At noon the next day, the blazing sun hung overhead, pouring light over the desert. Its scorching heat was almost unbearable, and the air shimmered slightly.
Sunlight streamed into Medusa's bedchamber, brightening the dim palace. Gu Shenge, who had been sleeping, stirred awake and opened his eyes, a trace of confusion in them. It took him a moment to come fully to his senses.
He sat up in bed, raised a hand to his forehead, and shook his head a few times. Remembering the passionate night he had spent with Medusa, a wry smile appeared on his handsome face.
He hadn't expected to lose—and so completely, at that. It had been a total defeat!
Gu Shenge couldn't quite understand why Medusa had been so passionate the night before. Was it because he was leaving and she wanted to make the most of their time together?
And she'd made him drink medicine every time. Was she afraid he wouldn't be up to the task? As if!
After getting dressed, Gu Shenge left the palace. Seeing Yue Mei standing guard by the entrance, he asked where Medusa was.
"Your Majesty left Snake-Person City early this morning for the Black-Corner Region, my lord."
A puzzled look crossed Gu Shenge's eyes. She'd left for the Black-Corner Region so soon? He'd been planning to say goodbye to her.
Since she wasn't here, he'd let it go.
Gu Shenge then told Yue Mei to fetch Qing Lin. He would take her with him when he left Snake-Person City and set out to travel.
"Young master~"
A short while later, Qing Lin came over behind Yue Mei and called out to Gu Shenge in a sweet voice. She wore a little blue-green dress that hugged her well-developed, delicate figure. With her curvy build and charming, lovely face, she had the natural allure of a Snake-person. Her slender waist, so delicate it seemed it could be held in one hand, swayed like a snake's as she walked, making her look like a little snake beauty.
Gu Shenge told Yue Mei to get back to her own duties, then took Qing Lin's soft hand and left the Snake-People Temple.
A few minutes later, a thirteen- or fourteen-meter-long One-Horned Golden-Patterned Black Python beat its dark-gold wings, whipping up a gale as it carried Gu Shenge and Qing Lin out of Snake-Person City and toward the Jia Ma Empire.
Above the temple, a vast cloud of crimson mist suddenly appeared. As it dispersed, Medusa—who Yue Mei had said was already on her way to the Black-Corner Region—materialized in midair.
She gazed after Gu Shenge and his little sweetheart as they disappeared into the distance, resting a jade-white hand on her snowy belly. A faint look of anticipation shone in her beautiful eyes.
"Young master, where are we going?"
Over the desolate desert, Qing Lin sat on the back of the Black Prison Soul-Devouring Python, holding Gu Shenge's hand. A puzzled expression crossed her charming little face as she asked where he was taking her.
Gu Shenge habitually stroked Qing Lin's head, gently ruffling her hair. With a smile, he replied softly, "We're going to Wutan City, Captain Xiao's hometown. How does that sound?"
Since he'd come to the Battle Through the Heavens World, how could he not meet the future Flame Emperor?
He was considering making a connection with Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan had never claimed to be a good person, but he was someone who kept his word, took responsibility for his actions, and repaid kindness.
Compared with a certain fellow who liked using Mother's Entanglement, retaliated against others under the banner of justice, and proclaimed himself pure and spotless, Xiao Yan was leagues better. He was worth befriending, and it couldn't hurt to invest in that friendship early.
"Mm. Wherever you go, young master, Qing Lin will go too."
Enjoying her young master's head-patting, Qing Lin nodded obediently. As long as she could stay by his side, she didn't mind where they went.
Looking at the sweet, well-behaved little snake beauty, Gu Shenge smiled more warmly. However, he didn't plan to travel through the Jia Ma Empire under the alias Gu Shenge. He'd already thought of another identity.
"Qing Lin, once we reach the Jia Ma Empire, you can keep calling me young master. But if anyone asks my name, don't tell them my real one."
Qing Lin looked a little confused. Then what name should she give them?
Seeing the little snake beauty's baffled expression, Gu Shenge reached out and gently pinched her tender, smooth cheek. "If anyone asks, call me Juan Shoutian."
"Juan Shoutian?" Qing Lin repeated the name.
"That's right. In the Jia Ma Empire, I am Juan Shoutian."
As Gu Shenge finished speaking, brilliant golden light surged around him. It shone like the dawn and blazed like the sun, making Qing Lin instinctively close her eyes. Its radiance was impossible to look at directly.
Suddenly, a proud voice rang out, and a grand, resonant poetic verse echoed across the sky!
"Sky and river merge, unsullied by a speck of dust; fish and dragons dive and soar, bearing witness to the Dao. Can Heaven and humanity hold to two different truths? The Dao does not walk in vain—it rests with us."
As the golden light faded, a majestic Daoist figure emerged, radiant with light. His face was peerlessly handsome, his bearing elegant; he had sword-shaped brows and phoenix eyes, with a cinnabar mark between his brows. His pale-gold hair, like the first light of dawn, fluttered in the wind. He wore an exquisitely ornate, pure-gold Daoist robe and a golden headpiece, and carried a golden-handled whisk in his left hand. A golden sword case was strapped to his back. Transcendent and otherworldly, he was like the first ray of dawn, illuminating the world!
Qing Lin opened her beautiful eyes and stared blankly at the golden Daoist before her, struck speechless.
His features had changed only slightly. His former heroic handsomeness had become more refined and gentle, yet his completely different attire and dramatically altered bearing made him almost unrecognizable to Qing Lin.
Looking at the little snake beauty, still somewhat dazed, Gu Shenge stretched out his right hand and gave Qing Lin another head-pat.
Now transformed into Juan Shoutian, Gu Shenge smiled. His voice was as warm as the midday sun, gentle as a spring breeze against the face. "What's wrong? Are you so stunned by my looks that you don't recognize your young master?"
"Young master, you look so different! I didn't recognize you at first."
Feeling Gu Shenge's familiar hand and warmth, and the gentle pressure of his touch, Qing Lin was finally sure that the person before her was her young master.
"Since even you couldn't recognize me, that means this disguise was a success. Remember, no matter who asks—even your Sister Medusa—you must say I'm Juan Shoutian, not Gu Shenge."
Gu Shenge reminded Qing Lin again. He didn't want his little snake beauty letting something slip and revealing his true identity.
Qing Lin nodded emphatically, then patted her still-developing chest with her small, fair hand, assuring him that she absolutely wouldn't reveal a single thing about his true identity.
"Qing Lin is such a good girl." Gu Shenge nodded in satisfaction and praised the little snake beauty warmly. Qing Lin's charming little face flushed, and her beautiful eyes shone with happiness and contentment.
Young master praised me again. I'm so happy~
As for why Gu Shenge had switched to the Juan Shoutian disguise, there was no special reason. He simply wanted to be cautious.
In his previous life, he hadn't been careful enough. One misstep, and his girlfriends had joined forces to take him down.
This time, he'd rather wear several more layers of disguises—even dozens—than reveal his real identity even once.
Whatever trouble Juan Shoutian caused, what did it have to do with Gu Shenge?
P.S. I originally planned to change the protagonist's name whenever he switched disguises, too, but I was worried that might confuse readers. After thinking it over, I decided to keep using the name Gu Shenge. Other people will still call the protagonist Juan Shoutian, though, which might feel a little jarring. Can you get used to that? Let me know if you have any concerns.
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