She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar

Just as the lead cultivator was about to unleash his magical artifact and Yan Luoyue’s hidden Palm Thunder was moments from detonating, a streak of multicolored silk swept in from afar, firmly inserting itself between the two parties and halting the explosive confrontation.

In that split second, the silk arrived first, followed by a sharp command—a clear, melodious woman’s voice rang out from a distance.

**“—Stop this at once!”**

Following the vibrant silk upward, a woman descended gracefully.

Her beauty was striking, with eyes that sparkled with charm and a pair of delicate, water-colored lips pressed tightly together, exuding an air of formidable authority.

Upon seeing her, the lead cultivator visibly furrowed his brow but still bowed respectfully.

**“…What brings you here?”**

**“Running rampant in Ruyi City, and now you dare question my presence?”** The woman arched an eyebrow. **“Do I not have the right to intervene?”**

The lead cultivator inhaled sharply, lowering his already-bowed frame even further.

**“I wouldn’t dare. Since you’ve personally come, we naturally wouldn’t overstep. But this brat provoked our young master earlier—I must at least return with an answer. May I ask where he’s earned your favor?”**

The woman smiled softly, like spring blossoms unfurling, and pointed lightly at Yan Luoyue. **“You may report back to your young master that I have questions for him.”**

**“…Understood.”**

Straightening up, the lead cultivator gestured sharply, and the lackeys surrounding Yan Luoyue immediately withdrew.

Before leaving, the man turned and gave the cloaked stranger a long, penetrating look—cold as a blade, weighing, threatening.

*Yan, Two, Locust.*

That name was now etched in his memory.

Even if this reckless fool escaped today, there was no hiding from what would come.

With the lead cultivator gone, the woman’s smile warmed slightly. She turned to Yan Luoyue, her voice softening. **“Now then, you—”**

Her words froze mid-sentence.

Wait—what was she seeing?

The mysterious, cloak-draped figure—whose tall, elegant silhouette and face-obscuring hood had exuded an air of refined intrigue—

Had just spun on his heels and bolted for the city gate without a second thought!

If not for the name he’d given earlier, the way he hiked up his robes and sprinted like a windmill in motion would have made her suspect he was an ostrich spirit in disguise.

The woman: **“…”**

*What in the—why are you running?! Do you have any idea how badly this ruins the mystique?!*

Yan Luoyue couldn’t care less what the stranger thought. Everything she did was perfectly justified—after all, she was just a little tortoise baby.

…Okay, joking aside.

Mainly, the anti-scam lessons drilled into her by her brothers during the last Talent Convention still echoed in her mind.

This woman and the lead cultivator were clearly acquainted. Given how effortlessly she’d dismissed that crafty old fox, they were probably in cahoots!

Yan Gan had covered this exact scenario—it was likely a *two-part swindle*, a classic “good cop, bad cop” routine!

*This little tortoise isn’t falling for it!*

Just as Yan Luoyue was about to slip past the city gates, a bemused figure stepped into her path.

**“Ah… would you mind pausing for a moment?”**

The speaker, with his neatly trimmed beard and familiar voice, was none other than the manager of Zhaoxin Pavilion.

**“…”**

Yan Luoyue gave him a silent glance. Behind the shadow of her hood, her expression relaxed slightly as she skidded to a stop.

**“What do you want?”**

The enemy of her enemy was a friend. Compared to the enigmatic beauty, the manager’s intervention—clearly under threat from the Lu family—seemed far more trustworthy.

The manager offered a conciliatory smile. **“My apologies for the fright. That lady is a guest consultant of our shop. I humbly requested her assistance to defuse the situation.”**

Glancing around, he added politely, **“This isn’t the place for discussions. Might I invite you to our establishment for tea?”**

The tea was premium *Kunshan Spirit Tea*, paired with an array of eighteen exquisite pastries freshly delivered from the neighboring shop.

Seated across from Yan Luoyue was the ever-polite manager of Zhaoxin Pavilion, his demeanor radiating deference.

