Chapter 2: The Acting Expert

Su Yao’er woke up in searing pain.

She snapped her eyes open and instinctively reached for her waist.

The sword was still there, which gave her some relief, but the next second, her body had already sprung up, sword drawn, its tip pointing straight ahead.

A person sat by the fire.

A man who looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in a gray robe, with a handsome face.

There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy from him at all.

A mortal?

Su Yao’er didn’t retract her sword.

Instead, she gripped it tighter.

She had been fleeing from pursuers all the way from Mount Canglan to here, and the Evil Qi was still constantly eroding her body.

In this situation, a person appearing before her—too suspicious.

Su Yao’er’s gaze sliced toward the man like a blade, trying to find a flaw on his face.

She saw his eyes.

Those eyes were as calm as a pool of stagnant water—no fear, no panic, not even a glance at the sword in her hand.

The firelight reflected in his pupils, but revealed no emotion.

He just tilted his head slightly and looked at her with a lazy demeanor.

Su Yao’er’s heart sank.

This feeling…

She had only sensed it from her Shifu—that kind of detachment that came from having experienced the vicissitudes of life and seeing through everything.

No.

That’s impossible.

She carefully probed him; there really was no spiritual energy fluctuation on his body.

But how could a person, with a sword pressed to their throat, be so calm?

Unless…

He wasn’t a mortal, but a powerhouse whose cultivation far surpassed hers, having Returned to Simplicity and Truth, making her unable to sense him at all.

A thin layer of cold sweat broke out on Su Yao’er’s forehead.

Just then, that man spoke.

His voice was very plain.

“Is this how you treat your life-saving benefactor?”

Su Yao’er froze.

She looked down at her own wounds.

They had been simply bandaged.

He had saved her.

“I was rude just now. Please forgive me, Senior.”

She slowly retracted her longsword and knelt on one knee.

“Su Yao’er… thanks Fellow Daoist for saving my life.”

“It’s nothing. Venerable Self saved you only because I felt a connection with you.”

A connection?

Hearing this, she couldn’t help but glance at him again.

He wasn’t angered by her vigilance.

After careful observation, she still couldn’t detect any spiritual energy fluctuation, but his face carried no expression—neither pride from her thanks nor any emotional fluctuation.

This kind of detachment—it can’t be faked.

The slight suspicion that had just arisen in Su Yao’er’s heart was dispelled once more.

Lai Li’an’s heart rate had already shot up to one hundred and eighty.

The sword blade still had traces of undried blood, exuding a faint chill.

He could feel his back completely soaked through with cold sweat.

That sword had been less than 0.01 inches from his throat just now!

But he didn’t move, didn’t even blink.

Just now, that sword was nothing but a toothpick.

He had learned some tricks over the past two years from watching those “Jianghu Actor Kings” online, and he used them all at this moment.

He kept telling himself:

‘You are a great master. You are a great master.’

When Su Yao’er retracted her sword and knelt, he almost couldn’t hold back a long sigh of relief.

Then, he looked at the system panel that had appeared.

[Target: Su Yao’er]

[Current emotions: Shock, Vigilance, Slight wavering]

[Fantasy Value: 15/100]

[System evaluation: She’s starting to suspect you’ve hidden your strength. Keep it up, Host.]

Fifteen points.

Too low.

Lai Li’an calculated rapidly in his mind.

Relying solely on the identity of “life-saving benefactor” wasn’t enough.

He needed stronger “evidence.”

But he had nothing now—no cultivation, no magic tools, not even a single pill.

Wait.

A thought suddenly struck him.

Her pursuers.

If she really was being chased, what happened to the pursuers?

She had been unconscious for at least several hours.

Why hadn’t the pursuers caught up?

A plan quickly formed in his mind.

Lai Li’an withdrew his gaze, looked at Su Yao’er, and said in a casual tone, “The ones chasing you—I’ve already dealt with them casually.”

Su Yao’er’s body stiffened noticeably.

She jerked her head up, eyes filled with disbelief.

“What?”

“Just a few Early Foundation Building Stage cultivators, and one Late Foundation Building Stage.”

Lai Li’an’s tone remained flat.

“Their cultivation was mediocre. They’re already dead. You don’t need to worry.”

Su Yao’er’s pupils shrank.

Late Foundation Building Stage…

Dealt with casually?!

She did know that a few Early Foundation Building Stage cultivators were hunting her, but she didn’t know there was also a Late Foundation Building Stage hidden in the shadows.

If this person had casually killed a Late Foundation Building Stage cultivator, then he was at least at the Golden Core Stage!

She instinctively wanted to refute, but the words got stuck in her throat.

If this person was really a mortal, how could he see through those people’s cultivation, and how could he kill Foundation Establishment cultivators?

