Two snow-white 'Thousand Mile Snow' steeds galloped down the street. The road had just calmed after Ryosuke and Dilu's ruckus, but instantly erupted into gasps again.
Many opened their mouths to protest, then swallowed their words upon seeing the armored maiden astride the horses.
That was the pearl of Istan City—Princess Saori.
At only fifteen, her Battle Qi cultivation had already reached Great Fighter. Across the Reno Continent, she was a genius among geniuses.
On the Reno Continent, combat power split mainly into two paths: Fighters and Mages.
Fighter ranks went: Fighter Apprentice, Fighter, Fighter Master, Great Fighter, Fighter King, Fighting Overlord, Fighter God.
Mage ranks were: Mage Apprentice, Mage, Mage Master, Great Mage, Archmage, Grand Archmage, Saint Archmage.
"Princess Saori is truly valiant and stunningly beautiful."
"Look at her maid, Qiu Yingxi. Same age as the princess, yet already a Mage in cultivation."
"Only a talented figure like Captain Dilu could match our Princess Saori."
Dilu had been watching Ryosuke's retreating back. As for the young, gorgeous, and terrifyingly strong Princess Saori? He felt utterly unworthy.
The hardships he'd suffered years ago were no easier than Ryosuke's recent toss.
"Tch. These days, beautiful women are trouble."
Dilu's silent sigh vanished into the crowd. He had more important people to meet.
Residents naturally fawned over Princess Saori—but our Iceflower Evil God Dragon Lord disagreed.
"Damn! Eyes on the road! Rushing to your grave?"
Ryosuke fumed, hands on hips like a scolding shrew. The maiden on horseback was dazzling, but he had zero mood to admire her.
After finally spotting a clothing store and stepping toward it, the galloping steeds nearly ripped his clothes off.
"Miss! Look—that person’s gorgeous! Man or woman?"
"Xier, no time for gawking. Scouts report the Iceflower Evil God Dragon marches here with elite forces. We must return to the city and report."
"Mhm!"
The armored maiden seemed deaf to Ryosuke’s cursing, vanishing in a blink.
"Tch!"
Ryosuke sneered, waddling into the store with an outward gait. He swept up over a dozen men’s outfits, spending every gold coin the weird gatekeeper had gifted him. He tossed the coins onto the counter, leaving a dumbfounded shopkeeper behind as he swaggered out.
Half a moment after Ryosuke left, the shopkeeper slapped himself hard, muttering:
"Damn it—man or woman?"
Even this kind old man, neighborhood saint for fifteen years, couldn’t hold back a curse after Ryosuke’s shocking gender-bend.
"Fan Qiandai, show yourself. Stop lurking behind me—it’s creepy."
Clad in a long robe and sky-blue cloak, Ryosuke looked every bit the enigmatic bard.
"Master... I-I am your shadow..."
"Enough! Keeping invisibility on all day isn’t tiring? Get spotted, and it’s trouble. Duck into that alley, drop the spell, then join me."
"O-okay! Okay!"
Ryosuke strolled into an alley. When he emerged from the other end, a petite loli walked beside him.
Fan Qiandai.
"Master... may I... ask your Battle Qi and magic cultivation levels?"
"Huh?"
Ryosuke froze, then suddenly remembered. Bards roamed the Reno Continent—mysterious, complex, selling secrets or blessing graves. One day a Fighter, the next a Mage. Their core requirement? Dual martial-magical cultivation.
Fan Qiandai’s question stumped him. Truth was, he was a dragon. Battle Qi? Magic? He knew the tiers but not his own levels. Magic-wise, by his past-life game standards, he was at least a Saint Archmage.
"Uh... Battle Qi’s Great Fighter. Magic? Probably... Grand Archmage?"
Ryosuke stammered, lacking confidence.
"Huh? HUH!!!"
Fan Qiandai’s first "huh" was shock that a Purple Group master like Ryosuke had mere Great Fighter Battle Qi. The second "HUH!!!" was awe at his Grand Archmage magic.
Across the Reno Continent’s hundreds of thousands of Mages, Grand Archmages numbered less than ten fingers could count! (Excluding hermits—this meant the famous ones.)
"Truly worthy of the P-Purple Group... humbling."
"Heh heh." Ryosuke grinned foolishly. As her master, he should know his shadow’s strength. "Fan Qiandai—your cultivation?"
"M-My Battle Qi is Great Fighter too... b-but magic’s only... Mage level..."
Her voice shrank to a whisper, head dipping toward her chest.
"Hah? Only a Mage?" Ryosuke winced. His shadow was weak? No wonder she was Orange Group. Higher magic would’ve placed her higher.
"Well! Chin up! Stick with me—I’ll make sure no one bullies you! Haha!" He boisterously patted her head.
"Master..." Fan Qiandai mumbled, pouting.
"Haha." Ryosuke laughed louder.
"Master... something worries me. I must tell you."
Ryosuke turned serious. Fan Qiandai never stuttered except during emergencies.
"Speak."
"While invisible, I overheard Princess Saori and her maid."
"Hah? Princess Saori? Who?" Ryosuke blinked blankly.
"Ah! M-Master doesn’t know her? No wonder—you’ve been secluded in the F-Frostbound Dragon Valley so long. You’d miss new stars." Ryosuke looked away, awkward. Fan Qiandai pressed on.
"Ten rising stars blaze across the Reno Continent now—the ‘Radiant Ten Stars’."
Ryosuke eyed a roadside gear shop, calculating prices for Fan Qiandai’s spatial bracelet loot.
"Princess Saori ranks fifth. At fifteen, her Battle Qi is Great Fighter—but that’s not special. Her true identity is—"
"Dual cultivation!"
"Oh?" Ryosuke turned, intrigued. Wasn’t that a bard’s path?
"Rumors say her magic reached Great Mage too. A prodigy!"
"Indeed." Ryosuke nodded slowly. By game standards, grinding both paths would kill a player. "The other nine Radiant Stars? Who’s strongest?" His gossip-hungry soul burned like a campus top-ten contest finale.
"Eep—not now! I heard them say the Evil God Dragon Lord marches on Istan City for revenge! They’re en route!"
Ryosuke had wanted star gossip—but froze in shock.
"W-What joke is this!!!"
*Snort*
Fan Qiandai burst out laughing: "M-Master, you stutter when nervous! Hehe—OW!" Ryosuke flicked her forehead. Inside, his thoughts churned like a storm.
The Evil God Dragon attacking Istan City? Impossible! The real Iceflower Evil God Dragon stood here, burning with gossip lust. Where’d this imposter come from?
"Fan Qiandai—track Princess Saori. Follow her."
"R-Reporting, Master—they head to the palace. T-Today, Mayor Momi hosts a ‘welcome banquet’ for the Crimson Mercenary Corps."
Fan Qiandai’s face turned icy. Ryosuke paused slightly—then smiled, bright as sunshine.
"Very good! Excellent!"
