The sudden pillar of golden light that pierced the sky south of Nagazora City shattered the usual silence and was witnessed by many. Of course, Li Xuan was completely unaware of this, as his eyes were currently undergoing the trial of the golden holy light and stubbornly refused to open his titanium alloy dog eyes.
Finally, the golden pillar, which had drawn the attention of Nagazora City and its surroundings, slowly faded into nothingness, vanishing like a fleeting dream. Yet few would likely forget it, especially Li Xuan, the culprit behind it all.
Because he was nearly blind.
With his eyes closed and bitter tears streaming down his face, Li Xuan spent several minutes before he could finally pry them open. The golden light had long since vanished without a trace. On the Gate of Wishes, which stood silently before him, lay a garment emitting a faint, ethereal glow.
*Clothing-type equipment? Hmm, not bad at all.* To be honest, the clothes he'd been wearing for days in this place had become rather tattered. Li Xuan reached out with trembling hands, his gaze fixed on the garment. He gently picked it up, and with a touch of his right hand, the Gate of Wishes vanished back into his ring.
Using the moonlight, Li Xuan examined the garment in his hands.
Then Li Xuan was utterly baffled. Why did this style seem like something a girl would wear?!
The garment in Li Xuan's hands was a magnificent ancient robe with a red base and gold trim, adorned with a golden phoenix crown and inlaid with precious jewels. Yet it was unmistakably a woman's garment.
*Could it be that this old man must abandon over a decade of integrity to wear a woman's robe?* Li Xuan stared at the obviously high-class female attire with great reluctance. After all, he had drawn the Phenomenon—Golden Light. Even a fool could tell this robe was absolutely extraordinary.
*If I had other clothes to change into, I would never choose to wear a woman's robe.* But... should I try it on? As Li Xuan shamelessly pondered this, his hands moved swiftly. His eyes gleaming, he stripped off his somewhat tattered clothes, leaving only his underwear. He then hastily donned the magnificent female ancient robe. Little did he know that from this moment on, he and his integrity would become strangers.
*Hey, it's actually quite comfortable to wear. Just a bit too airy around the lower half...* Li Xuan thought, adjusting his robe. He then brazenly placed the phoenix crown on his head.
And then the transformation began.
The complete set of ancient robes Li Xuan was wearing suddenly burst into Golden Light. The phoenix patterns embroidered on the fabric slowly transformed into dragon patterns. The golden phoenix crown melted into a golden headband that circled his head like a golden hoop, with a jade stone embedded in the center, seemingly containing a soaring divine dragon. The robes morphed into a windbreaker-like style, the skirt becoming a pair of long pants, and the sandals transforming into jade-inlaid men's short boots. The only thing that remained unchanged was the jade belt tied around his waist.
As Li Xuan finished dressing, a burst of information flooded his mind: **Five-Star Equipment: Xuanyuan Ceremonial Suit!**
*Wearer's stamina decreases by 60%.*
*Regenerates 800 Shield points every two seconds.*
*Shield capacity: 6,000.*
*Shield? What the hell is that?* Li Xuan puzzled over the information in his mind.
But before he could figure out what a Shield was, he caught sight of a mirror and immediately forgot about the question.
*Wow, so handsome!* Li Xuan stared at his reflection in awe, his long sleeves flowing gracefully. The red robes with golden dragon embroidery exuded an indescribable aura of majesty. Combined with his already handsome features, he had transformed from a pretty boy into a true god.
"I have to show this off," Li Xuan thought, his vanity flaring. He opened the door and, his sleeves billowing, went to find Yae Sakura.
Yae Sakura, sitting on the floor, heard footsteps approaching. She raised her eyes, surprise flashing in her gaze.
"Hey, Yae Sakura, I—" Li Xuan's words were cut short by the sound of a wall collapsing. "Bang! Boom!~" A Honkai Beast, its two arms like spears, stood upright and cleaved through the abandoned house with a single swipe. Li Xuan and Yae Sakura were instantly exposed to the creature's sight. It had been drawn by the Honkai Energy fluctuations generated by the earlier Golden Light.
Without waiting for them to react, the beast swung its right arm down at them like the Grim Reaper's scythe. Li Xuan had no doubt that if the attack landed, their frail bodies would be utterly crushed.
Yae Sakura watched calmly as the pillar-like spear swung toward her. Her right hand gently gripped the hilt of Sakura Blizzard.
*What should I do? If I dodge and leave Yae Sakura, she'll die!* Li Xuan, a complete novice in combat,'s mind raced at that moment.
"Doesn't the robe have a shield? Can it block it? Worst-case scenario, I'll still be a hero in eighteen years." When faced with danger, the mind becomes chaotic. A jumble of thoughts flashed through Li Xuan's head, only to be discarded as his body took over.
Li Xuan suddenly grabbed Yae Sakura's arm, ignoring the smooth, slippery feel of her skin against his fingertips. Gritting his teeth and with bloodshot eyes, he pulled her behind him. His not-so-tall frame stood firm, arms spread wide like a mother hen protecting her chicks, though his hands trembled slightly from fear.
*Boom!* The Honkai Beast's claw, as if blocked by an invisible force, stopped just a meter from Li Xuan's body. The impact's force billowed his clothes, his long sleeves fluttering in the wind. A shield of azure energy, tinged with a faint golden glow, held back the giant spear—like a tiny ant lifting an object dozens of times its own weight.
Yae Sakura, standing behind Li Xuan, was stunned. The man standing before her seemed to merge with the memory of a woman she once knew.
This was one of the Xuanyuan Ceremonial Suit's abilities: a shield to protect both oneself and others.