Chapter 7: Slacking Off, Day Seven
Wen Ying didn’t stop walking, but she heard Lin Yu’s words.
Despite having heard them over forty times, Wen Ying still rolled her eyes.
That morning, Lin Yu had shown concern for Wen Ying regarding the ferocious beast incident, but after Rong Hua’s return, he had directly labeled Wen Ying as “wicked” without even asking.
Wen Ying didn’t care, but that didn’t diminish Lin Yu’s scumbag status.
【Mission Failed…】
The gray-white words appeared again, but Wen Ying didn’t even look; her walking pace directly kicked them away.
【Host, why are you failing missions consecutively this cycle…? This time, I changed the mission panel content to remind you, but you remain unmoved…】
Seeing Wen Ying’s repeated actions, the system finally couldn’t help but chime in.
【Changed it?】 Due to the presence of the disciples, Wen Ying could only communicate with the system mentally.
Although Wen Ying had no intention of completing these missions, she hadn’t planned to tell the system.
She was curious about what the system had changed. Looking back, she didn’t notice any difference.
【Of course, I changed it! I added exclamation points to emphasize the importance! And for the mission failure panel, I added ellipses to express regret… I just learned this!】
Wen Ying: “…”
Mere punctuation marks were considered newly learned. Had the system not finished first grade yet?
Or was she, a mundane office worker, just too knowledgeable?
【So, host, this is the third failed mission! If this continues…】
【Oh? What will happen if it continues?】
Hearing the system mention this, Wen Ying narrowed her eyes, revealing a radiant smile.
【It… it will result in mission failure…】
【Oh really? Do you know that this is the fifty-second cycle? I tried so hard to complete every mission, yet I haven’t seen complete success.】 Wen Ying continued to ask, smiling sweetly.
【Host, could you stop smiling like that? Little System is scared…】
【I can’t kill you, what are you afraid of?】 Wen Ying still smiled sweetly.
The system made a swallowing sound.
【In short, host, if you keep failing missions, you certainly won’t reach 100% plot progress…】
【Mission success will achieve that? You guarantee it?】 Wen Ying glanced sideways at the constantly changing scenery.
【I… I… I can’t guarantee it!】
After speaking, the system seemed to run away, but a faint “waaa” could be heard in the distance, like the system was crying.
【So scary… Waaa… This host is so scary waaa…】
Tch.
Wen Ying disdainfully curled her lips.
She hadn’t said anything, yet the system was crying.
Dragging along this useless system, Wen Ying had still reached 99.9% progress in several previous cycles, even diligently maxing out all her skills in the first fifty cycles. Looking back, the process was arduous beyond words.
Therefore, Wen Ying must not repeat the same mistake! The more arduous the process, the more wasted the effort. What a complete waste.
Thinking this, Wen Ying stopped.
Her destination, the hall where she was to be interrogated, had arrived.
Behind her, the disciple and the three other disciples arrived, panting.
“Wen… Wen Ying, why are you walking so fast…” the disciple, supporting himself with one hand on his waist, said breathlessly.
He remembered that Wen Ying had poor cultivation… yet how could she walk so fast! He had already used his qi, and he was still in this state.
“I don’t know,” Wen Ying shrugged. “Probably talent.”
Perhaps because of distraction, she had subconsciously used a little qi; or perhaps it was simply because her physical strength was maxed out, and her racewalking skills were also maxed out.
“Never mind, go in. The elders are waiting for you inside.” The disciple was still panting and could only wave weakly.
Watching Wen Ying enter the hall, the disciples finally relaxed.
The disciple, having calmed his breath, didn’t leave immediately. He rested one hand on his sword hilt, the other on his chin, deep in thought.
His knowledge of Wen Ying came mostly from hearsay. But today’s encounter was very different. Not only did she actively accept her punishment but she also moved extremely quickly, showing a positive attitude towards the interrogation. While walking, he vaguely saw a smile on Wen Ying’s face, indicating a good attitude towards her punishment. This was a stark contrast to the rumored image of her being violent, arrogant, and unreasonable.
Although Wen Ying had done wrong, things should be judged fairly.
The disciple only believed what he saw. It could be seen that rumors were unreliable.
Only one thing puzzled the disciple.
He didn’t seem to have mentioned the location of the interrogation; how did Wen Ying know the way so accurately…
Had he mentioned it and forgotten?
Was he developing the same condition as Old Man Li from the foot of the mountain, who called every woman his daughter?
And Wen Ying’s incredible speed…
Was he also developing Old Woman Wang’s condition from the neighboring village, who trembled with every step she took?
Ugh.
