Chapter 409: Tore Out Chong Lou

Three lifetimes of love, Changqing’s hope of becoming immortal…

Zi Xuan’s fury could no longer be contained.

“Wah…”

Lin Qing’er wept at just the right moment.

That loud cry forced Zi Xuan to suppress her rage; watching Lin Qing’er in Gu Qing’s arms flailing and wailing, she felt fury, shame, grievance, and loss all at once—she snatched Lin Qing’er back and burst into tears.

As a descendant of Nüwa, how hard it is to reunite as a family of three…

The mother wept, the child wailed; Gu Qing stood aside, silent as an outsider, letting Zi Xuan cry out her anger and grievance.

Does this count as fulfilling Zi Xuan’s wish to weep?

Gu Qing had not yet extracted any good deeds.

When Zi Xuan’s sobs gradually faded, Gu Qing spoke at the right moment: “The child is just hungry.”

Zi Xuan lifted her face, tear-streaked like pear blossoms in rain, her eyes holding a hidden thread of hatred: “You don’t need to worry!” That one word—hungry—reminded her of Gu Qing’s earlier nonsense about making her secrete milk.

“I just scanned the surroundings and saw a mother with a child at the foot of the mountain. I’ll catch two wild chickens for her. You hold the baby and let Qing’er eat her first meal.”

Gu Qing whispered gently.

Lin Qing’er’s crying continued unabated.

Zi Xuan channeled her spiritual power and located the mother below the mountain. Her internal alchemy had already been ruined by Gu Qing; in her rage, she felt a hollow despair. Now that Lin Qing’er was hungry, she no longer cared about her puppet soup—this long-delayed maternal love burned in her heart.

Holding the child, Zi Xuan stepped forward and arrived instantly at the mountain’s base. Gu Qing followed behind, carrying two wild chickens. In this region near Mount Huang, the folk were simple and kind; seeing the crying infant, the mother ignored the chickens entirely and immediately began feeding the child.

Watching Lin Qing’er now, Zi Xuan felt another wave of shame.

When Lin Qing’er had finished drinking, Zi Xuan took the child back. Gu Qing presented the chickens to the mother with proper thanks, and when he returned to Zi Xuan’s side, she caught a sweet fragrance.

It smelled like flower nectar, like osmanthus—faint, hazy—Zi Xuan struggled to identify it. When she tried to inhale again to discern it, she realized the scent was emanating from Gu Qing himself.

“I don’t have time to deal with you right now!”

Zi Xuan looked up, coldly.

He ruined her three-lifetime romance and severed Xu Changqing’s path to immortality—this debt must be settled!

“But you won’t wait long. I’ll come to collect it.”

Zi Xuan’s voice dripped with malice; her hatred for Gu Qing reached its peak.

“Actually, have you noticed that Qing’er isn’t drawing spiritual power from you?”

Gu Qing said, with a hint of restraint.

What?

Zi Xuan immediately checked Qing’er. The child’s body showed no abnormalities—she grew normally, her spiritual power increased normally, just like any Nüwa descendant. Such a phenomenon had never occurred in Nüwa’s lineage.

“I have a secret technique.”

Gu Qing said, innocently—but his face was ill-suited to such a foolishly endearing expression; to Zi Xuan, it looked like mockery.

“How long will this secret technique last?”

Zi Xuan asked.

“If Qing’er cultivates in the future, it will be permanent,” Gu Qing replied. “But you should cultivate too—then it’s a closed loop. Even if one of you falters, the other won’t be affected.”

This exchange made Zi Xuan’s gaze toward Gu Qing grow increasingly complex. On one hand, he had destroyed her alchemical progress, turning years of effort to ashes. On the other, his secret technique might rescue Nüwa’s lineage from tragedy and rewrite its fate.

In this world, there is only one Nüwa descendant. If there were more, perhaps Nüwa’s lineage could be reborn…

【Satisfy Zi Xuan…】

【Satisfy Zi Xuan…】

【Satisfy Zi Xuan…】

Gu Qing’s good deeds interface flickered repeatedly—this technique not only fulfilled Zi Xuan’s wish to nurture Lin Qing’er as a mother, but also satisfied her joy at altering Nüwa’s fate and her preparations for Xu Changqing’s next life…

Yes, this life’s Xu Changqing had failed. Zi Xuan could no longer invest in him—she could only plan for his next incarnation.

Lost in these thoughts, Zi Xuan glanced at Gu Qing beside her. Seeing him still by her side, still soothing Lin Qing’er, she felt an inexplicable irritation rise within her.

“Can you teach me this technique?”

Zi Xuan voiced her request. She paused, considering offering Gu Qing something in return—but his past damage to her was too great; she didn’t want to reward him. “Even if I forgive you.”

A clean slate—that would be best.

“Of course.”

Gu Qing immediately agreed, then looked at Zi Xuan. “I took the Water Pearl and ruined your grand plan—I owe you dearly. If I can repay you with this technique, that’s ideal. But if you wish to cultivate it, it may not be easy…”

Zi Xuan frowned, puzzled.

Gu Qing continued: “Your Nüwa lineage’s physiology is unfamiliar to me. Without understanding these details, teaching you the method would be like prescribing medicine blindly—whether it works or not is uncertain. After all, your Nüwa lineage can transform, correct?”

Gu Qing spoke with reason—he truly wished to study the mysteries of the Nüwa body. The human head and serpent body, some say, embodies the Dao.

Zi Xuan studied Gu Qing’s face. His gaze was open and honest; she knew this was necessary. Her eyes drifted to little Lin Qing’er… This truly affected the entire Nüwa lineage’s legacy. She couldn’t leave it to Lin Qing’er—by the time Lin Qing’er could transform, she’d already be an adult.

After much thought, it seemed only Zi Xuan herself could cooperate with Gu Qing.

“Fine. Teach me the technique. I’ll transform before you, and we’ll explore these mysteries together.”

Zi Xuan stared steadily at Gu Qing. “This doesn’t mean anything!”

Of course it doesn’t mean anything!

Gu Qing nodded firmly. But this cooperation—though it might be a wound to Chong Lou’s heart.

When Chong Lou’s good deeds appeared, Gu Qing knew the Demon Sovereign had been watching in secret, observing Zi Xuan’s joys and sorrows, silently cherishing her, ready to protect her in danger… Yet Gu Qing and Zi Xuan’s every step remained precisely measured.

That left Chong Lou no chance to show himself.

“Where shall we study?”

Zi Xuan looked at Lin Qing’er in her arms and asked.

“How about returning to the Nüwa Palace?”

Gu Qing had nowhere else to go—he chose the Nüwa Palace. This earned him more good deeds from Zi Xuan, and stirred sorrow in Chong Lou’s hidden heart.

In this world, the brave always get to enjoy life first.

(End of Chapter)