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

After a moment of silent contemplation, Ji Yuntian narrowed his eyes. He had made his decision.

“Since he is Chan’er’s subordinate, leave him to her. Let her manage him herself.”

Currently, Ji Chan’er was the junior he held in the highest regard within the entire clan. Barring any unforeseen accidents, his direct granddaughter had a high probability of ascending to the position of Saintess within half a year. Her future was boundless; she represented the very destiny of the Ji family.

If this outsider truly was a trusted confidant relied upon by Ji Chan’er, and he—as her grandfather—rashly purged him, it would inevitably breed resentment. It might even cause his granddaughter to become estranged from the family. It would be a move where the losses far outweighed the gains.

Standing to the side, Ji Shijie breathed a visible sigh of relief. He cupped his hands and bowed deeply.

“Thank you, Father, for your understanding.”

Ji Yuntian nodded slightly, his expression shifting to one of gravity as he continued.

“About ten thousand years ago, a Supreme Elder of The Saint Sect discovered a ruin from the ancient Primordial World era deep within the Funeral Immortal Valley. It appeared to be the meditation site of a mighty figure from that lost epoch.”

“After discovering the site, that Supreme Elder attempted to enter. However, at the entrance, he found three strange artifacts blocking the way: an incomplete chess game, a statue, and a stone slab covered in bizarre symbols.”

“These three items were clearly trials deliberately left by the ruin’s master. Only those who could solve them would be qualified to enter and obtain the Fated Chance within.”

“That Supreme Elder spent three full months pondering them, yet failed to solve a single riddle. In a fit of rage, he decided to rely on his overwhelming cultivation to force his way in. The result? He triggered a terrifying restriction and barely escaped with his life, returning severely injured.”

Funeral Immortal Valley?

A Primordial World ruin?

Ji Shijie was startled. He had evidently never heard of this secret before.

The Xuanmeng Great World contained three locations recognized by all cultivators as perilous forbidden lands: the Funeral Immortal Valley, the Endless Sea Dragon Palace, and the Ghost Weeping Ridge.

Each forbidden land was shrouded in mystery and fraught with incomprehensible dangers. Those with insufficient cultivation who dared to enter faced a situation of “nine deaths and one life”—survival was a statistical anomaly.

As one of the three great forbidden lands, the Funeral Immortal Valley was rumored to be an ancient battlefield from the Primordial World era. Its internal laws were chaotic, heavenly secrets were obscured, and the air itself was thick with strange taboos.

Even cultivators at the Dao Integration realm could perish instantly if they were careless. There were even records of Great Ascension realm powerhouses vanishing inside without a trace.

Of course, great risks signified rich Fated Chances. This attracted wave after wave of death-defying cultivators who swarmed the valley like moths to a flame, searching for treasures left behind by the fallen.

As Ji Shijie’s thoughts swirled, Ji Yuntian turned his gaze toward the Floating Ao Palace, his voice slow and heavy.

“That Tribulation Crossing realm Supreme Elder succumbed to his injuries not long after returning to The Saint Sect. But before his death, he reported the existence of the ruin to the Sect.”

“In the ancient Primordial World era, immortals and mortals coexisted. Legend has it that the deepest reaches of the Funeral Immortal Valley contain the cave dwellings of true Immortals. Naturally, this report immediately drew the attention of the three Demon Venerables.”

“After a conclave—which included our Ji family’s Ancestor—the three Demon Venerables ventured into the Funeral Immortal Valley together and successfully located that remote ruin.”

“Unexpectedly, the restrictions guarding the ruin were of an astronomically high level. Even the combined might of three Demon Venerables could not break them. In the end, they were forced to use brute force just to retrieve the three test artifacts.”

“Later, the incomplete chess game fell into the hands of our Ji clan. The Situ family obtained the statue, and the Shen family took possession of the mysterious stone slab.”

“Now, our Ji clan’s puzzle has finally been solved. If we can find a way to acquire the items held by the other two families, perhaps there is real hope of seizing the Fated Chance inside that ruin.”

