"Yao Yao, y-y-ou… When did you reach Level 47?" Liu Rui asked, practically dying from embarrassment. He had been bragging to Xie Yao all day about being Level 42 and wanting to take her levelling with him, only to discover that she was actually Level 47 with a full Radiant Samsara Set. He felt like a buffoon. He wanted to dig a hole and bury his head in the ground.
"I've been Level 47 for a week now. I was busy completing a quest called Karsi's Blessing, so I had no time to level," Xie Yao replied. Her cold and indifferent expression caused Liu Rui to become restless. An intense feeling of inferiority sprouted in his heart. He could accept being beaten by Nie Yan in a spar since losses occurred in competition. But now he was completely eclipsed by Xie Yao in terms of level and gear! He couldn't even compare to a girl! What face did he have left?
Sky Pivot and his group were awed when Xie Yao mentioned Karsi's Blessing. This was an incredibly difficult quest chain. Even their strongest Holy mage, Fresh Fish, failed to clear the first part!
Just obtaining the qualifications to attempt this quest was out of reach for the vast majority of players.
"God damn, what a powerful woman! She's actually doing Karsi's Blessing!" Sky Pivot restrained himself a little. It was highly likely such a skilled player had an equally powerful background. He didn't wish to accidentally poke the bear.
The others also stepped off to the side. Liu Rui told them Xie Yao was his woman. But no matter how they looked at it, she didn't seem to be.
"Yao Yao, I didn't think your level was so high. I-"
"We aren't that intimate. Please, call me Xie Yao," Xie Yao interrupted.
"But, our families are long time friends. We've grown up together! Our parents and grandparents wish to see us together…" Liu Rui tried to persuade Xie Yao from a different angle.
"You're wrong. My family has never expressed such wishes," Xie Yao angrily rebuked. She hated it when Liu Rui played the family card.
Seeing the revulsion on Xie Yao's face, Liu Rui didn't dare to say more for fear of angering her further.
At this time, Sky Pivot and the others noticed the guild emblem on Xie Yao's chest. It was Asskickers United's!
In their minds, Victorious Return was no match for Asskickers United. They always felt a sense of inferiority whenever they encountered players from Asskickers United. How many times had Victorious Return suffered defeat at the hands of Asskickers United? They had lost all sense of confidence.
"So she's a member of Asskickers United? I was just wondering which guild could acquire such a strong player," Sky Pivot muttered.
"Didn't you say you were going to take me levelling? My friend will be arriving here any minute now." Xie Yao looked at Liu Rui who no longer dared to meet her gaze.
With his head lowered, Liu Rui's eyes flashed with traces of bitterness. He was on the brink of erupting out in anger because of the humiliation he just received. Xie Yao had made him lose a great deal of face. But after thinking it over, his expression grew sullen. His family was far from being comparable to hers. It was impossible for him to take any action against her. Although his father was a shareholder in the Dragonsoar Financial Group, the largest shareholder was still Xie Yao's maternal grandfather. At the same time, she was also a shareholder in the Zheng Rong Financial Group. The influence of her father's side of the family wasn't to be underestimated either. In terms of background, status, and wealth, he was far inferior to her. This was also the reason why he kept trying to court her.
Not only were Liu Rui's efforts fruitless, but Xie Yao was also fed up with his antics. She only resorted to this tactic because he refused to take a hint.
After today's events, would Liu Rui still have the face to pester her?
"Little Rui, she's just a bitch. So what if her level is high? Why are we even bothering with her!?" Heavenly Silk sneered. She was incredibly envious. Whether it was background, looks, or temperament, she couldn't hold a candle to Xie Yao. It was like comparing a piece of slag to a diamond.
Xie Yao gently laughed it off. The best way to deal with these types of people was to ignore their very existence. Nevertheless, she didn't feel very comfortable. Sky Pivot was staring at her intently, not at all concerned to mask the perverse look in his eyes.
"Her figure isn't bad," Sky Pivot said to Liu Rui. Evil thoughts surfaced in his mind. Since that kid knows her in real life...
Liu Rui was fidgeting around nonstop. His previous good impression with Xie Yao had disappeared, and the two people beside him were only making matters worse.
Liu Rui glared at Heavenly Silk, but he was somewhat afraid of Sky Pivot.
Yao Yao looked over in the distance. Nie Yan had arrived and was currently walking over.
"Yao Yao, I'm here. What did you need me for?" Nie Yan greeted Yao Yao, then looked at the several players beside her. His eyebrows slightly trembled when he recognized Sky Piercer.
It's Liu Rui!
He didn't expect to run into his old enemy here.
Liu Rui looked completely different from his real self. But Zhai Hao would often challenge him to PvP matches in the previous timeline. So, Nie Yan had seen him a couple times before and remembered his appearance.
