Chapter 0: 41. Manifestation of Dharma Form, Zhao Xinting
The Gentleman Sword’s true name was Qin Gou, and his Natal Spirit Tool bore a striking resemblance to the infamous Demon Master Qin Gou. Was it a coincidence? Of course, it was a coincidence.
Only a madman would believe that a Demon Master Ancestor at the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm would travel to Das Province, bored, to pretend to be the ‘Gentleman Sword’ and perform acts of righteousness that such an ancestor would absolutely abhor.
If one were to ask why the Demon Master Ancestor hated acts of righteousness, one need only look at the deeds of his disciples.
Judging by the conduct of those demonic titans, it was obvious at a glance what kind of temper and personality Demon Master Qin Gou himself possessed. Compared to that demonic titan, the Gentleman Sword before them was as innocent and adorable as a little lamb. He had just earnestly apologized to everyone for his mistake, truly a rare and kind young man.
As soon as he stepped off the combat arena, Jiang Yongming, drenched in cold sweat, eagerly approached Qin Gou and asked with lingering fear, “Gentleman Sword, tell me, you weren’t really at the Hidden Weapon Realm, were you? You hid your strength from the start, wanting to make a stunning debut and catch me, this idiot, off guard. These were all your stratagems, weren’t they?”
Qin Gou smiled and nodded, “Yes, everything you said is correct. It was all within my calculations. Otherwise, how could someone at the Hidden Weapon Realm unleash such power just now?”
Hearing this, Jiang Yongming finally breathed a sigh of relief, revealing a bitter smile of one who had narrowly escaped death. He cupped his fists and said, “Even if I hadn’t been careless, I’m afraid I still wouldn’t have been a match for the Gentleman Sword. I was outmatched, and I accept my defeat wholeheartedly.”
Qin Gou suddenly noticed that the referee beside him seemed to have been staring at him for a long time. He knew that this referee was from the Heaven’s Substitution Sect and should also be aware of his transcendent status within the sect. Thus, he gave him a very slight nod.
A deep reverence welled up in the referee’s eyes as he tried to calm the storm within his heart and the heartache… The Protective Grand Array was quite expensive.
Returning to Li Yuanzhen’s side, before Qin Gou could speak, the Little Gambler said with lingering fear, “It seems my previous worries were all for naught. Even in your current state, you can still freely use the Kunpeng Fan? However, pulling out such a powerful weapon so suddenly almost scared me to death.”
Qin Gou didn’t offer much explanation. Instead, he amplified his voice with spiritual power and said to everyone present, “I’ve noticed that many spectators came specifically to see me, Qin Gou. I truly cannot bear to disappoint you. So, after much thought, I’ve made a decision. If I can take first place in this Hero Gathering and achieve final victory, I will temporarily remove my mask and reveal myself to you all to satisfy your curiosity. In truth, I, the Gentleman Sword, am just an ordinary person with an unremarkable appearance!”
With that, Qin Gou strode away.
His simple words put intangible pressure on the other contestants. Indeed, many present had come solely to catch a glimpse of the Gentleman Sword’s true face. While these spectators couldn’t directly harm other contestants, those killing gazes and verbal harassment were enough for them to handle.
Li Yuanzhen watched Qin Gou’s retreating figure and sighed meaningfully, “Perhaps this is what a devil is like.”
…
The Hero Gathering proceeded smoothly over the next few days. The image of the Gentleman Sword, a谪仙 (banished immortal) come to earth, not only brought Qin Gou great fame but also sparked discussions about the peculiar rules of the Hero Gathering, firmly etching the name ‘Heaven’s Substitution Sect’ into the minds of many.
Not only that, but Great Sect Leader Mu’s coffers also grew fatter with the hosting of the Hero Gathering. Although he had more confidence than before, after being severely reprimanded by Master, Great Sect Leader Mu became obedient and no longer dared to spend money like a lavish prodigal. He even began to develop into a stingy, little money-grubber.
One day, Qin Gou, accompanied by Li Yuanzhen, arrived at the Tiger Hành Sect to participate in the next stage of the Hero Gathering. He secretly planned that with his current fame, even if he didn’t win the championship of the Hero Gathering, after a period of time and propagation, he would be renowned throughout Das Province.
However, whether this kind of fame, which didn’t shock the world with its strength but sought to move the world with beauty, would truly elevate him to the position of a role model for the younger generation remained to be seen. This was why Qin Gou kept revealing his trump cards in the Hero Gathering, striving to appear to have defeated his opponents with an absolute, overwhelming display of profound realm, instantly winning battles. This was to ensure that the world not only knew of the Gentleman Sword’s handsome appearance but also clearly understood his strength, making him truly qualified to stand alongside the Righteous Valor Fairy Li Yuanzhen and deserving of being a role model for the younger generation.
“A’Qin, it’s almost your turn to compete again. Now that you’re appearing so powerful, those who hoped you’d accidentally have your mask knocked off in battle will have to give up completely,” Li Yuanzhen giggled mischievously. “And those young female cultivators who came to admire you are even more anxious, wishing they could snatch the Hero Gathering championship prize from Sect Leader Mu and give it to you right away.”
“Then, if I were to truly take off my mask then, do you think they would be disappointed?” Qin Gou asked with great interest.
