Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 436 422: Replacing Huang Wanshi

In the middle of the night, Pang Xiaoming was jolted awake by the vibration of his Transmission Token.

He picked up the Transmission Token. A message was on it, sent by his Dao Companion's Pill Boy.

"Elder Pang, my master meticulously dressed up in the middle of the night and just left!"

"From the direction she was heading... she's going to Pei Sword Immortal's room."

CLATTER. The Transmission Token dropped onto the bed.

Pang Xiaoming felt blood rush to his head, and his ears began to ring. He gripped the sheets so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Wanshi..."

His Adam's apple bobbed, his voice a hoarse, ragged whisper.

The ghastly white moonlight outside the window illuminated Pang Xiaoming's ashen face.

No man could watch his Dao Companion cheat on him and do nothing! Even a cuckold has his limits!

He violently threw off the silk quilt. Without even taking the time to properly tie his outer robe, he flung it over his shoulders and charged outside.

The night wind, thick with rain, slashed at his face like a cold knife, but it couldn't extinguish the fire raging in his heart.

Pang Xiaoming ran so hard his ornamental cap was knocked askew, and a few stray locks of hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. He stared fixedly in the direction of Pei Yuhang's quarters, his eyes bloodshot. Even his breath tasted of iron.

"Pei Yuhang—you dare make a move on my wife!"

He growled under his breath. The moonlight stretched his shadow long, twisting it into a sinister silhouette on the rain-slicked deck.

...

...

Jiu watched Huang Wanshi's Divine Soul dissipate into the air. She casually shoved the beautiful corpse from her arms. The once-seductive body crumpled to the floor like a rag doll, landing with a dull thud.

She flicked the blood from her dagger, pursing her lips. "Should have killed her cleanly like this from the start."

With that, Jiu turned to the stone-faced Pei Yuhang and continued, annoyed,

"I really don't get you. A dignified Void Refining Cultivator, letting some old woman threaten and flirt with you. Don't tell me Pei Sword Immortal is into that sort of thing?"

Jiu's voice held a suppressed trace of anger she herself hadn't even noticed.

Pei Yuhang didn't look at her. He simply rose, walked over to Huang Wanshi's body, and began to roll it up in a straw mat.

"I just wanted to hear from her how she was threatening Senior Sister."

Jiu watched Pei Yuhang tend to Huang Wanshi's body without a word. She just snorted, her gaze drifting to the thickening curtain of rain outside the window. She grumbled to herself:

'Who knows? You were probably getting weak in the knees listening to that old hag's flirting.

If I hadn't stepped in, you might have just gone with the flow and spent a passionate night with her!'

The more Jiu thought about it, the more she gritted her teeth.

'You probably think I ruined your fun, don't you!'

The thought gnawed at her sanity like a venomous snake. The angrier she got, the more she stewed. Seeing the body of Huang Wanshi, now wrapped up by Pei Yuhang, she gave it a couple of irritated kicks.

'Filthy woman, how dare you covet something that belongs to the Holy Daughter!'

Jiu cursed viciously in her head, then immediately straightened her posture as if she'd found the perfect justification.

'Yes, that's it! I'm protecting Pei Yuhang for the Holy Daughter!'

This thought made Jiu inexplicably giddy. A cunning glint flashed in her eyes as she secretly clenched her fists, as if she had just accepted a sacred mission.

"I'd never steal what I'm supposed to be guarding..."

she muttered unconsciously, the corners of her lips curling into a smug smile.

"Jiu, what did you say?"

Pei Yuhang's cool voice suddenly sounded from behind her, making her spine go rigid. She almost bit her tongue.

"Ah, nothing!"

Jiu realized she'd gotten too excited and spoken her thoughts aloud. She spun around hastily, meeting Pei Yuhang's questioning gaze, and her ears instantly burned hot.

To hide her fluster, she deliberately tilted her chin up and asked in a defiant tone,

"What, now that the old hag who had her eyes on you is gone, is Pei Sword Immortal feeling sentimental?"

Pei Yuhang didn't answer right away.

He lowered his gaze to the body on the floor, his brow furrowed. The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows on his chiseled profile, making him appear exceptionally grave.

He was just worried about who would take control of the caravan transporting the elixirs now that Huang Wanshi was gone.

He knew nothing about the people from Dan Yun Pavilion, so his only option was to find her second-in-command to take over.

But... what if that led to a spy from the Chosen One infiltrating their ranks? It could jeopardize the critical mission of transporting the Dragon Corpse.

Besides, if news got out that he had killed Huang Wanshi, it would inevitably destabilize the group.

When Jiu saw Pei Yuhang staring intently at Huang Wanshi's body, that nameless fire in her heart flared up again.

'Wait, I was just kidding.'

'Pei Yuhang can't seriously be sentimental about this old hag, can he?!'

'Am I not the only other woman in the room?!'

She was about to fly into a rage when Pei Yuhang suddenly looked up, his ink-black eyes boring straight into hers.

His gaze was so sharp that she instinctively took half a step back.

"Jiu."

Pei Yuhang suddenly spoke, a hint of concern in his voice. "From now on, I need you to impersonate Huang Wanshi and take command of this fleet for me.

Since you're so skilled with the Stealth Technique, I assume you're also proficient in the art of disguise."

"Huh? You want me to be Huang Wanshi?"

Jiu's voice was laced with surprise.

'She could understand his reasoning; he just wanted to conceal the news of Huang Wanshi's death.'

But—

"You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll just run off?"

Jiu chuckled.

But Pei Yuhang's expression remained calm.

"It would be better if you left. Then I wouldn't have to provide you cover from the Yin Yang Sacred Land's pursuers."

"..."

'What a heartless man.'

Jiu sighed softly and ultimately agreed to Pei Yuhang's plan.

She then placed her hands on Huang Wanshi's forehead and began to copy the corpse's memories.

However, because Huang Wanshi's Divine Soul had been destroyed, the physical memories were largely fragmented.

A perfect impersonation of Huang Wanshi would probably be impossible.

But as long as she minimized contact with close acquaintances, she should be able to avoid exposing herself.

Once she had copied most of Huang Wanshi's memories, the mask on Jiu's face distorted, slowly reforming into Huang Wanshi's features.

And her own tall, black-clad figure filled out, becoming more curvaceous.

In an instant, "Huang Wanshi" had reappeared before Pei Yuhang.

Meanwhile, Jiu casually destroyed the body on the floor with an eerie blue Spiritual Fire.

"Palace Master Pei, what do you think of your Sister Huang now~?"

"Huang Wanshi" spoke in that same soft, enchanting voice, even lifting her skirt to give a little twirl in front of Pei Yuhang.

"This rainy night is so damp and dreary. Why don't you~ keep this humble one company and warm up together, Palace Master Pei?"

"Huang Wanshi's" voice was syrupy sweet. She tugged at her clothes, revealing a fragrant, white shoulder, and began to lean into Pei Yuhang's arms.

"Alright, stop fooling around. Get back to Huang Wanshi's room, quickly. I don't want someone seeing you leave my room tomorrow and starting a scandal... If that happens, I'll have killed her for nothing."

"Tch, you're no fun."

Jiu pouted and stopped teasing Pei Yuhang.

'After all... trying to seduce the man she liked while wearing another woman's face...'

'...always felt a bit like she was cuckolding herself.'

Just as Jiu turned to leave,

BANG BANG BANG—!!!

The door suddenly shuddered with the sound of heavy, frantic pounding, accompanied by a man's crazed roar.

"Wanshi! Wanshi, open the door!"

"Pei Yuhang!! You dare touch my wife, and I'll kill you!"