Chapter 529: Saintess Wants to Get Married
Wen Yunmei and her daughter quickly returned to the HongHua Sect, but their efforts naturally yielded nothing. Although Qi Huang had long expected this, she became furious upon hearing the sighs of the mother and daughter and Elder Zuo’s words.
“Elder Zuo, Elder Zuo, our cooperation has failed, and you are still targeting Shuiyu Valley like this. It seems we are destined to be enemies rather than friends.”
Qi Huang couldn’t help but sigh, but in her heart, she felt more at ease. This way, she wouldn’t have to hold back when seeking revenge against the Lü Family.
“Don’t worry, he wants proof from the Immortal Tablet, right? I’ll make sure he gets his wish soon.”
Qi Huang then comforted Mu Ruoyi and her mother.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye. As Qi Huang finished massaging Cheng Hong Ling’s entire upper body, the Xihui Dynasty’s national-level Evergreen Convention also concluded. The next event to be held was the continental-level Evergreen Convention, scheduled for early November.
Qi Huang was completely unaware of the situation in Zhongzhou. Moreover, she had some matters to attend to in Zhongzhou, so she proposed to set off.
Cheng Hong Ling naturally had no objections. The two bid farewell to their parents and informed the sect’s high-level figures before heading towards Zhongzhou.
Qi Huang was confident and proceeded at a leisurely pace, as if she were touring mountains and rivers. She would occasionally find a hidden spot to “massage” her main body.
Cheng Hong Ling was also very cooperative, clearly trusting her clone completely. However, due to the extreme privacy of the remaining areas, the massage encountered a standstill.
After a month of traveling and stopping intermittently, Qi Huang and Cheng Hong Ling finally arrived at the Xianyou Empire in Zhongzhou.
Speaking of the Xianyou Empire, even Qi Huang, who hailed from a remote region of Xizhou, had heard of it. This was not only the largest empire in Zhongzhou but also the largest in the entire Cultivation World. It was also the location of the Immortal Alliance headquarters, which was why the continental-level Evergreen Convention was always held here. This was also the reason why she and her main body had rushed here.
“Didn’t you say you had something to do? Where are we going now?” Cheng Hong Ling inquired.
“Let’s go to the Imperial Capital, Wuye City, first. I need to find a large auction house to auction off a few items.”
Qi Huang finally revealed her purpose, as those items had not been acquired through legitimate means.
“Auction items? What are you auctioning?”
Cheng Hong Ling asked curiously.
“They are indeed good items, so don’t ask. You’ll get your share then.”
Qi Huang replied awkwardly.
Cheng Hong Ling frowned. Due to her trust in her clone, she chose to remain silent again.
The two soon arrived at Wuye City. Fearing that their appearances might attract unnecessary trouble, they both wore veils. However, due to their extreme resemblance, they still attracted a lot of attention. Some passersby even mistook them for twin sisters.
Qi Huang bought a bag of pastries from a street vendor and handed them to her main body before inquiring about auction houses from the shopkeeper.
“Judging by your accents, you are from out of town, aren’t you?” the shopkeeper asked with suspicion.
“Yes, we haven’t been in the Xianyou Empire for long,” Qi Huang replied vaguely.
“No wonder! Actually, the largest auction house in the Xianyou Empire is located right here in Wuye City, and it’s called the Thousand Wonders Auction House,” the shopkeeper enthusiastically introduced and pointed them in the right direction.
Qi Huang then took her main body to the Thousand Wonders Auction House and entrusted the shopkeeper with auctioning off the treasures she had looted from Ye Donglai.
Cheng Hong Ling’s eyes widened in astonishment. She couldn’t understand where her clone had obtained so many precious treasures. However, out of trust in her clone, she suppressed her curiosity and did not ask.
Qi Huang smoothly completed the procedures, marveling at the efficiency of a major auction house. The shopkeeper hadn’t asked a single question, which made her feel that perhaps her items were quite ordinary in their eyes.
Indeed, in the Cultivation World of the Xianyou Empire, there were dozens of experts in the Shentong Realm alone. Therefore, although these spiritual herbs and medicinal ingredients were precious, they were not considered rare, especially for the headquarters of the Thousand Wonders Auction House.
Qi Huang then left the auction house with Cheng Hong Ling, and the rest of the time was simply waiting patiently to collect the money.
The two found an inn to stay in. Qi Huang, however, ordered dozens of delicacies for herself.
“Are you hungry? I remember you’ve been snacking all the way!” Cheng Hong Ling asked doubtfully, as she, being a cultivator in the Huashen Realm, no longer needed to consume mortal food.
