am-books Chapter 516: Qin Lingge
Chapter 516: Qin Lingge
Chapter 516: Qin Lingge
After arriving in Jade Capital, Zhang Yuelu did not rush home but first went to Tiangang Hall, intending to meet her master, Sage Cihang. After all, it had been nearly half a year since they last saw each other. The master-and-disciple pair were as close as mother and daughter.
However, upon reaching Tiangang Hall, Zhang Yuelu learned that Sage Cihang was not there but had gone to Purple Mansion, with no clear indication of when she would return. Left with no other choice, she decided to stop by Yaoguang Division along the way.
Coincidentally, Mu Jin was on duty today. Seeing Zhang Yuelu return, she was overjoyed.
Their relationship was rather interesting—not only that of superior and subordinate but also somewhat like close confidantes. In private, they interacted quite casually.
As Zhang Yuelu entered her office, she casually asked, “Didn’t I approve your leave? Why are you still on duty?”
Following behind, Mu Jin grinned and replied, “I came in for duty precisely because of the leave. The extra pay is triple the usual, and besides, there’s not much to do, so I can take care of other things in the meantime.”
“You’re always good at calculating things like that.” Zhang Yuelu clicked her tongue. “By the way, where’s Xu Kou? Isn’t he supposed to be on duty?”
Since Xu Kou had gone home to visit his family, he had happened to miss the major case in Jinling Prefecture. So, during this period when others were taking a break, he was assigned to be on duty. A Superintendent had to be stationed at Yaoguang Division at all times to ensure someone could independently handle any urgent matters if needed.
Mu Jin voluntarily giving up her leave to earn triple the usual pay was her choice, but that did not mean Xu Kou could take a break.
“He heard that the Confucians and Buddhists were arriving in Jade Capital today, so he went to check out the commotion,” Mu Jin answered.
“Why didn’t you go? I heard they’re bringing along the so-called ‘most handsome man in the world,’” Zhang Yuelu remarked.
Mu Jin pursed her lips. “That must be a gimmick. If he’s the most handsome man in the world, then I must be the most beautiful woman in the world!”
Zhang Yuelu inquired, “By the way, what’s his name? I don’t recall hearing about him.”
Always well-informed, Mu Jin replied, “His name is Qin Lingge. They say that he’s not only good-looking but also an unparalleled genius.”
In Jade Capital, there was never a shortage of so-called geniuses, so Zhang Yuelu did not take it too seriously. She merely asked, “What exactly makes him an unparalleled genius? How does he compare to the Taiping Sect’s Li Changge or the Quanzhen Sect’s Yao Pei?”
Mu Jin teased, “Well, a mere commoner like me can’t judge how exactly he’s an unparalleled genius. But I heard that the Qingping Society released a Ruyi Leaderboard, placing Li Changge first, Yao Pei second, and Qin Lingge third. You’re ranked fifth, my dearest Deputy Hall Master Zhang.”
Zhang Yuelu waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve never considered myself an unparalleled genius. Even if they placed me at 50th, I wouldn’t mind in the slightest.”
Mu Jin continued, “That said, the Ruyi Leaderboard is similar to the Junior Xuan Leaderboard back then. There’s an age limit, primarily including Xiantian Beings under 30. The Ruyi Leaderboard has 365 individuals, most of whom are in the Guizhen stage. There are only a handful of exceptionally talented Yuxu-stage practitioners.
“Now that you’re a Heavenly Being, you’ve been removed from the list, along with Li Changge and Yao Pei. This makes Qin Lingge the undisputed number one on the Ruyi Leaderboard. Also, guess what? Tian Yuan actually made it onto the list. He’s ranked tenth!”
To be fair, Zhang Yuelu was certainly a beauty, though not an unparalleled one. She could hardly claim the title of “most beautiful in the world.”
But beauty was in the eye of the beholder. To Qi Xuansu, Zhang Yuelu was undoubtedly the most stunning. Next was Madam Qi, then Sage Cihang, and finally Li Qingnu, Xie Jin, and Yao Pei. His preferences were clearly influenced by his closeness to these women.
As for why Madam Qi ranked slightly below Zhang Yuelu, it had absolutely nothing to do with him forgetting his mother after getting a wife. Rather, it was simply that Madam Qi was a bit older. She was not old per se, But that kind of charm from a mature beauty could not quite match youthful appeal.
Mu Jin suddenly changed the subject. “Oh, by the way, Young Master Qin has an extraordinary romance. You’ll never guess who the woman is.”
“Who?” Zhang Yuelu asked directly.
Mu Jin lowered her voice slightly. “She’s a Confucian Master, just one step away from becoming a Great Master. People say Tian Yuan is a kept man, but if you ask me, this guy is the real kept man living off a woman.”
In the Confucian School, a Great Master was equivalent to a Daoist Great Sage, while a Master corresponded to a Daoist Sage. Zhang Yuelu had just advanced to the third rank, still a step away from a second-rank Taiyi Daoist master. In that sense, she was indeed inferior to this Confucian Master.
However, times have changed. The Confucian School was no longer the formidable force that once stood as the Daoist Order’s equal. It had become somewhat of a vassal of the Daoist Order. So when it came to actual influence, comparisons were not so straightforward.
Zhang Yuelu inquired, “How old is this female Great Master?”
Mu Jin thought for a moment before replying, “Definitely older than you. Probably in her thirties? Maybe even in her forties? But certainly not yet fifty.”
“How old is Qin Lingge?”
“He should be about the same age as Tian Yuan, or at most one or two years older,” Mu Jin answered.
Zhang Yuelu chuckled. “An old cow eating tender grass, huh?”
Mu Jin said, “Don’t laugh! This is a blessing. Why is it acceptable for an 18-year-old bride to marry an 80-year-old groom, but not for an 80-year-old bride to take an 18-year-old groom?”
“Well, I'm certainly not interested in that kind of romance. I’m heading home. You can stay here and mind your duties.” Zhang Yuelu had no intention of continuing the nonsensical conversation with Mu Jin.
Just then, someone knocked on the door from outside. “Is Senior Sister Zhang here?”
Mu Jin got up and opened the door. A young girl, looking only about 15 or 16, walked in.
Zhang Yuelu recognized her. It was her master’s last disciple, making this girl her junior sister.
“Junior Sister Xiao, what’s the matter?” Zhang Yuelu asked.
The young girl was very respectful toward her renowned Senior Sister Zhang. “Master has returned and asked that you go over.”