C16 You Should be Happy

"Damn it!"

Lee Daniu shook his head vigorously, convinced that his preoccupation with Shen Feixue had caused him to mistake the bandit leader emerging from the doorway for her.

The declaration "I'll fight him to the death" had come from his own lips.

With the situation having escalated to this point, he was prepared to charge, regardless of life or death, even if just to land a couple of bites in vengeance for Shen Feixue.

Yet no matter how fiercely he shook his head, the calm "bandit leader" before him remained unchanged, still the familiar yet unfamiliar Shen Feixue.

He glanced instinctively at Cui Yongran, who stood with his mouth agape, transfixed by the figure who had emerged.

"Old Cui?" Lee Daniu inwardly cursed, frustrated by his companion's distraction amidst such a critical moment.

"Old Lee, don't you recognize him?" Cui Yongran murmured, gaze fixed.

Shen Feixue paid no mind to the nine onlookers, who looked as if they'd seen a ghost. She tossed the round object wrapped in her clothing and said, "Go back!"

The others hadn't snapped out of their stupor. Unlike Lee Daniu, they weren't as fixated and needed only a brief look to be certain that this was the frail young master who had once stumbled into the relay station, so delicate that a gust of wind might topple him.

It was utterly baffling!

Where had he been? How did he come out of the house? And what did "go back" mean?

Most crucially, what had happened to the bandit leader?

With this thought, they all turned their gaze to the round object on the ground. "What's this?"

"The item you've been seeking."

"Ah?"

A somewhat recovered Lee Daniu hurried to inspect it.

"How did he end up like this?"

"Because he couldn't defeat me," Shen Feixue said with a smile, sword in hand, as she walked away from the stronghold.

Watching Shen Feixue's retreating figure, the nine were once again rendered speechless.

He couldn't defeat me!

This was even more bizarre than Shen Feixue's inexplicable appearance inside the house.

Could a bandit leader at Level 9 of the Acquired Stage really be bested by a slender youth?

They strained to visualize the battle between Shen Feixue and the bandit leader, but try as they might, they couldn't reconcile the stark contrast between the two figures in their minds.

"I get it now. You all are quite the tricksters!" Zhang Ershan accused, turning his gaze to Lee Daniu.

His sudden accusation captured the attention of everyone present.

"It's no surprise you only lost one person," Zhang Ershan pressed on. "You had that kid sneak into the bandit leader's house to steal the red flower. Meanwhile, we were your pawns, fending off five Demonic Beasts outside!"

Zhang Ershan's speculation seemed quite plausible. They were a group of over fifty, initially encircled by bandits, then, without any warning signal, they were ambushed by wild beasts. After a tough struggle, they discovered that the red flower had already been taken.

In a flash, the remaining three were convinced and shot angry glares at Lee Daniu and his companions.

The four of them, along with those who had fallen, had unwittingly become the pawns of others. The dead could claim nothing, and the survivors were left with a pittance for their troubles.

Their anger was completely justified.

"Why don't you go and challenge the bandit leader yourself?" Cui Yongran suggested nonchalantly as he packed his bag and hoisted the severed head.

Despite the loss of a brother, which was indeed heartbreaking, he was convinced that Lee Daniu wasn't capable of such deceit.

Cui Yongran's words struck a chord with the four men, and they had to admit there was truth in his logic.

None of them felt confident enough to take on the bandit leader in single combat.

With a mix of frustration and helplessness, they all watched Shen Feixue's slender figure, unsure of how to deal with their discontent.

Shen Feixue had already made his way to the outskirts of the encampment, examining the corpses of the five Demonic Beasts. As he suspected, they hadn't even developed cores yet, which spoke volumes about their worth. He paid them no further mind.

Upon seeing the numerous bodies strewn across the ground, his brow furrowed deeply. In the wavering torchlight, his intense gaze was unsettling.

At that moment, Lee Daniu and his group approached Shen Feixue, carrying a naked young man.

Now facing Shen Feixue, Lee Daniu was at a loss for words, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Lee Daniu was struggling to come to terms with the fact that the person he had vowed to protect was now the one who had taken the flowers alone. The stark contrast was too much for him to accept.

Cui Yongran, on the other hand, was holding a severed head and thinking about the red flowers. His attitude towards Shen Feixue had changed dramatically, and he would often try to strike up conversations with her. Unfortunately, Shen Feixue showed little interest in engaging with him, and over time, Cui Yongran fell silent.

Zhang Ershan and the others still believed they had been duped by Lee Daniu and his group. Feeling resentful, they naturally weren't inclined to talk much. The group traveled to and from the relay station in silence.

The departure had been lively with over fifty people, but the return was starkly different with just a handful of them. The innkeeper, wary of upsetting the few remaining men, quickly arranged rooms for them.

The night passed without further conversation.

At dawn the next day, Shen Feixue took a deep breath, concluding her cultivation for the day. She could feel the spiritual energy in her Sword Core intensifying as she rose to her feet.

