Daily Survival After Inheriting a Harem (GL) - Chapter 15

“No, no, no!”

Qiu Qi was so anxious she nearly stomped her foot on the spot. Her usual sharp tongue was completely useless in this moment of panic.

“What I mean is, I didn’t take advantage of her. The two of us didn’t do anything just now! Madam, can you understand what I mean?”

Of course, Qiu Qi could say that she had only been looking at the Soft Hedgehog Armor on Lu Ren’s body, but wouldn’t that expose herself?

Pei Yuqing quietly watched Qiu Qi flail around explaining for ages. Only after Qiu Qi closed her mouth did she speak calmly.

“My lord need not be nervous. I believe everything you said.”

You believe me? Like hell you do! You two-faced woman.

Beside them, Lu Ren, who had caused this misunderstanding, stood there watching the show as if it had nothing to do with her. She even added fuel to the fire.

“If my lord likes it, you may come and look again anytime you are free. As long as you wish…”

She loosened her collar slightly with one hand, half-concealing and half-revealing.

“You may inspect the goods at any time.”

“I—”

Qiu Qi held in a breath, unable to spit it out or swallow it down.

If she tried to argue now, it would only make things darker. But if she did not explain, then she was giving up and waiting for death!

However, before Qiu Qi could come up with a suitable defense, Pei Yuqing took the initiative to skip this part.

“My lord, have you picked up the goods? It is time to return.”

She had waited outside for too long without Qiu Qi coming out, which was why she had entered to check.

Qiu Qi hurriedly nodded.

“I picked them up, I picked them up. We can go back now.”

She knew Pei Yuqing was also anxious to remove the rings, so whatever time they could save in between was worth saving.

“That is good.”

When Pei Yuqing turned around, her cold gaze seemed to sweep over Lu Ren, either intentionally or unintentionally.

“I will wait for you outside. The two of you may finish speaking before coming out.”

That line was full of the dignity of the main wife. Translated, it meant: Hurry up and break things off with this vixen, then come home and handle serious business.

Qiu Qi wanted to cry but had no tears as she watched Pei Yuqing leave. Then she turned back to look at Lu Ren.

“Miss Lu, why did you deliberately make my madam misunderstand our relationship?”

Lu Ren did not panic. Instead, she lowered her head and laughed softly.

“There are rumors saying that you, Beast God, have now become extremely easygoing and gentle, and also… extremely doting toward your wife. It seems the rumors are not wrong. Lu was simply too curious and wanted to investigate.”

“Who spread that news? So quickly?”

Qiu Qi calculated for a moment. She had been awake for less than two days, right? And yet the matter of her great change in personality had already spread to the human race?

“We do business. Naturally, we must grab every piece of news firsthand.”

“You even do this kind of business?”

“Ruyi Pavilion sells everything. If the Beast God has any needs, feel free to place an order. As long as the money is in place, Lu Ren will definitely satisfy you. For old customers, I usually give a discounted price. A bargain not taken is a bargain wasted.”

Qiu Qi felt that if Lu Ren were sent to the modern world to become a livestream shopping host, she would definitely become wildly popular. From the moment she came in until now, Lu Ren had promoted three things, and every single one made Qiu Qi unable to resist taking out her wallet.

“If I buy all three things together, can you give me a little discount?”

Qiu Qi asked somewhat embarrassedly.

“Hehe.”

Lu Ren laughed again, interest appearing in her eyes.

“The Beast God’s current personality is truly interesting. However… on account of the pleasant conversation between us, I will erase the change and make it two gold cheaper.”

“You’re generous!”

Qiu Qi was delighted. She had not expected that the bargaining skills the old lady next door had taught her would be so useful. Two gold was ten thousand yuan!

“All right, I’ll buy them.”

…

When Qiu Qi came out, Yan Wan had already disappeared. Only Pei Yuqing’s cold, straight figure stood there. Her gaze was slightly raised, looking toward the third floor of the teahouse opposite them. No one knew what she was looking at.

Qiu Qi walked over and patted her shoulder.

“Madam, are you thirsty? Do you want to go there and drink some tea?”

Pei Yuqing withdrew her gaze and lowered her head to look at the completely unaware Qiu Qi. She sighed.

