《Versatile Sword Cultivator》
Chapter 1 – Lin Jichen
Chapter 1 C Lin Jichen
Earth.
Jiangling City, West Mountain Cemetery.
A woman stood silently in front of a newly erected tombstone, mourning thest journey of the deceased.
The tombstone bore the name of the departed: Lin Jichen, aged 29.
The woman, Ren Lan, was Lin Jichen''s senior from university.
She stood quietly before the grave, gazing at the portrait on the stone, which depicted a man with a handsome and clear-cut visage, his eyes bright as stars.
Lost in the photograph, Ren Lan was momentarily transfixed.
A cemetery worker approached, pushing a cart that held a dark mahogany ashes box.
"It''s time for the burial, ma''am. Would you like to do it, or shall we?" the worker reminded her.
"I''ll do it."
With a heavy heart, Ren Lan walked over, took the ashes box, and carefully ced it into the small, square pit beneath the tombstone.
"I never imagined that after all these years without seeing each other, this would be our next meeting."
She spoke to herself, mist forming in her eyes.
Her voice choked up, unable to hide her sorrow.
"You see, if you had just believed me back then, none of this would have happened. You had such a promising future in ''Tale of Immortal'', but you chose to trust the wrong people, got cheated, and didn''t even realize it... Ah, well, it''s all in the past now..."
"Ma''am, please ce the deceased''s personal effects in as well," the worker prompted again.
Ren Lan nodded, her eyes reddening as she ced Lin Jichen''sst belongings into the grave.
But suddenly, she remembered something and hurriedly retrieved a voice recorder from among the items.
A note was stuck to the recorder, with a message written in small letters: "Ren Lan, open this when I''m buried."
She had always remembered it, but in her grief, she had nearly forgotten.
Holding the voice recorder, Ren Lan chose to y it, and a voice message began to y.
"Miss Frenzy, long time no see, haha, surprise! I''ve achieved enlightenment and am about to ascend to the heavens. This might be thest chance we have to ''meet,'' so I thought I''d leave you a recording..."
The voice in the audio was cheerful, without a trace of the solemnity or sadness one might expect in a final message, even jokingly equating his own death to ascending to immortality.
Ren Lan wasn''t surprised, as the Lin Jichen she knew had always been optimistic and sunny.
The recording continued.
"Actually, I owe you an apology. I should have listened to you sooner. But my own blindness is to me, not others. I''m sorry, my dear senior Ren Lan. If fate allows, we''ll meet again in another life, and I''ll continue to tease you, be your Taekwondo sandbag... Hehe... Well... it''s time to say goodbye..."
Hearing this, Ren Lan''s tears flowed freely. This was the second time in her life that she had cried.
The first time was when Lin Jichen misunderstood her and they parted ways.
Ren Lan, who had always prided herself on never crying, broke down because of Lin Jichen.
But in the next second, the tone of the audio changed abruptly.
"Damn! Where is this? Why is it so dark? Wasn''t I supposed to ascend to immortality? Why am I locked in a little box? Help!"
Is anyone there to save me? I''m scared~ Stop! No, No! Stop~"
The cemetery workers nearby couldn''t help butugh; they had never heard such an unusualst message.
Their job usually precludedughter, given their professional training.
Pfft.Ren Lanughed too, wiping away her tears and cursing at the tombstone''s upant, "Lin Jichen, fuck you!"
***
Ding-ding-dong-dong...
The ringing of a cell phone woke Lin Jichen from his deep sleep.
"Ouch, my head hurts."
Lin Jichen clutched his head as he opened his eyes, his body and breath reeking of the unpleasant smell of alcohol and stomach acid from vomiting.
Looking around at the room that felt both unfamiliar and vaguely familiar, his brain short-circuited for a moment.
"Holy crap, where am I? This looks so much like my college dorm."
"Didn''t I suffer a fatal injury from the Immortalization Realm BOSS, Illuminating Dragon, and die after all treatments failed? How am I still alive?"
"Hey! Where''s my Storage Ring? Where''s my Elixir Field? Why is everything gone?"
***
Ten minutester.
After several confirmations, Lin Jichen finally understood.
He had been reborn.
Back to ten years ago!
That year, he had just finished his college entrance examination and was a freshman.
At neen, he was youthful and full of life.
As for why he was reborn, Lin Jichen thought hard.
If he wasn''t mistaken, it had something to do with the Jade Pendant he snatched from the cave of the Illuminating Dragon.
Lin Jichen had just obtained the pendant when it disappeared, but in the second before his death, he vaguely remembered seeing it again, emitting a dazzling light.
Then, he found himself back ten years prior.
Lin Jichen pondered for a moment and remembered.
Before ''Tale of Immortal'' merged with the real world, there had always been a rumor.
The strongest Exotic Beast in the Immortalization Realm, the Illuminating Dragon, possessed a Supreme God artifact called the Double Fish Pendant, which couldprehend thews of heaven.
But no one had ever obtained it. After being framed, he identally fell into the Illuminating Dragon''s cave.
The Jade Pendant he obtained was most likely the legendary Double Fish Pendant.
Unexpectedly, this legendary artifact granted him a chance to be reborn.
"Since heaven has spared me, Xu Zihui, Guo Jie, you treacherous pair! In this life, I will make you taste the pain of betrayal and utter despair!"
Lin Jichen stood in front of the dormitory mirror, looking at his reflection, his eyes shing with a cold and bone-chilling chill.
Before his rebirth, he had experienced the most tragic and desperate time of his life.
His girlfriend of ten years, Guo Jie, betrayed him, getting together with his most trusted brother, Xu Zihui.
The two even conspired to swindle all his wealth, Immortal Pills, and Magic Treasures umted over ten years.
In the end, they tricked him into the abyss of the Illuminating Dragon to face certain death.
Even as Lin Jichen, the strongest practitioner of the Enlightenment Realm and the world''s number one magic user, he couldn''t withstand the terrifying Immortalization Realm Exotic Beast and was gravely wounded before barely escaping.
Due to his severe injuries and theck of a cure, Lin Jichen soon passed away.
Reflecting on his past life, Lin Jichen realized he had lived aplete tragedy.
A good hand yed terribly wrong.
He had so many better choices, so many people who truly cared for him.
But because of his stubbornness and misced confidence in his own judgment.
He pushed away the girl who truly cared for him, responding coldly, while he embraced the viper-hearted woman, yielding to her every whim.
Thinking about it, Lin Jichen found himself utterly ridiculous.
Heaven was kind to let him return to ten years ago, to the year 2040.
On August 8, 2040, a day that would change everything.
***
A virtual online game with a realism rate of 100%, named ''Tale of Immortal,'' created by the universe-level artificial intelligence ''Nuwa,'' emerged, drawing on the cultural backgrounds of many countries to craft this epoch-making first virtual game.
Everyone thought it was just a virtual game.
Until five years after the game''sunch, strange things began to happen!
First, a few yers discovered that abilities and Magic Treasures from the game could be brought into reality, and even the NPCs from the game coulde to the real world.
Once this discovery was made public, humanity flocked to ''Tale of Immortal,'' all to gain the various abilities, cultivation levels, Magic Treasures, Immortal Pills, Supernatural Powers, and so on from the game.
But with that came the various demons, viins, and massive Beast Tides from the game, descending upon reality.
Even the worlds within the game merged with reality.
It was this game that made Lin Jichen a practitioner of the Enlightenment Realm, that gave him everything, and also took everything away.
But now, everything was starting from scratch, starting anew.
Lin Jichen believed that with his ten years of knowledge about ''Tale of Immortal.''
He was well aware of the various Secret Realms, hidden quests, immortal caves, Divine Pets, and divine weapons.
With the skills he had honed over the past ten years, Lin Jichen was confident he could be the strongest cultivator in ''Tale of Immortal''!
The game had been running for ten years, but if you discount the time when the worlds merged, the actual game time was only five years.
And Lin Jichen had only yed for four years.
He only came across the game in the second year after its public test, and he had a rough start, receiving a rather mediocre talent.
Despite that, he rose above it.
He caught up with most yers and even made it into the top ten of the ''Tale of Immortal'' leaderboard.
And now, the date was August 7, 2040.
The public test for ''Tale of Immortal'' was tonight!
Lin Jichen tried to calm his breathing and contain his emotions, sweeping away the gloom of his previous life, and grinned at the mirror.
In this life, he would start over, seek revenge, and right wrongs!
In this life, he would make up for the regrets of his past life andpensate those he had let down.
In this life, he must not miss another year, wasting the most precious initial period of the game.
Even if his start was the same as his previous life, receiving only a mediocre talent.
Lin Jichen was still confident that with his knowledge of ''Tale of Immortal'' and ten years of skill, he could leave everyone far behind and reach the pinnacle of the ''Tale of Immortal'' world!
Ding-ding-dong-dong...
The phone rang again.
Lin Jichen picked up his Huawei Tianwen phone from ten years ago, and the caller ID disyed: "Miss Frenzy."
Seeing this name, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but smile brightly and immediately answered the call.
"Little Lin! Why did you take so long to answer my call? Big news, you have to brace yourself!"
On the other end of the phone, a youthful female voice came through.
Lin Jichen didn''t pay attention to the content, simply savoring the sound of the voice.
How long had it been since he heard this voice? A full ten years.
Yet it was still so familiar, soforting.
"I''m sorry, Miss Frenzy," Lin Jichen suddenly whispered.
"Huh? Sorry for what?" The person on the other end clearly didn''t catch on.
"Nothing, just felt like saying it."
Lin Jichen chuckled, casually brushing it off.
In his past life, he owed apologies to two girls, and Ren Lan was one of them.
Chapter 2 – Treat me like iron and strike me
Chapter 2 C Treat me like iron and strike me
Ten years ago, to the day, Ren Lan called me.
She said she saw Guo Jie kissing another guy on the street and then getting into his car.
Guo Jie was the girlfriend I met in college, and I loved her deeply, so I refused to believe Ren Lan''s words.
Not only that, I even scolded Ren Lan for it.
We had a huge fight over it.
After that call, Ren Lan, who used to be so close to me, never sought me out again, and our friendship was broken.
Ren Lan had nned to stay at the university for her postgraduate entrance examination, but because of this incident, she gave up and transferred to a school in another city.
Since then, I never saw Ren Lan again, and, blinded by Guo Jie, all I wanted was to marry the woman I loved.
Little did I know, Guo Jie was not as simple as I thought.
To describe her with inte ng, she was an Angelic Bitch, and a high-level one at that.
She was even on par with that ''65-page PPT girl''.
As a naive first-timer in love, I was easily yed by her.
She deceived me for ten years, and in the end, she was even involved with my ''buddy'' Xu Zikai.
For a whole decade, I was fooled by her appearance and acting skills.
Looking back now, I can''t help but feel I was truly foolish.
"Hey, I don''t have time for jokes. Brace yourself, I just saw Guo Jie kissing a guy on the street and she got into his sports car!" Ren Lan said earnestly.
"Oh, got it."
"Oh? Just an ''oh''? Come on, I''m not messing with you, it''s true!"
Ren Lan was frantic, thinking I didn''t believe her.
"I believe you," I said with a light chuckle. "But right now, I''d rather take you out for a meal. Are you free?"
"Buddy? Let''s stay calm, don''t do anything rash, okay? You''ve got me all confused."
Ren Lan waspletely baffled, not understanding why I was soposed.
Of course, she knew how much I, the naive one, liked Guo Jie.
But now, with such shocking news, how could I remain indifferent?
"I''m not upset. Seriously,e down to my dorm building, I''ll treat you to a meal, right now, immediately."
"Uh... okay, I''ll feel better if I keep an eye on you. I''m on my way."
The call ended.
I immediately went downstairs.
***
I didn''t have to wait long at the dorm building before a graceful figure appeared in my line of sight.
Ren Lan was tall, nearly 1.8 meters, just half a head shorter than me.
Her long, slender legs, like those of a walking model, were particrly eye-catching.
Dressed in sportswear, with a sports headband tied around her forehead.
Ren Lan''s looks were natural and unpretentious, with a distinct Eastern charm.
Her features were delicate, and perhaps due to frequent sun exposure, her skin was a healthy light wheat color.
Her bare face needed no makeup or foundation to enhance it, and the vigor in her eyes and brows gave her a spirited air.
As she approached, passing male students all turned to look, eximing "goddess."
"I''ve done a good deed today, you''ve got to treat me to a feast. I want Teppanyaki!" Ren Lan said boldly as she approached me.
"No problem, eat your fill," I agreed without hesitation.
"Heh, that''s my buddy, let''s go!"
We headed straight to the nearby food street and sat down at Ren Lan''s favorite Teppanyaki restaurant, facing each other.
"Little Lin, I really didn''t lie to you. It all happened so fast, I just pulled out my phone to take a picture for evidence, but they left immediately. Otherwise, I would have proof."
As soon as Ren Lan sat down, she repeated the story to me.
I was busy looking at the menu, replying nonchntly, "I said I believe you, so you don''t need to give me evidence."
"So you''re not going to react? You don''t care?"
"Of course, I don''t care anymore."
"Damn, you''re not into some weird fetish, are you? Like getting a kick out of being cuckolded?" Ren Lan teased.
I scowled and said, "You''re the one who likes being cuckolded. I mean, I don''t care about Guo Jie anymore, that''s all!"
Ren Lan was even more surprised, asking skeptically, "Did you already know?"
I shook my head with a wry smile, "Let''s just put an end to this matter. My rtionship with her is over too, so don''t worry about me. I''m doing great."
"Wow, did you two break up?" Ren Lan''s eyes widened.
"Yeah, for now, it''s a unteral decision on my part."
"Awesome, this is the first time I''ve seen you take such a stand. I thought you''d hang yourself on that crooked tree."
Ren Lan marveled, making meugh and cry at the same time.
The food we ordered arrived quickly.
Looking at the long-missed food, I couldn''t remember thest time I had grains.
As a practitioner in the Enlightenment Realm, I had long reached the state of Inedia.
Now, as an ordinary person, the smell of food made my stomach growl with hunger.
We began to tackle the food on the table.
Ren Lan chatted sporadically as she ate.
"I told you long ago, Guo Jie isn''t a good girl. I have a sister who''s her roommate, and she told me firsthand that Guo Jie has to say goodnight on the phone to seven or eight guys every night, and you''re just one of them.
This woman is opportunistic, vain, and loves money. If it weren''t for your looks as the Campus Idol, giving her face when she''s out with you, she wouldn''t even spare you a nce. And more..."
The more Ren Lan spoke, the more it hurt, so I quickly interjected:"Alright, big sis, I''ve turned over a new leaf and started anew. Can we not talk about the past embarrassments? Isn''t there enough food here to shut you up?"
"Heh, where''s that gonna get me? At most, I''ll be six-tenths full. You know I work out every day, how else am I going to have the strength to pump iron?"
Ren Lan replied with a grin.
I immediately understood her hint and ordered several more dishes.
"By the way, Little Lin, have you heard of ''Tale of Immortal''?"
Ren Lan suddenly brought up the game, which wasn''t surprising given that ''Tale of Immortal'' ads were everywhere.
"Of course, I''m nning to enter the game as a professional yer." I answered frankly.
I had to go back and reim everything that was mine!
"No way, for real?" Ren Lan was shocked.
"You, who ranked top ten in League of Legends Korean server and top hundred globally in CSGO, the king of holographic battle royale."
"You weren''t willing to go pro back then, and now you''re telling me you want to be a professional yer in a new game?"
Ren Lan couldn''t believe I wanted to be a professional gamer.
My gaming talent was exceptional, and I excelled at any game I yed, including a certainpany''s holographic battle royale, cough cough.
Ren Lan also loved gaming.
That was why she enjoyed ying with me; we always won, and no matter how much she messed up, I could always turn the tide.
Riding on coattails wasn''t shameful.
I appeared very calm.
"This game has a lot of potential. I suggest you also invest your energy into it. Forget the old games, they''re just a waste of time."
As someone who had been reborn, I knew what ''Tale of Immortal'' represented.
But I couldn''t juste out and say it, because no one would believe it. All I could do was offer some advice.
"Ha, okay! But you have to lead me, my gaming talent is nowhere near yours." Ren Lan didn''t doubt me, she simply wanted to y too.
Now she had an excuse to indulge in gaming, so she was more than willing.
"No problem, I''m nning to move out of the dorm in the next few days and rent a ce to fully immerse myself in it."
"So you''re not going to school anymore?"
"No, degrees and diplomas are useless to me now."
I spoke of dropping out so casually.
If I said this now, I''d surely be criticized for squandering my potential.
But once ''Tale of Immortal'' was released, they''d see how wise I was.
"WOW, I''ve known you for so long, and today is the day I think you''re the most badass!" Ren Lan chewed on her steak and gave me a thumbs up.
I handed her a ss of juice with a smile, fearing she might choke.
Chapter 3 – The beginning of the dream
Chapter 3 C The beginning of the dream
Sitting across from a dear friend unseen for a decade, Lin Jichen felt an unprecedented joy in his heart, being able to chat andugh together once again.
There were no more misunderstandings between them; they were still good friends.
To make up for past misunderstandings, Lin Jichen ordered several more dishes.
They feasted until they could eat no more, only stopping when they were about to burst.
When it came time to pay, Lin Jichen took out his phone to settle the bill.
But upon opening his phone, he was stunned.
His WeChat and Alipay ounts were empty.
Even his credit was maxed out.
He would have liked to casually pull out a precious Spirit Stone or gold bars and gems from his Storage Ring to pay the bill.
But now, he had neither Spirit Stones nor a Storage Ring, only an equally empty wallet.
With no other choice, the Enlightenment Realm powerhouse Lin Jichen, cheeks flushed, had to ask Ren Lan for help.
In the end, under Ren Lan''s murderous gaze, they paid the bill and left the restaurant.
"(pը) Lin Jichen, you sly little man! You promised to treat me, and in the end, I had to pay. What a move, really impressive!"
Lin Jichen''s face turned red, and he walked ahead, too ashamed to face her.
"Emm... There was an unexpected issue. I checked my ount history, and my wallet was overdrawn yesterday."
Ren Lan pouted and mocked, "Who asked you to live beyond your means? You gave Guo Jie such an expensive birthday gift yesterday and insisted on ordering so much alcohol. Now you''re struggling to pay for a meal, right?"
Lin Jichen scratched his head, feeling extremely embarrassed.
Why couldn''t he have been reborn a day earlier? If he had, he wouldn''t have done such a foolish thing.
He could have avoided a huge expense.
Now, with Ren Lan bringing it up, he really did have a headache; he was indeed out of money.
He had been nning to move out and rent a ce, but with this turn of events, it seemed he could only stay in the dormitory.
Wait, that meant he couldn''t buy the game ring either!
Damn it!
Lin Jichen suddenly remembered why he had only entered "Tale of Immortal" a year after its beta test.
All his money had been spent on Guo Jie, the gold-digger, leaving him nothing for the game ring.
The gifts Guo Jie demanded became more and more expensive, and his debts snowballed. That year, he was busy earning money to pay off debts.
Moreover, Lin Jichen''s parents had passed away early, leaving him nothing but an old house.
With the support of rtives, Lin Jichen barely finished high school.
Although he had the scores to attend a top university, theck of funds led him to choose Jiangling Normal University, which offered him a tuition waiver and a schrship.
In college, he earned his living expenses by leveling up ounts for others at inte cafes and being a paid gamingpanion.
Yesterday''s birthday celebration for Guo Jie had drained all his savings.
The more he thought about it, the more frustrated Lin Jichen became. Why couldn''t he have been reborn a day earlier?~~
"Give me your phone," Ren Lan suddenly said.
Lin Jichen handed it over without thinking.
Ren Lan took out her own phone and, after a flurry of tapping, Lin Jichen heard the sound of a money transfer from his phone.
He immediately understood.
"This is several years'' worth of my gym membership fees. Remember to pay me back early. If I can''t go to the gym because of you, I''ll use you as a sandbag for my workouts."
Ren Lan waved her fist, threatening him fiercely.
Lin Jichen took his phone back and softly said, "Don''t worry, I''ll pay you back on time."
"Forget it, I''m not in a hurry. I can work out at home. I''m tired of giving money to the gym anyway. Besides, every time I go, there''s a bunch of guys hogging the equipment, and I have to wait in line. It''s better to just train at home." Ren Lan pretended not to care.
But how could Lin Jichen not hear that she was trying tofort him?
So he mischievously smiled and asked, "Forget the sandbag, why not treat me as balloon and pump me instead?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than his ear was pinched: "What did you say?"
Ren Lan''s eyes were sharp, ready to throw Lin Jichen out at any moment.
Lin Jichen quickly backed down.
Damn, this woman dares to be so disrespectful to an Enlightenment Realm powerhouse! So presumptuous... Ouch, that hurts~
***
After seeing Ren Lan off, Lin Jichen immediately left the school to look for a ce to live.
To make it convenient for Ren Lan to visit, he looked for housing near the school.
Finally, after careful selection, he chose a well-furnished two-bedroom apartment in a decent neighborhood.
The rent was only 3,000 yuan a month, a friendly price for a neighborhood close to a transportation hub and with a good environment.
Lin Jichen had seen other, inferior apartments going for several times the price.
The apartment was temporarily managed by an agency for rental.
Thendlord was away traveling and wouldn''t be back for a few days, leaving them in full charge.
The agent repeatedly reminded Lin Jichen to keep the apartment clean and tidy, not to keep pets, and to limit upancy to two people, as per thendlord''s requirements.
Thendlord would inspect the ce periodically, and if dissatisfied, could terminate the contract unterally and evict him.
This strictness was why no one else had rented the ce, but Lin Jichen didn''t mind. He was somewhat of a neat freak and would definitely keep the ce clean.
Plus, it was just him, and with Ren Lan, they met the conditions.
Even if thendlord inspected often, it was no big deal for him, a grown man.
Decisive in his actions, Lin Jichen signed the contract, got the keys by noon, and checked the utilities with the agent.
By the afternoon, he had moved out of the dormitory.
The dormitory housed four people, but the other three roommates always ganged up against Lin Jichen.
The reason, unclear even after ten years, seemed to be that one of the roommates had a crush on a girl who was interested in Lin Jichen.
So, they had a grudge against him, often targeting him with petty actions.
Lin Jichen had never gotten along with them and had even forgotten their names.
Now that he had moved out, both parties were more at ease.
After moving into the apartment, the first thing Lin Jichen did was order the "Tale of Immortal" game ring online for 5,999 yuan.
The game also offered gaming pods, but they were expensive, starting at fifty thousand yuan, which was beyond Lin Jichen''s current means.
The order arrived in less than two hours, showcasing the gamepany''s efficiency.
Holding the familiar game ring, Lin Jichen yed with it for a while before setting it aside.
The game wasn''t open for public testing yet, so he couldn''t y even if he wanted to.
Taking advantage of the remaining time, Lin Jichen cooked himself a bowl of tomato and egg noodles, took a bath, and then checked the time.
It was almost here.
***
August 8, 2040, at 00:00:01, "Tale of Immortal" went live globally!
At that moment, countless yers donned their rings and dove into the world of Tale of Immortal.
Lin Jichen was no exception. Lying in bed, he put on the ring,pleted the iris scan to bind it, and then his entire being entered the virtual world, surrounded by a sea of stars and enveloped in celestial mist.
He stood within a grand and ancient pce.
Ten yearster, he was back where the dream began.
Chapter 4 – Defying Fate
Chapter 4 C Defying Fate
A celestial woman with a jade-likeplexion and a serene, saintly aura floated in the air.
Her beauty was unparalleled, d in a glimmering ss-like dress, she resembled the Nine Heavens Maiden, captivating onlookers who couldn''t bear to look away.
Even Lin Jichen, who had seen her a decade ago, couldn''t help but take a few extra nces.
But he never thought about flirting with her; this woman was extraordinary, a guide on the path of immortality and the mastermind behind "Tale of Immortal," Nuwa.
Proofreader:In Chinese mythology, Nuwa is known as the mother of the earth, the god of nature who created all things.
Those who dared to speak to Nuwa carelessly never met a good end.
Many yers, lured by Nuwa''s looks and figure, disrespected her.
Some tried to hit on her, others begged to cling to her coattails, and a few even had the audacity to think of molesting her.
The consequences were dire. Those who made inappropriate advances were locked in a dark cell for a few minutes if their words weren''t too filthy.
Those who made vulgar and lewdments not only faced a day or two in the cell but also suffered a permanent reduction in their charm upon logging back in.
And for those who attempted molestation, they faced a seven-day confinement and a permanent charm reduction.
Moreover, upon release, all NPC affection levels turned negative, they couldn''t ept quests, and their attributes halved for a week.
Many had fallen victim to this.
In his past life, Lin Jichen had done such things, but he wasn''t lecherous; he believed Nuwa held hidden quests or rewards.
So he pestered Nuwa relentlessly, inquiring about these secrets countless times.
Eventually, Nuwa grew tired and confined him for a few minutes, and he learned his lesson.
Reborn, Lin Jichen certainly wouldn''t repeat such foolishness.
He waited quietly for her to speak.
Nuwa''s eyes calmly met his, and as she spoke, it was like listening to the music of the heavens.
"Mortal, do you truly wish to embark on the path of cultivation?"
"Yes," Lin Jichen replied.
"Tell me your name."
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen answered, "Lin Jichen."
In his past life, his ID was Lin Aijie, which spoke volumes to those who understood the term ''simp.''
Now reborn, Lin Jichen just wanted to be himself.
"Since you''ve decided to step onto the path of immortality, I shall bestow upon you an opportunity. What you make of it is entirely up to you."
Here ites! The starting talent is about to be revealed!
Lin Jichen''s eyelids twitched.
If he wasn''t mistaken, he would receive a mediocre innate talent just like before, called "Business Prodigy."
The talent''s effect was simple: a 10% reduction in spirit stones spent at all town shops.
In other words, it was just a money-saving feature with no other use...
Such a talent was best suited for a game merchant, but Lin Jichen had no interest in that and had to carry this mediocre talent on his journey of cultivation.
Yet, even with this, he had managed to be one of the top-tier experts in "Tale of Immortal," the number one magic cultivator.
"Fine, Business Prodigy it is. Innate talent isn''t everything. With my knowledge of ''Tale of Immortal,'' even with a lousy start, I can still turn the tides." Lin Jichenforted himself.
Nuwa raised her hand, and a stream of rosy light entered Lin Jichen''s body, assessing his constitution.
For some reason, what should have been a quick check took much longer this time.
The light lingered inside Lin Jichen for half a minute before finally dissipating.
Just as Lin Jichen grew puzzled, the game notification sounded.
"Congrattions on obtaining the innate talent ''Defying Fate''!"
Lin Jichen was stunned. Why wasn''t it Business Prodigy?
Was it because of his rebirth?
Or did the Jade Pendant help him?
With this thought, Lin Jichen quickly checked the description.
"Defying Fate": Born against the heavens, defying the natural order, blessed with extraordinary destiny.
Just these twelve words let Lin Jichen know this was no ordinary talent.
In his ten years in "Tale of Immortal," he had never heard of anyone receiving such a talent.
He read on eagerly.
The talent had three effects.
"Born Against the Heavens": Those born against the heavens, like a phoenix reborn from ashes.
All innate attributes are at their maximum, but with each death, all innate attributes decrease by 10%.
"Defying the Natural Order": Those who defy the natural order are envied by the heavens.
With each major breakthrough, all attribute bonuses are doubled, but a heavenly tribtion is guaranteed, and failure means the soul is scattered.
"Extraordinary Destiny": Those with an extraordinary destiny are always apanied by opportunities.
With each major breakthrough, an additional random talent is awarded, and each time a major realm is broken through, a ''Heavenly'' level condition must bepleted.
After reading the talent description, Lin Jichen was silent for a few seconds, then overwhelmed with joy.
He hadn''t expected his rebirth to change even his talent.
Defying Fate, this talent was invincible!
Although the talent came with benefits and dangers alike, for Lin Jichen, these were trivial matters!
Great opportunities alwayse with great risks.
If hecked the heart to face these challenges, he might as well not have been reborn.
He could just find a piece of stinky tofu and headbutt it to death.
"The talent has been bestowed upon you, now you must choose your appearance."
As Nuwa spoke, she raised her hand.
A projection screen appeared, disying Lin Jichen''s image.
Beside it were many hairstyles to choose from.
This was simr to character customization in online games.
However, in "Tale of Immortal," one couldn''t change their face; they were stuck with their given appearance and could only choose a hairstyle suitable for the world of immortals.
There were loose hair, tied hair, t buns.
There were also explosive hairstyles like the one from "Friends" or the protagonist''s bun from "The Legend of Sword and Fairy," and more.
One could even choose to be bald, have a shaved head, or sport dreadlocks.
In short, any hairstyle was possible, and hair color could be chosen too.
In his past life, Lin Jichen had encountered many non-mainstream yers with red or green hair.
This time, Lin Jichen chose a half-loose hairstyle with a hair crown, which suited his face and gave him an elegant and suave look.
In his past life, he had been foolish, thinking he was tired of being handsome and that anything would do in the game.
So, he chose the explosive hairstyle like that of "Storm Riders."
Only to find outter that the higher the looks, the easier it was to gain the affection of NPCs of the opposite sex.
His explosive hairstyle had significantly lowered his already high charm.
This time, Lin Jichen wouldn''t make the same mistake.
Appearance confirmed.
Next, a scroll appeared in front of Lin Jichen.
The scroll unfurled on its own, revealing a map.
The map was divided into four sections.
They were marked: Yongning Province, Yuehua Province, Mu Xian Province, and Huafeng Province.
These four provinces were the starting points yers could choose from.
The map of "Tale of Immortal" was vast, and these four provinces were just the tip of the iceberg.
The rest of the map was highly dangerous and required high cultivation levels to explore.
The four provinces, aside from their names, had no descriptions.
yers could pick at will.
Though they seemed simr, Lin Jichen, as someone who had been through it before, knew there were secrets hidden within.
These four provinces were each suited to one of the four mainstream professions in "Tale of Immortal": magic cultivation, medical cultivation, artifact cultivation, and physical cultivation.
Yongning Province was most suitable for magic cultivators; Yuehua Province was most suitable for medical cultivators; Mu Xian Province was most suitable for artifact cultivators; Huafeng Province was most suitable for physical cultivators.
It wasn''t to say that it was absolute.
In fact, any profession could shine anywhere.
However, each of the four provinces hid special opportunities unknown to others, which were not avable on other continents.
For example, in Yongning Province, there were opportunities left by powerful magic cultivators.
These included various rare-level magic treasures, supernatural powers, and immortal pills that only magic cultivators could use.
The other professions had simr opportunities.
However, such opportunities were hard toe by, and the triggering andpletion conditions were very strict. Luck and strength were both essential to seize these opportunities.
Lin Jichen first needed to determine which profession he would pursue.
Chapter 5 – Abandon Spell Cultivation for Sword Cultivation
Chapter 5 C Abandon Spell Cultivation for Sword Cultivation
Lin Jichen didn''t rush to choose a profession; instead, he first checked his attribute panel.
yer: Lin Jichen
Innate Talent: Defying Fate
Sect: None
Profession: None
Reputation: 0
Cultivation: 0
Realm: Mortal
Innate Physique: 100 (Max)
Innate Spirit: 100 (Max)
Innate Comprehension: 100 (Max)
Innate Charm: Transcendent Beauty (Max)
Innate Luck: Auspicious (Max)
Physique determines the upper limit for Qi Cultivators and Body Cultivators, while Spirit determines the limit for Spell Cultivators and Healing Cultivators.
Comprehension is key to learning rare and powerful skills; many formidable skills require highprehension, and it also makes it easier to understand various talents.
Charm and luck are also very important.
Charm can affect NPCs'' Affection Level towards you.
yers with high charm find it easy to get missions and cling to the coattails of the powerful.
They might even encounter the good fortune of opposite-sex NPCs wanting to dual cultivate with them.
Luck goes without saying.
After reviewing his attribute panel, Lin Jichen was filled with fighting spirit.
With such a start, who else couldpete?
Taking a deep breath, he calmed the excitement in his heart and began to seriously consider his career path.
Lin Jichen''s attributes were all maxed out, so he had no need for concern; he could y any profession he wanted.
In his past life, Lin Jichen was a Spell Cultivator yer, proficient in the techniques and skills of Spell Cultivators, and knew them like the back of his hand.
Logically, continuing as a Spell Cultivator would be the most appropriate choice and the easiest to get the hang of.
After all, it was the path he was familiar with, and there was no pressure in following it.
Lin Jichen could confidently say that if he continued as a Spell Cultivator, no one could match him in this profession.
He could easily be the world''s number one Spell Cultivator!
But precisely because he was proficient in Spell Cultivation, Lin Jichen was also acutely aware of its drawbacks.
Spell Cultivators may deal massive damage in theter stages, with full AOE and invincibility in group battles.
A forbidden spell cast into a crowd of enemies could be exhratingly powerful.
However, Spell Cultivators are difficult to train and resource-intensive.
Their single-target damage is insufficient, and their defenses are too low.
They are fragile and easily taken down, with many professions that can counter them.
These were all insights Lin Jichen, a top-tier Spell Cultivator, had gained through years of experience.
The most fatal point was that Spell Cultivators were at a disadvantage in PKs; once someone closed in on them, they were powerless, and a single misstep could lead to an unexpected defeat.
Another important point was that Lin Jichen didn''t like Spell Cultivation.
He had chosen Spell Cultivation simply because Guo Jie said she liked it, so he followed suit.
In fact, he had always been fascinated by the freedom of Weapon Cultivators, such as Sword Cultivators, who could control the sword and soar through the skies, ruling over a hundred des and reveling in the martial world.
Knife Cultivators could sweep across the world with their divine des, following the momentum without fear and being invincible.
Spear Cultivators could thrust with a glint of cold light, their spears emerging like dragons, fierce and domineering, striking wherever they pointed.
And so on.
Unlike Spell Cultivators, who, regardless of the type, were always casting spells from the sidelines.
In "Tale of Immortal," Weapon Cultivators were recognized as the most popr, with the most yers, and as the profession that required the most skill and presented the greatest challenge.
After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Lin Jichen finally resolutely abandoned the old path of Spell Cultivation.
Actually, thinking about it, giving up Spell Cultivation might be for the best.
Since he had been reborn, why not start everything anew?
A new profession was a new challenge.
Otherwise, if everything was done by the book, wouldn''t it be too boring?
Moreover, Lin Jichen believed in his gaming talent; any profession in his hands could shine brightly.
Lin Jichen''s physique was also at max value, making him perfectly suited for Weapon Cultivation.
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen touched the map and chose Mu Xian Province!
He would choose the most popr profession among Weapon Cultivators, Sword Cultivator!
Sword Cultivators had the highest single-target damage.
Whether it was yer duels or soloing bosses, they were the most suitable.
If he wanted to be the world''s number one, it was destined that there would be countless struggles, open confrontations, assassinations, and sneak attacks.
Spell Cultivators were very afraid of these underhanded tactics.
Sword Cultivators, however, were not.
Another point was that Lin Jichen had previously chosen Mu Xian Province.
Back then, he had no idea about the hidden opportunities in the four provinces, so as a Spell Cultivator, Lin Jichen settled in Mu Xian Province.
He was all too familiar with everything in Mu Xian Province.
So this was also a reason for Lin Jichen to abandon Spell Cultivation for Sword Cultivation.
After touching Mu Xian Province, Lin Jichen transformed into a streak of light and disappeared from the heavenly pce.
***
The next moment, he arrived in a picturesque vige.
Dressed in coarse linen clothes, barehanded, with nothing else.
This was the treatment for neers.
Lin Jichen looked around; the beautiful little vige was already surrounded by more and more new yers.
"Damn, bro! This game is too realistic, feels like I''ve traveled to another world."
"Admiring the picturesque scenery, I wanted topose a poem for the world, but s, I''m uneducated, so all I can say is damn, what a big mountain!"
"I''m a gaming newbie, please help, how do I y this game? I don''t understand anything."
"Crazy Shark Guild is recruiting! Hurry up if you want to sign up!"
"Any girls want to be in-game couples? My name is Love''s Cold Funeral!"
***
The surroundings were very noisy.
At the vige entrance stood an old man in his sixties.
Anyone who had yed a bit of online gaming would know that this must be an NPC with a mission to offer.
So, the crowd squeezed together, all to get a mission from the old man.
Lin Jichen, watching the scene that rivaled the chaos of a train station during the Spring Festival, had no intention of going with the flow.
He bypassed the vige chief and walked into the vige.
The vige was also crowded; it seemed that many yers, like Lin Jichen, thought there were too many people at the entrance and came inside to try their luck.
Everywhere, yers were interacting with NPCs in search of missions.
Every man, woman, and child in the vige was besieged by these yers, all seeking missions.
Lin Jichen''s arrival caused a stir among the crowd of yers.
No one had noticed him at the entrance due to the crowd, but upon entering the vige, Lin Jichen immediately became the center of attention.
"Wow! I saw a super handsome guy!"
"Handsome guy, want to team up?"
"Handsome, do you have a girlfriend? I''ve fallen for you at first sight."
"I think he''s even more handsome than my idol, what do you guys think?"
"Could this be a newly debuted star? I have to look him up."
Many female yers chattered excitedly, unable to take their eyes off Lin Jichen.
The male yers, on the other hand, were all seething with jealousy.
"Damn, this kid is even more handsome than Jin Cheng Wu from Bengbu?"
"I, Peng Yuyan from Cao County, am the first to object."
"Wu Yanzu from Nanchang reporting in!"
"Have you asked me, Xie Tingfeng from Yiwu?"
***
Lin Jichen''s arrival made the already noisy vige even livelier.
What was more exaggerated was that not only the yers had such a big reaction to Lin Jichen''s arrival.
Even the female NPCs in the vige began to look towards Lin Jichen.
A graceful young woman at the tailor shop, who was clearly giving out missions to other yers, acted as if she had seen her lover upon seeing Lin Jichen.
She stopped giving out missions and even asked the yers queuing up for missions to make way.
Then, swaying her hips, she walked over to Lin Jichen with a seductive gait.
The young woman initiated a conversation: "Hello, young man, my name is Cui Niang, I''m the owner of the tailor shop in this vige. Do you want to take on a mission? Sister can arrange it for you~"
She added: "If you find the mission too difficult, sister can help you with it too~ My husband passed away five years ago, and I''ve been single ever since~"
All the yers watched dumbfounded, their mouths agape in disbelief.
While others were begging NPCs for missions, Lin Jichen had an NPC actively offering him one, even willing to help.
What kind of divine treatment was this?
And the key point was that the widowed shop owner seemed to have taken a liking to Lin Jichen, even revealing her rtionship status.
Damn it, we refuse to ept this!
Chapter 6 – The benefits of being charming
Chapter 6 C The benefits of being charming
A male yer immediately stood up to protest against the widow shopkeeper.
"It''s unfair! Why does he get to cut in line? We''ve been waiting so long, and you even said you''d help him with a quest. This is too unfair! We protest!"
Little did they know, the widow''s demeanor towards him waspletely different from how she treated Lin Jichen.
She looked at the male yer with disdain, not only failing to smooth things over but instead mocking him.
"Before you protest, take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Can''t a sister like good-looking brothers? I just want to take care of him. If you have a problem with that, you can leave. No one begged you toe here for work."
The male yer was so angry he felt like spitting blood, insulted by a game NPC for his looks, he cursed and left.
However, after the widow''s words, the other disgruntled yers didn''t dare to make a sound, afraid of upsetting her and not getting a quest.
Being publicly ridiculed by an NPC would probably lead to social death on the spot.
Thinking about the malepatriot just now, the empathy was too strong.
Seeing everyone quiet down, the widow put on a beaming smile again, but this smile was reserved only for Lin Jichen.
"How about it, little brother?"
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected that maxing out his charm would bring such great benefits.
He felt that if he wanted, he could cultivate an Affection Level with this charming widow.
In a few days, he might even be able to dual cultivate with her... cough cough.
Of course, that was just a joke. He, Lin Jichen, was not that kind of person!
Responding to the widow''s enthusiasm, he politely replied, "Next time. I have other things to do now. I''lle to you for a quest next time."
The widow, a bit disappointed, sashayed back to her tailor shop, looking downcast.
It was as if Lin Jichen had led her on and then abandoned her.
Not wanting to be the center of attention any longer, Lin Jichen quickly bypassed the crowd and sped up his pace.
Fortunately, only female NPCs who cared a lot about looks were so proactive and attentive towards him.
Other NPCs were not as exaggerated as the charming widow.
But due to his Transcendent charm, their first impressions of Lin Jichen were extremely good.
Passersby greeted him one after another.
Lin Jichen felt like he didn''t need to make any effort in this game.
He could just find a female Sword Cultivator with high Looks, cling to her coattails, and live the life of a gigolo... (?????)
This was actually another way to y "Tale of Immortal"...
***
When he finally reached the end of the vige, Lin Jichen saw a weapon shop.
A muscr man with a coiled beard, bare-chested and sweaty, stood at the entrance.
He was hammering away at an unfinished weapon by the forge, the nging sounds unceasing.
At first nce, the man''s hammering technique seemed a bit wild.
Inside the shop, several yers were trying to interact with him to get a quest.
Unfortunately, the man ignored their attempts, focused solely on his forging.
"Damn, is this guy deaf?"
"It''s possible. Let''s go, let''s go."
"Don''t waste time on a deaf man."
"I heard the widow at the tailor shop is giving out quests. Let''s go there."
Seeing the man''sck of response, the yers gave up and left the weapon shop.
Lin Jichen walked over, looked at the man, and then at the forge beneath him.
He said nothing, nor did he interact with the man.
Instead, he sat down by the forge, grabbed the bellows handle, and began to pump.
The mes in the forge soared, and the temperature surged.
The man, who had been focused on his weapon, suddenly brightened up, muttering, "Yes, that''s it, the temperature was too low, the fire too small."
He continued to hammer the weapon in the fire.
Lin Jichen, as if he hadn''t heard, kept working the bellows.
After about five minutes, the man sighed with relief, "Finally, it''s taking shape!"
Only then did Lin Jichen stop his actions.
The man immediately turned his attention to Lin Jichen andughed heartily.
"Thank you for helping me with the bellows. My apprentice is not here today, and no one was tending the forge, no wonder the fire wasn''t strong enough."
He then said to Lin Jichen, "Since you''ve helped me, I should repay you."
Pointing to the weapon rack behind him in the shop, he said, "Pick any weapon from there, I''ll lend it to you for a day, but you must return it to me after that."
If it were an ordinary yer, they would have cursed. "Damn it, I helped you so much, you should at least give me a weapon. What''s with lending it for a day!"
But Lin Jichen calmly nodded, "Thank you, I''ll just take a sword."
The man nodded, took an iron sword, and handed it over.
Lin Jichen took the iron sword from the cksmith and casually checked its attributes.
Ordinary Grade Iron Sword: Amon iron sword, Strength +3.
"Young man, I''ll lend you this iron sword for a day. If you can bring me 10 pairs of Green Bamboo Viper fangs within a day, I''ll give you an opportunity."
"No problem, I''ll take it."
Lin Jichen smiled, sessfully embarking on the path of a Sword Cultivator.
After epting the quest, he immediately set off, leaving the shop.
Some yers who were still loitering at the entrance of the weapon shop, unable to find their way, were incredulous when they saw Lin Jichene out with an iron sword in hand.
"Damn! How did that guy get a weapon?"
"We''re still using fists, sticks, and throwing rocks at monsters, and he''s got a sword?"
"Hey buddy, how did you get the sword? Tell us."
"Don''t think you can leave without telling us. I hate people who hog all the good stuff."
"That''s right, if you don''t spill the beans, we''ll block you so you can''t go anywhere."
Faced with their questioning, Lin Jichen casually pointed inside the shop.
"Just find that strong man, sing him a song, and touch his heart."
"Really? It''s that simple?" Some were skeptical.
Lin Jichen exined, "That big guy just broke up with his girlfriend, he''s heartbroken, so you have to sing a sad love song with real emotion."
A few believed him and immediately rushed into the shop, surrounding the man and showcasing their ''moving'' singing voices.
"Ah ah~ Give me a ss of forgetful water~ So I won''t cry all night~"
"Too bad it''s not you~ staying with me till the end~"
"Wanting to stay but can''t is the loneliest~ Awoo~ The tender words are left unfinished, only the breakup song remains~~ (out of tune)"
"Happy breakup, wish you happiness~"
***
A group of yers barged into the shop and started howling at the owner.
Their voices were like castrated ducks andboring sows.
The other yers outside were baffled, what was going on?
Was that a cksmith shop or a Karaoke TV?
The most confused was the weapon shop owner, listening to these guys screaming their lungs out, it was like his ears were vomiting.
"You... get out!"
Without exception, all the yers were kicked out.
The onlookers outside were bent overughing, mocking them for being out of stock.
"Why no reaction? Maybe you didn''t sing with feeling? Try again."
"Damn it, try what? It''s useless! We''ve been yed by that kid!"
"Where''s that kid? I want to settle the score!"
"He''s long gone."
Chapter 7 – Enter the snake forest
Chapter 7 C Enter the snake forest
Lin Jichen strolled leisurely out of the vige.
At the vige entrance stood a simple signpost, marking the locations of wild beasts nearby.
The territory of the Green Bamboo Snake was in the bamboo forest to the southeast.
Lin Jichen picked up his iron sword and hurried towards the bamboo forest.
The sword in his hand was particrly conspicuous in everyone''s eyes.
After all, while everyone else was unarmed, this man had a weapon, naturally arousing much curiosity.
"Big brother, how did you get that weapon?"
"Little brother, can you tell me how you got that weapon? I want one too~"
"Boss, take me with you, can we team up?"
"Fellow, are you selling your sword? I''ll pay for it, we can trade outside the game, I can transfer to you via Alipay, WeChat works too."
Lin Jichen, annoyed by the barrage of questions, quickly sped up to escape.
After shaking off most of the yers, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But still, a small group of yers followed him persistently, wanting to uncover his secrets.
Lin Jichen paid no mind to the eyes behind him, continuing on his way.
In less than two minutes, a bamboo forest appeared ahead, with a warning sign at the entrance: [Enter Snake Forest with Caution]
Lin Jichen stepped in.
The bamboo forest was serene, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind, seemingly empty.
But upon closer inspection, one could see green snakes coiled on the bamboo branches, with shadows moving along the ground.
Lin Jichen didn''t rush in to fight the creatures but first brought up hisbat attribute panel.
Vitality: 100/100
Mana: 100/100
Realm: Mortal Realm
Cultivation: 0/100
Strength: 1
Mental Power: 1
Defense: 1
Speed: 1
Skills: None
Equipment: Iron Sword
A very ordinary attribute panel.
Strength determined physical damage, Mental Power determined spell damage.
1 point of Strength equaled 10 points of attack, and the same went for Mental Power.
This panel was the basicbat attribute for all yers when they first entered the game.
Once everyone stepped into the Qi Refining Realm, these attributes would instantly increase tenfold.
Innate attributes andbat attributes were unrted, so although Lin Jichen had full innate attributes, hisbat attributes were no different from others.
Even if you were a prodigy, without learning anything, you were still an ordinary person.
Lin Jichen closed the panel and began to tackle the task at hand.
He quickly found a Green Bamboo Snake coiled on a bamboo branch.
Its deep green body almost blended with the color of the bamboo, difficult to distinguish without close attention.
Especially the triangr head and those small crimson eyes were chilling, making one instinctively want to keep their distance.
It had to be said, the realism of the game "Tale of Immortal" was impably done, boasting a 100% simtion rate.
The Green Bamboo Snake, noticing Lin Jichen, an intruder, approaching, immediately hissed and slightly raised its head, a clear pre-attack posture.
Lin Jichen chose to strike first, swinging his iron sword.
Curious about the feel of the iron sword, Lin Jichen''s casual sh left a clear mark on the snake''s body.
"-30!"
A blood-red number floated up from the snake.
At the same time, Lin Jichen saw the snake''s attribute panel.
Wild Monster: Green Bamboo Snake
Vitality: 120/150
Strength: 2
Defense: 1
Skills: Snake Venom
The injured snake hissed angrily, its ferocity fully aroused as it lunged at Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen wasn''t foolish enough to stand still and wait to be bitten.
For new yers, encountering poisonous wild monsters was a headache because their attacks came with a toxin that caused continuous health loss.
New yers, unfamiliar with the game, didn''t know how to dodge and often got hit.
Once poisoned, without money to buy antidotes, it was like wearing a mask of agony.
New yers would rather face thick-skinned, tough beasts than provoke poisonous creatures.
However, Lin Jichen was no novice.
He watched the snake''s attack and stepped back to the right, nimbly dodging the lunge.
A snake''s attack is well-known; if it misses, it quickly recoils to adjust and strike again.
The Green Bamboo Snake missed and retracted its head.
Lin Jichen seized this opportunity, gripping the hilt and twirling the sword, thrusting it towards the snake''s head, seven inches down C the vital spot.
The saying "strike the snake at seven inches" is well-known because that''s where its heart lies.
In "Tale of Immortal," every species has weaknesses and strengths; hitting the weak spot deals more damage.
The sword pierced the snake, skin tearing and blood gushing, a deeper wound than before appearing on its body.
The snake fell from the bamboo, writhing in pain on the ground.
"A critical hit! -60!"
The damage doubled with this strike!
The snake was left with only 60 vitality points.
Lin Jichen struck while the iron was hot, thrusting his sword precisely into the seven-inch spot again.
"-60!"
The damage perfectly depleted the health bar, instantly killing the Green Bamboo Snake.
"Just changed professions, not bad at all," Lin Jichen muttered to himself, holding the iron sword.
Although switching from a spellcaster to a weapon master was apletely different career path, his years of experience in "Tale of Immortal" meant no yer could match his understanding of the game.
Lin Jichen was well-versed in all the professions, having sparred with countless yers of different sses.
Familiarity bred insight; he knew their skills, strengths, and weaknesses, and could quickly master them.
If as a spellcaster Lin Jichen was the ultimate champion, then ying other professions, he was at least of diamond level.
In "Tale of Immortal," what mattered more was gamey operation andbat talent, which had nothing to do with profession.
Some people just don''t have the talent for gaming; with mediocre operation, even the most powerful sses wouldn''t shine in their hands.
Lin Jichen, however, was a natural at gaming; whatever game he yed, he could max out his operation, inventing all sorts of unimaginable strategies and moves.
Even in his previous life, ying the least operation-intensive spellcaster ss, he could still dazzle with his y.
And he managed to reach the top ten of the leaderboard, recognized as the number one spellcaster, even though he started ying the game a yearter than others.
This was Lin Jichen''s innate ability; in other words, gaming was his bread and butter.
ying the sword for the first time, Lin Jichen felt no aversion, instead, a sense of inexplicable familiarity and excitement.
Upon the snake''s death, a wisp of blue light floated up and entered Lin Jichen''s body.
"Cultivation +3."
Lin Jichen''s cultivation panel went from 0/100 to 3/100.
Cultivation was akin to experience.
Once cultivation was full, one could break through to the next realm, and attributes would increase ordingly.
The cultivation given by the snake was quite high.
Even the toughest wild boars in the novice vige only gave 5 points of cultivation.
The monsters encountered by other yers probably only gave 1 or 2 points of cultivation, pitifully little.
The difficulty of leveling up in "Tale of Immortal" was particrly high, but there were many ways to increase cultivation.
Killing monsters andpleting quests were the mostmon, along with other methods like consuming elixirs, meditating, or dual cultivation with a partner...
Having dealt with the first monster he encountered after rebirth, Lin Jichen was in a good mood.
After the snake died, it turned into a Soul Burial Mound, which Lin Jichen searched.
There were only a pair of venomous fangs.
Lin Jichen thought that was it.
Unexpectedly, inside the Soul Burial Mound, there was also a piece of white equipment.
Chapter 8 – Amazing burst rate
Chapter 8 C Amazing burst rate
This left him somewhat surprised.
In "Tale of Immortal," the drop rate for equipment was extremely low, especially for weaker monsters, the likelihood of dropping equipment was even lower.
Unexpectedly, he had only killed an ordinary little snake, and out came a piece of equipment. This was truly unexpected.
The surprise was fleeting, and Lin Jichen quickly figured it out.
It must be thanks to his innate full-valued luck, which clearly bore the words "The Lucky One"!
In "Tale of Immortal," luck is divided into four types: bad luck, average luck, good luck, and great luck.
The majority of yers have average luck.
A very small number of yers have either bad luck or good luck.
As for great luck, it''s as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, one in a million.
Of course, great luck doesn''t mean that you can get a divine artifact by randomly killing a chicken; that kind of scenario only exists in the legends endorsed by Jackie Chan.
In "Tale of Immortal," even with the best of luck, it only means that within a certain range and the highest probability, you get the best things from a certain randomness.
Even so, that was enough to make Lin Jichen secretly delighted.
He looked down at the item that had dropped, and it turned out to be a bow.
A green bow shaped like a crescent moony on the ground.
Lin Jichen picked it up.
[Ordinary GradeGreen Bamboo Snake Bow]: An ordinary grade bow and arrow made from bamboo roots and snake tendons, strength +2, attack speed 1s.
He didn''t expect to actually get a piece of equipment.
Too bad there were arrows but no bow.
Lin Jichen could only carry the bow on his back for now and continued to search for the second Green Bamboo Snake.
The second snake was just as easy to handle in Lin Jichen''s hands, dealt with in a matter of seconds.
Apart from its venomous fangs, the snake surprisingly dropped another piece of equipment, leaving Lin Jichen at a loss for words.
After ying "Tale of Immortal" for so many years, this was the first time he felt like The Lucky One.
So this is how lucky yers y the game, exhrating!
[Ordinary GradeSnake Venom Arrow]: 20 arrows tainted with snake venom, causing the target to lose 2 health points per second for 10 seconds, with effects that can stack.
What you wish fores true; the Green Bamboo Snake Bow paired with poison arrows is quite a decent set of equipment for beginners.
However, Lin Jichen was in no hurry to use them. Such equipment was very powerful for beginners, but not enough to attract him.
Mainly because Lin Jichen nned to y as a Sword Cultivator, so he didn''t consider the path of the archer. Besides, killing these little snakes was effortless, perfect for practicing his sword skills.
Lin Jichen continued to weave through the bamboo forest filled with poisonous snakes, his swordsmanship gradually improving, and the third snake was dealt with even faster.
The third snake didn''t drop anything, but by the time he killed the fifth one, another piece of equipment came his way, and Lin Jichen was almost too happy.
It wasn''t the equipment that delighted him, but the drop rate of the equipment.
With this great luck, he wouldn''t have to worry about his equipment in the future.
The third piece of equipment turned out to be a small Storage Bag.
[Ordinary GradeSnake Skin Storage Bag]: Can hold +20 items, easy to collect.
Lin Jichen dly epted it, as he was just worrying about where to store all the snake meat and fangs.
Just like that, Lin Jichen managed to deal with all ten Green Bamboo Snakes without much effort.
Mainly because killing these ordinary beasts was too easy, he was still a mortal. Once he stepped onto the path of immortality, the monsters he would encounter would be much more challenging.
Out of the ten snakes, apart from the Green Bamboo Snake Bow and the Storage Bag, the subsequent eight snakes dropped over a hundred poison arrows and several copper coins.
Copper coins are themon currency for mortals in "Tale of Immortal," while Cultivators use Spirit Stones.
Other than that, there was nothing else; even lucky yers could only drop these items, which shows how low the drop rate must be for other yers.
In addition, Lin Jichen''s cultivation had risen to 30, still 70 points away from reaching the standard for Qi Refining.
If Lin Jichen was willing to grind away, he could achieve it in less than two hours.
But he didn''t do that, instead, he quickly gathered his spoils of war and turned to leave the bamboo forest.
Compared to leveling up, he had more important things to do.
However, just as he took two steps out of the bamboo forest, he encountered something annoying.
Five male yers blocked his path.
"Man, you''ve looted so much equipment in there, hogging it all to yourself is a bit greedy, don''t you think? How about this, hand over that bow and the storage bag on your waist, and we''ll let you go. Otherwise, you know the consequences?"
Lin Jichen looked at these five men, already calcting how to provoke them to strike first.
In "Tale of Immortal," like other online games, malicious attacks on yers would also result in a red name.
Those with a red name who are killed face the harshest penalties.
Just as he was nning how to turn the tables on these five rotten fish, a somewhat sinister voice rang out from behind.
"Others work hard for their equipment, and you guys want to extort half without doing anything. There''s no such good deal in the world. The kind of people I despise the most are you guys!"
The owner of the voice was a young man with a hooked nose, probably in his twenties, with a somewhat feminine appearance.
However, his words were quite beautiful, full of a sense of justice.
The five men blocking Lin Jichen''s way became furious and turned to threaten the effeminate man: "Mind your own business! Otherwise, we''ll block you too!"
"Oh really? I''d like to see how you''re going to block me?" said the effeminate man, as a dozen yers followed up behind him.
The few were dumbfounded, realizing they had provoked someone they shouldn''t have, and quickly apologized.
"Sorry, brother, we were blind. We''ll leave right away."
"Stop! Who said you could go? Apologize to that brother over there, that''s not too much to ask, right?" the effeminate man asked.
"Not at all, not at all." The five men apologized to Lin Jichen with a smile, and only then did they slink away.
After the bad guys left, the effeminate man turned to Lin Jichen with a friendly smile and said, "Brother, are you alright?"
Lin Jichen looked at the other''s ''sincere'' eyes and also revealed a meaningful smile.
"I''m fine."
Lin Jichen sneered inwardly; he didn''t believe for a second that a viinous rich second-generation woulde to the rescue out of a sense of justice.
Yes, he recognized this effeminate man.
In his previous life, this person was quite famous, the young master of Eternal Corporation and the president of Eternal Guild, ruthless and unscrupulous in achieving his goals.
And he was very good at disguising himself, with first-rate surface skills, especially adept at winning people over.
If it weren''t for one of his close subordinates betraying him and exposing all his secrets, many people would still think he was a refined gentleman.
Lin Jichen recalled the expressions of those five men and their somewhat stiff dialogue.
He guessed that those five were probably this Eternal young master''s men, putting on a show ofing to the rescue to leave a good impression on him, either to win him over or to buy the equipment he had.
Who says the second-generation wealthy are necessarily fools?
"Let me introduce myself, I''m Wang Jinghao, president of Eternal Guild. I was just passing by and saw brother being blocked, couldn''t stand it and had to say something. I hope brother doesn''t mind."
Wang Jinghao spoke wlessly, the kind that made people feel close when they heard it.
Unfortunately, Lin Jichen knew his true nature and wasn''t buying it at all.
Wang Jinghao had had a grudge against him before.
After Lin Jichen made it to the top ten of the heavenly rankings, Eternal Guild had sent people to poach him.
But Lin Jichen was proud and straightforward at the time, and he rejected the invitation on the spot.
Unexpectedly, this earned him the resentment of the Eternal young master, causing Lin Jichen to suffer several losses in secret.
If it were the old Lin Jichen, he would have chosen to leave without a word.
But now, having lived a second life, Lin Jichen''s temperament had already changed.
Chapter 9 – Two wealthy bidders competing
Chapter 9 C Two wealthy bidderspeting
Greenhorns often find themselves at a disadvantage.
Lin Jichen gave Wang Jinghao a slight smile, feigning politeness.
"Thanks, buddy. My name is Lin Jichen."
Seeing this, Wang Jinghao felt a smug sense of control, but he maintained a courteous facade.
Just as he was about to engage in further pleasantries and then start his recruitment scheme.
Lin Jichen hurriedly interjected, "I''m in a rush, gotta go. We''ll chat another time."
With that, he vanished from sight.
Leaving Wang Jinghao with his mouth agape, his prepared pleasantries turning into a lump in his throat, swallowed back down.
"Young Master, that man is too disrespectful!" his subordinate eximed.
Wang Jinghao''s face alternated between shades of green and white, but soon he chuckled.
"Perhaps he really was busy. His attitude wasn''t bad, and he''s clearly a master. It''s normal for masters to have a temper. Let''s start with a good deed; no rush, we''ll take it slow. Sooner orter, he''ll work for me."
***
Lin Jichen immediately returned to the vige and the weapon shop.
Handing over the mission item, Lin Jichen received a letter.
Yes, this was the letter he wanted, the essential item for joining a sect, the opportunity mentioned by the weapon shop owner.
However, obtaining this letter required wit, not just idle chatter.
The type of sect letter you received depended on the weapon you chose earlier.
If Lin Jichen had chosen a saber, it would certainly have been a letter from the Saber Sect.
He had asked the weapon shop owner, and so far, he was the only one to have received the letter mission.
Others were still clueless, wandering around looking for tasks from tailors, vige chiefs, butchers... even cats and dogs.
Their tasks were merely mundane, at best increasing their cultivation a bit and earning some spare change.
They never questioned why, in a game of immortals, they were stuck doing a multitude of mundane tasks.
It would take days for most people to figure it out.
Lin Jichen had no desire to stay here; he was set on pursuing the path of immortality!
With the letter in hand, he prepared to leave the vige.
But before leaving, Lin Jichen had one more thing to do.
He went to the busiest part of the vige.
"Step right up, have a look! Tearful fire-sale! Want to get stronger? Need equipment? The server''s first Green Bamboo Snake Bow up for auction, highest bidder wins! Step right up, have a look..."
In the vige center, Lin Jichen showcased the Green Bamboo Snake Bow, shouting loudly.
The game had just started, and few yers had equipment to sell, let alone the willingness to part with it.
So when Lin Jichen shouted, arge crowd of yers gathered around, curious about the bow''s attributes.
Lin Jichen generously disyed the attributes of the Green Bamboo Snake Bow, along with the poison arrow''s effects.
Everyone''s eyes nearly popped out at the sight; this equipment was incredibly powerful!
A strength boost of +2 was one thing, but the poison arrows could cause continuous bleeding, even stacking.
What monster in the starting vige could withstand such damage? Wouldn''t this make grinding for experience a breeze?
"Brother, name your price!"
"No price, bid as you like," Lin Jichen responded.
"I don''t have any copper coins, can we trade with cash?"
"Yes, I only ept cash, no copper coins."
Lin Jichen nodded, feigning regret.
"I''ll offer five hundred!"
"I''ll give a thousand!"
"One thousand five!"
"One thousand eight!"
***
Soon, the price soared over five thousand.
But Lin Jichen remained indifferent, even sitting down leisurely to listen to the bidding.
The noise from the auction grew louder, attracting even more onlookers.
Among them, a group of female yers approached, all stunning beauties.
The leader, a short-haired woman, was particrly striking with her elegant eyebrows, phoenix eyes, clearplexion, ear-length hair, graceful figure, and distinguished aura.
This group of female yers captured the attention of all the men present.
Such a scene of beauties was the stuff of men''s dreams.
Now, with the chance to see it with their own eyes, they couldn''t help but stare.
The women approached Lin Jichen, and the short-haired leader spoke softly.
"Fifty thousand."
As soon as the bid of fifty thousand was called, the previously enthusiastic bidders fell silent.
Lin Jichen''s eyes lit up; the price was right.
Just as he was about to close the deal, another group approached, led by none other than Wang Jinghao, the president of the Eternal Guild.
"I''ll offer sixty thousand."
The crowd gasped.
It was just a piece of starter equipment; was it really worth that much?
After Wang Jinghao made his bid, he cheerfully said to Lin Jichen, "Brother Lin, what a coincidence to meet again."
Lin Jichen returned a forced smile, which Wang Jinghao failed to see through, still brimming with enthusiasm.
"I only wish to sell my equipment, and I hope Brother Wang can understand."
"Understood, understood. Brother Lin has principles, and I, Wang Jinghao, admire such a person the most. This bow is just what my guild members want, so I won''t hold back."
Wang Jinghao spoke as if the bow was already his.
The short-haired woman initially worried that Lin Jichen might sell Wang Jinghao a favor, but after hearing Lin Jichen''s response, she was reassured and continued to bid without giving Wang Jinghao any chance for a favor.
"Seventy thousand."
"One hundred thousand," Wang Jinghao retorted without hesitation.
"Two hundred thousand."
The short-haired woman seemed to be no ordinary individual, seemingly intent on outbidding Wang Jinghao.
Wang Jinghao''s expression changed slightly; it wasn''t that he minded the money.
He just wanted to understand the reason behind her persistence.
"Two hundred fifty thousand."
After stating his price, Wang Jinghao immediately smiled at the short-haired woman and asked:
"May I know which guild this beautifuldy is from? I am Wang Jinghao, president of the Eternal Guild."
His words caused a stir among the yers present.
The Eternal Guild was well-known in the gaming world, a prominent gaming guild.
The Eternal Corporation, the guild''s backer, was among the top twenty conglomerates in Asia.
The short-haired woman, seemingly unfazed by the revtion, calmly spoke to Lin Jichen:
"Could you give me two minutes? I need to call my boss."
Why turn down money that''s being offered?
Lin Jichen readily nodded, ignoring Wang Jinghao''s changing expression.
The short-haired woman immediately logged off on the spot, but her subordinates waited.
Sure enough, in less than two minutes, she returned, not conceding but raising the bid even higher.
"Five hundred thousand."
The crowd erupted in astonishment!
Good heavens, selling a piece of starter equipment for five hundred thousand? Had they lost their minds?
Wang Jinghao finally lost hisposure; no amount of pretense could hide his shock now.
Chapter 10 – Lin Jichen, the unscrupulous merchant
Chapter 10 C Lin Jichen, the unscrupulous merchant
Wang Jinghao''s gaze was icy as he asked, "Are you sure you want to oppose me?"
The short-haired woman nced at him and said, "The highest bidder wins, we''re all free to make our offers. How is that opposition? Just because you''re interested in something, does that mean no one else can be?"
"Who bids like you do?"
"How I bid is my business."
"Fine! Very well!" With those cold words, Wang Jinghao turned to leave.
To him, five hundred thousand was a mere trifle, but spending that much on a piece of beginner''s equipment, as a scion of a business family, he didn''t want to be taken for a fool.
Besides, he had the feeling that even if he was willing to pay five hundred thousand, the other party would continue to raise the price.
"Brother Wang, wait a moment," Lin Jichen suddenly called out to him.
Wang Jinghao turned around, and Lin Jichen said with a look of ''sincerity'', "After all, we are friends. If you''re willing to pay five hundred thousand, I''ll sell the bow to you."
Wang Jinghao was overjoyed and immediately agreed.
The short-haired woman was taken aback and angrily said, "How can you go back on your word? Didn''t we agree the highest bidder wins?"
Lin Jichen said apologetically, "Sorry, beautiful, I know Brother Wang. He just helped me out, and I owe him a favor. Please understand."
The short-haired woman clenched her teeth but said no more. After all, from the conversation between Wang Jinghao and Lin Jichen, it was clear they knew each other.
"Brother Lin, I''m definitely making friends with you! Send me your ount, and I''ll transfer the money right away. Once the money is in, you can hand over the equipment to me."
Wang Jinghao was smiling proudly, feeling that the money was well spent.
"By the way, I have quite a bit of copper coins. Early in the game, a guild like yours must need game currency, right? How about I sell those to you as well?"
Wang Jinghao was even happier, nodding repeatedly and saying, "These copper coins are a godsend. I''ll take them and add another fifty thousand."
In reality, the copper coins weren''t worth fifty thousand. Wang Jinghao was simply trying to get closer to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen didn''t waste words and sent his ount to him. One of Wang Jinghao''s subordinates immediately logged off.
In less than a minute, Lin Jichen''s phone received a bank message notification: five hundred and fifty thousand had been transferred into his ount.
After getting the money, Lin Jichen handed over the Green Bamboo Snake Bow, over a hundred poison arrows, and more than a hundred copper coins to Wang Jinghao.
Seeing the transaction, the short-haired woman knew she couldn''t object and left with a cold face.
Wang Jinghao was very happy and wanted to bond with Lin Jichen as sworn brothers to foster their rtionship.
But Lin Jichen excused himself again, leaving Wang Jinghao somewhat disappointed.
He still wanted to ask if Lin Jichen''s storage bag was for sale.
Once out of everyone''s sight, Lin Jichen followed the direction in which the group of beautiful female yers had left.
The stalker''s program officially begins... Just kidding.
In the wild boar forest outside the vige, Lin Jichen saw the short-haired woman leading her subordinates in leveling up and grinding monsters.
Lin Jichen approached, and they quickly noticed him.
"What are you doing here?" The short-haired woman looked at Lin Jichen with some disgust.
It wasn''t because Lin Jichen didn''t buy her equipment that she disliked him, but she disdained the way he was chummy with people like Wang Jinghao.
Anyone close to Wang Jinghao was either hisckey or just as crooked.
Such a waste of a good-looking guy! Hmph!
Lin Jichen didn''t mind her look and got straight to the point, "Can we talk alone? It''ll just take two minutes of your time."
The short-haired woman thought that Lin Jichen had just met Wang Jinghao and was probably deceived by his facade.
With the intention of warning him, she nodded and said, "Let''s talk over there."
The two walked aside.
"What is it? Just tell me."
"I have information for you, for five hundred thousand."
Lin Jichen sounded like a shrewd businessman right from the start.
The short-haired woman''s expression turned sour as she scoffed, "Are you ying me? What kind of information is worth five hundred thousand?"
"Information that will put your guild ahead of other yers. Aren''t you curious how I could part with such good equipment?"
Lin Jichen''s words made the short-haired woman''s expression soften slightly.
"Tell me the information first. If it''s worth the price, I''ll pay you five hundred thousand."
Lin Jichen didn''t even think before refusing, "That won''t do. I could sell this information to Wang Jinghao for at least a million."
"How can I trust you without knowing the information?" the short-haired woman retorted.
Lin Jichen yed the rogue and turned to leave, "If you don''t trust me, forget it. I''ll sell it to Wang Jinghao."
"Wait,e back!" The short-haired woman was frustrated but had no choice but to call him back.
She didn''t trust Lin Jichen, but she was more afraid that what he said was true and would end up selling it to Wang Jinghao, giving him an advantage.
Lin Jichen was waiting for this. Hearing her call, he immediately turned back, grinning at the woman.
The short-haired woman looked at Lin Jichen''s smug face, grinding her teeth in anger.
"If you''ve deceived me, I''ll make sure you understand the consequences of angering the Moon Shadow Guild. Send your ount."
Lin Jichen was unfazed and cheerfully sent his ount.
Shortly after, his ount was credited with another five hundred thousand.
Less than an hour into the game, Lin Jichen had made a million.
If this had been before his rebirth, he would have been excited enough to sing. But now, he wasn''t interested in money.
Because once the game merged with reality, real-world money would be worthless.
But for now, he still needed money.
He still owed Ren Lan money. He couldn''t really be a gigolo, although he did kind of want to...
"What quest did you take on?" Lin Jichen didn''t reveal the information but instead asked the short-haired woman.
The short-haired woman, suppressing her doubts, replied, "The vige butcher''s quest. We need wild boar meat. Why?"
"Don''t do it. Give up that quest."
"Why?"
The short-haired woman stared into Lin Jichen''s eyes.
She suspected this guy was sent by Wang Jinghao to trick her.
If that was the case, she would chop him up right now.
"Go to the weapon shop and take on a quest there."
"You can''t get any quests at the weapon shop. Who are you trying to fool?"
The short-haired woman retorted, her staff already itching to strike.
"That''s because you''re not doing it right. The shop owner is forging. You just need to help him operate the bellows for five minutes, and you''ll get a quest," Lin Jichen exined.
"Really?" The short-haired woman was skeptical.
"Don''t believe me? Send a subordinate to try it out. But be discreet, don''t let other yers find out, or the information won''t be worth anything."
The short-haired woman, half-convinced, called over a beautiful subordinate, who immediately rushed to the vige after receiving the order.
Lin Jichen waited with the short-haired woman.
"This information is worth five hundred thousand? You''re making money too easily."
The short-haired woman still felt cheated, thinking the quest wasn''t worth that much.
Lin Jichen smiled and said, "The quest itself isn''t worth much, but the reward is very valuable."
He took out the letter, and the short-haired woman eximed in surprise, "This is... a sect invitation?"
Lin Jichen nodded, "That''s right. Only with this can you find out where the sect is and be admitted."
"So doing these wild boar quests is useless. They''ll only reward you with copper coins and cultivation."
The short-haired woman was puzzled, "Aren''t copper coins and cultivation also important?"
Lin Jichen stretchedzily and replied, "Cultivation is indeed important, but you can get much more from sect quests, and there are many ways to increase cultivation. As for copper coins, they''re just currency for mundane transactions. What''s truly valuable are Spirit Stones."
The short-haired woman was slightly taken aback by the news.
"How do you know all this?"
"That''s none of your concern. Just tell me if the information is worth five hundred thousand."
The short-haired woman thought for a moment and honestly replied, "If what you say is true, it''s definitely worth the price."
Chapter 11 – Wild Boar King
Chapter 11 C Wild Boar King
"Why didn''t you sell it to Wang Jinghao? Aren''t you friends?"
The short-haired woman asked quickly.
"Who told you I''m his friend? That scumbag doesn''t deserve to be my friend. I was just putting on a show with him. As a solo yer with no money or influence, I have to endure to get by."
Lin Jichen shrugged, speaking casually.
The short-haired woman couldn''t help but ask, "Then why did you sell the bow to him? Wouldn''t it be better to sell it to me? Plus, I offered a higher price."
Lin Jichen sighed and said, "I did it for your own good. That bow isn''t worth that much, and the poisoned arrows are limited; once they''re used up, that''s it. Buying it would be a waste of money. Besides, once you join a sect, they''ll provide you with basic weapons that are far superior in attributes."
"You know all this? Are you a beta tester? But I''ve never heard of a beta for this game," the short-haired woman eximed in surprise.
Realizing he had said too much, Lin Jichen quickly exined, "You''ve seen Nuwa in the game, right?"
"Of course."
"I got the information from her."
"Is that even possible?"
The short-haired woman was shocked again, her mouth agape in a somewhat naive and cute expression.
"I''ve asked her a few questions too, but she didn''t tell me anything."
Lin Jichen replied without a hint of embarrassment, "Well, I don''t know about that. Maybe she thinks I''m too handsome."
The short-haired woman rolled her eyes at Lin Jichen, but after hearing his words, she no longer disliked him.
However, everything would have to wait until her subordinates returned.
Just as the two were waiting, a wave of panic erupted behind them.
"It''s over, it looks like we''ve encountered a BOSS!"
"Why is this wild boar so much bigger than the others?"
"Xiao Yue was killed by a single hit, boo hoo hoo."
"Wanling sister, save me~"
...
Hearing themotion, the short-haired woman immediately turned around, and Lin Jichen also looked back.
They saw a giant wild boar charging out of the boar forest.
The wild boar was four or five times the size of a normal one, like a tank rolling in.
Several female yers couldn''t dodge in time and were instantly killed, respawning back at the novice vige.
"Quick! Retreat! We don''t have enough people to kill this boss."
The short-haired woman made a decisive decision to withdraw her troops.
Lin Jichen teased, "You guys are really lucky, running into the biggest BOSS of the novice vige."
The short-haired woman red at him and said, "No need for your snide remarks."
Lin Jichen chuckled, "You misunderstand. I mean, if you give up on this BOSS, I''ll take it on."
"You? With what? Didn''t you sell your bow?"
Lin Jichen nced at the iron sword in her hand and smiled, "I might be out of equipment, but could I borrow your sword for a bit?"
The iron sword was bought by the short-haired woman at the weapon shop with copper coins earned from ying lesser monsters andpleting minor tasks.
"Are you joking? Taking on the Wild Boar King with just an iron sword, all by yourself?" The short-haired woman still couldn''t believe it.
"Just tell me if you''ll lend it or not, hurry up, or more of your people will die," Lin Jichen reminded her.
The short-haired woman handed over the sword, and Lin Jichen, after saying thanks, disappeared from her sight.
The words ''Catch the thief!'' that were about to leave the short-haired woman''s lips got stuck in her throat, as she saw Lin Jichen actually charging towards the Wild Boar King.
"This guy must be crazy," the short-haired woman muttered.
Her subordinates also gathered around her, puzzled by Lin Jichen''s actions.
"Wanling sister, he''s not really going to solo the Wild Boar King, is he?"
The short-haired woman nodded, "That''s what he told me."
"How is that possible? Isn''t he just marching to his death?"
"Exactly, he''s not just trying to impress you, Wanling sister, by ying the hero, is he?"
"It''s very possible. The handsome guy does look quite good, a decent match for our Wanling sister."
"You naughty girls, need a lesson, don''t you?"
The short-haired woman was teased, blushing with annoyance.
...
Lin Jichen had already reached the Wild Boar King. Seeing the beast-like size of the wild boar, he felt a bit of regret. If he had known, he would have sold the bowter.
With the Green Bamboo Snake Bow, it would have been easier to deal with it.
But now, the challenge was a bit harder, but not impossible.
Lin Jichen demonstrated what it meant to be fearless. Facing the Wild Boar King several times his size, he said nothing and lunged with his sword!
The iron sword left a clear white mark on the forehead of the Wild Boar King but failed to pierce its skin.
"-1"
This damage made Lin Jichen wince; he had aimed for the Wild Boar King''s weakest spot, yet it only lost a little health.
Wild Monster: Wild Boar King
Health: 599/600
Strength: 15
Defense: 20
Speed: 9
Skills: Thick Hide, Reckless Charge, Tusk Thrust
Seeing this information, Lin Jichen was astonished. In his previous life, he had never had the honor of facing the Wild Boar King.
Such wilderness bosses were quickly taken down by major guilds as ''benefits'' as soon as they spawned.
Ordinary yers could only dream of encountering one unless they were lucky in the wilderness.
Bosses like this one in the novice vige were even more sought after. Lin Jichen had entered the game a year after the public test.
These bosses were a godsend for guilds to train new yers, so of course, they were snapped up.
Once Lin Jichen''s cultivation improved, he naturally looked down on the likes of the Wild Boar King.
So this was Lin Jichen''s first encounter with the Wild Boar King.
True to its skill, Thick Hide, it was indeed thick.
Although he didn''t pierce the skin, the Wild Boar King still felt pain from being hit in a weak spot.
It stopped charging at the young girls.
It wasn''t that the wild boar had learned to bepassionate like Zhu Bajie; it simply had only Lin Jichen as its enemy at the moment.
Thump, thump, thump!
The Wild Boar King''s legs, as thick as tree roots, pounded the ground as it charged at Lin Jichen, shaking the earth.
Lin Jichen calmly dodged to the side with a swift leap.
The Wild Boar King missed and, not giving up, twisted its massive body and charged at Lin Jichen again.
This time, Lin Jichen seemed to panic and ran away, his fleeing form somewhatical.
The short-haired woman and her subordinates couldn''t help butugh.
"It looks like he''s given up on the solo challenge."
"Giggle... The handsome guy''s escape is so cute."
"I bet he won''t make it."
"How could he run? I''d be scared to death in his ce."
The short-haired woman also took pleasure in his misfortune.
"Serve him right for showing off. We''re all newbies anyway; dying a few times doesn''t matter. I hope he learns his lesson and stops bragging."
They all thought Lin Jichen was fleeing, but only Lin Jichen himself knew he had no intention of running.
He was simply luring the Wild Boar King in the direction he was running.
Ahead of him was a cliff, with many loose stones on it.
As Lin Jichen reached the cliff, the Wild Boar King was close behind. He could feel the ground shaking more intensely beneath his feet.
Lin Jichen didn''t need to look back. At thest moment, he rolled to the side.
With an ungraceful move, he narrowly avoided a fatal blow.
The Wild Boar King, having lost its target but unable to stop due to momentum, could only watch as its face and tusks mmed into the cliff.
Boom!
A loud noise erupted, deafening as if a bomb had gone off.
The Wild Boar King hit the cliff, the impact causing it to recoil and take damage.
"-50!"
A damage value appeared.
The dazed Wild Boar King shook its head.
But it wasn''t over yet. The cliff was shaken by the impact, and many rocks fell, hitting it on the head.
"-20!"
"-15!"
"-9!"
...
A series of numbers popped up above the Wild Boar King''s head. When the rocks stopped falling, a quarter of its health bar had dropped.
Lin Jichen, who had taken cover behind a tree to avoid the falling rocks, saw no more stonesing down and the Wild Boar King still dazed. He charged out again.
Another sword strikended on the Wild Boar King''s forehead.
The previous white mark and the many rocks had already left the forehead battered and vulnerable.
Lin Jichen''s sword finally cut through the skin, and blood gushed out from the wound.
"Critical Hit! -8!"
Not bad, keep going!
Lin Jichen took advantage of the Wild Boar King''s confusion and swung his sword relentlessly, striking the same spot with every blow.
The wound grewrger, and the Wild Boar King''s health continued to drop.
The Wild Boar King finally recovered from its daze, feeling the pain on its head.
Enraged, it let out a roar andunched a skill attack at Lin Jichen!
The Wild Boar King flicked its head, and its tusks thrust towards Lin Jichen''s belly like lightning.
It intended to skewer Lin Jichen, sending him flying into the sky!
The Tusk Thrust was too fast, and Lin Jichen''s current speed couldn''t dodge it.
In a critical moment, he had no choice but to dive to the ground and roll.
With an ungraceful move, he narrowly escaped the deadly strike.
Lin Jichen quickly got up from the ground, but instead of dodging, he leaped like a cheetah towards the Wild Boar King!
His body soared through the air, gripping the iron sword tightly, and with all his might, using the force of gravity, he plunged the sword tip deep into the Wild Boar King''s wound.
A "puff" sound followed, and blood poured out.
"Critical Hit! -8!"
The sword remained embedded in the Wild Boar King''s head, causing continuous damage.
"Critical Hit! -8!"
"Critical Hit! -8!"
...
The intense pain drove the Wild Boar King into a frenzy, charging madly at Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen repeated his tactic, backing against the cliff to avoid the Wild Boar King''s reckless charge.
The Wild Boar King hit the cliff again.
With the iron sword stuck in its forehead, the hilt was drivenpletely through the Wild Boar King''s skull due to the heavy impact.
More rocks fell, and the once mighty novice vige tyrant met its end beneath the pile of stones.
After the Wild Boar King died, a wisp of blue light, dozens of times richer than that of the Green Bamboo Snake, flowed into Lin Jichen''s body.
Ding! Cultivation +70! Breakthrough! Initial stage of Qi Refining!
Chapter 12 – Breakthrough in Qi Refining Realm
Chapter 12 C Breakthrough in Qi Refining Realm
[Ding! Heaven-defying talent triggered! Against the Heavens: All attributes doubled!]
[Ding! Heaven-defying talent triggered! Born Against the Heavens: Awarded a random talent!]
[Ding! Random talent confirmed: Vitality Seed, vitality increased by 10%, can be upgraded three times!]
[Ding! In thirty minutes, the Tribtion will descend, please proceed with caution.]
A warm current flowed into Lin Jichen''s body, like a long-awaited rain quenching a drought, sweeping away all his fatigue and filling him with strength.
Lin Jichen hurriedly checked his attributes.
[yer: Lin Jichen]
[Innate Talent: Heaven-defying Fate]
[Sect: None]
[Prestige: 0]
[Cultivation: 0/500]
[Realm: Initial stage of Qi Refining]
[Innate Attributes: Full] (Always full, no need to waste words)
[Acquired Talent: Vitality Seed (Vitality increased by 10%)]
[Vitality: 1000/1000 (x2) +10%]
[Mana: 1000/1000 (x2)]
[Strength: 10 (x2) +3]
[Mental Power: 10 (x2)]
[Defense: 10 (x2)]
[Speed: 10 (x2)]
[Skills: None]
[Equipment: Iron Sword]
Stepping into the Qi Refining Realm meant embarking on the path of immortality and officially bing a cultivator.
A massive increase in strength.
Allbat attributes were supposed to increase tenfold, but due to the Heaven-defying Fate talent, they doubled again.
That''s a twentyfold increase.
This is the difference between cultivators and ordinary people.
And he also gained an additional talent, Vitality Seed, increasing his vitality limit by 10%.
This talent could evolve with each minor realm breakthrough.
For example, upon reaching the mid-stage of Qi Refining, it would evolve into Vitality Sprout, increasing the vitality limit by 20%;
At thete stage of Qi Refining, it would evolve to the highest grade, Vitality Tree, increasing the vitality limit by 30%.
This talent was extremely useful for Lin Jichen in the early stages, as his attributes were already doubled, and now his vitality was increased by an additional 10%.
This meant that while other cultivators at the initial stage of Qi Refining had only 1000 points of vitality, he had 2200 points, and his vitality would continue to grow as his realm advanced.
Seeing these attributes, Lin Jichen really wanted to shout: Heaven-defying Fate, YYDS!
He thought it would take a while to step into the Qi Refining Realm, but an encounter with the Wild Boar King granted him a huge amount of cultivation, propelling him into the realm.
[Ding! Congrattions onpleting the first kill of the novice vige BOSS in Tale of Immortal, a global announcement will be made, do you wish to hide your name?]
"Don''t hide."
Lin Jichen nced behind him; the short-haired girl and her group were all watching, so hiding was pointless.
As soon as Lin Jichen made his choice, all yers heard an official global announcement at that moment.
"Congrattions to yer Lin Jichen forpleting the first kill of a BOSS in Tale of Immortal, awarded 200 prestige points and +1 innate luck, we hope other yers continue to strive."
This announcement shocked all yers. The game had only been in open beta for so long, and someone had already killed a BOSS?
"Which guild''s expert is this Lin Jichen? Too awesome."
"Never heard of this person before."
"WDNMD! Our Little Elephant Guild spent so much manpower and resources, and just when the BOSS''s health was down to half, someone else snatched the first kill!"
"Exactly, many guilds werepeting for the first kill, but someone beat us to it."
"Lin Jichen must be from a major guild, using zerg tactics to stack up, probably he just finished it off."
"Just wait, knowing how things go, soon this Lin Jichen will make an announcement promoting his guild, attracting a huge wave of fans."
...
While everyone was discussing fervently.
Lin Jichen didn''t expect that killing the Wild Boar King would bring such an extra benefit, the BOSS''s first kill.
He wasn''t very familiar with it, after all, he only came into contact with the game a year after itsunch, by which time all the first kills had be history.
His innate luck was already maxed out, so adding more was useless, but the 200 prestige points were still very appealing.
Prestige was very useful in Tale of Immortal, as those with high prestige could easily obtain management positions in sects.
Moreover, they could walk sideways in various towns, and if chased by enemies, the town''s NPCs would even help deal with them.
In the future, wanting to buynd and establish a faction in towns would also require prestige.
Happy with his gains, Lin Jichen did not forget the side effects of Heaven-defying Fate.
Doubling attributes was correct, and the acquired talent reward was also correct.
But at the same time, every major realm breakthrough would also bring about a Tribtion!
He looked around; the short-haired girl and her subordinates were still recovering from their shock.
They had witnessed Lin Jichen single-handedly take down the Wild Boar King, and their amazement was indescribable.
One person, a novice, with just an iron sword, had taken down the Wild Boar King with a hefty 600 points of vitality.
If they hadn''t seen it with their own eyes, no one would believe it.
At this moment, the sky began to gather dark clouds, and the daylight dimmed.
Lin Jichen hurried to clear the battlefield, searching the stone piles for the Soul Burial Mound of the Wild Boar King.
This might be the first BOSS to be taken down in Tale of Immortal, and coupled with Lin Jichen''s great luck, a plethora of equipment was dropped.
[Spirit GradeCrimson Cloud Sword]: Strength +15, Critical +7,es with a 1% armor-piercing effect, and every three attacks on the same target triggers an additional 50 points of damage.
Requirement: Exclusive to Sword Cultivator yers, other yers cannot trigger the effect damage.
...
[Spirit GradeIlluminating Staff]: Mental Power +10, Spirit Grade skill cooldown -10%, mana +500 points.
Requirement: Exclusive to magic cultivators.
...
[Spirit Grade Movement SkillPhantom Step]: Speed +10, within a 10-meter range when used, can turn into an afterimage, moving incredibly fast, mana cost: 100 points, cooldown: 10 seconds.
Requirement: None.
...
Besides these three green, or Spirit Grade, pieces of equipment, there were also four white, Ordinary Grade, pieces of equipment.
[Ordinary GradeIron te Boots]: Speed +3.
[Ordinary GradeHeartguard Leather Armor]: Defense +3.
[Ordinary GradeCopper Head Knife]: Strength +4.
[Ordinary GradeIron Fist Gauntlets]: Strength +3.
In addition to these, there was arge pile of copper coins, looking to be several hundred, and also 10 lower-grade Spirit Stones.
Lin Jichen scooped up these items into his storage bag and turned to nce in the direction of the short-haired girl.
He noticed that the subordinates previously sent to the vige had returned and were excitedly reporting to the short-haired girl.
"How about it? I didn''t lie to you, did I?" Lin Jichen asked as he returned.
At this moment, all the female yers beside the short-haired girl were looking at him with adoration.
The short-haired girl nodded and said, "Your information was very valuable, indeed worth 500,000!"
"Then that''s settled, goodbye." Lin Jichen dropped these words and made to leave.
He had to leave; the Tribtion wasing, and he needed to find a way to cross it.
"Wait." The short-haired girl called out to him.
Lin Jichen turned back jokingly, "You''re not thinking of looting a burning house, are you?"
The short-haired girl huffed, "I''m not that kind of person."
"Then is there anything else?" Lin Jichen asked.
"The equipment you just got from killing the Wild Boar King, do you have any you won''t use? Can you sell them to us?"
Lin Jichen thought about it and indeed had some he didn''t need: the Illuminating Staff, Copper Head Knife, and Iron Fist Gauntlets were all useless to him, as they were for magic cultivators, knife cultivators, and body cultivators.
He needed to keep the rest for himself.
Lin Jichen took out these three pieces of equipment and said, "Name your price, if it doesn''t meet my expectations, I might as well auction them in the vige."
The short-haired girl''s eyes lit up when she saw the three pieces of equipment, especially the staff.
That staff was top-notch! Perfect for the boss!
...
The votes are already at 12,000, guys, you''re amazing! I''ll keep my promise to add more!
Chapter 13 – Go to the sect
Chapter 13 C Go to the sect
Confronted with these three pieces of equipment, the short-haired woman pondered briefly before speaking.
"I''ll offer you fifty thousand for both the Iron Fist Gauntlets and the Bronze Head Saber. How does that sound?"
Lin Jichen nodded in agreement.
Not every piece of equipment could fetch the price of five hundred thousand like the Green Bamboo Snake Bow.
Firstly, the bow was the first auctioned item, and with its poison arrows, it was considered top-tier for novice gear.
Its price had soared to five hundred thousand thanks to the short-haired woman''s deliberate bidding.
If Lin Jichen really thought any ordinary novice gear could sell for five hundred thousand, he would be wildly optimistic.
The true value of the Green Bamboo Snake Bow would be lucky to reach fifty thousand.
Besides, the Iron Fist Gauntlets and the Bronze Head Saber couldn''tpare to the bow equipped with poison arrows; the difference was too great.
Getting fifty thousand for each was already a generous offer, and Lin Jichen had noints.
"As for this Spirit Grade equipment, to be honest, it''s our guild''s first piece of Spirit Grade gear, and its attributes are excellent. How about thisI''ll give you another five hundred thousand, making it a total of six hundred thousand. What do you think?"
After speaking, the short-haired woman looked at Lin Jichen nervously, ready to increase her offer if he showed any dissatisfaction.
She wasn''t just buying the equipment; she also wanted to recruit this expert for her boss.
A man who could solo the Wild Boar King was nothing short of an experta top-notch one at that!
While they couldn''t recruit him, since the Moon Shadow Guild only admitted girls, that didn''t stop them from befriending Lin Jichen and building a good rtionship. They could always ask for his help with tough bosses in the future.
The short-haired woman was prepared to raise her offer, but Lin Jichen quickly agreed without any sign of dissatisfaction.
"Alright, six hundred thousand it is. Hurry up and transfer the money; I''ve got things to do."
Lin Jichen wasn''t opposed to asking for more, but time was of the essence as the heavenly tribtion was imminent.
Besides, he disliked hassle and was content as long as he had enough cash.
Seeing Lin Jichen''s agreement, the short-haired woman promptly transferred six hundred thousand.
After confirming the transaction, Lin Jichen handed over the equipment and ran off without looking back.
"Hey!"
"What now?" Lin Jichen asked impatiently.
The short-haired woman was speechless. Normally, young men who met her couldn''t move an inch, clinging to her like flies, eager to speak more and win her favor.
Only Lin Jichen was like a block of wood, never initiating conversation and seemingly disdainful of her.
This was a first for the short-haired woman.
"Let''s be friends. If you have any equipment in the future, you can sell it to our Moon Shadow Guild. We guarantee fair prices."
She sent a friend request to Lin Jichen, who nodded and epted, officially bing friends.
After adding each other, the short-haired woman nced at his name.
Lin Jichen? It sounded nice, probably not his real name.
Lin Jichen also checked her name, Su Wanling.
With the friend request settled, Lin Jichen truly took off, disappearing into the Wild Boar Forest without looking back.
Su Wanling found Lin Jichen to be an odd character.
It was as if he found staying with a group of beautiful women for even a second unbearable.
Could he be gay...
After leaving the Wild Boar Forest, Lin Jichen sprinted towards the outskirts of the vige, with the dark clouds above following him.
With his current abilities, facing the heavenly tribtion was like an ant shaking a treea sure path to death.
So Lin Jichen had to run!
Of course, he couldn''t outrun lightning.
His destination was the teleportation array!
The weapon shop owner''s letter from the Sword Sect had marked the location of the teleportation array.
Thanks to his Qi Refining Realm attributes and the boost from his iron-soled shoes, Lin Jichen''s speed had reached 23 points, while others were still at 1.
The gap was as if others were walking while he was riding a horse, whipping it to go faster.
yers around could only see a shadow whizzing past them.
If this were reality, even Usain Bolt would retire in tears.
With three minutes left before the tribtion, Lin Jichen finally found the teleportation array near the vige.
An old man with white hair sat beside it, smoking dried tobo.
"Young man, want to use the teleportation array? It''s been out of repair for years and unusable, unless you can provide ten Spirit Stones to fix it. As a reward, you''ll be exempt from future teleportation fees from this vige. How about it?"
Normally, Lin Jichen wouldn''t y the good Samaritan, providing Spirit Stones for others'' benefit.
Even with free future teleportation, it wasn''t worth itwho would bother traveling to the novice vige every day?
He could simply walk out if he didn''t want to use the teleportation array.
But he was in a rush and had to flee immediately.
Reluctantly, he handed over the ten Spirit Stones he had just obtained from the Wild Boar King.
The old man joyfully fixed the teleportation array on the spot.
[Ding! By selflessly repairing the vige''s teleportation array and benefiting others, you are rewarded with +20 reputation points.]
Reputation points as well? That was more like ita decent reward.
"The teleportation array is fixed, young man. Where would you like to go?"
"Tianyan Sword Sect."
"No problem. The Tianyan Sword Sect is a fine ce for those seeking the path of cultivation. Elder Qingsong is the most patient teacher there; bing his disciple would be greatly beneficial."
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected the old man to give him such a good rmendation, an extra perk for fixing the teleportation array.
"Thank you."
He decided to take Elder Qingsong as his master, as he was new to being a Sword Cultivator and didn''t know which NPC from the Sword Sect was more powerful.
Standing on the teleportation array, a column of light rose, and Lin Jichen vanished from the novice vige.
Lin Jichen''s true journey of cultivation had officially begun.
The Tianyan Sword Sect was located in the Taiyin Mountain Range of Mu Xian Province.
As thergest Sword Sect in Mu Xian Province, it was the dream destination for many Sword Cultivator yers to learn their craft.
Lin Jichen now stood outside the gates of the Tianyan Sword Sect, facing a massive diamond stone.
Carved on the stone were the bold, wild characters ''Tianyan Sword Sect.''
The characters didn''t seem carved but rather written with a sharp and vigorous brushstroke, each stroke naturally perfect.
Considering the hardness of the diamond stone, ordinary carving couldn''t achieve such an effectit must have been a Sword Cultivator who inscribed it with a sword.
Especially when looking closely at each character, it felt as if sharp, unparalleled Sword Qi was shing towards him!
Lin Jichen''s mind was immersed in the characters, nearly forgetting the threat of the heavenly tribtion above.
"Comprehending the Tianyan Sword Intent, Swordsmanship aptitude +5%."
Returning to his senses, Lin Jichen realized that just by looking at these characters, he hadprehended Sword Intent.
Swordsmanship aptitude, unlike innate talent, made it easier for those with higher aptitude to improve their proficiency in sword skills.
Just a nce at these characters had brought such a benefit, the advantage of having fullprehension.
Before his rebirth, he had visited the Tianyan Sword Sect and seen this stone tablet many times, but never gained anything from it.
When he had the time, he would explore the entire Sword Sectwho knows what else he mightprehend.
...
Chapter 14 – Tianyan Sword Sect
Chapter 14 C Tianyan Sword Sect
Thunder rumbled ominously in the sky, causing Lin Jichen to momentarily retract his good mood as he hurried towards the Tianyan Sword Sect.
"Halt, who goes there?" A disciple guarding the gate stopped him.
Lin Jichen presented a letter of introduction, which, upon inspection, allowed him passage.
"Take this letter to the Elder in charge of affairs in the east for registration. Then choose the Elder you wish to apprentice under and present this letter to them. Whether they ept you as a disciple is up to your own fate."
"Thank you." Lin Jichen promptly pocketed the letter and dashed inside.
"What''s with that guy, running like his life depends on it? Is he in a rush to be reborn or something?" the guarding disciple muttered.
If Lin Jichen had heard him, he would have retorted that he wasn''t rushing to be reborn, but that if he didn''t hurry, he might indeed be forced into a rebirth.
Failing a Tribtion Crossing meant nothing less thanplete obliteration, a dual death in both the game and reality. He had every reason to run as fast as he could.
He sprinted all the way into the Tianyan Sword Sect.
Gazing upon the grandeur of the Sword Sect, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but admire it as the foremost sect under the heavens.
It was far more majestic than the magic-oriented sect he belonged to before.
The Sword Sect was the most favored among yers, as who wouldn''t dream of Sword Flight, roaming the world freely?
Thus, the Sword Sect had the most yers, the most experts, and the fiercestpetition.
For Lin Jichen, this was a brand new challenge.
But now, he had no time to admire the scenery of the sect; he was ready to seek out a powerhouse in the east to help him survive the lightning tribtion.
Just as he was about to move, several streaks of light shot out from the inner sanctum of the Sword Sect.
Then, more and more lights flew from all directions within the sect.
Each streak of light was a powerful figure, each carrying an unfathomable aura.
Lin Jichen had no doubt that any one of them could snuff out his life as easily as pinching an ant.
As a former master of the Enlightenment Realm, he was quite familiar with these auras.
Most of them were of the Gathering Spirit Realm and Nascent Soul Realm.
A few were even of the Divine Transformation Realm!
In "Tale of Immortal," there were ten major realms: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Crystallization, Golden Core, Gathering Spirit, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation, Enlightenment, Feather Transformation, and Ascending to Immortality.
Each realm was further divided into three sub-realms.
Before his rebirth, Lin Jichen had only cultivated to the mid-stage of the Enlightenment Realm, and the highest realm yers had reached was the peak of the Enlightenment Realm.
No one had reached the Feather Transformation Realm, let alone Ascended to Immortality, not even the NPCs of the four continents.
In the past, Lin Jichen wouldn''t have taken these people seriously, but now he was just a Qi Refining Realm novice.
Momentster, a figure in white robes, pure as snow, emerged from the Sword Sect.
Lin Jichen looked up and saw an iparably stunning woman.
Her beauty was breathtaking, transcending the mundane world.
Her ck hair framed her face, which glowed like the morning dawn.
Her phoenix eyes shimmered like autumn waters, yet theymanded respect.
The faint morning light fell upon her, highlighting her graceful figure and slender waist against her white dress.
Her eyes sparkled, and her water sleeves fluttered, captivating the soul.
As if blossoms bloomed from water, her bones like sinking stones, her flesh like jade.
Upon seeing this woman, Lin Jichen''s heart skipped a beat; he recognized her, having had the fortune to meet her once before.
She was the renowned Sect Master of the Tianyan Sword Sect, Leng Feiyan.
A superpower in "Tale of Immortal," with a cultivation at the pinnacle of the Feather Transformation Realm.
Lin Jichen had seen her because, after the game merged with reality, she had helped Chinabat the invasion of Evil Demons, ying a million ghostly spirits with a single sword strike.
Since then, she was worshipped as a deity by countless yers.
When everyone in the sky saw her emerge, they immediately bowed respectfully: "Sect Master!"
"Why does my Tianyan Sect show signs of a heavenly tribtion? Could it be that one of the Elders'' direct disciples is breaking through?"
Leng Feiyan''s voice was like the soft strumming of a lute, tingling and authoritative.
The crowd shook their heads, indicating their ignorance.
Leng Feiyan''s brows furrowed slightly, her expression puzzled.
While everyone was wondering, Lin Jichen,pletely overlooked by the crowd, shouted at the top of his lungs.
"New disciple Lin Jichen seeks the help of the Elders to save my life~"
Lin Jichen''s cry, tinged with desperation, stood out starkly.
Everyone turned their gaze downwards.
Upon seeing Lin Jichen for the first time, they all sighed inwardly.
What a graceful and handsome young man!
His demeanor was gentle and refined, like a refreshing spring breeze, his appearance striking and dignified.
Despite wearing simple linen clothes, his otherworldly aura could not be concealed.
Standing tall like an orchid and a jade tree, smiling like the bright moon in one''s embrace, his presence was lofty and transcendent.
It was as if his appearance was precisely crafted to fit one''s ideal of beauty.
All the Elders, including Leng Feiyan, couldn''t help but have an excellent first impression of Lin Jichen.
"Are you a new disciple?"
Leng Feiyan inquired, her voice still cool but melodious.
Lin Jichen had thought he would at most find aw enforcement Elder to help, but to encounter the Sect Master of the Tianyan Sword Sect was like grabbing onto a lifeline.
"Reporting to the Sect Master, disciple Lin Jichen has just arrived to seek a master and was about to register with thew enforcement Elder."
"Oh? Then why do you cry for help?"
Lin Jichen awkwardly pointed upwards, saying, "I''ve just entered the Qi Refining Realm and encountered a heavenly tribtion, hence my call for help."
What?
The crowd couldn''t help butugh, thinking this new disciple, despite his good looks, must be joking.
Heavenly tribtions were something that only began when one in the Crystallization Realm broke through to the Golden Core Realm. How could Lin Jichen, a mere novice in the initial stage of Qi Refining, possibly face a heavenly tribtion?
It was utterly preposterous.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to exin, the heavenly tribtion arrived!
Boom!
A bolt of lightning, thick as a man''s arm, pierced through the dense clouds and struck viciously towards Lin Jichen''s head!
Lin Jichenmented: My life is over!
"Save me~~"
Knowing he couldn''t withstand the might of the heavenly tribtion, Lin Jichen could only shout for help, hoping for a kind soul to lend a hand.
When everyone saw the lightning truly aimed at Lin Jichen, they were astonished and prepared to rescue him.
But Leng Feiyan was quicker; with a light flick of her hand, a rosy light enveloped Lin Jichen.
As the lightning struck, the light formed a barrier,pletely shielding him from the thunderous assault.
The terrifying might of the lightning had no effect on it, not even causing a ripple, and it vanished in the blink of an eye.
After the single bolt, the dark clouds quickly dissipated, and the sky cleared.
Lin Jichen''s anxious heart finally rxed.
Fortunate, indeed, to be alive.
But though he survived, he now faced a serious issue, a very serious issue.
All the Elders, including Leng Feiyan, looked at Lin Jichen with amazement.
A Qi Refining novice attracting a heavenly tribtion was something they had never encountered before.
There were only two possibilities for such a phenomenon: the first was that the boy possessed a treasure that triggered the tribtion.
The second was that the boy had an extraordinary talent, envied by the heavens, and the higher the talent, the earlier the tribtion.
Either possibility was enough to pique the interest of the powerhouses.
Leng Feiyan seemed just as curious as the other Elders. She lifted her jade-like hand, and a stream of spiritual energy flew into Lin Jichen''s crown.
As the spiritual energy circted through his body, the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth became agitated, rushing into him frantically.
The spiritual energy, like fish to water, joyfully swam towards Lin Jichen.
Chapter 15 – Sect Master Accepting Disciples
Chapter 15 C Sect Master epting Disciples
All the elders were shocked, including Leng Feiyan, who was also very surprised.
At this moment, the happiest person was none other than Lin Jichen.
"Cultivation +20!"
"Cultivation +20!"
"Cultivation +20!"
...
Thanks to the Sect Master''s spiritual energy boost, the spiritual energy surged into his body, causing his cultivation to continuously climb.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the spiritual energy within Lin Jichen dissipated, and the surrounding spiritual energy returned to normal.
Lin Jichen nced at his cultivation: [360/500]
Just a bit more and it would have been full.
He felt a bit regretful; if only it had increased a little longer.
The test ended, and everyone looked at Leng Feiyan, waiting for his answer.
Leng Feiyan''s usually impassive expression finally softened, revealing a hint of a smile.
At that moment, it was as if the heavens and earth paled inparison, and all flowers bloomed in splendor.
"Good, very good. I didn''t expect my Tianyan Sword Sect to have another prodigy. Perhaps in the future, his achievements might even surpass mine."
Ah!
The crowd was astonished; they hadn''t expected the Sect Master to give such high praise. What kind of talent did this kid have to earn such an evaluation from the Sect Master?
"Sect Master, just how exceptional is this disciple''s talent for you to praise him so highly? This is the first time I''ve seen you do so," a female elder couldn''t help but ask with a smile.
Leng Feiyan didn''t beat around the bush and answered indifferently.
"His innate physique, spiritual grace, andprehension are all excellent, even better than mine when I was his age. Tell me, isn''t his talent remarkable?"
Hiss!
All the elders gasped.
No wonder he could receive such high praise from the Sect Master; with such talent, he indeed deserved such expectations.
After the shock, everyone''s thoughts began to stir.
With such a talented disciple, who wouldn''t want to take him as their own?
Once Lin Jichen became a prominent figure, it would bring great honor to them as his masters.
Moreover, they could also expect to be looked after by their disciple in return. Such a good opportunity, everyone wanted to seize it.
"This disciple has yet to pledge to a master. How about this, let him be my disciple, and I will teach him well," a slightly plump man in a purple robe was the first to speak up.
But naturally, the others were not pleased. Such a promising seedling couldn''t just be imed by anyone. They were all elders, and none had special privileges.
"He should be my disciple, and I will teach him everything I know!"
"Elder Qingsong, you already have so many disciples, don''tpete with us. I can also teach him all the skills of the Tianyan Sword Sect."
"Elder Qiuyue, you are a female cultivator, it''s inconvenient for you to teach a male disciple. Better toe to me."
"Don''t be polite, he should be my disciple..."
...
The elders argued with each other, all hoping to take Lin Jichen as their disciple.
Lin Jichen watched as so many elders vied to be his master, feeling incredibly pleased inside.
But to make a good impression, he still suppressed his joy, pretending to be unaffected by honor or disgrace.
Just as the dispute was unresolved, Leng Feiyan spoke up.
"There''s no need to argue. This new disciple will join my tutge."
This...
Everyone didn''t expect the Sect Master to join the fray for a disciple.
Once the Sect Master had spoken, naturally, no one dared to argue further.
"Sect Master, don''t you never take disciples?"
Elder Qiuyue asked, still somewhat reluctant.
Leng Feiyan smiled slightly, her phoenix eyes shimmering, her red lips parting slightly.
"In recent years, my cultivation has stagnated, and I''ve had no breakthroughs. I don''t n to enter seclusion again in the short term. Since I have the time, I might as well take a closed-door disciple to pass the days."
Hearing this, everyone had no choice but to give up.
Leng Feiyan''s beautiful eyes returned to Lin Jichen.
"Are you willing to be my closed-door disciple and follow me into the inner hall for cultivation?"
Lin Jichen could never have imagined that he had initiallye for Elder Qingsong.
Yet unexpectedly, the Sect Master wanted to take him as a disciple.
[Ding! You''ve triggered the greatest opportunity of the Tianyan Sect! The current Sect Master, Leng Feiyan, wishes to take you as a closed-door disciple. Do you ept?]
"I am willing! Disciple greets Master!" Lin Jichen answered without hesitation.
As for Elder Qingsong, whom he had initially considered... let him go y by himself.
This was the strongest support in the Tianyan Sect.
After all, taking a master was all about finding support; naturally, he should choose the thickest and biggest one.
No, Leng Feiyan''s legs... were slender, white, and long!
Seeing Lin Jichen perform the salute, Leng Feiyan nodded in satisfaction.
"From today onwards, you are my only disciple, Lin Jichen. Follow me."
With that, Leng Feiyan waved her hand gracefully, and Lin Jichen was lifted into the air, following her towards the inner hall of the Tianyan Sect.
The other elders, seeing this, could only shake their heads with envy and reluctance, returning to their own abodes.
The Tianyan Sword Sect upied an extremely vast area, almost the entire Taiyin Mountain Range.
The Sword Sect was divided into the outer hall, branch halls, and inner hall, and this was the case not just for the Sword Sect but for other sects as well.
The outer hall and branch halls were reserved for yers.
Ordinary yers could only take masters in the outer hall, and they were taught by the external elders.
Exceptional yers could have the chance to be taken as disciples by the elders of the various branch halls.
The inner hall, however, had nothing to do with yers. It was where the NPC elite disciples were cultivated.
These were the elite disciples of the various sects before the public testing of the yers.
Unless your talent was one in a million, you might have a chance to enter the inner hall.
Inside the Tianyan Sect''s inner hall.
The scenery of the inner hall waspletely different from that of the outer hall. If the outer hall was like a Daoist pce, then the inner hall was like a fairnd.
Twelve towering mountains stood amidst the clouds at the mountain peaks, as if lifting the entire Taiyin Mountain Range into the sky.
Each mountain was unique; some were filled with spiritual herbs and exuded a rich medicinal fragrance, some bred cranes and spiritual monkeys, and others were covered with exotic flowers and nts.
Clouds of auspiciousness intertwined among them, and the golden divine radiance of the sun and moon enveloped the entire inner hall.
The central mountain was thergest and most conspicuous.
A magnificent pce stood atop it, reaching into the sky.
The halls on the other mountains paled inparison, looking like stars surrounding the moon.
Mists lingered on the mountain, with dazzling golden light. The golden radiance of the other mountains all stemmed from this highest mountain.
On this highest mountain, there were many water caltrop trees. When the warm wind blew, the caltrop flowers danced, the white sea of flowers swaying and drifting into the sea of clouds, a sight of stunning beauty.
At the foot of the mountains was a vast square.
On the square sat thousands of young disciples, both male and female.
They all sat earnestly on meditation cushions, listening to the white-bearded elder lecturing at the front.
Lin Jichen casually nced over and noticed that these young disciples had at least reached the Crystal Realm in cultivation.
Some had even reached the Golden Core Realm,parable in strength to some of the outer hall elders.
These were the cream of the crop among the young disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect, the future backbone of the sect.
The white-bearded elder teaching the ss greeted Leng Feiyan with a smile and a bow when he saw her.
All the disciples also hurriedly stood up to pay their respects.
Leng Feiyan nodded and said to the white-bearded elder, "Elder Tianjian, no need for such formalities. I''m just managing the sect on behalf of my father. You can call me Feiyan, just like when I was a child."
Elder Tianjian waved his hand with a smile, "The rules of the sect cannot be taken lightly. The old Sect Master has passed the position to you, and you are now the new Sect Master of the Tianyan Sect, no longer the naive young girl of the past."
Saying this, Elder Tianjian noticed Lin Jichen behind Leng Feiyan and asked in surprise, "Who is this?"
"My newly epted closed-door disciple," Leng Feiyan stated inly.
Whoa!
Her words stirred up a thousand waves.
A thousand disciples were shocked, immediately starting to whisper among themselves.
"No way, this kid is the Sect Master''s closed-door disciple?"
"This junior brother is quite handsome~"
"What merits and virtues does he have to be epted by the Sect Master?"
"That''s right, even our Senior Brother, a prodigy, entered the Golden Core Realm at a young age, and with such talent, he didn''t catch the Sect Master''s eye."
"This guy is only at the Qi Refining Realm, what a joke!"
"Exactly, he''s not worthy. I could defeat him with just one finger."
Chapter 16 – Nangong Yue
Chapter 16 C Nangong Yue
The prodigies of the heavens couldn''t hide their disdain upon seeing Lin Jichen''s pitifully weak cultivation.
Despite their own excellence, none had managed to be disciples of the Sect Master.
Yet this unkempt youth from who-knows-where had caught the Sect Master''s eye.
Whispers and murmurs grew louder and more intense.
Elder Tianjian''s brow furrowed, and he bellowed, "Silence!"
Peace was restored to the scene.
Though they dared not gossip any longer, their eyes still challenged Lin Jichen provocatively.
Lin Jichen chuckled wryly to himself, realizing that bing the Sect Master''s disciple wasn''t going to be smooth sailing.
At the very least, he could foresee the inner pce disciples setting traps for him in the future.
But it didn''t matter. He was determined to cling to this powerful support, regardless of anyone''s opinion.
Elder Tianjian was surprised too, but he wouldn''t question Leng Feiyan''s decision.
"Elder Tianjian, please continue your lesson. I will take my disciple back to the Sword Pce. Once he reaches the crystallization stage of cultivation, he will attend your sses."
"Of course, of course," Elder Tianjian quickly agreed.
Without another word, Leng Feiyan lifted Lin Jichen into the air, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished.
In just a few breaths, Lin Jichen found himself standing atop the tallest immortal mountain.
Up close, he could see that the pce adorned with orchids and osmanthus was called the Sword Pce.
There was no one in sight inside the Sword Pce, nor on the mountain.
As if reading his mind, Leng Feiyan calmly exined:
"The Sword Pce is the core of our Tianyan Sect. Apart from hosting meetings, it is visited only by disciples whoe to clean every morning. No one else."
"From today on, you will cultivate here. I will arrange for a disciple to bring you the sect''s neer package and show you to your quarters. Tomorrow at dawn, meet me in the great hall."
With that, Leng Feiyan disappeared.
Lin Jichen scratched his head, finding his Sect Master rather aloof.
Such a favorable first impression, yet treated so coldly.
He could hardly imagine how other yers would fare if they encountered Leng Feiyan.
Not long after Leng Feiyan left, a sweet voice came from outside the hall.
"I heard we have a new disciple in the inner pce, great! I''m no longer the youngest. I have a junior brother now~"
As she spoke, a blue-d girl trotted into the hall.
Her beauty was unparalleled, her appearance as delicate as the crescent moon''s halo and snow piled upon flowers.
Her petite chin, along with her thin, dainty lips, exuded an indescribable grace and elegance.
Her ck hair, simply tied into an immortal''s bun, entuated her petite yet curvaceous figure.
She wore the same blue and white Sword Sect uniform as the other inner pce disciples, with a pale pink lotus embroidered on the sleeve and silver threads outlining auspicious clouds.
A pink sachet hung at her waist, and she wore deer leather boots with bells that jingled pleasantly as she walked.
Especially lively were her eyes, mischievous and yful, instantly endearing her to anyone who saw her.
"Junior brother,e and pay your respects to your senior sister."
Upon entering, the girl looked around and immediately spotted Lin Jichen in the pce.
At first sight of Lin Jichen, she froze in ce as if spellbound.
Soon, her initial bold demeanor turned shy, her cheeks blushing faintly.
Her once chatty mouth suddenly fell silent.
Lin Jichen greeted her with a smile, introducing himself, "Junior brother Lin Jichen, at your service, senior sister."
The girl, caught off guard by his cooperation, covered her mouth and giggled.
Herughter was charming and endearing.
"Not bad, not bad. My name is Nangong Yue, at the crystallization stage of cultivation. If you need anything, junior brother, your senior sister has got your back!"
She patted her chest proudly, boasting to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen immediately showed admiration, tterying naturally.
"I never imagined my senior sister would not only be more beautiful than flowers but also possess such high cultivation. I am utterly in awe."
Hearing such praise, Nangong Yue bashfully turned her head away, a blush spreading down her neck.
Perhaps feeling the need to assert her authority as a senior sister, she put her hands on her hips and tried to look stern.
"I didn''t expect my junior brother to be such a tterer!"
But far from being ashamed, Lin Jichen took it as apliment.
"There''s a saying that goes, ''To advance in cultivation, don''t just focus on training. It''s better to tter than to work hard in vain.''"
Pfft~
Nangong Yue couldn''t help but burst intoughter.
Her beautiful eyes curved into crescents, her serious facade gone.
Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level towards you has increased by 10! Current affection level: 10 points (Instant Rapport)
Seeing the game notification, Lin Jichen''s heart swelled with joy.
The interactions between yers and NPCs were not limited to quests.
These NPCs were living characters in the world of immortals, eventually to descend into reality.
Building good rtionships and cultivating affection levels with them was all benefit and no harm.
However, raising affection levels with NPCs was notoriously difficult, even if you possessed transcendent charm.
High charm only meant a good first impression, which didn''t equate to affection levels.
A good first impression simply made it easier to increase affection levels, but it also depended on your actions.
If you relied on your charm and behaved inappropriately or offensively, don''t expect to raise affection levels.
Different affection levels could trigger unique hidden quests and opportunities.
There are ten levels of affection:
1~10 points: Instant Rapport; 11~20 points: Enjoyable Conversation; 21~30 points: Companions on the Journey; 31~40 points: Daily Companionship; 41~50 points: Heartfelt Connection.
Beyond that, there are different levels for rtionships with the opposite and same sex:
51~60 points: Intimate Bond/Shared Adversity;
61~70 points: Mutual Affection/Brotherly Bond;
71~80 points: Harmonious Union/Unwavering Support;
81~90 points: Vows of Eternity/Brothers in Arms;
91~100 points: Undying Loyalty/Together in Life and Death.
These ten levels of affection represent the rtionship with an NPC.
Generally, if you reach Mutual Affection with an NPC of the opposite sex, physical contact is allowed without rejection.
Of course, the same goes for the same sex if you''re willing to cross swords.
At Harmonious Union, you can be daopanions, equivalent to being boyfriend and girlfriend, and unlock the dual cultivation mode.
The same applies to same-sex rtionships.
Reaching Vows of Eternity means marriage with the NPC.
At Undying Loyalty, the NPC will stick by you through thick and thin, never to part.
Simrly, well...
But it''s well-known that raising NPC affection levels is difficult. In his past life, Lin Jichen never managed to break 50 points with any NPC.
The highest he achieved was a Heartfelt Connection with a female elder from the Law Sect, after seven or eight years of selflessly helping her multiple times.
Not just him, but among all yers of Tale of Immortal, those who raised an NPC''s affection level above 70 were exceedingly rare.
Chapter 17 – The importance of Affection Level
Chapter 17 C The importance of Affection Level
Lin Jichen remembered his life before rebirth.
There was a lovestruck yer who fell for an NPC sister from his sect, pining for her affection.
He doted on her, answering her every call, yet her affection level never seemed to rise.
Once, when the sister was on a mission, she was captured by demonic cultivators.
Knowing he wasn''t strong enough, the smitten yer spent his fortune to hire a guild to storm the demon''sir with him.
In the end, they rescued the sister.
But by then, she had been tortured by the demonic cultivators and her cultivation was destroyed, leaving her paralyzed in bed.
Still, the yer never left her side.
He stayed with her day and night, tending to her needs, braving dangerous leveling areas daily to find heavenly treasures to heal her.
After five years, the sister finally recovered and was deeply moved by him, her affection level reaching 100 points.
This was the first and only instance in the world of maxing out an NPC''s affection level.
After the game merged with reality, the sister appeared in the real world, still staying by the yer''s side through thick and thin.
Their love story touched everyone, including Lin Jichen.
It became one of the most touching love stories in "Tale of Immortal," always a hot topic among yers.
But it also proved how difficult it was to raise NPC affection levels in "Tale of Immortal," since NPCs were ancient beings from a world of immortals.
Most ancient people had traditional and rigid thoughts, especially women, who mostly adhered to the concept of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues.
Of course, modern girls also follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues.
The Three Obediences: never gentle, never considerate, never reasonable.
The Four Virtues: can''t be spoken to, can''t be hit, can''t be scolded, can''t be provoked.
Of course, this refers to some girls, not all.
Women in "Tale of Immortal" value chastity highly and are particrly cautious around men.
Once you break through their defenses, they will be devoted to you for life, recognizing you as their true love.
For someone like Lin Jichen to reach 10 points upon first meeting is incredibly rare.
"Since you''re my first junior brother, as your senior sister, I should give you a gift for our first meeting."
Nangong Yue finished speaking and produced a verdant jade pendant, generously handing it to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen took it and saw that it was a Spirit Grade piece of equipment.
In "Tale of Immortal," equipment was categorized into eight grades: Ordinary, Spirit, Mysterious, Earth, Heaven, Holy, Immortal, and Divine, which included skills, mounts, and so on.
[Spirit Grade Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant]: Defense +10, Heart Protection +5, recovers 1% mana per second when out ofbat.
Skill: [Spirit Shield], forms a 0.5-second mana shield duringbat, blocking one skill attack from enemies below the Crystal Realm. Only blocks skills, and the shield expires after the duration, with a cooldown of 15 minutes.
Requirement: None.
Heart Protection refers to guarding against critical hits, while Heart Strike is the critical damage.
It''s akin to blocking critical hits andnding them.
However, "Tale of Immortal" doesn''t have critical hit damage; weak spots must be targeted to deal critical damage.
After reading the pendant''s description, Lin Jichen was overjoyed.
This jade pendant was definitely top-notch among Spirit Grade equipment!
The [Spirit Shield] skill was incredibly practical!
It could block one skill attack from enemies below the Crystal Realm, essentially reducing the opponent''s skill count by one during a fight.
But the skill was a test of timing,sting only 0.5 seconds, meaning the release had to be perfectly timed, or it would be wasted.
Lin Jichen wanted tough out loud, seeing the benefits of cultivating a good rtionship with NPCs, colloquially known as living off a woman!
Especially with powerful NPCs, the higher their affection level for you, the more benefits you reap.
In his past life, there were indeed many pretty boy yers and fox spirit female yers who didn''t follow the normal gaming route. They didn''t cultivate, level up, or run dungeons.
They focused solely on how to charm NPCs, especially powerful ones.
With the principle of clinging to the powerful for an easy life, they ttered and fawned over formidable NPC characters daily.
Eventually, they developed an alternative and bizarre method of cultivation.
The most sessful yer even charmed a Nascent Soul Realm female elder from the Beast Taming Sect and became her daopanion.
When everyone heard about it, they were curious and went to see the female elder, expecting a great beauty and envying the yer''s good fortune.
But upon seeing her in person, they were shocked; she resembled Ioi from League of Legends.
Despite the ridicule, the yer didn''t care and even shared his insights on living off a woman.
He imed that the uglier the NPC, the easier it was to raise their affection level if you were good-looking and put in the effort.
He boldly stated that he used to work as a "prince" in a nightclub in reality.
For him, enduring a bit of ugliness was nothing; he had served far worse, and this NPC was already considered pretty.
With that, everyone hailed him as a true man!
Lin Jichen didn''t have such resolve and determination.
Of course, if it were a beautiful NPC, that would be a different story, cough cough.
"Thank you, senior sister."
Although Lin Jichen was happy, he maintained a modest demeanor on the surface, not wanting to look down on Nangong Yue and affect future progress in their affection level.
"No need to be polite, after all, I am your senior sister~"
Nangong Yue said cheerfully, enjoying being called senior sister by Lin Jichen.
Among the inner disciples, she was the youngest and had never been anyone''s senior sister before.
Plus, her first impression of Lin Jichen was so good, and she was so delighted by his ttery, that she looked at him even more favorably.
"Oh, right, the sect master told me to give you the new disciple''s package."
Nangong Yue almost forgot the task given to her by the sect master due to the pleasant conversation with Lin Jichen.
She stuck out her tongue yfully and handed Lin Jichen a package.
Lin Jichen opened it to find a set of Sword Sect disciple clothes, a Spirit Grade sword, and a Storage Ring.
[Spirit Grade Sword Sect Attire (Inner Sect)]: Defense +15, Heart Protection +5, Speed +10.
Requirement: None.
[Spirit Grade Gentle Breeze Sword (Inner Sect)]: Strength +10, Heart Strike +4.
Requirement: None.
[Spirit Grade Stone Sinking Ring (Inner Sect)]: Backpack space +100 points.
Requirement: None.
These three items were the standard wee gifts provided by the sect to each disciple.
However, Lin Jichen''s was an inner sect package, the best kind, with all three items being Spirit Grade equipment.
Outer sect and branch sect disciples could only get Ordinary Grade sets, which were far inferior in performance.
The Storage Ring even contained 50 low-grade Spirit Stones, a benefit exclusive to inner sect disciples.
50 low-grade Spirit Stones equaled five months'' sry for an outer sect disciple.
Outer sect disciples could collect 10 low-grade Spirit Stones at the end of each month, branch sect disciples 20, and inner sect disciples 50.
Aside from the Sword Sect attire and Storage Ring, Lin Jichen didn''t really need the sword; he had the Red Cloud Sword, which had better attributes.
Lin Jichen nned to sell the sword when more Sword Sect yers appeared.
"Alright, my task is done. My father is calling for me, so I''ll be going now. I''lle to y with you again when I''m free."
After speaking, Nangong Yue hummed a tune and left with a jingle, feeling very happy today.
Lin Jichen was also in a good mood.
The harvest on the first day of public testing far exceeded his expectations.
He changed into the Sword Sect attire, tossing his original leather armor and iron boots ruthlessly into the ring to be soldter.
Such Ordinary Grade leather armor and boots were nowhere near asfortable as Spirit Grade attire.
The Sword Sect attire, made of blue and white silk, made him look particrly sharp, with gold trim on the sleeves unique to the inner sect.
On the left side of the chest was embroidered a miniature sword, and on the right, the words "Tian Yan."
After changing into the Sword Sect attire, Lin Jichen lookedpletely renewed.
Chapter 18 – Accidentally entered Leng Feiyan’s bedchamber
Chapter 18 C identally entered Leng Feiyans bedchamber
Lin Jichen nced over his attribute panel.
yer: Lin Jichen
Talent: Heaven-defying Fate
Sect: Tianyan Sword Sect
Reputation: 220
Innate Attributes: Maxed Out
Cultivation: 360/500
Realm: Initial Stage of Qi Refining
Acquired Talent: Vitality Seed (Vitality increased by 10%)
Vitality: 2200/2200
Mana: 2000/2000
Strength: 35
Mental Power: 20
Defense: 45
Speed: 40
Critical Hit: 7
Heart Protection: 15
Swordsmanship Aptitude: +5%
Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Beginner 0%)
Equipment: Spirit Grade Sword Sect Attire, Spirit Grade Crimson Cloud Sword, Spirit Grade Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant, Spirit Grade Stone Sinking Ring
His strength had risen to 35, whereas the average yer at the Initial Stage of Qi Refining only had about 10 points. He was now more than three times the average.
One sh from him was equivalent to four from someone else.
His defense was even more outrageous. Thanks to the Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant gifted by Nangong Yue, his defense had reached an astonishing 45.
Lin Jichen could now confidently say that no ordinary attack from any yer could break his defense or injure him in the slightest.
Unless they hit a weak spot.
After basking in self-admiration for a while.
Lin Jichen suddenly remembered that Nangong Yue hadn''t shown him to his quarters yet.
This Senior Sister... was a bit unreliable...
Seeing that Nangong Yue had left early, Lin Jichen had no choice but to leave the grand hall and fumble his way towards the back courtyard.
The Sword Pce was surprisinglyrge, and after several turns, Lin Jichen still couldn''t find his quarters.
Just as he was about to give up, a beautiful pce appeared before him.
Guessing this was the ce, Lin Jichen tentatively walked in.
Unexpectedly, before he could take a step forward, he was repelled by a fierce energy.
"-2199!"
Pfft!
Lin Jichen fell to the ground, coughing up blood, feeling as if he had been hollowed out and severely injured.
His health bar plummeted to a mere sliver...
Lin Jichen was utterly bewildered, questioning his identity, location, and what had just happened.
Then, Leng Feiyan, d in snow-white garments, emerged from the beautiful pce, her expression displeased, her brows furrowed.
"Who allowed you to trespass into the Sect Master''s bedchamber? If I hadn''t deactivated the array in time, you would have died a thousand times over."
Lin Jichen gave a wry smile, realizing he had taken a wrong turn and stumbled into the Sect Master''s bedchamber.
At the same time, he felt incredibly fortunate; he had narrowly escaped death, as dying even once would result in a loss of innate attributes.
If he had lost 10% of his attributes, it would have been more unbearable than eating filth.
Luckily, Leng Feiyan had intervened in time, or he would have truly been in tragedy.
A great man knows when to bow and when to stand tall, so Lin Jichen could only admit his mistake.
"Disciple acknowledges his error. It was not intentional. Senior Sister Nangong had to leave in a hurry because her father called for her, and she forgot to take me to the quarters. I ended up here unintentionally."
Knowing that Leng Feiyan was difficult to get along with, Lin Jichen had to be extra careful.
If Leng Feiyan began to dislike him, it would be much harder to rely on her support in the future.
He didn''t directly me Nangong Yue for negligence, just that she had urgent matters to attend to and forgot about him.
This way, Nangong Yue wasn''t directly held responsible.
Hearing this, Leng Feiyan''s expression softened slightly, and she casually tossed him an elixir.
"Without my permission, no one is allowed to intrude here. Do not let this happen again."
With that, Leng Feiyan turned and left, leaving Lin Jichen to fend for himself.
"Damn it, that was some rotten luck."
Despite hisints, Lin Jichen knew he had to leave quickly, fearing he might trigger another array.
Returning to the grand hall, Lin Jichen no longer wished to search for his quarters.
He''d just stay in the grand hall.
Lin Jichen took out the elixir that Leng Feiyan had given him.
Mysterious GradePurple Jade Elixir: Increases allbat attributes by 30 points for five minutes, and if in a nonbat state, it also restores 3000 points of vitality.
After reading about the elixir, Lin Jichen suddenly felt that taking a hit from an array wasn''t such a big deal.
As long as he didn''t die, he even wanted to take a few more hits...
The Sect Master was indeed generous, casually giving away Mysterious Grade elixirs.
"I can''t bear to use this now; I''ll save it forter."
Lin Jichen carefully stored the elixir, knowing it was best saved forbat.
As for now, he preferred to recover his vitality slowly through meditation.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to meditate, Nangong Yue''s voice rang out again.
"Oh no, I forgot the Sect Master also asked me to take you to your quarters. My dad called for me, and I forgot. Junior brother... Ah! What happened to you?"
Nangong Yue entered to find Lin Jichen severely injured.
Lin Jichen immediately slumped to the ground, his breath weak.
"Cough cough... I''m fine, just got lost in the back courtyard and identally triggered an array, sustaining some minor injuries... cough cough..."
Nangong Yue was filled with guilt and apologized profusely, "It''s all my fault, Junior brother. If it weren''t for my carelessness, you wouldn''t have been hurt."
Lin Jichen quickly raised his hand, shaking his head weakly, as limp as his... toe.
"It''s not Senior Sister''s fault. It''s just that I''m too clumsy, even getting lost while walking. I hate my head for being as dumb as a pig!"
"You''re still speaking up for me even in this state, Junior brother, you''re truly kind."
Nangong Yue was moved.
Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level for you has increased by 5! Current affection level: 15 points (Enjoyable Conversation)
Lin Jichen secretly rejoiced, seizing another opportunity to boost affection level, hehe.
If he hadn''t acted a bit and said those words, there would be no increase in affection level, only guilt from the other party.
So, one must not treat the characters in "Tale of Immortal" as mere NPCs; they are beings with flesh, blood, and emotions.
It''s just that no one else knew this except for him, the reborn one.
After speaking, Nangong Yue took out a bottle of elixir and handed it to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen: Hehehe, a woman''s gift is always sweet~
"This is a Vitality Elixir. Eat it quickly. I''m giving you the whole bottle as a littlepensation."
Lin Jichen epted it without hesitation.
Spirit GradeVitality Elixir: Restores 150 points of vitality per second in a nonbat state,sting for ten seconds, 20 pills per bottle.
Another great item obtained for free.
After consuming two pills, Lin Jichen''s vitality was fully restored.
He skillfully stored the rest in his ring.
"Thank you, Senior Sister."
"It''s me who should apologize. Come on, I''ll take you to your quarters."
With Nangong Yue leading the way, Lin Jichen finally found his quarters, which were spacious but still for his use alone.
"This ce has been set up by the Sect Master with an Earth Grade Gathering Spirit Array. Meditating here daily will greatly increase the speed of absorbing spiritual energy. Even my father only has a Mysterious Grade Gathering Spirit Array, I''m so envious of you."
Nangong Yue exined.
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected his quarters to be equipped with an Earth Grade Gathering Spirit Array.
yers could choose to meditate in a safe ce when logging off, which was also known as leveling up while AFK.
Generally, cultivation growth was very slow this way.
Unless one found a ce rich in spiritual energy and safe, it might be a bit faster.
If not, a Gathering Spirit Array could be used as a substitute, and all sect quarters were equipped with one.
However, they were usually of Ordinary Grade or Spirit Grade, with Mysterious Grade being extremely rare.
An Earth Grade Gathering Spirit Array elerated spiritual energy absorption by 300%.
Lin Jichen''s cultivation talent was already maxed out, and he absorbed spiritual energy very quickly.
With the Earth Grade Gathering Spirit Array, even if he was AFK, his cultivation would soar.
"Alright, my task is finally thoroughlypleted. Junior brother, see youter."
Nangong Yue left for real this time, leaving Lin Jichen alone in his quarters.
Seeing that there was nothing pressing at the moment and that Leng Feiyan had asked him to meet her in the grand hall the next morning, likely to assign him a cultivation task, Lin Jichen decided to meditate and log off in his quarters.
Chapter 19 – The protagonist Lin got beaten up
Chapter 19 C The protagonist Lin got beaten up
[Ding! Initial stage of Qi Refining, innateprehension at full value, Earth Grade Gathering Spirit Array enhancement, meditation speed: +52 points/hour.]
Seeing this speed, Lin Jichen had only four words to say: Terrifying indeed!
The average yer at the initial stage of Qi Refining would gain about 5 to 10 points per hour through meditation. Lin Jichen''s rate was more than ten times that of others.
The benefits of having fullprehension were too numerous.
At this rate, after idling for three hours, his cultivation at the initial stage of Qi Refining would be maxed out.
Although it wasn''t as fast as grinding monsters, the cultivation gained for free was definitely sweeter than what was hard-earned.
He logged off the game, feeling quite pleased.
Lin Jichen opened his eyes and stepped out of the bedroom.
ncing at the time, it was only five in the morning.
He had yed all night without a hint of sleepiness.
All he felt was excitement.
Yes, to be able to start over with such a great beginning, Lin Jichen was in an exceptionally good mood.
He had already surpassed all other yers by arge margin, no longer the ''Ascetic monk'' who started a yearter than others and was cursed with mediocre innate talent.
In this life, he was determined topletely change his previously miserable fate.
Looking at the bank SMS on his phone.
"Your ount ending in 7758 has a bnce of: .35 yuan. [Industrial and Commercial Bank]"
In just five hours, Lin Jichen had earned over 1.6 million.
Lucky for him that he was reborn, or he would have definitely run off to a nightclub to celebrate.
Having experienced his past life, Lin Jichen was quite calm about the money.
He opened the game''s official website and ced an order for a gaming pod.
Why wait to spend the money when you have it now?
In a few years, the value of real-world money would depreciate significantly.
Lin Jichen skipped the standard and luxury models, directly opting for the top-tier gaming pod, and he ordered two.
One for himself, and one as a gift for Ren Lan.
Each top-tier gaming pod cost one million, which Lin Jichen originally couldn''t afford.
However, since the game was just in open beta, the top-tier gaming pods were not selling well, so the officialsunched a promotion, offering a 30% discount on the first batch.
So for just 1.4 million, Lin Jichen got two.
