Stealth Cloak

Su Wanqing turned back first and looked again at the pangolin's wound, instantly astonished.

She was no flower raised in a greenhouse. With her wealth of combat experience, she immediately recognized the wound's strange nature.

Without relying on any magical artifact or outside aid, a simple Fireball Art had completely pierced through the pangolin, plunging into the ground and leaving behind a bottomless crater.

Even without her earlier efforts to wear it down, the pangolin could never have withstood that fireball. It would have been instantly killed in a single strike.

Xiao Chen, with such strength, was absolutely no simple figure.

He was not some lucky fellow who had stumbled into Sudden Comprehension as the intelligence claimed, but a master who had hidden himself deeply.

Since that was the case, she could not let this opportunity slip away.

She hurried after him in quick little steps, moved close to his side, and carefully examined the foxskin bundle.

A sweet smile appeared on Su Wanqing's face. "Ahem, Senior Brother Xiao, Junior Sister was only joking just now. This pangolin was killed by Senior Brother, so naturally it is Senior Brother's prey."

"Ah, it seems to be noon already. Senior Brother, are you hungry?"

As she spoke, she swept her right hand over her waist and took out a small wooden box. "Since Senior Brother happened to pass by, and I also happen to be having lunch, why don't we eat together?"

Huh?

Xiao Chen was somewhat surprised. Were the two of them that familiar?

The Su Family Eldest Young Lady had narrowed her eyes slightly, smiling like a weasel that had stolen a chicken. One look told him she harbored Malicious Intent.

It was hard for him to believe that she was sincerely inviting him to eat.

Besides, it was only around 10:45 in the morning. There was still at least an hour until noon, so it was hardly time for lunch.

"Uh, I'm not very hungry. Senior Sister, you go ahead. I have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first."

He politely declined and turned to leave.

Yet Su Wanqing dashed in front of him in a single stride, spreading her arms to block his path.

"Wait a moment, I still have something to say. I heard Instructor Wu mention you before. You're Senior Brother Xiao Chen, who entered the sect two years before me but remained at Qi Refining First Layer all this time, right?"

Hiss—the other party had actually recognized him. Then he truly could not simply walk away.

"That's right, but I am only at Qi Refining Fifth Layer now. Senior Sister Su, please stop joking with your junior brother."

Xiao Chen pointed out the gap in their cultivation, placing himself in the weaker position first.

"I already said it was only a joke before. Don't take it to heart, Senior Brother. Let me introduce myself first. My name is Su Wanqing. I come from the Green Lotus Lake Su Family and currently belong to Branch 4."

Xiao Chen pointed at her chest. "Mm, I can see that."

Her gauze dress was exceedingly thin, and they were standing quite close at the moment.

Xiao Chen could clearly see the characters "Wan" and "Qing" embroidered at the centers of the two lotuses in the Carp Leaping Through Lotus Picture, and he could even smell the faint fragrance of camellias.

He could guess that it was most likely the effect of a sachet or incense, but this particular fragrance seemed especially pleasant.

Su Wanqing blushed at the sight, yet she lifted her chest slightly and calmly changed the subject. "Is Senior Brother in such a hurry to hunt more Spirit Beasts?"

"Is this bundle full of Jade Tokens? Senior Brother's Actual Combat ability seems a little too strong, doesn't it?"

Her tone held the excitement of having discovered Xiao Chen's secret, along with a measure of curiosity.

Yet her eyes stared straight into Xiao Chen's, making her appear extremely certain.

Xiao Chen's gaze passed over her slender neck and settled at her slim waist.

As she spoke, her left hand unconsciously dropped back down, as though something were there.

Considering her lunch box, there was a very high chance that her Storage Bag contained a Defensive Type magical artifact.

That made sense. How could a Direct Lineage member of a Great Family risk being killed by a Ghost Face Spider just to participate in this so-called Trial?

Since she had come, she must have something to rely on.

In other words, she should possess an artifact capable of blocking attacks from Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators, or some similar Trump Card.

Wait, she had just said she was from Branch 4?

That meant she had set out two days later than him.

Xiao Chen considered his travel speed over the past five days to have been fairly fast. He should have been among the foremost group by now, yet she was farther ahead, hunting pangolins.

He had initially thought she was a senior sister from Branch 1 who had departed early.

Now it seemed she had overtaken those ahead of her. That meant she had a means of moving quickly.

Damn, having a good background really made people green with envy.

