Chapter 30: Another Encounter with Elder Du

Qin Yue’s confidence left Ye Qingchen completely stunned!

She’s way too cool!

When will I break through to the Martial Master Realm, so I can be like Qin Yue and control the whole situation, calm and collected?

At this moment, Ye Qingchen was desperate to become stronger!

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

The two third-tier monster leopards bared their fangs and howled furiously at Qin Yue!

The moment they dashed out, they realized they’d fallen for this damned human woman’s trick!

But now that they’d reached the Ironwood Soul Flower, both monster leopards refused to back off and wouldn’t yield!

So, despite themselves, they began a mad, brutal fight, hoping to defeat the other and escape with the Ironwood Soul Flower!

However, the result was mutual defeat and injury!

Now, seeing the main culprit step forward to snatch the Ironwood Soul Flower, both leopards were furious, howling instinctively, trying to scare Qin Yue off.

"Hmph! All bark, no bite!"

Qin Yue smiled faintly. Killing intent suddenly erupted from her, sweeping out in all directions:

"I’m pissed now. If you don’t want to die, then get lost—fast!"

"Swish!"

As she spoke, a sharp, icy sword appeared in her slender jade-like hand!

Killing intent surged!

The two leopards sensed Qin Yue’s overwhelming killing intent, and the ferocity in their eyes vanished, replaced by wariness!

They weren’t stupid; with their current severe injuries, there was no way they could beat this human woman!

They wouldn’t just lose the Ironwood Soul Flower—there was a real chance they’d die here!

Immediately, one of the monster leopards turned without hesitation, tucked its tail, and jumped into the bushes, disappearing from sight.

The other saw this and quickly dragged its wounded hind leg, limping away as fast as it could!

Both third-tier monster leopards were scared off by Qin Yue!

"Done! You can pick the Ironwood Soul Flower now!"

Qin Yue sheathed her longsword, turned to look at Ye Qingchen, clapped her hands, and smiled.

Ye Qingchen walked forward, giving her a thumbs up:

"You ran off two third-tier monster beasts without even breaking a sweat—amazing!"

Qin Yue laughed:

"If I didn’t care about wasting your time or my strength on these two, I wouldn’t have let them leave so easily just now!"

Ye Qingchen walked to the center of the rubble, and Qin Yue took a wooden box out of her Storage Ring and handed it to him.

"This is the Ironwood Soul Flower! The soul power is so gentle, so rich—it’s incredible!"

Up close, feeling the soul power swirling around the Ironwood Soul Flower, Ye Qingchen was beyond excited!

Ye Qingchen carefully plucked the Ironwood Soul Flower, placed it in the wooden box, then tucked the box into his chest, letting out a long sigh of relief.

He finally had the Ironwood Soul Flower!

He had to hurry back and save Xiao Xiao!

"Thank you, Pavilion Master Qin!"

Ye Qingchen shot Qin Yue a grateful smile.

If Qin Yue hadn’t helped this time, he could never have gotten the Ironwood Soul Flower on his own!

"Don’t be so polite! You saved my life—this is the least I should do!"

Qin Yue waved her jade hand:

"And don’t call me ’Pavilion Master Qin’—too formal! If you see me as a friend, just call me Qin Yue!"

Ye Qingchen replied straightforwardly, with a smile:

"Alright! Qin Yue, now that we’ve got the Ironwood Soul Flower, let’s go!"

"Go? You’re really about to waste something valuable!"

Qin Yue pointed at the Ironwood Soul Flower’s stem, which was as long as an adult’s calf:

"Besides the flower itself, the root that nourishes it may not be a grade-four treasure, but it’s a top-tier grade-two medicinal herb. Especially the juice inside—if you take it all, it can boost your cultivation at the Martial Apprentice Realm by at least one layer, maybe even two!"

"For you, it’s extremely useful!"

"You’re at the eighth layer of the Martial Apprentice Realm, right? If you take this, you might even break through to the Martial Warrior Realm!"

Ye Qingchen was stunned!

The unassuming-looking stem was actually a treasure!

He almost missed a lucky chance!

"Thank you so much, Qin Yue!"

Ye Qingchen smiled gratefully, yanked up the stem, and planned to take it home to use later.

"Let’s go!"

"Let’s go!"

The two exchanged a smile and strode off.

"Hehehe, you two made this old man search high and low!"

"Found a pile of ragged clothes; I thought you were both dead—almost fell for it!"

"Who’d have thought, after all this time, you hadn’t run from the Qingyun Mountain Range—still here treasure hunting! What a pleasant surprise for this old man!"

But just as the two walked out of the thicket, an old figure blocked their way, his wrinkled face wearing an extremely kind smile.

A smile with hidden blades!

Qin Yue was stunned, and Ye Qingchen’s pupils shrank sharply!

The one blocking their path was none other than Elder Du!

More than twenty days had passed; Ye Qingchen thought Elder Du had long since given up searching Qingyun Mountain!

But he was still here!

Like a relentless ghost!

Qin Yue watched Elder Du warily; he was a Martial Master at the fourth layer. Though she’d also reached the Martial Master Realm, she was only at the first layer—not his match at all!

Qin Yue’s first thought was to escape!

But remembering Ye Qingchen by her side, Qin Yue quickly gave up on that plan!

Ye Qingchen saved her life!

She would never abandon him and run!

"Ye Qingchen, I’ll hold him off—you run first!"

Qin Yue decided instantly, whispering to Ye Qingchen.

"No way!"

Ye Qingchen was stunned!

Qin Yue helped him find the Ironwood Soul Flower. If he ran when danger showed up, he’d be less than a man!

Qin Yue started to get impatient:

"Just go! As long as you escape, I’ll find my own way to get away from Elder Du! Don’t forget, I’m a Martial Master now! Even if I can’t beat him, escaping shouldn’t be too hard!"

Even though Qin Yue said this, Ye Qingchen thought it made sense. He couldn’t stay and drag her down, so he decided to leave.

But then, another idea flashed through his mind. His heart stirred, the Dual Pupil Martial Soul trembled, and in the next instant he heard her true thoughts:

"If I can save Ye Qingchen’s life, I will. But escaping Elder Du won’t be easy for me. If I die alone, that’s better than both of us dying here!"

So she wasn’t confident she could get away!

Ye Qingchen’s heart felt cold.

If that’s how it is, he really couldn’t just run off!

But so Qin Yue wouldn’t get distracted, Ye Qingchen still nodded, then turned and sprinted away.

Seeing Ye Qingchen leave, Qin Yue finally relaxed, turning to face Elder Du’s smiling face:

"Elder Du, we’re family—why force this to the death?"

"How about this, if you turn back now, I’ll pretend none of this happened. I swear I won’t tell a soul about Qingyun Mountain!"

But Elder Du simply shook his head:

"Pavilion Master, do you really think I’m a naïve child, so easy to fool?"

"You should know: some things, once done, can’t be undone. There’s no turning back!"

"No more stalling!"

"Today, you die!"

"And that Ye Qingchen brat won’t escape either!"

As he spoke, Elder Du stepped forward. In a flash, he was at Qin Yue’s side, his five fingers clawing straight for her throat!