Chapter 52: The Kiss Under the Umbrella

“Scales of the Serpent? What is it used for?”

The palm-sized black scale felt cold and chilling to the touch. It had fine, rough textures on its surface. Xiao Chi held it in his hand, weighing it, and it felt heavy, shining with a sharp metallic luster under the sunlight.

Lingshua Mirror: Item Identification: The tail scale shed by the Teng Snake. Due to its well-preserved state, it still retains a strong Teng Snake aura. It can guide the location of the Teng Snake and pass through any barriers or seals set by the Teng Snake.

Xiao Chi carefully read the item description, then sighed in disappointment. “I thought it would be a shiny weapon, but it’s just a broken scale.”

Ji Chenxuan’s understanding of online games was limited to in-game purchases and appearances, and she knew nothing about quest items. She nodded in agreement with Xiao Chi’s comment and smiled reassuringly at him. “It’s okay. What kind of weapon do you want? I can buy… Oh no, I’ll lend it to you.”

Xiao Chi shook his head helplessly. “It looks like this scale is showing a coordinate.”

Ji Chenxuan understood immediately, lightly patting the Phoenix’s head. “Let’s turn around.”

The audience and players in the live stream were stunned when they saw the item. Then, hearing Xiao Chi’s disgusted tone, they were up in arms, pounding their chests and nearly flooding the bullet comments:

“My god, what kind of luck must it take to get a main quest item? And he’s complaining because it’s not a glowing weapon! I’m going to faint! Someone call 120 for me!”

“I’m so jealous! Not only does he look good and play well, but why is he also a lucky player?!”

“I seriously suspect the game designers are Chenchen’s fans! Did they secretly give him a cheat code!”

Seeing that the big spender and Xiao Chi didn’t create any explosive sparks, the official broadcast team was somewhat disappointed, but it didn’t matter. The data from the center showed that a large group of players, led by Lu Sheng and several other streamers, were heading toward the main quest trigger point—the Teng Snake’s lair, the Ghost Serpent Cave.

Finally, the main event of the demo was here! The director excitedly pointed to the live camera showing Lu Sheng. “Quick, switch the camera to them!”

Lu Sheng, who had been silent for a long time, finally reappeared on all major platforms. His gear now looked completely different from when he first left the newbie village—his majestic armor radiated an intimidating aura, and his mount was a rare Ghostly White Tiger, standing proudly with an imposing presence.

Two game streamer fan leaders flanked him, acting like loyal guards, leading the way as they were surrounded by a dense crowd of fans.

At first glance, it looked like a black tidal wave rising on the horizon, a mighty force that made the small monsters hiding nearby in the woods tremble in fear.

The Lu Sheng fans, who had been quietly enduring Xiao Chi’s popularity, finally had a chance to speak up:

“This aura, this power! Our Brother Sheng is so impressive!”

“At least the official streamers have some sense. If they show Xiao Chen again, I might just throw up!”

After the Lu Sheng fan group swept through, the entrance to the Teng Snake’s lair, the Ghost Serpent Cave, was cleared, creating a safe zone. The fan club members voluntarily divided into several teams, entering the maze-like caves to scout ahead one by one.

The first impression players had after entering the Snake Cave was a sense of gloom and dampness. It felt as though every pore on their body could sense the cold, sinister aura swirling around them.

The wind howled through the stone cave, like the screech of some kind of monster.

Some of the more timid players couldn’t help but rub the goosebumps on their arms, feeling the sticky sensation left by certain serpent-like creatures that had slithered across the stone walls, sending a chill down their spines.

In contrast to the immersive experience of the players, the audience on the live streaming platform was thoroughly entertained.

“This game is pretty interesting. I want to see more maps.”

“If only it weren’t so pay-to-win. Xiao Chen doesn’t seem to use many rare items, but why is he so strong?”

“Snakes! Snakes! That scared me! Just looking at the visuals feels like it’s real! Isn’t it even scarier when playing?”

“What happened to that guy in the white clothes? Why isn’t he streaming anymore? I just want to watch him!”

