Soaring the Heavens

Qin Weiwei was utterly lost for words, but she understood him well enough.

It would have been better if she hadn’t. When she did, she almost wanted to grab the teapot from the teapoy and smash it on his face. She abruptly stood up, biting her lip as she glared daggers at Miao Yi. Her face had paled with anger. She had never received such injustice before in her entire life. Yet she could not even explain herself in a way that he would understand.

Miao Yi quickly stood up as well, on guard against a sudden ambush from the other party.

Seeing him keep his guard up against her so, Qin Weiwei regained her composure. She knew that she couldn’t completely blame Miao Yi for this. She herself played a big part in the problem as well. Looking back, she remembered how she used to always antagonize him—seeking to remove him from his Cave Master position and even wanting him dead once. When they first met, she inflicted some serious injuries on him. If she were standing in his position, she would be wary as well. This was a common occurrence in the cultivation realm.

Yet despite all that, he had returned her hatred with benevolence. If it were anyone else when she was being surrounded, they would probably have ferverently wished for a nemesis like her to die. Yet he still risked his life to save her from her predicament.

At the same time, everyone in South Edict Manor had always assumed that Gongsun Yu and her were a couple. She never stood up and explained herself either. She remembered back then in South Edict Manor, she didn’t leave Miao Yi a shred of dignity at all when she publicly ridiculed him and gave him a vicious slap to the cheek before everyone. She slapped him, and showed favor to Gongsun Yu at the same time. It was probably difficult for him not to misunderstand after that.

Qin Weiwei could imagine herself how humiliating it must be for a man to be treated like that by a woman before a crowd. If she were the one on the receiving end back then, she would probably wish to kill her too. At the very least, she would carry a deep resentment. Considering the circumstances, it was indeed a little too much to ask for him to suddenly change his opinion of her. He might even think that she had some malicious plan in store for him.

Thinking back on how badly she treated him in the past, even Qin Weiwei started to feel a little resentful of herself. She quickly regained control of her emotions and silently sighed. Then, she pointed to the side, "Sit down and let’s talk slowly."

After saying this, she sat back down and refilled Miao Yi’s cup of tea.

Miao Yi cautiously sat back down with a laugh as he said, "Mountain Chieftain. Please forgive me for my transgressions. If I said anything to upset you, please don’t hold it to heart. I hereby apologize to you." Under another person’s roof, he had to lower his head.

"No matter. I am to blame for this as well. You are not completely at fault." Qin Weiwei shook her head as she calmly continued, "I know that everyone in the two Manors believe that Gongsun Yu and I are in a relationship. I also won’t deny that Gongsun Yu has indeed been trying to woo me. However, I do not feel the same for him. I only think of him as a trustworthy and reliable subordinate. As for why such rumors of us spread, it was not entirely Gongsun Yu’s fault either. I was the one who believed there was no need to explain myself. I didn’t want to do it either. I stand true to my actions and beliefs, and I was not afraid that I would be misunderstood by others. If there was, then there was. If there wasn’t, there wasn’t. Looking back on when I was surrounded back in East Arrival Cave—he risked his life to save me, thus proving that he is indeed a loyal and trustworthy subordinate. In light of that, why would I make things difficult for him by explaining to the public?"

"Clearly, you have heard many rumors about him and I as well. Too many rumors can confuse right from wrong. Being influenced by public opinion, you believe these rumors to be true as well. Miao Yi. I hereby tell you in all honesty, that if I, Qin Weiwei, were to have any illicit relationship with Gongsun Yu, I will admit it with pride. I don’t need to, nor do I wish to hide something like this as though we were doing something unspeakable. I can even tell you with all honesty that I, Qin Weiwei, have never been in a relationship with a man in all my life. I am truly innocent!"

"Uhh...." Miao Yi was dazed on the spot. Her every word was articulated with such earnestness that even he believed that he had misunderstood her.

