Volume 9, Chapter 587 – Throwing Oneself into the Arms

Half a month after returning to the Honghua Sect, thanks to Qi Huang’s efforts, her main body’s cultivation advanced to the seventh layer of the Incarnation Realm, formally becoming a late-stage Incarnation expert.

Now, with another half month gone by, Cheng Hongling was charging toward the eighth layer of the Incarnation Realm, slow but steady. Of course, that “slow” was only in comparison to the earlier layers; once one reached the Incarnation Realm, each step higher required several times more True Qi than before.

Qi Huang hadn’t been idle for a moment. She urgently wanted a stronger body, because that would not only raise her combat strength but also make her crop-growing far more effective.

Naturally, the Honghua Sect was also rising quickly in strength. Ever since Qi Huang stunned the crowd at the Evergreen Conference, the boys and girls wanting to join Honghua had trickled in without end. Add in all the cultivators switching allegiances, and the sect was booming. In just over half a year, the number of disciples grew from fewer than two hundred to about a thousand, making it a sect of note throughout Yongning Prefecture, and that was without counting the female disciples of Shuiyu Valley.

At the same time, ordinary folk seeking to settle in Honghua’s territory had multiplied severalfold. This brought the sect considerable income, so much that Qin Quan’s face muscles twitched from smiling every day.

Of course, a growing population demanded matching infrastructure, the most important being housing. Fortunately, Honghua had been building on a grand scale for nearly a year, expanding its housing stock several times over, more than enough to meet all needs.

Cheng Hongling received “work reports” daily from her father and from Qin Quan. Seeing the sect develop in an orderly way, she could set her worries aside and devote herself entirely to cultivation. This was precisely why she’d never wanted to assume any position: once she did, she’d be mired in petty affairs.

Qi Huang understood this well, which was why she hadn’t let Qin Quan “retire”. His cultivation might be on the low side, but he could certainly handle logistics.

One day, Qi Huang carved out some time to return to her hometown, Ping’an County City, bringing many good things for her family, and they enjoyed a reunion dinner.

Her family’s attitude toward her was as warm as ever. No one urged her to marry; perhaps they felt their son being able to find a fairy like her was already a blessing from heaven, so they didn’t dare make demands.

After the meal, Qi Huang called Huang Tian to a quiet spot and handed him several hundred ghost tomatoes.

“So many? Aren’t you going to keep some for yourself?”

Huang Tian asked, a little overwhelmed by the favor.

“Don’t worry. I have a stable source now. Just take them.”

Qi Huang explained, then added, “At present I have three male doppelgängers. Huang Di protects the Golden Fortune Auction House, his divine sense stepped into the Divine Realm not long ago. Huang Ren sits guard over the Honghua Sect and was in the Divine Realm the moment he was born. But you, my first avatar, are only at the peak of the Unity Realm, and you just happen to shoulder the most important task, guarding home. So we must raise your strength as fast as possible.”

Huang Tian, hearing this, no longer refused and accepted all the ghost tomatoes.

“I won’t give you the Tongming Comb. I just figured it out, we don’t need it to use these ghost tomatoes. A simple wooden comb will do.”

Qi Huang went on.

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“Really?”

Huang Tian was greatly surprised.

“Of course it’s true. If you don’t believe me, try rubbing a little on by hand.”

Qi Huang suggested. In truth, she also wanted to know whether her avatars had inherited the “Boundless Demonic Hair” ability.

Huang Tian didn’t hesitate. He immediately crushed a ghost tomato and rubbed the juice into his hair. A moment later his eyes lit up. “It really works!”

Qi Huang was completely at ease now. It seemed avatars truly were copies of the main body, the abilities of the main body were theirs as well.

She then returned to the Honghua Sect and once more helped the main body and avatars with their cultivation.

That morning, Qi Huang suddenly received a mental transmission from Huang Ren.

“Big Brother, I think there’s something I really need to report to you.”

Huang Ren’s tone was solemn.

“What is it?”

Qi Huang asked, puzzled.

“Over the past six months, a few women with suspicious behavior have trickled in to settle within the Honghua Sect’s territory.”

Huang Ren laid out the situation.

