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

Chapter 185: Old Fart, You Want an Acting Battle?

“So, he’s a strict carnivore.”

Hearing this, the crowd of Spirit Grass dolls finally relaxed, their gazes shifting from fear to curiosity.

Lord Ginseng rose from his grand master’s chair, made a show of patting non-existent dust from his brocade robes, and slowly sauntered over to Qi Yuan. He scrutinized the human for a long moment before sighing with emotion.

“You have a conscience, kid. You know how to cherish Spirit Grass. It’s a crying shame there aren’t more humans like you—ones who don’t refine pills and don’t eat vegetables. If everyone was like you, our Spirit Grass Clan wouldn’t be in such a wretched state.”

At this point, his tone suddenly shifted from melancholic to enraged. His face flushed with grief and indignation.

“Especially those damned Alchemists! I don’t know which son of a bitch invented the cruel method of using sentient grass to make pills, but they are devoid of all morality!”

“Countless Spirit Grasses are thrown alive into furnaces, refined into ash! Even our dregs are mixed together and swallowed by evil humans!”

Lord Ginseng grew more agitated as he spoke, spitting on the ground in disgust.

“My eldest grandson… he hadn’t even taken human form yet when he was plucked by a human! Now, there’s no trace of him. No body to bury, no spirit to mourn. I fear he has already met a terrible end!”

He suddenly raised a clenched fist, tears streaming down his face as he shouted to the group of dolls:

“Children! Tell this human! What is the slogan of our Spirit Grass Clan?”

The response was immediate and thunderous. Including the Phantom Star Herb, every doll pumped their fist and screamed in unison:

“Spirit Grass Lives Matter!”

“Exactly!”

Lord Ginseng nodded heavily, continuing his impassioned speech.

“To save our clan, we must identify our enemies! The Alchemists are the worst, followed closely by those bald monks who preach compassion but eat nothing but vegetables! We Spirit Grass are at war with them!”

Qi Yuan listened, caught between laughter and tears.

So, not only is alchemy banned, but being a vegetarian is a war crime now?

The problem was, using Spirit Grass for alchemy was the natural order of the cultivation world. Every Alchemist did it; every Cultivator relied on it. Unless every cultivator in the world dropped dead, stopping the use of Spirit Grass was an impossible pipe dream.

Under the Heavenly Dao, all beings were equal. Evil cultivators used humans for pills; humans used grass for pills. Plants weren’t inherently nobler than people. Why couldn’t they be refined?

Although he scoffed at their slogan internally, Qi Yuan had no intention of arguing. Instead, he adopted a righteous expression.

“As a human, I deeply sympathize with the plight of the Spirit Grass Clan. Your demands are legitimate, reasonable, and just. I support you fully!”

Hearing this, Lord Ginseng was overjoyed. He grabbed Qi Yuan’s hand, shaking it vigorously.

“I knew it! You truly are a friend of the Spirit Grass. Since that’s the case, I have a task for you. Go and persuade those human Alchemists. Tell them to stop using Spirit Grass for pills immediately.”

“Also, your meat-only diet is excellent. If you could convince more humans to be picky eaters like you, that would be even better…”

Qi Yuan was speechless.

Persuade them? Persuade my ass!

I was just paying lip service, and this old root actually climbed up the pole? He’s delusional!

Qi Yuan wasn’t the President of the Alchemist Association. If he walked up to a bunch of Alchemists and told them to stop using herbs, he’d be drowned in spit before he finished the sentence. Offending the entire Alchemist community for the sake of a sixth-rate thief gang was pure retardation.

Seeing Qi Yuan hesitate, a flash of disappointment crossed Lord Ginseng’s face. He seemed to lament that this young man wasn’t as easy to fool as he hoped.

“Don’t worry,” the old ginseng added slyly. “As long as your actions yield results, our Spirit Grass Clan won’t treat you poorly!”

“This…” Qi Yuan hesitated. “I’m afraid it will be very difficult.”

“Hmph!”

Lord Ginseng snorted, his face turning hostile.

“You’re making excuses for such a simple matter? Was everything you just said a lie?”

“And here I thought you were different. Turns out you’re just another cunning, deceitful human brat. If you keep dragging your feet, don’t blame Lord Ginseng for turning nasty!”

Qi Yuan’s expression darkened slightly, and a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes.

Fuck.

Old fart, you want to have an acting battle?

Fine. I’ll play you off the stage.

Qi Yuan suddenly straightened his posture. His expression shifted from hesitation to solemn, intense gravity.

“Elder Ginseng, you have misunderstood this Junior’s intentions.”

“This Junior believes… that you have not yet truly grasped the long-term nature and the cruelty of this struggle. Do you honestly believe that I, one single human, can change the fate of the Spirit Grass Clan by simply ‘asking nicely’?”

“No!”

Qi Yuan’s tone was sharp as a blade. “Alchemists need Spirit Grass. Spirit Grass does not want to be refined. This is an irreconcilable contradiction!”

“To resolve such a massive conflict, how can we place our hopes on the Alchemists suddenly growing a conscience? That is naive!”

This sudden outburst left the grass dolls bewildered. Even Lord Ginseng was stunned. “Then… what should be done?”

Qi Yuan didn’t answer immediately. He swept his gaze across the room, his eyes burning with revolutionary fire.

“This Junior believes that this goal can only be achieved through resolute struggle! Only by showing the Alchemists the ironclad determination and power of the Spirit Grass Clan can we force them to abandon their wicked ways!”

“Of course, this path is arduous. We must unite all the flowers, plants, and trees under the heavens! We must form a united front to struggle together! Only then is victory possible!”

He looked at the dumbfounded spirits, his voice dripping with encouragement and expectation.

“I believe that all of you are exceptionally talented. You are destined to be the great heroes who liberate the Spirit Grass Clan!”

Silence.

Then—

“Well said! It seems I misunderstood you!”

Lord Ginseng trembled with excitement, his blood boiling at the sheer scale of the vision.

“I’ve decided! Starting now, we will establish the Spirit Grass Gang! We will lead all the Spirit Grass in the world to resist those evil Alchemists!”

“Great! Our people are saved!”

“I’ll join!”

“Me too! Count me in!”

The underground cavern erupted in cheers. The dolls danced and waved their hands, eager to rush out and fight the Alchemists for three hundred rounds.

Qi Yuan watched them, the corner of his mouth twitching imperceptibly.

Plant spirits really were simple-minded. Even this shrewd-looking old ginseng was half-baked. You draw them a picture of a giant pie in the sky, and they believe they can eat it.

Qi Yuan could already see the outcome: A group of brainwashed plants marching out to start a revolution, only to be immediately captured and turned into soup. The Alchemist Association would laugh themselves into a coma.

Lord Ginseng raised his hand, silencing the clamoring children. He looked at Qi Yuan with burning admiration.

“Young Friend Qi is a true talent. We have been enlightened. From this day forth, you are the Deputy Gang Leader and Military Advisor of the Spirit Grass Gang. Please, do not decline!”

Deputy Gang Leader and Military Advisor?

Qi Yuan paused. He was about to wave his hand and refuse, but a strange thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

He smiled, bowing deeply.

“Thank you for your appreciation, Elder Ginseng. This Qi will certainly not let you down.”