CHAPTER 8
Master Doesn't Lack Heavenly Treasures, Only Money!
============================================================
"Qinghan, what are you thinking about?"
Ye Qinghan asked knowingly. Her master seemed as though someone had spoken ill of her behind her back. Ye Qinghan wanted her master to change his perception of her.
Truthfully, Ye Qinghan couldn't understand why. Her master clearly knew she had ulterior motives, yet still accepted her request to become his disciple.
Perhaps it was as he said—as long as he didn't give in, she truly had no other options.
"Qinghan was wondering… Master, you looked very sad just now."
"Was it?"
Ye Qinghan rested her chin in her palm, gazing at Su Cheng. Her beautiful eyes shone like a starry sky, captivating yet tinged with an inexplicable sadness.
As if stirred by Su Cheng's presence, she realized that though her master had once deemed her a nuisance, now he didn't want her to leave.
Ye Qinghan didn't understand responsibility. She only knew Su Cheng treated her well. This hard-won support was something she couldn't abandon, nor did she wish to disappoint him.
"Is my master unhappy?"
Su Cheng shook his head, putting on his usual doting expression.
[How could I not be happy when dining out with my precious treasure?]
Perhaps neither realized it, but at this moment, neither could bear to be apart. Ye Qinghan felt it even more keenly—the feelings in her heart had long since crossed the boundaries of master and disciple.
Yet in this moment, Ye Qinghan seemed to understand her master's cautiousness and his tendency to let things slide.
"Qinghan wants to stay by your side forever. Is that okay?"
Ye Qinghan was only sixteen. She had known Su Cheng for less than a month and had been his disciple for barely half that time.
Yet Ye Qinghan knew she would never encounter another man who cherished her as deeply as her master did.
Why?
Because she had been watching her master all along. When the Second Elder had just tried to fight with all his might, her master's hand had instinctively reached for his waist.
It wasn't her who harbored murderous intent—it was clearly her master.
Yet the thing that should have hung there, he had given to her instead.
"Of course, you are my direct disciple. If you were to run away, I would have to bring you back myself." Su Cheng's smile was profoundly kind—a blend of doting affection and gentle warmth that captivated Ye Qinghan.
Before long, in the time it took to finish a meal, the pursuers arrived, surrounding the restaurant so tightly that not a drop of water could escape.
After all, Su Cheng and Cheng Liang were nominal brothers in the martial arts. Cheng Liang couldn't bring himself to act directly, so he resorted to a little trickery.
Qinghan had struck the First Disciple of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion. Su Cheng never imagined this matter would be settled so easily.
Cheng Liang wasn't that kind of man, and Shangguan Rou was someone who never let a grudge go unavenged, someone who couldn't bear injustice.
"Qinghan, let's go back."
Ye Qinghan blinked her large eyes, tugging at his arm as she followed behind him, slowly exiting the modest little tavern.
At the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, Shangguan Rou nestled close to Cheng Liang, painting a vivid, exaggerated picture of Ye Qinghan's actions—each sentence dripping with venom, every other word a scathing "little bitch."
"Master, that little bitch has no shame! In this disciple's opinion, we should just kill them both!"
"It matters not. Once Su Cheng is gone, she will be mine sooner or later."
"Master, I have something to say." Lu Cheng bowed and stepped forward.
Lu Cheng glared at Shangguan Rou, seething with frustration. She'd been talking for ages without saying anything useful!
Seated upon the Grandmaster's throne-like seat, Cheng Liang narrowed his eyes as he toyed with his First Disciple beside him, merely nodding in response.
"If you wish to kill Su Cheng, you'll need to send more men. Ye Chenmeng's strength now surpasses mine; ordinary men are no match for her."
At those words, Cheng Baobao's restless little hands froze in shock…
"Are you serious? With your Nascent Soul cultivation, you can't even defeat a Qi Cultivation girl?"
"Yes. I now understand the Sect Leader's intentions. If you wish to recruit her, I believe it would be best to employ some means to separate her from Su Cheng."
