Chapter 0: 44. Infiltration
A white handkerchief patterned with blood-red lines appeared out of nowhere in Qin Gou’s hand. The system immediately displayed its effects, much to Qin Gou’s surprise, as he had initially been quite bored.
Left Path Oddity: Dizzying God Handkerchief
Effect: Cover the nose and mouth of a target for a period of time, causing them to fall into a comatose state. For those of the same realm as the host, it only requires five seconds. For those exceeding the host by one major realm, it requires ten seconds, and by two major realms, twenty seconds. Using it is fraught with extreme danger, so much so that it’s considered the pinnacle of left path techniques.
“If that’s the case, then in the future, when I’m being righteous and helping others, I won’t need to resort to crude methods like the Sleeping Pill or Meng Han迷香 that lack gentlemanly demeanor. I can just cover their mouths directly. This is what a true man would do.” Qin Gou immediately became fond of the Dizzying God Handkerchief.
He cast a malicious glance towards Yi Chengying beside him. This wench was at least two major realms higher than him, likely in the Dao Comprehension Realm above the Li Jiu Realm. Wasn’t she the perfect test subject?
Yi Chengying felt a shiver down her spine from Qin Gou’s sudden, intense gaze. Her strong survival instinct kicked in, and she quickly said, “Celestial Master, Little Chair is still controlling the Spirit Boat. Please don’t do anything reckless.”
“Indeed,” Qin Gou nodded in agreement. “Let’s wait until we have some free time to try it.”
“Celestial Master, what exactly are you trying to do?” Yi Chengying asked, wanting to cry but having no tears. She cursed herself for speaking up. This unknown fear was the most terrifying.
…
The Tian Kun Dynasty Imperial City, a bustling marketplace filled with people and lively music.
Qin Gou and Yi Chengying, disguised as a mortal couple, mingled with the crowd.
Yi Chengying, still somewhat bewildered, asked, “My lord, what brilliant plan have you devised? And why does Little Chair also have to disguise herself? Little Chair is here as a distinguished guest of the Tian Kun Dynasty. She cannot possibly participate in that marriage by martial contest with you.”
“Don’t worry, I just need your help with a small matter, and it won’t take long,” Qin Gou said with a light smile. He used his spiritual power to closely monitor everything around them. He calmly explained, “You might not know, but the winner of that marriage by martial contest has already been pre-selected by the Tian Kun Dynasty. Any other male disciple attempting to infiltrate or win will face numerous obstacles. Thus, we must find another way.”
“Then you must have a plan in mind. Alright, as long as it doesn’t overly disrupt the rules and the Palace Lord finds out, Little Chair will follow your command.” Yi Chengying nodded obediently.
“Sensible,” Qin Gou said with a smile. “Look, our target has appeared.” As he spoke, Qin Gou gestured with his eyes towards a man dressed as a steward, who was in the marketplace buying fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Him? A mere Qi Gathering Realm cultivator. Are you planning to replace his identity?” Yi Chengying asked, confused.
“As soon as we arrived at the Imperial City yesterday, I mingled in taverns and tea houses, gathering information. I conversed for a long time with those ‘experts’ whose average cultivation is only in the Artifact Forging Realm, yet they could eloquently discuss everything from the Tian Kun Human Emperor’s court affairs to trivial matters like a one-cent increase in the price of haircuts. All my efforts paid off, and I learned of this man’s whereabouts. He is indeed a cultivator with low cultivation in the Qi Gathering Realm, but he has another identity that I need.”
Qin Gou and Yi Chengying slowly walked closer to the steward and said in a low voice, “He is one of the purchasing stewards of the Tian Kun Dynasty Marshal’s Mansion and can enter and exit the Marshal’s Mansion at will.”
Saying this, Qin Gou patted the steward’s shoulder and smiled slightly, “Friend, do you mind stepping aside for a moment?”
The steward, seeing that Qin Gou and Yi Chengying were strangers, shook his head impatiently.
Qin Gou suddenly took out a spirit stone radiating with energy from his embrace and said with a meaningful smile, “It won’t take long, friend. I just want to ask you to deliver a message.”
The steward’s spirits immediately lifted. Deliver a message? Fine. Once he got the spirit stone, who knew if he actually helped them or not.
As Qin Gou and Yi Chengying led the steward to a secluded spot, the steward immediately threatened, “You should know that I am a person of the Marshal’s Mansion. Don’t you dare have any malicious intentions! The Marshal has publicly stated that anyone who dares to harm a single hair on the heads of our Marshal’s Mansion personnel will face a hundred deaths and endless retribution.”
“Yes, yes, how could we dare?” Qin Gou said with a hint of a gentle smile, and with a single punch, he knocked the steward unconscious.
Using the Dizzying God Handkerchief on such a junior in the Qi Gathering Realm would be overkill.
Following that, Qin Gou immediately used the Faceless Hermit’s talent to store the steward’s appearance. He then replaced Yi Chengying’s previous disguise with it, instantly transforming into the steward’s likeness. He said to Yi Chengying beside him, “I’ll leave this person to you. Don’t kill him, because later someone else will need to be watched over by you, and that person also needs a menial laborer to take care of them.”
Afterward, Qin Gou gave Yi Chengying a few more instructions and then, carrying the freshly bought vegetables, naturally blended into the Tian Kun Dynasty Marshal’s Mansion, which appeared impenetrable and heavily guarded to outsiders.
“Scram, all of you, scram!”
“I know what you all think. You all believe I’m a natural-born failure, just lucky to be the Marshal’s son, which is why I get to enjoy your service!”
“But how many of you know that for all these years, I’ve managed to open almost all of The Eight Extraordinary Meridians to the Artifact Forging Realm with just a thread of spiritual power! Even the Imperial Preceptor called it a miracle! Tell me, which of you can achieve this? If not for this damned congenital meridian defect that prevents me from cultivating smoothly and walking like a normal person, I would surely be as brilliant as my elder brother, and my parents would look at me with admiration!”
“Get out, why are you still standing there?”
A crowd of stewards and maids, with disheartened faces, hastily fled from a bedroom. They were actually accustomed to the tantrums of the person inside, knowing that these words had been suppressed in his heart for too long. As long as they waited until tomorrow, the person would calm down.
Qin Gou also knew that the owner of the bedroom was the Marshal’s Mansion’s third young master, who was born with a disability. In the original plan, he was the one whom the Tian Kun Human Emperor would personally order to marry Mu Man’er. However, later, the Tian Kun Human Emperor changed his mind and chose the more outstanding eldest young master of the Marshal’s Mansion as Mu Man’er’s husband.
With a gentle smile, Qin Gou walked into the third young master’s bedroom as if no one were around.
“How interesting! Someone dares to come in and seek a beating?! Can’t you see I’m furious? Do you look down on me? Are you here to seek death?” The young man, confined to his bed and suffering from illness, roared with a pale face and burning anger.
“I have a way to cure your congenital meridian defect, young master. Just agree to one condition.”
