Strangely enough, after Yin Huaichen had finally found Li Mingrui and handed the secret letter over to him, the mission should, in theory, have been considered complete. At this point, he should have been able to proceed to the next stage of the quest.
However, after Yin Huaichen handed over the secret letter and had a conversation with Li Mingrui, the delivery quest that had originally been displayed in his quest log quietly changed. It was replaced by a string of “???” characters.
What did this mean?
Had the direction of the quest begun to spiral beyond his control? Or was it because of his deliberate intervention that the entire quest chain had undergone some kind of unpredictable change?
Yin Huaichen was not quite sure.
However, that did not affect his decision to continue delving deeper into the matter. If he could really follow the clues and find Xuan Jizi’s lost relics, then he would have struck it rich. And if he failed to obtain them…
At worst, he could just respawn.
That was one of the advantages of being a player. Although players were restricted by the system in many ways, their ability to die and come back to life gave them much more room to explore.
At worst, it was just one life.
After dying, he would only lose some experience and a few levels. Once he respawned, he would be a hero once again.
Still, unless it was absolutely necessary, Yin Huaichen really did not want to die. After all, he had only just obtained the Xuänlü Flying Blade. If he died, the components of the Xuänlü Flying Blade would drop along with him.
That would be quite a loss.
After leading Li Mingrui out of the dungeon, Yin Huaichen did not immediately make a move. Instead, he cautiously observed his surroundings first.
It was probably because he had released the other people imprisoned in the dungeon that some bandits had discovered the escaped disciples from the various sects and begun sending out signals to hunt them down.
On top of that, there were still numerous players carrying out quests inside the stronghold, as well as Hu Tianlu, who was currently leading people in pursuit of Yin Huaichen.
For a moment, all sorts of forces were moving at once, and the situation inside the Blade Wind Stronghold seemed to have become even more chaotic.
And that was a good thing.
The more chaotic the situation became, the easier it would be for Yin Huaichen to fish in troubled waters.
He waved toward the rear, signaling Li Mingrui to follow him. However, halfway through their journey, they encountered a bandit who was patrolling alone.
“Who are you?!”
The moment the bandit saw someone emerging from the dungeon, he immediately raised his voice. He then pulled out the signal flare hanging from his waist, clearly intending to launch it and alert the others.
Yin Huaichen reacted with lightning speed.
He lunged forward in a single stride, drew his sword, activated the Star-Splitting Art, and immediately unleashed a small combo consisting of Sleeve Azure Dragon followed by Flood Dragon Triple Stacks.
The bandit was sent straight to his death.
Fortunately, he was not some high-level leader, but merely a level-eight underling. Dealing with him was therefore not difficult at all.
Watching from behind, Li Mingrui observed Yin Huaichen’s agile movements and the ruthless manner in which he had killed the bandit without the slightest hesitation. He could not help praising him.
“Junior Brother, your Cangming Sword Technique has truly reached the point of perfection. Even compared to those swordsmanship prodigies in the Sword Sect, you are in no way inferior. How long has it been since you joined the sect?”
Yin Huaichen casually replied, “It’s nothing much. It’s all thanks to my sweat and hard work. Talent is merely one of my many virtues, and certainly one of the least noteworthy among them.”
Li Mingrui: “…”
Was shamelessness one of them too?
Yin Huaichen seemed to suddenly remember something. He looked Li Mingrui up and down before asking, “Senior Brother, how long has it been since you entered the sect?”
Li Mingrui lowered his head.
“I am ashamed to say that I have already been in the sect for eight years.”
“Senior Brother, there is no need to feel ashamed.”
Yin Huaichen consoled him while seemingly changing the subject without much thought. “I’ve already practiced my Sleeve Azure Dragon and Flood Dragon Triple Stacks techniques to the bottleneck. I originally wanted to take things a step further and learn some more advanced sword techniques, but unfortunately, I’ve been busy looking for Senior Brother during this period and haven’t had the time…”
Under normal circumstances, if one wanted to learn the techniques that came later in the Cangming Sword Manual, it was not enough to meet the required level and cultivation realm. A certain amount of sect contribution was also necessary.
Since Li Mingrui was a disciple of the Cangming Sword Sect and had already been in the sect for eight years, there was no way he would know only these two basic techniques. He would definitely have learned other Cangming sword techniques as well.
If Yin Huaichen simply asked him to teach him directly, would that not allow him to bypass the sect’s requirements?
After a round of subtle probing and carefully chosen hints, Yin Huaichen finally managed to make Li Mingrui understand exactly what he meant.
“Junior Brother, you have such exceptional talent, and you learn so quickly as well. With younger disciples like you in the Cangming Sword Sect, I’m sure the sect will reach even greater heights in the future.”
