Category: Transformed into a Female Villain, But Captured by My Beautiful Girl Disciples

64. Shangguan Ziyuan’s Worries

Tonight, under the crescent moon, a faint moonlight shone on the girl, filling her with melancholy.

Shangguan Ziyuan hadn’t forgotten what she saw before falling off the cliff.

Long Yingchi, her loyal guards, and the maids who had served her since childhood, all perished by the enemy’s blades.

They died for her, and yet she could do nothing.

Every time she recalled this scene, a heavy weight pressed down on her chest.

This weight made it difficult for her to speak or listen normally, forcing her to rely on her newly emerged self.

Closing herself off was perhaps the best way to cope with this bloody reality.

“If you want to jump, you won’t die from this height.”

A slightly mocking voice, laced with amusement, suddenly came from behind her.

“Huh?” Shangguan Ziyuan hurriedly turned around, but her feet slipped, and she fell.

In that instant…

A warm, gentle hand caught her, and she fell into someone’s arms.

“I was just joking. You weren’t actually going to jump, were you?” Gong Yiling chuckled. “They won’t come back to life even if you jump.”

Shangguan Ziyuan’s face darkened. “Why would you say such…”

“Perhaps you’re not aware, but dual personalities usually arise from trauma, although your situation is a bit special.”

Gong Yiling maintained her hold, racking her brains for something encouraging to say.

“But if you just run away from everything, leaving everything to your other self, will you be satisfied?”

Shangguan Ziyuan bit her lip.

How could she… be satisfied?

Hua Ye, Xing’er, Long Xiang, and Brother Yingchi’s deaths… she would never forget them.

Even if it meant sacrificing her dignity as a princess, as Shangguan Ziyuan, she would bring their killers to justice.

But…

“I… I can’t feel my spiritual energy… I…”

The girl’s hair began to change color, purplish-black spreading from the roots to the tips.

“I… I can’t do anything…”

She turned around excitedly, eager to finish her sentence, even willingly triggering her transformation.

Suddenly…

The night wind blew off her hat, revealing her adorable fox ears, but her eyes widened in surprise.

Gong Yiling had taken advantage of her turning around and stuffed a still-warm grilled fish skewer into her mouth.

“Mmm… mmm?”

Shangguan Ziyuan blinked in confusion.

“Even when you’re angry, you should eat with gusto. That’s what my father told me.” Gong Yiling patted Shangguan Ziyuan’s head, smiling.

When her hand brushed against the girl’s fox ears, she instinctively wanted to pinch them, but restrained herself.

She couldn’t leave the impression of being a perverted molester.

“Mmm…” Shangguan Ziyuan’s hair color remained in a state of flux, her eyes darting around nervously.

“It’s fine. Whether you want to talk as the black fox or your usual self, I don’t mind.”

Gong Yiling smiled. “But you should enjoy your late-night snack.”

She took out some grilled skewers, sat down on the roof, and began to eat.

“I’ve always wanted to try eating on the roof,” she said, her mouth full, swinging her legs. “It’s a shame I don’t have any soda. That would be perfect.”

Shangguan Ziyuan mumbled, “You shouldn’t talk… while eating.”

“The rules of the palace don’t apply to this Palace Master.” Gong Yiling shrugged. “Besides, your friend also likes to make loud noises while eating. You should know that.”

“I…”

Shangguan Ziyuan nodded silently, then sat down beside Gong Yiling and started eating her grilled fish.

Used to delicacies, Shangguan Ziyuan found this simple food surprisingly appealing.

Roughly made, not particularly visually appealing, and without any fancy spices.

But it was… delicious.

Unexpectedly delicious.

This time, although not made by Gong Yiling, the fish was heavily seasoned, the spicy and numbing flavor making it addictive.

And her hair color…

Was purplish-red.

“Someone who can eat and talk properly can also achieve what they want.”

Miss Gong looked at her, resting her chin on her hand. “And your worries are unfounded.”

“Huh?”

Gong Yiling said calmly,

“Your master only knows that your bloodline is special, but he doesn’t know that the power of a demonic bloodline can be awakened, or what it can do.”

“Although your dantian is damaged, that expired Nine Revolutions Heavenly Divine Pill, although not fully repairing it, has awakened your bloodline power, giving you a new path.”

Shangguan Ziyuan was taken aback. “What do you mean, Senior?”

“Let Little Black out. She can handle this better than you. You need to have a good talk with yourself about this power.”

Shangguan Ziyuan lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, her hair and tails were purplish-black, and her purple eyes sparkled with curiosity and an indescribable emotion.

If they weren’t on the roof, she might have pounced on Gong Yiling.

“Now, watch what I do.”

“Okay!”

Gong Yiling took a deep breath, extended her hand towards the sky, and chanted, “Hunyuan Demonic Art, Demonic Gloom.”

The previously clear sky suddenly darkened with clouds, obscuring the faint moonlight.

A simple darkening technique wasn’t difficult.

She had Little Black watch, partly because she didn’t want to explain her demonic cultivation, and partly because she wanted to witness Little Black’s legendary EX-rank spiritual talent.

“Now you try.”

63. My Subordinates Are All Over 9000 

Steeling herself, Gong Yiling walked into the courtyard, thinking, *These people are easily fooled.*

When she reached the end of the courtyard, she found… a dragon throne???

She wasn’t staging a rebellion or vying for the throne. It was her disciple, well, sort of a disciple.

Why did they prepare a dragon throne for her?

“Immortal Master, won’t you sit?” Seeing Gong Yiling’s bewildered expression, the demonic cultivator slapped his subordinate. “I told you she wouldn’t like this gaudy thing. Quickly bring the crystal chair.”

There was a crystal chair too???

Gong Yiling rubbed her forehead—were these demonic cultivators insane?

“No need,” she said quickly. “I just ate. I want to walk around and digest.”

Hearing this, they were filled with awe.

“As expected of an Immortal Master, so different from us commoners.”

“Indeed, indeed.”

Listening to their flattery, Gong Yiling didn’t know whether to feel embarrassed or just tell them off.

But then she remembered that the girls would be worried if she stayed away too long, so she put these thoughts aside.

“I called you here for two things.”

She said.

“First, as you said yourselves, I don’t believe none of you have committed any crimes. I don’t care. If anyone comes seeking revenge, deal with them yourselves. But no more indiscriminate killing. If I find out, you die.”

Gong Yiling was going all in.

These people were like masochists. The tougher she acted, the more they obeyed, even abandoning their logic and common sense.

“Understood!”

Their thunderous response made her want to cover her ears.

“Second.”

She took out all the weapons, armor, and artifacts from her Universe Ring, piling them up like a small mountain.

“Each of you takes three items. One for yourself, two to sell at the auction house.”

“I have a list here. Each of you copy it. The list contains the names of the items and their approximate locations. Your task is to buy them all. If you don’t have enough money, contact Mo Ke through this Sound Transmission Stone.”