If he had enough money, he would have bought more.
The number of top-tier gaming pods was limited; once sold out, no amount of money could buy them.
After paying, his bnce instantly dropped to just over two hundred thousand.
He had spent most of his earnings in the blink of an eye, but Lin Jichen didn''t feel the slightest regret.
Thinking of giving Ren Lan a surprise, Lin Jichen sent her a WeChat message, asking her toe over to his ce when she woke up and sent her the location.
Putting down his phone, he felt a bit hungry.
Lin Jichen went to the kitchen and made a bowl of beef noodles with the ingredients he boughtst night.
Just after finishing his meal and washing the bowl, his phone rang. It was Ren Lan.
"Why are you asking me toe over to your ce? I was nning to run on the school track this early in the morning." Ren Lan yawned, obviously just waking up.
Lin Jichen wasn''t surprised that she was up so early; Miss Frenzy was a fitness fanatic with a routine as disciplined as a soldier''s.
She would get up at five or six every morning, then go for a run for an hour or two, and in the afternoon, she''d be practicing boxing and pumping iron at the gyma true fitness enthusiast.
"Come over, I have something to tell you."
"Fine, but if it''s nothing important and you dy my workout, I''ll turn you into a panda."
Not long after hanging up, in less than half an hour, the doorbell rang.
Lin Jichen opened the door to see Ren Lan, who had just woken up, standing in front of him.
"So this is your new rental? Yo, not bad at all!"
Ren Lan walked in nonchntly, looking around and admiring the ce, but soon she got annoyed.
"Little Lin, you sure know how to enjoy life, such a nice ce must cost at least five or six thousand a month, right? You wastrel, spending the gym membership fees I gave you like this?"
Lin Jichen deliberately teased her, sitting on the sofa with a leisurely smile.
"What else can I do? I can''t pay you back anyway, might as well spend it all quickly so you won''t worry about your money."
"(pը) What did you say?!" Ren Lan instantly turned into a tigress, charging at him and grabbing Lin Jichen by the neck.
"You heartless bastard, you dare to scam me out of my gym money? Even if I can''t get the money back, I''m going to use you as a punching bag today!"
"Hey, hey, hey... let me finish..."
Lin Jichen was startled and quickly tried to exin.
But Ren Lan was no longer listening, gripping Lin Jichen''s neck and pinning him down on the sofa, ready to deliver a beating.
Of course, Lin Jichen wouldn''t let her hit him for free, so he struggled.
But without the integration of the game world, his physical strength was no match for Ren Lan, the tigress, and he couldn''t even muster the strength to fight back.
Lin Jichen, a man of over 1.8 meters and weighing more than 130 pounds, was weaker than a girl.
It was clear how formidable Miss Frenzy was; her years of fitness training were not in vain.
Seeing that brute force was useless, Lin Jichen resorted to a trickster''s tactic, tickling.
He sneakily attacked Ren Lan''s armpits with his hands.
Ren Lan instantly lost herposure, her strength vanished, and now it was her turn to struggle.
"Ha ha ha... Little Lin, Little Lin, stop, stop... ha ha ha... I won''t hit you anymore, okay... ha ha..."
Finally gaining the upper hand, Lin Jichen wasn''t about to let her go so easily, determined to reim some dignity.
Seeing that Lin Jichen wouldn''t stop, Ren Lan couldn''t take it anymore, and in desperation, she punched him right in the eye.
"Ouch!"
Lin Jichen cried out in pain, covering his eye, no longer daring to tickle her.
Now he was at a real loss, having actually been punched. ini
Ren Lan knew she had hit too hard and immediately bent down to ask, "Are you okay?"
Lin Jichen didn''t answer, still covering his eye.
"Let me see."
"No!" Lin Jichen stubbornly covered his eye like a petnt wife.
"Let me see, we need to check if you need to go to the hospital."
Ren Lan was anxious and tried to pry his hands apart.
But he was holding on too tightly, and she couldn''t exert much force while bending over, so she sat on Lin Jichen''s stomach to pry his hands open.
After prying them open, Ren Lan saw Lin Jichen''s pitiful right eye.
His eye was fine, but the socket had turned blue.
With one eye bruised, Lin Jichen looked just like a panda.
Pfft~
Ren Lan couldn''t hold back herughter, not feeling guilty at all, but instead found it amusing.
Lin Jichen was so angry he wanted to curse, and immediately grabbed Ren Lan''s waist, flipped her over with force, and pinned the unsuspecting Ren Lan onto the sofa.
Their positions were instantly reversed, with Lin Jichen''s entire body pressing down on Ren Lan, his hands pinning her wrists.
Ren Lan began to struggle again, and amidst theughter and y, their bodies pressed tightly together.
This position... emm...
Lin Jichen felt the softness of Ren Lan''s body, and with the pressure on his chest, a physiological reaction was immediate.
Both parties finally realized the situation.
Lin Jichen quickly got up and fled.
Ren Lan red at him fiercely, her neck flushing red, which quickly spread to her face.
"Lin Jichen! You dare take advantage of me!"
Lin Jichen hurriedly denied it, saying, "I didn''t, I didn''t, don''t talk nonsense."
"You still dare to y the denial game, watch me punch you flying!"
"Wrong, wrong, wrong, I admit my mistake, okay?"
Lin Jichen quickly cowered, not wanting to be aplete panda.
"Hmph! At least you have some sense!" Ren Lan finally let it go, standing tall and proud like a victorious rooster.
Lin Jichen rolled his eyes; he just wanted to joke with this woman, but ended up getting beaten for nothing.
This Miss Frenzy, cursed to never marry in this lifetime.
Chapter 20 – A piece of information
Chapter 20 C A piece of information
"Ding ding dong dong..."
Just then, Lin Jichen''s phone rang.
Picking it up, he saw it was a call from the delivery person. The gamepany sure shipped fast.
"Mr. Lin, we''ve arrived downstairs at your ce. Should we bring everything up?"
"Hold on a moment, let me check."
Lin Jichen immediately asked Ren Lan, "I bought you a gaming pod. Do you want it in your dorm or at your ce?"
"A gaming pod? For me? Where did you get the money?"
Ren Lan was baffled.
"I''ll tell youter. Just tell me where to put it so I can instruct the delivery guy."
"My dorm room is too small, and my dad would smash it if it''s at home. Just put it at your ce; I have a room there anyway."
Lin Jichen nodded and told the delivery guy to bring both pods up.
Soon, the two gaming pods were brought in.
Lin Jichen directed the instation in two separate bedrooms, covering his eyes to avoid any potential ridicule from the delivery guy.
The delivery guy was quick, finishing in about fifteen minutes. Lin Jichen signed off, and they left.
Once they were gone, Ren Lan couldn''t hold back any longer.
"What''s going on? Where did you get so much money? Spill it!"
Lin Jichen coolly countered, "What do you think?"
"Did you sell your body at a nightclub? Come on, Little Lin, I won''tugh at you."
Lin Jichen''s face darkened as he pretended to make a phone call.
"Hello, delivery guy? Can youe back? I need to return one of the gaming pods, I..."
Before he could finish, Ren Lan rushed over, grabbing his arm and shaking it frantically.
"Come on, Brother Lin, I was wrong, okay? You''ve already bought it; how can we return it?"
Listening to Ren Lan''s tigerish apology, Lin Jichen felt a surge of satisfaction. Even the feisty ones bow down sometimes.
"Sigh, if someone would massage my legs and shoulders right now, I might reconsider."
Lin Jichen sat back on the couch, firmly in control.
"Your wish is mymand," Ren Lan obediently came over and began the massage.
Lin Jichen wondered if he should make some excessive demands?
But the thoughtsted only half a second before he dismissed it, knowing well that if he dared, his other eye would surely turn ck too.
"Alright, alright, you''ve been so good, I won''t return it."
"Really? Haha, I''m getting a gaming pod! A fifty-thousand-dor pod! That''s two years of my gym membership, boo-hoo~ This is the most expensive gift I''ve ever received. I''m going to take pictures and post them on WeChat!"
Ren Lan said, dashing into her bedroom to admire her gift, thinking Lin Jichen had bought the standard fifty-thousand-dor model.
Lin Jichen couldn''t be bothered to show off and let her remain blissfully ignorant.
He went back to his own bedroom, looking at the top-of-the-line gaming pod like someone who''d never seen the world.
The difference between a gaming ring and a pod was significant.
The main difference was the time a yer could spend in the game.
Gaming ring users could onlyst about ten hours before their physical condition affected their gamey.
If they continued, they''d be afflicted with a ''fatigue'' status in the game, slowing all actions by 10%, a reminder from the game to log off.
Once fatigue reached 30%, they''d be forced to log off.
But the gaming pod was different; it had a biological nutrient solution to sustain the yer''s body and even allow for proper sleep.
yers could game for long periods without any physical issues.
A standard pod allowed for a full day and night of y, a deluxe model for two days and nights, and the top model allowed for a week straight without needing to exit!
Plus, the gamey was smoother for pod userspared to ring users.
Lin Jichen admired the luxurious pod, unable to let go.
He''d never used a gaming pod in his life, even as a master of the Enlightenment Realm, because the game''s poprity made them scarce.
Before the game merged with reality, the price of pods rose daily.
In just a couple of years, even the lowest model cost millions, and the top models were nearly impossible to buy.
Lin Jichen couldn''t afford that, and as the two worlds merged, the pods lost their purpose.
So this was his first time using such advanced equipment.
If Ren Lan weren''t there, he''d have dived into the game to experience it right away.
Next door, Ren Lan was even more over the top, hugging and taking photos with the pod, excited beyond coherence.
"Little Lin, thank you, this is the best gift I''ve ever received in my life! Haha!"
Ren Lan burst out, dancing with joy, living up to the ''crazydy'' nickname Lin Jichen had given her.
"Good to see you happy. The money for the pod came from my earnings in the game, so you can stop suspecting I sold my body."
As he spoke, Lin Jichen didn''t forget to transfer the money he owed her for the gym membership.
"Wow! How long have you been ying this game to earn so much? Is it that easy to make money? Maybe I should drop out and earn with you!"
Ren Lan was astonished, her eyes filled with admiring stars.
"That was just luck. I found some good equipment and ran into a couple of wealthy second-generation yers bidding, so I made a lot. You want to drop out? Sure."
Lin Jichen wasn''t opposed to Ren Lan dropping out to y the game.
The sooner she started, the better.
"I''m just kidding. If I dared to drop out, my mom would break my legs. I''ll juste over to y when I have time."
Ren Lan said, then excitedly added, "School''s about to break for the holidays. I''ll tell my mom I''m going on a trip ande here to y my heart out. You''ll have to show me the ropes in the game!"
Lin Jichen chuckled and nodded, "Sure, you''re always wee."
He tossed her a set of keys to his ce.
After finally seeing off this silly woman, Lin Jichen decided to take a shower and rest, as there was still time before meeting Leng Feiyan.
Setting an rm, he thought to get some good rest before a satisfying battle in the game.
While setting the rm, Lin Jichen noticed a familiar name on WeChat.
[Gu Qiuxue]: "Little Chen, my birthday ising up in a few days, and my colleagues at the hospital want me to host a dinner. Do you have time toe?"
She had sent him a message a few days ago, but Lin Jichen hadn''t replied.
In his previous life, he had forgotten about it because he was with Guo Jie and never got back to her.
By the time he heard from Gu Qiuxue again, she was about to get married to a doctor from her hospital who had been pursuing her.
At the wedding, he asked her why she suddenly decided to marry someone she had told him she didn''t like.
Gu Qiuxue didn''t answer and left in tears.
A few yearster, she took her own life due to depression.
Lin Jichen never found out what had happened to her.
Now, he was determined to find out what had happened back then.
After a moment of silence, Lin Jichen immediately replied, "Sis, I''ll definitely be there!"
After sending the message, he turned off his phone andy down to rest.
But his mind was restless, haunted by the image of a serene and gentle face.
Chapter 21 – Top-grade Gathering Qi Pill
Chapter 21 C Top-grade Gathering Qi Pill
Tianyan Sword Sect, Sword Pce Grand Hall.
Lin Jichen stood atop the hall, waiting with a trace of nervousness.
Soon, Leng Feiyan materialized within the hall and took her seat at the head.
Uponying eyes on Lin Jichen, a flicker of surprise crossed Leng Feiyan''s face.
"Are you on the verge of a breakthrough?"
Her clear voice, like water flowing over pebbles, was cool and tinged with a hint of frost.
Even though it wasn''t his first time hearing it, Lin Jichen still felt a bit intimidated, the events of yesterday still vivid in his mind.
"Greetings, Master. Yes, I am."
As soon as Lin Jichen logged in, his cultivation had already reached 500/500.
However, since each minor stage required a specific elixir to break through, his cultivation was stuck at the bottleneck of the Initial stage of Qi Refining.
"Not bad, your aptitude is indeed the best I''ve seen," Leng Feiyan''s expression finally softened a bit, perhaps because of the incident at the pce yesterday, she hadn''t been too pleased with Lin Jichen upon arrival.
"You now need a Gathering Qi Pill to break through to the middle stage of Qi Refining. There are four grades of Gathering Qi Pills: the mostmon low-grade pills can be bought in towns, mid-grade pills are avable in many small sects, high-grade pills are only found inrge sects, and as for the top-grade pills, only the top sects possess them."
"I have here a top-grade Gathering Qi Pill."
After speaking, Leng Feiyan''s palm revealed a luminescent green pill, brimming with rich spiritual energy.
Different grades of Gathering Qi Pills have varying effects after breaking through a minor stage; the higher the quality, the more attributes it adds.
A top-grade Gathering Qi Pill like this was something most yers might not have even heard of.
Lin Jichen thought Leng Feiyan was going to give it to him directly and immediately beamed with gratitude.
"Thank you, Master!"
However, Leng Feiyan seemed to have a different idea.
"Although you possess exceptional talent, I worry about nurturing you into nothing more than a ''brocade pillow''all show and no substance. A true powerhouse needs not only realm and cultivation but also the experience of countless battles."
"Otherwise, no matter how high your cultivation, you''re just a vasefragile and easily shattered, at risk of dying at the hands of others or being devoured by beasts. What youck isbat experience."
Leng Feiyan paused for a moment, her face stern as she patiently instructed.
"Remember, my disciple,bat talent is no less important than talent for cultivation. A person with strongbat talent can even ovee opponents of higher cultivation. Conversely, withoutbat talent and experience, even those with high cultivation can easily be defeated by someone of lower cultivation."
Lin Jichen deeply resonated with her words; the game''s operational ceiling was extremely high.
He had often defeated enemies of higher levels in the past.
Cultivation could be fed with elixirs and heavenly treasures, attributes could be stacked with equipment.
Butbat talent had no shortcuts; aside from innate gifts, it required relentless tempering and experience umted through countless battles.
The famous experts on the Leaderboard of Immortals from his past life were all veterans of numerous battles.
yers who only paid to win, no matter how much they spent on equipment and divine elixirs, struggled to be experts.
Unless their equipment and realm were so far above others that skill couldn''t make up for the gap, that was a different story altogether.
After listening to Leng Feiyan''s teachings, Lin Jichen subconsciously shared his insights from his past life on the path of immortality.
"Master is right. I also believe that flowers grown in a greenhouse are unworthy of the immortal path. Only the trees that grow amidst thunder can attain eternal life!"
Leng Feiyan''s beautiful eyes shed with surprise, and she pondered Lin Jichen''s words, her appreciation deepening.
Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection for you has increased by 5! Current affection level: 5 points (Familiarity at First Sight)
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected that simply sharing his past life''s insights would earn the Sect Master''s favor.
Although it was a small amount, it was an excellent start.
At least the unpleasantness of yesterday was finally behind them, and there was no need to worry about being given a hard time.
With this newfound affection, Leng Feiyan''s tone was no longer as cold as before, but much gentler.
"You have such insight, which I did not expect. Where did you hear such wisdom?"
Leng Feiyan didn''t believe that Lin Jichen hade to this realization on his own, given that he was just a Qi Refining novice. How could he have grasped such profound truths?
It was impossible for someone without experience to utter such maxims.
Lin Jichen didn''t bother to im the insights as his own; after all, they were from his past life''s Enlightenment Realm and his understanding of the path of immortality.
Naturally, he would not disclose this.
"It was from a chance encounter with a senior in the Enlightenment Realm, who imparted this advice to me."
Leng Feiyan nodded slightly: "Such a fortuitous encounter is quite extraordinary. Recognizing the value of his words will benefit your Dao Heart in the future."
"In that case, go to the sect''s mission hall in the outer temple and pick a difficult task suitable for the Qi Refining Realm. Complete it sessfully, and the Gathering Spirit Pill is yours."
Faced with Leng Feiyan''s small test, Lin Jichen didn''t haggle and immediately epted.
Leng Feiyan cautioned, "Although the tasks in the outer temple are simplepared to the inner temple''s dangers, some still carry significant risks. Choose wisely and don''t overreach."
"I understand, Master."
"Before you undertake the mission, I will impart to you our sect''s core technique, the ''Tianyan Heart Sutra.'' It is a fundamental technique that all disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect must learn. The more proficient you are in the technique, the greater the benefits. I hope you will practice diligently."
With that, a booklet flew towards Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen caught it, and indeed, it was the renowned "Tianyan Heart Sutra."
The Tianyan Heart Sutra was avable to all disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect, though inner temple disciples could learn it directly.
Outer temple disciples had to serve the sect and umte contributions before they could exchange for it, a measure of their loyalty to the sect.
Although the Tianyan Heart Sutra was a basic technique essible to all disciples, it was a top-tier technique for Sword Cultivators.
However, the effectiveness of the technique was matched to your realm; the higher your realm, the stronger the effect.
Conversely, at a lower realm, the Tianyan Heart Sutra would seem quite ordinary.
"Tianyan Heart Sutra (Qi Refining Realm): Allbat attributes +5%.
Requirement: Only Tianyan Sword Sect disciples may learn. Any unauthorized learners are enemies of the Tianyan Sword Sect.
"Thank you, Master."
Lin Jichen bowed in acknowledgment and then left with aposed demeanor.
Exiting the inner temple, Lin Jichen returned to the outer temple of the Tianyan Sect.
The outer temple was no longer upied by Lin Jichen alone; a few new Sword Sect yers had joined.
Although the sect invitation task was somewhat hidden, attentive yers would always discover it.
So, in the half-day since Lin Jichen had logged off, some yers had found the trick and joined the sect.
No doubt, as time passed, more woulde to know of it.
Lin Jichen thought of Su Wanling, wondering if she had made full use of the information he sold.
For an individual, fifty thousand might not be worth it, but Su Wanling represented an entire guild.
Guild yers value getting a head start more than anything.
Fifty thousand, in exchange for the entire guild''s yers getting at least a half-day lead over other yers, was an absolute bargain for Su Wanling.
Indeed, that was the case; yers from Su Wanling''s managed Moon Shadow Guild had already joined various major sects, gaining a lead over all other guilds.
While other guilds envied them, they also wondered how the Moon Shadow Guild had learned the secret to joining the sects.
Chapter 22 – Hell-level mission
Chapter 22 C Hell-level mission
"Handsome expert!"
A female voice suddenly rang out from behind.
Many male yers narcissistically turned around, wondering if they were the ones being called.
Including Lin Jichen...
Of course, it was indeed him they were calling.
"Wanling sister, it really is him!"
Two female yers dressed in the attire of the Sword Sect''s outer temple approached Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen was also surprised; he hadn''t expected to run into Su Wanling, the wealthydy, here.
But he didn''t have any other thoughts; he and Su Wanling were just business partnershe sold, she paid.
Their rtionship was very straightforward.
Su Wanling had anticipated meeting Lin Jichen, after all, she had seen his letter, which bore the Sword Sect''s mark.
"Why have you also joined the Tianyan Sword Sect?" Lin Jichen asked curiously.
Su Wanling retorted, "Is the Tianyan Sword Sect only for men?"
"Of course not, I was just asking."
Su Wanling still exined to Lin Jichen.
"Our Moon Shadow Guild has all sorts of professions, purely based on personal preference. I lean towards swordsmanship, so naturally, I chose the Sword Sect."
Lin Jichen nodded, indicating he understood.
Feeling there was nothing more to say, he politely excused himself, "I need to go on a quest, let''s chat another time."
With that, Lin Jichen hurried off once again.
Su Wanling wanted to chat more with Lin Jichen, but just likest time, he was gone in a sh.
"This guy, he left before I could finish talking," Su Wanling couldn''t help but mutter.
"That handsome guy is so cool, Wanling sister. Even someone as beautiful as you can''t sway him. Seems like it''s going to be tough for you to chase after him," the woman beside her said with augh.
Su Wanling rolled her eyes at her and said, "Which eye of yours saw me trying to chase him?"
"You''ve been staring at his back as he left, and you said he left before you finished speaking. Isn''t that trying to chase him?"
Su Wanling gave her a knock on the head, annoyed, "I was looking at his Sword Sect clothes, they''re different from ours. I just wanted to ask him about it!"
"So it''s not that, huh? And here I was, fantasizing about a TV drama of a woman chasing a man."
"If only your gamey was as imaginative as that, stop dawdling and go do your quest. We''re only three contribution points away from exchanging for the Tianyan Heart Sutra."
"Many sisters from other sects have already exchanged for their techniques, we''re the slowest. We need to hurry up, or the boss will dock our wages if he finds out."
Hearing this, the woman shrank her neck in fear, seemingly very afraid of the boss Su Wanling mentioned, and dared not joke any longer, obediently following along.
Lin Jichen arrived at the sect''s quest distribution point, where arge wooden board was hung with many wooden ques.
Each que had writing on it, all listing various sect quests.
Since there were no yers at the Foundation Establishment Realm yet, these ques only offered Qi Refining Realm quests.
The ques were arranged inyers, from top to bottom, eachyer marked with a red sword icon.
This icon indicated the difficulty of the quest: easy, normal, hard, very hard, and hellfive levels in total.
The tasks on the lowest ques, marked with a single red sword, were the easiest.
The higher up, the more swords there were. The topmostyer had the fewest ques but the most red swords, a full five, indicating hell-level difficulty.
Many yers were in front of the quest board, all busy trying to earn contribution points to exchange for the Tianyan Heart Sutra.
After all, the allure of a full +5% boost tobat attributes was not small.
They didn''t know that Lin Jichen had already learned the Tianyan Heart Sutra without having to do any contribution quests.
Lin Jichen looked at the tasks of varying difficulties. The ones at the bottom were the simplest, involving gathering mundane herbs, killing mundane beasts, or helping out in various sect departments.
The nextyer up was a bit more challenging, requiring the hunting of Qi Refining Realm beasts, gathering spirit herbs in areas where beasts roamed, or doing some longer errand tasks.
The difficulty increased the further up he looked.
Lin Jichen originally just wanted to find a hard task and get it over with, but when he saw the topyer of tasks...
He took down a special task que marked with five red swords.
Hell Quest: Help the Tianyan Sword Sect retrieve the lost secret technique.
Task Introduction: A Qi Refining Realm disciple of the Sword Sect, Zhang Hai, was killed while out, and the secret technique he carried was stolen. Please avenge Zhang Hai and retrieve the lost secret technique.
Task Reward: +100 lower-grade Spirit Stones, +100 sect contribution points, +1 high-grade Gathering Qi Pill, +1 Spirit Grade Martial Arts Technique, +1 piece of Spirit Grade equipment.
Task Warning: This task is extremely dangerous, and the perpetrator is currently unknown. It is suspected that the culprit may be ate-stage Qi Refining independent cultivator. Disciples with low cultivation are advised to choose carefully!
No one dared to take on this task at the moment; after all, the average yer hadn''t even reached the Initial stage of Qi Refining and were still at the mortal level.
Moreover, the task warning mentioned an opponent at thete stage of Qi Refiningwho would dare to take on such a task?
Furthermore, without any information on the opponent or location, it was a task without a starting point.
The sect rules stated that to avoid task duplication, each disciple could only take on one task at a time. Only afterpletion or abandonment could they take on another.
Thus, this task que with its rich rewards could only hang there, basking in the sun.
After Lin Jichen took down the que, many yers saw it and began to mock.
"What''s this kid thinking? Taking on this task?"
"He''s joking, right? The task warning says the opponent is at thete stage of Qi Refining. Is he going to use his head to ept it?"
"Exactly, taking it now is purely seeking death."
"I bet this guy is just showing off. Just watch, he''ll put it back soon."
...
The chatter of the crowd did not disrupt Lin Jichen''s n.
He neither held the que hesitantly nor put it back in its ce, but instead handed it directly to the NPC disciple beside him for registration.
"Junior brother, are you really going to take on this task? It''s extremely dangerous. I advise you to wait until you''re at the middle orte stage of Qi Refining for better safety," the NPC disciple kindly advised, his attitude respectful and even reverent.
The other yers looked on in astonishment; this NPC was at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
He was usually arrogant towards these new disciples, barely giving them a second nce.
He didn''t care what task anyone took, just registered it, unconcerned with what you chose or your life and death, and certainly wouldn''t kindly advise you.
Yet, he was so attentive to Lin Jichen, treating him as if he were an elder, overly humble.
What was going on?
From the conversation just now, it was clear that Lin Jichen was also just a Qi Refining novice.
The NPC was male, so it couldn''t be because Lin Jichen was handsome that he was treated so well, right?
Could it be a man-to-man thing? The kind that likes swordy?
People spected wildly.
Only Lin Jichen himself knew that these outer temple NPC disciples were not drawn to his looks or cultivation level.
It was because of the inner temple disciple''s clothes he wore.
Chapter 23 – Fengqu City
Chapter 23 C Fengqu City
Disciples of the Inner Temple hold a far higher status within the sectpared to those of the Outer Temple and the branch temples.
No matter how advanced an Outer Temple disciple''s cultivation is, it''s of no consequence in front of an Inner Temple disciple.
Even branch temple disciples must show utmost respect when facing those from the Inner Temple.
Luckily, they didn''t know that Lin Jichen was also the Sect Master''s closed-door disciple; otherwise, they''d probably treat him with the reverence due to a father.
Faced with the well-intentioned warnings of the NPC disciples, Lin Jichen remained resolute.
"Brother, I appreciate your concern, just go ahead and register me."
"Alright then, all I can do is wish you a smooth mission and urge you to be careful in all things."
"Thank you."
After retrieving his mission token and offering a brief thanks, Lin Jichen turned and left.
Exiting the sect''s mountain gate, he headed straight for the teleportation array.
Using the sect''s teleportation array required payment in Spirit Stones, the amount varying with distance.
But even the smallest fee was more than most yers were willing to spend.
yers with Spirit Stones were few and far between, and none were eager to part with them for this purpose.
Everyone relied on their legs for missions, no matter the distance, including guild yers.
In the early stages of the game, Spirit Stones were scarce.
Now, many wealthy individuals on the ck market were buying up Spirit Stones, with prices soaring seven or eight times in a single day.
Almost all guilds initially failed to realize that Spirit Stones were the main currency, foolishly hoarding coins instead.
Only after amassing a pile of coins did they discover they had no significant use for them, except for purchasing mundane items.
They''d been duped by the game!
Lin Jichen approached the teleportation array.
The disciple guarding it asked cheerfully where he wished to go.
Lin Jichen pointed to the center of the map of Mu Xian Province, to thergest city icon, Fengqu City.
"It will cost five lower-grade Spirit Stones."
Lin Jichen, without hesitation, handed over five Spirit Stones and stepped into the teleportation array.
The array shimmered with light and shadow.
In the next second, he appeared outside Fengqu City.
A vast ancient city loomed before him, its hundred-zhang-high walls stretching like a slumbering dragon.
Imprable as a fortress, its towers and pavilions exuded grandeur.
Each province had only one main city, and for Mu Xian Province, it was Fengqu City.
Lin Jichen had spent time in Mu Xian Province in his past life, so the majestic sprawl of Fengqu City was a familiar sight.
Many cultivators flew overhead, descending one after another at the city gates.
Despite Fengqu City being a mundane city, its ruler''s background and power were not to be underestimated.
Each province''s city was governed by its own royal dynasty, and these were no ordinary rulers; each had powerful cultivators as their backbone.
Their strength and heritage could even rival that of the great sects.
Upon entering the main city, cultivators were forbidden from flying; it was thew.
Those who dared to break it faced light punishment, such as a few days'' detention and a fine in Spirit Stones, or severe punishment, such as the abolition of their cultivation and years of imprisonment.
Upon entering the city, each person had to pay two Spirit Stones as an entry fee.
After paying the fee, Lin Jichen walked into Fengqu City.
Shops lined the streets, and towering pavilions reached for the sky.
The rumble of carriages and the ceaseless flow of pedestrians created an endless stream.
It reminded Lin Jichen of a passage he had once read.
"Observers marvel at the dense dwellings, the abundance of boats and carriages, and the overflowing wealth of merchants, all expressing admiration and longing to have lived in such times and witnessed such scenes."
This was meant to praise the prosperity of ancient cities during China''s Song Dynasty, but it was equally fitting here.
Though many cultivators resided in Fengqu City, the majority were still mortals.
After all, only a few possessed the talent to step onto the Path of Immortality; most people were of ordinary aptitude.
As long as the mortals in the city followed the dynasty''s rules, lived honestly, and paid taxes on time, they could enjoy the dynasty''s protection and need not fear being bullied by cultivators.
Thus, a harmonious coexistence of mortals and cultivators was achieved.
Walking through the city he had visited countless times before, Lin Jichen felt a strong sense of belonging, as if he truly were a part of this world.
The evening sun cast a hazy, poetic glow over the red bricks and green tiles, adding a touch of obscurity to the bustling Capital City of Fengqu.
Lin Jichen hadn''t forgotten the purpose of his visit. He walked through the city to the most bustlingmercial district.
There stood a building with green tiles and red eaves, ornate flying corners, and a gilded signboard that read: Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
It was thergest and most famous tavern in Fengqu City.
Lin Jichen was here for a reason, and certainly not for dining.
Stepping inside, the weing attendant immediately came forward with politeness.
Recognizing Lin Jichen''s attire, the experienced attendant ttered him.
"Ah, a celestial from Tianyan Sword Sect graces us with his presence! Esteemed guest, pleasee in. May I ask if you are here to stay or to dine?"
"To dine. Find me a second-floor seat by the window," Lin Jichen replied.
"Right away! Please follow me, celestial."
The attendant led Lin Jichen upstairs to the even more elegantly decorated second floor.
Lin Jichen chose a window seat, ordered a pot of wine, and quietly began to sip at his table.
Don''t underestimate the food and drink at Drunken Immortal Pavilion; they''re not just for satisfying hunger and thirst.
Many of the dishes here are made from ingredients sourced from demonic or Spirit Beasts, not ordinary poultry, and offer special benefits.
Even the drinks are extraordinary.
The pot of wine Lin Jichen ordered, called Jade Ice Brew, could increase strength and defense by 2 points for an hour after consumption.
But this pot of wine wasn''t cheap, costing three Spirit Stonesbeyond the reach of ordinary folk.
There were even better dishes and drinks that offered more exaggerated attribute boosts, but their prices were exorbitant, and Lin Jichen couldn''t afford them yet.
If it weren''t necessary to order something to secure a seat, he wouldn''t be willing to spend the money, not even on the cheapest item.
Lin Jichen sat patiently, tasting the fine wine, but his eyes were fixed on the time.
As the sunset began to fade and evening approached, the tavern grew busier and more lively.
Musicians yed flutes and pipes, guests clinked cups and raised jugs, creating a boisterous scene reminiscent of a bustling riverside gathering.
At the peak of the tavern''s business, a thin, schrly-looking man walked in.
He took a seat on a small tform in the hall and began to entertain the guests of Drunken Immortal Pavilion with storytelling.
The thin man did more than just tell stories; he also shared recent oddities and amusing events from Mu Xian Province.
For instance:
"The Sect Master of Basalt Daoist Temple, Master Qingmu, has recently broken through to the Divine Transformation Realm! Basalt Daoist Temple''s strength has risen yet again!"
"The Fairy of the Hundred Flowers from the Pr Sky Valley and the Great Elder of the Red Sun Sect have joyously tied the knot, forming a powerful alliance!"
"Yesterday, the Golden Saber Sect was ughtered, falling victim to a demonic sect''s massacre!"
"Just the other day, Tianyin Temple recruited an exceptionally talented female disciple. Abbot Zhiyuan made an exception to take her in, making her the first female disciple of Tianyin Temple!"
...
And so on.
Besides these significant events that captivated everyone, there were also many recent rumors.
Such as:
"The son of the War God Sect''s Sect Master, Luo Hao, lusted after beauty and secretly dallied with an elder''s concubine. When discovered, the elder left the sect in a rage!"
"Sect Master Hai Wugui of the One Saber Sect, addicted to gambling, lost everything yesterday, even his pants, and ended up running naked through the streets."
"A disciple of Thunder Pce, Jiang Siming, was so bold as to be a flower thief, sneaking out of the sect daily to force himself on defenseless mortal women. After being caught by his sect, he was punished by castration."
...
And so forth.
All these stories, big and small, could be heard from his lips.
Chapter 24 – Track down the murderer
Chapter 24 C Track down the murderer
This man seemed to know everything, no news could escape his eyes.
And don''t think these stories are made up by the storyteller, they''re all true!
He''s an information merchant NPC from "Tale of Immortal," akin to a real-life journalist.
Knowing all the recent events, he''d go to the main city''srgest tavern every day to share stories and earn tips.
Lin Jichen was here to find news about Zhang Hai''s murder.
He listened patiently and finally, he got what he was waiting for!
"A Qi Refining Realm disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect, Zhang Hai, was killed while gaining experience outside. The murderer is ate-stage Qi Refining loose cultivator named Zhou Hao, a ruthless and cruel man from the demonic path."
Hearing this, Lin Jichen felt relieved; it was just ate-stage Qi Refining cultivator and a loose one at that, so it shouldn''t be a big problem.
The man continued with other news, and Lin Jichen didn''t interrupt, continuing to drink and listen.
An hourter, the man finished, happily took his reward, and left.
Lin Jichen watched him leave the tavern, then quickly settled his bill and followed.
"Excuse me, I''d like to purchase some information."
The skinny man asked with a grin, "Looking to buy information? No problem, I''m Li Si, that''s my business. But it depends on whether you can afford it. What do you want to know?"
"Where is Zhou Hao?"
"That information isn''t too expensive, five low-grade Spirit Stones will do," Li Si said, holding out his hand with a greedy smile.
Lin Jichen handed over the Spirit Stones without hesitation.
"Zhou Hao is a lecher and often frequents the willow and flower markets of Fengqu City. You can look for him there," Li Si revealed.
"Thanks." Lin Jichen got the information and turned to leave.
But unexpectedly, Li Si called out to him, "There''s another piece of information that''s very important to you, but it''ll cost another five Spirit Stones, depending on whether you''re willing to pay."
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen paid another five Spirit Stones, and Li Si happily epted them.
"Seeing as you have a familiar face, I''ll give you a tip: although Zhou Hao is just ate-stage Qi Refining loose cultivator, he has an older brother named Zhou Shen, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. Be careful."
Lin Jichen''s eyes flickered; it was good that he bought this information, or he might have suffered a great loss.
"Thanks," Lin Jichen said simply and left the Drunken Immortal Tavern.
After leaving the tavern, Lin Jichen hurried to thergest pleasure house in Fengqu City, the Autumn Moon Pavilion.
This is where "Tale of Immortal" truly shines.
The high-ss brothels in "Tale of Immortal" are avable for yers to enjoy. As long as you''re willing to pay, you can spend a wonderful night with thedies there.
And with a 100% virtual experience, it''s no different from the real thing.
Of course, aside from NPCs who voluntarily join you, others won''t, even if you defeat or kill them.
Unless their Affection Level towards you reaches over 80.
yers can''t do the same in the game, even if they''re married.
This is to prevent the sale of virtual services, which would vite real-worldws.
But with NPCs, no one cares, and no country''sws apply, because everyone thinks it''s just data.
This feature has led to a surge of LSP yers buying the game just to experience the brothels.
Some even spend all their time there, not really for the game itself.
And it''s said that since then, real-world cases of prostitution have decreased, as LSPs flock to "Tale of Immortal."
Although the brothel girls in the game are average-looking, they''re still prettier than most streetwalkers in reality.
Plus, there''s no risk of disease.
Most importantly, in "Tale of Immortal," you don''t have to worry about the police.
It''s like ying with a toy at homeno one can say anything about it.
Later on, this led to a sharp decline in global prostitution cases, and even the number of AIDS patients dropped dramatically.
But that''s a story for another time.
Lin Jichen had no interest in experiencing the Autumn Moon Pavilion.
He had a sense of mental purity; he didn''t care for women who didn''t respect themselves, not even if they were Heavenly Immortals.
Moreover, the women who ended up in brothels were rarely attractive.
Even if there were beautiful brothel women, they''d have been imed by royalty or powerful cultivators for dual cultivation or even as cauldrons, leaving none for ordinary people.
If Lin Jichen hadn''t needed to identify Zhou Hao, he wouldn''t have wanted to set foot in a brothel.
But to find the man, he had to sacrifice his first time.
Don''t misunderstand; it was his first time visiting a brothel.
To be cautious, Lin Jichen changed out of his Sword Sect attire into coarse linen clothes.
But even then, his appearance caused a stir throughout the brothel.
The girls gazed at Lin Jichen as if he were the peerless gentleman from romantic talese to life.
With his transcendent aura, he was irresistible even to someone like Leng Feiyan, a goddess among women, let alone these ordinary brothel girls.
When the girls came to their senses, they swarmed him like bees to honey, surrounding him.
It was so extreme that even the women servicing clients came out to join themotion, filling the ce with their silhouettes.
The sight of the girls waving their handkerchiefs at Lin Jichen was unforgettable for all the male patrons.
"The year the gentleman entered Autumn Pavilion, in coarse linen attire, the entire house beckoned!"
It would be hard for the Autumn Moon Pavilion to find another who could cause such a sensation.
The girls seemed enchanted, moring for Lin Jichen to choose them for a night of revelry.
Most of them even offered to waive the fee, some willing to pay him instead.
This left the other male patrons feeling inadequate, envious, and jealous.
Lin Jichen, the guest, not only didn''t take advantage of the girls, but was instead thoroughly fawned over by them, much to his bemusement.
"Damn it! Leaving me halfway through, ruining my mood, do you want to die?!"
At that moment, a shouting voice came from upstairs, and a bare-chested man emerged from a room.
Hearing the man refer to himself as ''Grandpa Zhou,'' Lin Jichen inquired about his name with the madam.
The madam told Lin Jichen that he was a regr named Zhou Hao!
Lin Jichen was certain; this had to be Zhou Hao, unless he was unlucky enough to encounter someone with the same name, which was highly improbable.
After confirming the man''s identity, Lin Jichen didn''t alert him.
He memorized the man''s appearance, pushed through the circle of girls, and fled the brothel as if escaping.
The other male patrons thought Lin Jichen was scared off by the girls'' enthusiasm andughed heartily.
In reality, Lin Jichen was just avoiding a fight in the city, which would attract the attention of the Royal Dynasty''s guards and turn him into a wanted man.
So, Lin Jichen left the brothel and found an inconspicuous corner to patiently wait.
Patience pays off, and after half a minute, Zhou Hao finally finished his business, swaggered out of the brothel, and hummed a tune as he headed out of the city.
Lin Jichen didn''t see anyone else with him; it seemed his brother Zhou Shen wasn''t there.
Lin Jichen immediately changed back into his Sword Sect clothes and followed behind.
Zhou Hao was cautious, seemingly afraid of being discovered.
He was worried because he had killed a disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect and feared being hunted down by their members.
He should have beenying low and note into the city, but his lust got the better of him, and he couldn''t resist sneaking into the Autumn Moon Pavilion for pleasure before slipping away into the night.
Zhou Hao thought he wouldn''t be noticed this way, unaware that a killer in the dark had already set his sights on him.
Chapter 25 – It’s not that I’m too strong, it’s that you’re too weak
Chapter 25 C Its not that Im too strong, its that youre too weak
Leaving Fengqu City behind, Zhou Hao made his way towards the mountains outside the city.
The night was thick, with only the moonlight above casting a faint glow.
The forest was tranquil, but as Zhou Hao walked, he sensed something amiss and quickened his pace.
No matter how fast he moved, footsteps seemed to follow him, growing ever closer.
Zhou Hao stopped and stood in the woods, summoning his Thunder de and turning around warily, he shouted, "Who''s there?"
Lin Jichen emerged from behind the trees.
"The one who''s after your life."
Seeing Lin Jichen''s Tianyan Sword Sect attire, Zhou Hao''s heart skipped a beat, fearing that the sect had sent arge force after him.
But looking around, he realized it was just Lin Jichen alone, and sensed that he was merely a novice at the initial stage of Qi Refining.
"So, it''s just a nobody. You think being a disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect gives you the right to seek revenge? Looks like you''re tired of living!"
With those words, Lin Jichen was even more certain he had found his target.
Zhou Hao made the first move, fearing Lin Jichen had backup on the way and wanting to finish him quickly and escape.
Zhou Hao charged with lightning speed, his muscles taut, his de shing white as it shed towards Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen was not unarmed; he held a crimson sword in his hand.
As Zhou Hao''s de came down, Lin Jichen calmly stepped aside.
He easily dodged Zhou Hao''s attack, proving his speed was superior even to thister-stage Qi Refining cultivator.
Zhou Hao was taken aback but persisted, bending forward and using the momentum of his previous attack to swing his de back around.
The de traced a half-moon arc in the air, the Thunder de approaching again with a chilling intent.
This time, Lin Jichen didn''t dodge but raised his Crimson Cloud Sword to meet the de.
The sh of metal sparked in the night.
Zhou Hao was no match for Lin Jichen''s strength and stumbled backward, disbelief in his eyes.
"This can''t be! You''re just at the initial stage of Qi Refining, how can you have such formidable strength?"
"It''s not that I''m too strong, it''s that you''re too weak," Lin Jichen taunted.
Enraged, Zhou Hao held nothing back, channeling his spiritual energy into the Thunder de.
The de glinted with a hunting light, and ayer of crimson energy enveloped it.
"Wild de sh!"
A fierce and powerful blood-red light cut through the air, shing past in the moonlit forest.
Just as the de was about to reach Lin Jichen, a semi-transparent shield appeared in front of him.
ng!
The de struck the shield, which dissipated, and the attack was neutralized.
Lin Jichen remained unscathed.
"This Spirit Evasion skill is really handy," Lin Jichen muttered to himself, the shield being a feature of the Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant given to him by Nangong Yue.
However, the Spirit Shield skill required precise timing to be effective.
Lin Jichen had just perfectly timed his first attempt at using the skill, sessfully blocking the Wild de sh.
Zhou Hao was startled, then quickly surmised that Lin Jichen must possess a defensive magic treasure, greed shing in his eyes.
"I didn''t expect you to have so many treasures. Seems like you''re favored by your sect. Hand over your belongings, and I might spare your life."
Lin Jichen looked at him as if he were a fool, "Who gave you such courage?"
"Then leave your life behind!"
Zhou Hao wasted no more words and swung his de again.
The Thunder de moved through the air in an imprable flurry, the fierce wind stirring up leaves in the forest.
Lin Jichen, curious about his own defense capabilities, deliberately didn''t dodge, allowing Zhou Hao to seize the opportunity and strike his arm.
"Miss!"
Zhou Hao''s de froze in mid-air, his eyes filled with disbelief.
His attack hadn''t even torn Lin Jichen''s clothes, let alone left a mark.
"This is impossible... you''re just at the initial stage of Qi Refining... I don''t believe it!"
Zhou Hao roared in frustration and swung his Wind de Technique again, the de light shing continuously against Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen let him strike, protecting only his vital areas to avoid critical damage.
Lin Jichen blocked Zhou Hao''s de with his arms and back.
"Miss!"
"Miss!"
"Miss!"
...
The more Zhou Hao shed, the more panicked he became, realizing he couldn''t breach Lin Jichen''s defenses.
Suddenly, the thought of fleeing crossed his mind.
Zhou Hao was truly speechless; wasn''t this kid a Sword Cultivator?
Weren''t Sword Cultivators supposed to focus on offensive damage? Why did this one seem to specialize in defense like a monk...
Zhou Hao lost his will to fight and feigned another attack, but his body swiftly retreated.
"Hey, you''ve been hacking away at me for so long, and now you want to run? Wishful thinking," Lin Jichen chuckled, no longer toying with him. He raised his Crimson Cloud Sword, and with a flick, a sword shadow shed across Zhou Hao''s shoulder.
Blood seeped from Zhou Hao''s shoulder, quickly soaking his clothes.
"-90!"
A casual strike drew blood, and Lin Jichen saw how weak his opponent was.
[Scatter Cultivator: Zhou Hao]
[Profession: de Cultivator]
[Realm: Late Qi Refining]
[Vitality: 2460/2550]
[Strength: 32]
[Mental Power: 30]
[Defense: 28]
[Speed: 36]
[Equipment: Spirit GradeThunder de]
[de Technique: Wind de Technique (Minor Achievement)]
[Martial Arts Technique: Wild de sh (Beginner)]
[Movement Technique: Mist Piercing Charge (Minor Achievement)]
Seeing these attributes, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but sigh at the weakness.
Even at thete stage of Qi Refining, the opponent''s stats were so low, while Lin Jichen''s strength at the initial stage already crushed his opponent.
[yer: Lin Jichen]
[Profession: Sword Cultivator]
[Realm: Initial Qi Refining]
[Vitality: 2300/2300]
[Mana: 2100/2100]
[Strength: 37]
[Mental Power: 22]
[Defense: 48]
[Speed: 42]
[Critical Hit: 7]
[Heart Guard: 5]
[Sword Technique Aptitude: +5%]
[Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Beginner 0%)]
[Heart Technique: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Beginner 0%)]
[Equipment: SpiritSword Sect Attire, SpiritCrimson Cloud Sword, SpiritGathering Spirit Jade Pendant, SpiritStorage Ring]
With the 5%bat attribute bonus from the Tianyan Heart Sutra, Lin Jichen''sbat stats were even stronger.
And this was just his initial stage attributes; the opponent was already at theter stage.
Scatter cultivators were just that,cking in heritage and sect resources, no wonder they were so weak.
The only thing Zhou Hao had that Lin Jichen hadn''t learned yet were the techniques and spirit skills.
In "Tale of Immortal," skills in the early stages were broadly categorized into five types.
Heart techniques and movement techniques were self-exnatory.
Then there were the core techniques of the profession, like de techniques for de Cultivators and sword techniques for Sword Cultivators.
Beyond that, there were martial arts techniques, spirit skills, ultimate techniques, and supernatural powers.
Martial arts techniques were minor skills, while spirit skills were major moves, only learnable after Foundation Establishment.
Ultimate techniques and supernatural powers were even more powerful and required higher qualifications.
Currently, Qi Refining yers could only learn martial arts techniques, with spirit skills still out of reach.
After being struck by a sword, Zhou Hao''sposure vanished.
Lin Jichen''s onught continued, and Zhou Hao could only brace himself to fight back.
In a few breaths, Zhou Hao had several more sword wounds, one of which was on his chest, triggering a critical hit and causing his health to drop by several hundred points.
Chapter 26 – Foundation Establishment Realm opponent
Chapter 26 C Foundation Establishment Realm opponent
Zhou Hao, despite several attempts to counterattack, found his efforts futile against Lin Jichen, who didn''t even bother to dodge. The de struck him without eliciting any reaction.
Having lost all will to fight, Zhou Hao no longer wished to engage with Lin Jichen. After blocking another of Lin Jichen''s swords, he immediately executed a movement technique.
"Piercing Mist Charge!"
Zhou Hao''s speed surged, darting forward several meters before swiftly fleeing.
"Running? You''re definitely not getting away."
Lin Jichen also employed the Phantom Step movement technique.
A mere afterimage streaked by, and he quickly caught up to Zhou Hao.
Zhou Hao didn''t even notice until Lin Jichen''s sword pierced through the back of his neck, the intense pain causing him to tumble to the ground.
"Critical Hit! -300!"
With a base damage of 90, a critical hit dealing double damage, and an additional 70 points from the critical, plus the Crimson Cloud Sword''s extra 50 points of damage every three strikes, Zhou Hao''s vitality bar dropped to less than half.
The total damage was precisely 300 points.
"Senior, I was blind to your greatness. I concede, I concede, please show mercy and spare my life."
Zhou Hao, bloodied,y in a pool of his own blood, begging Lin Jichen for mercy.
"I might spare you," Lin Jichen said, standing over Zhou Hao with his sword, giving him a glimmer of hope for survival.
"Thank you, Senior! Your kindness is immense!"
But Lin Jichen then asked, "I heard you have a brother. Tell me where he is, and I''ll let you go."
Zhou Hao didn''t know why Lin Jichen was looking for his brother, but in order to avoid death, he had no choice but topromise.
"My brother is at..."
Before Zhou Hao could finish, Lin Jichen''s eyelids twitched, sensing danger from behind. He immediately bent down and dodged.
A de aura, many times thicker than Zhou Hao''s Thunder de, passed through the spot where Lin Jichen had just been!
After Lin Jichen dodged, the de aura collided with the trees in the forest, instantly severing a fan-shaped area of trees at their trunks.
Lin Jichen frowned and stared intently in the direction behind him.
A burly figure emerged from the woods, looking very much like Zhou Hao but with a much more formidable aura.
Seeing this person, Zhou Hao was overjoyed.
"Brother! Save me, I''m being hunted!"
Zhou Hao''s demeanor changedpletely at this moment, and he sneered at Lin Jichen.
"Kid, you''re unlucky to run into my brother. For the sword marks you left on me, I''ll make you pay a hundredfold and chop you into pieces!"
Lin Jichen ignored his taunts and carefully observed the man before him.
He recognized at a nce that the man''s aura was that of someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Zhou Shen stepped forward, seemingly not taking Lin Jichen seriously at all, and instead began to scold Zhou Hao.
"I told you, with all the attentiontely, you should have stayed put in the mountains and note out. You never listen. If I hadn''t noticed you were gone and specifically came looking for you, you''d be dead by now."
Zhou Hao admitted his mistake, "Brother, it''s my fault. I''ll listen to you this time and won''te out again. Please, avenge me first; I''ve been beaten so badly."
Only then did Zhou Shen turn his attention to Lin Jichen, and upon discovering that Lin Jichen was only at the Initial stage of Qi Refining, he was filled with mockery.
"You can''t even beat a kid at the Initial stage of Qi Refining; don''t call yourself my brother Zhou Shen when you go out."
Zhou Hao protested, "Brother, it''s not my fault. This kid has treasures on him; I couldn''t break through his defense. Plus, his strength is far beyond ordinary people; I''m no match for him."
Hearing that Lin Jichen had treasures, Zhou Shen''s eyes lit up, and hemanded Lin Jichen:
"Hand over everything you have, and I might consider leaving you a whole corpse to make your departure less painful. Otherwise, you''ll wish you were dead."
Lin Jichen did notply. Seeing Zhou Hao getting up and taking out an elixir to heal, he simply thrust his sword forward!
Zhou Hao couldn''t believe Lin Jichen would dare to attack him and, caught off guard, was struck in the neck by Lin Jichen''s sword, blood spurting like a fountain.
"Critical! -300!"
Ah!
Zhou Hao let out a painful scream and fell back to the ground, the elixir he had taken out scattering everywhere.
Zhou Shen, seeing Lin Jichen''s tant disregard for him, roared, "You''re courting death!"
With that, Zhou Shen''s figure vanished from the spot like a ghost.
Then, a sound of tearing air followed.
Swoosh!
Zhou Shen had somehow appeared in front of Lin Jichen, his ck, oddly-shaped broadsword shing down on Lin Jichen''s shoulder.
Lin Jichen couldn''t dodge in time and took a solid hit.
This time, the defense was breached, his clothes torn open, and a deep gash left on his shoulder, blood flowing out.
"-220!"
Lin Jichen also learned his opponent''s information from this.
Scatter Cultivator: Zhou Shen
Profession: de Cultivator
Realm: Initial stage of Foundation Establishment
Vitality: 5300/5300
Strength: 70
Mental Power: 40
Defense: 55
Speed: 50
Critical: 6
Equipment: Spirit GradeSnow-Cutting de, Spirit GradeHundred-Refined Ring, Spirit GradeRhinoceros Belt
de Technique: Broad Moon de Technique (Minor Achievement)
Martial Arts Technique: Soul-Cleaving sh (Minor Achievement)
Spirit Skill: Hundred Fierce me sh (Beginner)
Movement Technique: Shadow Splitting Step (Minor Achievement)
This one was going to be much harder to deal with than Zhou Hao.
Before Lin Jichen could counterattack, Zhou Shen''s offensive came again.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to engage in battle, and in an instant, two figures intertwined in the woods.
The sound of swords and des shing rang out.
Relying on his amplebat experience, Lin Jichen managed to block all of Zhou Hao''s des.
Although Zhou Shen was faster, Lin Jichen''s extensivebat experience allowed him to anticipate the opponent''s moves and parry in advance.
Seeing his offensive thwarted by Lin Jichen, Zhou Shen felt frustrated and humiliated.
He, a cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Realm, had yet to take down a mere Initial stage Qi Refining youngster.
Zhou Shen, feeling insulted, lost all patience. The Snow-Cutting de in his hand shed with light, its speed incredibly fast.
"Soul-Cleaving sh!"
Lin Jichen failed to dodge and was struck in the chest.
"-300!"
The de hit a weak spot, significantly reducing Lin Jichen''s vitality bar.
Lin Jichen regretted using the Spirit Shield skill recklessly; otherwise, he could have blocked the sh with it.
The cooldown for Spirit Shield was fifteen minutes, still a long way off.
However, the cooldown for Phantom Step was only 10 seconds, and it had already reset. He immediately used Phantom Step to distance himself from Zhou Shen.
Zhou Shen would not let Lin Jichen escape and immediately employed his own movement technique.
Shadow Splitting Step!
Suddenly, three Zhou Shens appeared, surrounding Lin Jichen from three sides.
Two of the Zhou Shens were mere illusions.
Moreover, their speed was much faster than Lin Jichen''s.
Lin Jichen, seeing the three simultaneous clones, remained unflustered. After a brief discernment, the Crimson Cloud Sword thrust forcefully at the middle Zhou Shen!
Zhou Shen didn''t expect Lin Jichen to be so decisive and urate in finding his true body.
Caught off guard, his chest was struck squarely by the Crimson Cloud Sword.
"Critical! -55!"
"Armor Break effect triggered,sting 5 seconds!"
Lin Jichen was delighted; armor break was a great thing, halving the opponent''s defense.
There was no better time to strike.
Lin Jichen leaned forward, sword pressing down, body spinning backward, sword light flickering, and Zhou Shen''s chest was struck by the sword again!
"-110!"
After being injured twice in a row, Zhou Shen was furious and felt deeply humiliated.
He maneuvered his de to deflect Lin Jichen''s Crimson Cloud Sword, while the spiritual power within him surged, wielding the de several times faster than before!
The scene was filled with countless de shadows, forming a high-speed shing array, with sounds of des tearing through the air echoing in the woods.
Broad Moon de Technique!
Although Lin Jichen was fully defending with his sword, the attribute suppression was too much, and he kept getting struck.
Lin Jichen was also frustrated; he was only at the Initial stage of Qi Refining and had run into a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator.
If only he had reached the Middle stage of Qi Refining, he wouldn''t be so passive.
He had nned to find out Zhou Shen''s whereabouts and then, when he was at a higher realm, go and eliminate Zhou Shen for good.
But he hadn''t expected to encounter Zhou Shen so soon.
Chapter 27 – The Power of Spirit Skill
Chapter 27 C The Power of Spirit Skill
Crossing an entire major realm, without any sword techniques, armed with only a movement technique and the Spirit Shield from his Jade Pendantwhich was still on cooldownLin Jichen found himself in a frustratingly tight spot.
It''s tough to cook without rice, as the saying goes.
His vitality had already dropped by a third.
At this rate, he was bound to meet his demise.
Death was not an option for Lin Jichen. Although in the current state of the game, yers could be reborn after death, losing some cultivation and equipment at worst, Lin Jichen was different. His unique talent dictated that with each death, his innate attributes would decrease by 10%.
That was something Lin Jichen could never ept.
After such a fortuitous rebirth, he was determined to keep his streak of being The Lucky One. Think he''d die? Not a chance!
Suddenly, Lin Jichen had an elixir in his hand.
Mysterious GradePurple Jade Elixir: Increases allbat attributes by 30 points for five minutes, and instantly restores 3000 points of vitality if not inbat.
This was an elixir given to him by Leng Feiyan, which he had been too reluctant to consume until now.
For the sake of survival, Lin Jichen had to rely on it.
Swallowing the Purple Jade Elixir, he felt his body rapidly heating up, his Qi surging, and warm currents flowing through him.
He felt as if he was brimming with strength.
Now, his attributes had soared: strength to 67 points, and defense breaking through to 81 points.
81 pointsZhou Shen''s strength was only at 70 points.
What did this imply?
Lin Jichen gave Zhou Shen a sly smile.
Zhou Shen, clueless, thought Lin Jichen had been beaten silly and sneered continuously.
"To be able tough in the face of death, let''s see if you can stillugh on your way to the underworld," Zhou Shen said, before continuing his attack with the Broad Moon de Technique.
This time, however, Lin Jichen didn''t bother to block.
Just like his previous fight with Zhou Hao, he let Zhou Shen''s de strike him.
"Miss!"
What!
Zhou Shen was shocked and, disbelieving, struck again with his de, only to miss once more.
Realizing the problem must lie with the pill Lin Jichen had just consumed, Zhou Shen knew it was no ordinary elixir.
"With an elixir that can block my attacks, this kid must have many treasures on him," Zhou Shen, worldly and experienced, mocked: "That elixir must have a time limit. Just wait until its effects wear off, and you''ll meet your end."
Lin Jichen nodded in agreement, "You''re right, my elixir does have a time limit."
Zhou Shen felt smug, about to speak, when Lin Jichen added, "So, all I need to do is kill you before it runs out, right?"
Zhou Shen''s eyelid twitched as Lin Jichen''s sword came at him.
With all attributes increased by 30, Lin Jichen was like a new man, his speed now unmatched by Zhou Shen.
Zhou Shen didn''t even see Lin Jichen''s sword strike, and in his unguarded state, his arm was torn open with arge gash.
"-180!"
Zhou Shen hastily retreated, trying to stall for time until the effects of Lin Jichen''s elixir wore off.
But his speed was no match for Lin Jichen, who caught up in a few steps, and the Crimson Cloud Sword haunted him like a ghost.
Zhou Shen began to suffer consecutive hits.
How the tables had turned in thirty years.
Their situations werepletely reversed.
Zhou Shen was forced to defend with all his might, positioning his de in front to block as much of Lin Jichen''s sword momentum as possible.
Unfortunately, although Lin Jichencked any sword techniques or ultimate skills, his sword strikes were tricky and rare.
Lin Jichen was like a hero with only basic attacks and no skills, but it was precisely these simple attacks that Zhou Shen struggled to parry.
The speed and angle of Lin Jichen''s sword left Zhou Shen with no defense.
Zhou Shen was forced to protect his head and heart, leaving the rest of his body to fend for itself.
He hoped to oust Lin Jichen''s elixir with his thicker pool of vitality.
Lin Jichen understood his opponent''s mindset and thus quickened his sword strikes with each attack.
Zhou Shen''s wounds multiplied, blood covering his body, turning him into a blood-soaked figure.
Seeing Zhou Shen in such a state, his younger brother Zhou Hao knew he couldn''t let his brother die, or he would face the same fate.
"Brother, I''ll help you!"
Zhou Hao, enduring severe pain and clinging to life, charged forward and swung his de at Lin Jichen.
Forced to break his attack rhythm by Zhou Hao, Lin Jichen turned to face the new threat.
Zhou Hao was no match for Lin Jichen even on a good day.
Especially not against Lin Jichen who had consumed the elixir.
With an effortless sword strike, Lin Jichen sliced open Zhou Hao''s abdomen.
"-355!"
A terrifying amount of damage exploded forth, and that wasn''t even a critical hit.
Zhou Hao, already low on vitality, was cut open and killed instantly!
"Brother, avenge me..." Zhou Hao copsed, his eyes dimming rapidly as life left him.
Ding! Cultivation +0, you''ve reached a bottleneck, please break through as soon as possible!
Ding! Hell difficulty missionpleted, please return to the sect to im your reward!
After Zhou Hao''s death, a storage bag burst forth.
But Lin Jichen had no time to pick it up, as he turned to see Zhou Shen, grief-stricken and enraged by his brother''s death.
While Zhou Hao had bought him time, Zhou Shen had started to channel a spell, pouring all his spiritual power into his de.
In a moment, Zhou Shen''s de underwent a strange transformation, turning fiery red with mes engulfing the de, dripping like moltenva, resembling flowing blood.
Zhou Shen''s aura changed drastically, as if he were a demon returned from hell, his gaze fixed on Lin Jichen, the mes from his de reflecting in his pupils.
For a moment, he truly seemed like a demon returned from purgatory.
"I will take your life to mourn my brother!"
With a roar like a wild beast, Zhou Shen''s de expanded dozens of times in size, the mes engulfing the entire forest, startling countless birds and beasts.
"Hundred Fierce me sh!"
A stunning streak of fiery red shed across the sky, and what met Lin Jichen was not just color.
The de was chillingly sharp, the mes volcanic, carrying an unstoppable force as it bore down on Lin Jichen!
Lin Jichen could clearly feel the air around him heating up, but what truly rmed him was the imminent strike of the de!
Unfortunately, the Spirit Shield was still cooling down.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to brace for the attack.
At thest moment, he used his sword to block.
But the power of the Spirit Skill was too great, sending Lin Jichen flying, sword and all.
Lin Jichen was like a kite with its string cut, flung several meters away.
Puh!
A mist of blood sprayed out.
A terrifying scar appeared on Lin Jichen''s body.
"-1089!"
Such was the power of a Spirit Skill.
It had nearly cost Lin Jichen his life.
Spirit Skills were abilities that only those in the Foundation Establishment Realm and above could wield. Lin Jichen, still in the Qi Refining Realm, could only look on enviously.
He didn''t even have a single sword technique, and fighting against a Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a Spirit Skill, it was no wonder he was being overpowered.
Lin Jichen nced at his vitality bar, a mere few hundred points remaining, while his opponent still had two thousand.
But Lin Jichen was not disheartened; he rose from the ground, his eyes zing with fighting spirit!
Zhou Shen couldn''t believe that Lin Jichen had survived his ultimate technique. Was it normal for someone in the Qi Refining Realm to have such thick vitality?
While he was still in shock, Lin Jichen was already swiftly advancing.
In terms of attributes, Zhou Shen was still no match for Lin Jichen, whose elixir effects had yet to fade.
In the blink of an eye, Zhou Shen was caught up by Lin Jichen, who raised the Crimson Cloud Sword in his hand.
Zhou Shen inwardly cursed his luck, forced once again into a defensive shell, desperately resisting.
This time, Lin Jichen''s attacks were faster and more cunning.
Amidst Zhou Shen''s frantic defense, his wounds increased.
Lin Jichen, however, seemed to be grasping the essence of swordsmanship amidst the battle, his strikes growing sharper.
Ding! Insight into sword intent during battle, swordsmanship aptitude +5%!
Chapter 28 – Extreme Job
Chapter 28 C Extreme Job
Even without sword techniques, every move Lin Jichen made was difficult for Zhou Shen to parry.
The scorn Zhou Shen originally had was long gone.
This kid, weak as an ant.
Not only forced him to use his trump card spirit skill, but also continuously improved himself during the fight.
Such a person was too terrifying.
Zhou Shen spected that this man must be an important disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect.
He must not let him go, or there would be endless trouble.
Time passed gradually.
Five minutes quickly ended, and Lin Jichen felt his strength sharply diminish.
It was like after a man had paid his dues, feeling hollowed out, as if the whole world turned soft.
Lin Jichen knew the effects of the medicine had worn off.
But Lin Jichen did not panic, Zhou Shen''s health bar was also down to four or five hundred.
The state of both was almost the same.
He was waiting for an opportunity.
Zhou Shen was also waiting for an opportunity, the moment he saw the change in Lin Jichen''s strength when he struck, he knew the other''s medicine had worn off.
Zhou Shen decisively seized this opportunity, unleashing the long-suppressed Xuezhao de with a fierce swing, the de light exploding into view!
"Soul Chase!"
Apanied by a sonic boom, the Xuezhao de struck like lightning, aiming for Lin Jichen''s head!
At the critical moment.
Lin Jichen executed ''Phantom Step'', his figure flickering out of existence, leaving a residual image in his ce.
The Xuezhao de struck nothing but air!
But Lin Jichen didn''t use Phantom Step to dodge backward.
Instead, he used the eleration to close in on Zhou Shen.
Taking advantage of the moment Zhou Shen couldn''t retract his de, Lin Jichen delivered a throat sh!
Pfft!
The Crimson Cloud Sword sliced across Zhou Shen''s throat, leaving a bloody gash.
Blood surged as the sword passed!
"Throat Cut! Critical Damage! -466!"
Zhou Shen stood frozen in ce, blood spurting from his throat.
Then, his body lost consciousness and he fell heavily to the ground.
Lin Jichen sessfully turned the tables and killed his opponent!
Phew!
After the battle, Lin Jichen copsed to the ground, quickly taking out the Qi-replenishing pills Sister Nangong Yue had given him to heal and recover.
This mission, even for a cultivator in theter stages of Qi Refining, would be a life-and-death struggle, because the opponent had a brother in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Lin Jichen was merely at the initial stage of Qi Refining, making the difficulty of this mission far beyond hellish.
He really hadn''t expected to encounter an opponent in the Foundation Establishment Realm in a Qi Refining mission.
Logically, a Qi Refining mission shouldn''t involve an opponent in the Foundation Establishment Realm, but he had run into one by chance.
And it was two against one.
Lin Jichen felt a bit of regret thinking about it. If given another chance, he definitely wouldn''t have been so rash.
Fortunately, he seeded.
After taking the medicine, it didn''t take many minutes for Lin Jichen''s injuries to heal.
His clothes were torn but it didn''t matter; he could just get a new set from the sect.
This battle greatly improved the proficiency of Lin Jichen''s two skills. Defeating opponents above one''s level was one of the fastest ways to improve skill proficiency.
Plus, with Lin Jichen''s sword technique aptitude already at 10%, his skill proficiency increased even faster.
After recovering, Lin Jichen''s first action was to look for the spoils of war.
The first ce he went to was Zhou Shen''s Soul Burial Mound, which glowed with blue light, clearly containing many good items.
[Spirit GradeXuezhao de]: Strength +12, Critical Hit +6,es with the skill [Soul Chase] that can condense de energy to unleash a powerful attack dealing 200% damage, catching the opponent off guard.
Requirement: Exclusive to de cultivator yers, other yers cannot trigger skill damage.
...
[Spirit GradeHundred Refinement Ring]: Strength +8, Vitality +300, Fire-type skill resistance +5.
Requirement: None.
...
[Spirit GradeRhinoceros Belt]: Defense +10, Evasion +1%, automatically recovers 10 points of vitality per second.
Requirement: None.
...
Lin Jichen didn''t expect that all three of Zhou Shen''s Spirit Grade equipment would drop.
In fact, whether NPCs or monsters are killed, the equipment drop is random.
If not, yers would all go after NPCs, who would bother grinding monsters.
The drop rate for NPC equipment is as low as for monsters, mainly depending on luck.
Lin Jichen''s great luck stat made him unmatched in equipment drops.
Besides these three pieces of equipment, Lin Jichen also found a skill book, the very [Hundred Fierce me sh] that had almost instantly killed him.
[Spirit Grade Spirit SkillHundred Fierce me sh]: Swings a giant de forward, dealing 1000 points of base damage to enemies within a 30-meter radius and inflicting them with ''Armor Break'' effect for 5 seconds, mana cost: 500 points, cooldown: 60 minutes.
Requirement: de technique aptitude above 40, only cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm who use des can practice.
Unfortunately, this ultimate technique was for de cultivators, and Lin Jichen couldn''t learn it.
But he still kept it, perhaps it could sell for a good priceter.
There were a few Ordinary Grade items as well, which Lin Jichen nced at and found of little value, so he tossed them all into his Storage Ring to sellter.
Next, he checked Zhou Hao''s Soul Burial Mound.
Zhou Hao was much poorer, with only one Spirit Grade item.
[Spirit Grade Movement TechniqueMist Piercing Charge]: Increases speed by 20 points for 15 seconds, and if hit by binding, slowing, stunning, or other control skills at the moment of activation, it can instantly break free, mana cost: 120 points, cooldown: 60 seconds.
Requirement: None.
Lin Jichen was initially disinterested when he began reading, thinking it was just an ordinary movement technique.
But after seeing the note at the end, Lin Jichen''s thoughts suddenly changed.
Unexpectedly, this seemingly ordinary movement technique had such a strong hidden effect.
Breaking free from control!
This skill was too practical.
Whether inbat or grinding, it was of greatbat value.
Such a good movement technique, yet Zhou Hao only used it to flee, truly a waste.
Lin Jichen immediately learned the technique, making it his second movement skill.
Unfortunately, so far, he hadn''t acquired any skills rted to sword techniques.
Besides this movement skill book, Zhou Hao also had a sheepskin scroll.
[Unknown Secret Technique: A lost secret technique of the Tianyan Sword Sect, bes invalid upon opening.]
Now, Lin Jichen faced two choices.
The first was to open it and im it for himself.
But by doing so, the mission would not be consideredplete, and he wouldn''t receive the mission rewards.
If lucky enough, he might obtain a skill book far superior to the mission rewards, perhaps several times or even dozens of times better.
The second was to take it back andplete the mission.
Lin Jichen felt he had great luck on his side and might actually obtain a powerful skill if he opened the scroll.
But he chose not to do so, instead keeping the scroll and not looking at it again.
Because doing so would lose the trust of the sect''s higher-ups.
In fact, the sect was aware of any choice you made in such missions.
But they wouldn''t tell you, nor would they punish you.
It was just that they had a scale in their hearts, and whether you added to or subtracted from your weight on that scale depended on your choices.
This was a hidden metric in sect missions, affecting future sect assessments and promotions.
If you were someone who often took advantage of the sect, selfish and deceitful, the sect''s higher-ups naturally wouldn''t like you, would be biased against you, and your promotion would naturally be more difficult.
Conversely, if you were capable, always considered the sect, and were honest and upright, your path to promotion would be much easier.
This was something yers discovered only in the mid-stage of the game.
Many powerful yers who wanted to apply for sect positions and gain more sect benefits and power, despite meeting the conditions, kept failing in their applications.
Later, it was discovered that it was due to the tricks in sect missions.
As a reborn individual, Lin Jichen knew of this hidden standard, so he had no interest in the sheepskin scroll.
The gains from this mission were already huge for him: three Spirit Grade pieces of equipment, one Spirit Grade spirit skill, and one Spirit Grade movement technique.
Plus a few Ordinary Grade pieces of equipment and over fifty low-grade Spirit Stones, among other wealth.
If he returned andpleted the mission, Lin Jichen would receive arge wave of sect rewards, the thought alone made him happy.
Why gamble on a scroll when he had no idea what it might contain.
Chapter 29 – Sect Master Disciple Identity Exposure
Chapter 29 C Sect Master Disciple Identity Exposure
After iming his spoils of battle, Lin Jichen returned to Fengqu City, ready to report back to his sect. Suddenly, he remembered something.
It was his first time carrying out a mission for the sect; perhaps he should buy a gift for the Sect Master.
Even though he knew Leng Feiyancked for nothing, there was wisdom in the old saying: "It''s the thought that counts." It was a matter of showing the right attitude.
Especially in this traditional world, respecting one''s teachers and valuing their teachings was essential.
With that in mind, Lin Jichen dashed into the city, picked up a few mundane gifts, and then stepped through the teleportation gate back to the Tianyan Sword Sect.
The number of yers at the Tianyan Sword Sect had increased, with unfamiliar faces all around the Outer Temple.
Lin Jichen went straight to the mission board where he had previously epted his task and handed in his mission token.
The disciple in charge of missions was still very enthusiastic towards Lin Jichen.
"Junior Brother Lin, you''ve finally seen the light. Giving up on the mission is the wisest choice. Do you need me to pick an easier task for you?"
Lin Jichen shook his head and said, "You misunderstand, brother. I''m here to turn in my mission."
With that, a sheepskin scroll appeared before him.
The mission-handling disciple was so surprised that his eyes bulged, and he was left speechless.
The surrounding yers, curious about themotion, crowded around to see the token in Lin Jichen''s hand.
On that token, there were five small sword symbols, signifying a hell-level difficulty!
"Damn, this buddypleted a hell-level mission?"
"That''s impossible, right? You need at least to be at theter stage of Qi Refining for a hell-level mission."
"Exactly, I struggled so much with just a difficult mission that I wanted to jump off a building. It took me two whole days with a friend''s help toplete it."
"What''s that scroll in his hand? Could it be... the mission item?"
...
The yers were in an uproar, but the mission-handling disciple was too busy to attend to them and repeatedly confirmed with Lin Jichen.
"Junior Brother, did you really avenge Zhang Hai and retrieve the lost secret technique of our sect?"
Lin Jichen nodded: "Of course."
"What was the cultivation of the person you faced?"
"Qi Refining,ter stage."
Lin Jichen didn''t bother to mention Zhou Shen''s affairs; it was important to keep a low profile.
The mission-handling disciple''s eyes shed with surprise once more, but he quickly understood.
After all, Lin Jichen was a disciple of the Inner Temple, the most outstanding disciples of the sect.
Such a feat of defeating an opponent of a higher level was rare, but not unheard of among these talented disciples.
"Junior Brother is truly an elite of the Inner Temple. I am ashamed inparison. Given time, your future is boundless. I wish you great martial fortune."
Impressed by Lin Jichen''s prowess, the mission-handling disciple immediately started to tter him, his words filled with the intent to befriend.
The surrounding yers also came to believe the fact that this incredibly handsome male yer hadpleted a hell-level mission.
Their feelings wereplex; while everyone else was still stuck on simple or normal missions, someone had conquered a hell-level task.
Envy, jealousy, confusion, admiration, and disbelief... various emotions yed across their faces.
Lin Jichen ignored their expressions and politely thanked the mission-handling disciple, saying, "Brother, I have other matters to attend to. Could you please process my mission rewards?"
The mission-handling disciple replied awkwardly, "Hell-level mission rewards are distributed by the Elder in charge of affairs. Please be patient, Junior Brother. I will send for the Elder right away."
"Thank you for your trouble."
The mission-handling disciple immediately instructed a nearby Junior Brother to fetch the Elder.
With many yers still waiting to ept missions, the mission-handling disciple couldn''t tantly waste everyone''s time and had to proceed with registering tasks for other yers.
As soon as the disciple left, Lin Jichen was surrounded by a crowd of yers.
"Buddy, you''re pretty impressive, being able toplete a hell-level mission. What''s your cultivation level now?"
"Brother, do you have a guild? If not, join our Canng Guild!"
"Handsome, you''re so powerful, can you take me under your wing? My name is Princess Qiao, and I''m quite pretty~"
Lin Jichen became like a panda at a zoo, the center of everyone''s attention, with various attempts to strike up a conversation.
Seeing that Lin Jichen wasn''t responding, some with ulterior motives began to threaten.
"Kid, don''t act so aloof. If you don''t agree to join, don''t me us for blocking you."
Lin Jichen was about to respond to these types of yers who liked to bully others in the game when the Elder in charge of affairs arrived.
Seeing the Elder, the yers became much more subdued.
After all, this Elder was known for being strict, unemotional, and fond of teaching new yers a lesson.
All the yers who had received the sect''s neer package from the Elder had experienced his severity firsthand. They secretly nicknamed him "Old Stoneface" because no one had ever seen him smile.
"Which disciplepleted the hell-level task?" Old Stoneface approached the crowd, his expression as stern as ever.
Everyone was too intimidated to make a sound.
Lin Jichen stepped forward and replied, "Elder, it was I."
Old Stoneface saw Lin Jichen, and the next second, his face bloomed into a smile like an old chrysanthemum...
"So it''s Lin Jichen. I should have guessed who couldplete a hell-level task. Haha, worthy of being the only disciple taken in by the Sect Master. I always said the Sect Master wouldn''t ept a mediocre student."
At these words, the mission area fell silent.
The Sect Master''s disciple? And the only one?
This couldn''t be real; they must be dreaming...
The yers were like statues, unable to digest this information.
They even forgot the miraculous sight of Old Stoneface smiling, their minds overwhelmed by the shocking news of the Sect Master''s disciple.
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected the Elder to reveal his identity, but it didn''t matter; it was bound toe out sooner orter.
"Elder, you tter me. I was just lucky."
Such modesty made the Elder regard Lin Jichen even more highly.
"No need to be so humble. Being appreciated by the Sect Leader is both your honor and a testament to your own excellence. Here are your mission rewards."
The Elder handed several items to Lin Jichen.
One hundred low-grade Spirit Stones, a token, an Elixir, a secret manual, and a pair of boots.
Just the sight of those one hundred Spirit Stones was enough to make all the yers envious to the point of drooling.
The average yer currently possessed no more than a double-digit number of Spirit Stones, and most sect mission rewards were in single digits.
As for the token, many yers recognized it as an item that recorded sect contribution points.
Some eagle-eyed yers noticed the token read: 100 points.
They couldn''t help butin that it would take them at least ten missions to earn that many contribution points.
The remaining Elixir, secret manual, and boots were undoubtedly valuable items.
Before the yers could take a closer look, Lin Jichen pocketed the rewards, politely thanked the Elder, and quickly left everyone''s sight.
Many yers wanted to follow Lin Jichen and ride his coattails, but they found that he had gone straight through the Outer Temple and into the inner areas.
The gatekeeping disciples didn''t stop him; instead, they respectfully let him pass.
As for them? Dream on. If they dared to take a step inside, they''d face severe sect punishment.
Lin Jichen had left, but the shock he left behind among the Outer Temple yers lingered.
"My god, it''s only the second day of the open beta, and someone has already be the Sect Master''s disciple? That''s outrageous!"
"More than outrageous, it''s off the charts! This guy must be the gamepany''s godson, right?"
"I refuse to ept this. I''m going to report it. There''s a BUG in the game! This person must have exploited a BUG to be the Sect Master''s disciple."
"I heard the Elder say his name is Lin Jichen."
"Wait, isn''t he the Lin Jichen mentioned in the first day''s game announcement? The guy who took down the novice vige''s big boss?"
"Damn, it might really be him!"
Chapter 30 – I just want a soft meal
Chapter 30 C I just want a soft meal
Upon returning to the Sword Pce, tranquility immediately enveloped the surroundings, free from any further disturbances.
Lin Jichen heaved a sigh of relief, thankful for his status as an Inner Temple disciple; otherwise, he''d be swarmed by people every day, which would drive him to distraction.
The Sword Pce was deserted at this hour. Assuming the Sect Master had retired for the night, Lin Jichen nned to return to his quarters and wait for dawn.
Unexpectedly, Leng Feiyan appeared at the head of the grand hall, her presence unnoticed until now.
Today, Leng Feiyan''s attire was different from the daytime.
She was d in a pale aqua robe, draped with a white gauze outer garment, revealing her gracefully curved neck and clearly defined corbones.
Even the loose-fitting robe couldn''t conceal her impressive figure beneath.
The skirt''s pleats, like snow bathed in moonlight, flowed to the ground, trailing over three feet behind her, shedding some of her usual aloofness for a touch of grace.
Radiant as peach and plum blossoms, yet as cold as frost - these words perfectly captured Leng Feiyan at this moment.
In her, two extreme temperaments coexisted without shing, blending allure with chill to create a captivating beauty.
"Disciple, I''ve heard youpleted a hell-level mission?"
Leng Feiyan''s voice remained as melodious as ever, like an oriole singing in the valley, a kite calling, a phoenix crying.
Lin Jichen answered honestly, "Yes, Master."
Rather than praise, Leng Feiyan''s tone turned stern.
"I only instructed you to choose a difficult mission. Why risk a hell-level one? Do you realize the peril? A failure could mean death and the end of your Dao. The loss of a genius like you would be a blow to our Sword Sect."
Lin Jichen was taken aback, realizing that although Leng Feiyan spoke of the sect''s interests, she was also concerned for him. He promptly admitted his fault.
"Disciple acknowledges the mistake, Master''s reprimand is just."
Leng Feiyan nodded slightly, clearly satisfied with Lin Jichen''s attitude.
She then inquired, "How was the cultivation of your opponent on this mission?"
"Beyond my expectations, I initially thought the adversary would at most possess Qi Refining cultivation, but..."
Lin Jichen recounted the situation with Zhou Hao and Zhou Shen.
Leng Feiyan''s beautiful eyes sparkled with interest upon hearing the details.
"You battled a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator and ultimately turned the tables, defeating them single-handedly?"
"Disciple wouldn''t dare lie. Of course, it was mainly thanks to the elixir Master gave me. Without it, I certainly wouldn''t have seeded."
Leng Feiyan nodded repeatedly, her gaze on Lin Jichen growing more appreciative.
She was certain of Lin Jichen''sbat talent, as outstanding as his natural aptitude!
Such an exceptional talent was truly once in a millennium.
"The gap between major realms is vast. Take this as a warning and do not act recklessly in the future."
"Disciple will bear it in mind."
Leng Feiyan hesitated for a moment, seemingly still worried. With a gesture, she sent a talisman paper flying towards Lin Jichen.
"You are the most talented disciple of our sect. For safety, keep this talisman. Use it only in a life-or-death crisis, not for trivial matters."
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected this bonus and quickly grasped the talisman in his hand.
[Soul Talisman]: Seals a strand of Leng Feiyan''s soul and can only be used once. Not applicable in yer versus yerbat.
Wow!
Lin Jichen was overjoyed. With this talisman, he no longer feared losing innate attributes upon death.
This talisman was like having the Sect Master backing him up, giving him confidence in everything he did!
This was the advantage of being a Sect Master''s disciple~ Hehe, what a powerful ally to cling to!
"Furthermore, forpleting the mission, here is the superior Gathering Qi Pill I promised you. Seeing that you''vepleted a hell-level task, I will gift you another superior Gathering Qi Pill to aid you in breaking through theter stages of Qi Refining."
Two elixirs flew into Lin Jichen''s hands.
The night seemed brighter to Lin Jichen than a sunny day!
[Superior Gathering Qi Pill]: +30 free attribute points, helps Qi Refining cultivators at the initial stage break through stagnation and advance to the middle stage.
Requirements: Only Qi Refining cultivators at the initial stage and at a bottleneck can consume it.
[Superior Gathering Qi Pill]: +40 free attribute points, helps Qi Refining cultivators at the middle stage break through stagnation and advance to theter stage.
Requirements: Only Qi Refining cultivators at theter stage and at a bottleneck can consume it.
Worthy of being superior elixirs!
Lin Jichenughed heartily in his mind.
He had never seen or consumed such superior elixirs in his many years of ying "Tale of Immortal" before his rebirth.
The mostmon Gathering Qi Pill only added 10 attribute points, followed by medium quality at 15 points, and high quality at 20 points. A superior Gathering Qi Pill could add a whopping 30 points!
Of course, it wasn''t a +30 to all attributes, but a total of 30 free attribute points to distribute as one wished.
With these two elixirs, Lin Jichen wouldn''t have to worry about cultivation stagnation or wasting experience during the Qi Refining stage.
After distributing the rewards, Leng Feiyan showed no intention of staying longer.
"What youck now is sword techniques. I haven''t collected any for the Qi Refining Realm, but our Scripture Repository has them. You can exchange for them yourself."
With that, Leng Feiyan''s figure began to blur, and just as she was about to disappear...
"Master, wait."
"What is it?" Leng Feiyan returned to her seat, her expression puzzled.
Lin Jichen took out a white jade and gold hairpin from his Storage Ring, smiling sheepishly.
"Disciple ventured out of the sect for a mission for the first time and wanted to bring back a gift for Master. Lacking enough Spirit Stones for a spiritual hairpin or pearl, I could only afford a mundane one. It seemed pretty, so I bought it as a gift for Master. I''m not sure if Master will like it."
Leng Feiyan was momentarily stunned by the hairpin in Lin Jichen''s hand.
She hadn''t expected Lin Jichen to buy her a gift.
In "Tale of Immortal," unless NPCs were close rtives or friends, giving gifts between individuals of the opposite sex usually had a clear implication, akin to a confession.
Leng Feiyan, the dignified Sect Master of Tianyan Sword Sect and a renowned Sword God''s sessor in the Tale of Immortal,manded respect from leaders of sects across all four states.
Everyone knew of Leng Feiyan''s icy demeanor, as untouchable as a snowy mountain peak, and that angering her would have dire consequences.
Who would dare to give her personal gifts without cause? At most, they would offer gifts to the Tianyan Sword Sect in the name of their own sects.
Such a personal, non-familial gift was unprecedented for Leng Feiyan.
Hence, the gift left her somewhat astonished, her usually paleplexion showing a hint of unease.
Clearly, Leng Feiyan had misinterpreted the gesture.
But it wasn''t her fault; such was the custom in the Tale of Immortal.
Leng Feiyan was ready to refuse without a second thought.
However, seeing Lin Jichen''s clear and guilt-free eyes, she thought she might have overreacted.
Besides, she couldn''t bring herself to refuse, fearing it would hurt Lin Jichen''s pride.
She didn''t want him to think she looked down on his gift.
The white jade and gold hairpin was indeed beautiful.
After a moment''s hesitation, Leng Feiyan summoned the hairpin to her hand with a flick of her sleeve.
Holding the hairpin, Leng Feiyan could even feel the residual warmth from Lin Jichen''s hands, which made her even more ufortable.
"I ept your gift. Continue to cultivate diligently and do not cken."
With that, Leng Feiyan departedpletely.
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection level towards you has increased by 5! Current affection level: 10 points (Acquaintance)]
The gift was a sess, and Lin Jichen chuckled to himself.
How could he not know the implications of giving a gift to someone of the opposite sex in "Tale of Immortal"?
He simply had a weak stomach and wanted to be a gigolo, was there a problem? No problem! Was it shameful? Not at all!
Back in her quarters, Leng Feiyan sat in front of a spiritual fir table.
The white jade and gold hairpiny at the center of the table, and she had been staring at it for half an hour.
After much deliberation, she finally picked it up and adorned herself with it.
"I''m just not wanting to waste my disciple''s thoughtfulness, and besides, it''s been a long time since I''ve added new jewelry for myself. Yes, that''s it."
Chapter 31 – Trigger fate task
Chapter 31 C Trigger fate task
Lin Jichen returned to his quarters in the back mountain and took out the Gathering Qi Pill.
Sitting cross-legged, he swallowed the elixir.
Moments after the elixir entered his stomach, a surge of rich spiritual energy spread throughout his body from his abdomen.
The previously blocked meridians seemed to clear up instantly, making him feel extremelyfortable all over.
[Ding! Breakthrough to the middle stage of Qi Refining, all basic attributes +10 points, vitality +1000, mana +1000!]
[Ding! Consumed a top-grade Gathering Qi Pill, free attribute points +30!]
Finally, a breakthrough.
Lin Jichen then looked at the martial arts techniques and equipment rewarded by the sect missions.
[Spirit Grade Martial Arts Technique Frost Moon sh]: Condenses mana to unleash a crescent-shaped Sword Qi within a 15-meter range in front, causing 300 base damage plus the user''s attack damage to those hit by the Sword Qi. The Sword Qi is like frost, with a 20% chance to freeze the enemy, slowing their speed.
Mana consumption: 200 points, cooldown: 30 seconds.
Requirement: Only Sword Cultivator yers can learn.
[Spirit Grade Boots Cloud Step Boots]: Speed +12, Evasion +2%, Leg-based skill damage +60.
Requirement: None.
Both items were quite good, and Lin Jichen was very satisfied.
He then used the spoils he got from Zhou Hao and Zhou Shen.
Next was the distribution of free attribute points.
Without a doubt, Lin Jichen evenly distributed them between strength and speed.
As for defense, Lin Jichen wouldn''t allocate any points there.
Most yers wouldn''t dare to allocate points as extremely as Lin Jichen did; many would still consider an even distribution, with defense being indispensable.
Although Lin Jichen had never yed as a Sword Cultivator, he knew one thing.
Sword Cultivators pursue the ultimate output.
Sword Qi spans thirty thousand miles, a single sword light chills neen provinces!
If a Sword Cultivator doesn''t max out their damage, they''re no different from a salted fish.
But to max out damage, speed must also keep up.
In his past life, some yers only pursued damage.
They allocated all their points to strength.
While their damage was maxed out, their movements were as slow as snails, and they were dumbfounded when surrounded by enemies.
In his past life, the number one Sword God in "Tale of Immortal," Chen Yuan, once said that the most important aspects of a Sword Cultivator are output and agility.
A Sword Cultivator with only output and no speed is not to be feared; having both is the essence of a Sword Cultivator.
As for defense and other attributes, they can be gradually increased through equipment, elixirs, and major realm enhancements.
After distributing the free attribute points, Lin Jichen checked his current attributes, which had undergone a tremendous change!
[yer: Lin Jichen]
[Profession: Sword Cultivator]
[Realm: Middle stage of Qi Refining]
[Cultivation: 0/1000]
[Acquired Talent: Sprout of Vitality (Vitality limit +20%)]
[Vitality: 4080/4080]
[Mana: 3100/3100]
[Strength: 70]
[Mental Power: 32]
[Defense: 71]
[Speed: 79]
[Critical Hit: 7]
[Heart Protection: 10]
[Fire Resistance: 5]
[Evasion: 3%]
[Swordsmanship Aptitude: +10%]
[Heart Sutra: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Beginner 11%)]
[Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Beginner 11%), Mist Piercing Charge (Beginner 0%)]
[Martial Arts Technique: Frost Moon sh (Beginner 0%)]
[Equipment: Spirit Grade Sword Sect Attire, Spirit Grade Crimson Cloud Sword, Spirit Grade Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant, Spirit Grade Stone Sinking Ring, Spirit Grade Cloud Step Boots, Spirit Grade Fragrant Belt, Spirit Grade Hundred Refinement Ring]
With these attributes, Lin Jichen just wanted to ask, who else couldpare?
70 points in strength, and he''s only at the middle stage of Qi Refining.
79 points in speed were even more astonishing; saying it out loud would probably scare people to death.
He had martial arts techniques now; all he needed was a sword technique.
Lin Jichen had no intention of logging off to rest; his gaming pod could sustain him for a week without sleep.
Taking advantage of the night, he headed to the Scripture Repository of the Tianyan Sword Sect.
The Scripture Repository was filled with countless secret techniques, ranging from sword techniques, heart sutras, movement techniques, martial arts techniques, spirit skills, ultimate techniques, supernatural powers, and more.
However, the contribution points required for these secret techniques were too high. Lin Jichen only had a hundred points, so he couldn''t think about the high-level secret techniques for now.
Lin Jichen went to the Qi Refining realm shelf, resisting the temptation of various movement techniques and spirit skills, forcing himself to only look at the sword techniques section.
He was afraid that if he looked at anything else, he wouldn''t be able to resist spending his contribution points.
Lin Jichen knew that what hecked most now was a sword technique; the rest could wait until hepleted more sect missions.
Among the Qi Refining realm sword techniques, Lin Jichen looked through them all. Some focused on damage, some on defense, and some on speed.
Lin Jichen ultimately chose a speed-focused technique, [Gale Sword Technique].
[Spirit Grade Sword Technique Gale Sword Technique]: Sword technique attack speed +30%, duringbat, attack speed +1% every second, no upper limit.
This sword technique was very suitable for Lin Jichen. His strength was already high, and his speed was also high, but that was only movement speed.
What he needed to consider was the speed of his sword strikes.
Moreover, the passive effect of this sword technique was very practical, especially when facing high-health, high-defense bosses orrge groups of enemies; the longer the fight, the faster the sword strikes.
Without much hesitation, Lin Jichen chose this sword technique, which cost exactly 100 contribution points. He bought it and learned it!
With this, Lin Jichen had all the skills he could learn at the Qi Refining realm and didn''t need to worry aboutcking skills for now.
Leaving the Scripture Repository, Lin Jichen was about to head to the mission release point to take on tasks to improve his cultivation.
Suddenly, he heard an explosion from a nearby side hall.
In an instant, ck smoke billowed from the side hall, and an old man walked out, irritably brushing off the dust on his body, muttering to himself.
"Failed again. Why is the Youth Retaining Pill harder to refine than the Heavenly Origin Pill? I refuse to believe it!"
Seeing this scene, Lin Jichen immediately realized this was a triggered quest, so he quickly walked over and respectfully bowed.
"Greetings, Elder."
Although Lin Jichen didn''t recognize him, he was sure this person must be an elder, as the familiar aura of the Enlightenment Realm lingered around him!
Just like the elder who taught in the inner temple square before.
The white-bearded elder''s eyes lit up when he saw Lin Jichen, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
"I think I''ve seen you before. You''re thest disciple taken in by the sect leader, right?"
"Yes, that''s me." Lin Jichen didn''t dare to show any arrogance, maintaining a humble attitude.
Such humility,bined with his full charm, made the white-bearded elder very pleased with Lin Jichen.
"Not bad, not bad. You''ve just joined the sect, and in just two days, you''ve broken through to the middle stage of Qi Refining. It seems that cold girl has a good eye for people, haha."
As he spoke, the white-bearded elder instructed Lin Jichen, "I am one of the twelve great elders of the Sword Sect, Tianqing. I am currently refining an elixir and need a medicinal guide. Would you be willing to find it for me?"
"Disciple dares not refuse! I will not fail the elder''s trust!"
Lin Jichen agreed without hesitation, secretly astonished. He hadn''t expected this old man to be the most powerful alchemy grandmaster of the Sword Sect.
That [Purple Jade Elixir] was crafted by him.
In fact, the elixirs of the Tianyan Sword Sect were famous throughout Mu Xian Province.
Building a good rtionship with such a prominent figure was crucial.
[Ding! Elder Tianqing has given you a quest. Do you ept?]
"Yes!"
[Hell Quest]: Help Elder Tianqing find one stalk of Yin Sustaining Grass before dawn.
[Quest Description]: Yin Sustaining Grass is the most important medicinal guide for refining the Youth Retaining Pill. This herb is extremely rare and must be found on the Medicine Spirit Falcon.
[Quest Reward]: Elder Tianqing''s reward.
[Quest Hint]: The nearest Medicine Spirit Falcons are located in Cann Medicine Valley. Each Medicine Spirit Falcon has varying strengths, generally ranging from theter stage of Qi Refining to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. Not every Medicine Spirit Falcon will drop Yin Sustaining Grass.
epting the quest, Lin Jichen immediately bid farewell and headed to Cann Medicine Valley.
Cann Medicine Valley wasn''t far, filled with many monsters and herbs, making it an excellent ce for beginners to level up and gather herbs.
Lin Jichen entered the Medicine Valley.
Chapter 32 – Canglan Medicine Valley
Chapter 32 C Cann Medicine Valley
At this moment, it was still night. The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the Medicine Valley, making the entire valley of flowers and trees look as if it were draped in ayer of dreamy gauze.
The scene was hazy and indistinct, with shadows flickering under the night breeze. The rich fragrance of medicinal herbs filled the air, making one feel as if they had stepped into a fairnd, their mind and soul intoxicated.
Every scene in "Tale of Immortal" was so realistic, full of immortal charm.
Even though it was nighttime, there were still many yers in the Medicine Valley grinding monsters to improve their cultivation.
Although it was hard to see at night, the game providednterns for illumination. Lanterns were very cheap, costing only a few coins of mundane money.
Lanterns were hung all over the Medicine Valley, so many that they almost made the valley as bright as daytime.
The main reason was that "Tale of Immortal" was too popr, and yers were incredibly enthusiastic about the game.
So even at night, there were still many night owls grinding away.
The most powerful monsters in the Cann Medicine Valley had the strength of theter stage of Qi Refining, making it suitable for novice yers toplete tasks and grind monsters.
The monsters at the front of the valley were the weakest, such as Blue-winged Flying Mice and Iron-coated Yellow Wolves, which could be handled even at the initial stage of Qi Refining.
Therefore, there were more yers here. The deeper one went into the valley, the stronger the monsters became, and individual yers often didn''t dare to venture in alone.
Those who did were usually in teams, and the deeper they went, the fewer people there were.
Lin Jichen had fought the Medicine Spirit Falcon before and knew it well.
This type of monster usually resided in the deepest part of the Medicine Valley and was considered a BOSS-level monster, often hiding in the areas with the densest herbs.
Lin Jichen kept walking deeper, asionally encountering and instantly killing a few other monsters with a single sword strike.
As he walked to the depths of the Medicine Valley, Lin Jichen found an area with arge number of herbs and indeed saw a Medicine Spirit Falcon.
The Medicine Spirit Falcon had silver-gray feathers and was muchrger than an average bird, almost the size of an ostrich.
Its ws were as sharp as des, and its beak could easily pierce through human bones.
Coupled with its ghost-like speed and the ability to spit out soul-burning green mes, it was best not to provoke it unless one''s strength far surpassed it.
Lin Jichen was on a mission and couldn''t afford to back down.
However, when he saw the Medicine Spirit Falcon, he frowned.
At this moment, the Medicine Spirit Falcon was being surrounded by a group of yers, about a dozen of them.
They seemed to be from a guild, with someonemanding and others cooperating in an orderly manner.
It looked like the monster he had his eyes on had been imed by someone else.
This was unexpected for Lin Jichen. With over ten people on the other side, the best course of action would be to let them have it ande back tomorrow when the Medicine Spirit Falcon respawned.
But Lin Jichen clearly didn''t have the patience for that; his mission had a time limit and couldn''t wait until dawn.
Lin Jichen approached, and the other side immediately noticed someoneing. A few yers came over to block his way.
"Sorry, this BOSS was attacked by our Moon Shadow Guild first. We can''t allow others to take it. Please understand."
The other side spoke politely, and indeed, they had every reason to stop others from trying to get a share of the loot since they had attacked first.
Lin Jichen then noticed that the yers blocking him were all women. Not just them, but upon closer inspection, he realized all the yers were female.
So it was the Moon Shadow Guild, old acquaintances.
As Lin Jichen approached, everyone could see his appearance by thentern light.
Some of the female yers recognized Lin Jichen and immediately eximed with delight, "It''s that handsome expert!"
Being called handsome in front of so many beauties made Lin Jichen feel a bit pressured.
Why did they only call him handsome? Was he really good for nothing but his looks? He felt a bit mncholic...
The yer who wasmanding turned around upon hearing this. It was Su Wanling, who had a bit of a history with Lin Jichen.
Su Wanling was surprised to see Lin Jichen appear and then became a bit nervous.
She was worried that Lin Jichen might try to snatch their BOSS.
"Wanling, do you know this person?" asked the woman standing next to Su Wanling. Lin Jichen couldn''t see her face clearly.
But this woman wasn''t wearing the same Sword Sect Attire as everyone else.
Instead, she wore a light green robe and held a staff instead of a sword.
The staff looked somewhat familiar, but Lin Jichen couldn''t recall it at the moment.
Su Wanling, who was usually the leader of the Moon Shadow Guild, was very respectful towards this woman.
"This is the expert I told you about, the one who single-handedly killed the Wild Boar King in the novice vige and got a full-server announcement. He also sold us a lot of equipment and information."
The woman didn''t seem too impressed upon hearing this, merely nodding and saying, "Then talk to him nicely. This BOSS belongs to our Moon Shadow Guild. Even if he''s a friend, we can''t give it to him."
"Got it, I''ll go talk to him."
Su Wanling then immediately walked up to Lin Jichen.
"Master Lin, you''re here for the Medicine Spirit Falcon too?"
Lin Jichen admitted openly, "Yes."
Afraid that he might want to snatch it, Su Wanling awkwardly said, "I''m really sorry, but this falcon is needed for our boss''s mission. We must take it down. Could you wait for it to respawn tomorrow?"
Lin Jichen hesitated; his mission was also urgent.
Just as he was still considering, the Medicine Spirit Falcon suddenly let out a piercing screech, pping its wings and releasing a cloud of pale yellow powdery air towards the crowd.
Those who inhaled the pollen immediately fell into a dizzy state, wobbling and barely able to stand.
Seizing the opportunity, the Medicine Spirit Falcon soared into the sky and began attacking the dazed yers.
Its sharp ws easily tore through a female yer''s defense, and with just a few strikes, the yer in the initial stage of Qi Refining turned into a soul burial mound.
The Medicine Spirit Falcon then attacked others, killing three female yers within a few breaths.
"Not good! Those who aren''t dizzy, get up there immediately and attack its weak points. Don''t give it a chance to attack."
Su Wanling couldn''t care less about talking to Lin Jichen and rushed back tomand her subordinates.
The female yer with the staff beside her also began attacking the falcon. She raised her staff and chanted a spell.
"Earth Immortal Binding Hands!"
As the spell waspleted, the ground beneath the falcon''s feet turned into a swamp, which surged up and firmly trapped its ws.
The falcon struggled but couldn''t break free immediately.
Next, the staff-wielding woman chanted another spell.
"zing Fire Lamp!"
The air around the falcon suddenly became scorching hot, and then arge me enveloped it, causing the falcon to screech in pain.
However, the falcon''s strength far exceeded hers, and within seconds, the mes extinguished, and it pulled its ws out of the swamp.
Once free, the falcon vengefully targeted the staff-wielding female yer, darting towards her like a shadow.
"Watch out!" Su Wanling immediately warned, but it was toote.
The falcon''s sharp beak struck the female yer, causing her health bar to drop significantly.
But she didn''t panic; instead, she quickly retreated to create distance while chanting another spell.
"Falling Rock Rain!"
Several rocks fell, thoroughly enraging the falcon.
In a moment of urgency, Su Wanling bravely stepped forward, ready to sacrifice herself if necessary.
Su Wanling sessfully held off the pressure and engaged the falcon, while the female spellcaster prepared to cast more skills.
But then, Lin Jichen''s voice came from the side.
Chapter 33 – Guild war
Chapter 33 C Guild war
"Hey, you female mage, are you stupid or what?"
Lin Jichen''s voice suddenly rang out, clear and distinct.
Everyone was stunned for a moment, but quickly understood who he was talking about.
"Master Lin, what do you mean by insulting my boss?" Su Wanling was immediately displeased.
Lin Jichen ignored her and continued speaking to the female mage, "Right now, the Medicine Spirit Falcon has the highest aggro on you. Why are you using skills to provoke it further? And your skills are all over the ce. Falling Rock Rain isn''t used like that; it should be paired with Earth Immortal Binding Hands to maximize damage."
As a former top mage, Lin Jichen''s insights into mage skills were unparalleled.
Out of some past acquaintance with Su Wanling and unable to bear watching the female yer''s poor performance, he decided to offer some advice.
Hearing Lin Jichen''s mockery, the woman wasn''t angry but rather pondered his words.
Then she nodded as if enlightened and asked for guidance.
"So what should I do next?"
Her voice was light and elegant, like wind chimes, very pleasant to the ear.
Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate to teach her.
"Your Earth Immortal Binding Hands should be off cooldown. Use it first, then let others use their skills. Your equipment seems excellent, and your damage far exceeds your teammates'', so you shouldn''t waste damage skills. Focus on control and let your teammates deal the damage. Otherwise, if the falcon scratches you a couple of times, you''ll die."
The female mage found Lin Jichen''s words reasonable and began to follow his advice.
Sure enough, after she stopped using skills and only attacked with basic Fire Burn, the falcon''s target shifted to others and no longer focused on her.
The falcon was now being led around by this group of female yers, its health steadily decreasing. Although the progress was slow, they would likely defeat it in about ten minutes.
However, just as everything was going smoothly, a group of uninvited guests disrupted the bnce.
"Blood Fiend Guild is clearing the area. This BOSS is ours. Stop what you''re doing and leave, or don''t me us for being rude."
Dozens of unfamiliar yers appeared, led by a man with an arrogant expression.
Su Wanling immediately stepped forward.
"This BOSS was found by our Moon Shadow Guild, and we''ve been fighting it for a while. You want us to stop? Keep dreaming!"
"Dream or not, you''ll find out. I''ll give you ten seconds to reconsider," the leading man said impatiently.
"Are you sure you want to go against our Moon Shadow Guild?" Su Wanling frowned.
The man sneered, "What third-rate guild is Moon Shadow? Go ask around about Blood Fiend Guild. In the online gamemunity, who doesn''t know us? Be smart and scram. If you weren''t all women, we would''ve sent you back to respawn already!"
Su Wanling knew this couldn''t be resolved peacefully, so she asked the female mage beside her.
"What should we do?"
The female mage replied confidently, "If they want to fight, then let''s fight."
Su Wanling hesitated, "We''re short on manpower, and we''ve already lost a lot of health and mana dealing with this falcon. Many skills are on cooldown, and now the falcon is targeting us. The odds are against us."
The female mage thought for a moment and said, "Call for reinforcements immediately. Get all nearby Moon Shadow Guild members here. We have to fight this battle, even if we lose. A guild without spirit can''t achieve my goals."
Su Wanling understood, "Got it. I''ll call the sisters for support. Try to avoid the fight if you can. Your equipment is valuable; it would be a huge loss if you died and dropped it."
The female mage nodded and said no more.
A guild war was about to begin.
Su Wanling suddenly remembered Lin Jichen and quickly looked around, spotting him by an inconspicuous rock.
"Master Lin, help us deal with these people. Name your price."
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen refused.
"Don''t drag me into your guild affairs. If I help you take them down, they''ll hate me. I don''t want that kind of trouble."
Lin Jichen was no longer a naive young man who would rush to help a beautiful woman without thinking.
Offending a major guild like Blood Fiend for a bit of money wasn''t worth it. He knew Blood Fiend Guild, one of the top fifty guilds in "Tale of Immortal," notorious for their tyrannical behavior in many games, bullying solo yers and small guilds.
Why would Lin Jichen invite such trouble for himself?
Seeing Lin Jichen refuse, Su Wanling was disappointed but understood and gave up on asking him for help.
But then Lin Jichen spoke again.
"I won''t help you kill people, but I can help you deal with this falcon. If it drops Yin Sustaining Grass, it''s mine. I also get to pick one other item as payment. Deal?"
Su Wanling didn''t answer immediately but looked at the female mage, clearly indicating that she couldn''t make the decision alone.
The female mage thought for a moment and nodded.
Su Wanling kindly offered, "I''ll leave a few people to help you with the falcon."
"No need. You all go fight the guild war. I''ll handle the falcon alone."
"By yourself?"
Su Wanling couldn''t believe her ears and reminded him, "This falcon is at theter stage of Qi Refining. We''ve only taken down a small portion of its health. It''s very strong with many skills. It''s not like the Wild Boar King in the novice vige."
Lin Jichen was firm, "Go fight your guild war. Leave it to me."
Seeing Lin Jichen insist, Su Wanling had no time to argue and gathered all her members to face Blood Fiend Guild.
The battle began immediately.
"Hey, everyone watching the livestream! Good news! ording to our fan Qingjiu Banhu, there''s a guild war at Cann Medicine Valley. Today, Xiazi risked getting caught in the crossfire to bring you live coverage. I hope that fan wasn''t lying."
Another inconspicuous figure appeared on the scene, clearly not there to fight.
"Oh my! It''s really a guild war! Brothers, you''re in for a treat. Xiazi will be your spectator today. Grab your beer, peanuts, and water, and make yourselvesfortable."
"Wow! Look, there are so many youngdies in the guild war. Do you see those two in the center? They''re really pretty, almost as pretty as me, Xiazi. Haha..."
"Damn, someone said I look like a flowerpared to them. Moderator, ban him for 365 days!"
"Thanks for the gifts, everyone. Since I''m sneaking a peek, I won''t thank you all individually. Let''s watch quietly and leave quickly. It''s so thrilling."
...
While Blood Fiend and Moon Shadow Guilds were fighting.
Lin Jichen acted as if he didn''t see them, helping neither side.
He circled around the battlefield and approached the Medicine Spirit Falcon.
While the two guilds fought fiercely behind him, Lin Jichen''s eyes were only on the falcon.
The falcon still wanted to attack Moon Shadow Guild members, its aggro not yet dissipated.
But Lin Jichen wouldn''t let it go.
He thrust his sword forward, the movement clean and swift, without a trace of smoke.
The falcon, just taking flight, was pierced through the chest, the sword tip easily prating its feathers and sinking into its flesh.
The falcon let out a mournful cry and fell from the sky.
Critical Hit! -550!
If the Moon Shadow Guild members saw this, their jaws would drop. They had only been dealing tens of damage to the falcon.
The highest damage was just over a hundred, from the female mage''s skill.
Lin Jichen, with just one sword strike and no skills, dealt damage that far surpassed theirs.
Unfortunately, they were too busy with the guild war to notice Lin Jichen.
Chapter 34 – Still made a move
Chapter 34 C Still made a move
Monster: Medicine Spirit Falcon
Level: BOSS
Strength: Later stage of Qi Refining
HP: 3311/4200
Attack: 58
Defense: 46
Speed: 70
Skills: Falcon Blood w, Sharp Drill Beak, Drowsy Powder, Scorching Soul me
The Medicine Spirit Falcon had never been injured this badly before. As it let out a mournful cry, its hatred instantly focused entirely on Lin Jichen.
The falcon''s retaliation was swift. With a p of its wings, it pounced in an instant.
Its massive ws, as terrifying as iron hooks, reached for Lin Jichen.
Falcon Blood w!
Starting off with such a vicious move.
Clearly, this falcon despised Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen seemed to have anticipated this. He retreated three feet, dodging the blood w.
The falcon missed and became even more furious. Using its incredible speed, it pounced again in the blink of an eye.
The sharp ws came at him again, but this time, Lin Jichen didn''t dodge. Instead, he swiftly swung his sword.
The sword light shimmered like water, forming a thin line that sliced across the giant w, making a crisp collision sound.
Using offense as defense, he neutralized the falcon''s second attack.
Lin Jichen didn''t want to give the falcon another chance to use its ws. Moving like the wind, he struck with his sword at full force!
With the Gale Sword Technique, Lin Jichen''s sword speed had reached a new level. In an instant, he shed four times.
Each sh left a deep sword mark on the falcon, and the damage kept increasing.
The falcon''s health bar dropped significantly.
Its once-prized feathers fell to the ground, leaving many bald spots that bled profusely, making it look pitiful.
The falcon cried out in pain repeatedly.
But it knew Lin Jichen was hard to deal with and decided not to give him another chance to get close. It quickly spread its wings and flew into the air, pping them.
A cloud of pale yellow powder rapidly descended towards Lin Jichen.
This was the skill it had just used on the girls from the Moon Shadow Guild: Drowsy Powder.
Anyone who inhaled this powder would be stunned for several seconds.
Lin Jichen was already surrounded by the powder and seemed unable to escape.
Just as he was about to be stunned, Lin Jichen remained unusually calm. The moment he inhaled the powder, he moved, his speed suddenly increasing!
Mist Piercing Charge!
Lin Jichen''s speed increased, and although he couldn''t avoid the powderpletely, it didn''t have a stunning effect on him.
Mist Piercing Charge was an excellent control-breaking skill, and Lin Jichen used it perfectly.
The falcon hadn''t expected this. It thought Lin Jichen would surely be stunned.
So, after using the Drowsy Powder skill, it immediately swooped down, ready to tear Lin Jichen to pieces.
But upon descending, it found that Lin Jichen wasn''t stunned and was still full of vigor.
The falcon tried to fly back up, but it was toote.
Lin Jichen gripped the Crimson Cloud Sword, its de flickering with silver runes that quickly disappeared, reced by a sword light as bright as moonlight!
Frost Moon sh!
The martial skill activated.
In the dark, the Crimson Cloud Sword suddenly lit up, transforming into a long rainbow that pierced through the void andnded on the falcon.
Rip!
The sword light tore through the night sky and shredded the falcon''s pitiful feather defense, leaving a horrifying wound.
"Critical Hit! -1060!"
The damage value over a thousand soared with the falcon''s blood.
Frost Moon sh''s base damage was 300 points, plus Lin Jichen''s extra damage of 240 points. With the critical hit doubling the damage and an additional critical damage of 70, it totaled exactly 1060 damage.
The falcon''s health had dropped to less than half.
In at most two minutes, Lin Jichen could finish off this falcon.
While Lin Jichen focused on the falcon, the battle between the Moon Shadow and Blood Fiend guilds behind him was one-sided.
Blood Fiend''s numbers were almost three times that of Moon Shadow, forcing each Moon Shadow member to fight three opponents, making it impossible to hold their ground.
As one Moon Shadow girl after another fell and turned into Soul Burial Mounds, the guild was in a dire situation, forced to retreat and defend.
Fortunately, a female mage was holding on, her high group damage providing some relief, with other members surrounding and protecting her.
But the situation for Moon Shadow was grim. Without reinforcements, a total wipeout was only a matter of time.
The scene was entirely under Blood Fiend''s control. Blood Fiend Guild''s leader, Li Fengwen, smiled smugly, looking at the helplessmbs.
"Dare to oppose Blood Fiend? This is your fate. Consider this a small lesson for your insignificant guild. Kill them all, leave no one alive!"
Li Fengwen showed no mercy, ordering a massacre. His subordinates didn''t hesitate, swinging their des at the Moon Shadow girls.
Li Fengwen watched the inevitable battle with satisfaction.
Suddenly, he remembered the falcon BOSS.
He nned to send some of his men to distract the falcon to prevent it from escaping.
But when he looked back, he saw that his falcon was being ''taken over'' by a man!
Seeing someone stealing the BOSS, Li Fengwen roared, "Kill that guy! Think you can steal our BOSS? Do you think we''re blind?"
Immediately, five Blood Fiend yers broke away from the battlefield and ran towards the falcon.
Liu Xiazi, who was live-streaming everything from the side, chuckled.
"This guy''s got guts, stealing a BOSS in front of two guilds. I can already see his fate."
Lin Jichen, still fighting the falcon, heard themotion behind him.
He could only sigh. He didn''t want trouble, but that didn''t mean he was afraid of it.
"Don''t force me to act. Get lost," Lin Jichen said without even turning his head, issuing a final warning to the Blood Fiend Guild.
The Blood Fiend members burst into mockingughter.
"Haha, did this guy take the wrong medicine? Where does he get off acting so tough?"
"Is he an idiot? I''ve never seen such misced confidence."
"Kill him quickly, then take down the falcon. We need to hurry before Moon Shadow''s reinforcements arrive."
"He''s alone, we''ll take him down in no time. I''ll go first!"
Several of them moved to attack Lin Jichen.
The first to approach was a body cultivator at the initial stage of Qi Refining, his fist like a star hammer, aiming for Lin Jichen''s back!
Lin Jichen didn''t turn around, but it was as if he had eyes on his back.
With a skillful sidestep, he dodged the punch.
This wasn''t a predictive skill, but purebat experience and awareness.
In his previous life, Lin Jichen had yed as a mage for nine years, facing countless ambushes.
He had experienced more ambushes than he could count.
He had faced attacks from Divine Transformation and Enlightenment Realm enemies, so his awareness was top-notch.
Even after his rebirth, this instinct was ingrained in him.
Dodging the attack, Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate. His wrist flicked, and in an instant, the Crimson Cloud Sword shed down.
The speed was so fast that the body cultivator was caught off guard, unprepared.
The sword left a long wound on the body cultivator.
"-545!"
A terrifying damage number appeared on the yer.
Before he could react, Lin Jichen shed again, easily cutting across the opponent''s neck!
"Throat sh! Fatal Damage! -455! Instant Kill!"
455 was his remaining health, now depleted.
The guy didn''t even understand what happened. His vision went ck, and he turned into a Soul Burial Mound, dead just like that.
Seeing theirrade turn into a Soul Burial Mound, the other yers finally snapped out of it.
The remaining yers'' breaths quickened, their hearts racing like never before, and their hands broke out in a cold sweat.
Chapter 35 – Terrifying
Chapter 35 C Terrifying
"That''s impossible... How can this kid deal so much damage?"
"He didn''t even use any skills. I don''t believe it. Is he cheating?"
"Does this game even have cheats? Don''t try to fool me, I didn''t read much."
"Could he be at the Foundation Establishment Realm? No, that''s not right. He''s only at the middle stage of Qi Refining. How can he deal such high damage?"
The group exchanged bewildered nces.
yers could choose whether to make their attribute panels public. If you chose to hide them, other yers couldn''t see your attributes, only your realm.
Lin Jichen couldn''t be bothered with their nonsense. Killing one was killing, killing a group was still killing.
The falcon attacked him again, but this time Lin Jichen didn''t bother dodging. He took the hit and charged at the remaining yers. In just a few breaths, he effortlessly cut them down like slicing through vegetables.
Then he turned back to deal with the Medicine Spirit Falcon.
Li Fengwen, who was watching Su Wanling and the others struggle, took a moment to nce over.
He thought the kid who stole the BOSS should be dead by now.
But when he looked closely, he saw Lin Jichen still fighting the falcon, with no sign of his subordinates.
All that was left were a few Soul Burial Mounds next to Lin Jichen.
"What the hell is going on? I told you to kill that kid who stole the BOSS. Are you deaf?"
Li Fengwen thought his men hadn''t gone over, not believing that the Soul Burial Mounds were his own brothers.
"Hey, that''s strange. I remember Feng Shang and the others went over. I even sent Lei Bao and his group with them," said a Blood Fiend member, looking around but finding no one.
He had to ask in the team channel, "Feng Shang, where the hell are you? The boss is pissed, stop cking and get over here!"
In the team channel, a yer named Feng Shang replied with a crying face.
"Brother Xiaoyan, I''m already dead. I''m at my sect''s resurrection point."
"What? How did you die?"
"That kid killed me. He killed all of us..."
"I..." Kuang Xiaoyan was speechless and quickly started cursing.
"You useless idiots! Five of you got killed by one person? How did I end up with such trash teammates!"
Feng Shangined, "Brother Xiaoyan, it''s not that we''re useless. That kid is too weird. His damage is terrifying. None of us could withstand two of his sword strikes."
"You''re just making excuses. How could it be that ridiculous? The game has only been in open beta for a few days. Could there already be an Immortalization Realm expert? Damn it!"
Kuang Xiaoyan cursed, not believing Feng Shang''s words.
Guild leader Li Fengwen, however, was suspicious. He saw Lin Jichen fighting the falcon alone.
If this kid were just an average yer, the falcon would have killed him instantly. But the distance was too far, and he couldn''t see what was happening.
"Xiaoyan, take some men over there. These women can''t cause much trouble anyway," Li Fengwen ordered.
"Got it, boss. I''ll handle both the yer and the BOSS."
Kuang Xiaoyan confidently agreed. As the strongest expert in the Blood Fiend Guild, already at the middle stage of Qi Refining, he had every reason to be confident.
Kuang Xiaoyan led a few subordinates to find Lin Jichen.
By now, Lin Jichen had beaten the falcon down to less than two thousand health. He was about to finish it off when he heard footsteps behind him, growing increasingly impatient.
"Are you guys done yet? Do you really want to die?"
As Lin Jichen turned to speak, the falcon, enraged, screeched and spat out a ball of green me!
Soul-Scorching Green me!
Lin Jichen, distracted, didn''t dodge in time and was hit by the me.
"-111!"
"-111!"
"-111!"
...
The burning damage kept ticking away.
Lin Jichen was annoyed. If it weren''t for these people interrupting him, he wouldn''t have been hit by this skill.
But he couldn''t let the falcon continue attacking him, especially with its health so low. He feared someone might steal the kill.
Ignoring Kuang Xiaoyan and his men for now, Lin Jichen refocused on the falcon.
He aimed his Crimson Cloud Sword at the falcon''s heart, a weak spot, and struck three times in quick session!
"Critical Hit! -570!"
"Critical Hit! -570!"
After two strikes, Lin Jichen''s Frost Moon sh cooldown was up. He unleashed a dazzling Frost Moon Sword Qi for the final blow!
It also triggered the Crimson Cloud Sword''s third extra damage.
"-1260! Instant Kill!"
The falcon let out a final wail and copsed.
[Ding! Congrattions onpleting the first kill of a Qi Refining Realm BOSS in "Tale of Immortal." Global announcement imminent. Would you like to hide your name?]
"Don''t hide it."
As soon as Lin Jichen made his choice, the game announcement went out.
"Congrattions to yer Lin Jichen forpleting the first kill of a Qi Refining Realm BOSS in ''Tale of Immortal.'' Reward: +400 reputation, +2 innate charm, +1 achievement medal. Wishing all yers sess in their martial pursuits."
With the announcement, Lin Jichen''s name once again became the focus of discussion among "Tale of Immortal" yers.
Kuang Xiaoyan and his subordinates were dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning, losing their ability to think.
Watching the scene unfold before him, Kuang Xiaoyan rubbed his eyes.
He wondered if his usual ''activities'' had left him so weak that he was hallucinating.
But the falcon''s corpse on the ground and the game announcement in his ears confirmed it was real.
Equally shocked was Liu Xiazi, who had sneaked nearby.
Liu Xiazi stood with her mouth agape, staring nkly. Her usually lively livestream chat was now silent.
Everyone was still in shock.
"Guys... did you see that clearly? What just happened... Am I seeing things? Oh no, you guys always call me ''Blind Xiazi,'' and now I''ve really gone blind, boohoo..."
Liu Xiazi''s voice broke the silence in the livestream, and viewers snapped out of their shock, flooding the chat withments.
"Oh my god! Is this guy even human? Could he be an NPC at the Foundation Establishment Realm?"
"Didn''t you see the announcement? His name is Lin Jichen. He got the first kill on the novice vige BOSS too."
"There''s definitely cheats! This game has cheats, guys!"
"This is ridiculous. I saw it clearly. Three strikes did nearly two thousand damage? I''m only at a thousand vitality at the initial stage of Qi Refining."
"I thought those Blood Fiend Guild members got killed because they were already low on health from fighting the Moon Shadow Guild. That''s why they died so easily."
"I just want to say, this is terrifying!"
"Super expert! My idol!"
"Are Sword Cultivators really this strong? Can I switch from de Cultivation? Suddenly, my de feels like it''s only good for cutting tofu (Ԩ)..."
...
"Cultivation +300!"
After killing the falcon, Lin Jichen gained three hundred cultivation points.
The falcon''s corpse turned into a Soul Burial Mound, and Lin Jichen quickly collected the loot without even looking at it.
Seeing Lin Jichen take the BOSS equipment, Kuang Xiaoyan shouted, "Hand over the loot!"
Lin Jichen sneered, "I haven''t even settled the score with you guys yet, and you dare covet my spoils?"
Kuang Xiaoyan''s heart skipped a beat!
Guys, your enthusiasm has scared Qingjiu. I promised three chapters a day.
You break my goals in minutes, forcing me to add more chapters daily. I regret setting that g (bitter smile).
By the way, the top 100 readers can join the chat group first.
Chapter 36 – Had to fight back
Chapter 36 C Had to fight back
As soon as Lin Jichen''s words fell, heunched a sudden attack on Kuang Xiaoyan and his men, arriving in an instant.
Kuang Xiaoyan was once again shocked by his opponent''s speed.
Feng Shang had said this guy was also at the middle stage of Qi Refining, but his speed was at least three to four times faster than his own!
Before he could process this information, Lin Jichen''s sword was alreadying for his life!
Kuang Xiaoyan raised his spear to block. He was a spear cultivator, and the attack range of his spear far exceeded that of a sword.
The spear shot out like a dragon!
The spear in Kuang Xiaoyan''s hand transformed into a silver dragon, roaring towards Lin Jichen.
He was confident that Lin Jichen would be forced to retreat.
Otherwise, he would take this spear head-on.
Unexpectedly, Lin Jichen not only didn''t retreat but charged forward to meet the spear!
Just before the spear was about to pierce him, Lin Jichen lifted his Crimson Cloud Sword and performed a precise upward flick, deflecting the spear tip!
Fuck! What kind of move is that?
Kuang Xiaoyan was stunned.
After deflecting the spear, Lin Jichen didn''t slow down, charging forward like a fierce tiger descending the mountain.
With an imposing aura, he closed the distance to within sword range and struck fiercely!
Kuang Xiaoyan quickly retracted his spear, trying to mimic Lin Jichen''s move, raising his spear to flick away the sword.
He wanted to deflect Lin Jichen''s sword in the same manner.
However, Lin Jichen''s sword speed was astonishingly fast, and his movements were unpredictable.
Not only did Kuang Xiaoyan fail to deflect the sword, but he also exposed his body to Lin Jichen''s de.
As the sword shed, a shocking wound appeared on Kuang Xiaoyan''s shoulder.
"-300!"
Fuck!
Kuang Xiaoyan cursed in fear. What kind of insane damage is this?
He was at the middle stage of Qi Refining, with a base defense of 20 points. He had also taken a mid-grade Gathering Qi Pill, which gave him 15 free attribute points, of which he allocated 5 to defense.
Combined with his sect''s attire and a Spirit Grade defensive belt, his defense totaled 40 points!
This was already considered high defense among yers at the middle stage of Qi Refining.
Yet, just one sword strike to his shoulder had cost him 300 health points. Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!
Calcting quickly, Kuang Xiaoyan realized Lin Jichen''s base strength must be 70 points!
Is that even humanly possible?
Kuang Xiaoyan finally understood why Feng Shang and the others couldn''t defeat him. This was like trying to hammer a rock!
If he, at the middle stage of Qi Refining, was in such a state, those at the initial stage were no different from paper in front of Lin Jichen.
"Everyone, attack together!"
Kuang Xiaoyan immediately abandoned any pretense of honor and called for his men to gang up on Lin Jichen.
No kidding, his health bar was just over two thousand. A few more hits and he''d be done for.
The four of themunched a coordinated attack, but Lin Jichen remained calm, weaving through their encirclement as if taking a leisurely stroll.
With a speed of 79 points, as long as Lin Jichen wanted to dodge, they couldn''t even touch his clothes.
Even if they did hit him, unless it was a critical hit, his 71 points of defense would render the attack useless.
Moreover, at this stage, very few yers had learned any skills, relying solely on basic attacks, which couldn''t break through Lin Jichen''s defense at all.
Despair was written all over Kuang Xiaoyan and his men''s faces.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
They were all brutally in by Lin Jichen, turning into four new Soul Burial Mounds.
Li Fengwen, who had been watching from the shadows, finally realized something was wrong. It seemed they had kicked an iron te.
In the team channel, Kuang Xiaoyan urgently warned Li Fengwen after his death.
"Boss, run! This guy is a monster; we are no match for him."
Li Fengwen, in disbelief, asked, "We still have over twenty people. You don''t think we can kill him?"
"Even with another twenty, it might not work. Our attacks can''t break his defense, and even if wend a critical hit, it would only do double-digit damage," Kuang Xiaoyan exined.
Li Fengwen, unwilling to ept this, angrily said, "So we''re just going to let this guy trample all over our guild? If we don''t avenge this, where''s the face of the Blood Fiend Guild?"
Kuang Xiaoyan had to console him, "Boss, don''t worry. At this stage, none of the brothers have learned any skills. In a few days, when everyone has exchanged for sect skills, it will be his death day!"
Li Fengwen found this reasonable, hesitated for a moment, and finally led the remaining men to retreat reluctantly.
Lin Jichen had no intention of chasing them. Instead, he leisurely scavenged the Soul Burial Mounds of the Blood Fiend Guild members he had killed, looking for any good loot.
However, at this stage, everyone was basically dirt poor. After searching all the Soul Burial Mounds, Lin Jichen only found seven or eight pieces of Ordinary Grade equipment and one Spirit Grade belt.
The belt''s attributes were inferior to his Rhinoceros Belt, so Lin Jichen lost interest after a nce.
It was only then that Kuang Xiaoyan realized his belt had been looted.
He cursed loudly at the sect''s resurrection point. That was his only piece of Spirit Grade equipment, and it was the guild''s first Spirit Grade item!
Now, not only did they fail to snatch the boss, but they also lost a piece of Spirit Grade equipment and so many brothers.
Since they were the aggressors, they all had red names, and the death penalty was severe, causing a significant drop in their cultivation.
On the other hand, the Moon Shadow Guild, although they lost many members, only suffered minor cultivation experience loss as they had white names.
Moreover, the Blood Fiend Guild members fled in such a hurry that they didn''t have time to loot the Moon Shadow Guild''s equipment. None of the Moon Shadow Guild members lost any gear.
In contrast, the Soul Burial Mounds of the Blood Fiend Guild members they killed contained quite a few pieces of Ordinary Grade equipment.
In summary, the Blood Fiend Guild''s operation this time was aplete failure, losing both their men and their equipment, a total disaster.
"Master Lin, thank you so much this time."
After the battle, Su Wanling and a female mage walked up to Lin Jichen to express their gratitude.
Lin Jichen waved his hand and replied earnestly, "No need to thank me. I didn''t intend to help you. They came looking for trouble first, so I had to fight back."
Su Wanling smiled wryly. Listen to this, does it even sound like human speech?
The female mage beside her also spoke up, "Regardless, thank you, Mr. Lin, for your help. Without you, we would have been wiped out today."
Up close, Lin Jichen finally saw the female mage''s appearance clearly. She was even more beautiful than Su Wanling.
The woman wore a light green robe, her skin fairer than snow, eyes like stars, with an elegant and refined demeanor, exuding an extraordinary grace.
Her tall and slender figure stood upright, her stunning face carrying a reserved and noble aura that kept people at a distance, making her unforgettable at first sight.
Looking closely at the staff in her hand, Lin Jichen remembered it was the Illuminating Staff he had sold to Su Wanling. No wonder it looked familiar.
"It''s no big deal."
Facing the woman''s gratitude, Lin Jichen seemed indifferent.
He remembered something and said, "By the way, I''ve already dealt with the Medicine Spirit Falcon, and here''s the equipment it dropped."
As he spoke, Lin Jichenid out the equipment he had just picked up from the falcon. Su Wanling and the female mage couldn''t help but be curious about what good items the falcon had dropped.
When they saw the number of items Lin Jichenid out, both women were stunned, their eyes wide open.
Lin Jichen hadid out six items in total. What kind of drop rate was this?
They had never seen a monster so generous. Could the falcon''s drop rate be this high?
Chapter 37 – Jiang Luoyu
Chapter 37 C Jiang Luoyu
[Spirit Grade Storm Gauntlets]: Strength +11, Critical Hit +8, Vitality +300,es with the skill [Explosive Punch].
Explosive Punch: Condenses an unexpected heavy punch, Damage +150%, the target will suffer internal injuries for 5 seconds. If a critical hit is triggered, the duration of internal injuries is doubled.
Requirement: Only fist cultivators with 35 points or more in Bone Structure can use.
[Spirit Grade Guanjiang Spear]: Strength +9, Critical Hit +5, Spear Technique Damage +10%.
Requirement: Spear cultivators.
[Spirit Grade Martial Arts Technique Ice Spike]: Consumes mana to summon an ice spike that pierces the enemy, dealing 240 base damage and slowing the target by 30% for 15 seconds.
Mana Consumption: 600 points, Cooldown: 60 seconds.
Requirement: Only mage yers can learn.
[Spirit Grade Spirit Skill Dragon Ascend]: The spear transforms into a dragon, soaring and breaking through the sea, dealing 800 base damage to all enemies within 40 meters and knocking them airborne for 2 seconds.
Mana Consumption: 1200 points, Cooldown: 50 minutes.
Requirement: Only Foundation Establishment Realm spear cultivators with 40 points or more in Bone Structure can learn.
[Rare Herb: Yin Sustaining Grass x1]
[Quest Item: Falcon Blood Essence x1]
A total of six items, four of which are Spirit Grade equipment and skills.
This drop rate and equipment quality made Su Wanling and the female mage start to doubt if they were ying the same game as Lin Jichen.
Could it be that the first kill of a boss has a higher chance of dropping good items?
Only this reason could somewhat convince them.
"These are all the items. As agreed, the Yin Sustaining Grass is mine, and I''ll pick one more item as my reward. No problem, right?" Lin Jichen said.
The female mage shook her head slightly, and Lin Jichen thought she was going to agree.
Unexpectedly, she changed her mind.
"Mr. Lin, you killed the falcon alone. We originally had no right to take the equipment. These items should all belong to you."
"No, we had an agreement. You were the ones who started fighting the falcon. I just took the first kill and already gained a lot. Besides, if it weren''t for you holding off the Blood Fiend members, I wouldn''t have had the chance. I''ll just take one item as my reward."
Lin Jichen insisted, and seeing this, the female mage had no choice but to agree.
Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate and chose the gauntlets.
The attributes of these gauntlets were excellent. Even if he couldn''t use them, he could sell them for a good price.
As for the other items, Lin Jichen wasn''t too interested, except for a spear cultivator''s spirit skill book, which had decent attributes.
But spirit skills required the Foundation Establishment Realm to learn.
At this stage, even if he sold it, it wouldn''t fetch a good price.
So Lin Jichen chose the Storm Gauntlets. This piece of equipment would make all the physical cultivators in Tale of Immortal drool with envy.
After selecting his items, Lin Jichen didn''t touch anything else.
The female mage whispered a few words to Su Wanling, who nodded and then logged off.
In less than half a minute, she logged back in.
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen received a bank notification on his phone.
"Your card ending in 7758 has received a deposit of 5,000,000 yuan. Bnce: 5,000,000.35 yuan. [Industrial and Commercial Bank]"
Lin Jichen instantly understood that the five million was transferred by Su Wanling on behalf of the female mage.
Five million, given without blinking an eye. This woman must be truly wealthy.
"Thanks."
Lin Jichen didn''t want to be overly polite. He simply thanked her, epting the transfer.
If someone insists on giving, refusing would seem pretentious. Besides, Lin Jichen was still living in someone else''s house.
With this money, he could buy his own ce and live morefortably.
"We should be the ones thanking you." The female mage smiled, her smile as radiant as spring flowers, exuding a captivating charm.
She extended her hand and said gracefully to Lin Jichen, "I''m Jiang Luoyu, the president of the Moon Shadow Guild."
"Lin Jichen, a lone yer."
Lin Jichen shook her hand calmly. Suddenly, a thought shed in his mind, and his eyes sparkled.
Jiang Luoyu... Why does this name sound so familiar...
Moon Shadow Guild...
Wait!
Lin Jichen remembered.
Moon Shadow Guild, Jiang Luoyu, no wonder it sounded familiar.
Lin Jichen couldn''t recall the Moon Shadow Guild, but the name Jiang Luoyu was famous in his previous life.
She had three identities: First, ranked thirteenth on the Heavenly Rankings of Tale of Immortal, the second most powerful mage in the world, just below Lin Jichen.
Second, the president of the Moon Shadow Guild, the wealthiest guild in Tale of Immortal.
If the first two identities weren''t impressive enough, the third one was absolutely shocking.
Jiang Luoyu was the only daughter of the world''s richest man!
Her family possessed immense wealth, rivaling nations.
This was why the Moon Shadow Guild was the wealthiest guild in Tale of Immortal. Her family''s wealth was beyond measure, richer than national banks.
But why couldn''t Lin Jichen remember the Moon Shadow Guild? Because it only existed briefly in Tale of Immortal.
It seemed to have disbanded after just two years. The exact reason was unknown to Lin Jichen.
Rumor had it that Jiang Luoyu made a bet with her father to establish thergest and strongest guild in Tale of Immortal within two years. If she seeded, her father would let her choose her own path in life.
Unfortunately, she lost the bet and had to return home to inherit the family business and manage thepany.
Thus, the Moon Shadow Guild was forced to disband.
Whether this rumor was true or not was uncertain, just hearsay.
Now, looking at this stunning girl and thinking about her father being the world''s richest man, Lin Jichen, who had been poor all his previous life, felt quite honored to meet the daughter of the richest man.
After all, he had been poor all his life. Even after the game and reality merged, causing real-world currency to devalue significantly, he never had a million in his pocket...
So knowing her background, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but hold her hand for two more seconds, hoping to absorb some of her wealth, hehe.
But this behavior looked like he was taking advantage in the eyes of Su Wanling and Jiang Luoyu.
