Chapter 72 - Master Returns

Cheng Xiu shook away the disorientation from being suddenly transported to the White Room.

She frowned.

In front of her stood the Red Door.

She didn't feel like she had achieved anything Cultivation-wise in this match, and yet, the Red Door had appeared.

The last time that the Red Door had appeared was for her Level breakthrough.

She assumed that the Door only appeared when it was time for her to Level up. Why was it here now? Did she guess wrong? Did the Door have a purpose beyond that?

The Red Door burst open.

Cheng Xiu readied herself.

Last time, she was sucked into the Dark Abyss by a strong wind.

There wasn't any this time.

A figure got out of the Door into the White Room. It was an old man with a white beard wearing teal robes. His face had to laugh lines that showed an innate kindness in them.

Cheng Xiu recognized the person.

It was the NPC who taught her the 10 Levels of True Qi Cultivation.

The old man smiled.

"You have completed Level One, and is standing at the cusp of Level Two Breakthrough. I have never seen anyone achieve such a fast Breakthrough before."

The man observed his surroundings. "But there is a reason for my presence here today. Many learned the True Qi Art, and yet…none of them achieved 100% comprehension…I knew of your potential then but I did not think you would stick with this cultivation for so long when it takes twice as much time to Level Up than any other Cultivation Method…Do you know? The people before you changed their Cultivation Method as soon as they heard that."

Cheng Xiu nodded. Gaming was all about trying to become stronger faster. Especially in a Leaderboard filled Game like The Other World. It made sense for players to choose the easiest route. The few who were stubborn would stick around for a few more months but would eventually quit.

"And so, when you came in I had no hope for you," the old man said. "But…your fame of 100% made people who were about to quit the path, endure and strive for their excellence. And then you made even more of fame through your World Announcements and your Fountains."

Cheng Xiu's eyebrow twitched at the last word. She was still a bit irritated at having lost the opportunity to get useful rewards and got Fountains instead. The entire Chosen One quest seemed like a scam at this point.

"You have proved that True Qi Cultivation is one of the best Cultivation Methods there is!" he said with a smile.

"Didn't you say it was the Greatest?"

"When did I say that?"

"When you were introducing yourself the first time."

"You are remembering wrong."

"I have an excellent memory."

The man sighed. "It is the greatest, but it still has a few competitors. Anyway! There is a reason I am here! I want to reward you for making people see the greatness of True Qi Cultivation."

"It better not be a damned fountain again."

The man gave her an awkward smile. "But fountains are great rewards! You have a monument to your name now! In your case, two of them! Don't people want to have statues and monuments built for them?"

"Not when they are useless in this world."

He frowned. "How is having a monument to your name useless. It is one of the primary conditions to"

The man paused, as though listening to an invisible person.

He nodded.

The Old Man focused his eyes on Cheng Xiu. "I'm not giving you a fountain though!"

Cheng Xiu wanted to ask what he was going to say. What would having a fountain to her name be a condition for? But, she kept her curiosity down. She had seen that glint in his eyes back when she first met him, and she had asked for the man's name. The man wouldn't give her an answer.

"So what are you giving me then?"

"Information."

Cheng Xiu raised her eyebrow. "Information? On what or whom?"

The Old Man smiled. "Maya is a powerful entity, able to analyse the thought process of all the people under her care to give them the best benefits."

Cheng Xiu knitted her eyebrows. Did all the NPCs know about AI? What was she to them? Mother? Creator? Guardian? Protector?

[All of them.]

Cheng Xiu blinked. She wasn't expecting the AI herself to answer. And why was this NPC randomly praising his creator?

The man smiled. "This means that there are things that people might not even think about themselves that Maya knows about."

Cheng Xiu gave him a hesitant nod.

"Which means there are ways for her to help people even in the Other World."

Cheng Xiu blinked. The hairs on her skin stood up, and her heart trembled in fear. "The Other World?"

The man nodded. "The place that the Potential Immortals come from. People like you."

Cheng Xiu wanted to back away. She did not like the words that the NPC was saying. She had always assumed that the knowledge of the real world would not be comprehended by the NPCs of the VR. It meant there was no filter between NPCs and Players who talked about the game!

[Don't worry. There is. There are just a few NPCs who are exempted from it when they are supposed to fulfil a task. The filter would be raised once the task is done.]

Cheng Xiu relaxed. Then her mind comprehended what the NPC had said. Maya could help the Potential Immortals in the Other World? Did that mean that AI could influence the players outside the VR?

Cheng Xiu's mind went back to the moments when she had felt as though there was something different about her. Almost like she was going through an Awakening of her own. Could it be that the feeling was also influenced by the AI?

She had played many games that alluded to Qi-Awakening but it was this game that came close to it in the VR but if it could do the same for her real body…

"And your reward for exposing the power of True Qi Cultivation for the world to see is that…in your next fight, try to learn the fighting style of the opponent as much as you can."

Cheng Xiu frowned. "If it was something important, I would have given it my attention even without that incentive. That was useless."

The man sighed. "Your next opponent is a bit like that EverHill. Someone who used their Qi skill in our world as well."

Cheng Xiu understood. Her next opponent was someone who could use Qi Manifestation in the game as well as they can in the real world. "Understood. But it still not that helpful."

The man pursed his lips. "You might also have to use your Jade bracelet a few times."

Cheng Xiu stilled. Her Jade Bracelet's speciality was that it would expose those who are hidden. She had hidden kills then?

"Thank you for your help."

"Do you want to practice your fight style with me before I go?" the NPC asked.

Cheng Xiu thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Release your weapon then!"

Cheng Xiu pulled her sword out of its sheath.

A golden sword materialized in his hand.

The two looked at each other from across the White Room and in a tacit understanding leapt at each other.