The Higher the Magic, the Higher the Counter

Qin Gou spent some time practicing a feminine walking posture in his room. Only after familiarizing himself with the curvaceous, back-aching body he had assumed did he cautiously open the door and step out.

—

To his dismay, Chi Yu, the red-haired night owl, was still lingering in the hallway. The moment she saw Qin Gou disguised as Wu Qi, her eyes widened in shock. “That fast?!”

“Shut up!” Qin Gou hissed through gritted teeth, his voice perfectly mimicking Wu Qi’s.

Chi Yu rolled her eyes. “I get it, sis. You’re unsatisfied and full of resentment, but don’t take it out on me.” With that, she walked over to Heavenly Room No. 3 and knocked on the door. “Hey, Qin! What’s wrong with you? Are you sulking because I teased you earlier? Don’t take it to heart—I was just messing with you!”

—

Qin Gou, barely holding in his anger, quickly interjected. “Don’t disturb him. He’s exhausted and already asleep.”

“What? He’s tired already?” Chi Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief. Shaking her head, she muttered sympathetically, “What a shame. So young, and already like this? Poor guy.”

“Just leave him alone,” Qin Gou snapped, realizing that continuing this conversation would only drive him insane. He hurriedly escaped the scene, heading toward Gu Caihe’s room.

—

Knocking politely on the door, he heard a melodious voice from inside. “Who is it?”

“It’s me,” Qin Gou replied softly.

“Wu Qi? Come in.”

—

Entering the room with a calm demeanor, Qin Gou discreetly scanned his surroundings. Thankfully, there were no scenes of debauchery as he had imagined. Gu Caihe sat cross-legged on the bed, her attire neat and her silky hair cascading over her shoulders. She had clearly been meditating.

“Wu Qi, why have you returned? Is something the matter?” Gu Caihe asked gently.

—

Qin Gou nodded, his tone steady as he said, “I just saw Senior Brother Qin Yue and Chi Yu from Blood Ridge arguing. I stepped in to mediate, and thankfully, they’ve calmed down for now.”

Gu Caihe nodded thoughtfully. “As long as they don’t cause too much trouble, we don’t need to intervene. We’re almost at the Mystic Maiden Palace anyway.”

“Understood,” Qin Gou replied respectfully.

—

Gu Caihe studied him for a moment before smiling. “How interesting. It seems you’ve been ‘cultivating’ diligently. Despite being drained by me earlier, you’ve recovered so quickly. Don’t worry—I’m not so heartless as to bully you repeatedly.”

—

Drained? Qin Gou was taken aback. The Mystic Maiden Palace disciples don’t just drain men—they even drain their own female disciples?!

Though his mind was racing, Qin Gou maintained a calm facade. Smiling, he said, “You flatter me.”

—

“Just don’t secretly curse me in your heart,” Gu Caihe said with a soft laugh. “Everything I do is for the Palace Master. When we return, I’ll have to undergo her draining as well. The benefits I gain won’t be much greater than yours.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t dare,” Qin Gou said, keeping up the act.

—

Gu Caihe nodded, her dimples showing as she smiled. “You mustn’t hold any resentment toward the Palace Master. If not for her shielding us from the storms of the cultivation world, how could the Mystic Maiden Palace enjoy such peace and prosperity?”

“I understand,” Qin Gou said, though his thoughts were in turmoil. He was beginning to piece together a terrifying truth.

—

“That’s enough for now. It’s late—you should rest,” Gu Caihe said, glancing at the dark sky outside.

“Yes, Saintess,” Qin Gou replied, bowing before leaving the room.

—

But that simple response made Gu Caihe’s eyes light up with suspicion.

After Qin Gou left, she stared at the closed door, murmuring to herself, “What a clever imposter.”

—

“Who could it be? Wu Qi and the others never address me as ‘Saintess.’ And she mentioned Qin Yue and Chi Yu—details she couldn’t have known unless she was directly involved. That means the imposter must be either Qin Yue or Chi Yu!”

—

“Back at Blood Ridge, I carefully assessed Chi Yu’s abilities. There’s no way she could pull off such advanced disguise techniques. Among all the selected male disciples, only Qin Yue demonstrated the potential to cultivate the Green Emperor’s Scroll. It must be him!”

—

“What a brilliant disguise. A truly cunning boy. But since he’s learned the secrets of the Mystic Maiden Palace, there’s no way I can let him return to the Seed Demon Holy Sect.”

—

Gu Caihe’s deductions were spot-on. However, what she didn’t realize was that a tiny speck of dust in the corner of her room had briefly glimmered before vanishing.

—

Far from Gu Caihe’s room, Qin Gou had reverted to his male form and was leaning against the edge of the spirit boat. Listening to the system’s notification of his mission success, he gazed at the bright moon. In his palm, a flower resembling a human ear bloomed, allowing him to hear every word spoken in Gu Caihe’s room.

—

“What a terrifying woman,” Qin Gou muttered.