Chapter Eleven: In the Wrong Place

Seeing that the leader had agreed, a flash of unwillingness and fury flickered in the eyes of the sullen man. To him, this was nothing short of humiliation. Not only had things failed to go as he had expected, but one of their own had been injured, and now they were forced to apologize—it was as if someone had slapped him hard across the face.

The younger woman didn’t say much, immediately stepping forward to apologize to Chen Xiang. She, too, felt their side was at fault, so she had no objections. The other woman let out a soft snort but still offered an apology. Though she was annoyed, her attitude was at least passable.

“Zhang Yuan!” The senior brother called out sternly.

The sullen man shot Chen Xiang a vicious glare, clearly already harboring deep resentment. “So… rry!” he ground out through clenched teeth.

Chen Xiang had kept his eyes on this Zhang Yuan the entire time. He was unfazed by the man’s anger and unwillingness—if you hadn’t stirred up trouble, would any of this have happened? Zhang Yuan, is it? I’ll let it slide today, but if we cross paths again, you won’t be so lucky. If not, count yourself fortunate.

Chen Xiang was never one to be magnanimous; he mentally consigned Zhang Yuan to his blacklist.

“All right, hand me the goods,” Chen Xiang said coolly, swinging himself off his horse and extending his hand.

The leader’s eyes betrayed a flash of reluctance, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by resolve. He unclipped a storage pouch from his waist and handed it to Chen Xiang.

Without even a glance, Chen Xiang tossed the pouch into his system space.

He then addressed the leader, “You needed the Azure Jackal’s gallbladder, yes?”

“Yes,” the leader replied, a little puzzled by the question but nodding nonetheless.

A smile flickered across Chen Xiang’s face. “Very well, let me retrieve it for you.”

Before the leader could react, Chen Xiang’s hand became a blade, slicing through the jackal’s throat as the beast’s eyes widened in terror.

The Azure Jackal’s face twisted, as if to say: So much for your sentiment! So much for your reluctance! To hell with your feelings! To hell with your so-called reluctance!

It collapsed, twitching a few times before growing still.

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for killing a Foundation Establishment Second Layer demon beast, Azure Jackal. You have gained 1,000 experience.”

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for killing a Foundation Establishment Second Layer demon beast, Azure Jackal. You have received 40 reputation points.”

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for killing a Foundation Establishment Second Layer demon beast, Azure Jackal. You have obtained: 1 Azure Jackal gallbladder, 1 Azure Jackal tail.

Azure Jackal Gallbladder: When combined with various medicinal herbs, can be used to create medicine for nurturing and healing meridians. Can also serve as a material for artifact forging.

Azure Jackal Tail: Can be used as a material for forging a duster-type artifact.”

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for your first kill of a Foundation Establishment demon beast. You have received a ‘Mysterious Grand Gift Pack’.”

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, you have leveled up. Your current realm is Qi Condensation, Tenth Layer.”

“…”

A series of system notifications echoed in Chen Xiang’s mind, leaving him momentarily stunned. What caught his attention wasn’t the loot from killing the demon beast, but the mysterious grand gift pack! He hadn’t expected a reward for his first time slaying a high-tier demon beast; he wondered what it might contain.

Everyone who witnessed the scene was equally astonished. While they’d all known his claims of bonding with the jackal over the past few days were nonsense, the ease with which he dispatched a Foundation Establishment Second Layer demon beast was still shocking.

Granted, it was something of a sneak attack, but to see him nonchalantly split the jackal’s throat with a single hand strike gave them all pause. Demon beasts were naturally tough; they considered whether they themselves could slice through the beast’s hide with a hand strike, and realized it would never be so effortless.

Moreover, this youth was only at Qi Condensation Ninth Layer… Wait, no, how was he suddenly at the Tenth Layer? Their shock deepened.

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for inspiring awe. You have gained 10 reputation points.”

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for inspiring awe. You have gained 5 reputation points.”

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for inspiring awe. You have gained 10 reputation points.”

Chen Xiang: “…”

He glanced at the group in puzzlement. All I did was kill a demon beast—why are you all so in awe? Could it be my charm is just that overwhelming?

Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought. Best to hurry out of the forest.

He gave the leader a slight smile, retrieved the jackal gallbladder from his system space, and handed it over. “Brother, you’re not bad. Until we meet again!”

The leader took the gallbladder, and Chen Xiang vanished into the woods in a flash.

The leader was momentarily stunned. How did the gallbladder end up in his hands? When did Chen Xiang take it out? What surprised him even more was that, as Chen Xiang left, all he saw was a blur.

Zhang Yuan and the two women stared blankly at the gallbladder in their senior brother’s hands. Zhang Yuan, snapping out of his daze, rushed over to gut the jackal’s corpse. He searched for a long while but couldn’t find the gallbladder, and a trace of fear crept into his heart. What kind of technique was this? He’d been watching Chen Xiang the whole time and never saw him make any extra moves, yet he’d somehow retrieved the gallbladder hidden deep within the beast’s innards.

The senior brother, seeing his junior’s expression, knew at once that the gallbladder in his hand was absolutely fresh.

