Yellow sand stretched endlessly, the sun rising in the east. Morning sunlight fell upon the sand and earth, wind sweeping thin layers of sand toward the distant city.

With a loud “bang,” a blue-robed young man was slammed to the ground. Vines instantly burst from the earth, grabbing the young man’s limbs, sending him high in the blink of an eye, then viciously slamming him down, sending him up high, then viciously slamming him down. After several repetitions, the young man lay on the ground and coughed up blood. A worn, hole-ridden shoe stepped on the young man’s head, pressing it into the yellow sand.

The one stepping on his head was Qin Wanwan. The one being stepped on was naturally Jian Xingzhi.

At this moment, Qin Wanwan’s clothes were ragged, her hair disheveled, her face full of weathering. Her eyes looked numbly into the distance. From head to toe, she bore no resemblance to her former sweet female immortal appearance.

Jian Xingzhi called out muffled words from the earth. Qin Wanwan withdrew her gaze and impatiently kicked him, flipping Jian Xingzhi out of the soil to face her, coughing up sand.

“You said no magic!” Jian Xingzhi choked the sand from his throat. “Why are you so shameless?”

“Master’s martial arts are superb,” Qin Wanwan praised coldly. “Without magic, how could I possibly beat you?”

“But you didn’t have to beat me like this!”

Jian Xingzhi looked down at his body, completely unable to move from the beating, and complained to Qin Wanwan: “We’re about to enter the city. You’ve broken my entire body—I need a day to recover. Isn’t this wasting time?”

Qin Wanwan glanced at him coldly, too lazy to deal with him, and walked forward carrying her sword.

Seeing her leave, Jian Xingzhi panicked: “Don’t just walk away—take me with you!”

“Host, you can’t leave him behind.” 38 urged Qin Wanwan. “Many tasks need him to advance.”

“Finding the Exquisite Jade, opening the Ascension Gate,” Qin Wanwan spoke numbly, “I can find them myself.”

“But…” 38 hesitated. “If you leave him here with complete comminuted fractures throughout his body, what if wolves eat him?”

Qin Wanwan’s movements paused. She heard Jian Xingzhi behind her energetically shouting: “Hey, good disciple, don’t leave me! Come back and carry me!”

She took a deep breath and resignedly turned back, skillfully pulling out a wooden cart from her storage pouch. After tossing Jian Xingzhi onto it, she shouldered the rope at the cart’s other end and dragged Jian Xingzhi toward the city ahead.

Behind her, Jian Xingzhi happily summarized today’s strengths and weaknesses, his tone full of gratification and emotion: “I originally hoped you’d complete 3,000 points daily for 90,000 points in a month. I never expected you’d far exceed my expectations. Just emerging from the desert, you can already defeat your master using magic. With your drive and talent, catching up to me is just around the corner. Beicheng, I truly didn’t see it at first—you have such talent! Next time be more careful—don’t break my entire skeleton, just break my hands. Otherwise, you still have to drag me along, wasting too much time.”

Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. She wanted to cry, but the cultivation world didn’t believe in tears. Her tears had already been dried by the desert wind.

This past month, at first, she’d wanted to defeat Jian Xingzhi, to make him know the taste of pain.

Who knew that the first time she broke his ribs, he wasn’t in pain at all—he was pleasantly surprised, thinking she was promising material, and conducted detailed discussions on how she should more decisively shatter his ribs.

She thought perhaps she hadn’t beaten him hard enough, so she redoubled her efforts and fought him desperately.

She didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, didn’t bathe. Every day she circulated his perpetual motion machine technique, just wanting to teach him a lesson.

Never imagining that all the way until she beat him to complete comminuted fractures, he could still lie on the ground with appreciation in his eyes for her.

When she asked “Master, does it hurt?” and he answered “It hurts, but this master is very happy,” she felt no joy of revenge whatsoever. She even felt somewhat despairing.

She felt that for the rest of her life, she probably could never truly take revenge on Jian Xingzhi.

He lacked the weaknesses of normal people. He was a lunatic.

Violence only excited him more. Magic couldn’t defeat magic either.