“My lord, it is better to return first. It is unsafe for you to linger outside for too long.”

Qiu Qi thought about it and felt that Pei Yuqing made sense. Who knew, after walking two steps, some big man might jump out with a knife to kill her.

“That’s true. Tea can be drunk anytime, but I only have one life.”

Qiu Qi took the initiative to hold Pei Yuqing’s hand and walk outside. But just as one foot stepped out the door, she keenly heard some strange sound. Her ears moved as she confirmed that odd noise more carefully. Just as she was about to lift her head and remind Pei Yuqing to be careful, an arm had already wrapped around her waist. Then her whole body was pulled into the other woman’s arms.

“Run.”

Pei Yuqing’s extremely low voice fell from above her head.

Qiu Qi was still worrying whether that collision just now had hit Pei Yuqing’s wound when the other woman had already pulled her arm and started running at high speed.

Seeing Pei Yuqing’s serious expression, Qiu Qi roughly guessed what had happened.

She really was a crow’s mouth. Whatever she said came true. Someone truly could not wait to kill her.

The arrows behind them fell like rain. Pedestrians on the street screamed and dodged in all directions. Qiu Qi followed Pei Yuqing and ran a long distance, but those arrows still chased after them as if they had eyes.

“Tracking agent.”

Pei Yuqing blurted out. Then, as if she had thought of something, her expression darkened.

To make a tracking agent, one had to have something personal from the target, such as inner clothing stained with their scent, a comb, or bodily fluids.

During this period, Qiu Qi had not gone outside at all, and her intimate clothing was personally handled by Yan Wan. The possibility of anything being lost was extremely low.

If there was one item most likely to have been taken and used by someone…

It could only be the handkerchief she had personally stuffed into the envoy’s mouth when he visited that day.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuqing secretly gritted her teeth. She reflected that she had underestimated the enemy too much, which was why she had overlooked such a large hidden threat.

An arrow coated with tracking agent would not stop until it saw blood. No matter how they ran, it would be useless. Pei Yuqing simply stopped, turned back neatly, and raised her hand. The ball of light in her palm suddenly enlarged, illuminating the secluded alley.

A thin, tall figure dropped down from the high wall, landing lightly on his toes. Judging by his face, it was exactly the envoy they had seen that day.

Pei Yuqing raised her eyes and looked at him. Thick emotion gathered in her blue eyes. This envoy’s weak image from that day—crying until tears and snot streamed down his face—had left a deep impression. She had not expected him to be such a deeply hidden “capable person.”

“Miss Pei, please don’t waste your effort. I already investigated your information. I heard that you are best at water spiritual arts, and I just so happen to be best at earth spiritual arts, which perfectly counters you.”

The familiar-looking envoy clapped his hands. There was none of the timid trembling from their first meeting on his face now. He straightened his back, carrying the confidence of a petty man who had achieved success.

“Someone has offered a bounty of ten thousand gold for the Beast God’s head. Why don’t you and I cooperate and easily take the bounty? After it’s done, I’ll split it fifty-fifty with you.”

Pei Yuqing stood quietly in place without speaking.

Qiu Qi was worried that Pei Yuqing would really be turned against her. She hurriedly raised her damp eyes, clutched the hem of Pei Yuqing’s clothes, and tugged lightly. Her voice was like the low cry of a helpless little beast.

“Madam… don’t abandon me, okay? I’m scared.”

Pei Yuqing grabbed Qiu Qi’s hand and pulled her behind herself. Her gaze toward the envoy was cold and sharp.

“Since you are so confident, come and try taking her head.”

The envoy laughed.

“Why force yourself? With those Mystic Ice Rings on you, even forming a light ball is so difficult. How will you fight me? A beauty like you—I really can’t bear to destroy a flower with ruthless hands. Why don’t you loosen your stance? Then we both win.”

Pei Yuqing ignored his threats and temptations.

“Less nonsense. Make your move.”

“You really won’t think about it again? Great beauty?”

The envoy licked his thumb, and the way he stared at Pei Yuqing was somewhat naked.

“No, listen. Persuade people if you want to persuade people, but what do you mean by taking advantage of my madam?”

