Volume 3, Chapter 210 – I’m Not Acting, She Is!

“My heavens, are all these Cat’s Tears? There must be thirty or forty bottles here!”

“Thirty or forty bottles? That’s nothing for Hongling! A trivial matter!”

“I knew Hongling was just teasing us. Who is she? The Honghua Sect’s unprecedented, peerless genius—is there anything she can’t accomplish?”

“Don’t joke like this in the future, no one would believe it anyway!”

The sect elders were unfazed, displaying absolute faith in Cheng Hongling’s capabilities.

Qi Huang wore a satisfied smile. This move not only earned her money but also bolstered her main body’s reputation—killing two birds with one stone. As for why she only brought out thirty or forty bottles, it was because she needed to reserve a dozen or so for her close senior sisters.

“Hongling, how much per bottle? I’ll take five!”

“Five? You’d choke on them! Doesn’t everyone here have at least two disciples? What about the others?”

“You want some? Fine, you go first—then I’ll offer double the price. Let’s see who Hongling favors!”

“Talking about money is so vulgar. One must respect elders and cherish the young. I propose we purchase in order of age.”

“The cultivation world follows the strong! What use is age? It only becomes a burden! I suggest we buy based on strength!”

The elders immediately descended into squabbling over purchasing priority, completely shedding their usual dignified demeanor. After all, this concerned their lives and their disciples’ survival. Cat’s Tears were priceless and nearly impossible to obtain in the market. If they acted modest now, they’d only be left with empty hands.

“Weren’t all of you crying poverty before? What’s this now?”

Qin Quan was both shocked and furious.

“We’re just showing our support for Junior Hongling. Since she’s finally selling something, shouldn’t we elders show our backing even if it bankrupts us?”

Someone offered this explanation, and it was quickly met with a chorus of agreement.

“How thoughtful of you all. In that case, as the sect master, I naturally deserve the most support. I propose purchasing in order of status.”

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Qin Quan declared this as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. Clearly, even he couldn’t resist the temptation and chose to join the fray.

“Wait! I’m the seller—who gets how much is my decision!”

Qi Huang immediately cut in. She didn’t want her goods to cause internal strife, nor did she trust that some of these people wouldn’t hoard them for speculation.

Once everyone quieted down, she continued, “Each person here can only buy one bottle. How many disciples do you have under you? How much could you possibly use in a month? When you run out, come find me again.”

Though the elders were reluctant, they couldn’t argue and had to abide by the seller’s rules.

Beside them, Cheng Hongling finally snapped out of her daze. Her first instinct was suspicion, and she rushed forward in alarm to intervene.

“Don’t buy these! They’re fake! How could she possibly have Cat’s Tears?”

“Fake?”

The elders exchanged bewildered glances.

“Where did they come from? Didn’t you give them to me?”

Qi Huang feigned surprise.

“What nonsense! When did I ever give you any?”

Cheng Hongling shook her head vehemently, then pleaded earnestly with the elders, “Let me make this clear—I never gave her any Cat’s Tears. If you pay and end up with fakes, I won’t take responsibility.”

The elders stared at each other, unsure how to respond.

“Have you lost your mind? For money, you’d even deceive your own sect? Don’t you know how easy it is to verify the authenticity of Cat’s Tears?”

Cheng Hongling hissed under her breath, forgetting even to use telepathic communication in her agitation.

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“I know. That’s why mine are genuine.”

Qi Huang reaffirmed calmly.

“I get it now—you’re afraid I’ll lose face, so you’re doing this on purpose, right? Don’t you realize that if this gets exposed, we’ll be even more humiliated?”

Cheng Hongling suddenly “understood”, constructing her own explanation.

“Hah! You’re really putting on a performance! What a waste of talent not becoming an actress!”

Qi Huang burst into mocking laughter.

“What performance? You, a habitual liar, dare accuse me of acting?”

Cheng Hongling was both shocked and furious.

