"What happened after that?"
Qin Shi's heart ached for Qin Xue Xin's past.
Qin Xue Xin's expression was devoid of color. She took a deep breath and her eyes were unfocused. "My family passed away. When I was young, I experienced the warmth and coldness of the human world. However, those people pretended to pity me because they wanted to gain benefits or beauty from me.
"I was betrayed by the world again and again. However, just when I thought that there was no hope, I met my adoptive parents.
They were an old couple, but they didn't have any children, so they adopted me as their own daughter. "Qin Xuexin's words were full of sorrow.
Qin Xue Xin clenched her fists tightly. At that moment, her beautiful eyes flashed with tears. "In my adoptive parents' home, I felt the warmth of the human world again. After experiencing the human world for three years, I gradually untied the knot in my heart."
"That year, I was ten years old." Qin Xue Xin's voice was weak.
Qin Shi was slightly stunned. Logically speaking, this should be something worth celebrating. However, he had a feeling that it was not as simple as it seemed. Especially when he saw the tears in Qin Xue Xin's eyes. He furrowed his brows. "Where are they now?"
As expected, Qin Xue Xin choked. After a long time, she let her tears fall freely. "They … they … they're dead!"
"Dead?"
Qin Shi's heart skipped a beat.
Qin Xue Xin bit her red lips in grief. "Yes. Just when I untied the knot in my heart, I thought that I could live happily with my adoptive parents for the rest of my life. However, I didn't expect that … the group of people in blood-red robes would destroy the peace of my life once again.
They were like executioners who took away my happiness once again. "
Clang!
Qin Shi's heart skipped a beat. He widened his eyes in disbelief. "They killed your adoptive parents?"
Hearing this, Qin Xue Xin's body trembled and she nodded with tears streaming down her face.
That kind of sorrow made her want to die. "I'll never forget the scene of my adoptive parents screaming hysterically at me as they lay in a pool of blood in front of me. I've never repaid them … I'm the one who harmed them …"
"I'm the one who harmed them …"
Choked with sobs echoed in the cave.
Qin Shi was shocked. Originally, he thought that Qin Xue Xin's family had been destroyed because of a mortal enemy seeking revenge. But how could he explain this second time?
Who were those people in blood-red robes?
What was the purpose of it?
How could he be so cruel, causing a weak girl to experience life and death so many times?
Without waiting for him to speak, Qin Xue Xin pursed her red lips and said, "After that, for ten years, every time I opened my heart and revealed my true feelings, the people around me would suffer the revenge of those people. I was just like the rumors, a lone star …"
Qin Shi fell silent.
At this moment, he realized that he had underestimated Qin Xue Xin. How much courage did it take for a girl to persevere and survive in such a sorrowful situation?
This kind of courage was even more admirable than asking her to die.
After listening to Qin Xue Xin's past, Qin Shi clenched his fists tightly. He finally realized how guilty he was. "How inhumane am I … How could I be so cruel …"
"How could I bear to expose this girl in front of me so cruelly and without any regard for the consequences? The scar that makes her feel like it's being cut by a knife just by thinking about it …" For some reason, Qin Shi actually had the urge to protect this girl in front of him.
At this moment, he finally understood Qin Xue Xin's words.
If she knew that she would lose him, why bother to get to know him? She would only become a stranger.
It turned out that these words were not unintentional. On the contrary, it was a more direct description of Qin Xue Xin's inner desire for love and her helplessness toward her own fate.
"So, she always forced me and told me that she didn't need anyone's help because she didn't want to implicate me?"
Thinking of his misunderstanding of Qin Xue Xin, he lowered his head in self-reproach. "So, I've wronged her."
In the cave, a cold breeze blew.
"My heart died a long time ago. I will never open my heart that has been frozen for a thousand years to anyone again." These words seemed to be muttering to himself, spat out Qin Xue's heart in a depressed manner.
Qin Shi hesitated for a moment. "I think, maybe there's someone who can untie the knot in your heart."
"Maybe … but at least not now …" Qin Xue Xin's voice was very lovable.
As she said this, she glanced at Qin Shi. Her clear and beautiful eyes flashed with an indescribable light. "Maybe one day in the future, when I can kill those people in blood-red robes with my own hands, there's one person who I hope will walk into my heart."
Coincidentally, his eyes met with Qin Xue Xin's. Qin Shi was a little confused.
He was not sure if this person was talking about him.
He looked around and suddenly stood up. He grabbed Qin Xue Xin and pulled her to the entrance of the cave. He said, "Silly girl, don't be blinded by hatred. Don't we live for that little bit of human kindness?"
"Some people say that on the path of cultivation, one must cut off the seven emotions and the six desires."
When he spoke up to this point, Qin Shi laughed brilliantly. "However, I, Qin Shi, don't think so. The reason why I wield the sword and cultivate is to protect the people I want to protect. If I can't even do that, then what's the point of living with my cultivation?"
Qin Xue Xin's body trembled slightly. "But, I'm a lonely star."
"Nonsense. You're so beautiful. If you're a lonely star, what will happen if I'm ugly and crooked?
