"Young Master Xiao Han... could Qinglin sleep with you tonight?" Biting her cherry-red lip with her pearly teeth, Qinglin had worked up the courage to make such a request. Her pretty, oval face was already flushed red.
Oh, this is so embarrassing... I... how could I say something like that?!
Though Qinglin was terribly shy, her body was honest. Her right hand, which clung tightly to the hem of Xiao Han's clothes, was proof enough.
As for Xiao Han, he was at a loss for words. Were kids in fantasy worlds all this precocious?
He'd heard that plenty of wealthy young men his age were probably already enjoying wild nights, and that it was fairly common in this world for personal maids Qinglin's age to offer themselves.
But Xiao Han wasn't so depraved that he'd lust after a twelve-year-old girl, even if she was already quite mature for her age.
Still, seeing Qinglin trembling, Xiao Han sighed. He had no idea what this girl had learned from the maids in the Xiao Family. All she ever did was think about strange things.
He was certain he'd eventually devour this adorable little apple, but not now.
"Fine. Since you insist, I'll stay tonight. Just tonight, though." Xiao Han ruffled Qinglin's silky hair and smiled.
Hearing Xiao Han's words, Qinglin was so happy she couldn't speak.
Young Master finally understands how I feel?
Xiao Han could tell at a glance that Qinglin was letting her imagination run wild again. He shook his head, finished washing up, then hopped into bed and fell asleep with Qinglin, who was as docile as a puppy, in his arms.
The night passed peacefully. When Xiao Han woke up, the little Qinglin had already gotten up and brought him a towel, water, and the toothbrush and toothpaste he'd made himself.
As Qinglin helped him get dressed and wash up, Xiao Han couldn't help feeling that he'd grown soft. In the past, he'd been independent and self-reliant, and would never have accepted someone waiting on him.
Damn this evil capitalism!
After being looked after by Qinglin for over a year, Xiao Han had long since gotten used to it. If she ever left him and there was no one to take care of him, he didn't know how miserable he'd be.
As for things like toothpaste and toothbrushes... unlike Xiao Yan, a transmigrator who could only remember airplanes, Xiao Han had spent the years since his arrival doing his best to recreate things from Earth. At the very least, everyday necessities were absolutely indispensable. He simply couldn't live without them.
If he had to brush his teeth with a willow twig and salt, he might as well be dead!
Thanks to a few ideas from his previous life, the things he'd made were popular among Wutan City's upper class. The family had also helped promote them, selling the products from Xiao Han's shop as specialty goods. The Xiao Family had made quite a bit of money over the years.
With plenty of funds at his disposal, even Xiao Zhan had taken many valuable pills and precious natural treasures. He had reached Nine-Star Da Dou Shi, and perhaps he'd break through to Dou Ling if he came across the right opportunity.
Tossing a gold card from the Mittel Auction House in his hand, Xiao Han finished breakfast, then left the Xiao Family with the adorable Qinglin to buy some things at the auction house.
Since he planned to head to the Magical Beast Mountain Range and seize the cave where Xiao Yan would find the Purple Cloud Wings and the Heavenly Flame Fragmented Map, he needed to make thorough preparations before setting out!
Right now, he urgently needed a weapon—a blade capable of easily cutting through a magical beast's scales.
However, he was a little torn over whether to use a saber or a sword.
From what Xiao Han understood, in the world of Honor of Kings, sabers and swords were considered one and the same, both falling under the Sword Dao. It was like how Japanese swordsmanship, developed from the samurai sword, was also called swordsmanship.
Cultural differences had caused sabers and swords to merge in the world of Honor of Kings.
The hero Kai wielded a long, slender blue saber, yet the system had judged him to possess exceptional talent in the Sword Dao. Xiao Han found that baffling.
Holding Qinglin's soft hand as they walked down the street, Xiao Han pondered as he went. Beside him, Qinglin was in high spirits. Wherever they went, as long as she was with Young Master, she was happy.
The guards at the Xiao Family Market clearly recognized this young genius of the Xiao Family, as well as the little girl beside him, who was practically known as "Wutan City's Cutest Maid."
The bustling market was full of all kinds of shops selling materials, but there were even more stalls selling snacks, jewelry, and other trinkets.
Xiao Han treated Qinglin very well and had never been stingy with money. That was how she, despite being a maid, had come to outspend the vast majority of the Xiao Clan Disciples.
