Volume 5, Chapter 269 – Would You Like to Try a Ghost Tomato?

Volume 5: My Doppelganger Has Caught the Emperor’s Eye

“Sounds impressive! But I’d like to hear, how exactly do you plan to protect me?”

Cheng Hongling asked leisurely, her tone composed.

“Have you forgotten? My main method of combat relies on divine sense, which has nothing to do with bloodline.”

Qi Huang voiced her thoughts.

“Hmm… That makes some sense!”

Cheng Hongling pondered for a moment before shifting the topic. “We’ll discuss this later. Right now, I have a question. Listening to you, your words are all over the place—one moment it’s ‘my father’, the next it’s ‘your father’. Do you even know who you really are?”

“Of course! I’m Qi Huang, aren’t I? It’s just that I’ve been assimilated by your doppelgänger, so I occasionally get a little confused.”

Qi Huang spoke with absolute confidence.

“Occasionally confused? I think you’re confused most of the time! I’m seriously worried that, given enough time, you won’t even remember who you are.”

Cheng Hongling couldn’t help but mock her before her expression turned serious. “Since you can’t distinguish it clearly, then don’t bother. Let’s pretend today never happened. From now on, you’ll continue being my doppelgänger.”

“But… I used to be a man. Doesn’t that bother you?”

Qi Huang asked in disbelief. Truthfully, she considered it a stroke of luck just to be allowed to stay. She had never dared hope that her main body would still treat her the same way she had before.

“You just said it yourself, ‘used to be’. Now, you’re a perfect copy of my doppelgänger, from body to life soul, entirely female. If I don’t mind, why should you?”

Cheng Hongling countered.

“I… Of course, I’m willing to be your doppelgänger.”

Overjoyed, Qi Huang quickly agreed. If her main body didn’t care, why should she overthink it?

A satisfied smile touched Cheng Hongling’s lips. Truthfully, even she didn’t fully understand why she was being so open-minded.

“Don’t worry, I won’t restrict your freedom anymore. But I have one condition, you can’t hide anything from me. If you plan to do something, you must discuss it with me first.”

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As if afraid Qi Huang might change her mind, Cheng Hongling quickly added another stipulation.

“Understood! I’ll confess everything to you right now. Let me think… where should I start?”

Equally fearful of losing such a perfect main body, Qi Huang immediately offered full transparency. She revealed all her secrets, from stealing the Tongming Comb to prevent feminization, to discovering that ghost tomatoes could enhance divine sense, leaving nothing out. She knew that the two of them were bound together now. Only by supporting each other could they grow stronger quickly. Acting independently would only lead to their own downfall.

“To think the Tongming Comb and ghost tomatoes could have such an effect when used together. And here I’ve been using it for years without ever realizing.”

Cheng Hongling let out a self-deprecating laugh. Inside her Sea of Consciousness, her nine sisters were equally stunned, chattering in disbelief.

Bound and gagged, Cheng Ling sneered with disdain, muttering under her breath, “How laughably stupid. Do they really think the Tongming Comb can neutralize the ghost tomato’s toxicity? Not just anyone can walk this path.”

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Cheng Hongling suddenly recalled a past incident. Narrowing her beautiful eyes, she interrogated Qi Huang sharply: “Then why didn’t you tell me the truth last time? You made me poison myself!”

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

Qi Huang flushed with embarrassment and quickly explained, “As an impostor, I was nervous. I had no idea how you’d react if you found out my true identity. Of course, I couldn’t reveal all my cards.”

“You? Nervous? I thought you feared nothing.”

Cheng Hongling scoffed.

“Well, I can’t say I fear nothing. I’m still scared of death!”

Qi Huang scratched her head awkwardly.

“There’s one more thing I’ve always been curious about, where did you get those cat tears?”

Cheng Hongling pressed further.

Qi Huang hesitated. This matter involved Yaoyao, and since ancient times, the righteous and the demonic had been irreconcilable. Moreover, that mischievous ghost cat-girl was still causing trouble. She wasn’t sure how her main body would view such a being.

‘What if she demands I cut ties with Yaoyao? Without the cat tears, how will I grow stronger? What will happen to those senior sisters in the Honghua Sect?’

Anxiety gnawed at her.

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“What’s wrong? Is it difficult to explain? If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to tell me. I don’t necessarily need to know.”

Cheng Hongling spoke with surprising understanding.

