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

Damn it.

So, under the banner of ‘avenging me,’ you wiped out Jiao Guang along with his entire bloodline?

Hearing the grisly details, the corners of Qi Yuan’s mouth twitched violently. He had a sudden, overwhelming urge to kick Situ Yun—this self-proclaimed genius and absolute pig teammate—straight into the afterlife.

This guy wasn’t here to help; he was here to pour gasoline on the fire.

Thanks to this idiot, Qi Yuan’s reputation within the Sect was now irretrievable. From today on, he wouldn’t just be a killer; he’d be a maniac who exterminated entire families over petty grievances.

Treating human life like grass… truly worthy of a demonic sect.

Seeing Situ Yun still wearing an expression that practically screamed ‘Praise me!’, Qi Yuan had to physically restrain himself from throwing a punch. instead, he took a deep breath and spoke with deadly seriousness.

“I thank you. However, I am a man who prefers to take revenge with his own hands. In the future, please do not interfere in my business.”

The damage was done. Lectures were useless. He could only issue a stern warning to prevent this kind of brain-dead catastrophe from happening again.

Seeing that Qi Yuan’s reaction wasn’t the joyous gratitude he had expected, Situ Yun realized he might have misjudged the situation—his flattery had landed squarely on the horse’s leg.

He nodded awkwardly. “I understand. I was too hasty this time. Next time, I will capture the offender alive and deliver them to you bound and gagged. You can dispose of them however you see fit.”

Internally, however, Situ Yun was engaging in some profound self-reflection:

This Big Qi… he really is a talent valued by the Young Miss. He’s a ruthless, vicious man who repays the slightest grievance with extreme severity.

Looking back, my method of dealing with Jiao Guang was too ‘gentle.’ A quick death didn’t satisfy him.

A man with such deep-rooted demonic nature would want to savor the kill. He would want to skin them slowly, dismantle their bones, extract their souls, and refine their spirits in the fires of hell. A simple beheading deprived him of that pleasure.

Having reached this terrifying conclusion, Situ Yun decided to steer clear of such thankless tasks in the future.

In terms of sheer cruelty, I am far inferior to this natural-born calamity star…

Meanwhile, Qi Yuan was rubbing his temples, fighting off a migraine.

Damn, you still think there will be a next time?

Facing such a delusional fanatic, Qi Yuan felt a wave of exhaustion. He kept his expression dark.

“Brother Situ, please get straight to the point. What brings you here today?”

Situ Yun snapped out of his reverie, quickly adjusting his expression to a beaming, ingratiating smile.

“We share a bond forged through life and death, Brother Qi! If not for you stepping forward to save me, I would have long perished at the hands of those hypocritical Daoists.”

“I should have come earlier to express my gratitude, but I was tied up with mundane affairs. Today, I finally cleared my schedule to pay you a visit.”

With a flourish, he produced a Storage Ring from his sleeve and placed it gently on the table.

“A small token of my appreciation. I hope you won’t disdain it, Brother Qi.”

As an old hand in the political arena, Situ Yun knew the art of bribery.

Capable men often had high opinions of themselves. If he tried to buy Qi Yuan’s loyalty outright using the Situ family’s name, it might backfire, wounding the man’s pride.

Instead, Situ Yun chose the emotional route. He would frame it as a gift between brothers, establishing trust first. Once the hook was set, he would slowly reel him into the Situ family’s camp.

It was a slower method, but far more stable. By the time the target realized what was happening, they would already be tied to the Situ family war chariot.

Sure enough, Qi Yuan swept his Divine Sense over the ring. His eyes flickered for a fraction of a second before returning to a mask of indifference.

“Brother Situ, you are too polite. You already repaid the debt by recommending me for the Inner Sect. There is no need for such a generous gift.”

Situ Yun laughed heartily. “Brother Qi, accept it without worry! This is just a small gesture from your older brother. You’ve just entered the Outer Sect; your wings are not yet full. These resources will help supplement your cultivation.”

