Ch. 23 - Bai QianShuang's Favorability Increases
Collecting Rent From All Realms, Even Empresses Must Pay TributeThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
Ye Chuan and Bai QianShuang boarded the bus and arrived at a bustling shopping mall.
Compared to the place Ye Chuan and Luo Xi had visited, there were many more people here, and since it was Sunday, the lively atmosphere clearly delighted Bai QianShuang.
She looked up at the towering buildings, the bustling crowds, and the playful children, seemingly touched by the scene.
"This place… is very peaceful," Bai QianShuang murmured, looking at Ye Chuan. "Is there no conflict in this world?"
This was unimaginable in the dog-eat-dog world of the TianXuan Continent.
Such scenes only existed in places protected by powerful sects, and even then, the buildings there were mostly simple structures, not towering skyscrapers like these.
Accustomed to ancient architecture, the concrete and steel structures were a significant shock to her.
"There is, but there's always a group of people working silently behind the scenes," Ye Chuan smiled. "Peace is earned, not given. Falling behind means getting beaten up, that's the same everywhere."
Bai QianShuang nodded.
But in her understanding, it meant that this land was protected by a group of powerful individuals.
…
Ye Chuan led Bai QianShuang to a milk tea shop. There wasn't a long queue, as there were countless milk tea shops in the mall, dividing the customer base.
"Two pearl milk teas," Ye Chuan said.
"Okay."
After a while, Ye Chuan took the milk teas and handed one to Bai QianShuang.
Feeling the cold cup in her hand and seeing the milky grey beverage inside, Bai QianShuang frowned slightly.
"What's wrong? Try it," Ye Chuan asked, seeing Bai QianShuang staring blankly at the milk tea.
"Is this… mud?" Bai QianShuang seemed unable to accept the drink, especially the strange black balls floating inside.
Was this really drinkable?
"It's milk tea, a mixture of milk and tea, you understand? The pearls inside are made of sugar syrup and starch." Ye Chuan briefly explained. "Uh, pearls are like small balls made from ground rice."
Ye Chuan's explanation was quite simple. Hearing that the greyish drink was a mixture of milk and tea, Bai QianShuang nodded slightly, but still shook her head.
"But I'm not thirsty."
She had no interest in this milky grey beverage.
"People don't only drink to quench their thirst, right? Don't overthink it." Ye Chuan inserted a straw and took a sip.
Hearing this, Bai QianShuang considered that Ye Chuan had bought it for her and cautiously took a sip.
In the next second, her eyes lit up.
With her Innate Dao Body, she had been at the Foundation Establishment stage since birth and had never tasted any mortal food.
The sweet milk tea and chewy pearls mixed in her mouth, and Bai QianShuang found it surprisingly delicious.
"It's better than Master's Immortal Brew," Bai QianShuang said, glancing at her cup, which was already half empty.
Ye Chuan had only taken one sip. Realizing that she was drinking much faster than him, Bai QianShuang blushed, put down her cup, and hid it behind her back with a straight face.
"Glad you like it," Ye Chuan said with a smile, not noticing Bai QianShuang's small actions.
"Is it very expensive?" Bai QianShuang asked.
"Not really, it's an affordable drink for ordinary people." Ye Chuan glanced at the milk tea shop behind him. 12.9 yuan for two pearl milk teas wasn't expensive.
Just then, his phone vibrated.
[Beginner Mission: Gain further favorability with Bai QianShuang
Current: 15% (Target 20%)]
Huh?
Was this the main mission?
Seeing that it wasn't labeled as a side mission, Ye Chuan looked at the screen thoughtfully, then at Bai QianShuang.
Bai QianShuang was still sipping her milk tea while Ye Chuan was looking down at his phone. Caught off guard by his sudden, intense gaze, she froze.
The girl reluctantly released the straw from her lips. "Did I… drink too much?"
Bai QianShuang thought Ye Chuan was unhappy with how quickly she was drinking.
"No, I mean, I can buy you another one if you want," Ye Chuan quickly said. He would even let this precious money tree bathe in milk tea if she wanted.
Hearing this, Bai QianShuang was stunned, but she still voiced her confusion.
"Ye Chuan, why are you so good to me?"
As she said, she couldn't teach Ye Chuan any cultivation techniques and had no treasures to offer him. Why was he so kind to her?
He couldn't be after her body, right?
But if he was, he could have already made a move. This was something Bai QianShuang couldn't comprehend.
Hearing the girl's question, Ye Chuan clasped his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Perhaps it's a special kind of fate."
"Fate?"
"You and I are both alone in this world." Ye Chuan's gaze deepened as he looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle. "I… I can't abandon you."
"We're not so different."
Bai QianShuang's heart seemed to tremble.
So it was because of their similar circumstances. Ye Chuan felt sympathy for her.
What a kind person.
He was so generous without asking for anything in return.
This was the first time Bai QianShuang, accustomed to the scheming and betrayal of the cultivation world, had felt genuine warmth from someone other than her master and mother.
Such pure, selfless kindness.
Bai QianShuang's beautiful eyes looked at Ye Chuan, her expression changing as she thought about how to repay him.
But she knew nothing but cultivation.
"Buzz—"
Ye Chuan's phone vibrated again. He glanced at it and was surprised to see that the mission was complete?
[Beginner Mission: Gain further favorability with Bai QianShuang (Completed)]
He had been planning to take Bai QianShuang out for food and a movie, but he hadn't expected it to be completed so easily.
Ye Chuan tapped on his phone.
[Daily Income: 2000 → 3000, Medium probability of obtaining cultivation-related items]
[Daily Points: 10 → 15]
What were points for?
Ye Chuan explored the app, but couldn't find any interface related to points. However, the increase from two thousand to three thousand was a huge improvement!
Three thousand yuan!
Ninety thousand a month?
A million a year?
He was going to cry tears of joy.
Bai QianShuang saw Ye Chuan's touched expression and tilted her head, puzzled. "?"
Ye Chuan's mind raced. One tenant was like this, what if he had a few more?
"Now I'm really just lying down and collecting rent." Ye Chuan quickly snapped back to reality.
Seeing Bai QianShuang staring at him, he coughed lightly. "Alright, let's go get something delicious to eat."
Bai QianShuang was about to say that she wasn't hungry, but her gaze fell on the milk tea in her hand, and she swallowed.
"Okay…"
She couldn't say she wasn't hungry anymore.
Bai QianShuang was feeling a bit peckish.