Wu Bufan’s expression did not shift in the slightest. “It is not convenient.”
Chao Lingyue bit down hard on her teeth. “What is inconvenient about it? Are you still angry at me? Everything that happened in the past was my fault. The very moment we annulled our engagement, I regretted it. I know you still hold feelings for me. Otherwise, why would you have risked your life to save me back then?”
“Miss Chao, please watch your words. Whatever was between us was severed completely the day our engagement was dissolved.”
Wu Bufan pulled the puffed up and offended Chao Chen into his arms, holding him close with unmistakable protectiveness.
“I have a Dao companion now. Naturally it is not appropriate for me to be alone with you.”
Chao Lingyue stared at him wide eyed, utterly shocked. “You… him?”
Her voice spiraled into a shrill, uncontrollable cry. “How could you possibly become Dao companions with him?”
Wu Bufan frowned. “And why would I not?”
Chao Chen’s lips curled upward with a smug little tilt. “Regretting it now? It is far too late.”
He leaned back slightly against Wu Bufan’s chest, raising his chin proudly. “He is mine.”
Chao Lingyue’s face went from pale to green in an instant. For a short moment, she seemed unable to make any sound at all.
Watching the two walk side by side, Chao Lingyue suddenly gritted her teeth and, throwing all decorum aside, charged straight toward Wu Bufan.
Wu Bufan’s heart tightened violently. He tugged Chao Chen’s hand and shifted them swiftly aside.
Chao Lingyue’s arms clutched at empty air, her face twisting for a split second in feral frustration.
Inside her mind, the voice of the FengTian snapped, “You could not even manage to hold him!”
Chao Lingyue asked silently, “If I manage to grab him, can you steal the earring?”
“As long as the earring is on him, yes.”
“What if he has already bound it as his life-bound treasure?”
“Even then, I can steal it. Once it is in my grasp, I can forcibly wipe away his spiritual imprint. Unless the earring has already merged completely with his body, as long as it exists as a physical object and I can touch it, I can take it.”
In other words, as long as the earring had tangible form, the spirit could take it silently. Even if the theft demanded a massive amount of its energy, the benefits of obtaining the earring were so immense that the spirit was willing to attempt it.
Chao Chen was utterly stunned by Chao Lingyue’s shameless behavior. He asked twice in a row, “Was she just trying to throw herself on you? Did she truly want to grab you on purpose?”
Wu Bufan soothed the bristling little Chao Chen with a gentle tone.“Do not be angry. She did not succeed.”
Chao Chen’s face turned completely black. “And if she had? Would you have simply let her cling to you?”
A faint jolt ran through Wu Bufan’s heart. “Impossible. I would never let her succeed. The only one I will ever allow to hold me is you. I only let you touch me, only let you hold me.”
Only now did he begin to understand that his Dao companion was a possessive little jar of jealousy.
Chao Chen’s expression eased a fraction. “I only let you hold me too.”
Wu Bufan laughed softly, his eyes filled with a warm tenderness so thick it nearly overflowed. “Good.”
His family’s Chao Chen was impossibly adorable.
Chao Chen felt as if he were being coaxed like a small child. His face grew warm, but he was no longer angry.
Chao Lingyue straightened slowly, tears shimmering in her eyes, her expression a pitiful wreck. “Bufan… could you let me hold you just once?”
Wu Bufan’s face darkened, and he instinctively glanced toward Chao Chen. As expected, his just soothed Dao companion was instantly furious all over again.
Chao Chen exploded, “Absolutely not. Bufan is my Dao companion. You want to hold him in front of me? Do you intend to become a third party?”
Chao Lingyue’s expression froze, her face stiffening for a moment. She ground her teeth until her jaw trembled. “He and I were once engaged. You are the one who came later.”
“You said it yourself. Once engaged. Past tense. You were the one who could not wait to annul the marriage, as if you could not stand the sight of him. Now you have regrets and come running back to find him. Do you think Bufan is some item you can summon when convenient and toss aside when you please?”
Chao Chen snorted coldly. “Chao Lingyue, do not make me teach you a lesson.”
If the grand competition were not so near and if fighting were not forbidden, he would have already acted.
Chao Lingyue’s breath came in ragged bursts, her chest heaving with fury. She looked at Wu Bufan again, her voice trembling in a fragile whisper. “Bufan, I never thought of it like that.”
She held onto the belief that men always sympathized with the weak and disliked overly forceful partners. She hoped Wu Bufan would speak on her behalf.
But Wu Bufan’s gaze rested solely on Chao Chen, his expression free of displeasure. Instead, his eyes softened with gentle affection, the same way a grown adult might look at their beloved little cub misbehaving adorably.
