Chapter 0: 27. Qi Qianchen
“A soulmate.”
It turned out that the old sister, Nine Deaths Saint Monarch, was also troubled by her disciple’s affairs. Qin Gou naturally understood that feeling of wanting to thrash her while also missing her dearly, and he couldn’t help but resonate with it.
Of course, Qin Gou also thought of an incredibly unbelievable possibility. Could he have once apprenticed himself to Nine Deaths Saint Monarch? And called her Master Sister? Just imagining such a scene was too green!
But was he, the dignified Celestial Master Qin, such a scoundrel who would scheme against his own elders? Absolutely impossible!
After leaving the dreamscape.
Qin Gou said to Ye Yaoh quite formally, “Actually, what I want you to do isn’t difficult. Since no one knows whether the words of the Little Saint Monarch named ‘Qi Qianchen’ are true or false, you absolutely cannot let Banwei be the first to meet her.”
“You mean, you want me to go alone to meet Qi Qianchen, and then judge whether it’s a trap by whether I come to harm from you as bait?” Ye Yaoh asked with a wry smile, her spirit broken.
“Don’t think of me as so ruthless and cruel,” Qin Gou said, gently patting Ye Yaoh’s shoulder. “I’ll disguise myself and go with you. This is more appropriate and will also ensure your safety, so that if it really is a trap, you won’t be killed by them in anger.”
Upon hearing this, a spark of life flickered in Ye Yaoh’s dim eyes. She never expected Qin Gou to be so thoughtful, even caring about her safety in her current vulnerable state.
“Of course, the sudden appearance of me as an extra helper will inevitably arouse suspicion from the other party. At that time, I will hope that the Great Liang Empress can play the role of a good Senior Sister and gain the other party’s trust through some special means, such as exchanging some of your blood, tears, or other tokens at an opportune moment. Anyway, before they officially refine it, they will never know that you have been eliminated.”
Qin Gou said cautiously, “Or you can squeeze out a few drops of tears now, and I can deliver them then.”
Ye Yaoh’s expression suddenly became indignant, and she said indignantly in a low voice, “To personally hand over my own tokens to another Little Saint Monarch? It’s a grave humiliation! Even if I’ve already been eliminated, but…”
Qin Gou casually shook his short blade. “That’s strange, why are my hands a little sore?”
“But to achieve the grand plan, I will naturally endure humiliation and bear heavy responsibilities, and I will not hesitate!” Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Yaoh’s spirits instantly soared. Her words were forceful and resolute, and her beautiful face was filled with a sense of unwavering duty.
Qin Gou immediately nodded in great appreciation and put his short blade back into the Nas.
Ye Yaoh finally let out a sigh of relief, and forced a bitter smile. “I’ve heard of the negotiation tactic of giving a sweet date after a slap, but you, on the other hand, slap, then rub, and then immediately hit with another hammer… It can be said to be unique.”
…
The place where they agreed to meet Qi Qianchen was not far from the capital of the Great Liang Dynasty, at least for the Spirit Boat Qin Gou was currently using, it could make a round trip in half a day.
When they were still some distance from their destination, Qingyu, Li Yuanzhen, and others disembarked from the Spirit Boat. The main reason was to avoid arousing Qi Qianchen’s suspicion. Moreover, even if Qingyu helped to directly suppress Qi Qianchen, her residual soul/emotion fragment could be protected by abandoning this Little Saint Monarch.
On the vast lake, as clear and transparent as a mirror in the sky, a pleasure boat was leisurely sailing.
Qin Gou, who had disguised himself as Ao Banwei using the Faceless Hermit’s abilities, and Ye Yaoh quickly boarded the pleasure boat. Led by a group of maids, they finally met the mysterious Qi Qianchen.
“Senior Sister Ye, who is this?”
As one of the Little Saint Monarchs, her appearance still inherited that of Nine Deaths Saint Monarch. Her black hair was coiled up, with a hairpin inserted diagonally. She looked like Ye Yaoh’s sister, but much younger and more energetic, lacking the gentle and charming demeanor in the corners of Ye Yaoh’s eyes.
“This is Ao Banwei of the Sea Race,” Ye Yaoh said with a calm and natural smile. “She is also under the Seat of Wrathful Love like me. We came together to investigate. If the situation is as reported, we are naturally willing to lend Qi Qianchen a helping hand.”
Qin Gou immediately smiled kindly.
Upon hearing this, Qi Qianchen’s eyes lit up, and she said gratefully, “Then thank you so much, Sister Ye and Sister Banwei! However, you two probably have some doubts about this undertaking, right? Then, these are Qi Qianchen’s见面礼 (meeting gifts).”
Qi Qianchen was very direct and took out a small porcelain bottle and a white jade pendant from her Nas.
“What is this?”
“Qi Qianchen’s blood and an item she always carries with her,” Qi Qianchen said with a generous smile. “I will give these two tokens to you two now, hoping that we can have more trust and work together to rescue Qi Qianchen’s companion.”
For a moment, Qin Gou and Ye Yaoh were both stunned.
What was going on with this Qi Qianchen? She actually handed over her two tokens before them? Could it be that they all had the same idea, and Qi Qianchen was actually just a bait that had already been eliminated?
Ye Yaoh and Qin Gou exchanged glances. After understanding what the other was thinking, Ye Yaoh spoke on his behalf, “Little Sister Qi Qianchen, what joke is this? Who in the world would willingly hand over their tokens and submit to others?”
“There is now,” Qi Qianchen said casually, her tone not faked.
Ye Yaoh secretly brewed her spiritual power and said, “Then perhaps you were actually eliminated long ago, and you are now deliberately trying to trick us into trusting you with these two useless tokens! After all, this is not the first time I’ve encountered such an opponent.”
“What?”
Unexpectedly, Qi Qianchen exclaimed with a face full of astonishment and disbelief, “Is there such a shameless and despicable method in this world? From what kind of cunning schemer did such a treacherous plot originate? Qi Qianchen never thought about this. If Sister Ye does not believe these two tokens, you can refine them on the spot!”
“This…”
Ye Yaoh was deeply shocked by the other party’s decisive attitude and hesitantly took the porcelain bottle and pendant, handing them to Qin Gou.
Qin Gou couldn’t help but ask with a strange expression, “Are you truly not controlled by other Little Saint Monarchs, and are you sincerely offering these tokens to us? Aren’t you afraid that Ye Yaoh and I will join forces afterwards and insist on eliminating you?”
Qi Qianchen blinked her clear eyes and smiled gently, “If you two can truly help Qi Qianchen rescue her companion intact and guarantee Qi Qianchen some freedom, then Qi Qianchen can offer you her remaining two tokens as well.”
“Is that true?” Qin Gou asked, half-believing, half-doubting.
“Yes,” Qi Qianchen nodded solemnly. “Neither Qi Qianchen nor my residual soul/emotion fragment wishes to fight fiercely for the position of Saint Monarch’s main consciousness. Rather than fighting to the death, it’s better to enjoy one’s own life… By the way, it seems that even Sister Ye doesn’t know what kind of emotion of the Saint Monarch your residual soul sister represents, right? If you knew, perhaps you would be willing to believe Qi Qianchen.”
“And her name, you must have heard it countless times before, it’s simply ‘fear’.”
