Chapter 020

Chapter 20: The Follower

At Delicacy Pavilion, no one had ever seen anyone keep refilling noodles up to one hundred bowls, but today they did.

Fang He An covered his face, saying: “Senior sister, I think that’s enough.”

Bai Jian finished the soup and still looked unsatisfied, but she was content as she said: “The soup here tastes great.”

Ye Wan Wan looked at her with gentle eyes, saying: “If you like it, we’ll come again next time.”

The waiter’s legs went weak and he almost knelt. He rushed to the back and removed the “free noodle refills” sign at once.

When Bai Jian finished, Ye Wan Wan paid the bill. The meal came to one hundred twenty Spirit Stones. Bai Jian spoke softly, saying: “We should have eaten twenty more bowls.”

Fang He An finally understood that senior sister had wanted to help junior sister eat enough to make the deal worth it.

Ye Wan Wan also realized it. She paused, turned to Bai Jian, and said warmly: “No need. I can earn Spirit Stones anytime, and I will never let you go hungry.”

Not to mention Mystic Spirit Grass, even her talisman skills alone could earn plenty of Spirit Stones. Ye Wan Wan did not focus on money because she never lacked it; she knew she had the skill to earn more. But seeing how Bai Jian still looked heartbroken over the cost, Ye Wan Wan only rubbed the soft hair at Bai Jian’s temple and said: “If I have a bite to eat, senior sister will have a bite too.”

After paying, they headed out.

A group blocked their path. One sneered, saying: “I wondered who it was. Turns out it’s the Bai Clan’s bottomless pit. The moment I heard on the street that someone ate a hundred bowls of free noodles at Delicacy Pavilion, I guessed it was you.”

The loud, arrogant voice was harsh on the ears.

They looked ahead. Silk clothes. A greasy, lewd air. Shadows under his eyes. A wandering gaze. He was clearly someone who wasted his days in pleasure.

Someone in the crowd whispered, saying: “Isn’t that the Ye Clan’s young master?”

“Ye Clan.”

Ye Wan Wan lifted her head and studied the man. She could tell he wasn’t from the Anding Ye Clan, but the Jade Tokens on their belts said it all: Lingxi.

Ye Wan Wan understood. He was from a side branch of the Ye Clan.

The Ye Clan where Ye Qian came from was a top-tier great clan, no weaker than a major sect. In recent years, with growing political power, they had even partnered with the Supreme Sect and were starting to overshadow other sects. Sects were weakening while the Noble Clans were rising. The Ye Clan was on track to become leader among the Noble Clans. Because of that, Ye Cong Ying held great influence in the Supreme Sect, and Ye Qian’s influence was also strong.

But Ye Qian and Ye Cong Ying were from the main house. Even so, this small Lingxi branch acted this arrogant. It showed just how powerful the Ye Clan had become, bold enough that even a side branch from a small place dared to look down on others.

Ye Yi Ran noticed Ye Wan Wan’s unfriendly stare and said coldly: “What are you looking at?”

“I’m looking at how ugly you are,” said Ye Wan Wan in a calm voice. She let her gaze slide from his head to his toes. The challenge in her eyes almost made Ye Yi Ran explode with anger.

He lifted his hand and cast a spell. Wind Spirit.

Bai Jian moved at once, but Ye Wan Wan caught her wrist. With her free right hand, Ye Wan Wan raised her palm into the heart of the whirling wind.

People around them laughed.

“How foolish. Who handles it like that?”

“She clearly doesn’t know cultivation.”

But the girl said lightly: “Rip.”

A soft sound cracked the air. Her hand simply tore the wind funnel in half. The wind split and rushed past the two girls, lifting their long hair and making the crowd realize just how beautiful they were.

Li Wan Zhi was so mad he wanted to hop in, but he also knew he could not beat Ye Yi Ran at Foundation Establishment Stage. Seeing Fang He An still not moving, Li Wan Zhi got upset.

He snapped at Fang He An, saying: “Senior brother, are you even a man?”

“Don’t be stupid,” said Fang He An with a glance. “You want to try him then?”

“…”

“Then why are you just watching?”

