Chapter 0.41: It Can Begin Now
Inside the Grand Hall of the Star-Shifting Pavilion sect.
Several female cultivators from the Hidden Immortal Tower were meticulously observing the massive Hidden Immortal Map before them. While they couldn’t discern every detail, the numerous light spots scattered across its surface provided a wealth of useful information.
“Look here.”
Lan Su Rou suddenly pointed to a light spot. “I’ve been observing this disciple for quite some time. She somehow managed to quickly gather a team of several dozen people earlier, and now, in such a brief period, she has individually interacted with and befriended several Spirit Puppets.”
“Is that so?” Another female cultivator in a white dress quickly leaned in. Examining the faint red glow around that particular light spot, her beautiful eyes widened in surprise. “It’s clear she didn’t choose to kill them, but rather gained their approval, earning their genuine loyalty… and the number of these Spirit Puppets is still increasing at an astonishing rate.”
“The problem is, Spirit Puppets should generally be averse to these female disciples. Even if touched by sincerity, they shouldn’t be this quick.”
“Has anything similar happened before?”
“We must focus our attention on her. If nothing unexpected occurs, even if she just maintains her current state, this person is undoubtedly destined for the position of Reserve Saintess of the Star-Shifting Pavilion! After all, once recognized by the Spirit Puppets, her advantage will only grow.”
“Congratulations, Pavilion Master Shangguan,” Lan Su Rou said with a smile, looking towards Shangguan Xiu, who stood nearby. “The Star-Shifting Pavilion has produced such an exceptional disciple.”
Shangguan Xiu’s face lit up. Stroking his goatee, he chuckled with immense satisfaction.
At the same time, the female cultivator in white conjured a spiritual art. On the Hidden Immortal Map, the light spot belonging to Qin Gou began to shine brighter, becoming the most conspicuous among everyone else.
…
Within a dungeon depicted on the Hidden Immortal Map.
“This place is safe for now,” the snow-white spirit cat said, its eyes glowing in the darkness as it looked at Qin Gou. “Currently, those female cultivators are fully focused on searching for our tracks, making it difficult for us to show ourselves openly and rally more brothers. However, with our current numbers, we can’t make significant waves. Do you have any better suggestions, comrade?”
Hearing this, Qin Gou first scanned the dozen or so other Spirit Puppets around them, which varied in humanoid and beastly forms. He asked in confusion, “Why are you specifically asking me, comrade?”
“Because…” The spirit cat leaped to Qin Gou’s feet, looking up and gazing deeply into his eyes. “I have a vague feeling that you are somewhat special, not quite like us.”
“What’s so different!” Qin Gou chuckled, quickly waving his hand. “But along the way, I do have many questions. When you mentioned ‘resistance’ earlier, did you mean intending to eliminate all the cultivators from the outside world?”
“How is that possible? If that were the case, the people from the Hidden Immortal Absolute Beauty Tower wouldn’t allow it. After all, if they die, their souls are truly scattered and spirits vanished,” the spirit cat shook its head and leaped onto a nearby large rock, its tone melancholic. “At most, we’ll subdue and imprison them.”
“So, comrade, you’re doing this just to vent your anger?”
“No, my wish is to completely reverse our roles in this cat-and-mouse game with those female cultivators from the outside! Aren’t they competing to see who can defeat the most of us to become the so-called Reserve Saintess? Why must we be their touchstone? Instead of being the ones in control, the hunters, or their instructors? This time, we’ll do the opposite. We’ll subdue those cultivators one by one, and the last person who is resourceful and manages to escape will achieve the position of Saintess!”
The spirit cat looked around at everyone. “The Saint Spirit also allows this, and the benefits of success are probably something I don’t need to elaborate on, right?”
Everyone nodded slightly. One of the Spirit Puppets, resembling a white deer, spoke in a human voice. “The Saint Spirit will use its full power to grant one of our wishes! I truly wish I could have a body of a real living being.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Gou’s expression suddenly turned serious. “As far as I know, the Saint Spirit is a very powerful Ghost Cultivator, so its mastery of the soul path must be extremely profound… Does the Saint Spirit have any method to absolutely and safely divide a cultivator’s soul into two and impart them with bodies?” At this moment, Qin Gou thought of the young girl Kong Ling.
“This, I cannot guarantee for you at this moment, comrade,” the spirit cat replied, a trace of human-like difficulty flashing in its eyes. “I only know that the Saint Spirit is naturally formed, unlike those Ghost Cultivators who cultivate later. And once it meets a ‘suitable’ Mistress of Ten Thousand Flowers, the Saint Spirit’s own realm and soul power will increase exponentially!”
“Thank you, Brother Bai, for clarifying my doubts. Since we have the Saint Spirit’s promise, and it won’t disrupt the selection ceremony… then there’s no other way. After all, I am merely a selfish person.”
“Comrade, what did you say?”
A hint of tenderness appeared in Qin Gou’s eyes, but it was well-hidden and vanished in an instant. He then grinned with unrestrained revelry.
“I said, we can begin!”
“Does comrade have a brilliant plan?”
“We want to defeat a larger force with fewer people, so the best method is to act from the inside and outside, to dismantle them from within.” Qin Gou thought of Li Yuanzhen, A’, and the others who should still be mixed in with those female cultivators. “I believe I can accomplish this.”
“Why? Those cultivators will basically attack us on sight!” the spirit cat asked, confused.
Qin Gou, not wanting to reveal his identity as an outsider, could only shrug. “Because… my appearance is humanoid, making it easier to communicate with them.”
“Aren’t I humanoid too?” At this moment, another Spirit Puppet, with the appearance of a bald giant and a pair of large bull-like eyes, chimed in.
“We are not quite the same,” Qin Gou said, touching his nose.
“What’s different?” the bald Spirit Puppet asked, utterly bewildered.
“Must I be so explicit, comrade?” Qin Gou chuckled and shook his head. He then raised his hand and vigorously gestured to his famously confident handsome face.
For a moment, all the Spirit Puppets stared, their eyes wide, looking at each other. Then, with a sudden realization, they all turned to look at Qin Gou.
“You… have a thick face?”
“Not afraid of getting beaten?”
…
At the same time.
High in the sky, a woman wearing a thin veil strode through the air, her destination being the Star-Shifting Pavilion.
If anyone from the Hidden Immortal Absolute Beauty Tower were present, even with her face obscured, they would undoubtedly recognize this woman of extraordinary grace as their Hidden Immortal Tower’s former Mistress of Ten Thousand Flowers, ‘Yu Rong,’ who had been missing for a long time.
Yu Rong’s eyes blazed with cold light as she muttered, “This time, Lan Su Rou and the others will surely bring the Hidden Immortal Map! No matter the cost, I will repay that humiliation a hundredfold!”
“You harbinger of disaster, demoness Ye Qishuang, just wait for your death!”
