Chapter 95: Undercurrent

Even though it had already ended for a long while, many remained speechless, savoring the entire plot of The Legend of Sword and Fairy, reluctant to leave for a long time.

During these days, they had all gradually begun to accept this story, and in the process of playing the game, before they knew it, an emotion had blended into them.

Therefore, seeing the scenes on the screen, they could not help but recall those past images once more—there was laughter, there was bitterness, there was the novelty and excitement of first learning the sword-riding technique, and there was also the exhilaration of slaying gods that stood in their way in the Demon-Locking Pagoda!

One reincarnation, one destiny; here, it felt as though they had experienced another kind of life.

Nalan Hongwu gave a gentle sigh; nearing the grave, he still could not see through this mortal world, and though his heart was like an ancient well, ripples still rose within it.

Or perhaps, this was the reason why he had halted at this realm with no further progress.

The Silver Dragon Elder, An Huwei, and the others were also sighing with emotion at this moment; they had originally entered the game for all sorts of reasons, but at this very moment, they found that they had already begun to gradually like the people and things within the game—the carefree and unrestrained nature of the Wine Sword Immortal, the lively and sensible character of Ling'er, the heroic and valiant bearing of Yueru, and moreover, the fate of Xiaoyao, which made one's heart fluctuate repeatedly.

They even felt that the characters in the game lived with more flesh and blood than they themselves did.

So much so that everyone felt that even if they only existed within the game, in their own hearts, they were real.

If there was a regret, it was Ling'er, who did not leave together and return together with them.

"Waaah... why is Ling'er so pitiful!" Thinking of the moment when Ling'er passed away like fragrant jade, Jiang Xiaoyue began to cry again.

Even quite a few female players began to secretly wipe away their tears.

"My Ling'er!" someone suddenly howled in the internet cafe.

If it were normal times, not just Fang Qi, but probably everyone would have started cursing, but now, someone quickly followed in howling.

Looking at the internet cafe that suddenly erupted into ghostly wails and wolf howls, Fang Qi: "..."

At this time, Fang Qi glanced at the task:

The Deeply Moving Sword and Fairy: Let more than 300 people understand Sword and Fairy and be moved by it.

Task Progress: 210/300

Task Reward: Counter-Strike Virtual Reality Remastered Edition

Task Description: None

The task was already more than half completed, as for the remaining small portion...

Looking around the entire internet cafe, Fang Qi knew that another batch of new players would soon be dragged into the pit.

In addition, it was worth mentioning that although the main skeleton of the plot was difficult to change, the ending was very likely not just one; Fang Qi had also discovered this point during the game process, and the one he played out was closer to the official ending, as for whether other players would explore other endings, or even different plot lines, that would be a matter of individual wisdom and perspective.

Having completed the ending, Fang Qi continued to work on his tasks; at this moment, the Grandmaster Realm of the Sword-Riding Technique had already been mastered, and the relatively commonly used Thousand Sword Technique was already at the proficiency stage and above, while for the few skills learned later, such as the Drunken Immortal Moon-Gazing Step and the Heavenly Sword, they were still lacking in fire, being merely proficient.

Therefore, Fang Qi shut down the live stream and began to continue practicing his skills.

...

However, with the increase of players, the Origins Internet Club had indeed, as some people said, affected the interests of quite a few people.

Pang Rulie's Qin Mountain Beast Park went without saying.

Even Pang Rulie now clearly felt a sense of crisis, a sense of crisis that had begun on the day when the customers of the Qin Mountain Beast Park significantly decreased.

And at that time, he still did not understand what the Origins Internet Club operated, nor what the so-called games were.

But now, when he heard many members of the powerful and noble classes discussing a game called The Legend of Sword and Fairy, the sense of crisis in Pang Rulie's heart grew stronger and stronger.

And when he inquired clearly from his friends about what kind of game The Legend of Sword and Fairy actually was and what they were playing, with his sophistication, it was naturally impossible for him not to know what this meant.

If matters were allowed to develop further, then it would cause an extremely huge impact on the entire entertainment and leisure industry of Jiuhua City!

Imitation?

Impossible! Who would spend a massive amount of cost just to manufacture some spiritual artifacts of this kind for customers to play with?

To create a world similar to a small world just to play games, who had such great audacity?! Who could imitate it?!

Although even Pang Rulie somewhat admired the audacity of the owner of this small shop, this did not hinder his determination to suppress this small shop.

After all, he, Pang Rulie, was not some character to be easily trifled with, not to mention that it had already endangered his Qin Mountain Beast Park.

Pang Rulie held a register in his hand, flipping through it carefully, upon which many names were crossed out with red strokes.

This was a roster of the most upper-class merchants in Jiuhua City.

The lines of work in this world were not like the low status they held in the ancient times before Fang Qi crossed over.

Take the Qin Mountain Beast Park for example; to obtain such a large piece of land and a large number of demon beasts, even rare demon beasts, without some extraordinary identity, it would be absolutely impossible!

Pang Rulie's ancestors had once been enfeoffed as marquises, and although it was not inherited hereditarily, the Pang family had accumulated considerable power because of it, and he himself also held an official position.

Similarly, those on this roster were either prominent nobles with grand identities or had a certain large sect standing behind them; joined together, they were absolutely a force that no one would dare to underestimate!

Those crossed out were those who had already promised to exert effort in this matter, only now, they still lacked one or two figures who could truly stand their ground.

Among the customers who came to play games in Fang Qi's shop, there were indeed those with extremely high identities, which Pang Rulie had naturally investigated.

But after all, they were only customers, not the shop owner, and it was impossible to rely on the customers to exert effort whenever trouble was encountered.

If a shop reached this state, it would not be far from closing down.

Therefore, Pang Rulie did not intend to confront them; as long as he could stand his ground in front of those people, it would be enough.

Pang Rulie drew a large circle on the roster, and within the red circle, there were only two names—one was the master behind the Breeze and Bright Moon Pavilion, and the other was Huo Chong, the master of the Southern Alliance Chamber of Commerce.

"These two people... are not very easy to deal with..." Pang Rulie's finger tapped against the register as he fell into deep thought.

And at this time, at the Breeze and Bright Moon Pavilion.

Song Qingfeng happened to be dining at the Breeze and Bright Moon Pavilion; basically, from the first floor to the fourth floor, the grand and minor nobility of the entire Jiuhua City loved to come here whenever they were free.

On the table of Song Qingfeng and the others today, the wine among the dishes was exceptionally abundant.

"Come! Young Master Song! Let's drain a cup!" Lin Shao directly embraced a wine jar.

Song Qingfeng's face turned dark: "I say, Young Master Lin, is this what you call draining a cup?!"

"Cut the nonsense, I'm in a bad mood!" As a loyal member of the Ling'er faction, he had not expected that in the ending, Yueru returned while Ling'er could never be revived again; how could his mood be any good?

Lin Shao fiercely poured a large mouthful of wine into his own mouth, and curling his lips, said: "We are all brothers, and I'll admit to making a fool of myself. To be honest with you all, playing Sword and Fairy again today and seeing Ling'er again, I damn well felt like crying!"