Volume 3, Chapter 138 – Reunited, the Nine Good Sisters

Qi Huang’s wild idea was to obtain the knowledge she needed from the main body’s other three ethereal souls and six corporeal souls. But the problem was—how could she enter the main body’s Sea of Consciousness?

“Ever since I last opened the Heart’s Door and released the three souls and six spirits, she’s been on high alert against me. How could she possibly let me back into her consciousness space?”

Qi Huang was stumped. Given the current situation, unless she could come up with an extremely convincing reason, there was no way she’d ever return to the main body’s Sea of Consciousness.

“What kind of reason could persuade her?”

She racked her brains but couldn’t think of anything plausible.

That was until Ruan Lingyu and a few other senior sisters came visiting again.

To test the results, Cheng Hongling took back the forehead pendant and wore it herself.

Qi Huang, meanwhile, reverted to her true form and tried her best to mimic the main body’s speech and mannerisms. Unfortunately, she was quickly exposed.

“How on earth did you recognize me?”

Qi Huang asked helplessly.

“Your behavior, of course. No matter how well you imitate, it’s still just imitation—never a perfect match.”

“And your aura. Your main body is cold and reserved, while you? Your eyes dart around sneakily, always sizing people up.”

“Plus, you smile too much. Those little dimples keep showing up.”

“If she’s a ‘three-noes’ ¹ no smile, no talk, no expression maiden, then you’re just a bratty little girl.”

The senior sisters couldn’t help but tease her mercilessly.

Once they left, Cheng Hongling immediately launched into a reprimand.

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“What’s wrong with you? Why haven’t you improved after all this time?”

Her expression was stern.

“Sister Majesty, I really am trying my best!”

Qi Huang pleaded pitifully.

“I don’t care about the process—only the result. If you can’t master this, our disguise as Incarnation Realm experts will eventually be exposed. What then for the people of Huangtian Prefecture? That’s the first problem. Second, those senior sisters will keep watching you. Do you really want them to get into trouble later?”

Cheng Hongling fired off one question after another.

“What trouble could they possibly get into? As long as we don’t let them act as bait, what does it matter how much Golden Fate Blossom fragrance they carry?”

Qi Huang was baffled.

“How naive can you be? Do you think Golden Fate Blossoms are some common weed? Everyone in the world covets them—not just the person who gave us the seeds. Once the fragrance on them reaches a certain level, they’ll become targets for everyone. Did you really think I’ve been guarding against them like thieves just to stop them from being bait?”

Cheng Hongling sighed in exasperation.

Qi Huang’s eyes widened. She hadn’t considered that. It seemed she’d have to be even more vigilant around those senior sisters from now on.

“So for everyone’s sake, you must learn to imitate me properly.”

Cheng Hongling reiterated firmly.

Qi Huang grimaced. Pretending to be a woman was hard enough—but pretending to be a specific woman? That was downright hellish.

Just as she was agonizing over it, a sudden idea flashed in her mind. Cautiously, she ventured:

“Your Majesty Big Sister, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“Go on.”

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Cheng Hongling calmed herself slightly.

“If I were inside your Sea of Consciousness, would I still be able to project my divine sense outward through your body?”

She posed the question carefully, testing the waters.

“Why are you suddenly asking this?”

Cheng Hongling didn’t immediately catch on.

“Look,”

Qi Huang quickly stepped forward, coaxing like a merchant peddling treasures: “Right now, I’m trying to mimic you, but you’re this flawless, tragic beauty. I can’t even match half of that, let alone surpass it. People keep seeing through me—this isn’t sustainable.”

“And how does that relate to your question?”

Cheng Hongling’s delicate brows furrowed slightly.

“It’s totally related! If I could project my divine sense from inside your consciousness, wouldn’t it look exactly like you were the one using it? We’d merge into one. When we go out, I wouldn’t have to strain to imitate you anymore.”

Qi Huang excitedly laid out the benefits.

