When Li Cao heard this, he was taken aback, and hesitated: "What did the eldest lady say just now?"

Zhao Ting said bluntly: "Do you like me? In the mountains, you didn't care about life and death, and blocked a nonsense knife for me, I am very grateful to you." ”

Li Cao was a little entangled for a while, but then smiled calmly, "Of course I like the eldest lady, who doesn't like you?"

Zhao Ting said: "I'm not talking about this liking, but the affection between men and women. ”

Li Cao faced such a straightforward question, he didn't know what to do, he wanted to deny it but he was unwilling, and he wanted to admit that he was ashamed of himself.

Zhao Ting smiled and said, "Forget it, let's say it, if I say it wrong, don't mind." ”

Li Cao shook her head.

Zhao Ting continued: "I was born in a royal family, and I have lived a luxurious life since I was a child. And I have the grace of my father, I don't have to follow the red tape of everyone's ladies, I like sword riding and shooting, so my father will find someone to teach me, and even let me command the army. Fortunately, I was taken by the dean at a glance and accepted me as a student, although I was not a disciple, but I was also taught. Do you think I'm a combination of heaven and earth, and I'm naturally carefree?"

Li Cao nodded silently.

Zhao Ting sighed: "It's a pity that this is not the case, although my talent is stronger than my father's, but it is not much stronger, so I need to collect strange fruits and refine pills to help me practice." Even so, the teacher said that I would cultivate to the peak of the Cheng Dan realm at most in the future, and if I wanted to break through to the Dan transfer realm, it would depend on the will of heaven. I know that the Cheng Dan Realm is out of reach and coveted by many cultivators, and it can be regarded as a hegemon. However, in this continent, there are too many strong people, and the Cheng Dan Realm is nothing at all. For a dynasty, enemies are inevitable, and if they find a stronger backer, it is not impossible for the Great Yan Kingdom to be destroyed in an instant. As the princess of Yanguo, I have the responsibility to protect my ancestors and make the society last forever. Even if you give everything, you don't hesitate to do it, you know what I mean?"

Li Cao's heart was a little confused, and he couldn't figure out Zhao Ting's mind for a while, so he shook his head.

Zhao Ting explained: "The Great Yan Dynasty once allied with the surrounding countries and wanted to carve up my Yan Kingdom, but my father accepted the teacher's proposal for the sake of this country, forcibly improved his realm cultivation, and cut off the upward path. Although according to the teacher, with the qualifications of his father, he would reach the Chengdan realm at most, but for the practitioners, there will inevitably be unwillingness in their hearts. Later, for the sake of the alliance, my father accepted the marriage and married my mother, but fortunately they were a loving husband and wife, and the marriage was happy. But things are unpredictable, and my mother died young, leaving us father and daughter. Part of my father's reluctance to let me be wronged was my mother's deathbed will. From childhood to adulthood, my father will rely on me for everything, and only let me remember one thing, as the royal family of Yan Kingdom, I will have an unshirkable responsibility for this country. Like my father, I can die on the battlefield. If you have no choice but to marry for the sake of Yanguo. ”

Li Cao finally reacted and understood what Zhao Ting meant, but he didn't give up and asked, "As a student of the dean of the Wangu Yudao Academy, do others dare to bully?"

Zhao Ting said with a smile: "What kind of identity does the dean have, how can he come forward to take care of these small things? In fact, the academy generally does not interfere in the affairs of the outside world, and some people enter the academy and mix up their identities, which can only bluff people who don't know." ”

Li Cao's mind was confused, and he didn't know what to say again.

Zhao Ting said bluntly: "If you like me, then I can only tell you that you love wrong, I don't deserve it." In the future you will meet a good girl and live happily. ”

Li Cao knew that she was delusional, but at least she had a little extravagance, and when Zhao Ting said that the two were not suitable, her heart tightened, her mind went blank instantly, and she couldn't speak.

Zhao Ting took out two piles of things from the storage ring, "This is the reward for you and Zhenlin, some spirit stones, pills, and five hundred taels of silver per person, just in case you need them." Not much, I hope it will help you. Okay, I'm leaving. ”

Li Cao was sent out in a daze.

When she arrived at the gate of the courtyard, Zhao Ting stopped, turned around, and smiled: "We will still be good friends in the future?"

Li Caomu nodded.

Zhao Ting sighed secretly, turned around and left the courtyard, her heart was also heavy, Li Cao had a gentle temperament, was righteous, and was a very good friend. However, she never thought about it, and always regarded Zu Zhenlin and Li Cao as brothers who had survived the tribulation together, until Li Cao ignored life and death and blocked a knife for her, which made her aware of it. At first, she still thought that Li Cao valued love and righteousness, and stuck a knife in her friend's ribs. But when I recalled the bits and pieces when I got along, I understood my mind.

Zhao Ting has long realized that her marriage is just a sacrifice, and her role is to find a backer for Yan Guo, it's just a matter of when, and her only extravagant hope is to look forward to the good luck of her father. Therefore, he didn't want to delay his friends, so he made up his mind to come to Li Cao to explain it clearly and let him give up his feelings for himself.

