Chapter 0.2: Arc-Moon Mountain’s Faithless Man
When Bai Lianqiu returned with a grim expression, his personal attendant immediately stepped forward to help him.
Bai Lianqiu waved away the crowd, saying coldly, “This old man is fine. Tang Jianhao cannot defeat me. However, to have inexplicably provoked this notorious mad dog of the Cultivation World is truly vexing. I wonder which ‘expert’ it is, who, while clearly displeased with me, Bai Lianqiu, still dares only to hide their head and show their tail, using others to contend with me in secret.”
Entering his room, Bai Lianqiu spotted an unfamiliar jade slip on his desk. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as he said, “Who has entered this old man’s room? Did any of you notice anything unusual?”
“Your subordinate has been guarding the door and did not detect anyone entering the Great Elder’s room.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Lianqiu grasped the jade slip and chuckled playfully, “It seems our expert does have some skill.”
He then proceeded with extreme caution, scanning the jade slip with his spiritual power to confirm it contained no hidden killing intent before slowly unrolling it to examine it closely.
It is widely known that the Great Elder of the Bai family possesses profound realms and formidable cultivation. My fighting spirit soars, and my heart yearns for it.
I, Qin Yue of the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace, invite you for a period of one year, to decide victory and defeat, and to resolve life and death.
I hope that within this one-year period, you will not repeatedly harass the person I respect, Bai Yunxi of the Sword Questioning Sect, or her descendants.
You are elegant and refined; you will surely not spoil the occasion with excessive unpleasantness. Otherwise, the Mystic Maiden Raksha will show no mercy.
If I am defeated in this battle, I will be utterly convinced and will tell Elder Bai anything you wish to know.
Putting down the jade slip, Bai Lianqiu’s face contorted in a ferocious expression. “That cheap wretch Bai Yunxi has actually allied herself with that damned Demonic Path’s Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace? Does she think the shame she has brought upon our Bai family is not enough? She even dares to threaten me, forbidding me from pursuing the matter of Bai Yunxi and that bastard for a year. Truly, it is the greatest absurdity under heaven!”
“Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace?” The personal attendant’s face turned somewhat unsightly, and he asked cautiously, “Great Elder, this force is not to be trifled with. Should we perhaps be more restrained and observe the situation?”
“Ridiculous!”
Bai Lianqiu glared at the attendant and laughed in anger. “Qin Yue of the Mystic Maiden Palace? So, the so-called expert is him! His realm is low and unbearable. There are even rumors that the so-called ‘Little Demon Master’ only climbed to his current position in the Mystic Maiden Palace, a place filled with women, by relying on his nether regions. But looking at it now, he doesn’t seem like a spineless weakling! Does a mere declaration of war intend to make my Bai family tremble? Is it that easy?”
“Ignore it. Continue to investigate for me, and focus on that Demonic Sect’s Blood Drinking Slope. The fact that this challenge letter appeared only proves the correctness of my previous deductions?” Bai Lianqiu sneered with triumph in his eyes, saying, “Then send someone to inquire with those cheap wenches at the Das branch of the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace and see if this challenge is true or false!”
“Yes!” The attendant dared not retort and immediately agreed.
“There’s no need for such trouble. This Palace will personally come to prove to Elder Bai that this challenge is absolutely true.”
A pleasant voice, like a warbler emerging from a valley, inexplicably rang out.
Just outside the door, a graceful figure stood, having observed the scene coldly for who knows how long.
“You!” The attendant was about to erupt in anger.
Bai Lianqiu suddenly struck him with a palm, knocking him unconscious to the ground. His eyes flickered with uncertainty as he said, “Your Excellency, are you perhaps…”
“This Palace is Ye Qishuang.”
Bai Lianqiu’s face was horrified. He hurriedly cupped his fists and bowed deeply, “This junior greets Ancestor Ye. I spoke carelessly just now and was very disrespectful. I beg Ancestor Ye, for the sake of the Bai family’s ancestor, to forgive me greatly!”
