Volume 1, Chapter 8: Your Master Lacks Not for Heavenly Treasures, Only for Money!

What kind of mental gymnastics is Master performing? He is so contradictory! But at least Qinghan is here, heh.

"Qinghan, what are you thinking about?"

"Qinghan was thinking that Master’s expression just now looked very sad."

Ye Qinghan rested her chin on her hands, staring at Su Cheng. Her beautiful eyes were as radiant as a galaxy, enough to make anyone drown in them, yet they held an inexplicable touch of sorrow.

"Did I?"

"Is Master not happy?"

Su Cheng shook his head, his face full of doting affection.

[How could I not be happy, going out for a meal with my big baby?]

Perhaps neither of them realized it, but they were already inseparable. This was even more true for Ye Qinghan, whose feelings had long since crossed the boundaries of master and disciple. Yet, at this moment, she seemed to understand her master’s cautious and resigned attitude.

"Qinghan wants to stay by Master's side forever. Is that allowed?"

Ye Qinghan was only sixteen. She had known Su Cheng for less than a month and had been his apprentice for only half that time. But she knew that in this lifetime, she would never find another man who cherished her as much as her master did.

As for why? Because she had been watching him all along. Just moments ago, when the Second Elder was prepared to fight with everything he had, Su Cheng’s hand had subconsciously reached toward his waist. The one who had intended to kill was not her—it was clearly her master. However, the item that should have been hanging there had already been given to her.

"Of course. You are my direct disciple; if you run away, I will drag you back myself."

Soon, in the time it took to finish a meal, the pursuers arrived, surrounding the restaurant tightly. Since Su Cheng and Cheng Liang were nominal martial brothers, Cheng Liang couldn't easily take action himself, which was why he had resorted to these petty tactics. Su Cheng had never expected the matter regarding Qinghan beating the top disciple of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion to be dropped so easily. Cheng Liang was not that kind of person, and Shangguan Rou was the type to hold a grudge and never let a grievance slide.

"Qinghan, let's head back."

Ye Qinghan blinked her large eyes, tugging on his arm as she followed behind him, slowly walking out of the modest little restaurant.

At the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, Shangguan Rou nestled against Cheng Liang, vividly and exaggeratedly describing Ye Qinghan’s actions, calling her a "little bitch" at every turn.

"Master, that little bitch is ungrateful! In this disciple's opinion, we should just kill them both!"

"It doesn't matter. As long as Su Cheng is gone, she will be mine sooner or later."

"Sect Master, I have something to say." Lu Cheng bowed and stepped forward. He looked at Shangguan Rou with rising irritation—she had been talking for ages without saying a single useful thing!

Cheng Liang sat on his throne-like seat, eyes narrowed as he toyed with his top disciple, merely nodding.

"If you want to kill Su Cheng, I fear you will need to send more men. The strength of that Ye Chenmeng is already above mine; ordinary people are certainly no match for her."

Hearing this, Cheng Baobao’s restless little hands froze in shock.

"Are you serious? With your Nascent Soul cultivation, you couldn't defeat a girl at the Qi Refining stage?"

"Yes. I finally understand the Sect Master's intentions now. If you wish to recruit her, I believe it would be best to use some strategy to separate her from Su Cheng."

Cheng Liang was left speechless. Even though Ye Chenmeng wasn't human—she was a fox spirit—this fox spirit was far too brutal! It would be one thing to cross ranks and beat someone at the Foundation Establishment stage, or even the Golden Core stage; after all, everyone knew Ye Chenmeng was a prodigy! But for the Second Elder, with his Nascent Soul cultivation, to lose to her? Wasn't that a bit too exaggerated? If she was already crushing Nascent Soul cultivators at the Qi Refining stage, wouldn't she come to the Heavenly Dao Pavilion to crush him once she reached Foundation Establishment?

"Actually, I have already sent people. If what you say is true, I fear they won't be a match for her either..."

Outside the restaurant, the ground was already littered with defeated men.

"Master, these are the heavenly treasures I collected."

Ye Qinghan held a small cloth bag in her hands, offering it to Su Cheng respectfully, nudging her fox-like head forward, waiting for her master to pat her head in praise. Inside were over a dozen storage rings, though they were of low grade and contained nothing of much value.

[Silly child, what does Master need with this junk? I can't even cultivate!]

[Why didn't you collect their wallets? I don't lack anything, except maybe a little money...]

Upon hearing this, Ye Qinghan thought her master made a good point! If they had money, Master wouldn't have to pick up vegetable scraps! He would bring her out to eat at restaurants more often!

"Master, please hold onto these first. Qinghan will go see if they have anything else on them..."

Su Cheng didn't pay much mind to it. He scanned the items with his system, found nothing of value, and converted them into system points. It would at least be enough to trade for some cultivation materials and new dresses for his disciple. While Ye Qinghan cleared the battlefield, Su Cheng browsed the system shop. The treasures he had just converted only yielded two thousand system points; it wasn't enough to buy much. The items in the system were quite expensive—for instance, the '999 Everything Elixir' he had once given Ye Qinghan cost 25,000,000 system points in the shop.

However, the medicinal effects were absolutely potent. As long as the person was still alive, even if they were missing limbs, they could be restored to full health in an instant.

But then, Su Cheng spotted something useful!

[Blank Jade Slips? If I had these, couldn't I seal my own skills and have Qinghan carry them?]

[Ordinary jade slips certainly couldn't hold the Ling-Shuang Sword Technique, but this Mythical Jade Slip might just work!]

[One thousand points for just one? That's robbery!]

[Expensive or not, I have to buy it! I'll buy two for now. Once I'm wealthy, I'll equip Qinghan with two hundred of them! Forget about cultivation! I'll just throw them at anyone I see!]

Ye Qinghan was checking the bodies one by one, cleaning up the battlefield, delivering a finishing blow to anyone pretending to be dead, when she overheard Su Cheng’s inner thoughts.

Master could do such a thing? Ordinary jade slips could only record thunder techniques or simple curses. To think that Master could record a sword formation with the power of his Ling-Shuang Sword Technique onto a slip—Ye Qinghan couldn't even imagine it! So this is what Master meant by a 'battle of items'? Master is truly amazing! She liked him even more now!

However, if that were the case... if she had jade slips as powerful as her master, would she ever have to worry about money again? She would first go and slash the Heavenly Dao Pavilion to pieces! Then, she would clean up the battlefield and dig up all the treasures in their ancestral graves to sell!

She just wondered if her master would agree. But even if he didn't, what could he do to her? Master had his 'Disciple Cultivation Guide,' and she had her own 'Master Training Manual!'

Heh, as long as Master didn't kick her out of the sect, she didn't care about any punishments!

Just as Ye Qinghan and Su Cheng were deep in their own schemes, the assassin in the shadows had already prepared everything. As the saying goes, it is easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against a hidden arrow.

By the time Ye Qinghan noticed, it was already too late!

The sword thrust straight toward Su Cheng; the target was him, not her.

"Master! Look out!"

Ye Qinghan flashed forward, shielding Su Cheng behind her in an instant...

Su Cheng hadn't reacted in time, his vision still fixed on the system interface. The next second, he saw only Ye Qinghan blocking the path before him...