Chapter 30: A Queen’s Gambit and a Calculated Risk

The efficacy of the Xuan Yin magic power, however, extended far beyond this singular application.

A shimmering, sapphire-blue membrane of magic power silently enveloped Ye Qingfeng’s delicate cheeks.

In a mere few seconds, as the magic dissipated, her flawless, jade-like countenance was restored, gracing her face once again.

Quan Haoqing found this spectacle utterly captivating.

Though fleeting, lasting mere seconds, it was akin to witnessing a sacred lotus blossom, tinged with crimson and white, slowly unfurl its petals as it ascended from the murky depths of the silt.

He was left awestruck, utterly mesmerized, yet dared not harbor a single profane thought.

His lips felt parched, his tongue dry, and he unconsciously licked them, a gesture born of profound thirst.

He found himself discontent merely standing at the pond’s edge, craning on tiptoes, admiring the lotus’s ethereal grace through the obscuring veil of thick black mud.

A fervent desire ignited within him: to approach this pristine white lotus, to lean close to its pistil, to inhale its delicate fragrance, and to lightly kiss its petals.

Yet, achieving such intimacy was far from merely soiling his sleeves.

Quan Haoqing understood implicitly that beneath the deceptively thick black mud lay a treacherous swamp, capable of swallowing him whole.

However, having encountered the woman he yearned to spend his life with, Quan Haoqing refused to abandon his pursuit over a paltry swamp; he would not live with such lifelong regret.

“Truly beautiful.”

Though he desperately wished to temper his emotions, Quan Haoqing could not suppress the heartfelt exclamation that escaped his lips.

Her slender, pale fingers glided across her own face, the exquisite smoothness of her skin making Ye Qingfeng feel as though she were caressing a polished sheet of ice.

Transformation complete!

She cast a haughty glance at Quan Haoqing, a chuunibyou thought forming in her mind: ‘Hmph, my lowly mortal enemy, considering your tireless efforts to attend to my needs, I shall graciously bestow upon you this meager visual pleasure!’

‘Ah, he’s utterly entranced.’

‘But what could one expect? This was a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms, one that would make fish sink and geese descend from the sky!’

She recalled a time when, upon gazing into a mirror, she had remained utterly captivated for an entire afternoon, lost to her own reflection.

It was only when the Xuan Yin Netherworld Art, deeming it utterly disgraceful to have a master ‘beautified to death,’ unleashed a self-sacrificing attack that she was jolted back to reality.

‘Feast your eyes, gaze upon it, for that is all you may do! Hahahaha!’

Ye Qingfeng proudly puffed out her chest, and that very gesture jolted Quan Haoqing from the blissful parallel world where he envisioned a house full of descendants and a pregnant wife in his arms.

He sighed, a faint whisper of regret escaping his lips.

‘What a disservice it would be to the children in the future.’

‘Perhaps fewer would be for the best.’

Unaware of the depths of his fantasy, Ye Qingfeng, witnessing Quan Haoqing’s swift return to reality, inwardly offered several praises.

‘This man’s mental fortitude was terrifyingly formidable.’

‘Then again, it was likely due to the sheer number of times he had already witnessed her transformation.’

“Very well, your wish has been granted. Now, let us attend to matters of importance!”

Ye Qingfeng, inexplicably, carried herself with the bearing of a queen.

Quan Haoqing regarded her, a wry smile playing on his lips. ‘What sort of imperial decree of favor is this? She graced me with a glimpse of her face today; surely, it wouldn’t be too much to ask for a peek at her feet next time?’

A shadow of darker thoughts crept into Quan Haoqing’s mind, his gaze subtly drifting downwards. ‘Those exquisite jade feet would undoubtedly be a delight to behold, perhaps even to caress.’

‘No, no, such carnal desires must be suppressed. Great endeavors remain unfulfilled; I must cultivate my character and restrain my impulses.’

Quan Haoqing forcefully banished those impure thoughts from his mind, deftly shifting the conversation.