The list contained all the potentially valuable “blind flow” items and rare materials that would appreciate in the future.

Similar to the Spirit Phoenix Broom, most of these items had unique properties, either undiscovered or with unknown uses.

But for Gong Yiling, with her “Omniscient Star” cheat, this wasn’t a problem.

Collecting these items would be a great asset in the future.

“If you can accept these two conditions…”

She took out a bottle of pills from the Cloud Rainbow Sect, specifically for cultivating nature-type true essence, and tossed it to Mo Ke. “Don’t ask what this is. Taking it means you’re one of mine. That’s all.”

With that, Gong Yiling turned and left without looking back, the picture of nonchalant grace.

The room was filled with bewildered faces.

They could have simply taken the artifacts and left, without even taking the pill. The Immortal Master was gone, after all.

But the more Gong Yiling acted like this, the more they overthought.

Overthinking led to anxiety.

Anxiety led to heavy breathing.

And heavy breathing, in a small, crowded room…

They suddenly found it difficult to breathe—well, with so many people crammed into a small courtyard, all breathing heavily, it would be strange if they *didn’t* have trouble breathing.

But they didn’t think that way. They thought…

“Do you think we’ve been poisoned? Maybe that pill was the antidote, and she’s testing our loyalty?”

“Yeah, she said some of us have committed heinous crimes. She could have just killed us. If we obey, she’ll spare our lives.”

“That makes sense. But when did she poison us?”

“Maybe when she entered… or perhaps in the secret realm?”

“That’s possible.”

And just like that, they reached a consensus. Led by Mo Ke, they each took a pill.

And indeed, after taking the pill, they felt refreshed and invigorated, no longer short of breath, further convinced of their theory.

They even reached a conclusion—the Immortal Master could take their lives at any moment, without them even realizing it.

Of course, that wasn’t Miss Gong’s intention.

She was just imitating those cunning cultivators, making them think the pill was a loyalty test, a pledge of their lives.

She never expected their imaginations to run wilder than hers. Although their reasoning was backwards, the result was favorable.

However, Miss Gong didn’t have time to worry about this. A more pressing problem arose—she was lost!

…

…

An hour later, she finally returned to the inn with some food.

As soon as she entered, she saw Chun Lian dragging Qiu Shui onto the bed, both fast asleep. Qiu Shui, exhausted from the past few days, had also fallen asleep early.

However…

Shangguan Ziyuan wasn’t there.

Where did she go?

Gong Yiling looked at the window.

It was closed when she left, but now it was slightly ajar.

It wasn’t likely the girls would open the window in this weather, which meant…

Gong Yiling peeked out the window and saw a figure sitting on the roof, two red tails swaying gently.

The figure, bathed in moonlight, looked lonely and melancholic.

Seeing this, Gong Yiling put the teapot, teacups, and grilled fish into her Universe Ring.

Then, instead of climbing out the window, she closed it, left the room, went up the stairs to the fourth-floor balcony, and climbed onto the roof from there.

62. I’m a Big Sister Again

After returning to the city with the two girls, before they even reached their inn, Elder Yan found them on the street.

“Something terrible has happened!”

He had never looked so shocked, not even when the Dongyang Sect’s branch was destroyed.

“What is it?” Gong Yiling and Qiu Shui instinctively shielded Shangguan Ziyuan, and Miss Gong asked calmly, “Why are you so flustered, Sect Master Yan?”

“I was informed of this upon returning to the city.” Elder Yan’s face was filled with urgency and a hint of fear. “The Fifth Princess… she might have been killed.”

“I already know.”

“This is a serious… what? Immortal Master already knows?”

“Her guard captain’s body landed on the roof of my carriage.” Gong Yiling said, “What do you think?”

“Ah?”

The news had been relayed from a carriage driver to the guards at the foot of the mountain, then sent to the nearest city via a high-speed wind hawk. Another message should have been sent directly to the Heartflame Empire’s capital, Yanlan City.

By evening, the imperial family should receive the news.

The news that the Fifth Princess might have been killed.

“I had the driver report it immediately, and I searched the surrounding area… but didn’t find Shangguan Ziyuan’s body.”

“Perhaps she was captured…”

Elder Yan immediately thought of someone. “Although we almost eradicated the Hehuan Sect, Wu Shijie escaped. Could he have taken revenge by ambushing the princess’s group?”

Without knowing the conflict between the First Prince and the Fifth Princess, suspecting the Hehuan Sect was normal.

Moreover, the First Prince’s men practiced demonic arts. Long Yingchi’s injuries were clearly caused by techniques from the Hehuan Sect or the Blood Orchid Palace.

This was a clever move, not only clearing his own suspicion but also shifting the blame onto the Hehuan Sect and the Blood Orchid Palace, his enemies.

If… she hadn’t found Shangguan Ziyuan, things would have unfolded exactly as the First Prince planned.

“Even if the Hehuan Sect did capture her,” Gong Yiling asked calmly, “this has nothing to do with you, Sect Master Yan. Why are you so worried?”

“Oh, that’s because you don’t know, Immortal Master.”

Elder Yan hurriedly explained.

“The Heartflame Empire’s royal family is extremely protective. Although we didn’t do it, we are suspected of deliberately involving the Fifth Princess in our fight against the Hehuan Sect.”

“Although morally, as righteous sects, we should fight against the demonic sects together, it inevitably looks like we used her.”

“If the Heartflame Empire and the Grand Elder eradicate the Hehuan Sect, their anger might still be directed at us.”

Gong Yiling was aware of this.

In the novel, the Heartflame Empire’s royals weren’t exactly open-minded. They allowed the First Prince to act with impunity, even breaking off the engagement and participating in the bullying of a loyal general’s daughter.

The old Emperor, nearing the end of his reign, was detached from power, seeking only peace and happiness for his family. The Grand Elder, suffering from hidden injuries, had no energy to deal with such matters.

Those seeking to appease the higher-ups would surely target those involved in the incident. The worst-case scenario was the First Prince manipulating the investigation and shifting the blame onto them.

However…

This time, Gong Yiling hoped someone would come looking for her.

It would save her the trouble of sneaking into the palace.

After all, the key to resolving this situation was to heal the Grand Elder’s injuries, restoring his strength.

Although she didn’t know why she, the Young Palace Master of the Blood Orchid Palace, was concerned about these things…

“Don’t worry.”

Gong Yiling waved her hand at Elder Yan. “I understand the situation. If anyone from the Heartflame Empire comes looking for you, tell them to come to me.”

Elder Yan was overjoyed.

He almost forgot that this Immortal Master was connected to a reclusive sect.

Even if the Heartflame Empire wanted to settle the score, they wouldn’t target her.

“Thank you, Senior!” He bowed gratefully. But as he looked up, he noticed someone behind Gong Yiling.