Descending the stairs, she found Lee Daniu and the other nine men already waiting in the hall. Despite a night's rest, the awkwardness still lingered in the air, shared by several of the men—Cui Yongran being the notable exception.

"Young Master Shen, when do we set out?" Cui Yongran called out, seemingly having forgotten the previous day's altercation with Shen Feixue and the conflict it had sparked with Lee Daniu.

Zhang Ershan and his four companions harbored ill feelings towards Lee Daniu, but they had nothing against Shen Feixue. Even though they were unaware of how Shen Feixue had dispatched the bandit leader, the outcome was clear, and there was nothing more to say.

Moreover, considering their injuries from the night before, they doubted they could have bested the bandit leader themselves. In a way, they owed Shen Feixue a debt of gratitude.

Unaware of their sentiments, Shen Feixue simply nodded in acknowledgment and gestured to Lee Daniu, who was still lost in thought, signaling the group to head out. A few steps later, they realized that Zhang Ershan and the rest were still rooted to the spot.

"What's the matter?" Shen Feixue inquired as she turned around.

"The reward has already been delivered by Old Master Qian's messenger. We just need to present the head to collect the bounty," Cui Yongran clarified.

"Understood," Shen Feixue acknowledged with a nod, then addressed Zhang Ershan, "Let's all go together."

The relay station was unusually quiet, with only a handful of people around.

All eyes were on Shen Feixue.

It wasn't that they failed to grasp her intentions; it was precisely because they understood them all too well that they were momentarily stunned.

Zhang Ershan, having only met Shen Feixue the day before, didn't know her well, but he was certain that her invitation wasn't motivated by envy over the reward.

Whether it was her composed response to yesterday's mockery or her detached demeanor last night, Zhang Ershan was convinced that Shen Feixue wasn't the type to act out of greed.

The only reason she would invite them was to share the bounty.

But why?

It made sense for Lee Daniu and his group to accompany her, given their connection to him.

But what about the rest of them?

Recalling his own words at the relay station the day before, Zhang Ershan felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Young Master Shen, they..." Cui Yongran began, intending to remind him, but reflecting on his own more egregious behavior, he couldn't bring himself to finish.

Among those present, only Lee Daniu had any standing to question Shen Feixue's decision on the distribution of the bounty.

"Let's go. Everyone put in a hard night's work, after all," Lee Daniu finally broke his silence, prompting a collective sigh of relief from Zhang Ershan and the others.

Without their efforts battling the beasts outside the night before, Shen Feixue might not have managed to take down the bandit leader on her own.

Although the five hundred taels of silver wouldn't amount to much once divided among ten people, it was still better than nothing.

...

The Qian family was a prominent household in the town. Their expansive residence, with its numerous courtyards, left the group feeling disoriented. Without their guide, they would have been hopelessly lost long before.

"Old Master Qian is awaiting your arrival inside," the servant informed Shen Feixue and her companions before quickly excusing himself.

Upon entering the parlor, they were greeted by a portly middle-aged man. His face lit up with a smile as he saw Shen Feixue approach. "Indeed, heroes emerge from the young. Young Master Shen, please, take a seat."

"You seem quite pleased," Shen Feixue remarked as she sat down, her voice maintaining its usual evenness.

Qian Songren was taken aback, her demeanor leaving him somewhat displeased. As a merchant of some standing, he expected at least some pleasantries, if not genuine praise.

This young person didn't even afford him a proper glance, merely questioning his happiness in such a detached manner. What concern was it of hers whether he was happy or not?

In a flash, Qian Songren's opinion of Shen Feixue plummeted. Nevertheless, he managed to maintain a neutral tone. "Young Master Shen, by ridding Tianxi Town of a scourge, you've brought joy not only to me but to all its residents. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, yes," echoed the nine individuals trailing behind Shen Feixue, their agreement coming somewhat stiffly, even before Qian Songren had finished speaking.

That's more like it, Qian Songren thought, pleased with their reaction.

"Don't be mistaken; you're nothing but a Wandering Tiger!" Qian Songren silently scoffed, his eyes casting a condescending look upon Shen Feixue.

However, Shen Feixue remained unfazed, delicately sipping the tea served by the servant. "You're celebrating prematurely," she observed.

"What do you mean by that?" Qian Songren asked, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"We should discuss this elsewhere," Shen Feixue suggested, setting down her teacup and rising to leave the room.

As if choking on his own thoughts, Qian Songren found himself at a loss for words, the discomfort evident. He had resolved to offer a reward and send this troublesome individual on her way.

Shen Feixue had reached the doorway when she paused, seemingly aware of Qian Songren's inner monologue. Without turning back, she asked, "Would you prefer I speak here?"

As Shen Feixue's silhouette vanished, Qian Songren was left struggling to process the encounter.

He couldn't fathom what Shen Feixue was getting at; he simply took issue with her demeanor.

As a dignified merchant, being bossed around like this was quite a blow to his pride.

Yet, it appeared she had something crucial to convey. What could it possibly be?

"If you're trying to jack up the price, I'll break your legs on the spot!" Ultimately, Qian Songren muttered a curse under his breath and stormed out of the hall.