A Strange Fragrance

“Brother Qin, I’m back! I also brought the food you asked for. So, have you finished discussing that important matter with the Lone Shadow Saintess? Can I come in now?” Chen Keshua called out softly from outside Qin Gou’s cave.

“Mm-mmph!”

Suddenly, a muffled, pitiful sound came from within the cave. It sounded like someone sobbing, and if Chen Keshua wasn’t mistaken, the voice belonged to none other than the Lone Shadow Saintess, who had been less than kind to him earlier.

Startled, Chen Keshua scratched his head, laughing nervously as he turned to leave. “Ahem, I shouldn’t see or hear anything improper… You two carry on. I’ll come back later.”

“Mm-mmph!”

“Ah, Saintess, what if someone overhears you?” Chen Keshua muttered to himself, casting a worried glance at the cave. With a long sigh, he reluctantly set up a soundproof array around the area. Clapping his hands in satisfaction, he left with a grin. Helping others to the very end—surely the Lone Shadow Saintess will remember this small favor and be kinder to me in the future.

—

Meanwhile, in Ye Qishuang’s bedchamber, she sat elegantly on the edge of her bed, her noble demeanor radiating authority. Her enchanting eyes sparkled with excitement as she declared, “I’ve thought of a great idea. Let’s send my master and that group of male disciples to the Tian Kun Dynasty. They can participate in my sixth junior sister’s martial arts marriage contest. When my master discovers that the so-called Sword-Wielding Princess of Tian Kun is actually his youngest disciple, he’ll surely reveal himself. Of course, we’ll need to send someone sharp to observe whether any of the male disciples behave unusually, so we can uncover my master’s true identity.”

“Brilliant, Palace Master!”

“Palace Master, your wisdom is unmatched!” Qin Gou and Gu Caihe praised her in unison, though Qin Gou’s approval was laced with irony. So someone’s gone off to play games instead of paying their debts? And now they’ve put me in this mess?

Ye Qishuang continued, “However, two people won’t be going. One is Chi Yuchao. Due to his unique spiritual tool, he’s inexplicably turned into a woman and is therefore ineligible to participate. His explanation is unverified, but I will investigate thoroughly. The other is Qin Yue. Since Little Hammer has confirmed he’s not my master, there’s no point in sending him.”

Gu Caihe’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Palace Master, as I mentioned before, if Qin Yue isn’t the Heavenly Master, please allow me to personally train him.”

Ye Qishuang nodded. “However, I’ve realized that Qin Yue is quite talented. If you wish to take him as your disciple, it will depend on your future performance.”

“Thank you, Palace Master,” Gu Caihe said, her eyes flashing with a hint of vengeful delight.

Qin Gou quickly interjected, “Palace Master, I believe it’s necessary for Qin Yue to participate in the Tian Kun Dynasty’s martial arts marriage contest.”

“Why?” Both Ye Qishuang and Gu Caihe turned to him, puzzled.

Qin Gou adopted a serious expression. “We’re not sending those male disciples to Tian Kun to form alliances with that declining kingdom. Our true goal is to force the Heavenly Master to reveal himself. Without a strong opponent, why would the Heavenly Master take the contest seriously? Based on Qin Yue’s recent performance, he’s clearly no ordinary cultivator. His strength far surpasses others at his level, making him an ideal pawn for this plan.”

“Impressive. Little Chair, you’ve been getting sharper lately,” Ye Qishuang said with a radiant smile. “Very well, it’s decided. You’ll lead the group to the Tian Kun Dynasty. How does that sound?”

Qin Gou bowed respectfully. “Thank you for your trust, Palace Master. I will carry out your orders.”

Gu Caihe, however, looked less than pleased. She shot Qin Gou a dissatisfied glance but said nothing.

Ye Qishuang, ever perceptive, noticed her reaction and couldn’t help but laugh. “Haha, Little Box, now you see how popular Qin Yue is? You’re not the only one who’s taken an interest in him.”

“Hmph. Sister Chengying is always like this. Over the years, anything I’ve taken a liking to, she’s always tried to take from me. Chengying, admit it—you’re doing this just to see me upset!” Gu Caihe said, her tone playful despite her words. Her close relationship with Yi Chengying allowed her to joke freely.

“Not at all. Little Chair only has the Palace Master’s best interests at heart,” Qin Gou said with a dry laugh, thinking to himself how close he had come to falling into Gu Caihe’s clutches. The mere thought of how he had teased her in the past sent chills down his spine.

If Gu Caihe ever got her hands on him, she’d likely have her circle of sisters line up to torment him until he was nothing but skin and bones.

“Ding. Congratulations, Host, for unintentionally shattering the Lone Shadow Saintess Yi Chengying’s last shred of dignity. Reward: 250 merit points.”

What? What happened to Little Chair? Qin Gou was baffled. Realizing he wouldn’t get any more useful information from Ye Qishuang today, he made an excuse to leave and hurried back to his cave.

—

“Soundproof array? When was this set up? Am I really that mischievous?” Qin Gou muttered, puzzled as he noticed the faint array patterns on the ground.

Still confused, he opened the door and stepped inside.

The first thing he saw was Yi Chengying, still tied up and seated, her figure striking even in such a restrained position. However, something was off. The cave was filled with an overwhelmingly sweet floral fragrance, so strong it was almost dizzying. It was as if someone had deliberately used the intense scent to mask some unspeakable truth.