A woman with purplish-red hair, wearing a rather conspicuous small hat, only half her face visible.

Somehow, Elder Yan found her face familiar, but he couldn’t place it.

“Immortal Master, who is this?”

“A friend I met on the road, and her child. I’m taking care of her for a while. She’s busy fighting against Yog-Sothoth’s minions. Do you need anything, Sect Master Yan?”

“Ah… no, nothing.”

This sounded like a top-tier expert preparing for the Outer Battlefield, currently patrolling the outer regions.

This wasn’t information he could pry into.

After Elder Yan left, Gong Yiling went to the Yan Estate to pick up Chun Lian, who had suddenly become motivated and spent two days studying talismans. They then returned to their inn.

Compared to Qiu Shui, the carefree and outgoing Chun Lian quickly became friends with Shangguan Ziyuan.

—That is, with the black fox Shangguan Ziyuan.

Chun Lian even used some manipulation talismans to animate the flowers and plants in the room, playing with Shangguan Ziyuan like a real fox.

“You two play. I’ll get you some late-night snacks. Anything you want?”

“Grilled skewers!”

“Anything is fine for Qiu Shui.”

“Mmm… grilled fish!”

After getting their answers, Gong Yiling left the inn.

However, she didn’t go to the night market. Instead, she took out a note, followed the address written on it, and entered a secluded alley.

Someone was already waiting for her.

“Immortal Master,” a man in black bowed deeply. “Please follow me.”

After several turns through the alley, he led her to a large door.

“Our brothers have been waiting for you, Immortal Master.”

The demonic cultivator opened the door, and a deafening roar erupted from within.

“Welcome, Immortal Master!!!”

The shout almost blew off Gong Yiling’s veil and startled her, almost making her jump.

Why were they shouting so loud!?

But these demonic cultivators who had inexplicably chosen her as their leader were an unexpected boon.

Survival in this world required power, power she could control.

 

61. Dual Personality?

“Name: Shangguan Ziyuan.

The rest: omitted.”

This time, the system thoughtfully only showed her what she wanted to see. The girl’s name was correct, not changed into something strange—as if!

What she wanted to see wasn’t the name, but whether this Shangguan Ziyuan, currently rubbing against her chest with her tail wagging happily, had taken the wrong medicine.

Well, in a sense, she had!

“System, help! Qiu Shui is smiling, a very creepy smile!”

Gong Yiling’s gaze was fixed on Qiu Shui, sensing a strange dark aura emanating from her. She had a premonition that her already low affection level with Qiu Shui would plummet to absolute zero.

“Notification: Based on the host’s request, the system provides the following analysis of possible similar situations: Report Title: [A Little Fox’s Oedipus Complex]. To view the detailed report, press 1.”

Gong Yiling: “…”

She had lost. She wasn’t the rebellious daughter; this Shangguan Ziyuan was.

Having zero experience with this situation, Gong Yiling could only sigh. “Um… can you get off me first?”

“Big Sister, do you not want to be close to Ziyuan?” Shangguan Ziyuan looked up, her eyes filled with a pitiful expression.

Don’t look at her like that! She couldn’t handle it.

With her heart, not other body parts.

“Get down and eat something. Where’s the fish you stole from me earlier?”

“Ah… the fish!”

At the mention of food, Shangguan Ziyuan straightened up and looked around, quickly spotting the dust-covered fish skewer on the ground.

“Mmm…” The fox girl’s lips pouted, her ears and tails drooping sadly.

Fox girls were indeed creatures that evoked sympathy.

Miss Gong seized the opportunity. “It’s fine, I’ll grill you another one. Get down first.”

Shangguan Ziyuan tilted her head, thinking for a few seconds, then jumped off Gong Yiling.

Miss Gong finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But she didn’t idle.

To appease the strangely emotional Shangguan Ziyuan, she quickly grilled another skewer and handed it to her, then went to sit beside Qiu Shui.

“Master, are you close with the Fifth Princess?”

Hearing this, Gong Yiling almost slipped.

“No, not at all,” she quickly explained to Qiu Shui. “Her Heavenly Fox bloodline just awakened. She probably mistook me for a relative.”

“Then why didn’t she mistake Qiu Shui for a relative?”

I can’t answer that question!

Gong Yiling scratched her head, but Shangguan Ziyuan answered for her, albeit haltingly.

“Qiu… Ming… is… also… a good person…”

Looking at Shangguan Ziyuan, her hair and tails had returned to purplish-red, and her eyes were back to normal.

Her demeanor and aura were completely different from the black fox.

Seeing this, Gong Yiling had a bold thought.

Could this be… a dual personality?

Normally, she was the shy and timid Shangguan Ziyuan. But when pushed to the limit, her “dark” personality would emerge, acting completely opposite to her usual self.

Was this the system’s so-called personality change…? It was a drastic change.

Thinking this, Gong Yiling wanted to confirm the trigger for this personality switch.

As she grilled the fish, she said,

“Her name is Qiu Shui. Qiu Ming is just an alias.”

“Qiu… Qiu Shui?”

Hearing Shangguan Ziyuan say her name, and seeing her docile demeanor, Qiu Shui’s displeasure dissipated.

“Why don’t you go and say hello to her? Get closer?” Gong Yiling suggested.

Qiu Shui nodded, put down her half-eaten skewer, and sat down beside Shangguan Ziyuan, starting a conversation.

Initially, Shangguan Ziyuan kept her head down, but after a while, her hair changed color again, and she became more talkative.

But compared to Gong Yiling, this Shangguan Ziyuan showed a certain resistance towards Qiu Shui, like a territorial instinct.

Seeing this, Miss Gong understood.

This personality, a protective one, emerged when the original personality was “threatened.” But it was also a personality born from her newly awakened bloodline.

Although mature, talkative, and cheerful, she retained some animalistic traits.

Territorial, possessive of a maternal complex, and more unrestrained and impulsive.

If the current personality was an overly shy noble lady, then the other personality was a wild child.

But that wasn’t the main issue.

The main issue was…

That shy little princess, with some training, could have been manageable.

But how could she explain this to the Heartflame Empire?

Your princess was almost killed, and although I saved her, she’s now a fox girl with a dual personality.

Although true…

Who would let such a princess become the Empress!?

Wouldn’t that mean failing the quest?

Wouldn’t that mean not getting the fox girl cosplay outfit?

Wait… not getting the cosplay outfit… shouldn’t she be happy about that? She wasn’t planning to wear it anyway.

Then it was fine?

Just as she was thinking this, the system’s voice echoed in her mind.

“System notification: Failing a timed quest will result in a penalty, such as transforming the host into a loli version of Gong Yiling from seven or eight years ago, never to grow up.”

What?

What the hell?

Gong Yiling: “System, I’ll fucking—”

A string of curses was censored by the system. After venting, Gong Yiling had a splitting headache.

Although she had no idea what to do, she could only take it one step at a time.

