Volume 1, Chapter 71 – She Really Is the Real Cheng Hongling

“I refuse to believe your cultivation is also at the Unity Realm!”

Xu Mei’s beautiful face twisted into something almost ferocious as her figure suddenly vanished from sight.

Qi Huang’s Divine Sense reflexively expanded, allowing her to clearly track Xu Mei’s movements. Unfortunately, her own cultivation was far too weak to evade, and her wrist was seized in an instant.

Xu Mei gripped Qi Huang’s wrist tightly, channeling a thin stream of spiritual energy into her body to inspect her meridians.

Qi Huang felt a cold, invasive energy seep into her hand before swiftly traveling to her dantian, swirling around like an unwelcome guest.

“Sigh… The older the ginger, the spicier it gets.”

Qi Huang sighed helplessly. Her cultivation level was the one flaw she couldn’t conceal.

But just because she couldn’t hide it didn’t mean she couldn’t explain it!

“Second level of the Spirit Gathering Realm! As expected—a fake is still a fake!”

Xu Mei released Qi Huang’s wrist, her expression finally relaxing in vindication.

“She’s only at the second level of the Spirit Gathering Realm?”

The surrounding female disciples were stunned. They had been fooled for so long by someone so weak!

Qi Huang, sensing their disdain, lowered her head in embarrassment.

“Go on, act! Weren’t you putting on quite the performance? Let’s see how you keep it up now!”

Shen Yuan smirked, resting the edge of her sword against Qi Huang’s neck.

“I can explain! It’s not that my cultivation is this low—it’s just that I recently fought a major battle and exhausted most of my energy. If you don’t believe me, I can demonstrate my Unity Realm Divine Sense!”

Qi Huang abandoned all logic and began improvising wildly.

“Oh? Then by all means, show us your Unity Realm Divine Sense!”

Yun Fei picked up a withered leaf from the ground and held it in her palm.

“A Unity Realm cultivator’s Divine Sense can interact with physical objects. If you can make this leaf float, I’ll believe you’re our junior sister.”

‘Divine Sense can affect physical objects?’

Qi Huang hadn’t known that. Fortunately, she wasn’t entirely lying. She steadied herself and released her Divine Sense, wrapping it around the leaf before attempting to lift it.

Reаⅾ oո КatReαⅾiոɡCαfе

A tremendous pressure immediately weighed on her mind.

‘How can a tiny leaf feel so heavy?!’

Dizziness struck her. Clearly, manipulating objects with Divine Sense was far more demanding than she’d imagined. But no matter how difficult, she had to grit her teeth and push through.

Summoning every ounce of strength she had, Qi Huang focused—and the leaf actually trembled before slowly rising into the air.

“Wah—!”

The fairy maidens gasped in unison.

“She… really did it.”

Miao Xiang’s voice was filled with disbelief.

“Quick! Go fetch your junior sister immediately!”

Xu Mei, now visibly flustered, barked the order at Shen Yuan. The situation had spiraled beyond her control.

“Yes!”

Shen Yuan dashed away like the wind, her earlier murderous intent gone. Even she was now utterly confused—who was the real one?

‘Well, the act ends here. I’ve done my best. Even if I’m exposed now, I can die without regrets.’

Qi Huang withdrew her Divine Sense and exhaled deeply. That brief exertion had left her feeling as though she’d just recovered from a severe illness—utterly drained.

Before long, footsteps approached.

Qi Huang knew the moment she’d been dreading had arrived. The real Cheng Hongling was here.

She stole a glance.

Sure enough, Cheng Hongling walked in with measured steps, her ethereal beauty almost unreal. Her expression was as cold as early winter, her posture elegant and tall, exuding an aura of unapproachable divinity—like an immortal descended from the heavens.

When Qi Huang peeked, she found Cheng Hongling’s piercing gaze already fixed on her. She immediately lowered her head, heart pounding.

She had already witnessed this peerless fairy’s temperament in her dreams—coupled with that terrifying strength, fear was inevitable.

Meanwhile, Xu Mei discreetly observed her disciple. The effects of the Cat’s Tears hadn’t worn off yet, and she needed to verify the truth while she still could.

After scrutinizing Cheng Hongling’s soul and finding no irregularities, Xu Mei sighed in frustration and examined the small vial, beginning to doubt whether the Cat’s Tears had worked at all.

Reаⅾ οո ΚαtRеаⅾіngCаfе

“Junior Sister, you’re just in time! We caught the impostor, but she refuses to admit it!”

Ruan Lingyu quickly explained the situation.

Cheng Hongling didn’t respond. Instead, she stepped directly in front of the “impostor” and studied her closely.

