Chapter 0: 88. Dog Speaking Human Words
“Who exactly are you people? You’d best tell us the truth.”
Qin Gou stood at the very front of the spirit boat, asking with a faint smile.
On the spirit boat opposite, the leader, a cultivator wearing a tiger-skin hat, said with a stern expression, “You are clearly trying to enter Das, and you’ve seen our banner with your own eyes. Can’t you guess? We are disciples of Heaven’s Substitution Academy under the Heaven’s Substitution Sect!”
“We have been entrusted by Linjiang Immortal Nunnery to form multiple groups and guard the border between Das and Chu Zhou, strictly preventing the spies from Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace from infiltrating. We now need to search your spirit boat for any demonic cultivators!”
Hearing this, Qin Gou chuckled and said, “You probably think that since we’re traveling by spirit boat, our strength is weak… and we haven’t displayed any sect totems, so you think we’re easy to bully? What demonic spies? Even if you don’t find any, you’ll find some way to take some ‘dirty spoils’ that can’t be seen in public, won’t you?”
“Presumptuous!”
“What do you take us of the Heaven’s Substitution Sect for? Do you know that the renowned Gentleman Sword is one of the deans of Heaven’s Substitution Academy! Unless we truly find spoils, how would we go about such nefarious deeds of the demonic path?”
The people on the Heaven’s Substitution Sect’s spirit boat were all furious and started shouting, their hands clenched menacingly.
“Little Chair?”
“Here.”
“Break their dog legs,” Qin Gou said casually with his usual smile.
Yi Chengying didn’t hesitate, lightly tapping her toes and gracefully leaping into the air.
“It’s a Dao Comprehension Realm cultivator!” The tiger-skin hat cultivator exclaimed in panic, “Wait!”
Like a phantom blade, she sliced through the sky. On the opposite spirit boat, numerous afterimages of Yi Chengying erupted, far outnumbering the opposing force, creating a dazzling spectacle.
In a flash, as Yi Chengying returned to Qin Gou’s side, covering a pair of cat ears she disliked, the opposite spirit boat was already in chaos. Screams echoed everywhere. The once high-spirited group was now rolling on the ground, clutching their shattered knees.
“You, you have too much nerve!” The tiger-skin hat cultivator gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face in pain. “To dare be so arrogant and overbearing, you must be from the demonic path! Our Heaven’s Substitution Sect Master, Heaven’s Substitution Child Matriarch, the Heaven’s Substitution Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Fat God of Wealth,’ and Heaven’s Substitution Academy’s ‘Yin and Yang Impermanence’ will never let you go!”
“Father, this Heaven’s Substitution Sect should be…”
“I know whose influence the Heaven’s Substitution Sect is, of course. But the real Heaven’s Substitution Sect would never work for Linjiang Immortal Nunnery and oppose Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace. Even if a barbarian girl is naughty, she wouldn’t be like this,” Qin Gou said, shrugging. “And the disciple tokens of the Heaven’s Substitution Sect these rascals are wearing are also fake, because I personally made the mold for that token.”
“You… Your Excellency, who exactly are you?” the tiger-skin hat cultivator asked in fear.
“Qin Gou, and my peers in Das seem to prefer calling me… Gentleman Sword!”
“Pfft,” Qin Yuan couldn’t help but let out a sound and quickly covered her mouth.
Qin Gou glared at the girl with annoyance and gave a dry laugh. “Actually, I’m quite grateful to all of you. After all, as soon as we entered Das, you immediately brought me the good news that Barbarian Girl has indeed developed the Heaven’s Substitution Sect. So, I’ve decided to give you all a chance to live.”
“This… As expected of the righteous hero, Gentleman Sword, you truly distinguish between love and hate and are open and upright. I am truly impressed!”
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Qin Gou directly attacked, shattering the core grand array of their spirit boat with the Myriad Seed.
“Bastard, you went back on your word!”
Frenzied curses erupted from the spirit boat rapidly falling from the sky. “If you’re the Gentleman Sword, then I’ll eat a ton of shit!”
Qin Gou shook his head helplessly. “I said I’d give you a chance, not guarantee you’d survive.”
“Ding. Congratulations to the Host for successfully eliminating the bandits blocking the way, Bai Xuan Shu, Bai Zhu Di… Reward: 600 Merit points. Remaining: 80000 Merit points.”
