Chapter 56: Truly, Handsome Men Are Doomed to Envy

At this moment, clouds blanketed the sky, obscuring the sun.

Su Jian found himself amidst the wilderness, with no sign of an official road nearby. He had no idea where he was, being unfamiliar with the region surrounding Yingdu City. But that was of little consequence—he needed only to remember the direction of Yingdu, for the distance was but a hundred li or so.

This haul of ten thousand spiritual power points was far more lucrative than opening any shop. There was no need for intricate schemes; it was all straightforward and direct. After having “borrowed” from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Su Jian was in high spirits. Yet he knew such a trick could only be played once; next time, the Pavilion would surely be on guard. If he tried the same stunt again, he’d only be walking into a trap.

He was not dissatisfied, however. Managing to scrape together fifty thousand spiritual power points was already no easy feat.

He once again took out a detoxification pill and a disguise pill, his features shifting and changing until he looked as unremarkable as ever.

Su Jian sighed, “I can’t keep these clothes anymore.” After changing back into his old outfit, he decisively burned the previous set. Only after ensuring there was nothing amiss did he feel at ease enough to head back.

On the way, Su Jian passed by a farmhouse. A pretty young girl eagerly invited him in for some tea.

“Sir, you must be tired from your journey…”

The corner of Su Jian’s mouth twitched; such a clichéd encounter and he had actually run into it. Overly enthusiastic hospitality with no cause—rarely a good sign.

This was a classic ruse of murderous inns, or perhaps a demon in disguise… coveting his body. Vexing indeed.

Truly, being handsome invited the envy of the heavens…

Still, Su Jian felt no fear. Before setting out, he had secreted several Great Teleportation Talismans and Immobilization Charms in his palm.

Adhering to his principle of treating others kindly, he politely declined: “Thank you for your kindness, miss, but I have urgent business and cannot afford to tarry on the road. I must take my leave.”

The girl laughed softly but did not press the matter. Yet as she watched Su Jian walk away, her expression gradually turned cold.

Su Jian quickly put distance between them, letting out a quiet sigh of relief. Though he had many tricks up his sleeve, he always preferred caution and never let his guard down. What if, by sheer misfortune, he ran into someone with formidable cultivation?

Approaching the northern gate, Su Jian keenly noticed that a new wanted notice had been posted beneath the city gate.

He glanced at it—there was only a portrait, with no name or details. Nevertheless, the artist’s skill was impressive. To be able to sketch a likeness so close to his former appearance based only on the Myriad Treasures Pavilion steward’s description was no small feat.

Just then, a message echoed in Su Jian’s mind:

[Your Dao companion, He Hansu, missed the passage of the meteor from beyond the heavens and is now waiting for the next one to arrive.]

Su Jian paused, muttering to himself, “Lost your nerve? And so missed the best opportunity to descend to the lower realm… Even when given the chance, you don’t know how to use it.”

Why not simply train quietly in the void until her cultivation was sufficient, and worry about descending afterward? She was always a source of concern for him.

He was in no hurry to lose He Hansu as his Dao companion. Recently, he had been enjoying a life of leisure… it was truly comfortable.

When Su Jian returned home, it was nearly dusk.

The first thing he did upon returning was, of course, to summon a player without delay. The matter of the old beggar was urgent; if it was not resolved, he doubted he’d have the heart to practice the Mysterious Maiden Sutra that night.

Su Jian silently wished for good luck. He had no faith in deities or Buddhas; better to pray to the wretched system than to seek blessings from the gods.

Let fate decide…

After two consecutive bouts of terrible luck, surely the third time would be different.

[Three players are available for this summoning, all from the same plane. You may choose one to summon.]

[…]

[Jackie Chan]

[The Demon Lord]

[Blade Dragon]

Su Jian: “…Is this a gathering of dragons?”

Although their cultivation systems differed, each was at least somewhat special. He was just unsure how the Demon Lord’s strength compared to a cultivator’s.

First, eliminate Jackie Chan…

Though it was known that the Demon Lord was stronger, Su Jian hesitated, uncertain which form of the Demon Lord would be summoned. What could be more exasperating than calling forth a mere statue?

Yet, as unreliable as the system could be, it probably wouldn’t stoop so low.

He was tempted to choose Blade Dragon for safety, but his strength paled in comparison to the ancient Demon Lord.

Therefore, Su Jian selected the Demon Lord.

[Player summoned successfully. The player has arrived randomly within Yingdu City and received a plausible identity. Please edit this player’s exclusive quest.]

Su Jian had long since devised the quest and began editing at once…

[Investigate the old beggar’s purpose for occupying Yonghe Street, kill him, then slay five thousand righteous alliance cultivators, and finally, find Xi Wang and kill her as well.]

Those with great power should shoulder greater burdens… If Ouyang Feng had to slay a thousand, then five thousand for the Demon Lord was hardly excessive.

He saw no issue with this formulation. There actually weren’t many beggars in Yingdu, and the old beggar lingering on Yonghe Street truly stood out. He suspected the man had used some trick to avoid being driven off by the authorities—some officials simply could not bear to see suffering.

[Please set the time limit for the player to complete the quest.]

Su Jian raised his brows. “Three months, then.”

[Please set the contents of the player’s novice gift pack.]

Su Jian was not stingy. After all, there was no real loss either way. He took out several dozen Concealment Talismans, protective charms, and a few Great Teleportation Talismans—each a life-saver in times of peril.

[Quest generated. Awaiting player acceptance.]

[Current remaining spiritual power: 850.]

Though he was lazy about cultivation, practicing the Mysterious Maiden Sutra had become a pleasure he could not forego…

…

The moon was bright and the stars sparse. Not long ago, Longhu had seen Su Jian return home and finally allowed his taut nerves to relax.

He was about to take a nap when he discovered that, at some point, the girl had silently appeared right before him.

Gasp—

Longhu sucked in a sharp breath.

He forced a smile. “Master, there was no need for you to come in person. You could have simply sent a message via the jade slip if you needed something.”

“If I hadn’t come myself, were you planning to wait until he was lost before telling me?” The girl’s face grew even darker.

Longhu had previously concealed the matter, hoping that since Zhao Qianxue was still around, luck might be on his side. He hadn’t expected her to find out after all.

His old face stiffened, but he tried to maintain composure. “Master… that boy used a Great Teleportation Talisman to escape. There was simply no time to react. But Zhao Qianxue is still in Yingdu City. I thought it a trivial matter and did not want to disturb you, considering your many affairs.”

“This is the last time. If you act clever again…” The girl broke off halfway through her sentence, unwilling to waste more words.

If she’d had usable demons at her disposal, in the past Longhu would not have lived to see another day.

Longhu shivered involuntarily…