Volume 5, Chapter 309 – The Fourth Doppelgänger (Part 2)

“Though I don’t fully understand their secrets, I know we’re all on the same boat now. I believe they should realize that too.”

Qi Huang answered calmly.

As expected, after a brief murmur among the female soul fragments, Huang Ling agreed.

“You’re aware of the situation outside. All you need to do is take my place in the group and stay put. Don’t try anything else.”

Qi Huang gave her instructions, then added a stern warning: “Don’t play any tricks. Otherwise, I guarantee this will be the last time you breathe the air of the outside world.”

“Tch!”

Huang Ling’s face twisted into an expression of disdain.

“By the way, when will you complete my body?”

At that moment, Huang Tian—the brainless doppelgänger—chimed in with her own demand.

“If you behave, I might consider it once I reach the Heavenly Tribulation Realm.”

Qi Huang brushed her off casually before withdrawing from the Sea of Consciousness. She held little hope that these female soul fragments would obey her willingly. The key to controlling them likely lay in the memories carried by the Feminizing Human Skin Mask.

Taking a deep breath, Qi Huang exhaled slowly. Now that she had secured “harmony among people”. all she needed was the right timing and location. Though bold, she wasn’t reckless enough to cultivate a doppelgänger in broad daylight under so many watchful eyes. She had to wait for an opportunity, preferably during the night’s rest.

After a full day of travel, Chief Steward Zhong ordered the group to rest in a small county town. Since this was an official mission funded by the imperial treasury, there was no need to push themselves too hard as long as they stayed on schedule.

Given the group’s imposing presence, they drew large crowds of onlookers along the way, even alarming the local magistrate.

Qi Huang had no time for socializing. The moment she entered her room, she excused herself to stay in seclusion. After instructing Yaoyao to keep watch, she erected a Divine Sense barrier to block external perception and began cultivating her doppelgänger.

With practiced ease, Qi Huang summoned Huang Ling and began molding her physical form. The human body was incredibly complex, and the process demanded an immense amount of Divine Sense. If she were still at the Incarnation Realm, it would have taken at least three days. But now, a single night was enough.

Time flowed steadily. By the time the eastern horizon brightened with the first light of dawn, Qi Huang had successfully cultivated her fourth doppelgänger—Huang Ling, the Spiritual Wisdom Soul.

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Without delay, Qi Huang removed the emperor-bestowed Feathered Dress she was wearing and draped it over her doppelgänger. She then changed into the black, cat-eyed ruqun dress that Yaoyao had transformed into, pulling up a hood and veil to conceal her identity before making her escape.

“Remember what I said. Stay in the group, keep quiet, and don’t do anything unnecessary. Think carefully about what you can and cannot do.”

After one final warning, Qi Huang slipped out the window unnoticed.

The moment Qi Huang left, Huang Ling curled her lips into a faint smirk, her expression dripping with contempt. She immediately reached out to Cheng Ling, who had assimilated her.

Despite being dozens of miles away and confined within Cheng Hongling’s Sea of Consciousness, Cheng Ling could still hear Huang Ling’s voice. Their communication relied on an overpowering Soul Resonance, transcending time and space. This was the absurd advantage of assimilation, compared to this, the connection between a main body and its doppelgänger was laughably primitive.

“Sister, I’m the Spiritual Wisdom Soul. Qi Huang has turned me into a doppelgänger.”

Huang Ling reported dutifully.

“Oh? What kind of doppelgänger? Please tell me she didn’t leave you brainless like the last one.”

Cheng Ling’s tone carried a hint of skepticism.

“No, this one is normal. She needed a fully functional doppelgänger to replace her in the group.”

Huang Ling explained the situation in detail.

“Really? That’s perfect! Remember what I told you before? The moment you gain freedom, start gathering that thing immediately. Right now, I’m imprisoned by the main body and can’t become the Life Soul. We’ll have to rely on alternative methods.”

Cheng Ling’s voice was urgent.

“But Sister, I’m completely under Qi Huang’s surveillance. I can’t move freely at all. If she detects anything suspicious, I’ll never see the outside world again.”

Huang Ling hesitated. Though she was wearing the Divine Sense-blocking Feathered Dress, Qi Huang possessed the Shadow-Retaining Mirror, a tool no spell or artifact could shield against. There was no escaping its gaze.

