“It…” Qin Wanwan couldn’t believe it, “It’s dead?”

Jian Xingzhi ignored her, directly drawing his sword and returning to the Ant King while panting. After poking the Ant King on the ground, he looked up at Qin Wanwan, “It’s unconscious.”

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan turned and stumbled outward, “Let’s get out of here quickly.”

“Come back,” Jian Xingzhi called out to stop her, “Hurry up and chop off its antennae.”

“What did it do to deserve this?” Qin Wanwan turned around panting, “It was just minding its own business in the forest, and I’m supposed to chop off its antennae—isn’t that cruel?”

Thinking of this, Qin Wanwan thought of herself. Just like her, she had been eating and drinking well at Jishan, when that Jian Xingzhi came attacking up the mountain and cleaved her with one sword strike to this place. What had she done wrong? Wasn’t that cruel?

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi thought for a moment and finally spoke, “No matter what, you need to take these antennae with you.”

Fine, NPC stubbornness.

Qin Wanwan understood. She took a deep breath, returned to the Heart-Bewildering Ant, and after binding it with the Immortal-Binding Rope, she turned to look at Jian Xingzhi, “Wake it up.”

Jian Xingzhi kicked it, and the Ant King suddenly awoke with a start, looking around in panic.

“Who? What? What are you doing?”

Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. She raised her hand and traced it through the air, and a magical formation lit up beneath the Ant King. Three faint blood-red lines slowly emerged from the Ant King’s body.

“You’re carrying three karmic debts,” Qin Wanwan sat cross-legged on the ground. Because of her exhaustion, she was exceptionally irritable, her tone very impatient, “I’ll give you a chance to explain clearly.”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then die.” Both spoke simultaneously, and at the same time, two pressure auras targeted the Ant King and pressed down heavily.

The Ant King was instantly flattened to the ground.

“I’ll talk!”

As soon as the pressure aura appeared, the Ant King immediately understood what kind of people it had provoked. It began to confess rapidly like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, “I frightened a newlywed couple. The man pushed the woman toward me and ran. I let her go. After going back, the woman remarried, the man came to forcibly take back his bride, fell into a river on the way and died.”

“I frightened a child. This child urinated at the entrance to my lair. After I frightened him, one of his souls fell away and stayed with me. Now I hear he’s become an idiot.”

“I also frightened an old scholar. This old scholar read books at my doorway. Not only did he read books, he also brought students to gather inspiration. I couldn’t tolerate it anymore and came out to scare him… He also lost one soul with me. Now at home, every day he tells people there are giant ants everywhere…”

The Ant King cried bitterly, “Daojun, I was wrong, I repent. I’ll never frighten people again.”

“You’ve never killed anyone?”

Qin Wanwan looked doubtful. The Ant King nodded, “No, I just started out in this business.” Then it smiled obsequiously, “I was just preparing to kill when I encountered you.”

Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. Jian Xingzhi flourished his sword, “That’s enough. You’ve still committed evil deeds. I’ll help you take these off.”

“Wait!”

The Ant King watched the sword approach its antennae and shouted, “Take me away with you!”

Jian Xingzhi paused. The Ant King raised its front legs and placed them on its two steel-blade antennae, “Two Daojuns, since you’ve taken a fancy to these antennae, why not just take me along too? I’m willing to be your livestock, your spirit beast, your most loyal servant! You two don’t know,” the Ant King was nearly crying, “these antennae of mine were specially modified. They cost quite a few spirit stones, truly not easy to obtain.”

Jian Xingzhi didn’t speak and looked toward Qin Wanwan. The Ant King quickly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Qin Wanwan, “Daojun, I can fight and endure, I can also cook, sing, dance, make girls happy, and even warm beds. Please accept me!”

“Warm what bed?” Jian Xingzhi glared at him, “Stop filling her head with these things.”

“Sorry, sorry,” the Ant King kowtowed to Jian Xingzhi, “You can warm the bed, this lowly one wouldn’t dare compete.”

Without another word, Jian Xingzhi raised his sword. Qin Wanwan sighed and raised her hand to her forehead, “Forget it, let’s just take him.”

With that, Qin Wanwan formed hand seals and placed her hand on the Ant King’s forehead. After leaving the spirit beast mark on the Ant King’s head, she waved her hand and the Immortal-Binding Rope disappeared. The Ant King transformed into human form and knelt on the ground. Qin Wanwan looked at him and spoke wearily, “What’s your name?”

“This lowly one is Nanfeng.”

“Go return the souls that were left with you, then come find me at Yuelai Inn in Immortal-Seeking Town.”

“Yes.” Nanfeng responded and immediately disappeared on the spot. Qin Wanwan turned to glance at Jian Xingzhi with lifeless resignation, “Shall we head back?”

“You go ahead, I still have business.”

With that, Jian Xingzhi turned and headed into the forest. Qin Wanwan looked worried, “You’re alone—will you be okay?”

“Just take care of yourself.”

Jian Xingzhi waved his hand and walked away. Qin Wanwan watched him leave her line of sight, then quickly jumped up and ran outward. While running, she told 38, “Qiankun pouch in hand, the world is mine! This time I’ll run far, far away. He can be his civil servant, I’ll return to my immortal realm, and from now on we’ll have nothing to do with each other!”

