A Nude Awakening and a New Resolve

As Bai Xia cast another glance at the formidable foe before her, she honestly didn’t feel a surge of overwhelming tension.

While instant defeat and a failed challenge were highly probable, the worst outcome would simply be gaining nothing, with no actual loss incurred.

She genuinely coveted the Asura’s Life-Ender; after all, with a divine artifact within reach, who wouldn’t be tempted? Yet, her desire wasn’t so intense that its absence would lead to despair.

The woman seated upon the throne seemed to perceive her thoughts, suddenly curving her lips into a knowing smile.

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot to mention, little one. The clothes you were wearing earlier were utterly obliterated by the Asura’s Life-Ender, beyond any hope of restoration. Should you fail the challenge later, you’ll be directly teleported back to the nearest resurrection point, so…”

Bai Xia: ‘…’

‘Wait, what exactly does that imply? A failed challenge means the Asura’s Life-Ender is reclaimed. The Asura’s Life-Ender being reclaimed means I’ll be stark naked. And being stark naked, I’ll be instantly warped back to the Newbie Village.’

‘So, if I fail this challenge, not only will I gain absolutely nothing, but I might also have to strek naked in front of countless players in the Newbie Village?’

“Are you a damn devil!?”

Even though she wasn’t a ‘pure’ girl, and her composure was considerably thicker than that of a typical maiden, the prospect of streaking before every player in the Newbie Village… ‘Damn it, I’d rather just cleave myself in two!’

Bai Xia, who had felt no tension moments before, was instantly struck with a chilling dread at Qingcheng’s words.

“You truly are ruthless!”

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Bai Xia’s gaze, when it landed on the distant Lava Giant once more, held an entirely transformed intensity.

Where before there had been solemn contemplation, now only raw, unadulterated killing intent burned in her eyes.

‘The Lava Giant must die!’

“A commendable gaze. Once your companion appears, you’ll have five minutes to communicate. After that, regardless of your discussions, the trial will officially commence.”

Qingcheng snapped her fingers once more, and both her form and the colossal throne began to shimmer, gradually fading into an ethereal illusion.

“Go forth and strive. The Asura’s Life-Ender, that child, is quite fond of you; don’t let it down.”

The instant her voice faded, the woman and the massive throne vanished from sight. In a world consumed by molten lava and charred earth, only Bai Xia and the towering Lava Giant remained, standing in stark opposition.

The contrast in their sizes was stark; the Lava Giant’s fist alone was half the size of Bai Xia. A single blow from it wouldn’t just shatter defenses; its sheer area would make evasion a desperate struggle.

Yet, despite the overwhelming disparity, no trace of hesitation marred Bai Xia’s expression. This was a battle she absolutely could not afford to lose!

It was at this precise moment that a large mass of brilliant white light materialized nearby, from which Tian Zheng’s figure stumbled forth, collapsing directly before her.

Unlike Bai Xia, Tian Zheng hadn’t been fortunate enough to land on a thick, cushioning blanket. Beneath him now was scorching earth, and the fact that he hadn’t plunged headfirst into a pool of lava was a testament to his sheer luck.

Naturally, Tian Zheng’s dignified image suffered considerably, having narrowly avoided a face-plant into the scorching ground.

He couldn’t be blamed for his disheveled state. After Bai Xia was abruptly drawn into the palace, he had spent a considerable time outside, fruitlessly searching for a way in. Just as he considered prying the door open with his broken sword, it mysteriously swung open, sending him tumbling inside before he could even react.

‘This palace’s environment is absolutely dreadful!’ The man, still disoriented and unaware of his surroundings, instinctively propped himself up with his hands and lifted his head, only to be met with the sight of a pair of small, round-toed leather shoes.

The shoes were remarkably dainty, suggesting their owner’s feet were equally petite. His gaze traveled upward, tracing a pair of calves encased in pantyhose—straight, slender, and gleaming with the smooth sheen of black silk.

From a man’s discerning perspective, these black silk stockings were undoubtedly a high-end luxury, though he found it a minor pity that they didn’t quite accentuate the thighs with more voluptuousness.

His eyes continued to ascend, past the fluttering hem of a skirt, and then…

“White?”

Tian Zheng’s observation momentarily stunned Bai Xia. A second later, her reaction was purely instinctive: she raised her foot and aimed a swift kick at the handsome face of the ‘certain rich guy.’

One solid kick like that, and even the most dashing face would surely be disfigured!

Yet, how could the esteemed Tian Zheng be considered an ordinary individual? The moment he heard Bai Xia’s voice, he reacted instantly. Although he found it peculiar why the girl’s attire had so drastically changed, his hand had already shot up, blocking her attack and firmly seizing the small leather shoe mid-kick.

In that fleeting moment, he even had the presence of mind to be distracted, noting that even with the shoe on, the girl’s foot was quite small—likely barely a palmful once bare.

Her initial strike thwarted, Bai Xia paused, slightly bewildered. Just as she prepared for a follow-up attack, she abruptly recalled Qingcheng’s recent warning.

After Tian Zheng’s arrival, they had a mere five minutes to exchange crucial information before the trial would officially commence.

With time rapidly dwindling, Bai Xia reluctantly prepared to retract her foot. To her exasperation, however, her forceful tug proved futile; the man’s grip remained unyielding!

In that instant, she was consumed by mortification and fury. First, her clothes had been destroyed, then this scoundrel had just gotten an eyeful beneath her skirt, and now he was still clutching her foot!

A deluge of emotions flooded her mind, causing her face to flush crimson. “Let go of me, you foot-fetish pervert!”

“My apologies, but I’m not a foot fetishist.”

Upon hearing her outburst, Tian Zheng promptly released Bai Xia’s foot and swiftly scrambled to his feet.

As he rose, he couldn’t possibly ignore the Lava Giant in the distance, radiating a terrifying aura. His expression grew serious, and with a gesture that hinted at changing the subject, he pointed. “What is that thing?”

Bai Xia shot him a glare, a strong urge to kick him twice to vent her frustration. However, with time already scarce, she merely took a deep breath and concisely explained their predicament.

“…So, this palace has a guardian for its treasure, and we must complete her trial to claim it? And the trial itself involves defeating this behemoth before us?”

“Precisely! We *must* defeat it, no matter the cost!”

Tian Zheng, of course, couldn’t fathom the reason behind Bai Xia’s exceptionally high morale. Yet, he himself showed no trace of nervousness.

The man gazed at the distant Lava Giant, then, after a brief silence, he sighed with a hint of resignation. “Everything else is manageable, but I don’t have a weapon.”

His Silverblade had become nothing but scrap metal after breaking. Tian Zheng couldn’t help but recall the weapon dropped by the Goblin Lord earlier, an unappraised piece of equipment that was currently unusable.

What good were grand strategies if he had no weapon to wield?

“The guardian mentioned she would provide you with weapons for the trial,” Bai Xia replied.

No sooner had she finished speaking than, as if to confirm her words, two fiery points of light plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily into the ground not far ahead of them.

As the dust settled, it unveiled a magnificent greatsword, wreathed in vibrant ice spirits, alongside a set of silver-white armor, its surface similarly coated in frost.

It appeared Qingcheng had provided them with equipment specifically designed to give them an advantage, its frost attributes perfectly countering the Lava Giant.

Of course, in gaming, absolute elemental counters rarely exist; typically, elements suppress each other. While frost could certainly subdue lava, lava also possessed the power to erode frost.