Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 123 Unsolicited Attentiveness: Either a Scoundrel or a Thief (Seeking Subscriptions - 10,000 Words)
The atmosphere on the dock was deathly silent.

All the criminals lowered their heads, not daring to look at Li Qingyan on the stage, after all, the impression she left on people last time was too deep.

First, they promised that whoever found the rare spirit clam could be exonerated from their sins, but in the end, they directly killed people.

Who would dare to mess with her now?

Chen Ye, hiding behind the crowd, secretly peeked at the situation on the stage.

At this moment, Zhao He was completely different from the respectful person he had been when he last met Li Qingyan. He stood up straight and his face was filled with undisguised smugness.

"Senior Sister Li, this body of water is now in your care," Zhao He chuckled. "It's a bit tough here, but it's peaceful, which is perfect for you to recuperate."

He emphasized the word "rest" very heavily.

This can't just be called sarcastic; it's practically insulting Li Qingyan directly.

Chen Ye's heart stirred, and he immediately looked at Li Qingyan.

Although Li Qingyan was still dressed in a red dress and looked absolutely stunning, her face was pale and sickly, and her eyes were no longer as sharp as before. Instead, they were somewhat listless, as if she had suffered a great loss of energy.

Faced with Zhao He's sarcastic remarks, she merely glanced at him and said nothing.

Chen Ye instantly understood.

It seems that Li Qingyan suffered a crushing defeat in the last battle for the strange clam after failing to achieve anything.

This is not surprising, because in a demonic sect like the Blood Lotus Sect, where the strong prey on the weak, sometimes one wrong step can lead to an abyss.

So this former inner disciple has now been banished here, becoming a fallen dog that everyone can kick around.

No wonder Zhao He dared to be so arrogant at first and then obsequious.

"Senior Sister Li is indeed a dragon among men. Even here, she remains so calm and composed." Seeing that Li Qingyan ignored him, Zhao He not only did not restrain himself, but instead intensified his mockery.

"Unlike me, I'm destined to be a workaholic. I'm afraid I'll be busy all the time in the Internal Affairs Hall from now on. Hey, senior sister, you have to take good care of yourself. After all, the wind in Blackwater Lake is quite chilly."

Faced with Zhao He's mockery, Li Qingyan merely glanced at him coldly without saying a word, but her hand, hidden in her sleeve, had already clenched tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh.

Seeing this, Zhao He finally smiled smugly, and then gave a perfunctory bow.

"Senior sister, please take good care of yourself. I won't disturb you any longer."

Having said that, he leaped up and flew triumphantly into the distant horizon.

As soon as he left, the oppressive atmosphere on the dock became even heavier.

Li Qingyan's gaze slowly swept over all the criminals below the stage, his cold gaze like a knife, scraping their faces painfully.

The anger she had suffered at Zhao He's hands now transformed into a raging inferno, which she unleashed upon these lowest-ranking criminals.

"Starting today, the daily quota of spirit pearls to be submitted by each person will be increased by 30%."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone's heart.

Thirty percent!

This is absolutely killing them!
The original quota was already the limit. They worked themselves to the bone every day, and if they were not careful, they would be infected by the cold and die in the water.

If we add another 30%, how are we supposed to survive?
A slight commotion arose in the crowd, and despair appeared on some faces.

"Does anyone have a problem with this?" Li Qingyan's gaze suddenly turned icy.

The commotion subsided instantly, and everyone lowered their heads even further, remaining silent as if trembling with fear.

Are you kidding me? Giving feedback to a disciple of the Blood Lotus Sect? Do you want to die even faster?

"Those who fail to complete the mission will be skinned alive, their tendons pulled out, and their souls refined into blood lamps." Li Qingyan's voice was devoid of any emotion, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

All the criminals trembled involuntarily, a chill running from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

This woman is much more ruthless than Zhao He was before.

Although Zhao He also looked down on these criminals, at least he wouldn't exploit and kill them for no reason like he does now.

Chen Ye mingled in the crowd, expressionless, but his heart was ice-cold.

He knew that Li Qingyan was getting anxious.

Having been banished here, her resources have been completely cut off. Therefore, her only hope of regaining her strength is to extract more spirit pearls from these sinners.

