32: Chapter 32 Hidden Reward: The Immunity Jade and the Unprofessional Appraiser

"Boom—!"

The heavy giant rock arm smashed down, accompanied by a shrill whistling wind, instantly disintegrating the flagstones of the broken bridge into powder. Dust rose everywhere, and rubble shot out like buckshot, hitting the surrounding Void Realm barriers and creating layers of ripples.

Qin Ji's figure, however, had long since vanished from the spot.

"Is this what you mean by betrayal?"

An indifferent voice rang out from above the giant's head. Qin Ji stood with one foot on the Rock Giant's rough shoulder blade, the [nine harmonies-evil slaying bow] in his hand already drawn to a full moon. There was no trace of mercy in his purple-gold pupils, only a precise deconstruction of the prey's weaknesses.

"Break."

Twang—!

A black lightning arrow exploded at close range, directly piercing the Rock Giant's Core Rune. That massive body stiffened abruptly in mid-air, followed by dazzling cracks of light radiating from within.

"Clatter—"

Tons of rock instantly disintegrated, turning into a rain of debris falling into the endless abyss below.

This was only the beginning.

The Void Realm behind Qin Ji distorted, and exactly forty Skeleton Mages lined up in a fan shape. The bone staves in their hands did not release conventional fireballs, but instead condensed pure necrotic rays.

"Clear the field."

As Qin Ji's finger pressed down lightly, forty grayish-white death rays, like laser scalpels, precisely sliced through the knee joints, elbow joints, and heads of the remaining three Rock Giants.

No explosion, no roar.

Only the faint sound of matter being forcibly stripped away. Those rock guards, who had been so overbearing just a moment ago, collapsed like sand sculptures the moment they touched the rays, reverting to lifeless ruins and debris.

Just three seconds.

The Void Realm broken bridge, which had been full of killing intent, returned to dead silence.

The girl in the crystal cage seemed intimidated by this scene. Her frantically venting magic came to an abrupt halt, and in those eyes streaming with bloody tears, confusion gradually replaced hatred. The power used by the man before her was neither the Holy Light she was familiar with nor the dark magic of the betrayers, but a purer, more domineering... disaster.

"Crack."

Qin Ji walked to the front of the cage, the longbow in his hand replaced by a pitch-black greatsword. With a casual swing, he severed the chains that had bound her for a thousand years.

The crystal shattered, and the girl lost her support, falling softly downward.

Qin Ji did not reach out to catch her, instead letting her fall onto the cold flagstones.

"It hurts..."

The girl let out a low moan, the blood-red color in her eyes fading, restoring their original clear azure. She propped herself up, looking blankly at the surrounding ruins, her gaze finally landing on the condescending Qin Ji.

The string of question marks above her head gradually became clear.

[Star Kingdom · Princess Leona (Special NPC)]

[Status: Weakened / Seal Released]

"Adventurer... was it you who saved me?" Leona's voice trembled slightly, as if she hadn't fully awakened from the nightmare just now.

Qin Ji put away the greatsword and nonchalantly flicked the dust off his sleeve: "If those few rocks just now don't count, then yes."

Leona was stunned for a moment, then showed a complex, bitter smile. She straightened her tattered skirt; though in a wretched state, she still maintained the elegance unique to royalty.

"Since you saved me, according to the laws of the kingdom, I am obligated to give you a reward."

She raised her hand, and two spheres of light appeared in her palm.

On the left was a golden emblem, and on the right was a simple, pale blue jade pendant.

"You may choose one of them."

Leona's voice regained its composure, carrying a hint of testing: "For the first, I can grant you the title of 'Viscount' of the Star Kingdom and allocate a hereditary territory belonging to you in this kingdom that is about to be revived."

Qin Ji's eyebrows twitched slightly.

heart of the lord?

This was absolutely a nuclear-level reward in the early stages of the game. Owning a territory meant having taxes, sources of soldiers, and exclusive NPC forces. For those large guild leaders, they would take this title even if it meant going bankrupt.

But he only glanced at it before moving his gaze to the right.

"What about the second one?"

A flash of surprise passed through Leona's eyes, and she then explained: "This is an ancient jade passed down from the Age of Godfall. Although it has no offensive power, it can protect the wearer's Soul."

Qin Ji directly reached out and grabbed the jade pendant.

"I want this one."

The answer was decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Leona was completely stunned. She looked at Qin Ji in disbelief: "Are you sure? That is a Viscount's title and a fertile territory. Could the glory of our Star Kingdom not even compare to a dead object?"

"Glory can't be eaten, and land still has to be developed by oneself; it's too tiring."

