Trust Brought By Intuition

“It’s very simple—because you have both the ring and the bangle, you little fry.”

Yi Ziling was quite perplexed by this circular reasoning. “Huh? Even if I happen to have both, that doesn’t prove I’m a successor, does it? I still don’t get it.”

“Ugh, you have so many questions. Luckily for you, this young miss is kind-hearted and willing to explain. Let me ask you, how did you come by these two items?”

Yi Ziling answered immediately, “The ring was a gift from my parents, and the jade bangle was a birthday present from Brother Dashan. What about it?”

Lin Youning reclined in mid-air, adopting the air of a wise old master. “Think about it. These two treasures are the crowning jewels of the Frost Plum Valley. From the highest elder to the lowest servant, everyone would protect them with their lives. Because as long as these treasures exist, the most important heritage of the Sect Leader exists. Even if the Frost Plum Valley was destroyed by the Demonic Path while I was asleep, rebuilding the sect would be a simple matter as long as these two items are present.”

She paused, her expression turning serious. “If the Demonic Path had obtained them, they would have stopped at nothing to destroy them or claim them for themselves. In either case, I wouldn’t be sitting here chatting with you so leisurely. The fact that you obtained them so easily, and that I can talk to you here unharmed, proves you are absolutely not of the Demonic Path.”

“Since you aren’t evil and managed to gather both items so effortlessly, I can’t think of any possibility other than you being a descendant of a branch of the Frost Plum Valley left in this world.”

Yi Ziling thought it over and asked, “But what if I only got these through some incredible coincidence?”

“Then it means you and I are fated,” Lin Youning replied dismissively. “Please, there are no such coincidences in this world that would allow you to perfectly collect both treasures by pure luck.”

“What if someone stole these treasures from the Frost Plum Valley?” Yi Ziling pressed.

Lin Youning shot back with a question of her own: “Do you think your ancestors were that powerful? I saw clearly when I went out earlier—your house is quite small. If your ancestors had the strength to snatch treasures from the Frost Plum Valley, would you still be living in such a tiny place?”

“But…”

“No more ‘buts’! You talk too much,” Lin Youning interrupted. “As the previous Sect Leader, how could I possibly misidentify a successor of the Frost Plum Valley? Stop questioning me, you fry.”

Lin Youning’s words sounded utterly unreasonable, but they were merely polite lies used to hoodwink Yi Ziling. The reality was that Lin Youning didn’t actually care whether Yi Ziling was a true successor or not.

Her current situation was dire: the Frost Plum Valley was missing, and the magic power within the ring had completely vanished. The only person she could rely on was this naive “heroine” she had just met.

Fortunately, even in their short time together, Lin Youning could sense an incredibly pure kindness radiating from Yi Ziling. Someone with such pure kindness could never be a bad person, Lin Youning thought. Back when she was the Sect Leader, she would have shortlisted Yi Ziling as a candidate based on that kindness alone.

In such a disastrous situation, meeting someone like Yi Ziling upon waking up was a blessing among misfortunes. Whether Yi Ziling was a true descendant didn’t matter—what mattered was that she had the qualities to become one. And as the previous Sect Leader, if she said Yi Ziling was the successor, who would dare to disagree?

Yi Ziling had no way of knowing Lin Youning’s inner calculations. Seeing how confident the girl was, she saw no point in further questioning.

“Since you’re so sure, Sister, I won’t ask anymore.”

“What’s with this ‘Sister’ business? Don’t use that kind of address. I’ll tell you one more time: call me ‘Sister Lin’.”

Yi Ziling asked timidly, “Then, Sister Lin… could you stop calling me a ‘fry’? I don’t really look like a fish.”

Lin Youning let out a soft chuckle. “Fine. Since you’re being obedient, I’ll listen to you just this once. Tell me, how do you want me to call you?”

“Um, just call me ‘Xiao Yi.’ That’s what all my friends call me.”

“Xiao Yi?” Lin Youning repeated the name to herself. “A bit of a strange way to say it, but since it’s what you want, so be it.”

