Zhao Gaoheng took a deep breath, feeling as though he had been played for a fool.
Damn it! After all that, he just thought the money wasn't enough?! Who was he performing that righteous act for earlier?!
He gritted his teeth and pressed, “Then how much do you want?”
Jiang Ye held up a single index finger, making an exorbitant demand without hesitation:
“I want one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones a month! Plus ten Heaven-grade techniques upon joining! And also—”
“How much?!”
Before Jiang Ye could even finish, Zhao Gaoheng cried out in shock.
He stared at Jiang Ye as if looking at a lunatic:
“Are you pulling a highway robbery here?! If there’s a place offering terms that good, introduce me to it and I’ll go!”
After a round of fierce haggling, the two parties barely managed to reach an agreement.
In the end, Zhao Gaoheng said through gritted teeth, “Fine! Dao Mystic Peak will pay you a monthly stipend of twenty thousand low-grade spirit stones! Plus four High-grade Profound-grade techniques and two low-grade treasure tools! That is my absolute limit!”
Jiang Ye reluctantly acquiesced, “A-right, hand over the goods then.”
Zhao Gaoheng warned guardedly, “You’ll only get them after you officially join Dao Mystic Peak.”
Jiang Ye scoffed with disdain. “What if you renege on your word then? Leaving Sword Peak means offending everyone from top to bottom over there.”
Zhao Gaoheng gritted his teeth. “Fine! I’ll give you half as a deposit upfront!”
With an expression of deep anguish, he pulled a spatial ring from his robes and handed it over.
Jiang Ye snatched the ring and checked inside, confirming it contained ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, two jade slips recording Profound-grade techniques, and a low-grade treasure tool flying sword.
He nodded in satisfaction. “Fiiine then. I’ll report to you tomorrow.”
Zhao Gaoheng finally breathed a sigh of relief, forcing a stiff smile. “Good. It’s a deal.”
Jiang Ye turned to leave, but suddenly spun back around: “Oh right, make sure to remind me. My memory has been bad lately.”
Zhao Gaoheng paused, asking reflexively, “How bad?”
Jiang Ye: “What’s bad?”
Zhao Gaoheng: “Your memory!”
Jiang Ye looked completely bewildered. “Remember what?”
Zhao Gaoheng grew anxious: “Joining our Dao Mystic Peak!”
Jiang Ye shook his head decisively. “Not joining!”
Pfft!
Inside his mind, Bai Zhirou couldn't hold back a burst of laughter. She finally understood what Jiang Ye had meant earlier when he said, "Watch me play sweet and screw him over."
Having finished speaking, Jiang Ye pocketed the spatial ring and walked forward without turning back.
He left Zhao Gaoheng standing there like an idiot.
A gentle breeze blew past. Realization suddenly crashed over him that he had been utterly played, and his face instantly turned as red as pig's liver!
He roared in fury, “Bai Zhirou! You dare play me?!”
Right at that moment, a sharp whoosh echoed through the air.
A cold ray of sword light descended from the heavens, landing steadily beside Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye’s eyes lit up. Oho, my personal designated driver is here!
Gu Qingxue stood atop the flying sword, shooting an icy glance at the fuming Zhao Gaoheng before turning to ask Jiang Ye, “What happened?”
Jiang Ye shrugged innocently. “Beats me~ Maybe he can't find his way home and is throwing a tantrum at the air~”
Trembling with rage, Zhao Gaoheng clenched his fists tight and pointed at Jiang Ye, roaring, “Bai Zhirou! Return my things! Otherwise, fulfill your promise!”
Jiang Ye looked at him with the kind of pity reserved for the mentally impaired, his face full of confusion: “What things?”
Gritting his back teeth to suppress his rage, Zhao Gaoheng gave a veiled reminder: “The things inside your spatial ring!”
Jiang Ye shot back with righteous indignation: “What's inside my spatial ring got to do with you?”
Zhao Gaoheng: “?!!”
Can you be any more shameless?!
Jiang Ye didn't bother responding to him. Skillfully hopping onto the flying sword, he patted Gu Qingxue's shoulder and urged, “Step on it, driver! Don't hang around idiots, stupidity is contagious.”
Whoosh! The flying sword shot into the sky, zipping far away in the blink of an eye.
Zhao Gaoheng could only watch helplessly as the two flew away, his lungs practically bursting with fury.
Yet he couldn't throw a public scene! Poaching disciples behind another peak's back like this was shady business in the first place.
If it blew up into a big scandal, not only would he fail to get his items back, but Dao Mystic Peak would also lose face completely.
It was like swallowing a bitter pill in silence—he had to suffer the injustice without a word of complaint!
“Fine! Fine! Bai Zhirou, just you wait!” Zhao Gaoheng stomped his feet in humiliation and rage.
...
High up in the sky, Gu Qingxue steered the flying sword steadily. After a moment, she asked softly, “What was that about just now?”
While admiring the picturesque mountains below, Jiang Ye answered offhandedly, “Oh, just playing with an idiot. Someone wanted to poach me and brought me free money.”
Gu Qingxue knitted her brows in thought, her tone turning a bit strange: “Are you... Number Two?”
Jiang Ye: “...”
Wait, who are you calling Number Two?
Gu Qingxue continued, “What happened this morning? How were you forced to bring out your second personality?”
Jiang Ye held onto her waist like handlebars, replying casually, “Just an idiot who swapped my Foundation Establishment Pill with a toxic pill.”
Hearing this, Gu Qingxue's eyebrows furrowed deeply.
The temperature of the surrounding air dropped sharply, and even the flying sword let out a crisp hum.
She jerked the flying sword into a sharp U-turn in midair, heading toward the Medicine Pavilion brimming with murderous intent.
Jiang Ye felt his hands freezing over and hastily shouted, “Hey hey hey! Don't be impulsive! It's fine now! I already slaughtered the guy.”
Only then did Gu Qingxue halt. The chilling air around her gradually dissipated as she adjusted the flying sword's direction again.
Relaxing her tone slightly, she said coldly, “Mm. That person deserved to die. You don't need to carry any guilt.”
Jiang Ye froze for a second. “Emmm, what's that?”
Gu Qingxue: “...”
At the top of Sword Peak.
Gu Qingxue steered the flying sword down, landing beside a quiet emerald bamboo forest.
This had originally been a desolate cliff, but now a brand-new cave dwelling had been forcibly carved out of it.
Outside the cave dwelling, sharp sword marks remained visible on the rock face, clearly showing it had been excavated recently. Yet the overall frame was already complete, exuding a raw, rugged beauty.
“Go inside and take a look.” Gu Qingxue sheathed her flying sword and led the way in.
Though still a bit rough around the edges inside, the cave dwelling was already decently furnished.
There was a set of rosewood tables and chairs giving off a faint fragrance, several soft spirit beast fur carpets, and even a few pots of fragrant spirit flowers blooming in the corner.
Clearly, these interior decorations were all arranged by Gu Qingxue in advance.
In her mind, Jiang Ye blew a playful whistle and couldn't help teasing, “Oho, not bad! Xiao Bai, look at how thoughtful Senior Sister Gu is. She even set up your bridal chamber for you.”
Bai Zhirou's face flushed red as she exclaimed in embarrassment, “Senior! You're talking nonsense again!”
Jiang Ye decisively logged off.
“Alright, take your time looking around. I have zero interest in touring a 'bridal chamber' with you two.”
Buzz.
Bai Zhirou's body trembled slightly as she regained control.
Blushing, she followed behind Gu Qingxue, continuing to tour her new home.
Rate on N.U.
