Chapter 10: The Beginning of the Trap

Watching Shen Quexi giggling and hopping as she entered the inner hall, Leng Feng gritted his teeth, gripping the bamboo sword tightly. It was as if he was repeatedly stabbing the air in front of him as though it were Shen Quexi herself, each strike delivered with all his strength, producing sharp slicing sounds through the stillness.

“Old Wu Ming, I’ve brought Bai Niang to see you! Haha, and I even gave your disciple a little coaching. Take a look—tsk, tsk, those few sword strikes—such power! You could say they're at the peak!” Shen Quexi exclaimed as she entered the inner hall, carelessly dropping Bai Niang aside. Fearing that Old Wu Ming might not realize she had once again provoked Leng Feng, she hurriedly pulled him from his rattan chair to show him the impressive progress her encouragement had inspired in his disciple.

Unconsciously, she hoped Old Wu Ming would be perceptive enough to directly praise her, then generously reward her for her efforts. As for the discarded Bai Niang—well, since the gift had been brought, it was naturally accepted by Old Wu Ming.

Old Wu Ming’s lips twitched as he looked at his disciple, nearly driven mad by the constant provocation. “Heh heh, Miss Shen, you’re truly remarkable. I must say I’m deeply impressed!” he said with a forced smile.

“Haha, I knew you’d be impressed, Old Wu Ming! But when you’re impressed, couldn’t you say a bit more?” Shen Quexi smiled, feeling a bit shy as she prepared to ask for her reward.

Deep down, Shen Quexi had intended to use words to cleverly highlight her strengths while harshly hitting Leng Feng’s weaknesses. She hadn’t expected each attempt to yield such unexpected results.

Though her heart wasn’t entirely pure and she was about to request compensation, Shen Quexi felt a tinge of embarrassment. Still, in her heart, she told herself, “Wow, I never thought I’d actually feel shy! Alas, it’s so rare to find someone as selfless and noble as me in this world!”

“Miss Shen, what exactly would you like this old man to say?” Old Wu Ming asked with a smile full of wrinkles resembling a fading chrysanthemum. He desperately wanted to shout that it was a struggle just to maintain that grin.

“Well… sigh, just be a little proactive and offer the reward! We’re not related, but I’ve devoted so much effort to coaching your disciple and helping his cultivation soar. I’m tired too, so if there’s no merit, there should at least be some compensation!” Shen Quexi said earnestly, worried Old Wu Ming might miss her meaning. She held up her fingers counting money right before his eyes, making her intentions unmistakably clear and obvious.

Old Wu Ming’s lip twitched again. He had never seen anyone with such shameless audacity. To almost drive his disciple mad and nearly exasperate himself to death, and yet still have the nerve to ask him for payment! If it weren’t for the powerful protector standing by Shen Quexi’s side, Old Wu Ming would have been more than tempted to slap her into silence.

Of course, he swallowed his anger this time, but he was certain that if not next time, then the time after, he would inevitably lose control and deal with Shen Quexi once and for all.

“You… you want a reward? How much are you asking for?” Old Wu Ming forced a smile so strained it seemed capable of crushing a fly in its wrinkles, speaking with a false and ‘friendly’ tone to Shen Quexi.