Chapter 0
One moment, Qin Gou found Qishou in an inn not far from Fusheng Nunn. After asking about Qingyu’s recent situation, he made up his mind to return to Dragon God Island.
Xiao Yan and A’Yuan would temporarily remain in Hanzhou. Qin Gou wondered which of this pair of similarly-aged, peculiar mother and daughter would reach the Dharma Image Realm faster.
Qiu Lingyun needed to counterattack Xutian City, the Black Ebony Association, and other forces along with Fusheng Nunn in the near future. With no spare time, she could only agree that Elder Qin would pick her up again soon, as she never wanted to be separated again. Elder Qin had also sternly warned her not to go within three meters of his statue in Fusheng Nunn.
Therefore, Qin Gou’s companions remained the Little Gambler and Little White Dragon, who wouldn’t leave no matter what, and Lin Youqing, who was quite straightforward and a bit reckless.
As for Zhao Xinting, to Qin Gou’s surprise, this young man decided to cultivate and improve himself in Fusheng Nunn for a while before taking things one step at a time. It seemed he truly felt that in his current state, it would be very difficult to face people even if he returned to the Purple Extreme Demonic Sect.
In any case, within the few short days since Qin Gou and the others arrived at Fusheng Nunn, several major events had already occurred.
The Longevity Fruit tree was successfully planted.
For many years, Fusheng Cave once again radiated with brilliant Buddha light.
The nunnery gained two sacred statues whose true identities absolutely could not be revealed, and a Recluse who often wore purple and ate for free with his child.
And, at some point, Abbess Miaoyin’s black hair inexplicably grew long and lustrous, becoming exceptionally charming.
…
One day.
In a refined and elegant meditation room, incense smoke curled.
Tang Simin, who had been silently reciting scriptures, suddenly opened her eyes. Zhao Xinting, clad in purple robes, had appeared behind her without her realizing it.
“I once said that Saint Aunt looked better with long hair. It’s only been a few days, and Saint Aunt is already so stunningly beautiful with her misty hair. Is it for this Seat?” Zhao Xinting teased, appearing to be in good spirits.
Tang Simin lightly nodded her head. “Indeed. This nun is repaying Cult Master Zhao for his righteous assistance before.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xinting’s beautiful face feigned disappointment and he playfully remarked, “Just repayment? I thought Saint Aunt had fallen for this Seat, just like this Seat likes Saint Aunt.”
Tang Simin’s eyes flickered. She instinctively glanced at the golden Buddha statue not far away, muttering a sin and bitterly smiling. “This is a pure land of Buddhism. Cult Master Zhao, as a Recluse in the nunnery now, please watch your words… Besides, this nun is now one of the informed, so you can’t scare me like this anymore.”
“What do you know?” Zhao Xinting asked, looking bewildered.
“Naturally, it is…” Tang Simin probed the surroundings with her spiritual power and mysteriously said, “Cult Master Zhao is of the Female body!”
“Nonsense.” Zhao Xinting shook his head, unable to contain his laughter. “Saint Aunt, did you take the joke between this Seat and ‘Second Master’ seriously?”
“A joke?” Tang Simin’s dark eyebrows furrowed slightly. Her Natal Spirit Tool would not joke about such things.
“Of course. If you speak of this matter outside of a joke, it is an insult to this Seat,” Zhao Xinting sighed, his gaze fixated on her.
Zhao Xinting’s expression was extremely serious, but all of this was the polar opposite of what Tang Simin perceived as the truth. Suddenly, Tang Simin thought of a somewhat bizarre and terrifying possibility.
“May I ask if you could give this nun a drop of Cult Master Zhao’s Spirit Blood?” Tang Simin cupped her fists and asked respectfully.
“Why?” Zhao Xinting asked, his voice deep with suspicion.
“As a price, this nun can fulfill one of Cult Master Zhao’s achievable conditions,” Tang Simin replied with a serious tone.
Zhao Xinting considered for less than ten seconds, then flicked his finger, forcing out a drop of blood that floated before Tang Simin. Tang Simin, at her current Cultivation Realm, could not refine a spirit charm with his Spirit Blood.
“Thank you, Cult Master.”
“As for that so-called condition, this Seat will consider it carefully and give you an answer in a few days.” Zhao Xinting nodded slightly, but for some reason, he felt quite irritable and immediately turned to leave.
After Zhao Xinting left, Tang Simin immediately took out a bronze mirror from her Nas Void Ring and let the drop of blood flow onto the mirror’s surface.
Not long after, with a crisp sound, the bronze mirror in front of Tang Simin instantly shattered into pieces.
“Fate-Changing Soul, and it even contains a thread of Heavenly Dao power? How is this possible? Who on earth could possess such astonishing means to turn Cult Master Zhao into a so-called ‘man’? To the point where it’s almost impossible for him to harbor the slightest suspicion for eternity!”
That evening, Tang Simin went to the Fusheng Nunn’s Scripture Repository alone and carefully retrieved a precious Jade Slip.
“If I can get Cult Master Zhao’s cooperation, perhaps I can trace some clues from back then.”
Even though Tang Simin already had a somewhat uncertain mastermind in mind, and even if Zhao Xinting himself could not discern the truth, that being would surely not be kept in the dark.
It must be the Demon Master Qin Gou!
Unless, even his own Soul had encountered an accident.
“It’s just… it seems even Master Qin doesn’t know the truth! If he knew that Cult Master Zhao, whom he’s so chummy with all day, is actually of the Female body, I wonder what expression he would show?”
Tang Simin, who was deceived by Qin Gou’s current pitiful Cultivation Realm into truly believing he and that Demon Master Ancestor were not the same person, let out such a sigh.
…
Daojun Dynasty.
“Is this true?” the black-robed man sitting on the throne asked in a deep voice. He was none other than the current Emperor Daojun.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate speaks no lies!” a minister solemnly stated. “This information all comes from the secret agents of the loyal Hidden Dragon Guard. Princess Fearless has, more than once, in full view of everyone, referred to that ‘Master Qin’ as… ‘Brother Lover’!”
“Presumptuous!”
“How dare this person be so disrespectful to our Great Daojun Dynasty’s Princess Youqing?”
“When Princess Youqing wanted to leave the capital back then, this old man was the first to oppose it!”
For a time, everyone was enraged.
However, Emperor Daojun waved his hand. “Don’t you all think this matter is more beneficial than harmful? Now, you have all seen what that child, Youqing, has become.”
“But…”
“How can Princess Youqing, who is so noble, be sullied by a mere cultivator of the Li Jiu Realm?”
Emperor Daojun smiled calmly. “As for Cultivation Realm, our Daojun Dynasty has plenty of resources to train him. Moreover, this person has a good background, being a dual-bodied soul of that old ancestor from Arc-Moon Mountain. If Youqing truly loves him, we can find an opportunity to abduct him. The most important thing is to prevent Youqing from being so much like a Tomboy every day, which worries everyone…”
“Now, I have long since relaxed. The entire court acknowledges Youqing’s outstanding qualities, and they even changed the ancestral rules of the Hidden Dragon Guard that have been in place for years solely for her! One day, when Youqing successfully inherits my throne, Qin Gou can become one of Youqing’s secondary consorts! Oh, and this person seems to have a good relationship with Ye Qishuang, the mistress of Mystic Maiden Palace… But if it were only this, it wouldn’t make our Daojun Dynasty so hesitant!”
Volume Six: Shadows
