Qi Yuan, clutching a kitchen knife, was slowly walking through the Divine Light Sect.
On the way, merriment and laughter resonated around him, occasionally accompanied by declarations of love.
Such a peaceful cultivation world was indeed harmonious.
He led his pet, observing the sky: "It's time to return to the peak."
It was still early, there was time to open the jade game message and start a game.
When he returned to the Seven-Color Peak, night had already fallen.
At the top of the peak was a palace built of white jade; a half-moon hung above, its cold light seeping down. Through the night, the enchanting silhouette of a woman could be faintly seen.
However, that silhouette disappeared as soon as it glanced at Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan averted his eyes and looked at the thatched cottage built by Jiang Lingsu, muttering to himself: "If only I had these anchoring charms on the Blue Star, they could prevent buildings from collapsing during earthquakes."
Having sighed, Qi Yuan led the kitchen knife back to his own courtyard.
The courtyard was empty, only responding to Qi Yuan's footsteps.
He untied the rope from the handle of the knife: "When at home, you don't need to be tied up. As long as you don't wreck the house, nobody will hit you."
As Qi Yuan spoke, he caressed the small, damaged edge of the knife and entered the jade game message.
However, just as he entered the game, Qi Yuan's eyebrows furrowed.
"Is she online?"
From the moment he received the jade game message, Qi Yuan had treated it like a gaming console.
(PS: The protagonist has unusual thoughts, behaviors, and is neurotic)
However, back then, the game map had not been unlocked.
Unexpectedly, Qi Yuan added a friend onto his friend list.
That was the only friend he made when he fell ill.
Since falling ill, he had lived alone without anyone to talk to.
That friend in the game became his companion.
Qi Yuan saw that person as a fellow gamer.
The two frequently chatted, discussing all kinds of topics.
Though, mostly, it was Qi Yuan who listened.
However, the other person spoke in strange ways, occasionally dropping words like "Imperial Guard" and "Prime Minister".
Qi Yuan speculated that she was a rich heiress inheriting her family business, but without full control over the firm yet.
After much conversation, Qi Yuan once proposed: "Let's form a game team."
Unfortunately, when the game map refreshed, his friend list disappeared.
He never saw that person again, let alone form a team.
Now, seeing her tag on the list, he pondered for a moment and sent a message: "Are you there?"
Now that he had crossed over to the cultivation world, she might not be there.
...
Mist filled the air, creeping into the ink painting on the screen, forming elongated patterns.
"Leave."
A cold and imperious voice sounded, causing the palace-maiden girls to bow their heads and depart.
Only when the maidservants departed did a look of fatigue appear on the stunning face of the empress of Nanqian country.
It was ten years ago when the demon tribe invaded.
Her father, the king, died in battle.
She became the Empress of Nanqian country when she was only seven years old.
The responsibility of a massive empire was all on her shoulders.
Invading demons, covetous enemies, and disloyal ministers abound.
She struggled for ten years.
Today, she barely manages to maintain the balance of the Empire.
However, the pressure on her shoulders has only become greater over time.
One false step could spell her demise.
Especially recently, the Prime Minister Sima Ting hardly concealed his collusion with the court of the Beihan Kingdom.
Her situation was worrisome.
Just three days ago, her most trusted Aunt Qin, a King-ranked strongman, had been severely injured in an ambush by a group of men in black.
Although the black-clad men carefully concealed their identities, everyone in the court knew who had sent the assassins.
She knew her enemies, but she was helpless. It was a terrible feeling.
She stood before the screen, her long azure dress elegant in its simplicity. The hems bore patterns of phoenixes embroidered with golden threads, complemented by a white jade belt encircling her slender waist.
When the belt was unbuckled, her clothing fell away, revealing skin as pristine as unblemished jade.
The Empress was not old, but her figure was regal, contrasting starkly with her slender waist.
As she submerged in the bathtub, her delicate, snowy shoulders floated above the surface allowing a tantalizing glimpse of her through the milky water.
The Empress closed her eyes, serenely relinquishing the fatigue that wound her.
Just then, a glimmer of red streaked across a table.
A flicker of excitement flashed in Jin Li's eyes.
"Qi Yuan?"
Laid on the table was the Linglong Yuxi, a magical treasure.
It was said that these treasures came in pairs.
Any two individuals who each possessed one could communicate through them.
This magical treasure was quite renowned in ancient times.
Unfortunately, with the changes of time, treasures that enable long-distance communication became less unique.
The Linglong Yuxi became less coveted, and was stored in the royal treasury.
A year ago, when Jin Li entered the royal treasury, she caught sight of the Linglong Yuxi and decided to take it.
Unexpectedly, through the Linglong Yuxi, she met an interesting person.
The person was named Qi Yuan, his words were idiosyncratic, often speaking in terms that she couldn't understand.
Since they were strangers separated by countless hills and rivers, she felt free to express her inner thoughts.
After all, as the Empress, she couldn't afford to appear vulnerable.
Regrettably, Qi Yuan vanished without a trace six months ago.
She felt a bit at a loss and anxious at the time.
Unexpectedly, he was still there.
A weight lifted off her heart.
She picked up the Linglong Yuxi, clasping it tightly while examining the message. She hastily replied: "Here."
After sending her message, she thought for a moment, then asked: "Where have you been all this time?"
"Last time, I was about to invite you to join me in monster hunting, but unexpectedly, I suddenly entered a game map and lost contact with the outside world."
"Must have been a dangerous place?" Jin Li asked.
In her eyes, Qi Yuan is a carefree Monster Hunter.
When he mentioned hunting monsters and game maps, he meant hunting demonic beasts.
On the other side, Qi Yuan shrugged: "We players are the true disaster; what danger are we in?
These monsters are nothing more than our experience providers."
Jin Li eased slightly when she sensed his familiar tone and response.
Whenever she chatted with Qi Yuan about everything under the sun, she would feel a sense of tranquility, even when his responses were somewhat eccentric.
"This time while you were gone, I hunted monsters alone for half a year and only just managed to finish.
Would you like to team up with me?
With a female partner, the work would be breezier.
If the two of us worked together, we would surely level up to 100 quite quickly."
Jin Li responded to this, "I have matters at home and can't leave."
"So busy that you have no time for gaming?
Sigh, you rich and beautiful people work so hard even with your wealth, what does that leave us poor folk to do?"
Jin Li couldn't help but smile at this.
"Or how about you join me in monster hunting right now? I just switched maps, and this place is teeming with monsters," Qi Yuan suggested, "I need the support of the beautiful Jin."
Seeing his casual demeanor, Jin Li realized he wasn't in danger.
A smile tugged at her lips: "I'm not really available at the moment."
"What are you doing? Are you staying late for work?"
"I am…" Jin Li hesitated before finally sending, "Bathing."
Qi Yuan, on the other side, paused when he saw this.
His gaze was calm: "Then how about we set up a time after you finish your bath?"
Jin Li replied with a bitter smile on the other end, "I can't make it."
However, a thought struck her, and she asked, "Where are you?"
"I was previously at Xuan Yuan Forbidden grounds, now I'm on my way to Yi Guan Forbidden," Qi Yuan replied candidly.
He was in the game's teleportation circle, preparing to teleport to the next map.
"Xuan Yuan Forbidden? Yi Guan Forbidden?" Jin Li froze.
Weren't those the four major Forbidden grounds?
Legend has it that even the king-level powerful individuals bleed to death upon entering, with a possibility of demise even for emperor-level individuals.
No, Xuan Yuan Forbidden... Even emperor-level individuals could not venture in.