Volume One: A Beauty’s Bane Chapter 28: Repeated Entreaties

"Boy, what are you spacing out for? Do you intend to stay here and wait for death?"

Just as Jiang Hao was lost in a daze, Feng Ling'er's icy voice suddenly echoed in his ears, causing his heart to tremble.

"Master, when did you wake up?" Jiang Hao asked hurriedly.

"Enough nonsense! Pay up, take your items, and leave immediately!" Feng Ling'er retorted impatiently.

"Yes, Master." Jiang Hao nodded in acknowledgment.

He then pointed to the three Sky Spirit Fruits on the table and signaled to Qin Yumei, "Pavilion Master Qin, since the price has been agreed upon, may I have the Void-Shattering Slash and the Bewitching Array?"

"Haha, Young Master Jiang seems to be in quite a hurry?" Qin Yumei replied with a charming smile, sliding one of the Sky Spirit Fruits on the table back toward Jiang Hao.

Seeing this, Jiang Hao grew wary, suspecting she might be reneging on the deal. He asked solemnly, "Pavilion Master Qin, what is the meaning of this?"

Qin Yumei glanced at him and smiled sweetly. "Young Master Jiang, please do not misunderstand. Currently, our shop is still acquiring Sky Spirit Fruits at a price of one million silver coins each. Therefore, the two treasures you won at the auction happen to cost exactly two Sky Spirit Fruits."

"Pavilion Master Qin, you are?" Jiang Hao felt somewhat puzzled.

In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, the price of the Sky Spirit Fruit had returned to one million silver coins. It seemed as though Qin Yumei and Yan Tao were just toying with him.

Even Yan Tao, standing beside Qin Yumei, looked on in disbelief. She stepped forward and whispered, "My Lady, what are you doing?"

Qin Yumei waved her hand gently, a faint smile on her lips. "The young master is so fearless against authority, daring to stand up to that spoiled Prince in front of everyone—it truly earns my admiration!"

"It is my honor, Qin Yumei, to be a friend to Young Master Jiang." With that, she turned to Yan Tao. "Xiao Tao, go to the trade counter, retrieve the Void-Shattering Slash and the Bewitching Array, and bring them to Young Master Jiang."

"My Lady?" Yan Tao was momentarily stunned but quickly regained her composure. "I will go fetch them at once."

Yan Tao pushed open the door, stepped out, closed it softly behind her, and hurried toward the first floor.

"In that case, Jiang Hao thanks you, Pavilion Master Qin." Jiang Hao did not dwell on it; since the other party was being so generous, he was happy to accept. After all, having to part with three Sky Spirit Fruits would have been painful, especially now that he knew their extraordinary efficacy.

"Young Master Jiang, you are too kind! As I said, it is truly my honor to befriend you." Qin Yumei walked over slowly, leaning in close to his ear to whisper seductively, "If you don't mind, you may call me Sister Yumei from now on."

Jiang Hao instinctively stepped back a few paces, stammering, "Pavilion Master Qin... you are too generous."

"Oh?" Qin Yumei smiled charmingly, watching him quietly as if savoring his reaction.

"Hmph! What a spineless display! This boy is going to die at the hands of a woman sooner or later!" Feng Ling'er scoffed disdainfully.

The atmosphere in the room was incredibly awkward, and Jiang Hao could practically hear his own heartbeat.

"No!" Fan Caiyun, who had been standing by, grabbed Jiang Hao’s arm, stood on her tiptoes, and pouted. "If Brother Jiang Hao calls you 'Sister,' doesn't that mean I'll have to call you 'Sister' too? I don't want to lose out like that!"

"You silly girl, what are you saying?" Jiang Hao quickly pulled Fan Caiyun back and apologized to Qin Yumei with a smile.

Qin Yumei chuckled gently. "Sister Caiyun, you are truly innocent and adorable!"

She then turned back to Jiang Hao. "By the way, Young Master Jiang, would you have any interest in becoming a steward for our shop?"

Faced with this sudden olive branch, Jiang Hao felt suspicious. He smiled and politely declined. "Pavilion Master Qin is joking. I have only just broken through to the early stage of the Spirit Spring Realm; how could I possibly be qualified to act as a steward for your esteemed shop?"

"Haha! Young Master Jiang is being too modest. Tell me, what cultivator at the early Spirit Spring Realm carries such precious Sky Spirit Fruits? Furthermore, the first time you came to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, you seemed to be only at the ninth level of the Spirit Qi Realm," Qin Yumei said with a playful smile.

"..." Jiang Hao remained silent.

