He Yi knelt on the ground, hugging that “Encouraging Studies” book and sobbed in grief, her tears soaking through her pure white blouse. The brown uniform skirt that she woreemphasize her curves, revealing the undoubtedly perfect physique that she was most proud of. The sight was enough for Shi San to ogle at her, as his mind had long since wandered off to distant places.
“Cough….”
After a while, Shi San finally coughed and said, “This beautiful lady, Lu Chen is no longer here, see?”
“I….I…..”
He Yi raised her head to look at Shi San with her swollen, red, tear-filled eyes. “Go away, leave me alone!”
“I!”
Shi San helplessly reached his hand out and said, “But your presence here has a great impact on my life. Please conduct yourself in a more dignified manner?”
He Yi was furious, “Get out!”
Shi San was startled, and didn’t dare to say another word. He Yi’s anger was definitely not something that Shi San could endure.
……
After a long time, He Yi finally stood up slowly. Clutching the ‘Encouraging Studies’ to her heart, she looked at the room with a regretful expression, and then slowly turned around to leave.
Finally relieved from the burden, Shi San knocked on the door, “Lu Chen, you can come out now. She’s already left.”
My expression was extremely unsightly. Shi San understood my thoughts and he patted my shoulder, “Don’t feel sad, it’s only a momentary sorrow. After your body has completely recovered, you can go look for her and surprise her. Isn’t that better?”
I nodded. Shi San, who normally couldn’t comfort anyone at all, was able to say these words to me; this was really breaking news.
“But, He Yi is indeed too gorgeous…” Shi San sighed in sincere admiration.
I couldn’t help but smile as I asked, “Gorgeous to what extent?”
Shi San muttered, “Gorgeous to——the point where it could shock the whole world!”
“Not bad, you can even use such fancy descriptions.”
“d.a.m.n you!”
……
“Let’s go down and eat some fish and pickled vegetables, my treat. We’ve starved for the whole day.” Shi San walked towards the window and looked outside. He suddenly froze involuntarily and snapped his head back inside, “She…she’s not gone yet…”
Moving to my bedside, I peeked outside. Indeed, He Yi was sitting inside her car, resting her head on the steering wheel as her shoulders heaved slowly as sobs racked her body.
This scene made my heart twitch. It was like an unspoken burden in my heart. I really wanted to just run out and tell her that I’m not dead yet, I only died once.
While I repressed my emotions with all my might, Shi San went down by himself to buy some takeaway to eat at home.
It was 10 pm at night, however, I still didn’t go online. I hid myself behind the curtains as I peeked at He Yi, accompanying her through this period quietly. Because this might be the last time I would be able to see her.
At 11 pm at night, a woman wearing a black coloured office skirt came and consoled He Yi. Then, she helped He Yi drive her Lamborghini and went away.
I recognized that woman. It was Murong Ming Yue, one of the Ancient Sword Dream “Star Moon Star Dust” four elders.
……
“So Sister Ming Yue’s looked like this in real life….” I whispered.
Shi San’s eyes lit up, and he wiped away his drool, “She’s really well-endowed…”
Nodding, Murong Ming Yue’s character was a priest who all along had a signature quote, “I, Murong Ming Yue, possesses well-endowed b.r.e.a.s.t.s that is able to milk every single warrior under the earth!”
(TLN: “milk” is a slang in Chinese for heal.)
I looked at him and said, “A brat like you shouldn’t let your imagination run wild. No matter whether it’s He Yi or Murong Ming Yue, you can’t touch either of them!”
“Why?” Shi San asked in confusion.
“I don’t know!” I replied without hesitation.
“Che, whatever. Let’s eat first!”
“Ok.”
The two of us busied ourselves with eating the food. After we were satiated, Du Shi San asked, “What should we do now?”
“Go online, level up to 30 and cure my disease. Don’t forget that I’m sick now.” I laughed mischievously.
Shi San nodded, “Yea, we should hurry up and level more. That way, we can create a super guild and sweep across the whole world. Wahahaha! It’s time to go online; I must rush to level 30!”
“First rush to level 15 before saying that….”
“……”
……
According to ’s website, level 30 was the first dividing gap. This was because a level 30 player would be able to attain his second job advancement. Furthermore, only level 30 players would have the qualifications to own pets and capture pets. Hence in the first few weeks after the opening of the game, there would be a huge number of players playing like lunatics to rush levels, just to get the the benefits of the second job advancement. The sooner they acquired powerful pets to aid them in battles, the greater advantage they would have.“Yeah, we should quickly level up to 30 as soon as possible. We’ll definitely get much stronger skills after our second job advancement!”
After my solemn proclamation, I went online.
“Shua!”
Sunset light shone down, I came out from the graveyard, everywhere around me was a pitch of darkness. There was only a streak of light shining outside the gravestone. This was a good concealed and hidden place. A Floating Ice City’s player would have to use a tent when they logged off; there would be a lot of tents on the training grounds in the city’s outskirts. These tents were out in the open; on the other hand, my home would not be found by others.
