Chapter 13

Leo, like an indestructible cockroach, quickly scrambled up from the floor, bouncing with energy.

“Teacher, teacher, am I not incredible?!” Leo preened.

Amuruo’s expression was complicated—a mixture of exasperation, gratification, and pride. For once, when Leo called him “teacher,” he didn’t smack him into the wall so hard he’d have to be pried off.

“Leo is truly a genius,” Perila murmured to himself.

Qin Lang glanced at Perila.

The look of envy on Perila’s face was blatant, but the curve of his brows and the corners of his mouth were just as undeniable.

Qin Lang withdrew his gaze and emptied his mind.

Thinking about the plot and such was too troublesome. He’d wait until Xia Xifeng arrived, hand over all the gathered intel, and let Xia Xifeng deal with the headache. Xia Xifeng enjoyed this kind of thing anyway.

The moment Qin Lang thought of Xia Xifeng, Xia Xifeng arrived.

Seeing Qin Lang slumped in the corner, the exhaustion in his eyes immediately cleared.

In three quick steps, Xia Xifeng darted to Qin Lang’s side, crouched down, and poked his arm.

“Tss…” Qin Lang, whose muscles were stiff as iron, instantly flinched. The cool, aloof posture he’d painstakingly maintained collapsed.

To ensure Qin Lang retained “muscle memory” and “rehabilitated” as quickly as possible, Amuruo had forbidden external medicine, letting his body recover naturally from its fatigue.

Xia Xifeng’s lips curved into a mischievous cat-like smirk, his eyes narrowing into slits. “Oh my, Qin Lang, why are you sitting on the ground? Why don’t you stand up?”

Poke, poke again. Poke his face, poke his hand, poke his waist. Poke, poke, poke…

“Xia… Xi… Feng!” Qin Lang desperately wanted to punch him, but right now, even moving a finger was a struggle. He could only let Xia Xifeng “torment” him.

“Calling me for what? Oh dear, is your throat hoarse? Did the wind leak out?” Xia Xifeng continued poking until Qin Lang couldn’t hold himself up and toppled onto the ground, only then withdrawing his hand with satisfaction.

Xia Xifeng looked up and found everyone staring at them with indescribably strange expressions.

Instant awkwardness.

“I was just joking with him, not bullying him,” Xia Xifeng said, trying to salvage his dignity.

Leo and Perila exchanged a knowing, “you get it” glance.

They hadn’t been bothered by Xia Xifeng “bullying” anyone. They just felt that Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang’s open, flirty bickering—oblivious to their audience—showed a bond so strong it made onlookers feel slightly embarrassed.

Honestly, if Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang were just more open about it, they wouldn’t mind. But for some reason, even though the two slept together every night and shared an intimacy that allowed silent communication with mere glances, they stubbornly insisted they were just “fellow townsfolk, not even friends.”

The two clumsily trying to hide it, yet constantly failing to conceal their excessive harmony and closeness—that’s what made observers feel vicariously shy.

Leo and Perila had spent a few more days with them, so their feelings were a bit more complex. To Amuruo and Suer, they simply thought, “Young couples these days are so clingy.” As for Damon, he was starting to reconsider his “single” persona.

But then, thinking about all the annoyances of couple adjusting, Damon just left it at a thought. He didn’t even have a childhood friend, so he certainly wasn’t going to bother adjusting with a stranger.

In this western fantasy world, sexual orientation was fluid. Straight guy Xia Xifeng and straight guy Qin Lang were completely oblivious that their normal interactions could be so drastically misinterpreted.

Everyone present was a person of decency and quickly averted their gazes.

Xia Xifeng, being thick-skinned, stopped feeling awkward the moment others stopped.

He pulled Qin Lang, whom he’d poked to the ground, back up. “Is it over already?”

Leo grinned proudly and boasted, “It’s over! You missed my amazing ultimate move!”

Xia Xifeng played along, “How amazing?”

Leo gave a thumbs-up, smug, “The kind of amazing that opens the Path to Godhood!”