“Roar—!”

With a piercing, long roar, the entire Ghost Serpent Cave suddenly shook violently!

Countless scattered rocks rained down from above, though the damage wasn’t high, they still knocked the players into a mess, covering them in dust and dirt.

Players with support roles quickly raised defensive shields to protect their idols, blocking the debris that would have affected their image.

Lu Sheng showed no fear on his face. Gripping his weapon tightly, he calmly raised the team flag. “Get ready for battle. The Teng Snake is about to appear!”

Deep in the cave, the shadows grew heavier, and heavy footsteps accompanied by growls echoed from the darkness. With each step, the stone cave trembled.

The oppressive and eerie background music played in sync with the rhythmic beating of small drums, echoing in every player’s mind, thudding like the heartbeat of a massive bloodthirsty creature.

Under the guidance of the fan leaders, the fan clubs formed several large formations. The main tank group positioned itself at the front, surrounded by a large number of ^[1]DPS stands for Damage Per Second. It refers to the damage dealt per second or the role specializing in maximizing damage output in games.DPS teams, with healers and supports at the back. As the faith and backbone of the group, Lu Sheng was tightly protected in the center.

The atmosphere was tense, and the players didn’t dare to breathe too loudly. They all raised their weapons, preparing for battle. After the dust and debris settled, the dark cave entrance remained still, and nothing seemed to happen.

Just as everyone was becoming anxious, a thick black tentacle suddenly shot out of the cave entrance. It was large and fast, too fast to see clearly, leaving behind a blur of overlapping afterimages on the retina. Before anyone could react, it shot through the dense crowd and wrapped around a player in a robe from the DPS team, yanking him back into the cave with lightning speed!

The player’s terrified scream faded away as he was dragged farther and farther into the darkness. Only then did the others snap out of their daze, immediately unloading attacks into the cave. However, all they succeeded in doing was making the entrance even more damaged, with no other result.

For a brief moment, the cave entrance was eerily silent. The players were left unnerved, their hearts pounding with fear.

On the live streaming platform, the audience was exhilarated by the tense scene:

“Ah—! Oh my god! That scared me! Is this a multiplayer horror movie?!”

“What was that thing? A tentacle monster? Sorry, I think I’m getting ideas…”

“This is going nowhere.” A game streamer whispered to Lu Sheng, “I’ll go in with a few pros to scout. Everyone, keep your Lingshua Mirrors updated.”

The game streamer, dressed in black tactical gear with a purple glowing dagger strapped to his leg, led several agile players into the cave, moving cautiously and silently.

At first, the Lingshua Mirror continued to send coordinates and messages, but moments later, the game streamer’s live stream suddenly shook, followed by startled shouts. The light was knocked out of his hands and hit the stone wall, and the screen turned pitch black. The enemy hadn’t even been spotted, and the streamer was already dead!

“True to the form of a demo boss fight! You can’t call it a boss fight without wiping the group three or five times!”

“This is so dangerous. Brother Sheng, don’t go in! I’m willing to be the vanguard for you!”

After losing a few key players, several team leaders began to get anxious. However, Lu Sheng, carrying the idol burden, remained as calm and relaxed as ever, chatting with ease despite the situation.

Just as he was about to say more to reassure the restless soldiers, the vicious tentacle monster struck again!

Several thick, long tentacles shot out from different directions, stabbing deep into the crowd in the blink of an eye!

One of the tentacles, by sheer misfortune, wrapped around Lu Sheng’s ankle! He had no time to react before he was yanked off his mount, his forehead crashing heavily onto the ground, which was covered in mud and broken stones. In an awkward position, he was dragged into the cave!

“Save Brother Sheng!”

“Quick, kill it!”

Skills rained down on the monster like there was no cost to them, and the bizarre effects of those abilities almost blinded Lu Sheng. Thankfully, as a member of the team, he had damage immunity, or else he would’ve been the first to perish from this barrage of attacks.

