Timed Quest Was a Bit of a Trap

After leaving Xiao Ning's residence, Xiao Cheng headed toward where Xiao Xun'er lived, following Xiao Ning's directions.

Along the way, he admired the surroundings of the Xiao Clan. They were not particularly beautiful, but they had their own distinct style.

"The scenery is pretty good, but unfortunately, it doesn't suit my taste."

A few minutes later, Xiao Cheng found Xiao Xun'er's residence. By coincidence, Xiao Xun'er was just about to head out, and the two met face-to-face.

"Hi, Miss Xun'er."

Xiao Cheng extended his hand and greeted her with a smiling face.

Xiao Xun'er was clearly taken aback for a moment. After recovering, she smiled and said,

"Shop Owner Xiao, what brings you to the Xiao Clan?"

"First, I'm here as a guest. Second, naturally, I came to bring you some Cream Cake. Here, this is for you."

He handed the Cream Cake to Xiao Xun'er and smiled at her.

"I've really troubled you, Shop Owner."

Looking at the Cream Cake in her hands, Xiao Xun'er was quite happy and apologetically spoke to Xiao Cheng.

"It's fine. I was passing by anyway, so I brought it along."

"Are you heading out?"

"Yes, I need to go take care of something."

Xiao Xun'er replied with a sweet smile.

"Alright, go take care of your business. Oh, right, where does Xiao Yan live? I'll go have a chat with him."

Xiao Cheng suddenly recalled that Xiao Yan seemed to have only visited the shop a few times recently, so he asked Xiao Xun'er where Xiao Yan lived, intending to check on him.

"Brother Xiao Yan's residence is..."

Xiao Xun'er briefly explained where Xiao Yan lived, then added,

"If you can't find him in his room, you can find him at the Xiao Family Back Mountain."

"Thanks, Miss Xun'er. I'm off."

After saying goodbye to Xiao Xun'er, he went to find Xiao Yan.

Inside his room, Xiao Yan was still sitting cross-legged in cultivation. On the table beside him sat a paper packet containing some unfinished Honeyed Shortbread.

Old Yao's figure floated in the air, occasionally glancing at the Honeyed Shortbread in the packet as he clicked his tongue in praise.

"It truly is a miraculous food. I couldn't detect any medicinal herbs in it at all. How strange."

As he completed a strange hand seal, Xiao Yan opened his eyes and happened to hear Old Yao muttering. He could not help but laugh.

"Teacher, stop studying the Honeyed Shortbread. Even if you learned to make it yourself, it wouldn't have this kind of effect."

Xiao Yan actually understood very well that Xiao Cheng, like himself, had obtained some mysterious opportunity. That was why Xiao Yan told Old Yao not to waste his efforts researching it. It would only be futile.

"I'm just studying it. You understand curiosity, don't you?"

Old Yao retorted.

Xiao Yan helplessly shook his head. Sometimes, his teacher was wise enough to seem foolish; other times, he was like a cringeworthy adolescent, so childish it left people speechless.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door, and a familiar voice rang out.

"Is Xiao Yan in there? It's Shop Owner Xiao Cheng."

Xiao Yan froze, while Old Yao immediately returned to the ring and transmitted his voice to Xiao Yan.

"Disciple, Shop Owner Xiao is here. I'll hide for now."

"Oh, alright. Coming, wait a moment."

Xiao Yan casually responded, quickly tidied up the room, and went to open the door.

Seeing Xiao Cheng smiling cheerfully at him, he smiled as well.

"Shop Owner Xiao, what brings you to the Xiao Clan?"

"I came to visit the Xiao Clan and look around, and while I was at it, I brought some pastries for a few people."

After casually explaining, he said no more.

Upon entering Xiao Yan's room, Xiao Cheng found the furnishings rather simple. He could vaguely smell the fragrance of medicinal herbs and guessed that they were likely the herbs needed to refine Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.

Then he turned and noticed a wooden tub in the corner. The corner of his lips lifted slightly, though the expression vanished in an instant.

Xiao Yan simply did not notice Xiao Cheng's upturned lips.

Xiao Cheng thought to himself.

It seems this fellow countryman Xiao Yan has already started cultivating with Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. Should I ask him for some Spiritual Liquid to enhance my cultivation? Relying on quests to improve all the time is just too slow.

