“Oh? Then what do you think?” This was the exact outcome that Li Qingshan wanted. He had no idea how to use schemes with his authority, but he was still capable of stimulating the enthusiasm of his subordinates.
“A weapon like that should remain in sir Northmoon’s control. How can you just give it to someone else?” The old woman said, putting on a vicious front like “If I can’t obtain it, then none of you even think of obtaining it”.
“Sir Northmoon bestowed this upon me. How can you question his decisions?” Ye Mingzhu rebuked immediately. She had already become very good at bringing up “sir Northmoon” constantly.
“That’s reasonable, but I don’t have the habit of taking back something I’ve given away. If that’s the case, then you can take turns with the ship’s wheel. However, that’ll depend on your upcoming performance.”
In just a few words, Ye Mingzhu went from being startled to joyful to worried again, while the other matriarchs all saw hope. As it seemed, he had not been bewitched by Ye Mingzhu. As long as they demonstrated sufficient loyalty, they could receive a similar reward too.
They no longer had any intentions of brushing aside Li Qingshan’s three orders. Otherwise, their clans would decline and be surpassed by others even if they personally got involved.
“At it seems right now, Mingzhu’s performance has been the best, so she’ll be in charge of the ship’s wheel first.” Li Qingshan stood up and arrived beside Ye Mingzhu, patting her on the shoulder like he was comforting her.
“Thank you for your trust, sir Northmoon.”
“Liubo, here’s your reward.” Li Qingshan took out a bright yellow satin. This was a supreme grade spiritual artifact he had obtained from the Golden Pheasant Elder’s hundred treasures pouch.
“Thank you, master!” Ye Liubo was overcome with excitement. She threw herself at him and gave him a kiss despite the current circumstances.
The matriarchs became even more envious. This was a powerful weapon that only humans could forge, yet he actually gave it away to his servant so easily. No, they could not allow this to go on for any longer. Both of his servants were Ye Mingzhu’s daughters. As time went on, it would be very disadvantageous to them. As a result, they all thought of the same thing.
Li Qingshan glanced past the six matriarchs. “With the current upheaval, I hope you can let go of your conflict of the past and unite together, to devote yourself to ma’am Spider Queen. If you continue to remain in a state of disunity, riddled with internal strife, you’ll definitely be destroyed by the humans.”
“Yes.” The matriarchs accepted his orders and took their leave.
“Master, can I switch my reward for something else?” Ye Liubo immediately became glued to him as she giggled away.
“What, you don’t like it?”
“I do like it, but I’d much rather have you, master.” Ye Liubo licked her lips and stuck her hand into his clothes, sliding down his body and grasping a certain object. Her eyes became clouded with lust.
“Go play to one side. If I’m supposed to give you whatever you want, isn’t that very insulting to me?!” Li Qingshan pushed her aside in annoyance. She was so lustful that she had almost lost her mind. If he let her touch him a little more and something happened, he would be mortified.
As she watched Ye Liubo play around with the bright yellow satin, Ye Liusu, who had received nothing, became slightly disappointed for some reason. She suddenly made up her mind and went up. “Sir Northmoon, can you please promise me something?”
“What is it?”
Li Qingshan was rather curious. Ever since Ye Liusu became his servant, she had remained silent and obedient. She would do whatever he made her do, but she was as serious as a machine. She would never lower herself in an attempt to flatter him. She really did seem a little like a princess. It was rare of her to be so proactive.
“Please protect the night roamers and lead them back to under the starry skies. As long as you promise that, I’ll serve you with utmost sincerity. I’ll be loyal to you and only you, and I’ll do everything I can to serve you, just like Liubo.” Ye Liusu’s delicate face was filled with determination. She had always focused on cultivation for the rejuvenation of the Night Roaming folk, but her future had always been so uncertain. His appearance seemed to bring her a glimmer of hope. Perhaps she had been influenced by Ye Liubo, so she also believed slightly that as long as he was willing, he actually could change everything.
“Big sister…” Ye Liubo was rather surprised.
“Even if you have to betray the Spider Shadow clan?” Li Qingshan smiled in thought. The more he understood the night roamers, the more he found Ye Liusu to be strange. Her eyes were filled with a willpower so determined that it was close to becoming a belief, completely lacking the darkness that regular night roamers possessed. Perhaps all races would have a strange one or two!
“Yes.” Ye Liusu agreed with gritted teeth. Sorry, mother. This is for the sake of the night roamers.
“Are these clansmen really worth it? I think most of them want to kill you out of jealousy.”
“The underground without the stars and moon have twisted their minds. I believe night roamers were not like this in the first place. They just need to break away from… control.”
“That’s a very good idea, and I’m very tempted, but I decline!”
“Why?” Although she had guessed this possibility, Ye Liusu’s disappointment still exceeded her expectations.
“Because you’ve completely misunderstood it all. I reward loyalty, but never will I do anything in exchange for anyone’s loyalty. I only do what I want to do. You’re welcome to help out or just stand aside and watch. You have no other choice.”
Ye Liusu returned to where she stood before in silence.
Li Qingshan returned to his state of cultivation, but before long, he jerked awake again. The powerful members of the various clans had arrived much sooner than he had imagined.