After a brief pause, Cheng Ling replied, “Fine. Forget about retrieving it for now. Your priority is earning her trust. For the time being, obey her unconditionally. Once she lets her guard down, find a way to slip away. Her Divine Sense is at the late-stage Divine Ability Realm, covering roughly a thirty-mile radius. If you can escape beyond that range, she won’t be able to forcibly recall you or track your movements.”

“Understood.”

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Huang Ling accepted the mission without question.

Of course, Qi Huang didn’t trust Huang Ling completely. The moment she left the inn, she secretly observed her doppelgänger through the Shadow-Retaining Mirror. Unfortunately, the mirror couldn’t intercept “thoughts”, leaving her oblivious to Huang Ling and Cheng Ling’s conversation.

Seeing Huang Ling behave so obediently, Qi Huang relaxed slightly and put away the mirror, shifting her focus elsewhere.

She scanned the entire town with her Divine Sense, detecting no potential threats. Frowning, she asked Yaoyao, “Is Thousand Shadows still here?”

“Of course. He’s disguised as an ordinary guest, staying in the same inn you just left.”

Yaoyao gritted her teeth.

“Is that so? Your Nine Nether Demon Cat race truly is extraordinary. Even with my Divine Ability Realm Divine Sense, I couldn’t detect him at all.”

Qi Huang marveled.

“If I had a choice, I’d rather the Nine Nether Demon Cats weren’t so extraordinary.”

Yaoyao’s voice was laced with bitterness. Indeed, it was precisely because of their extraordinary nature that her kind had met such a tragic fate.

Qi Huang stiffened, then wisely chose to remain silent. Comforting girls had never been her forte.

Feeling uneasy, Qi Huang remained vigilant. Her Divine Sense swept through the town intermittently, like an unpredictable gust of wind.

Meanwhile, after sitting quietly for a while, Huang Ling suddenly widened her eyes in disbelief. She stared down at her chest—constrained by the tight Feathered Dress—and parted her lips slightly.

“How… is this possible?”

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Dumbfounded, she took a deep breath and reached toward her chest, only to stop halfway. She wasn’t sure if Qi Huang was watching.

After a moment of contemplation, she contacted Cheng Ling again.

“Sister, you won’t believe this… but I’ve sensed what you’re looking for on this very dress.”

Huang Ling sounded torn between laughter and tears.

“What? What dress? Explain, quickly!”

Cheng Ling’s voice trembled with urgency.

“It’s the emperor-bestowed Feathered Dress Qi Huang gave me. It’s woven with a large amount of Nine Nether Demon Cat fur, which is why it blocks Divine Sense.”

Huang Ling hurriedly clarified.

“An imperial gift? Then why would it contain what I need?”

Cheng Ling muttered to herself.

“I don’t know. Maybe the materials used to make it were contaminated, or it picked it up somewhere along the way.”

Huang Ling speculated.

“How much of it is there?”

Cheng Ling pressed.

“Very little. I only noticed after wearing it for a while—the aura is faint, almost imperceptible.”

Huang Ling explained.

“Even a mosquito’s worth is better than nothing. Besides, it might lead us to more clues. Protect that dress at all costs.”

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Cheng Ling ordered sternly.

“Yes, Sister!”

Huang Ling complied obediently. The moment she had been assimilated, she had forgotten who her true Life Soul was.

“And absolutely no one must know about this, especially that damned Qi Huang.”

Cheng Ling added.

Huang Ling acknowledged the command once more.

As dawn broke, the town’s streets gradually came to life. Surprisingly, the weather was unusually clear, with patches of blue sky peeking through—a rare sight in this remote, Yin-heavy county.

The members of the Imperial Consort’s escort team woke up one after another, preparing to depart after breakfast. The fine weather was perfect for travel.

But fate had other plans.

The moment they finished their meal, the clear sky darkened abruptly. Ominous clouds materialized out of nowhere, looming overhead like towering mountains, suffocating in their oppressive weight.

Soon, thunder rumbled. Streaks of cyan lightning flickered within the clouds, as if the heavens themselves were enraged. A dreadful, heart-palpitating aura began spreading across the land.

Chief Steward Zhong raised his head, his expression grave. Something about these clouds felt unnatural, this was no ordinary storm.

After all, normal thunder and rain would never instill such fear in a powerhouse like him.