Qi Huang felt as though blades were scraping over her skin under that gaze. Her body trembled slightly, and she buried her face in her ample chest.

“What’s wrong? Scared now? Nothing to say for yourself?”

Shen Yuan sneered from the side.

Qi Huang didn’t dare retort. The pressure radiating from Cheng Hongling was suffocating.

“Look up.”

A cold voice cut through the air.

Qi Huang flinched but forced herself to raise her head.

The face before her was identical to her own—except for the absence of dimples, frozen in an expression of icy detachment.

Their eyes met.

Qi Huang’s pupils stung as if pierced by needles, and she quickly averted her gaze.

“We’ve examined her thoroughly. She resembles you in every way—appearance, figure, even the scent of Golden Fate Blossoms. It’s left us all confused, so we needed you to verify.”

Xu Mei summarized the situation.

“No. I just scanned her with my Divine Sense. Her cultivation is different—only at the second level of the Spirit Gathering Realm. Her spiritual energy is thin, and her dantian is fragile. Nothing like the Unity Realm.”

Cheng Hongling’s words were concise and cutting.

“Heh. So the truth is out at last.”

The disciples sighed in relief.

“Then how did she exhibit Unity Realm-level Divine Sense?”

Su Qingying voiced her doubt.

“She probably used some underhanded trick to make the leaf float. It wasn’t Divine Sense.”

Rеаⅾ οո KatRеαⅾіոɡСаfе

Ruan Lingyu speculated. As someone still in the Body Refining Realm, she couldn’t perceive Qi Huang’s Divine Sense projection.

“Indeed, a Spirit Gathering cultivator couldn’t possibly possess Unity Realm Divine Sense.”

Xu Mei nodded in agreement.

“Whatever. Now that we’ve settled that, it’s time for answers. Where did the Golden Fate Blossoms scent come from? You must have ingested a seed—where did you get it?”

Shen Yuan pressed eagerly.

Qi Huang remained silent. Even if she knew anything, revealing it would strip her of her only value—and her life. Besides, she truly had no idea.

“Don’t think silence will save you. This is an immortal sect—we have ways of making you talk.”

Shen Yuan threatened.

“Actually, keeping her silent might not be a bad idea. We could use her as bait in place of Junior Sister.”

Su Qingying suggested casually.

“That’s a brilliant plan! It would keep Junior Sister safe and secure the Honghua Sect’s future.”

Yun Fei and the others nodded in agreement.

“But that means we’d have to feed and house her for years! She’s a fraud who fooled us all—I can’t accept that! It’s better to force the truth out now.”

Shen Yuan grumbled.

Just as Qi Huang braced for judgment, a jade-like hand suddenly gripped her chin, forcing her face up.

The owner of that hand was none other than Cheng Hongling herself. A flicker of confusion passed over her flawless features. Though her grip wasn’t harsh, her sharp nails dug into Qi Huang’s delicate skin.

Qi Huang’s current body was far more sensitive than her old one. The pain made her gasp, tears welling up uncontrollably.

‘Why am I crying?!’

Furious and humiliated, her tears only fell faster.

“Junior Sister, she’s crying!”

Miao Xiang whispered nervously.

“Crying? Who does she think will care? There’s not a man here to pity her. Speak up now, and you’ll spare yourself worse suffering.”

Reaⅾ оո ΚatReαⅾіոɡСαfe

Shen Yuan seized the opportunity to intimidate her further.

“Who’s crying?!”

Qi Huang retorted indignantly. She wasn’t crying—her tears were just betraying her!

‘It must be because women’s tear ducts are more sensitive!’

She quickly rationalized. Back when she was a man, she hadn’t shed a tear even after being expelled from her sect.

But then—

Cheng Hongling’s expression, which had been utterly impassive, suddenly twisted in shock.

Her beautiful eyes widened, her lips parting slightly. For a fleeting moment, her icy composure shattered—as if she’d seen a ghost.

Then, just as quickly, she released Qi Huang’s chin, her face settling into something unreadable.

Qi Huang hastily wiped her tears. Being seen crying in front of all these women was beyond humiliating.

“Heh. Stubborn to the end, but your tears betray you. If you don’t talk, what comes next will make tears seem like a mercy.”

Shen Yuan, ever the aggressive interrogator, pressed on.

“There’s no need to question her further. She truly doesn’t know.”

Cheng Hongling’s voice cut in, cool and unexpected.

‘How does she know that?!’

Qi Huang froze mid-motion, tears still dripping.

“Hongling, how can you be sure?”

Xu Mei frowned.

“Because she isn’t lying.”

Cheng Hongling paused, then delivered the bombshell.

“She really is the real Cheng Hongling.”