Chapter 0: Kong Ling’s Dream
Chu Xian transformed into a dazzling white spirit flame and entered Liang Tiantian’s glabella, completing the Merged into One.
In an instant, the graceful woman in white clothes exuded an astonishing aura. The first few steps she took were accompanied by ripples of light expanding outwards under her feet, as if a divine being had descended.
However, Qin Gou did not witness the scene he had expected and asked with surprise in his eyes, “Where did those cat ears that never hide disappear to? Chu Xian always appears when we merge, but now she seems so normal. Old cat, were you deliberately tricking me before?”
“Brother Qin, you didn’t like them, so I didn’t act so willfully anymore.”
The graceful woman spoke, and her voice was Chu Xian’s. The main purpose of this assistance was to leverage Chu Xian’s powerful soul power, so it was she who would directly dominate this Dao Body.
“Then I hope you can maintain this. If there’s another chance for us to merge, please don’t target me anymore.” Qin Gou shook his head speechlessly and looked at Kong and Mo, who were meditating in stillness, saying, “Of course, the current matter is more important.”
“Brother Qin, rest assured.” As he spoke, Chu Xian secretly transmitted a message to Elder Lan Surou and the other elders, ordering that no one should intrude into the Grand Hall during this period. She then immediately went to Mo Ning’s side and lightly tapped her glabella with a finger.
“If it were just about separating Brother Qin’s two esteemed disciples’ consciousness and possessing any body, many ghost cultivators with decent realms could do it. But to add one more, while perfectly preserving the realm and cultivation of both, perhaps only I in this world possess such a capability… I absolutely cannot disappoint Brother Qin!”
“I understand, Chu Xian, you don’t need to be nervous, just do your best.” Qin Gou nodded and comforted her in a gentle tone.
“By the way, Brother Qin, you should still remember that back then, when the Mistress of Ten Thousand Flowers of Star-Shifting Pavilion was chosen, our old friends who were spirit bodies within the Hidden Immortal Map all wished to become true living beings with my help.”
Saying this, Chu Xian motioned Qin Gou to look at Mo Ning’s petite, palm-sized body, saying, “The materials used for this Spirit Puppet body are extremely rare in the world, but to me, such crude and clumsy refining techniques are no different from wanton waste. Why not use my soul power secret technique to transform this Spirit Puppet body into a true living body?”
The body Mo Ning’s consciousness was currently inhabiting was indeed very similar to a Spirit Puppet, which was why she had been unable to cultivate. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been easily picked up by Li Yuanzhen as if she were just a stray kitten found by the roadside.
“Chu Xian can even do this? I thought you would prepare another Dao Body,” Qin Gou said with some surprise.
“Brother Qin, you think too little of me.”
Hearing this, Chu Xian smiled slightly, pointed at Kong Ling’s glabella again, and with the latter’s active cooperation, sealed Kong Ling’s five senses, extracted some spirit blood, and infused it into Mo Ning’s body.
As the dazzling spirit flames burned, Qin Gou clearly saw Mo Ning’s small body gradually grow. Her previously pale skin became more vibrant and lively. He couldn’t help but think that it would be difficult for Li Yuanzhen to trick Miss Ning into hiding inside a dice cup and playing pranks in the future.
…
One hour later.
Kong Ling and Mo Ning maintained their initial cross-legged, meditative posture, but Miss Ning’s figure and physique had already caught up with Kong Ling’s.
Following this, as a ball of spirit light-filled soul body separated from Kong Ling’s body and entered Mo Ning’s glabella, Chu Xian seemed to let out a sigh of relief and said to Qin Gou, “Brother Qin, although it’s not completely finished, for the sake of prudence, you can try to awaken the two disciples for a moment and ask a few crucial questions to see if their consciousness has returned to their respective bodies accurately, instead of being chaotic as before.”
Qin Gou nodded slightly and immediately placed his hands on their shoulders, simultaneously lifting the seal on their five senses.
Not long after, Kong Ling and Mo Ning awakened. The first thing they did was to look at each other involuntarily and exclaim with joy, “Lord Qin Gou, did it succeed?”
“Kong Wench, what did you call me?” Qin Gou’s expression was filled with disbelief.
“Kong Ling? Lord Qin Gou, I am Mo Ning,” ‘Kong Ling’ blurted out.
“What did you say?” Mo Ning looked at ‘Kong Ling’ with confusion. “Clearly, I am Mo Ning. Kong Ling, this is not the time for jokes.”
“You…”
“Chu Xian, what is going on?” Qin Gou asked incredulously. “Why have both of their consciousnesses become Mo Ning?”
Chu Xian immediately acted, resealing their five senses and making them fall into a deep sleep again. She then carefully investigated with her spirit power before saying, “It’s an illusion! Brother Qin, some extremely high-level soul-confusing illusionary arts are obstructing us. What kind of malicious person has cast such a deeply hidden illusionary art on Brother Qin’s two esteemed disciples!”
“It’s her herself.”
“What?” Chu Xian looked utterly confused.
Qin Gou gazed tenderly at the two women, Kong and Mo, saying, “However, with you here now, Chu Xian, they no longer need the psychological suggestion of the Illusory Sea Tide technique. Wait a moment, I will personally tell Kong Wench to have her actively dispel the illusion.”
With that said, Qin Gou also sat down on the ground near Kong Ling, and with a wave of his hand, summoned a white paper lantern with an eerily blue candle flame.
“Soul in a Dream!”
Silently repeating the incantation in his heart, Qin Gou’s consciousness instantly entered Kong Ling’s dreamscape.
Below the green mountains, birds sang and flowers bloomed, and a clear stream flowed past the door of a small house. Everything was peaceful and comfortable, detached from the world. This was Kong Ling’s innermost dream.
He remembered that Miss Ning had told him before that Kong Ling always had some particularly bizarre and terrifying dreams. That little demoness was clearly joking again.
Looking at the slender figure standing quietly by the stream, Qin Gou confirmed it was Kong Ling. He immediately walked up and called out with a smile, “Xiao Ling’er!”
Upon hearing this, Kong Ling did not show the slightest surprise. She merely glanced back at Qin Gou, as if it were commonplace, and said with a smile, pursing her lips, “Greetings, Master.”
“Mm, Kong Wench, don’t panic. The reason I can enter your dreamscape is actually because…”
However, Kong Ling, in a rare move, directly interrupted her esteemed master’s words. She smiled brightly and said as if it were normal, “Because Master possesses the ‘Soul in a Dream’ spirit tool that allows you to freely enter others’ dreamscapes. I naturally know this, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to so confidently and successfully imagine you appearing in my dreams.”
“Always appearing?” Qin Gou was stunned for a moment and said with a chuckle, “No, Kong Wench, I mean, I am not the Qin Gou who was fantasized by you! I am the real me, do you understand?”
“Master! Today is really not the right time!”
As she spoke, an expression of helpless pampering suddenly appeared on Kong Ling’s beautiful, delicate face. She quickly suppressed it, reached out and pointed to the small house not far away, and decisively said, “Or, you can go wait on the bed yourself.”
