Volume One, Chapter 19: I’m Just Tagging Along
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So, watching the sword blossoms fly toward him, he remained calm and unhurried, not fearing that this mortal’s sword could harm him in the slightest.
He casually summoned a mid-grade spiritual artifact, the “Black Tortoise Shield,” to block it—a mere reflex.
Just after releasing it, he thought to himself how timid he was; why did he even need to use a spiritual artifact to block a mere mortal’s blade?
But what happened next shocked him.
The “Black Tortoise Shield” was directly broken through.
The mortal sword sliced through as if cutting tofu, effortlessly severing his head.
“Ah!”
His dantian’s spiritual power lost control of his soul, degenerating into a turbulent outflow of spiritual energy.
Chu Xiong and everyone else were stunned—was it really this easy?
The crystal coffin in the shadow monster’s hand fell to the ground, and the essence blood inside poured out like a broken dam, quickly forming a small pool.
At that moment, an even weaker shadow escaped from the severed head.
Ye Bufan thought, “It’s the soul, yet there wasn’t a single sword strike to instantly kill the soul. Looks like a mortal-grade sword still isn’t enough.”
Just as he prepared to strike again, a voice directly entered his mind.
“Please spare me, senior. I have many treasures in my storage pouch; I’ll give them all to you!”
With that, the storage pouch on the shadow corpse opened, scattering a pile of unfamiliar items and a heap of spirit stones—at least ten thousand in total.
“Hmph, I’m not interested in such petty money.”
He unleashed another sword technique, “Rainbow Piercing the Sun,” the dark green blade flashing like lightning, reflecting dazzling light in the sunlight, seeming both real and illusory! It stabbed straight for the soul.
Ye Bufan began rummaging through the items left by the shadow monster.
A defensive artifact: “Three-Layer Celestial Net Umbrella.”
He infused spirit stones to read the artifact’s information.
When opened, this umbrella forms a protective shield one meter in radius. Its power depends on the wielder’s spiritual power output, doubling the effect compared to a shield generated purely by one’s own spiritual power. In other words, if your defense without the artifact is 100, with this umbrella it becomes 200.
“This treasure is quite good.”
An exquisite flying artifact: “Flowing Cloud Boat,” capable of carrying 3 to 5 people.
It consumes only ten spirit stones per day.
There were also three books.
One titled “Corpse Poison Evil Scripture,” obviously some dark and twisted technique—he destroyed it immediately.
Another called “Blood Training and Soul Theft,” likely a body-reconstruction technique previously used by the shadow monster, also feeling sinister—he destroyed it without hesitation.
The last was “Light Step,” a technique that makes one’s body as light as a swallow during use; a single light step moves as if treading on the wind, able to cover a hundred meters with minimal spirit power consumption.
“One hundred meters in a step? Just what I need. Hehe.”
A wind blade artifact: “Root-Seeking Inquiry.”
Physically as small as a nail clipper, but when activated with spirit power, it creates a rapidly spinning cyclone that cuts the target into fine strands, which then coil into a steel wool-like ball due to the high-speed vortex.
“I’m rich, I’m rich! Haha!”
Some miscellaneous items were among the loot, but Ye Bufan disregarded them.
He planned to find a cultivation market to sell these treasures.
Chu Rou’er asked blankly, “Senior Brother Ye, oh no, I mean Senior Ye, are you also a cultivator?”
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Ye Bufan smiled, “Senior Sister Rou’er, you guessed exactly right!”
Chu Rou’er blushed slightly, speaking softly, “Well, just call me Rou’er. I wouldn’t dare to be your senior sister.”
“Alright, whatever you like.”
“Hehe, then can you teach us how to cultivate?”
Seeing Ye Bufan still as approachable as before, her courage grew.
Chu Xiong and the others all breathed heavily, their faces full of hope.
Ye Bufan said, “Cultivators need spiritual roots, otherwise it won’t work. After some time, I’ll check your spiritual roots and then we’ll talk.”
He only had the realm but lacked techniques like spiritual root examination; he would have to find a place to buy that skill later.
He planned to start developing his own path with this group.
Chu Rou’er happily said, “That’s great, hehe.”
...
That night, inside Chu Rou’er’s tent.
Ye Bufan softly called out, “Rou’er, Rou’er, are you asleep?”
Startled, Chu Rou’er replied, “Not yet. Brother Ye, why are you here?”
“Well, the night is long and I can’t sleep. May I come in and talk with you?”
Rou’er hesitated, “It’s not good, Brother Ye. It’s late at night, and if Father finds out you came to my tent, he’d kill us both.”
Ye Bufan smiled, “Do you think your father could beat me?”
Rou’er thought for a moment—indeed, Father couldn’t win against Brother Ye now.
“Brother Ye, what’s the matter?”
“I have a gift for you.”
“I brought you a big rocket.”
Rou’er wondered what a big rocket was.
“I also brought a cat that can do backflips.”
Rou’er said, “You’re lying; where would there be a cat that can do backflips?”
“If you open the tent, I’ll come in and show you.”
“No, I want to sleep.”
“Please open it. I just want to talk. I promise!”
“Creak.”
The tent flap opened, revealing Rou’er’s youthful, shy expression.
“Brother Ye, come in.”
Hehe, Ye Bufan slipped inside.
“Rou’er, you’re really beautiful now.”
“May I hug you?”
Rou’er replied, “You said you had something to say?”
“Yes, and now I’m saying it. I’ll tell you a story, alright?”
As he spoke, Ye Bufan moved closer.
Rou’er seemed to realize what mischievous thoughts were crossing his mind, her face flushing deeply; she was too shy to even lift her head.
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Moreover, at the thought of such things, she felt utterly powerless—just like a soft cotton doll.
She could only let Ye Bufan hold her, softly saying,
“Just a hug, okay?”
Ye Bufan replied, “Alright, I promise.”
The intoxicating scent unique to young girls wafted to him as his hands circled around Rou’er’s waist.
But before a minute passed, he began to misbehave.
“Brother Ye, what are your hands doing?”
A few minutes later:
“Waaah.”
Rou’er exhaled softly, “Brother Ye, didn’t you say only a hug?”
Ye Bufan said, “I’m just rubbing, no movement, just can’t resist.”
Rou’er said, “But you promised, no moving.”
“Hmm, promise kept.”
“Rou’er, sorry, I might not be able to keep that promise.”
“Ah? Brother Ye, what are you doing?”
“Sorry about that.”
“You!”
...
Ellipsis.
The next morning at breakfast.
She shyly nestled into Ye Bufan’s arms.
“Brother Ye, aren’t you getting up yet?”
Ye Bufan gently lifted Rou’er’s chin.
“It’s still early; we can have breakfast first.”
Looking at her cherry-like lips, he leaned in and kissed her softly.
“Mmm! Mmm!”
Rou’er nervously clung tightly to Senior Brother Zhou’s waist.
An hour later.
“Rou’er, get up! The sun’s high in the sky; it’s noon already!”
Chu Xiong called from outside, wondering why his daughter hadn’t gotten up yet.
Rou’er’s face was tense.
But soon she relaxed and coquettishly said to her father,
“Buzz! I don’t want to move. I have no strength or energy. Let me sleep a little longer!”
After speaking, she rolled over, turning her back to Ye Bufan.