Seeing the golden flame, Lin Yijun felt as if facing a ferocious flood.

The people behind her immediately surrounded Lin Yijun, forming a protective circle.

“Elder Qin, please be careful with your hands… We trust you,” Lin Yijun said with a wry smile.

Qin Ruqing instantly extinguished the flame with a breath and withdrew her hand. “So, are you leaving now or not?”

Without a word, Lin Yijun summoned her Wind and Fire Wheel and mounted it.

The people behind her also summoned their flying artifacts.

As they prepared to leave, Lin Yijun maintained a courteous posture. “Elder Qin, farewell.”

Once this group flew away, Qin Ruqing climbed back onto her flying boat.

Tang Zifeng slowly started the boat, heading in the opposite direction of the waterfall, but this time without pulling a hundred and eighty yards.

Qi Rong curiously remarked, “Why does Lin Yijun seem quite reasonable? She seemed quite arrogant before, fitting the typical arrogant young lady character from the storybooks, usually used for rejecting Qin Aotian.”

Qin Ruqing was stunned by this remark. “Qirong, how many Qin Aotian storybooks have you read?”

“It’s a secret sister” Qirong replied

Qin Ruqing continued and explained, “She hasn’t been stupid enough. She knows my strength surpasses hers by more than one level, yet she dared to act so arrogantly. If it weren’t for Tang Biao, she wouldn’t have gained such fame in Xiling. Of course, Tang Biao is an exception.”

Qirong pondered her words quietly.

Unexpectedly, Tang Zifeng, who was usually silent, turned to her and asked, “Why didn’t you stuff something in her mouth this time?”

Wasn’t it said that anyone who posed a threat had something stuffed in their mouth?

Even if it wasn’t stuffed, there was still a solemn promise back then.

Qin Ruqing rubbed her chin.

Tang Zifeng’s words seemed both resentful and meaningful.

Even Luwei said, “Yeah, Qingqing, how did you let her go so easily this time?”

“Well, all of you seem to think I’m so bad. When I let someone go, none of you are used to it.”

Qin Ruqing sighed leisurely and lay at the stern of the boat, feeling the wind pass through her fingertips.

“Mainly because I’ve become stronger. Caution stems from weakness. Now that I’m a bit stronger, there are things I don’t need to fear so much.”

Before, she was always cautious, afraid of making a wrong move that could cost her life, because she was weak and even a casual cultivator could threaten her, so she had to resort to all sorts of means.

Now, letting Lin Yijun go easily was because she was confident that Lin Yijun couldn’t threaten her.

Even if she told the Lin Clan about this matter, she had a way to escape unscathed.

Qin Ruqing had this realization after defeating the young thunderbeast head-on before.

She might not be that strong yet. In the eyes of Fifth Lingyu and his assistant the Recorder, she was still weak.

But at the same time, she had gained a little bit of respect.

Qin Ruqing’s words left everyone on the flying boat lost in thought.

Just as they were about to ponder the meaning of her words, Qin Ruqing sat up straight, lightly clapped her palms together, and brightened her eyes.

“Moreover, I can’t always be a shrinking turtle! Pretending to be weak is not my style. Nanling City doesn’t know that the Qin Family has someone like me. This won’t do.

After we return home, I must make my presence known.

The Qin Family has produced a little genius! Yes! I’ll go to the Hundred Clan Conference under the banner of a little genius and then win the title of a great prodigy at the conference!”

“A family without geniuses isn’t a great family! If the Qin Family wants to grow stronger, we need the reputation of a genius! By then, Third Sister and Qirong will also gain fame…”

Qin Ruqing’s imagination ran wild, already envisioning the scene where her facade task would progress over halfway in an instant.

There was silence on the small boat.

Suddenly, Tang Zifeng cleared his throat and asked, “Is she always like this?”

Luwei nodded, “Always.”

No one could interrupt Qin Ruqing’s daydreams.

After finishing, she concluded, “We must quickly improve the strength of the whole team.”

“Qirong needs rare materials to forge the body, Tang Zifeng needs rare materials to refine tools, and Third Sister needs rare materials to refine pills. In summary, when we search for treasures, it’s time to rip off the secret realm!”

The two people from the Qin family were drawn crooked by her.

Qirong became excited.

“Where should we start?” Qin Ruqing said calmly, “Although there are many good things in this secret realm, the area is vast and not easy to find. But it’s okay, someone has already marked the place for us.”

Qin Ruqing took out a scroll.

Tang Zifeng and the others looked at the scroll. Lu Wei said, “Isn’t this the map of the Earth Fire Pool that the Xiling Director gave you? But didn’t the Earth Fire Pool collapse?”

In other words, that place is no longer of any use.

Qin Ruqing said it might not be. She rubbed her chin, “Yes, I have a strange feeling. This key isn’t just a key to a door, but a universal key…”

“A universal key?” Qi Rong asked.

“Oh, it means it can open all doors.”

Qin Ruqing took the scroll and studied it. “Some things remain unchanged. Tang Zifeng, what if we take these two pieces of jade from the scroll, refine them, and turn them into a key? Would that open all doors?”

Qin Ruqing’s words were metaphorical, suggesting using the two pieces of jade on the scroll creatively.

After all, they had seen these two pieces of jade in action before.

Tang Zifeng took the scroll, rubbing the jade at both ends, “I don’t know, but we can try.”

However, Lu Wei was concerned about something else, “Sister Qingqing, since some places have been restricted by the Celestial Family, wouldn’t it be unwise for us to enter and take things?”

Qin Ruqing sat cross-legged, very calm.

“First, this place is called Small Floating Island, a secret realm of Xiling, not a secret realm of the Xiling Celestial Family. It’s just managed by them.

When we enter the Small Floating Island, it’s completely regular and legal. If the Celestial Bureau didn’t say some places couldn’t be entered, why should we care?”

“Second, although the Celestial Family Office has great authority, it has always claimed neutrality among the noble families, only managing order without interfering in affairs.

Since they’ve set this rule and enjoyed the rights under it, they are also bound by this rule.

We, the Qin Family, are a legitimate noble family, not under their jurisdiction at all. Even if they want to interfere, we haven’t done anything wrong, so they have no reason.”

“Third,” Qin Ruqing suddenly smiled, “our Qin Family also has a beneficial cooperation with the Celestial Bureau . If Director Lingyu wants to make a name for himself in Xiling, he still needs to rely on our Qin Family.”

“The Celestial Family restricting territories and openly exploiting the blood of the noble families, and thinking it’s justified.

But now, we’re just taking a few things within the allowable rules, yet we’re timid and feel like we’re taking the Celestial Family’s things… This is completely brainwashed by authority!”

“Remember, we haven’t taken anything from the Celestial Family! Just because they drew a few circles saying this territory is theirs doesn’t make it theirs.

If the Celestial Bureau dares to question me, I’ll go ask them—dare they tell the world that the things in Small Floating Island belong to them, the Celestial Family?”

“So, as long as Tang Zifeng can refine the universal key for me, we can do this wave, should do this, must do this!”