Xia Xifeng froze for a moment. “The Path to Godhood? Weren’t you the one who couldn’t even beat wild beasts?”

Qin Lang said, “He was wearing Power Suppression Runes.”

Xia Xifeng couldn’t believe it. Even with Power Suppression Runes, a master was still a master. Forget combat experience—shouldn’t he at least maintain a master’s dignity?

What kind of expert, already at the level of seeking the Path to Godhood, gets driven to screaming for help by a few wild animals?

And worse, this expert, because two newbies “saved his life,” had entrusted them with a lifelong token of friendship?

Xia Xifeng, who had always scolded Qin Lang for his prejudice against Halflings, had to admit at this moment: the Halfling race was indeed a bit… peculiar.

Despite Leo’s relaxed demeanor, his body was clearly at its limit.

Suer interrupted the chatting youths, ordering servants to carry Leo and Qin Lang to the medicinal baths. Once they’d recovered some strength, there would be a grand feast tonight.

Amuruo objected, “I wanted them to sleep with their exhaustion, to better temper their wills.”

Suer replied, “They are both resilient children; there’s no need for this masochistic tempering.”

Amuruo: “Do you understand combat, or do I?”

Suer: “I do.”

Amuruo gave up reasoning with Suer and left the choice to Leo and Qin Lang.

Leo and Qin Lang, possessing unyielding wills, immediately chose to soak in the medicinal pools without a shred of hesitation, determined not to suffer unnecessarily.

Amuruo: “…” In the future, he’d continue forbidding Leo from calling him teacher. Humiliating!

Xia Xifeng, curious about the medicinal pools, also wanted to tag along.

Suer told Xia Xifeng to soak in a different pool, one that restored mental energy. “Each pool has its own effect. The body-tempering bath won’t do much for you.”

It’d still do something, right? At least make me more resilient to beatings. Xia Xifeng thought regretfully.

He needed to level his Life Skills quickly and make his own medicinal pools, so he could soak whenever he wanted.

Perila and Damon, though they hadn’t trained today, joined Xia Xifeng in the baths.

The three chatted about everything under the sun.

With so many books to read, Xia Xifeng’s original plan to ask Suer for guidance in Life Skills had been postponed. After a full day of cramming information, his mind was now packed with lore that players in this world didn’t know. His armchair expert skills had leveled up again, thoroughly fooling Perila and Damon.

It was only in this relaxed state that Xia Xifeng finally saw Qin Lang’s message.

Leo and Perila were both approaching the threshold of Legend? A smile remained on Xia Xifeng’s face, but his heart sank.

All post-natal deities transformed only after reaching the Legendary realm. If Perila was the Evil God Inson, rather than merely a follower, then the prologue of the Apocalypse wouldn’t begin until Perila ascended to Legend.

Xia Xifeng had assumed Perila and Leo were around the same level as him and Qin Lang, a long way from Legend, giving them ample time to explore this world.

He recalled the information he had gathered and submerged his head in the water to blow bubbles.

There was no room for wishful thinking. No matter how uneasy he felt, he had to face reality.

After a luxurious bath, Xia Xifeng changed into the clothes Suer had prepared for him.

He could make his own clothes, but Suer looked down upon Xia Xifeng’s current craftsmanship.

After inspecting Xia Xifeng’s current “handiwork,” Suer placed an unlimited purchase order.

Xia Xifeng’s craft might be rough, but it was perfect for the vast majority of common combat-class citizens in the city.

System-produced goods were stable in quality, affordable, and practical. Xia Xifeng could earn this world’s money and materials, while Suer could reduce the city’s budget for purchasing low-grade equipment by twenty to thirty percent. A win-win deal.

However, when it came to the clothing and equipment Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang wore themselves, Suer absolutely wouldn’t let the two mess around.

Once Xia Xifeng could handcraft superior gear suited to them without relying on “Divine Favor,” that would be one thing. But until then, Suer refused to allow a single inferior item on his juniors (dragon eggs).

