CHAPTER 28
Toll Collector
============================================================
Shiyao watched the scene unfold, utterly indifferent.
Even if she gave all the heavenly treasures and rare herbs collected along the way to Sister Qinghan, it wouldn't compare to the immortal-grade cultivation technique Sister Qinghan had bestowed upon her.
Shiyao didn't care whether Sister Qinghan was good or evil—at least she treated her well!
Then Sister Qinghan was the greatest person in the world!
Her actions were likely just to avoid being tormented by their master!
Damn Su Cheng! He was so handsome, yet such a villain, bullying Sister Qinghan!
Though Ye Qinghan appeared to be fixated on the beauty beside him, his peripheral vision still registered Shangguan Rou.
"Don't make things difficult for her. Let her pass!"
Xu Zhanfeng looked at Shangguan Rou before him. He'd originally thought this brat dared to defy his auntie, and he'd be damned if he didn't help her vent her anger!
But now that the young mistress had spoken, he could only back down.
"Why?" Shangguan Rou had become remarkably clear-headed. She knew she was no match for Ye Qinghan, let alone Xu Zhanfeng!
"I don't like you, so I don't want anything from you—not even your money!"
Leaning back in her chair, Ye Qinghan smiled as she appraised Shi Yao beside her, not even glancing at Shangguan Rou.
"If you leave empty-handed, you won't even be good enough to be a toy. We're both women, and I have no desire to make things difficult for you."
Shangguan Rou remained silent. With her lack of strength, any words would ring hollow.
No one understood this better than Shangguan Rou. Only this time, the one lacking strength was herself.
Watching Shangguan Rou's retreating figure, Ye Qinghan smiled with genuine delight. Things should remain peaceful for a while now.
But when exactly did the Liu family plan to make their move?
Given her master's temperament, he'd never agree to let her take the initiative! After all, it was only Qiao Yun's one-sided account, and now that Qiao Yun was dead, there was no one left to corroborate it.
The Liu family was one matter, but Ye Qinghan felt she should also acquire some assets.
While confiscating property and wiping out entire families was one way to start a business, it wasn't a sustainable strategy. She couldn't possibly kill everyone!
Master loves money, so Qinghan must learn to earn it too! To support Master!
That way, the master would never be able to leave me! After all, without me, the master would have no money and would have to scavenge for scraps!
Hehe! What a genius I am!
"Why didn't that woman just now have to pay?!"
That was Dongfang Jue's voice. Xu Zhanfeng couldn't quite gauge his auntie's attitude toward her, so he decided to be a bit more polite to Dongfang Jue as well.
"That woman was acquainted with my aunt, so naturally she didn't have to pay!"
"Huh? Ye Qinghan! Can't handle losing, huh? Now you're resorting to robbery!"
Dongfang Jue stood with her hands on her hips, looking indignant, as if ready to pick a fight!
Ye Qinghan rose with a smile: "Your Highness is correct! Lingxian Hall operates at a loss. As the First Disciple, I run a small business here."
"Ye Qinghan, back then, though you were a bit arrogant, you still had some dignity!"
"And now?" Ye Qinghan laughed so hard she shook like a willow in the wind. Just as Shangguan Rou had suspected, Dongfang Jue's words fell flat in Ye Qinghan's eyes.
Without another word, Dongfang Jue grabbed his spear and charged forward!
"Oh ho, getting impatient!"
But before he could advance far, Xu Zhanfeng pinned him to the ground, kicking his spear aside.
Ye Qinghan found being the villain rather enjoyable!
It felt exhilarating!
"Zhanfeng, let her go. It's not that she can't afford it—she just wants to spar with me."
"Hmph, even if she had the money, she wouldn't give it to you!"
Dongfang Jue slowly rose to his feet. Having recovered earlier, he was now unharmed. He stomped his foot on the ground, and his spear instantly returned to his grasp.
"Cool~"
Ye Qinghan clapped enthusiastically, her face beaming with delight. The surrounding cultivators gathered to watch the showdown between these two prodigies.
"Go, Oriental girl!"
"Go for it! Don't let that fox spirit beat you!"
"We're rooting for you!"
Xu Zhanfeng looked at the scene—why was everyone cheering for Dongfang Jue?
He slammed his broadsword into the ground with a thud and roared at the crowd!
"Shut your mouths if you don't want to die!"
Ye Qinghan merely smiled. She felt incredibly fortunate to be following her master!
Being the villain was far more thrilling than playing the good guy—after all, she'd never been cut out for the role!
The two clashed instantly. It must be said that though Dongfang Jue's cultivation level matched Shi Yao's, his combat prowess clearly surpassed hers.
"Did your master teach you the ways of the demonic path? How did you become this monstrous?"
His spearplay lacked any discernible pattern, yet his movements were eerily fluid—he definitely had something!
Both moved with blinding speed. Ye Qinghan merely sought to gauge this man's skill, while Dongfang Jue found no opening to strike.
"What? Jealous?"
"You've lost all semblance of humanity!" Dongfang Jue flicked his spear lightly, spinning to deliver a forceful Mountain Splitter strike!
Ye Qinghan casually flickered his wrist, effortlessly parrying the powerful strike.
Back and forth they went—a sword strike followed by a spear thrust—their dazzling duel captivating the crowd so completely they seemed to forget their confinement.
Dongfang Jue's spear technique was divine, his bearing dashing and heroic.
Ye Qinghan's swordplay was fierce and ruthless, his presence utterly captivating~
"I am a fox demon by nature—what human form could I possibly have?"
As the words fell, the previously evenly matched sparring began to shift…
Ye Qinghan, wielding superior swordsmanship, gained an overwhelming advantage.
"See? Even with just swordsmanship, you're no match for me, Your Highness."
With those words, he finished with a textbook side kick, leaving even Shiyu standing nearby with her mouth agape.
Ye Qinghan's swordplay defied categorization, yet it was undeniably the most formidable Shi Yao had ever witnessed—without a doubt.
"Your Highness, since I'm standing here collecting tolls, I'm certainly not afraid of you ruining the show. Got it?"
He strode over to Dongfang Jue and delivered a vicious kick. The pain jolted Dongfang Jue, who had been unconscious, wide awake!
"Your Highness, with your life of luxury and ease, it's easy for you to preach about saving the masses."
"But if the world killed your parents and destroyed your kingdom, could you still love humanity with such shameless bravado?"
Ye Qinghan laughed so hard she trembled. She didn't truly despise Dongfang Jue. Had her mother still been alive, Ye Qinghan would have been a princess too!
But alas, Ye Qinghan had lost her blood kin and her home. She could not bring herself to love the world.
Dongfang Jue lay on the ground, too drained to rise. Of course, Ye Qinghan hadn't intended for her to get back up after that kick.
"Don't look so shocked. You're quite kind-hearted, aren't you? Why didn't you become the Sacred Maiden on the Holy Mountain? You'd be even more suited for it than Li Shiyao!"
As she spoke, another kick followed.
"Rest assured, I have no intention of killing you. After all, in my eyes, you're the one who's still a child who hasn't been weaned!"
Ye Qinghan cared nothing for right or wrong, or any notion of good and evil. Moral standards held no sway in this world!
So-called laws were merely ropes to bind the lowly cattle. Ye Qinghan cared about only one person.
That person was his Master!
Ye Qinghan spun around, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at Xu Zhanfeng.
"Xu Zhanfeng!"
Xu Zhanfeng's legs buckled, and he immediately dropped to his knees.
"If this princess takes even a single pebble out of the secret realm, I'll wring your neck!"
============================================================