Don’t Bully Him

“You—demoness! Let go of the shopkeeper, or I’ll call for help!” the old man shouted in terror.

The veiled woman didn’t even glance at him. A gust of wind swept through, and both she and the pawnshop keeper vanished without a trace.

—

Onboard a spirit boat adorned with a black-and-red spider totem, the shopkeeper’s face was calm, his voice steady. “Fairy Sister, I’m just an ordinary mortal. I’m of no use to you. Please let me go.”

“But you’re so handsome,” the veiled woman said with a playful smile, her bright eyes sparkling. “You’re surprisingly calm. I thought you’d be begging for mercy by now.”

“I’m no country bumpkin. Though I haven’t cultivated, I know a bit about the cultivation world. Let me warn you—if you take me to this so-called Mystic Maiden Palace, it won’t end well for either of us. You might even make a grave mistake,” the shopkeeper said, his gaze steady like a still lake.

“Threatening me? How amusing. I like you more and more,” the veiled woman said, clearly unbothered. To her, the shopkeeper was nothing more than a powerless mortal.

“What’s your name, anyway?” she asked.

The shopkeeper took a deep breath, his voice soft yet firm. “Zhao Xinting.”

“Purple Extreme Demon Sovereign?” The veiled woman’s eyes widened in surprise before she burst into laughter. “What a name! And with that face of yours, you must have been blessed for several lifetimes!”

Zhao Xinting remained silent, his expression stoic. Internally, however, he was struggling. He had to endure. If he abandoned his mortal transformation and reclaimed his cultivation now, all his previous efforts would be wasted. After his first failure, he didn’t know how long it would take to re-enter the mortal transformation stage. How could he surpass his master if he faltered now?

The veiled woman suddenly placed her hand on Zhao Xinting’s head, ruffling his hair like he was a pet. “Remember, my name is Ling Cuiyan. I’m one of the nine Saintesses of the Mystic Maiden Palace. You probably don’t understand what that means yet, but from today onward, I’m your master.”

—

Three Days Later – Mystic Maiden Palace

By now, many of the male disciples had attempted the Rebirth Tower, only to fail miserably. They had entered full of confidence, only to leave in despair. Yet, the number of challengers didn’t dwindle. After all, aptitude was the foundation of cultivation. A treasure like the Rebirth Tower, capable of enhancing one’s aptitude, was too rare to ignore—even if the odds were slim.

Qin Gou arrived at the towering Rebirth Tower with Chen Keshua. The area was bustling with activity. Among the crowd, he spotted Yi Chengying and Gu Caihe. Judging by the whispers around them, they were there to support some of their favored disciples attempting the tower.

—

“Qin Yue?” Gu Caihe’s voice rang out. Somehow, this woman always seemed to sense Qin Gou’s presence immediately. Perhaps it was… love?

“It’s been days. I thought you’d keep hiding in your cave, too scared to show your face,” Gu Caihe said, her tone light but laced with mockery. Despite her words, she seemed to be in a good mood, far less confrontational than before.

Yi Chengying, hearing Gu Caihe’s remark, glanced at Qin Gou. Her shoulders tensed, and she became visibly flustered. After all, she was the only one in the entire Mystic Maiden Palace who knew the truth: this so-called Qin Yue was none other than the renowned Heavenly Master of Arc Moon Mountain. Though he appeared to be at the early stage of the Hidden Artifact Realm, he had somehow suppressed his peak Avatar Realm cultivation so thoroughly that even the Palace Master couldn’t detect it. And, of course, he held a secret over Yi Chengying that she couldn’t afford to reveal.

—

“Ah, I know the Saintess of Cherished Flowers can’t stop thinking about me. Three days apart, and you’ve already missed me terribly. Now that I’m here, Little Box must be overjoyed,” Qin Gou said with a smirk.

Gu Caihe’s face darkened, her hand twitching as if she wanted to slap him. This man had an uncanny ability to find her sore spots and strike back with precision.

Suddenly, Gu Caihe’s expression shifted. She sneered coldly. “I almost forgot. Someone here is said to have a four-element mid-grade aptitude. How unfortunate that such a rare Enlightened Body ended up on a useless person like that. No wonder someone was so desperate to accumulate Rebirth Tower time. Hoping to defy fate, are we? What a pity. Even a miraculous treasure like the Rebirth Tower can’t help everyone. Only one in ten thousand can truly benefit from it.”

—

Before Qin Gou could respond, someone else spoke up.

“Stop targeting Qin Yue, Sister Caihe!” Yi Chengying clung to Gu Caihe’s arm, pouting as she pleaded.

Gu Caihe looked at her in shock. “Targeting him? Who’s targeting who? Didn’t you hear what that scoundrel just said? He’s ruining my reputation!”

Yi Chengying stomped her foot, her tone urgent. “Just stop bullying him! If you leave him alone, he won’t say anything to upset you.”

Yi Chengying knew she was actually helping Gu Caihe, but she couldn’t explain the truth. The situation left her feeling deeply conflicted.

—

“What? Chengying, are you seriously taking Qin Yue’s side against me? Why are you defending him?” Gu Caihe asked, her disbelief evident.

“I… Why I’m defending Qin Yue, Sister Caihe, shouldn’t you already know?” Yi Chengying’s face turned bright red as she argued back.

“What are you talking about? You’re confusing me!” Gu Caihe said, her expression a mix of frustration and bewilderment.

Yi Chengying suddenly turned to Qin Gou, her gaze filled with a strange intensity. Her watery eyes seemed to carry the grievances of a sheltered maiden. Gathering her courage, she declared, “Hmph! Is Sister Caihe the only one allowed to have feelings for him? Can’t I, Yi Chengying, have a crush too?”