He said solemnly, “In the future, if any of you encounter that young man, be courteous. Don’t provoke him. His strength is unfathomable. I suspect even I am no match for him.”

“Yes,” the others responded, their expressions odd. That young man appeared to be only at the Tenth Layer of Qi Condensation, but if even their senior brother, already at the Fifth Layer of Foundation Establishment, wasn’t his equal, who could possibly rival him once he matured?

Their senior brother, hearing their reply, gave Zhang Yuan a long, meaningful look and said, “Let’s return. Now that we have the gallbladder, we should hurry back and treat our junior brother.”

The group nodded. The senior brother led the way, Zhang Yuan supported the chubby young man, and the two women brought up the rear as they made their way out of the forest…

…

After endless hardship and a half day of crossing mountains and rivers, Chen Xiang finally saw, apart from scattered patches of sunlight, the first true glimmer of daylight.

Overjoyed, Chen Xiang quickened his pace and in moments reached the forest’s edge.

“Ah! Heaven, earth, glorious dawn—I’m out at last! Hahaha!” Chen Xiang cried, elated.

His loud shout attracted the attention of all those outside the forest.

“Is that guy an idiot?”

“Sure looks like it.”

“Hey, idiots are easy to trick. Why don’t you go swindle him?”

“You go if you want. I’m not going. What if he snaps and hurts someone?”

…

Outside the forest were mostly ordinary mercenaries, people who made a living by venturing into the woods. There were also some traders hawking wound medicines and the like, and of course a few cultivators prepping to hunt demon beasts or gather herbs.

Lost in his joy, Chen Xiang had no idea he was once again being taken for a fool. If he’d known, he would have flown into a rage. Once he could let slide, but twice was intolerable.

Coming to his senses and noticing everyone staring at him, Chen Xiang was puzzled. Had his charm reached the point that people couldn’t help but be drawn to him?

Thinking this, he grinned secretly, then cleared his throat and swaggered over to a vendor’s stall.

“Boss, could I ask for directions?” Chen Xiang said. Since the man had a stall here, he must be familiar with the area.

The stall owner instinctively took a step back, forced a thin smile, and asked, “What would you like to know, sir?”

“Which way to Ming City?” Chen Xiang eyed the man curiously. Was his charm really that overwhelming?

The stall owner looked utterly confused at the place name, scratching his ear. “What? Sir, which city did you say?”

“Ming City!” Chen Xiang repeated, a bit exasperated.

At his confirmation, the crowd exploded with laughter.

“Hahaha! Ming City? This kid wants to go to Ming City? I can’t take it, this is killing me!”

“Knew he was an idiot. Ming City is the capital of East Li Country, and this is the southern border of Southwing Country. To get to Ming City, you’d have to cross the Floating Light Forest and five or six cities!”

“Haha, this kid’s trying to get to the capital of East Li but ended up here in Southwing. How dumb can you get?”

…

Now even the stall owner was struggling not to laugh, but with Chen Xiang so close, he dared not. He was now certain this fellow was a fool.

Hearing the crowd, Chen Xiang finally realized what was going on.

He raised his head and howled at the sky, “Xiao Yun, you little rascal, you’ve tricked me!”

Chen Xiang had followed Xiao Yun’s directions, and after getting lost several times in the forest with teleportation talismans, he’d finally exchanged for a compass. Xiao Yun said, “Just keep heading east and you’ll reach Ming City.” Xiao Yun’s mother had said the same.

But now it dawned on him: Xiao Yun’s mother’s village was full of ordinary farmers living on the border of East Li. How far could they possibly have traveled in their lives? They likely didn’t have the means, and probably only knew about Ming City’s direction from hearsay. Living on the border, they should have told him to head west, not east!

Cursing furiously, Chen Xiang vowed that once he’d achieved success in cultivation, he’d go back and give Xiao Yun a sound thrashing.

He’d spent five or six days wandering in the wilderness and living like a forest vagabond, all because of this.

The onlookers laughed even harder at his outburst.

After a while, Chen Xiang calmed down. He decided not to go to Ming City after all; he’d head for the capital of Southwing Country instead. Alone in this unfamiliar place, what did it matter where he went? He was here to cultivate, after all.

Composed once more, he asked the stall owner, “Boss, which way is Southwing’s capital?”

The stall owner nearly burst trying to hold in his laughter. Seeing Chen Xiang question him again, he exhaled and replied, “The imperial capital? It’s a long way from here. The Floating Light Forest separates Southwing and East Li, so the capital lies to the southwest.”

Chen Xiang nodded, this time determined to be more cautious and avoid another blunder. He asked, “Are there any cities nearby?”

“Head west for about ten miles and you’ll reach Mistwood City,” the stall owner replied.

Chen Xiang nodded. “Thank you.”

He tossed a jade stone onto the vendor’s table and strode off toward Mistwood City.

“No… need!” The stall owner meant to decline politely, but when he saw what Chen Xiang had tossed down, his eyes widened and his last word came out in a whisper.

My god, is that… a spirit stone?

To be continued…