Yue Ming had always regarded Yue Qingshan with only the faintest trace of interest, and that stemmed purely from his exceptional talent.
Ambition burned in her veins. She desired power for herself, yes—but she also longed for capable subordinates who could turn her vision into reality.
In her calculations, Yue Qingshan had been a promising asset, a genius worth recruiting for the empire she had imagined in the far reaches of her mind.
Nothing more. No warmth, no affection—only cold utility.
Now, though, that vision had crumbled to ash, and Yue Qingshan had become utterly expendable.
The Water Qilin suddenly snorted beside them.
Pfft~!
A clear warning. Someone approached.
Ye Qian said nothing, merely turned his gaze toward the direction the beast indicated.
Empty air greeted him at first, then a figure launched upward from the cliff face below and landed with measured precision on the mountaintop.
White robes billowed around him, one hand gripping a long sword, his entire bearing saturated with killing intent.
Yue Qingshan had arrived.
He'd exploited his master's power to ascend effortlessly, preserving every drop of stamina and spiritual energy for what came next.
The moment his boots touched stone, his attention locked onto Ye Qian and Yue Ming. His expression transformed when he registered Yue Ming's presence—pleasant surprise blooming across his features like spring flowers.
He'd anticipated facing Ye Qian alone today, yet fate had delivered the woman who haunted his every waking thought.
Perfect.
He would crush Ye Qian in front of her, then escort Yue Ming away from this place.
Everything would unfold naturally, inevitably. This was the scenario Yue Qingshan had rehearsed in his mind, a script where defeat remained impossible.
The Crushing Star Blade rested in his possession; Ye Qian, weakened by recent Qi Deviation, posed no genuine threat.
His confidence swelled to towering heights, though the source of such certainty remained deeply unclear.
From the very first breath, Yue Qingshan dismissed Ye Qian entirely, pouring his complete focus into Yue Ming.
Worry tightened his voice as he called out, "Yue Ming! Are you hurt? Did this bastard lay a hand on you?"
Genuine concern laced every syllable. He truly feared something terrible might have befallen her, that she might have suffered greatly under Ye Qian.
Perhaps it was the fearlessness of a newborn calf facing a tiger, but this marked the first time anyone had dared ignore Ye Qian so thoroughly.
"Hahahaha!"
Laughter erupted from Ye Qian's throat, sudden and sharp.
The harsh sound cut through the mountain air, and Yue Ming's nerves pulled taut immediately.
Dread coiled in her chest—what if Ye Qian misunderstood the situation because of Yue Qingshan's reckless words?
"Yue Qingshan, I'm doing perfectly well and have absolutely no need for your concern.
If you don't have other business, leave—now.
I don't want you bothering the Young Master."
Yue Ming couldn't allow Ye Qian to harbor even a sliver of suspicion about her loyalties. If misunderstanding took root and spread, the consequences would prove catastrophic.
Her current position beside Ye Qian resembled that of a personal attendant; if she harbored any ambition of climbing higher, she could afford no blemishes on her record.
Yes—Yue Ming had accepted her fate.
Resistance had proven futile, so she chose grace over struggle.
Though she currently occupied a servant's role, the future held opportunities for ascension. She simply needed patience and careful navigation.
But before advancement could occur, obstacles would inevitably emerge. Yue Qingshan had just declared himself the first such barrier.
Yue Qingshan recoiled as though struck.
He had expected gratitude, a warm wave of relief—instead, Yue Ming's words carried only cold dismissal and a demand that he leave.
Incomprehension flooded through him. What could have transformed her so completely in the span of two days?
His gaze snapped toward Ye Qian, and his fists clenched until knuckles whitened. A possibility crystallized in his mind.
"Yue Ming, did this worthless scum threaten you? Is that why you're too afraid to speak the truth?
Or has he bewitched you with some devilish art?!"
He thrust the accusation directly at Ye Qian.
Yue Ming's hatred toward Yue Qingshan intensified until it became a living thing writhing in her chest.
Does this fool possess no ability to read the situation?
She'd stated her position with absolute clarity, yet he persisted in stirring murky waters around her.
At this moment, Yue Ming found Yue Qingshan utterly insufferable, every fiber of her being revolting against his presence.
Meanwhile, Ye Qian—having become the sudden target of Yue Qingshan's accusations—calmly examined the young man's information.
[Name]: Yue Qingshan
[Age]: 21 years old
[Identity]: Yue Family member, Child of Destiny
[Cultivation]: Early Stage of Enlightenment Realm
[Physique]: Tempered Physique
[Cultivation Technique]: Heaven-Upholding Art, Extermination Sword Art, Swift Thunder Steps
[Magic Treasure]: Crushing Star Blade (Samsara Artifact)
[Luck Value]: 12,800
[Hatred]: 90 (Wishes to tear Host apart limb from limb)
[Introduction]: Yue Qingshan had been born into the Yue Family's branch line, an ordinary clansman with no distinguished lineage.
His father, a man of modest cultivation and standing, had spent decades nurturing a jade thumb ring that housed the remnant soul of a Great Saint Realm expert.
When Yue Qingshan's father passed away, the ring fell into his hands—and the ancient soul within awoke.
It began guiding the youth, feeding him rare heaven and earth treasures, subjecting his body to a thousand torturous transformations until he forged the Tempered Physique—a foundation strong enough to rival cultivators far beyond his current realm.
Under the Great Saint's tutelage, Yue Qingshan soared through the ranks with meteoric speed, surpassing countless predecessors and ultimately ascending to the Supreme Realm, emerging as a sovereign expert within the Immortal Realm itself.
Side by side with Yue Ming, he would build a powerful faction, the two of them bound as Dao companions, equals in both cultivation and ambition.
…
Every detail unfolded before Ye Qian's eyes, and a faint flicker of surprise passed through him.
He had already harvested two hundred Villain Points from this young man, dropping the original thirteen thousand Luck Value down to twelve thousand eight hundred.
Yet even after that, Yue Qingshan's fortune still surpassed Yue Ming's—a fact that made perfect sense once Ye Qian absorbed the full picture.
The introduction clearly stated Yue Qingshan would eventually reach the Supreme Realm. More significantly, he and Yue Ming were destined to unite, both ascending to rule an era together.
Perhaps they represented the archetypal male and female leads of this world's grand narrative.
Unfortunately for them, his transmigration had already rewritten that script.
Yue Ming now served under his command, and even if she eventually awakened and recovered her past‑life memories, Ye Qian felt no concern that she could slip free of his grasp.
If anything, it would be the opposite—she would grow more devoted to him than ever.
As for Yue Qingshan, he remained nothing more than a naive youth with limited capability.
The Crushing Star Blade and his Tempered Physique might allow him to contend with a Late Stage Enlightenment Realm expert, perhaps even match one at the Peak Stage, but certainly nothing beyond that threshold.
Moreover, Ye Qian had already broken through to the Early Stage of the Holy Induction Realm. Yue Qingshan's challenge amounted to suicidal overconfidence.
The fool probably still believed Ye Qian suffered from Qi Deviation, his cultivation severely diminished, and saw this as the perfect moment to seize victory and claim Yue Ming for himself.
Ye Qian chuckled softly. It was nothing more than a pipe dream.
As for Yue Ming, she felt no gratitude whatsoever for Yue Qingshan's continued pestering. Disgust had replaced every other emotion.
The longer she studied him, the more repulsive he became.