Lin Xing Tower was the most peculiar place on the Ting Yue Continent.
As the birth and resurrection point for all players, Lin Xing Tower was always bustling with noise, filled with an energy completely out of place in this world.
Even so, Lin Xing Tower had never been as lively as it was today.
At the very center of the hall, in what was once an empty space, there now stood a massive Notice Board, polished from Obsidian.
This Notice Board was clearly a new addition, its surface flowing with a faint golden magical aura.
Neatly arranged in Universal Language were rows of tasks, each one clearly marked with rewards—Gold Coins, Kingdom Contribution Value, and even some Equipment radiating blue or purple light.
At the top of the Notice Board, the Griffin Emblem of the Arslan Kingdom and the Crescent Emblem of the Lishen Church were engraved side by side.
This was an undeniable proclamation to all: this Version Update was a joint release by the Kingdom and the Church.
Countless players surrounded the Notice Board in layers, packed so tightly not even water could seep through.
“Damn! The officials finally have a conscience! Look at this task—[Collect ten portions of Tentacle Monster mucus]—it actually gives 500 Gold Coins and a pair of Blue-quality Leather Gloves!”
A warrior player pointed at the Notice Board, nearly drooling.
“That’s nothing—look at this long-term commission—[Explore Magic Domain Forbidden Swamp No. 1 Area and update the area map], the reward is Church Reputation +100 and Junior Merit in the Kingdom Knight Order! That’s reputation, brothers! You’ll need this for buying high-end goods and accepting Hidden Quests in the future!”
“This should’ve been done long ago. It’s been a month since launch and there hasn’t been a proper side quest. It’s just kill monsters and more monsters. If it weren’t for the pretty NPCs you can romance, I’d have quit already. Xingyue is at least reasonable.”
In this noisy crowd, [Shadowfang Warlord] was lazily leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed, listening to the chatter with interest.
Beside him, [Is Bunny Cute and Edible?] was chewing a lollipop, idly twirling her pink-and-silver twin tails with her fingers.
“Ah~ So boring, Shadowfang,”
She grumbled, words muffled.
“Isn’t it just monster-hunting tasks in a new place? What’s so exciting about it?”
“You don’t get it,”
Jiang You’s gaze roamed over the crowd, a smile tugging at his lips.
“It’s not just monster-hunting. Didn’t you notice? The issuing party for these tasks is the Divine Chosen Magical Girl Unit. What does that mean? It means this quest line is bound to our resident ice-cold beauty Divine Chosen.”
“Oh~”
[Is Bunny Cute and Edible?]’s eyes lit up.
“So, doing these tasks can increase Favorability with Faluciel?”
“Could be!”
Jiang You snapped his fingers.
“Step one to romancing a high-difficulty NPC is finding an entry point. Now, the officials have basically put that entry point right in front of us.”
As he spoke, his eyes locked onto a figure beside the Notice Board.
It was an out-of-place presence.
Magical Girl Adjutant Erin stood straight beside the Notice Board.
She wore the deep blue combat uniform, already showing signs of wear from previous battles.
Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were tense.
Her duty was to serve as the Temporary Commission Administrator of Lin Xing Tower, handling task registrations and answering player questions.
This job, for her, was clearly a form of torment.
She looked at the noisy, frivolous foreigners before her, listening as they casually discussed the brutal battle that had cost her eleven comrades only days ago.
Her hand gripped her Sword’s hilt tighter and tighter.
If not for Lady Faluciel’s repeated instructions before departure, she might have already drawn her Sword and driven out these disrespectful fools.
Jiang You pushed through the crowd and stopped in front of Erin.
“Yo, isn’t this the little adjutant?”
He greeted her in a deliberately playful tone.
“Haven’t seen you in a few days. Why are you here playing receptionist? Is the Kingdom out of people?”
Erin’s brows instantly knit together.
She looked up and saw the twin-blade player who’d flirted with the Divine Chosen on the battlefield.
Her expression grew even colder.
“I am acting under the orders of the Divine Chosen, assisting in handling commissions.”
She replied in an extremely formal tone.
“If you wish to accept a task, please state the task number. If you have no other business, please do not interfere with my Order.”
She deliberately emphasized the word Order.
“Don’t be so cold,”
Jiang You was completely unfazed by her chill, even leaning in a little closer and lowering his voice.
“By the way, where’s your Divine Chosen? Why isn’t she here?”
At the mention of Faluciel, Erin’s eyes flickered briefly before returning to their official composure.
“The whereabouts of the Divine Chosen are a Royal Secret. I am not authorized to disclose.”
“Royal Secret?”
Jiang You stroked his chin, his smile growing more mischievous.
“So, there’s new Plot? A Hidden Quest? Do you have to meet certain special conditions to trigger it?”
To him, this air of NPC mystery was clearly a plot device left by the game designers to guide players toward new content.
Erin’s lips pressed tightly together.
Looking at the all-knowing expression on the man’s face, a wave of disgust welled up inside her.
These people would never understand the weight of a kingdom’s rise and fall, nor what the Divine Chosen was struggling for at this very moment.
—
At the same time, in Yelong Kingdom—a nation famed for ancient martial arts and sharing a border with the Arslan Kingdom—a completely different battle was unfolding.
Within the Martial Training Ground of the Yelong Kingdom Embassy, the scent of sandalwood mingled with the aged wood of weapon racks.
