Chapter 289: Advance to Act Tough King!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Several swordswomen flocked around Xu Que and almost squeezed him from the crowd.
The other swordsmen were disgruntled when they saw what was happening and promptly scolded the women. "You shouldn't do this! You'll tarnish Fujiwara's innocent nature if you keep this up!"
"That's right, Fujiwara is a kind and gentle person, and you're all using your guiles to seduce him! That's not right!"
"This is ridiculous. If Lord Sword Spirit found out, he'd certainly punish you for what you've done!"
"Quick! Let go of Fujiwara! He's a simple and honest man and he shouldn't be treated this way!"
...…
These words from the crowd pleased Xu Que very much. His heart was moved by the kind treatment he was receiving from his fellow swordsmen.
It seemed that there were some people who really knew him!
Finally, he had found people who wouldn't misjudge him due to his utterly mesmerizing appearance!
Finally, someone had seen through this strikingly handsome looks and simply seen him for the pure, innocent and honest young man that he really was!
Finally, he'd met his true friends!
Xu Que was very pleased indeed. At the same time he nestled his head even closer to the soft bosoms of the swordswomen around him.
Then, when the female cultivators faced the accusations hurled at them from the crowd, they defiantly retorted, "since when did we ever seduce Fujiwara with our guiles, you bastards?"
"That's right, you sleazy pieces of shit! Don't you hold us by the same standards you hold yourselves!"
"We were just trying to protect him from getting frightened by the likes of you bastards!"
"That's right! If you don't believe us then just ask Fujiwara himself whether we have ever tried to seduce him!"
Then, everyone's eyes fell upon Xu Que.
Xu Que waved his hand around and made no attempt to move the head that was nestled a little too comfortably on the breasts of one swordswoman. "Calm down, everyone," he said. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. But please, can someone tell me why everyone's looking for me? What's going on here?"
As he spoke he made sure to blink his eyes and made them look as innocent as a child's, triggering the sympathy and adoration of everyone in the crowd instantly.
"Fujiwara, Lord Sword Spirit had sent us to find you," said the swordswoman who was holding Xu Que in her arms. "You must follow me now."
Then another swordswoman quickly grabbed Xu Que's hands away and interjected, "that's not true! Lord Sword Spirit had sent me alone. Fujiwara, come with me, we'll meet the master together!"
"Bullshit! I'm the one who was actually sent by Lord Sword Spirit!"
"Ha! You shameless bastard! I'm the one who was clearly appointed by Lord Sword Spirit!"
The crowd descended into chaos again, and no one would relent on their claim to be the one who was supposed to bring Xu Que to the Sword Spirit. But amid all the pushing and bickering, Xue Que felt completely at home knowing that everyone was fighting for him.
This wasn't something he could experience much in an era where men were abundant, and women were scarce!
And so Xu Que fell into a reverie and bliss, enjoying every second of what was going on around him.
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting tough. 200 Acting Tough Points rewarded!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for shamelessly acting tough. 500 special Acting Tough Points rewarded!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for your 8 successful instances of acting tough, namely 'acting tough and run', 'acting super tough', 'acting smooth and tough', 'acting thunderously tough', 'acting extremely tough', 'acting forcefully tough', 'acting kind and tough' and 'acting super shamelessly tough'. The title of 'Act Tough King' has been awarded to you, the price of items in the store will be permanently discounted by 70% and new items will be added!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for earning the title of 'Act Tough King'! A Big Act Tough King Bag has hereby been awarded!"
A flurry of notification rings were flooding Xu Que's mind!
Xu Que almost went dizzy from the onslaught of Acting Tough Points that was coming his way!
He had even earned some points for acting 'shamelessly' tough? What?
He had been shameless all this time—no! He had been so pure and innocent all this time, yet who would have thought that by acting slightly shameless just this once he would catch the notice of the system and receive points for acting shamelessly tough! Oh, what injustice! What a slander! He had been framed!
Xu Que felt that he had been grossly misjudged, and he was very angry and upset about it!
