Volume 1, Chapter 58 – In One Breath, Become a Woman (Part 2)

Huang Qi was born ordinary—no powerful background, no illustrious lineage. The heavens had granted him one small mercy: a sliver of talent for cultivation. And so, he cherished this opportunity with everything he had.

After entering the Honghua Sect, Huang Qi never dared slack off. He even starved himself to save up for cultivation herbs. For six or seven years, he endured bitter training in solitude, believing success was within reach—only to collapse at the final step.

After leaving the Honghua Sect, Huang Qi couldn’t bring himself to tell his parents the truth—until they came looking for him themselves.

He would never forget the disappointment, even despair, in their eyes that day. And so, he swore, ‘If someone really did poison me, I’ll tear them apart limb from limb.’

“Poisoned?”

Hu Bing’s accusation sent the crowd into an uproar.

“How do you know he was poisoned?”

Sect Leader Qin pressed for answers.

“After his breakthrough failed, I examined his condition. There were traces of a toxin in his body—one that disperses spiritual energy. It had to be Qi-Draining Powder!”

Hu Bing explained in detail.

“Hah! Steward Hu, are you suffering from persecution delusions? Who would waste expensive Qi-Draining Powder on a mediocre disciple like him? He’s not even worth the cost of the poison!”

Elder Wu sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

‘This old bastard has no filter. Anyone listening would think I murdered his father!’

Rage burned in Huang Qi’s chest. If he could, he’d have lunged at Elder Wu right then and there.

“You have no right to measure another’s worth. The fact that you couldn’t even judge Cheng Hongling’s aptitude proves you’re long past your prime.”

Hu Bing shook his head disdainfully.

“How dare you?! A mere steward dares insult me?!”

Elder Wu’s face flushed with fury. In an instant, he lunged forward like a rabid dog, his sword darting toward Hu Bing’s face like a viper’s strike.

“Look out!”

Huang Qi’s heart seized in terror. He tried to move, to help—but his borrowed body refused to obey.

Hu Bing, of course, wasn’t about to stand still. His feet shifted in an intricate pattern, narrowly evading the blade.

Reaⅾ оո KαtRеaⅾіոɡСаfе

Elder Wu pressed his advantage, slashing horizontally at Hu Bing’s neck with lethal precision.

Hu Bing dropped low, barely avoiding the strike, then drew his own sword in one fluid motion, sweeping it toward Elder Wu’s legs.

With a leap, Elder Wu vaulted over two zhang into the air. His left palm thrust downward as he roared:

“Volcanic Palm!”

A torrent of flames erupted from his hand, coalescing into a massive fiery palm over a zhang wide, crashing down toward Hu Bing like a demon’s maw. The fire howled in the wind, a terrifying screech that promised annihilation.

True Qi externalized. Ranged attacks. This was the power of the Unity Realm!

Hu Bing, still at the peak of the Body Tempering Realm, had no means to counter True Qi. He could only scramble aside in desperation.

BOOM!

The flaming palm struck the granite ground with devastating force. The stone shattered like thin ice, fragments hurtling outward with such speed they tore through the air with piercing shrieks.

The crowd gasped, scrambling back in terror.

Hu Bing wasn’t so lucky. At close range, he had no room to dodge. Swinging his sword frantically, he deflected what projectiles he could—but several still found their mark, leaving bloody gashes and punctures across his body.

Seizing the moment, Elder Wu closed in again, his blade a flash of cold light aimed straight for Hu Bing’s throat—a killing strike!

Helpless, Hu Bing could only brace for the end.

‘STOP!’

Huang Qi’s scream went unheard. He strained against Fairy Hongling’s body, but control remained beyond his grasp.

Then—

Qin Quan moved.

Like a ghost, he appeared between the two combatants, catching Elder Wu’s wrist with effortless ease.

Elder Wu struggled, murder in his eyes—but Qin Quan’s grip was immovable.

“Heavens! True Qi externalization—Elder Wu really has reached the Unity Realm! I thought it was just rumors!”

Reαԁ oո KatRеαԁіոɡСαfe

“The Honghua Sect is blessed! With this, we have three Unity Realm experts!”

“Three? Isn’t it two? Elder Wu and Sect Leader Qin?”

“Don’t forget Elder Xu’s youngest disciple, Cheng Hongling! That girl over there—they say she’s reached Unity too!”