Qi Huang’s eyes darted rapidly. If she said nothing, it would only create distance between them. But if she told the truth, it might cause unnecessary trouble. After some thought, she decided a white lie would suffice, a harmless one, at least.

“Well, when I was in the prefecture once, I accidentally saved the manager of the Golden Fortune Auction House. So she promised that if anyone ever auctioned cat tears, she’d give me priority.”

Qi Huang fabricated a story on the spot. This way, she not only satisfied her main body but also gave herself a legitimate reason to visit the auction house in the future.

“The Golden Fortune Auction House? The largest one in the Western Radiance Dynasty?”

Cheng Hongling’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes! Who else could be so resourceful?”

Qi Huang nodded eagerly.

“I see.”

Cheng Hongling accepted the explanation without suspicion. But then her expression darkened as she suddenly demanded, “When did you go to the prefecture? Why didn’t I know?”

“I just… went when I had time! Anyway, it’s in the past now, so no need to dwell on it.”

Qi Huang broke out in a cold sweat.

“Hmph!”

Cheng Hongling snorted but let it go.

Next, Qi Huang released her doppelgänger, Huang Tian, to continue impersonating her, while she and her main body prepared to return home.

“Remember what I said. Once we’re back, you’ll keep acting as my doppelgänger. As for Cheng Ling’s matter, treat it as if it never happened. Don’t breathe a word of it to anyone. Understand? If people find out you were originally a man, endless trouble will come knocking.”

Cheng Hongling reiterated sternly.

“Understood!”

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Qi Huang nodded instinctively before hesitating. “Not even… our parents?”

“Are parents considered outsiders?”

Cheng Hongling shot back.

“I see.”

A trace of melancholy flickered across Qi Huang’s face. She wasn’t sure if her adoptive parents would still acknowledge her as their daughter if they knew the truth.

After a moment of troubled thoughts, she cautiously ventured, “There’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

Cheng Hongling didn’t even turn her head.

“Now that you know my true identity, you must understand why I care so much about the people of Huatian Village. I have two sworn brothers, closer to me than blood. They’re twenty-seven this year. If they can’t find partners soon, they’ll be conscripted into the army. Plus, Yuan Jie and Tang Ping also asked me to help them find matches. So… I wanted to play matchmaker.”

Qi Huang explained carefully.

“Have those two brothers seen your real appearance?”

Cheng Hongling paused mid-flight.

“No!”

Qi Huang shook her head vigorously.

“Then what are you asking for? Special treatment?”

Cheng Hongling’s tone remained neutral.

“No, no! I’ve already bought them identity tokens for the Honghua Sect. I just wanted your permission!”

Qi Huang denied frantically.

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“Do as you please, then. But I have one condition, you must never let anyone in the Honghua Sect know about your engagement to the Huang family. And… this is the last time. If it happens again, don’t blame me for being unsentimental.”

Cheng Hongling issued a final warning before resuming their journey. She valued her dignity above life itself, and allowing this much was already an extraordinary concession.

Qi Huang exhaled deeply in relief. As long as her main body agreed, she no longer had any psychological burdens.

Truth be told, given Qi Huang’s current strength, she didn’t need to defer to her main body anymore. Yet, for some reason, she still feared displeasing her, so she habitually sought approval for everything.

“I have the Tongming Comb with me, and there’s a ghost tomato in my spatial ring. Do you want to try it now?”

Qi Huang suddenly offered eagerly, as if presenting a treasure.

“Why the sudden invitation?”

Cheng Hongling turned to face her.

“Since you’ve been so generous, how could I be stingy? This is what they call ‘sharing blessings’!”

Qi Huang stated her stance before enthusiastically producing the comb and the eerie, dark-red fruit.

After a brief hesitation, Cheng Hongling accepted both. In truth, she was rather curious.

Meanwhile, inside her Sea of Consciousness, Cheng Ling watched with a faint smirk, her eyes filled with pity, as if observing two fools.

Cheng Hongling landed by the roadside, then used a small knife to slice open the ghost tomato before dipping the Tongming Comb into its juices.

“Yes, yes! Just like that! Now comb it through your hair!”

Qi Huang gestured animatedly beside her, appearing quite the expert.

Trusting her, Cheng Hongling raised the stained comb to her hair. After just two or three strokes, her expression froze.

“Well? Isn’t it like your very soul is being elevated?”

Qi Huang asked expectantly.