Volume 3, Chapter 172 – The Second Doppelgänger is Cheng Hongling (Part 1)

“A Nine Nether Demon Cat? This is like being handed a pillow just as you’re about to fall asleep—we’ve been desperate for cat tears!”

“Exactly! Our Honghua Sect only has about a hundred disciples. A single Nine Nether Demon Cat would solve our immediate problems.”

“Nine Nether Demon Cats are practically extinct in the wild now. If our sect can obtain one, its influence alone would outweigh the value of the cat tears.”

“Pity it’s just an ordinary Nine Nether Demon Cat. If it were a cat demon, simply having it in the Honghua Sect would cleanse the surrounding dozens of miles of wandering spirits and wraiths. Then we could expand freely—our housing shortage would be greatly alleviated!”

“Are you daydreaming? We don’t even have the ordinary Nine Nether Demon Cat yet, and you’re already fantasizing about a cat demon?”

The sect elders buzzed with excitement, each voicing their opinions. The so-called Nine Nether Cat Demon was simply the evolved form of a Nine Nether Demon Cat ¹ Nine Nether Cat Demon, 九幽妖猫 (jiǔyōu yāomāo) > Nine Nether Demon Cat, 九幽猫妖 (jiǔyōu māoyāo), got me confused for a second💔 after gaining sentience.

‘If we can capture that Nine Nether Demon Cat, I can sell my nine vials of cat tears without hesitation!’ Qi Huang’s heart raced at the discussion. She had been worrying about how to afford housing for her fellow villagers—this was truly a godsend.

‘A single vial of cat tears is now worth a thousand taels of silver on the market, and they’re nearly impossible to find. Nine vials could buy dozens of courtyard houses in a major city!’

After some quick mental math, Qi Huang grew even more excited.

“Indeed, the value of a Nine Nether Demon Cat is immeasurable. But remember—other sects know this too. There will be no shortage of competitors, and obtaining it won’t be easy”, Qin Quan pointed out the difficulties.

“Sect Leader Qin, we have Hongling, don’t we? She’s an Incarnation Realm expert. I say we should absolutely try”, Elder Ruan said, turning to Cheng Hongling with unwavering trust in his eyes.

The other elders also looked at Cheng Hongling, their gazes filled with admiration and respect. In the cultivation world, seniority meant nothing—strength was everything.

“Hongling, this trip to the Yuxiao Sect won’t just involve local sects from Yongning Province. Many factions will send their elites. If the Honghua Sect wants to capture the Nine Nether Demon Cat, you’re our only hope. However, since it’s a masterless treasure, competition will be fierce, and danger is inevitable. The decision to go is yours.”

Qin Quan spoke gently, knowing he no longer had the authority to order this disciple around.

“I’ll go.”

Cheng Hongling’s reply was emotionless.

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“Good! Excellent! Then it’s settled. Name any helpers you need.”

Qin Quan’s face flushed with excitement. With an Incarnation Realm disciple taking action, capturing the Nine Nether Demon Cat should be effortless.

“No need.”

Cheng Hongling’s refusal was blunt. Who in the Honghua Sect was even qualified to assist her now? They’d only be dead weight.

After some discussion, Qin Quan and the elders didn’t press further—they understood her reasoning.

“When do I leave?” Cheng Hongling asked.

“As soon as possible. The sooner, the better.”

With that, the matter was decided. Everyone dispersed, and Cheng Hongling prepared to depart the next day.

“I’m coming with you!” Qi Huang eagerly proposed.

“No. I don’t know how long this trip will take. You must stay here and impersonate me to maintain order”, Cheng Hongling refused without hesitation. Only with her doppelgänger did she bother speaking more than a few words.

“But what if you fail to capture the Nine Nether Demon Cat? This isn’t the Evergreen Conference—there are no age or regional restrictions. What if you run into some Divine Realm old monster? Can you handle that?” Qi Huang challenged.

“Oh? If I can’t handle it, you think you can?”

Cheng Hongling nearly laughed in exasperation.

“Of course. Don’t forget my specialty.”

Qi Huang smirked confidently.

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“What? You’re going to act your way through it?”

Cheng Hongling had a visceral reaction. “You’re just an Incarnation Realm with ‘measly’ divine sense. This isn’t a stage for your performances.”

