Reward or Poison?

As Jiang walked away, the weight of countless eyes pressed against his back. Yet the moment he glanced at them—whether due to the Personality Speech Skill or something else—they averted their gazes, murmuring among themselves before shuffling away like scattered leaves.

Maybe old Jiang's ways weren't completely useless. At least now, he didn't feel like some rare animal trapped in a zoo, forced to endure their gawking stares.

A few steps outside the Sword Hall, Bai's voice suddenly echoed in his mind through sound transmission.

"Young Master, please forgive me."

Jiang's steps faltered—only slightly. The unexpected voice, the wording—but instead of stopping, he continued walking, his expression neutral. 

Bai's voice remained steady, but there was an edge to it. "The poison you gave to Qian Yue… I replaced it."

Jiang's fingers twitched.

"I know I've defied your orders, and I will accept any punishment you see fit. But using Qi-Corruption Poison now is too risky. It would immediately put suspicion on us."

Jiang's face remained impassive, his features as rigid as stone.

Bai hesitated, then added, "You must already know—the Qian Clan is making their move. And with Qian Rui being Chen Feng's fiancée, she'll escalate things as much as possible. After all, they support the Fourth Young Master."

Silence stretched between them.

Jiang kept walking. No reaction. No acknowledgment.

Bai slowed her pace, then spoke aloud this time, her voice steady but cautious.

"Young Master, I'll excuse myself. Master must be looking for me."

She lowered her head slightly, then finally bowed before stepping away.

Jiang didn't respond, only giving a slight nod—an unspoken acknowledgment of her departure.

Qian Yue lingered for a moment. As they reached the stone bridge, she slowed her steps and paused. "Senior Brother, I'll go as well. It's already late." She bowed before hurrying toward the Junior Disciples' dormitory.

The sky had deepened to a heavy indigo, streaked with the dying embers of the sun. Distant lanterns flickered to life, their soft glow stretching shadows along the stone paths. A cold wind stirred the leaves, carrying the faint scent of pine and burning incense.

Jiang walked alone.

For a normal person, navigating the sect's sprawling grounds so quickly would have been impossible. Yet Jiang moved with effortless precision, as if his body instinctively knew the way.

Before he knew it, he was in his room.

He shut the door behind him, then dropped onto the bed without hesitation. With a slow breath, he raised an arm, draping it over his eyes.

I was just starting to feel good. What's with this info dump?

But that wasn't what truly disturbed him.

It was the name of the poison.

Qi-Corruption Poison.

His mind blanked for a moment. A slow, creeping chill spread through his chest.

In God's Game, Qi-Corruption Poison wasn't just rare—it was feared. It was one of the few poisons outright condemned by nearly every faction, its use considered an unspeakable crime. Even players who used it were hunted down by both NPCs and other players alike.

Because it wasn't just a poison.

It was a curse.

Odorless, colorless, tasteless—completely undetectable. Even the most seasoned cultivator wouldn't know they'd been poisoned. It would blend seamlessly with their Qi, making them believe their cultivation was progressing, tricking them into pushing their limits.

Then, when the poison had absorbed enough Qi, when it had coiled deep enough into their meridians—

It would rupture their Qi core from the inside out.

By the time they realized what had happened, it would be too late. Their body would wither, reduced to a walking corpse—one that coughed up blood with every movement until death finally took them.

Jiang exhaled, but his breath came unsteady.

This wasn't a game.

He had seen poisons in God's Game. Avoided them. Countered them. But now—now, the horrifying descriptions he had once read weren't just words on a screen.

They were real.

He sat up abruptly, raking a hand through his hair. His chest felt tight, his mind a mess of calculations and dead ends.

F-ck.

The word left him instinctively, but this time, it wasn't casual. It wasn't frustration.

It was something else.

For the first time since waking up in this world, Jiang felt the weight of consequences.

He stood, stripped off his outer robe, and stepped into the bath chamber. Steam curled in the air, carrying the faint scent of medicinal herbs. The polished stone floor was cool beneath his feet as he approached the large wooden tub, its dark surface reflecting the dim glow of a single lantern.

Dipping a hand into the water, he felt the warmth seep into his skin. It wasn't scalding—just the ideal temperature for comfort, the kind of bath crafted for quiet luxury rather than necessity. A noble's indulgence, refined yet understated.

Jiang slid in, resting his arms along the rim as the water lapped against his shoulders. For a moment, he simply sat there, watching the ripples spread and fade. The tension in his body should have eased, but it clung to him like a second skin.

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his damp hair.

Old Jiang was playing a dangerous game. And whether he liked it or not—he was already a part of it.

Then, a thought struck him.

Wait… I never told Bai where I was.

Did she search the entire sect for me? Or does she have a way to track old Jiang?

As his mind spun with possibilities, planning his next steps for tomorrow—

[NOTICE: Congratulations on completing all your Beginner's Quests!

✓ Confront Yandere

✓ Visit Hall Master Rumei

✓ Ridicule Sword Hall's Master

Please open the REWARDS to check]

Jiang blinked.

I almost forgot about this. Let's see what they've got…

Normally, in God's Game, even as the 4th-ranked player, Jiang had always felt a thrill when opening rewards. Even if the quest was low-tier, even if the rewards were of the lowest-grade—there was always that flicker of anticipation, that instinctive rush of curiosity.

But this time?

Nothing.

No thrill. No curiosity.

Just a lingering unease.

Status Window → Rewards

A faint golden shimmer rippled across his vision, followed by a subtle, celebratory chime. The notification window expanded, its edges glowing softly, pulsing with a faint light.

[ REWARDS ]

Please choose one:

► Information

► Increase in Qi

Jiang frowned.

What?

Confusion settled in his gut.

And why wouldn't he be confused? In God's Game, there never existed a reward called Information.