Xue Rou

"Ten billion spirit coins, one hundred billion gold coins—Xiao Yan, are you joking?" Xiao Jian stared at Xiao Yan, his mouth wide enough to fit an egg. What left him most speechless was that Xiao Yan still looked utterly unconcerned. Anyone who learned they owed such a colossal debt would feel powerless.

"So that's why that woman was so generous, casually throwing out a hundred million. She wanted you to compensate her." Xiao Jian was completely speechless toward Xiao Yan. He truly did not know whether Xiao Yan had gone mad over battle techniques.

"I was indeed a little surprised, but it's nothing much. Isn't it just a hundred million? I'll just pay her back." Xiao Yan shrugged indifferently. Still, he was curious about that woman's identity. She should not have been short of money, so why had she flaunted it? A hundred million really did seem like quite a lot.

"Just a hundred million? If you can take out ten million right now, I'll take your surname," Xiao Jian said.

"You already have my surname." Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. "The thing you need most is the most important thing. Forget ten billion—even a hundred billion, if I needed it, I'd throw it down without hesitation."

"Impressive. How about I lend you a hundred or two hundred thousand, and you repay me a thousandfold in a few years? Your brother will wait for you to pay your debts from now on. After all, you don't care!" Xiao Jian said.

"Sure. I wouldn't mind paying you back with a few more feet. It would be the perfect chance to test that battle technique." Xiao Yan spoke seriously.

"Then forget it. You alchemists really are fucking amazing..." Xiao Jian sighed.

Xiao Yan smiled helplessly. He had not expected to owe such a debt the moment he arrived on World-Creation Continent. If those people found out, would they laugh their teeth out? But how was he supposed to repay it? One gold coin at a time?

With the battle technique settled, the stone in Xiao Yan's heart finally dropped to the ground. After buying a few more items, he and Xiao Jian returned to the branch. Along the way, not thinking about those ten billion spirit coins was actually quite pleasant.

However, on the way back, Xiao Yan and Xiao Jian encountered someone.

She was a beautiful woman, dressed in snow-white robes that wrapped around her delicate, graceful figure. Her long hair cascaded down her back, while a precious jade hairpin adorned the hair gathered into a bun. A beautiful pearl hung from a thin cord around her jade-like neck, and all manner of gemstones decorated her white clothes, dazzling the eye. Yet she wore a pair of gloves on her hands, making one unable to resist wanting to remove them and see just how smooth those hands were.

She held a longsword in her hand. Though the sword remained sheathed, it gave off a sharp, cutting feeling. Xiao Yan's first impression of her was that a heroine need not yield to any man.

At that moment, however, her face seemed covered in ice that had not melted for a thousand years. Clearly, she bore no goodwill toward the two of them.

"Xiao Yan, leave first," Xiao Jian said to Xiao Yan.

"What's wrong? Is she your enemy?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"She is my wife. It's fine, I'll handle it myself," Xiao Jian said.

"But..." Xiao Yan looked at the woman, wanting to say something more.

"Get lost... Get as far away as you can and get lost!" Xiao Jian roared at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan was helpless. This was Xiao Jian's family matter, and he had no reason to interfere. He could only leave. Though everyone had curiosity, Xiao Yan was not the sort to eavesdrop on gossip.

Xiao Jian looked at the woman and stepped forward, wanting to embrace her. Yet she said coldly, "Stand there and don't move. I have already joined the Xue Clan aristocracy. The Xiao Clan and the Xue Clan are irreconcilable enemies, so I came to find you today because of this..."

She handed a stack of papers to Xiao Jian. Xiao Jian glanced over them, then said coldly, "Why? Why did you join the aristocracy? What is so good about it? Could it be that the feelings between us truly cannot compare to money and comfort?"

"What is bad about the aristocracy? They feed me, clothe me, and let me live a peaceful life. What is bad about that? I married you back then because of your wealth and status, but what did you give me? You gave me endless pursuit and killing, days of running from place to place with you. I've had enough. Since the conflict between the Xiao Clan and the Xue Clan has grown deeper by the day, there should also be an end between us." Xue Rou's voice was that of a complete worshipper of money.

On Wind Spirit Continent, he had been the eldest son of the lineage, but his cultivation talent had been ordinary. Therefore, he had no interest in cultivating and merely did whatever he wanted each day. But one day, by chance, he met Xue Rou. It was love at first sight; he liked this beautiful girl.

Yet she had been the daughter of an ordinary family, with a humble background. However, she possessed extraordinary attainments in sword intent. Unlike dead planes such as Battle Qi Continent, on continents rich in Emperor-Origin Qi, the power of one's bloodline became far less important.

On Battle Qi Continent, Xiao Yan had become a Dou Emperor, directly raising the Xiao Clan's strength by a great deal. Yet on continents abundant in Emperor-Origin Qi, such a thing was impossible.

Xue Rou, whose life had been difficult, hated aristocratic youths like Xiao Jian the most. Thus, every time Xiao Jian went looking for her, she would beat him until he was gravely wounded. It was during this time that Xiao Jian began to take an interest in swordsmanship. The more they fought, the more addicted he became, and his strength improved tremendously. Yet Xue Rou grew more and more alarmed, because Xiao Jian's progress was even faster than hers.

They repeated the same life every day. Xiao Jian would come to find Xue Rou during the day, then limp home. From beginning to end, Xue Rou had given Xiao Jian nothing but the longsword in her hand, never speaking a single word.

Their battles also became more and more frequent. From once every half month, to once every ten days, to once every seven days, then once every five days... until finally, once every day.

It was not because Xiao Jian had become much stronger, but because her heart had changed. From initial disgust, it had become an indescribable, inexplicable feeling.

But one day, he did not come. Not a trace of him appeared the entire day.

On the second day, he still did not come. A worried look appeared on her face as she stood at her doorway, watching the road that led to her home.

On the third day, she had already walked out of her home, moving farther and farther away from it step by step. Yet what greeted her was still disappointment. It was as though something had vanished from her heart, leaving it empty.

"Hmph, aristocrats are aristocrats after all. Sure enough, they say one thing and do another." As she waited bitterly, she comforted herself with those words. But after saying them, two streams of hot tears rolled down her cheeks—anger, unwillingness, reluctance...

Why? Why am I crying because of him?

Why? Why didn't he come anymore? Was he afraid of me?

Why? Why had he persisted for so long, yet refused to persist for just one more day? Just one day... That day was his birthday!

Idiot. He truly was a complete idiot.