Chapter 87: Harvesting Melon Value

Chapter 87: Harvesting Melon Value

The snow was thick and the weather was freezing cold.

Lou Yuqing looked down at the grotto below, and all she could see was a vast expanse of white, with only the exposed gray rocks displaying a unique color.

The air was filled with cold air. She hadn't felt it inside the cave, but as soon as she came out, the chill hit her. She exhaled a breath, and the smoke-like gas shone clearly in the sunlight.

The hunters, carrying bamboo baskets and bows and arrows, would step into the snow, their feet sinking up to their thighs, then lift their other foot and slowly and laboriously make their way down the mountain.

"Aren't they cold?" Lou Yuqing looked at their clothes. They were wearing several fur coats underneath and plush coats on top. It didn't seem to keep them very warm, but it didn't affect their mobility.

Chu Qingyang turned his gaze away from the avalanche. The cave they were in was not in the front of the avalanche, but on the side, so the impact was not as great as he had imagined.

Hearing Lou Yuqing's question, he observed the hunters and said, "Their clothes are made of the same material, perhaps it has a unique cold-resistant effect."

“Now that you mention it, I suddenly realize…” Lou Yuqing pondered, “the fur on their coats looks like that of a snow rabbit.”

Chu Qingyang nodded.

Snow hares can roam freely in the snowy mountains, so their fur's ability to keep out the cold is self-evident.

Luo Buqi crossed his arms and said, dampening everyone's enthusiasm, "It's not that it's similar, it's that it's good. How long are you going to talk? The mission waits for no one. If we let them travel on their own, who knows when they'll arrive? Should we lend a hand?"

Lou Yuqing said with a forced smile, "Why don't you consider whether you can handle two opponents at once? Are you really that eager to be eliminated?"

Luo Buqi: "..."

They recently reached an agreement to form a team of three, since there are three winning spots in each small world. As for whether they will split up later, they can only wait and see.

For someone as independent as him to compromise with them so rarely, it must be because he had his eye on Lou Yuqing's prophetic abilities.

Moreover, after so long, apart from them escaping from the cave, there has been no further movement below. Even if there were other disciples inside, they would probably be buried alive.

This proves that he was right to follow Lou Yuqing.

"Fine, fine, I won't say anything more." Luo Buqi lowered his arm reluctantly, as if to say whatever they wanted.

Lou Yuqing glanced at him, her mind not relaxing for a moment. Although Luo Buqi was determined to team up with them, his danger could not be ignored.

She said, "Give them a ride."

"What about you guys?" Luo Buqi protested, dissatisfied that she only assigned him tasks, but then fell silent under her calm gaze. He complained, "Fine, I'll do it myself."

Consider it a chance to show them what I've got.

Countless threads shot out, their golden light mirroring the sunlight. Before the hunters could react, their waists tightened, and they were pulled onto the flying artifact.

Luo Buqi steered the three-zhang-long small boat, his sleeves fluttering even without wind, exuding the air of a master. He said calmly, "No need to panic, you can simply show me the way."

Lou Yuqing: It's all an act.

Outside the small world.

Seeing this, Wu Fengshu sneered, "To grovel before outer sect disciples and willingly be treated as their subordinates is a disgrace to our Bailing Sect."

She thought that Luo Buqi was indulging in wishful thinking and could only dream about winning a place in the competition.

Tan Sheng had no problem with his defeated opponent, but Shu'er clearly disapproved. He had never failed to appease his lover, and said gently, "It's not worth getting angry with this person. Why not take a look at the other disciples of the Hundred Spirits Sect? Their performance is quite good."

Wu Fengshu sighed softly, remaining noncommittal.

So far, a total of 175 people have been eliminated. Hundred Spirits Sect has 20 people eliminated, while Wendao Sect has the fewest, with only 13 people eliminated. The difference is quite obvious.

"The scene has changed." Seeing that it wasn't working, Tan Sheng tried to change the subject.

Wu Fengshu looked up, and the snow mountain disappeared. The scene shifted to the arena in the city, where two people were fighting fiercely, sparks flying everywhere. One of them was a disciple of the Hundred Spirits Sect, who then put Luo Buqi's matter out of his mind.

When Gu Bugai saw his little apprentice disappear, a hint of regret flashed in his eyes. The display of the magic array was limited and could not show everyone's performance.

At the beginning, the scene showed the Colosseum.

He knew they were demon hunters who had taken down the Hu family's challenge and were ready to help them exorcise the demons. However, there were limited spots available, and only the five most powerful individuals would be selected.