Don't tell me I've become some Demon of the Netherworld? "Shrugging his shoulders indifferently, Qin Shi smiled at Qin Xue Xin.
Pfft!
Finally, her stiff face was amused by Qin Shi's words.
"Hey, don't move!" At this time, Qin Shi suddenly shouted.
His shout startled Qin Xue Xin. She froze on the spot and asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"
"Don't move. It's just like this."
Qin Shi raised his hands. His thumbs and index fingers were facing each other, forming a rectangular frame. He looked at Qin Xue Xin's expression. Then, he put his hands on his chest and laughed. "It's rare to see you smile. Of course, I have to record it down. In this way, if you show me a bitter face next time, I'll have something to rely on."
Looking at Qin Shi's actions, Qin Xue Xin covered her face and laughed. "Sometimes, you're really frivolous."
"Haha, I have a younger sister who always says the same thing about me."
Looking at that sweet smile, Qin Shi's heart was moved. At this moment, he didn't know how he felt about Qin Xue Xin.
But he knew that his heart was throbbing like never before. "Smile more in the future."
Qin Xue Xin didn't reply. She just nodded.
Qin Shi laughed happily. Then, he suddenly became serious. He pointed at the clouds above the valley and said, "Xue Xin, look at the sky. No matter how thick the fog is, there will be a day when it will be blown away by the strong wind and the blue sky will appear again."
After saying this, he turned around and faced Qin Xuexin, "I believe that your heart is the same. Life is about love and loyalty, and you can't be lonely for too long."
After saying this, he patted his chest. "If it's possible, I hope that I'll be the one to walk into your heart. I'll be the one to use my fiery warmth to thaw your heart."
"I don't want to wait. I want to do it now."
Qin Shi said sincerely, "We're friends, right?"
The word 'friends' stunned Qin Xue Xin. This was too heavy for her.
She lowered her head. After a while, she said, "Aren't you afraid of me?
You'll lose your life if you become friends with me … "
"What's there to be afraid of?
If I'm afraid, I would've thrown you into the blood lake, silly girl. "
Unexpectedly, Qin Shi scolded loudly. Then, he patted Qin Xue Xin's shoulder and said, "Alright, I've almost become a psychologist. To be honest, I can only show off in front of you. If there's a chance, I'll introduce a few of my friends to you. They're all experts in relationships. They can cure all kinds of illnesses …"
"Okay!"
This time, Qin Xue Xin didn't reject him.
"Hiss …" At this time, Qin Shi stood for a long time. The wound on his back was affected. His facial features twisted and he sucked in a breath of cold air.
Seeing this, Qin Xue Xin quickly went forward to support Qin Shi. Then, she helped Qin Shi to sit down in the cave and treated the wound on his back.
Feeling the warmth, Qin Shi suddenly realized that this seemingly ice-cold girl was actually an extremely petite little woman. Although she had only lived for less than twenty years and had suffered the hardships of the world, she was still an inexperienced little girl when it came to feelings.
But it was this naivety that made Qin Shi's desire to protect her even stronger.
"Xue Xin …"
"My name is Qin Xue Xin …"
"…" Before Qin Shi could finish his words, he was interrupted by Qin Xue Xin. She was speechless. "Didn't I just say that we're friends?"
"But … But, Xue Xin is such an intimate name. Isn't it only used by lovers?" Qin Xue Xin lowered her head shyly.
Qin Shi was speechless. "Bah! What kind of logic is that?
Then, calling me Stone is even more intimate. A group of men call me Stone. If I have a relationship like yours, then wouldn't there be a problem with my sexual orientation? "
"Then …"
"Then, it's Xue Xin."
Not giving Qin Xue Xin a chance to finish her words, Qin Shi interrupted and changed the topic. "By the way, did you trap yourself under the Passionless Cliff to seal your emotions?"
"No."
"Five years ago, Master took me in and invited me to join the Blue Snow Sect," Qin Xue Xin shook her head and said, "Now, I'm the Spiritual Lady of the Blue Snow Sect."
"Blue Snow Sect?"
Qin Shi narrowed his eyes. He had never heard of this sect. "Which region of the Blazing Flame Empire is this sect from?"
"How can the Blue Snow Sect be controlled by a big empire like the Crimson Flame Empire?"
Speaking of this, Qin Xue Xin gradually restrained her sadness and said, "I'm afraid the outer sect of the Blue Snow Sect alone can flatten the Crimson Flame Empire without any effort!"
"Hiss …"
Qin Shi gasped. "Are you kidding?"
"I won't lie to you."
Unexpectedly, Qin Xue Xin looked at Qin Shi seriously. "That place is at a height that you can't reach even if you look up at it now …"
Hearing this, Qin Shi became serious.
He could clearly see the sincerity in Qin Xue Xin's eyes.
He knew that Qin Xue Xin didn't lie to him.
"Can't reach it?"
Licking his chapped lips, Qin Shi thought to himself, "Even if it's above the clouds, sooner or later, I will step on the clouds and go there." Thinking of this, he said, "Spiritual Lady of the Blue Snow Sect, does that mean?
You must be very powerful? "