Chao Lingyue felt as though she could barely breathe from the frustration.
Wu Bufan finally spoke, calm and unhurried. “Miss Chao, what you think has nothing to do with me. The engagement has been dissolved. Let us not interfere with each other any further.”
He had never planned to spare Chao Lingyue forever. But this was not the moment to act. When one’s claws were not yet sharp enough, the wisest choice was to hide one’s edge.
Strengthen oneself first, and when the day came to strike, make certain it was with a single decisive blow.
Chao Lingyue found herself unable to utter even a single word.
She had never been humiliated like this in her entire life. It was an outrage, a disgrace that seared through her very bones. The shame was unbearable, a humiliation so deep it felt as though every inch of her pride had been ground beneath someone else’s heel.
Fengtian’s cold voice echoed in her mind. “He no longer has any feelings for you. If you wish to take back the earrings, you will have to use other methods.”
It paused, then asked, “If you encounter Chao Chen during the competition, kill him. Once he dies, the fate that clings to him will naturally pass to you.”
Chao Lingyue sensed something off. “Who exactly is Chao Chen?”
From the very beginning, Fengtian had shown an unusual amount of wariness toward that person.
“One world cannot sustain two children of fate.” Fengtian’s voice carried a sharp and murderous intent. “Between the two of you, only one can survive. You are destined to live in a cycle where his life means your death, and your rise demands his fall.”
Chao Lingyue’s eyes widened with shock. “What do you mean? Why did you not say this earlier?”
“I only just confirmed it.” Fengtian’s tone grew colder. “Your destinies are linked in a cycle of rise and decline. When Wu Bufan rejected you earlier, a thread of your fate shifted to him. If your fate had been stronger than his, he would not have been able to draw it away from you. But your fate was weaker, and once you were placed in a disadvantaged position, your fate naturally began flowing toward him.”
It added, “The reason everything has been going wrong for you recently is because you are in the same place as he is. His presence suppresses you.”
Chao Lingyue’s pupils trembled violently.
Her mind suddenly drifted back to the year Wu Bufan had gone missing. During that period, she had lived in Xichuan Town as though heaven itself favored her, smooth sailing in all matters. Chao Chen had been crushed beneath her presence from beginning to end.
Could it be that his fate back then truly was weaker than hers?
Then what allowed him to overturn everything so suddenly?
“Does Chao Chen have some sort of fate artifact on him?”
“He definitely does.” Fengtian replied. “Based on the destiny I calculated before falling into slumber, you should have been suppressing him the entire time. For things to be reversed like this, there is only one explanation. The fate artifact he carries was originally meant to belong to you.”
Chao Lingyue’s eyes reddened, fury blazing within them.
“It must have been something his father left behind. Those things were meant for me. He took them for himself. What right did he have? What qualifications does he have to take something destined to be mine?”
Fengtian fell silent.
After a long moment, it spoke again. “The past is already gone. Falling apart over it now will change nothing. If you cannot kill Chao Chen in the competition, even suppressing him would allow you to reclaim a portion of your fate. Spend these next days cultivating diligently. If you can master the first technique of the Beaded Nether Canon, you will have a chance of defeating him.”
The Beaded Nether Canon was a heaven grade cultivation method, and it too was a fate bound treasure, although the level of fate attached to it was lower than that of the floating stone essence.
Fortunately, when they scoured the night market last night, this manual had not been taken by anyone else.
A chilling glint flickered in Chao Lingyue’s eyes. “My cultivation progresses far too slowly.”
“You have already reached the eighth level of Qi Refining. How fast do you expect to be?” Fengtian snapped. If not for it helping her steal a single Qi Breaking Pill, she would never have improved at this pace.
It added, “If your cultivation rises any faster, your foundation will become unstable. Strengthen your base first before you try to push forward again.”
Chao Lingyue was dissatisfied, but she could only mutter, “Fine. In a few days, check once more if Longyu Prefecture has any treasures left. Do not let others snatch them first.”
“You think my energy grows on trees? I cannot just check whenever you wish. Two days from now, the Treasure Hall of Heaven and Earth will hold an auction. If you want something valuable, go there.” Fengtian’s voice shifted slightly. “I heard there will be supreme healing pills that can restore severe injuries in a single breath.”
Chao Lingyue felt her heart stir, but after a moment she frowned. “I do not have money.”
Fengtian was silent for a while.
Then it spoke with thinly veiled irritation. “Go to the Treasure Hall. I will help you gamble for some spirit stones.”
Chao Lingyue’s eyes lit up. “Alright!”
Longyu Prefecture was far larger than Tianyao Prefecture, and the treasure gambling area of its Treasure Hall should be filled with good items.
