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

Chapter 212: Heavenly Dipper Spirit-Binding Array, Activate!

“Let’s set off right now!”

After finalizing their grand heist, the old ginseng triumphantly flicked its sleeves, ready to lead its army of grass spirit dolls on a glorious charge toward the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary.

Seeing this, Qi Yuan hastily reached out and grabbed it. “Hold on, Gang Leader. The Supreme Mystery Sanctuary is a top-tier powerhouse in this realm, and the Spirit Medicine Garden is a heavily restricted zone. Their Formations make the Alchemy Saint Sect look like a child’s sandbox. The only way in is to sneak through the underground earth veins.”

He paused, offering a self-deprecating sigh. “But do not forget, my body is merely mortal. I simply cannot withstand the suffocating, turbid qi of the deep underground. How about I wait here for your triumphant return?”

As he spoke, he pulled a parchment map from his sleeve and pressed it into the old ginseng’s hands. “I’ve drafted a highly detailed map pinpointing the exact location of the medicine garden. Follow this, and you’ll find your target with zero resistance.”

Truthfully, the Heavenly Dipper Spirit-Binding Array was already primed and waiting at the Sanctuary. Several Dao Integration realm elders were currently camping there, waiting to catch a rabbit by a tree stump. The moment these weeds stepped foot into the garden, they’d be bagged in one fell swoop.

Since the trap was perfectly set, he couldn’t be bothered to keep up the act. He still had a mountain of chaotic Demonic Sect chores to deal with.

The old ginseng squinted at the map. Its tiny beady eyes brightened. “Our Chief Strategist even prepared this? Excellent! You’ve considered every angle of this operation. Good, very good!”

Thrilled by this “impeccable” planning, the old plant decided to stop holding back. It thumped its chest proudly. “I am born of heaven and earth, gathering the essence of the sun and moon! With this Gang Leader here, what is a little turbid earth qi?”

The old ginseng pinched one of its root-whiskers, gave it a sharp yank, and pulled it out with a crisp snap. Instantly, the severed whisker transformed into a thick, golden ginseng root. A heavy, intoxicatingly rich medicinal fragrance immediately flooded the cavern.

Qi Yuan merely took one whiff and instantly felt as though he was floating on clouds, his entire body thrumming with euphoric comfort as if he’d just consumed an immortal fruit.

But a second later, things went horribly wrong.

A massive, terrifying surge of pure vitality and blood qi detonated inside his veins. His skin flushed violently, turning the dark red of a boiled shrimp, and thick steam began rolling off his shoulders. His body swelled painfully, feeling like an overinflated balloon about to violently pop.

Squirt. A sudden heat flared at the tip of his nose, and two streams of blood shot out like a broken dam.

Seeing the human suddenly geysering blood, the old ginseng realized its mistake and hurriedly slapped a seal onto the golden root, locking away the overwhelming majority of its medicinal power.

It took Qi Yuan a massive amount of effort to suppress his boiling blood. Panting, he wiped his face, his eyes wide with lingering horror. “What… what the hell was that?!”

The old ginseng scratched its head awkwardly. “Ah, my bad. This root came directly from my main body. Deputy Leader, your cultivation is a bit too low, so it’s perfectly normal that your mortal body couldn’t handle the raw vitality.”

Qi Yuan’s expression darkened into a thundercloud.

If you knew that, why didn’t you seal the damn thing immediately?! Were you trying to assassinate me with a vegetable?!

Seemingly sensing Qi Yuan’s murderous internal rant, the old ginseng chuckled and puffed out its chest. “Don’t worry, Strategist! My main body’s roots are priceless treasures. I wouldn’t just give them to anyone! Just from those few breaths you took, you’ve added at least a century to your lifespan!”

It held out the golden root. “Furthermore, as long as you hold this root, the fiendish qi in the earth veins won’t even touch you. I’ll teach you an Earth Escape technique right now. You’ll be swimming through dirt like the rest of us in no time.”

