“We’re going to rob someone?” Jiang Huai was stunned, turning his head to look at the little black dragon head on his shoulder.
Isn’t this bad? To snatch something just because you found something good? How is that any different from being a bandit?
“Is this really some kind of treasure?” He looked at the blue bead in the heavily made-up woman’s hand.
To him, this bead seemed utterly ordinary, not like it held any hidden secrets.
“The ill fortune and fate within your body are entangled, vaguely forming a cycle of Yin and Yang. This strand of Dao Rhyme might be fated for you.”
Astonishingly, the ill fortune and fate within Jiang Huai’s body were circulating in a Yin-Yang pattern.
Qin Qingyue didn’t really understand these things either, and simply thought it would be better to snatch the item and study it.
“This disciple from the Hehuan Sect probably sensed this Dao Rhyme because of her cultivation technique.”
Such a wisp of Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme—if it fell into the hands of this female disciple, she would surely benefit greatly.
Qin Qingyue was curious whether the ancient Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme had any connection to Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huai thought for a moment, then shook his head and said,
“Forget it. Let’s not go robbing other people’s things.”
He was pure-hearted, but not inflexible.
From Qin Qingyue’s tone, this item was precious, but not indispensable.
Qin Qingyue’s dragon eyes narrowed slightly, a bit puzzled, secretly shaking her head inside.
Where exactly did her husband’s foolish innocence come from? Was his previous environment really that friendly?
No, she couldn’t let Jiang Huai remain so kind-hearted forever.
This world was one where the strong preyed on the weak, where the victor took all, and the loser was left with nothing—not even their life.
She was willing to protect Jiang Huai for a lifetime, but she was already in the Great Ascension stage and would soon ascend to the Immortal Realm.
Wu Zhaohua was the same—they both would have periods where they couldn’t stay by Jiang Huai’s side.
If that happened, what would he do if someone with ill intentions tricked him?
Her thoughts raced, and her voice took on a deliberate, persuasive tone:
“Jiang Huai, if you don’t act, that bead will definitely fall into the hands of that Hehuan Sect demoness.”
“That little girl is no match for her.”
“Instead of letting it fall to someone who bullies the weak, why don’t we take it and give the girl more spirit stones as compensation?”
She paused, then pressed harder, hitting Jiang Huai’s soft spot:
“Besides, the Yin-Yang transformation in your body—who knows if it’s a blessing or a curse! If I get that bead and study it carefully, maybe I can resolve your hidden troubles!”
“Go, quickly!”
Before she finished speaking, the dragon tail wrapped around Jiang Huai’s waist suddenly exerted force, landing a resounding smack on his rear with irresistible strength!
“Ah! Wait, wait!” Jiang Huai was caught off guard, his body propelled forward by a surge of force, stumbling uncontrollably.
“No need to wait!” Qin Qingyue’s voice was decisive, the dragon tail like an invisible rein, dragging him straight toward the center of the conflict.
At this moment, the atmosphere at the scene was as taut as a drawn bowstring.
The girl in blue trembled all over with anger, eyes rimmed red, biting her lip hard—like a young beast forced to the brink, about to show its claws and fangs.
Across from her, the Hehuan Sect female cultivators, led by a voluptuous woman at the Foundation Establishment stage, were smugly playing with that unremarkable blue bead. Her flirtatious, mocking smile was like a cat toying with a mouse, her thick makeup unable to hide her mean streak.
“Little sister, not convinced?”
“Not convinced? Go ahead, draw your sword! Let big sister see what you’re made of.”
“If you’re useless, just go home.” The grating ridicule made her companions burst into another round of wanton laughter.
Go home?
The girl in blue seemed to have been stabbed in a sore spot by the woman’s words. Shamed and angry, her hand landed on her sword hilt.
They stole my thing, and now they dare humiliate me?
Once your hand is on the sword in public, there’s no reason not to draw it.
Just as the girl in blue was about to draw her sword, Jiang Huai, pushed by the dragon tail at his waist, stumbled and nearly crashed into her back. Steadying himself, he found himself facing the girl’s tear-filled, astonished eyes.
The girl froze, looking helplessly at the handsome young man before her.
Where did he come from? Could he be someone Mother sent to protect her?
