Relying on his hobby of reading novels in his previous life, Qing Chen could be said to be thoroughly familiar with various tropes, especially the plot where a younger, more powerful individual appears after an older one is defeated.
Thinking again, Black Wind Mountain was neither too far nor too close to the capital; the bandits who dared to rob travelers here must have had something to rely on.
Qing Chen was fishing for that reliance. Since he had to get the 'Doting Wife' reward anyway, he naturally wanted to make the bet a little bigger so that the harvest would be greater.
Sure enough, the so-called Zhang Immortal was lured out by him.
Even though he was just a small Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator, the reward standard was many levels higher than that for dozens of bandits.
Worried that the System wouldn't acknowledge it, Qing Chen specifically raised his voice and said, "Madam, please rest assured, with me here today, they won't even be able to harm a single strand of your hair!"
Listening to Qing Chen's words and looking at his majestic figure, standing like a single man holding off ten thousand, through the gap in the curtain, Han Qingyue's heart couldn't help but stir.
"Mere rats, daring to act presumptuously before this Immortal Venerable, you seek death!" Zhang Immortal said, then fiercely swung the whisk in his hand.
Immediately, a powerful gust of wind arose, stirring up sand and stones. Then, accompanied by a loud bang, a large tree, as thick as a man's waist, was forcefully shattered and broken.
Seeing this, the bandit leader was overjoyed and quickly said, "Immortal, please calm your anger, Immortal, please calm your anger."
He then looked at Qing Chen, with an expression that he believed showed he had victory in his grasp, "Young Master Chen, I think it's best if we all take a step back to avoid hurting our feelings."
Zhang Immortal, meanwhile, snorted lightly, acting arrogant and looking down on everyone.
The next moment.
With a thought in Qing Chen's mind, the Shadow Puppet lifted its foot and stomped down.
Immediately following, a vast Divine Might descended upon Zhang Immortal and the group of bandits.
The horses' legs were forcefully broken, and they fell to the ground, emitting sharp neighs, while the bandits tumbled down from them one by one.
Before the bandit leader could figure out what was happening, he saw Zhang Immortal, who was prostrate on the ground beside him, just like himself, saying in terror, "Soul Emergence Realm?! Immortal Venerable, spare my life! Immortal Venerable, spare my life!"
There was no need to calculate how many Realms higher the Soul Emergence Realm was than the Foundation Establishment Realm; just that one address of "Immortal Venerable" told the bandit leader that he was in big trouble!
Qing Chen had no desire to waste words with them.
He glanced at the Shadow Puppet.
The Shadow Puppet's raised arm dropped heavily.
"Please, Immortal Venerable, spare my life, I am willing to offer..."
Bang! Boom!
After a tremor that shook the ground, Zhang Immortal and the dozens of bandits were all crushed and exploded, their blood splattering everywhere.
The Shadow Puppet moved swiftly, found a Storage Pouch from the bloodied ground, used spiritual energy to clean the bloodstains from its surface, then came before Qing Chen, knelt on one knee, and offered it with both hands.
Qing Chen took the Storage Pouch and teased, "Do you need to offer it? You're dead; these things are still mine."
After that.
Qing Chen signaled the coachman to continue driving along the original route.
Returning to the carriage, he simultaneously dispatched the earlier Shadow Puppet to quickly go up the mountain and completely eradicate the remaining bandit remnants!
Of course, the most important thing was to gather all the treasures they had accumulated over the years for himself.
It was still the same saying: even a mosquito's leg is meat. Qing Chen had the patience to accumulate little by little, in case there was a hidden Opportunity.
"Is everything resolved?" Han Qingyue asked, carefully observing Qing Chen up and down to check if he was injured.
Although she knew that all those people combined couldn't compare to a single one of Qing Chen's fingers, it was always good to be cautious.
Fortunately, Qing Chen was indeed not injured.
"Hah, a bunch of mortals, not worth mentioning." Qing Chen waved his hand, telling Han Qingyue not to worry.