Of the thirty-five disciples, only five can remain.

This is a task given by the small world. Failure means elimination. The struggle is even more intense than that on the apprentice's side. The apprentice is fighting against the heavens, while they are fighting against people.

They will definitely go all out; if the enemy doesn't die, they will.

Survivor: Sixty-one

A line of text flashed before Lou Yuqing's eyes.

This notification appears whenever someone is eliminated, putting pressure on them.

Looking at the wide city gate, about thirty feet high, she felt little relief. Having completed the task of escaping the cave, the second phase of the mission was about to begin—

You are a herb gatherer searching for snow lotus in the mountains. Your current mission is to investigate the hunter. Your score is 100.

The first task earned her 100 points. Lou Yuqing and two others exchanged messages, and their points were halved to only 50, a result that surprised her.

However, the benefits for her were also obvious, so she didn't think about it too deeply.

Chu Qingyang and Luo Buqi thought about it for a while. The former couldn't figure it out, while the latter reluctantly came to the conclusion that copying answers from others would be detected and thus affect the score.

Therefore, as soon as they entered the city, he suggested that the three of them split up to search for clues and meet at the Wanfu Inn at nightfall. The direction he chose was precisely the route the hunters had taken.

"Cunning."

Lou Yuqing rolled her eyes, knowing that there was something strange about the hunter. Naturally, she wouldn't let it go. She exchanged a glance with Chu Qingyang and then followed behind Luo Buqi.

Along the way, she gleaned a lot of information from the conversations along the roadside.

This White Rock City is a city where immortals and mortals live together. Like Peace City, cultivators often appear here, so people are not too surprised when they see cultivators.

In that case, it's not surprising that the middle-aged hunter was able to remain calm when he saw them.

As for why the bearded hunters were afraid of them, it was probably because the disciples of the sect that ruled White Rock City had a bad reputation. She overheard passersby complaining, saying:

"Baiyan Sect harvested 10% more spirit rice this year than last year. The harvest in the fields was already poor, and if this continues, the family will soon be starving."

"What can we do? If we can't pay the full amount of spirit rice, the White Rock Sect won't show us any leniency. They'll just take back the spirit fields. There are plenty of people who would be willing to cultivate them anyway," his companion said helplessly.

Others chimed in: "The disciples of the Baiyan Sect are rampant and domineering. The Ji family's spiritual fields were trampled and they received no compensation. When he went to stop them, he was beaten up. With the autumn harvest approaching, he's probably doomed."

Some people say that the disciples of Baiyan Sect bully men and women, seize houses, and at best oppress the villagers, and at worst commit murder.

In short, their style is very difficult to judge, and everyone suffers greatly. However, even if they have complaints, their voices are so low that they are almost inaudible.

If it weren't for the cultivator's exceptional hearing, Lou Yuqing probably wouldn't have been able to hear what they were saying.

Just then, a system notification sounded.

[Gossip Value +100]

[Gossip Value +200]

[Gossip Value +300]

To Lou Yuqing, the series of sounds sounded like celestial music, and her much-anticipated "gossip points" increased rapidly in this way.

And for some unknown reason, the number is astonishing.

Before, the plants grew in increments of tens, but now they grow in increments of hundreds, making her beam with joy.

Seeing that she had stopped, Chu Qingyang asked, "What's wrong?"

"Senior Brother Chu, I'm entrusting the investigation of the hunters to you. Just let me know when you have any results," Lou Yuqing said with a determined look. "I have something more important to do now. If all goes well, these tasks will be solved."

Side quests and main quests alike will all kneel before her gossip-eating system!

Chu Qingyang: "..."

He looked at her with a complicated expression, suspecting that she wanted something for nothing, but out of consideration for their escape from the cave, he didn't call her out on it.

He said very modestly, "Remember to meet me at Wanfu Inn, and don't linger outside for too long."

After saying that, he walked through the crowd and followed the hunters as lightly as a breeze.

Lou Yuqing ignored his inconsistent words and actions, and listened attentively to the prompts, finding the mechanical voice more endearing than ever before.

Previously, she had the system restore Senior White Turtle's memories and agreed to double her "gossip points," which resulted in her gossip points being depleted after eating a few melons.

Unexpectedly, things took a dramatic turn. In this White Rock City, the momentum of the "gossip value" (a measure of value gained through gossip) was unstoppable, reaching a thousand in no time.