Qin Wanwan dragged Jian Xingzhi and slowly walked to the city gates. Arriving at the entrance, she raised her head to see “Ghost City” written on the tower.

With a 【ding】, 666’s clear voice transmitted into Jian Xingzhi’s mind:

【New task arrived: Provoke the Elegant Pavilion madam, be taken by the madam who forces you into the Elegant Pavilion, causing the female lead to make a scene there. You are spotted and taken in by the City Lord’s steward into the City Lord Manor. Female lead is captured by the City Lord and becomes a prisoner. Completion points +500】

The task also included specific descriptions, seemingly copied directly from the novel.

“Jian Zhiyan’s first time seeing Ghost City’s prosperity, he sneaks out wanting to buy Qin Wan a pearl hairpin, but is noticed by the Elegant Pavilion’s people for his looks and forcibly taken to become a male companion in the building.”

“The outstandingly handsome Jian Zhiyan is sold for a high price. City Lord steward Cuilu is attracted by Jian Zhiyan at first sight, bids a high price, and brings Jian Zhiyan into the manor. Just then, Qin Wan storms into the Elegant Pavilion, makes a big scene, suffers serious injuries and escapes. Before leaving, she tells Jian Zhiyan to wait for her in the City Lord Manor.”

“Jian Zhiyan maneuvers with City Lord Hua Rong in the manor, protecting his chastity for Qin Wan’s sake, finally waiting for Qin Wan to rescue him. But the profoundly powerful Hua Rong captures Qin Wan. To save Qin Wan, Jian Zhiyan has no choice but to curry favor with Hua Rong in various ways. In the City Lord Manor’s harem, he experiences repeated palace struggles and becomes Hua Rong’s most beloved person.”

Looking at this task, Jian Xingzhi couldn’t help frowning.

Elegant Pavilion—what kind of place was that?

Taken into the City Lord Manor? Repeated palace struggles? What was this about—truly treating him as a male concubine?

“Master,” 666 urged him, “normally it doesn’t matter, but you must follow the key plot points.”

“Isn’t it just getting the Exquisite Jade?” Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes. “Making me Qin Wan’s male concubine is one thing, but now being taken into the City Lord Manor, going to some Elegant Pavilion—do they really think I’m a male concubine who’ll serve anyone for points?”

Hearing Jian Xingzhi’s tone, 666 didn’t dare urge further. It sighed and said no more, letting Jian Xingzhi peacefully circulate his technique to repair his body.

His entire skeleton was broken anyway—he couldn’t do anything even if he wanted. They’d urge him again later.

The system quieted down, and Jian Xingzhi wholeheartedly began repairing his body.

Qin Wanwan pulled Jian Xingzhi into Ghost City and headed toward the main thoroughfare, wanting to find an inn to rest.

People came and went in Ghost City. Most wore black or white robes with white masks painted with expressions on their faces. A minority were like them, wearing ordinary clothes—clearly visitors from afar. The only difference was perhaps that the two of them looked more destitute.

Not knowing what day it was, the city had many people. Not long after entering, Qin Wanwan heard gongs and drums shaking the heavens and crowds cheering.

Exhausted, Qin Wanwan pulled Jian Xingzhi forward against the crowd.

“Excuse me.”

Qin Wanwan kept her head down, requesting passage from those before her.

But somehow, more and more people gathered ahead. Qin Wanwan raised her head to see a funeral cart approaching from not far away. The frame resembled a flower cart, but the wood was all black, decorated with white flowers. The character for “memorial” was written on the frame. A coffin sat on the cart with a man standing atop it.

The man wore pure white robes and a tall hat similar to an impermanence spirit’s. In his hand, he held a bamboo pole with paper money hanging from it. He wore a mask painted with bleeding eyes and an exaggeratedly upturned mouth. His face couldn’t be seen clearly, but those eyes beneath the mask were truly beautiful.

On the funeral cart coffin, he agilely performed a beautiful yet somewhat eerie dance. Four women in red stood at the cart’s four corners, one hand holding three-clarity bells, the other scattering paper money.