In fact, after Li Cao blocked the knife, she understood his intentions, and Zhao Ting was also a little moved, if her husband was like Li Cao, she would be satisfied. It's a pity that Li Cao's talent is not high, his strength is limited, and he has nothing to do.

After making it clear, although they are still friends, if there is an estrangement, they will be separated, and they will gradually drift apart.

---

Li Cao watched Zhao Ting go away, and raised her hand weakly, wanting to keep it, but unfortunately she didn't know how to speak. Returning to the small courtyard, he sat on the stone bench, with no strength and disillusionment, and he didn't know what to do for a while.

His mind flowed, and he suddenly thought that if his strength met Zhao Ting's requirements, he would be amused, and he was amused by his own thoughts, and he was a fool.

Before you know it, it's dusk, and the sunset is brilliant on the horizon.

When Lin Xi returned, he found Li Cao sitting in the courtyard in a daze, and there were still things piled up on the table.

"Big brother, Miss Zhao came to you today, just to give you these things? This is the reward for you and your second brother's efforts, right?" Lin Xi asked with a smile.

Li Cao knew that someone was coming back, but he didn't make a sound, and when he heard the question, he said weakly: "Yes." ”

Lin Xi said enviously: "Miss Zhao is righteous enough, she has given so many things." I'm also very careful, and the bottle containing the pill is written with the name and purpose. ”

Li Cao nodded, "By the way, you can see if you need anything, just take it." ”

Lin Xi shook his head and said: "I don't need it, it's useless, this is what you have worked hard to get, how can I be embarrassed?"

Li Cao said: "It's okay, brothers are polite to each other, help each other." ”

Lin Xi politely refused, "I really don't need it, I don't have anything to do, I don't need these things in the academy, big brother, you can put them away." ”

Li Cao didn't want to move, "Let's wait for the second brother to come back." ”

Lin Xi finally noticed Li Cao's strange appearance, felt a little sluggish, and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Big brother, are you okay?"

Li Cao came back to his senses and said with a smile: "It's okay, don't worry, it's just that I've been a little tired recently, and after sleeping, I still feel a little sleepy, and I have to sleep again later." ”

Lin Xi suddenly said: "In this way, then I am relieved, I thought something happened to you, big brother." In that case, I'll go back to the house first. ”

Li Cao nodded.

The moon is on the treetops, and the breeze is blowing.

Zu Zhenlin returned to the school and saw Li Cao sitting in the courtyard in a daze, motionless, he couldn't help but be stunned, and asked, "Big brother, what are you doing?"

Li Cao came back to her senses, cheered up, and said with a smile: "Wait for you, Miss Zhao came to give us a reward today, and we will all share it." ”

Zu Zhen Lin said happily: "Yes, when did you come? I went out early, but I didn't touch it, has her pill been refined?"

Li Cao hesitated: "Uh...... She didn't say anything, she came in a hurry, put down her things, and left without a few words, it should not be okay. ”

Zu Zhenlin said regretfully: "In this way, I still want to open my eyes and see what the refined pill looks like, it seems that there is no chance." ”

As he spoke, he put away the spirit stones and pills one by one, and when he saw the silver, he wondered, "How can there be any silver?"

Li Cao explained: "It should be the eldest lady who paid for us herself to express her gratitude in case of emergency." ”

"Miss Zhao is too polite. By the way, big brother, you didn't get up early to go out today, is it that the formation has already been made up?" Zu Zhenlin asked curiously.

Li Cao said softly: "Well, it has been researched, and the power is not bad." ”

Zu Zhenlin said happily: "Yes, can you try it here?"

Li Cao was embarrassed: "Don't you, I'm afraid that if you don't control it well, you will destroy the yard." And now in the dead of night, many people are asleep, and it is not good to disturb them. Oh, Lin Xi has already gone back to the house to rest, and activating the array paper will definitely wake him up. ”

Zu Zhenlin didn't insist, "That's it, then forget it, I'll watch it when the time is right." ”

Zu Zhenlin stared at Li Cao suddenly, looking up and down.

Li Cao asked in a weak heart, "What's wrong?

Zu Zhenlin said with concern: "Does the eldest brother have anything on his mind? Why is he listless and sluggish today? Did Miss Zhao tell you something?"

Li Cao didn't want to worry about it, so he denied: "No, I may have been too tired a few days ago and haven't recovered yet, so I don't seem to be very energetic." ”

Zu Zhenlin said: "No, you are not tired, but your heart is not high. Otherwise, if you research a new formation, you will definitely be excited and happy to talk about it. Has Miss Zhao found the murderer who slaughtered the village? Is it too strong for us to take revenge? Or is the clue cut off, and she can't find the person behind it?"

Li Cao didn't expect Zu Zhenlin to think of this problem, so he said wrongly: "She said that she is still investigating, but all the people involved committed suicide, and it is indeed difficult to find out the truth, so I am a little depressed." ”

Zu Zhenlin had no choice but to comfort: "Big brother, let's look away, the murderers have been ambushed, if you can't find the mastermind behind the scenes, don't drill the horns, it will affect the state of mind of cultivation." ”

Li Cao reminded: "You are the same. ”