“Now that we’ve successfully manipulated both that old man and the bandit chieftain, the next step is to orchestrate a battle to the death between them.

The chieftain on my side is relatively manageable; despite his cunning, he’s driven by avarice, and a helper will soon arrive to further complicate matters for him.”

“However, the Blood s*ave Sect cultivator is clearly a man of extreme caution.

Should he detect even the slightest hint of trouble, he will undoubtedly flee.

Furthermore, based on your description, it’s highly probable he has laid out several contingency plans.”

Ye Qingfeng nodded.

While a touch of narcissism certainly colored her personality, it never reached such an extreme that she would neglect matters of true importance.

A Bone Cleansing Realm cultivator such as herself, venturing alone into his domain, had even prompted Chang Heyu to cautiously conceal his presence, only emerging after confirming she posed no threat, and even then, his magic weapon remained pressed against his body, never leaving his side.

If the path to immortality in this world lay in the Way of Prudence (TL Note: A cultivation philosophy emphasizing extreme caution, concealment, and avoiding unnecessary risks to ensure survival and eventual ascension.), this fellow would undoubtedly be a supreme master of it.

“I propose an alternative: rather than aiming for mutual destruction, we should allow the Blood s*ave Sect cultivator to emerge victorious.”

“The Blood s*ave Sect cultivator’s strength is not particularly formidable.

Although he has ascended to the Origin Reversion Realm, both his countenance and demeanor suggest his vitality is already waning.

It may sound audacious, but with sufficient preparation, I alone could subdue him.”

Ye Qingfeng’s jewel-like eyes flickered upwards, her slender, pale fingers lightly tracing her smooth chin.

In her pensive posture, she appeared exceptionally charming.

“However…”

Quan Haoqing seamlessly interjected, “You can defeat him, yet you lack the means to truly eliminate him, am I not correct?”

A conversation with an intelligent individual was always effortless.

Ye Qingfeng’s eyes sparkled with renewed vigor as she regarded Quan Haoqing, nodding decisively.

“Based on my observations of that particular individual, his fear of death likely rivals my own.

Should events unfold in a manner displeasing to him, he will undoubtedly choose immediate flight.”

‘Your chosen point of comparison… is certainly persuasive.’

Quan Haoqing mused, “So, your proposal is to allow that old man to consume those bandit cultivators, after which you and I shall collaborate to eliminate him?”

“Precisely.

While I have indeed become his Blood s*ave in the old man’s estimation, it is, after all, his first time possessing such a s*ave, thus his trust in me is likely not absolute.

By deploying those bandits as bait, the ‘fish’ will inevitably lower their guard while consuming the lure.

That, my dear, is when we shall cast our net and reel them in.”

Ye Qingfeng regarded Quan Haoqing with a radiant, gentle smile, her eyes brimming with captivating charm, her beauty akin to a blooming flower.

She was so exquisite that one felt transported into a tender, ethereal dream.

Quan Haoqing very nearly succumbed to her allure.

He silently retreated two steps, his voice steady as he inquired, “And then, what sacrifice will be required of me?”

Ye Qingfeng paused, a flicker of surprise in her eyes, utterly perplexed as to how Quan Haoqing had seen through her subtle manipulation.

“Oh, nothing significant at all. Merely a minuscule sacrifice on your part.”

Ye Qingfeng delicately pinched her index finger and thumb together, creating a gap so infinitesimally small that it required meticulous observation to even perceive.

Quan Haoqing remained utterly unswayed, his gaze unwavering as he reiterated, “Therefore, what exactly will be required of me?”

Realizing her subtle persuasion was ineffective, Ye Qingfeng finally laid bare her intentions:

“To solidify that old man’s trust, I must embody the persona I’ve created.

I am now a tragic wife, disfigured and abused, seeking him out to avenge the beautiful years and peerless countenance I lost.

And the target for this vengeance, of course~”

Quan Haoqing finished her thought with a knowing sigh, “That would be me, your abusive, unrighteous, and utterly despicable husband, who deserves to be struck down by the heavens.”