“Qiu Shui, and Ziyuan, let’s go.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, Big Sister.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Ziyuan clung to her like glue.

Fortunately, she reverted to her original personality at that moment and obediently followed Qiu Shui, sparing the already stressed Gong Yiling further headaches.

—First… they should return to the city. She didn’t know if the carriage driver had reported the dead body to the guards.

 

60. Black Fox 

The purplish-black light lasted for about three hours.

During this time, the two waiting found it boring, so they caught a few fish from the pool, set up a makeshift grill, and started barbecuing.

Having participated in outdoor camping before, Gong Yiling was confident in her grilling skills.

It was all about patience and meticulousness.

Under Qiu Shui’s puzzled gaze, Miss Gong skillfully skewered the fish with sharpened wooden sticks.

Slowly, the fish skin turned golden brown, sizzling with oil, and a rich aroma filled the air.

Qiu Shui, who had never eaten grilled fish outdoors, couldn’t help but gulp, her curiosity piqued.

“Here.”

Gong Yiling handed the first skewer to Qiu Shui. “Although I don’t have any salt, it should still be delicious. Try it.”

“Okay!”

Qiu Shui nodded, blew on the skewer, and took a small bite.

Beneath the crispy, fragrant skin was juicy, tender fish.

The soft, chewy texture and delicious flavor didn’t need any seasoning.

“Delicious…” Qiu Shui said. “It’s really good.”

“Of course it is. This is one of your master’s few specialties.”

Gong Yiling confidently smiled as she worked on the second skewer. “Next time, I’ll bring some spices and let you taste the complete Sichuan-style grilled fish.”

The spicier, the better.

“Let’s bring Chun Lian next time too.”

“Yeah… it feels a bit bad eating all this without her, haha…”

Gong Yiling, completely casual, removed her cumbersome hat and veil, revealing a face… not much older than Qiu Shui’s.

If anyone saw her youthful appearance now, they wouldn’t connect her with the awe-inspiring Immortal Master.

However, just as she blew on the second skewer, about to take a bite—

A gust of wind blew past, and the fish in her hand…

Vanished.

Gone!

Poof!!!

“Huh?”

She looked in the direction of the wind and saw a purplish-black figure.

And—the pillar of light was gone.

“Shangguan Ziyuan?”

Gong Yiling stood up and called out to the figure, slightly confused.

Hearing her name, the figure looked towards them, then slowly approached, emerging from the shadows.

“Hmm?”

The girl, still recognizable as Shangguan Ziyuan, looked at Gong Yiling with curiosity and a hint of affection.

As for why “still recognizable”…

The girl’s red hair was now purplish-red, and her face, although still somewhat similar, had subtly changed.

Her aura, once noble and dignified, was now languid and carefree. Her eyes were a unique shade of green.

Besides that…

There were two noticeable changes.

First, she had two fluffy fox ears on her head. Second, she had two red tails.

Gong Yiling had won the bet, decisively.

“Eh!?”

Qiu Shui was stunned. “The Fifth Princess really turned into a fox? Because of that pill?”

“No, because she had the Heavenly Phoenix Fox Demon bloodline.”

“She had it all along?” Qiu Shui paused. “Wait, Master, did you know about this and deliberately made that bet with me?”

Gong Yiling shook her head innocently. “I guessed.”

“You really guessed?”

“Yes, I guessed.”

Miss Gong patted Qiu Shui’s head earnestly.

Seeing the girl’s dubious expression, Gong Yiling turned her attention back to Shangguan Ziyuan, who seemed to want to speak but couldn’t.

“Fifth Princess, do you still recognize me?”

“Mmm…” Shangguan Ziyuan nodded slightly, her voice barely a whisper.

So soft that Gong Yiling almost wanted to use her Otherworldly Horn.

“How are you feeling? Are you alright?”

“Mmm…” Shangguan Ziyuan lowered her head further.

Was this the personality change?

From a confident and talkative woman to a timid, soft-spoken girl.

The difference… was a bit too drastic.

Gong Yiling continued, “Do you remember what you were doing?”

“…Mmm…”

Barely audible.

Gong Yiling rubbed her forehead.

Damn it, how could she send the princess back in this state? This was a serious problem.

“Besides ‘mmm,’ can you say anything else?”

“I…” Shangguan Ziyuan seemed to say something, but Gong Yiling couldn’t hear her.

“What did you say?” Gong Yiling leaned closer, trying to hear her.

But the next moment, a powerful aura erupted from the girl.

Gong Yiling watched as her hair instantly turned purplish-black.

Then, the girl smirked and pounced, pinning Gong Yiling beneath her.

What the—???

Miss Gong didn’t react in time and found herself in a vulnerable position.

“Notification: The host’s top/bottom attribute is—”

“Shut the fuck up!”

Gong Yiling mentally cursed the system, then asked weakly, “Are you still Shangguan Ziyuan?”

“Yes, Big Sister!”

The purplish-black-haired Shangguan Ziyuan, even her eyes now purple, seemed like a completely different person, her voice laced with a seductive tone.

“Big Sister?”

The character information did say Shangguan Ziyuan would call her Big Sister.

But this form of address was weird!

“Why ‘Big Sister’?”

Shangguan Ziyuan shifted her position, straddling Gong Yiling, placing her hands on her collarbones, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Because Big Sister is Big Sister.”

That wasn’t an answer!

Miss Gong’s eye twitched.

Then, she felt a gaze upon her.

It was Qiu Shui.

Qiu Shui simply watched silently, her expression clearly displeased.

Damn it, why did she feel like she had stumbled into some kind of love triangle?

 

59. Divine Phoenix Fox Demon

“Notification: The host has… Since the other party already has a master, to avoid plot holes, Shangguan Ziyuan will now address the host as ‘Big Sister.’ The host can now view Shangguan Ziyuan’s information.”

Big Sister???

“Notification: Shangguan Ziyuan’s bloodline, due to receiving immortal power, has transformed into Divine Phoenix Fox Demon, and her bloodline power has awakened.”

What the hell is a Divine Phoenix Fox Demon???

“Notification: The modified Nine Revolutions Heavenly Divine Pill has significantly affected Shangguan Ziyuan’s personality. The extent of the effect is for the host to experience.”

Modified? Personality change?

“Notification: The host has been passively involved in the Heartflame Empire’s power struggle. View the quest [My Royal Sister Can’t Be This Cute].”

Cute my ass! This is so sudden.

“Notification: By the way…”

There’s a “by the way” now?

“Immortal Ziyuan—’s Big Sister, I wasn’t lying. This really is the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Divine Pill.”

Gong Yiling’s eye twitched.

Damn…

Looking at the woman bathed in purplish-black light, Gong Yiling rubbed her forehead and opened her so-called little sister’s character information.

