Volume Two: The Life of a Bandit Chapter Three: Robbery

“Greetings, Great King!” More than a dozen people simultaneously prostrated themselves before Qin Si, their reverence so profound that Qin Shuang nearly dropped his jaw in astonishment.

“Rise, all of you,” Qin Si said, his gaze sweeping over the group with satisfaction. These were all beast immortals, some ascended from the lower realms, others native to the Divine Realm, their cultivation mostly at the lower Divine God level, with only one or two reaching the mid Divine God realm.

“Listen carefully,” Qin Si continued, pointing to Qin Shuang at his side. “This is my younger brother. From today onward, he is your Second King. His words carry my authority. Do you understand?”

“We understand. Greetings, Great King! Greetings, Second King!” the group responded, bowing once more, showing no objection to Qin Si’s declaration.

“Big Brother, I never expected you to be so commanding,” Qin Shuang said, caught between amusement and disbelief at the scene before him.

“Heh, Little Shuang, I know you’re reluctant to ask Father for a good weapon, so you’re still using a mid-grade divine artifact. When you were an Immortal Emperor, a mid-grade artifact was acceptable, but now you’re a mid Divine God. You ought to have a top-grade heavenly artifact to match your cultivation,” Qin Si said, grinning mischievously.

“Well… I was actually planning to ask Father for one…” Qin Shuang replied, looking innocent. He had intended to wait until his cultivation broke through to the upper Divine God realm before requesting a top-grade heavenly artifact from his father, but evidently, Qin Si misunderstood.

In the past, Qin Shuang indeed disliked asking Qin Yu for weapons. Yet now, with his cultivation advancing rapidly and the upper Divine God realm within reach, requesting a top-grade artifact from his father wasn’t shameful.

“Ah…” Qin Si was momentarily surprised, then laughed. “No matter. Isn’t it more satisfying to obtain one yourself?”

Qin Shuang pondered this. “It is, but Big Brother, you’re not planning to steal a top-grade artifact, are you?”

“You surely don’t expect me to forge one myself,” Qin Si retorted with disdain.

He turned to his followers. “Any of you know who in these cities possesses a top-grade heavenly artifact?”

The group hesitated. Even in the Divine Realm, such artifacts were exceedingly rare, made only by a handful of master craftsmen.

“Great King, Second King!” one mid Divine God’s eyes lit up. “Perhaps there weren’t any before, but now there is. In the past thousand years you’ve been away, a man named Ou Yeyu arrived on Demon Island. He’s a master craftsman, they say. Though making a top-grade artifact takes time, I suspect he has one. We can simply take it.”

“Ou Yeyu, is it?” Qin Si smiled slyly, muttering, “Unlucky fellow.”

“Which city does he reside in?” Qin Si asked.

“In Linghai City, I believe,” the mid Divine God answered respectfully.

“Linghai City. Good. Come, Little Shuang, let’s go.” Qin Si seized Qin Shuang and flew toward Linghai City.

“Big Brother, are you really sure about robbing someone?” Qin Shuang hesitated. Even in the lower realms, he rarely took others’ possessions without cause.

Moreover, a top-grade artifact was priceless to others, while he could receive one simply by asking.

“This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. Besides, your big brother is a bandit on Demon Island. If I don’t steal, what’s the point?” Qin Si said.

“Well… fine.” Qin Shuang was speechless, but he conceded. His brother was right; even stolen goods felt more rewarding if won by one’s own hand.

Linghai City lay on the fringe of Demon Island, its population numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Of those, only a little over a hundred had achieved the Divine God realm, and just two were upper Divine Gods, one of whom was the newcomer Ou Yeyu.

Years ago, Ou Yeyu encountered Qin Yu while forging a top-grade artifact for Huangpu Yu at the Brilliant Gold Mountain in the East. In the ensuing contest, he was utterly defeated by Qin Yu’s superior craftsmanship, prompting him to leave Thunder Punishment City and seek materials to further his art. Recently, near North Sea Demon Island, he discovered a mineral suitable for top-grade artifact forging and settled in Linghai City.

With only two upper Divine Gods in the city and Ou Yeyu having arrived recently, the brothers easily located his residence.

Ou Yeyu lived humbly, his abode less grand than even a lower Divine God’s mansion—a far cry from his former quarters in Thunder Punishment City.

“Is this really the master craftsman’s estate?” Qin Si asked in disbelief, eyeing the modest courtyard, wondering if he'd been misled.

Qin Shuang too was puzzled; surely even a high-grade divine cultivator would live better than this.

“Ou Yeyu has become quite modest,” Qin Si remarked, stepping forward and pushing open the gate.

The courtyard was tiny, the single house taking up nearly half the space. Qin Si strode inside, with Qin Shuang following close behind.

But as they set foot in the courtyard, the surroundings changed dramatically—the space expanded, stretching endlessly, the house vanished, leaving only emptiness.

“An array…” Qin Si smiled faintly. For him, such formations were trivial. Not only Ou Yeyu’s, but even those that once trapped upper Divine Gods, like Qin Yu’s, were now powerless against him. With countless drops of primordial water, Qin Si’s mastery of spatial laws had reached terrifying heights.

A golden spear appeared in his hand. With a casual swing and a single word, “Break,” the entire array collapsed, disintegrating instantly.

Qin Shuang was still trying to puzzle out the array’s mechanics when the illusion dissolved.

“Big Brother, you’re too quick! Even spatial collapse isn’t this fast,” Qin Shuang exclaimed. Though only a mid Divine God himself, his puppet had reached the upper Divine God realm, so he understood the principle of spatial collapse.

“Spatial collapse?” Qin Si scoffed. “That’s a minor trick. For arrays like this, I can break as many as I wish with a wave of my hand.”

Qin Shuang could only marvel. He knew Qin Si brute-forced the array with primordial water space, but despite explanations, the method eluded him. Clearly, it was unique to Qin Si.

“Who’s visiting?” Before the brothers could enter the house, Ou Yeyu appeared in the courtyard, frowning at the ruined formation.

“An upper Divine God using spatial collapse to break a fourth-level array—not remarkable,” Ou Yeyu commented, unperturbed. After all, only someone like Qin Yu could use formations to confine upper Divine Gods.

Still, reconstructing the array would take several hundred years.

“I am Qin Si, and this is my brother, Qin Shuang,” Qin Si announced, seeming nothing like a robber.

“What brings you two here?” Ou Yeyu asked, wary of trouble from a mid and an upper Divine God.

“Nothing much. We heard you’re a master craftsman and want a top-grade heavenly artifact,” Qin Si said nonchalantly, prompting Qin Shuang to silently lament his brother’s suitability as a bandit.

Ou Yeyu frowned. Even Divine Kings treated master craftsmen with respect.

“If you prepare the materials, I’ll forge a top-grade artifact for you in three thousand years,” Ou Yeyu said, keeping his composure. He preferred not to invite trouble.

Qin Si dug at his ear, replying with arrogance, “Uncle, do you hear me? We’re here to rob you. Gather materials and wait three thousand years? Do you take us for fools?”

Ou Yeyu’s expression darkened, about to flare up, when a voice sounded from above. “Which ignorant brat dares to rob Master Ou’s home?” As the words faded, a middle-aged man in pale blue robes descended into the courtyard.

“A Divine King!” Qin Si’s heart skipped a beat. Who would have thought a Divine King resided on this remote island?

“Sulian Divine King,” Ou Yeyu greeted the newcomer with a bow.

“No need for formality, Master Ou. How is the top-grade artifact I commissioned?” Sulian asked politely. In the Divine Realm, master craftsmen were treasured.

“It’s ready. I’ll fetch it now.” Ou Yeyu replied, glancing at Qin Si and Qin Shuang and quietly asking, “Sulian Divine King, what about these two?”

Sulian understood, smiling, “An upper and a mid Divine God? Leave them to me.” He turned, his expression cold, facing the brothers. “You two dare to rob Master Ou’s home? You’re bold indeed.”

“With Sulian Divine King present, we won’t rob today,” Qin Si shrugged, unconcerned.

“Not robbing?” Sulian sneered. “You two, state your names.”

Qin Si grinned. “I am Qin Si, and this is my brother, Qin Shuang.” He answered without fear, indifferent to leaving his name.

“Qin Si…” The middle-aged man trembled, eyes widening in shock. “Did you say Qin Si?”

“Yes, that’s me. Is there a problem?” Qin Si asked, arms folded, smiling.

“Qin… Qin Si…” Sulian stammered, cautiously inquiring, “Mist… Mist City… are you the son of Lord Qin Yu?”

“Yes. But you haven’t answered—what’s the problem?” Qin Si pressed.

“N-nothing…” Sulian replied awkwardly. Just then, Ou Yeyu returned with a blue long blade, respectfully handing it to Sulian. “Sulian Divine King, here is the top-grade artifact you requested. It took two thousand seven hundred years.”

“Ah… ha ha…” Sulian did not take the blade. Instead, he began laughing inexplicably, unsettling Qin Si, Qin Shuang, and Ou Yeyu alike.

“Sir, since these young men are so sincere, why not give the blade to them?” Sulian said after his laughter, startling everyone.

Ou Yeyu was puzzled, holding the blade, unsure whom to give it to.

Qin Si and Qin Shuang were equally confused, unaware of Mist City’s status in the Divine Realm.

Seeing Ou Yeyu hesitate, Sulian took the blade, handing it to Qin Si. “Young friend, this blade is inferior to Lord Qin Yu’s primordial treasures, but since you came to rob a top-grade artifact, take it as a token.”

Sulian’s words made everything clear: his sudden change of attitude was due to their father.

“Big Brother, let’s go,” Qin Shuang sighed. “We don’t want the blade.”

Qin Si understood his brother’s thoughts, and did not accept the blade from Sulian. Turning away, they left Linghai City and Demon Island.

On the journey, Qin Shuang said nothing, flying in silence, not returning to the mountain on Demon Island, but heading straight for Mist City.

Within the Zixuan Residence, Qin Shuang knelt before Qin Yu and Jiang Li. Jiang Li was utterly bewildered, while Qin Yu felt a faint sense of foreboding.

“Father, Mother…” Qin Shuang bowed his head. “I wish to ask you for something.”

(To be continued)