Heartless Scoundrel

Qin Gou might have been teasing Gu Caihe on the surface, but inside, he was seething. Her seemingly casual command to pit him against Jiang Qiu, a half-step Forging Realm cultivator, was anything but innocent. It was a calculated move. No matter the outcome, Qin Gou would lose.

If he won, defeating someone of Jiang Qiu’s caliber would make others too afraid to challenge him. His chance to accumulate more time in the Rebirth Tower would vanish.

“I’m obviously talking to you, Caihe. Yes, I called you ‘Little Box.’ What’s the problem? Am I not allowed to call you that? Who else here has the right to call you that if not me? Little Box, I suggest you act like a decent person for once. Just because you’re wearing a skirt doesn’t mean you can forget who you are,” Qin Gou said, arms crossed, feigning a look of heartbreak.

Gu Caihe’s face turned crimson with rage, her teeth grinding audibly. “Qin Yue, say one more word, and I dare you to see what happens!”

“What? Are you threatening me? Fine, I’ll say it again—Little Box, Little Box, Little Box. What are you going to do about it? Hit me? No, you won’t. You can’t bear to. If you hit me, it’ll hurt you more than it hurts me,” Qin Gou said, completely unfazed.

“Utter nonsense! I swear I’ll—” Gu Caihe raised her hand but froze mid-motion. Her face filled with reluctance as she lowered it, her eyes reddening with frustration.

—

The Mystic Maiden Palace disciples watching the scene held their breath. They had assumed Qin Yue was bluffing, but now they saw the truth. The proud Saintess, Gu Caihe, was on the verge of tears, yet she couldn’t bring herself to lay a finger on him.

“Good girl. I knew you wouldn’t be so heartless,” Qin Gou said, his tone softening as he looked at her with mock affection.

“Shut up!” Gu Caihe glared at him, her voice trembling with anger. “If it weren’t for the Palace Master’s orders, I’d have slapped that sharp tongue of yours right off your face!”

—

Qin Gou clapped his hands loudly, addressing the crowd. “Everyone heard that, right? Little Box is only holding back because of the Palace Master’s orders, not because she’s madly in love with me. So, please, stop spreading rumors about us. Let’s not tarnish my dear Caihe’s reputation. If anyone dares, I’ll chase you to the heavens or the depths of the sea. I won’t let it slide!”

“Yes, we understand!”

“Don’t worry, Sister Caihe. We won’t say a word!”

“If Sister Caihe can’t deal with him, we’ll do it for her. Let’s teach this scoundrel a lesson!”

—

The disciples around them swore their loyalty, but their words only made Gu Caihe angrier. Her face flushed with humiliation, and she looked ready to storm off. But she couldn’t let Qin Yue have the last laugh. Her voice turned icy as she said, “Qin Yue, you’re good at deflecting. But didn’t you just refuse Jiang Qiu’s challenge? Are you ready to face the consequences?”

“What consequences?” Qin Gou asked. “Are you planning to drain me dry?”

“Of course not,” Gu Caihe said with a sneer. “The loser must fulfill one condition set by the winner. Jiang Qiu, what do you want Qin Yue to do?”

Jiang Qiu, her expression cold and indifferent, said, “I won’t ask for much. Just kneel, bow your head, and shout three times, ‘I am inferior to the disciples of the Mystic Maiden Palace.’”

“Not happening,” Qin Gou said without hesitation.

—

Gu Caihe laughed mockingly. “Oh? You refuse? You won’t accept the penalty for losing, and you won’t face the challenge head-on. Do you think you’re the master of the Mystic Maiden Palace, that everything goes your way?”

For some reason, the usually chatty disciples fell silent, leaving the conversation entirely to Qin Gou and Gu Caihe. Perhaps they felt it was a private quarrel between a couple, and outsiders shouldn’t interfere.

—

“In that case, I’ll accept Jiang Qiu’s challenge—but not now. Before I fight her, I want to face a few more disciples to accumulate more time in the Rebirth Tower. If you can’t agree to that, let’s call the Palace Master to settle this. Surely you haven’t forgotten her orders not to trouble me, have you, Little Box?” Qin Gou said, his gaze locking onto Gu Caihe.

Hearing this, Gu Caihe’s eyes flickered with hesitation before she forced a smile. “Fine, I agree. Whoever wants to challenge Qin Yue, give it your all.”

—

Though some disciples seemed eager, they hesitated, glancing at Gu Caihe as if seeking her approval. Seeing their reluctance, Gu Caihe’s expression twisted with frustration. She clenched her teeth, her face turning red as she shouted, “I’m serious! Don’t hold back! Teach this heartless scoundrel a lesson!”

Her words lit a fire under the disciples, who surged forward to challenge Qin Gou, determined to avenge their beloved Saintess.

—

Qin Gou couldn’t help but admire Gu Caihe’s determination. She was willing to sacrifice her dignity to make him suffer. “What a terrifying woman,” he thought.

—

After several battles, Qin Gou had accumulated two hours of Rebirth Tower time. Though the fights weren’t particularly difficult, they were still cross-realm battles, and his spiritual energy was significantly drained.

As he sat recovering with spirit stones and pills, Jiang Qiu approached him again. Her tone was calm but firm. “Qin Yue, you’ve had your victories. Isn’t that enough? I don’t have time to waste.”

—

Qin Gou glanced at Gu Caihe, who was watching him intently. She spoke up, her voice laced with mockery. “You were the one who wanted more opponents. I never promised you time to recover.”

Qin Gou chuckled, shaking his head. “Fine. In this fight, I’ll hold nothing back. I’ll use every tool, weapon, and puppet at my disposal.”

“Do as you wish,” Gu Caihe said with a cold smile.

“But remember, blades have no eyes. If you’re outmatched, surrender quickly. Don’t let your arrogance cost you your life.”

Qin Gou looked at her deeply and said, “Remember those words.”