Chapter 152: So Pretty, Must Be a Boy (1/4)

The novel of Diablo had gradually captured the hearts of the people, and by now, in the Tianfu Market, Jiuhua Avenue, and indeed every prosperous district of Jiuhua City, wherever there was a tavern, people could be heard discussing the lore of Diablo.

Even those who initially had no taste for biographical novels were swept along, for no other reason than sheer novelty.

An unprecedented worldview and fresh concepts—a single volume of a novel might not grant them any tangible benefits, but it broadened their horizons, letting them witness marvels they had never seen or could never have envisioned before.

In truth, it was for this very reason that certain independent martial artists and rogue cultivators wandered the world; the unknown provided an all-consuming reason for exploration.

And when they realized that the story within the book existed in a certain little shop in a way that was half-virtual and half-real...

"Diablo... belongs to that little shop!?"

"Hush! Keep your voice down! People call it some addictive poison, but if you ask me, it's just so brilliant that one simply cannot tear themselves away!"

"No wonder they were in such a hurry to suppress this shop. I think they just can't bear to see anyone else's things outshine theirs!"

Apart from Shen Cang and his peers, within the vast Lingyun Academy, there remained a small number of Diablo enthusiasts, and moreover, they were instructors of the academy: "Come, let us go in and see!"

Several men wore bamboo hats, seemingly unwilling to let anyone know that they were instructors from Lingyun Academy—the very place where the suppression of the Origin Internet Club was most severe.

Lingyun Academy, Class A of the Earthly Character Courtyard.

As the birthplace of Lingyun Academy's players, this class was also the one targeted most ruthlessly by the suppression; originally, the entire class possessed the strength to participate in the National Examination and even claim outstanding scores, but now, half of them were left stranded here.

Take Xi Qi, for instance—his strength was by no means inferior to Song Qingfeng's, a third-tier Martial Master, fully capable of sweeping through the Earthly Character Courtyards of all three major academies!

"Are you unwilling, students?" Mu Hongzhu was still conducting her martial arts class. "To have strength but be unable to display it, I understand your feelings. Over the past two days, I went to play Diablo."

"..." Everyone was utterly dumbfounded.

"Instructor Mu...?"

"You went to the internet cafe?"

"Therefore, tomorrow Boss Fang will be live-streaming the Capital's National Examination. Does anyone want to watch it together?" Mu Hongzhu said.

Not just Xi Qi and Xi Xiaoyun, but all these disciples left behind at Lingyun Academy watched their expressions shift from astonishment to shock, and then to pure delight!

"Ah—! I love you, Instructor Mu!" Xi Xiaoyun was the first to rush forward and embrace Mu Hongzhu.

"Boss Fang is live-streaming the National Examination? Is what you say true, Instructor?!" Xi Qi still found it hard to believe. "He went to the Capital!?"

Mu Hongzhu nodded.

"Since Instructor Mu trusts us so deeply, I hope no one present will speak a word of this to anyone outside!"

"So..." Xi Qi swept his gaze across the crowd, "is anyone willing to go together?!"

"Yes!"

"Count me in!"

"Since things have already come to this, what is there left to fear?! Let's all go! Anyone who's afraid can wear a mask."

"It's been so long since we last went, I'm practically suffocating to death, damn it!"

Not limited to Class A, after the news of the National Examination's live stream spread to the other classes of Lingyun Academy, many others secretly responded as well.

Everything was continuing to ferment.

...

The venue used for the martial arts portion of the National Examination was a massive, elliptical martial arts arena. When Fang Qi arrived at the spectator stands and looked down slightly, it appeared to be roughly the size of several football fields combined.

As for Fang Qi's seat, however...

It was situated right at the northern side of the entire arena. Fang Qi glanced to his right and saw a mature woman clad in a black, flower-embroidered palace dress, looking exceptionally noble and elegant. Further to her right sat an imposing young man in a gold-bordered gown embroidered with pythons, equally solitary, aloof, and towering above the crowd.

Further out on both sides were guests invited from various regions to observe the examination. No matter where they sat, a deeply restrained and powerful aura condensed around them; Fang Qi even spotted that old Daoist, Wuyun, sitting not too far away.

