Chapter 71: Arcade Antics and Lingering Feelings

As for Long Qingqing, the young girl was diligently assisting Murong Fier, taking on tasks such as restocking inventory and explaining product uses to various Dragon wives.

****

Arcade Zone

Within the arcade zone, Leng Xi was engrossed in an arcade game with a strikingly beautiful young woman.

Calling it “playing” was a generous overstatement; in reality, she was simply toying with the girl.

After all, what else could one call a Dao Venerable playing against someone in the Soul Transformation stage but outright bullying?

The young woman possessed lustrous golden hair that cascaded down her back, and her clear, bright eyes sparkled with an intelligent light.

Adorned in a white and gold princess gown, her entire demeanor exuded an undeniable air of nobility, hinting at her extraordinary background.

“Wang Yu, if you lose again, you’ll be out of tokens.”

“Watch me! I’m absolutely going to defeat you!” Wang Yu declared, her voice a mix of petulance and determination.

“Oh, then let’s play another round!”

“Come on, bring it!”

Wang Yu, now completely caught up in the heat of the moment, was utterly oblivious to the trap Leng Xi had laid for her.

Leng Xi’s eyes gleamed with mischief, her heart secretly relishing the prospect of triumphing over Wang Yu.

She had long harbored a quiet envy for Wang Zhe, but alas, she was still no match for her.

Otherwise, why would she bother preying on a mere fourteen-year-old girl?

‘If I can’t have Wang Zhe, I’ll have her cousin!’

They were playing a fighting arcade game, and in a contest of combos and skill, Wang Yu was simply no match for Leng Xi.

One had just entered the Soul Transformation stage, while the other was already a Dao Venerable.

While Wang Yu was still contemplating her next move, Leng Xi had already simulated countless paths to victory, making the encounter a complete dimensional subjugation.

At the start of the match, Wang Yu’s character executed a dazzling combo, depleting a significant portion of Leng Xi’s character’s health bar.

Leng Xi, however, remained unfazed, carefully maintaining her act; otherwise, how would Wang Yu continue to fall into her scheme?

As the match progressed, Wang Yu found herself increasingly in her rhythm.

Meanwhile, Leng Xi’s character was left with barely a sliver of health.

“This princess is going to win!”

Wang Yu’s beautiful eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed at the screen, thrilled that she was finally on the verge of victory after countless losses.

“You’re celebrating far too soon,” Leng Xi suddenly remarked.

“What do you mean? You have so little health left! This young lady has already won!”

Wang Yu looked at Leng Xi with a triumphant air, as if to say, “Don’t even try to burst my bubble.”

“Watch my moves; I’m about to win!”

Leng Xi immediately unleashed a burst of energy, activating a brief invincibility frame that caused Wang Yu’s attack to miss entirely.

Leng Xi’s gaze sharpened, her fingers dancing across the arcade joystick with lightning speed.

Her character on screen displayed astonishing swiftness and agility, unleashing a dazzling succession of combos that relentlessly cornered Wang Yu’s character.

Wang Yu watched in dismay as her health bar steadily dwindled, a wave of panic rising within her.

Suddenly flustered, Wang Yu frantically mashed buttons and jostled the joystick, yet she found herself utterly unable to escape Leng Xi’s relentless assault.

She had believed victory was within her grasp, only to be met with Leng Xi’s fierce counterattack.

What followed was Wang Yu’s firsthand experience of an endless, devastating combo.

Wang Yu’s character remained suspended in the air, unable to land.

“How is this possible!”

As the letters “KO” flashed across the screen, the match drew to its inevitable close.

“Your controls are far too inferior compared to mine; you’re worse than a child.”

“Hmph, you must have cheated!”

Wang Yu glared at Leng Xi, her cheeks puffed out in indignation.

“How could I have cheated? You were watching me play the entire time.”

“One more round!”

Refusing to admit defeat, Wang Yu insisted on starting over.

“Hey, don’t lose again. You’ve already lost twelve times.”

“Who says? I can win this round!”

Wang Yu shouted, convinced that her previous loss was merely a blunder!

“But you’re out of tokens.

Or, how about this: if you lose, you take off a piece of clothing? What do you say?”