Qiu Qi could not endure it anymore. She puffed up her small body and retorted.

“Are you acting like I don’t exist? My madam may be beautiful, but she is still my madam. Don’t even think about it. Destroy a flower with ruthless hands? I think you’re indulging in wishful thinking!”

When facing outsiders, Qiu Qi’s sharp-tongued skill rose rapidly.

The male envoy chuckled.

“Go ahead and curse. Your mouth is the only thing you’re good at now.”

Qiu Qi’s heart sank, and most of her confidence instantly vanished. It seemed that the outside world not only knew her personality had changed, but even the fact that she could not control the Beast Core Pearl had spread. No wonder someone had suddenly offered a bounty for her head.

The moment the envoy finished speaking, a blue light rushed toward him at a speed difficult to capture with the eye. His reaction was still fairly quick, and he barely dodged, but his cheek was still cut. The blood at the wound was instantly frozen over by the low temperature. The cold energy slipped in through the opened wound and directly froze the right side of his face stiff, making even speaking difficult.

“Hiss—ah!”

The envoy’s smiling face from a second ago instantly turned ferocious. Enraged, he raised his hand toward Pei Yuqing.

“Since you refuse a toast only to drink a penalty cup, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

Pei Yuqing answered steadily, “Likewise.”

Her words carried such force and confidence that even the envoy opposite her hesitated when making his move. His attack almost veered off course. But only Qiu Qi, standing behind Pei Yuqing, could see that her plain white clothes had already been soaked through with blood over a large area. The thin fabric clung to her straight back, outlining her slender figure with a stubbornness that made one unable to help feeling heartache.

The envoy made a hand gesture and began chanting loudly. A few seconds later, several mounds of earth and sharp spikes rose up from the ground where Qiu Qi and Pei Yuqing stood.

Pei Yuqing calmly led Qiu Qi to dodge the attacks, then unhurriedly raised her hand to block the arrows flying from the air. With a turn of her wrist, dozens of blades flew from her sleeve.

Metal sliced through the air with several whooshing sounds. The envoy quickly dodged them. In the end, they struck the wall, producing crisp, clear sounds of impact.

“Heh, you have some skill.”

The envoy smiled darkly.

“A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. As expected of the War God’s daughter.”

Pei Yuqing did not relax her guard because of the opponent’s praise. She quickly formed a water wall in front of them, then tilted her head and quietly instructed Qiu Qi.

“If something unexpected happens later, run without looking back.”

Qiu Qi’s heart was full of the blood seeping more and more from Pei Yuqing’s back. She was terribly anxious. Hearing words that clearly meant Pei Yuqing was prepared to sacrifice herself made her feel even worse.

“No. How can there be any reason for Madam to die in my place—”

Before Qiu Qi could finish speaking, Pei Yuqing shoved her hard and pushed her away.

“Stop talking nonsense. If you stay, you will only get in the way. You might as well go bring reinforcements for me.”

Opposite them, the envoy condensed spiritual energy again and began chanting.

Qiu Qi looked around and casually picked up several stones from the ground, gripping them in her hand.

She remembered that Five Elemental Spiritual Arts said that the higher-level the spiritual art, the longer the incantation. In other words, the enemy’s casting wind-up would be very long.

“Spirit of earth, heed my call—”

Before the envoy could finish speaking, a stone tore through the air and flew straight toward his forehead. The air mixed with the smell of soil, making the stone, which had borrowed all ten parts of Qiu Qi’s strength, look extremely fierce. One could imagine that if this hit, with a human body of flesh and blood, he would definitely be left bleeding from a broken head.

He could only be forced to interrupt his chant and raise his hand to catch the stone.

“Since when did the Beast God learn such sneaky, underhanded tricks?”

Qiu Qi stood on tiptoe, using height to boost her own momentum.

“Otherwise? You want to hit me, and I’m supposed to obediently stand still and wait for you to finish chanting?”

Between face and life, no matter how many times, Qiu Qi could choose to protect the latter without hesitation.

“Fine. You asked for this!”

The male envoy suddenly closed his eyes and shouted toward the sky. In an instant, his body was enveloped by a cloud of black mist.

