Liking Beast Ears and Skill Unleashing

----Private property is alright.

This is not a private occasion.

Both delegations were watching.

And Zhang Qian represents the official Nine Provinces government, so what does he mean by saying this?

Tom, you should explain yourself clearly.

Otherwise, what are we supposed to eat?

Don't try to use these resources as leverage in the upcoming negotiations. Claim they're private property? The Nine Provinces government has no right to interfere with or transfer citizens' private property? So you need to talk to Lu Xiu herself?

Or is it...?

Has the position of this chief Architect in Nine Provinces transcended to the point where even the state apparatus has to actively endorse him?

In that instant, the two leaders, Ulysses and Rosalind, thought of many things, and countless guesses flashed through their minds.

As for the group of top players behind the two, they were all completely stunned at this moment.

Ignoring distance, teleportation points in the gamified era can change the entire national landscape. And then there's this endless forest that sprang up overnight, seemingly controllable. Since it can actively welcome guests, it can certainly actively hinder enemies as well.

Either of these two things could drive any country to madness.

In Nine Provinces —it turns out to be the private property of a Architect?

Is this truly private property that players can own?

This would be impossible in Franca, or even in the more chaotic Red Tide —as long as the regime's legitimacy hasn't dried up, and as long as its strength allows, it would have already forcibly incorporated the regime by any means necessary, wouldn't it?

But in Nine Provinces —officials were able to remain so calm and composed, even openly acknowledging in diplomatic settings that it was the private property of a certain citizen.

What's this?

Was that chief Architect too powerful? So powerful that even the state apparatus couldn't suppress him and had to compromise? Or has a power consolidation been completed within Nine Provinces, resulting in a system of co-governance between the government and top players?

But judging from the Nine Provinces Forum, isn't the legitimacy of the regime in Nine Provinces far from being exhausted? In fact, its control is far stronger than that of Red Tide and Franca.

So why?

Could it be that this Architect possesses far more than what we see before us?! This endless forest, this world-altering teleportation array, are merely the tip of the iceberg for her? Does she hold even more terrifying secrets? So much that even the Nine Provinces government has no choice but to willingly acknowledge them as her private property?

this----

Either way, it seems absurd!!!

At that moment, no one from either delegation wanted to leave.

I just wanted to take a good look at this forest and see if I could meet Lu Xiu.

"Director Zhang, regarding Miss Lu Xiu— "

At this moment, Ulysses spoke again, as if he wanted to say something more.

But Zhang Qian had no intention of continuing the explanation, interrupting directly. "Miss Lu's matter is not within the scope of this diplomatic consultation."

Zhang Qian's tone remained gentle.

But that one sentence completely shut down what Ulysses was about to say.

Then, the old man turned slightly to the side and extended his hand again. "It's getting late. A luncheon has been prepared in Chen Capital, and they have been waiting for you for a long time. You should head there as soon as possible."

As for how to teleport, simply raise your hand towards the Bonfire. Currently, this Bonfire will only teleport you to Chen Capital, so you don't need to do anything extra.

Ulysses opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed the rest of his words.

He could sense that if he continued to press the matter, the old man would continue to smile and would not be impolite in the slightest, but he couldn't be sure what would happen when the actual negotiations began.

"----good."

Ulysses took a deep breath, forcing himself to look away from the Wooden Cabin, and gestured for the two top Red Tide players behind him to go forward and scout ahead.

The two top players exchanged a glance, walked towards the quietly burning Bonfire, and then, following Zhang Qian's instructions, slowly raised their hands towards the Bonfire.

Buzz----

In an instant, the not-so-fiery flame seemed to be drawn by some invisible force, and the flames suddenly leaped, accompanied by flying sparks.

The two living people who were standing in front of the Bonfire vanished without a trace in an instant.

A few gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

Although I was mentally prepared, it was still shocking to see this scene unfold before my eyes and witness people disappear in an instant.

And it was too fast.

Less than five seconds.

A communication panel popped up in front of Ulysses.

Ulysses glanced at it, then his pupils contracted slightly.

It actually crossed over a thousand kilometers in an instant.

