Chapter 50: Hero Saves the Beauty

Big dog?!

Was the Wolf King losing all sense of dignity? After all, it was the number one elite monster in the newbie village!

It had taken countless new players’ lives under its claws, and not only was it defeated by Xiao Chi’s punches, but it was also reduced to a mere dog—where was its dignity?

Moreover… wasn’t the goal to complete the quest and leave the newbie village?

Such a big cliff—wanting to ride the wolf across it seemed like pure fantasy!

Players and viewers both inside and outside the game were stunned, as though struck by lightning. They poured all their sarcastic comments into the live-stream chat, putting immense pressure on the platform’s servers.

On the other hand, Xiao Chi didn’t feel anything was wrong with exploiting the Wolf King. Seeing that it hesitated to approach the cliff, Xiao Chi furrowed his brow and raised his small wooden sword, stabbing it right into the Wolf King’s rear!

“Awroooo!!!”

The Wolf King let out an angry roar, nearly jumping in shock.

Xiao Chi hadn’t used any skills, nor had he aimed for any vital points. Therefore, he saw a small red “-1” appear above the Wolf King’s head. He found the modest damage somewhat amusing.

However, the Wolf King interpreted this as an attack from behind. Its health was already at death’s door after entering its berserk state, and without Xiao Chi’s urging, it immediately ran forward.

“Run faster!” Xiao Chi stabbed it again, as if fueling a car, pushing the Wolf King to its limit. It ran full speed toward the cliff and jumped—

At that moment, all the viewers watching the live stream collectively held their breath, afraid to miss a single frame of the action—would it jump across? Or fall?

Xiao Chi’s fans and the rival “anti-fans” began shouting at the top of their lungs, of course, with completely opposite content.

The cliff wasn’t too long nor too short—it was just the right distance for players to cooperate and cross.

If it had been the full-strength Wolf King, it might have made the jump, but unfortunately, it had been battered half to death by Xiao Chi. With the weight of a person on its back, it only made it halfway across before it faltered, and the players watched helplessly as it flailed in mid-air, weakly plummeting downward!

“Aaaah! My Xiao Chen! Don’t fall! I can’t bear to watch! My heart is broken!”

“No! Even if it’s just a game, I won’t allow him to die!”

“Great! It really can’t make it across! Quick, make him fall to his death!”

“Ha ha, let him show off! He’s probably been struck by lightning!”

With just a little distance left to the opposite cliff, amid the gasps of the crowd, Xiao Chi pushed himself up with one hand, stood on the wolf’s back, jumped high off its head, and kicked off, sending the wolf plummeting into the abyss!

The Wolf King howled pitifully in mid-air as it fell into the cliff, while Xiao Chi, using the force of the kick, soared across to the opposite side. He opened a green bamboo umbrella above his head, and the jade-like ornaments on it shimmered under the sun.

The figure in white floated lightly, as if walking on air, with a graceful demeanor. Xiao Chi landed softly, his white sleeves fluttering in the wind, making a crisp sound. Even the way he closed his umbrella was elegant and captivating.

He turned around, staring blankly at the players across the cliff, gave a subtle smile, and waved his hand. “Go back. No need to see me off.”

Players: “???”

What is he talking about? Who wants to see you off?!

Just a moment ago, the fans of Lu Sheng, who had been eagerly anticipating Xiao Chi’s dramatic fall to his death off the cliff, were now so enraged that they could barely manage to function!

The comments on major live-streaming platforms exploded, with everyone stunned by Xiao Chi’s incredibly stylish and suave move, unable to stop praising him!

“I’m going to faint from how handsome Xiao Chen is! I’m officially declaring him my husband! No one else can steal him!”

“Wake up, Xiao Chen is already locked in with me, the key is crushed!”

“This is so hard, on one side is my mom, on the other side is my wife, what should I do?”

Liu Bing, who had been closely watching Xiao Chi, didn’t waste a moment. He quickly clipped this representative moment from the live-stream and began promoting it across all channels. The fan group, eager to share, immediately followed suit and started a new round of reposting.

