How will you ever repay me?

Hearing this, Luo Qingyao suddenly smiled. "I'd love to give it to you, but what a pity—I didn't bring it with me today. Whatever shall we do?"

At these words, the crowd instantly flew into a rage. "You audacious little wretch! How dare you toy with us? You've clearly grown tired of living and are courting death!"

With that, countless individuals surged forward, intent on harming Luo Qingyao.

Standing nearby, Yu Xian'er and Lan Ruoshui watched coldly, neither of them speaking a word. It was clear they intended to sit back and watch Luo Qingyao get killed.

Yet Luo Qingyao remained utterly unconcerned, her crisp voice ringing clearly in the ears of everyone present. "Gentlemen, think about it—since the *Lingbo Weibu* is such a precious treasure, why would I carry it on my person? Wouldn't I take precautions against the day someone might try to rob me?"

Hearing this, the crowd fell silent, realizing that Luo Qingyao's logic was sound.

"Then where did you hide it? Take us to retrieve it immediately, or else we'll kill you and search for the manual ourselves!" someone immediately blurted out with a cold threat, drawing a weapon as if ready to strike.

"If you're all in such a rush, then go right ahead and kill me! I'd love to see if you can still get your hands on the *Lingbo Weibu* after I'm dead!" Watching the crowd lunge toward her, Luo Qingyao remained calm and composed, showing not a shred of fear, and instead spoke with an enchanting smile.

The crowd instantly halted in their tracks. After all, none of them had truly intended to kill her; otherwise, where would they ever find the *Lingbo Weibu*?

Now, seeing that Luo Qingyao was entirely unfazed, they were momentarily at a loss. "Girl, tell us then—what will it take for you to hand over the *Lingbo Weibu*?"

Luo Qingyao turned her head, glancing at Yu Xian'er, who was quietly suspended in mid-air not far away, and suddenly smiled at her.

Naturally lively and delicate, she radiated a charming, ethereal aura. Her light, gentle smile revealed faint dimples, making her truly breathtaking to behold and seemingly brightening the surroundings.

Many couldn't help but stare in a daze. Young as she was, this girl was undeniably a stunning little beauty.

Yu Xian'er, however, felt quite differently. For some unknown reason, whenever she saw this smile on Luo Qingyao's face, a chill would run down her spine, filling her with a subconscious dread.

She forcibly suppressed her inner fear, reminding herself that she was the proud successor of the Jade Purity Palace—how could she possibly fear a good-for-nothing?

Thus, she forced herself to straighten her back, returning Luo Qingyao's cold, unflinching gaze without showing the slightest sign of weakness.

Seeing this, Luo Qingyao merely smiled without a word.

A moment later, she turned back to the crowd, adopting a lazy and casual demeanor. She first reached up to smooth her disheveled hair, then brushed some dust off her clothes. Only when she noticed some people growing impatient did she slowly speak up. "Wanting the *Lingbo Weibu* is simple enough. When I head back, I'll just fetch it and give it to you!"

"Alright then, let's leave right now!"

"That's right, let's go right now. Move!"

Hearing this, the crowd immediately burst into excited chatter and turned to leave.

"Hold on!" Luo Qingyao suddenly called out, stopping them in their tracks. She glanced at the eagerly beaming Senior Lu before continuing, "No matter what, this manual belongs to me. If you want it, I can give it to you. But there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. What do you plan to offer me in return?"

"What is it that you want? I have top-tier youth-preserving beauty pills right here that can halt the aging process. How about that?" an alchemist offered, pulling numerous bottles and jars straight out of his spatial ring as he spoke.