**Chapter 0: Finally Here**
“That Charm Bug is a rude woman without any upbringing! Master, you must stay away from her in the future!”
This was the first thing Kong Ling said after returning from the Charm Bug. Although Qin Gou didn’t know the details, he could roughly guess what had happened.
Just moments ago, Qin Gou had specifically found Mo Yu to inquire about the kind of woman the former Lu Zhili was. The answer he received was… virtuous and elegant, like a secluded orchid, proficient in all arts such as qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and never smiling.
Living like a sage, appearing to have a high affinity for all things and treating them equally, as if all things were mere straw dogs, this was true indifference.
Such an extremely repressed, self-disciplined, and frigid woman was now perfectly combined with the consciousness of the Heartstriker Snake Woman.
Night fell.
Kong Ling secretly observed Qin Gou, who was meditating cross-legged on another bed not far away. Suddenly, as if stealing something, she cautiously took out a small booklet from her Nas.
The cover bore several grand characters written in a vigorous calligraphy—Pipe Playing Manual.
Kong Ling’s small face turned red with shame, and she thought to herself, “That rude woman, it’s one thing for her to talk nonsense in front of me frantically, but she even used this thing to dirty my eyes… Still calling it a manual? If I didn’t have something to ask, I would have dealt with you long ago!”
She hesitated, wondering if she should hand over this absurd book to her master so he could see the true face of that Charm Bug. After repeated consideration, Kong Ling gritted her teeth, half-lay on the bed, and quietly flipped open the absurd tome in her hand.
“I’m just going to see how dirty your heart is!”
Immediately after, on the first page, lines of delicate small characters met her eyes.
‘Your Highness, the Grand Princess, as a beautiful girl, learning a pleasant musical instrument and possessing an elegant talent can greatly enhance your charm.’
Kong Ling’s expression startled, and she quickly flipped through the book. Various texts and diagrams indeed taught the method of playing the xiao in a serious manner.
“Aaaah!”
In a flash, Kong Ling’s pretty face was filled with shame and anger. In a fit of rage, she directly tore the booklet in her hands into shreds.
Qin Gou immediately snapped out of his meditative state and asked in confusion, “Xiao Ling’er, what’s wrong?”
“I…”
Kong Ling directly fell onto the bed, covering her burning little face with the pile of shredded paper. So embarrassed, she thrashed around on the bed, punching the air and shouting, “Master, I’m the dirtiest one!”
“Where are you dirty? Let Master take a look?”
“Heart! A dirty heart and rotten lungs! Not even human!”
…
The five days were up.
Qin Gou and Kong Ling once again appeared before Mo Qingyang.
The Charm Bug feigned an investigation using the Heartstriker Snake Woman’s talent and confirmed the authenticity.
However, Mo Qingyang was still not at ease. He even scanned Kong Ling’s body with his spiritual power. After confirming that there was indeed another newborn-like bloodline within Kong Ling, he finally showed a contented smile, glancing at Qin Gou with great appreciation and saying, “Esteemed Son-in-law is truly strong and vigorous.”
“The Demon Emperor flatters me.” Qin Gou smiled humbly. There was really nothing to be proud of in such a matter.
“Ning’er and Charm Bug, you may leave first. Esteemed Son-in-law, please stay. I have something to discuss with you privately.” Mo Qingyang said with a wave of his hand.
Qin Gou gave Kong Ling a reassuring look. After Kong Ling and Charm Bug had both withdrawn, in the gloomy dungeon, only Qin Gou and Mo Qingyang remained.
“Esteemed Son-in-law has done me such a great favor. You can directly ask for any reward you desire.” Mo Qingyang laughed heartily.
Qin Gou said calmly, “My acting as husband and wife with the Grand Princess is merely my duty. Why should I need a reward?”
“Well said. Esteemed Son-in-law is indeed an extraordinary talent among men.” Mo Qingyang nodded slightly, but suddenly changed the subject and sneered, “However, Ning’er has now successfully formed the pregnancy pearl. You are no longer of much use to me.”
Qin Gou’s eyes flickered slightly. This old man indeed only wanted Xiao Ling’er to give birth quickly, leave behind an offspring, and then cruelly use the Bloodline Nourishment Technique on her. But the speed at which he was discarding his tools was coming too fast.
Seeing Qin Gou’s silence, Mo Qingyang continued coldly, “Therefore, I hope that Esteemed Son-in-law can demonstrate a little more value and be of use to me again.”
“May I ask what the Demon Emperor wishes me to do?” Qin Gou asked in a deep voice.
“The results within just five days show that your Faceless Hermit bloodline is indeed miraculous! And for a man of seven feet, three wives and four concubines are perfectly normal. I happen to have more than one daughter!” As he spoke, madness gleamed in Mo Qingyang’s eyes.
Qin Gou couldn’t help but gasp.
This old man had gone completely mad. He disregarded any semblance of family honor to achieve his goals. Of course, when he could cast aside even familial affection, what else did he care about?
Originally, Qin Gou thought that Mo Qingyang wanted Kong Ling to have offspring because he still had at least a shred of familial affection for her in his heart, wanting to leave a memento? Or an opportunity for atonement. But now, it seemed that was not the case at all. He wanted to keep his reserves of food!
Mo Qingyang did not fully believe the information about the Nine Saint Monarch reviving in five years, which he had pretended to hear from Ao Banwei.
He was afraid that if it weren’t for the risk of giving birth to a malformed fetus, he might have directly attacked his own flesh and blood. After all, such a bloodline would have been purer than Qin Gou’s.
Qin Gou trembled with anger, but Mo Qingyang saw it as fear.
“Demon Emperor, after these five days of sleepless nights… I really need a period of rest.” Qin Gou employed a delaying tactic.
Mo Qingyang glared at Qin Gou and said word by word, “One month.”
“Thank you, Demon Emperor.” Qin Gou felt relieved. A month was enough.
“I’m not giving you time to be lazy and gluttonous. I want to see results within a month,” Mo Qingyang said with a sinister smile.
You damn it…
Qin Gou almost cursed out loud.
Just then, an Abyss Guard quickly entered the dungeon and respectfully bowed to Mo Qingyang, saying, “Your Majesty, the Lone Shadow Saint Lord of the Purple Extreme Demonic Sect has sent a special envoy with a gift.”
For a moment, Qin Gou was so moved that he almost shed tears of joy. Finally, it had arrived!
“Purple Extreme Demonic Sect? I recall that the leader of the Purple Extreme Demonic Sect is the eldest disciple of that person from Arc-Moon Mountain, Zhao Xinting, but they parted ways long ago and have had no contact… But who is this Lone Shadow Saint Lord? And what did they send?” Mo Qingyang pondered for a moment and asked.
“Eternal Seal Ice, a large quantity of Eternal Seal Ice!”
“Oh?” Mo Qingyang’s eyes lit up, and he asked playfully, “What does the Purple Extreme Demonic Sect mean by this? Do they intend to befriend me? And where is the envoy? Why hasn’t she come to see me?”
A flash of confusion crossed the Abyss Guard’s eyes. “This subordinate does not remember.”
“What?”
“This subordinate can only recall that the envoy was a human woman wearing a Daoist robe, carrying a long sword, and was knowledgeable and virtuous. She called herself ‘Li Muqing’. As for where she came from or when she left, this subordinate has no memory of it. She is by no means an ordinary person.”
