Chapter 037. A Net to Catch Them All
“Xinting ordered people to quietly gather this information, and the original plan was to leave none of the Gu Xi Dynasty’s lackeys alive!”
“The reason?”
“Master, the enmity between Xinting’s Zi Ji Lineage and the Gu Xi Dynasty is deep-seated and irreconcilable. That Gu Xi Human Emperor personally pursued and killed Xinting many times back then. If I don’t avenge this, how can Xinting face the disciples who sacrificed their lives to give Xinting a chance to survive?”
Zhao Xinting’s eyes carried a sharp cold glint, and she clenched her fists, saying, “It’s just that now that Xinting has finally ascended to the Realm Lord realm, that Gu Xi Human Emperor has started to deliberately hide his tracks!”
In recent years, the Purple Extreme Demon, Zhao Xinting, has consistently held the top position on the ‘Heavenly Devil Ranking’. However, this ranking, jointly issued by several peak dynasties, was not originally intended to enhance her reputation but rather to put a clear price on Zhao Xinting’s head.
“So, you want to eliminate everyone from the Gu Xi Dynasty who has appeared this time, or completely disrupt the smooth running of the Selection Ceremony, to lure out the Gu Xi Human Emperor?” Qin Gou asked.
Zhao Xinting frankly replied, “Precisely. The war between the Zi Ji Lineage and the Gu Xi Dynasty has never truly ceased. This time, if it had proceeded according to the original plan, Xinting would have made them lose all face in front of the people from the other major dynasties.”
“But considering your grand plan, Master, Xinting is willing to make way for you.”
“I see… If that’s the case, then in fact, Xinting, you didn’t need to hide it from me from the beginning.”
Qin Gou smiled calmly and patted Zhao Xinting on the shoulder, saying, “Master will take note of this matter.”
“Master?!”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xinting seemed to understand tacitly, and her eyes lit up with joy. “Xinting thanks Master! However… if it’s possible, Xinting still hopes that you can leave the Gu Xi Human Emperor to me, to fight him one last time myself!”
However, Qin Gou chuckled and stopped Zhao Xinting from bowing gratefully, gently tapping her forehead with a finger.
“Don’t get so emotionally moved again. When did Master ever agree to help you? Just because my own disciple was wronged, I would personally punish a Human Emperor who roams the world? Am I really such a petty and overprotective person?”
Old Qin sighed with a sense of loss, but ultimately, he couldn’t resist his consistently honest and straightforward nature and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Indeed, and unrepentant to the end.”
…
Aboard a Spirit Boat heading to Pinghe Mountain in Chu Zhou.
Besides Qin Gou and his party, Gu Caihe and a large number of outstanding disciples from the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace were also present.
“Little Box, you’ve been hesitating to speak all the way. Don’t keep it bottled up. Just say what you want to ask,” Qin Gou asked with a mixture of laughter and tears, after Gu Caihe had circled around him silently for the seventh time.
Gu Caihe hesitated for a moment, then spread her small hands. “Qin Yue, have you discussed this trip with the Palace Lord in advance?”
“No, but I don’t think Qishuang will refuse. And don’t I have the qualifications to command the Mystic Maiden Palace now?” Qin Gou replied casually.
“But I think those organizing the Selection Ceremony would never allow our Mystic Maiden Palace to participate,” Gu Caihe said helplessly.
“Did they explicitly issue a ban preventing us from going?”
“No.”
“Then that’s that.”
“But that’s precisely because no one in this world has ever considered that our Mystic Maiden Palace would also compete for the position of a great Dao sect!” Gu Caihe said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “It’s not that I think our Mystic Maiden Palace is unworthy of such a good reputation, but in the eyes of the world…”
“But since they haven’t specified it, the Mystic Maiden Palace, with its scale and strength, is qualified to participate.”
Qin Gou waved his hand, still calmly saying, “Besides, as the saying goes, a prodigal son’s return is priceless. Perhaps this is not a loophole in the Selection Ceremony at all, but rather they never intended to forbid sects like the Mystic Maiden Palace?”
“Anyway, once we get there, we’ll deal with whatever comes our way.”
A short while later.
The Spirit Boat landed near Pinghe Mountain. The spiritual energy fluctuations here were intense, and a large number of cultivators had already gathered.
However, as soon as everyone saw the red banner with a spider totem on Qin Gou’s Spirit Boat, almost all of them changed their expressions to one of extreme strangeness and quickly dispersed.
Qin Gou and his group, who should have been queuing according to the rules, suddenly received the highest level of ‘courtesy’, and the path ahead became completely unobstructed.
“Look, Little Box, how welcoming the Dao companions are to us?”
As he spoke, Qin Gou, with a faint smile, approached several Deacon Disciples of the Selection Ceremony.
“Esteemed Senior.”
A Deacon Disciple looked at Qin Gou with a strange expression and cautiously asked, “That sect banner, you’re not really…?”
“Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace.” Qin Gou nodded with a smile. “Precisely.”
“Retreat!”
In an instant, the Deacon Disciples retreated rapidly, their faces filled with panic as they transmitted messages in alarm, “Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace… enemy attack!”
Qin Gou’s face twitched.
Gu Caihe also couldn’t help but press her forehead with a black line across her face, thinking to herself, *’What did I say earlier?’*
“What’s all the noise about?”
Just then, a sharp and clear feminine shout rang out.
A woman cultivator in a red dress with a composed expression appeared in everyone’s sight.
“Lord Rong Shan, they are cultivators from the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace!” the Deacon Disciple said alertly.
“So what?” The woman in the red dress frowned, her voice cool. “Have they actively made a move and broken our rules at this moment?”
“N-not yet.”
“Then why are you bunch of idiots in such a panic, making a fuss? Desist and return to your posts, don’t disgrace yourselves further!”
The woman in the red dress snorted dismissively and then approached Qin Gou, cupping her fists in a salute. “Rong Shan has failed to discipline her subordinates properly. I apologize to all of you for letting you witness this farce.”
“It’s alright.” Qin Gou looked at her with admiration and said with a smile, “Fellow Daoist, our Mystic Maiden Palace is indeed here to participate in the Great Daorenowned Sect Selection.”
“I understand. Please follow me.” The woman in the red dress showed no surprise on her face. Instead, she politely gestured for Qin Gou and his group to follow.
Seeing this, Qin Gou, following behind the woman in the red dress, couldn’t help but sigh in his heart…
Since the several peak dynasties hosting this Selection Ceremony call themselves the ‘Righteous Path of the Human Realm,’ there must indeed be a few sensible and insightful individuals among them. This truly saves him a lot of trouble!
Soon, they arrived at a secluded and deserted spot. The woman in the red dress suddenly formed a hand seal and chanted incantations, summoning a Soundproof and Vision-Blocking Grand Array, instantly surrounding Qin Gou and his group.
“Fellow Daoist Rong Shan, what are you doing?” Qin Gou asked in surprise and uncertainty.
For a moment, the woman’s gaze fell upon Gu Caihe and Yi Chengying. Suddenly, without hesitation, she gracefully knelt down and spoke with utmost respect, “Rong Shan of the Youzui Hall, Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace, pays respects to Saintess Xi Hua, Sister Caihe, and Saintess Lone Shadow, Sister Chengying!”
Then, a fervent and passionate light flashed in Rong Shan’s eyes, and her voice became even more excited and fervent: “Your subordinate has been lurking outside the palace for many years. Surely today is the day when Rong Shan can finally be of use to our Mystic Maiden Palace and annihilate all these so-called righteous cultivators gathered here, catching them all in one net?!”