“Who said I’m just watching? I’m sitting and watching, and I’m also watching our senior sister so I can count whether we can afford the damages if a fight breaks out,” said Fang He An. He thought ahead more than he looked.

Still, watching Ye Wan Wan rip apart Ye Yi Ran’s wind spell with one palm, Fang He An was shocked.

“Our junior sister’s body has improved fast,” he murmured.

Sparring with Bai Jian every day had hardened Ye Wan Wan’s body to where she could meet a First Level Spell head on. Even if Ye Yi Ran did not look that strong, it was still a level one technique. To catch it with bare hands showed real skill. It was a proper slap in the face.

Ye Yi Ran realized it too. He froze and asked in disbelief: “You didn’t use spiritual power?”

Ye Wan Wan lifted her eyes to him and said, cool and level: “For you, do I need to?”

Ye Yi Ran leaned forward and cast a Second Level Spell. In the middle of the hall, Wind Blades shot out in a wave. Ye Wan Wan let out a short laugh. She raised her hand to block, catching each blade on her palm, one after another, as she closed in on Ye Yi Ran.

Smack. She slapped him.

Then she flipped her hand and slapped him again.

Smack, smack, smack. Over a dozen slaps landed in a row, driving Ye Yi Ran all the way back. He was still trapped between shock and rage that she had not even used a spell.

“You humiliated me!” he shouted.

“To humiliate you, do I need to check the calendar?” said Ye Wan Wan. She looked him over and added: “Next time you see us, watch your mouth. You eat so much rice, but it hasn’t done you any good.”

She turned to leave.

Ye Yi Ran shook with fury, shouting: “Bai Jian, you are the fiancée your Bai Clan sold to me. Do you dare walk away?”

All four of them turned back. Even Li Wan Zhi stared at Ye Yi Ran.

“Fiancé?” Li Wan Zhi doubled over laughing as he said: “You think you deserve her?”

Ye Yi Ran was livid, saying: “What’s so funny? Everyone knows the Bai Clan promised their young lady to me, Ye Yi Ran. The engagement was set when we were six. Bai Jian is my fiancée.”

Bai Jian frowned and said: “I don’t know you.”

Fang He An spat and said: “Did you hear that? My senior sister doesn’t know you.”

“But I know you,” said Ye Yi Ran, staring at Bai Jian with a deep, hungry look.

Ye Wan Wan felt something familiar in his gaze. [This feels like the way Ye Qian used to look at me before my Golden Core was gouged out: held back, controlled, but full of greed.] It was not affection. It was desire for something inside them.

Ye Wan Wan curled her fingers in her palm. [Not right.]

Bai Jian said with a crease between her brows: “I’ve never seen you.”

Ye Wan Wan fixed her eyes on Ye Yi Ran’s eyes, wanting to find what was hidden there. Her stare was so sharp that even Ye Yi Ran’s heart trembled.

“You…” he started.

Ye Wan Wan caught his jaw and kept staring into his eyes as she asked: “What are you hiding in there?”

Fear flashed in Ye Yi Ran’s face as he yelled: “What are you doing? Don’t touch me!”

Ye Wan Wan lifted her hand and covered his eyes, saying: “If I dug these out, they would be worth studying.”

Ye Yi Ran really panicked. He shoved her away, shouting: “You’re crazy!”

Ye Wan Wan did not miss any change in his expression, but that strange glimmer from a moment ago had vanished. She looked back at Bai Jian, who also seemed puzzled.

A suspicion flickered through Ye Wan Wan’s heart. But Ye Yi Ran’s people rushed up to shield him. Ye Wan Wan gave him a long, deep look.

She smiled and said softly: “I really like your eyes.”

“If you want to sell them, name a price.”

Ye Yi Ran and his men went cold all over and cursed after them, but Ye Wan Wan did not care. She only gave Ye Yi Ran a meaningful smile, then took Bai Jian’s hand and walked away, leaving Ye Yi Ran standing there pale as a sheet.

[Did she figure out my secret?] the fear in him seemed to ask.

As the four of them left, Li Wan Zhi said quietly: “Someone is following us.”