Chapter 1197: Chapter 50: Only for Your Sake (Part 2)
The next moment, the spiritual light in her hand flickered abruptly, and that strand of hair disintegrated into strange yet mysterious symbols which merged into Lin Yao’s hand.
Ripples like water waves appeared on Lin Yao’s body.
Within the ripples, her figure, appearance, even cultivation and aura were rapidly transforming.
In an instant, the ripples dispersed.
The once clear and beautiful woman had already become a man.
An exceptionally handsome man.
Xia Daoyun, who had remained silent all along, finally showed some emotional changes, seemingly intrigued as she carefully scrutinized the current "Lin Yao," and then shifted her gaze to sweep over Lu Qingshan.
Xie Qingyun was doing the same.
Only Lu Qingshan’s mouth twitched, not knowing what to say.
Because....
The person Lin Yao transformed into was precisely him, Lu Qingshan.
"Can you tell any difference between me and Young Sect Master Lu?" Lin Yao bowed slightly again and asked.
Even the voice was identical to Lu Qingshan’s.
Lu Qingshan’s eyelid twitched again, his expression subtly nuanced.
After all, watching someone identical to himself acting with such feminine gestures indeed made him uncomfortable no matter how he looked at it.
"Exactly the same, even the cultivation is identical," Xie Qingyun exclaimed in amazement after looking up and down at Lin Yao for a moment.
There are many illusion techniques, but one that can even replicate one’s cultivation aura, he had indeed never encountered before.
"Truly seamless," he said.
"There are still differences," Xia Daoyun finally stopped her curious back-and-forth gaze.
"Where is it different?" Lin Yao froze, finding it a bit unimaginable.
Lu Qingshan was equally astonished.
One must know, even the top Demon Lords of the Demon Race had not been able to see through his Phantom Body Divine Vein that disguised as Qing Ge.
The mentor actually?
"I can’t explain it, but it’s just different," Xia Daoyun said.
Isn’t that just like saying nothing at all?
Lu Qingshan couldn’t help but complain, continuing to play his role as the narrator, filling in the lines in his mind.
Lin Yao, however, calmed down, smiled and said, "This must be because Young Sect Master Lu is your disciple."
"Just like identical twin brothers, whose parents can often intuitively distinguish which is the elder and which is the younger." She explained.
Actually, Lin Yao left one thing unsaid.
There is a bloodline connection between parents and children, which makes such things normal.
You and Lu Qingshan are just mentor and disciple, so why are you so familiar with him?
"So that’s how it is," Xia Daoyun nodded, seemingly deep in thought.
What she was thinking, no one could tell.
"Good, very good," Xie Qingyun was extremely satisfied, nodding.
He ignored the real Lu Qingshan, and seriously said to the fake Lu Qingshan, "For the upcoming period, you will take my place."
Lin Yao stood there dumbfounded, speechless for a long while before speaking with difficulty, "Sword Immortal Senior, you want me to transform into you?"
Xie Qingyun nodded, sincerely saying, "I need to go to the Central Spirit Domain, but Yumen Pass cannot be left without me, so I need your help."
Like a thunderbolt from the blue, Lin Yao shuddered all over, instantly understanding the Sword Sect’s intention from the previously gathered information.
"You want me to transform into you, guard Yumen Pass, intimidate the Demon Race, and then privately head to the Central Spirit Domain?"
"Smart," Xie Qingyun complimented, needing to speak good words when asking for help.
Lin Yao felt her mind turn to mush, hesitated and said, "But... but..."
"But... I’m afraid I can’t do it properly."
Lin Yao was hesitating.
She was indeed smart, knowing the significance and importance behind this matter.
Precisely because she knew, she was afraid.
If her disguise was seen through, the War Demon Clan would likely launch a full-scale attack, igniting the Second Dao-Demon War.
Such a huge responsibility was placed on a Nascent Soul Cultivator like her?
"You are a Sword Immortal, I am just a Nascent Soul Cultivator, moreover a Spiritual Cultivator. Wanting to disguise as you without being seen through is really too difficult," Lin Yao said honestly.
"You just need to pretend to be me; the rest will be handled by Daoyun, Wuqiao Peak Master and Canghai Peak Master. You don’t need to bear too much pressure," Xie Qingyun reassured.
