1502 End of the Interview
"I'm done," Yuan called out to Yan Xiaoxiao, startling her, who was absorbed with her new collection.
"Eh?! Ah! Right!" Yan Xiaoxiao hastily stowed away her personal camera and retrieved the one used for the interview.
After taking a moment to look through her notes, she asked, "Do you have any specific goal you're chasing in Cultivation Online?"
"I wanted to explore the entire world of Cultivation Online when I first started. While that is true still, I have a different goal now—one that I am still trying to comprehend fully."
This goal was shared by all of his incarnations, so Yuan was certain that he would eventually have to face it even if he didn't know the details for now.
"A goal you don't comprehend? Sounds complicated." Yan Xiaoxiao muttered.
She continued, "What is the Demon Sealing Faction's relationship with the Eternal Lotuses? Rumors have been saying you fought the Fiery Locust Swarm for them."
"We're in an alliance, and they were being bullied by the Fiery Locust Swarm, so I decided to teach them a lesson."
"Oh?! Since when did you form the alliance with each other?!" Yan Xiaoxiao's eyes flickered at his surprising news.
"It was established only recently."
"Since the Fiery Locust Swarm is under the Fiery Garden of Hell's command, is your challenge to the Fiery Garden of Hell related to the Eternal Lotuses?"
"No, my challenge to the Fiery Garden of Hell—or more specifically—Fiery Queen, has little to do with the Eternal Lotuses and is more personal."
"I guess that confirms the rumor about you and the Fiery Queen being on bad terms. Can you tell us the reason?" Yan Xiaoxiao asked.
"It's nothing crazy. We had a little skirmish inside Cultivation Online. I wanted to keep our drama inside Cultivation Online, but she decided to involve my friends and family outside of Cultivation Online, so I am just responding to her provocation."
"Is that so… then…"
Time passed quickly, and it was noon before Yan Xiaoxiao was aware.
"Okay, let's end it here. I have more than enough material to make several movies." Yan Xiaoxiao said with a satisfied smile.
During the interview, she asked Yuan over a hundred questions, most of which related to Cultivation Online.
"Once again, thank you for giving me this opportunity to interview the Demon Sealing Faction!" Yan Xiaoxiao bowed to him.
"In the future, if there's a chance, I would like to interview your journey in Cultivation Online, too."
Yuan nodded, "If there's ever an opportunity."
"I will send you the interview first once I complete it. If there is anything you would like me to edit or remove, just let me know!"
Yan Xiaoxiao stayed the night and joined them for breakfast the following day.
After breakfast, Yan Xiaoxiao went to the training ground to spar with Yuan.
Yan Xiaoxiao was only at the fifth level of Spirit Master, and she wielded a sword.
"Please go easy on me," she said.
"That's only natural. Otherwise, I would kill you in the blink of an eye." Yuan chuckled.
"You know what I mean…"
"Then I'll assess your current level first. Come at me with everything you've got. You saw how the others sparred with me yesterday, right? Fight as if your life depends on it. Don't worry about hurting me because you won't be able to do so."
Hearing his provocative words at the end, Yan Xiaoxiao felt the urge to prove him wrong and quickly wore a serious expression on her face.
Once she was prepared, Yan Xiaoxiao lunged at Yuan and started attacking him with all of her power.
Yuan didn't say anything and either dodged or blocked her attacks for the first few minutes.
Once he fully understood Yan Xiaoxiao's strengths and weaknesses, he started lecturing her through divine sense, even demonstrating it through their spar.
Yan Xiaoxiao rarely engaged in combat and never had an instructor. Her inexperience was evident in her stiff and awkward movements.
'It's been a while since I last fought someone this inexperienced.' Yuan smiled inwardly.
Their spar ended quickly because Yan Xiaoxiao, despite going all out, didn't know how to utilize her energy properly and ended up wasting most of it.
"You're a complete beginner… I didn't expect this." Yuan said afterward.
Yan Xiaoxiao showed an embarrassed smile and said, "I enjoy cultivating, but I don't enjoy fighting."
"It's okay to dislike fighting, but you should still prepare yourself for it. The world is becoming more dangerous, after all."
"I understand. I'll start training more often now."
Sometime later, Yan Xiaoxiao said goodbye to the Demon Sealing Faction and left the Dragon Spiral Mountain.
"Now that the interview is over, I'm going to return to Cultivation Online and start making my way to the Third Heaven," Yuan said to the others.
"How long do you plan on staying down there?" Shi Lang asked.
"Not long. I am meeting up with Bai Lianhua to give her some things, that's all."
Chu Liuxiang then asked, "What about us? Should we come with you?"
"You can stay in the Fourth Heaven and continue your training."
Later that night, Yuan followed Meixiu to her room to spend the night.
"Yuan, is everything okay?"
"Do I look worried about something?" Yuan raised his eyebrows in a puzzled manner.
"Not worried, but you have something on your mind, especially when you look at me—at least that's how it feels to me."
She caressed his face and sighed, "If there's anything you need to take off your chest, I am here."
Yuan didn't immediately answer, but after a moment of hesitation, he said in a low voice, "I recalled all of the Evil God's memories."
"All of it? How many years of experience is that?" Meixiu stared at him with wide eyes.
"Thousands and thousands of years of slaughter and atrocities… I don't even know where to begin…"
"I'm sorry… I want to understand, but I don't know how you feel, nor can I pretend to understand…"Meixiu sighed, her heart heavy, knowing she couldn't assist him.
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