Chapter Sixty-Nine: They Seem to Have Quite a Serious Grievance Against Me

There were still some viewers who hadn't left, holding onto hope in their hearts. "Xu Emperor, hurry up and show them what you've got."
"I've been following you since your very first stream. Take this tip."
[Viewer 'Cat Feeding the Fish' tips a shovel.]
[Viewer 'Cat Feeding the Fish' tips a longsword.]
Inside, 007 was deliriously gloating. What use were all these tips? The energy system in this cultivation world was completely different; the destructive power here and that of modern weapons were worlds apart. Even if someone tipped a Tsar Bomba, it wouldn’t make a dent in the sect's gates.
It had learned well from the last round, keeping every lesson in mind. In this world it had carefully prepared, no one would be able to stir up trouble again. They would all have to obediently enjoy this sweet, healing romance.

Under the guidance of her senior sister, Xu Nuo followed her to the destination.
At night, the shadows of bamboo swayed, and faint glimmers of light flickered through the forest. At a glance, Xu Nuo spotted several plump bamboo shoots.
Her senior sister said, "Alright, I've brought you here. From now on, it's up to your own luck."
The other disciples began digging for shoots in groups of three or five, but all looked dispirited and uninterested.
"Why are we even here? I told you I wouldn't dig anymore."
"I've been at it half a day and barely found any. I think senior sister is just trying to wear us out."
"She's doing it to tire out that mortal, but we're the ones getting dragged in."
"There are so many bugs out here. I hate digging for shoots. Just my luck to run into that mortal and have to come dig."
"It's all that mortal's fault, wandering around for no reason."
"Enough complaining, just do the bare minimum. We won't find many anyway—senior sister won't make things hard for us."
"Sigh, but I have to hand in my assignment the day after tomorrow, and I haven't finished. The teacher will have my hide."
"Same here."
"Why do they assign such difficult tasks? Do they really think purple bamboo shoots are that easy to find?"
Senior sister kept a close eye on Xu Nuo, watching her stand dazed in the bamboo grove, looking completely lost. Just as she thought—a regular mortal. What was the use of being allowed into the purple bamboo forest?

After standing for a while, Xu Nuo finally moved, heading straight in one direction and stopping to dig.

As the one who had drawn public ire, Xu Nuo's every move attracted attention. People watched as she produced out of thin air... a shovel?
The shovel looked utterly ordinary, without the slightest trace of spiritual energy—a mere mundane tool. She dug once, and the tip of something poked through the soil.
A purple bamboo shoot?!
Impossible. How could a mere mortal dig up a purple bamboo shoot so casually?
Xu Nuo continued to dig with her shovel. The one given by the audience was sturdy and reliable. The earth was hard, but with some effort, it was no trouble.
So everyone watched as Xu Nuo deftly wielded her shovel, loosening the soil around the famously tough purple bamboo shoot.
"No, it can't be a purple bamboo shoot."
They must be mistaken. How could a mere mortal even find one, let alone dig it up?
A few more swift shovelfuls, and the entire shoot was revealed, its body wreathed in a misty purple glow—dreamlike and enchanting, it was the most striking light in the night.
It really was a purple bamboo shoot?!
"Tch!" Senior sister clenched her robe. So what if she got lucky and found one? She was still just a mortal, with no spiritual energy in her body—there was no way she could actually dig it up.
"Yan, didn’t you need a purple bamboo shoot? Miss Xu just found one. You go dig it out."
The junior sister named Yan was pushed forward by the others, unable to meet Xu Nuo’s gaze.
Xu Nuo grew interested and asked, "Do you want this purple bamboo shoot?"
"Um..." Yan dipped her chin almost imperceptibly, her voice barely above a whisper, then quickly shook her head.
Senior sister frowned. "Yan, what are you waiting for?"
Yan was caught between her senior sister’s urging and Xu Nuo’s easy smile.
Xu Nuo said kindly, "If you need it, you can have it. But I have one condition."
Yan asked, "What condition?"
Senior sister, growing impatient, interrupted, "Yan, do you want to be scolded by the teacher? People beg for a purple bamboo shoot, and you're hesitating to accept it."
Yan protested, aggrieved, "Senior sister, I..."

A crisp snap sounded as Xu Nuo used her shovel to cut the bamboo shoot, instantly silencing the noisy surroundings.
Only Xu Nuo’s voice could be heard: "I’m new here and my quarters are still a mess. Would you help me clean up and prepare some daily necessities?"
"Do you want it?" Xu Nuo weighed the fresh shoot in her hand, its white flesh gleaming with a violet glow, making her expression vivid and striking.
Yan was stunned, then nodded reflexively. "I do."
Xu Nuo handed the shoot to her. "Then I’ll trouble you with this."
"N-not at all." Yan cradled the shoot nervously, feeling the weight of all the stares around her—a sensation like bristles pricking her back.
Senior sister’s face darkened, unable to hide her contempt and irritation—a conflicting mix of emotions. She looked down on mortals who relied on connections to slip into the inner sect, yet this same mortal had found a purple bamboo shoot on her first try, something she herself had searched for all day without success, and had even dug it up in front of her, enlisting her own junior sister’s help.
How could a mere mortal possibly dig up a purple bamboo shoot? What right did she have to show off in front of her?
Senior sister calmed herself, stifling her anger for the moment. "Miss Xu, since you gave your shoot to my junior sister, you’ll have to keep looking, won’t you?"
Xu Nuo replied lightly, "I’ll just find a few more, that’s all."
How amusing—she spoke as if purple bamboo shoots grew as commonly as roadside weeds. Senior sister shot a look at a few junior brothers, signaling them to keep a close eye on Xu Nuo and see what else she could do. Did she really think purple bamboo shoots were so easy to find?
Don’t let others laugh at us.
Bored, Xu Nuo chatted with the system and the viewers. "They seem to have a big problem with me."
[Just early-stage cannon fodder, brainless villains. No need to worry, Your Majesty Xu. Just take care of them.]
[Go, go, go! Show them what you’re made of, Your Majesty Xu.]
007 poured cold water on their excitement: [Dear viewers, let’s not get too worked up. This is a slow-life, healing-themed romance game. There won’t be any violent confrontations. Our lovely and kind host will solve her problems with her charm and the help of friends.]
[Boring!]
007 insisted: [We must stand for love and justice. Fighting is not good.]
Why resort to violence when things can be resolved peacefully? That would hardly suit the spirit of a romance game.