--Not only are there no side effects, but there are also no costs involved.

Yes.

You don't even need to pay for a ticket.

this----

This is private property?!

On the other side.

Zhang Qian didn't stop him; a necessary test was understandable.

Ulysses stared at the communication panel for a full three seconds before taking a deep breath and suddenly waving his hand, dispelling the semi-transparent communication panel.

Then.

He strode forward and walked directly to the Bonfire, slowly raising his right hand.

With Ulysses taking the lead.

The remaining members of the Red Tide had no choice but to follow, wave after wave arriving at the Bonfire, raising their hands, and disappearing.

Soon, only the Franca Delegation and the Nine Provinces reception staff remained on the open space.

Your Highness----

Franca's entourage looked at Rosalind.

Let's go.

Rosalind took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and composed herself, preparing to head to Chen Capital first. "We'll talk about other things later."

She led the group from Franca toward the Bonfire.

Soon, one by one, the entourage of the Franca Delegation disappeared, and the warm firelight illuminated Rosalind's exquisite face.

She was the last one. After everyone in the delegation had disappeared, she took a step forward and raised her hand.

And at the same time.

The instant the teleportation is about to complete.

"----Is it all done?"

A melodious and sweet young female voice suddenly rang out from the side.

They were extremely close.

Rosalind's pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively turned her head to look in the direction from which the sound came.

Less than three meters away from her, three people had silently appeared.

The leader was a young girl.

She wore a neat high ponytail and a casual T-shirt and jeans, but with her tall figure and stunning beauty, she was a beautiful sight to behold just by standing there.

On either side of the girl were two equally eye-catching figures: a purple-haired loli holding Black Cat in her arms, and a blonde mature woman with her hand on a sword.

Rosalind was stunned.

When did you arrive?!

----wrong.

That's not the point.

The key point is...

Rosalind looked at that very familiar face, but one that seemed even more beautiful in real life, and recognized it instantly.

Lu Xiu, the chief Architect of Nine Provinces!

She was indeed in the forest, but for some reason, she hadn't shown herself at all.

Thinking of this...

Rosalind instinctively wanted to break free from the teleportation, even disregarding her composure, and subconsciously said, "Wait—"

Call!

But once the Bonfire teleportation is triggered, she has no chance to back out.

The moment Rosalind uttered the word "wait," the rising Ember completely enveloped her.

A flash of light.

Princess Franca then vanished.

In the final moments.

She only vaguely heard Lu Xiu say, "It really is a Japanese-style Beastfolk, it even has both beast ears and human ears, quite cute----"

On an open ground.

Silence returned.

Lu Xiu looked at the empty spot in front of the Bonfire, sighed, and then turned to Zhang Qian: "Did I disturb you? And that Her Royal Highness the Princess was reaching out so far just now, was she trying to say something to me?"

"No, everyone from both delegations has already been teleported there. I should be thanking you for providing the venue."

Zhang Qian smiled and said gently, "As for Her Royal Highness the Princess Franca's actions just now, she was probably trying to express her respect for you."

"----"

Lu Xiu smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

Of course she knew it was impossible.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

She chose not to appear at the reception for two reasons: firstly, she found it troublesome, as she wasn't very good at handling such occasions; and secondly, she didn't want to overshadow the host.

She cannot represent Nine Provinces.

What if these delegations, because of the instance, the Astera, or for various other reasons, end up revolving around her?

Asking all sorts of questions.

If she answers or doesn't answer, it will be even more troublesome.

It will also make things difficult for the reception staff in Nine Provinces.

Therefore, Lu Xiu simply stopped showing herself and only cooperated with the reception team behind the scenes.

For example, we could use the materials from the Strategy Group to make Odogaron Set for them to make them look more impressive, or we could get them a red carpet, or we could improve the forest environment.

only.

Lu Xiu was genuinely surprised that Zhang Qian would ultimately claim these items were his private property.

That is indeed the case.

But saying it aloud, or saying it in front of the delegation, carries a different meaning.

Even if Lu Xiu and Nine Provinces fall out in the future, Nine Provinces will still be in the wrong.

However, Lu Xiu could probably understand why the old man said that.