Pei and Qiu narrowed their eyes in sync, looking as though they were waiting to see what kind of demon he would turn into.

Very soon, Qiu Qi’s nose twitched. She discovered that the scent of blood and killing intent sweeping through the black mist was somewhat familiar, adding even more strange thoughts to her heart.

“Demon race.”

Pei Yuqing’s gaze sank, and her expression became grave.

The demon race was made up of beastmen and humans who had suffered qi deviation from cultivating forbidden arts. The mark of its members was a black five-pointed star totem on the chest, symbolizing their contract with the Demon God to exchange lifespan for power.

Demon race magic was savage and unreasonable. It would automatically burn everything around it. However, because the casting process required enduring tremendous pain, ordinary members of the demon race would not use it lightly.

The one before them had clearly been pushed into desperation.

“Stop struggling. Today is destined to be her day of death. I can give you one final chance. Get lost! Don’t block me from taking the bounty!”

“Even if she is going to die, she has to die by my hand.”

Pei Yuqing’s arm remained in front of Qiu Qi without lowering. Her eyes turned cold. Taking advantage of the gap while the other party spoke, she pulled out the sash at her waist. With a swing of her long arm, that soft rope instantly twisted into a flexible whip and wrapped around his hand with lightning speed.

“A mere demon race ant—I kill every one I see.”

At this moment, Pei Yuqing did not notice that because of her words, Qiu Qi behind her quickly reddened her eyes and, uselessly, could not help letting several bean-sized tears fall.

“You go first. Find Steward Yan.”

“I’m not leaving…”

Hearing the choked voice behind her, Pei Yuqing turned her head and met Qiu Qi’s red, wet eyes. She was clearly stunned for a moment.

But before she could ask, “Why are you crying?” Qiu Qi had already gone around her raised arm, turned, and stood in front of Pei Yuqing. Before Pei Yuqing could resist, Qiu Qi reached out and hugged her tightly, using her own body as a shield.

A powerful burst of black energy crashed over fiercely and was taken by Qiu Qi’s fragile back. She let out a muffled groan, but forced herself to grit her teeth and did not cry out in pain.

Pei Yuqing lowered her head to look at her, her face filled with unconcealable shock. She felt as if a chill had surged up from the soles of her feet all the way to her face.

“What are you doing?”

Qiu Qi wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, lifted her head, and smiled at her. She still looked just as carefree as ever.

“Madam knows, right? My skin is thick and my flesh is tough. I’m most suitable for being a shield. Don’t worry. It’s like being scratched. It doesn’t hurt at all…”

Doesn’t hurt at all… my ass! She felt as if all her internal organs had been twisted into a ball. If she were not still hugging Pei Yuqing to support her body, she would have long since collapsed onto the ground into a puddle of mud.

“Heh. You’re still stubborn even when death is at hand!”

The envoy raised both hands above his head and gathered an even larger mass of black energy again. It looked like he was going to give Qiu Qi the final blow.

Pei Yuqing’s fingers moved slightly, as if she were about to raise her hand and fight him. But Qiu Qi pressed her down at once.

“Don’t. If you use spiritual arts again, your body definitely won’t be able to take it.”

Qiu Qi raised her eyes and looked at her. There were tiny specks of light in her eyes. Rarely, she spoke to her in a serious tone.

“I can get hurt, but you can’t.”

Their eyes met. Pei Yuqing sensed the other person’s determination to face death calmly. Her heart trembled slightly. Several traces of emotion appeared on her usually indifferent face, and even her voice carried a faint, nearly imperceptible panic when she spoke.

“You are not allowed to die. You are not allowed to die yet.”

Qiu Qi did not move, but the smile at the corners of her mouth grew wider and wider.

In the second before the black mist swept over their vision, Pei Yuqing heard Qiu Qi laugh softly against her chest. There was relief in it, as if she completely ignored the approaching crisis. Then that warm, clear female voice slowly sounded beside her ear.

“Madam, now… do you care about me a little?”

Author’s Note:
Still flirting when death is at hand—exciting!

Don’t worry! Nothing will happen. It won’t be angst. Next chapter, beast-form Sister Qiu will be released for you all to rub.