After testing himself today, Nie Yan had a clear understanding of his abilities. Although he was still far from being as skilled as those martial arts experts, he felt confident that he could handle some unexpected situations.
He had just received a bonus of 28,000 and went to the mall to buy more than ten bottles of nutrient solution, which would be enough for the month.
Back home, he continued to exercise. This month, aside from studying, he spent most of his time training physically. As for other matters, he would wait until his parents came back.
The daytime passed quickly. As the game was about to begin, Nie Yan lay on his bed and put on the helmet.
Back in the game, Nie Yan immediately began the intense leveling-up process by killing water spiders. As one after another water spider died under his hands, his experience steadily increased, and he was soon close to level four.
“Nie Yan, where are you now?” Yaoyao sent him a message.
“I’m still grinding water spiders at Randuo Lake.”
“Meet at the Trak town portal in five minutes. We’re about to set off. Bring your friend too.”
“Okay.” Nie Yan replied.
“See you in five minutes,” Yaoyao said.
After ending the voice chat, Nie Yan messaged Tang Yao, “Meet at the Trak town portal. The team is about to set off. Hurry up.”
“So early?” Tang Yao replied in surprise, his voice filled with excitement and joy.
“It’s better to be early than late when running a dungeon. Morning departure is more appropriate.”
“Alright, I’m on my way now,” Tang Yao replied and hurried off.
Nie Yan checked his experience bar. It was at 99%. Gaining that last 1% would take at least ten more minutes. It seemed he wouldn’t be able to level up in time. He began reading a recall scroll. A flash of light passed, the scene changed, and he returned to the city.
“Where are you? Send coordinates,” Nie Yan messaged Tang Yao.
“I see you. Stay where you are, I’m coming,” Tang Yao replied, walking from the distant square. His bright red robe made him particularly noticeable among the crowd. Under the envious gazes of other players, he instinctively puffed out his chest.
This set of gear represented supreme honor and was the hallmark of an expert.
“How was your training at home?” Nie Yan smiled. Tang Yao seemed energetic, quite different from his previous listless state.
“Not bad. You’ll see later. My skills have improved a lot. When I was offline, Wei Kai called me. That kid actually wanted to curry favor with us and even asked for your phone number. I made him my sparring partner and played dozens of matches with him. He didn’t win a single one.”
“You think he might have been letting you win?” Nie Yan chuckled, thinking that this was indeed Wei Kai’s style.
“You underestimate me. My skills are pretty good now. This afternoon, one of Wei Kai’s subordinates called him and mentioned that you went to the Lin Family Dojo. Don’t tell me you’re going after that girl Lin Jia? I just don’t get it, how could you like such a slut? I heard she’s had something going on with many people.”
“All that was from middle school. We were just kids back then. I’m not interested in Lin Jia anymore. I just went to that dojo for a test.”
“I guess so. How could you possibly be interested in Lin Jia? If you want a girlfriend, I’ll introduce one to you, my friend,” Tang Yao laughed and patted Nie Yan’s shoulder.
“As for the girls you know, you can keep them for yourself,” Nie Yan rolled his eyes.
A faint fragrance wafted over, perfume from an NPC store, lily-scented, delicate and charming. Upon smelling this scent, he knew who had arrived.
“Thinking about chasing girls all the time, obviously not a good person,” Yaoyao muttered, pouting.
Hearing this voice, Nie Yan smiled knowingly and turned around. He saw Yaoyao standing there gracefully, wearing pure white mage robes that flowed like liquid silver, accentuating her perfect silhouette. Her long hair cascaded down, and a pink silk scarf tied in her hair added a touch of charm.
She looked as if she had stepped out from a painting.
Seeing Yaoyao standing beside Nie Yan, Tang Yao was practically drooling. After a long moment of staring, he nudged Nie Yan with his elbow and said, “What a beauty! A top-notch one! My God, Nie Yan, is she your girlfriend?”
“What are you talking about? Who is his girlfriend?” Yaoyao’s beautiful eyes widened in anger at being called Nie Yan’s girlfriend by this sleazy guy. “Indeed, birds of a feather flock together.”
“You know, otherwise you wouldn’t have come looking for us,” Nie Yan teased Yaoyao with a grin.
“You… Hmph, I, Miss Big Heart, won’t bother with you. Sister Yulan and the others are already at the portal. Let’s go,” Yaoyao, unable to argue with Nie Yan, changed the subject.
Seeing Nie Yan and Yaoyao bickering, Tang Yao suddenly understood. What was it called again? Oh right, lovers usually liked to quarrel. Although Tang Yao was a bit of a womanizer, he had his principles. He might poach someone else’s girlfriend, but he would never touch a woman belonging to his own brother.
Tang Yao secretly gave Nie Yan a thumbs-up and whispered, “You’re really something.”
Nie Yan couldn’t help but smile. Tang Yao had clearly misunderstood. He and Yaoyao were merely friends. Nie Yan didn’t bother to explain, knowing that the more he tried to clarify, the more complicated it would become.
The three of them walked toward the portal.
“Nie Yan, is this your friend? He looks a bit shady, but his gear looks impressive. What gear is that?” Yaoyao asked curiously.
“The Fire Seeker,” Nie Yan replied, noticing that Yaoyao’s forehead scarf divided her hair into several strands, looking neat and clearly well-groomed.
“The Fire Seeker from the Black Flame Forest?” Yaoyao exclaimed in surprise. Everyone knew that the Black Flame Forest was a higher-level dungeon than the Treant Grove, accessible only to elite teams from major guilds! Yaoyao couldn’t help but look at Tang Yao with newfound respect. Anyone capable of clearing the Black Flame Forest dungeon was undoubtedly an expert. “Didn’t expect this sleazy fatty to be quite the pro.”
Tang Yao had evolved from a sleazy guy to a sleazy fatty.
(Note: The term “猥琐” is translated as “sleazy” to convey the negative connotation of being unpleasant or creepy. Alternative translations could include “lecherous” or “perverted” depending on the specific context and degree of offensiveness intended.)
Being called a “master” by Yaoyao made Tang Yao feel both proud and uneasy. After all, he was just a fake “master,” far from the real deal.
“Nie Yan, do you like my headscarf? I got it from the Holy Light Ruins. It adds +3 Holy spell damage,” Yaoyao turned around on the spot. Her white dress fluttered like blooming snow lotus, and the scarf and long hair danced in the wind, looking especially enchanting. She still had a bit of a childlike nature, eager to show off her new treasures and completely forgetting her earlier annoyance with Nie Yan.
“Yeah, it looks great,” Nie Yan nodded. Yaoyao had a unique quality that could make people forget all their troubles.
“Bro, nice job! Better make your move early, or you’ll regret it when someone else takes her!” Tang Yao whispered in Nie Yan’s ear with a sly grin.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage