Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal? Chapter 886: Beat the Young, the Old Arrives

"Master, you desire a World Ring? Do not fret, once this grand award ceremony concludes, your disciple shall endeavor to procure the finest World Ring available!"

It was indeed a rare occasion to hear her master voice a personal request.

Now that an opportunity had arisen for her to finally assist her master, a subtle delight bloomed within her heart~

Truthfully, Li Qingran harbored a secret wish that her master's strength wouldn't vastly surpass her own. The sheer frustration of witnessing her master face insurmountable difficulties, leaving her utterly powerless to intervene, was a burden too heavy to bear.

The agony of seeing someone you cherished dearly imperiled, while you could only stand by as a helpless spectator, was a crushing despair.

This very same helplessness had gnawed at her when confronting Chen Huaian previously.

With her master currently in a state of diminished power, wasn't this the perfect moment to compensate and support them wholeheartedly?

On the illustrious award podium.

Two resplendent, vibrantly hued World Bones, akin to exquisite masterpieces, were presented before Li Qingran.

One comprised a left arm bone, rendered entirely in crystal, subtly resonating with whispers of wind and thunder. The other was a right leg bone, a fiery crimson hue, radiating an untamed, explosive energy.

As Li Qingran accepted the World Bones, a fleeting glimmer of hidden joy danced within her eyes.

The extent to which these two bones could augment her personal combat prowess was of little consequence to her.

Her primary concern was that her master was presently undergoing a critical stage of recovery and growth. Surely, these two bones, meticulously brewed into a nourishing soup, would prove exceptionally beneficial, wouldn't they?

"Congratulations, Li Qingran. This competition has been nothing short of phenomenal!"

Bixixi gazed upon Li Qingran with an expression brimming with satisfaction. Despite her lingering bewilderment regarding the enigmatic white-clothed swordsman, Li Qingran's so-called husband and Battle Soul, her admiration for Li Qingran remained undimmed.

An individual of Li Qingran's caliber was undeniably destined to become a cornerstone of the Battle Soul Hall. Once her cultivation reached its zenith, she would undoubtedly serve as an exemplary enforcer.

She must, therefore, be nurtured with utmost care.

One could only imagine what Bixixi's reaction would be if she were privy to Li Qingran's intention of boiling these prized World Bones into a restorative broth.

Chen Huaian's gaze lingered upon the two World Bones, a peculiar sensation stirring within his heart.

Presently devoid of a physical form, perhaps these fabled World Bones could facilitate the acquisition of a new vessel?

...

"Second place, the Slime Team, please ascend to receive your accolades!"

Bixixi’s voice, devoid of any discernible emotion, swept over the dejected Slime Team.

However, just as Tang Er guided his team past Bixixi’s immediate vicinity.

*Crack.*

An exceedingly faint, crisp sound, almost imperceptible amidst the cacophony of jubilant cheers.

Yet, for Bixixi, who occupied the apex of the power hierarchy, it resonated like the shattering peal of thunder.

The source of the sound emanated from a crystalline necklace adorning the neck of the young lady possessing the Meat and Bone Rabbit Battle Soul, positioned just behind Tang Er.

Earlier, within the arena’s confines, the formidable Sword Intent wielded by Chen Huaian, while not directly impacting her, had permeated the surroundings.

That pervasive Sword Qi had, ultimately, inflicted a critical fissure upon the very necklace designed to obscure her true aura.

Now, that minute crack had irrevocably split asunder.

An aura, starkly alien and utterly distinct from anything human, instantly surged forth from the young lady.

While ordinary individuals remained oblivious to this anomaly, to Bixixi, a Legendary Battle Master of considerable renown, it was as conspicuous as a radiant moon dominating the nocturnal sky.

Her usually impassive eyes abruptly sharpened, fixating intently upon the young lady.

That gaze no longer perceived a mere mortal, nor a subordinate. It was assessing a living, breathing World Bone, a crimson World Ring beckoning to her.

"Halt."

Two words, uttered with understated gravity, yet they instantaneously arrested the very flow of air throughout the entire plaza.

Tang Er's entire frame stiffened involuntarily.

*This is dire*, a frantic thought echoed in his mind.

Instinctively, he surged forward, interposing himself protectively before the trembling young lady behind him.

His hands trembled uncontrollably, the knuckles of his grip on his Fire Poker Battle Soul turning stark white from the sheer force exerted.

The moment he had long dreaded, the inevitable confrontation, had finally arrived.

"Your Holiness..."

The bespectacled dean of Slime Academy attempted to intercede, a placating smile gracing his lips.

*Boom!*

Bixixi didn't even bother to raise a hand. A mere sweep of her gaze was sufficient.

The dean, himself a formidable Battle Saint, was struck as though by a bolt of cosmic lightning. An unseen, immense force propelled him backward for dozens of meters, sending him crashing violently against a stone pillar, blood erupting from his mouth in a crimson spray.

A profound silence descended upon the entire venue, as if the world itself had held its breath.

Bixixi made no pronouncement of dismissal.

Instead, she gave a subtle, almost imperceptible wave of her scepter.

*Swish, swish, swish!*

Dozens of figures, clad in somber black attire, materialized instantaneously from every concealed corner of the award podium.

They constituted the Battle Soul Hall's most formidable Deacon Corps, each member a warrior operating at the pinnacle of Battle Master prowess.

With expressions as unreadable as stone and movements executed in flawless synchronization, they formed an impenetrable cordon in mere moments, effectively encircling Tang Er and the young lady at its heart.