Given this opportunity, she naturally wanted to make the most of it and accumulate more "gossip points" so she wouldn't have to worry about running out of them once she got out.

What is the task? There's no rush.

Lou Yuqing deliberately squeezed into crowded places, especially teahouses and restaurants, where news spread quickly and she lingered for a long time.

"Hey, the Hu family incident has been making headlines lately. Has there been any resolution yet?" someone said regretfully. "I heard that their eldest daughter's face was scratched by a demon. We may never see the beauty of the most beautiful woman in Baiyan City again."

His companion mocked him: "You just returned from your business trip, and your information is indeed outdated. Miss Hu's face wasn't disfigured. Her family head invited a divine physician to her home, and she's already healed. However, the demon hasn't been caught yet. The Hu family has specially gathered capable people to exorcise the demon, and the reward is a full ten thousand spirit stones!"

The man looked shocked: "I only earn five or six hundred spirit stones on a single trade trip. The Hu family truly lives up to its reputation as the number one family in Baiyan City, willing to bleed so much... Hasn't the Baiyan Sect intervened?"

He spoke his last sentence very softly, clearly showing his deep fear of Baiyan Sect.

His companion was silent for a moment: "You know how harsh and ruthless they are. The other day there was that drama where they took a fancy to the eldest daughter of the Hu family, but she refused. I bet..."

Looking around warily, he whispered, "Perhaps they released that monster, otherwise why would it specifically scratch Miss Hu's face?"

The man opened his mouth wide, quickly took a sip of tea to calm himself, and said with a stern face, "You can't say that. If we're overheard, we'll both be in trouble."

"I know what I'm doing, don't worry." His companion thought that no one in the private room could hear their conversation, but little did he know that Lou Yuqing had overheard everything.

"Those extraordinary individuals are competing in the city's arena today. The Hu family only has five people, and they are fighting fiercely for this money. The noise can be heard from far away."

The Colosseum...

Lou Yuqing grasped the key information, her eyes flashed, and she vaguely guessed the identities of those extraordinary people. Without saying a word, she rushed over to this place.

The arena was built with money and effort from various forces in White Rock City, and the amount of spirit stones it earns each year is astronomical. Of course, the lion's share goes to the White Rock Sect. In the past, they would take one-tenth of the spirit stones, but now it's even more outrageous, now it's one-fifth.

This means that the coffers of other forces are constantly drying up.

This was one of the pieces of news Lou Yuqing had heard. She stood motionless outside the arena because all the seats were sold out and the arena was already packed with people.

It's no wonder the Hu family can make so much money; they can even turn the demon hunters' duels into a spectacle.

The monster caused a great commotion in the city, attracting a lot of interested people who wanted to see what skills the demon hunter had so that they could use the monster as a topic of conversation when they caught it.

What if we can't catch it? Just tell it as a joke, and we won't lose anything either way.

Lou Yuqing suddenly had a thought: Could it be that the Hu family was crying wolf and fabricating a non-existent monster just to make money?

The arena was protected by a magic array, which could not be forced open. She took out the barrier-breaking bead, and with a thunderous roar, her figure disappeared. When she reappeared, she was already inside.

In addition to seats, the Colosseum also has platforms.

The platform was packed with people. Lou Yuqing appeared at the very back of the platform and blended in quietly without anyone noticing anything amiss.

As soon as they entered, a violent collision erupted on the field, like rocks rolling down from the highest point, smashing to pieces under the ever-increasing force.

"Ahhh!"

As the aftershocks spread, the crowd, far from being afraid, began to scream and shout. Defensive light shields rose up on the field, blocking them all.

Lou Yuqing looked at the two people fighting. As she expected, they were disciples of the Seven Sects, namely the Cloud Soaring Sect and the Star Pavilion. The latter had already been defeated, his face was pale, and he was in pain from being stabbed by his opponent's sword energy.

"The victor is Qi Qingxiong!"

After the referee announced the result, Qi Qingxiong stepped off the stage with his sword, without the slightest hesitation. Meanwhile, the figures of the Star Pavilion disciples gradually faded as they were teleported out of the small world.

Lou Yuqing pondered, "Is this what armed combat is?"

My senior sister said that there are intellectual and physical battles in the small world. Her mission tests her brainpower more, so it can be roughly classified as an intellectual battle, but physical strength is also indispensable. Otherwise, it is uncertain whether she can safely reach Baiyan City.

