Emerging from the thorn-choked gorge, he found the terrain abruptly opening up, a sparse woodland appearing before him. Sunlight spilled through gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows across the ground. A faint fragrance of medicinal herbs lingered in the air.
Xiao Yan leaned against a tree trunk, panting. Sweat soaked the loose strands of hair over his forehead, plastering them against his pale cheeks and leaving him looking wretched and weak. He glanced around "warily," only breathing a sigh of relief after confirming that his pursuers had not followed him, then staggered toward a nearby clump of plants bearing small, pale-purple flowers.
They were Qi-Gathering Grass, a low-grade medicinal herb that offered modest benefits to cultivators at the Dou Qi stage. He bent down and carefully pulled the plants out by their roots, placing them in the bamboo basket on his back. His movements looked unpracticed and clumsy—at least to an observer.
"Finally, something to show for it..." he muttered, a trace of "relief" in his voice.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from the woods to his left, accompanied by a rough shout: "You there, stop!"
Xiao Yan stiffened as though startled and abruptly turned around, "panic" appearing on his face.
Three men in fitted black clothing strode toward him. Their leader was burly, with a hideous knife scar across his face, and his vicious gaze fixed on Xiao Yan. They were members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. The group held considerable influence on the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, throwing its weight around and frequently robbing cultivators who traveled alone.
"Who... who are you?" Xiao Yan took a step back, his voice trembling slightly, displaying just the right amount of fear for a dim-witted boy.
Scarface grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Bad luck, kid, running into the three of us. If you know what's good for you, hand over everything you're carrying. We might even let you live."
The other two men closed in with sinister grins, blocking Xiao Yan's retreat.
Xiao Yan clutched the bamboo basket on his back in "terror," shaking his head. "No... I worked so hard to gather these herbs. I can't give them to you!"
"Heh, a stubborn one!" Impatience flashed in Scarface's eyes. "Looks like you won't learn your lesson unless we teach you one!" With that, he moved forward to strike.
Just then, a mocking voice came from behind a nearby tree. "Well, if it isn't Brother Scar from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Why are you picking on some wet-behind-the-ears kid?"
Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a young man in blue-green robes stroll out. His features were ordinary, but an unmistakable trace of arrogance lingered in his eyes. It was Pu Ang, the Otherworlder.
Pu Ang had been searching nearby for fortuitous opportunities when he happened to see the Wolf Head Mercenary Group surrounding Xiao Yan. He recognized the mercenaries and saw Xiao Yan's "weakness," but the Qi-Gathering Grass in Xiao Yan's basket interested him more—of course, his true target was whatever "cheat" Xiao Yan might possess. After all, as far as he was concerned, Xiao Yan was the original story's protagonist and surely harbored secrets.
Scarface frowned when he saw Pu Ang. He recognized him from a tavern in Black Rock City a few days earlier. Apparently, the young man had some strength and was not someone to provoke. Still, relying on his numerical advantage, Scarface did not take him too seriously. "This has nothing to do with you, kid. Get lost!" he said coldly.
Pu Ang curled his lip and ignored Scarface. Instead, he turned to Xiao Yan and feigned kindness. "Little brother, don't be afraid. With me here, they won't dare touch you." As he spoke, he studied Xiao Yan out of the corner of his eye, trying to discover something about him.
Xiao Yan sneered inwardly. Pu Ang was exactly as he remembered: too clever for his own good, always scheming to use others. Still, he could borrow Pu Ang's hand to resolve the trouble before him.
He "hesitated," then cupped his hands toward Pu Ang, his voice grateful yet timid. "Th-thank you, big brother."
Scarface immediately flew into a rage. "You dare interfere with the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's business, kid?" He glared at Pu Ang, viciousness blazing in his eyes. "I suggest you keep your nose out of this, or don't blame us for showing no mercy!"
The smile vanished from Pu Ang's face, and a harsh glint flashed in his eyes. After arriving in this world, he had used his knowledge of the plot to obtain several fortuitous opportunities, raising his strength to the Dou Shi level. He considered himself nearly unmatched on the outskirts of this mountain range. Why would he spare a second thought for a few Wolf Head Mercenary Group lackeys?
