Volume 8, Chapter 540 – Just How Many Fake Identities Do You Have? (Part 5)

“This matter is of grave importance. Allow me to consider it carefully before making a decision.”

Hua Ruyi pondered for a moment but found it difficult to make a choice, so she decided to deliberate further.

“Esteemed Sect Master, there’s no need for further consideration. My main body’s previous fake identities have been leaked repeatedly, proving that the traitor is among us. If this information is leaked again, I’ll have no choice but to inscribe the name anyway.”

Qi Huang “kindly” reminded her.

“The Holy Maiden’s foresight is unparalleled! The Holy Maiden is wise!”

Elder Zhou continued to flatter with veiled sarcasm.

“Elder Zhou, you flatter me. Compared to you, I still have much to learn.”

Qi Huang smiled brightly.

“This…”

Hua Ruyi watched the exchange between the older and younger woman below, her head nearly exploding from confusion. Weren’t these two supposed to be bitter rivals? Why were they suddenly singing in harmony?

“Very well, we shall proceed as the Holy Maiden suggests.”

After careful consideration, Hua Ruyi agreed. Given the current circumstances, there was no choice but to grit their teeth and inscribe the name.

“The Sect Master is wise!”

Qi Huang and Elder Zhou praised in unison, then exchanged a knowing smile, as if sharing a secret understanding.

Cheng Hongling’s lips twitched slightly, this scene was simply too ridiculous to bear.

Once the meeting concluded, everyone dispersed to their own affairs.

Back in the pavilion atop Biyu Peak, Cheng Hongling impatiently set up a divine sense barrier and said, “I can’t believe you and Elder Zhou kept up that act. I wanted to tear off that hypocritical mask of hers right then and there.”

“Act? What act?”

Shi Yuqi, standing nearby, looked puzzled.

“Nothing. Elder Zhou is the traitor.”

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Qi Huang answered casually. She hadn’t intended to hide it from her master, so she simply stated the truth.

“What? Elder Zhou is the traitor?”

Shi Yuqi shot to her feet.

“Is it really so surprising? She’s always been suspiciously close to Hua Yu. Today, she was practically broadcasting her guilt. I’m sure many already suspect her, they just lack proof.”

Qi Huang countered.

“Do you have proof? Or is this just speculation?”

Shi Yuqi pressed curiously.

“Of course we do!”

Qi Huang retrieved the Shadow-Retaining Mirror and handed it to her master for inspection.

After watching the recording, Shi Yuqi trembled with rage, gnashing her teeth as she cursed, “That wretched old hag! As an Elder of the Huarong Sect, she dares to collude with Hua Yu to betray us!”

“She probably thinks Hua Yu will rise to greatness by marrying into the Cao Family, so she’s trying to curry favor.”

Qi Huang speculated.

“If you have evidence, why didn’t you expose her today?”

Shi Yuqi asked, puzzled.

“Master, have you ever heard of walking a dog? Elder Zhou is nothing more than a lapdog for Hua Yu and the Cao Family. If we kill her outright, her masters will just find another way to cause trouble, and it’ll be even harder to guard against. Better to keep her on a leash for now and buy myself more time to cultivate. That’s the first reason.”

Qi Huang explained patiently.

“That makes sense. And the second reason?”

Shi Yuqi nodded thoughtfully before pressing further.

“As for the second reason, the Cao Family isn’t like the Huarong Sect. They rely on bloodline inheritance, so their Immortal Stele must already be crammed with names. Even a prodigy like Cao Yang wouldn’t dare add names recklessly, lest he incite rebellion. By repeatedly using fake identities, I’m forcing him to inscribe more names. If this causes infighting within the Cao Family, we’ll have struck a blow for ourselves.”

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Qi Huang’s lips curled into a mischievous grin.

“You little schemer!”

Shi Yuqi’s eyes gleamed with admiration.

“An interesting plan, but there’s one thing I don’t understand. How can you be sure Cao Yang will add names instead of simply modifying existing ones? Now that he knows your previous identities were fake, he could just erase them.”

Cheng Hongling voiced her skepticism.

“Heh, if you were him, could you really be certain all the names I gave were fake? What if one was real? Take ‘Jiang Ling’, for example, what if my subsequent fake identities were just a smokescreen to protect that one real name?”

Qi Huang shot back.

“Exactly! Given Cao Yang’s personality, he’d rather inscribe all the names than risk missing one.”

Shi Yuqi suddenly understood.

“…”

Cheng Hongling found herself momentarily speechless.

“So, let’s keep walking the dog for now. We can always kill it later when it’s no longer useful.”

Qi Huang smirked faintly.

As expected, news of Qi Huang’s fake identities was leaked the very next day, spreading like wildfire through the Huarong Sect. It was only a matter of time before it reached outsiders.

