Chapter 88: Changed Tactics?

Within the internet cafe at this hour.

"Heavenly-grade swordsmanship! A technique that guarantees entry into the heavenly rank once mastered!" Old Man Silver Dragon cried out, losing his composure.

If before, he had come merely to pay respects to a senior, study the sword, and casual watch along the way, then now, a profound emotion called desire for this formidable swordsmanship arose from the very depths of his heart!

Old Man Silver Dragon was utterly shaken, murmuring, "City Lord An, what kind of treasure is this exactly, to actually allow this old man to master several heavenly-grade sword techniques in an instant?!"

"Uh..." An Huwei said, "Daoist Silver Dragon, this was merely a trial version for you to play."

"A tr... trial?" Old Man Silver Dragon froze on the spot.

Before he could comprehend what this "trial" meant, his distraction allowed the Rakshasa Hag to launch a sneak attack, striking him right out of the dream realm!

"Ouch! How dare this old crone strike this old man?!" On the screen, Auntie Li could be seen aiming her spatula right at Li Xiaoyao, giving him a thorough beating!

And since Li Xiaoyao possessed not a single shred of martial arts at this point, Old Man Silver Dragon could only take the beating! Fortunately, the few onlookers behind him did not quite understand what they were seeing, otherwise Old Man Silver Dragon's state of scurrying away with his head in his hands would have caused him to lose face tremendously on the spot!

An Huwei’s face flashed with embarrassment; to think this old fellow had come to play without understanding a single thing?!

He hurriedly educated the group on what a game was and what computers were, otherwise, if this continued, the old man would likely lose face again.

After An Huwei’s explanation, the group finally came to understand: "The Wine Sword Immortal is a character in a game?!"

"Not a real person?!"

"And we actually treated him as a senior?" Wang Kuan instantly felt a sense of being deceived!

However, the moment he heard that the Sword Controlling Technique and other sword styles in the game were all real, the gaze with which Wang Kuan viewed the square screen before him changed instantly!

What use was a senior? One could neither eat nor drink them, and they had to be carefully attended to!

But the Sword Controlling Technique was different! His eyes snapped bright with brilliance!

Given his status and position, he was naturally no fool; if the Sword Controlling Technique was truly that formidable, he couldn't possibly be blind to what that signified.

If the Sword Controlling Technique could truly be cultivated, such a convenient and powerful sword style would trigger a revolution across the entire world of cultivators and martial artists!

At this very instant, he even felt a sudden urge to claim it as his own!

Yet, upon seeing Nalan Hongwu sitting beside him playing the game in a completely disciplined manner, he knew that if he actually attempted such a thing, absolutely nothing good would come of it!

Meanwhile, Su Tianji felt as though the entire world had changed since she emerged from her secluded cultivation this time!

She stared wide-eyed at the screen before her, intensely curious as to how such a spiritual artifact could possibly be crafted?!

And what kind of supreme expert could forge such an artifact, let alone create such swordsmanship?!

...

Xiao Yulu, who had been tossed out so hard his head was spinning, only just managed to crawl up from the ground at this moment, his teeth gnashing in resentment: "Which bastard struck so ruthlessly! Don't let me find out, or else see how this young master handles you once we return to the sect!"

Xiao Yulu had never imagined in his wildest dreams that he would actually be thrown out a second time!

Furthermore, the person who ordered him thrown out was the very aunt he had brought along to serve as his backer!

"No! I must go back inside and demand an explanation!" The more Xiao Yulu thought about it, the less he could swallow this insult, and he pushed open the door to enter once more.

Yet the moment he stepped through the shop entrance, his eyes fell straight upon Su Tianji. Su Tianji was currently clad in white robes, with several female disciples in white following behind her, making her exceptionally conspicuous!

Xiao Yulu discovered that Su Tianji was actually standing in line in the back?!

Xiao Yulu blinked hard, then rubbed his eyes, thinking he had misseen!

Looking closer, he found it really was Su Tianji!?

What sort of situation was this?! Was this still the peerless number one genius of the older generation who once shook the world?!

