Chapter 05
Grinding Monsters and Leveling Up
Lu Qianchuan glanced at Xiao Wenjing.
Xiao Wenjing said, “Wait until nightfall. I told you, this thing only appears at night.”
But at this moment, all the doors and windows along the street were tightly shut, and for a while, they didn’t even know where to go.
Lu Qianchuan reached out and pushed on a nearby shop door—it didn’t budge at all.
Even the cracks in the doors and windows were sealed tightly with strips of paper.
Chu Zilan stepped forward. The fog on the street was growing thicker, forcing Ding Li to stay close behind her, afraid that if she wasn’t careful, she’d be entangled by those unknown demon vines and die on the spot.
Damn it—dying before even getting started would be terrible.
Chu Zilan walked a short distance ahead and then stopped, as if observing something or deep in thought.
Then suddenly, she raised her hand and pushed open a nearby door.
With a creaking sound, the door opened a crack.
Ding Li couldn’t help but think in amazement—as expected of the female lead. Golden fingers and all kinds of buffs gathered into one person—she was practically cheating the system.
But then she felt a bit bitter. How great would it be to just follow Chu Zilan? Beautiful, powerful, and kind—what on earth is wrong with Su Xiangqing? Why would she try to compete with a female lead who’s practically invincible?
What was she thinking?
Was she dissatisfied with how miserably she’d die—or how quickly?
The saddest part was that all the trouble Su Xiangqing caused now had to be repaid by her, Ding Li.
How rude!
As a working-class soul, Ding Li thought silently: Winning over the male lead is already a system-assigned task. As for framing the female lead… we’ll discuss that later.
Chu Zilan pushed the door open and walked inside. Ding Li followed closely behind.
The two men behind them heard the movement and immediately followed as well.
It was a clothing shop. Various garments hung on the walls, and on a nearby table were neatly arranged pieces of brightly colored fabric.
But there was no one inside.
Lu Qianchuan called out, “Is anyone here? We are cultivators from the Cangshan Sect.”
No response.
He called again, “We were sent down the mountain by our sect to eliminate demons. Is anyone here?”
Silence.
Xiao Wenjing suddenly looked at Ding Li and asked, “How were you injured?”
Ding Li: “……”
You really don’t know how to read the room. That happened before I transmigrated—how would I know?!
After thinking for a moment, Ding Li said softly, “I don’t remember.”
Xiao Wenjing narrowed his eyes. “You don’t remember?”
What, are you going to kill me? Look at you, all fierce and scary—what a gloomy face!
Ding Li felt annoyed, but hesitated outwardly before slowly saying, “Let me think… I think I was attacked from behind, and then I lost consciousness…”
Xiao Wenjing was silent for two seconds, then let out a scoff.
Damn it…
Ding Li quickly added, “But I think I heard someone mention something about a Soul-Devouring Demon Vine…”
Lu Qianchuan looked over. “Soul-Devouring Demon Vine?”
Ding Li said weakly, “Yes… something about disturbing the mind…”
Lu Qianchuan fell into thought.
Chu Zilan said, “She was injured by a vine puppet.”
Lu Qianchuan asked, “You mean townspeople parasitized by the demon vine?”
Chu Zilan nodded.
Lu Qianchuan said, “If only we knew how the vines parasitize people.”
At that moment, a side door creaked open, and someone slowly walked out.
The person moved normally, his gaze sweeping across them without anything unusual—but his face…
Faint green vines could be seen under his skin, flickering in and out, thick and thin, creeping along his face and neck in an eerie manner.
But he was undeniably human.
Before Lu Qianchuan could speak, the man asked, “You’re cultivators from the Cangshan Sect?”
Lu Qianchuan immediately replied, “Yes. The vines on your face…”
Xiao Wenjing added, “Recently parasitized.”
The man’s expression was calm but cold. “Cultivators or priests—it’s all useless.”
The three of them had indeed been in the town for days without progress. But since he had opened the door, he must still hold a sliver of hope.
Lu Qianchuan said, “I can’t remove the vines yet, but I can slow their growth.”
He gathered a beam of white light at his fingertips and swiftly directed it toward the man’s face. The light spread, enveloping his entire face. Gradually, the green vines receded.
The man’s previously stiff expression softened.
Lu Qianchuan asked, “Are you the shop owner here?”
Seeing that Lu Qianchuan was somewhat useful, the man’s tone softened. “Yes.”
Lu Qianchuan said, “We’ve been here for two days but still don’t know where the vines come from. Can you recall how you were infected?”
The shop owner thought for a moment. “I don’t know either. Last night while sleeping, I felt a bit hot, so I opened a crack in the window. This morning, I saw the vines on my face.”
No wonder every household had sealed their doors and windows—these vines could slip in through any gap.
The shop owner sighed. “Many people have already died these past few days. If this continues, everyone will die.”
So fast… could it spread like a disease?
Xiao Wenjing suddenly said, “Listen.”
Night had fallen. Everything around them was pitch black.
They focused and listened carefully. Outside the window came a miserable scream—at first distant, then suddenly seeming close.
But soon Ding Li realized—it wasn’t moving closer. It was happening both far away and nearby at the same time.
Lu Qianchuan and Chu Zilan exchanged a glance.
The shop owner sighed deeply. “It’s started again.”
In an instant, cries of pain and screams echoed throughout the city.
The shop owner turned back, pushed open the side door, and returned to the inner room.
Lu Qianchuan said, “Let’s go out and take a look.”
Chu Zilan nodded.
Xiao Wenjing had already pushed the door open and stepped outside.
Outside, the moon hung high in the sky, casting pale light over the ground. The once-empty street was now filled with people.
But none of them were normal.
Green vines pulsed beneath their exposed skin, moving like living creatures, weaving in and out.
Their expressions were equally strange.
They seemed unable to see others, each trapped in their own world, their faces twisted in agony.
Some walked straight into walls. Others ran in pain. Some even swung swords wildly—
A flash of white light shot from Chu Zilan’s fingertips, striking one person’s arm and knocking the sword from his hand.
But he immediately bent down, fumbled, and picked it up again.
Xiao Wenjing rushed forward and dislocated the man’s arm in one swift motion.
…
Simple and brutal.
Lu Qianchuan said, “These people are trapped in illusions caused by the vines.”
“Why don’t they act like this during the day?” Ding Li asked.
Lu Qianchuan replied, “Perhaps this thing can only survive or grow at night.”
But where did it come from?
As Lu Qianchuan pondered, faint green lights suddenly drifted through the air.
