Two Protagonists

"He's such a poser!" a certain Fox Face thought to himself.

Seeing that I, this fool, was getting drenched in the rain, he actually froze all the raindrops around me in midair.

Right in front of Chu Huai Xu, raindrops hung suspended, crystal clear yet utterly motionless, defying the laws of nature.

Already soaked through, he curiously raised a finger and gently poked at one of the raindrops.

"Can't even poke it?" he wondered in surprise.

He quickly realized that each raindrop was wrapped in an invisible force he couldn't see.

Because they were encased in this power, the scene before him was so stunning.

As for where this power came from, it was easy to guess.

Chu Huai Xu looked up at the man high in the sky, whose face was indistinct, and gave him just two words in his mind:

"Show-off!"

Under the oil-paper umbrella, Han Shuangjiang's right hand gripping the handle tightened slightly.

Though her exterior remained icy and her expression calm, her heart was already shaken to its core.

"Skywalking... that's a Great Cultivator!"

In the Xuanhuang Realm, cultivators were divided into Nine Realms. When one's cultivation reached the Fifth Realm, they were honored as a Great Cultivator.

And the most obvious trait of a Great Cultivator was the ability to Skywalk without relying on any external aid.

Even among the Four Great Sects of the Mirror Kingdom, someone with this level of power was rare.

After all, in the Joyful Sect where Han Shuangjiang had once belonged, even the Sect Master, the Saint Son, and the Saintess had never reached the Fifth Realm.

To be precise, that Sect Master with the big fat rear and the silver tongue was merely at the Third Realm.

If it came to a real fight, a Great Cultivator could crush them with a flick of a finger!

But knowing the Joyful Sect as she did, Han Shuangjiang was well aware that in such a situation, the sect members would probably kneel and suck on that finger instead.

With that thought, she gently shook her head, dispelling her Wild Thoughts and the memories of her past.

That place, where endless lewd sounds never ceased, was something she truly didn't want to recall.

Within the Joyful Sect, a culture of comparison ran rampant. What they compared with each other was easy to imagine.

Han Shuangjiang had no desire to one day become the subject of others' comparisons herself.

She'd heard that the Saint Son and Saintess were even responsible for teaching their junior disciples in open lessons, demonstrating the "Joyful Entanglement" for everyone to see.

She only wanted to escape all of this, to take control of her own destiny!

And the prerequisite for that was cultivation, was becoming stronger!

So, upon realizing the other party was a Great Cultivator, Han Shuangjiang first felt shock, then a burning heat in her heart!

This was Wumeng Mountain outside the [Dao Sect]. It was almost certain that this man was not only at least a Fifth Realm powerhouse but also likely came from the mighty [Dao Sect]!

"He didn't lie to me, that Storyteller didn't lie to me!" Han Shuangjiang said in her heart.

"He said if I came here at midnight tonight, I could join the [Dao Sect]—and it's actually true!"

Just a few days ago, she had encountered a Storyteller by chance. He told her exactly that, then vanished in an instant.

"Could this really be my opportunity?" Han Shuangjiang looked up as the figure in the sky slowly descended.

The man wore a white robe and landed right between Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang, creating a stark contrast among the three.

Chu Huai Xu was drenched, but even with a few wet strands of hair plastered to his forehead, it couldn't hide his handsomeness.

Han Shuangjiang held the oil-paper umbrella, and even with a thin veil, it couldn't conceal her stunning beauty.

He was a handsome man, she was a beautiful woman, and the Great Cultivator was... well, he was a person.

The man's white robe and entire bearing gave off an utterly ethereal feel.

But his face was utterly ordinary.

If this were a period drama, after making such a big commotion, flaunting his aura, and keeping the raindrops suspended in midair to create such a grand scene, the moment the camera focused on his face, it would definitely disappoint the audience.

But Chu Huai Xu recognized him, and he was still quite surprised.

Before he transmigrated, the timeline in "Borrowed Sword" was Xuan Calendar year 1997. The game had launched its Public Test in 1991, six years earlier.

Back then, as a veteran player, he had already reached level 49.