"Hey! You have some nerve, taking advantage of our president. Don''t think you can do whatever you want just because you''re skilled."
Su Wanling said indignantly, not only to protect her boss but also because she was annoyed by Lin Jichen''s different treatment.
She had met Lin Jichen several times, and each time he just brushed her off and left.
She thought he might not be interested in women.
But seeing him take advantage of her boss, she realized it was because she wasn''t pretty enough?
Lin Jichen, embarrassed by Su Wanling''s words, withdrew his hand with a sheepish smile, "I was thinking about something, it wasn''t intentional."
"Yeah, right." Su Wanling retorted.
Jiang Luoyu didn''tment, her expression unchanged, but her beautiful eyes seemed to hold a hint of something different.
Lin Jichenughed awkwardly, "Since there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave. Sayonara~"
With that, Lin Jichen quickly slipped away, avoiding any more of Su Wanling''s harsh words.
Seeing Lin Jichen flee, the two girls couldn''t help butugh.
"Your friend is quite nice." Jiang Luoyumented.
"Nice? Luoyu, he just took advantage of you. This guy clearly likes you." Su Wanlingined.
"Alright, maybe you''re overthinking. It was just a handshake. Besides, he kept his word and helped us a lot. We should be grateful."
"I''m not saying we shouldn''t be grateful. But just because he helped doesn''t mean he can take advantage. If your dad finds out, he''ll be in trouble."
"Don''t, don''t tell my dad about this. Not a word. You''re my bestie, don''t act as my dad''s spy."
"Don''t worry, we''ve been besties for years. I wouldn''t betray you."
"That''s good. Let''s go before the Blood Fiend Guildes back. Distribute these items to the core members of the guild. Also, give a 50,000 yuan bonus to each member who participated in the battle today."
"Yes, my dear chairman~"
"I told you not to call me that in private, Wanling. You''re asking for a beating."
"Ouch, I was wrong, hehe..."
Chapter 38 – Studying alchemy
Chapter 38 C Studying alchemy
When the members of the Moon Shadow Guild had all left, Cann Medicine Valley seemed to return to its tranquility.
Until a girl emerged from a dark corner.
"Phew! Guys, today''s livestream was worth it, wasn''t it? Not only did Xiazi bring you a guild war, but you also got to see the exclusive moves of a super expert, Lin Jichen!"
As she spoke, Liu Xiazi began to reminisce about Lin Jichen''s series of actions, murmuring her evaluation.
"Facing the siege of so many Blood Fiend members with such calmness, effortlessly sweeping through them like autumn leaves, and even taking down ate-stage Qi Refining boss on the sidewho else has such prowess?"
The audience couldn''t refute; indeed, they couldn''t think of a second expert who couldpare to Lin Jichen, at least not one they had seen.
The livestream had them all fired up.
"I, Liu Xiazi, hereby dere that I believe Lin Jichen is currently the number one expert in ''Tale of Immortal''! Who agrees, who disagrees?"
Surprisingly, even the viewers who usually loved to argue with Xiazi all agreed.
If Lin Jichen wasn''t the top expert, then who was?
At this point, Liu Xiazi''s eyes suddenly sparkled with hearts, and she cupped her face, looking infatuated.
"Most importantly, Lin Jichen is so handsome. I''ve decided, he''s my idol from now on! My dream guy!"
The chat exploded with vomiting emojis, but Liu Xiazi ignored them all.
Having found a new idol, Liu Xiazi eagerly pulled up the livestream recording.
She edited the footage of Lin Jichen single-handedly taking on dozens of people and the Medicine Spirit Falcon, then posted it on the ''Tale of Immortal'' forum.
She gave it a very eye-catching title: "Tale of Immortal''s Top Expert Lin Jichen, Single-Handedly Defeats Blood Fiend Guild!"
The video had barely been uploaded when its views skyrocketed like a rocket...
Everyone who saw the video was in awe, bowing in admiration.
Of course, many couldn''t understand how Lin Jichen''s damage could be so high; they suspected he might be cheating.
In the video, the Blood Fiend Guild became aughingstock, mocked byizens.
So many people attacking one person, yet getting killed so many times, and in the end, not even daring to fight back, with the guild leader leading the escapewhat a disgrace.
Li Fengwen hadn''t expected to be recorded. Seeing the video and the overwhelming ridicule online, he flew into a rage, smashing many antiques at home.
To save face, Li Fengwen immediately responded on the forum on behalf of Blood Fiend, iming that Lin Jichen''s damage was abnormal.
The implication was clear: Lin Jichen must be cheating, and it wasn''t that Blood Fiend members were ipetent.
Many yers thought Li Fengwen made a good point, but others believed Lin Jichen wasn''t cheating.
In any case, because of this video, Lin Jichen became a hot topic, sparking heated debates.
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen, unaware of all this, returned to the Tianyan Sword Sect with the Yin Sustaining Grass, ready to hand it over to Elder Tianqing.
Unexpectedly, Elder Tianqing was in the alchemy room, refining elixirs.
"Bring the Yin Sustaining Grass in first; I''ll take it after I finish this batch of elixirs."
Elder Tianqing''s voice came from inside the alchemy room.
Lin Jichen entered the alchemy room, where Elder Tianqing was adding herbs to the furnace.
Next to him was a herb bed with various herbs, including the Yin Sustaining Grass, of which only two stalks were left.
It seemed insufficient, which was why Lin Jichen had been sent to find more.
It looked like Elder Tianqing still wanted to continue refining the Youth Retaining Pill.
Lin Jichen realized this was a rare learning opportunity.
Alchemy was a secondary profession in ''Tale of Immortal.'' Besides alchemy, there were many other secondary professions in the game.
For example, artifact forging, feng shui, herbalism, mining, beast taming, and so on.
These secondary professions were all very useful.
In his previous life, besides being a magic cultivator, Lin Jichen was also a seventh-grade herbalist and a sixth-grade alchemy master.
Because magic cultivation heavily relied on elixirs, just the mana recovery elixirs alone would have been a huge expense if bought.
To make ends meet, Lin Jichen had no choice but to gather herbs and refine his own elixirs. He had no other way, and after refining so many, he had be a sixth-grade alchemy master.
asionally, when he was short on money, he could even sell some elixirs.
In ''Tale of Immortal,'' all secondary professions were ranked from one to nine, with one being the lowest and nine being the highest.
A ninth-grade alchemy master was also called a grandmaster.
Elder Tianqing was a grandmaster-level alchemy master.
Being able to observe and learn from him was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Lin Jichen.
He ced the Yin Sustaining Grass on the herb bed but didn''t leave.
"You can watch from the side, but don''t make any noise."
Elder Tianqing seemed to guess Lin Jichen''s intention and didn''t chase him away, not keeping his skills to himself.
This was all for Leng Feiyan''s sake; otherwise, he would have kicked Lin Jichen out long ago.
No one liked being watched by strangers while showing off their skills.
Lin Jichen was secretly delighted; having a backer was great, everyone in the sect had to give him face.
Elder Tianqing began refining elixirs, his expression bing serious.
He methodically added different herbs to the furnace.
Lin Jichen remained silent and still, his eyes fixed on Elder Tianqing''s every move.
"Comprehended the essence of alchemy, alchemy aptitude +5%."
After just half a minute of watching, Lin Jichen received an unexpected surprise, his face lighting up with joy.
But he suppressed his excitement and continued to watch silently.
Another minute passed.
"Comprehended the essence of alchemy, alchemy aptitude +5%."
This time it took longer, five minutes.
"Comprehended the essence of alchemy, alchemy aptitude +5%."
Fifteen minutes.
"Comprehended the essence of alchemy, alchemy aptitude +5%."
Thirty minutes.
"Comprehended the essence of alchemy, alchemy aptitude +5%."
...
Just like that, Lin Jichen watched Elder Tianqing''s every move without blinking.
An hour passed, and Lin Jichen''s alchemy aptitude had increased by 25%!
Just as Lin Jichen wanted to continue watching, the furnace suddenly emitted ck smoke.
"Not good! Another failure."
Elder Tianqing had just finished speaking.
Boom!
The furnace exploded.
Elder Tianqing walked out of the alchemy room, looking dejected, followed by the unlucky Lin Jichen.
The old and the young, both covered in soot, looked like beggars fleeing from Africa.
Elder Tianqing nced at Lin Jichen and burst into heartyughter.
"Kid, watching me refine elixirses at a price. You''re unlucky; I happened to be experimenting with a new elixir, and furnace explosions are quitemon."
Lin Jichen smiled wryly. But turning into a beggar was a small price to pay if it meant increasing his alchemy aptitude.
He wanted to continue watching, but Elder Tianqing seemed unwilling to let him stay.
"You helped me find the Yin Sustaining Grass, so I can''t let you go unrewarded. Take your payment and leave; I need to continue refining elixirs."
Elder Tianqing tossed a wooden box to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen opened the box to find a bottle of elixirs and a bracelet inside.
[Spirit GradeAttribute Elixir]: Permanently increases a randombat attribute by 1-5 points. Quantity: 3 pills.
Requirements: None.
...
[Spirit GradeGentle Breeze Bracelet]: Speed +5, Evasion +8%, Movement Technique Skill Cooldown -10%.
Requirements: None.
...
Great items!
Lin Jichen was delighted.
Attribute Elixirs were highly sought after, and the bracelet''s attributes were top-notch, boosting speed, evasion, and most importantly, reducing the cooldown of movement technique skills.
Lin Jichen unceremoniously stored the box in his ring, grinning widely.
"Thank you, Elder!"
Elder Tianqing waved his hand with a kind smile, "Alright, off you go."
Knowing that Elder Tianqing truly didn''t want him to stay, Lin Jichen reluctantly turned to leave.
Still unwilling to go, he took two steps and looked back!
Chapter 39 – Youth Retaining Pill
Chapter 39 C Youth Retaining Pill
"Elder!"
"What is it now?" Elder Tianqing asked.
Lin Jichen braced himself and said, "Elder, were you just refining a Youth Retaining Pill?"
"Oh? You know about the Youth Retaining Pill?" Elder Tianqing''s expression was quite surprised.
Lin Jichen chuckled and said, "I have a keen interest in alchemy. I often study it and once saw it mentioned in an ancient text."
"Didn''t expect you to be interested in alchemy as well? Not bad, not bad. Indeed, I was refining a Youth Retaining Pill, but unfortunately, I don''t have the exact form. I''m just feeling my way through."
"I know the form!" Lin Jichen quickly said.
After all, he was a sixth-grade Alchemy Master, though far inferior to Elder Tianqing, a ninth-grade grandmaster.
But the Youth Retaining Pill, he had seen it before.
He once stumbled upon an alchemist''s abandoned cave and found a form for the Youth Retaining Pill inside.
However, due to his low alchemy level, his sess rate in refining it was extremely low, and the ingredients were very rare.
He had only learned the form but couldn''t gather the materials.
As the game and reality merged, the form was imprinted in his mind.
"Is that so? Then tell me, what are the ingredients?" Elder Tianqing still couldn''t believe Lin Jichen knew the form.
Lin Jichen didn''t hold back and recited the form on the spot.
As he listed more and more ingredients, Elder Tianqing''s expression grew increasingly shocked.
He could confirm that Lin Jichen wasn''t lying because all the ingredients were indeed for the Youth Retaining Pill.
Moreover, Lin Jichen even mentioned the exact quantities and proportions needed for each ingredient, which didn''t seem made up at all.
After Lin Jichen finished reciting the entire form, Elder Tianqing''s breathing became a bit rapid.
"Follow me!" he said, grabbing Lin Jichen and rushing back into the alchemy room.
"Watch closely. If I get any proportions wrong, remind me," Elder Tianqing instructed Lin Jichen and then began refining the pill ording to the form.
Lin Jichen watched from the side, asionally correcting the dosage of certain ingredients.
At the same time, his alchemy aptitude began to increase, albeit slowly.
With all the ingredients thrown into the furnace, Elder Tianqing''s expression turned solemn as he started refining the materials, merging the medicinal essences, and condensing the pill.
This was the difference between alchemists of different levels. Besides having a precise form, experience in alchemy was crucial.
For instance, controlling the heat, timing, and managing impuritiesnone of these could be overlooked.
An hour passed.
As the mes in the furnace died down, a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out.
Elder Tianqing opened the furnace lid, and two perfectly formed pills flew out.
"Haha! I did it!" Elder Tianqing was overjoyed. After pondering the Youth Retaining Pill for so long, he had finally seeded.
Of course, he didn''t forget Lin Jichen''s contribution. Without Lin Jichen providing theplete form, he would have failed many more times.
"What''s your name again?"
"Disciple Lin Jichen."
"Good, Lin Jichen, you''ve done me a great favor! Here, take one of these pills as a reward!"
Elder Tianqing generously handed one of the Youth Retaining Pills to Lin Jichen.
[Ding! Elder Tianqing''s affection level towards you +20! Current affection level: 20 points (Friendly Conversation)]
Lin Jichen was stunned. He didn''t expect Elder Tianqing to have an affection level of 20 points right from the start.
And he was so generous, giving him a Youth Retaining Pill directly.
The Youth Retaining Pill was an Earth Grade elixir and could increase innate attributes!
In "Tale of Immortal," any elixir that could increase innate attributes was extremely rare and valuable.
Innate attributes were different frombat attributes; they didn''t increase with your realm.
So, treasures that could boost innate attributes were priceless in "Tale of Immortal." Even an elixir that added one or two points could sell for a fortune.
[Earth Grade Youth Retaining Pill]: Permanently increases innate charm by 5 points, increases the affection growth rate of opposite-sex NPCs by 5%. If given to an opposite-sex NPC, it can randomly increase their affection towards you by 10-20 points.
Requirement: Each person can only consume one, and it can only be gifted to the same person once.
Although this elixir wasn''t very useful for Lin Jichen since his innate charm was already maxed out, and the 5% affection growth rate wasn''t significant, he quickly thought of who to give it to.
Of course, it had to be Leng Feiyan!
The higher Leng Feiyan''s affection towards him, the more benefits he would gain.
"Thank you, Elder. I will take my leave now."
Lin Jichen wanted to quickly deliver the elixir to Leng Feiyan.
He had already gained 50% alchemy aptitude from Elder Tianqing. To continue increasing it would require more time.
In the early stages of the game, Lin Jichen didn''t want to waste too much time on cultivating alchemy aptitude. He could leave that forter when he had more free time.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to leave, Elder Tianqing called out to him.
"Do you have any other instructions, Elder?"
Elder Tianqing, in a good mood, looked at Lin Jichen with increasing satisfaction and suddenly had the idea of taking him as a disciple.
"I ask you, do you like the art of alchemy?"
"Uh... yes, I do," Lin Jichen could only reply.
"Then I want to take you as my disciple and teach you the art of alchemy. Are you willing?"
[Ding! Opportunity triggered! Elder Tianqing wants to take you as a disciple. Do you ept?]
Lin Jichen didn''t expect such a sudden stroke of luck.
He was about to agree but hesitated when he thought of Leng Feiyan.
"Elder, I already have a master, as you know."
Elder Tianqingughed and said, "I know you are the Sect Master''s disciple, but I want to teach you alchemy, while the Sect Master teaches you cultivation. There''s no conflict."
Lin Jichen thought it made sense and was about to agree when a familiar, clear voice came from behind him.
"Elder Tianqing, are you really willing to take away Feiyan''s only disciple?"
As the voice fell, a graceful figure floated over, dressed in white, looking dreamlike under the moonlight.
The night breeze blew, her hair fluttering, and her white clothes swayed, making her look like an ethereal goddess or a cold and noble fairy from the moon pce.
Just one nce was enough to make one''s heart race.
The neer was none other than Leng Feiyan.
Leng Feiyan''s sudden arrival surprised both Lin Jichen and Elder Tianqing.
She walked gracefully to Elder Tianqing.
As she passed Lin Jichen, she nced at him without a word.
Although her gaze was calm, Lin Jichen felt as if she was angry with him...
Impossible, it must be his imagination.
Elder Tianqingughed and said, "Sect Master, you misunderstand. I never intended to take your disciple. It''s just that your disciple has great talent in alchemy, and I couldn''t help but want to teach him."
"I see, it seems I misunderstood," Leng Feiyan smiled, her smile captivating.
She paused for a moment, then changed the topic...
"But I believe my disciple has even greater talent in cultivation. The Sword Sect needs not just alchemists but powerful immortals. Don''t you agree, Elder Tianqing?"
Chapter 40 – The importance of teasing girls
Chapter 40 C The importance of teasing girls
Elder Tianqing was at a loss for words, but he was reluctant to give up on such a promising talent like Lin Jichen. He still wanted to make an effort.
"The Sect Master is right; cultivation is indeed the primary task of the Sword Sect. However, I believe that while cultivating, it wouldn''t hurt to delve a bit into the art of alchemy."
"What you say makes sense, Elder, but my disciple''s cultivation is still shallow, and his realm is low. Although he is exceptionally gifted, he is already past the prime age for cultivation. If he doesn''t focus and work hard now, he might waste his talent."
Leng Feiyan''s words were reasonable, leaving Elder Tianqing speechless. After pondering for a moment, he could only shake his head with a bitter smile.
"The Sect Master is right; I was being presumptuous. I won''t take him as my disciple."
Leng Feiyan smiled and said, "Elder Tianqing, there''s no need to feel regret. My disciple''s current realm is indeed too low to be distracted. However, once his cultivation improves, if he is willing, he can still be your disciple."
"That would be great! It''s settled then! Haha." Elder Tianqing nodded enthusiastically.
He then turned to Lin Jichen and said, "When your cultivation reaches the Gathering Spirit Realm, if you still wish to learn alchemy, I will take you as myst disciple and teach you everything I know about alchemy!"
Lin Jichen quickly agreed. He didn''t want to focus on alchemy so early, so this arrangement suited him perfectly.
"Then it''s settled. I need to return to my alchemy. You two can carry on." Elder Tianqing left cheerfully.
Only Lin Jichen and Leng Feiyan remained.
"Come with me to the Sword Pce. I have something to discuss with you," Leng Feiyan said calmly.
"Yes, Master."
Lin Jichen agreed, but he had a bad feeling in his heart.
Why did it feel like... Leng Feiyan was going to settle ounts with him?
It couldn''t be, right? He hadn''t done anything wrong. Was it because he was nning to be Elder Tianqing''s disciple?
As Lin Jichen''s thoughts raced, Leng Feiyan brought him back to the Sword Pce.
Inside the pce, it was still just the two of them.
Leng Feiyan sat in the Sect Master''s seat, her beautiful eyes lowered, saying nothing.
Lin Jichen was anxious and tentatively asked, "Master, did you call me back because you have a task for me?"
Leng Feiyan finally spoke, her voice elegant but tinged with a strong sense of jealousy.
"It seems that as your master, I haven''t satisfied my disciple. I''ve been thinking, maybe I''m not suitable to be a master. Perhaps we should dissolve our master-disciple rtionship, and you can find a better teacher."
What the heck!
Lin Jichen was dumbfounded.
Damn it, did something go wrong? He felt like he hadn''t done anything wrong, so why was his master suddenly kicking him out?
Could it be that Leng Feiyan heard about him nning to be Elder Tianqing''s disciple?
It must be!
Lin Jichen felt both amused and helpless. He hadn''t even formally agreed to Elder Tianqing yet, and besides, there was no rule that he could only have one master.
He didn''t expect his master to be so ''petty.'' Upon hearing that he wanted to take a second master, she got angry and said he should find another teacher...
If he had known this would happen, Lin Jichen would have firmly rejected Elder Tianqing''s offer at the time.
But now it was toote; Leng Feiyan was clearly already upset.
No, no, he had to salvage this. He couldn''t lose his biggest support in the Tianyan Sword Sect.
"Master, I know I was wrong. Please don''t dissolve our master-disciple rtionship. I wouldn''t have the face to stay in the Sword Sect if that happened."
Lin Jichen put on a pitiful face and pleaded with Leng Feiyan.
As the Sect Master, Leng Feiyan wasn''t so easily fooled. She asked Lin Jichen calmly.
"What did you do wrong? Did I say you were wrong?"
Lin Jichen thought to himself that women were indeed contradictory creatures. Clearly, she was angry but wouldn''t admit it.
Of course, he didn''t dare say that out loud.
"Of course, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have had distractions and not listened to Master, focusing solely on cultivation. Instead, I thought about learning alchemy, wasting time and neglecting Master''s teachings and expectations."
Lin Jichen put on a guilty and remorseful expression.
Seeing this, Leng Feiyan''s expression softened a bit.
Noticing a chance, Lin Jichen quickly added more.
"I was truly blind. I already have the best master in the world, one whose cultivation is unparalleled and whose beauty is like a celestial being. Yet, I still thought of taking another master. Such greed is unforgivable!"
As he spoke, Lin Jichen pounded his chest in regret.
Anyone who didn''t know would think he hadmitted some heinous crime.
Listening to Lin Jichen''s sincere words, Leng Feiyan''s little bit of resentment dissipated.
Especially when she heard Lin Jichen''spliments, a barely noticeable smile appeared on her lips.
It was like a ripple, quickly spreading across her face, then gathering into two stars in her eyes, disappearing in an instant.
There were countless people who ttered her.
But somehow, no one''s ttery moved her, except Lin Jichen''s, which didn''t feel like ttery at all.
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s Affection Level towards you +5! Current Affection Level: 15 points (Pleasant Conversation)]
Phew!
Seeing this notification, Lin Jichen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Great, now he didn''t have to worry about being expelled as a disciple (;)...
"Since you realize your mistake, I won''t hold it against you this time."
Leng Feiyan said magnanimously, but Lin Jichen caught the hint of pride in her smile.
Lin Jichen almost wanted tough.
Who would have thought that the dignified Sect Master of the Tianyan Sword Sect, a Feather Transformation Realm expert, Leng Feiyan, had such a girlish and yful side beneath her cold exterior?
"Thank you, Master, for your generosity. I promise never to make such a low-level mistake again."
As he spoke, Lin Jichen took out the Youth Retaining Pill he had just obtained.
"To show my apology, this is a small gift for you, Master."
Leng Feiyan''s eyes widened in surprise when she saw the elixir in Lin Jichen''s hand. "Is this... a Youth Retaining Pill?"
"Indeed."
"Where did you get this elixir?" Leng Feiyan asked curiously.
"Elder Tianqing gave it to me." Lin Jichen briefly exined what had happened.
"I see. Such a precious elixir, you should keep it for yourself."
Leng Feiyan said, but her eyes couldn''t help but nce at it several times.
Facing his tsundere master, Lin Jichen had no choice. If one offer didn''t work, he would offer again, and if that didn''t work, he would insist.
"Master, I specifically asked Elder Tianqing for this elixir to give to you. I wanted to learn alchemy from him so that I could make Youth Retaining Pills myself and give you one every day, like a meal."
Pfft~
Leng Feiyan couldn''t help butugh.
Her smile was like the sudden appearance of bright sunshine, melting the ice.
Lin Jichen''s heart skipped a beat, his heart pounding.
Oh no, a smiling master is irresistible~
Chapter 41 – Will the mentor-disciple relationship not deteriorate?
Chapter 41 C Will the mentor-disciple rtionship not deteriorate?
"Foolish disciple, this Youth Retaining Pill may only be an Earth Grade elixir, but its ingredients are extremely rare. You can''t just refine one every day and treat it like a meal. You''re being too naive."
Lin Jichen scratched his head and chuckled, "You''re right. With Master''s Heavenly Immortal-like beauty, there''s no need for a Youth Retaining Pill. But this is a small token of my apology. I hope Master will ept it, so I can feel a bit better."
"Hmph, always with the sweet talk."
Leng Feiyan pretended to be displeased, giving Lin Jichen a sidelong nce, but the smile on her lips grew even more pronounced. Her phoenix eyes sparkled like autumn water, full of charm.
"Alright, I''ll ept this elixir."
Leng Feiyan epted Lin Jichen''s second gift.
Lin Jichen lost an Earth Grade elixir, but he gained another wave of affection from Leng Feiyan.
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection for you +20! Current affection: 35 points (Close Companions)]
Haha! Worth it!
Exchanging an elixir for 20 points of affection from Leng Feiyan was definitely a good deal!
Moreover, the Youth Retaining Pill was of no use to him anyway.
35 points of affection was not low; it belonged to the level of closepanions.
His rtionship with Leng Feiyan had taken a big step forward!
Sure enough, Leng Feiyan''s gaze no longer held the previous coldness and distance.
Instead, she smiled sweetly, and deep in her eyes, there seemed to be a budding affection.
Oh boy, this master-disciple rtionship... could it be changing?
"I just remembered, I have a martial arts technique for the Qi Refining Realm that I learned when I was young. It''s been sealed away for a long time. I just thought of it. Wait here, I''ll go get it."
Leng Feiyan said as she temporarily left the hall. Lin Jichen was delighted. As expected, the higher the affection, the more benefits.
This Youth Retaining Pill was truly a good gift!
Not long after, Leng Feiyan returned, gracefully holding a booklet.
Lin Jichen initially only saw the booklet, but when he inadvertently looked up, he was surprised to see a jade hairpin in Leng Feiyan''s hair.
He remembered that it wasn''t there before, and this jade hairpin was the first gift he had bought for Leng Feiyan in Fengqu City, a white jade and gold hairpin.
It was just an ordinary hairpin, and Lin Jichen had thought Leng Feiyan would definitely not like it. Even if she epted it, she wouldn''t wear it.
Unexpectedly, she had quietly put it on.
Although the hairpin was just a mundane item, under Leng Feiyan''s celestial beauty, it seemed to be a divine treasure, radiant and dazzling.
Leng Feiyan also noticed Lin Jichen looking at the hairpin in her hair. On the surface, she remained calm, but inside, she was secretlyughing.
A woman dresses up for those who appreciate her.
"This is a martial arts technique for the Qi Refining Realm that I learned when I was young. It''s not a rare secret technique, but it''s sufficient for the Qi Refining Realm. It''s of no use to me, so you can take it and cultivate."
"Thank you, Master!" Lin Jichen happily epted the booklet.
"Alright, study the mysteries of this martial arts technique well. I''ll be heading back."
Leng Feiyan left these words and then departed.
Mainly, Lin Jichen''s gaze made her both delighted and embarrassed, feeling uneasy.
It was like a little girl wearing new clothes, eager to show them off to everyone, but feeling shy and hiding when someone noticed.
Leng Feiyan felt exactly like that now.
"Will my disciple have wild thoughts seeing this hairpin? If I had known, I wouldn''t have worn it on a whim."
Leng Feiyan even began to regret it.
Just as she was about to disappear, Lin Jichen''s voice suddenly came from behind.
"Master, you look stunning with that hairpin!"
Hearing this, Leng Feiyan almost stumbled and fell from the void, but fortunately, she didn''t embarrass herself and safely returned to her pce.
"This naughty disciple, how can he speak so bluntly, socking in manners."
Hiding in her bedchamber, Leng Feiyan cupped her cheeks with both hands, muttering to herself.
Her snow-white face had two blushes, each smile and frown captivating.
[Mysterious Grade Martial Art Phoenix Feather]: Instantly unleashes 22 sword qis, covering a 200-meter radius, with a 30% chance to interrupt the enemy''s martial arts technique. Each sword qi has a base damage of 600 points and inflicts a crippling effect for 15 seconds.
Crippling: Any part of the enemy bes a weak point, ignoring equipment armor.
Mana consumption: 800 points, cooldown time: 120 seconds
Requirement: Sword cultivators in theter stage of Qi Refining with a root bone of 70 or above can cultivate.
In the hall, Lin Jichen was holding the booklet, his eyes squinting with joy.
This martial art is too powerful!
A group skill, with damage twice that of Frost Moon sh, and it has a crippling effect that ignores the opponent''s equipment armor.
The most terrifying part is that it can interrupt others'' martial arts techniques.
Even among Mysterious Grade martial arts, it''s definitely top-tier.
This martial art can be used until the Foundation Establishment Realm, and its ability to interrupt opponents'' skills makes it useful in any realm.
Lin Jichen was sure that if this martial art were put up for auction now, it could easily exchange for a house in a second-tier city, if not a first-tier one!
If sold to Jiang Luoyu, even a house in a first-tier city wouldn''t be a problem.
But Lin Jichen would never sell it; only a fool would.
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen immediately learned it.
Besides this martial art, Lin Jichen didn''t forget the three Spirit Grade Attribute Elixirs.
Each one could increase 1-5bat attributes, but which attribute and how many points would depend on luck.
For a sword cultivator, strength would be best, but speed would also be eptable.
Lin Jichen consumed all three Attribute Elixirs.
[Ding! Strength +5!]
[Ding! Strength +5!]
[Ding! Strength +5!]
Perfect~ All strength, exactly what Lin Jichen wanted to see.
And each elixir added the maximum points.
A yer with great luck is truly carefree, hehe!
Putting on the Gentle Breeze Bracelet, Lin Jichen''s attributes saw another significant increase.
[yer: Lin Jichen]
[ss: Sword Cultivator]
[Innate Talent: Heaven-defying Fate]
[Sect: Tianyan Sword Sect]
[Reputation: 620]
[Achievement Badge: Killing Intent (Damage to monsters +1%)]
[Innate Attributes: All maxed]
[Realm: Middle stage of Qi Refining]
[Cultivation: 300/1000]
[Acquired Talent: Vitality Sprout (Vitality cap +20%)]
[Vitality: 4080/4080]
[Mana: 3100/3100]
[Strength: 85]
[Mental Power: 32]
[Defense: 71]
[Speed: 84]
[Critical Hit: 7]
[Heart Protection: 10]
[Fire Resistance: 5]
[Evasion: 11%]
[Swordsmanship Aptitude: +10%]
[Alchemy Aptitude: +50%]
[Heart Sutra: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Beginner 22%)]
[Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Beginner 22%), Mist Piercing Charge (Beginner 11%)]
[Martial Arts: Frost Moon sh (Beginner 11%), Phoenix Feather (Beginner 0%)]
[Equipment: Spirit Grade Sword Sect Attire, Spirit Grade Crimson Cloud Sword, Spirit Grade Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant, Spirit Grade Stone Sinking Ring, Spirit Grade Cloud Step Boots, Spirit Grade Rhinoceros Belt, Spirit Grade Hundred Refinement Ring, Spirit Grade Gentle Breeze Bracelet]
This attribute panel is truly pleasing to the eye.
It''s just that the skill proficiency increases a bit slowly, mainly because swordsmanship aptitude only adds 10%.
Lin Jichen nned to go to the sword stone near the Sword Sect''s mountain gate toprehend for a while.
Maybe he could raise his swordsmanship aptitude to the same level as his alchemy aptitude, which would be perfect.
Just as he walked out of the Sword Pce, a sweet voice called out.
"Junior brother~ are you there?"
Chapter 42 – Sister asking for help
Chapter 42 C Sister asking for help
"Junior brother, Senior Sister has something to discuss with you. Are you there?"
The voice grew closer, apanied by the increasingly clear sound of bells.
Lin Jichen looked down the mountain and saw Nangong Yue running up with light steps. The bells on her deerskin boots swayed with her movements.
Along with the bells, the mounds on Nangong Yue''s chest also swayed slightly...
The sight made Lin Jichen feel a bit dizzy.
Nangong Yue''s face lit up with joy when she saw Lin Jichen.
A smile spread across her face, like ripples in a clear spring, overflowing from the dimples on her cheeks and spreading across her entire face.
"Junior brother, what a coincidence! I just came to find you and here you are. I thought you might be asleep and was about to look for you in your quarters."
Lin Jichen smiled and cupped his hands, "It is a coincidence. What brings you here sote, Senior Sister?"
Nangong Yue raised an eyebrow, put her hands on her hips, and said yfully, "Can''t Ie to see you just because I want to?"
"Of course you can. If Senior Sister wants to see me, even if I''m sleeping or in the bathroom, I woulde out to meet you without hesitation," Lin Jichen joked.
Nangong Yue burst intoughter, both amused and annoyed. She pinched her nose and teased, "You stinky junior brother, saying such gross things. Who wants to see you in that state?"
Lin Jichen chuckled awkwardly, "It''s just a metaphor. Maybe my wording was a bit off. So... should Ie out without putting on my pants?"
Of course, he only said thest part in his mind.
"Alright, alright. I''ll let it slide this time. I do have something important to discuss with you."
"Please go ahead, Senior Sister."
Nangong Yue exined, "All disciples of the Sword Sect, whether in the outer temple, branch temple, or inner temple, mustplete at least three tasks during each major realm. The difficulty varies."
"They are categorized as ordinary, difficult, and extremely difficult. After reaching the Crystal Realm, I haven''tpleted any tasks. Now I feel like I''m about to break through to the Golden Core Realm. If I don''t finish the tasks, I''ll be punished by the sect."
Lin Jichen asked curiously, "Why haven''t youpleted the tasks?"
Nangong Yue blushed and smiled sheepishly, "I was too busy having fun, hiding away and reading romance novels... I just forgot..."
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh. He didn''t expect Nangong Yue to have such a hobbyreading mortal romance novels? Quite surprising for a cultivator.
"That''s not important. What''s important is that if I don''t finish the tasks soon, my father will burn all my treasured romance novels when he returns."
Nangong Yue''s face was filled with despair as she seemed to imagine the horrifying scene.
"Alright, so how can I help you?" Lin Jichen asked.
Nangong Yue immediately replied, "I''ve already rushed through the ordinary and difficult tasks for the Crystal Realm. Now, I just need toplete the extremely difficult one, which is a demon-ying task. The task requires two people toplete."
"Me? I''m only in the Qi Refining Realm..." Lin Jichen smiled bitterly.
Even Foundation Establishment tasks were challenging for him, let alone Crystal Realm tasks.
Crossing two major realms, even if he wasn''t an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator, it would still be impossible toplete a Crystal Realm task.
Nangong Yue reassured him, "Don''t worry. The two-person requirement isn''t really for help. It''s just that extremely difficult tasks are risky. If something goes wrong, one person can escape to seek help from the sect. It also serves as supervision to prevent some disciples from using unscrupulous means toplete the tasks."
"Junior brother, I know your cultivation is still shallow, but I promise to protect you. You just need to stay behind me or hide nearby where you can see me."
Nangong Yue patted her chest and confidently boasted, "Besides, I''m already at the peak of the Crystal Realm, with one foot in the Golden Core Realm. Crystal Realm tasks are a piece of cake for me. No, not even a piece of cake, maybe half a piece!"
Lin Jichen didn''t agree immediately. Instead, he curiously asked, "There are so many inner temple disciples. Why not ask someone else? Any of them would be much stronger than me and could help you better."
Nangong Yue''s face fell, and she pouted, "I want to, but no one is willing to go with me."
"Huh? Senior Sister... do you have such poor rtions with others? Or do you owe them money?" Lin Jichen joked.
Nangong Yue red at him with her big, bright eyes, "You''re the one with poor rtions! You''re the one who owes money!"
"Then what''s the reason?" Lin Jichen was puzzled.
Given Nangong Yue''s beauty, many inner temple male disciples would probably jump at the chance to help her.
Nangong Yue sighed and exined, "No one wants to offend Senior Brother."
"Senior Brother?"
"Yes, Senior Brother Chu Tianhan. He''s the most promising disciple in the inner temple, already at thete Golden Core Realm at a young age, and highly respected among the disciples."
"And what does that have to do with this? Did you offend him?" Lin Jichen asked suspiciously.
Nangong Yue shook her head, "I didn''t offend him; I rejected him."
"To be honest, Senior Brother has been pursuing me. He even offered to apany me on this task. But I don''t like him, so I refused."
Lin Jichen suddenly understood. No wonder Nangong Yue didn''t ask any of the stronger inner temple disciples and came to him instead.
It turned out that Senior Brother was pursuing her, and Nangong Yue rejected him. Who would dare to help her and risk offending Senior Brother?
This left Nangong Yue with no one to invite, so she had toe to Lin Jichen.
"If I agree to help you, won''t I also offend Senior Brother?" Lin Jichen smiled bitterly. He didn''t want to make enemies either!
Whoever wants to be a scapegoat can be one.
Nangong Yue smiled awkwardly and said, "You won''t. You''re the Sect Master''sst disciple. Senior Brother wouldn''t dare to mess with you. Besides, your cultivation is so low that he wouldn''t feel right bullying you."
Lin Jichen rolled his eyes, "Is that supposed to beforting or insulting?"
Nangong Yueughed foolishly and pleaded, "Junior brother, please help me. If I don''tplete the task, my father will burn all my romance novels. Can you really bear to see me in such pain?"
"It''s not that serious. It''s just a few romance novels. You can always buy new ones," Lin Jichen said, not believing her.
"It''s not just that. My biggest hobby is reading romance novels. My collection is all rare editions that you can''t find in Fengqu City. Once they''re burned, they''re gone forever," Nangong Yue said seriously.
"Even so, I can''t help you. You should find someone else. I''m sorry, but I can''t agree," Lin Jichen refused.
He wasn''t going to risk offending ate Golden Core Realm cultivator for a few romance novels.
"Woo... No one is willing to help me. Why am I so unlucky? Even junior brother won''t help me, despite how good I''ve been to you. Woo..."
Lin Jichen didn''t expect Nangong Yue to start crying after he refused.
And it wasn''t fake crying; she was shedding real tears.
She had probably been rejected many times and had ced herst hope on him.
Used to being adored by everyone, Nangong Yue''s mood plummeted, and she cried like a pear blossom in the rain, unable to speak.
Chapter 43 – Improve swordsmanship qualification
Chapter 43 C Improve swordsmanship qualification
Lin Jichen couldn''t help but feel a bit guilty, thinking about how well Nangong Yue had treated him.
When they first met, she even gave him a Spirit Grade Jade Pendant, and here he was, treating her like this. It really wasn''t fair.
"Alright, I promise to help you. Is that okay?"
"Are you serious?"
Nangong Yue''s eyes reddened, and she sniffled, looking pitifully at him.
Lin Jichen shook his head andughed, "If you keep crying, I might change my mind."
Nangong Yue quickly wiped away her tears and finally broke into a smile.
"Junior brother, you''re so good to me. Don''t worry, I''ll protect you. Whether it''s doing tasks or facing Senior Brother, I won''t let you get hurt."
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s Affection Level towards you +10! Current Affection Level: 25 points (Riding Together)]
[Ding! Opportunity triggered! Help Nangong Yueplete her task!]
Seeing this, Lin Jichen felt a bitforted.
"I believe Senior Sister can definitely protect me. Since I''ve promised to help you, I''ll do my best. When do we set off?" Lin Jichen asked.
"No rush. The ce where I need to do the task is several hundred miles away from our Sword Sect. Although I can carry you with my sword, such a long distance would exhaust my mana quickly. We''ll need to rest a few times along the way. It will take at least a day or two for the round trip. You should rest well today, and we''ll set off tomorrow."
Lin Jichen nodded and agreed.
Nangong Yue''s mood brightened, and a sweet smile reappeared on her face.
After a simple farewell with Lin Jichen and agreeing to meet outside the Sword Sect''s mountain gate the next morning, Nangong Yue hummed a little tune and skipped away.
Since the task was for tomorrow, Lin Jichen thought he might as well use the remaining hours toprehend his swordsmanship aptitude.
He immediately left the Sword Pce and came to the mountain gate of the Sword Sect.
At this time, the Tianyan Sword Sect was already bustling with people as more and more yers joined in.
Even at night, the ce was crowded with peopleing and going.
Fortunately, the darkness shrouded everyone, making it hard for anyone to recognize Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen walked straight to the giant diamond stone in front of the mountain gate and stared at the four characters "Tianyan Sword Sect" engraved on it, standing motionless and quietlyprehending.
These four characters were bold and unrestrained, like serpents and dragons, containing the sharp sword intent of a sword master and a domineering aura that could sweep across the world!
Lin Jichen was deeply immersed, unable to extricate himself.
Ten minutes passed.
"Comprehended Tianyan Sword Intent, swordsmanship aptitude +5%."
Thirty minutes passed.
"Comprehended Tianyan Sword Intent, swordsmanship aptitude +5%."
Two hours passed.
"Comprehended Tianyan Sword Intent, swordsmanship aptitude +5%."
...
Lin Jichen stood there fromte night until dawn. When the morning sun rose, he was still staring intently at the stone.
As daylight broke, more yers logged in.
People passing by began to wonder why this person had been standing in front of the stone for so long. Could he be the security guard of the Tianyan Sword Sect?
As the morning light grew brighter, people saw Lin Jichen''s appearance, causing quite a stir.
Many female yers came up to chat with him.
But Lin Jichen ignored their attentions, his gaze fixed solely on the diamond stone.
At this moment, someone seemed to recognize him.
"Damn! Isn''t that Lin Jichen? The ''cheat master'' from the forum videos?"
"Oh my god! It really is him! The guy who appeared in the announcements twice."
"I''ve seen the forum videos. It''s definitely him. He easily dealt with the Medicine Spirit Falcon and made the Blood Fiend Guild run away with just a few sword strikes."
"I heard he''s the Sect Master''s disciple. Damn, what kind of luck does this guy have?"
...
More and more yers gathered around. Without a doubt, Lin Jichen was now the most popr yer in "Tale of Immortal."
Whether it was his two appearances in the game announcements or the video from Cann Medicine Valley, Lin Jichen''s poprity in "Tale of Immortal" was extremely high.
Although there were still ongoing controversies around him, with many people suspecting that Lin Jichen was cheating or exploiting game bugs, it didn''t affect his growing fame.
Ignoring the surrounding chatter, Lin Jichen remained silent, continuing toprehend the sword intent.
Finally, Nangong Yue''s voice rang out.
"Junior brother!"
The surrounding yers turned to look, and a chorus of "Damn!" erupted.
Male yers clutched their hearts, which were pounding wildly.
A girl who looked like a heavenly fairy walked gracefully towards them.
Her raven-ck hair was casually tied up, revealing a stunningly beautiful oval face, with arched eyebrows and glossy red lips.
She wore the same blue and white Sword Sect uniform as everyone else, her long jade-like legs stepping in a pair of deerskin boots adorned with bells.
She had no jewelry on her, looking as pure and beautiful as a lotus emerging from clear water, making it hard for people to look away.
"Who is she? Which fairy-like yer has graced our Sword Sect? I''ve never seen her before."
"My heart is racing like crazy. I think I''m in love~"
"Youngdy, can we be friends?"
"With such a wife, who cares if the child isn''t mine!"
"She''s so beautiful. Youngdy, do you keep fish? I''d willingly be your fish!"
...
Many male yers lost their rationality and surrounded her, trying to chat her up.
No one paid attention to Lin Jichen anymore, and even the female yers'' attention was diverted.
However, facing everyone''s advances, Nangong Yue frowned and turned to ask the Sword Sect disciples guarding the gate.
"Are the Outer Temple disciples always this unruly? I think I need to have a good talk with your elders."
The gatekeeping disciples turned pale with fear and quickly apologized.
"Sister Nangong, it''s our oversight. These disciples are new and don''t know the rules. We''ll drive them away immediately."
Nangong Yue was an Inner Temple disciple, and Outer Temple disciples were required to show her respect. That was the rule.
So seeing so many male yers being disrespectful, Nangong Yue was naturally angry.
After the gatekeeping disciples spoke, they immediately began dispersing the crowd.
"Have you all lost your minds? How dare you be disrespectful to Sister Nangong! Get out of here, or we''ll take you to the Enforcement Hall and show you the consequences of not knowing your ce!"
The yers were shocked and quickly understood that this fairy-like girl wasn''t a yer but an NPC.
But this realization also made some yers more curious. Since she was an NPC, maybe she had some tasks to offer.
Some bold yers ignored the gatekeeping disciples'' scolding and continued to block Nangong Yue, shamelessly asking for tasks.
Nangong Yue grew increasingly impatient, and the gatekeeping disciples, not daring to anger her further, took action, tying up those yers and calling the Enforcement Hall.
When the Enforcement Hall arrived and saw Nangong Yue and Lin Jichen, they immediately bowed in greeting.
Upon learning that the yers had harassed Nangong Yue, the enforcement disciples didn''t hesitate and waved their hands.
"Take them all to the quarry for three days ofbor as a warning. Any further offenses will result in doubled punishment!"
The yers were taken away, leaving the rest to behave themselves, not daring to provoke this little fairy.
In the Xianxia world, sect rules were strict, and insubordination was a serious offense. These yers clearly hadn''t adapted, thinking they could casually ask NPCs for tasks like in other online games.
In some games, even ordinary disciples could ask the Sect Master for tasks, which was ridiculous.
This was the real Xianxia world, with clear order and respect for hierarchy.
After the Enforcement Hall intervened, the scene quieted down, and no one dared to speak carelessly, fearing they might also be taken away forbor.
Chapter 44 – A senior brother suddenly appears halfway
Chapter 44 C A senior brother suddenly appears halfway
Nangong Yue, seeing that the annoying fly was gone, regained her smile and skipped over to Lin Jichen.
"Junior Brother, when did you get here? How long have you been waiting?"
The surrounding yers were once again dumbfounded.
Why? When they tried to strike up a conversation, it didn''t work, but Lin Jichen, who was also a yer, didn''t even need to try, and this NPC approached him on her own?
Heavens, this game is so unfair!
Before Lin Jichen could speak, a mountain-guarding disciple nearby tried to curry favor by answering for him, "Junior Sister Nangong, Junior Brother Lin has been here sincest night and hasn''t left."
Nangong Yue, thinking Lin Jichen had been waiting for her all night, was deeply moved.
"Silly Junior Brother, why did you wait for me all night? Didn''t I tell you to get some rest? It''s okay even if you''rete."
Lin Jichen: "???"
He wanted to exin, but upon hearing the game''s prompt, he immediately shut his mouth.
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s Affection Level towards you +2! Current Affection Level: 27 points (Riding Together)]
"No woman should wait for a man; that''s not gentlemanly. So, I came a bit early to avoid you being bothered by those people."
Lin Jichen, without changing his expression, portrayed himself as the perfect gentleman.
All for the sake of survival, ahem, nothing to be ashamed of.
Sure enough, Nangong Yue was even more moved, and her mood brightened.
"Then let''s set off now."
"Alright."
Just as the two were about to leave, a gentle and maic voice suddenly came from behind.
"Junior Sister Yue, please wait."
Nangong Yue''s face showed some annoyance and frustration upon hearing the voice. She didn''t want to stay even for a moment and was about to summon her sword to leave.
But at that moment, the person behind her had already stepped in front of her without her noticing,pletely thwarting her n to leave.
The man in front of her was tall and imposing, dressed in a robe with dark cloud patterns, wearing a jeweled crown, and a white jade belt around his waist. He was handsome and exuded an extraordinary aura.
This man was none other than the Senior Brother of the Inner Temple, Chu Tianhan, who held a revered position among all the disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect.
Many female yers'' eyes sparkled as they discovered another handsome guy!
In fact, Lin Jichen''s looks were even better, but Chu Tianhan''s luxurious attire and essories added to his charm.
Moreover, with his Golden Elixir stage aura, Chu Tianhan easily became the center of attention.
Facing such a handsome man, Nangong Yue didn''t show him any good face and asked coldly, "Senior Brother, what do you want?"
Chu Tianhan smiled gently and said, "I heard that Junior Sister Yue is going on a demon-ying mission. May I ask if you''ve found someone to apany you?"
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I''ve already found someone, so you don''t need to worry."
"Oh? Who might that be?" Chu Tianhan''s expression slightly changed, his eyes flickering.
"There''s no need to tell you, Senior Brother. I''ve found a helper, so you can rest assured. Goodbye."
Nangong Yue still wanted to cover for Lin Jichen, hoping Chu Tianhan wouldn''t find out.
But as she was about to leave, she realized it was awkward because she had to take Lin Jichen with her, which would expose him anyway.
Just as Nangong Yue was in a dilemma, Lin Jichen calmly stepped forward to face Chu Tianhan.
"New Inner Temple disciple Lin Jichen greets Senior Brother."
Lin Jichen was polite andposed, showing no signs of nervousness.
"Yes, I''ve seen you. You''re the Sect Master''sst disciple, right? Not bad. We''ll talk moreter."
Chu Tianhan didn''t believe that the person Nangong Yue found was Lin Jichen, so he just treated Lin Jichen as someone trying to make connections and brushed him off.
Although he was unhappy with Lin Jichen bing the Sect Master''s disciple, he was here for Nangong Yue today and had no time to deal with Lin Jichen.
Seeing this, Lin Jichen smiled and spoke again.
"Senior Brother, you misunderstand. I''m not here to chat with you. I just wanted to tell you that I''m the helper Junior Sister Nangong found."
Chu Tianhan was visibly stunned, and his followers were also taken aback.
There was a moment of silence, followed by uproariousughter.
Chu Tianhan''sckeysughed hysterically, as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world,ughing so hard they bent over.
Chu Tianhan couldn''t help but show a mocking smile. He turned to Nangong Yue and asked, "Junior Sister, is what Lin Jichen said true?"
Seeing Lin Jichen confess, Nangong Yue had no choice but to admit it.
Chu Tianhan''s smile grew, but he still tried to maintain a gentlemanly demeanor, though the sarcasm in his expression was unmistakable.
Facing the ridicule, Lin Jichen remained calm andposed, as if they weren''tughing at him.
"Junior Sister, don''t be reckless. Although Junior Brother Lin is also an Inner Temple disciple, he just joined the sect and his realm is low. You''re going on a Crystal Realm mission, a demon-ying task. It''s too risky. If you take him, he won''t help you but will be a burden, even distracting you. Why bother?"
Chu Tianhan said with a proud smile, "It''s better if I apany you. I can take care of you on the way, making it safer. Elder Tianyuan would also agree with me apanying you."
Nangong Yue''s face darkened, and she said coldly, "I''ve already said I have a helper. No need to trouble you, Senior Brother. If there''s nothing else, we''ll be leaving."
Chu Tianhan''s expression finally changed. Knowing it was useless to persuade Nangong Yue, he turned his attention to Lin Jichen.
"Junior Brother Lin, it''smendable that you want to help your Senior Sister. I admire that. But unfortunately, your skills are stillcking. If you go, you''ll only cause trouble. It''s better to reconsider."
Saying this, Chu Tianhan flipped his hand, revealing a blue sword.
"This sword is called the Pure Yang Ziwu Sword, a Mysterious Grade treasure. I used it during my Foundation Establishment stage. If you agree not to go, I''ll give it to you."
Gasp~
The crowd gasped.
A Mysterious Grade equipment!
At a time when most yers didn''t even have a single Spirit Grade equipment, the impact of a Mysterious Grade sword was unprecedented.
And Lin Jichen could get it just by agreeing not to go.
Damn, it''s like getting it for free!
All the yers were insanely jealous. If they were Lin Jichen, they would have taken the sword without hesitation, gaining Senior Brother''s favor. Why not?
Why didn''t such good things happen to them?
Some yers couldn''t stand it and spoke up, "I want it! Give it to me!"
These yers just wanted to liven up the atmosphere but ended up angering Chu Tianhan.
"Take those who spoke to the Enforcement Hall. Have them clean the mountain gate for a month! If they miss a day, the Outer Temple Enforcement Hall will be punished as well!"
Chu Tianhan''s voice was stern and loud.
The Inner Temple disciples behind him immediately followed his orders, knocking the yers to the ground for the Enforcement Hall disciples to handle.
No other yers dared to speak up.
Chu Tianhan continued to stare at Lin Jichen, looking smug. He believed Lin Jichen would definitely agree if he had any sense.
If Lin Jichen didn''t go, Nangong Yue would have no choice but to pick him.
However, Lin Jichen didn''t even nce at the Mysterious Grade sword and spoke calmly.
"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother, but I have a principle: I always keep my promises and never back out halfway."
Chu Tianhan''s confident expression froze and quickly darkened.
He asked again, his voice carrying a different tone, "Are you serious, Junior Brother?"
Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate, his voice firm, "Of course."
Chu Tianhan, furious,ughed and nodded ''approvingly.''
"Good, very good. Junior Brother keeps his word. I admire that. Then I wish you sess on your mission."
"Thank you for your kind words, Senior Brother. I also wish you peace of mind, sess in your endeavors, and prosperity," Lin Jichen replied mockingly.
Chu Tianhan said nothing more, giving Lin Jichen a deep look before leaving with a flick of his sleeve.
Chapter 45 – Blood Infant Secret Realm
Chapter 45 C Blood Infant Secret Realm
After Chu Tianhan left, the Inner Temple disciples behind him all looked at Lin Jichen with sympathetic and mocking eyes.
"Kid, daring to go against Senior Brother, you''re really asking for it."
"He probably thinks that just because he''s the Sect Master''s disciple, he can do whatever he wants."
"Matters between disciples are not something the master should interfere with. Doesn''t this fool know that?"
"Just wait, his good days are over."
...
"Junior Brother, I''m sorry for getting you into trouble with Senior Brother."
Nangong Yue said to Lin Jichen with a face full of apology, even somewhat regretful.
Because she knew that Chu Tianhan, despite his outward appearance of being gentle and magnanimous, was actually just putting on a facade.
Lin Jichen had publicly embarrassed Chu Tianhan in front of so many people, and he would definitely not let it go easily.
Lin Jichen, however, wouldn''t miss such a good opportunity to increase his affection level. He said earnestly, "On one side, I offend Senior Brother, and on the other, I see Senior Sister being scolded by her father and feeling sad. No matter how I think about it, I''d rather choose the former. I''d rather offend Senior Brother than see Senior Sister upset and crying over her beloved item being destroyed."
These words moved Nangong Yue deeply, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared at Lin Jichen in a daze.
"Junior Brother, besides my father and grandfather, you are the best to me. From now on, you are my best friend!"
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level towards you +5! Current affection level: 32 points (Daily Companionship)]
"This is what a junior brother should do. After all, you are my senior sister."
Lin Jichen''s lips curved into a charming smile, his obsidian-like eyes glowing softly.
Nangong Yue was momentarily lost in his gaze. When she came to her senses, she quickly looked away, her fair earlobes turning pink.
"Well... let''s go, Junior Brother," Nangong Yue said with a strange expression.
"Yes, it''s time to depart."
Nangong Yue took a few steps forward, her jade-like hand pointing in the air. Her sleeves billowed, and a slender, narrow green sword shot out like a startled swan, cutting through the morning sun.
Momentster, it expanded rapidly in mid-air, transforming into a broad-ded giant sword.
Nangong Yue lightly tapped her feet and gracefully leaped onto the sword,nding steadily.
Lin Jichen looked up slightly, watching Nangong Yue''s sword flight, and couldn''t help but reminisce about his past life, soaring across the nine provinces.
He was a spell cultivator, and to fly using a magic artifact, he had to stand on a staff.
Honestly,pared to sword flight, the visual and aesthetic effects were far inferior.
Because it looked so awkward, Lin Jichenter chose to fly without relying on any magic treasures.
Fortunately, he had now switched paths and could truly experience sword flight in the future.
Unfortunately, the ability to fly using a magic treasure required at least Foundation Establishment, and he had to learn the art of aerial maneuvering.
For now, his wish for sword flight would have to wait a bit longer.
"Junior Brother,e on up."
Nangong Yue looked down at Lin Jichen with a charming smile. With a wave of her sleeve, Lin Jichen''s body seemed to be lifted by an invisible hand, helping him rise into the air.
Lin Jichennded behind Nangong Yue.
It was their first time being so close.
The yers below all craned their necks, eyes filled with envy.
Lin Jichen, still in the Qi Refining Realm, was already experiencing the thrill of sword flight, while they couldn''t even dream of it.
"Are you used to it? The first time flying might make you a bit nervous, but don''t worry. I was scared my first time too, but you''ll get used to it."
Nangong Yue, worried that Lin Jichen might be scared, deliberatelyforted him.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly. He was a master of the Enlightenment Realm and had flown for countless years. How could he be afraid?
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister. I''m fine."
"Don''t be shy... If you''re still nervous, you can hold onto... my waist... but just lightly, no funny business."
Nangong Yue''s face turned red, looking extremely cute.
Lin Jichen hesitated for a moment, then ced his hands on Nangong Yue''s slender waist.
The moment his hands touched her waist, he clearly felt Nangong Yue''s body tremble slightly.
"Senior Sister, this makes me feel much better," Lin Jichen said mischievously.
"That''s... good. I''m going to move now. It will be fast, so if you feel ufortable, just bear with it."
Lin Jichen felt a bit embarrassed by her words, his thoughts wandering. He was guilty of thinking too much.
Nangong Yue didn''t linger any longer. With a pinch of her sword seal, the azure sword suddenly sliced through the gentle air currents, shing a thin, translucent blue light as it sped towards the horizon.
The two of them left the Sword Sect, heading swiftly towards the sunrise on the horizon.
Lin Jichen didn''t take advantage of the situation, keeping his hands properly on Nangong Yue''s waist without any inappropriate behavior.
Half a day passed.
From morning to dusk, they flew over countless mountains and towns, resting a few times along the way, until they finally reached their destination, Forget Worries Vige.
Lin Jichen found the ce familiar.
Because in the future, this ce would be a Crystal Realm Secret Realm dungeon called the Blood Infant Secret Realm, which he had farmed many times.
The two stopped at the vige entrance. Although the sun was still setting, it couldn''t prate the vige.
The entire vige seemed abandoned by sunlight, cold and dark, with an asional eerie breeze carrying a foul, bloody smell.
Nangong Yue frowned.
"The sect''s intelligence said this vige was invaded by evil spirits, and all the vigers became their nourishment. It should be the work of demonic cultivators. The sect wants me to not only clear out all the evil spirits but also find out the truth and report it to the elders."
"Senior Sister, I think there might be a lot of evil spirits inside. How about we rest for the night and go in tomorrow at noon when the sun is at its peak and their power is weakest?" Lin Jichen suggested.
Nangong Yue thought he was scared and smiled gently.
"Junior Brother, don''t be afraid. Senior Sister will protect you. I can sense that the evil spirits inside aren''t strong and are no match for me."
"Besides, this ce stinks. I don''t want to spend the night here. Let''s finish the task quickly and go back."
Lin Jichen was speechless but didn''t argue further.
He estimated that the enemies inside wouldn''t pose a threat to Nangong Yue. After all, he was familiar with this ce, and the boss inside was just a Blood Infant at the early Crystal Realm.
"Let''s go, Junior Brother. If you''re scared, you can wait outside. I''ll be quick."
Lin Jichen shook his head and said, "No need, I''ll go in with you. Don''t worry, you won''t need to take care of me. If I can''t handle it, I''ll just run."
Nangong Yue didn''t insist, confidently stepping into the vige.
As soon as they entered Forget Worries Vige, it felt like stepping into a dark cave, with no light at all. The darkness was like a tide, engulfing thend.
The surroundings were eerily silent and cold, with a thick stench of decay that made one want to vomit.
Nangong Yue threw out a cocoon-shaped orb, which floated in the air, glowing brightly.
Like a light bulb, it illuminated a ten-meter radius, making everything clear.
Lin Jichen was naturally familiar with it. It was called a light cocoon, made from the silk of a spirit beast simr to autumn cicadas.
It could float or be ced anywhere, and one light cocoon couldst for several hours, making it very convenient.
Nangong Yue threw out five light cocoons in a row, and the vige instantly became as bright as day, the darkness driven away.
The two began searching the vige, but afterbing through it, they didn''t see a single person or any trace of evil spirits.
"Strange, I clearly sensed the presence of evil spirits here. Why can''t we find them?" Nangong Yue was puzzled.
Lin Jichen reminded her, "The stench seems to being from that courtyard at the far end. Should we check it out?"
Nangong Yue nodded and headed in the direction Lin Jichen pointed.
Chapter 46 – Mistake! Opponent at the Golden Elixir stage
Chapter 46 C Mistake! Opponent at the Golden Elixir stage
The two arrived at a deste courtyard. The ce was in ruins, with only an old locust tree and an ancient well.
The well was covered by a stone b, bound with several rusty chains.
It seemed ordinary enough.
But the stench in the air was strongest here.
Huff! Huff!
Suddenly, a deep, prolonged breathing sound came from the only wooden house in the courtyard, like a slumbering beast in deep sleep.
The branches of the old locust tree began to shake, and the leaves rustled, sounding particrly eerie in the night.
The chains binding the well cover also started to twist inexplicably.
Like a waking nest of snakes, they scraped against the ground, producing a harsh, grating noise.
The well cover loosened, and from the gradually widening gap, a blood-red light shed. A thick, bloody mist was squeezed out of the ancient well, growing denser and more abundant.
Crash!
The chains on the well cover began to snap one by one. When thest chain broke, the entire cover was flung open.
It was as if something inside the well had been unsealed, and the aura within became exceptionally agitated and excited.
In an instant, a streak of blood-red light shot out from the well, moving incredibly fast, reaching them in the blink of an eye.
Nangong Yue showed no fear, sweeping her green sword in a swift motion.
Sizzle!
A sound like roasting meat echoed, and the blood-red shadow let out a shrill scream, ck smoke rising from its body, its blood aura sizzling.
Only then did Nangong Yue and Lin Jichen see the true form of the blood-red lighta grotesque, incorporeal soul, also known as a wraith.
But this wraith only had the strength of the Qi Refining Realm, not worth fearing.
Though it was in excruciating pain from the sword strike, it seemed to be under someone''smand. Ignoring the agony, it continued to lunge at Nangong Yue!
"Hmph, overestimating yourself!"
Nangong Yue snorted coldly, swinging her green sword again, striking the wraith''s ethereal body.
The wraith could no longer hold on, exploding into a cloud of blood mist with a final scream, dissipating into nothingness.
Before Nangong Yue could catch her breath, a massive swarm of blood-red light flew out of the ancient well, covering the sky.
Upon closer inspection, it was hundreds of terrifying wraiths, with blue faces and fangs, looking hideous and emitting piercing, shrill cries.
It was like the wailing of a hundred ghosts, the sinister energy engulfing the entire vige.
One Qi Refining Realm wraith was not frightening, but hundreds of them together were a different story.
It was like the difference between the lethality of a single killer bee and a swarm of them.
Nangong Yue hadn''t expected so many wraiths to appear.
"It seems the entire vige''s inhabitants were turned into wraiths by the demonic cultivator inside the house, to aid his cultivation and serve hismands. Such a heinous act must be stopped. Today, I, Nangong Yue, will eradicate this evil!"
Nangong Yue took a deep breath, forming a sword seal with her hands. Her mana surged, and the green sword emitted a clear hum, its de flickering with a radiant glow.
Then, her sleeves billowed, and she raised her long sword. The sword followed her will, moving as swiftly as lightning!
"Moonlight Heavenly sh!"
Boom!
A radiant beam, like a zing sun, crashed into the swarm of wraiths like a primordial beast.
In an instant, the sound of countless explosions echoed simultaneously, like cold water dropped into hot oil, boiling furiously!
All the wraiths didn''t even have time to scream before they were reduced to dust, dissipating into the air.
Nangong Yue stood with her sword, her gaze as calm as a mirror, her figure ethereal, like a goddess descended to the mortal world.
Lin Jichen couldn''t help but praise her. Though Nangong Yue was only at the Crystal Realm, her strength was not inferior to a Golden Elixir stage cultivator. Her battle aura was entirely different from her usual demeanor.
"Evil demon, you have harmed the innocent. Today, I will use your life to honor the memory of all the vigers who died tragically."
Nangong Yue flew forward, charging into the wooden house where the demonic cultivator was hiding.
The next second, she rapidly retreated, a pitch-ck hand darting out from the house. Nangong Yue, caught off guard, had to use her sword to block.
But the ck hand''s force pushed her back, leaving a ck mark on her green sword.
Nangong Yue''s delicate brows furrowed, her eyes filled with vignce as she looked towards the wooden house.
In an instant, the wooden house exploded into dust, and a gaunt, sallow-faced man with sinister eyes walked out, his gaze filled with mocking amusement.
"I didn''t expect that my cultivation here would attract disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect. There''s a road to heaven, but you refuse to take it. Don''t me me for sending you to hell."
The gaunt man finished speaking, unleashing an astonishing aura.
Nangong Yue and Lin Jichen''s faces both tensed!
Golden Core Realm! This man was a Golden Core stage cultivator!
"Did the sect''s information have an error?" Nangong Yue murmured.
Lin Jichen shook his head, saying, "Judging by his aura, he must have just broken through."
"Haha, you have a keen eye for someone with such low cultivation. Yes, I just broke through to the Golden Core stage, and you two delivered yourselves right to my door."
"I''ll turn you both into wraiths, and use your flesh and blood to sacrifice to my soul banner. My power will surely increase significantly."
The man waved his sleeve, and a g emitting dense ck energy shot into the sky.
From the soul banner, evil spirits roared, ghostly shadows swarmed, carrying a demonic aura that seemed to devour the heavens and earth.
"Hundred Ghosts Devour the Heart! Command!"
The gaunt man made amanding gesture, and the soul banner suddenly attacked Nangong Yue. As it neared, hundreds of evil spirits crawled out of the banner, looking ferocious, as if they wanted to devour Nangong Yuepletely.
"Junior brother, step back! Don''t get caught in the crossfire."
Nangong Yue only had time to leave these words before she charged forward with her sword.
Though the opponent was at the initial stage of the Golden Core, Nangong Yue was an elite disciple of the inner temple, and her grandfather was one of the twelve great elders. Her cultivation and magic treasures were extraordinary.
She didn''t believe she couldn''t defeat this Golden Core stage enemy.
Nangong Yue swung her green sword, her graceful figure blurring, transforming into countless shadows. Sword shadows filled the sky, and sword Qi soared!
In her swift movements, the evil spirits were reduced to ashes, destroyed by the sword Qi.
Seeing this, the gaunt man''s eyes turned venomous. He snarled, "Dare to harm my ghost puppets? I''ll make you rece them! Be my puppet!"
With that, the man poured his mana into the soul banner, which instantly expanded, seeming to cover the sky!
The light cocoon that had illuminated the night lost its effect in an instant.
Darkness enveloped the surroundings once more, with only Nangong Yue''s sword light faintly illuminating the area.
Facing the overwhelming demonic cultivator, Nangong Yue showed no fear.
She lifted her sword and floated in the air, her delicate body suddenly emitting an astonishing sword intent! The sword intent soared, and her green sword in hand became a de of justice, shing towards the soul banner that covered the sky!
Boom!
A violent sonic boom echoed, and all the houses in the vige copsed like dry leaves, turning to dust.
Lin Jichen was forced to retreat several steps to avoid getting injured by the aftermath.
He was just a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator. In a battle of this level, it was easy to get hurt, so it was best to stay out of the way.
In the sky, the two continued their fierce battle.
The gaunt man, growing impatient with his inability to defeat Nangong Yue, secretly threw out a blood gourd.
The gourd flew out andnded on the ground, looking unremarkable.
At this moment, the stopper of the gourd fell off automatically, and a mass of crimson blood mist surged out!
The stench was a hundred times stronger than the smell from the ancient well earlier!
The nearby vegetation withered rapidly upon contact with this aura.
Chapter 47 – Sword beheading blood baby
Chapter 47 C Sword beheading blood baby
"Ke ke ke..."
From within the blood mist, an eerie and sinisterugh suddenly echoed, crisp like a child''s but more chilling than a ghost''s wail.
The blood mist began to solidify, and as it gathered in one ce, a baby appeared, sitting on the ground.
The baby''s skin was pallid, its eyes bulging, and its head was disproportionatelyrgepared to its body, resembling a monstrous giant-headed infant.
Its face was smeared with blood-red grease, making it even more terrifying.
The baby looked up and saw Nangong Yue, its smile growing even more sinister and cold.
Suddenly, the baby''s mouth opened, and a ck tongue shot out, extending like a long serpent for several meters.
Nangong Yue was fully focused on dealing with the emaciated man, unable to divert her attention, and was about to be attacked.
At this moment, Lin Jichen, who had been watching from the side, sprang into action!
His figure moved like lightning, whistling through the air. Just as the baby was about to seed in its sneak attack, a crimson sword sliced through the darkness, cutting the baby''s tongue at its root.
sh!
"A critical hit! -610!"
A blood-red number floated out, leaving a deep wound on the baby''s ck tongue.
The baby let out a pained wail.
Nangong Yue, realizing that Lin Jichen hade to her aid, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Junior brother, hold off this demon baby for me. Once I finish off this demonic cultivator, I''lle to help you."
The emaciated man, who had thought his n was foolproof, was infuriated that Lin Jichen had disrupted it.
"You brat, ruining my ns! Once I deal with her, I''ll grind your bones to dust! I''ll y you and extract your soul to feed my soul banner!"
Lin Jichen couldn''t be bothered with him. He knew that with his current cultivation, he couldn''t possibly be a match for the emaciated man.
But he could still help alleviate some of Nangong Yue''s pressure.
His target was the blood baby.
However, after engaging it, he realized the blood baby was no easy opponent.
[Evil Spirit: Ghost Mother Blood Baby]
[Level: Elite]
[Strength: Mid Foundation Establishment]
[Health: 6290/7000]
[Attack: 88]
[Defense: 60]
[Speed: 70]
[Skills: Night Owl Long Tongue, Monstrous Blood Mouth, Flying Blood Bats]
This Ghost Mother Blood Baby was an elite monster at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, but for Lin Jichen, it wasn''t an insurmountable challenge.
The emaciated man had already ordered the blood baby to deal with him, wanting to eliminate this "troublemaker" first.
The blood baby didn''t need hismand; it had already seen Lin Jichen as prey.
Judging by his aura, Lin Jichen, with his Qi Refining Realm aura, was only fit to be its food and nourishment.
The blood baby''s tongue shot out again, carrying a foul stench, attacking with the speed of lightning!
Lin Jichen moved fluidly, his posture steady, and his sword swept across!
Unexpectedly, the blood baby was prepared. Its ck tongue agilely dodged the sword and seized the opportunity to rapidly approach Lin Jichen.
The previously soft tongue, upon nearing, suddenly transformed into a sharp sword, aiming straight for Lin Jichen''s heart.
"Ke ke... I want to eat your heart, eat your liver, eat you..."
"Eat your mother!"
Before it could finish, Lin Jichen used Phantom Step to dodge!
His figure vanished from the spot, evading the vicious tongue-sword.
The sword light shed, and the Crimson Cloud Sword once again shed the disgusting tongue, cutting it open with its sharp de.
"A critical hit! -610!"
Another weak point damage.
The blood baby suffered another loss, both in pain and anger.
"I''ll eat you! Eat you!"
The blood baby''s voice became shrill, like the cry of a night owl, oppressive to the mind.
With the blood baby''s piercing scream, its mouth split from the cheeks, like a crack in a wall, extending all the way to the ears.
Its head, alreadyrge, now with its mouth split open, looked like a whale shark swallowing the sea, incredibly terrifying.
The mouth opened wide, revealing two rows of saw-like fangs, with saliva dripping like a hungry beast.
"Monstrous Blood Mouth!"
The blood baby opened its huge mouth, fiercely biting towards the nearby Lin Jichen!
Lin Jichen didn''t want to be touched by such a disgusting skill, using the speed boost from Phantom Step to swiftly retreat.
At the same time, he infused mana into his longsword, the sword light shing, aiming straight for the blood baby''s neck.
"Frost Moon sh!"
But the blood baby wasn''t stupid; it used its hand to block Lin Jichen''s sword, preventing him from hitting a weak point.
The sword Qi only struck the blood baby''s elbow.
"-530!"
The damage was still considerable.
Moreover, Lin Jichen didn''t expect that this ''Frost Moon sh'' would trigger the skill''s passive freezing effect.
The blood baby''s elbow was covered in ayer of frost, its movements significantly slowed.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Jichen''s sword moved like light and shadow, executing the Gale Sword Technique, each strike faster than thest!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
"-170!"
"-170!"
"A critical hit! 610!"
...
The blood baby''s health rapidly drained like a water pump.
The blood baby howled in rage, but could only rage helplessly.
As the freezing effect ended, it opened its mouth again.
Arge swarm of blood-red bats flew out, more numerous than an entire bat colony.
The blood bats filled the sky, emitting a strange, piercing noise.
This noise could disturb the mind, and Lin Jichen noticed his health bar decreasing inexplicably, even gaining a negative curse.
"Blood Bat Sound: During the duration, movement skill effects -30%."
Affected by this, Lin Jichen steadied his mind.
At this moment, his eyes were deep, ck hair flying, his aura like an unparalleled swordsman, unflinching even if Mount Tai copsed before him.
Facing the blood bat swarm, Lin Jichen''s pupils shed with a bright light, sharp as lightning.
The Crimson Cloud Sword in his hand shone with a dazzling glow!
Suddenly!
Lin Jichen surged with his sword, bursting with overwhelming battle intent, the sword moving with his will, the sword Qi turning into rain!
"Phoenix Feather!"
The crimson sword intent reached its peak, shooting like a rain of light, transforming into 22 shes that could split the heavens and earth!
Apanied by the bats'' screams, in just a few breaths, all the bats were torn apart by the sword light, red light sshing, blood rain falling from the sky.
The gruesome scene resembled a hellish painting.
The remaining sword light pursued the blood baby, colliding with it!
The blood baby let out a wail several times more painful than before, as the remaining Phoenix Feather sword lights left deep, bone-exposing wounds on its body.
"-770!"
"-770!"
...
"A critical hit! -1210!"
"Crippling effect triggered! Ignores armor for 15 seconds!"
The crippling effect wasn''t even necessary; the blood baby''s health bar couldn''t hold up and it exploded on the spot!
Such was the power of a Mysterious Grade Martial Art!
Far superior to Frost Moon sh.
"Cultivation +500!"
Having sessfully in the blood baby, Lin Jichen quickly stored the Soul Burial Mound it dropped into his ring. The battle in the sky was also nearing its end.
Nangong Yue, with herte Crystal Formation cultivation, had managed to defeat her early Golden Elixir opponent.
Lin Jichen clicked his tongue in wonder. This seemingly delicate and cute junior sister had a strength not to be underestimated; he had misjudged her.
"Damn it! I refuse to ept this!"
The emaciated man, filled with frustration, looked up and sighed, but couldn''t escape his fate of being killed.
However, just before his death, the emaciated man threw out a brocade box.
Nangong Yue thought it was a hidden weapon and instinctively shed with her sword.
Bang!
The box was easily cut open, but a pink mist burst out from inside.
Upon closer inspection, the mist was actuallyposed of countless tiny pink insects.
Nangong Yue sensed something was wrong and instantly dodged.
But she still got a bit of the insects on her.
Thinking it was poison, Nangong Yue hurriedly tried to expel it with her cultivation.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she activated her cultivation, the insects seeped through her clothes and skin, invading her body.
"Don''t use your cultivation! Those are charm insects!"
Lin Jichen hurriedly tried to stop her, but it was toote.
Chapter 48 – Possession of Charm Insects
Chapter 48 C Possession of Charm Insects
Nangong Yue''s face changed drastically when she heard the words "charm insects," her eyes filled with terror.
Before she could react, her body began to respond.
A strange energy spread throughout her body.
Nangong Yue''s skin quickly turned red, and her eyes gradually became dazed.
"Senior sister, are you okay?" Lin Jichen stepped forward to ask.
Seeing Lin Jichen, Nangong Yue''s cheeks turned even redder, her eyes misty.
Looking at her junior brother who was so close, the affection built from their daily interactions came into y.
Nangong Yue''s willpower didn''t resist Lin Jichen at all.
Coupled with the charm insects wreaking havoc inside her.
"Junior brother... you... you mustn''t look at me..."
Fortunately, Nangong Yue retained a shred of rationality, but her "warning" tone had a teasing element to it.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly.
Charm insects are creatures that stimte the body''s lust.
Once touched by them, one mustn''t circte their energy, or the insects will be absorbed into the body.
The correct method is simply to brush them off.
But it seemed this was Nangong Yue''s first encounter with such a sinister trick, and she was caught off guard.
The higher the cultivation of the victim, the less likely they are to be affected quickly.
But the key was that Nangong Yue had just gone through a fierce battle, killing a Golden Elixir opponent across realms, leaving her exhausted, her mana depleted, and her mind unstable.
It was her weakest moment.
Plus, Nangong Yue already had a favorable impression of Lin Jichen, with no resistance towards him.
These conditionsbined, causing her willpower to waver.
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level towards you +20! Current affection level: 52 points (Mutual Affection)]
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level towards you +20! Current affection level: 72 points (Harmony)]
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level towards you +20! Current affection level: 92 points (Unwavering Love)]
Hearing these notifications, Lin Jichen couldn''t bring himself to smile.
This sudden increase in affection wasn''t genuine.
It was just because Nangong Yue had lost her rationality due to the charm insects, causing her affection level towards him to temporarily spike.
At this moment, Lin Jichen could indeed push Nangong Yue down and spend a passionate night with her.
But the consequence would be that Nangong Yue would know everything that happened once she woke up.
In the best-case scenario, her affection level would reset to zero, and they would be strangers, with her never having any favorable impression of him again.
In the worst-case scenario, not only would her affection level reset to zero, but she might also turn against him and kill him in a fit of rage.
Lin Jichen wasn''t about to gamble his life for one night of passion.
If Nangong Yue woke up wanting to kill him, even ten lives wouldn''t be enough.
Even if he had the Soul Talisman given by the Sect Master, Leng Feiyan would likely expel him from the sect upon learning of his actions.
Having finally secured a great start and a powerful backer, Lin Jichen wasn''t foolish enough to ruin his future.
Thud~
Nangong Yue had already fallen into Lin Jichen''s arms, her eyes filled with allure, her breath fragrant.
Her cheeks were rosy, more vibrant than flowers, her gaze hazy, wandering over Lin Jichen''s body.
"Junior brother... I feel so ufortable... help me..."
Nangong Yue''s red lips parted slightly, her eyes seductive, looking incredibly alluring.
Any man would want to take her right then and there.
Lin Jichen certainly wanted to, but considering the consequences, he held back.
But this couldn''t go on; the charm insects inside Nangong Yue needed to be dealt with, or they would cause her great harm.
Lin Jichen took out the Soul Talisman, intending to call Leng Feiyan for help.
Just as he was about to tear the talisman, the ancient well nearby caught his attention.
Seeing the well, Lin Jichen suddenly remembered that special elixirs often refreshed at the bottom of the ancient well in this Secret Realm.
However, the well was protected by formations. While Crystal Realm cultivators could handle it, Lin Jichen, being only in the Qi Refining Realm, would have a hard time getting through.
After a moment of hesitation, Lin Jichen put the Soul Talisman back.
"Senior sister, hold on, I''ll find an antidote for you!"
Suppressing his reluctance, Lin Jichen pushed the lovely woman in his arms away and immediately got up, heading to the well.
After a brief hesitation, he jumped in!
It was a dry well, dark and damp, with no light.
Lin Jichen took out a torch, illuminating the scene inside.
The bottom of the well was filled with numerous skeletons, likely the remains of the vigers.
The surrounding area was thick with Yin energy, which began to press in on Lin Jichen, trying to devour his vitality.
"-100!"
"-100!"
"-100!"
...
A series of damage numbers appeared above Lin Jichen''s head, his health bar depleting rapidly.
Ignoring the encroaching Yin energy, Lin Jichen searched for the elixirs with his torch.
Finally, he saw a wooden box under a skeleton.
Using Mist Piercing Charge, he quickly approached.
At this moment, the formation in the well activated, and a Yin lightning bolt formed.
Crackle!
The Yin lightning was deadly.
Seeing it about to strike, Lin Jichen activated the Spirit Shield, enveloping himself in the Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant''s energy.
He sessfully deflected the Yin lightning.
But before he could catch his breath, the formation began crackling again, forming another Yin lightning bolt.
And it wasn''t just one!
Lin Jichen''s scalp tingled, wishing he had wings on his feet. He rushed to the skeleton, dug out the box, and leaped towards the well''s opening.
But the well was several meters high, and he was still short of the top.
The Yin lightning behind him was closing in.
"Phantom Step!"
Lin Jichen used his second movement technique, propelling himself several meters forward, sessfully escaping the well.
Just as he thought he had narrowly escaped, a Yin lightning bolt shot out from the well, chasing after him.
"It''s over!"
He had no way to dodge the Yin lightning.
Lin Jichen felt despair.
If he died here, not only would he fail to save Nangong Yue, but his innate attributes would also decrease by 10%.
Lin Jichen even regretted not using the Soul Talisman.
He had overestimated himself.
But even if he died, Lin Jichen wanted to save Nangong Yue first.
He lunged forward,nding heavily on Nangong Yue''s soft body.
"Ugh~"
By now, Nangong Yue waspletely delirious, her clothes torn, exposing her beautiful figure.
Unfortunately, Lin Jichen had no time to admire her. He took out all the elixirs from the box and stuffed them into her mouth.
He didn''t have time to check what the elixirs were, only hoping one of them could cure the charm insects.
Just as he finished feeding her the elixirs, the Yin lightning struck his back.
"Hit by Yin lightning, -3000!"
"Yin energy invading, vitality critical, triggering unconscious state!"
Seeing that he wasn''t dead, Lin Jichen remembered that his health wasn''t as low as an ordinary Qi Refining Realm cultivator.
With the ''Vitality Sprout'' talent, he had 4080 points of vitality!
A small tank~
After losing a thousand points of vitality earlier, he still had some left.
Surviving was good enough!
But there was no time to celebrate.
The next second, Lin Jichen''s vision went ck, and he copsed onto Nangong Yue''s soft body, unconscious.
Coincidentally, his headnded right on her ample chest, making for a ratherfortable sleep...
Chapter 49 – Affection Level Reset
Chapter 49 C Affection Level Reset
Not long after, Nangong Yue gradually woke up. As she opened her eyes, she felt a heavy weight on her body.
Looking down, she saw Lin Jichen lying on top of her, his head resting on her ample chest.
Moreover, her clothes were in disarray, exposing her body.
"Ah!"
Nangong Yue screamed and pushed Lin Jichen far away.
Lin Jichen flew out andnded face-first on the ground in a rather embarrassing position.
"-75!"
A small damage number floated up.
If Lin Jichen were awake, he would probably be scared out of his wits.
He only had 5 points of vitality left. Thest time he was in such a dire situation was when he identally entered Leng Feiyan''s bedchamber.
Now, even a twisted ankle could send Lin Jichen to his grave.
After pushing Lin Jichen away, Nangong Yue hurriedly tried to fix her clothes, but she found that they were all torn.
She thought she had lost her chastity and was heartbroken, squatting on the ground and crying her eyes out.
"Beast! Bastard! Lin Jichen, I hate you! Waaa..."
Nangong Yue cried and cursed, unable to believe that the junior brother she liked would take advantage of her in such a despicable way.
Thinking of this, she cried even harder.
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level for you has dropped to zero!]
Lin Jichen had no idea what was happening and remained unconscious.
After crying for a long time, Nangong Yue''s emotions finally stabilized a bit.
"Get out of my sight! I never want to see you again in this lifetime!" Nangong Yue said resolutely.
However, she noticed that Lin Jichen was still lying on the ground, motionless.
At first, she thought he was pretending to be asleep, but gradually she realized something was wrong.
Although her clothes were torn, her body didn''t feel ufortable, and her undergarments were untouched.
On the contrary, Lin Jicheny motionless in the mud at a distance.
This didn''t seem like someone pretending to be asleep.
Growing suspicious, Nangong Yue carefully recalled everything that happened before she lost consciousness. She remembered what Lin Jichen had said to her.
"Senior Sister, hold on, I''ll find an antidote for you!"
Nangong Yue''s expression changed as she looked towards the well and the ground beside her, both showing signs of a Yin Thunder explosion.
She seemed to understand something and quickly ran to the well, looking down.
As someone in the Crystal Realm, she could naturally sense the presence of a formation inside.
Nangong Yue finally realized the truth and hurried to Lin Jichen''s side.
She found that he was barely breathing, with arge, conspicuous hole in his back, showing signs of Yin energy burns.
The truth was revealed.
Tears welled up in Nangong Yue''s eyes again.
"Junior Brother... I wronged you..."
Her face was full of guilt.
She had thought Lin Jichen took advantage of her, ruining her purity.
The truth was that Lin Jichen had risked his life to save her, entering the Yin formation to find an antidote and getting severely injured in the process, with Yin energy invading his body.
Feeling deeply remorseful, Nangong Yue quickly helped Lin Jichen up, took out an elixir from her storage ring, and fed it to him.
His vitality was restored, but Lin Jichen still didn''t wake up.
Nangong Yue checked and found that the Yin energy in his body was too overwhelming for the elixir to wake him up.
Having no other options, the anxious Nangong Yue decided to return to the sect to seek the Sect Master''s help.
Before that, she took out a new set of clothes from her ring and changed right next to Lin Jichen, too anxious to feel embarrassed.
Unfortunately, Lin Jichen missed the sight, seeing nothing.
After changing, Nangong Yue carried Lin Jichen on her back, mounted her sword, and flew swiftly towards the sect!
Nangong Yue traveled through the night and finally returned to the Sword Sect at dawn.
By this time, she was almost exhausted, having carried Lin Jichen and flown at full speed without regard for her mana consumption.
But she gritted her teeth and persisted, flying directly into the mountain gate.
Many yers saw her.
"Isn''t that the fairy NPC from yesterday?"
"Lin Jichen is with her! Damn, he''s being carried by my goddess!"
"Not carried, she''s got him on her back."
"What happened? Lin the Great seems to have passed out."
"Howe he gets to be so close to the NPC? I want that treatment too!"
...
Not only the yers but also other NPC disciples in the sect were whispering among themselves.
Nangong Yue had no time to care about the rumors below, flying past the outer temple and heading straight for the inner temple.
In the inner temple za.
All the inner temple disciples were still attending their usual sses.
Suddenly, a streak of light flew past.
The disciples all looked up, stunned.
Even Senior Brother Chu Tianhan, sitting at the front, seemed dumbfounded, staring nkly at the streak of light in the sky.
"Am I seeing things?"
"Why is Junior Sister Nangong carrying a man?"
"That guy looks familiar."
"Isn''t he the Sect Master''s disciple, Lin Jichen?"
"How can Junior Sister be so close to him? This is outrageous, Senior Brother..."
Chu Tianhan''s face turned as dark as water, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves, veins bulging on his neck.
Especially the jealousy in his eyes, burning like a fiery mountain.
The teaching Elder Tianjian was also somewhat surprised and spoke slowly.
"Yue''er, why aren''t you attending ss?"
Hearing the elder''s question, Nangong Yue quickly replied, "Yue''er and Junior Brother were on a mission to exterminate demons. Junior Brother was struck by Yin Thunder while saving me, and Yin energy invaded his body. I''m seeking the Sect Master''s help. I won''t be attending ss today. Please understand, Elder Tianjian."
Elder Tianjian smiled and said, "No need to go. The Sect Master is not in the sect at the moment."
Nangong Yue was disappointed but quickly thought of Elder Tianjian.
"Then please, Elder Tianjian, help save Junior Brother. He''s been unconscious for a day."
Elder Tianjian shook his head with a smile, "It''s not that I can''t help."
"Why not? Elder Tianjian, you''re so powerful. How can you not handle a bit of Yin energy?"
Elder Tianjianughed, "It''s not that I can''t help, but it''s inconvenient."
"Why?" Nangong Yue was puzzled.
"You''re carrying a man. If your grandfather knew I helped him privately, he might me me. That old man is known for being protective. I don''t want to be scolded by him."
Hearing this, Nangong Yue''s face turned red with embarrassment. She stomped her foot, both ashamed and angry.
"My grandfather wouldn''t be so unreasonable. Junior Brother got hurt saving me. My grandfather would only thank him."
"Not necessarily. Your grandfather might not approve of him as a grandson-inw."
"Ugh! Elder Tianjian, you''re always joking. I''m not talking to you anymore. I''m going to find my grandfather!"
Nangong Yue said, summoning her flying sword again and heading towards another immortal mountain!
Lin Jichen didn''t know how long he had been unconscious. When he woke up, he found himself lying on a simple bed in a clean room.
The first thing he did after waking up was check his status. His innate attributes hadn''t dropped, indicating he wasn''t dead.
His vitality was also full.
Phew!
As long as he wasn''t dead.
Lin Jichen finally felt relieved. During his unconsciousness, he was most afraid of getting hurt and dying.
Now it seemed that he hadn''t taken any damage after passing out. Nangong Yue had protected him well~
Chapter 50 – Stay away from my granddaughter!
Chapter 50 C Stay away from my granddaughter!
"Awake?"
A gruff voice suddenly broke the silence.
Lin Jichen turned his head to see an elderly man with white hair but no beard.
Though the old man was advanced in years, his spirit was vigorous as he sat in a chair, quietly observing him.
Lin Jichen sensed an aura from him that was no less powerful than that of Elder Tianqing and Elder Tianjian, and quickly stood up to pay his respects.
"Thank you for saving my life, senior. I am Lin Jichen, a disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect. May I know your esteemed name? I will never forget your kindness."
"My name is Tianyuan, with the surname Nangong, and a single name Yuan. I am Nangong Yue''s grandfather," the old man replied generously.
Lin Jichen was slightly surprised; he hadn''t expected this old man to be Nangong Yue''s grandfather.
Anyone with the title ''Tian'' in their name was a grand elder of the Tianyan Sword Sect.
Like Elder Tianjian, whose name was Yuan Gangjian, and Elder Tianqing, whose name was Feng Ruqing.
In short, these elders with the ''Tian'' title were all significant figures.
"Greetings, Elder. I will forever remember your life-saving grace!" Lin Jichen said earnestly.
Elder Tianyuan chuckled, his tone turning peculiar.
"I don''t need you to remember any grace. Just remember one thing."
Lin Jichen felt a bit strange but still asked, "What is it?"
"Stay away from my granddaughter!"
Lin Jichen: "....."
"I''m warning you, if you dare to have any designs on my granddaughter, I won''t let you off, even if you are the Sect Master''s disciple."
Lin Jichen smiled wryly, no wonder this old man was so hostile.
Facing the grand elder''s threat, Lin Jichen could only obediently agree for now.
"Disciple..."
"Grandfather! You promised Yue''er you wouldn''t say anything, how can you not keep your word?"
A familiar figure rushed into the room, scolding andining to Elder Tianyuan who was sitting on the chair.
The dignified grand elder of the Sword Sect didn''t dare to lose his temper, instead, he smiled awkwardly to appease her.
"Grandfather was just joking with him. This young man is quite good, and he saved you. How could grandfather not understand proper manners?"
Only then did Nangong Yue seem satisfied, and she bounced over to Lin Jichen.
"Junior brother, how are your injuries?"
Lin Jichen was about to say something a bit mushy, but a nce at Elder Tianyuan''s piercing gaze made him quickly abandon the idea.
"Thanks to senior sister''s concern, I am fine now."
"That''s good. You were unconscious from the Yin Sha entering your body, so I carried you back and asked grandfather to heal you. If we had been a bitter, the Yin Sha would have invaded your organs and dantian, and it would have been troublesome."
Nangong Yue said proudly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Lin Jichen with deep affection.
"Thank you, senior sister. I am deeply grateful for saving my life," Lin Jichen said.
"Why are you being so formal? Do we need to be so distant with each other?" Nangong Yue smiled and chided.
"Hehe, that''s true."
As soon as Lin Jichen finished speaking, he felt a chill down his spine, seeing Elder Tianyuan''s gaze bing even more terrifying.
"Actually, I should be the one thanking you. If you hadn''t risked your life to jump into the well to find the antidote for the charm insects, I would have been in grave danger. And I even misunderstood you at that time. Junior brother, I apologize. You are truly a gentleman!"
Nangong Yue''s words made Elder Tianyuan''s forehead veins pop out.
Especially seeing his granddaughter looking at Lin Jichen with such loving eyes, he thought, "It''s over, the cabbage I''ve raised for so many years is being eyed by a pig."
Lin Jichen also felt a bit strange because even a fool could see the affection in Nangong Yue''s eyes.
It was just like the gaze of a girl in her first love looking at her sweetheart.
He was puzzled as to why Nangong Yue would look at him like that. Although her affection level was 32, which wasn''t low, it shouldn''t be enough to show such deep feelings.
Previously, Nangong Yue''s affection level for him had reached 92, but Lin Jichen knew that was only temporary.
Suspicious, he checked Nangong Yue''s current affection level for him and was shocked!
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s current affection level for you: 62 points (Mutual Affection)]
What the heck!
How did her affection level suddenly increase by 30 points?
It''s known that the higher the affection level, the harder it is to increase.
This sudden jump of 30 points was truly unexpected for Lin Jichen.
If he hadn''t seen that Nangong Yue had returned to normal, he would have thought the charm insects were still in her body.
It seemed that his selfless act of saving her without taking advantage of her hadpletely moved Nangong Yue, which was why her affection level increased so much.
A blessing in disguise.
If Lin Jichen had called the Sect Master for help at that time, he definitely wouldn''t have gained such high affection.
"Senior sister, there''s no need to dwell on it. It''s what a junior brother should do. After all, you are my senior sister," Lin Jichen said with a smile.
Nangong Yue pursed her lips and asked coquettishly, "So, would you go to such lengths for other senior sisters as well?"
As Nangong Yue''s face got closer and her eyes sparkled mischievously, Lin Jichen''s heart began to race.
Alright, he had to admit, even after two lifetimes, he was still a virgin...
He had dated Guo Jie for ten years without ever touching her body.
Hested two years longer than Zeng Xiaoxian from "Love Apartment."
Every time Lin Jichen wanted to end his single status, Guo Jie would refuse, saying they could only take the next step after marriage.
Lin Jichen had thought Guo Jie was a traditional woman who valued chastity.
Who knew she was just using this to keep him hooked.
Later, he found out that Guo Jie not only cheated on him with his ''good brother'' Xu Zikai but had countless boyfriends over those ten years.
Luckily, Lin Jichen never ''boarded the bus,'' otherwise, he would have been thoroughly humiliated.
In hindsight, staying a virgin wasn''t so bad.
At least he didn''t feel disgusted like he had swallowed a fly, didn''t have to worry about diseases, and felt no burden after breaking up with Guo Jie.
"Of course not, I only recognize you as my senior sister. I promise."
Lin Jichen said sincerely.
Nangong Yue''s eyes immediately sparkled like a starry river.
His words, filled with subtle affection, seemed to flow through her heart, silently nourishing her, making her feel sweet and content.
"I also only recognize you as my junior brother, my little junior brother~"
As she spoke, Nangong Yue''s cheeks flushed, her eyshes fluttered, and she was so shy that she almost buried her head in her chest.
"Ahem! Ahem! Ahem!"
A series of heavy, warning coughs interrupted their thoughts.
"Is your grandfather''s coughing that serious?" Lin Jichen joked.
Nangong Yue covered her mouth and giggled, "Yes, the old man isn''t in good health. Just ignore him, a few more coughs and a nap will do him good."
Elder Tianyuan felt a twinge of heartache.
How can I sleep when I can''t see your filial piety~~
"Since you''re awake, you should leave now. I won''t see you off," Elder Tianyuan said, his face stern as he began to shoo them away.
Before Lin Jichen could speak, Nangong Yue put her hands on her hips, looking displeased.
"Grandfather, how can you be like this? You''re so rude. He saved my life, and you want to chase him away?"
Nangong Yue turned her head tofort Lin Jichen.
"Junior brother, don''t mind him. You can stay here as long as you want. If he dares to chase you away, I''ll release all his spirit beasts!"
Elder Tianyuan: "...."
What a filial granddaughter who breaks through the heavens!
Chapter 51 – Spirit Beast Park
Chapter 51 C Spirit Beast Park
"Kid, I''m not unreasonable. You saved my granddaughter, so I should thank you. Come with me!"
Elder Tianyuan''s face was full of displeasure as he turned and walked away.
"Junior brother, hurry up and follow him. My grandpa will definitely give you a Spirit Beast as a reward. Go and get it," Nangong Yue urged.
Lin Jichen''s eyes lit up at the mention of a Spirit Beast. How could he miss such a good opportunity?
He immediately quickened his pace, moving as fast as an elderly person hearing about free eggs at the supermarket.
Following Elder Tianyuan, Lin Jichen realized that the ce he had been sleeping was actually someone else''s home.
They walked all the way to the back mountain.
The back mountain was a lush garden, covering nearly three-quarters of the entire mountain.
A que hung outside the garden, reading: Spirit Beast Garden!
The garden was filled with numerous Spirit Beasts, too many to count.
Many Sword Sect disciples were busy inside, some feeding the Spirit Beasts, some cleaning the garden, some counting numbers, and even some taking care of the young ones.
It was like a zoo in the Xianxia world.
Each Spirit Beast had its own territory, ensuring that different species wouldn''t fight each other.
The entire garden seemed to be enhanced by a special formation, adjusting the climate, temperature, and even humidity for different Spirit Beasts.
Every Spirit Beast livedfortably in the garden.
Lin Jichen recognized many of the Spirit Beasts.
There were snow-white Snow Mountain Ferrets, red-furred Crimson Monkeys, Fire Python Bulls that looked like a cross between a cow and a python, and Winged Boars that resembled wild boars with wings, among others.
However, these Spirit Beasts were all low-tier, mostly at the Qi Refining Realm, and couldn''t be considered rare.
"Greetings, Elder!"
Seeing Elder Tianyuan, the disciples respectfully saluted.
"Mm."
Elder Tianyuan nodded casually, then turned to look at Lin Jichen, who was dazzled by the Spirit Beast Garden. A hint of pride appeared on his face.
"Kid, how do you like my Spirit Beast Garden? It''s not much worse than the Beast Taming Sect, right?"
Lin Jichen smiled and nodded. "Elder, your Spirit Beast Garden is indeed impressive."
Unexpectedly, Elder Tianyuan was not satisfied with this answer.
"Just impressive? Have you seen a better beast garden than this?"
Lin Jichen was speechless. This old man''spetitive spirit was really strong.
"Uh, I once visited the Beast Taming Sect. Their garden has many more species than yours."
"Pah! Those guys at the Beast Taming Sect raise all sorts of things, relying only on quantity. My garden is famous for its quality! What can theypare with me?" Elder Tianyuan retorted.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly and honestlymented, "But the Beast Taming Sect''s Spirit Beasts aren''t just at the Qi Refining Realm. They have all levels of strength. I heard their Sect Master even raises a Divine Transformation Realm Exotic Beast, a Poverty-stricken Beast, with unmatched power."
"To be honest, Elder, it seems like your garden doesn''t even have a single Foundation Establishment Realm Spirit Beast."
Elder Tianyuan''s white eyebrows shot up, forming a straight line.
"You brat, daring to look down on me! Who said I only raise Qi Refining Realm Spirit Beasts? The outer area is all Qi Refining Realm. The further in you go, the stronger the Spirit Beasts!"
With that, Elder Tianyuan grabbed Lin Jichen''s sleeve and walked deeper into the Spirit Beast Garden.
If he didn''t prove himself today, he wouldn''t be able to sleep at night.
Being looked down upon by a kid, how could he tolerate it?
Lin Jichen was dragged through the outer area of the Spirit Beast Garden. Sure enough, the further in they went, the stronger the Spirit Beasts became, ranging from Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Crystal Formation, Golden Elixir, to Gathering Spirit.
"The higher-level ones, I won''t show you. Their mere presence could crush you to death. So, do you believe me now?" Elder Tianyuan said proudly.
Lin Jichen casually asked, "Are there any Divine Transformation Realm Spirit Beasts back there?"
Elder Tianyuan''s expression froze, just as he was about to lie.
Unexpectedly, Nangong Yue interjected, "Junior brother, don''t believe my grandpa. The highest level Spirit Beast here is only at the Gathering Spirit Realm. He just doesn''t want you tough at him."
Elder Tianyuan''s old face twitched, especially seeing Lin Jichen''s amused expression, making him feel utterly embarrassed.
"Alright, I have other matters to attend to. Pick a Spirit Beast and get out!" Elder Tianyuan was clearly frustrated.
"Pick a Spirit Beast? Even a Gathering Spirit Realm one?" Lin Jichen thought his luck was too good to be true.
"Pah! You greedy brat, even if I gave you a Gathering Spirit Realm Spirit Beast, could you tame it? Be careful, it might kill you with a sneeze!"
Elder Tianyuan was furious. This kid was too audacious.
First, he had designs on his granddaughter, and now he wanted his high-level Spirit Beasts. If it weren''t for his granddaughter, he would have beaten this kid up.
"So, what level can I choose?"
Lin Jichen didn''t mind being scolded. As long as he got something good, a few harsh words wouldn''t hurt him.
"Of course, one that matches your strength, so you can control and tame it."
Elder Tianyuan replied stiffly.
"In that case, I''ll check out the Foundation Establishment Realm Spirit Beasts." Lin Jichen turned to leave.
Elder Tianyuan called him back.
"Did you not hear me? I said pick one that matches your strength. You''re at the Qi Refining Realm, so pick a Qi Refining Realm Spirit Beast, got it?"
"But my strength is higher than the Qi Refining Realm. You said to pick one that matches my strength, right?" Lin Jichen replied matter-of-factly.
Elder Tianyuan was about to refuse when his granddaughter once again stood against him.
"I can vouch for it. Junior brother''s strength is definitely above the Qi Refining Realm. He personally killed a mid-Foundation Establishment Ghost Mother Blood Baby. I saw it with my own eyes. So he should pick a Foundation Establishment Realm Spirit Beast!"
Elder Tianyuan was momentarily speechless, feeling bitter but unable to argue.
"Fine, fine, pick one and leave!"
Lin Jichen and Nangong Yue exchanged a smile and ran towards the Foundation Establishment Realm Spirit Beast area, leaving Elder Tianyuan behind.
"Junior brother, how about that one? It''s an Ironback Azure Wolf, early Foundation Establishment Realm, good as both a pet and a mount!"
"And that one, a Treasure Moon Spirit Monkey, mid-Foundation Establishment Realm, strong in both attack and speed."
"Oh, look at that! A Purple Gold Tail me Snake, perfect for ambushes!"
"And..."
Nangong Yue enthusiastically introduced the Spirit Beasts to Lin Jichen, wishing she could give them all to him.
Elder Tianyuan listened, growing more and more frustrated. Initially, he only nned to give Lin Jichen a low-tier Qi Refining Realm Spirit Beast to get rid of him.
Who would have thought he''d end up giving a Foundation Establishment Realm one? What a loss!
Compared to the Spirit Beasts, he now feared losing his granddaughter even more. He would never allow it!
This kid was just at the Qi Refining Realm. How could he be worthy of his precious granddaughter? Even if he was a Sect Master''s disciple, so what?
A pretty boy who got in through connections, hmph!
Elder Tianyuan thought, hurry up and pick one, then get lost, so I don''t have to see you anymore.
Lin Jichen was also selecting from the Spirit Beasts.
Although this Spirit Beast Garden didn''t have as many species as the Beast Taming Sect, Elder Tianyuan wasn''t lying about one thing: these Spirit Beasts were indeed top-notch.
Lin Jichen was dazzled by the choices, unsure of what to pick.
Just then, a small beast caught his eye. Its fur was ck and white, round and chubby, looking adorable.
It resembled China''s national treasure, the panda!
But in the Xianxia world, it wasn''t called a panda; it was called an Iron-Eating Beast.
A genuine Spirit Beast, in ancient legends, it was said to be the mount of Chiyou!
Although Chiyou was ultimately defeated, it probably wasn''t the Iron-Eating Beast''s fault... right?
Chapter 52 – Picked up an Iron-Eating Beast
Chapter 52 C Picked up an Iron-Eating Beast
Lin Jichen''s eyes lit up when he saw the Iron-Eating Beast.
Following his gaze, Tianyuan also noticed the Iron-Eating Beast and inwardly cursed.
Just as he was about to move the Iron-Eating Beast away, Lin Jichen beat him to it.
"I want this Iron-Eating Beast!"
Tianyuan''s mouth hung open, swallowing back the words he was about to say.
"This one is not for you," Tianyuan said, changing his mind.
"It only has the strength of the early Foundation Establishment stage. Why not?" Lin Jichen asked, puzzled.
"Are you kidding? Do you think Iron-Eating Beasts are so easy toe by? This Spirit Beast Garden only has a few, and this is the only juvenile. The others are all adults with at least Elemental Infant cultivation. They have potential for growth. How could I give you such a precious spirit beast?"
Tianyuan was adamant, refusing to budge.
But to his surprise, while he was talking to Lin Jichen, Nangong Yue had already run over and picked up the panda cub.
"Junior brother, take it. It''s yours now. Just drip some blood on its forehead, and it will be yours. Iron-Eating Beasts can be used as mounts and are great in battle, making them perfect pets."
As she spoke, Nangong Yue ced the Iron-Eating Beast into Lin Jichen''s arms.
Tianyuan panicked and tried to snatch it back, but Nangong Yue blocked him.
"Grandpa, you always taught me to keep my word, but you''re not doing that yourself?"
"Silly granddaughter, do you know how precious this Iron-Eating Beast is? Give it back, and I''ll pick a Crystal Realm pet for him instead!" Tianyuan pleaded desperately.
Nangong Yue pouted, "No way! This Iron-Eating Beast is at the Foundation Establishment stage, which meets your conditions. Junior brother chose it, and you can''t go back on your word!"
"No, absolutely not! I am going back on my word!"
Tianyuan couldn''t ept the fact that Lin Jichen was getting an Iron-Eating Beast for free and insisted on taking it back.
"Fine, if you don''t keep your word, I''ll go tell the other eleven grandpas about all the ''good'' things you''ve done to them!"
"What did I do?" Tianyuan asked, confused.
Nangong Yue chuckled mockingly, "For example,st month when you were fishing with Grandpa Tianqing, you secretly put a three-eyed greedy roon in theke to eat all the fish near him, and then you won a box of Nine-Leaf Mystic Spirit Tea from him."
Tianyuan''s expression began to freeze.
Nangong Yue continued, "Three months ago, when you were ying chess with Grandpa Tianjian, you secretly invited the top chess master from Fengqu City and used mental power to have him hide and guide you. You won a book of Earth Grade sword techniques from Grandpa Tianjian."
"And half a year ago, when Grandpa Tianque asked you for the blood essence of a Golden-Eyed Divine Rhinoceros to forge a sword, you swapped it with the blood essence of a Mist Wind Rhinoceros and shamelessly took an Earth Grade magic treasure as payment. When Grandpa Tianque''s sword forging failed, you med his forging skills."
By this point, Tianyuan''s face was twitching.
"And..."
"Enough! Stop talking."
Tianyuan hurriedly interrupted, not daring to listen any further.
If his granddaughter really revealed these secrets, he could imagine the consequences.
He would definitely be ''torn apart'' by the other eleven elders.
The Iron-Eating Beast was important, but his life was more important.
To save his life, Tianyuan had no choice but to give up.
"Take it, take it! Just leave! From now on, if you ever show up on my turf again, I''ll beat you up every time I see you!"
Tianyuan stormed off in a huff, not wanting to look at Lin Jichen or the Iron-Eating Beast he had given away. His heart was bleeding.
He had no choice; he had such a ''dutiful'' granddaughter.
After Tianyuan left, Nangong Yue showed no guilt for making her grandpa angry.
"Hehe, junior brother, quickly drip your blood to establish ownership. My grandpa is known for being shameless and mighte back to snatch it."
Lin Jichen, a bit scared, quickly bit his finger and dripped blood onto the little Iron-Eating Beast''s forehead.
"After dripping the blood, ce your palm on the spirit beast''s forehead to sense its emotional fluctuations andmunicate with it mentally."
"But the sess of establishing ownership depends on luck and the spirit beast''s attitude towards you. If it dislikes you or looks down on your strength, it might reject you."
Nangong Yue exined the process and preemptivelyforted Lin Jichen in case he failed.
The blood quickly seeped into the Iron-Eating Beast''s forehead.
Lin Jichen ced his hand on the Iron-Eating Beast''s forehead, quietly sensing its fluctuations.
As expected, the Iron-Eating Beast began to resist fiercely, its spirit strongly opposed.
Lin Jichen didn''t rush. He closed his eyes and began to use his mental power and spirit tomunicate with the Iron-Eating Beast, soothing its emotions.
The general process went something like this...
Iron-Eating Beast: "You, a mere Qi Refining stage weakling, want me to serve you? Pfft, get lost!"
Lin Jichen: "Let''s talk this out. We can negotiate."
Iron-Eating Beast: "Negotiate your ass! I''m an Iron-Eating Beast! The pride of the beast n! Beast n, never ves! Awooo~"
Lin Jichen: "If you serve me, I''ll take you to taste all the world''s delicacies, spirit herbs, and medicines. How about that?"
Iron-Eating Beast: "Hmph, I''ve eaten everything."
Lin Jichen: "Really? There''s a small ind south of Yuehua Province, full of Immortal Bamboo. Eating one can equal a year''s worth of beast spirit power cultivation. Have you eaten that?"
Iron-Eating Beast: "No..."
Lin Jichen: "In the Crystal Secret Realm of Mu Xian Province, there''s a bamboo forest full of Purple Arrow Bamboo. It''s sweet and crisp, crunchy and not dry. Have you eaten that?"
Iron-Eating Beast: "No... I haven''t..."
Lin Jichen: "On Peni Immortal Ind east of Huafeng Province, there''s a kind of immortal fruit called the Tongxuan Fruit. Eating one can extend your life by a hundred years. Have you eaten that?"
Iron-Eating Beast: "...."
Lin Jichen: "In the western sea of Yuehua Province, there''s a fish called the Ranyi. It has the body of a fish and the head of a snake, with eyes like ears. Eating it makes you immune to all poisons and cures old ailments. Have you eaten that?"
Iron-Eating Beast: "...."
Lin Jichen: "And..."
Iron-Eating Beast: "Stop! I''m so hungry! If I follow you, can I really eat all those things?"
Lin Jichen: "A gentleman never goes back on his word. But those things are too precious, guarded by powerful beasts. We have to wait until my cultivation level improves."
Iron-Eating Beast: "But you won''t let me starve until then, right?"
Lin Jichen: "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of your three meals a day and provide lodging."
Iron-Eating Beast: "Alright! It''s a deal! Master~"
With a sh of light on the Iron-Eating Beast''s forehead, Lin Jichen sessfully acquired his first pet.
[Spirit Beast: Iron-Eating Beast (Juvenile)]
[Name: Not Named]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Strength: Early Foundation Establishment]
[Health: 8000/8000]
[Attack: 90]
[Defense: 85]
[Speed: 65]
[Skills: Furious Bite, Thunderstorm, Head Smash]
After reading the Iron-Eating Beast''s stats, Lin Jichen knew he had struck gold.
At that moment, a game announcement suddenly sounded.
"Announcement! In ten..."
Chapter 53 – Game update
Chapter 53 C Game update
"Announcement! In ten minutes, ''Tale of Immortal'' will undergo its first major game update. All yers will be forcibly logged out. The update willst for 24 hours. Please look forward to it!"
The announcement was repeated three times.
Lin Jichen didn''t expect the game to update so soon.
In his previous life, although he started ying a yearte, he had heard that the first major update happened more than a month after the game went live.
Why is it happening so quickly this time?
Could it have something to do with him?
Lin Jichen wasn''t particrly concerned about the update itself; he was worried that the first update was happening so quickly.
Would the time when the game and reality merge also be brought forward?
There was no answer for now.
Lin Jichen could only resolve to work harder to gain more advantages in the early stages of the game.
With the forced logout imminent, yers could still meditate in mindfulness mode during the update time.
Lin Jichen hurried back to the Sword Pce''s backyard, where leveling up was fastest.
When yers log out to meditate, their characters don''t disappear.
If they log out in dangerous ces, they could easily be killed and respawn at the spring when they log back in.
But even in safe ces, it''s important to find areas rich in spiritual energy; otherwise, the experience gained from meditating is pitifully low.
"Sister, thank you so much today. I am deeply grateful."
Nangong Yue gave him a yful nce with her beautiful eyes.
"Do we need to be so formal?"
Lin Jichen understood and smiled sheepishly. "My bad, my bad. By the way, Sister, I''ll head back to the Sword Pce now."
"You''re leaving already?" Nangong Yue looked a bit reluctant.
The more she looked at Lin Jichen, the more pleasing he seemed to her eyes. She wished she could spend all twelve hours of the day by his side.
"After this experience, I feel I''ve gained some insights into my cultivation, so I want to go back to the Sword Pce to meditate. Once I''m done, I''lle back to find you."
Lin Jichen found an excuse.
Nangong Yue nodded in understanding. "Cultivation is most important. You should go quickly. It''s best if you don''te here for a while; my grandfather is probably still angry. I''lle to find you instead."
"Alright, I''ll be waiting for yourmand, Sister."
"Good boy, go on then~" Nangong Yue''s worry turned into joy.
Lin Jichen, holding the Iron-Eating Beast, returned to his quarters.
With two minutes left, he made a nest for the Iron-Eating Beast right beside his bed.
"By the way, you don''t have a name yet. What should I call you..."
Lin Jichen thought for a moment and came up with an answer.
"You''re from the bear family, so your surname is bear. You look like a cat, so I''ll name you... Bearlike!"
Ignoring the Iron-Eating Beast''s angry dissatisfaction, the name was set.
It didn''t have a chance to protest, as Lin Jichen had already logged out.
***
Coming out of the gaming pod, Lin Jichen was still full of energy.
He had been inside for three days, yet his body felt no difort, no hunger, and no need to relieve himself.
That''s the benefit of the gaming pod; within its set time, yers enter a state akin to inedia.
After exiting the game, Lin Jichen checked the time. Tomorrow was Gu Qiuxue''s birthday.
Even if the game wasn''t updating, he had nned to log out at this time.
In his previous life, he hadpletely ignored Gu Qiuxue''s messages to go out with Guo Jie.
In this life, no matter how important something was, he would set it aside to keep his promise.
The two girls he had wronged in his previous life were Ren Lan and Gu Qiuxue.
Gu Qiuxue was Lin Jichen''s cousin, currently an intern nurse at a hospital in the Capital City.
Though they were cousins, their families were no longer closely rted, only in name.
Gu Qiuxue was three years older than Lin Jichen. Although their families didn''t live in the same city, they often visited each other when Lin Jichen''s parents were alive.
They were childhood sweethearts, innocent and inseparable.
When they were young, Gu Qiuxue often came to Lin Jichen''s house to y.
Wearing braces, she was often bullied and teased as "metal mouth" by other kids.
Every time Gu Qiuxue came back crying, Lin Jichen would bravely stand up for her, fighting boys much taller than him, even if it meant getting bruised and battered.
So Gu Qiuxue always liked to stick close to Lin Jichen.
When Lin Jichen started middle school, his parents passed away. Gu Qiuxue was heartbroken and called him every other day to chat.
She asked about his school life and homework, and shared funny stories from her high school.
When Lin Jichen went to high school and Gu Qiuxue to college, she would rush to his house during every holiday.
She cooked, did hisundry, tutored him, and even saved her living expenses to give to Lin Jichen.
She was the lighthouse in Lin Jichen''s dark days after losing his parents.
Lin Jichen thought Gu Qiuxue only saw him as a younger brother.
Until after the college entrance exams, when he visited Gu Qiuxue''s house and identally found her diary.
The diary was filled with her admiration and love for him since her college days.
Reading it left Lin Jichen stunned. He realized then that Gu Qiuxue liked him.
But he didn''t say anything, put the diary back as if he hadn''t seen it.
Later, when he went to college and got infatuated with Guo Jie, he never thought about it again.
He avoided Gu Qiuxue as much as possible, and was perfunctory in his responses to her concerned calls.
Even so, Gu Qiuxue continued to care deeply for Lin Jichen.
Despite barely making enough to support herself during her internship, she still saved part of her sry to give to Lin Jichen.
Her kindness towards Lin Jichen never sought any return.
She never questioned him, despite his perfunctory responses and avoidance.
After Gu Qiuxue''s depression and suicide, he was heartbroken for a long time.
Thinking back, it seemed that after that birthday, Gu Qiuxue had started to distance herself from him.
Lin Jichen was determined to uncover the truth.
He couldn''t let Gu Qiuxue walk the same path as in his previous life.
That afternoon, Lin Jichen appeared at the Capital City airport.
Although Gu Qiuxue''s birthday was tomorrow, he decided toe a day early to be safe.
As soon as he got off the ne, Lin Jichen took a taxi to the hospital where Gu Qiuxue worked.
With his tall and slender figure, handsome face, and sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, Lin Jichen attracted a lot of attention as soon as he entered the hospital.
Especially since he had just started college and was only neen, he still had a bit of a schrly air, exuding a "puppy" charm.
But his eyes were full of steadiness, leisure, and a sense of having seen the world.
These two contrasting qualitiesbined to make Lin Jichen even more striking.
Even female patients couldn''t help but cast admiring nces at him.
"Hey, handsome, need any help?"
A nurse quickly approached him.
Lin Jichen showed no sign of nervousness or shyness at being approached by a girl. He smiled slightly and asked politely.
"Could you tell me where the gynecology department is?"
"It''s in the annex building, through the corridor past the emergency department. Are you visiting a patient? If you can''t find it, I can take you there."
The nurse eagerly offered to guide him. These days, good-looking guys and pretty girls easily attract the opposite sex''s goodwill.
"Thank you, but I can find it myself."
Unfortunately, the pretty nurse''s attempt ended in failure.
Chapter 54 – Sis, I’ve missed you so much
Chapter 54 C Sis, Ive missed you so much
Lin Jichen walked through the corridor and arrived at the emergency department, ready to head straight to the gynecology department.
"Hurry! Take him to the emergency room! Call Dr. Huo, and prepare the operating room and ICU immediately. We must be quick!"
"Get the anesthesiology team ready right away!"
"Yes, Director."
"I''ll go prepare the operating room now!"
Arge group of people suddenly rushed into the emergency department, a crowd of doctors surrounding an elderly man lying on a stretcher, pushing their way inside.
The elderly man, dressed in a silk Tang suit,y on the stretcher with a pale face, in great pain.
Beside the stretcher was a dignified and elegant woman, still retaining her charm, looking extremely anxious.
"Director Zheng, you must save my husband!"
"Don''t worry, we''ll do our best to save him! But you know about his condition; we didn''t rmend his discharge in the first ce. You need to be mentally prepared," the director said earnestly.
The woman''s face turned pale, her expression filled with grief.
Suddenly, the elderly man on the stretcher spat out a mouthful of blood, his face listless and his breath faint.
"Dad! Dad, don''t scare me," the woman cried out, unable to hold back her sorrow.
"The situation is critical. Quickly get an MRI and prepare for surgery," the director said gravely.
"Director, the patient''s eyes are unfocused, and his pupils are dted," a doctor reported.
Everyone''s expressions turned grim. As top doctors, they knew what this meant.
The woman seemed to understand that the elderly man was beyond saving, and she wept uncontrobly, continuously calling out to her father.
Just as the atmosphere reached its lowest point, a young man suddenly approached the stretcher.
The doctors initially thought the young man was a family member of the elderly man and didn''t stop him.
But then, the young man extended his hands and began to pat the elderly man''s body, tapping on various acupoints, even on his head, with considerable force, making loud thumping sounds.
Everyone suddenly realized what was happening.
"Mrs. Chu, who is he?" the director asked, still confused, thinking that the family member was being too harsh, even torturing the dying man.
The woman looked up and, seeing the scene, immediately shouted angrily, "I don''t know him! Stop him now!"
"Brat, how dare you insult the deceased! Get away!" The doctors, enraged, tried to pull him away.
"If you don''t want him to die, don''t touch me!" the young man said, his brow furrowed, not even looking up.
Everyone was stunned by his aura and, for some reason, didn''t dare to move him.
The young man continued to tap on the elderly man''s acupoints. Momentster, an astonishing scene unfolded.
The elderly man, who had been on the brink of death, began to show signs of revival. His breathing became evident, and his face regained color.
Then, the elderly man opened his eyes.
Everyone was finally convinced that the elderly man had truly woken up.
"This..."
All the doctors were dumbfounded, utterly shocked.
What kind of emergency technique was this? They had never seen or heard of such a thing.
"Dad! Dad, you''re awake! Are you alright?" the woman asked excitedly.
"Yirou, what happened to me? I felt like I was at death''s door," the elderly man sighed.
The woman, tears streaming down her face, said, "Dad, it''s alright now. A young man saved you."
"A young man? Who?"
The woman then remembered the young man from earlier and looked up to find that he was already gone.
"Where''s that young man?" she asked the doctors, looking around.
The doctors, embarrassed, realized they had been so focused on the elderly man that no one had noticed the young man leaving.
"Dad, it seems he left," the woman said with a bitter smile.
"Go find him. He saved my life; our Yang family must show our gratitude," the elderly man instructed.
Outside the hospital, a fleet of luxury cars arrived. The owners of these cars rushed into the hospital, their emotions running high upon seeing the elderly man on the stretcher.
"Dad, are you alright?"
"Grandpa! How are you?"
"Yirou, what happened to Dad?"
"Why isn''t he in the emergency room yet? What are we waiting for?"
The woman named Yirou broke into a smile through her tears.
"Dad''s fine now. Just a moment ago..."
***
Gynecology Department.
"Hello, is Gu Qiuxue in this department?"
"Qiuxue, there''s a handsome young man looking for you!"
"Coming, who is it?"
A girl in a nurse''s uniform walked out of the pharmacy.
The girl was exceptionally elegant, her face as fair as jade, her eyes clear as water. A single nce from her seemed capable of melting an iceberg.
Lin Jichen had always believed that no woman in the world could match the gentleness of his sister, Gu Qiuxue.
Gu Qiuxue also saw Lin Jichen standing not far away in the hospital corridor.
She froze for a second, then a thousand smiles of joy bloomed on her face.
Lin Jichen''s lips curved into a bright smile.
"Sis!"
"Little Chen!"
Gu Qiuxue, overjoyed, turned into a fragrant breeze and the next moment was in Lin Jichen''s arms, hugging him tightly.
Lin Jichen held her shoulders tightly, his arms trembling slightly.
It had been many years since theyst met, and she looked exactly as he remembered, unchanged in the slightest.
"Sis, I''ve missed you so much."
Tears welled up in Lin Jichen''s eyes as he couldn''t help but hug her tighter.
Burying his head in Gu Qiuxue''s hair, he inhaled the familiar scent of her jasmine fragrance, his heart unable to calm down.
"Little Chen, I''ve missed you too."
For the first time, Gu Qiuxue was embraced so passionately and closely by Lin Jichen. Her pretty face blushed, but she didn''t feel the slightest bit of rejection, instead feeling secretly delighted.
The two of them hugging each other, a scene of deep affection, was witnessed by a passing male doctor.
The male doctor, about 1.7 meters tall, looked decent but paled inparison to Lin Jichen. Wearing a pair of gold-rimmed sses, he had a schrly appearance.
Seeing Gu Qiuxue in another man''s arms, a fierce jealousy shed in his eyes, though he quickly concealed it.
He walked up quickly, with a hint of mockery in his tone.
"Qiuxue, haven''t seen you in a few days, and you''ve got a boyfriend? But even if you have a boyfriend, you shouldn''t bring him to the gynecology department. Be mindful of the impression."
Interrupted, the two had to stop hugging.
"Dr. Zhang, this is my brother. He came to the hospital to see me," Gu Qiuxue exined, embarrassed.
When Zhang Guangwei heard that the man hugging Gu Qiuxue was her brother, his expression immediately became enthusiastic.
"Oh, I see. My mistake. Qiuxue, your brother is really handsome. Your family''s genes are excellent," Zhang Guangwei praised.
Gu Qiuxue shook her head, smiling gently. "Little Chen isn''t my biological brother; he''s my cousin."
"Still rted to your family. Aren''t your cousin''s parents and your parents siblings?" Zhang Guangweiughed.
Gu Qiuxue shook her head again. "No, Little Chen and I are cousins, but our rtionship is beyond the fifth degree of kinship, so we''re not considered rtives."
Gu Qiuxue didn''t know why she felt the need to exin her rtionship with Lin Jichen, especially in front of her colleagues.
Hearing this, the smile on Zhang Guangwei''s face quickly faded. To avoid losing control of his expression, he forced augh.
"Alright, you two chat. I have patients to see, so I''ll be off."
With that, Zhang Guangwei turned and left the gynecology department. Before leaving, he didn''t forget to nce at Lin Jichen.
Chapter 55 – Develop a boyfriend?
Chapter 55 C Develop a boyfriend?
Zhang Guangwei had just left when Gu Qiuxue''s colleagues gathered around her, chattering away.
"Qiuxue, is this the Little Chen you always talk about?"
"Your brother is so handsome! He could totally be a star!"
"Qiuxue, since we''re such good friends, why don''t you introduce him to me?"
"Introduce him to me! I''ll pamper your brother to the skies."
"Come on, didn''t you hear Qiuxue just now? They''re not even blood-rted. This means Qiuxue doesn''t just see him as a brother~"
"So Qiuxue is ying the ''raise your own boyfriend'' game, huh? Haha, with such a handsome ''brother'' and no blood rtion, I''d y that game too."
***
Their teasing left Gu Qiuxue flustered.
"Little Chen, don''t listen to their nonsense. Let''s go outside and talk."
Gu Qiuxue''s face was as red as a beet, her voice barely audible.
"Alright."
Lin Jichen was also feeling overwhelmed by the nurses'' gossip.
Gu Qiuxue led Lin Jichen out of the department and into the garden pavilion of the hospital.
Away from the teasing, Gu Qiuxue finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Little Chen, those sisters just like to joke around. Don''t take it to heart."
Afraid that Lin Jichen might misunderstand, Gu Qiuxue exined further.
"Sis, I know." Lin Jichen replied with a light smile.
"Why did youe so quickly? You didn''t even tell me in advance so I could pick you up." Gu Qiuxueined.
"I wanted to surprise you, and besides, you were at work." Lin Jichen grinned.
"I could have taken leave. It''s your first time in the Capital City; I was worried you might get lost."
Gu Qiuxue''s eyes held a small hint of reproach, but her tone remained gentle.
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh, "Sis, I''m not a kid anymore. How could I get lost? You''re underestimating me."
"No matter how old you are, you''re still my brother. When I say something, you listen." Gu Qiuxue asserted with a small hint of dominance.
"Of course, you''re my sister after all."
Lin Jichen smiled and looked at Gu Qiuxue, unable to help but say, "Sis, you seem to have lost weight. Is work too tiring?"
"Not at all. I''m not tired. But you, you''ve grown taller in just a few months. Is university expensive? Do you have enough money? I just got paid; I''ll transfer some to you."
As she spoke, Gu Qiuxue took out her phone to transfer money to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen felt a lump in his throat and grabbed Gu Qiuxue''s delicate hand, "Sis, I don''t need money. I have plenty now."
Gu Qiuxue smiled sweetly, "How could a university student have money? You''re trying to trick me."
"Really, just wait."
Lin Jichen said as he took out his phone and started operating it.
In less than two minutes, Gu Qiuxue received a text message informing her that her ount had been credited with a million yuan!
"Little Chen, did I just encounter a moneyundering gang? How did so much money end up in my ount?"
Gu Qiuxue asked Lin Jichen in a panic. The sudden influx of money didn''t make her happy; it scared her.
Lin Jichenughed heartily, waving his phone, "It''s not a moneyundering gang. I transferred it to you."
"You transferred it? You..." Gu Qiuxue was stunned and saw the bnce notification on Lin Jichen''s phone.
"Little Chen, where did you get so much money? You didn''t join a moneyundering gang, did you? That''s illegal." Gu Qiuxue was getting anxious.
Lin Jichen patted her hand and exined where the money came from.
After he finished, Gu Qiuxue finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She believed Lin Jichen because the Lin Jichen she knew would never lie to her.
"Is ying games really that profitable? That''s too easy." Gu Qiuxue marveled.
Lin Jichen chuckled, "So from now on, you don''t need to work so hard. You used to support me; now it''s my turn to support you."
Gu Qiuxue blushed and said, "I don''t need your support. That''s your hard-earned money. Here, let me return it to you."
Lin Jichen grabbed her phone and her hand, pretending to be angry, "Sis, if you do this, I''ll be mad."
"Why?" Gu Qiuxue didn''t understand.
"Why? Are you treating me like an outsider?"
"Of course not. How could I treat you like an outsider?" Gu Qiuxue hurriedly exined.
"Then why are you being so distant?"
"It''s just... it''s a lot of money. You should keep it for yourself. I don''t need it."
Hearing this, Lin Jichen stood up and turned to leave.
"Sis, if you treat me like an outsider, I might as well go back."
"Little Chen!" Gu Qiuxue hurriedly grabbed his hand and admitted her mistake, "Sis was wrong. I apologize, okay?"
"Will you ept the money?" Lin Jichen tilted his head, threateningly.
Gu Qiuxue felt both touched and amused. Helpless, she had to agree.
Lin Jichen immediately changed his expression, smiling, "That''s more like it. My money is your money. There''s no distinction between us."
Gu Qiuxue lowered her head, her hair falling in embarrassment, her ears turning pink. Her heart felt as sweet as if she had eaten candy.
"Alright, I understand. Now sit down."
Gu Qiuxue pulled Lin Jichen back to his seat. Just as she was about to ask him more about his life, her phone rang.
It was the head nurse calling for a meeting.
"Sis, you go ahead. I''ll wait here until you get off work. Then I''ll take you out for a big meal!"
"Alright, wait for me. I''ll be done in an hour. If you get bored, you can walk around the hospital, but don''t go too far. I''m worried you''ll get lost."
Lin Jichen agreed with augh. At his age, she still worried about him getting lost...
Gu Qiuxue went back to work temporarily, while Lin Jichen, feeling bored, opened his phone and browsed the "Tale of Immortal" forum.
To his surprise, the top few pinned posts were all about him!
"Twice announced server-wide, and now a Sect Master''s disciple. Who exactly is Lin Jichen?"
"Blood Fiend Guild''s top yer Kuang Xiaoyan reveals Lin Jichen''s Qi Refining Realm strength exceeding 70 points. Is this reasonable?"
"Early game, one versus ten, Qi Refining Realm bosses as fragile as paper. Did Lin Jichen exploit a game bug?"
"Blood Fiend Guild''s leader has submitted a report to the Tale of Immortal''s AI, awaiting Nuwa''s judgment on the cheater!"
"National server''s most popr female streamer Liu Xiazi publicly supports Lin Jichen, firmly believing he did not cheat!"
***
These news articles dominated the most prominent positions on the forum, with many people using him of cheating.
Lin Jichen found it amusing. How could there be cheats in this game?
Does rebirth count as cheating?
Alright, then he admits it.
Besides that, the forum also announced thetest updates for "Tale of Immortal."
This update would introduce the Secret Realm, a pet system, and various leaderboards.
For example, the cultivation leaderboard, talent leaderboard, pet leaderboard, divine weapon leaderboard, and so on.
Additionally, the game would feature random encounters and opportunities scattered throughout.
Overall, the update content was substantial, but it was no different from what Lin Jichen remembered from the first update.
Chapter 56 – Little doctor? I’m not little
Chapter 56 C Little doctor? Im not little
As Lin Jichen continued to scroll down, he reached the game market section.
In just a few days since its public beta, "Tale of Immortal" had captured 90% of the global gaming market.
Its unprecedented poprity and wide audience were unparalleled.
It was even more popr than the first holographic game, "Battlefield," back in the day.
Many yers from other games had flocked to it, causing some games to lose yers and even go bankrupt.
This phenomenon had caught the attention of numerous investors andpanies, prompting them to form guilds and invest in the game.
In "Tale of Immortal," the prices of game equipment and currency fluctuated daily in the market.
As of now, any piece of Spirit Grade equipment or skill in "Tale of Immortal" could fetch hundreds of thousands or even millions.
A low-grade Spirit Stone was currently valued at a 1:125 ratio against the Chinese Yuan, and this ratio was still rising.
The forum was filled with discussions about the strengths and weaknesses of various professions andparisons of yers'' talents.
Many self-proimed experts were boasting and offering their opinions.
Lin Jichen had no interest in their bragging. He exited the forum and put away his phone.
There was still some time before Gu Qiuxue finished work, so Lin Jichen decided to take a stroll around the hospital while waiting for his sister.
"Little Miracle Doctor!"
As Lin Jichen wandered around, a soft, mature female voice suddenly called out from behind him.
He turned around to see a beautiful, elegant woman from the emergency department.
She looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, exuding a mature and intellectual charm with a touch of the gentle elegance typical of women from Suzhou and Hangzhou.
Her golden curly hair cascaded over her shoulders like silk, making her look both hot and alluring, full of feminine charm.
Her delicate features were entuated by exquisite makeup, and she had a petite, refined beauty that was captivating.
Her figure was even more striking, with an S-curve and a slender waist, revealing smooth, snow-white legs and delicate, exposed arms.
Dressed in designer brands, she carried a limited-edition handbag in her slender hand.
Seeing Lin Jichen, the woman smiled seductively and quickly walked over.
"Little Miracle Doctor, I finally found you!"
"Is there something you need?" Lin Jichen asked distantly.
He was a bit annoyed. The woman kept calling him "Little Miracle Doctor," which he found quite irritating.
"I''m not little! This is too much!" he thought.
"Please don''t misunderstand, Little Miracle Doctor. I just wanted to thank you for saving my father. I almost thought I would never see him again. It''s all thanks to your life-saving help," the woman said gratefully, her beautiful eyes filled with emotion.
Lin Jichen responded calmly, "It was just a small effort. Besides, I only helped clear his meridians and blood vessels. It was just a temporary measure; he won''tst more than a few days."
The woman''s mood plummeted, like a sunny day suddenly turning stormy.
Suddenly, as if grasping at a lifeline, she grabbed Lin Jichen''s arm.
"Little Miracle Doctor, you''re so skilled. There must be a way to save my father, right? Please, as long as you save him, our Yang family will spare no expense!"
Her cool, delicate hand clutched Lin Jichen''s arm, feeling like a smooth, silky tofu.
The scent of her perfume wafted into Lin Jichen''s nose, a pleasant fragrance unlike cheap industrial perfumes.
"Your father is at the end of his life, and his illness is beyond cure. There''s nothing I can do," Lin Jichen replied, giving her a disappointing answer.
In truth, he had managed to save the old man earlier thanks to the medical knowledge he had learned in "Tale of Immortal," which included some basic emergency skills.
After "Tale of Immortal" merged with reality, any abilities yers learned in the game could be applied in real life.
Therefore, medical practitioners from "Tale of Immortal" were highly sought after because they could cure diseases and bring people back from the brink of death.
For them, any real-world medical challenges were child''s y, and even cancer was a minor issue.
Unfortunately, Lin Jichen was not a medical practitioner.
Moreover, curing terminal illnesses would require the appearance of various spiritual herbs from "Tale of Immortal" in reality.
The woman, her eyes brimming with tears, looked devastated.
"Little Miracle Doctor, does my father really only have a few days left?"
Lin Jichen regretfully answered, "Yes, at least three days, at most seven. Spend more time with him during this period. You seem wealthy, probably busy and rarely with your parents. Take this time to be with him and avoid any regrets."
Lin Jichen truly had no solution. Even the most skilled medical practitioners from "Tale of Immortal" couldn''t help without the herbs from the Xianxia world.
It was just unfortunate timing.
This was fate, missing the tide of the era.
His parents were the same.
Lin Jichen had longe to terms with it, but the woman before him clearly couldn''t ept it.
Seeing her cry so sorrowfully, Lin Jichen couldn''t just walk away, as it would seem heartless.
The woman cried until her makeup was ruined, but even without it, she was still a beauty.
"Little Miracle Doctor, can I lean on your shoulder?" she asked, her eyes filled with helplessness and tears.
She just wanted a ce to vent her long-suppressed emotions.
Seeing her heartbroken state, Lin Jichen couldn''t refuse.
"Go ahead, cry it out," he said.
The woman leaned gently into Lin Jichen''s embrace, burying her head in his shoulder and sobbing uncontrobly.
After a long while, her crying subsided, and she pulled away from Lin Jichen.
She took out a tissue to wipe her tears and then helped Lin Jichen clean the marks on his shoulder.
"Sorry for dirtying your clothes," she apologized.
"It''s nothing, just a cheap piece of clothing. If you''re done, I''ll be leaving now," Lin Jichen said, feeling he had done enough.
"Wait, Little Miracle Doctor. Even though you can''t save my father, you helped extend his life by a few days, and that''s a great kindness to me," she said, handing Lin Jichen a card and a business card.
