Volume 3, Chapter 216 – Who Dares Call Themselves a Genius Before Me? (Part 2)

Qi Huang had already broken out in a cold sweat. She had never imagined that anyone would dare barge into the Honghua Sect so brazenly, so she hadn’t made any preparations at all.

Seeing her main body step outside, Qi Huang grew worried that something might go wrong and followed closely behind. The other high-ranking members of the Honghua Sect also rushed out from the main hall.

When Qi Huang reached the entrance and focused her gaze, she saw dozens of figures hovering in the air about three zhang ahead. There were men and women, humans and beasts, all with different forms—some were burly and muscular, some were nothing but skeletons, and some had no physical form at all, existing only as spiritual entities.

However, all of these “people” shared one common trait—their bodies radiated an overwhelming yin energy, so dense that the temperature in the area plummeted rapidly. Mist began to gather, completely blotting out the sunlight, plunging the Honghua Sect into darkness.

Most of the ordinary people below looked around in confusion, completely unaware of what was happening, though a few quick-witted ones had already started fleeing.

Qi Huang’s breath hitched slightly. Even a fool could tell that this was a group of malignant spirits, and the five leading figures among them exuded such terrifying yin energy and oppressive auras that their mere ability to float in midair was proof enough of their formidable strength.

And indeed, that was the case.

The leader was a tall, broad-shouldered general with the appearance of a middle-aged man. His hair was tied into a high ponytail, and his rough, weathered features bore the marks of time. He wore a set of battered armor, its thick plates still managing to outline his powerful musculature, making him look extraordinarily mighty.

But what drew the most attention were his crimson eyes and silver-gray skin, which immediately revealed his identity—a Silver Zombie, a being whose strength was comparable to a cultivator in the Incarnation Realm.

“Heavens! That’s actually a Silver Zombie!”

“Not just one—there are two more on his right!”

“And the one on his left looks like a Silver Skeleton! My god! Where did all these terrifying evil spirits come from? Did hell itself relocate here?”

Some of the Honghua Sect’s higher-ups were so frightened upon stepping outside that their souls nearly fled their bodies, almost pissing themselves on the spot. After all, any one of these evil spirits was capable of annihilating an entire sect.

“A bunch of evil spirits—who gave you the audacity to trespass upon an immortal sect?”

Cheng Hongling showed no fear, drawing her sword and pointing it straight at the sky.

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Qi Huang also silently walked over, standing beside her main body. Though she was cowardly by nature, if it was just these few clowns, she could wipe them all out single-handedly if pushed.

“So, you must be Cheng Hongling, the current top genius of the Honghua Sect?”

The Silver Corpse General looked down at her and questioned condescendingly.

“That’s me. Who are you?”

Cheng Hongling frowned, her willow-like brows knitting together as she shot back.

The Silver Zombie General didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he scrutinized Cheng Hongling with a divine sense, and of course, he didn’t overlook Qi Huang either.

“Indeed, a peerless beauty. Barely worthy of our Crown Prince.”

The Silver Corpse General finally spoke.

“You know what? I hate it the most when people talk down to me from above.”

Cheng Hongling’s expression grew even colder as Profound Ice True Qi rapidly coiled around her Blue Scale Sword.

The Silver Zombie General’s expression remained unreadable, completely ignoring Cheng Hongling’s threat.

The ordinary people nearby had already sensed that something was wrong and were scattering in panic, screaming and crying. Several of the Honghua Sect’s higher-ups also instinctively stepped back—they knew that in a battle of this level, even the residual shockwaves could scatter their souls to the wind.

The tension in the air thickened.

But then, the Silver Zombie General suddenly leaped down from the sky and knelt before Cheng Hongling and Qi Huang, bowing his head deeply.

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“This general begs forgiveness for his rudeness, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

“Your Highness, forgive us!”

At the same time, the other evil spirits in the sky descended one after another, kneeling and kowtowing in the same manner as the general.

Qi Huang was caught completely off guard. ‘What kind of trick are these evil spirits playing? When did my main body become a Crown Princess? And how come I didn’t know about it? Did she secretly ‘stray from the path’ behind my back?’