Qi Huang didn’t need to guess who was responsible, the traitor was clearly trying to force her and her main body to reveal their true names.

That evening, Hua Ruyi paid a discreet visit to Biyu Peak, intending to escort Cheng Hongling to inscribe her real name on the Immortal Stele.

“What is your doppelgänger’s name?”

Hua Ruyi studied Qi Huang with an appreciative gaze.

“Reporting to the Sect Master, I am Jiang Yuzhu.”

Qi Huang provided another alias.

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“Yuzhu, hmm? You truly are prescient. That traitor did indeed leak your fake identities. If you don’t inscribe your real names soon, your safety may be at risk!”

Hua Ruyi emphasized the urgency.

“What a vicious scheme! That old hag is clearly trying to force my disciple to expose herself!”

Shi Yuqi fumed.

“Old hag? How do you know the traitor is an old woman?”

Hua Ruyi’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“Just a guess.”

Shi Yuqi brushed it off casually.

“Is that so?”

Hua Ruyi smiled meaningfully before continuing, “Rest assured, once the Holy Maiden inscribes her name, I will personally cover the Immortal Stele with a special cloth. The Grand Elder will also erect a divine sense barrier and stand guard personally. No unauthorized personnel will be allowed near it.”

“If I recall correctly, the Grand Elder is a Heavenly Tribulation Realm cultivator, yes? To delay her tribulation, she frequently travels to gather Heaven-Deceiving Water. Will she truly have time to guard the stele around the clock?”

Qi Huang asked with a knowing smile.

“Well… don’t worry. When she’s unavailable, I will personally stand guard. And if I’m also occupied, I’ll appoint someone trustworthy in my stead.”

Hua Ruyi explained.

“Sect Master, you know as well as I do that trust is never absolute. Who can you truly rely on one hundred percent?”

Qi Huang chuckled dismissively before adding, “Frankly, it doesn’t matter if someone sees it. Let’s be honest, do you really think my main body would inscribe her real name?”

She was tired of the Huarong Sect’s panicked reactions every time the Cao Family made threats.

“I knew you’d say that. You’re far too cunning.”

Hua Ruyi laughed lightly. “But even if it’s a fake name, we must put on a convincing act to mislead our enemies.”

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“Then let’s see how well you can act.”

Qi Huang gave an encouraging look.

Soon after, Qi Huang accompanied Cheng Hongling to the Immortal Stele.

Cheng Hongling took a dagger and scraped off the previously inscribed name, preparing to carve her “real name”. But she hesitated, what should she write this time?

“Let’s go with ‘Zhao Ling’. We’ll start from the first surname in the Hundred Family Surnames ¹ A classic Chinese text composed of common Chinese surnames compiled during the Song Dynasty. and see how much space the Cao Family’s stele has.”

Qi Huang suggested.

Cheng Hongling had no objections, so she carved “Zhao Ling” into the stone.

Hua Ruyi played her part flawlessly, immediately procuring a massive pink cloth dozens of zhang in length and width to wrap the entire stele. She then requested Grand Elder Hua Man to erect a divine sense barrier.

Alas! There are no walls without cracks. Within days, Elder Zhou used her connections to uncover Cheng Hongling’s “real” name and promptly reported it to Hua Yu.

“Are you certain ‘Zhao Ling’ is her real name?”

Hua Yu asked skeptically.

“Absolutely certain this time. I leaked her fake identities deliberately. If she didn’t inscribe her real name, she’d be inviting trouble from hostile factions.”

Elder Zhou declared confidently.

Hua Yu found this reasoning sound and hurriedly relayed the information to Cao Yang.

And so, Cao Yang inscribed “Zhao Ling” onto his family’s Immortal Stele. Now, his list of concubines included “Jiang Ling”, “Huang Ling”, and “Zhao Ling”. Three names that shimmered like flowers in a mirror or the moon reflected in water, visible yet untouchable. This inevitably stirred discontent among some family members, though their voices were too faint to matter.

The Cao Family, believing the matter settled, sent Uncle Wang to threaten the Huarong Sect once more. Invitations were sent out in earnest, preparing for Cao Yang to take Cheng Hongling as a concubine by month’s end.

Meanwhile, Qi Huang paid no mind to these clowns. Seizing the opportunity, she devoted herself daily to enhancing her main body’s strength.

Cheng Hongling’s cultivation soared, rapidly approaching the sixth layer of the Incarnation Realm. With less than two months remaining until the continent-level Evergreen Conference, time was of the essence.

Before long, the end of the month arrived. The Cao Family once again adorned their halls with lanterns and decorations, preparing to take the Huarong Sect’s new Holy Maiden as a concubine. This time, to wipe away the shame of their previous failure!