Volume 1, Chapter 27: The Greatest Saint in the World!

Pei Yunxiao simply could not fathom it. How destitute must this girl’s family be to produce such a promising talent who would turn down a Celestial-grade cultivation technique just to ask him for money?

"If you cultivate this Celestial-grade technique, your path to immortality will be free of obstacles. You need only focus your mind, and your future will surely be..."

"Shut up. I asked if you had money, why are you rambling on about that?"

Ye Qinghan was getting annoyed, and so was Pei Yunxiao. "A block of wood that cannot be carved!"

Shi Yao wanted the technique, but she dared not snatch it from Ye Qinghan. She could only stand by, watching with wide, longing eyes, looking like a pitiful little thing.

"Big Sister..."

Ye Qinghan’s fox-like eyes swept toward Shi Yao, and—aha! An idea struck. "Doesn't your technique come with anything else?"

Pei Yunxiao was taken aback. "What?"

"How about throwing in a Celestial sword?"

"Deal!"

Pei Yunxiao chuckled. So that was it; she wanted a magical treasure as well. But trading a Celestial sword for a successor with such natural talent was hardly a loss. With a wave of his hand, a low-grade Celestial technique manual radiating multicolored light and a cyan Celestial sword drifted slowly before them.

Ye Qinghan saw it, and it was hers. Before Pei Yunxiao could even introduce them, she reached out into thin air. A sword case suddenly appeared, snapped open, and swallowed the sword inside. Ignoring Pei Yunxiao, she looked at the "little pitiful thing" beside her.

"Sister will keep the sword. How about I give the cultivation technique to you, Little Sister Shi Yao?"

Shi Yao’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious, Big Sister?"

"If my Master knew I accepted someone else's technique, she would scold me! You are gifted, even more so than I; with this Celestial technique, you will be like a tiger with wings!"

"Big Sister! I have nothing to repay you with!" Shi Yao was moved to the verge of tears. Her sister was actually passing up a Celestial-grade technique for her! If Ye Qinghan weren't a girl, she would have offered her heart and soul right then and there. No, even being a girl, Shi Yao might still...

"Sister only asks that you stay away from me and my Master. Do not put yourself in danger!"

"But Big Sister..."

Although Shi Yao wanted it, she felt a pang of guilt. She had already decided that Sister Qinghan was the kindest person in the world! If such a wonderful sister gave up her technique, how would she answer to her own master back home?

"Little sister, do not hesitate. Be careful when you return, and ensure this matter remains secret."

Touched by her sister's sincerity—something she had never encountered in her life—Shi Yao wept. She accepted the technique and nodded through her tears.

Seeing Shi Yao take the technique, Ye Qinghan finally turned her attention back to Pei Yunxiao’s darkened face. "What? You aren't thinking of taking back what you've already given, are you?"

"..."

"Young lady, do you really look down on my Celestial-grade technique that much?" Pei Yunxiao was baffled. Anyone else would be fighting tooth and nail just for a glimpse of such a technique. But these two sisters were actually pushing it onto each other! Why did a Celestial-grade technique become something everyone despised in their hands?

Though Pei Yunxiao understood that Ye Qinghan had her reasons, he didn't intend to probe; he was merely a wisp of spiritual consciousness, after all. It mattered little to him who took the technique. His physical body had long since perished in the Celestial Realm; passing on his legacy here was just a way to keep his tradition alive. At least this Li Shi Yao had some aptitude; with this technique, she might not necessarily lose to Ye Qinghan.

"It’s not about whether I like it or not. It’s that my Master doesn't like it. My Master only likes things that are worth money."

Uh...

Pei Yunxiao said no more and vanished, causing the illusion to gradually dissipate.

"My Lady! You've returned!" As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Xu Zhanfeng slide to his knees before her with practiced ease.

"Stop with the dramatics, I’m not dead yet!"

Ye Qinghan proceeded to sweep the treasury clean. There wasn't much of value—the best item was merely a mid-grade Heaven-tier fan. But Ye Qinghan didn't mind; her Master could turn trash into treasure!

"Shi Yao, help me look around. See if there’s any gold or anything like that."

Li Shi Yao blinked. "G-gold?"

"Xu Zhanfeng, go take down all the paintings on the wall. These things should fetch a good price!"

"Right away, My Lady!"

Like bandits descending upon a village, Ye Qinghan fully embraced the spirit of plunder. She cleared out the entire treasury, and Xu Zhanfeng even scraped the gold leaf off the pillars until they were bare! After stuffing everything into her jade pendant, Ye Qinghan finally felt satisfied and her mood improved. Once she sold all these treasures for gold, her Master would surely praise her!

"Sister Qinghan, I can understand the gold leaf on the pillars, but surely there’s no need to pry up the floor tiles..."

"Little sister, you are the Saintess of the Holy Mountain; you have no idea how expensive daily life is!"

"Huh?" Shi Yao was bewildered. Did that have anything to do with anything?

While directing Xu Zhanfeng to clean up the battlefield, Ye Qinghan earnestly gave Shi Yao a lecture. "Do you know that the meat buns you eat cost money for the meat, money for the flour, and even the labor of mincing the filling costs money? Without money, Sister will go hungry!"

"It’s that hard? Sister... I’ve wronged you!"

"There are only Sister and my Master in the Lingxian Palace. If I don't work hard to save money, I won't just go hungry—I'll get beaten!"

"Oh? Sister, look at this bracelet..."

"Ah! Wonderful, thank you, little sister! I'll take that!" Ye Qinghan didn't even hesitate before sliding the gem-encrusted gold bracelet right off Li Shi Yao's arm.

"Sister, wait..."

Shi Yao felt that something wasn't quite right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Regardless, she was sure her sister wouldn't harm her. "Sister, shouldn't we be heading back now?"

"Why go back? Aren't there still plenty of natural treasures we haven't collected yet?"

Shi Yao was stunned, and so was Xu Zhanfeng. They had already combed through the entire secret realm; Xu Zhanfeng was certain nothing had been left behind!

Ye Qinghan smiled, organized all the treasures, set up a small table at the entrance of the realm, and began collecting a toll. Shi Yao was shocked—it turned out she had forgotten to rob the other cultivators!

Ye Qinghan sat to the side, while Shi Yao sat on her lap like a handmaiden, fanning her. Xu Zhanfeng stood at the entrance like a formidable gatekeeper. If anyone wanted to leave the realm, they had to hand over all their money and half of their natural treasures!

"This is unreasonable! Fellow Daoist, look at this monster—she’s blocking the path and robbing us!"

"Unreasonable?" Xu Zhanfeng was finally getting his own back. He knew he was no match for the Lady, but dealing with these Foundation Establishment brats was a breeze! After a few strikes, anyone who tried to argue was left coughing up blood.

Xu Zhanfeng pointed at the line of cultivators at the entrance, his dead-fish eyes wide as he bellowed, "Let me tell you! All the treasures in this realm belong to Fairy Ye Qinghan! Leaving you with half is already showing you mercy, and you dare to haggle?"

"If you’re looking for trouble, go ahead and try!"

Xu Zhanfeng’s massive blade lay across the entrance like a portcullis. Even though the cultivators were incensed, there was nothing they could do.