Chapter 7: Willing to Pay

Chen Xiaoyan was also a game enthusiast.

From childhood until now, she had played hundreds of games, but none had ever given her such a strange feeling.

Every move, every frown and smile—none of it felt like a rigid game NPC, but rather a living, breathing human being.

Could it be because this was a holo-network game?

Chen Xiaoyan didn’t dwell on the question and, still puzzled, returned to her small courtyard.

She was ready to cultivate.

There were three ways to obtain spiritual energy.

One was cultivation.

Two was sect missions.

Three was killing cultivators.

At first, she thought it meant killing other players, but Shen Qingqing had just mentioned the evil path.

So, as expected, it was likely killing evil cultivators that granted spiritual energy.

Why stop grinding levels?

Because Chen Xiaoyan believed that level wasn’t the most important thing.

The crucial factor was spiritual energy.

Level only increased health points and served to unlock skill slots and dungeon access passes.

Spiritual energy determined the power and effects of skills.

Also, cultivation level mattered.

Currently, her cultivation remained at the mortal stage; she didn’t know what changes would happen to her character’s attributes when she advanced to the transcendent stage.

Inside the Demon Suppression Tower, when her Xiangyi (Fragrance Intent) was insufficient, she sat in meditation running the Xiangyi Technique.

She noticed her spiritual energy increased.

Not much, only one or two points.

Shen Qingqing had said daily cultivation would increase spiritual energy, but the amount depended on the quality of the cultivation method.

Xiangyi Technique was only a basic method, so it probably didn’t add much spiritual power.

Therefore, she must learn advanced cultivation methods.

“Open character interface.”

Character ID: Chen Xiaoyan

Level: 15

HP: 3000

Cultivation: Mortal (increases percentage damage against lower cultivation enemies)
Next level: Transcendent (requires 1000 spiritual energy)

Spiritual Energy: 219

Xiangyi: 319

Cultivation Methods: Xiangyi Technique (Level 1), Moon Shadow Step (Level 1)

Skills: [Spring Breeze Guide], [Tianxiang·Bathing Rain, Holding Light], [Tianxiang·Returning Wind Umbrella], [Tianxiang·Umbrella Dance Healing]

Equipment: Tianxiang Sect Starter Gear (no attribute bonuses)

The second level of Xiangyi Technique required 100 spiritual energy to exchange at the library.

But Chen Xiaoyan didn’t exchange it; she wanted to save up to 1,000 spiritual energy to advance her cultivation.

According to years of gaming experience, the rewards from advancing cultivation definitely wouldn’t disappoint.

Two hours later

Chen Xiaoyan had meditated and cultivated the Xiangyi Technique for two hours, gaining five spiritual energy in the first hour and six in total.

Today, while sitting in the Demon Suppression Tower to restore Xiangyi, she gained four spiritual energy.

It seemed the Xiangyi Technique could only provide ten spiritual energy daily—not bad for a basic cultivation method.

That really is quite a lot (ᇂ_ᇂ|||).

The sixth skill slot only unlocks at level thirty; she couldn’t reach level thirty anytime soon.

These past three days, she either ground monsters or logged off to sleep—no way she was exhausting herself.

Better to log off for a while; next time she’d log in to find Shen Qingqing for a mission to venture down the mountain.

She casually posted on the forum to show her presence, laying the groundwork for the future.

In reality, Chen Xiaoyan took off her helmet and immediately called “My Fate Is Mine, Not Heaven’s.”

My Fate Is Mine, Not Heaven’s, whose real name was Zhao Longjun, was her best university buddy.

He wasn’t just a bit chubby but also incredibly cheesy.

However, he was very loyal.

“Hey, Yanzi, why’re you calling me? I’m still chatting with a Shushan lady.”

The gaming helmet was connected to the phone network, so any incoming call popped up in-game.

“Level ten yet?”

“Eleven now. Why? You trying to set me up with some girls?”

“You damn fat otaku, is it always just girls on your mind?”

“Of course.”

“Fine, I’ll find someone else then. Later.”

“Wait, Yanzi, if you need help, just say so. I’ll help if I can.”

“You can come. Level ten and up you can venture down the mountain. I want to rent a team. You in?”

“Definitely. Meet in Shangjing?”

“Okay, that’s settled. I’m going to find other teammates now.”

After hanging up, Chen Xiaoyan logged onto the game forum and posted a message on the main sect boards.

Including Tianxiang Sect.

[Level 15 Tianxiang, recruiting players from all major sects for venturing missions. Requirement: Level 10]

As soon as she posted, comments started rolling in.

Jiuwu Bu Jian: Level 15? That’s first tier, right? OP, sis.

Xianyun: Wow, Tianxiang sister’s already level 15? I’m still stuck at eight.

Liumeng: ??? Sister, how did you level up so fast?

Jian Liuxing: Level 16 Shushan, ID: Mu Qingxue.

Yijian Shuanghan Shisizhou: Whoa? That’s the top Shushan player, Mu Qingxue?

Zhoumo Landuochong: What’s the OP sister’s ID? I’m Tianxiang too. Demon Suppression Tower’s so hard. I started with Gale Step and Spring Breeze Guide but can’t keep up the heals.

Chen Xiaoyan saw this comment and thought, “Hey, there are Tianxiang players not just fangirling?”

And already in Demon Suppression Tower—nice.

Yanling Assassin: @Zhoumo Landuochong, why not learn Tianxiang·Returning Wind Umbrella?

Zhoumo Landuochong: That skill? Didn’t find it on the library’s first floor.

Not found?

Chen Xiaoyan was stunned.

“Hiss~” She suddenly recalled Shen Qingqing’s recent answer and gasped.