Does the sect have elders this good-looking?
Jiang Huai inwardly complained about Qin Qingyue’s lack of fairness, but forced a reassuring smile at the girl, then turned to the leading Hehuan Sect female cultivator.
When the woman saw Jiang Huai’s appearance, her eyes nearly glazed over, as if she’d spotted some rare treasure.
“Oh my, is this your lover?”
The women behind her all stared intently at Jiang Huai, as if seeing a tempting prey.
Their gazes were predatory, sweeping up and down Jiang Huai’s body, as if imagining all sorts of things in their minds.
That look made Qin Qingyue’s killing intent surge, a dragon’s growl rumbling in her throat like a beast protecting its food.
“Oh, and a spirit pet that can roar too.”
“Hey, I can give you this bead for free. Can I borrow your man for two days?” the woman teased boldly, her gaze fixed on Jiang Huai.
Such a handsome young man—she couldn’t just let him slip away.
He was far better-looking than the men in the sect used for cultivation practice.
Her words only stoked Qin Qingyue’s fury. If not for wanting Jiang Huai to gain experience, she would have already taken human form and killed the woman on the spot.
Jiang Huai took a deep breath, suppressing his irritation, his calm gaze landing on the bead:
“Fellow Daoist, business should be fair. First come, first served, money for goods.”
“This young lady has already paid spirit stones, so the item belongs to her.”
“For you to snatch it by force and speak so rudely—doesn’t that break the rules of the market and tarnish the Hehuan Sect’s reputation?”
He was no pedant. Since he had decided to act, he would act decisively. Having been pushed forward, there was no turning back—he’d fight openly for it!
His voice wasn’t loud, but it rang clearly in the ears of the onlookers.
Many faces showed an amused look, as if watching a play.
After all these years, someone was still talking about upholding justice in the cultivation world? Who didn’t know the Hehuan Sect ruled this place?
Hearing this, the girl in blue—Zhu Siyao—widened her beautiful eyes in disbelief.
So he wasn’t sent by her mother, just a warm-hearted young man?
“Rules? Reputation?” The leading woman from Hehuan Sect acted as if she’d heard the world’s funniest joke, covering her mouth in exaggerated laughter, her body shaking.
“The reputation of the Hehuan Sect isn’t for a Qi Refining trash like you to worry about.”
Jiang Huai wasn’t angered by this. He took out a few spirit stones from his storage ring and tossed them to the woman, smiling:
“If you can raise the price to snatch this young lady’s item, then I can raise the price to buy this bead as well, right?”
“So now this bead is mine.”
“After all, it’s the Hehuan Sect’s rules, isn’t it?”
The woman’s face instantly darkened, her gaze turning sharp:
“Do you believe that today, neither you nor that woman will be able to get away?”
At Jiang Huai’s waist, Qin Qingyue let out a very soft but thoroughly impatient snort, the fine dragon tail scales scraping his side as if urging:
Why waste words with this kind of trash? Fight!
Zhu Siyao saw the two about to fight, and since Jiang Huai was only at Qi Refining, she tried to endure it and said,
“Fellow Daoist, let’s forget it, I… I don’t want it anymore.”
“It’s not worth it for me.”
“Let’s go.”
Though grateful, she didn’t want to drag such a good man into trouble for her sake.
Besides, she really couldn’t beat these women right now. If this kind-hearted young man fell into the Hehuan Sect’s hands, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Jiang Huai didn’t move.
He felt the increasingly impatient “urging” at his waist, calmed himself, and even smiled slightly at the woman:
“I don’t believe you.”
The woman could no longer restrain herself. Her five fingers turned into claws, fingertips wreathed in a pink mist, reaching straight for Jiang Huai’s dantian.
The Hehuan Sect’s harvesting evil arts were vicious and sinister—if this claw struck, at best his vital Yang would be drained and his cultivation destroyed; at worst, he’d die on the spot.
“Watch out!” Zhu Siyao cried out.
Qin Qingyue didn’t plan to intervene directly, only lent Jiang Huai a suitable amount of spiritual power, not intending to act herself.
She wanted to nurture Jiang Huai, step by step, into one of the world’s top experts—to ascend with her together.