Chapter 517: How Can You Adventure in the Continent of Arad Wearing Something So Ugly?

In gaming, the term "dungeon" originally stemmed from the ancient tabletop role-playing game (TRPG), Dungeons & Dragons, and its specific underground settings. As games evolved, a "dungeon" came to represent a private region or an independent plane—a place where one could explore, adventure, or complete quests undisturbed by outsiders.

Within this private domain, no one could enter unless they were a part of your party.

The entire world was split into open areas and dungeons, though temporary instances would materialize wherever else they were needed, meaning there was no need to worry about multiple players crowding a single NPC to hand in quests, nor would the inns ever be too packed to fit everyone.

The system version of the game had no distinct servers or channels, yet Hendon Myre was by no means smaller than any real-world city; the adventurers emerging from their starting points never felt the crush of a crowd, and indeed, if the city itself were not already teeming with pedestrians, local merchants, and NPC adventurers from across the lands, the place would likely feel quite desolate relying solely on the players who could currently reach it.

In fact, traveling between certain districts required taking a carriage; attempting to go on foot meant that even an eight-hour day would not be enough to finish a few simple running errands.

Conversely, aside from the main storyline, the various miscellaneous side quests were not restricted to a few fixed NPCs; perhaps among the pedestrians passing to and fro on the streets, or the local residents living in the narrow alleys, one might chance upon all sorts of commissions, and though these adventurers harbored a myriad of different goals and ideals, accepting commissions to earn a living was the very way of survival for most of them in this world.

What was more, most of these youths (in the game’s plot), despite carrying a grand purpose in their hearts that might well be impossible to achieve, were still largely just pure and hot-blooded adolescents.

For Luo Piaoling and the other newcomers who had just arrived in the city, the first place they would likely encounter was Seria’s Inn, and these fresh adventurers, having only just touched the game, made their way in twos and threes into this elegantly decorated and brightly lit establishment.

The moment they stepped through the door, the beautiful music played by a wandering bard reached their ears.

What met their eyes was a vast, snow-white lobby paved with western-style, sapphire-blue checkered tiles, with exquisite magical lamps hanging from the ceiling, offering an immediate sensory impression of elegance and comfort.

To the side was a corridor leading to the second floor, lined with engraved guardrails that hummed with a trace of magical aura; the inn was not overly large but exceptionally bright, its bright yellow curtains drawn back to both sides to let the gorgeous sunlight stream in from the windows, wrapping everyone in a cozy warmth.

Here, Luo Piaoling even spotted a few familiar faces—cultivators from the Desolate Sea Realm whom he had previously encountered at the martial arts exchange.

"Huh? Boss, isn't that the young lady we met in the forest?" Luo Piaoling muttered as he saw two figures stepping through the entrance.

"Hello there, my name is Seria." In a bit of a daze, he seemed to hear the silver-haired elf girl inside greeting the adventurers in a friendly manner.

Involuntarily, his mind drifted back to that Ghost Knight dojo in the back street, and to that rambling old man who was always muttering nonsensical phrases like "The blade cuts the flesh, the heart slays the soul." Had it not been for an introduction, he would never have guessed that such a blind old man would be his mentor.

Though they had only met a few times, it had left a deep impression.

"The blade cuts the flesh, the heart slays the soul?" Luo Piaoling carefully chewed on the meaning behind those words, slightly startled. "Who would have thought that such an unassuming street would house such a deeply hidden master."

Because the Grand Jin State was virtually a nation of martial artists, there was no shortage of Ghost Knights here; some had paid their gold coins and gone upstairs to their own rooms, while others were still chatting idly in the first-floor lobby.

But at that moment, he suddenly noticed something...

"These people... why are they dressed in the exact same clothes as me?!" He hadn't paid much attention out on the streets earlier, after all, there were too many kinds of people out there.

But the inn was filled mostly with adventurers, making these "peculiarities" easily discernible at a single glance.

By this time, Xiya, who had trained a Female Ghost Knight, had just about reached the Arad Continent from her exclusive character questline; after fleeing the Empire, her path naturally differed from that of the other adventurers, only beginning to converge right here.

The moment Xiya stepped into the inn, she froze: "Why are so many people wearing the same clothes as me?!"

A black, hip-hugging miniskirt adorned with black feathers on the shoulders, paired with flax-colored slim-fit trousers underneath (the clothing style was adapted to be slightly closer to reality, so the system version made minor adjustments to the original style which had completely disregarded utility for pure aesthetics), and black long boots.

Xiya discovered that every single Female Ghost Knight walking to and fro was dressed in this exact outfit!

Yet, wearing it actually looked quite beautiful; meanwhile, Luo Piaoling, standing to the side, felt rather awkward—he wore baggy trousers, while his top was a tiny short vest that barely covered his shoulders and chest, just enough to keep him from being completely bare-chested.

Ugly was one thing, but worst of all, the entire street was filled with the same attire, to the point where one could hardly tell people apart.

What the hell was this?!

Right at that moment, he suddenly saw three youths walking toward him; two of them were also holding swords, but their attire was completely different.

One of them wore a long, grayish-black trench coat with silver pauldreons, another wore a black, high-collared sleeveless shirt, and the last wore a blue-black waistcoat over a white inner shirt—and most importantly, his hair was actually red?!

"Young Master Lin, how about it? My outfit, pretty domineering and fierce, right?" The red-haired youth in the blue-black waistcoat laughed out loud. "How could anyone go adventuring on the Arad Continent dressed as ugly as before?!"

"Not bad, not bad, it looks a bit like Iori Yagami's set."

Luo Piaoling’s face flushed red, feeling as though the words were aimed directly at him.

"Huh—?!" Xiya, who had just met up with Luo Piaoling at this moment, also looked over. "Why are they dressed differently from you?!"

"I don't know either." Luo Piaoling spread his hands. "How about... we go up and ask?"

He hurriedly stepped forward: "Brother, are you guys Ghost Knights as well?"

Song Qingfeng replied, "Yeah, is something the matter?"

"Could I ask why everyone else is wearing..." Luo Piaoling pointed at himself, "...clothes like this, while yours look completely different?"

"Oh, this..." Lin Shao explained casually, "It’s pretty similar to the 'My Space' mall; after you call up the game interface, you can find the option to enter the 'Dungeon Mall' on it."

"You can buy clothes?!" Xiya said in pleasant surprise.

Unable to wait any longer, she hurriedly entered her own room in the inn; the quiet room was equipped with a window, a desk, and various other items, making it fully furnished. She immediately called up the game interface, intending to see if she needed to change her outfit...

"There really are clothes to buy in here..." Xiya felt as though she had discovered a new continent, "And it looks like there are other things too?!"

"Come look, there are so many things in here!"

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