Chapter 34: A Troublesome Woman

"If death is inevitable, I only ask that you never defect to the Demon race. If someone with your talent were to join them, the Great Qian human race would never see the day of its resurgence."

"Take this Sword Sovereign Token. If, years from now, you can attain the Innate Realm through human cultivation methods, I beg you to protect the wretched human race under the Great Qian."

"Young man, the waters of the Great Qian’s martial world are far deeper than you imagine."

With these words, Xu Ruyan tossed the Sword Sovereign Token in her hand to Yang Le. Seeing this, she understood the situation well enough. Yang Le would not save her. Even if he did not kill her himself, with injuries this severe, she would not survive.

When she first joined the Linghua Pavilion, deciding never to be a slave to the Demon race, Xu Ruyan had already prepared herself for death. She had entered the pavilion driven by the desire to revitalize human martial arts. Together with her peers, she had sought to explore the path of human cultivation and recover the lost techniques of the previous century—striving to carve out a path to the heavens for the lowly humans in a Great Qian dominated by demons.

She had truly been ready to die for this. She could have once relied on a trace of Heaven-Swallowing Spider bloodline to enter the official ranks of the Great Qian, enjoying wealth, status, and the path to longevity. But the Xu Ruyan of that time believed in something else: she believed she was human.

"Humanity... when will you rise?"

Now that death was truly at hand, Xu Ruyan could not help but feel a tinge of regret. She regretted that under the Great Qian, pure-blooded humans were relegated to the lowest of the three tiers. She regretted that humanity lacked even its own system of cultivation. She regretted that her dream of restoring human martial arts remained a mere bubble.

There were many regrets, yet she did not regret entering the Linghua Pavilion. "No regrets"—this was how Xu Ruyan summed up her life as she faced the end. The only lingering trace of unwillingness was that the task she had set her heart upon remained unfinished.

"Young man, better to die than to become a demon..."

A bittersweet smile appeared on Xu Ruyan’s face. The next moment, as she stared unblinkingly at Yang Le, she slowly closed her eyes. Even in death, her only hope was that these words would lead Yang Le to stand with the humans of the Great Qian.

...

"Master, she isn't a bad woman."

"Mm, I know."

Looking at Xu Ruyan, whose breathing was as faint as a thread and who lay on the verge of death, Li Qi'er spoke up.

Yang Le nodded. "She isn't a bad woman, but she is a huge piece of trouble."

"So, what does Master intend to do?"

"What do you think?"

Facing Li Qi'er’s question, Yang Le looked toward the distant, tranquil Linqing City.

"If Master cannot bring himself to do it, give me the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, and I guarantee not a single drop of blood will touch the courtyard."

As she finished, a hint of ruthlessness flickered in Li Qi'er’s eyes. Her master might not have the heart for it, but she... she could do it. As a disciple, it was only natural to help one's master dispose of troublesome matters.

"No need. Go and prepare a meal."

Just as Li Qi'er pulled out a dagger, ready to take Xu Ruyan away, Yang Le stopped her. "Remember to cook for one extra person."

"Master?"

At Yang Le’s words, a look of surprise flashed across Li Qi'er’s face. "Didn't you say this woman was a huge piece of trouble?"

"She is indeed a huge piece of trouble." Yang Le nodded, acknowledging Li Qi'er’s assessment. "But since the trouble has already come to our doorstep and there is nowhere left to hide, we might as well go with the flow. At the very least, taking this so-called Sword Sovereign Token will feel more justified."

"Master, this..."

For a moment, Li Qi'er could not fathom why her master would say such things.

"Because..." Yang Le’s gaze sharpened, piercing into the depths of the bamboo forest. "If Xu Ruyan weren't here, the intruders wouldn't matter. But since she is, their arrival proves we have already been dragged into this mess."

With these words, Yang Le drew the sword from its scabbard. "I am going out for a moment. I’ll be back soon."

"Two people. Sixth-rank martial artists. Not demons—humans."

Following Yang Le’s gaze, Li Qi'er instantly understood why her master said the trouble had arrived. Hundreds of meters deep in the bamboo forest, the aura of two sixth-rank martial artists was spreading, their presence completely unmasked. They paused for a moment before charging toward the small courtyard at high speed.

Li Qi'er finally understood what her master meant by being dragged into trouble. In the time she and her master had spent in Linqing City, they hadn't even met many strangers, let alone provoked enemies. These two sixth-rankers were clearly not here for them.

Therefore... they were here for Xu Ruyan. The unmasked killing intent made their purpose clear: they were here to kill.

"Since I’m in trouble whether I save her or not, I might as well save her life," Yang Le said, wiping his blade. "If I save her, I can at least demand compensation for dealing with this mess."

Yang Le had received a complete nine-year compulsory education and had been tempered by the harsh realities of society. Had he been younger, perhaps talk of "righteousness" might have moved him. But now... only equal exchange and sufficient benefits could compel him to act.

Since the trouble had arrived, regardless of whether he wanted it or not, he had to deal with it. So... why not choose the path that would yield the greatest benefit?

Drawing his sword, Yang Le stood at the doorway, watching the bamboo forest in the distance.

"Master, don't worry. I can kill and I can save. This troublesome woman won't die."

Seeing her master had made his decision, Li Qi'er carried Xu Ruyan inside. As she did, she caught a fleeting glimpse of Xu Ruyan’s chest. A flash of annoyance and jealousy surged in her heart. *Why grow them so big? They’re heavy as hell. What a troublesome woman!*

...

"Is that the bitch’s aura?"

"It must be here. It seems our luck is good—after three years at the Linghua Pavilion, we’ve finally found something."

"I told you we should have defected to the Great Qian long ago. The resources we can trade this bitch for will at least allow us both to reach the fifth rank!"

Just as Li Qi'er left and Yang Le finished wiping his blade, two figures appeared before him. One held a steel whip, his body bare and his face twisted in a hideous grin. The other wore white robes and clutched a long sword, his complexion pale, carrying the air of a refined young master.

Yang Le took a look. Just as Li Qi'er said, both were sixth-rank practitioners. They lacked the surging blood-energy of Changsun Ji; their internal energy was calmer—they were human martial artists, no doubt about it.

"I’ve always said, it doesn't matter if you're human or demon. Look at these two—they're even worse than the demons."

With that, Yang Le understood the nature of the Linghua Pavilion’s calamity. Some had become dogs, and Xu Ruyan had been betrayed. But that had nothing to do with him. His task now was simple: kill them and resolve the trouble.

As for two sixth-rankers... well, Yang Le didn't care. They were only sixth-rank. It wasn't as if he hadn't cut down their kind before.