"That's right. Now that you've come down the mountain, you need to learn to adapt to the secular world. Remember, having power and influence is the only way to get more resources. They call it an egalitarian society, but it's still divided into classes."
Interrupting Zhang Ming, Shang Yilin turned to the maids and called out, "All of you, come here and greet the young master."
Lining up neatly, the maids bowed to Zhang Ming in unison, "Greetings, young master."
"Hello, everyone. You can go back to what you were doing. Just call me 'Mister' from now on, not 'young master'." Hearing himself called "young master" made Zhang Ming feel thoroughly awkward, as if he had become an esteemed guest at some exclusive establishment.
Seeing his embarrassment, Shang Yilin covered her mouth and chuckled, "Hahaha, look how nervous they've made you."
"Come on, lunch is ready. Let's go eat." Noticing what Zhang Ming was holding, Shang Yilin asked, "What's that?"
"Oh, some medicinal herbs to treat Ms. Wei," Zhang Ming replied casually, setting the herbs on the table.
"My, aren't you thoughtful, knowing how to take care of people now," Shang Yilin teased.
Faced with her teasing, Zhang Ming had no retort and could only shake his head inwardly.
Stepping out of the room, he found the dining table laden with a lavish spread of food, and Shang Yilin was already waiting for him.
Wei Xiaoyu and Li Xinglan had gone out early in the morning and hadn't returned yet, so the two of them would be dining alone.
"Zhang Ming, come eat," Shang Yilin greeted him warmly.
They chatted as they ate, the conversation flowing continuously, though mostly consisting of Shang Yilin asking questions and Zhang Ming answering.
They talked mostly about the amusing anecdotes from Zhang Ming's life on Kunlun Mountain and the fun they used to have with his elder sister.
Although Zhang Ming was usually quite articulate, in the face of Sister Shang's quick tongue, he chose to say as little as possible, terrified of saying the wrong thing and stirring up trouble.
Just as they were enjoying their meal, a rapid knock sounded at the door.
"Go see what's going on," Shang Yilin said with a frown.
Shortly after, a maid returned to report, "Miss, the security guards say there is a gentleman demanding to see you, and he threatened to raze the villa to the ground if you refuse."
One could tell instantly that this was trouble. Shang Yilin thought to herself that the people from the Marquis of the Northwest must have tracked her down.
"Sister Shang, I'll go with you," Zhang Ming volunteered.
In truth, he had sensed someone trailing him for a while and had anticipated this confrontation, though he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"No need. Finish your meal, I'll go check it out," Shang Yilin consoled him with a smile, completely unconcerned, before heading outside.
Watching Sister Shang's retreating figure, Zhang Ming felt a deep surge of emotion.
She had always protected him as if he were her younger brother, willing to shield him from every single danger.
Yet as a man, Zhang Ming refused to hide behind a woman.
With that, he set down his chopsticks and quietly followed behind her.
Reaching the entrance of the villa, Shang Yilin saw a young man standing there with his hands behind his back.
"Little Witch, long time no see," the man greeted with a smile.
"Wang Yingyang, little old wolf, you're still alive? Are you here for me?" Shang Yilin replied softly, her gaze vigilant.
"Don't play dumb. I'm here because of the Marquis of the Northwest's death. Hand that kid over, and for the sake of our past relationship, I can spare your life," Wang Yingyang said with a smile.
"Impossible," Shang Yilin refused flatly. She would never sell out Zhang Ming to save her own skin, nor would she let anyone harm him.
Whoever dared to touch Zhang Ming would have to get through her first!
Across the vast expanse, Wang Yingyang's cold and hard voice echoed:
"Little Witch, don't flatter yourself. I'm not here to negotiate with you. I am carrying out the Holy Lord's command to take you and that kid back. I'm defying my master's orders solely to save your life, so don't be ungrateful."
Yet Shang Yilin merely let out a cold snort. "Wang Yingyang, don't think so highly of yourself. Our affairs on Kunlun Mountain are not for outsiders to meddle in. The Marquis of the Northwest brought this upon himself by provoking my brother; his death is well-deserved."