Cheng Liang was utterly stunned. Granted, Ye Chenmeng wasn't human to begin with—she was a fox spirit…
this fox spirit was downright brutal!
I wouldn't have batted an eye if you'd taken on a Foundation Establishment cultivator, or even a Golden Core Stage cultivator!
After all, Ye Chenmeng is a prodigy! Everyone knows that!
But defeating even the Second Elder, who's at the Nascent Soul stage? Isn't that a bit excessive?
You're hammering a Nascent Soul cultivator at Qi Cultivation stage? If you ever reach Foundation Establishment, won't you come to the Heavenly Dao Pavilion and beat me up?
"Actually, I've already sent people. If things go as you say, even they might not be her match…"
Outside the tavern, bodies were already strewn everywhere…
"Master, these are the rare treasures and precious herbs your disciple has collected."
Ye Qinghan held a small cloth bag with both hands, presenting it to Su Cheng with utmost respect. He pressed his fox-like head forward, waiting for his master's pat and praise.
Inside were storage rings—a good dozen of them—though none were of high grade, and most likely contained little of value.
【Silly child, what use are these worthless trinkets to me? I can't cultivate with them!】
【Why didn't you collect their wallets instead? I lack nothing—except maybe a little cash…】
Ye Qinghan listened and realized his master had a point!
With money, Master wouldn't have to scavenge for vegetable scraps! He'd take me out to eat all the time!
"Master, take these for now. Qinghan will see what else they have on them…"
Su Cheng didn't bother checking. He scanned them with the system—nothing valuable. He converted it all into system points instead. At least that could buy his disciple some cultivation materials and a new skirt.
While Ye Qinghan cleaned up the battlefield, Su Cheng browsed the system store. Those rare treasures had only fetched 2,000 system points—barely enough to buy anything worthwhile.
Items in the system store were exorbitantly priced. For instance, the 999 All-Purpose Elixir he’d once gifted Ye Qinghan cost a staggering 25,000,000 system points…
But its potency was undeniable. As long as the person was still alive, even missing limbs or broken bones could be instantly restored to full health.
But Su Cheng spotted something useful!
[A blank jade slip? If I had one, couldn't I seal my skills within it and have Qinghan carry it?]
【Ordinary jade tablets couldn't possibly hold the Ling Frost Sword Technique, but this Mythic Jade Tablet might just do the trick!】
【A thousand for one? This is robbery!】
【Damn it, gotta buy it! Grab two first. Once I'm rolling in cash, I'll get Qinghan two hundred! Screw cultivation! Just whip it out on anyone!】
Ye Qinghan methodically inspected each corpse, clearing the battlefield. Those feigning death received a final blow. It was during this process that he overheard Su Cheng's little scheme.
Could the Master really do something like this?
Ordinary jade tablets only engraved thunder techniques or curses. To engrave the Ling Frost Sword Array—with its master's power—onto a jade tablet? Ye Qinghan dared not even imagine it!
So this is what Master meant by a prop competition?
Master is amazing! I love Master even more!
But if that's the case…
If Qinghan had a jade tablet as powerful as Master's, would he ever worry about money?
First, he'd cleave the Heavenly Dao Pavilion in two! Then, he'd clean up the battlefield, digging up every treasure from the ancestral tombs to sell!
I wonder if Master would agree, but even if he didn't, what could he do about it?
Master has his disciple cultivation strategy, but Qinghan has his own Master Training Manual!
Heh heh, as long as the master doesn't expel me from the sect, what does punishment matter?
Just as Ye Qinghan and Su Cheng were quietly plotting their schemes, assassins lurking in the shadows had already prepared everything.
Open attacks are easy to block, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against!
By the time Ye Qinghan realized, it was already too late!
That sword thrust aimed straight for Su Cheng—the target was Su Cheng, not Ye Qinghan.
"Master! Watch out!"
Ye Qinghan shot forward in an instant, shielding Su Cheng behind him…
Su Cheng hadn't reacted yet, his gaze still fixed on the system interface. The next second, Ye Qinghan stood before him…
============================================================