Setting aside his first impression, Xiao Chen seriously considered her actions and asked in return, "Senior Sister Su—or Junior Sister Su—are you interested in my Jade Tokens?"

"No, I'm interested in you."

After the words left her mouth, Su Wanqing added, "I mean, I'm very interested in how Senior Brother Xiao managed to hunt so many Spirit Beasts in such a short time."

"Would Senior Brother be willing to tell me how you did it?"

Xiao Chen shook his head. "No."

Su Wanqing put away her Flying Sword and raised a hand toward the heavens in oath. "Is Senior Brother afraid I'll spread it around? I guarantee that I absolutely won't tell anyone."

"My apologies, but I won't tell anyone either." Xiao Chen changed directions and left. "I still need to travel. Goodbye, Junior Sister."

Su Wanqing directly reached out and grabbed Xiao Chen's sleeve. "Senior Brother Xiao, don't leave yet. Let me show you something, all right?"

"Junior Sister, let go first. Isn't this sort of pulling and tugging inappropriate?"

"I think it's perfectly appropriate. Senior Brother, I guarantee you'll be interested in this magical artifact. I can even demonstrate it for you right now—I guarantee that once you see it, you'll want it."

"..."

"If Senior Brother doesn't object, I'll take that as agreement."

Su Wanqing giggled, released him, and rummaged through the Storage Bag at her waist. A cloak then appeared in her hands. "Ta-da! The Stealth Cloak."

"As long as Senior Brother wears this cloak, no cultivator Below Foundation Establishment will ever be able to see through Senior Brother's identity."

"Even if you encounter a Foundation Establishment Cultivator secretly probing with Spiritual Sense, the warning inscriptions on the cloak will light up and alert Senior Brother in time."

As she spoke, Su Wanqing spread out the cloak and covered herself with it.

Immediately afterward, she gave off an entirely different fluctuation of mana and aura, as though she had become a completely different person.

"How is it? It's absolutely a wonderful item, right?"

"As long as Senior Brother makes a small trade with me, I'll give this cloak to Senior Brother right now."

As she spoke those two sentences, even Su Wanqing's voice had turned into that of an unfamiliar young man. No one could have guessed that beneath it was actually a young maiden in the bloom of youth.

Hiss, this cloak truly was good!

After seeing its disguising effect, Xiao Chen genuinely wanted such a magical artifact.

A method for disguising one's appearance like this was indispensable for robbing the rich to aid the poor, smuggling troops past Chencang, Muffle Wealth, and all sorts of similar acts.

And at certain special times, it could even prove unexpectedly useful.

Though he was already somewhat tempted, Xiao Chen still asked calmly, "What trade? Let's hear it. But let me make this clear first: you cannot ask again why I can kill Spirit Beasts."

Su Wanqing removed the cloak, revealing a radiant smile. "No problem. My requests will be very, very simple for Senior Brother."

"First, Senior Brother will sell me some Jade Tokens and help me compete for the rankings. Each Branch Academy has its own separate rankings, so Senior Brother and I aren't competitors."

Xiao Chen nodded. "That's easy enough. Three Spirit Stones for each Point. I can sell you half my Jade Tokens."

This request was not difficult. Selling them to her was no different from selling them to anyone else, and as Su Wanqing had said, Branch 2 and Branch 4 had no competition in their rankings.

"Second, once Senior Brother joins the Inner Sect in the future, you must support me in becoming this generation's Chief Disciple."

Xiao Chen was filled with solemn respect.

He had not expected that Su Wanqing, who appeared so gentle on the surface, harbored such ambitions.

The Chief Disciple was the most representative and outstanding disciple of each generation in the sect.

Their cultivation did not necessarily have to be the highest, but they had to have the support of many followers and be able to unite the disciples around them to the greatest degree.

If they could cultivate to Foundation Establishment Late Stage in the future, they would have a high chance of succeeding to the position of Sect Master.

After all, what Golden Core True Person had time to manage the sect's trivial affairs? For several consecutive generations, the Sect Masters of the Li Fire Sect had been represented by former Chief Disciples.

"I have only these two conditions. That's quite a bargain for Senior Brother, isn't it?"

Su Wanqing spoke with great confidence, because the terms indeed sounded exceptionally generous.

A trade was originally about both sides getting what they needed, while the support was a matter for the future. It was practically a guaranteed profit with no loss for Xiao Chen at present.

That instead made him suspicious. Could there be some other Profound Mystery to the position of Chief Disciple?