Chapter 293: An Award for Crashing and Burning

The System said, "Impressive. You can spin a lie like that without even blushing!"

It was obviously going to be nearly impossible to make the two female cultivators fully believe her.

But they couldn’t come up with any other suspicions, either.

That was mainly because Qing Guo’s cultivation level was plain to see.

Qi Refining Middle Stage.

She had nothing on her, while the two female cultivators before her were at the Mid Golden Core Stage.

"Wait..."

The one who called out to stop Qing Guo was the livelier of the two female cultivators. "Doesn’t that mean you have nowhere to go?"

The other female cultivator suddenly frowned. "Pan Yan!"

Qing Guo shot a hesitant, fearful glance at the frosty female cultivator, then seemed to steel herself and said to Pan Yan, "I... I really have nowhere to go. I want to go back to the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect."

"Then you can’t go back for now. This isn’t the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect anymore, this is the great Li Yun Sect! We’re leagues away from the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect. If you want to go back, you’ll have to use a Teleportation Array, but that costs three top-grade spirit stones per trip. Do you have any Spirit Stones?"

Qing Guo said to the System, ’Tsk, that’s highway robbery. When will our Sect get a Teleportation Array?’

The System replied, ’The Sect Master and I are wondering the same thing.’

Outwardly, Qing Guo wore a pained expression. "I know. I’ve heard of the Xingshui Sect’s prestigious reputation. I’m just a Loose Cultivator, currently only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage, and I don’t have many Spirit Stones on me..."

Her beauty could topple nations, making her truly worthy of her name.

With such an expression, she looked utterly pitiable.

It was enough to make one’s heart flutter.

Not even other female cultivators could resist.

This was especially true for Lin Pan Yan.

She saw that Qing Guo was only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage and suddenly raised her hand. A Treasure Chain, radiating a brilliant, flowing light, swept over Qing Guo.

But the Treasure Chain had no reaction.

Lin Pan Yan’s face lit up. She hurriedly turned to the female cultivator beside her and said, "Senior Sister, look! No reaction! She’s not a Demon Cultivator. Let’s take her back with us. She looks so pitiful."

Her Senior Sister, Xie Xiping: "..."

Lin Pan Yan continued, "Besides, our Xingshui Sect is holding a big celebration to welcome cultivators from the Li Yun Sect. Although she isn’t from the Li Yun Sect, we can still take her back. Of course, if she wants to earn the Spirit Stones for her return journey, we can just have her join a Demon Hunting Team."

Xie Xiping pursed her lips. "She’s only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage. How many demons can she possibly hunt? At that rate, she’ll never be able to go back."

Lin Pan Yan clearly hadn’t thought that far ahead. She gave Xie Xiping a pleading look. "Oh, come on, Senior Sister! Let’s just take her back with us. She’s just too beautiful! If she hadn’t run into us, someone else would have definitely abducted her."

Lin Pan Yan had clearly lost her head over Qing Guo’s beauty.

However, it wasn’t a huge problem.

Because right now, Qing Guo really did pose no threat to anyone.

She was just a pitiful cultivator at the Qi Refining Middle Stage.

The System asked, ’Are you going to use this opportunity to join the Xingshui Sect?’

’No,’ Qing Guo’s tone was relaxed in her mind. ’Joining a sect requires a Spirit Root test. For someone with a Metal Spirit Root to only be at the Qi Refining Middle Stage is already abnormal.’

That was considered extremely slow, in fact.

Once she started cultivating without restraint, her progress would be even faster.

She was quite clear about her own plans; her intention was always to get by using the identity of a Loose Cultivator.

Of course, if she had run into someone back at the Taixue Sect, she would have used a different excuse.

The System said, ’Then if your cultivation improves too quickly while you’re at the Xingshui Sect, won’t that also arouse suspicion?’

Those with poor talent couldn’t achieve miraculous success overnight, even if they moved to a place with abundant Spiritual Energy.

Meanwhile, someone with good talent should have already shown their potential in a small sect.

With talent as strong as hers, it was impossible to have only reached the Qi Refining Middle Stage after so long.

