Chapter 24: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
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Pulling the sword case from his treasure chest, Ye Qinghan drew his blade and clashed with Shangguan Rou.
Amidst the flashing blades, Ye Qinghan seized the moment to pivot. In that instant, he raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap!
"Do you remember how your master Cheng Liang humiliated my master on the day he became his disciple?"
Shangguan Rou, enraged beyond control, countered with a swift sword strike. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistling sound, her technique razor-sharp!
Ye Qinghan moved with lightning speed, her immortal sword dancing like a dragon. Golden streaks of light flowed like ribbons, twisting and turning with her graceful movements.
Dodging the slashing blade, she seized the moment of her opponent's instability and landed another slap!
Though Ye Qinghan didn't channel true energy into this blow, he held nothing back.
It sent Shangguan Rou reeling. Clutching her bloodied mouth, she sat dazed on the ground.
"Hmm? Why aren't you speaking? Are you naturally taciturn?"
How did Ye Qinghan see it?
Ye Qinghan watched with a smile!
"I single-handedly wiped out an entire sect~ Where did you get the nerve to think your strength is enough to kill me? Or do you think Pingyun Sect doesn't even have a single Gold Core cultivator?"
Ye Qinghan picked up Shangguan Rou's sword, flicked it casually, and the blade landed firmly beside her hand.
"Weren't you going to kill me? Stop playing dead~"
Ye Qinghan felt like the villain in a storyteller's tale at that moment, but she couldn't care less. Every insult hurled at her master would be repaid in full!
Not a single one of these people would escape!
Killing her would be letting her off too easily!
Shangguan Rou gritted her teeth, her eyes blazing with fury, and resolutely picked up her sword.
It must be said, though Cheng Liang was no saint, Shangguan Rou did possess some fiery spirit.
Yet before Ye Qinghan, that fierceness could only be seen as the recklessness of a fool.
After a thunderous crash, Ye Qinghan slowly lowered his high-kicked leg, watching Shangguan Rou slide down the wall.
"Do you think everyone in this world is a fool, and only you are clever?"
"In truth, in Qinghan's eyes, you're the biggest fool of them all."
"And seducing the leader of another sect? How dare you even think of such a thing? At Lingxian Hall, my master favors only me. All the heavenly treasures and my master are mine alone!"
"Would I abandon my entire sect's resources and my master's exclusive favor to compete with you for that worthless Cheng Liang?"
Shangguan Rou seemed on the verge of madness. She couldn't understand!
Why?!
Why, as fellow prodigies, could she not defeat Ye Qinghan, who was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage?
Why, as the First Disciples, did even their own sect leader pine for Ye Qinghan!
What was she lacking compared to this guy?
If it was that treasure the sect master mentioned, Ye Qinghan hadn't used any such treasure during their recent battle!
If it's about looks, am I any less attractive than Ye Qinghan?
"Once you're dead, Master will love only me."
"You'll be a stumbling block on my path to immortality! And you'll be a stumbling block for Master too!"
Ye Qinghan smiled, unsurprised.
"You knew all along, didn't you? You just can't accept it—can't bear that your master's disciple, whom you call a waste, is prettier and stronger than you!"
"You're jealous. Jealous that I can win Master's affection, while your own Master doesn't love you~"
"You envy me. You envy that I'm prettier than you. Even your master can't take his eyes off me!"
"Heh, if that's the case, I'll kill you just to drive you mad~"
Ye Qinghan's words were venomous!
This tirade nearly drove Shangguan Rou, who was quietly regulating her qi, into a state of qi deviation…
"If you release me, I won't let you off either." Shangguan Rou's pouting lips practically spelled out the proverb "What goes around comes around" on her face!
As if seeking death, Shangguan Rou understood that returning empty-handed would likely disappoint her master.
In stark contrast, Ye Qinghan remained serene and composed throughout.
"It matters not. You're no different from the skeleton soldiers when you first entered the secret realm. You can't stir up much trouble. Don't overestimate yourself."
"Every single humiliation my master endured, I will exact upon you and your Heavenly Dao Pavilion—one by one!"
"Neither you nor your precious master will escape."
With that, Ye Qinghan turned away, leaving Shangguan Rou to her fate, and headed back to the entrance of the Treasure Hall.
"Sister Qinghan is so formidable! Even Shangguan Rou at the Golden Core Stage couldn't match her!"
Li Shiyao, acting like a sycophant, trailed behind Ye Qinghan, showering her with flattery.
Following Ye Qinghan, she exhausted every four-character phrase she could think of!
By the end, she had to start making them up…
"Sis, you're like drilling a hole in the wall to steal light or Sima Guang smashing the water jar—truly formidable!"
"Enough, enough! I know you haven't studied much. Take a break, don't overexert yourself!"
Ye Qinghan rolled her eyes. Why was she so excited just because she'd won?
Xu Zhanfeng was dumbfounded. Second Grandma was using all his lines!
This completely robbed him of any chance to shine! First, the First Lady had to personally seize the golden opportunity, and now even the Second Lady was snatching away his chance to suck up!
After a long moment of stupefaction, Xu Zhanfeng managed to squeeze out five words: "Welcome, First Lady…"
Ye Qinghan guessed his thoughts: "Cut the crap!"
She immediately began surveying the Treasure Hall…
After a thorough look around, Dongfang Jue was being taken down by two ferocious beasts, one after another. He was now covered in wounds, on the brink of death…
No way…
Was this guy really this weak? Couldn't even handle two ferocious beasts?
Ye Qinghan was baffled. Logically, this guy had fought her to a standstill last time—he shouldn't be this weak!
She'd planned to wait until Dongfang Jue dealt with the beasts before snatching the treasures, but at this rate, he clearly couldn't win against those two!
Ye Qinghan was certain Dongfang Jue was holding back his ultimate move!
Wait, no—could that hidden move be reserved for her?
Ye Qinghan had her own calculations. She knew her strength wasn't entirely genuine. Without the Frostsword and the Frostsword Technique, she'd still be stronger than them, but only marginally.
Yet these two beasts were clearly weak—mere Foundation Establishment-stage creatures unworthy of summoning the Frostsword!
Therefore, it would be utterly absurd if Dongfang Jue couldn't defeat them!
"Sister, should we help her? If this continues, she'll die."
"Why save her? What does her death have to do with you?"
Ye Qinghan whipped her head around, her gaze fixed on Li Shiyao with suspicion. Something felt off…
She'd slaughtered countless foes without a second thought—why was she hesitating now?
This wasn't about saving someone or not. Since their master had specifically instructed them not to let Dongfang Jue die, Ye Qinghan would save her. She just wanted to observe a little longer, at least to see the opponent's ultimate move.
But now that Li Shiyao had spoken up, it was a different story entirely!
Plus, she had said she liked the Master…
There probably wasn't a second person in this world… who could hear Master's inner thoughts…
"But she's so beautiful! Shiyu doesn't want the pretty sister to die."
"But if Sister doesn't want to save her, then she must be a bad person!"
Well… that's hard to say…
Even if she can hear Master's thoughts, with that brain of hers, she probably couldn't accomplish much.
"Hey, Sister, look! That Dongfang Sister is dying!"
"She won't die—she hasn't unleashed her ultimate move yet!"
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