Chapter - 19
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Someone placed a hand on his shoulder, and Qiao Han was startled.
"Qiao Han, what are you doing here?"
Qiao Han turned his head and saw Jiang Yin. Looking back behind him, all he could see was the bustling crowd.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Yin asked.
"I keep feeling like someone is following me," Qiao Han said, puzzled. He had clearly felt a chill just now. Could it have been his imagination?
Jiang Yin glanced around to help him check. But it was hard to determine who might be following in a setting like this, where the cultivators' appearances varied greatly and people were packed shoulder to shoulder.
"There shouldn't be any real danger in a public setting like this. Most likely, it’s just a pickpocket," Jiang Yin reassured him. "By the way, didn't you say you weren't coming? Oh, I get it. Was it Senior Brother who brought you here?"
Jiang Yin teased Qiao Han as he guided him toward the area where the disciples of Puxian Peak were gathered, casually explaining the layout of the flying ship along the way.
Meanwhile, at a stall behind them, a cloaked man was pretending to browse the merchandise with his head down.
"Hey! Don’t touch if you’re not buying! The magical artifacts here aren’t cheap, certainly not something for someone like you, who hasn’t even reached the Qi Refining stage, to use!" the Lingbao Sect disciple manning the stall snapped impatiently.
The man lifted his head, his gaze dark and oppressive as he glanced at the disciple. Without a word, he turned and quietly trailed after Qiao Han.
"Senior Brother, was that person really not in the Qi Refining stage just now? I felt an intense pressure, like some kind of overwhelming cultivation. Just one look from him and my legs turned to jelly," a junior disciple murmured.
"I felt it was strange too, but the spiritual energy within him genuinely couldn’t coalesce. He seemed like a mortal without spiritual roots. And besides, how could a cultivator carry just an ordinary, shabby blade on his back?"
"Could he be one of those experts capable of concealing their cultivation?"
"Impossible. He looks like he's in his early twenties. At that age, the most advanced cultivator is Xiao Jiuci from Qingyun Sect, right? Even Xiao Jiuci can’t do such a thing, so how could someone else? We must’ve misjudged him. Forget it, forget it... let's keep selling our wares."
......
Qiao Han followed the disciples of Puxian Peak as they gave him a general overview of the situation on the flying ship. The outer areas were filled with stalls selling the most basic Huang-grade magical tools, while the inner areas, where proper shops were set up using the ship’s interior, sold Xuan-grade and higher-grade tools.
For someone like Qiao Han, who was still in the Qi Refining stage, the lowest-level Huang-grade tools were the most suitable. Sometimes, using tools of an incompatible grade could harm the user instead.
As medical cultivators, their primary focus was on purchasing protective tools. When it came to protective artifacts, there were no grade limitations—higher-grade ones were naturally better, provided one had enough spirit stones.
After browsing through several shops and checking the prices, Jiang Yin revealed an envious expression. "I'm so jealous. Artifact refiners make so much money."
"Alchemy isn't bad either," Qiao Han remarked.
Jiang Yin shook his head and said, "There’s no concentrated sales platform like this for alchemy. Ordinary disciples find it hard to make money selling pills."
Qiao Han’s eyes lit up as he said, "I noticed there are independent artifact refiners setting up stalls here. They just need to pay the stall fee. Why don’t we..."
"Why don’t we what?" Jiang Yin didn’t catch on immediately.
Qiao Han smiled. "Everyone entering the Qinglian Realm will need both magical tools and pills. Why not let our fellow disciples who want to sell pills set up stalls here? At worst, they’d just have to pay the stall fee. I noticed no one is selling pills here yet, so it must be..."
Before Qiao Han could finish, Jiang Yin and the group of disciples behind them had their eyes shining with excitement. They shouted in unison, "Junior brothers, let’s head back to Qingyun Sect and get some pills!"
In no time, Qiao Han found himself alone.
Are all medical cultivators strapped for cash? They all went back to prepare for setting up stalls?
Left speechless, Qiao Han continued to wander around. Before long, he spotted a stall from Qingyun Sect—it was easy to spot since it was the only one selling pills. Unsurprisingly, it quickly attracted a large crowd of cultivators clamoring to buy the scarce items.
Standing outside the throng of people, Qiao Han saw Jiang Yin grinning ear to ear, his large front teeth visible, unable to contain his joy. It seemed Puxian Peak was about to make a fortune again.
