Chapter 0: 39. Spirit Puppets
“W-what?”
The five female cultivators from Star-Shifting Pavilion instantly turned pale, and one of them even slumped to the ground, her eyes losing focus. She was the unluckiest; she hadn’t been among those who mocked her earlier, only joining in the laughter. Now, she was the most terrified.
“But, how could an Adjudicating Officer participating in the Saintess selection be… a man like you, my lord?” one female cultivator asked, suppressing the panic in her eyes, clinging to a sliver of hope.
Qin Gou remained composed. “Do you really think only female cultivators exist within the Hidden Immortal Tower?”
Although in the Hidden Immortal Absolute Beauty Tower, it seemed only women could hold high positions, it wasn’t a purely female sect like the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace.
The female cultivator, feeling Qin Gou’s direct gaze, braced herself and said, “Of course, this disciple wouldn’t be so foolish, but I find it a bit strange. I ask for your guidance, my lord.”
Qin Gou smiled faintly and countered, “Then why don’t you think carefully yourself, as the Mistress of Ten Thousand Flowers, what duties do you need to undertake besides diligent cultivation?”
At times like this, Qin Gou’s thoughts were exceptionally sharp. Liang Tiantian had once referred to the Mistress of Ten Thousand Flowers as ‘Courtesan,’ a title usually bestowed upon the top courtesan in a brothel skilled in charming men. While it was likely a jest, it indirectly indicated that past Mistresses of Ten Thousand Flowers were by no means detached from reality, but rather skilled in maneuvering and deftly interacting with male cultivators.
Of course… it was also possible that Tiantian’s younger brother was simply being sarcastic then.
“One of the most important duties of the Mistress of Ten Thousand Flowers is to accompany the Saint Spirit,” Shangguan Ju suddenly said in an agreeing tone.
As soon as the words left her mouth, the female cultivator’s eyes filled with regret and fear.
Qin Gou clasped his hands behind his back, looking amused. “Rest assured, this seat has always performed my duties impartially. I would never bend the law in this Saintess selection… You must trust me!”
“Yes, yes…”
It was better not to say it, but as soon as he spoke, the disciples of Star-Shifting Pavilion not only felt their scalps tingle and their hearts turn to ash, but they also had to force awkward smiles, enduring immense torment.
“Hu Rong’er, look at yourself right now, what is this demeanor? Hurry up and come here!” Shangguan Ju spoke again.
The young female cultivator who had fallen to the ground from the initial shock and had been trembling with fear the entire time quickly stood up and timidly walked towards Shangguan Ju.
“Fellow Daoist Shangguan, who is this?” Qin Gou asked, confused.
Shangguan Ju gave a wry smile of exasperation. “You must laugh, Fellow Daoist. This child’s initiation into the path of cultivation when she joined Star-Shifting Pavilion was presided over by me, so she’s half my disciple.”
“I see,” Qin Gou nodded, then looked back at the crowd. “Next, you will all follow me and Fellow Daoist Shangguan as we proceed to formally participate in the selection ceremony.”
“Yes.” All five female cultivators, including Hu Rong’er, drooped their little faces like frostbitten eggplants.
While walking.
Shangguan Ju couldn’t help but secretly transmit her voice, asking, “Why did Qingyue specifically impersonate an Adjudicating Officer?”
“Those little brats insulted me for no reason, so I decided to have some fun with them. It also passes the time, so why not?”
Shangguan Ju immediately chuckled. “Just as I guessed. Before this, I never imagined that someone as chivalrous as you would be so adept at deceiving others. In just that moment, you thought of using your unique identity as the only male within the Hidden Immortal Map to your advantage.”
“Chivalrous?” Qin Gou had never expected that this Tiger Girl, who usually appeared carefree, would so easily see through him. The noble demeanor of a Generation’s Celestial Master made him feel as if they had met too late.
“Yes, I will never forget how, when Qingyue first met me, she wanted to help me without asking for anything in return. Even after a failed attempt, she never gave up. At that time, your eyes seemed as if someone was forcing you with a terrifying price, incredibly fervent and urgent,” Shangguan Ju’s voice was filled with genuine gratitude.