Suddenly, a brave warrior holding a giant sword swung at the monster’s tentacle, and ink-black blood splattered all over Lu Sheng’s head and face. The cave echoed with the monster’s agonized shriek. The severed tentacle, jolted by the attack, retreated like it had been shocked, leaving Lu Sheng outside the cave.

While Lu Sheng was saved, his image was utterly ruined. He tried to maintain his calm expression, but the dirt and slime from the tentacles were so nauseating that he could hardly contain his disgust.

—Why did he have to suffer this misery? He could have been shooting commercials or starring in movies instead!

Lu Sheng, suppressing his anger, tossed all his gear into his backpack and quickly changed his appearance.

The progress had been delayed for too long. The team leaders were arguing over strategies without coming to a conclusion, and Lu Sheng, already impatient, mounted his ghostly white tiger and ordered his fan club to storm the snake cave!

With their leader’s command, how could the fan club refuse?

The teams quickly split up their tasks, entering “forced demolition mode.”

Various AoE skills were unleashed at the entrance of the snake cave. According to the game engine, all the scenery could be physically destroyed. Although it was a bit of a clumsy approach, the results were spectacular. The dazzling array of skill effects created a grand, visually stunning scene.

As they worked hard clearing the cave, more streamers, players, and Xiao Chi’s fan club arrived, finally gathering at the Ghost Serpent Cave.

The majority of the organized teams on the trial server had now arrived, crowding the entrance of the cave.

The players with grudges sought revenge, and those with complaints took action. Arguments broke out quickly, and onlookers waited near the entrance, hoping to join the chaos and fish in troubled waters.

With the perseverance of their fan club, who applied the spirit of moving mountains, they fought tirelessly for over an hour, almost clearing out the majority of the Ghost Serpent Cave. Finally, the boss of the mainline quest in the demo—Teng Snake—appeared before all the players and viewers!

The central area of the cave was unbelievably vast, with countless massive stalagmites reaching up to the ceiling, stretching as far as the eye could see. Teng Snake’s enormous body coiled around the thickest column, its shape resembling rolling mountains, impossible to measure in length.

Behind the Teng Snake, a massive ice-water mirror spanned half the cave. At the top of a tall staircase, there was a faint outline of a crystal coffin, glowing a bluish ice color, right in the center. It was the legendary Fallen Immortal Goddess!

Countless writhing tentacles covered the stone columns, their heads and tails unseen. The sticky, damp sound scraped at the ears of the players, causing many to cringe. Some of the more timid players screamed in fright and covered their faces, too scared to look.

“Foolish mortals! How dare you disturb my peace!”

The Teng Snake spoke in human language, its bloated body slowly sliding down the stone pillar. Only when the light from the cave’s ceiling illuminated it did the players finally see its full form: black scales shimmering with cold light, the serpentine body covered in crisscrossing patterns and armor-like scales. Ordinary weapons couldn’t even scratch its scales.

Standing before the Teng Snake, the players appeared as insignificant as grass in the face of a towering mountain.

Experienced team leaders calmly began to direct their teams, positioning the main tank group at the front to attract the monster’s attention.

As the spear struck the Teng Snake’s body, a thunderous roar echoed, signaling the beginning of the final battle!

Other players eagerly rushed into the cave to join the group fight!

This time, Lu Sheng had learned his lesson. He stayed far outside the battle range, waiting for the boss to be slowly worn down, content to cheer on his fan club from a distance.

In addition to Lu Sheng’s fan club and Xiao Chi’s fan club, several large gaming streamers’ teams also arrived. They formed several factions, surrounding the ferocious Teng Snake in the middle. Waves of attacks poured relentlessly onto the monster, and despite the Teng Snake’s absurdly high health, it couldn’t withstand this constant damage for long.

Most of the boss’s aggro fell on Lu Sheng’s fan club, making them the primary target. Not only did they have to withstand the Teng Snake’s terrifying attacks, but they also had to fend off other rival groups that were eyeing them.