“Sha sha….”
Opening the door of soil/my tomb, my head popped out of the ground, the me right now had already absorbed large amounts of undead flame, achieving the Bone Spirit Warrior level. My body has now grown spa.r.s.e amounts of flesh. Never again will I revert to the skeleton I was. But this conversion was even more frightening than my previous body, to the extent that I would even be shocked looking at myself in the mirror;I thought I had met a zombie.
“Pa pa!”
Dusting of the dust and mud on my armour, I was about to leave when suddenly a strong attack was aimed towards me!
It was another Blazing Thrust!
(TLN: I TL-ed the first line in chapter 15 wrongly, Blazing Thrust turned out to be a skill name instead of a sentence. So Ghost Valley had attacked Fallen Hero with Blazing Thrust on chapter 15.)
I didn’t even think as I raise my sword and blocked the incoming attack. At the same time, I charged forward, turned my wrist and slashed twice at my opponent’s armour. My sword quickly glowed with a green light as I furiously shouted, “Can’t you admit your loss already?”
“Ca!”
My Green Forest Blade ruthless pierced into the opponent’s chest. Fresh blood poured out as a high damage number flew out – 424!
It was a critical attack!
Maybe Ghost Valley was really unfortunate. He actually had a chance, but when I dealt that critical attack, his current battle challenge came abruptly to an end.
“Eh…”
Moaning weakly, Ghost Valley slowly collapsed to the ground, his level dropped again to 19 from 20. The levels that this brat has trained day and night, did he intend to use them all to receive my teachings?
I held my sword as I stood at one side, waiting for him to be revived. After a few seconds, Ghost Valley’s soul came out from his grave and went back to his body. He jumped and stood up immediately like a shaolin monk and pointed his spear at me, “You…are you really not Chaos Illumination? Why does your technique so similar to his?!”
I smiled amusedly and replied, “Really? Didn’t I say before, I’m not Chaos Illumination. If you want to challenge me to another battle, you should get better equipments first, so that I can take you seriously.”
“You!”
Ghost Valley glared at me viciously, “Who are you exactly? With your control, unstoppable attacks and battle rhythm, I would definitely know your gamer ID. If you are really not the G.o.d of War Chaos Illumination, could you be Grain Dust? Carefree Shadow? Or perhaps… Fallen Dust?”
“No, it can’t be…” Ghost Valley shook his head. “Fallen Dust had become disabled a year ago, you can’t be him. Aih, it was such a loss!”
I smiled indifferently. Ghost Valley was an expert gamer, he was able to see through my moves correctly. A true expert in reality wasn’t someone who had mastered the “18 Palms of Fallen Dragon”; even if they were experts, they were still ordinary people. But these experts would have a grasp of their own battle rhythm, unleashing unstoppable rush of attacks that flowed smoothly like water.
(TLN: “18 Palms of Fallen Dragon” is one of the most powerful martial art style often mentioned in Chinese Cla.s.sic Wu Xia stories such as Demi-G.o.ds and Semi-devils, Legend of Condor Heroes, and return of Condor Heroes)
There was only one sentence in conclusion: Only skills count.
……
As I strode towards Frozen Mound carrying my sword, I turned around to look at Ghost Valley, “Brother, I want to ask you something. If you were to lose to my sword three times, will you concede defeat?”
“I….” Ghost Valley coldly glared at me, his eyes burning with unyielding flames of determination, “Of course I won’t!”
I nodded, “Yea, ok. Actually, switching to another line of thought, we should be friends. I don’t recommend that you keep trying to risk your life to fight against me every time. Rather than do that, we might as well become friends. Maybe we can create a guild later, and join hands to sweep Floating Ice City away. Isn’t that even better?”
“Ah?!”
Ghost Valley trembled and couldn’t resist asking, “You….you’re willing to a.s.sociate yourself with me?”
“Why not?”
“Hmph!” Ghost Valley suddenly sneered in disdain and said, “Real experts definitely wouldn’t depend on others!”
“You’re not even an expert.”
“……”
Ghost Valley muttered to himself for a bit before finally replying, “At the moment, I don’t plan on doing anything like that. I’ll consider it another time. But my challenge to you hasn’t ended yet. Just wait and see, I’ll train diligently.”
“Yeah, ok!”
I turned around, internally contemplating to myself. Although Ghost Valley said that his current movements were only average, he had quite a strong willpower. His innate talent was also not bad; real experts were originally people like him. If I could successfully win over Ghost Valley, then he could become a crucial player that would play a decisive role in the future guild.
And what was the purpose of creating a guild?
I suddenly thought of Ancient Sword Dream, and the image of the pure, perfect, untarnished beauty He Yi surfaced in my mind. And that previous scene before –
Underneath a green tree, a young couple stood: one warrior and one archer.
He Yi looked at me and asked, “Lu Chen, what are you pursuing in life?”
I said, “Money and beautiful women.”
He Yi punched me hard, unsatisfied with my response.
I responded again, “Work and love.”
She smiled in admiration, “Now that’s the right way!”
……