“Name: Shangguan Ziyuan

Gender: Female

Identity: Fifth Princess of the Heartflame Empire, possessing the Heavenly Phoenix Fox Demon bloodline (upgraded to Divine Phoenix Fox Demon)

Physical Talent: E-

Spiritual Talent: EX

Cultivation Technique Potential: E-

Potential Adaptability: All demonic cultivation techniques.

Current Cultivation Technique: None

Estimated Cultivation Limit: Divine Venerable Realm

Note: Due to the unique nature of the Divine Phoenix Fox Demon bloodline, she cannot learn any cultivation techniques but can utilize all demonic spiritual energy without restrictions. Her cultivation level is tied to her bloodline awakening level.

Current Bloodline Awakening Level: II

Corresponding Cultivation Level: Core Transformation

Note 2: To increase her bloodline level, she needs to absorb a large amount of fox essence, or phoenix essence as a substitute.”

Gong Yiling: “…”

Miss Gong first stared at the words “Divine Venerable Realm,” her lips twitching.

Then, after reading through the entire information panel, she was utterly shocked.

Was this status screen written by a foot?

What the hell was an EX-rank spiritual talent? And although she couldn’t learn cultivation techniques, it didn’t matter.

This meant this girl could build a sofa, a 4k TV, and a PS5 in mid-air, without any foundation, and play Monster Hunter World.

Get the picture?

Utterly absurd.

Although the method of advancement was a bit demanding, phoenix essence… the Spirit Phoenix Broom seemed to convert spiritual energy into phoenix essence.

Aha, what a coincidence…

That random item she picked up had such an effect. Unbelievable.

Then, there was the quest interface.

“Quest Name: [My Royal Sister Can’t Be This Cute]

Quest Level: So-so

Quest Objective: Help Shangguan Ziyuan win the power struggle in the Heartflame Empire and become the new Empress (0/1)

Quest Reward: Super high-quality fox girl cosplay outfit

Time Limit: One year.”

After reading this, Gong Yiling: “???”

Seriously, last time it was the S10 trophy, now it’s a cosplay outfit?

“Are you fucking retarded, System?”

Miss Gong couldn’t help but curse. “What the hell is this reward?”

Such a difficult quest, and the reward wasn’t some divine material or even a single spirit stone.

A fox girl cosplay outfit? Was it meant for her, a… well, she wasn’t a man anymore, but still, was it for her to wear?

She, Gong Yiling, would jump off a cliff before wearing such a thing, absolutely!

“Master?”

“Huh?”

“What’s a system?”

“Huh?”

Miss Gong realized she had spoken her thoughts aloud.

Damn it!

It wasn’t difficult to explain what a system was, but she had just cursed in front of Qiu Shui.

Where was her image? She had to maintain her composure as a good teacher! How could she use such vulgar language?

“No, no, no.” Gong Yiling waved her hands. “Qiu Shui, don’t learn from me. I just heard someone say that, so I repeated it.”

“Really?” Qiu Shui stuck out her tongue.

She didn’t find her master’s outburst strange. In fact, this was much more approachable and genuine than her usual refined demeanor.

“Forget about that. Let’s play a guessing game.” Gong Yiling’s eyes flickered. She had found a way to change the subject. “Do you think this Fifth Princess will change after gaining power?”

“Change?” Qiu Shui didn’t understand.

Gong Yiling gave an example. “Like her appearance, personality, and so on.”

“Is that a side effect of the pill?”

“Mmm…” Gong Yiling muttered, crossing her arms. “You can think of it that way.”

“Then…” Qiu Shui thought for a moment. “I guess Her Highness will become much more beautiful.”

“Can you be more specific? Like, will she suddenly turn into a fox demon or something?”

Qiu Shui blinked, puzzled. “Turn into a fox demon?”

“Yes, let’s make a bet. I bet she’ll turn into a fox demon, and her personality will become more cunning and seductive, like a fox demon. What do you think?”

“The Fifth Princess… will still be the Fifth Princess, right?” Lacking crucial information, Qiu Shui didn’t think a pill could change someone’s race.

“But Master, what are we betting?”

“Let’s bet a question.” Gong Yiling messed up Qiu Shui’s hair, grinning. “If I win, Qiu Shui answers one of my questions. If you win, I’ll answer one of yours. How about it?”

A question… about Master?

This bet was incredibly tempting for the girl.

Although she couldn’t think of anything to ask at the moment, this was a chance to get closer to her master.

“Okay!” The moment she agreed, Gong Yiling started plotting.

Although winning with a cheat felt a bit unfair, she was just playing around. She wouldn’t ask anything too outrageous. Maybe she could even boost her affection level.

Her affection with Qiu Shui had been stuck at barely above zero, showing no signs of increasing recently.

It had been three months, and she still hadn’t reached the reward threshold. This wouldn’t do.

As for the question she wanted to ask, she already had one prepared.

58. The Use of Maltesers!

By the time Gong Yiling found Shangguan Ziyuan, the girl was practically dead.

Why “practically”?

She had apparently been thrown off the cliff. From this height, even a healthy cultivator would be severely injured.

However… she had landed in a pool of water, cushioned by a pile of broken branches.

It seemed she had hit at least ten branches on her way down, slowing her fall.

Talk about luck.

But that didn’t mean Shangguan Ziyuan was in good shape.

“Master… she…” Qiu Shui withdrew her green healing energy and shook her head at Gong Yiling.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve healed her external injuries, but her internal injuries…” Qiu Shui hesitated. “Her meridians are intact, but her dantian is destroyed, and her body can’t convert spiritual energy. My healing arts are ineffective.”

The key difference between healing arts and medicine was this:

Medicine and acupuncture relied on external forces to heal, while healing arts required the patient’s dantian to convert spiritual energy into special true essence for healing.

Even ordinary people, incapable of cultivation, had intact dantians, making them susceptible to healing arts.

But in Shangguan Ziyuan’s case, her dantian had to be repaired first before her internal injuries could be treated.

The problem was…

They weren’t Yan Chuyue.

They had no idea how to fix a damaged dantian. Even ordinary pills were ineffective.

Ordinary pills…

“Ah!”

Gong Yiling suddenly remembered something.

She rummaged through her Universe Ring and pulled out a dark purple Malteser.

Yes, it was called a Malteser. It had another name, but it was too long to bother with.

“Master, what’s this?”

“Based on my observations, it should be the legendary Nine Revolutions Heavenly Divine Pill that can heal all injuries,” Gong Yiling said seriously. “As for whether it’s still effective, I have no idea. And I have no one to ask.”

Qiu Shui hesitated. “What happens if she takes a spoiled pill?”

“I don’t know.”

“This…”

Gong Yiling held the pill, unable to make up her mind.

She didn’t want Shangguan Ziyuan to die or become a living corpse.

But if something went wrong after she took the pill, wouldn’t she be doing more harm than good?

“Can you wake her up?” Miss Gong asked.

“Just waking her up, I think so.”