With this development, the other stalls saw a sharp drop in traffic. Qiao Han now found it easier to browse without having to squeeze through crowds. As he walked, his attention was caught by a stall selling a Baiyun Fan, priced at 80 mid-grade spirit stones!
Seeing a customer approach, the stall owner immediately began enthusiastically promoting the item. "You’ve got an excellent eye, fellow Daoist! This is a Baiyun Fan I acquired from the Jade Void Sect. It contains wind-elemental spiritual energy equivalent to the Golden Core stage. One of a kind, guaranteed to satisfy both old and young!
Qiao Han marveled at how generously Lu Zhui had gifted him the Baiyun Fan. Feeling a tinge of guilt for his earlier prank, his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a voice cutting through the air.
"How could you deceive people like this? A regular Baiyun Fan can usually be used three times and is worth eighty mid-grade spirit stones. Judging by the spiritual light on this fan, it can only be used once—clearly secondhand. Selling such an item will ruin the reputation of Lingbao Sect!"
“Damn it, who’s spouting nonsense? How could this…” The vendor's retort was cut short when he saw who spoke. His attitude immediately shifted, and he awkwardly and cautiously retrieved the fan, mumbling something about no longer selling it.
Qiao Han turned to look and saw a boy of about fifteen or sixteen wearing a short robe and a leather apron clearly the attire of a craftsman. However, unlike most artifact refiners with bronze skin and muscular builds, this boy was thin and pale, resembling a plucked chicken.
Normally, such a brazen interruption would earn someone a beating, but judging by the vendor’s reaction, there was more to this boy.
Initially, Qiao Han thought the youth was standing up for justice. However, the next moment, the boy turned to him with a fawning smile. “Fellow Daoist, you seem extraordinary, with an unparalleled presence. How about checking out my stall? I guarantee you’ll find unique and practical treasures at affordable prices.”
Qiao Han glanced curiously at the boy’s stall. Immediately, his lips twitched in disbelief. Unlike the others, who at least had tables, this fellow had laid out a cloth on the ground. A few artifacts, all oddly shaped and unfamiliar, were scattered on it.
The boy picked up a winged mirror and began his pitch: “This is my invention "the Remote Water Mirror". Infuse it with your spiritual power, and it can fly off to let you observe distant places. It’s perfect for scouting danger ahead! Compared to true spiritual vision, it consumes less energy and can go unnoticed by cultivators with higher realms.”
“Unnoticed?” Qiao Han raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you think high-realm cultivators would notice a big water mirror flying in the sky?”
The boy: …
The vendor: Pfft.
The boy tried to argue, but before he could, several disciples from Lingbao Sect arrived and dragged him away. Amid the commotion, Qiao Han heard one of them say, “Senior Sister demands your immediate return.”
Qiao Han quickly pieced together the identity of the boy just a background character. With no interest in dwelling on it, he continued to wander the market. However, after some time, he started feeling as though someone was following him.
Stopping at a stall, he pointed casually at an artifact and asked a question, all the while calculating how to deal with the situation.
Just as the vendor was passionately explaining the artifact, someone suddenly snatched it up. “This? I’ll take it!”
Qiao Han turned to see another young man. This one wore the inner disciple uniform of the Qingyun Sect and had a high ponytail. His features bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Suwei, about five parts similar. A handsome lad, no doubt, but his face was full of arrogance, and his demeanor exuded a sense of superiority. He tilted his chin and glanced at others with disdain, clearly looking down on everyone.
Judging by his extravagant yet chaotic collection of artifacts, Qiao Han immediately guessed his identity: the sect leader’s son, Jiang Qiluo.
Could he be the one following him?
Just then, a chime sounded in his mind.
[Character Task Issued: Villain Qiao Han encounters the Junior Disciple. Show dissatisfaction with him, bully him, and force the male lead to take sides.
Countdown: Five minutes. If no action is taken, the system will seize control of your body to execute the task.]
Qiao Han: Oh, great.
It had been a long time since the system had appeared, and now it wanted him to bully someone? How? And after bullying, he was supposed to force the male lead to take sides?
Lu Zhui’s words about the "conflict between an uncle and nephew" immediately came to mind, sending a shiver down Qiao Han’s spine. This mission could indeed be interpreted in that nauseating way.
But no way was Qiao Han letting the system take over his body. Who knew what it might do in public? Perhaps after bullying someone, it would throw itself at the male lead and cry pitifully, begging for his support. Qiao Han would rather die.
