Aeri smirked. "He might be a pretty boy, but he doesn't seem to be the average player."
"Yeah— how did he even customize his character that way... I'm jealous," Mirael displayed a look of curiosity.
The wind picked up again. This ti, it wasn't natural. It was cold. Too cold.
Aeri's gaze narrowed. "We move at first light. The Celestial Rift Basin is still days away, and sothing tells this forest isn't going to let us rest peacefully for too long."
...
...
(( Eight Days Later - Blue Fla City ))
The lines etched in radiant silver glowed brightly on the floor of the secluded hall, forming an intricate matrix of interwoven spiritual runes and ancient patterns.
Victor crouched in the center of it all with his brows tightly furrowed. Sweat trickled down the side of his face as he held his breath.
His palm hovered above the final piece... A compression rune at the heart of the seal.
One wrong move, one twitch too soon, and the whole thing would unravel.
"Almost there..." he murmured as Qi spiraled in focused pulses through his ridians.
This was a Tier 2 array seal... Leagues above the basic formation he had started with. It required acute spatial comprehension, balanced spiritual flow, and a sturdy anchor point.
If he succeeded here, he'd be qualified to begin learning Tier 3... the required level he had to master in order to repair the ancient seals keeping the corrupt immortals bound.
He exhaled slowly and pressed down.
The air vibrated as the seal glead and then *locked*, emitting a steady, silver-blue glow.
A system notification popped up in his line of sight:
> [System Notification]
> ✅ You have successfully completed a Tier 2 Seal Array.
> Advancing to next phase of Sealing Mastery.
> Requirent to begin Tier 3 Studies t.
Victor slumped to the side with a groan, nearly collapsing on the mat beside the completed seal. "Finally," he muttered.
He'd been in the ga world for eight days now... close to a full weekend in the real world.
He knew he'd have to log out soon whether he wanted to or not. But for now, he wanted a mont to bask in the accomplishnt.
He still had like two or three days left after all.
"WOOOOOO!"
The doors to the training hall burst open, and Xuan Qing's excited voice rang out before her figure appeared.
She dashed toward him joyously, covered in silk as her erald robes and gold hairpins fluttered and jingled with each step.
"You did it! You really did it!" she squealed, while leaping forward and hugging his arm without warning. "You're going to be a big shot soon, Fang Chen! Tier 3 seal mastery? That's serious stuff!"
Victor let out a tired sigh. "Can't I just have thirty seconds of peace?"
"Nope," she grinned shalessly before dragging him up to his feet. "Co on! You promised you'd take a break once you succeeded."
"I said I'd consider it."
"Well, I considered your consideration and decided *yes*," she replied while pulling him along through the carved palace hallways.
A few of the masters and cultivators who passed them turned their heads slightly but dared not say a word.
Not when it was Xuan Qing, the City Lord's only daughter.
She was as spoiled as she was brilliant, and the fact that she had taken a liking to a player like Victor had already beco palace gossip.
They strolled together across blooming courtyards and elegant moon bridges. Despite his reluctance, Victor had to admit it felt… nice. She pointed out rare plants he didn't recognize, told jokes he barely understood, and even teased him about how "serious" his face always looked.
'...? Serious...? How the mighty has fallen,' Victor never knew the day would co where he'd be told he was too serious.
However, after a while, she pouted and sighed dramatically. "This is boring."
Victor raised a brow. "You're the one who dragged out to do this."
"Exactly. And I've realized what I really want," she voiced while clutching her hands behind her back with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I want to leave the palace."
"Erm, then leave," Victor answered cluelessly.
"I can't. I'm not allowed to go anywhere, father is too protective," She voiced out with a tone of indignation.
"Looks like you have no choice but to stay put then," Victor shrugged his shoulders.
"Not if you sneak out hehe," she chuckled evily.
Victor stared at her blankly. "Your father would kill ."
"He won't! Probably."
"Definitely."
"Ugh, I just wanna *see* Bluefla City, walk around like a normal girl for a bit, get so street snacks, maybe flirt with so commoner boys—"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
She leaned in. "What if I say 'pretty please' and bat my lashes?"
Victor frowned. "What are you, five?"
She puffed her cheeks. "You're *no* fun—"
Just then, a *ding* echoed in his interface.