"Then we'll head to Chen Capital first to receive these guests. Thank you for your help earlier."

Zhang Qian smiled when he saw that Lu Xiu remained noncommittal.

What a smart girl!

The reason he referred to it as private property was not because he made the decision on his own; he wouldn't dare to make such a decision on his own.

It's basically a consensus.

Of course, there were other voices within the organization as well.

However, considering the importance and growth that Lu Xiu has demonstrated—the voices acknowledging that these things are her private property are overwhelmingly in favor.

As for why it was specifically mentioned in a diplomatic setting, one reason was indeed to tell the two delegations that the Nine Provinces government would not use Lu Xiu's private property as a bargaining chip, so they should give up on that idea.

On the other hand, it was also because they were in the Witch Forest, at a sensitive time when Red Tide and Franca were about to make contact with Nine Provinces —he wanted to put Lu Xiu's mind at ease.

After all, the value that Lu Xiu demonstrated was immense.

Zhang Qian, representing the official authorities, publicly acknowledged that these items were Lu Xiu's private property. This was meant to tell Lu Xiu that Nine Provinces absolutely respects her personal will and ownership rights, and would never use righteousness to coerce her.

The Nine Provinces will only be her solid support, not a shackle that controls her.

Our meeting on the third floor of the Astera did indeed change a lot of things.

"Then we'll take our leave first, Miss Lu."

Zhang Qian snapped out of his thoughts and nodded slightly to Lu Xiu: "We still need someone to receive you over there."

Then he turned around and, with the remaining officials in charge of receiving guests, decisively raised his hands toward the Bonfire.

Yan Fushou and the others nodded to Lu Xiu, raised their hands, and teleported away.

soon.

All the staff who were supposed to be there in Nine Provinces disappeared at the Frontier.

All the outsiders left.

After resetting the Bonfire access permissions to be limited to the list of authorized users, Lu Xiu stretched lazily. She wasn't interested in or wanted to delve into the official considerations and power struggles, even if she understood them—but as long as this state could continue, it would indeed be a good thing for her.

Let's go.

Lu Xiu turned around and looked at the purple-haired loli and blonde mature woman beside her. "These people have left, let's continue. What exactly do you mean by 'skills being rigid'?"

Um.

That's right.

Besides not wanting to cause trouble.

There's another reason why Lu Xiu didn't appear.

That was the core NPC of the Witch Instance, Ellen and Viola told her something incredible----

On the other side.

A brief feeling of dizziness followed.

It was just a moment of distraction.

--

Rosalind found herself back on solid ground, and the environment had changed.

The once dense, primeval forest has vanished, Take Their Place by bright sunlight, expansive views, and magnificent, solemn modern architecture.

She was standing in the center of a square at that moment.

Directly in front of you stands the majestic and solemn landmark of Nine Provinces.

"Your Highness Rosalind, welcome to the capital of Nine Provinces, Chen Capital."

Several Nine Provinces officials, dressed in sharp suits and exuding composure, were already waiting by the Bonfire.

The moment I saw Rosalind appear.

They immediately greeted them with smiles and impeccable manners.

And on both sides of the square not far away.

Two rows of honor guard soldiers in ceremonial uniforms stood at attention, rifles in hand.

This time, the honor guard didn't wear the costumes of the Odogaron Set a type of costume), and everything returned to the normal diplomatic appearance.

----Solemn, reciprocal, predictable, demilitarized.

It's also more comfortable than the forest.

However.

This high-level reception, which would have been overwhelming for any small country before the gamification, now seemed rather dull to Franca and the members of the Red Tide Delegation.

Ulysses and the top players of Red Tide, who arrived earlier, are now standing on the other side.

Although they maintained diplomatic etiquette and exchanged pleasantries with the Nine Provinces officials in charge of receiving them, their eyes seemed somewhat uninterested, and they even frequently turned back to look at the burning Bonfire in the center of the square.

Even though I knew it was Nine Provinces flexing its muscles.

But after witnessing that miraculous scene in the forest...

Looking at this kind of formal, step-by-step reception etiquette, although it's safe, it feels like a glass of plain water—so bland it doesn't arouse any interest.

