In the Viridian Forest, three figures perched on a tall tree.
Yaksha's hand went to the sword on his back and then fell back to his side.
Diana gave Yaksha a curious look when she saw his worried face even though it was nearly well hidden. Brother Yaksha never revealed such a vulnerable expression on his face.
"What is it, brother? What are you worried about?" Diana asked.
Luther scoffed. "Stupid girl. It's obvious, isn't it? SelaXiu is going to be fighting against Crow, a Talisman specialist!"
Diana observed Yaksha's face that had a smile on his face. Even though he tried to hide it, his concern was still coming through.
"Brother?"
"How did you create the identity of SelaXiu?" he asked instead of the shrug off she expected.
Diana frowned. "What?"
"I told you to create SelaXiu as a separate identity to that of Selafia, how did you do it?"
"Hmm...I created copies of myself and used a Transformation Pill to disguise myself as local people in the Village and then went about talking about SelaXiu!" Diana said. Her face glowed in excitement as she talked about her deeds.
"What exactly did you talk about?" Luther asked.
Diana grinned. "Telling people that she brought me bread, fixed the Farm Manager's problems in the river and all that. Most people wondered why I was talking so much about a low-level adventurer and so I said she was not a low-level Adventurer, she was a Level 42 Adventurer."
Yaksha slowly relaxed as he heard her explanation.
Diana was curious about his reactions. "What's wrong, brother Yaksha? Did I do something wrong?"
Yaksha gave her a gentle smile.
He patted her on the head. "You did wonderfully."
Diana smiled.
"What's so great about that? In fact, didn't she just over-complicate things instead?"
Cheng Xiu appeared in a flash of light and the blue barrier disappeared.
Crow walked towards her.
Yaksha smirked. "In this case, it was just the right amount of complications."
"The right amount?" Luther looked at the man beside him in confusion.
Regardless of the years that he had been serving the Lu family and knowing the Heirs and the other siblings since childhood, Luther was rarely able to discern what Yaksha was thinking unless he allowed him to know about it.
"The fight is about to start," Yaksha said, ignoring Luther's enquiring tone.
On the spectator Podium of the Immortals, Star Phoenix burnt a piece of Talisman.
WuQi poked his shoulder.
"What?" he asked.
"Who did you send a Talisman message to?"
"One of the squad leaders of my guild stationed in Veritas."
WuQi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What was it about?"
Star Phoenix smiled. "I wanted him to confirm some spectacular information I just learned about!"
WuQi's eyes sparkled. "What is it?"
"Guild secret."
"Bullshit! Tell me!"
Star Phoenix backed away from the dagger that she pulled out.
"Okay! I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"
WuQi leaned closer.
The others froze.
Crow stopped for a moment and then continued to walk forward.
Star Phoenix cleared his throat. "I heard that..."
"Yeah?" WuQi leaned forward in excitement.
"Lu WenXian..."
Crow smirked.
San Zhe relaxed.
WuQi leaned in even more, her eyes sparkling as she heard that she would be hearing a secret about WenXian.
"Is buying a ring for Little San!"
San Zhe choked on his spit.
WuQi looked at him in dazed confusion. "What?"
"Lu WenXian is going to buy a ring for San Zhe over here!" Star Phoenix said, his eyes glittering in malicious glee at seeing the devastated look that entered WuQi's eyes.
Long Hei burst into laughter.
WuQi shook her head. "You are lying! You are making this up so that I won't ask what your real secret is!"
Star Phoenix looked at her with pity. "I forgot that you have feelings for him."
"I...I..."
"Then again," Star Phoenix said with a shrug, "how does that matter when WenXian himself forgets it."
"Ouch," Long Hei hissed. "Low blow, Brother Phoenix."
Star Phoenix shrugged. "I'm doing her a favour."
WuQi glared, her eyes tear-filled. "You are lying."
Lotus kicked Star Phoenix away and hugged WuQi. "He is lying. He just found out that his girlfriend is cheating on him and is taking it out on you."
WuQi blinked.
"Really?" she asked with hope in her voice.
Lotus nodded. "Really."
WuQi straightened up and glared at Star Phoenix. "You are a sour loser, Phoenix. No wonder your girlfriend cheated on you!"
Star Phoenix rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Little San, let's eat some cream-filled cones! Have you tried them?"
San Zhe felt dizzy. Could anyone be so nonchalant about getting accused of wearing a green hat?
In the battlefield of the Arena, the yellow-robed man reached Cheng Xiu.
"Us Immortals are an interesting bunch aren't we?" Crow asked Cheng Xiu as he stood in front of her.
"Sure."
Crow looked at the woman in front of him.
A tall and lean frame, with slight curves that revealed her gender and long, and dense black hair that danced in the wind.
The black mask on her face hid most of her facial features but he was sure her face was thin too.
Crow could guess from her bone structure that she was an attractive woman behind the mask but she wasn't how he imagined S Ranked Cheng Xiu to be.
She looked too...plain for someone with S Rank. Too normal. No colour difference in the hair or the eyes, no special wings or anything.
Did she change her appearance in-game?
That would make sense.
Cheng Xiu frowned at the way Immortal Crow looked at her up and down.
She felt her skin crawl.
[Ding!]
[World Announcement: Grandmaster's Arena Battle 4
Match: SelaXiu Veritas VS Immortal Crow
The Battle begins!]
"Let's start the fight already," She said.
Crow raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Are you not going to ask me to quit the game like you did others?"
Cheng Xiu pursed her lips. She didn't like the schemey smile on his face.
"Will you?"
"Yes!" Crow said with a laugh.
Cheng Xiu raised an eyebrow. "What's the catch?"
Crow smiled. "A Player's Debt!"
Cheng Xiu rolled her eyes. "No thank you."
There was no way she was going to give this weirdo any power over her.
Crow actually slumped. "Oh. Okay then."
[Ding!]
[No Ailments to the Physical body detected.
Avatar at 100% efficiency]
[Battle Countdown
3
2
1
Go!]