was the howling wind passing by her ears.
However, even without a response, Zhao Shuning and the person opposite seemed to have a telepathic connection.
Zhao Shuning knew that the person opposite hadn't left.
"If I'm not mistaken, you've been following me since I set off from the Eastern Swamp Wilderness. If so, you must know what I'm here for in the Sea Spirit Country. If you have any questions, come in front of me and ask me clearly."
In the distance, the sky was pitch - black. Beneath the darkness, clouds were surging.
Under Luo Qiu's black robe, her hands slowly clenched into fists.
How many years had it been? Many, many years.
No one had ever dared to speak to her like this, and she didn't allow anyone to do so.
However, when she heard Zhao Shuning's words, a faint sense of pleasure welled up in Luo Qiu's heart.
Her eyes involuntarily turned red.
Of course, she wanted to stand in front of Zhao Shuning openly.
Luo Qiu wanted to ask Zhao Shuning why the Soul - Turning Pearl Chain was in her possession, what caused the red lotus between her eyebrows, and if she knew the whereabouts of her elder sister.
Or perhaps, was she her elder sister?
No one could understand Luo Qiu's feelings at this moment.
For the sake of her elder sister, she had been on the run for over five hundred years. She had tried every possible method. Even the most absurd rumors, as long as they could resurrect her elder sister, no matter how difficult the process was, she would give it a try.
She would try, even if it meant bearing the eternal infamy.
What she was afraid of was that one day, when she stood in front of her elder sister, her elder sister would hate and resent her for her blood - stained hands.
All those worries would come true if only one condition was met. That was, if Zhao Shuning was her elder sister.
If that was the case, all of Luo Qiu's efforts and expectations over the years, and all the schemes she had planned on the Nine - Continent Continent to obtain those souls, the death of Ye Ling was inextricably linked to her.
Although Ye Ling's death was due to Xia Wanning being incited by Mo Yan, the Ghost Domain God Seat, Luo Qiu had also reached a dirty deal with Mo Yan.
That was, during this great battle, she would stir up trouble and use the power of the four great families to completely kill Ye Ling.
Once the Eastern Swamp Wilderness was in chaos, Mo Yan could insert Xia Wanning, this pawn, into the heart of the Eastern Swamp Wilderness. Over the years, Mo Yan's ambition to make Loulan dominate the Nine - Continent Continent had never diminished.
What Luo Qiu wanted was Ye Ling's soul.
You know, Ye Ling, the Eight - Phase Empress, had an extremely powerful soul. Just one of her souls was worth dozens of others'.
When Ye Ling died, Luo Qiu didn't feel the slightest bit of sadness.
Even after the chaos, she was in mid - air, looking at Ye Ling's withered red body, and without hesitation or mercy, she took out Ye Ling's soul from her body.
At that time, as Ye Ling's soul was taken out, a wisp of her spiritual power suddenly escaped.
Luo Qiu didn't care. All she could think about was that she was one step closer to resurrecting her elder sister.
After that, Ye Ling's spiritual power attached itself to Zhao Shuning.
Moreover, Zhao Shuning had once again shown astonishing abilities and had become the disciple of the Emperor Venerable. All those things should have belonged to her elder sister.
How could Luo Qiu just stand by and watch the man her elder sister liked be taken away by someone else? So, she set her sights on Zhao Shuning again.
Luo Qiu had been waiting.
Waiting for Zhao Shuning to become powerful enough, waiting for her to develop a soul so that she could make her move.
That was why Luo Qiu didn't take action during Zhao Shuning's early growth stage.
Now, back to the present.
If all these things were connected, if Zhao Shuning was really her elder sister, then she herself was the executioner who had killed her elder sister with her own hands.
Back then, Ye Ling was extremely glorious, and the four great families were cultivated by her. With their dull wits, without the help of the Ghost Domain and the mediation of Xia Wanning, even after twenty more years, they wouldn't have been a match for Ye Ling.
When Ye Ling died, she always thought that she had died at the hands of the four great families, because of her own arrogance, and at the hands of her trusted subordinates.
Little did she know that as soon as she successfully advanced to become an alchemist, she had already been targeted.
At that time, a huge net had slowly covered her.
All the past events suddenly came rushing back.
Luo Qiu's feet felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
Why was the night air in Chaozhou so heavy? Luo Qiu felt that her chest was so stuffy that it was hard to breathe.
Zhao Shuning continued, "If you want to know something, come to me and ask."
Luo Qiu wanted to know. She wanted to know so much.
But a person's expectations had been building up over a lifetime. If what she wanted to know was really as she had suspected, how could she face her elder sister with her blood - stained hands?
Maybe it was just a coincidence?
Zhao Shuning was always a very careful person.
Now, she was probably deliberately saying such things to lure her out.
It should be like this.
Luo Qiu let out a bitter laugh.
She was now a ninth - rank alchemist. On the Nine - Continent Continent, she had very few opponents. Even when facing the Emperor Venerable Yan Ruyu, she wasn't as scared as she was now.
She had to leave this place. Leave quickly. She didn't want to stay for a single second longer. If possible.
"I know you haven't left, and I know that your abilities must be extremely powerful. I've already experienced your strength in the cave on Qingyun Peak."
"Luo Qiu—"
Zhao Shuning called out Luo Qiu's name.
It sounded so strange, yet so familiar.
Zhao Shuning's heart was also pounding at this moment.
She only had a fifty - fifty chance now.
She called out Luo Qiu's name because she sensed that the person hiding opposite her was about to "escape".
Although she wasn't sure if the word "escape" was appropriate, it was the first thought that came to her mind.
When Luo Qiu heard the other person call her name, she lowered her head and was about to flee quickly.
She had already leaped off the city tower, but then came an even more familiar voice from behind.
"Xiao Qiu, since you've come, why don't you come and see me?"
Is it that you don't want to see me, or are you afraid to?