After all, they had just been teleported to Chen Capital via the Bonfire.

That experience of traversing countless kilometers in the blink of an eye was truly breathtaking.

Your Highness!

When the members of the Franca Delegation saw Rosalind teleport over, they immediately rushed over, their expressions still showing lingering shock and restraint.

The Nine Provinces official who was in charge smiled and didn't rush to urge them. Instead, he took a step back and let the delegation have a chance to communicate internally first.

It's normal that they weren't prepared after just being teleported here.

On the other side.

One of the members of the Franca Delegation breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the receiving official step back. He immediately approached Rosalind, lowered his voice, and began to report, his tone filled with undisguised shock. "Your Highness, this is incredible. We have absolutely no idea how that teleportation was done. Furthermore, we just observed the surrounding area, and Nine Provinces's internal control is indeed very strong, much stronger than Franca's. We can even see many players on the outskirts joining in the fun. They were clearly not deliberately arranged. There are quite a few High Sequence players among them, but they are all very well-behaved and obedient."

Furthermore, it seems that Nine Provinces did indeed, as the previous intelligence indicated, keep all the frontline monsters within the cities where they appeared, because there was absolutely no trace of monster activity detected in those areas.

The mission's entourage reported the firsthand intelligence they had just gathered in rapid succession.

But as they talked...

He suddenly stopped, because the attendant was somewhat taken aback to find that his usually elegant and serious Her Royal Highness the Princess was now looking slightly off-focus and wasn't listening to him at all.

"Your Highness?" an attendant called out cautiously.

Rosalind then suddenly came to her senses.

She took a deep breath, forcibly banishing the image of the stunningly beautiful woman with a high ponytail and a carefree spirit from her mind. She shook her head slightly at her entourage and said in a low voice, "Alright, let's stop talking for now. We can discuss this kind of information privately. This isn't the right occasion."

The entourage suddenly realized what was happening, then silently shut up and took a step back.

Rosalind continued to gaze at the magnificent building ahead.

But her beautiful eyes still lacked focus.

Her mind was still replaying the scene she saw in the last second before the teleportation.

The girl with the high ponytail, wearing a T-shirt and jeans.

Those clear, beautiful eyes.

And, the whisper that drifted into her ear the instant the teleportation was complete, "So, a Japanese-style Beastfolk, with both beast ears and human ears, quite cute----"

Thinking of this...

In full view of everyone.

Her Royal Highness the Princess Franca unconsciously raised her hand and gently touched the pair of furry animal ears on her head, suddenly muttering to herself, "Do I like... animal ears?"

Just then...

The Bonfire not far away suddenly blazed up again.

Zhang Qian, along with Yan Fushou and several other core reception officials from Nine Provinces, also arrived at the plaza via teleportation.

Zhang Qian appeared.

The accompanying staff reminded them.

Rosalind snapped out of her daze, quickly composed herself, and went to greet him again.

Ulysses was similar.

"Director Zhang."

The three parties greeted each other again and began a perfunctory exchange of pleasantries.

"I apologize for keeping you all waiting. Please follow me."

Zhang Qian smiled and turned to the side, guiding the delegations from both countries toward the magnificent building ahead.

Everything seemed to finally be on the right track.

Rosalind's expression returned to normal, elegant and composed, as if all the shock she had experienced at the Frontier had been completely digested and hidden by her.

She followed Zhang Qian steadily, wearing high heels.

only.

As I walked...

The Her Royal Highness the Princess couldn't help but raise her hand again and gently touch the fluffy white Fox Ears on her head once more.

Do you really like animal ears?

On the other side.

Witch Forest.

Sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, softly illuminating the area in front of the Wooden Cabin.

Lu Xiu, Ellen, and Viola were kneeling on the lush green grass in front of the Wooden Cabin.

As for Jian Li and Shen Nian, they are not here.

Even before receiving the two delegations, they had already traveled to Chen Capital via the Bonfire to offer their assistance.

After all, they are an important fighting force for the Nine Provinces government, and Jian Li is undoubtedly the strongest player in the Strategy Group. Of course, they can't just hide in the forest and kill time like Lu Xiu without any burden.