Paper money flew everywhere. Qin Wanwan’s gaze involuntarily looked toward the dancing man. Seeming to sense her gaze, he glanced sideways. His movements carried charm mixed with ghostly energy. Somehow, Qin Wanwan vaguely felt he smiled at her.

She froze in place. When she reacted and looked back, the funeral cart had already gone far.

“Stop looking.”

Jian Xingzhi reminded her: “Be careful of being bewitched.”

“Bones healed?” Seeing him speak, Qin Wanwan quickly urged: “If they’re healed, get up quickly.”

“Drag me a bit longer,” Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes. “At earliest, it’ll be tonight.”

Qin Wanwan dragged him halfway when she felt tired. Seeing a pancake stall nearby, she set Jian Xingzhi on the ground, bought a pancake and returned, sitting down dispirited and beginning to eat.

Watching her eat the pancake with her head lowered, Jian Xingzhi remembered when they first met. Even at the Inquiring Heart Sect in such dire circumstances, she’d been like a fish in water, coaxing Song Xinian to give her good food and drink. After acknowledging him as master, not only had her days not improved, she now sat on the ground like a beggar eating pancakes. Somehow, he felt somewhat guilty.

Watching her quietly eat her pancake with head bowed, thinking she hadn’t recovered from this disparity, he wanted to comfort her.

“Don’t be sad,” Jian Xingzhi racked his brain. “On the cultivation path, sleeping rough is normal. Many people have it worse than us—we’re doing pretty well.”

Qin Wanwan froze, momentarily not understanding what Jian Xingzhi was saying.

Just as Jian Xingzhi was about to continue, an old man tossed two copper coins onto him. He looked at Qin Wanwan, then at Jian Xingzhi, and sighed.

“How pitiful.”

The old man shook his head and slowly walked away, leaning on his cane.

Qin Wanwan looked at the copper coins on the ground, then at her pancake, and instantly became alert.

What was happening!

She, an immortal realm rich second generation, everyone’s sweet, cute, delicate, gentle little fairy—how had she ended up in this wretched state?!

More importantly, in this condition, disheveled and sitting on the ground eating pancakes while even passersby felt sorry for her, she hadn’t even noticed anything wrong. It was Jian Xingzhi who first realized how miserable they were. What had she even experienced?!

Realizing this in an instant, sorrow surged through Qin Wanwan. She couldn’t help her eyes reddening. The pancake no longer tasted good.

“You… don’t cry.”

Seeing her eyes redden, Jian Xingzhi quickly urged: “Tomorrow when Master’s bones heal, I’ll take you to buy new clothes.”

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan felt even worse. Red-eyed, she raised her head as tears fell pitter-patter.

“Do you even have money? Won’t you be spending my money anyway!”

He beat her, pummeled her, turned her into this dog-like appearance, and in the end still wanted to spend her money to coax her! What kind of logic was this?

“I…” Jian Xingzhi was stumped by the question. After a moment, he quickly promised: “I don’t have any so I’ll earn some. Don’t worry, I earn money very quickly.”

“What will you use to earn it?” Qin Wanwan sniffled as many grievances surged up.

Previously in the desert she hadn’t felt it, but now suddenly back in the ordinary human world, looking at the pancake in her hand and the copper coins before her, remembering her previously happy life, Qin Wanwan felt sadder and sadder.

Tearfully, she picked up the copper coins, wiped them on her clothes, and preciously put them in her pocket, crying while complaining to Jian Xingzhi: “Besides fighting, you can’t do anything. What will you use to buy me new clothes? In the end, won’t it still be spending my money? I’ve had eight lifetimes of bad luck…”

Before finishing, another spirit stone fell down. Qin Wanwan’s movements halted. Sniffling, she looked up to see a black-robed youth with a crying face painted on his mask comforting her: “Miss, the dead cannot return. Take some spirit stones and quickly lay your brother to rest.”

With that, the youth waved his hand and left.

Qin Wanwan looked at Jian Xingzhi in shock. Jian Xingzhi steeled himself and hesitated: “How about… leaving me here to lie down a bit longer?”

Using Qin Wanwan’s money to buy clothes to coax her really wasn’t proper.

He was a master after all—he should find a way to earn money.

Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. Jian Xingzhi took it as consent.