"Stubborn to a fault," Wang Yingyang raged, losing his temper. "Then don't blame me for being discourteous." With that, he commanded, "Canglang, Laoxiao, take this woman down."
At his words, two middle-aged men clad in traditional robes stepped out from behind him, acknowledged him respectfully, and advanced toward Shang Yilin.
Seeing this, Shang Yilin's expression turned grave. "The two top experts under the Divine Eagle Holy Lord, Canglang and Laoxiao?"
One of them nodded expressionlessly, "Correct."
The other smiled arrogantly, "Kneel and surrender now, and you might still save your life."
Shang Yilin gave a disdainful laugh. "You think you two are enough to make me surrender? Still, sending two Sect-tier Martial Artists to deal with me shows you think quite highly of me."
As the words left her lips, a powerful aura erupted from her body.
"You've also reached the Sect-tier?" Canglang, Laoxiao, and Wang Yingyang all showed looks of utter shock.
For Shang Yilin to reach the Sect-tier in her early thirties was an astonishing achievement.
"Little Witch, how could you have ascended to Grandmaster? How is this possible?" Wang Yingyang's face was a mask of astonishment.
On the ladder of martial arts, every single step forward is agonizingly difficult, and achieving the rank of Grandmaster in one's thirties is practically unheard of.
"Is a Grandmaster really all that impressive? In my eyes, they are nothing much." Contempt flashed in Shang Yilin's eyes.
Her words struck Canglang and Laoxiao like a sharp sword, instantly wounding their pride and making them feel profoundly insulted.
"You're courting death," Canglang roared, an overwhelming momentum surging around him as he threw a ferocious punch straight at Shang Yilin.
Yet just as his fist was about to make contact, it miraculously passed right through her figure, striking nothingness.
"What?" Canglang was struck with disbelief. Though his speed was blinding, he had only managed to capture an afterimage of Shang Yilin.
This was proof enough that her speed had reached the pinnacle of mastery.
Before he could even recover his wits, a sudden wind stirred behind him. Canglang instinctively whirled around to find that Shang Yilin was already standing right at his back.
"Oh no," he thought to himself in panic, but evasion was no longer possible. Shang Yilin's fist struck his chest like lightning.
"Boom." Accompanied by a loud crash, Canglang vomited a mouthful of blood and stumbled back several steps before steadying himself. He stared at Shang Yilin with a pale face, stammering, "You... how can you be so fast?"
"You call that fast? My brother's speed is what you'd call lightning-fast." Shang Yilin's remark made Zhang Ming, who was watching from the sidelines, feel a slight pang in his heart.
She had neither given a direct answer nor seemed to realize she had inadvertently pricked his pride.
Wang Yingyang had also lost his composure by now, his brows deeply furrowed as he realized he had severely underestimated this woman.
"Elder Cang, are you alright?" He was shocked to discover that a Grandmaster expert had been left completely helpless under Shang Yilin's hands.
"Shang Yilin, do you really intend to make an enemy of my master? Do you know the consequences?" Wang Yingyang demanded sternly.
"Get lost." Shang Yilin's reply was concise, powerful, and oozing with dominance.
"Shang Yilin, out of regard for our past ties, I'll give you a few days to think about it. Setting yourself against my master will not end well." With that, at a cue from Canglang, Wang Yingyang turned and left in a huff.
Inside the car, Wang Yingyang remained unreconciled. "Elder Cang, the two of you combined couldn't beat her?"
"I couldn't be sure of winning. This Little Witch's strength is beyond all expectations, and her footwork is bizarre and unfathomable—it's chilling," Canglang said with a bitter smile. "In a duel between experts, life and death are decided in a split second. If she had truly wanted to kill me, I'd probably be a corpse by now."
"Indeed, Shang Yilin's movement technique is far too uncanny. And since she mentioned Kunlun Mountain... Young Master, Kunlun Mountain is a taboo subject. We must tread carefully regarding her and Zhang Ming; it's best to consult the Holy Lord first." Laoxiao's expression was grave.