Unfortunately, high-level equipment required strong physical and mental fortitude to support. Wearing over-leveled gear was not only useless but would “drain” the wearer dry. Otherwise, Suer would absolutely equip them both with the highest-grade luxurious gear.

For now, he could only dress them up in the highest-grade luxurious clothes.

When Suer heard that Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang could hide their equipment from the start, he forcefully demanded they wear the finest clothes every day.

Afraid of ruining them? Do you underestimate my craftsmanship?!

Suer’s aesthetic sense was superb. The clothes he selected for Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang perfectly suited their individual styles, using the finest materials, yet the appearance wasn’t ostentatious or luxurious.

In stark contrast, Amuruo, who tried to butt in on choosing their clothes and accessories, had an aesthetic sense that was… somewhat questionable.

Xia Xifeng: [Come to think of it, a dragon’s aesthetic leans towards the nouveau riche—they love adorning their clothes with the most precious, shiniest treasures, like a walking gemstone rack. Elves are the ones known for elegance. Why does Mr. Suer have elven-like taste, while the City Lord acts like a dragon? Is the City Lord joking with us? His own clothes are perfectly normal.]

Qin Lang: [Maybe Mr. Suer picked them.]

After pondering it, Xia Xifeng decided Qin Lang was absolutely right. Given how much Mr. Suer cared about what all of them juniors were wearing, there was no way he’d let City Lord Amuruo, who constantly hovered under his watchful eye, dress in anything that didn’t match his standards.

Suer’s care for Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang extended far beyond just attire.

While Xia Xifeng was buried in his books, Suer had already selected a “Knight’s Domain” for them and summoned craftsmen using the City Lord’s decree.

The Knight’s Domain for Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang was one of the most dangerous regions within the wastelands needing reclamation, farthest from Green Sand City’s core defensive perimeter. Correspondingly, it held the greatest potential for development, with the promise of becoming a new burgeoning city.

This area was originally patrolled by Halflings living in the Sunflower Valley. Besides farming and throwing banquets, Halflings disliked all other tedious affairs—especially the power-wrangling and socializing of political circles, full of hypocrisy and tangled interests.

Suer was confident the Halflings would be more than happy to let Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang shoulder these heavy responsibilities. The Halflings would become the first residents of Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang’s Knight’s Domain.

Suer laid the foundation of their Knight’s Domain, even helping them construct the Knight’s Castle.

Only the best materials were used.

To Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang, who were reluctant to owe more favors, Suer said, “If we half-heartedly make do, tearing it down and rebuilding later would be even more troublesome. Better to plan well from the start and build according to the plan. I’m only helping you build your residence; you’ll handle the expansion yourselves. As for the needed building materials, I’ll keep them on your tab. You can repay slowly. And as for these clothes, they are gifts from an elder. Refusal is not an option.”

Amuruo added, “Remember that old saying? ‘Never refuse a dragon’s goodwill.’ Don’t refuse. It’s useless even if you do.”

Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang could only silently note down another massive debt.

Debt pressure was truly immense.

Both Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang were unaccustomed to being surrounded by hordes of servants—a trait they shared with Suer and Amuruo. In Suer’s blueprint, their living quarters alone resembled a standalone three-story farmhouse in the middle of a field. Servants would only come for daily cleaning.

Suer added ten magical puppets to their bill, constructs capable of handling all household chores without disrupting the duo’s private life.

He gifted the magical puppet blueprints to Xia Xifeng, encouraging him to develop puppets with even more functions—even though Xia Xifeng currently couldn’t craft a single puppet component.

Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang were left dizzy by Suer’s generosity and the crushing weight of debt.

They were still dazed when they settled into the castle, only snapping back to reality after the lights were off and they lay flat.

Xia Xifeng stammered, “Leo and the others… they weren’t surprised at all?”

Qin Lang: “They’re probably used to it.”

Xia Xifeng muttered quietly, “What gloomy dragon? He’s clearly a super kind, doting dragon mom who spoils the youngsters.”

Qin Lang disliked speaking ill of others behind their backs; he merely nodded in the darkness.

