"Disciple, in a moment, use tying your shoelaces as an excuse to secretly grab a handful of spirit soil. Master will cover for you... Your brother definitely won’t notice," Mo Lianxing commanded Jiang Ruoxu in the courtyard.
"Master, can we please not do this? If my brother finds out... it’s me who’ll be humiliated," Jiang Ruoxu protested reluctantly. If they were caught, Mo Lianxing would undoubtedly pin the blame on him, and he’d have no choice but to take the fall—after all, she was his master!
"Listen, now’s the time... hurry up, quick! Your brother isn’t looking... move fast!" Mo Lianxing urged.
With no other choice, Jiang Ruoxu bent down to tie his shoelaces and, in one swift motion, used the martial technique Mo Lianxing had taught him—‘Star-Snatching Hand’—to stealthily swipe a handful of premium-grade spirit soil.
He then stashed it into his storage ring.
"Brother... I’m leaving," Jiang Ruoxu said, his voice trembling with guilt.
"See you!" Jiang Che stood on the second floor, his eyes glinting with amusement.
Did they really think he was blind? Their little act was painfully obvious.
...
Only after leaving the Jiang family villa did Jiang Ruoxu finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Tsk... this really is premium-grade spirit soil. Even this tiny amount contains an endless flow of spiritual energy. Truly a treasure shaped by the heavens themselves," Mo Lianxing murmured, carefully cradling the soil in her hands, afraid to lose even a single grain.
"Master, is this spirit soil really that valuable?" Jiang Ruoxu asked.
[Valuable? This is beyond rare—it’s a priceless treasure! The spiritual energy within is practically inexhaustible. Just this small handful contains as much energy as dozens of tons of top-tier spirit stones. It’s unbelievable... How does your brother possess an entire field of this? In the cultivation world, this would spark a bloody war!]
[Wait... there’s a note inside the soil?]
Mo Lianxing frowned in confusion before pulling out a slip of paper.
The handwriting was bold and powerful, clearly stating:
[Consider this handful of spirit soil a gift. If you become my Dao companion... the entire field will be your betrothal gift~]
Mo Lianxing’s face instantly flushed crimson upon reading the note.
"Master, what does it say? Let me see," Jiang Ruoxu asked curiously. Since when did spirit soil grow notes?
"Nothing! None of your business, brat," Mo Lianxing snapped, hastily stuffing the note into her pocket.
But Jiang Che’s words echoed in her mind—an entire field of premium-grade spirit soil... all as her betrothal gift?
And how had he even slipped this note into the soil without her noticing?
Clearly, Jiang Che was far more terrifying than she’d imagined. His supposed Grandmaster-level cultivation was just a facade—his true strength was likely...
Mystery Level +1 for Young Master Jiang.
......
"Heh, Mo Lianxing... greedy as ever. But greed is good—I was counting on it," Jiang Che murmured, a profound smirk playing on his lips.
The more greedy Mo Lianxing was, the sooner she’d fall into his grasp.
And once she did, he’d gain a free Nihility-stage martial artist.
As for her promise to be his protector for a hundred years? Jiang Che scoffed.
Given Mo Lianxing’s shameless nature, she’d quickly realize he had no master backing him. And if she ever regained her full strength... he doubted he could keep this little demoness under control.
After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Che slowly raised his gaze toward the upper floor.
"Alright, come out. No point hiding."
At his words, Ye Mengyao timidly stepped out from behind the door.
"Jiang Che, who was that woman just now...?"
Her voice was hesitant. With Yu Wan’er not around, she had to learn to fight for his attention herself.
That woman had been breathtakingly beautiful, her aura cold and ethereal—like an immortal fairy, aloof yet untouchable.
For the first time, Ye Mengyao felt a pang of insecurity. As the young mistress of the Ye family, she had never doubted her own charm. Even among Jiang Che’s harem, she considered herself no less beautiful than the others.
But Mo Lianxing had shattered her confidence.
Quick, call the Buddha—no, wait, call Empress Wan’er!
"What’s this? Is my Yaoyao learning to be jealous?" Jiang Che teased, pulling her slender waist into his embrace. Hadn’t he already tamed this proud young miss?
A faint blush dusted her cheeks as she averted her gaze. "N-No..."
Of course she was jealous!
She was still a normal girl—sharing her lover with so many women wasn’t easy.
Yu Wan’er could openly voice her displeasure, spoiled by Jiang Che’s indulgence. But Ye Mengyao couldn’t... Like many of the other girls, she feared that expressing her jealousy might push him away.
Even though she knew Jiang Che would never abandon them, the fear lingered.
"Ah... after all this time, don’t you know me by now?" Jiang Che sighed.
Sometimes, he mused, even with the ‘Harem Protagonist’ aura, he couldn’t stop the girls from getting jealous.
He shuddered to imagine what would happen if that aura ever faded—his household wouldn’t just catch fire... it’d explode like a nuke!
"Who’s ‘all this time’ with you?!" Ye Mengyao huffed, stomping her foot.
She wasn’t even twenty yet—how was that "all this time"?
But then she lowered her head. While their relationship wasn’t old in years, judging by... frequency and intensity... they were definitely an ‘old married couple.’
Jiang Che kissed her cheek. With only one heart, he couldn’t divide his love equally among all the girls. But as a man of exceptional... versatility, he could ensure each received an equal ‘distribution’ of affection.
...
"Just who is that loan shark? How is he so powerful that he can even lend system points?"
In his post-climax clarity, Jiang Che couldn’t help but ponder.
Jiang Ruoxu’s system-bound status meant no secrets were hidden from Jiang Che, who had once again glimpsed the so-called Loan Deity.
Initially, Jiang Che had assumed he was just another overpowered Chosen One, but later dismissed the idea.
This guy seemed far more formidable than expected. His casual remark—"system points can be loaned too"—had nearly made Jiang Che’s jaw drop.
Though the loan ultimately failed, the Loan Deity was undoubtedly a hidden powerhouse.
"He must have a loan-based system. He tried lending to Jiang Ruoxu but failed... probably because of me!"
"So that means... my Villain System must be of a higher tier than his. Maybe I should test this guy out!"
Jiang Che leaned against the headboard, holding Ye Mengyao's delicate figure in his arms, his mind already scheming again.