The atmosphere on the grass was somewhat subtle at that moment.

Ellen and Viola sat on either side of her. These two core NPCs from the Witch Instance looked at each other with undisguised disdain and annoyance.

But in front of Lu Xiu, they were finally able to suppress their murderous intent and sit together peacefully, albeit with some difficulty.

"So----"

Lu Xiu asked with some curiosity, "What exactly do you mean by 'skill rigidity'?"

----This is why Lu Xiu asked this question.

The reason dates back to yesterday.

yesterday.

Yan Fushou gave her a large amount of materials from the Monster Hunter dungeon.

Lu Xiu was overjoyed to see the materials, as she was one step closer to creating the outfit she wanted.

Ellen and Viola, probably seeing Lu Xiu Lu Xiu happy, quietly followed her and watched as she crafted the equipment.

After watching it...

Ellen and Viola, standing nearby, frowned almost simultaneously.

The two had always disliked each other.

At that moment, they reached a tacit understanding and asked simultaneously, "Lu Xiu —is this how people in your world usually use their abilities—is it strange?"

Lu Xiu was stunned.

What does "strange" mean?

Isn't this a skill?

But during their subsequent conversation, Lu Xiu suddenly realized...

Although she was the one who designed the Witch Instance.

However, after being placed offline, the Witch Instance world seems to have evolved some extraordinary things----

They seem to have developed their own unique power system.

Furthermore, it reveals how skills work in a gamified world.

certainly.

That's not the point.

The key point is...

This is similar to the precedent of NPCs in Witch Instance Placement Site granting special buffs.

Lu Xiu keenly noticed this.

These two core NPCs from the dungeon seem to be able to help players become stronger.

This led to the current situation.

"So----"

Lu Xiu looked at the two people in front of her and asked with some curiosity, "What exactly do you mean by the so-called 'rigid' skills, or rather, the 'strange feeling'?"

Upon hearing this, a thoughtful look appeared in Ellen's eyes. After a moment of silence, she said, "I don't know the specifics of the skills in your world, but I do feel that your world seems to have a set of rigid rules that forcibly restrict the flow of energy."

"When I watched you making those armors yesterday, that feeling was particularly strong."

Speaking of which...

Ellen raised her fair little hand and made a grasping motion in mid-air. With a surge of magic, she outlined the shape of the Odogaron Set: "You were the one who activated the skill, but in the process of creating it, you mainly used external rules and forces."

Even though your own Mental Strength and energy are not weak, at the moment the skill is activated, you are like an observer, only able to rely on the predetermined rules to complete the shaping, completely unable to use your own power to interfere with the details.

Hearing what Ellen said...

Viola, sitting on the other side, nodded as well.

"That's true."

The demon hunter, a seasoned veteran judging from the offline dungeon's backstory, said softly, "It's not just crafting; yesterday I observed the way those visitors used their skills, and they were just as stiff."

She was referring to the time when Wei Yidong and others were experimenting with the power of the Odogaron Set.

"Take the Witcher, whom I know well, as an example. When we Witchers want to unleash fire, the power comes from within ourselves."

Mental Strength, magical power, and control over the form of flames are all dominated by the caster.

"As long as I have enough magic power, I can use it to spew out pillars of fire, or I can compress it into a single spark."

"But the skills here are different."

Viola frowned slightly. "When I watch them unleash their skills, most of the time they seem to be just an initiator or a switch."

Once the order is given, their own forces are completely uninvolved in the actual operation.

Even if you participate, you can't act completely at will; you can only intervene to a limited extent, or simply provide a boost. Basically, a set of rules still takes over everything, forcibly planning the flow of magic, the form of skills, and even the body's movements.

Therefore, most of the time it's rigid and inflexible, completely lacking in spirit.

Lu Xiu listened thoughtfully.

This sounds like something out of a cultivation journey.

However, as Lu Xiu's combat skills improved, she also became aware of this problem.

That's the skill—it's not very controllable.

She had planned it all out.

They have good control over many skills.

However, it still can't shake off the problem of being somewhat rigid.