As for whether the criminals live or die, that was none of her concern.

Sure enough, in the days that followed, this black lake was shrouded in gloom and despair.

Li Qingyan's methods were far more ruthless than anyone imagined.

The daily Spirit Pearl tasks were so demanding that they were almost suffocating. Those who failed to complete them were dragged to the dock and tortured in front of everyone.

In just a few days, more than twenty Tanka people died at her hands.

People dared not speak out against their anger, and the whole town became lifeless as a result.

Chen Ye was fine. He now held three major professions, so this problem was no big deal for him.

However, Chen Ye did not feel relaxed because of this; instead, he frowned.

Because he knew that human desires were limitless, especially for Li Qingyan, who had already lost in the inner sect struggle.

Therefore, she will certainly not be satisfied with this and will have other actions.

Sure enough, just as Chen Ye was wondering, Li Qingyan sat cross-legged in the most luxurious mansion in the entire town at the dock, with more than a dozen spirit pearls that he had just collected in front of him.

She circulated her cultivation technique, and the spiritual energy within the spirit pearl was gradually drawn out and channeled into her body.

But this meager amount of spiritual energy was nothing more than a drop in the ocean compared to her damaged foundation.

"Not enough...not nearly enough!"

Li Qingyan suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with violence and resentment.

She swept the spirit pearl in front of her to the ground, her exquisite face contorted with extreme anger.

"That good-for-nothing Zhao He got promoted because he sided with that bitch Lin Meng!"

"And Zhang Cui, Wang Chen... you all just wait, when I return, I will tear you to pieces and annihilate your souls!"

She gritted her teeth, her mind filled with images of her former fellow disciples, now her enemies.

The flames of hatred burned away her reason.

She must regain her strength as soon as possible.

No, it's about becoming stronger than before!
But without resources, becoming stronger is easier said than done.

Just then, a long-dormant thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Absorbing Yang to replenish Yin.

One of the Blood Lotus Sect's secret techniques involves absorbing the essence and yang energy of men to nourish oneself, which will allow one to progress at an astonishing rate in cultivation.

However, she had always looked down on this kind of martial art.

Although absorbing yang energy to replenish yin doesn't necessarily mean something will happen, Li Qingyan considered herself a favored daughter of heaven, with unparalleled beauty and being an inner disciple.

Therefore, she felt disgusted and thought it was a waste for the men to come into contact with those dirty, vulgar, and sweaty men, even just to see them naked.

It should be noted that Li Qingyan previously harbored a deep-seated contempt and disgust for men, so naturally she would not stoop to such behavior.

But now the situation is beyond our control.

What does dignity matter when it comes to revenge?
Her eyes flickered intensely, clearly indicating an internal struggle.

"Fine... as long as I can get revenge, I don't care how disgusting it is."

But even after making up her mind, she still couldn't get over that hurdle in her heart.

The thought of targeting those criminals covered in mud and with murky eyes made her feel nauseous.

In her eyes, those people were no different from maggots in a cesspool.

Is there really not a single one... that's acceptable?

She frowned, deep in thought...

Evening, at the dock.

Exhausted criminals returned one after another in their small boats, handing over their day's catch.

Li Qingyan stood on high ground, coldly looking down at everything.

Her gaze swept across the crowd, as if selecting livestock.

Every man whose gaze swept over her felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being stared at by some terrifying beast.

At the same time, her eyes were filled with criticism and disgust.

Too old, the yang energy is declining.

Too thin, like a skeleton.

It's so dirty, it makes me want to vomit just looking at it.

Just as her patience was about to run out, her gaze suddenly fixed on a young man at the end of the line.

Chen Ye.

He, like the other criminals, was dressed in tattered clothes, his body covered in water stains and mud.

Yet, standing there, he gave off an impression of standing out from the crowd.

First of all, he has an upright posture, unlike others who are timid and hunched over.

Secondly, his facial features are well-defined, handsome and clean, especially his eyes, which stand out brightly against the surrounding numb gray, like a deep pool of water.

That one glance made Li Qingyan's eyes pause slightly.

Although it's covered in mud, once it's wiped clean, it should be... edible, right?
Early the next morning, Li Qingyan once again summoned all the criminals to the dock.

