Chapter 0: Special Greeting
“Something like this actually happened?”
Was this considered lifting a rock only to drop it on one’s own feet? Qin Gou couldn’t help but chuckle dryly.
Seeing this, a hint of suspicion flickered in the Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet’s eyes as it asked, “Does Your Excellency not know of this matter? Or have you already forgotten?”
“No, I mean, times have changed.”
Qin Gou retracted his smile and said, as if to mend the pen after the sheep were lost, “Nowadays, there’s no one who greets each other like that anymore.”
“I see. I have been guarding the secret realm and have not been to the outside world. Please enlighten me, Your Excellency, how should things be done in this current era…”
“Your mother?”
Suddenly, the most unstable factor around Qin Gou, a Stone Spirit identical to his own appearance, suddenly broke free from Qin Gou’s Nas, appearing beside him.
“Oh God, why are you causing trouble again?”
“Your Excellency, what is he doing?” The Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet examined the Stone Spirit from head to toe, and discovered that it, like itself, was a creation of some kind of Puppet Spirit Arts.
“Cough, don’t mind him. What he just said was just a ‘Special Greeting’ I taught him. It’s meant to express my utmost respect for you, but this fellow never listens to discipline and just pops out to startle people.” Qin Gou smiled helplessly, patted the Stone Spirit’s shoulder, and sent it back into the Nas.
“Your mother? Your mother…”
For a moment, the Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet pondered these words repeatedly. It slowly extended a finger, placed it on its temple, and suddenly began to dig a hole in its stone head like an electric drill, emitting bursts of dazzling seven-colored spiritual light.
“What are you doing?” Qin Gou asked with surprise.
“I’ve decided to engrave these words deeply into my mind, so I’ll never forget them no matter how much time passes!”
“This way, on the day Lord Saint Monarch revives, I can also congratulate Saint Monarch on their triumphant return with these words of respect, and win her favor! After all, Saint Monarch favored you the most back then, so imitating you must be the right thing to do.” As he spoke, the Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet’s loyalty to Luo Wei Ban was evident, even surpassing that of the citizens of Mo Qingxin’s Hidden Female Country.
“Take care.” Qin Gou couldn’t help but grip the Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet’s large hand tightly, appearing very moved.
His previous guess was indeed correct. A spirit puppet with too high intelligence could not stay in this sparsely populated secret realm for long. Even if it did, it would certainly become half-mad after such a long time.
The Stone Spirit younger brother was the best example. When True Man Wangji created it, he probably only endowed it with the intelligence of a parakeet.
At this moment, the Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet took out a wooden box out of thin air and handed it to Qin Gou, saying, “The reason I kept you behind was to entrust this to you.”
Opening the wooden box, Qin Gou saw a Ban Qin Saber he was all too familiar with, lying quietly inside. His eyes lit up and he said, “I guessed long ago that there would be at least one Ban Qin Saber in this secret realm… But why did you give it to me so mysteriously, instead of directly to Ban Wei?”
“Ban Wei? You mean that little Saint Monarch of the Dragon Race?”
The Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet suddenly cupped its fists in a salute towards a certain direction and respectfully said, “As Lord Saint Monarch said back then, if several trustworthy individuals appeared in this secret realm simultaneously, I was to give the Ban Qin Saber to the foremost among them. And based on my observation of the entire secret realm, since you are the master of that little Saint Monarch of the Dragon Race, it is only natural that you should accept this Ban Qin Saber.”
“What are you talking about? Don’t talk nonsense!” Qin Gou’s mouth twitched as he quickly said, “After all this, you still don’t understand my relationship with Ban Wei.”
“Seeing is believing. I prefer to trust my own eyes,” the Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet argued, completely ignoring Qin Gou’s explanation. Clearly, it, being fiercely loyal, had never peeked at the letters that Nine Saint Monarch left for the other little Saint Monarchs.
“Forget it, I really can’t explain it to you! But I am very grateful for the favor of giving me this Ban Qin Saber.” Qin Gou sighed helplessly, holding his forehead, “Can I leave the secret realm now? After all, quite a few people are probably waiting for me.”
“Of course.” As he spoke, the Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet was about to wave Qin Gou out of the secret realm.
“Wait a moment.”
Qin Gou suddenly stopped its movement and added, “I have one last kind reminder: if, on the day Luo Wei Ban revives, you actually call out ‘Your mother’ to her directly, you might not know how to write the word ‘death’?”
“Death?” The Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet was stunned for a moment, then slowly nodded. “I see. Thank you for telling me.” With that, it properly sent Qin Gou out of the secret realm.
However, after sending all the cultivators away, the Saint Monarch’s Tomb did not immediately return to its former tranquility.
A greeting, born from the fear of accidentally forgetting, began to echo repeatedly throughout the entire secret realm.
“Your mother… death? Your mother is dead…”
…
“Qin, you’re finally out. We’ve been waiting for you for ages.”
Luo Cangming said it casually, but Qin Gou could see the concern in his eyes. He immediately smiled warmly and said, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. The Scarlet Eyed Spirit Puppet kept me behind for a moment just to give me the item I wanted the most.”
“That saber?” Luo Cangming asked indirectly.
Qin Gou nodded and smiled.
“It seems we’ve all gotten what we needed most.” Luo Cangming’s smile widened, and he glanced at Ji Qianqiu beside him. “In that case, Qin, shall we part ways here?”
“Little Luo, why are you in such a hurry to leave?” Qin Gou asked, puzzled.
“Yes, I am now following Fellow Daoist Ji. This time, Fellow Daoist Ji didn’t so much come to explore the secret realm as to specifically pick me up and leave. And she has important matters to attend to, so it’s not good to delay.” Luo Cangming said truthfully.
Hearing this, Qin Gou nodded slightly. “Then we’ll meet again someday?”
“Fellow Daoist Qin, we will meet again.” Ji Qianqiu immediately cupped her fists in a salute to Qin Gou. She didn’t know Qin Gou’s true identity, but he had never put on any airs of a Dharma Aspect True Person in front of the many ‘juniors’ throughout. This was quite commendable in the Cultivation World.
Above the sky, a Spirit Boat soared.
Ji Qianqiu glanced at Luo Cangming, who was happily examining his spoils not far away, and chuckled, “He didn’t help much, yet Fellow Daoist Qin was so generous. I truly don’t know how to thank him.”
“How many times have I told you, we’re all family! Why are you always so polite, Fellow Daoist Ji?” Luo Cangming waved his hand casually.
“What family? Little Luo, I don’t like that phrase. Can you not make such jokes in the future?” Ji Qianqiu said helplessly.
“Why is that?” Luo Cangming was confused.
“You little fellow, why pretend not to know?”
A hint of embarrassment flashed in Ji Qianqiu’s eyes, and she said with a blush, “In front of Fellow Daoist Qin, you keep saying ‘family’ and ‘age doesn’t matter between cultivators.’ What are you trying to do? Everyone has seen through your intentions long ago! I haven’t looked for a Dao Companion in my cultivation so far. Is it that embarrassing? But you can’t try so hard to matchmake me and Fellow Daoist Qin, you little rascal! It’s making me, a senior of my age, not know how to hold my head up in front of Fellow Daoist Qin anymore!”
“Little Luo!”
In a flash, Ji Qianqiu rushed forward to stop Luo Cangming, who was so furious he was about to jump off the boat to commit suicide.