"No mercy? Let's see just how merciless you can be!" Pu Ang snorted coldly, circulating the Dou Qi within him and releasing the aura of a Dou Shi.
Scarface's expression changed slightly. He had not expected this young man to be a Dou Shi. But the two men behind him had already lost patience and charged forward with angry shouts. "Brother, why waste words on him? Get him!"
Disdain flashed in Pu Ang's eyes. He sidestepped one man's fist while striking out with his palm, landing squarely on the other man's chest.
Bang!
The man screamed and flew backward, spitting blood. He had clearly suffered a serious injury.
Scarface's expression grew uglier, but things had reached this point, and he could only grit his teeth and fight. With a furious roar, he drew the steel saber at his waist and slashed at Pu Ang, the blade whistling sharply through the air.
Pu Ang remained unhurried, nimbly dodging Scarface's attacks and occasionally countering with a few strikes that left his opponent scrambling.
Xiao Yan stood to one side, pretending to watch in stunned amazement while calculating how to escalate the conflict. He quietly released a faint ripple of soul power, which wound like a fine thread around the edge of Pu Ang's sea of consciousness.
The ripple was so subtle that Pu Ang's soul strength was utterly incapable of detecting it. Yet it could imperceptibly influence his judgment, magnifying the arrogance and viciousness in his heart.
Sure enough, after only a few exchanges, Pu Ang grew impatient. He had merely intended to display his strength before Xiao Yan and probe for some information, never expecting Scarface to be so troublesome.
"Trash!" Pu Ang snapped, his attacks growing fiercer. He deliberately left an opening to lure Scarface closer, then suddenly drove a fist straight into his lower abdomen.
Scarface gave a muffled groan. His steel saber flew from his hand, and his body folded like a shrimp as he curled up on the ground in agony.
The remaining uninjured man turned deathly pale at the sight. Not daring to step forward, he turned to flee.
"Trying to run?" A ruthless gleam flashed in Pu Ang's eyes. He flicked a finger, sending a ribbon of Dou Qi shooting into the back of the man's knee.
A sharp crack rang out, accompanied by a piercing scream. The man fell to the ground and clutched his broken leg, howling in pain.
In the blink of an eye, Pu Ang had taken down two of the three Wolf Head Mercenary Group members, while Scarface had also lost the ability to fight.
Pu Ang dusted off his hands and gave Xiao Yan a smug glance, as though showing off his strength. "You're safe now, little brother."
Xiao Yan showed "admiration" at just the right moment and cupped his hands. "You're amazing, big brother! Thank you for saving me!"
Pu Ang grew even more pleased with himself and waved a hand. "Nothing worth mentioning. By the way, little brother, what's your name? Why are you alone in the Magical Beast Mountain Range?"
"I'm Xiao... Xiao Yan, from the Xiao Clan in Wutan City. I came here to gather some herbs for cultivation," Xiao Yan answered "honestly," deliberately mentioning the Xiao Clan to see how Pu Ang would react.
Sure enough, Pu Ang's eyes lit up at the names "Xiao Clan" and "Xiao Yan." Although he knew this "good-for-nothing" Xiao Yan differed from the protagonist in the original story, he still clung to a sliver of hope and wanted to probe further.
"So you're a young master of the Xiao Clan." Pu Ang smiled. "I wonder what treasures you gathered just now, little brother Xiao? Could you let me have a look?" His gaze drifted pointedly toward Xiao Yan's bamboo basket.
Xiao Yan understood perfectly, but "hesitation" appeared on his face. "N-nothing good. Just some ordinary herbs."
Seeing this, Pu Ang became even more certain that Xiao Yan harbored a secret, and his tone turned somewhat unfriendly. "Little brother Xiao, I just saved your life. What harm would there be in letting me look? Don't you trust me?"
Just then, Scarface suddenly struggled to lift his head from the ground. A venomous gleam flashed in his eyes as he roared at Pu Ang, "You dare hurt members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, kid? Our commander won't let you get away with this!"
Pu Ang frowned and looked at Scarface, naked killing intent filling his eyes. He had not wanted trouble, but now that the man had threatened him, his temperament would never allow him to let the matter rest.
