Chapter 115. Advancing to the Ninth Rank, come...
Let's rewind to thirty minutes before the banquet began.
Despite the oppressive force that threatened to crush her body, Lin Xiaoxiao managed to barely manage to press a millimeter of skin between her fingertips and the bell's body.
The moment her fingertips touched the [Faith Tranquility Bell], she used the power of faith combined with all the energy in her body to unleash the [Extraction of All Things] skill, which had already been upgraded to legendary level.
They attempted to forcibly hide the true form of this clock in another dimension, and obtain the divine-level calming clock that would reveal its true form for 3 seconds every hour.
As the golden light in Lin Xiaoxiao's hand clashed with the energy of the Faith-Soothing Bell, the bell trembled violently and kept emitting a 'dang.dang.dang...' sound.
With each chime, the energy surrounding the bell grows denser, as if trying to scare away anyone who might covet it.
The interaction of their energies unleashed a powerful surge of energy that made the barrier teeter on the brink of collapse.
Upon realizing that the barrier was about to collapse, Laueven immediately joined forces with the black cat to create several layers of barriers to block the energy flow.
After five minutes of energies clashing, the energy of the faith-based calming bell begins to weaken.
Ten minutes later, Lin Xiaoxiao successfully acquired the magical artifact:
Congratulations on obtaining: Faith Tranquility Bell (Divine Level)
[Triggering the hidden setting of the Faith-Based Tranquility Bell activates the forced binding mechanism]
[Congratulations to Lin Xiaoxiao, the agent of the Goddess of Fortune, for forming a contract with the Faith-Soothing Bell (God-level)]
Without bothering to examine it closely, she immediately took out the prepared divine treasure chest prototype from her spatial storage.
Place the faith-soothing bell, now shrunk to the size of a palm, directly into the treasure chest.
The mission was successfully completed the moment the lid was closed.
Congratulations on reaching the Ninth Rank! You have gained the skill: Faith Summoning (God-level)
[Faith Summoning (God-level): Can summon divine protectors to drive the battle using a massive amount of pure faith power. The stronger the divine protector, the more faith power is required. Currently, a maximum of three can be summoned.]
The mission was completed, and her level rose to 600, successfully becoming a ninth-tier professional.
Lau Evan gently wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb, caused by the backlash from the shattered barrier. He reminded him in a deep voice, "Time is running out. Hurry back to the manor and prepare for the banquet."
Lin Xiaoxiao nodded and immediately took the Faith-Tranquilizing Bell out of the treasure chest and put it back in its original position.
Then he stepped into the spatial rift that the black cat had drawn beforehand, leaving only a gentle breeze swirling above the City of Faith, recounting the secret of the artifact's binding.
Meanwhile, the agent of the God of Gale, who was completely drunk at the banquet, had his eyes squinted due to intoxication.
Upon hearing the news brought by Qingfeng, he opened his eyes in surprise for two seconds, then quickly concealed his lapse in composure, drunkenly slurped down his wine glass, and continued drinking with his friends.
Lin Xiaoxiao returned to the manor, changed into a formal dress, quickly applied a simple yet exquisite makeup in a few minutes, put her hair up, and, just one minute before the banquet began, slowly walked down the stairs, leaning on her ornate cane.
As soon as I reached the top of the stairs, I heard someone say, "What? The banquet is about to start, and the organizers aren't even coming out. Are they looking down on us?"
A glance revealed a woman speaking, dressed in a large, light green gown, adorned with jewelry made from life stones, exuding arrogance and haughtiness, and holding a green feather fan.
Lin Xiaoxiao, dressed in a dark red gown, slowly walked down the stairs, and the music at the banquet stopped at that moment.
The entire room was silent, except for the distinct sound of high heels and canes hitting the ground.
She stopped halfway down the stairs, her eyelids slightly lowered, looking down at the woman below. Her social smile was impeccable, but her eyes were cold, and her tone was gentle: "I'm sorry, I was handling some official business upstairs. I hope I didn't delay the start of the banquet."
The woman in the light green dress was Fan Ying, the representative of the Goddess of Life.
A god's agent who has lived for nearly nine hundred years, whose level is demigod, and whose relationship with Nuenro, Atumus, and others is shrouded in mystery, and who is ruthless in his methods.
