Chapter 0.9. Qin’s Ninth Truce House
Qin Gou, blessed with extraordinary luck, stumbled upon a Truce House during his reckless charge and quickly entered it.
The Dragon Race expert stationed at the Truce House unceremoniously ordered the Demon Race man to stop and retreat far away.
Seeing this, the Demon Race man sneered continuously, glaring fiercely at Qin Gou. “Just five minutes. I can wait.” With that, the Demon Race man departed, but he actually lay in ambush nearby. Perhaps due to some past grievance, he couldn’t quell his anger unless he dealt with this pretty boy, Qin Gou.
Several people were already staying at this Truce House. Qin Gou didn’t have much interaction with them. Instead, he meticulously studied the appearance of the Truce House and the special attire of the Dragon Race expert guarding it.
Only a minute and a half passed before Qin Gou stepped out of the Truce House, quietly shifting his appearance to that of Bai Dengfeng.
“Halt!”
He hadn’t gone far when he heard a furious roar.
The Demon Race man immediately revealed himself, his eyes glacially appraising Qin Gou as he sternly questioned, “You kid, you came out of that Truce House nearby, didn’t you?”
This time, Qin Gou’s face displayed several complex demonic markings. He quickly waved his hands. “Fellow cultivator, when we’re out and about, people from the Abyss don’t attack people from the Abyss!”
The Demon Race man’s eyes widened, and he roared, “This is the second time I’ve heard that phrase.”
“A young fellow cultivator in the Truce House taught me that,” Qin Gou said, perplexed. “Is there something wrong with that? We are in the Dragon Race Territory. Instead of working together, a little mutual support is only right! That fellow cultivator seemed to be in some trouble, constantly shouting inside that he wanted to fight to the death with some hothead, some idiot.”
“That scoundrel!” the Demon Race man gritted his teeth. “To the death? That suits me perfectly.”
Qin Gou was astonished. “So, you two have a conflict. This matter has nothing to do with me. I’ll take my leave now, goodbye!”
“Stay,” the Demon Race man glared at Qin Gou and asked, “Don’t tell me you also have a Dragon Race wife?”
“Ah? A Dragon Race wife? How could that be! I haven’t even had the chance to touch a woman’s hand since I was born,” Qin Gou said mournfully, pointing to his face, which had transformed into Bai Dengfeng. “Women are all just big pig trotters, they don’t even give me a second glance.”
The Demon Race man’s anger instantly vanished. He opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. Finally, he patted Qin Gou’s shoulder sympathetically. “Who isn’t? Alright, I’ll let you off. Be strong.”
Qin Gou cupped his fists, a mix of emotions swirling within him. “Thank you, thank you. You too.”
“Yes, let’s be strong together!” The Demon Race man’s eyes were filled with the emotion of being deeply touched and finding a kindred spirit. “After I’ve dealt with that pretty boy who relies on a woman’s influence, and if fate allows us to meet again, we two brothers from the same race will team up and face the trial together.”
In the end, Qin Gou strode away.
After he had gone a considerable distance, Qin Gou summoned Ao Banwei again.
“Master, are you alright? Where did that capricious demon rogue go?” Ao Banwei asked with concern.
“Naturally, he has been dealt with properly by this master,” Qin Gou said nonchalantly.
“Killed?”
“Maddened.”
Along the way, Qin Gou and Ao Banwei encountered many other trial-goers. However, they were all unable to use their spiritual power. Qin Gou, eager to find the little gambler, couldn’t be bothered to waste time, and they all pretended nothing had happened.
Half an hour later, his efforts were rewarded. Qin Gou finally discovered the little gambler’s figure in the dense forest. Or rather… the dead gambler?
Li Yuanzhen lay on the ground, her dark hair dishevelled, her eyes dim and disheartened. Her normally spotless Daoist robe was stained with blood, and her elegant and pure pretty face was covered in a large amount of liquid.
