Li Jian, a man with a short black hair who appeared to be in his twenties with an ordinary appearance and build, walked along the outer sect path with one hand pressed tightly against his stomach.
His face was currently dark and unsightly.
"Ugh..."
Every few steps, a muffled groan escaped from between his clenched teeth.
His steps were unsteady, and a faint trace of blood still lingered at the corner of his lips.
Disciples nearby who saw him coming immediately moved aside.
Some even turned their heads and quickened their pace, as if afraid of being associated with him.
"Isn’t that the unlucky fellow Senior Zheng has taken an interest in again?"
"Shh, keep your voice down."
"I heard he tested another experimental pill for her this morning... Look at him. He can barely walk straight."
"Tsk tsk. That Senior Zheng from Alchemy Peak is truly vicious. How many outer disciples has she ruined already with her pills?"
"Who told him to be so unlucky? Once she sets her eyes on you, there’s no escaping."
The whispers drifted into Li Jian’s ears, but he didn’t bother responding.
His face remained cold as he continued walking forward, one hand still clutching his abdomen.
’Damn that bitch... Using people as test subjects like they’re disposable. And the worst part is, no one dares to say anything because of her background.’
Li Jian was someone from Earth who happened to share the same name.
He had suddenly transmigrated into this body a little over a month ago.
After arriving in this cultivation world, he had quickly understood his situation after inheriting the body’s memories... average talent, no background, and an outer disciple with almost no presence.
The original owner of this body had been rather timid, which was probably why that arrogant senior sister from Alchemy Peak had easily made him one of her regular "helpers."
And without anyone realizing it, the original owner had already died from those pills.
Li Jian was simply the one who inherited the mess.
And today, it had gone especially even more badly.
The experimental pill she forced him to swallow had violently conflicted with his qi.
Not only had he coughed up blood, but his meridians had also suffered noticeable damage.
The pain was still lingering even now.
Li Jian’s expression grew even darker.
’That bitch... She looks so pure and beautiful on the outside, like some untouchable fairy. But her personality is completely rotten.’
’Don’t worry, Li Jian, my poor man. If the opportunity arises, I will make sure that bitch pays.’
Just as he was silently cursing her in his heart, a soft, mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Favor Debt System has been successfully bound.]
[Host: Li Jian]
[Detected: Significant harm caused by Zheng Qingyao.]
[Favor Debt from Zheng Qingyao: +100]
Li Jian’s steps suddenly stopped.
His dark expression slowly changed.
For a moment, he simply stood there in the middle of the path, staring blankly ahead.
The lingering pain in his stomach and meridians seemed to fade into the background as his full attention locked onto the translucent panel that had appeared in his mind.
’Favor Debt System...? Zheng Qingyao owes me 100 points?’
Li Jian’s eyes narrowed slightly, but then he snapped out of his daze.
This was not the place to study the system carefully.
He glanced around and noticed that a few outer disciples were still sneaking looks at him while whispering among themselves.
Not wanting to attract more attention, he lowered his head, pressed a hand against his stomach again, and quickly walked toward the outer sect residences.
_
_
_
The path leading to the outer disciples living area was familiar.
Rows of simple stone houses and small courtyards lined both sides, most of them plain and lacking any spiritual formations.
Only the slightly better ones near the middle of the slope had a faint gathering of spiritual energy.
Li Jian’s own residence was among the more remote and shabby ones.
He quickened his pace, ignoring the occasional glance thrown his way, and soon arrived in front of a small, somewhat rundown stone house at the edge of the outer sect area.
After pushing the door open and stepping inside, he immediately closed it behind him and activated the simple restriction on the door.
Only then did he let out a long breath and lean his back against the door.
The pain in his body was still there, but his mind was completely occupied by the system panel that remained floating in his consciousness.
Li Jian headed toward his bed and then tried asking it out loud.
"...System?"
A soft mechanical voice immediately responded inside his head.
[Yes, Host.]
Li Jian’s eyes lit up slightly.
He actually had a system, just like in those novels he had read!
With an excited heart, he hurriedly asked,
"What exactly do you mean by Favor Debt from Zheng Qingyao? Explain it clearly."
The system’s voice remained calm and emotionless as it began explaining in detail.
[Favor Debt is generated whenever a target causes the Host genuine harm or loss, or receives a clear benefit from the Host.]
[In the case of Zheng Qingyao, she forced the Host to consume an unstable experimental pill, resulting in internal injuries and meridian damage. This act has been evaluated as significant harm.]
[As a result, Zheng Qingyao currently owes the Host 100 Favor Debt points.]
[These points can be spent to issue requests to the debtor.]
[Once a request is issued and the corresponding points are deducted, the target’s mind will automatically adjust.]
[No matter how bold, intimate, unreasonable, or humiliating the request may be, the target will perceive it as completely natural, reasonable, and proper.]
[Please note that the target will not feel forced, controlled, or violated. Instead, they will genuinely believe that fulfilling the request is only right.]
Li Jian’s breathing grew slightly heavier as he listened.
He stared at the panel in silence for several seconds.
His previously gloomy expression slowly turned complicated... then faintly excited.
’So that’s how it works... She hurt me, and now she actually owes me something I can collect?’
Then a dark yet intrigued light flickered in the depths of his eyes.
As the image of Zheng Qingyao surfaced in his mind.
....That arrogant senior sister from Alchemy Peak.
She had a face that could only be described as devastatingly beautiful.
With clear, cold purple eyes, skin as fair as polished jade, and lips that always carried a faint, disdainful curve.
Her slender figure was equally outstanding.
Even the standard sect robes could not fully hide the graceful curves of her waist and the soft fullness of her chest.
Every time she walked, there was an unconscious elegance that made many male disciples secretly swallow their saliva.
A grin spread across his pale face, carrying a mix of mockery and something far darker.
He lowered his voice and asked the system,
"...Then what you’re saying is, I can even ask her for sex?"
[Correct.]
[As long as the Host possesses sufficient Favor Debt points, any request can be issued, including intimate or sexual demands.]
[The target will perceive the request as natural and proper.]