002 Young Masters and Face-Slapping 101

I stayed aloft in my eagle form, wings beating steadily against the warm air. It didn’t bother me that my staff and robes had mysteriously vanished the moment I transformed. That was simply how Wild Shape worked in the game, and I wasn’t about to start questioning convenient mechanics now. What did bother me was how exactly had I ended up in this world? I knew I should be panicking about the whole “truck-kun isekai” situation, but this genre mismatch felt far weirder.

Below me, the two young masters were still posturing like characters straight out of a cultivation novel.

“I am Xing Ning, disciple of the Steel Sky Sect and devoted follower of the Tempest Steel Sword Art!” the one in azure robes declared loudly, puffing out his chest. “A Qi Condensation practitioner of the seventh stage. This sword of mine was forged from thousand-year-old Deepsea Iron, measuring three feet and seven inches long, weighing exactly forty-two jin. It has already claimed victory in thirteen out of twenty duels!”

The other youth sneered and stepped forward, his white-and-gold robes fluttering dramatically.

“And I am Guo Yimu, disciple of the Serenity Cliff Sect, wielder of the Tranquil Feather Sword Art!” he announced with equal arrogance. “Also a Qi Condensation practitioner of the seventh stage. My blade was crafted from Starfall Meteorite Iron, three feet and two inches in length, weighing thirty-eight jin. It has triumphed in fourteen out of twenty-one duels!”

I nearly lost altitude. Seriously? They were even doing full weapon introductions like it was some kind of tournament arc. Another thing that threw me off was how effortlessly I understood their language. It probably had something to do with the Voice of the World ability baked into Nevle’s soul. At least, the universal translator was working.

I racked my brain, trying to recall everything I knew about the xianxia genre from the webnovels I used to sneak-read at work. Cultivation realms… Qi Condensation sounded familiar, but the rest of the stages were fuzzy. Foundation Establishment? Core Formation? It was all blending together now that it was suddenly real.

The two hot-blooded youths didn’t waste any more time on introductions. They drew their swords and lunged at each other.

From my vantage point in the sky, I watched the duel unfold while also observing the small crowd that had gathered at the edge of the village. A handful of villagers, though calling them that felt wrong, stood watching with keen interest. Their fine silk robes, jade accessories, and visible weapons suggested they were cultivators too. Simple peasants didn’t usually walk around adorned like minor sect disciples.

Excited voices drifted up to my sharp eagle ears.

“Ten spirit stones on Xing Ning! His Tempest Steel Sword Art is unstoppable up close!”

“Nah, I’m betting on Guo Yimu. That guy’s footwork is on another level.”

“I heard this whole duel started because they both got rejected by the same girl from the village, some beauty named Li Qing or something.”

“Heh, typical. Two young masters fighting over a woman again. Pathetic.”

“Twenty stones says Guo Yimu finishes it in under thirty moves!”

The duel itself was undeniably flashy. They were drawing in the ambient energy—mana, I would have called it back in the game, but here it was probably called qi or spiritual energy. The mismatch kept messing with my head.

Xing Ning’s style was wild and heavy. Every swing of his sword came with a loud whooshing sound, like a steel tempest tearing through the air. Guo Yimu, by contrast, moved with lithe, graceful precision, his blade dancing like a feather on the wind.

I didn’t know the first thing about real swordsmanship, but the countless PvP battles stored in Nevle’s memories told me everything I needed to know. Xing Ning was too aggressive, too straightforward. He was going to lose.

Sure enough, Guo Yimu suddenly ducked low, his sword flashing forward to pierce Xing Ning’s wrist in a precise strike. With a quick flick, he sent the heavier blade spinning away into the dirt.

Fear flashed across Xing Ning’s face as he clutched his bleeding wrist.

Guo Yimu pointed his sword at the defeated youth’s throat and declared coldly, “I now exercise my right over the life of the loser. Prepare to die!”

His blade began to glow with a silver-green light as wind elements gathered around it, swirling into a deadly vortex for the finishing blow.

I sighed inwardly.

I really shouldn’t stick my beak where it doesn’t belong…

But these were practically just kids. Hot-blooded, arrogant, and stupid, sure! But still kids. The part of me that was Nevle Drol Diurdhcra, the ancient Voice of the World, stirred strongly. Life was precious. Violence was only justified when the balance of the world itself was threatened… or if one was left no choice, but to resort into it. This? This was nothing more than two young men letting their tempers get the better of them over a girl.

I couldn’t just watch someone get executed for something this petty.

I swooped down from the sky and released my Wild Shape, reforming as an elf in flowing robes with my staff already in hand. Guo Yimu’s sword swing looked like a slow crawl to my heightened perception. The gap in power was obvious even without the game’s level indicators.

I struck his wrist with the end of my staff, knocking the glowing blade aside, then followed up with a quick spell. “Entanglement.”

Thick roots burst from the ground and wrapped tightly around the young man, pinning him in place. The lack of visible levels or health bars dampened my confidence slightly, but I could sense the mana in everyone present. No one here came close to my reserves. That small reassurance helped.

I waved my staff once more. “Lifepulse.”

A soft green glow settled over Xing Ning’s wounded wrist, slowly knitting the flesh back together.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I turned to both young men and the gathered crowd, speaking with calm authority. “This duel is over. There will be no killing today.”

The key was to sound confident and overbearing enough that no one would dare test me, while remaining reasonable so they would not feel forced to start a fight. Since high school I had poured countless hours into Legacy World Online with serious role-playing in mind, though that habit had tapered off over the years. The experience still served me well now.

“I am a wandering cultivator who happened to see this duel from afar,” I announced clearly. “While this matter stands between you two young men, I could not find it in myself to watch one of you die. A duel between aspiring warriors does not necessarily have to end in death.”

Honestly, it would have been extremely unpleasant if my first day in this new world involved watching someone get murdered right in front of me.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd immediately.

“Who is this silver-haired man? I have never seen his kind before.”

“His robes look ancient and his presence feels… strange. Is he really just a wandering cultivator?”

“Bold move, interfering in a sect matter. Either he is righteous or he is courting death.”

“Look at those pointed ears and that glowing staff. His cultivation must be impressive if he stopped them so easily.”

“Or maybe he is just a fool who does not know the rules of the cultivation world.”

I stayed calm and considered how best to conclude the situation without escalating it further.

Guo Yimu, still bound by the roots, glared at me with pure fury and started cussing in the most colorful manner. “You bastard! How dare you touch this young master? My senior brother will teach you a painful lesson you will never forget! I will make sure your entire bloodline regrets this day!”

“Slumber Pollen,” I cast quietly.

A cloud of shimmering golden pollen drifted over him. His eyes rolled back and he slumped forward, fast asleep.

Xing Ning, still on the ground, looked up at me with a mix of gratitude and worry. “Thank you for saving my life, senior. But this will probably not end well for you. The Serenity Cliff Sect does not take insults lightly.”

Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the village edge. “How dare you touch a disciple of the Serenity Cliff Sect!”

I sighed. “And who are you?”

A young man in finer robes than the others stepped forward, sword already drawn. “I am Guo Yuti, true disciple of the Serenity Cliff Sect. I challenge you to a duel, you lowly rogue cultivator. Today I will teach you your place and make sure you never dare touch my junior brother again.”

He did not even wait for me to speak or accept the challenge. He leaped forward with his sword raised high.

“Entanglement.”