She stood on the high platform, still with that icy demeanor, but today she made an unprecedented announcement.

"The person who completes the pearl-gathering task best within three days will be rewarded with a Blood Qi Pill."

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion broke out in the audience.

The Blood Qi Pill held a fatal attraction for these Tanka people who spent their days in the cold, damp lake.

Firstly, this elixir can strengthen qi and blood and nourish the body, but most importantly, it can effectively resist the cold and dampness of the water, making it a life-saving medicine that the Tanka people dream of.

In an instant, the eyes of many people blazed with the light of greed and desire.

Although a very few people realized that Li Qingyan was just making empty promises, most people still believed him. After all, if they could obtain this pill, they could not only live longer, but also collect more spirit pearls, thus slightly changing their current situation!

Among the crowd, only Chen Ye remained calm, while inwardly he sneered repeatedly.

The so-called showing courtesy for nothing is either cheating or stealing.

Would a woman like Li Qingyan, who treats criminals like pigs and dogs, be so kind?
So this is definitely a trap.

Therefore, for the next three days, Chen Ye continued to do as he pleased, handing over just the right amount of spirit pearls each day, maintaining a level that was neither too high nor too low, so that he would not be considered a waste.

However, on the evening of the third day, when he handed over the spirit pearl and was about to leave, he was stopped by Li Qingyan.

"You, stop."

The cool, clear sound silenced the entire dock.

All eyes immediately turned to Chen Ye.

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong, but he dared not show it on his face. He simply stopped respectfully and bowed.

"What are your orders, sir?"

Li Qingyan slowly walked up to him, looking down at him with a gaze that seemed to penetrate his clothes and see every inch of his body.

"You've done a good job these past few days."

For the first time ever, she uttered a word of praise, then flicked her finger, and a bright red pill, emitting a faint smell of blood, flew to Chen Ye's side.

"This is a reward for you."

As soon as this statement came out, there was an uproar around him.

No one expected that the Blood Qi Pill would end up in the hands of an unknown young man.

But Chen Ye felt no joy whatsoever. On the contrary, looking at the pill floating in front of him, alarm bells rang in his mind, and he knew that there was definitely something wrong with it.

Despite his inner surprise and doubt, Chen Ye's face instantly lit up with a look of wild joy and disbelief.

He accepted the pill with trembling hands, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Thank you for your kindness, sir! Thank you for your kindness, sir! I... I will go through fire and water for you, even at the cost of my life!"

His acting was so realistic, especially his flattered and grateful expression, that Li Qingyan thought he might just be a fool who got lucky.

She nodded in satisfaction and waved her hand, "You may leave."

"Yes Yes!"

Chen Ye felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He scrambled to his feet, clutched the Blood Qi Pill tightly in his hand, and quickly left the dock amidst the complicated gazes of the surrounding criminals.

Upon returning to his dilapidated wooden hut and closing the door, the ecstasy and excitement on Chen Ye's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, calm demeanor.

He opened his palm and looked at the Blood Qi Pill, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

This elixir is genuine; the vital energy and blood it contains cannot be faked.

But the more this is the case, the more it proves that there is a problem.

What exactly does this crazy woman, Li Qingyan, want to do?
Chen Ye couldn't understand it, but he knew that this matter was definitely not over.

as predicted.

As darkness fell completely, a knock sounded at the door.

A convict responsible for delivering the message stood outside the door and shouted in a shrill voice, "Chen Ye, Lord Li has ordered you to go to her residence immediately to assist in counting the spirit pearls!"

coming!

Chen Ye felt a chill run down his spine.

In his view, this so-called assistance in counting the spirit pearls was just an excuse.

This is definitely a trap!

"Got it. I'll be there right away."

Chen Ye responded calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

The sinner who delivered the message left in a hurry.

Chen Ye closed the door without the slightest panic.

He knew he couldn't refuse either, because on Blood Lotus Sect's territory, the will of a criminal was insignificant.

Since there's no way to avoid it, then we have no choice but to... force our way through.

He walked to the bedside and took out a dagger, no more than a foot long, from a hidden compartment.

It was the same dagger he had used before to kill Zhao Qiu.

The moment he gripped the dagger, a chilling killing intent rose from the depths of his heart.

He then slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his body.

