Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal?

Chapter 917: Jade-Faced Ghost Hand

…Over the next few days.

Tang Er kept watching Li Qingran.

Although Li Qingran never used any battle techniques, nor ever displayed a World Ring or Battle Soul, she killed every opponent with a single strike.

But from her unique attack style and aura, he had completely confirmed her identity.

What shocked Tang Er was that Li Qingran’s strength seemed to already be that of a Legendary Battle Master.

But how long had it even been?

When he predicted Li Qingran’s cultivation level, a momentary collapse and terror rose in his chest.

After all, he was only level eighty-eight now, not even a Peak Battle Master.

But soon, the pain of his father’s death and Little Rabbit’s disappearance reignited the fighting spirit in his heart.

So what if the enemy was strong?

Hadn’t he already killed plenty of powerful foes with his own hands on his path?

If a head-on clash wasn’t feasible, he could still outsmart them.

“These past days Li Qingran never asks who her opponents are. Whatever match the arena sets, she fights—every single one a one-hit kill.”

Tang Er muttered to himself, “She clearly hasn’t studied the arena’s rules in depth. She doesn’t know there’s room to manipulate things, and that… might be my chance!”

In truth, he could avoid battling Li Qingran by paying a small amount of points.

Because he’d been on a winning streak in the duel arena for many days, his rank had climbed.

The one ranked twenty-second, “Jade-Faced Ghost Hand,” was him.

Li Qingran was still at fifty-seventh, titled “One-Finger Killer Star,” meaning she could kill an opponent with the slightest finger movement.

Since his rank was higher than hers, he could exploit that.

If his rank were lower than Li Qingran’s, he’d have to pay points equivalent to Li Qingran’s rank to avoid facing her.

That way, fighting for points every day still wouldn’t be enough.

“In that case, avoid fights for now and increase my power.”

Tang Er’s thoughts gradually cleared.

“I can still push my rank up another notch today.”

He picked up the silver-white mask on the table, his gaze turning dim.

After several days of testing, he discovered this silver-white mask was not as simple as it appeared.

It seemed to constantly absorb the Battle Power of those it killed and the murderous aura generated during combat.

At the same time, it fed some refined Battle Power back to him, accelerating his rise in strength.

But the more fighters he killed while wearing it, the more he felt an involuntary surge of brutality and killing intent welling up from his heart each time he put the mask on.

This silver-white mask appeared to be a Battle Artifact.

It could empower a Battle Master and also influence their mind.

If he kept wearing it and his rank continued to rise, he might become a killing machine who only knew slaughter!

Originally he treated the mask cautiously, planning to avoid wearing it when possible and find a way to counter it later.

But now Li Qingran had appeared, and all his plans were disrupted.

If he didn’t raise his strength quickly, he stood no chance against Li Qingran.

“Anyway, I already have nothing left, do I?”

Tang Er scoffed.

He didn’t know whether it was a cold laugh or self-mockery.

He clenched the mask and slowly put it on.

The mask’s icy touch felt like a viper’s tongue licking the depths of his soul.

A cold, maddening will spread out from the depths of his consciousness.

Tang Er sensed it.

But he didn’t care, and he did not resist as he normally would.

He opened the door impassively, merged into the equally cold crowd, and walked step by step toward the duel arena.

…

Meanwhile, back at the residence.

Chen Huaian and Li Qingran also noticed something odd about the mask.

These past days Li Qingran had been fighting her hardest, from morning until night.

Then this morning, when she put the mask on again, Li Qingran suddenly felt that something was wrong.

“Does wearing it feel different? Tell me exactly.” Chen Huaian toyed with the silver-white mask, a trace of caution in his eyes.

Li Qingran obediently put the mask over her pretty face when he asked.

In an instant, her previously clear eyes were stained with a flash of frenzied, eerie red, and her breathing sped up.

She turned her head and stared fixedly at Chen Huaian. A strange, seductive flush crept across her cool features.

“Master, why don’t you ask your disciple a question?” She hooked her arm around Chen Huaian’s neck, her eyes lazy and inviting.