"This card contains a small token of appreciation from me and the Yang family. There''s no password. The business card is mine. If you ever need help, feel free to call. I''ll do my best to assist you."
Lin Jichen looked at the card and business card in his hand and didn''t bother refusing. Only an idiot would turn down money.
He epted the card and nced at the business card: "Yang Yirou, Chairman of Yangfan Shipping Group."
As expected, she was a wealthy woman.
"Then I won''t be polite. I''ll contact you if I need anything."
"Agreed. Goodbye, Little Miracle Doctor."
With that, the woman turned and left.
Lin Jichen sighed. In the end, he couldn''t get her to change her way of addressing him. He really wasn''t little!
Not long after, Gu Qiuxue finished work, and the two of them left the hospital together.
Lin Jichen wanted to choose a high-end restaurant, but Gu Qiuxue was reluctant to let him spend money, so they settled on a barbecue ce after much persuasion.
They had a delightful dinner and then went to see a movie.
Afterward, Lin Jichen took Gu Qiuxue shopping and insisted on buying her a lot of clothes.
"Little Chen, really, stop buying. I have enough clothes," Gu Qiuxue pleaded as she saw Lin Jichen carrying numerous shopping bags.
"I just enjoy buying things for my sister. You can''t stop me. Hello, please wrap up these two as well," Lin Jichen said, not giving her a chance to refuse and swiping his card.
Gu Qiuxue felt both happy and troubled.
Finally, after her repeated pleas, Lin Jichen announced the end of their shopping spree and carried the bags to Gu Qiuxue''s ce.
Chapter 57 – Late-night conversation between siblings
Chapter 57 C Late-night conversation between siblings
Seeing the dpidated old neighborhood, Lin Jichen frowned.
"Jie, you live here? This ce is about to be demolished. How can you dare to rent such a dangerous building?"
Gu Qiuxue smiled awkwardly, "It''s cheap here, and it''s close to the hospital where I work. It''s fine."
"Fine? There''s not even a security guard. What if you run into troubleing homete at night?"
"There aren''t that many bad people. Come on, let''s go inside."
Afraid that Lin Jichen would spend money again, Gu Qiuxue quickly pulled him upstairs.
When they entered the apartment, it was a one-bedroom unit. Although it was also old, it was very clean and neatly arranged. The floor was so polished it reflected light.
Lin Jichen felt a pang of sadness. He knew that if Gu Qiuxue wasn''t saving money for him every month, she could easily afford a better ce.
But to save money for him, she chose to live here.
"Little Chen,e in. I''ll get you some water. You must be tired after traveling all day. Sit on the sofa and rest. I''ll turn on the water heater so you can take a bath and then sleep."
Lin Jichen looked around and said, "Jie, you only have one bed. Are we going to sleep together?"
Gu Qiuxue''s face instantly turned red. She red at him yfully and scolded, "You little rascal, what are you thinking? You sleep on the bed, and I''ll sleep on the sofa."
"That won''t do. I''ll sleep on the sofa."
"The sofa is too small. You''re so tall, how can you sleep on it? Be good and sleep on the bed. Oh, did you bring any clothes?"
Gu Qiuxue suddenly remembered.
Lin Jichen shook his head, "I was nning to buy a set at the mall, but I forgot."
Gu Qiuxue felt guilty, "You''re always buying clothes for me and never think of yourself. It''s my fault too. I kept telling you not to buy anything and didn''t get you any clothes."
Just as Lin Jichen was about to say it was okay, Gu Qiuxue smiled mischievously.
"No worries, I have plenty of clothes here."
She turned around and soon came back with seven or eight sets of men''s clothes, all in the same size.
"I bought these during my days off over the past two months, thinking they''d look good on you. I washed them all, nning to bring them to you during the holidays. Now you can take them back and free up my closet."
Looking at the clothes in Gu Qiuxue''s hands and then at her half-empty closet, Lin Jichen noticed that the remaining clothes were all old.
Some were even from when he was in high school. She probably bought clothes just for him and never thought about herself.
Lin Jichen was speechless.
With such a sister, what more could a brother ask for?
Many people''s older sisters might not be so good to their younger brothers.
"Don''t just stand there. I know what you''re thinking. Didn''t you buy me a lot of clothes today too? Silly boy, go take a bath. I''ll get you a towel."
As night fell, after both had bathed, Lin Jicheny on Gu Qiuxue''s small bed, which was filled with a faint fragrance from the bedding and pillows.
Gu Qiuxuey on the sofa. The siblings seemed unable to sleep.
"Jie?" Lin Jichen suddenly spoke.
"What''s wrong, Little Chen? Can''t sleep on the soft bed?" Gu Qiuxue asked.
"No, I just wanted to tell you something."
"What is it?"
Lin Jichen didn''t beat around the bush, "Jie, why don''t you quit your job?"
"Why do you suddenly want me to quit? Don''t tell me you want to support me. I don''t need you to support me, silly brother," Gu Qiuxue smiled gently.
Lin Jichen exined, "I mean, why don''t you change jobs?"
"Change jobs? What job? I studied medical care in college. I don''t know anything else."
Gu Qiuxue thought Lin Jichen was worried about her being too tired and smiled gratefully.
"I''m working in the pharmacy. I just dispense medicine every day. I don''t have to take care of patients, so it''s not tiring. It''s actually quite easy. You don''t need to worry about me."
Lin Jichen had no choice but toe up with a reason Gu Qiuxue couldn''t refuse.
"But working here means we can only see each other after a long time. When I miss you, you''re not around. If you run into any trouble and need me, I can''t get to you right away."
Gu Qiuxue''s cheeks turned red in the dark, her ears flushing as well.
It was the first time she heard Lin Jichen say something so bold and ambiguous.
She felt that Lin Jichen had changed, but she couldn''t pinpoint how.
But she liked this version of Lin Jichen more.
The old Lin Jichen always kept a distance from her.
Especially after he went to college, he would always brush off her calls quickly.
It seemed like he was deliberately avoiding her, trying to weaken their bond.
Even when she sent him a message for her birthday this time, she waited for days without a reply. Gu Qiuxue thought he wouldn''te, and she was very disappointed.
But unexpectedly, Lin Jichen replied and even came to the hospital to see her. His behavior seemed much more mature.
She could feel that her brother had undergone a tremendous change, but he was still Lin Jichen, not someone else.
She could sense that.
"Little Chen, do you mean you want me to work at a hospital in your city? But other hospitals might not hire me..."
Gu Qiuxue said nervously. Yes, she was tempted.
If she could work in the city where Lin Jichen lived, she could visit him anytime during her days off.
She could cook for him, do hisundry, and they could go out to eat and shop together like today.
Just thinking about it made her want to agree.
"No, I mean, why don''t you change careers and join me as a professional yer in ''Tale of Immortal''?"
Lin Jichen revealed his idea.
He wanted Gu Qiuxue to get into ''Tale of Immortal'' early, to improve her cultivation as soon as possible, so she could better survive in the merged world in the future.
Another reason was that Lin Jichen feared Gu Qiuxue might repeat the mistakes of his past life, suddenly getting married and then falling into depression.
Even though Gu Qiuxue was fine now, and even after this birthday, she was safe, Lin Jichen was still worried.
He feared that something might happen to her one day when he wasn''t around.
He wanted to persuade Gu Qiuxue to leave Capital City so he could bepletely at ease.
"What? Change careers to y games? Jie isn''t as smart as you. You know how bad I was at video games as a kid. I always held you back."
Gu Qiuxue found it hard to believe.
Lin Jichen got up from the bed, walked barefoot to the sofa, and squatted down in front of her.
He looked at Gu Qiuxue face to face, his eyes shining.
Gu Qiuxue suddenly felt nervous, her eyshes trembling. Little Chen, he wouldn''t...
Chapter 58 – This is poor? Shit!
Chapter 58 C This is poor? Shit!
"Sis, trust me, this game is going to be huge in the future. Join me in ying it. If you don''t know how, I''ll teach you. I guarantee you''ll get the hang of it."
Lin Jichen wasn''t up to anything bad; he just squatted down seriously to talk to her.
He got up and walked over, just so Gu Qiuxue could see his expression clearly. He wasn''t joking; he was serious.
Gu Qiuxue felt relieved but also inexplicably a bit disappointed.
Suddenly, Lin Jichen slipped his hand under the nket covering her, slid it across her abdomen, and urately grasped Gu Qiuxue''s soft, jade-like hand.
Gu Qiuxue trembled all over, clearly startled.
Immediately, her fair and transparent face flushed red, like a sunset glow spreading across her cheeks, burning hot.
Fortunately, it was nighttime, so Lin Jichen didn''t see it. He continued to persuade her.
"Sis, this way, we can live together and be with each other every day."
"Even if my prediction fails and the game flops, we can just find new jobs."
"Think of it as an investment. Besides, I''ve already made a few million, all of which is with you for safekeeping."
"Even if we fall on hard times in the future, we can use that money to open a small shop. I''ll be the boss, and you can be the bossdy."
Gu Qiuxue blushed even more at his words. Boss? Bossdy? This...
"Sis, think it over. You don''t have to give me an answer right away. I''m going to sleep now."
Before she could react, Lin Jichen let go of her hand, got up, and went back to bed.
Soon, the sound of Lin Jichen''s even breathing came from the bed, indicating he had fallen asleep.
But Gu Qiuxue tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
In her mind, she kept imagining a beautiful scene.
She resigned from her job and left the Capital City, moving to Lin Jichen''s city, closer to home, and living with him every day.
Lin Jichen would teach her how to y the game, and she would cook and doundry for him every day.
Even if the game failed in the future, she could use the money Lin Jichen had given her to open a small shop he was interested in.
He would be the boss, and she would be the bossdy...
Oh my~
Gu Qiuxue couldn''t help but cover her burning face, her eyes filled with longing and a sweet smile on her lips, shining like neon lights in the dark.
The next day, when Lin Jichen opened his eyes, Gu Qiuxue was already gone.
On the dining table, there was breakfast: rice porridge, fried dough sticks, and a small te of pickles.
Next to it was a piece of paper with delicate handwriting.
"Little Chen, Sis went to work and didn''t have time to make you breakfast, so I bought some for you.
For lunch, just find a restaurant downstairs. Tonight, Sis will take you out to celebrate your birthday.
I thought a lot about what you saidst night and decided you were right. I''m willing to try a new career.
But resigning isn''t something that can be done in a day or two. I''ll apply at the hospital today, but it will probably take at least a month.
And during this month, I have to find a way to convince our parents. So, give Sis this one month, okay? Qiuxue."
Seeing the note, Lin Jichen smiled. He had finally seeded.
As long as Gu Qiuxue agreed to leave the Capital City, it was fine. Although it would take a month, he could start making preparations.
Thinking of this, he felt great and enjoyed the breakfast on the table.
In the evening, Gu Qiuxue finished her day''s work, and her colleagues were waiting for her, the birthday girl, to give orders.
She nced at her phone and saw that Lin Jichen was already waiting at the entrance.
Gu Qiuxue smiled sweetly and was about to take her group of gynecology colleagues to celebrate her birthday.
Just as she was about to leave, Zhang Guangwei, dressed in a sharp suit, walked over. He held a bouquet in one hand and a luxury gift bag in the other, and approached Gu Qiuxue.
"Qiuxue, why didn''t you tell me it was your birthday?"
Gu Qiuxue was taken aback and then said awkwardly, "Dr. Zhang, I was afraid you''d be busy, so I didn''t want to bother you. Besides, I was just nning to have a simple meal with my colleagues."
Zhang Guangwei said reproachfully, "How could that be a bother? Your birthday is a big deal; I''d drop anything for it. And how can you just have a simple meal for your birthday? I''ve already booked a private room at the most luxurious Fuding Restaurant in the Capital City, and I''ll cover all the expenses."
Wow!
Everyone eximed in surprise, pping their hands in approval.
Only Gu Qiuxue looked troubled and quickly waved her hand, saying, "Dr. Zhang, you don''t need to spend so much. It''s my birthday; I can''t let you pay. Besides, I didn''t n to go to a fancy restaurant."
"It''s no trouble at all. We''re colleagues; no need to be so formal. Let''s go with my n. Also, these flowers and the gift are for you, as a birthday present."
Zhang Guangwei handed over the roses and the luxury gift bag. Even a fool could see his intentions now.
But Gu Qiuxue firmly refused to reach out, her tone a bit stiff.
"Dr. Zhang, these gifts are too expensive. I can''t ept them. Please give them to someone else. I have someone I like, so please understand."
Zhang Guangwei hadn''t expected Gu Qiuxue to reject his pursuit so directly. His face turned a bit green, feeling humiliated.
But to maintain his image, he forced a graceful smile.
"Oh, I see. The falling flower has feelings, but the flowing water is heartless. I understand. I''m not someone who can''t let go. I''ll take back what I said. We''re still colleagues and friends."
Gu Qiuxue breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "Thank you for understanding, Dr. Zhang."
But Zhang Guangwei changed his tone, saying, "Even though we can only be friends, I understand if you don''t want the gift. But I''ve already booked the restaurant and paid the deposit, which is non-refundable. So, let''s make an exception and go to the ce I booked. We can have a lively birthday celebration for you. Is that okay?"
Zhang Guangwei''s words were wless, leaving Gu Qiuxue with no reason to refuse.
Even her colleagues felt sorry for Zhang Guangwei and persuaded Gu Qiuxue to agree.
After much hesitation, Gu Qiuxue nodded.
"Alright, let''s go. But I''ll cover all the expenses, including the deposit for the private room. If you agree, we''ll go."
"Sure, no problem!" Zhang Guangwei agreed readily.
But inside, he was already sneering, thinking the fish had taken the bait!
Gu Qiuxue didn''t say anything more, feeling a bit depressed as she walked out. She was also calcting in her mind that today would cost a lot.
Her sry definitely wouldn''t be enough, so she''d probably have to use the money Little Chen had given her. She''d have to exin it to him.
Luckily, Little Chen had made some money; otherwise, she wouldn''t be able to afford today''s meal.
The others didn''t notice Gu Qiuxue''s expression and followed her, eager to dine at the most luxurious restaurant.
They all walked out of the hospital.
Gu Qiuxue looked around but didn''t see Lin Jichen.
Puzzled, she took out her phone, about to make a call.
"Sis! Over here!"
In a bright red sports car, Lin Jichen was sitting in the driver''s seat, waving at Gu Qiuxue through the window.
Gu Qiuxue stood there, stunned, unable to believe her eyes.
Equally stunned was Zhang Guangwei.
Zhang Guangwei couldn''t believe Lin Jichen had a sports car. He had clearly heard that Gu Qiuxue''s brother was poor and had to rely on her for living expenses.
This is poor? Shit!
Chapter 59 – I was wrong, I dare to do it again in the future
Chapter 59 C I was wrong, I dare to do it again in the future
Zhang Guangwei''s face turned ashen, realizing that his first n seemed to be falling apart.
Originally, he intended to trick Gu Qiuxue and her colleagues into the most luxurious hotel, order a ton of expensive dishes, and make her foot the bill.
Given Gu Qiuxue''s financial situation, she definitely wouldn''t be able to pay.
At that moment, he would step in as the hero, not only gaining her favor but also making her owe him arge sum of money.
In her past life, Gu Qiuxue had indeed fallen for this trick.
She celebrated her birthday, racking up a huge debt to Zhang Guangwei. When Lin Jichen didn''t show up, she called his college dorm mates and found out that Lin Jichen was in a rtionship, avoiding her because of it.
Heartbroken, Gu Qiuxue was deeply saddened. Zhang Guangwei, pretending to be a good man, showered her with care and yed the role of a gentleman.
Later, under pressure from her parents to marry, and with them also favoring Zhang Guangwei, Gu Qiuxue, having lost Lin Jichen and given up on love, married Zhang Guangwei as her parents wished.
However, on their wedding night, Zhang Guangwei, drunk and boasting to his friends, revealed all his dirty tricks on how he had ensnared Gu Qiuxue.
Gu Qiuxue overheard everything.
Knowing she had been deceived, but considering her parents and rtives were present, she chose to endure temporarily.
That night, she tried to escape the marriage but was caught by Zhang Guangwei''s parents and failed.
Gu Qiuxue wanted a divorce, but Zhang Guangwei refused. Helpless, she continued as his wife in name only, moving to the hospital''s female dorm and living separately from him.
Throughout, she never let him touch her.
No matter how Zhang Guangwei pleaded or yed the victim, it was useless.
Frustrated, Zhang Guangwei dropped his facade and began to retaliate against Gu Qiuxue.
He first painted himself as a cuckolded man, spreading rumors in the hospital that Gu Qiuxue was cheating on him, throwing all sorts of dirt on her.
Gradually, Gu Qiuxue became a target of public scorn, her reputation ruined, with everyone calling her a slut.
Even her own parents believed the rumors and cut ties with her.
Gu Qiuxue fell into depression and eventuallymitted suicide by taking pills in her dorm.
That was Gu Qiuxue''s fate in her past life.
Although his first n failed, Zhang Guangwei had a second n ready.
A new, sinister scheme was brewing in his mind...
At this moment, Gu Qiuxue, recognizing the person in the car as her brother, hurried over.
"Little Chen, did you buy this car?"
Lin Jichen smiled and nodded, "Yes, but it''s not for me. It''s your birthday gift. Do you like it, sis?"
"Like it? How much did this cost? Little Chen, I can''t ept this gift. You need to return it," Gu Qiuxue said, feeling dizzy.
Lin Jichen, unconcerned, replied, "It''s non-refundable. The license te is already done. How can I return it?"
"You''re spending money recklessly! At this rate, even if you earn millions, you''ll spend it all quickly," Gu Qiuxue said, holding her forehead in frustration.
Lin Jichen chuckled, "That''s why you should quit your job early, sis. Then I''ll hand over all my assets to you, and I won''t have the chance to spend recklessly."
"You... You''re going to be the death of me, silly brother!"
Gu Qiuxue reluctantly epted the reality.
"Get in the car, sis. I''ve arranged everything for your birthday."
Gu Qiuxue nced at her colleagues behind her and hesitated, "But what about my colleagues?"
"They''re taken care of too. Look behind," Lin Jichen pointed to the cars behind them.
Gu Qiuxue turned and was shocked to see several luxury vans parked behind the sports car.
"Did you buy those too?"
Gu Qiuxue clutched her chest, fearing she might faint.
"Of course not. Those are just rented to pick up your colleagues. It didn''t cost much."
Gu Qiuxue felt relieved. If those had been bought too, she would have rushed back to the hospital for a heart medication.
"I''ll deal with you when we get home."
Gu Qiuxue lightly scolded Lin Jichen before going back to exin to her colleagues.
When everyone learned that the sports car belonged to Gu Qiuxue''s cousin and the luxury vans were there to take them to dinner, their jaws dropped.
Zhang Guangwei''s eyes burned with jealousy.
"Everyone, get in the cars. We''ll meet at the hotel."
After greeting everyone, Gu Qiuxue quickly returned to Lin Jichen''s sports car.
She was determined to give her reckless, money-spending brother a good talking-to.
The group set off.
In the car, Gu Qiuxue, in her sisterly manner, began her gentle yet ineffective lecture, rambling on.
"Do you realize your mistake?"
"Yes, I know. I was wrong. I''ll dare to do it again," Lin Jichen replied mischievously.
Gu Qiuxue was both amused and exasperated, not knowing how to deal with him.
"This car is expensive, right? It must cost millions. I heard sports cars are that pricey."
Lin Jichen shook his head, "No, it''s a domestic brand called Falcon. It''s cheap, only about 800,000."
"That''s still expensive. You said this car is for me?"
"Yes."
"No, no, you take it back. I don''t want this car."
Gu Qiuxue shook her head repeatedly, not daring to drive such a car.
"I don''t care. I''ll leave the car at your ce before I go. If you don''t drive it, let it gather dust. I heard cars deteriorate quickly if not driven."
Lin Jichen''s stubbornness made Gu Qiuxue both angry and amused.
But she knew Lin Jichen just wanted to give her the best, just as she did for him.
She couldn''t help but feel touched.
"Wow, this hotel is so luxurious!"
"Yeah, I''ve never been to such a high-end ce in my life."
"Dr. Zhang must be really rich to choose such a nice ce."
"Still, it''s Qiuxue''s brother who''s rich. He even bought a sports car."
***
The group arrived at Fuding Hotel, marveling at the opulence.
Zhang Guangwei, seeing Lin Jichen arrive, assumed the kid had rented those cars to show off and now had no money to book a hotel, so he conveniently came to the one he had booked.
Absolutely!
There''s no way a poor guy like him could afford those cars.
Hmph! Trying to steal my thunder? You''re still too green!
At this hotel, let''s see how you keep up the act.
Realizing this, Zhang Guangwei smirked coldly and once again positioned himself at the center, bing the main character.
"Everyone, the car fare was covered by Qiuxue''s brother. Considering his young age and limited funds, I''ll handle the hotel arrangements. I''ve already booked a private room on the second floor of Fuding."
Zhang Guangwei couldn''t hide his smugness as he exined, "Fuding Hotel has five floors, each with different pricing and booking standards. The first floor costs around 10,000 per meal, the second floor 50,000, with a 10,000 deposit required in advance. The higher floors are even more expensive."
Wow!
Everyone was amazed. A meal on the second floor of this hotel cost as much as their annual sry.
The world of the rich was beyond their imagination.
Chapter 60 – Who is the one being tricked in the end
Chapter 60 C Who is the one being tricked in the end
Zhang Guangwei''s words only made Gu Qiuxue angrier.
She originally just wanted to treat everyone to a street food stall, but now she was being forced to spend over fifty thousand.
She was already fed up with Zhang Guangwei.
"Little Chen, I might have to spend a lot of your money today. Just consider it a loan from you," Gu Qiuxue whispered to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen smiled and leaned close to Gu Qiuxue''s soft, delicate ear, his breath warm, almost kissing her.
"Sis, I''ve told you, my money is your money."
Gu Qiuxue blushed, her body tingling from Lin Jichen''s proximity.
Lin Jichen seemed reluctant to pull away and continued, "Don''t worry, Sis. This guy likes to show off. Today, we''ll make him pay dearly."
Gu Qiuxue was so embarrassed and dizzy that she barely heard what Lin Jichen said.
"Are you Dr. Zhang?"
Lin Jichen walked up to Zhang Guangwei.
"My sister often mentions you, saying you''re humble, polite, righteous, and always ready to help."
Although Zhang Guangwei didn''t know what Lin Jichen was up to, he enjoyed the ttery.
"Haha, no, no, it''s just colleagues helping each other."
Lin Jichen immediately put on a regretful expression.
"I have something to apologize for, Brother Zhang. Actually, my sister and I are cousins, real rtives."
Zhang Guangwei was overjoyed, "Really? But your sister said..."
"She used me as a shield to avoid unreliable suitors. But seeing how trustworthy you are today, I decided to be honest with you," Lin Jichen said, looking embarrassed.
Zhang Guangwei was ecstatic,ughing and affectionately putting his arm around Lin Jichen''s shoulder.
"Thank you for being honest with me. Don''t worry, from now on, your problems are my problems. If you need help, just ask."
Lin Jichen looked surprised, "Really?"
"Of course!"
"Actually, there is something, but I''m embarrassed to say..."
"Go ahead, your Brother Zhang has some connections and resources in the Capital City," Zhang Guangwei said proudly, thinking the kid was finally showing his true colors.
Lin Jichen looked dejected, "Actually, my sports car is rented. I just wanted to show off."
Zhang Guangwei was even happier, pretending tofort him, "It''s okay, young people wanting to save face is normal. How much did the rental cost? I''ll cover it."
"No need for that, but I do need your help with something."
"Go ahead."
"I... I reserved a private room at this hotel to show off, but I can''t afford it..."
"Which floor?"
"Umm... the top floor."
"Damn!"
Zhang Guangwei cursed, his eyes nearly popping out.
"What did you say? You reserved... the top floor? The deposit alone is a hundred thousand!"
Lin Jichen looked panicked, "I gave all my sister''s savings..."
What!
Everyone was shocked.
This kid had some guts!
"Qiuxue, is your brother telling the truth?" Zhang Guangwei asked hurriedly.
Gu Qiuxue looked at everyone, hesitated, then looked at Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen gave her a wink.
"Yes... it''s true..."
Gu Qiuxue chose to stand by Lin Jichen without hesitation, even if it meant losing face.
"Your brother is too reckless. The top floor''s deposit is a hundred thousand, and a meal there costs hundreds of thousands," Zhang Guangwei said, both anxious and angry.
Lin Jichen walked up to Gu Qiuxue, head down, admitting his mistake.
"Sis, I know I was wrong. You can scold me or hit me when we get home, I''ll ept it."
Lin Jichen stood where only Gu Qiuxue could see, winking at her as he spoke.
Gu Qiuxue roughly guessed Lin Jichen''s intention and awkwardly faced everyone.
"I know it''s my fault for not disciplining my brother well. So, today''s birthday celebration is over. I''ll take my brother home. Goodbye, everyone."
With that, the two siblings were about to leave.
Zhang Guangwei panicked. Such a good opportunity to get closer was right in front of him.
Moreover, this might be his only chance.
Because he usually couldn''t even get a date with Gu Qiuxue.
"Wait!"
In a hurry, Zhang Guangwei called out to the siblings.
"Qiuxue, since your brother already reserved the room, let''s eat there. I''ll cover all the expenses."
Zhang Guangwei''s heart bled as he said this.
He originally just wanted to treat Gu Qiuxue to a meal on the second floor, costing tens of thousands.
But the top floor''s expenses...
Fortunately, he had some savings from years of being a doctor.
He was nning to implement both his first and second ns.
In his previous life, he hadn''t spent this much money, so he thought the first n would suffice.
But now, dining on the top floor, if he didn''t win over Gu Qiuxue today, it would be too risky.
If he could win her over, spending more money would be worth it.
No pain, no gain, Zhang Guangwei decided to go all out!
"How can we ept this, Dr. Zhang? Really, there''s no need," Gu Qiuxue quickly refused. Although she disliked Zhang Guangwei, her kind heart didn''t want to take advantage of him.
But Zhang Guangwei had ulterior motives and insisted on taking everyone to the top floor.
The luxury of the top floor was beyond everyone''s imagination.
Zhang Guangwei gritted his teeth and ordered a table full of exquisite dishes, along with several bottles of fine wine he had never tasted.
Thus, everyone started the meal, celebrating Gu Qiuxue''s birthday.
During the meal, everyone was grateful for Zhang Guangwei''s generosity, enjoying delicacies they had never tasted before.
Lin Jichen, on the other hand, was too busy eating to speak.
Gu Qiuxue felt ufortable, feeling indebted and finding no pleasure in the food.
Halfway through the meal, several bottles of wine were already gone.
Zhang Guangwei quietly got up and called a waiter, "I stored two bottles of wine at your hotel before. Please bring them."
The waiterplied, soon bringing two bottles of red wine.
"Everyone, this is my treasured wine, top-notch in taste. I was reluctant to bring it out, but today, for Qiuxue''s birthday, I decided to share it!"
Cheers!
Everyone apuded, praising Zhang Guangwei''s generosity.
Zhang Guangwei opened the wine and poured a ss for everyone.
Then he stood up and raised his ss, "Let''s have a toast to Qiuxue''s birthday!"
Everyone obliged, standing up.
Lin Jichen raised his ss, sniffed it discreetly, and noticed something off. He put down the wine and picked up a ss of juice instead.
Chapter 61 – The family line ends with no descendants
Chapter 61 C The family line ends with no descendants
Zhang Guangwei''s face changed when he saw Lin Jichen not drinking, feigning displeasure.
"Little Chen, I noticed you haven''t had a drink. You must have this one to toast your sister''s birthday."
Lin Jichen smiled sheepishly and said, "Brother Zhang, it''s not that I don''t want to drink. I have to return the sports car I rentedter. I need to leave right after dinner, or I''ll have to pay a heftyte fee."
"You''re leaving right after dinner?" Zhang Guangwei raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, but I have to make sure my sister gets home first," Lin Jichen replied.
Zhang Guangwei was naturally unhappy and pretended to be concerned, "Oh, you don''t need to worry about that. There are so many of Qiuxue''s female colleagues here. They can take her home. Returning the car is more important. Can you afford the overnight fee if you dy?"
"No, I can''t..." Lin Jichen showed a fearful expression.
"Exactly. Don''t worry. If your sister drinks too much, her female colleagues can take her home," Zhang Guangwei assured.
Lin Jichen believed him and said, "Alright then, I''ll go return the car. Sis, I''m off."
Gu Qiuxue looked a bit panicked, but Lin Jichen gently patted her hand under the table, signaling her not to worry.
After Lin Jichen left, everyone continued eating.
After a few rounds of drinks, people started to feel something was off, each bing dizzy.
"Oh no, I think I''ve had too much. My head is spinning."
"Me too, this wine has a strong aftereffect."
"I can''t take it, I feel like throwing up."
"I need to sleep, can''t drink anymore..."
Everyone began to copse onto the table, drunk.
Gu Qiuxue also felt something was wrong. As she tried to leave, her legs gave out, and she fell onto the table, drunk.
"Huh? Why is everyone drunk? Wow, you all have such poor tolerance. Just seven or eight bottles of wine and you''re all out. I''m a bit dizzy too, but I''m okay," Zhang Guangwei feigned a wobbly stance, sighing, "Looks like we can''t go home. Let''s stay at the hotel. Waiter, get a room for each of my colleagues and help them in. I''ll cover the bill."
"Yes, sir," the waitress promptlyplied.
No one suspected Zhang Guangwei''s scheme, as they had indeed seen everyone drink a lot and pass out.
The waitress quickly called other staff to help the drunk guests to their rooms.
When it was Gu Qiuxue''s turn, a waitress was about to help her when Zhang Guangwei stopped her.
"No need, I''ll help her. She''s my girlfriend."
The waitress believed him and said no more.
Zhang Guangwei prepared to help Gu Qiuxue. The thought of touching her body made his hands tremble with excitement.
"Qiuxue, you''ve had too much to drink. I told you not to drink so much, but you never listen. Being your boyfriend is really worrisome."
Just as Zhang Guangwei was about to move forward, the door burst open.
A flustered figure rushed init was Lin Jichen.
Zhang Guangwei was so startled that he quickly withdrew his outstretched hand.
Lin Jichen acted as if he hadn''t seen anything and said to Zhang Guangwei, "Brother Zhang, something''s wrong."
"Wha... what is it?" Zhang Guangwei asked nervously.
"On my way back, I crashed the car. The rentalpany is asking forpensation," Lin Jichen said, flustered.
"I..."
Zhang Guangwei gritted his teeth in anger but, wanting to get rid of Lin Jichen quickly, asked, "How much do they want?"
"They said at least a hundred thousand."
"Fing hell..." Zhang Guangwei felt murderous.
"Brother Zhang, I know it''s a bother. I''ll wake my sister to see if she can help. Is she drunk?" Lin Jichen said, moving to check.
Zhang Guangwei quickly stopped him, nervously saying, "No need. I''ve already had a waitress take her to rest. You should hurry and pay the rentalpany, or they might charge you more. By then, even I won''t be able to help, and you might not be able to go to college."
Lin Jichen pretended to be scared and nodded repeatedly, "Alright, I''ll listen to you, Brother Zhang."
Zhang Guangwei reluctantly transferred a hundred thousand to Lin Jichen.
He had already spent over half a million today, emptying all his savings.
Lin Jichen took the money and, before leaving, asked a waitress, "Please take my sister to rest. I''m her brother. I''lle back to pick her up after I''m done."
Zhang Guangwei nearly exploded with rage but held back for the sake of his n.
After Lin Jichen left, the waitress helped Gu Qiuxue away.
Zhang Guangwei didn''t dare stop her, fearing the waitress might get suspicious.
However, he followed, pretending to be Gu Qiuxue''s concerned boyfriend, earning the waitress''s trust.
"Thank you. Here''s a tip," Zhang Guangwei handed over several hundred-yuan bills. The waitress happily epted and left the room.
Now, only Zhang Guangwei and Gu Qiuxue were in the room. Seeing her lying on the bed, her lips red and face flushed, Zhang Guangwei swallowed hard, his eyes gleaming like a hungry wolf.
"Hmph, Gu Qiuxue, I originally nned to make you fall for me slowly. But me your idiot brother. Tonight, I spent over a million. I need to get something back."
Zhang Guangwei took out his phone.
"Once I''ve had my fill of you and recorded it, with your thin skin, you won''t dare report me. By then, you''ll have to marry me, and I can y with you as I please. Haha!"
Zhang Guangweiughed maniacally. He hadn''t nned to go this far, but Lin Jichen''s actions had made him greedy. He had to have Gu Qiuxue tonight to make up for his losses.
With that thought, Zhang Guangwei set up his phone and eagerly lunged at Gu Qiuxue.
At that moment, a shadow shed across the room!
Before Zhang Guangwei could react, he was kicked away, crashing heavily into the marble coffee table.
Curled up on the floor like a shrimp, Zhang Guangwei couldn''t even scream in pain, just twitching on the ground.
Lin Jichen stood before Zhang Guangwei, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Now he understood why Gu Qiuxue hadmitted suicide.
It was obvious. This scumbag had used such despicable means to vite her and recorded it to threaten her.
That''s why Gu Qiuxue was forced to marry him, developed depression, and eventually took her own life.
With the ''truth'' clear, Lin Jichen''s killing intent surged.
But he was mistaken. In the past life, Gu Qiuxue hadn''t been harmed. Lin Jichen''s actions had disrupted Zhang Guangwei''s ns, leading to his misunderstanding.
This ''beautiful'' misunderstanding drove Lin Jichen to lose all reason.
He stepped forward, lifted Zhang Guangwei, and punched him hard in the face.
Crack!
Zhang Guangwei''s gold-rimmed sses shattered, and his nose made a clear breaking sound.
Lin Jichen''s fist was also cut by the ss shards, but he didn''t care.
Rage consumed his reason.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Punch after punch.
Zhang Guangwei''s face was unrecognizable. He couldn''t even scream, several teeth knocked out.
Fortunately, Lin Jichen was still an ordinary person. Otherwise, Zhang Guangwei would have been dead many times over.
"Like to force yourself on others, huh? Bullying my sister, huh? I''ll make sure you can''t have kids!"
Still unsatisfied, Lin Jichen lifted his leg and delivered a powerful kick!
Right in Zhang Guangwei''s groin.
Crack!
Ever cracked an egg? Imagine cracking two at once. That was the sound.
Chapter 62 – Beat this man too severely
Chapter 62 C Beat this man too severely
Ah!
Zhang Guangwei finally let out a blood-curdling scream and then passed out, his fate uncertain.
Themotion in the room attracted the hotel staff. Hearing the intense sounds of fighting inside, they quickly fetched a key and opened the door.
Upon opening the door, everyone was stunned by the scene before them. Zhang Guangweiy on the ground like a dead dog, blood everywhere, his face unrecognizable.
Blood continued to flow from beneath his pants.
Lin Jichen stood there like a god of death, coldly watching them.
Even the burly security guards present felt a chill, as if they were being stared down by a fierce beast.
"You... you better not act rashly, we''ve already called the police..." the hotel manager said, trembling with fear.
Lin Jichen finally regained hisposure and calmly walked over to the sofa and sat down.
"Then let''s wait for the police."
Seeing Lin Jichen calm down, the hotel staff felt relieved.
It wasn''t long before the police arrived at the scene.
Lin Jichen exined what had happened and showed them the video he had recorded, providing solid evidence.
"I suspect that the two bottles of red wine Zhang Guangwei brought were injected with sleeping pills. You can investigate."
Upon hearing this, the police immediately had the wine checked. Sure enough, they found injection holes behind thebels.
Traces of sleeping pills were also found in the remaining wine.
With such irrefutable evidence, Zhang Guangwei''s crime was confirmed.
"Little Chen..."
Gu Qiuxue, who was gradually waking up, was horrified by the scene in the room.
Lin Jichen quickly went over tofort her and exined the situation.
After hearing the truth, Gu Qiuxue was both terrified and immensely grateful for Lin Jichen''s protection. Her resolve to leave the Capital City and live with Lin Jichen grew even stronger.
"Sir, although you acted bravely, you beat this man too severely. His life is currently in danger, so you are suspected of excessive self-defense. We need to take you in for questioning."
The police approached Lin Jichen, ready to take him away.
This was understandable. Lin Jichen had already subdued Zhang Guangwei at the beginning.
Butter, in a fit of rage, he had lost control and inflicted severe harm on Zhang Guangwei, which indeed fell under excessive self-defense.
If Zhang Guangwei were to die, Lin Jichen would face criminal charges.
"Don''t take my brother away!"
Seeing this, Gu Qiuxue hurriedly stood in front of Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen pulled her back and said to the police, "Can I make a phone call?"
"Sure, but don''t take too long."
The police still admired Lin Jichen for his heroic act, though he had been too ruthless.
Even if Zhang Guangwei didn''t die, he had lost half his life and would be a eunuch for the rest of it.
A ruthless man indeed~
Lin Jichen thanked them, took out his phone, found a business card in his pocket, and dialed the number.
"Hello, this is Yang Yirou. Who is this?"
"Hello, this is..."
Lin Jichen identified himself and exined the situation.
Yang Yirou naturally wouldn''t stand by and do nothing. She asked Lin Jichen to wait and then hung up.
Soon after, the police informed Lin Jichen that he was free to go and didn''t need to go to the station. He could go home anytime.
Lin Jichen smiled, knowing that the beautiful woman had some real influence.
"Let''s go, sis. We''re going home."
Lin Jichen took Gu Qiuxue''s hand and swaggered out of the hotel, driving off in a sports car.
As for Zhang Guangwei''s fate, it was already clear.
This meal not only cost him his savings but also turned him into a eunuch, and he would spend the next decade or more behind bars.
After driving for a few minutes, Lin Jichen arrived at a high-end residential area.
"Little Chen, why did you bring me here?"
Gu Qiuxue asked curiously, thinking Lin Jichen had taken a wrong turn.
Lin Jichen turned to her with a mysterious smile and said, "You''ll see in a moment."
When Gu Qiuxue saw the brand-new, luxurious home, she finally understood. Besides buying her a car, Lin Jichen had also rented a new house for her.
All her belongings from the old house were arranged inside, just as they had been.
"Sis, you can''t scold me. I didn''t buy this house; I rented it for just a month. It''s not expensive."
Lin Jichen said with a cheeky grin.
Gu Qiuxue didn''t say anything. With teary eyes, she suddenly hugged him.
"Little Chen, thank you."
Lin Jichen held Gu Qiuxue''s delicate body, his expression turning serious.
"Sis, I''m the one who should be thanking you. You''ve always taken care of me. Now that I''m grown up, it''s time for me to repay you."
Hmm... Lin Jichen felt that his words sounded a bit inappropriate. He must be overthinking it.
Gu Qiuxue said nothing, only hugging Lin Jichen tighter.
The siblings silently embraced, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.
"Sis... it''s time to sleep..."
"Mm..."
The next day, Lin Jichen left the Capital City.
Gu Qiuxue watched him leave, her eyes filled with longing and reluctance.
"Little Chen, take care of yourself. I''lle to you as soon as I can!"
...
Back at his residence in Jiangling, Lin Jichen immediatelyy down in his gaming pod.
The "Tale of Immortal" game update had beenpleted for half a day. He needed to hurry and not let others catch up.
In the Sword Pce''s backyard living quarters.
Lin Jichen woke up from his mindfulness meditation. Beside him slept an Iron-Eating Beast, the ''Panda Xiong'' he had picked up from the old man Tianyuan.
The silly creature was sleeping soundly, so Lin Jichen didn''t wake it up. Instead, he checked his cultivation.
His middle stage of Qi Refining had long been maxed out.
Lin Jichen took out a top-grade Gathering Qi Pill and swallowed it, sessfully breaking through to theter stage of Qi Refining!
[Ding! Breakthrough to theter stage of Qi Refining, all basic attributes +10 points, vitality +1000, mana +1000!]
[Ding! Consumed top-grade Gathering Qi Pill, free attribute points +40!]
He had reached theter stage of Qi Refining!
As usual, he evenly distributed the free attribute points between strength and speed.
Lin Jichen remembered that he hadn''t yet checked the equipment dropped by the Blood Infant''s Soul Burial Mound, so he took it out from the Stone Sinking Ring to inspect.
[Spirit GradeQiluo Umbre]: Mental power +15, critical hit +5, mana +600,es with the skill [Shelter].
[Shelter]: Immediately link to a teammate within 20 meters, restoring 100 points of vitality per second for 20 seconds. The skill will be interrupted if attacked.
Requirement: Exclusive to healer yers.
...
[Spirit Grade Spirit SkillBlood Bat Sound]: Reduces the movement technique effectiveness of enemies within a 300-meter radius by 30%, decreases skill uracy by 10%, and continuously attacks with blood bat shadows for 15 seconds.
Requirement: Exclusive to Foundation Establishment Realm magic cultivators with a spiritual grace of 30 points or more.
...
[TreasuresBurial Sand Bone]: Originally an ordinary beast bone, it absorbed the essence of the earth while buried in the sand for a hundred years, bing as hard as iron with stone spikes.
Attributes: Strength +4, defense +3, critical hit +5, speed +3, vitality +1%.
Use: When a Qi Refining Realm cultivator breaks through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, using this treasure can significantly enhance their attributes.
...
There were three items in total. Considering the Blood Infant was just an elite monster, getting three items was already pretty good.
If Lin Jichen had killed that demonic cultivator, he would have struck it rich.
Of course, that was just wishful thinking.
These three items were all quite good, especially the Burial Sand Bone, which was exactly what Lin Jichen needed.
He was preparing to step into the Foundation Establishment Realm, and his Heaven-defying Fate talent dictated that he could only choose the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment path.
The conditions for the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment were stringent, requiring not only three treasures but also six spirit beads of different attributes.
These were fire, water, lightning, wind, earth, and wood.
Although Lin Jichen hadn''t reached the Foundation Establishment stage yet, he needed to start gathering materials for it now.
Chapter 63 – Four major lists
Chapter 63 C Four major lists
Lin Jichen put away the three items and opened his attribute panel.
yer: Lin Jichen
ss: Sword Cultivator
Innate Talent: Heaven-defying Fate
Sect: Tianyan Sword Sect
Reputation: 620
Achievement Medal: Killing Intent (Damage to monsters +1%)
Innate Attributes: Maxed Out
Realm: Later Stage of Qi Refining
Cultivation: 0/2000
Acquired Talent: Tree of Vitality (Vitality cap +30%)
Vitality: 6604/6604
Mana: 4100/4100
Strength: 121
Mental Power: 44
Defense: 85
Speed: 119
Critical Hit: 7
Heart Protection: 10
Fire Resistance: 5
Evasion: 11%
Swordsmanship Aptitude: +45%
Alchemy Aptitude: +50%
Heart Sutra: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Beginner 67%)
Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Beginner 67%), Mist Piercing Charge (Beginner 56%)
Martial Arts Technique: Frost Moon sh (Beginner 56%), Phoenix Feather (Beginner 45%)
Equipment: Spirit GradeSword Sect Attire, Spirit GradeCrimson Cloud Sword, Spirit GradeGathering Spirit Jade Pendant, Spirit GradeStone Sinking Ring, Spirit GradeCloud Step Boots, Spirit GradeRhinoceros Belt, Spirit GradeHundred Refinement Ring, Spirit GradeGentle Breeze Bracelet
Entering theter stage of Qi Refining, Lin Jichen''s attributes became even more formidable.
His strength and speed both exceeded a hundred points, thanks to those two top-grade elixirs, which gave him a total of seventy free attribute points.
After examining the changes in his attributes, Lin Jichen felt quite pleased.
If he encountered that Blood Baby again, he estimated he could easily handle it without even using any skills.
Closing the attribute panel, Lin Jichen began to check the updated game leaderboards.
Currently, there were four leaderboards: Cultivation, Talent, Pet, and Magic Treasure.
He started with the Cultivation leaderboard.
Cultivation Leaderboard:
Top Schr: Song XingheMid Foundation Establishment
Second ce: Chen FengEarly Foundation Establishment
Third ce: Li ZhiqiangEarly Foundation Establishment
Fourth ce: Feng LinwanEarly Foundation Establishment
Fifth ce: Le XianpengLater Stage of Qi Refining
Sixth ce: Yang YuranLater Stage of Qi Refining
Seventh ce: Discipline CommitteeLater Stage of Qi Refining
Eighth ce: Wu Jian PuppetLater Stage of Qi Refining
Ninth ce: Jun MoxiaoLater Stage of Qi Refining
Tenth ce: Car God OnlineLater Stage of Qi Refining
Eleventh ce: Meng ChenLater Stage of Qi Refining
...
As expected, Lin Jichen''s name was not on the leaderboard.
This was normal because Lin Jichen had not been solely focused on improving his cultivation and had wasted half a day.
Moreover, ordinary yers didn''t need to establish a Heavenly Dao Foundation like him. They had three choices for foundation establishment: Human Dao, Earth Dao, and Heavenly Dao.
Human Dao Foundation Establishment was the simplest and fastest, Earth Dao was slightly harder, and Heavenly Dao was the most stringent.
The Cultivation leaderboard didn''t represent the true strength leaderboard. The real strength leaderboard would be revealed after the Ascension Tournament in "Tale of Immortal," where all yers would register topete for rankings.
Those rankings would be the real deal, so the current Cultivation leaderboard was quite inted.
Lin Jichen nced at it and lost interest, turning to the Talent leaderboard instead.
The Talent leaderboard was the most promising because yers who made it onto this board had a bright future and could easily be experts.
Talent Leaderboard
Top Schr: Lin JichenHeaven-defying Fate
Second ce: Jiang LuoyuElemental Power
Third ce: Chen YuanSword Fanatic
Fourth ce: Shi XiyueChild of Destiny
Fifth ce: Yue YouReincarnated Martial Saint
Sixth ce: Hu SansanDragon Bloodline
Seventh ce: Wang XianyiWhite Rainbow Piercing the Sun
Eighth ce: Ye ShuangxingNorthern Demon Baby
Ninth ce: Dang JinchuanDual de and Sword Mastery
Tenth ce: Xie LingyangMartial and Magic Prodigy
Eleventh ce: Yi YanhuiHeavenly Triad
Lin Jichen didn''t expect his Heaven-defying Fate to rank first.
He remembered that in his previous life, there were many powerful talents on the Talent leaderboard that he hadn''t seen yet, probably because those yers hadn''t started the game.
But there were still many familiar names.
Jiang Luoyu''s Elemental Power had always been in the top five of the Talent leaderboard, a very strong talent.
However, because Jiang Luoyu focused on managing her guild, she neglected her own strength, which was why she only ranked thirteenth on the Heavenly leaderboard back then.
Chen Yuan was very familiar to him, often dominating the top of the Heavenly leaderboard as the number one Sword God. His talent and personality were both obsessed with swords.
Shi Xiyue was also someone he knew, another Lucky One like him, and the first Lucky One in "Tale of Immortal."
Yue You, the first body cultivator in "Tale of Immortal," nicknamed Martial Saint.
Ye Shuangxing, the top demonic cultivator yer, was recognized by the Shura Hall''s sect master and taken as a disciple, possessing overwhelming demonic powers and mysterious spirit skills and supernatural powers.
Dang Jinchuan, the top de cultivator.
Lin Jichen knew most of these people; they were all famous figures in the future.
Of course, talent didn''t absolutely determine your future. Back then, Lin Jichen''s "Business Genius" talent ranked in the millions on the Talent leaderboard.
Yet he still rose to the top of the Heavenly leaderboard as the number one magic cultivator.
Talent wasn''t everything, but having a good talent at the start certainly made things easier for yers.
Closing the Talent leaderboard, Lin Jichen opened the Pet leaderboard, which currently had only three names.
Pet Leaderboard
Top Schr: Iron-Eating Beast
Second ce: Fire Python
Third ce: de Arm Mantis
...
It seemed most yers hadn''t acquired pets yet.
Thest one was the Magic Treasure leaderboard, and amusingly, many of the items on it belonged to Lin Jichen.
Magic Treasure Leaderboard
Top Schr: Spirit GradeGathering Spirit Jade Pendant
Second ce: Spirit GradeStorm Gauntlets
Third ce: Spirit GradeXuezhao de
Fourth ce: Spirit GradeWind Chasing Fire Spear
Fifth ce: Spirit GradeCrimson Cloud Sword
Sixth ce: Spirit GradeQiluo Umbre
Seventh ce: Spirit GradeGolden Cicada White Silk Robe
Eighth ce: Spirit GradeIlluminating Staff
Ninth ce: Spirit GradeCloud Step Boots
Tenth ce: Spirit GradeDoom Ring
Eleventh ce: Spirit GradeDemon Subduing Staff
...
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh; out of ten pieces of equipment, five were his.
It seemed the drop rate for equipment in "Tale of Immortal" was indeed very ''touching.''
Closing all the leaderboards, Lin Jichen got up from the bed and saw the Iron-Eating Beast still snoring away. He walked over and pped its big butt.
"Get up, get up, time to work, Panda Xiong."
Woken up from its sleep, the Iron-Eating Beast was quite irritable, as it had a bad temper when waking up.
Just as it was about to swing its paw at him, it realized it was its master and quickly retracted its hand.
"Master, I''m so hungry."
Although the Iron-Eating Beast couldn''t speak yet, after a blood contract, pets and their masters couldmunicate mentally.
But its normal needs were mercilessly mocked by Lin Jichen.
"How long has it been since youst ate? You''re such a glutton."
Iron-Eating Beast: "..."
"You weren''t like this when you made promises to me."
"Really? Did I? Don''t make things up."
Lin Jichen turned his back on it without hesitation.
But the next second, he received a notification.
Ding! Your pet Panda Xiong''s loyalty to you has decreased by 10 points. Current loyalty: 90.
Damn!
He almost forgot that pets had loyalty levels.
Lin Jichen held his head, regretting it deeply.
If loyalty dropped below 70, pets would disobey orders, and below 50, they might even rebel.
How could he forget this?
"I was just joking. Do you think your master is that kind of person? I woke you up to take you to eat."
Lin Jichen quickly changed his tone, trying to soothe Panda Xiong''s mood.
But clearly, Panda Xiong didn''t believe him anymore.
Lin Jichen was both amused and exasperated; this dumb bear actually had a temper.
Chapter 64 – Flies blocking the way
Chapter 64 C Flies blocking the way
Lin Jichen descended from the Sword Pce, ready to head to the Secret Realm.
Thetest update of "Tale of Immortal" had made the Secret Realm the most important feature.
The Secret Realm was akin to dungeons in online games, an excellent ce to grind for cultivation and equipment.
Currently, "Tale of Immortal" had only updated three Secret Realms:
The solo Secret Realm "Nightmare,"
The team Secret Realm "Night Cave Ghost Ridge,"
And the group Secret Realm "Corpse King Valley."
All three dungeons were at the Qi Refining Realm, but like sect missions, they were divided into five difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Hard, Very Hard, and Hell.
Lin Jichen didn''t need to look to know that all the guilds were busy trying to clear these Secret Realms.
Clearing a Secret Realm above Hard difficulty for the first time would result in a global announcement and ranking.
Since he hadn''t seen any announcements or rankings for the first clear of any Secret Realm, it meant no one had seeded yet.
He nned to clear the "Nightmare" Secret Realm first, as it contained the materials he needed to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Nightmare Set, which was very tempting.
As for the other two Secret Realms, Lin Jichen wasn''t considering them for now.
He hadn''t walked far down the mountain from the Sword Pce when several figures blocked his path.
"Finally, you dare toe down the mountain, huh?"
Lin Jichen nced around; these people were all wearing the Inner Temple disciple uniforms of the Sword Sect.
Their cultivation wasn''t high, all at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
"What do you want?" Lin Jichen asked calmly, while the panda beside him red at them impatiently.
"I want to have a feast, anyone who blocks me will die!"
"This guy actually has an Iron-Eating Beast as a pet!" They noticed, their eyes filled with jealousy.
How could Lin Jichen deserve such a pet?
The leader was a young man about Lin Jichen''s age, with long hair and an arrogant demeanor, at thete stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Pointing at Lin Jichen, he said, "My name is Wang Xunhuang, and I challenge you."
"Why should I ept your challenge?" Lin Jichen retorted.
Wang Xunhuangughed arrogantly.
"Looks like you''re new to the Sword Sect and don''t know the rules. Let me educate you."
Wang Xunhuang exined smugly, "The Sword Sect has a rule: any disciple can challenge another as long as their cultivation isn''t more than one major realm apart.
"The challenged must ept unless they have a special reason, such as being injured, on a mission, or in seclusion.
"This ensures that the disciples'' cultivation continually improves, which is why our Tianyan Sword Sect is the top sect in Mu Xian Province. Now do you understand?"
Of course, Lin Jichen knew the rules; he was just pretending to be ignorant.
"But why should I waste my time fighting you? It doesn''t benefit me at all. What do I gain from winning or losing?"
Wang Xunhuang sneered, "Are you scared? You want benefits? Fine, we can bet sect contribution points. That''s the usual practice in the Sword Sect."
Lin Jichen nced at his contribution points: 0.
"Sure, but I don''t have any contribution points. Can I owe you?" Lin Jichen said nonchntly.
"Ridiculous! Do you think I''m stupid enough to let you default?" Wang Xunhuang mocked.
"Who said he would default? I''ll cover his contribution points."
A charming voice rang out.
Nangong Yue arrived.
Seeing her, the Inner Temple disciples quickly put on smiles and greeted her, "Greetings, Junior Sister Nangong."
Nangong Yue ignored them and walked straight to Lin Jichen, her smile blossoming like a flower just for him.
"Junior Brother, you finally came down the mountain?"
Lin Jichen smiled and nodded, surprised, "Senior Sister, you broke through to the Golden Core Realm?"
"Yes, after returning from Forget Worries Vige, I had many insights from battles. After you left, I went into seclusion and broke through to the Golden Core Realm in just a few days. I wanted to tell you the good news, but when I went to the Sword Pce, I found you were still in seclusion, so I went back."
Nangong Yue giggled, her pretty face showing a hint of pride.
Lin Jichen quickly cupped his hands in respect, "Senior Sister, your cultivation is extraordinary. To achieve the Golden Core Realm at such a young age, I am in awe!"
"Pfft~"
"Junior Brother, your ttery skills have improved in just a few days." Nangong Yue teased.
"Not at all, just speaking the truth. Before I came, you were thest to join the sect, yet you''ve already be a Golden Core cultivator."
Lin Jichen then looked at Wang Xunhuang and his group, indirectly criticizing them.
"Unlike some senior brothers, who joined the sect earlier than us but are still only at the Foundation Establishment Realm. Instead of focusing on improving themselves, theye to bully new disciples and feel proud about it."
"If it were me, I''d find a dead tree and hang myself. How can they be so shameless? Comparing people to pigs sometimes seems unfair to the pigs!"
Lin Jichen''s words made Wang Xunhuang and his group blush with shame.
Nangong Yue nodded in agreement.
"Junior Brother is right. If I had such senior brothers, I''d feel very unlucky too."
The group felt even more ufortable, their faces turning red and veins bulging on their necks.
But Wang Xunhuang hadn''t forgotten the task Chu Tianhan had given him. Despite the humiliation, he gritted his teeth and endured it.
"Junior Sister is right. My cultivation has stagnated, and I heard Junior Brother is quite capable, even a Sect Master''s disciple. So I wanted to learn from him, nothing more."
Wang Xunhuang spoke politely to Nangong Yue, not daring to offend her.
Not to mention Nangong Yue''s grandfather was one of the twelve elders, and her father was an elder of a Sword Sect branch, making her highly esteemed.
Nangong Yue herself had now reached the Golden Core Realm, making her the second Golden Core cultivator among the Inner Temple disciples, besides Chu Tianhan.
Even if he were beaten, he wouldn''t dare utter a word.
Nangong Yue scoffed, "I didn''t mean to lecture you. I understand the Sword Sect''s rules. If it''s about betting contribution points, I have over sixty thousand. How much do you want to bet?"
She took out her contribution point token, showing a five-digit number, making Lin Jichen envious.
Wang Xunhuang broke into a cold sweat and quickly waved his hand.
"No need for so much, just a few hundred points for a friendly match with Junior Brother Lin."
"No, I won''t bet for less. If we''re betting, let''s bet big. How many contribution points do you have?"
With someone covering for him, Lin Jichen stood tall. Hmph, relying on others feels great (hands on hips)!
Wang Xunhuang wanted to curse Lin Jichen for being a pretty boy.
But a nce at Nangong Yue made him hold back, reluctantly taking out his token.
"I only have a bit over eight hundred contribution points."
"So little? What about the others? Add them up."
Lin Jichen said disdainfully.
Despite having zero contribution points, he had the nerve toin about others.
Wang Xunhuang, holding back his frustration, gathered the contribution points from his group, totaling fifteen hundred points.
"Alright, let''s bet fifteen hundred points. Don''t cry if you lose."
Lin Jichen boasted.
Wang Xunhuang and his followers clenched their fists in anger, gritting their teeth.
Fine, act tough now! You''ll be the one cryingter!
Chapter 65 – Son-in-law sees father-in-law?
Chapter 65 C Son-inw sees father-inw?
Sword Sect, Sword Discussion tform.
This is where all the disciples of the Sword Sect spar, and it''s also the ce with the most intense atmosphere.
The Sword Discussion tform gathers yers and NPC disciples who lovebat and skill. They also earn contribution points by dueling.
The sect not only doesn''t discourage this trend but actively promotes it.
This is why the Sword Sect is teeming with experts.
Many elders from the Outer Temple and branch halls take turns guarding the tform day and night. They intervene at critical moments to protect the disciples.
To prevent them from being seriously injured or even killed by the blind des.
"This round, Outer Temple disciple Chen Yuan wins!"
In the center of the tform, an elder announced a yer''s victory.
The one who fell under this yer''s sword was also a yer at theter stage of Qi Refining!
The surrounding yers and disciples whispered among themselves.
"This Chen Yuan is amazing! He''s won eight consecutive matches, hasn''t he?"
"Yeah, undefeated. He''s incredible, and he''s only at theter stage of Qi Refining."
"His innate talent is Sword Fanatic, ranked third on the talent list."
"Look at the elders around; they''re all looking at him with approval. Even the head elder of the branch hall is smiling at him. I think Chen Yuan is about to soar."
"I think he''s the number one expert in the Tianyan Sword Sect."
...
Chen Yuan won again, a confident smile on his face as he sheathed his sword and stepped down from the tform.
At this moment, the head elder of the branch hall walked over, smiling as he said, "Your name is Chen Yuan?"
"Reporting to the elder, disciple Chen Yuan." Chen Yuan was puzzled about why the head elder was looking for him.
"I am Nangong Wu, head of the branch hall. I see you have great talent and skill in swordsmanship. I wish to take you as my personal disciple. Are you willing?"
The head elder was a robust middle-aged man in a dark blue robe, bearing a resemnce to the Grand Elder of Tianyuan.
Chen Yuan never expected the head elder to take him as a disciple. Overjoyed, he immediately bowed and epted.
Nangong Wu was also delighted to have such an excellent disciple.
He believed that with proper training, this disciple could be outstanding, even surpassing the next Chu Tianhan.
"Father!"
Suddenly, a soft and sweet voice came from behind.
"Yue''er, what brings you here?"
Nangong Wu''s face lit up with a kind smile as he saw the neer.
Nangong Yue bounced over to Nangong Wu, grinning, "I''m here to cheer for my junior brother."
Nangong Wu thought she was talking about Chen Yuan andughed, "How did you know I just epted Chen Yuan as a new disciple? Very well, let me introduce you."
Chen Yuan was stunned at first sight of Nangong Yue, love at first sight!
He hurriedly stepped forward and greeted her, "Junior Brother Chen Yuan greets Senior Sister!"
Nangong Yue frowned and said to Nangong Wu, "Father, you''re mistaken. I wasn''t talking about him."
"Oh? Then who were you talking about?" Nangong Wu was puzzled.
"Of course, it''s Junior Brother Lin!"
At the mention of Lin Jichen, Nangong Yue''s smile bloomed like spring flowers, captivating and charming.
Seeing his daughter''s expression, Nangong Wu felt a vague unease.
Just then, Lin Jichen and Wang Xunhuang arrived.
"Junior Brother! Come here, let me introduce someone to you."
Nangong Yue adorably waved at Lin Jichen, her eyes filled with his image, unable to hold anyone else.
As Lin Jichen approached, Nangong Yue introduced him, "This is my father, Nangong Wu, the head elder of the branch hall. He''s very skilled."
Lin Jichen, without suspicion, bowed and greeted, "Disciple Lin Jichen greets Elder Nangong."
Nangong Wu, expressionless, began to scrutinize Lin Jichen.
His fatherly intuition told him that this boy and his daughter were not just ordinary junior and senior brothers.
Lin Jichen felt a bit awkward, feeling like a son-inw meeting his father-inw...
After a long silence, Nangong Wu finally spoke.
"I heard the Sect Master epted a final disciple. Is that you?"
"Yes."
"You look quite impressive. I''m curious what sets you apart to catch the Sect Master''s eye. Why don''t you spar with my new disciple Chen Yuan? Let me see your progress in the Sword Sect."
Nangong Wu immediately suggested a duel between Lin Jichen and Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan stepped forward, eyes brimming with battle intent.
"Lin Jichen, I''ve wanted to challenge you for a long time."
Chen Yuan''s words were provocative. He had always wanted to challenge Lin Jichen, rumored to be the top swordsman in Tale of Immortal.
But he never had the chance. Now that he did, as a sword fanatic, he wouldn''t miss it.
Moreover, he noticed Nangong Yue''s attitude towards Lin Jichen, which filled him with jealousy.
Lin Jichen didn''t expect another challenger before he could even fight Wang Xunhuang.
What kind of day is this? Should he have stayed home?
And the challenger is the top swordsman from his past life.
"I''m not interested."
Lin Jichen refused Chen Yuan''s challenge.
Nangong Wu showed displeasure, "Do you know the rules of the Sword Sect? Unless you''re seriously injured, on a mission, or in seclusion, you can''t refuse a challenge from a disciple with lower or equal cultivation. Or if you''ve already dueled once, you don''t have to duel again for three days. Haven''t you heard of these rules?"
Lin Jichen replied, "I know, but I''ve already agreed to another duel and can''t fight Chen Yuan now."
"Oh? Who are you dueling?"
Nangong Wu was curious.
"That would be him." Lin Jichen pointed to Wang Xunhuang.
Nangong Wu''s interest piqued.
"You''re dueling someone at theter stage of Foundation Establishment?"
Lin Jichen shrugged, "I have no choice. Senior Brother Wang likes to bully the weak and challenged me."
"You can refuse since his cultivation is higher," Nangong Wu said.
Wang Xunhuang''s face changed. He hadn''t told Lin Jichen this.
Actually, if someone with higher cultivation challenges someone with lower cultivation, thetter can refuse.
He deliberately didn''t say this, fearing Lin Jichen would refuse.
The realm gap was just a bluff to make Lin Jichen believe it.
Nangong Yue, having seen Lin Jichen''s strength, wasn''t worried about him losing to Wang Xunhuang, so she didn''t mention it.
Now, with Nangong Wu''s words, Wang Xunhuang feared Lin Jichen would back out.
But to his surprise, Lin Jichen didn''t back out. Instead, he smiled.
"I know that, but Senior Brother Wang likes to give me sect contributions, so I''ll reluctantly ept."
Nangong Wu thought this kid was overdoing it, showing off in front of him?
And Nangong Yue''s loving and trusting gaze at Lin Jichen made him, as a father, quite displeased.
"Then I must see for myself. You two can duel on this central tform. I''ll oversee it personally."
Nangong Wu sat grandly on the viewing tform, waiting to see Lin Jichen get humiliated.
He hoped his daughter would see Lin Jichen''s disgrace and give up on him.
This kid was no match for his disciple, Chen Yuan!
...
Here''s the 150,000-word update, enjoy!
Chapter 66 – Sword Discussion Platform Duel
Chapter 66 C Sword Discussion tform Duel
On the central tform, Lin Jichen and Wang Xunhuang stood facing each other from a distance.
Due to Lin Jichen''s immense fame, both yers and disciples of the Sword Sect flocked to watch the duel.
In no time, the area around the tform was packed tight.
"Wanling sister, Lin the Great is going to duel ater stage Foundation Establishment disciple! Do you want toe and watch?"
"He''s challenging ater stage Foundation Establishment disciple? Impossible, I''lle right away."
The news of Lin Jichen challenging ater stage Foundation Establishment NPC spread like wildfire within the Sword Sect.
Lin Jichen''s fame far surpassed that of Chen Yuan. His reputation was like a towering tree casting a long shadow; everyone wanted to see just how powerful this ''cheat master'' really was.
"Both sides, hand over your contribution points. I''ll keep them safe," Nangong Wu said.
Wang Xunhuang took out several tokens and handed them over. His fifteen hundred contribution points were scraped together from various sources.
When it was Lin Jichen''s turn, Nangong Wu noticed that he remained indifferent.
Just as he was about to remind him to hand over his tokens, a jade-like hand reached out from the side.
"Father, I''ll pay the contribution points for Junior Brother!"
Nangong Wu''s thick eyebrows raised, and his mouth twitched as he said in a low voice, "What nonsense are you up to now?"
Nangong Yue, however, was nonchnt. "How am I being nonsensical? Contribution points within the sect can be freely traded. What''s wrong with me giving them to Junior Brother?"
Nangong Wu felt a headacheing on. Thest time he felt this heartache was thest time.
"We''ll settle thister."
Leaving those words, Nangong Wu reluctantly took Nangong Yue''s contribution tokens and impatiently announced, "The duel begins!"
"Junior Brother Lin is so confident. Today, I, Wang Xunhuang, will seek your guidance."
Wang Xunhuang sneered, still not taking Lin Jichen seriously.
After all, the opponent was merely at theter stage of Qi Refining.
He himself was at theter stage of Foundation Establishment and an Inner Temple disciple of the Sword Sect, not some small fry.
He never believed he could be defeated across realms.
Lin Jichen''s mouth, however, seemed coated in honey, constantly mocking.
"I suppose someone instructed you toe, right? How does it feel to be someone else''s dog, so devoted and loyal? Sigh, you really should have a mirror to see your dog-like face."
Wang Xunhuang''s smile instantly vanished.
"I''ll show you what it means to invite trouble with your mouth!"
With that, Wang Xunhuang summoned a blue flying sword, its de sharp and chilling.
With Lin Jichen''s years of gaming experience, he could tell that Wang Xunhuang was wielding a Mysterious Grade flying sword.
Looking at Wang Xunhuang''s equipment, Lin Jichen noticed more traces of Mysterious Grade items.
This guy had at least two or three pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment.
In terms of equipment alone, Lin Jichen had no advantage.
Sword drawn, man moved!
Wang Xunhuang''s figure was as swift as light, appearing in front of Lin Jichen in an instant.
The blue sword struck like lightning!
ng!
Lin Jichen''s Crimson Cloud Sword precisely blocked Wang Xunhuang''s strike. Both held their swords, red and blue sword glows intertwining.
Spiritual energy surged, causing their hair to flutter.
Wang Xunhuang''s attacks were like a tide, his sword like a rain of stars, attacking and defending in an orderly manner.
He was far beyond the average Sword Sect disciple.
Nangong Wu nodded approvingly from the side, saying, "He has the level of an Inner Temple disciple. Given time, this disciple will be a great talent."
Nangong Yue, however, retorted, "Hmph, he''s not as good as Junior Brother. Just watch, Junior Brother will definitely win."
Nangong Wu chuckled, sitting calmly as he said, "Then let''s keep watching."
On the tform, Lin Jichen remained on the defensive.
Facing Wang Xunhuang''s torrential sword strikes, he seemed to be defending hastily, but in reality, he was constantly looking for Wang Xunhuang''s weaknesses.
To his disappointment, Wang Xunhuang, as an Inner Temple disciple, was adept at both offense and defense, leaving no openings for Lin Jichen to counterattack.
Instead, Wang Xunhuang''s strikes grew fiercer and more stable.
Lin Jichen knew this couldn''t continue. He pretended to make a defensive mistake, stumbling a step.
Wang Xunhuang seized the opportunity without hesitation, twisting his sword to strike at Lin Jichen.
At that moment, Lin Jichen suddenly vanished, reappearing behind Wang Xunhuang.
Phantom Step!
Wang Xunhuang realized he had been tricked and quickly turned to defend, but he was still a step too slow!
A long sh appeared on his back.
However, to Lin Jichen''s surprise, it was just a minor wound.
"-160!"
Goodness! This guy''s defense is so high!
While Lin Jichen thought this, others had apletely different perspective: This guy''s strength is so high!
Even Nangong Wu was a bit stunned. He could see how high Wang Xunhuang''s defense was.
For Lin Jichen to break through with a single strike meant his strength was above 120.
Chen Yuan was even more shocked, not just by Lin Jichen''s attributes but also by hisbat skills.
Wang Xunhuang''s previous flurry of sword strikes had beenpletely blocked by Lin Jichen, who hadn''t taken a single hit and had even managed to injure Wang Xunhuang.
If it had been him, he would have been hit several times in the chaos.
After hitting his opponent, Lin Jichen checked Wang Xunhuang''s attribute panel.
[Sword Cultivator: Wang Xunhuang]
[Realm: Later stage of Foundation Establishment]
[Vitality: 8840/9000]
[Strength: 135]
[Mental Power: 90]
[Defense: 105]
[Speed: 97]
[Critical: 20]
[Heart Protection: 15]
Lin Jichen was a bit dumbfounded. He had thought Wang Xunhuang was just an ordinaryter stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, simr to Zhou Shen outside Fengqu City.
He hadn''t expected to underestimate his opponent. Wang Xunhuang, as an Inner Temple disciple and ater stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, had top-tier attributes for his level.
"I was careless, but it''s still manageable. As long as I can break through his defense."
Lin Jichen quickly adjusted his mindset, pulling back to avoid Wang Xunhuang''s retaliatory strike.
Wang Xunhuang''s expression was grim. He had attacked for so long without sess, only to be counterattacked by Lin Jichen.
This was uneptable to him, even if it was just a minor injury.
Wang Xunhuang''s aura surged, his eyes sharp, and his blue sword moved even faster, like bolts of lightning!
He first swung two feint strikes to make Lin Jichen defend, then immediately followed up with a martial arts technique!
"Phantom Heart Break!"
Two feints, one lethal strike!
A trick move followed by a killing blow!
He bet that Lin Jichen wouldn''t be able to react in time.
However, in the next second, Lin Jichen seemed to anticipate his move, easily dodging it.
He countered with a ''Frost Moon sh.''
Wang Xunhuang was hit again, his body exploding with hundreds of points of damage.
"So this is your confidence? It seems someone''s dog isn''t very useful after all."
Lin Jichen began to mock again, his words hitting hard.
Taking continuous hits made Wang Xunhuang lose face.
Combined with Lin Jichen''s sharp tongue, his anger grew, gradually consuming his rationality.
Wang Xunhuang''s attacks became fiercer, aiming to kill, with martial arts and spirit skills being unleashed one after another.
But in his loss ofposure, his moves became full of openings, making it easy for Lin Jichen to dodge.
Nangong Wu shook his head in disappointment. Thebat talents of these two were on different levels.
Sure enough, it wasn''t long before Wang Xunhuang was sent flying off the tform by Lin Jichen,nding on the ground in a sorry state, covered in wounds.
"Junior Brother won! Father, what do you have to say now?"
Nangong Yue jumped in joy, proudly questioning Nangong Wu.
"This round, Lin Jichen wins!"
Nangong Wu pped the contribution tokens, flicked his sleeves, and left.
Chapter 67 – Sister, do you want to make an appointment?
Chapter 67 C Sister, do you want to make an appointment?
Lin Jichen''s battle left everyone in awe.
With the strength of theter stage of Qi Refining, he managed to defeat an opponent in theter stage of Foundation Establishment.
The entire duel was recorded and uploaded online, causing a sensation.
In the video, Lin Jichen didn''t disy any terrifyingly high damage like he did when he fought the Blood Fiend Guild, where two strikes took down a small fry.
On the contrary, his damage against theter stage of Foundation Establishment wasn''t high.
Throughout the entire duel, Lin Jichen didn''tnd any outrageous damage, nor did he use any martial arts techniques.
He relied solely on basic attacks and movement techniques to dodge Wang Xunhuang''s relentless attacks.
Using just his movement technique and awareness, he wore down an opponent in theter stage of Foundation Establishment to death!
Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!
Once the video was shared, more than half of the people who previously doubted Lin Jichen''s skills were silenced.
"Does anyone still doubt Lin Jichen is cheating? With that movement technique and awareness, he''s definitely a pro!" [Tale of Immortal Forum User King of Fragments]
"He didn''t even use any martial arts techniques, just wore down ater stage Foundation Establishment disciple. All I can say is, impressive!" [Tale of Immortal Blogger Pipi Monster]
"Does anyone know the attributes of the disciple who got beaten? I feel like his attributes shouldn''t be low." [Tale of Immortal Forum User Grandpa Has a Wife Don''t Love Grandpa]
"How did Lin Jichen pull off such moves? Is this guy really a newbie yer? He feels like a veteran." [Tale of Immortal Forum User Just Want to Read Good Books]
"Hahaha, I told you Lin Jichen isn''t cheating. Let''s see how the Blood Fiend Guild exins this!" [Tale of Immortal Streamer Liu Xiazi]
...
The forum was bustling with activity, and Lin Jichen''s poprity soared once again.
Meanwhile, Chen Yuan couldn''t calm down after watching Lin Jichen''s performance.
He recalled his earlier challenge to Lin Jichen and felt a burning shame on his face.
He didn''t even have the confidence to withstand ten moves from Lin Jichen.
A sense of defeat welled up, but Chen Yuan quickly adjusted, his gaze firm and resolute.
"Today, I''m far behind you, but I don''t believe I''ll never catch up!"
After saying this to Lin Jichen, Chen Yuan turned and left.
Lin Jichen watched Chen Yuan leave, a look of admiration on his face.
This was the man recognized as the number one expert in Tale of Immortal in his previous life, the Sword God Chen Yuan.
No wonder he could be number one; his pride and determination alone were enough for Lin Jichen to see him as a rival.
Switching to sword cultivation, Lin Jichen had always known he would have to face Chen Yuan. Both were aiming for the title of Sword God.
Since he chose the path of sword cultivation, there was no way he would let Chen Yuan take the title of the world''s number one Sword God.
"Junior brother, your strength has improved a lot again. Not bad, not bad, as expected of my junior brother~"
Nangong Yue stepped forward, smiling as she praised him.
"It''s mainly because you''re so amazing, senior sister. If I don''t push myself to get stronger, won''t I always need you to protect me?" Lin Jichen joked.
Nangong Yue''s rosy lips curved into a sweet smile, looking incredibly cute.
She pretended to be displeased, "What''s wrong with having your senior sister protect you? Are you saying you don''t like me anymore?"
"Of course not. I just think, when will it be my turn to protect you, to shield you from the wind and rain, to clear the path for you? By then, I''ll have the confidence to face your father and grandfather." Lin Jichen exined.
Nangong Yue, however, misunderstood his meaning.
She thought Lin Jichen meant he would propose to her father once he became stronger, and her face turned bright red.
"Actually, cultivation level doesn''t matter. As long as... as long as I like you... I believe my grandfather and father will support me..."
Nangong Yue said, lowering her head, nervously fiddling with her clothes, her shyness boundless.
Looking at the stunningly beautiful girl, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but swallow a gulp of saliva.
He suddenly remembered that with an affection level over 60, physical contact was allowed.
His affection level with Nangong Yue was already at 62 points, at the stage of mutual affection. It wouldn''t be too much to take advantage of it, right?
Of course, with so many people around, he couldn''t bring himself to do it.
"Senior sister," Lin Jichen suddenly spoke.
"What''s up?" Nangong Yue lifted her head, her clear eyes filled with shyness and affection.
"Do you have some free timetely?" Lin Jichen asked.
"Yes, do you need my help with a task?"
Nangong Yue thought Lin Jichen needed her help and was ready to agree.
But to her surprise...
"No, I wanted to invite you to Fengqu City to listen to music, watch a y, and enjoy the flowers and the moon. Would you be willing?"
Nangong Yue''s beautiful eyes widened, and her face turned red.
This... isn''t this a date?
Oh my, this is too sudden.
Nangong Yue''s heart raced like a deer.
"I can... but my father is returning to the inner temple in the next couple of days, so I might not be able to go out..." Nangong Yue stammered.
Her family was strict.
Lin Jichen began to coax her, "No problem, we can wait until your father leaves."
"But... I still have my grandfather..."
"That''s okay too. Just tell them you''re going on a mission."
Lin Jichen even thought of an excuse for her.
"Alright... I''ll go back first, and I''lle find youter."
Too shy to face Lin Jichen any longer, Nangong Yue fled after speaking.
Lin Jichen smiled with satisfaction, looking forward to their first date.
When a yer''s affection level with an NPC exceeds 50, they need to use the emotional storyline to increase it further.
Otherwise, it would be hard to raise it.
After all, if someone likes you and you don''t make any moves, the affection level might slowly decrease.
Strike while the iron is hot!
Winning a duel, earning 1,500 contribution points, and getting a date with Nangong Yue.
Lin Jichen felt it was a win-win.
"Master Lin!"
Just as he stepped off the stage, Su Wanling approached.
"Master, your strength is too monstrous. Even a disciple in theter stage of Foundation Establishment couldn''t beat you."
Su Wanling had been watching the whole time and felt like she was ying a different game from Lin Jichen.
"Not really. Do you need something?" Lin Jichen asked politely.
Su Wanling got straight to the point, "Our Moon Shadow Guild would like to invite you to help us clear the hard mode of the Secret Realm [Corpse King Valley]."
"Impossible," Lin Jichen replied bluntly.
"Why? You can name your price." Su Wanling was anxious.
Lin Jichen shook his head, "The [Corpse King Valley] is a secret realm for teams of over a hundred people. It''s not about individual ability but the average level of the team. At least everyone needs to be at the middle stage of Qi Refining to clear it, and..."
"And what?"
"Nothing. In short, even if I go, it won''t help. I advise you to give up for now and improve your overall strength first."
Lin Jichen almost let slip about a great opportunity to earn spirit stones but caught himself in time.
Su Wanling didn''t doubt Lin Jichen''s words; he had no reason to lie to her.
"That''s too frustrating. Our guild grinded all day for nothing."
Lin Jichen smiled, "Other guilds are in the same boat. Giving up early is better than wasting more time."
"True!" Su Wanling''s eyes lit up, and she immediately asked again, "What about [Night Cave Ghost Ridge]? Can we clear it?"
"It''s possible, but it''s quite challenging."
"Can you help us? You can name your price!"
"Is your guild leader participating?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I''ll take it."
Su Wanling: "...."
Chapter 68 – He just doesn’t want to be deceived again
Chapter 68 C He just doesnt want to be deceived again
"Lin Jichen, are you trying to hit on our guild leader?"
Su Wanling stared at Lin Jichen warily, as if guarding against a thief.
"You''re overthinking it," Lin Jichen denied.
Su Wanling naturally didn''t believe him. "Then why did you specifically ask if our guild leader was participating?"
"I just wanted to borrow some money from her, it''s not as dirty as you think," Lin Jichen said helplessly.
"Is that really the case?" Su Wanling was skeptical.
"Believe it or not," Lin Jichen rolled his eyes.
Su Wanling pursed her lips and warned, "It''s best that way. I''m telling you, don''t get any ideas about our guild leader. If her father finds out, you''ll be in big trouble."
Lin Jichen sneered, "Ha, how bad could it be? It''s a society ruled byw!"
"Believe it or not, I''ve said my piece. If you don''t listen to the advice of the elders, you''ll sufferter," Su Wanling couldn''t be bothered to persuade him further, as if she cared too much about this guy.
It would be best if Luo Yu''s father found out. Let''s see if you can still talk tough then.
"Since you''ve agreed, let''s get going. We should hurry; I estimate that other teams are close to clearing Night Cave Ghost Ridge," Su Wanling said.
Lin Jichen felt no urgency because he remembered that when the Secret Realm first opened, the fastest to clear it was the solo Secret Realm, Nightmare.
That would take four or five days at least.
Other Secret Realms took even longer to clear, so there was no need to rush.
The two left the Sword Sect together, heading towards the Nightmare Secret Realm.
But just as they reached the entrance, they ran into Wang Jinghao and his group, the leaders of the Eternal Guild.
Wang Jinghao, upon seeing Lin Jichen, approached warmly.
"Brother Lin, I came specifically to find you. Help me clear a Secret Realm, will you? The reward is three million! And any equipment dropped by Sword Cultivators inside is yours."
Wang Jinghao exined his purpose. Their Eternal Guild was stuck in the Secret Realm and couldn''t get through, so he urgently thought of Lin Jichen.
He came to the Sword Sect to show his sincerity.
Lin Jichen didn''t want to help someone like Wang Jinghao, but it wasn''t the right time to fall out with him.
"Oh, Brother Wang, you''rete. I''ve already agreed to help her," Lin Jichen pointed at Su Wanling.
Su Wanling faced Wang Jinghao without fear, meeting his gaze proudly.
Wang Jinghao''s expression changed slightly, and he forced a smile. "Brother Lin, whatever price she offered, I''ll double it!"
This time, Wang Jinghao wouldn''t let Su Wanling have her way.
Last time hepromised, he didn''t want to be a fool for no reason.
But this time was different. The first clear of the Secret Realm was crucial, and he was willing to pay any amount.
Just as Su Wanling was about to retort, Lin Jichen said awkwardly, "It''s not about the money. Um... she''s my girlfriend now, so you understand, I can''t help it."
Su Wanling''s eyes widened, almost thinking she had misheard.
"Right, dear? You said if I helped you clear the Secret Realm, you''d be ready to meet me in real life."
"I..." Su Wanling almost retorted on the spot, but seeing Lin Jichen''s gaze, she reluctantly changed her tone, "Mm..."
Lin Jichen shrugged and said to Wang Jinghao, "You see, Brother Wang, what can I do? I''ve always been a sucker for a beautiful woman."
Wang Jinghao was half-convinced.
"I remember you were about to get married, weren''t you? You and your girlfriend from Jiangxi were preparing for the wedding, and you said your mother-inw asked for a dowry, so you sold your equipment."
Damn!
How could I forget that?
Lin Jichen sighed inwardly but remainedposed. "I couldn''t help it. A rich woman pursued me, and she''s so beautiful. I didn''t want to work hard anymore, so I broke up with my ex."
Wang Jinghao still didn''t quite believe it, but by then, Su Wanling had already pulled Lin Jichen away.
"Let''s go quickly. If we don''t hurry, I won''t meet you in real life."
"Oh, oh, wait for me, babe."
With that, the two quickly left the sect and teleported away.
"Damn it, that woman again!"
Wang Jinghao cursed, having been thwarted by Su Wanling twice.
"Brother Hao, what do we do now?"
Wang Jinghao cursed, "What else can we do? Go back. This guy is greedy and lustful. Good, people like him are easier to control. We''ll see."
After Lin Jichen and Su Wanling teleported, they arrived at the teleportation point.
"Lin Jichen, what did you mean by those words just now? You''re taking advantage of me!" Su Wanling demanded.
Lin Jichen just chuckled, remaining calm.
"You''re so full of yourself. I just didn''t want to offend anyone."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it. If you two kept bidding against each other, no matter who won or lost, I wouldn''t go help Wang Jinghao. That would mean I''d offend him. But by saying you''re my girlfriend, they won''t hold a grudge against me, only against you."
Lin Jichen''s words were shameless but steady.
Su Wanling suddenly understood andined, "Lin Jichen, you''re such a coward. Can''t you stand up for me just once?"
"No," Lin Jichen replied bluntly. "We''re just in a cooperative rtionship. Why should I take the me for you for free?"
"Besides, you have a big guild and a guild leader to back you up. What are you afraid of? I''m just a lone wolf. Moreover, this is your responsibility, not mine. Otherwise, I could go help Wang Jinghao clear the Secret Realm right now."
Having learned from past experiences, Lin Jichen was very cautious with strangers in reality.
Once bitten, twice shy.
He admitted he was scared.
Except for Ren Lan and Gu Qiuxue, he wouldn''t easily trust anyone.
When dealing with strangers in reality, he preferred to pour his heart out to NPCs in Tale of Immortal.
At least in the game, characters were true to their nature. Bad people were bad, and good people were good.
Unless an NPC experienced some significant change, they wouldn''t change.
This had been proven even after the game and reality merged.
Sopared to real people, Lin Jichen now trusted NPCs more.
He was like an otaku obsessed with the second dimension, only loving the girls in the second dimension.
But who would have thought that one day, the girls from the second dimension would all appear in the real world?
It seemed like Lin Jichen was hitting on NPCs, but in reality, he was building a trustworthy and usefulwork for the future.
Su Wanling didn''t argue further. She thought Lin Jichencked chivalry, but his words made sense.
It was just that Lin Jichen said they were merely in a cooperative rtionship, which made her a bit unhappy.
Did that mean they weren''t even friends?
"You''re right. I misunderstood. I apologize. Let''s go; the guild leader is waiting for us."
Su Wanling''s tone was stiff. After speaking, she walked ahead by herself.
Lin Jichen shrugged, knowing that Su Wanling was angry.
But he didn''t care.
Having been deceived before, trust was now a distant concept for him.
Don''t me him for wrapping himself up; he just didn''t want to be deceived again.
Chapter 69 – As many as possible
Chapter 69 C As many as possible
The three Secret Realms were all located around the outskirts of Fengqu City, each in a different ce.
Lin Jichen followed Su Wanling all the way to the entrance of the Night Cave Ghost Ridge Secret Realm.
The ce was already teeming with people.
From the entrance of the Secret Realm extending out ten miles, it was filled with yers from various sects.
Once the Secret Realm opened, everyone was incredibly enthusiastic and rushed to explore it.
The other two Secret Realms were also packed with people.
"Temporary team needs one more magic cultivator! Requirement: Middle stage of Qi Refining, hurry up!"
"Five out of seven, need a body cultivator tank and a healer! Preferably a monk!"
"Need a healer, any cultivation level is fine, just get on board!"
"I''m a newbie, just started ying, Initial stage of Qi Refining, archer, anyone willing to take me?"
"Need one more for a full team, anyone want to join? We have everything, just need a girl, preferably one who can crack dirty jokes, hehe!"
...
The ce was bustling like a marketce, with a distinct game-like atmosphere.
Su Wanling led Lin Jichen straight through the bustling crowd to a spot where a group of beautiful girls had gathered.
Jiang Luoyu was among them. Although the girls around her were all quite attractive, Jiang Luoyu stood out like the moon surrounded by stars, dazzling and eye-catching, easily outshining everyone else with her looks.
The girls who looked pretty good individually seemed dull and unremarkable next to Jiang Luoyu. The scene of so many beauties standing together was stunning.
If it weren''t for the privacy settings between yers that prevented strangers from getting too close, countless male yers would have crowded around long ago.
"Guild Master, I''ve brought him. You can talk to him now."
After bringing Lin Jichen over, Su Wanling stepped aside, sulking.
Jiang Luoyu found it strange but focused on the task at handclearing the Secret Realm.
"Mr. Lin, thank you foring. If you help us clear the Secret Realm, you can name your conditions."
Facing the daughter of the richest man, Lin Jichen didn''t hold back.
"I have three conditions. First, I wantmand authority. Once we''re inside the Secret Realm, you must follow my instructions without question."
"Of course, that''s not a problem."
"Second, I want all the equipment and materials needed for Sword Cultivators and Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment that we find in the Secret Realm."
"That''s also fine."
"The third is a personal matter. I want to borrow some funds from you."
"That''s even less of a problem. How much do you need? I''ll have Wanling transfer it to you," Jiang Luoyu readily agreed.
Lin Jichen shook his head, "I don''t want cash. I want to borrow Spirit Stones."
"Spirit Stones? How many do you need?"
"As many as possible. The more, the better," Lin Jichen asked boldly.
Jiang Luoyu frowned slightly. It wasn''t that she was stingy, but Spirit Stones were extremely important to the guild right now.
Spirit Stones were the hard currency in Tale of Immortal, and they could also be used to enhance cultivation through mindfulness meditation.
When yers couldn''t find a ce rich in spiritual energy to meditate, they could absorb the spiritual energy from Spirit Stones, which was very effective.
So, Spirit Stones were highly sought after by all guilds.
Currently, the exchange rate between Spirit Stones and cash had risen to 1:180.
And even at that rate, they were hard toe by, especially since the game had justunched and there weren''t that many Spirit Stones avable.
Jiang Luoyu was rtively well-off. She had hired over a hundred gold farming teams to gather Spirit Stones for her Moon Shadow Guild.
She also had her subordinates frantically buying them on the market, regardless of the price.
So, she had umted quite a few Spirit Stones.
"Lin Jichen, do you have any idea how important Spirit Stones are to the guild? And you want as many as possible? Your appetite is too big!" Su Wanling stepped forward, her eyes wide with anger.
"Wanling, what''s wrong?" Jiang Luoyu noticed Su Wanling''s unusual attitude and couldn''t help but ask.
Realizing she might have lost herposure, Su Wanling lowered her head and muttered, "It''s nothing."
Lin Jichen spoke up, "Don''t worry, I won''t borrow them for free. I''ll return 130% of whatever I borrow within five days."
"Are you serious?" Jiang Luoyu asked.
"Of course. Tale of Immortal has virtual contracts. I can sign a rental contract with you, and with the main server overseeing it, you don''t have to worry about me cheating you."
"Alright, I''ll lend them to you. Except for the Spirit Stones needed for the guild''s normal expenses over the next seven days, I''ll give you the rest."
Jiang Luoyu agreed without hesitation.
"Thank you. May I ask how many you have?"
"About fifty thousand."
Hiss!
Lin Jichen took a sharp breath. So this was the wealth of the richest man''s daughter.
He, who worked at the Sword Sect and earned fifty Spirit Stones a month, had been feeling quite proud, thinking he was well-off.
Now he understood. A worker would always be just a worker. The power of capital was beyond his imagination.
"Alright, I''ll borrow them all! I''ll write up the agreement right now."
Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate and took it all.
The more he borrowed, the more he could earn. He wasn''t worried about not being able to repay.
Even if he couldn''t repay, he could always join the Moon Shadow Guild and work off his debt. After all, he was a bachelor with nothing to lose.
With the virtual agreement signed, Lin Jichen''s Spirit Stone ount suddenly had an additional fifty thousand Spirit Stones, making him the richest yer in Tale of Immortal!
Unfortunately, there was no Spirit Stone leaderboard, or he would undoubtedly be number one.
"Alright, I''ll repay you within five days. Let''s clear the Secret Realm first."
"Okay, we''ll follow your lead."
Jiang Luoyu agreed readily and added Lin Jichen to the team, giving him the leader position.
Night Cave Ghost Ridge was a small team dungeon, allowing a maximum of five yers at a time.
"You can choose anyone you want. If necessary, I can even leave the team. I just want the guild to clear the dungeon," Jiang Luoyu instructed.
Lin Jichen nodded and pulled up the guild''s member list, quickly selecting his team.
He chose Jiang Luoyu, Su Wanling, and two other guild girls.
One was a healer at the Middle stage of Qi Refining named Cao Shiying, and the other was a body cultivator at theter stage of Qi Refining named Li Jinzi.
"Am I going too? My profession is the same as yours, so I won''t be much help," Su Wanling was surprised that Lin Jichen chose her. She was also a Sword Cultivator and knew her own limitations.
"It''s fine. Night Cave Ghost Ridge is easy to clear and doesn''t have strict ss requirements. You can juste along and take it easy," Lin Jichen replied without hesitation.
Su Wanling rolled her eyes in frustration, while Jiang Luoyu covered her mouth to stifle augh. To avoid upsetting her further, Jiang Luoyu offered someforting words.
"Hmph, fine, I''ll go. But if we fail to clear it because of me, don''t me me," Su Wanling huffed, flipping her short hair with a touch of ir.
With the team set, Lin Jichen, as the leader, headed straight to the Secret Realm entrance.
At the entrance, there was a leaderboard.
It disyed the progress of the top ten teams in clearing the dungeon.
[Eternal Guild]: Hard mode, progress 52%.
[Moon Thief Studio]: Hard mode, progress 50%.
[Remnant Cloud Studio]: Hard mode, progress 49%.
[Pr Day Guild]: Hard mode, progress 47%.
...
The leaderboard clearly showed the progress of various guilds and studios in clearing Night Cave Ghost Ridge.
All were in hard mode. After all, if they couldn''t clear hard mode, who would dare to challenge extreme or hell mode?
Lin Jichen nced at it briefly and lost interest, striding into the Secret Realm.
The remaining four team members were automatically transported inside.
Once inside, Su Wanling screamed.
"Lin Jichen, did you choose the wrong mode? This is hell mode!"
Chapter 70 – Night Cave Ghost Ridge
Chapter 70 C Night Cave Ghost Ridge
Jiang Luoyu just realized that Lin Jichen had chosen the hell mode.
But she didn''t believe that a master like Lin Jichen would make such a rookie mistake.
"Mr. Lin, are you confident about clearing the hell mode?"
Lin Jichen didn''t deny it.
"Actually, Night Cave Ghost Ridge isn''t that hard. The difficult part is coordinating the details and dealing with the elite monsters'' wave tactics. As long as we solve these two points, we can pass this Secret Realm smoothly."
Jiang Luoyu nodded and said, "You''re right. We also have members trying to conquer Night Cave Ghost Ridge. They said there are four powerful ghosts in the ridge. Although their strength is only at the middle stage of Qi Refining, once one ghost dies, the other three will immediately rush over, making it impossible to handle. If it''s already like this in hard mode, the strength of the ghosts in hell mode will probably be even higher."
Jiang Luoyu was a bit worried. At this point, it was impossible to ask Lin Jichen to exit and reselect the mode.
Because once you enter the Secret Realm, you either clear it or face total annihtion. There are only these two choices; you can''t exit midway.
"That''s true, but there''s actually a way to break the connection between the four ghosts and defeat them one by one," Lin Jichen exined.
"What way?" Jiang Luoyu''s eyes lit up, and she immediately asked.
"This is a strategy I''m nning to sell. It''s a business secret, sorry I can''t share it."
Even when facing the daughter of the richest man, who looked like a Heavenly Immortal, Lin Jichen remained unyielding, showing no intention of making things easier for others.
"You n to take us through the Secret Realm, won''t we find out anyway?" Su Wanling questioned.
Lin Jichen smiled calmly and said, "I don''t n to use that method to clear the Secret Realm."
"Are you saying you intend to face the four powerful ghosts head-on and clear the hell mode Secret Realm?"
Jiang Luoyu understood.
Lin Jichen didn''t speak, just nodded.
"You must be kidding..."
Su Wanling was about to call Lin Jichen a braggart, but recalling how he defeated ater stage Foundation Establishment opponent on the Sword Discussion tform, she swallowed her words.
Maybe he really could...
"Let''s go, let''s make this quick."
Lin Jichen walked ahead, and the four women followed.
Inside the Secret Realm, the scene waspletely different from the outside.
The silent ridge, the hooting of night owls, the dim starlight overhead, and the gloomy moonlight.
The surroundings were filled with a chilling aura, the night wind was biting cold.
The entire ridge was barren and deste. At the foot of the ridge was a chaotic graveyard, with corpses buried haphazardly everywhere.
Some bones were even half-exposed from the yellow earth.
Beside the chaotic graveyard was a dpidated straw hut that looked like it could copse at any moment.
A white, tornntern hung from the eaves of the hut.
Swaying in the night wind, thentern creaked and seemed about to fall.
The candle inside flickered intermittently.
Just this oppressive and terrifying scene was enough to make one feel a chill down their spine, wanting to seek help from Makka Pakka.
"Wanling sister, this ce is so scary. I''m most afraid of seeing horror stuff."
The girl named Cao Shiying was very timid and was terrified at the sight.
"Look at you, it''s just a game. Pretend you''re watching a movie. Learn from me, the president, and Xiao Zi. We''re not scared, so why should you be?"
Su Wanling scorned while sticking closer to Jiang Luoyu, afraid of falling behind.
She didn''t dare to look at the corpses on the ground, keeping her eyes on the sky.
"Wanling," Jiang Luoyu suddenly called her.
"What?"
"There''s a human hand under your foot," Jiang Luoyu said nonchntly.
"Ah! Help!" Su Wanling jumped up on the spot, only to find there was nothing there.
"President, you''re bullying me! I hate you!" Su Wanling said angrily.
Jiang Luoyu smiled mischievously, having seeded in her prank.
Hearing theughter behind him, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but smile wryly. Were they clearing a Secret Realm or on a tour?
He walked straight through the chaotic graveyard. When he reached the straw hut, the wooden door slowly opened.
A hunchbacked man, looking withered, dressed in rags, and reeking of foul odor, walked out.
Seeing this man, Su Wanling and Cao Shiying screamed and hugged each other.
The man had a strange appearance, missing one eye, with an empty socket.
His mouth was crooked, and his face was full of scars.
Even men would be scared, let alone girls.
The Tale of Immortal forum had long been filled withints about these three Secret Realms, saying they were all terrifying.
Some were too scared to sleep, some wet themselves, and some were too scared to y.
Tale of Immortal had been dubbed a horror game.
Even the female body cultivator yer couldn''t bear it and hid behind Su Wanling.
Jiang Luoyu remained unfazed, truly unafraid.
Lin Jichen was even more indifferent. This level of horror was nothing.
In the future, when they encountered ces like the Abyss, the Bone Burial Soul Field, or even the Yama Hell, those would be truly terrifying.
Inparison, this was child''s y.
The man walked out and said hoarsely, "Another fiveing to die. Leave quickly, save your lives."
Lin Jichen calmly said, "Handsome, stop the nonsense. We''re definitely going up the ridge."
"Sigh, why don''t you listen? The ghost ridge is too dangerous. Besides me, the gravekeeper, no one can survive there. I advise you to leave quickly," the gravekeeper urged again.
Lin Jichen ignored him and walked straight up the mountain.
"Wait, young man," the gravekeeper called out, "If you must go, can you do me a favor?"
"Speak."
"Twenty years ago, my wife was harmed by a powerful ghost here. I became the gravekeeper, hoping to find my wife''s belongings. Unfortunately, I''m too weak to go up the mountain. If you find a white handkerchief on the ghost ridge, please bring it to me. I''ll give you two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment as a reward," the gravekeeper issued a quest.
"Wow, two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment! No wonder it''s hell mode. In hard mode, the gravekeeper only gives one Spirit Grade item," Su Wanling eximed.
Lin Jichen remained indifferent, with a yful smile on his face, casually saying, "Alright, we''ll take the quest."
Anyone would ept such a quest without hesitation.
"Thank you. I''ll wait for your good news at the foot of the mountain."
With that, the gravekeeper hunched over and returned to the straw hut.
Lin Jichen led his four teammates and officially set off.
The five of them advanced towards the highest ridge. Not long after, gusts of eerie wind blew.
Wailing and sharp cries suddenly echoed around them.
Ghostly figures appeared all around, floating in the air.
These ghosts had green faces and fangs, looking ferocious. Seeing Lin Jichen and his group of living people, they pounced like hungry wolves.
"Damn! Why are there so many ghosts? Didn''t Xiao Lei and the others say there were only five at the start? There must be dozens here!"
Su Wanling screamed, her face pale.
"This is hell mode. Xiao Lei and the others cleared hard mode. It''s naturally different. Start fighting."
Jiang Luoyu raised her staff, chanting a spell. Fire Burn activated, and the ghosts around her screamed in pain.
Jiang Luoyu was already at theter stage of Qi Refining. Although there were many ghosts, they were only at the initial stage of Qi Refining, so they weren''t too difficult to deal with.
Discord:
Chapter 71 – Being noticed by a female ghost?
Chapter 71 C Being noticed by a female ghost?
The five of them split up to kill the nearby ghosts. Su Wanling, after oveing her initial fear, finally managed to calm down a bit and teamed up with Cao Shiying to kill the monsters.
Li Jinzi, the body cultivator, was extremely fierce, her punchesnding solidly on the ghosts.
Her fighting style was reminiscent of Fanny Shu''s monster-ying scenes in Stephen Chow''s "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," a disy of violent aesthetics.
Lin Jichen''s side was even simpler. No ghost could withstand a single strike from his sword; a basic attack was enough to instantly kill them.
The damage waspletely over the top.
Dozens of ghosts were quickly wiped out through theirbined efforts.
What puzzled Jiang Luoyu and the others was that the ghosts they killed hardly dropped anything. At most, they found a few scattered spirit stones or some mundane silver coins.
But looking at Lin Jichen''s feet, the ground was littered with spirit stones, at least dozens of them, and there were even three or four pieces of equipment!
One of them was even Spirit Grade!
What the hell?
The four girls exchanged nces, all equally confused.
"Master Lin, what level is your luck?" Su Wanling asked curiously, having thought of this.
"That''s a secret," Lin Jichen replied nonchntly.
"Hmph, you''re still so stingy!" Su Wanling pouted but wasn''t angry; she was used to it by now.
She had discovered that Lin Jichen was this kind of person, difficult to gain his trust, seemingly wary of everyone.
She didn''t understand why Lin Jichen was so cautious, but everyone had different personalities, and it was understandable.
Lin Jichen said nothing, picking up the items and ncing at them. They were all mediocre.
The only Spirit Grade equipment wasn''t something he could use, and its attributes were average.
Lin Jichen had no interest and handed them to Jiang Luoyu.
"Nothing I need, you take it."
Jiang Luoyu epted the equipment without hesitation. The Spirit Grade equipment was just right for the body cultivator, so she gave it to her directly.
"Thank you, President!" Li Jinzi epted it happily.
The five set off again, encountering wave after wave of ghost attacks, with their strength increasing each time.
Sometimes a group of Initial stage of Qi Refining ghosts would be mixed with one or two Middle stage of Qi Refining ghost captains, sometimes more.
But they were all easily ughtered by Lin Jichen as if cutting through vegetables.
With Jiang Luoyu, a strong magic cultivator, the five of them had little difficulty progressing.
The only issue was their mana consumption; after each wave, they had to take elixirs to restore their mana.
Only Lin Jichen remained in perfect condition, his vitality and mana untouched.
He only used basic attacks, each strike a kill.
"Ah! It dropped! The Handkerchief of the Gravekeeper''s Dead Wife!"
Su Wanling eximed in surprise, holding a blood-stained handkerchief.
Jiang Luoyu was also delighted, praising, "Wanling, you''ve done a great job. If weplete the task and return it to the Gravekeeper, we can get two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment."
Su Wanling was very happy and said, "Should I go back and hand in the task now? That way, even if we fail the challenge, we can still get two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment!"
"I advise you not to go," Lin Jichen suddenly said.
"Why?"
Lin Jichen sighed, "I suspect the Gravekeeper won''t be there. Otherwise, why would they let you exploit such a loophole? Wouldn''t that allow you to farm equipment endlessly?"
"That''s true." Su Wanling felt Lin Jichen made sense.
"Indeed, that''s the case. Xiao Lei and the others tried this method too. As soon as they got the handkerchief, they went back to find the Gravekeeper, but couldn''t find him," Jiang Luoyu confirmed.
"That''s a pity," Su Wanling muttered regretfully.
Lin Jichen shook his head with a smile. They really thought the Gravekeeper would give them equipment.
The five set off again, reaching the halfway point of Ghost Ridge.
The temperature here was much lower than at the foot of the mountain, with a chilling aura swirling around.
"My life... is so miserable..."
Suddenly, a ghostly, eerie voice echoed. On a dead tree, a female corpse in red was hanging.
The corpse''s eyes, originally closed, suddenly opened, her nk pupils staring at them, blood streaming from her eye sockets.
The corpse broke free from the noose, her face contorted with rage.
Rocks and sand flew around, screams filled the air, causing chaos.
Skeleton hands emerged from the ground, grabbing their feet, trying to drag them underground.
The terrifying scene left the timid Su Wanling and Cao Shiying petrified. It was their first encounter with such a horrifying monster, and they were too scared to even scream.
Lin Jichen''s face turned cold. He gripped his sword, pointing the tip downward, and stabbed it into the ground.
A scream came from the soil, and the skeleton hands binding Lin Jichen shattered instantly.
"Even as skeletons, you don''t behave. Do you think you''re Brook?"
Lin Jichen sneered, not bothering to help Jiang Luoyu and the others, and charged directly at the female ghost.
Seeing Lin Jichen approach, the ghost surprisingly stopped her actions, staring at him with a dazed look.
The next moment, something that left Jiang Luoyu and the others dumbfounded happened.
The ghost''s aura dissipated, and she seemed shy, speaking in humannguage, "Young man, you''re so handsome. Would you be willing to be my ghost husband?"
Lin Jichen was stunned. It was the first time in his life he had been hit on by a ghost.
Seeing Lin Jichen not responding, she continued to coax, "Actually, you could switch to ghost cultivation. That way, we could dual cultivate, and your cultivation would improve much faster."
"Shut up!"
Lin Jichen cursed. Damn it, who would want to be a ghost cultivator?
"Young man, are you unwilling?" The ghost''s face turned cold.
"Of course!"
"Then I''ll kill you and extract your soul. You won''t have a choice but to stay with me!"
"Damn you, you perverted ghost! Rejected and now resorting to force. You must have been an ugly freak in your past life, died from ugliness, right? An old monster no one wanted! If I were you, I''d be ashamed to be a ghost!"
Lin Jichen''s sharp tongueshed out, cursing non-stop.
The ghost flew into a rage, her ghostly aura surging, the surrounding temperature dropping to freezing.
"I''ll take your life!"
The ghost suddenly vanished. The next moment, Lin Jichen''s feet were entangled by waterfall-like hair, the ends sharp as needles.
Wrapping! Piercing!
Lin Jichen remained calm, his Crimson Cloud Sword shing down like a shadow!
Arge mass of hair was cut off.
But soon, the ghost''s hair grew back, continuing to wrap around him.
Lin Jichen''s wrist flicked, and with a few swift strikes, he cut off the hair again.
The hair seemed to fear him, starting to retract.
Lin Jichen followed the direction of the retreating hair, charging forward. The ghost reappeared!
One strike!
Right in the ghost''s chest, causing it to tremble violently.
Discord:
Chapter 72 – The damage is not high, but the insult is very strong
Chapter 72 C The damage is not high, but the insult is very strong
"Critical Hit! -1360!"
The female ghost let out a piercing scream, her fingernails growing wildly, sharp as knives.
She lunged at Lin Jichen like a madwoman!
Lin Jichen showed no fear, his feet moving in a Seven Star Step, his speed turning him into a blur.
The female ghost lost track of Lin Jichen''s position for a moment and missed her target.
A crimson sword pierced through her chest, stabbing out from her back!
"Critical Hit! -1360!"
Despite the severe injury, the ghost was still lively, struggling desperately.
[Monster: Hanged Ghost]
[Level: Elite]
[Strength: Early Foundation Establishment Realm]
[HP: 3280/6000]
[Attack: 75]
[Defense: 60]
[Speed: 75]
[Skills: Ghost Howl, Skeleton Trap, Shadow Assassination]
For ordinary Qi Refining yers, this elite monster would be a formidable foe.
But against Lin Jichen''s monstrous stats, this elite ghost was no match.
With just his speed alone, the ghost couldn''t even touch him, let alone fight.
Lin Jichen had mastered the agility and explosive power of a Sword Cultivator.
Meanwhile, Su Wanling and Jiang Luoyu had freed themselves from the Skeleton Trap and saw Lin Jichen toying with the ghost.
Su Wanling and Cao Shiying''s fear dissipated significantly.
The four girls joined the battle, and in less than half a minute, the Foundation Establishment ghost waspletely annihted, turning into a Soul Burial Mound.
Before they could catch their breath, a chilling wind blew, and three more ghosts of the same level appeared from different directions!
This was the most troublesome aspect of the Night Cave Ghost Ridge; killing one ghost would instantly summon three more.
Moreover, each ghost had different skills and attributes, leaving yers with no information and only the option to take hits passively.
"Three Foundation Establishment ghosts... Can we really handle this..." Su Wanling said,cking confidence.
Lin Jichen didn''t speak. Seizing the opportunity, he summoned Panda Xiong from his pet space.
Pets could be stored in a pet space, making it convenient for their owners to summon them.
Previously, during the swordpetition, he had hidden Panda Xiong to avoid attracting the envy and chaos from Sword Sect yers.
After all, staying low-key when possible was always better.
As soon as Panda Xiong appeared, the four girls were charmed.
"What an adorable panda!"
"This is the Iron-Eating Beast from the pet rankings. I didn''t expect it to be Lin Jichen''s pet."
"Ugh, I want a pet too."
Su Wanling and the others couldn''t stay calm.
Only Jiang Luoyu remainedposed, smiling as shemented.
"This panda looks a bit like the real panda my dad raised, but much smaller. It''s an old panda, very cute. It reminds me of my family''s Lily when it was young."
Jiang Luoyu spoke with a nostalgic expression.
She longed to return to her childhood when her father doted on her endlessly.
Her mothers also treated her like a precious gem, always apanying her.
Unlike now, after she grew up, her father told her he was going on a long vacation and left her to inherit the family business, which she didn''t want. Hence, she made a two-year bet with her father.
She missed her childhood. The older she got, thezier her father became, always taking her mothers to enjoy life.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She had to win the bet and force her parents toe back!
Panda Xiong, once released, started frolicking around, looking for food from Lin Jichen.
But instead of food, Lin Jichen ordered it to fight the ghosts.
Panda Xiong was displeased but obedient.
With a loyalty level of 70, it was still very obedient.
Lin Jichen knew he had to treat Panda Xiong to a good meal after the mission, or risking a drop in loyalty wouldn''t be worth it. What if it rebelled?
Ancient Chiyou probably treated the Iron-Eating Beast the same way, leading to its betrayal and eventual defeat by the Yellow Emperor.
Panda Xiong roared and charged at a target.
Its speed was a stark contrast to its usual leisurely pace.
In battle mode, Panda Xiong was a ferocious beast. With one swipe, it sent a ghost flying.
Lin Jichen also charged at the other two ghosts, leaving one for Panda Xiong to handle.
Although Panda Xiong was only at the early Foundation Establishment Realm, its attributes were far superior to these ghosts, making it more than capable of handling one.
Facing the remaining two ghosts, Lin Jichen didn''t choose to take them down one by one.
Instead, he first attacked the first ghost with a basic sword strike.
Then, he used ''Frost Moon sh'' on the second ghost.
"-610!"
"-910!"
This way, both ghosts'' aggro was focused solely on Lin Jichen.
Jiang Luoyu and the others werepletely safe.
"Is he nning to take on two at once?" Su Wanling was astonished.
"He''s drawing them away on purpose to protect us," Jiang Luoyu exined.
Su Wanling muttered suspiciously, "What if he can''t handle them and gets killed?"
As they spoke, the two ghosts had already surrounded Lin Jichen and started attacking.
To Su Wanling''s shock, every attack on Lin Jichen resulted in a MISS.
"What''s his defense? Isn''t he a Sword Cultivator?"
Li Jinzi smiled wryly, "Drawing aggro should be our job as Body Cultivators. This is the most impressive aggro-drawing technique I''ve seen, pulling two at once and having a pet pull one."
"Let''s not just watch. He''s doing all the dirty work; we should deal as much damage as possible," Jiang Luoyumanded.
She felt that the hell mode of Night Cave Ghost Ridge had be much easier with Lin Jichen''s presence.
Aside from the initial trouble of killing the ghosts, the four fearsome ghosts that terrified yers were handled entirely by Lin Jichen.
He took on the roles of aggro-drawing and damage-dealing, tasks usually done by shield-bearers and warriors.
The four girls simply dealt damage from the sidelines, with Jiang Luoyu continuously using skills.
She didn''t worry about drawing aggro with her high damage, as Lin Jichen''s casual sword strikes dealt more damage than her ultimate moves.
Li Jinzi, the Body Cultivator, also joined in, hammering away.
Su Wanling was shing wildly at the ghosts from behind!
The only one with nothing to do was the healer, Cao Shiying. Her job was to heal teammates, but no one was losing health...
Despite being attacked by two ghosts for a long time, Lin Jichen hadn''t lost a single point of health.
Even the panda wasn''t losing health, its defense higher than the ghosts'' strength.
Frustrated, Cao Shiying could only poke the ghosts with her umbre tip...
The damage was low, but the insult was high.
Fortunately, after several attacks, the ghosts saw that Lin Jichen wasn''t losing health.
They got angry and started using skills topensate for their inability to break his defense.
To end the fight quickly, Lin Jichen often didn''t bother dodging.
Drawing aggro without losing health was fine, but it greatly slowed down the clearing time.
Besides, with a healer on hand, any lost health could be quickly restored.
Lin Jichen finally started losing health, making Cao Shiying happy.
As a healer, she no longer had to poke with her umbre tip...
Discord:
Chapter 73 – Is this woman so smart?
Chapter 73 C Is this woman so smart?
The five people and one bear fought fiercely.
One after another, the fierce ghosts fell, and even the three remaining ghosts couldn''t escape their fate of being killed, their soulspletely dissipated.
Outside the Secret Realm, a new,rger, and more eye-catching leaderboard appeared on the difficulty rankings.
There was only one piece of information on it.
[Moon Shadow Guild]: Hell Mode, Progress 60%.
The yers outside who saw this message couldn''t believe their eyes.
"Damn, am I seeing things? A guild is tackling Hell Mode at Night Cave Ghost Ridge!"
"Look at the progress, damn, 60%! That''s higher than the Eternal Guild on Hard Mode; they only reached 58%."
"Which guild is Moon Shadow Guild? Never heard of them."
"Isn''t Hell Mode the hardest? They haven''t even cleared Hard Mode and they''re challenging Hell Mode?"
***
The Hell Mode progress leaderboard sparked heated discussions and debates among the yers outside.
Inside the Secret Realm.
All four fierce ghosts were taken care of.
Su Wanling was about to loot the equipment but was stopped by Jiang Luoyu.
"Let Mr. Lin do it. His luck is definitely better than ours."
Lin Jichen didn''t stand on ceremony. He walked over and opened all four Soul Burial Mounds, revealing equipment and Spirit Stones scattered all over the ground!
Five pieces of Spirit Grade equipment, seven pieces of Ordinary Grade equipment, and over forty Spirit Stones.
Wow!
Except for Jiang Luoyu, the three girls eximed in excitement.
What kind of divine luck is this?
"Master Lin, with luck like yours, why even y this game? Just buy a lottery ticket and get rich," Su Wanling joked enviously.
Lin Jichen didn''t take it seriously.
"Buying a lottery ticket is nothingpared to getting Spirit Grade equipment in Tale of Immortal. A few pieces of Spirit Grade gear are worth more than hitting the jackpot."
Su Wanling had to agree. Spirit Grade equipment is rare and each piece can be worth millions.
Lin Jichen wasn''t exaggerating. In his past life, the first Lucky One of Tale of Immortal, Shi Xiyue, made a fortune of billions just by opening Soul Burial Mounds for others.
Guilds would specifically hire her to open equipment. After defeating a BOSS, they would leave the Soul Burial Mound untouched and pay Shi Xiyue to open it.
Almost nine out of ten times, the items she got were worth far more than expected.
However, after the world merged, money became worthless.
Shi Xiyue regretted it deeply; her billions became a joke.
And because she neglected to improve her own strength, she struggled in the merged world.
She eventually died at the hands of a bandit scatter cultivator, wasting her innate great luck talent.
Faced with so much Spirit Grade equipment, Jiang Luoyu remained unmoved and smiled slightly at Lin Jichen.
"Mr. Lin, you have first pick of these items. If there''s still nothing for a Sword Cultivator, you can take them all."
Lin Jichen didn''t stand on ceremony and picked two items he could use: a pair of gloves and a Spirit Grade Sword Cultivator Martial Arts Technique.
[Spirit GradeNight Cave Gloves]: Strength +5, Critical +3, Defense +5,es with the [Palm Qi] skill.
Palm Qi: Condenses a palm qi that suddenly strikes the target, dealing damage equal to your base attack. Cooldown: 90 seconds.
Requirement: Usable by any yer.
***
[Spirit Grade Martial Arts TechniqueGu Sword Qi]: Each third attack with the sword leaves an additional sword qi in the opponent''s body, like raising a Gu. You can choose to detonate it within two minutes, dealing 150 fixed damage, stackable.
Cooldown: 10 seconds.
Requirement: Learnable by Sword Cultivators at theter stage of Qi Refining or above.
This martial arts technique doesn''t deal high damage, but it has a very short cooldown.
It can be used every ten seconds.
And it can stack, making it very practical.
He could fill the opponent with Gu Sword Qi within two minutes and then detonate it all at once, dealing considerable damage.
If he could get a skill that deals instant kill damage,bining the two would be as powerful as a high-level Spirit Skill.
As for the rest, Lin Jichen didn''t intend to keep them for himself and gave them all to Jiang Luoyu.
The group continued their journey, heading towards the highest point of the mountain.
Above the mountainside was the peak.
A hunched man was sitting at the edge of the cliff, blowing in the mountain wind and gazing at the moon.
Everyone immediately recognized him as the gravekeeper from the foot of the mountain.
"So he was here! Hey, wepleted your task. Here''s the handkerchief of your deceased wife; I brought it for you."
Su Wanling, upon seeing the Gravekeeper, excitedly wanted to run over and ask for equipment.
Lin Jichen pulled her back.
"What are you doing?" Su Wanling was puzzled, especially ufortable with Lin Jichen holding her hand.
In Tale of Immortal, yers can''t have physical contact unless they add each other as friends.
Once friends, they can have simple physical interactions like handshakes and hugs, but nothing more intimate. The officials probably wanted to prevent yers from doing inappropriate things...
"If you go over, you''re just sending yourself to death."
Lin Jichen had no intention of taking advantage of her.
"What do you mean?" Su Wanling still didn''t understand.
Lin Jichen gestured towards the Gravekeeper and said, "Aren''t you curious why he''s here? And aren''t you curious where the BOSS went?"
Su Wanling was stunned for a few seconds and then realized.
Her pupils widened, and she asked anxiously, "You mean... the Gravekeeper is the BOSS of Night Cave Ghost Ridge???"
"Not too dumb, although not very sharp. With your intelligence, you should be able to use a smartphone, not pick up things off the ground to eat, and avoid getting wet in the rain, right?"
Lin Jichen''s teasing made Su Wanling roll her eyes, almost ready to hit him.
Who are you calling an idiot!
"If he''s the BOSS, why did he give us a task? Just to trick us for fun?" Jiang Luoyu was puzzled.
"Why do you think those three fierce ghosts appeared so quickly?" Lin Jichen asked in return.
Jiang Luoyu, being smart, immediately understood. She looked at the handkerchief in Su Wanling''s hand and said, "You mean, the handkerchief is a signal for the three fierce ghosts?"
"Yes, but not entirely." Lin Jichen realized he had let something slip and quickly tried to cover it up.
But Jiang Luoyu, being sharp, continued to analyze.
"Does that mean if we don''t ept this task at the start, or don''t pick up the handkerchief, the three fierce ghosts won''te at the same time?"
Jiang Luoyu''s eyes sparkled as she smiled at Lin Jichen, waiting for his answer.
Lin Jichen''s expression froze.
"Damn! I just gave one clue, and you figured it out?"
Lin Jichen was annoyed. This woman is so smart.
Now he was at a loss; she knew the strategy to clear the level.
"Mr. Lin, thank you for giving our Moon Shadow Guild the Secret Realm strategy for free~"
Jiang Luoyu smiled, her lips curling up in a yful manner.
Lin Jichen was helpless, pretending to be magnanimous, "Forget it, I didn''t n to make money from this anyway."
His heart ached.
Jiang Luoyu smiled sweetly and exined, "Don''t worry, the four of us will keep this strategy a secret for you. We won''t tell anyone else, so you can still sell it to others."
"Really?"
"Of course, I swear on the honor of the Moon Shadow Guild''s president."
"That''s good, at least I can still make some money."
Lin Jichen felt a bitforted.
He silently warned himself to be more careful when talking to this woman in the future; too many words lead to mistakes!
Discord:
Chapter 74 – Kill the Ghost King
Chapter 74 C Kill the Ghost King
So far, this Gravekeeper is still trying to deceive everyone.
"Thank you for finding my deceased wife''s belongings. Hand them over to me, and you''ll receive two Mysterious Grade treasures."
Lin Jichen walked over without showing any emotion.
The Gravekeeper''s smile gradually turned sinister.
Just when he thought Lin Jichen had fallen for it, a sh of cold light swept past!
The Gravekeeper hurriedly dodged but was still a step too slow, taking a sword strike to the shoulder.
"-240!"
Realizing he was exposed, the Gravekeeper dropped his act.
He red menacingly at Lin Jichen, his skin shedding like a cicada''s shell, and his limbs growing like segmented insects.
The previously hunched old man vanished, reced by a two-meter-tall monster.
Covered in ck aura, his body was densely packed with scales, and his face resembled a beast.
His long, withered arms clutched a pitch-ck staff.
[Monster: Night Cavern Ghost King]
[Level: BOSS]
[Power: Later stage of Foundation Establishment]
[Health: /]
[Attack: 118]
[Defense: 102]
[Speed: 100]
[Heart Protection: 10]
[Critical: 10]
[Skills: Frenzied Crows, ck Mist Escape, Ghost Soldier Pact, Annihtion Demonic Aura]
"In the name of the Ghost King, I sentence you all to death!"
The Night Cavern Ghost King raised his staff, looking down on everyone, and arge mass of dense ck aura erupted from the staff!
The ck aura transformed into countless night crows, their scarlet eyes ring as they swarmed towards Lin Jichen and his group.
The sky was filled with an uncountable number of night crows,pletely covering the night sky, turning into a raging tide!
For Su Wanling and the other novice yers, it was their first time witnessing such an awe-inspiring skill. The sheer momentum alone crushed their spirits.
At this moment, they felt incredibly small in the face of such an opponent.
Under this kind of AOE skill, no matter how good their movement technique was, they couldn''t dodge it.
The five people and one panda were all surrounded by the crows, forced to swing their weapons to eliminate as many as they could.
But many crows still slipped through.
Everyone''s health bars were rapidly depleting.
Jiang Luoyu, with her lower defense, lost the most health, dropping by four to five hundred points.
Only Panda Xiong and Lin Jichen fared better, with ample health and less damage taken.
Seeing the guild leader''s health in critical condition, Cao Shiying stepped forward, spinning the handle of her umbre.
A pir of light rose in front of everyone, enveloping the five people and one panda.
Everyone''s vitality gradually recovered.
"Nice job, Shiying. This skill is really useful," Su Wanling praised.
Cao Shiying smiled wryly, "Wanling sister, this skill consumes a lot of mana. I''m almost out."
Just as she finished speaking, the light pir disappeared.
Fortunately, the Ghost King''s Frenzied Crows skill also ended.
Lin Jichen dashed out, not intending to let the Ghost King cast any more skills freely.
Facing the two-meter-tall Ghost King, Lin Jichen seemed weak and insignificant.
But in reality, Lin Jichen didn''t take him seriously at all.
The Night Cavern Ghost King, unfortunately for him, was a spellcaster.
Spellcasters were the easiest for Lin Jichen to deal with.
At this moment, the Night Cavern Ghost King was preparing to chant his next skill.
Lin Jichen sprinted like a meteor, as fast as lightning, reaching the Ghost King in the blink of an eye.
He raised his sword with his right hand, hiding the de behind his back.
When the distance was right, he suddenly exerted force! The sword struck!
The Crimson Cloud Sword seemed to appear out of thin air.
sh!
The sword''s edge cut through the Ghost King''s body.
"-240!"
But it wasn''t over yet. A spellcaster caught in closebat had little means of counterattack other than passive defense and retreat.
Lin Jichen knew spellcasters too well, so he wasn''t afraid of the Ghost King''s retaliation, swinging his sword with full force!
With the Gale Sword Technique, his strikes became faster and faster, the sword light falling like bamboo leaves, leaving wounds on the Ghost King''s body.
"-240!"
"-290!"
...
At the same time, a strand of Sword Qi began to burrow into the Ghost King''s body.
The Ghost King roared in anger, his body suddenly turning into a mass of ck mist, quickly retreating.
Lin Jichen didn''t give him a chance, using Phantom Step to follow.
The ck mist gradually dissipated, and the Ghost King reappeared.
Lin Jichen''s sword struck again, like a persistent shadow, entangling him once more.
At the same time, the cooldown for the Sword Qi was up, and another strand of Sword Qi burrowed into his body.
The Ghost King roared continuously, trying to create distance, but Lin Jichen clung to him like a leech, impossible to shake off.
This was the advantage of speed, able to chase and retreat freely, moving with grace.
Jiang Luoyu and the others also rushed over, joining the assault on the Ghost King.
"Earthbind Immortal Hand!"
"Falling Rock Rain!"
"Piercing Punch!"
"zing sh!"
...
Jiang Luoyu and the others knew that normal attacks couldn''t break the Ghost King''s defense, so they frantically used their skills.
Panda Xiong joined Lin Jichen in pinning down the Ghost King.
But the Ghost King''s vitality was over ten thousand, and their skills barely took off a thousand points.
Moreover, in the early stages of the game, yers didn''t have many skills, so after using them, they had to wait for the cooldown.
After using their skills, they could only try to find the Ghost King''s weak points, hoping to contribute as much damage as possible to help Lin Jichen.
But Lin Jichen was different. Every strike he made dealt two to three hundred points of damage.
He didn''t aim for weak points tond critical hits this time.
This time, he focused solely on speed, evenpletely abandoning dodging and defense.
The Ghost King wasn''t just a punching bag; his other hand turned into a w, attacking Lin Jichen.
But Lin Jichen didn''t dodge, enduring the w''s attacks while continuing to swing his sword.
For two whole minutes, Lin Jichen didn''t know how many times he had swung his sword, only that he had nted ten strands of Sword Qi.
"Explode!"
The Sword Qi buried in the Ghost King''s body exploded all at once.
"-1500!"
Combined with the damage from Lin Jichen''s continuous strikes, the Ghost King''s vitality had dropped by more than half, with less than a quarter remaining.
Jiang Luoyu and the others smiled, feeling like they were about to clear the hell-level Secret Realm!
Just then, a sudden change urred.
The Ghost King threw his staff into the air.
A dark, eerie green beam of light descended from the staff, enveloping everyone.
Immediately, over ten ghost soldiers d in armor, exuding intense killing intent, appeared!
The ghost soldiers snarled and charged at the group!
Lin Jichen''s eyes burned with killing intent, his long sword slicing through the air, unleashing dozens of Sword Qi!
"Phoenix Feather!"
The Sword Qi rained down, destroying everything in its path.
The newly summoned ghost soldiers were turned to ashes before they could even serve the Ghost King.
At this moment, the Ghost King took the opportunity to escape, hiding to the side and chanting, causing dense death energy to appear in the sky.
The entire mountain began to tremble slightly.
However, just as the spell was about to seed, the remaining Phoenix Feather Sword Qi caught up to the Ghost King, striking his body.
"-840!"
"-840!"
"-840!"
"Silence effect triggered!"
The Ghost King''s chant was abruptly cut off, as if someone had choked him.
The ck energy gathering in the sky seemed confused, disying three question marks before dissipating.
Lin Jichen chuckled, not expecting the Phoenix Feather''s 30% silence effect to trigger.
The Ghost King''sst resort was gone, leaving him powerless to resist.
"Frost Moon sh!"
The final strike sent him on his way.
With the Ghost King''s death, a Soul Burial Mound was left behind.
This time, even Su Wanling didn''t move, all waiting for Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen walked over and opened the Soul Burial Mound, eliciting gasps from everyone.
Three pieces of Spirit Grade equipment, two pieces of Ordinary Grade, and over a thousand Spirit Stones.
Most importantly, there were also two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment!
[Mysterious Grade...]
Discord:
Chapter 75 – They are all cheap
Chapter 75 C They are all cheap
[Mysterious Grade Night Cave Staff]: Mental Power +35, Critical Hit +15, Mental Power Pration +15%, Ghost Cultivation Skill Damage +5%,es with [Ghost Soldier Contract] skill.
Ghost Soldier Contract: Summons 10 Nether Ghost Soldiers to serve you, each with the strength of the middle stage of Qi Refining,sting 60 seconds.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Requirement: Usable by Mana Cultivators.
...
[Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill Annihtion Demonic Qi]: Chant for seven seconds to condense a mass of overwhelming demonic qi, dealing a total of 1500 base mental power damage within a 300-meter radius, and inflicting a demonic qi burn effect that reduces the opponent''s healing by 15%.
Mana Consumption: 1200 points, Cooldown: 8 minutes.
Requirement: Usable by Foundation Establishment Realm Mana Cultivators with 60 or more Spiritual Grace.
...
Seeing these two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment, Lin Jichen pped his forehead, looking pained.
Goodness, all for Mana Cultivators!
Damn it!
After finally getting two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment, none of them could be used by him. How frustrating.
The other three pieces of Spirit Grade equipment were also useless to him, what a loss!
"Hahaha, Master Lin, your skills are really something, I''ll give you 82 points! President, they''re all for you."
Su Wanlingughed heartily, showing no sympathy for Lin''s feelings.
Jiang Luoyu, seeing that these two pieces of equipment were usable by her and had such good attributes, also smiled sweetly.
She tentatively asked, "Mr. Lin, if you can''t use these two pieces of equipment, I can buy them from you. I won''t let you suffer a loss."
"No need, as agreed, these pieces of equipment should be yours. Besides, I haven''t lost out."
Lin Jichen disyed the ck Obsidian Crystal in his hand.
He had actually expected this, as the Night Cave Ghost Ridge Secret Realm was originally a ce to farm the Night Cave series of Mana Cultivator sets.
It was just a bit frustrating to find two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment that he couldn''t use.
Fortunately, the Soul Burial Mound of the Ghost King also dropped a piece of treasure.
[Treasure ck Obsidian Crystal]: Originally an ordinary rock crystal, it formed into ck Obsidian Crystal after being soaked in demonic qi for hundreds of years, making it harder than any steel in the world.
Attributes: Defense +5, Heart Protection +5, Ghost Cultivation Skill Resistance +4, Toughness +2%.
Function: When a Qi Refining Realm cultivator breaks through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, using this treasure can significantly enhance their attributes.
Counting the Bone of Burial Sand, he had already gathered two pieces of treasure. He only needed one more piece and six streams of spiritual qi to achieve the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.
[Ding! Congrattions on clearing the Hell-level Night Cave Ghost Ridge. All members'' cultivation +1500 points! Clear time: 7 minutes 56 seconds, perfect score! Additional reward: 500 points of cultivation for all members, Perfect Clear Lucky Bag x1!]
Each of the five people and one bear absorbed arge mass of spiritual qi, and a bright red lucky bag appeared in front of them.
"Master Lin, it''s up to you." The whole team eagerly awaited Lin Jichen to open the lucky bag.
They had noticed that although Lin Jichen didn''t say it, his luck was definitely high.
Lin Jichen walked over, opened the lucky bag, and felt like spitting blood.
[Mysterious Grade Night Cave Robe]: Defense +30, Heart Protection +12, Skill Resistance +5, Mana Recovery 80 points per second.
Requirement: Usable by Foundation Establishment Realm Mana Cultivators.
...
This lucky bag only had one piece of equipment, and it was a Mysterious Grade, but it was still for someone else.
Lin Jichen was speechless; he shouldn''t havee to this Secret Realm (is^ti).
At this moment, a server-wide announcement sounded.
"Congrattions to ''Moon Shadow Guild'' forpleting the first Hell-level Secret Realm Night Cave Ghost Ridge in ''Tale of Immortal''! All members receive 500 points of reputation! 5 Battle Attribute Fruits! Wishing all yers prosperity in martial arts!"
"Congrattions..."
The announcement sounded three times in a row.
Su Wanling and the other girls hugged each other on the spot, celebrating joyfully.
They could fully imagine how the yers outside would react. Their Moon Shadow Guild had finally made a name for itself!
Even Jiang Luoyu, who was usually calm andposed, was now smiling brightly.
The three pieces of Mysterious Grade Mana Cultivator equipment were secondary.
What made her happiest was that their guild was the first to clear the Secret Realm, and it was a Hell-level one at that!
Her goal had finally taken a big step forward!
"Mr. Lin, we really appreciate your help. Without you, our Moon Shadow Guild wouldn''t have been able topete with the other established guilds. In the future, if you ever need anything from our guild, just let us know."
Jiang Luoyu walked up to Lin Jichen and said sincerely.
"No need to be so polite, you all contributed a lot too."
Lin Jichen responded.
One must maintain their demeanor.
"Mr. Lin is too modest. Actually, even without us, you could have cleared it alone; it was just a matter of time." Jiang Luoyu said frankly.
"Alright, if you really want to thank me, just remember what you promised before. Don''t reveal the Secret Realm strategy; I''m nning to make some extra money."
Lin Jichen wasn''t one to hold grudges. Although he lost a bit, it didn''t really affect him.
"Of course, we will keep it a secret. Before you sell it, I won''t even tell our own guild members." Jiang Luoyu promised.
Lin Jichen nodded and said, "That''s good. Since the Secret Realm is cleared, I''ll take my leave."
"Wait, Mr. Lin." Jiang Luoyu called out, taking out a small booklet and handing it over.
"This Spirit Grade Martial Arts Technique was obtained by other members of our guild. It''s a Sword Cultivator skill, and I think it''s quite good, so I''m giving it to you."
Lin Jichen took the booklet and looked at it.
[Spirit Grade Martial Arts Technique Stun Sword Qi]: Charge for three seconds, release a sword qi, dealing 400 base damage to enemies within a 50-meter range, and causing a 2-second stun effect to those hit.
Cooldown: 90 seconds.
Requirement: Sword Cultivator exclusive.
This martial arts technique was decent, a sneak attack skill, as no one would stand still for three seconds to let you charge up.
However, if you could hide and release it, the effect would be significant.
Lin Jichen epted the booklet: "Thanks."
The five of them exited the Secret Realm, and outside, it was already a sea of people.
Many yers hade to the Night Cave Ghost Ridge after seeing the announcement, wanting to witness the leaderboard and see the Moon Shadow Guild, hoping to get some strategy tips.
"There they are, the Moon Shadow Guild! I recognize them!"
As soon as Jiang Luoyu and the others came out, they were recognized.
Lin Jichen, being very sly, slipped away immediately after exiting the instance.
Leaving Jiang Luoyu and the other four girls surrounded by the crowd.
Unfortunately, there were privacy barriers; otherwise, some perverts would have taken the opportunity to grope.
Fortunately, other members of the Moon Shadow Guild arrived to protect their president.
Jiang Luoyu remained calm in the face of the crowd, exuding a leader''s aura.
At this moment, Su Wanling started recruiting.
"From today, the Moon Shadow Guild is recruiting members. Only female yers at the middle stage of Qi Refining and above can apply. We offer the best benefits in the server. Those who meet the criteria can step over there. After passing our members'' review, you can join. Outstanding performers can be promoted to official members, with a starting monthly sry of 20,000!"
Having just cleared a Hell-level Secret Realm, their fame was at its peak. Su Wanling''s announcement led to countless female yers eagerly signing up!
Even male yers rushed over, hoping to try their luck.
Discord:
Chapter 76 – The wealthiest in Tale of Immortal
Chapter 76 C The wealthiest in Tale of Immortal
As the Moon Shadow Guild soared to new heights, other guilds felt like they had swallowed a fly.
They had worked so hard, only to have the first clear snatched away.
This kind of server-wide announcement was a perfect opportunity to promote their guild and showcase its strength.
Looking at the bustling recruitment scene of the Moon Shadow Guild, it was clear they had hit the jackpot!
"Damn it! We finally reached first ce, only to have it taken away. Moon Shadow Guild, I, Wang Jinghao, won''t let this slide!"
Wang Jinghao red in the direction of the Moon Shadow Guild, gritting his teeth in anger.
Even his usually calm demeanor couldn''t hold up anymore.
