Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

’Thankfully, there’s a Fake Core Master on board the Seagull.’

’He has old ties with my Xv Family, so I can build a connection with him.’

’There are also several Foundation Establishment cultivators with decent combat strength. If I can build a network, it’ll provide some guarantee for our survival after we reach the Narrow Sea.’

So thought Xv Xiuping.

He turned to Xv Yiyi and urged her seriously, "Yiyi, I know you don’t like socializing either."

"But war is cruel. Every friend you make is another chance at survival. Staying alive... that’s the most important thing!"

"Brother, I know."

Xv Yiyi fell silent for a moment, then sighed softly.

...

"Brilliant!"

"Mr. Jian, what brilliant skill!"

On the deck.

A dozen or so cultivators were gathered around a chessboard.

"Mr. Xu, please."

The gray-templed, yellow-robed old man with a placid air made a brilliant move, looking slightly pleased as he stroked his beard.

A trace of a Demon King’s Evil Qi emanated from Mr. Jian, a sign that he had refined a third-tier Demon Pill to achieve the Fake Core realm!

"Hmm..."

Xv Xiuping hesitated, his chess piece hovering over the board.

After a moment, he gave a wry smile and conceded the game.

"Mr. Jian, your skill at chess is sublime. I am no match for you..."

"Hahaha... You flatter me, Mr. Xu."

Mr. Jian’s face was flushed with delight as he laughed heartily.

"Come, come, who’s next?"

"I’m on quite a roll today..."

"In that case, allow me to make a fool of myself!" a sharp-faced young man said with a fawning smile, taking Xv Xiuping’s place to play against Mr. Jian.

The match began, and the crowd lavished praise on the players, creating a lively atmosphere.

Xv Yiyi sat by the table, a smile on her face, echoing the others’ sentiments.

But deep in her eyes, a trace of exhaustion lingered.

This wasn’t a physical sensation, of course.

With her Foundation Establishment cultivation, she could go for days without sleep and feel no lack of energy.

But Xv Yiyi’s spirit was utterly exhausted.

’So tiring.’

This "exchange," or perhaps more accurately, this revelry.

It had started last evening and continued until noon today, and as for the actual content... there was nothing worth mentioning.

"Good, I’ve won!"

Hearing the voice, Xv Yiyi turned her gaze to the chessboard.

Just then, the sharp-faced youth lost to Mr. Jian by a single move.

"Ah, how did I not think of that?"

The sharp-faced youth slapped his thigh, an expression of sudden realization mixed with regret appearing on his face.

A moment later, it turned to one of admiration.

"Mr. Jian, your chess skill borders on the Dao itself. This junior is thoroughly impressed!"

"Fang, you’re not bad yourself," Mr. Jian said with a cheerful laugh.

Xv Yiyi’s expression turned a little strange.

She didn’t know much about chess.

But even she could tell that Mr. Jian’s skill was, frankly, mediocre.

—The kind of terrible player you see everywhere, a scrub who loves to play despite being awful.

In contrast, this sharp-faced young man, Fang, was highly skilled—to be able to throw the game so flawlessly!

’Trying to suck up to Mr. Jian? He’s really going to great lengths...’ Xv Yiyi was speechless.

Of course, she was also aware.

Mr. Jian had most likely seen through it as well.

But... so what?

Being surrounded by a crowd of Foundation Establishment cultivators—none of them low-status and each with their own background—who treated him like the moon among stars.

They were deliberately losing at chess to flatter him, and Mr. Jian was loving every second of it!

This was an experience he would never normally have.

A Fake Core cultivator... especially one with no hope of further advancement, was someone that proud and arrogant Foundation Establishment cultivators didn’t actually look up to.

And all he had to offer in return was the protection his Fake Core realm strength could provide on the Narrow Sea battlefield, to the best of his ability.

It was a worthwhile trade.

After all, the battlefield was perilous, and Mr. Jian also needed the support of Foundation Establishment cultivators to increase his own influence.

At the same time, he didn’t have much time left. Befriending one or two of these high-status Foundation Establishment cultivators and forming a good relationship would also help his family.

So... would this be considered a mutually beneficial arrangement?

Despite this, Xv Yiyi still felt a strong sense of tedium.

She really, truly hated this kind of thing.

Surrounded by the lively crowd, she felt like a gear being slowly worn down.

For some reason, the image of Su Ye’s back as he calmly refused and walked away surfaced in Xv Yiyi’s mind.

Perhaps this was what they called freedom?

’I’m so envious...’

’No, what am I envious of? Xv Yiyi, have you lost your mind?!’

’Without Mr. Jian’s protection and without any connections, he’s all alone. Even at the Late-stage of Foundation Establishment, his life will be hanging by a thread on the Narrow Sea battlefield.’

’Hmm...’

