Chapter 0: Making Eye Contact
Taiping Tower in Fengnan City.
This establishment only catered to cultivators and charged an exorbitant price for its services.
Qin Gou and his companions entered, noting the motley crew in the main hall. Cultivators from various sects and factions mingled together, including sworn enemies who, surprisingly, were engaged in lively conversation and toasting each other. Their smiling faces hid a burning desire to tear each other apart – a truly peculiar sight.
“What business do you have here?” the amiable head shopkeeper asked with a smile.
“We need to temporarily evade pursuers of the same cultivation realm. Five days,” Qin Gou replied casually.
The head shopkeeper nodded slightly. “Five high-grade spirit stones.” He wasn’t worried about Qin Gou and his group lying, as everyone knew Taiping Tower did not protect guests who broke its rules, and the collected spirit stones were non-refundable.
Qin Gou’s eyelids twitched. As he took out the spirit stones, he couldn’t help but think, that Tang N is quite the extortionist.
After accepting the spirit stones, the head shopkeeper handed out some tokens to Qin Gou and his party, assigning them to a ‘C’ grade room.
The room grades weren’t determined by status, but by the magnitude of trouble the guests had caused outside. If they had directly provoked a Dharma Aspect True Person, they would certainly be assigned an ‘A’ grade room with enhanced protection. Of course, the price for such protection from Taiping Tower would be far more than five high-grade spirit stones.
Finding a spot in the main hall, Qin Gou and the other three acted no differently from the other guests.
“I heard the Taiping Tower Master, Mu Tangchun, has been stationed here recently. Is that true?”
“It’s true. I had the honor of meeting Madam Mu a few days ago. She seemed to be waiting for someone.”
“Waiting for someone?”
“Perhaps she’s waiting for her rumored fiancé, Qin Gou of Arc-Moon Mountain.”
The cultivators in the hall chatted amongst themselves, some exchanging sound transmissions, but most spoke openly without reservation.
“Oh, speaking of Qin Gou of Arc-Moon Mountain… Wang Xuan, the Celestial Master of Chu Zhou, who is currently on the Saint Immortal Ranking, is said to have been an External Incarnation of that Demon Master Ancestor. He only gained independent consciousness later through a fortunate encounter with a rare treasure.”
“There is such a saying.”
“I saw that Celestial Master Wang Xuan in Xingyu City not long ago! He is truly a rare and wonderful person. He set up a high platform and, using his own Dao-Peeking Eyes, guided various fellow cultivators, benefiting many who came to seek his wisdom. It’s a shame I was short of funds at the time and couldn’t personally receive his teachings!”
“Indeed? Could you tell me where that Celestial Master is now? We would also like to witness the Celestial Master’s demeanor.”
“At the time, the Celestial Master said he might also come to Fengnan City to preach in some time. But the whereabouts of important figures like him are unpredictable. Who knows if it’s true?”
At the same time, after hearing these words, Li Yuanzhen, Ao Banwei, and Qin Yuan all stared intently at Qin Gou.
Old Qin spread his hands innocently. “What are you looking at me for? Wasn’t I in the Demon Race Abyss all this time? Besides… what kind of world is this? Someone dares to impersonate another so brazenly? It’s utterly shameless!”
“Exactly! If we could catch that impostor, we’d give him a good lesson. By doing this, isn’t he just plagiarizing A’Qin’s ideas? At the very least, we should get half of the spirit stones he scammed!” Li Yuanzhen nodded in strong agreement.
“Is the Little Gambler, Li Yuanzhen, really short on spirit stones?” Qin Yuan asked, confused.
The Little Gambler said earnestly, “Not short, but how can this humble Daoist tolerate these petty criminals continuously cheating for ill-gotten gains, only to use those spirit stones for wicked deeds? It would be better to have them all gambled away by my hand, scattering my wealth to return it to the world! Perhaps, this is the true meaning of acting righteously.”
Qin Yuan was completely stunned. This must be the gap between her and this personification of justice. Her own cultivation was not enough.
“Welcome, Great Tower Master!”
Just then, a respectful voice from an attendant sounded from outside the inn.
Qin Gou and the others turned their heads in unison.
They saw Mu Tangchun, with white hair and a refined, ethereal demeanor, gracefully appearing before their eyes.
“She…”
The moment Qin Yuan saw Mu Tangchun’s appearance clearly, she immediately covered her mouth, so shocked she almost couldn’t help but scream.
Qin Gou’s previous description wasn’t exaggerated at all. Apart from her hair color, Mu Tangchun’s appearance was exactly like hers. Moreover, A’Yuan herself was an owner of an Eye-type Spirit Tool, and its grade was higher than Mu Tangchun’s ‘Radiant Eyes’. She instantly determined that this person had not used any disguise spirit arts.
“Have those honored guests already checked in?” Mu Tangchun asked the head shopkeeper, a hint of anticipation in her gaze.
The head shopkeeper shook his head. “Reporting to the Great Tower Master, I haven’t seen the honored guests you described these past few days.”
“That’s strange,” a hint of disappointment and confusion flickered in Mu Tangchun’s eyes.
A’Yuan excitedly slapped her thigh, wincing from the pain. “Even the voice is so similar.”
“How is it, A’Yuan? Father didn’t lie to you, did he?” Qin Gou asked with a light smile, looking at Qin Yuan.
A’Yuan continued to gaze at Mu Tangchun, nodding slightly. “Speaking of which, this Taiping Tower Master is quite good-looking!”
“Cough.” Qin Gou almost choked on his tea. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “A’Yuan, what nonsense are you spouting? As a young lady, can you not be more reserved and aloof? Look at that Tang girl; regardless of her true nature, she’s acting the part quite well right now.”
“Sorry, Daddy, I’ve learned badly,” A’Yuan said sincerely.
“You learned from some shameless brat… cough!” Qin Gou learned from his mistake and immediately said, “Then learn something good.”
“Actually, before being with Daddy, A’Yuan used to pretend to be aloof. With just a few simple words, no matter how high the other person’s cultivation, they wouldn’t dare to speak loudly or babble in front of me.”
“Oh? How did you do that?”
“I directly told them that A’Yuan’s hearing is not good and to speak less to me!” A’Yuan said with a knowing, profound smile.
Qin Gou: …
At this moment, Mu Tangchun, feeling a touch of disappointment, turned around. Her indifferent and clear eyes scanned the hall. Although many people were observing her with curiosity and humility, it was A’Yuan’s gaze that inexplicably caught her attention.
Mu Tangchun looked directly at A’Yuan with a puzzled expression.
A’Yuan, who had been bantering and laughing with her father, instantly dropped her smile and met her gaze calmly.
The two remained silent, their eyes locked.
Qin Gou sensed A’Yuan’s unusual behavior and gestured for her not to reveal herself, but it was no use. A’Yuan seemed not to notice his hint at all.
For a moment, the two seemed to have entered a bizarre staring contest, neither willing to look away.
A’Yuan was filled with suspicion. What was this silly girl doing? Had she been exposed so quickly?
Mu Tangchun was bewildered. Where did this silly boy come from? Why did he look so pleasing to her aesthetic? If she were to become a man in her next life, she’d want to look like him… Fine, you look at me, and I’ll look at you!
