Is It Wrong to Bully the Novice Village for System Rewards?

Inside the meditation chamber.

Qi Yuan sat cross-legged, his aura deep and abyssal. Chilling winds swirled around him as restless shadows danced on the walls, seemingly filled with countless wailing, drifting wraiths that exuded an unspeakably cold and eerie presence.

Not long after, the strange phenomena in the room ceased abruptly. Qi Yuan slowly opened his eyes, a faint, ghostly glint flashing through his pitch-black, profound pupils.

The so-called Soul Tracing Technique was a method of capturing a deceased person’s soul using their corpse, remains, or a close blood relative as a medium.

Though it sounded mysterious and treacherous, it was actually one of the most foundational ghostly arts within the Nether River Cult, hardly considered a profound or secret technique.

After spending several hundred Counterattack Points, he had finally mastered this art, refining it to a state of perfect, seamless mastery.

Huu—

Confirming that the technique would have no negative backlash on him, Qi Yuan exhaled a breath of turbid air. He then opened his Talent Interface to inspect his newly acquired talent: [Moocher’s Might].

The next moment, he saw two glowing names beside the new talent:

Ji Chan’er, Bai Xirou.

Just as expected.

This brain-dead System completely ignored reality. It had firmly decided that its “trash” Host was currently at the early Foundation Building stage. Therefore, even Bai Xirou, who was at the peak of Foundation Building, was marked as bindable.

Not only that, even Ji Chan’er had been added to the list. It seemed the System still recognized that demoness as his Dao Companion.

Qi Yuan shook his head with a wry smile.

This was actually a good thing. At the very least, it lowered the restrictions for using the talent considerably. Otherwise, with his actual mid-Nascent Soul cultivation, neither woman would have appeared on the list.

[Ji Chan’er]: Strongest Current Divine Ability — Thousand Illusions Demon Eye. This ability can see through illusions and confusion, bewitch minds, and suppress various illusory spiritual entities.

[Bai Xirou]: Strongest Current Divine Ability — Frost Thorn Blade. This ability unleashes an ice-attribute blade during combat to pierce the enemy…

“Bind Ji Chan’er.”

As the thought settled, he felt a warm current flow into his eyes. Threads of purple patterns began to weave and spread within his pupils, forming countless bizarre, inscrutable runic scripts.

In just a moment, the dense demonic patterns in Qi Yuan’s eyes receded and vanished, his gaze returning to normal.

After briefly testing the effects of the Thousand Illusions Demon Eye, he felt even more satisfied.

This Divine Ability was extremely practical. If used properly, it could serve as an excellent trump card.

Even more broken was the fact that, after binding, the power of the Thousand Illusions Demon Eye he wielded was perfectly synchronized with Ji Chan’er’s own mastery.

If Ji Chan’er’s cultivation increased in the future, this ability would strengthen accordingly. Qi Yuan wouldn’t need to lift a finger to enjoy the upgrades.

“Although it’s called ‘mooching’… it sure tastes delicious…”

Qi Yuan muttered with a complicated expression. He then retrieved a Celestial Zenith Body Tempering Pill from his storage space and swallowed it.

Instantly, pure and surging medicinal energy swept through his body, frantically tempering every inch of his flesh, blood, meridians, and bones…

That night.

Reed River City. The Wang Family Estate.

After the Wang Family’s extermination, even the surviving clan members had fled the city. Coupled with rumors of the mansion being haunted, even beggars dared not approach, leaving the massive estate to fall into complete ruin.

Though located within the city, the area around the estate was desolate and silent, devoid of any living breath.

Bang!

The tightly shut courtyard gate was kicked open by Lucky Li, kicking up a cloud of dust.

He stuck his head inside to look around, then turned to the group behind him.

“This is the Wang Family estate. Hundreds of people used to live here, but now, the tree has fallen and the monkeys have scattered. Not a soul remains.”

Qi Yuan nodded and asked casually, “Where’s Richie Zhang? Why didn’t he come?”

Lucky Li gave an awkward laugh. “Holy Scion, Senior Brother Zhang starts trembling the moment he hears the word ‘ghost.’ If he saw this place, he’d probably have another relapse. So…”

“Alright, I get it. Let him rest.”

Qi Yuan immediately expressed his understanding.

It seemed the incident where a ghost harvested his vital essence had left a massive psychological shadow on Richie Zhang. He wouldn’t be walking out of it anytime soon.

Hearing this, Piao Genshuo, standing nearby, perked up with curiosity.

“How did Junior Brother Zhang—a perfectly fine Inner Sect disciple of the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary—end up in such a state? What exactly did he go through?”

