Facing the Abyss as a Demon Cultivator

As Chu Xiu recounted his experience, the crowd's expressions shifted from suspicion to astonishment, ultimately settling on utter admiration.

A D-rank support class, coupled with a D-rank talent, had actually carved a bloody path through the perilous abyss!

This was no mere stroke of luck. Aside from a cool head and meticulous planning, it demanded extraordinary combat instincts and the audacity to dance on the edge of life and death!

Respect was etched onto every face.

Shen Zhuo was consumed by a wave of inadequacy. He possessed a B-rank profession provided by his family, three treasured pieces of equipment, and a starting bonus of 300 Karma Points. His advantage over Chu Xiu was absolute and comprehensive. Yet, in just six days, he had been left in the dust!

Even Guan Ke's gaze towards Chu Xiu softened, the initial animosity replaced by a hint of admiration.

Regardless of Chu Xiu's character, few possessed his audacity, decisiveness, and precise judgment of the situation.

However, Guan Ke remained confident. With her talent, she could catch up to and surpass Chu Xiu in the future.

At that moment, Chu Xiu suddenly sighed. "Actually, there's something I've been meaning to tell you all. The current method of leveling up in the stronghold, while sufficient for defense, lacks ambition."

"While it guarantees safety, it creates a false sense of security and complacency, making you too comfortable and unwilling to take risks. You've even begun to indulge in leisurely pursuits."

"But the abyss is like a raging river, full of change and uncertainty. No one knows when disaster might strike, just like this blood moon ritual."

"Therefore, the only way to survive in the abyss is to push your limits, prepare for the unexpected, and never become complacent!"

Chu Xiu's words prompted introspection among the group. They had indeed become too comfortable recently. Even their daily hunting routines were occasionally delayed because someone wanted to sleep in, and they would frequently stop to rest during their hunts.

Chu Xiu's achievements only served to highlight their lack of drive. The slight advantage he gained each day through his tireless efforts might seem insignificant, but over time, it had a transformative effect!

Chu Xiu continued, "This is the real reason why I didn't join you before. But at that time, I wasn't sure if my approach was correct. After all, high-intensity hunting inevitably increases risk."

"So, I simply followed the path I believed to be right, without criticizing your methods."

As Chu Xiu finished, sighs rippled through the group.

They had never imagined that the solitary and aloof Chu Xiu harbored such thoughts.

In comparison, they felt like immature children.

Observing their expressions, a subtle smile played on Chu Xiu's lips.

This was his goal – to use his monster-slaying feat to overturn their perception of him and then present a partially fabricated account of his thought process, making his actions seem logical and dispelling their doubts.

"This way, it will be much easier for me to manipulate and utilize these people from the stronghold in future explorations."

"Although their strength is mediocre, with Shen Zhuo, the rich kid, they can still provide me with some assistance. At the very least, they can solve the hassle of logistics and supplies."

After carefully considering his plan and confirming its internal logic, finding no significant flaws, Chu Xiu let out a breath of relief.

Of course, his words couldn't fool everyone.

For instance, Guan Ke was currently studying him with a skeptical gaze.

Chu Xiu offered a faint smile and turned towards her. "Guan Ke, I noticed you were being chased by those ghouls earlier. Why weren't you with the others?"

His words drew everyone's attention to Guan Ke. Under the blood moon's influence, her power, comparable to Shen Zhuo's, was impossible to conceal.

Shen Zhuo's expression turned serious. "Guan Ke, explain yourself."

Guan Ke fell silent.

After a long pause, she finally spoke. "I admit, I deceived everyone. My profession isn't Puppeteer (D), but Mechanic (A)."

"I did this because I was uncertain about the dangers we might face. When we first met, I couldn't be sure of your character, so I used this identity as a disguise."

"I apologize."

No one rebuked her confession.

There were no accusations, for in the abyss, trust was a luxury.

However, their attitude towards her inevitably turned distant.

A barely perceptible smile touched Chu Xiu's lips. After this incident, Guan Ke would no longer pose a threat to him.

However, at that moment, Yun Lu spoke up. "Everyone, although Sister Guan kept secrets from us, her contributions to the stronghold are undeniable. Without her surveillance puppets, we wouldn't have been able to accurately track the ghoul movements, would we?"

"Honestly, if I were a high-rank Awakened, I might have also held back. But I believe Sister Guan means us no harm!"

Yun Lu's words eased the tension considerably.

Touched by her unexpected support, Guan Ke murmured, "Thank you, Little Lu."

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Zhuo nodded. "Guan Ke, I respect your way of survival. You can continue living in the stronghold as before. Of course, if you wish to leave or take on more responsibilities, I won't stop you."

Guan Ke lowered her head, ashamed.

To everyone's surprise, the others also stepped forward to offer words of comfort. At least outwardly, no one objected.

Chu Xiu, observing this scene, was flabbergasted.

He couldn't hold it in any longer.

This was too saintly! How could an entire team be composed of saints?!

It must be the excellent matchmaking system.

Or maybe he had killed all the non-saintly ones?

He rubbed his forehead in disbelief, but his bewilderment was short-lived. He quickly came to terms with the situation.

Saints were good. Saints were wonderful.

He adored saints. The more saintly, the better.

After comforting Guan Ke, Shen Zhuo sighed in relief and smiled. "Alright, everyone, cheer up. We've already weathered the toughest part. By tomorrow, we can go home!"

His words instantly lifted the somber mood. The word "home" brought smiles to their faces.

"Come on, let's rebuild the shelter and get through this final stage!" Shen Zhuo declared, raising his fist.

Everyone echoed his sentiment. However, Chu Xiu spoke up, "Everyone, I have a small request."

They turned to him, puzzled.

Chu Xiu continued, "To be honest, I want to try my luck at competing for the blood moon rewards."

"Therefore, I was wondering if you could entrust me with all the corpses in the stronghold for upgrading my equipment?"

Silence descended upon the group. Shen Zhuo frowned. "Chu Xiu, although you're already a Level 6 Awakened, aiming for the top one thousand is still too risky. Ultimately, you're still a support class, lacking in combat skills."

Yun Lu chimed in worriedly, "Yeah, why don't you just stay with us? Didn't the instructor say that there's plenty of time? There's no need to take such risks during the novice trial."

Facing their dissuasion, Chu Xiu merely smiled calmly. "My mind is made up. For someone with a low-grade profession like me to go further, I must seize every opportunity."

Their admiration for him intensified.

Chu Xiu was doing what they didn't have the courage to do.

Shen Zhuo abandoned his attempts to dissuade him and instead punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Take all the corpses you need. I also have 100 Karma Points here for you. Oh, and this too."

He removed the recovery ring from his finger and offered it to Chu Xiu. "You already have armor and a weapon. Take this. You must come back alive!"

A look of "gratitude" washed over Chu Xiu's face as he accepted the Karma Points and the ring. "I will!" he vowed solemnly.

Disappointment flickered across Yun Lu's face. At that moment, she seemed to realize the vast gap between her and Chu Xiu.

Chu Xiu caught her subtle, maidenly emotions, but he naturally wouldn't dwell on them. His thoughts quickly returned to hunting.

"There are 45 minutes left until the ritual ends. Although we still have three-quarters of the time remaining, the monster density has already plummeted! We can't afford to waste any more time. The longer we wait, the fewer and stronger the monsters will become, drastically increasing the hunting difficulty!"

"We'll spend fifteen minutes refining all the corpses and then begin hunting!"

Chu Xiu was a greedy man.

Outside the trial instance, the drop rates wouldn't be this high.

He had to maximize his gains before the trial ended!