“When did you get involved with a Crown Prince? If you wanted to find yourself a husband, fine, but did you have to randomly find one for me too? Shouldn’t you have at least consulted me first? And if you were going to pick one, shouldn’t I have had a say in whether they’re male or female, tall or short, fat or thin?!”

Qi Huang couldn’t hold back anymore and immediately started ranting in agitation.

“Nonsense! When have I ever had anything to do with a Crown Prince? The current Crown Prince—”

Cheng Hongling spared a moment to retort at Qi Huang before turning back to the Silver Zombie General, her face flushed with anger.

“What nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever become your Crown Princess? I’ve never even met the current Crown Prince!”

“The current Crown Prince? No, no, no—the current Crown Prince isn’t even fit to hold our master’s shoes. Our Crown Prince is the heir of the former Great Qi Kingdom!”

The Silver Corpse General explained.

“I don’t care which kingdom’s Crown Prince you’re talking about—I’m not your Crown Princess!”

Cheng Hongling retorted sharply.

“Not yet, but you will be soon. Our Crown Prince has taken a liking to you, which is why he specially sent me to escort the Crown Princess back!”

The Silver Corpse General extended an extremely polite invitation.

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“And what if I refuse?”

Cheng Hongling challenged.

“Your opinion is irrelevant. What matters is our Crown Prince’s will. So, Your Highness, please prepare for the journey.”

The Silver Zombie General spoke the most domineering words in the politest tone possible.

“Stop dreaming! No one can force Cheng Hongling to do anything she doesn’t want to do.”

Cheng Hongling snorted coldly.

“That’s fine. If we kill you, you won’t have any objections anymore. After all, our Crown Prince only needs your corpse.”

The Silver Zombie General said this as casually as if discussing the weather.

“What?! A corpse? Does your Crown Prince have some kind of twisted taste? He actually likes corpses? What kind of necrophiliac freak is he?!”

Qi Huang’s worldview shattered on the spot.

“You must be the Crown Princess’s doppelgänger, correct? Don’t worry, I guarantee you’ll soon grow to love corpses too—because our Crown Prince is also a jiangshi.”

The Silver Zombie General clasped his fists respectfully.

“Ugh! Who would ever like a jiangshi?!”

Qi Huang couldn’t help but retort.

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“Well then, Crown Princess—will you choose to end yourself, or shall this subordinate assist you?”

The Silver Corpse General slowly rose to his feet, and only then did the others dare to stand as well.

“Cheng Hongling has never been one to wait meekly for death. If you want to kill me, you’ll have to prove you’re capable of it first.”

Cheng Hongling’s stance remained unshaken.

“Then this subordinate must apologize for offending you.”

The Silver Corpse General dropped his respectful demeanor and turned to the others beside him.

“Gentlemen, didn’t you all wish to test yourselves against her? Now’s your chance. Who will go first?”

“As the saying goes, ‘courtesy before conflict’. Allow me to take the first round.”

A bewitching voice rang out, and at the same time, vast amounts of yin energy gathered in the plaza, swiftly forming into a seductive figure.

As the figure grew more and more tangible, within the blink of an eye, a stunningly beautiful woman appeared before the crowd. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with long hair cascading loosely down her back. Her oval face was adorned with heavy makeup, her cheeks faintly flushed, exuding an alluring charm. Her small, cherry-like lips were a vivid red—both enticing and dangerous. She wore a pink qixiong ruqun , and due to her ample bosom and the tightly tied sash, it pressed into her skin so deeply it looked like a “valley”.

Her lower half was even more provocative—the skirt was made of sheer gauze, making her plump, shapely legs faintly visible, enough to make anyone’s nose bleed.

Qi Huang’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, but she quickly snapped out of it. Seeing how tightly the woman’s chest was bound by the sash, she was instantly reminded of her own past suffering, and her chest began to ache sympathetically.

“H-How… How could it be her?!”

While most people were still in a daze, Qin Quan, the sect leader, cried out in shock.