Godslayer: Reincarnated with SSS Rank Cultivation System

Without hesitation, his sword flashed.

In one swift motion, he drew his blade and pointed it directly at them. His crimson eyes burned cold, sharp enough to pierce through their hesitation.

"Listen." His voice was low and deadly, his aura pressing down on them like a storm waiting to break. "I don't care about your reasons, but you'd better stop following me while I can still control myself."

The blade gleamed under the faint light, steady, unwavering.

"Don't make me use drastic measures."

This was his first warning.

With the second, he would take their lives.

The young woman halted, confusion flickering across her face. Why did Wen Ran choose violence so easily? But as she thought about it, she realized something—their village had been too peaceful. Sheltered. Perhaps… this was how the real world worked.

And this stranger? He was the perfect person to learn from.

She clenched her fists, not willing to let this opportunity slip away. Suddenly, her parents' teachings surfaced in her mind—"If you desire something, you must offer something in return."

Without hesitation, she reached into her robes and pulled out a scroll encased in a jade container, its surface adorned with the intricate carving of a dragon's head. A rare treasure, one not meant to be carelessly given away.

But she threw it at Wen Ran anyway.

He caught it easily, his sharp reflexes ensuring it didn't even graze the ground. The moment his fingers wrapped around the jade, a mysterious aura pulsed from within, its energy thrumming against his palm like a restrained beast.

His eyes shone with intrigue.

This is a fine treasure… how kind of them to give it to me for free.

Of course, he wasn't naive. Nothing in this world came without a price. He knew exactly what this meant.

They wanted something from him.

"Thank you for your gift," Wen Ran said casually, turning away with the bag of berries in hand and Xiao Mo perched on his shoulder. He continued down his path, leaving the woman speechless. She couldn't comprehend how someone could be so shameless, but then she realized she hadn't even said anything—she had thrown it at him without asking, so maybe he had mistaken it for a gift.

"No, wait!" she called out, rushing after him. "We have more! We just need help!"

Wen Ran's ears perked up as her words rang in his mind. A chance for more? A sly smile spread across his face. For a split second, it seemed like a fox tail might have wagged behind him. He turned around, pretending to care, his expression shifting from cold indifference to feigned warmth.

"I see. And what can I help you all with?" His voice was almost too sweet, his tone shifting entirely. When it came to rewards, his demeanor completely changed, going from cold-blooded killer to a skilled thief—the kind who would do anything to con the poor fellows.

The group's faces lit up with hope, completely trusting him. To Wen Ran, they seemed like nothing more than country bumpkins. Their naivety was practically pouring off them, and he couldn't help but feel lucky—What did I do in life to deserve such luck?

"Could you help us find a powerful city where we can buy warriors? Our village…" The woman's voice trembled as she spoke, her fear and desperation evident. "It has been attacked by enemies, and we need help…"

Before he could respond, a notification flashed before his eyes.

[New quest has been acquired]

[Lead the group to the Heaven Shattering Sect]

[Reward: The hundred-year-old spiritual herb pack]

[Will you accept?]

[Yes/No]

Wen Ran paused for a moment, his thoughts racing. A hundred-year-old spiritual herb pack? Now that was worth considering.

Wen Ran's eyes widened in feigned surprise. To the onlookers, it seemed like he had been moved by their story, that their hopes had been lifted. But in reality, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This quest was far too easy. The reward was enticing—the hundred-year-old spiritual herb pack could definitely be worth the trouble.

But the real issue wasn't the reward. It was the fact that he now had to spend days, possibly weeks, with this group of children. Babysitting them was the most annoying part of this whole deal. He didn't know where the Heaven Shattering Sect was, and searching for it was already a headache. Now, he had to deal with these idiots on top of that, or else fail his quest.

"Will you help us?" The woman asked again, her voice laced with desperation, but also hope.

Wen Ran exhaled sharply, a brief flicker of irritation crossing his features, but he quickly masked it with a calm expression. He could already see where this was headed. He could either take the easy reward and deal with the nuisance or turn them away and miss out on everything.

"Fine," Wen Ran finally said, the words slipping from his lips. He was resigned to the task. "I'll help you, but you better keep up."

The woman's face lit up, relief washing over her, but Wen Ran's thoughts were already elsewhere. This was going to be a long, exhausting journey.

"Do you truly mean it?" The faces of the group lit up, hope and excitement flashing across their expressions.

"Yes," Wen Ran said, his voice flat, devoid of any emotion. He accepted the offer and the quest, knowing that any reward—any—would be beneficial. But what he didn't know was just how much he would soon regret his decision.

The journey began, and as expected, the constant wailing of the children grated on his nerves. They cried every single day, asking for their parents, wanting reassurance that everything would be okay. Wen Ran could barely control himself from raising his voice, but he did his best to ignore them.

The group trudged forward, and with each step, his patience grew thinner.

On one particular day, as they passed through a thick, dense forest, one of the younger boys went missing. His absence wasn't noticed immediately, and it took Wen Ran half a day to find him—wandering lost and crying.

This was just the first of many frustrations.

Despite his growing impatience, Wen Ran didn't express it outwardly. He kept his cool, focusing on the path ahead. But the pestering from the two siblings—Feng Chenxi and Feng Yulan—became unbearable.