This is what one would call a "narrow defeat by half a move."

“When did this little one sneak over here?” Xiao Qingpei was surprised. Although he had only just entered the Foundation Establishment realm and his spiritual sense could cover only a few dozen yards around him, if someone approached within half a mile, he should have sensed it immediately.

But soon after, Xiao Qingpei dismissed the matter.

After all, his time for the task was short.

And he very much wanted this Alchemical Spirit Treasure Gourd. With this gourd, he could cultivate in safety.

Although after using the talent “The Death of Others Before My Own,” which summoned specters, and with the blessing of “The Diligent Are Rewarded,” his cultivation of the Lunar Dao had become almost miraculous, as if divinely aided.

Yet, the risks involved were not to be ignored.

Despite wanting to complete the task, Xiao Qingpei didn’t rush forward recklessly. He first observed carefully and saw that the little one wore oversized, ill-fitting clothes.

The clothes seemed somewhat feminine, but as they were entirely dark, it should be male attire.

Looking at the child’s delicate features—like a porcelain doll—he thought that children who were too beautiful often appeared androgynous.

“So this must be the ‘him’ mentioned in the task!”

Having finished his observation, Xiao Qingpei strode over and, as he approached, greeted amicably, “Are you feeding the fish with your feet?”

The little one looked at Xiao Qingpei, her exquisitely featured face showing confusion.

But soon, she caught on, pouting, “You’re the one feeding fish with your feet!”

“Then what are you doing?”

“Of course, I’m fishing!”

Xiao Qingpei was speechless.

As expected from a character in this system task, the style was remarkably similar!

But Xiao Qingpei wasn’t here to chit-chat with the “future greatest ally of the female antagonist.” So he purposely said, “This lakeshore isn’t safe. You’d better head home early!”

“What if I don’t?” The little one was somewhat rebellious.

“Then let’s have a contest. If you win, you can do whatever you want here. But if you lose, you have to accept defeat!” Xiao Qingpei smiled.

He hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly; he’d thought he’d have to work around it.

“Alright! What shall we compete in?”

The little one immediately became excited.

“Let’s see who can pee farther across the lake,” Xiao Qingpei said with utter seriousness. There was no other choice; the system required him to do his utmost, and, after much thought, this seemed most fitting.

“Okay!”

The little one agreed eagerly, then asked, “Who goes first?”

No one had ever challenged her in such a way!

“Since I suggested it, I’ll go first.” Xiao Qingpei hoped she’d back down, so after speaking, he loosened his belt, turned slightly to shield himself, and relieved himself toward the lake.

Several yards away, droplets splashed and scattered, startling the fish into fleeing.

When Xiao Qingpei fastened his belt and turned around, he saw the little one utterly shocked.

“I admit defeat!” the little one said dejectedly, knowing she could never match Xiao Qingpei’s distance.

It was one of her rare defeats in life.

So, after fixing Xiao Qingpei with a deep look to memorize him, she said, “Next time, I’ll challenge you again!”

But Xiao Qingpei paid little attention.

The system had sent him a reward—perhaps because someone was present, it didn’t appear before him as last time, but was placed in his black jade chest.

He replied perfunctorily and turned to leave.

What did the “future greatest ally of the female antagonist” have to do with him? If not for the gourd, he’d have no involvement at all!

Thus, Xiao Qingpei didn’t notice—as he walked away—the little one’s figure gradually faded and vanished.

As she departed, the area around the great lake seemed to fold in light and shadow, and a defiant young boy appeared in the nearby woods.

Though he looked young, his brows were fierce and full of hostility.

At that moment, the boy was unconscious for reasons unknown.

Soon, he slowly woke, immediately glancing about: “Where’s that little girl? Lucky you escaped! How dare you strike me when I took a liking to you! That’s your fortune—if I see you again, I’ll have Master Wu break your legs first!”

From his words, it was clear that he’d encountered the little one before and had been knocked out by her.

…

After leaving, the little one obediently went home, as per her wager with Xiao Qingpei.

The place she returned to had no jagged rocks, but was filled everywhere with a murderous aura.

It was a dead zone.

Even those whose spiritual sense carried the power of Heaven and Earth, who could manifest their “Golden Body” in the Core Formation realm, did not dare enter lightly.

One misstep, and all their cultivation would be lost.

Even Nascent Soul ancestors had perished in such a place!

Yet as the little one passed through, all the murderous aura seemed to retreat from her, as if facing their nemesis; some even appeared to tremble with fear.

If cultivators outside saw this, they would never believe it.

If the cultivators of the Pure Yang Taiyi Palace saw it, their scalps would crawl—for they knew more secrets.

She skipped along and soon found a jade scroll.

This was no ordinary item—it was a spiritual treasure!

A supreme artifact, above magic treasures!

Magic treasures could be birthed by Heaven and Earth or forged from rare materials by cultivators, and though precious, were not exceedingly rare.

But spiritual treasures could only be nurtured by Heaven and Earth themselves, and each locale had a limited number.

Thus, the only place spiritual treasures currently existed was the Pure Yang Taiyi Palace!

The three great sects of the era—Cloud Sky Palace, Heaven and Man Mountain, and Immortal Remote Hall—had no right to own even one spiritual treasure.

The little one took out her spiritual treasure jade scroll and, using her index finger as a brush, began to inscribe upon it.

Soon, even though the treasure resisted with all its might, she managed to “paint” Xiao Qingpei’s likeness, then added words:

Chronicles of the Foolish Dao, Soaring Heaven, Post-Immortal Notes: Near a great lake, encountered a powerful cultivator from the future, sparred, and lost by half a move!

“Hmph, next time I’ll win! I won’t lose to you again!” she declared with a determined face, masking her earlier hesitation before the battle.