Volume 8, Chapter 572 – Do You Want the Immortal Stele, or Do You Want Me? (Part 2)

“Also, what’s with your hair? Don’t tell me it was given to you by the Grand Elder. She won’t give it to me, the main body, but she’ll hand it to a doppelgänger of mine?”

At last, Cheng Hongling raised the question.

“Aiya, didn’t I already explain this to you before? The reason my Divine Sense grew so quickly was entirely thanks to Ghost Tomato. Not only can it enhance Divine Sense, it can also strengthen the toughness of my hair, which is why its piercing power is so strong.”

Qi Huang explained truthfully. Because the main body had never believed it, she had avoided mentioning it again.

“Is that so? Then that’s strange. Why is it that when I use it, it doesn’t work at all. In fact, it even poisons me?”

Cheng Hongling fell into deep thought. This time, she wasn’t simply questioning her doppelgänger.

“I don’t know either. Otherwise, why would we need any Doppelgänger Method? If we could just take a shortcut together, we’d already be invincible in the world.”

Qi Huang spoke with a faint tone of regret.

“Even if we do become invincible, you still need to cultivate the Doppelgänger Method. That technique mainly exists to stop you from being completely assimilated.”

Cheng Hongling reminded her.

Qi Huang opened her mouth to speak but hesitated. A strange doubt gnawed at her heart. By logic, the main body should be delighted to see her completely assimilated, so why was she working so tirelessly to help her resist it?

“One last thing. Have you noticed that Master has been acting strangely? You defeated her, yet she didn’t look nearly as happy as we imagined she would.”

Cheng Hongling shifted the topic.

“True. She’s been quiet along the way, barely saying a word. Even when others tried to poach us, she kept silent. Who knows what’s going through her mind.”

Qi Huang thought back and agreed.

“I thought about it carefully. Maybe it’s because you’ve been performing so overwhelmingly, she feels unworthy to be our master!”

Cheng Hongling guessed.

“That’s possible.”

Qi Huang nodded after some thought.

“Although this new master of our’s cultivation is weaker, her character isn’t bad. We can’t be unfilial disciples.”

Cheng Hongling expressed her stance.

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“Then what do you suggest we do?”

Qi Huang quickly sought her opinion.

“What else? Talk to her, of course. Let her know we don’t look down on her.”

Cheng Hongling suggested.

“And how exactly should we say it?”

Qi Huang frowned.

“However you like. She’s not exactly clever to begin with, easy to talk circles around.”

Cheng Hongling replied casually.

“True!”

Qi Huang had no objections. The two then went off together to find their master.

Inside her room, Shi Yuqi was deeply unsettled. She knew that hiding away like this was impolite, but she simply didn’t have the confidence to face that disciple of hers, a disciple more monstrous than any so-called Great Monsters, while still holding the identity of a master. Thus, she sat in restless unease.

‘Ai! Those monsters, every one of their masters is a sect leader or a Grand Elder. Yet me, with just sixth layer of the Incarnation Realm cultivation, actually had the nerve to take a monster among monsters as a disciple! How laughable.’

Shi Yuqi gave a bitter self-deprecating smile, then muttered: “If only it were the other way around! If I had such a master, my future would be limitless!”

The more she thought about it, the warmer her heart grew, until she slapped her thigh: “Maybe I should just acknowledge her as my master instead?”

“Master!”

Just then, her disciple’s voice came from outside the door.

“Ah?”

Shi Yuqi jumped in fright, shuddering before she managed to react. Stammering, she asked, “Uh… Jiang Ling? What is it?”

“You’re my master. Can’t I come visit you even if there’s nothing urgent?”

Cheng Hongling’s voice was calm.

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“N-no… no, of course. Wait there, I’ll open the door right away.”

Flustered, Shi Yuqi scrambled up to open the door.

“Master, what are you doing? Why have you been hiding in your room this whole time?”

Qi Huang asked knowingly.

“Uh… it’s nothing.”

Shi Yuqi brushed it off awkwardly.

“Nothing? So many people have come trying to poach me, yet you stayed silent. Don’t tell me you actually want me to leave Huarong Sect?”

Qi Huang feigned reproach.

“No! How could that be? It’s just…”

Struggling, Shi Yuqi finally said, “Disciple, tell me honestly, do you think your master is useless?”

“Why would you think that?”

Cheng Hongling asked evenly.

“My cultivation is only at the sixth layer of the Incarnation Realm. Compared to you, isn’t that completely useless?”

Shi Yuqi admitted dispiritedly.

“How strange. Why should a master compare herself with her disciple?”

Cheng Hongling countered.

“If I can’t even match my disciple, what right do I have to be your master?”

Shi Yuqi sighed, then her eyes suddenly lit up: “Disciple, how about this. What if I acknowledge you as my master instead?”