“How?! She’s just a child!”

“Who knows? But the rumors are everywhere!”

Huang Qi exhaled in silent relief. Though he knew his master had left the Honghua Sect safely three years prior, seeing him hurt would have been unbearable.

“What’s this? Can’t win with words, so you resort to brute force?”

Hu Bing spat a mouthful of blood, his voice thick with scorn.

“Sect Leader, don’t listen to his baseless accusations! He’s bitter over Huang Qi’s expulsion and is slandering the Honghua Sect out of spite! Let me rid us of this villain!”

Elder Wu, still trapped in Qin Quan’s grip, could only plead.

“Steward Hu. If this truly happened, why didn’t you report it at the time?”

Qin Quan ignored Elder Wu, his question directed solely at Hu Bing.

“My disciple… even after failing, he never gave up on cultivation. I didn’t want to burden him further—”

Hu Bing sheathed his sword, his tone solemn.

“Ridiculous! A failed breakthrough leaves one a cripple—spiritual energy depleted. How could he possibly continue cultivating?”

Elder Wu cut in rudely.

“Do you think I need you to explain common knowledge?”

Hu Bing shot back before continuing: “Huang Qi knew this. Yet he persisted. As his master, how could I discourage him? Moreover, since he was clearly sabotaged, I sheltered him for ten years.”

“What a devoted master…”

Ruan Lingyu and the others murmured in admiration.

Rеαԁ οո ΚаtRеαⅾіոɡCаfe

‘Master… how can I ever repay this debt?’

Huang Qi’s eyes burned with gratitude. But separated by time, he couldn’t even voice his thanks.

“Ten years! You housed that waste for a decade out of mere pity? Hard to believe. Your actions go far beyond what’s normal for a master and disciple. Unless… he’s your bastard son?”

Elder Wu’s voice dripped with venom.

“Elder Wu, is this how you treat your disciples? The moment they stumble, you cast them out?”

Hu Bing feigned curiosity.

“He’s right! Elder Wu does expel outer disciples at the first sign of struggle!”

“Does he have a heart of stone? No compassion at all!”

“Disciples under his name never receive personal guidance. How could they form any bond?”

“And he’s a elder? I could do better!”

Whispers spread through the crowd. Elder Wu’s reputation had never been stellar.

“How dare you slander me?! I’ll silence you for good!”

Elder Wu’s face twisted with rage.

“Sheathe your sword.”

Qin Quan’s command was icy.

Cowed, Elder Wu bit back his retort and reluctantly complied.

“Though Elder Wu acted rashly, his point stands. Without evidence, how can I take your word?”

Qin Quan’s expression softened slightly.

“I have no proof. But Qi-Draining Powder is sold by only one faction in the cultivation world. Find them, and we’ll know who in our sect purchased it. The truth will come to light.”

Hu Bing laid out his plan.

Reαԁ oո КαtReаdіոɡСafе

“I’m afraid that’s not enough. Without concrete evidence, I cannot overlook your transgressions today.”

Qin Quan shook his head regretfully.

A smug grin crept onto Elder Wu’s face.

“However… I’ll grant you a chance to redeem yourself. Investigate this matter. If you prove someone in our sect was responsible, all will be forgiven, and you may return as steward.”

Qin Quan offered a compromise, then added: “But if you fail to uncover the truth… never return.”

“Thank you for your mercy, Sect Leader.”

Hu Bing clasped his hands in gratitude, then turned to the crowd. “I know the poisoner is here. Listen well—harming my disciple won’t go unanswered. I will find you.”

With one last look at the Honghua Sect—his home for decades—Hu Bing limped through the gates.

“Fool. After ten years, what clues could remain?”

Elder Wu scoffed.

Huang Qi awoke, his face damp with tears.

“Master… you left the Honghua Sect… for me.”

The dream had been unbearably vivid, its impact profound.

As the minutes passed, clarity returned. This was reality now. His father still needed saving. The events of the dream were three years in the past—unchangeable.

Steeling himself, Huang Qi reached downward, his emotions in turmoil. Fear of failure warred with dread of success.

“Maybe… maybe the mask will only feminize my feet? Then I’d get what I need without fully becoming a woman…”

It was a desperate, deluded hope—but he clung to it all the same.