"How did they clear it so quickly, and on hell difficulty no less? They didn''t even make it into the top ten on the progress board for the hard difficulty," one of his subordinates said, puzzled.
Wang Jinghao was equally baffled. By all ounts, the Moon Shadow Guild''s strength was average; they shouldn''t have been able to snatch the first clear.
"It''s him! It has to be him!"
Wang Jinghao thought of Lin Jichen. It was only after Su Wanling invited Lin Jichen over that the Moon Shadow Guild managed to clear it.
"We must find a way to recruit Lin Jichen into our Eternal Guild. Also, try to find out his real identity and address. See if we can make contact and get him to join us!"
"Understood."
Just as Wang Jinghao was about to contact Lin Jichen online, he was surprised to see Lin Jichen reaching out to him first.
"Hey, Wang bro, you there?"
Wang Jinghao was delighted and immediately switched to his fake friendly demeanor.
"Of course, Lin bro. How''s it going? Did that girl agree to meet you in real life? If it worked out, I have to congratte you."
Lin Jichen almostughed when he saw the message on his friends list.
Wang Jinghao truly lived up to his reputation as the Eternal Guild''s leader.
His way of dealing with people, his hypocritical linesif Lin Jichen didn''t know his true nature, he might have thought Wang Jinghao was a genuinely considerate buddy.
"Well, it worked out, but I feel bad for not being able to help you, Wang bro."
Lin Jichen replied, his tone full of self-reproach.
The scene of these two ''good brothers'' sharing heartfelt words was truly touching.
"It''s no big deal. Finding a wife is more important for a brother. My issue is nothing. But since you''ve already helped Moon Shadow clear it, you must have some time to help our Eternal Guild now, right? Don''t worry, name your price."
Wang Jinghao thought Lin Jichen would surely help him now, given how considerate Lin Jichen seemed in their conversation.
But who would have thought...
"Wang bro, I''d love to, but my girl won''t let me help you. She said if I help you, she''ll break up with me," Lin Jichen said helplessly, shifting all the me onto Su Wanling.
"Damn it! That bitch!"
Wang Jinghao''s face turned livid, and he wished he could send someone to deal with Su Wanling right away!
Lin Jichen then changed his tone, "Wang bro, how about this? Although I can''t help you, I''ll give you the strategy for Night Cave Ghost Ridge!"
"Really?" Wang Jinghao was pleasantly surprised.
"Of course. You''ve been so good to me, I have to return the favor. But don''t say it was from me, or my fierce rich girlfriend will get mad again," Lin Jichen lied through his teeth.
Wang Jinghao believed him, thinking Lin Jichen had no reason to lie. Everything seemed reasonable.
"Don''t worry, bro. I''ll keep it a secret. But I can''t let you give it away for free. Name a price, and I''ll buy your strategy."
"Oh, I don''t know if I should..." Lin Jichen hesitated.
"Don''t, Lin bro. If you consider me your brother, name a price. Otherwise, I won''t ept it!" Wang Jinghao insisted firmly.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to ''reluctantly'' agree.
"Alright... Talking money between us feels wrong, but how about some Spirit Stones? Two thousand should do."
"What? Two thousand Spirit Stones???"
Wang Jinghao''s eyes nearly popped out.
Two thousand Spirit Stones could be bought for four hundred thousand outside.
But he''d rather give Lin Jichen four million than part with two thousand Spirit Stones.
Spirit Stones were incredibly precious now, and you couldn''t buy them outside!
Their Eternal Guild had barely umted twenty thousand Spirit Stones.
"Did I ask for too much? Sorry, Wang bro. Moon Shadow gave me three thousand Spirit Stones as a reward, so I thought that was the going rate. If it''s too much, forget the Spirit Stones. Consider it a gift from me."
Lin Jichen''s apologetic tone made Wang Jinghao feel a bit guilty and embarrassed.
If the Moon Shadow Guild could afford three thousand Spirit Stones, how could the mighty Eternal Guild balk at two thousand?
Damn it, give it! He couldn''t lose face.
Otherwise, Lin Jichen would look down on the Eternal Guild.
"Alright, two thousand Spirit Stones it is. No need to refuse, Lin bro."
Wang Jinghao said, transferring two thousand Spirit Stones to Lin Jichen on the spot.
Lin Jichen, pleased, shared the strategy for Night Cave Ghost Ridge.
However, he only exined how to sever the connection between the four fierce ghosts.
Wang Jinghao didn''t realize that the hardest part of Night Cave Ghost Ridge was the Ghost King, not the fierce ghosts. He felt a bit cheated for paying two thousand Spirit Stones for such a simple piece of information.
But no matter how unfair it seemed, he had to swallow this bitter pill.
"Thanks, bro. I''ll take my team to clear Night Cave Ghost Ridge on hell difficulty right away!" Wang Jinghao said, hurriedly closing the chat.
Lin Jichen had no intention of warning him. In hell difficulty, the fierce ghosts were secondary; the Ghost King was the real challenge.
He was sure Wang Jinghao would be tormented to no end.
But that was no longer his concern.
Closing the chat window, Lin Jichen continued selling his strategy.
He searched for the names of famous guild leaders in Tale of Immortal and added them one by one.
Some had settings that blocked friend requests, but it didn''t matter. Someone would eventually ept his request.
Seeing Lin Jichen''s friend request, they all epted, thinking he wasing to join them.
However, Lin Jichen got straight to the point, selling the strategy for Night Cave Ghost Ridge, asking for prices ranging from eight hundred to a thousand Spirit Stones.
About seventy percent of the guilds were willing to buy.
They trusted Lin Jichen, the top yer, wouldn''t deceive them, especially since his name was on the list when Moon Shadow cleared hell difficulty Night Cave Ghost Ridge.
In no time, Lin Jichen had earned nearly ten thousand Spirit Stones.
Including the ones Jiang Luoyu lent him, he now had seventy thousand Spirit Stones in his ount, making him the richest yer in Tale of Immortal!
Heh, making money was this easy.
With this huge sum, Lin Jichen headed to Fengqu City, buying up all the Corpse Poison Potions from every pharmacy.
He bought everything, clearing out the stock!
Corpse Poison Potions were the key to his second fortune.
They were crucial for the team Secret Realm, Corpse King Valley.
To clear Corpse King Valley, yers needed Corpse Poison Potions. Without them, they''d be constantly harassed by corpse poison, which was unbearable at this stage.
People didn''t know this yet because no one had reached the mid-stage of Corpse King Valley.
Once they did, they''d realize the value of Corpse Poison Potions.
Discord:
Chapter 77 – Land of Blazing Flames
Chapter 77 C Land of zing mes
Buy, buy, buy!
Lin Jichen scoured the entire city for Corpse Poison Potions.
These potions were only avable in the main cities of each province, and the cost of cross-province transportation was exorbitant.
But Lin Jichen had money, so he didn''t care.
He then went to the main cities of three other provinces and bought out all the Corpse Poison Potions.
In less than two hours, he had spent nearly twenty thousand Spirit Stones.
But his inventory now held over two hundred thousand bottles of Corpse Poison Potions.
With everything settled, Lin Jichen just needed to wait for the progress in Corpse King Valley, which was expected to be a matter of a day or two.
Lin Jichen had no ns to go through Nightmare at the moment because his cultivation was already maxed out.
His cultivation at theter stage of Qi Refining had reached a bottleneck. Without breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, killing even the most formidable monsters wouldn''t increase his cultivation.
His primary task now was to achieve Foundation Establishment!
To establish a Heavenly Dao Foundation, he needed to gather three types of treasures and six types of spiritual energy.
He was short of one treasure, and as for the six types of spiritual energy, that was more troublesome. He had to go to different leveling areas to gather materials.
Each type of spiritual energy was scattered across different parts of the map, and there were no teleportation arrays, so he had to find them himself.
At this stage, nobody was familiar with the map, so they had no idea where these ces were.
Even if they found them, the monsters inside were quite powerful. Without a group, it would be hard for one person to handle.
This was why establishing a Heavenly Dao Foundation was so difficult.
Many people found it too troublesome and challenging, so they opted for Human Dao or Earth Dao Foundation Establishment.
Human Dao Foundation was the simplest, requiring only a Foundation Establishment Elixir.
Lin Jichen was certain that all the yers in the Foundation Establishment Realm on the cultivation leaderboard had chosen Human Dao Foundation. They were just rushing to level up, believing that realm was everything.
But that wasn''t the case. Cultivation was like building a house; the foundation was the most important.
The more stable the foundation, the higher you could build your house in the future.
Conversely, if you rushed and only pursued higher realms, your foundation would be unstable.
If your strength didn''t match your realm, you could easily be defeated by someone in a lower realm.
There were many such examples in his previous life.
Even if the Heaven-defying Fate talent didn''t require Lin Jichen to establish a Heavenly Dao Foundation, he would still choose this path.
As for the locations of the six types of spiritual energy, others might not know, but Lin Jichen was very familiar with them.
He had long since memorized the map of Tale of Immortal.
The other three provinces were manageable, but he could find his way around Mu Xian Province with his eyes closed.
In his previous life, he had trained as a spell cultivator in Mu Xian Province and had been to every corner.
After setting his goal, Lin Jichen first went to Fengqu City to buy some necessary elixirs, then set off to find the six types of spiritual energy.
Although there were no teleportation arrays, Lin Jichen''s speed was faster than that of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. He ran like the wind, so it wasn''t too slow.
Along the way, Lin Jichen enjoyed the familiar scenery of Tale of Immortal, feeling a sense of nostalgia rather than boredom.
Finally, after half a day, Lin Jichen arrived at the first spiritual energy location.
The Land of zing mes.
Even before stepping into the domain of the Land of zing mes, he could feel the scorching heat emanating from within.
The Land of zing mes was a region of active volcanoes, withva constantly spewing from the volcanic craters.
Dark redva surged amidst billowing ck smoke.
Rocks, heated to a glowing red, were propelled into the sky and then plummeted down, leaving countless fiery trails in the smoky air, like an endless fireworks disy.
It might seem too hot for any life to survive here.
But that was only true for ordinary creatures.
For many fire-attribute spirit beasts and cultivators practicing fire techniques in Tale of Immortal, this ce was a heaven-sent treasure trove.
Lin Jichen stepped inside, feeling the scorching heat all around him.
Even though the game had no pain sensation, his health bar was slowly being burned away.
"-10!"
"-10!"
...
Every few seconds, a small burn damage number would pop up.
This was with a bit of fire resistance; otherwise, the damage would be even greater.
Lin Jichen took out a Fire Repelling Elixir from his ring and swallowed it.
[Second-grade Fire Repelling Elixir]: Fire resistance +5, duration 10 minutes.
With this elixir, his health dropped less, and the interval extended to ten seconds per tick.
Lin Jichen continued deeper, and after a short walk, a strange bug the size of a rabbit with a red shell suddenly lunged at him from the side, its scissor-like pincers snapping at him!
Lin Jichen was prepared and sidestepped to avoid it.
After thetest game update, he could directly view the attributes of monsters with a lower realm than his own.
[Monster: Fire Pincer Bug]
[Level: Common]
[Strength: Middle stage of Qi Refining]
[Health: 2200/2200]
[Attack: 33]
[Defense: 28]
[Speed: 25]
Having faced various elite and boss-level monsters, Lin Jichen found this little creature rather cute.
"You''re quite adorable. Let me give you a sh!"
Lin Jichen swung his de, chopping off the bug''s prized pincers in one strike.
"-980!"
Realizing it had encountered a formidable opponent, the Fire Pincer Bug tried to flee, but Lin Jichen caught up and finished it off with two more shes.
After the bug died, in the Soul Burial Mound, besides two Spirit Stones, there was something else.
[Fire Spirit Fragment]: Contains a small amount of fire spiritual energy. Collect 50 fragments to form aplete fire spiritual energy.
This was what Lin Jichen was looking for, but he wasn''t satisfied with just picking up fragments.
Fragments formed into fire spiritual energy generally had low purity.
He needed to find the boss of the Land of zing mes!
The boss would dropplete fire spiritual energy, and it would be of high purity.
As for the fragments, Lin Jichen stored them for now; he could sell themter.
Continuing deeper, more Fire Pincer Bugs kept appearing, but Lin Jichen easily dealt with them all.
Eventually, he reached the foot of the volcano, where the temperature was even higher than before.
Even the second-grade Fire Repelling Elixir was struggling to keep up, and his health was dropping by dozens at a time.
But for a tank like Lin Jichen, this amount of health loss was manageable.
The urgent task was to find the boss of the Land of zing mes.
He remembered there was a cave here, home to a three-tailed fire fox. If he wasn''t mistaken, it should be around here.
Lin Jichen searched around and indeed found a hidden cave.
"Hey! You weasel inside,e out and meet your doom!"
Lin Jichen shouted into the cave.
Hearing someone mock it as a weasel, the fire fox''s temper red.
A red glow appeared deep in the cave, and in an instant, it rushed to the entrance, tearing through the air like lightning, aiming to rip Lin Jichen in half.
Lin Jichen dodged just in time, drawing the fire fox out.
[Monster: Three-tailed Fire Fox]
[Level: Boss]
[Strength: Later stage of Qi Refining]
[Health: 4500/4500]
[Attack: 60]
[Defense: 55]
[Speed: 75]
[Skills: ming Tail, Sharp Fox ws, Cunning Fox''s Three Dens]
The fire fox''s attributes were quite impressive, even stronger than the Medicine Spirit Falcon.
But unfortunately for it, it was facing Lin Jichen.
"Didn''t expect you, a weasel, to look quite like a fox," Lin Jichen chuckled.
The fire fox couldn''t speak, but it probably had a lot to say.
Discord:
Chapter 78 – The price of pharmaceuticals has skyrocketed
Chapter 78 C The price of pharmaceuticals has skyrocketed
The Three-tailed Fire Fox was enraged and immediatelyunched a deadly attack.
Three fist-sized mes rose from the tips of its three tails.
With a flick of its tail, the three mes shot out in different directions, surrounding Lin Jichen.
As the mes neared Lin Jichen, they suddenly expanded from their original size, turning into roaring infernos, attempting to engulf him.
Unfortunately for the Fire Fox, Lin Jichen was too fast; the mes couldn''t touch him and he easily dodged them.
"Complimenting you on looking like a fox and you get upset? And you dare to burn me? You''re asking for it!"
As Lin Jichen spoke, he had already moved behind the Fire Fox.
The speed difference was so great that the Fire Fox hadn''t even noticed Lin Jichen''s position before feeling a sharp pain on its rear end.
"-710!"
Screech!
The Fire Fox cried out in pain and, even angrier,unched another attack at Lin Jichen.
The small fox''s figure darted around like a nimble shadow, pouncing towards Lin Jichen with its sharp ws aimed at his face.
However, at that moment, a roar came from behind the Fire Fox, and a paw smacked it back to the ground, mming it heavily.
"-450!"
The Fire Fox turned its head to see a clumsy-looking little bear staring at it, drooling.
Lin Jichenughed and said, "Panda Xiong, this is your meal. You haven''t evolved to only eat nts yet, right? I remember Iron-Eating Beasts eat both meat and nts."
Panda Xiong let out a howl and pounced on the Fire Fox.
As an Iron-Eating Beast that hadn''t evolved into a Panda yet, it was omnivorous, eating both meat and nts.
As long as it tasted good.
The Fire Fox, already no match for Lin Jichen, now had to face another bear enemy. Knowing it couldn''t win, it quickly tried to escape.
But Panda Xiong, having been hungry for days, wasn''t about to let its prey go and chased relentlessly.
However, Panda Xiong''s speed was no match for the Fire Fox, which managed to escape into a cave.
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected this and almost forgot that Panda Xiong, though strong in power and defense, was slow.
"You''re really dumb, given a chance and you can''t use it. Looks like you''ll stay hungry," Lin Jichen mocked.
Panda Xiong raised its paw pitifully, scratching at the cave entrance, looking at Lin Jichen with hopeful eyes, hoping its master would help.
This was its only meal~
"Sigh, can''t do anything about you, dumb bear."
Lin Jichen grumbled as he walked to the cave entrance and began taunting the Fire Fox inside.
But no matter how he mocked, even calling it a weasel''s offspring, the Fire Fox wouldn''te out.
"Looks like it''s preparing to endure hardship."
Realizing this method wouldn''t work, Lin Jichen began searching around the cave.
He found the Fire Fox''s other two dens.
Cunning Fox''s Three Dens, so that''s where the sayinges from.
Lin Jichen gathered some stones and sealed one of the dens tightly.
Then he found some dry wood, lit it with a torch, and ced it at the entrance of another den.
The smoke from the burning wood drifted into the den.
"Panda Xiong, guard this well. If it escapes again, you''ll go hungry for another three days."
Hearing this, Panda Xiong perked up, watching the entrance intently.
Soon, the smoke forced the Fire Fox out of the den.
As soon as it emerged, Panda Xiong bit its neck tightly.
No matter how the Fire Fox struggled, even using its ws, it was futile.
Panda Xiong seemed determined, not letting go.
The Fire Fox''s neck kept bleeding, whimpering for mercy, thinking, "Big brother, we have no grudges, why won''t you let go?"
Panda Xiong was ruthless, not loosening its grip.
Eventually, the Fire Fox bled to death and was devoured by Panda Xiong in a few bites.
It also left behind a Soul Burial Mound.
Lin Jichen walked over and opened it, revealing a stream of spiritual energy and a secret manual.
[Spirit Grade Martial Arts Technique Fire Fist]: Both fists carry mes, striking the opponent heavily, causing 350 base damage, with a brief knockback effect. The mes also prate the opponent''s body, causing burn damage for 5 seconds.
Mana Cost: 300 points, Cooldown: 20 seconds.
...
[Fire Spiritual Energy]: Contains fire attribute spiritual energy, one of the six types of spiritual energy, 100% purity.
...
Not bad, this 100% pure fire spiritual energy is great, Lin Jichen thought with a smile, satisfied.
Next, Lin Jichen, along with Panda Xiong, traveled to different ces with various spiritual energies.
They sought out the bosses within to seize the six types of spiritual energy.
As a result, Panda Xiong''s cultivation increased significantly, reaching the bottleneck of the Early Foundation Establishment Realm.
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen sessfully gathered all six types of spiritual energy over two days.
Water, Fire, Thunder, Earth, Wind, Wood, all six.
And each was 100% pure!
After two days and nights of effort, Lin Jichen finally returned to Fengqu City.
Now, he only needed one more treasure to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm!
In these two days, many guilds had already progressed halfway through the Corpse King Valley.
Halfway through, they discovered the path ahead was filled with corpse poison, making it impossible to proceed!
Someone mentioned seeing Corpse Poison Potions in the pharmacy, and everyone rushed to the main city to find them.
But upon entering the city, they found that all the Corpse Poison Potions in the pharmacies of the four states and four main cities were sold out.
Only a few thousand bottles made in the past two days were avable, which was a drop in the bucket for the millions of yers in the Secret Realm of Corpse King Valley.
Major guilds and studios began frantically searching for Corpse Poison Potions.
But in the early stages of the game, most yers didn''t have secondary professions, and Alchemy Masters were rare.
Even if there were Alchemy Masters, they didn''t have the recipe for Corpse Poison Potions.
They couldn''t make the potions themselves.
Guilds that managed to buy Corpse Poison Potions saw immediate progress, surpassing other guilds.
This made everyone else desperately crave the potions.
The market was flooded with requests for Corpse Poison Potions.
The price of Corpse Poison Potions skyrocketed from one Spirit Stone for two bottles to five Spirit Stones per bottle, yet they were still scarce.
Lin Jichen watched this unfold without worry.
He knew this wasn''t the true value of Corpse Poison Potions.
But he could still enjoy some early profits.
He went to the auction house in Fengqu City and put up 500 bottles of Corpse Poison Potions for auction without setting a price, letting people bid for three hours.
yers could view thetest auction items from anywhere, so as soon as the potions were listed, countless yers started bidding.
Three hours passed quickly, and after deducting the auction house fees, Lin Jichen earned over 4500 Spirit Stones.
That''s equivalent to eight Spirit Stones per bottle, a sixteen-fold increase from his cost!
This kind of profit made Lin Jichen realize how easy it was to make money.
He then listed another 500 bottles for just one hour, and they were still snatched up, earning him over 4800 Spirit Stones.
Another 500 bottles...
After several experiments, Lin Jichen noticed the price starting to drop.
Clearly, people realized someone was hoarding and manipting the market, so they decided to wait for prices to fall.
Lin Jichen was about to lower the price.
Just then, his phone rang outside the gaming pod, so he had to log off temporarily.
Meanwhile, other yers anxiously watched the auction house, waiting for more potions, but none appeared, driving them crazy...
Discord:
Chapter 79 – Guo Jie’s Phone Call
Chapter 79 C Guo Jies Phone Call
"Ha ha! Little Lin, our school is on break! Come help me move some stuff. I''m going to crash at your ce until school starts again, hehe!"
Ren Lan''s familiarughter came through the phone.
"Alright, I''ll be there soon."
Lin Jichen hung up the phone and got out of the gaming pod.
Still no sense of hunger.
Lin Jichen suddenly realized this wasn''t sustainable. His body needed exercise and proper nutrition.
The gaming pod could maintain his nutrition and life, but it couldn''t provide the energy that food did.
He wanted a healthy and strong body before the game and the real world merged.
After all, the fusion would take five years. He couldn''t rely on the gaming pod for all that time; his physical abilities would deteriorate significantly.
If something happened, his weak body wouldn''t be much help.
Moreover, once the game merged with reality, the yer''s cultivation in the game would transfer to their real body.
But if the body was too weak, the transfer would be slow and done in batches.
It was like having a small stomachyou couldn''t stuff too much in at once. You''d have to do it bit by bit.
So, many yers took a long time to fully integrate their in-game powerssome took weeks, others months, and some even over a year.
The reason was simple: their bodies were too weak to handle the full transfer all at once.
In his previous life, Lin Jichen had taken several months to fully integrate.
Thinking of this, Lin Jichen decided to make a change. From now on, he would try not to skip any meals and it wouldn''t take much time.
Unless he was on a mission.
He would also exercise daily to improve his physical fitness over the next five years.
It was perfect timing since Ren Lan, the fitness fanatic, was moving in. She could help him set up a workout n, no problem.
Plus, eating and working out every day would let him experience a bit of normal life on Earth in thesest few years.
In a few years, everything would change. The world would no longer be peaceful, and humanity would enter a period of war, fighting against evil spirits and monsters.
Peaceful days would be a thing of the past.
Understanding this, Lin Jichen grabbed his keys and headed out.
The school was close to where he lived, just a ten-minute walk.
Lin Jichen hadn''t attended sses for many days, which puzzled him.
He hadn''t been to ss for so long, yet his ss advisor hadn''t contacted himnot even a single call.
He arrived at the dormitory building where Ren Lan was waiting.
Goodness, she had a suitcase on each side. Was she nning to stay forever?
"Why are you so slow? I can''t wait to get back and y in my gaming pod!"
Ren Lanined. She had been dreaming of ying "Tale of Immortal" in her gaming pod every night.
Lin Jichen nced at the two suitcases and picked the lighter one.
It wasn''t that hecked chivalry, but the other suitcase was full of... fitness equipment, easily over a hundred pounds.
"Did you tell your parents? They won''t drag you back, will they?" Lin Jichen asked.
"No, I told them I was going on a trip with my bestie. Plus, my bestie''s family owns apany, so she''s covering for me. No problem at all," Ren Lan replied.
Lin Jichen chuckled and nodded, letting her be. After all, if she got caught and scolded, it was her problem.
"By the way, after we move this stuff, can youe with me to the mall? I need to buy some daily essentials, like pillows and bed sheets."
"Alright, mydy, let''s go. After this, I need to get something to eat. Can you cook?"
Lin Jichen looked at her with hopeful eyes.
Having someone cook for him every day for the next two months would be bliss.
"You''re not really my buddy, are you? When have you ever seen me cook? If I cooked, my dog would make me a three-course meal overnight. Are you sure you want to eat my cooking?" Ren Lan asked with a smile.
Lin Jichen shuddered and shook his head vigorously. "Forget it, I''ll cook. At least my cooking won''t kill us."
They chatted as they walked home.
Ding ding dong dong...
Just as they were about to leave the school, Lin Jichen''s phone rang.
He looked at the caller ID: "Baby Guo ."
Goodness, he knew who it was without needing to guess.
Under Ren Lan''s teasing gaze, Lin Jichen''s face turned red as he awkwardly exined, "I forgot to delete her number. This is her first call in days. Don''t get the wrong idea."
He was about to hang up. He didn''t want any entanglements with this woman right now.
Revenge? Lin Jichen had thought about it.
But what could he do for revenge now? He couldn''t just go and kill her, right?
A gentleman''s revenge can wait ten years. He''d remember this grudge but wasn''t in a hurry.
But Ren Lan stopped him.
"Didn''t you say you were over her? She hooked up with another guy and bullied you. Can you just let that slide?"
"So what do you want me to do?" Lin Jichen asked, amused.
"At least give her a good scolding! If you can''t do it, I''ll do it for you!" Ren Lan said.
Lin Jichen thought she would refuse, but to his surprise, he agreed.
"Alright, I''ll leave it to you."
"Wow, Little Lin, I didn''t expect you to be so over her. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of this grudge for you. You answer the call first."
Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate and answered the call, putting it on speaker.
"Jichen~ Do you miss me? You haven''t talked to me for days. I''m waiting outside your dorm, my legs are so sore~"
On the other end, Guo Jie''s coquettish voice came through.
Just as Lin Jichen was looking forward to how Ren Lan would retaliate, she hung up the call.
"Damn, such a good opportunity. We have to scold her face-to-face. Let''s go! She''s right outside your dorm, hurry before she leaves."
With that, Ren Lan grabbed Lin Jichen and rushed out.
Lin Jichen was dragged along by this fierce girl, still carrying a suitcase.
The key point was that Ren Lan was dragging over a hundred pounds of luggage with one hand and pulling him with the other, moving swiftly. What could he say?
They arrived at Lin Jichen''s dormitory building and saw Guo Jie standing there.
She had no idea Lin Jichen hadn''t been at school for days.
Guo Jie was only somewhat pretty, nowhere near Ren Lan''s level.
But she knew how to dress up, do makeup, and match outfits.
These skills made her stand out in college.
Most college girls hadn''t mastered these social skills yet, or were just learning.
Unlike Guo Jie, who was an expert, using these tricks to boost her looks and charm.
Plus, she was skilled in "tea art" and "spare tire cultivation."
With a few tricks, she had made Lin Jichen, a naive freshman, fall head over heels.
Looking back, Lin Jichen felt he had been so foolish.
Ignoring Ren Lan, the real beauty, he had been obsessed with a master of tea art.
Wait, did that reveal something...
Discord:
Chapter 80 – Ren Lan Protects Old Lin
Chapter 80 C Ren Lan Protects Old Lin
When Lin Jichen walked over, the smile that had just appeared on Guo Jie''s face vanished.
Because she saw Ren Lan standing next to him.
She didn''t like Ren Lan, because this woman was much prettier than her.
Moreover, her rtionship with Lin Jichen was ambiguous, which made her very unhappy.
She would never allow her spare tire to have a girl better than herself by his side.
And she had mentioned this to Lin Jichen, who had promised not to interact with Ren Lan.
But today, the two of them appeared together, holding hands.
"Jichen, have you forgotten what I told you?"
Although Guo Jie was very angry, she still pretended to be pitiful on the surface.
Her eyes were full of grievance, and she pouted her lips, looking pitiful and charming.
But Lin Jichen waspletely immune to her act.
Seeing this woman again, he felt only hatred and disgust.
If it weren''t for the fact that this was still a peaceful andwful society, in the merged world a few yearster, he would have killed her without hesitation.
He had already experienced how dark this woman''s heart was.
"Whatever Little Lin told you doesn''t matter, the point is, stay away from him in the future."
Before Lin Jichen could speak, Ren Lan had already stepped forward.
Guo Jie''s face instantly darkened, and she said coldly, "Ren Lan, I know you''re the campus idol and your dad is the principal, but let me tell you, I''m not afraid of you. Jichen is my boyfriend, so watch your words."
Before Ren Lan could respond, Lin Jichen spoke up, "Who told you I was your boyfriend? When did I ever ept you?"
Lin Jichen remembered that Guo Jie had kept him hanging for a year before agreeing to be in a rtionship.
So at this point, they weren''t even a couple.
Guo Jie was stunned, unable to believe it, "Jichen, what are you talking about? You chased me, when did I need your eptance?"
"Oh? Really? How do I remember someone seducing me first? The first time I met you, you insisted on riding my shared electric bike, holding a lollipop and calling me ''brother, brother,'' urging me to eat the candy, and saying things like ''Brother, won''t your girlfriend be mad?'' That person was you, right?"
Hahaha...
Lin Jichen''s words made Ren Lan burst intoughter, holding her stomach with nodylike demeanor.
Ren Lan''sughter was like needles in Guo Jie''s ears, making her extremely embarrassed.
But she didn''t want to give up on Lin Jichen.
After all, Lin Jichen was recognized by all the girls at Jiangling Normal University as the best campus idol in years.
Getting him would give her a lot of face.
Just the fact that Lin Jichen was pursuing her had already made many girls in the school envious.
This vanity made Guo Jie very intoxicated.
So even though she was materialistic and gold-digging, she was still very willing to hook up with Lin Jichen and make him her trophy!
"Jichen, did someone say something bad about me to you? You mustn''t believe it, it''s just some malicious women trying to sow discord."
"Do you still need to sow discord?" Ren Lan retorted mercilessly, fanning herself as sheined, "The fake innocence act you put on is overwhelming."
Guo Jie waspletely enraged, pointing at Ren Lan and shouting, "What do you mean by that!"
"What do I mean? Don''t you know? Did you forget about kissing a second-generation wealthy guy on Zhengyang Streetst week? And getting into his Ferrari." Ren Lan mocked.
Guo Jie''s face changed, and she instinctively said, "Do you have proof?"
"Of course, do you want to see it? I can upload it to the campuswork for everyone to see." Ren Lan said, pretending to fiddle with her phone.
Guo Jie believed it, knowing she had indeed done it, and it was normal for Ren Lan to have caught it.
She hurriedly exined to Lin Jichen, "Jichen, don''t misunderstand, that guy was just a pursuer, he offered me a ride, and the kiss was a surprise attack, I didn''t know, if I had known, I would have pped him."
Lin Jichen didn''t even bother to respond, silently counting ants on the ground.
Ren Lan, acting as his spokesperson, continued.
She shook her head and sighed, "Impressive, impressive. Can I have some of your thick skin? You seem to haveyers of it, losing a few shouldn''t matter."
Guo Jie couldn''t stand being mocked back and forth, especially with many students gathering around as spectators.
Feeling utterly humiliated, Guo Jie coldly warned Ren Lan, "Ren Lan, I warn you, this is between Jichen and me, mind your own business."
"Sorry, Little Lin is my boyfriend, his business is my business!"
Ren Lan finished speaking and dominantly wrapped her right arm around Lin Jichen''s neck, pulling him into her embrace.
Lin Jichen didn''t expect Ren Lan to do this, almost getting choked.
But the soft, stic, and exaggeratedlyrge thing pressing against his face made him forget the pain.
Pain mixed with pleasure!
Lin Jichen quicklyforted himself, thinking it was just his good brother''s chest muscles, just a bit bigger and softer, that''s all. Nothing to be excited about, stay calm.
Ren Lan''s bold deration caught Guo Jie off guard.
It also made the surrounding male students envious and jealous.
Damn, why couldn''t they be the ones in that position!
Guo Jie stared at Lin Jichen, her eyes once again filled with feigned heartbreak.
"Jichen, is what she said true? Are you really going to give up on me?"
She even teared up, looking like a pure-hearted girl abandoned by a scumbag.
However, Lin Jichen and Ren Lan knew her true nature and were unmoved.
"Of course not." Lin Jichen suddenly answered.
Guo Jie''s eyes lit up with joy, while Ren Lan''s expression froze, wanting to strangle Lin Jichen for being such a fool.
She was standing up for him, and now he was siding with her? What a useless idiot!
But the next second, Lin Jichen added.
"Correction, I''m not her boyfriend, I''m her treasure and fianc, we''re getting married after graduation."
Wow!
The crowd was in an uproar, damn, is this for real?
Lin Jichen and the campus idol Ren Lan were together, and they had already promised each other for life?
Ren Lan''s expression quickly returned, but her face was now flushed.
"So, do I have the right to interfere now?"
Ren Lan asked proudly.
Guo Jiepletely lost her patience with Lin Jichen.
She said coldly, "Fine, Lin Jichen, Ren Lan, you two despicable couple, I''ll remember this. I, Guo Jie, am destined to marry a true dragon among men, you''ll regret this!"
Ren Lan justughed and said, "I''d love to be a gardener and nt some sense in your heart. With your behavior, you think you''ll marry a dragon among men? A broken Ferrari revealed your true colors, you might think you''re a Ferrari too, but you''re just a bus! Anyone can hop on!"
"Cheating on Little Lin, kissing someone on the street, and getting into their car, should I upload the video for everyone to see?"
The onlookers were shocked, realizing Guo Jie was a gold-digger and a cheater!
Damn, they thought Guo Jie was the victim.
"Ren Lan! You..."
Guo Jie, furious at being exposed, wanted to retaliate but was interrupted by Ren Lan again.
"Don''t talk to me, I have a cleanliness obsession. And from now on, just focus on being a good bitch and stay away from Little Lin!"
Ren Lan finished, proudly walking away with Lin Jichen.
Leaving Guo Jie standing there, her face changing colors from red to green.
Finally, she left in shame and anger.
Chapter 81 – Tragic creepy man
Chapter 81 C Tragic creepy man
On the other side, after the two had walked away.
Lin Jichen had already freed himself from Ren Lan''s grip and gave her a thumbs-up in praise.
"Impressive, impressive. Your sharp tongue is really something. Your skill at cursing people is top-notch. Im in awe."
In fact, he had picked up his asional sharp tongue from Ren Lan. Although this girl wasnt great at gaming, her ability to taunt was truly unmatched.
Ren Lan raised an eyebrow and snorted, "Of course, back in the day, I wasnt called the Princess of Insults for nothing."
Suddenly, Ren Lan changed her tone and grabbed Lin Jichen by the ear.
"Who told you to say you were my darling and fianc just now? Ugh! Disgusting, isnt it?"
Lin Jichen winced in pain, sucking in a breath as he exined, "I was just ying along with you, acting, you know. You said I was your boyfriend, wasnt that acting too?"
"But you cant just change my script like that. Saying wed get married right after graduation? Dream on. Whod want to marry a big idiot like you? Youre so smitten with Guo Jie that even if you threw yourself at me, I wouldnt want you."
As Ren Lan spoke, she let go of his ear.
Lin Jichen rubbed his ear, thinking how difficult it was to deal with petty people and women. Forget it, not worth arguing.
"By the way, Ive sorted out your ss issues with the academic office. Got you a leave of absence certificate. If you dont make it as a professional yer, you can stille back to school and find another path."
After saying that, Ren Lan hummed a little tune and carried her heavy suitcase out of the school gate.
Lin Jichen chuckled awkwardly. So it was Ren Lan who had arranged his leave of absence. No wonder he hadnt gotten into any trouble for skipping sses for so many days.
They carried the suitcase back home and then went to a nearby mall to buy some necessities for her.
"By the way, can you help me set up a fitness n? I want to start working out too."
Lin Jichen asked Ren Lan for help.
He really needed to get in shape. Just dragging the luggage home had left his arms sore.
Typical case of being a bit weak.
He had to work out, or else if Ren Lan wanted to bully him in the future, he wouldnt even have the strength to resist.
Wait... why did that thought sound so weird?
"Oh, look who decided toe out from the ck holeit''s the sun! What else is weirder than that? Lin the Fat Nerd wants to work out? Ive tried to persuade you so many times before and you never listened. Why so sensible now?" Ren Lan teased.
"Just tell me if youll help or not." Lin Jichen yed it cool, maintaining his pride.
"I can help you set up a fitness n, but whats the point if you dont follow it? Itd be a waste of my effort." Ren Lan mocked.
"Dont worry, I promise to follow it, unless theres a task in the game that I cant leave. Otherwise, Ill definitely stick to the n." Lin Jichen assured.
"Alright then, you said it. Lets go! Ill take you to buy some casual clothes. Get rid of those shy tight shirts and jeans. Theyre too tacky."
Lin Jichen blushed but didnt argue, obediently following behind Ren Lan.
They took the elevator to the top floor where the sportswear store was.
There was another man in the elevator, but neither of them paid him any mind. After pressing the button for the top floor, they waited for the elevator to ascend.
Just then, Ren Lan let out a sharp scream.
"Little Lin! Did you touch my butt?"
Ren Lan covered her backside, ring at Lin Jichen with a face full of shame and disbelief.
Lin Jichen rolled his eyes and said, "You really think that''s going to happen?"
Ren Lan also realized that Lin Jichen wouldnt have the guts to do such a thing. She turned her gaze to the sleazy-looking man in the elevator.
The mans eyes darted around nervously, trying to act calm.
"Was it you?" Ren Lans eyes bore into him like a tigress.
"I didnt do it. Why are you using me? Ill sue you for nder." The man immediately denied it.
"Fine,e with me. Well check the surveince footage and find out." Ren Lan said.
The man panicked and quickly put on a fierce expression.
"So what if I did? Do you know who I am? If your boyfriend dares to touch me, he wont see the light of day tomorrow."
Lin Jichens face showed a hint of pity as he said, "Buddy, youre right. I really dont dare to touch you."
The man immediately felt triumphant, thinking this coward had such a pretty girlfriend. If hed known, he wouldve groped her a few more times.
Before he could indulge in his fantasies, a swift kicknded between his legs.
Ow!
The man screamed in agony, copsing to the floor like a shrimp, unable to move.
"Dare to touch my butt? Today, youll learn that a tigers butt is not to be touched!"
Ren Lans eyes shed with ferocity as she delivered another kick to the mans face, mming his head against the elevator door with a heavy thud.
Blood instantly oozed from the mans forehead, and he waspletely dazed.
By this time, the elevator had reached the top floor.
The doors opened to reveal other customers about to take the stairs down.
They were about to step in when they saw the scene inside.
Terrified, they all pulled back their legs, staring in shock.
Ren Lan nced at them and coldly said, "Elevators under maintenance. Can you take the stairs?"
The customers nodded like pecking chickens.
Then they watched as Ren Lan tied up her hair, muttering to herself.
"Today, Im going to teach you a lesson. Otherwise, who knows how many girls youll harass in the future."
"Little Lin, you wait outside. Youre in the way here."
Lin Jichenplied immediately, running out of the elevator.
He didnt want to stay inside. If he got hurt by mistake, it would be a big loss.
As soon as Lin Jichen left, Ren Lan shed a wicked smile and pressed all the buttons for every floor.
"Hope you can hold on until the elevator reaches the first floor."
Ren Lan smiled kindly at the nowpletely terrified sleazy man.
The man, ignoring his intense pain, looked at her with utter fear, begging for mercy, almost kneeling and calling her granny.
However, Ren Lan remained unmoved.
Lin Jichen and the other customers could only watch as the elevator doors closed again. Through the gap, they could see the mans eyes filled with despair.
As soon as the doors closed, the screams began.
Lin Jichen patted his chest, feeling a bit sorry for the guy.
Of all people to mess with, he chose a female devil. It''s like lighting a cigarette at a gas stationjust seeking for death..
Its said that when the elevator reached the first floor, the man crawled out.
When the police arrived, he wept with relief, feeling so safe.
Not only did he turn himself in, but he also begged the police to take him away quickly.
That guy probably developed a lifelong fear of women.
By the time Lin Jichen and Ren Lan returned to their rented ce, it was almost dark.
Lin Jichen hurriedly cooked two bowls of noodles for a quick meal, then rushed to take a shower, preparing to log into the game.
He needed to check the game quickly. Hopefully, the price of his Corpse Poison Potions hadnt dropped.
Before logging out, the price of the potions wasnt as high as it used to be. It seemed people didnt think it was worth that much.
Chapter 82 – Immovable King
Chapter 82 C Immovable King
"Hey, Little Lin, which ss should I choose when I get in the game?"
Lin Jichen hadn''t even entered the game yet when Ren Lan came over asking for help.
"It depends on your preference. There are four main sses: Weapon Cultivator, Body Cultivator, Healer, and Spell Cultivator."
Lin Jichen briefly exined the differences between the four sses.
After listening, Ren Lan chose the Body Cultivator ss without hesitation.
She loved solving problems with her fists! Hahaha~
"Body Cultivator is a good choice. If you go for Body Cultivator, choose Huafeng Province. The Body Cultivator sects there are the strongest. However, it still depends on your innate talent. If you have a talent suited for another ss, I suggest you follow that." Lin Jichen rmended.
"Okay! I''ll create a character first. Give me five minutes."
With that, Ren Lan eagerlyy down in her ''fifty-thousand-yuan'' gaming pod that she had been dreaming about.
Lin Jichen waited outside for her. A few minutester, Ren Lan exited the game, looking excited.
"Little Lin! I think I got a talent suited for Body Cultivator. I''ve decided, I''m going with Body Cultivator!"
"What talent? Tell me about it." Lin Jichen was curious.
"It''s called... Immovable King." Ren Lan thought for a moment before answering.
Lin Jichen''s eyes lit up in surprise, "Damn, are you sure?"
"Yeah, I remember it''s called that."
Lin Jichen quickly asked, "What''s the talent description?"
"Oh, full bone structure value, extra 5 points to attack and defense with each level up, 10% extra damage for Body Cultivator skills, and 20% increased aptitude for Body Cultivator." Ren Lan exined.
After hearing the description, Lin Jichen was stunned.
He hadn''t expected Ren Lan to get such a powerful talent.
This talent was practically tailor-made for a Body Cultivator.
In his past life, he had only seen two people with this talent, and they were ranked third and seventh on the Heavenly Rankings.
But they were both men.
He remembered that in his past life, Ren Lan didn''t y "Tale of Immortal" because they had a fight.
Who would have thought that this girl would have such a smooth start this time?
Thinking about his own talent in the past, "Business Genius," Lin Jichen felt a bit frustrated.
Ren Lan was truly blessed by the heavens.
She was already passionate about martial arts, and with this talent, her future was limitless.
"Great, this talent is excellent. You must choose Body Cultivator!"
Lin Jichen was getting excited, almost forgetting that his own talent was the most abnormal one.
"Hehe, since you say so, I''ll choose Body Cultivator. By the way, I chose Huafeng Province as you suggested. Are you in Huafeng Province too?"
Ren Lan wanted to cling to Lin Jichen''s leg. After ying games with him for so long, she had developed a strong sense of dependence.
Lin Jichen shook his head, "I''m not in Huafeng Province. I''m in Mu Xian Province."
"Damn! Little Lin, are you avoiding me because you think I''m a burden? You don''t want to help me!"
Ren Lan was immediately displeased and questioned him fiercely.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly, remembering the man in the elevator earlier today, and shivered.
"Of course not. Let me exin. Huafeng Province is the best for Body Cultivators. Each province has the most suitable ss. For example..."
After a lengthy exnation, Lin Jichen finally calmed Ren Lan down.
"Don''t rush in the early stages of the game. Follow my instructions. Don''t take on those random quests in the novice vige. Just go to the boxing gym, and then..."
Lin Jichen began to carefully teach her the game steps.
"I''ll add you as a friend once I''m in the game. If you have any questions, just message me. By the way, what''s your in-game name?"
"Ren Woxing."
"..."
In the game.
As soon as Lin Jichen entered, he added Ren Lan''s ID, and it was indeed Ren Woxing. This girl had a unique way of naming things, definitely a naming disaster!
As soon as he added her, Ren Lan epted and even opened voice chat.
"Wow, Little Lin! This game is so realistic! It''s like being in another real world. Damn, it''s amazing!"
Ren Lan eximed, not caring about the countless eyes on her.
Lin Jichen was used to it. This girl had a typical extrovert syndrome.
"First, go to the boxing gym to take on a quest... Then, after getting the letter, go directly to the sect. Once you''re at the sect, take on two quests to save up Spirit Stones. Once you have five Spirit Stones, go to the main city of Huafeng Province. I''ll bring you some gifts that you''ll love."
Lin Jichen instructed, and Ren Lan agreed readily, continuing to immerse herself in the world of "Tale of Immortal."
Lin Jichen didn''t bother her for now, letting her explore on her own.
After hanging up the voice chat, he quickly went to the auction house.
He noticed that no one was selling Corpse Poison Potions in the auction house.
Moreover, the auction house allowed users to post purchase requests. Lin Jichen nced at the purchase section, and it was filled with requests for Corpse Poison Potions.
"Is the guy who sold Corpse Poison Potions earlier still around? I''m from the Chivalrous Guild. If you have more, sell them to me. We can negotiate the price. I''ll pay five thousand Spirit Stones for five hundred bottles."
"Corpse Poison Potions! Willing to pay a high price, eleven Spirit Stones per bottle!"
"Eternal Guild offers twelve Spirit Stones per bottle, unlimited purchase of Corpse Poison Potions."
"Anyone who sells Corpse Poison Potions to Thunder Guild can join our guild for free!"
...
There were countless purchase requests, thousands of them.
Lin Jichen was amazed. He instantly understood why the price of Corpse Poison Potions had dropped during the day.
He had been too hasty, releasing too many at once and in batches.
This made them suspect he had arge stockpile, so they were trying to wait him out.
Understanding this, Lin Jichen felt relieved and decided to take it slow, ying the long game.
He put another five hundred bottles of Corpse Poison Potions up for auction, setting a five-hour auction time, and then left the auction house.
However, Lin Jichen still needed to figure out how to sell these potions quickly.
After all, the pharmacies in the four main cities produced thousands of Corpse Poison Potions daily, and the recipe could be found in Corpse King Valley.
If someone else got the recipe and found an Alchemy Master to mass-produce them, his Corpse Poison Potions would lose value.
But he couldn''t put all his stock in the auction house at once, as that would significantly lower the price.
Moreover, the auction house''smission was too high. If he put everything up, he would lose tens of thousands of Spirit Stones inmission, which he didn''t want.
After thinking for a while anding up with no good ideas, Lin Jichen decided to visit the pharmacies in Fengqu City.
After a round of visits, he found that all the pharmacies in the city were crowded with people.
They weren''t there to buy other medicines; they were all after the Corpse Poison Potions.
These people were scalpers.
As long as they could grab the Corpse Poison Potions as soon as they were refreshed in the pharmacy, they could sell them for dozens of times the profit.
Who wouldn''t want to do such a lucrative business?
Seeing this scene at the pharmacies, Lin Jichen suddenly had a revtion. He pped his thigh.
"How could I forget this method!"
Afterining to himself, Lin Jichen was overjoyed.
Yes, pharmacies! He could open a pharmacy!
Chapter 83 – Purchase game property
Chapter 83 C Purchase game property
Lin Jichen transformed into a gust of wind, racing towards the center of Fengqu City.
Therey the pce of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, the rulers of the entire Mu Xian Province.
Though the Hidden Dragon Royal Family only governed mortal cities, their foundation and strength were no less than any top-tier sect.
The current emperor of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, Ji Hongyue, was also at the Feather Transformation Realm.
Moreover, the royal family was filled with experts, having ruled Mu Xian Provinces mortal realm for centuries, making them the second most powerful force after the sects.
As the pce of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, it upied the entire northern part of Fengqu City and was heavily guarded, making it impossible for yers to enter.
Lin Jichen dared to go there because of his reputation.
Reputation was like a business card for yers; the higher it was, the more attention they received from NPCs.
Moreover, reputation was key to purchasing citynd.
Lin Jichen now had 1120 reputation points, enough to go to the pce and buynd.
"Stop! The pce is forbidden; no trespassing!"
Outside the pce gates, the guards stopped him.
Even the guards on duty were at theter stage of Foundation Establishment.
These soldiers were battle-hardened, d in armor, exuding a fierce aura, clearly not to be trifled with.
"Im here to purchase city property and open a shop," Lin Jichen said politely.
The guard, hearing this, told him to wait while he went inside to report.
After a while, a eunuch-like figure came out, speaking in a sharp voice, "Follow me."
"Go ahead," the guard finally allowed him to pass.
Lin Jichen walked into the Hidden Dragon Pce, following the eunuch through the pce.
He had never been to the Hidden Dragon Pce before.
Golden domes and red gates, magnificent halls, jade towers, and golden pavilionsevery building was extremely luxurious, showcasing the royal family''s power and status.
The pce was divided into inner and outer sections; Lin Jichen, of course, couldnt enter the inner pce.
Led by the eunuch, he arrived at a side hall in the outer temple, with a que reading: City Administration Hall.
This was equivalent to a modern city hall, handling city nning and civil affairs.
Inside, someone handed Lin Jichen a map, marking all the unsold properties in Fengqu City.
Looking at the unsold properties, Lin Jichen felt a small thrill.
These properties would be gold mines in the future.
In "Tale of Immortal," city real estate would surpass any real-world property within five years.
At its peak, a shop less than ten square meters could make real estatepanies worldwide fight over it.
It could be exchanged for amercial building in the center of a first-tier city in the real world.
It was that exaggerated!
In his previous life, Lin Jichen never owned any city property. By the time he rose to prominence, all purchasable properties in "Tale of Immortal" had been snapped up by capital giants.
He didnt stand a chance.
But now, no one could afford these properties yet because theycked the most crucial thing: reputation.
Every property required not just expensive Spirit Stones but also different amounts of reputation.
At this stage, few people had reputation, and no one knew yers could buy game properties.
Lin Jichen was the first to take the plunge.
Looking at the many properties, many of which would be prime locations in ten years.
For example, an equipment shop near Drunken Immortal Pavilion in his previous life made a fortune, reportedly earning millions of Spirit Stones monthly.
A pharmacy near Autumn Moon Pavilion sold tens of thousands of elixirs daily, with aphrodisiacs being the best-sellers.
A pet shop at the eastern crossroads had an annual turnover that could buy a medium-sized real estatepany in the real world.
And the properties near the city center were even more valuable. A near-bankrupt real-world businessman identally bought arge plot in the center and built a private auction house.
In just two years, he went from bankruptcy to bing one of the world''s top 100 richest people.
There were too many examples. In short, anyone with property in the game would be immensely wealthy in the future.
As a hardcore poor yer, Lin Jichen almost shed tears of joy looking at these properties.
He seemed to see countless Spirit Stones waving at him.
He wished he could buy them all!
Unfortunately, looking at the prices and required reputation, even the most remote property cost tens of thousands of Spirit Stones and hundreds of reputation points.
Slightly better ones cost hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones and thousands of reputation points.
The city center properties were even more outrageous.
In short, with his current strength, he could only afford the most remote ones.
There was no other way; it was just the early stage of the game, and reputation could only be earned through rare methods like first clears and boss farming.
Unliketer, when yers could earn reputation by killing demonic cultivators or serving the royal family, significantly reducing purchase conditions.
Lin Jichen carefully selected and finally chose a shop next to Autumn Moon Pavilion, which was also a pharmacy in his previous life.
It cost 50,000 Spirit Stones and required 800 reputation points.
Fortunately, he had sold a small batch of Corpse Poison Potions to gather some funds; otherwise, he couldnt afford the 50,000 Spirit Stones.
After buying the small shop, Lin Jichens newly filled wallet deted again.
And his 1120 reputation points dropped to 320.
Back to square one.
After receiving the deed, Lin Jichen reluctantly looked at the remaining properties on the map, unwilling to leave.
"The Third Prince arrives!"
The eunuch at the door shouted, and everyone in the City Administration Hall knelt down.
Only Lin Jichen remained unmoved.
Soon, a young man in a luxurious robe, with a regal bearing, walked in.
This was Ji Hongyues third son, Ji Chen.
Behind Ji Chen was a small, delicate, eunuch-like attendant.
"Rise, Im just strolling around. I was about to leave the pce and passed by the City Administration Hall. I heard a cultivator was buying property, the first to meet the requirements in Fengqu Citys open recruitment. I wanted to see."
Ji Chen spoke gently, looking at the only person still standing in the hallLin Jichen.
Their eyes met, and Ji Chen was surprised by Lin Jichens attire.
"May I ask if you are a disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect?"
"Indeed," Lin Jichen replied calmly.
"Judging by your attire, you seem to be an Inner Temple disciple?"
Everyone was surprised; Inner Temple disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect were elite, the cream of the crop.
The attendant behind Ji Chen also curiously examined Lin Jichen.
Seeing Lin Jichens handsome and extraordinary appearance, the attendant blushed slightly, quickly looking away.
"The Third Prince has sharp eyes," Lin Jichen didnt hide anything.
Though the Hidden Dragon Royal Family was powerful, his Tianyan Sword Sect was even more so.
After all, the Tianyan Sword Sect was a top sect in Mu Xian Province; the Hidden Dragon Royal Family wouldnt dare to act against him without reason.
"Truly an honor. May I ask which elder you are apprenticed to?" Ji Chen asked, already showing an interest in forming a connection.
Chapter 84 – Family teacher, Leng Feiyan
Chapter 84 C Family teacher, Leng Feiyan
The disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect''s Inner Temple were fully qualified to make even a prince like him seek their friendship.
The Hidden Dragon Royal Family had eight princes in total, all of whom were candidates for the future throne.
Emperor Ji Hongyue did not appoint a crown prince based on seniority but allowed them to build their ownworks and power.
Whoever had the most influence and connections in the future would be the crown prince.
Therefore, the eight princes had understood the importance ofworking from a young age, each having an impressive web of connections.
The disciples of the Sword Sect''s Inner Temple were all apprenticed to one of the twelve Grand Elders. Regardless of which Elder they followed, their future achievements were bound to be extraordinary.
Even if they didn''t achieve much, they would at least be masters of the Golden Elixir stage. As a prince, how could he not understand the value of such high-quality connections?
He was eager to find out which Grand Elder Lin Jichen was apprenticed to, so he could tter that Elder and gain some favor.
But Lin Jichen''s answer left him puzzled.
"My master is not one of the twelve Grand Elders."
"Oh?" Ji Chen asked in confusion, "Has the rule for Inner Temple disciples changed? I remember that all Inner Temple disciples were apprenticed to the twelve Grand Elders."
Lin Jichen smiled brightly and revealed, "I am the Sect Master''sst disciple. My master is Leng Feiyan."
Ji Chen was stunned, his eyes wide with shock.
This astonishing news shook the entire hall.
Even the servant behind Ji Chen was covering his mouth in surprise.
Ji Chen was the first to react, as if doubting his own ears, and asked again.
"What did you just say? You said you are... the Sect Master''s disciple? Leng Sect Master''s disciple?"
"Absolutely."
Lin Jichen finished speaking and took out the Soul Talisman given to him by Leng Feiyan.
The reason he announced his identity so boldly was to see if he could get some benefits from the Third Prince.
With the Soul Talisman in hand, the Hidden Dragon Royal Family wouldn''t dare to harm him.
The only thing he was unsure about was whether Leng Feiyan''s name carried enough weight to get him some benefits...
Seeing the talisman, Ji Chen finally believed him. His heart was in turmoil, as if struck by a bolt from the blue!
But soon, his shock turned into joy, and he looked at Lin Jichen with a changed expression.
It was as if he was looking at a peerless beauty standing naked before him.
Lin Jichen felt a bit weird. Hey, hey, hey, what is this prince thinking? What''s with that look?
"To think that Brother Lin is the Sect Master''sst disciple. I, Ji Chen, am truly blind for not recognizing a distinguished person. I am ashamed, ashamed. I am the Third Prince of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, Ji Chen."
"I am Lin Jichen. The Third Prince is too kind." Lin Jichen feigned politeness.
In his heart, he was impatient. Why so many words? Are there any benefits or not?
Ji Chen seemed to hear Lin Jichen''s thoughts.
He asked the eunuch in charge, "Which property did Brother Lin buy?"
The eunuch quickly replied, "Reporting to the Third Prince, Immortal Lin bought a small shop in the south of the city, worth fifty thousand spirit stones."
Ji Chen frowned and said, "The small shop in the south is quite remote and small. Can''t you rmend a better ce?"
"Third Prince, please don''t be angry. This servant cannot make decisions. The City Administration Hall is personally overseen by His Majesty, and no one dares to overstep." The eunuch said fearfully.
Hearing this, Ji Chen didn''t make things difficult for him but thought for a moment.
"How about this, I''ll give Brother Lin a shop in the city center that my father gifted mest year. Go to my residence and fetch the deed."
Ji Chen said, taking off the Jade Pendant from his waist and handing it to the eunuch.
The eunuch took it and hurried out.
"Third Prince, this is too much. A gentleman does not ept unearned rewards. If my master finds out, she will be displeased."
Lin Jichen shook his head repeatedly, looking very ''troubled.''
Ji Chen smiled warmly and said to Lin Jichen, "Brother Lin, no need to be so formal. I, Ji Chen, have always liked making friends, especially with young and promising individuals like Brother Lin, whose future is boundless. Please don''t refuse."
"Oh no, I can''t ept it. epting unearned rewards is not the character of a Sword Sect disciple. I hope the prince will take it back. I, Lin Jichen, still have some integrity!"
Lin Jichen spoke with iron resolve.
Ji Chen became anxious. He desperately wanted to befriend Lin Jichen.
The Sect Master''sst disciple! This was equivalent to the most promising candidate for the next Sect Master of the Tianyan Sword Sect.
This connection was worth more than all theworks he had built over the years!
Ji Chen was sure that if his other royal brothers knew Lin Jichen''s identity, they would alle running with gifts.
And their gifts would definitely be better and more expensive than his.
After all, among the eight princes, he was rtively less wealthy.
So Ji Chen had to seize this rare opportunity.
Seeing Lin Jichen''s refusal, Ji Chen''s mind raced and he suddenly had an idea.
"Brother Lin, how about this, I won''t give you the shop, I''ll sell it to you. This should be reasonable, right?"
Lin Jichen said with difficulty, "But I am short of funds and may not be able to afford it."
"How many spirit stones do you have left?"
"Emm... less than ten thousand."
"How much reputation do you have?"
"Less than three hundred."
Ji Chen pped his hands and said, "I''ll sell this shop for five thousand spirit stones and two hundred reputation!"
Lin Jichen almostughed out loud. Oh my, this prince is so considerate and knows how to make friends.
"This... isn''t right."
Lin Jichen pretended to refuse.
At this moment, the eunuch returned with the deed.
Ji Chen took the deed and immediately handed it to Lin Jichen.
"Brother Lin, if you still consider me a friend, please ept this deal. If you refuse, it means I, Ji Chen, am not worthy, and I understand."
Seeing Ji Chen say this, Lin Jichen ''moved'' and patted Ji Chen''s hand.
"In that case, thank you. I, Lin Jichen, am willing to be friends with the Third Prince!"
"Haha, it''s an honor, an honor. Being friends with Brother Lin is truly my honor!"
...
After Lin Jichen left, the smile on Ji Chen''s face hadn''t faded, showing that he was in a very good mood.
The servant beside him quietly reminded, "Royal Brother, did you forget your promise to Linglong? You said you would take me out of the pce to y, but you''ve been dyed for a long time..."
Ji Chen suddenly remembered and smiled apologetically at the servant, "Look at my memory, I forgot. Let''s go, I''ll take you out of the pce now. I''m in a great mood today, I''ll make sure you have a great time."
"Mm-hmm." The servant nodded eagerly, happily following Ji Chen out of the City Administration Hall.
Outside the pce, Lin Jichen was overjoyed with the two deeds in hand.
Indeed, it''s good to have a powerful master. The disciple also benefits.
This is what they mean by "when one person ascends, even their pets rise to heaven"... though it feels like he''s insulting himself...
Never mind, he made a huge profit anyway.
One thousand reputation and sixty thousand spirit stones for two properties, it was like a pie falling from the sky.
Lin Jichen didn''t know which shop Ji Chen had given him, so he quickly followed the address on the deed to check it out.
When he arrived at the address, he was stunned by the size of the shop before him.
Chapter 85 – Commoner Pharmacy
Chapter 85 C Commoner Pharmacy
The entire shop upied over a thousand square meters and was divided into two floors.
Seeing this shop, Lin Jichen immediately thought of what kind of business to open.
The first floor would be an equipment store, and the second floor, an auction house!
Combining the two, business would undoubtedly be booming!
Moreover, the location of this shop was perfect, situated in the heart of the city, in the area with the highest foot traffic.
Anyoneing into the city would see this shop at a nce.
"We''ve hit the jackpot!" Lin Jichen thought gleefully.
This shop alone could be worth apany with a market value of billions in the future!
Calming himself down a bit, Lin Jichen put away the deed and decided not to rush.
Even if he wanted to open an auction house and an equipment store, it wasn''t the right time yet; he didn''t have many pieces of equipment on hand.
For now, he would leave it empty until he had more equipment or hired dozens of craftsmen to forge equipment specifically for the shop.
If that didn''t work, he could always return to the Sword Sect and coborate with their crafting department.
All of this would take time.
Besides, yers weren''t generally wealthy at this stage, and equipment wouldn''t sell for much.
For now, Lin Jichen decided to sell the Corpse Poison Potions first.
He needed to recoup his costs quickly; otherwise, he wouldn''t even be able to repay the Spirit Stones he borrowed from Jiang Luoyu, let alone hire craftsmen.
Reluctantly leaving the city center, he arrived at the shop in the south of the city, which used to be a pharmacy selling aphrodisiacs in his previous life.
Now, this shop belonged to him.
Next door was the Autumn Moon Pavilion.
The girls from the Autumn Moon Pavilion became excited the moment they saw Lin Jichen.
They recognized him as the extraordinary young man who had once visited the Pavilion, causing a stir among all the girls!
Back then, Lin Jichen had been dressed in coarse cloth.
Now, in his Sword Sect attire, he looked even more refined, making the girls'' hearts flutter.
"Young Master~e and y~"
"Young Master, do you still remember me?"
"Young Master,e in for some tea~ I''ll y the flute for you~"
"Young Master, it''s always free for you!"
...
Once again, Lin Jichen caused amotion at the Autumn Moon Pavilion, with the girls crowding the windows, waving their handkerchiefs at him.
For old times'' sake, he smiled and raised an eyebrow at the girls, winking deliberately.
Immediately, the girls blushed and giggled, their hearts racing.
Lin Jichen had no idea that Ji Chen, disguised and apanied by his sister, happened to be passing by.
Seeing Lin Jichen flirting with the girls from the Autumn Moon Pavilion, Ji Linglong snorted, "Brother, it seems the person you befriended is a yboy."
Ji Chen smiled awkwardly, "Well, it''s normal for men to be a bit flirtatious."
"Hmph, that''s what you men think. I believe a man who is devoted and passionate is the best kind of man."
Ji Chen couldn''t help but chuckle, "Alright, it''s their private matter. Let''s leave quickly before they notice and suspect we''re following them."
After his brief show-off, Lin Jichen turned his attention to his first shop.
The shop was small, only a dozen square meters, divided front and back. As he walked in, he could see the shop''s information.
[Shop: Unnamed]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Type: Selectable]
[Decoration Style: Depends on shop type]
[Staff: Can be recruited]
[Sales: 0]
[Profit: 0]
Lin Jichen decided to make it a pharmacy.
As for the name, he thought for a moment and decided on ''People''s Pharmacy''simple and straightforward!
As soon as he made the selection, the shop transformed, with rows of medicine cabs appearing inside.
The sign at the entrance now read ''People''s Pharmacy'' inrge characters.
Lin Jichen was very pleased with the name; he was quite the naming genius~
Next, he needed staff.
Lin Jichen couldn''t sell the medicine himself, so he had to hire someone.
He could directly choose from all the job seekers in the city through the recruitment section.
For example:
[Name: Li Tiedan]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 25]
[Skills: Manualbor]
[Specialty: Hardworking]
[Wages: 3 taels of silver per month]
...
[Name: Zhang Mazi]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 32]
[Skills: ounting]
[Specialty: Meticulous]
[Wages: 5 taels of silver per month]
...
[Name: Wang Chunhua]
[Gender: Female]
[Age: 26]
[Skills: Customer service]
[Specialty: Persuasive]
[Wages: 4 taels of silver per month]
...
There were countless job applications, but Lin Jichen couldn''t find anyone suitable.
Just as he was about to randomly pick someone to save time, a new entry appeared.
[Name: Xiaocui]
[Gender: Female]
[Age: 16]
[Skills: Basic knowledge of pharmacology, intelligent and pretty]
[Specialty: Diligent, honest, kind, and loyal]
[Wages: 3 taels of silver per month]
This candidate was perfectknowledgeable in pharmacology, loyal, and hardworking.
And she only asked for 3 taels of silver, very affordable, meeting all of Lin Jichen''s requirements.
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen chose to hire her.
Soon, a young girl in in clothes, carrying a small bundle, walked into the shop. She looked like she had just arrived from the countryside.
Seeing Lin Jichen, the girl blushed, her heart racing, and she didn''t dare to look up.
She stammered, "Excuse... Excuse me... Is this where they''re hiring?"
Lin Jichen smiled, "Yes, you''re Xiaocui, right?"
"Yes, are you the owner?"
"That''s right. From today, you''ll be working here, helping me manage this pharmacy."
"Really? You really want to hire me? I''ll work very hard!" the girl said excitedly.
Lin Jichen nodded with a smile and began to take out the Corpse Poison Potions, storing them in the back of the shop. He instructed Xiaocui to ce batches of the potions on the shelves.
As for the pricing, Lin Jichen set three tiers.
Single bottle: 10 Spirit Stones, ten bottles: 99 Spirit Stones, one hundred bottles: 950 Spirit Stones, one thousand bottles: 9000 Spirit Stones.
"Remember, our pharmacy will only sell this one type of potion for now. Once we sell ten thousand bottles each day, we''ll close for the day. If anyone asks, just say we''re sold out."
Lin Jichen instructed, and Xiaocui took note seriously.
With everything arranged, Lin Jichen left the shop feeling assured.
Xiaocui stayed in the shop, diligently and loyally guarding it.
Not long after, a yer who had been enjoying himself at the Autumn Moon Pavilion passed by the shop andughed at the sign.
"People''s Pharmacy? Who came up with this name? It''s so modern, haha. Let''s see what this pharmacy sells."
The yer walked into the shop out of curiosity and was shocked momentster!
Soon, the news of a new pharmacy in Fengqu City selling Corpse Poison Potions spread like wildfire.
The news quickly reached the yermunity across Mu Xian Province.
Leaders of major guilds personally visited the shop and confirmed that it indeed sold Corpse Poison Potions.
Moreover, the prices were much more reasonable than those at the auction house, where they sold in batches of five hundred!
And there was plenty of stock.
In no time, major guilds rushed to buy.
The ten thousand bottles of Corpse Poison Potions were sold out in less than half an hour.
"Sorry, we''re sold out for today. Pleasee back tomorrow," Xiaocui apologized to the crowd.
Although she wanted to earn more for her boss, she remembered his words: sell only ten thousand bottles a day.
Many yers who didn''t get any potions were disappointed but resolved toe earlier the next day.
Chapter 86 – What it means to have a backer
Chapter 86 C What it means to have a backer
Just as Lin Jichen''s civilian pharmacy business was booming, he, the owner, was nowhere to be found in the city.
In search of the final treasure needed to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, Lin Jichen once again ventured deep into the mountains.
This time, he traveled far to find a small boss that easily dropped treasures.
Not every boss had treasures; it was all about luck, and each boss dropped different treasures.
There was no way to exploit just one.
Lin Jichen knew where the bosses were and which ones were likely to drop what he needed.
Even so, it took him several days.
Ordinary yers who wanted to achieve the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment had to go through a lot of effort just to gather these materials, consuming a lot of time.
This was why many yers chose the shortcut of the Human Dao Foundation Establishment.
Of course, there were also many perfectionists who, like Lin Jichen, pursued the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.
However, their progress was painfully slow.
Unless, after some time, yers started selling Foundation Establishment materials, the situation might improve.
For now, it was clear he could only rely on himself.
The boss Lin Jichen had his eyes on was a Cang Wolf King boss, at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, but it easily dropped treasures that increased speed.
That''s why he went to such great lengths toe here.
This Cang Wolf King was clearly no match for Lin Jichen, already beaten to the brink of death, just a few more hits away from being finished.
Lin Jichen was already nning how to cross the tribtion when breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, knowing he had to return to his sect.
With Leng Feiyan there, he could safely pass the second lightning tribtion.
Just as he was fantasizing about this, a disturbance came from the depths of the forest, startling birds and beasts.
Soon, several figures stumbled out of the forest, looking disheveled and panicked.
They were all women, except for one in luxurious clothing; the rest were dressed as guards.
"Princess Tongyin, you must go now. We''re only half a day''s journey from the imperial city. Quickly escape back to the city. With the Hidden Dragon guards there, those demonic cultivators won''t dare pursue you further."
A female general, her face resolute and loyal, spoke.
The girl being protected in the middle bit her red lips and shook her head gently, her tone firm.
"General Wei, as a princess of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, abandoning my guards to escape alone is not the spirit of our family. You''ve followed me for so many years; I already see you as a sister. If we die, we die together!"
The female general was moved to tears.
At this moment, arge group of people emerged from the forest.
They were all dressed in ck robes, covering their entire bodies, exuding an evil aura like malevolent spirits.
These ck-robed figures surrounded the women.
The leader of the ck-robed figures waved his hand, "Eliminate all the female guards and take the princess."
"Protect the princess at all costs!" the female general shouted, raising her silver spear.
All the female guards resolutely surrounded the princess, ready to die heroically.
The princess, her eyes filled with despair, suddenly noticed Lin Jichen watching from a distance. She wanted to ask for help but, seeing his cultivation level, changed her mind and came up with another n.
"Fellow cultivator, I am a princess of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family. Could you go to Fengqu City and inform my father that the ones trying to kill me are from the Shadow Soul Hall? My father will surely reward you!"
[Ding! Opportunity triggered! The princess of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family seeks your help. Do you ept?]
Lin Jichen''s eyes lit up. He wanted to take this task; it was just delivering a message.
He wasn''t being asked to save anyone.
How could he possibly save anyone?
These ck-robed figures were at least at the Golden Elixir stage, and the leader had the aura of the peak of the Gathering Spirit Realm.
He was just ate-stage Qi Refining nobody; how could he save anyone?
Delivering a message wasn''t hard.
However, seeing this scene reminded Lin Jichen of a game plot from his past life, "Tale of Immortal."
It spoke of a princess from the Hidden Dragon Royal Family who was targeted by demonic cultivators while traveling, chased all the way, and ultimately died tragically at their hands.
Emperor Ji Hongyue of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family was furious upon learning this, ordering the entire family to eradicate the demonic cultivators, killing countless demonic practitioners.
Though they avenged the princess, they also made an enemy of the demonic cultivators.
Within a year, a great war between the righteous and demonic paths broke out, and this was the trigger.
Lin Jichen thought this might be the early trigger for the righteous-demonic war.
While he was lost in thought, a demonic cultivator noticed him and immediately charged at him.
The demonic cultivator even killed the Cang Wolf King that Lin Jichen had weakened, stealing his kill.
"Fuck you! How dare you steal my kill!"
Lin Jichen cursed angrily. The boss he had almost defeated was taken by this little bastard; of course, he was furious.
But the demonic cultivator showed no remorse, instead sneering.
He looked at Lin Jichen like an ant and quickly approached him.
"Fuck you, do you really think you''re some celestial being? Stealing my kill, huh? Let me show you what it means to have a backer!"
Lin Jichen took out a Soul Talisman and tore it apart on the spot!
Zzzzz!
As soon as the Soul Talisman was torn, the entire forest space began to change, and a terrifying aura suddenly appeared.
All the ck-robed figures felt as if they were facing a great enemy. Just feeling the pressure of this aura made their hearts stop and breathing difficult.
The next moment, a white-robed woman with an ethereal and otherworldly appearance floated in the air.
Her beauty was unparalleled, her demeanor like frost, and even a casual nce from her seemed to dictate life and death.
Leng Feiyan, though just a divine soul, still brought an overwhelming pressure that made everyone want to bow and worship.
She coldly scanned the scene and said, "Who dares to harm my disciple?"
Lin Jichen, now full of confidence, puffed out his chest, stepped forward, and pointed at the ck-robed figures.
"Master, it''s them. They''re all demonic cultivators, trying to kill your disciple. They even said they wanted to make you lose your only disciple, leaving you alone for life."
ck-robed figures: "????"
Such an obvious lie, but Leng Feiyan believed it.
"Dare to harm my disciple? Then you all shall go to hell."
Leng Feiyan''s eyes turned cold, and in the next moment, all the ck-robed figures, including their leader, turned to dust and ashes under her gaze, bing fertilizer for the soil.
"Master is awesome! Master is mighty! Master is the most beautiful!"
Lin Jichen turned into a sycophant, showering her with praise.
Leng Feiyan nced at Lin Jichen, seeing he wasn''t hurt, and felt relieved.
"Disciple, why are you here? You haven''t returned to the sect for so long; do you not want toe back?"
Leng Feiyan asked with a half-smile.
Lin Jichen''s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly exined, sweating.
"How could I dare? I always want to return to the sect and chat with Master. I even prepared some gifts, but because..."
Lin Jichen exined his quest to collect treasures, and Leng Feiyan didn''t pursue the matter further.
"In that case, collect them quickly and return to the sect. I brought you a gift from my travels. If you don''te back soon, you won''t get it."
Leng Feiyan said proudly.
Hearing about the gift, Lin Jichen quickly promised, "Master, don''t worry. I''ll return to the sect as soon as I gather the materials!"
"Alright, the Soul Talisman is about to expire. Finish your business and return to the sect quickly. I''ll give you another one to avoid situations like today."
Lin Jichen was overjoyed. See, this is the benefit of high affection levels.
His master had already offered her protection willingly.
He had to hold on tight!
Chapter 87 – The struggle between good and evil lasts a lifetime
Chapter 87 C The struggle between good and evilsts a lifetime
"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life. I, Ji Tongyin, am eternally grateful for your kindness."
At this moment, the princess realized she had been saved and quickly stepped forward to bow respectfully to Leng Feiyan''s soul.
Leng Feiyan nced at her without saying a word, then gave Lin Jichen a meaningful look before leaving.
Lin Jichen''s forehead was sweating. He hoped his master wouldn''t misunderstand; he didn''t even know this woman! He was innocent!
Seeing that Leng Feiyan ignored her, Ji Tongyin didn''t show any sign of displeasure.
Super experts usually had their own temperaments, especially when the other party had saved her life.
As Leng Feiyan left, Ji Tongyin walked towards Lin Jichen.
She noticed Lin Jichen was wearing the Tianyan Sword Sect''s attire and had called that fairy-like woman "Master."
Ji Tongyin quickly deduced that the person who had just saved her was likely the Sect Master of Tianyan Sword Sect, Leng Feiyan.
This person had actually be Leng Feiyan''s disciple!
Thinking of this, Ji Tongyin''s attitude became even more respectful.
"Thank you, Young Master, for your assistance. The Tianyan Sword Sect''s kindness will never be forgotten by Tongyin. Our Hidden Dragon Royal Family is deeply grateful."
Lin Jichen thought to himself, what''s the use of saying so many polite words? What he wanted was a reward.
[Ding! Sessfully rescued the Hidden Dragon Royal Family''s eldest princess! Affection Level with the eldest princess +10! Exclusive reputation in all cities of Mu Xian Province +5000 points!]
Roar!
Hearing this reward notification, Lin Jichen felt that his precious Soul Talisman hadn''t been wasted.
The exclusive reputation in Mu Xian Province meant that Lin Jichen''s reputation in the towns of Mu Xian Province was over five thousand points.
This reputation was only effective in the towns of Mu Xian Province, which were under the jurisdiction of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family.
If it wasn''t a town in Mu Xian Province, this reputation would be useless.
This meant that as long as he had enough Spirit Stones, he could buynd in Fengqu City again!
"Eliminating demons and defending the way is our duty as righteous cultivators. Princess, you needn''t take it to heart."
Lin Jichen put on a lofty air, appearing calm andposed.
With his handsome appearance and superb acting skills, he indeed had a bit of the demeanor of an immortal, a model of righteousness.
Ji Tongyin couldn''t help but admire him even more. Although his cultivation was weak, he was full of righteousness, truly worthy of being Leng Feiyan''s disciple.
"Young Master, you are too modest. It is a fact that you saved us."
Lin Jichen ced his small hand behind his back and said sternly, "The opposition between good and evil, fighting for life, is the eight-character motto that we righteous cultivators must adhere to!"
Ji Tongyin and her followers all showed expressions of admiration.
The opposition between good and evil, fighting for life.
Well said!
[Ding! Ji Tongyin''s Affection Level towards you +5! Current Affection Level: 15 points (pleasant conversation)]
[Ding! Ji Tongyin''s attitude towards you has upgraded to: Respect!]
Lin Jichen didn''t expect that borrowing Uncle Ying''s lines would yield such a good character effect.
Uncle Ying, love you, mwah!
"Young Master, would you be willing to apany me back to Fengqu City to meet my father? My father will surely treat you as an honored guest," Ji Tongyin invited.
Lin Jichen thought that going back to the pce might earn him another reward, and he was about to agree.
But then he remembered Leng Feiyan''s look and shivered.
The memory of Elder Tianqing wanting to take him as a disciple was still fresh in his mind. Lin Jichen didn''t dare to be so tant again.
What if Leng Feiyan was watching him?
So Lin Jichen resolutely declined.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Princess. As I said earlier, eliminating demons and defending the way is our duty as righteous cultivators, not for the sake of rewards. I still have tasks toplete, so I must take my leave. Farewell!"
After saying that, Lin Jichen didn''t look back and disappeared into the forest, leaving Ji Tongyin with a small figure to admire.
The day after Ji Tongyin and her entourage left, Lin Jichen finally waited for the Cang Wolf King to respawn. He defeated it and picked up thest treasure.
[Treasure: Wind Elemental Heart]: Legend has it that this heart is formed from condensed wind elements, possessing the spirit of the wind, swift as the wind, light as a feather.
Attributes: Speed +6, Wind Resistance +4, Evasion +5%, Mana +3%.
Effect: When a Qi Refining Realm cultivator breaks through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, using this treasure can greatly enhance the cultivator''s attributes.
With the materials finally gathered, Lin Jichen could return to the sect to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
But before that, he needed to make a trip to Fengqu City to check on his pharmacy.
Returning to the Commoner''s Pharmacy, Lin Jichen saw a bustling scene, with the threshold almost worn out by the yers.
The business was so good that it rivaled the Autumn Moon Pavilion across the street at night.
"Sorry everyone, all the potions are sold out. Pleasee back tomorrow."
Xiaocui said politely to everyone.
The disappointed yers left, scattering in all directions.
Lin Jichen walked into the store.
Seeing him, Xiaocui quickly said, "Boss, you''re back."
"Yes, how''s business these past two days?" Lin Jichen asked casually.
"Boss, business has been great. We sell ten thousand bottles in just half an hour every day. As per your instructions, I close the shop after selling ten thousand bottles, not daring to sell more," Xiaocui replied obediently.
Lin Jichen nodded in satisfaction and praised, "Well done."
Then he looked at the store''s revenue.
[Store: Commoner''s Pharmacy]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Type: Pharmacy]
[Staff: Xiaocui]
[Product: Corpse Poison Potion]
[Profit: Spirit Stones]
In just two days, he had earned nearly 180,000.
There were still hundreds of thousands of Corpse Poison Potions in the warehouse, and he could continue to rake in millions of Spirit Stones.
At this stage, there was no business more profitable than this.
"Good job, Xiaocui." Lin Jichen said as he took out ten taels of silver and handed them to Xiaocui. "This is your reward."
Xiaocui happily epted it, thanked him, but then looked a bit worried.
"Boss, many yers are saying that the potions are too expensive. They say other ces are already lowering prices and that we should lower our prices too."
Lin Jichen wasn''t surprised. As the pharmacies in major cities continued to update their Corpse Poison Potions, and with the form for the Corpse Poison Potion dropping in the Corpse King Valley, yers could make their own Corpse Poison Potions, so his potions wouldn''t be monopolized anymore.
But he was sure that even if there were, it would only be a few for now.
This price could be maintained for at least two more days.
"Alright, keep selling at the current price. In two days, we''ll lower the price once. Two days after that, we''ll lower it again, and so on, until we sell out all the potions."
Lin Jichen instructed. He knew that the Corpse Poison Potions couldn''t be sold at such a high price forever; the peak period was almost over.
He couldn''t let the goods rot in his hands, so lowering the price was inevitable.
But as long as he sold out, he would definitely make a huge profit.
After instructing Xiaocui, Lin Jichen left the pharmacy and first contacted Jiang Luoyu to return the 50,000 Spirit Stones he had borrowed from her.
He also fulfilled his promise by giving her 30% interest, totaling 65,000 Spirit Stones.
Jiang Luoyu wasn''t surprised. She epted the Spirit Stones and asked, "Is the Commoner''s Pharmacy in Fengqu City yours?"
"How did you know?"
Lin Jichen was surprised. Could this woman have been having him followed all along?
Chapter 88 – Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment
Chapter 88 C Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment
"You know Night Cave Ghost Ridge inside out, so I guess you also know a lot about Corpse King Valley. You mentioned before that you couldn''t get through Corpse King Valley because you were missing something. So, I guess you borrowed spirit stones to stock up. That Commoner''s Pharmacy with all those Corpse Poison Potions must be yours," Jiang Luoyu calmly analyzed.
Lin Jichen listened and pouted, thinking, does this woman have to be so smart? Doesn''t she know that men are afraid of overly intelligent women?
Any minor wrongdoing would be discovered by her. Who would dare to date her?
"You''re impressive," Lin Jichen could only respond after a long pause.
Jiang Luoyu replied with a yful expression and curiously asked, "How do you know so much insider information? Are you a beta tester?"
"That''s a secret, noment," Lin Jichen dared not reveal any more information to her.
This woman''s intelligence was terrifying. She could probably deduce the truth from a single clue.
The correct approach was tomunicate less with her to avoid saying too much.
After closing the chat, Lin Jichen headed to the City Administration Hall in the pce. With over a hundred thousand spirit stones and five thousand reputation points, he bought two moremercial properties in the city in one go!
They were all future prime locations,rge shops.
The price was high, and the five thousand reputation points and over a hundred thousand spirit stones were spent in an instant.
But Lin Jichen didn''t feel any pain. He knew how profitable thend he bought would be in the future.
After buying the shops, Lin Jichen went to a jewelry store in the city and bought two beautiful pieces of jewelry, one for Leng Feiyan and one for Nangong Yue.
After finishing everything, he finally teleported back to Tianyan Sword Sect.
He was now quite famous in the Sword Sect.
yers would gather around him, asking him to take them as disciples, little brothers, or even something more intimate.
Lin Jichen was annoyed by their harassment and quickly escaped from the outer temple branch hall, returning to the inner temple for some peace.
As soon as he returned to the inner temple, he saw Nangong Yue, who had been waiting for him in the sect.
"Junior brother, why did it take you so long toe back? I''ve been so bored in the sect. Did you forget something?" Nangong Yue stood in front of Lin Jichen, pouting her glossy red lips, looking unhappy.
Lin Jichen knew exactly what Nangong Yue was referring to and quicklyforted her.
"Of course, I remember. I said I wanted to invite Senior Sister to Fengqu City to listen to music at the theater, go shopping, and enjoy the scenery."
Nangong Yue immediately became shy, her eyes darting around.
"Then why... did it take you so long toe back..."
"Junior brother went to collect materials for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, so it took a while," Lin Jichen exined.
"Alright... then... when are we going to the city?" Nangong Yue asked weakly, blushing.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly. He wanted to go now, but Leng Feiyan was still waiting for him in the Sword Pce. If he didn''t go, his proud and jealous master might ''expel'' him.
"I''ll apany Senior Sister down the mountain as soon as I break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Nangong Yue nodded in agreement and chatted with him for a while before happily leaving.
Lin Jichen then returned to the Sword Pce.
As soon as he entered the main hall, he saw Leng Feiyan sitting in the Sect Master''s seat, resting her chin on her jade-like hand, lost in thought.
"Master, your disciple has returned," Lin Jichen reminded her.
Leng Feiyan''s unfocused eyes immediately lit up, a hint of joy appearing in her deep gaze. Her rosy lips curved into a heartfelt smile.
But the next second, the smile vanished, reced by a cold expression.
"You''re back?"
"Yes," Lin Jichen hadn''t realized the seriousness of the situation.
"Back so soon? You saved the Hidden Dragon Royal Family''s princess, didn''t they entertain you? Didn''t Ji Hongyue want to make you his son-inw?" Leng Feiyan''s three consecutive questions left Lin Jichen dumbfounded.
"Of course not. I just happened to run into the princess. She wanted to invite me to the pce to meet her father, but I refused outright," Lin Jichen quickly exined, disdainfully adding, "Even if Ji Hongyue invited me to be his son-inw, or even the emperor, I wouldn''t agree. I, Lin Jichen, am a person of the Sword Sect in life and in death. How could I agree to that?"
"Really?"
"Of course!" Lin Jichen immediately clenched his fist to his chest, his words firm.
"The kindness Master has shown me, I will always remember. Respecting my master and valuing the teachings, my sincerity is as clear as the sun and moon!"
Leng Feiyan couldn''t help but smile, saying, "I was just casually asking, why are you so nervous?"
"Uh... I was just worried that Master might misunderstand," Lin Jichen said bitterly.
"Alright, I was just joking with you. No need to be so scared."
Leng Feiyan indeedughed, her radiant smile like a lotus blooming quietly after a summer rain, extremely beautiful.
"Master, your smile is so beautiful, like the flowers in spring," Lin Jichen couldn''t help but praise.
A strange look appeared on Leng Feiyan''s face, her autumn eyes showing a hint of reproach.
"Smooth talker. Have you gathered all the materials for the Foundation Establishment?"
"Reporting to Master, your disciple has gathered everything and is ready to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm at any time," Lin Jichen was also eager.
He had been in the Qi Refining Realm long enough. Now, the cultivation rankings were dominated by Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The highest cultivation level had even reached thete stage of Foundation Establishment, close to Crystal Formation.
As the number one expert in the Tale of Immortal, he was still stuck in the Qi Refining Realm, which was a bit embarrassing.
Moreover, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm would allow him to learn the art of flying, Sword Flight.
This was a scene he had fantasized about for two lifetimes.
"In that case, go into seclusion and break through to the Foundation Establishment. I have a gift for you once you seed," Leng Feiyan said.
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly and said, "Master, I''m afraid I might encounter a heavenly tribtion during the breakthrough..."
"Don''t worry, I''ll protect you," Leng Feiyan said casually.
Lin Jichen finally felt relieved and, filled with excitement about the impending breakthrough, returned to his residence.
With the help of the Spirit Gathering Array, he couldplete the Foundation Establishment even faster.
Thinking of this, Lin Jichen sat cross-legged and took out all the materials for the Foundation Establishment.
Then, he began the formal breakthrough!
After Lin Jichen chose to break through, six types of spiritual energy enveloped three treasures, dissolving them. Then, the six types of spiritual energy merged into a single strand and entered his body.
Immediately, the surrounding spiritual energy surged like a tide, sinking into his sea of energy.
[Ding! Realm breakthrough, early stage of Foundation Establishment! Allbat attributes +20 points! Vitality +2000! Mana +2000!]
[Ding! Heaven-defying Fate talent triggered! Heaven-defying Path: Allbat attributes doubled!]
[Ding! Heaven-defying Fate talent triggered! Born Against the Heavens: Rewarded with a new random talent!]
[Ding! Random talent determined: Eye of Insight. When fighting other cultivators, there is a 20% chance to learn one of their skills. Cooldown time: 30 days.]
[Ding! Heavenly tribtion will descend in thirty minutes. Please take it seriously.]
Chapter 89 – Sadness welled up within him
Chapter 89 C Sadness welled up within him
[yer: Lin Jichen]
[ss: Sword Cultivator]
[Innate Talent: Heaven-defying Fate]
[Sect: Tianyan Sword Sect]
[Reputation: 100]
[Achievement Badge: Killing Intent (Damage to monsters +1%)]
[Innate Attributes: Maxed]
[Spirit Stones: 3990]
[Properties: 4 Shops in Fengqu City]
[Realm: Early Foundation Establishment]
[Cultivation: 0/5000]
[Acquired Talents: Tree of Vitality (Stagnant), Eye of Insight]
[Vitality: /]
[Mana: /]
[Strength: 170]
[Mental Power: 84]
[Defense: 137]
[Speed: 172]
[Critical Hit: 15]
[Heart Protection: 15]
[Fire Resistance: 5] [Wind Resistance: 4]
[Evasion: 16%] [Tenacity: +2%]
[Ghost Cultivator Skill Resistance: 4]
[Swordsmanship Aptitude: +45%]
[Alchemy Aptitude: +50%]
[Heart Sutra: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Minor Achievement 59%)]
[Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Minor Achievement 59%), Mist Piercing Charge (Minor Achievement 59%)]
[Martial Arts Technique: Frost Moon sh (Minor Achievement 59%), Phoenix Feather (Minor Achievement 37%), Stun Sword Qi (Beginner 0%)]
[Equipment: SpiritSword Sect Attire, SpiritCrimson Cloud Sword, SpiritGathering Spirit Jade Pendant, SpiritStone Sinking Ring, SpiritCloud Step Boots, SpiritRhinoceros Belt, SpiritHundred Refinement Ring, SpiritGentle Breeze Bracelet, SpiritNight Cave Gauntlets]
Lin Jichen''s entire attribute panel had undergone a dramatic transformation.
Aside from the doubled attributes from Foundation Establishment, three treasures had also significantly boosted his stats.
Now, Lin Jichen''s strength and speed were at terrifying levels.
Within the same realm of Foundation Establishment, he was virtually invincible.
What excited Lin Jichen the most was his second acquired talent, the Eye of Insight.
Being able to learn an opponent''s skill was incredibly useful.
It would perfectlypensate for his currentck of skills.
Each of Lin Jichen''s skills had reached the Minor Achievement stage.
Skill proficiency was divided into five stages: Beginner, Minor Achievement, Proficient, Major Achievement, and Perfection.
With each stage advancement, the skill''s damage, cooldown, and mana consumption would improve to some extent.
For example, Phantom Step at Minor Achievement: Speed +20, 15-meter range, Mana consumption: 80 points, Cooldown: 8 seconds.
Mist Piercing Charge at Minor Achievement: Speed increases by 25 points for 20 seconds, Mana consumption: 110 points, Cooldown: 50 seconds.
Frost Moon sh at Minor Achievement: Deals 350 base damage within a 20-meter range, 22% chance to slow, Mana consumption: 180 points, Cooldown: 28 seconds.
Phoenix Feather at Minor Achievement: Deals 680 base damage within a 220-meter range, 33% chance to interrupt skills, Mana consumption: 700 points, Cooldown: 110 seconds.
Each skill had improved, and the further the improvement, the more significant the effects, especially at the Perfection stage, which would grant an additional special effect.
However, the higher the stage, the higher the skill proficiency required, making it increasingly difficult to advance.
After reviewing his attribute panel, Lin Jichen was very satisfied with his Foundation Establishment self.
In his previous life, he hadn''t even reached half of this level during Foundation Establishment, as he had chosen the Human Dao Foundation.
Now he understood the vast difference between the Heavenly Dao and Human Dao.
Before he could revel in his joy, ck clouds began to gather in the sky, with lightning shing wildly.
Lin Jichen remained unfazed, knowing his master would protect him, making this tribtion insignificant.
"Come on, strike me if you dare!"
Boom!
Two bolts of heavenly lightning struck down.
As expected, nothing happened.
Lin Jichen safely passed this tribtion.
He happily walked out of the house and returned to the Sword Pce, where Leng Feiyan was still calmly seated.
However, there was a hint of worry in her eyes.
"Master, your disciple has broken through to Foundation Establishment. Thank you for helping me withstand the lightning tribtion and saving my life," Lin Jichen said with a grin, bowing.
But Leng Feiyan couldn''t smile. Instead, she said worriedly, "Disciple, did you feel anything during the lightning tribtion?"
"Feel? Besides an extra bolt, it didn''t seem much different. Oh, right, these two bolts felt more violent and seemed more powerful," Lin Jichen replied.
Leng Feiyan sighed softly and said, "That''s it. I''m afraid you can''t rely on others to withstand tribtions anymore."
"Huh?" Lin Jichen was stunned.
His joy vanished in an instant.
What? No more protection talisman?
"It''s not that I don''t want to protect you, but those two bolts were unusually violent and exceeded my expectations. This is the Heavenly Dao''sw of cause and effect. If I continue to shield you, future tribtions will be increasingly terrifying, to the point where even I might not be able to protect you."
Leng Feiyan paused for a moment and continued, "Moreover, a cultivator who hasn''t experienced the baptism of tribtion has a body and soul as fragile as paper. In the future, your inner demons will grow stronger, severely hindering your path to immortality."
Lin Jichen understood after hearing this.
Heaven-defying Fate had given him a dream start but also brought significant side effects.
It wouldn''t let Lin Jichen easily avoid these side effects if he kept seeking his master''s protection.
When the time came for him to face a tribtion, the lightning''s power would be enough to instantly kill him.
Even Leng Feiyan might not be able to protect him.
If he failed the tribtion, he would die, disappearing in both the game and reality.
He had been too naive, thinking he could always find someone to help him avoid the rules.
Now it seemed he was too simple-minded. The Heavenly Dao''sws couldn''t be so easily circumvented.
It appeared he was still in great danger. The next tribtion might be his life-and-death ordeal!
Thinking of this, Lin Jichen''s expression became serious, and a sense of pressure weighed on his heart.
Leng Feiyanforted him, "But you don''t need to worry too much. Currently, you are still a mortal body, unable to withstand the lightning tribtion. But now that you''ve entered Foundation Establishment, you''re no longer an ordinary person. As long as youy a solid foundation and improve yourself during Foundation Establishment, the tribtion might not be able to harm you."
"Really, Master?" Lin Jichen felt much more at ease upon hearing this.
Leng Feiyan nodded slightly and said, "There''s also another way to increase your chances of surviving the tribtion."
"Please tell me, Master," Lin Jichen asked eagerly, as this was a matter of life and death.
"When your cultivation reaches theter stage of Foundation Establishment, go to the Thunder Marsh in the Western Region to train. It''s known as thend of minor tribtions, a paradise for lightning attribute cultivators and beasts. There''s a powerful exotic beast called the Thunder Dragon. If you can kill it and obtain the Thunder Spirit Heart, you can refine a Thunder Spirit Body."
"The Thunder Spirit Body is not only powerful but also significantly suppresses heavenly lightning. The lightning''s power will be reduced by at least thirty percent, greatly increasing your chances of surviving the Crystal Realm tribtion."
After Leng Feiyan finished speaking, Lin Jichen''s eyes lit up. How could he have forgotten about the Thunder Marsh?
He had been there before and had killed the Thunder Dragon.
Although the Thunder Dragon was powerful, it shouldn''t be a big problem.
Thinking of this, Lin Jichen regained his confidence.
"I will remember! As soon as I reach theter stage of Foundation Establishment, I''ll head to the Thunder Marsh."
Leng Feiyan warned, "Remember, the Thunder Marsh is not only and of minor tribtions but also awless ce. It''s full of people who kill and rob, bully the weak, andmit all sorts of evil. You could encounter unexpected dangers at any time."
Lin Jichen grinned and said nonchntly, "Isn''t that why I have the Soul Talisman you gave me, Master? I''m not afraid!"
Leng Feiyan looked at Lin Jichen apologetically and said, "This tribtion has also reminded me. As your master, I''ve spoiled you too much, making you fearless of life and death, which is not right."
"Huh?"
Lin Jichen suddenly sensed what his master was about to say.
No more tribtion protection...
And the Soul Talisman... might be gone too...
Sadness welled up within him...
Chapter 90 – Sword · Dark Night
Chapter 90 C Sword Dark Night
"Disciple, the path of cultivation is one where the master leads you to the door, but the practice is up to you. I can teach you how to face difficulties and improve yourself, but I can''t always be there to protect you. Otherwise, you won''t experience true trials, and you''ll always have a sense of dependence. A true strong person continuously gains insight and progresses through life-and-death situations. If you always rely on my protection, it will be hard for you to be strong in the future."
As she spoke, Leng Feiyan felt deeply guilty and even a bit heartbroken.
"Disciple, the road ahead is yours to walk. Can you do it?"
Leng Feiyan''s tone was apologetic, mixed with heartache and helplessness.
It was like a beloved child whom she always wanted to protect and shelter from the storms of life. But one day, she had to push him out the door to face the world alone.
That kind of heartache and helplessness was fully reflected on Leng Feiyan''s face.
She wanted to give her disciple the best protection, but she realized that her protection would ultimately harm him.
For the sake of her disciple''s future, she had to let go, allowing Lin Jichen to face the storms alone.
Lin Jichen looked at Leng Feiyan''s self-reproachful and sorrowful expression for the first time, realizing it was because she could no longer protect him.
He felt a lump in his throat, but more than that, he was moved.
"Master, don''t worry. I can do it. I''ll walk the path ahead on my own, and I''ll do it beautifully!"
Lin Jichen said solemnly, his eyes bing resolute.
What was wrong with him? Could he not live without his master''s protection?
No! That wasn''t him, not Lin Jichen!
Back then, even a useless innate talent couldn''t crush his determination to be stronger. He relied on himself, constantly breaking through and learning from failures.
He eventually became the number one spell cultivator in the world, a top-ranked expert!
Now, with such a dreamlike start and an extraordinary talent, he was instead hesitant and fearful.
What was wrong with him?
Wasn''t it just death? What''s the big deal?
He had already died once. Heaven had given him a second chance, not to live in fear, but to live more brilliantly!
Understanding this, Lin Jichen''s mood brightened, his mental knots untied, and his worries dissipated.
Leng Feiyan saw the change in Lin Jichen''s demeanor, knowing he had truly understood. Her sadness eased a lot, and her eyes sparkled with admiration.
This disciple of hers grasped everything quickly.
More importantly, his Dao Heart was firm, and his mind was resilient.
Given time, his future was limitless, and surpassing her was highly possible.
Thinking of this, Leng Feiyan looked at Lin Jichen with a mix of pride and admiration.
Perhaps in the future, her disciple might even protect her, and maybe... they could form a Dao partnership...
Oh, what was she thinking!
A blush spread across Leng Feiyan''s jade-like face, her thoughts in disarray.
"Master, are you alright?" Lin Jichen noticed her unusual expression and asked curiously.
"No... I''m fine," Leng Feiyan quicklyposed herself.
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection level towards you +10! Current affection level: 45 (Heartfelt Connection)]
Lin Jichen was stunned, not expecting his master''s affection level to rise again.
Most of this affection probably came from Leng Feiyan''s guilt towards him.
But the higher, the better, hehe!
It seemed today wasn''t so bad after all. At least his rtionship with his master had taken a step forward.
"By the way, since you''ve sessfully reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, I have a gift for you."
Leng Feiyan remembered and raised her jade hand. A ck sword flew out.
In an instant, it crossed the hall, appearing in front of Lin Jichen, circling him once before hovering in front of him.
The sword had a translucent, spiritual quality, like the vast night sky. The de was engraved with intricate patterns, double-edged, with hidden sharpness.
The hilt resembled an exotic beast, with two crimson gems embedded in it.
Lin Jichen grasped the hilt, tentatively rotating his wrist. The ck de shed with a purplish sheen, as if it had a life of its own.
He tapped it with his finger, and the sword emitted a deep, thunderous hum, like a dark warrior.
This sword was no ordinary grade!
[Mysterious Grade Dark Night]: Strength +40, Critical Hit +25, attacks cause bleeding effect, andes with skills Swordmaster''s Path and Death Execution.
Bleeding: Hitting an opponent causes 120 points of bleeding damage per second for 3 seconds, stackable up to fiveyers, upgrading to Blood Fury, doubling the bleeding effect.
Swordmaster''s Path: If not injured within ten seconds of enteringbat, forms a 300-point shield, with a 20-second cooldown.
Death Execution: If the opponent''s health drops below 5%, it will directly execute them.
Requirements: Foundation Establishment Realm Sword Cultivator.
....
Hiss!
After reading the sword''s description, Lin Jichen took a deep breath.
Compared to it, the Crimson Cloud Sword was like a crowpared to a phoenix.
Noparison at all!
Even among Mysterious Grade equipment, he could assert that no other Mysterious Grade equipment could surpass it.
This sword was named Dark Night.
Usually, only Earth Grade or higher magic treasures had unique names.
This was the dream weapon of all Sword Cultivator yers.
In "Tale of Immortal," equipment grades didn''t necessarily corrte with higher cultivation or stronger monsters yielding higher quality equipment.
Many Golden Elixir and Gathering Spirit yers still used Spirit Grade equipment, though these Spirit Grade items had much better attributes than those for Foundation Establishment or Qi Refining.
But the grade wouldn''t change.
This made high-quality equipment a dream for many yers.
Only a few yers could use high-quality equipment.
The attributes of this sword were so strong that Lin Jichen wouldn''t need to rece it until the Crystal Formation Realm.
And Leng Feiyan just gave it to him.
What could Lin Jichen say?
He used to disdain being a gigolo, thinking it was a man''s shame.
Now... oh, how sweet it was!
Who was he? The King of Gigolos!
"Thank you, Master. I love this sword."
Lin Jichen smiled brightly, carefully storing the sword like a treasure, unable to let go.
Leng Feiyan, seeing Lin Jichen''s happy expression, couldn''t help but show a satisfied smile.
She loved seeing her disciple''s excited and silly look when receiving her gifts~
"Last time, you gave me a jade hairpin. As a return gift, I''ll give you this Dark Night sword."
"How could I ept that? Hehe, to be honest, I was too poorst time and could only afford a mundane jade hairpin for you."
Lin Jichen said, taking out a gift he had bought this time, a treasure box.
"Master, during myst trip down the mountain, I saved some money and bought you a gift before returning."
"Silly disciple, you don''t need to spend on me every time. Besides, the Sword Sectcks nothing."
Leng Feiyan said, but her eyes lingered on the treasure box.
She wasn''t coveting the gift, but because it was from her disciple, it was different.
Chapter 91 – The first date with my senior sister
Chapter 91 C The first date with my senior sister
"That won''t do. We must buy a gift for Master. People drift apart when they don''t cherish each other, and hearts grow cold when they''re not sincere!"
"A disciple must always treasure the days with their Master. As the saying goes, a disciple with a Master is like a treasure, without a Master, they''re like a de of grass."
"Unless I am reduced to dust and bones, I will ensure Master lives a life free of worries!"
Every word from Lin Jichen was filled with genuine emotion, heartfelt and sincere.
These words,den with sentiment, made Leng Feiyan''s heartstrings gently tremble.
Like a breeze brushing against willow trees by the river, like a white carp leaping out of the water, like a Buddhist chant paired with a simple zither.
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection level towards you +5! Current affection level: 50 points (Heartfelt Connection)]
Leng Feiyan didn''t refuse any further and epted the precious box.
Curious, she opened the box and found an exquisitely crafted bracelet inside.
This was the most expensive bracelet Lin Jichen had picked out from the jewelry store, costing him over eight thousand spirit stones.
Named "Purple Feather Fragrance," it was a treasure, and most importantly, it was very beautiful. He guessed Leng Feiyan would definitely like it.
Sure enough, seeing the bracelet, Leng Feiyan''s brows softened into a smile. She took the bracelet out and was about to put it on.
"Master, how about I help you put it on?" Lin Jichen asked tentatively.
He thought, with an affection level of 50, he should be able to get a bit closer...
Leng Feiyan''s expression was a bit unusual. After hesitating for a moment, she still agreed.
"Then you can help me put it on..."
Her voice grew weaker towards the end.
Lin Jichen, having received permission, approached with a grin.
As he got closer, Leng Feiyan, sitting in the Sect Master''s seat, looked increasingly uneasy, her gaze starting to wander.
Lin Jichen took the bracelet from Leng Feiyan''s hand, unsped it, and then grasped her jade-like hand.
Her hand was as soft and smooth as satin, cool and tender, like a baby''s skin, so delicate that Lin Jichen couldn''t bear to let go once he held it.
At the moment of contact, Leng Feiyan''s body visibly stiffened, and her eyshes trembled slightly.
This was the first time in her life that a man had touched her hand.
And so boldly...pletely holding her hand...
She could feel the warmth from Lin Jichen''s palm, like a zing me, making her snow-white skin start to heat up.
Unexpectedly, Lin Jichen let go of her left hand and grabbed her right hand.
Leng Feiyan couldn''t help but feign slight anger, "Disciple, what are you doing?"
Lin Jichen replied seriously, "I was just thinking how lucky this bracelet must be to be worn on Master''s beautiful jade hand. This Purple Feather Fragrance must have umted great fortune in its past life, perhaps even saved the world, otherwise, how could it be so lucky?"
Leng Feiyan''s face turned slightly red at his words. This mischievous disciple, truly a smooth talker! So naughty!
"Stop joking, just put it on my right hand." Leng Feiyan said, raising her right hand.
Lin Jichen, without hesitation, held her hand again and slowly and carefully put the bracelet on, reluctantly letting go afterward.
"It looks really good, Master. This bracelet suits you perfectly. It truly matches the old saying, ''Even the lotus cannotpare to the beauty of a woman, the fragrance of pearls in the water pce.''"
Leng Feiyan blushed at thepliment, feeling shy and awkward.
Especially seeing Lin Jichen''s intense gaze so close, it felt prating.
Her heart raced like a startled deer, leaving her at a loss.
"Alright... alright, stop talking nonsense. You... you... you can go back now. I''m a bit tired and want to rest."
"Alright, I wish Master sweet dreams." Lin Jichen didn''t push his luck, humming a tune as he left gracefully.
Leng Feiyan was left sitting in the chair, slightly panting, her face flushed, her heart pounding.
"This mischievous disciple... getting more and more unruly..."
Leng Feiyan murmured to herself, her eyes filled with autumnal mncholy.
But her expression showed no trace of anger; instead, her face was full of shyness, delight, and sweetness...
Lin Jichen walked out of the Sword Pce and headed straight down the mountain.
Nangong Yue seemed to know he wasing and was already waiting at the foot of the mountain.
"Junior brother, I just saw a heavenly tribtion behind the Sword Pce. Was it your lightning tribtion?"
"Yes." Lin Jichen nodded.
Thinking about it gave him a headache. From now on, he wouldn''t have Master''s help during tribtions. Sigh~
"Senior sister, I''ve already broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. I haven''t forgotten our agreement. Shall we go?"
Lin Jichen spoke softly, nervously ncing back.
"Yes... but we can''t leave together. We''ll be seen. If my father and grandfather find out, they definitely won''t let me go out."
Nangong Yue blushed, her shyness boundless.
"Alright, then we''ll go separately. I''ll go first and wait for you at the east gate of Fengqu City."
Lin Jichen was eager to separate. Nangong Yue feared her father, and he feared his Master!
"Okay..."
After agreeing, Lin Jichen left the Sword Sect first, and not long after, Nangong Yue secretly followed.
Outside Fengqu City, Lin Jichen didn''t wait long before seeing Nangong Yue emerge from the teleportation array.
"Junior brother, where... where are we going..." Nangong Yue''s face was still flushed.
This was her first time going on a date with a man, so nervous that she didn''t know what to do.
Lin Jichen, still a bit uneasy, asked, "No one followed you, right? No one is watching us, right?"
Nangong Yue thought he was asking about her father and grandfather and shook her head, "No, I was very careful."
"That''s good. Then let''s go into the city. I know a theater with excellent musicians and superb performances. How about we go there?"
Lin Jichen was quite experienced. In his past life, he was often dragged around by Guo Jie for shopping and dates, so he had plenty of experience.
Of course, he was very experienced at paying the bills.
"You decide." Nangong Yue had no opinion and agreed immediately.
The two walked into the city together.
They strolled leisurely until they reached an elegant old courtyard, which was the theater.
They went upstairs and booked a private room on the second floor, then sat down to listen to the performances below.
Nangong Yue seemed to quickly immerse herself in the opera, seriously appreciating it.
Until she noticed that Lin Jichen''s gaze was constantly on her, making her blush deeply.
"Junior brother... why are you looking at me? Aren''t you watching the opera?"
Lin Jichen grinned and said, "The opera isn''t as beautiful as Senior Sister. You don''t have to mind me. You watch your opera, and I''ll watch my Senior Sister."
Nangong Yue''s face turned crimson, her eyes lowered, her head buried in her chest, not daring to meet Lin Jichen''s gaze.
Until the opera ended, and they left together.
Nangong Yue couldn''t focus on thetter part of the opera at all. She only realized it was over when Lin Jichen reminded her twice.
Leaving the theater, Nangong Yue thought the date was over. To her surprise, Lin Jichen took her to a bookstore.
"Shopkeeper, has the romance novel I ordered arrived?"
"Yes, yes, it''s all ready for the immortal."
"Thank you."
Lin Jichen paid and received several books.
He handed the books to Nangong Yue, smiling, "I specially prepared these for you, Senior Sister. I wonder if you''ve read them."
Nangong Yue didn''t expect Lin Jichen to give her romance novels. She flipped through them and found that she hadn''t read any of them.
Nangong Yue''s smile blossomed, and she hugged the books to her chest, as happy as a child.
Chapter 92 – Senior sister kissed him voluntarily
Chapter 92 C Senior sister kissed him voluntarily
"Junior brother, you''re so good to me. You even bought me romance novels. Only you would spoil me like this. My father and grandfather never would."
Nangong Yue held her beloved romance novel, her eyes misting over.
Her father and grandfather disapproved of her reading such mundane books, thinking they were a waste of time.
Only Lin Jichen knew what she liked best and always prepared it in advance, touching her deeply.
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level for you +3! Current affection level: 65 points (Mutual Affection)]
"Sister, I remember you said we don''t need to be so formal with each other."
Lin Jichen smiled lightly.
"Yes, but I''m just so moved. Junior brother, will you always be this good to me?" Nangong Yue asked, her face slightly flushed.
"Of course. I''m not talented, and my heart is narrow. I can only fit one person in it, and that''s you, Sister." Lin Jichen replied without hesitation.
Lin Jichen''s sweet words flowed effortlessly, not because he had suddenly be a love saint.
But because these were lines he had painstakingly learned in his previous life to pursue Guo Jie.
Guo Jie often demanded that Lin Jichen meet all her material needs and fulfill her romantic fantasies.
So Lin Jichen studied romantic lines diligently every day, and over time, he maxed out his skills in this area.
Of course, before saying these words, he still nervously nced around, afraid that Leng Feiyan might hear.
Nangong Yue turned her head, her earlobes a bit red.
"It''s gettingte, Junior brother. I have to go back. If my father and grandfather find out I didn''te home, they''ll be worried."
Lin Jichen nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll walk you back."
"Okay."
The two continued walking together, heading out of the city.
Perhaps reluctant to part, Nangong Yue deliberately walked very slowly, and Lin Jichen apanied her, walking slowly as well.
But eventually, they reached the teleportation array.
"Junior brother, let''s go separately like we did when we came. Otherwise, I''m afraid my father will see us..."
"Alright, you go first." Lin Jichen agreed with the n.
Please, he was also quite scared...
"By the way, Junior brother, I might have to leave the Sword Sect for a while."
"Why?"
Nangong Yue exined, "My father wants to take me to Yongbian City to attend the Sword Sect Conference. It''s an annual event held by all the Sword Sects in the four provinces. Only disciples above the Crystal Realm can participate. I just broke through to the Golden Elixir stage, and my father wants me to gain some experience and bring honor to our sect."
Lin Jichen nodded in understanding. Such events did exist.
His spell cultivation sect had the same practice, with different professional sects in each of the four provinces.
Every year, disciples in the Crystal Realm wouldpete for the top spot.
When he broke through to the Crystal Realm, he had also participated but only achieved a low rank.
There was no helping it; Mu Xian Province was strongest in artifact cultivation, while spell cultivation was strongest in Yongning Province.
Now their Tianyan Sword Sect was in Mu Xian Province, and he believed Nangong Yue could definitely take first ce.
"Then I wish you victory, Sister, and may you defeat all your opponents until they beg for mercy."
Pfft~
Nangong Yue was amused but still stared at Lin Jichen with eyes full of reluctance.
She would be gone for at least half a month before she could see her junior brother again.
"Every Sword Sect Conference has prizes. Junior brother, wait for me to take first ce and bring the prize back for you."
"How could I ept that? Just a small token will do."
Lin Jichen feigned modesty, but he was already looking forward to it. Living off a woman? He loved it!
"Oh, right, I also have a gift for you."
Lin Jichen remembered the gift he had bought earlier. He had given one to Leng Feiyan, and the other was for Nangong Yue.
He took out the gift, a sapphire ne. The ne was exquisite, masterfully crafted, and brimming with spiritual energy.
It was a spiritual treasure, just like the one he had given Leng Feiyan, and it had cost him over ten thousand spirit stones.
"I carefully selected this. I thought it would look beautiful on you, Sister. Do you like it?"
Nangong Yue looked at the ne, her eyes sparkling. She nodded and, blushing, said softly, "Junior brother... could you help me put it on?"
Lin Jichen naturally wouldn''t refuse. He walked behind Nangong Yue, holding the ne, and carefully ced it around her swan-like neck.
Nangong Yue''s cheeks were already red, and even her neck was flushed.
Especially when Lin Jichen''s hand identally touched her neck or corbone, she felt a tingling sensation, like an electric shock.
Finally, the ne was on.
"Does it look good?" Nangong Yue asked eagerly.
Lin Jichen smiled and replied, "Saying it looks good is an understatement. You look stunning, like a heavenly immortal!"
"tterer~" Nangong Yue said, embarrassed and yful.
It was gettingte, and Nangong Yue knew she had to go back. Otherwise, her father and grandfather woulde looking for her.
"Junior brother, I''m leaving."
"Alright, Sister, take care. I''ll be waiting for your triumphant return at the sect. But victory or not, your safety is what matters most."
Lin Jichen waved, and Nangong Yue walked towards the teleportation array, turning back every few steps.
Just as she was about to step into the array, Nangong Yue suddenly turned around and ran back to Lin Jichen.
She stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
Then, without looking back, she blushed deeply and teleported away.
[Ding! Nangong Yue''s affection level for you +5! Current affection level: 70 points (Harmonious Melody)]
Before leaving, Lin Jichen received another affection level notification, but he had no time to pay attention to it.
The scent of Nangong Yue''s lips still lingered on his face.
His senior sister had kissed him voluntarily. The happiness came so suddenly that Lin Jichen was caught off guard.
It was a while after Nangong Yue left before he reluctantly turned to head back.
The scene of Nangong Yue kissing Lin Jichen was seen by many yers outside the city.
It immediately caused a stir.
"Damn! I thought yers couldn''t have intimate interactions? Howe they can kiss?"
"Idiot, that''s not a yer. That''s an NPC. Lin Jichen got kissed by a female NPC!"
"I saw it too. And the NPC is so beautiful. Why don''t I have this kind of luck?"
"I''ve been chasing a female senior sister NPC from the Saber Sect for a long time, but she doesn''t even look at me. Why is that?"
"This Lin Jichen is disgusting. Flirting with game NPCs? What''s the point? What a fat nerd,ughable!"
...
Before long, the scene of Lin Jichen being kissed by a female NPC was posted on the forums.
It sparked quite a discussion.
Some were envious and wanted to be favored by female NPCs like Lin Jichen.
Some mocked him, calling him a delusional otaku who couldn''t even let a bunch of game data go.
Some were jealous, specting that the NPC must be promiscuous and unself-respecting. They had also tried to flirt with NPCs but got no response.
In short, there were all kinds ofments, but they all revolved around one word: envy!
Chapter 93 – Life is not easy, and national treasures sell their skills
Chapter 93 C Life is not easy, and national treasures sell their skills
After seeing Nangong Yue off, Lin Jichen didn''t return to his sect but instead headed towards the Secret Realm outside the city.
This time, he nned to clear the Nightmare Secret Realm.
Since reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, his Spirit Grade equipment had started to feel outdated.
Especially with the Dark Night Sword in his possession, he felt he needed a couple more pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment to match the sword''s aura.
Since the Dark Night Sword appeared, it had dominated the Magic Treasure Rankings.
[Magic Treasure Rankings]
Top: Mysterious Grade Dark Night Sword
Second: Mysterious Grade Night Cave Staff
Third: Spirit Grade Storm Gauntlets
Fourth: Spirit Grade Xuezhao de
Fifth: Spirit Grade Hundred Flowers Bow
...
The top ten included two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment, both obtained by Lin Jichen.
The Night Cave Staff, now in Jiang Luoyu''s possession, had originally been first.
Now, it had been pushed down by his Dark Night Sword.
Lin Jichen was certain that for a long time toe, the Dark Night Sword would continue to dominate the rankings!
Before heading to the Secret Realm, Lin Jichen first opened the auction house to see if there was anything good.
The auction house was filled with items, most of which were Ordinary Grade equipment.
Even the asional Spirit Grade items had very average attributes.
Lin Jichen dismissed them all.
This only strengthened his resolve to create a private auction house far superior to the official one.
He nned to sell his Crimson Cloud Sword and some other unused Spirit Grade equipment there, which would surely generate great publicity!
Just as Lin Jichen was about to close the auction house, a particr item caught his eye.
[Beast Spirit Pill]: Can help pets below the Crystal Realm break through their current realm and increase their cultivation.
Auction Price: 120 Spirit Stones.
Auction Time: 10 minutes remaining.
Seeing this item, Lin Jichen immediately joined the bidding.
He had been worrying about where to find a Beast Spirit Pill for Panda Xiong to break through its bottleneck in the early Foundation Establishment stage.
Beast Spirit Pills were quite rare and required hunting various spirit beasts in the wild, with a very low drop rate.
He waspeting with dozens of other yers.
But they were all bidding in small increments, while Lin Jichen directly set a bid of 200 Spirit Stones, scaring everyone else away.
In the early stages of the game, most people weren''t wealthy, and few had pets.
So, the Beast Spirit Pill was selling cheaply now, but in a month, its price would at least tenfold.
Lin Jichen sessfully won the Beast Spirit Pill, driving away all other bidders.
Experiencing the thrill of being wealthy for the first time, he felt a bit addicted.
For the first time, Old Lin, who had been poor all his life, could finally stand tall.
This reminded him that now was the best time to buy and invest in Beast Spirit Pills while they were cheap.
In a few months, the price would skyrocket, and he could make a huge profit by reselling them.
So, Lin Jichen posted a purchase notice in the auction house, offering 300 Spirit Stones for each Beast Spirit Pill!
After handling that, Lin Jichen received the Beast Spirit Pill from the auction and summoned Panda Xiong.
Panda Xiong, who had been sulking in the pet space for several days, was in a bad mood.
Lin Jichen handed over the Beast Spirit Pill, and the silly panda immediately perked up.
"Want to eat it? No way, not with that grumpy face," Lin Jichen teased.
Panda Xiong immediately hugged Lin Jichen''s leg, acting cute and putting on what it thought was its most adorable expression.
After a fervent performance, it finally received Lin Jichen''s charity.
Sigh, life is hard, even a national treasure has to perform.
After consuming the Beast Spirit Pill, Panda Xiong sessfully broke through.
Its body grewrger, gradually showing the majestic appearance of an Iron-Eating Beast.
Lin Jichen checked its attributes, which had increased significantly.
[Spirit Beast: Iron-Eating Beast (Young)]
[Name: Panda Xiong]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Strength: Mid Foundation Establishment]
[Loyalty: 92 points]
[Health: /]
[Attack: 125]
[Defense: 110]
[Speed: 90]
[Skills: Thunder Roar, Absolute Defense, Furious Thunder Strike]
The attributes had changed, and even the skills had been upgraded.
Thunder Roar: Sound like thunder, bear roar sound wave, causing 200 points of mental damage, and can make monsters within a hundred-meter radius with a lower realm than itself tremble, triggering a fear effect for 20 seconds.
Absolute Defense: Beast spirit power infuses the skin, making it extremely tough,parable to hard stone, Defense +50 points, Speed -20 points,sts 10 seconds.
Furious Thunder Strike: A leap into the sky, a desperate strike, causing 500 points of base damage to a single enemy. If the enemy''s health is lower than its own, it will be knocked down, triggering a biting effect.
All three skills seemed very powerful.
"Not bad at all, worthy of being an Iron-Eating Beast."
Lin Jichen patted its bear head in satisfaction. Unfortunately, it was still in its juvenile stage and couldn''t be ridden yet; otherwise, riding it would be quite impressive.
Feeding it the Beast Spirit Pill also increased its loyalty by 2 points, but it would take some time to fully recover.
Perhaps the initial blow to its young heart was too great, and its loyalty hadn''t fully recovered yet.
"Let''s go, follow your big brother to clear the Secret Realm."
With a wave of his hand, Lin Jichen and the bear headed towards the entrance of the Nightmare Secret Realm.
yers around them made way, wondering if Lin Jichen could clear the Nightmare Secret Realm.
Currently, many had cleared the Nightmare Secret Realm, with most clearing it on Hard difficulty, and only a few on Very Hard.
No one had cleared it on Hell difficulty yet.
The highest progress was 80%, still unable to clear the Hell-level Nightmare.
Under the watchful eyes of countless yers, Lin Jichen entered the Secret Realm with his Iron-Eating Beast.
Many yers began specting about what difficulty Lin Jichen would choose and whether he could clear it.
Some even started a betting pool.
"We''re betting on whether Lin Jichen can clear the Hell-level Nightmare and surpass the current top yer, Xie Lingyang. Odds are 1:2, and if he buys two, the odds are 1:5. By the way, Xie Lingyang has the innate talent of a Martial Spirit Child, so he''s very strong."
After the bookmaker spoke, yers began cing their bets.
"I bet he can''t clear the Hell-level Nightmare, three Spirit Stones."
"I bet 5 Spirit Stones that he can clear it but won''t surpass Xie Lingyang. After all, Xie Lingyang is already at 80%, almost clearing it."
"I also bet on Xie Lingyang. He''s at 80% progress, probably fighting the final boss now. How can Lin Jichen catch up? I don''t think he can."
"Good analysis, I''ll bet on Xie Lingyang too! Ten Spirit Stones!"
...
Most people bet that Lin Jichen wouldn''t surpass Xie Lingyang.
At this moment, a female yer walked up and ced all her Spirit Stones on the table.
"I bet 100 Spirit Stones that Lin Jichen can clear it and surpass Xie Lingyang,pleting the first clear, a double bet!"
Wow! Everyone looked at this gambling maniac, finding her very familiar.
Isn''t this the famous streamer ChuChuBaby... oh, sorry, wrong person, it''s the famous streamer, Liu Xiazi!
Seeing her bet so many Spirit Stones on Lin Jichen, everyone was only slightly surprised before quickly understanding.
After all, anyone who had watched Liu Xiazi''s streams knew that this woman was Lin Jichen''s number one fan.
She streamed every day shouting ''Lin Jichen is the best,'' and was the number one ''Lin fan'' in Tale of Immortal, to the point where her fans'' ears had calluses from hearing it.
Chapter 94 – Nightmare
Chapter 94 C Nightmare
The Secret Realm "Nightmare" is different from the Night Cave Ghost Ridge; its a plot-driven Secret Realm with only one boss inside.
However, if you want to meet it, you have to find it on your own.
You need to follow the plot clues inside, gradually find the boss, and then eliminate it.
But many yers lose their sanity during the search, attempting to alter the plot, and even when facing the final boss, they can''t bring themselves to act.
Yes, the plot of "Nightmare" is very tragic. Everyone who clears it for the first timees out crying.
In the previous life, "Nightmare" was also rated as the most infuriating and heart-wrenching plot-driven Secret Realm, with extremely high ratings.
Someone once said, if you think your life is bleak, clear "Nightmare" once, and you''ll realize how lucky you are.
After Lin Jichen stepped into the Secret Realm, he arrived at a small town. The town looked picturesque, with small bridges and flowing water, exuding an ancient charm.
It was still daytime, and the people in the town were normal, living peacefully, working at sunrise, and returning at sunset. Everything seemed natural.
There was no hint of the terror suggested by the word "Nightmare"; instead, it felt like a beautiful resort.
This waspletely at odds with the title of the Secret Realm.
Lin Jichen knew what was going on. As a reborn individual, he was naturally familiar with this Secret Realm and had cleared it many times before.
However, it had been a long time, and he had almost forgotten. Coming back to this Secret Realm again, he felt a bit nostalgic.
Lin Jichen was not in a hurry to clear it but quietly experienced this tragic Secret Realm that had made countless yers cry.
Before long, an outsider''s carriage entered the town, and a beautiful woman got off.
The woman was dressed in silk and satin, with a decent appearance, seemingly ady from a wealthy family.
After getting off the carriage, the woman was polite and well-mannered, treating the town''s farmers and vigers with courtesy and a smile.
Anyone would have a good impression of such a woman.
The woman''s name was Wan''er. She was not here for sightseeing or lodging but to buy a child.
Wan''er was infertile and had always wanted to adopt a child for her husband, who was a soldier. Her husband was very supportive.
Wan''er sought out sellers. This small town was not a proper town; it thrived on child trafficking.
The women in the town were responsible for giving birth, and the men were responsible for selling the children. It was a ck market industry.
Although Wan''er knew this transaction was filthy and illegal, she was desperate to have a child with her husband.
So she mustered up the courage, brought her servants and money, and came to this town to choose a child.
The town mayor hadmunicated with her earlier, so he warmly led her to make her selection.
Lin Jichen followed them to the mayor''s house. Strangely, it seemed no one noticed him; they just ignored him.
In the room, Wan''er saw the babies lying inside and joyfully went to choose, hoping to find the one she wanted.
But she didn''t notice that from the moment she appeared in the town, the men''s eyes were filled with evil intentions.
Even the mayor was no exception.
Wan''er, focused on wanting a child, didn''t pay attention to these things. She continued to seriously choose a child.
The next second, someone knocked her out from behind. It was the mayor.
Not only that, but the other men quickly and brutally killed the servants Wan''er brought and robbed all the money from the carriage.
As for Wan''er, who was unconscious on the ground, the men in the town surrounded her with lecherous eyes, drooling as they stared at her.
"This woman is really beautiful!"
"Yeah, it''s been years since we''ve had such a pretty one."
"I couldn''t hold back the moment she arrived."
"Mayor, you decide, how do we split?"
...
The mayorughed sinisterly, "How about this, you guys take all the money from the carriage, and the woman is mine."
Unexpectedly, no one agreed.
"No way! No amount of money canpare to this Heavenly Immortal-like woman. I want her too."
"How about I take the woman, and you guys can have my wife to split."
"Haha, no way, your wife can''tpare to her, not even a hundred of her."
"Mayor, don''t think about hogging her, we won''t agree."
....
The mayor knew he couldn''t have her all to himself, so he reluctantly said, "Then we''ll do it the old way. Everyone gets to take her home for two days. After she gets pregnant, whoever''s child it is, the woman belongs to him. I''ll go first, no objections, right?"
Everyone agreed.
The mayor drove everyone out, impatiently returning to the room to find Wan''er.
Seeing this, every yer probably wanted to take up a sword and ughter these beasts to save the poor woman.
But Lin Jichen didn''t move, continuing to watch silently.
The scene shifted, and he was forcibly moved out of the mayor''s house, unable to see the disturbing scene.
Inside the house, Wan''er had already woken up.
Desperate cries came from inside, moving anyone to want to rush in and save her.
But Lin Jichen still didn''t move.
Time seemed to fast forward, and in the blink of an eye, two days passed.
For Lin Jichen, it felt like only a few seconds.
Wan''er''s voice was hoarse from shouting, her tears dried up, like a walking corpse.
Seasons changed, and a year passed.
Wan''er actually gave birth to a child.
The baby was taken for identification right after birth.
"Hahaha! It''s mine! She''s mine!"
A one-eyed man stood up excitedly.
The other men looked envious.
"Damn, didn''t expect it to be the one-eyed guy''s."
"This guy is notoriously brutal. That woman might not survive a few days with him."
"Such a bummer, only had her for two days."
"One-eyed guy, go easy on her, leave us some scraps."
The one-eyed man sneered, "You think you''ll get any scraps from me? Dream on. Watch how I y with her!"
He then grabbed Wan''er by the hair and dragged her to his house.
She tried to escape, but as soon as she stepped out the door, the one-eyed man pulled her back.
If Lin Jichen were a new yer, he would have already drawn his sword and ughtered everyone in the town.
But he didn''t move.
Because if he did, the Secret Realm would fail.
And no matter how he tried to change it, he couldn''t.
Because this is a dream, he is inside someone''s dream.
This is, Nightmare!
Chapter 95 – Zhan
Chapter 95 C Zhan
Someone asked, why didn''t Lin Jichen take action and just watch this inhumane scene unfold?
It''s not that he''s cold-blooded, but rather, his intervention wouldn''t change anything.
This is a dream, an endless nightmare belonging to the sorrowful.
If he were a novice yer, he would have already been notified of failing the Secret Realm.
Because it''s a dream, he must be an observer.
In the other party''s memory dream, he needs to find clues and locate the final BOSS.
Wan''er managed to hold on without copsing into suicide because she always wanted to escape; she couldn''t bear to leave her husband.
It was this belief that kept her going for a year.
But under the torment of the one-eyed guy, Wan''er finally lost her mind and became insane.
Everyone lost interest in her, and the watch over her becamex.
Taking advantage of the night when the one-eyed guy was asleep, Wan''er took a hatchet and chopped off all his limbs.
His screams echoed through the entire night.
It rmed everyone, and by the time they arrived, the one-eyed guy had been turned into a human swine and stuffed into a wine jar.
This actpletely enraged the mayor and his group; they would not tolerate any woman daring to resist.
If they didn''t punish her severely, other submissive women might start to rebel.
So, the mayor ordered Wan''er''s limbs to be chopped off as well.
Knowing she couldn''t escape death, Wan''er swallowed a ring and calmly awaited her fate.
Wan''er was eventually dismembered, and the mayor summoned a demonic cultivator who used a vicious secret method to permanently seal and suppress her Three Souls and Seven Spirits, burying them deep underground.
They thought the matter was over, but who knew Wan''er''s vengeful spirit grew stronger within the seal, constantly trying to break free.
Strange things began happening in the town.
Every night, men would be found with their limbs severed, dying miserably in their own beds.
At first, they thought some women were imitating Wan''er.
It wasn''t until the mayor suffered the same fate that they realized Wan''er hade back for revenge!
In an instant, the men in the town were terrified, and they sought out the demonic cultivator.
The demonic cultivator found he could no longer deal with Wan''er''s vengeful spirit and could only offer a suggestion.
Every year, they needed to chop off the limbs of a few men and offer them as sacrifices to appease Wan''er''s resentment.
So, every year, men from the town were chosen, their limbs severed, and the town indeed remained peaceful.
Those without limbs didn''t die, but they had to rely on others for the rest of their lives, a fate worse than death.
This sacrificial method only temporarily suppressed the spirit, and as time passed, more and more limbs were needed each year.
The men in the town began nning to escape, but anyone who left the town''s boundaries died a horrible death.
They had no choice but to return and continue the sacrifices.
As more and more men were dismembered, all the men in the town had be human swines.
But even this didn''t satisfy Wan''er''s vengeful spirit. Finally, when there were no more sacrifices, she broke the seal and began a frenzied revenge on the town''s men.
All the men were tortured to death, and her great revenge seemedplete.
But then the scene shifted back to the beginning, to when Wan''er''s carriage first arrived in town.
Lin Jichen, aware of the plot, knew this was an endless nightmare, and he was in Wan''er''s dream.
Only by finding the most crucial clue could he exit her dream and defeat Wan''er, who had be the BOSS, to clear this Secret Realm.
This is why many yers said that even if they found the final BOSS, they couldn''t bring themselves to act.
Lin Jichen used to feel the same, thinking this woman was truly pitiful, and even if she became a demon, it was understandable.
Many yers even chose to abandon this task.
But more yerster interpreted the best ending of this Secret Realm as killing Wan''er, letting her soul return to the underworld.
Otherwise, continuing to live would be even more cruel for her, as she would relive her memories every day.
Now, for Lin Jichen, he just needed to find the clue to break the dream.
He went to the ce where Wan''er''s remains were buried and immediately found the key clue.
It was the ring.
It was the token of love from Wan''er''s husband, and also her spiritual support.
Of course, finding the ring meant he still had to face Wan''er, just like other yers who knew the strategy in the future.
Moreover, Wan''er as the BOSS was exceptionally powerful, especially in the Hell Realm.
The moment Lin Jichen found the ring, the dream indeed vanished.
The town''s scenery instantly shifted from heaven to hell, with corpses everywhere and rivers of blood.
There was no sunlight, only dark clouds covering the sky, and everything was in ruins.
Boom!
The ground suddenly started to tremble, and a sound like a giant''s footsteps reached Lin Jichen''s ears.
Looking up, he saw a gigantic humanoid spider appear above the town, covered in arms and legs.
There were thousands of them, densely packed like human hair.
Its face had no features, only a huge bloody mouth, splitting its head in two, filled with thousands of fangs.
Each fang reflected a man''s terrified and desperate expression, including the one-eyed guy, the mayor, and... all the townspeople!
Such a horrifying creature was enough to make anyone shudder.
This was the final BOSS of the Nightmare Secret Realm, the vengeful spirit of Wan''er.
It was no longer a ghost; Wan''er''s ghost had died, and what remained was a Zhan!
Humans be ghosts upon death, and ghosts be Zhan upon death!
Zhan is a hundred times more terrifying than ghosts.
Humans fear ghosts, just as ghosts fear Zhan.
The Zhan that Wan''er had be had already noticed Lin Jichen and was slowly crawling towards him.
With each step, some limbs fell from its body, but it didn''t care, casually grabbing them and tossing them back into its mouth, chewing vigorously.
Blood flowed like a spring, mixed with screams, dripping down to form a path of blood.
Lin Jichen sighed. Encountering this instance again, he still felt some reluctance.
On one hand, he felt the men of this town deserved their fate; on the other, he felt Wan''er was truly pitiful.
But he also believed that eliminating the Zhan was the best release for Wan''er.
"I''m sorry, I sympathize with your plight, but I hope you can let go of the past. Your enemies are all dead, don''t live in pain anymore."
Lin Jichen said this earnestly, then his eyes shed, and his body moved suddenly.
This time, he didn''t taunt or provoke the enemy as he usually did.
On the contrary, Lin Jichen was very silent this time, not wanting to anger it.
Chapter 96 – Light speed clearance
Chapter 96 C Light speed clearance
"Your past is tragic, but that doesn''t justify your evil deeds. Your great revenge has been fulfilled, let go of your obsessions and reincarnate."
Lin Jichen looked at the Zhan monster before him and softly recited.
However, the Zhan now bore no resemnce to Wan''er. It had evolved into a pure monster.
Upon seeing a living person, it immediately charged forward with its terrifying thousand legs.
Lin Jichen''s body moved slightly, and he effortlessly dodged the Zhan''s attack.
At the Foundation Establishment Realm, Lin Jichen''s speed was astonishingly fast.
He could even appear behind his opponent before their attacknded.
The Dark Night Sword swung like a ck eagle, slicing through the air and striking the Zhan''s abdomen.
The Zhan let out a horrifying scream, a sound that was particrly chilling.
It was as if hundreds of people were screaming simultaneously, shrill and hoarse, extremely piercing.
"-1111!"
The power of one sword strike was terrifying!
The Zhan''s attributes appeared before Lin Jichen''s eyes.
Monster: Zhan
Level: BOSS-level
Strength: Later stage of Foundation Establishment
Health: /
Attack: 121
Defense: 100
Speed: 106
Heart Protection: 11
Critical: 15
Skills: Corrosive Blood Rain, Self-Healing, Vengeful Ghost Possession, Power of Zhan
This Zhan was slightly stronger than the Night Cavern Ghost King. If Lin Jichen hadn''t reached Foundation Establishment, the Zhan would have posed a significant threat to him.
But now, Lin Jichen at Foundation Establishment was apletely different person from when he was at Qi Refining.