Fan Ying gently placed one hand on her waist and abdomen, and supported the other hand on it, using a feather fan to cover the lower half of her face. Her eyes were arrogant and disdainful: "It didn't cause any delay, but I'll remember your contempt."
When someone hosts a banquet, the host is usually waiting inside the venue beforehand. Only Lin Xiaoxiao appeared at the very last second.
Lin Xiaoxiao met Fan Ying's disdainful gaze with a cold eye, chuckled, and said in a gentle and polite tone: "Disdain? Perhaps because I was busy, I was unable to appear in time, which caused this young lady to misunderstand. I am very sorry."
The implication is that as the head of the City of Divine Favor, I, Lin Xiaoxiao, have many official duties to attend to and do not have much time to consider your thoughts.
Fan Ying slowly put down the feather fan in her hand, raised her head slightly, and stared at Lin Xiaoxiao on the stairs with an expressionless face.
Everyone's attention was focused on Lin Xiaoxiao. Many people noticed that she had reached the ninth level and, with the mindset of "better to avoid trouble," did not get involved in the dispute between the two.
After changing his clothes, Lau Evan, accompanied by his black cat, entered the venue through a side door, picked up a glass of red wine, and quietly blended into the banquet.
The banquet doors were pushed open again, and several people walked in.
The man leading the group was 1.8 meters tall, dressed in a white suit. He was slender, handsome, with deep eyes and a pair of elegant narrow-rimmed glasses. He had a gentle, reserved, and dignified demeanor, looking like a refined gentleman from ancient times or a scholar with a quiet talent.
Several men and women followed behind him; on his left was an old acquaintance, Ran Bai, the agent of the God of Order.
The man smiled gently: "I hope I'm not too late."
The moment this man appeared, Fan Ying subconsciously straightened her dress, suppressed her arrogant expression, and kept her gaze fixed on him, like a young girl seeing her sweetheart.
He then placed one hand on his chest, smiled gently, and bowed slightly to Lin Xiaoxiao: "Hello, I am the agent of the God of Creation—Nu Enluo."
Lin Xiaoxiao stood on the stairs and nodded slightly: "Hello, I am the agent of the Goddess of Luck - Lin Xiaoxiao."
After Lin Xiaoxiao walked down the stairs and stood in the center of the banquet hall, she made her opening remarks, and after everyone raised their glasses to drink, the banquet officially began.
The melodious music started playing again, and Lin Xiaoxiao strolled through the banquet, greeting familiar and unfamiliar agents from time to time and exchanging contact information.
As time passed, agents began to pair up and dance gracefully in the center of the dance floor.
Just as Lin Xiaoxiao was chatting with Ge Wei and Xing Yan, Nu Enlu led Ran Bai to the corner where they were.
With one hand behind his back, Nu Enlu gracefully bowed to Lin Xiaoxiao and extended his hand, inviting her to dance: "Miss Lin, I wonder if I have the honor of requesting you to dance for me?"
When Hoshino and Kagome saw Noonro, their muscles tensed up.
Upon hearing Nu Enlu's invitation to dance, he subconsciously frowned and looked at Lin Xiaoxiao.
Lin Xiaoxiao stared at him intently for a while, then placed the cane into Xingyan's hand. With a gentle smile and probing eyes, she placed her right hand lightly on Nu Enluo's outstretched palm: "It is my great honor."
She wanted to see what Nuenro was up to.
Kagome watched Lin Xiaoxiao and Nuenro leave with a worried look in her eyes, and many people also noticed the commotion between Lin Xiaoxiao and Nuenro.
In the dance floor, Nu Enluo placed his left hand on Lin Xiaoxiao's waist and gently held her hand with his right, leading Lin Xiaoxiao in a light and graceful dance and twirling.
As Lin Xiaoxiao twirled, her gown resembled a blooming flower in the center of the dance floor.
Nu Enlu's gaze remained fixed on Lin Xiaoxiao's face, and his voice was very soft: "I thought you would refuse my invitation to dance."
Lin Xiaoxiao turned around and chuckled as she moved away: "As the host of the banquet, I have no reason to refuse an invitation to dance from such an outstanding gentleman."
