Ta-da!
“Look, what is this?”
Not far from the Shen family home, there was a small grove. A carriage was parked inside the woods.
It was the same Fire-wheeled Carriage that had carried Shen Lingxi back home.
Beside the carriage, Gu Ming took out several sheets of paper from his robe and handed them to Shen Lingxi.
Shen Lingxi flipped through them, her eyes suddenly widening. She murmured in confusion, “These are Travel Permits, along with fake identities for me, my father, and my mother?”
She looked at Gu Ming, her face full of bewilderment.
Gu Ming scratched his head and looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Last time, didn’t you say you didn’t want to be the Saintess?”
“I also told you that I pleaded with the Great Elder, but that old stubborn man refused.”
“So, I came up with another way.”
“I thought I would let you all change your identities and live in seclusion.”
“As long as you have those Travel Permits, you can go anywhere you want, provided it isn’t Demon Cult territory.”
“Oh, right. Although those identity details are fake, they are recorded within the Righteous Path Alliance. They are no different from the real thing, so you don’t have to worry.”
“I spent a great deal of effort to get my hands on these.”
“Ah, right, I forgot to give you this. Here, this is over 1,000 High-grade Spirit Stones. It should be enough for your expenses while in hiding.”
Gu Ming remembered something and hurriedly pulled a bag from his robe, handing it to Shen Lingxi.
“Hehe, this is the allowance I’ve been saving for a long time… Hmm?”
However, Shen Lingxi did not take it. She merely stared blankly at the talkative Gu Ming.
Noticing that something was wrong with her, Gu Ming tilted his head. He thought carefully but didn’t feel he had said anything offensive.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Ming asked.
“There is no fake identity for you. Are you not coming with us?”
Shen Lingxi bit her red lip almost imperceptibly, forcing down the low emotions in her heart.
Listening to Gu Ming’s explanation, she should have been happy. She had only mentioned it casually back then, but she hadn’t expected Gu Ming to take it seriously and actually carry it out.
However, she couldn’t bring herself to be happy.
Perhaps it was because of her conversation with Father Shen, but she felt sensitive. She found the Travel Permits and the identity papers in her hand somewhat repulsive.
“I can’t go with you.” Noticing the change in Shen Lingxi’s mood, Gu Ming stopped joking and turned serious.
“Why?” Shen Lingxi asked softly, but she emphasized every word.
“If I go into seclusion with you, my brother will dig three feet deep into the ground to find me. If that happens, you would definitely be captured and brought back to be the Saintess. That is the last thing I want to see,” Gu Ming said, sensing the heavy atmosphere and intentionally trying to sound lighthearted. “Besides, as long as I don’t leave, I can interfere from within and misdirect Saintess Mountain’s search for you. Wouldn’t that be better?”
“It’s not better.”
“Eh?”
“I won’t do it.”
Shen Lingxi’s gaze was resolute. Before Gu Ming’s wide-eyed stare, she personally tore those sheets of paper to shreds.
Watching the papers scatter on the ground, Gu Ming panicked. He quickly crouched down to pick them up, trying to piece them back together.
He was somewhat annoyed. “What are you doing? It was so hard for me to get those!”
Shen Lingxi remained unfazed. “I do not want to live in a world without you. Therefore, I don’t need them.”
Hearing what sounded like a confession, Gu Ming should have been happy. Instead, he pulled a long face.
“I don’t want to live in a world without you either, but it won’t work.”
“Because… I’m not worthy?” Shen Lingxi thought of her father’s words and pursed her trembling lips.
“Because you’ll die.”
“Die? Why?”
“Saintess Mountain once had a Holy Maiden Candidate with Heavenly Grade Aptitude, but she failed and died,” Gu Ming said heavily. “I don’t want to see you follow in her footsteps. That’s why I got the Travel Permits and the fake identities.”
“But it’s too late to say anything now. These documents are ruined. Even if I paste them back together, they probably won’t work.”
“Of course, this isn’t your fault. The fault lies with me for not explaining it clearly to you from the start.”
“Lingxi, don’t take it to heart.”
“Sigh, I’ll just have to go back and get another set.”
Gu Ming scratched his head, feeling a bit of a headache.
“No need,” Shen Lingxi said. “I don’t need them, and I won’t live in seclusion under a false name.”
Hearing this, Gu Ming slowly stood up and stared into Shen Lingxi’s eyes. “You will die.”
“Even so, I don’t want to live in a world without you,” Shen Lingxi said seriously. “Besides, just because she failed doesn’t mean I will.”
“It’s impossible to succeed. Because other than the first generation, no one has ever been able to successfully receive the inheritance.”
Gu Ming shook his head bitterly.
It was for this very reason that Shen Lingxi’s family could have used fake identities to live in seclusion. Because no one really believed Shen Lingxi could actually become the Saintess.
However —
“I want to try.”
There wasn’t a trace of confusion in Shen Lingxi’s eyes. Instead, they became even more determined.
To her, this was the one chance to change the gap in status between her and Gu Ming.
The prestige of the Saintess of Saintess Mountain was incredibly high.
Would an unprecedented second-generation Saintess still be unworthy of the Second Young Master of the Gu Family?
Looking at the serious Shen Lingxi, Gu Ming finally surrendered and let out a long sigh.
“I understand. In that case, I will support you with everything I have.”
Hearing this, Shen Lingxi finally smiled.
***
Afterward, Gu Ming and Shen Lingxi shared a hurried meal at the Shen family home before setting out on the journey back to Saintess Mountain.
On the way back, Gu Ming couldn’t help but ask, “Why not stay a few more days? You could have spent more time with your parents.”
Shen Lingxi shook her head slightly and said, “No. There are more important things to do now.”
Gu Ming didn’t ask further.
After returning to her courtyard at Saintess Mountain, Shen Lingxi opened the Saintess Heart Scripture for the first time.
The dense text on the pages made her feel dizzy for a moment, but she forced herself to endure and study it carefully.
After studying, she began to practice according to the methods recorded within.
During this time, Gu Ming frequently sent various precious medicinal herbs to her courtyard for her to use in medicinal baths to improve her meridians.
Of course, Saintess Mountain also sent some rare herbs to assist her cultivation.
Gradually, Shen Lingxi’s mastery of the Saintess Heart Scripture became more mature, and her physical condition improved significantly compared to before.
One day, while Gu Ming was transporting medicinal herbs from his home as usual, he happened to run into his brother —
A 17-year-old young genius and the Young Alliance Leader of the Righteous Path Alliance.
His features were very similar to Gu Ming’s, but they held a bit more coldness and heroism, and he appeared much more mature.
“Gu Ming.”
“Brother… Hehe, I was just planning to…”
“I have no interest in what you are doing. I only want to know: when do you plan to fulfill what you promised me?”
Gu Ming’s face stiffened. Then, he said seriously, “After Lingxi becomes the Saintess.”