Only when they were far enough from that unfathomable being, did Kai’s mind wander to the System.

1000 XP to break into Stage 7…the XP needed to level up is increasing faster than I expected, Kai mused. Soon, I'll need to take down multiple high-level beasts just to make a dent. And one day, killing might not even give me meaningful XP at all.

He shook his head, pushing the worrying thoughts aside. No point dwelling on that now. Who knows if I'll even make it that far?

Liu Wei's voice brought him away from his thoughts. "Master, do you think we're getting close to the treasure?"

Kai was about to respond when something on his map caught his eye. Three red dots surrounded a single green dot not too far from their position.

Red usually means hostile, Kai thought. But green... that's new. Could it be a friendly NPC? Or maybe a quest giver?

Without warning, Kai grabbed Liu Wei's arm, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Quiet," he whispered. "Follow me. Stay low."

Liu Wei's eyes widened, but he nodded, falling into a crouch as they moved through the underbrush.

As they drew closer, Kai could make out voices. They crept to the edge of a small clearing, peering through the foliage.

Three figures stood in the clearing – two men and a woman. At first glance, they appeared to be cultivators, but something about them seemed... off. Their clothes were a mishmash of styles, lacking the uniform appearance of sect members.

Rogue cultivators, Kai realized. Like me, but probably not isekai'd.

The trio surrounded what looked like a shell the size of a dinner plate – either a turtle or a tortoise, Kai couldn't tell the difference. They seemed to be trying to lift it, but no matter what they did, the small thing just wouldn't budge.

"Dammit, Chen Yan!" one of the men growled, wiping sweat from his brow. "You said this would be easy money!"

The woman – Chen Yan, apparently – scowled. "How was I supposed to know the stupid thing would be so heavy? It's just a baby!"

"Some 'rare beast expert' you are," the other man grumbled. "Can't even tell how strong a tortoise is."

"Oh, like you're any help, Huang Lei!" Chen Yan snapped. "All that muscle, and you can't even budge it!"

The first man sighed. "Both of you, shut up. We need to figure this out before someone comes along and steals our prize."

Kai leaned in closer, straining to hear their conversation. Liu Wei shot him a confused look, but Kai held up a hand, motioning for him to stay quiet.

"Look, Guo," Huang Lei said, addressing the first man. "Maybe we should just give up. This thing clearly doesn't want to move."

Guo shook his head. "No way. Do you know how much a Spirit Shell Tortoise is worth? We could live like kings for a hundred years off this haul!"

Chen Yan nodded. "He's right. We can't give up now. Maybe if we all lift together?"

"We already tried that," Huang Lei pointed out.

"Well, what's your bright idea then?" Chen Yan challenged.

Huang Lei scratched his head. "I don't know... maybe we could dig it out?"

Guo rolled his eyes. "Great plan. Let's spend hours digging while any cultivator in the area senses the commotion and comes to investigate."

"At least I'm trying to come up with ideas!" Huang Lei protested.

"Yeah, terrible ones," Chen Yan muttered.

"Oh, like you're one to talk!" Huang Lei shot back. "This whole mess is your fault!"

Chen Yan's eyes flashed dangerously. "What did you say?"

"You heard me!" Huang Lei growled. "If you hadn't insisted on chasing this 'sure thing,' we could be back at the tavern by now, drinking our troubles away!"

"Oh, so sorry for trying to improve our lot in life!" Chen Yan said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Next time, I'll be sure to run all my ideas by the great and powerful Huang Lei first!"

"Enough!" Guo shouted, stepping between them. "This bickering isn't helping anyone. We need to focus on the task at hand."

Chen Yan took a deep breath, visibly calming herself. "You're right. I'm sorry, Huang Lei. I…I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Huang Lei's shoulders slumped. "No, I'm sorry. This isn't your fault. We all agreed to come out here."

Guo nodded approvingly at the two childhood friends. "That's better. Now, let's think this through logically. What do we know about Spirit Shell Tortoises?"

Chen Yan's brow furrowed in concentration. "Well, they're incredibly rare. Their shells are prized for their defensive properties – they say even Foundation Establishment cultivators have trouble breaking them."

"Which explains why we can't lift the damn thing," Huang Lei muttered.

"Right," Guo said. "What else?"

"They're intelligent," Chen Yan continued. "Some say they can understand human speech, even from a young age."

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Huang Lei's eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying we should try talking to it?"

Chen Yan shrugged. "It's worth a shot, isn't it? We've tried everything else."

Guo nodded slowly. "Alright. Chen Yan, you’re the pretty one, you give it a try."

Chen Yan took a deep breath, then approached the shell. She knelt down, bringing her face close to its surface.

"Hello there, little one," she said softly. "We don't mean you any harm. We're just trying to help you. It's dangerous out here in the forest. Why don't you come with us? We can keep you safe."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, ever so slightly, the shell shifted.

"It's working!" Huang Lei whispered excitedly.

Chen Yan shot him a glare, then turned back to the tortoise. "That's right, little one. You can trust us. We'll take good care of you."

The shell lifted a fraction higher, revealing the edge of a scaly leg.

Guo grinned. "Keep going, Chen Yan. You've almost got it."

Chen Yan reached out a hand, her fingers inches from the tortoise's shell. "Come on, little one. Just a bit more..."

Suddenly, the shell slammed back down, nearly crushing Chen Yan's fingers. She jerked back with a yelp.

"What happened?" Huang Lei asked.

Chen Yan shook her head, looking bewildered. "I don't know. It was working, and then..."

Guo's eyes narrowed. "It must have sensed your true intentions. These creatures are more perceptive than we gave them credit for."

Huang Lei kicked at the ground in frustration. "So, what now? We can't lift it, we can't trick it... are we just supposed to give up?"

