Chapter 8: The Fool's Gambit Morning Mischief
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Xu Tian woke up with a groan, his head pounding from the mental gymnastics of the previous day. Between Mei Ling's ominous offer, the escalating scrutiny from the sect, and his own system-induced antics, sleep had been his only respite.
But respite was fleeting.
A loud THUMP echoed from outside his dormitory. Groaning again, Xu Tian peeked out the door to find Guo Fan furiously chasing a chicken.
"Guo Fan," Xu Tian called out, leaning on the doorframe, "why, in the name of all that is sacred, are you chasing poultry at dawn?"
Guo Fan paused mid-sprint, the chicken squawking as it escaped into the bushes. "Xu Tian! I'm trying to catch breakfast!"
Xu Tian's eyebrows shot up. "You know they feed us, right? No need to resort to bird theft."
Guo Fan sighed dramatically, placing his hands on his hips. "The sect kitchen ran out of porridge, okay? Besides, this chicken challenged me. Look at its eyes—it's mocking me!"
Xu Tian blinked at his friend, then at the now-hidden chicken. "Right. Mocking poultry. Totally normal."
[(New system task: Capture the chicken and present it to the kitchen as a peace offering. Reward: Mystery pill. Deadline: Two hours.)]
Xu Tian slapped his forehead. "You've got to be kidding me."
[(System does not kid. Timer initiated.)]
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The Great Chicken Chase
With time ticking away, Xu Tian begrudgingly joined the hunt. The chicken, apparently imbued with a level of intelligence rivaling some disciples, led them on a merry chase through the sect grounds.
They passed the alchemy pavilion, where Elder Sun glared at them from behind a bubbling cauldron. "Xu Tian! Keep that damn bird away from my herbs!"
"Sorry, Elder Sun!" Xu Tian called back, dodging a flying ladle as he and Guo Fan sprinted away.
Next, they barreled through the sparring grounds, narrowly avoiding a duel between two senior disciples.
"Is that Xu Tian chasing a chicken?" one of them asked.
"Don't get distracted!" the other snapped, narrowly dodging a punch.
By the time they reached the library, Xu Tian was out of breath. The chicken, however, looked as fresh as ever.
"Why... is this bird... faster than us?" Xu Tian panted.
Guo Fan, hands on his knees, wheezed, "It's not faster—it's smarter. I told you, it's mocking us!"
[(Warning: One hour remaining.)]
Xu Tian groaned. "Fine. Time for Plan B."
Xu Tian's "Plan B" was simple: outwit the chicken. He set up a crude trap using a box, some string, and a handful of rice borrowed from the kitchen.
Guo Fan watched skeptically. "You think that'll work? This chicken is practically a genius."
"Don't underestimate the lure of free food," Xu Tian replied, crouching behind a bush.
Sure enough, the chicken strutted into view, its beady eyes scanning the trap. It pecked at the rice cautiously, then sauntered under the box.
Xu Tian yanked the string, and the box dropped with a satisfying thud.
"Gotcha!" Xu Tian crowed, rushing over to secure the trap.
Guo Fan whooped. "You did it! You outsmarted the chicken!"
[(Task complete. Reward issued: Mystery pill. Item description: Enhances agility for one hour. Note: Side effects may include uncontrollable sneezing.)]
Xu Tian examined the pill, his expression skeptical. "Agility, huh? Sounds useful, but... sneezing?"
He looked at the pill curiously and asked. "What happens if you sneeze during a fight?"
"Probably die," Guo Fan replied flatly.
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After delivering the chicken to the kitchen (earning dubious looks from the staff), Xu Tian returned to his dormitory, only to find a small crowd gathered outside.
"What now?" he muttered, pushing through the group.
Inside, Senior Disciple Lu stood with his arms crossed, his face set in a scowl.
"Xu Tian," Lu said, his voice dripping with irritation. "You've humiliated me in front of the sect. Do you think I'll let that slide?"
Xu Tian rolled his eyes. "I thought we settled this already. You lost, I won. End of story."
Lu's scowl deepened. "This isn't over. The elders may have overlooked your insolence, but the disciples won't. Prepare yourself—challenges will come from all sides."
[(Warning: Rivalries escalating. Host is advised to prepare for incoming challenges.)]
"Great," Xu Tian muttered as Lu stormed out. "Just what I needed—more people trying to kill me."
Guo Fan clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, look on the bright side—you're famous now!"
Xu Tian shot him a withering look. "That's not the bright side, Guo Fan. That's the 'get murdered in my sleep' side."
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Testing the Pill
Despite his growing list of problems, Xu Tian decided to test the agility pill. He found a quiet spot near the training grounds, far from prying eyes.
"Alright, let's see what this thing can do," he muttered, swallowing the pill.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a surge of energy coursed through him.
"Whoa," Xu Tian said, flexing his fingers. "This feels... amazing!"
He tried a basic footwork technique from the sect's manual, and to his surprise, his movements were incredibly smooth. He zipped around the training field, dodging imaginary attacks with ease.
Then, it happened.
"Achoo!"
The sneeze came out of nowhere, and Xu Tian's graceful movements turned into a chaotic flurry of flailing limbs. He tripped over a rock, stumbled into a tree, and finally landed face-first in a patch of mud.
[(Side effect triggered: Uncontrollable sneezing. Duration: 10 minutes.)]
Xu Tian sat up, wiping mud from his face. "System," he growled, "we need to talk about your definition of 'reward.'"
[(Feedback noted. Host is encouraged to adapt to unexpected challenges.)]
"Adapt, my ass," Xu Tian muttered, sneezing again.
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To Be Continued...
The days in the Fallen Cloud Sect grow more chaotic as Xu Tian's reputation rises, bringing with it challenges, enemies, and plenty of absurd situations. But with his wit, luck, and the ever-unpredictable system, Xu Tian's journey is only just beginning.