Li Mingrui nodded with satisfaction. Then, somewhat embarrassed, he said, “Unfortunately, I’m rather dull-witted and not particularly good at combat. Although I’ve been in the sect for eight years, I’ve mostly been doing odd jobs all this time, occasionally helping the sect deliver things and such. I really don’t have anything I can teach you…”
The corners of Yin Huaichen’s mouth drooped.
Why was finding a loophole so difficult?
He had originally thought that, with the Blade Wind Stronghold currently facing one crisis after another, bringing Senior Brother Li Mingrui along might at least give him some additional assistance. Who would have thought that this Senior Brother was actually a clerical type?
Then again, it made sense.
If Li Mingrui had been powerful, he would not have been captured by Chi Banju in the first place.
Although Li Mingrui had turned out to be nothing more than dead weight, Yin Huaichen still had no choice but to bring him along. After all, he had to prevent Li Mingrui from running straight back to the Cangming Sword Sect and informing them of everything that had happened.
“Junior Brother, where are we going next?”
Yin Huaichen answered promptly, “Of course we’re going to take a look at that so-called ritual spell being performed inside the stronghold and find out exactly what it’s all about.”
While avoiding the patrols inside the Blade Wind Stronghold and making his way toward the residence where the stronghold’s chief, Helian Zheng, was staying, Yin Huaichen received a communication.
The call was from Xiaoxiao Yuxie.
The moment Yin Huaichen answered, Xiaoxiao Yuxie immediately launched into a furious tirade.
“You fucking have absolutely no conscience, do you?”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie was breathing heavily between his words, clearly having just gone through a fierce battle. “You really just ran off like that and left me behind? Fuck, I nearly died at Hu Tianlu’s hands!”
The noise gave Yin Huaichen a headache, so he simply turned off the voice.
After dealing with two more bandits, he finally turned the sound back on.
“Did you just mute me?”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie had been cursing for quite some time, yet he had not heard Yin Huaichen argue back even once. Suspicion crept into his voice.
Yin Huaichen replied perfunctorily, “No, of course not. I was listening very carefully.”
“You fucking muted me!”
“Whether I muted you or not is none of your business.”
Yin Huaichen was already getting annoyed. “What do you want?”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie gritted his teeth. After thinking it over, he still decided to let it go.
“The thing inside the box was taken by you, wasn’t it?”
“Hm? What thing?”
Yin Huaichen played dumb. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie silently recited the Purifying Heart Mantra.
“Fine. I won’t hold it against you for setting me up…”
“Weren’t you the one who set me up first?”
Yin Huaichen raised an eyebrow. “If I hadn’t run fast enough, I would have been killed by Hu Tianlu. And now you’re actually blaming me?”
“Cut the crap. Anyway, we’re even now.”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie began arguing shamelessly. “The quest at the Blade Wind Stronghold is extremely difficult. There’s no way you can handle it alone. How about we cooperate?”
Cooperate again.
Yin Huaichen did not believe him in the slightest.
“I appreciate the offer.”
“This time, I’m serious.”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie’s tone suddenly became solemn. “The storyline quest at the Blade Wind Stronghold isn’t as simple as you think. Don’t you want to know what exactly the Blade Wind Stronghold is going to such great lengths to accomplish?”
“What?”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie curled the corner of his mouth into a smile. “It’s a clue concerning the relics of a supreme expert. Based on my preliminary estimation, it’s at least the relic of a seventh-grade expert.”
After throwing out this explosive piece of information, Xiaoxiao Yuxie held his breath, preparing to listen to the sharp intake of breath from the other end.
However, two seconds passed, and there was not the slightest reaction.
“Didn’t you hear me? Hello? Hello?”
“Oh.”
Yin Huaichen glanced back at Li Mingrui and thought to himself, What a coincidence. I just found that out too.
“And then?”
“You’re pretending, aren’t you?”
Xiaoxiao Yuxie refused to believe that he could actually remain this calm. After thinking for a moment, he said, “I know more than just this. I also have plenty of other information. Do you want to cooperate?”
Yin Huaichen asked, “What do you want?”
“I only want the cultivation manual that will ultimately be obtained from this quest. As for everything else…”
“Bye.”
Yin Huaichen hung up the communication again.
Xiaoxiao Yuxie’s voice caught in his throat, and he was so furious that his nose nearly twisted out of shape.
He hung up on me again!!
After a moment, Xiaoxiao Yuxie finally calmed himself down.
Could it be that this Gu Wuchang also had his own sources of information, since he had not even shown the slightest excitement after hearing all this?
…Or could it be that he already knew what that cultivation manual was?
That was the only explanation that made sense.