“Not exactly hungry, but since we’ve finally come all the way to the Xianyou Empire, we should try the local specialty cuisine,” Qi Huang said excitedly, wiping the stool for her main body.
As the saying goes, politeness is hard to refuse. Cheng Hong Ling couldn’t refuse and obediently sat down.
The waiter soon brought up a table full of dishes, and the two began to savor them slowly, listening to the casual conversations of the surrounding diners.
“Everyone, the continental-level Evergreen Convention, held every three years, will begin in two months!”
“So what if it begins? What does it have to do with ordinary cultivators like us?”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Observing the duels of masters can be very beneficial for us.”
“Oh, please! You just want to see those three female prodigies among the nine great prodigies!”
“Nonsense, don’t you want to see them? They are peerless fairies with immortal bloodlines and are the top three beauties on the Chen Yu Overall Ranking.”
“I don’t want to see them. They are destined not to be mine, so watching them would only be upsetting.”
“Upsetting about what?”
“Getting married! Wouldn’t you be upset if a girl you longed for married someone else? Are you a cuckold?”
“You’re the cuckold! With their talent, why would they forsake their cultivation for romantic relationships?”
“Everyone has their own aspirations. Take Hua Yu, the Saintess of the Hua Rong Sect in Nanzhou, for example. Didn’t she choose to get married?”
After tasting the five flavors, the conversation from the next table reached Qi Huang and Cheng Hong Ling’s ears.
Qi Huang and Cheng Hong Ling exchanged astonished glances, never expecting to hear news about the Hua Rong Sect here.
“What? Hua Yu is getting married? To whom? How come I haven’t heard about it?”
“Yes! What kind of man could make such a peerless fairy fall for him?”
“This matter has almost spread throughout the entire Cultivation World, and you haven’t heard of it? She is going to marry Cao Yang of the Cao family in our Xianyou Kingdom.”
“What? Cao Yang? You mean that prodigious young master from the Cao family?”
“Who else could it be?”
“The Cao family is the strongest among the Nine Great Immortal Forces, and Cao Yang is the most talented among the nine great prodigies. At only twenty-eight years old, he has reached the mid-stage of the Shentong Realm, and his appearance is also outstanding. It’s only natural for Hua Yu to be smitten.”
“Alas! I didn’t expect it to be him. In that case, other men have no chance.”
The diners at the next table continued their discussion.
Twenty-eight years old? Mid-stage Shentong Realm!
Cheng Hong Ling’s expression became somewhat solemn. She had to admit that compared to such a genius, her own talent was insignificant.
“Don’t be discouraged. Once we learn the Body-Substitution Technique, your cultivation speed will be ten or even a hundred times faster than his,” Qi Huang, seeing her main body’s thoughts, quickly sent a mind transmission to comfort her.
“Not necessarily. I heard that the Hua Rong Sect has a rule that Saintesses are strictly forbidden to marry.”
“It’s useless. As the saying goes, if heaven wants it to rain and a woman wants to get married, no one can stop it.”
“It’s the mother who wants to get married!”
“What’s the difference? The Hua Rong Sect’s rules only apply to its disciples, but the Cao family doesn’t care.”
“Does the Cao family intend to force her hand?”
“Yes, the Cao family has issued an ultimatum to the Hua Rong Sect, demanding that they release Hua Yu within this month, or face the consequences.”
“They are both immortal forces. Wouldn’t the Hua Rong Sect be afraid?”
“Immortal forces also have their strengths and weaknesses. Their sect’s Immortal Tablet is only at the Master grade, while the Cao family’s Immortal Tablet is at the Emperor grade, two levels higher. If the Cao family resorts to force, the Hua Rong Sect will immediately face utter destruction.”
“Alas! The Hua Rong Sect is truly pitiful, becoming a pawn for others for nothing. The Saintess they painstakingly cultivated will soon become someone else’s daughter-in-law.”
“Who says not? That’s why the Hua Rong Sect is truly miserable and pathetic right now.”
“If this Hua Yu marries into the Cao family, who will the Hua Rong Sect send to participate in the continental-level Evergreen Convention this time?”
“Who knows? They’ll either choose someone at the last minute or have to forfeit.”
The diners at the next table shook their heads and sighed.
“How could such a thing happen?” Qi Huang was astonished.
“If they absolutely refuse to let her go, our backer will be the first to suffer the Cao family’s wrath, and our plan will be ruined,” Cheng Hong Ling suddenly reminded her worriedly.
“Yes, it seems we need to revise our plan,” Qi Huang said, lost in thought. After a while, she added, “How about this: after all the auction items are sold, we’ll head to the Hua Rong Sect to check the situation.”