Ye Qishuang spoke expressionlessly and coldly, “If this Palace intended to punish you, do you think you would still have the chance to speak?”
Bai Lianqiu squeezed out a fearful smile, “Thank you, Ancestor Ye, for your magnanimity.”
The higher one’s cultivation, the more difficult it is to advance. Although both Bai Lianqiu and Ye Qishuang were experts in the Dharma Aspect Realm, the gap in both strength and status was like that between heaven and earth. The entire Bai family only had their patriarch, who was as elusive as a dragon, qualified to contend with Ye Qishuang.
“Didn’t you, Bai Lianqiu, want to know the authenticity of that challenge letter? This Palace has specially come to tell you personally that every word on it is true. If you harbor any inkling of defiance, this Palace will not be lenient.” Ye Qishuang smiled charmingly, her smile concealing a hidden threat.
Bai Lianqiu was completely baffled and asked incomprehensibly, “For such a trivial matter, why would Ancestor Ye go to such lengths?”
Ye Qishuang lightly extended a snow-white finger. An incredibly sharp aura instantly enveloped Bai Lianqiu completely, startling him until his face turned pale with fear. She spoke word by word, “Immediately make a Spirit Oath. Before this battle, you must absolutely not take action against Bai Yunxi or the people of Blood Drinking Slope. Otherwise, you, this junior, will not be able to live.”
Bai Lianqiu felt like crying but had no tears. He was utterly bewildered. Did this really require Palace Lord Ye to personally travel a great distance to threaten him?
Just who was that Qin Yue?
Ye Qishuang herself was also somewhat confused. The reason for her sudden appearance here was entirely due to Gu Yuan’s words.
That wench had said something bizarre, “If she is here, and anything happens that displeases ‘Master’ in the slightest, she will learn from Nezha and cut her flesh to return to her mother, and bone to return to her father, dying without regret.”
Ye Qishuang didn’t know who Nezha was, but at that time, Gu Yuan had knelt before her, repeatedly slapping herself, desperately apologizing for her previous insolence. She had almost smashed her forehead against the ground until it bled. Her eyes, those deep eyes, seemed as if she had personally witnessed hell, leaving a profound impression on Ye Qishuang.
Ye Qishuang sensitively felt that the clumsy girl seemed to be constantly striving to hide a deep love and reverence for her Second Senior Sister within her heart. However, Ye Qishuang couldn’t understand where this affection came from, nor why she deliberately buried it in her heart.
…
Beyond Das, on a secluded island amidst ten thousand fathoms of turbulent waves.
Little White Dragon Ao Banwei, who constantly reminded herself that she was the sixth disciple of the Arc-Moon Mountain Celestial Master, though in reality, she was merely a token disciple, knelt respectfully outside a magnificent palace.
“Banwei has come to pay respects to the Ancestor. I hope the Ancestor will grant Banwei an audience.”
Inside the palace, a woman in a green dress took in Ao Banwei’s figure. After pondering for a moment, she walked while muttering to herself, “This little one is the Ancestor’s most beloved junior. The Ancestor specifically instructed that if it were her, she would indeed be worthy of an audience.”
Arriving in a dimly lit hall, the woman in the green dress chanted spiritual arts and recited incantations.
After a moment, she asked with reverence, “Ancestor Qingyu, are you awake?”
Upon the throne, a slender figure was shrouded in darkness. A delicate and gentle voice slowly emanated, “Oh, is that Qishou? Has Master come to see me today?”
The woman in the green dress named ‘Qishou’ gave a bitter smile. “Ancestor, you jest again. How could that person possibly be worthy of being your master now?” As she spoke, Qishou slowly walked closer.
“Then… has Qin Gou, Celestial Master, condescended to see me?” The voice in the darkness trembled with anticipation. Qishou personally pushed a wooden wheelchair, bringing out a girl from the darkness whose face was pale with sickness and appeared utterly gaunt.
