Chapter Eighty-One: Basic Techniques

Ye Qiu remarked that this was all basic stuff—not worth such a fuss. Who was he, after all? A candidate for the protagonist’s role, no less.

“Heh heh… Not bad, not bad! With this new skill, I have yet another way to show off. I’m one step closer to becoming the main character,” he thought, secretly thrilled. Outwardly, though, he remained completely calm, as if nothing could rattle him in such a situation.

Holding a brush in hand, he stood atop the Sky-Swallowing Sparrow, looking down on all below, exuding the air of an immortal banished from the heavens. Magnificent—simply magnificent.

Through repeated practice, Ye Qiu had mastered the art of dramatic posturing, striking the perfect balance every time.

The crowd gazed up at the solitary figure in the sky and could not help but exclaim in admiration, “A celestial descended from above, peerless and solitary! What splendor…”

“This is a true immortal. The purity of his energy surpasses any other, and with that ethereal aura, I couldn’t believe he wasn’t an immortal even if I tried…”

“It’s terrifying, especially that moment when he wielded the brush and scattered ink. For an instant, I thought he was rewriting the laws of heaven and forging a new order. It’s hard to describe… it’s as if he is heaven itself—unique and irreplaceable…”

For a time, everyone was enthralled by Ye Qiu’s presence; no exceptions.

Moon Chan’s beautiful eyes curved as she smiled faintly. “You certainly know how to put on a show, don’t you? Look at them—all completely taken in by you…”

Ye Qiu broke into a cold sweat. Why did it feel as though he could hide nothing from this troublesome woman? After all his effort to craft a heroic image, she nearly ruined it with a single sentence.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” he replied stiffly, refusing to engage further lest she expose him as a mere mortal.

Moon Chan didn’t press him. She had considered, at first, exposing Ye Qiu’s every trick to settle old scores. But after thinking it over—well, never mind! He had saved her more than once, after all. She could forgive him this time.

“The Mountains and Rivers Society Map has now been transformed into a battlefield, with eight entrances established on the original bridge. These connect the void and the Great Wilderness, as well as various corridors beyond the periphery.

I truly don’t know how you managed it—opening portals to other realms and preventing outsiders from invading the Great Wilderness through other routes. Now, battles can be fought within the map itself; as long as we hold the exits, we can avoid being overrun.”

Her praise, though reserved, was never absent when it came to Ye Qiu. In truth, what piqued her curiosity most was how Ye Qiu managed to create cross-realm portals, drawing all beings into a single battlefield. Even the dark clans of the Boundary River had entrances within—meaning even in the river, there was a way into the map’s battleground.

Her words drew the attention of many. The elder from the Immortal Mountain Sanctuary, Elder Withered Wood, also asked in curiosity, “Indeed, senior, how did you do it?”

Many were eager to know Ye Qiu’s secret. Truth be told, Ye Qiu himself was just as curious. How had he managed it?

Well, honestly, he didn’t quite know. It felt as though fate itself had guided his hand—he had merely gone along with it.

But he couldn’t admit that. To do so would mean missing a valuable chance to show off. That would never do. For those who live to impress, every opportunity must be seized—wasn’t that what protagonists did?

He shot Moon Chan a sidelong glance and said, with utmost seriousness, “Ahem. Standard procedure. Nothing special. Pay attention and learn. This is just the beginning—you’ll see even greater feats soon enough.”

A mere battlefield space—nothing worth fussing over. Rather than worry about this, they’d do better to think about how to win the coming battles.

Say no more—this was Ye Qiu’s way: say half, show off, then leave. That was his code.

Imagine it: a man who had survived by lying low finally got a taste of the thrill of showing off. Would he give up that precious feeling so easily?

With the troubles in Chaotic Heaven resolved, Ye Qiu turned his gaze to the horizon. The duel between Liu Jianchen and the Elder Mechanist was drawing to a close. He had to admit, Liu Jianchen—forever the runner-up, always overshadowed by Moon Chan—was still a formidable force.

He was actually overpowering the Elder Mechanist?

“Senior, those two have fought for three days and nights without a clear victor. The Great Wilderness needs every hand right now—should we stop their duel?” someone suggested.

Ye Qiu glanced over—unsurprised. The speaker was from the Heavenly Mountain Sanctuary. Of course—seeing the Elder Mechanist at a disadvantage, now they petitioned for his life.

Ye Qiu sneered. “There’s no need…”

His meaning was clear: he would not intervene, nor did he want anyone else to.

Everyone present was a seasoned old fox and could see Ye Qiu’s clear bias toward Liu Jianchen. None dared object. The one who had spoken on the Mechanist’s behalf turned pale with anger but didn’t dare show it—after all, Ye Qiu was recognized as the foremost figure of the mortal world.

Ye Qiu’s words triggered a wave of speculation among the shrewder onlookers. “It seems this man really is the senior’s disciple; otherwise, why such favoritism? When Liu Jianchen was at a disadvantage, the senior intervened, but now, with the Mechanist losing, he forbids all interference.”

Though left unsaid, everyone understood Ye Qiu’s true intentions. Clearly, the Elder Mechanist was doomed.

“Ha, that treacherous old fox deserves it. If he lived, we’d never be able to fight wholeheartedly. How could anyone rest easy with such a backstabber lurking behind them?”

The crowd was more than happy to see the Mechanist fall at Liu Jianchen’s hands. Treacherous backstabbers like him were despised by all—nothing surprising about it.

Ye Qiu watched the two fight for a while longer, but as the battle dragged on with no end in sight, he lost interest.

“Forget it. Better to head back and find a way to plant those apples and peaches. Looks like they’re in high demand—this could be my chance to make a fortune…”

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. He’d always heard that war brought wealth. In the past, he hadn’t believed it, but now he did.

Once his apples and peaches were harvested, he’d be rolling in money. With the only tavern for miles, who else would get rich if not him?

“Heh heh… I’m going to strike it big! Besides fruit, I’ll have to forge a batch of weapons too. Once the war begins, it’ll be a windfall…”

Ye Qiu had it all planned out. He ordered the Sky-Swallowing Sparrow to return to the tavern.

Before leaving, he handed command to Elder Withered Wood—after all, the old man was the most powerful here.