Legend of the Great Sage

Chapter 1347: Princess

All of Li Qingshan’s hairs stood on end. Suddenly, he looked back, only to see a white deer standing high up on the ridge of the roof on the other side of the street. Its antlers pierced into the air like crystal coral. The moon hung behind its head, illuminating its snowy coat that shone with nine colours. It was clearly so bright and beautiful, yet it did not seem high and mighty at all. Instead, it was as gentle and noble as a streak of moonlight. He had actually failed to sense her approach.

Thinking of the name of the place, White Deer country, and all the wild deer that lived in the city, Li Qingshan said in surprise, “Don’t tell me you’re that princess emeritus?”

“Kid, is there something wrong with your eyes? I’m clearly a nine-coloured deer. How can I be a human princess?”

The nine-coloured deer leapt down gently and arrived before Li Qingshan without touching the ground. It stared at him in interest with its pitch-black eyes that had no eye whites, only pupils.

“Jiu’er, you’re talking nonsense again!”

A soft voice rang out. The nine-coloured deer’s voice was already extremely gentle, but the voice was even gentler. Even when she scolded the deer, it almost seemed like a murmur, about to vanish into the surrounding air.

Li Qingshan became astounded once again, as only now did he notice a woman with long hair like ink and green clothes like bamboo sitting sideways on the nine-coloured deer’s back, seemingly a little shy with strangers, her head lowered and her eyes down. She was like a timid, sleeping lotus.

However, she just sat there boldly, with her figure much more slender than any regular woman’s. It made Li Qingshan wonder whether there was something wrong with his eyes. Otherwise, how could he not have noticed her? Her ability to hide her aura was no weaker than the spirit turtle’s, which made him even more cautious!

Only upon closer observation did he discover that she had not hid her aura. Instead, she had blended together perfectly with the surrounding environment, as natural as bamboo that had grown there for several decades, unable to raise anyone’s attention. She probably played a role in the fact that the nine-coloured deer could get so close to him without being discovered too.

Just like how thoughts occurred like lightning, Li Qingshan made a judgement in a split second. The woman’s cultivation was far beyond his. She definitely was not an opponent that he could fight right now, and it was very likely that she was the princess emeritus that the lord of White Deer country spoke of!

Coupled with the nine-coloured deer beneath her that seemed to be an exotic beast yet possessed unknown strength, it was even more impossible for him to win. Just with the speed she had demonstrated when she leapt down, probably even fleeing would not be easy.

“You piece of wood, he’s calling you a bastard, and you still don’t let me talk back. Kid, it’s not too late for you to take that back!”

The nine-coloured deer threatened, but she seemed far too gentle and graceful, so it was not particularly threatening.

The woman who had just been called a “piece of wood” kept her head lowered and said gently, “What they call me is their problem. What does it have to do with me? If they’re right, then we should improve ourselves. Not only should we not get angry, but we should be thanking him instead!”

“What if he’s wrong? Then you’re a bastard?” the nine-coloured deer asked.

“Since I’m not a bastard, then there’s even less reason for it to have anything to do with us.”

The nine-coloured deer lowered her head as if she had been defeated.

Li Qingshan had already prepared himself for a struggle to the death, so he could not help but become stunned by that. What’s going on? Not only has she not gotten angry when I called her a bastard, but she’s even speaking for me. Don’t tell me… don’t tell me I’ve met a being that only exists in the legends, a good person?

Impossible. That’s absolutely impossible. Is this still the same cultivation community I’m familiar with?

He tried probing her out. “You’re that princess emeritus?”

The woman confirmed gently, such that it was almost inaudible.

“I call you names, yet you don’t get angry. You’re not thinking of killing me?” Li Qingshan widened his eyes and made a gesture across his throat.

“You’re a good person. Even if I get angry, I won’t kill you.”

The woman glanced at him. Seeing him make that suicidal gesture, she could not help but smile, like green ripples on the surface of a lake.

Ever since Li Qingshan had arrived in the Human realm, he had either seen bandits or rebels, as well as that foolish lord of the country who was only a Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet he viewed all the living creatures as ants. Even Zhu Yingcai whose life he had saved did not possess much gratitude. Instead, he wanted to hitch a free ride and take advantage of him a little more. It basically made him wonder whether he was wrong about winning people over by virtue.

Now that he had heard such a simple sentence, even praising him as a good person, he was basically so emotionally touched that he wanted to shed tears.

“How do you know I’m a good person?” He abruptly recalled the feeling of being watched and the strange cry of a deer. He immediately understood. “So you’ve been following me the entire time?”

The nine-coloured deer said in a disgruntled manner, “How can you call that following you the entire time? We came here way before you and basically watched you jump over the city walls.” He sniffed Li Qingshan. “You seem to possess the bloodline of the qilin?”

“You can even smell that?”

Li Qingshan shivered inside. The low-level cultivators of the Human realm were a bunch of weaklings, but powerful cultivators would definitely be capable of many things beyond his understanding. Fortunately, he had encountered this strange duo, or he really would be in danger.

“Of course! Hmm? That’s strange. There seems to be other scents.” The nine-coloured deer moved closer, and the woman on her back moved closer to him too. Her face reddened slightly, and she scolded, “Jiu’er!”

Li Qingshan took a step back. “Men and women should keep their distance. Please show some self-respect, lady!”

“Kid, you’re just asking to die. I can destroy you right now if you want!”

Li Qingshan smiled. “I’m certain the two of you aren’t people, er, deer, that kill the innocent.”

“Sigh, good people get deceived while good deer get ridden!”

Li Qingshan clasped his hands. “I am Li Qingshan. May I ask for your names, fellows?”

“Hmph, your ninth great aunt!” “Ruan Yaozhu.”

Li Qingshan smiled. The nine-coloured deer was not weak. It was a Daemon Emperor at the very least. It might even be a Daemon Sovereign, but it was not particularly old. He was in the Human realm and his cultivation was below hers, so he struggled to determine her exact cultivation.

However, this Ruan Yaozhu was definitely a Human Sovereign. A Human Sovereign with a personality and bearing like that was basically polar opposites from Si Long. It was extremely fascinating.

“Why are you here? To protect the incompetent ruler?”

Ruan Yaozhu touched the wilted peach tree. “The peach tree died because of you.”

Li Qingshan confessed. “That’s correct, so I’m a bastard too. I’ve committed a small act of weakness for a greater good.”

However, when he looked at the dead peach tree, many new sprouts appeared again, having been revitalised.

Li Qingshan did not sense the pulse of any powers. Her ability to manipulate the environment and control nature was far more profound than anything the Qilin’s Conventions of Longevity was currently capable of. He even felt like she was more suited to practise the Qilin’s Conventions of Longevity than him with her personality and bearing.

A smear of sorrow appeared on her face. She said softly, “You were right. Life, death, ups and downs, as fate foretells. A tree is as such, a country is as such! I can make wilted trees bloom again, but I cannot revive a fallen country. If you were to go off buddhism, then it would be ‘magical powers stand no chance against karma’.”