Especially with the Dark Night Sword, Lin Jichen''s strength had broken through 210 points, and his critical hit rate was 40 points. Such damage was unbearable even for a monster at theter stage of Foundation Establishment.
Lin Jichen''s achievement badge granted him an additional 1% damage against monsters, making this sword strike deal over eleven hundred damage.
Previously, against the Night Cavern Ghost King, he could only deal around two hundred damage.
Although their defenses were simr, the damage output was nearly five times higher!
Moreover, the bleeding effect of the Dark Night Sword was triggered, causing 120 points of damage per second for three seconds.
No wonder the Zhan screamed so miserably.
Other yers could only scratch it, but Lin Jichen was practically slicing its flesh.
The heavily injured Zhan became agitated, quickly retreating and shedding a pile of limbs, which formed small humanoid spiders that surrounded Lin Jichen.
As soon as they got close to Lin Jichen, they exploded like bombs, sttering foul-smelling, highly corrosive blood.
Fortunately, Lin Jichen''s speed was maxed out, preventing these spiders from getting close.
Seeing this, the Zhan opened its bloody mouth, and the sky was covered with acidic blood, raining down on the entire town.
Lin Jichen knew there was no way to avoid it, so he activated the Spirit Shield of the Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant, sessfully resisting the corrosive blood.
Not wanting the Zhan to spew more of this disgusting blood, Lin Jichen activated Phantom Step and flew forward.
The Dark Night Sword turned into a ck cold light, stabbing out, and simultaneously, Frost Moon sh was unleashed!
The ck cold light and white frost light merged, flying into the Zhan''s gaping mouth.
Boom!
A loud explosion erupted inside the Zhan''s mouth.
The Zhan let out an even more horrifying scream.
"Critical Hit! -2808!"
The intense pain threw it intoplete disarray, causing it to thrash wildly.
Lin Jichen showed no mercy, taking advantage of its confusion to strike several more times.
He began nting Poison Sword Qi inside the Zhan.
After five strikes, the bleeding effect of the Dark Night Sword transformed into Blood Fury, causing 240 points of damage per second.
With Panda Xiong assisting from the side, the Zhan''s health rapidly depleted like water being pumped out.
The Zhan became terrified, frantically grabbing the severed limbs on the ground and stuffing them into its mouth.
Its health began to gradually recover.
This was its self-healing ability. If left unchecked, its health would quickly be restored.
Lin Jichen''s eyes sharpened. He didn''t want to drag this out any longer. While the Zhan was focused on healing, he had already finished charging up.
"Stunning Sword Qi!"
The Zhan,pletely unprepared, was struck and momentarily stunned.
Two seconds of stun time.
Lin Jichen seized the moment, targeting its weak points and unleashing a flurry of attacks!
Critical hits kept triggering!
Each strike dealt nearly three thousand damage, and the Zhan''s health, which had just started to recover, vanished even faster.
As the Zhan was about to break free from the stun, Lin Jichen followed up with Phoenix Feather!
The terrifying damage instantly killed it!
The Zhan didn''t even have time to use its other two skills before it became a ghost under the sword, its figure dissipating into the sky, leaving behind only a Soul Burial Mound.
"May you reincarnate and find happiness in your next life, and never encounter bad people again."
Lin Jichen softlymented, feeling genuine sympathy for Wan''er''s fate.
He stepped forward and opened the Soul Burial Mound, revealing three Mysterious Grade items!
Mysterious GradeNightmare Cloak: Defense +25, Evasion +10%, Skill Damage Resistance +5%,es with skill Shadow Shift.
Shadow Shift: Instantly appear behind an enemy within a 20-meter range, leaving a decoy for two seconds.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Requirement: Foundation Establishment Realm yers only.
...
Mysterious Grade Movement TechniqueArt of Flying: Allows flight, up to 100 meters high, flight speed is 200% of base speed.
Cooldown: None. Mana consumption: 20 points per second.
...
Mysterious GradeShadow de: Strength +30, Critical +10,es with life-steal effect.
Life-steal: Each attack restores 100 points of health.
Requirement: Foundation Establishment Realm dagger yers only.
Three Mysterious Grade items, a stroke of great luck that even Lin Jichen hadn''t expected.
If not for his great luck, he would have thought he was burning his lifespan to y the game.
Aside from the dagger, the other two Mysterious Grade items were usable, especially the Art of Flying.
With the Art of Flying, he could finally fly!
In addition to these three items, there were four or five Spirit Grade items, but he didn''t care for them and tossed them into his storage space before exiting the Secret Realm.
[Congrattions to ''Lin Jichen'' forpleting the Hell-level Nightmare Secret Realm in ''Tale of Immortal''! Reward: 300 reputation points! Root Bone +1! Wishing all yers prosperity in martial arts!]
This first-clear reward didn''t faze Lin Jichen at all; it was too ordinary.
First-clear rewards always granted innate attributes, which were useless to him since all his innate attributes were maxed out, leaving no room for growth.
Outside, however, the scene was already bustling.
On the Nightmare Secret Realm leaderboard, Lin Jichen''s name was prominently disyed at the top, discing Xie Lingyang, who had been in first ce.
Xie Lingyang was still stuck at 80% progress, clearly unable to deal with the Zhan.
Lin Jichen, however, had alreadypleted the challenge, and it had only taken him five minutes.
Excluding the mandatory five-minute dream memory, Lin Jichen had taken just half a minute to deal with the Zhan.
This speed made everyone question whether he was really ying the Hell-level Nightmare Secret Realm.
Could it be a mix-up? Even the Easy-level wouldn''t be this fast!
As soon as Lin Jichen emerged, he was surrounded by yers, some calling him a god and asking for guidance, some guilds offering terms to recruit him, and some girls asking to hugleg.
In the midst of the crowd, Lin Jichen remained calm, giving them a serene smile before his figure soared into the sky and vanished in the blink of an eye.
The crowd: "????"
Chapter 97 – Ren Lan’s path of clinging to the powerful
Chapter 97 C Ren Lans path of clinging to the powerful
"Damn it! It''s all their fault, scaring away my idol! I just wanted an autograph," Liu Xiazimented, squeezed to the back of the crowd, her star-chasing n shattered before it even began.
But she quickly adjusted.
"Lin Oppa is indeed a strong among the strong. He learned the legendary art of flying so quickly. Not many people have mastered it yet. As expected of my idol!"
"Idol, I will always follow and support you!"
Liu Xiazi shouted to the sky, even though Lin Jichen couldn''t hear her at all.
At this moment, Lin Jichen was floating a hundred meters above the ground, the wind brushing through his hair, his gaze sweeping over the vast expanse below.
From this height, everything on the ground was in full view, though he could only fly a hundred meters high. If he had the Earth Grade art of flying, he could soar a thousand meters high, truly roaming the vast world.
This feeling of flying was so familiar. Lin Jichen felt no fear, pushing his speed to the limit, racing towards the horizon.
A novice yer might take a long time to get used to the sensation of floating flight. Lin Jichen himself had struggled to adapt when he first learned the art of flying in his past life.
The game was quite friendly to new yers. If it sensed that your heart couldn''t handle it, the Nuwa AI would appropriately reduce the realism of your flight until you adapted.
Even those with severe acrophobia needn''t worry about being unable to fly.
Currently, Lin Jichen''s mana could only support him for about eight minutes of flight. For someone at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment, this was already impressive. Most yers at this stage would be lucky to fly for two minutes.
After a few minutes of exhrating flight, Lin Jichen returned to Fengqu City, nning to visit the pharmacy. Just then, he received a message from Ren Lan.
"Little Lin, I''ve finally saved enough Spirit Stones toe to your main city. You have to reimburse my travel expenses. I spent all my hard-earned Spirit Stones in the blink of an eye, and it breaks my heart TnT..."
Lin Jichen immediately told her to wait outside the city gate, then used the teleportation array to travel to the main city of Huafeng Province, Zhuri City.
Cross-province teleportation cost hundreds of Spirit Stones each time. Only Lin Jichen dared to spend sovishly now.
As soon as he arrived at the gate of Zhuri City, he saw Ren Lan standing not far away, looking bored.
Male yers kept approaching her, trying to strike up a conversation, each one pretending to be a great master when they saw she was just a novice at the initial stage of Qi Refining.
"Beauty, let me take you to the Secret Realm. I''m at theter stage of Qi Refining, and ordinary Secret Realms are a piece of cake for me."
"Youngdy, can we add each other as friends? I''m a little puppy, I can be your pet~"
"Sister, you''re so beautiful. Want to form a game couple?"
"Miss, I''m at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment, high cultivation and great skills. Come with me to farm instances? You can just bezy on the side, and I''ll give you any equipment we get for free. How about it?"
...
Seeing Ren Lan not responding, these male yers only became more enthusiastic.
Ren Lan, getting annoyed and about to lose her temper, saw Lin Jichen approaching.
She smiled and leisurely pointed behind them.
"If you want to take me, you have to ask my brother first. If any of you are stronger than him, I''ll go with you."
The yers disdainfully turned around, wanting to see who this so-called brother was and what he was capable of.
When they saw the approaching figure, they were all stunned as if frozen in ce.
This person... looks so familiar?
"Damn! Isn''t that...?"
"Is he... Lin Jichen?"
"Impossible, Lin Jichen is from Mu Xian Province. We''re in Huafeng Province."
"It''s him!"
"The legendary top yer of Tale of Immortal?"
***
Lin Jichen''s appearance shocked the yers of Huafeng Province.
Currently, the most popr yer in Tale of Immortal was undoubtedly Lin Jichen. Countless yers had watched his gamey videos and seen his name on the game announcements multiple times.
Just a while ago, his name had appeared on an announcement for clearing the Nightmare Secret Realm in Hell mode, setting an unprecedented record.
Seeing him approach, the male yers felt a surge of inferiority and dispersed.
"Hehe, Little Lin, I didn''t realize your name was so famous. I just heard the game announcement mentioning you. I asked around and found out you''re so well-known," Ren Lan said with a grin.
"Really? It''s not a big deal," Lin Jichen said modestly.
"Look at you, getting all puffed up after apliment. Where''s my gift? Didn''t you say you had a gift for me?" Ren Lan asked, extending her hand.
Lin Jichen smiled and handed her a pair of gauntlets.
Ren Lan took them and, upon seeing them, her mouth dropped open in shock, wide enough to fit an egg.
[Spirit Grade Storm Gauntlets]: Strength +11, Critical +8, Vitality +300,es with the skill [Explosive Punch].
Explosive Punch: Unleashes a surprise heavy punch, damage +150%, the target will suffer internal injuries for 5 seconds. If a critical hit is triggered, the duration of the internal injuries is doubled.
Requirement: Only usable by fist cultivators with a bone structure of 35 points or higher.
"Is this the Storm Gauntlets ranked third on the Magic Treasure Rankings?"
Ren Lan asked in disbelief.
"Yes, but it''s now ranked fifth," Lin Jichen replied.
"Fifth? No way, I just saw it was third."
Ren Lan checked the Magic Treasure Rankings.
[Magic Treasure Rankings]
Top: Mysterious Grade Dark Night Sword
Second: Mysterious Grade Night Cave Staff
Third: Mysterious Grade Shadow de
Fourth: Mysterious Grade Nightmare Cloak
Fifth: Spirit Grade Storm Gauntlets
"Damn, it really dropped to fifth. They''re all Mysterious Grade above it. Damn, who are these lucky bastards who got Mysterious Grade equipment? I haven''t even gotten a Spirit Grade yet."
Ren Lanined, not noticing the expression on Lin Jichen''s face.
"The ''bastard'' you''re talking about is me," Lin Jichen said with a dark expression.
"Ha ha! I was just kidding. Whoever got the Mysterious Grade equipment must be super handsome!" Ren Lan quickly changed her tune, embarrassed.
Lin Jichen didn''t bother arguing with her. He handed her a secret manual and two pieces of Spirit Grade defensive equipment.
The secret manual was ''Fire Fist,'' obtained from a weasel in the Land of zing mes. The two pieces of Spirit Grade defensive equipment were just acquired from Zhan''s Soul Burial Mounda pair of boots and a piece of clothing, both with decent attributes.
Lin Jichen''s own equipment was better, so he gave these to Ren Lan.
Receiving so much equipment at once, Ren Lan''s smile stretched wide, her eyes turning into crescent moons, as happy as a groundhog.
So happy~~
Chapter 98 – This girl is really about to take off
Chapter 98 C This girl is really about to take off
"Little Lin, if we sell this equipment, it should fetch a lot of money, right?"
Ren Lan hugged the equipment, her excitement giving way to unease.
Although she hadn''t been ying the game for long, she knew that the drop rate for equipment in "Tale of Immortal" was very low, making the prices quite high.
"The other two pieces of armor aren''t expensive, maybe one or two thousand, but the gloves could go for a hundred to eighty thousand, and the Fire Fist skill around fifty thousand. When do you n to settle the bill?"
Lin Jichen quoted the prices expertly, rubbing his hands together as if asking for money.
Ren Lan''s heart pounded at the mention of these prices, and she shyly said, "I don''t have that much money. How about... paying in kind?"
Lin Jichen wasn''t naive; he knew her too well to fall for that. If he agreed, he''d be in for a beating in no time. He had experienced such baiting tactics many times in his previous life.
"Forget it, I''ve sworn off such things," Lin Jichen replied without hesitation.
"Hmph, smart move."
Ren Lan snorted, looking down at the equipment in her hands, seemingly making a big decision.
She handed the gloves and skill book back to Lin Jichen.
"I''ll just take these two. You can sell the gloves and book; they''re too expensive."
Lin Jichen didn''t reach out to take them,ughing, "Just keep them. They were meant for you. If I wanted to sell them, I would have done so already."
"But these are worth a couple of hundred thousand. If we don''t sell them now, they might depreciate as more equipment bes avable," Ren Lan suggested.
"True, but the value of these two items can''t be measured in money. If you get stronger sooner, you can find even better equipment for me. This is just an early investment. Just use them," Lin Jichen said.
"I''m not good at games and have no talent. Investing in me is a waste. No, no, you should find someone else," Ren Lan insisted.
"Who said you have no talent? Isn''t the Immovable King a talent?"
Lin Jichen rolled his eyes, "Please don''t confuseputer games with this one. I''m sure you''ll be a top yer in this game."
"Really?" Ren Lan was half-convinced.
"Of course. With your innate talent and my guidance, even a pig could soar."
"You''re the pig!"
Though still a bit anxious, Ren Lan felt more confident with Lin Jichen''s assurance.
"By the way, when I joined our sect, an Inner Temple elder took a liking to me and said he wanted to take me as an Inner Temple disciple."
Ren Lan remembered and reported to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen''s eyes widened, "No way! Are you serious?"
"Why would I lie? But the elder gave me a task, saying I have toplete it before I can be his disciple. I was nning to do it after meeting you."
Lin Jichen was at a loss for words. This girl was really going to soar! Even without his help, with the Immovable King and as an Inner Temple disciple, she could be a top yer. Unfortunately, in her previous life, Ren Lan didn''t y "Tale of Immortal" and missed out on such a great opportunity. Luckily, it wasn''t toote now.
"What''s the task? Let me see if it''s difficult," Lin Jichen asked urgently.
Bing an Inner Temple disciple was too important; he had to help Ren Lan achieve it.
"I don''t know if it''s difficult. I just have to go fishing."
"Fishing?"
"Yes, I have to catch a Red Carp at the Demon Perch Lake within two days and give it to him to pass."
Lin Jichen thought to himself, as expected, it wasn''t that simple. He knew Demon Perch Lake, a famous ce in Huafeng Province, where a type of Red Carp lived. The fish was extremely delicious, tender, and full of spiritual energy. Selling it to a restaurant could fetch a lot of Spirit Stones. Many new yers liked to fish there to earn Spirit Stones. However, theke was also home to many river demons who loved eating Red Carp. If they saw someone catch a Red Carp, they would immediately swarm to snatch it. The river demons were generally at the early stage of Qi Refining, with some even at the middle stage. They liked to live in groups, so they woulde inrge numbers. If Ren Lan went there without knowing anything, even if she caught one, she would definitely be killed and robbed by the river demons.
The task had to bepleted within two days. For Ren Lan, even if she reached the middle orte stage of Qi Refining in two days, it would still be difficult.
"Let''s go. Put on the equipment, learn the skills, and I''ll take you toplete the task."
Lin Jichen was determined to make Ren Lan an Inner Temple disciple.
"You''re going to help me with the task? How embarrassing~"
Lin Jichen didn''t respond, waiting for her next words.
"Hurry up, Little Lin!"
Lin Jichen gave a resigned smile. He knew her too well.
"Do you even know where Demon Perch Lake is?" Lin Jichen teased.
"Oh right, should I go back and ask the elder?"
Lin Jichen rolled his eyes, "Finding Demon Perch Lake is part of your task. If you ask, they''ll think you''re an idiot."
"But I don''t know where it is. The map is so big. That old man is just messing with me. I''ll go back and beat him up!" Ren Lan fumed.
"With your Qi Refining level, he could crush you with one finger. In this game, you must treat sect elders with respect, as if they were real people. Don''t think of them as just game data," Lin Jichen seriously corrected her.
He was afraid she would act like those clueless yers who cursed at elders or didn''t follow sect rules. Even if an elder took a liking to them, their behavior and character would make them miss out on great opportunities.
"Is it necessary? It''s just a game," Ren Lan couldn''t understand, not being someone who had been reborn like Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen wasn''t in a hurry. He patiently exined, "This game is very realistic. Your attitude towards NPCs affects their favorability towards you. High favorability makes it easier to get unique tasks. Trust me and do as I say."
"Alright, I get it. I promise I won''t mess around," Ren Lan said, seeing Lin Jichen''s serious expression.
Little Lin wouldn''t lie to her.
"Of course, this only applies to friendly NPCs. For those with strange or malicious intentions, as long as you have the strength, feel free to beat them up."
"Understood, sir!" Ren Lan answered yfully.
"Let''s go. I know where Demon Perch Lake is."
Lin Jichen walked ahead, calling back to her, "Hop on."
"What?"
"Get on my back. I''ll fly us there."
Ren Lan hesitantly climbed onto Lin Jichen''s back. Then, they soared into the sky, and she screamed in excitement.
Lin Jichen thought she would be scared at first, but he had underestimated this crazy girl.
Chapter 99 – Where did you learn your boxing skills?
Chapter 99 C Where did you learn your boxing skills?
Although carrying someone would reduce flight speed and increase mana consumption, it was still better than running on foot.
Moreover, with two peaks pressing against his back, Lin Jichen found it hard to concentrate, causing his flight path to deviate slightly...
After five minutes, Lin Jichen found Demon Perch Lake.
After theynded, Ren Lan took out a prepared fishing rod and started fishing by theke.
After half an hour without a single bite, Ren Lan''s patience was wearing thin.
"It''s hooked! It''s hooked! Little Lin!"
Seeing the float move in the water, Ren Lan shouted excitedly.
Lin Jichen, lying leisurely on arge rock nearby and basking in the sun, said, "If it''s hooked, just reel it in."
Ren Lan happily reeled in the line. Impatient as always, she didn''t wait for the fish to tire out but directly dragged it ashore, ying tug-of-war with it.
In the end, her strength prevailed, and she pulled up a Red Carp.
"Hahaha, I didn''t expect it to be this easy. Little Lin, if I''d known, I wouldn''t have called you," Ren Lan said proudly.
At that moment, strange blue creatures emerged from the bushes on both sides of Demon Perch Lake.
These creatures had webbed hands and feet, blue scales all over their bodies, eyes on top of their heads, no noses, and mouths like catfish.
These were the river demons of Demon Perch Lake, very fond of eating Red Carp. However, they couldn''t swim or fish like humans.
They could only choose to rob.
Seeing the Red Carp in Ren Lan''s hand, they showed greedy expressions and made hissing sounds as ifmunicating.
Not that anyone could understand them.
Then, the river demons rushed toward Ren Lan, ready to snatch the fish.
"Hey, hey, hey! You guys want to die? Get lost!"
There was no way Ren Lan would hand over the fish. She immediately threw away the fishing rod and assumed a fighting stance.
Unfortunately, the river demons didn''t take her seriously, focusing solely on the Red Carp at her feet.
"Damn it, you asked for it!"
Ren Lan couldn''t stand it anymore and took the initiative to attack, moving swiftly and using both fists and feet.
With three pieces of Spirit Grade equipment on her, Ren Lan''s attributes had significantly increased.
She killed a river demon at the Initial stage of Qi Refining with just a few punches and kicks.
Then she went after another one.
Punches and kicks flew as Ren Lan moved effortlessly among the river demons.
Even when facing river demons at the Middle stage of Qi Refining, she showed no fear, seizing the right moment to strike with a punch.
"Explosive Punch!"
"Fire Punch!"
"Piercing Punch!"
"Now taste my self-created Lady Punch!"
Bang, bang, bang...
Surrounded by river demons, Ren Lan''s punches rained down like a storm, showing no signs of fear. Instead, the river demons fell one by one.
Watching the scene from the rock, Lin Jichen was amazed.
Ren Lan''sbat talent... was incredible!
The timing of her punches, her movement technique, and her ability to dodge attacks were not something that could be improved with equipment and cultivation alone.
It was entirely due to her innate talent.
Ren Lan''s talent made Lin Jichen feel a bit ashamed.
If he hadn''t been reborn, and if Ren Lan had entered this game at the same time as him in his previous life, her achievements might have surpassed his.
Moreover, body cultivation seemed to suit Ren Lan perfectly. Every punch she threw was full of ir, exuding a violent beauty that was pleasing to the eye.
"Miss Frenzy, where did you learn that punching technique?"
Lin Jichen couldn''t help but ask from the rock.
"Beijing Normal University!"
Ren Lan replied without turning her head, delivering another punch to kill a river demon.
However, there were too many river demons. Despite killing so many, there were still plenty left, as if they were endless.
"Little Lin, stop just watching ande help!"
Ren Lan had no choice but to ask Lin Jichen for help. Her health was down to a third, and she couldn''t handle so many enemies alone.
Hearing her plea, Lin Jichen decided to stop watching.
He got off the rock and summoned Panda Xiong.
"Panda Xiong, your meal is here, get to it."
Hearing its master''smand, Panda Xiong immediately attacked the river demons, swatting them down with its paws.
The river demons were like tofu in front of it.
Roar!
Thunder Roar!
Panda Xiong''s roar scared the river demons, triggering a fear effect.
They retreated in panic.
Soon, the river demons gave up on the delicious Red Carp and scattered.
"Wow! Little Lin, you even have a pet? And it''s a panda! I''m so jealous! I want one too!"
Ren Lan looked at Lin Jichen''s panda with envy, especially since Panda Xiong was so adorable, making it very popr with girls.
Otherwise, it wouldn''t have be a national treasure in the future.
"If wee across another one, I''ll help you get one," Lin Jichen said.
"Yes, having a panda as a pet would be so cool."
Ren Lan was full of envy, looking forward to the day she could have her own panda pet.
With the river demons driven away, Ren Lan sessfully captured the Red Carp.
"Haha, let''s see how that old man can trouble me now. I''vepleted the task."
Lin Jichen urged, "Then hurry up and turn in the task. Come on, I''ll take you to the teleportation array."
Ren Lan skillfully climbed onto Lin Jichen''s back again.
"I can actually walk back myself."
"Walking back won''t be as fast. The sooner you turn in the task and enter the Inner Temple, the better. No need to drag it out," Lin Jichen said righteously.
It was definitely not because he wanted to experience the feeling of ''peaks pressing against his back'' again. Definitely not.
They returned to the teleportation array in Zhuri City.
"Little Lin, are you leaving already?" Ren Lan was reluctant, as having the number one expert of Tale of Immortal apany her was too enjoyable.
She hadn''t had enough of it yet.
"Yes, hurry up and turn in the task. There are many benefits to joining the Inner Temple. You''ll beughing in your sleep," Lin Jichen said.
"Alright, I''ll go back first. By the way, there''s still three hours until dawn. I''m going for a run. Are youing?" Ren Lan asked.
"Sure," Lin Jichen nodded. "You can train me outside the game, and I''ll train you inside the game."
Ren Lanughed, "OK, outside the game, I train you. Inside the game, you train me."
Lin Jichen felt something was off with her words, as if there was an extra word that made it redundant. It would be better without it.
After speaking, Ren Lan turned to leave.
She stood on the teleportation array and realized she had no money...
"Little Lin, give me some travel expenses. I''m out of Spirit Stones."
Lin Jichen remembered he had forgotten to give her money.
He turned around and transferred five thousand Spirit Stones to Ren Lan.
He had less than seven thousand Spirit Stones left in his ount, and he had collected them from the Secret Realm before returning to the pharmacy.
"Wow, that''s too much. I don''t need that many."
"Take it. There are many ces where you''ll need Spirit Stones. If you run out, it''ll be troublesome for me toe and give you more," Lin Jichen said casually.
Hearing this, Ren Lan didn''t refuse anymore and happily took the Spirit Stones and left.
After Ren Lan left, Lin Jichen also returned to Mu Xian Province.
As soon as he got back, he received good news from Ren Lan: she had sessfully been promoted to an Inner Temple disciple!
Chapter 100 – You look like Cao Cao
Chapter 100 C You look like Cao Cao
Inner Temple disciples are essentially the future elite of the sect, personally taught by elders and considered the sect''s cream of the crop.
With Ren Lan''s innate talent and her exceptionalbat skills, it''s foreseeable that her achievements in "Tale of Immortal" will be boundless.
Lin Jichen was genuinely happy for his capable wife and sent her a congrattory message. He reminded her to remember his teachings from today, and Ren Lan readily agreed before diving into tasks to improve her cultivation.
Seeing Ren Lan work so hard, Lin Jichen felt he couldn''t fall behind. Currently, he could only surpass Ren Lan in the game; in other areas, he couldn''t hold a candle to her.
He couldn''t let this crazy woman surpass him in the game too. If she stopped relying on him, he''d lose face. Lin Jichen, who had grown used to Ren Lan clinging to him, couldn''t allow this rookie to surpass him. He needed to be stronger as well.
Three hours flew by in the game.
It wasn''t until Ren Lan came to knock on his gaming pod that Lin Jichen emerged.
"It''s only six o''clock, isn''t it a bit early..." Lin Jichen muttered.
"Stop whining, you asked me to train you. Now it''s toote to back out. Come on, let''s go for a run!" Ren Lan forcefully pulled him up.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to get up, quickly freshen up, change into sportswear, and go running with her.
He thought it would just be a simple run, nothing too serious.
But after a few kilometers, Lin Jichen was drenched in sweat and panting heavily, in stark contrast to Ren Lan, who hadn''t even broken a sweat and was breathing evenly.
"I can''t... I need a break, please, Superwoman," Lin Jichen stopped, copsing onto a park bench, barely able to speak.
"Tsk tsk, you''re really out of shape," Ren Lan said disdainfully.
"Yes, I''m out of shape. Just let me rest for a bit," Lin Jichen didn''t care about his male pride anymore.
Arguing with this superwoman would only bring more suffering. A man must know when to bend and when to stand tall!
"Alright, five minutes," Ren Lan reluctantly agreed to stop and wait for him.
As they rested by the roadside, Lin Jichen seized the precious five minutes to rest as much as possible. His body was indeed too weak; he couldn''t handle even this small amount of physical exertion.
No wonder it took him several months to fully restore his in-game strength after the world merged five years ago. He needed to train, not to be as strong as Ren Lan, but at least to be somewhat decent.
During their rest, Ren Lan suddenly noticed a very cute little girl by the roadside, her eyes filled with adoration.
"Little Lin, look, this child is so adorable."
Lin Jichen looked over and saw that the little girl was indeed very cute, around seven or eight years old, with big, adorable eyes, like a porcin doll.
But Lin''s attention wasn''t on the little girl; it was on the tall woman holding her hand.
This woman had an impressive figure, looked very young, and was exceptionally beautiful, with a refined and elegant demeanor. She was holding the little girl''s hand with one hand and carrying arge suitcase with the other.
Lin Jichen felt the woman looked familiar. Just as he was about to take another look, someone pushed him, almost knocking him off the bench.
The pusher was Ren Lan.
"What are you doing, crazy woman?" Lin Jichen cursed.
Ren Lan sneered, shaking her head, "I didn''t expect you to be this kind of person, Little Lin."
"What kind of person?"
"A scoundrel!" Ren Lan pointed at Lin Jichen''s nose and shouted.
Passersby gave them meaningful nces and strange smiles.
Lin Jichen felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, utterly embarrassed and speechless.
"How do I look like Cao Cao?"
"Stop arguing. I saw you staring at that woman for a long time. I told you to look at the little girl, but you kept staring at her mother. You love married women! Don''t deny it!" Ren Lan said.
Lin Jichen was speechless and exined, "I just thought she looked familiar, like I''ve seen her somewhere before, that''s all."
"Ha, even my dog coulde up with a better excuse. Stop pretending, scoundrel Lin."
Ren Lan was fuming, seemingly very angry.
Lin Jichen, feeling guilty and unable to argue, decided not to exin further. The more he exined, the worse it got.
"Let''s go, keep running!" Ren Lan stood up.
"But we were supposed to rest for five minutes. It''s only been a minute," Lin Jichen protested.
Ren Lan sneered, "Hmph, you were staring at that woman for so long, proving you still have plenty of energy. You don''t need five minutes, one minute is enough. Let''s go, let''s go."
Ren Lan said, pulling Lin Jichen up and starting to run again.
Lin Jichen felt like crying but had no choice but to follow her.
Why did this woman suddenly act like a lit firecracker? What was going on?
Two hourster, Lin Jichen returned home and copsed on the floor as soon as he opened the door.
His whole body felt like jelly, with no strength left anywhere. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, swollen like pig''s trotters.
For someone who had never exercised, sudden intense activity would lead to this kind of result.
He had almost run the equivalent of a year''s worth of steps in one day. No wonder he was exhausted.
He had only intended to exercise a little, but Ren Lan, this crazy woman, had forced him to run for two hours.
It was a miracle he made it back on his own.
"Can you get me a ss of water?" Lin Jichen said weakly, too exhausted to crawl to the kitchen.
Seeing Lin Jichen in such a sorry state, Ren Lan couldn''t help but feel a bit regretful for pushing him too hard.
"Get up, the floor is cold. Lying down right after exercising can easily cause a cold."
"No, just let me lie here. I can''t get up," Lin Jichen said feebly.
"No, you''ll really catch a cold. I''ll help you up," Ren Lan said, trying to lift Lin Jichen, but he was uncooperative, just wanting to lie on the floor like a dead pig.
Ren Lan had no choice but to scoop him up in a princess carry.
Lin Jichen looked at Ren Lan, his eyes filled with questions.
Ren Lan ignored his reluctance, effortlessly carrying him back to the bedroom and cing him on the bed.
"Water, I need water..."
"I''ll get you some electrolyte water. Drinking in water after intense exercise isn''t effective. You need to replenish your fluids and salts."
Ren Lan turned to get the water but was stopped by Lin Jichen grabbing her wrist.
"What?" Ren Lan asked, looking down.
Lin Jichen, with a pained expression, said, "Can we skip the workout tomorrow?"
"No, fitness requires consistency," Ren Lan refused firmly.
But she added, "I admit I was a bit harsh today. Tomorrow we''ll just do a light jog, nothing like today."
Only then did Lin Jichen feel relieved, his hand dropping weakly to the bed as he fell asleep instantly.
Ren Lan felt both guilty and amused.
This scoundrel Lin, who liked married women, was getting his just desserts.
After a short nap, Lin Jichen was woken up by Ren Lan, drank some of her precious electrolyte water, took a shower, and felt much more refreshed.
They quickly made some noodles for breakfast and then immediately returned to their gaming pods, diving back into the world of "Tale of Immortal."
Chapter 101 – Blade Storm
Chapter 101 C de Storm
Returning to the game, Lin Jichen immediately straightened his back, full of energy.
In reality, he was a weakling, but in "Tale of Immortal," he was a Foundation Establishment expert!
After being drilled by Ren Lan, he was even more determined to be stronger in the game, so she would look up to him.
The dignity he couldn''t reim in reality, he had to earn back double in the game!
Lin Jichen had been flying around the vastnd for three hours.
Once again, his mana was exhausted. Lin Jichen returned to the ground, took out an elixir to restore his mana, and ate it while walking.
Passing by a river, the water was very clear. Lin Jichen didn''t pay much attention at first, but a nce revealed arge pile of Spirit Stones lying on the riverbed.
These Spirit Stones, refracted by the sunlight underwater, sparkled brightly, catching his eye.
A quick estimate showed there were at least a thousand Spirit Stones.
An ordinary yer would undoubtedly jump in to collect the Spirit Stones, thinking it was a windfall.
But as a reborn individual, Lin Jichen wouldn''t be so easily fooled.
The Spirit Stones underwater were real, but if a yer jumped in to collect them, they would be ambushed.
This was a unique encounter in "Tale of Immortal," scattered across various locations on the map.
Encounters varied widely, some real, some fake, some fortunate, some disastrous. It all depended on your choices and luck.
The one before Lin Jichen was a minor encounter. In his past life, countless yers had fallen for it.
These Spirit Stones were ced by a water python to lure greedy individuals into the river, where it would then strangle and kill them.
Cultivators who entered the water, unless they had water attributes or water-repelling magic treasures, couldn''t even exert ten percent of their strength and would be easily killed by the water python.
The wisest approach was to bypass it or find the water python onnd and kill it before collecting the stones.
Encountering such a rare opportunity, Lin Jichen naturally didn''t want to miss it. So many Spirit Stones were too good to pass up.
Lin Jichen began searching the riverbank for signs of the water python.
Soon, he found a water python coiled quietly among some reeds.
It was watching the river intently, ready to act as soon as someone jumped in.
[Monster: Water Python]
[Strength: Middle stage of Qi Refining]
[Health: 3000/3000]
[Attack: 58]
[Defense: 50]
[Speed: 65]
[Skills: Death Coil, Mighty Tail, Bloodthirsty Swallow]
The water python wasn''t very strong, even quite weak.
But if someone fell into the water, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be helpless.
Lin Jichen stealthily approached, positioning himself behind the cunning water python.
"Snake, you motherfucker!"
Lin Jichen shouted loudly, then plunged arge sword into the water python''s head.
The water python was clearly startled, its entire body trembling.
Before it could figure out what was happening, it felt a sharp pain in its head.
"Headshot! -3000!"
The water python didn''t even know who its enemy was before it died.
After being a cunning predator all its life, it was finally outsmarted by an even more cunning one, dying with regrets.
Lin Jichen sheathed his sword, nced at the Soul Burial Mound, found nothing of value, and then jumped into the river to collect all the Spirit Stones.
After counting them, he found over two thousand Spirit Stones, a significant windfall.
"More encounters like this wouldn''t hurt."
In good spirits, Lin Jichen pocketed the stones and left.
After walking for another half hour, he finally reached his destination.
It was a hidden cave in a deste mountain, with a concealed entrance that ordinary people would find hard to discover.
"This should be the ce."
Relying on memories from his past life, Lin Jichen came here to find the treasures inside.
There used to be a game show called "Number One in the Server," which invited top experts from various professions for interviews.
For example, the number one Sword God Chen Yuan, the number one Lucky One Shi Xiyue, the number one Body Cultivator Yue You, the number one Demonic Cultivator Ye Shuangxing, and so on.
The show interviewed these top experts about their gaming experiences, how they rose to prominence, and the encounters and opportunities they had.
Lin Jichen had also been on the show.
He initially didn''t want to go, but the offer was too tempting.
The show aired two yearster and was very popr. Everyone interviewed became a household name.
To prepare for his appearance, Lin Jichen watched all the previous interviews to avoid making mistakes.
He learned a lot about how top experts rose to prominence.
Chen Yuan once mentioned that his first unexpected opportunity was finding a cave with two skeletons inside.
One was a Sword Cultivator, the other a Buddhist Cultivator. They seemed to have deep grudges and fought to the death inside.
Although they had been dead for many years, Chen Yuan found a Spirit Skill manual from the Sword Cultivator, named de Storm.
It was Chen Yuan''s signature skill that made him famous, a skill so useful that he kept it until he reached the Enlightenment Realm.
Lin Jichen came for this very reason.
Having just broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, he needed a Spirit Skill.
Although it might seem hical to seize someone else''s fortune, being a reborn individual, he felt entitled.
Good things shouldn''t be left for others.
He could only thank the "Number One in the Server" show for revealing the opportunities top experts had encountered.
They boasted on the show, detailing their encounters so thoroughly that Lin Jichen couldn''t help but know.
Of course, it wasn''t their fault. Who could have predicted someone would be reborn? It was truly fate.
Lin Jichen entered the cave and indeed saw two skeletons. Under one skeletony a skill book.
The other skeleton had nothing.
Lin Jichen walked over and unceremoniously took the skill book.
[Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill de Storm]: Unleashes a circr sword formation with a 50x50 meter radius, dealing 500 base damage per second to enemies within for 5 seconds.
If an enemy dies, the duration of the sword formation refreshes.
Enemies forcibly leaving the formation will have a 10-second sword mark, reducing speed by 30% and causing armor break.
Cooldown: 40 minutes, Mana Cost: 1200 points.
Requirement: Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator with a root bone of 60 or above.
...
No wonder Sword God Chen Yuan couldn''t help but boast about this skill. It was indeed powerful!
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen learned the skill.
Finally, he had a Spirit Skill, and it was Mysterious Grade, making him very pleased.
With the skill in hand, Lin Jichen prepared to leave.
But seeing the two unburied skeletons, he felt a bit reluctant.
"Alright, thanks for the manual. I''ll do a good deed and bury you two."
With that, Lin Jichen started digging, thoughtfully making two separate graves.
Since they seemed to be enemies, he wouldn''t bury them together.
He first buried the Sword Cultivator''s remains, then went to move the Buddhist Cultivator''s remains.
As he moved the Buddhist Cultivator''s remains, a manual fell out from somewhere.
Chapter 102 – Alright! Let’s sell aphrodisiacs!
Chapter 102 C Alright! Lets sell aphrodisiacs!
Lin Jichen picked it up in confusion.
[Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill Rebirth Buddha Seal]: A secret technique not passed down by the Buddhist Sect, condenses a Buddha Seal that descends from the sky, dealing 2000 base damage to enemies within a 100-meter radius, with an additional 20% damage to evil spirits and ghost cultivators.
Cooldown: 30 minutes, Mana Cost: 1000 points.
Requirements: Any Foundation Establishment Realm yer can learn it, but non-Buddhist Sect disciples learning it may provoke the Buddhist Sect''s ountability.
Lin Jichen didn''t expect such a pleasant surprise. He hadn''t anticipated this at all.
It seemed this was an extra reward for his kind act.
In his previous life, Chen Yuan probably didn''t do this. It seemed he just took the de Storm and left, maybe only burying the Sword Cultivator''s remains without caring for the Buddhist cultivator''s.
He definitely wouldn''t have thought that there was also a Mysterious Grade skill under the Buddhist cultivator''s remains.
But Lin Jichen found it.
To be safe, Lin Jichen carefully inspected the cave again to ensure there were no other treasures before leaving.
As for this Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill of the Buddhist Sect, he learned it decisively.
Why not learn a skill if you can? Having more skills never hurts.
It was rare to find a skill without ss restrictions, and this one was quite gooda pure area damage skill, especially effective against evil spirits and ghost cultivators.
As for being held ountable by the Buddhist Sect, ha, would he, a disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect''s Sect Master, be afraid of the Buddhist Sect?
At worst, they could call upon their backers to settle the score!
Having obtained two Mysterious Grade Spirit Skills, Lin Jichen felt he had gained a lot from this trip and returned home satisfied.
Lin Jichen didn''t foolishly run back. He took out a teleportation talisman for Fengqu City.
This talisman wasn''t cheap, costing a hundred Spirit Stones each.
Moreover, it could only be used within Mu Xian Province; beyond that, it was useless.
At this stage, ordinary yers couldn''t afford it at all, and even many guild leaders wouldn''t be willing to use it.
But Lin Jichen was wealthy now, so to him, spending a hundred Spirit Stones to save over three hours of travel was worth it.
Tearing the talisman, Lin Jichen returned to Fengqu City.
He headed straight to his pharmacy, having not been there for a few days, to check on the business.
The pharmacy was still bustling with people, crowded with yers buying Corpse Poison Potions.
However,pared to a few days ago, the customer flow was slightly less.
Lin Jichen knew that many ces had started selling Corpse Poison Potions, so his store was no longer a monopoly.
Previously, guild leaders from the four provinces came to buy potions from him, but now only guilds and yers from Mu Xian Province came.
For yers from the other three provinces, the cost of traveling back and forth, nearly a thousand Spirit Stones, was too high.
Moreover, many ces in their own provinces now had Corpse Poison Potions, so naturally, they didn''te anymore.
Although the customer flow had decreased, the potions were still selling fast.
Not long after Lin Jichen arrived, Xiaocui announced the store''s closure as the ten thousand bottles had sold out.
Seeing Lin Jichen return, Xiaocui quickly greeted him, her face beaming with joy.
"Boss, our potions have been selling very well these past few days, though I did lower the price a bit."
Lin Jichen nodded and said, "You''ve worked hard, well done."
Then he rewarded Xiaocui with ten taels of silver.
After that, he checked the store''s ounts.
[Store: Commoner''s Pharmacy]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Type: Pharmacy]
[Employee: Xiaocui]
[Sales: Corpse Poison Potions]
[Profit: Spirit Stones]
[ounts: Spirit Stones]
They had sold sixty thousand bottles, and after deducting the 180,000 Spirit Stones he had taken earlier, there were still 370,000 Spirit Stones in the ounts.
Lin Jichen took all the Spirit Stones, his wallet bulging again.
He was worried that at this rate, the price would drop further, and the profit would decrease.
"Xiaocui, from tomorrow, let''s sell a fixed amount of 30,000 bottles each day. Once sold out, close the store and reopen the next day."
Lin Jichen underestimated the demand for Corpse Poison Potions.
Because he had monopolized the market and made huge profits.
This made all yers envious, which also led to a surge in Alchemy Masters and various spectors hoarding Corpse Poison Potions.
With thepetition heating up, Lin Jichen worried that if he didn''t sell quickly, the price of these potions would plummet.
In his previous life, no one hoarded Corpse Poison Potions, so there was no suchpetitive frenzy.
"Got it, boss," Xiaocui agreed.
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen started thinking that his pharmacy couldn''t just sell Corpse Poison Potions forever; he needed to start stocking other medicines.
Which medicine would sell the best? Combining his past life experience and the neighboring Autumn Moon Pavilion, the answer was obvious!
"Alright! Let''s sell aphrodisiacs!"
Lin Jichen made up his mind. With the example from his past life, there was no need to go against the Spirit Stones.
Making money wasn''t shameful.
What''s wrong with selling aphrodisiacs? It''s not stealing, robbing, or illegal.
Providing benefits for the lustful, boosting men''s confidence, and contributing to the city''s GDP.
He was proud!
Since he was going to sell other medicines, he needed to hire Alchemy Masters. Without anyone to make the potions, his store would have nothing to sell.
He also nned to go back to the sect and get an agency deal with Elder Tianqing''s alchemy department.
But the profit from an agency deal wouldn''t be much, so Lin Jichen still needed to hire Alchemy Masters.
Currently, there weren''t many yer Alchemy Masters, and their levels were too low, probably only first or second grade, so they weren''t considered.
Lin Jichen set his sights on NPC Alchemy Masters.
Opening the recruitment section for Alchemy Masters, there were many job applications.
[Name: Li Changgui]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 30]
[Profession: Second-grade Alchemy Master]
[Specialty: Skilled in making Vitality Elixirs]
[Sry: 20 Spirit Stones per month]
...
[Name: Bai Qingyang]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 29]
[Profession: First-grade Alchemy Master]
[Specialty: Skilled in making Mana Elixirs]
[Sry: 12 Spirit Stones per month]
...
[Name: Song Diemeng]
[Gender: Female]
[Age: 42]
[Profession: Fourth-grade Alchemy Master]
[Specialty: Skilled in making Attribute Elixirs]
[Sry: 200 Spirit Stones per month]
...
There were many Alchemy Masters'' job applications, ranging from first to fifth grade, but none above that.
Generally, Alchemy Masters above fifth grade were highly sought after and didn''t need to look for jobs; people woulde to them.
Alchemy Masters'' sries were quite high. Even a second-grade Alchemy Master had a sry equivalent to a disciple of a sect''s branch hall.
Moreover, they only focused on alchemy. If you hired them, you also had to provide the materials, which was another significant expense.
But Alchemy Masters were in demand. In his previous life, Lin Jichen had be a sixth-grade Alchemy Master, and guilds and pharmacy owners everywhere tried to recruit him.
However, he was only interested in cultivation, and alchemy was just a side job to support his expenses.
Now, having been reborn, he was even less likely to be a full-time Alchemy Master.
Continuing his search, he finally found an expert in male enhancement.
[Name: Ning Kuan]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 33]
[Profession: Second-grade Alchemy Master]
[Specialty: Skilled in making Aphrodisiac Elixirs]
[Sry: 25 Spirit Stones per month]
Chapter 103 – Spending money like water
Chapter 103 C Spending money like water
Although it was a bit expensive, Lin Jichen still decided to go for it.
Thus, Lin Jichen selected three NPC alchemy masters.
Two of them were of the first grade, and one was of the second grade.
At this early stage of the game, elixirs made by first and second-grade alchemy masters were more than sufficient.
Higher-grade elixirs could wait untilter.
The three alchemy masters had their tasks: two were responsible for refining vitality and mana elixirs.
The remaining one was to focus entirely on refining aphrodisiac elixirs!
However, Lin Jichen felt that one person might not be enough, given how well aphrodisiac elixirs sold. He feared one person wouldn''t be able to keep up with the demand.
After searching around and not finding any more alchemy masters specializing in aphrodisiac elixirs, Lin Jichen had to temporarily give up.
He then created a small ount on the Tale of Immortal forum and posted a recruitment notice, offering generous terms to attract more alchemy masters.
He didn''t use his main ount to avoid attracting any ill-intentioned individuals.
Not long after, the three NPCs arrived, two men and one woman.
Among them, one man and one woman were at the Qi Refining stage, while the remaining man was surprisingly at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
However, he looked pale and thin, with deep eye bags, and walked unsteadily with a wine jug at his waist,cking the physique of a typical Foundation Establishment cultivator.
When he arrived, his spirits lifted, and he couldn''t stop ncing at the Autumn Moon Pavilion next door.
After entering, the three introduced themselves to Lin Jichen, who was the shopkeeper.
The slightly chubby one was named Mu Pengyi, the female alchemy master was called Jiang Ying, and the remaining one, who needed no further introduction, was Ning Kuan.
Ning Kuan was a specialist in aphrodisiac elixirs, whom Lin Jichen had specifically invited.
Mu Pengyi and Jiang Ying were quite straightforward and honest, expressing their readiness to start work immediately upon receiving their expected sries.
However, Ning Kuan had a condition for Lin Jichen.
"I have only one condition: I only work during the day. My evenings are my own."
Lin Jichen found this NPC rather interesting and asked, "Do you have something to do at night?"
Ning Kuan, being quite frank, pointed at the Autumn Moon Pavilion across the street and gave a roguish smile.
"My evenings are reserved for them."
The two women in the shop blushed and spat in disdain at Ning Kuan.
Lin Jichen, the boss, was both amused and exasperated. He had finally found an expert in aphrodisiac elixirs, only to discover that this guy was indeed an expertone who practiced what he preached!
No wonder his Foundation Establishment Realm physique looked so withered; one might think he had been drained by a female ghost.
However, Lin Jichen noticed that although Ning Kuan was lecherous, he seemed only interested in fallen women. He looked at Xiaocui and Jiang Ying with normal, uninterested eyes.
He only had eyes for the Autumn Moon Pavilion, sipping from his wine jug with a look of self-satisfaction.
"Under the willow, the moonlight dances; beneath the peach blossoms, the songs end."
"In this life, I live for pleasure. I hope the shopkeeper can understand."
Jiang Ying couldn''t stand it anymore and retorted, "If you''re so indulgent, why are you here?"
Ning Kuan sighed and gave a wry smile, "I don''t want to be here either, but my pockets are empty. The women there only want to apany my money pouch. I have no choice."
Everyone was speechless.
Lin Jichen thought for a moment and finally agreed to Ning Kuan''s condition, allowing him to work only during the day.
However, the prerequisite was that the quantity and quality of the elixirs could not bepromised.
Ning Kuan readily agreed.
The three stayed at the pharmacy, and Lin Jichen went to the herb shop to buy ten thousand Spirit Stones worth of herbs for them to start refining.
Once the Corpse Poison Potions were nearly sold out, he would begin selling these new products.
Besides the pharmacy, Lin Jichen also nned to start preparing for a weapon shop and an auction house.
These two shops, in terms of location and size, far surpassed the Autumn Moon Pavilion.
By then, Spirit Stones would flow into Lin Jichen''s pockets like snowkes.
Just thinking about it made him excited.
But he needed to secure a supply of goods. Without equipment, there was no point in opening an equipment shop.
Lin Jichen had quite a few high-quality pieces of equipment, such as the Xuezhao de, Shadow de, and Crimson Cloud Sword. Any of these would be top-tier equipment at the moment.
Selling them would undoubtedly cause a sensation across the server.
But he couldn''t just have a few pieces of equipment; he needed a substantial quantity of ordinary equipment as well.
Lin Jichen hired many cksmiths, ranging from first to fifth grade, totaling over twenty. Just their monthly sries cost him several thousand Spirit Stones.
He bought arge amount of materials for forging, spending tens of thousands more, and his pocket instantly deted.
However, Lin Jichen wasn''t worried. Once the shops opened, these Spirit Stones would be earned back quickly, and they would multiply.
After spending the money, Lin Jichen had all the cksmiths start forging weapons immediately.
They needed weapons for every profession, from weapons to armor.
Most of them could only forge ordinary-grade equipment.
Only two fifth-grade cksmiths could forge Spirit Grade equipment, but even they had a failure rate and weren''t very fast.
But that didn''t matter.
At this early stage of the game, most yers only had ordinary-grade equipment. Spirit Grade equipment was only for a select few.
Even if there were many Spirit Grade items, the average yer couldn''t afford them.
Currently, in the Tale of Immortal yer market, ordinary-grade equipment was still the best-selling, without a doubt.
With everything arranged, Lin Jichen prepared to return to his sect to discuss agency matters.
Both the Alchemy Sect and the cksmith Sect could be approached for agency, ensuring a sufficient supply of products for the grand opening.
Before that, he checked the time; it was almost noon, time for lunch.
Since there were no urgent tasks, Lin Jichen decided to fill his stomach and enjoy some food.
The gaming pod couldn''t fully replenish his energy after a long day.
He sent a message to Ren Lan, asking her toe out for lunch in about twenty minutes, and then logged out of the game.
He went to the kitchen to make a simple lunch.
His cooking was average but edible, though it was nowhere near as good as Gu Qiuxue''s.
He still remembered Gu Qiuxue''s cooking, which was even better than a chef''s.
Thinking about it made Lin Jichen miss his beautiful cousin.
In a little while, Gu Qiuxue would being over.
Then he could enjoy his cousin''s cooking and see his beautiful and virtuous cousin every day.
The thought made Lin Jichen a bit excited.
These days, whenever Lin Jichen logged out of the game, he would take some time to chat with Gu Qiuxue, asking about her resignation and when she coulde.
Gu Qiuxue also wanted toe as soon as possible, but she needed at least half a month to resign and leave the Capital City due to work handovers at the hospital.
Without Zhang Guangwei around, she felt much more rxed, with no annoying flies to bother her. Her work was smooth, and her life was pleasant, but she still longed to fly to Jiangling.
"I''m out, let''s eat! I haven''t tasted your cooking yet, Little Lin. Let this judge give you a score."
Ren Lan came out of her room, naturally grabbing bowls and chopsticks and even serving Lin Jichen a bowl of rice.
The two sat at the dining table, ready to eat.
Ren Lan looked at the dishes andined, "Oh my, it''s all vegetarian. No meat?"
"You want meat?"
"Yes."
"Alright." Lin Jichen cleared his throat and said, "At this moment, Lord Ximen pushed open Jinlian''s door, ready to..."
Ren Lan: "Lin Jichen, shut up!"
Chapter 104 – My little landlord
Chapter 104 C My littlendlord
In the end, under Ren Lan''s strong insistence, Lin Jichen made her an extra dish of scrambled eggs with ham to satisfy her craving for meat.
Ren Lan works out every day, so a meat supplement is indeed essential.
Lin Jichen had been practicing Inedia for years, so when he rented the apartment and bought groceries, he only thought of eating light and didn''t consider her needs.
"Make do with this for now. I''ll make you some braised ribs tonight."
"Mm, mm, mm! You''re the best, buddy!" Ren Lan smiled contentedly.
The two chatted about their game while eating at the dining table.
Knock, knock.
Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door.
They thought they had misheard until it knocked again.
"Could it be my parents have tracked me down to catch me?" Ren Lan said in a panic.
"Don''t scare me, I''m getting nervous too."
Lin Jichen started to feel uneasy as well.
"Never mind, I''ll hide first. You handle it." Ren Lan put down her chopsticks and quickly hid in the room.
Lin Jichen swallowed hard and walked to the door, peeking through the peephole to observe.
But there was no one outside.
Could it be a ghost? Did the game merge with reality so quickly? Have the spirits and demonse out?
Knock, knock.
The door knocked again, but Lin Jichen still didn''t see anyone.
Even as a master of the Enlightenment Realm, he felt inexplicably nervous.
If it really were a ghost, he''d be done for.
He steeled himself and opened the door. Standing there was a little girl, about eight or nine years old.
She looked up at him with wary eyes, her big, sparkling eyes fixed on Lin Jichen.
Relieved to see it was just a child and not a ghost, Lin Jichen sighed. No wonder he couldn''t see her through the peephole.
"Little one, did you get the wrong floor? This is the fifth floor."
Lin Jichen assumed she lived on a different floor and had just made a mistake.
But the girl shook her head and said, "No, I didn''t get the wrong floor. I''m here to inspect my house."
"Inspect your house? You mean... this is your house? You''re thendlord?" Lin Jichen asked in surprise.
This unassuming, troublesomendlord the agent mentioned was this little girl?
"Yes, big brother. Are you Lin Jichen?"
"Yes, that''s me."
"Then it''s right. The agent told me about you. I''m here to inspect my house, so please cooperate."
The girl spoke with a faux-mature tone, which made Lin Jichenugh. He stepped aside to let her in.
At this moment, Ren Lan came out and saw the little girl.
"Isn''t this the little girl I saw on the road this morning? Wow! You''re so cute!"
But the girl wasn''t swayed by Ren Lan''s charm and turned away, hands behind her back.
She asked Lin Jichen, "Mr. Lin, how many people live here? Our contract states no more than two."
Lin Jichen smiled and replied, "Just me and her, no more than two."
"That''s good." The girl was relieved and began to seriously inspect the apartment.
Ren Lan walked over to Lin Jichen and whispered, "What''s going on?"
Lin Jichen smiled wryly, "Can''t you see? This is myndlord."
"A child this young? Where are her parents?"
"How would I know?" Lin Jichen rolled his eyes.
The girl quickly finished her inspection and nodded in satisfaction.
"Mr. Lin, I''ve finished checking. You''ve done well; the ce is very clean. But I have a question."
"Go ahead,ndlord," Lin Jichen said, matching her mature tone.
The girl asked, "Are you two a couple? Why are you living separately?"
"Uh..."
Before Lin Jichen could respond, Ren Lan jumped in to deny it, "Little girl, we''re not a couple, just roommates, good buddies."
"Oh, then Mr. Lin, you should take care of yourself," the girl advised.
Lin Jichen burst intoughter.
Ren Lan, on the other hand, was exasperated. She squatted down to the girl''s level and asked, "What do you mean by that, little sister? Do I look like a bad person?"
The girl seemed a bit scared of Ren Lan and quickly retreated behind Lin Jichen, saying, "I think Mr. Lin is a handsome brother, and handsome brothers are easily taken advantage of."
"Argh! I''m so mad!" Ren Lan was furious. She stood up and questioned Lin Jichen, "Did you hire her to get back at me for this morning''s workout?"
Lin Jichen was speechless, "Am I that petty?"
"Who knows," Ren Lan huffed. "Why else would this kid side with you? I''ve been so nice to her, and she''s still afraid of me. What''s the deal?"
"I don''t know. Kids have sharp eyes, and you''re always so fierce," Lin Jichen said, gloating.
Growl...
Suddenly, a sound came from the little girl''s stomach.
Lin Jichen and Ren Lan turned to see the girl standing by their dining table, staring at the food.
The growling sound came from her stomach.
"Little sister, are you hungry? If you want to eat, just tell me the truth. Did this bad brother send you to annoy me?" Ren Lan tried to use food to get the girl to confess.
The girl shook her head, "No, I came on my own."
She continued to stare at the food longingly.
Ren Lan sighed, "Alright, you win. Are you hungry? Would you like to eat with us?"
The girl shook her head again, mumbling, "Auntie said I shouldn''t eat food from strangers."
She lowered her head, looking a bit dejected, and started to walk out.
"Mr. Lin, I''ll be going now. Goodbye."
Seeing the cute little girl, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but call out to her.
"Little one, hasn''t your family cooked? Would you like to eat here? I made all this food. After you eat, I''ll take you home. How about that?"
Lin Jichen didn''t expect her to agree.
But to his surprise, the girl stopped, her eyes filled with hope.
"Really?"
Lin Jichen smiled, "Of course. Come on, I''ll get you some utensils."
"Thank you, big brother!" The girl immediately ran to the dining table, climbed onto a chair, and sat obediently.
Ren Lan was exasperated.
"Ah! I can''t take it anymore. I take back what I said earlier. This little girl is not cute at all!"
Lin Jichen brought a bowl of rice over,ughing, "Kids say the darndest things."
Ren Lan, annoyed, said, "Of course you''d say that since she''s siding with you. I think this kid is too precocious. She already knows what a handsome guy is at such a young age. She''ll definitely be part of the looks-obsessed crowd when she grows up."
"Alright, alright, let''s eat. I still have to go back to the sect after this."
Hearing this, Ren Lan had no choice but to sit back at the table. She deliberately sat next to the girl, close to her.
The two childish ones, one big and one small, stared each other down, neither willing to back down.
"Alright, let''s eat. Don''t be shy, eat as much as you want, my littlendlord."
Lin Jichen smiled as he handed her the bowl and even gave her some extra food.
The girl seemed really hungry and started eating obediently, eating a bit too fast.
Ren Lan couldn''t help but worry and handed her a bottle of milk.
"Eat slowly, or you''ll choke."
She wasn''t really mad at the little girl.
Chapter 105 – Qin Xiaowei
Chapter 105 C Qin Xiaowei
The scene of two adults and a child eating together was surprisingly heartwarming.
Knock, knock, knock!
Another round of knocking sounded at the door.
Lin Jichen went to open it, and a stunningly beautiful woman barged in without a word.
"Tang Tang! Tang Tang, are you here?"
The little girl at the dining table immediately responded, "Auntie, I''m here!"
The woman sighed in relief upon seeing her.
Then, she walked over angrily and started scolding, "Why didn''t you listen to me and wandered off?"
"Auntie, I didn''t wander off. I came to check on our house for you since you''re so busy and probably don''t have the time," the little girl replied obediently.
"Then why are you eating at someone else''s house?" the woman asked again.
The little girl lowered her head and admitted, "I''m sorry, Auntie. I was too hungry..."
Hearing this, the woman felt guilty and hugged the girl.
"Tang Tang, it''s Auntie''s fault foring backte. I''ll try toe home earlier to cook for you in the future."
As she spoke, the woman apologized to Ren Lan and Lin Jichen.
"I''m really sorry. I''ve been so busy and was worried sick when I didn''t see the child at home. I''m terribly sorry for any disturbance and rudeness."
The woman was very polite and well-mannered, clearly showing she had been genuinely worried.
Up close, she looked very young, just in her early twenties, with delicate features.
Her oval face was wless, with a pair of bright, watery eyes under her curved eyebrows, exuding a gentle and elegant aura.
"It''s no problem at all. It''s normal for kids to be hungry. Besides, we''re renting your house, so it''s perfectly fine for the child to have something to eat," Ren Lan said politely.
"Thank you. It''s all my fault for being so busy anding backte today. Anyway, thank you so much. Tang Tang, let''s go home," the woman said, not wanting to impose further.
But the little girl looked at the remaining food in her bowl, reluctant to leave. "Auntie, can I finish eating first?"
"Auntie will cook for you at home. It won''t take long."
"But your cooking..." The little girl hesitated.
The woman felt extremely embarrassed and quickly said, "Then I''ll take you to a restaurant downstairs."
At this moment, Ren Lan interjected, "Oh, why make it soplicated? Let the child finish eating here, and you can join us too. It''s just a meal."
"No, no, really, it''s not necessary," the woman quickly shook her head.
But Ren Lan, being straightforward, ignored her refusal and said to Lin Jichen, "Little Lin, don''t you agree?"
Lin Jichen nodded without objection and immediately brought a bowl of rice for the woman.
"Auntie, you should eat too. You have a stomach condition and shouldn''t go hungry," the little girl said, holding the woman''s hand.
Seeing this, the woman blushed and had no choice but to agree.
Ren Lan made room for her to sit next to Lin Jichen, so they could all sit together.
As the four of them sat down, the little girl continued eating seriously, enjoying her meal.
The woman felt very embarrassed and was hesitant to take any food.
"Don''t be so formal. Just think of it as sharing a table at a restaurant," Ren Lan said.
"Thank you," the woman finally started to eat, taking small, delicate bites.
"Are you her aunt?" Ren Lan, ever the social butterfly, began chatting.
"Yes, she''s my sister''s child. My sister divorced my brother-inw and passed away a few years ago. My brother-inw went abroad and doesn''t care about the child, so I''m responsible for taking care of her," the woman exined.
"You''re so kind," Ren Lan said, feeling sympathetic as she looked at the little girl.
"You two are very kind as well. I''m relieved to rent the house to you," the woman smiled.
Ren Lan blushed deeply.
The little girl looked up and exined to the woman, "Auntie, they''re not a couple. I asked them."
"Oh... I''m really sorry. I thought you were a couple renting together," the woman apologized repeatedly.
"No, no, we''re just good friends," Ren Lan quickly exined and then changed the subject.
"By the way, what do you do? You have such a good aura. Are you a model?"
The woman shook her head and replied, "No, I''m actually unemployed. I write music and submit my songs everywhere, but I''ve been facing constant rejections."
Bang!
Lin Jichen suddenly pped the table. "I remember now."
"What do you remember?" Ren Lan asked, puzzled.
Lin Jichen coughed awkwardly. "Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking about something else."
"Don''t think you can use this trick to attract the youngdy''s attention. It''s too old-fashioned!" Ren Lan scoffed.
Lin Jichen remained silent, toozy to exin.
But what he had just said was indeed rted to the woman in front of him.
He finally remembered why she looked so familiar when he first saw her today.
This woman was a future superstar!
"Youngdy, are you a singer? What''s your name? Maybe I''ve heard your songs," Ren Lan asked curiously.
"Don''t joke around. I''m just a nobody, not even third-rate. You wouldn''t have heard my songs," the woman said, embarrassed.
"Come on, tell us. You never know," Ren Lan pressed.
"My name is Qin Xiaowei."
"Uh... hehe, I haven''t heard of you," Ren Lan said, scratching her head awkwardly.
"It''s okay. That''s normal."
Qin Xiaowei smiled faintly, but there was a hint of self-mockery in her smile.
At this moment, Lin Jichen spoke again, "Do you have a song called... ''The Desk of the Past''?"
"Huh? How do you know?" Qin Xiaowei asked in shock, unable to believe it.
Because she really had written a song called "The Desk of the Past," her debut work.
But very few people knew about it, as she waspletely unknown, and her first song wasn''t particrly good, just mediocre.
She didn''t expect this guy to know about it.
Lin Jichen thought to himself, as expected, he hadn''t mistaken her. This was indeed the future superstar Qin Xiaowei.
How famous did Qin Xiaowei beter?
In the two years before the fusion of the game world, her poprity was already rivaling top-tier celebrities.
After the fusion of the Xianxia and real worlds, she started writing ancient-style songs, which also became hugely popr.
Many NPC big shots in "Tale of Immortal" loved listening to her songs, with some even bing her die-hard fans. Her fans spanned both worlds, earning her the title of a true diva!
And in an interview, she had mentioned that her first song was called "The Desk of the Past."
That songter became a hit, sung everywhere.
Lin Jichen didn''t answer Qin Xiaowei but instead started humming the melody from memory.
"The notes on the ckboard leap across, gazing at the other side, the oak desk''s dividing line still connects the past..."
His singing was average, but the melody was beautiful.
Qin Xiaowei seemed to be moved and started singing along.
Qin Xiaowei''s singing was a hundred times better than Lin Jichen''s, instantly captivating everyone.
Lin Jichen wisely stopped singing and let her solo.
"The countless smiles in the notebook, warm memories, this day a bit more, with you by my side, holding hands secretly..."
Chapter 106 – Corpse King Valley
Chapter 106 C Corpse King Valley
After the song ended, Ren Lan and the little girl were the first to apud.
"That was amazing! Miss Qin, your singing is incredible! And the song itself is so well-written, with a warm and youthful melody. It''s bound to be a hit!"
Qin Xiaowei blushed slightly and shyly said, "Thank you, and thank you to this gentleman for listening to my song."
Qin Xiaowei was overjoyed. She had faced numerous rejections and was feeling disheartened, almost ready to give up on music and find a regr job.
Lin Jichen''s appearance lifted her spirits and filled her with excitement.
Her song wasn''t unheard! She had fans!
Lin Jichen smiled, and it seemed as if even the sunlight lingered on his face.
He calmly said, "Your song is inherently good. Gold will always shine. You must believe that I''m just one of your many listeners. You should persist in what you love. With youthful ambition, you can achieve great things; the sky is the limit."
Qin Xiaowei was deeply moved by Lin Jichen''s words, savoring them for a long time. She smiled, her eyes sparkling.
She looked at Lin Jichen with heartfelt gratitude.
"Thank you, sir. Can you tell me your name?"
"Lin Jichen."
"I''ll remember it, Mr. Lin. Thank you for your guidance. I think I''ll continue on the path of a singer, and I will never regret it."
After speaking, Qin Xiaowei stood up and bowed.
"And thank you for yourpliment. It gave me a lot of motivation."
Qin Xiaowei turned to Ren Lan.
Ren Lan felt a bit embarrassed.
"Your song is genuinely good. I''m just being honest. My name is Ren Lan. From now on, we''re friends."
"Of course, I''m honored to be friends with you."
Qin Xiaowei said cheerfully.
"And me!" The little girl raised her hand, joining in. "My name is Niu Naitang, but you can call me Tang Tang."
Ren Lanughed, "Niu Naitang? Who gave you such a lovely name? It''s so endearing!"
"My mom gave it to me." The little girl suddenly fell silent.
Realizing she had misspoken, Ren Lan quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to. I just wanted to say your name is beautiful."
But Tang Tang still looked downcast, with tears welling up in her eyes, clearly missing her mother.
"Really, I''m so sorry. I didn''t mean it." Ren Lan felt extremely guilty.
"It''s okay, it''s okay. Kids get over things quickly."
Qin Xiaowei also tried tofort Tang Tang, "Tang Tang, it''s okay. Sister Ren was justplimenting your name."
But Qin Xiaowei''sfort had little effect.
Seeing Tang Tang on the verge of tears, Lin Jichen suddenly spoke up.
"My mom is gone too, and my dad as well. Tang Tang, you''re luckier than me. At least your dad is still alive, and you have an auntie to take care of you."
Tang Tang looked up, suddenly jumped off her chair, and ran to Lin Jichen, hugging his leg. "Big brother, it''s okay. Tang Tang can take care of you too."
Lin Jichen opened his arms, and Tang Tang ran into his embrace.
"We''ll be good friends from now on, right?"
"Yes!"
"When you miss your mom,e find me. I miss my mom too."
"Okay~"
Tang Tang stopped crying and hugged Lin Jichen with a sweet smile.
She seemed to have found a kindred spirit and felt especially close to Lin Jichen.
"I didn''t expect Mr. Lin to have such a sad past."
Qin Xiaowei looked at Lin Jichen, who wasughing with Tang Tang, her eyes filled with gratitude and sympathy.
Ren Lan, unusually silent, watched Lin Jichen.
She had long known about Lin Jichen''s background. Little Lin had always been optimistic, and over time, she had almost forgotten.
Half an hourter, the meal ended on a high note.
After repeatedly thanking Lin Jichen, Qin Xiaowei left with Niu Naitang.
They lived upstairs, so their homes were very close.
"You go ahead, I''ll clean up." Ren Lan proactively started clearing the table.
She couldn''t cook, but she could at least handle washing dishes and cleaning.
Unlike Guo Jie, who had never done any housework when she lived with Lin Jichen.
She used to say that as a fairy, she shouldn''t touch mundane things and should only be cherished, not do housework.
Seeing the difference between the two now, Lin Jichen didn''t know how to evaluate his past self.
With Ren Lan taking over the chores, Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate and went back to his room to enter the game.
As soon as he logged in, he received an unread message.
It was from Jiang Luoyu.
"Mr. Lin, our Moon Shadow Guild has cleared the Corpse King Valley in both Hard and Very Hard modes. Now only Hell Mode is left. We''re nning to attempt it today. Are you avable to help us? You can name your conditions."
Lin Jichen thought for a moment. He did want to clear the Corpse King Valley, but it was a team secret realm requiring a hundred yers.
He couldn''t gather that many people on his own, so it was better to join the Moon Shadow Guild.
"When? I can make it."
Shortly after sending the message, Jiang Luoyu replied.
"Soon, in ten minutes. If you''re busy, we can wait for you."
"No need, I''ll be there shortly."
After replying, Lin Jichen headed to the Corpse King Valley Secret Realm.
The Corpse King Valley Secret Realm was practically a gathering ce for guilds.
Most guilds in Mu Xian Province spent their days here.
As arge secret realm, its equipment drop rate was the highest among all secret realms.
Naturally, it became a favorite among guilds.
However, many guilds had already cleared the Hard and Very Hard modes.
Only Hell Mode remained unbeaten.
The same was true for the other two secret realms in Hell Mode. In "Nightmare," only Lin Jichen had cleared it. Xie Lingyang and other yers still hadn''t defeated Zhan.
"Night Cave Ghost Ridge" was the same, with only the Moon Shadow Guild clearing Hell Mode.
The secret realms had updated too early, and most yers were still too weak.
Hell Mode was too difficult for them.
Without Lin Jichen, the Hell Mode of the three secret realms would have remained unbeaten.
When Lin Jichen arrived at the Corpse King Valley, all the guild yers quickly recognized him.
This made the previously calm guilds a bit noisy.
"Hey, I heard you''re a solo yer. Interested in joining our Across the Seas guild?"
"Brother Lin, join our Berserkers. I''ll make you the vice leader!"
"Your skills are impressive. I admire you. How about joining my Misty Pavilion? I''ll give you a monthly sry of five million, plus bonuses. How about it?"
"Brother..."
....
Many guild leaders extended olive branches to Lin Jichen, hoping he would join their guild.
Lin Jichen didn''t put on any airs or show a sour face. He smiled and politely declined each offer.
Putting on airs would only invite trouble. Why bother? Even if he wasn''t afraid of retaliation, avoiding trouble was better than inviting it.
Having lived a second life, Lin Jichen had a steady mindset. He avoided unnecessary trouble.
Growing stronger steadily, staying low-key, and making a fortune quietly was the way to go.
Those who put on airs and picked fights with everyone never gained any benefits and only brought trouble upon themselves.
He could even pretend to get along with the Eternal Guild, which had wronged him in his past life, making Wang Jinghao think highly of him and call him brother.
This showed how steady and mature Lin Jichen had be.
Sure enough, Lin Jichen''s polite responses made all the guild leaders feel respected. Even if they were rejected, they smiled and said it was fine.
Only one guild treated Lin Jichen differently.
Chapter 107 – Do you prefer a sliding cover or a flip cover?
Chapter 107 C Do you prefer a sliding cover or a flip cover?
Just as Lin Jichen walked over, the Blood Fiend Guild blocked his path.
Guild leader Li Fengwen stepped forward, his eyes filled with malice.
"Lin Jichen, it''s time we settled our old scores, don''t you think?"
In the distance, the Moon Shadow Guild noticed Lin Jichen being surrounded.
"Guild leader," Su Wanling said anxiously.
Jiang Luoyu''s expression remained unchanged. She simply said softly, "Let''s go over."
The members of the Moon Shadow Guild immediately followed her to provide support.
However, they were blocked by the members of the Blood Fiend Guild.
"What do you mean by this, Blood Fiend? If you want a fight, we''re ready anytime," Jiang Luoyu said coldly.
Kuang Xiaoyan, leading the group,ughed dryly. "No need to rush, Guild Leader Jiang. My boss just wants to have a few words with Lin Jichen. No need to get so tense."
"I want you to move aside," Jiang Luoyu demanded, showing no courtesy.
Kuang Xiaoyan spat and sneered, "Who do you think you are? Do you think Blood Fiend is afraid of you?"
Tensions rose between Blood Fiend and Moon Shadow.
Meanwhile, at the Eternal Guild.
"Guild leader, should we help?" Wang Jinghao asked with a cold smile.
"No rush," Wang Jinghao replied. "I''d love to see them fight. We''ve been wanting to deal with those Moon Shadow women for a while now. It would be best if Lin Jichen gets a lesson too, so he knows which side can truly protect him."
"Lin Jichen, you must be something, having the whole Moon Shadow Guild backing you. Are you really a gigolo?" Li Fengwen mocked.
Unexpectedly, Lin Jichen didn''t feel ashamed at all. Instead, he calmly nodded.
"Yeah, how did you figure out I love being a gigolo? Are you jealous because you can''t get any?"
Li Fengwen''s expression stiffened, turning cold. "I''m not here to waste words. The incident at Cann Medicine Valley needs an exnation."
"What kind of exnation do you want?" Lin Jichen asked.
"You killed so many of my men and stole our boss''s first kill. Somepensation isn''t too much to ask, is it?"
"Yeah, that''s not too much. What kind ofpensation do you want?" Lin Jichen asked cooperatively.
Li Fengwen thought Lin Jichen was scared because he had brought so many people, and his expression turned smug.
"I won''t make it hard for you. Ten thousand Spirit Stones and three pieces of your equipment. I heard you have an Iron-Eating Beast pet, hand that over too, and we''ll call it even."
"Is that so..."
Lin Jichen looked conflicted.
Seeing his hesitation, Li Fengwen added, "I know the Moon Shadow Guild can help you, but my Blood Fiend Guild is several times stronger than them. Do you think they would go to war with us over you? Even if they did, could they win?"
"I advise you to open your eyes and see reality. Hand over thepensation, and my Blood Fiend Guild will not trouble you again. We might even invite you to join us..."
Swish!
Before Li Fengwen could finish his sentence, a sh of ck light appeared before his eyes, and a prominent wound opened on his neck.
"Throat sh! -3500! Instant Kill!"
As the guild leader, Li Fengwen had not focused much on his cultivation realm, being only ater stage Qi Refining de cultivator. He had been more concerned with managing the guild.
Facing Lin Jichen''s sudden attack, he didn''t even have time to speak before he was dead, bing a lonely soul in the Soul Burial Mound.
The members of the Blood Fiend Guild were clearly still in shock.
Lin Jichen flicked the blood off his sword and sneered at them. "Ask your guild leader for me, does he prefer a sliding cover or a flip cover? I''ll make him a coffin."
He liked to be steady, but that didn''t mean he had a good temper.
When it was time to act, Lin Jichen was more decisive than anyone!
Damn! The Blood Fiend members finally realized their leader had been killed.
Right in front of thousands of their brothers, Lin Jichen dared to strike!
At this moment, in the guild chat, Li Fengwen had exploded.
"Kill that bastard for me! He''s a red name, drop all his equipment! Fuck him! @@%@...."
Li Fengwen''smand left the Blood Fiend Guild members with no hesitation.
Seeing Lin Jichen make a move, Jiang Luoyu didn''t hesitate either. She shouted, "Attack!"
She herself led the charge, casting a Fire Rain spell into the midst of the Blood Fiend Guild members, catching them off guard.
The other Moon Shadow Guild members also joined the fray.
In an instant, the battle between the Moon Shadow Guild and the Blood Fiend Guild 2.0 began.
Unlikest time, the Moon Shadow Guild''s strength had greatly increased. Although they had fewer members than the Blood Fiend Guild, theirbat power was not inferior.
Since the first clear of Night Cave Ghost Ridge, the Moon Shadow Guild had taken the opportunity to promote themselves, increasing their membership several times over.
Moreover, the new members were all quite capable.
In terms ofbat power, they were not much weaker than the veteran Blood Fiend Guild.
The battle was fierce, with martial arts techniques and spirit skills flying everywhere.
This was thergest-scale guild war since the open beta of Tale of Immortal.
Both guilds threw all their forces into the fight.
Other guilds around Corpse King Valley quickly fled, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.
Therge-scale guild war was a spectacr sight, with roars echoing and blood raining down.
In just a few seconds, hundreds of members from both guilds had died.
Taking advantage of the Blood Fiend Guild being busy fending off the Moon Shadow Guild, Lin Jichen didn''t hold back.
With his Dark Night Sword and ghostly speed, he killed one person with each step, almost always instantly killing those below the Foundation Establishment realm.
The Blood Fiend Guild members tried to counterattack, but they couldn''t even break Lin Jichen''s defense, let alone hit him.
"Spell cultivators, use control spells! Lock him down!" Kuang Xiaoyan shouted in frustration.
Several spell cultivators immediately cast their spells.
"Earth Immortal Binding Hands!"
"Freezing Spell!"
"Gravity Spell!"
...
Lin Jichen activated Phantom Step, maximizing his speed and dodging one control spell after another.
He didn''t just dodge; he moved towards the group of spell cultivators.
Realizing Lin Jichen''s n, Kuang Xiaoyan urgently ordered the body cultivators to intercept him.
But it was toote.
"Frost Moon sh!"
Lin Jichen swung his sword, releasing a stunning Sword Qi that hit almost all the spell cultivators in range.
Damage numbers in the thousands appeared above their heads.
"Healers, heal them! Quickly!" Kuang Xiaoyan shouted.
The healers hurried to restore the spell cultivators'' health.
Lin Jichen sneered, and his Dark Night Sword emitted an excited hum.
A surge of violent spiritual energy flowed into the sword, absorbing the surrounding energy.
Then, Lin Jichen''s sword transformed into countless Sword Qi.
These Sword Qi condensed into the shape of the Dark Night Sword, forming spiritual swords that revolved around him.
sh!
Lin Jichen thrust his sword into the air, and the Sword Qi shot like a storm of needles into the crowd.
The Blood Fiend members within a fifty-meter radius were surrounded by the Sword Qi.
The Sword Qi formed a circle, trapping hundreds of members inside.
Most of them were spell cultivators and healers.
The Sword Qi began to spin, creating a hurricane of spiritual energy that tore through the formation, reaping lives!
The health bars of the yers inside dropped by one or two thousand per second.
The healers panicked and tried to heal them.
But their healing couldn''t keep up with the rate of damage.
In a few seconds, the Blood Fiend members inside started to fall.
The de Storm, which was about to stop, resumed its rotation, showing no sign of stopping.
Chapter 108 – Two guys with plugins
Chapter 108 C Two guys with plugins
When the sword formation finally stopped, there was no one left alive within it.
Nearly three hundred people, all killed by that one move!
Everyone present was stunned.
What kind of skill was this?
Its power was astonishing!
Other spirit skills might deal a thousand damage at most, but this one inflicted at least five thousand damage to each person caught in it.
Even a few Foundation Establishment Realm yers met their end within it.
Guild yers watching nearby wiped the sweat off their foreheads.
Luckily, they weren''t the ones hit by that move, or they would have ended up just like the Blood Fiend yers.
The Blood Fiend members were terrified by this move, and none dared to approach the imposing Lin Jichen.
"Don''t panic, everyone. This must be his trump card spirit skill. Skills like this have very long cooldowns. We have so many people, what are we afraid of? Charge!"
Kuang Xiaoyan''s words gave everyone a boost of confidence.
Indeed, even if Lin Jichen had such a terrifying skill, it only killed a couple of hundred people.
For a massive guild like Blood Fiend, this was just a scratchthey had over ten thousand members!
Especially after seeing Lin Jichen glowing red after using that move, looking even more festive than Santa us.
This meant that if they killed Lin Jichen now, all his valuable equipment would drop!
Everyone knew Lin Jichen was the top yer in Tale of Immortal. Even if his equipment hadn''t been revealed, it was undoubtedly extraordinary.
Li Fengwen even posted a bounty in the guild channel: whoever could take down Lin Jichen would receive three million in cash and a sports car!
With such an incentive, Blood Fiend members charged at Lin Jichen fearlessly, as if he were a fat, juicy pig waiting to be ughtered.
Lin Jichen knew that he couldn''t take on thousands alone; just the mana consumption was a huge issue.
Whether it was artifact cultivation or body cultivation, even basic attacks consumed mana.
Though basic attacks consumed very little mana, it still added up.
So, Lin Jichen charged towards the backline of the Blood Fiend Guild, targeting the healers and spell cultivators!
These fragile yers fell in droves under the Dark Night Sword.
Soul Burial Mounds popped up one after another, making Lin Jichen''s sword cultivation feel like an assassin''s art.
Coming and going like a shadow, killing without a trace.
The elegance and agility of sword cultivation were fully disyed, making all the sword cultivators around boil with excitement.
"This is what a sword cultivator should be!"
"No wonder he''s the top yer in Tale of Immortal, he''s incredible!"
"His attributes are strong, but more importantly, he understands team battles. He knows he can''t take down a whole guild alone, so he specifically targets spell cultivators and healers."
"Ah, this is so exhrating! I''m bowing down!"
"Idol, Sword God of Tale of Immortal, who else but him!"
With arge number of healers and spell cultivators killed, the Blood Fiend Guild''s backline fell into chaos.
The surviving spell cultivators and healers were too busy saving their own lives to respond to the desperate calls from the body cultivators and artifact cultivators in the front.
"Spell cultivators, cast your skills! Damn it, the Moon Shadow spell cultivators are bombarding us, where are our people? Where did they die?"
"Healers! Damn it, where are the heals? I''ve been tanking as a monk for ages and haven''t received a single heal. What are you all doing?"
"Isn''t it against the precepts for monks to receive heals?"
"Screw you!"
***
In arge-scale battle, the main source of damage is definitely the spell cultivators, and the key to sustainability is the healers.
When these two roles arepromised, it''s like soldiers losing their most lethal weapons and supplies.
Defeat is inevitable.
Sure enough, it wasn''t long before the Blood Fiend Guild began to copse.
They underestimated thebat power of the Moon Shadow Guild and even more so the trouble Lin Jichen''s individual strength could cause them.
The death toll among Blood Fiend members skyrocketed.
Lin Jichen alone couldn''t kill many.
But... he had a group of female warriors behind him.
Especially Jiang Luoyu, who unleashed a Mysterious Grade spirit skill, Oblivion Demonic Aura, into the crowd.
That skill had a range six timesrger than Lin Jichen''s de Storm!
A three-hundred-meter radius of damage!
Although the damage wasn''t as high as Lin Jichen''s, it still caused over two thousand damage to thousands of yers collectively.
Thousands of yers saw damage numbers over two thousand pop up above their heads, and those with low defense lost as much as three thousand.
Everyone watching gasped in shock.
In terms of total damage in a team fight, spell cultivators were indeed more advantageous.
Seeing so many yers lose so much health, Lin Jichen was not to be outdone.
He twisted his sword with his right hand and formed a hand seal with his left, a golden ''d'' symbol glowing in his palm.
"Rebirth Buddha Seal!"
Soon, a massive ''d'' symbol appeared in the sky, shining like a stamp.
Then, the Buddha Seal crashed down!
Everyone was stunned. Why did Lin Jichen have a Buddhist spirit skill?
Wasn''t he a sword cultivator? Was he moonlighting as a monk?
In the distance, a seductive woman in a red dress watched this scene, her eyes widened in surprise. Then she pursed her lips, a trace of annoyance and frustration in her expression.
"Isn''t that the Rebirth Buddha Seal that the abbot asked me to find from Master Zhiqing? I can''t believe it was snatched by a sword cultivator kid. Stealing my opportunity, let''s see if I don''t report this to the Buddhist sect and make them deal with you, hmph~"
After speaking, the woman in red disappeared.
Boom!
On the battlefield between the two guilds, Blood Fiend yers within a hundred meters were hit directly by the Buddha Seal.
Having just lost arge chunk of health from Jiang Luoyu''s attack, they were now hit by the Rebirth Buddha Seal.
The Rebirth Buddha Seal''s base damage was 2000 points, plus Lin Jichen''s extremely high strength.
Everyone hit by it lost over three thousand health.
The two ultimate skillsbined, and Blood Fiend yers within a hundred meters were instantly vaporized!
Five to six hundred people were wiped out in an instant.
Thispletely shattered the Blood Fiend yers'' morale.
Screw this! Two cheaters!
The Blood Fiend yers no longer wanted to die, no matter how much Kuang Xiaoyan and the resurrected Li Fengwen tried to rally them.
Defeated soldiers had no will to fight.
No matter what they said, the Blood Fiend yers ignored them and fled.
Seeing this, Li Fengwen knew the situation was hopeless, but he still refused to give up.
He went to other guilds, begging them to help surround and eliminate Moon Shadow and Lin Jichen.
But everyone had witnessed Lin Jichen and Moon Shadow''s strength.
Only a fool would willingly provoke such a powerful enemy.
Moreover, Lin Jichen had shown them respect earlier.
No one thought it was worth offending Lin Jichen just to gain favor with Li Fengwen.
Lin Jichen was still a free agent, and the major guilds hoped to recruit him.
So, helping Li Fengwen was out of the question.
Even if someone wanted to act, seeing the Moon Shadow Guild''s morale, like that of female war gods, made them back off immediately.
"Fine, you''ll alle begging to me, Li Fengwen, sooner orter!"
Seeing no one willing to help, Li Fengwen lost all face.
After leaving a harsh remark, he led his guild members away.
They left behind thousands of Blood Fiend yers'' Soul Burial Mounds, not daring to pick them up.
Chapter 109 – The way to wash off the red name
Chapter 109 C The way to wash off the red name
```
The equipment lost by Blood Fiend would definitely have to bepensated by Li Fengwen out of his own pocket.
Otherwise, no one would be willing to work for him anymore.
Guild wars are not just about the strength of the subordinates but also about the financial power of the guild leaders.
Therefore, the bosses of major guilds are usually billionaires and business tycoons.
Even if most of the equipment for these thousands of people is of Ordinary Grade, its value would still be at least in the tens of millions.
This doesn''t even include the cultivation experience lost upon death.
These losses are beyond mary value.
After finishing the guild war, Li Fengwen exited the gaming pod, so furious that he even killed his beloved dog.
At the entrance of Corpse King Valley.
The battle had already ended.
Only thousands of Soul Burial Mounds were left scattered around.
The sheer number of Soul Burial Mounds was shocking.
The guild yers nearby were green with envy, and some guild leaders even considered taking advantage of the chaos to grab some loot.
"President Yuan, what do you think? Should we go and snatch some?"
"I think it''s doable. We won''t fight; we''ll just take some benefits. The Moon Shadow Guild won''t dare to say anything."
"Alright, if you''re in, I''m in. Let''s move immediately."
***
No guild could resist the temptation of thousands of Soul Burial Mounds. The difference was that some had deep pockets and could hold back, while medium and small guilds couldn''t resist and conspired to act like hyenas, hoping to snatch some benefits.
But just as they were about to make a move, a figure exuding murderous intent walked to the front, standing tall with a sword in hand, eyes closed, like a statue.
Who else could this figure be?
It was none other than the killing maniac who had ughtered nearly a thousand people, Lin Jichen.
As he stood before everyone, those who had sinister intentions dared not make a move.
Everyone was intimidated by his lone hero-like aura, recalling his recent battle achievements and his endless killing moves.
They were scared.
Jiang Luoyu understood his intention and immediately ordered her subordinates to collect all the Soul Burial Mounds.
Thousands of Soul Burial Mounds were quickly gathered.
"Mr. Lin, it''s done," Jiang Luoyu walked over to inform him.
Lin Jichen then opened his eyes, gave a brilliant smile to all the guild yers in front of him, and said loudly, "Thanks."
After saying that, he turned and left gracefully.
Leaving everyone looking at each other, feeling extremely awkward.
Wang Jinghao felt a deep sense of regret, seeing such talent not being able to work for him, like Cao Cao missing out on Guan Yu or Liu Bei missing out on Xu Shu.
"Have you found out? Lin Jichen''s address and information."
"Young Master, we couldn''t find anything," his subordinate replied bitterly.
"Reason," Wang Jinghao asked, holding back his anger.
"Lin Jichen''s information seems to have been tampered with and moved to confidential files. Moreover, we don''t know if he is using his real name or a game name, so there''s no way to find out."
"Damn it, you can''t even find a person. What''s the use of you useless bunch!"
Wang Jinghao cursed, his eyes flickering as if thinking of other ways.
On the other side, Lin Jichen had already left Corpse King Valley with the Moon Shadow Guild.
Almost every girl in the Moon Shadow Guild was glowing red; they were the ones who took the initiative, so naturally, they all had killing intent.
Especially Jiang Luoyu, whose killing intent was almost as strong as Lin Jichen''s.
As a spell cultivator, she had killed over a hundred people.
"Mr. Lin, where are we going now? Aren''t we going to clear Corpse King Valley?" Jiang Luoyu asked curiously.
Lin Jichen smiled and replied, "I''m taking you to get rid of the killing intent. If you go into the Secret Realm with red names, the cultivation and equipment lost upon death would be significant. Moreover, if Li Fengwenes back to ambush us, it would be disastrous."
Jiang Luoyu asked curiously, "Can we get rid of the red names quickly?"
"Yes, there are quite a few methods."
As Lin Jichen spoke, they had already arrived at their destination, argeke.
Theke was crystal clear, with sparkling water.
Lin Jichen said, "Everyone, jump in and wash up."
Huh?
All the Moon Shadow members were stunned. Bathing?
"Master Lin, you can''t be saying that bathing can remove red names, right? This is the first time I''ve heard that you can wash off red names in a game by bathing."
Su Wanling couldn''t help butin, even a bit disbelieving.
Jiang Luoyu was also skeptical. Bathing can remove red names? That would be too easy.
"It''s not just any water; there''s a huge Demon Purging Stone at the bottom of theke. The water infused with the Demon Purging Stone can cleanse the killing intent and remove the red names, but..."
Lin Jichen paused here.
"But what?" Su Wanling asked.
"Nothing, just that you have to take off your outer clothes, leaving only the system-mandated undergarments."
After Lin Jichen said this, all the Moon Shadow members blushed.
Even Jiang Luoyu blushed a little.
Su Wanling spat, her eyes wary and suspicious.
"Lin Jichen, you wouldn''t be trying to take advantage, would you?"
Everyone had this suspicion.
Lin Jichen quickly replied, "Why would I lie to you?"
Seeing that everyone still didn''t believe him and no one was getting into the water, he said, "How about this, you all turn around, and I''ll go in first to demonstrate. After all, I have the most severe red name and need the longest time to wash it off. I''ll go in first."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Luoyu immediately turned her body away, and Su Wanling also quickly turned around.
The other thousands of female yers were different...
Most of them chose to turn away, but quite a few remained unmoved, their eyes gleaming with curiosity, stretching their necks to watch.
"Xiaohua, Feifei, Yuer, Xiaolu... you perverts, turn around!" Su Wanling felt extremely embarrassed seeing them act like female hooligans, and immediately ordered them to turn around.
These girls reluctantly turned around.
Lin Jichen felt immense pressure, first confirming that this was indeed the Cleansing Lake and he hadn''t made a mistake.
If he had made a mistake and couldn''t wash off the red name, it would be extremely awkward today.
Convincing them again would be impossible, and he would bebeled as a pervert with ulterior motives.
Fortunately, after triple-checking, this was indeed the Cleansing Lake.
Lin Jichen finally felt at ease and began to remove his equipment, storing it in his ring, leaving only the system-mandated shorts.
He then walked to theke and jumped in.
The Moon Shadow girls, hearing the ssh, turned to see Lin Jichen really in the water.
Soon, they noticed that the red glow on Lin Jichen seemed to be fading a bit.
Now they believed.
"What should we do? Should we wash?" Su Wanling asked Jiang Luoyu.
"Of course, we should. If we don''t, it will take at least a few days to get rid of the red names. Plus, with red names, we can''t return to the city or use teleportation. What else can we do?"
Jiang Luoyu replied.
"Huh? Wash with him?" Su Wanling asked, shocked.
Jiang Luoyu''s face turned red, and she spat at her.
"Why do you have to bathe with him? We''ll wait until he''s done."
"That''s true. I''ll ask him how long he''ll take."
Su Wanling then shouted to Lin Jichen in theke, "How long will you take?"
"I''ll need about four hours."
"Huh? That long?" Su Wanling was speechless.
Chapter 110 – Do you think he’s doing something dirty in the water?
Chapter 110 C Do you think hes doing something dirty in the water?
Jiang Luoyu and Su Wanling wanted to wait.
But the other girls in the guild couldn''t wait any longer.
"Wanling sister, I promised my boyfriend I''d meet him tonight. He''s picking me up in an hour."
"President, I have to attend my night ss (.)."
"Wanling sister, I need to pick up my child from school."
"I have a shift at the hospital tonight, and there''s a surgery scheduled (;_)."
"I haven''t eaten yet, I''m starving (TT)."
...
Everyone chattered away, expressing their difficulties to Jiang Luoyu and Su Wanling. Most of the girls couldn''t wait that long.
"Forget it, let them choose for themselves. We''ll wait," Jiang Luoyu said helplessly.
Su Wanling understood that not all members were full-time yers; it was impossible to make everyone wait for four hours.
Asking Lin Jichen to wait for them to finish washing was out of the question. She couldn''t even bring herself to ask.
Why should he waste so much time waiting for them? It was his idea to wash off the red names, after all.
Only a die-hard feminist would have the nerve to say such a thing.
"Choose for yourselves. Those who want to wait can wait. Those who need to log off can go wash first," Su Wanling said.
With that, several bold girls immediately stripped off their equipment, leaving only their undergarments, and ran towards theke.
If it weren''t for the mandatory undergarments, they might have gonepletely bare.
Lin Jichen soaked in theke, watching a bunch of white figures running towards him.
Many of them had great figures, and their undergarments bounced as they ran, creating quite a seductive scene.
As a novice, Lin Jichen felt overwhelmed and quickly swam farther away.
As more girls entered the water, the scenery in theke became increasingly beautiful.
The girls frolicked and yed in theke, swimming joyfully.
Lin Jichen kept retreating, just wanting to maintain his innocence.
But some bold ones deliberately followed him, swimming close and winking seductively.
Although yers couldn''t touch each other due to system restrictions, it didn''t stop them from flirting and tempting.
Su Wanling was furious on the shore, pointing at the flirtatious girls and shouting, "You guys, stop being so thirsty and get back here!"
But her words had little effect. Seeing a handsome guy like Lin Jichen naked, the girls couldn''t control their primal urges and pretended not to hear.
Fuming, Su Wanling stripped off her equipment and jumped into theke, swimming over to drag them back one by one.
Jiang Luoyu, already blushing on the shore, had never seen such a scene. She had to admit, her guild had quite a few experienced yers.
Some girls who hadn''t killed many washed off their red names quickly and returned to the shore to switch with the next batch.
After several rounds, Su Wanling was almost done washing. She advised Jiang Luoyu, "President, you should wash too. Your red name status is almost as bad as Lin''s. It''ll take hours to wash off. If you wait for him to finish, you''ll be here forever."
"Well..." Jiang Luoyu hesitated. Every week on this night, her parents would call her.
Su Wanling continued, "Don''t worry, he''s pretty honest. He''ll wash on the other side while we wash here. He can''t see us, and we aren''tpletely naked."
Jiang Luoyu nced at Lin Jichen, who was indeed staying still on the other side with his back turned.
An experienced female yer spected, "Do you think he''s doing something dirty in the water?"
Su Wanling: "...."
Jiang Luoyu: "...."
"I''ll dock half your sry. Say something dirty again, and you''re out!" Su Wanling snapped.
The poor female yer, looking miserable, quickly swam away to find some cleansing powder.
After hesitating for a while, Jiang Luoyu finally stripped off her robe, revealing her wless skin and perfect figure.
In the game, her body was modeled after her real-life appearance.
Seeing Jiang Luoyu''s delicate body, all the female members felt like they were about to bleed from their noses.
Their president had a stunning face and an amazing body!
Comparisons were indeed odious.
Feeling extremely embarrassed, Jiang Luoyu quickly jumped into theke.
She stole a nce at Lin Jichen and was relieved to see he still hadn''t turned around.
Those who had finished washing or hadn''t entered the water stood guard, preventing any perverts from sneaking in to take photos.
As time passed, more people washed off their red names and returned to the shore.
Only Lin Jichen remained in the water, his red glow significantly faded but still present.
Jiang Luoyu finally finished washing and quickly put on her clothes.
Many female yers giggled and whispered about how shy their president was, guessing she had never worn a bikini before.
After getting dressed, Jiang Luoyu regained herposure and checked the time. It was almost time for her parents to call.
She called out to Lin Jichen, "Mr. Lin, I have other things to do today, and many guild members need to log off. How about we go to Corpse King Valley tomorrow?"
Lin Jichen still didn''t turn around, simply replying, "Okay." He also needed to make dinner; he had promised Miss Frenzy some braised ribs.
Jiang Luoyu continued, "Mr. Lin, you can take all the equipment we got from the Blood Fiend Guild today."
Lin Jichen refused.
"No need. You helped me today, so I owe you a favor. I don''t want the equipment."
"But this whole situation started because of us. If you hadn''t helped us at Cann Medicine Valleyst time, Blood Fiend wouldn''t have targeted you today."
Without giving Lin Jichen a chance to refuse, Jiang Luoyu instructed Su Wanling to wait and give him the equipment, then tore a teleportation scroll and logged off.
An hourter, Lin Jichen finally washed off his red name and came ashore. Most of the Moon Shadow girls had left.
Only Su Wanling and a few members remained.
Seeing Lin Jichene out, Su Wanling blushed at the sight of him in just his underwear and muttered, "Bad luck."
"Finally, you''re out. The president asked me to stand guard with some members, in case Blood Fiendes after you."
She handed Lin Jichen several rings filled with Blood Fiend equipment, a substantial haul.
"Alright, thanks." Lin Jichen didn''t refuse this time. His equipment shop was about to open, and he needed stock.
"Okay, we''re leaving too. See you tomorrow," Su Wanling said, preparing to leave.
But after taking a few steps, she returned alone.
"Master Lin, our president asked me to tell you something."
"Go ahead."
Su Wanling whispered, "Our president wanted me to inform you that someone is investigating your identity and address."
Lin Jichen''s eyelid twitched. How could he have forgotten about that?
"And? Did you find out who?" Lin Jichen asked, frowning.
His first thought was Li Fengwen.
Chapter 111 – Enter the master’s bedchamber again
Chapter 111 C Enter the masters bedchamber again
"No, the other party is very cautious and doesn''t seem to have any malicious intent. However, our guild leader has already set all your identity information to confidential, so no one can find it. She also asked me to tell you that she means no harm and just wants to help you."
Su Wanling earnestly persuaded.
"You are too conspicuous without any backing, making it easy for some capitalists to target you. If you encounter bad people, they might directly take action against you in real life, forcing you to do things or work for them. You need to be more careful in the future and protect yourself until you have your own wings."
After Su Wanling finished speaking, Lin Jichen was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Thank your guild leader for me. I will be careful."
After Su Wanling left, Lin Jichen returned to his sect, logged off from his living quarters, and exited the game with a heavy heart.
He had indeed been too careless.
He had overlooked important safety issues.
In the game, he could dominate and be invincible, with Leng Feiyan as his backing.
But in reality, he was just an ordinary person, a small figure.
If someone like Li Fengwen really found out his address, it could lead to retaliation.
The game had not yet merged with reality, but such reckless behavior was not umon in his previous life.
He still remembered a vivid example from the second year of the game''s operation. A solo yer named He Ming identally obtained a Heavenly Grade Magic Treasure.
He unted it everywhere, and his strength skyrocketed because of it, showing off all around.
Eventually, a small studio targeted him and found out his address.
The members of this small studio were all gang members who acted without regard for consequences.
Knowing he had a Heavenly Grade Magic Treasure, they kidnapped him and used cruel methods to force him to hand it over.
After enduring brutal torture, He Ming could only hand over the treasure to save his life.
But to silence him and prevent him from reporting to the police, they killed him.
Later, the police found his body and eventually took down the studio by following the clues.
Such incidents were not rare in his previous life; they were even quitemon.
In the face of profit, many people would do anything.
An innocent man gets into trouble because of his wealth.
This principle has been true throughout history.
Lin Jichen was now the top expert in the Tale of Immortal, renowned and glorious.
But likewise, he knew many people had their eyes on him.
It''s just that the game had only recentlyunched, and people hadn''t taken it too seriously yet.
As time went on and people realized how terrifyingly profitable this game could be, the situation would be very different.
Lin Jichen felt he needed to take some measures now. He checked the time; it was still early.
He took his ID and household registration book and headed straight to the sales office of a nearby residential area.
With money, anything is possible. He quickly bought a luxurious residence, registered it, and got the house keys.
Then he bought a lot of surveince equipment and set it up in various hidden corners of his new home. He also bought a luxury car and parked it in the parking lot of the residential area.
After finishing all this, Lin Jichen returned to his rented apartment. He bought the house and car not to move in but to confuse those who wanted to find his information.
He deliberately bought a house under his own name to mislead those who were trying to find his address. They would find out about his new home and see his car parked below, thinking he lived there.
The house was filled with surveince cameras, and Lin Jichen decided to check the footage on his phone every day.
If anyone sneaked into his house, he would know immediately and could take action.
This trick might not have any substantial effect, but it was very confusing.
At least it served as a good early warning.
On the contrary, the rented two-bedroom apartment became a safe ce. Who would think that after earning so much money, he would still live in a rented house instead of his own luxurious home?
Although thendlord might expose him, he knew Qin Xiaowei didn''t y games.
Even after the world merged, she never yed Tale of Immortal. She became a superstar in both worlds purely through her songs and singing skills.
Moreover, Qin Xiaowei had a strong personality and wouldn''t be intimidated by evil forces.
Before the world merged, when she first became famous, a big boss from an entertainmentpany offered her a sky-high contract, which she directly refused.
She was then retaliated against and even cklisted for a while, but she never bowed her head. Later, as she wrote more and more songs, her poprity couldn''t be suppressed.
After the world merged, a powerful figure coveted her beauty and wanted her to marry him, but Qin Xiaowei still refused and defended her purity with her life.
Finally, a righteous official from China stepped in and severely punished the powerful figure, ending the matter.
So Lin Jichen felt somewhat assured about Qin Xiaowei.
Actually, the safest way for him was to join a guild and let them be his backing.
But after being deceived once, Lin Jichen no longer trusted any strangers. He even had to be cautious with Jiang Luoyu.
Being careful wouldn''t hurt. Lin Jichen didn''t want to mess up after being reborn.
By the time he returned, it was already dark.
Lin Jichen didn''t have time to cook, so he packed a few dishes from a restaurant downstairs.
After eating with Ren Lan, he re-entered the game.
Back in the game, Lin Jichen left his living quarters and headed straight to the Sword Pce.
He was there to talk to Leng Feiyan about the agency matter.
However, there was no sign of Leng Feiyan in the Sword Pce.
He then walked to the backyard. The first time he came to the backyard, he identally intruded into Leng Feiyan''s bedchamber and almost died.
This time he came again, feeling bolder because he believed Leng Feiyan''s Affection Level towards him was not low now, so she wouldn''t punish him.
As long as he didn''t step on the formation.
Relying on his memory, he made his way to the front of Leng Feiyan''s bedchamber.
Lin Jichen knew there was a formation, so he didn''t n to go in and just stood outside.
"Master, are you there? Your disciple has something to discuss with you."
Surprisingly, Leng Feiyan''szy voice came from inside, "Disciple, wait a moment."
"Okay, Master." Lin Jichen obediently waited outside.
Soon, Leng Feiyan''s voice came again.
"Disciple,e in."
Lin Jichen was stunned. Did he hear it right?
"Master... I don''t dare..."
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly, remembering how he almost diedst time, the scene of having only one drop of blood left still vivid in his mind.
And Lin Jichen didn''t think he could withstand the Sword Pce''s formation even now that he was in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
That was a formation set by a peak Feather Transformation Realm expert!
Inside the bedchamber, Leng Feiyan smiled slightly and said, "Silly disciple, I have already turned off the formation. You cane in; nothing will happen."
"Then I''lle in, but I''ll be quick."
Realizing he might have misspoken, Lin Jichen quickly added, "I mean, I''ll quickly tell you what I need to say and then leave."
With a nervous heart, Lin Jichen stepped into Leng Feiyan''s bedchamber for the first time. Previously, he hadn''t even entered; he was thrown out as soon as he lifted his foot.
Leng Feiyan''s ce wasn''t luxurious orrge, but it was uniquely structured, beautifully styled, with flying eaves and delicate decor.
The bedchamber was surrounded by flowers and nts, with a picturesque view and a green ambiance.
As soon as he walked in, Lin Jichen saw a scene that made his blood boil...
Chapter 112 – Fairy master, you should come down to earth
Chapter 112 C Fairy master, you shoulde down to earth
The bedchamber was much smaller than the Sword Pce.
At the front of the hall, there was ayer of white jade tform, on which a phoenix couch was ced, covered with a luxurious pink velvet nket.
Lin Jichen recognized that nket; it was made from the fur of a Nascent Soul Realm Purple Lightning Divine Mink, offering supremefort.
Leng Feiyan was lying on it with azy expression.
Her hair was slightly damp, and her cheeks still had a few traces of blush, as if steamed by heat.
She was dressed in in white, draped in a white velvet cloak, with only a thin garment underneath.
The neckline was somewhat low, revealing her swan-like neck and delicate, fair corbone.
Further down, the thin garment was raised by an astonishing curve.
Hints of orchid peaks, a faint fragrance of condensed fat, snow forming peaks, autumn water as divine white jade skin!
Her slender waist was so thin it could barely be grasped, and her long, smooth, and well-proportioned legs were bare, with a pair of snow-white lotus feet beneath them.
Such an enchanting scene left Lin Jichen stunned at first nce, then he began to swallow hard.
It wasn''t that hecked self-control, nor that he was inexperienced, but really... he couldn''t resist such a master...
Lin Jichen''s little heart was about to jump out.
"Disciple, what brings you to your master?"
Leng Feiyan spoke, her tender snow feet casually ced on the edge of the couch, swaying slightly, full of girlish charm.
"Well... it''s like this... I''ll keep it short, but it''s a long story... the situation is like this, the specifics depend on the situation... um..."
Lin Jichen didn''t even know what he was saying anymore, his mind full of legs, full of... chest... ahem...
Leng Feiyan couldn''t help butugh, a smile spreading on her flushed face, like gentle sunlight rippling.
"Are you ying riddles with your master~"
Lin Jichen finally sobered up a bit, awkwardly chuckling twice, and reluctantly moved his eyes away.
"Master, your disciple has opened two shops in the city, a pharmacy and a weapon shop, but the supply is insufficient, so I want to ask our sect for an agent, to cooperate, I will sell on behalf, and the profits will be shared proportionally, is that possible?"
Leng Feiyan teased upon hearing this: "Why did you think of opening a shop in the city, is it because what your master gave you is not enough?"
Lin Jichen quickly shook his head, saying: "Of course not, your disciple just wants to earn some extra Spirit Stones when there''s nothing to do, to buy more beautiful jewelry for master, and to contribute more to the sect. When the timees, if master needs Spirit Stones, just take them, all for master!"
Leng Feiyan smiled and said: "How could your master take the Spirit Stones that you worked so hard to earn."
Lin Jichen immediately replied: "It''s not hard, besides, why can''t you take them, what''s mine is master''s, and what''s master''s is still master''s."
Leng Feiyan''s smile deepened, her phoenix eyes ncing charmingly, she chuckled: "Alright, such a small matter, your master will agree. Tomorrow, I''ll go talk to Elder Tianqing and Elder Tianque."
Lin Jichen was overjoyed, indeed, having a big tree to lean on made everything easier.
Getting a sect agent was just a matter of a word from Leng Feiyan.
"Thank you, master. How have you been recently? Your disciple hasn''t been back for two days, have you been eating well and sleeping soundly?"
Lin Jichen was just making casual small talk, thinking Leng Feiyan would reply with everything being fine, and then he would take his leave.
He had to leave, the more he looked, the more he couldn''t take it, afraid that if he continued to look, he would make a mistake.
Who knew, Leng Feiyan sighed lightly and said: "Your master hasn''t been welltely."
"Why?"
Leng Feiyan said somewhat disappointedly: "Your master''s realm has been stuck at the peak of the Feather Transformation Realm for a long time, with no signs of breakthrough. Staying in the Sword Pce every day, there''s not even someone to talk to, your master is thinking of going into seclusion."
Lin Jichen couldn''t let his master go into seclusion.
For a strong person like Leng Feiyan, once in seclusion, it could be months, years, or even decades, which to them was just a snap of the fingers.
If Leng Feiyan went into seclusion, he wouldn''t have a thigh to hug for a long time.
Hearing Leng Feiyan say she was bored, Lin Jichen had a sudden idea and said: "Master, no need to go into seclusion. For a strong person at master''s level, if the realm is stuck, seclusion will definitely have little effect. Your disciple suggests trying other methods, perhaps it will bring more enlightenment."
"Other methods? What methods? Tell your master."
Lin Jichen had a sudden inspiration and said: "Master, how long has it been since you went to the mortal world?"
"The mortal world?" Leng Feiyan looked thoughtful and replied: "It seems to have been a hundred years."
Lin Jichen didn''t dare ask her age, so he said: "That''s it, master, you might have been staying in the Sword Sect for too long."
"As the saying goes, ''One who has not crossed the river cannot speak of crossing others; the Dao Heart is subtle, hard to resolve worldly entanglements; iming to reach the heavens, but just a singlemp; the myriad lights of the world, turning into true Qi to ask the immortals.''"
Lin Jichen''s words made a light appear in Leng Feiyan''s eyes.
Lin Jichen cleared his throat and continued: "The Dao Heart of the mortal world might be more helpful to master. Fairy master, you should descend to the mortal world!"
Pfft~
Leng Feiyan was amused, and at the same time, her heart was delighted, being praised as a fairy by her disciple, it was the first time~
"Although your master doesn''t know where you heard this from, it makes a lot of sense. But it would be too boring for your master to go to the mortal world alone..."
Leng Feiyan''s words were suggestive, stopping short of saying it outright.
Lin Jichen understood immediately.
"Master, your disciple will apany you! Let''s go down the mountain for a date~"
Swish!
Leng Feiyan''s cheeks turned red, she scolded: "How improper, your master is asking you to take me to the mortal world toprehend the Dao Heart, who said anything about a date?"
"Hehe, your disciple misspoke. How about I go busy myself with the weapon shop, and you find a female disciple from the sect to apany you?" Lin Jichen tentatively asked.
"How dare you!" Leng Feiyan''s face turned stern, and she began to threaten: "If you dare not apany your master, don''t even think about seeding with the pharmacy and weapon shop, hmph~"
Lin Jichen''s expression turned bitter, he quickly changed his tune: "I was just joking, how could I bear not to apany my fairy master, rest assured, with me as your guide, I will definitely make master satisfied!"
Leng Feiyan was satisfied, already starting to ask about the itinerary.
"Hmm~ When do we set off? Where to y... oh no, I mean, toprehend the Dao Heart."
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh, his master, so proud, needed to be pampered!
"I heard there''s an ice city to the north of Mu Xian Province, called Everwinter City. It''s close to the northern region, where it snows all year round, the snow scenery is beautiful, there are many sculptures of snowmen and ice houses that never melt, and at night, the people release skynterns, the sky full of lights, it''s breathtaking. Have you been there, master?"
Leng Feiyan shook her head and said: "No, is there really such a beautiful city in the mortal world?"
"Yes." Lin Jichen invited: "Master, why don''t we go to Everwinter City, I''ll take you fishing on the iceke, sightseeing on the snow mountains, and then enjoy the earthly fireworks!"
Leng Feiyan considered for a moment and agreed: "Alright, let''s go to Everwinter City. When do we set off?"
"Uh... can we wait until your disciple finishes setting up the shops..." Lin Jichen asked weakly.
Leng Feiyan didn''t refuse, agreeing readily.
"Finish quickly, and return to the sect immediately, understood?"
"Understood, your disciple guarantees to go and return quickly."
"Hmm~ Your master will go find Elder Tianqing and Elder Tianque tomorrow."
Leng Feiyan felt it was too slow, so she got up.
"Forget it, your master has nothing to do now anyway, I''ll change my clothes and go find the two elders now."
After saying that, she walked into the back hall to change clothes.
Lin Jichen wanted to ask if she needed help with a button or something, but was ''invited'' out of the bedchamber...
Chapter 113 – Open three large stores in a row
Chapter 113 C Open threerge stores in a row
With Leng Feiyan''s involvement, the negotiations went incredibly smoothly.
Elder Tianqing and Elder Tianque both agreed readily.
From now on, any surplus elixirs and weapons would be handed over to Lin Jichen for sale, with profits split fifty-fifty after deducting costs.
Thismission rate was already very generous.
For a bottle of elixir worth ten Spirit Stones, after deducting costs, Lin Jichen would get three Spirit Stones.
Lin Jichen had originally thought he''d be satisfied with a twenty percent cut, but he never expected to get fifty percent.
Even if he didn''t hire an Alchemy Master and just acted as a distributor, he could still make a fortune.
On the way back, Lin Jichen smiled like a husband whose wife had just allowed him to visit a high-ss brothelhe was that happy.
He knew that this generous split was entirely due to Leng Feiyan''s influence; otherwise, getting even twenty percent would have been a blessing, and he might not have even secured the distribution rights.
The sect didn''tck distributors like Lin Jichen; Tianyan Sword Sect''s elixirs and weapons sold extremely well.
Why would they give such a highmission to a mere disciple unless the Sect Master was backing him and the two Elders had to give face?
Thinking of this, Lin Jichen looked at Leng Feiyan beside him and found her even more charming.
Leng Feiyan, however, seemed uninterested and a bit tired. She said, "It''s gettingte. I''ll head back first. Disciple, make sure you finish everything early, understood?"
"Yes, Master. I''ll work overtime to get it done."
"Good." Satisfied, Leng Feiyan gracefully flew away.
Lin Jichen wasted no time and hurried down the mountain, returning to Fengqu City.
Without dy, he decided to open a new store immediately!
He first went to the Third Prince''s two-story shop.
The first floor would be an equipment store, named Friendly Equipment Store.
The second floor would be an auction house, named Honest Auction House.
Simple and clear, with obvious meanings. He praised himself for being a naming genius.
After finalizing the storeyout, Lin Jichen started hiring staff, recruiting twenty beautiful youngdies in one go.
It wasn''t for his personal desires, of course.
This was called beauty marketing, effective anywhere.
Ten employees for each floor, managing the two stores for him.
Next, Lin Jichen took out therge pile of equipment Jiang Luoyu had given him.
Over three thousand items, including weapons, armor, shoes, rings, belts, and more...
Ny-nine percent were Ordinary Grade.
But that was fine; Ordinary Grade equipment had the best sales at the moment.
Besides, these items were donated for free by a generous benefactor. Asking for more would be too much.
Additionally, Lin Jichen had some equipment with average attributes that he had collected recently.
All Spirit Grade equipment was ced in the second-floor auction house.
No matter the attributes, as long as it was Spirit Grade, it went into the auction house.
His auction house needed to build a reputation, and having a lot of Spirit Grade equipment for promotion was better than any advertisement.
As for the Xuezhao de, Crimson Cloud Sword, Spirit SkillHundred Fierce me sh, Spirit SkillBlood Bat Sound, and other high-quality Spirit Grade items, Lin Jichen kept them for now.
He nned to hold an auction to make his auction house famous.
These high-quality Spirit Grade items would definitely be the stars of the auction.
Additionally, Lin Jichen had a major highlight for this auction.
Mysterious GradeShadow de!
Once this item was put up for auction, every guild in the vastnd would be unable to sit still.
After setting up the equipment store and auction house, only the pharmacy remained.
Lin Jichen didn''t n to open just a small pharmacy.
Besides the store given by the Third Prince, he had spent a lot of reputation and Spirit Stones to buy tworge stores.
Both were near the city center, prime locations.
The small pharmacy opposite Autumn Moon Pavilion would specialize in aphrodisiacs, bing an independent brand.
The Commoner''s Pharmacy was renamed to Shenbao Pharmacy, selling only aphrodisiacs.
He also hired a top-notch female clerk to manage it, partnering with Ning Kuan, the aphrodisiac Alchemy Master.
Lin Jichen aimed for arge pharmacy that could meet all customer needs.
He named it Harmony Pharmacy.
He also transferred Xiaocui and two other Alchemy Masters skilled in vitality and mana to the Harmony Pharmacy.
Lin Jichen gave special attention to Harmony Pharmacy. Besides appointing Xiaocui as the manager, he hired ten clerks to assist her.
He also recruited twenty Alchemy Masters skilled in various types of elixirs.
He bought herbs worth hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones for them to start refining immediately.
After all these preparations, Lin Jichen had spent almost all his Spirit Stones, including those he had just taken from Shenbao Pharmacy.
Lin Jichen was like a bottomless pit; his spending could support two or threerge guilds.
But the initial investment was worth it. Once the sect''s elixirs and equipment arrived tomorrow, his threerge stores could officially open.
Before that, Lin Jichen advertised in the global chat channel.
Advertising in this channel wasn''t cheap, costing a thousand Spirit Stones per message, with no discounts even during holidays.
Moreover, the price increased every month.
Currently, few guilds were willing to spend this money, as it was just a chat channel, not a global game announcement.
Unless you opened the chat channel, you wouldn''t see the ads.
So even guild leaders rarely spent a thousand Spirit Stones to say a word there.
At most, they used it once to recruit members.
But Lin Jichen was different. He spent twenty thousand Spirit Stones in one go, buying 20 global megaphones, and scheduled them to post every hour.
He even made it anonymous.
[Anonymous yer: I am operating threerge stores in the center of Fengqu CityHarmony Pharmacy, Friendly Equipment Store, and Honest Auction House. They will officially open tomorrow. Three dayster, the auction house will hold its first global auction, featuring a Mysterious Grade weapon as the finale. All Tale of Immortal yers are invited to attend!]
Shortly after this message was posted, many yers who liked to browse the chat channel saw it.
It caused a huge stir!
Other global megaphones were just recruiting for guilds.
This was the first store advertisement.
And unbelievably, it was for three stores!
Since the Commoner''s Pharmacy became well-known, many guild leaders and wealthy yers wanted to invest in stores.
But they had money without reputation, so they couldn''t buy stores in the city.
They could only watch enviously and try to gather reputation.
But now, someone had opened three stores. How was this possible? Damn!
And they were city stores. Impossible!
Many yers didn''t believe it and went to the center of Fengqu City to check.
Sure enough, they found three modern-named stores that hadn''t opened yet.
Each store had a sign: [Grand Opening Tomorrow at Noon, All Items 10% Off!]
With such store names andmon promotional tactics, it was definitely yer-operated.
Chapter 114 – Commanding thousands of girls
Chapter 114 C Commanding thousands of girls
The entire yer base of "Tale of Immortal" was stunned.
How did someone manage to acquire three major stores in the city center?
The first suspect was Lin Jichen.
But after some thought, it seemed impossible.
Although Lin Jichen had a lot of reputation, it wasn''t nearly enough to buy three major stores.
Each major store required thousands of reputation points.
Lin Jichen had only cleared a few boss first kills; his reputation couldn''t be that high.
Many spected that some wealthy yer had found a shortcut to farming reputation, which led to the acquisition of these three stores.
The more they thought about it, the more usible it seemed, making all the big capitalists even more envious.
They also wanted to invest!
Spirit Stones were easy to handle; they could just spend more money to acquire them.
But reputation was another matter; there were no shortcuts discovered so far.
They desperately wanted to contact the owner of these three stores to ask about the reputation farming method, but the owner remained anonymous, leaving them with no way to inquire.
Many bosses even spent money to buy loudspeakers, broadcasting across the entire server to ask for contact information, willing to pay a hefty price for the method.
Some even wanted to invest in Lin Jichen''s store, just like capital investments in the real world.
Even Wang Jinghao from the Eternal Guild bought a server-wide loudspeaker, publicly stating that as long as the person was willing to cooperate, any terms could be discussed.
Unfortunately, no matter what they tried, the anonymous person remained silent.
Only every hour, the same opening advertisement would be broadcasted across the server.
Everyone understood that this person clearly wasn''t short of money.
No one else dared to y with server-wide loudspeakers like this.
Moreover, due to theirmotion, Lin Jichen''s three stores became incredibly popr.
Especially the auction three dayster, which would feature Mysterious Grade equipment.
Wealthy individuals from all four states were preparing to pool their money and head to Fengqu City, hoping to bid on that Mysterious Grade equipment.
As a result, the exchange rate between Spirit Stones and real-world currency spiked significantly.
Everyone was buying Spirit Stones, preparing to attend the auction.
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected the promotional effect to be this good and was eagerly anticipating the grand opening tomorrow.
"Mr. Lin, those stores aren''t yours, are they?"
Jiang Luoyu suddenly messaged him, indicating she had also heard about the three stores in the city center.
Lin Jichen replied without hesitation, "No."
It was a rare chance to keep his identity hidden; he didn''t want everyone to know everything about him, not even Jiang Luoyu.
A bit of low profile was good.
"True, the reputation required for those three stores is too high. Do you know who owns them?" Jiang Luoyu asked.
"I''m not sure either."
Lin Jichen answered somewhat guiltily, worried that this overly smart woman might detect his lie.
"Alright, I''m nning to check them out tomorrow to see what good stuff they have. By the way, I might not have time to clear Corpse King Valley tomorrow, how about we go now? What do you think, Mr. Lin?" Jiang Luoyu invited.
Lin Jichen thought about it; he had to oversee the store''s business tomorrow and really wouldn''t have time to clear the Secret Realm.
Might as well clear it now, maybe he could even pick up some good equipment to put in the auction house.
"Sure, let''s meet at Corpse King Valley."
Lin Jichen headed to Corpse King Valley once more.
When he arrived, Jiang Luoyu and her team were already waiting.
Along with members of the Moon Shadow Guild, although only about half of them were present, there were still four to five thousand people.
Corpse King Valley was arge team Secret Realm, requiring over a hundred people with no upper limit.
The more people, the more monsters inside, and consequently, the more equipment drops.
So, it was a paradise for guilds, where farming equipment was much faster than other Secret Realms and leveling spots.
However, it was also more challenging than other ces, testing the leader''smand and team coordination.
"Mr. Lin, thank you foring to lead us through the Secret Realm again. Feel free to state your conditions; Moon Shadow will make it happen."
Jiang Luoyu smiled at Lin Jichen as he arrived, her tone less formal and more friendly.
Lin Jichen had helped the Moon Shadow Guild several times, and they had fought a major battle together yesterday.
Both Su Wanling and other members were starting to see Lin Jichen as one of their own.
Lin Jichen could sense Jiang Luoyu''s friendliness and returned a smile, saying, "The conditions are the same as before: follow mymands, and I get all the Sword Cultivator equipment. That''s all."
Jiang Luoyu nodded without hesitation and sent Lin Jichen a team invitation.
Once Lin Jichen joined, she immediately handed over the team leader position.
Lin Jichen didn''t enter the instance right away but started checking the team members'' information.
This time, he wasn''tmanding a battle of three or four people but thousands, requiring apletely different strategy.
Unlike Night Cave Ghost Ridge, where there were few monsters that he could easily handle alone.
In Corpse King Valley, the monsters could be described as a tidal wave.
He wasn''t powerful enough to fend off an army with a single sword strike, not by a long shot.
This Secret Realm tested team coordination more than individual strength.
"There are too many artifact cultivators and too few healers in the team. We need at least fifty to a hundred more healers," Lin Jichen told Jiang Luoyu.
Jiang Luoyu nodded and immediately called for more people in the guild channel.
Soon, dozens of cute girls holding umbre swords arrived on the scene.
"Raise your hand if you''ve learned the ''Purify'' skill," Lin Jichen suddenly asked.
"I have!"
"I know it!"
"I''ve learned it too."
...
Many healer girls raised their hands, and Lin Jichen counted about eighty of them.
"Raise your hand if you''re a Body Cultivator with over 8000 HP."
Immediately, dozens of Body Cultivator girls stepped forward.
Lin Jichen instructed them, "Pair up with a healer and move to the front line."
"Huh? Master Lin, you want healers on the front line?" Su Wanling almost thought she misheard.
In team battles, healers usually stayed in the back to heal...
Lin Jichen exined, "Corpse King Valley is different from regr instances. These high-HP Body Cultivators need to block the most damage and control at the front. Purify is crucial, but its range is too short to be effective from the back; they must be at the front."
"But can the healers survive?" Su Wanling questioned.
"That''s why I''ll assign some other healers specifically to buff the front-line healers. As long as the Body Cultivators can hold the line, the front-line healers won''t take much damage, and with other healers supporting them, it''ll be enough."
Su Wanling pped her forehead, realizing she hadn''t thought of that.
No wonder Body Cultivators always struggled to tank monsters.
"You keepmanding; I won''t interfere anymore," Su Wanling said with an embarrassed smile, no longer doubting Lin Jichen''s teammand skills.
Lin Jichen continued organizing.
It took him a full half-hour to arrange the formation and assign tasks to each member.
"This should do it. Everyone must follow orders once inside. Remember, if the monster tide breaks through, don''t panic. The front line must hold their ground, even if they die in ce. Use all your skills before you fall; that''s your mission. Understood?"
"Understood~"
Lin Jichen stood before thousands of girls, like a general giving a final pep talk to his army of maidens.
Thousands of girls responded sweetly.
The scene made the male yers from nearby guilds green with envy.
This was too satisfying!
The pinnacle of manhood, right here!
Chapter 115 – Lin Jichen’s commanding ability
Chapter 115 C Lin Jichensmanding ability
Corpse King Valley.
Legend has it that an elder from the Yin Corpse Sect was cuckolded by his wife, who had an affair with the leader of a small sect.
In a fit of rage, the elder turned the entire small sect, including its leader and disciples, into zombies and locked them in a valley, condemning them to eternal damnation.
At this moment, Lin Jichen and all the members of the Moon Shadow Guild had already arrived outside the valley.
The entire valley was a barren wastnd, cold and deste.
There was no time to prepare. As soon as they entered, the ground began to tremble, seemingly sensing the presence of the living.
From the earth crawled out hundreds of rotting, twisted, and foul-smelling zombies.
These zombies weren''t the hopping kind from old movies; they moved swiftly like modern-day zombies and charged at the group as soon as they emerged.
Fortunately, the girls of the Moon Shadow Guild had been through the Corpse King Valley before and didn''t panic.
"First squad, hold the front. Artifact cultivators and damage dealers, spell cultivators, provide support. Remember, no skills, just use basic attacks to withstand the first wave."
Lin Jichen stood in the middle,manding. He couldn''t stand at the front because the girls at the back wouldn''t hear him, so he was squeezed in the center.
Following his orders, the front line held off the zombies while the other squads attacked from the nks.
No one used skills; they all relied on basic attacks.
The initial wave of zombies was easy to handle, and within moments, they had cleared out hundreds of them.
"Clear the battlefield and move forward."
The main force quickly advanced to the valley entrance, where the second wave of zombies was about to arrive.
Lin Jichen suddenly called for a halt.
"Fourth squad''s spell cultivators, cast Falling Rock Rain at the entrance. If you have it, use it; if not, stay put."
Immediately, the spell cultivator girls in the fourth squadplied.
Many rocks fell, piling up at the entrance and quickly blocking it halfway. Lin Jichen called for a stop as soon as the pile reached waist height.
The second wave of zombies, numbering two to three thousand, soon arrived, rushing out of the valley in a frenzy.
But because the entrance was blocked with rocks, their advance was halted. The zombies behind didn''t understand why the ones in front had stopped and crashed into them due to inertia.
The zombies piled up in a heap, creating a chaotic scene.
The girlsughed at the sight, and the previously tense atmosphere vanished.
"Stopughing! All spell cultivators, use fire skills, archers, shoot!" Lin Jichenmanded sternly.
The girls immediately stoppedughing and followed orders.
Soon, a raging fire ignited at the entrance, quickly reducing thousands of zombies to ashes.
Su Wanling and Jiang Luoyu''s eyes sparkled with admiration. Why hadn''t they thought of such a simple solution?
Otherwise, these thousands of zombies would have been a significant problem for them.
Lin Jichen had resolved it so easily.
The second wave of zombies was sessfully dealt with.
Lin Jichen ordered the rocks to be cleared, and they continued into the valley.
The third wave of zombies was evenrger, covering the hills and valleys.
This time, they couldn''t rely on the terrain.
"Don''t panic! Everyone, hold your positions and follow the tasks I gave you. Use all your skills before you die."
Lin Jichenmanded and reassured everyone to stay calm and not panic.
Perhaps Lin Jichen''s voice gave them strength and a sense of security. Most of the girl yers performed well despite the overwhelming number of zombies.
Even though they screamed in fear, they remembered Lin Jichen''s orders not to run or move erratically, holding their positions firmly.
Lin Jichen used the art of flying to assist the weaker girls, saving those he could.
However, casualties were inevitable, and they began to lose members.
Lin Jichen continued to shout for calm, issuing onemand after another.
He reassured them not to worry and frequently praised their efforts, encouraging them to keep going.
With their leader''s orders and their idol''s encouragement, the girls unleashed incredible fighting power.
Not a single girl fled in fear; at most, they screamed and asionally missed their skills.
But they did very well.
Thus, they withstood the third and fourth waves of zombies.
No zombies were left alive.
Thousands of Soul Burial Mounds scattered on the ground testified to the fierce battle.
"Count the casualties. Everyone rest for two minutes and recover," Lin Jichen ordered.
Su Wanling excitedly announced, "We lost less than a hundred members, less than two percent casualty rate."
Cheers erupted from the girls.
Losing only 2% of their members in the fourth wave was unprecedented.
Previously, in the hard mode, they would lose over 10% by the fourth wave.
In the hell mode, the best they had done was losing 30%, and at worst, they werepletely wiped out.
"Mr. Lin, you''re an outstandingmander and leader. I think you could start your own guild," Jiang Luoyu said with a smile.
Lin Jichen''s face darkened, as if recalling unpleasant memories, his eyes showing a hint of sadness, and his tone became somber.
"I have no ns to start a guild. I prefer being free."
Jiang Luoyu didn''t understand why Lin Jichen''s mood suddenly changed, but she sensed his low spirits.
"I''m sorry, Mr. Lin. I misspoke," Jiang Luoyu apologized.
Lin Jichen shook his head. "It''s not your fault. I just remembered some unpleasant past. Don''t worry about it."
Lin Jichen had once been the leader of a guild, the top spell cultivator, and a highly respected figure.
Hismand skills were top-notch. Even though his guild was small, they never suffered much against medium orrge guilds.
He had led many battles, often winning againstrger forces.
But when he aimed to reach the Enlightenment Realm, he entrusted his guild to his girlfriend, Guo Jie, and his good friend, Xu Zikai.
Within a year, the guild waspletely taken over by them.
In the end, he was left with nothing, dying in despair.
Jiang Luoyu''s words had stirred up his painful memories and hatred.
Jiang Luoyu sincerely said, "Mountains and seas will eventually meet, storms will pass, unresolved feelings will find peace, and everything will turn out well. Mr. Lin, I believe you can achieve your dreams."
Lin Jichen bowed his head in silence.
After a few seconds, he looked up, smiling brightly at Jiang Luoyu, his expression confident and bold.
"Thank you, I definitely will!"
At that moment, Jiang Luoyu''s heart skipped a beat.
Chapter 116 – Tenth wave of zombies
Chapter 116 C Tenth wave of zombies
During the brief rest period, everyone took a look at the spoils from the thousands of Soul Burial Mounds just now.
Unfortunately, even on Hell difficulty, less than three hundred of the thousands of Soul Burial Mounds dropped equipment, and the rest only had a few Spirit Stones or, worse, nothing at all.
The drop rate for equipment in Tale of Immortal was still as ''touching'' as ever.
Lin Jichen didn''t bother to loot; if he did, the drop rate would probably be much higher. But with so many Soul Burial Mounds, if he looted them all himself, the Secret Realm would probably end before he finished.
Every Secret Realm had a time limit.
Besides, he wasn''t interested in the items dropped by these ordinary zombies.
After a brief rest, Lin Jichen led the team deeper into the valley.
A thick green fog blocked their path ahead.
Without needing Lin Jichen''s reminder, everyone took out their Corpse Poison Potions and drank them.
This fog was the Corpse Poison Mist that every guild hated with a passion.
Any team wanting to clear Corpse King Valley had to pass through here.
And to get through, they needed Corpse Poison Potions.
The amount of money guilds had poured into these potions was unimaginable.
They hated this area to the core. Although the price of Corpse Poison Potions had dropped significantly, it still cost a lot of money!
Of course, Lin Jichen was quite grateful for this poisonous fog.
Because it was the reason he got rich. Thanks to Corpse Poison Potions, he was able to open four shops.
Just as they stepped into the Corpse Poison area, the fifth wave of zombies attacked.
This time, there were fewer zombies than before, less than a thousand.
Butpared to the previous waves of zombies at the Initial stage of Qi Refining, these zombies had all leveled up to the Middle stage of Qi Refining.
"Everyone, be careful. This wave of zombies includes spell-casting zombies, so the front line needs to hold. It''s time to test the healers!"
As soon as Lin Jichen finished speaking, the fifth wave of zombies arrived.
Facing a horde of zombies that had all leveled up, the pressure on the front-line Body Cultivators doubled.
"Don''t worry about dealing damage, just hold the line! Activate Muscle and Bone! Knock them back!"
At Lin Jichen''smand, the front-line Body Cultivator girls shouted in unison, and a visible aura shield appeared around them.
Then, with a heavy punch, they knocked back the approaching zombies several meters.
This was the Body Cultivators'' signature skill, ''Resonating Muscles and Bones,'' which could temporarily boost defense and increase vitality.
That''s why Body Cultivators could serve as tanks.
Lin Jichen was well-versed in most of the skills of all professions, and hismands were orderly and precise.
At this moment, the zombies in the back were already preparing to cast their skills.
"Healers, heal! Just a quick heal!"
As soon as the zombies'' skills hit the Body Cultivator girls, Lin Jichen shouted themand.
The healers in the back immediately cast their healing skills.
"Good, Body Cultivators, keep knocking them back, close the distance. Our ranged attackers, deal damage, spell cultivators, archers, aim and fire!"
Lin Jichen''smands were orderly and well-paced, and each instruction was clear.
The spell cultivators and archers, eager to attack, unleashed their skills as soon as they were within range.
Lin Jichen also instructed all artifact cultivators to assist the Body Cultivators in dealing damage, so he didn''t even need to help.
The fifth wave was thus passed smoothly and without any casualties.
The sixth wave, the seventh wave...
Until the eighth wave of zombies, Lin Jichen became slightly more serious.
"The eighth wave is tricky. The first-tier healers must purify on time. If you''rete, the Body Cultivators in front of you might get chain-controlled and fall."
Jiang Luoyu and Su Wanling were a bit nervous because the best record of their Moon Shadow Guild was reaching the eighth wave.
No matter how hard they tried, they couldn''t get past the eighth wave.
Corpse King Valley had ten waves of zombies, each wave harder than thest. The fastest guild so far was the War God Guild from Yongning Province, which had cleared the ninth wave and was stuck on thest wave.
