The cold wind howled, whistling through the Nine Heavens.
Jiang Huai lay on the broad back of the dragon, his cheek pressed against the softest part of its spine. The scales were warm, smooth, and pulsed with a faint, rhythmic breathing.
He was all too familiar with this position.
Countless times in the past, when Qin Qingyue transformed into a dragon, he would lie like this. He would listen to the wind screaming in his ears and watch the sea of clouds churning beneath them.
But it was different.
The dragon beneath him was not as broad as Qin Qingyue, and the speed at which it manipulated the clouds was several degrees slower. It lacked that sharp, world-piercing intensity.
Jiang Huai closed his eyes. The last sliver of self-deluding hope flickered and died like a candle in the wind amid these subtle differences.
It was Qin Xuange.
The one before him was Qin Xuange, not her.
They traveled in silence.
The cloud layers retreated rapidly beneath them, and the moonlight coated the dragon scales in a layer of silver. Only when the silhouette of the distant little courtyard became faintly visible did Jiang Huai finally speak. His voice was scattered by the wind.
“Why are you doing this?”
He paused, his fingertips gently stroking the patterns of the scales as if he were touching something unreachable.
“Are you trying to cater to my whims? Dressing yourself up to look like Qin Qingyue?” His voice dropped lower. “You imitate her very well. Your mien, tone, and mannerisms are all very similar.”
Qin Xuange circled gracefully in the air, her dragon tail cutting through the sea of clouds and trailing a string of fragmented moonlight. She let out a soft hum, her tone lazy and teasing.
“What? Is this not good?” She tilted her head slightly, her dragon eyes glancing back at Jiang Huai. “Don’t you miss Qin Qingyue? Since I’m imitating her appearance, shouldn’t it be exactly what you want?”
Jiang Huai sat up cross-legged, his palm still pressed against her scales. He murmured, “But what does this mean for you?” His voice was light, as if he were asking her or perhaps himself. “After all, you aren’t Qin Qingyue.”
The dragon suddenly paused. Then, her voice rang out with a hint of playfulness.
“What do you mean by saying that?” She paused, her tone brimming with laughter. “Are you kicking me out?”
Without waiting for Jiang Huai’s answer, her Divine Sense swept outward. Sensing a familiar aura below, she suddenly dove!
The dragon’s body broke through the clouds, plummeting toward the earth like a bolt of gray lightning. The violent sound of the wind exploded in their ears, and she habitually let out a series of dragon roars. The cries were clear, resonant, and long.
A flash of gray light erupted.
At the entrance of the little courtyard, the dragon transformed into a human the moment she touched the ground, standing firmly. Jiang Huai, supported by her lingli, landed softly behind her, the echoes of the dragon roars still vibrating in his ears.
He gazed at the back of the woman before him. She was tall and upright, and her familiar high ponytail swayed slightly in the night breeze.
How could they be so alike?
Ever since she returned from the Land of the Red Dragon, she seemed like a different person. She had become almost identical to Qin Qingyue.
Qin Qingyue—the soul currently inhabiting the body—surveyed the little courtyard before her. She scanned it up and down before shaking her head, her tone carrying a hint of disdain.
“How small-minded.” She turned her head to look at Jiang Huai. “You really like living in this sort of place? Don’t you have the Nine Heavens Palace in your hands? Why not stay there?”
Having said that, she stepped into the courtyard. Her posture was as natural as a mistress returning to her own home—no, it was even more natural than that. She walked through the yard, inspecting the flowers and plants. Occasionally, she leaned down for a closer look or reached out to touch them, as if inspecting her own territory.
At that moment, the door to the main house opened with a creak.
A graceful figure leaned against the doorframe, lounging lazily. Su Yingman let out a yawn, her movements incredibly alluring, exuding charm in every gesture. She raised her eyes and looked at the two returning to the courtyard with a gentle smile.
“Why did you take so long to come back? I thought you weren’t returning tonight.” She paused, her smile deepening as her gaze settled on Jiang Huai. “As your current Master Mother, you should at least send someone to tell me if you aren’t coming back.”
Before she could finish, her gaze swept over the person at Jiang Huai’s side.
Suddenly, her expression froze.
The smile on her face solidified instantly, like a lake surface struck by a freezing wind. Su Yingman’s heart nearly skipped a beat. Her beautiful pupils constricted, and her breathing faltered for a brief second.
She was currently at the Great Ascension Stage, so she could naturally see details that others could not.
The “Qin Xuange” before her certainly possessed Qin Xuange’s body, and the cultivation of the Divine Transformation Realm was not a lie. But that Divine Sense could not possibly belong to Qin Xuange!
Qin Qingyue’s Divine Sense? In Qin Xuange’s body?!
“What are you standing at the door for?”
A mumble came from beside her. Zhu Siyao, wearing only a set of red sleepwear, rubbed her eyes as she walked out of the house. She stepped onto the cool ground with bare feet and stood next to Su Yingman. She peeked at Jiang Huai in the courtyard and then at the hand-on-hip Qin Xuange, blinking in confusion.
“Coming back so late? Was it a success? Did you get the Red Dragon Yin Essence?”
