Seriously, why so sleazy?!

The moment Tang Ya said that, the polite smile on Ye Qing's face froze.

Seriously, girl, why so sleazy?

You opened your mouth and immediately asked me to join the Tang Sect as your errand boy?

Bei Bei, standing off to the side, looked rather embarrassed. Never mind Ye Qing-over the course of the day he had spent with Tang Ya, she had probably said those same words to him at least ten times.

Bei Bei lusted after Tang Ya's body, but he had little interest in the Tang Sect. As a born-and-bred member of Shrek's privileged elite, he naturally knew about the Tang Sect, and he knew it had fallen into decline. Joining it would basically mean working for free.

But he was hopelessly thirsty for Tang Ya.

So he was still in the push-and-pull stage of being her lapdog. It probably wouldn't be long before a rush of blood to the head made him join the Tang Sect.

Still, Bei Bei wasn't an idiot. If Tang Ya didn't make their relationship official, he wouldn't foolishly throw himself at her. He would definitely wait until they were officially together before joining the Tang Sect.

Although Bei Bei understood Tang Ya's desire to strengthen the Tang Sect by inviting Ye Qing, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable. If Ye Qing joined too, who knew how much harder pursuing Tang Ya would become?

Deep down, Bei Bei certainly didn't want Ye Qing to join, at least not now.

Surely he could wait until Bei Bei had won the beauty's heart?

Looking at Tang Ya's expectant expression and Bei Bei's constantly shifting face, Ye Qing felt a little stumped.

But he had known Bei Bei for several years, after all. He could see the resistance and awkwardness in that bastard's expression perfectly clearly.

Tch, as if I'm dying to join your shitty fucking Tang Sect.

Ye Qing inwardly spat in disdain.

"Miss... Tang Ya, are you a member of the Tang Sect?" Ye Qing put away his polite smile and met Tang Ya's gaze expressionlessly.

"Yes, I'm the Tang Sect's current sect master. It's just that... I'm the only one left now." Focused on recruiting another errand boy, Tang Ya failed to notice anything unusual about Bei Bei beside her and spoke with a hint of dejection.

But she soon perked up again. "Our Tang Sect was once the greatest sect on the continent. Although I'm the only one left now, all our sect's foundations are still intact, including the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record passed down by our ancestor Tang San. You must have heard of our ancestor Tang San's glorious and noble deeds, right? Don't you want to join the Tang Sect?"

"I believe the Tang Sect will rise to glory again in my hands!"

"..." For some reason, Ye Qing suddenly felt nauseated.

Glorious and noble...

Yeah, sure, very glorious and very noble. Just what I'd expect from someone in your Tang Sect. Your worship of that third-rate bastard is beyond anything I can imagine.

But I refuse!

What I, Ye Qing, love most is saying NO to sleazy, painfully average women who think far too highly of themselves!

At that thought, a peculiar smile appeared on Ye Qing's face. "All right, Sect Master Tang. I don't know in what capacity you're saying all this to me, but you should understand that we're both students of Shrek Academy right now."

"And setting that identity aside... I'm from Sea God Island. Does that make things clear?" As he spoke, Ye Qing jutted his chin toward Bei Bei. "There, he's from there too. We're both legitimate members of its inner circle."

Sea God Island!

Legitimate members of its inner circle!

Those two phrases crashed down on Tang Ya like two mountains, draining the color from her face.

Only then did Tang Ya realize how naive she had been. Yes, Ye Qing and Bei Bei were both geniuses. She had been able to tell that at first glance.

The faint pressure of their Soul Power and the intense danger concealed beneath their steady, composed bearing both testified to their strength.

Otherwise, why would Tang Ya have been willing to keep this push-and-pull going with Bei Bei for so long? Having only recently survived the massacre of her sect, her mind was filled with restoring the Tang Sect and avenging that blood feud. She had no attention to spare for romance.

She also understood that, as a mere Blue Silver Grass Soul Master with mediocre talent, restoring the Tang Sect and taking revenge was no different from a tale out of the Arabian Nights.

So when Bei Bei approached her of his own accord, fussing over her well-being and clearly lusting after her body, Tang Ya did not firmly reject him. Instead, she seized the opportunity to string him along, hoping to make him join the Tang Sect and become a source of support.

Apart from the crippled versions of the supreme techniques Tang San had left to the Tang Sect, her looks were the only advantage she possessed.

She had approached Ye Qing with the same idea.

If Bei Bei could fall for her looks, surely Ye Qing could too?

As long as she could recruit these two geniuses, who were clearly destined to become supreme powerhouses, why would she need to worry about the Tang Sect failing to rise again?

But in the end, she had forgotten-or selectively ignored-a few things.

Not everyone cared about her looks.

And which of those powerful young geniuses hadn't come from a major faction? Where would commoners get the cultivation resources to possess strength and cultivation far beyond their peers at such a young age?

Why would geniuses who already belonged to major factions join her declining Tang Sect for the sake of her entirely dispensable pretty face?

That was probably why, in the original story, the Tang Sect had consisted of only her and Bei Bei until she met Huo Yuhao. Only someone like Bei Bei, who lusted after her body, would join the Tang Sect. Anyone with a little talent and perspective would never join.

Only Huo Yuhao, an unaffiliated cultivator lacking all three essentials-"talent," strength, and backing-who had been targeted by Tang San from the very beginning, would join.

Ye Qing's words had made Tang Ya experience the feeling of hitting a brick wall before she otherwise would have, while also confronting her directly with reality's cruelty.

Restoring the Tang Sect was nothing more than a little game of romance that a privileged young master from the Shrek Inner Court was playing with her.

"S-sorry. I shouldn't have bothered you." Tang Ya bit her lower lip, mist gradually gathering in her bright eyes. After bowing slightly to Ye Qing, she turned and left.

"Xiaoya!" Bei Bei instinctively chased after her.

Seeing Tang Ya looking so fragile, as though she might shatter, Bei Bei, already caught in her Dragon-Binding Rope, felt as if his heart were breaking. Although he had not wanted Ye Qing to join before, he now felt a little resentful toward him. Why had he said such harsh things and upset Tang Ya?

Ye Qing: ?

Seriously, dude, you're this sleazy too?

But Ye Qing had no mind-reading ability, after all, and didn't know Bei Bei was inwardly blaming him. He even gave Bei Bei an assist.

He winked at Bei Bei, his lips moving as he transmitted a message into Bei Bei's ears.

Just as he was about to leave, Bei Bei abruptly stopped. He turned back and nodded gratefully at Ye Qing, temporarily burying his resentment.

Sure, you gave me an assist, but you also upset Xiaoya. That's a fact.

I'll remember this.

Now you've got a way of seeking death! (Just kidding.)