Volume One, Chapter 21: At the Ready, Loyal and Devoted

"My dear lady, please spare me! I didn't mean to make things difficult for you; I was truly coerced and had no choice..."

Shi Yao watched the man kneeling before Ye Qinghan from a distance, unable to process what was happening.

"Continue."

The Lingshuang Sword was too precious, so Ye Qinghan had replaced it with an unremarkable, common peak-grade immortal flying sword, which was currently resting on the man's shoulder.

"My name is Xu Zhanfeng. I am a cultivator and was originally a close friend of this secret realm's master. We had agreed to ascend to the Immortal Realm together, but the day before our ascension, he backstabbed me, imprisoning me in this secret realm and leaving me in this wretched, ghost-like state."

"Continue."

"As long as you are willing to spare my life, my lady, I am willing to serve you faithfully!"

Ye Qinghan scrutinized the man before her. He looked like a charred corpse—hardly human at all. While he still possessed a face with a nose and eyes, no one would ever believe he was a living person.

"You are too ugly. I don't like you."

Uh... Xu Zhanfeng was clearly taken aback, but with his life on the line, he dared not provoke this "lady."

Normally, only cultivators below the Golden Core stage could enter this secret realm. Ye Qinghan, however, was someone even he, trapped for thousands of years, had never encountered before. He didn't intend to ask how she had gotten in or what her objectives were. As for her displayed Foundation Establishment stage cultivation? Only a fool would believe that! Who had ever seen a Foundation Establishment cultivator like her? Even with his cultivation restricted in this realm, he still maintained the strength of the late Nascent Soul stage, fifteenth level. But as for someone at the Foundation Establishment stage taking down a late Nascent Soul cultivator in a single move? Xu Zhanfeng certainly didn't believe that!

"Uh... My lady, please, just name your conditions. As long as you spare me, I will do anything!"

"Is that so? You're quite proactive."

Seeing Ye Qinghan smile, Xu Zhanfeng gradually relaxed and began to fawn over her, hurriedly continuing.

"Naturally! Your word is law, my lady. I will do whatever you command!"

"Do you know this secret realm well?"

Xu Zhanfeng's heart leaped! There was a chance! He could live!

"Very well! Very well! What is it that you are looking for, my lady?"

He thought to himself, *Isn't this right up my alley?* He had been trapped here for thousands of years; who could possibly know this place better than him?

"Are there any treasure vaults or anything of the sort? Preferably money, gold, or something like that."

Ye Qinghan was quite direct. She didn't have much of a concept of money, but since she didn't want her master to have to go out and scavenge for greens, she needed wealth!

"Yes, yes, yes! As far as I know, there are immortal-grade artifacts and techniques guarded by two ferocious beasts!"

Xu Zhanfeng was so excited he nearly stood up, but quickly realizing the situation, he knelt back down.

"If you are lying to me, you know the consequences." Ye Qinghan narrowed her eyes, tapping the blade against Xu Zhanfeng's shoulder.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! How could I possibly lie to you? If there is any falsehood in my words, you won't even need to act—I will cut myself down!"

"If you perform well, I might consider taking you out of here."

Ye Qinghan said this with a flat, indifferent expression.

Xu Zhanfeng was stunned. This was a secret realm created by an immortal, yet this young woman claimed she could take him out! But then again, who could guarantee that she wasn't an immortal herself? Even if he would likely be under her control upon leaving, it was still far better than being trapped in this realm!

"Thank you for your great mercy! I, Zhanfeng, will not betray your trust! Just watch me!"

Ye Qinghan slowly sheathed her immortal sword, and with a flick of her hand, a sword box appeared, drawing the blade back inside.

In that instant, Xu Zhanfeng was dumbstruck! Shi Yao might not have recognized it, but he was an expert! That flash of golden light—what was in that sword box was undoubtedly an immortal sword, and at the very least, a top-tier immortal-grade one! To think that such a sword was in the hands of a young girl was one thing, but even more terrifying was the fact that she had a dozen of them! And every single one was of superb quality and in perfect condition!

Xu Zhanfeng believed it now. If anyone in this world could save him, it was this young woman!

"This way, please, my lady!"

Ye Qinghan waved her hand, signaling to the dazed-looking Shi Yao to follow. Shi Yao slowly stood up, nodded, and followed silently.

"My lady, who is this?"

Xu Zhanfeng dared not overstep, so it was better to ask clearly. If she was close to his "lady," he couldn't afford to offend her!

"My sworn younger sister."

Xu Zhanfeng didn't understand the complexities, and he couldn't read any information from Ye Qinghan's cold, icy eyes.

"Greetings, Second Lady! Just call me Zhanfeng, Second Lady!" Xu Zhanfeng hurriedly knelt and kowtowed in a grand gesture. He wasn't without dignity, but he felt that anyone trapped in this realm for thousands of years would end up exactly like him.

"Uh, there's no need, no need. Sister... I... you don't have to be so formal..."

Li Shi Yao was stunned. *Uh... is this guy really that afraid of Sister Qinghan?* Li Shi Yao was not very bright, but she was a cultivator; she could sense Xu Zhanfeng's strength. That was clearly the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator, and she was certainly no match for him. Yet, this Xu Zhanfeng was terrified of Sister Qinghan. Just what level of cultivation did Sister Qinghan actually have?

"Lead the way."

Ye Qinghan hadn't heard Li Shi Yao speak for a long time and had felt a bit bored, but the moment Li Shi Yao spoke, she was already annoyed.

"Yes, yes, yes! This way, Great Lady! Watch out for the loose stones—oops, it’s a bit dark here, let me go light a lamp for you!"

Xu Zhanfeng truly had a talent for being a lackey. Ye Qinghan quite liked this feeling, but she was very clear that if this guy got out, even if his cultivation was diminished, he would at least be above the Spirit Severing stage; she might not be able to keep him in check. Whether or not to release him required further consideration; his one-sided story could not be taken as absolute truth.

After walking for a while, Ye Qinghan slowly stopped and looked coldly at Xu Zhanfeng.

"Isn't this the path I came from? How dare you lie to me?"

It must be said, that sword box had become a trigger! As the sword box slammed to the ground, Xu Zhanfeng didn't even have time to explain before his legs hit the ground in a kneeling position!

"Gulp... My lady, please, listen to my explanation!"

Xu Zhanfeng didn't want to! His legs were just faster than his brain!

"The direction is correct; this is the path. The treasure vault is actually located right behind the entrance..."

"Is that so?"

Ye Qinghan's gaze swept over him, nearly scaring the life out of the man who hadn't eaten grain in thousands of years. It was too terrifying! Xu Zhanfeng felt he had seen experts before—he had even crossed paths with semi-immortals—but no one had ever frightened him like this. Yet, in front of this lady, his legs simply refused to listen to him!

"Yes, there is a barrier set up there. If you don't investigate carefully, you won't be able to find the hidden path behind it!"

"If I find out you are lying to me, or if you try to play any tricks to escape, you know the outcome, don't you?"

Ye Qinghan was clearly smiling, but Xu Zhanfeng was so terrified he couldn't speak; he could only slam his head against the ground—bang, bang, bang! He slammed it hard.