Chapter 0: 79. Come with me
The Spirit Oath was sealed.
As Huan Wuzhen detached himself from this small grotto-heaven and fled, he issued a final death order to his subordinates:
“Huan Jing must be kept here!”
Wait.
Do not question what to wait for… just wait until death!
As Huan Wuzhen, who was not originally from this world and had used the Empty Illusory Snake racial talent once, saw the true appearance of Qin Gou and Black Robe at that moment, he finally awakened to all his past and the “Demon Master’s Tribulation” period, which could be described as a world-ending catastrophe.
Huan Wuzhen deeply understood the terror and madness of the black-robed Qin Gou.
Although he no longer had the chance to escape from the other party a second time by using his racial talent, fortunately, he had more than just one son.
Inside the illusion.
Perhaps it was due to his incomplete spiritual intelligence, but this illusion had a minimal impact on Black Robe. He remained his cold and ruthless self and did not make any abnormal moves.
Before long, Qin Gou and Qingyu led Black Robe and attempted to leave Arc-Moon Mountain.
The moment they reached the foot of the mountain, the surrounding scenery began to transform rapidly, turning into a sunny, vibrant island.
At the same time, Black Robe’s appearance had completely returned to its originally sickly pale state.
Noticing this, Qin Gou couldn’t help but ponder, “Could it be that the best way to help someone recover in this illusion is to find a way to make them willing to leave that false area?”
After all, he couldn’t forcibly awaken everyone with Dao Heart Marvelous Hands.
“Master, this place is Tongmeng Island, Little Banwei’s home,” Qingyu reminded him with a pleasant voice.
“I know,” Qin Gou replied with a smile. “And perhaps taking Banwei away might be the easiest thing to do.”
“What do you mean?” Qingyu asked, quite puzzled.
“Just watch!”
With that, Qin Gou immediately led them through his memory to Ao Banwei’s boudoir. He did not let Qingyu appear as a Dragon Saint, because it was likely that in the memory of Ao Banwei, who was currently under the illusion, Qingyu should still be guarding the Sea Soul on Dragon God Island.
“Ao Banwei.”
Entering the room alone, the appearance of the little white dragon did not change much from outside. Qin Gou smiled calmly, “Do you recognize me? My name is Qin Gou. Ao Ai should have mentioned me to you long ago.”
Upon hearing this, Ao Banwei, who was already surprised by someone suddenly barging into her room, exclaimed even more in astonishment, “Master of Arc-Moon Mountain, Senior Qin Gou? But, but how do you know about Sister Ao Ai?!”
“Don’t worry about that for now… Can you guess why I’m here today?” Qin Gou continued to ask.
“Are you here to take Banwei as your disciple, knowing that Banwei has always wanted to be your disciple? But… Daddy and Mother still said yesterday that Banwei is too young and cannot be allowed to leave the sea.” The little white dragon’s eyes were filled with complexity.
“Wrong, you are now my hostage.”
With that, Qin Gou stepped forward, forcibly picked up the little white dragon, covered her eyes, and walked away.
“Wh, what?!” For a moment, Banwei the wench cried out in alarm.
Qingyu, who followed behind, said in confusion, “Master, what are you doing? Can taking Banwei away by force like this really help her break free from the illusion?”
“Of course, look how happy Banwei is now. She clearly is very willing. Children just like this kind of thing,” Qin Gou said matter-of-factly.
“Happy?!” Qingyu looked at Ao Banwei, who was being carried on Old Qin’s shoulder, kicking her little feet, screaming, and her pretty face flushed red. She couldn’t help but be skeptical.
But the next second, the surrounding scenery changed again, and the little white dragon’s cries for help abruptly stopped.
Qin Gou immediately let go. After the little white dragon steadied herself, she said shyly, “Master truly… understands Banwei!”
On the street, there was a constant stream of traffic and people.
Qin Gou thought for a moment, “If I remember correctly, this place should be Chenglu City from Little Chair’s childhood memories. I once helped her create this dreamscape in Eternal Seal Ice using dream spirit tools.”
Then, Qin Gou led everyone to a familiar street corner and waited quietly.
Sure enough, after a short while, a clear voice rang out, “Young Master, the two older sisters are so beautiful, would you like to buy some flowers for them?”
It was a small girl wearing a tattered dress, with a frail and slender body, holding a bouquet of vibrant fresh flowers, still covered with dew.
From the girl’s thin and weak physique, it was evident that she lived a very poor life, often going hungry. Yet, she had washed her worn clothes and little face very clean, as a good impression was necessary for her to sell her flowers.
Qin Gou, of course, recognized this little chair immediately.
“Wench, I’ll buy all your flowers,” Qin Gou said with a warm smile.
“Really?” Yi Chengying’s large, watery black eyes were filled with joy.
“Not only that, but even Aunt Liu, who occasionally gave you some food, her crippled leg can also be healed by this older brother.”
“Wh, how do you know… Do you need me to do something?” Yi Chengying stared blankly at Qin Gou.
