Chapter 52 Dire Transformation

Xuan, showing no change in his expression whatsoever, slowly turned to face the young woman who had said this—it was Hui Feng, the zither-playing girl from the previous floor.

"… Zero? No, no. I'm a big fan, however."

"Ah… I see…" Hui Feng, for some reason, seemed disappointed, and turned away from Xuan, who couldn't help but narrow his eyes a bit.

'She could identify me at a glance…? Luckily, my cultivation is this low right now, so she isn't that suspicious of me… but I still have to get to the bottom of this.'

"Why do you ask?" Xuan continued, striking up the conversation once more. "Are you related to him, by any chance?"

"Related? Well… I wouldn't go as far as to say that, but he is my savior. It's just… he has most likely forgotten about me already, long ago…"

'I'm her… savior?' Xuan pondered for a moment, then decided he still needed more details to recall what happened.

"When was this, exactly?" He asked, careful not to push the edge too much.

"Why do you ask?" The girl asked in return, smiling sadly. "Ahh, forget it. I will see you in the arena."

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'… Well, that was a sudden shift of attitude.'

Though it made sense—judging from her combat style earlier, she was the type to be somewhat cold to strangers. If anything, the fact that she even told Xuan about Zero being her 'savior' was surprising. Honestly, the only reason she opened up slightly like that was most likely because Xuan shared the same appearance as Zero.

With a sigh, Xuan realized he wouldn't get any more info out of her, and set his focus back on the battle between the swordsman and the poet. But it was just then that he realized:

'… How did she figure out my appearance?'

Eyes widening, he suddenly turned back to Hui Feng, only to see a slight smile on her face.

'That girl… she played me.'

He'd been so busy trying to remember what happened in the past that he'd missed this slight detail.

'… Oh well. There's nothing my realization would've changed anyway…'

What was done was done. This girl, whether Xuan liked it or not, knew his true identity. And if his guess wasn't wrong, she identified that through his voice—the little mutter he'd let out subconsciously earlier. It was common knowledge that if one of a person's senses were gone, the remaining four senses would be heightened significantly—and since Hui Feng was a musician, her ears were her most valuable asset.

'But to think she was able to identify me just from one word…'

It was unbelievable, to say the least. Just how insanely powerful were this girl's ears? Everyone had a different and unique voice, just like fingerprints or appearances. And since no one really knew Zero well enough to disguise as him apart from those close to him—who had no motive to disguise as him—the girl must've deduced it was the person himself.

Xuan had a feeling that if he encountered a girl in the past with such powerful abilities, he would remember, but apparently not.

By the time he looked back at the ring, the duel was already over. The poet had ascended to the next and final floor, while the swordsman was forced to return to the previous one. As such, there were only two contestants left in this chamber, so the employee didn't even bother calling their numbers out and instead simply reset the spotlights in the arena.

Xuan, after taking a bite out of a steak to replenish his energy, walked onto the stage, while Hui Feng slowly stepped onto it from the other end, and sat down behind her zither.

"Now then, senior… it is time to show you the fruits of my training."

Xuan narrowed his eyes. He'd seen her fight once already—and she was going to be no easy opponent. Steeling his resolve and drawing his sword, he prepared for the battle to begin.

*****

- Meanwhile, A Certain Small Vilage -

[Mo Tao: Hey, can y'all confirm something for me? Check your Director's Quest tab and tell me if the Flaming Sands Field is… different.]

[Cui Dong: Huh… it is. It says 'Mutated Flaming Sands Field' now, and the description's changed too.]

[Hu Bao: Something about an ominous dark power awakening beneath the shifting sands…?]

[Xiao Wei: Hmm… the recommended power level's gone up to Flowing Qi stage as well.]

[Chen Fuxian: Should we still be participating, then? Sorry, new to the whole System thing still…]

[Cui Dong: Generally speaking, the recommended power level means jack shit. As long as you're at the minimum and have common sense, you'll be fine. Just make sure to learn a few good escape techniques.]

[Jiang Zemin: In the past, yes, that is the case. However, just keep in mind you only have one life. If you don't feel confident in doing something, then don't do it. That is my advice to you.]

[Anonymous: Cowards. With no risk comes no reward. The stakes have been raised, but so have the possible gains. Take a look for yourselves, idiots.]

Nine Heavens, scrolling through the Global Chat, set down his tiny cup of wine, and switched to the Director tab where all his Quests were listed. Indeed, the 'Flaming Sands Field' public event had its name changed, now with a 'Mutated' in front of the title. The background was also a deep and volatile purple instead of the usual clear, which caused Nine Heavens to narrow his eyes.

"… A Dire Quest, huh?"

<☣ Event: Mutated Flaming Sands Field>

<The annual opening of the blazing small world known as the Flaming Sands Field will be occurring soon. Inside, you will find treasure, artifacts, and the lost legacies of countless powerful cultivators. But as you fight above the surface, something far darker and more sinister lurks beneath the constantly shifting sands…>

Time remaining before start: 5d, 3h

Requirements: Must be a high-ranking disciple from a major sect in Sky Province and under Origin Transformation stage to participate.

Guaranteed Rewards:

- 10,000 Credits

Possible Rewards:

- Saint Grade (& Below) Artifacts

- Saint Grade (& Below) Techniques

- Rich Cultivation Locations

- ☣

- ☣

- ☣ ???'????

<Track>

Dire Quests—rarely, certain public events or quests would suddenly scale up in difficulty, ramping up the rewards that came with them as well. However, they usually only appeared in the later stages of the game, most commonly found in Tartarus. As such, a large part of the playerbase hasn't even seen one, much less participated in one.

"But… why is one appearing here?"

Nine Heavens frowned and exited his System, tightening his grip on the small marble wine cup in his hands. Ever since restarting life here, he's noticed that this world was no longer the same as it was in the past. So many strange things, so many oddities… so many differences.

The world was a lot harsher than it once was, put bluntly. But at the same time, there were far more opportunities. Primordial Soul Gems, for example, were needed for the creation of a Spirit, while Crimson Wrath Fruits were invaluable treasures for cultivators of the Fire-Attribute, much like Nine Heavens himself.

With a sigh, he stood up from his seat, left behind a few Spirit Crystals as a tip, and left the restaurant without looking back.

'This Dire transformation is a godsend for me, but… I'm not the only one who relies on the Fire Attribute,' he thought before pausing and tilting his head up towards the sky.

'Withering Flame… if he gets his hands on these fruits and the mysterious fire-attribute legacy, then…'

Nine Heaven's fists tightened, as he pictured the scene of both Zero and himself being swallowed by He Yiren's vengeful flames.