“Suspicious? In what way?”

Qi Huang’s interest was piqued at once.

“These women are formidable, every one of them has reached the Incarnation Realm or higher. By rights, they don’t need to seek protection. And once they arrived, they started probing into your situation and Fairy Hongling’s. They clearly have other motives.”

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Huang Ren explained.

“Every one of them is at the Incarnation Realm? That strong?”

Qi Huang asked in astonishment.

“Yes. And every one of them is outstandingly beautiful, the kind who could serve as the face of any sect.”

Huang Ren added.

“Huh? Outstandingly beautiful? Is my charm really that great, enough to draw a whole flock of women like that?”

Qi Huang’s interest grew even stronger.

“Big Brother, what should we do now? I was afraid of alerting them, so I didn’t forcibly probe their secrets. I don’t know what exactly they’re here for!”

Huang Ren sought instructions.

“It’s fine. Tell me where they’re staying. I’ll find time to figure it out. You keep an eye on them at all times too, no accidents.”

Qi Huang ordered confidently. She, a Heavenly Tribulation Realm powerhouse, wasn’t about to be afraid of a few Incarnation Realm women.

“Yes, sir!”

Huang Ren accepted the order, then began describing where those women lived.

Qi Huang had wanted to see just how beautiful they were, but who could have guessed how alert they’d be? They had erected divine-sense barriers around their residences. If she broke through by force, she would surely startle the snakes in the grass.

But that was no obstacle for Qi Huang. She briskly pulled out the Shadow-Retaining Mirror and peeped. One look left her stunned, those ten-plus women truly were peerless beauties. From dignified ladies to delicate charmers, from aloof and peerless to mischievous and elfin. They practically encompassed every type of beauty in this world.

‘My goodness! Where did so many powerful, stunning fairies come from?’

Qi Huang was shocked and secretly delighted. Could they really have been drawn by her own charm?

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Delight aside, she opted to keep watching to be safe, and wouldn’t make a move until she had confirmed their purpose.

In the imperial palace of the capital, Lin Ran said her farewells to her mother, Consort Jin, preparing to return to Poyun Peak.

“You only just got back a few days ago, why are you leaving again?”

Consort Jin held her daughter’s hand, reluctant to let go.

“There are too many courtly rules in the palace. It’s simply not a place to cultivate.”

Lin Ran fobbed her off.

“Don’t try to fool me. You quarreled with your father, didn’t you?”

Consort Jin smiled helplessly.

“…”

Lin Ran had no words.

“Dear Ran, even if it was your father who had someone injure you at the Evergreen Conference, he is, after all, an emperor. His dignity is tied to his authority. If he loses that dignity, how can he rule the realm? So please, try to understand him.”

Consort Jin tried to smooth things over.

“Mother, I’ll be honest. I’m angry, but not because of that. I just can’t understand why he’s advancing the conscription age again. He wallows in luxury here in the palace, deaf to the world outside, utterly ignorant of the common people’s suffering.”

Lin Ran drew a deep breath.

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“What else can be done? Several neighboring states are encroaching on our Western Radiance Dynasty. If we don’t conscript, then we can only sit and wait for our homes and country to be lost.”

Consort Jin shook her head in helplessness.

“And whose fault is that? He’s warlike, picking fights everywhere.”

Lin Ran rebuked him.

“Isn’t it those countries invading first? How can you call your own father warlike?”

Consort Jin’s face darkened.

“Heh. That’s just for internal propaganda. I’ve investigated at the border personally. The nations currently at odds with our Western Radiance Dynasty were, in almost every case, provoked by agents sent by my father.”

Lin Ran shook her head in disappointment.

“Is that so? Then why would His Majesty do that? Does he covet other lands? That makes no sense either. With our present strength, it’s enough if we can defend ourselves. He must know that.”

Consort Jin asked, torn between shock and doubt.

“I don’t know. But I will get to the bottom of it.”

Lin Ran said, resolute.

Back at the Honghua Sect, Qi Huang continued to monitor those women of unclear intent. At dusk that day, the most beautiful among them actually came knocking at her door of her own accord.

‘Is this… throwing herself into my arms?’