Chapter 20: A Heavy Greatsword

He was unsure of Nangong Ruoxi’s true intentions. However, he understood that if the Dao-robed youth were to kill her, it would provide the perfect opportunity for him to escape. Thus, he chose not to warn her about Chen An. If the two of them were to clash, he could play the role of the fisherman reaping the benefits while the others were locked in conflict.

As a Saintess of the Kaoshan Sect, Nangong Ruoxi ought to have the strength to stand her ground against the youth; even if she fell short, she could at least buy him a significant amount of time. In the world of cultivation, one’s own life comes first—let the fellow daoists perish, as long as I remain unscathed. Qin Changsheng had helped her once before, so he felt no great psychological burden in letting her return the favor.

Long Chen had been killed not because the Holy Sons and Saintesses were incompetent, but because he had underestimated his opponent from the very start. He failed to utilize the advantages of a Golden Core cultivator—such as keeping his distance to unleash divine abilities—and instead chose to engage in close-quarters combat with Qin Changsheng. He had no idea that Qin Changsheng was a monster with a thousand layers of Qi Refining, possessing immense physical strength, and that was why Long Chen died.

While Qin Changsheng was lost in thought, Nangong Ruoxi smilingly withdrew one hundred thousand spirit stones from her storage ring and handed them directly to the Dao-robed youth.

"One hundred thousand?" Even the youth was momentarily stunned.

"Is it not enough? I can give you more." Nangong Ruoxi coughed lightly.

The youth shook his head. "It is enough. Also, I must say, you are far more generous than your stingy husband."

"Investment, after all, depends on what one has in their pockets," Qin Changsheng said, rubbing his nose and letting out an awkward laugh.

"Very well, I shall not disturb you further. In return for your investment in this humble Daoist, I wish you seven treasures in one womb, each with the bearing of an Immortal Emperor!" The youth laughed heartily, mounted his donkey, and rode off, leaving Qin Changsheng and Nangong Ruoxi in an awkward silence.

"..."

Although they were referred to as dao companions, they were not actually close; the title was merely a shield they used for convenience.

Their reunion was entirely unexpected, and they found themselves with little to say. After pondering for a long while, Qin Changsheng resorted to a common greeting he had often heard. "Have you eaten today?"

Nangong Ruoxi: "..." What kind of question was that?

"No, I haven't. Are you offering to treat me?" Nangong Ruoxi was caught between laughter and tears. She wondered, how many faces did this man have? The relaxed calmness when they first met, the frivolity and greed he displayed later, the cold decisiveness at the Cultivator’s Assembly, the cunning and guile during his escape, and now this dull, foolish demeanor—which one was his true self?

"If anyone is treating, it should be you. You are my employer, and I have performed duties well beyond being a mere shield; you should pay me extra." Qin Changsheng looked as though he refused to be short-changed. This attitude made the atmosphere between them quite strained. Qin Changsheng reasoned that if she paid him the extra compensation, he would kindly warn her about the strangeness of the youth so she could avoid trouble. If she refused, then tonight would be left to fate.

Ultimately, there was no deep bond between them, only a transaction—and not a particularly pleasant one at that. At the Cultivator’s Assembly, she had forced him into the role of her shield. Initially, he had entered her cave dwelling as a medicine boy, meaning the transaction was one where she had wronged him. In the end, it was this woman who had placed him in danger, which led to Wang Yuyan forcibly emerging from seclusion to stand up for him, and the man in white attacking him to protect Wang Yuyan’s Great Dao.

While these events might not have a direct causal link, the objective outcome was that everything had been shattered the moment she appeared. Therefore, it was not unjust to place the blame on her.

"I thought there was at least some affection in our partnership. After all, you risked your life to kill Long Chen for me. Why would you take such risks if there were no feelings involved?" Nangong Ruoxi cast a resentful glance at him. "While I may not be as peerless as Fairy Yuyan, I am still a true beauty in the cultivation world. Does your Dao heart not ache to refuse me like this?"

"Stop right there." Qin Changsheng raised a hand to silence her, feeling speechless. "I hate hypocrites like you the most. When you talk about feelings, they talk about money; when you talk about money, they talk about feelings. In the end, you have no money when needed and no feelings when requested. It all boils down to wanting to get something for nothing—trying to catch a wolf with empty hands."

Being called out so bluntly, Nangong Ruoxi felt quite embarrassed. "I am not the person you describe. You did solve a major problem for me, allowing me to be a pure cultivator without worrying about those affairs behind me, so this compensation is deserved."

After a moment of hesitation, she took a heavy sword from her storage ring. "I see that your strength is great and you lack a suitable weapon, so I offer this to you as compensation. Although this heavy sword is not overly precious, it is a sword embryo forged from rare divine material, valued at over ten million spirit stones. I hope this serves to express my apologies."

It had to be said that while this woman’s intentions might be sinister, her perspective was quite grand.

Qin Changsheng looked at her with a complex expression. "I love making friends with generous wealthy women like you. I only need to handle a task, and I go from being a pauper to a billionaire."

He stowed the heavy sword away, thinking of it as protection money. If the youth were to attack them later, he would at least have an ally and more bargaining power.

In truth, Nangong Ruoxi’s arrival was not entirely negative for Qin Changsheng. If she were willing to join forces with him, he wouldn't have to live in constant fear that the Dao-robed youth might kill him on a whim.

After accepting the sword, Qin Changsheng sat in the carriage and closed his eyes to rest. His horse had been ruined and eaten by that stubborn donkey, and now that he had a carriage, he couldn't very well get out and walk to keep up with the caravan.

Seeing Qin Changsheng closing his eyes without any sense of formality, Nangong Ruoxi couldn't help but smile bitterly. It seemed this fake dao companion of hers still refused to trust her. Thinking of her purpose for this trip, she sighed, "If there are any future transactions, I will inform you in advance. I will not force you at the last minute again."

Qin Changsheng opened his eyes, looking puzzled. "So you've just been treating me like a fool to be sheared, right?"

"I strongly suspect you were waiting here on purpose, looking for me to help you with something else." As expected, this woman was no naive girl driven by romantic whims; many of her actions were calculated.

"I am not shearing you; I am paying for the wool. If you don't want to sell, you don't have to. If you are willing, then it is a fair and honest trade."

"My dear little husband, our dao companion contract hasn't been dissolved yet. You wouldn't be thinking of casting aside your little wife, would you?" Nangong Ruoxi giggled. "And if you help me finish that task, I can satisfy many of your requests."

Her words were filled with implications. To make it more convincing, she leaned over slightly, her charms barely contained within her bodice, offering him a glimpse and a small incentive.

"I always feel like you're trying to take my kidneys, so I'll pass."

"When we reach Zhou City, we go our separate ways."

Qin Changsheng closed his eyes once more.

Nangong Ruoxi: "..."