Dual Cultivation System: The Villainous Servant’s Rise

“Taoist Priest, won’t you stay the night?”

“If you’re still not satisfied, this humble girl can help you once more.”

Xiao Qing’s voice was a soft caress, her eyes pleading as she tried to persuade him to remain in the warmth of her boudoir.

“Thank you for your kindness, Miss Xiao Qing,” Han Lie replied, his tone polite but firm. “This humble Taoist has matters to attend to and will not disturb your time any longer.”

Han Lie declined without hesitation.

In truth, he was not yet fully sated. The fire in his veins still smoldered. But he knew himself too well; if he stayed, the temptation to extend the session would be overwhelming. He could afford the Spirit Stones, but he could not afford to delay his business any further. Discipline was the only leash he had on his own desires.

After dressing, Han Lie stepped out of the Gentle Fragrance Pavilion, the heavy scent of perfume fading into the cool night air.

It was already late, but the second ring of Qin Yang City never slept. Lanterns glowed like embers in the dark, casting long shadows on the stone streets. Feeling a rare sense of leisure after his release, Han Lie strolled slowly, enjoying the vibrant pulse of the city’s nightlife.

“Is that Qin Yang’s great thief? Quick, catch him!”

“Don’t let him escape!”

“There! On the roof!”

As Han Lie passed the sprawling estate of a wealthy merchant family, a sudden commotion erupted from within the high walls. Shouts and the clatter of armor shattered the night’s peace.

Immediately after, a nimble black figure leaped from the shadows, soaring over the mansion’s perimeter wall with the grace of a hawk.

Han Lie instinctively looked up.

For a fleeting second, his gaze locked with the black figure in mid-air. Eyes, sharp and intelligent, stared back at him.

Then, the figure flicked a wrist. A glimmer of light streaked through the air, thrown directly at Han Lie.

Reflexively, Han Lie caught it.

He opened his palm. Resting there, cool against his skin, was unmistakably a storage ring.

“He actually has an accomplice! Capture this old Taoist as well!”

The guards, bursting through the mansion gates, witnessed the exchange perfectly.

“Seize him!”

“Don’t let them get away!”

In an instant, over a dozen guards, their faces twisted in fury, charged forward with broadswords and spears gleaming under the lantern light.

“……”

Han Lie felt a surge of frustration.

This old man was just taking a walk.

He instantly understood the situation. He had been used as a distraction.

Alone in the heart of Qin Yang City, Han Lie had no desire to tangle with local law enforcement or private armies. He snorted coldly, channeled his qi, and exerted his agility. With a burst of speed, he shot forward, swiftly following the trail of the fleeing black figure.

The thief was fast, moving like smoke in the wind, but Han Lie was no slouch. He kept pace, his robes fluttering as he soared low over the dark, clustered rooftops.

To any onlookers below, they looked like two masters from a legend, dancing across the skyline. Faced with such overwhelming speed, the mansion guards could only watch helplessly as their quarry disappeared into the vast, ink-black sky.

Before long, Han Lie followed the black figure away from the glittering center of Qin Yang City. They landed in a remote, dimly lit street on the outskirts, where the silence was heavy and the air smelled of dust.

Tap! Tap!

Both landed softly on the cobblestones. The figure stopped, making no further attempt to flee.

Only then did Han Lie speak, his voice calm but laced with a dangerous edge.

“Why did you drag This Senior into this?”

The black figure turned slowly. With a fluid motion, they pulled the night disguise from their head.

A cascade of dark hair fell loose, framing a face that was both heroic and stunningly beautiful. It was a visage of peerless elegance, sharp and striking, illuminated by the pale moonlight.

She smiled faintly, her voice clear and melodious like a mountain spring.

“Seeing your cultivation is quite good, I originally intended for you to draw some attention for me. It’s just that those people were too incompetent to even slow you down.”

She spoke with an infuriating calmness. Then, she extended a slender, jade-like hand toward Han Lie, palm open.

She was waiting for the ring.

Han Lie held her gaze for a moment, weighing his options.

He had already swept the ring with his spiritual sense earlier. It contained roughly forty thousand Spirit Stones. A decent sum, but not a fortune worth dying for.

