Chapter 298: New Movie and Plants vs. Zombies

"Senior Sister Liu... what should we do now?" Liu Ningyun had been grounded, and the several Nanhua Faction disciples who frequently went in and out of the Origin Internet Cafe with her naturally fared no better.

In the courtyard before Liu Ningyun's room, a few female disciples appeared deeply worried. "The things in that shop are both fun and amazing. Why won't they let us go?"

"Exactly! These past few days, I feel like my cultivation has been going so much faster!" one female disciple complained.

"The problem is..." Liu Ningyun said, "right now, we have no proof, and trying to explain this kind of thing to Master... I'm afraid the old lady will think we're shunning our own sect's cultivation chambers to run off to some other faction's place to practice, making a laughingstock of ourselves!"

"Then what can be done... it sounds so troublesome..."

"I don't know what to do either now..." Liu Ningyun looked rather distressed.

...

In truth, within such a grand sect, things were not always so harmonious.

Although not many people knew the news of Liu Ningyun being grounded, under the deliberate inquiries of those with intentions, the word naturally got out.

"I heard... rumors are spreading outside that the Nanhua Heavenly Maiden, Liu Ningyun, was defeated at the hands of some young man who appeared out of nowhere?"

"Yes, Eldest Senior Sister." Standing beside her was a woman who looked slightly older than Liu Ningyun. "It's being rumored everywhere outside that the Divine Sword Lightning Controlling True Spell possesses peerless might, and that even our Nanhua Faction's Nanhua Heavenly Light could not withstand it!"

"Absurd!" The woman sneered. "Divine Sword Lightning Controlling True Spell? Where did it come from? Which sect or school does it belong to? I've never even heard of it, so how could it possibly surpass my Nanhua Faction's Nanhua Heavenly Light?"

"Come to think of it, Junior Sister Liu must have... engaged in combat too hastily before she had even mastered the Nanhua Heavenly Light, thereby tarnishing the illustrious reputation of our sect's ultimate technique. How could she possibly compare to you, Eldest Senior Sister? Master calls her a rare genius once in a thousand years in the Nanhua Faction, but in my eyes, how can she match up to you, Eldest Senior Sister? That title of Heavenly Maiden should rightfully belong to you!"

"Exactly! In our lineage, you entered the sect the earliest, Eldest Senior Sister, and you are the one we respect the most. On what grounds did they give the title of Nanhua Heavenly Maiden to that girl Liu Ningyun? And even passed down the Nanhua Heavenly Light to her!?"

"Hmph!" Another woman sneered. "Now that Junior Sister Liu has been grounded by Master, I think this is a perfect opportunity for you, Senior Sister."

"An opportunity?"

"Precisely. As long as we can defeat that young man who managed to beat Junior Sister Liu by a stroke of luck, Master might re-evaluate you, Senior Sister. She might even feel that Junior Sister Liu is entirely unsuited to be the Nanhua Heavenly Maiden, and turn her attention to you instead!"

"This... seems a bit unfair to Junior Sister Liu..." The Eldest Senior Sister spoke, sounding somewhat concerned.

"Eldest Senior Sister, you are simply too kind-hearted!"

"In my view, unless you take this position, none of us will accept anyone else!"

Yielding with half-hearted reluctance, the Eldest Senior Sister said, "Since you sisters think so highly of me, it would be ungracious of me to refuse. Let us prepare, then leave the sect for Half City. We shall find that lad and humiliate him thoroughly. Firstly, to vindicate our Nanhua Faction's name, and secondly, to reclaim the face that Junior Sister Liu lost!"

"Exactly! Senior Sister's cultivation is not something that girl Liu Ningyun can compare to. Taking down a lad who popped out of nowhere like that will be as easy as reaching into a pocket to grab something, won't it?"

...

"Guild Leader, Sister Xi and I are going to the Stone Tomb to burn pigs. Are you coming?" Under Fang Qi's recent pointers, Ruan Ning had found a new leveling spot and was practically bursting with joy.

"You guys go ahead and grind first. Xiaoyue and I plan to go to the Zuma Temple... Huh?"

Boss Fang's QQ messenger chimed, and at the same time, he suddenly received a new quest:

New Quest: A Clear Stream in the Online Gaming Era

Quest Description: Reach 200 players in the "My Space" mini-game.

Quest Reward: The movie "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", and one day of access to the Game Cultivation Room.

Quest Note: This is a foundational course in magic.

Although "The Legend" was becoming increasingly popular and its player base was continuously growing, the game itself was not actually suitable for solo casual players—excluding those salted fish who had no ambitions and daily squatted in the game just to mine and explore secrets.

For new players, they either had to choose an established faction to join, or keep a low profile while developing their own force; once they were slaughtered enough times, they would naturally get used to it.

At the same time, there were some players who did not enjoy killing and fighting every day. For someone like Su Tianji, staying in "My Space" with her two young disciples to play the zither and grow vegetables was her primary melody.

As for The Legend... she just Tagged along with the main force of the Liuyun Guild every day to leech experience, acting as an absolute cancer to the team.

It was also precisely because of this that Liu Ningyun had the time to run over to Boss Fang's place to play The King of Fighters and enjoy some free tea.

A person like Su Tianji, who constantly guarded her own small plot of land to catch bugs and weed, ensured that Boss Fang could no longer steal her vegetables even if he wanted to, so her yields were naturally excellent.

Even a single radish grew a good circle larger than anyone else's, not to mention that she had now planted some even higher-grade spiritual vegetation, and her permissible arable land capacity had doubled compared to before.

Fang Qi glanced at the QQ message. Su Tianji?

"What is it now? I'm playing The Legend!" Boss Fang replied impatiently. Every time he looked at her well-developed, spiritually vibrant fruits and vegetables, he felt the urge to shoplift a few, but he was watched like a hawk every single time, which made him very sullen.

"There's something I don't understand," Su Tianji sent a message. "Why won't it unlock the higher-level spiritual fruits for me later on? I've already passed the knowledge requirements for planting and cultivation techniques. Now it says I have to clear 'Plants vs. Zombies' to unlock them?"

"Pfft—!" Boss Fang nearly sprayed a mouthful of Cola all over the screen. "You said you have to clear what to unlock them?!"

"Plants vs. Zombies!" Su Tianji replied. "Plants can fight zombies? What on earth is this? (Husky Dazed Face)"

Su Tianji appeared utterly unable to comprehend it, and the dazed expression of the Husky on the screen fully reflected her current state of mind.

"...Wait a moment." Boss Fang had already arrived inside Su Tianji's space by this time. This realm of hers could be said to have been tended quite exquisitely by her; the emerald green pine and bamboo forest was inherently delightful scenery, and outside the courtyard was a fence fashioned from green bamboo, upon which various tiny, glittering flowers meandered. In the vegetable plot grew all sorts of fruit-bearing spiritual items, some as red as fire, others as green as jade.

Meanwhile, the originally extremely crude thatched hut had now been replaced by a highly refined house with glazed tiles. Upon the snowy white walls climbed verdant vines, interspersed with brilliant mountain flowers, creating a delightful contrast.

Beside it stood an alchemy room, from which tendrils of sandalwood incense drifted, appearing ethereal and detached from the mortal world.

Clear water flowed past the house, next to which sat a simple zither stand. In moments of leisure, a few strokes upon the strings would send clear, resonant notes echoing through the woods, resembling an immortal life truly hard to find in the world.

Whether for self-amusement or inviting friends over, such a place possessed immense class.

Of course, that was provided she didn't blurt out: "You're here? Quick, come and help this master see how to deal with this Plants vs. Zombies!"