Chapter 0
“No Exceptions”
The palm strike silenced the entire hall. Qin Gou had used his spiritual power, leaving a deep, crimson five-fingered imprint on Liang Tiantian’s left cheek.
Seeing a presumptuous and aggressive fool pushing his boundaries and harassing his daughter, Qin Gou believed any father would find such a scene intolerable.
“You’re seeking death!”
In his rage, Liang Tiantian drew the sharp blade from his waist, engulfing it in blazing flames, and lunged for Qin Gou’s head.
Invisible threads rippled like a gentle breeze, instantly halting Liang Tiantian’s movement. He retreated several steps as if avoiding a venomous snake, revealing the true disparity in strength between him and Mu Tangchun.
Mu Tangchun cast a complex glance at Qin Gou, her eyes filled with gentleness, gratitude, and a hint of reluctance.
“This person will be dealt with by our Taiping Tower. Fellow Daoist Liang, please do not disrupt the rules.”
Liang Tiantian’s forehead veins bulged, his fury soaring. “At the latest by tomorrow, this young master will personally witness this person’s corpse! And his three souls and seven spirits must be handed over to me personally… Ah!”
“Slap!”
“Go to hell!”
Liang Tiantian’s words were cut short. Unexpectedly, Qin Gou took a swift step forward, delivering a resounding slap to the other half of the young master’s face.
“You…”
“In any case, I already have too many debts to be all that concerned,” Qin Gou said with his usual smile, shrugging.
“This young master will tear you to shreds!” Liang Tiantian roared hysterically, his blade exploding with fierce red flames.
Similarly, Mu Tangchun released her soul-settling threads, holding him firmly in place once more.
Liang Tiantian gritted his teeth, his eyes turning bloodshot. “Mu Tangchun, how dare you deliberately allow this person to commit violence in Taiping Tower?”
“It was merely a momentary lapse. Guards, seize him!” Mu Tangchun touched her nose, her eyes deliberately drifting elsewhere.
As several Taiping Tower cultivators exchanged uncertain glances and hesitantly surrounded Qin Gou, Qin Gou suddenly turned and raised his right hand high towards Mu Tangchun.
“Quite an interesting person.”
Thinking this, Mu Tangchun raised an eyebrow. Quick-witted as she was, she instantly understood and, with a small hand, completed a perfect high-five with Qin Gou.
Liang Tiantian stared, dumbfounded. “You actually high-fived him? You two were in cahoots all along!”
“Incorrect. I merely sealed all of his spiritual power with a single palm strike,” Mu Tangchun said, placing her hands behind her back and lifting her pretty face, speaking with utmost seriousness.
“You… Mu Tangchun!!”
Liang Tiantian’s face turned ashen, his anger so intense he could barely breathe, rendering him almost suffocated. He was furious.
“Take him away. This person will be personally executed by me… Fellow Daoist Liang, I cannot accompany you further.” As she spoke, Mu Tangchun prepared to escort Qin Gou away.
Liang Tiantian glared at their retreating figures, his menacing gaze filled with murderous intent. He laughed in his rage, an astonishing ferocity in his eyes. “Fine, very fine. If that’s the case, this young master will immediately dispatch people to guard this Taiping Tower. I await the sight of this person’s corpse displayed at noon tomorrow!”
Simultaneously, Qin Gou used the Nine Bends Spirit Protection Crown to subtly transmit a message to Qin Yuan and the others, telling them not to panic and that he would be back shortly.
After Qin Gou had left, Qin Yuan whispered something to Li Yuanzhen and Ao Banwei before lightly fanning herself with her paper fan and stepping out of Taiping Tower, discreetly following Liang Tiantian.
…
Shortly after, Mu Tangchun dismissed her subordinates. She personally escorted Qin Gou through a hidden door and together they entered a dungeon.
“Sit down.”
Within the dungeon, precious strange stones emitted radiance. Mu Tangchun gestured to a stone chair.
Qin Gou nodded slightly, cooperating fully. He couldn’t help but look around, his gaze falling upon the astonishing number of various cruel torture instruments adorning the stone walls, marveling at them.
“Why did you help me like that?” Mu Tangchun sighed, asking with mixed emotions.
“It was just a moment of indignation,” Qin Gou replied with a light smile.
A struggle flickered in Mu Tangchun’s eyes. She shook her head. “We are not related by blood or acquaintance, why would you do this? Or, do you not understand the rules of Taiping Tower at all? Fellow Daoist Fu Qing, do you know what you will face next?”
“Not related by blood or acquaintance? Are you sure?”
Qin Gou chuckled and, with a wave of his hand, revealed his original appearance.
“You are Husband!” Mu Tangchun’s delicate shoulders trembled, her beautiful eyes lit up with joyous surprise, and a brilliant smile spread across her lips.
“Ahem.” Qin Gou coughed heavily. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t call me Husband anymore?”
“Husband…”
“How bold!”
Mu Tangchun’s pretty face turned red. She lowered her little head, speaking demurely, “Daddy.”
Qin Gou felt like crying. “When you call me Husband or Xiang Gong, you do so with such confidence and a straight face! Why is it that when you utter the most normal term, ‘Daddy,’ your little face turns as red as a monkey’s backside?” As he spoke, Qin Gou himself couldn’t help but blush.
“Chun’er will definitely pay more attention in the future and will no longer speak erroneously,” Mu Tangchun said earnestly.
“You…” Qin Gou felt his scalp tingle with exasperation and let out a helpless sigh. “Now do you understand why I suddenly made a move back then? That Liang Tiantian’s cultivation is clearly inferior to yours, is it his background that makes you so wary?”
“Yes.”
“I carefully listened to your conversation earlier. It seems he wants a long-term supply of the ‘soul-settling threads’ from you?” Qin Gou asked thoughtfully.
Mu Tangchun lightly nodded. “According to the clues Chun’er obtained, it is indeed so… When Chun’er first arrived in Fengnan City, she was inexplicably surrounded by his subordinates at the command of this local emperor. It was also my carelessness; during a spellcasting battle, the secret of the soul-settling threads was discovered by a subordinate with a wondrous spirit tool.”
“That guy has a beautiful dream,” Qin Gou snorted coldly. The greatest characteristic of the soul-settling threads was that anyone could use them with sufficient caution. If this item were used for assassination, it would be incredibly powerful.
“That… Daddy!” Mu Tangchun suddenly showed hesitation.
“What is it?”
“Chun’er has something to say, but I don’t know if I should.”
“Feel free to speak.”
“If I say it… please, Daddy, do not get agitated first.”
Mu Tangchun then nodded, biting her lower lip slightly. “It’s about what Daddy just did in the main hall to help Chun’er… everyone from Taiping Tower, including Chun’er herself, once swore a spirit oath under Granny Mo’s command: anyone who dares to use force within Taiping Tower shall be severely punished, without exception!”
“What?” Qin Gou was incredulous. “Even I am not an exception?”
“The spirit oath has been made; there is absolutely no possibility of an exception!” Mu Tangchun patted her head with a very complex expression, gradually approaching Qin Gou.
“Tang Ni Zi, what exactly do you intend to do to me?” Qin Gou’s mouth twitched severely.
“Rest assured! Chun’er will try her best to be gentle!”
