Win-Win (Please Keep Reading)

But after turning it over in his mind, Xiao Chen was absolutely certain that he had never heard of a Chief Disciple receiving any additional resource support.

That was clearly nothing more than an empty title!

Having never received family training, Xiao Chen had only considered things from the perspective of personal benefit. He truly had not realized how important such an identity was to a family.

Besides, he himself had no interest in the empty title of Chief Disciple.

Since that was the case, "No problem. Then it's settled. You help me keep my secret, and I'll support you in becoming Chief Disciple in the future."

Su Wanqing immediately let out a breath of relief upon hearing that. Great.

What Xiao Chen did not know was that the combat power he had displayed had actually placed enormous psychological pressure on Su Wanqing as well.

Although a Chief Disciple's cultivation was not the most crucial factor, that was only because under normal circumstances, everyone's cultivation levels were more or less the same.

At the end of the day, the Cultivation World was one where strength was revered.

If someone like Xiao Chen, who was plainly Invincible Among Peers, were to compete with her for the position of Chief Disciple, Su Wanqing truly feared that she would not be able to win.

Though it seemed as if she might be worrying over nothing.

But Su Wanqing's intuition told her that Xiao Chen, with his overwhelming combat power, was absolutely not simple.

He might only be at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer now, but in a few years—or perhaps even within one or two years—he might very well surpass her in cultivation as well.

Fortunately, that threat no longer existed. Not only was Xiao Chen willing to give up the competition, he had even become one of her own supporters instead.

Su Wanqing smiled and held out her hand. "A word once spoken!"

Xiao Chen raised his hand and clapped hers. "Even four horses can't chase it back!"

To ensure that neither side would break the agreement, they each made a Dao Heart Oath.

Then, the two happily exchanged Jade Tokens, Spirit Stones, and the cloak, each feeling that they had gotten an enormous bargain.

"Take care, Senior Brother!"

Watching Xiao Chen leave, Su Wanqing's eyes curved like crescent moons.

Wonderful. She had successfully eliminated a potential rival and gained a powerful ally. The price was merely a Magic Item she did not even like.

It was simply win-win. I won twice.

On the other side, Xiao Chen refined the Stealth Cloak and was likewise immensely satisfied.

Wonderful. Not only had he earned a large sum of Spirit Stones in advance, he had also gotten a Magic Item for free. The price was merely giving up an empty title that would be useless in the future.

It was simply win-win. I won twice.

He spread out the cloak and draped it over himself. With a shake of his body, he transformed into another person.

Even more astonishingly, his mana fluctuations and even his voice took on a new form.

Although this cloak was merely a Low-Grade Magic Item, that was only to reduce the mana consumption required to use it, making it convenient for Low-Level Cultivators like Su Wanqing.

Its workmanship itself was exceptionally fine, and its design was meticulous. It employed a layered method.

It added further embellishments atop the cultivator's original appearance, so as long as the wearer differed, the resulting disguise would differ as well.

Even if he encountered Su Wanqing again, she could only suspect him; she would have no way to confirm that Xiao Chen was beneath it.

"With this, it seems I can make a few more trades."

He had originally worried that trading with different disciples might be too conspicuous. Such matters could affect the Trial Ranking, so it definitely could not become known to everyone.

Now that he had this Stealth Cloak, he could conceal his identity while trading.

This also happened to solve another new problem: he seemed to have collected a few too many Points.

When he had traded with Su Wanqing just now, she had only been willing to exchange for thirty points, saying that any more would make her results seem unrealistic.

But the problem was that although Xiao Chen had ultimately sold Jade Tokens worth forty points at a discount for one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, he still had a full Two Hundred Seventy points left on him.

Although Chen Guangyu had previously promised that he would take however many points Xiao Chen had.

Xiao Chen felt that it would be better to make additional preparations.

Thus, wearing the cloak, he continued searching ahead for traces of spirit beasts while also actively seeking out the other disciples.

Before long, beside a mountain spring, he spotted an extinguished campfire and a set of footprints.

Following the footprints, he soon saw a certain Senior Brother in a patch of grass not far away, seemingly resting with his eyes closed.

His body stood amid White Pennisetum nearly as tall as a person, with only his head exposed. Hearing the movement, he opened his eyes and looked over as well.

"Greetings, Senior Brother. Due to certain special circumstances, I have no choice but to cover my face. I hope you will forgive me."

Considering that he was dressed from head to toe without a gap, Xiao Chen took the initiative to explain, hoping to avoid a misunderstanding.

Who would have thought that the Senior Brother's eyes would suddenly bulge, his cheeks flushing red? He looked both furious and terrified.

"Senior Brother, please do not misunderstand. I merely wish to make a Points trade with you."

As he spoke, Xiao Chen took out a large handful of Points Jade Tokens to prove his words and display his goods.

"Mmph! Mmph—mmph!!!"

Unexpectedly, the Senior Brother opposite him desperately blinked while making muffled noises, as if something had blocked his mouth and he was calling for help.

"Golden light fills my body, casting its radiance over me."

Xiao Chen immediately cast a Golden Light Art, cautiously retreating two steps as he surveyed the surroundings.

No matter how slow he was, he could see by now that something was wrong. That Senior Brother was clearly under someone's control.

After looking around once, Xiao Chen suddenly chuckled. "Hmph, so it's you. Come out!"

In truth, he had not seen anyone at all. He was merely trying to bluff the enemy lurking nearby.

Yet the area remained utterly quiet, and no enemy leaped out.

All he could hear was that Senior Brother whimpering, "Mmph, mmph."

Even as he whimpered, he kept shaking his head.

"Senior Brother, do you have something you want to say?"

He nodded.

"Hiss, could it be that person isn't nearby right now?"

He nodded frantically!

"Ahem, Senior Brother, wait a moment. I'll rescue you right away."

Xiao Chen was somewhat speechless. He truly had not expected the culprit who had kidnapped this Senior Brother to not even be at the scene.

Eh?

Was it reasonable for the culprit not to be at the scene?

With that thought, he became slightly more cautious and did not dismiss the golden light around his body, guarding against a sneak attack.

As Xiao Chen drew closer step by step, the Ghost Face Spider hidden in the grass also prepared its great web in advance.

As a highly unusual spirit beast, it had unexpectedly awakened part of its Ancestral Bloodline after birth, and thus had not been affected by the medicine.

It was currently lying in ambush in the grass, waiting for some unlucky passerby.

In its eyes, although Xiao Chen appeared rather cautious, he was actually just a greenhorn, not even as clever as it was.

That thin layer of golden light only needed a light jab from its mouthparts to be torn apart as easily as window paper.

Seeing Xiao Chen arrive within less than one zhang of it, the Ghost Face Spider finally could not restrain itself.

Bang!

A thunderous explosion erupted.

The Senior Brother who had been gazing eagerly at Xiao Chen suddenly opened a gaping, blood-filled mouth. From within shot a sharp, slender mouthpart that slammed fiercely into the golden light.

If it advanced another half inch, it would be able to smash Xiao Chen's throat.

Yet that seemingly fragile golden light did not shatter as easily as it had for its previous prey.

The Ghost Face Spider was dumbfounded. What was going on?