Speaking to this point, Ji Yuntian raised a brow. He looked at the diamond-shaped artifact in his hand with a thoughtful expression before issuing a low command.

“Go and call Chan’er. I have a task to entrust to her!”

Ji Shijie was stunned for a moment, then bowed respectfully.

“As you command, Father.”

Meanwhile.

Blood Refining Peak.

Just as Qi Yuan was preparing to see his guest off, Situ Yun seemed to recall something. He turned back, feigning a casual tone.

“Brother Qi, I heard that True Disciple Ji specially came to Blood Refining Peak to see you. I’m curious… what exactly is your relationship with her?”

Qi Yuan chuckled. He looked Situ Yun in the eye, his expression calm and composed, and delivered the lie with absolute conviction.

“To be honest, Fairy Ji and I are Dao Companions. In other words… she is my woman.”

“Ah?”

The expression on Situ Yun’s face instantly froze.

Wait, what did I just hear?

Ji Chan’er is his woman?!

After a moment of shell-shocked silence, Situ Yun snapped back to reality. He looked at Qi Yuan, his eyes filling with a bizarre mix of horror and admiration.

You don’t even need to think about it—this kid is bragging without a draft!

Truly a promising seedling of The Saint Sect. So unrestrained! So arrogant! To actually have the guts to lust after Ji Chan’er publicly.

Not only does he shamelessly consider himself Ji Chan’er’s Dao Companion, but he also says it out loud without a care in the world. He really doesn’t know how to write the word “death”!

Ji Chan’er was the direct daughter of the Ji clan and one of the four great beauties of The Saint Sect. Her status was noble, her beauty peerless. Within the Sect, she had armies of admirers, both overt and covert.

And this ‘Big Qi’? He was merely an Outer Sect Disciple from a laborer background who had been a Novice for exactly two days. Yet, he dared to spout such astronomical bullshit.

I really respect you as a man!

If these words were to spread, never mind Ji Chan’er herself—her fanatical pursuers alone would tear Qi Yuan into bite-sized pieces before feeding him to the spirit beasts.

Daring to covet Ji Chan’er just after entering The Saint Sect… I dare not even imagine what crimes he’ll commit in the future.

Thinking of this, Situ Yun couldn’t help but cough lightly. He adopted an earnest, elder-brotherly tone.

“Alright, Brother Qi. I understand that you harbor… feelings of admiration for True Disciple Ji. But you really shouldn’t say such things out loud casually. It is very easy to invite trouble.”

He didn’t offer this advice out of the kindness of his heart. He did it because his family had tasked him with recruiting this guy.

If the recruitment target got himself killed by an angry mob of simps, wouldn’t that make him, Situ Yun, look incompetent?

Currently, Qi Yuan was his only hope for a turnaround within the family. He couldn’t let his ticket to success die over a delusion of romance.

“Uh… right. Thank you for the reminder.”

Qi Yuan couldn’t be bothered to explain the nuances of his convoluted acting to this guy. He nodded perfunctorily. “If there’s nothing else, Brother Situ should hurry home. You wouldn’t want to get lost after dark and miss your cultivation time.”

“Right, right.”

Hearing the clear intention to see the guest off, Situ Yun quickly stood up. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to add one last hook.

“Take good care of yourself, Brother Qi. If anything comes up, come find your Big Brother in the inner sect.”

After leaving Blood Refining Peak, Situ Yun checked his surroundings to ensure he was alone. He immediately pulled a communication spirit talisman from his storage bracelet and lowered his voice.

“Reporting to the Eldest Miss. This subordinate has completed the investigation. That Big Qi harbors deep feelings of admiration for Ji Chan’er.”

“He is completely infatuated with her beauty. He actually claimed to my face that Ji Chan’er would be his woman sooner or later. It is evident that he is a lecherous and lustful individual.”

“To win over this youth… perhaps a beauty trap would be the most effective strategy.”

Moments later, a sweet, pleasant voice drifted from the spirit talisman.

“You have done very well. Continue interacting with him under the guise of friendship. Upon returning to the clan, This Seat will reward you heavily.”