Could it be her?

No!

Chen Xiaoyan shook his head.

Impossible.

He hadn’t received any hidden mission notifications.

Where would the reward come from?

Maybe Zhoumo Landuochong simply missed seeing Returning Wind Umbrella and Bathing Rain Holding Light.

That said, Chen Xiaoyan’s doubts grew heavier.

He decided to test the waters with other Tianxiang players in the game later.

Besides Mu Qingxue, no other players at level ten had reported their IDs in the post.

The Immortal Realm had been live for five days; were there really still players under level ten?

Chen Xiaoyan browsed other sect forums.

Many players complained that Immortal Realm was a single-player game.

However, a post on the True Martial Sect board caught his attention.

[Anyone want to do venturing missions together?]

The post was a day old with over ten comments, but almost no one shared their IDs.

Yanling Assassin: Level 15 Tianxiang, looking for a group.

Yanling Assassin: ID Chen Xiaoyan.

If True Martial joined, that would make three people.

One from Tianxiang, two from Shushan, one True Martial.

If they could add someone from Yihua Palace and Shen Ce Mansion, that would be perfect.

As for Tang Sect, Shaolin, and Divine Fist—sorry, those three classes looked really ugly.

Especially Tang Sect, their makeup looked like zombies.

After browsing the forum for half an hour, Chen Xiaoyan put down his phone to shower and sleep.

Except for True Martial’s looking-for-teammate post, there was nothing else.

At this time, most players were probably still logged in.

***

After a two or three hour nap, Chen Xiaoyan woke to have dinner, then put the helmet back on and continued grinding.

As soon as he logged in, he received two friend requests.

One was from Mu Qingxue, Shushan.

The other was Dao Ji Shi Kong, True Martial.

“Huh? How did Mu Qingxue find out my ID?” Chen Xiaoyan muttered.

Probably from seeing his reply on the True Martial board.

He didn’t think much of it and accepted both.

[Mu Qingxue: Where shall we meet?]

In this game, team formation wasn’t as convenient as others; they had to be within a certain area to form a team.

[Chen Xiaoyan: Shangjing.]

[Mu Qingxue: Okay, but I have a request.]

[Chen Xiaoyan: ???]

[Mu Qingxue: Can we not invite any guys into the team?]

[Chen Xiaoyan: Um… sorry, there are already guys in the team.]

One was herself, the other was the chubby otaku Zhao Longjun.

[Mu Qingxue: Alright, I’ll think about it.]

[Chen Xiaoyan: Okay.]

Frowning, Chen Xiaoyan closed the private chat with Mu Qingxue.

Why didn’t Mu Qingxue want males in the team?

Misandrist?

She shrugged and didn’t care much, then opened the private chat with Dao Ji Shi Kong.

[Chen Xiaoyan: Want to team up for the venturing mission?]

Several minutes passed before he replied.

[Dao Ji Shi Kong: Yes, where do we meet?]

[Chen Xiaoyan: Shangjing. I’ll send you the location when you get there.]

[Dao Ji Shi Kong: Okay, I’m heading down the mountain to get the mission now.]

Afterward, he messaged My Fate Is Mine, Not Heaven’s, then went to Tianxin Pavilion to find Shen Qingqing for the venturing mission.

Unexpectedly, just outside the courtyard, Chen Xiaoyan ran into a strange level eight female player who kept staring at her.

“Something wrong?”

The female player shook her head, eyes never leaving Chen Xiaoyan.

Chen Xiaoyan’s mouth twitched slightly and decided to leave without paying her any more attention.

“Um… are you Yanling Assassin sister?”

She stopped and looked back, asking, “You are?”

“I’m Zhoumo Landuochong.”

Chen Xiaoyan’s face immediately broke into a relieved smile. “Ah, it’s you! No wonder someone kept staring at me. You scared me.”

“I saw your level was also 15, so I hesitated whether to say hi.”

“Next time, don’t just stare at someone like that. It’s creepy,” Chen Xiaoyan said, pretending to shiver.

“Sorry.”

“I’m just joking. No need to take it seriously. If nothing else, I’m heading off; got missions to do.”

“I…”

The female player hesitated, then waved her hand.

“Well, bye then, sister.”

Chen Xiaoyan could tell this girl had something to say but didn’t know how to start.

A very shy and introverted girl.

It must be about leveling or skills.

“You seem like you have something to say?”

“I… I…”

The girl stammered, unable to speak.

Chen Xiaoyan suddenly looked enlightened.

“Oh, I get it. You’re a stutterer.”

The girl glared at her angrily.

“I’m not.”

“Not a stutterer? Then why do you keep saying ‘I’ ‘my’?”

Chen Xiaoyan looked at her strangely.

“Nervous…”

The girl blushed deeply and lowered her head.

“Ha ha,” Chen Xiaoyan couldn’t help laughing.

“Come on, I’m not going to eat you. What’s there to be nervous about?”

“Just say it, what’s the matter?”

The girl bit her lip, clenched her fists, and seemed to gather courage.

Then she shouted loudly four words:

“Carry me to level!”

Chen Xiaoyan was stunned.

That’s it?

That’s it?

Not a girl with some big secret; you just want me to carry you leveling?

Just say so already, don’t make it sound like a huge problem.

Chen Xiaoyan helplessly held her forehead.

Seeing this, the girl tensed up, thinking she’d been rejected.

Tears almost fell as she anxiously said, “Sister, I’ll pay if you don’t carry me.”

Hearing this, Chen Xiaoyan’s eyes snapped open.

She stepped forward and held the girl’s hand.

Solemn and serious, she said, “Pleasure doing business with you.”