Chapter 285: 285, Trick the Dog In and Kill It
Outside Qingling City, a gathering place for players.

Lu Xun arrived riding on a paper crane, selling skills.

After taking one jar of spiritual wine after another, along with the experience points left over from before, Lu Xun’s total experience points had now surpassed one million.

Another 200,000 points, and he would be able to level up from 28 to 30.

The rate of experience points gained was faster than he expected, all thanks to the generous players in the Demon Sect area. They were indeed a mature source of experience points.

Although he had gathered enough experience points to level up to 30 in the Demon Sect area, he still needed to visit One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Sword Mountain.

It’s not that he specifically wanted to see that tough-talking player eat shit, well, he did want to see it.

But the main reason was, he had other tasks to take care of.

After receiving another jar of spiritual wine, Lu Xun saw a lady player holding a basket of pears.

He wasn’t sure if she intended to eat it herself, or if it was a quest item.

Those pears looked sweet and juicy; they seemed delicious.

Seeing pears, Lu Xun thought of Ji Li.

She was named after her mother’s favorite fruit, and pears were also her favorite fruit.

So, Lu Xun smiled and offered, “I’ll give you this jar of spiritual wine in exchange for two pears, how about it?”

The lady player’s eyes lit up. She didn’t expect such a good deal!

At that point, spiritual wine was a luxury item for players. It was worth much more than pears.

And then, how could she refuse such a request from a handsome man like him!

Let alone pears, even if he asked for more, she wouldn’t hesitate to give!

And so, the lady player handed over the entire basket of pears to Lu Xun.

Lu Xun gave her a faint smile and said, “I only need two.”

Upon hearing this, the lady player picked out the two best pears from the basket and happily handed them over to Lu Xun.

After giving her the spiritual wine, Lu Xun increased her favorability by 5 points without thinking twice.

The lady player blushed with joy and shyness. Unfortunately, her coquettish appearance had no effect on Lu Xun.

Don’t forget that when NPCs see player appearances, they automatically become ‘plain’. It was the same for Lu Xun.

Unless the player gained ‘Charisma’ in their special attribute points, the effect of their appearance would not increase.

Seeing that he had gained enough experience points, Lu Xun flaunted his sleeves, and he vanished.

He left behind his clear voice echoing in the surroundings: “I’m going to venture into the Sword Mountain area. Till we meet again, fellow players!”

Which also meant telling the players in One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Sword Mountain that the man they had been eagerly awaiting was on his way!

On his way back, Lu Xun opened the forum and saw what he expected. Upon hearing the news, the players from One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Sword Mountain were bubbling with excitement!

And the post claiming that if the White Emperor comes to the One Sword Mountain area, he will eat shit, and not just any kind but diarrhea-inducing shit, had been dug up by the crazy players and topped the front page.

The internet has a memory!

One must be cautious when hoaxing for free meals and drinks!

Upon arriving back at the Lai Fu Restaurant courtyard, Lu Xun saw that Ji Li had already come back.

Without going into the house, she simply sat under the tree on a stone bench, leaning on her hand, eagerly looking at the door waiting for Lu Xun to return.

Seeing Ji Li, Lu Xun was reminded of a classic dialogue from “Spongebob”:

Patrick Star: “Hey, Spongebob, let’s go jellyfishing.”

Spongebob: “Sorry, I can’t today. I have school.”

Patrick Star: “If you’re going to school, what should I do today?”

Spongebob: “I don’t know, what do you usually do when I’m not home?”

Patrick Star: “I’ll wait for you to come back.”

“This silly girl, she’s like a pining wife,” thought Lu Xun.

As soon as he appeared, Ji Li stood up and said joyfully, “Ah! Lu Xun! You’re back!”

“Hmm.” Lu Xun nodded with a smile, “Weren’t you at the Turtle’s Longevity? Did you finish the challenge so quickly?”

“Yeah!” Ji Li looked at him, blinked her beautiful eyes, just like a child who scored one hundred, waiting for her parents to ask about her scores.

Lu Xun, who had raised a younger sister, recognized her thoughts immediately, and cooperatively asked, “I remember you were already on the leaderboard before, right? Have you moved up this time?”

With her chest puffed out, making her black Demon Sect uniform tight, Ji Li proudly said, “I scored third in the rankings this time, right below you!”

“Oh? Below me, eh?” Lu Xun replied with a playful grin.

Ji Li nodded emphatically. After a few seconds, she realized there was a double entendre in what he said, and her face flushed.

But she couldn’t tell if Lu Xun made that remark casually or deliberately to tease her.

Lu Xun raised his head and playfully flicked her forehead, asking, “Why so quiet? What are you thinking about?”

“Ah? Ah! No…nothing!” Ji Li hurriedly replied.

Looking at her, Lu Xun thought, “All grown-up now, huh? If I let her continue in her thoughts, she might even decide on the names of our future children.”

After taking their seats, Ji Li asked, “Lu Xun, you said you wouldn’t stay in Qingling City for long; where are you going next?”

Looking at her, Lu Xun asked, “Why? Planning on tagging along again?”

“Well, I’m not really in a hurry to return to the sect, especially since the Inner Gate advancement exam is still some time away…” Ji Li shared quietly.

Lu Xun responded, “I’m planning on setting out for the Sword Mountain region tomorrow.”

“What for?” Ji Li asked.

Lu Xun lightly tapped on the stone table and said, “I want to go to the Moon in the Well.”

Moon in the Well, like Turtle’s Longevity and Ghost’s Grief, is a dungeon and trial ground for participants from both One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Sword Mountain.

As it belongs to both, the competition for higher positions in this leaderboard is particularly intense.

As mentioned before, the disciples of One Sword Mountain and Ten Thousand Sword Mountain display an almost abnormal sense of honor towards their sects.

If there are declarations of affection and eventual courtship between disciples of the two sects, even during their private moments, they might argue over who should take the leading role.

If they even bother to compete over such matters, a public leaderboard like this one is a highly competitive area.

Therefore, the leaderboard of the Moon in the Well dungeon is the site of the fiercest competition.

When Ji Li heard that Lu Xun planned to go to the trial ground, she tentatively offered, “Before leaving the mountain, Elder Qiu Shui also told me that if I get a chance, I should gain more experience in the outside world…”

Seeing her look, Lu Xun was reminded of a puppy begging its owner to be taken along. He gave a slight smile and said, “Is that so? Well, the Moon in the Well dungeon seems like the perfect place for a sword cultivator like you.”

“So… will you take me along?” asked Ji Li, excitement bubbling in her voice.

“Sure.” Lu Xun nodded.

Seeing Ji Li ecstatic, he took out a pear from his storage ring and asked her, “Do you want one?”

“Yes!” Ji Li, taking the pear said, “Lu Xun, did you buy it specifically for me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself. I wanted it myself,” denied Lu Xun, “What? If I say I bought it for you, will it taste sweeter?”

“Yes!” Ji Li held her pear reverently.

“Fine, let’s say I bought it especially for you,” he said with a gentle smile as he bit into his pear.

Ji Li took a small bite as well.

Lu Xun asked, “Is it sweet?”

Chewing on her pear, with a smile as broad as a crescent moon, Ji Li nodded vigorously and announced loudly:

“Mmm! It’s so sweet!”