"Big Sister, are you from another Xianzhou? Yaoqing or Fanghu?"
"How long has it been since you last visited Xianzhou Luofu, Big Sister?"
"Don't move, Big Sister, stay right here. I'll be back soon."
Ahead,
a Disciple of Sanctus Medicus emerged.
Yanqing voluntarily stepped forward to confront the enemy.
Facing the enemy, his tone instantly transformed, becoming mature and cold as he demanded, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The pill cultivator responded menacingly, "Well, well... little brat. Your blood shall nourish these sacred grounds."
"Fine, seems like I must teach you a lesson after all."
[Combat begins]
Finally, it's time for battle!
Yanqing clenched his fists tightly, feeling a surge of excitement from his seat. During the dialogue earlier, he might as well have written "naive" across his face! He dared not even glance at the live stream chat.
Now was the moment to showcase his martial prowess. At least, in this aspect, he felt confident and fully capable!
Yanqing regained some of his self-assurance.
However, just then...
In a tone suggesting she intentionally stumbled upon it, March 7th read aloud from the live stream chat:
"[That tone—trying to act grown-up in front of Pretty Lady, huh?]"
"[Calling himself 'little master,' ha! This kid has quite the dual personality.]"
"[This plot twist makes Yanqing look incredibly cool and badass!]"
"Enough!" Yanqing, who had started cooling down, flushed red once more. With a pleading gesture, he implored, "March 7th, please, I'm begging you! Don't read any further!"
March 7th blinked innocently. "Oh, oh, you don't like it?" She added, "Alright, then I won't continue reading."
Yanqing sighed deeply and continued reading the plot.
[Battle concluded.]
"Little brother, your swordsmanship is quite impressive," Jingliu remarked.
"You...can sense it?"
"I can hear it. The whistling of flying swords through the air, the sound of sharp edges cutting... These traces subtly reveal one's proficiency with the blade."
"Just like how musicians discern notes, or poets perceive rhythms. Amidst the fluid movements of sword techniques, a skilled swordsman never leaves discordant sounds. To simultaneously control six flying swords within a single breath—such mastery among cloud riders must be rare indeed."
"Haha, you flatter me too much."
"However, focusing solely on relentless attack without knowing when to hold back..."
"As a result, the finale of your sword symphony appears somewhat chaotic."
Yanqing paused, then marveled, "It seems there truly are parallels between music and swordsmanship. The General once said something similar, noting that my sword style exudes great enthusiasm but lacks refinement. To aspire for the title of 'sword leader,' I still need a touch more maturity..."
"Sword leader? I recall that title is bestowed upon the pinnacle swordsman within the Cloud Knights. It feels far too distant..." Jingliu's tone carried a hint of nostalgia and wistfulness.
Yet Yanqing remained oblivious. Agreeing, he said, "Indeed, ever since the Yinyue Rebellion, Luofu's position of sword leader has remained vacant. However, once the Luofu Cloud Riders return from The Hunt and the martial ceremonies recommence, I am determined to claim that title."
At that moment, Stelle began reading out loud the chat comments.
Yes!
Although March 7th agreed not to read them anymore, your Galactic Baseball Bat-Man never made such promises!
"[Funny coincidence, I was also the sword leader back in my day.]"
"[Jing Yuan: That's right! Care to guess why it's been vacant?]"
"[Jingliu: Bet you didn't see this coming—this old lady's back!]"
"[Each 'Little Brother' call melts my precious Yan Bao's heart!]"
What?!
Yanqing felt as if he had turned to stone, like being publicly roasted over a fire pit!
And Stelle went even further than March 7th, deliberately choosing these provocative chat messages to read aloud!
"Astral Express Crew, you've gone too far!"
Yanqing instantly sprang to his feet.
His hand rested on his sword hilt, yearning for a duel with March 7th and Stelle to wash away this humiliation!
In a bewildered tone, Stelle asked, "Huh? What's wrong?"
"I'm just reading some funny comments that caught my eye."
"It's not like I wrote them..." She scratched her head, looking troubled. "Little Brother, making things difficult like this isn't fair."
Yanqing was nearly incandescent with embarrassment, steam almost rising from his head as if he could hear a voice broadcasting in his ear:
Warning! Warning!
"All right. March, Stelle, Yanqing is still young and very sensitive about his pride. You two should stop messing around." Uncle Yang spoke firmly.
March 7th stuck out her tongue, noticing Uncle Yang's serious expression. Quickly, she and Stelle sat up straight, adopting postures that conveyed their intent to focus attentively on the plot.
Yanqing gritted his teeth, resigned to staying put in his seat.
After all, what Stelle said was true—these were comments posted by stream viewers, not directly related to either of them...
If anyone was to blame, it had to be this damned plot! Other fellow quests showcased their characters' shining moments, but why did Yanqing feel like his continuously hit new lows of stupidity?! This wasn't just a fellow quest; it felt more like a punishment mission!
In the unfolding narrative,
Jingliu posed another question, "The Cloud Knights each have distinct martial traditions. Little Brother, who taught you your swordsmanship?"
Without hesitation, Yanqing replied, "Since Big Sister appreciates swords, I won't keep you guessing. It was General Jing Yuan of Luofu."
"General...?"
"Even if you haven't been to Luofu for a long time, surely you've heard of General Jing Yuan's renown elsewhere? Although he always claims to lack expertise with the sword and be rather unskilled... whenever teaching me, he shows great enthusiasm."
"All right, the area is safe now. Let's continue our journey."
They arrived at Cloudford Harbor.
Yanqing began investigating the navigation instruments, searching for the star ferry Blade had hijacked.
After reviewing the transit records,
Yanqing smiled, "Alright, my task here is complete. Now it's time to escort you somewhere safe, Big Sister."
Outside the plot,
Watching this unfold, Yanqing felt slightly disoriented. If he safely delivered Jingliu back to the cloud rider encampment, his entire endeavor would become a laughingstock!
What an absolute farce!
Yanqing had personally escorted Luofu's enemy deep within its territory, even aiding her by clearing obstacles along the way!
Providing "a home away from home" experience for their adversary!
Such behavior was unprecedented and explosive in recent Luofu history!
Just as Yanqing felt utterly despondent, believing his lifelong reputation was about to crumble,
the plot took a subtle yet significant turn!
"All right, my business is done here. It's time to take you somewhere safe, Big Sister."
"At this moment, the cloud rider encampment can't be considered truly safe," Jingliu remarked.
"You're right. So instead of heading there, I'll directly escort you to The Shackling Prison. It offers full board with heavy military protection - absolutely secure."
Her tone shifted abruptly.
Instantaneously, Yanqing's mood also made a 180-degree turnaround!
It dawned on him:
He wasn't foolish in the game after all!
He had suspected it all along!
But chose not to reveal until now, following the investigation of the steering device, seizing the perfect opportunity to expose her!
Yes!
That's it...
How could he have been so stupid?!
His judgment was clouded earlier due to the Astral Express Crew's interference.
Now, upon calming down and carefully reconsidering...
Throughout this journey, Yanqing had encountered numerous inconsistencies. By piecing them together and carefully analyzing them, it became clear that there was something amiss with the woman before him.
This is my true intellect at work!
"Internet friends in the live stream! Did you see that?"
"I'm Yanqing, not some brainless Luofu swordsman!"
"I've learned a thing or two from the General's strategies!"
Yanqing felt vindicated in that moment, as if submerged in a soothing hot spring, completely relaxed and invigorated.