The best record in Mu Xian Province was held by the Demonic Beast Guild, which had cleared the eighth wave and was stuck on the ninth wave.
The eighth wave consisted of two hundred zombies at the Initial stage of Foundation Establishment.
And they were all spell-casters, whose skills were almost impossible to withstand.
The zombies in front of them roared, waving their skeletal staffs.
"Corpse Poison Attack!"
Arge number of green orbs were thrown, and the front-line Body Cultivator girls had no choice but to brace themselves.
They were almost traumatized by this wave of zombies.
"Purify! Cast Purify!"
Lin Jichen shouted.
Dozens of healers with purification skills cast their spells, but as he had expected, the timing was not synchronized.
Some were too slow, some too fast.
For most skills, this wouldn''t matter, but Purify required precise timing, just like Lin Jichen''s Mist Piercing Charge, with an effectsting less than a second.
As a result, many front-line Body Cultivator girls didn''t receive the purification in time and were hit by the Corpse Poison Attack, getting immobilized for two seconds and having their defense greatly reduced.
This led to other zombies'' skills hitting them, instantly depleting their health bars and killing over a dozen of them.
The healers who failed to cast Purify properly panicked, feeling guilty and repeatedly apologizing.
"Don''t panic, now is not the time for apologies," Lin Jichen said calmly. "Stick to the n. Third-tier Body Cultivators, move up!"
Before entering Corpse King Valley, Lin Jichen had anticipated this situation and was prepared.
The third-tier Body Cultivator girls immediately moved up.
Lin Jichen had organized all the yers into tiers and numbered them, making hismands smooth and efficient.
"Fifth-tier healers, move to the second tier. Everyone else, stick to the original n and deal damage."
The formation, which was about to fall apart, stabilized again under Lin Jichen''smand.
"Should I use my Spirit Skill?" Jiang Luoyu asked.
"No need, the ninth wave is your time to shine. But you can use some Martial Arts Techniques to speed things up."
After saying that, Lin Jichen joined the attack.
Finally, without any Body Cultivators falling, they passed the eighth wave of zombies without any major issues.
Although they lost dozens of people, this casualty rate was the lowest among all the guilds.
As soon as the eighth wave ended, they didn''t even have time to loot the Soul Burial Mounds or recover. The ninth wave of zombies arrived!
A hundred Body Cultivator zombies at the Middle stage of Foundation Establishment. The archers and spell cultivators in the back tried normal attacks, but they all missed.
"Your turn, Guild Leader Jiang," Lin Jichen said to Jiang Luoyu.
Jiang Luoyu began chanting a spell.
"All Body Cultivators and artifact cultivators, move up! Just don''t let them threaten our backline. Even if you die, keep them at bay."
Lin Jichen led the charge into the zombie horde.
"Everyone listen up, your normal attacks won''t break these zombies'' defenses. Now is the time to unleash your skills."
As soon as Lin Jichen finished speaking, skills rained down on the hundred Middle stage Foundation Establishment zombies.
Although the damage wasn''t high, it couldn''t withstand the bombardment from thousands of people.
The zombies in the front fell one after another.
When the sky filled with annihting demonic energy, Lin Jichen also unleashed the Rebirth Buddha Seal!
The two skills hit the remaining zombies almost simultaneously.
The damage exploded instantly.
The ninth wave, cleared!
Before they could even celebrate, the tenth wave of zombies arrived!
Chapter 117 – One-on-one battle with the Corpse King BOSS，Part 1
Chapter 117 C One-on-one battle with the Corpse King BOSSPart 1
The final wave of the corpse tide was the hardest part of this Secret Realm.
Even the fastest guild in the entire server was stuck here.
Thest wave of the Hell-level Corpse King Valley.
A Corpse King at the initial stage of Crystal Formation, apanied by ten corpse generals at theter stage of Foundation Establishment, appeared before everyone with a terrifying aura and pressure!
The power of this wave of corpses was equivalent to the sum of the previous nine waves.
Just the ten zombies at theter stage of Foundation Establishment were enough to make everyone''s scalp tingle.
Not to mention there was also a BOSS at the initial stage of Crystal Formation.
In the Moon Shadow Guild, the highest realm was only the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
How could they fight this? Normal attacks wouldn''t even reduce health unless they hit a weak point.
Jiang Luoyu said bitterly, "It seems we can''t clear this unless everyone''s level reaches the mid tote stage of Foundation Establishment..."
Lin Jichen, however, said, "That''s not necessary. We can still clear it."
"This... can be cleared?" Jiang Luoyu couldn''t help but ask.
"You guys distract the ten zombies at theter stage of Foundation Establishment, and I''ll handle the Crystal Formation BOSS."
"You want to take on the BOSS alone?"
"Yes, I''ll lure the BOSS away. You guys distract the ten elite monsters. Remember, you must protect the front-line body cultivators. Artifact cultivators can die, but body cultivators cannot. Once the body cultivators fall, you''ll be wiped out."
Lin Jichen turned to everyone and instructed, "All healers, listen up. You don''t need to care about anyone else, not even your guild leader. Focus all your efforts on the body cultivators. ording to the final task I assigned you earlier, there must be three healers behind each body cultivator, taking turns to heal!"
The girls in the Moon Shadow Guild were at a loss, seeing the approaching Corpse King and ten elites. Like Jiang Luoyu, they felt it was hopeless.
Lin Jichen''s voice was like a beacon of hope, and without hesitation, they chose to follow his instructions.
The healers quickly found their body cultivator targets, grouping around them in threes and fours.
"Body cultivators, your task is the hardest. Don''t think about counterattacking. Use all your defensive skills and hold off those ten corpse generals!"
The body cultivator girls nodded solemnly, their expressions serious.
"All artifact cultivators, listen up. Your task is to share the pressure with the body cultivators. You can die, but you must die before the body cultivators, and try to deal as much damage as possible before you do."
"As for the spell cultivators, your only task is to deal damage. Use all your skills as much as possible. The zombies'' weak point is their head, so aim your skills there to trigger critical damage."
"This is everyone''s final task. Whether we can hold out depends on you. Leave the BOSS to me, and I hope you''ll all still be alive when I return."
After speaking, Lin Jichen soared into the sky, walking on air.
"Frost Moon sh!"
As soon as he approached the Corpse King, Lin Jichen didn''t even bother with normal attacks and immediately used a martial arts technique.
The Corpse King probably didn''t expect this Foundation Establishment ant to dare attack him. Caught off guard, he was struck on the forehead by the Frost Moon Sword Qi!
"Critical Hit! -1800!"
[Monster: Corpse King]
[Level: BOSS-level]
[Strength: Initial stage of Crystal Formation]
[Health: /]
[Attack: 165]
[Defense: 170]
[Speed: 138]
[Heart Protection: 25]
[Critical: 20]
[Toughness: 6%]
[Poison Resistance: 70%]
[Skills: Copper Skin Iron Bones, Yin Fiend Thunder Palm, Thousand-Year Corpse Poison, Drought Demon Power]
Lin Jichen was quite satisfied with this damage.
His strength was 210, the opponent''s defense was 170, which allowed him to deal 400 points of attack damage, with a critical of 40. The opponent''s heart protection was 25, allowing him to deal 150 points of critical damage.
The Frost Moon sh had already reached a small sess, with skill damage at 350 points.
Combined with the critical hit, it resulted in a massive damage output.
All the girls behind him were stunned.
"No wonder people on the forum said this guy seems like he''s cheating. I''m starting to believe it..." Su Wanling muttered.
"Don''t forget, his talent has been ranked first so far. My elemental power is already very strong, but it''s only ranked second. His talent must be the key to his high attributes," Jiang Luoyu said.
"But even so, this is too exaggerated. A whole major realm difference, and he can deal 1800 damage with one sword. Is that reasonable? I can''t even deal that much damage to a small fry at the initial stage of Qi Refining," Su Wanling said, looking at Lin Jichen and then at her own sword, feeling conflicted.
"Don''t forget, each minor realm has free attributes. If his free attributes are high and all points are allocated to strength and speed,bined with him likely being a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, this damage ispletely reasonable," Jiang Luoyu calmly analyzed.
"Sigh, it''s so unfair. Why does he get such a good talent, while I only get a ''Swordy'' talent that only increases sword aptitude by 10%..." Su Wanling felt aggrieved.
At first, she thought she had received an amazing talent, but it turned out her talent didn''t even make it into the top thousand.
The forums were full of people with ''amazing'' talents like hers.
Many people felt the game was unfair, saying everyone should start on equal footing.
Jiang Luoyu covered her mouth andughed, "Stopining. The world is inherently unfair. Some are born poor, some are born rich. Can you change that?"
"The game is the same. I think ''Tale of Immortal'' is more like another real world. The difference is, in reality, people start byparing family conditions, while in ''Tale of Immortal,'' people start byparing talents. It''s indeed unfair, but it''s very realistic, isn''t it?"
Su Wanling thought it made sense. The difference between her and Jiang Luoyu was the same.
Although they had been good friends for many years, Su Wanling came from an ordinary family, while Jiang Luoyu was born into a life more privileged than a princess, being the only daughter of the world''s richest family.
That was also unfair.
But despite her ordinary background, Su Wanling worked hard to get into the best university in China and was fortunate enough to be Jiang Luoyu''s college ssmate.
Because of her diligence and outstanding abilities, she became Jiang Luoyu''s assistant.
Now, Su Wanling was also a billionaire, standing in high society and bing a business elite.
"I get it now, Master Jiang~" Su Wanling yfully teased.
Jiang Luoyu rolled her eyes at her and said, "Stop joking around. Mr. Lin is handling the BOSS alone, we need to contribute as well. Let''s get to work."
Su Wanling nodded, temporarily taking over Lin Jichen''s position as team leader, and began directing everyone to attack the ten zombies at theter stage of Foundation Establishment.
The ten elites were sessfully attracted by the firepower of thousands of people.
Although the BOSS was being held off by Lin Jichen, the ten elite zombies still brought great pressure to the Moon Shadow Guild.
One zombie attacked first, and with just one w strike, the health bars of two front-line body cultivator girls dropped by a third.
The healers behind them immediately healed, restoring their health.
But as more zombies attacked, the pressure on the body cultivator girls increased dramatically!
Each person''s health bar fluctuated like a roller coaster, sometimes nearly empty, sometimes full again.
The battle was extremely tough.
On the other hand, Lin Jichen was handling his side with ease.
Chapter 118 – One-on-one battle with the Corpse King BOSS，Part 2
Chapter 118 C One-on-one battle with the Corpse King BOSSPart 2
The Corpse King was being held back by Lin Jichen alone, its decayed skull face suppressing a raging fury.
In the hollow sockets of its eyes, ghostly green mes flickered.
From its withered, skeletal hands came the faint crackling sound of Yin Thunder.
In an instant, two thunderballs formed from Yin Fiend energy shot out from its palms.
Lin Jichen''s mouth twitched at the sight.
He was all too familiar with these crackling blue thunderballs, etched deeply in his memory.
Last time, he was nearly blown to pieces by these Yin Fiend thunderballs while rescuing Nangong Yue from the bottom of a well.
Back then, Lin Jichen was only at the middle stage of Qi Refining and couldn''t withstand the Yin Thunder at all.
Fortunately, his health bar was much thicker than the average Qi Refining cultivator, so he survived, but the experience still left him with lingering fear.
Moreover, the Yin Thunder was filled with arge amount of Yin Fiend energy, causing him to pass out for a whole day after being hit.
Seeing someone use Yin Thunder again, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but feel a surge of anger.
Do they still think I''m the same weakling as before?
Lin Jichen stepped on the Big Dipper, his figure moving like lightning, and swung his Dark Night Sword fiercely!
The dark de struck one of the thunderballs, emitting a dazzling white light. The sword remained unscathed, but the thunderball was obliterated.
For the other thunderball, Lin Jichen repeated the process, not bothering to dodge, and shed it with his sword!
This was his small shadow, his small fear.
The way to conquer fear is to face it head-on.
For a cultivator, this is especially important.
You can lose, you can hide, but you cannot be afraid.
Any enemy or situation you fear will be a heart demon in the future.
The seed of a heart demon will slowly take root and sprout, emerging when you need to break through critical realms, shattering your Dao Heart, and potentially driving you insane.
The best way to deal with a heart demon is to confront it.
The path of cultivation requires courage and progress, unafraid of powerful enemies.
Seemingly retreating in fear is already aplete loss.
This has nothing to do with the level of cultivation; it''s purely about the state of mind, where the seed of cowardice has been nted.
Yin Thunder is just a small fear.
Lin Jichen has two major fears: one is the Illuminating Dragon that killed him, and the other is the betrayal of Guo Jie and Xu Zikai.
These are Lin Jichen''s two major heart demons.
If he doesn''t resolve these two heart demons, he will face a great cmity in the future!
Seeing its Yin Fiend Thunder so easily neutralized by Lin Jichen, the Corpse King erupted with a surge of violent fiendish energy from its hands!
Both arms were wrapped in inky ck energy, with electric light continuously flowing.
The Corpse King suddenly moved, flying into the air.
Its target was Lin Jichen in the sky.
Man and corpse tangled in mid-air!
The Corpse King''s arms, condensed from Yin Fiend energy, were like divine weapons,bined with its bronze skin and iron bones, the Dark Night Sword couldn''t leave a mark on them.
Lin Jichen remained unflustered, using the Gale Sword Technique to fight, silently increasing his sword speed.
At this moment, the Dark Night Sword''s skill "Swordmaster''s Path" had already activated, forming a 300-point shield, making Lin Jichen even less afraid.
Even if hit, it would reduce at least 300 points of damage.
Simultaneously, his figure circled around the Corpse King, with sword shadows weaving like a shuttle.
In terms of speed, the Corpse King was no match for Lin Jichen, only able to passively turn and block his increasingly fast sword strikes.
Seeing the timing was right, Lin Jichen suddenly retreated.
The Corpse King, still spinning and waving its arms out of inertia, realized Lin Jichen was gone only after a few swings hit nothing but air.
The Corpse King seemed puzzled.
Where did he go in the middle of the fight...
Not finding his figure in the air, the Corpse King instinctively looked down, seeing Lin Jichen on the ground, looking up at it with a mocking smile.
The Corpse King roared in fury, realizing it had been tricked, and rapidly descended, diving towards Lin Jichen on the ground!
In its palms, Yin Thunder gathered once more, fiendish energy surging!
It seemed the Corpse King had watched "Kung Fu," mastering the essence of the descending palm technique.
Just as it was about tond, within fifty meters.
Lin Jichen was ready!
Stunning Sword Qi!
Bang!
"-800! Stun triggered!"
The sword qi hit the Corpse King.
Though it didn''t strike the head, it still caused it to fall unconscious on the spot.
The once imposing "Buddha''s Palm" fizzled out, and it plummeted headfirst to the ground.
Smack!
Like a dead fish, it crashed to the ground, losing another 2000 points of health due to the head impact.
Critically, it remained stunned for less than a second.
Lin Jichen dashed in with his sword, not caring about anything else, andunched a flurry of basic attacks on the pitiful Corpse King''s head.
The Gale Sword Technique had been used for so long, its speed was impressive.
In one second, he managed tond three or four strikes.
"Critical hit! -1100!"
"Critical hit! -1100!"
"Critical hit! -1100!"
"Poison Sword Qi! -150!"
"Blood Rage! -240! -240!"
...
Though the damage didn''t seem high, it added up, leaving the Corpse King''s health bar less than half full.
The Corpse King awoke from the stun, its head still buzzing, staggering to its feet.
Seeing Lin Jichen still attacking it.
Roar!
The Corpse King roared in fury, realizing its health had dropped so much, and it let out an angry howl at Lin Jichen.
What seemed like a futile rage turned out to be a massive spray of green gas from its open mouth.
Millennium Corpse Poison!
Lin Jichen cursed inwardly, quickly dodging and retreating.
The Spirit Shield from the Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant was already ineffective against him, only blocking skills below the Crystal Formation level.
"Damn you, you stinking corpse, dead for so long and your mouth still reeks. Have you been eating shit all these years? Opening your mouth so wide to poison people?"
Lin Jichen stood at a distance, cursing.
He had almost been hit by the corpse poison, but his quick reflexes saved him.
Seeing this move fail and being humiliated by Lin Jichen, the Corpse King, a Crystal Formation realm boss, could no longer hold back.
It roared to the sky, releasing all its Yin Fiend energy, transforming into ck mist that enveloped its body.
The Corpse King''s form suddenly expanded, bing a giant evil shadow.
Lin Jichen immediately recognized it as a drought demon.
A drought demon, also known as a "Ba," is an extremely powerful type of corpse ghost.
A corpse initially transforms into a drought demon, and further transformation turns it into a "Hou." Drought demons wreak havoc, burning everything in their path.
Drought demons are violent and terrifyingly powerful, with even the weakest having Gathering Spirit realm cultivation.
There is another type of Ba, called a female Ba, which is gentle in nature and formed by the chance transformation of a deceased celestial maiden.
Lin Jichen had once in a Nascent Soul realm drought demon and had encountered a female Ba, almost being taken by her for dual cultivation.
The thought still gave him a mix of fear and excitement.
If this Corpse King could truly transform into a drought demon, he would have given up on the Secret Realm without resistance.
A real drought demon, with his current strength, even a hundred of him wouldn''t be its match.
This Corpse King had only sacrificed to the drought demon, gaining a fraction of its power.
The Corpse King, now a shadow of the drought demon, looked like a demon god.
The shadow moved with incredible speed, surpassing Lin Jichen in the blink of an eye, and struck down with a palm.
Phantom Step!
Lin Jichen''s figure shifted dozens of meters, avoiding the strike.
The ground behind him caved in several meters, forming a palm-shaped pit filled with swirling ck mist.
Lin Jichen knew the Corpse King was now like Ning Kuan on ten pounds of Viagra, brimming with confidence and power.
He soared into the sky again, his Dark Night Sword transforming into 22 Phoenix Sword Qi!
Phoenix Feather!
Chapter 119 – The heroines of the girls
Chapter 119 C The heroines of the girls
"The weather''s getting cold, let me cover you with some more dirt, you ugly freak!"
Lin Jichen swung the Phoenix Feather, his mouth still spouting sarcastic remarks.
The Corpse King didn''t have time to get angry; it sensed the extraordinary power of this martial arts technique and hastily raised its arms, condensing a shield of malevolent energy.
Most of the Sword Qi was blocked by this shield.
However, under the relentless impact of the Phoenix Sword Qi, the shield couldn''t hold and shattered.
The remaining seven strands of Sword Qi, like mad bulls, charged at the Corpse King!
Even with the power of the Ba, the Corpse King couldn''t withstand the rampaging Phoenix Sword Qi.
"-1080!"
"-1080!"
"Critical Hit! -2460!"
"..."
With thest strand of Sword Qi, the Corpse King''s health dropped below a thousand, down to 5%.
This triggered the Dark Night Sword''s ''Death Execution,'' resulting in a fatal strike!
In a final, unwilling roar, the Corpse King became a Soul Burial Mound.
Lin Jichen didn''t go to pick up the Soul Burial Mound immediately; instead, he turned and flew towards the Moon Shadow Guild.
At this moment, the Moon Shadow Guild was in dire straits, even bordering on tragic.
Tente-stage Foundation Establishment corpse generals rampaged through the guild, killing indiscriminately.
The front-line body cultivators kept sacrificing themselves, and even though each had three healers, they couldn''t hold out.
Normal attacks were manageable.
But once these corpse generals used a few skills, the healers would die too.
The formation was on the verge of copse, and many artifact cultivator girls were throwing themselves into the fray, sacrificing their lives.
Before dying, they unleashed all their skills, dying heroically to buy more time for the body cultivators.
Of course, they didn''t go without any gains.
Five of the ten corpse generals were taken down.
But it exhausted almost all the members'' skills, and the remaining five were still reaping the lives of Moon Shadow members.
Su Wanling had already fallen.
Jiang Luoyu was holding on with her high attributes.
But her health and mana were almost depleted.
A healer wanted to heal her, but she refused.
"Take care of the body cultivators. If they fall, we''re done. My life doesn''t matter."
The battle was extremely tough, and a look of helplessness appeared in Jiang Luoyu''s eyes.
It wasn''t that they were too weak, just that their cultivation wasn''t enough. She could see that everyone was giving their all.
This hell-level Secret Realm''s final wave of corpse tide was too terrifying; it was the first time she knew.
If half the team were in the early to mid Foundation Establishment realm, it wouldn''t be this hard.
Not to mention there was still a Corpse King.
Corpse King?
Jiang Luoyu remembered the Corpse King that Lin Jichen had engaged. She looked into the distance and saw no sign of it.
Instead, in the distant sky, a graceful figure was flying rapidly towards them.
"Did he really take down the Corpse King?" Jiang Luoyu was astonished.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Jichen was already above them.
Without saying a word, he joined the fight, targeting the fiercest corpse general with several strikes!
Seeing Lin Jichen return to aid them, the girls, who were almost out of fighting spirit, were instantly reignited with battle fervor.
They cheered; the man who made them feel safest had finally returned.
Facing thete-stage Foundation Establishment corpse generals, Lin Jichen''s damage was off the charts. A casual strike to a weak point could take off over three thousand health points.
The corpse general, which had been like a war god, was now defenseless, its health bar rapidly depleting.
But at this moment, Lin Jichen deliberately held back, seemingly sparing its life, and turned to attack another corpse general.
In this way, his high damage drew all the corpse generals'' aggro.
The hit corpse generals ignored everyone else and chased Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen kited them like a pro, hitting a few times and then switching targets.
All five corpse generals were enraged, swarming him.
Seeing them all rush over, Lin Jichen, now at the right distance, unleashed a Spirit Skill without hesitation!
de Storm!
The terrifying sword formation from yesterday reappeared, trapping the five corpse generals.
The des, like a storm, swept through the formation, and the corpse generals'' health bars exploded.
The one with the least health died within five seconds, refreshing the duration of the sword formation.
The damage continued unabated.
The second corpse general, the third...
Thest two corpse generals realized they couldn''t go on like this and fled desperately, escaping the sword formation.
But forcibly leaving the formation left a ten-second Sword de Mark, reducing speed by 30% and causing armor break.
The two corpse generals had sword de marks above their heads.
Their speed dropped instantly.
Without Lin Jichen needing to act, the remaining Moon Shadow members coordinated their attacks, bombarding and hacking away!
Thest two corpse generals died with regret, bing Soul Burial Mounds.
Thus, Corpse King Valley was cleared of all standing zombies!
[Ding! Congrattions on clearing Hell-level Corpse King Valley. All members'' cultivation +4000 points! Clear time: 20 minutes 25 seconds, perfect rating! Bonus: extra 1000 cultivation points for all members, 2 Perfect Clear Lucky Bags!]
Cleared?
The remaining Moon Shadow girls finally reacted.
In an instant, they were ecstatic. The next second, they all rushed towards Lin Jichen.
Even though they couldn''t touch him, they surrounded him, cheering and jumping.
They surrounded Lin Jichen tightly.
Fortunately, there was this setting; otherwise, Lin Jichen would have been squashed by the girls.
Lin Jichen now regretted not adding them as friends...
Otherwise, at least he could hug them. Sigh! A missed opportunity!
"Master Lin, I love you!"
"Master Lin, you''re the best!"
"God, you''ll always be my god!"
"Hero, want to hang out? I''m single~ Tell me your location, and I''lle to you!"
"And me, tell me your location, and I''ll buy a ne ticket right now!"
...
The girls shouted Lin Jichen''s name, their eyes full of admiration.
Clearly, they had already made Lin Jichen their superman!
If Lin Jichen gave his address now, quite a few girls might actually fly over to... deliver gifts!
"President, did we seed?"
Su Wanling, who had been forcibly sent out of the Secret Realm after dying, kept asking in the public chat.
Jiang Luoyu, unable to hide her excitement, smiled and replied, "Yes, Mr. Lin took down the Corpse King BOSS by himself, then came back to help us kill the remaining corpse generals. We cleared it."
"Yay!"
Su Wanling and the other fallen members outside were also overjoyed, dancing with happiness.
"Master Lin! I love you!"
Su Wanling, in her excitement, couldn''t help but shout along with the other girls. After shouting, she felt something was off and quickly fell silent, blushing.
In Corpse King Valley, Lin Jichen raised his hand in a gesture of surrender, smiling wryly, "Ladies, calm down. We haven''t looted the Soul Burial Mounds yet. If we keep dawdling, the instance''s time limit will run out."
"Everyone, step aside. Don''t touch any of the corpse generals'' or Corpse King''s Soul Burial Mounds. Let Mr. Lin do it," Jiang Luoyu ordered.
The girls reluctantly dispersed, going to loot the Soul Burial Mounds from the ninth and eighth waves of the corpse tide.
Lin Jichen first looted the ten corpse generals'' Soul Burial Mounds.
Goodness, five Mysterious Grade items and over twenty Spirit Grade items!
Chapter 120 – Otaku
Chapter 120 C Otaku
Lin Jichen was originally quite happy.
But upon closer inspection, he realized that out of the five Mysterious Grade items, only one was usable by him.
[Mysterious Grade Tide Singing Robe]: Defense +35, Water and Fire Resistance +10, Toughness +12%,es with the skill [Azure Sea Tide Song].
Azure Sea Tide Song: Allows free movement and attack in water for 30 minutes, cooldown time 12 hours.
Requirements: None.
...
The other four Mysterious Grade items included a bow, a knife, a martial art for spear cultivators, and a spirit skill for finger cultivators.
Finger cultivation is a type of body cultivation. He thought about giving it to Ren Lan, but that crazy woman was a fist cultivator.
Body cultivation, like artifact cultivation, is divided into many types.
There are palm, fist, finger, leg, and other subtypes, including branches like Buddhist cultivation and ghost cultivation.
The professions in Tale of Immortal are mainly divided into four categories, but each category has many sub-branches.
Moreover, with future game updates, more professions will be added.
For example, artifact cultivation will add hammer cultivation, where yers wield giant hammers, smashing enemies into meat patties with great force.
Healer will add musicians, specializing in control and amplification, which are highly sought after.
In short, there are many professions.
These four Mysterious Grade items were not for him.
Among the twenty-odd Spirit Grade items, there were three for sword cultivators, but Lin Jichen wasn''t interested in any of them.
Lin Jichen didn''t get discouraged; he still had the grand prize to open.
He first looked at the lucky bags dropped at his feet, a total of two.
Lin Jichen opened one, and another Mysterious Grade item popped out, a healer''s spirit skill.
[Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill Purify the World]: A group purification skill that instantly removes all negative statuses from allies within a 30-meter radius, including fear, control, slow, healing ban, bleeding, etc.
Cooldown time: 60 minutes, Mana cost: 1100 points.
Requirements: Spiritual Grace 30 or above, Foundation Establishment Realm healer.
This skill was very precious; group purification was extremely rare in the early stages of the game.
Lin Jichen really wanted it, but he had already told others he only wanted sword cultivator items, so he didn''t feel right asking for it.
Not disheartened, Lin Jichen opened another lucky bag, and it was another Mysterious Grade item, one he could use.
[Mysterious Grade Martial Art: Wind and Thunder sh]: Charges at a target within 10 meters, shing like wind and thunder, ignoring slow effects, dealing 700 points of damage, and increasing self-speed by 50% for 5 seconds.
Cooldown time: 5 minutes, Mana cost: 500 points.
Requirements: Root Bone 50 or above, Foundation Establishment Realm sword cultivator.
....
This is great!
Charging at the opponent to deal damage while boosting his own speed, it''s like Phantom Step with added damage.
Moreover, the speed boost from Wind and Thunder sh is unmatched by Phantom Step.
With this, he now has two forced instant movement skills.
His flexibility greatly increased.
After opening the lucky bags, only the Corpse King''s Soul Burial Mound remained.
With a sense of anticipation, Lin Jichen walked over.
Jiang Luoyu didn''t expect Lin Jichen hadn''t opened the Corpse King''s Soul Burial Mound yet; she thought he would have picked up the Corpse King''s equipment first beforeing to help.
Who could resist the Soul Burial Mound of the Corpse King?
Lin Jichen didn''t. He even ignored the Corpse King''s equipment and rushed over to help at full speed.
Seeing this, Jiang Luoyu''s gaze softened as she looked at Lin Jichen''s back.
Lin Jichen opened the Corpse King''s Soul Burial Mound, and four Mysterious Grade items and seven Spirit Grade items popped out.
There were no higher Earth Grade items.
However, among the four Mysterious Grade items, there were two he could use.
[Mysterious Grade Heart Method Bloodthirsty Heart Sutra]: Strength +10%, Critical Hit +20%, and each attack restores 1% of self-health.
Requirements: Root Bone 55 points or above.
...
[Mysterious Grade Spring Thunder Belt]: Vitality +1500, Defense +15, Toughness +7%,es with the skill [Blood Pool].
Blood Pool: Can store 3000 points of vitality, which can be used to replenish health even inbat. Once depleted, cooldown time is 24 hours.
...
In total, Lin Jichen could get four Mysterious Grade items, which was a huge gain.
Much better than thest time at Night Cave Ghost Ridge.
He checked the public frequency for all the equipment from the Secret Realm.
In team Secret Realms, you can''t hide anything; any equipment picked up is disyed in the public frequency and distributed by the team leader.
After everyone picked up their items, they tallied the loot.
A total of eleven Mysterious Grade items, over a hundred Spirit Grade items, and more than seven hundred Ordinary Grade items!
This is Corpse King Valley, thergest team Secret Realm currently, the more people, the more equipment.
Of course, if you only had a hundred people, you wouldn''t have this drop rate.
Actually, it was already pretty good, considering this time over five thousand people attacked Corpse King Valley, and there were less than a thousand pieces of equipment.
Many members didn''t get anything.
"As agreed, I''ll take these four items I can use, and the rest of the sword cultivator equipment is yours."
Lin Jichen said to Jiang Luoyu.
Jiang Luoyu shook her head and said, "These eleven Mysterious Grade items and the sword cultivator equipment, you should take them all. They rightfully belong to you."
Lin Jichen smiled and said, "Don''t be like that. Your guild needs strength the most right now. I can''t take everything. You know what these Mysterious Grade items mean. Besides, we had an agreement. Don''t make me look too greedy. It''s decided, let''s exit the instance!"
After saying this, Lin Jichen was the first to leave the Secret Realm.
Jiang Luoyu stood there, stunned for a second, then a smile appeared on her face.
She then called all the members to leave the Secret Realm.
As soon as they exited, the game announcement sounded.
"Congrattions to ''Moon Shadow Guild'' forpleting the first Hell-level Corpse King Valley Secret Realm! All members receive 2000 reputation points! Each member''s Root Bone +1, Spiritual Grace +1! Wishing all yers a prosperous martial path!"
Wow!
The entire server was in an uproar again!
Hell-level Corpse King Valley had been cleared!
And it was Moon Shadow Guild again!
This time, Moon Shadow became famous once more.
First Night Cave Ghost Ridge, now Corpse King Valley.
Two first clears, both achieved by Moon Shadow Guild.
What does this represent? Moon Shadow is ahead of all other guilds, leaving them in the dust!
In Yongning Province, the War God Guild, still struggling with Corpse King Valley, almost spat blood upon hearing the news.
They were clearly the closest to clearing it, the only guild to have defeated the ninth wave of the corpse tide.
Yet they were still surpassed.
Uneptable.
The president of War God Guild was devastated on the spot.
Only Moon Shadow Guild in Corpse King Valley was in a state of jubtion.
Lin Jichen was once again surrounded by the guild''s girls.
The crowd of girls almost drowned Lin Jichen.
"Haha! President, we won again! You''re one step closer to your goal!"
Su Wanling and Jiang Luoyu hugged each other.
Jiang Luoyu''s eyes, however, were always on Lin Jichen, who was surrounded by Moon Shadow members.
Seeing Lin Jichen looking dazed and distressed amidst the thousands of girls, like a confused goose.
Sheughed.
Finally, Lin Jichen managed to break free from the crowd. He said to Jiang Luoyu, "President Jiang, I''ll be off now. See you around."
After saying this, Lin Jichen quickly soared into the sky and disappeared.
"This guy is really strange. Could he be... an otaku?" Su Wanling muttered.
"What''s an otaku?" Jiang Luoyu asked curiously.
"Don''t you think Lin Jichen seems uninterested in girls?"
"Ah?" Jiang Luoyu looked surprised.
Really? It does seem so...
Chapter 121 – Someone is avenging him
Chapter 121 C Someone is avenging him
Lin Jichen had never flirted with any of the girls in their yer group. Even when single, attractive girls from the guild approached him, he barely paid them any attention.
He never said anything unnecessary when chatting with Jiang Luoyu or Su Wanling, nor did he try to find topics to get closer to them. The more Jiang Luoyu thought about it, the more she started to believe it.
Su Wanling continued, "At first, I thought he was gay. But then, a few days ago, the forum exposed photos of him hugging and kissing an NPC. Everyone said he was a two-dimensional otaku, not interested in real-life girls, only in dimensional female characters."
"Do you have the photos? Let me see," Jiang Luoyu said, her curiosity piqued.
Su Wanling quickly found the photos for her, even showing a video taken from a distance by another yer. In the video, Lin Jichen was indeed kissed by a fairy-like NPC.
"To have such intimate behavior with an NPC means that NPC has a very high Affection Level for him. Affection Level was exposed by Tale of Immortal before; it''s extremely hard to increase. It shows that Lin Jichen''s attention is entirely on the dimensional female characters in the game," Su Wanling exined vividly, convincing even herself.
Jiang Luoyu watched the video and suddenly remembered the moment in Corpse King Valley when Lin Jichen''s expression turned gloomy and he said something to her.
"I think I know why he prefers the characters in the game," Jiang Luoyu said.
"Why?" Su Wanling asked eagerly.
Jiang Luoyu analyzed, "He must have been deeply hurt in a past rtionship, maybe even betrayed by the woman he loved."
"You mean... because of his emotional trauma, he''s lost interest in real-life girls and turned his affection to the dimensional ones?" Su Wanling''s eyes sparkled with gossip fire as she began to understand and even feel a bit sorry for Lin Jichen.
"But didn''t we check Lin Jichen''s information before? He''s only 19. What kind of emotional trauma could he have experienced?" Su Wanling questioned.
Jiang Luoyu shook her head, "Age doesn''t matter. Some people love deeply and don''t fall in love easily. But once they do, they give their whole heart."
Su Wanling felt even sadder, "If that''s true, how much pain must that girl have caused Lin Jichen?"
"I looked into it before. Lin Jichen had a girlfriend when he first started college, but I don''t know why they broke up," Jiang Luoyu said.
"Then let''s investigate her," Su Wanling suggested, her interest piqued.
"Isn''t that a bit much?" Jiang Luoyu hesitated, though she was also curious.
She was curious about what kind of girl could make such an outstanding boy like Lin Jichen fall for her and give his heart.
"What''s wrong with it? We''re not investigating Lin Jichen, just his ex-girlfriend. I want to see who could captivate the top yer of Tale of Immortal like this."
"President, let''s just try it once. I promise!" Su Wanling urged.
Under Su Wanling''s persuasion, Jiang Luoyu finally agreed, almost against her own will.
She had never been one to gossip, so why was she so curious about an ordinary friend''s love life?
"Call thepany and have them check it out."
"Okay! I''ll have her entire family history in ten minutes."
Su Wanling logged off excitedly.
In less than ten minutes, she was back online, looking furious.
"I''m so mad! So mad!"
"What happened?" Jiang Luoyu asked, puzzled.
Su Wanling fumed, "I found out. President, you were right. Lin Jichen was deceived by a scumbag girl! He was probably an emotional novice and thought he had found true love."
"I found out that this girl started hooking up with second-generation wealthy guys as soon as she entered her sophomore year. The richer they were, the more she clung to them, cheating on Lin Jichen behind his back."
"Lin Jichen must have found out, which is why he was so hurt. How could there be such a shameless woman? Angelic Bitch! Ugh!"
Su Wanling couldn''t stop feeling indignant for Lin Jichen, even choking up a bit.
"Lin Jichen''s parents passed away, which is pitiful enough. And then this woman deceived him. She''s worse than an animal!"
Su Wanling felt Lin Jichen was too pitiful. Orphaned, living alone, even earning his own college expenses. And then encountering such a scumbag woman. It was truly unfair, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
Jiang Luoyu didn''t speak, her eyes unusually calm.
This calmness only appeared when she was extremely angry.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Luoyu suddenly said, "Find out all the second-generation wealthy guys this woman has been involved with."
"And then?" Su Wanling asked.
Jiang Luoyu''s eyes shed, her tone calm, "Let their families go bankrupt the same way they got rich."
Su Wanling punched the air, "Great! That''s the way to get back at them for Lin Jichen!"
But Jiang Luoyu still seemed unsatisfied, continuing, "Tomorrow morning, have my family''s mediapany find evidence of her promiscuity and expose it online. Then contact her school and ''ask'' them how they educate their students."
"A despicable woman like this should taste the consequences of deceiving others'' feelings!"
Jiang Luoyu''s eyes sparkled with determination, her words carrying a hint of gritted teeth.
It was the first time Su Wanling had seen Jiang Luoyu so angry. She couldn''t believe this was the bestie she had known for years.
What''s gotten into Luoyu... Why is she so furious...
Lin Jichen had no idea that someone was avenging him before he even had the chance. He thought he''d have to wait five years until the game world merged to kill Guo Jie.
After all, it was still a peaceful andwful society. If he chose to kill, he might get caught and end up in prison.
If he went to prison, he couldn''t y Tale of Immortal, and might even face the death penalty.
So Lin Jichen hadn''t acted on his desire to eliminate his inner demon.
He couldn''t give up Tale of Immortal or his life for revenge; it wasn''t worth it.
He just needed to wait for the world to merge, when the world order would change drastically. Then, he would have a thousand ways to kill Guo Jie.
But Lin Jichen never expected that he wouldn''t have to wait five years.
Guo Jie''s days of suffering were about to begin.
Completely unaware, Lin Jichen found a secluded spot and took out an elixir.
This elixir was called the "Supreme Marrow Cleansing Pill."
[Supreme Marrow Cleansing Pill]: +50 free attribute points, can help a cultivator at the early Foundation Establishment stage break through the bottleneck to the mid Foundation Establishment stage.
Requirement: Only for cultivators at the early Foundation Establishment stage who have reached a bottleneck.
After clearing Nightmare and Corpse King Valley, the rewards had already pushed him to the bottleneck of the early Foundation Establishment stage.
He just needed this Marrow Cleansing Pill to break through.
This Marrow Cleansing Pill was a recent gift from Leng Feiyan before he left the sect, still a supreme-grade elixir.
Besides the Marrow Cleansing Pill, there was also a Sinew Cleansing Pill, which was for breaking through from mid tote Foundation Establishment.
Leng Feiyan had given both to him without any further tests or conditions, just as a gift.
Thinking of this, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but smile. Look at his great master. Who else had such a master? Certainly no one!
Chapter 122 – Lin Jichen’s number one fan
Chapter 122 C Lin Jichens number one fan
Lin Jichen swallowed the elixir and sessfully broke through to the mid Foundation Establishment stage!
[Ding! Breakthrough to mid Foundation Establishment stage, all basic attributes +20 points, vitality +2000, mana +2000!]
[Ding! Consumed top-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill, free attributes +50 points!]
Lin Jichen evenly distributed the 50 free attribute points between speed and strength.
His personal attributes skyrocketed once again.
[yer: Lin Jichen]
[ss: Sword Cultivator]
[Innate Talent: Heaven-defying Fate]
[Sect: Tianyan Sword Sect]
[Reputation: 2500]
[Achievement Badge: Killing Intent (Damage to monsters +1%)]
[Innate Attributes: All Maxed]
[Spirit Stones:]
[Properties: Shenbao Pharmacy, Harmony Pharmacy, Honest Auction House, Kind Equipment Store]
[Realm: Mid Foundation Establishment stage]
[Cultivation: 0/]
[Acquired Talents: Tree of Vitality (Stagnant), Eye of Insight]
[Vitality:/]
[Mana:/]
[Strength: 262]
[Mental Power: 104]
[Defense: 172]
[Speed: 217]
[Critical Hit: 40]
[Heart Protection: 10]
[Fire Resistance: 15] [Wind Resistance: 4] [Water Resistance: 10]
[Evasion: 25%] [Tenacity +21%]
[Swordsmanship Aptitude: +45%]
[Alchemy Aptitude: +50%]
[Heart Sutra: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Proficient 51%), Bloodthirsty Heart Sutra (Beginner 0%)]
[Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Proficient 51%), Mist Piercing Charge (Proficient 51%)]
[Martial Arts Technique: Frost Moon sh (Proficient 51%), Phoenix Feather (Proficient 51%) Dazzling Sword Qi (Beginner 92%), Poisonous Sword Qi (Beginner 92%), Wind and Thunder Sword (Beginner 0%)]
[Spirit Skill: Rebirth Buddha Seal (Beginner 92%), de Storm (92%)]
[Equipment: Mysterious Grade Tide Whisper Robe, Mysterious Grade Dark Night Sword, Mysterious Grade Spring Thunder Belt, Mysterious Grade Nightmare Cloak]
Not only did he have top-grade elixirs to break through barriers, but he also possessed four pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment, elevating Lin Jichen''s attributes to a new height.
Comparing him to the Corpse King at the early Crystal Formation stage, which only had 170 strength and less than 140 speed, Lin Jichen had already far surpassed it at the mid Foundation Establishment stage.
Many of his skills had also risen to a new level.
The speed at which his skill proficiency increased was astonishingly fast. With a 45% swordsmanship aptitude, as long as he sessfully challenged higher levels, his proficiency would skyrocket.
Ordinary yers without swordsmanship aptitude would only gain a 1% increase even if they won against higher-level opponents.
Without aptitude and without challenging higher levels, they would need to fight 10, 20, or even dozens to hundreds of times to increase by 1%.
It''s like a genius child learning something in a few tries, while a less gifted one needs to learn it dozens or even hundreds of times.
The same goes for alchemy. In the Tale of Immortal, every profession is like this.
Although Lin Jichen didn''t fight often, his skill proficiency increased at an unparalleled speed.
If it weren''t for the fact that aptitude bes harder to improve over time, Lin Jichen would wish for a single battle to perfect his skills.
After sessfully breaking through, Lin Jichen stood up, ready to leave.
A voice called out from behind.
"Lin the Great! Idol! Can you wait a moment~"
Lin Jichen turned around to see a girl running towards him. She looked familiar, but he couldn''t recall who she was.
The girl was strikingly beautiful, with fair skin and high looks, quite distinctive.
But she had another characteristicher figure didn''t match her looks. She was a bit short, and most notably... t-chested...
It was a stark contrast, a rarebination.
Since his rebirth, Lin Jichen had seen many high-looking girls, usually with good figures.
Like Jiang Luoyu, Su Wanling, and Qin Xiaowei, who all had both beauty and figure.
Angel faces with devilish figures.
But this girl had an angel face and a boyish figure, owning a private jet at a young age, impressive~
When the girl reached him, Lin Jichen asked curiously, "What''s up?"
The girl, panting and nervous, stammered, "Nothing much, actually I''m your fan, a die-hard fan!"
"Fan? Since when do I have fans?" Lin Jichen was puzzled.
The girl exaggeratedly opened her mouth, saying, "Wow, Lin the Great, you''re underestimating yourself. You have tons of fans now, more than I do."
"Your fans? You are..."
"I''m Liu Xiazi, a game streamer who recently switched to Tale of Immortal. Last time at Cann Medicine Valley, I was so impressed by your skills that I posted a video of you soloing the Blood Fiend Guild and the Medicine Spirit Falcon online."
"The video went viral, I didn''t expect it to get so popr, and it brought you a lot of controversy and criticism. I''m here to apologize, sorry, Lin the Great!"
The girl sincerely apologized to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen suddenly realized that it was her who made him famous on the forums.
"Forget it, it''s no big deal. I ept your apology. I''m leaving now."
Lin Jichen didn''t want to argue with her; he knew he would be exposed sooner orter.
He had heard of Liu Xiazi in his previous life, the most popr streamer in Tale of Immortal, known for her show "Number One in the Server."
She invited many top experts from Tale of Immortal to her show.
Lin Jichen had been interviewed by her too, no wonder she looked familiar.
In fact, Lin Jichen should thank her for providing so much information about top experts, allowing him to intercept and seize opportunities.
"Wait, Lin the Great, can I ask you for a favor?"
Seeing Lin Jichen about to leave, Liu Xiazi hurriedly called out.
"What is it?"
"Could I... interview you?" Liu Xiazi asked, eyes full of hope.
But Lin Jichen mercilessly refused.
"Sorry, I don''t have time."
Are you kidding? With the lessons from his previous life, how could he expose his opportunities by going on a show?
What if some unfortunate soul like him was reborn?
Better safe than sorry.
So Lin Jichen would never go on that show, and even if he did, he wouldn''t reveal any information.
This is called walking others'' paths, leaving them no path to walk.
Liu Xiazi had expected Lin Jichen to refuse, so she didn''t insist.
"Then... can I take a photo with you? This is myst request, please~" Liu Xiazi pleaded pitifully.
Lin Jichen couldn''t refuse again and agreed.
"Yay! Lin the Great, you''re so nice, not arrogant at all."
Liu Xiazi happily praised him and came to his side. The height difference was quite amusing.
Liu Xiazi, standing on tiptoe, couldn''t even reach Lin Jichen''s shoulder.
Seeing her embarrassment, Lin Jichen kindly bent down slightly, aligning his head with hers.
Liu Xiazi, trying hard to stand on tiptoe, identally turned her head and saw Lin Jichen''s perfect profile, making her blush and almost fall.
After a simple photo, Lin Jichen didn''t linger and flew away.
Liu Xiazi was left in the forest, jumping andughing excitedly, while her livestream viewers joked about a monkey having a seizure in the woods.
"You guys don''t understand, I, Liu Xiazi, am definitely the first streamer to get a photo with Lin the Great! Just wait, many will envy me in the future!"
Liu Xiazi said, looking at the photo again, feeling electrified...
Chapter 123 – Chess prodigy
Chapter 123 C Chess prodigy
Lin Jichen returned to Fengqu City.
At ten in the morning, the three stores were set to open, and he had to wait for the deliveries from the Dan Sect and the Qi Sect.
What was strange, however, was that Fengqu City seemed to be under martialw, with guards everywhere and elite troops patrolling the streets.
The atmosphere in the city was tense, and aside from yers, even the NPC citizens were scarce.
This was something that had never happened before.
Lin Jichen was puzzled, sensing that something significant was about to happen in Fengqu City.
But he had no idea what it could be.
He focused his attention on his stores.
Just before dawn, a few NPC disciples from the Sword Sect arrived with the goods.
Ten thousand bottles of Ordinary Grade elixirs, ten thousand pieces of Ordinary Grade equipment, and a thousand pieces of Spirit Grade equipment.
The Sword Sect disciples informed him that this was just the first batch, and subsequent batches would be delivered every seven days.
Seeing the goods, Lin Jichen felt a sense of relief.
Although it wasn''t a huge amount, it was enough to significantly stock his three stores.
Combined with the "donations" from the Blood Fiend Guild and the preparations made by the alchemy and crafting masters he had hired, he now had eighteen thousand bottles of elixirs and fifteen thousand pieces of equipment.
All of it was stored in the three shops.
Seeing that it was still early and the sun had just risen, Lin Jichen logged out of the game temporarily.
After washing up, Ren Lan also came out.
"Wow, you''re up early today. Not bad, you didn''t even need me to wake you. Let me brush my teeth and wash my face, then we''ll start our workout."
In no time, the two of them were out for a run.
Today, Ren Lan didn''t push Lin Jichen too hard. After a few simple kilometers, she let him go home.
She wanted to run a bit more herself.
Lin Jichen was more than happy to oblige and immediately headed home, stopping by the market to buy some groceries for the day.
Carrying his groceries, he returned to his apartmentplex, nning to make a simple breakfast.
Hisplex had many retired elderly residents who were also early risers.
A few old men were gathered in a pavilion, shouting and attracting Lin Jichen''s attention.
They seemed to be ying chess.
Wait!
Something seemed off...
Lin Jichen looked closely and saw a small, familiar figure among them.
It was his littlendlord, Niu Naitang, also known as Tang Tang.
Curious, Lin Jichen walked over and indeed found Tang Tang there.
What surprised him the most was that Tang Tang was standing on the chess table, ying against an old man.
"Checkmate! Grandpa Wang, you lost again. Your chess skills are really terrible."
Tang Tang shook her head and sighed, looking unsatisfied.
The old man opposite her was so ashamed that he got up and left in a huff.
"Grandpa Wang, where are you going? We agreed on best two out of three. We''ve only yed one game. If you don''t want to y chess, we can y Go instead."
Tang Tang called out, but the old man didn''t look back and left angrily.
Tang Tang then looked up at the other old men and asked, "Who wants to y chess with Tang Tang?"
Instantly, the old men scattered like birds and beasts.
Not only did they leave quickly, but they also gloated and chatted among themselves.
"Old Wang just moved into thisplex and didn''t know better. He lost 0-10 yesterday afternoon and got thrashed again today. It''s hrious."
"Haha, indeed. This little girl is incredibly good at chess. I don''t know how her brain works."
"She wants to y chess with us? No way. I lost to her allst year without winning once. I even had a heart attack."
"I''m worse off. My blood pressure was fine until I yed chess with this kid. Now it''s always high."
...
Clearly, they were all scared of losing.
Seeing everyone leave, Tang Tang put her hands on her hips and pouted, "No one wants to y with Tang Tang, hmph~"
At this moment, Lin Jichen walked over, amused, "Tang Tang, what are you doing here?"
Tang Tang''s eyes lit up when she saw Lin Jichen and immediately jumped into his arms.
"Brother Lin, good morning~"
Lin Jichen smiled, holding her with one hand and carrying the groceries with the other, "Good morning, Tang Tang. You haven''t told me yet, what are you doing here?"
"Because it''s vacation, Tang Tang doesn''t have to go to school. I was bored this morning, so I came down to y," Tang Tang replied.
"Where''s your auntie?"
"She said a musicpany invited her for an interview today, so she left early."
"So what are you doing? ying chess?" Lin Jichen looked at the chessboard.
The chessboard was quite exaggerated, with the ck pieces almost wiped out and the red pieces still abundant.
It was clear that the game was one-sided.
"Yes, I like ying chess."
"You scared all these old men away?"
"Yes, their chess skills are too poor. They don''t dare to y with Tang Tang."
Tang Tang said, looking quite dejected, "No one in thisplex wants to y chess with Tang Tang anymore. A new grandpa came yesterday, but after one game today, he doesn''t want to y anymore."
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh, not expecting this little girl to be a chess prodigy.
"Brother, do you want to y chess with Tang Tang?"
Lin Jichen quickly shook his head. His poor chess skills were not worth mentioning. If so many old men couldn''t beat Tang Tang, he wouldn''t stand a chance.
"Brother won''t y chess. Brother hasn''t had breakfast yet. Have you eaten?"
"Yes, Auntie made instant noodles for me. We shared a bowl," Tang Tang nodded.
Lin Jichenughed, "Eating instant noodles all the time isn''t good. Are you still hungry? Brother can make some more."
Tang Tang thought for a moment and happily nodded.
Lin Jichen put her down and led her back to his ce.
Just as he finished making noodles, Ren Lan returned. Seeing Tang Tang, she was initially pleased but then deliberately put on a stern face.
Tang Tang was not to be outdone, and the two of them, one big and one small, started staring each other down.
Lin Jichen had already prepared three bowls of beef noodles, and the three of them immediately dug in.
After breakfast, Tang Tang leaned on the balcony, looking around.
"What are you looking at, Tang Tang?"
"I''m seeing if those grandpas are still ying chess."
Tang Tang looked down eagerly but found no one there. She returned, dejected.
"Brother Lin, I''m going home now. Thank you for making breakfast for Tang Tang."
"Alright, if your auntie doesn''te back by noon,e to Brother''s ce for lunch."
"Okay~" Tang Tang agreed happily. Lin Jichen walked her upstairs and only left after seeing her enter her apartment.
Back at his ce, Lin Jichen first checked the surveince footage of the house he had bought the day before. Finding nothing unusual, he returned to the game.
There were only one or two hours left until the opening time.
Fengqu City was bustling with yers. Usually, yers were busy grinding for cultivation and leveling up.
The city was most crowded at night because... Autumn Moon Pavilion only opened at night...
But today, in broad daylight, arge number of yers had gathered in Fengqu City, not to level up but to wait for the three stores to open in the city center.
Chapter 124 – The store is open
Chapter 124 C The store is open
10 AM.
Fengqu City, three stores.
Harmony Pharmacy, Honest Auction House, Friendly Equipment Store.
All opened for business simultaneously.
As soon as the doors opened, crowds surged into the three stores.
Inside Harmony Pharmacy, various elixirs were disyed.
[Ordinary Grade Blood Clotting Elixir]: Restores 150 HP per second, effect halved inbat.
Price: 3 Spirit Stones per bottle (10 pills)
[Ordinary Grade Mana Replenishing Elixir]: Restores 150 mana per second, effect halved inbat.
Price: 3 Spirit Stones per bottle
[Ordinary Grade Strength Elixir]: Increases strength by 3 points for 20 seconds.
Price: 5 Spirit Stones per bottle
[Ordinary Grade Jade Defense Elixir]: Increases defense by 3 points for 20 seconds.
Price: 5 Spirit Stones per bottle
[Ordinary Grade Mental Power Elixir]: Increases mental power by 3 points for 20 seconds.
Price: 5 Spirit Stones per bottle
The shelves were filled with a dazzling array of pills, including various special attribute elixirs. Even Corpse Poison Potions were plentiful here.
And the prices were significantly cheaper than the store across from Autumn Moon Pavilion.
Not just the Corpse Poison Potions, almost all the elixirs here were about one Spirit Stone cheaper than elsewhere.
"This Strength Elixir is really useful, and it''s cheaper by one Spirit Stone than other pharmacies. Give me five bottles!"
"I''ll take 10 bottles of Blood Clotting Elixir."
"Miss, I want 5 bottles of Jade Defense Elixir."
"I want..."
The yers who surged in saw the abundance of elixirs and the lower prices, and were naturally eager to spend their money.
Xiaocui was busy directing the staff to fetch elixirs, handle payments, restock, and replenish supplies, bustling non-stop.
If the pharmacy was this popr, the most prominent two-story store was even more crowded.
yers almost filled the entire building to the brim.
Wang Jinghao also arrived at the store, seeing it filled with various Ordinary Grade equipment, suitable for any profession.
Although the prices were a bit higher, most of the Ordinary Grade equipment here was much better than the usual Ordinary Grade items.
For example, the Ordinary Grade longswords were almost all iron swords with +3 strength.
But there were no such cheap iron swords here...
[Ordinary Grade Hundred Refined Sword]: +7 strength, +3 critical hit.
Price: 10 Spirit Stones.
Given this, selling it for 10 Spirit Stones was not unreasonable.
There were also many weapons with better attributes, each priced differently.
"How did the owner of this store manage to get so much high-quality Ordinary Grade equipment? And in such quantities?"
Wang Jinghao was shocked. Just these pieces of equipment alone were enough to support arge guild.
Because the drop rate in Tale of Immortal was so low, many of his guild''s new members were still using basic iron swords and iron spears.
Even those who joined sects didn''t get equipment as good as this.
Wang Jinghao was so envious that he wanted to find the owner immediately, either to cooperate or to take over the store by any means necessary.
He didn''t even need to look at the sales figures to know that this store was going to be a huge sess.
When he went upstairs, he was even more shocked. The auction house was filled with Spirit Grade equipment!
Thousands of Spirit Grade pieces were disyed for yers to freely auction.
Although Spirit Grade equipment wasn''t as valuable as it used to be, any piece could still fetch thousands, and those with good attributes could go for tens of thousands.
But here, they were disyed like cabbages in various cabs.
In front of each piece of equipment, many yers were bidding.
Even those who couldn''t squeeze in could bid from outside, just like in an official auction house.
Wang Jinghao saw a pair of Spirit Grade boots with rather ordinary attributes being bid up to over 80 Spirit Stones, and the price was still rising.
And a Spirit Grade weapon that even he found tempting had already been bid up to several hundred Spirit Stones.
"Crazy... The owners of these two stores are making a fortune."
Wang Jinghao muttered to himself. As a businessman, he knew very well the kind of profits these two stores would bring.
Although he hadn''t checked the pharmacy yet, he was sure that it was just as busy.
"Investigate, find out who owns these stores. No matter how much it costs, we must invest in them."
Wang Jinghao finally realized the importance of stores in Tale of Immortal.
"Also, find a way to gain reputation. Anyone who can provide an effective shortcut to gain reputation, I''ll reward them with five hundred... no, ten million!"
For the first time, Wang Jinghao felt an urgent desire for reputation points.
Unfortunately, reputation points couldn''t be traded; they could only be earned by oneself.
Otherwise, reputation points would have already been driven to sky-high prices by capitalists.
"Right! The girls from the Moon Shadow Guild, they each got two thousand reputation points from clearing Corpse King Valley. Go find them, recruit them, and sign contracts to buy stores from them!"
Wang Jinghao suddenly thought of a good idea.
Meanwhile, Jiang Luoyu and Su Wanling were discussing on the other side.
"Have all the contracts been signed?"
"Don''t worry, President. Seventy percent of the members who earned two thousand reputation points yesterday have signed the transfer contracts, each for three million."
"What about the remaining thirty percent?"
Su Wanling scratched her head awkwardly and said, "The remaining thirty percent were poached by other guilds yesterday. Those guys were like sharks smelling blood, they acted too fast. It''s my fault."
Jiang Luoyu shook her head and said, "It''s not your fault. Everyone knows how hard it is to earn reputation points. It''s normal for other capitalists to poach people. We have seventy percent, that''s enough."
"Immediately start collecting Spirit Stones, as many as possible. Use the guild''s Spirit Stones to buy shops in the royal city. Although two thousand Spirit Stones can''t buyrge shops, we can grab the medium and small ones. Not just in Fengqu City, but also in the main cities of the other three states. Buy as many as we can."
Jiang Luoyu showed her decisive side. In fact, she had instructed Su Wanling to do this since yesterday.
As the daughter of the richest man, her business acumen was extremely high, which was why she had Su Wanling sign the reputation transfer contracts with the members who participated in the Corpse King Valley instance yesterday.
It''s true that reputation points can''t be traded, but that didn''t stump her.
Reputation points couldn''t be traded, but the people holding them could be.
As long as the other party signed a contract transferring the usage rights of the two thousand reputation points, the problem was solved.
In other words, the store would be opened under their name, but the profits and investments had nothing to do with them.
But they could still pocket a few million for free.
The girls who participated in the Corpse King Valley Secret Realm yesterday made a fortune, each pocketing millions, as if the God of Wealth was lining up to give them money.
The girls who didn''t participate were now regretting it deeply.
From this moment on, all the capitalists in Tale of Immortal began fiercelypeting for stores in the four main cities.
Lin Jichen was aware of this, but he didn''t care.
He never intended to take over all the stores in Tale of Immortal; that was a fool''s dream.
Two thousand reputation points could at most buy a medium-sized store, and currently, no one but him could afford therge stores.
Moreover, no guild had enough Spirit Stones to buy thousands of stores.
Stores were endless; as long as Lin Jichen could secure a few prime locations, he would have an endless supply of Spirit Stones in the future.
Chapter 125 – Forced to close?
Chapter 125 C Forced to close?
Lin Jichen originally thought that with the stock in his three stores, it wouldst at least two or three days.
Unexpectedly, they opened at ten, and by twelve... everything was sold out...
In less than two hours, the pharmacy and equipment store werepletely emptied.
Two of the three stores were forced to close.
yers could only leave disappointed.
Lin Jichen had underestimated the yers'' purchasing power and demand.
Currently, the number of yers in the Tale of Immortal world was in the hundreds of millions, and this number was still skyrocketing. Even if divided among the four states, each state would have twenty million yers.
Even if only one out of every hundred yers bought something from Lin Jichen''s stores, that would still be a demand of two hundred thousand.
Thebined stock of the three stores was only twenty to thirty thousand items, so it was no surprise that the yers quickly cleared them out.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly as he looked at today''s revenue.
Harmony Pharmacy had sales of about 200,000 Spirit Stones.
Friendly Equipment Store had sales of about 280,000 Spirit Stones.
Honest Auction House had sales of about 350,000 Spirit Stones.
Adding these up, after deducting the share for the sect''s equipment and elixirs, the rest was Lin Jichen''s personal ie, nearly 500,000 Spirit Stones.
Earning half a million Spirit Stones in a single day.
If word got out, those guilds would go crazy. Even Jiang Luoyu''s massive gold farming team only earned tens of thousands of Spirit Stones a day.
His rate of earning Spirit Stones was faster than all the gold farming teams in the Tale of Immortalbined.
Logically, Lin Jichen, as the boss, should be very happy.
But Lin Jichen wasn''t pleased with this situation because it meant his stores were out of stock.
What would he sell tomorrow?
The next batch of goods from the Sword Sect wouldn''t arrive for another seven days. Even if the alchemy masters and craftsmen he hired worked overnight, they could only produce a hundred or two hundred items at most.
That was undoubtedly a drop in the bucket.
Lin Jichen regretted not setting a daily sales limit earlier.
Fortunately, the auction house was still running. Even though his items were sold out, yers could still auction off their good finds.
Lin Jichen quickly lowered the handling fee to attract more yers to join.
He also hired more alchemy masters and craftsmen, offering higher pay to encourage them to work overtime for the next seven days to produce as much as possible.
But this was still far from enough.
The quickest way to gather equipment was to clear Secret Realms.
However, Secret Realms had a limit on the number of times they could be cleared. Each Secret Realm could only be cleared once a day, and the more difficult the Secret Realm, the longer it would take.
He could re-clear Nightmare and Night Cave Ghost Ridge, but Corpse King Valley would take another half day.
However, the drop rate for equipment in Nightmare and Night Cave Ghost Ridge wasn''t high; clearing them might only yield a few dozen items.
The best option was Corpse King Valley, and the more people, the more equipment.
But the problem was, he was just a lone yer. Where could he find so many people?
Even if he joined a random party, they wouldn''t let him take all the equipment.
Lin Jichen couldn''t help but think of Jiang Luoyu. Should he ask her for help?
But if he asked for her help and demanded all the equipment, with Jiang Luoyu''s intelligence, she would surely guess that those three stores were his.
He had lied to her before, saying those weren''t his stores. It would be so awkward to be exposed now.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to dismiss the idea, he received a message from Jiang Luoyu.
"Those three stores, they''re yours, right?"
There was a sly smiley face at the end.
Lin Jichen''s heart skipped a beat, feeling guilty as he replied, "Why do you ask?"
He was freaking out inside. He hadn''t even asked her for help yet, so how did she know???
Did this woman put a tracker on him or something...
"I visited those three stores today. I saw a lot of Blood Fiend Guild''s equipment in the auction house and the equipment store, so I guessed it might be you."
"Then, the three stores sold out and closed within two hours on their first day. If it were a real capitalist, they wouldn''t do that. Clearly, the boss behind thiscks business experience, which matches my impression of you."
"Finally, I saw a familiar employee in Harmony Pharmacy, someone from your Commoner''s Pharmacy. How could they end up in Harmony Pharmacy?"
"So, all things considered, you are the boss behind it."
After reading Jiang Luoyu''s message, Lin Jichen didn''t know what to say.
"You should be a criminal detective; it''s a waste of talent otherwise," Lin Jichen joked.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Luoyu replied with augh, "My mom is the head of criminal investigation, once the most famous detective in China, so they don''t need me."
Lin Jichen''s mouth twitched. He had nothing more to say.
He thought her family was the world''s richest. Her mom being a cop? What a weirdbination.
"Well... can you keep it a secret for me?"
Lin Jichen asked weakly. He couldn''t hide it from her, nor could he do anything about it, so he could only plead.
"You lied to me and still want me to keep it a secret? I can''t do that."
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly. A real man knows when to yield. He immediately apologized.
"My bad, my bad. I was just afraid of attracting too much attention. Please understand, I''m just a small fry. I can''t afford to offend any of you big shots. If you spill the beans, I''ll be in big trouble."
He even sent a pitiful emoji. (Ԩ)
Facing such a clever and well-connected woman, he had no choice but to give in.
Jiang Luoyu, who was in the sect, smiled sweetly when she saw the message.
"President, what''s up?" a fellow spell cultivator girl asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing. You guys go ahead and take the tasks. I need to handle something first."
Jiang Luoyu, looking a bit guilty, left her team members and went to a secluded spot to send a message.
Not long after Lin Jichen replied, he received another message from Jiang Luoyu.
"Alright, you''ve helped me so many times. Keeping your secret is the least I can do. But sooner orter, others will find out."
Lin Jichen quickly replied, "I know that, but at least while I have no foundation or strength, I need to stay hidden. If I''m discovered, I''ll deal with it then."
"Okay, that makes sense. Let''s leave it at that. I have tasks to do."
"Wait, I need a favor."
Since Jiang Luoyu already knew, Lin Jichen had no more reservations.
"Can you ask your guild members to help me clear a Secret Realm again? I''ll lead them through, but I need all the equipment. My store needs to open tomorrow."
"Of course, but if you take the equipment directly, it''ll be too obvious and raise suspicion. Give it to me first, and I''ll hand it over to you privately. That way, only you and I will know."
Jiang Luoyu agreed without hesitation and even offered a better solution.
"Great, that''s perfect." Lin Jichen was delighted. This woman really thought things through.
"Also, you, as a boss, have no sense of business. Don''t run your stores like this again. Your new store needs reputation, not just sales. Set a fixed daily sales limit, like your Commoner''s Pharmacy. Otherwise, no amount of equipment willst you a few days." Jiang Luoyu also gave Lin Jichen some business advice.
Lin Jichen humbly epted. Joking aside, getting business advice from the daughter of the world''s richest person was better than a thousand lunches with Buffett. How could he not ept it?
Chapter 126 – About You
Chapter 126 C About You
Lin Jichen had arranged to clear the Corpse King Valley with Jiang Luoyu in the evening. Checking the time, he saw it was already noon, so he logged off the game to make lunch.
Halfway through cooking, there was a knock at the door.
Lin Jichen opened it to find Niu Naitang standing there.
"Brother Lin, my auntie hasn''te back yet..."
Lin Jichen smiled and pulled her inside.
"So how did you know I was cooking?"
Tang Tang pointed at the balcony, giggling, "I smelled it from upstairs."
Lin Jichen chuckled, tapping her little nose. "You have a sharp nose. Go call Sister Ren inside. We can eat soon."
"Okay~" Tang Tang hopped off to call Ren Lan.
Momentster, Ren Lan''s frustrated voice echoed from the room.
"Aiya~ Tang Tang, you pressed my forced shutdown button! I was in the middle of a Secret Realm, you little rascal."
Tang Tang ran out of the room,ughing, with an exasperated Ren Lan chasing her.
Ren Lan''s eyes shed with anger, and neither of them expected her to be genuinely upset.
Tang Tang was startled, thinking she had made a big mistake, her little face full of helplessness.
"Sister, I''m sorry~ I called you several times but couldn''t wake you, so I got curious and pressed the button..."
Lin Jichen quickly reassured her, "Miss Frenzy, are you okay? I asked Tang Tang to call you for lunch. If you''re angry, me me. The kid didn''t mean it."
Pfft!
Ren Lan snapped out of it, returning to normal.
"I''m not mad at Tang Tang. I was in the Nightmare Secret Realm, and seeing Wan''s plight made me want to kill everyone in that town. Just then, Tang Tang pressed the shutdown button, so I couldn''t control my expression."
Lin Jichen sighed in relief, understanding the situation.
Ren Lanforted Tang Tang.
"It''s okay, Tang Tang. Sister isn''t mad at you. I was angry at the bad guys in the game."
"Really?" Tang Tang still looked worried.
"Of course. But don''t press that button again, okay?"
"Tang Tang understands."
"Good girl~"
The three of them quickly sat down to eat.
During the meal, Ren Lan couldn''t help butin to Lin Jichen, "The Nightmare Secret Realm is so frustrating. No matter what I do, it''s wrong."
Lin Jichen rolled his eyes, "If you wanted to clear the Secret Realm, you should''ve asked me first."
He then exined the tricks to clearing the Nightmare Secret Realm.
"How can I harm Wan? I don''t want to kill her; I want to kill those beastly townsfolk!" Ren Lan was even angrier after hearing the backstory of Nightmare.
Lin Jichenughed, "Just treat it like a game level, a story written by programmers. Don''t get too emotionally involved. Besides, Wan has already be Zhan andpleted her revenge. She should be allowed to rest in peace, not continue to harm the living."
"That makes sense." Ren Lan felt much better after hearing this.
Lin Jichen understood that everyone who went through the Nightmare Secret Realm experienced a simr emotional upheaval.
For someone as hot-tempered as Ren Lan, it was a miracle she hadn''t wrecked the ce.
Halfway through the meal, there was another knock at the door.
Lin Jichen opened it to find Qin Xiaowei.
Qin Xiaowei had a heavy guitar bag slung over her shoulder. It seemed she had rushed over without even putting her bag down after getting home.
"Mr. Lin, is Tang Tang here?" Qin Xiaowei asked anxiously, panting.
Lin Jichen nodded with a smile, "She''s here. We''re having lunch. Come on in."
Qin Xiaowei walked in and saw Tang Tang eating.
"Tang Tang, why are you bothering Brother Lin and Sister Ren again? That''s not polite."
Qin Xiaowei scolded, making Tang Tang shrink her neck, a bit scared that her auntie was angry.
"Don''t me Tang Tang. I told her toe here if you weren''t back by noon. Kids need to eat regrly, especially when they''re growing," Lin Jichen exined.
Qin Xiaowei apologized, "Sorry for the trouble. It''s my fault for beingte."
"Sister Weiwei, join us for lunch," Ren Lan invited, already addressing her like a sister.
"No, no, I just got home. I''ll have some instant noodlester," Qin Xiaowei politely declined.
"Oh,e on. Instant noodles when there''s hot food ready? You''ll ruin your stomach. Sit down and eat," Ren Lan insisted, pulling Qin Xiaowei to the table. Lin Jichen, understanding the situation, brought her a bowl of rice.
Unable to refuse, Qin Xiaowei reluctantly joined them for lunch.
"Sister Xiaowei, Tang Tang said you had an interview at a musicpany today. How did it go?" Ren Lan asked casually.
Lin Jichen was only 19, Ren Lan 20, and Qin Xiaowei had just graduated, making her the eldest, hence the sisterly address.
Qin Xiaowei''s expression brightened at the mention.
"Thanks to Mr. Lin''s encouragement, I went to a big musicpany today, not expecting much. But they loved my work! They want to promote my song and see how it does before discussing further coboration."
"Wow, congrattions, Sister Xiaowei! You''re going to be a big star! Can I get a few autographs now? They''ll be worth a lot when you be famous," Ren Lan teased.
Qin Xiaowei waved her hands, smiling wryly, "It''s just a promotion. It doesn''t guarantee sess. It''s still early days."
"Don''t worry. Your singing and songwriting are amazing. If you don''t make it big, there''s no justice," Ren Lan reassured.
"Thank you both so much. You''ve been such a blessing in my life," Qin Xiaowei said sincerely.
"We''ve known each other for a day. No need for formalities," Ren Lanughed, then asked curiously, "Sister Xiaowei, is the song they''re promoting ''The Desk of the Past''?"
Qin Xiaowei smiled, "And another one I wrotest night, called ''About You.''"
"Wow! You wrote a song in one night? Genius! Can you sing it for us? Please, Sister Xiaowei~" Ren Lan pleaded.
Qin Xiaowei blushed, "It''s a bit cheesy. Maybe you should listen online."
"No way! Live is so much better. Please, Sister Xiaowei, I can''t sleep without hearing your song~"
"Well... okay, after I finish eating," Qin Xiaowei agreed, then focused on her meal.
Throughout, she kept stealing nces at Lin Jichen, her eyes betraying her nervousness.
Chapter 127 – My sister lives with me
Chapter 127 C My sister lives with me
After lunch, Qin Xiaowei sat in the living room, took out her guitar, and began to y seriously.
Ren Lan sat opposite her, looking like a star-struck fan.
Lin Jichen also sat beside her, waiting to enjoy the heavenly music from this diva of two worlds.
Such a privilege was rare in the future. Every time Qin Xiaowei sang in the future, it was on the biggest stages for all her fans.
But now, she was singing just for the three of them.
How could they not cherish this opportunity?
Tang Tang sat in Lin Jichen''sp, also eagerly waiting for her auntie to sing.
Qin Xiaowei strummed a few simple chords, and a light, first-love-like prelude began to y.
"When we first met, it was a chance encounter."
"You brought me hope and encouragement."
"My mood was like riding a paper airne."
"Flying through the clouds to see the stars."
"The vast gxy is all about you..."
"Watching whales swim to the sea bottom."
"Dandelions scattering across the earth."
"This world has so many beautiful scenes, worth exploring together."
"Let the past be the past, let the future be full of hope."
"This first meeting was so sweet, worth remembering with all our hearts..."
...
When the song ended, three pairs of hands pped enthusiastically.
"You said you weren''t good at songwriting, but with this level of creativity and singing, if you don''t be famous, I''ll... I''ll twist Little Lin''s head off for you!" Ren Lan said confidently.
"Why twist my head? Can''t you twist your own?" Lin Jichen retorted.
"No way, your head is big, mine is small. The big head should bear the pressure."
"Get out of here."
Their banter made Qin Xiaowei and Tang Tangugh.
Qin Xiaowei secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed they hadn''t noticed the little thoughts she had hidden in the song, which was good.
"Are you students at Jiangling University?" Qin Xiaowei asked.
"Yes, we are," Ren Lan replied.
Qin Xiaowei asked curiously, "But you''re not a couple, why did you choose to rent a ce outside?"
"It''s not me renting, it''s him. He wants to be a professional yer. I''m just here for the holidays to hang out and escape my parents'' nagging. I''ll go back after the holidays," Ren Lan exined.
Qin Xiaowei was surprised, "Professional yer? Is it for a game?"
"Yes, the hottest game right now, ''Tale of Immortal''. Do you y, Xiaowei? I can take you along! No, actually, Little Lin can take you along. He''s really good."
Qin Xiaowei shook her head and smiled, "I''m not interested in games, but I know about ''Tale of Immortal''. Many of my friends y it."
Then, Qin Xiaowei curiously asked Lin Jichen, "You want to be a professional yer, what about your studies?"
"I gave up on them. I want to devote myself fully to this," Lin Jichen said calmly.
"What if you fail?" Qin Xiaowei was a bit worried, concerned about Lin Jichen''s future.
As a graduate herself, she feared that Lin Jichen might lose himself in games.
"If I can pour all my passion into something I love, I can ept failure," Lin Jichen replied.
Qin Xiaowei was touched, feeling that this younger guy in front of her was the same kind of person as she was.
They both threw themselves wholeheartedly into what they loved, even knowing they might fail.
"I believe you can seed. ''With youthful ambition, one can achieve great things. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'' You gave me this quote, now I''m giving it to you," Qin Xiaowei encouraged.
"Thank you, I will."
"So, are you splitting the rent now? When Ren Lan goes back to school, won''t you have to cover all the rent yourself? How about I don''t charge rent anymore, or just half?" Qin Xiaowei kindly suggested.
She thought Lin Jichen had just started in this field and, seeing his simple attire, assumed he wasn''t well-off. She wanted to help a bit.
Lin Jichen politely declined, "No need, I''ll still pay the rent. If you don''t charge or charge less, I''d feel embarrassed to stay."
"Yeah, Xiaowei, Little Lin isn''t short on money now. This guy can sell a piece of equipment in the game for tens of thousands."
"Oh, I see." Qin Xiaowei looked enlightened and then tentatively asked, "So, will you look for a roommate in the future?"
Lin Jichen shook his head and smiled, "No, I won''t."
"But..." Qin Xiaowei was about to say something when Lin Jichen added.
"But my sister wille over then. She''ll live with me."
"That''s... good," Qin Xiaowei said awkwardly, her tone carrying a hint of disappointment.
"Hey, Little Lin, do you have a sister?" Ren Lan asked, as she seemed to remember Lin Jichen being an only child.
"Yes, she''s my cousin."
Both of them understood, realizing it was his cousin who wasing.
"When is your sistering? Should I leave first?" Ren Lan asked nervously, feeling like she was about to meet his parents.
"Not sure, she said within a month, maybe a bit earlier. Don''t worry, she''ll let me know first."
"That''s good." Ren Lan breathed a sigh of relief.
After chatting for a while, Qin Xiaowei didn''t want to disturb them further and left with Tang Tang.
Lin Jichen re-entered the game.
There was still time before his appointment with Jiang Luoyu, so Lin Jichen decided to clear the Nightmare and Night Cave Ghost Ridge Secret Realms first.
The more equipment he could get, the better. If he could get a few Mysterious Grade items, that would be ideal.
Moreover, these two Secret Realms could be entered solo, unlike the Corpse King Valley which required a minimum number of yers.
Lin Jichen first cleared the Nightmare Secret Realm, picking up over a dozen pieces of equipment, all Spirit Grade, none Mysterious Grade.
The drop rate was much lower than the first time.
But this was normal. The first clear, also known as pioneering in the game, had the highest drop rate and best quality.
Once the first clear was taken, the drop rate and quality would no longer be the same.
The cultivation and reputation rewards for the first clear were also the highest, with subsequent clears greatly reduced.
This was one of the reasons all guilds were eager for the first clear, regardless of the cost.
Not only could they be famous in one battle, but they also aimed for luxurious equipment and cultivation reputation.
To get more equipment, Lin Jichen cleared the Nightmare Secret Realm in all five modes: Simple, Normal, Hard, Very Hard, and Hell.
Each mode could only be cleared once per day, not just one mode.
After clearing all five modes of the Nightmare Secret Realm, Lin Jichen picked up over twenty Spirit Grade items and over thirty Ordinary Grade items.
He also got a dozen bottles of Ordinary Grade elixirs and a few bottles of Spirit Grade elixirs.
After clearing the Nightmare, Lin Jichen went to clear the Night Cave Ghost Ridge, also solo.
Having been able to handle it easily at the Qi Refining Realm, it was even simpler now at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Clearing all modes of the Night Cave Ghost Ridge, the equipment drops were slightly more than the solo Nightmare.
In total, he got over sixty Spirit Grade items and over a hundred Ordinary Grade items.
Altogether, about two hundred items, ready to be sold in the store.
Though it was a bit less, he coulde back every day to clear it and replenish his stock.
Just as Lin Jichen exited the Night Cave Ghost Ridge, at the Secret Realm entrance, Li Fengwen was waiting with over a thousand members of the Blood Fiend Guild.
Chapter 128 – Have you recognized Erlang God as the master?
Chapter 128 C Have you recognized Eng God as the master?
"Are you sure Jiang Luoyu and Su Wanling haven''t logged in?"
Li Fengwen asked.
Kuang Xiaoyan nodded, "Boss, don''t worry. This is information from our undercover girl in the Moon Shadow Guild. ording to Su Wanling, they have apany meeting and won''t be online for another two hours. She also mentioned that any avable members should log in to prepare for another run at the Corpse King Valley. Right now, there are very few Moon Shadow Guild members online."
"Good, without the Moon Shadow Guild, I refuse to believe we can''t kill that bastard this time!"
Li Fengwen gritted his teeth in anger.
As the president of the Blood Fiend Guild, one of the top ten veteran guilds in the online gaming world, he had suffered two consecutive losses at the hands of a solo yer.
The video of him being defeated by Lin Jichen and the Moon Shadow Guild in the Corpse King Valley had already gone viral on the forums.
His Blood Fiend Guild had be aughingstock among yers. Not only did they fail to defeat a single yer, but they also couldn''t even handle a group of girls.
The most humiliating part was that they had been beaten so badly that they had to flee twice, making them aughingstock among men.
yers who had long disliked the Blood Fiend Guild mocked them relentlessly, calling them cowards and weaklings.
Li Fengwen, who had always been arrogant and proud, had never suffered such humiliation.
He swore to make Lin Jichen pay dearly, to kill him back to the mortal realm!
And then settle the score with the Moon Shadow Guild.
"Lin Jichen has the art of flying. Didn''t we get a forbidden flight skill in the Hundred Thousand Mountains? Make sure the healer uses it in time so he can''t escape."
Li Fengwen instructed.
Kuang Xiaoyan agreed, "Don''t worry, boss. I''ve already given the orders. This healer isn''t a newbie; he''s one of our core members and highly skilled."
"Good. Also, remember to have two people provoke him first to trigger his red name."
"No problem, I''ll take care of it right away."
***
Lin Jichen, emerging from the Night Cave Ghost Ridge, was about to fly away.
At that moment, two Qi Refining Realm yers approached him and started hurling insults.
"Lin Jichen, **** your whole family!"
"Lin Jichen, your mom is **, your dad is **."
Lin Jichen''s eyes turned sharp, and with two swift sword strikes, he sent the two idiots to their graves.
"Isn''t it better to live? Why rush to die? Next time I see you two, I''ll kill you again."
Lin Jichen sheathed his Dark Night Sword, but as soon as he finished speaking, he realized he had fallen into a trap.
From all directions around the secret realm entrance, a dense crowd of yers, numbering in the thousands, surrounded him.
A healer sneered and threw a strange skill at him. The skill wasn''t aimed at Lin Jichen but at the air above his head.
Did the healer''s hand slip?
But Lin Jichen immediately recognized it as the forbidden flight skill, a skill to prevent enemies from flying, though it had a limited range and duration.
When he saw Li Fengwen and Kuang Xiaoyan, he understood everything.
"So it''s you, President Li. Last time you generously donated so much equipment to me, I didn''t even have a chance to thank you before you left. You''re too kind."
Facing such arge-scale ambush, Lin Jichen didn''t panic. Instead, he spoke with a mocking tone, his demeanor rxed.
Li Fengwen didn''t show much anger either; he even smiled.
"No need to thank me. This time, I brought my men to find you. As the saying goes, courtesy demands reciprocity. I gave you so much equipment; today, you should give me two or three pieces in return."
Li Fengwen retorted, "I heard most of your equipment is Mysterious Grade. Dropping two or three pieces should be enough to match the junk I gave you, right?"
"Wow, President Li, you look quite normal when you''re not biting. Who gave you this confidence? I heard you acknowledged Eng God as your master? Did he give you this confidence?"
Sarcasm? Mockery? Lin Jichen was a natural.
Li Fengwen''s face darkened, not wanting to waste any more words, "Attack!"
"Lin Jichen, remember your grandpa?"
Kuang Xiaoyan led the charge, waving his hand as over a hundred Foundation Establishment Body Cultivators rushed at Lin Jichen.
This time, they had meticulously nned, calling in the elite members of the Blood Fiend Guild.
Most of them were already in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
They knew Lin Jichen''s damage was high, so this time, most of the attackers were Body Cultivators and Artifact Cultivators, with fewer Spell Cultivators and Healers.
After all, with over a thousand people besieging one, they didn''t need group damage or healing.
Spell Cultivators and Healers could be easily killed by Lin Jichen, so it was better not to bring them. Just use Body Cultivators and Artifact Cultivators. Even if they couldn''t break through his defense, so what?
Each person using one skill would be enough to overwhelm him!
These hundred Body Cultivators seemed well-prepared, collectively activating their muscle and bone resonance skills to prevent being killed by Lin Jichen''s high damage.
They believed that as Body Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm, with their muscle and bone resonance skills boosting their defense and vitality, Lin Jichen wouldn''t be able to harm them.
But their dreams were shattered by harsh reality.
As soon as Lin Jichen summoned his Dark Night Sword, he thrust it into the heart of the leading tank yer with 150 defense points and 8000 vitality.
[Critical Hit! -3040!]
Before the yer could react, Lin Jichen withdrew the sword, twirled it, and delivered a quick thrust and a sh.
All strikesnded in the same spot.
[Critical Hit! -3040!]
[Execution! -1920!]
The warrior with 8000 vitality was reduced to a soul burial mound in just one second, his pupils dted in disbelief.
And the disbelief was shared by the thousand yers present.
A Foundation Establishment Body Cultivator with 150+ defense and 8000+ vitality, killed in three strikes???
Kuang Xiaoyan and the other members looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Li Fengwen, shocked, instinctively retreated until he was within the protective circle of hisrades, feeling slightly safer.
"President, he''s already mid Foundation Establishment stage. His attributes seem to have increased significantly."
The fallen Body Cultivator reported in the guild chat, his only contribution left.
"Damn it, what''s there to fear! So what if his damage is high? All Body Cultivators, charge! Everyone else, throw your skills at him! Even if we have to bombard him to death!"
Li Fengwen wasn''t overly panicked.
One person''s strength was ultimately limited. So what if he could kill one in three strikes? There were over a thousand of them. Even with a war of attrition, they could exhaust Lin Jichen.
Upon hearing this, his subordinates immediately began hurling their skills.
"Cross Sword sh!"
"Spear Thrust like a Dragon!"
"Wild de sh!"
"Piercing Fist!"
...
In an instant, skills from Spell Cultivators, Body Cultivators, Sword Cultivators, and Healers all targeted Lin Jichen at the center.
These thousand skills aimed at one person, a treatment even the Corpse King BOSS hadn''t experienced.
The Corpse King BOSS always had corpse generals to draw fire, so it had never faced such a barrage.
It seemed Lin Jichen would be the first to experience it.
However, as the skills were thrown, Lin Jichen kept his eyes on Li Fengwen in the crowd, even smiling at him.
Li Fengwen felt a sudden unease, his intuition telling him something was wrong!
Chapter 129 – One person fights a thousand people
Chapter 129 C One person fights a thousand people
The sky was filled with a barrage of skills, yet Lin Jichen showed no intention of dodging.
He let all the skills fly towards him.
"Heh, this idiot must be scared out of his wits. Does he still think it''s like back in Cann Medicine Valley when no one had learned any skills?" Kuang Xiaoyan mocked.
He didn''t believe Lin Jichen could withstand the skills of a thousand people.
No matter how high your defense is, skills have base damage.
Even if Lin Jichen''s evasion was high, with only a fifty percent hit rate, he''d still be killed instantly by the skills!
Lin Jichen indeed didn''t dodge. Everyone watched as he was bombarded by the rain of skills, their faces lighting up with joy.
But their smiles froze in an instant.
Although the skills hit him, no damage numbers appeared.
Instead, all the skills passed through ''Lin Jichen''s'' body and hit the ground, creating one crater after another.
What was going on? Did the game have a bug?
At that moment, a strange yet familiar voice emerged from their midst.
"President Li, thank you for always donating equipment to me. I sold thest batch to a new shop in the city for several thousand spirit stones. Thanks a lot. If you send me more equipment, I might be able to buy a shop."
Everyone turned towards the voice and saw the real Lin Jichen standing right in front of Li Fengwen, among them!
The ''Lin Jichen'' they had attacked was merely a shadow.
It was a skill from the Nightmare Cloak Lin Jichen wore, called Shadow Shift.
Within a 20-meter range, he could shift shadows.
This was Lin Jichen''s first time using it, and it proved to be very useful.
However, the skill was difficult to execute, requiring 1.5 seconds to charge up, and any attack could interrupt it. Moreover, the shadow onlysted for two seconds.
This meant he had to time it perfectly. If he released it too early, the shadow would disappear; toote, and he''d be hit before he could use it.
Li Fengwen knew he couldn''t escape, so he didn''t bother trying. He snarled, "Don''t get cocky, kid. Do you think you can escape after killing me?"
"Let''s find out." Lin Jichen shrugged, arrogant and confident.
"Save the boss!" Kuang Xiaoyan shouted urgently.
But Lin Jichen had already killed Li Fengwen with a single sword strike.
Seeing their boss killed right under their noses again, the members of the Blood Fiend Guild felt a deep humiliation and anger.
"Kill this guy and send him back to the novice vige!"
Kuang Xiaoyan roared in fury. As the top expert of Blood Fiend, he couldn''t even protect his boss''s life, which infuriated him.
After dealing with Li Fengwen, Lin Jichen set his sights on Kuang Xiaoyan, who was standing arrogantly at the front.
Wind Thunder Sword!
He dashed towards Kuang Xiaoyan with lightning speed.
Kuang Xiaoyan felt a chill down his spine and quickly used a movement technique, trying to escape into the protection of hisrades.
But Lin Jichen''s speed was like wind and thunder, giving Kuang Xiaoyan no time or chance to escape. The ck sword pierced through, hitting him right in the forehead.
[Critical Hit! -4800!]
Although Kuang Xiaoyan was a mid Foundation Establishment stage artifact cultivator, his defense was less than 120 points. After taking this sword strike, his health bar evaporated instantly!
"You''re the loudest trash here. Since you like shouting so much, go join your master."
Lin Jichen had long been annoyed by this guy.
Kuang Xiaoyan''s eyes bulged with rage as his spear burst with silver light, thrusting towards Lin Jichen!
But after using Wind Thunder Sword, Lin Jichen''s speed increased by 50% for five seconds.
This boosted his speed to an even higher level.
With a slight shift, his figure turned into a blur and vanished from Kuang Xiaoyan''s sight.
Lin Jichen distanced himself to dodge Kuang Xiaoyan''s attack, then shed back and delivered another sword strike, extinguishing Kuang Xiaoyan''sst hope of survival.
"No way, is this really your top expert? If you hadn''t told me, I would''ve thought he was some trash from a garbage dump."
Lin Jichen''s tone was mocking. He even had time to search the Soul Burial Mound and actually found a weapona silver spear.
It was the Wind Chasing Fire Spear, which had ranked quite high on the equipment leaderboard for a while.
Spirit Grade equipment with excellent attributes.
He hadn''t expected it to belong to Kuang Xiaoyan, and now it had dropped.
"Oh wow, how generous of you. Thanks for the big gift before you go, little trash."
Lin Jichen''s tone was sarcastic, and he openly stored the Blood Fiend Guild''s best equipment, the Wind Chasing Fire Spear, into his storage ring in front of everyone.
He could imagine how furious Kuang Xiaoyan and Li Fengwen must be now.
In the Blood Fiend Guild''s public chat, Li Fengwen was enraged to learn that Kuang Xiaoyan had died and that the prized spirit spear he had bought at great expense had dropped.
"Everyone, attack! Kill Lin Jichen, and I''ll reward each of you with a million!"
Li Fengwen was beyond furious. He would even offer a billion if it meant killing Lin Jichen once!
Already enraged, the Blood Fiend members were further spurred by the promise of money, charging at Lin Jichen like they were on steroids. All the body cultivators and sword cultivators rushed at him together!
But Lin Jichen had already used thest few seconds of his speed boost to escape their encirclement, slipping into an unnoticed position.
de Storm!
A sword formation with a 50-meter radius formed, trapping hundreds of Blood Fiend members inside.
Although most were body cultivators and artifact cultivators, they couldn''t withstand the high damage of the storm des.
The base skill damage of 500 points was secondary; the real terror came from Lin Jichen''s own damage stacking on top.
Even the highest defense body cultivators had damage numbers over a thousand popping up above their heads, and it was continuous.
Although they couldn''t be killed in five seconds,
the problem was that if anyone died, the formation would refresh.
This was the most broken aspect of this spirit skill. In his past life, Chen Yuan had always kept this skill equipped.
With his high personal damage, even if the skill''s damage became negligibleter, it didn''t matter. It was one of the few AOE skills avable to artifact cultivators for group battles.
"Those with low health, get out first! Get out!"
"Retreat, retreat quickly!"
The Blood Fiend members shouted in panic, but inside the formation, people were packed like sardines, scrambling to escape the sword formation, not caring who had more or less health.
And with a thousand people crammed together, there was no way to get out.
In less than five seconds, someone inside couldn''t hold on and fell, causing the formation to refresh.
"Forget about the people inside! Kill Lin Jichen first!" an elite captainmanded decisively.
There was no point in worrying about those inside the formation. It was better to focus on killing Lin Jichen. As long as they killed him, it would be worth sacrificing everyone inside the formation.
Just as he finished speaking, he saw a Buddhist seal in the shape of a swastika appear above his head.
"Shit!"
Boom!
The Rebirth Buddha Seal smashed into the crowd, and Lin Jichen went all out, throwing all his skills.
When he ran out of skills, he started shing with his sword.
Facing a thousand people head-on, the battle was relentless.
One man fought with the momentum of an entire guild.
The surrounding spectators were dumbfounded, thinking it was a battle between two guilds.
Chapter 130 – Kill people like cutting grass
Chapter 130 C Kill people like cutting grass
The battle was exceptionally fierce.
Lin Jichen pushed his speed advantage to the limit.
He dodged countless skills.
The speed of his Gale Sword Technique had stacked to a terrifying level.
In one second, Lin Jichen could swing his sword three times.
Although he inevitably got hit and lost some health asionally, Lin Jichen''s high defense was a nightmare for all yers.
As long as the skills didn''t hit directly or strike a weak point, they all missed.
Moreover, Lin Jichen had a 25% dodge rate, meaning that out of four skills thrown at him, one would definitely miss.
The highest dodge rate could stack up to 50%, which was the upper limit.
Even if a skill hit, it could only deal basic skill damage, and the strength damage couldn''t break through his defense.
Currently, most yers'' skill damage was around three to four hundred.
But Lin Jichen had a health pool, plus the three thousand vitality reserve from his Spring Thunder Belt.
This meant he had a substantial amount of health.
In the first wave of Shadow Shift, Lin Jichen tricked almost everyone into wasting a skill, reducing their skill reserves.
With his high speed and dodging ability, he could avoid nine out of ten skills.
Even so, the Blood Fiend Guild could ept it, thinking they could wear him down over time.
But the most despairing thing for them was that Lin Jichen had the Bloodthirsty Heart Sutra.
Each attack could restore 1% of his health, meaning the higher his health, the more he recovered.
With his base health, one sword strike could restore 150 points.
The Gale Sword Technique allowed him to attack faster and faster, three strikes per second, restoring 450 health per second.
How could they even y like this?
They couldn''t deal more damage than he could recover.
Lin Jichen gradually noticed that the frequency of skills thrown by the Blood Fiend members was decreasing, from hundreds at the start to just a few now.
This proved that most of them were out of skills.
Since that was the case, there was no need to dodge anymore.
So, Lin Jichen stopped dodging. It was time for him to go on a killing spree.
"Hurry, use your skills now!"
Immediately, a few more skills were thrown at Lin Jichen, reducing his health by over a thousand points.
Quite high.
Hmm.
Swish, swish, swish!
In a few seconds, he was back to full health, and several more Blood Fiend members were dead.
Feeling that the killing was too slow and the opponents were out of skills, Lin Jichen called out Panda Xiong.
At the start, he couldn''t summon it because it could be killed instantly.
Although pets could be reborn, they would lose cultivation and loyalty.
Once Panda Xiong was out, it acted like a mischievous child who had been cooped up for too long.
As soon as it was released, it started rampaging.
One man and one bear began ughtering the elite members of the Blood Fiend Guild.
Kuang Xiaoyan and Li Fengwen, who had rushed back from their sect, were discovered by Lin Jichen before they could even settle in.
Charging through a barrage of skills, he sent them both back home.
As time passed.
Out of over a thousand Blood Fiend members, only a few dozen were left.
Despair engulfed every member of the Blood Fiend Guild.
How could they fight like this? They barely managed to throw a skill, and the next second, Lin Jichen had already recovered the lost health.
Over a thousand people couldn''t do anything to Lin Jichen. They couldn''t outrun him, and they couldn''t kill him. They could only let him ughter them.
All the surviving members had lost their will to fight.
The entrance to the Secret Realm at Night Cave Ghost Ridge became increasingly crowded, with many yersing to watch the spectacle.
What they saw was a solo performance by Lin Jichen and a bear.
Lin Jichen, weaving through the crowd, was covered in blood, almost turning ck, making him stand out.
Jiang Luoyu and Su Wanling rushed over as soon as they received the news.
They even interrupted theirpany meeting early.
But when they arrived with their people, there were hardly any Blood Fiend members left.
The surroundings were filled with Soul Burial Mounds.
Some clueless passerby yers tried to pick up the Soul Burial Mounds amidst the chaos, only to be killed by Lin Jichen, who mistook them for Blood Fiend members.
Having killed so many, he didn''t care about a few more lives.
The scene was shocking, showing all yers the terrifying power of the world''s number one.
One man ughtered a thousand people! And they were all elite troops.
Last time, Lin Jichen had also killed this many, but he had the help of the Moon Shadow Guild. Jiang Luoyu had thrown a Demonic Qi of Annihtion, and Lin Jichen had only used a Spirit Skill to finish off over five hundred people.
It was more like picking up kills.
But in today''s battle, Lin Jichen relied on no one. Even the bear was only summonedter to help pick up kills.
This was entirely done by one person, ughtering over a thousand people.
Too brutal!
"President, it seems we came here for nothing. Do we even need to intervene?" Su Wanling said with a wry smile.
"I don''t think we need to. Just keep an eye out for anyone trying to bezy and pick up equipment," Jiang Luoyu replied with a bitter smile.
After thest Blood Fiend member died, no more reinforcements arrived.
Li Fengwen and Kuang Xiaoyan didn''te back either.
The Blood Fiend Guild had once again be ''famous.''
This time, it would probably be more famous than ever before.
"Finally cleared them out. My mana ispletely drained."
After the battle, Lin Jichen checked his status. His health bar was full, but his mana was nearly depleted.
Sword Cultivators consumed mana with each basic attack, though the consumption was minimal and usually negligible.
But today, Lin Jichen had lost count of how many times he swung his sword. Over ten thousand mana points were mostly used up by his basic attacks.
If it weren''t for the Gathering Spirit Jade Pendant given by Nangong Yue, which restored a significant amount of mana per second, and the numerous Vitality Pills he consumed, he wouldn''t have been able to hold his sword anymore.
"Sorry, we''rete," Jiang Luoyu said as she walked over to him.
Lin Jichen smiled and replied, "It''s okay, it''s all settled now. Thanks foring."
"Let me form a party with you. We''ll have people help you pick up all these Soul Burial Mounds. I''m afraid you won''t be able to collect them all by yourself."
Jiang Luoyu sent a party invitation.
Lin Jichen epted without hesitation.
In a party, any equipment picked up would be visible to Lin Jichen, ensuring no one could pocket anything.
With the Moon Shadow Guild helping to clean up the battlefield, it was done quickly.
This time, Lin Jichen had killed all the Blood Fiend elites, whose equipment was much better than ordinary members.
They collected over seven hundred Ordinary Grade items and around two hundred Spirit Grade items.
Jiang Luoyu handed them all to Lin Jichen without keeping a single piece.
Lin Jichen epted them without hesitation, nning to sell them at the equipment store. He could easily make at least a hundred thousand Spirit Stones.
He had previously told Li Fengwen that he sold the equipment he received, so it wouldn''t arouse suspicion.
Jiang Luoyu didn''t just assume Lin Jichen was the owner of the Kind Equipment Store because she saw Blood Fiend Guild''s equipment there.
She had found several other clues and evidence before making that conclusion.
After picking up so much equipment, Lin Jichen suddenly felt that farming the Secret Realm wasn''t as appealing anymore. What should he do...
He had cleared all five difficulty levels of the Nightmare and Night Cave Ghost Ridge Secret Realms, but the equipment he obtained was less than one-fifth of what he got today.
In the Xianxia world, the best way to get rich was still to kill and loot.
However, Lin Jichen didn''t want to be a notorious viin hunted by everyone, so he had to put that idea aside for now.
Of course, if he encountered Blood Fiend Guild members again, he could definitely take action.
Previously, Lin Jichen had been a bit careless and got tricked by the Blood Fiend Guild, bing a red-named yer.
It wasn''t that he had be weaker after his rebirth, but rather that he had strong confidence in his abilities and didn''t bother to worry about too much. He just killed.
In the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks were meaningless.
Chapter 131 – Has Jiang become stingy?
Chapter 131 C Has Jiang be stingy?
"Your red name is too severe. You should go to the Cleansing Lake to wash it off first," Jiang Luoyu said, looking at Lin Jichen, who was glowing red like a bride in a traditional Chinese wedding dress.
"But didn''t we agree to clear the Secret Realm in Corpse King Valley first?" Lin Jichen replied.
"It''s okay, we''ll wait for you," Jiang Luoyu said.
Lin Jichen shook his head and refused, "No, I don''t want everyone to wait for me. Besides, it will take four to five hours to wash off this red name. Let''s clear the Secret Realm first, and then I''ll deal with it."
"But your red name..." Jiang Luoyu was still worried.
"It''s fine. A red name can''t enter the city or log off, but it can enter the Secret Realm. Let''s clear it first, and then I''ll wash off the red name myself," Lin Jichen said nonchntly.
Jiang Luoyu smiled wryly. Was she worried about that? She was afraid that Lin Jichen would be targeted by other guilds or studios.
If he died once with that red name, all his equipment might drop.
She wanted to persuade him further, but Lin Jichen had already started leading the way.
With his bright red appearance, Lin Jichen was the most noticeable person wherever he went. Indeed, some people had the idea of killing him for his equipment.
However, seeing therge group of Moon Shadow girls following Lin Jichen, and remembering his feat of taking on a thousand yers alone, those thoughts quickly dissipated.
"This time, Li Fengwen must have nned for a long time to target you. He probably knew that Wanling and I were offline and that there weren''t many Moon Shadow members online, so he chose to ambush you. You should be more careful in the future," Jiang Luoyu advised as she walked beside Lin Jichen.
She was afraid that after this killing spree, Lin Jichen would be arrogant and think that no one could threaten him.
Young people often have such prideful andcent tendencies.
But to her surprise, Lin Jichen patted the back of his head, smiled awkwardly, and humbly epted her advice.
"You''re right. I was indeed a bit careless. I''ll be more vignt next time."
Although Lin Jichen had confidence and strength, he admitted that he had been too careless this time, which led to the ambush.
This time he could handle a thousand yers, but what about next time? Ten thousand, or even a hundred thousand?
Or if someone hired a bunch of top yers from Tale of Immortal to hunt him down, could he still remain unscathed?
Although he was strong now, his advantage was mainly in attributes.
Those top yers also had great talent; they just grew slower.
Like Ren Lan''s Immovable King, whose attributes would be stronger as her realm increased.
Moreover, as the game continued, many rare skills from various professions could weaken his defense, lower his attack, or even prevent him from recovering health.
The forbidden flight skill this time was a good example.
Blood Fiend had underestimated his strength.
He couldn''t guarantee that he could handle every ambush in the future.
He had to y it safe!
Jiang Luoyu looked at him in surprise and joked, "I didn''t expect you to be so mature."
Lin Jichen casually replied, "I''ve been through a lot, that''s all."
"Brother, you''re not that old. Stop pretending to be mature," Su Wanling teased.
Lin Jichen smiled awkwardly and didn''t exin. He couldn''t exactly say that he was already thirty and had been reborn.
The group arrived at the entrance to the Secret Realm in Corpse King Valley.
Jiang Luoyu still gave him the position of team leader.
Lin Jichen hesitated and asked, "How about we clear all five modes today?"
Jiang Luoyu smiled and said, "That would be great. If you''re willing to help my guild clear the Secret Realm and increase our cultivation, why would I refuse?"
"And about the equipment..." Lin Jichen hesitated.
Jiang Luoyu smiled and whispered, "Don''t worry, it''s all yours."
Lin Jichen felt relieved, "Thank you so much. I won''t be polite then."
He turned around and started arranging the formation.
"Guild Leader, you''re too good to this guy. You''re giving him all the equipment from five Secret Realm clears?" Su Wanling said, feeling a bit heartbroken.
Jiang Luoyu exined, "He''s helped us so many times. It''s only right for us to help him with this small favor."
"That''s true, but we should save some equipment for ourselves. This time, you''ve brought the entire guild to support him. We should at least give everyone some equipment as a reward. Many girls gave up their sect tasks and sleep toe here," Su Wanling said, not as generous.
No guild leader would be this generous.
Jiang Luoyu had almost called the entire Moon Shadow Guild. It was expected that clearing the Secret Realm once would yield at least a thousand pieces of equipment.
Five modes would mean thousands of pieces of equipment.
No guild leader could resist taking some for themselves.
Everyone knew how low the drop rate for equipment in Tale of Immortal was.
However, Jiang Luoyu showed no intention of going back on her word. Instead, sheforted Su Wanling, "Come on, he helped us get the first clear twice, and I said I''d give him all the equipment, but he didn''t take it. Now his shop needs equipment, and we can''t just watch him go bankrupt. Try to understand."
"Okay, but what if he wants to clear it every day?" Su Wanling asked, still worried.
Jiang Luoyu replied without hesitation, "Then we''ll clear it. Aren''t you happy to get free cultivation? This way, our guild members'' average realm will far surpass other guilds. Isn''t that enough to make you happy?"
Su Wanling was speechless. What had gotten into the guild leader? Being generous was one thing, but this was too much...
Lin Jichen, as before, organized the team and assigned tasks.
He hadn''t expected Jiang Luoyu to bring over ten thousand people to clear the Secret Realm with him.
The more people there were, the more zombies there would be in Corpse King Valley, and the higher the equipment drop rate.
Lin Jichen knew that Jiang Luoyu had called so many people to help him get more equipment.
He felt a bit guilty but also touched.
After organizing the formation, Lin Jichen led the team into Corpse King Valley again.
This time, although there were more people, there were also many more monsters.
But with the experience from thest clear, the Moon Shadow Guild members performed even better.
They smoothly cleared wave after wave of corpse tides.
Finally, they faced the Corpse King boss and dozens of corpse generals.
Lin Jichen, as usual, soloed the Corpse King. It was much easier thanst time, and he quickly defeated the Corpse King and returned to support the team.
There was no difficulty, and they cleared it again.
After the battle, they tallied the loot. Because there were nearly twice as many people asst time, the loot was abundant.
Two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment, over two hundred pieces of Spirit Grade equipment, and a thousand pieces of Ordinary Grade equipment.
Then Lin Jichen led the team to clear the other four modes of Corpse King Valley, from evening until early the next morning.
Many girl yers without gaming pods, relying only on gaming rings, were exhausted, but they persevered under Jiang Luoyu''s encouragement and overtime pay.
After clearing all five modes, Lin Jichen''s total haul was two pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment, over five hundred pieces of Spirit Grade equipment, and nearly five thousand pieces of Ordinary Grade equipment.
This massive haul filled over a thousand Storage Rings.
He handed all the rings to Jiang Luoyu.
Many female members, eyeing the equipment they liked, pleaded with the guild leader for a piece or two.
They were secretly delighted, thinking that with Jiang Luoyu''s generosity, she would surely give them the equipment.
Even if it was ced in the guild warehouse for exchange with guild contribution points, it would be fine.
But to their surprise, Jiang Luoyu was stingy this time and didn''t give them a single piece...
Chapter 132 – Alone with Jiang Luoyu
Chapter 132 C Alone with Jiang Luoyu
"Because the guild is nning to buy a shop recently, we urgently need Spirit Stones. I''m going to sell this batch of equipment to the Kind Equipment Store in the city to exchange for Spirit Stones, so we won''t be distributing the equipment this time."
Jiang Luoyu provided a perfect excuse, also covering for Lin Jichen.
Although the members were a bit disappointed, they had no choice but toply, as the guild leader had always been generous.
This time, it was also understandable since it was to gather Spirit Stones for buying a shop.
However, Jiang Luoyu added, "Everyone has worked hard for the overtime, so each of you will get a red envelope of two thousand yuan."
Yay!
Everyone cheered up again.
Staying upte to y games and earning two thousand yuan was even better than getting equipment!
Besides, they didn''te away empty-handed; they gained cultivation experience from clearing five Secret Realms.
The entire Moon Shadow Guild''s members had their realms elevated by one level, reaching a bottleneck.
Some Qi Refining Realm girls with breakthrough elixirs advanced a realm on the spot and then maxed out again.
Those without elixirs could return to their sects,plete a task, and get a breakthrough elixir to ascend a realm.
After clearing the Secret Realm, everyone dispersed.
Su Wanling logged off to distribute the bonuses to the members.
Jiang Luoyu and Lin Jichen were left alone.
Jiang Luoyu handed all the equipment to Lin Jichen, not keeping a single piece, including the two Mysterious Grade items.
"Thanks, I feel bad making you spend so much. How about you take half of the equipment?"
Lin Jichen felt a bit embarrassed as he epted the items.
Two thousand yuan per person for ten thousand people amounted to twenty million yuan.
He wanted to offer money but simply couldn''t afford it...
"No need, you always help our Moon Shadow Guild, consider this as repayment," Jiang Luoyu said.
Lin Jichen sighed in relief, d he didn''t have to pay...
"Thank you then."
Jiang Luoyu asked, "What are you nning to do next? Clear other Secret Realms?"
"I''ve cleared them all. I''m heading to the Cleansing Lake to clear my red name status. Otherwise, I can''t return to the city, and I need to deliver the equipment," Lin Jichen replied.
Jiang Luoyu nodded and added, "Going alone to clear your red name, won''t you get ambushed?"
Lin Jichen was about to say he wasn''t afraid, but Jiang Luoyu continued, "I have nothing to do right now, so I''ll go with you and keep an eye out. If there''s an ambush, I can call for backup."
Lin Jichen hesitated for a second, then agreed, "Alright, let''s go."
The two left the Secret Realm and headed toward the Cleansing Lake.
On the way, they chatted.
"You seem to know a lot about spell cultivators. Your advice in Cann Medicine Valley was very helpful," Jiang Luoyu said.
Lin Jichen quickly exined, "I''ve studied various sses a bit. Know yourself and know your enemy, right?"
Jiang Luoyu didn''t doubt him. From Lin Jichen''s gamey, she could tell he had a natural talent for games.
"Can you give me some pointers? I want to improve my personal skills," Jiang Luoyu asked.
"I wouldn''t call it pointers, but we can exchange some insights."
"That would be great. I''m all ears."
Lin Jichen didn''t hold back, sharing his understanding of spell cultivators and some techniques.
He deliberately made a few mistakes to avoid raising suspicion.
"These are just my personal guesses. I don''t know if they work, so don''t me me if I''m wrong."
Jiang Luoyu praised, "Most of what you said is very useful. Listening to you, I feel like I barely know the basics of spell cultivation. I can''t imagine how good you''d be if you yed a spell cultivator. You''d probably be the top spell cultivator in Tale of Immortal."
Lin Jichen''s expression turned a bit odd. Holding back hisughter, he modestly said, "I''m just talking theory, it''s nothing. You''re smart, you''ll get it with more practice."
As they talked, they arrived at the Cleansing Lake. Lin Jichen nced at Jiang Luoyu and said, "Well, I''ll jump in now."
Jiang Luoyu immediately understood, her face turning slightly red as she turned away.
She only turned back after hearing the ssh, seeing Lin Jichen soaking in theke with just his head above water.
The moon hung high, theke water was clear, and the surroundings were very quiet.
"Guild Leader Jiang, if you''re busy, you can go back first. I''ll be fine here alone. If someonees to trouble me, I''ll message you for help," Lin Jichen said.
Jiang Luoyu smiled and asked, "Do you dislike mypany that much?"
"No, no, that''s not what I meant. I just think you''re too busy to waste time protecting me," Lin Jichen quickly exined.
"Then let me ask you a few questions, and I''ll leave after that."
"Alright, ask away," Lin Jichen replied bitterly, fearing she might see through him.
Jiang Luoyu smiled mischievously and asked, "Are you interested in joining the guild?"
"Huh? Why do you ask? You want me to join your guild?" Lin Jichen asked, puzzled.
"Why not? Any guild would want a yer of your caliber," Jiang Luoyu admitted openly.
"Isn''t Moon Shadow Guild only for female yers?"
"It is, but you could join in disguise or get surgery," Jiang Luoyu joked.
Lin Jichen''s face darkened.
Jiang Luoyuughed and said, "Just kidding. We do only ept female yers, but we can make an exception for you."
Lin Jichen chuckled, "No thanks, I prefer being a lone wolf, without too many restrictions."
"I wouldn''t restrict you in my guild. You''d set your own sry and benefits. Just help out in guild wars or raids, or I could make you a vice guild leader," Jiang Luoyu offered.
Lin Jichen shook his head with a bitter smile, "No, no, I really don''t want to join a guild right now. If I ever decide to join, I''ll choose yoursno, I mean your guild."
Jiang Luoyu didn''t press further, "Alright then."
"By the way, can I ask what your family does? You seem quite wealthy."
Lin Jichen quickly changed the topic, fearing she might ask something else.
Jiang Luoyu nced at Lin Jichen, hesitated, and said, "My dad is the world''s richest man. Get it?"
"No way! Really? Your dad''s the richest man? Who is he? I don''t even know."
Lin Jichen exaggerated his reaction, ying the clueless bumpkin perfectly.
"It''s normal you don''t know. My dad has been out of the public eye for a long time. My family is low-key, and due to some special reasons, not many people know about us now," Jiang Luoyu exined.
Lin Jichen nodded, sighing, "You must be really lucky."
Jiang Luoyu chuckled, "I was very happy as a child, but not so much after growing up."
"Why?"
"Because it''s exhausting. I have to manage thepany every day. My parents retired, traveling everywhere, leaving thepany to me, whether I agreed or not."
Jiang Luoyu''s face showed some grievance and resentment.
"Did your parents go abroad? Can''t you call them back?"
"They''re sort of abroad, but in a very distant ce. It''s almost impossible to call them back. I might never see them again in this lifetime."
Jiang Luoyu''s eyes filled with deep sorrow.
Lin Jichen was confused. How could the world''s richest man not return? Were they kidnapped?
Weren''t they traveling? Could they be traveling outside the gxy?
Chapter 133 – Chat by the lake
Chapter 133 C Chat by theke
"Forget it, let''s not talk about that. Let''s discuss the game instead. What do you think of my Moon Shadow Guild''s strength?"
Jiang Luoyu changed the topic, seemingly unwilling to reveal too much information.
The fact that she was willing to share this much with Lin Jichen was already quite astonishing. Even Su Wanling didn''t know these things.
"Moon Shadow Guild? It''s alright. Even though it''s all girls, it''s already quite impressive," Lin Jichenmented.
Jiang Luoyu was not satisfied and said, "I don''t want this kind of polite, neutralment. I want the truth, without any bias. Just treat us like a professional guild team."
Lin Jichen was a bit surprised but quickly understood what Jiang Luoyu wanted to know. She wanted to make Moon Shadow Guild the strongest.
"Alright then, to be honest, your Moon Shadow Guild is currently leading other guilds by a significant margin in the early stages of the game. The average realm of your team is also among the highest."
Lin Jichen then changed his tone and said seriously, "However, your guildcks top-tier experts. To be blunt, don''t take this the wrong way, but female yers generallyg behind male yers in terms of technical skills in the gaming world. This isn''t meant as discrimination; I have no such intention."
Jiang Luoyu wasn''t angry or upset. Instead, she acknowledged, "You''re right. I''m not that sensitive. Go on."
Lin Jichen felt relieved and continued, "If you want your guild to truly be strong, you need to recruit genuinely skilled female yers. For example, those with strong potential or highbat skills, or even those without these attributes but with great determination."
"Great determination?"
"Yes, even if an ordinary yercksbat skills or innate talent, as long as they are passionate about the game and willing to practice diligently every day, they can also grow into experts. This is called ''diligence makes up forck of talent.'' Of course, you can''t expect them to be top-tier, but they can at least be the backbone of the guild."
The more Jiang Luoyu listened, the more she felt it made sense, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Do you have any rmendations? Like, do you know any yers with impressive potential?"
"How would I know that?" Lin Jichen answered guiltily. "Isn''t there a ranking list? The top thousand yers on the talent ranking list are all pretty good. You can hold a recruitment event and select female yers from within this top thousand, offering them good terms. Their future prospects should be promising."
"That makes sense. Why didn''t I think of that? What about the cultivation ranking list? Many guilds are recruiting from that list," Jiang Luoyu asked.
"That list is full of yers who only know how to grind and level up. Most of them use the simplest Human Dao Foundation for their foundation, which has a major drawback: unstable foundations. Their future strength will be greatlypromised, and their cultivation won''t match their actual power. Don''t trust that ranking. The talent ranking is where the future experts will truly emerge."
"I understand. Thank you for the reminder. You''ve really taught me a lot today. I''ll follow your advice and recruit in Mu Xian Province."
"Why only recruit in Mu Xian Province? You can recruit in all four provinces. Right now, people can''t afford the teleportation fees, but in the future, a few hundred Spirit Stones won''t be a problem."
"You''re right. You really know more about the game than I do. I''ll definitely seek your advice more often in the future," Jiang Luoyu praised.
Lin Jichen secretly smiled bitterly. How could he not know, being a reborn individual?
"I just y the game a lot. In other areas, you should give me more advice. I''m only good at gaming, not much else," Lin Jichen admitted awkwardly.
In terms of gaming, he could indeed be Jiang Luoyu''s teacher, but in other areas, he was far behind.
Despite his past life''s experience, Lin Jichen had always been focused on honing his gaming skills andcked social experience and knowledge.
For example, he knew nothing about business. He had no business experience in his past life. After being reborn, could you expect him to be a business elite? To strategize and dominate? Would you believe that?
The recent shop opening was a disaster because of hisck of experience, forcing him to close it just two hours after opening.
He wasn''t a god. So what if he was reborn?
What you didn''t know in your past life, you still wouldn''t know in this life.
Even if you could foresee the future and knew which industries would be profitable, you still had to learn the basics of business.
Those who were nothing but pure gamers in their past lives.
After being reborn, they suddenly became geniuses, mastering everything, running listedpanies, and earning billions annually.
Moreover, they would smoothly crush allpetitors, avoid all traps, and never suffer losses.
Is that reasonable?
Of course, having a system cheat is another story.
For example, some people have fragments that help them, which makes sense.
But Lin Jichen was just a simple reborn individual, with no system or fragments, only his past life''s memories and the Heaven-defying Fate talent.
"Alright, let''s help each other out and be each other''s teachers," Jiang Luoyu agreed happily and immediately taught Lin Jichen some essential business skills and usefulpetitive strategies.
After listening, Lin Jichen felt enlightened, realizing how little he knew about business and how close he was to wasting such a good shop.
The two of them started chatting by thekeside, discussing the game and business. Before they knew it, dawn had arrived.
Lin Jichen had also sessfully cleared his red name status.
"Thank you, President Jiang, for keeping mepany during such a boring soak."
Lin Jichen smiled as he got out of theke and changed his clothes.
Jiang Luoyu identally saw Lin Jichen''s bare torso and quickly looked away.
"It''s nothing. I learned so much about the game from you today. These few hours of chatting have been incredibly beneficial for me. I should be the one thanking you."
"President Jiang, you taught me a lot too. Didn''t we agree to help each other?" Lin Jichen smiled.
Jiang Luoyu tilted her head cutely, "So, are we friends now?"
"Of course, we''ve been friends for a while, haven''t we?" Lin Jichen replied.
"Then why do you keep calling me President Jiang? Friends shouldn''t be so formal," Jiang Luoyu pouted.
Lin Jichen realized and awkwardlyughed, "Sorry, sorry. What should I call you then?"
"Just call me Little Jiang. And I''ll call you... Little Lin, how about that?"
Jiang Luoyu initially wanted to suggest calling each other by their given names, Luoyu and Jichen, but felt it was too intimate, so she chose a more friendly nickname.
"Call me Big Lin."
Lin Jichen had been called Little Lin by Ren Lan countless times and didn''t want to hear that nickname again. He wasn''t small at all!
Unexpectedly, Jiang Luoyu teased, "What''s big about you? You''re clearly younger than me. I''ll call you Little Lin."
Lin Jichen was exasperated.
Chapter 134 – Future Alchemy Grandmaster
Chapter 134 C Future Alchemy Grandmaster
After clearing his red name status, Lin Jichen and Jiang Luoyu tore up the teleportation talisman together and returned to Fengqu City.
He stored all his equipment in the shop and set a daily limit of three thousand items for sale.
Moreover, he increased the prices of Ordinary Grade items by 20% and Spirit Grade items by 50%.
These were all suggestions from Jiang Luoyu.
Jiang Luoyu told him that he now owned the first private equipment store in Tale of Immortal, and there was no need to sell items so cheaply.
This was called the "first effect." It was a seller''s market now, with plenty of buyers, so there was no need to worry about sales.
After finishing up, Lin Jichen returned all the storage rings to Jiang Luoyu.
These rings were temporarily borrowed from Moon Shadow Guild members; otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to store so much equipment.
"Thanks a lot this time, Guild Master Jiang... oh no, Little Jiang."
Lin Jichen quickly corrected himself, almost calling her the wrong name again.
Jiang Luoyu found the name "Little Jiang" awkward and said, "Forget it, just call me Luoyu. ''Little Jiang'' sounds like a boy''s name."
"Alright, then can I go back to being ''Big Lin''?" Lin Jichen asked.
"No, but you can be ''Little Chen''," Jiang Luoyu said with a lightugh.
Lin Jichen sighed. Was he destined to be associated with the word "little" his whole life?
"Alright, I need to head back to my sect toplete some tasks. See you next time."
Jiang Luoyu was about to leave but suddenly turned back and asked, "Are you going to farm Corpse King Valley today?"
"Huh? Can we? Of course, I''d love to, but I didn''t want to trouble you," Lin Jichen said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Many guilds wish they had the chance to farm with you. It''s a good way to boost our guild''s overall cultivation. Let''s stick to the usual time tonight?"
Lin Jichen thought for a moment and said, "How about we change it to tomorrow during the day? That way, your members won''t have to stay upte, and you won''t have to pay overtime."
Jiang Luoyu smiled and nodded, "Alright, let''s do it during the day then."
"And next time we farm a Secret Realm, we should split the equipment evenly. I have enough to solve my immediate needs. It''s not fair for a big guild like yours to always be short on equipment. Agreed?"
Lin Jichen didn''t want people working for free all the time. There were many ways to boost cultivation, but farming Secret Realms was mostly for the equipment. It wouldn''t be fair for them to always leave empty-handed.
"Then I won''t be polite. Agreed, see you," Jiang Luoyu said straightforwardly before leaving.
Lin Jichen checked the time. It was gettingte, so he quickly logged off.
He didn''t expect it to be raining heavily outside, so he thought he could skip his run.
But Ren Lan told him that exercise must be consistent. If it was raining, he should work out at home.
She then made Lin Jichen do over an hour of nks and burpees.
Once again, Lin Jichen was exhausted.
Hey on the yoga mat for a while before getting up, taking a shower, and having breakfast to recover his energy.
Ren Lan had already logged into the game, so he returned to his gaming pod.
Before entering the game, Lin Jichen habitually checked the surveince footage of the house he bought. After confirming everything was fine, he opened the forum for a browse.
He didn''t expect to see a hot new topic on the Tale of Immortal forum.
Li Fengwen from the Blood Fiend Guild had rallied ten thousand people to file a real-name report against Lin Jichen, using him of exploiting game bugs and using unfair cheats.
Li Fengwen had even brought in several guild leaders to support his im, which led to a surge of yers joining the wave of reports against Lin Jichen.
This time, it was much more intense than before.
Clearly, Li Fengwen couldn''t swallow the loss he suffered from Lin Jichen yesterday and was determined to bring him down.
Li Fengwen even stated that even if Lin Jichen wasn''t cheating and was relying on talent, his talent was too abnormal and unfair.
He strongly demanded that the game officials urgently nerf Lin Jichen.
This demand gained a lot of support.
After all, Lin Jichen was indeed ridiculously strong. It was still early in the game, yet he could take on a thousand yers alone.
Even those who had no personal grudge against Lin Jichen felt it was unfair. They were all new to the game, so why was he so powerful?
Many yers were already unhappy with the talent system in Tale of Immortal, feeling that talents should be fair and everyone should start on equal footing.
But Nuwa ignored them, and now Lin Jichen had be the scapegoat.
In just one night, millions joined the reporting army, demanding punishment for Lin Jichen.
And the situation was escting.
Seeing this news, Lin Jichen sneered. These people were challenging Nuwa''s authority and the game''s mechanics.
It was a futile effort; Tale of Immortal would never make any adjustments because of them.
In his previous life, there had been many simrrge-scale protests, but Tale of Immortal had never changed any game mechanics because of them.
y it or leave it.
Because this wasn''t just a game!
It was connected to another real world.
How could they change that?
So Lin Jichen wasn''t worried at all about these protests. He knew that at most, the officials would issue a statement and that would be it.
Skipping over that news, Lin Jichen opened his alternate ount to check the recruitment information he had posted on the forum.
His recruitment for Alchemy Masters and Equipment Masters had received many responses, with people leaving their game IDs and screenshots of their alchemy grades.
Most of them were first-grade Alchemy Masters and Equipment Masters, which was expected given that everyone was new to the profession.
Lin Jichen didn''t mind; they could all grow.
As long as they signed a good contract and were well-trained, they could be high-grade Alchemy Masters working for him in the future.
Currently, NPC Alchemy Masters in the game were indeed stronger and of higher grades than yer Alchemy Masters.
But the problem was that he could only recruit up to fourth-grade Alchemy Masters and Equipment Masters from the game.
Higher-grade masters were highly sought after and extremely difficult to recruit.
Lin Jichen nned to train some good prospects in advance and sign long-term contracts. Even if they were poached, the breach of contract fees alone would be a big profit.
As he flipped through the pages, on the fourth page, Lin Jichen''s eyes widened when he saw a familiar game ID: Bai Ge.
He was shocked because this person was a future renowned eighth-grade Alchemy Master!
Almost reaching the level of a ninth-grade grandmaster.
She was recognized as the top yer Alchemy Master!
After the initial shock, Lin Jichen was ecstatic. He hadn''t expected to recruit such a talent.
Lin Jichen knew a lot about this person. Bai Ge''s real name was Zhao Baige, and her family had been traditional Chinese medicine practitioners for three generations. She also studied Chinese medicine.
Due to the decline of traditional Chinese medicine, her family''s clinic had no business, so she bought a gaming ring out of boredom.
In the game, she was a newbie with no interest in cultivation or fighting monsters.
But she became fascinated with alchemy and started to immerse herself in it.
Initially, the herbs needed for alchemy were too expensive for her to afford, so she sought employment as a full-time Alchemy Master with various guilds and studios.
But due to her low cultivation realm, her early sess rate in alchemy was pitifully low.
She faced rejection everywhere she went, and eventually, no one wanted to hire her.
Chapter 135 – The battle between righteousness and evil begins
Chapter 135 C The battle between righteousness and evil begins
Just as Zhao Baige was feeling utterly dejected, it was Jiang Luoyu''s Moon Shadow Guild that discovered her and invested heavily in her training.
Two years into the game, the Moon Shadow Guild disbanded, and Zhao Baige was forced to quit.
By then, she had already be a fifth-grade Alchemy Master, and many people were trying to recruit her.
But Zhao Baige was a loyal person, stubbornly sticking to her principles.
She refused to go anywhere else, choosing instead to practice alchemy alone in the Tale of Immortal, saying she would wait for the Moon Shadow Guild to return.
She waited for over two years, but the Moon Shadow Guild never came back.
Instead, she received devastating news!
A few months before the game was set to merge with reality, Zhao Baige was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer.
With her spirit crushed, she decided to write a book about her gaming experiences and memories, hoping to leave something behind for the world.
She published it under the name: "Bai Ge with Terminal Stomach Cancer."
In the final days of her life, as shey on her deathbed, the world merger happened.
Zhao Baige managed to cure herself using the cultivation and alchemy knowledge transferred from the game, along with the spiritual herbs from the game.
When Lin Jichen heard about it, he was amazed. This person truly had an indomitable fate, catching thest train to the new era.
After the world merger, Zhao Baige not only cured her illness but also grew step by step into a top-tier Alchemy Master. Any elixir she casually refined would be snatched up by countless cultivators.
By the time Lin Jichen died, she had already reached the peak of the eighth grade in alchemy, just one step away from bing a grandmaster.
Such a talent had now appeared before Lin Jichen.
Did he even need to think about it? He had to recruit her!
Even if she was Jiang Luoyu''s person, he had to recruit her!
Lin Jichen wasn''t in a hurry. He first reviewed other recruitment notices to see if he could find more talent.
But after going through almost all the notices, he didn''t find anyone else he recognized.
Lin Jichen wasn''t discouraged, though. Meeting Zhao Baige was already like a pie falling from the sky.
He entered the game and immediately added Zhao Baige as a friend.
But after waiting for a while, there was no response from her.
Lin Jichen guessed she might not be online. He was just a bit worried that Zhao Baige might have already been recruited by the Moon Shadow Guild.
If she had been recruited, Lin Jichen would feel awkward asking Jiang Luoyu for her.
Forget it, he thought. Lin Jichen closed the friend interface and went to check on his shop''s business.
The newly reopened shop was still packed with people. This time, Lin Jichen had gotten smarter and raised the prices, causing many yers to balk at the cost.
He also followed Jiang Luoyu''s advice, instructing the staff not to close deals too quickly.
For example, if a yer wanted to buy a piece of equipment during the day, they would say it was out of stock or already reserved. If the yer wanted it, they had to pay a deposit ande back in the evening to pick it up.
This way, he could use limited stock to create asting flow of customers.
It also attracted more yers to rush into the store.
Lin Jichen couldn''t help but exim at the professionalism. As a business novice, he didn''t understand any of this.
In his previous life, he was called a business genius, but he had nothing to do with business. His only talent was getting discounts when buying things (facepalm).
Seeing the bustling scene, Lin Jichen nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
Having an expert''s guidance really made a difference. If he had used his old methods, the three thousand items would have sold out in ten minutes, and he would have had to close the shop again.
Now, with the same three thousand items, he could keep the yers'' interest piqued and the shop open continuously.
Jiang Luoyu''s family bing the world''s richest was no ident.
It seemed he could consult her more in the future.
Using his... ahem, game knowledge to trade with Jiang Luoyu.
Mutual exploration, deep exchanges, each getting what they needed, hmm~
With the shop running smoothly, he only needed to refresh the Secret Realm daily to restock.
Lin Jichen prepared to return to his sect to report the good news to his master. He had been dyed for several days, and he hoped his master wouldn''t be angry.
After all, he had promised to take Leng Feiyan on a date to Everwinter City.
Just as Lin Jichen stepped out of Fengqu City, ready to use the teleportation array to return to his sect, arge number of heavily armored, stern-faced guards poured out of the city in waves, numbering in the tens of thousands.
The surrounding yers were stunned,pletely unaware of what was happening.
Lin Jichen frowned, sensing something was amiss.
He had already noticed an increase in the city''s guards and heightened security.
It seemed something big was indeed happening this time.
At that moment, a game announcement rang out.
"The major storyline opportunity of Tale of Immortal has begun! Battle against the Demonic Sect! Emperor Ji Hongyue of Hidden Dragon, in alliance with the royal families of the three major provinces, will simultaneouslyunch an attack to eradicate the demonic cultivators. yers can head to the main cities of each province and join the army in one hour to earn substantial cultivation, reputation, and equipment!"
The announcement caused a frenzy in Tale of Immortal.
Almost everyone started rushing to the main cities at the same time.
Ren Lan sent a message: "Little Lin, did you see the announcement? Should I go? Is it a trap?"
Lin Jichen hadn''t yet reacted, standing there in a daze.
He had thought that after saving the Hidden Dragon Princess, the war between the righteous and demonic factions would be postponed for a while.
He hadn''t expected it toe so soon.
It seemed Ji Hongyue was truly hot-tempered. Even though his daughter hadn''t been harmed, he still wanted to settle the score with the demonic cultivators.
Lin Jichen could only smile wryly. Whether it was the game''s first update or the war between the righteous and demonic factions, everything seemed to be happening much earlier than in his previous life.
He wondered if this would also elerate the process of the two worlds merging.
For now, all he could do was follow the game''s progression, striving not to fall behind while elerating his own cultivation.
Lin Jichen immediately replied to Ren Lan: "You can go. Teleport over here and join me."
Since they were all fighting against the demonic sect, any province would do.
It would just cost a few hundred spirit stones for the teleportation fee.
Ren Lan had no objections and agreed decisively, heading for the teleportation array.
Lin Jichen waited for her at the city gate.
At the gate, soldiers were already registering the yers who wanted to enlist.
Only those who registered and became temporary soldiers, following orders, could join the army in the campaign against the demonic sect.
They could then exchange their enemy kills for reputation, elixirs, equipment, and even official positions from the royal family.
The number of people signing up was overwhelming, with yers constantly appearing from the teleportation array,ing from all over Mu Xian Province to enlist.
Many guild leaders were also rushing over withrge groups of their members, some even abandoning their Secret Realm runs to ensure they secured a spot.
Lin Jichen wasn''t in a hurry. There was still an hour left, and there would be enough spots for everyone.
His only concern was whether they could win the battle.
Most yers'' cultivation levels were still at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages.
Although there were many Foundation Establishment yers now, fighting against the demonic sect wouldn''t be easy.
In his previous life, during the first campaign against the demonic sect, the average yer cultivation was around the Crystal Formation stage. They fought against demonic sect members who were generally at the Crystal Formation, Golden Elixir, and even Gathering Spirit stages.
This time, with the average cultivation only at Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, facing such high-level demonic sect members would likely result in a crushing defeat.
"Little Chen, are you nning to join the campaign too?"
Jiang Luoyu, leading arge group of Moon Shadow Guild members, had just emerged from the teleportation array and spotted Lin Jichen at the city gate.
Lin Jichen was about to respond with a smile when another voice came from the teleportation array.
"Little Lin! I''m here!"
Lin Jichen turned around to see Ren Lan arriving.
Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu had run into each other.
Chapter 136 – The atmosphere is not right
Chapter 136 C The atmosphere is not right
"Wow! Little Lin, who is this stunning beauty? She''s absolutely gorgeous!"
Ren Lan eximed in awe the moment she saw Jiang Luoyu.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to introduce her, "This is Jiang Luoyu, a good friend I met in the game. She''s the president of the Moon Shadow Guild."
Before Lin Jichen could introduce Jiang Luoyu further, Ren Lan eagerly stepped forward to greet her, "Hello, hello! I''m Ren Lan. Are you a celebrity?"
Jiang Luoyu smiled gently, "Hello, I''m not a celebrity. Actually, you''re very pretty too. Are you Little Chen''s... friend?"
Upon hearing the name ''Little Chen,'' Ren Lan''s expression turned a bit odd but quickly returned to normal.
"Oh, I''m his college best friend and roommate, hehe."
Now it was Jiang Luoyu''s turn to have a subtle look in her eyes, but it was only for a fleeting moment.
"I see, nice to meet you."
"No, meeting you is my pleasure."
The two exchanged smiles and then fell silent.
Lin Jichen suddenly felt the atmosphere became a bit strange, a chill creeping into his heart.
It was as if two top experts werepeting in cultivation and mental strength, making the surrounding air feel solidified.
No, no, it feels like something big is about to happen.
Just as Lin Jichen was wondering where this strange pressure wasing from, it suddenly dissolved, and the atmosphere returned to normal.
"Little Chen, Miss Ren, my guild is still waiting for me. I''ll go register first, and we can chatter," Jiang Luoyu said proactively.
Ren Lan immediately responded, "Okay, beautiful sister~"
Lin Jichen could only awkwardly smile at Jiang Luoyu, "Jiang... oh no, Luoyu... you go ahead."
Jiang Luoyu seemed very pleased with this address, her face beaming with a smile, "Okay, I''ll go now. See youter."
"See youter."
After Jiang Luoyu left, Ren Lan looked at Lin Jichen with a mischievous grin.
"Little Lin, where did you find such a beautiful woman?"
Lin Jichen quickly exined, "You misunderstood, we''re just friends."
"Friends? No way, you two are so close. Did you secretly get a new girlfriend?"
Lin Jichen shook his head repeatedly, "You''re overthinking it. We haven''t known each other for long, just met a few times while clearing Secret Realms together. She''s helped me a lot."
"Why are you so nervous? I didn''t say you couldn''t find a new girlfriend."
Ren Lan''s tone was noticeably off when she said this.
She emphasized, "I''m just worried you''ll end up with another girlfriend like Guo Jie and get deceived again."
