Chapter 275: First Encounters, Again
Looking at the young woman in front of him, Luo Wusheng nearly failed to keep his composure.
He almost blurted out "Your Majesty" right then and there.
He still remembered the description of the Taoist Alter Ego of the Empress from the original work.
Due to the effects of Taoist techniques, no one could clearly recall the appearance of this body. Anyone who looked upon her face would only be left with an impression of unparalleled beauty, deeply ingrained in their hearts. However, any attempt to remember specific details of her features would result in vague inaccuracies, and it was impossible to associate her with the imperial presence of the Empress.
Thinking back now, his earlier instinctive assumption that Yao Ji might be the Mortal Alter Ego of the Empress was likely influenced by the slight peculiarity in that young fox's appearance at the time.
But now, the young woman standing before him…
She looked almost identical to the Empress herself!
If not for her odd, proactive self-introduction and the subtle differences in her aura compared to the youthful ruler, he might genuinely have believed that the Empress had donned a Taoist robe and appeared before him!
Thankfully, his reaction had been quick enough.
In that fleeting moment, countless thoughts raced through his mind.
First, he was certain that the young woman before him was indeed the Taoist Alter Ego of the Empress. There was no other explanation unless the Empress intended to expose her mastery of the Empyreal Qi Synthesis: Trinity of Pristine States Technique. Otherwise, she wouldn't appear before him with this exact appearance, claiming to be the Taoist Sect Chief Disciple.
Moreover, given his interactions with Taoist sect members during the Human Immortal List competition six years ago and the Ancient Heavenly Gate event last year, he could confirm the Taoist energy flowing through her body. It was pure and unhidden, without the majesty or imperial dragon aura of her Imperial Alter Ego.
As for the resemblance…
That was likely his own issue.
Though he wasn't entirely sure which of his unique traits was responsible—his Antediluvian Nether Eye, Sword Emperor's Broken Blade, or Diabolic Saint Physique—any of these seemed plausible.
'So she really does look just like the Empress… Now that I think about it, does Miss Kirin beneath her mask look the same too? Perhaps she wears the mask to avoid exposing her identity, lacking the Taoist technique to obscure her appearance.'
But why was this Taoist Alter Ego here…
And why did she approach him with such an outdated and clumsy line like, "You look somewhat familiar"?
Well, to be fair, she wasn't wrong. After all, he had already interacted with her other two Alter Egos and established connections with both.
This Taoist Alter Ego standing before him was, in a way, a familiar stranger.
Ahem, if she's initiating contact like this, does that mean she came here specifically for him?
Luo Wusheng felt a bit flattered.
But he quickly pieced together some likely reasons.
First, putting aside the fact that he was essentially a good employee of the Immortal Nation's system now, he also represented the Demon Artifact Pavilion and had signed a contract with the Empress to supply weapons. While he had already asked Little Yuli to relay the task to his junior sister, the handover still required his personal involvement.
Secondly, as the Demon Sect's Holy Saint, he had caused quite a stir in the Immortal Nation. It made sense for the Empress to take interest in him from that perspective as well.
Lastly, perhaps his actions in taking away the Sword Fairy had triggered the world's gravitational pull toward the heroine's harem?
There could be other reasons, but he only needed to focus on the outcome now.
However, facing this Taoist Alter Ego, he couldn't continue using the alias Long Dahai. That trick wasn't going to work anymore.
After the Taoist girl had revealed her true identity, Luo Wusheng realized he couldn't afford to push his luck.
Even if he wasn't worried about the Empress giving him a hard time at work later, he had to think of his buddy, Long Dahai. It wouldn't do for brothels across the capital to hang up signs that said "No Entry for Long Dahai and Dogs".
And so, the current scene unfolded.
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The muscular man's face twitched violently. His veins pulsed on his forehead, and his expression turned strange.
In his long tenure as a Golden-Ranked member of the Six Gates Bureau, this was the first time he had encountered someone so shameless.
Just a moment ago, the boy had told him his identity was "a scattered cultivator". He was still pondering the plausibility of a name like Long Dahai.
Yet, the very next moment, when a passing Taoist immortal maiden asked, the boy's response immediately changed!
Sure, the Taoist immortal maiden had an unparalleled beauty that could rival the Empress herself…
But isn't it possible that I can still hear you over here?
Could you show some respect?
However, after his initial outrage, the muscular man paused in realization.
Ji Yanyao... Isn't that the name of the Taoist Sect's current Chief Disciple? Could this passing Taoist maiden really be the Taoist Sect's peerless prodigy?
And could the young man in front of him truly be Luo Wusheng, the Demon Sect's Holy Saint, as the Night Crow's intelligence suggested?
The Golden-Ranked member found himself deep in thought.
Unlike Luo Wusheng and Ji Yanyao, who both understood the situation clearly, the muscular man couldn't tell left from right anymore.
Despite standing just a few steps away, he felt an insurmountable and pitiful barrier between himself and the two in front of him.
Meanwhile, after his hesitant reply, Luo Wusheng glanced behind him at the muscular man.
'Somewhat resentful and uncertain… but not as shocked as I imagined. He's definitely been suspecting my true identity.'
The relentless questioning had already made Luo Wusheng suspicious.
At first, he could chalk it up to the man wanting a rematch, but the persistent inquiry about his identity now felt like it had other motives.
Yet, during their first meeting and even the battle outside Daybreak Mountain, the man had shown no such suspicious behavior...
Setting aside those thoughts, Luo Wusheng decided to ignore the other party for now and turned his attention back to the girl in front of him.
Ji Yanyao raised her eyebrows slightly in an entirely natural manner, feigning just the right amount of surprise.
"So that's it… Luo Wusheng, the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect. I saw your image once in the reflections brought back by sect members returning from the Ancient Heavenly Gate last year."
Her demeanor and movements perfectly mimicked the impression of meeting someone for the first time, down to the subtle furrow of her brows.
Luo Wusheng couldn't help but marvel at her well-honed acting skills.
In response, he slowly spoke:
"I've long heard of Taoist Yanyao's reputation, renowned across the world. However, this is indeed our first meeting. I never imagined I would encounter the legendary Chief Disciple, who rarely leaves the Taoist Sect's sanctum, in a place like this…"
Choosing his words carefully, he projected the same composed smile he had worn when he first met the Empress, maintaining a posture that matched her level.
If it's an acting contest, I'm not one to lose.
While only one of them truly lacked understanding, both Luo Wusheng and Ji Yanyao were fully aware of the situation.
Ji Yanyao shook her head slightly after hearing Luo Wusheng's response.
"I'm here on sect orders to handle some matters in Sword Province. Afterward, I'll be heading to the capital to lead our disciples in the Human Immortal List. However, I happened to detect a disturbance in the energy flow here, which is why I stopped by."
Luo Wusheng was briefly taken aback before noticing Ji Yanyao's light wave of her hand. A figure fell heavily to the ground.
"This one was setting up a sword formation outside, intending to trap and kill those here. I subdued him just as he was about to act. Is he an enemy of yours?"
The figure on the ground was stiff and motionless, his body frozen in place.
He appeared to be an elderly man, his face gaunt and weathered.
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Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD
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