Then, if she couldn’t see through his cultivation, didn’t that mean his realm was far above hers?

But…

This is too coincidental.

She was gravely injured, falling from the sky, and happened to land right in front of a hidden great master!

Su Yao’er bit her lip, her doubts and shock churning inside.

Lai Li’an watched her shifting expression and knew it wasn’t enough yet.

He needed to add more fuel to completely shatter her doubts.

He glanced lightly at Su Yao’er’s wound and said with a hint of scrutiny in his tone, “A group of Foundation Establishment juniors—why were they chasing a small Early Qi Refining Stage cultivator like you?”

Su Yao’er’s pupils contracted sharply.

If she had only been doubtful before, now she believed it seventy or eighty percent.

He really wasn’t a mortal.

Otherwise, how could he see through her cultivation at a glance?

This kind of casual question was more convincing than any grand declaration.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but was cut off by his next words.

“Let me see.”

Lai Li’an narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on Su Yao’er’s pale face.

“Your wound isn’t an ordinary sword or blade wound. There’s Evil Qi eroding around the wound, slowly gnawing at your Spirit Root. This kind of method—ordinary cultivators wouldn’t use it. It’s too sinister.”

Su Yao’er’s face paled a few shades.

Lai Li’an continued, “Is the other party trying to seize the Spirit Root inside your body? It seems this Spirit Root is of high grade.”

While saying these words, his mind was frantically thanking the system for the information it had provided about Su Yao’er.

Su Yao’er trembled slightly, wanting to explain.

Seeing this, Lai Li’an added more fuel to the fire.

“Extreme Grade… Water Spirit Root.”

Su Yao’er’s heart shook violently.

He could even see that?!

Instantly, wariness rose in her heart again.

But Lai Li’an’s face showed no ripple of emotion.

He just nodded slightly, as if this answer was already within his expectations.

“Light Heaven Spirit Body.”

Su Yao’er was utterly shocked.

He even saw her physique!

She had never told anyone about her physique.

Even her Shifu had only vaguely guessed, never confirmed it.

But this person…

With just one glance.

Su Yao’er jerked her head up, staring hard at Lai Li’an.

That person still sat quietly by the fire, looking like an ordinary scholar.

The firelight flickered in his pupils, but reflected no emotion.

Yet it was this very person that made a chill rise from the bottom of her heart.

This is definitely not a mortal.

Su Yao’er took a deep breath, withdrew all her scrutinizing gazes, and respectfully lowered her head.

“Your insight is keen, Senior. This junior admires it.”

[Ding! The target’s “Fantasy Value” toward the Host has greatly increased!]

[Current Fantasy Value: 70/100]

[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained Cultivation: Late Foundation Building Stage!]

[Stable Fantasy Source detected. Beginning conversion…]

Lai Li’an almost jumped up from the ground.

Late Foundation Building Stage!

Two years!

A full two years!

He finally had cultivation!

Spiritual energy was born in his Dantian.

His heart raced wildly, blood surged through his veins, and an unprecedented power welled up from deep within his body.

This feeling…

Too awesome!

The system hadn’t stopped.

[Newcomer Gift Pack opened:]

[Qi Refining Stage Gift Pack Contents:]

[1. Taiyan Five Elements Dao Canon (Grand Grade) (Top-tier cultivation method)]

[2. Myriad Phenomena Divine Eye (Grand Grade) (Auto-learned)]

[3. Enlightenment Card ×1]

[4. Greater Five Thunder Orthodox Talisman (Grand Grade) ×1]

[Foundation Establishment Stage Gift Pack Contents:]

[1. Zhou Tian Star Dou Array Diagram (Grand Grade) (Already auto-learned)]

[2. Nine Abyss Soul Refining Art (Grand Grade) (Already auto-learned)]

[3. Vajra Indestructible Body (Grand Grade) (Already auto-cultivated to perfection)]

[Tip: It is recommended that the Host immediately find a way to improve true strength. Otherwise, once Fantasy Value drops to zero, everything will revert to its original form.]

The smile on Lai Li’an’s face instantly froze.

He suppressed the urge to curse, quickly scanning the gift pack contents.

System products are always top-tier.

But they can’t be used!

Only one talisman was usable, and it was a consumable.

His expression shifted several times, finally settling into a very subtle look.

A half-smile.

He spent two whole years tricking his way into a Foundation Establishment cultivation, and now the system tells him this is a trial version?

No…

Wait.

His gaze landed on the last item.

Vajra Indestructible Body (Grand Grade) (Already auto-cultivated to perfection).

This was the only thing that was truly usable.

But why didn’t he feel any change?

Various emotions churned within him, but his face still maintained that unfathomably calm expression.

Then, he suddenly realized he had made a mistake.

He had been staring at the system panel for too long.