Qin Ji toyed with the jade pendant in his hand, a playful arc curling at the corner of his mouth. "Compared to being a nanny lord who still has to pay taxes to a king, I prefer to keep my life in my own hands."

In this God Domain where control skills were everywhere, what was the most valuable?

It wasn't damage, it wasn't defense; it was control immunity.

As long as he wasn't controlled, with his attributes, he was invincible.

Leona was silent for a moment, then shook her head helplessly: "Truly a strange adventurer... However, to each their own. It is yours."

[Ding! You have obtained special equipment: purification jade pendant (Unique)!]

Qin Ji immediately checked the attributes.

[purification jade pendant]

[Quality: Special / Unique]

[Requirement: Soul-bound, cannot be dropped, cannot be stolen.]

[Effect: Immune to 80% of all control effects (including Stun, Knockup, Freeze, Paralysis, Petrification, Mind Control, etc.).]

[Durability: Never wears out.]

"Comfortable."

Qin Ji hung the jade pendant on his waist with satisfaction. With this thing, when facing mage groups or bosses that focused on control chains in the future, he could completely stand still and let them hit him, then turn around and send them back to the fountain with an arrow.

Just then, the System's notification sounds surged like a tide.

[Ding! Congratulations to player 'Qin Ji' for completing the global first clear of the hidden dungeon 'The Lost Princess' (Abyss Difficulty)!]

[Ding! As the first player to clear the Abyss Difficulty, a global announcement is about to be made. Do you wish to hide your name?]

Hide.

Qin Ji didn't hesitate. The bird that sticks its head out gets shot; although he wasn't afraid of trouble, he hated flies.

[Ding! Global Announcement: Congratulations to the mysterious player for completing the first clear of 'The Lost Princess'! This announcement is made in hopes that all players will continue their hard work!]

[Ding! Global Announcement: Congratulations to the mysterious player...]

Three consecutive red-letter scrolling announcements instantly ignited the world channel of the entire God Domain.

At this stage, the top-tier players of the first echelon had only just reached the threshold of the main cities. Someone actually cleared the Abyss Difficulty of an Rank 8 hidden dungeon in the Newbie Village?

Shifeng City, a certain guild base.

A heavy-armored warrior with the ID "Futou Shield Mountain" looked at the name in his friend list that still remained in the Newbie Village with a complex expression.

"As expected, it's you..."

He had been following Qin Ji. For a freak who refused to leave the village long after reaching Rank 10, there was no other explanation besides preparing a big move.

"Chairman, should we send someone to contact him?" the deputy nearby asked.

"No need." Futou Shield Mountain shook his head, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. "This kind of person is either a madman or a god. Before figuring out his trump cards, anyone who goes will die."

...

Inside the dungeon.

Qin Ji ignored the noise from the outside world.

[Ding! Reward settlement completed.]

Obtained: Skill Book ×31, Gold Equipment ×42, Gold Coins +1200, Free Attribute Points +50.

Obtained: Icefire Magic Ore ×1.

Seeing that piece of Ore emitting a red and blue glow, Qin Ji finally smiled.

The Materials for the Old Drunkard's quest were finally gathered.

"Since you've escaped, I should leave too."

Qin Ji turned and walked toward the portal. Behind him, Leona watched his back, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only bowed slightly and turned into a beam of starlight, dissipating into the air.

With the flash of the teleportation light, Qin Ji returned to the Withered Forest on the back mountain of the Newbie Village.

Just as he landed, he felt something was slightly wrong.

It was too quiet.

The few wild wolves that originally roamed here had all disappeared, and a faint scent of ink permeated the air.

Qin Ji stopped his pace and instinctively activated [Cataclysmic Vision].

Ten meters ahead, on the branch of a withered tree, sat a ragged middle-aged man.

The man held a drawing board and was gesturing towards the moon in the sky, muttering to himself: "No, this curve isn't smooth enough... it lacks tension..."

[Between the Arms]

[Identity: Novice Village No. 9527 Appraiser, Wandering Painter.]

[Rank: ???]

[Health: ???]

[Description: An Appraiser who doesn't want to be a painter is not a good swordsman.]

Three question marks?

Qin Ji's pupils constricted slightly. In a place like the Newbie Village, the appearance of an NPC whose Rank could not be viewed usually meant one of two things: either he was a major boss for a scripted death, or a hidden master like a sweeping monk.

Just as Qin Ji was sizing up the other party, Between the Arms suddenly threw down his brush, turned his head in extreme irritation, his gaze piercing directly at Qin Ji.

"What are you looking at! Haven't you seen someone doing art?"