He thought she had a point— ‘That’s right! If she really was in a relationship with Gongsun Yu, what’s wrong with being open about it? Why would she need to hide it?’

Actually, Qin Weiwei should have just broken this matter down from the beginning, and explained it piece by piece. However, faced with someone as heavily biased against her as Miao Yi, she obviously had no way to properly explain herself all this while.

Still, Miao Yi felt something was off. ‘Our relationship isn’t that good,’ he thought, and couldn’t help asking, "Since you’ve always felt there was no need to explain yourself, why did you choose to explain this to me today?"

Qin Weiwei earnestly replied, "I think of you as a friend, Miao Yi. I truly do. That is why I wish you will not sully my name like the others did."

"A friend?" Miao Yi was a little suspicious as he thought to himself— ‘You’re joking with me, right? You didn’t hold back in the least when you punished me. Yet now you say that we’re friends. Do you think I’m a fool!?’

Qin Weiwei was not an idiot. She could immediately tell from his tone that he clearly didn’t take the matter of them becoming friends last time seriously. She found it infuriating and comical at the same time. However, she could understand where he was coming from, and simply asked, "You don’t believe me?"

"I believe you. I believe you. It is my honor to become friends with Mountain Chieftain." Miao Yi chuckled, but he still didn’t believe her. He was not a three-year-old. He wouldn’t be swayed so easily just because she said this was this, and that was that.

"You still don’t actually believe me." Qin Weiwei instantly saw through his lies.

Since she brought it up, Miao Yi figured it wouldn’t be good to beat around the bush any longer. His heart could not bear continuing to be confused and paranoid of her every move either. "Why does Mountain Chieftain want to be friends with me?"

Qin Weiwei explained, "My impression of you was very poor in the past."

"Haha. Even if Mountain Chieftain didn’t say this, I knew."

"But ever since you saved me that one time, my impression of you has completely changed."

"Just because of that?" Miao Yi cautiously asked, "I believe I wasn’t the only one who risked his life to save you at the time. Gongsun Yu was also one of them. Don’t tell me you became friends with all of them as well?"

Feeling like her thoughts were being seen through, Qin Weiwei averted her eyes from Miao Yi. "I just think of them as trustworthy subordinates. You are different from them."

"Didn’t we all risk our lives to save you? What is the difference? Don’t tell me there’s even a difference on a matter like this?"

Qin Weiwei thought up a reason. "I offended you so much. Yet you were still willing to risk your life to save me. It moved me very much."

Miao Yi really wanted to tell her— ‘If it wasn’t for Yang Qing treating me kindly, and offering me help and encouragement, I wouldn’t have bothered to save you. In fact, I could barely wait for you to kick the bucket.’

Obviously, he wouldn’t say such things out loud.

‘Who cares if she’s being truthful or not. I first need to settle my own problems.’ Miao Yi asked, "Mountain Chieftain really considers me a friend?"

Qin Weiwei confidently nodded. "I grew up by my adoptive father’s side since my youth. Everyone whom I’ve been acquainted with so far are his subordinates. I never had a real friend. You are the first friend that I have ever made, so I cherish this bond very much!"

Then, Miao Yi asked, "If Mountain Chieftain really thinks of me as a friend, can you help me with a little favor?"

"If you continue calling me Mountain Chieftain, then I will handle things professionally. If you address me as a friend, then we can talk about whatever matter you wish to discuss as friends." The ice queen told a cold joke that wasn’t the least bit funny.

Miao Yi understood, and laughed dryly. "Qin Weiwei. Can you help me with a little something?"

Qin Weiwei’s mood immediately improved, so she asked, "What is it about?"

Miao Yi pulled out a jade archive and pushed it towards her. "Back when Mount Returning Loyalty ambushed my East Arrival Cave, three of my subordinates perished. Before, you would always make things difficult for me, so you definitely wouldn’t agree if I said I wanted to replenish my forces. Now that we’re friends, I wish to add a new member to my ranks. Could you help me with this matter?"