"You can impersonate such a handsome young Sword Cultivator as Lu Qingshan so convincingly. I am just an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, so it shouldn’t be too difficult," Xie Qingyun added.
Ordinary-looking hasn’t been a derogatory term for a long time, Lu Qingshan thought.
Xie Qingyun had no idea that the young Sect Master beside him was continuously enriching the script in his mind. He flipped his palm, revealing a piece of Spirit Jade.
As he handed the Spirit Jade forward, he continued, "I’ve compiled my habits and preferences into this Spirit Jade. Qingshan said he taught you a Divine Skill, something called..."
He recalled the strange name, "An Actor’s Self-Cultivation? Anyway, with this information, you can impersonate me well."
"Moreover, don’t worry, I rarely appear in public, and the Demon Race knows even less about me.
You don’t even need to imitate my mannerisms too closely, as long as you don’t make any feminine gestures, the rest doesn’t matter." Not just Lu Qingshan, Xie Qingyun also felt uneasy watching Lin Yao bow in a feminine manner while disguised as Lu Qingshan.
"That I can do," Lin Yao relaxed a little but did not immediately take the Spirit Jade, "but being you still makes me uneasy."
It’s not that her will wasn’t steadfast enough, but it’s like suddenly being asked to impersonate a country’s top leader.
Moreover, if the identity is uncovered, it could lead to the country’s destruction.
Anyone would be uneasy.
"You weren’t so nervous when you transformed into Qingshan," Xie Qingyun spread his hands.
"Because you are the strongest cultivator in the Eastern Domain, one of only two Sword Immortals in the world."
Xie Qingyun’s eyebrows twitched slightly, seemingly unable to suppress his joy, and said self-indulgently, "So it seems I’m quite an unusual person?"
Lu Qingshan thought to himself, knowingly asking is indeed the highest form of showing off.
Also, if you want to boast, why drag me down?
He thought again, his mind agile and quick.
Lin Yao shook her head, smiled wryly, "Not just unusual, extraordinarily unusual."
Xie Qingyun patted Lin Yao’s shoulder, laughed heartily, "No matter how unusual, still just a human, right?"
"I’m human, you’re human, so there’s nothing impossible."
Lin Yao was left speechless.
"In traditional terms, you’re not considered human, but an immortal, a Sword Immortal," Lu Qingshan timely muttered softly.
Though muttering softly, in such a setting, any sound would be heard by others.
Thus, Xie Qingyun’s brows furrowed, displeased as he looked at the young Sect Master he appointed.
He withdrew the hand patting Lin Yao’s shoulder, instead giving Lu Qingshan a heavy tap on the head.
"Are you undermining me?" he asked.
Lu Qingshan, knocked and in pain, couldn’t help but feel quite aggrieved.
But dared not speak out.
Lin Yao, seeing Lu Qingshan frustrated for the first time, couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Lu Qingshan glared discontentedly at Lin Yao.
Can’t mess with the old Sect Master, but I can bully you.
Under Lu Qingshan’s glare, Lin Yao quickly restrained her laughter.
Yet, through this commotion, her anxious and apprehensive mood eased significantly.
Lin Yao suddenly realized, that the Qingyun Sword Immortal was indeed a person, capable of comforting juniors, "suppressing" disciples, a living person.
"Although I apologize for giving you so much pressure, this really is the only plan we could think of, so, please," Xie Qingyun said once more.
Lin Yao remained silent, her expression becoming solemn.
After a moment, she raised her head, looked directly at Qingyun Sword Immortal, "My mentor is still in the Central Spirit Domain. If no one supports the Central Spirit Domain, my mentor might..."
"Therefore, even if it’s just for my mentor, I have no reason to refuse."
"However, I have a question I want to ask Sword Immortal Senior."
Xie Qingyun nodded slightly, "Go on."
"Does the Sword Sect really have the confidence to shore up a collapsing situation, support a crumbling building, and single-handedly uphold the world?"
"To be honest, no."
"Then why do you still...?"
"Sword cultivators act based on right and wrong, not on gain or loss; consider the tide, not success or failure; think of eternal legacy, not one lifetime."
Another moment of silence.
Finally, Lin Yao’s expression turned resolute, extending her hand to accept the Spirit Jade from Xie Qingyun.
She solemnly said:
"Only for you."