Since the other party was unwilling to cooperate, then they could each rely on their own abilities.
Xiaoxiao Yuxie refused to believe that he could not outplay that Gu Wuchang.
After their previous several exchanges, Xiaoxiao Yuxie had already been able to sense that his opponent was far from simple. Judging from his movement techniques and the fluidity of his actions, he had undoubtedly also discovered the secret behind low-assistance spellcasting.
The game had only been open for a few days, yet he had already adapted so quickly to the freedom brought by low-assistance spellcasting.
That meant he was probably an expert in the real world as well.
Xiaoxiao Yuxie had originally guessed that the other party was probably also someone from the ancient martial arts combat world. But after thinking back on their encounters, he felt that something was not quite right.
The way he used certain techniques and the points at which he exerted force were clearly different from those of modern ancient martial arts combat…
Tsk…
Just who exactly was this guy?
After ending the communication, Yin Huaichen did not take Xiaoxiao Yuxie’s words to heart.
If Xiaoxiao Yuxie was truly willing to show some sincerity, cooperation was not out of the question. The fact that he had managed to escape from Hu Tianlu’s hands clearly showed that Xiaoxiao Yuxie was an expert. If the two of them could work together, it would undoubtedly give Yin Huaichen an additional source of assistance.
However, the moment he opened his mouth, he demanded the Taixuan Sacred Qi.
That was clearly treating Yin Huaichen like an idiot.
In any case, the thing inside the box was currently in Yin Huaichen’s hands.
He might as well keep Xiaoxiao Yuxie hanging for the time being.
“Who were you talking to?”
Li Mingrui asked curiously.
“Just someone unimportant.” Yin Huaichen answered without thinking.
Li Mingrui looked at him, seemingly deep in thought. “Just as the rumors say, the members of the Treading Cloud Guest clan possess extraordinary racial talents. They have the ability to communicate with their own kind across great distances…”
The Hengyu World also possessed magical artifacts similar to mobile phones that allowed people to communicate over long distances. However, compared with the players’ built-in “communication system,” they were obviously far less convenient.
Yin Huaichen merely shrugged and did not say anything more.
The Star-Net Mainframe had constructed this game world, and at the same time, it had made the existence of players seem perfectly reasonable within it. There was therefore no need for him to hide anything.
After avoiding pursuit all the way, they finally arrived near the residence of Helian Zheng, the chief of the Blade Wind Stronghold.
Surprisingly, the roads in every other part of the stronghold were filled with patrolling bandits, yet around the chief’s residence, there were almost no guards to be seen at all.
“Why is it so quiet?”
Li Mingrui looked around suspiciously. “Could there be an ambush?”
“I don’t know…”
Yin Huaichen climbed to a higher position and carefully surveyed the surroundings, but he did not notice anything unusual.
Suddenly, his ears twitched.
From inside the residence, he faintly heard some movement.
He waved to Li Mingrui below, and the two of them quietly crept farther inside.
Helian Zheng’s residence was quite large. After crossing the courtyard, they arrived at a front hall illuminated by bright lamps.
Through the thin gauze-covered wooden windows, they could vaguely make out two figures inside.
Yin Huaichen turned his head and made a shushing gesture toward Li Mingrui, signaling for him to remain silent. He then activated the Breath Concealment Technique and quietly crouched beside the window, concentrating as he listened carefully to the voices coming from inside.
“You’re saying that the item was stolen?”
It was a somewhat elderly voice.
The voice carried a slight rasp, giving off an oppressive, damp, and gloomy feeling. There was no discernible emotion in its tone, making it impossible to tell whether the speaker was angry or pleased.
“Yes… Yes, this subordinate failed in his duty…”
The other person’s voice trembled slightly.
Yin Huaichen immediately recognized that voice.
Wasn’t it Hu Tianlu?
Then could the other person be Helian Zheng?
The interior fell silent for a moment.
“Useless.”
The elderly voice spoke slowly.
In the next instant, a terrifying wave of baleful energy suddenly erupted.
Bang!
One of the pillars inside the front hall was smashed apart. Immediately afterward came the heavy sound of something crashing to the ground.
Yin Huaichen cautiously poked his head out and took a quick glance inside.
Hu Tianlu had been blasted backward by the baleful energy, which seemed almost tangible. He slammed heavily onto the ground, blood spraying from his mouth.
His expression was filled with terror. He did not even have time to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth before hurriedly scrambling back to his feet.
“This subordinate never expected that they would actually have a Soul-Imprisoning Talisman in their possession. I was caught off guard for a moment…”
Oh ho.
Looks like the boss gave him a good scolding.
Yin Huaichen watched the scene with schadenfreude.
But when his gaze shifted toward the source of that old, gloomy voice, his expression suddenly froze.