What was even more absurd was that the backer Xiao Yulu had brought along had thrown him out, only to then...

Disciplined and properly—line! Up! Herself!?

Xiao Yulu felt as though his entire worldview was about to collapse!

Xiao Yulu hurried forward, and very quickly he discovered something even more inconceivable—senior powerhouses like An Huwei, Ouyang Zhen, and Old Man Silver Dragon were actually all lined up neatly in the back?!

"How... how is this possible?! How could people of their status come to line up in such a tiny shop?!"

And An Huwei was actually lining up in a small shop within his own city?!

This City Lord must be an impostor!

With an expression like he had seen a ghost, Xiao Yulu was completely dumbfounded!

"Clear-headed now?" Su Tianji glanced over, evidently having already noticed Xiao Yulu’s approach.

"Uh..." Looking at the lining-up Su Tianji, Xiao Yulu even felt a fleeting urge to suspect if she too was an impostor, but sensing that hair-raisingly piercing gaze, his entire body shrank back!

He cowed like a frightened rabbit!

"Speak, what exactly is the grievance between you and this shop?" Su Tianji asked with a cold face. Recalling Xiao Yulu’s aggressive demeanor earlier, she had already deduced seven or eight tenths of the truth. "During the years my uncle and I were in seclusion, you have certainly grown more capable, haven't you?!"

Xiao Yulu’s heart skipped a beat. For Su Tianji to say such a thing, combined with the sight of An Huwei and the others still lining up to one side...

Could it be that he had truly kicked an iron wall?!

"Isn't this just a small roadside shop?!" Xiao Yulu's expression was complex, having already cursed the shop up and down in his heart. I damn well casually put on airs in a commoner's shop by the street, and even that managed to hit an iron wall?!

Xiao Yulu had no choice but to recount the situation from that day.

Listening to Xiao Yulu's narrative, An Huwei was also secretly terrified, wiping away a cold sweat. Fortunately, this kid had gone ahead to trigger the landmine; now everyone knew an expert resided in this small shop.

Otherwise, if it had been him, wouldn't he have blundered the entire Jiuhua City into it?!

An Huwei hurriedly spoke up: "In my view, Nephew Xiao didn't cause any substantial losses either. As long as Nephew Xiao doesn't provoke Boss Fang again, Boss Fang shouldn't hold onto it endlessly. This matter can be considered settled. However, as for this game..."

An Huwei shook his head: "The rules of this shop have never changed, so as for playing the game, do not count on it anymore."

Su Tianji hadn't counted on this reckless brat playing any game either, and waved her hand in annoyance: "Go, go, go, go apologize to the shop owner! If he doesn't press the matter, we'll let it drop."

"You want me to apologize?!" Xiao Yulu pointed at himself, speaking in disbelief.

This was far too humiliating!

"Or shall I go?!" Su Tianji’s frost-laden eyes flared wide with a glare!

"I'll... go right away!" Xiao Yulu shuddered violently, finally remembering that even if she was lining up here, she was still Su Tianji!

Xiao Yulu instantly chickened out!

...

Fang Qi was currently discussing the publication of the official Diablo novel with Shen Qingqing.

Even the currently popular "The Martial Immortal" had only sold a few thousand volumes across the vast Jiuhua City, so Shen Qingqing planned to commission a thousand volumes for the first batch, making fewer copies but crafted with finer texture.

The printing and publishing had already been entrusted to Jiuhua City's largest bookstore, the Dongguan Book Forest.

However, from the cover design Fang Qi mentioned, to typesetting, printing, and final publication, it would still take some time. The two were exchanging minor details, not particularly in a rush.

And just then, Fang Qi caught sight of Xiao Yulu walking over again.

Fang Qi was amused: "Back for more?!"

Fang Qi was just about to call the system regarding someone causing trouble, only to see Xiao Yulu take a deep breath, his face flushing crimson. After a long while, with a face swollen like a pig's liver, he gritted his teeth and shouted: "I offended you before, I hope you can forgive me!"

The hatred in his heart...

Fang Qi wondered: "...Has this kid changed his tactics?"

.