The disciples arriving from the various academies, regardless of status, sat on either side in areas suitable for entering the arena, with Mu Donglai seated to his left.

This section was presumably the VIP seating, reserved for guests specifically invited by the three major academies to watch the examination.

And at a certain distance from the VIP seats lay the main rostrum, the designated place for the organizers of this National Examination.

There sat an elder dressed in a black long coat, currently resting with his eyes closed.

To the left of the elder in the black coat were several other elderly men; even without actively sensing their auras, Fang Qi could instinctively feel that their cultivation bases were immensely powerful.

At the center of these elders sat a middle-aged man in a dark dragon robe, possessing an upright and majestic countenance, whose identity required no guessing.

Having nothing better to do, Fang Qi casually turned on the live stream.

Inside the internet cafe.

"The Boss started the live stream?!"

"Where is this?!"

"Is the National Examination being held?"

Seeing the large screen, many people began to ask.

"Boss, look to your right!" An Cheng suddenly cried out, sending a bullet comment.

"To the right? You mean this pretty girl to my right? What about her?" Talking to himself in a crowd felt rather inconvenient, so Fang Qi casually replied with a bullet comment.

"...A pretty... girl?" Bu Che was also dazed by what he saw and hurriedly sent a comment, "Boss, you didn't just sit there without recognizing anyone, did you?"

"How did you even manage to sit there..."

"That is the Eldest Princess, alright..."

The bullet comments quickly began educating him.

"Boss, you didn't accidentally take someone else's seat, did you?!" Ouyang Cheng was also dumbfounded. "The one to the right of her right is the Second Prince!"

Fang Qi: "..."

"This pretty girl beside me is the Eldest Princess? And the handsome guy further to the right is the Second Prince?" Fang Qi could not help but steal another glance; it felt like his first time encountering such creatures.

"With so many royals and nobles around, given the kid Fang's personality, I'm afraid he won't be able to stand these formal etiquettes," An Huwei whispered to Li Haoran from behind. "How did you arrange this for him?"

"Those from the Star Gazing Tower and the Wuwei Daoist Alliance are exempt from mundane etiquette," Li Haoran said.

"The Star Gazing Tower?! That works!" An Huwei gave a thumbs-up. "Then the one next to him is..."

"There is only one person left from the Star Gazing Tower who still shows his face, City Master An."

"Mister Mu?" An Huwei realized.

At that moment, Fang Qi noticed that the Eldest Princess seemed to perceive someone looking at her. Her face clouded with frost, and a pair of phoenix eyes glared over.

Fang Qi's face twitched as he typed a bullet comment: "This girl is the Eldest Princess? She looks rather fierce."

"Rather fierce...!?"

"Boss, you are incredible!"

"This is the first time I've seen someone describe the Eldest Princess like that. I am thoroughly impressed!"

"Her Highness the Eldest Princess is well-versed in military strategy and statecraft, a versatile genius in both letters and martial arts. To receive such a review from the Boss today... I bow down!"

"And she is also dignified, elegant, beautiful, and graceful!" Someone seemed to have already exhausted every appreciative word they knew.

"Is this evaluation really that strange..." Fang Qi looked at the bullet comments displayed on the system panel, holding his communication jade. "Usually at a time like this, shouldn't the comment be 'someone this pretty must be a boy'?"

"...Someone this pretty must be a..."

"A boy...?"

An Huwei, who was currently eating Häagen-Dazs while watching the bullet chat, suddenly let out a sharp gasp as his little wooden spoon dropped to the floor with a clatter.

It was not just An Huwei; every player present watching the livestream looked at one another in sheer bewilderment before freezing completely in their tracks.

Had they just caught a glimpse of something that could open the gates to a whole new world?

"Was that last comment posted by the boss?"

"The boss probably wanted to comment on how women can match men in heroism, something along those lines..."

Everyone strove to rationalize the words, secretly admiring their own high intellect for coming up with such a fix.

"Uh... is that how you all interpret those words...?" Fang Qi's face twitched slightly. "I suppose... that interpretation works too..."

...

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