“Then wake her up. The decision of whether to take it or not is hers, not mine.”

“Okay.”

…

…

When Shangguan Ziyuan regained consciousness, she was confused.

She… wasn’t dead?

But everything was dark. She could barely feel her limbs or torso, as if she had lost something vital.

Her dantian destroyed, limbs crippled, no inner energy, like a useless person.

Before the joy of survival could sink in, she was overwhelmed by emptiness, loneliness, and helplessness.

Even if she survived, what was the difference between this and death…?

And she could feel her condition worsening. This was just a temporary reprieve, a final flicker before being extinguished.

She was still going to…

“If you’re awake, make a sound.”

Huh?

The sudden female voice startled Shangguan Ziyuan.

She seemed to have heard this voice before.

“Is that… Senior?”

“Can you see?” Gong Yiling waved her hand in front of Shangguan Ziyuan’s eyes, but there was no reaction.

“No.”

“As long as you can hear and speak, it’s fine.”

“Did Senior… save me?”

“Not exactly, because you’re about to die.” Gong Yiling patted her forehead unceremoniously. “Fifth Princess, your injuries are too severe. Conventional methods are ineffective.”

Shangguan Ziyuan smiled bitterly. “Thank you for your efforts, Senior, but…”

“Do you have any last wishes?”

“…” Shangguan Ziyuan hesitated. “If possible, could you… inform the Emperor about my death, about the First Prince’s rebellion, and about what you said, that Miss Yan can heal my master…?”

Gong Yiling refused flatly. “No.”

“Ah… I understand. This is the Heartflame Empire’s internal affair. I shouldn’t involve you, Senior. But at least… my master’s matter…”

Gong Yiling: “Why ask me to do something you can do yourself?”

Shangguan Ziyuan was taken aback. “Senior…?”

Gong Yiling held the pill before Shangguan Ziyuan, then, remembering she couldn’t see, said,

“I have a pill that might save you, if it’s still effective.”

“However, due to some reasons, I don’t know what will happen after you take it. The worst-case scenario is death. Or perhaps your constitution will change…”

“If you want to try your luck, I can give you this pill.”

Shangguan Ziyuan seemed to hear only the words “might save you,” asking in disbelief,

“It can… save me?”

“Fifty-fifty. Normally, I would suggest waiting for a more reliable method, but now, this is the only option.”

“Whether you take it or not is up to you. But I’ve warned you about the risks.”

Shangguan Ziyuan didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take it.”

Even if the chance of survival was minuscule, she would take it.

Not for herself, but for her master, the Grand Elder, who was like a second father to her. She had to… find a way to heal him, to keep him alive.

And the First Prince’s plot, she had to stop it. If she had the chance, if she just had the chance!

“Alright.”

This answer was within Gong Yiling’s expectations.

She placed the pill in Shangguan Ziyuan’s mouth and helped her swallow it with some water. “Now it’s up to fate.”

This was all Miss Gong could do.

Whether Shangguan Ziyuan lived or died would soon be revealed—

“Whoosh—!!!”

Suddenly, a dark purple light erupted from Shangguan Ziyuan, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy sent Gong Yiling flying.

“Holy shit!”

Miss Gong barely reacted in time, managing to adjust her posture mid-air to avoid landing face-first.

But then, her head buzzed with a cacophony of system notifications.

 

 

 

57. The Meaning of Reputation and Affection

“Brother Shijie, what brings you here? It seems you haven’t used this Sound Transmission Stone in over twenty years.”

A burly man watered his apple trees while speaking to the dull gray stone in his hand.

He was in a good mood.

Ever since that little ancestor disappeared, his precious darlings hadn’t been struck by lightning.

It was probably that little ancestor’s doing, getting back at him for almost whipping her.

“Brother Nine, I won’t waste words. I’ll just say this,” Wu Shijie’s face was grim, his voice menacing. “The Cloud Rainbow Sect and the legendary Great One Engineering Sect have reappeared.”

“What!?” Ghost Lord Nine was shocked. “Are you certain it’s them?”

“Who would dare claim to be from those sects, knowing the risk?” Wu Shijie continued, “Besides, my Hehuan Sect has been almost completely destroyed by them.”

Ghost Lord Nine frowned, sensing this wasn’t a simple matter. “Those people did this?”

“Only two people turned the tide of the battle,” Wu Shijie said. “Their strength is unfathomable. That’s why I’m warning you, Brother Nine. I hope you’ll take this seriously.”

“Tell me everything you know about them.” Ghost Lord Nine didn’t hesitate. “The Cloud Rainbow Sect must not be allowed to exist. They threaten our plans!”

…

…

Meanwhile, on their way back, Miss Gong was still wondering why her relationship with her “home” was now Indifferent.

The remaining Hehuan Sect members being hostile was understandable. They were Wu Shijie’s loyalists, seeking revenge.

And the Heartflame Empire Faction 1 and Faction 2 likely referred to the Fifth Princess and the First Prince, respectively.

Helping the old Daoist would surely displease the First Prince, so his hostility was also understandable.

But the Pear Blossom Blood Orchid Palace…

That was her home.

Why had her relationship with them worsened? Could it even become Hostile or Hatred?

Attacking her own mother could actually happen, and she would be on the receiving end? That was absurd.

“The affection levels are based on the host’s current disguised identity.”

“Otherwise, as the Young Palace Master of the Pear Blossom Blood Orchid Palace, all righteous sects would be hostile towards the host, wanting to kill you.”

This time, the system explained without being prompted.

Hearing this, she felt relieved.

“Then if I reveal to my mother that I’m the Sect Master of the Great One Engineering Sect, will my reputation and affection level recover?”

“Yes.”

Then it was fine.

The people in the Blood Orchid Palace were always busy. They wouldn’t have time to bother her. Indifferent was indifferent.

Her priority now was to figure out how to utilize these new demonic cultivator followers—

“Bang!”

Suddenly, a loud noise came from the roof of her carriage.

Like something heavy had fallen on it.

What was that?

“Stop.”

Gong Yiling immediately ordered the driver to stop, then asked Qiu Shui to check.

But before Qiu Shui returned, she smelled a strong scent of blood.

This was…?

Suddenly, Qiu Shui and the driver screamed, “A dead body!?”

Yes, when Gong Yiling went outside to investigate, she saw a head dangling from the roof of the carriage.

Eyes vacant, blood dripping from the mouth, face pale.

A dead body.

Confirming what it was, Gong Yiling felt a wave of nausea, instinctively stepping back and closing her eyes.

She had never seen a real corpse before. The strong smell of blood and her instinctive revulsion made her recoil.

But after calming down, she opened her eyes again and frowned in surprise.

She recognized this face… it was Long Yingchi, Shangguan Ziyuan’s guard captain.

“Isn’t this…”

Qiu Shui also recognized him, looking at Gong Yiling, puzzled. “Master, who attacked him?”