But in any case, he had now been formally upgraded from 'Act Tough Tyrant' to 'Act Tough King'. His title was now official! He had even been awarded with a Big Act Tough King Bag, so his heart was gladdened and cheered up again.
Big bags usually come with special characters—the kinds of reward that don't come easily!
But just then, right at the moment when Xu Que was eagerly anticipating opening the big bag, he heard suspicious gasps come from behind him.
"Hey, Takumi Fujiwara! What are you up to now?"
Two figures appeared at the edge of the crowd. It was the two swordsmen who had entered the Sword Catacomb after him. They had heard the commotion here from the moment they had entered the lava cave, so they had rushed over to find out what was going on.
In the end, all they had found was Xu Que playing innocent and hiding himself in the arms of a swordswoman. They both immediately raised their eyebrows at the sight.
What a shameful way to conduct oneself!
One of them sneered and shook his head. "I thought that you were just a shameless bastard, but I was wrong. You're a shameless and lecherous bastard!"
The other young swordsman who wielded two ancient swords looked indifferent and stayed silent. But like his companion, he found Xu Que's behavior simply disgraceful.
Xu Que was immediately upset when he saw their reactions.
Goddammit, he cursed silently. Not only are these bastards completely ungrateful to me even after I returned their swords to them, but now they're jealous of me as well?
I've earned my right to be held against the soft bosoms of these swordswomen, what rights do they have to be jealous of me? Besides, it's not like I'm the one who rushed into their arms and pressed my head against their breasts! Don't you see that they themselves were the ones who chose to pull me close and hold me tight?
And wouldn't you believe it, but it was their breasts that had started pulling me in first!
...…
Xu Que raised his arm and pointed his finger at the two swordsmen and proclaimed loudly, "you… both of you! Stay away from me! You've both just robbed me of my storage ring, what else do you want of me?"
His voice rang loud and clear and everyone in the crowd could clearly hear each and every word he had said!
It was as if the whole crowd had been struck by lightning. Everyone went eerily silent and their eyes turned immediately to the two swordsmen.
The young man wielding two ancient swords looked nonchalant and didn't seem to pay any heed to Xu Que's words.
The other swordsman had come from a big noble family, so everyone in the crowd knew him well. He paid even less attention to Xu Que's outburst.
"Takumi Fujiwara," he said with a smirk, "stop pretending to be the innocent man that you're not. Do you think that they'll believe you? Even if it's true that I stole your storage ring, they'll never do anything to me, they are after all—ah! What the hell? Why did you hit me?"
With the prospect of being accepted by Lord Sword Spirit at stake, no one else could care less about the high-ranking nobility or the petty interests within any sects or factions.
The whole crowd suddenly swarmed towards the noble swordsman and pinned him down to the ground and started to hit him.
"You petty thief! How dare you steal Fujiwara's storage ring!"
"How disgraceful! What right do you have to take Fujiwara's possessions!"
"This bastard deserves to be killed! How could he rob a man as innocent and honest like Fujiwara!"
"Damn it, have a taste of my Broken Leg Kick!"
Pow! "That's my special move, Peach-Stealing Monkey!"
"Here! Try my Grape-Picking God!"
...….
"Ow! Ah! Aaargh!"
The sounds of tragic screams could be heard ringing across the Sword Catacomb!
The two swordsmen had been completely surrounded by the angry mob and they had no chance to fight back at all.
Meanwhile, ringing notifications popped up in Xu Que's mind.
Within a short span of time he'd earned close to 2000 Acting Tough Points, almost enough to cover the 5000 points that he had spent buying the 'purifying water' earlier!
Just as the whole crowd descended into utter chaos, Xu Que quietly cast a spell and sneaked away from the crowd without anyone noticing.
He really wanted to find a nice quiet place to open the Big Act Tough King Bag and see what was inside, before continuing on his journey as the formal, official Act Tough King!
After all…
He still had a long way to go… and so much more acting tough to do!
This path of acting tough that he was walking down seemed never-ending!