As she spoke, Qin Wanwan felt she could see her happy life after ascension. After thinking for a moment, she remembered the qiankun pouch and decided to check if ‘Jian Zhiyan’ had carelessly spent her money.

But as soon as she opened the qiankun pouch, she felt the weight was wrong. After shaking it, from the huge pouch, only a slip of paper floated out.

“I’m keeping your finances safe. See you at the inn.”

Qin Wanwan froze in place. A moment later, she screamed in breakdown, “Jian Zhiyan!! I’m going to kill you!!!”

Jian Xingzhi couldn’t hear Qin Wanwan’s voice.

He had chopped down a tree and carved it into a plaque, then directly carved the four characters “Yuelai Inn” with his sword. He shouldered it and returned to the city.

After her brief outburst, Qin Wanwan calmed down.

She had to come to a resolution. Tomorrow, whether Jian Xingzhi was willing or not, she absolutely had to send Jian Xingzhi away!

Having figured this out, Qin Wanwan returned to the city with imposing momentum.

The two entered the city through different gates from east and west, meeting face-to-face in front of the inn.

Jian Xingzhi held his sword in one hand and shouldered the plaque in the other, looking coldly at Qin Wanwan.

Qin Wanwan had her sword sheath hanging at her waist, standing straight with her spine rigid, glaring fiercely at Jian Xingzhi.

The two were like two masters about to have a decisive showdown.

“Zhang San is back!”

Someone shouted loudly, and the innkeeper advanced imposingly, “You still dare to come back? I…”

Before he could finish, Jian Xingzhi tossed the plaque he was carrying onto the empty doorway of the shop. The plaque landed securely, and in an instant, sword intent flowed freely and unbridled from between the characters. The sword cultivators present fell to their knees with repeated “thuds.”

“I’d like to invite you for drinks tonight.”

Qin Wanwan lifted her chin, “Will you drink?”

Tonight, she would get him drunk, and tomorrow she’d put him on a carriage and make him leave forever.

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi just laughed, “There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t dare to do.”

Tonight, he would get her drunk and make her say the words ‘protect him until ascension’ to complete his mission.

The two hit it off immediately and made up on the spot. Qin Wanwan stepped forward to take his arm, “Oh Zhiyan, why are you only just getting back? I was so worried about you. Come on, let’s go inside. Let’s have a good drink.”

“Let’s go inside,” Jian Xingzhi agreed, “Tonight we won’t return until we’re drunk!”

As they spoke, they walked toward the rear courtyard.

When Nanfeng returned, he saw a crowd of sword cultivators kneeling at the entrance, words of praise endless in their mouths.

“Such sword intent is like celestial music from the immortal realm, unheard of before.”

“The sword intent of Heaven Sword Sect’s founding ancestor is probably no more than this…”

“Ah!” Someone in the crowd cried out in surprise, “I’ve comprehended it, I’ve achieved Foundation Establishment!”

“Master!” Someone simply kowtowed toward the plaque, taking a master from afar, “Accept this disciple’s bow!”

Hearing this, Nanfeng raised his eyes to look at the sign. A familiar aura came rushing over, and he felt immensely proud. His master’s man was just this amazing!

He took a deep breath of Jian Xingzhi’s aura and walked cheerfully into the rear courtyard of Yuelai Inn, sensing Qin Wanwan’s location and going up to her room. After entering, he saw Qin Wanwan sitting at the table, holding a box in her hands.

“Master,” Nanfeng asked with a happy smile, “where is the other master?”

“His surname is Jian, called Jian Zhiyan. You can call him Daojun Jian from now on.” Qin Wanwan introduced him to Nanfeng, “My surname is Qin, called… Qin Wan. But introducing all this doesn’t really matter anymore,” Qin Wanwan turned to look out the window and sighed, “After tomorrow, everyone won’t see each other again. But before that, you must remember, you absolutely cannot reveal even half of my true strength to anyone, including Daojun Jian.”

Nanfeng nodded, “Master, Nanfeng understands.”

“He’s gone to get wine and pastries. Tonight we’re going to have a good drinking session in the rear courtyard. Go help him carry some things.”

“Yes.”

“Get lots of wine,” Qin Wanwan specifically instructed, “enough to guarantee getting him drunk.”

Nanfeng froze. At that moment, a luxurious carriage raced through his mind. He pretended to remain calm and nodded, going downstairs to find Jian Xingzhi.

Jian Xingzhi was carrying wine and arranging things in the courtyard. Nanfeng came over, “Daojun Jian, let me help you arrange things!”

Seeing Nanfeng take action, Jian Xingzhi stopped interfering. Nanfeng glanced at the wine jars on the ground, “Daojun, can you two really drink this much?”

“To completely get someone drunk, you still need to prepare more.”

Jian Xingzhi contemplated. Nanfeng’s movements paused. His mind rapidly flashed through various romantic works he had read. He stared blankly up at Jian Xingzhi.

Jian Xingzhi didn’t notice his abnormal behavior and only thought of his own matter, “There’s one thing you need to remember.”

“Daojun, please instruct.”

“You cannot reveal my true strength to anyone.” With that, Jian Xingzhi emphasized his tone, “Including your master.”

Nanfeng: “…”

At that moment, Nanfeng felt he had comprehended everything.

So this was a sweet story of two big shots pretending to be weak in a mutual secret crush!