Chapter 79

Dressed in a flowing white robe, his jet-black hair cascaded smoothly over his shoulders, and his face, chiseled like it was carved by a knife, exuded a mature and refined demeanor, while also radiating a heroic and otherworldly charm. His magnetic voice added to the overall effect.

Alpha had every reason to believe that this was a man who could charm women of any age.

In comparison, Lancelot was just a scruffy rooster (Lao Li, who was innocent, was hit by a stray bullet: "What the hell is this? Shoe Slash!!!" ).

Of course, these things alone were not enough to make Alpha's eyes light up. What truly caught his attention was the long box on the back of this white-robed beauty, which seemed to be a sword scabbard—was there something as fantastical as this in *Dungeons & Dragons*?

It seemed Alpha had forgotten that he himself was a genuine martial artist.

Regardless, seeing such a fantastical figure in a Western fantasy MMORPG was enough to make anyone feel a strange sense of shock, to the point that Alpha, who was himself an anomaly, momentarily wondered if he had already accepted the advanced martial arts quest for the *Pressure Point Strike*.

—But did people in the era of Fang Shiyu dress like this? Didn't they all have bald heads and a single braid?

The white-robed man pointed at himself, then at Alpha:

"Xiu Qi, a professional swordsman. Are you also a martial artist?"

"!!!"

Alpha stared at Xiu Qi, who looked even more like a martial artist than he did, and wave after wave of surprise washed over him.

A hidden profession as a swordsman, and he could immediately tell that Alpha was a martial artist. Alpha's confidence in the rarity of his own profession was now completely shattered.

Indeed, as the internet said, in the vast world of *Dungeons & Dragons*, there were countless dragons, and those with extraordinary encounters were innumerable.

Alpha had no idea what abilities Xiu Qi's swordsman profession possessed, but it was certain that they involved martial arts. They must be similar to the sword techniques Alpha hadn't learned, otherwise, how could he have immediately identified Alpha as a martial artist?

"Yes, a martial artist."

At this point, Alpha had no reason to deny it. He spoke openly about his martial arts.

Actually, not just Xiu Qi, but many experienced players had already figured it out. Alpha had been exposed so many times on the forums that some people should have already recognized that his techniques were related to martial arts. Who wouldn't notice that his two-finger strikes were a form of finger technique if they paid attention?

Of course, Alpha wasn't foolish enough to reveal everything, like his internal energy or pressure point techniques.

"What about *Heart Stop* and *Arrow Shot*?"

"Also, martial arts."

"The techniques in the video looked impressive. This is my sword."

Xiu Qi nodded and gently unstrapped the sword scabbard from his back, drawing a peculiar long sword.

This sword was indeed strange:

—The entire sword was golden, without a blade, and the body of the sword twisted like a snake, with a forked tip resembling a snake's tongue.

At the sight of this sword, Alpha couldn't help but smile in recognition, though he was also somewhat surprised.

If asked which ancient Chinese sword was the sharpest, the answers might vary, but if asked which sword had the most unique personality, there would be only one answer:

The Golden Snake Sword!

"...The entire sword is like a coiled snake, with the tail forming the hilt, the head the tip, and the forked tongue the point..."

This was the description from Jin Yong's *The Sword of Heaven and Earth*. To determine if it was the Golden Snake Sword, one only needed to look for the golden color, the snake-like body, and the forked tip.

"Golden Snake Sword..."

Alpha couldn't help but murmur.

Alpha, who had always been unsure if *Dungeons & Dragons* could feature Chinese swords, now felt more confident. If such a unique sword existed, other swords would certainly be possible.

This meant that the dream of wielding powerful sword techniques and dominating the world was still within reach.

Xiu Qi nodded:

"Fake *Golden Snake Sword*. Sword technique power boost, high attack, high critical hit. I'm level 57. I've only learned *Golden Light Snake Shadow* from *Golden Snake Sword Technique*. Can you take it?"

Xiu Qi's pleasant voice spoke calmly as he plucked the sword, causing it to vibrate slightly and emit a faint hum. It was a good sword, and even without a blade, Alpha knew that the sword's fatal point was its lack of a blade.

—This was essentially a thrusting sword!!!

"Take it?"

"*Golden Light Snake Shadow*, three strikes. If you survive, I'll leave. If you die, give me the key."