He decided to take matters into his own hands, ensuring a quick show while Lu Zhui was absent. This way, the male lead wouldn’t witness his villainous side. Later, he could twist the narrative into a normal conflict and let the male lead discern right from wrong. Forcing him to choose a side was enough to fulfill the system’s requirements. It wouldn’t matter even if the male lead favored Jiang Qiluo.
As he contemplated his approach, the vendor hesitantly said, “This fellow Daoist saw it first.”
“He didn’t say he wanted to buy it! I’ve already offered payment, so it’s mine!” Jiang Qiluo snapped.
Snatching something? How childish. Qiao Han thought.
Qiao Han glanced at Jiang Qiluo, who immediately raised his chin higher in a blatant show of provocation. Any other person would have gotten angry and fought back, but Qiao Han’s eyes lit up instead. In Jiang Qiluo’s gaze, he saw a refreshing simplicity mixed with foolishness.
“It’s like someone handing me a pillow when I’m sleepy, or passing me toilet paper when I need it. Kid, today is just not your lucky day. Unfortunately, I have a task to complete, so I’ll have to play the villain for once. Time to teach you a little about the harshness of society.,” Qiao Han thought to himself.
“Fine, take it,” Qiao Han said, pointing to another artifact nearby. “That one seems pretty good too...”
“I want this one too!” Jiang Qiluo quickly snatched it up.
Qiao Han’s lips curled into a slow smirk. He moved to another stall, and as long as he took an interest in something, Jiang Qiluo would immediately buy it without hesitation. Gradually, Qiao Han’s expression grew darker. Jiang Qiluo, noticing this, became even more pleased with himself.
Eventually, Qiao Han turned toward the largest store on the airship the one that naturally had the most expensive artifacts. Jiang Qiluo followed closely, now entirely carried away by his smugness.
“The Bamboo Lock!” Qiao Han exclaimed excitedly as he spotted a certain artifact on the shelf.
“I want this!” Jiang Qiluo declared instantly.
Qiao Han glared at Jiang Qiluo, biting his lip as if trying to suppress his frustration. He then pointed to another artifact beside it, the Longevity Chain, and said, “They even have this! Boss…”
“The Longevity Chain is mine too!” Jiang Qiluo interjected.
Qiao Han turned to Jiang Qiluo, gritting his teeth. “You’re pushing it too far.”
Jiang Qiluo sneered, “What are you talking about, fellow Daoist? I’m just buying what I want.”
“Fine, I’d like to see if you can really buy it all!”
Jiang Qiluo snorted in disdain, signaling his confidence.
From that moment on, whatever Qiao Han pointed to, Jiang Qiluo immediately bought. At first, the shopkeeper was confused, but soon, his smile widened. By the end, the shopkeeper’s grin stretched from ear to ear.
Items like the Gray-Gold Net, Dragon-Trapping Silver Mirror, and Dark Gold Fan—each a premium-grade treasure worth a fortune—were flying off the shelves. Initially assumed unsellable, they were now being scooped up by what seemed like a naïve spendthrift.
"When a richie rich shows up, you don’t let the chance slip!” the shopkeeper thought, gathering his apprentices to quickly pack up the purchases, worried the customer might change his mind.
Seeing that Jiang Qiluo still hadn’t realized the seriousness of the situation, Qiao Han finally turned around, smiling as he watched him.
“Kid, did you bring enough money? This store doesn’t do refunds!”
Jiang Qiluo, sensing something odd in Qiao Han’s tone, retorted, “Are you looking down on me? Boss, how much is it?”
The shopkeeper, practically glowing with joy, said, “Fellow Daoist, since you’re buying so much, I’ll give you a discount. All together, it’s 500 top-grade spirit stones.”
Jiang Qiluo’s smug expression froze instantly. His head turned mechanically toward the shopkeeper. “You… how much did you say?”
The shopkeeper, seeing Jiang Qiluo’s reaction, immediately dropped his smile and adopted a stern demeanor. “I’ve already given you a discount—500 top-grade spirit stones, not a single stone less!”
Jiang Qiluo’s icy facade crumbled entirely. His pride shattered into pieces.
For context, an ordinary spirit sword typically cost one mid-grade spirit stone, while a White Cloud Fan is worth 80 mid-grade spirit stones. The exchange rate between mid-grade and top-grade spirit stones was 100 to 1, meaning Jiang Qiluo had just spent an astronomical amount.
