Journey · Qiongzhou Arc (Twenty-Two): Beach Volleyball (Part One)

As everyone knows, if you're asking what activity is most suitable to be held on a summer beach, it's definitely...

"Heave-ho!" Yangyang leaped up as lightly as a black bird, forcefully slapping the volleyball down from mid-air.

"I'll catch it!" Lynae reacted quickly, using her arm to catch the volleyball flying straight towards her.

Sigrika saw the volleyball that Lynae had set up, and after a brief moment of preparation, she leaped high into the air and delivered a powerful spike that sent the volleyball whistling through the air.

With a thud, the volleyball crashed heavily onto the beach, the impact instantly stirring up a cloud of dust.

Yangyang reacted quickly, immediately using her Resonance Power to disperse the sand and dust, thus preventing her good sister from getting dizzy and disoriented.

"Ah, sorry!" Sigrika, realizing she had used too much force, froze in place in a panic. "I didn't mean to..."

"Cough cough... ptooey..." Suisui spat out all the sand she had accidentally inhaled. "This girl is really strong..."

That's right, these girls are playing beach volleyball right now, but don't worry about what kind of beach volleyball it is for now.

"That girl, Sigrika, looks so delicate, but when she puts her strength into it, she can take on ten Dingxuan Guards," Heartfox exclaimed in amazement. "Qingxiao, have you ever considered taking her as your disciple?"

"This girl has an exceptional temperament and remarkable talent. If given the opportunity, I would naturally like to recruit her." Qingxiao's cold blue eyes revealed a sense of appreciation for her talent. "However, judging from the marks on her, she must have a legitimate reason for doing so. Poaching someone else's talent is against the rules for me."

"To get back to the point, where is my disciple now? Knowing his nature, he certainly wouldn't miss such a beautiful occasion."

"You've reminded me. Doesn't the Charioteer love watching girls fight? He should be clapping and cheering at a time like this..."

What do you mean I like watching girls fight?

"Master, you've arrived?" Heartfox rolled over on the deck chair, greeting Xiao Ling had come to the beach with a cold drink, with a languid posture. "It was just a joke earlier, please don't take it to heart."

"What? Afraid I'll give you extra training?" Xiao Ling placed a glass of cold drink on the small round table next to Heartfox's recliner, and then handed another glass to Qingxiao.

"Is this extra training you're doing legitimate extra training?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm asking." Xiao Ling reached out and ruffled her Sentinel's fox ears. "Aren't you going to go play with them for a bit?"

"I don't want to move right now~" Heartfox took the initiative, rubbing her entire face into her master's hand.

"I just can't do anything with you..."

As Xiao Ling was pondering how to get the fox up and stretch its legs, his killing intent sense immediately detected something flying towards him.

Then, he calmly raised his hand and caught the volleyball flying towards him.

"Oh no, I failed to ambush them... I specifically seized this perfect opportunity..."

Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow, then looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Sigrika had somehow gotten close to him, her eyes filled with a hint of resentment at the failed sneak attack.

"Xixi, how did you become so naughty?" he said, feigning sadness. "I've always treated you well, and you actually tried to plot against me..."

"Sure, you're just pretending." Sigrika strode up to Xiao Ling, pouting as she pinched his thick cheek. "You wouldn't act like this if you were truly heartbroken."

How did you know?

"Because when I'm really sad, I just want to be alone and quiet, and I would never be in such a lively place. I guess you feel the same way, senior?"

"You understand me," Xiao Ling said with a smile. "So, what brings you here?"

"Want to play beach volleyball together?" Sigrika invited with a bright smile.

"That's certainly possible," Xiao Ling nodded with a smile. "Let me invite my partner."

Having said that, he squatted down, teasing Xin's fox ears as he invited, "Hey, Sentinel Sui, how about you do me the honor of playing a game of beach volleyball with me?"

"Hmm?" Heartfox let out a soft, seductive moan, then smiled and replied, "Alright, I will obey your command."

"Let's go then."

Xiao Ling extended his hand in a gentlemanly gesture, Heartfox naturally and calmly took his hand. The two then walked together toward the beach volleyball court.

Our Little Orange stood there stunned for a while before belatedly realizing that he had been suddenly stuffed with a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).

"Senior!!!"

"Hmm? Lord Xin, and Brother Ling, are you coming to play too?" A little tired, Suisui brushed aside her sweat-dampened hair and saw Xiao Ling leading Heartfox to the competition venue.

"After sunbathing for so long, I need to stretch a bit." Heartfox stretched languidly. "So, what exactly is this beach volleyball game?"

"This is very simple. Look, like this."

Suisui easily tossed the volleyball up, then leaped into the air, aiming at its position, and slammed it hard against the other side of the net with her right palm.

"Oh~" Heartfox nodded twice, it was unclear whether she understood or not.

"Of course, it can be like this, Yangyang, cooperate with me."

Yangyang caught the volleyball and tossed it into the air, while Suisui simply lifted it up with her hand and accurately sent the volleyball over the net.

