The Shopkeeper's Fluttering Heart, Hidden Feelings Stirring

Qin Lan Shan's eyes widened at this unexpected answer.

She quietly peered through the crack in the door and saw his tall, straight back.

The young man swept his gaze across the room, drawing astonished looks wherever it passed.

"Though it makes sense, I refuse."

His firm, resounding voice echoed through the room.

Qin Lan Shan felt as though something had fiercely struck her heart.

"I already have a solution. Before long, I will personally seek an audience with The Emperor and explain everything."

Su Qing stood with his hands behind his back, his voice steady and powerful.

As soon as he said this, the room fell into brief silence.

At that moment, the atmosphere became even more solemn.

No one echoed him, and no one supported him.

Clearly, no one thought highly of him. Many even felt that he did not know what was good for him.

Things had already reached this point. Sacrificing the lesser to preserve the greater was obviously the best choice.

Because of one of your ideas, the entire Realm Protectorate had to gamble alongside you?

What kind of joke was that?

None of the elders present spoke. There was no point arguing with a child.

Someone would speak for them.

"Young Master Su's idea is truly childish and laughable—laughable to the extreme!"

"You ignorant brat, stop being so willful. Listen to the Old General and stop bringing disaster upon yourself..."

The White-Robed Young General who had come with the Flying General abruptly rose to his feet and was the first to rebuke him.

But before he could finish, he saw the young man before him raise a hand.

A surge of immense true qi burst from his palm, and a vast wave of air descended with crushing pressure.

The White-Robed Young General, who had only just risen, was forced to his knees by that pressure.

His face was full of shock, yet he could not lift his head no matter how hard he tried.

Su Qing was naturally quite satisfied with the result he had caused.

The true qi stored in the pendant could be used for far more than cultivation.

It could also be unleashed in a single burst as a one-time skill—exactly the method he was using now.

Could you withstand six months' worth of cultivation in one palm strike?

The generals present were all dumbfounded by the sudden development.

Most of those present had weathered great storms and seen all manner of upheavals.

Yet even so, they could not keep their composure.

What exactly was going on? Where had he gotten such absurd strength?!

There were indeed quite a few people present who could withstand this move.

But among his peers, who could withstand such pressure?

The explosive display from a universally acknowledged good-for-nothing who could not cultivate had already made them doubt their own eyes.

"This humble one has concealed his talents for over a decade. Now, I cannot be bothered to pretend anymore. Are you all willing to trust me now?"

Su Qing swept his gaze across the room and spoke calmly.

His words once again brought silence.

This time, however, there was none of the previous resistance or pressure.

Their eyes were filled with astonishment, and the way they looked at him was completely different from before.

The young man's calm composure, combined with the strength he had displayed, deeply shook them.

Even the White-Robed Young General, who had risen again, felt more shock than anger.

The young man was not surprised by this outcome.

Displaying holiness before others was the first step in establishing authority. It could make them begin to trust him.

The next step was to play hardball.

"Generals, do not forget that I am the young master of the Realm Protectorate."

"If you still have objections, I can ask my Elder Sister to return and discuss things with you properly."

Su Qing directly played his trump card.

The moment he said this, the generals who had wanted to object immediately fell silent.

Clearly, they were deeply wary of that Goddess of War.

Many generals turned their eyes toward the Flying General, clearly waiting for his opinion.

"Boy Su, the bearing you have shown has indeed greatly exceeded my expectations."

"I can trust you, but you have only one chance. Otherwise, let your Elder Sister come."

Zhang Anling spoke in a grave voice.

As his voice fell, everyone nodded in agreement. Clearly, they all thought the same way.

Su Qing merely gave a confident smile and nodded lightly.

This time, he had achieved his goal.

A short while later, everyone departed one after another.

After seeing them off, Su Qing still felt somewhat melancholy.

Showing off had felt great, and the results had been good, but he had squandered all the rewards he had just saved up.

Should he consider storing up some more for emergencies?

Just then, true qi surged out from the pendant and poured into his body.

Su Qing froze for a moment, then hurriedly sat cross-legged and began absorbing it.

The conversion efficiency was as low as ever, but the quantity was simply too great.

In the blink of an eye.

True qi was already flowing through his meridians like a stream, endlessly and without pause.

When the sensation ended, he felt light and relaxed all over.

Clearly, this was the sign that he had entered the third-rate realm.

Not only that, he could clearly sense that a dense amount of true qi still remained within his meridians.

Su Qing rose and looked around, his eyes carrying a hint of confusion.

Why had the heroine suddenly started handing out huge rewards for no reason?

And the richness of this reward far exceeded his expectations.

Just then, the door to the room was gently pushed open.

Qin Lan Shan walked in, clutching the corner of her skirt and looking somewhat hesitant.

Her delicate face bore obvious apology.

"Sister Qin, what is wrong?"

There was a trace of suspicion in Su Qing's eyes.

"Master, I... I seem to have caused you a great deal of trouble by coming here."

"The way you treated me before... now it seems it was not excessive at all..."

Qin Lan Shan stammered.

After hearing those words just now, she had felt as though she had gone from hell to heaven.

Only now did she realize that she had brought him enormous trouble.

After hearing this, Su Qing's gaze turned thoughtful.

Having heard her words, he understood what had happened.

There was no joy visible on his face, only disdain.

"If you want to apologize, you might as well give me something practical."

Su Qing spoke in a very casual tone.

He had never cared for such formalities. What was the point of verbal gratitude?

"Y-you... what kind of thanks do you want?"

Qin Lan Shan froze for a moment and asked softly.

"Hmm... How about warming my bed?"

A teasing smile appeared on Su Qing's face.

As a young villain, was it not perfectly normal to tease an Elder Sister?

The true qi in the pendant had received another round of reserves, but who would ever complain about having too much?

"Master, you... honestly... can't you be more serious..."

Qin Lan Shan's face instantly flushed bright red.

She lowered her head and spoke in a halting whisper.

Hearing words that contained practically no resistance at all, Su Qing raised a brow.

No, your reaction is completely different from what I expected.

What does this mean... Could this Little Slave actually be trying to rise in status?