Outsmarting the Calamity

Chi Yuchao nervously touched the fake beard on his face, his expression filled with uncertainty. “Brother Qin, what do you mean? What could she possibly do to me? After your disguise, even with my thin frame, no one should suspect I’m actually a woman.”

“You said it yourself—no one ordinary would suspect. But that girl isn’t ordinary,” Qin Gou replied, patting Chi Yuchao’s shoulder with a look of pity. “Just remember my advice and act accordingly.”

Still doubtful, Chi Yuchao reluctantly stepped into the Falling Immortal Forest.

—

A quarter of an hour later.

“Time’s up,” the Nine Hells Old Ghost’s grating voice echoed, spreading across the area.

A massive, blood-red character for “Start” glowed brightly in the sky.

Though Qin Gou, as a substitute, waited outside the forest, he could vividly imagine the tense and dangerous atmosphere within. With Qiu Qianyu, the wild card, joining the fray, what should have been a balanced contest would likely turn into a one-sided massacre—a tiger unleashed among sheep.

Unexpectedly, the first ones to return from the forest weren’t Mystic Maiden Palace disciples but two dejected Nine Hells disciples. Their faces were grim, their identity tokens shattered, signaling their defeat.

“What happened?” the Nine Hells Old Ghost demanded.

One of the disciples gritted his teeth. “A damned red-haired runt ambushed us out of nowhere with some strange technique—probably poison. We couldn’t even resist.”

“Useless fools,” the Nine Hells Old Ghost barked, his expression dark.

Ye Qishuang, meanwhile, chuckled with amusement. “How interesting. If not for the unexpected addition of my fourth junior sister, it seems your Nine Hells disciples wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“Too bad there are no ‘ifs,’” the Nine Hells Old Ghost replied coldly. Without hesitation, he waved his hand, sending two substitute disciples into the forest.

—

Inside the forest, Qiu Qianyu strolled leisurely, admiring the scenery and inhaling the fragrant air. For her, dealing with a group of insignificant opponents wasn’t worth taking seriously.

“Foolish!” a furious roar echoed. A defeated Nine Hells disciple, despite having his identity token shattered, attempted another attack. Qiu Qianyu swiftly stepped forward, immobilizing him with a single finger. Her voice was icy. “If you’re going to lose, at least lose gracefully. Don’t break the rules and embarrass me.”

The disciple’s face turned pale as he begged for mercy. “I was wrong! Please forgive me, Lady Qiu!”

“Scram,” Qiu Qianyu said coldly.

The disciple fled in terror, tripping over himself in his haste.

Qiu Qianyu then turned her gaze to a red-haired figure nearby. Smiling sweetly, she asked, “What do you think, little sister? Wasn’t that a heroic rescue?”

Chi Yuchao froze, his breath catching in his throat. During his time at the Mystic Maiden Palace, everyone had assumed he was just a short, eccentric boy. Yet this woman, without using any investigative techniques, had instantly seen through his disguise, just as Qin Gou had warned.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Chi Yuchao growled through gritted teeth. “I hate it when people mistake me for a woman!” With that, he summoned his life-bound spiritual tool, a spectral arm that shot toward Qiu Qianyu with lightning speed.

But Qiu Qianyu effortlessly caught the arm, completely unaffected by its disabling effects.

“What’s this nonsense? A woman’s body suddenly growing a man’s arm? How unsettling,” Qiu Qianyu said, frowning. With a slight squeeze, the spectral arm shattered into pieces.

“Damn it,” Chi Yuchao cursed, retreating hastily. Remembering Qin Gou’s advice, he turned and fled without looking back.

To his horror, he found Qiu Qianyu standing calmly in his path, her smile playful.

“Trying to outrun me? No one in this world is better at running than me,” Qiu Qianyu said with a shrug. “Even my second senior sister wanted to hang me up and beat me earlier, but she couldn’t catch me. Not even an Avatar Realm cultivator can.”

Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she added, “So, little sister, why don’t you stay and play with me for a while?”

Chi Yuchao was speechless, his face pale. For the first time, he understood the true meaning behind Qin Gou’s warning. The smile on Qiu Qianyu’s face carried a sinister, almost perverse undertone. The realization sent chills down his spine.

“I surrender!” Chi Yuchao shouted, crushing his identity token.

—

Outside the forest.

“Ding. New task issued: ‘Outsmart the Calamity.’ Host must force Qiu Qianyu, the ‘Thieving Enchantress,’ to retreat without revealing the identity of the Arc Moon Mountain Heavenly Master or using intimidation. Reward: 300 merit points and one lottery chance. Time limit: two hours. Failure penalty: lose 1,000 merit points and shrink by 10 centimeters in height.”

Qin Gou’s expression remained calm as he said, “Challenge accepted.”

If the target had been anyone else, Qin Gou might have needed to carefully plan his approach. But dealing with Qiu Qianyu? That was child’s play. Not being able to intimidate her as her master? That was hardly a challenge.

As the man who had once cut Qiu Qianyu’s long hair—a moment she cherished so much that she’d kept her short-haired look ever since—Qin Gou had countless ways to turn her into a tearful, pitiful mess.

Though she had refrained from her usual antics of abducting girls this time, she had, unfortunately, gotten in his way. It was time to settle both old and new scores with some of his newly learned tricks.