In an instant, the steadily rising viewership numbers spiked dramatically!

“Who is this guy? He’s so handsome! Is this a game or a movie?”

“Isn’t this the cute guy who sang so well in the Star Show competition? Wait, is he making movies now?”

“This is the full-holographic game The Celestial Fairy! The invitation codes on the black market are already being sold for 3,800, and they might not even be available!”

“Hey, didn’t I remember that Lu Sheng was the spokesperson for this game? Did I remember wrong?”

The game live-stream continued.

After descending from the newbie village cliff, Xiao Chi encountered a few small wild monsters that were slightly higher level than him. He casually defeated them, enjoying the process, and rapidly gained experience, much faster than those who were following the quests or teaming up to grind monsters.

Seeing that this segment was uneventful, the official studio quickly switched the camera to other streamers and Lu Sheng, trying to placate the disappointed fans. Apart from Xiao Chi’s own live-stream, he once again disappeared from public view.

Due to the unconventional way he was progressing, the quest guide had completely disappeared. Staring at the three paths ahead, Xiao Chi once again fell into his fear of making the wrong choice.

To the left, Small Mirror Lake, in the middle, the main city, to the right, an unknown, mysterious area.

Fans in the live-stream couldn’t wait to flood the chat, practically shoving their heads into the screen, shouting into his ears:

“Go to the main city! Small Mirror Lake is fine too!”

“Don’t pick the right path, that’s a map above your current level!”

The fans were so anxious for their idol that some of the faster players had even mapped out the optimal upgrade path. Xiao Chi was very touched by their dedication, and he chose to go right—into the unknown mysterious region, to challenge a higher difficulty, as it suited his goal.

As he stepped into the misty unknown area, a diamond-shaped mirror floated in front of Xiao Chi, glowing faintly with a warning red light: There are large numbers of enemies above your current level ahead.

Xiao Chi’s steps did not falter as he put away the diamond-shaped mirror. The surrounding forest grew increasingly dense, with the sunlight above being fragmented and distorted by the tangled branches, slowly disappearing altogether. Occasionally, bird calls and the rustling of unknown creatures could be heard through the thicket.

The light dimmed, and the surroundings fell silent, with only the sound of his footsteps crushing the soft, damp earth beneath him, snapping dry leaves.

At the end of the path, a vast swamp appeared in his view, with a decaying giant rock half-submerged in the mud. The words “Mist Swamp” could faintly be seen carved into it, with the letters exposed.

Watching their idol venture into such a dangerous area, the fans in the live-stream were filled with panic.

Some fans, who had been lurking in Xiao Chi’s live-stream under false identities, immediately sent this thrilling news back to their headquarters. Lu Sheng’s fan group, hearing the news, quickly mobilized, and the encircling team turned around, heading toward the coordinates of Mist Swamp!

As strangers entered, the drifting white mist seemed to part like it had a life of its own, swirling around Xiao Chi’s body.

The damp soil beneath his feet vibrated faintly. Xiao Chi instinctively jumped, grabbing a tree branch above him to swing up, landing lightly on the branch.

Almost at the same time, several large, pitch-black, triangular-headed pythons surged out of the swamp. Their strike missed, but they hissed, their blood-red tongues flicking as they coiled beneath the tree, slowly climbing up the trunk.

The snakes were so realistic that the sight of their glistening, dark green, viscous slime, and the sound of their bodies moving sent shivers down anyone’s spine.

Xiao Chi remained calm as he pulled out three locust stones dropped by small monsters along the way. He threw them with precision at the pythons’ weak spots—each snake getting hit by a stone, causing a critical hit each time, sending them painlessly to their demise.

Only when the snakes had completely died did the fans in the live-stream, who were afraid of snakes, finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Xiao Chi’s experience bar surged significantly, his body glowing with a faint golden light, and he leveled up once again.

The diamond-shaped mirror flashed a notification, indicating that some items in the game shop had been unlocked. Xiao Chi’s eyes lit up, and he immediately accessed the game’s store.

