Chapter 97: Storm

Deep within the mountain villa, Pang Ruliet held a long tobacco pipe between his lips, drawing from it a fierce, heavy breath.

"Master, do you really believe Huo Chong will agree to such a matter?" asked the young maidservant at his side, her pale, supple hands working to knead his shoulders. "With a status like his, asking him to move against a mere petty shop might be rather difficult to manage, wouldn't it?"

"That fellow Huo Chong is the sort of character who will not release his falcon until he sees the hare," Pang Ruliet murmured slowly, exhaling a pale column of white smoke. "If this little establishment were truly nothing more than an ordinary shop, then this matter would indeed be somewhat difficult."

"He has no small number of informants, and likely received the news even earlier than we did," Pang Ruliet sneered with a cold chuckle. "In truth, there are things within that little shop he has long desired to possess... it is only that he has never dared to stretch out his hand!"

"But now, a perfect opportunity has presented itself. So long as the benefits are grand enough, we need not worry that he will refuse to partake!"

At this, Pang Ruliet suddenly broke into a grating, sinister laugh.

...

Within the Pavilion of Clear Wind and Bright Moon, the atmosphere was gradually growing lively; there seemed to be even more people than on ordinary days, and most had come to drink.

"I say, Young Master Zhe, what suddenly brought on the interest to call all us brothers out for drinks today?"

Yao Xiaoyong’s father was also a nobleman of modest standing, holding an official post within Jiuhua City; though it could not begin to compare with the likes of An City, he still wielded a measure of power within the city walls.

As the son of an official, Yao Xiaoyong had no shortage of friends with whom he caroused in the outside world, but this was the very first time someone like Zhou Zhe had invited such a large gathering of them to the Pavilion of Clear Wind and Bright Moon, treating them all to wine.

There were about ten people seated at the table, most of whom were well known to Yao Xiaoyong, and even the one or two he did not know intimately were familiar faces.

"I say, Young Master Zhe, could it be that you suffered a loss somewhere this time, and called us brothers out to back you up?" a youth clad in black garments seated to the east remarked with an amused smirk. "Is there truly a need to summon so many of us?"

Yao Xiaoyong also found it strange; even if one were calling for backup, it would suffice to summon one or two who possessed significant influence. Why bring this entire rabble together?

"I invited everyone here today for no other reason than this: today, your brother here witnessed a particularly, exceptionally amusing thing!" Just then, the youth seated in the primary position at the eastern end spoke up.

"Particularly amusing? Dice? Pai gow? Or..." the youth sitting in the northwest corner grinned mischievously, "the top courtesan of the Drunken Red Brothel?"

"Or perhaps... the Qin Mountain Beast Enclosure has brought in some new species of demon beast?" A young dandy beside him spoke while fluttering a folding fan, yet a pair of sharp, frigid glints flashed within his eyes; though they were all young masters of wealthy houses, this man’s strength was evidently superior!

"Just what sort of thing could be so amusing? It is already getting late, yet Young Master Zhe still spent so extravagantly to call all of us over?" Yao Xiaoyong was clearly skeptical.

Though strength was revered above all else in this world, not every individual was capable of enduring the bitter hardships required to stand above their fellow men.

Did every young master of a wealthy house endure hardships to practice his martial arts day in and day out? How could such a thing be? Those who truly possessed that brand of perseverance and innate talent were, after all, a rare minority.

Of course, they did not care to ponder such matters; most of them merely intended to live purely as profligate young masters. One could say they were young and ignorant, or that they were completely unlearned; in short, it was simply how they were.

As a newborn player of Legend of Sword and Fairy, Zhou Zhe had actually been dragged into it by a friend.

From his very first session, he had been utterly captivated by this novel way of playing; he had never imagined that one could experience another life, akin to a biographical chronicle novel, through the medium of a game!

More importantly, the tale was simply too classic, so much so that it left an endless aftertaste in his mind, making him unable to resist wanting everyone he knew to learn that he was playing this game, and to join him in playing it.

"The Legend of Sword and Fairy! Have any of you heard of it?" None of them had expected that Zhou Zhe had not come to ask for backup today, nor did he have a favor to beg; he had truly called his companions together simply to play.

To enjoy alone could never compare to sharing joy with the crowd.

"The Legend of Sword and Fairy?" The crowd shook their heads in unison. "What sort of thing is worthy of such high praise from Young Master Zhe?"

In truth, the Pavilion of Clear Wind and Bright Moon contained far more than this single table; at this moment, the discussion taking place across many a wine table throughout the entire pavilion revolved around the exact same topic.

Compared to the past, the atmosphere could be described as considerably more fervent.

Yet Fang Qi, at this hour, did not seem to spare a single thought for these matters; he sat before his computer, where a gentle breeze drifted across the screen, causing the mirror-like waters of the West Lake to ripple with faint waves. Li Xiaoyao stood quietly upon the surface of the lake, his sword finger pointing emptily toward the heavens.

All around, the wind and clouds in the sky shifted dynamically, and the blue waves on the water's surface surged violently; the surrounding flowers, grass, and trees all seemed affected by it, moving of their own accord without any wind!

Whether tangible or intangible, visible or invisible, as his sword incantation commenced, countless streams of spiritual essence surged wildly in the direction his sword finger pointed. In a mere matter of moments, they unexpectedly coalesced into a colossal sword of spiritual energy!

Heavenly Sword! Though it was likewise a sword technique of the Shushan Sect based upon the Art of Controlling Swords, it was incomparably more powerful than the entry-level technique!

With a flick of Li Xiaoyao’s sword finger upon the screen, the giant sword formed entirely of spiritual energy crashed into the lake's surface like a massive meteorite; the pressure emanating from the vast spiritual essence pressed a tremendous crater into the water before it even made contact!

Immediately following, the giant sword plunged into the water, and the instantly aroused tempestuous waves were as if the heavens themselves were collapsing!

Countless droplets of water fell from the sky, as though a torrential downpour had begun!

Allowing the raindrops to fall upon his shoulders, Fang Qi exhaled a faint breath of turbid air, appearing still somewhat unsatisfied: "The mastery is still a fraction short..."

To achieve mastery, regardless of whether it could be manifested in reality, one had to at least utilize it to the point of absolute perfection within the game before it could be considered a true command.

It was glaringly obvious that the current Fang Qi, even within the game, found binding such a colossal amount of heaven and earth's spiritual energy to be rather laborious.

"If I practice my control a bit more and familiarize myself with the execution process of the Heavenly Sword, it should be soon..." Fang Qi mused silently to himself.

By the time he had cleared the game, most of his skills had already been practiced to a near-finished state; now it was merely a matter of tying up loose ends. However, this sword technique of the Heavenly Sword was indeed profound enough that it had cost him no small amount of time even within the game.

Calculating it now, if he could raise the Heavenly Sword to full mastery, his task would be nearly more than half completed.

Following that, he cast a glance at the quest "The Deeply Moving Legend of Sword and Fairy"; now that night had fallen, the quest's completion progress had grown by another twenty or thirty points. As the renown of the Legend of Sword and Fairy grew higher and higher, the completion of the quest should arrive within these next few days.

...

Deep within the mountain villa, the glowing embers of the tobacco pipe in Pang Ruliet’s hand waxed and waned; he opened his mouth to exhale a thin mist, quite clearly awaiting news.

Though he had spoken with such ease earlier, to truly have it confirmed was naturally an altogether different sensation.

Just at that moment, a maidservant hurried into the room: "Master, your reply has arrived!"

.