Dual Cultivation System: The Villainous Servant’s Rise

“How did it go?” Han Lie raised an eyebrow, his expression calm.

“My father was very pleased and agreed immediately. He wants us to marry as soon as possible. However, I told him you’ve already returned to the sect to deal with urgent matters, so we’ll have to discuss the date another time,” Qin Lianyi said succinctly, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“That’s for the best,” Han Lie nodded, a weight lifting from his shoulders.

He really didn’t have time to play the role of a Royal Son-in-Law right now. If he delayed his return to the Heavenly Void Sect much longer, Ye Qingxuan might come looking for him personally. Dealing with that ice-cold master would be far harder than handling a mortal emperor.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

Qin Lianyi wasted no more time. She produced two sets of form-fitting night clothes from her storage ring. The two of them quickly changed, the dark fabric blending perfectly with the deepening shadows.

“Who is the target tonight?” Han Lie asked. Now that he was dressed for the part, a flicker of excitement stirred in his blood.

“Follow me and you’ll find out. I’ve already identified the prey,” she replied, her voice low and mischievous.

That night, Han Lie and Qin Lianyi moved like phantoms through the wealthy districts of Qin Yang City.

They struck three times. Three wealthy merchant homes, known for their exorbitant exploitation of the common folk, were stripped of their liquid assets. With Han Lie’s profound cultivation and Qin Lianyi’s intimate knowledge of the city’s layout, they moved unopposed. Guards were bypassed, formations were slipped through, and treasury locks were shattered silently.

From this venture, they obtained over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

They didn’t keep a single stone. Instead, they moved to the slums, distributing the wealth to those shivering in the cold.

Seeing the shock turn to tearful gratitude on the faces of the impoverished families filled Han Lie with a strange, foreign warmth. It was a deep sense of accomplishment, distinct from cultivation breakthroughs or conquering enemies. Only now did Han Lie truly understand the exhilarating romance of being a chivalrous thief, like the heroes in the mortal tales he had read a lifetime ago.

By the time they finished distributing the last of the Spirit Stones, it was already late into the night.

Han Lie, still buzzing from the experience, leaped lightly onto a rooftop, surveying the quiet city below.

“Daoist Han, since you’re a disciple of the Heavenly Void Sect, why don’t I sense any aura of an evil cultivator from you?” Qin Lianyi asked, landing softly beside him. She looked at him with genuine curiosity.

“That’s because you haven’t seen my evil side yet,” Han Lie retorted, twisting his face into a deliberately sinister expression to scare her. “It’s just that here in the Great Qin Dynasty, I’m alone. I don’t dare to be too conspicuous.”

“Really? Why don’t I sense it at all?” Qin Lianyi was half-convinced and half-doubtful.

She had encountered evil cultivators before. They invariably carried a cold, blood-soaked aura, a stench of cruelty that made their nature obvious at a glance. But Han Lie was different. Though he hailed from the notorious demonic Heavenly Void Sect, he exuded the upright, ethereal air of an orthodox immortal sage.

“Heh, just keep that impression of me then. I suspect you probably don’t like evil cultivators much,” Han Lie shrugged, dropping the act.

“Yes, that should be obvious from what I do,” Qin Lianyi didn’t deny it. As a princess who spent her nights robbing the rich to feed the poor, how could she possibly align with those who harvested souls for power?

Suddenly, Qin Lianyi’s expression hardened.

“Someone is watching us!”

She frowned slightly, a dangerous, sharp glint flashing in her beautiful eyes.

“Hmm, I noticed,” Han Lie murmured, glancing sideways without turning his head. He had felt a prickle on his skin from the beginning, a subtle dissonance in the night air. Now, he could confirm it—eyes were indeed tracking them from the shadows.

“Shh, don’t make a sound.”

Han Lie made a silencing gesture, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“They might be after me.”

In the capital of the Great Qin Dynasty, no one would dare harbor ill intentions toward Princess Qin Lianyi unless they had a death wish. The answer was clear: the rats in the shadows were hunting him.