His exclusive account was specially provided by the official team. As his level increased, more items in the store were unlocked. Unlike regular players, he didn’t need to recharge to access them, allowing him to experience the game’s offerings directly.

Except for high-end, pay-to-win exclusive rewards like the Fire Phoenix, most items were available to streamers. However, the official team wasn’t foolish—such luxurious privileges were only available during the trial version of the game.

Since Xiao Chi’s level was still low, he had unlocked a purple outfit set, a purple weapon of each type, and many miscellaneous items. He even found an upgraded version of the Qingzhu umbrella, called the Light Feather Umbrella, which had floating effects.

He browsed through the items and selected the only musical instrument among the weapons: the Jade Bone Bamboo Flute.

The flute, made of jade, was a vibrant emerald green and translucent, with a soft glow shimmering through it, making it quite beautiful.

Xiao Chi lovingly examined the flute, so absorbed that he completely forgot he was in the game. Without a second thought, he placed the flute to his lips and played a transposed version of “If Immortals Had Feelings”.

The haunting, melodious sound of the flute lingered over the eerie swamp, startling the small monsters hiding in the shadows as they hopped and scampered. The lingering notes sounded like a mournful lament, lingering in the air long after the music had stopped.

Diamond-shaped Mirror: Congratulations to player Xiao Chen for creating a new “Demonic Sound” skill. Please name your custom skill!

Xiao Chi: “???”

Fans in the live-stream and players: “???”

Xiao Chi tried typing “If Immortals Had Feelings” into the name field, and a brilliant golden light shot up from his body, filling the sky. A system-wide broadcast appeared on every player’s diamond-shaped mirror:

“Congratulations to Xiao Chen for becoming the first player to successfully create the ‘Demonic Sound’ skill! The player’s name will forever be engraved on the Celestial Fairy Achievement Board! Now, the achievement reward is being issued—”

Xiao Chi stared blankly as his attributes increased across the board. A new skill appeared in his skill bar, sparkling, and added a special effect: a 30% increase in all attacks, with a hypnosis effect that lasted for ten seconds.

After a brief moment of silence, the entire player base of the game went into an uproar!

In the official broadcast studio, the director became excited again, waving a hand to focus all the official live-stream cameras on Xiao Chi.

Meanwhile, with the help of his fans, Lu Sheng, who had finally managed to leave the novice village, hadn’t even had the chance to interact with his fans in the main city and showcase his own charm when Xiao Chi once again stole the spotlight, drawing all attention and exposure.

Holding the diamond-shaped mirror that was repeatedly broadcasting the system announcement, his face stiffened, unable to say anything in frustration.

“Hahaha, as expected of my Xiao Chen, just play a tune and create a new skill! Too amazing!”

“I was just worried about Xiao Chen accidentally provoking the boss in the swamp, what should we do?”

“There’s even this kind of operation… Wait a minute, didn’t I say that before?”

Faced with this unexpected situation, Lu Sheng’s fans were furious:

“What’s going on with this guy? Does he have some sort of secret deal with the officials?”

“I’m reporting Xiao Chen for hacking! This is so unfair!”

“I’m going to the Mist Swamp to snipe Xiao Chen, count me in!”

The chatter on the live-streaming platforms outside the game didn’t affect Xiao Chi’s enthusiasm in the game. He seemed to treat this cold, eerie swamp as his personal concert stage, playing his flute tune after tune.

However, this time, it wasn’t the usual system prompt sound that came, but instead—

A roar from the Mist Swamp’s Guardian Boss!

“ROAR—”

One after another, giant snake heads emerged from the swamp, the massive bodies of the serpents stretching so far that they seemed endless. In an instant, the sky and earth changed color, the wind howled, and the entire swamp trembled under the roar. Countless wild monsters fled in terror, running deep into the forest.