But the moment they arrived, Fengtian went quiet for a long time before squeezing out two words through clenched teeth, “Pure trash.”
What kind of worthless garbage was this?
In the entire gambling area, the best item it could sense was a single low grade spirit stone.
Chao Lingyue’s heart skipped a beat. “What happened?”
Fengtian exhaled heavily and directed her to pick up the only three pieces of stone that contained low grade spirit stones.
Three low grade spirit stones equaled three thousand spirit pearls. Better than nothing.
Chao Lingyue was clever. She deliberately mixed in several extra low grade stones to avoid suspicion, but the embarrassing truth was that she did not have enough money to pay for them.
Under the odd and judgmental gazes of the crowd, she had no choice but to put back the decoy stones she had chosen. She could only crack open one of the real stones on the spot, extracting a low grade spirit stone and exchanging it for one thousand spirit pearls.
As for the remaining two stones, she did not dare process them here.
Even so, her actions immediately drew attention.
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Statistically speaking, coffee would be appreciated.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Dream to RealityChapter 2 · Those who survive a great calamity are destined for good fortuneChapter 3 · Retrieve the tokenChapter 4 · Top-tier alchemistChapter 5 · A cooperative treasure hunt?Chapter 6 · Thousand mile Thundercloud LeopardChapter 7 · Chaotic Strange EntityChapter 8 · Back to Xichuan TownChapter 9 · How could Wu Bufan be stronger than him!Chapter 10 · Wu Bufan possess so many top-grade pills?Chapter 11 · This time, she will not let anyone take what is hers away againChapter 12 · Seize the luckChapter 13 · Mutant Purple Thunder BeastChapter 14 · I’m afraid he’ll get angryChapter 15 · PumiceChapter 16 · Enemies meet on a narrow roadChapter 17 · Becoming Daoist CouplesChapter 18 · Top-grade Calamity-Breaking PillChapter 19 · The amazing effects of top-grade pillsChapter 20 · Basic Body ForgingChapter 21 · One world cannot contain two chosen ones.Chapter 22 · PuppetChapter 23 · AuctionChapter 24 · Space FoundationChapter 25 · Top-grade Foundation Building PillChapter 26 · Increased space areaChapter 27 · The competition BeginChapter 28 · RobbedChapter 29 · Turn Defeat into Victory!Chapter 30 · The Death of Wu KeyuanChapter 31 · BetChapter 32 · Even the way Chao Chen talks is so cuteChapter 33 · Avenge Wu KeyuanChapter 34 · Finding Bodhi Wood at a BargainChapter 35 · Little PuppetChapter 36 · Explosive PillsChapter 37 · I’ll concedeChapter 38 · You are a genius, so your Daoist partner must also be a genius.Chapter 39 · The Third Elder was refused a disciple.Chapter 40 · Has the floating marrow stone secret been exposed?Chapter 41 · How Could There Be Such a Sinister Human!Chapter 42 · The Mutated Mugwort FoxChapter 43 · Wandering the JianghuChapter 44 · Ancient ElixirChapter 45 · I feel like I’m about to be struck by lightning!Chapter 46 · Earth-level Secret RealmChapter 47 · The spot is practically yours.Chapter 48 · His Daoist partner is truly amazing!Chapter 49 · The legacy in the libraryChapter 50 · Dual cultivation techniquesChapter 51 · First genius Ji Pu RanChapter 52 · Shifting the blame eastwardChapter 53 · The little puppet went to run errandsChapter 54 · The Explosive Pill once again demonstrated its power.Chapter 55 · Chao Lingyue’s cultivation levelChapter 56 · Little Money-GrubberChapter 57 · What a venomous mouth!Chapter 58 · Enter the secret realmChapter 59 · A huge windfall fell from the sky.Chapter 60 · The birth of a rare treasureChapter 61 · This alchemy furnace is quite uniqueChapter 62 · The alchemy furnace that walked right into the trapChapter 63 · Xiao Zi’s Self-Rescue GuideChapter 64 · Spirit Field Micro RealmChapter 65 · Someone Planning to Reap the Benefits?Chapter 66 · Are You Lost?Chapter 67 · Chao Chen, Corrupted by the Big Handsome PotChapter 68 · Is Your phoenix Fish Sect Collecting Trash?Chapter 69 · The Death of Hui SipingChapter 70 · No, Junior Brother Chao, Where’s Your Backbone…Chapter 71 · Has His Identity Been Exposed?Chapter 72 · This Child Is Far Too ShrewdChapter 73 · Young people are wonderful. They fall