Qi Huang wanted to argue that her divine sense wasn’t “measly”, but her main body cut her off.

“To be frank, even if your divine sense reached the Divine Ability Realm, I wouldn’t let you go. The Honghua Sect is far more important than the Nine Nether Demon Cat. Catching it would be nice, but losing it isn’t the end of the world. This place, however, cannot afford any mishaps.”

Qi Huang opened her mouth but found no rebuttal. She scratched her head in frustration. To her, the Nine Nether Demon Cat was a must-have, but the Honghua Sect’s safety was equally critical. There was no easy choice.

‘Looks like I’ll have to find another way.’

For now, she had to relent.

That night, as Cheng Hongling packed, she learned about her doppelgänger’s reckless promise to play matchmaker. She nearly exploded on the spot.

“I don’t have time to deal with you now. But when I return, you’ll pay for this.”

With that ominous threat, Cheng Hongling left the next morning. The sect elders kept her departure secret—after all, Qi Huang’s doppelgänger was “too weak”. If her identity were exposed, she wouldn’t be able to maintain order.

Qi Huang remained oblivious to their concerns until her master summoned her.

“Qi Huang, the Sect Leader asked me to remind you—while your main body is away, avoid fighting at all costs. Otherwise, people might see through you.”

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Xu Mei spoke with earnest concern.

“What? You’re looking down on me?”

Qi Huang was instantly incensed.

“No, no! Your master knows you’ve done your best. Reaching the sixth layer of the Spirit Gathering Realm in just half a year—even your main body wasn’t this fast back then.”

Xu Mei “praised” her with exaggerated sincerity.

Qi Huang was speechless. She had no energy to argue. ‘Fine, no fighting then. It’s not like I’m some battle maniac anyway.’

Returning home, Qi Huang felt another headache coming on when she saw Yuan Jie. She’d promised to find the woman a husband but had made zero progress.

“Sister Yuan… may I ask what kind of man you’re looking for?”

Qi Huang probed cautiously. If Yuan Jie’s standards weren’t too high, maybe she could set her up with one of her sworn brothers.

“Hmm…”

Yuan Jie stroked her smooth chin, her eyes glazing over with fantasy. Minutes passed without an answer.

‘Wow, talk about tsundere! Just earlier, she was declaring she didn’t need men in front of everyone. Now she’s daydreaming this hard?’

Qi Huang grew uneasy. “Sister Yuan, you’re overthinking this, aren’t you?”

“Ah, what does a little girl like you understand? Men and women are drawn to each other—no man dislikes women, and no woman dislikes men. I only said those things earlier to save face!”

Yuan Jie admitted shamelessly, without a trace of embarrassment.

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Qi Huang sighed inwardly. ‘I get it, but did you really need to ponder for so long? You’re making me nervous.’

“My requirements for a future husband are, first…”

Yuan Jie finally spoke, her voice tinged with hope—but she cut herself off with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Never mind. At my age, what right do I have to be picky? Just two basic conditions: first, he must have residency rights in an immortal sect. Second… he just needs to be a man.”

‘…I knew it.’

Qi Huang sighed. The requests sounded simple, but 90% of men couldn’t meet even these.

She considered persuading Yuan Jie to lower her standards, but the woman already had sect residency herself. Wanting a husband with the same status was perfectly reasonable. If Qi Huang couldn’t fulfill such basic criteria, she’d disgrace her main body—and probably get beaten to death for it.

As Qi Huang massaged her temples, another problem arose. Huang Tian from Huatian Village sent a message—the Wang family’s funeral was imminent, and everyone was asking if she’d attend.

“If I go, what about the Honghua Sect? If I don’t go, what about my reputation?”

Qi Huang was torn. She never expected the Nine Nether Demon Cat affair to clash with the village matter, leaving her stretched impossibly thin.

‘If only there was another person who looked exactly like the main body…’

The fantasy struck her. Another “Cheng Hongling” would let her dump all these responsibilities on them and live carefree. After all, the Honghua Sect only needed Cheng Hongling’s face to maintain stability.

After some deliberation, Qi Huang suddenly smacked her forehead.

“Why am I so stupid? There are six ‘Cheng Honglings’ in my mind! I can just cultivate another doppelgänger!”