“Attacked…”

That didn’t make sense…

According to the book, Long Yingchi, as Shangguan Ziyuan’s guard captain, appeared even during the year-end ceremony. He couldn’t have died now.

And they wouldn’t target Long Yingchi specifically. If anyone, it should be Shangguan Ziyuan…

Oh, wait!

In the original story, Shangguan Ziyuan wasn’t even here.

If anyone would try to kill her while she was outside, it could only be the First Prince, who wanted to usurp the throne…

Wait!

Gong Yiling suddenly understood the meaning of the reputation and affection updates.

It wasn’t like a game, where her actions automatically lowered her reputation. The changes occurred because the other party learned something.

This meant the First Prince now knew that Shangguan Ziyuan had found a way to treat the Grand Elder.

So, what would they do?

“Oh no!” Gong Yiling’s heart sank. “Shangguan Ziyuan is in danger!”

…

…

“Should I convey the First Prince’s message, Your Highness?”

On a cliff edge, several men in black surrounded a red-haired woman in a purple dress.

Shangguan Ziyuan looked at the corpses scattered around with grief. They were her closest confidants, all killed in a matter of minutes.

And Captain Long, after being surrounded and killed, had been thrown off the cliff.

“Shangguan Qingyun!”

She gritted her teeth, then coughed up blood.

During the fight, she had been struck in her dantian, crippling her cultivation. Severely injured, both internally and externally, just standing and speaking was a struggle.

“Father was already planning to pass the throne to him. Why would he do this!?”

“Because of Your Highness’s identity,” the man in black sneered. “The First Prince has discovered that you possess the Royal Fox Bloodline. Combined with the Grand Elder’s support, he couldn’t risk leaving you alive.”

“The Royal Fox Bloodline…” Shangguan Ziyuan smiled bitterly. “This bloodline has only brought me loneliness and pain, and yet my brother sees it as… a threat.”

“Enough talk, Fifth Princess.” The man in black gathered true essence in his palm. “Don’t worry, your master will soon join you down below.”

“You…!” A look of determination flashed in Shangguan Ziyuan’s eyes. “You will pay for this! Even as a ghost, I, Shangguan Ziyuan, will not let you go!”

With a final palm strike, she fell off the cliff, disappearing from sight.

 

56. Masters of Understanding 

“In the future, remember to be more discerning.”

Gong Yiling patted the demonic cultivator, who seemed to have handed over all his possessions, a mournful look on his face. She was in a great mood.

“If you have your own organization, don’t be led around by others. And tell your leader, choosing the right friends is important.”

“I think the Pear Blossom Blood Orchid Palace is quite good. Interact with them more. You know, one becomes influenced by their companions.”

Demonic Cultivator: “???”

Wasn’t… wasn’t that proverb used differently?

And what did this Immortal Master mean, not advising them to be good, but to seek out an even more notorious group?

“The Pear Blossom Blood Orchid Palace… isn’t so easy to approach,” the demonic cultivator said, wanting to cry.

“Is it really that difficult…?”

Miss Gong was skeptical.

All she saw were Ghost Lord Nine doting on apples, Slaughterer Sihai keeping geckos as pets, and Killer Qiandao blushing at the sight of girls.

The book didn’t provide detailed descriptions of the Blood Orchid Palace members. As villains, they only appeared to wreak havoc and slaughter, with little dialogue.

Although as a modern youth, Gong Yiling didn’t want to judge their murderous ways…

At least, besides Ghost Lord Nine, she had a good relationship with the other named Blood Orchid Palace cultivators. Qiu Shui and Chun Lian also received good care after the accidental punishment incident.

So, from her perspective, the Blood Orchid Palace… wasn’t that difficult to approach.

“It’s fine. Just give them some apples and geckos as gifts. Maybe they’ll take a liking to you.”

The demonic cultivator didn’t absorb a single word of Miss Gong’s advice—would any sane person?

What good would apples and geckos do against a group of demon lords?

Would there really be someone who called apples “sweetie” and geckos “darling”?

Impossible.

Most of them ignored Gong Yiling’s words. After they paid and left, the remaining Hehuan Sect members became even more anxious.

“Immortal Master… we can also pay!”

“And what happens after you pay?”

Miss Gong casually picked a seemingly intact stone chair, wiped off some dust with a silver note, and sat down gracefully.

“What do you mean, Immortal Master?”

“Nothing much.” Gong Yiling shrugged. “Wu Shijie abandoned you. The Hehuan Sect is practically defunct. Once you leave this place, you’ll be hunted down.”

“This…”

Her words struck a chord with them.

Indeed…

The demonic sects relied on their leaders’ reputation. With their leader gone, they would be targeted by other demonic sects and righteous cultivators. A peaceful death would be a blessing.

Having participated in similar actions themselves, they knew what awaited them.

“May I ask…” one of them, seemingly the highest-ranking among the remaining members, asked hesitantly, “what is Immortal Master’s suggestion?”

“They offered me money for their lives. I, however, want you to trade your lives for your lives.”

This “life” wasn’t the same as that “life.”

The demonic cultivator immediately understood her meaning.

She wanted… to absorb all thirty Hehuan Sect members present.

But she was a righteous cultivator… why?

“The Great One Engineering Sect has nothing to do with the righteous path, and I never said you would join it.”

Gong Yiling tapped the table lightly, sneering. “Look at yourselves in the mirror. Are you worthy?”

After saying this, Miss Gong screamed internally.

Aaaaaaah!!!

She had just said that because it sounded cool, following the flow of the conversation.

Now she regretted it.

What if one of them got angry and attacked?

She would be trampled by dozens of burly men.

But fortunately…

Perhaps the image of a powerful immortal was too deeply ingrained. Despite their resentment, they didn’t dare to voice it in front of Gong Yiling.

The demonic cultivator even sighed in relief.

“I understand Immortal Master’s meaning.”

Gong Yiling was taken aback… what did he understand?

“You understood before I even finished? I just want you to find some…”

She was interrupted.

“Don’t worry, Immortal Master, we don’t need a title. As long as you think highly of us, that’s enough.”

Gong Yiling: “Huh…?”

Wait, what did he mean?

“Since Immortal Master has such intentions, we must give you face.” Another one spoke. “From today onward, I, Mei Ming, am at your command.”

Wait, who are you to be at my command?

And his name almost made her laugh.

“At your command!”

“At your command!”

“At your command!”

They all knelt down, as if understanding something she hadn’t said.

Gong Yiling was completely baffled.

“Do you understand what I mean?”

Demonic Cultivators: “Yes!”

“Understand what?”

“Don’t you mean… we become your loyal followers, your word our command?”

Gong Yiling’s face, hidden behind the veil, was filled with astonishment.

These people… were completely different from what she had imagined.

Not even close!

“Actually, what I meant was…”

“I understand!”

The demonic cultivator continued seriously, “Are you concerned about the crimes we’ve committed?”