Qin Gou’s voice was gentle, “As long as you come with me, you can be my little follower from now on.”
“Little follower?” A hint of hesitation flickered in Yi Chengying’s eyes, and she suddenly fell silent.
This was a slight deviation from what Qin Gou had imagined. Little Chair had once said that Aunt Liu in Chenglu City was one of the people she was most grateful for in her childhood. She had fantasized countless times about her chance to repay her kindness with all her might. Later, when Yi Chengying became a cultivator, she did return to Chenglu City and fulfill her promise.
Therefore, Qin Gou had initially thought that as long as he mentioned this, Little Chair would surely agree instantly.
Then, Yi Chengying’s timid voice sounded again, “Then, how long do you need me to be your little follower? I haven’t been to school and am illiterate, and my health is not good. I’m very useless. If you get tired of me after a long time and don’t want me anymore… I’m afraid I won’t remember the way back to Chenglu City.”
“Don’t worry about all this, little one.”
For a moment, Qin Gou took a deep breath, squatted down, and gently stroked Yi Chengying’s little head, his gaze intense, “I want all of you for the rest of your life.”
A moment later.
Little Chair, her true appearance restored, covered her blushing little face and honestly followed behind Qin Gou. “Lord Qin, how did you know that once you mentioned those things, Little Chair would foolishly be taken away by you?”
Qin Gou chuckled knowingly and said righteously, “I could trick you when you were older, let alone when you were a child?”
Sword Questioning Sect.
A white-haired old man stood with his hands behind his back. Before him were a group of very young students.
“Today, we won’t discuss the profound techniques. I want to hear why you little fellows want to start cultivating,” the old man said kindly.
“To become great heroes!”
“Eternal life.”
“Because my Daddy and Mother are both cultivators!”
All the young students opened up, chattering incessantly.
The old man suddenly shifted his gaze to a corner of the classroom.
Li Yuanzhen, small in stature, wearing a simple Daoist robe, and looking like a delicate porcelain doll, sat alone in the corner. Her complete silence made her stand out starkly.
“And you? Little Wench,” the old man asked her deliberately.
“Me?” Li Yuanzhen was startled and blurted out, “Didn’t you, old grandfather, say I had a special physique and drag me here? And you said that if I performed well in the future, I would be allowed to study under the Peak Master of Evil Slaying Peak…”
The old man’s face turned red. “You were so lonely and helpless back then, I kindly took you into the Sword Questioning Sect. How can you say I dragged you here? Besides, I didn’t ask how you entered the Sword Questioning Sect, but your purpose for cultivating. After all, I see that you usually work very hard.”
“Oh,” Li Yuanzhen nodded her little head, still without hesitation, and said directly, “To have my fill of pleasure before dying.”
“Wh, what?” The old man’s breath hitched.
“I want to play, to love, to experience, I have many, many desires. I want to live life to the fullest. Whoever bullies me, I’ll beat them black and blue, so I need to have cultivation,” Little Yuanzhen said frankly.
“Ahem!”
The old man coughed heavily, fiddled with his beard, and said, “Little Wench has the innate Sword Heart Clear Mind Body, her way of speaking is unique, so it can be understood!”
“Yes, father said that Junior Sister’s Sword Heart Clear Mind Body has not appeared in thousands of years!”
“I am truly envious of her. It is said that the Sword Heart Clear Mind Body is the epitome of the orthodox path in the mortal world.”
“If only I also possessed the Sword Heart Clear Mind Body, I would definitely be able to cultivate as fast as her!”
The classroom remained noisy, but Little Yuanzhen’s gaze had already drifted outside the window, looking at the peaks and ridges of the Sword Questioning Sect. She suddenly smiled self-deprecatingly.
She had clearly said something absurd, trying her best to attract attention, but both the old grandfather and everyone else seemed to only see the Sword Heart Clear Mind Body, never Li Yuanzhen…
“If you’re really so unhappy, why not leave with me?” Qin Gou lightly patted Little Yuanzhen’s shoulder.
Little Yuanzhen’s eyes widened in surprise. She looked Qin Gou up and down and quickly realized that besides herself, no one else seemed to see him.
“Is Uncle a Ghost Cultivator?”
“Uncle?!” Qin Gou’s mouth twitched, and he said with a wry smile, “Of course not.”
“Then what do you mean by asking me to leave with you, Uncle? Why should Yuanzhen go with you?”
“A bet? Because I understand you better than anyone else here! If I guess correctly next, you have to admit defeat.”
“For example?”
“Your name is Li Yuanzhen, not some damned Sword Heart Clear Mind Body!” Qin Gou said with sincere eyes. “Am I right?”
“Uncle, has anyone ever told you that you really don’t look like a good person?” Suddenly, a clear and beautiful smile bloomed on Little Yuanzhen’s lips.
Qin Gou shrugged, “Aren’t I? Just like you.”
“I’ll go with you.”
