C8 I Am a Gentleman

Upon seeing Chen Bai laugh, the rest of the group assumed he was thrilled about joining the Adventurer Group, and they joined in with laughter. For a brief moment, the area echoed with an eerie chorus of chuckles.

As the laughter subsided, everyone began to feel a bit foolish for laughing so uncontrollably and slowly reined in their bizarre grins. After a moment of contemplation, Yih Qun addressed Chen Bai, "Brother Huo Chen, don't mind me for saying this, but since my Adventurer Group started, we've never hunted any high-level Spirit Beasts. We've just managed to scrape by hunting Low Level Spirit Beasts. It's been tough for all of us. Brother, do you have any ideas on how we could possibly catch some high-level Spirit Beasts?"

Chen Bai, puzzled, inquired, "But I see you're at Foundation Level Five, and the rest of the brothers are mostly at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement. Surely capturing a Spirit Beast at Foundation Level Two or Three should be effortless for you?"

Yih Qun's face, crisscrossed with scars, turned red as he sheepishly replied, "Well, the truth is, we only recently formed this Adventurer Group. Before that, we were just hunters from a nearby village, ordinary folks living off the land. A few months back, we stumbled upon a strange cave during a hunt, and inside, we found something unbelievable..."

At this point, Yih Qun paused, swallowing hard, his eyes ablaze with excitement. He fixed his gaze on Chen Bai and fell silent.

Chen Bai, now with his curiosity piqued, pressed eagerly, "Come on, big brother, don't leave me hanging. Tell me what was in that cave!"

Satisfied with Chen Bai's eagerness, Yih Qun nodded and revealed, "Inside that cave, to our surprise, was an unidentified fruit tree bearing over a dozen fruits. After my brothers and I ate them, our abilities were transformed."

"What kind of fruit? Is there any left? Could you take me to see it?" Chen Bai asked, no longer able to contain his excitement at the prospect of such a miraculous item akin to the Fruit of Rapid Experience Gain. He was on the verge of unleashing the classic triple question barrage.

What? With the system, why would he need the Fruit of Rapid Advancement? That's laughable! Ever since he was gifted the Rapid Advancement Card, Chen Bai's level had remained at Qi Refining Stage Level Eight.

While this rate of progression might be impressive to others, who was Chen Bai? He was destined to be a dazzling force, an individual set on dominating his era! Such a pace of advancement was simply unacceptable. Hadn't Guu Feng, despite her young age, already reached Foundation Level Eight?

Observing Chen Bai's anxious demeanor, Yih Qun couldn't help but smile contentedly. "There's just one fruit left on that tree now, but since you and Brother Huo Chen have hit it off so well, I'll give the last one to you. Come on! I'll take you to claim that fruit."

Chen Bai followed Yih Qun with profuse thanks, his eager steps betraying a hint of sycophancy.

Along the way, Chen Bai realized something crucial: Meier had vanished without a trace, and despite calling out to her in his mind for quite some time, there was no response. He couldn't even summon the System Interface.

A wave of intense panic washed over Chen Bai. This system had been his lifeline since his arrival in this world, and now it was gone.

Caught in the grip of his fear, Chen Bai failed to notice that Yih Qun and the others had led him a considerable distance. Moreover, Yih Qun's smile grew increasingly sinister as time went on.

After a spell of anxiety, Chen Bai managed to regain his composure.

Reflecting on his earlier panic over the system's disappearance, Chen Bai felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. He had, after all, promised Meier that he would eventually grant her freedom. To be so unsettled by a temporary glitch seemed quite improper.

Regarding Meier's safety, Chen Bai was still somewhat concerned, but he believed that given the system's robustness, there was little to fret over. As long as he, the host, was fine, the system should be too.

Just then, Yih Qun, who was leading the way, came to an abrupt halt. Lost in his thoughts, Chen Bai didn't notice and bumped right into him.

Startled by the sensation of bumping into something, Chen Bai snapped awake. To his dismay, he realized he had collided with Yih Qun. Stepping back hastily, he apologized profusely, "I'm so sorry, big brother. I got too carried away and wasn't paying attention."

Yih Qun, however, seemed unfazed, dismissing the apology with a wave of his hand. "Huo Chen, what are you talking about? Who can contain their excitement with such a surge in power? It's only natural."

But then, Yih Qun's voice took on an eerie quality as he spoke with a chilling edge, "Little brother, we've arrived. Go ahead and embark on your journey with ease."

Chen Bai sensed something was amiss. Looking around, he realized the familiar landscape had vanished. He was still in a dark forest, where the trees stretched wildly, exuding a twisted sort of beauty. A dark blue cave entrance loomed ahead, surrounded by fluorescent yellow creatures resembling fireflies. A bizarre yet enticing fragrance wafted from the cave.

