Chapter 0.7: Bewitching
“You’re going in person? How can that be?” Qin Yuan’s eyes widened suddenly.
Beside him, Mu Tangchun quietly sipped her steaming hot congee, calmly observing the startled expressions of Qin Gou and Qin Yuan. She knew with absolute certainty they were communicating privately through sound transmission, yet she still obediently did not disturb them.
“Why not?” Qin Gou gritted his teeth and said, “Since this brat wants to play so badly, I, his father, will play with him!”
“Play?” Qin Yuan’s expression startled, and he didn’t know what he was thinking as his little face flushed red, “How are you planning to play with him?”
“Ahem!”
Qin Gou immediately glared fiercely at the wench. “Don’t force me to give you a private ideological education!”
With that, Qin Gou looked towards Mu Tangchun and said, “At noon, you can continue to stay at Taiping Tower as usual. I will go to the Hantan Palace appointment.”
This was partly to completely sever Liang Tiantian’s entanglement with Mu Tangchun, and partly because Qin Gou felt that perhaps Qin Yuan and Mu Tangchun would get along better when he wasn’t around.
…
The scorching sun shone brightly.
Qin Gou, with his silver hair, appeared outside Fengnan City by a lakeside surrounded by lush woods, disguised as Mu Tangchun.
It was worth mentioning that this time, his shape-shifting only altered his appearance from the neck up and his general height. Other than that, he retained his original body.
As for the reason… If he had perfectly transformed himself from head to toe, inside and out, and easily discerned all private matters, Qin Gou didn’t know if Mu Tangchun would be dissatisfied, but A’Yuan would certainly be so embarrassed that she’d roll on the ground and bang her head against a tree.
After all, strictly speaking, A’Yuan was a few years older than her mother, Gu Feiyan, and was definitely not a child anymore.
“Madam Mu is indeed punctual.” Liang Tiantian said with a smile.
“Since I personally agreed with Fellow Daoist Liang, I will naturally not go back on my word.” As he spoke, Qin Gou took out the light blue invitation from his Nas from his Nas, “Is this the entrance to the Hantan Palace Secret Realm?”
“Indeed.” Liang Tiantian also took out an invitation. “As long as Madam Mu activates the token in her hand with spiritual power, you can directly enter the secret realm.”
Qin Gou nodded slightly, and the next moment, the figures of both of them disappeared from the lakeside.
Hantan Palace Secret Realm.
Crystalline white snow drifted down lazily, like falling petals and fluttering catkins. All sorts of rare herbs and immortal flowers, and fine trees formed a forest, and the beauty of the silver-clad landscape was breathtaking.
As the person who loved snow the most in the world, according to the Purple Extreme Demon Lord, upon seeing this beautiful scenery, Qin Gou couldn’t help but chuckle and sigh, “It must be that celestial beings are drunken, and have carelessly kneaded the white clouds to pieces.”
“Wonderful!”
Liang Tiantian looked at Qin Gou in surprise. “Did Madam Mu compose this herself?”
“I heard it elsewhere,” Qin Gou said casually, and his eyes lit up. “The spiritual energy here is exceptionally dense. Even without deliberately circulating my power to absorb it, it’s continuously flowing into my body.”
“This is because it’s Madam Mu’s first time entering the Hantan Palace Secret Realm, so it’s rather special. For someone like me, this young master, who has been here many times, there isn’t this kind of treatment.” Liang Tiantian nodded, quite proudly. “How is it? The Hantan Palace Secret Realm hasn’t disappointed Madam Mu, has it?”
“Thank you.”
With that, Qin Gou sat down cross-legged, formed hand seals, and recited incantations, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth that surged in from all directions.
“You… Madam Mu, what did you just say?” Liang Tiantian for a moment doubted if he had heard correctly.
“One who receives favors must be grateful. Why are you so surprised by a simple ‘thank you’?” Qin Gou chuckled. “I’ve always treated matters objectively. Expressing my gratitude to you now for the favor you’ve bestowed upon me doesn’t prevent us from continuing to dislike each other and fight to the death later, does it?”