“Cry more convincingly,” Jian Xingzhi felt he’d found a money-making path. “We’ll earn back today’s expenses.”

Qin Wanwan: “…”

Something this shameful—Qin Wanwan wouldn’t cooperate.

But if Jian Xingzhi wanted to actively earn money, she wouldn’t stop him either.

She placed Jian Xingzhi by the roadside, put a bowl before him, and sat a little distance away in a corner eating her pancake.

Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes and simply sunbathed, listening to the pleasant sound of copper coins hitting porcelain in the bowl nearby.

Before long, he realized something was wrong. He felt some women gathering around, pointing at him from afar.

“So handsome.”

“If his face were washed clean, he’d definitely be good-looking.”

“He has grass stuck on his head—wonder how much he’s selling for.”

Hearing this, he felt somewhat panicked. With his entire skeleton fractured and unable to move, he was completely at others’ mercy.

He began using eye signals to tell Qin Wanwan to pack up quickly.

But Qin Wanwan had finished her pancake and leaned against a pillar sleeping, even snoring. She couldn’t see Jian Xingzhi’s eye signals at all.

Jian Xingzhi called to her quietly: “Gu Beicheng? Beicheng!”

Qin Wanwan scratched her ear, turned her head, and continued sleeping.

Jian Xingzhi took a deep breath. Just about to shout loudly, he heard an affected middle-aged man’s voice shrilly ring out: “Oh my, this person’s still alive? How much are you selling him for?”

The man crouched down. Only then did Jian Xingzhi see clearly—this was a man wearing a goose-yellow robe. Among ordinary people, he looked fairly decent, but couldn’t compare to Jian Xingzhi. His face was painted with heavy makeup, his appearance somehow indescribably strange. Several men dressed similarly to him stood behind him, all whispering about Jian Xingzhi.

Jian Xingzhi stared at the man. The man raised his hand and felt Jian Xingzhi’s face several times, then revealed amazed eyes.

“Such beautiful bone structure—when he grows up, it’ll be extraordinary.” The man looked around. “Who’s selling this disabled person lying here? If nobody claims him, I’m taking him.”

“I’m not for sale.”

Jian Xingzhi spoke, staring intently at the man. Hearing this, the man smiled and turned to look over: “Not for sale? You’re a cripple—does it fall to you to speak?”

“You’re seeking death.”

Jian Xingzhi’s eyes turned cold.

The man waved his hand: “Carry him away.”

“Qin Wan!”

Jian Xingzhi shouted loudly. Qin Wanwan jerked awake and nearly rolled down the steps.

She wiped her drool, looked up, and discovered a group of garishly dressed men surrounding Jian Xingzhi. The small cart he’d been sleeping on had already been lifted by two men. A flamboyantly dressed middle-aged man looked at her, smiling as he spoke: “Little miss, you’re the one selling people, right?”

“Selling people?”

Qin Wanwan didn’t react: “Selling what people?”

“Him.” The man raised his hand and pointed at Jian Xingzhi on the ground. “Lying here with grass on his head—I was specially notified and came over. I heard your brother’s about to die and you want to sell him here. How many spirit stones? You name your price.”

Hearing the end, Qin Wanwan finally understood what this man was saying. She glanced at Jian Xingzhi, then at this man, and forced a smile: “Big brother, we’re just resting here. I wasn’t planning to sell him.”

“Miss, your brother’s entire skeleton is broken, isn’t it?”

The man raised his hand and picked up Jian Xingzhi’s hand. With all his bones shattered, Jian Xingzhi’s hand hung limply. The man sighed softly: “In your hands, he won’t live much longer. I see you two siblings are pitiful. Better exchange him for some money so you can live better days in the future.”

Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. She looked at Jian Xingzhi to see him frantically winking and making faces at her.

Qin Wanwan froze. This was the first time she’d seen this expression on Jian Xingzhi’s face.

He seemed… panicked?

Realizing this, tremendous joy surged through her heart.

But she didn’t dare let Jian Xingzhi see. She coughed lightly, seemingly considering: “Um, big brother, what do you want to buy my brother for?”