"Always making things difficult for you? Am I such a tyrant in your eyes?" Qin Weiwei asked in response.

‘You and I know fully well how it was. Why do you have to force me to say something I don’t mean? What’s the point in pretending like this?’ Miao Yi silently grumbled. However, for appearances’ sake, he still waved his hand repeatedly and said, "Mountain Chieftain is as beautiful as a divine fairy in my eyes. Flawless like jade, and graceful like a flower. How could I ever have thought of you as a tyrant? I could barely wait to be closer to you."

Even though she knew he was just showering her with shallow praise, but when he complimented her so, Qin Weiwei’s heart still went all aflutter. Regardless, she purposefully replied him with a simple, "Mmm"; before saying in a questioning tone, "Mountain Chieftain?"

Miao Yi was slightly taken aback— ‘Why is this woman so shameless?’ —and hastily rephrased, "Qin Weiwei."

Qin Weiwei narrowed her eyes at him.

"Weiwei!" Miao Yi quickly swallowed his pride and rephrased once more. Even he felt his skin crawl from how affectionate it sounded.

Even though she knew that this fellow was forcing himself to say it, Qin Weiwei still revealed an expression of joy. She lifted the jade archive and looked through it, then said, "Luo Shuangfei, White Lotus Ninth Grade. A Loose Cultivator?"

Her lush eyebrows furrowed as she turned to ask Miao Yi, "He is a Loose Cultivator? Don’t you have a way to recruit men from the School of Blue Jade? Why did you decide to take a Loose Cultivator? Miao Yi. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Have you done a background check on the person? If there is some kind of problem with him, as the one who recruited him, you will have to take responsibility. I suggest you to go back to recruiting men from the School of Blue Jade. You don’t have to stop at one. Even if you want to recruit three men, I will be able to resolve it for you. After all, the School of Blue Jade will be the one held responsible if anything happens. Yet now you’re trying to recruit a Loose Cultivator. I’m afraid the Manor Head might not agree to it once I report this to him. The Manor Head is not willing to recruit an unnecessary potential risk. This might be a little difficult."

Miao Yi thought— ‘How difficult can it be? When I was a Loose Cultivator, Yuan Zhengkun still resolved it for me just like that. Why do you need to be so careful?’ He threw her a smile, "Weiwei. This is the first time I’m asking you for a favor as a friend. What’s more, it’s not a serious matter either. You’re not going to deny me this much face, are you? The Manor Head is your adoptive father. If you really wanted to resolve it, I believe he wouldn’t make things too difficult for you."

One moment he called her Weiwei, and the next he called her a friend. Qin Weiwei was at an impasse, but what else could she do? She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes at him, but she didn’t reject him any further as she sighed, "Fine. After this, I will personally talk to the Manor Head about it. I believe it shouldn’t be too difficult. However, on the off-chance that there is a problem with this person, it will be difficult for you to escape responsibility as the one who recruited him. You best think it through."

‘That’s settled!’ Miao Yi chuckled, "It’s fine. Since I’m willing to take him in, I am prepared to take responsibility for it."

Qin Weiwei waved the jade archive in her hand and said, "To help resolve your matter, I still have to personally make a trip to South Edict Manor and convince the Manor Head. How are you going to thank me for it?"

"Isn’t it a little too hurtful to be talking about giving thanks amongst friends?"

"Since you think of me as an evil woman anyway, being hurtful one more time shouldn’t matter." Qin Weiwei looked like she was rather enjoying this, to actually be in the mood to crack jokes.

Miao Yi knew she was joking around, so he followed suit and teased, "What do you want from me as thanks. A mere Steed Deputy like myself can’t take out anything worth noting to thank you. You don’t expect me to repay you with my body, do you!?"

He never expected that Qin Weiwei would suddenly behave so serious and look like she was actually entertaining the idea. Then, she nodded. "I was just searching for a dual-cultivation partner. If you wish to repay me with your body, I don’t have any objections."