Playing for High Stakes

Staring at the hundred-meter-wide scorched earth, Li Xuan froze for a moment.

Had his lightning-summoning technique really become this powerful?

After thinking it over, Li Xuan waved his hand again!

"Whoosh!"

In an instant, a stream of fire nearly a thousand zhang long and dozens of zhang thick roared out.

Like a river of flames, it blazed in midair. The immense heat even withered the trees a thousand meters below!

It burned for nearly the time it took an incense stick to burn before slowly going out!

Was this... Five Elements True Fire?

Staring at the flames stretching across the sky, Li Xuan swallowed.

"Am I really this amazing now?"

He murmured softly, then lowered his hand to his knees and let out a long breath before opening his status panel.

Name: Li Xuan.

Identity: Chaos Creature, Lord of Mount Taixuan.

Cultivation: Mystic Immortal.

Treasures: Thirty-Six Grade Creation Green Lotus Platform, Qiankun Diagram, Jade Pure Bottle, Innate Spiritual Root (Chaos Gourd Vine).

Cultivation Art: Profound Creation Marvelous Art.

Power Rating: Passable.

When he saw the word "Passable," tears welled in Li Xuan's eyes.

He was finally no longer useless, no longer trash, and no longer ordinary.

The system had acknowledged him. He was now a passable cultivator!

I'm finally passable!

Li Xuan could hardly stop himself from throwing back his head and howling.

After taking several deep breaths, he suppressed his excitement and solemnly murmured to himself, "The road ahead is long and arduous... I mustn't grow arrogant."

Then Li Xuan slowly closed his eyes again and began meditating.

Clouds gathered and dispersed. In the blink of an eye, another five thousand years had passed.

After reaching the Mystic Immortal realm, Li Xuan's cultivation speed had slowed considerably.

After five thousand years, he had only reached Mystic Immortal Level Two.

One minor level in five thousand years...

"This is forcing me to choose something else. If I just rely on being AFK... I'll never level up..."

Li Xuan opened his eyes and furrowed his brow.

Did he really have to go out?

Maybe he could wait until the ten thousand years were up, then choose something with little danger and decent rewards when the next selection came around.

But I'm the Saint of Staying Hidden. How could I do that...

Besides, it's so dangerous out there. What if the system sets me up...

I've only got one life.

Li Xuan hesitated.

"Sir... help..."

As he was thinking, faint cries suddenly reached his ears.

With his current Mystic Immortal cultivation, he could pick out the voices instantly.

They belonged to Little Blue, Little Purple, and Bright Rabbit.

Li Xuan frowned and turned toward the sound.

At the far edge of the southern horizon, four black dots were racing toward him.

With his current strength, Li Xuan could see tens of thousands of miles away at a glance. Three of the four black dots were Bright Rabbit and the others,

while the last was a handsome young man.

And behind the four...

A massive shadow was rapidly closing in on them!

"Seriously... You never come back to visit me when nothing's wrong, but the moment you're in trouble, you come running to me for help..."

Rubbing his chin, Li Xuan felt a little annoyed.

But he had watched those three little things grow up and take human form. He wasn't some selfless saint, but he still had a heart.

So he sighed and said calmly, "Hurry over."

It had been eight thousand five hundred years since he last saw Bright Rabbit, Little Blue, and Little Purple, and all three had reached the Golden Immortal realm.

Clearly, they had all come across considerable opportunities during that time. Bright Rabbit in particular had reached Golden Immortal Level Five.

But even as Golden Immortals, all three were covered in wounds.

The huge shadow behind them pressed down with an immense force. Every so often, a bolt of lightning struck, throwing the three of them and the handsome young man into a panic and leaving them with fresh injuries.

The four had been utterly despairing. Mount Taixuan was more than a hundred thousand miles away—so far it might as well have been at the ends of the earth.

But then a calm voice suddenly reached them, giving them a much-needed boost and lifting their spirits!

The lord had heard their cries for help after all!

He had come to save them!

"Your Highness, we're saved! We're saved!"

Bright Rabbit shouted, her face alight with excitement.

Little Purple and Little Blue nodded repeatedly, speeding up even more.

But the handsome young man they called "Your Highness" remained composed. He gave a bitter smile and said, "He's kept me alive this whole time so he can use me as bait to lure in more powerful members of the Beast Clan. I... I can't get you killed! Your lord can't possibly be his match either! You all need to leave!"

"Hahahaha!"

The massive shadow answered with laughter that shook the sky. "You little Kirin are pretty clever. I didn't kill any of you along the way because I wanted to see who this 'lord' of yours was! Prime Kirin is dead! The Second Generation Kirin have all been wiped out! What 'lord' could the Beast Clan possibly have left?"

"Ding!"

"Choice System activated."

"Choice One: Save Third Generation Kirin, Qi Ying. Upon completion, receive a ten-thousand-year experience scroll, one random Innate Spiritual Treasure, the elixir Great Luo Creation Pill, and the divine ability Heavenly Law and Earthly Form."

"Choice Two: Kill the Second Generation Golden Dragon. Upon completion, receive a hundred-thousand-year experience scroll, one random Innate Supreme Treasure, the immortal pill Nine Revolutions Golden Pill, the divine ability Nirvana Finger, and an enhanced Incarnation Outside the Body."

"Choice Three: Do nothing and let Qi Ying perish. Upon completion, receive a hundred-year experience scroll."

As expected, another set of choices appeared before Li Xuan.

"This is outrageous... They're not even trying to hide it..."

Li Xuan gritted his teeth as he looked at the three options.

The system was clearly refusing to let him choose the third one. He couldn't even stay hidden if he wanted to!

After a moment's thought, Li Xuan narrowed his eyes and looked ahead. His gaze passed over Bright Rabbit and the others, settling on the huge shadow.

Name: Golden Dragon.

Identity: Second Generation Dragon Clan.

Cultivation: Grand Unity Golden Immortal Level Five.

Treasures: Dragonflame Sword, Dragon Scale Armor, one drop of Ancestor Dragon Blood Essence.

Cultivation Art: Ancestor Dragon Body Forging Art.

Power Rating: Expert.

This was a Second Generation Dragon Clan member, a direct descendant of Ancestor Dragon!

A Grand Unity Golden Immortal Level Five, and an expert!

No wonder he was so confident. With his strength, he really could run nearly unchecked across the Primordial Wilderness.

"Grand Unity Golden Immortal... Still a long way from Quasi-Saint!"

A fierce glint entered Li Xuan's eyes as he growled, "Then let's play for high stakes!"

With that, he selected both Choice One and Choice Two!

Two at once!

The system had never said he could only choose one. As long as the choices didn't conflict...

"Sir!"

At the same time, Bright Rabbit and the others, along with Qi Ying, the last survivor of the Kirin Clan, had finally fled all the way to Mount Taixuan.

"Come in."

The thick fog slowly parted, revealing a huge gap that led straight to the mountain peak.

Bright Rabbit and the others were overjoyed and immediately darted toward it.

But the massive shadow—the Golden Dragon's true form—let out a wild laugh. "Now that the fish has taken the bait, the bait is useless! Die!"

Four bolts of green lightning, each as thick as a water vat, roared down!