"Your Holiness, what is the meaning of this decree?"

Tang Er's teeth were clenched, his eyes burning with a mixture of defiance and despair.

"Meaning?"

A smile, chillingly cold, touched Bixixi's lips.

She gazed down with undisguised condescension upon this pair, seemingly destined for a tragic romance. The palpable avarice gleaming in her eyes was artfully veiled beneath a façade of righteous authority.

"Tang Er, as a Soul Master, you not only lack ambition but also willingly associate with World Beasts, debasing yourself."

Her scepter was aimed directly at the girl, her voice as cold as a sharp blade:

"Humans and beasts tread different paths. Those who are not of our kind surely harbor different intentions."

"What you are concealing behind you is not a human, but a shapeshifted World Beast!"

"Hand her over. This Venerable One, considering your youth and ignorance, might just... let this matter pass."

As her proclamation echoed, the entire venue erupted into a cacophony.

A World Beast?!

That seemingly fragile little girl was actually a World Beast in human form?!

An instant later, countless gazes, a mixture of greed, astonishment, and fervent obsession, turned towards the girl.

In the Canglan Realm, what did a shapeshifted World Beast signify?

It meant a red-quality World Ring!

It meant a guaranteed drop of top-tier World Bones!

It was an unparalleled treasure that could incite madness in any Soul Master yearning for such riches.

Furthermore... due to the inherent drawbacks of their transformation, their strength was significantly diminished compared to their original forms.

How was this any different from a walking treasure trove?

The girl began to tremble.

She clutched the hem of Tang Er's clothes, her face drained of color. Her once bright, lively eyes were now wide with sheer terror.

Yet, she did not plead for mercy. Instead, she bit her lip with stubborn defiance, fixing Bixixi with a gaze as resolute as a small animal confronting a butcher's knife.

...

On the fringes of the assembled crowd.

Li Qingran and Chen Huaian also bore witness to this unfolding spectacle.

"A World Beast?"

Chen Huaian's voice resonated within Li Qingran's Battle Soul space, tinged with a note of bewilderment.

Despite his power being suppressed, his Divine Soul perception remained fully intact.

He could indeed sense an aura emanating from the girl that was not wholly human, but in his assessment, this aura was pure and untainted, devoid of any malevolent intent.

"Does this world impose prohibitions on affection between World Beasts and humans?"

"Not precisely."

Li Qingran responded, shaking her head. "The laws do not govern matters of the heart, but... power certainly does."

"For a World Beast to assume human form necessitates at least a hundred thousand years of cultivation. A World Beast of such a caliber, from the perspective of Soul Masters, is akin to a mobile treasury."

"Slay her, and one claims the coveted top-tier red World Ring, alongside the certain bounty of World Bones."

Li Qingran’s gaze flickered towards Bixixi, a dawning comprehension illuminating her eyes.

"All this talk of diverging paths and moral decay... it's merely a flimsy pretext."

"What she truly covets are the 'components' from the World Beast's very being, sufficient to propel her cultivation to the next stage."

Upon hearing this, Chen Huaian's eyes narrowed.

He observed the girl, trapped at the center, isolated and vulnerable, then shifted his gaze to the surrounding Soul Masters, their eyes burning with fanaticism.

A profound chill seeped into his heart.

This world... was fundamentally corrupted.

Within the Cangyun Realm, while the slaying of demons for their cores was a practice, the Demon Race possessed formidable powers and sacred territories. A semblance of balance existed between humans and demons.

But here.

The sole perceived purpose for the World Beasts' existence appeared to be their role as prey for Soul Masters, serving as mere stepping stones for their advancement.

The law of the jungle, amplified to its most extreme form, had transmuted into a perverse decree.

"Master, should we step in?"

Although Li Qingran posed the question, her hand remained still, not reaching for her sword.

Her heart ached for the girl, and she felt a measure of pity for Tang Er.

However, she held the position of captain for the Battle Soul Hall team, and Bixixi was her direct superior.

To oppose the entire Battle Soul Hall for the sake of two strangers, thereby potentially plunging her master, who had only recently cheated death, back into peril...

Such a rash decision was not one she would make.

She was Li Qingran, not some self-sacrificing saint.

Her capacity for tenderness was reserved exclusively for one individual.

"There is no need."

Chen Huaian stated calmly.

He understood Li Qingran's reasoning and harbored no desire to compel her into acting as a moral exemplar.

The world functioned thus—each individual attending to their own immediate concerns.

Furthermore, he detected the presence of Destiny Energy surrounding both Tang Er and the girl. These two, he surmised, would not be so readily captured.

As anticipated.

Just as Bixixi’s patience waned, her scepter raised high, and she prepared to issue the command for a forceful advance.

Chen Huaian's Divine Soul experienced a sudden jolt.

Through the conduit of Li Qingran's Battle Soul space, his perception extended beyond the confines of the square, reaching towards the overcast, cloud-laden sky.

There.

An aura of unparalleled dominance and ferocious intensity was carving through the celestial layers at a breathtaking velocity, hurtling towards their location.

That aura brimmed with incandescent rage, potent killing intent, and, most strikingly, a fierce, primal protectiveness.

"Interesting."

Chen Huaian's eyes narrowed, a subtle smirk gracing the corners of his lips.

"These two young ones might not be as helpless as you perceive."

Echoing a tradition prevalent in the Cangyun Realm.

"Strike the young..."

"And the elder will surely appear!"

...