**Chapter 0 Chapter 34. Are You a Man?**
“Yuan Zhen, what do you mean by that?” Bai Yunxi asked in great confusion, her expression surprised.
Peak Master Bai had come together with Qin Gou and the others mainly because this was a rare opportunity for her to go out and travel, and she wanted to spend more time with her daughter Gu Feiyan, to whom she was indebted for many years.
“Cough.” Qin Gou let out a dry laugh helplessly and said, “Peak Master Bai, the matter is like this. You know my relationship with Yi Chengying and the Mystic Maiden Palace. Back then, due to some unforeseen circumstances, Yuan Zhen had no choice but to help disguise herself as Palace Lord Ye for a few days using a disguise spirit treasure, and she was even quite beloved by the disciples of the palace then!”
“There’s such a story!” Bai Yunxi exclaimed in amazement.
However, what surprised her was solely the bold move by Qin Gou and Li Yuanzhen at the time. As for the matter of the Righteous Valor Fairy being deeply loved by the disciples of the Mystic Maiden Palace… Peak Master Bai had always believed that someone with her disciple’s noble character would naturally be welcomed wherever she went.
“If that’s the case, to avoid any further complications, I should also disguise myself.” As she spoke, Bai Yunxi waved her hand and transformed into a charming and beautiful woman whose appearance was vastly different from her own elegant demeanor.
Li Yuanzhen, however, let out a carefree laugh and said, “This humble Daoist won’t disguise herself this time, lest the fellow Daoists of the Mystic Maiden Palace forget me again in the future!”
“Yuan Zhen, you…”
“Peak Master Bai, with Yi Chengying and me here, Yuan Zhen’s actions are indeed harmless,” Qin Gou said to Li Yuanzhen immediately.
In his eyes, the little gambler was simply the most carefree and unrestrained cultivator in the world. It was in her nature, so there was no need to restrain her in such a small matter.
They entered the familiar mountain gate of the Mystic Maiden Palace.
Xi Hua Saintess Gu Caihe, who had received the news, immediately soared through the air, a hint of joy from their long-overdue reunion flashing in her eyes.
“Sister Chengying, and… Qin Yue, long time no see!”
The appearance and name Qin Gou used in the Mystic Maiden Palace had always been ‘Qin Yue’, a deliberate choice instructed by Ye Qishuang.
“Sister Caihe, I miss you so much!”
For a moment, Yi Chengying and Gu Caihe, like two sisters, affectionately held each other’s small hands.
“I heard you’ve already met the Palace Lord?” Gu Caihe quickly asked.
“Yes, the Palace Lord is currently cultivating diligently in the Shen Hao Secret Realm, and everything is well.”
“Then I can finally rest assured. May I ask who these fellow Daoists are?” Gu Caihe asked with a smile, looking curiously at Bai Yunxi, Qingyu, and the others.
“Don’t worry, Sister Caihe, they are all friends of Lord Qin and Little Chair,” Yi Chengying explained immediately, though she found it difficult to elaborate.
Following that, Gu Caihe politely cupped her fists, but her attention was almost entirely focused on Bai Yunxi.
“May I ask which fellow Daoist this is?”
“Greetings, Xi Hua Saintess. You may call me Xian Ning.” Bai Yunxi said with a calm expression and a slight smile. ‘Xian Ning’ was a different name for ‘Yun’. Peak Master Bai’s choice of alias was clearly much more normal than something like Li Fuqing or Li Muqing.
“I can see that Fellow Daoist Xian Ning’s cultivation time has not exceeded a hundred years, yet you already possess such profound cultivation. It truly makes Caihe admire you greatly,” Gu Caihe praised sincerely.
In her opinion, Bai Yunxi was the most powerful cultivator among them all. Qingyu, however, who was no longer within her realm of comprehension, appeared to be the most inconspicuous.
“Please forgive Caihe’s presumption, but our Mystic Maiden Palace is in great need of talented individuals right now. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Xian Ning would be willing to join our Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace?!” Gu Caihe said, subtly gesturing for Yi Chengying to also help persuade her. The nine Saintesses of the Mystic Maiden Palace each had their own responsibilities, and Gu Caihe’s main duty was to recruit talent. During this special period without Ye Qishuang’s presence, she was naturally wholeheartedly trying to recruit her.
“This.” Bai Yunxi could not hide her surprise and said, “I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you, fellow Daoist. Xian Ning already has a sect.”
“Then may I ask, fellow Daoist Xian Ning, which sect are you from?” Gu Caihe seemed unwilling to give up easily.
“I…” Bai Yunxi’s expression suddenly became extremely flustered, and she let out a series of dry laughs. “How about this, I will definitely consider the matter of joining the Mystic Maiden Palace properly. But please allow me a few days, Fellow Daoist Gu.”
Given Gu Caihe’s influence, if Bai Yunxi casually mentioned a sect, she could easily find loopholes in a short period. However, if she told the truth, that she was the Peak Master of the Evil Slaying Peak of the Sword Questioning Sect, it would evidently cause even more trouble.
Following this, Li Yuanzhen’s seemingly teasing remark almost made Bai Yunxi so ashamed that she wanted to administer family discipline on the spot…
“As expected of Fellow Daoist Xian Ning, you can achieve things that I, this humble Daoist, cannot, with such ease!” The little gambler’s face was full of admiration.
“Then I shall await good news from Fellow Daoist Xian Ning with anticipation.” Gu Caihe also smiled happily, as if she had already envisioned the wonderful scene of Bai Yunxi becoming another Saintess of the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace.
At this moment, Qin Gou, after instructing several disciples of the Mystic Maiden Palace to prepare several high-grade cave dwellings as soon as possible, turned to Gu Caihe and asked, “Caihe, where is Cult Master Zhao’s external incarnation now?”
“Cult Master Zhao should be in Youyun Hall at this moment. If it’s important, I’ll lead the way for you.”
“No need, I know where Youyun Hall is. You and Little Chair haven’t seen each other for so long, you must have a lot to talk about. Please also help me settle down our guests properly.” With that, Qin Gou greeted Xiao Yan and the others, and then left alone.
“Purple Extreme Demon… Cult Master Zhao! You don’t need to pretend anymore. Cuiyan knows you must be in the hall right now!”
In front of Youyun Hall, an unexpected woman appeared in Qin Gou’s line of sight.
The Arbitration Saintess of the Mystic Maiden Palace, Ling Cuiyan.
The fierce woman who had fallen for Zhao Xinting at first sight during her mortal transformation period, and forcibly brought her to the Mystic Maiden Palace.
“You sent me on such a distant and arduous mission… I have no complaints, and I am willing to apologize to Cult Master Zhao for my rudeness back then!”
Ling Cuiyan’s eyes were filled with indignation, and she stared fixedly at the door of Youyun Hall, seemingly too focused to notice Qin Gou’s arrival.
“However, why have you always refused to see me, not even once? Every time I return, I wait in front of your door for a long, long time, but I still haven’t had the chance to meet you face to face… Are you just going to keep deliberately avoiding me like this forever?”
Ling Cuiyan asked sadly, but Youyun Hall remained silent, with no response.
Finally, Ling Cuiyan could no longer contain herself. She gritted her teeth and cried out heartbrokenly, “Cult Master Zhao, you should understand that if I were truly afraid of death, I wouldn’t have come looking for you again. So, no matter what, today I must boldly ask…”
“You don’t even dare to meet the gaze of a woman who admires you?”
“The renowned Demon Lord, Zhao Xinting… are you still a man!?”
