Chapter 301: Reincarnation

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

Qin Yanyan finally understood why her father never wanted to reveal his identity.

Although Qin Haoran was the Sect Leader of one of the four major demonic sects, a dark emperor of the underworld with countless ruthless and cold-blooded demon cultivators under his command, this identity was not something he could flaunt.

Otherwise, if Qin Yanyan encountered an opponent, and the opponent first boasted about their identity, saying they were someone from a top-tier sect, and that she should surrender, things would get complicated.

If Qin Yanyan then revealed with a wicked smile that her father was the Sect Leader of a demonic sect, and they should obediently surrender to avoid being beaten to death by her, the scenario would be clear-cut.

Then, there would be no more then. The opponent would directly report to the authorities, and the Nine Nether Sect would be eradicated.

The Sect Leader of the Nine Nether Sect was the number one wanted criminal of the Great Xia Dynasty.

It would be akin to walking right into a trap.

Moreover, if his identity was exposed, and everyone knew that Qin Yanyan’s father was the Sect Leader of a demonic sect, it would affect Qin Yanyan’s political examination and future prospects.

Most importantly, he was also burdened with huge debts, leading to an extremely unstable life with the constant risk of being hunted down by creditors.

Su Yiren might even think Qin Haoran was unreliable and decide to divorce him upon knowing all this.

“Do you really not remember where the treasure is hidden at all?” Meng Jingzhou asked persistently, knowing that this was a treasure belonging to a demonic sect leader, its value immeasurable.

Li Haoran frowned deeply, trying hard to recall his memories.

Qin Haoran’s memory fragments were not only intermittent but also blurry in some places, like seeing flowers through a fog.

“Let me think, let me think… It should be something from four hundred years ago… related to locust trees…”

Lu Yang pondered for a moment and then transmitted a message to the three female ghosts.

In the main hall, the sound of students reciting books brought a refreshing feeling to the dilapidated temple. The three scantily clad female ghosts moved about in the hall, causing the scholars to be very excited.

“Whoever performs well in this class, I will give private lessons,” the green-clad female ghost said softly, full of charm.

Upon hearing this, the scholars’ eyes lit up, and they started studying with unprecedented enthusiasm: “Isn’t it a joy to learn and practice what is learned…”

The three female ghosts, upon hearing Lu Yang’s transmitted message, clapped their hands and said, “Gentlemen, we have some matters to attend to. The next class will be self-study.”

They left the puzzled scholars and went to the side room.

“How many locust trees over four hundred years old are there in Ancient Locust Town?”

The three female ghosts were stunned by the question. Little Seven, being the smartest, replied, “Currently, there are eighty locust trees over four hundred years old, but not all locust trees from four hundred years ago have survived to this day. Some were cut down to make furniture, some were burned as firewood, and Ancient Locust Town also experienced a great fire that killed many locust trees.”

Meng Jingzhou felt the situation was tricky. He originally thought that there wouldn’t be many locust trees over four hundred years old and that they could check them one by one, but he realized he had underestimated the complexity, as most locust trees hadn’t survived until now.

Lu Yang nodded and asked again, “When will you submit the yang energy to Master Mi?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“What is Master Mi’s level?”

“Should be at the early stage of Nascent Soul.”

This was roughly what Lu Yang had guessed. The head of a county in the demonic sect usually had a cultivation level at the early stage of Nascent Soul. Someone like Helmsman Chu of Yanjiang County, who was only at the late stage of Golden Core, was an exception.

After all, the cultivators in Yanjiang County generally had lower cultivation levels, so there was no need to send someone too powerful as the local head.

“Tomorrow, you three will follow my arrangement…”

…

In Shoutian County, in a basement rented for twenty spirit stones a month.

Master Mi, the head of the Nine Nether Sect in Shoutian County, was cautiously pouring tea for a handsome young man.

The young man’s cultivation level was not high, only at the late stage of Foundation Building.

“Master Mi, you’re too courteous. I’m just a low-level disciple in the sect. I dare not trouble you, Master Mi.”

“Please, don’t call me Master Mi. Just call me Old Mi,” he said with a forced smile, while secretly cursing inside. Who would dare to treat you as a low-level disciple?

The young man leisurely sipped his tea, showing no respect for Master Mi, as if Master Mi was his subordinate. “You should know the purpose of my visit this time.”

“For the treasure that Sect Leader Qin hid in Ancient Locust Town?”

The young man set down his teacup and casually said, with an air of confidence, “To be precise, it’s my treasure.”

Seeing Master Mi hesitate, the young man crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back slightly, and reclined in his chair. “What’s the matter? Master Mi still doesn’t believe that I am the reincarnation of Qin Haoran?”

“Young Master Qin, you jest. Everyone in the sect knows you are the reincarnation of Sect Leader Qin.”

Although Master Mi said this, he was somewhat skeptical inside.

At some point, a rumor started circulating in the sect, saying that the former Sect Leader Qin Haoran had glimpsed part of the truth of reincarnation. Although his life plate shattered and he died, in reality, he entered the cycle of reincarnation, planning for the great struggles of the future era.

Recently, three young men with the surname Qin emerged, each claiming to be the reincarnation of Qin Haoran and seeking to inherit his legacy.

Each of these three young men was backed by high-ranking members of the Nine Nether Sect, so no one dared to openly deny any of their claims to be Qin Haoran’s reincarnation, nor could they assert which one truly was.

This involved the internal power struggles of the Nine Nether Sect’s upper echelon.

Master Mi suspected that the higher-ups had split into three factions, each wanting to seize Qin Haoran’s legacy, thus promoting their own candidate as his reincarnation.

The young man in front of him was one of the three alleged reincarnations, so Master Mi treated him with utmost respect, not daring to show any neglect.

What if he really was the reincarnation of Sect Leader Qin?

Being polite wouldn’t hurt.

Moreover, how could someone like him venture out without a guardian?

Surely, someone was hidden in the shadows, protecting this young man.

Master Mi speculated that this young man’s position was unstable and that he wanted to find the treasure left by Sect Leader Qin in Ancient Locust Town to strengthen his claim as the reincarnation.

There were many rumors about the treasure in Ancient Locust Town.

This was not something Qin Haoran had disclosed himself, but rather something a trusted confidant revealed after his fall.

The confidant claimed that Sect Leader Qin had put some papers in a wooden box, and he had glimpsed large amounts of spirit stones written on the papers, possibly silver notes that could be exchanged for spirit stones at the guilds.

The confidant also deduced from various clues left by Sect Leader Qin that he had hidden the wooden box in Ancient Locust Town.

Initially, the confidant didn’t think much of it, but after Sect Leader Qin’s fall, he developed a greedy desire to claim the box for himself.

However, the box had been sealed with special restrictions by Sect Leader Qin, blocking all external probing methods. The confidant had visited Ancient Locust Town several times without success.

The higher-ups were aware of this matter but had also been unable to locate the box.

They couldn’t openly turn Ancient Locust Town upside down, as it would alert the court.

Thus, the matter was put on hold, with Master Mi instructed to keep an eye out.

Master Mi had been monitoring for years with no results, only occasionally asking the female ghosts about it to show the higher-ups that he was still diligently searching.

(End of the chapter)