“I’m Qingzhu, owner of the city’s Elegant Pavilion,” the man twirled hair around his fingertip. “The Elegant Pavilion is a renowned money-spending establishment far and wide. With your brother’s looks, I’ll treat him well. Then you’ll live well, he’ll survive, and he can live in glory and wealth. Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?”

“Qin Wan!”

Jian Xingzhi glared at her: “Why waste words?”

Attack him!

“Indeed killing two birds with one stone.”

Qin Wanwan nodded: “Then… how many spirit stones does the boss think my brother is worth?”

Qingzhu didn’t speak. He turned to look at Jian Xingzhi and thought: “The person—his face is good, but his body is weak. I’ll spend quite a bit treating him. How about this—I’ll give you this number.”

Qingzhu raised five fingers: “Fifty mid-grade spirit stones.”

“Nonsense!”

Jian Xingzhi cursed: “A mere fifty mid…”

“Gag him!” Qingzhu glared. A servant immediately sealed Jian Xingzhi’s mouth with a talisman.

Jian Xingzhi’s eyes turned cold. He stared fixedly at Qingzhu’s back.

Qingzhu is dead.

Qin Wanwan thought.

She coughed lightly with kind reminder: “Um, boss, actually I’m doing this for your good. My brother has some problems. I’m afraid if you take him back, you’ll encounter danger.”

“Danger?” Hearing this, Qingzhu laughed heartily. “I’m a Golden Core cultivator. With your half-crippled brother, you think he could endanger me?”

“As long as you’re confident.”

Qin Wanwan nodded and extended her hand: “Give me the money.”

“Mmph mmph mmph!”

Seeing Qin Wanwan extend her hand, Jian Xingzhi’s eyes widened as he struggled desperately.

Unfortunately, his entire skeleton was broken and his mouth was sealed. His struggles could only be expressed through rapid blinking.

Qin Wanwan deliberately didn’t look at him. After receiving Qingzhu’s money, she smiled and bowed: “Then I wish you, boss, peace and safety, and prosperous business.”

“Good words.” Qingzhu cupped his hands. “I also wish the miss all the best.”

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Qin Wanwan was permitted to bid Jian Xingzhi farewell.

She walked to Jian Xingzhi’s side and whispered in his ear: “Master, I’m going to buy new clothes. Thank you for the sale money, Master.”

With that, she wiped away tears, full of emotion: “Brother, go now. Whether you’re a male companion or top courtesan, you’ll always be the hero in Wanwan’s heart. Hero,” Qin Wanwan couldn’t quite control her smile, “farewell.”

Finished speaking, Qin Wanwan swung the money pouch and turned to leave.

Before leaving, she still felt some concern: “38, if I just leave, there’s no problem, right?”

“The system suggests you temporarily leave at this time.”

38 spoke matter-of-factly: “According to detection, Jian Zhiyan should go to the Elegant Pavilion.”

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan nodded reassured.

In the previous life in Qin Wan’s memories, Jian Zhiyan had been alive and kicking until the end. If even an ordinary mortal could survive well, there was no reason Jian Xingzhi would have problems.

She left reassured, even thinking of Jian Xingzhi’s final murderous expression, she couldn’t help laughing aloud.

Jian Xingzhi stared at Qin Wanwan’s departing back. If looks could kill, Qin Wanwan should have been pierced by a thousand arrows by now.

This traitorous disciple—for a mere fifty ordinary spirit stones, she actually sold him here. Was he only worth fifty spirit stones?!

The more Jian Xingzhi thought, the angrier he became.

He closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and circulated his technique.

Just wait. Once his bones healed, he’d demolish this Elegant Pavilion!

Then snatch back those fifty spirit stones—that was his money!

—

**Author’s Note:**

**Mini Theater**

Jian Xingzhi: “Using my own abilities, insisting on not being a soft rice man!”

(Writes a pitiful story in chalk, requests charity, breaks his own limbs, lies down)

Jian Xingzhi: “My sect’s technique—not only good for fighting, but especially convenient for begging. When you need to beg, just break your own limbs. By evening, you’re healed and can go home. Want to learn? Cue me and I’ll help break your ribs.”