The girl sat steadily in the wheelchair, appearing as though she had been ill for a long time. Only her pair of silver eyes were as sharp as blades, filled with an unconcealable majesty.
At first glance, no one could have imagined that such a pitiable and frail young girl was the mistress of the boundless aquatic race in the Cultivation World, known as the ‘Dragon Saint’, Dragon Ancestor Qingyu.
“He did not come, but Ao Banwei has come to see you, that little one who knows best how to please you,” Qishou sighed, gently comforting her.
“Ao Banwei? I remember her, but isn’t she a high and mighty member of the Dragon Race? Why would she want to see me, a humble little fish?” Qingyu furrowed her cute little brows, utterly perplexed, and asked.
Qishou looked at Qingyu with some pain. “Ancestor, have you forgotten again? You leaped over the Dragon Gate hundreds of years ago and achieved the True Dragon Body. Now, you have become the ancestor of the Four Sea Dragon Races by virtue of your cultivation and your peerless contribution in guarding the Sea Soul here. I told you long ago not to divine the heavenly secrets so many times, but you insisted on not listening. Otherwise, how could you have become so forgetful now? What is there to divine about the whereabouts of that faithless man? Where else could he go besides Arc-Moon Mountain? Does he dare to leave the mountain? I’m afraid he’ll hide there for the rest of his life.”
“But why doesn’t he come to see me? I’ve done everything he asked me to do perfectly. Didn’t we make a promise? He clearly said we would meet again! Qishou, I don’t want to guard the Sea Soul anymore. I want to go see him myself!” Qingyu suddenly hugged Qishou’s arm and shook it, acting wronged like a hurt child.
Qishou shook her head helplessly. “Ancestor, you can’t be so childlike anymore. How can you just abandon guarding the Sea Soul? The thousand-year period is almost over, isn’t it?”
“Am I not a child?” Qingyu’s silver eyes were filled with resentment. She chuckled, “In the past thousand years, how much time have I spent awake? Most of the time I was slumbering, in seclusion, cultivating, or in an unconscious state. My heart is clearly still young, but when I regain consciousness, I’ve already become so old? What’s this talk of Dragon Saint, Dragon Ancestor?! Qishou, don’t you think I’m ridiculous? When can I finally live for myself?”
“Perhaps when you can truly forget that person from Arc-Moon Mountain,” Qishou said earnestly.
“Even my obsession when leaping the Dragon Gate was related to him! How can I forget him? If I cannot see him again and resolve this knot in my heart, and fulfill the promise made when leaping the Dragon Gate, I fear I will never break through the limits of the Dharma Aspect Realm in my lifetime!” Qingyu’s memories began to gradually revive, no longer so muddled.
“But even if you see him, what can you do? What do you intend to do to that faithless man? Can you tell Qishou?”
“I’m going to beat him, beat him until he begs me.”
Qingyu stared intently at her own pale little hands. Ordinary people could never imagine the terrifying power contained within these soft palms. She proudly tucked her small hands into her chest, smiling playfully and mischievously like a child. “He’s definitely no match for Qingyu now. Since I’ve waited for almost a thousand years, I’ll give him a thousand spanks on his bottom. Who told him to lie to me, to lie to me so terribly! Cultivation is clearly not happy at all. It’s not as simple and happy as when I was with him.”
However, as she laughed, she couldn’t help but pout her little mouth and start crying sadly. “I… Qishou, I feel so wronged and so sad. Why do Master and Qin Gou treat Qingyu like this? When did I ever make him angry? He doesn’t even give me a chance to apologize?”
Qishou gently hugged Qingyu’s little head, saying with great pain, “Ancestor, you did nothing wrong. The one who is wrong is that villain named Qin! Why must you be so merciful? What’s the use of just beating him? Dealing with a guy like him, even if you beat him ten thousand times, he won’t realize his mistake.”
“Then what should I do?” Qingyu asked, her chest heaving with sobs, her eyes teary.
“Kill him with one palm!” A look of searing pain flashed in Qishou’s eyes as she said sternly.