The first to arrive were ten beautiful night roamers. They were either cold, tender, or sweet, but their appearances were all the best of the best among the night roamers. Combined with their revealing attires, they all seemed like beauty pageants. They did not just possess beauty, but great strength too. Every single one of them had undergone the heavenly tribulation already, all noble princesses in their respective clans.
After stating their names and offering up their spiritual herbs, they actually lowered their proud heads and expressed that they were willing to leave their clans and serve Li Qingshan.
Li Qingshan could not help but laugh. These matriarchs were all trying to express that they too could provide him with what the Spider Shadow clan had provided him. As for just how loyal these princesses would be, he had no plans to rely on them at all. They all looked at him like they wanted to eat him, not only drooling over his “handsomeness”, but also because they wanted to obtain things from him.
Ye Liubo was absolutely nothing in the eyes of these princesses. She had just been slightly lucky. If even she could be bestowed with a supreme grade spiritual artifact, why couldn’t they?
“Master.” Ye Liubo felt greatly threatened, subconsciously grabbing Li Qingshan’s arm. As for Ye Liusu, she let out a deep sigh instead. It was no wonder why he had brushed her aside like that. Everything she could offer up was nothing in his eyes.
“Alright, I accept. From today onwards, you will be my personal guards.” Li Qingshan did not turn them down. The clans needed to be balanced and remain equal to one another. He also required a group he could directly command. And, obtaining a group of personal guards like that was probably the dream of every man!
“Liusu, you can be their captain,” Li Qingshan said next.
Ye Liusu was taken aback. The proud princesses immediately objected, “Why her?” “We should decide that through a battle.”
Li Qingshan could not be bothered with dealing with all that. He directly said, “I’m going to cultivate. You can all disperse!”
Li Qingshan shut his eyes, and the cavern settled down once more. He opened his eyes again. “Liusu, why aren’t you leaving?”
“Why me? It’s not like I’m anything of value in your eyes,” Ye Liusu asked in confusion.
“Because you’re very special.”
“Very crazy you mean!” Ye Liusu’s heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her head. Her lips curled into a bitter smile. “Mother said that if I were born into a regular household of night roamers, I wouldn’t have such crazy thoughts.”
“All dreams seem just as crazy in the very beginning. I might be a daemon, but I don’t dislike those who have hopes and dreams, “Li Qingshan said with a smile.
“Then why did you turn me down?”
“All Liubo entrusted to me was herself, but you want to entrust far, far too many things to me. You couldn’t handle it yourself, so you want to throw it to someone else and then take it easy.”
“I don’t.” Ye Liusu tried to defend herself.
“I have no interest in serving as the mediator between a group of women, but you might be able to influence them with your thoughts, such that they will serve you. I’ve already given you the opportunity, so work hard! I don’t know whether you can succeed, but if there really is a day when night roamers can return beneath the starry sky, no longer scheming and plotting and killing one another, that’ll all be because of you, not because of me.”
Ye Liusu’s feelings surged. For the first time, she could understand a little of what Ye Liubo felt. Since young, no one had ever said something like that to her. No one had ever encouraged her, approving of her thoughts and giving her their support.
When Li Qingshan defeated Strongboulder and Bloodshadow consecutively, she only admired his strength and strategy. But with what she heard right now, she actually felt like she was unable to stare at him directly. Her mind that had become impervious to desires and passions through many years of arduous cultivation began to ripple.
Li Qingshan shook his head slightly. Sure enough, idealists were the easiest to fool. Originally, he planned on giving Ye Liubo the position of the captain, but Ye Liubo’s cultivation was just too low, and she lacked the required temperament. In comparison, Ye Liusu’s temperament was better. At the very least, she seemed to possess some leadership and was relatively simple and easier to control. At the very least, she would not look at him greedily.
However, Ye Liusu had just been too unenthusiastic. Becoming his servant seemed to have a very big effect on her. As a result, he came up with all of this. He was not completely fooling her either. If Ye Liusu actually grasped this opportunity, she could indeed achieve a lot.
Ye Liusu arrived outside the cavern. She pressed her hand against her chest, still feeling her heart thump heavily. She had no idea whether it was because of what he said, or because of just how he was.
“Master really is powerful. He can actually make someone like you who has purged her heart of desires to yearn for love.” Ye Liubo walked over from one side with a wide grin.
“Stop the nonsense. Let’s go.” Ye Liusu’s face reddened before recovering her cool demeanour. She grabbed Ye Liusu’s hand and walked off. Now was not the time for her to consider this.
“What’re we doing?”
“Since they want a battle, then I’ll give them a battle.” Ye Liusu was brimming with morale. This was an unprecedented opportunity. She had to grasp it.
As the sun set in the west, the evening glow filled the sky. A green figure appeared in front of a cave that led underground.
Fu Qingjin stood with his sword, his face exhausted. However, the moment he drew the Green Ruins sword, his eyes erupted with life. He turned into a streak of green light and dived into the pitch-black cave.
The negotiations fell through. Only the option of killing remained!
PS: Woah, a few hundred monthly votes. So happy!
