"Hahaha, to think this little lass would call me a chivalrous knight—how amusing! This is the first time anyone has ever said such a thing about me. How very interesting indeed."
Shao Yan's eyes gleamed with intrigue.
"Well then, since the little lady sees me as a man of gallant virtue, I suppose I must live up to the title, mustn't I?"
Gu Qingli's eyes lit up instantly. Her long, graceful phoenix-like gaze now shimmered like stars in the night sky.
Even Sun Jie and Gu Zhan were visibly delighted, all eyes turning to Shao Yan in anticipation.
"It's quite simple, really," Shao Yan said with a smile. "I've seen the girl's performance with my own eyes. If her strength is on par with a Nine-Star Martial Warrior, there's no reason she cannot hold her own in a duel. Thus, having her join the Snow Tiger Regiment and represent them in battle seems the most fitting solution."
Though spoken with an easy smile, Shao Yan's words left Gu Zhan and Sun Jie utterly dumbfounded.
A flicker of thought crossed Gu Qingli's eyes. Ordinarily, she would have stayed clear of such entanglements. But now, it was obvious that Vice Commander Qi had marked both her and her father with malice.
Once she departed for Fengyun Saint Academy, there was no telling what trouble Qi might stir for her father.
Besides, she harbored genuine fondness for the men of the Snow Tiger Regiment.
And she knew Shao Yan would never speak without purpose. If he proposed such a course, he surely had the confidence to back it.
"P-President, this is absurd! Little Li is still just a child! I'll go in her place!"
Gu Zhan immediately protested. How could he possibly allow his daughter to take such a risk? He would sooner stake his life than let her come to harm.
At that moment, all he could see was her tender age—forgetting entirely that her strength had already surpassed his own.
"Yes, she's no match for that bastard Qi," Sun Jie added in agreement.
But Shao Yan merely offered a cryptic smile and turned his gaze to Gu Qingli. In his heart, he knew—this girl, not yet thirteen, was the true decision-maker here.
Her name was known to all in Loulan City. Once deemed the good-for-nothing sixth miss of the Gu family, ridiculed for being a useless waste, she somehow earned the favor of Dongfang Kunlun and became his disciple.
Even Shao Yan had heard the tales. People dismissed her fortune as blind luck—but he had always wondered: would a man of Dongfang Kunlun's stature be so easily fooled?
That question was answered when Fengyun Saint Academy came to recruit.
The girl's talent was undeniable. To bear the name of "trash" for nearly a decade without ever wavering—such strength of will was beyond the reach of ordinary souls.
Even Shao Yan, if he searched his own heart, doubted whether he could have endured the same.
"President Uncle, do you perhaps have some secret method to help me increase my strength—to make it equal to that of Vice Commander Qi?"
Gu Qingli tilted her delicate, fair face upward, her sweet smile hiding a glint of cunning mischief.
"Eh?"
Both Gu Zhan and Sun Jie turned wide-eyed toward Shao Yan.
Shao Yan gave a helpless chuckle. This little fox…
He hadn't spelled it out, and yet she had seen through him so quickly. Now that she had spoken aloud, regardless of whether he had truly intended it, pride alone would compel him to follow through.
Such cunning, for one so young—she was no ordinary twelve-year-old. But this only deepened Shao Yan's admiration and trust.
"You're absolutely right, little one. That was exactly my plan," he said lightly.
Once again, Gu Zhan and Sun Jie were left utterly speechless.