The issue with the character template didn’t really matter to Qin Yu anymore. As long as Silver Crimson Snow was by his side, that was enough.

A Rank 7 Silver Crimson Snow was more than enough to handle most of the enemies here.

“Stop for now.”

Up ahead stood an abandoned church. Outside, several Rank 3 Blood Priests in tattered cloth robes were wandering around.

On top of the church hovered a blood-red eyeball-like Rank 5 Nightmare Eye, watching the area around the building.

For players, this was absolutely a high-risk zone.

“Servant, do enemies at this level really make you act this cautiously?”

Silver Crimson Snow spoke, and it was another round of mockery. Anyone else probably would've snapped by now. Even if your carry was standing there yapping beside you, who could take that?

Then again, if it was a beautiful girl saying it, that was forgivable.

At least, Qin Yu was infinitely tolerant toward Silver Crimson Snow. He’d even talk back to her or tease her a little.

“Better safe than sorry. This church is still dangerous. That Rank 5 Nightmare Eye can actually hurt you, Xiaoxue.”

“You think I can’t beat it?”

“No. I just don’t want to see you get hurt even a little.”

“...”

As they spoke, Qin Yu managed to fluster Silver Crimson Snow again. She didn’t show much on the surface, but favorability was an honest thing. It had already gone from 10 to 20.

“Servant, I’ll deal with them. You can stand to the side and cheer for your master.”

Silver Crimson Snow stopped bothering with anything else and prepared to make her move.

“No rush. Xiaoxue, you handle that Rank 5 Nightmare Eye. Leave those five Rank 3 Blood Priests to me.”

“You?”

When she heard Qin Yu wanted to fight five Rank 3 Blood Priests himself, Silver Crimson Snow clearly didn’t believe it.

A Rank 0 could still damage a Rank 3, sure. But Qin Yu looked weak enough as it was. She really couldn’t imagine how he was going to take on five enemies stronger than him at once.

“Xiaoxue, do you think I can’t do it?” Qin Yu asked back.

Silver Crimson Snow turned her face away and looked toward the group of Blood Priests. “If you can do it, servant, I’m willing to reward you with one request. As long as it’s not too excessive.”

“Then Xiaoxue, you’d better keep your word.”

“Of course. But if you can’t do it, I’ll turn you into my blood bag.”

A blood bag was a tool made to supply blood specifically for the Bloodkin. It could also be called a blood thrall. Either way, it was a miserable fate. You’d have basically no freedom and be completely at the mercy of the Bloodkin.

“Xiaoxue, that’s way too cruel. Treating your lover so ruthlessly...”

Qin Yu put his acting skills on full display. He covered his chest and pretended to look heartbroken.

“Hmph. I don’t need dead weight. Do your best, servant!”

With a snap of her fingers, Silver Crimson Snow’s figure turned into blood-shadow bats and flew toward the Nightmare Eye atop the church.

The Nightmare Eye, which had been monitoring the area, noticed something wrong and tried to sound the alarm.

“Blood Spike!”

With a sharp shhk, a blood spike pierced straight through the center of its pupil.

The Nightmare Eye died instantly. Silver Crimson Snow then sat down on top of the church, as if she’d found a good seat to watch Qin Yu’s performance next.

“She really doesn’t hold back...”

Qin Yu sighed helplessly. He took out Bloodthorn, the weapon Silver Crimson Snow had given him. That was exactly why he’d dared to make this bet.

If he were still using that starter sword, he’d definitely be obediently following behind Silver Crimson Snow and picking up scraps.

But with Bloodthorn in hand, as long as he could damage a monster, he had the power to fight it.

Qin Yu’s figure appeared in the sight of the five Blood Priests.

The moment they saw him, they immediately closed in.

But Qin Yu took one quick step and vanished. At blinding speed, he stuck close to one of the Blood Priests.

A flash of sword light cut through the air. That Blood Priest turned into a cloud of blood mist and disappeared, leaving only its tattered equipment behind.

Silver Crimson Snow, who had been ready to watch the show, saw that sword strike and showed a slight trace of surprise on her calm face.

Fast, precise, ruthless.

Those three words fit Qin Yu’s strike perfectly.

That level of attack was nothing to her. But in terms of swordsmanship alone, the skill Qin Yu had just displayed was extremely high.

Qin Yu’s surprise attack cleanly took out one Blood Priest. But right after that, the remaining four had already reacted.

Four blood ribbons appeared from the Blood Priests’ hands. Like tentacles, they lashed toward Qin Yu.

Qin Yu turned slightly and dodged to the side. A faint blue glow flickered along Bloodthorn’s blade.

“Severing Tide!”

His sword rose from below, carrying the force of a reverse current splitting a waterfall apart.

One slash, one severing cut.

A Blood Priest was split in two on the spot and dissolved into a stream of blood.

Silver Crimson Snow watched the sword technique Qin Yu had just used with clear interest. That kind of skill was something only a true swordsman, tempered through countless trials, could master.

But Qin Yu didn’t look like that kind of person at all.

The blood ribbons seized the opening after Qin Yu used his sword skill and swarmed toward him, trying to bind him in place.

“Shadow Step!”

With the twenty-five percent chance boost and the massive increase in movement speed, Qin Yu instantly slipped free of the entangling attack. Then he followed with another horizontal slash.

This time, he intended to wipe out the remaining three in one blow.

Both hands gripped the hilt. Firelight flickered across Bloodthorn’s blade.

“Reversing Flame!”

Sword leveled forward, blade spinning in return.

The three Blood Priests within range were cut clean across the waist by Qin Yu’s strike and burned into ashes.

“Haa...”

Qin Yu let out a long breath. He planted Bloodthorn into the ground to support his slightly exhausted body.

He hadn’t forgotten the sword skills from his previous life. But his physical condition couldn’t keep up. He’d only been fighting for a short while, and he was already getting tired. On top of that, those two sword techniques hadn’t even reached their original power. It really wasn’t good enough.

With the battle over, Silver Crimson Snow slowly drifted down. Her silver-white hair floated and shimmered in the air. Qin Yu’s gaze never left her.

“Servant, your performance just now was fairly decent...”

If even Silver Crimson Snow said it was fairly decent, then it was genuinely very good.

“But your swordsmanship... who did you learn it from?”

She had lost the bet with Qin Yu, yes. But right now, she was even more curious about why his swordsmanship was so refined. To the point that even she, without suppressing him through raw power, couldn’t beat him through technique alone.

“Of course I learned it from my master.”

Qin Yu’s answer was basically no answer at all.

“Who?”

“Anyway, someone very impressive.”

Silver Crimson Snow paused for a moment. Qin Yu was obviously making it clear he didn’t want to tell her.

“If you want me to tell you, Xiaoxue, then you have to fulfill the bet first.”

“...”

Silver Crimson Snow crossed her arms and nodded with a displeased look. “Fine. Go ahead and make your request. As long as it’s not too excessive.”

“And what if it is?” Qin Yu asked, purely to tease her.

“I’ll turn you directly into a limbless blood bag.”

That basically meant a blood thrall with no arms or legs. At that point, you weren’t even being treated like a person anymore, just a blood-supplying tool.

“Then I’ll try not to make it too excessive...”