The beautiful woman who’d intervened had vanished after her brief appearance at the gates, her departure as efficient as a clocking-out office worker—seemingly just there for the job.

Despite witnessing the cloaked figure’s undignified sprint, the manager’s courtesy never wavered.

And there was good reason for such VIP treatment.

—Fifteen minutes earlier, before finalizing her purchase, Yan Luoyue had shown the shop assistant a *gilded wooden token* entitling her to a 20% discount.

The token’s serial number instantly flagged her as a *top-tier guest*—one the manager had explicitly ordered his staff to serve with the utmost care.

As Yan Luoyue left after paying, the assistant rushed to report the news to the manager.

The shopkeeper wasted no time and immediately gave chase, only to find Yan Luoyue already encircled by the Lu clan's henchmen. In a moment of urgency, he swiftly sent a voice transmission to the stunning woman, calling for reinforcements.

The entire sequence unfolded in the blink of an eye—no longer than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.

Yan Luoyue listened patiently as the shopkeeper rambled on with his attempts to establish a connection, quickly piecing together an absurdly amusing realization.

This proprietor of Zhaoxin Residence… seemed completely unaware that she was the same person as the little girl from before.

Not only that, but he appeared convinced that the cloaked figure and the young girl hailed from the same sect—and behind them stood an elusive, untouchable master craftsman.

As for why the cloaked figure couldn’t possibly be that master craftsman…

Well, have you ever seen a revered artisan, after being rescued, immediately hike up their robes and bolt like their life depended on it, running faster than a startled ostrich?

After brief consideration, Yan Luoyue decided to humor the shopkeeper’s assumptions.

“Hmm, that’s correct. So, what business do you have with me over tea?”

Hearing the cloaked figure confirm it outright, the shopkeeper’s heart swelled with a tide of joy, and his demeanor grew even more deferential.

Of course! If even a mere child could be so erudite, her master must be all the more formidable.

As for this “senior brother”… Well, though… *ahem*… though he might be excessively cautious, judging by the sheer volume of materials he had purchased, he was likely the mysterious artisan who had recently snatched the Lu clan’s orders right out from under Yijian Sect’s nose!

All three figures were undeniably skilled, and their identities mutually verified one another. For Zhaoxin Residence to forge ties with them—what a stroke of fortune!

Leaning forward slightly, the shopkeeper lowered his voice and made his request.

Yan Luoyue tugged her hood further down, repeating his final two words.

“*Cooperation?*” She reclined leisurely against the chair. “It’s not impossible. But tell me—who exactly do you wish to cooperate with?”

“Me? My junior sister? Or my *shifu*?”

Not that it mattered. No matter who he picked, the end goal was the same: dismantling the Lu clan’s influence.

The shopkeeper’s eyes flickered with hope, but he maintained a polite smile. “Whichever esteemed figure among you deigns to work with us, it would be an incomparable honor for Zhaoxin Residence. How could we possibly be so presumptuous as to *choose*?”

Beneath the cloak, Yan Luoyue smirked silently.

Not that choosing would’ve helped. After all, all three personas were played by one and the same—her.

It was like agonizing over whether to buy seeds from Taob○, Pinduod○, or Tmall○, only to realize they all shipped from the same supplier in Suqian.

This was a clean sweep—the seller wins all.

With effortless poise, Yan Luoyue asked, “What exactly does the shopkeeper hope to gain from us?”

Without hesitation, the proprietor replied, “Naturally, a high-tier artifact capable of solidifying our reputation—”

Before he could finish, the cloaked figure cut him off bluntly. “Hold on. What are the Lu clan’s core businesses?”

It wasn’t rudeness—she simply couldn’t let him finish that sentence.

Crafting high-tier artifacts required three indispensable elements: materials, skill, and a specialized flame—specifically, a *rare flame*.

Yan Luoyue had the expertise, and Zhaoxin Residence had the materials, but neither possessed a rare flame.

Moreover, her current cultivation had only just reached mid-stage Qi Refining. Her spiritual energy reserves were insufficient, which would inevitably affect the artifact’s quality.

But she couldn’t reveal such limitations.