Su Yingman did not speak. She simply reached out and gently pinched Zhu Siyao’s shoulder. Zhu Siyao tilted her head, her large eyes blinking, completely failing to understand the meaning behind Su Yingman’s sudden gesture.
Qin Qingyue stood with her hands on her hips, watching the scene with a half-smile. She slowly stepped forward toward Su Yingman. The dragon tail behind her swayed gently in a lazy manner, yet as it brushed through the air, it made a faint *whoosh* sound.
Su Yingman’s face shifted slightly. She hurriedly stepped forward, almost running to meet her, and grabbed Qin Qingyue’s arm in an exaggeratedly intimate gesture. The smile on her face instantly turned fawning.
“Why didn’t you—”
‘Don’t speak.’
A soul transmission entered her ear like a thin thread.
Su Yingman immediately silenced herself, her mouth shut tight. However, the smile on her face became even more flattering, and her hold on the arm became more affectionate. Simultaneously, she sent out her own soul transmission.
‘Sister, why didn’t you say you were coming back earlier?’ Her tone was filled with surprise, flattery, and a hint of guilt. ‘Sister is truly incredible to be able to return under these circumstances. I already said the Immortal Realm couldn’t possibly trap you. While you were away, I’ve been managing the Nine Heavens Palace perfectly. It’s flourishing!’
Qin Qingyue looked at her with a knowing smile.
‘I didn’t say anything earlier?’ she transmitted back, her tone lazy. ‘I just wanted to see if Jiang Huai had “remarried” and if the position of Main Wife had been taken by someone else.’
She paused, her smile deepening.
‘Well done, Su Yingman. You’re quite something.’ She scanned Su Yingman up and down, her gaze meaningful. ‘How long have I been gone? Are you living that comfortably?’
Su Yingman’s expression froze again. She gave a dry laugh, her guilt making her unable to look Qin Qingyue in the eye. She could only keep shaking the other woman’s arm.
‘Sister, Sister, I was only joking! Who doesn’t know of my loyalty to you!’ She quickly changed the subject. “Let’s go inside to talk! Sister, please!”
Without leaving room for argument, she pulled Qin Qingyue toward the house.
Jiang Huai stood in the courtyard, watching the scene with a bewildered expression. Why was Su Yingman acting so strange today?
“Why does Sister Su seem a bit weird today?” Zhu Siyao had also noticed the oddity and asked Jiang Huai while tilting her head.
Jiang Huai was thoughtful but couldn’t figure it out either. Was it because of Qin Xuange’s face? Or something else? It couldn’t possibly be about Qin Qingyue. He had checked multiple times. The cultivation was at the Divine Transformation Realm, and the dragon form was exactly that of Qin Xuange. He had even used the Black Dragon Mark on his abdomen to sense her, but there was no response.
It wasn’t Qin Qingyue.
Most importantly, if it really were Qin Qingyue, she would have said so. He shook his head, wondering if his longing for Qin Qingyue had caused his brain to malfunction. She was clearly in the Immortal Realm, so how could she appear before him? He was just being paranoid.
Inside the house.
After Su Yingman pulled Qin Qingyue inside, she immediately let go and took a step back. She scrutinized the person before her cautiously. That face truly belonged to Qin Xuange, but that gaze, that presence, and that smirk when looking at her… there was no mistake.
“Main Wife…” she whispered, testing the waters. “It seems you don’t wish to reveal your identity? Why?”
She paused and looked toward the door. “Does Jiang Huai know?”
Qin Qingyue shook her head. She raised her hand and waved it slightly, signaling Su Yingman not to speak of this to anyone. She had her own considerations. On one hand, if everyone knew she was Qin Qingyue, it would inevitably reach the ears of the Black Dragon Clan. She didn’t know what the situation was there yet, so it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Furthermore, she hadn’t fully figured out this Bloodline Secret Method.
On the other hand, she thought she might have to rely on this form to stay by Jiang Huai’s side for a long time. Although the duration was short each time, she should be able to return several times. She found Qin Xuange’s attitude to be quite peculiar, and she wanted to use this chance to be near Jiang Huai. If that were the case…
A myriad of thoughts flashed through her mind, but she couldn’t speak them aloud; the Qin Xuange within her Spirit Platform could hear her as well. Thus, she only gave a vague answer.
“It’s because of the Black Dragon Clan. Don’t ask too much.”
Seeing that she was unwilling to elaborate, Su Yingman didn’t dare ask further. she only responded submissively, “I understand. You can trust my lips, Main Wife.”
Qin Qingyue walked unceremoniously to the bed and sat down, her posture as relaxed as if she were in her own room. She picked up a cup of tea from the small table by the bed, lifted the lid, blew on it gently, and took a sip.
“You aren’t allowed to stay here tonight.” She raised her eyes to look at Su Yingman, her tone flat. “Take Zhu Siyao and leave.”
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the room’s furnishings.
“Tonight, only Jiang Huai and I are allowed in this courtyard.”
Su Yingman was stunned. “Understood.”
A strange feeling welled up in her heart, but she didn’t voice it.
‘What does this mean? Could the Main Wife be planning to use Qin Xuange’s body to…’