Volume 6, Chapter 356 – Which Noble Family’s Young Miss Are You?

“You… you say there’s yin energy on my father’s body?”

Liu Yingyue still couldn’t accept it and pressed for confirmation again.

“If you want to know something, just ask Immortal Cao over there. Why bother questioning a servant?”

At that moment, Liu Yingliang stepped forward and gave the order, his eyes flicking toward the “ritual master” performing rites in the corner.

But Liu Yingyue remained unmoved, her gaze fixed intently on Qi Huang.

“Yes. A simple sweep with divine sense would reveal it.”

Qi Huang answered casually.

“Hah! Divine sense, you say?”

The so-called Master Cao suddenly sneered inexplicably.

“Is there a problem?”

Qi Huang’s delicate brows furrowed slightly.

“Are you a cultivator?”

Master Cao countered instead of answering.

“Of course.”

Qi Huang lifted her chin proudly.

“In that case, you should know that only cultivators at the Unity Realm or above can perceive the yin energy on evil spirits, because those with lower cultivation can’t project their divine sense outward. Are you implying you’ve already reached the Unity Realm?”

Master Cao’s expression darkened as he interrogated her.

“If I said yes, would you believe me?”

Qi Huang tested carefully.

“Do you think I would? How old are you, you little brat? The Unity Realm is a level only sect leaders or elders of many immortal sects possess. It takes at least sixty years of cultivation to reach!”

Master Cao voiced his skepticism.

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“Oh? Then how did the Honghua Sect’s Fairy Hongling reach the Incarnation Realm at just sixteen or seventeen? Tsk tsk, don’t tell me you’ve never even heard of Fairy Hongling? How ignorant!”

Qi Huang shot back mockingly.

“Hmph! Of course I’ve heard of Fairy Hongling, she’s a peerless genius unmatched in the Western Radiance Dynasty’s history. How dare you compare yourself to her? Your face must be as thick as a city wall!”

Master Cao’s disdain deepened.

“You have the nerve to call yourself a ritual master. Why shouldn’t I have the nerve to do what I do?”

Qi Huang merely smiled faintly.

“Shut your mouth! Since when does a lowly servant like you have the right to speak here? Apologize to Immortal Cao at once!”

Liu Yingliang, standing nearby, barked furiously. Though born into a wealthy family, even he dared not casually offend a cultivator.

“Can you say less?”

Liu Yingyue also paled in shock, hurriedly tugging at Qi Huang’s sleeve.

“What’s wrong with me being a ritual master? If there’s any issue with my rites, the master of the house will point it out. Since when does a mere servant like you have the right to criticize? Do you not know your place?”

Immortal Cao refused to let the matter drop.

“The master of the house? If the master could spot flaws in the rites, what would they need you for?”

Qi Huang naturally didn’t back down either.

“Hah! What a sharp-tongued little brat! I think you’re just stirring up trouble for no reason. If the master can’t see it, can you?”

Immortal Cao laughed in anger before turning to Liu Yingliang with a threat: “Brother Liu, though we have a good relationship, the dignity of a cultivator cannot be trampled upon. You must give me an explanation today, or don’t blame me for being impolite.”

“Immortal Cao, please don’t be angry. She’s just an ignorant maid, I’ll have her thrown out at once.”

Liu Yingliang hurriedly apologized in a submissive tone.

“Such grand authority, throwing me out. Shouldn’t you ask your sister’s opinion first? I’m her personal maid.”

Qi Huang glanced casually at Liu Yingyue.

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“What a joke! After Father’s death, I am the head of this household. Why would I need her opinion to deal with a mere servant?”

Liu Yingliang declared arrogantly.

Liu Yingyue’s expression turned awkward. As the ninth-ranked member of the family, she held little influence.

“Sister Liu, do you want me to be thrown out?”

Qi Huang asked her directly.

“Of course not!”

Liu Yingyue blurted out reflexively.

“Second Uncle Liu, did you hear that? She doesn’t want me thrown out.”

Qi Huang then turned to remind Liu Biao beside her.

“We’ll do as Yingyue says.”

Liu Biao replied without hesitation. He knew this so-called Immortal Cao was nothing more than a low-level cultivator, hardly worth fearing.

