Chapter 117: I Beg for Your Mercy, Eldest Brother

Bai Jing's storage ring contained only about two hundred spirit stones, along with enough cultivation resources to last a few months.

Immediately, Su Ji'an converted all the cultivation resources from the storage rings of both Bai Jing and Qiu Wanli.

He obtained over ninety thousand spiritual power points.

[Current remaining spiritual power: 186,535]

In addition, he gained over six thousand spirit stones.

This goes to show that Shen Qing'er's possession of over three thousand spirit stones was proof enough that she was no ordinary person.

Qiu Wanli had spent decades killing people and plundering treasures, yet he had only managed to amass six thousand spirit stones. Although he had turned a portion over to the Fallen Immortal Sect, what he kept for himself was certainly more than what he surrendered.

Su Ji'an did the math; adding in his previous holdings, he now had over fourteen thousand spirit stones.

This was no small sum. If he were to convert it all into spiritual power, it would amount to nearly three hundred thousand points.

However, Su Ji'an was in no rush to convert them. He had no urgent need to unlock anything, and once converted, spiritual power could not be changed back into spirit stones.

Subsequently, Su Ji'an issued a mission to the player Xianggu.

[Today, Su Ji'an has taken on a maid with boundless magic power; you may take the demon rat to visit her, perhaps you can uncover the secrets hidden within the creature.]

[Mission Reward: Ten Mysterious Essence Pills.]

[Mission Penalty: Deduction of twenty years of lifespan.]

Since Shen Qing'er had successfully mastered the soul-searching technique, she could also help investigate the secrets of the demon rat. He was quite curious about the creature's experiences; perhaps they contained critical information regarding that rift.

To facilitate easier movement, Su Ji'an had already broken through the wall between his own courtyard and Shen Qing'er's a few days prior.

As for Yu Ming, he had been instructed by Su Ji'an to keep a low profile and bury himself in cultivation. Yu Ming was not particularly bright—likely due to the nature of his original body—and even after having his soul replaced, his intellect showed little improvement. Shen Qing'er, however, seemed a bit too clever for her own good.

While Su Ji'an was deep in thought, Xianggu arrived in a hurry, clutching the demon rat.

Xianggu’s face was bitter, and his eyes were even brimming with tears of agitation. He finally felt that his suffering was about to end!

Su Ji'an looked slightly surprised. "What is wrong with you? Why such a face?"

Xianggu complained with a look of deep grievance, "Big Brother, this little brother is suffering! I implore you to have mercy—please, just take this wretched thing back! It eats far too much!"

All this time, he had either been looking for food for this beast or was on his way to find some. If he didn't provide it, the creature would squeak incessantly and even play dead. Xianggu was exhausted, wishing he could just swat it to death.

Su Ji'an smiled and consoled him, "If all goes well, you will be free from this sea of bitterness today."

"Big Brother, take the rat!"

Su Ji'an nodded. "You may wait outside for now."

He then called for Shen Qing'er. "Check its past... especially how it bypassed the cave dwelling's restrictions."

Shen Qing'er was slightly surprised; wasn't this just an ordinary rat? However, she didn't question him; she knew that through soul-searching, she would soon uncover the secrets hidden within the demon rat.

But the next moment, Shen Qing'er suddenly collapsed to the ground, her face turning deathly pale.

Su Ji'an was startled. "What happened to you?"

Shen Qing'er took a deep breath, her expression filled with disbelief. "Master... this demon rat's soul is strange; it is actually stronger than my own primordial spirit..."

Su Ji'an cast his gaze toward the demon rat. This little thing was even more extraordinary than he had imagined. How could a demon rat with only nascent intelligence possess such a formidable soul? It was unheard of.

He had suspected the skeleton he found earlier, but that entity had been dead for untold ages—even its storage ring had weathered away. The connection between the two seemed unlikely. If that were the case, it could only be related to that rift.

At this moment, Shen Qing'er’s face was also filled with bewilderment.

Su Ji'an glanced at her and waved his hand. "Qing'er, go and rest for now. I can see that your primordial spirit has suffered a backlash."

Shen Qing'er’s eyes flickered, and she said in a charming voice, "Master, staying by your side seems to make me heal faster..."

She was terrified inside; if she hadn't reacted quickly just now, she would have been severely wounded. Otherwise... she wouldn't have been able to suppress the primordial spirit born from the Human Puppet Pill within her sea of consciousness. This matter... could not be delayed any longer. Otherwise, that primordial spirit would firmly root itself within her mind.

Su Ji'an grew suspicious; the woman's state felt very wrong to him. Although his suspicions were somewhat far-fetched, it never hurt to be cautious. He once again rejected the "sugar-coated bullet" before him.

Shen Qing'er made a look of grievance, but not daring to disobey, she left reluctantly.

Immediately after, Su Ji'an summoned Xianggu. "You can head back now. I will call you if I need anything."

This demon rat was quite extraordinary and might hide a significant opportunity. If he left it with Xianggu, any mistake could lead to endless regret. It was better not to do everything himself; Yu Ming was currently idle and possessed decent strength, making him perfect for raising the rat. Furthermore, the creature would be right under his nose.

Xianggu was overjoyed. "Big Brother is wise! Just let me know if you need anything in the future. I live not far from Lingxiu Village."

Su Ji'an gestured for him to leave.

However, not long after Xianggu walked away, Su Ji'an saw the man's treacherous words in the player communication channel.

Xianggu: "Brothers, I think Su Ji'an of Lingxiu Village is the big boss behind the scenes. How about we all team up? Maybe we can clear the game and return to Blue Star?"

Su Ji'an's expression darkened. "..."

This wretch, his heart is truly wicked. Let him die on the spot? No such luck.

Su Ji'an immediately edited a mission.

[Su Ji'an's maid failed to investigate the demon rat. The rat hides secrets and eating only grain-avoidance pills is unhealthy. You should step up and take responsibility for the demon rat's future meals.]

[Mission Reward: One grain-avoidance pill.]

[Mission Penalty: Death on the spot.]

That should suffice for now.

At this moment, the bitterness on Xianggu's face deepened, and he couldn't help but collapse to the ground. This damn rat was really not going to let him go, was it?

"Squeak..."

Su Ji'an met the demon rat's tiny eyes. The little thing seemed somewhat fearful. Its gaze looked pitiful, with glistening tears appearing, as if it were deeply wronged.

Su Ji'an slapped the cage and said impatiently, "What are you whining about? You don't even have to go out and hunt for food anymore, you should be happy."

He then summoned Yu Ming from next door and gave him instructions on how to feed and guard the demon rat. Yu Ming's eyes looked slightly vacant; he appeared no better than a walking corpse.