Chapter 2

Nathan regained consciousness to find himself no longer at the bustling Liyue Harbor.

Instead, he was in what appeared to be the courtyard of a wealthy household.

Half-kneeling on the ground, before him stood an incredibly adorable young girl.

Her light purple hair was tied into twin-tails that fell past her shoulders.

The small decorations atop her head resembled both cat ears and bamboo shoots, perfectly complementing her beautiful, doll-like face.

Though the girl was only fourteen and hadn't yet donned her future black ceremonial dress and stockings,

Nathan could never mistake her identity - this was the popular character from the game.

One of Liyue's Qixing, the Yuheng Star Keqing.

Having crossed over for a week, Nathan, as a bottom-rung worker,

Had never laid eyes on the Yuheng Star due to the Qixing's elevated status.

He never imagined their first meeting would be within the Life Simulator.

This caused his surprise and unconscious utterance of Keqing's name.

However, after blurting it out, the atmosphere suddenly soured.

Keqing's adorable face bore a disapproving glare from her bright eyes.

"Hmph! Ah Nate, what did you just call me?"

Her cheeks puffed out like little buns.

Her dissatisfaction manifested in the most endearing pout.

"Uh..."

Faced with Keqing's displeasure, Nathan was completely bewildered.

Though this was just a simulated life, his first interaction with the girl.

But Keqing's steady gaze made him instinctively want to look away.

"Look at me, Ah Nate... you're feeling guilty, aren't you?"

Nathan's evasion didn't mean the girl would remain still.

Keqing leaned forward, her exquisite face now mere inches from his.

Even though Nathan knew this was just a simulation, being so close to Keqing was immensely pressure-inducing.

What should he do?

As the girl's face drew closer, Nathan pondered a solution.

Keqing's displeasure was clearly about how he had addressed her.

If he couldn't use her full name, what should he call her?

"Ah... Ah Qing?"

Based on how Keqing referred to herself, Nathan tentatively offered an answer.

Their fair noses were almost touching.

As he expected, upon hearing these words, Keqing finally stopped advancing.

"Hmph, I'll let you off this time!"

The girl retreated, returning to a step's distance.

"Stand up, Ah Nate!"

Her delicate right hand extended forward, clearly offering help.

Unable to refuse the girl's tenderness, Nathan placed his left hand in her palm.

In less than a second, the girl's soft hand closed around his.

Their fingers intertwined - it was Nathan's first time holding a girl's hand.

The soft touch reminded him of the cotton candy he loved as a child.

While he was lost in thought, he felt strength through their joined hands.

With Keqing's backward pull, Nathan rose to his feet.

Once he was standing, the soft touch disappeared as Keqing withdrew her hand, only to toss something his way.

"Let's have another round of our previous match!"

Before her words faded, Nathan caught the thrown object.

It was a practice wooden sword, matching the one Keqing held.

"Wait... Ah Qing!"

Seeing her take a stance, Nathan hurriedly tried to refuse.

He had never received any sword training - how could he possibly practice with the future Yuheng Star?

However, Keqing's eyes flashed sharply, refusing to accept his protest.

"Ah Nate, this time you're not allowed to hold back!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she vanished from her spot.

"So fast!!!"

Nathan couldn't help but exclaim - his eyes couldn't even track Keqing's movement.

By the time he could see clearly, the wooden sword's blade was already above his head.

"Bang!"

Just as the sword was about to strike his forehead, Nathan instinctively moved.

With his wooden sword, he steadily blocked Keqing's attack.

"Hmph!"

Having failed to land a hit, Keqing let out a cute snort.

Clearly, when Nathan had been knocked down earlier, he had been holding back tremendously.

However, on Nathan's side, he couldn't express his struggles.

His ability to block a strike from the diligently trained Keqing, despite having no sword training,

Was entirely due to the simulated talent he drew - Sword Intuition.

Though only the lowest white-grade talent, it granted him the ability to parry attacks when opponents struck.

This parrying had nothing to do with his brain's reactions.

Sword Intuition had bypassed Nathan's conscious responses, becoming pure instinct.

"We're not done yet!"

Being blocked didn't discourage Keqing.

She withdrew her sword and launched another attack with lightning speed.

The Yunlai Swordsmanship she practiced was renowned for its speed.

This time, her sword strikes came like a sudden storm.

She thrust five consecutive strikes at different angles simultaneously.

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"

But these seemingly fierce sword strikes proved futile.

After five crisp sounds, Nathan had completely blocked all attacks.

"So... strong!"

During the parrying, Nathan couldn't help but marvel internally.

This was just the most basic white talent, yet it achieved such results.

He dared not imagine what higher grades could do.

"Hehe, Ah Nate, why are you only defending? Attack me!"

But Nathan's daze worsened Keqing's mood.

From the girl's perspective, he was still just blocking, still not giving his all.

"This..."

Nathan was speechless - he knew better than anyone that he didn't know any sword techniques.

[In your fourteen years with Keqing, through consistent practice, you gradually mastered the Yunlai Swordsmanship.]

[Obtained Talent: Basic Yunlai Swordsmanship!]

At this moment, unexpected words entered Nathan's mind.

He had thought the system wouldn't appear after the life simulation began, but apparently he had worried needlessly.

"So this is... the Yunlai Swordsmanship?"

A warm current spread throughout his body as Nathan gripped the sword handle.

His current state was just like those martial arts novel protagonists suddenly enlightened by a master.

From someone who had never learned swordsmanship, he instantly became a somewhat accomplished swordsman.

"Come on Ah Nate, show your true strength!"

Keqing, unaware of what had happened to him, continued her encouragement.

Nathan raised his head, and his sword-intent-filled gaze made Keqing's pupils contract.

The Yunlai Swordsmanship style passed down through the Keqing family was famous for its swiftness.

But at this point in time, Keqing hadn't yet received her Electro Vision, and couldn't fully develop her ancestral sword style.

However, Nathan was different - receiving the system's reward put him far beyond the novice Keqing.

Body brimming with dense sword intent, Nathan launched his first attack.

"My sword is as light!"

Swift as a blade of light, in a flash, Keqing's wooden sword went flying.