On the Dou Qi Continent, low strength could lead to danger, but even great strength did not necessarily guarantee one's safety.

Yet the law of this world was that the strong survived while the weak were eliminated. The strong made the rules, and the weak followed them.

Xiao Cheng had no desire to become a weak person who followed the rules. He was a man with a system, so he had to become a strong person who made the rules.

However, he could not bring up asking Xiao Yan for Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid just yet. He could only raise it at a suitable opportunity.

"Shop Owner Xiao, how did you get here?"

What Xiao Yan truly meant was, "How did you come to the Dou Qi Continent?"

Xiao Cheng did not answer Xiao Yan's question. Instead, he meaningfully glanced at the ancient black ring on Xiao Yan's finger and revealed a knowing smile.

When Xiao Cheng looked at the ring on his finger, Xiao Yan remembered that there was still an outsider present. He smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.

"Shop Owner Xiao, business at your shop has been pretty good lately, right?"

"Not bad. Business has been quite good."

The two fell into a brief silence. Suddenly, Xiao Xun'er's voice sounded from outside the door.

"Brother Xiao Yan, I came to see you."

Hearing the familiar voice, the two turned toward the doorway. Xiao Cheng, however, said meaningfully,

"Brother Xiao Yan, your confidante has arrived."

Xiao Yan's face rarely reddened. He coughed a few times and said,

"Shop Owner Xiao, you jest. Xun'er is my sister, not..."

Before Xiao Yan could finish, Xiao Cheng patted him on the shoulder with an expression that said he understood, then said,

"Alright, I'll go look around elsewhere. I need to head back later and see how the shop is doing. I'm off."

Xiao Xun'er happened to see Xiao Cheng walking out of Xiao Yan's room and smiled.

"Shop Owner Xiao, are you leaving?"

"No, no. I still need to take a good look at the Xiao Clan's surroundings. Maybe I won't have time to come here again in the future, so I need to see more, see more."

"Then alright, Shop Owner Xiao. There are some places you cannot enter, so please be careful."

Xiao Xun'er reminded him.

"I know."

Xiao Cheng smiled, winked at Xiao Yan, then turned and left with a smile.

At this moment, Xiao Xun'er pulled Xiao Yan back into the room and took out the Cream Cake Xiao Cheng had just given her from her Cosmic Ring.

"Brother Xiao Yan, this is a new pastry from Ruyi Zhai. Let's eat it together."

Xiao Xun'er smiled at Xiao Yan.

A faint warmth rose in Xiao Yan's heart.

"Xun'er, thank you for taking such good care of me."

"You don't need to thank me. When we were children, who was it that used Dou Qi to nourish my body every night after I fell asleep?"

Xiao Xun'er blinked playfully and kept staring at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze. His face reddened, and he coughed several times to conceal his embarrassment.

Xiao Xun'er giggled and said,

"Alright, let's eat this Cream Cake together."

"Mm."

Xiao Yan nodded, revealing a sincere, warm smile.

Time seemed to stop, frozen in that warm moment.

At that moment, Xiao Cheng unexpectedly triggered a timed quest, leaving him utterly speechless.

Congratulations, Host, you have triggered a timed quest. Would you like to view it?

Then Xiao Cheng saw the rather troublesome quest details.

Timed Quest: Find a way to enter the Xiao Clan's Dou Skill Hall. Remaining there for three full minutes will count as completing this quest.

Quest Reward: Mysterious Gift Pack (Note: there is a certain chance of obtaining rare items)

Quest Failure: Xiao Zhan's Favorability -99999

Quest Time: Before leaving the Xiao Clan.

This quest made Xiao Cheng feel awful all over.

"Xiao Dian, are you taking revenge on me? I've treated you well, yet you treat me like this. Where is your conscience?"

Host, I have no conscience. I am merely a program.

Xiao Cheng: "..."

"Ugh, this quest sure came at the perfect time. And that punishment—why not just change it to being hunted down by the Xiao Clan? What kind of nonsense is this?"

Although he was extremely resistant to this quest, a bicycle could become a motorcycle with a gamble. Gritting his teeth and stomping his foot, he decided to go discuss it with Xiao Zhan.