Ye Qingfeng clapped her two delicate hands together with a decisive snap, her crimson lips parting in a slight smile, her eyes twinkling with mirth, like the most exquisite bloom in a vibrant landscape.

“Precisely!” she declared.

“You must be tortured by me until you are half-dead, perhaps even perish on the spot, leaving no trace of a complete corpse!”

Quan Haoqing fell silent, a profound stillness settling over him.

If his understanding was correct, her words implied they needed to make this charade utterly convincing, lest Chang Heyu discern any pretense.

Naturally, this wouldn’t entail actual dismemberment, but a state of near-death was certainly implied.

However, Ye Qingfeng would not be so foolish as to carry it to such extremes; after all, his assistance was indispensable in confronting the Blood s*ave Sect cultivator.

Nevertheless, his very life would be entrusted into Ye Qingfeng’s hands.

“I have just recalled several matters of extreme urgency,” he announced, a sudden urgency in his tone.

“Considering the time, it appears I may be running behind schedule.

Your request for assistance will, regrettably, have to wait.

I assure you, I will return to offer my aid at a later juncture.”

With that pronouncement, Quan Haoqing turned to depart, his face carefully devoid of all emotion.

Ye Qingfeng instantly appeared before Quan Haoqing, spreading her arms wide.

The mischievous sprite, for once, appeared genuinely flustered.

“It’s merely feigned death, nothing more!

I shall employ a subtle technique to diminish your sensory perception, ensuring you feel absolutely nothing, no matter how many cuts are inflicted upon your body.

They will be but superficial wounds.

Of course, a small amount of Xuanbing True Qi will need to enter your system, but you can effortlessly dispel it in an instant with the Blazing Starfall Tome Art’s scorching magic.

What is the meaning of that expression?

You make it sound as though I would seize the opportunity to harm you!

Am I truly so shameless?!”

Quan Haoqing regarded Ye Qingfeng with an utterly speechless expression. ‘Though your beauty is undeniable, your past actions have consistently undermined any semblance of trustworthiness.’

As if sensing the profound lack of credibility in her assurances, Ye Qingfeng swiftly pivoted the conversation.

“Perhaps you could receive a more substantial share of the reward?” she offered, her voice laced with eager persuasion.

“I assure you, should we succeed in this endeavor, the spoils will far exceed your wildest imaginings.

The Blood s*ave Sect, you see, is a domain I know all too well…”

Ye Qingfeng possessed no great skill in trusting others, nor in discerning who was worthy of trust; however, she was exceptionally adept at beguiling them.

She spoke voluminously, detailing the myriad benefits this venture could bestow upon Quan Haoqing.

Had his initial motivation for assisting truly been rooted in the pursuit of profit, he would, by now, have undoubtedly been swayed.

Yet, his true desire lay not in such gains.

He yearned to possess Ye Qingfeng herself.

He understood that her background was likely far beyond his current standing, but adhering to the adage ‘thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning fortunes can change, implying that one’s circumstances can reverse over time.), he firmly believed that as long as he persevered, the disparity between them would inevitably diminish.

However, to genuinely pursue Ye Qingfeng, he could not afford to wait for such a distant future.

It was too far off, so remote that he questioned whether he would even encounter her again, or if she would have already been wed to another.

He needed to compel Ye Qingfeng to grant him that opportunity now—not as charity, but as something he would earn through his own efforts.

Moreover, Quan Haoqing remained willing to trust Ye Qingfeng.

Waking from his reverie, he scrutinized Ye Qingfeng from head to toe.

Ye Qingfeng, assuming Quan Haoqing had been swayed by her words, her crimson lips slightly parted and the corners of her mouth upturned, reveled in her own eloquence.

Little did she know, Quan Haoqing had already dashed her careful calculations.

“The rewards shall remain as previously agreed.”

Quan Haoqing’s words caused Ye Qingfeng’s delicate brows to furrow, believing the negotiation had once again fallen apart.

“However, in exchange, you must also assist me with one matter.”

“This…”