Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector

"Younger Brother Chen, we meet again." Xiao Hongye stood up, a warm smile on her face. "I hope you don’t mind us dropping in unannounced."

"Not at all." Chen Ye’s lips twitched into a slight smile. "I’m just a bit surprised. What can I do for you, Miss Xiao?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the woman beside her, seemingly at random.

Although she was doing her utmost to conceal her presence, Chen Ye’s Asura’s Eye could still faintly perceive the energy within her—a power as vast as the ocean, yet as condensed as a sword.

Furthermore, the faint yet sharp aura she exuded was identical to that of the Celestial Sword Manor disciples.

Chen Ye was almost certain this woman was from Celestial Sword Manor, and her status was by no means low.

’Fuck, trouble’s come knocking at my door.’

Chen Ye cursed inwardly, but his expression remained impassive. He even managed to appear quite welcoming.

"It’s nothing important. We were just passing through Qingzhou Prefecture City and heard you were here, so we came to see an old friend." As Xiao Hongye spoke, she pulled the woman beside her forward. "Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is my younger sister, Xiao Zhanbai."

Chen Ye’s heart dropped.

He’d been hearing the name Xiao Zhanbai mentioned a lot these past few days.

An elite disciple from Celestial Sword Manor’s Law Enforcement Hall, one of the leaders of the current city-wide search, and a woman renowned for her ruthlessness and strength.

’I can’t believe she’s Xiao Hongye’s sister!’

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

A thousand thoughts raced through Chen Ye’s mind, but his expression didn’t change in the slightest. He simply offered Xiao Zhanbai a perfunctory, cupped-fist salute.

"Ah, so you’re Miss Xiao. A pleasure."

Xiao Zhanbai gave a slight nod in response, her cold eyes scrutinizing him, as if trying to see straight through him.

Anyone would have felt uncomfortable under such scrutiny, yet Chen Ye just stood there nonchalantly, as if completely oblivious.

"Chen Ye, my sister told me you had a run-in with a disciple from White Bone Mountain?"

Her voice was flat, as if she were inquiring about something trivial, but Chen Ye tensed. He knew the real questions were about to begin.

He raised his head to meet Xiao Zhanbai’s scrutinizing gaze, his expression shifting to one of recollection before he nodded.

"That did happen."

He didn’t deny it. There was no point, as it was a matter of public record.

"Back when I was on a mission with your sister, that fellow, Lü Song, was acting arrogant and tried to attack me. I ended up just cutting off a lock of his hair to teach him a lesson."

"And then?" Xiao Zhanbai pressed.

"And then?" Chen Ye smiled and spread his hands. "Later, he brought two of his senior martial brothers to Fengman Building to cause trouble for me. But before a fight could break out, Lord Cong of the Yu Huo County Demon Slayer Department happened upon us."

"One of Lü Song’s senior brothers used an Evil Artifact, so Lord Cong arrested him on the spot and threw him in the Demon Slayer Department’s dungeons. As for Lü Song, Lord Cong gave him a harsh scolding, and he scurried away with his tail between his legs."

"I haven’t seen him since that day."

Chen Ye’s story was a mix of truth and lies.

His conflict with Lü Song was real, and Cong Bo’s intervention had also happened, but he had nonchalantly glossed over Lü Song’s ultimate fate.

In any case, Lü Song was already dead. Dead men tell no tales, so he could say whatever he pleased.

After listening, Xiao Zhanbai’s brow furrowed slightly.

Chen Ye’s answer was watertight; there was absolutely no fault to be found in it.

Coming to blows over a simple disagreement was an all-too-common occurrence in the Martial World.

Not that Xiao Zhanbai had expected to uncover any shocking revelation from Chen Ye. She had only come to question him on the principle of leaving no stone unturned, since her sister had mentioned his past feud with White Bone Mountain.

’It seems I was just being overly suspicious.’

"Sister, let’s go," Xiao Zhanbai said, standing up to face Xiao Hongye.

"Hey, what’s the rush? We just got here." Xiao Hongye pulled her back down, shooting her a reproachful glare before turning to Chen Ye with an apologetic smile. "Younger Brother Chen, please don’t mind her. This sister of mine just has a foul temper and walks around with a long face all day. Deep down... she’s actually a decent person."

She had wanted to say "a very good person," but looking at her sister’s icy expression, she just couldn’t bring herself to say it.

"Don’t worry about it." Chen Ye smiled, looking completely unbothered.

"You, on the other hand, have really left me impressed, my friend!" Xiao Hongye looked Chen Ye up and down, clicking her tongue in amazement. "If I remember correctly, you were only in the Qi Cultivation Realm when I saw you in Yu Huo County. How much time has passed? You’re already in the Unobstructed Realm! Your cultivation speed is truly astonishing!"

"You’re too kind, Sister Xiao. I just got lucky and managed a fortunate breakthrough, that’s all," Chen Ye replied humbly.

His calm, composed, neither-servile-nor-overbearing demeanor only made Xiao Hongye admire him more.

They made small talk for a little longer, with Xiao Hongye doing most of the asking and Chen Ye answering, while Xiao Zhanbai stood stiffly to the side like a wooden doll.

Seeing that they truly weren’t going to get anything more out of him, Xiao Hongye finally pulled her sister to her feet.

"Well, Younger Brother Chen, we won’t disturb your rest any longer. Until we meet again."

"Take care, Sister Xiao, Miss Xiao."

Chen Ye rose to see them out, walking the two of them to the entrance of the inn.

As the sisters’ figures disappeared around the street corner, the smile on Chen Ye’s face slowly vanished, and his gaze grew deep and heavy.

Although the two sisters hadn’t shown any suspicion, he felt the tension within him coil even tighter.

Being targeted by the Celestial Sword Manor’s Law Enforcement Hall was never a good thing.