“Interesting, very interesting.” Liang Tiantian examined Qin Gou carefully, a playful smile on his lips. “If that’s the case, this young master might as well do Madam Mu another favor and tell you specifically that this is not the place with the most abundant spiritual energy in the Hantan Palace Secret Realm. Beyond the spirit stairs, there is the Cold Pond, which not only has astonishing spiritual energy but can also temper the soul!”
“Let’s go.”
Qin Gou, operating on the principle of not taking advantage of a good opportunity being a fool, stood up without a second word and gestured for Liang Tiantian to lead the way.
Not long after.
The two appeared before a white jade staircase. Liang Tiantian stood with his arms crossed, looking very composed. “These spirit stairs require a cultivator to have the most precise control over their spiritual power, unrelated to realm. With my skill, this young master can naturally pass with ease. Does Madam Mu need my help?”
As soon as the words fell, Qin Gou had already taken the lead, stepping onto the tenth level without any hesitation.
“You…” Liang Tiantian’s eyes widened in shock. He coughed dryly. “The first ten levels are indeed relatively easy. Starting from the eleventh level…”
Qin Gou stood on the twentieth level with a relaxed expression, looking down at Liang Tiantian. He asked doubtfully, “Fellow Daoist Liang, why haven’t you come up yet? Do you want me to pull you up?”
“Pro-probably because this young master hasn’t been to the Hantan Palace Secret Realm in too long and accidentally misremembered. It should be from the twenty-first level that the difficulty starts… Ahem, Madam Mu, don’t rush, please wait for this young master!”
When Liang Tiantian finally reached the end of the spirit stairs, panting and with a pale face, Qin Gou had been waiting for a long time.
“Fellow Daoist Liang, you’ve worked hard. Here, have some spirit tea.” Qin Gou smiled warmly and solicitously.
Liang Tiantian took a sip and exclaimed in surprise, “This Enlightenment Tea is of no low grade, I’m afraid. Madam Mu has spent a lot.”
“It’s fine.” As he spoke, Qin Gou grinned and pointed at the clear, icy pool, speaking with great caution. “Is this the Cold Pond you mentioned, Fellow Daoist Liang? How exactly should one cultivate in such a blessed place? Please demonstrate for me.”
“Naturally, just step into the pool.” Liang Tiantian nodded easily, then immediately stepped into the Cold Pond and sat down cross-legged. Suddenly, he let out a playful laugh. “Madam Mu, what are you waiting for? Oh, right, this pool is harmless to people. If you have any treasures on you, it’s best to take them off first, lest they be corroded away.”
At the same time, upon closer inspection, Qin Gou noticed that Liang Tiantian’s clothes had indeed disappeared the moment he entered the pool, leaving him completely unclothed.
His tone at this moment was exceedingly smug. So, this brat had finally revealed his true intentions.
“I’ll come now.” Qin Gou smiled calmly and, without hesitation, made a move as if to take off his clothes.
Liang Tiantian was instantly dumbfounded, his face a mask of bewilderment. In that moment of his lapse, Qin Gou had already entered the pool, but everything below his neck was completely obscured by spiritual mist.
In Qin Gou’s opinion, since they were both men, there was really nothing to be embarrassed about.
But Liang Tiantian was utterly stunned. What kind of joke was this Mu Tangchun playing? She was actually taking off her clothes right in front of him? Even with the spiritual mist obscuring his vision, it would be far from easy for an ordinary female cultivator. Was she trying to seduce him? Given their naturally antagonistic relationship, that was impossible.
Then there was only one reason: this woman had always been so unrestrained!
For a moment, Liang Tiantian fell silent.
After a long while, he frowned and looked at Qin Gou, who was meditating with his eyes closed, his tone filled with suspicion. “This young master feels that Madam Mu is acting a bit strange, very different from usual.”
“How is it different?” Qin Gou asked casually, still not opening his eyes.
“I don’t know if it’s my imagination.”
Liang Tiantian thought for a moment, then suddenly chuckled. The next sentence, however, sent a chill down Qin Gou’s spine.
“Madam Mu today is truly, exceptionally bewitching.”