Countless tentacle monsters, under the Teng Snake’s command, darted into the crowd, launching indiscriminate attacks on the players. The entire Ghost Serpent Cave was almost pierced with several holes by the players’ relentless assault!

The battlefield was a chaotic mess—equipment, weapons, items, coins, and player corpses scattered everywhere, creating a horrific scene.

The rivalry between the fan clubs of Lu Sheng and Xiao Chi was particularly intense. They fought fiercely, even disregarding the boss, and attacked each other with everything they had. The players scavenging on the sidelines were having a field day, picking up items amid the chaos.

As for Xiao Chi?

Under the constant urging of fans in the livestream, the Fire Phoenix, guided by the Teng Snake’s scales, finally flew over the Ghost Serpent Cave.

A loud phoenix cry echoed through the air, and blazing flames shot from the phoenix’s beak, instantly turning the rocky, uneven entrance of the cave into a sea of fire!

The players, who had been fighting desperately inside the cave, suddenly felt like frogs trapped in a boiling pot—scalding hot, but unable to escape.

As a divine beast of the same rank as the phoenix, the Teng Snake, sensing its natural enemy, became furious and scared. It lifted its snake head high, and an endless ice storm surged around it, extinguishing the sea of flames. A huge hole had already been blasted open in the cave’s ceiling!

The Fire Phoenix descended like a divine being, the scorching heat and freezing cold winds clashing violently in midair, their forces interlocking in a fierce struggle.

A light feathered umbrella floated down, and beneath it, Xiao Chi held the slender waist of the veiled woman, floating weightlessly in the air.

Inside the cave, which was originally dimly lit, now shone as brightly as day under the fiery red light of the phoenix.

The two of them slowly landed on top of a stone pillar, their black hair and white clothes fluttering in the wind, like immortal beings looking down on all below them, unaffected by the carnage beneath.

At this moment, all the players, including Lu Sheng, had become mere background figures, gazing up at them from the vast sea of people.

Their stunning entrance left the livestream audience in awe. Without hesitation, the official broadcast studio zoomed in on Xiao Chi.

“Ugh, how can my Chenchen be so handsome?! Why is my screen all dirty?”

“Why is that rich woman still with Chenchen? I’m so jealous!”

“I’m so mad! How much do I need to recharge to have Chenchen hold my waist? Just tell me, I’ll spend whatever it takes!”

Sensing a familiar aura, the Teng Snake’s scales in Xiao Chi’s hand trembled slightly. He furrowed his brows and repeatedly examined the item.

Aside from the stunned players, the only one still diligently performing its duties was the final boss, the Teng Snake, who remained focused on eliminating the invaders.

Sensing the presence of the scales, the Teng Snake’s alarm bells went off, immediately abandoning its fight with the Fire Phoenix. Its jet-black vertical pupils fixed on Xiao Chi, and its crimson tongue flicked in and out of its mouth with a hissing sound.

As the tentacles, which had been fiercely battling the players, received orders from the leader, they simultaneously abandoned the players and surged toward the stone pillar where Xiao Chi and Ji Chenxuan were standing.

The livestream viewers held their breath, eyes fixed on the scene. The dense mass of tentacles, like hungry wolves smelling blood, surged forward like a tidal wave, making viewers shiver in discomfort. Even the players inside the snake cave were starting to suffer from severe misophobia!

Lu Sheng’s fan club gathered around him in an open area, chattering loudly. Most of them were gleeful:

“Why can’t Xiao Chen leave us alone! Everywhere Brother Sheng goes, he follows! Here he is again, stealing the spotlight. What an annoying guy!”

“The boss’s aggro was pulled away by him. Just wait, we’ll see a good show. One hit and he’s done, no matter how good his gear is!”

“Let him steal the monster, he deserves it!”

The massive body of the Teng Snake coiled around the stone pillar where Xiao Chi and Ji Chenxuan stood, its towering head like a small mountain, impossible to see the top of.

The temperature around them dropped sharply, and Ji Chenxuan shivered involuntarily. He instinctively drew his silver-feathered longbow and fired several arrows at the Teng Snake.

