Chapter 158 - 102: Tomb of the Qi Dao Grandmaster, For a Martial Artist, Why Spar? Life and Death Must Be on the Line

Chapter 158: Chapter 102: Tomb of the Qi Dao Grandmaster, For a Martial Artist, Why Spar? Life and Death Must Be on the Line

The absolute superiority she had long held over Cai Ling’Er made Ye Ningzhi briefly forget that she herself was an uninvited interloper.

At those words, a shiver instinctively ran down Cai Ling’Er’s spine as a montage of unpleasant memories flashed through her mind.

But then it hit her—she wasn’t in Jiangyin Prefecture. This was the Ji Residence in Anning County. Here, the mountains were high and the emperor was far away.

A bold idea suddenly surfaced. Her eyes lit up, and she let out a couple of defiant huffs.

"What’s this? You break into someone’s home like a thief, and now you have the gall to question me? You should count yourself lucky I haven’t had you seized and dealt with."

The words left Ye Ningzhi dumbfounded.

"Itching for another beating, are you?"

Her tone was menacing as she leaped down from the eaves, but she also looked a little puzzled.

"Still, why are you here...?"

With every step Ye Ningzhi took forward, her small, elegant fists tightened within her narrow sleeves.

The sight made Cai Ling’Er gulp and instinctively retreat. But she wouldn’t lose face, even if she lost the fight. Sticking her neck out, she retorted:

"For your information, *I* am Ji Xiu’s esteemed guest. His success today is all thanks to my stalwart support. As his dearest friend, why can’t I be considered half a master of this estate?"

"Ye! You think this is the Prefecture City, where you can run roughshod over everyone? Barging into someone’s home unannounced... You’ve become completely lawless!"

"Do you have any idea how profound his mastery of Martial Arts is?"

"I’m not exaggerating when I say he wouldn’t even need his other hand to beat you!"

Cai Ling’Er ground her teeth, puffing up her ’tiny’ role in forging the Seventh-Grade Treasure Bow, ’Broken Jade,’ into something ’absolutely colossal.’

Her bluff made Ye Ningzhi blink a few times before her face suddenly broke into a wide, cheerful smile.

"Oh?"

"Is that so?"

"Well, that’s just perfect, then."

Ye Ningzhi’s expression grew serious. She turned her head as the door opened with a CREAK, revealing a young man in close-fitting martial attire stepping out with a frown.

Over by the door, the dozing Clam Maiden, Qingtuan, had spent half the night hugging her knees and listening at the crack, only to fall asleep at some unknown point.

Startled awake by the commotion, she rubbed her eyes. Still disoriented, she saw Ji Xiu emerge and mumbled groggily:

"Young Master, are you finished?"

The ferociously suggestive question nearly made Ji Xiu stumble, and his face darkened in exasperation.

’What in the world is she talking about!’

But then he remembered his ’Divine Soul Dragon Transformation and comprehension of the True Technique’ from the night before, during which he’d ended up just gnawing on Bai Shuo’s finger. A wave of sheepishness washed over him.

"Nothing happened between me and your mistress."

"She’s inside now. You... go and look after her."

With an expression that clearly said, ’I understand completely,’ Qingtuan scurried into the room.

Immediately, Ji Xiu heard a menacing voice announce:

"Ye Ningzhi of the Jinghong Sword School from Jiangyin Prefecture, student of Ye Luan."

"You’re Duan Chenzhou’s disciple?"

"Your Master repeatedly insulted my Master in the past. Now, I’m here to settle that debt on her behalf!"

Looking at the girl, who only reached Cai Ling’Er’s chest, a memory surfaced in Ji Xiu’s mind. She was the girl from the docks who had righteously stepped in. Only...

Ji Xiu couldn’t help but glance at Cai Ling’Er, who was visibly relieved.

"Since when were you..."

Before he could get the words ’my esteemed guest’ out, with a WHOOSH, Cai Ling’Er darted over, latched onto his arm, and began whispering frantically:

"We have a feud!"

"And her Master has a feud with your Master! You know what they say: the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"No matter how you look at it, we’re on the same side. Just help me save face here. Say that we’re the closest of friends, and I’ll make it worth your while later... Deal?"

Cai Ling’Er put on a pitiful display, but inwardly her mind was racing.

’Hmph... Neither of them is a good person. One of them tricked and swindled me into becoming a handmaiden, and the other has bullied me for years. It’s perfect that they’re both here. No matter who wins, I still come out ahead!’

Her face showed none of the selfish calculations running through her mind.

However, looking down at her clinging to his arm, Ji Xiu gave a wry smile.

"But what does that have to do with me...?"

"Of course it does!"

Cai Ling’Er held up two fingers as if swearing an oath.

"Think about it! My servitude as a handmaiden has an expiration date, but our friendship could be boundless."

"I come from the Upper Nine Professions of Jiangyin Prefecture, and my grandfather is one of the Leaders of the Nine Lords, his status second only to the various Sect Leaders."

"Your Master killed my fourth uncle—a man I never even met. Right or wrong, that created a feud, didn’t it?"

"But I can guarantee that if you ever go to Jiangyin Prefecture, the Jade Shop will never give you any trouble."

"What’s more, my Forging Master is a Qi Dao Grand Craftsman at the Jiangyin Foundry Bureau, the one in charge of the Government Soldiers’ Imperial Supply. If you need a Spiritual Saber or Spirit Arrows forged in the future, just find me. I’ll cover the material costs for you..."

"No!"

"I’ll ask my Master to forge them for you for free!"

"And another thing..."

She bit her lip. Seeing that Ji Xiu appeared to be swayed, she hesitated for a long moment before continuing in a secretive whisper:

"On my last trip into the mountains, I used my Compass for divination and found traces of an ’Earth Treasure.’ I also detected the Qi Charm of what I suspect is a ’Grand Tomb.’"

"If the Centennial Demon from the Earth Dragon Cave hadn’t started inexplicably roaming the outer areas, forcing me to turn back..."

"...I wouldn’t be sharing this incredible opportunity with you. I’d be waiting until things were safer to sneak back and claim it all for myself!"

"How about that? Pretty loyal of me, right?"

"Help me thrash this damn woman..."

"...and all of this is yours!"

Cai Ling’Er puffed out her chest.

Ji Xiu raised his eyebrows, thoroughly surprised.

A Qi Dao Grand Craftsman working for free, an Earth Treasure in the mountains, a Grand Tomb?

’Good grief. She just keeps dropping loot, doesn’t she?’