Play along with me

"Done offending everyone?"

Seeing the nearly fire-spewing looks in quite a few people's eyes, Lu Cheng casually scratched his ear.

His expression remained calm.

They're just virtual characters in a simulator. In real life, I bow and scrape; in the simulated world, I've got to come out swinging! (extra loud)

"You..." Huang Zichen flushed crimson, his face filled with anger.

"Kid, I gave you a free move. Now..."

"Whoosh!!!"

Before he could finish, the entire venue fell silent again.

Huang Zichen stood rooted to the spot, slowly reaching for his face... the burning sting of a wound grew increasingly distinct.

When he looked across again, a scarlet curved bow had appeared in Lu Cheng's left hand at some point. His right hand remained in the position of drawing the bow, but the arrow he had gripped between his fingers was nowhere to be seen.

"Rumble!!"

A scorching wave of heat suddenly surged from behind him. Even without turning around, he could clearly sense that terrifying explosion.

Ultimate Fire...

A flicker of terror crossed Huang Zichen's face.

No. Even though I've never seen Ultimate Fire, I still have this vague feeling that these flames... are even more powerful than Ultimate Fire.

Maxed-out talent. You think that's a joke?

Lu Cheng smiled calmly.

In the original story, Ning Tian and Dai Huabin were already heaven-defying, reaching Soul Elder at twelve with Martial Souls of the highest caliber, but... translated into talent scores, they barely scraped an eight.

Picking ten-point talent really was the right choice.

The Sun-Shooting Bow, the bow Hou Yi used to shoot down the suns. When its arrows pierced the Golden Crows, they became imbued with the Fire of Pure Yang. Its might transcended the restrictions of this world...

The so-called Ultimate Fire probably wasn't even enough to bear its illustrious name.

"Dark Demon Tiger!!"

Huang Zichen's eyes darkened, and the muscles all over his body abruptly swelled. His Martial Soul possessed him, his nails lengthening and sharpening as he charged straight at Lu Cheng like a heavily armored tank.

His eyes brimmed with humiliation and anger.

He's clearly just a Soul Grandmaster. So what if he has Ultimate Fire? My Dark Demon Tiger is a top-tier Martial Soul too.

"Second Soul Skill: Three Crows Protect the Body."

Lu Cheng spoke softly, his expression unchanged.

At the same time, a pale purple Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet, drawing gasps.

His second Soul Ring was already a Thousand-Year Soul Ring?

As the Soul Ring flashed, the scarlet longbow in Lu Cheng's hand began blazing as well. He raised his left hand before his chest and slightly curled two fingers of his right hand, holding three fiery red arrows shaped entirely like birds.

An overwhelming killing intent enveloped Huang Zichen.

Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

With those three arrows aimed at him, even his speed abruptly dropped somewhat.

But this is where melee has the advantage against ranged fighters. As long as I can reach him, he's absolutely no match for me... just a few meters, just...

"Hum..."

Lu Cheng slowly released his fingers.

Three arrows shot out like meteors.

Yet Huang Zichen narrowly dodged them.

"Go die!!!"

A vicious gleam erupted in Huang Zichen's eyes, and irrepressible delight curled his lips. You let a tank-build fighter like me get right in your face. How could you possibly have another chance to shoot?

I gave you a chance... and you still couldn't do a thing!!

Trash!

"Whoosh~"

Just as everyone present held their breath and focused.

A fiery wing unfurled behind Lu Cheng. At the same time, another Thousand-Year Soul Ring slowly rippled up from beneath his feet. The boy lightly stepped on Huang Zichen's shoulder and rose into the air.

Huang Zichen lunged at empty air. Furious, he was about to point at the sky and curse when a shout from below the stage stopped him: "Behind you!"

But it was clearly too late.

That earlier, terrifying wave of heat scorched his back again. Only this time, it was the arrow's full might, not its lingering heat...

He turned with difficulty, catching only a glimpse of swirling flames from the corner of his eye, hurtling toward him like a strange bird.

"Rumble!"

The explosion resounded throughout the venue, drawing the attention of even the many nobles at the distant banquet.

Lu Cheng remained in midair.

With a casual wave of his hand, the other two arrows flew toward him, circling his body and protecting him from every angle.

"..."

The entire venue fell silent.

Even Lang Ya's expression changed.

He had easily defeated an enemy an entire major realm above him. Had powerful figures from the upper ranks of the Star Luo Empire not been present today, Huang Zichen might even have died here.

What a monstrous young man.

"Big brother, is he Lu Cheng?" Wei Ling'er leaned over, her large, vividly green eyes exceptionally excited.

"That's right... he's from our Heavenly Soul Empire, but he's far too proud. I'm afraid he'll be hard to get along with... uh." Lang Ya was still explaining when he turned and discovered that the girl was already heading toward Lu Cheng. He could not help smiling and shaking his head.

"Big brother?"

Another young man with thick arms cast him a questioning look.

Lang Ya shook his head. "No need. Let our little sister go. If they can form a friendly connection, it'll make a fine tale. But Lu Cheng clearly has a childhood sweetheart with him, so I'm afraid... she'll hit a wall."

Elsewhere.

"Wei Ling'er. You're very strong..."

"Lu Cheng. You're not weak either."

"Pfft~ That modest attitude is quite different from how you were just now." The long-legged girl covered her mouth and chuckled.

Very soon, however, a little sprout squeezed between them and hugged Lu Cheng's arm, seemingly staking her claim.

"I hope we'll meet again at the next Continental Soul Master Academy Tournament." Wei Ling'er glanced at Zhang Lexuan with a faint smile, paying no mind to this little girl who had yet to grow her first hair. She smiled at Lu Cheng, then turned and left without hesitation.

"Do you like her?" the little girl asked rather jealously.

"No." Lu Cheng raised his eyebrows.

"Then why did you keep staring at her legs?" Zhang Lexuan bent down to examine her own legs. Their shape and proportions were quite good, but since she had yet to grow, they were still short little legs. She pouted and grumbled.

"I was just curious about how all those people from the Body Sect look so strangely shaped..." Lu Cheng said without blushing or missing a beat.

"Am I beautiful?" Zhang Lexuan forcibly pushed her delicate, lovely little face into Lu Cheng's field of vision and even struck a pose.

"Cute." Lu Cheng nodded.

"Beautiful?" Zhang Lexuan persisted, blinking her eyes.

"...Beautiful."

"Then why are your eyes closed, hey!!!"

"..."

[Mission complete. Rating: SSS. Reward: all Soul Rings' ages increased by one thousand years.]

Dazzling everyone with my skills, huh? This should put me on certain people's radar.

Lu Cheng raised his head and looked across the noisy banquet hall. Through the window, he could see dark clouds shrouding what had been a clear sky, with scattered raindrops falling to the ground.

This screwed-up world is so fucking dark.

If I hadn't known about Zhang Lexuan's tragedy beforehand, I probably would've spent my days in a drunken dream amid this illusion of tender comfort too. Without strength, everything would ultimately become a bursting bubble.

But this works out nicely too.

Someone has to play the villain, don't they...

Then play along with me.

Lu Cheng vaguely caught sight of a snow-white figure flashing past outside the window, and a smile slowly curled his lips.

Shrek Academy, absent from this gathering.