Qing Guo thought deeply. ’So I can’t stay at the Xingshui Sect for too long.’

She would use this opportunity to familiarize herself with the area around the Li Yun Sect, and then figure out a plan.

Xie Xiping, however, had not abandoned her suspicions about Qing Guo.

But her suspicion was focused on a single point.

Qing Guo was simply too beautiful.

Generally speaking, a female cultivator in the Cultivation World who was excessively beautiful yet had a low cultivation level was no different from a child running through the streets carrying gold.

Countless people would want to capture her to serve as their personal attendant.

Perhaps some were lucky, but that couldn’t dispel Xie Xiping’s suspicion.

So, Xie Xiping wasn’t suspicious of Qing Guo’s cultivation level, but rather her identity.

But for now, Lin Pan Yan was completely smitten with Qing Guo’s face, and Xie Xiping had always been indulgent toward her.

Besides, the Xingshui Sect had immense power backing it; one cultivator at the Qi Refining Middle Stage wasn’t enough to make its disciples put up their highest guard. As long as she wasn’t a Demon Cultivator, things were negotiable.

Only then did Xie Xiping finally nod. "Fine, let’s take her back."

Lin Pan Yan immediately beamed. "Thank you, Senior Sister!"

So much for a Little Cultivator’s rights.

Obviously, neither of the two had any intention of asking for Qing Guo’s opinion.

Qing Guo said in a flustered voice, "I... Can I really enter the Xingshui Sect?"

"Of course," said Lin Pan Yan. "But you can’t stay for free. Visiting Loose Cultivators are required to join the Demon Hunting Teams. Don’t worry, you can earn Spirit Stones by hunting demons. If you want to return to the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, you’ll just have to cultivate hard."

Qing Guo nodded timidly. "Okay."

Lin Pan Yan asked, seemingly offhandedly, "Where were you staying in the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect’s territory before?"

"I... I was near a place called the Feique Sect."

Xie Xiping said, "In that case, let’s have the White Phoenix Ancestor ask her a few questions. After all, the girl claims to have come from so far away."

They usually wouldn’t bother with an outside cultivator, but others all had legitimate reasons for entering the Xingshui Sect.

For Qing Guo to barge in so recklessly and claim to be from the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, she would have to provide some proof.

Qing Guo lowered her gaze, the movement barely perceptible.

Lin Pan Yan nodded. "Alright."

She immediately looked at Qing Guo and said with a beaming smile, "The White Phoenix Ancestor is one of our elders, a spiritual beast that can discern truth from lies. Since you’re an outsider, after all, we just need her to ask a few questions. It’s nothing to worry about."

Qing Guo detected a trace of hidden danger in her tone.

’So this girl’s naive and lively act is just a front,’ she sneered inwardly. ’Deep down, she’s still on guard.’

’If I show even a hint of fear now, I’m afraid things won’t end well today.’

However, she showed no fear on her face, instead nodding directly. "Alright."

Qing Guo’s reaction, paradoxically, made Xie Xiping and Lin Pan Yan feel more at ease.

’A spiritual beast that works like a lie detector?’

’I’m not actually afraid of something like this,’ she thought. ’I’ve had similar training back in my reality. I can even convince myself that a lie is the truth.’

’It’s never failed before.’

’But the Cultivation World is a different story.’

So Qing Guo asked the System, ’Can you do anything about this?’

The System replied, ’It shouldn’t be a big problem.’

’I managed to fool the Fifth Elder when he used that twisted method to probe Shuitan’s memories. Fooling a single spiritual beast should be even less difficult.’

The System added, ’Just make sure your acting is convincing.’

Qing Guo retorted, ’Am I not being professional enough as it is?’

The System said, ’Oh, you’re a real pro. Just don’t blame me if you crash and burn.’

’I won’t,’ Qing Guo replied to the System with a light chuckle, her mental voice playful. ’If I crash and burn, I can only blame my own bad luck.’

The System replied, ’Well, if you do crash and burn, you’ll be the first player to do it. I’ll even give you a "Crash and Burn Award" and post it on the official website as a consolation prize.’

Qing Guo: "..."

’Truly not human,’ she thought.