"Why... are... you... so powerful?" asked the elder in a stammering voice.
"Hmph, if I use demonic power, then I can kill you in three strikes," thought Ronin with a smug look on his face. However, he immediately changed his expression to a stern look and said, "You're just a warm-up to me."
"I never thought I would lose my life at the hands of a kid," said the elder, attempting to blast the core in his dantian. But how could Ronin let the elder do whatever he wanted? Before the elder could fully detonate the core in his dantian, 'slash,' his head was separated from his body, fell to the ground, and rolled for a few rounds before coming to a halt.
"Hmm, I will keep your weapons as a memory of my first kill after entering this world," Ronin muttered under his breath, using his energy to pull the dual halberds towards him. Soon, they reached him and he put them behind his back.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him started to shake. He heard a voice in his head saying, "Boy, catch that crystal. Don't let it fall into the pool of blood."
"What?" Ronin was confused, but he felt irritating energy waves. He turned to look in the direction they were coming from, and indeed, the irritating energy waves were emanating from the crystal, which was moving towards the pool of blood at full speed.
Ronin instinctively moved at lightning speed towards the crystal and successfully caught it before it could fall into the pool of blood.
"Boy, I will give you whatever you want. Just throw the crystal in your hand into that pool of blood," a majestic voice reached Ronin from the crystal.
"This crystal just talked to me?" Ronin widened his eyes in surprise after hearing the voice emanating from the crystal.
"Will you really give me whatever I want?" Ronin asked, a surprised expression on his face.
"Yes," replied the individual inside the crystal, his tone smug. He thought, "You are going to fall for my trick, kid. You still need a thousand years to cultivate your mind and not fall for it."
"How about jade beauties?" Ronin asked, a lustful look crossing his face, driven by his desire to see the jade beauties from xianxia novels come to life.
"Not just jade beauties, but also bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and diamond beauties," the crystal's inhabitant responded.
"Really?" Ronin asked eagerly.
"Yes," affirmed the crystal's speaker.
"Who are you talking to?" asked Zhen Xia, her face displaying curiosity.
"Only those who have physical contact with the crystal can hear my voice," explained the crystal's occupant.
"Ah, I see," Ronin said, then turned to Zhen Xia and pointed at the crystal. "I'm talking to the guy who was in this crystal."
"Is there someone in this crystal?" Zhen Xia asked, a surprised expression on her face.
"Yes," Ronin responded with a nod.
"What are these jade beauties that you're talking about with the guy inside the crystal?" Zhen Xia inquired, her gaze fixed on Ronin.
After hesitating momentarily, he replied with an admiring expression, "Jade beauties are exceptionally beautiful girls that exist in this kind of world."
"Are there really such beautiful girls in this world?" Zhen Xia questioned, looking at her reflection on the shiny sword. Unconsciously, tears began to well up in her eyes.
Observing the tears falling to the ground, Ronin mentally asked, "Are you there, bro?"
"Why are you seeking me?" a voice echoed in his consciousness, as a human-shaped light materialized at lightning speed.
"Tell me the way to restore her normal human form," Ronin requested.
"Oh, you're fond of her?" the human-shaped light asked with curiosity.
"She deserves a normal appearance just like anyone else. Just give me the information without unnecessary questions," Ronin replied in an annoyed tone.
"There are numerous methods to restore her appearance, but only one way lacks side effects," the human-shaped light stated.
"What is it?" Ronin inquired.
"Forget it, it's exceedingly rare in this mortal realm," the human-shaped light responded.
"Tell me what it is. I'll definitely find it," Ronin asserted resolutely.
"It's called fairy root. It takes a thousand years to mature, and only matured fairy roots possess the medicinal properties to restore her normal appearance," the human-shaped light explained.
"Alright, fairy root, is it? I'll undoubtedly find it," Ronin thought, then said aloud, "Thank you."
"Oh kid, are you really thanking me? For real?" asked the human-shaped light, laughing heartily.
"I'm leaving," said Ronin, returning to reality from his consciousness.
"If you follow me, I will transform you into a jade beauty," Ronin proposed, folding his hands and gazing at Zhen Xia.
Zhen Xia, who was still dazed, snapped back to reality upon hearing Ronin's words. "What did you say?" she asked, her face displaying shock.
"I said I can restore your appearance and even turn you into a jade beauty, but you have to follow me," Ronin stated, a smirk forming on his lips.
"I... I will follow... I'm following solely because you mentioned restoring my appearance, nothing else," Zhen Xia replied, excitement evident in her expression.
"Hmm, what can I receive in return once I revive your appearance?" Ronin inquired, pulling her into his arms.
As she felt his touch, her face flushed entirely. "Are you okay?" Ronin asked, gently touching her lips with his fingers.
Instinctively, she broke free from his grasp and retreated from Ronin, feigning a fierce expression on her face.
Ronin laughed playfully and then shifted his gaze to the crystal in his hands. He asked, "But I can acquire those jade beauties myself. Why do I need you to provide them?"
"As I mentioned, I can grant you anything. You only need to toss the crystal into that pool of blood," the individual within the crystal stated.
Having read the novel and familiarized himself with every main character and plot twist, Ronin gazed at the crystal with a smirk and inquired, "Your name is Ethan, right?"
After a brief pause, a vehement voice emanated from the crystal. "Kid, who are you? How do you know who I am?"
"How I know doesn't matter," Ronin replied.