A Long-Term Meal Ticket

At that moment, Yue Chan unleashed the peacock clan's divine ability. The Five-Colored Divine Light illuminated the entire world and swept through everything, filling the air with suffocating pressure.

Everything struck by that radiance fell and was ground to dust, even the hardest diamond rock.

At the same time, the surrounding gravity increased dozens of times over. It was terrifying-even anyone who wanted to flee could not leap away, like an ox plunged into the sea or trapped in a swamp.

"Go!" Yue Chan waved her fair little hand, and the small-mountain-sized Five-Colored Peacock charged toward Lin Fan at tremendous speed, unleashing a series of intimidating rumbles.

Yet Lin Fan showed no fear. Rather than retreating, he advanced, turning into a streak of light and heading straight for Yue Chan. He did not even dodge the oncoming Five-Colored Peacock, charging directly into it.

He unleashed the Supreme Bone's power once again. Green light surged forth, radiating abundant vitality. Rune after rune formed a halo that enveloped his body.

Boom!

The Five-Colored Peacock slammed into that curtain of light. Not only did it fail to break through, it was dissolved by rune chains shooting from the halo, becoming a swirling shower of light that Lin Fan absorbed.

"What... what Supreme Technique is that? It's too bizarre!" Even seeing it for the second time, Yue Chan was still utterly astonished.

That divine ability was simply inconceivable, beyond her understanding. It not only kept all arts from touching him, but also restored his essence, energy, and spirit.

After fighting for so long, both of them were drenched in sweat and panting with exhaustion. Yet Lin Fan had now recovered to his peak, leaving Yue Chan dumbfounded and speechless.

"How am I supposed to keep fighting? That's just absurd!"

While Yue Chan complained, Lin Fan arrived before her in an instant. He swung a fist like golden divine iron, crushing the runes as effortlessly as smashing rotten wood and striking straight toward the center of her brow.

When it was an inch from Yue Chan's forehead, his millstone-sized fist stopped. Lin Fan smiled and said, "You lost."

"Monster!" Yue Chan pursed her lips. Both his physical body and his Innate Divine Ability were outrageously powerful, leaving her helpless.

But she was not a sore loser. She promptly removed the storage bag from her waist and tossed it over, following the rules they had agreed on beforehand.

"Here."

Lin Fan withdrew his fist and caught the Heaven and Earth Bag. He glanced at the treasures inside: fine wine, delicious food, and a treasured fan made from some kind of divine feathers.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Lin Fan gave the crimson feather fan a gentle wave. Lightning flashed, accompanied by towering scarlet flames, reducing a great mountain to the east to ash.

"What a treasure! This is much easier to use than the sword you lost to me last time." Lin Fan was delighted.

The Crimson Feather Fan could unleash its original tremendous power without consuming much divine power. It was a rare secret treasure.

Sure enough, this girl was a filthy-rich little miss. Barely any time had passed, and she already had more good stuff on her.

He stared at Yue Chan, his large eyes gleaming with greed. With the look of a little money-grubber, he gazed at her as though she were a precious treasure.

Yue Chan shuddered. His stare made her skin crawl, and she retreated several steps to distance herself from him. "Don't come any closer. I don't have any treasures left. I gave you everything."

"No problem. We'll carry on next time. Come again, valued customer." Lin Fan smiled faintly and sat on a large blue-gray stone. Taking out the fine wine and food, he began eating, utterly at ease and unconcerned about his surroundings.

At those words, Yue Chan nearly went mad. That sentence had devastating power-he was treating her as a long-term meal ticket.

"Hmph!" Yue Chan snorted and turned her head away, silently repeating to herself, Don't get angry, don't get angry. Getting angry with a little brat will only make me lose face.

After a long while, she turned back, only to find Lin Fan still eating by himself, showing no intention of paying her any attention. She could not help feeling disgruntled.

I gave you all that stuff, yet you're just eating by yourself without even inviting me? How infuriating!

Just then, as though he knew what she was thinking, Lin Fan called, "Hey, want to have a drink together? I can't finish all this on my own."

Though delighted inside, Yue Chan still put on a reluctant expression. "Then I suppose I'll reluctantly have a drink with you."

Lin Fan shook his head. She really was a proud little girl who refused to say what she felt. But since she was his future long-term meal ticket, he ought to coax her when necessary and make sure she stuck around.

"You seem pretty bored?" Yue Chan asked. She had noticed that whenever he was not cultivating, he spent his days sitting on a rock, staring into space.

Lin Fan looked up at her and drank a cup of Hundred-Flower Brew. "How could I not be? I'm not like you, able to go wherever you want. All I can do every day is wander around this little world. There isn't even a normal person to talk to."

"I suppose that's true. Ancestress isn't the sort to chat with anyone. She's too cold." Yue Chan rested her delicate chin in her hand as she considered it.

"Ancestress?" Lin Fan asked in confusion, pausing mid-bite into a spirit fruit.

Yue Chan pouted, looking thoroughly unhappy, and explained, "That pretty big sister of yours, of course. Since she doesn't want me as her disciple, I just call her Ancestress..."

The little girl rattled on at great speed, seemingly venting her dissatisfaction with Qing Yao. She looked fierce, terribly fierce, and utterly adorable.

Now Lin Fan finally understood their relationship. Qing Yao was an ancestor of Yue Chan's maternal line, and they were related by blood.

Only...

Lin Fan chuckled. "If Pretty Big Sister knew you were bad-mouthing her behind her back and calling her something that makes her sound so old... heh heh heh..."

Yue Chan froze, then sprang to her feet. Her lovely, jewel-like eyes widened as she frowned. "You're going to tattle again?!"

She could not help being furious with herself. Why had she run her mouth for a moment's satisfaction and blurted out what she truly thought?

I'm finished! Who knows how that woman will punish me!

Yue Chan grew anxious and stamped her foot, staring fixedly at Lin Fan as she tried to think of a way to shut him up.

Should I make him mute, or turn him into an idiot?

She quickly shook her head. Even setting aside whether she could beat him, she would still be punished when the matter was investigated later.

Since he likes treasures, I'd better sacrifice some wealth to ward off disaster.

But that thought only troubled her further. Lin Fan had won every treasure she had acquired recently, including the Crimson Feather Fan she had possessed for only three days. She was now utterly penniless.

Suddenly, watching the many expressions flicker across Yue Chan's face, Lin Fan could not help laughing. "Hahaha... what are you thinking, silly girl? Relax, I won't tattle. But... this secret of yours will keep me fed for a lifetime!"

Hearing the first part, Yue Chan had breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the fellow had changed his nature. But the latter part immediately made her expression change. He was still himself-that hateful, insatiably greedy little brat!

He wanted a long-term business arrangement. He had latched onto her.

"As a First Generation, can't you have a little integrity and pride? How can you be so shameless?!"

Faced with Yue Chan's accusations, Lin Fan not only remained unconcerned, but replied with utter shamelessness, "Can integrity and pride fill my stomach? How about... I sell them to you in exchange for treasures?"

Yue Chan reeled. She had never seen anyone so thick-skinned and shameless. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, until she shouted, "Drop dead! Drop dead!"

Then she kicked apart the blue-gray stone Lin Fan was sitting on and chased him around, attacking him. Precious Arts flew from time to time, rocks tumbled down the mountains, and the earth shook.

As the sun sank in the west, their two shadows stretched ever longer, gradually disappearing in the glow of the setting sun...