For example, Dragon Flash.

Basically, Lu Xiu must turn to the side and sheathe her sword whenever she releases her attack.

Because the knife is not sheathed.

Her skills just can't be used.

Previously.

She felt that this was the limitation of the gamified world, the casting animation—a mechanism designed for balance.

But judging from the opinions of the two key NPCs, Ellen and Viola, is there any way to improve the situation?

"That----"

Thinking of this...

Lu Xiu looked at the two of them. "Since you've identified the problem, how can my power truly participate in the release of skills? How can I break free from those rules? For example, the Deconstruction skills you've seen before."

However.

He looked at Lu Xiu with anticipation in his eyes.

Ellen and Viola fell silent at the same time, then shook their heads together.

"I'm sorry, Lu Xiu —I can't do that skill."

Ellen said apologetically, "Your Deconstruction skills are too powerful. The strength of that power, which belongs to the level of rules, far exceeds our understanding. It's almost like the direct manifestation of the fundamental laws of the world, helping you construct equipment. We don't know how to involve your power in it."

Viola added guiltily, "Although I could tell it was a bit strange, I didn't understand the composition of that rule-based power at all, let alone how to bypass it."

Lu Xiu: "----"

All right.

Asking them to teach Root Skill right from the start was indeed pushing them too hard.

Lu Xiu thought for a moment, then switched to another skill. "How about this one?"

She directly activated [Lord of Cinder].

The two slowly looked at Lu Xiu: "----That's incredibly strong."

Lu Xiu:

--"

Undeterred, she initiated another Audience.

What about this one?

Lu Xiu asked expectantly.

Ellen shook her head.

Viola also looked away.

Lu Xiu refused to believe it and changed several more skills in succession.

However.

"That's too strong."

"I don't know."

"I don't understand how this skill works."

"Don't know----"

Lu Xiu went from being excited at the beginning to losing interest, and finally to feeling completely helpless.

So, it turns out these two were just here as skills testers? They can pinpoint problems perfectly, but when asked how to fix them, they both shake their heads.

Isn't that still a fundamental limitation of the gamified world?

Lu Xiu mentally scoffed, then casually activated her next skill, asking listlessly, "What about this one?"

The next second.

Blue arcs of electricity coiled around her pale fist.

Lu Xiu had already given up hope.

But at the instant the electric arc lights up.

Ellen's purple eyes suddenly lit up!

Viola also looked pleasantly surprised.

"Wait! I know that!"

The purple-haired little Witch exclaimed with delight, "Or rather—I can understand how this skill's energy flows! I know how to involve your power in it!"

"Me too! This power seems to be the force that mortal bodies have squeezed out through countless trials and tribulations! I'm very familiar with it!"

Lu Xiu was taken aback and glanced at the skills she had demonstrated.

[Skill Name: Extraordinary - Crippled]

[Rating: SS]

[Type: Body Enhancement/Status Switching]

[Ability Description: When a mortal's skills are honed to an incredible level, extraordinary power can be gained. After activating this skill, you can imbue different extraordinary attributes into your limbs.]

Fire and Lightning Enchantment: This enchants your limbs with the power of fire and lightning, granting each of your limb attacks additional elemental damage.

Metal Aspect: Grants the corresponding limb extremely high defensive power, comparable to a top-grade divine weapon, allowing one to withstand sharp blades with bare hands without injury.

Earth Aspect: Can only be granted to the feet. As long as the feet are on the ground, the user gains extremely high stability and is immune to most knockback, knock-up, and forced displacement effects.

[Restriction: Limited by the physical body's capacity, only one attribute can be bestowed upon the entire body at any given time.]

[Duration: None]

[Cooldown: None]

[Consumable: None]

[Note: Mortal Martial Arts? Mortal Martial Arts!]

"."

Lu Xiu glanced at the skill that came from her Sifu's instance, then looked at the two of them. "So—my power can participate in this skill?"

"Right!"

Viola gave a definite answer again, then raised her hand, accompanied by flashes of electricity, achieving the exact same effect as Lu Xiu's skill release. "You see—I can release it just by looking at it."