Nu Enlu was surprised to receive such an answer. The corners of his mouth widened, revealing a bright smile. He turned around and hugged Lin Xiaoxiao in his arms. A second later, he let go, and the two spun away again.
As the song ended, Lin Xiaoxiao, who hadn't managed to say anything, lifted her skirt, bowed slightly to greet everyone, and prepared to leave, but was pulled back to the dance floor by Nu Enluo's hand.
Ran Bai, who was waiting at the edge of the dance floor, immediately signaled to the band next to him to continue.
The orchestra, which was originally supposed to pause for a few minutes before continuing, immediately received the message and played a cheerful and rhythmic dance piece without stopping.
Lin Xiaoxiao frowned and looked at Nu Enluo, her tone displeased: "Mr. Nu Enluo, it seems I only agreed to one dance with you."
Nuenro's eyes were deep, but his smile was gentle: "It's my own selfish reason."
Halfway through the second dance, everyone left the dance floor, leaving only Lin Xiaoxiao and Nu Enluo inside, spinning, separating, and drawing closer...
As Nu Enlu hugged Lin Xiaoxiao, who had her back to him, and slid in a long series of steps, he asked in a very soft voice, "Miss Lin, would you be interested in joining us?"
Lin Xiaoxiao's lips curled slightly, her eyes cold; it turned out she was trying to win him over.
She responded softly, "Not interested."
Hearing this, Nu Enlu chuckled, and just as Lin Xiaoxiao was about to turn around, he exerted a little force and changed his dance steps to embrace her: "Oh? Why! The new forces are not small. Your joining us would be a powerful alliance."
Seeing Nuenro change his dance steps, Ran Bai gave the orchestra a wink, and the lead conductor immediately changed the way he waved his baton.
The originally cheerful and rhythmic dance music instantly transformed into a soft and slow dance music.
Lin Xiaoxiao's face was somewhat pale, and she hesitated. She struggled secretly for a few moments but couldn't break free from Nu Enluo's embrace.
She gritted her teeth and glared at him, then stomped hard on his foot with her right foot, sneering, "I don't have the habit of being subservient to others. Let go."
Despite being stepped on, Nu Enluo's expression remained unchanged. He spun Lin Xiaoxiao around halfway and chuckled, "How about the position of the female leader of the Zaoxin Organization? If you're willing, Zaoxin can give it to you as a toy."
They didn't take the "New Creation" organization seriously at all, as if it were just some worthless trifle.
Lin Xiaoxiao stomped on Nu Enlu's feet repeatedly, gritting her teeth and sneering, "Not interested."
Atums, standing off the field, had his arm around Kongsu's shoulder in an intimate gesture, watching the two dancing in the field with a cold eye, while his mind was filled with many calculations.
Fan Ying stared expressionlessly at the two people dancing on the dance floor. Her hands, hidden under her skirt, were clenched into fists. The nails of her middle and index fingers had been broken off, and several deep crescent moons had been dug into her palms.
Lauevin stood in the corner, holding the black cat, silently watching the center of the dance floor;
The expressions on the faces of Hoshino, Kagome, Ina, and the others were quite subtle...
The dance music was gradually coming to an end.
Nuenro's expression remained unchanged as he spun her around a few more times: "That's a real shame."
He released Lin Xiaoxiao, then took her hand in his, gently kissed the back of it, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "If you change your mind, you can contact me before [Hunter God Era]. My conditions will remain unchanged."
The implication was that if Lin Xiaoxiao did not agree to join, she would be the first target to be hunted in the God Hunting Era.
After saying that, he saw Lin Xiaoxiao off from the dance floor, turned around and left with Ran Bai, then walked over to Asmutu and greeted him with a warm smile.
Lin Xiaoxiao turned and left the dance floor with a cold face, walking to where Ge Wei and Xing Yan were.
Unexpectedly, Ina was also there. She crossed her arms and asked curiously, "What does that madman want with you?"
Lin Xiaoxiao sneered: "Trying to win me over."
Ina, a bit gossipy, asked, "What conditions were used to win them over?"
Lin Xiaoxiao took the cane Xingyan handed her and sneered, "You said you'd give me Zaoxin."
