The Lazy Sovereign

Xu Tian's brain worked overtime as the elder's sword inched closer to his chest. The Guardian growled behind him, its massive claws carving furrows into the rocky ground.

"Plan B," Xu Tian muttered under his breath. "I really wish I had one."

The Heavenly Seal on his palm shimmered faintly, its voice echoing in his mind:

"New Task: Survive the current encounter. Deadline: Immediate. Penalty for failure: Permanent status as a ghost."

Xu Tian's eyes widened. "That's… a pretty big penalty!"

The elder smirked. "Your time's up, boy. Hand over the orchid!"

Xu Tian raised his hands slowly, pretending to surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to get violent. You want the flower? Fine. I'll give it to you."

The elder's eyes gleamed with greed. "Wise choice."

Xu Tian reached into his pouch and pulled out the orchid, holding it delicately between his fingers. "But before I hand it over… shouldn't we make sure it's the real deal?"

The elder's expression darkened. "What are you playing at?"

Xu Tian pointed to the Guardian. "That thing over there? It's not just the Guardian of the orchid. It's also the judge. If you don't present the flower in the proper way, it'll rip you to shreds."

The elder hesitated, glancing at the still-growling beast. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Xu Tian shrugged. "I'm just saying, you might want to let me handle this. You don't want to mess up and accidentally offend it, right?"

The elder's grip on his sword tightened, but uncertainty flickered in his eyes.

Seizing the moment, Xu Tian turned to the Guardian and raised the orchid high. "Oh, mighty beast! I humbly present this sacred flower to you as proof of my respect!"

The Guardian tilted its head, seemingly intrigued.

"Now," Xu Tian continued, "if you'll just let me go, I promise to leave your mountain and never bother you again!"

The elder scoffed. "What kind of ridiculous plan is this?"

To everyone's shock, the Guardian snorted, emitting a small puff of smoke, and lay down on the ground.

Xu Tian blinked. "Wait… it worked? I mean, of course it worked!"

The elder, however, wasn't convinced. He lunged forward, aiming to snatch the orchid from Xu Tian's hand.

Xu Tian ducked just in time, the elder's sword slicing through the air where his head had been.

"Hey! No need to get violent!" Xu Tian shouted, dodging another swing.

The Guardian roared, rising to its feet once more. Its glowing eyes locked onto the elder, and with a thunderous leap, it barreled toward him.

The elder cursed, leaping back to avoid the beast's claws. "You idiot! You've angered it!"

Xu Tian grinned. "Looks like someone didn't pass the Guardian's test!"

While the elder was busy fending off the enraged beast, Xu Tian took off down the mountain path, the orchid safely tucked away.

By the time Xu Tian reached the village, he was panting and covered in dirt. He collapsed onto a bench, clutching his knees.

"I can't believe I survived that," he muttered.

The Heavenly Seal on his palm glowed faintly. "Task complete. Reward: One Tier 1 Cosmic Point."

Xu Tian groaned. "One point? That's it? I nearly died!"

The seal's voice remained emotionless. "Bonus tasks are optional. Rewards vary."

"Unbelievable," Xu Tian said, leaning back with a sigh. "I risk my life, and all I get is—"

Before he could finish, a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see the village elder, flanked by several angry villagers.

"Xu Tian," the elder said sternly. "We need to talk about the mess you left behind."

Xu Tian groaned. "Can't I catch a break?"

Far away, in a darkened chamber, a cloaked figure sat before a pool of glowing liquid. The image of Xu Tian flickered on the surface, the Snow Vein Orchid in his hand.

"So," the figure murmured, "the boy has the Heavenly Seal. Interesting. Very interesting."

The figure's laughter echoed through the chamber, chilling and foreboding.