The thought that Su Ye might fall on the battlefield...

...made Xv Yiyi’s heart clench. She felt a pang of regret. Such a handsome cultivator—even with his transcendent charisma concealed, Su Ye’s looks were still enough to make any female cultivator take a liking to him.

...

Just as Xv Yiyi’s mind was wandering.

CREAK.

A cabin door opened.

Su Ye, dressed in black robes, walked out and stepped onto the deck.

He glanced around, and a strange look entered his eyes as he saw the bustling deck.

’Hmm?’

’Do these people have this much energy?’

’It’s already the second day, and they’re still at it?’

’Whatever...’

Su Ye had no intention of getting involved and walked over to the ship’s railing by himself.

He planned to enjoy the sea breeze for a bit before returning to his cabin.

All was peaceful.

However.

The tree wishes for stillness, yet the wind never ceases.

"This fellow cultivator is really arrogant. Mr. Jian is right here, and he doesn’t even know to bow and offer a greeting..."

The sharp-faced youth, Fang, whispered instigatingly, a trace of jealousy in his heart as he stared at Su Ye’s figure.

Mr. Jian raised an eyebrow. He was feeling particularly good about himself at the moment, so he said, "Heh, young friend, would you be willing to play a game of chess with me?"

’Ridiculous.’

Su Ye’s expression was cold. "Not interested."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the expressions of the other cultivators on deck changed!

Mr. Jian’s face darkened, and a flash of Evil Qi flickered in his eyes. "Young friend, did your elders not teach you to respect your seniors?"

As he spoke, the spiritual pressure of a Fake Core Master washed over Su Ye!

’Fellow Daoist Su Han!’

Xv Yiyi’s heart skipped a beat.

A complex emotion she couldn’t quite name welled up inside her.

As the Fake Core pressure hit him, Su Ye’s expression remained unchanged, as calm as a summer breeze.

’So weak.’

Su Ye was rather speechless.

The quality of the Demon King’s Inner Core this so-called Mr. Jian had refined must have been quite poor.

Su Ye could withstand his spiritual pressure using only the Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation he was openly displaying.

However.

Being this weak was, in a way, a stroke of luck for Mr. Jian.

Faced with such a small fry, Su Ye had no intention of making a move. He simply asked coolly in return,

"This is a Flame Alliance spirit ship. Are you trying to cause trouble?"

There was a Crystallization expert from the Flame Alliance stationed on the Seagull!

Feeling his spiritual pressure have no effect, Mr. Jian’s face grew grim. He knew he had encountered one of *those* genius Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the hatred in his heart intensified!

These Fake Core cultivators with no hope of advancement were the most narrow-minded and mentally warped of all!

However, considering the Flame Alliance’s Crystallization expert on the Seagull, he truly didn’t dare to make a move!

For a moment, his face shifted through shades of white and green—it was quite a spectacle.

"Heh... Good. You’re very good!"

Having lost face,

Mr. Jian squeezed a few words through his teeth, his voice cold.

BANG!

He swept the chessboard, sending the pieces scattering across the ground.

He shot Su Ye a hateful glare, flicked his sleeves, and stormed away!

With Mr. Jian gone, the "exchange" naturally couldn’t continue.

The other cultivators shot a few glances at Su Ye.

Their eyes held varying degrees of hostility as they, too, departed.

In an instant, the only people left on the deck were Su Ye and the Xv siblings.

"Sigh... Fellow Daoist Su Han, Mr. Jian is a Fake Core Master, and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators aren’t weak either... You’ve offended so many people in one fell swoop..."

Xv Xiuping said with a sigh.

He didn’t really mind that the gathering had been cut short.

In any case, the agreements he needed to make had already been made, so ending early was fine... Even Xv Xiuping found this kind of socializing a bit torturous.

His sigh was purely out of concern for Su Ye.

An act like this had offended a large group of people. Was it really necessary?

Even if one disliked socializing, there was no need to go this far...

Suddenly, a look of astonishment flashed across Xv Xiuping’s face, and he hesitated for a moment.

"Fellow Daoist Su Han... I have a little bit of influence. If you’re willing, I might be able to help you resolve this grudge with Mr. Jian."

Hearing this,

Su Ye’s expression was unreadable as he glanced at Xv Yiyi from the corner of his eye.

He had felt the fluctuations of a Divine Sense transmission. It was subtle, but it couldn’t fool him...

"Mr. Xu, I appreciate the kind offer."

"But..."

Su Ye shook his head.

"Sigh..."

Seeing Su Ye’s refusal, Xv Xiuping didn’t press the matter and simply cupped his fists.

"Take care, then, Fellow Daoist."

"Let’s go, Yiyi."

"Oh..."

An indescribable emotion flashed in Xv Yiyi’s eyes as she followed Xv Xiuping away.