“Well…” Li Yuanzhen hesitated.
Qin Gou suddenly felt an itch in his ear and instinctively reached up to scratch it.
“How dare they be disappointed!” Li Yuanzhen exclaimed, gesticulating wildly. “You know, I am blessed by three lifetimes to be able to occasionally glimpse your true face. Every time I accidentally make eye contact with you, I feel as if every single one of my bones has been purified by nectar, my armpits catch a breeze, and my heart is filled with joy.”
For a moment, Qin Gou patted Li Yuanzhen’s shoulder with a strange expression. “In the past, I was too harsh on you. I admit my mistakes and will definitely change in the future. Be good, a dignified Saintess like yourself should stop acting like this from now on, or my conscience will ache terribly.”
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhen’s eyes lit up, and she nodded as if deeply moved. “If you truly feel bad about it, then stay and play a few rounds of dice with me tonight!”
“I’ll play ten rounds, it’s fine. But when are you going to fulfill your promise from before, when you lost to me and agreed to spin around like a dog and wag your butt?” Qin Gou teased.
“Did I? When did I lose? I don’t have any memory of it at all?” Li Yuanzhen looked utterly bewildered and at a loss.
Memory?
Qin Gou instantly thought of Li Yuanzhen’s ‘Invisible Slash’ Spirit Tool.
Could this Little Gambler be…
this time, Qin Gou became more cautious and immediately asked mentally, “System, can the ‘Invisible Slash’ Spirit Tool really sever one’s own memory?”
“Ding. ‘Invisible Slash’ Spirit Tool (Proficient Tier). Cannot sever the owner’s own memory. Only the advanced ‘Ruthless Slash’ Spirit Tool (Earth Tier) can achieve this.”
Qin Gou took a deep breath and looked at the innocent and bewildered Little Gambler. He pointed to his chest and said fiercely, “You little brat, it doesn’t hurt anymore! Tonight, I will definitely play something new with you!”
“Huh? What are you saying, why can’t I understand anything…”
Suddenly.
A desolate, ancient, and incomparably evil terrifying aura rapidly spread out, piercing everyone’s hearts like a sharp blade. It was as if a world-ending calamity was imminent, striking fear into everyone, causing them to tremble in dread.
“Damn it, what happened?”
“This aura… which senior expert has descended upon us?”
Including Qin Gou, countless people immediately used their spiritual power to investigate, and they all looked in the same direction.
In a city not far from the Tiger Hành Sect, a towering giant, completely shrouded in a pitch-black robe, held a pair of scales covered in dark patterns in his left hand and gripped a blood-red dagger in his right. He stood like an evil cultist performing a bloody sacrifice, gazing at the heavens, his blood-red eyes within his cloak incessantly shedding endless streams of bloody light.
This was a Dharma Aspect!
“This, I must be dreaming.”
“Run! If we stay here, we’ll surely die!”
“This Dharma Aspect is exactly the same as what’s recorded in our sect!”
Qin Gou stared intently at the Natal Dharma Aspect that blotted out the sun and reached the heavens. As long as his old eyes weren’t blurry and his mind wasn’t confused, he couldn’t possibly mistake it.
This aspect was named ‘Wutian’.
Its master, the Purple Extreme Demon, Zhao Xinting.
…
Not long ago.
“Bang!”
The solid door was audaciously kicked down, and a man, battered and bruised, crashed like a sandbag before Zhao Xinting.
“You little punk, are you alright?” Zhao Xinting immediately asked.
“President… Run quickly,” the man gritted out, barely able to speak.
“You guys are the ‘Concealment Society’ that’s rumored in the streets, right?” Two men in red and black robes looked around for a moment before their gazes locked onto a large chest with a faint aura leaking out. They arrogantly said, “We’ve been watching you for days. A bunch of ordinary scoundrels with no cultivation actually managed to possess such a considerable amount of spirit stones. You’re quite capable.”
Cultivators.
Zhao Xinting glanced at the Nas items on their fingers and smiled warmly. “I am the person in charge of the Concealment Society. May I ask what business you two cultivators have? If my subordinates have accidentally offended you esteemed figures, I will do my best to offer you satisfactory compensation.”
“No, my beauty, you jest. How could this mere mortal have the ability to offend us?” the black-robed cultivator chuckled and shook his head.
The red-robed cultivator leered at Zhao Xinting. “I never expected the president of a small mortal gang like the Concealment Society to be such a celestial beauty.”
Zhao Xinting’s expression remained unchanged. “You two are mistaken. I am a man, but I was born with a feminine appearance. This has caused many misunderstandings.”
“What?” the black-robed cultivator exclaimed in shock.
The red-robed cultivator smirked with surprise. “No matter. Whether you are male or female, we will personally verify it… Our main purpose here is to cooperate with the members of the Concealment Society.”
Zhao Xinting’s expression turned grim. “May I ask how you two cultivators wish to cooperate?”
“From now on, your Concealment Society will be considered a subordinate force under us. We can ensure your safety. All you have to do is give us eighty percent of your daily earnings as tribute. How about it?” As he spoke, the red-robed cultivator slowly walked up to Zhao Xinting and forcefully pinched his chest a few times.