Within his dantian, the Grandmaster-level internal energy he had brought back from the martial arts world lay dormant like a sleeping dragon, while his surging blood and qi radiated scorching energy like a furnace.

This force is so immense that it is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

This is also his biggest trump card.

Finally, a thought struck him, and the professional imprint of the Mirage Court Musician in his mind flickered slightly.

An invisible wave spread out with him as the center.

After doing all this, Chen Ye concealed the dagger in his sleeve, then pushed open the door and strode towards the most conspicuous mansion at the dock.

The moonlight, like water, stretched his shadow long.

But Chen Ye's eyes were even colder than the moonlight...

……

At this moment, Li Qingyan's residence was brightly lit.

Dressed in red, she leaned against the soft couch, her posture languid, yet exuding an air of superior authority.

When Chen Ye entered, he first bowed respectfully, then stood aside with his hands at his sides, continuing to play the role of that humble and fearful criminal.

"Count all those spirit pearls and sort them by grade," Li Qingyan lazily ordered, without even lifting his eyelids.

"Yes."

Chen Ye responded and then squatted down to sort through the spirit beads one by one.

Li Qingyan observed Chen Ye, who was squatting on the ground, intentionally or unintentionally. She found the man more and more pleasing to the eye, not only because of his appearance, but also because of his demeanor.

Therefore, her patience quickly ran out.

Li Qingyan suddenly sat up straight. "I have a secret technique to purify the spiritual energy of a spirit pearl, but I need your yang energy as a catalyst."

She looked down at Chen Ye, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"So now, sit down on the futon in the middle of the room and take off your shirt."

Yang Qi?

Chen Ye suddenly realized what the woman was up to.

After all that fuss, it turns out he was after my body.

His face showed a troubled and fearful expression, and he stammered, "Sir, this...this is not in accordance with the rules..."

"presumptuous!"

A cold glint flashed in Li Qingyan's eyes, and a tremendous force instantly pressed down on Chen Ye.

Chen Ye groaned, and then he was uncontrollably pushed into the inner room by that force, crashing heavily into the center of a pre-arranged formation.

"You have no right to say no before me!"

Li Qingyan sneered disdainfully, then formed hand seals and forcibly activated the secret technique.

In an instant, the array shone brightly.

Chen Ye felt the scene before him change; he was no longer in Li Qingyan's room, but in a decadent place.

Countless women with graceful figures and revealing clothes appeared out of thin air. They smiled charmingly, their eyes were seductive, and they swayed their alluring waists as they moved closer to him, trying to use their most primal desires to draw out the vital essence and yang energy within him.

These are all witches created from the array and Li Qingyan's divine sense.

For an ordinary man, this is an absolutely irresistible temptation; once he loses his composure, he will be drained dry in an instant.

However, for Chen Ye...

Chen Ye sneered inwardly.

That's it?

Regardless of the fact that the martial arts master Jian Shen's Heavenly Heart had already made his will as firm as iron.

Even before he time-traveled, the yoga-wearing girls on those video apps had completely desensitized him to those things.

Li Qingyan, who was outside the formation, was unaware of all this. She only saw Chen Ye sitting in the formation with a dazed look in his eyes and rapid breathing, and assumed that he had already succumbed to temptation.

Seeing this, Li Qingyan smiled with satisfaction and stared greedily at Chen Ye.

Such pure Yang energy!

She could feel that the masculine energy in Chen Ye's body was far more vigorous than she had imagined, almost like a furnace!
Once he's drained dry, even if his damaged foundation can't be fully restored, it will be greatly improved.

Thinking of this, she could no longer restrain herself. She stretched out her slender hand, her five fingers forming a claw, and reached out to grab Chen Ye's crown.

She wanted to take this opportunity to completely steal the essence and yang energy from this furnace.

But just as her fingertips were about to touch the top of Chen Ye's head...

A sudden change occurred!

The man, who should have been lost in the illusion, suddenly came to his senses and looked at her with cold eyes.

Li Qingyan's heart skipped a beat, and a deadly sense of crisis instantly enveloped her!
Without a second thought, she tried to back away.

But it is already late.

The next second, a hand shot out with incredible speed, precisely and forcefully gripping her fair and slender neck!

(End of this chapter)