“Huh?”

Liu Yingyue froze once more, utterly baffled as to why her usually contrary second uncle had suddenly become so obedient, more docile than even the family servants.

“Understood? Everything is to follow our young miss’s wishes.”

Qi Huang challenged Liu Yingliang.

Liu Yingliang’s neck stiffened as his mouth opened and closed soundlessly, like a duck being strangled.

“Hah! So this is the Liu family, the foremost noble house of the Western Radiance Dynasty? The family head obeys his niece, the niece obeys her maid, an entire household being ordered around by a servant! Roles reversed, hierarchy ignored! This immortal has truly broadened his horizons today! Since that’s the case, I’ll take my leave. You’re on your own!”

The man surnamed Cao stood up, ready to depart.

“Brother Cao, don’t go! Let me explain!”

Liu Yingliang rushed to stop him.

“Explain what? She slandered my professional skills without cause. I, Cao, will remember this humiliation and repay it twofold in the future!”

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Immortal Cao threw down a vicious threat.

“Liu Yingyue, look what you’ve done! Offending a cultivator, we’ll suffer for this!”

With no other recourse, Liu Yingliang turned to scold Liu Yingyue.

“Wh-what do we do?”

Liu Yingyue panicked, never imagining things would escalate like this. She could only turn to Qi Huang with pleading eyes: “Little Yu, what flaw did you actually see?”

“Calm down.”

Qi Huang patted Liu Yingyue’s delicate hand before addressing Immortal Cao: “Not convinced? Fine, I’ll make you admit defeat willingly!”

With that, she strode to the most prominent spot in the room and spoke like a judge delivering a verdict:

“Master Liu died due to an evil spirit, this is common knowledge. You’re aware of that, correct?”

“Of course. And?”

Immortal Cao retorted coolly, eager to see what tricks this brat had up her sleeve.

“And? As a cultivator, you should know that those who die by evil spirits are usually tainted with yin energy, which must be purified quickly to prevent corpse transformation. May I ask, how long have you been at the Liu residence? Why, after all this time, has the yin energy on Master Liu’s remains not been cleansed?”

Qi Huang fired off question after question.

“Uh—”

Immortal Cao was dumbstruck. He never expected this little girl to actually have a valid argument.

The Liu family members also exchanged uneasy glances. Though they weren’t cultivators, they had heard of such procedures, especially in these troubled times.

“‘Uh’ what? Are you incapable of purifying it, or do you have ulterior motives?”

Qi Huang pressed forward aggressively.

Immortal Cao stumbled back two steps before a thought struck him. He forced a blustering reply:

“You think I need your reminder? This immortal already purified the yin energy from Master Liu’s remains! You wretched maid, taking advantage of ordinary people’s inability to see yin energy to slander me. You’ve got some nerve!”

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“Sigh…”

Qi Huang shook her head helplessly. Her fair, delicate hands weren’t meant for slapping faces, yet people kept offering theirs up.

“What? Speechless now? Sighing won’t save you. Once you’ve offended this immortal, not even the imperial court can protect you!”

Believing he had gained the upper hand, Immortal Cao grew bolder.

Liu Yingyue’s face filled with worry. Since ordinary people couldn’t perceive yin energy, proving who was right seemed nearly impossible.

“You think muddying the waters will let you slip away?”

Qi Huang curled her lips disdainfully before reaching into her robes and producing a small jade vial.

“Everyone, this is cat’s tear fluid. Apply a drop to your eyes, and whether Master Liu’s body carries yin energy will be plain to see.”

She raised the vial for all to see.

“What? Cat’s tears?”

The crowd gasped in shock. None expected a mere maid to casually produce such a rare item just to prove a point.

“Fake! It must be fake!”

That was the thought running through most minds.

“You… are you really just a maid for money? Or are you some noble family’s young miss slumming it for fun?”

Liu Yingyue, however, didn’t doubt her and asked dazedly.

“Who’s first?”

Qi Huang scanned the hesitant onlookers.

They exchanged glances, none daring to volunteer.

“I’ll go first!”

Xia Wei stepped forward bravely, took the vial, and applied a drop to her eye before turning toward the coffin.