Chapter 0: 109. The Apprenticeship Ceremony
At this moment, neither Qin Gou nor Ren Ci could realize a problem: Jia Ren’s similarities with Ye Qishuang were not just in their background.
Ye Qishuang cultivated the Xuan Technique in reverse, and the disciples she had imparted and absorbed were the nine Saintesses of Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace.
As for the Demon Lord Jia Ren, for many years, she had no biological offspring within the Ren Clan. After all, as a great totem-like existence for the entire clan, how could she easily entrust herself to a male cultivator? Who would be crazy enough to push her into marriage? However, desire is ultimately endless. Even though Jia Ren had already appeared, the vast Ren Clan, a collection of multiple races, would never stop their ambition of seeing a second Demon Lord emerge.
So, fortunately, she possessed an extremely rare special constitution. After being secretly selected and earning her approval, her offspring, whose blood had fused with Jia Ren’s Thousand Soul Blood Body, would not only greatly increase their own aptitude but also easily comprehend the same Xuan Technique and Canon that Jia Ren did. Furthermore, they would gain an exceptionally extraordinary status within the Ren Clan.
It’s just a pity that not everything seems to go as perfectly as imagined.
Just as Yan Suoyun, the first Demon Lord back then, had said, the honorary title derived from each Demon Lord represented some kind of metaphor. The name ‘Jia Ren’ was both a homophone for “family” and an invisible shackle.
“Is this truly what Xiao Ci desires most?” Qin Gou asked, looking seriously into Ren Ci’s eyes.
“Is it strange?” Ren Ci scratched her little head, embarrassed.
“Not strange, just seeming overly simple,” Qin Gou said with a gentle smile, standing up and saying, “Let’s go.”
“Where are you going, Brother Qin Gou?” Ren Ci asked curiously.
“Of course, to seize the time and seek a way out!”
…
On the other side.
Zhao Xinting meticulously removed the seal for the white-haired old man.
Ye Qishuang gazed intently at the mist-shrouded mountains in the distance, murmuring to herself, “How long has Master been in this Illusory World Cloud Marsh? I wonder how he’s doing.”
“Are you looking down on me, Xiao Shuang’er? What kind of person is Master? What could possibly happen to him?” Zhao Xinting glanced at Ye Qishuang, snorted, and couldn’t help but interject in his defense.
“That’s right, Miss Ye. Fellow Daoist Qin only entered this Illusory World Cloud Marsh for about seven or eight minutes at most…” The white-haired old man nodded slightly. “Although I can’t see the whole picture, I can still roughly sense that since entering the Illusory World Cloud Marsh, Fellow Daoist Qin has seemingly been with that demoness the entire time.”
“Lord Qin actually encountered that Demon Lord Jia Ren so quickly?” Xiao Yizi exclaimed in surprise.
“Have you forgotten? Before Jia Ren escaped, she boasted that the next time they met, she would utterly defeat Master, making him weep on the spot, and Master would surely make her cry like a child in return… Master always keeps his word. The outcome has probably been decided by now.” Zhao Xinting revealed a confident smile.
“However, the immediate priority is that we don’t know what kind of laws they are currently experiencing,” the white-haired old man mused for a moment, and said solemnly, “Once I regain control of the secret realm, I will do my utmost to lift the curse power for the two of them as soon as possible.”
It was clear that the flow of time experienced by Zhao Xinting, Xiao Yizi, and the others was completely different from that of Qin Gou and Ren Ci within the Illusory World Cloud Marsh.
At this moment, the Illusory World Cloud Marsh was somewhat similar to the hunter’s cabin in the Forget Self Secret Realm. However, that hunter’s cabin could be used for peaceful cultivation and advancement; it was a rare blessed land and grotto-heaven. The Illusory World Cloud Marsh, on the other hand, was truly malevolent and dangerous. In such a predicament where one’s cultivation, physique, and spirit were all greatly weakened, if it weren’t for Qin Gou and Ren Ci being extraordinary individuals, anyone else would likely have been tormented until they were disheveled and utterly defeated.
Morning.
Some subtle noises caused Qin Gou to open his eyes.
After fruitlessly searching for a way out, only to mysteriously return to their starting point every time, the two had no choice but to continue taking shelter in this cave. The only gain was that Qin Gou had casually hunted a young spirit deer, allowing Ren Ci, who had been surviving on wild fruits and morning dew for days, to finally have a hot meal.
Just then, Ren Ci, who had been secretly busy with something, was caught by Qin Gou’s gaze and immediately jolted like a cat caught stealing fish, freezing in place.
“Xiao Ci?”
Qin Gou keenly noticed that the lower half of Xiao Ren Ci’s oversized dress had become inexplicably wet. Coupled with the girl’s extremely abnormal expression, his eyes widened in surprise. “Did you… wet the bed?”