“I… I don’t want them anymore. I made a mistake,” Jiang Qiluo stammered, waving his hands in panic.
“Hey, what do you mean by that?” the shopkeeper said, face hardening. “As this fellow Daoist mentioned earlier, we don’t do refunds. You said you wanted them, and no one forced you. Are you trying to mess with us?”
As he spoke, disciples of the Lingbao Sect emerged from the store, their posture clearly stating that Jiang Qiluo wasn’t leaving without paying.
Jiang Qiluo, overwhelmed with anger, embarrassment, and panic, suddenly turned to look at Qiao Han. But all he saw was Qiao Han’s smiling face, watching him with amusement.
“You tricked me!” Jiang Qiluo accused.
“You were the one buying everything. What does that have to do with me?” Qiao Han said, maintaining his villainous role to the end. “Hurry up and pay. Don’t disgrace the name of the Qingyun Sect.”
Jiang Qiluo trembled with rage, but with the Lingbao Sect disciples glaring at him, he couldn’t afford to tarnish the Qingyun Sect’s reputation. He reluctantly emptied his entire stock of spirit stones—his savings of over ten years—yet only managed to gather 400 top-grade spirit stones. By the time he handed them over, his hands were trembling.
The disciples of the Lingbao Sect were clearly displeased. One of them sneered, "You’re an inner disciple of Qingyun Sect, surely you wouldn’t dare default on your payment, would you?"
Jiang Qiluo’s face flushed red as if blood was about to drip from his cheeks. He looked utterly embarrassed, a rare sight for someone who had likely never faced such a predicament in his entire pampered life.
Qiao Han watched this unfold with great satisfaction and felt no remorse. After all, Jiang Qiluo’s behavior in the original story had left Qiao Han seething for three straight days. Taking advantage of this situation to teach him a lesson wasn’t excessive it was justice served.
"If you truly have no money, leave your disciple token here and come back to redeem it once you’ve gathered the funds. Otherwise, we’ll escalate this to your sect," the shopkeeper suggested sternly.
Jiang Qiluo’s eyes widened in shock. "No way!" he shouted.
How could he allow the sect to find out about this? Losing face like that would be unthinkable, especially as the Sect Master’s son. He turned his enraged gaze to Qiao Han and snarled, "You set me up for this. You’re responsible, so you should pay the rest!"
Qiao Han smirked in disbelief, his tone dripping with mockery. "If you want to borrow money from me, just say so."
Jiang Qiluo’s face twisted in humiliation, cycling through various shades of red, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I’ll consider it a loan."
Qiao Han raised an eyebrow lazily and replied, "Nope, not lending."
"You!!!" Jiang Qiluo’s fury boiled over, his qi surging with anger. "You’re despicable!"
Qiao Han casually pointed to the door. "Yes, yes, I’m despicable. But there are plenty of other Qingyun disciples outside shouldn’t they help you pool together the remaining hundred superior-grade spirit stones? Go ahead."
The implication was clear Jiang Qiluo would have to humiliate himself in front of everyone. His fury reached a breaking point, but just as he was about to erupt, a figure entered the store.
No oppressive aura of a Golden Core cultivator. No icy chilling aura of someone with an ice spiritual root. Yet, the presence of this individual immediately stilled the tense atmosphere, drawing everyone's attention to the entrance.
Dressed in deep azure robes, the man’s striking appearance and extraordinary bearing seemed to calm the storm.
“Shopkeeper, I’ll cover the rest,” Xiao Jiuci said softly, his tone neutral and devoid of emotion as he handed over the payment.
Jiang Qiluo lit up as though he had found his savior. His anger and indignation vanished instantly, and he rushed to Xiao Jiuci’s side, clutching his sleeve. "Senior Brother, you’re here! You saw everything, right? Qiao Han set this all up! He’s vile and underhanded he’s the one who should be paying for this!"
Qiao Han, standing nearby, could no longer hear what Jiang Qiluo was saying.
His mind was buzzing, drowning out all sound. He didn’t dare to lift his head to meet Xiao Jiuci’s gaze. Instead, he turned slightly to glance at the entrance, where Lu Zhui was smirking at him and winking. Clearly, they knew everything that had transpired.
Qiao Han’s breathing became labored.
His meticulously laid plan was in shambles. The protagonist wasn’t supposed to be here... wasn’t he supposed to be in the meeting with the female lead? How had he arrived so quickly? And worse, Xiao Jiuci had clearly witnessed his most malicious and petty behavior firsthand.