Then, accompanied by the coachman's "Hup!" and the sound of the whip cracking, the carriage resumed its journey.
"This is a Storage Pouch?" Han Qingyue recognized the item Qing Chen was holding.
"Mm." Qing Chen nodded, "I picked it up from a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator. I wonder what treasures it holds."
"Madam, you open it." Qing Chen handed the Storage Pouch to Han Qingyue.
Compared to this Storage Pouch, Qing Chen was more interested in the 'Doting Wife' reward for killing those bandits and a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator.
Han Qingyue said "Oh" and took the Storage Pouch from Qing Chen's hand.
Qing Chen, meanwhile, summoned the System panel to check the reward notifications.
"Doting Wife successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Third-Grade Alchemist Experience Pack +1!"
Qing Chen looked at it. Using this experience pack, similar to cultivation experience, he would instantly become a Third-Grade Alchemist.
'After being a martial Cultivator and a Formation Master, now another Alchemist identity…'
Qing Chen's philosophy was to have many skills and not be burdened. He selected and used it.
"Using Third-Grade Alchemist Experience Pack..."
"Usage successful!"
The next moment, Qing Chen clearly felt a surge of unfamiliar Alchemy memories, not his own, pouring into his mind. They contained various Pill Formulas, Alchemy methods, herb identification techniques, and so on.
They quickly integrated with this body.
'I wonder how long it will take for me to become a Ninth-Grade Alchemist with my current Comprehension Ability?'
The promotion standard for Alchemists was different from martial Cultivators; as long as one could refine a Nine-Rank Pills, one could become a Ninth-Grade Alchemist, without needing to advance level by level.
Qing Chen planned to find an Opportunity to try it out.
He continued to scroll down and was startled.
"Doting Wife successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Third-Grade Qi Nourishing Pill Formula +1!"
He had just become a Third-Grade Alchemist, and immediately a Third-Grade Pill Formula was given. Qing Chen didn't know whether to call this a coincidence or praise the System for being thoughtful?
...
"Doting Wife successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a random reward: Comprehension Ability +150!"
Killing a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator could exchange for 150 points of Comprehension Ability. For Qing Chen, it was definitely a huge profit with no loss.
It added a lot of leverage for him to charge towards the Ninth-Grade Alchemist Realm.
"Ah!"
Qing Chen had just closed the System panel when Han Qingyue's scream came from beside him.
"Madam, what's wrong!" Qing Chen almost drew his sword directly.
"What, what is all this inside?!" Han Qingyue disdainfully threw the Storage Pouch away.
"Hmm?" Qing Chen looked puzzled, bent down, picked up the Storage Pouch, opened it, and injected his Divine Sense into it.
He didn't know until he looked, and once he did, he couldn't help but curse, "You really can know a person's face but not their heart, this old pervert!"
The Storage Pouch only contained a few scattered Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills; the rest were all women's intimate apparel.
Han Qingyue did not possess Divine Sense, so she could only take them out one by one by hand. When she discovered what kind of items they were, one could imagine how she felt.
He kept the Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills, then ignited a ball of fire in his palm, burning the entire Storage Pouch to ashes.
"You, you didn't look inside beforehand and deliberately played a trick on me, did you?" Han Qingyue pouted playfully.
"Madam, I'm innocent! If you don't believe me, the coachman witnessed the whole thing; he can testify that I truly didn't look inside." Qing Chen explained.
"If Madam doesn't believe me, I can swear to the heavens, if I've lied in the slightest, may I be struck by five bolts of lightning..."
"Hey! There's no need for that!" Han Qingyue raised her hand and gently pressed Qing Chen's lips, not wanting him to make such a harsh vow.
Qing Chen smiled knowingly, raised his hand, and grasped Han Qingyue's delicate hand, "Madam, don't you find this scene a bit familiar?"
Hearing Qing Chen say this, Han Qingyue recalled how Qing Chen had done the same to her when she wanted to make a harsh vow earlier.
"It seems, Madam and I are truly becoming more and more in sync."
Qing Chen teased.