Mai Ji

Ye Xiaobao had just wanted to step forward and share his joy with Lu Xiaoxue.

When he heard Lu Xiaoxue say:

"I'll go heat up the food for you."

With that, she hurriedly ran off.

Ye Xiaobao felt that Lu Xiaoxue seemed to have changed, becoming somewhat distant.

He did not know whether it was just his imagination.

Early the next morning.

Lu Xiaoxue got up early again.

"Xiaoxin, get up. We're leaving for Heaven Dou City today. The ox cart we hired will be here soon."

Ye Xiaobao had not expected Lu Xiaoxue to leave for Heaven Dou City today, much less that she had hired an ox cart.

"Xiaoxue, hire a carriage instead. An ox cart is too rough."

He had not expected that even after transmigrating, he would still have to ride an ox cart.

But Lu Xiaoxue immediately said:

"Carriages are so expensive. Going to Heaven Dou City costs three Gold Soul Coins. How could we afford that?"

"I have money."

As he spoke, Ye Xiaobao took out a handful of Gold Soul Coins from his Soul Tool.

"Where did you get so much money?"

Seeing that handful of Gold Soul Coins—at least twenty-something of them—Lu Xiaoxue was somewhat surprised. She did not remember Ye Xiaobao having so much money on him.

"Oh, these were inside the Soul Tool. A Storage Soul Tool can store things."

As he spoke, Ye Xiaobao pointed with his right hand at the purple ring on his left hand.

Gold Soul Coins? He had plenty of those.

Lu Xiaoxin had also gotten out of bed by then and walked over curiously.

"Brother Xiaobao, how do you use this thing?"

Ye Xiaobao took off the ring and placed it in Lu Xiaoxin's hand.

"Xiaoxin, didn't you awaken too? Try using your spiritual power."

"Really?"

After saying that, Lu Xiaoxin began fiddling with it.

"Wow, Brother Xiaobao, there's so much money inside."

She spoke as she gestured excitedly.

"Xiaoxin has never seen this much money before. Sister, look, there's so much money in here."

Lu Xiaoxue, meanwhile, looked somewhat uneasy. She stepped forward, took the ring from Lu Xiaoxin's hand, and handed it back to Ye Xiaobao.

Then she said to Lu Xiaoxin:

"Don't break it. Something this precious can't be played with carelessly."

Ye Xiaobao said indifferently:

"It's fine. If Xiaoxin likes it, I'll give her one later."

He thought it was merely a Storage Soul Tool. If Lu Xiaoxue had possessed cultivation talent, he would have wanted to give each of them one.

Hearing this, Lu Xiaoxin widened her adorable eyes and asked:

"Really? Can I have a ring that stores things too?"

"Really. When has Brother Xiaobao ever lied to you?"

"Yay!"

Lu Xiaoxin happily bounced up and down nearby.

Lu Xiaoxue fell silent for a while, as though she had made some decision.

"Xiaobao, come outside with me."

"Alright."

The moment the two of them stepped out of the house, they saw the village chief approaching with two men.

One wore noble clothing of mixed white and gold, tall and thin, with dark circles around his eyes.

The other was a middle-aged man in a gray robe. The badge on his chest showed that he was a three-ring Soul Elder.

Before long, they arrived in front of the house.

"Xiaoxue, this is Young Master Mai Ji, Count Mais's son. He came specifically to ask for your hand in marriage."

"That's right, Xiaoxue. You don't know this, but ever since I saw you last time, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. When I heard you were moving to Heaven Dou City, I came to propose."

Mai Ji added:

"As it happens, my Mai Family also lives in Heaven Dou City. It's perfect."

After hearing them, Ye Xiaobao instantly understood. The village chief had tipped them off.

Lu Xiaoxue's expression also turned unpleasant as she refused coldly:

"There's no need. I won't marry you."

Slap!

Mai Ji sent the village chief crashing to the ground with a slap.

"You old fool, how do you handle things? Looks like your whole village doesn't want to live anymore."

Then he turned back to Lu Xiaoxue with a smile.

