Chapter Ten: Three Thousand Cultivations and the Three Golden Scales

“Yes, and in both stories, immortals fall in love with demons, and both are tales of forbidden love between master and disciple. In the end, the immortal abandons his celestial status and becomes mortal for the one he loves.” As he spoke, Pu Tai blinked and glanced at me.

“So, if Immortal Zilian becomes mortal, does that mean he’s truly fallen in love with me?”

“It’s quite possible,” he nodded.

“Immortal Zilian has cultivated atop Lingyun Mountain for over three thousand years. For some reason, this year he suddenly announced to all six realms that he would take on a disciple.” Pu Tai waved his folding fan with a smile as he spoke.

Hearing this, I suddenly understood. “So what you’re saying is, I should follow the example of that flower spirit and the disciple from the Crane Palace—first become his apprentice, stay by his side, and then slowly find a way to make him fall in love with me, is that it?”

“You’re quick to learn.” Pu Tai nodded. “That’s one way to put it. However, discipleship in Zilian’s celestial domain is rare. I suspect the six realms are about to witness an unprecedented, earth-shattering struggle for this privilege.”

“Why?” I asked curiously. “What connection is there between Zilian’s search for a disciple and conflict among the six realms?”

“There’s certainly a connection.”

He looked at me as if I were hopeless. “To become Immortal Zilian’s disciple is to be close to immortality. But rumor has it he’ll only take one disciple, and the requirements are strict: only a mortal man, no women allowed. So the competition will be among men, not women.”

He finished with a hint of regret in his expression as he looked at me. “I was careless—I forgot that Miss Yuge is a woman. It seems that approaching Immortal Zilian as his disciple won’t be possible for you after all.”

“A man?”

I glanced at his face, then contemplated my own. Without my feminine attire, there wasn’t much difference between us. If someone as alluring as he could be a man, surely I could pass as one too. If I disguised myself, I doubted anyone would suspect.

“I… I could dress as a man.”

“Disguise yourself as a man?” He set down his wine cup, gazing at me with a half-smile. “But what about the demonic aura emanating from your body, Miss Yuge? How do you intend to conceal it?”

“Demonic aura?” I laughed. “After more than three thousand years of cultivation, surely I can suppress my demonic aura.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Are you concealing it now?”

I nodded. To avoid attracting unwanted attention from cultivators and obstructing my search for Zilian, I’d hidden my demonic aura since leaving the demon realm.

“But I can still sense it, and I’ve guessed your cultivation age, your true form, and your origin.”

He flicked his folding fan with a smile. “If a mere mortal like me can discern so much, how could those cultivators atop Cloud Mountain—or Immortal Zilian himself—fail to recognize you?”

“That’s true,” I agreed, nodding with a mournful expression. “If even this won’t work, then I’ll never be able to get close to Zilian.”

After all, I’d escaped the demon palace to search for Zilian. If I returned empty-handed, wouldn’t Chishao and Xiaoyao mock me?

“However, I do have a way,” he said, leisurely fanning himself, clearly at ease.

“What way?” My gaze fixed on him.

His eyes drifted to my chest. “Hehehe… From my observations, with your current cultivation, you should have three golden scales on your chest.”

“Three golden scales? How do you know?” I crossed my arms over my chest, staring at him warily.

“How I know doesn’t matter. What matters is that I can help you conceal your demonic aura and bring you to Immortal Zilian’s side.”

A subtle, meaningful smile played on his lips as he looked at me.