Chapter 12

1

"The first and second places in this motorcycle race are both from The Chishin Academy, and the third and fourth places are from this year's 'dark horse' school - Qihai Academy. The fifth and sixth places are last year's champions, Nade Academy. Unfortunately, Saint Joya has been eliminated!"

As Qin Yin and I leisurely returned to the finish line and completed the unfinished track as a formality, I felt that this unnecessary act was to commemorate the past when motorcycle races were solely determined by skill and speed. As magic became integrated into human life, various things from the past changed unconsciously. However, humans always find ways to preserve things that should have long disappeared.

"Ah, finally, I don't have to listen to this damn host anymore! I hate him the most!"

"It's really strange, why do you have so much prejudice against that host?"

"I just simply don't like him. It's too biased to say it like that!" I said to Qin Yin.

On the way back, I wondered how I saw through Qin Yin's act. Although Qin Yin's disguise was very impressive, it still couldn't deceive Demon Dragon. When Demon Dragon's power and memories were sealed, the pure personality of Qin Yang appeared. But that was just one aspect of Demon Dragon, a Demon Dragon without past experiences. Occasionally, the seal would weaken, and Demon Dragon's power would partially reveal itself. The first thing that emerged was Demon Dragon's wildness, just like what happened with Xiao Qiong that day. However, after that brief period of time, those memories would be sealed away together with Demon Dragon's power.

When the seal on my eyes was lifted, the memories followed.

"If I can end that, would you still need to pretend to be a boy?"

"I joined the competition because of my father, but without it, I really don't have any reason to continue pretending."

"It will happen soon as you wish! I said that after today's race, I will talk to the elders. How did all the descendants of the Qin family die, okay?" Suddenly, I had a thought. In the past, I would have probably agreed with this idea, but now I started to think of others. Maybe it's because I am a descendant of Demon Dragon? Or...

"Or because of me?" Bai Leng suddenly said.

"Didn't you always think like that?"

"I did feel like I was being contaminated by you!"

"Hey! That's enough from you. I haven't said anything about you yet! Your messy sympathy could affect my judgment a lot."

"Then it means you're becoming a good person!"

"What exactly is a good person?"

"It's a difficult question to define!"

2

"Master!" Nofia suddenly pounced on me. The joy on her face was greater than winning the race, crazier too.

Nofia hugged me tightly and wrinkled my clothes. My clothes were very durable, but she managed to wrinkle them like this. She used too much strength.

"Hehe, let go first! If the camera catches us like this, that host will tease us again. Anyway, I can't run away." I lightly patted Nofia on the back.

"Xiaoyang, Qin Yin is really amazing. I was really worried just now."

"Yao, there's no need to worry!" I smiled at Xiao Yao.

"Do we need to celebrate?" With a face full of a radiant smile, we were currently in first place, maintaining at least the second place until the end.

"I will go with everyone's wishes!" Looking at everyone, I sought their opinion. Nofia was still clinging to me, being very clingy. Is this the kind of girl that I have always anticipated? Is it the current me or Bai?

"Let's have a barbecue! On the large terrace of the hotel at the racecourse, the barbecue there must be delightful!" This was one of the rare occasions where Nofia made a decision herself. Usually, she would wait for my orders. Is the view from that terrace really that beautiful?

"Any objections?"

Seemingly, everyone had no objections. Since that was the case, before discussing life with the elders, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy ourselves. After all, the pressure of preparing for the upcoming competition in just a week's time was a bit overwhelming.

3

As for the barbecue materials and such, the hotel has made arrangements. As long as our requests are not too demanding, they are obligated to fulfill them. This is one of the privileges bestowed upon the teams that made it to the competition.

Everything is complete and comfortable on this terrace. It is connected to the room where Wenxin rested before. This is basically the highest point of the hotel. The terrace used to overlook the lake, as the imperial capital, it was built around the lake. The center of the lake is the Imperial Palace - Zisheng City - which is a magnificent architectural complex, resplendent in gold and jade. It took a lot of manpower and resources to build it. However, these buildings were accumulated by generations of kings and were not constructed with a large sum of money in an instant.

Moreover, the air seems even better at this height, truly pleasant. However, it's curious that the hotel actually provided us with a charcoal stove. Using coal for barbecue is quite outdated. It feels a bit disconnected from this era, especially considering the hotel's already very ancient architecture.

"I didn't expect to see that place here."

Li Liu's last name has always been Zi. She was born in the Imperial Palace but left alone without any nostalgia. It really doesn't hold up. No matter how aloof one's outward appearance is, emotions are always present. Emotions are something that cannot be divorced from anything in the Three Realms.

"Have you ever thought of going back?" I looked into Li Liu's eyes, which never left that place.

"No..."

"Don't lie!"

Li Liu hesitated for a moment and reluctantly said, "Yes."

"If you want to go back, then just go!" I pointed to the gate of Zisheng Palace. "Just apologize with a single sentence! You can return inside the gates again."

"Do you think that after I left there, going through such hardships to find you, was a mistake?"

Li Liu's eyebrows furrowed, and her sensitive antennae as a young girl never relaxed.

"Whether it was a mistake or not, let's just say that I apologize for the people who worried about you, okay?" Only an idiot would say that this was a mistake. Clearly, it was digging a hole for oneself!

"The emperor is more concerned about his country than his daughter."

Li Liu turned to join the army of barbecuers without looking at the huge "house" where she had lived for over a decade.

"It's a bit sour!" I smiled behind her.

I watched as the girls grilled their food diligently, picked up a cup of drink from the table, and walked into a room. The terrace connected not only to Wenxin's room but also Elena's room.

Originally, I was just looking for a place to rest, but I saw Elena huddled in front of the dressing table alone. Her golden hair was messy, and her face had a faint sense of melancholy. The table was cluttered with all sorts of things.

"Wasn't this celebration your idea?" Strictly speaking, this was a gathering, and Elena was the host. How could the host be so listless and unable to create a lively atmosphere?

"Oh, it's just that I'm a bit tired!"

"Or maybe you'll feel energetic when you see someone else." I sat down on the bed and handed myself over to Bai. What Elena wanted to see was Bai, not me.