The woman's voice was neither too high nor too low.
Yet it clearly reached Zhao Shuning's ears.
Zhao Shuning's heart jolted suddenly.
She looked at the person in front of her.
After all these years, perhaps everything had changed, but Xiao Qiu's feelings for her seemed to have never wavered.
With Luo Qiu's voice ringing out,
the two were soon locked in a fierce battle.
They were evenly matched, each struggling to gain the upper hand.
Zhao Shuning knew that although Luo Qiu was now a ninth - rank alchemist, she was not as powerful as a true ninth - rank alchemist. In her early days, her abilities were all built up by the inner cores of monsters. Such strength could not compare to those who had achieved their level through painstaking cultivation.
Moreover,
Luo Qiu's body was extremely different from ordinary people.
When she was born, the cinnabar poison was planted in her body. Before her birth, her mother had also performed special rituals on her.
Therefore,
a long - drawn - out battle was very disadvantageous for Luo Qiu.
Sure enough,
after hundreds of rounds of fighting, Luo Qiu was gradually running out of strength. The Ice - Armored Horned Demon Dragon was an ancient fierce beast with a huge body, and its strength would not be depleted so quickly.
Fortunately,
during this period,
after several attempts, Zhao Shuning finally found a way.
Then,
just as Luo Qiu's body was about to be pierced by the Ice - Armored Horned Demon Dragon,
a crimson figure quickly pulled her into its embrace. Immediately afterwards, a powerful formation appeared.
"Beast - Binding Formation!"
The pattern emitting blue light quickly expanded and formed a circular net - like object. In each mesh, there were dense spells.
On the spells,
were incantations written in fresh blood.
Luo Qiu's body slammed hard into Zhao Shuning's chest.
She only heard a muffled grunt behind her.
Then,
the two of them fell to the ground together.
Fortunately, Xia Jingning caught them in time, so their bodies were not seriously injured.
The giant dragon in the air roared constantly in the net.
"Ancestress."
"Take this opportunity and leave quickly."
Zhao Shuning turned around.
Looking at Luo Qiu,
she simply said, "Xiao Qiu, help me."
Luo Qiu immediately placed her hand in Zhao Shuning's palm without hesitation.
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Zhao Shuning used Luo Qiu's spiritual power to break through the spiritual power barriers set up by the Ice - Armored Horned Demon Dragon one by one.
She turned around and said, "Hurry up and leave."
"Ancestress, what about you?"
"I can't leave. The aura on me has already attracted this monster. If I follow you, I'll only bring disaster to Shengjing City. Xia Jingning, remember what I told you before. Now, hurry up and take them away."
"Ancestress."
"Hurry up. My Beast - Binding Formation is not powerful enough. It won't be able to hold this thing for long. Take this chance and escape quickly."
"But—"
"Do you dare to disobey my order?"
"Ancestress."
"Go."
Xia Jingning had no choice but to lead everyone to bow deeply to Zhao Shuning three times. Then, with a heavy heart, he led everyone down the mountain in a hurry.
The people going down the mountain were all in a very heavy mood.
Each step was harder to take than the last.
Seeing Xia Jingning leave,
Zhao Shuning couldn't help but sit down on the ground.
"Damn it. I shouldn't have casually accepted that title of 'Ancestress'. Now it's a bad deal."
Although she said so,
Zhao Shuning didn't regret it.
At this moment,
Luo Qiu finally dared to look at Zhao Shuning.
However,
she still didn't dare to speak first.
"You can go too."
Zhao Shuning said to Luo Qiu in a relaxed tone.
But Luo Qiu suddenly got excited.
She quickly said, "I'm not leaving. No matter what, you can't drive me away."
"What are you going to do here? Accompany me to die?"
"I'm willing."
The three words "I'm willing" blurted out.
Both Zhao Shuning and Luo Qiu were stunned.
Luo Qiu added, "As long as I'm here, even if I have to self - detonate, I'll protect you."
"Protect 'you'? Who is 'you'?"
"Sister."
Luo Qiu murmured these two words.
But her eyes unconsciously turned red.
"You finally dare to call me that again."
Then Luo Qiu suddenly knelt down.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Sister. It's all my fault."
"I know,"
Zhao Shuning replied calmly.
"I know you won't forgive me."
"What you need is not my forgiveness. The one you're really sorry for is yourself."
"Sister."
"Xiao Qiu, you never listen to me, do you?"
"No. I'll listen to whatever Sister says."
Zhao Shuning reached out her hand.
Gently lifted Luo Qiu's black robe.
Under the black robe,
was still that familiar face.
It was so beautiful.
But now it was covered with tears.
"Don't cry,"
Zhao Shuning said softly.
"Xiao Qiu, you've done a lot of wrong things."
"Sister, I'm sorry."
"If you still really recognize me as your sister, will you listen to what I say?"
Luo Qiu nodded frantically.
Afraid that Zhao Shuning couldn't feel her sincerity,
she quickly said, "I'll listen. I'll listen to everything Sister says. Sister, don't blame me, okay? Xiao Qiu really knows I was wrong. I know I was wrong. I also know I'm ashamed to see you and I'm too afraid to see you. It's all my fault that I hurt you."
Zhao Shuning gave a faint smile.
Luo Qiu had made mistakes.
And she had made a lot of them.
If it were someone else who had done what Luo Qiu did to her, she would have wanted to wipe out their nine generations.
However,
these things were done by Luo Qiu.
They were done by Luo Qiu for her.
Zhao Shuning's mood at this moment was extremely complicated. In fact, she should have hated Luo Qiu. If it weren't for Luo Qiu, she would still be Ye Ling, the empress of the East Ze Wilderness.
If it weren't for Luo Qiu,
she wouldn't have suffered so many betrayals.
If it weren't for her, how could she, as Zhao Shuning, have slept for decades for no reason?
However,
Zhao Shuning just couldn't hate Luo Qiu.
She knew,
Luo Qiu was not inherently bad. If she hadn't been forced into a corner by the world, how could she have erected all her thorns to protect herself?
In the eyes of the world,
the things Luo Qiu had done were enough to label her as a great devil.
The near - destruction of the Female Shark Clan was Luo Qiu's doing.
The upheaval in the Nine - State Continent also had a lot to do with Luo Qiu.
Even her own death at the hands of several major families was related to her.
In fact,
when Zhao Shuning saw Luo Qiu in Chaozhou.
And then saw Xia Jingning.
Putting two and two together,
she basically understood the ins and outs of these absurd things.
It was just that,
at first, she just couldn't believe it.
She couldn't believe that the kind - hearted Xiao Qiu in the past had actually turned into an unforgivable great devil.
"Sister, I'm sorry."
Over the past few hundred years, Luo Qiu had shed tears only a handful of times.
Most of them were because of her.
"Sister, Xiao Qiu doesn't expect your forgiveness. After I help you kill this evil dragon, I'll let you do whatever you want with me."
Zhao Shuning reached out her hand.
Blocked Luo Qiu.
Luo Qiu turned around.
"You said you'd listen to me,"
Zhao Shuning said.
"Sister?"
"Go down the mountain first and wait for me in Chaozhou. I'll come to find you."
"Impossible. This evil dragon—"
"If you don't listen, I will never forgive you in my lifetime."
Zhao Shuning's eyes were extremely serious.
It gave Luo Qiu a great shock.
Luo Qiu was afraid.
Afraid that her sister would look at her with such eyes.
Disappointment?
Or perhaps a plea?
"I'll be fine. Go back to Chaozhou first. I have a way to deal with this evil dragon."
"Don't waste my time. Hurry up and go."