Wang Yu was so consumed by the desire to win that she would agree to anything.

“I…”

Just as Wang Yu was about to agree to another round, a loud flick echoed, landing squarely on her forehead.

“Thwack!”

Zhi Jiu stared expressionlessly at Leng Xi, who seemed oblivious to the danger she was in.

“You…”

Leng Xi clutched her smarting forehead, glaring furiously at Zhi Jiu.

“What are you doing! Why did you hit me!”

Leng Xi’s furious gaze bore into Zhi Jiu. ‘You cold, emotionless person, why did you suddenly interrupt me?’

Leng Xi couldn’t comprehend it. ‘Why do you have to interfere even when I’m just teasing a young girl? Wang Yu has nothing to do with you, does she!’

“By the looks of it,” Zhi Jiu calmly stated, “you’re trying to be a lolicon, aren’t you?”

‘Where did you even learn that word? And is Wang Yu even a loli? She’s a maiden, for goodness sake!’

‘Oh, wait! Considering the Royal Dragon race’s lifespan, Wang Yu *is* indeed a loli.’

Leng Xi shot a disgusted look at the impassive Zhi Jiu. “I’ll do as I please! And that term you just used, Xian Yuan taught you that, didn’t she?”

Upon receiving the reply, Zhi Jiu felt a subtle discomfort, yet she struggled to pinpoint the source of this elusive emotion within her.

Zhi Jiu herself was bewildered.

While Leng Xi was notoriously whimsical, her actions often reckless, and her demeanor seemingly frivolous, whenever Leng Xi openly expressed affection for someone else, Zhi Jiu invariably felt an inexplicable emptiness in her heart.

Had Xian Yuan been present at that moment, she undoubtedly would have burst into her top hit: “This is love↗↘, this is love↗↘, this is love↗↘, this is love↗↘, this is love↘↘.”

Admittedly, Zhi Jiu had initially been displeased by Leng Xi’s frivolous advances.

Furthermore, Leng Xi had a notorious reputation among the Water Elf clan; at least, according to the rumors Zhi Jiu had heard, nine out of ten families had suffered her mischief.

Even the Forest of Elves kept a wide berth from this female rogue.

Thus, when Leng Xi approached the Ice Elf clan, Zhi Jiu had not hesitated to engage her in combat.

A significant reason was her fear that the young women of her clan would be harmed by this individual.

Subsequently, their battle raged from the Forest of Elves all the way to the Eastern Sea, where, by some unknown trigger, they were abruptly drawn into the Eastern Sea Secret Realm.

During their confinement, they had exhausted every conceivable method of escape, all to no avail.

Eventually, they had no choice but to surrender, resigning themselves to life within the Secret Realm.

In the beginning, Leng Xi’s mischievous nature remained unchecked, and she would provoke Zhi Jiu at every opportunity, leading to constant commotion.

Throughout this period, Leng Xi had also spouted numerous “golden phrases” to tease her.

For instance: ‘If Heaven hasn’t given you what you desire, it’s not because you don’t deserve it, but because you are worthy of something far greater.’

‘The more isolated I am, the fewer friends I have, and the less support I receive, the more I must respect myself.’

‘If you enjoy reminiscing, then only recall pleasant memories.’

‘One can only see the truth when they look with their heart. The true nature of things is invisible to the eye.’

‘Do not swear by the moon, for it is inconstant, changing monthly in its phases. Should you swear by it, perhaps your love will be as inconstant as it.’

Xian Yuan had once remarked, –”These words sound so familiar. Haven’t I seen them somewhere before?”–

Naturally, the pair paid her no mind.

Unbeknownst to them, from their ill-fated acquaintance in ancient times to their current predicament within the Secret Realm, their pattern of bickering and playful sparring had long since become an ingrained habit.

The river of time had gradually transformed Zhi Jiu’s initial disdain and dislike into a profound sense of awareness and concern.

Earlier, when Murong Fier and Xian Yuan were being teased, Zhi Jiu had felt an unspeakable unease, prompting her to decisively intervene.

–”Sister Zhi Jiu, I fear you might have Stockholm Syndrome.”–