In the Xuanhuang Realm, before mortals could formally cultivate, they first had to open their Acupoints, unblocking their apertures and strengthening their bodies, before they could draw in qi and become a First Realm cultivator.

For players, this Aperture Forging Body Stage corresponded to levels 1 through 9.

When a player reached level 10, they were comparable to a First Realm NPC.

At level 19, they matched the First Realm Great Perfection!

Converting this way, Chu Huai Xu at level 49 was equivalent to the Fourth Realm Great Perfection.

One more level up, to level 50, and he would rival a Great Cultivator of the Xuanhuang Realm!

The reason he hadn't leveled up was simply that the current game version's level cap was 49.

Although he had transmigrated, and the current timeline was Xuan Calendar 1990, a year earlier than before, his memories had not disappeared. He naturally recognized this famous person standing before him.

"Li Chunsong, Sixth Elder of the Dao Sect, a terrifying existence at the Seventh Realm—a powerhouse ranked among the top in the entire Xuanhuang Realm."

"In the game forums, he also had many resounding titles."

"Dead gambling dog, Charitable gambling king, Li Pure Giveaway."

This man was addicted to gambling. He was either gambling or on his way to gamble.

Fortunately, he always adhered to the principle that small bets are for fun, rarely wagering large sums. But his frequency was high, and he would bet on anything.

Since he almost always lost, these nicknames stuck.

Chu Huai Xu hadn't expected to run into him at the foot of Wumeng Mountain.

Beyond that, he had no idea what the man intended to do.

After all, even the level 49 maxed-out character he had played before was no match for Li Chunsong.

What's more, after this period of reflection, he had already formed some vague guesses about his own identity.

"I was hunted by Xue Hu of the Patrol Office, which belongs to the Mirror Kingdom's imperial court."

"Xue Hu also said I was trying to sneak into the Dao Sect with ill intentions."

"So my faction is most likely opposed to both the Dao Sect and the imperial court."

"Damn it, then I'm probably from the Moon Kingdom!"

And now, standing before him was a peerless powerhouse ranked among the top in the Dao Sect, a major figure in the cultivation world. If he sensed anything...

This set off alarm bells in Chu Huai Xu's mind. His body tensed up, yet he did his best to stay calm.

Because he knew very well that before a powerhouse of this level, he was essentially "transparent."

For instance, the frantic pounding of his heart could be easily detected.

"Damn, damn, damn!" he cursed inwardly, his mind racing at full speed.

Cold sweat seeped from his body, mingling with the rain on his skin.

The only thing he could currently offer was the hundred-tael silver note in his pocket.

Chu Huai Xu recalled all the information about Li Chunsong in his mind, then glanced at Han Shuangjiang not far away.

He remembered clearly that a Dao Sect player had posted on the forum, saying that the two World Protagonists of the East Continent Mirror Kingdom—Han Shuangjiang and Xu Ziqing—had both been brought back to the Dao Sect by Li Chunsong.

At that moment, he also noticed that after Li Chunsong glanced at him, there was first a hint of surprise, then he let out a faint sigh.

But after sighing, he didn't say much else. He only asked, "What are your names?"

"Han Shuangjiang."

"Chu Huai Xu."

Hearing this, Li Chunsong looked at them with interest and said, "Shuangjiang, one of the twenty-four solar terms. Huai Xu means the fourth month. Your names are quite interesting."

His tone and expression carried a hint of playful matchmaking.

He flicked his sleeve and said, "Alright, I'll skip the small talk. I deliberately arrived a bit earlier than the agreed time, but I didn't expect you two to be here even earlier."

"Then come with me back to the Dao Sect."

The moment these words were spoken, a storm surged in Chu Huai Xu's heart.

But the next instant, Li Chunsong lightly pointed his finger forward, and both he and Han Shuangjiang floated into the air, flying upward with him.

Only after the three had flown far away did the suspended raindrops finally fall to the ground.

On the other side, in the dense forest at the foot of Wumeng Mountain, a delicate-looking youth named Xu Ziqing was burning with anxiety.

Because he was running out of time.

But he was surrounded by people from the Patrol Office.

(PS: Thanks to old and new friends for the tips, I'm grateful.

At the start of the month, requesting monthly votes!)