Qin Gou and Ao Banwei quickly approached.
With a ‘swish,’ a sword was unsheathed, its cold gleam scattering. Li Yuanzhen suddenly drew her sword to face an enemy as if nothing had happened. Seeing who it was, she then broke into a brilliant smile. “Ah Qin, Banwei, it’s you two.”
“Sister Yuan Zhen, how did you get so badly injured?” Ao Banwei covered her mouth, her heart aching.
Qin Gou asked with a strange expression, “What wicked idea were you hatching?”
Li Yuanzhen sheathed her sword and tucked it into her waist. She said proudly, “Isn’t it obvious? Of course, I was playing the role of a pitiful girl with weak strength who had been bullied wantonly! Most people, seeing how pathetic I look, wouldn’t dare to kick me while I’m down. After all, if they do something here, they’ll face endless revenge from me and my sect once we leave this trial ground!”
“I’ve even used this method to trick a trial-goer who had gained supernatural power! And if anyone with malicious intent steps forward, they’ll be met with my sure-kill sword.”
“So that’s how it is, Sister Yuan Zhen is so clever,” Ao Banwei exclaimed in admiration.
Li Yuanzhen pursed her lips and smiled. “Younger Sister Banwei, if you continue to stay by Ah Qin’s side, you’ll soon become as clever as me!”
Qin Gou glared at the little gambler with exasperation and quickly said, “Don’t listen to her nonsense!”
At this moment, Li Yuanzhen’s eyes flickered, and a playful, wicked smile curved her lips. “But it’s good that you came. There’s strength in numbers. How about this: from now on, Ah Qin will pretend to be the perverted scoundrel, and Yuan Zhen and Banwei will play the victims, screaming desperately for mercy. Once we attract other trial-goers, we’ll immediately change our expressions, launch a counter-attack, and beat them until they cry, quickly earning merit points. What do you think?”
“Great! Banwei agrees one hundred percent!” Ao Banwei’s beautiful eyes sparkled, eager to try.
Qin Gou chuckled and shook his head. “A mere little gambler, predictably, can only come up with such petty tricks.”
Li Yuanzhen was instantly overjoyed. “What? Do you have an even more malicious… effective plan?”
Qin Gou casually tossed out a Myriad Seed. It first transformed into an ironwood tree, and then its appearance changed to become exactly the same as the Truce House.
“This is?”
“A Truce House.”
Saying this, Qin Gou summoned four Myriad Seed clones. They gradually transformed from soft green leaves into two sets of robes with special patterns and two exquisite identity tokens, which he handed to Li Yuanzhen and Ao Banwei respectively.
“Hurry and change inside, then wait for the guests to arrive.”
Li Yuanzhen, clutching the clothes and tokens, rushed into the Truce House without hesitation.
Ao Banwei said, confused, “Master, are you planning to impersonate a Truce House? But every Truce House has at least one Dragon Race expert guarding it. This can’t be faked.”
Qin Gou placed the Desireless Bracelet on Ao Banwei’s wrist and pointed at her beautiful golden eyes. “It’s you!”
At this moment, Li Yuanzhen, having changed her clothes with astonishing speed, emerged from the Truce House. Coupled with her naturally beautiful and pure little face, she exuded a gentle and virtuous smile. In an instant, she seemed like a Bodhisattva with lowered brows, sacred and pure.
“Qin’s Ninth Truce House is now officially open. I will be responsible for healing the trial-goers, and I will do my utmost to save all beings and help them escape suffering.”
“Master, what’s suddenly happened to Sister Yuan Zhen?”
“Don’t look, child. It’s not clean.”
…
“Heaven has aided me! There’s a Truce House here!”
Zheng Ningzhuo’s eyes burst with ecstatic joy. He practically scrambled and somersaulted as he threw himself at Ao Banwei’s feet, exclaiming in panic, “My lord, save me!”
Ao Banwei’s face was like ice. Her golden eyes sternly fixed on a trial-goer with supernatural power who was in hot pursuit. She said coldly, “Begone, or you will immediately be disqualified.”
The trial-goer’s expression was somewhat grim, but he still cupped his fists respectfully at Ao Banwei. “Yes, My Lord! Anyway, all of this guy’s companions have already been eliminated by me. It doesn’t matter if a small fish slips through.”
“Thank you, My Lord!” Zheng Ningzhuo took a deep breath, his heart still pounding. “That was close. Fortunately, my luck is unparalleled, and I happened to find this Truce House.”
Ao Banwei glanced at Zheng Ningzhuo indifferently. “Remember, you only have five minutes. Go in now. I see you’re quite injured. Someone inside will give you a simple healing.”
“You can even heal?” Zheng Ningzhuo immediately got up and entered. The first thing he saw was Qin Gou sitting dejectedly on the ground. Just as he was about to speak, he felt a refreshing scent…
With flowing robes and graceful steps.
The fairy who approached him had skin like radiant ice. Her beautiful pretty face, unadorned, was like rosy clouds reflecting snow. Her sacred aura was untainted by any worldly dust. Just looking at her made one feel refreshed and revitalized, all the resentment and anger from the escape vanishing into thin air.
There is a term in this world called ‘Saintess,’ which has long been overused. But Zheng Ningzhuo only now understood that the words ‘Saintess’ were surely born for the person before him.
“Are you from the Human Race?” Zheng Ningzhuo felt his heart pound, and he asked humbly, “May I ask your esteemed name, fairy?”
Li Yuanzhen lightly nodded her head. “Indeed. But I grew up on Dragon God Island.”
“I see. Ah, I am so rude. My name is Zheng Ningzhuo. May I ask your name, fairy?” Zheng Ningzhuo respectfully cupped his fists.
“Li Fuqing.”
“What a beautiful name.”
Li Yuanzhen smiled gently.
Zheng Ningzhuo was completely dumbfounded. She smiled. I’m dead. I’ve completely surrendered to her smile.
This first glance was deeply etched in Zheng Ningzhuo’s heart, never to be erased.
“Your injuries are not light, and you cannot stay in the Truce House for long. Don’t talk too much, just sit down and let me heal you,” Li Yuanzhen said with gentle concern.
“Okay, okay.”
Zheng Ningzhuo quickly sat up straight, but his gaze remained fixed on Li Yuanzhen, appraising her from head to toe, as if afraid of missing any detail.
Li Yuanzhen glared at Zheng Ningzhuo shyly and exclaimed, “You keep looking at me like that, and I get embarrassed. How can I heal you? You’re such a bad person. Don’t bully me. Quickly close your eyes!”
When such a pure fairy acted coy, Zheng Ningzhuo felt as satisfied as if he had eaten a Longevity Fruit. He let out a hearty laugh and obediently closed his eyes.
The moment his eyelids closed, Li Yuanzhen’s shy and innocent girlish smile transformed with exaggerated speed, in the blink of an eye, into a rebellious and sinister evil grin. She picked up a club and smashed it down on Zheng Ningzhuo’s head.
‘Thump.’
Still with a happy smile, Zheng Ningzhuo instantly fell to the ground, unconscious.
Li Yuanzhen swiftly snatched the Nas from Zheng Ningzhuo’s finger and smiled contentedly at Qin Gou. “Fifty-fifty?”
“Huh? What’s going on? Fairy Li? Where did Fairy Li Fuqing go?” Qin Gou frantically searched around, even looking inside his long robe. He chuckled, “Little gambler, have you seen where our gentle and lovely Fairy Li went?”
Instantly, Li Yuanzhen’s eyes became soft and innocent, her voice becoming extremely gentle and melodious, and she said aggrievedly, “Where are you looking? I’m here.”
Qin Gou recoiled from a chilling sensation. “I was wrong! Fairy Li, go to sleep. The little gambler is a better fit for me!”