“Oh?”

Cheng Hongling’s eyes lit up, intrigued. “That… actually sounds like a good idea.”

“So… should we try it?”

Qi Huang wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“You can go in, but you absolutely cannot open the Heart’s Door to come out. Otherwise, those troublemakers will escape again.”

Cheng Hongling warned after a moment’s thought.

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“Then how do I get out?”

Qi Huang pressed.

“Why would you need to come out? Once inside, you’re just a soul—no need to eat, drink, or even cultivate! Like you said, we’d truly be one person.”

Cheng Hongling coaxed right back.

“But I’ll get lonely! I’m going in for an experiment, not imprisonment. I’d have to come out for fresh air sometimes.”

Qi Huang protested. Loneliness was the least of her worries—if she were trapped inside, what would happen to her family outside?

“Fine. If you want to come out, just tell me. I’ll use a Soul Tether to pull you out.”

After some back-and-forth, Cheng Hongling finally relented.

Once agreed, Qi Huang was promptly absorbed into the main body’s Sea of Consciousness.

The moment she entered, Qi Huang glanced around and saw nine versions of Cheng Hongling inside a grand hall. Judging by the characters on their foreheads, they were the Heavenly Soul, Earthly Soul, and Human Soul, along with the six corporeal souls: Essence, Qi, Strength, Vigor, Heavenly Surge, and Central Core.

As for the Spiritual Wisdom Soul—that was, of course, the current Qi Huang.

‘If I’m considered the Spiritual Wisdom Soul now, then what does that make the real Spiritual Wisdom Soul in my own consciousness?’

A sudden doubt arose in Qi Huang’s mind. She extended her divine sense to examine herself—the characters “灵慧” ² Spiritual Wisdom were indeed etched on her forehead.

‘How strange…’

She couldn’t make sense of it. The answer likely lay in mastering the doppelgänger technique and opening her own Heart’s Door.

“It’s the Spiritual Wisdom Soul! She’s back!”

“What ‘Spiritual Wisdom Soul’? Call her Fifth Sister or Fifth Younger Sister!”

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“Right, right! Fifth Sister’s back! Wonderful! Now we have hope of escaping again!”

The other souls immediately rushed over enthusiastically, their attitudes a complete reversal from last time—clearly because Qi Huang had opened the Heart’s Door before.

“What ‘Fifth Sister’? What ‘Fifth Younger Sister’?”

Qi Huang was utterly confused.

“Haven’t you always been Fifth? Have you forgotten?”

The Earthly Soul asked, puzzled.

“Don’t you remember? Fifth Younger Sister said her memories are incomplete!”

The Heavenly Soul reminded.

“Right. There was an accident when the Life Soul separated her. Memory loss is understandable.”

The Human Soul chimed in.

“Then let me explain. In the cultivation world, the three souls and seven spirits have a fixed hierarchy. The three souls—existing since birth, used for reincarnation—are naturally the eldest, second, and third. The seven spirits are born from the physical body: the Heavenly Surge Spirit at the crown, the Spiritual Wisdom Spirit at the brow, the Qi Spirit at the throat, the Strength Spirit at the heart, the Central Core Spirit at the Qi Sea, the Essence Spirit at the reproductive region, and the Vigor Spirit at the soles of the feet. Since humans are born headfirst, the order follows emergence: the Heavenly Surge Spirit comes first, making her Fourth Sister. You, at the brow, emerged second, so you’re Fifth Sister. And so on.”

The Earthly Soul explained in detail.

“So that’s how it works!”

Qi Huang was amazed—and privately amused. Last time she was here, they’d all treated her like an enemy. Now? “Fifth Sister this, Fifth Younger Sister that.” So affectionate.

“Then, dear sisters, may I ask—if we chat here, can the Life Soul hear us?”

Qi Huang lowered her voice to a whisper. After all, she hadn’t forgotten her real purpose for coming here.