The gray stone tiles gleamed like polished mirrors, surrounded by a low ring of bamboo groves.
As the wind swept through, bamboo leaves rustled in harmony with the sharp clash of metal from the center.
“Clang! Clang! Clang—!”
A rapid, intense series of collisions echoed through the Martial Training Ground.
Zhao Yingyue, clad in a tight black Qipao, wielded a crimson spear.
The Qipao’s high slit revealed flashes of powerful, silk-wrapped thighs with every wide, forceful movement, her slim waist and impressive curves forming a breathtaking silhouette.
Yet in this moment, no one would mistake her for a fragile beauty.
The Six Harmonies Spear in her hands came alive, a red dragon roaring with each thrust and sweep, ripping through the air with piercing force.
Opposite her stood Faluciel, who had shed the leather armor symbolizing her status as Divine Chosen and wore only a sleek white combat outfit.
“Fani, your footwork is still flashy but useless!”
Zhao Yingyue shouted, her wrist flicking as the spear spun in her palm, painting a dazzling red lotus of death that swept toward Faluciel.
Faced with this storm-like assault, Faluciel was clearly at a disadvantage.
In her hands was a typical Arslan Court Rapier.
The blade was slender, the guard ornate and intricate.
More ceremonial than practical—a noble’s status symbol rather than a true weapon.
Back at Pascal Military Academy, Zhao Yingyue had mocked this Sword style more than once, calling it a flower pillow suited for court banquets, not real combat.
Faluciel used no magic.
It was not only respect for a friendly duel, but also an unspoken pact between her and Zhao Yingyue.
On this land, where Yelong Kingdom revered pure martial prowess, using magic was considered cheating.
Within the inescapable dance of spear shadows, Faluciel’s movements were light and elegant, like an ice fairy skating on the edge of a blade.
Her Rapier, guided by masterful control, struck at the spear’s weakest points with precise timing at every opening.
Each crisp “clang” marked another moment where she deflected a blow that could pierce iron.
Yet all she could do was defend.
The Six Harmonies Spear excelled in overwhelming, relentless force.
Every strike from Zhao Yingyue wasn’t just a thrust—the sweeping shaft and flicking butt of the spear carried crushing power.
Faluciel’s Arslan Court Swordsmanship focused on precision, sharpness, and deadly single strikes, but against such sheer power and area control, it was like trying to patch a leaking dam with silk.
She could only retreat, step after step.
Her white combat suit was drenched in sweat, clinging to her well-toned figure shaped by years of training.
Light blue hair, damp with exertion, stuck to her smooth forehead, and a healthy flush spread across her flawless cheeks.
In those eyes—normally cold as ice—now burned the pure fighting spirit of a warrior.
“That’s not enough, Fani!”
Zhao Yingyue shouted again, pressing her attack.
“Defense alone can’t beat me! Where’s your Assassinating Strike? Let me see if the top graduate of Pascal Military Academy has improved after all these years!”
With those words, her spearplay shifted.
The previously ferocious offense snapped shut, and the crimson spear suddenly became light and unpredictable.
Her wrist dipped, the spear’s tip scraping the ground in a half-moon arc before springing up from an impossible angle, aiming straight for Faluciel’s sword-wielding right wrist!
Faluciel’s pupils contracted sharply.
She could sense that this strike, while not forceful, cut off all avenues of retreat.
It was classic Yelong martial arts—real and feigned, seamless and inescapable.
In a flash, she made her only choice.
She didn’t parry.
Instead, following the spear’s momentum, she spun to the right.
Her wrist twisted, the Rapier tracing a brilliant silver arc as the tip, faster than Zhao Yingyue’s spear, landed first, touching lightly against the shaft.
“Ping!”
A crisp ring.
Faluciel’s blade landed precisely three inches down the crimson spear—a vital pivot point for force transfer.
Zhao Yingyue felt a numbing jolt up her wrist.
The lethal thrust lost seventy percent of its power, the spear’s tip deflected upward.
That single deviation granted Faluciel her chance.
Using the spin, she accelerated like a top, the Rapier swirling in a sword flower that flashed with cold light and shot straight for Zhao Yingyue’s chest!
The speed, accuracy, and ferocity of this strike was the very essence of Arslan Court Swordsmanship—Assassinating Strike.
Yet as this deadly blow neared, Zhao Yingyue’s face showed no panic—only a sly, fox-like grin.
At the instant Faluciel’s blade was about to pierce her Qipao, Zhao Yingyue’s seemingly spent right hand suddenly pressed downward.
The red spear, knocked askew, pivoted on its shaft, and the spear’s butt, like a siege hammer, swept upward with thunderous force!
Faluciel’s mind screamed in alarm.
Only then did she realize that the previous, skillful attack had been a deliberate feint—a trap set by Zhao Yingyue.
Her target had never been Faluciel’s wrist, but to lure her into a close-range counterattack!
The Six Harmonies Spear was ten feet long—every inch an advantage.
Close-quarters was normally a spear’s weakness.
Yet Zhao Yingyue had turned it into her finishing move.
At this moment, Faluciel was spent, airborne, with nowhere to evade.
Her prized thrust was as fragile as straw against the shattering sweep of the spear’s butt.
She could even feel the gust of force from the blow stinging her cheek.
There was nowhere to run.
In that critical instant, Faluciel’s face showed no despair.
She only sighed softly, abandoned all resistance, and closed her eyes.