“Huh?”

“If our enemies come looking for us, we won’t hesitate.” He said, “We’re not afraid of death. We won’t cause any trouble for Immortal Master.”

What were they talking about!?

Miss Gong’s intention was for them to use their connections to find orphans for her to train, forming the foundation of her third faction.

So…

What she originally meant to say was:

Just paying money isn’t enough. You need to pay more! Or do something else for me.

However, seeing them prostrating themselves, Gong Yiling suddenly thought, this wasn’t bad either.

She had gained a bunch of followers without doing anything.

So, free lunches did fall from the sky.

Just then, she heard the system’s voice.

“Host’s reputation and affection information updated.”

“Dongyang Sect upgraded to Intimate. Other involved righteous sects upgraded to Friendly. Heartflame Empire Faction 1 upgraded to Friendly. Heartflame Empire Faction 2 downgraded to Hostile. Remaining Hehuan Sect members downgraded to Hatred. Pear Blossom Blood Orchid Palace downgraded to Indifferent.”

Wait a minute.

Pear Blossom Blood Orchid Palace downgraded to Indifferent?

What did that mean?

55. Are You a Robber or a Bandit?

Finding a secluded spot, Gong Yiling began taking stock of her gains.

First, her bottomless pit of a body had absorbed the spiritual energy from over a thousand low-grade spirit stones, stored within her dantian. The total amount far exceeded the limits of Foundation Establishment or Core Formation.

As long as she found a suitable place to cultivate, refining this spiritual energy into true essence, breaking through to Core Formation in her demonic art and Foundation Establishment in her Daoist technique would be easy.

As for Qiu Shui, her situation was similar, except that her next breakthrough would be to Return to Origin realm.

Advancing from Core Formation to Return to Origin in just a few days would surely baffle countless people.

—Top-tier cultivation technique and top-tier talent combined to create a true prodigy.

Of course, this was just their improvement in cultivation.

The real prize, besides the sack of nearly a hundred high-grade spirit stones, was the pile of treasures in her Universe Ring.

Countless low, mid, and high-grade pills, over a hundred of each, all of decent quality, if not supreme, then at least good or perfect.

There were also various weapons, armor, and other items, enough to equip a small army of fifty to a hundred cultivators.

And as part of the Cloud Rainbow Sect’s legacy, there were even some Heaven-grade talismans—though mostly non-lethal ones.

Finally, there were the cultivation techniques, martial skills, and spiritual arts manuals.

As the core inheritance of the Cloud Rainbow Sect, the Cloud Rainbow Heavenly Sound Technique wasn’t among them, but there were several powerful techniques Gong Yiling recognized.

And all the martial and spiritual skills were of the healing and nature type. With the foundation of the Cloud Rainbow Heavenly Sound Technique, Qiu Shui could learn them all.

“HAHAHAHAHA!”

In this secluded spot, Gong Yiling could finally express her joy and excitement.

Just selling these items would earn them hundreds of millions of taels.

Suddenly becoming a multimillionaire, Miss Gong was ecstatic.

“So this is what it feels like to be rich. Wonderful, wonderful.”

Qiu Shui, holding a few carefully selected manuals, chuckled. “But Master, as the Young Palace Master of the Blood Orchid Palace, the treasures in your sect’s vault must be far greater than these.”

“That’s different.” Gong Yiling shook her head seriously. “The Blood Orchid Palace’s treasures are family assets. This is what I earned myself.”

Compared to inheriting a fortune, Gong Yiling preferred the process of earning it herself.

“Speaking of which,”

She suddenly remembered something she almost forgot. “Qiu Shui, what did you take from Daoist Daman’s room?”

“Huh…” Qiu Shui asked, puzzled. “Didn’t Master put it in your ring?”

“Did I?” Gong Yiling rummaged through her overflowing Universe Ring, then gave up.

There were too many items inside. It would take too long to find that misplaced manual. She would have to take everything out and organize it later.

But before that…

“Immortal Master, what are you doing here?”

The sudden voice startled Gong Yiling, almost making her drop the contents of her ring.

She quickly composed herself and turned to Elder Yan. “This Palace Master is having a private conversation with my disciple. Do you mind?”

“No, it’s just… you look like you’ve found some treasure and are secretly dividing the spoils with your disciple… just kidding, hahaha.”

Elder Yan’s unfunny joke made Gong Yiling and Yin Qiushui exchange glances.

“So…” Gong Yiling asked, feigning composure, “what do you want?”

“Ah, it’s like this,”

Elder Yan said sincerely, “we found about two hundred high-grade spirit stones in the room and would like you to oversee their distribution.”

“And we would also like to seek your opinion on how to deal with the surrendered demonic cultivators.”

I don’t want to divide them, and I have no opinion.

She almost blurted out these words.

But then, Gong Yiling had an idea.

To establish a third faction, she needed to figure out how to make people from different paths get along, and where to find such people.

Elder Yan and his allies were too deeply entrenched in the righteous path. She could only interact with them or use them, but the demonic cultivators abandoned by Wu Shijie… perhaps they could be manipulated.

“You can divide the spirit stones yourselves. This Palace Master is only here to find some useful spiritual manuals for my disciple.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “As for those demonic cultivators, deal with those who participated in the attack on your Dongyang Sect as you see fit. Bring the rest to me. I have my own way of dealing with them.”

Elder Yan was overjoyed.

He only wanted those responsible to pay the price, and the Immortal Master’s decision perfectly aligned with his wishes.

Shortly after he left, someone else brought the remaining demonic cultivators to Gong Yiling.

“Immortal Master, we’ve brought them. Your orders?”

“You can go.”

“Yes.”

After the person left, the demonic cultivators shifted their gazes nervously.

They knew the fate of those taken away by Elder Yan.

And the woman before them could “annihilate” them in an instant. Their fear was understandable.

—Although without talismans, Gong Yiling would probably be beaten to a pulp by them. But no one would believe that.

“Those who aren’t from the Hehuan Sect, step forward.”

Those not from the Hehuan Sect, seeing this preferential treatment, were overjoyed and immediately stepped forward.

Then…

Gong Yiling glanced at them and said calmly, “Pay your ransom, or have your sects pay it. Thirty low-grade spirit stones per person.”

The demonic cultivators: “Huh???”

Since when did righteous cultivators demand ransoms? Wasn’t that their thing?

“What ‘huh’?” Gong Yiling said impatiently. “One head is worth ninety thousand taels of silver on the market. Do you think you’re worth less than that?”

“This…”

Ninety thousand taels wasn’t a small sum, but it wasn’t unaffordable either. Considering it as the price for their lives, it was cheap.

“I’ll pay, I’ll pay!”

Almost all of them had some spirit stones. Those who didn’t offered items of equal value. Soon, over a thousand low-grade spirit stones piled up before Gong Yiling.

Money came so easily.

Why work when you could rob bad guys?