“What kind of upside-down nonsense is this?!”

Qi Huang was startled, jumping back several steps.

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Cheng Hongling was equally shocked, leaning back so hard she nearly fell off her chair.

“What’s wrong? In the cultivation world, strength is what matters most. If I acknowledge you as master, that’s perfectly normal! Do you think I lack sincerity? Fine, why don’t I kneel right now?”

Shi Yuqi moved as if to kneel.

“Stop!”

Cheng Hongling hurried to stop her, then helplessly asked, “Master, tell us honestly, why did you take disciples in the first place?”

“Of course, to spread the inheritance of our Huarong Sect far and wide!”

Shi Yuqi answered without hesitation.

“In that case, isn’t it better if I’m stronger? If I were just a mediocrity, how would I ever bring honor to Huarong Sect?”

Cheng Hongling countered.

“Uh…”

Shi Yuqi was struck silent.

“That’s on the grand scale. On a smaller scale, what do you think makes a qualified master? One who can teach a disciple even stronger than herself, or one who can only teach mediocrity?”

Cheng Hongling pressed further.

“…”

Shi Yuqi froze, her eyes slowly clearing.

“Yes! If we’re stronger than you, doesn’t that prove your guidance was excellent? Others will only give you a secret thumbs-up. Who would ever look down on you?”

Qi Huang chimed in.

“Your master understands now. With disciples like you, I should feel proud indeed!”

Shi Yuqi slapped her forehead, spirit renewed. She didn’t even realize one ironic truth: her disciple was teaching her how to be a qualified master.

As it turned out, Qi Huang and Cheng Hongling’s persuasion, though more like “coaxing”, had an excellent effect. From then on, Shi Yuqi grew cheerful again, handling all her disciples’ matters with perfect order.

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With Protector Yuan urging them onward, the Holy Maiden Guard set out at dawn the next morning to return. She didn’t dare risk becoming a sinner of Huarong Sect.

When they left the inn, Cheng Hongling immediately sat in the palanquin, which naturally meant people had to carry it.

Hua Meng tried to shirk the duty, but to her dismay, Cheng Hongling personally named her as one of the “bearers”. Though her face showed deep unwillingness, she dared not refuse and obediently carried the palanquin.

“I told you already: if I can make you carry this palanquin once, I can make you carry it for life. If you’re dissatisfied, you’re welcome to snatch away the Holy Maiden position yourself.”

Cheng Hongling’s mocking voice came out, utterly devoid of emotion.

Hua Meng clenched her fists tightly, but in the end let them slacken, defeated. For some reason, she also felt that the weight of this palanquin on her shoulders might be something she’d never be able to set down for the rest of her life.

And so, the Holy Maiden Guard left Wuye City. But the stir Qi Huang had caused continued to spread, fermenting further. The so-called Nine Great Monsters of the cultivation world became nothing but history, for from now on, there was only one monster: her!

As for the Immortal Alliance, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and proceed with the continent-wide Evergreen Conference. Even though its meaning had all but vanished, they couldn’t very well dismantle their own stage.

The Holy Maiden Guard’s return was smooth, and after half a month, they arrived back at Huarong Sect.

By then, Qi Huang and Cheng Hongling’s feats had long spread throughout the sect. Thus, an extremely grand welcoming ceremony was held. Every elder and disciple wore confident smiles, as the humiliation they’d once suffered at the hands of the Cao Clan was completely swept away.

“The Holy Maiden faced seven at once, her talent unmatched! Among the younger generation, no one can compare! Before long, our Huarong Sect will surely become the greatest sect in the cultivation world.”

This was the common thought in every member of Huarong Sect.

Sect Leader Hua Ruyi was so delighted she couldn’t stop grinning. She immediately ordered a great celebration feast to reward the entire Holy Maiden Guard. Even Grand Elder Hua Man broke tradition and attended.

At the banquet, the high-ranking members of the sect exhausted every compliment they knew, praising Cheng Hongling for two full hours straight.

Even Cheng Hongling, usually so cold-natured, couldn’t stand it and tried several times to excuse herself.

Qi Huang stopped her each time, for after the banquet, she intended to confront Hua Ruyi directly. Everything they had done over the past months, their rewards would depend on tonight.

Finally, once the feast ended, Qi Huang and Cheng Hongling led Hua Ruyi to a secluded place to talk business.

“Holy Maiden, just speak your mind. Whatever I can do, I’ll grant without reservation.”

Hua Ruyi, a little tipsy, generously promised. She knew very well, the girl before her determined the future of Huarong Sect.

Qi Huang cast down a Divine Sense barrier at the Heavenly Tribulation Realm level before speaking: “Is that so? That’s perfect. I only want you to use our Immortal Stele to ‘bump’ against the Lü Clan’s Immortal Stele in Central Continent.”