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*"Take them and have fun."*

Qin Shu stared at the colorful array of storage rings in Xie Shiyuan's palm.

Why did it feel like he was just clearing out his inventory?

Of course, no matter his intention, these rings were **treasures** to her. The only other person she had seen with so many storage rings was her Second Senior Brother.

Just as she hesitated, Xie Shiyuan's cool voice reached her ears again.

*"You said you'd refine pills for me. Does that still count?"*

Qin Shu: *"..."*

As expected—**there is no such thing as a free lunch, nor a free storage ring.**

*"What kind of pills do you need?"* she asked.

Xie Shiyuan lowered his eyes slightly, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows on his pale skin.

Qin Shu couldn't help but think—*Is he really a snake spirit? He looks more like an eyelash spirit!*

After a moment of thought, he looked back at her. *"I haven't decided yet. I'll let you know when I do."*

Great.

So should she accept the rings or not?

Xie Shiyuan clearly saw the greed in her eyes, but for some reason, she still hesitated.

*"You don't want them?"* he asked.

Qin Shu shook her head. *"It's not that I don't want them, I just worry that I won't be able to refine the pills you need."*

Xie Shiyuan let out a low chuckle and turned his head away.

Just as Qin Shu thought he was about to reassure her, she heard—

*"With your current cultivation, you can barely refine second-grade pills. They're of no use to me anyway."*

Qin Shu: *"..."*

She made up her mind—**one day, she would refine pills so powerful that even this snake would be in awe!**

Xie Shiyuan tossed the rings into her hands.

She eagerly slipped them onto her fingers until each of her ten fingers was adorned with a storage ring. Then, she looked up curiously.

*"Why do you have so many storage rings? You don't even need them."*

Xie Shiyuan raised his chin slightly, his expression unreadable.

*"What do you think?"*

At first, Qin Shu didn't get it. But then, as she looked at his gaze, realization dawned.

Her pupils shrank slightly, and Xie Shiyuan caught the change in her expression, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smirk.

*"You're so timid, yet you dared to raise a snake?"*

Qin Shu's lips pressed into a tight line, her emotions complex.

Did that mean... **he heard what she said when she first found him?!**

Back then, she had carelessly mentioned *raising a snake* while healing him.

But she never imagined **the snake would grow this big**!

She muttered under her breath, *"Even if I don't want to raise you now, you won't leave anyway."*

Since she hadn't found a way to retrieve his **inner core**, he clearly had no intention of going anywhere.

Xie Shiyuan obviously heard her, but instead of responding, he handed her a **black token**.

Qin Shu instinctively caught it, balancing it on her ring-adorned fingers.

The token was carved with the image of a **sleeping serpent**, but it bore no inscriptions.

Just as she examined it closely, his voice sounded above her.

*"Take this to Yan Yu Pavilion in Tai Lai City and give it to a woman named Liniang."*

Qin Shu's eyes gleamed mischievously.

*"Your lover?"* she teased.

Xie Shiyuan scoffed. *"To me, people are either useful or useless. Mind your own business and just do your job."*

Qin Shu fell silent.

*"Fine, I'll have someone send it for me later."*

Hearing this, Xie Shiyuan, who had been about to walk into the cave, suddenly stopped and turned back to look at her.

*"You're not even willing to make the trip yourself?"*

Qin Shu said righteously, *"As a top-tier alchemist who refines hundreds of perfect-grade spirit-restoring pills daily, why should I waste time running errands?"*

Xie Shiyuan frowned slightly.

Qin Shu continued, *"Snake, have you never heard of the saying, 'Money makes the world go round'? I can just hire someone else to deliver it."*

*"No."* Xie Shiyuan's gaze locked onto her. *"You must go yourself."*

The two stared at each other in silence.

Eventually, Qin Shu gave in.

*"Fine, I'll go. But only after three days—once I collect my Second Senior Brother's pills."*

Xie Shiyuan nodded in agreement.

Then, he heard her mutter, *"Might as well train while I travel—running is running, no matter where I do it."*

Xie Shiyuan: *"..."*

And then—

*"Oh, right! I should also pick up a few sect missions near Tai Lai City."*

Xie Shiyuan: *"..."*

This girl really refused to waste even a single moment.

Just then, her **transmission jade** lit up.

It was a message from Chi Yu.

*"Shushu, I asked Master Jian Wang. You can join the Sword Sect, but if you want to become her direct disciple, you must pass a test first."*

A test?

Qin Shu's eyes gleamed.

**I fear no challenge!**

She immediately replied, *"Great! It's my honor to be tested by Master Jian Wang."*

*"When do you want to take the test?"*

Qin Shu responded instantly, *"No time like the present—how about today?"*

Chi Yu quickly sent confirmation.

Qin Shu looked up at Xie Shiyuan and declared, *"I'm off to the Sword Sect. I'll be back later."*

Then, she dashed down the mountain.

Halfway there, she suddenly remembered—**shouldn't she tell her own master first?!**

She pulled out her **transmission jade** and sent a message to Master Lingxu.

As she did, she noticed the absurd number of rings still on her fingers.

After a brief moment of hesitation, she removed them all—except the one her master had given her.

At that very moment, **Master Lingxu** was sipping a rare, exquisite tea—a top-grade Silver Thread Jade Leaf.

The tea had the effect of purifying the mind and clearing spiritual consciousness.

Just as he was about to take a satisfying sip, his transmission jade suddenly echoed with **his precious disciple's overly energetic voice**—

*"Master! I'm going to the Sword Sect to take a master!"*

Master Lingxu's hand **shook violently**, spilling half of his treasured tea.

He looked down at the wasted tea, then at the glowing transmission jade.

For a moment, he didn't know whether he should be more **heartbroken over his runaway disciple** or the **wasted tea**.

And then—

His transmission jade flared up again with **even more nonsense** from his little troublemaker.

*"Master, don't worry! Even if I join the Sword Sect, you'll always be number one in my heart!"*

*"I'm just going to learn some sword techniques! I'll be back by tonight!"*