Just then, an unwelcome visitor pulled Xiao Han out of his thoughts.
"Well, if it isn't little Qinglin! You've gotten even prettier since I last saw you." A leering voice rang out. The smile vanished from Qinglin's face, and she cowered behind Xiao Han like a frightened little animal.
Xiao Han furrowed his brow and looked up. A Splendid Youth was slowly approaching him and his maid, surrounded by a crowd of guards like a star among the moon.
The youth looked to be about twenty and was rather handsome, though his face was a little pale. His eyes burned as he stared fixedly at the little girl trembling behind Xiao Han's slender frame, undisguised desire in his gaze.
Xiao Han reached out and held Qinglin's soft hand, giving her a warm smile to reassure her. Then the warmth on his face swiftly turned into a bone-chilling killing intent.
"I was wondering what foul-smelling shit I'd run into. Turns out it's Young Master Jia Lie Ao.
What bad luck! I come out to buy something, and I run into trash like you. You've ruined my whole mood!
A beautiful day ends the moment I run into Jia Lie Ao."
"What did you say, Xiao Han?!"
At Xiao Han's merciless insults, the Splendid Youth's leering expression vanished, and his face darkened. Even he, who always wore a fake smile, couldn't stomach such blunt abuse.
Xiao Han sneered at the clown before him. "You didn't reach Dou Zhe until you were twenty. 'Useless' is the only word I can think of to describe a piece of trash like you."
"Kid, don't think you can act all high and mighty just because you've reached Dou Zhe."
Jia Lie Ao shoved his guards aside and stepped up to Xiao Han. He rolled his shoulders, then glared at him. "You're just a rookie who's only just broken through to Dou Zhe, while I'm already a Three-Star Dou Zhe! No matter how talented you are, right now I'm stronger than you!
Do you dare accept my challenge?!"
Xiao Han had deliberately hidden his cultivation. Without using Dou Qi, Jia Lie Ao naturally couldn't see through it.
"Get lost! I don't have time to play with you."
Xiao Han gave Jia Lie Ao a shove and walked past him with Qinglin.
Xiao Han couldn't even be bothered to look at trash like him. Of course, beneath the surface, every muscle in Xiao Han's body was taut, and his far more powerful Dou Qi flowed slowly through him. If Jia Lie Ao really tried to attack, Xiao Han could kill him with one blow!
"Kid! Do you dare accept my challenge?! We'll put your maid up as the stakes! Whoever wins gets Miss Qinglin!"
They hadn't even gone ten meters when Jia Lie Ao's relentless voice rang out from behind, bringing Xiao Han to a halt.
Feeling Qinglin trembling beside him with fear and nerves, Xiao Han closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his black eyes had turned a deep blue in an instant, just like the Demonic Flame!
He let out a long sigh, then turned around to face the leering Splendid Youth.
"I warned you before not to lay a hand on Qinglin. Why won't you listen?"
Xiao Han's face was expressionless, but the undisguised killing intent in his eyes made Jia Lie Ao retreat two steps without thinking.
The next moment, however, Jia Lie Ao flew into a rage at his own cowardice.
He's just a rookie Dou Zhe, while I'm a Three-Star Dou Zhe. How could I be afraid of a mere look from him?!
As though it sensed Xiao Han's shifting emotions, the Demon Armor in his Dantian stirred with delight. It didn't care about anything else; it simply loved seeing its host turn violent and bloodthirsty!
In that moment, the Demon Armor took the initiative to resonate with Xiao Han. An intangible Demonic Might and a vast killing intent condensed like blades, seeming poised to strike Jia Lie Ao at any second.
How could a spineless piece of trash like Jia Lie Ao withstand the Demon Armor's menacing aura? He was so terrified that he dropped hard onto his backside.
His mind screamed wildly.
Why?! Why does a mere Dou Zhe have such a terrifying aura?!
"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!"
"Protect Young Master!"
Under Xiao Han's gaze, which seemed to be fixed on a dead man, Jia Lie Ao backed away in terror. The few guards beside him, however, stepped forward under the pressure and shielded him.
They were all servants of the Jia Lie Family. If anything happened to Jia Lie Ao, they'd have nowhere left in the Jia Lie Family. In the worst-case scenario, they'd even have to die alongside him!
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