After stabilizing their emotions, the two were silent for a moment before exchanging the intel they’d gathered that day.

“Leo’s unfinished technique is the power covering the wound on Inson’s chest.”

After listening to Leo describe his concept for the move, Qin Lang was certain.

The Path of Legend was the path of “Transcendence.”

Using combat as an analogy, all deities were “Conceptual Gods.” Ordinary attacks couldn’t injure a deity. So-called “Transcendence” was the gradual metamorphosis towards a “Divine Body,” capable of harming gods.

The difference between a Demigod and a true God lay only in whether they had ignited Divine Flame, completely severing ties with the mortal world. A God’s upper limits were higher than a Demigod’s, but not all Gods surpassed Demigods in martial might. Demigods could slay Gods.

Leo’s ability to create a move that injured Amuruo meant he’d found the key to the Path of Godhood, confirming players’ speculation that Amuruo had long since become a Demigod.

Xia Xifeng tried hard to understand. “Him comprehending this move is the difference between ‘completely immune to damage’ and ‘dealing -1, -1, -1s’ when you were fighting the boss?”

Qin Lang: “Yeah. In Leo’s vision, the ultimate form of this move means that as long as his will endures—even if he’s already fallen—the wound he creates will never heal.”

Xia Xifeng’s breathing became short and ragged. His voice muffled, he asked, “I see. It’s strange, isn’t it? If Leo truly left an unhealing wound on Evil God Inson’s Divine Body, his name would echo through the ages, even if he died. At the very least, his fame would be huge in Green Sand City and among the Halflings. What exactly happened?”

The two were sharing a blanket to whisper privately.

Qin Lang reached out, pulling Xia Xifeng’s shoulder closer, gently patting it.

The highly emotional Xia Xifeng was definitely secretly crying. What a hassle.

Xia Xifeng forcibly held back the tears. “I also have bad news. Remember the quest ‘Bloody Wedding’? On the day the daughter of Blackstone Town’s mayor got married, Blackstone Town was annihilated by corrupted monsters. In the quest dungeon, there are many talkative Undead NPCs. One of them, a gatekeeper spirit, said that when the mayor’s daughter first met her sweetheart, he planted an apple tree at the city gate. When the apple tree bore fruit five years later, the mayor’s daughter happened to be getting married. He brewed wine from the first harvest and gifted it to the bride and groom…”

Xia Xifeng had spotted a recent news piece about Blackstone Town, tucked among caravan advertisements.

Blackstone Town was originally a mining town. The local residents were skilled at brewing fruit wine. Now, with the town’s mineral veins nearly depleted, a new mayor had introduced fruit trees from various regions, aiming to transform the town into a destination for tourism and fruit wine.

The news article said that Blackstone Town, with the help of a merchant caravan, had successfully cultivated saplings of an apple variety named “Beloved.” It boasted about the apple’s deep red color, how sweet its taste, how intoxicating its aroma, and how finicky and demanding its growing conditions were.

Qin Lang remembered the quest, just not the Undead NPC’s dialogue.

Who, when speed-clearing a dungeon, talks to every single Undead NPC completely unrelated to the boss fight? Even when they are relevant, Qin Lang slammed the skip button.

Xia Xifeng brought this up, and Qin Lang followed his train of thought. “The apple tree at the city gate… could it have been planted just now?”

Xia Xifeng took a deep breath and said, “We’ll know once we go take a look.”

If he truly found that fruit tree, the timeline of the Apocalypse’s arrival would become very clear.

The two spoke no more.

Shoulder pressing against shoulder, their shared body heat spreading beneath the blanket. Xia Xifeng closed his eyes and stopped his pointless thoughts.

He’d overtaxed his brain today. He was too tired.

Just as Xia Xifeng was about to fall asleep, he felt a massive shove, then a sudden chill against his body.

“Go back to your own blanket.”

“Qin Lang, you son of a bitch! Would it kill you to share half your blanket?!”

“Your sleeping posture is terrible.”

“Tch.”