Qin Gou wasn’t lying. Not everyone died when the spirit boat crashed.
“All named Bai? Could they be remnants of the Bai Family?” Qin Gou mused. Although the Bai Family’s two strongest forces, the Bai Family Ancestor and Bai Lianqiu, were dead, a dying snake still has its tail to lash. Not only in Das, but there were still many Bai Family disciples in other regions. He just hadn’t expected this group to try and tarnish Mu Man’er’s reputation here.
…
“Greetings, Senior Brother Qin, Gentleman Sword!”
Upon arriving at the mountain gate of the Sword Questioning Sect, even the ordinary guarding disciples remembered him, this model of the orthodox path who had once single-handedly repelled the Purple Extreme Demon. Qin Gou easily led the group into the sect.
“Little Qin, A’Yuan and I plan to visit Evil Slaying Peak to see her first. What about you?” Gu Feiyan asked.
“You mother and daughter have your reunion; I won’t intrude,” Qin Gou shook his head. “You two can find me at Li Yuanzhen’s cave dwelling afterward.”
With that, Qin Gou, Yi Chengying, and Ao Banwei headed towards the Little Gambler’s cave dwelling.
Along the way, Little Chair was greatly amazed. This was the Sword Questioning Sect, one of the ten great Prestigious Orthodox Sects in the Cultivation World, the undisputed leader of the orthodox path!
And who was Yi Chengying?
One of the nine Saintesses of Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace, the Lone Shadow Saint Lord of the Purple Extreme Demonic Sect, a veritable new star of the demonic path. Yet, she could walk freely within the Sword Questioning Sect alongside Master Qin, not only avoiding hostility but even receiving polite greetings from many righteous disciples!
“Eh, are you Senior Brother Qin, Gentleman Sword?” At this moment, a Sword Questioning Sect disciple cupped his fists and said with admiration, “You’re heading this way, so you must be looking for Senior Sister Li, right? Senior Sister Li isn’t in her cave dwelling right now.”
“Oh? Then where is she? Please, Junior Brother, enlighten me.” Qin Gou smiled affably and courteously, earning even greater admiration from the disciple. The gentle and refined Gentleman Sword truly lived up to his name.
“I dare not claim to enlighten you. Senior Sister Li is currently at the Dao Discussion Platform, lecturing to the junior disciples. I was just about to head there myself. Perhaps I can lead Senior Brother Qin?”
“Then I’ll trouble you, Junior Brother. I wonder, what Dao is Righteous Valor Fairy lecturing on today?” Qin Gou asked as they walked.
Upon hearing this, the disciple could no longer conceal his reverence, saying with emotion, “Senior Sister Li will be teaching us today how to become a peerless hero like her, with a sword heart and righteous courage, beloved by all!”
“Cough, cough, cough… Why would she suddenly decide to lecture on this?” Qin Gou shivered, his hair standing on end.
“Disciples like me normally wouldn’t have the chance to hear Senior Sister Li’s immortal voice. But now, every candidate vying for the position of chief disciple must hold a Dao discussion. Senior Sister Li has also been commanded by the Sect Master, so this is an exception, truly the greatest honor for us in the past decade!”
At the Sword Questioning Sect’s Dao Discussion Platform.
Qin Gou finally managed to squeeze into the bustling crowd.
On the high platform, Li Yuanzhen was still clad in her free-spirited and elegant Daoist robe. However, today, her pure and graceful face showed little emotion, even appearing somewhat cold. When the Little Gambler wasn’t smiling so wickedly or spouting wicked words, she was the woman most worthy of the title ‘Saintess of the Orthodox Path.’
“Today, I, this humble Daoist, want to tell everyone that I am not, as rumored in the outside world, a heroine with a compassionate heart. I am simply a relatively pure person.”
Li Yuanzhen’s clear and sweet voice, like a spring stream, reached everyone’s ears.
“If you all truly wish to become like me, then remember this: First, no matter what… absolutely do not gamble!”
“The word ‘gamble’ is the root of all evil!”
Qin Gou: “Hah?!”
What day was this? The sun rising from the west, roosters laying eggs. Even the Little Gambler was speaking human words?!
