A New Side Quest Appears

"Strange." Su Ying opened her eyes and listened carefully. Cries of "Help!" reached her ears again.

"Why is someone calling for help?" she wondered.

There had been no cries for help in any of the previous four runs through the plot.

[Host, a new side quest has appeared. Would you like to accept it?]

"No." Su Ying propped her chin on her hand, in no hurry to accept the quest.

[Host...] The system was helpless.

Su Ying said warily, "There were no side quests in the previous missions. Now one suddenly pops up? It definitely can't be anything good."

Left with no choice, the system dangled the lure of points: [Side quests offer richer rewards than main quests. Each one rewards you with one hundred points and one prize draw.]

One hundred points!

Su Ying was tempted. If she got a few more of these, wouldn't she strike it rich?

Forget a few more-even just two would cover the Pain-Relief Pill she had bought on her last mission and let her buy another at the end of this one.

It was all money. As someone who had been poor in the modern world, Su Ying wasn't about to turn her nose up at money. Still, she remained cautious. "What's the side quest, and what are the rewards? Tell me first, then I'll think about it."

[Host, the quest details can only be revealed after you confirm your acceptance. Once side quests are activated, all subsequent side quests will be accepted by default.]

Su Ying was speechless. This was blatant forced buying and selling.

A crooked merchant, just as she'd thought!

Everything in the shop was outrageously expensive, and side quests could only be accepted, never abandoned.

But Su Ying couldn't resist the lure of money. "I accept. Tell me, what's the quest?"

[Save the life of the person calling for help.]

Just as I thought, Su Ying said inwardly. She glanced at the pastries, then asked the system, "Where was that voice coming from?"

[Host, this is your quest,] the system reminded her.

"There were only those few cries just now, and now the voice is gone. How am I supposed to know if you don't give me a hint?" Su Ying rolled her eyes. This system was such an idiot!

Heaven is unjust! Heaven is unjust!

Everyone else's systems were clever and adorable, while hers was a complete fool. So there was a reason she kept failing her missions!

[The voice came from somewhere nearby,] the system said.

Su Ying slowly stood up, took a Voice-Transmitting Talisman from her spatial ring, and burned it. Then she asked, "Is anyone there?"

Her voice instantly thundered across the bottom of the cliff, the sound waves even reaching the heights above.

"Holy crap, that's powerful!" Su Ying gaped. This was her first time using the thing.

One wave of sound rose higher than the next, until she finally heard someone calling for help. "Help! I'm over here!"

Su Ying ran over and saw someone stuck halfway up the cliff. More precisely, his clothes had caught on a rock, leaving his entire body dangling in midair.

She was speechless.

Using Sword Flight, Su Ying approached him. Since this was a scene outside the original plot, she asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

"Heroine, I came here with my sect's party, but unfortunately I got separated from them and fell off the cliff. Please save my life!" The young man dangled in midair, his legs trembling.

Su Ying met the young man's violet eyes, her delicate brows drawing together.

Why did this young man have violet eyes just like Feng Moyuan?

Although the young man before her was handsome, his face was still youthful and immature. He was a far cry from that great demon king, the most handsome man in the entire story.

[System, were there any other young men with violet eyes in the original plot? Or did it ever mention the great demon king having any other relatives or children?] Su Ying asked inwardly.

[No,] the system replied.

[Then how did this person show up?] Su Ying continued. Why did she feel as though the plot was taking all sorts of strange turns this time?

[It may be a bug. Host, his clothes are about to tear,] the system warned.

The violet-eyed young man stared at the woman studying him, his eyes filled with terror. He kicked his legs twice. "Heroine, could you save me first?"

Su Ying recalled that a large group of sect disciples from the lower realm would be sent to the immortal cultivation sect to study magic in three days. His identity probably wasn't too suspicious. With a wave of her hand, she freed him from his midair predicament, brought him onto her flying sword, and flew back to the seal.

"Thank you for saving my life, heroic big sister! You're amazing!" Once the violet-eyed young man landed safely, he gazed at her with admiration, though a flicker of killing intent passed through his eyes.

The praise sent Su Ying floating on air. [Of course! Just who do you think I am? System, is the quest complete?]

[Host, the quest is complete. One hundred points have been added. Would you like to draw your prize now?] the system asked.

[The prize draw can wait. Let me check out this fresh young morsel first. Tsk, tsk, tsk. The young men of the lower realm really are better than the old cured meat up here. He still looks so fresh and innocent. I wonder what kissing him would feel like? Would he accuse me of molesting him if I copped a feel?] Su Ying indulged in her fantasies.

[Host, allow me to remind you that your current body is nearly one hundred years old.]

[So what if I'm a hundred? I'm still considered young in the upper realm. Besides, I'm two years younger than Ling Xian, you know. Honestly.] Su Ying rolled her eyes. That was how immortal cultivation worked: the stronger your magic, the longer you lived. If you were lucky enough, you could ultimately attain the Dao and become an immortal.

Hearing her conversation with the system, the violet-eyed young man's killing intent turned to amusement. Putting on an innocent, bewildered expression, he called, "Heroic big sister?"

Su Ying came back to herself and leaned languidly against the rock wall. "Which sect in the lower realm are you from? What's your name?"

"The Spirit Mountain Sect. My name is Chu Yu. Heroic big sister, could you take me back to my master?" The violet-eyed young man moved closer to her. This was the scent.

He didn't recognize Su Ying's face, but she had a distinctive scent. He had followed it here.

The violet-eyed young man was Feng Moyuan. He had merely used magic to turn himself into a disciple from the lower realm.

Su Ying shook her head. Looking at the violet-eyed young man, she felt the first stirrings of romance... Pah! She was merely interested.

[Host, you are here to complete your mission,] the system reminded her mercilessly, able to sense everything she felt.

[Tsk, I don't need you to remind me. I was just thinking that once this young man grows into his looks, he'll surely be peerlessly handsome. He might even give that great demon king a run for his money. If only this handsome young fellow were my disciple. Then every day I could... Hehehe.]

Su Ying imagined that scene. How wonderful it would be! Looking at the violet-eyed young man's face, she felt that with him for company, the days spent doing missions and following the plot might not be so unbearable.

Chu Yu couldn't help taking a step back, anger rising within him. This woman was actually lusting after his body.

What a pervert!

He currently looked like a young cultivator from the lower realm, only seventeen or eighteen!

And she, a woman nearly a hundred years old, actually harbored such thoughts! Listening to her conversation with the system, Chu Yu felt his entire worldview crumble to dust!

[Host, you are destined never to have a disciple,] the system countered mercilessly. [Because you are destined to be killed by Xiao Muchen and Feng Moyuan working together.]

Ignoring the system that had no appreciation for romance, Su Ying looked at Chu Yu with a beaming smile. "Well, young fellow Daoist Chu Yu, I can't take you back."