"Well …"
Li Yao and the thick woman who looked like a chimpanzee looked at each other in bewilderment for a while. Feeling that the atmosphere was rather awkward, he had to break the ice with his silver tongue. "Well, are you Old Jin, Jin Yuyan, the director of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors? You couldn't have been a woman in the first place, could you? No, no, no, I'm not discriminating against women at all. I believe that a great woman can also achieve a shocking career, except that you already have a wife … Right, according to the latest news, your wife has joined Qi Yuanbao, the senior manager of the black-market weapons, mercenary platforms, and security services in your group, controlling the Seven Seas Grand Market for you. Also, they have publicized your death. It seems that they have completely abandoned you and are trying to monopolize the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors. "
The chimpanzee-like woman stared at Li Yao. Her eyes seemed to be covered by two layers of frosted glass, making it impossible for Li Yao to guess what was on her mind at all.
"If my guess is correct, Qi Yuanbao was the man who pretended to be a bald upstart in white fur at the beginning and was as unpredictable as smoke in a mirror later, right?"
Li Yao opened his hands, showing his utmost sincerity. "If you are really Jin Yuyan, you should've sensed the guy's hostility and killing intent at the critical moment even if you are not a battle-type Immortal Cultivator, right? If I hadn't taken action in time, you would've been chopped into dozens of pieces by his daggers! There's one more thing. Your double wasn't killed from a long-range sniper shot. The fatal bullet was intercepted by me in time and brushed past your double. I guarantee that when your double's brain exploded, there was no external force acting on his head.
"In other words, it was a certain force from inside his brain that made his head explode. What exactly was that about? I believe you can tell me the answer."
The chimpanzee-like woman's eyes were still unfocused, like an ugly iron statue. She seemed to be dwelling in her own world. Even Li Yao was not sure if she was listening carefully or not.
"Could it be that you're really a woman? Have you been cross-dressing all this time?"
Frowning hard, Li Yao scratched his chin softly. With wisdom beaming out of his eyes, he nodded and said, "I understand it now. The real Jin Yuyan was a woman in the beginning, but it was too inconvenient for her to be a woman in the chaotic space at the edge of the Imperium. That was why she disguised herself as a man and traveled in the world.
"Perhaps it was only a temporary measure in the beginning, but as his position rose, or for some other reason, it was impossible for him to reveal his real gender to the public. He even had to find a fake wife — Wuying Qinxin — to cover it up.
"However, the business dominator on the surface of the sea of stars, however much money and power she controlled, was a woman after all. Despite all the tools and magical equipment he had, he could never satisfy his fake wife, Wuying Qinxin. We all know that women can be rather, rather, rather terrifying when they are not satisfied for a long time. Wuying Qinxin was unwilling to be a widow for the rest of her life. Naturally, she was tempted.
"As for Qi Yuanbao, what kind of role did he play in it? Was he just your fake wife's lover, or was there a more complicated triangle? For example, was he your lover at the same time? Otherwise, why did you trust him so much and entrust your most important safety work to him?
"Could it be that you and your fake wife, Wuying Qinxin, fell in love with Qi Yuanbao at the same time, and the intense fire of jealousy was ignited between you, leading to a tragedy? Aiya, this is truly a soul-stirring human tragedy … "
The frosted glass in the eyes of the chimpanzee-like woman was finally broken.
If her eyes could spurt blood, they would've spurted out thousands of arrows of blood and pierced Li Yao full of holes.
"Are you done?"
The chimpanzee-like woman stared at Li Yao and gnashed her teeth hard. She said, one word after another, "What nonsense are you talking about exactly? What lover? What triangle? What unsatisfied desires? Of course, I am a man. A real man. What's the point of a woman pretending to be a man? What's the point of falling in love with Qi Yuanbao at the same time? Is that a third-rate romance drama? "
"Ah, you have finally opened your mouth!"
Li Yao chuckled and rubbed his nose. Eyeing the guy up and down carefully again, he said, "I also don't think that the real Jin Yuyan is a woman. Such a lie will do you no good at all! However, judging from your magnificent figure, I find it hard to believe that you are not a woman.
"Of course. After you reach the Divinity Transformation Stage, you will be able to regulate the secretion of hormones inside your body freely. If you suppress your male hormones and secrete estrogen crazily, it is indeed possible that your body will undergo drastic changes. However, the changes will be too unbelievable. I can't see any trace of a man on this body at all!"
"Of course you can't see any trace of a man. This body is a woman in the first place. A real, 100% woman."
