Chapter 94: Soon, I’ll Meet the Human Emperor’s Incarnation! “Don’t get the wrong idea,” Su Xintong quickly clarified. “I came to your house mainly to thank you for helping and saving my dad. He asked me to invite you over for dinner. But then the sudden lockdown happened, and it started pouring rain. It just got harder to leave. Plus, you were coughing up blood earlier!” She looked serious as she added, “As the class monitor, I was genuinely worried about something happening to you, so I stayed to look after you. It’s just a form of mutual help and support between classmates!” She sounded proper and earnest, but in reality, she was terrified of thunderstorms. She was okay staying indoors, but if she were caught outside and it suddenly started thundering, she might just squat on the ground and refuse to move. Lightning was her biggest fear. “Suit yourself,” Ye Qiu shrugged, preparing to re-enter the game. But before he could, Su Xintong suddenly asked, “What level are you now?” “Hmm?” Ye Qiu looked at her, puzzled as to why she’d bring that up. Su Xintong explained, “Just now, I heard a voice in my head. It said something about a public announcement in Trial City and that the rankings had opened. It must’ve been from the neural game, right? This game is crazy, even things that happen inside can send sounds into the real world.” Ye Qiu quipped, “If you know it’s so amazing, why aren’t you leveling up in the game?” Su Xintong blinked innocently. “The college entrance exams are coming up. I need to focus on studying, I don’t have time to play games.” Ye Qiu was speechless. Sis, it’s practically the end of the world, and you’re still worried about the entrance exams? He didn’t say that out loud though. Even if he did, she wouldn’t believe him. Instead, he said, “Time flows ten to one in the game. You can actually use that to study more effectively.” “Eh? Why didn’t I think of that?” Su Xintong’s eyes lit up. After a pause, she asked again, “So, what level are you now?” Ye Qiu casually replied, “Definitely higher than yours.” Su Xintong pouted. “I haven’t leveled at all. I’m still level 0. Oh, by the way, Zhang Chao made a class game support group. A bunch of classmates joined. If you’re in the same Novice Village, you can team up and level together!” Ye Qiu gave a noncommittal “Mm.” He wasn’t interested at all. He had joined that group in his previous life and found it useless. The group was full of people fawning over Zhang Chao and Chen Ziheng — the two with the highest levels — who only ever helped the pretty girls like Su Xintong and Fang Yifei level up. The rest were ignored. Su Xintong kept chatting, “Zhang Chao’s already level 8, the highest in our class! You want him to help you?” Ye Qiu blinked, then shook his head. “No thanks. I don’t want to drag him down.” He glanced at his mysterious potion fusion progress: [Current progress: 88.64%…] “Almost there…” he muttered, taking a deep breath. Then he said to Su Xintong, “I’m going into the game. You play on your own. If you get sleepy, make a bed on the floor. If you want to change clothes, mine are all in the wardrobe. And if you need the toilet or a shower, go out to the yard. The bathroom’s on the right.” Su Xintong was speechless. She wasn’t sleepy at all. In fact, she had the sudden urge to keep talking to Ye Qiu. But clearly, his mind was elsewhere. Once Ye Qiu closed his eyes and his breathing steadied, Su Xintong leaned against the sofa and closed her own eyes, ready to log into the game. In the game world, Zhouxing City, High Tower… “Disciple, the Miasma Resistance Pill is ready,” said Elder Han Wenqing, handing Ye Qiu a pill the moment he logged in. “Thank you, Master!” Ye Qiu gratefully accepted it. [Miasma Resistance Pill (Epic): Upon consumption, grants immunity to all poisonous miasma. Permanently increases miasma resistance by 10. Duration: 1 day.] An epic-grade pill! Ye Qiu was impressed, but it made sense. In this world, there were many types of potions and pills. Sometimes a rare one might seem useless, but still be ranked epic or higher because under special circumstances, its effects were extraordinary. Just like the miasma in the Sealed Grounds. Even someone as powerful as Elder Han would take damage if he entered without this pill. Han Wenqing had long known about the unique traits of players from outside this world, like their ability to “disappear on the spot” (aka log off). Seeing that Ye Qiu had already subdued the Life-Preserving Sword, he praised, “Your sword talent is rare indeed. Even managing to draw out and tame the Life-Preserving Sword is remarkable!” Ye Qiu blinked. Is this sword really that impressive? Elder Han continued, “This sword was once an ‘Ultimate Legendary’ weapon. But over time, it was deliberately damaged. Now, its level has fallen to just ordinary epic.” Ye Qiu was shocked and thrilled. This ‘junk’ sword used to be an Ultimate Legendary weapon?! He recalled Elder Huang Tai’s Millennium Ancient Sword, also of the same top-tier class, and excitement surged in his heart. He quickly asked, “Master, is there a way to restore it?” Elder Han chuckled. “Restore it? That’s far too difficult. Even the best blacksmith in this tower can’t fix it.” Ye Qiu’s excitement instantly faded. So it’s just fancy trash then? “Alright,” said Elder Han, standing up. “Go bathe and purify yourself. Then take the pill.” “Yes, Master!” Ye Qiu understood the ritual. Han Wenqing added, “I’ll head to the Sealed Grounds first and notify the Guardian Elder. In three hours, I’ll send sword energy to guide you in.” “Yes, Master!” Ye Qiu could hardly contain his excitement. I’m finally about to meet the Human Emperor’s incarnation…! Once Elder Han left, a gentle voice called out, “Ye Qiu!” A familiar figure entered. It was Xu Shangyin, the female NPC who had first greeted him when he arrived at the Sword Sect. “Oh, it’s the pretty sister,” Ye Qiu greeted her. “Thanks for helping me register earlier!” Xu Shangyin playfully scolded, “Don’t call me that when others are around!” Which meant… when they were alone, it was fine. She looked him up and down, then smiled. “Not bad, getting accepted by Elder Han. Even our sect leader has to show him respect!” Ye Qiu scratched his head modestly. “Maybe Elder Han just has a soft spot for good looks. I just got lucky.” Xu Shangyin laughed and rolled her eyes at him. Then she made a graceful gesture and said, “Come with me, our dashing and elegant little junior. Elder Han instructed me to help you with your purification ritual.”