“Last time I asked, he just collapsed into the brothel madam’s arms and sobbed. I thought he was just trying to cop a feel…”

Before he could finish, he saw Qi Yuan cast a sharp, unfriendly glance his way. Piao Genshuo shrank his neck and shut his mouth instantly.

After the morning’s sparring match, he had been thoroughly beaten into submission. He knew this pretty-boy Supreme Mystery Holy Scion fought like a god of war when he got serious. He truly couldn’t handle another round.

Just as the flames of gossip were about to die out, Lucky Li quietly shot him a meaningful look. A sneaky voice transmission drifted into his ear:

“You don’t know? Last time, Senior Brother Zhang…”

Holy sht!*

After hearing the transmission, Piao Genshuo sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. He subconsciously tightened his belt, muttering to himself:

“I didn’t realize Junior Brother Zhang was such a tragic figure. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have fought him for the madam earlier…”

“Xirou, let’s go.”

Qi Yuan couldn’t be bothered with these two clowns. After confirming the location, he led Bai Xirou straight into the hidden underground cavern Wang Tiande had used for his evil arts.

The piles of corpses within the cavern had been cleared, but the air still hung heavy with a cloying stench of decay—cold, rotting, and filled with resentment… like a corner of the Nine Nether Hells.

Upon arrival, Qi Yuan sealed the entrance with a restriction. He then took Wang Tiande’s severed head from his storage bracelet and placed it on the ground.

Muttering incantations, he swiftly used spirit stone powder to draw a complex, bizarre array on the floor. The entire process flowed like moving clouds and flowing water, executed with a proficiency that suggested he had done this thousands of times.

Soon, Yin energy swirled along the array lines, black mist rose, and wisps of obscure, ominous gray threads extended from the severed head, shooting into the void in all directions…

Junior Brother Qi is a Holy Scion of a righteous sect… why is he so skilled at summoning souls?

Witnessing this scene, which was somehow both harmonious and jarringly wrong, Bai Xirou couldn’t help but let her mouth hang open in shock.

Before long, a dark, shadowy figure was dragged back by the gray threads to the center of the array, hovering in mid-air.

The figure was a disheveled, pale, emaciated old man with high cheekbones and sunken cheeks—identical to the head on the ground. It was none other than the Wang Family Ancestor, Wang Tiande.

At this moment, the ghost looked around in confusion. When its gaze fell upon the two living people, a terrifying crimson glint flashed in its eyes.

It roared hoarsely, “I don’t want to die… Quick! Give me your bodies! Give them to me and I can live!”

It lunged forward, but the gray threads bound it tightly, rendering it immobile.

After wandering for so long, Wang Tiande’s soul had lost most of its memories, retaining only a sliver of obsessive desire for life.

“Eldest Senior Sister, this old monster killed two Falling Cloud Valley disciples who came to investigate the case. Why don’t you strike him first? Consider it vengeance for them.”

Qi Yuan didn’t even look at the ghost, turning instead to Bai Xirou.

He hadn’t forgotten the System’s requirement: Defeat Wang Tiande with the help of Bai Xirou. Given the System’s petty nature, Bai Xirou had to participate in the kill, or this whole effort might be for nothing.

Bai Xirou, who knew the victims, immediately reddened her eyes. Without hesitation, she drew her sword and thrust it fiercely at the trapped spirit.

“Die, you old thief!”

“Ahhh!!!”

The sword, infused with True Essence, easily pierced the spectral body. The shadow within the array trembled violently, on the verge of dissipation.

“Don’t kill me! Spare me! I’ll submit! I can make you immortal too…”

Sensing imminent destruction, Wang Tiande’s soul finally panicked, wailing and begging for mercy.

Qi Yuan ignored it completely. He casually flicked a finger.

A flash of golden light erupted. The soul in the array was instantly annihilated, scattering into specks of spiritual light before vanishing completely.

[Ding! Congratulations Host on completing the mission…]

Hearing the System notification, Qi Yuan finally relaxed. He raised a hand to destroy the array, then removed the restriction at the entrance.

As the two walked out of the cavern, Lucky Li hurried over.

“Holy Scion, why did you seal the door? We wanted to help but couldn’t get in. Is it done?”

“It’s handled,” Qi Yuan replied casually. “Go do your thing. We’re heading back to the Sanctuary.”

To the side, Piao Genshuo peered suspiciously into the dark cavern.

“Junior Brother Qi, I swear I saw a mass of black energy in there just now. Is there still something evil lurking inside?”

Qi Yuan smiled faintly, his tone absolutely certain.

“You’re seeing things. That wasn’t black energy. It was clearly Purple Aura so dark it looked black—Primordial Purple Qi. Just the thing for vanquishing evil.”