“Your enemies?”

“Probably. They should also be from my Heavenly Void Sect.”

“What’s going on?” A flicker of confusion crossed Qin Lianyi’s face.

“It’s a long story. Tomorrow, use your network to investigate whether any other disciples from the Heavenly Void Sect have recently entered Qin Yang City besides me and Zhuo Hongyi.”

“If there are, then that’s them.”

Han Lie’s mind worked quickly. His enemies within the sect were undoubtedly from the Overlord Hall. He knew Old Ghost Black Sha, the Hall Master, was a man who held grudges like treasures. With such a perfect opportunity—Han Lie and Zhuo Hongyi isolated from the sect’s protection—how could the old ghost let it pass?

Qin Lianyi nodded slightly, her eyes narrowing.

Then, pretending ignorance, Han Lie and Qin Lianyi split up, vanishing into the night as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room at a secluded inn in Qin Yang City.

Five figures sat in silence.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a sharp, hawk-like nose. His aura was restrained but dense—a peak Golden Core cultivator. He was none other than Ye Lang, the direct disciple of the Overlord Hall’s Master and the Senior Brother of the Hall.

“Senior Brother Ye Lang, we can’t easily take action within Qin Yang City. The Imperial Guards are everywhere. Are we just going to keep watching him?” one disciple asked, his voice thick with impatience.

“See? Getting impatient again,” Ye Lang said calmly, taking a sip of tea. “I’ve already contacted Young Master Mu Feng. He is very willing to help us eliminate Han Lie.”

“Mu Feng? The son of the Minister of War?”

“Exactly,” Ye Lang gave a sinister smile, a cold, predatory killing intent flashing in his eyes. “Han Lie must pay for the lives of Junior Sisters Cai Zhen and Yunxia!”

“Yes! He must pay in blood!”

“Hmph! Once he falls into our hands, I’ll sever his tendons and hang him on a cliff edge. I’ll make him watch as eagles eat his flesh bit by bit! Otherwise, I am not a man!”

“……”

The other four disciples echoed his sentiment, their faces twisted with shared hatred.

Cai Zhen and Yunxia were not only talented; they were beauties of the sect. Most of these disciples had held secret affections for them. Knowing that Han Lie was responsible for their deaths was a humiliation they could not swallow.

“Senior Brother Ye Lang, do we have a specific plan?” someone asked eagerly.

“Naturally!” Ye Lang slammed his cup down. “Haven’t we already confirmed that he stole Spirit Stones from three residences tonight? As long as we pass this information to Young Master Mu Feng… he’s doomed!”

Ye Lang sneered. “In the sect, he has the Law Enforcement Hall protecting him… Let’s see who will protect him here, under the laws of the Great Qin!”

“Brilliant! Senior Brother Ye Lang is brilliant!”

The disciples’ eyes lit up immediately.

“The soldiers in Qin Yang City wouldn’t dare arrest Princess Qin Lianyi, but would they hesitate to arrest an insignificant rogue cultivator like Han Lie?”

“Exactly. When the evidence is solid, even Princess Qin Lianyi won’t be able to save him!”

They knew everything—the thefts, the distribution, the recipients. Once they collected the stolen Spirit Stones from the poor as evidence, the trap would be undeniable. Breaking into homes for theft was a capital offense under Great Qin law, especially in the famously orderly capital.

Early the next morning.

Ye Lang and his group set out, confident and ready to spring their trap.

However!

Just as they stepped out through the inn’s main door, the heavy clatter of armor surrounded them. A squad of fully armed city garrison soldiers blocked every exit, their spears gleaming in the morning sun.

The leading officer, a stern man with a scar across his cheek, pulled out several portraits. He compared them one-by-one against Ye Lang’s group, his eyes cold and professional.

He waved his hand sharply.

“That’s them. Take them away!”

“Wait!”

Ye Lang shouted loudly, raising his hands to interrupt the soldiers’ advance. He looked at the officer, forcing a calm demeanor.

“Sir officer, may I ask what crime have we committed? We are law-abiding visitors!”