Watching the loli-like “older sister” floating around, Yi Ziling couldn’t help but smile. Despite the short time, she could clearly feel that Lin Youning trusted her. Yi Ziling had encountered this often; for some reason, people tended to trust her instinctively upon their first meeting. She had asked Meng Shan about it once, and his reply was: “It’s simple: because you are cute. You are incredibly cute, both in appearance and in soul.”

She hadn’t quite understood what he meant, but she liked the feeling of being trusted, so she hadn’t asked further.

Thinking of this, Yi Ziling instinctively asked, “Sister Lin, am I really that cute?”

Hearing the question, Lin Youning floated in front of her and examined her closely. Although Yi Ziling was sixteen, her constitution left her at just over 1.4 meters tall with a slender, petite frame. She was completely undeveloped—flat in the front and back, lacking any of the budding curves of a young woman. She possessed only the tender, sprout-like delicacy of a loli.

However, paired with her adorable face, waist-length hair, and timid personality, she was the very picture of a soft, lovable little loli.

Looking at Yi Ziling’s soft appearance, Lin Youning compared it to herself. Same flat chest, same short stature, same waist-length hair, and the same exquisite facial features. The only difference was that Lin Youning’s life experiences were richer; she had a bit less childishness and a bit more maturity and heroic spirit.

“Hmm~” After a careful inspection, Lin Youning said, “You are indeed quite cute—almost as cute as I used to be. So? Why are you asking that?”

“…Uh, nothing.” Yi Ziling was momentarily tongue-tied; she didn’t know why she had blurted it out.

Quickly changing the subject, she asked, “Sister Lin, is there anything you need to do next?”

“Things to do? There’s plenty.” Lin Youning began to calculate in her mind.

First, she needed to find out what happened to the Frost Plum Valley. As a sect that once shook the world, even if it vanished, it had to have left some traces. Second, if the sect was truly gone, then as the previous leader, she bore the heavy responsibility of rebuilding it. And right now, all she could rely on was her weakened self and Yi Ziling, whom she had only just met.

This is just terrible.

Lin Youning sighed and asked, “Xiao Yi, do you know anyone around here who is well-informed? I need to ask about the Frost Plum Valley.”

“Someone well-informed?” Yi Ziling thought for a moment. “There is someone. Brother Dashan is very well-informed.”

“Is that the man who gave you the jade bangle?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“Mm, a very, very good older brother. He’s also an elder who takes great care of me.”

“Is that so… a good person?” After muttering to herself, Lin Youning said, “Xiao Yi, listen well. When you see him later, do not mention my existence.”

Yi Ziling asked in confusion, “Why can’t I tell Brother Dashan? If he knows about you, he’ll definitely help.”

“Because I cannot trust a stranger.”

“But you trusted me.”

“It’s different.” Lin Youning shook her head. “You are special. Because you are the heir to the Frost Plum Valley, I trust you. But that man named Meng Shan—who knows what kind of person he really is? I won’t trust him.”

Hearing this, Yi Ziling pouted. “But Brother Dashan really is a very, very good person.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just listen to me.”

To be honest, Lin Youning’s refusal to reveal her existence was highly suspicious. An entity that can attach itself to another person and share their senses—it’s hard not to suspect the possibility of “Body Snatching.”

If Lin Youning had attached herself to a seasoned veteran like Meng Shan or Liang Jiuyi, they would have found a way to peel her off within the next second and interrogated her until she confessed what she ate for breakfast when she was one year old. Even girls like Bai Ai’an or Jiang Yunshu, though less experienced, would have immediately notified their seniors to let the adults handle it.

But the person here was Yi Ziling—a Magical Girl who was perhaps a bit too kind.

However, Yi Ziling wasn’t blindly trusting Lin Youning. Over the past decade, whenever she faced a difficult decision, her intuition always gave her the right answer. This time, her gut told her that Lin Youning wasn’t a bad person.

As she always did, Yi Ziling chose to trust her intuition and hide Lin Youning’s existence. Objectively speaking, this decision was unwise in many ways. But sometimes, such “irrational” choices can lead to the most unexpected rewards.