This single glance caused Qin Ji's muscles to instantly tense up.

That wasn't the gaze of a person looking at someone, but a sword. A peerless sword that had just been unsheathed, radiating a bone-chilling cold.

"My inspiration had just come, and I was about to paint a masterpiece of the ages, but then you kid suddenly teleported out and messed up the spatial fluctuations in this area!"

Between the Arms leaped down from the tree.

Eerily, he did not land, but instead hovered in mid-air, defying the laws of physics, with a layer of faint silver Sword Qi beneath his feet, walking toward Qin Ji step by step.

Walking on air?

Qin Ji's heart chilled. In the setting of God Domain, only powerhouses who had stepped into the legendary Domain could fly with their Physical Body. Was this beggar-like fellow a legend?

"You've ruined my mood. Tell me, how are you going to compensate?"

Between the Arms landed in front of Qin Ji, his scruffy face written with "I'm a rogue, who am I afraid of."

Qin Ji did not panic like an ordinary player, nor did he attempt to attack. Facing an existence of this level, any hostile behavior was seeking death.

He was arrogant, but not stupid.

"Will paying money do?"

Qin Ji flipped his wrist and directly counted out a hundred gold coins from his backpack, handing them over.

The movement was as smooth as flowing water, without the slightest hesitation.

Between the Arms was clearly stunned for a moment. He probably hadn't seen such a sensible young man before. In the past, those players were either so scared their legs turned soft or they foolishly drew their blades. This was the first one to directly take out money to settle things.

"Vulgar! Too vulgar!"

Between the Arms cursed under his breath, but the movement of his hands was startlingly fast. Qin Ji only felt a blur before his eyes, and the heavy bag of gold coins was already in the other's arms.

"However... although art is priceless, paint is indeed quite expensive."

Between the Arms weighed the money bag, and his previously tense face instantly smiled like a chrysanthemum. With a wave of his hand, the tattered robe on his body suddenly flashed with a stream of light, instantly becoming brand new and crisp, and his entire temperament changed from a drifter to a decadent artist.

"Kid, seeing as you're so sincere, this painting is yours."

Saying that, he casually pulled a crumpled piece of scrap paper from the drawing board and stuffed it into Qin Ji's hand.

"Take it back and contemplate it well; it contains my ultimate understanding of the Sword Dao."

Qin Ji looked down.

On the drawing paper, a blob of black ink could barely be seen in the shape of a wolf, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced toward another blob of ink that looked like a cow. The lines were distorted, and the composition was broken; it looked like it had been stepped out by feet dipped in ink.

[Obtained Item: Between the Arms's Painting · "Vicious Wolf Pouncing on a Cow"]

[Note: The proud work of the Soul painter Between the Arms. It is suggested not to stare at it for a long time, otherwise it may cause a temporary drop in mental attributes.]

Qin Ji's mouth twitched slightly, and he silently put it into the bottom of his backpack.

If one could realize the Sword Dao from this thing, then sows could climb trees.

"Alright, don't look like you've eaten a fly." Between the Arms was in a great mood, his gaze sweeping over Qin Ji, "Seeing as you've just come out of that ghostly place, you should have quite a lot of good stuff on you, right? Take them out. Today I'm in a good mood, I'll give you a 20% discount on identification."

Qin Ji's heart stirred.

He backpack indeed had a pile of Gold Equipment that dropped from the Abyss dungeon; these Advanced items had to be identified before they could be equipped or traded. Going back to the identification shop in the village would require queuing, and that old man's fees were deathly expensive.

"Then I shall trouble you, Senior."

With a wave of his hand, Qin Ji poured out a pile of equipment shimmering with dark golden light.

Between the Arms's originally nonchalant gaze suddenly froze when he saw one piece of armor emitting an extremely cold Aura.

"This is... the Life Armor of the Ice-Flame Corpse General?"

He suddenly looked up, staring fixedly at Qin Ji, his originally cloudy eyes exploding with an unprecedented brilliance, as if he were truly seeing the appearance of this young man for the first time.

"Abyss-level first clear... so that little monster who caused the heaven and earth phenomenon was you?"

Qin Ji did not deny it, but simply stood there calmly, a looming skeleton phantom faintly appearing behind him, contending with the Aura of this legendary swordsman.

The sun set in the west, the setting sun like blood.

The wind in the Withered Forest swirled the fallen leaves on the ground. Between the Arms hovered in mid-air, the identification light in his hand flickering, while Qin Ji stood with one hand in his pocket, his purple-gold pupils flashing with a demonic luster in the twilight, just like a young Devil King who had just retracted his fangs, calmly watching the remnants of the old era.