Chapter 101: The Nature of Capitalists

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Ning Xianyu was deeply frustrated; the Great Demon Lord was clearly far more patient and far kinder with White Lotus. Every time she spoke to him, he would glare at her, and every item she offered he refused. Yet now White Lotus gave him some kind of ambrosia, and he accepted it at once, placing it in his storage satchel.

The System hurried to comfort her. “The Great Demon Lord has already drunk your wine and had you drink, too. Have you forgotten?”
Ning Xianyu thought for a moment. “Oh right… I did forget.”

At that thought, it struck her that the Great Demon Lord did not have any special fondness for her at all.
The System said, “Relax. He surely likes you more. Look, he even brings you along when he bathes and he has kissed you. Why should you fear losing favor?”
Ning Xianyu thought, then said, “What do you mean by fear of losing favor? I’m not afraid. I’m just a lowly office worker’s little protest against a capitalist’s obvious partiality.”
“All right, all right—say what you like.”

Xuan Yuan Tunhan stood nearby, listening to their absurd exchange. Hearing the words “losing favor,” he gave her a look. Ning Xianyu had been darting her eyes about, and when she noticed his gaze, she jumped.
What are you looking at?
Pfft—just a bigoted, lecherous capitalist, dashing off sweet talk to the newly arrived pretty clerk! He’s not looking at me because he can’t get enough of a new face, is he?

Xuan Yuan Tunhan read her displeasure, stood, and in one sweep of his arm used the golden ring’s pull to send her sprawling onto the ground.

Ning Xianyu got up, annoyed, and shot him a hard glare.
He did it on purpose. New pet, old employee abused—what a shameless face of capital!

White Lotus hurried over. “Miss, what happened? How did you fall? You were fine a moment ago.”
Ning Xianyu said she didn’t need help and rose by herself, then kept following the Great Demon Lord under compulsion.
Xuan Yuan Tunhan looked back once and caught her trudging after him, unwilling to turn away. Whenever he met her eyes, he tried to appear affable, and somehow he even smiled.
This woman, if only she turned this many scheming thoughts toward cultivation, her progress would be far greater than it is now, he thought.

White Lotus hurried to follow as well, even closer than before. She had been friendly and ingratiating with Ning Xianyu before, acting intimate and warm. But now she was speaking with Xuan Yuan Tunhan.
It was as if that ambrosia bottle had pulled them all nearer; in her eyes, she had become one of them.

Not long ahead, a wall of fire suddenly stood before them.

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Though all around them were lush green trees, the wall burned with such heat that even from far away they could feel its scorching temperature. Ning Xianyu stayed timidly at the Great Demon Lord’s side, waiting for him to cast.

White Lotus moved in and hid at the edge of them, explaining, “I’ve gone through this fire wall a few times before, but it’s never been this big.”

Clearly it was much fiercer than the ones she had seen, and she looked frightened. Ning Xianyu asked the System, “What other obstacles are inside the formation?”
The System replied, “A formation is usually made of the usual things: directional labyrinths, the array of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, and those spirit-confounding traps…”
These patterns are standard, but every person is different, and what one meets differs accordingly.
A cultivator’s array is more flexible and varied than that of ordinary mortals.

Xuan Yuan Tunhan wrapped himself in spirit power, unfolded the barrier, and entered directly.
Ning Xianyu followed passively, being dragged along by proximity.

White Lotus did not have that passive-follow skill, so she had to push herself to keep up.
Even within the array, everything was a red sea of flame, and she could still keenly feel the dangerous heat.

Now a bit fearful, White Lotus drew even nearer.
Seeing Ning and Xuan Yuan passing as if nothing were happening, she asked uncertainly, “You two aren’t afraid? The flames feel stronger and stronger to me.”
Ning Xianyu felt the same, but with the Great Demon Lord beside her, she was not afraid.

Xuan Yuan Tunhan said coldly, “You have spent fifty years in formations and still don’t know the basic rule of strong versus stronger?”
“Eh?”
White Lotus hesitated, then asked, “Do you mean the stronger the one crossing the array, the stronger the array becomes?”
So if I had come alone, this fire wall might not have burned this fiercely.
Was she only facing a harder challenge because she came with Xuan Yuan Tunhan?
Xuan Yuan Tunhan only said they should move faster.

White Lotus almost drifted outside the barrier; her skirt edge singed. She hurried to catch up, shaken.
Ning Xianyu thought, White Lotus had just tried to steal the chicken and ruin the pot—once they passed the fire wall, she’d likely bolt.
The System said, however, “[Not necessarily.]”

Ning Xianyu objected, “Following us only brings bigger obstacles. There’s no benefit for her. Why would she keep at it?”
The System gave a long sigh. “You truly don’t understand human hearts. Though she suffers more by following you, that only proves how strong the Great Demon Lord is. If she wants to attach herself to a powerful man, she won’t want to leave.”

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The System thought a moment and added, “I think she may have known the principle of the stronger-facing-stronger formation for a long time. She followed on purpose, hoping to test your strength.”
Now that Xuan Yuan Tunhan’s power was proven, her resolve to stay with them was only strengthened.

Ning Xianyu thought: if White Lotus wants to cling to someone’s support like this, she would naturally look for a broad and strong man.
That mindset had no flaw.
But if White Lotus is trying to steal her golden support, Ning Xianyu would kick this woman out.

The fire wall was not very long; crossing it turned out to be, oddly enough, uneventful.
Once they emerged, White Lotus let out a long breath. “Senior, thank you. Without your protection, I could hardly have made it through. You truly are very strong.”
In her fair white face, two bright eyes shone with admiration as she stared at the Great Demon Lord like he were a hero from legend.

Such a performance and such a look—how many ordinary men could endure that?
See him, Xuan Yuan Tunhan, just nodding slightly with a soft “hm.”

Ning Xianyu felt a bad omen.
Could the Great Demon Lord be planning a harem?
He had actually replied; should he not, as expected from an untamed sovereign, take this as something inevitable and remain proud?

So much for him—no doubt he was a great lecher. Flattery from girls is a vain man’s perfume.

White Lotus even smiled at Ning. “Miss, I still don’t know your name. In the future, please take care of me too.”
Ning said, “My name is Ni Dajie.”
Xuan Yuan Tunhan cast her a glance. What change of name was this?
White Lotus was not suspicious, only mildly confused. “Right, Ni Dajie?”
Why did she give her such an odd name?
Ning, in offended irritation, answered, “Yes, Ni Dajie. What’s wrong with it?”
“Fine, fine. It is a good name.”

The System laughed. “Ni Dajie, isn’t she your elder sister? And here you are wanting to become her big brother?”
“Snappish? I could be her grandmother.” Ning Xianyu muttered.
Her mood turned sour: “She was flirting with him in front of me. She’s trying to steal my bread.”

She could not bear it. Someone wanted to steal her golden thigh.