As Chen Bai was about to inquire further, a whisper as tender as a lover's murmur reached his ears. The sound caused his pupils to dilate, and his eyes turned a deep blue. His gaze grew vacant as he moved toward the cave entrance.

After Chen Bai entered, Yih Qun exhaled deeply and muttered to himself, "Damn, that kid is so gullible. He just waltzed right in. But the Demon God really has some peculiar requirements—insisting on a virgin with a cultivation base who comes here willingly."

He then spat on the ground, his words laced with contempt, "This little punk thinks he can fool me, acting like a bunch of dimwitted swine. Let's see if he's still so smug when his life is on the line."

Yih Qun's gaze then turned back to the cave, his face alight with fervor. "I can hardly wait to see what treasures the Demon God will grant us this time. Ah, the anticipation! Hehehe!"

Bathed in the dark blue glow, Yih Qun's scar-riddled face twisted into a grotesque smile, mirroring the eerie trees around him.

After laughing for a while, Yih Qun suddenly sensed that something was amiss. At some point, he had become the only one left in the vicinity; everyone else had disappeared without a trace.

Suddenly, a surge of Spiritual Force materialized before Yih Qun, taking the shape of a long sword. With a look of utter astonishment on his face, the sword plunged directly into his chest.

"Uh—cough, cough—what the..."

Before he could finish, Yih Qun collapsed, a mix of shock and defiance etched on his face.

Meier cocked a proud little fist and pouted smugly, "Thought you were being sneaky? As if you could fool me. Dream on!"

She then turned to face the cave, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Chen Bai, you're about to face an extraordinary temptation. If you can withstand it, I might even let you call me Mr. Bai in the future. You better give it your all!"

Upon entering the cave, Chen Bai's expression was instantly jolted. The seemingly deep blue entrance gave way to a cavern awash with shades of rose red, exuding a fragrance as intoxicating as orchids and musk.

Before him stood an enormous bed, upon which lay a voluptuous woman. Her peachy complexion, ruby lips, and pearly teeth shone against her alabaster skin. She was draped in a sheer rose red chiffon, through which hints of her alluring figure were barely concealed. Her snow-white feet delicately traced the contours of her long, straight legs, while she fanned herself with a snowy crane feather fan, her tongue teasingly tracing her lips in an irresistibly seductive manner.

Heat coursed through Chen Bai's body, starting from his lower abdomen. His eyes turned a deep crimson, and his breathing grew labored.

The woman's lips parted, and her voice, soft as a lover's whisper, asked, "Little brother, do you find me beautiful?"

"Beautiful, so very beautiful!" Chen Bai replied, drooling. Meanwhile, Little Chen Bai uncontrollably began to rise, pitching a small tent.

The woman giggled behind her hand at the sight of him. "Oh my, to think you're not so little in every respect. So, if I'm that beautiful to you, wouldn't you like to do something about it?"

Chen Bai swallowed hard and couldn't help but nod in agreement.

The woman's grin broadened, her eyes crinkling into crescents. She pointed at Chen Bai and beckoned him with a curl of her finger, teasingly urging, "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up, then!"

Chen Bai, who had been uncomfortably restrained for too long, let out a beastly roar and charged forward.

Meier, witnessing this from outside the cave, quickly covered her eyes, yet couldn't help but curse, "Bad Chen Bai! Stinky Chen Bai! I can't believe you're so easily tempted. Just a hint of charm and you're head over heels. You're such a jerk, a total jerk! And to think I called you Mr. Bai! Just drop dead, you jerk!"

Even though Meier had severed her ties with Chen Bai, it seemed as if some mysterious force allowed her words to reach him perfectly.

Chen Bai, poised to leap forward, snapped back to reality as if doused with a bucket of ice-cold water.

Now fully alert, Chen Bai quickly chanted the Mantra of Tranquil Heart several times. When he looked at the woman again, his eyes were as still as an ancient well, his expression serious with a touch of dignified grace.

The woman chuckled at his change of demeanor and teased, "What's the matter, little brother? Am I not pretty enough for you, or is my figure not enticing enough? You've managed to pull back at the last second."

Despite her words, which seemed to raise the cave's temperature a notch, Chen Bai remained unaffected.

The woman continued with her alluring talk, but Chen Bai simply sat down cross-legged, entering a state of deep meditation. He spoke softly, "Sister, you've got it all wrong. I was merely doing some exercises to stimulate my circulation. As for crossing the line, that's something I would never do. After all, I am indeed a gentleman."