The chimpanzee-like woman said gloomily, "But I, Jin Yuyan, have been a man since I was born. A real man, and I have never pretended to be a woman or undergone any modification surgeries in my entire life."
"Huh?"
Li Yao blinked quickly. "What's the meaning of this? Jin Yuyan is a man, and you are Jin Yuyan, but your body is a woman. Could it be — "
Li Yao thought of an unbelievable possibility and put on a weird expression.
"Yes, this is not my real body."
The chimpanzee-like woman — Jin Yuyan — smiled bitterly at first. Then, he heaved a long sigh and collapsed. He mumbled, "My soul is caged in a woman's body, and it is impossible for me to escape!"
Thinking quickly, Li Yao was stunned for a long time before he finally said, "So, you were reincarnated through possession? If it was possession, this body is not very good. This is obviously the body of a warrior, but it is not the best one. Also, the growth of your brain is more suitable for short battles than for long-term steady thinking. It is highly incompatible with the features of your soul. What happened exactly? Why were you … locked in, and tricked into, such a body? "
"It's not reincarnation through possession. It's a secret technique called 'Soul Transfer Technique'. However, it's similar to reincarnation through possession. It's just that —"
Staring at Li Yao, Jin Yuyan looked like a wolf that had been caught in a trap. Brutality, desperation, paranoia, fury, and hatred were all mixed up. He breathed heavily and asked, "Who are you exactly? Why did you save me? Why should I trust you?"
Li Yao did not intend to hide his identity in front of Jin Yuyan in the first place. He immediately rubbed his face and wiped off all the potions and artificial skin. Then, he slightly adjusted the muscles on his face and smiled at Jin Yuyan. "Old Jin, it's me."
"It's you … Vulture Li Yao?"
Jin Yuyan took a deep breath again. He was more or less less vigilant, but he was more or less confused.
On the reformists' march to the capital, Li Yao and Jin Yuyan were both great generals under Queen Li Linghai's command. Although the two of them were not very familiar with each other, they had met a few times. Therefore, Jin Yuyan recognized Li Yao after the first glance.
However, he was obviously aware of Li Yao's recent situation too. Frowning, he mumbled, "I don't understand. According to the intelligence from the capital, you have betrayed the reformists and joined the four families. All the assassin groups under the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors have been asked to hunt you.
"However, if you had really joined the four families, wouldn't it have been the best choice to watch my real body and my stand-in being assassinated? Why did you save me — twice?
"Or are you trying to persuade me to join the four families too?"
Jin Yuyan's eyes suddenly turned sharp.
Even though his soul was not residing in his real body, flames of war that seemed to be real were still being unleashed from his body. Closing his eyes, he sighed and said, "The winner takes all. You have to accept your loss. The gamble that I've planned for a hundred years has failed after all. But you can't expect me to surrender. I'm tired. I don't want to change my allegiance and spend a hundred years doing it again. Just kill me."
"Old Jin, you misunderstood me."
Li Yao was still smiling. "I was never bought over by the four families. On the contrary, I have always been the firmest reformist. I am a real Immortal Cultivator, a righteous Immortal Cultivator, and a patriotic Immortal Cultivator!
"It is exactly because I am so pure, righteous, and patriotic that I am not tolerated by the scoundrels and schemers among the reformists. They slandered, banished, and hunted me!
"I came to the Seven Seas Grand Market after such a long journey because I believe that you are also a pure, determined, and righteous patriot and Immortal Cultivator. You are a real reformist. That's why I'm here to join hands with you and raise the banner of 'renewing the Imperium' so that the corrupted, declining Imperium of True Human Beings will be completely overhauled!"
"What?"
His words, however, made Jin Yuyan, who had lost all hope, open his eyes again. Astonishing brilliance beamed out of his eyes, as if it were piercing through Li Yao's bones, internal organs, and soul. He asked tentatively, "If you are a 'real reformist', who is the 'scoundrels and schemers'? Li Linghai? Li Linghai wants to be the regent of the Imperium or the chief of the Council of Elders. It is a well-known fact. It is also part of our deal. It is not a big deal. "
"Exactly. In the future blueprint of the reformists, it is not a big deal whether Li Linghai is the regent of the Imperium, the chief of the Council of Elders, or even some sort of queen of the Imperium. A title is just a title. The other forces of the reformists are confident that they can suppress her and reach a certain balance of power. Her prestige is not enough after all. After she dies, her power will naturally be gone."
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