Chapter 0-68. Qiu Lingyun
Qin Gou couldn’t help but fall into deep thought as he returned to his cave abode.
That young woman with a ponytail, dressed in a bright, elegant robe and a monk-like habit, was named Qiu Lingyun.
It was an extremely rare surname, and when combined with her given name, it sounded like ‘ball’.
Back then, Qin Gou had set up numerous trials to prevent worthy masters from spawning wicked disciples and to stop treasures from falling into the hands of evildoers, thus preventing them from wreaking havoc upon the world. While these trials had indeed eliminated some candidates, Qiu Lingyun was clearly not among them.
The saying that she “wants to kill her master to become a disciple” did not mean the girl had a venomous heart, was inherently violent, and intended to betray her master and ancestor. On the contrary, she was timid by nature, lacked self-confidence, and was hesitant in everything she did. When faced with a fight, her first instinct was to flee, diving into a deep mountain forest and trembling. She only dared to be a little more assertive when she was a whole major realm higher than her opponent.
Her only issue was the unique Natal Spirit Tool, ‘Eight Directions Destiny,’ that manifested before Qin Gou’s very eyes during that spring and autumn.
This spirit tool possessed no offensive capabilities and was difficult to even discern its actual form. Its greatest function was to silently plundered the luck of others, storing it indefinitely. Once Qiu Lingyun unleashed it in a massive burst, her destiny would soar, and heaven’s mandate would be hers. In a short period, she would stumble upon rare treasures, break through realms by drinking water, and even worldly experts would bow to her. If any malicious individual dared to harm her at this time, they would immediately face divine retribution, their minds would be consumed by inner demons, their meridians would shatter, or perhaps, by sheer coincidence, a meteor from the heavens would fall, striking the enemy and bringing about utter destruction.
However, if it were only this, Qin Gou would have woken up laughing in his dreams at the prospect of taking such a powerful disciple under his wing. The crucial problem lay in *how* the ‘Eight Directions Destiny’ spirit tool plundered others’ luck. The more friendly, admiring, and favorable Qiu Lingyun felt towards someone, the gentler and more virtuous her demeanor became, and that person’s luck would drain away like a leaky dam, passively absorbed by Qiu Lingyun.
She was like a solitary star of misfortune, devouring those close to her and preying on the ones she held dear.
This conclusion was one Qin Gou himself had come to through painful, tear-streaked, and blood-soaked experience, having personally tested it step by step.
Recalling those days when this little lass had constantly hovered around him, treating him with such tenderness, Qin Gou, who was at the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm, had been plagued by the worst luck imaginable. He’d choked on his water, vomited blood while circulating his spiritual power, and even experienced earthquakes while relieving himself, spilling his drink countless times a day, and needing to bathe and change clothes seven or eight times daily. It was highly possible that his life would have been in danger had it continued for a longer period.
Of course, this was not to say Qin Gou’s strength was inferior to Qiu Lingyun’s. For Qin Gou, breaking free from this predicament would have been a simple matter; he could have killed her with a single finger before she could unleash her luck.
Qiu Lingyun witnessed all the suffering Qin Gou endured because of her, and it weighed heavily on her heart. Ultimately, she voluntarily gave up formally joining the Celestial Master Pavilion. Therefore, she was not a traitor, and Qin Gou could be considered to have parted ways with her peacefully.
And today, Qin Gou encountered Qiu Lingyun again within the Seed Demon Sacred Cult. The reason he avoided her as if she were a fierce tiger or wolf and turned to flee was because Qin Gou had personally promised the girl, who knelt in the dust with tears streaming down her face on the bluestone path back then…
“None of this is your fault. If, one day, our master-disciple fate is not yet exhausted and we meet again, Little Ball can once again enter my sect.”
Qin Gou’s words were heartfelt back then, but he never expected his cultivation to plummet so drastically years later. In his current state, if he were to rashly reveal his true form and have too much contact with Qiu Lingyun, he would likely be beyond saving, with no hope of survival.
Although he didn’t know if Qiu Lingyun still remembered their promise after so long, judging by her attire just now, she must have experienced a lot of hardship in the Cultivation World. She had even become a little nun, although with her beautiful hair and two flowing ponytails, it was obvious at a glance that she wasn’t a proper nun.
