C18 When the Seal Is Placed in front of You

A month later...

"Damn! Have we still not caught that head-stealing brat?"

"Exactly, it's downright bizarre. Every time someone's about to finish off a Demonic Beast, this kid pops up just in time to land the final blow and then vanishes."

"But what's odd is that after stealing the kill, he leaves without taking a thing. You'd think he'd want to loot the Demonic Beast, considering they're walking treasure troves."

"True, it's infuriating when he steals kills, but he seems to have some principles. It's just unclear if he's not after the Demonic Beast, then why steal the kill? Maybe he's just doing it to annoy people..."

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Demonic Beast Forest, a ruggedly handsome young man with an unkempt beard was bubbling with excitement.

This man was none other than Chiang Xie, the very person everyone was hunting. Chiang Xie smugly thought to himself, "Ah, the world assumes I'm just stealing kills to irritate them. Little do they know... I'm actually snatching experience to level up!"

Chiang Xie understood that improving his cultivation was akin to leveling up in a game by defeating monsters.

Any seasoned gamer knows that no matter how much damage you inflict on a monster, it's the final hit that counts for the experience gain.

Thus, the clever Chiang Xie quickly grasped the concept! If others bring a Demonic Beast to low health, he could simply swoop in for the last strike, leveling up effortlessly.

And since the others didn't have a system, there was no need to worry about experience sharing! Plus, this method was even faster than grinding levels by himself.

As for Chiang Xie's knack for timely appearances, the secret was simple: he was just lying in wait in the bushes!

"Damn, leveling up by battling monsters can be done like this? My host is incredible!"

The system, witnessing Chiang Xie's tactic of advancing from Profound Energy Stage Level 1 to Level 3 in just a month, couldn't help but admire his ingenuity.

Had he been slowly grinding monsters on his own, he might have only reached Profound Energy Stage Level 2 in a month. It was clear just how formidable Chiang Xie had become.

"Seriously? To level up from Profound Energy Stage Level 3 to Level 4, I need 8,000 experience points? The Demonic Beasts here don't provide nearly enough experience for that," Chiang Xie complained.

Yet, as he pondered, Chiang Xie couldn't help but wonder. How could such an expansive Demonic Beast Forest have only Foundation Stage Demonic Beasts?

Not a single Demonic Beast from the Profound Energy Stage? That just doesn't add up.

The system, unfazed by Chiang Xie's griping, chimed in, "Indeed, you've reached the far end of the Demonic Beast Forest without encountering a single Demonic Beast beyond the Foundation Stage."

"...Well, my cultivation level has improved significantly, so it's about time I headed back to the Chiang family in Fire Cloud City."

"Haha, exactly. Otherwise, young man, you might keep losing sleep night after night."

The system was well aware that Chiang Xie had reluctantly left Lan Xin with the Chiang family and had been worried about her ever since he departed. Chiang Xie, however, was not one to easily show his concerns.

"Whatever!" Chiang Xie yawned, feeling genuinely tired. Cultivators don't need sleep because cultivation can take its place, but since he hadn't been practicing, it was natural for him to feel sleepy from a lack of rest.

"Little brother! How about you come and sleep over here with me?" At that moment, a voice as clear as a bell rang out from the lotus pond beside Chiang Xie.

Chiang Xie glanced over at the lotus pond, only to find it empty except for the blooming lotuses.

"Ding dong! A powerful seal has been detected. Host, please proceed with caution," the system warned simultaneously.

Chiang Xie furrowed his brow. He had stayed here to evade other cultivators' pursuit, not expecting to stumble upon a seal.

No need to overthink it; if the system indicated it was a powerful seal, then the individual trapped inside was likely no ordinary being—possibly someone capable of world destruction.

Still, Chiang Xie's curiosity was piqued about who might be sealed away. He decided to strike up a conversation, having no intention of assisting in breaking the seal.

"Little sister, believe me, I'd like to, but with so many lotus flowers here, how could I possibly know where you are, let alone sleep with you?" Chiang Xie glanced at the emerald pond and the countless green lotuses, truly at a loss as to where the voice was coming from.

Chiang Xie's crude remark clearly enraged the other party. The lotus at the center abruptly turned a blood-red color, exuding an intensely enchanting aura. Chiang Xie stared at the flower for a moment, nearly entranced, but thankfully, the system's automatic soul protection kicked in, averting any issues.

"...Little brother, do you see the red lotus? Pull out this flower, and you'll be able to see me." Upon hearing this, Chiang Xie's lips involuntarily curled into a smirk. This scenario seemed all too familiar, reminiscent of the seal used on Sun Wukong in the 'Journey to the West' demon-subduing tale.

Pull out the lotus, and it's a seal, right? If I do, you'll just come out, won't you? And who's to say you're one of the good guys? When have you ever heard of a good person being sealed away? Don't even start with promises of fortune; you're sealed tight, what fortune could you possibly offer?"

Chiang Xie rattled off his thoughts without pause, leaving no room for the other to weave any deception. He was deliberately provoking them, almost as if to say, "Come at me if you dare!"

"You... You... You..." Ruoyou struggled to articulate a response.

She had waited for tens of thousands of years, and when someone finally arrived, it had to be someone as savvy as the Trick King, who knew every trick in the book.

The last shred of hope she clung to had vanished. Annoyed, she snapped at Chiang Xie, "If you're not going to help, then stop pestering me!"

Chiang Xie flashed a mischievous grin. "I could let you go..."

"Really?"

"Just kidding!"

"..."

Days slipped by without notice, and Chiang Xie spent his time either snatching kills from others or playfully teasing Little Lotus Ruoyou.

In that time, Chiang Xie had pieced together bits of Ruoyou's story. Rumor had it she was ensnared here by the Celestial Thearch's deceit, and she was a princess of the Devil Clan.

Chiang Xie, of course, found it hard to believe. The Celestial Thearch, tricking you, Little Lotus? Why didn't you ascend to the heavens then? After all, the Celestial Thearch was a myth in this world.

Whether he existed was up for debate, and if he did, he was unbeatable. Why would he bother with a woman, let alone deceive one?

"Little Lotus? Little sister? Wake up! Keep me company," he called out, now accustomed to their daily banter.

"Little brother, haven't I told you not to call me Little Lotus or little sister? I'm much older than you!" Ruoyou's irritated voice soon emanated from beneath the red lotus.

"So, should I call you grandma instead?"

"..."

Clearing his throat, Chiang Xie got to the point, "I'm leaving this place tomorrow..."

Ruoyou responded instantly, "Good riddance! Don't ever come back. I'll be waiting for the destined one who can break my seal."

"I was going to bring you some treats after I took care of my affairs, but fine, wait for your destined one."

"Cough, cough, little brother, I want candied hawthorn! You are my destined one. Make sure you come back after you're done with your tasks. I'll be waiting!"

Chiang Xie wanted to retort, "Even if you weren't waiting, it wouldn't make a difference..."

But he held back the sarcasm and simply smirked, "Well, then wait."

"Hmm! Little brother, you're quite something," Ruoyou said, offering rare praise.

Chiang Xie gave the red lotus a pat, "You've got an eye for quality!"

Chiang Xie and Ruoyou spent the entire night in conversation. As dawn approached, Chiang Xie said his goodbyes to Ruoyou and departed from the Demonic Beast Forest, setting his sights on Fire Cloud City...