Qin Yumei glanced at him and continued, "Moreover, one who can kill Feng Ba, the Third Leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, single-handedly is hardly an ordinary person. Although Feng Ba was only at the ninth level of the Spirit Qi Realm, I am well aware of his capabilities."

"Pavilion Master Qin, what exactly are you trying to say?" Jiang Hao asked, knitting his brows.

"As I said, I just want to be friends," Qin Yumei smiled. "Does Young Master Jiang realize that at the auction just now, you offended the Prince, Murong Hai? Given his personality, he will certainly not let you off easily."

"I suspect that by now, the Prince has already arranged an ambush outside, waiting for you to step out of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Instead of risking your life, why not stay here? You can avoid the trouble while having a place to focus on your cultivation," Qin Yumei persuaded earnestly.

"Master, what this Pavilion Master says seems to have some truth to it," Jiang Hao thought, consulting Feng Ling'er.

"Hmph!" Feng Ling'er scoffed, chuckling, "What? Has this woman managed to coax you with just a few words?"

"Do you really think she has no ulterior motives?"

"If this were a den of thieves, the Sky Spirit Fruits would have already been snatched from you."

"Besides, I can no longer sense the aura of the middle-aged man who was with the Prince. He is not nearby, which makes it the perfect time for us to slip away," Feng Ling'er said softly.

"Master, what if he is still around? How should we handle it?" Jiang Hao asked.

"Didn't you just buy that Bewitching Array scroll? If he dares to come, I will make him pay dearly," Feng Ling'er said coldly.

"Master, you mean you know how to set up the Bewitching Array?" Jiang Hao asked in surprise.

"Nonsense! Just let me take one look at the array diagram, and I can set it up with ease," Feng Ling'er boasted.

"Amazing, Master!" Jiang Hao was overjoyed and couldn't help but flatter her.

"Shut up!" Feng Ling'er dismissed him.

"..." Under his Master's authority, Jiang Hao obediently fell silent.

At that moment, Yan Tao pushed open the door, holding a cultivation manual and a spirit array scroll. "My Lady, the Void-Shattering Slash and the Bewitching Array have been retrieved."

"Give them to Young Master Jiang," Qin Yumei said softly.

"Yes, My Lady." Yan Tao replied and handed the items to Jiang Hao. "Young Master, here you are."

"A Third-Rank sword technique, the Void-Shattering Slash, and a Three-Talisman Bewitching Array!" Jiang Hao impatiently accepted the precious items. After verifying them, he quickly tucked them into his Qiankun Ring.

Qin Yumei took the opportunity to warn him earnestly, "Young Master Jiang, do you know the cultivation level of the middle-aged man beside Murong Hai?"

"Pavilion Master Qin, I do not," Jiang Hao replied calmly.

"That man is the greatest expert of the Northern Prince's Mansion and Murong Hai's personal bodyguard, Han Yuancheng."

"Rumor has it that five years ago, he had already reached the middle stage of the Spirit Pellet Realm. Five years later, his cultivation must be even more formidable."

"The sword on his back is a Four-Star Spirit Weapon weighing fifteen hundred jin—the Profound Iron Sword. Young Master Jiang, do not be careless. It would be better to stay in the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and wait for the storm to pass."

Qin Yumei's words of persuasion were earnest, as if she truly hoped he would stay, though her true intentions remained impossible to discern.

"Middle stage of the Spirit Pellet Realm? And a Four-Star Profound Iron Sword?" Jiang Hao thought to himself, his expression growing grave.

Just as he was about to ask Feng Ling'er, she cut him off. "A mere middle-stage Spirit Pellet Realm cultivator. While I am no match for him at the moment, taking you away is more than enough," Feng Ling'er replied nonchalantly.

"Master truly is extraordinary!" Jiang Hao sighed internally.

With his Master's promise, Jiang Hao no longer worried. "Thank you, Pavilion Master Qin, but I still have a journey to complete, so I shall not impose any longer."

As he spoke, Jiang Hao put the returned Sky Spirit Fruit into his Qiankun Ring, bowed to Qin Yumei and Yan Tao, and led Fan Caiyun away.

"As expected of Brother Jiang Hao, you snapped out of it so quickly. I was really worried you would fall for that woman's charms," Fan Caiyun looked up, clutching his hand with an expression of pure admiration.

...

"My Lady, why did you insist on keeping Young Master Jiang?" After they left, Yan Tao asked, perplexed.

Qin Yumei smiled sweetly. "Xiao Tao, that boy is no ordinary person; he must have a master behind him. If we can build a connection with such a cultivator, there is only gain and no loss!"

"It is a pity that he cannot be used for my purposes. And he didn't seem to fall for my charms, either..."

"I must admit, that surprises me a little!"