Clang!
The final Sword Qi struck true, ripping the Crushing Star Blade from Yue Qingshan's grip. The weapon spun through the air, plummeting toward the earth below.
"Crushing Star Blade!"
The instant the sword left his hand, Yue Qingshan launched himself upward, desperate to reclaim it.
Ye Qian would not permit that. The wager was settled—the duel won. By right, the Crushing Star Blade now belonged to him.
He shaped his right hand into a claw and wrenched the still-spinning weapon toward himself through sheer force of will. The blade tore through the air, drawn inexorably into his palm.
"No!"
Yue Qingshan's cry came too late.
The Crushing Star Blade settled into Ye Qian's grip, vibrating with a metallic hum as though struggling to break free.
Ye Qian allowed himself a thin smile. An object claimed had no business being returned.
He dismissed the blade into his System backpack in a flicker of light—better there than rattling endlessly in a spatial ring, where the System could quiet its protests.
Watching his treasured weapon vanish, Yue Qingshan roared.
"Give it back! That's mine! Return the Crushing Star Blade!"
The hysteria in his voice bordered on comedy.
Ye Qian raised one finger and wagged it left, then right, his chuckle soft and cutting.
"Yue Qingshan, the terms of our duel were clear—the sword in your hand was your stake. You lost. That blade now belongs to me."
His tone iced over, each word deliberate.
"Leave now, while I'm still in a generous mood. Linger... and you may find yourself unable to leave at all."
He felt no compunction whatsoever.
If Yue Qingshan didn't still possess considerable Luck Value—if he weren't such a ripe treasure waiting to be harvested—Ye Qian would have ended him on the spot and claimed the inevitable Villain Treasure Chest.
But the Luck Value baby had more to offer. Once Ye Qian squeezed every last drop from him, then he would kill him.
"You...!"
Yue Qingshan felt the killing intent coiled in Ye Qian's words like a blade against his throat. Rage and helplessness warred in his chest.
Even wielding the Crushing Star Blade, he had been no match. Without it, charging forward now would be suicide.
Worse, violent Sword Qi circulated through his meridians, eroding them from within. If he didn't treat the damage soon, his channels would be crippled. Even his Tempered Physique couldn't endure such corrosion indefinitely.
"Qingshan! Go now! If you hesitate any longer, your chance will be lost and you'll be executed on the spot!"
His master's voice cut through the haze of pain. The Crushing Star Blade was lost. The only sensible choice was retreat.
Gritting his teeth, Yue Qingshan turned his gaze to Yue Ming. He looked at her with all the longing and devotion he could muster, pouring his heart into that single glance.
She turned her head away without a word.
Something inside him shattered. He had endured the agony of cultivating with the Exploding Pill, suffered the ravages of Sword Qi tearing through his body—all for her.
And this was her response. Indifference. Cold, absolute indifference.
How could it not break him?
But what could he do? He couldn't take her with him. That was reality.
Dragging his battered body upright, Yue Qingshan turned and limped toward the edge of the mountaintop, each step labored and unsteady.
He no longer possessed the strength to face Ye Qian. Remaining here meant waiting for death, and he refused to die like this—not when future opportunities still existed.
A gentleman's revenge could wait ten years. As long as he cultivated diligently, and eventually caught up to Ye Qian, vengeance would come.
As for Yue Ming?
What's the point?
She treated him like air. He had twisted himself into knots for a woman who wouldn't even meet his eyes. Continuing to chase her would only prove him a fool.
His heart lay in ruins as he descended the mountain.
The moment Yue Qingshan vanished from sight, the System chimed in Ye Qian's mind.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Yue Qingshan, has lost a crucial weapon, the Crushing Star Blade. Luck Value decreased by 2000 points. Congratulations to the Host for obtaining 2000 Villain Points! Current total: 8700 Villain Points!]
Ye Qian's smile widened.
He hadn't anticipated that seizing the Samsara Artifact alone would strip Yue Qingshan of another 2000 Luck Value.
Watching his Villain Points climb filled him with satisfaction.
Truthfully, he valued the points far more than the blade itself. He already possessed the Void Slaughtering Sword; the Crushing Star Blade was redundant. At most, he could refine it into a secondary weapon.
Yue Qingshan had yielded 5700 Villain Points in total. Only 7300 Luck Value remained.
What came next was simple: squeeze out every last bit of usefulness from the man. Seven thousand three hundred Luck Value translated to 7300 Villain Points—a sum far too substantial to leave unclaimed.
Yue Ming stared at the spot where Yue Qingshan had disappeared, unease stirring in her chest. She couldn't afford for Ye Qian to misunderstand her connection to that man.
The position of personal maid was tolerable, but if she could secure a proper status, it would benefit not only her but her entire Family. An ambitious woman would never allow such a stain to define her future.
She hurried to Ye Qian's side, words spilling out in a rush.
"Young Master, I was completely unaware of Yue Qingshan's intentions! I had no idea he would come to challenge you.
There is nothing—absolutely nothing—between him and me. Please, you must believe me!"
If this incident condemned her to remain a maid forever, her resentment toward Yue Qingshan would burn hotter than any flame.
Ye Qian watched her clasp her hands together, anxiety plain on her delicate features.
He reached out and pinched her fair, smooth cheek with gentle amusement, then bent close to murmur in her ear.
"Don't worry. I know there's nothing between you and him. No need to be so nervous."
He punctuated the reassurance with a casual swat to her perky bottom, the gesture both possessive and dismissive of her concerns.