Chapter 17: I Have a Method

"Ding! Congratulations to the host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting cool. Reward: 60 Acting Cool Points!"

The system's prompt tone suddenly rang out in Xu Que's mind.

Su Cloud Sect Master, standing by the window, was stunned. She was somewhat taken aback, clearly not expecting Xu Que to refuse so decisively.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, could you tell me the reason?" she asked, puzzled.

The reason?

Damn it, I can't exactly tell you that I need to kill people and demon beasts to level up, and that I need to act cool everywhere to get rich, right? If I stay, wouldn't that be equivalent to willingly degenerating?

What a joke. Do I, Xu Que, look like the type of person who would willingly degenerate?

No one can stop me from acting cool!

Thinking this in his heart, Xu Que still wore a bright, sunny smile on his face as he said, "Generals and ministers are not born to their status; a man should strive for self-improvement. I have aspirations in all four directions and enjoy traveling the world. If Sect Master Su asks me to stay and be an Elder, it would be equivalent to breaking the wings I use to fly."

Su Cloud Sect Master was instantly stunned, a shock running through her heart.

Generals and ministers are not born to their status; a man should strive for self-improvement!

What a magnificent line!

"I never imagined Fellow Daoist Xu's literary talent would be so outstanding. It was my presumption. Since Fellow Daoist Xu is unwilling, I cannot force you." Su Cloud Sect Master smiled reluctantly, her eyes filled with complexity.

She had originally thought Xu Que was a glib, rogue loose cultivator, but his character wasn't bad, and his strength was formidable. If he could stay at the Grand Void Gate, he would surely be able to make the sect rise.

But she hadn't expected Xu Que to speak with such eloquence at this moment, like a talented scholar full of learning. Especially that line, "Generals and ministers are not born to their status; a man should strive for self-improvement," which truly dazzled her.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting cool. Reward: 50 Acting Cool Points!"

Xu Que received the system's prompt and chuckled inwardly. He hadn't expected that the poems from his original world would be so extraordinary when placed in this cultivation world; they were just too perfect for acting cool.

He looked at Su Cloud Sect Master and said, "Sect Master Su, you flatter me. Actually, someone like me, who is cold, uninhibited, and reckless, is really not suited for staying in a sect. It would bring great trouble to the sect, so I can only decline your kindness, Sect Master Su."

"Pfft!"

Su Cloud Sect Master couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh out loud.

Cold, uninhibited, and reckless?

She had never heard anyone describe themselves like that. This Xu Que really was a strange person.

She couldn't help but say, "Fellow Daoist Xu is truly extraordinary. However, in my view, although Fellow Daoist Xu has a reckless and uninhibited side, you are also very approachable and not cold at all!"

"Not cold? Hmm... It seems I'll have to try that route next time. After all, being aloof is the primary element of acting cool!" Xu Que rubbed his chin and muttered to himself.

Su Cloud Sect Master looked at Xu Que, and for a moment, she felt a sense of envy, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Actually, I envy Fellow Daoist Xu's free and easy life—unrestrained, possessing unique skills, and able to travel in all four directions!"

Xu Que was stunned for a moment, his eyes suddenly lighting up. He sat up and said, "You can do it too. Being a Sect Master doesn't mean you have to stay in the sect every day; that's so boring. Come, let's have a trip that says 'let's go.' I'll bring you, and you bring the silver."

"A trip that says 'let's go'?"

Su Cloud Sect Master murmured, her heart trembling; she was actually somewhat moved.

But then she smiled bitterly and shook her head. "If I could really just go, that would be great! Besides me, there are only two Elders left in the sect to hold the fort. On ordinary days, the three of us can barely handle all the affairs. If I left, I'm afraid the entire Grand Void Gate would fall into chaos!"

"How could that be? I see you guys here... *cough cough*, don't mind me, but I think you don't have many disciples in the sect, and the days are quite leisurely." Xu Que said, surprised.

"That's just a superficial phenomenon. On ordinary days, there are always people from the Demon Sect coming over to cause trouble. We drive one batch away, and another batch comes."

"Oh?" Xu Que suddenly became interested, his eyes shining. "Are there many people who come?"

As soon as he heard Su Cloud Sect Master say there were Demon Sect people causing trouble, he immediately felt like he saw a pile of people coming to deliver experience points, and he was incredibly excited.

"Quite a few, but they won't really fight us. Usually, if we give them some Spirit Stones, they will leave." Su Cloud Sect Master replied casually.

Xu Que's mouth twitched. *Damn, this is collecting protection money. So being in the Demon Sect is this profitable? *

"What cultivation realms are the people who come usually at?" Xu Que asked again.

Su Cloud Sect Master couldn't help but look at Xu Que strangely, seemingly not understanding why he was asking these things, but she still replied, "Usually, there will be one or two Nascent Soul Stage experts, as well as several Golden Core Stage disciples. Fellow Daoist Xu, why are you asking this?"

"Haha, nothing, nothing!" Xu Que laughed and waved his hands repeatedly.

But the excitement on his face betrayed him. Su Cloud Sect Master seemed to have guessed something, her expression changed, and she hurriedly said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, you mustn't act recklessly. Those people are from the Demon Sect near Wind Fog City, and their whereabouts are uncertain. If you kill one batch, another will come. If you kill them, the Grand Void Gate will truly be in trouble from now on."

"What's there to fear? If they come once, I'll kill them once." Xu Que said domineeringly.

Su Cloud Sect Master looked at him somewhat gloomily and said, "If Fellow Daoist Xu were willing to stay and take on the position of Great Elder, I would naturally fear nothing. But if you leave, how could our Grand Void Gate defend against the repeated invasions of the Demon Sect?"

"That's true!"

Xu Que nodded immediately. Su Cloud Sect Master's words indeed made sense. If he provoked the Demon Sect people while at the Grand Void Gate and then just walked away, it would indeed bring great disaster to the Grand Void Gate.

However... if he could make the Grand Void Gate's strength stronger, then that layer of concern could be reduced.

Immediately, Xu Que moved his divine sense, summoned the system, and entered the mall interface.

At the same time, he asked the system, "Is there anything that can improve a sect's combat power and can be used by others?"

Originally, giving the Grand Void Gate a set of formations would be the most appropriate, but the items currently exchanged from the system, except for himself, could not be used by outsiders at all, which was why Xu Que asked this.

Before long, the system mall list flashed, and then listed several items.

Xu Que was instantly stunned, because those items were all blueprints!

But after taking a look and checking the information on several blueprints, Xu Que immediately burst into laughter.

Su Cloud Sect Master, beside him, was startled.

Originally seeing Xu Que suddenly dazed, she was full of confusion and opened her mouth to say something, but then Xu Que suddenly burst into loud laughter, leaving her unable to react.

"Fellow... Fellow Daoist Xu, what's wrong with you?"

Xu Que was full of excitement. He suddenly went through the window, actually hugged Su Cloud Sect Master, and said with great joy, "Sect Master Su, I have a method that can exempt the Grand Void Gate from the harassment of the Demon Sect from now on, and can even leap to become the most powerful sect within the vicinity of Wind Fog City."

Su Cloud Sect Master was caught off guard and hugged by Xu Que. She was shocked and about to struggle free, but as soon as she heard Xu Que's words, her heart shook violently. She stood there stunned, full of shock, and said, "You... what did you say?" ===== CHAPTER 18 =====