The area outside the city and up to the snow-capped mountains is sparsely populated and inhabited by a flock of strange birds. Unfortunately, they ran into the flock of strange birds during their flight and fought a fierce battle before managing to escape their pursuit.

"Next match: Ling Yunxiao vs. Deng Xiangning!"

Hearing the familiar name, Lou Yuqing snapped out of her reverie. Her gaze passed over the onlookers and settled on the boy's agile figure. He seemed to sense something and turned around. He paused for a moment when he saw her, and then the corners of his lips began to turn up.

Su Yin Sect disciple Deng Xiangning spoke once, but received no response. She deliberately raised her voice: "Fellow Daoist Ling, please enlighten me!"

"...Oh, please enlighten me!"

Ling Yunxiao quickly withdrew his gaze and returned the greeting.

But the fight between the two started quickly and ended just as quickly.

Lou Yuqing was just about to patiently watch the battle when she saw Ling Yunxiao use his Shadow Escape Technique to appear behind Deng Xiangning. Before the other party could figure out what was happening, he used a magical artifact to press against her back, all at an unbelievable speed.

The arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted in thunderous cheers.

Deng Xiangning's face was grim. She was defeated in less than a move. She had thought she might lose, but she didn't expect to lose so badly. She looked in Ling Yunxiao's direction with resentment, her figure gradually fading until she disappeared.

Ling Yunxiao remained completely calm about this.

Shadow Spirit Root cultivators are extremely rare in the cultivation world, and the probability of encountering one is very low. Some people are even unaware of their existence, so it's normal to lose if you rashly face one.

If he had been prepared, he wouldn't have won so easily. Moreover, this tactic can only be used once; seeing Deng Xiangning lose so inexplicably, the others would surely have become wary of him.

"Is the demon from the Hu family real?" Lou Yuqing took the opportunity to inquire about the information from him. As soon as the system touched on the matter of the Hu family and Baiyan Sect, the gossip value began to rise wildly.

Ling Yunxiao said, "Before coming to the arena, we went to the Hu family. We didn't sense any demons in our divine sense, but the Hu family patriarch looked very unwell, which is probably true."

"What about Miss Hu?" Lou Yuqing asked with great interest. "I heard she has some entanglement with the Baiyan Sect. She was disfigured by a demon. Could it be their doing?"

Ling Yunxiao asked, "What's the entanglement?" He had been staying in the arena the whole time and hadn't had a chance to gather information.

Lou Yuqing shared the information.

Ling Yunxiao pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "My current identity is that of a demon hunter, and my mission is to join the Hu family. I have tested the Hu family head, and he knows about the Snow Lotus. As long as I take the opportunity of exorcising demons to get close to him, I should be able to find out where the Snow Lotus is."

Seeing his frankness, Lou Yuqing said, "We encountered a hunting team hunting snow rabbits in the snow mountain. The leader also knew about snow lotus. My teammate, Senior Brother Chu, and Luo Buqi went to investigate."

He asked, "Not kill?"

The question seemed abrupt, but Lou Yuqing understood what he meant and said, "If we started fighting back then, we might trigger a second avalanche. Besides, there were three of us, so we decided to team up first."

After saying that, a sly smile appeared on her face: "Of course, with you on our side, breaking up with him is inevitable. We've arranged to meet Luo Buqi at Wanfu Inn. Shall we set up an ambush?"

To her surprise, Ling Yunxiao refused.

"The head of the Hu family is keeping a close eye on things, and I'm afraid I can't be in two places at once," he said with a helpless smile.

Lou Yuqing shrugged: "Then he'll just have to get away with it."

The results of the first round of competition in the arena are fresh in the air: eighteen people won, one received a bye, and seventeen were eliminated.

In the second round, nine people won and nine people were eliminated. In the third round, five people won, one of whom received a bye, and four people were eliminated.

Apart from Ling Yunxiao, the other four came from Bailingmen, Yunxiao Sect, Yaowang Valley, and Haotian Palace.

"Heroes and valiant men, your reputations are well-deserved. Please come with me to my residence to discuss the matter of capturing the demon. Once the demon is captured, the reward will be presented immediately!" the head of the Hu family declared generously.

Just as Ling Yunxiao said, as soon as the competition ended, they were taken away by the Hu family patriarch, with no chance to escape.

Lou Yuqing told him the address of Wanfu Inn, then left the arena and headed to the auction house in the city—heard that the second young lady of the Hu family and the son of the Baiyan Sect Master would be there.

This is a perfect opportunity to catch them all and maximize our melon-eating value.