"Like this, it's very simple," Suisui said with a bright smile. "Did you learn it?"

"I think we might need to test it in actual combat?" Heartfox said with a smile.

"It's okay, having fun is the most important thing. The stage is yours then, right?" Suisui nodded, then led Yangyang to rest on the side.

"Master, have you learned it?" Heartfox turned to Xiao Ling and asked, "I can teach you step by step."

"That's not necessary, I already know a little bit." Xiao Ling chuckled and shrugged.

But Heartfox didn't seem satisfied with this answer, and glared at the other party angrily.

"Forget it, it seems I don't need to put much effort into the Charioteer." She said with a hint of resentment, "Then what about our opponent...?"

"It's right here!"

Xiao Ling and Heartfox looked across the net and saw Lynae and Sigrika waving at them from the other side.

"Here you go!" Lynae precisely handed the volleyball to Xiao Ling. "You guys serve!"

"Heave-ho!" Xiao Ling caught the volleyball and immediately handed it to Heartfox. "Here, why don't you give it a try?"

After smiling back, Heartfox took the volleyball from Xiao Ling's hand and began to recall Suisui's teaching.

"Hmm... I remember that's how Miss Suisui taught me..."

She used some force to toss the volleyball into the air, and then...

"Bang!" The volleyball was hit hard and slammed straight into the sand behind Lynae and Sigrika, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Lynae, Sigrika:?

The sudden spike from Xin left the three people present and the Yang Sui sisters watching completely stunned.

"Sister, didn't you teach Mr. Xin how to serve?" Yangyang asked doubtfully.

"Uh... it seems I really didn't teach her?" Suisui Sui said awkwardly.

"Oh dear, that's not how you play volleyball!"

At this moment, Xiao Ling stepped forward as a temporary instructor and began to teach basic serving techniques.

Having received guidance, they naturally regrouped and started serving again. This time it went smoothly, and the four of them were finally able to enjoy playing beach volleyball.

That's at least how it should have been...

Boom!

Another powerful smash! If Miss Xin hadn't caught the ball with lightning speed, Little Dragon Girl beside her would have been in serious trouble.

But actually, Xixi could have used time stop?

"Okay, here you go." Jinhsi nodded with a smile.

"Not bad, Sister Xin, you caught it all." Aemeath praised with a smile.

"Look at what you're saying! I'm just a weak woman, so please, Little Ai Sister Ai, show me some mercy!" Heartfox said with a smile.

"A weak woman wouldn't throw a house at someone!" Cartethyia strongly objected.

"Exactly!" Little Ai chimed in.

As you can see, this is the current situation: four Sentinel and Tacet Discord Resonators are playing beach volleyball, and the scene is quite intense.

The area around them was riddled with craters from the volleyballs, which showed just how intense their battle was. Xiao Ling immediately led the other girls to create a safe distance.

"Are they really playing volleyball?" Dania muttered abruptly, biting her straw. "I have a feeling there's a bit of personal grudge going on."

"Uh, who knows... haha." Xiao Ling laughed awkwardly.

If we're talking about personal grudges, it probably only comes down to that time when Heartfox sneaked away in my dream...

The camera pans back to the four players playing beach volleyball, where Aemeath delivers another powerful spike to the blind spot in Heartfox and Jinhsi's defense.

Normally, such an attack would be difficult to withstand, but Xiaolongnu made her move.

Little Ai clearly saw that the high-speed volleyball was momentarily slowed by an unknown force just as it crossed the grid, and then Heartfox caught it steadily.

"Hey, Xixi, that's foul!" Aemeath said angrily, pouting.

"I don't recall the game rules specifically mentioning that Resonance Power cannot be used, right?" Jinhsi said with her smile undiminished. "So this isn't a foul."

"Play it like this?" When it comes to Resonance Ability, Cartethyia is really into it.

Then, a gust of wind howled past, Fleurdelys made her grand entrance.

"Hmm~ This posture is definitely better, it allows me to unleash my full power at will." She stretched her body, her tone unusually serious.

Heartfox: Okay, if you change, I'll change too.

Immediately afterwards, a streak of foxfire swept across the entire area, and Miss Heartfox activated her Great Golden Fox form.

"It seems the battle is only just beginning." With her new form, Heartfox's tone became even more imposing.

"Wow... what a pity, I can't summon the Tacet Discord Armament..." Little Ai said enviously, "Otherwise, I would have transformed too!"

(So guess which of the four people present doesn't have a second form?)

Jinhsi suddenly felt a twitch in the corner of her eye. She realized that she seemed to have done something unnecessary, which ended up making things more difficult for herself.

"Well, I think it's best if we don't make such a big fuss..."

That's true, but the current situation can't be resolved with simple advice.

As a result, the volleyball match that resumed immediately turned into a disaster, with explosions, the sound of hitting the ball, and sandstorms filling the air becoming the main themes of the game.

"Ha..." Xiao Ling sighed and rubbed his forehead. It seemed he would have to teach these girls a lesson afterward.