Ina looked on in astonishment: "Zaoxin for you? Really? I don't believe it. Didn't that madman say that Zaoxin was a gift for his future partner?"
Before he could finish speaking, the three people present instantly realized that this was how the gift was supposed to be delivered.
He immediately looked at Lin Xiaoxiao in surprise. So, Nu Enluo wanted Lin Xiaoxiao as his partner?
Lin Xiaoxiao took out a bottle of mineral water from her spatial storage, unscrewed it, took a few sips, and replied irritably, "Partner? It's probably just a smokescreen to find experimental subjects."
It is common knowledge that Nuenro enjoys conducting human experiments.
Rumors circulate that the reason why the previous agents of Lady Luck mysteriously disappeared was that they were sent to his laboratory and became experimental subjects.
Although many people knew this news, no one dared to flaunt it in front of Nuenro, not to mention that he controlled the powerful and unfathomable organization, Sculpture.
Even with his unfathomable strength, no agent dared to confront him.
Anyone with a brain that's lived for over three thousand years, nearly four thousand, would choose to avoid such a veteran agent.
'deng.deng.deng……' A special reminder sounded, indicating that the banquet was nearing its end.
Lin Xiaoxiao straightened her clothes, slowly walked to the center of the banquet, signaled the orchestra to stop the music, and waited until everyone's attention was on her.
She spoke in a gentle, polite tone: "It is a pleasure to meet you all at this banquet today... Next, I will open the treasure trove... Thank you!"
The more than 300 agents present were all waiting for Lin Xiaoxiao to open the Infinite Treasure Vault, which was also the purpose of their attendance at this banquet.
Lin Xiaoxiao's gaze slowly swept over the representatives of the various factions standing in the squad. A cold smile curled at the corner of her mouth as she spread her arms to her sides, and golden starlight began to condense on her body.
A notification appeared that only she could hear:
[Activate the Infinite Treasure Vault?]
She silently repeated in her heart: 'Yes!'
Immediately afterwards, the energy in her body disappeared rapidly, as if someone was using a super-powerful energy extractor to drain it.
Soon, her energy was depleted, so Lin Xiaoxiao quickly drew upon her faith power to replenish it.
A moment later, a pale golden beam of light shot into the sky, centered on her, illuminating the darkness of the area and turning it into a warm gold.
When Nu Enlu saw the golden light emanating from Lin Xiaoxiao, his eyes were filled with excitement and fascination. His whole body trembled slightly as he murmured in a low voice, "Found her, the agent of the goddess of fortune with golden energy."
Artums, on the other hand, turned completely black, becoming extremely ugly, and the murderous intent in his eyes became exceptionally obvious.
Kong Su noticed the troops immediately and patted Artums's arm, signaling him to restrain himself.
Atums took a deep breath, and his murderous intent immediately subsided.
As the beam of light turned a dazzling gold, a faintly visible, ancient energy gate appeared out of thin air in front of Lin Xiaoxiao. She reached out and pulled it, and the gate burst into a burst of bright light before disappearing.
The golden pillar of light instantly exploded into countless starlight, and everyone present could clearly hear a notification:
The Infinite Treasure Vault is now open; everyone has one chance to obtain a treasure chest.
Countless golden specks floated playfully, some large and some small. Touching them would instantly transform them into a treasure chest.
Simply reach out and touch them, and these star-like dots will transform into treasure chests of all sizes.
Within the City of Faith, when the light first appeared, a child, out of curiosity, reached out and touched a tiny point of light. The light then quickly transformed into a treasure chest and fell in front of the child.
Upon opening it, you'll find a piece of equipment inside: the [Intelligence Bracelet (Epic)].
Everyone knew it was the work of Lady Luck's agent, and they cheered as they chased after the sparks of light that resonated with their hearts.
"Praise be to the agent of the goddess of fortune! Wow, it's a level seven material! We're rich!"
"Praise be to the agent, I have obtained an epic material, Wuhu."
...
In the Dragon Kingdom, Lin Xiaoxiao also sent a batch of light points there. Those who knew the inside story were waiting and watching.
After all, according to the news that came back, these spots of light are limited and will be gone once they are caught.
A lucky young man opened a treasure chest and obtained a legendary staff. This news spread like wildfire, prompting many to excitedly try their best to find the light.