There was no salvaging this now.
This was a disaster. All the rapport and goodwill Qiao Han had painstakingly built with Xiao Jiuci would surely crumble to dust.
No, no, he couldn’t think like this. Xiao Jiuci was fair and just—he wouldn’t pin all the blame on him. After all, Jiang Qiluo had initiated the conflict. Xiao Jiuci would understand the full context.
But… Jiang Qiluo was someone Xiao Jiuci cared about, his “younger brother.”
Just then, a familiar chime sounded in Qiao Han’s mind, signaling the completion of his task.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! Emotional Points +8.]
Qiao Han froze in shock.
How had his emotional points surged so drastically? Normally, they increased incrementally. Did this mean Xiao Jiuci was truly angry?
A tremor ran through Qiao Han’s body, his heart constricting painfully. He wanted to glance at Xiao Jiuci, but his neck felt stiff, his throat dry and unable to produce a sound.
Was this how deeply he feared Xiao Jiuci’s displeasure?
Just as Qiao Han was mustering the courage to say something, Xiao Jiuci’s deep voice rang out.
“Go back.”
The two simple words, delivered in a calm, low tone, carried an unspoken weight of authority and warning as if jade striking stone. It was not a loud reprimand, but it held enough power to send a chill through the room.
If it had been anyone else, they might have shouted, “Get lost!”
But this was Xiao Jiuci. Even a soft-spoken “Go back” was enough to make Qiao Han feel as though he’d been roared at in anger.
Qiao Han’s eyes stung with unshed tears.
It was over. Xiao Jiuci was truly angry, likely despising him now more than ever. Perhaps he even regretted all the care and attention he’d shown Qiao Han up to this point.
At that moment, Qiao Han's reddened eyes widened in shock, his mind completely blank as he tried to process the unexpected turn of events. Just a second ago, he had been bracing himself for Xiao Jiuci's anger, maybe even physical rejection. Yet now, he was enveloped in the warmth of Xiao Jiuci's protective embrace, his scent crisp and calming.
As they ascended into the air, Qiao Han's face pressed lightly against Xiao Jiuci's chest. He could hear the steady, reassuring rhythm of his heartbeat, which contrasted sharply with the chaos left behind. A deafening explosion followed, the sound of the shop being engulfed in flames.
Qiao Han blinked rapidly, struggling to make sense of what had just happened. "Wh-what's going on?" His voice quivered, muffled against Xiao Jiuci's robes.
Xiao Jiuci didn't respond immediately. His expression remained calm yet sharp, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of further danger. Only after they landed on a nearby rooftop, away from the smoldering remains of the shop, did he release his grip slightly. But his arm stayed firmly around Qiao Han's waist, keeping him steady.
"An ambush," Xiao Jiuci finally said, his voice low but steady. "It seems someone took advantage of your argument to attack."
Qiao Han's breath hitched. "An ambush? But..."
Before he could finish, Xiao Jiuci's piercing gaze locked onto him, silencing him instantly. "Do you realize how reckless you were just now?" His voice was cold, but there was a trace of something deeper concern, perhaps even fear. "If I hadn't arrived in time…"
Qiao Han's chest tightened. He lowered his head, guilt washing over him. He had thought this was just a minor squabble, a petty revenge against Jiang Qiluo for past grievances. But now it seemed his actions had inadvertently put everyone, including Xiao Jiuci, at risk.
"I'm sorry," Qiao Han whispered, his voice barely audible.
Xiao Jiuci's expression softened slightly, though his lips remained pressed into a thin line. "Apologies won’t keep you alive, Qiao Han. Next time, think before you act."
His words stung, but Qiao Han could only nod, biting his lower lip to keep himself from tearing up. Despite his fear and guilt, he couldn't ignore the warmth of Xiao Jiuci's arm still lingering around his waist. For a fleeting moment, it was as if nothing else mattered, just the two of them, and the faint trace of safety Xiao Jiuci's presence brought.
But reality crashed down as quickly as the moment had begun. Xiao Jiuci let go and turned his back to him. "Let’s go," he said curtly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Qiao Han followed silently, his heart heavy yet inexplicably fluttering. For all the chaos and scolding, he couldn't help but cling to the memory of that fleeting embrace, wondering if it had meant anything more than a mere reflex.
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Aww... Qiao Han dont be sadddd
ReplyDeletepoor babbyyy :(
ReplyDelete