More importantly, he was in unfamiliar territory. Making an enemy of a local expert—especially one this bold—over forty thousand stones was unwise.

He tossed the ring back to her.

“The Taoist Priest is quite straightforward,” she remarked, catching the ring effortlessly. She let out a hearty, uninhibited laugh. “Excellent! I have always enjoyed befriending righteous heroes from across the land. You may call me Qin Yang. And you, Taoist Priest?”

“Li Xunhuan.”

Knowing she had given him a false name—”Qin Yang” was obviously taken from the city’s name—Han Lie had no intention of revealing his true identity either.

“Li Xunhuan? A fine name!” The fairy calling herself Qin Yang smiled, her eyes twinkling. “I observe that you don’t seem like a local; this must be your first time in Qin Yang City?”

Han Lie nodded.

“Then I should explain: I am not some wicked thief who hoards wealth. Not a single one of these Spirit Stones I’ve taken will end up in my own pocket.”

“If you don’t believe me, Taoist Priest, you may follow me.”

With that, Qin Yang turned and walked deeper into the shadows of the remote street, her steps light and confident.

After a moment’s consideration, Han Lie followed.

About ten minutes later.

They arrived at a desolate street, completely cut off from the residential areas. The moment they entered, a pungent, slovenly stench assailed Han Lie’s senses—the smell of decay, unwashed bodies, and hopelessness.

Qin Yang seemed long accustomed to it; she didn’t even furrow her brow.

Lining the roadside were beggars and vagrants huddled on tattered straw mats. Some were alone, curled into balls against the cold; others had entire families clinging to them. Their eyes were dull, devoid of light.

Qin Yang moved among them with grace. She didn’t throw the stones; she placed them.

She calculated quickly, giving each person fifty Spirit Stones.

Surprisingly, there was no chaos. The beggars did not fight or scramble. They stayed quietly in place, watching her with reverence, waiting for her to approach.

After receiving the Spirit Stones, every beggar kowtowed deeply, their foreheads touching the dirty ground in gratitude.

After the distribution was complete, there were still stones left in the ring.

Qin Yang simply packed them up, seemingly intending to distribute them to other impoverished households hidden within the city’s cracks.

“Robbing the rich to aid the poor—you are truly a righteous hero,” Han Lie praised sincerely. He gave her a thumbs-up.

It wasn’t just empty praise.

Throughout the journey, Han Lie had been observing her closely.

She was definitely not like the typical “chivalrous thieves” from stories who were born into poverty and stole out of necessity.

Qin Yang’s speech was refined, her posture regal. Her bearing exuded an elegance that only came from a noble, perhaps even aristocratic, upbringing. Her status within Qin Yang City was likely terrifyingly high.

For a poor man to steal for the poor is understandable; they share the same struggle.

But for someone of high birth—someone who has never known the bite of hunger—to risk everything for these ants? That required a level of awareness and empathy that was almost non-existent in this dog-eat-dog cultivation world.

“You flatter me too much,” Qin Yang said seriously, her smile fading into a solemn expression.

“I simply cannot bear to see the suffering in this world. I want to help them as much as possible.”

She looked at the beggars, her eyes soft. “My own abilities may be meager and limited. I cannot save everyone under heaven. But at least I can save some—isn’t that right?”

Han Lie nodded in agreement.

“Humans are naturally selfish creatures. For a fairy to possess such broad-mindedness… your awareness already surpasses ninety-nine percent of the people under heaven.”

After coming out with Zhuo Hongyi, Han Lie felt like he had finally met a normal person.

It felt somewhat unreal.

“Does that ninety-nine percent include yourself?” Qin Yang teased playfully, raising an eyebrow.

“Naturally,” Han Lie replied without hesitation.

He didn’t elevate himself to lofty heights. He knew exactly what he was. He was no gentleman, and certainly no hero. Based on his actions over the past few years, calling him a petty villain wouldn’t be excessive.

That was precisely why he admired selfless individuals like Qin Yang. They were light where he was shadow.

“Haha! Your character is even more straightforward than I imagined!”

Qin Yang laughed, a sound of pure delight.

“I’ve seen too many hypocrites—utter scoundrels who package themselves as benevolent, noble figures. In my life, I despise such people the most.”