No, no, he still had to uphold justice and right all wrongs! He would have to see Elder Nang Ge tomorrow…
…
Wen Ying entered the Xun Xian Sect’s grand hall.
As one of the five major cultivation sects, the grand hall was naturally majestic.
The hall was about three stories high, with two rows of pillars adorned with elaborate carvings. In the front of the hall stood a large, elaborately carved wooden throne for three people, with six red wooden chairs beneath it, all of great value.
Currently, four of the five elders of the Xun Xian Sect were seated—the Enforcement Elder was absent from the Xun Xian Sect today. Grandmaster Ru Song, Lin Xian Sect’s master, sat on the carved throne.
The elders, each stroking their beards, had deep, serious expressions, yet remained silent. A heavy atmosphere permeated the hall. The presence of four elders and one grandmaster was incredibly oppressive.
But Wen Ying felt nothing.
It wasn’t because of her high cultivation—although Wen Ying suspected her cultivation was higher than everyone present, the main reason was that she was used to it.
She had been here over fifty times. If one’s legs trembled during the first visit, it was understandable, but if they still trembled after fifty times, that was likely a nervous spasm.
“Wen Ying, do you know your crime!”
As Wen Ying entered the hall, Grandmaster Ru Song slammed the table, his voice booming like a bell.
Wen Ying simply shrugged. “What crime do you want me to know?”
“Do you need us to say what you did?” A sword-wielding elder, angered, slammed his hand on the armrest, abruptly standing up.
“If you don’t tell me, how would I know which thing you’re referring to?” Wen Ying innocently asked. “Are you referring to the chili peppers I fried this morning, or the buns I made in the afternoon?”
“It’s about the incident at the back mountain trials!” The sword-wielding elder was so angry his beard was practically flying.
“Sword-wielding elder, calm down.” Grandmaster Ru Song raised his hand, motioning for the elder to sit down.
Because Wen Ying’s responses varied each time, the dialogue in each scene also changed.
This was the first time Wen Ying heard Grandmaster Ru Song address these background elders by name. This was also when she realized that these elders weren’t nameless, their names were “Sword-wielding,” “Enforcement,” etc.
… How perfunctory.
“Wen Ying, you should know that a high-level ferocious beast appeared in the back mountain during the trials that day.” Grandmaster Ru Song’s gaze was sharp as he looked at Wen Ying.
“I know.” Wen Ying nodded.
Wen Ying vaguely remembered her encounter with the ferocious beast in her first cycle. It was indeed ferocious, leaving her bedridden for five days; she only recovered thanks to the spirit medicines she exchanged using system points. Back then, she was thankful that the points she obtained from the successful mission were sufficient.
Looking back, Wen Ying only felt regret.
Why had she worked so hard? Now she had a whole cabinet of spirit medicines, but they were just gathering dust.
Grandmaster Ru Song noticed Wen Ying’s vacant expression, clearly understanding the situation.
“Through investigations by this old man, and Sword-wielding, Order-upholding, and Seal-keeping elders, the one who released the beast was you.” Grandmaster Ru Song’s voice was solemn and grave, leaving no room for argument.
“Oh.” Wen Ying replied casually, thinking, so the other three elders’ names are this? Interesting.
“This old man sees that you have a good attitude of admitting your mistake, and if you confess voluntarily, this old man may be lenient.” Grandmaster Ru Song stroked his three-foot-long white beard, slowly asking, “Wen Ying, this old man asks you, where exactly did you capture this ferocious beast?”
“I don’t know.” Wen Ying honestly shook her head.
In the previous fifty-plus attempts, she only knew who released the beast. As for where the person captured it, the heavens only knew.
“Nonsense!” Grandmaster Ru Song’s eyes instantly turned sharp, and he slammed the table again. “I give you one more chance! Where did you capture it!”
In over fifty cycles, Wen Ying had always disliked these old men.
For example, now, she told the truth, but they didn’t believe her.
So, she could only make something up.
Ferocious beast… a high-level one, where was it from…?
For Wen Ying, her memory was indeed a bit hazy.
Her cultivation had reached max level over forty cycles ago. The ferocious beasts in the dangerous places she had been to were inconsequential to her.
“Qinglu Valley?” Wen Ying thought of a place name and tentatively said it.
When Wen Ying uttered the name, everyone in the hall changed their expressions.
“Nonsense!” The Sword-wielding elder’s anger flared again. He slammed the table again, almost breaking the armrest. “Qinglu Valley? A little girl like you can’t even enter that place!”
Author’s Note:
Finished! I want to update at a fixed time… perhaps 6 PM?