Can Getting Slapped in the Face Increase Favorability?

How did he know? Several versions after the game launched in his previous life, the Jia Ma Empire descended into chaos.

The Misty Cloud Sect went to war with the Gama Royal Family, the three great families, and the Alchemist Guild.

At the time, Players who joined the Misty Cloud Sect were incredibly arrogant.

Pretty much everyone had an Xuan-tier Dou Technique up their sleeve.

"Clear Wind Piercing Sword," a profound Dou Technique only inner disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect were qualified to exchange for, was outstanding in activation speed, attack speed, and power.

As such, "Clear Wind Piercing Sword" became a highly sought-after Dou Technique among Misty Cloud Sect Players during that version.

Although the exchange requirements were steep, once they entered the inner sect, the vast majority of Players would find a way to get a copy.

Yang Shan had not been considered a first-rate expert back then, but he already possessed excellent gaming skills.

When Yang Shan first encountered "Clear Wind Piercing Sword," it gave him a headache.

But experience was the best teacher. After facing it often enough, Yang Shan gradually gained experience in dealing with it.

Theoretically speaking, every Dou Technique had a flaw.

At the very least, even the Ancient Clan's inherited profound Dou Technique, the high-tier Earth-class "Emperor Seal," whose five seals stacked together could rival a Heaven-class technique, had a flaw in the original story!

The original protagonist, Xiao Yan, had learned the "Emperor Seal" himself, which was why he could exploit its weakness to break the "Emperor Seal" wielded by the Ancient Clan's talented younger generation.

Before reaching the Dou Wang level, "Clear Wind Sword Thrust" had to use a sword as its medium.

Its weakness lay two-thirds of the way down the blade from the tip!

Nalan Yanran was indeed powerful. Whether it was her cultivation technique, Dou Techniques, or character attributes, she surpassed Yang Shan in every aspect.

But Nalan Yanran's combat experience was absolutely no match for Yang Shan's!

And Nalan Yanran had been far too overconfident.

She had actually not activated her Dou Qi Gauze.

After her move was broken, Nalan Yanran had no time to react at all.

Of course, Yang Shan had no intention of explaining it to Nalan Yanran.

Putting on a cold expression, Yang Shan tossed out, "Miss Nalan, victory and defeat have been decided. Let us leave the matter at that. I'll take my leave first."

Yang Shan truly had no intention of getting involved with Nalan Yanran.

The Misty Cloud Sect's inheritance focused mainly on the Wind Attribute. It was a good choice for Wind Attribute Players, but Players of other attributes would have relatively limited opportunities to obtain good things.

Nalan Yanran was an especially difficult girl to please. Only Xiao Yan, with his protagonist halo cranked to the max, could make Nalan Yanran fall for him. Not a single other man had ever won her favor.

In his previous life, it seemed that only Xiao Aotian had managed to raise Nalan Yanran's favorability relatively high.

But it was said to be only a little over thirty, not even enough to count as close friends yet (50 points).

Favorability had to reach 60 to be considered kindred spirits.

At 70, mutual affection would arise. (For the same sex, it meant sworn friends.) No matter how one looked at it, the price of building a good relationship with Nalan Yanran clearly did not match the potential returns.

By comparison, the Mite'er Family was much better.

Leaving aside the fact that the Mite'er Family was a merchant family with plenty of good things, the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, who would return to the Mite'er Family in the future, was the Jia Ma Empire's greatest "angel investor"! And even aside from the Mite'er Family, Fire Attribute Players had better prospects in the Alchemist Guild than in the Misty Cloud Sect!

After being rejected by Yang Shan, Nalan Yanran did not blame him. "Then at least tell me your name. That's the most basic courtesy in a duel, isn't it?"

Ding! Nalan Yanran has become interested in the Player. Favorability changed to 1 point.

"Huh?"

Yang Shan's head was practically filled with question marks.

What exactly was wrong with Nalan Yanran's train of thought?

How had getting slapped in the face increased her favorability instead? But Yang Shan was a man of exceptionally firm resolve.

Feel however you want. I'll just pretend I didn't see it!

"The Nalan Family's eldest miss has no need to know the name of a nobody."

He had to say goodbye decisively.

The next girl would definitely be more obedient!

This time, Nalan Yanran did not press him further. She merely watched Yang Shan's departing figure in silence.

Ge Ye thought Nalan Yanran had suffered a terrible blow. "Miss, this person..."

Nalan Yanran suddenly asked, "Uncle Ge, since the trial hasn't been completed, I can't return to the Misty Cloud Sect for now, right?"

"Actually, Miss, you can return. I believe the Sect Leader—"

But Nalan Yanran seemed not to have heard Ge Ye at all. "Then I won't go back for now! The Pang Family has the Nalan Family backing it. Since we've already come to Cloud Frost City, I should at least help Grandpa Nalan with something."

Ge Ye gave an awkward laugh. "Miss, your filial devotion is truly admirable. Grandpa Nalan will surely be pleased when he hears of it."

Nalan Yanran smiled brightly. "We can use the Pang Family to find out that man's name. His Dou Technique wasn't much, but I've never seen anyone of our generation in the Misty Cloud Sect possess such decisiveness in that single slash!"

Twenty minutes later, in real time.

Inside the Tianyao Group R&D Department.

Xiao Yan was dozing off in his office.

As Tianyao Group's chief planner and chief developer, Xiao Yan should have been collecting an eight-figure bonus and enjoying paid vacation right about now.

Either breathing fresh air amid beautiful scenery or indulging in luxury at all sorts of entertainment venues.

Yet because of one man.

Not only had his vacation been canceled, he had to work overtime every day!

That bastard's veins were like they had no blood in them, full of nothing but fucking stimulants! Who the hell cleared the Novice Realm just over forty minutes after the server opened? Don't give him that retired special forces, Dragon King Returns crap—things didn't even happen like that in those stories! Even Xiao Yan, who had personally built the foundational framework of the game "Battle Through the Heavens," had thought that bastard was cheating!

During this time, Xiao Yan had checked the game's code day and night.

There truly were no bugs.

The receipt from the network regulatory department had arrived as well.

That bastard's data was completely normal. (By 2064, regulations concerning online privacy had been fully established. A Player's personal gaming experience was also considered private. Game companies had the right to view a Player's account data, but not to access the specific experiences or footage from within the game.) The facts proved that bastard hadn't cheated!

But would the Players believe it? Some rival companies had deliberately hired paid trolls to stir things up some time ago.

As a result, the forums were flooded with claims that that bastard had cheated and that Tian Yao Company had done nothing about it.

The operations department had spent a great deal of effort suppressing the issue.

Thankfully, the Player community had posted pictures of Xiao Mei and Nalan Yanran on the forums.

The Players' discussions immediately shifted back to the original work.

From the original plot to whether Xiao Mei or Nalan Yanran was prettier.

What top Player? What cheating?

Get lost!

"There shouldn't be any problem now. Once the buzz dies down a little more, we'll put out another announcement, and my vacation will be back. Hahaha!"

Xiao Yan laughed heartily. After being chewed out by President Ma Ru Long not long ago, he had been feeling thoroughly stifled.

"Boss Xiao! Boss Xiao! Something's wrong!"

At that moment, a young man with a balding hairstyle rushed into the office and said frantically, "That bastard got another Global Announcement! He even one-shotted Nalan Yanran!"

Xiao Yan shot three feet into the air in fright, nearly punching a huge hole in the ceiling. "What? That bastard again?"

Um, if all you great Dou Emperors think this book is pretty good, could you please leave recommendations for it on some reading lists to help boost its popularity? Many thanks, many thanks.