After all—what kind of legendary, enigmatic master artisan *wouldn’t* have a rare flame?

Though interrupted, the shopkeeper showed no irritation.

“The Lu clan’s main revenue comes from storage pouches and quality blades. Our craftsmen can produce them too, but the Lu clan’s output is more consistent…”

Here, he sighed deeply.

If not for their superior blades, how could the Lu clan have secured Yijian Sect as their backer?

With the Lu clan monopolizing the lower-tier markets around Ruyi City, Zhaoxin Residence’s fortunes had dwindled year after year.

Ah, so standard storage pouches and low-tier blades?

*Now* they were speaking Yan Luoyue’s language.

Hidden beneath her cloak, her entire demeanor perked up, her face alight with mischief. *Revenge is a dish best served immediately.*

Taking a slow sip of tea, the cloaked figure chuckled.

“As I understand it, artifacts in the market generally follow a pricing rule—40% material cost, 30% crafting fee, and 30% retail markup. Correct?”

The shopkeeper nodded, puzzled as to why such a basic principle was being brought up.

Then, in the next breath, came the question:

“What if… the artisan forfeits 15% of their fee, and Zhaoxin Residence does the same? A 30% price drop, with quality *more* stable than the Lu clan’s—would that be enough to crush their arrogance?”

*What?* Such a thing existed?

Joy flickered across the shopkeeper’s face—only to freeze midway.

With a wry smile, he said, “Even if Zhaoxin Residence sacrifices 15% of our profits… where in the world would we find an artisan willing to settle for a mere 15% crafting fee?”

Generally speaking, hiring an artifact refiner would cost between thirty to fifty percent of the final product’s price.

For custom-made rare magical treasures, the refining fee could even exceed the material costs by a significant margin.

The shopkeeper had only ever heard of these rates going up—never down.

Yan Luoyue deliberately drew out her words, hinting, "Well, now you’ve encountered it."

Even though he had anticipated it, the shopkeeper was still overjoyed when his guess was confirmed.

He hurriedly asked, "Then, would you be willing to provide us with... no, no, I mean, could you connect us?"

In the shopkeeper’s eyes, even if this cloaked figure was a disciple of a renowned master, it was impossible for one person alone to refine such an enormous quantity.

Most likely, they were indignant at the Lu family’s arrogance and intended to rally their fellow refiners to crush the Lu family’s dominance.

But—even so, this was an opportunity he had previously only dreamed of!

The cloaked figure chuckled softly, neither confirming nor denying it.

Instead, they asked cryptically, "Well... have you heard of assembly lines?"

Without waiting for the shopkeeper’s response, the cloaked figure stood up and headed downstairs.

"Pick out a dozen high-quality spiritual flames and refining furnaces for me to take away."

The shopkeeper eagerly agreed, "Yes, yes, I’ll have the assistants select them right away."

These spiritual flames and furnaces would serve as part of the initial deposit. The remaining materials would be delivered at the Moonlit Market three days later.

After storing the items, Yan Luoyue quickly departed.

Watching the cloaked figure’s slightly hastened retreat, an assistant leaned closer to the shopkeeper and whispered,

"Boss, could we be...?"

Were they being scammed?

The shopkeeper shook his head. "Someone who can steal business from the Yi Sword Sect wouldn’t bother swindling us for a few measly spiritual flames."

He believed there must be a pressing reason behind the cloaked figure’s abrupt exit.

If Yan Luoyue had heard this thought, she would have praised the shopkeeper for his sharp insight.

Her haste, indeed, had a reason.

If she lingered any longer at Zhaoxin Residence, the effects of the Age-Increasing Pill would wear off.

She was afraid she might *plop* into her smaller form right then and there, setting the record for the fastest identity reveal in the cultivation world!

Yan Luoyue’s premonition proved correct.

Halfway back, she transformed from a mysterious cloaked figure into an adorable shrunken little turtle.

After changing clothes atop her crane’s back, Yan Luoyue tapped her chin thoughtfully before deciding on her next destination—the academy.

Yes, she was going to tattle!

Having mentally rehearsed the process, Yan Luoyue showed no trace of shame. Instead, she puffed out her chest proudly.

The Juvenile Turtle Protection Act clearly stated that if one encountered bullying outside school, they must report it to their teacher and parents.

Considering Sister Yu already had enough on her plate, involving her parents was unnecessary.

But when it came to subtly influencing Jiang Tingbai’s opinion of her opponent—ahem, seeking justice from him—Yan Luoyue had plenty of experience!

Upon arriving at the academy, she went straight to Jiang Tingbai’s resting quarters without pause.

When the door opened, Jiang Tingbai’s gaze lowered slightly, and a faint flicker of surprise crossed his eyes upon seeing Yan Luoyue.

"Weren’t you supposed to be—"

"That’s not important, Teacher." Yan Luoyue swiftly skipped over the inconvenient detail of her truancy. "There’s something I’m unsure about, so I came to seek your advice."

Jiang Tingbai smiled faintly and took a sip of tea. "What is it?"

Yan Luoyue scrunched up her soft, round face, her expression aggrieved (though she stopped short of actual tears).

"Teacher, I was almost kidnapped!"

With an almost imperceptible *crack*, a hidden fissure split the teacup in Jiang Tingbai’s hand.

"...Is that so?"

After listening to Yan Luoyue’s vivid retelling, Jiang Tingbai nodded thoughtfully.

"Ruyi City, the Lu family... I understand."

After a brief pause, he reached for a stack of spirit parchment nearby.

"Here, I’ll fold a messenger crane for you. If you encounter a similar emergency, you can use it to contact me."

This solution was certainly practical, but...

Yan Luoyue tilted her head. "Teacher, why not use a communication stone instead?"

A messenger crane had to physically travel from sender to recipient, whereas a communication stone delivered messages instantly.

Surely it wasn’t because Jiang Tingbai had a particular fondness for crafts?

At this question, Jiang Tingbai visibly hesitated.

He hinted with great subtlety, "I currently don’t have a communication stone on hand. You may have heard, their prices are somewhat..."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Well, today’s Teacher Jiang remained steadfast in his penniless persona!

The answer was so formidable it could slay gods and buddhas alike. Yan Luoyue’s expression twisted in pain as she covered her eyes, sucking in a sharp breath as if suffering from a toothache.

“Hiss… Sir, please let me give you a communication stone instead.”

In principle, Jiang Tingbai never accepted expensive gifts from his students.

But this time, it concerned a student’s safety, so Jiang Tingbai accepted the stone without hesitation.

After handing over the stone, Yan Luoyue’s breathing lightened, her sense of security skyrocketing to its peak.

Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at Jiang Tingbai, her youthful face blossoming into a radiant smile like spring flowers. In her mind, she vividly imagined the Lu Clan making another fatal mistake.

Eagerly, she asked, “Sir, does this mean that the next time those Lu Clan cultivators try to corner me unreasonably, you’ll descend from the heavens and split their manor in half with a single sword strike?”

If that were the case… to be honest, Yan Luoyue’s mischievous heart stirred with the temptation of baiting them into it.

Jiang Tingbai hesitated for a moment before replying honestly, “That might be… a little difficult.”

“…Oh.” Yan Luoyue obediently nodded.

Fine, then. She’d abandon the idea of baiting them.

But the next second, Jiang Tingbai added, “A sword technique like the one you described—descending from the sky—usually carries immense force. Conservatively speaking, it would likely split the Lu Manor into eight pieces.”

Yan Luoyue: “!!!”

What? Such a delightful outcome?

That’s even better.jpg.

Jiang Tingbai’s reassurance was like a stabilizing pill for Yan Luoyue.

Beaming, she turned to leave, only to be stopped by Jiang Tingbai’s voice.

“Sir?” Yan Luoyue blinked in confusion. “Is there something else?”

“Mn.” Jiang Tingbai nodded slowly, steering the conversation back to where it had begun.

“Did you skip class today?”

Yan Luoyue: “…”

Oh no.

After all that circling, he still hadn’t forgotten about her truancy!