With the critical strike bonus of the silver weapon, the Teng Snake’s massive body was wounded once again, blood pouring down. Enraged, it opened its massive jaws, ready to devour the two of them!

Xiao Chi wasn’t fully aware of what was happening here, but that didn’t stop him from following his usual style of attacking anything that seemed like a threat.

Holding his jade flute, Xiao Chi slightly parted his lips. The soft and mournful tune of If Immortals Have Feelings flowed from his breath, and the self-created skill with its accompanying effect triggered instantly: all attacks now carried a hypnotic effect, lasting for ten seconds!

Even the ferocious Teng Snake wasn’t exempt. Its head swayed violently, as though drunk, its body tumbling sideways before crashing to the ground. The tentacle monsters that had been swarming it also fell from the stone pillar, curling up in a heap.

Far away, the fans of Lu Sheng, who had secretly hoped to see Xiao Chi be knocked away by the Teng Snake’s tail, were nearly furious: What kind of cheat is this!? This is outrageous!

While the enemies were still in a dazed state, a voice from the Diamond Mirror’s friendly reminder sounded again: Main storyline public quest triggered: break through the Teng Snake’s blockade and investigate the thousand-year-old ice coffin.

The players, who had been relegated to the sidelines, were overjoyed! This was a public quest! Anyone could take part!

Lu Sheng’s fans were the first to react, their faces brightening as they laughed out loud, “Looks like Xiao Chem isn’t entirely useless. He drew the boss’s aggro and is giving us a chance!”

“Quick, let’s get to the ice coffin before the other team does!”

The hope was beautiful, but the reality was harsh. As the players excitedly rushed toward the steps, they were blocked by the massive ice mirror!

There was no way to break through the ice mirror except through attack. Taking advantage of the Teng Snake and tentacle monsters being dazed, the players united and began relentlessly attacking the ice mirror, their teamwork unprecedented.

“The boss’s aggro is still on Xiao Chen! We still have a chance—if just one of us gets through, we can complete the quest first!”

Before Lu Sheng’s fans could put their plan into motion, Xiao Chi reopened his umbrella, floating gently with Ji Chenxuan toward the ice mirror. After a brief pause, he directly passed through the mirror!

That impenetrable obstacle seemed to disappear entirely before Xiao Chi!

Both the players and viewers, inside and outside the game, were stunned. They racked their brains, trying to understand:

“…Is he hacking? He’s definitely hacking, right?”

“I’m reporting him! He’s cheating!! Call 110! Someone, call the police!”

Until a proud fan of Xiao Chi raised their hand to speak—“Our lucky emperor, Xiao Chen, got the exemption quest item from the Nine-Headed Hydra’s treasure chest!”

Just as the Teng Snake’s hypnosis was about to wear off, its furious snake eyes reopened, causing the enemy fans to nearly lose it from frustration!

The ice mirror completely isolated the extreme cold and heat, and Xiao Chi and Ji Chenxuan calmly ascended the highest level of steps, the faint blue crystal ice coffin appearing before them.

The livestream followed Xiao Chi’s perspective, slowly moving as the figure of the fallen celestial goddess sleeping inside the coffin was fully exposed to the viewers:

With perfect, delicate features and skin that surpassed the frost, the goddess lay silently in the coffin, her hands folded across her chest, like a flawless jade sculpture, breathtakingly beautiful.

For a moment, the livestream went completely silent, only to be followed by a frenzy of screen licking from the otaku viewers.

Even Xiao Chi, whose taste in aesthetics was often questionable, couldn’t help but anticipate what she would look like when she woke up.

Lingshua Mirror: Task complete. Main storyline task two triggered—Kiss awake the sleeping fallen celestial goddess.

Wait… kiss awake?!

Xiao Chi: “…”

Ji Chenxuan: “???”

Players and viewers: “Holy crap! I’m jealous again!”

Ignoring the various forms of envy, jealousy, and hate from the crowd, Xiao Chi was only slightly surprised, but otherwise unaffected—no matter how beautiful the goddess was, she was just a string of data in the virtual world, no different from his former self.

