163. The Truth Unveiled (Extra Story 3)

Ling Qingyi cautiously avoided the patrols of Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace and stealthily made her way to its depths.

She stopped at an inconspicuous mountain and retrieved a talisman inscribed with intricate runes.

Activating the talisman, she watched as it transformed into a beam of light that merged into the mountainside.

In just a few breaths, a cave formed.

Outside the cave, an ancient barrier array appeared, enveloping the area.

Ling Qingyi stepped inside and closed the array behind her. She then released Ling Qingzhu from her containment.

With a smirk, Ling Qingyi gestured around and said, "Sister, how’s this place I picked for you? Not bad, right?"

"Where is this?" Ling Qingzhu asked, her gaze sharp and wary as she surveyed her surroundings.

"This is Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace," Ling Qingyi replied confidently, her face full of smugness.

"You brought me back here? Aren’t you afraid my master will sense me?" Ling Qingzhu countered.

Ling Qingyi laughed, unconcerned. "Oh, I forgot to mention, I have another talisman, just like the Soul Exchange Talisman. This one powers the barrier around us!"

She explained that the barrier talisman came with the Soul Exchange Talisman and was incredibly powerful—undetectable by anyone below the Ancestor Realm.

"You…" Ling Qingzhu’s voice trembled with despair.

"Besides," Ling Qingyi continued with a sly grin, "even if Shen Qing finds out, who do you think she’ll believe?"

As she spoke, she lifted a Qiankun Bag, shaking it lightly. Inside were Ling Qingzhu’s treasures—martial arts technique, rare pills, spiritual artifacts—all collected over many years.

Seeing this, Ling Qingzhu felt her heart sink completely.

Ling Qingyi, fearing her sister might try to take her own life, leaned closer and coldly threatened, "Oh, and one more thing: I’ll visit you here from time to time. If you dare commit suicide, I’ll make sure your pure and virtuous image becomes one of utter debauchery."

"You…" Ling Qingzhu glared at her with rage and helplessness.

"Alright, my dear sister, I hope you enjoy your time here!" Ling Qingyi said mockingly, then turned to leave.

Ling Qingzhu, watching her sister walk away, felt utterly powerless. Her heart was dead.

She briefly considered ending her life, but fear held her back—fear that her sister might tarnish her reputation while wearing her body, bringing disgrace to herself and to Junior Brother Chen Xuan.

After much deliberation, Ling Qingzhu resigned herself to survival in this secluded prison.

Ling Qingyi, having sealed the barrier, climbed to a nearby mountain peak.

She crouched by a pond, practicing Ling Qingzhu’s tone and expressions.

"Junior Brother Chen Xuan, it’s me, Qingyi… No, Qingzhu."

Feeling it wasn’t quite right, she rubbed her face and adjusted her expression to be more serious.

Then, clasping her hands formally, she practiced again:

"Master, disciple Qingzhu has something to report."

She continued:

"You’re slacking in your cultivation, making little progress, and now you’re blaming me?"

"Junior Brother Chen Xuan, I’ve been waiting for you…"

Ling Qingyi rehearsed diligently by herself for a long time.

However, no matter how much effort she put into it, something always felt slightly off.

And, even worse…

When Ling Qingyi tried a gentle demeanor, it came off as awkward and forced, like an ill-fated imitation.

When she tried to act lively, it clashed with her sister’s usual personality.

And when she attempted a cold and aloof demeanor, she simply couldn’t pull it off.

This left her deeply frustrated.

However, what was done was done. No matter how difficult it seemed, giving up was not an option.

She practiced for a while longer and felt she had captured about half of Ling Qingzhu’s essence, which bolstered her confidence.

Still, Ling Qingyi understood that in her current state, she would undoubtedly be exposed if she faced Shen Qing, or even Chen Xuan.

After weighing her options, she decided to visit the Great Yan Dynasty.

She would use the trip to familiarize herself with her new body, ensuring that her soul fully merged with it.

At the same time, she would practice mimicking Ling Qingzhu’s outwardly cold but inwardly warm personality and speaking style.

If anyone later suspected her of acting strangely, she could claim she was shaken by something she encountered outside.

With her plan settled, Ling Qingyi prepared to set out.

As she adjusted to her new body, her flying skills were somewhat clumsy. Before long, she was spotted by some patrolling disciples of Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace.

"Senior Sister Qingzhu, do you need any help?" the leader of the group asked, stepping forward.

"No need," Ling Qingyi replied curtly, sticking to the principle of saying less to avoid mistakes.

As expected, the disciples took her dismissal in stride and left.

However, as they watched her unsteady flight from a distance, they began whispering.

"Senior Brother, doesn’t Senior Sister Qingzhu seem a bit… off today?"

"Yeah, I thought so too."

"Really?"

"You didn’t notice? Her flying posture seemed strange."

"Wait! Do you think it could be because of Senior Brother Chen…"

"Shh! Watch your words!"

…

Meanwhile, the real Ling Qingzhu remained hidden beneath the mountain, completely undetected due to the array shielding her.

The instigator, Ling Qingyi, soon learned from other patrolling disciples that Shen Qing was away on important business.

Seizing the opportunity, she returned cautiously to Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace and made her way to Chen Xuan’s courtyard.

After confirming that he was still in seclusion, she informed a junior sister guarding the courtyard that she would be traveling to the Great Yan Dynasty.

She instructed the junior sister not to inform anyone of her departure and declined any offer of protection.

Ling Qingyi then left Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace alone.

The journey to the Great Yan Dynasty took considerable time, as she struggled with adapting to her new body.

Upon arriving in Huangpu City, she followed the address provided and met the members of the Huangpu family who had assisted in her body-snatching scheme.

Since it was their first meeting, the Huangpu family had no idea that the "Ling Qingzhu" before them was an impostor.

After resting for a few days, Huangpu Jing informed her that the other three great families would also be sending their geniuses to a specific location.

Armed with this information, Ling Qingyi set off on her own.

She assumed that her trip to the Tianyan Mountains would proceed smoothly, giving her ample time to perfect her imitation of Ling Qingzhu.

Midway through her journey, however, the Eight Devil General intercepted her.

He handed her a strange object and commanded, "Inject this into someone named Lin Dong's body—without letting him notice."

Ling Qingyi was furious. "How am I supposed to inject this into his body?"

The Eight Devil General chuckled darkly. "That’s not my concern. I only care about the results!"

"Sorry, but I can’t help you with this!" Ling Qingyi refused outright.

Hearing this, the Eight Devil General let out a sinister laugh. "Ling Qingyi, if you dare refuse, I’ll spread the news that you murdered Ling Qingzhu!"

"You wouldn’t dare! If you spread lies, I’ll expose you as an Otherworld Devil!" Ling Qingyi retorted, ready to risk it all.

The Eight Devil General shrugged indifferently. "I am an Otherworld Devil. If sacrificing myself leads to my race’s resurgence, it’s a price I’m willing to pay."

He then gave her a mocking look. "But you—would you really give up so easily? You’ve only just gained this body, haven’t you?"

"You…"

"I’ll give you time to think it over. I’m in no rush," he said, leaving Ling Qingyi simmering in frustration.