Guo's face hardened. "No. We're not leaving empty-handed. If we can't take it alive, we'll have to..."

He trailed off, but the implication was clear. Chen Yan and Huang Lei exchanged uneasy glances.

"Are you sure about this, Guo?" Chen Yan asked quietly. "Killing such a rare creature... it feels wrong."

Guo's jaw clenched. "We don't have a choice. You know how things are for rogue cultivators like us. We need every advantage we can get."

Huang Lei nodded reluctantly. "He's right, Chen Yan. It's not pretty, but it's survival."

Chen Yan sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I suppose you're right. How should we do it? Isn’t its defence basically impenetrable?"

As the trio discussed their grim plans, Kai's mind raced. He glanced at Liu Wei, who looked thoroughly confused and more than a little worried.

Time to make a decision, Kai thought. These rogue cultivators are clearly desperate. If I reveal myself, they'll probably attack on sight. But I can't let them kill that tortoise – it could be a valuable ally…or make us rich!

He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the System’s ability to analyse opponents. Information flooded his mind as he analyzed the three cultivators:

Name: Chen Yan

Level: Qi Refining Stage 6

Strength: 38

Agility: 44

Endurance: 41

Name: Guo

Level: Qi Refining Stage 6

Strength: 42

Agility: 42

Endurance: 42

Name: Huang Lei

Level: Qi Refining Stage 6

Strength: 45

Agility: 35

Endurance: 45

All Qi Refining Stage 6, but with different stat distributions, Kai noted. Chen Yan’s built for speed, Guo more balanced, and Huang Lei’s the tank of the group.

He studied their attire, noting Chen Yan’s light, flexible clothing, Guo’s robes with various pouches (likely for tools or talismans), and Huang Lei’s heavier, protective gear.

Their equipment matches their stats. This could be tricky if it comes to a fight.

He turned his attention to the tortoise, his eyes widened at the information that appeared:

Spirit Shell Tortoise (Infant)

Level: Qi Refining Stage 9

Strength: 77

Agility: 10

Endurance: 99

Special Ability: Impenetrable Shell

Note: Extremely rare beast with immense potential for growth

Holy crap, Kai thought. No wonder they want it so badly. But why isn't it defending itself? Is it because it’s too slow?

He pondered the situation, weighing his options. If I help the tortoise, I could potentially gain a powerful ally. Plus, taking out these rogue cultivators would fill up my respawn slots. It's risky, but the potential rewards are too good to pass up.

Kai didn't feel particularly guilty about planning a sneak attack. The cultivators showed up as red dots on his map, which usually indicated hostile intent. The life of a rogue cultivator is brutal, he reasoned. They'd probably attack me on sight and rob my corpse if they knew I was here.

New Quest: Rescue the Spirit Shell Tortoise

Objective: Prevent the rogue cultivators from capturing the rare spirit beast

Reward: 600 XP, Increased reputation with Spirit Beasts, ???

Failure: Decreased reputation with the inhabitants of the Whispering Woods, Potential loss of unique ally

Accept? Y/N

Kai blinked in surprise. Well, that's convenient timing. At least the system agrees with my decision.

Without hesitation, he mentally selected 'Y' to accept the quest. The blue box disappeared, replaced by a small quest tracker in the corner of his vision.

This confirms it, Kai mused. Saving the tortoise is definitely the right move. And that mystery reward looks promising.

He then began considering his options for a sneak attack. I could try creating a bow with Qi Condensation, but I haven't practiced enough to be sure of a one-shot kill at this distance. And I need to take at least one of them out immediately to have a chance.

After a moment's consideration, Kai settled on a plan. Stealth assassin approach it is. Time to channel my inner rogue.

Kai turned to Liu Wei, speaking in a whisper. "I'm going to engage them. When I give the signal, I want you to engage from the trees using your throwing knives. Aim to break their coordination. Got it?"

Liu Wei nodded hesitantly. "Understood, Master."

Kai turned his focus on his qi, condensing it into the shape of two sharp daggers. Then, with a deep breath, he activated his Swift Wind Step technique.

In the clearing, the trio were still discussing how to kill the tortoise.

"Maybe if we all attack at the same time at a targeted..." Guo was saying when a blur of movement caught Chen Yan’s eye.

"Watch out!" she cried, but it was too late.

Kai materialised behind Guo, who seemed to be the leader of the group. Without hesitation, he plunged both daggers into the man's back, aiming for his heart.

Guo let out a strangled gurgle, blood bubbling from his mouth as he collapsed.

Cultivator Guo eliminated.

+100 XP

Kai stood over Guo's body, daggers dripping with blood. He kept his expression neutral despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. "I'm the one who's going to end your little spirit beast hunting expedition."

As he faced the remaining two cultivators, a part of Kai's mind was analyzing the XP reward. Only 100 XP for killing a Stage 6 Qi Refining cultivator? I expected a little more, considering I got 300 XP for killing that Stage 7 bandit leader.

Right, I was three stages below that Stage 7 when I killed him. Now I'm at the same stage as this Stage 6 cultivator. It seems the system balances the XP based on my level relative to my enemies.

A grim realization settled in. At this rate, I'd need to kill 10 enemies at my level to advance to Stage 7. That's... a lot of fighting ahead.

"You bastard!" Chen Yan screamed, her hands already moving to form a martial arts stance.

Huang Lei dropped into a fighting stance, his fists glowing with earthen energy. "Who the hell are you?" he growled.

"I'm just someone who doesn't appreciate bullies picking on rare spirit beasts," Kai replied coolly, his qi-formed daggers at the ready. "Now, are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?"

Two Stage 6 cultivators. If I can take them both out, that's another 200 XP. But even with the reward from the quest, it’s still not enough to level up!