Although this was his thought, not everyone shared the same perspective.

As the main storyline progressed to a critical point, the live test event was nearing its end.

The Teng Snake once again let out an angry hiss, swinging its tail toward the high platform. The players’ screams echoed, and skill effects exploded everywhere.

Under the watchful eyes of countless viewers, Xiao Chi leaned forward slightly, gradually approaching the sleeping fallen celestial goddess in the coffin.

He waited for that kiss to fall, for everything to settle.

“Xiao Chen!”

It was a soft call, almost drowned out by the chaotic sound effects, but with Xiao Chi’s extraordinary sensitivity, he caught it almost instantly.

He turned around in surprise, locking eyes with Ji Chenxuan, whose gaze was filled with unspoken urgency and regret, as though he had said something he shouldn’t have.

Xiao Chi instinctively muted the livestream voices, staring into Ji Chenxuan’s eyes, his own widening in disbelief. He blinked several times, as if afraid he was imagining things: “You… Ji Chenxuan?”

To his surprise, Ji Chenxuan, driven by impulse, revealed his true identity. He didn’t bother to pretend anymore, nodding slightly with a hint of embarrassment: “It’s me.”

Xiao Chi couldn’t control the smile spreading across his face: “How did you end up here too? And dressed like this… Are you here to play with me?”

Ji Chenxuan’s unspoken little secret was exposed in front of everyone. His ears turned bright red, but fortunately, the beauty effects of the holographic game were so strong that others couldn’t tell.

He cleared his throat, pretending to be calm, and lowered his eyelashes as he began studying the intricate carvings on the ice coffin: “This isn’t the time to talk about that, we’re still live. Finish the quest first.”

“Oh,” Xiao Chi obediently nodded, then leaned toward the goddess again. Just before their lips were about to meet, he slyly lifted his eyelids, quickly glancing at Ji Chenxuan out of the corner of his eye. As expected, Ji Chenxuan was staring at him with eager eyes.

Xiao Chi held back his laughter, slightly turned his face, and ultimately brushed a soft, fleeting kiss on the goddess’s brow.

Lingshua Mirror: Congratulations to player 【Xiao Chen】  for completing the main storyline task.

Ji Chenxuan froze for a moment, blinking several times, before finally reacting, as though a seed that had been buried for a long time had quietly sprouted, breaking through the soil and unexpectedly blooming with sweet flowers, vibrant and full of life.

He was about to say something when the stairs beneath their feet suddenly trembled as if in an earthquake!

The goddess had awakened!

The snake cave, which had been riddled with damage from the chaos, trembled violently as pieces of rubble fell, teetering under the immense power of the goddess’s aura.

Xiao Chi quickly raised his light feather umbrella and pulled Ji Chenxuan into an embrace, floating upwards with him.

As the storyline reached its climax, the fallen celestial goddess’s overwhelming power collided with the Teng Snake’s, causing destruction below. Players scrambled, dodging full-screen AOE attacks, trying to escape.

Only Ji Chenxuan’s top-tier paid defensive items protected him and Xiao Chi, keeping them floating safely in mid-air like an impregnable fortress amidst the raging storm.

Xiao Chi held the umbrella in one hand and Ji Chenxuan in the other. The umbrella spun slightly with his wrist, blocking all the noise and chaos outside.

Suddenly, the light feather umbrella dipped lower, closing slightly. Now, not only could the audience not hear them, but even their heads were obscured!

Beneath the pale blue umbrella, in a secret space hidden from the watchful eyes of all, Xiao Chi gently leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Ji Chenxuan’s rosy lips.

Ji Chenxuan’s mind went blank for a moment, as if brilliant fireworks had exploded inside him. He immediately opened his mouth, intending to catch the kiss, but Xiao Chi pulled away.

Xiao Chi suddenly looked down, his gaze locking onto Ji Chenxuan’s heavy chest: “You’re pressing against me.”

Ji Chenxuan: “…”