“What’s wetting the bed?” Ren Ci looked bewildered.
“You wet the bed.”
Upon hearing this, Ren Ci’s eyes trembled, her body softened, and she almost completely collapsed onto the ground like a small caterpillar, covering her shamefully red little face and whimpering, “Don’t, don’t say it.”
Seeing this, Qin Gou slapped his forehead and chuckled in exasperation, “It’s also my fault for being so careless. You’re so young, and you have no cultivation. Even staying in this cave, it’s hard to avoid catching a chill. But don’t worry, Xiao Ci, I will keep this a secret for you and will never let a third person know.”
“Brother Qin Gou, you really won’t laugh at me for this?” Little Ren Ci felt extremely embarrassed and had nowhere to hide.
“Do I look like the kind of scoundrel who collects handles and exposes other people’s shortcomings? Even if I had to, it would be towards my enemies! But you and I are friends who have gone through thick and thin together, aren’t we?”
After comforting her with a smile, Qin Gou stood up and said, “Alright, I should quickly take you to that pond we found earlier to wash up.”
They arrived at the edge of a crystal-clear pond.
“Wash slowly, no rush. I’ll protect you nearby. As for your wet clothes after washing, leave them aside for now. You can wear mine temporarily later.” With that, Qin Gou directly took off his outer garment.
Seeing this, Ren Ci froze for a moment and asked softly, “Are all humans as kind as Brother Qin Gou?”
“How is that possible? People in this world have good and evil. This applies to all three races: Humans, Demons, and Sea Dwellers. Xiao Ci, you must not always be so naive!” Qin Gou chuckled and then waved his hand and went to sword practice.
…
A short while later, Ren Ci, wearing a long green shirt, reappeared before Qin Gou. Her damp long hair was cleverly tied into a charming bun with a twig she had found from who-knows-where, making her look mischievous and exceptionally cute.
“Brother Qin Gou, what’s wrong? Is there something on Xiao Ci’s face?”
“I’m just considering that after spending these past few days together, I’ve come to know you better, Xiao Ci, and I find that you are indeed naturally kind and innocent, perfectly matching my expectations.”
Qin Gou smiled slightly. “Of course, this also indirectly proves that my ability to judge people is quite accurate! Since that’s the case, Xiao Ci, do you still remember our conversation on the first day we met? Do you wish to embark on the path of cultivation and become my registered disciple?”
“Cultivation? Become Brother Qin Gou’s disciple?” Ren Ci was so astonished that her mouth almost fell open, finding it unbelievable. “But, with Xiao Ci’s aptitude, am I truly qualified to cultivate…”
“Those guys from the Lingbo Boat Master’s Clan are simply blind. The only issue now is whether Xiao Ci herself is willing to become my disciple.” Qin Gou’s smile was gentle. “As for whether I can teach Xiao Ci well, you can rest assured. In fact, strictly speaking, Xiao Ci is no longer my first demon disciple.”
“I, Brother Qin Gou…” For a moment, Little Ren Ci was so excited she couldn’t string a coherent sentence together. Knowing she was clumsy with words, she stopped talking and, facing Qin Gou, bowed respectfully with tears in her eyes, saying, “Disciple Ren Ci, greets Master!”
“Good child,” Qin Gou nodded, stepped forward, and contentedly intended to help her up.
“Master, wait!”
However, Ren Ci quickly looked around, felt herself up and down, and finally took off the Nas ring from her small hand, holding it high above her head. “Regardless, the ceremony must not be neglected. Please accept this apprenticeship gift!”
Qin Gou took the Nas ring from ‘Jia Ren’ with a strange expression, chuckling. “Xiao Ci, do you know what this is?”
Ren Ci immediately looked ashamed and guilty. “It’s a… ring belonging to a young lady. But it’s all I have with me right now. If Master dislikes it, I will prepare another one later…”
“No need,” Qin Gou couldn’t help but shake his head, trying to stifle his laughter. “You reminded me. If we were to follow the old customs, I should also give you some reward.”
As for the Nas ring, Qin Gou had already naturally put it on his finger.
After all, this little Ren Ci didn’t know the preciousness of this item at all. To prevent this silly girl from accidentally losing it, Old Qin decided it was best to keep it for her for the time being!
However, most of Qin Gou’s treasures were stored in his Nas ring. Unable to use his spiritual power at the moment, he rummaged through his clothes and took out a strangely shaped, small ‘string puppet’ from a pocket in his upper garment.
“System, what is the grade of this Magic Tool?” Qin Gou asked, looking somewhat unfamiliar at the string puppet.
“*Ding.* This item is extremely precious and special. It is not recommended for Host to give it to others.”
As soon as the voice fell.
“It’s yours.”
Qin Gou generously handed the string puppet, a Fatal Relic with a sinister and eerie curse power, to Ren Ci, earning a beaming smile and her adoring grip.