It suddenly leaned in, its voice turning grave. “Just remember—under absolutely no circumstances should you actually swallow this root. You will explode and die instantly.”

Hearing this, Qi Yuan’s annoyance vanished, replaced by sheer joy. It felt like a massive meat pie had just dropped from the sky into his lap.

He had been jealous of the plant spirits’ burrowing abilities for a long time. If he could become Proficient in this, it wouldn’t just be an elite escape tool; it would be perfect for specific heists.

For example, stealing the immortal cauldron fragment from the Ji Clan’s treasure vault. Originally, he had planned to wait until he fully subdued the old ginseng and force it to help. Now, he could just do it himself!

Thinking of this, he snatched the ginseng root, his eyes practically gleaming with dollar signs as he stared at the old plant—not as a sentient being, but as an untapped gold mine.

The old ginseng remained completely oblivious to his greedy gaze. “Here is the incantation for the Earth Escape technique. Memorize it for now. You won’t have time to fully comprehend it tonight, so this Gang Leader will personally tow you through the earth…”

As it spoke, it relayed the esoteric chants to Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan immediately sat cross-legged. As he listened to the chanting, he didn’t bother waiting to comprehend it naturally. He opened the System interface and triggered an Epiphany.

After burning through a few thousand counterattack points, the esoteric knowledge fused into his brain. In roughly ten breaths, he opened his eyes, a satisfied smirk touching his lips. He was now fully Proficient in the Earth Escape technique, his mastery matching that of these naturally gifted plant spirits.

“Gang Leader, I’ve mastered it. Let’s go.”

Qi Yuan eagerly stood up. A faint, earthy glow enveloped his body, and he soundlessly sank directly into the solid rock floor.

“Wow! The Deputy Leader is so amazing!”

“He learned the Earth Escape technique so fast! Was he a worm in his past life?”

Marveling at his speed, the old ginseng and the grass spirit dolls eagerly dove into the ground after him, embarking on their grand crusade toward the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary.

A short while later.

The Supreme Mystery Sanctuary’s Spirit Medicine Garden.

Bright moonlight spilled over lush, emerald-green terraced fields. The air was thick with the rich, intoxicating scent of vibrantly growing spiritual herbs.

Suddenly, over a dozen sneaky silhouettes popped out of the soil, darting directly into the shadows cast by the large leafy branches overhead.

Finding the area completely deserted, the grass spirit dolls let out muffled cheers. They began rolling around in the nutrient-rich soil like ecstatic puppies, playing and giggling without a care in the world.

The old ginseng wasn’t idle either. It pinched a clump of dirt and sniffed it deeply. It beamed at Qi Yuan. “The Deputy Leader was right! This is the weakest point in the garden’s defenses. Not a single human patrol in sight. This heist is practically guaranteed!”

Qi Yuan offered a polite, professional smile. “Time is of the essence. Let’s stick to the plan before our luck runs out.”

“The Deputy Leader speaks reason!” The old ginseng waved its stubby arm. “Little ones, enough playing! It’s time to work!”

Qi Yuan watched the overly enthusiastic Grass Spirit Gang get into position. For a brief moment, he fell silent.

Honestly, he reasoned with himself, it’s better for them to put down roots here. Being imprisoned in the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary beats getting chucked into a boiling cauldron by some random rogue cultivator.

Sure, scamming a bunch of gullible vegetables was a little immoral. But look at the big picture! I’m practically running a plant sanctuary. This keeps their dangerous little burglary ring off the streets so they can’t harm innocent people.

Besides, the absolute strongest alchemist in the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary is only Heaven-rank. They don’t even have the technical qualifications to refine ten-thousand-year Medicine Kings…

Having thoroughly cleansed his conscience, he didn’t hesitate for another second. He decisively crushed the jade talisman hidden in his palm.

Heavenly Dipper Spirit-Binding Array, activate!