Chapter 23. Nightfall.

As soon as his dialogue with Longwei drew to a close, Alex's form reclined onto a massive stone that towered over his current perch.

The rock was conveniently situated directly behind him, providing a comfortable backrest, and alleviating the exhaustion that had started to creep into his bones.

As he nestled his back against the rock, his eyelids slowly descended, sealing off the surrounding world.

The fact that none of his companions seemed to take notice of his recent engagement with Longwei did not surprise him in the least.

The conversation had taken place entirely within the confines of their shared consciousness, their thoughts intertwining like two serpents dancing in the wind. To them, he was merely an observer, a silent onlooker to their spectral dance.

Longwei's form remained invisible to the others, a spectral apparition that only Alex was privileged to witness.

As he sank deeper into the comforting embrace of the rock, his physical self may have been in repose, yet his mind was in the eye of a swirling hurricane of contemplation.

His original strategy had been to investigate the new system skill after the suspected luck manipulation force emanating from the dagger immediately after confirming its existence.

However, the conversation with Longwei had urged him to revise his plan, pushing the investigation of his newly acquired skill to a later time.

His thoughts started to drift, much like leaves carried by a gentle autumn wind, touching upon various incidents.

His victory against the shadowclaw had substantiated his initial suspicion - it mattered not who discovered the Qi beast, what was crucial was landing the final, fatal blow. The system's reward would then be his to claim.

This realization sparked another idea - since they viewed him as mere bait for their mission, why not turn the tables in his favor? He could lure a high-stage Lesser Qi Beast to them, and let them exhaust their strength, bringing the beast to the brink of demise.

Then, he would seize the opportunity to deliver the killing blow, thereby accomplishing his mission.

This mission had been a noose around his neck ever since it was assigned to him.

Yet, another predicament emerged. Could his plan of luring the Qi Beast be another machination of the luck manipulation force within the dagger? Could it be aware of his intentions to complete the system's mission? What if his thoughts were under the influence of this mysterious force?

Alex heaved a sigh, the weight of his worries pressing heavily upon his shoulders. "Now I am going to be living my life with 'what ifs' constantly haunting my decisions and actions," he murmured to himself. After a pause, another sigh escaped his lips, "I despise this feeling of helplessness, this weak vessel seems to be dictating my thought processes as well."

There was no untruth in his words. The frailty of Li Wei's body was indeed starting to mold his way of thinking, restraining him from taking actions his heart truly desired.

The frustration gnawed at his spirit, adding fuel to the whirlwind of thoughts tucked away in the recesses of his mind.

Like the constant flow of the Yellow River, the physical prowess of Alex continued to surge with every Exp point he gained from the system. Yet, his cultivation remained ensnared at the second stage of the warrior level.

The system's peculiarities were like a riddle wrapped in a mystery.

For every level he ascended in terms of Exp points, his strength burgeoned akin to an increase in his cultivation power.

However, his actual cultivation level remained stagnant, like a lotus leaf on a still pond, while the power he could draw upon continued to multiply.

Alex couldn't comprehend the underlying workings of this paradox but he was acutely aware of the need to elevate his cultivation level.

Harnessing such immense strength, disproportionate to his cultivation level, was akin to attempting to hide a dragon in a pond - it was bound to raise eyebrows in the cultivation world.

Moreover, he realized that the strength he currently wielded was bestowed by the system, and it bore no relation to his cultivation prowess.

This led him to question the system's reliability. It was like holding a sword made of paper – it appeared formidable, but he couldn't trust it in battle.

Furthermore, if the strength he was utilizing originated from the system, it indicated that his cultivation power lay dormant within him, untouched and untapped.

If he could manage to elevate his cultivation level to match the system's progression, he would transform into an entity more formidable than any cultivator, a tiger amongst sheep.

This tantalizing prospect promised an unprecedented advantage and a higher likelihood of outstripping his fellow cultivators like the towering Mount Everest dwarfing the surrounding peaks.

His strategic musings were interrupted when his special force senses sprang into action, like a warrior ready for battle, despite his deep immersion in thought. The sound of approaching footsteps echoed in his ears.

Without needing to open his eyes, Alex could discern the owner of the heavy footsteps.

The rhythm was familiar, It was none other than the chubby Chen Wei.

Alex chose to keep his eyes shut, unwilling to engage in a conversation.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and strategies that demanded his attention. He was in no mood to indulge in Chen Wei's incessant chatter about Wu Lina's unparalleled beauty. So, he elected to feign ignorance of Chen Wei coming towards him.

"Planning to sleep here tonight?" Chen Wei's voice rang out, shattering the tranquil silence.

The mention of 'night' set off alarm bells in Alex's mind.

He jerked his head up, his eyes snapping open in surprise. The world around him had been swallowed by darkness. The sun was a distant memory, replaced by the twinkling stars.

He had closed his eyes in broad daylight, and now he was greeted by the moon.

Realization dawned upon him - he had been lost in his thoughts for a significant duration. The fleeting moment of introspection had stretched into hours, unnoticed by him.

Just as he was grappling with this revelation, Chen Wei's voice sliced through the air once more, "What? Still dreaming, even though your eyes are wide open?" The annoyingly familiar tone punctuated the quiet night.