Volume One, Chapter 28: Collecting Passage Fees

Shiyao watched this scene unfold, though it mattered little to her. Any treasures she had collected along the way were nothing compared to the Immortal-grade cultivation technique that Sister Qinghan had yielded to her. Shiyao did not care whether Sister Qinghan was a good person or a villain; at the very least, Sister Qinghan was kind to her! That made Sister Qinghan the greatest person in the world! Perhaps she was only acting this way to avoid being tormented by her master. That wretched Su Cheng—despite being so handsome, he was a total villain for bullying Sister Qinghan!

Although Ye Qinghan appeared to have her attention fixed on the beauty beside her, she still kept an eye on Shangguan Rou through her peripheral vision. "Do not make things difficult for her. Let her pass."

Xu Zhanfeng looked at Shangguan Rou. He had originally intended to help his "Great-Aunt" vent her frustration, thinking it was absurd that this person would dare to go against her. But now that she had given the order, he had no choice but to desist.

"Why?" Shangguan Rou was quite perceptive; she knew she was no match for Ye Qinghan, and certainly no match for Xu Zhanfeng.

"I don't like you, so I don't want your things. Even your money—I don't want it." Ye Qinghan leaned back in her chair, smiling as she appraised Shiyao without so much as a glance at Shangguan Rou. "If you leave empty-handed, you might not even be able to remain a plaything. We are both women; I have no intention of making things hard for you."

Shangguan Rou remained silent. When one lacks the strength, any words sound feeble. No one understood this better than she did, though this time, it was she who was the one lacking. As she watched Shangguan Rou’s retreating figure, Ye Qinghan laughed heartily. Things should be quiet for a while now. She only wondered when the Liu family planned to make their move. Given her master’s temperament, he would certainly never agree to her taking the initiative! After all, it was only Qiao Yun’s word, and now that Qiao Yun was dead, there was no proof.

The Liu family was one concern, but Ye Qinghan felt she should also establish some assets. While raiding homes and exterminating clans was one way to start a business, it was not a long-term solution—she couldn't just kill everyone! Her master loved money, so she, too, must learn to make money—to provide for him! That way, her master would never be able to leave her! After all, without her, he would be penniless and forced to scavenge for vegetable scraps! Hehe! She was truly a genius!

"Why didn't that woman have to pay!" It was the voice of Dongfang Jue. Xu Zhanfeng, unsure of how his Great-Aunt felt about her, decided to be slightly more polite.

"That woman is an acquaintance of my Great-Aunt, so naturally, she does not need to pay."

"What? Ye Qinghan! You can't afford to play fair, so you've turned to robbery?" Dongfang Jue stood with her hands on her hips, looking indignant, as if she were itching for a fight!

Ye Qinghan stood up with a smile. "Her Highness is right! The Lingxian Palace is operating at a deficit, and as the senior disciple, I am merely running a small business here."

"Ye Qinghan, I used to think that although you were a bit arrogant, you were still a decent person!"

"And now?" Ye Qinghan laughed, her frame trembling. Just as Shangguan Rou had realized, Dongfang Jue’s words seemed hollow in her eyes.

Without further ado, Dongfang Jue grabbed her spear and charged!

"Oh my, someone’s in a rush!"

Before she had gone far, however, she was pinned to the ground by Xu Zhanfeng, and her spear was kicked aside. Ye Qinghan found that being a villain felt quite good! It was exhilarating!

"Zhanfeng, release her. It’s not that she can’t afford to pay; she simply wants to spar with me."

"Hmph, even if I had the money, I wouldn't give it to you!" Dongfang Jue slowly climbed to her feet. Having recovered earlier, she was largely unhurt. She stomped her foot, and her spear instantly flew back into her hand.

"Impressive." Ye Qinghan clapped with a smile, while the surrounding cultivators gathered to watch the duel between the two prodigies.

"Miss Dongfang, go for it!"

"You can do it! Don't lose to this demon fox!"

"We support you!"

Seeing this, Xu Zhanfeng was baffled—why was everyone cheering for Dongfang Jue? He slammed his heavy blade into the ground and roared at the crowd, "If you don't want to die, keep your mouths shut!"

Ye Qinghan only smiled. She felt it was truly wonderful to follow her master! Being a villain was far more satisfying than being a good person, especially since she had never been good at being "good" in the first place!

The two clashed instantly. It had to be said that although Dongfang Jue’s cultivation was on par with Shiyao’s, her skill was clearly superior.

"Did your master teach you the way of the demon? How have you become like this?" Her spear strikes were unorthodox yet exceptionally fluid—she certainly had some talent!

Their movements were swift. Ye Qinghan merely wanted to gauge her level, while Dongfang Jue could find no opening.

"What? Are you envious?"

"You’ve lost all semblance of humanity!" Dongfang Jue flicked her spear and spun around for a powerful strike. Ye Qinghan casually flicked her wrist, neutralizing the heavy blow with ease. They traded blows—a sword against a spear—in a brilliant duel that made the onlookers momentarily forget they were trapped.

Dongfang Jue’s spear technique was masterful, and she carried herself with heroic grace. Ye Qinghan’s swordsmanship was sharp and ruthless, and she possessed a captivating, chilling allure.

"I am a fox demon by nature; how could I ever have the 'humanity' you speak of?"

As these words faded, the "evenly matched" spar began to shift. Relying on her superior swordsmanship, Ye Qinghan gained an overwhelming advantage.

"See? Even with just swordplay, you are no match for me, Your Highness." She finished with a standard side-kick, leaving even Shiyao standing by with her mouth agape. Ye Qinghan’s sword techniques were impossible to trace, but they were undoubtedly the strongest Shiyao had ever seen—without exception.

"Your Highness, since I am standing here collecting tolls, I am naturally not afraid of you wrecking my shop. Do you understand?" She stepped over to Dongfang Jue and delivered a brutal kick, jolting the unconscious princess awake with the sheer pain.

"I suppose you, who have always lived a life of luxury, can easily keep talk of 'saving the world' on your lips. If the world had slaughtered your parents and destroyed your kingdom, would you still be able to shamelessly claim to love it?"

Ye Qinghan laughed, her shoulders shaking. She didn't actually hate Dongfang Jue that much; if her mother were still alive, Ye Qinghan would have been a princess too! But unfortunately, she had lost her kin and her home, and she could no longer bring herself to love the world.

Dongfang Jue lay on the ground, lacking the strength to stand—not that Ye Qinghan’s kick had intended to let her.

"Don't give me that look of shock. You’re actually quite kind, aren't you? Why aren't you the saintess at the Holy Mountain? You’re far more suited for it than Li Shiyao!" She delivered another kick as she spoke. "Rest assured, I have no intention of killing you. In my eyes, you are just a child who hasn't been weaned yet!"

Ye Qinghan did not care about right or wrong, nor good or evil; the standards of morality held no weight in this world! Laws were merely leashes for the cattle at the bottom. The only person Ye Qinghan cared about was her master!

Ye Qinghan turned around and glared fiercely at Xu Zhanfeng.

"Xu Zhanfeng!"

Xu Zhanfeng’s legs went weak, and he quickly knelt.

"If this princess manages to take even a single pebble out of this mystic realm, I will twist your head off!"