Meanwhile, in another part of the story—

While Yan Luoyue sat miserably gnawing on her brush, slogging through her punishment of copying texts and waiting for Sang Ji and Yan Gan to finish class, the young master of the Lu Clan’s study was shrouded in an ominous storm.

Earlier, Lu Jindu had listened to his chief cultivator’s report on the incident.

When he heard about the beautiful woman who had suddenly appeared and interfered, his expression darkened, his brows knitting into a deep frown.

“…Why her?”

He didn’t actually expect an answer.

Before the chief cultivator could respond, Lu Jindu waved his hand dismissively. “Never mind. Continue.”

“Yes.” Sensing Lu Jindu’s foul mood, the chief cultivator hurried on. “Though he escaped by sheer luck, we now know the name of that insolent artifact refiner who dared provoke us.”

Lu Jindu sneered. “Good. What’s his name? Is he male or female? What’s his background?”

The chief cultivator answered truthfully, “His name is Yan Erzha, a male, likely from the grasshopper demon race, around twenty years old.”

Pausing for a moment, he recalled the ridiculous sight of the cloaked refiner sprinting away before they retreated and confidently added, “Definitely no older than thirty.”

“Good. Very good.” Lu Jindu nodded. “Your efficiency remains impeccable. Proceed with the investigation based on these leads.”

……

Yan Erzha. Male. Grasshopper race. Under thirty.

With these four precise details, tracking down that insignificant troublemaker should be as easy as plucking a fruit from a tree or following a map, right?

At first, both Lu Jindu and his chief cultivator thought so.

Until the chief cultivator discovered that while the logic was sound, the execution… encountered some unexpected complications.

For instance, the surname “Yan” was extremely common among the demon races of Yunning Great Marsh, with many surrounding clans using it.

Among grasshoppers and locusts, for example, over two-thirds of their populations bore this surname.

The chief cultivator: “…”

Upon hearing this report, he stiffened in his seat.

“Wait… grasshoppers and locusts are different?”

His subordinate answered earnestly, “They supposedly split from the same lineage years ago, like distant cousins—sort of like turtles and green-headed turtles?”

The chief cultivator’s face darkened, and he waved a hand. “…Understood. Continue.”

“Yes.” The subordinate continued, “The second issue—”

The second issue was that names like “Erma,” “Erzha,” and “Ermeng” were as common among grasshoppers and locusts as names like “Second Sister” were among humans.

Among them, "Er Zha" managed to monopolize two races simultaneously thanks to his formidable cross-species prowess.

The lead cultivator: "..."

Even someone as seasoned and composed as him couldn't help but grind his teeth and mutter, "...What a *creative* name."

What were his parents thinking? Did the fortune-teller predict at his birth that this little grasshopper descendant would inevitably face such a calamity?

Stealing a glance at the lead cultivator’s expression, a subordinate cautiously added, "There’s more..."

The lead cultivator frowned slightly. "How can there be *more*?"

Subordinate: "Well..."

"Fine, just say it!"

Bracing himself, the subordinate clenched his teeth, shut his eyes, and blurted it out.

Turns out, the third issue they faced was this: The locust/grasshopper clan typically laid between fifty to a hundred eggs at a time.

Lead Cultivator: "..."

And that wasn’t all. Rumor had it that the locust tribe was notoriously bad at math—a common affliction among demonic beasts.

But insectoid demons generally operated on a *base-6* numbering system. In other words, they grouped their offspring in sets of six, and in every batch of six children, one was inevitably named "Er Zha."

Lead Cultivator: "..."

At this point, he could no longer contain himself. He slammed the table and stood up.

"*Why* base-6?!"

Everything else was whatever, but this—this was beyond comprehension!

The subordinate hesitated. "Well... supposedly, it’s because most insectoid demons have six legs?"

Think about it—humans use a base-10 system because we have ten fingers, don’t we?

Lead Cultivator: "..."

That’s... bizarrely *deranged*.

And bizarrely *logical*.

But *goddammit*, how the hell is he supposed to track anyone down like this?!

Might as well just *die* trying!!!!!