"Xiaoxue, it was just that this old fool didn't explain things clearly. I'm sincerely offering to take you as my concubine. You wouldn't want the rest of the village to suffer because of you, would you?"

His last sentence was filled with threat.

He was using the village to coerce Lu Xiaoxue. This tactic had never failed him.

No way she won't take the bait.

The village chief was dazed from that slap, yet he did not dare get up and could only lie on the ground. There was nothing he could do; Mai Ji was a noble, after all.

When had Lu Xiaoxue ever encountered such shameless behavior? Her body trembled with anger.

Seeing Xiaoxue angry, Ye Xiaobao said calmly:

"What the hell are you? How dare you bully my friend!"

He saw that this so-called count's son had unsteady steps. He likely had no future on the path of a soul master.

He was nothing more than a spoiled wastrel.

When Mai Ji saw a young man standing beside Lu Xiaoxue, his expression darkened.

"Old fool, who is this?"

Seeing that Mai Ji was asking him, the village chief immediately scrambled to his feet, went before Mai Ji, shrank his neck, and said in a low voice:

"Young Master Mai Ji, he's the person Xiaoxue saved on the mountain last month. There's nothing between them."

Slap!

Another slap.

The village chief was knocked to the ground again by Mai Ji.

"Why didn't you tell me something this important earlier?!"

He was angry. The woman he had taken a fancy to was actually living with another man.

Wasn't that a slap in his face?

He then turned to Ye Xiaobao and threatened:

"Boy, do you know what a noble is?"

Ye Xiaobao found this amusing.

After all, no one had ever said such a thing to him before.

"Oh? What is a noble?"

Mai Ji had been arrogant and overbearing since childhood. Besides, someone rescued from the mountains could not possibly be anyone impressive.

"A noble is someone who can kill you and have no one dare interfere. A noble can drive this entire village to death, and no one will say a thing. Understand?"

After saying that, he looked at Ye Xiaobao provocatively.

In his eyes, Ye Xiaobao was just a mere commoner who could be scared witless with a few words.

At that moment, the middle-aged soul master beside Mai Ji suddenly spoke.

"You're a soul master too?"

Mai Ji's expression immediately became awkward.

Soul masters were a class above nobles, while high-level soul masters were honored guests even of the imperial family.

Spirit Hall in particular, the greatest soul master organization, was a force that overshadowed both great empires.

Besides, in Heaven Dou City, he was a noble who barely even counted.

He had been bullied plenty in ordinary times. The family title would be inherited by his elder brother, and his own talent was poor. Even now, he was only a one-ring Soul Scholar.

He could only throw his weight around in this remote backwater.

Now that he heard the young man before him was a soul master, he naturally feared provoking someone he should not.

He put on a flattering smile and tested the waters.

"So you're a soul master. I could tell at first glance that you were an outstanding young man. I wonder which family you come from?"

Ye Xiaobao did not know whether to laugh or cry.

The spoiled wastrel had immediately cowered upon hearing that he was a soul master.

Had this guy studied face-changing? His shift in attitude was far too fast. Ye Xiaobao said calmly:

"My parents are ordinary people, and I'm not from any family. As for my level, that is none of your business."

When Mai Ji heard this, he understood. So this person had no background, and judging by his age, his strength could not be all that great either.

Seeing that Mai Ji seemed to be making peace with the young man, the village chief thought the matter had passed. He got up again and walked over to Mai Ji.

"Young Master Mai Ji, since Xiaoxue already has someone she likes, perhaps—"

Slap!

The village chief was slapped back to the same spot again.

"You damned dog, what do you mean, someone she likes? The only person she can like is me. Understand?"

After cursing him, Mai Ji turned to Ye Xiaobao.

"Boy, since you have neither strength nor background, hurry up and get lost. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll spare your life."

He felt that he had embarrassed himself badly just now, actually being frightened by a commoner.

He also wanted to quickly regain some face.

At the side, Lu Xiaoxue could no longer stand watching this. She said angrily:

"I will never marry you, so give up on that idea. If you dare target our village, I'll report you to His Majesty the Emperor!"