…No.
This wasn’t Helian Zheng.
Helian Zheng had previously been the Hall Master of the Bronze Armor Hall. The Bronze Armor Hall specialized in body-tempering techniques, so logically speaking, its Hall Master should have had a powerful, burly physique.
However, the person in Yin Huaichen’s line of sight was thin and gaunt, almost skeletal. His hair was dry and disheveled, his features were sinister and aged, and his eyes were dark and gloomy. There was not the slightest resemblance to someone who practiced body-tempering techniques.
More importantly, Yin Huaichen could see faint black, snake-shaped markings on the man’s withered arm. They seemed almost alive, writhing and swimming beneath his skin as though they were living creatures.
Someone from the Nether Skeleton Valley.
Yin Huaichen recognized his origins almost immediately.
Among the various factions of the Rakshasa Alliance, the “Namo Seven Snake Gu Record” of the Nether Skeleton Valley was probably the easiest to identify. Those crawling, snake-shaped markings and the dense, concentrated baleful energy were their most obvious distinguishing characteristics.
Sure enough, another remnant of the Rakshasa Alliance’s lingering menace…
Yin Huaichen studied the withered old man, his gaze eventually settling on a black earring hanging from the man’s ear.
Hmm.
It looked somewhat familiar?
“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment?”
The old man’s voice was like a poisonous snake lurking in damp darkness, hoarse and sinister as he spoke. “The Blood Fiend Remnant Token is the key to opening Xuan Jizi’s tomb. It is more important than your life. You lost it, so what reason do you have to keep living? Do you want to go to hell and reunite with Helian Zheng?”
“I…”
Hu Tianlu was no longer able to maintain his usual refined and composed appearance. His entire body trembled, and under the crushing pressure of the baleful energy, he could not even manage to speak.
Yin Huaichen was just about to continue listening when the old man inside suddenly let out a cold laugh.
“And that little bug outside. Since you’ve already come, why not show yourself openly? Sneaking around like this is truly lacking in manners.”
Not good.
Yin Huaichen’s heart jolted.
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately activated the Soaring Dragon Step and turned to flee.
The wooden window behind him suddenly shattered.
A thick surge of foul energy condensed into tangible form and swept toward him like a storm. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a huge, invisible hand that wrapped tightly around his neck!
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Cresvynia
[Translator]
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Remember to keep a positive moodChapter 2 · Have fun playing the gameChapter 3 · Skill completion rateChapter 4 · Strange and malevolent creatures roam outside the cityChapter 5 · 90% complete!Chapter 6 · Serving the sect is my dutyChapter 7 · First meetingChapter 8 · Fang LecangChapter 9 · A prestigious and righteous sect!Chapter 10 · Kill Chi BantuChapter 11 · Spoils of warChapter 12 · We’ve made a fortune!Chapter 13 · Thunder and fire extinguish goldChapter 14 · You found it?Chapter 15 · The so called degree of freedomChapter 16 · The secrets of life and deathChapter 17 · A minor leader of the first rank.Chapter 18 · What kind of luck do you have?Chapter 19 · Let’s Do itChapter 20 · The BOSS escapedChapter 21 · “A wound to the heart is also a wound.”Chapter 22 · Good people are always blessed.Chapter 23 · The Old Man of the Valley of BonesChapter 24 · It’s me, young master!Chapter 25 · Take it slow and steadyChapter 26 · The older they get, the stingier they becomeChapter 27 · You know this person tooChapter 28 · I saw Wei Wanzhou againChapter 29 · You’d better keep having this kind of luckChapter 30 · “Password lock” crackedChapter 31 · We’ve come to punish you!Chapter 32 · A boorish country bumpkin who knows no manners.Chapter 33 · You have crossed the lineChapter 34 · Now that we’re here, do you think we can leave?Chapter 35 · A trivial skillChapter 36 · Actually, I was just kiddingChapter 37 · Upgrade mission complete, rating: SSS!Chapter 38 · AwardChapter 39 · I have always been law-abiding and law-abidingChapter 40 · Are you coming back for dinner tonight?Chapter 41 · Purple Lightning Square Seal.Chapter 42 · A money-grubberChapter 43 · BetChapter 44 · Four Continents Chamber of CommerceChapter 45 · This was my third meeting with Wei WanzhouChapter 46 · Oh, you want to hit on me.Chapter 47 · The angry drizzle has stoppedChapter 48 · Thunder SpearChapter 49 · “Are you a devil?”Chapter 50 · The Impermanent Lord!?Chapter 51 · Loot everywhere..Chapter 52 · His identity remains a mystery.Chapter 53 · Why not show yourself?Chapter 54 · He confronted Li Mingrui.Chapter 55 · Auction