“It’s not that I broke my promise, Master. It’s just that I can’t bear to see a kind child like you forced to become a disloyal and unfilial disciple who would kill their master and ancestor! That meeting just now doesn’t count. Later, I will go to Cult Master Gu and retrieve your registration records. From now on, I will pay more attention to you. When we meet formally next time, I will be truthful with you. If I break my word, I will be unworthy of being human!”
Qin Gou muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself.
As soon as he finished speaking.
“Bang, bang, bang,” came the sound of knocking on the door.
He immediately rose and activated his spiritual power to open the cave abode’s door. A beautiful, radiant silhouette in an orange robe appeared before him, as if summoned.
Qin Gou’s eyes widened, and he stood frozen like a wooden post.
“Huh? How can it be you?” Qiu Lingyun blinked her clear, luminous eyes and, with a sweet smile, asked, “You must be Senior Brother Qin, right? Thank you just now…”
“Stop!”
Qin Gou quickly interrupted Qiu Lingyun’s intended “thank you” and said, “I just called out to you from behind just now. I didn’t help you up, nor did I heal your injuries. What is there to thank me for?”
“That’s true, too,” Qiu Lingyun nodded as if she suddenly realized.
“Then that settles it. By the way, how did you find my cave abode?” Qin Gou asked, full of suspicion.
“This humble one has been assigned as Senior Brother’s menial laborer disciple today. From now on, this humble one will take care of all of Senior Brother’s daily needs,” Qiu Lingyun said with a radiant smile. “Does Senior Brother have any instructions?”
Which madman gave this order? To have Qiu Lingyun serve someone? Isn’t that tantamount to using a knife to kill someone?
The fall just now, coupled with this incredibly coincidental second encounter, made Qin Gou have a premonition that Qiu Lingyun’s Natal Spirit Tool was at work again. People with immense luck always achieved twice the result with half the effort, or even stumbled upon rare opportunities by chance. And in the Seed Demon Sacred Cult right now, wasn’t the greatest opportunity to eliminate him, Celestial Master Qin, known as Qin Gou?
“I have no instructions. Besides, I’ve always preferred solitude…”
However, before Qin Gou could finish his sentence, Qiu Lingyun eagerly interjected, “This humble one knows Senior Brother hasn’t returned to the sect for a long time, so there must be many places in the cave abode that have been neglected. Look, this table is so dirty. This humble one will clean it for Senior Brother right away.”
“Stop!” Qin Gou hurried to the table and immediately said, “I can clean it myself.”
Qiu Lingyun nodded like a pecking chick and then said, “Then this humble one will sweep the floor for Senior Brother.”
“Leave it to me!”
“This humble one will wash Senior Brother’s clothes.”
“I have hands.”
“This humble one will go to the spiritual food hall to get some food for Senior Brother.”
“I have legs!”
“This humble one…”
For a moment, Qiu Lingyun, as a menial laborer disciple, was practically being pampered. Sitting on a nearby chair, swinging her small feet, and gazing expectantly at the leading candidate who was busy with everything himself, she couldn’t help but blush and say, “Senior Brother is so kind to this humble one. This humble one originally thought that everyone in the sect only knew how to bully the weak.”
Qin Gou suddenly turned his head, looking at her gentle gaze, and instantly had the illusion that something profound and esoteric within him had been swept away in one go. He chuckled dryly, “Why haven’t you left yet?”
“This humble one is Senior Brother’s menial laborer disciple. Today’s schedule is to serve Senior Brother. Where else can I go?” Qiu Lingyun said as a matter of course.
Upon hearing this, Qin Gou hardened his heart and, gritting his teeth, deliberately used a domineering and arrogant tone, saying, “Since you’re unwilling to leave now, then you don’t have to leave ever again. Stay here tonight and serve Senior Brother well, how about it?”
Given the notoriously timid nature of this lass, Qiu Lingyun, she would surely be terrified by these words and flee in a panic, right? Master understood you very well.
“As you command.” Qiu Lingyun smiled sweetly, her voice like tinkling wind chimes, pleasant to the ear.