“Everyone, if you trust me, buy. If not, no hard feelings. But let me remind you—each bottle is a thousand taels of silver, and this is your only chance. There won’t be another opportunity later.”

Qi Huang picked up a bottle and began her sales pitch.

“What? A thousand taels? That’s absurdly cheap!”

“Exactly! The market price has soared to two thousand taels per bottle, and even then, they’re impossible to find!”

“After all these years, we’ve all witnessed Junior Hongling’s character. How could we not trust you?”

The elders voiced their support once more, then frantically scrambled to hand over their silver notes, afraid of missing out.

Qi Huang gleefully counted the notes, her grin stretching so wide her cheeks ached.

“It’s over… My lifelong reputation…”

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Cheng Hongling wanted to cry but had no tears left. She could only watch helplessly as her doppelgänger peddled what she believed to be counterfeit goods.

Once the elders secured their bottles, they treated them as priceless treasures, admiring them with uncontainable joy. Some even shed tears of emotion.

“Listen up—all sales are final! But to prove my honesty, I’m willing to offer one bottle for a live demonstration!”

Qi Huang generously selected a bottle and uncorked it.

“No need, Qi Huang! We trust you unconditionally!”

Elder Ruan was the first to declare her stance, and the others quickly echoed her.

“Have you all lost your minds? This concerns lives! Why won’t you even test it?”

Cheng Hongling was beside herself. She’d rather ruin her own reputation than watch her fellow sect members use fake Cat’s Tears against evil spirits.

“If they won’t test it, you do it. These are genuine Cat’s Tears. Even if there are no ghosts here right now, applying them will let you see human souls with the naked eye—everyone knows that.”

Qi Huang winked and extended the invitation.

Cheng Hongling scrutinized her for a long moment before hesitantly accepting the bottle. She dripped a single drop into her eye, then looked around.

Since most of the elders present hadn’t reached the Unity Realm and lacked divine sense defenses, she immediately saw the souls of several people.

“This… This can’t be… These really are… Cat’s Tears?”

Her beautiful eyes widened in shock, followed by an overwhelming surge of joy. She couldn’t fathom how devastated her master would have been if she’d failed her mission, or how disappointed her senior sisters would’ve felt. Nor could she bear the thought of her parents’ heartbreak if her doppelgänger had been exposed for selling fakes.

Yet all these crises had been resolved by this very doppelgänger standing before her. It felt like a miraculous escape from disaster!

Indeed, for someone as prideful as Cheng Hongling, losing face was worse than death.

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“Where did you really get these Cat’s Tears?”

She struggled to maintain her aloof demeanor as she questioned Qi Huang.

“Like I said—you gave them to me.”

Qi Huang blinked innocently.

“I did?”

Cheng Hongling couldn’t make sense of her doppelgänger’s scheme and was at a complete loss for words.

“Hongling, enough with the act! No one’s buying it! Humility is a virtue, but as the Honghua Sect’s top genius, a little arrogance is necessary to intimidate petty foes. The sect’s future rests on you!”

Her master, Xu Mei, admonished her with deep concern.

“And it’s not just about outsiders—you must also establish authority within the sect. When I retire, who else could I pass the leadership to but you? So learn from Qi Huang—say what you mean, mean what you say. Stop lying for the sake of modesty. Your acting is terrible—no one believes you anyway.”

Qin Quan added his weighty agreement.

The hall fell dead silent.

This was the first time Qin Quan had publicly named his successor. While everyone had long assumed the outcome, hearing it directly from him carried a different weight entirely.

Cheng Hongling’s heart raced uncontrollably. Despite her strength, she was still just an ordinary disciple—she’d never tasted the allure of power before. For a young girl, the temptation was irresistible.

“Wait… No! How can I accept unearned rewards?”

But she quickly snapped out of it and declared righteously, “Even if you say that, I must reiterate—I’m not acting! The real performer here is Qi Huang! It’s her!”