Volume 5, Chapter 335 – Wishful Thinking, I Have No Interest in Being Your Concubine

“Ah San, is she… Cheng Hongling’s doppelgänger?”

The Kang Prince also turned his head, pressuring Ah San with his gaze.

“Y-Your Highness… sh-she really is Cheng Hongling!”

Ah-San stammered, his face visibly trembling with fear. It was clear he was deeply intimidated by Cheng Hongling.

“Wow! She really is Cheng Hongling! No wonder she’s so breathtakingly beautiful, far surpassing that impostor from before!”

“With such celestial grace, she truly lives up to the title of ‘Twin Moons of the Western Radiance Dynasty.’ The rumors that the Phoenix Selection Token awarded her six perfect scores weren’t baseless after all!”

“To think that Huangtian Prefecture, a known rat’s nest, could actually produce a phoenix! Her name is truly fitting!”

The surrounding crowd stared in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock.

Ouyang Tong snapped out of her daze, then lowered her head in shame. She hated herself for lacking even the slightest self-awareness, how could she have agreed to impersonate such a peerless fairy? In the end, she had only tarnished the other’s reputation.

“It’s over…”

Inside the pavilion, Empress Zheng staggered and collapsed onto her seat. She had known this day would come, once this woman entered the palace, she would become a formidable threat.

Imperial Consort Jin’s expression was equally grim. She wasn’t the type to fight for favor, but she had to think of her daughter’s future. Now that this Imperial Consort had successfully entered the palace, it meant that in the near future, the royal family would be flooded with countless Cheng Honglings. How could her daughter possibly compete?

The other two consorts felt the same. Though the emperor’s harem housed three thousand beauties, most were low-ranking. Each step up the hierarchy had a fixed number of positions, meaning that every time Qi Huang climbed higher, one of them would be replaced.

Qi Huang noticed the reactions of these consorts, and inwardly, she felt a little more at ease. One of her goals had been achieved.

“Th-This can’t be! Look again—are you sure?!”

Lin Kang, unwilling to accept it, pressed Ah San further.

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“Your Highness, this humble one wouldn’t dare lie. She truly is Fairy Hongling!”

Ah San reiterated without hesitation. In his eyes, Cheng Hongling was far more terrifying than a mere Kang Prince—lying wasn’t an option.

“Impossible! How could this be?!”

Lin Kang’s face instantly twisted with panic.

“Get out of here! Don’t embarrass yourself any further!”

Lin Tu finally snapped, unable to tolerate the disgrace any longer.

Lin Kang flinched as if struck, then scurried away like a kicked dog.

“As you’ve all witnessed, this is the truth of the matter. For the safety of the Imperial Consort, I arranged for a palace maid to impersonate her. Who would’ve thought my second brother would see through it? Since the ruse is up, there’s no need to continue the act.”

Lin Tu cleverly used the opportunity to step down, then ordered Ouyang Tong, “You there, maid, you may leave now.”

‘Huh? That’s it?’

Ouyang Tong’s face filled with disbelief. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined she’d survive after botching the performance. An irrepressible joy surged in her heart as she stammered, “Th-This humble maid obeys!”

‘Good. Another life saved.’

Qi Huang watched as Ouyang Tong walked away unharmed, satisfaction filling her heart. After all, the girl had only been dragged into this mess because of her.

“Qi Huang, now that you’ve been exposed, there’s no need to hide any longer. You might as well take the Phoenix Selection Token test while you’re here.”

Lin Tu spoke from the side, his smile unwavering, his tone unusually gentle.

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Hearing this, the crowd held their breaths, eager to see if Cheng Hongling truly lived up to the rumors of six perfect scores. After all, even a doppelgänger could offer a glimpse of the truth.

“Sorry, but I have no intention of testing any Phoenix Selection Token.”

Qi Huang shook her head calmly. Everything she had done up to now was to return to the Honghua Sect as soon as possible, not to become an imperial concubine.

The people in the imperial garden exchanged glances, thinking this Imperial Consort was truly audacious to dare defy the emperor’s orders.

“That won’t do. Even as an Imperial Consort, you must follow protocol. If you enter the harem without the Phoenix Selection Token’s evaluation, it’ll be difficult to command respect later.”

