Chapter 0: Well Said
“Look around, apart from you and me, no one else dares to stand up straight. Based on your appearance and cultivation, your actual age should not be great. I am your senior, both in terms of realm and the years I’ve existed in this world.” Ye Qishuang said with a smile like a flower, “Even Gu Jinghong of the Seed Demon Sacred Cult would respectfully call me ‘Ancestor Ye’ to my face. So, I am truly curious, where does young friend Qin Yue get the courage to delay saluting this Palace Lord?”
Qin Gou chuckled and said, “The reason is very simple. I have always followed a principle. Heaven, Earth, kin, and teacher; apart from these four, I owe nothing to anyone and thus kneel to no one. Cult Master Gu of the Sacred Cult also knows this quirk of mine and has never forced me. After all, the path of cultivation is ultimately about cultivating the heart. If the heart is blocked, one’s future will be ruined. I hope Palace Lord Ye can be understanding and forgive me.”
However, these simple words caused Ye Qishuang, who had always been like a calm sea behind a roaring front, to tremble. In her eyes, this insignificant little cultivator before her was faintly overlapping with a figure holding a feather fan, laughing untamed, a figure more majestic in her heart than the sky itself.
“Well said,” Ye Qishuang blurted out.
The disciples of the Mystic Maiden Palace were all dumbfounded. They could not imagine that such a small cultivator in the Hidden Weapon Realm, an existence like an ant, after being so impolite, glib-tongued, and boastful, had actually earned the praise of Palace Lord Ye.
“Palace Lord Ye is indeed magnanimous,” Qin Gou cupped his fists.
Unexpectedly, Ye Qishuang suddenly darted out her right hand with lightning speed, placed it on Qin Gou’s face, and then quickly withdrew it.
“This…”
“No need to be nervous,” Ye Qishuang said with a burning gaze, “There was just a night bug, and I flicked it off for you.”
“Thank you for your favor, Palace Lord Ye.” A trace of imperceptible surprise flashed in Qin Gou’s eyes.
Ye Qishuang did not communicate with him further but turned to the other Mystic Maiden Palace disciples and said lightly, “My previous command was to forbid Gu Caihe from being rude to Qin Yue again, but there are no restrictions on you all. As per the old rules, starting tomorrow, the martial arts ban will be officially lifted for you! For these male disciples, every Mystic Maiden Palace disciple they defeat can earn them a certain amount of time to enter the Rebirth Tower, a Rebirth Tower that you all can only enter a few times a year. Are you willing to accept this?”
“We are not willing!”
“Palace Lord, those stinky men are absolutely no match for us.”
“Very good.”
With that, Ye Qishuang did not glance at Qin Gou again. She stamped her foot and, using only her physical body, soared into the air and vanished into the distance.
Yi Chengying followed closely. Gu Caihe’s pretty face turned red, and she glared fiercely at Qin Gou. Although her eyes were filled with shame and indignation, she did not dare to be presumptuous and hurriedly left.
…
Returning to his cave abode, Qin Gou found Chen Keshua and Chi Yu anxiously waiting. Upon seeing Qin Gou return, they immediately went to greet him.
“Little Brother Qin, are you alright? We heard everything! We rushed to find you, but the guards of the Mystic Maiden Palace strictly forbade us from going out at night,” Chen Keshua said concernedly.
Chi Yu patted Qin Gou’s shoulder and said, “I thought you were just a playboy. I didn’t expect you to be so chaste, daring to resist even the favor of the Xi Hua Saintess, and making such a scene that everyone knew about it. I am truly, utterly impressed.”
“It’s alright, I was lucky. I even managed to attract Palace Lord Ye’s attention. She helped me out of the predicament and has since forbidden Gu Caihe from making a move on me again,” Qin Gou shrugged and chuckled.
“What? Palace Lord Ye? Oh my heavens, why? How could Palace Lord Ye be so understanding? Or is it that Palace Lord Ye is only cold and heartless to me, Fatty? Does Palace Lord Ye have some prejudice against me?” Chen Keshua said with great depression and a mournful face.
Chi Yu rolled his eyes at Chen Keshua and said, “Perhaps Palace Lord Ye hates fat people?”
“Nonsense, I’ve already lost a lot of weight recently. I’m only two hundred jin now,” Chen Keshua said, spitting fire from his nostrils.
“Alright, alright, you keep up the good work.” Saying this, Chi Yu looked at Qin Gou and said, “It’s good that nothing major happened. However, you’ve officially made a name for yourself in the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace. Everyone will know of your great achievements tomorrow morning. I truly worry about you sometimes, as you are one of the few people in the Mystic Maiden Palace who knows the secret about my brother and me. If something suddenly happens to me, I can only ask for your help.”
Hearing this, Qin Gou understood tacitly, “Going by what you’re saying, you’ve encountered some trouble, haven’t you?”
“You know me well, my surname is Qin,” Chi Yu said with a self-deprecating smile, pointing to his height. “Do you think I seem a little shorter than I did this morning? And my hair is longer. My features are not as rugged as before, and I seem to have become more refined?”
“You’re crazy. Why would I pay such close attention to you? Do you really think I’m interested in men?” Qin Gou glared at Chi Yu impatiently.
“Get lost! You know I’m actually a girl, but I had the worst luck imaginable to be trapped in my older brother’s body,” Chi Yu stomped his foot and said angrily.
To be fair, her demeanor truly resembled a shy little girl, but combined with her current appearance, it was indeed a bit uncomfortable.
“Let me get straight to the point. I have indeed become shorter, and my hair is longer. This is a sign that my brother is about to appear. Are you happy now?” Chi Yu pouted, saying helplessly.
“Why should I be happy? Heaven knows what intentions your brother has towards me. I’m afraid, to say the least.”
“Sigh, I don’t care about your business, and I can’t manage it either. Anyway, you just need to know that I will soon fall into a deep slumber, and my body will be controlled by my brother. But if the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace discovers that I have suddenly become a woman, that would be a huge joke. Didn’t you say before that you can disguise yourself? So, I thought I’d ask for your help, for both me and my brother.” Chi Yu earnestly begged.
“Okay,” Qin Gou readily agreed.
Meanwhile, Chen Keshua was dumbfounded. His lips trembled, and he said with a look of utter despair, “Little Brother Qin, what on earth are you two talking about? Big Brother Chi Yu is actually a woman? Tell me this isn’t true!”