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “And not just this time. From now on, a similar package will be delivered at regular intervals. Consider it fuel to help you soar like a dragon entering the sea.”

The Situ family wants to recruit me.

Realizing this, Qi Yuan felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

What is wrong with the values in this Demonic Sect?

From an outsider’s perspective, he was a homicidal maniac who had slaughtered an entire peak on his first day. Yet, instead of punishment, he was being aggressively headhunted by a major noble clan. It was as if he had performed a great public service.

In a righteous sect, he would be facing an inquisition. Here, he was getting a salary bump.

After a moment of contemplation, Qi Yuan nodded and pocketed the ring.

“Since Brother Situ is so sincere, I would be rude to refuse.”

He didn’t need the resources, but he needed to stabilize Situ Yun. Rejecting the gift would signal hostility, or worse, independence—which the Situ family would see as a threat.

Of course, with the Ji demoness involved, he couldn’t actually side with the Situ family. That would be betrayal.

Wait.

Qi Yuan shuddered, suddenly catching himself.

Bah! I am the Holy Scion of Tai Xuan! A disciple of the righteous path! I can’t rely on the Ji Clan either!

I’m supposed to be destroying these people, not picking a favorite faction!

At the same time.

The Ji Clan Ancestral Land.

In the solemn, majestic main hall of the Clan Leader’s residence, a middle-aged man sat upon a throne of black sandalwood. He was lean, dressed in wide robes, and held a white jade brush suspended over a golden booklet.

He had a high nose bridge and narrow, predatory eyes. Within his pupils, faint threads of crimson swirled like blood in water, giving him an eerie, sinister aura.

This man was Ji Yuntian, the helmsman of the Ji Clan.

“Reporting to the Clan Leader,” a respectful voice called from outside the hall. “The Eldest Young Master requests an audience.”

Ji Yuntian didn’t look up. He continued writing, his voice flat.

“Let him in.”

Moments later, Ji Shijie hurried into the hall, bowing deeply beside the desk.

“Greetings, Father.”

Ji Yuntian raised an eyebrow, his pen pausing. “Shijie? Why are you so flustered? Where is your composure?”

Ji Shijie dared not waste words. He produced the diamond-shaped object from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

“Father, the incomplete game you sent over… it has been solved. This item was revealed from within the chessboard.”

“What?! Solved?!”

Ji Yuntian’s mask of indifference shattered. He stood up abruptly, knocking his chair back as he strode down from the dais to snatch the object from his son’s hands.

He had sent the game to Ji Shijie only as a last resort—a ‘dead horse as a living doctor’ attempt—because his eldest son was obsessed with chess. He never expected results.

“It really is…” Ji Yuntian’s fingers traced the patterns on the artifact, his eyes gleaming with joy. “This is the material!”

“Since the Ancestor brought that chessboard back ten thousand years ago, generations of our clan have exhausted their minds trying to crack it. It has sat in the vault gathering dust for eons.”

He looked at Ji Shijie, a rare expression of approval on his face. “I only brought it out on a whim during an inventory check. To think you would actually solve it in just a few days! You have surprised me, my son.”

“Actually… it wasn’t my credit.”

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Ji Shijie didn’t dare claim false glory. He quickly explained, “It was a subordinate of Chan’er. He discovered that the pieces were arranged for a game called ‘Connect Five’…”

“Connect Five?”

Ji Yuntian listened to the explanation, his brow furrowing. His joy evaporated, replaced by cold suspicion.

“This Outer Sect Disciple you mentioned… can he be trusted?”

Ji Shijie’s heart seized.

He knew his father. Ji Yuntian was paranoid and ruthless. He would never allow an untrustworthy outsider to hold knowledge of clan secrets—even accidentally.

If Ji Shijie hesitated for even a second, Big Qi’s life was forfeit.

The thought flashed through his mind, but his face remained like stone. He answered without a tremor.

“This is the first time Chan’er has ever brought a subordinate home to meet her parents. It proves this person is her absolute confidant. He is completely trustworthy!”