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

Ji Chan’er scrutinized Qi Yuan with a probing gaze. She strongly suspected that his “capture” by this mysterious Chen Huai was a calculated move, likely hiding some deeper scheme.

However, she also knew the man in front of her. Without hard evidence, he would never admit to anything. Asking him was a waste of breath.

Deciding to let it slide, Ji Chan’er shifted the topic, her expression turning serious.

“Listen. I am currently competing for the position of Holy Maiden against the direct descendants of two other major families. The struggle for the throne has always been cruel and bloody. My rivals will stop at nothing. If you enter the Inner Sect now, you will inevitably be dragged into the crossfire.”

She leaned back, analyzing the situation.

“It is better for you to lie low in the Outer Sect for a while. The Blood Refining Peak was the most dangerous place there, but you’ve already… thoroughly cleaned it up.”

“Once news of this spreads, the name ‘Big Qi’ will shake the entire Outer Sect. No one will dare provoke you.”

“Furthermore, with Deputy Hall Master Situ personally delivering the verdict, the friends and relatives of the dead won’t have the guts to seek revenge. The Enforcement Hall would crush them if they tried.”

“So, ironically, you are safer staying in the Outer Sect.”

She paused, tapping a finger on her armrest. “The only potential threat is an Inner Sect Elder named Chi Yuting. Rumors say Chi Yinghu was his illegitimate son. It’s never been confirmed, but there’s no smoke without fire.”

Ji Chan’er furrowed her willow-leaf brows.

“However, Chi Yuting is a son-in-law who married into the Shen family. He owes his entire status to his wife’s clan, and as a result, he is terrified of her. Even if he has an illegitimate son, he wouldn’t dare acknowledge him publicly.”

“Regardless of the truth, I will have my clan elders pay him a visit. I trust he won’t be foolish enough to offend the Ji family over a dead, unacknowledged bastard.”

“Just don’t dangle yourself in front of him, and you should be fine.”

Hearing her meticulous planning for his safety, a warm current flowed through Qi Yuan’s heart. He smiled.

“I understand. But what about you? Are you confident about the Holy Maiden competition?”

He knew the Ji family was currently the dominant force in the Demonic Sect. As a Legacy Disciple and direct descendant, Ji Chan’er had a powerful safety net. Even if she lost, she wouldn’t die.

But this was a Demonic Sect. The philosophy here was ‘winner takes all, loser eats dirt.’ Failure often came with a heavy price.

As a man, Qi Yuan naturally didn’t want to see his woman lose.

Moreover, if Ji Chan’er secured the Holy Maiden throne, she would become a massive asset to him.

“Don’t worry.”

Ji Chan’er let out a haughty, confident laugh.

“This Seat has completely mastered the Thousand Illusions Heavenly Demon Body. Shen Xingxuan and Situ Yan are nothing but pretty flower vases. They are not my match.”

“When the Inheritance Hall opens in six months, I will crush all competitors and seize the Holy Maiden title in one fell swoop!”

Qi Yuan nodded, realization dawning on him.

No wonder the [Thousand Illusions Demon Eye] skill he had copied from her suddenly spiked in power. She had mastered the source physique.

The Thousand Illusions Heavenly Demon Body was the supreme ability of the Illusory Yin Heavenly Demon Scripture. At mastery, one could manifest thousands of incarnations and change forms at will. It was defensible and unpredictable.

With such a terrifying physique, Ji Chan’er was indeed qualified to stand toe-to-toe with the Holy Scions of the Seven Great Holy Lands.

Qi Yuan beamed at her, offering a shameless thumbs-up.

“Fairy Ji possesses peerless talent. You are truly wise and mighty. This Qi is filled with admiration.”

“Smooth talker.”

Ji Chan’er shot him a sideways glance, though the corners of her lips curled upward in delight. She leaned forward, her eyes bright with expectation.

“My family Ancestor’s grand birthday celebration is next month. You said you would prepare a gift. How is that coming along?”

“The Ancestor loves nurturing promising juniors. If you perform well and catch his eye, the benefits will be endless.”

Qi Yuan froze for a second, then quickly tried to backpedal.

“Fairy Ji, my cultivation is lowly, and I’m just an Outer Sect disciple. I’m afraid I’m not qualified to offer birthday congratulations to a Demon Venerable. Why don’t you do it on my behalf…”

“No!”

Ji Chan’er cut him off with a huff of anger.

“You heartless scoundrel! You took such huge advantage of This Seat, yet now you make excuses when I ask you to meet my elders? Unacceptable!”

“I’m telling you now: if you dare refuse, This Seat will never speak to you again.”

Seeing her genuine irritation, Qi Yuan could only smile bitterly.

“Alright, alright. I’ll go.”

If he had a choice, he would avoid a Demon Venerable’s birthday banquet like the plague.

The scene would be a gathering of ancient monsters and lunatics. If anything went wrong, there would be no road to heaven and no door to earth for escape.

But the enchantress had invited him multiple times. She clearly cared about this.

If he refused again, he’d be labeled a heartless jerk. That was a recipe for trouble on the home front.

Since she was his woman, he had to give her face.

Besides, with his new [True·Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing] talent, as long as he kept his head down, his identity shouldn’t be exposed.

“That’s more like it!”

Ji Chan’er’s face instantly flipped from anger to joy. She smiled charmingly.

“Relax. The Ji family isn’t a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den. We won’t eat you.”

“As for the gift… the Ancestor has been obsessed with ‘health preservation’ lately. Just give him some longevity pills or life-extending herbs. It’s the thought that counts.”

Health preservation?

Qi Yuan blinked in surprise.

A Great Ascension cultivator had already survived the Dao Tribulation. While not truly immortal, living for two or three hundred thousand years was easy.

Old Demon Ji was a peak Great Ascension monster. His lifespan should be immense.

He was only eighty thousand years old—young for his rank. Why was he worried about dying of old age? Was he injured?

Unlikely. He had just broken through to the peak and hadn’t fought anyone recently.

While Qi Yuan pondered the mystery, Ji Chan’er’s cheeks suddenly flushed pink. She spoke softly, a hint of shyness in her voice.

“You… should stay here tonight. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to the ancestral grounds to meet a few elders and stewards. That way, they won’t mistake you for a random intruder and kick you out during the banquet.”

Qi Yuan’s heart skipped a beat.

Is this… meeting the parents?

In the next moment, a pair of arms—fair as frost and smooth as jade—circled his neck. A scent like orchids and musk filled his nose.

Looking at the stunning beauty in his arms, a specific kind of hunger stirred in Qi Yuan.

A thought struck him. His eyes lit up with excitement.

“Fairy Ji… rumors say the Thousand Illusions Heavenly Demon Body allows you to create thousands of incarnations.”

He grinned, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“I am deeply curious about the academic applications of this technique. Why don’t you demonstrate it for me? Right now.”

Ji Chan’er’s face burned crimson. Her phoenix eyes, rippling like autumn water, glared at him with mock ferocity.

“Scoundrel! Don’t think This Seat doesn’t know what dirty thoughts are in your head!”

Despite the verbal protest, her body shimmered.

Space warped slightly, and her graceful figure split.

In the blink of an eye, three identical Ji Chan’ers stood before him. Each one was exquisite, their skin creamy and fragrant, indistinguishable from the original…