Lin Tu tried to persuade her gently.

“The emperor is spoiling her too much. She’s not even a consort yet, and he’s already this lenient. What will happen once she truly enters the harem?”

Whispers spread through the crowd. Everyone knew Lin Tu’s temperament, when had he ever been this patient with anyone?

Inside the pavilion, Empress Zheng and the other consorts gnashed their teeth, wishing they could tear Qi Huang apart limb by limb.

“Your Majesty is overthinking things. I have no intention of becoming your concubine.”

Qi Huang’s voice was laced with pity. The moment these words left her lips, it was like a boulder crashing into a still lake.

“What?!”

The crowd gaped at Qi Huang, unable to comprehend why she was courting death.

Lin Tu was also caught off guard. He had assumed the girl’s earlier support meant she had accepted her fate and was ready to become his consort in earnest. Never had he expected this outcome!

It was as if he had been flung from heaven straight into hell. The violent emotional whiplash twisted his features into an involuntary grimace.

In contrast, Empress Zheng and the other consorts seemed to have ascended from hell to heaven, their faces unconsciously lighting up with delight.

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“Are you defying an imperial decree? This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations!”

Lin Tu’s threat came through gritted teeth.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing. But unfortunately for you, I’ve already rebuilt my True Qi. You can’t punish me, not even a little.”

Qi Huang’s reply was effortless, her confidence unshaken.

“You’ve rebuilt your True Qi?”

Lin Tu’s expression darkened as he shot a questioning look at Elder Zuo, who had remained silent until now.

“You’ve truly regained your True Qi?”

Elder Zuo could no longer stay uninvolved and slowly stepped forward.

“Of course. My main body must have already informed you—otherwise, why would you be here in the palace at this time?”

Qi Huang’s lips curled slightly in a self-assured smirk.

“Impossible! Your Qi—”

Elder Zuo wanted to argue, but halfway through, he cautiously shut his mouth. After all, ordering disciples to destroy someone’s Qi Sea was hardly a glorious deed.

“Were you going to say my Qi Sea was destroyed?”

Qi Huang took over, sighing. “What a pity. Cultivation is about defying the heavens. If you’re defiant enough, nothing is impossible!”

As she spoke, the Cicada Wing Sword materialized in her hand. She channeled True Qi into it, and a thin layer of Profound Ice swiftly coated the blade.

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True, cultivators at the Spirit Gathering Realm were weak, unable to project True Qi externally. But Qi Huang was different. Her Divine Sense was immensely powerful, making it effortless to unblock the meridians for True Qi release. Moreover, the Profound Ice True Qi granted by Water Exquisite Art was far stronger than ordinary True Qi. Amplified further by the Blue Scale Stone-forged Cicada Wing Sword, the effect was visible to the naked eye.

“Th-This can’t be…”

Elder Zuo stood frozen. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Cheng Hongling’s doppelgänger could be so heaven-defying, rebuilding True Qi after her Qi Sea was destroyed? If that was true, then the incident with the Qi-Leaking Powder might not have been fake either.

“Elder Zuo, as a Divine Realm expert, you should be able to tell whether this True Qi is real or fake, no?”

Qi Huang’s smile was cold.

“Elder Zuo, I demand an explanation.”

Lin Tu’s voice was icy, devoid of emotion.

“There’s nothing to explain. Since Qi Huang has regained her True Qi, you cannot force her if she refuses to enter the palace.”

Elder Zuo made his stance clear.

“I said—I demand an explanation.”

Lin Tu remained unmoved, his face as cold as a corpse, utterly devoid of feeling.

Elder Zuo, knowing he was in the wrong, hesitated, unsure how to respond.

“Elder Zuo, don’t back down now! If you cave to his tyranny and the Immortal Alliance’s higher-ups investigate, your position as an elder will be over. But if you act like a man, charge forward, and take me out of the palace, you can keep your position.”

Qi Huang’s reminder was pointed. If possible, she really didn’t want to rely on her own strength to escape the palace, it would expose her capabilities. Of course, she also didn’t want to trouble her main body for help at every turn, that would make her seem like a useless doppelgänger.

Thus, the best plan was to use Elder Zuo as her pawn.