Liu Rui had stolen Xie Yao away from him in his past life! Even if he was burnt to ashes, Nie Yan would still recognize him!
Why is Liu Rui here? Why is Yao Yao with him? Do they know each other? Doubt surfaced in Nie Yan's heart. Scenes from his past life flashed before his eyes. As he gazed at Yao Yao's back, her silhouette and Xie Yao's began to merge together. Could Yao Yao actually be Xie Yao?
The thought threw Nie Yan for a loop. He carefully recollected his experiences with Yao Yao.
He had met Yao Yao through a friend. But he didn't think Yao Yao was someone he was already acquainted with in real life. His friend also never mentioned anything about her identity.
In the previous timeline, Yao Yao said she was from Longjiang which was over 1,000 miles away from where he lived in Huahai. So they never met. If Yao Yao was Xie Yao, why did she pretend to be someone else?
Xie Yao and Yao Yao roughly had the same build. But due to the appearance scrambler in Conviction, it was difficult to say the two looked alike.
He only met Yao Yao in Conviction after graduating from high school. At that time, he had lost all contact with Xie Yao, except for the occasional class reunions where he only dared to steal glances at her from afar.
Back then, Nie Yan was depressed, depraved, and debaucherous. Even though Xie Yao had called him once, he only spoke a few words before hanging up. He didn't wish for her to see him in such a state, for his dirty self to profane the goddess of his dreams. He wanted to preserve the few good memories they shared together.
When he met Yao Yao in the game, her concern was like the gentle beam of sunlight that brought some warmth to his gloomy life. However, his heart already belonged to Xie Yao. He recalled the time he was trapped with Yao Yao in the secret chamber. Her beautiful naked body was deeply engraved into his mind. The memory of that night was something he could never forget. If Xie Yao and Yao Yao really were the same person…
Then why would Xie Yao…?
Nie Yan's mind was thrown into disarray.
He had no evidence to support this revelation. He could only seek out the truth later on. He halted his steps for an instant before walking over to Yao Yao and Liu Rui's group.
Since his appearance was different in Conviction, Liu Rui most likely wouldn't recognize him.
Nie Yan's eyes narrowed. Whether it was in real life or the game, he wanted to crush Liu Rui beneath his feet.
Liu Rui's group turned their heads when they heard Nie Yan's voice, whereupon their gazes immediately turned sluggish.
This player was unmistakably Nirvana Flame!
Who in Calore hadn't watched Nie Yan's videos? Just about everybody recognized his appearance. Liu Rui's group was no exception! They found it hard to swallow their saliva. Just who was Nirvana Flame? He was an existence that reigned supreme in Calore! Even Victorious Return's guild leader, Heaven Breaker, had no choice but to step aside!
Fuck! Why is our luck so bad today? Why did we have to bump into such a godly existence? Liu Rui, Sky Pivot, and the others glanced at each other in dismay.
Nie Yan was currently only Level 30 something, but did they have the ability to take him levelling? This was the joke of the century!
With Nie Yan's current equipment, he could dispatch all of them with a casual strike. The short sword glowing with dark flames strapped to his waist was especially frightening. Even if he was only Level 30 something, he was still unrivalled!
Liu Rui's group recalled the words they spoke before Yao Yao and Nie Yan had arrived. Looking at things now, it was ridiculous. Just who was the trash? They were, of course!
Liu Rui stared at Nie Yan with a vacant expression. He never expected that the Level 30 something friend Yao Yao invited was actually Nirvana Flame!
"What are we standing around for? Let's leave!" Sky Pivot shouted. They were simply losing face staying here. Taking those two levelling? What a joke! One was a Level 47 Holy Mage with the Radiant Samsara Set while the other was the guild leader of Asskickers United!
Only now did Liu Rui understand what Xie Yao was telling him. He should remove any notion he still held of marrying her from his mind!
Liu Rui's so-called excellence was nothing but dregs! He had been taken down by Nie Yan with a single kick in real life during their spar. He couldn't even compete with Xie Yao herself in the game. Every person around her was far more outstanding than him!
Liu Rui sunk into a daze as a deep sense of failure engulfed him.
Sky Pivot and the others felt a bitter taste in their mouths as they left.
Liu Rui stared at Nie Yan venomously before taking his leave.
Any more words at this point would be wasted.
Nie Yan was slightly stunned. "What was that all about? Why did they leave after I arrived?"
Unaware of what just transpired between Liu Rui and Xie Yao, Nie Yan was completely baffled.
"Just a bunch of annoying flies. Don't mind them," Xie Yao replied. When she gazed at Nie Yan, her cheeks burned hot as she recalled her video call with him.
Nie Yan nodded. His eyes flickered with killing intent as he gazed at Liu Rui's back.