Chen Huaian silently watched the hand that passed past his neck and, expressionless, asked, “How do you feel about your master?”

“Feel?” Li Qingran leaned close to Chen Huaian’s ear, her voice low but filled with a possessiveness that made the heart race, “Master… I only want to lock you away and stay with you forever.

If anyone dares glance at you, or tries to take you away from me, I’ll kill them all. Not a single one will be left.”

Chen Huaian: “…”

He helplessly rubbed his brow.

The mask’s side effects were by now obvious.

It seemed to amplify the darker corners of a person’s mind, but he hadn’t expected his little disciple’s darkness to be… this intense!

“Take it off.”

Li Qingran obeyed and removed the mask; her eyes instantly cleared and she reverted to the obedient little disciple.

She blinked her big eyes and, a little embarrassed, pointed to her finger, her voice soft and sugary:

“Oh my… Master, I think I just said something strange and shameful. Don’t take it to heart.”

“I know.” Chen Huaian took the mask and probed into it with his Divine Soul.

After a while, an enlightened expression crossed his face.

“I see. There’s a shard of higher-dimensional will inside the mask that can incite desire and emotion.

However, this will lacks independent consciousness and grows by absorbing killing intent.

Though far from a match for the sovereign Golden Immortal Divine Soul, for an ordinary Legendary Battle Master it’s certainly lethal bait.

This thing must be part of Demon Tower City’s conspiracy; better to deal with it sooner rather than later.”

As he spoke, Chen Huaian prepared to directly refine the silver-white mask.

But in the next moment, Li Qingran placed a hand over his.

“Master, if we disturb it now, we might scare the prey away.” Li Qingran smiled with narrowed eyes, “Since you can keep it suppressed, why don’t we use it to our advantage and only wear it when we go out?”

Scaring the prey was one concern.

There was also a smaller, more private thought in her mind.

From the moment Chen Huaian said the will only aroused emotions and desire but had no independent awareness, her heart had become lively.

In a sense, this was a useful thing!

Chen Huaian thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

But being protective by nature, he wouldn’t go without a backup.

He raised his hand and a streak of golden light condensed at his fingertip, gently touching Li Qingran’s brow.

“I’ll split off a fragment of my Golden Immortal Divine Soul to guard the depths of your Sea of Consciousness.”

Chen Huaian said seriously, “If that will dares to corrupt your true heart, this strand of Divine Soul will instantly counter-kill it.”

Wrapped by that vast and warm power, Li Qingran closed her eyes with comfort, a blissful smile on her face.

“Mm… it feels warm inside, like I’ve merged with Master.”

She murmured softly, then frowned slightly, “But… it still feels a little leaky?”

Chen Huaian’s mouth twitched; he naturally understood she was referring to a gap in Divine Soul integration.

He steeled himself and split off a denser strand of Divine Soul that surged in, completely enveloping her spirit.

It had the same protective effect as the first, though Li Qingran might feel it differently.

“How about now? Still leaking?” he asked.

Li Qingran squinted like a naughty kitten that had succeeded at stealing treats, smiling and shaking her head:

“No leaks now, so full, suddenly I’m completely filled~”

Chen Huaian: “…”

Hmph!

Little demoness, always saying strange things.

Trying to disturb his mind again.

Chen Huaian refused to fall for it and changed the subject: “Let’s go. Continue raising your rank today.”

…

When Li Qingran arrived at the arena.

A match was just beginning.

At the center stage, the atmosphere had already dropped to freezing.

On the left stood the cruelly notorious “Jade-Faced Ghost Hand”; on the right was a woman with a bewitching, uncanny face and hair like blood.

“Master, that’s the very popular Battle Master!” Li Qingran’s voice rang through the Battle Soul space, betraying her curiosity.

Chen Huaian’s gaze pierced the Battle Soul space and fell on the cold-blooded figure wearing the silver-white mask.

The silver-white mask could conceal anyone’s aura.

But it couldn’t hide him from Chen Huaian’s Golden Immortal probing.

He narrowed his eyes and an odd smile crossed his face.

“Tang Er…”

“Didn’t expect to see you here!”

…