Chapter 49: Chapter 49: The Old Man's Chuunibyo Attack

"This must be the place?"

Fang Qi observed the two elders; though their hair and beards were stark white, their strides possessed a steady vigor completely incongruous with their advanced age.

The elder leading the way had hollow cheeks, yet his broad frame, prominent forehead, decorous and solemn bearing, and meticulous conduct all exuded an air of uncommon majesty.

It was a demeanor far removed from that of upstart courtiers who, having won sudden fame in battle and accepted their titles, flaunted a nouveau riche brand of aristocratic arrogance; this was a refined, innate nobility cultivated from birth, flowing through the very blood.

All of this proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the elder before him possessed an extraordinary identity.

The tall elder behind him reached out to push open the glass door, then bowed slightly, waiting to one side.

As Nalan Hongwu stepped into the shop, Elder Fu finally called out, "Where is the owner of this establishment?"

Fang Qi pointed toward the small blackboard: "What do you want to play?"

Elder Fu measured Fang Qi with a glance and, seeing only an ordinary young lad, waved his hand indifferently. "Go call the master of your shop out. My lord wishes to see him."

"..." Fang Qi was rendered somewhat speechless. Though the two clearly held high status, it was his first time encountering an aristocrat who put on such grand airs. Frowning slightly, he replied, "I am the master of this shop. Furthermore, this establishment does not engage in casual socializing or formal audiences."

The tall elder’s expression turned cold at those words, and Fang Qi immediately felt an immense, overwhelming pressure crashing down upon him.

Fang Qi’s face darkened. "If you two gentlemen are here to cause trouble, I shall have no choice but to treat you as troublemakers."

Elder Fu was slightly startled, not expecting Fang Qi to remain unfazed under his pressure; though it had lasted only a brief moment, it was quite incredible for someone of his age.

"It seems this shop indeed possesses some hidden depths."

"Elder Fu." Just then, Nalan Hongwu spoke up. "Let us proceed according to the rules. First, let us see if this spiritual artifact called a 'computer' is truly as formidable as the rumors claim."

"Yes, my lord."

"Young man!" He pointed to the computer before him. "It is this device? How does one use it?"

"Determine what you wish to play first, and then I will instruct you on how to use it," Fang Qi said expressionlessly.

"Then... that Diablo thing." The elder’s cane pointed casually toward the words "Diablo II" on the small blackboard.

"That is simple enough." Just as Fang Qi intended to instruct them on how to operate the computer, he suddenly found his right hand gripped by the tall elder.

The old man chuckled softly. "Young man, let me lay down the unpleasant truths first. If these spiritual artifacts in your shop are truly as wondrous as the rumors suggest, well and good. If they are not, it will not be as simple as merely asking the shop owner to step out and offer an apology."

"Another one who has never seen the world," a disdainful voice muttered from the side before he could even finish his sentence. "Just try not to be frightened out of your wits in a moment."

Elder Fu’s face instantly darkened upon hearing this.

The speaker was none other than An Cheng. Upon hearing news of an official novel release, his group had lingered nearby to eavesdrop on the lore for a good while, and since their discussion was now at its peak, they naturally had not yet departed.

Nalan Hongwu gave a sinister laugh. "Merely an illusion-type spiritual artifact. Could it possibly frighten me?"

Had this been the past, a junior speaking so recklessly would have been swatted away with a single sweep of his palm, but for now, he seemed to have no such intention.

In the eyes of the two men, this so-called *Diablo II* was nothing more than an illusory space conjured by a spiritual artifact—partly real, partly phantasmal. While it was undeniable that a cultivator capable of forging such an artifact must be formidable, to him, it did not seem particularly miraculous.

"When I breached the Blood Refining Sect's Desolate Sand and Sea of Blood Array in my youth, there were ten thousand miles of raging sand and a boundless sea of blood. Anyone with slightly lower cultivation could have walked for a lifetime without ever escaping. How can a petty artifact like this compare?" Nalan Hongwu snorted coldly.

"The Blood Refining Sect? The Desolate Sand and Sea of Blood Array? What on earth are those?" An Cheng and his companions exchanged bewildered glances.

Following a bout of instruction from Fang Qi, the two old men finally entered the game. Between the two warrior classes, the Paladin appeared far more orthodox and noble compared to the Barbarian, so both of them chose the Paladin.

Beholding the imagery upon the screen, the two nodded with reasonable satisfaction. "Somewhat interesting."

Yet, it truly was just a spiritual artifact that conjured illusions. It might suffice to deceive ordinary folk, but to men of their caliber, an illusion of this degree was far from impressive.

However, the moment they stepped into the game...

With dry throats, they stared at the incredibly real world around them: the shifting wind, the dark clouds in the sky, the drifting raindrops, the wild grass upon the ground, and the pedestrians upon the path.

"This is merely a spiritual artifact that creates illusions?!"

Feeling the sudden influx of memories regarding the Paladin within his mind, Nalan Hongwu felt as though he had been reborn into another world.

It was far too lifelike.

And unlike an ordinary illusion, this place possessed everything a complete world ought to have. It was by no means an unstable realm composed of monotonous sands, seas, fires, or other dry, singular elements.

"Good day! It is a pleasure to meet you, noble Paladins." When a peculiarly dressed pedestrian greeted them, the two were shaken even further.

"Impossible! This is impossible!" A tempest of shock surged within Nalan Hongwu’s heart. "How can there be an illusion so realistic?!"

Nalan Hongwu cautiously questioned the man before him: "You are...?"

"My name is Warriv. As you can see, I am the leader of the caravan..."

As the two began to converse with the NPC, they were utterly dumbfounded.

An illusion?!

This was practically equivalent to a real world.

To be capable of elevating a spiritual artifact to such a pinnacle was simply mind-boggling.

It was entirely unheard of.

Their initial disdain had now completely transformed into utter shock.

As they gradually learned about the background of this world through their casual conversation with Warriv, they even fell under an illusion of another sort; they felt as though they truly had become two young Paladins hailing from the West, arriving in the name of adventurers to aid this crumbling, desolate encampment.

Indeed, young Paladins—not two decrepit old men.

"Old Fu, how long has it been since we last fought side by side?" Even his body had changed; Nalan Hongwu felt his entire being coursing with youthful strength. Outside, he was an old man on the verge of decay, but within the game, he could distinctly feel the vigorous physique of someone merely in his twenties or thirties.

He swung the weapon in his hand with force, stirring a sharp, whistling gust within the camp.

"Probably... several centuries..." The tall elder breathed deeply of the fresh air around him, his hand gripping the weapon trembling slightly. The robust physique and overflowing vitality made him feel as though he had returned to his twenties—that era when he had only just begun to venture out into the world.

As two old men who had once bathed in blood upon the battlefield, campaigning across the realm for their empire, they had not lost the heroic spirit of their youth. It was simply that the world was now at peace, their twilight years had arrived, and the grand ambitions filling their chests no longer found a place to manifest their might.

It had seemed better to live in seclusion within the clan, nursing their old age and passing the mantle to those who followed.

Nalan Hongwu suddenly threw back his head and roared to the heavens, "Where my long blade points, all shall fall before it! Do you dare bleed with me once more?!"

Fang Qi’s face twitched. "Can old people catch adolescent delusions these days?"