Jiang Dehai, Li Youran, the Dragon Fang Squad, and others immediately reached out their hands after the light appeared...
Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoxiao was expending wave after wave of faith power, only to have a large wave of faith power return to her.
The agents at the banquet each chose to touch the light spot that best suited them based on their own perceptions.
Some of the luckier agents obtained demigod-level weapons and resources, while others with average luck also acquired items that suited their needs...
The luckiest person was the agent of the God of Herbs, who obtained a divine-level medicinal herb; the unluckiest person still obtained a legendary-level energy stone.
As the banquet was drawing to a close, Nu Enluo, who had obtained a special notebook, deliberately sought out Lin Xiaoxiao and said with a gentle smile, "I look forward to your reply."
After greeting Xingyan, Kagome left immediately to prepare for her secluded cultivation and advancement.
Just after everyone left, the lights in the villa's banquet hall were turned off, and a man hiding behind the curtains, wearing a dark gray suit, reeking of alcohol but with clear eyes, slowly walked out.
Guided by the gentle breeze, he slowly walked towards the garden outside the villa.
At this moment, Lin Xiaoxiao was already sitting in the pavilion in a corner of the garden, waiting. Opposite her was an empty chair and a cup of steaming tea.
The man's footsteps were very light, almost silent, as he approached the pavilion.
Lin Xiaoxiao, who was sitting with her back to him, spoke softly: "Come sit down, I've been waiting for you for a long time."
The man is the agent of the God of Gale, named Li Feng, currently 176 years old. He presents himself as a drunkard with no sense of responsibility, and his strength is that of the early stage of the Nine Revolutions.
But Lin Xiaoxiao knew that this was all a disguise. How could someone who could advance to demigod right under the noses of Nuenro and Atumus and not be discovered be a simple character?
Unfortunately, he's love-struck and a total simp.
Otherwise, in his previous life, he would definitely have survived to the end. After all, the wind could bring him all the information he wanted to know, and it could also detect danger in advance and take him away from it.
Li Feng strode over and sat down casually opposite Lin Xiaoxiao, his tone somewhat flippant: "Wait for me, huh? You've taken a fancy to me? No way, I'm very conservative. If you want me, you'll have to pay more."
Lin Xiaoxiao chuckled, crossed her arms and nodded: "Yes, I've taken a liking to you. Name your price."
Li Feng's expression froze, thinking to himself, 'Oh no, I've gone too far. Could this person really be interested in me? I can't betray Fei Niao; I have to save my virginity for her.'
He just wanted to use the information he heard today to probe for details.
Asuka is the agent of the third-level deity, the Goddess of Beauty, and also the most secretive member of the Artums Light Concealment Organization.
Not many people know that Asuka is also a member of the Hidden Light Sect; they only think she is neutral (PS: except for Li Feng, who is a simp; he has always known this and has tried many times to save his 'goddess').
Seeing the changing expressions on Li Feng's face, Lin Xiaoxiao didn't rush him. Instead, she slowly picked up her teacup, sipped her tea, and waited patiently.
A moment later, Li Feng crossed his arms and looked wary: "I don't sell myself."
Lin Xiaoxiao's gaze swept over his thin, bony frame, her eyes revealing obvious disdain: "You're overthinking it. I just hope you can join me. I have a partner!"
Upon hearing this, Li Feng dropped his nonchalant expression, his face turned serious, and he refused in a deep voice: "Impossible, I could never betray Fei Niao."
Lin Xiaoxiao crossed her arms and chuckled, "Oh? As far as I know, Feibiao's partner is Raymond, so how can you say she's betrayed me?"
Li Feng's expression was firm: "I can wait for them to separate before taking over."
Lin Xiaoxiao's lips twitched involuntarily. She took several deep breaths. This love-struck simp is hopeless!
She chuckled through gritted teeth: "Then why don't you join the Light of Atums? As the saying goes, those near the water get the moon first, why bother with the neutral faction?"
Although Li Feng likes birds and is a sycophant, he is an absolute neutral.
Upon hearing this, he instinctively pursed his lips. Why should he remain neutral? He knew too much, and he simply couldn't abandon his conscience to join those two organizations and do those filthy things.
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