Xiao Yan keenly caught the murderous intent in Pu Ang's eyes. An idea stirred within him, and he quietly released another ripple of soul power, this time targeting Scarface.
The ripple carried a hint of provocation and beguilement, further inflaming the already furious Scarface.
"You dare kill me? Our commander is a Peak Dou Master! If you kill me, he'll tear you into ten thousand pieces!" Scarface screamed, his voice brimming with threats.
Pu Ang's face darkened completely. He hated being threatened more than anything, especially by someone he had already defeated.
"Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish!" Pu Ang snorted coldly and stepped forward, about to kill Scarface.
"Big brother, don't!" Xiao Yan suddenly spoke. "Killing people is wrong..." His voice carried "pleading," but an almost imperceptible hint of manipulation flashed in his eyes.
Rather than dissuading him, Xiao Yan's "plea" only strengthened Pu Ang's resolve to kill the man and silence him. In his view, Scarface knew what he looked like, so leaving him alive would invite disaster. Besides, in a world where the strong devoured the weak, what did killing one man amount to?
"Little brother, you're too naive," Pu Ang said without looking back. "Mercy toward your enemies is cruelty toward yourself."
With that, he thrust out his palm, about to take Scarface's life.
Just then, everything changed!
The Wolf Head Mercenary Group member whom Pu Ang had injured and knocked to the ground had quietly crawled to his feet at some point, his eyes filled with crazed killing intent. Seeing Pu Ang about to kill his leader, he roared and hurled the short blade in his hand at Pu Ang's back with every ounce of strength he had!
It all happened too quickly. Pu Ang was wholly focused on dealing with Scarface and never noticed the sneak attack from behind.
"Watch out!" Xiao Yan gave a "startled cry," seemingly trying to warn him, but it was already too late.
Shhk!
The short blade plunged precisely into Pu Ang's back, piercing his heart.
Pu Ang stiffened and lowered his head in disbelief, staring at the blade tip protruding from his chest. Horror and bitter unwillingness filled his eyes. He had never imagined that a gravely injured lackey could successfully ambush him.
"You..." He turned his head with difficulty to look at the man who had thrown the blade, his eyes brimming with hatred.
The man chuckled, a trace of madness in his laughter, then toppled headfirst onto the ground and breathed his last—he had already been gravely injured, and that throw had exhausted his final shred of strength.
Pu Ang swayed and slowly collapsed. Before dying, his gaze settled on Xiao Yan, as though he wanted to say something. In the end, however, he could only let out an indistinct whimper before falling utterly silent.
Scarface stared at this sudden turn of events, first stunned, then overcome with wild joy. But just as he tried to struggle to his feet, he saw Xiao Yan looking at him in "terror."
"You... stay away!" Scarface shouted, putting on a fierce front to hide his fear. He could no longer fight and was no match for Xiao Yan—even though he believed Xiao Yan was merely a good-for-nothing at Dou Qi Third Stage, the fight had drained him so badly that he could scarcely stand.
Xiao Yan did not approach. He merely backed away a few steps in "fear," then turned and ran, as though he had suffered a terrible fright, not even bothering to retrieve his bamboo basket.
Watching Xiao Yan flee in disarray, Scarface breathed a sigh of relief. But then he thought of his dead comrade and his own predicament, and despair crept onto his face. He knew that even if he survived, he would have no way to explain this to his commander.
After running far away and confirming that no one could see him, Xiao Yan stopped. The "terror" vanished from his face, replaced by complete calm.
His earlier ripples of soul power had not only magnified Pu Ang's viciousness and made him determined to kill the witnesses, but also influenced the gravely injured Wolf Head Mercenary Group member, awakening his ferocity and madness to bring about this "accident."
He had eliminated the threat posed by the Otherworlder Pu Ang, brought the Wolf Head Mercenary Group members to their destruction, and emerged entirely unscathed, perfectly fulfilling the system's requirements.
"Pu Ang turned out to be a little stupider than I expected," Xiao Yan murmured, a cold curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
Without looking back, he continued deeper into the dense forest. Sunlight passed through gaps in the leaves, casting shifting patches of light beneath his feet, as though foreshadowing the ever more bewildering "accidents" that lay ahead.
Before you continue