"Longkong Divine Sword heir? The Greatest Swordsman in a Century?!"
A chorus of snorts erupted from the crowd. Dozens of robed mystics—who'd clearly skipped "humility day" at magic school—rolled their eyes so hard they risked retinal detachment. If it weren't for the Skyheart City's political clout backing Lin San, they'd have stripped him down to his lucky socks and fed him to a pack of rabid goblins by now.
"Enough chit-chat!" someone barked, channeling their inner drill sergeant. "Let's team up and smash this barrier! Then we'll settle who gets the shiny loot *democratically*."
The crowd nodded like bobbleheads. Time was ticking. If bigger fish—like those grumpy old grandmaster sorcerers who ate lightning for breakfast—showed up, their chance to grab glory (and loot) would vanish faster than a donut at a police station.
"Attack!"
A rainbow of magical blasts erupted. Fireballs, ice shards, and enough lightning to power Las Vegas shot toward the shimmering barrier… only to get vacuumed up like a Dyson meeting glitter. The shield pulsed, glowing like a rave party on steroids.
"Oh no," whispered a mystic, face paling. "It's a *reflect* spell!"
**BOOOOOOM!**
The barrier vomited their combined magic back at them. The resulting explosion sent bodies flying like bowling pins. Front-row spectators—the "I paid for the whole seat but only need the edge" types—got vaporized mid-selfie. A dude in a "Wizard Life" hoodie became a smoking crater.
"Sweet baby unicorns!" Violet (aka Zi Luan) squeaked, clinging to Qin Feng like a koala. "If you hadn't yanked me back, I'd be a BBQ skewer right now!"
Qin Feng smirked, side-eyeing Lin San. The "swordsman prodigy" was grinning like he'd just rigged a casino. *Typical protagonist nonsense.*
Meanwhile, the barrier cracked like a bad iPhone screen. The entire ruins began shuddering—apparently, the ancient architect had a *zero tolerance for idiots* policy.
"Run! The place is collapsing!"
Chaos ensued. Cultists trampled each other, a married couple literally threw their rings at each other ("You take the kids!" "No, *you* take the alimony!"), and one guy tried to use his buddy as a stepping stone… until said buddy kicked him into a bottomless pit.
Lin San, however, stayed put. With a dramatic finger-flick, he hit a hidden weak spot. The barrier shattered, revealing a jade box glowing like Excalibur's Instagram feed.
"Space Teleportation Talisman?!" the crowd roared as Lin San whipped out a glowing scroll. "STOP HIM!"
Too late. Lin San vanished in a puff of smugness, leaving everyone fuming.
But wait! Qin Feng's eyes narrowed. *Time for some villainous sleight of hand.* He wiggled his fingers, yanking the box's contents into his pocket dimension faster than a pickpocket at a tourist trap.
**Ding!** A system notification popped in his head:
*[Congrats, Host! You've completed the "Steal the Hero's Shiny Thing" quest! Reward: Golden Lootbox x1!]
[Bonus: You've crushed the protagonist's ego! +1 Spin on the "Cursed Gacha Wheel o' Doom"!]
[Extra Bonus: Enjoy your 1,000,000 Villain Points! Spend them wisely (or don't, we're not your mom).]*
As the ruins crumbled, Qin Feng pulled Violet toward the exit… until the floor gave way.
"QIN FEEEEENG!" Violet wailed, Hollywood-tears streaming as he tossed her to safety.
Our antihero free-fell, mentally rehearsing his "I meant to do that" speech. Just as he debated summoning the Crimson Haired Demon King (retirement plan: questionable), a white-robed figure dive-bombed after him.
**Meanwhile, in the rubble…**
Lin San reappeared miles away, triumphantly opening the jade box… only to find a crumpled note: *"Nice try, kid. –Q.F."*
"QIN FEEEEENG!" he howled, shaking his fist at the sky. Somewhere, a laugh track played.
---
**Author's Snack Break Notes:**
- Think of Qin Feng as Deadpool with a PhD in trolling.
- Violet's character arc: from damsel to "I will END you" vibes.
- Lin San's next move? Probably buying a anti-Qin Feng voodoo doll on Etsy.