> [New Objective Unlocked: Escape the Walls]
> Help Xuan Qing sneak out of the palace undetected.
> — Estimated Mission Difficulty: D - Rank
> — Optional Bonus: Avoid all detection throughout duration
> Rewards: 40,000 Wisps Of Qi, [Item: Sub Stats Multiplyer Pendant]
Victor's eyes narrowed. A D-rank mission, rewards that looked… rather enticing… and sothing about it felt like a side-quest worth taking.
He looked back at the girl beside him, who was still puffing her cheeks like she'd lost her candy.
He sighed.
"Alright, but on one condition—if we get caught, I'm blaming *you.*"
Her eyes lit up. "Deal!"
Victor stood still and reached inward. The familiar chill of the Void Emperor Bloodline spread through him.
His body took on a pale glow as arrow-like markings appearing across his arms and neck. His moon white hair fluttered even in the still air.
Xuan Qing stepped back with her mouth slightly open. "Whoa... You always looked pretty before, but now you look like—like a celestial from a painting!"
"Focus," Victor said.
Without warning, he reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Wait—what are you—?"
"ShadowBlink."
In the next instant, the world around them bent. The palace surroundings warped and then *vanished* as the two figures blinked out of existence in a pulse of void energy.
They reappeared outside the palace walls, standing atop the canopy of a nearby tree. Xuan Qing clutched him tightly as her eyes widened with disbelief.
"You just… we're outside!" she gasped. "YOU ACTUALLY DID IT!"
Victor dropped down first and extended a hand. "Yeah. So don't make regret it."
She took it eagerly and bounced down beside him.
The city stretched before them in all its lively brilliance. Lanterns swayed above well structured streets, and food carts filled the air with rich aromas.
Players and NPCs alike bustled around, oblivious to the fact that a "missing princess" now stood among them in plain robes and wide-eyed wonder.
Victor bought an extra outfit from a vendor nearby and wrapped a scarf over his head and that of Xuan Qing's while glancing around cautiously. "Let's get your little adventure over with before your father finds out and executes ."
Xuan Qing didn't even hear him. She was already skipping ahead with her laughter floating through the afternoon air like a song.
Victor followed behind, muttering, "This better be worth the rewards."
...
...
(( Two Hours Later ))
Lanterns were beginning to light up in preparation for the evening rush, and food stalls filled the air with mouth-watering aromas... roasted duck, sizzling dumplings, and sweet candied fruits could be seen all around.
Victor stood at the edge of one of the livelier districts with his arms crossed and expression half-resigned, half-entertained.
Xuan Qing was beside him, wrapped in a navy scarf that covered her lower face.
"Try this one! This one slls incredible!" she squealed under her breath while tugging his sleeve and pointing at a spiced skewer stand.
"Princess… you've already tried like twelve things," Fang Chen muttered while exhaling as he followed her.
She whipped her head around and winked. "And I intend to try twelve more."
He rolled his eyes but smirked. It wasn't every day that he saw soone so giddy.
Especially not a noble princess who had once lectured an Elder for stepping on her silk robes.
They moved from stall to stall with Xuan Qing dragging him through the thick crowds like a windstorm in the market.
She tasted purple lon juice and made a face, declaring it "traitorous to her tongue."
She won a throwing dagger ga and demanded her prize which was a bunny-eared headband.
She then forced Victor to wear it for a whole block while she giggled behind her scarf.
They danced to the beat of a traveling cultivator band's music, and even helped an old woman carry her cart when it got stuck between cobblestones.
"This is what freedom slls like," Xuan Qing spread her arms wide atop one of the stone bridges overlooking the lotus river.
"It slls like fish and sweat," Fang Chen replied with a deadpan look.
"Sa thing," she grinned.
As the sky darkened into an indigo veil and stars began to twinkle in patches, Victor's senses prickled.
He quietly pulled Xuan Qing into a quieter alleyway and whispered, "We've been out here for hours. We should head back before soone notices you're gone."
Xuan Qing imdiately pouted beneath the scarf. "What's the worst that could happen?
They'll just panic, turn the whole palace upside down, maybe send out a couple death squads... you know. Normal parenting."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's not funny. I'm serious."
"No, *you're* serious," she said while taking a few steps back. "I'm mischievous."
She turned and bolted.
Victor blinked. "Don't you dare—"
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