Forced to stop his flute playing, Xiao Chi looked up at the terrifying nine-headed serpent charging toward him, each one looking like it wanted to devour him. He scratched his head, feeling quite wronged. He hadn’t done anything! He had just played the flute for a bit—why was everyone so angry?

As Xiao Chi stood facing off against the nine-headed serpent, the late-coming Lu Sheng fan sniper team finally arrived at the Mist Swamp!

“Charge! Xiao Chen is inside! For Brother Sheng, let’s send him back to the novice village!”

Seeing Lu Sheng’s fans arrogantly charge into the swamp, Xiao Chi’s fan support group immediately became furious, urging their fans to gather at the swamp:

“What’s our backup? Why haven’t they arrived yet! Xiao Chen is about to be surrounded!”

“Who dares to harm our Xiao Chen, they’ll have to step over my corpse first!”

The viewers in the live-stream platform were instantly excited: Another good show was about to unfold!

The conflict started with a single Flying Locust Stone. The first player to spot Xiao Chi immediately threw a handful of Flying Locust Stones at him, shouting, “There he is! We have the numbers! Let’s bury him!”

A group of vengeful rival fans surged forward, a wave of flashy attacks sweeping over Xiao Chi!

Xiao Chi decisively opened his Light Feather Umbrella, tapping his toes on the treetops. In an instant, he became as light as a swallow, floating above the swamp, agilely weaving between the branches of the trees.

The missed attacks didn’t even graze the hem of Xiao Chi’s clothing, and many hit the nine-headed serpent instead, enraging the swamp Boss. The massive snake tail swept through the air like a whip, clearing out the players as if they were insignificant fleas, sending them scattering in all directions, with players and horses tumbling everywhere.

Xiao Chi, holding the umbrella, stood atop a large tree directly above the nine-headed serpent, his white clothes gently swaying with the branches.

As the serpent raged and chased after the daring players, it moved away from its previous position, revealing a circular stone platform deep within the murky swamp. On the center of the platform was a golden treasure chest, as if waiting for a brave warrior to open it.

What was that?

Xiao Chi curiously peered down for a moment, then leapt off the treetop, landing gracefully next to the chest.

“ROAR!!”

The nine-headed serpent suddenly turned around. How dare a mere human steal its treasure! In a fit of rage, it ignored the players encroaching on its territory and raised its tail to strike at Xiao Chi.

“Nice job, Snake Serpent! Hit him!”

“Oh my God! Xiao Chen, run!”

The air seemed to freeze in the tense atmosphere!

“Yi—” A sharp phoenix cry suddenly rang through the sky. In an instant, the cold swamp was swept by a wave of intense heat, and the dense, towering trees were torn apart by the sudden eruption of flames!

All players and viewers were startled by this sudden turn of events. Even the nine-headed serpent turned its attention to the unexpected visitor, filled with hatred!

A magnificent fire phoenix soared above the swamp, its feathers bright red like flames, almost setting half the sky ablaze.

Its rider sat quietly on its back, pointing downward. The fire phoenix let out a loud cry, twisted its body, and dove down!

The terrifying aura caused the nine-headed serpent to retreat in fear, as the fiery flames seemed to dry up the swamp itself!

A beautiful woman with long hair jumped off the phoenix’s back, her face veiled in light silk, wearing a luxurious palace gown that made her look regal. With long strides, she walked directly toward Xiao Chi, leaving the surrounding players completely stunned by her dazzling beauty.

The long-haired beauty stood in front of Xiao Chi, extending her hand with a slight smile, “Darling, I’m here to rescue you.”

The viewers both inside and outside the live-stream were immediately overwhelmed by a wave of jealousy and envy!

No one knew whether they were jealous of the unknown wealthy beauty or if they were just jealous of Xiao Chi.

Xiao Chi stood there, stunned, for a moment. He watched her, and after a while, when the woman’s hand had grown tired of being extended, he narrowed his eyes, took a cautious step back, and tightly held onto the treasure chest in his arms. “Who are you?”

Trying to steal my chest? Not a chance!

The expression under Ji Chenxuan’s veil cracked: “…”