Chapter 0.5: The Lonely Master
With less than fifteen days left until the mission deadline, Qin Gou appeared on the streets of Guyue City, Mu Man’er’s hometown. To Qin Gou’s surprise, the number of cultivators in this city was far greater than in Beiguo City, where he had been before. Everyone he passed by was brimming with spiritual power.
At this moment, Qin Gou suddenly spotted a tall female cultivator by the roadside. She was carrying a sword and wearing a moon-white long dress, identical in material and style to the one Mu Man’er had worn when she descended the mountain. Most notably, the seven-colored small gourd hanging from her waist was the Vajra Spirit Gourd that Qin Gou had personally gifted to Mu Man’er. It was a unique magic treasure, and he could not possibly mistake it.
“Esteemed Daoist friend, please wait.”
Qin Gou quickened his steps, blocking the female cultivator’s path, and said softly.
Upon seeing the female cultivator’s appearance, Qin Gou was even more astonished. The woman had fair skin as white as jade, a pure and lovely demeanor, and her appearance bore at least an eighty percent resemblance to his sixth disciple, Mu Man’er. However, she was more mature, at the prime age of sixteen, exuding a charming aura of youthful cuteness.
Yet, Qin Gou was merely surprised to see her. The female cultivator, however, reacted to Qin Gou as if a little ghost had encountered the King of Hell. Her delicate face instantly turned pale, her delicate body trembled, and she cried out, “Mas-Master… Why are you here?”
“Who are you?” Qin Gou looked at the female cultivator’s strange reaction, utterly bewildered.
“I am… Man’er.” Mu Man’er was flustered and unable to act, wanting to cry but having no tears.
“You are Mu Man’er? We haven’t seen each other for just a month, and how did you grow so much, little girl?” Qin Gou was greatly startled. Had he transmigrated again?
Mu Man’er cried with a dejected face, stammering, “Master, you jest. I followed you up the mountain to cultivate when I was six years old, and that was ten years ago. How could I still be like a girl who can’t grow up?”
“But you possess the Jade Maiden Profound Body, which means you were never supposed to grow much!”
“This is what has always troubled Man’er the most. Now that I’m not in the mountains, I have to act cautiously everywhere. So, Man’er used a few minor methods to make myself look more mature.”
“So that’s how it is.” Qin Gou nodded slightly, thinking to himself that his cultivation was indeed too weak. Even Mu Man’er’s so-called minor methods could easily deceive him now.
“Does Master have any important matters to instruct Man’er on?” Mu Man’er pursed her small lips, feeling guilty, and respectfully cupped her fists in a salute to Qin Gou.
“Naturally, it’s because of the good deeds you’ve done!” Qin Gou coughed dryly, suddenly becoming stern, assuming the air of a Celestial Master, and rebuked, “You’ve only been out of the mountains for a month, and you’re already famous on the Black List, becoming the notorious Evil Sword Fairy? A scum that everyone in the Cultivation World wants to beat. Man’er, you really know how to bring honor to your Master’s name.”
“Do you remember what you promised this Master back then?!”
“Disciple knows her mistake.” Tears welled up in Mu Man’er’s bright, clear eyes. “But Disciple has something she doesn’t understand now.”
“Speak.”
“Master, how did your cultivation… change so much?”
Qin Gou’s face twitched slightly. Clearly, this cunning little girl had realized that the gap between her current cultivation and when they were on Arc-Moon Mountain was too significant. If they lingered any longer, she might see through his deception. If the great Celestial Master were to be hung on the city walls and beaten by his youngest disciple, it would be a huge embarrassment.
“Hmph, that’s only because this place is too small to contain a great Buddha like me. If I were to enter this Guyue City with my true cultivation, I wonder how many people would lose their peace and sleep from fear.” Qin Gou smiled faintly.
“So that’s how it is.” Mu Man’er said this, but her beautiful eyes still held deep suspicion. Why did Master feel so strange today? Could it be that some lowlife from the Jianghu had disguised themselves as Master to trick her, planning to deliver a fatal blow when she let her guard down and take her head to claim the bounty on the Tian Kun Dynasty’s Black List?
“Take another look!”
At this moment, Qin Gou directly crushed the ‘Demon Master is Here’ talisman in his sleeve, and his aura began to climb at a terrifying speed.
A Generation’s Celestial Master has arrived!
“Heavens!”
“Which esteemed senior is gracing us with their presence?!”
Instantly, all the surrounding cultivators marveled, looking sideways with surprise. They consciously retreated, their expressions filled with reverence and fear. When the common folk saw the cultivators suddenly in such a panic, although they didn’t know what great event had occurred, they also followed suit, abandoning their stalls and fleeing.
Soon, the once bustling street, filled with traffic and passersby, was left with only Qin Gou and Mu Man’er.
“Do you understand your Master’s well-intentioned efforts now?” Qin Gou sighed deeply, his gaze growing more profound, carrying the melancholy of a master who felt lonely.
“Please forgive this disciple, Master. Man’er should not have doubted you.” Mu Man’er felt the familiar, awe-inspiring, and terrifying might, and was instantly convinced, no longer harboring any doubts.
“Then let’s go. Take me to your family residence for a visit.”
“Oh? Master, do you want to meet Man’er’s parents? But Man’er’s parents are merely cultivators at the Artifact Forging Realm and have never met a powerful senior like Master, so they might lose their manners…” Mu Man’er said with some worry.
“Meet your parents? No need to be so hasty.”
Qin Gou sneered and said, “This Master wants to find a secluded place and use the unique techniques that this Master has diligently cultivated to thoroughly deal with you, an unashamed and unworthy disciple!”
After saying that, he couldn’t resist casting a fierce glance at Mu Man’er’s perky, full buttocks.
