Chapter 006: The Peerless Little Waif

Yan Shu was stunned. If not for the last bit of reason left in her, she would have thrown herself at Xiao Jihan's legs and wept bitterly before him.

Big brother, I'm begging you, please just give me a little favorability—even if you won't, at least stop dropping it!

Staring at the bright red bar, favorability -90 (murderous intent surging), Yan Shu felt her legs growing weak. By this logic, if it dropped ten more points, her life would surely be forfeit.

She forced her gaze to shift, looking at those cold, sharp phoenix eyes barely containing their killing intent, and asked, seemingly calmly, “Did you retrieve your clothes token?”

Xiao Jihan responded with a sudden cold laugh, not answering.

Yan Shu was about to press him further when she glimpsed, out of the corner of her eye, a trace of blood at the corner of his lips. Startled, she looked him over carefully, only then noticing that not just his lips, but his clothing and cuffs were stained with blood.

She fixed her gaze on his phoenix eyes and hurriedly asked, “What’s with the blood on you?”

Hearing her question, hatred surged in Xiao Jihan’s heart. His hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched and unclenched, and a mocking smile flickered across his face. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted, Master? Why bother asking?”

Her purpose? What purpose could she have?!

Her only aim was to give him some new clothes, to raise his favorability score—how could that be wrong?

Yan Shu took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Looking at his handsome face twisted in sarcasm, and the killing intent he couldn't hide in his eyes, she suddenly understood.

A useless nobody, scorned by all, had suddenly become the junior uncle of many—such a thing was bound to breed resentment. On top of that, the original host had ignored him for over a year; Xiao Jihan had been treated worse than an ordinary disciple. Now, when he suddenly appeared on Wuxu Peak, it was obvious what those who held grudges against him would do.

He probably hadn’t even had the chance to produce his token before...

No, wait, given Xiao Jihan’s cold arrogance, he likely wouldn’t have bothered to show her token at all.

Yan Shu lowered her eyes, fell silent for a moment, then abruptly stood and said coldly, “Come with me!”

She was determined to see which bastard was sabotaging her, destroying her favorability score!

Yan Shu strode out, full of righteous fury, and summoned her flying sword outside the house, only to realize Xiao Jihan hadn’t followed. She turned and saw him still standing inside, his phoenix eyes dark and inscrutable as he stared at her. “Why are you dawdling? Come here!”

Upon hearing her command, Xiao Jihan withdrew his gaze, walked outside, and summoned his own flying sword.

The moment she saw his sword, Yan Shu, though there was no thunder from the heavens, felt as if she’d been struck by a hundred thousand volts. The quality was low, not to mention the cracks running all over it, looking as if it could fall apart at any moment—was this really a flying sword?

No wonder Xiao Jihan wanted to kill the original host. What kind of master would treat their apprentice like this?!

This was no different from parents who abuse their children!

Xiao Jihan mounted his sword, watching as Yan Shu stood motionless, her brows knit in sympathy as she stared at his sword.

What was that look? Pity?

Heh, wasn’t this all her doing? Why put on this false show of concern now?

Yan Shu knew Xiao Jihan was the favored son of fate, the protagonist; in time, he’d have not just flying swords, but spirit and mystical treasures. Still, seeing him now with a sword that could fall apart any second, dressed in faded robes, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

What a pitiful soul!

How could the original host treat him like this and not feel the slightest guilt?

Yan Shu took a deep breath, opened her mustard seed pouch, rummaged around, and pulled out a flying sword. Maintaining her aloof demeanor, she tossed the sword to Xiao Jihan and said coldly, “Take it. Don’t disgrace me.”

Xiao Jihan paused, reached out and caught the sword.

The moment the flying sword touched his hand, he could tell it was a high-grade magical item, probably one she’d used before.

A sneer flickered at the corner of his lips as he looked up at her. “Master, perhaps you’ve forgotten—only those who reach the Golden Core stage can use magical items. I’m merely at the Foundation Establishment stage; I can’t control it.”

Yan Shu was taken aback. Oh, right—he’d been hiding his true strength. In her excitement, she’d forgotten and deliberately picked the best sword he could use.

“I did forget,” she replied.

She didn’t expose his lie, but instead lowered her head and dug through her mustard seed pouch again. As the cherished child of the Xuantian Sect, she had the best weapons at every stage, each one the finest among her peers.

She pulled out a high-grade spiritual weapon flying sword and tossed it to him. “Take this one. You needn’t return the previous sword—keep it for later.”

Xiao Jihan wanted to test her, to say he was just a waste with a useless spiritual root, unlikely ever to reach the Golden Core stage. But when he saw the gentle light in Yan Shu’s eyes, he inexplicably swallowed the words.

He took the spiritual weapon, pricked his finger to recognize it as its master, then put both the magical item and his old, battered sword into his mustard seed pouch. He looked at Yan Shu and said, “Thank you, Master.”

It was the first time he’d ever thanked her, whether in the original host’s memories or Yan Shu’s own.

Yan Shu glanced at the glaring red bar above his head—favorability: -80 (intense hatred).

After giving him two things, the favorability had risen only ten points...

Stingy!

Well, never mind. These gifts were given willingly, not simply to gain favorability.

She withdrew her gaze, mounted her flying sword, and said, “Let’s go.”

Xiao Jihan summoned his newly recognized flying sword and followed behind Yan Shu.

The sword beneath his feet, a high-grade spiritual weapon, was worlds apart from the previous low-grade artifact. It resonated with his mind, greatly reducing the spiritual energy needed to fly, and its maneuverability could only be described as effortless.

No wonder, from the high-grade spiritual weapons onwards, blood recognition was required.

Xiao Jihan unconsciously touched his mustard seed pouch—there was still a high-grade magical item inside.

He looked up at Yan Shu. Dressed in white, her aloof elegance was unmatched, her ink-black hair fluttered, lips crimson, skin as flawless as snow...

Suddenly, Xiao Jihan withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes.

He mustn’t be deceived by her appearance again. Beneath her ethereal beauty lay a dirty, venomous heart. Every kindness she showed him would eventually be repaid a thousandfold with suffering.

Had he not learned his lesson well enough?

Yan Shu noticed his gaze—no longer filled with murderous intent—and felt a surge of pride. See? Now he knows how good she is!

She maintained her composure, and only when Xiao Jihan looked away did she glance back as if by accident.

Favorability: -85 (intense hatred).

Yan Shu: …

Just two glances, and five points dropped. Did her appearance really disgust him so much?