Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Three Great Thieves

Her long purple hair flowed behind her as she raised her sword horizontally, glaring fiercely. “You spirit-hunting beast, you really have delusions of grandeur. My sword is not just for show!”

“Haha! Whether it’s delusional or not, you’ll find out soon enough!”

As the spirit-hunting beast spoke, it circled around her, seemingly searching for an opportunity to attack.

“No need to wait! I’ll finish you off right now!”

At that moment, Qin Chuan’s domineering voice rang out.

“Who’s there?!”

The spirit-hunting beast spun around, just in time to see a black sword hurtling through the air.

A sickening thud.

A pained cry.

A cold, mechanical voice echoed: “Ding! Level 23 Spirit-Hunting Beast slain. Gained 55,000 experience points. Over-level bonus: 100% experience. Congratulations to the host, total experience gained: 110,000 points.”

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Three-Star Elite title. All attributes increased by 15 points.”

Qin Chuan muttered to himself, “Such trash, yet so cocky. Truly eye-opening.”

Zizi stared in shock. The spirit-hunting beast was by no means weak, yet Qin Chuan had dispatched it with a single, effortless strike. She was confident she could kill one, but not with such ease as Qin Chuan.

“Qin Chuan, aren’t you a bit too monstrous? You killed it with a single blow—I didn’t even get a chance to show my skills.”

“With me here, why should you lift a finger? Remember, leave these trivial matters to me.”

Qin Chuan’s tone was full of authority, though his real concern was that Zizi might snatch the kill.

Zizi could kill a hundred and it meant nothing, but if Qin Chuan killed a hundred, it was millions of experience points—there was no way he would let such an opportunity slip away.

Hearing this, Zizi broke into a radiant smile, like a crimson blossom in spring. Qin Chuan felt his heart stir once more.

“Qin Chuan, I’m starting to think you have a real manly air about you. It’s a pity you’re just a spirit weapon.”

“Don’t say that. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll pull off a great transformation and shock you out of your wits!”

Zizi, thinking he was joking, laughed lightly. “Is that so? I’ll be waiting then!”

But Qin Chuan’s words were not empty. To achieve such a transformation, though, would require time and relentless effort.

“I promise I won’t disappoint you.” His voice was rock-steady and full of confidence, leaving Zizi momentarily dazed.

Still, she didn’t dwell on it. After all, in the spirit realm, she’d never heard of a spirit weapon capable of becoming human.

Just then, Sleepybug seemed to recall something, speaking with excitement, “Boss, I remember—spirit-hunting beasts live in groups.”

Qin Chuan, having slain the beast, was already considering his next move. “That’s right. I also recall those creatures are obsessed with collecting things.”

“Haha, boss, does that mean we have another business opportunity?”

“Heh, of course.”

Zizi eyed the two conspirators with growing curiosity. “What are you whispering about? I don’t understand. Are there merchants in the Illusory Forest?”

Qin Chuan didn’t bother explaining, only laughed heartily. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Meanwhile, Sleepybug scuttled over to sniff the fallen beast with his twitching nose.

“Boss, we can head out now.”

“Good. Lead the way.”

So, sword and bug in the lead, with Zizi following, curiosity written all over her face.

Before long, they reached a secluded valley. The air was eerily still—no insects, serpents, or other spirit creatures in sight.

Qin Chuan chuckled, “Seems these creatures never change—they do love their valleys.”

Sleepybug squinted his adorable eyes. “Boss, same old plan?”

“No need this time, let’s go together.”

“Alright.”

Moments later, Sleepybug’s voice rang out in the valley:

“This path is mine, this tree is mine. If you want to pass, pay your toll! Come out, all of you—this is a robbery!”

Zizi at first didn’t understand what was happening. She watched as Sleepybug swaggered forward a few meters, and then burst out laughing at his performance.

“Zizi, can’t you be serious? We’re robbing them here!” Sleepybug tried to look stern, but his big blue eyes were hopelessly cute.

Zizi giggled, “All right, all right. I’ll be serious.” But her laughter made it impossible to look even remotely stern.

Sleepybug could only sigh in exasperation. “If being cute is a crime, then let it be a crime forever.”

In a flurry of movement, dozens of spirit-hunting beasts burst from the caves, quickly surrounding them.

A burly one took the lead, barking, “This is our territory, and you dare come here to rob us? Tired of living, are you?”

“Hey, boss, look! There’s a pretty girl here!”

“Unbelievable! A beauty in the Illusory Forest—never thought I’d see the day!”

“No, no, this is fate delivering her straight to us!”

“Exactly, boss.”

In an instant, all the beasts were ogling Zizi, drooling shamelessly.

Qin Chuan couldn’t help cursing, “Damn, so you spirit-hunting beasts are nothing but a bunch of lecherous fiends!”

“Haha, you got that right. In this spirit realm, any female is fair game—and such a pretty one at that, I can only imagine how sweet she’ll taste!” The lead beast was utterly uncouth, holding nothing back.

The words made Zizi’s face flush with rage. She unsheathed her black sword, ready to cut them down.

Just then, Qin Chuan said calmly and confidently, “Zizi, relax. I promise you’ll have your justice. Just watch—leave this dirty work to me.”

Somehow, hearing this brought Zizi a sense of comfort. She nodded. “Alright.”

“Oh? And what do we have here? A worthless black sword, trying to play the hero! You may be at my level, but I swear I could tear you apart with a single swipe.” The lead spirit-hunting beast sneered, judging Qin Chuan’s dull blade as nothing more than cheap goods, likely the spirit weapon of the girl.

Qin Chuan’s lips curled into a peculiar smile. He replied lazily, “Is that so? Confident, aren’t you? How about a duel—let me have the first move?”

The leader’s eyes widened, and he snickered. “Let you strike first? What a joke. I’ll give you three moves! No, ten! I’ll show you just how wide the gap between us is!”

Qin Chuan laughed to himself and kindly reminded the beast, “Very well, ten moves. Watch closely, here I come!”

At this, Zizi and Sleepybug exchanged glances, amusement bright in their eyes. With Qin Chuan’s strength, he could kill the beast in a single strike—there was no need for any mercy. Clearly, he was toying with them, avenging Zizi’s honor.

Qin Chuan deliberately shuffled forward slowly, prompting raucous laughter from the watching beasts.

“Look at that speed! Like a tortoise!”

“With skills like that, you dare challenge us? You’re asking to die!”

“I bet his spirit core’s broken!”

“Watch our boss tear him apart and swallow his core!”

“Yeah, boss!”

All the beasts sneered, seeing Qin Chuan as easy prey—eager for a show.

But in the next instant, their laughter froze in their throats.

A sharp, piercing sound.

A sickening crunch.

A cold, mechanical voice: “Ding! Kill…”

With his inhuman speed, Qin Chuan could strike down the spirit-hunting beasts before they even reacted. Even if they ran, he’d still cut them down with a single blow. If not for the chance to amuse Zizi, he wouldn’t have bothered with all this charade.

“Heavens, what did I just see?”

“Boss was killed in one strike!”

“That wretched black sword—so sneaky, attacking while our boss was laughing!”

“No, we have to avenge our boss—attack together!”

“Kill!”

“Yeah, boss!”

And with that, chaos erupted.