Xiu Qi spoke calmly, as if discussing a mundane transaction rather than a life-or-death duel. To give Alpha a better idea, he revealed the attributes of *Golden Light Snake Shadow*.

This surprised Alpha. The guy was so open, revealing his hidden profession and techniques.

*Golden Light Snake Shadow: The first move of *Golden Snake Sword Technique*. Three strikes, each with an outgoing and returning damage.*

*First strike: 100% of the user's sword technique damage on the outgoing strike, 100% on the returning strike.*

*Second strike: 200% of the user's sword technique damage on the outgoing strike, 300% on the returning strike.*

*Third strike: 400% of the user's sword technique damage on the outgoing strike, 600% on the returning strike.*

*Cooldown: 30 seconds. The strike order refreshes within 10 seconds after the first strike.*

The explanation for *Golden Light Snake Shadow* seemed complex, but it was actually simple: the sword inflicted damage on both the outgoing and returning strikes.

Alpha understood why the sword had a forked tip with hooks. It would stab in and then hook on the way out, causing more pain.

Moreover, the damage increased with each strike. Alpha wondered how high Xiu Qi's initial sword technique damage was.

Even if it wasn't high, the 600% critical hit damage on the final strike was a top-tier critical hit bonus. A skilled thrusting sword user would focus on critical hits, effectively multiplying the damage by 6 times.

—How terrifying would that be?

"Wow, 600%... I can take it, but what's in it for me?"

"Nothing, it's not a fair deal."

Xiu Qi's answer was straightforward, and Alpha felt a bit choked. He thought this guy was too practical, not even able to tell a white lie. He should at least say something like "surviving is a benefit" or "the weak are food for the strong." Alpha shook his head.

"I won't take it. Just kill me. There's no benefit anyway..."

He bared his neck, as if ready to be executed, but Xiu Qi remained unperturbed, smiling calmly.

"I'm here to make a deal."

"Then I need to set the terms I'm satisfied with."

Alpha replied, and Xiu Qi, without hesitation, responded:

"Fine, but I'll set some conditions too."

Xiu Qi's calm and composed tone made Alpha feel like he was falling into a trap.

But thinking about it, Alpha had nothing to lose. If Xiu Qi made unreasonable demands, he could always renege... How bad could this guy be, preparing to renege before even hearing the conditions?

Alpha thought for a moment and then made his demand:

"If I take the three strikes, you have to show me everything about the swordsman profession."

"Agreed, but you still have to give me the key. We can negotiate the price."

Xiu Qi answered calmly, and Alpha frowned:

"Were you waiting for me from the start? I feel like I'll eventually be outsmarted by you, and I don't want to take it anymore."

"I'm not outsmarting you."

Xiu Qi smiled, and Alpha shook his head:

"The main issue is, if you always remain so calm and rational, I'll find this deal meaningless—no sense of achievement."

"You can wait until you feel better to make the deal."

Xiu Qi replied calmly, adding Alpha as a friend. Alpha accepted, feeling a bit depressed. Why did even adding a friend feel like being outsmarted?

In fact, Alpha wasn't depressed because of some sense of achievement. What truly bothered him was Xiu Qi's attitude.

Xiu Qi was too composed, to the point where everything seemed predictable. Time, place, people, events—nothing seemed to affect him, including Alpha's reactions from the start.

This made Alpha feel very uncomfortable, as if he was powerless, exposed, and helpless.

The aura of a person was really strange. Xiu Qi's aura was so strong that it made Alpha feel unable to face him.

This strength made Alpha, who had twice defeated a level 40 sorcerer at level 10, lose all confidence. In fact, Alpha hadn't even seen Xiu Qi's true abilities, only his calm, composed, and rational demeanor.

Of course, there was also the shared profession of swordsman.

—And the sword scabbard, which clearly contained more than just the *Golden Snake Sword*. As a swordsman, Xiu Qi couldn't have learned only one sword technique. How many swords did he have?

As for Xiu Qi's nearly perfect appearance, it didn't have as much of an impact on Alpha (was this what the fangirls wanted to see?).

"Then I'll wait until I'm ready. The deal is off?"

In the end, Alpha found a foothold in Xiu Qi's overwhelming aura, shrugged, and canceled the so-called "deal."

Xiu Qi nodded and said calmly, "Fine," but then raised the *Golden Snake Sword* and pointed it at Alpha's chest...