“Shangguan, you truly are… incredibly observant!” Qin Gou’s mouth twitched.
Although if he had known Shangguan Ju was a friend of A’ yuan’s, Qin Gou would have definitely offered his help, he had truly been set up by the system at that time and couldn’t continue the topic. Old Qin chuckled and quickly brushed it off. “However, what Shangguan just said about me being adept at deceiving others is incorrect. If not for your clever cooperation, how could it have gone so smoothly? By the way, who exactly is this Saint Spirit you mentioned earlier?”
“You don’t know? I thought I was just helping Qingyue voice her inner thoughts,” Shangguan Ju said, bewildered. “The Saint Spirit is a Ghost Cultivator born and transformed by nature. He is the core of the Hidden Immortal Absolute Beauty Tower. And as I said earlier, one of the main duties of the Mistress of Ten Thousand Flowers is to accompany the Saint Spirit.”
“So, the one who truly controls the Hidden Immortal Absolute Beauty Tower is a male cultivator called ‘Saint Spirit’? Is that why those girls no longer questioned my identity as an Adjudicating Officer?”
“Since a woman is needed for companionship, people generally assume the Saint Spirit is male.”
“What? Given the relationship between Star-Shifting Pavilion and the Hidden Immortal Tower, even your understanding of that Saint Spirit is so lacking?”
“No way, this is the greatest secret of the Hidden Immortal Tower.”
Shangguan Ju’s helpless expression made Qin Gou’s interest in the Hidden Immortal Tower’s Saint Spirit grow.
Not long after, Qin Gou and his group encountered another group of cultivators from Star-Shifting Pavilion. They were equally surprised that Qin Gou could appear within the Hidden Immortal Map.
This time, Qin Gou didn’t intend to say much.
Hu Rong’er suddenly took the lead, tactfully helping to introduce, “This is one of the Adjudicating Officers within the Hidden Immortal Map, Lord Qingyue.”
She could also answer any questions from others with ease, and after speaking, she discreetly glanced at Shangguan Ju, her heart burning with the desire to atone for her past mistakes.
“Shangguan, your disciple has great potential,” Qin Gou did not stop her, instead expressing his admiration and praise.
Shangguan Ju could only clutch her forehead, wanting to cry but having no tears, deeply regretting why she had acknowledged that treasure earlier.
…
As time passed, having gained the first wave of believers, Qin Gou no longer needed to labor over words.
Gradually, like a snowball rolling downhill, the number of Star-Shifting Pavilion cultivators following Qin Gou reached dozens at its peak. He even assigned some people to go and find more of their sisters to join. The main purpose of doing this was, of course, to find Li Yuanzhen, A’ yuan, Little White Dragon, and the others more quickly.
“Qingyue, haven’t we gone a bit too far with this? We won’t cause any trouble, will we?” Shangguan Ju glanced at the bevy of pretty girls behind her and transmitted her voice with worry.
After all, the main reason these disciples were so easily convinced by Hu Rong’er’s nonsense was because she, the dignified Elder Tiger Soul, was there. If a greater joke were to unfold, Shangguan Ju would lose face.
Qin Gou smiled kindly, shrugged, and said in a relaxed tone, “What’s there to fear? In the end, we’re just calling friends and gathering a large group of disciples to travel together. What major event could that be?”
As soon as the words fell.
“I, Lan Su Rou, hereby announce that the auspicious time has arrived. The Saintess selection ceremony officially begins.”
“Some disciples with great fortune should have already discovered that there are existences within this Hidden Immortal Map that do not belong to your Star-Shifting Pavilion. They are all Spirit Puppets transformed by the Hidden Immortal Map. To better distinguish them, they have been specially made to resemble male cultivators and spirit beasts. Although they possess high spiritual intelligence, they are not true living beings.”
“What you need to do is to directly slay them to obtain the Spirit Talismans within their bodies, or you can exchange them for their sincere allegiance through other means. In short, there are no restrictions, the more the better!”
The next second.
Qin Gou clearly felt the dozens of pairs of eyes around him, at an astonishing speed, shift from their initial reverence to a joyous greed for the hunt.