asleep the moment they lie downChapter 74 · Sparrow Alchemist Chao Lingyue?Chapter 75 · The Silver Tongued Chao ChenChapter 76 · What’s the rush? I have moreChapter 77 · Leave the sectChapter 78 · Showing Off on a Grand ScaleChapter 79 · The Sparrow Alchemist Returns to the Martial WorldChapter 80 · Does Junior Brother Chao know about this?Chapter 81 · The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole BehindChapter 82 · So FierceChapter 83 · They’ve been targeted by the local bulliesChapter 84 · The Kid Is Missing?Chapter 85 · A Thing from the Void: SilkChapter 86 · Chao Chen became famousChapter 87 · The Devil MentorChapter 88 · The four little ones went out to gain experienceChapter 89 · The Students Who Were Truly ConvincedChapter 90 · What a Bountiful Harvest!Chapter 91 · No Random KissingChapter 92 · Detoxification PillChapter 93 · Master Wu, your Daoist partner has disappearedChapter 94 · The Demonic ThiefChapter 95 · Fellow Daoist, are you selling this sparrow?Chapter 96 · Unexpected disaster, nothing moreChapter 97 · My Daoist partner was born in the Year of the PigChapter 98 · The Undying Devil ChildChapter 99 · Exotic Treasure! Buddha Flame Glazed Light!Chapter 100 · We stole the Beast Taming Sect’s treasure vaultChapter 101 · Waaaaah… Why is this strange fire so gay?Chapter 102 · The Mysterious Pill – Flower in the MirrorChapter 103 Part 1 · As Expected, You Can’t Produce Different Dreams from the Same Bed…Chapter 103 Part 2 · As Expected, You Can’t Produce Different Dreams from the Same Bed…Chapter 104 Part 1 · Separation and ReunionChapter 104 Part 2 · Separation and ReunionChapter 105 Part 1 · Renowned throughout the continent!Chapter 105 Part 2 · Renowned throughout the continent!Chapter 106 · Chao Chen’s RevengeChapter 107 · The Death of Chao LingyueChapter 108 · A Narcissistic Man or a Great Beauty?Chapter 109 · This Person Has No MannersChapter 110 · The Ancient Spirit Botanical GardenChapter 111 · Thousand-Thread Poison WomanChapter 112 · I am not kindChapter 113 · Are you the most handsome man here?Chapter 114 Part 1 · ReunionChapter 114 Part 2 · ReunionChapter 115 Part 1 · Diandian said that you got it into someone’s stomach yourselfChapter 115 Part 2 · Diandian said that you got it into someone’s stomach yourselfChapter 116 · Central ContinentChapter 116 Part 1 · Central ContinentChapter 117 Part 1 · The Ancient Dao Companion ContractChapter 117 Part 2 · The Ancient Dao Companion ContractChapter 118 · Heaven Above, Dust BelowChapter 118 Part 1 · Heaven Above, Dust BelowChapter 119 · Xiao Chen will also be embarrassedChapter 120 · The moon is so bright tonightChapter 121 Part 1 · Treasure ArrayChapter 121 Part 2 · Treasure ArrayChapter 122 Part 1 · Poisonous MushroomChapter 122 Part 2 · Poisonous MushroomChapter 123 Part 1 · Turmoil at the AuctionChapter 123 Part 2 · Turmoil at the AuctionChapter 124 Part 1 · Advancement! A Nascent Soul Cultivator Reaches the Divine Transformation Realm!…Chapter 124 Part 2 · Advancement! A Nascent Soul Cultivator Reaches the Divine Transformation Realm!…Chapter 125 Part 1 · Xiao Chen Displays His Great Divine Might: Wu Bufan…Chapter 125 Part 2 · Xiao Chen Displays His Great Divine Might: Wu Bufan…Chapter 126 · Ice spirit tower has explodedChapter 127 Part 1 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 127 Part 2 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 127 Part 3 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 128 Part 1 · Being Followed?Chapter 128 Part 2 · Being Followed?Chapter 129 · Magical ArtifactChapter 131 · A Declaration of WarChapter 132 · A chaotic war of words: Friend or foe indistinguishable…Chapter 133 Part 1 · The Royal Grand CompetitionChapter 133 Part 2 · The Royal Grand CompetitionChapter 134 Part 1 · Adults Don’t Make Choices, I’ll Take Them All…Chapter 134 Part 2 · Adults Don’t Make Choices, I’ll Take Them All…Chapter 135 Part 1 · Little Daddy Takes a Bite, Big Daddy’s Form…Chapter 135 Part 2 · Little Daddy Takes a Bite, Big Daddy’s Form…Chapter 136 Part 1 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left BehindChapter 136 Part 2 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left BehindChapter 136 Part 3 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left Behind