Lin Jichen smiled wryly, "Am I that dumb to find someone like Guo Jie again?"
"That''s not certain. I can''t guarantee your taste and standards for choosing a partner. Moreover, this is in the game. Can you take an online girlfriend seriously? You misjudged in real life, let alone in online dating."
"Cough, cough... okay, I get it. I promise I''ll be more careful."
Lin Jichen didn''t dare argue further on this topic.
"But if you could really date her online, I''d actually admire you. She''s a hundred times prettier than Guo Jie, which means your taste has improved."
Ren Lan continued to chatter, but Lin Jichen was at a loss for words.
"I told you, you''re overthinking it. I''m not in a rtionship. After the lesson with Guo Jie, how could I not be more cautious?"
Ren Lan suddenly patted Lin Jichen''s shoulder earnestly, "I actually hope you can find a girlfriend."
"???" Lin Jichen was confused, "What do you mean?"
"So you won''t shift your sexual orientation to the second dimension."
Ren Lan sighed and looked at Lin Jichen with some sympathy.
"Little Lin, I saw that photo today. I didn''t expect you to be so devastated after being hurt by Guo Jie that you shifted your attention to game NPCs. It''s my fault for not guiding you well, letting you stray further into the otaku path and lose interest in real girls."
Lin Jichen: "...."
"You misunderstood, I..."
"No need to exin. Everyone has different ways of dealing with heartbreak. Focusing on virtual characters is better than bing a pervert. Don''t worry, I''m your good buddy; I won''tugh at you."
"I really..."
"Alright, no more talking. Let''s go register. Some things are better left unsaid."
Ren Lan didn''t give Lin Jichen a chance to exin and dragged him to the registration point.
Lin Jichen felt a bitter frustration, almost to the point of internal injury and spitting blood.
In the end, he didn''t know how to exin, so he let her think what she wanted.
He couldn''t possibly exin that these weren''t virtual characters but real people who would appear in the future.
Otherwise, Ren Lan would probably think he had delusions and sent him to the hospital...
The two arrived at the registration point.
Registration was simple, just a matter of signing up.
They smoothly became temporary soldiers, ready to fight the Demon Sect.
At that moment, the surrounding crowd became noisy.
"Wow! Look! Who is that?"
"Dressed like Jay Chou''s golden armor, is that... Jarvan IV?"
"This guy is so handsome!"
"Look at the girl beside him, she''s so beautiful!"
"I''m in love, I''m in love!"
...
A group of people emerging, surrounded by guards.
Among them, a young man in golden armor sat on the back of a giant beast, looking majestic and imposing.
The beast was enormous, like a lion, exuding an intimidating aura.
Some yers who had brought pets saw the giant lion beast and their pets cowered behind them in fear.
Beside him, a girl in tight clothing and a leather armor cape also sat on another lion''s back.
The girl was stunningly beautiful, with an elegant and noble demeanor, captivating millions of male yers the moment she appeared.
All the guards and soldiers saluted simultaneously upon seeing the two, shouting in unison, "Greetings, Third Prince! Greetings, Princess!"
The Third Prince nodded solemnly, about to speak, when the Princess suddenly looked at a figure in the crowd of yers and eximed in surprise.
"Young Master Lin! I didn''t expect to see you here again!"
The Third Prince paused, then followed her gaze, his expression turning joyful.
He even dismounted from the lion and quickly walked towards the figure in the crowd.
"Brother Lin, long time no see. Do you still remember me?"
The Princess also arrived, her eyes still filled with admiration.
"Young Master Lin, I owe you my life. I wanted to invite you to the pce to meet my father, but you declined. I''m d to see you again today."
With the Third Prince and the Princess each saying a sentence, the jaws of all the yers around them dropped.
Even Ren Lan, standing next to Lin Jichen, was gaping in surprise.
Chapter 137 – Serve as the commander
Chapter 137 C Serve as themander
"Li...Little Lin, are they talking to you?" Ren Lan asked softly.
"If there''s no one else around, it should be me," Lin Jichen replied with a smile, then cupped his fists towards Ji Chen and Ji Tongyin.
"You''re too kind. May I ask, are you leading the expedition against the demonic sect this time?"
Ji Chen nodded. "My sister was hunted by demonic cultivators. When my father, the emperor, found out, he was furious and appointed me as themander of this eastern expedition, along with my sister Tongyin, to erase the demonic sect."
Lin Jichen thought to himself, as expected, the old emperor has a terrible temper, and the plot hasn''t changed.
"May I ask, which sect are we attacking this time?"
Ji Chen didn''t hide anything and answered, "Naturally, it''s the Shadow Soul Hall."
Lin Jichen''s heart sank. Shadow Soul Hall... that''s a top-tier demonic sect with a bunch of terrifyingly powerful old monsters. There''s no way we yers can take them on right now.
"Don''t worry, Brother Lin. We''re not the main force in this attack on Shadow Soul Hall. My father''s shadow guards and the Hidden Dragon Army have already been deployed to besiege Shadow Soul Hall. We''re tasked with attacking the smaller affiliated sects nearby, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect and the Blood Refining Hall, to prevent them from aiding Shadow Soul Hall."
Lin Jichen breathed a sigh of relief. If he were really sent to attack Shadow Soul Hall, he would have abandoned the mission immediately.
Going there would be a death sentence, and he couldn''t afford to die.
He knew about the Ten Thousand Poison Sect and the Blood Refining Hall.
The Ten Thousand Poison Sect was indeed just a small sect, a subordinate of Shadow Soul Hall, and not very powerful.
But the Blood Refining Hall was quite formidable, with many experts and a few Elemental Infant old monsters in charge.
"Our task is to besiege the Blood Refining Hall. These temporary teams will handle the Ten Thousand Poison Sect and hold out until we finish with the Blood Refining Hall ande to support them," Ji Chen said, finally putting Lin Jichen at ease.
The Ten Thousand Poison Sect was managed. Although it was still challenging, it was at least dozens of times easier than the Blood Refining Hall.
Indeed, if they were sent to besiege the Blood Refining Hall or Shadow Soul Hall at this point, it would be a death sentence for the yers.
No matter how tough Tale of Immortal was, it couldn''t assign yers such impossible tasks.
"That''s good. May I ask which general will be leading andmanding?" Lin Jichen asked casually.
Ji Chen smiled. "I originally nned to appoint a general, but now it seems unnecessary."
"Nomander? How are we supposed to fight?" Lin Jichen was speechless.
Attacking a sect in such a grand battle, involving countless people, how could it work without amander?
Without coordination, it would be like a pile of loose sand, unable to leverage the yers'' numerical advantage.
Ji Tongyin exined with a smile, "My brother means that he wants Young Master Lin tomand this battle and act as the temporary cultivators''mander."
Before Lin Jichen could respond, Ji Chen said, "The task ofmanding the temporary cultivators is entrusted to you, Brother Lin. You are now the suprememander of all temporary cultivators."
Lin Jichen: "...."
[Ding! Opportunity quest triggered! Take on the role of temporary teammander and lead the team to annihte the Ten Thousand Poison Sect! ept?]
The quest came just like that.
"I don''t have a problem with it, but I''m afraid Ick the authority, and no one will listen to me," Lin Jichen pretended to decline.
Ji Chen said, "Don''t worry, Brother Lin. As themander, you have the authority to control the army. Anyone who disobeys your orders can be removed at any time. You also oversee all rewards and punishments for the temporary cultivators. Anyone who disobeys can have all their merits erased and won''t receive any war achievements!"
Ji Chen''s voice was deliberately loud, making sure all the yers heard it clearly.
The yers were dumbfounded, their hearts filled with waves of envy and jealousy.
What kind of luck did Lin Jichen have to receive such treatment, bing the suprememander with control over rewards and punishments?
Who would dare to mess with him now?
Many yers who had joined the forum campaign against Lin Jichen started to worry.
Would Lin Jichen seek revengeter?
The most anxious ones were from the Blood Fiend Guild.
Li Fengwen felt as if he had swallowed a bitter pill.
Follow Lin Jichen''s orders? Dream on!
But the problem now wasn''t whether he would follow orders, but whether Lin Jichen would use his power for personal revenge!
"Boss, what do we do? That bastard gets to be themander? I refuse to ept it!" Kuang Xiaoyan said angrily.
"Yeah, boss, maybe we should quit," others chimed in, not wanting to follow the orders of an enemy.
Lin Jichen had repeatedly defeated them, making them lose face. They wanted to kill him a hundred times over, so how could they possibly follow his orders?
Li Fengwen was tempted but hesitated and shook his head.
"No, this quest is a great opportunity to grind cultivation and equipment. Most importantly, didn''t you see the announcement? We can also gain reputation. With reputation, our Blood Fiend Guild can buy a shop, and we won''t have to worry about Spirit Stones anymore."
Gaining reputation was a huge temptation for all the big yers.
Li Fengwen was no exception. Seeing the business of the three shops in the city, he was envious and dreamed of having a shop himself.
But there was no shortcut to gaining reputation.
Now that an opportunity had finallye, Li Fengwen didn''t want to miss it.
Moreover, it was a great opportunity to strengthen the guild. Missing it would mean falling behind other guilds, which was uneptable to Li Fengwen.
"So what do we do?"
"Hide. Don''t let him see us. Let''s go over there."
Li Fengwen decided to y it safe. As long as they stayed hidden, Lin Jichen wouldn''t know the Blood Fiend Guild was involved.
They will just follow the main force from behind.
On the other side, Lin Jichen had epted the quest and became themander of all the yers participating in the eastern expedition.
After giving instructions, Ji Chen and Ji Tongyin went tomand the regr army.
Lin Jichen stayed behind, facing the massive yer force, which outnumbered the regr army by a hundred times.
He wasn''t worried about managing so many people.
All the yers who signed up were grouped into a single channel, and Lin Jichen could issuemands there for everyone to see.
"Little Lin, you''re amazing! You''re going tomand a million yers in battle!" Ren Lan excitedly grabbed Lin Jichen''s sleeve and shook it as if she were themander.
"Calm down, calm down. It''s just one battle, not like I''m theirmander forever," Lin Jichenughed.
"Still, it''s incredible. Probably only you in all of Tale of Immortal get this kind of treatment!" Ren Lan said excitedly.
Lin Jichen smiled. She wasn''t wrong. The opportunity tomand a million troops was likely unique to him.
Scanning the yers around him, Lin Jichen suddenly spotted a few familiar figures hiding in the back.
"Miss Frenzy, wait for me a moment. I need to settle a personal score first."
With that, Lin Jichen walked in their direction.
Chapter 138 – A gentleman seeks revenge, time is of the essence
Chapter 138 C A gentleman seeks revenge, time is of the essence
In the corner, at the location of the Blood Fiend Guild.
Lin Jichen stood right in front of them.
He looked at Li Fengwen, smiling warmly.
Initially, Li Fengwen avoided Lin Jichen''s gaze, but Lin Jichen kept smiling at him.
It didn''t look like they were enemies; it seemed more like they were old friends who hadn''t seen each other in years.
Li Fengwen thought to himself, could this guy be trying to use this opportunity to make peace with me? Bury the hatchet with a smile?
It makes sense. After all, he was just a lone wolf. How could he possibly go up against my big guild?
This kid must be scared and wants to take this chance to reconcile.
Of course, Li Fengwen didn''t want to reconcile. He hated Lin Jichen to the core; their affection was deep-rooted.
But given the current situation, this kid was using his position as an excuse. If he didn''t agree, the Blood Fiend Guild wouldn''t be able to join this Eastern Expedition.
It would be better to pretend to be friendly for now and settle the score after the expedition.
Thinking this, Li Fengwen forced a smile that was uglier than crying and awkwardlyughed, "Hehe..."
Theugh was as dumb and fake as it could get.
In that instant, Lin Jichen''s expression changed. The smile that was there a moment ago disappeared instantly.
Lin Jichen red at him and shouted, "What the hell are youughing at! Smiling at your superior like that! Disrespectful! You''re kicked out of the team!"
Li Fengwen: "...."
Pfft~
The entire crowd of yers burst intoughter. Lin Jichen was just too much, haha, so cheeky.
On the other side, the girls from the Moon Shadow Guild wereughing and cheering.
Jiang Luoyu was also amused, her face turning red fromughing.
"This guy, hahaha, President, look at Li Fengwen''s face, it''s killing me."
Su Wanlingughed the hardest, tears almosting out.
"I saw it. The Blood Fiend Guild is in for a rough time this time."
Jiang Luoyu looked at Lin Jichen with a smile, finding him to be a very interesting person.
"Lin Jichen, what the hell do you mean!" At this moment, Kuang Xiaoyan stood up angrily.
"Dare to talk to your superior like that? You''re kicked out of the team too!" Lin Jichen sneezed.
For a moment, the Blood Fiend Guild was in an uproar.
"All members of the Blood Fiend Guild, kicked out of the team!" Lin Jichen showed no mercy, kicking all the Blood Fiend members out of the Eastern Expedition with a single sentence.
Li Fengwen couldn''t hold back anymore. He stood up, gritting his teeth, and said, "Lin Jichen, you''re abusing your power for personal revenge! Is this how you lead?"
"Do I need you to teach me how to lead? So what if I''m abusing my power for personal revenge? Haven''t you heard of ''a gentleman takes revenge, the sooner the better''?" Lin Jichen said righteously.
Li Fengwen held back his anger and said, "Are you sure you want to be this ruthless?"
"How could I be as ruthless as you? When you sent over a thousand people to surround me, you didn''t say you were ruthless? When you said you''d kill me back to the mortal realm and send me back to the novice vige, you didn''t say you were ruthless?" Lin Jichen mocked.
Li Fengwen was momentarily speechless, knowing that saying anything more would be useless. He directly ran to Ji Chen.
"Your Highness, I want to report Lin Jichen. As amander, he abuses his power for personal revenge and is utterly irresponsible. Please revoke hismand authority!"
Li Fengwenined, bringing all the Blood Fiend Guild members to back him up.
He thought it was a good n. The more people, the more it would show that Lin Jichen had caused public outrage, and the more likely he would be punished.
But the Third Prince Ji Chen nced at Li Fengwen, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Who are you?"
"I am an ordinary disciple of the Top Sky Saber Sect, Li Fengwen," Li Fengwen replied.
"Daring to incite the ignorant, shake the morale, and nder themander, very well. Guards, take this man into the city, lock him up for seven days, and fine him a thousand Spirit Stones as a warning to others," Ji Chen ordered.
Immediately, Hidden Dragon guards came out to arrest Li Fengwen.
Kuang Xiaoyan and the Blood Fiend disciples naturally wouldn''t stand for it. How could they tolerate their leader being taken to jail?
"Dare to resist? Lock them all up for three days! Each fined a hundred Spirit Stones! If they can''t pay, lock them up for another three days!"
As soon as Ji Chen finished speaking, thousands of elite soldiers rushed out, surrounding the Blood Fiend members and arresting them one by one.
In the hands of these Hidden Dragon elites, all with Crystal Formation cultivation, the Blood Fiend members were like little chicks, easily subdued, shackled, and taken into the city.
Li Fengwen was so angry he almost spat blood. He turned to look at Lin Jichen, shouting madly, "Lin Jichen, you Fing wait! If I don''t kill you, I swear I''m not human!"
Unfortunately, his shouting didn''t affect Lin Jichen''s mood at all.
"President Li, enjoy your time in jail. When you get out, let''s chat about how the prison food tastes."
Lin Jichen teased.
Li Fengwen was so angry he almost spat blood again but could only be escorted into the city to serve his sentence.
The punishment in Tale of Immortal couldn''t be avoided by logging off.
If they said seven days, it meant seven days.
The time was calcted based on your online time.
As long as you were online, the time would count. If you logged off, the time would pause and resume when you logged back in.
With the entire Blood Fiend Guild locked up, they became famous again.
"Haha, Little Lin, you''re ruthless, but I like it. It suits my taste, haha!"
Ren Lan praised from the side, thinking that ever since Little Lin broke up with Guo Jie, he had be more and more manly. Oh dear, the more she looked at him, the more pleasing he seemed.
Lin Jichen then turned his gaze to the other yers present. The whole ce fell silent. Those who had reported Lin Jichen on the forums were especially nervous, afraid he would settle scores with themter, each one lowering their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Everyone, the Blood Fiend Guild disrespected me. I was afraid they wouldn''t follow orders during the battle or might even betray us, so I had to painfully remove them," Lin Jichen said with a ''sincere'' face.
Everyone''s faces twitched. They wanted to refute but didn''t dare to speak up.
"Since I am themander, everyone must follow my orders from now on. If anyone feels they can''t ept this, they can leave now, and I won''t make things difficult for them."
Lin Jichen said, then changed his tone, warning, "But if anyone disobeys orderster, don''t me me for turning against you. I can erase all the reputation, battle merits, Spirit Stones, and equipment you want. If you want to leave, do it now!"
Still, no one spoke up. Clearly, no one wanted to miss this opportunity.
"Good, since no one wants to leave, I promise that as long as you follow my orders, I will do my best to lead you to destroy the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. By then, cultivation, reputation, Spirit Stones, battle merits, equipment, you''ll have it all!"
After Lin Jichen finished speaking, most yers became a bit excited. After all, these were their goals.
With just a few words, he controlled the entire scene, easily stirring everyone''s emotions. Lin Jichen''smanding presence was unmistakable.
"Is this guy really just a student?" Su Wanling muttered.
"Don''t be surprised. Some people are just born with the potential to be leaders," Jiang Luoyu said with a smile.
Lin Jichen had already started organizing the formation. This time, he was going to lead over a million yers andmand them in battle, which was no small task.
Chapter 139 – Full attack!
Chapter 139 C Full attack!
Among the million yers, one-third were members of various guilds from Mu Xian Province.
Lin Jichen decided to temporarily assign the remaining solo yers to different guilds, letting the guild leaders take charge.
After all, guild leaders had experience in leading teams, so managing solo yers wouldn''t be a problem.
This way, Lin Jichen only needed tomand the guild leaders, which was equivalent tomanding the entire army.
As a friend of the Moon Shadow Guild, Lin Jichen entrusted all the solo female yers to Jiang Luoyu.
While Jiang Luoyu managed these solo female yers, she could also identify those with high potential and strong abilities, making it easier to recruit them.
Although this act of favoritism caused some discontent, no one dared to voice theirints under Lin Jichen''s overwhelming authority.
The guild leaders were also pleased to be given the opportunity tomand so many people in battle, and they all owed Lin Jichen a favor.
With the simple reorganizationplete, it was time for the eastern expedition.
Ji Chen led the first group to set off.
Standing before the teleportation array, he said to Lin Jichen, "Brother Lin, my father''s shadow guards have secretly set up a teleportation array outside the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. Once you pass through this array, you''ll reach the sect directly. I have a more important task and may not be able to assist you for a while. Please be careful, Brother Lin."
Lin Jichen nodded. He knew that NPCs wouldn''te to help; this was a task for the yers.
"Don''t worry, Brother Ji. We will definitely destroy the Ten Thousand Poison Sect."
"That''s good to hear." Ji Chen nodded.
Ji Tongyin also said a few encouraging words to Lin Jichen.
The Hidden Dragon army then disappeared into the teleportation array in batches.
After they left, Lin Jichen began instructing all the guild leaders to pass through the teleportation array in an orderly manner.
Once all the participating yers had disappeared from Fengqu City, they found themselves in apletely unfamiliar environment.
The vast wilderness was deste and bleak, with strong winds whipping up sand and stones.
In the distance stood a solitary mountain, with dozens of grand halls towering on it. Many figures wereing and going, indicating arge number of people.
Just seeing so many people capable of flying, Lin Jichen knew this battle wouldn''t be easy.
Their yer team had very few who could fly.
Currently, those who had learned the art of flying were extremely rare.
Facing opponents who could attack from the air would be a headache.
"Those who have learned the forbidden flight skill, report your numbers."
Over a hundred healers stepped forward.
"Your task is to target those flying demonic cultivators and bring them down as much as possible."
The healers nodded in agreement.
Lin Jichen then began assigning tasks, instructing all the guild leaders to lead their teams to attack the various mountain gates of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. This would disperse theirbat power, preventing them from concentrating their forces or escaping.
With so many people, crowding together would be counterproductive, causing chaos and blocking the entrance, making it impossible for those behind to advance.
They would divide their forces to contain the enemy, thenunch a coordinated attack from the foot of the mountain, ultimately annihting the sect.
It was simr to the six major sects besieging the Bright Summit.
However, the number of yers here far exceeded that of the six major sects.
"Full attack!"
With a wave of Lin Jichen''s hand, all the yers, brimming with battle intent, charged towards the mountain gate of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect upon hearing themand.
Lin Jichen flew in the air, looking down at the tide-like army below, feeling a surge of excitement and long-lost passion.
Suchrge-scale plot opportunities could mobilize so many yers to join in.
This was just the beginning. In the future, when the demonic and righteous sects shed fiercely, with top sects from both sides and countless strong cultivators joining the fray.
Mountains would be split with a wave of the hand, seas parted with a finger, harnessing the power of the heavens, and immortals and demons would be at odds.
That would be the true battle of the Xianxia world.
For now, this was just an appetizer.
As the million yers reached the foot of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect''s mountain, the sect''s mountain-guarding disciples immediately noticed the enemy attack.
The war between the righteous and demonic sects had begun.
A Mountain Protection Array was activated, creating a barrier as solid as a city wall, blocking everyone''s path.
Every sect had a Mountain Protection Array, and to break in, they first had to deal with this array.
Lin Jichen shed at the barrier with his sword, only to see a damage number of ''-50!'' pop up.
[Mountain Protection Array:]
Although he didn''t know the exact defense of the array, with his high strength only dealing 50 points of damage, others would fare even worse.
Sure enough, the yers were all attacking the array''s barrier.
Most yers could only produce a bunch of MISS, with only a few able to deal some damage.
"Body cultivators and healers, hold your positions. Everyone else, break the Mountain Protection Array first!"
Lin Jichen''smand puzzled everyone.
Why not let the body cultivators and healers act? Shouldn''t they break the array as quickly as possible?
But no one dared to disobey Lin Jichen''s orders, as he controlled their battle achievements.
Disobeying the firstmand could lead to the same fate as the Blood Fiend Guild, which would be disastrous.
Artifact cultivators and spell cultivators began attacking the Mountain Protection Array, rapidly depleting its health.
At this moment, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect''s counterattack began.
Thick poisonous fog started to appear at the foot of the mountain, causing yers within it to lose health continuously.
"Healers, detoxify! Prioritize healing the spell cultivators!" Lin Jichen shouted.
Amidst the poisonous fog, demonic cultivators from the Ten Thousand Poison Sect appeared, attempting a surprise attack.
"Body cultivators, move forward!" Lin Jichen finally gave the order to the body cultivators who had been waiting.
Now everyone understood why Lin Jichen had held back the body cultivators and healers. It all made sense.
Fortunately, they had followed orders; otherwise, many yers would have suffered.
The body cultivators blocked the surprise-attacking disciples of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, while the healers detoxified and healed.
Artifact cultivators and spell cultivators continued to attack the Mountain Protection Array.
Everyone performed their duties, and the guild leaders followed Lin Jichen''s instructions to the letter.
After ten minutes, the ground shook, and the Mountain Protection Array was breached!
The disciples of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect who hadunched the surprise attack were also cleared out.
With no more obstacles at the foot of the mountain, Lin Jichen was the first to charge towards the mountain gate!
Ren Lan was temporarily with the group of girls from the Moon Shadow Guild, so he didn''t have to worry about her.
All the disciples of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect were waiting in formation at the mountain gate. Facing tens of thousands of disciples blocking the way, Lin Jichen showed no fear, his figure like a ghost.
Frost Moon sh!
The Dark Night Sword in Lin Jichen''s hand unleashed a white frost Sword Qi!
It crashed into the crowd of Ten Thousand Poison Sect disciples.
Arge number of high-damage numbers appeared.
Demonic Cultivator: Ordinary Disciple
Sect: Ten Thousand Poison Sect
Cultivation: Middle stage of Qi Refining ~ Early Foundation Establishment Realm
Vitality: 2500 ~ 6000
Strength: 28 ~ 65
Defense: 25 ~ 60
Speed: 24 ~ 58
Chapter 140 – Two women are competing
Chapter 140 C Two women arepeting
Seeing the attributes of these demonic cultivators, Lin Jichen felt much more at ease.
He had thought it would be like the Blood Infant Secret Realm in Forget Worries Vige, where the strength differed from his memories.
But now it seemed the strength of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect was just average.
With one sword strike, many disciples of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect were instantly killed.
With him leading the charge, the yers behind him immediately surged forward.
Looking at these disciples of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect was like seeing walking battle merits and prestige points; they roared and charged forward.
A great battle ensued.
Lin Jichen didn''t make another move; these ordinary disciples didn''t require his attention.
Just in terms of numbers, the yer faction could easily crush them.
He released Panda Xiong, instructing it to follow Ren Lan to ensure her safety.
After all, Ren Lan was only in theter stage of Qi Refining. If she encountered someone with a much higher realm, she might be in trouble.
Over on Ren Lan''s side, she had already be the brightest star among the Moon Shadow Guild crowd.
Ren Lan''s potential as a top fighter was bing undeniable.
Although she was only in theter stage of Qi Refining, the ordinary disciples of the Poison Sect were no match for her. A few casual punches could instantly kill one.
She could even render Foundation Establishment disciples of the Poison Sect helpless, her damage surpassing that of the Moon Shadow Guild''s Foundation Establishment body cultivators.
"President, look at that girl. She''s not from our Moon Shadow, but she''s incredibly strong. Should I try to recruit her?" Su Wanling said to Jiang Luoyu.
She remembered Jiang Luoyu''s instructions to keep an eye out for promising talents, whether they had potential or skill, and to recruit them into Moon Shadow.
This Ren Lan was impable in both potential and skill, so Su Wanling naturally wanted to recruit her.
But unexpectedly, Jiang Luoyu rejected her suggestion.
"No need to recruit her."
"Huh? Why? Even though her cultivation is a bit low, her damage is higher than that of Foundation Establishment yers. And look at herbat skills. She''s a great talent. Shouldn''t we recruit her?" Su Wanling was still confused.
Jiang Luoyu remained firm, "Yes, don''t recruit her. Anyone else is fine, but not her."
"Alright, I''ll go look for other talents then."
Though Su Wanling was puzzled, she had toply and went off to scout for other talents.
Jiang Luoyu nced in Ren Lan''s direction, noticing a Panda Xiong fighting alongside her.
Her lips tightened, and her expression turned a bit sour.
How could Jiang Luoyu not recognize whose pet this Iron-Eating Beast was?
Even whilemanding, Lin Jichen hadn''t forgotten to let his beloved pet protect this girl. It seemed their rtionship was indeed special.
"I''m Little Lin''s senior and roommate."
These words echoed in Jiang Luoyu''s mind.
Roommate? Are they living together?
Thinking of this, Jiang Luoyu felt a pang in her heart. Seeing therge group of Poison Sect disciples in front of Ren Lan, she couldn''t help but raise her staff and cast a skill.
Instantly, arge number of Poison Sect disciples were killed.
"Damn! Who''s stealing my kills?" Ren Lan turned her head in displeasure, only to see Jiang Luoyu standing there, her neck arched like a swan, ignoring her gaze.
Ren Lan knew Jiang Luoyu did it on purpose. With herpetitive nature, how could she let it slide?
"Hmph! Let''s see who can outdo whom!"
"Explosive Punch!"
Ren Lan charged back into the battlefield, her delicate voice shouting as a heavy punch knocked down arge group of Poison Sect disciples.
Afterward, she couldn''t help but throw a provocative smile at Jiang Luoyu, saying sarcastically, "Wow, these Storm Gauntlets are really useful! No wonder Little Lin gave them to me!"
Jiang Luoyu''s face changed, and she raised her staff to cast Falling Rock Rain, killing another group of Poison Sect disciples.
Then she walked over to Ren Lan, holding her staff oddly, and said, "This Night Cave Staff was given to me by Little Chen. He defeated the Night Cavern Ghost King and gifted me this staff. It''s even Mysterious Grade, with excellent attributes."
Ren Lan was infuriated, turning back to unleash a fiery punch, the mes scorching the air and exploding among the Poison Sect disciples.
"Ah! This ''Fire Punch'' is really handy, also a gift from Little Lin."
Now, the two werepletely at odds, their eyes sparking with electricity.
They both huffed and turned away, ignoring each other.
Then they took out their frustration on the Poison Sect disciples,peting to see who could kill more.
Although Jiang Luoyu had higher cultivation and was a spell cultivator, making it easy for her to outpace Ren Lan in kills,
Ren Lan had the help of the Iron-Eating Beast, making her kill rate extremely fast as well.
Thus, the two silentlypeted, clearing out the Poison Sect disciples in front of them.
Lin Jichen waspletely unaware of all this.
At this moment, reinforcements from the Ten Thousand Poison Sect arrived. Arge group of disciples flew in, hovering above the yers, each holding a gourd.
They began to pour poison powder down below.
"Forbidden flight skill! Throw it now!" Lin Jichen shouted to the hundred healer yers who had learned the forbidden flight skill.
Immediately, the poison-pouring disciples were forced to the ground one by one, then surrounded and attacked by the yers, their screams filling the air.
Some tried to escape, but Lin Jichen flew after them, cutting them down one by one with his sword.
Good news came from other mountain gates as well. The ordinary Poison Sect disciples couldn''t withstand the million-strong yer army and were quickly wiped out. The situation was looking very favorable.
Before long, the various mountain gate positions were cleared.
Lin Jichen thenmanded the advance up the mountain.
They hadn''t gone far when they encountered arge number of Poison Sect disciples waiting in the grand hall zas.
[Demonic Cultivator: Elite Disciple]
[Sect: Ten Thousand Poison Sect]
[Cultivation: Early Foundation Establishment ~ Mid Foundation Establishment]
[Vitality: 6000 ~ 8000]
[Strength: 60 ~ 90]
[Defense: 50 ~ 65]
[Speed: 55 ~ 70]
Seeing the attributes of these disciples, Lin Jichen knew the real challenge had arrived.
The yers, unaware, thought these disciples were as easy as the ones at the mountain gate and charged forward without waiting for Lin Jichen''smand.
As soon as they engaged with these Poison Sect disciples, they realized something was wrong.
"Damn! These guys have high defense, I can''t break through."
"Help! Help!"
"Mom, these disciples are all in the Foundation Establishment stage, and I''m only in the Qi Refining Realm..."
"Hiss! One hit took half my health, I can''t hold on!"
...
Many yers suffered heavy losses as soon as they engaged, and some became the victims of the elite disciples due to their carelessness.
Moreover, these elite disciples were not like the ordinary ones, who fought individually like headless chickens.
The elite Poison Sect disciples were not only strong but also knew how to cooperate and form arrays.
Though they were fewer in numberpared to the ordinary disciples, their coordinatedbat power was more than ten times that of the ordinary Poison Sect disciples!
yers began to suffer significant casualties and chaos ensued.
Lin Jichen stepped forward again to stabilize the morale.
"Don''t panic, all guild leaders, adjust your teams'' formations. Body cultivators to the front, artifact cultivators follow up with attacks, healers provide healing, spell cultivators cast skills. Anyone with less than a third of their health should retreat to the back to recover and protect the rear spell cultivators."
The guild leaders quickly began to organize their formations. With Lin Jichen''s guidance, the yers soon formed up, and the situation stabilized immediately.
Chapter 141 – Are you a Yordle?
Chapter 141 C Are you a Yordle?
"All yers above the Foundation Establishment Realm, just use basic attacks. Don''t use skills. Let the yers below the Foundation Establishment Realm throw their skills."
Lin Jichen issued another strangemand.
But given his previous examples, everyone had grown quite convinced of Lin Jichen''s leadership.
So far, all of Lin Jichen''smands had been spot on.
Thus, everyoneplied.
The Foundation Establishment yers resisted the urge to use their skills, wielding their weapons and engaging the elite disciples in closebat.
Meanwhile, the Qi Refining Realm yers began to throw their skills.
"Wind-Breaking Sword!"
"ughter Spear!"
"Frost Arrow!"
"Fire Burn!"
...
Although they hadn''t reached the Foundation Establishment Realm and couldn''t break through the elite disciples'' defenses, they could still throw their skills to forcefully deal skill damage.
Moreover, the number of Qi Refining Realm yers was countless, dozens of times more than the elite disciples.
Each yer throwing a skill meant that each elite disciple had to endure dozens of skills.
The skill damage stacked up.
One by one, the elite disciples were overwhelmed by the barrage of skills and fell.
It''s true what they say: even a fierce tiger fears a pack of wolves, and an elephant can''t withstand an ant colony.
Of course, the yer camp wasn''t without casualties. While they could use skills, so could the elite disciples.
Before dying, the elite disciples also threw a lot of skills, taking many yers down with them.
And the number of dead yers was even higher. Lin Jichen couldn''t do much about it; after all, the strength of the elite disciples was evident.
You can throw skills, but don''t think the NPCs are just mindless botsthey can throw skills too.
Clearing the Corpse King Valley already results in significant casualties, let alone a full-scale sect war like this.
Fortunately, the ones dying were mostly those Qi Refining Realm yers eager for battle merits, rushing to the front to steal kills.
Despite Lin Jichen''s orders, many couldn''t resist the temptation of the Soul Burial Mound ahead, throwing their skills and then rushing forward to loot.
If they didn''t die, who would?
"All Qi Refining Realm disciples, retreat to the back and focus on protecting the spell cultivators. Don''t be greedy for battle merits!"
Lin Jichen could only advise them again, but since they were all yers, it was hard to keep them from being tempted by the Soul Burial Mounds of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
They''d be happy to charge forward, but asking them to retreat and leave the Soul Burial Mounds untouched? Many were unwilling.
Lin Jichen couldn''t do anything about it, even if he threatened to kick them out of the team.
In the face of profit, evenws can''t control many greedy people, let alone Lin Jichen''s orders.
If they insisted on going to their deaths, so be it. At least they could absorb some skills for the front-line body cultivators, making themselves somewhat useful.
"Healers, you don''t need to heal them. Focus all your efforts on the Foundation Establishment body cultivators at the front."
Lin Jichen instructed.
The healers were also fed up with these Qi Refining weaklings, who not only ran around recklessly, looting equipment, but also cried for healing when they got injured.
With Lin Jichen''s orders, they decisively ignored these guys.
Without the healers'' support, these yers suffered even more, dying faster.
As wave after wave of elite disciples fell, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect couldn''t sit still any longer.
They could ignore the ordinary disciples, but the elite disciples were the future and backbone of the sectthey had to intervene!
The true experts of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect emerged in full force!
"A bunch of ants dare to challenge my Ten Thousand Poison Sect? Courting death!"
Thirty elders of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect flew down from the mountain, their robes billowing, their auras restrained, exuding a sinister presence.
The thirty elders attacked simultaneously, killing arge swath of yers on the spot.
Lin Jichen received information about these elders.
[Demonic Cultivator: Elder]
[Sect: Ten Thousand Poison Sect]
[Cultivation: Later Foundation Establishment ~ Mid Crystal Formation]
[Vitality: ~]
[Strength: 110~200]
[Defense: 100~180]
[Speed: 105~190]
Seeing this, Lin Jichen didn''t panic; instead, he felt relieved.
As expected, it was just a small sect; the elders'' strength was limited.
Among the thirty elders, only seven were in the Crystal Formation Realm, five in the early stage, and two in theter stage.
It seemed the Grand Elder was also at theter stage of Crystal Formation, though he hadn''t appeared yet.
But this matched Lin Jichen''s impression of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect perfectly; their strength hadn''t changed.
However, the yers were already panicking.
Especially seeing these seven Crystal Formation Realm elders, they were filled with fear and thoughts of retreat.
Even the Hell-level Corpse King Valley Secret Realm only had one early Crystal Formation Realm elder, but here there were seven!
"Don''t panic! These petty elders are nothing to fear! If you want prestige and battle merits, follow mymand and keep the formation! Foundation Establishment yers, you can start using your skills now. Your targets are these elders!" Lin Jichen shouted.
Hearing the promise of prestige and battle merits, everyone calmed down a bit.
By this time, the thirty elders had already spread out, dealing with yers in various areas.
There were simply too many yers, forcing the elders to split up to assist different areas.
Lin Jichen saw a mid Crystal Formation Realm elder flying toward the Moon Shadow Guild. Just as he was about to assist, he was intercepted by a pudgy elder of the same realm.
"Kid, did you just call us petty elders? I''ll kill you first!"
Lin Jichen had to deal with him first, praying that not too many members of the Moon Shadow Guild would die.
"Sorry, I misspoke," Lin Jichen apologized to the short, pudgy elder.
The pudgy elder thought Lin Jichen was scared andughed wickedly, "It''s no use apologizing. Today, I''ll..."
Before he could finish, Lin Jichen interrupted, "You misunderstood. I meant, not only are you petty, but you''re also a short, stout petty elder. Are you a Yordle? Did you steal your clothes from a five-year-old? Otherwise, where would you find your size?"
The pudgy elder''s veins bulged in anger. Although he didn''t know what a Yordle was, he understood the rest.
"You''re courting death!"
The stout elder shouted angrily, raising his hand to strike the air!
A green poisonous palm print shot toward Lin Jichen!
Lin Jichen twisted his body in mid-air, easily dodging the attack.
"Why so angry? Did I hit a sore spot?" Lin Jichen taunted.
The pudgy elder was even more furious, his figure like a whirlwind, closing in on Lin Jichen.
Both hands raised, two poisonous palm prints aimed at Lin Jichen''s head, intending to crush him into a pulp!
Lin Jichen dodged again, gripping his sword, Dark Night, and at an incredible angle, he stabbed the elder.
[-820!]
The pudgy elder quickly retreated, looking down in shock at his wound, then back at Lin Jichen.
His beady eyes couldn''t believe that a mid Foundation Establishment weakling like Lin Jichen could hurt him.
But Lin Jichen gave him no time to be shocked, charging forward, his sword light like a flurry of snowkes, shing at the pudgy elder from all directions!
Chapter 142 – Really not going to dig her?
Chapter 142 C Really not going to dig her?
The pudgy elder hastily activated his spiritual power, enveloping himself in a shield of spiritual energy.
The Sword Qi struck the shield and was neutralized.
Lin Jichen wasn''t surprised at all. This was a specialty of Crystal Realm cultivators, who could transform their mana into protective shields, something Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators couldn''t do.
However, the spiritual energy shield of the Crystal Realm could only passively endure attacks. It wasn''t until the Golden Elixir stage that it could be freely contracted, serving both offensive and defensive purposes.
Knowing that his opponent had a spiritual energy shield, Lin Jichen didn''t stop his assault. Sword after sword struck the shield.
"Shorty, you''re such a coward. Already ying turtle? That shield really looks like a turtle shell, suits you perfectly. Short guy, short shield, like a gourd..."
While depleting the opponent''s spiritual energy shield, Lin Jichen silently stacked the passive effects of his Gale Sword Technique.
He didn''t forget to taunt in the process.
The pudgy elder was fuming with rage, finally unable to hold back. He withdrew the shield and charged at Lin Jichen like a wild beast!
"Ten Thousand Poison Blood Palm!"
The pudgy elder was a palm technique cultivator. This palm strike was as crisp as thunder, and blood energy surged!
The air seemed to be sucked out, and a massive blood-colored palm print, exuding a toxic aura, mmed towards Lin Jichen!
The pudgy elder didn''t know that Lin Jichen didn''t dodge this time. Instead, he suddenly dashed forward!
His figure passed through the blood palm, appearing abruptly in front of the elder.
The pudgy elder''s divine soul trembled, his vision darkened, and a ck sword light, like a ck lightning bolt, pierced straight towards his heart!
Wind Thunder Sword!
[Critical Hit! -3040!]
The pudgy elder didn''t have time to cry out in pain. He roared and struck with his palm!
Knowing he had suffered a loss, he wanted to make Lin Jichen pay as well.
But to his surprise, Lin Jichen''s speed suddenly increased dramatically. After delivering the sword strike, he retreated at light speed.
Just as the elder thought Lin Jichen had really retreated and looked down to check his injury, Lin Jichen, like a ghostly shadow, returned in a sh, appearing right in front of him again.
This time, the pudgy elder was caught off guard, and his throat was shed by the Dark Night Sword!
Another shocking damage number popped up.
[Throat sh! -1640!]
[Triggered Secondary Damage! -820!]
[Poison Sword Qi! -150!]
[Bleeding x3! -120 (9 seconds)!]
Ah!
The pudgy elder went mad with rage, raising his palm again, but... Lin Jichen had already slipped away!
This time, he didn''t dare to be careless, not even having the courage to look down.
He hadn''t even touched Lin Jichen, yet his body was already covered in wounds, bleeding profusely.
Lin Jichen pretended to advance again, and the pudgy elder, like a startled bird, hastily summoned his mana shield.
Lin Jichen wasn''t in a hurry. Right in front of the elder, he began to charge his Stun Sword Qi.
If the elder didn''t retract his shield, Lin Jichen wouldn''t strike, continuously charging up.
The pudgy elder saw Lin Jichen poised to strike but had no choice but to maintain his mana shield.
However, the mana shield consumed a lot of mana. Coupled with the previous hits from Lin Jichen, the shield''s consumption was enormous.
If this continued, his mana would soon be depleted.
The yers below watched in disbelief as Lin Jichen single-handedly fought a mid-Crystal Realm elder.
The opponent was mid-Crystal Realm, while Lin Jichen was mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
There was a whole realm difference between them, yet Lin Jichen was handling it with ease, making the elder look so pathetic.
Is this guy a monster...
On the other side, the Moon Shadow Guild was also under attack by a mid-Crystal Realm elder.
A mid-Crystal Realm elder was even stronger than the Corpse King of Corpse King Valley.
Without Lin Jichen, many girl yers were falling under the elder''s attacks.
Especially the Qi Refining Realm girls, who couldn''tst a single round and were instantly killed.
"Body cultivators, hold the front! Healers, provide support! Everyone else, use your skills!"
Jiang Luoyu noticed Lin Jichen was being held up by a mid-Crystal Realm elder and couldn''te to their aid. She had tomand the members to hold off the elder.
Seeing Ren Lan charging forward, she quickly called out to her.
"What are you doing? You''re only at Qi Refining Realm. Get to the back. You''ll just get yourself killed."
Ren Lan turned her head arrogantly, confident, "Others might die, but I won''t go down that easily. Don''t underestimate me."
"Now''s not the time to show off."
"Watch closely. Today, I''ll make you acknowledge me."
With that, Ren Lan rushed forward even faster, joining the other Foundation Establishment body cultivators at the front.
The other Qi Refining body cultivators had already retreated to the back, unable to withstand the attacks and would only be throwing their lives away.
At the front, only Foundation Establishment cultivators remained, with Ren Lan, a Qi Refining cultivator, standing out.
Ren Lan activated her muscle and bone resonance, letting out a delicate shout, her speed increasing dramatically.
At this moment, the Crystal Realm elder was happily throwing skills, ughtering the weak female cultivators.
Just then, a ming punchnded squarely on his face.
[Fire Punch! Critical Hit! -1000!]
Before the punch''s force dissipated, another damage number appeared!
[Explosive Punch! Critical Hit! -1400!]
[Triggered Internal Injury effect,sts 10 seconds!]
With two punches, Ren Lan forcibly interrupted the Crystal Realm elder''s rampant ughter.
Not giving him a chance to breathe, Ren Lan unleashed another martial arts technique.
[Piercing Punch! Critical Hit! -900!]
This series of skills left the Crystal Realm elder a bit dizzy.
The other female yers were also in disbelief.
How could a Qi Refining body cultivator like Ren Lan deal such high damage?
But the next second, she became the target of the Crystal Realm elder''s angry ''attention.''
"Poison Demon Finger!"
Ren Lan reacted swiftly, dodging immediately.
But a gust of finger wind still pierced through her arm.
[-1800!]
Everyone was stunned!
Not because the damage was too high, but because it was too low!
How could it be so low?
A Crystal Realm elder attacking a Qi Refining cultivator, using a skill, only dealt 1800 damage?
They couldn''t understand.
Even Jiang Luoyu''s eyes were filled with surprise and disbelief.
"Stop gawking, heal her!"
Despite her surprise, Jiang Luoyu quicklymanded the healers to heal Ren Lan.
After her health was restored, Ren Lan, like an indomitable cockroach, continued her assault on the Crystal Realm elder!
When her skills were on cooldown and her normal attacks couldn''t break through the defense, she focused on exploiting the elder''s weak points.
She also did her best to dodge the elder''s attacks, evading whenever possible.
If she couldn''t dodge, she took the hit, with healers behind her providing support.
Additionally, an Iron-Eating Beast beside her helped absorb some of the damage and aggro.
In this way, Ren Lan managed to hold off the Crystal Realm elder!
Although the healers yed a part, it was still a small miracle for a Qi Refining cultivator to hold off a Crystal Realm elder.
If someone in the Moon Shadow Guild could hold off the Corpse King''s attacks like Ren Lan, they could clear the dungeon.
But no one could withstand it, not even the Foundation Establishment body cultivators, making Corpse King Valley so challenging.
"Damn, this girl is fierce! President, are you sure you don''t want to recruit her?" Su Wanling couldn''t help but ask again.
But the answer was still no!
Even Jiang Luoyu, seeing Ren Lan''s impressive performance, was unwilling to be outdone and started throwing skills at the Poison Sect elder, dealing much higher damage than Ren Lan.
Others also took advantage of Ren Lan''s distraction, bombarding the Poison Sect elder with skills.
Even the elite disciples were healing their elder, but the yers, using their numbers, kept lowering the Poison Sect elder''s health.
Chapter 143 – Battle merit system
Chapter 143 C Battle merit system
Lin Jichen and the pudgy elder were locked in a tense standoff.
The pudgy elder continuously maintained his spirit shield for protection, while Lin Jichen stood not far in front of him, sword in hand, ready to strike.
Neither moved, and the scene seemed frozen in time.
Below, the yers were too busy fighting the elite disciples to pay attention to what was happening above.
Cold sweat dripped from the pudgy elder''s forehead as he inwardly cursed his bad luck.
He regretted staying behind to deal with this monstrous young man.
Despite only being at the Foundation Establishment Realm, Lin Jichen had beaten him so badly that he was covered in wounds.
His spirit shield was rapidly draining his mana and was on the verge of copse.
Yet Lin Jichen stood motionless, holding a ck sword in a poised stance, with a friendly expression on his face.
If this continued, the pudgy elder''s mana would bepletely exhausted.
After a moment, the pudgy elder suddenly canceled his shield!
He hoped to use the brief moment when Lin Jichen might not react to make a quick escape.
But as soon as his shield disappeared, a sh of Sword Qi came at him, perfectly timed with his movement.
"Venomous Movement Technique!"
The pudgy elder moved quickly, but the Sword Qi still grazed his arm!
[Dizzying Sword Qi! -1220!]
The pudgy elder immediately fell into aa, plummeting from the sky.
Thud!
With a dull thud, he crashed down like a weight, hitting one of his own sect''s ''unlucky'' elite disciples below.
Not only did he kill the elite disciple on the spot, but the pudgy elder also lost over a thousand points of vitality from the fall.
Fortunately, Lin Jichen couldn''t attack during the fall.
By the time the pudgy elder hit the ground, the dizziness had worn off.
Realizing he was no match for Lin Jichen, the pudgy elder chose to fly up the mountain to seek help.
But before he could take off, Lin Jichen had already instructed a healer to cast a forbidden flight skill on him.
Unable to fly, the pudgy elder tried to flee but was chased down by Lin Jichen.
With most of his vitality gone and witnessing Lin Jichen''s ghostly speed, the pudgy elder lost all will to fight.
In a panic, he used his most powerful skills, but none hit their mark.
Instead, hepletely drained his mana, leaving his body devoid of any spiritual energy.
The pudgy elder became a helpless fish on the chopping block.
The oue was clear.
In Lin Jichen''s relentless pursuit, the pudgy elder was repeatedly struck by his sword.
Before one could finish half a cup of tea, the pudgy elder had already fallen in defeat.
Throughout the fight, Lin Jichen only used two significant skills: Wind Thunder Sword and Dizzying Sword Qi.
He methodically wore down his opponent with one sword strike after another.
[Cultivation +5000 points! Battle Merit +1000 points!]
Lin Jichen''s solo defeat of a Crystal Formation elder was witnessed by the surrounding yers, who were both amazed and inspired.
Their morale soared, allowing them to focus entirely on the elite disciples before them.
The Soul Burial Mound dropped by the pudgy elder naturally fell into Lin Jichen''s hands.
It was his first Soul Burial Mound trophy.
He hadn''t bothered with the Soul Burial Mounds of ordinary and elite disciples, as there were too many people fighting over them.
Besides, he didn''t think they were worth much. What good items could a small sect''s disciples possibly have? Elders might have something decent, but they shouldn''t be too poor.
To Lin Jichen''s surprise, the small sect was indeed impoverished.
The Crystal Formation elder''s body only yielded three pieces of Spirit Grade equipment!
Disappointed, Lin Jichen tossed the three pieces of Spirit Grade equipment into his ring.
Fortunately, the Soul Burial Mound was secondary to this mission.
The real reward was battle merit, which could be exchanged in the four main cities for reputation, equipment, Spirit Stones, skills, and more.
Lin Jichen currently had 1005 points of battle merit.
Aside from this pudgy elder, he hadn''t done much, only killing a few ordinary disciples.
The battle merit system didn''t just count the kills; otherwise, it would be unfair to healers and too easy for spell cultivators.
In "Tale of Immortal," the battle merit system was fair, calcting points based on overall contribution to the mission.
Any contribution, such as damage, kills, tanking, control, healing, etc., counted towards battle merit.
The system, managed by an intelligent brain, ensured absolute fairness.
Previously, Lin Jichen had killed dozens of ordinary disciples, earning only five battle merit points.
This time, killing an elderted him a thousand points.
Since he had done it solo, he earned all the battle merit.
If other yers had ganged up on an elder, the battle merit would be distributed based on each person''s contribution.
The thousand points of battle merit motivated Lin Jichen to continue fighting.
Previously, he had only beenmanding, not wanting to waste effort on the Poison Sect disciples, as their battle merit didn''t interest him.
Even elite disciples only offered less than ten points, which had to be shared with other yers, resulting in even less.
It also required using skills, as without them, he could only kill one by one, which was too troublesome and tiring.
He checked the battle merit leaderboard; he was now at the top, surpassing the previous leader.
Second ce was Chen Yuan, with over two hundred points.
He was outside another hall, having just helped a group of yers take down ate-stage Foundation Establishment elder, earning nearly a hundred points.
Third ce was Jiang Luoyu, with over a hundred points.
Further down the list, the battle merit points decreased.
To Lin Jichen''s surprise, Ren Lan had also umted dozens of points, ranking rtively high.
She was only at the Qi Refining Realm, making her achievement quite rare.
On the leaderboard, almost ny-nine percent of the top hundred were at least early Foundation Establishment.
Lin Jichen remembered that Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu were also dealing with a mid-stage Crystal Formation elder and hurried over to assist.
When he arrived, he was surprised to see the Crystal Formation elder being besieged by yers from the Moon Shadow Guild.
Ren Lan and a group of Foundation Establishment body cultivators were holding the elder''s aggro.
Ren Lan seemed to be the main target, with the elder attacking her four out of ten times.
Ren Lan was like an indestructible cockroach, enduring each attack.
Though she lost a lot of vitality, it wasn''t fatal.
A group of healers behind her kept her health topped up, allowing her to continue fighting.
Artifact and spell cultivators behind her focused on dealing damage.
Shortly after Lin Jichen arrived, the Crystal Formation elder finally fell, defeated by the barrage of skills.
"Yay! I got 90 battle merit points!"
Ren Lan couldn''t help but boast to Jiang Luoyu after the elder was defeated.
Jiang Luoyu retorted, "I got 120 battle merit points, and I''m not even bragging."
"You''re at the Foundation Establishment Realm, while I''m only at the Qi Refining Realm. You''re only thirty points ahead, and you dare to boast?" Ren Lan mocked.
"I''m a spell cultivator, dealing group damage. Against single targets, my damage isn''t as concentrated. Why don''t youpare our battle merit from killing disciples? Mine far exceeds yours."
"Hmph!"
"Whatever!"
Neither was willing to back down, turning away from each other in a huff.
Chapter 144 – I can let him output freely
Chapter 144 C I can let him output freely
Lin Jichen was still clueless, as he was far away and had no idea what they were talking about.
However, he did manage to get over a hundred battle merits from the Crystal Elder they killed.
He didn''t lift a finger; it was all thanks to Panda Xiong.
The pet''s contributions naturally counted towards the owner''s.
Getting over a hundred battle merits for free, Lin Jichen happily walked over.
"You guys are impressive, taking down a mid-Crystal Formation enemy."
Lin Jichen originally came over just to give some praise and make an appearance, but when he arrived, he sensed something was off.
At this moment, his male intuition told him it was best not to linger.
"Um... I''ll go see if anyone else needs help."
Lin Jichen turned to leave but was stopped by Ren Lan.
"Little Lin, did you just say we were impressive?"
"Yeah, really impressive," Lin Jichen nodded, feeling increasingly uneasy.
Ren Lan suddenly asked a ''terrifying'' question.
"So, who do you think is more impressive, me or her?"
"Who are you talking about..." Lin Jichen asked cautiously.
"Who else, the beautiful sister you gave the Mysterious Grade equipment to," Ren Lan said with a smile.
Lin Jichen''s smile froze and gradually turned rigid.
His heart skipped a beat, feeling as if two pairs of eyes were staring at him like lie detectors.
"Ahem, I didn''t see how you guys fought, so how would I know who''s more impressive? But being able to take down the Crystal Elder means you''re both very impressive."
Lin Jichen chose to y innocent since he hadn''t seen anything.
"Just look at the battle merits, isn''t that enough?" Jiang Luoyu chimed in.
Ren Lan immediately retorted, "Ha, you''re a Foundation Establishment spell cultivator, and you''re only 30 points ahead of me in battle merits. If I were in the Foundation Establishment Realm, you wouldn''t evene close to my score."
"Some people just like to me their failures on not being strong enough. It''s a typical excuse. Is it so hard to admit someone is better than you?" Jiang Luoyu countered.
"It''s not hard, but is it so hard to admit you''re not as skilled?" Ren Lan sneered.
"It''s not hard, but it depends on who you''reparing to."
"Comparing to you!"
"Anytime!"
***
Gulp.
Lin Jichen swallowed, feeling immense pressure. Even if thirty Elders came at him, he wouldn''t feel this much stress...
He wasn''t the only one confused; Su Wanling and other members of the Moon Shadow Guild were equally bewildered.
Su Wanling could never have imagined that her guild leader, her bestie, the alwaysposed Jiang Luoyu, would one day argue with another woman...
And in the middle of the street, no less.
Considering Ren Lan and Lin Jichen''s rtionship, and Jiang Luoyu''s previous opposition to recruiting Ren Lan into the guild, Su Wanling suddenly had a bold idea.
Could the daughter of the richest family... have a thing for Lin Jichen????
Ahhhhh!
This can''t be! It''s not logical!
Who could possibly catch Jiang Luoyu''s eye?
Su Wanling turned to look at Lin Jichen, finding it increasingly unbelievable.
This guy is just a bit handsome, right? Jiang Luoyu couldn''t be a lookist.
She was sure of it.
After all, what kind of handsome men hasn''t she seen? Male models, celebrities, princes, schrsJiang Luoyu had seen them all.
And if she liked someone, just a hint would have all the handsome men in the world lining up to pursue her.
But Jiang Luoyu had never shown any interest. ording to her, looks were the second least scarce thing in her family.
As for the least scarce thing, that was naturally money.
So Su Wanling found it hard to believe; it must be her imagination, yes! It was her imagination!
As for Lin Jichen, he was already feeling overwhelmed.
He regretted letting Ren Lan stay in the Moon Shadow Guild; these two seemed to be natural enemies!
What should I do? Oh my god! Aigoo!
With their confrontational stance, if he didn''t mediate, he wouldn''t have any peace.
Separating them was the best course of action.
"Um, I''m going to support other guilds. If they can''t handle the Poison Sect Elder, it won''t be good. Who wants toe with me?" Lin Jichen asked.
"I''ll go!"
"I''ll go too!"
Lin Jichen thought only one would volunteer, but to his surprise, both of them spoke up.
"Why are you joining the fun? I''ll go with Little Lin," Ren Lan mocked.
Jiang Luoyu didn''t back down, "In terms of strength, I seem to be stronger than you. Though you hate to admit it, I''m at mid-Foundation Establishment, and you''re at theter stage of Qi Refining. Clearly, I''m more useful."
"Ha, does Little Linck damage output? What he needs is control and someone to tank damage. I can set up and let him unleash his full power. Can you?"
Hearing this, Lin Jichen''s expression became a bit odd. Was she serious?
Apparently, neither Ren Lan nor Jiang Luoyu thought as he did.
Jiang Luoyu retorted, "In terms of control, we spell cultivators have plenty of control skills. I can also let him unleash his full power, and I can even join him in attacking to quickly finish off the enemy."
Lin Jichen looked at Jiang Luoyu again, his thoughts wandering...
"Aren''t you the guild leader? You should stay andmand. Let''s go, Little Lin, don''t mind her," Ren Lan said, pulling Lin Jichen to leave.
"Who said I need tomand? The guild''smander has always been Wanling. Wanling, take over here," Jiang Luoyu said.
Su Wanling: "...."
Jiang Luoyu ignored her and walked straight to Lin Jichen, looking at him with pleading eyes, "Little Chen, you''ll take me, right?"
She was really afraid Lin Jichen would refuse. Her jade hand hidden in her robe''s sleeve gripped her staff tightly, anxiously waiting for his answer.
Lin Jichen could only manage a bitter smile. What was going on today?
"Well... let''s all go together. More hands make light work."
He had no other choice; his n to separate them had failed!
He could only take them along and find a suitable opportunity to resolve their conflictter.
So, the three of them left the team and headed to another hall.
They hadn''t gone far when they saw yers outside a hall being beaten back by a Crystal Formation Elder and elite disciples.
Without waiting for Lin Jichen to speak, Jiang Luoyu raised her staff and cast an Ice Seal.
The Crystal Elder was briefly controlled, and Ren Lan immediately charged in, drawing the Poison Sect Elder''s aggro with a flurry of punches.
Both of them shouted simultaneously, "Little Lin (Little Chen), I''ve got him controlled, attack now!"
Lin Jichen was both amused and exasperated. It seemed staying between them would be even more of a headache.
But for now, earning battle merits was the priority.
Seeing Panda Xiong still lounging aroundzily, Lin Jichen kicked its plump rear.
"Stop cking off and get in there!"
Panda Xiong: "????"
Chapter 145 – Is distance a problem?
Chapter 145 C Is distance a problem?
Caught between two women, Lin Jichen decided to vent his frustration on the Poison Sect Elder.
With Ren Lan drawing aggro and Jiang Luoyu controlling the enemy, Lin Jichen could unleash his full power.
He no longer needed to dodge skills or outsmart the opponent; he just had to keep swinging his sword.
Thanks to Ren Lan''s help, other yers quickly retaliated.
The president of Misty Rain Pavilion was grateful for Lin Jichen''s assistance and assigned dozens of healers to restore their health and mana.
Before long, the Poison Sect Eldery in a pool of blood.
[Cultivation +2000! Battle Merit +200!]
Lin Jichen gained more battle merit and cultivation, though less than from the short elder before.
That was because the short elder was a mid-Crystal Realm challenge, and Lin Jichen had soloed it.
This time, he had the help of Ren Lan, Jiang Luoyu, a group of healers, and other yers who contributed some damage.
The battle merit and cultivation were shared.
As for the Poison Sect Elder''s Soul Burial Mound, Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate to take it.
"Little Lin, what good stuff dropped?" Ren Lan asked curiously.
Lin Jichen checked and found a Mysterious Grade item!
No way! This is unreal!
[Mysterious Grade Martial Art: Explosive Killing Heavy Punch]: Dash in a chosen direction, delivering a deadly punch within 15 meters, dealing 850 base damage, causing a 1-second stun, and putting the target in a weakened state for 20 seconds. Also, a shield equal to the damage dealt is formed, and the target''s aggro is forcibly transferred to the user.
Weakened State: All attacks and skill damage of the target are reduced by 30%.
Cooldown: 20 minutes, Mana Cost: 800 points.
Requirement: Body Cultivators with 60+ Root Bone can learn.
Wow! This is amazing!
Lin Jichen eximed, knowing this martial art was famous in his past life, a must-have for top-tier body cultivators.
"It''s a skill book, perfect for you. Go ahead and learn it."
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen handed the skill book to Ren Lan.
Although selling it at the auction house would fetch a price higher than the Shadow de, making it a centerpiece item, Lin Jichen preferred Ren Lan to learn it.
Ren Lan''s face flushed with excitement after reading the skill''s attributes.
"Little Lin, you''re the best! Truly my good... friend~"
Ren Lan originally wanted to say "brother," but seeing Jiang Luoyu nearby, she deliberately said "friend," emphasizing the word to make Jiang Luoyu ponder.
Jiang Luoyu''s expression changed slightly but quickly returned to a smile.
"Do you think you''re the only one with a Mysterious Grade skill book? Little Chen gave me one long ago, Demonic Qi of Annihtion, a Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill. Plus, my staff and robe are both Mysterious Grade, all gifts from Little Chen."
Ren Lan snorted, "What''s so great about that? You just got lucky. If Little Lin found a Mysterious Grade body cultivation skill, he''d give it to me first. Our rtionship is something you, an online friend, can''tpare to."
Jiang Luoyu was momentarily speechless, realizing she was indeed just an online friend to Lin Jichen.
But she quickly adjusted her mindset.
"So what if we''re online friends? Many couples start as online friends and end up together. If we like each other, is distance a problem? Besides, I can always move closer. Just tell me where you live, and I can be your neighbor in no time."
Ren Lan panicked, fearing she might be serious.
"Dream on! We won''t tell you our address!" Ren Lan huffed.
Jiang Luoyu had no real intention of asking for Lin Jichen''s address, fearing he might think she had ulterior motives.
The two fell into a silent standoff, ignoring each other.
Lin Jichen was on the verge of tears. What a mess!
He couldn''t understand how some people could juggle multiple rtionships without trouble.
He hadn''t even started and was already feeling tormented.
"Alright, calm down. We''re here for battle merit, not to argue. If we dy any longer, other yers will take all the merit."
Lin Jichen reminded them.
The two women snapped back to reality. Yes, they were here for battle merit, not to fight over a man...
"Hurry, Little Lin, get moving, or we''ll lose all the merit."
"I heard battle merit can be exchanged for reputation. Little Chen, we need to hurry."
For the first time, the two women agreed on something.
Lin Jichen sighed in relief. It was still possible to mediate; the problem shouldn''t be too big...
The three resumed their search for Poison Sect Elders.
Unfortunately, most had already been dealt with. They only found two Crystal Realm elders still alive, but they were nearly defeated by other yers.
Seeing the elders were almost taken care of, they didn''t feel right about stealing the battle merit and left empty-handed.
"Sigh, we should''vee earlier," Ren Lan sighed, disappointed at missing out on the merit.
"me yourself for arguing with me and wasting so much time," Jiang Luoyu used.
"Hey, who was arguing with whom? It was clearly you..."
"Alright, alright, don''t panic. There''s still battle merit to be had!"
Seeing them about to argue again, Lin Jichen quickly intervened.
The two women stopped and looked at Lin Jichen, waiting for him to reveal where the merit was.
Lin Jichen pointed to the mountain, "Up there, the Grand Elder and Sect Leader should have much more merit."
"You mean we should rush up and take the merit first?" Ren Lan''s eyes lit up.
Jiang Luoyu was also tempted.
"It''s possible, but it''s very challenging. If they team up, we might not handle it," Lin Jichen said.
In his past life, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect had twote-Golden Elixir Grand Elders and an early-Golden Elixir Sect Leader.
He wasn''t sure if that had changed.
"Let''s go check it out. If we can handle it, we''ll fight; if not, we''ll retreat," Ren Lan said eagerly, wanting to test her new Mysterious Grade martial art.
"Luoyu, what do you think?" Lin Jichen had no objections but wanted Jiang Luoyu''s opinion.
Seeing Ren Lan''s eagerness, Jiang Luoyu couldn''t disagree.
The three quietly left the main group, sneaking up the mountain while others dealt with elite disciples.
To their surprise, they weren''t the only ones with this idea. Others had already gone up and were fighting a red-haired demonic cultivator.
As themander, Lin Jichen could share information about the enemy through the team channel.
[Demonic Cultivator: Grand Elder]
[Sect: Ten Thousand Poison Sect]
[Cultivation: Late Crystal Realm]
[Vitality: /]
[Strength: 240]
[Defense: 201]
[Speed: 215]
The group seemed to be a small guild with over a thousand members.
They were frantically attacking the red-haired demonic cultivator.
But their attacks were ineffective against the Grand Elder.
A single mana shield from the Grand Elder easily nullified their skills.
Thinking they could overwhelm the Grand Elder with skills was wishful thinking.
Unless their numbers increased by dozens of times.
Moreover, with a casual move from the Grand Elder, many yers would die.
Despite the one-sided battle, the yers refused to give up, fighting desperately.
Typical overconfidence, leading to self-destruction.
Chapter 146 – The strongest female monk
Chapter 146 C The strongest female monk
At that moment, another group of people climbed up the mountain, joining the team against the red-haired elder.
Among them were a few familiar faces to Lin Jichen. One was Chen Yuan, the Sword God from his previous life, and another was a burly man wielding a de, Dang Jinchuan, the top de cultivator from the Tale of Immortal.
There was also a woman in red. Lin Jichen took a closer look and recognized her immediately.
She was Chu Hongling, the top Buddhist cultivator from his previous life!
A renowned figure from the past.
You heard it right, this woman was a Buddhist cultivator, the strongest female monk.
In his previous life, Lin Jichen owed Chu Hongling a small favor.
At that time, he was farming for a very important spiritual treasure in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Just after he got it, he was ambushed, and they tried to make him drop the treasure.
The Tale of Immortal had a brutal mechanism: any item above Earth Grade had a 100% drop rate within seven days if you were killed.
In other words, if someone killed you within seven days, the item would definitely drop.
You couldn''t hide, auction, or trade it.
Moreover, the item''s location would be revealed every day, and you couldn''t return to your sect or city.
That group of people was about to kill Lin Jichen and take the treasure.
Lin Jichen was nearly killed, but fortunately, Chu Hongling happened to pass by and saved him.
She didn''t take advantage of the situation but left gracefully.
Afterward, Lin Jichen wanted to thank her, but he never saw her again.
He didn''t expect to run into her so soon in this life.
However, they didn''t seem to notice Lin Jichen on the other side, all focused on dealing with the red-haired elder.
With these three experts joining in, the small guild had no role to y.
Chu Hongling used a few mantra skills to firmly lock the elder''s aggro, then activated her Golden Bell Shield to withstand the attacks.
Although it was tough, she had healers supporting her, so she managed to hold on.
Chen Yuan and Dang Jinchuan began their frenzied assault on the elder.
However, due to the difference in cultivation, their attacks couldn''t break through the elder''s defense, so they kept targeting weak points and using skills.
Seeing that they intended to monopolize the elder''s battle merits, Ren Lan became anxious.
"Little Lin, what should we do? Let''s join the fight quickly! Your damage is much higher than theirs; we can definitely grab a lot of battle merits."
Lin Jichen was about to nod when the red-haired elder suddenly roared, "Senior Brother, help me!"
Immediately, a green-haired elder flew out from the hall, joining their ranks!
The addition of the green-haired elder made Chen Yuan and the others'' faces change drastically.
Chu Hongling was struck and sent flying,nding heavily and losing half her health.
Chen Yuan and Dang Jinchuan were also on high alert, their faces ashen.
[Demonic Cultivator: Grand Elder]
[Sect: Ten Thousand Poison Sect]
[Cultivation: Later Stage of Crystal Formation]
[Vitality: /]
[Strength: 255]
[Defense: 210]
[Speed: 230]
This green-haired elder''s attributes were significantly higher than the red-haired one.
"It seems we can''t handle these two elders. The temporary alliance is over, goodbye."
Dang Jinchuan, ever the pragmatist, decided to run, not caring about the others.
The others also knew they couldn''t win and prepared to retreat.
At that moment, Lin Jichen and his twopanions arrived.
"You guys continue dealing with the red-haired one; the three of us will handle the green-haired one," Lin Jichen said calmly.
Everyone was slightly surprised to see Lin Jichen, thinking he might me them for abandoning their posts. Hearing his words, they felt relieved.
"Can you three handle it? This green-haired elder is stronger than the red-haired one," Dang Jinchuan asked skeptically.
"Stop talking nonsense. If you don''t think you can handle it, just leave," Lin Jichen replied coldly.
Although he didn''t know Dang Jinchuan personally, he had heard of himan extremely arrogant and selfish person, only caring about his own interests.
He had joined many guilds, always jumping ship for better rewards, regardless of friendships.
So Lin Jichen had no good impression of him.
"You..." Dang Jinchuan was furious but stopped himself, seeing the look in Lin Jichen''s eyes and realizing he was no match for him in either strength or authority.
He couldn''t afford to anger Lin Jichen now.
"Haha, since Master Lin is confident, I will certainly help," Dang Jinchuan said, returning to the team.
Lin Jichen wasted no time, unleashing a Frost Moon sh at the green-haired elder, then immediately turned and ran.
The green-haired elder''s aggro shifted to Lin Jichen, who chased after him.
With Lin Jichen drawing away the green-haired elder, the pressure on the group lessened significantly.
"Chu, beautifuldy, hurry up and attack. The alliance continues," Dang Jinchuan urged.
Chu Hongling returned to the team, her naturally seductive eyes ncing disdainfully at him before looking thoughtfully in Lin Jichen''s direction.
Lin Jichen had already led the green-haired elder to Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu.
"The three of us plus a panda should be able to handle this guy, right?"
"Don''t worry, I''ll smash this green-haired freak''s head!" Ren Lan said, stepping forward and delivering a piercing punch to the elder.
Seeing the aggro still on Lin Jichen, she followed up with an Explosive Punch, sessfully drawing the aggro.
But this elder was much tougher than the previous one.
The green-haired elder was also a fist cultivator. A single punch sent Ren Lan flying several meters, taking away two-thirds of her health. She quickly got up and took a potion.
Lin Jichen knew Ren Lan was struggling; she was only at theter stage of Qi Refining, taking hits from ater stage Crystal Formation cultivator.
Not being instantly killed was already impressive.
In this situation, Ren Lan couldn''t handle the damage alone.
Lin Jichen stepped forward, shing several times to draw the aggro back.
Jiang Luoyu immediately added damage, with Panda Xiong assisting.
Ren Lan, not wanting to show off, obediently joined Lin Jichen in fighting the elder.
With Lin Jichen taking on seventy percent of the damage and tanking, the three of them plus the panda managed without much difficulty.
The green-haired elder''s health was rapidly decreasing, even faster than the red-haired elder''s.
The others couldn''t break through the defense and had to keep finding weak points and using skills.
But Lin Jichen was different; his regr sword strikes could break through the defense, dealing five to six hundred damage per hit.
Of course, the elder''s attacks hurt him more, as Lin Jichen''s defense was only around 170.
But Lin Jichen''sbat talent was extraordinary, with unmatched movement techniques and skills.
The green-haired elder was being beaten badly, roaring in anger, but could only watch his health plummet.
Just as his health dropped to half, and everyone thought they had it under control, a sudden change urred!
A shadow almost teleported in front of them from the mountain''s main hall.
It was a skeletal old man, his face twisted and fierce, exuding a terrifying aura!
Lin Jichen thought to himself, "This is bad, the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect has appeared!"
Chapter 147 – An ant to shake a tree
Chapter 147 C An ant to shake a tree
Never expected the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect to show up so early.
Everyone present felt a chill in their hearts.
The Grand Elder hadn''t even been dealt with, and now the final boss appeared.
How could they fight this?
The Grand Elder was already giving them a hard time. With the Sect Leader joining in, the oue would be a foregone conclusion.
"What should we do? Should we retreat?" Jiang Luoyu frowned.
Ren Lan didn''t argue, as she also felt it was pointless to continue.
On the other side, Dang Jinchuan was even more straightforward, having already slipped away, leaving everyone behind.
Lin Jichen nced at the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, then at the Grand Elder, whose health was down to a third.
He was unwilling to give up just like that.
"I can handle the Sect Leader alone, but can you guys hold off this green-haired one?"
Lin Jichen asked them, clearly not wanting to give up halfway.
If they ran now and the green-haired one''s health regenerated, all their battle merit would be for nothing.
After all, once the enemy''s health was fully restored, they''d have to start all over again.
This was something Lin Jichen didn''t want to see. Besides, he didn''t believe that having more yers would solve the problem of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect Leader.
The Sect Leader was at least in the early-Golden Elixir stage, capable of manipting his spiritual shield at will, and could absorb surrounding spiritual energy to replenish his mana.
In other words, his shield was always up, as long as there was spiritual energy around to feed his mana.
The spiritual shield was specifically designed to counter skills; you had to inflict significant physical damage to break it.
This meant your strength had to surpass the opponent''s defense to deal skill plus base damage.
Otherwise, no matter how many skills you threw, it would be useless.
So, the advantage of numbers became less effective as the battle progressed. A true master could hold off an army alone!
Hearing Lin Jichen''s determination to fight, Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu didn''t hesitate and changed their minds.
"Alright! Panda Xiong and I should be able to hold off the green-haired one. Let that woman deal the damage. Besides, I still have my ultimate move," Ren Lan said.
Jiang Luoyu also gave Lin Jichen a reassuring look and said, "Go ahead, leave this to us."
Lin Jichen nodded and took off his Mysterious Grade Spring Thunder Belt, handing it to Ren Lan.
"Equip this belt; it has a blood pool skill that will help you."
"No, you should use it yourself. The one you''re fighting is much stronger than this green-haired one," Ren Lan refused.
But Lin Jichen insisted, pushing it into her hands. "This belt''s defense and health boost are of little use to me. If I can''t dodge his skills, I''ll die anyway. It''s more useful for you. The added health and resilience suit you perfectly."
Hearing this, Ren Lan no longer refused. After equipping the belt, she felt more durable and confident.
"Do your best. If it gets too tough, just run. Survive if you can," Lin Jichen advised the two women before flying into the air.
On the other side, Chu Hongling and her group were also preparing to retreat.
Seeing Lin Jichen fly towards the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, they were stunned, a bold guess forming in their minds.
"He''s not nning to solo the Sect Leader, is he?" Chen Yuan said in disbelief.
"Looks like we don''t need to leave just yet. Let''s hold on and see how his fight goes," Chu Hongling decided, abandoning the retreat and turning back to continue engaging the red-haired Grand Elder.
"But Dang Jinchuan already left," Chen Yuan hesitated.
"If youck confidence, you can leave too," Chu Hongling said impatiently.
Having just dealt with the opportunistic Dang Jinchuan, she was in a foul mood.
Seeing this, Chen Yuan had no choice but to stay and continue fighting the red-haired Grand Elder.
At the center of the battlefield, Lin Jichen and the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect were already facing off.
Neither seemed interested in exchanging harsh words; they started fighting immediately!
Lin Jichen''s Dark Night Sword shed at the opponent, a negligible "-20!" appearing.
[Demonic Cultivator: Sect Leader Li Chang''an]
[Sect: Ten Thousand Poison Sect]
[Cultivation: Early-Golden Elixir]
[Vitality: /]
[Strength: 301]
[Defense: 260]
[Speed: 285]
Good, as long as he could break the defense. Otherwise, he''d have to rely on hitting weak points, which would be ten times harder.
He struck, and Li Chang''an responded with a palm strike!
In his haste to test things out, Lin Jichen didn''t react in time. The opponent was too fast, and Lin Jichen took a hit to the shoulder.
The blow almost sent him flying.
"-1440! Poisoned!"
"Poisoned: Lose 100 health per second,sts 5 seconds."
Damn, as expected of a Golden Elixir opponent.
Lin Jichen looked at the green handprint on his shoulder, his face grim.
A single normal attack had dealt over two thousand damage.
Seven normal attacks would be enough to kill him.
This was going to be tough...
Although he could break the defense, the opponent''s stats were far superior. His normal attack dealt 20 damage, while the opponent''s dealt 1400, with a poison effect...
Lin Jichen took out an antidote pill and a Vitality Elixir.
The Vitality Elixir was something Nangong Yue had given him, and he still had a few left.
Although the healing effect was halved inbat, without a healer present, any recovery was better than none.
In addition, Lin Jichen took out two more elixirs and popped them into his mouth.
A Power Elixir and a Jade Essence Elixir, each adding 3 points to strength and defense.
Unfortunately, they couldn''t stack and onlysted twenty seconds.
But it was better than nothing, helping him deal a bit more damage.
Just as he finished taking the elixirs, Li Chang''an attacked again, seemingly not wanting to give him any respite.
A palm strike enveloped in green mist came crashing down.
This time, Lin Jichen wasn''t going to sit idly by. Using Phantom Step, he quickly created distance, followed by a Frost Moon sh!
With his increased skill proficiency, Frost Moon sh now dealt 500 damage.
"-520! Slowed! Bleeding!"
"Slowed: Reduces opponent''s speed by 30% for 15 seconds."
"Bleeding: Loses 120 health per second,sts 6 seconds!"
Taking advantage of this, Lin Jichen closed in again, striking swiftly.
During his fight with the green-haired Grand Elder, he had greatly improved his Gale Sword Technique, now seamlessly using it against Li Chang''an.
sh, stab, thrust, chop!
In just a moment, Lin Jichen had swung his sword four times.
Each strike was swift as the wind, killing with abandon.
There was a sense of ethereal speed, like lightning in the night.
Lin Jichen''s control over the sword was bing more and more proficient.
He gradually realized that being a Sword Cultivator seemed to be his true calling, as he began to resonate with the sword.
But... the damage was too low.
Four strikes dealt only eighty damage, way too low.
For the first time, Lin Jichen felt that his Dark Night Sword was a bit dull~
Li Chang''an, having been struck repeatedly, felt only a tickling sensation, but the insult was strong.
"Kid, it''s not easy for an ant to shake a tree. My turn now!"
Li Chang''an sneered, turning into a streak of light,unching another palm strike.
But his speed was no longer as fast as before.
Lin Jichen''s movements were agile, dodging Li Chang''an''s palm strikes with ease.
Li Chang''an, relentless, pursued him, continuously attacking in mid-air.
Explosive sounds echoed through the air.
Each of Lin Jichen''s dodges felt like dancing on a knife''s edge, incredibly dangerous.
Chapter 148 – Battle! Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect
Chapter 148 C Battle! Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect
Lin Jichen and Li Chang''an were fiercely battling in the sky.
Below, others were busy dealing with the two Grand Elders.
Ren Lan was struggling against the Grand Elder in the Later Stage of Crystal Formation. She tried to learn from Lin Jichen, attempting to dodge the skills in every possible way.
But she was just imitating without understanding, unable to dodge a single skill.
"How does Little Lin manage to dodge those skills? Why can''t I do it?" Ren Lan said bitterly.
Every time she got hit, her health would drop significantly.
Fortunately, the Spring Thunder Belt Lin Jichen gave her added a lot of health and defense, and Panda Xiong''s Absolute Defense helped her withstand a lot of damage.
Otherwise, she would have been dead by now.
But Panda Xiong''s health bar was also almost depleted. If this continued, Lin Jichen''s pet would die.
"Hurry up and kill him, or if I die, you won''t be able to escape either," Ren Lan urged Jiang Luoyu behind her.
"I''m already doing my best to deal damage. He has less than 5,000 health left. My skills are on cooldown. Hold on a bit longer, and I should be able to kill him when my skills are ready."
"5,000? Can I even survive until then?" Ren Lan retorted.
At this moment, Panda Xiong was kicked away, severely injured, with his health bar almost empty. If he took a few more skills, he would really die.
Ren Lan gritted her teeth and said, "Panda Xiong, don''te over!"
Unexpectedly, Jiang Luoyu''s excessive damage output and the failure to switch defense with Panda Xiong in time caused the green-haired Grand Elder''s aggro to shift to Jiang Luoyu.
In an instant, the green-haired Grand Elder appeared in front of Jiang Luoyu and punched her, sending her flying.
Jiang Luoyu, with her pitiful spell cultivator defense, saw her health bar drop by two-thirds instantly.
One more punch, and she would be dead.
At this critical moment, Ren Lan rushed to the rescue, unleashing the Explosive Killing Heavy Punch she had just learned!
She charged forward,nding a heavy punch on the green-haired Grand Elder, while a thick shield appeared around her.
The green-haired Grand Elder was stunned for a second and entered a weakened state.
When he woke up, his health was down to less than 3,000.
The green-haired Grand Elder became enraged andunched a frenzied attack. Ren Lan''s shield was broken in less than a second.
Seeing her health bar depleting, she quickly used the Spring Thunder Belt''s blood pool.
Instantly, her health bar increased by 3,000.
Jiang Luoyu didn''t say a word, immediately getting up and silently targeting the green-haired Grand Elder with her skills.
...
The battle in the sky was even more intense.
Li Chang''an was clearly getting impatient. Lin Jichen was like an eel, always slipping away from his attacks.
Even though Li Chang''an was much faster, he couldn''tnd a hit.
It was as if Lin Jichen could predict his moves, always dodging at thest moment, causing Li Chang''an to hit nothing but air.
Li Chang''an''s anger surged.
His eyes shed like lightning, and he formed a seal with his left hand. The air became like a swamp, with immense resistance to every movement.
"Ten Thousand Poison Ghost Shadow Palm!"
A violent energy burst from his left hand.
Li Chang''an struck in mid-air, sending dozens of palm waves from his left hand, each containing terrifying spiritual power.
The palm waves shot out like a rain of arrows, truly resembling ghost shadows, covering Lin Jichen!
Seeing this, Lin Jichen knew he couldn''t hold back his skills any longer. If he got hit by this, he would lose a significant amount of health.
"Wind Thunder Sword!"
Lin Jichen dashed through the palm waves, suddenly appearing in front of Li Chang''an.
His sword, Nightfall, sliced through the air with a straight, thunderous Sword Qi!
He thought he could easily deal some damage, but Li Chang''an also disappeared in front of him.
Li Chang''an, as a Golden Core cultivator, naturally had his own Movement Technique.
This strike missed, but at least he dodged Li Chang''an''s Spirit Skill.
In terms of skills exchanged, one of his for two of Li Chang''an''s wasn''t a bad trade.
But Lin Jichen couldn''t find Li Chang''an anywhere, as if he had vanished.
At that moment, a sense of danger surged behind Lin Jichen!
"Kid, die!"
Li Chang''an appeared behind Lin Jichen out of thin air, striking down with a force like a copsing mountain.
Whoosh!
The poisonous palm hit Lin Jichen, but it passed right through his body, only creating a gust of wind.
There was no sensation of hitting a solid body.
Li Chang''an''s eyes widened in confusion, realizing he had been tricked when the ''Lin Jichen'' in front of him dissipated.
At the same time, a sense of danger surged behind him.
"Phoenix Feather!"
A sharp wind tore through the air with a piercing whistle.
In an instant, the ck sword became ethereal and transparent, shing out twenty-two white Sword Qi, creating a feather-like effect in the void.
The Sword Qi then pierced through the void, carrying an unstoppable force, urately hitting the turning Li Chang''an.
Li Chang''an reacted quickly, trying to use his Movement Technique to dodge the moment he saw the Sword Qi.
But just as he gathered his energy, the feather-like Sword Qi shed at him.
After the first Sword Qi hit, he didn''t give up and continued to try to dodge with his spiritual power.
But as he was about to release his Movement Technique, the second Sword Qi hit.
The gathered spiritual energy suddenly dissipated.
Li Chang''an was left stunned.
The only downside of the Phoenix Feather was its area damage, with the Sword Qi scattering and being uncontroble.
When released in one direction, it couldn''t concentrate on a single point unless the target wasrge enough to block all the scattered Sword Qi.
Like the Corpse King in Corpse King Valley when he activated the power of the Ba.
Li Chang''an, being slender, dodged sixty percent of the Sword Qi, which whistled past him.
But he still got hit by five Sword Qi, one of which shed deep into his chest, exposing the bone.
"-4920! Crippled!"
"Crippled: Weak points all over the body,sts 20 seconds!"
Pain! Li Chang''an felt intense pain all over his body!
But more than pain, he felt rage!
He had been made so miserable by a mere Foundation Establishment kid, huh.
Li Chang''an looked up at Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen quickly grabbed a few pills and stuffed them into his mouth. The effect of the previous pills had worn off, and he seized the opportunity to take more.
Li Chang''an closed his eyes, gathering his aura.
When he opened his eyes again, his pupils shone with golden light, and everyone below felt a strong pressure.
In the next moment, golden light burst forth, and a fierce wind howled, toppling trees within a few miles.
The wind shot out like arrows, extending three feet!
The air seemed to be sliced, producing a faint rumbling sound.
Li Chang''an''s body was enveloped in golden light, his arms glowing, fingers like five wheels, and his palm like an exploding star, carrying destructive power!
"Shattered Sky Demon Seal Palm!"
At this moment, the sky darkened, as if day had turned to night.
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly, knowing exactly what skill Li Chang''an was using.
An Ultimate Technique!
This was an Ultimate Technique that only Crystal Formation and Golden Core cultivators could learn, far superior to Spirit Skills.
The power of an Ultimate Technique was usually several times, even dozens of times that of a Spirit Skill, and often had area-locking effects.
Unless one had special skills, there was no way to dodge it.
Chapter 149 – Triggering the Eye of Insight
Chapter 149 C Triggering the Eye of Insight
Lin Jichen didn''t even have time to see the move clearly before something suddenly mmed into him.
It felt like being hit by a hundred-ton truck speeding down the highway.
His whole body was sent flying, crashing heavily into the wall of the grand hall behind him, embedding him into it.
"-! Internal injury!"
"Internal Injury: Lose 1% health per second,sts for 5 seconds."
Lin Jichen emerged from the rubble, looking disheveled and covered in blood.
He was even coughing up blood continuously, looking utterly miserable.
But this was within Lin Jichen''s expectations. How could a Golden Elixir stage cultivator not have some trump card?
The power of the ultimate technique was indeed extraordinary.
When the internal injury time ended, Lin Jichen''s health was less than a thousand.
If it weren''t for his high health, any other Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator would have been dead by now.
Just as the bad news kept piling up, a piece of good news popped up.
"Eye of Insight triggered sessfully! Learned Mysterious Grade Ultimate Technique: Shattered Sky Demon Seal Palm!"
[Mysterious Grade Ultimate Technique: Shattered Sky Demon Seal Palm]: Absorbs the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, merges it into the dantian, condenses it into a point, and strikes forward with a palm technique, causing base damage and triggering an internal injury effect for five seconds, with a 70% chance to trigger silence and healing ban effects.
Cooldown: 3 days, Mana Cost: 80% of own mana.
Requirement: Usable only after reaching Crystal Realm.
Lin Jichen didn''t expect to steal the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect''s ultimate technique.
The Eye of Insight either doesn''t trigger at all, or when it does, it gives him a big gift.
Moreover, it had no cultivation requirement for him; he had already learned it.
It''s just that he couldn''t use it due to his realm not meeting the requirement.
What a pity, otherwise, he would have made that old bastard taste his own ultimate technique.
With less than a thousand health left, Lin Jichen knew that if Li Chang''an touched him again, he would die.
This battle seemed destined to be lost.
His innate attributes seemed to be about to be reduced by 10%.
Full bone structure, full luck, full spiritual grace, full charm, fullprehensionall would be a thing of the past?
Lin Jichen stood silently, holding the Dark Night Sword, unmoving.
At this moment, he closed his eyes.
Li Chang''an sneered, "Do you also have some trump card ultimate technique to use against me?"
Lin Jichen suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze burning with battle intent, making it impossible to look directly at him, as if the entire world was reflected in his eyes.
Lin Jichen slowly said, "My master once said that a true strongman continuouslyprehends and progresses through life-and-death trials. A life-and-death tribtion is also a time to break through the Dao Heart barrier. I agree with this."
Li Chang''an''s smile froze on his face, mocking, "Are you saying you want to use this life-and-death tribtion as a stepping stone for your breakthrough? Make me your stepping stone?"
"You understand perfectly, absolutely correct," Lin Jichen replied.
Hahaha!
Li Chang''an burst intoughter, but the next second, his smile vanished, and he charged forward in a sh, catching Lin Jichen off guard!
"Dreaming of making me your stepping stone? Die!"
As Li Chang''an spoke, he was already in front of Lin Jichen, mming his palm down fiercely!
It turned out Li Chang''an had never let his guard down, always nning how to deliver the final blow to Lin Jichen.
But Lin Jichen had anticipated this and dodged just like before.
"As expected of a sect leader, ruthless and decisive, you indeed qualify as my enemy."
Lin Jichen didn''t forget toment, praising Li Chang''an.
But Li Chang''an didn''t want to hear praise from an ant; instead, he attacked even more viciously and quickly!
His moves were like a storm, attacking relentlessly!
In this life-threatening situation, Lin Jichen emptied his mind of all distractions, with only the desire to keep fighting in his eyes and heart.
Fully immersed, Lin Jichen seemed like a different person, not only dodging all of Li Chang''an''s attacks but also counterattacking with his sword.
His swordsmanship was more fierce and cunning than ever.
Gradually, Lin Jichen became engrossed in this life-and-death struggle, his swordsmanship bing more proficient, as if he had merged with the Dark Night Sword and the surrounding world.
"Swordsmanship aptitude +5%!"
"Swordsmanship aptitude +5%!"
"Swordsmanship aptitude +5%!"
...
Lin Jichen seemed not to hear the prompts, continuing to dodge Li Chang''an''s attacks and counterattack with his sword!
After a long time, Li Chang''an grew more and more rmed.
He couldn''t touch this kid at all.
If he could almost touch him before, now there was no hope at all.
It felt like he knew he couldn''t touch him; every move he made was seen through.
This feeling made Li Chang''an very uneasy.
Although Lin Jichen''s counterattacks only dealt tens of damage, even hitting weak points was only so-so.
But if this continued, Li Chang''an wouldn''t touch Lin Jichen at all, while Lin Jichen would wear down over a thousand of his health.
Li Chang''an wanted to use another ultimate technique to kill this kid instantly.
But he had no second ultimate technique, and even if he did, his mana was exhausted, so he couldn''t use it.
Li Chang''an began to retreat, wanting to take a pill to restore some mana and then use martial arts and spirit skills to kill this kid.
But as he retreated, a Buddhist swastika appeared in the sky, covering him!
Then, a sword formation trapped him!
Li Chang''an hurriedly broke out of the sword formation, only to find a sword spirit above his head.
"Wind Thunder Sword! Armor Break! Slow!"
The martial arts technique, with its cooldown reset, was used again by Lin Jichen.
This time, Li Chang''an couldn''t dodge and took a full hit of sword qi.
Moreover, Lin Jichen got close again, putting him on the defensive once more.
Li Chang''an wanted to retreat again.
"Frost Moon sh! Slow!"
Li Chang''an finally waited for his skill cooldown to reset, used the skill, but was still easily dodged by Lin Jichen.
Then the sword strikes continued.
Simple sword moves, in Lin Jichen''s hands, appeared exceptionally fierce.
Fast, urate, ruthless!
It was like a reflex honed through countless sword draws, precise to the extreme, fast to the extreme, and ruthless to the extreme.
Lin Jichen seemed to have be a swordsman with decades of experience, wielding the sword with impable power.
Thus, Li Chang''an fell into a vicious cycle.
He counterattacked but couldn''t touch him.
He used skills but was dodged.
He tried to escape, but Lin Jichen would use short cooldown martial arts techniques and movement techniques to forcefully approach him.
Li Chang''an was trapped in this cycle, unable to break free.
Lin Jichen was like a woodpecker, and Li Chang''an was like a big tree.
In the tree''s eyes, the woodpecker was insignificant, even if it was pecking at it, it was harmless.
But over time, the woodpecker kept pecking, and a hole began to form in the trunk.
This hole grewrger andrger, eventually piercing through the tree, taking its life!
Chapter 150 – Is it over?
Chapter 150 C Is it over?
Below, with Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu''s cooperation, and Panda Xiong''s near-death effort, they narrowly managed to deplete the green-haired Grand Elder''s remaining health and sessfully killed him!
Fortunately, Ren Lan''s new skill triggered a debuff, greatly reducing the green-haired Grand Elder''s damage.
Moreover, Ren Lan still had a life-saving elixir given by an Inner Temple elder in her Storage Ring, simr to the Mysterious Grade Purple Jade Elixir Leng Feiyan had given Lin Jichen.
Only with this could they hold out until Jiang Luoyu''s skill cooldowns reset, narrowly grinding the Grand Elder to death.
On the other side, Chen Yuan and Chu Hongling also paid a huge price, with almost all their men dead, including a small guild that was wiped out.
Only then did they manage to take down the red-haired Grand Elder with difficulty.
Everyone was recovering their state with elixirs while watching the sky, observing the battle between Lin Jichen and the Golden Core Realm cultivator.
Chen Yuan was deeply shocked by Lin Jichen''s state.
Because this state, Sword Heart rity, is something countless swordsmen could neverprehend in their lifetime!
He hadpletely formed amunication method with his sword!
Chen Yuan, a traditional martial arts swordsman in real life, had been pursuing such a swordsmanship realm both in reality and in the game, but had never seeded.
His father had also spent his entire life withoutprehending Sword Heart rity.
Only his great-grandfather, who had long passed away, had touched that realm and founded a traditional martial arts sword sect, which was once glorious.
Unfortunately, the descendantscked the talent for swordsmanship and could never reach his great-grandfather''s realm.
His great-grandfather had once said that Sword Heart rity was something countless swordsmen could never achieve.
Anyone who could achieve it would surely reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship and be remembered for eternity!
Chen Yuan wanted to be such a person but could never do it.
But he never expected that Lin Jichen had achieved the realm he dreamed of.
"This..."
Chen Yuan''s heart surged like waves, filled with jealousy, unwillingness, and confusion.
He never thought he would be inferior to Lin Jichen in the future.
Because he had watched various videos of Lin Jichen''s battles and believed that Lin Jichen did not win through swordsmanship.
This guy just had abnormal attributes, and his use of the sword and moves was superficial.
He was far from being a true swordsmanship master.
So he never took Lin Jichen seriously, until today...
Chu Hongling looked up at the battle in the sky, her beautiful eyes clear, shaking her head and sighing.
"It''s useless, even like this, it''s useless. He will still lose."
"Why?" Ren Lan, who had just walked over, heard Chu Hongling''s words and asked discontentedly.
Daring to say my Little Lin would lose, do you believe I''ll beat you up! Jinx!
Chu Hongling nced at Ren Lan, not getting angry at her tone, and patiently exined.
"The abbot said that Golden Core Realm cultivators are not ordinary. They can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for their own use, and with the Golden Core as their energy source, even if Lin Jichen isn''t touched from start to finish, his mana will definitely run out."
"By then, he won''t even be able to fly. As long as Li Chang''an disengages from the battle and meditates for a few breaths in the air, Lin Jichen will be a fish on the chopping block."
Jiang Luoyu, standing beside them, spoke up: "So we came to find you, hoping to join forces to help Little Chen deal with him."
Chu Hongling smiled helplessly and said, "It''s useless. Our attributes can''t break through his spiritual shield, and none of us can fly. As long as he meditates in the air for a moment, or even takes some pills to recover, we can''t do anything to him. This battle is lost for us."
She added indignantly, "This Tale of Immortal is too perverse, opening such an absurdly difficult plot opportunity at the beginning of the game. I''m sure no yer in the four provinces has seeded."
Hearing Chu Hongling''s words, Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu also felt it made sense, and the two women sighed slightly.
Failure is failure, after all, dying once is no big deal, at most losing some cultivation. They had already gained a lot of battle merit and equipment, making a substantial profit.
Now, everyone could only wait for Lin Jichen to finish this battle without suspense.
Sure enough, Lin Jichen''s mana was exhausted, forcing him to return to the ground, with empty mana and health, in a terrible state.
"Little Lin, it''s okay, you''ve done your best. The enemy is too strong, you''ve done very well," Ren Lan walked over tofort him.
"Yeah, we''ve already killed the Grand Elders and got three pieces of Mysterious Grade equipment. That''s already great," Jiang Luoyu also said.
Lin Jichen didn''t speak but sat cross-legged on the ground, took out an elixir, and threw it into his mouth.
In the sky, Li Chang''an finally broke free from Lin Jichen''s entanglement and quickly absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to replenish his state.
To be safe, he took out a few elixirs and swallowed them, ensuring the fastest recovery, then nned topletely annihte Lin Jichen!
Golden Core Realm cultivators recover quickly, and with the help of elixirs, within a short time, his mana had recovered to forty percent. Except for his Ultimate Technique, all other skills were more than enough.
Moreover, his health bar had also recovered quite a bit.
He looked at the cross-legged Lin Jichen on the ground and sneered.
How could Foundation Establishment Realm self-meditationpare to his Golden Core Realm?
Fortunately, this kid was just a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator.
Thinking of this, Li Chang''an didn''t give Lin Jichen any chance, instantly descending.
Head hanging upside down, aiming straight for the crown!
"One-sided Prison Hand!"
To ensure a full kill, Li Chang''an even used a skill.
A circr area around Lin Jichen was surrounded by shackles, the ground cracking like a spider web.
The person inside would be immobilized, and Li Chang''an would follow up with a Spirit Skill!
"Raging Wave Poison Dragon Palm!"
He wanted topletely eliminate any chance of Lin Jichen''s survival!
Knowing that Lin Jichen was likely on the brink of death, he still didn''t let his guard down, seeking absolute certainty.
Li Chang''an''s ruthlessness made everyone realize they had underestimated this Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect.
No wonder he could be a Sect Leader, Lin Jichen''s loss was not in vain.
It''s over.
Everyone had already concluded in their hearts.
Even if they wanted to help, their speed couldn''t keep up.
It''s over...
Or is it?
Just before Li Chang''an released his immobilizing skill, Lin Jichen moved!
Mist Piercing Charge!
Everyone was focused on Li Chang''an''s moves, neglecting Lin Jichen, who was empty on health and mana, suddenly darting out of the One-sided Prison Hand!
The next moment, Li Chang''an''s Raging Wave Poison Dragon Palm struck the ground, creating arge circr pit, dust filling the air.
Everyone searched with their eyes, where is he? Where did he go?
Around the hall, Lin Jichen''s figure was nowhere to be found.
Li Chang''an, walking out of the pit, was also searching for Lin Jichen''s figure.
He thought Lin Jichen must have recovered some mana, releasing onest skill before dying.
This should be Lin Jichen''s final resistance.
Now, Li Chang''an just needed to find him and deliver the final blow!
But looking around, Lin Jichen''s figure had disappeared, as if evaporated into thin air.
Only these insignificant ants remained nearby.
"Where is he?" Li Chang''an, filled with coldness, asked Chen Yuan and the others.
But everyone else was also bewildered, they wanted to know too!
At this moment, Li Chang''an seemed to sense something, looking up!
Chapter 151 – This old bastard is cheating!
Chapter 151 C This old bastard is cheating!
Li Chang''an looked up at the sky, only to see Lin Jichen once again appearing in mid-air like a ghostly shadow.
Moreover, the Dark Night Sword in his hand was brimming with spiritual energy, showing no signs of mana depletion.
He shed out a familiar Sword Qi towards him!
"Dizzying Sword Qi!"
Boom!
The Sword Qi descended from the sky, hitting Li Chang''an precisely, stunning him on the spot.
[-1070! Stunned!]
[Stun: Duration 2.5 seconds!]
How does he still have so much mana?
This was the big question mark that popped into Li Chang''an''s mind just before he was stunned.
What was even more unbelievable was that this Sword Qi had sliced a long gash across his shoulder, causing blood to flow profusely.
Lin Jichen''s Dizzying Sword Qi had also reached a proficient level, dealing 500 points of damage and extending the stun duration to 2.5 seconds.
As soon as the stun was triggered, Lin Jichen, like a shark smelling blood, charged down without hesitation.
Giving no chance at all, his sword techniques were like a storm, leaving deep, bone-revealing wounds on Li Chang''an''s body.
[Critical Hit! -1140!]
[Critical Hit! -1140!]
...
[Poison Sword Qi! -200!]
[Blood Fury! -240! -240!]
When the stun ended, Li Chang''an had eight ring wounds on his body, all of which were weak point damages.
Previously, Lin Jichen could only swing out eight Sword Qis within 2.5 seconds, but making every strike a Critical Hit was absolutely impossible.
Before, it was entirely up to luck, swinging the sword without any pattern, just aiming for speed to deal the most damage during the stun.
Sometimes, hitting two weak points out of eight strikes was already considered lucky.
However, this time, Lin Jichen seemed to have made a qualitative leap in his swordsmanship.
It was as if he had be one with his sword, wielding it as naturally as his own limb.
When the stun ended, Li Chang''an''s health bar had dropped by nearly ten thousand points!
The pain from the wounds feltpletely different from before.
Previously, apart from this kid using skills, all other normal attacks felt like scratches.
But this time, Li Chang''an felt excruciating, bone-piercing pain, and his robes were soaked in blood.
Why was there such a huge difference in less than half a minute?
And why did Lin Jichen still have the mana to fly and use skills?
Could it be that he had taken some high-quality elixir?
Looking at Lin Jichen''s wounds, they had all healed, and hisplexion was rosy, not at all like someone who had been beaten to the brink of death.
What kind of elixir could have such miraculous effects? It must be at least a Heavenly Grade elixir!
Li Chang''an couldn''t believe that a Foundation Establishment junior like Lin Jichen could possess a Heavenly Grade elixir.
Even the Sect Leader''s own son wouldn''t have such treatment.
Before he could figure this out, Lin Jichen attacked again!
Li Chang''an found that this guy''s swordsmanship had be much more unpredictable than before, and in his haste, he got hit a few more times!
Frustrated, Li Chang''an roared in anger, his palm exploding with incredible destructive power, striking Lin Jichen''s Dark Night Sword.
"Great Stone Shattering Hand!"
Lin Jichen was forced to retreat, shaking his sword, which emitted a crisp hum.
Li Chang''an had started using skills to force him back instead of attacking him.
This already showed that he was flustered.
Seizing the victory, Lin Jichen finished his retreat and suddenly disappeared.
"Wind Thunder Sword!"
The same move as before, but this time Li Chang''an couldn''t dodge it.
His Movement Technique skill was clearly ready.
He could have countered beautifully with his Movement Technique like before.
But Li Chang''an didn''t have time to use it.
By the time he reacted.
The Dark Night Sword had already pierced through his chest, carrying an unstoppable sword force, and burst out from his back.
Scalding blood and the sword tip sttered out from Li Chang''an''s back!
[-2540!]
Li Chang''an''s eyes widened in shock, his face filled with confusion.
The intense pain that followed hadpletely thrown him into disarray.
But Lin Jichen had no intention of letting go of this rare opportunity, striking while the iron was hot.
As his right hand thrust the sword, Lin Jichen''s left hand struck out a palm!
Of course, this wasn''t the ''Shattered Sky Demon Seal Palm,'' but a skill that came with the Night Cave Gauntlet, Palm Qi.
Any extra damage was worth it; Lin Jichen wouldn''t miss the chance to beat a drowning dog.
Li Chang''an, a Golden Core Realm cultivator, had to use all his strength to deal with him, a Foundation Establishment weakling, so how could Lin Jichen afford to be lenient?
Li Chang''an finally couldn''t hold back and cried out in pain.
The next second, he disappeared.
He finally knew how to use his Movement Technique.
Lin Jichen''s Shadow Shift hadn''t recovered yet, so he couldn''t use the same trick again.
Boom!
Lin Jichen was caught off guard, and Li Chang''an''s palm struck his back.
[-1240! Poisoned!]
[Poisoned: Lose 100 HP per second,sts for 5 seconds.]
Li Chang''an''s Movement Technique was indeed hard to dodge, but after taking a palm strike, Lin Jichen was fine and even smiled at him.
Li Chang''an also noticed that his damage seemed to have decreased a bit.
"You... broke through?"
Li Chang''an finally realized the reason, his eyes filled with astonishment.
Lin Jichen grinned and said, "You''re quite smart."
Li Chang''an finally understood why Lin Jichen could regain so much mana so quickly and remain soposed.
It turned out that while he was recovering, Lin Jichen had secretly broken through a realm!
In such a life-and-death battle, this kid had such a mindset. Was it a spur-of-the-moment decision or a long-nned scheme?
It didn''t matter anymore.
Li Chang''an had to admit.
Lin Jichen was no ant; this kid''s future achievements would far surpass hisughable Golden Core Sect Leader status.
"You''ve won."
Li Chang''an spoke slowly, then nced at the corpses of the two Grand Elders on the ground and the increasing number of elite disciples'' screams from the mountain below.
He knew he had truly lost, and it was aplete and utter defeat.
Li Chang''an''s eyes were filled with destion, but in the next second, they were filled with madness.
"Even if you''ve won, I won''t let you win so easily! Die with me!"
With that, Li Chang''an suddenly spat out a golden bead from his mouth.
The bead was entirely golden, but it had many impurities, not a pure color.
Lin Jichen recognized it at a nce; it was the Golden Elixir of a Golden Core Realm cultivator.
The Golden Elixir was the source of power for Golden Core Realm cultivators. The stronger the cultivator, the brighter and more translucent the Golden Elixir.
This Golden Elixir had many impurities and ck spots.
This indicated that the method the other party used to form the core was likely of the Human Grade.
A Human Grade early-Golden Elixir cultivator had almost beaten him to this state.
He knew that Senior Brother Chu Tianhan of the Sword Sect was ate-Golden Elixir cultivator of the Heavenly Grade.
If he faced him, he probably wouldn''t be able to take even one move.
But now was not the time to think about that.
The moment Lin Jichen saw the Golden Elixir, his face changed drastically.
He wanted to escape, but it was toote.
Cracks appeared on the surface of the Golden Elixir.
Then, violent energy overflowed, and a terrifying, destructive spiritual energy filled the entire mountain!
"Damn! This old bastard is cheating!"
Lin Jichen cursed.
The Golden Elixir, self-destructed!
Chapter 152 – Complete the plot fate
Chapter 152 C Complete the plot fate
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed from the peak of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect.
The entire mountaintop looked as if it had been struck by a meteor, riddled with craters.
The grand hall at the summit was reduced to ruins, a scene of utter devastation.
The whole mountain trembled, rocks constantly rolling down and randomly crushing some unlucky souls.
The yers at the foot of the mountain had no idea what had happened; arge number were inexplicably killed by the aftershock.
Only those who had kept their distance managed to escape with their lives.
Lin Jichen emerged from the wreckage atop the mountain, covered in dust and debris, looking utterly disheveled.
He nced at his health baronly a few hundred points left.
He had narrowly survived the self-detonation of a Golden Elixir.
Luckily, it was a human-grade Golden Elixir; if it had been an earth-grade one, he would have been dead.
It was thanks to his thick health bar.
As a tanky Sword Cultivator, Lin Jichen had pioneered a new path.
He survived, but the others on the mountaintop weren''t so fortunate.
Jiang Luoyu, Ren Lan, Chen Yuan, Chu Hongling, and everyone else in the grand hall were all buried in the aftermath of the Golden Elixir''s self-detonation.
His beloved pet, Panda Xiong, also perished miserably.
Lin Jichen could already foresee its loyalty dropping significantly again.
Sigh~
There was nothing he could do.
Who could have predicted that the old geezer would be so ruthless, choosing to self-detonate his Golden Elixir without resistance?
At least he survived (dog head emoji).
[Cultivation UP! Battle Merit UP!]
The ten thousand points of battle merit were still sweet. Previously, the death of the green-haired Grand Elder had onlyted him 1,500 points.
Killing the Sect Leader was the most profitable, though the risk was immense.
Lin Jichen wouldn''t have dared to confront Li Chang''an if he wasn''t confident.
It was because his cultivation experience had reached a bottleneck, and he had an excellent Sinew Cleansing Pill that could break through to theter stage of Foundation Establishment at any time.
So he chose to face Li Chang''an head-on.
As the saying goes, high risk alwayses with high reward.
Just the ten thousand points of battle merit were enough to sweep away Lin Jichen''s frustration over Panda Xiong''s loyalty drop.
If he could trade like this, letting Panda Xiong die a few more times wouldn''t be a big deal.
The only annoying thing was that Li Chang''an self-detonated his Golden Elixir, leaving no Soul Burial Mound behindit was obliterated in the explosion.
In fact, it was possible to stop the opponent from self-detonating byunching continuous, relentless attacks until the opponent was dead.
Or by using skills to interrupt them.
Giving the opponent no time to trigger the self-detonation.
But Lin Jichen hadn''t expected Li Chang''an to be so ruthless. With thousands of health points left, he could have held on for a few more rounds, but he chose to end it early by self-detonating.
What could Lin Jichen say? If he had known, he would have bitten Li Chang''an to death with his teeth if necessary.
Li Chang''an''s Soul Burial Mound was gone, but the Soul Burial Mounds of Ren Lan, Jiang Luoyu, and the others were all exposed.
Including those of Chen Yuan and Chu Hongling.
These people were innocent victims, dying in Lin Jichen''s ce.
Lin Jichen first checked Jiang Luoyu and Ren Lan''s Soul Burial Mounds.
The two women only dropped a few pieces of Spirit Grade equipment.
Then he checked Chu Hongling''s. This woman was even luckiernot a single item dropped. She had great fortune!
Finally, Lin Jichen walked to Chen Yuan''s Soul Burial Mound. A touch revealed a Mysterious Grade item.
Not bad luck!
Getting a Mysterious Grade item wasn''t too bad.
[Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill Furious Heaven Punch]: Within 30 seconds, all damage received will be stored as rage. When activated, all rage will be infused into a punch, counterattacking the opponent and dealing 500~3000 base skill damage in an 8-meter fan-shaped area in front, with the ability to lock onto a single target.
Cooldown: 25 minutes, Mana Cost: 1100 points.
Requirement: Foundation Establishment Realm Body Cultivator with a root bone of 55 points or higher.
This skill is fierce!
Ren Lan, that crazy woman, hit the jackpot today with two Mysterious Grade skill books, both tailor-made for her.
But that''s normal. After all, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect belonged to the Body Cultivator lineage, so most of the equipment they dropped was for Body Cultivators.
Although the skill book was found in Chen Yuan''s Soul Burial Mound, Lin Jichen looked around and saw no one. He shouted, "Whose skill book is this? If no one ims it, I''ll take it."
No response.
"Well, it seems to be ownerless, so it''s mine."
After saying that, Lin Jichen calmly put it into his ring.
At this moment, the battle at the foot of the mountain was alsoing to an end.
All the elders, including the Sect Leader, were dead. The Ten Thousand Poison Sect only had elite disciples left, who couldn''t cause much trouble.
Half an hourter, all members of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect were annihted.
[Ding! Congrattions to the yers of Mu Xian Province forpleting this storyline opportunity! All participating yers are rewarded with +500 reputation points and +100 battle merit points!]
After the game announcement, all yers still in the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, including Lin Jichen, were automatically transported back to Fengqu City.
Everyone realized they had won only after hearing the announcement three times!
"Wow, it''s over so quickly? It felt so easy."
"Yeah, I just killed one elite disciple and a few regr disciples. Didn''t do much else."
"Where''s the BOSS? I only saw elders. Were they the strongest BOSS?"
"This storyline opportunity was so easy, haha. I bet the other three provinces alsopleted it sessfully."
"Ugh, I waste and missed out. Can someone tell me what battle merit is and what you guys did?"
***
In thergest square of the city, all yers were transported back, including those who had died and revived.
As soon as Lin Jichen returned, he was surrounded by two girls.
"Little Lin, why didn''t I see you at the revival point? Where did you revive?" Ren Lan asked curiously, with Jiang Luoyu also looking puzzled.
Given the explosion''s power, Lin Jichen shouldn''t have survived.
Lin Jichen smiled awkwardly, "I didn''t die."
"What! You didn''t die? Are you made of iron? How could your little body take that?"
Ren Lan looked skeptical and even patted Lin Jichen''s chest as if testing its hardness.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly. His real-life body was weak, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t be a tough guy in the game!
"Little Chen, since you didn''t die, did you find our Soul Burial Mounds? I dropped two pieces of equipment, both Spirit Grade."
Jiang Luoyu, feeling a bit jealous of Ren Lan''s closeness to Lin Jichen, quickly changed the subject to avoid Ren Lan taking advantage of him.
Lin Jichen nodded and handed back the equipment they had dropped.
Seeing their lost equipment returned, the two girls were quite happy.
"By the way, we got three Mysterious Grade items and five Spirit Grade items from killing the Grand Elder. Here they are."
Ren Lan took out the equipment dropped by the green-haired Grand Elder: three Mysterious Grade items, a Spirit Skill book for finger cultivators, and a pair of gloves for palm cultivators.
The gloves, simr to gauntlets, were weapons specifically for palm cultivators.
Thest Mysterious Grade item was a form.
[Mysterious Grade Form Poison Refining Powder]: Can be used to refine highly toxic powder, which can be applied to weapons to cause severe poison damage.
Requirement: Fifth-grade Alchemy Master.
Chapter 153 – Frame someone and shift the blame
Chapter 153 C Frame someone and shift the me
"Lin Jichen."
At this moment, Chen Yuan walked over.
"I dropped a Mysterious Grade Fist Cultivation Spirit Skill. Since you didn''t die, you must have picked it up. Please return it to me."
Chen Yuan was extremely frustrated. It was bad enough that Lin Jichen had caused his death, but the red-haired Grand Elder he had painstakingly defeated had dropped two Mysterious Grade items, one for him and one for Chu Hongling.
Chu Hongling hadn''t lost anything, but he had.
Even though he couldn''t use the Fist Cultivation Spirit Skill, he had nned to sell it at the Honest Auction House to earn some Spirit Stones or exchange it for a Sword Cultivation Spirit Skill.
Who would have thought that before he could even warm up to his treasure, it would be taken from him?
It was the only Mysterious Grade item he had.
"What Mysterious Grade? What Spirit Skill? I didn''t see anything," Lin Jichen said, puzzled.
Chen Yuan''s face darkened immediately, and he said in a deep voice, "Lin Jichen, what you''re doing is not right. I was the one who worked hard to defeat the red-haired Grand Elder, and you didn''t lift a finger. Now you''re just going to keep it for yourself? That''s not fair."
"I really didn''t see it. Why don''t you believe me?" Lin Jichen said sincerely.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.
"Oh, after I was sted, I was unconscious for a while before I came out. When I came out, I saw a shadow rummaging around your Soul Burial Mound. I wanted to stop him, but he ran away as soon as he saw me."
Chen Yuan was half-convinced and asked, "Who was it?"
"I didn''t see clearly because the hall had copsed, and there was dust everywhere. I only saw that he was holding a bronze-colored knife."
Chen Yuan believed him, angrily saying, "Was it Dang Jinchuan?"
"I don''t know. I told you, it was all dusty, and I couldn''t see clearly," Lin Jichen said regretfully.
Chen Yuan believed most of it. The more ambiguous the statement, the more real it seemed.
Besides, he and Chu Hongling had only met Dang Jinchuan for the first time during their temporary cooperation, but they had already seen through his character.
Greedy and selfish, he wouldn''t lift a finger without benefit, and he would run faster than anyone when there was danger.
It was entirely possible that he hade back to steal the equipment.
"Damn it, I''m going to settle this with him right now!"
Chen Yuan, furious, grabbed his sword and went to find Dang Jinchuan.
As soon as Chen Yuan left, Lin Jichen took out the skill book and handed it to Ren Lan.
"Take it."
Ren Lan giggled mischievously, "Little Lin, your acting was so good just now that I almost believed you really didn''t take it."
Jiang Luoyu looked at Lin Jichen with a half-smile, as if discovering another hidden trait of his.
Lin Jichen said righteously, "Just kidding. Even if he knows I took it, so what? He dropped it himself. Why shouldn''t someone else pick it up? Unless he can go back to the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, but can he?"
"Then why did you lie to him?" Jiang Luoyu asked with amusement.
"I was just giving him an out, so he wouldn''t be blinded by anger and get beaten up by me, losing face. Besides, I don''t like Dang Jinchuan, so I gave him an enemy," Lin Jichen said proudly.
The two women exchanged nces and couldn''t help butugh simultaneously.
"Keep it safe and don''t let anyone snatch it. Once you reach Foundation Establishment, learn it immediately," Lin Jichen reminded Ren Lan.
"Little Lin, which mode should I choose for Foundation Establishment? Human Dao Foundation?" Ren Lan wanted to learn the Spirit Skill as soon as possible, so she considered the fastest method.
But Lin Jichen immediately vetoed it.
"Only those who are eager for quick sess choose Human Dao Foundation. If you want to have an unstable foundation and be easily defeated by others in the future, go ahead and choose Human Dao Foundation."
"Huh? Then I don''t want that. I''ll go with Heavenly Dao Foundation," Ren Lan quickly abandoned the idea butined, "But the materials for Heavenly Dao Foundation are so hard to find."
"No problem. I''ll take you to farm themter. With my current flying speed, it won''t take long," Lin Jichen said.
"Okay, okay!" Ren Lan nodded happily.
Lin Jichen then looked at Jiang Luoyu and curiously asked, "Luoyu, you''re already at the Foundation Establishment Realm. Which Foundation did you choose?"
"Heavenly Dao," Jiang Luoyu replied.
"Wow, how did you find those Foundation materials?" Lin Jichen asked in surprise.
Jiang Luoyu smiled slightly and said, "It was simple. I posted a bounty at the auction house and the ck market, offering two hundred thousand per material. I quickly gathered them all."
Lin Jichen was speechless. Money really does make things easier.
Unlike him, who had to rely on himself because he had no money.
"Oh, my guild''s warehouse has plenty of Foundation materials. You don''t need to help her farm them; I''ll just give them to her," Jiang Luoyu yed a little trick.
This way, Lin Jichen wouldn''t have to take Ren Lan to farm materials alone.
Ren Lan naturally understood Jiang Luoyu''s intention and red at her angrily, while Jiang Luoyu didn''t back down.
Only Lin Jichen didn''t notice anything amiss and readily agreed, "Great, that''ll save a lot of time. How about this, I''ll pay for Ren Lan''s materials at the original price."
"No need," Jiang Luoyu said, suddenly a bit upset.
"It''s necessary. Even if your family is rich, I can''t take it for free."
Lin Jichen still hadn''t realized the seriousness of the situation.
Jiang Luoyu looked at him with a mix of grievance and anger, saying, "Little Chen, do we really have to be so clear-cut between us?"
Lin Jichen was taken aback, then awkwardlyughed, "My bad, my bad. I take it back. Just give me a set. We''re so close, no problem, right?"
Jiang Luoyu''s mood brightened, and she immediately retrieved aplete set of Heavenly Dao Foundation materials from the guild warehouse, handing them to Ren Lan with a beaming smile.
Ren Lan, though frustrated, had no choice but to ept them.
This round, the woman won. Hmph!
But she wasn''t too concerned. After all, she lived with Little Lin every day, so they had plenty of time together.
Wait!
What would she do when her vacation ended?
And Little Lin said his sister wasing soon. Would she have to move out early... She didn''t want to leave...
Just as Ren Lan was lost in thought, a woman in a red dress walked over gracefully.
The woman''s cheeks were white and delicate, with a slight blush. Her amber eyes were clear and pure, exuding an innocent yet alluring aura.
Her red dress swayed, revealing a slender and well-proportioned figure and a waist that could be easily grasped.
Her plump, cherry-red lips were sexy and enticing, exuding a natural charm.
But up close, she also had a mystical, zen-like quality, giving the impression that she could only be admired from afar, not desecrated.
Such a woman, both alluring and sacred, would be the center of attention wherever she went.
This was none other than Chu Hongling, who had been at the peak of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect.
As Chu Hongling walked, she attracted countless heated gazes from male yers. Many men even looked like drooling pigs, wishing they could pin her down and ravage her.
Chu Hongling walked straight to Lin Jichen, making both Jiang Luoyu and Ren Lan wary.
In terms of looks, they were not inferior to this woman at all, but their temperaments were different.
Jiang Luoyu was noble and elegant, while Ren Lan was bright and sunny.
Chu Hongling, on the other hand, was seductive and enchanting, with a touch of forbidden purity.
This kind of woman was the most tempting to men.
They were wary because they feared that Lin Jichen, a neen-year-old novice, wouldn''t be able to resist such a woman''s charms.
Even Guo Jie had managed to captivate him. How could he resist this woman?
Chapter 154 – Battle Merit Mall
Chapter 154 C Battle Merit Mall
"The legendary number one expert of the Tale of Immortal, Lin Jichen. I''ve always wanted to see just how powerful you are, and now I finally get the chance."
"Defeating the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, who is at the early-Golden Elixir stage, with just Foundation Establishment Realm strengthif I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes, I''d never have believed it."
Chu Hongling''s voice was clear and melodious, like pearls falling onto a jade te, utterly enchanting. Her red lips parted and closed, exuding a captivating allure.
"Hello, I''m Chu Hongling. We met at the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. Do you remember?"
Lin Jichen didn''t act like a novice.
"I remember. Is there something you need?"
In his past life, he owed Chu Hongling a favor, but he hadn''t seen her since.
Later, he heard from someone that Chu Hongling had fallen into demonic cultivation.
But there was never any urate information, and no one had seen her since, so he didn''t know if it was true.
Looking at her now, with her serene and wise aura, she didn''t seem like someone who had fallen into demonic cultivation at all.
Chu Hongling smiled slightly, her charm irresistible.
"I''m here to apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
Lin Jichen was puzzled. This seemed to be the first time he was meeting her in this life.
Chu Hongling exined, "Earlier, when you were fighting the Blood Fiend Guild at the entrance of the Corpse King Valley Secret Realm, you used a Buddhist Sect Spirit Skill. I reported it to the abbot and the master, and they decided to send someone to bring you back for questioning."
Lin Jichen was shocked, his face a picture of confusion.
Had the Buddhist Sect really set their sights on him?
Even though the Buddhist Sect Spirit Skill manual did warn that non-disciples learning it could attract the sect''s retribution, Lin Jichen had thought it was just a scare tactic. He hadn''t expected the consequences toe so quickly.
He was starting to panic a little.
"Hey, Master, are you there? Your disciple is about to be kidnapped by the Buddhist Sect!"
"Since you reported it, can''t you just exin to your sect and have them retract their decision?" Ren Lan suggested.
Chu Hongling apologized, "This was a unanimous decision by my master and the abbot. There''s nothing I can do."
"Then why are you telling me? If you hadn''t said anything, I wouldn''t have known," Lin Jichen asked, puzzled.
"Because it was thanks to your presence that I was able to deal with that elder, earn battle merits and cultivation, and even acquire a piece of Mysterious Grade equipment. If you hadn''t kept Li Chang''an upied, we wouldn''t have gained anything and might have even died. In our Buddhist Sect, we call this karmic destiny. You have done me a favor, and I can''t ignore it and pretend I don''t know."
After speaking, Chu Hongling raised her jade-like hand and made a Buddhist gesture, making her appear even more uniquely beautiful.
Many male yers nearby wished they could shave their heads and join the Buddhist Sect right then and there, hoping Chu Hongling would guide them!
Lin Jichen understood.
He nodded and said, "I see. Thank you for your honesty. I''ll be careful."
Chu Hongling seemed relieved. "That''s good. I''ll take my leave then."
She turned to leave but after a few steps, she looked back with a smile and asked, "Lin, may I add you as a friend?"
Lin Jichen instinctively wanted to agree, but he noticed two pairs of eyes watching him from the side.
His back suddenly felt a bit cold.
"Let''s skip the friend request. I''m a bit shy."
Lin Jichen coughed twice and politely declined Chu Hongling''s friend request.
Chu Hongling didn''t seem too surprised by the rejection. She simply exined, "I wanted to add you as a friend so that if my sect ever decides to act against you, I can warn you in advance. That''s all."
"Uh... I see. In that case, let''s add each other."
Lin Jichen had misunderstood her good intentions. Coupled with the fact that he owed her a favor from his past life, he couldn''t refuse anymore, so he took the initiative to add her as a friend.
But to Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu, this was a clear sign of hisck of resolve!
As expected, young men had no resistance against such women. Hmph!
After Chu Hongling epted the friend request, she gracefully left.
At this moment, a game announcement sounded.
[We regret to announce that the storyline opportunities for yers in Yongning Province, Huafeng Province, and Yuehua Province have all ended in failure. Due to the high difficulty of this storyline, a constion prize has been set up. All participating yers from these three provinces will receive +50 reputation points and +10 battle merit points.]
Upon hearing this announcement, the yers from Mu Xian Province were incredulous.
"No way? Are the yers from the other three provinces that weak? They couldn''tplete such a simple storyline?"
"Ha, I thought the other three provinces were so strong. Looks like Mu Xian Province is the number one region in the Tale of Immortal!"
"Agreed! Mu Xian Province''s Qi Refining monsters can solo Elemental Infant experts!"
"A few days ago, my buddy was bragging about how strong Huafeng Province was, with so many experts. What a joke!"
***
The yers from Mu Xian Province were gloating.
They all believed that the storyline was too easy. In reality, someone was silently bearing the burden for them, leading them to victory without their knowledge.
Shortly after this announcement, another one sounded.
[The Battle Merit Shop is now open! yers, please check it out!]
All yers immediately shifted their attention to the Battle Merit Shop.
They could see it anytime by opening their personal panel, just like the auction house.
Lin Jichen also opened the Battle Merit Shop, where his battle merit bnce was disyed.
The Battle Merit Shop had existed in his past life, but it didn''t have many good items. It was just a means for the four great royal families to encourage yers to participate in the righteous-demonic war.
The Battle Merit Shop was divided into five categories.
Reputation, Equipment, Elixirs, Skills, and Lottery.
Lin Jichen first clicked on Reputation, and it was clear at a nce.
[Reputation]: Each battle merit point can be exchanged for 10 universal reputation points.
The exchange rate between reputation and battle merit was 1:10.
This excited many yers.
The yers from Mu Xian Province were the happiest because the system had rewarded each of them with 100 battle merit points.
Adding the few to dozens of points they had earned themselves at the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, they averaged over 100 battle merit points each, which tranted to over 1,000 reputation points.
These reputation points could be used to open shops!
Although they could only buy small shops like Lin Jichen''s Shenbao Pharmacy, it still gave global capitalists an opportunity!
Small shops were better than nothing.
Suddenly, groups were buying up the reputation usage rights from Mu Xian Province yers.
Lin Jichen could foresee that soon, small shops in all the major provinces would be bought up.
Once the main cities were sold out, they could still buy in medium and small cities.
He didn''t react at all to this. After all, capitalists would eventually enter the game''s real estate market, whether he liked it or not.
Moreover, there were so many shops in the Tale of Immortal; he couldn''t possibly buy them all himself.
Besides, he wasn''t interested in small shops.
A few yers with a lot of reputation might be able to buyrge shops, but they were rare and insignificant.
His battle merit was the highest.
Over 12,000 battle merit points, unmatched by anyone.
If he exchanged them all, it would be over 100,000 reputation points.
Enough to buy at least twenty goldenrge shops!
Lin Jichen wasn''t that impulsive for now. He decided to check out the other categories first.
He moved to the Equipment category.
Equipment:...
Chapter 155 – Blind Box Lottery
Chapter 155 C Blind Box Lottery
[Equipment Category]: 10 battle merits can be exchanged for one Ordinary Grade equipment, 100 battle merits for one Spirit Grade equipment, 1000 battle merits for one Mysterious Grade equipment, and battle merits for one Earth Grade equipment, with Earth Grade being the highest.
The attributes of each grade of equipment are not particrly impressive, falling into the average range.
Don''t assume that equipment of the same grade has the same attributes.
Even within the same grade, there can be a vast difference in attributes.
Take Lin Jichen''s Dark Night Sword, for example. It''s a Mysterious Grade, but finding another Mysterious Grade with better attributes is harder than having your wife give birth to ten children at once.
Lin Jichen nced at the equipment avable, and it was the same as in his previous lifenothing new.
They were slightly better than those in the official town equipment shops but still inferior to the equipment from the Sword Sect''s forging department.
Even Earth Grade equipment couldn''t catch Lin Jichen''s eye.
Unless the attributes were exceptional, Lin Jichen wouldn''t spend ten thousand battle merits on an Earth Grade piece.
Even though he currently didn''t own any Earth Grade equipment.
However, Lin Jichen thought that if his shop ever ran out of equipment, he could restock from here.
After all, only a few yers participated in the storyline opportunities. Most missed out due to time constraints, real-life issues, or other tasks.
They would have to wait for the next opportunity to earn battle merits.
So, the equipment here couldn''t be exchanged by them, but many would likely be willing to buy it with Spirit Stones.
After a quick look through the equipment category, Lin Jichen moved on to the [Elixir Category] and [Skills Category].
Again, nothing caught his eye.
Finally, Lin Jichen focused on thest category, the Lottery.
[Lottery Category]: Spend battle merits to randomly draw items. Ordinary Grade: 10 battle merits per draw; Spirit Grade: 100 battle merits per draw; Mysterious Grade: 1000 battle merits per draw; Earth Grade: 10000 battle merits per draw, with Earth Grade being the highest.
This lottery does not guarantee the type of item drawn but ensures it won''t be something already avable in the other four sections of the Battle Merit Shop.
This was the most popr part of the Battle Merit Shop in his previous life.
Battle Merit Blind Boxes.
A ce purely reliant on luck.
Some people drew a hundred times and got nothing but junk, while others hit the jackpot with a single draw.
There were indeed good items in the Battle Merit Blind Boxes, but they were extremely rare. Whether you could draw something good depended on your luck.
In his previous life, many lucky yers drew great items from it.
Some drew the top-tier Spirit Grade mental technique "Dark Cloud Secret Scroll," others drew the top-tier Mysterious Grade movement technique "Starry Sky Concealment," and some even drew the Earth Grade form "Blood Fusion Elixir."
The most memorable was Shi Xiyue, the luckiest yer of the previous life, who drew all these items.
She even drew an Earth Grade Dragon Fish Egg, an excellent mountparable to the Iron-Eating Beast.
Lin Jichen had tried many times before, wasting a lot of battle merits but never drawing anything worthwhile.
It was always some mediocre or useless stuff.
This time, Lin Jichen was ready to challenge the Battle Merit Shop again.
In this life, he was at peak luck, with great fortune on his side. He couldn''t be as unlucky as before.
Lin Jichen hesitated for a moment and decided to spend a hundred battle merits to draw a Spirit Grade item to test the waters.
[Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn a bottle of Spirit Grade Elixir: Boiling Blood Elixir!]
[Boiling Blood Elixir]: Strength +10, Health Regeneration +200/second,sts 20 seconds.
A bit of a loss, but still eptable.
Lin Jichen decided to try again.
[Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn a Spirit Grade martial art: Sky de Technique!]
[Sky de Technique]: de damage +5%, Strength +1 every 5 seconds duringbat, no upper limit.
Requirement: de cultivator with a bone structure of 30 or above.
Still not great.
Lin Jichen felt a bit indignant and decided to go for a ten-draw!
[Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn a Spirit Grade weapon: Blood-Drinking Spear!]
[Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn a Spirit Grade form: Boiling Spirit Elixir Form!]
[Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn a Spirit Grade martial art: Falling Wind and Leaves Leg Technique!]
After ten draws, Lin Jichen was already smiling when he saw the Spirit Grade form. The rest didn''t matter as much.
[Boiling Spirit Elixir Form]: Can be used to refine Boiling Spirit Elixir, Mental Power +10, Mana Regeneration +200/second,sts 20 seconds.
This was a good item, a future bestseller for Harmony Pharmacy.
The other items were also decent, though not quite meeting Lin Jichen''s expectations.
Then, on thest draw.
A huge surprise arrived.
[Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn a Spirit Grade mental technique: Dark Cloud Secret Scroll!]
[Dark Cloud Secret Scroll]: Defense +9%, Heart Protection +15%, Skill Resistance +10%, and immunity to armor-piercing and crippling attack effects.
Requirement: None.
Just what he needed, the Dark Cloud Secret Scroll was one of the best Spirit Grade treasures in the Battle Merit Blind Boxes.
And he got it with just a ten-draw.
Lin Jichen had thought his luck might be bad today, but it turned out he was still The Lucky One.
The Dark Cloud Secret Scroll alone was a huge win, not to mention the Boiling Spirit Elixir Form and other Spirit Grade items.
Lin Jichen happily learned the Dark Cloud Secret Scroll and wanted to continue drawing, but Spirit Grade draws were no longer interesting.
After all, the limit was set, and drawing one top-tier item was enough.
Lin Jichen wanted to try the Mysterious Grade Blind Box.
But he didn''t dare to go for a ten-draw. He only had twelve thousand battle merits in total, and now he had just over eleven thousand left. It was spent quickly.
Lin Jichen decided to draw just once.
Gritting his teeth, he spent a thousand battle merits.
[Ding! Congrattions, you have drawn a Mysterious Grade item: Flying Flower Umbre Blueprint!]
[Flying Flower Umbre Blueprint]: Can be used to forge the Mysterious Grade equipment Flying Flower Umbre, requires a Fifth Grade Forgemaster to craft.
...
[Flying Flower Umbre]: Mental Power +30, Critical Hit +15, Mana +1000,es with the skill [Flying Flower Pluck Leaves].
Flying Flower Pluck Leaves: Absorbs wood spirit energy to release flower-like leaves. Hitting enemies deals 300 area damage, hitting allies heals 300 area health, range 20 meters.
Cooldown: 10 minutes, Mana Cost: None.
Requirement: Foundation Establishment Realm healer.
Great stuff!
Lin Jichen pped his thigh!
He could already see the future where healers'' Spirit Stones were calling out to him, lining up to fill his pockets.
He carefully put away the blueprint, knowing it was a future goldmine. Once he recruited a Fifth Grade Forgemaster, he would start production immediately.
Lin Jichen wanted to draw more but restrained himself.
He couldn''t have a gambler''s mindset; it was best to quit while ahead.
He would draw again after earning more battle merits next time.
With the remaining battle merits, Lin Jichen decided to buy a shop.
Even if he didn''t open it, the price would be at least ten or even dozens of times higher in a year or two!
If he did open a shop, he could still amass wealth.
He exchanged ten thousand battle merits for one hundred thousand reputation points, keeping five hundred for emergencies.
Chapter 156 – Relationship breakdown
Chapter 156 C Rtionship breakdown
"What the hell is this? I did twelve Spirit Grade lotteries and got nothing but useless junk. Damn it, this lottery is trash! Give me back my battle merit points!"
Ren Lan''s voice of discontent came from beside Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen asked with amusement, "Did you use all your battle merit points on the lottery?"
"Yeah..." Ren Lan nodded gloomily.
"Show me what you got."
Ren Lan took out her items, and Lin Jichen nced at them, then burst intoughter.
They really were all junk.
"You should stop trying your luck with the lottery," Lin Jichen teased.
Ren Lan became even more frustrated and snapped, "You talk big. Did you try the lottery? If you have the guts, draw one yourself. I''m telling you, it''s a scam. There''s nothing good in it."
"Oh, really?" Lin Jichen said as he took out the items he had drawn.
Each one was far superior to what Ren Lan had gotten.
After seeing them, Ren Lan fell into a state of despair and swore never to try the lottery again.
"Did you draw anything?" Ren Lan, still not giving up, asked her ''enemy.''
Jiang Luoyu smiled and said gleefully, "I can''t afford to. Those thousand-plus battle merit points are enough for me to buy a big shop."
"A big shop?"
"Yes, you can exchange battle merit points for reputation, and then buy shops in the city. Reputation is very valuable right now."
Jiang Luoyu didn''t forget to ''kindly'' remind her, "If you had used those thousand-plus battle merit points to sell the usage rights to merchants, you could have gotten at least ten million in transfer fees."
"What?" Ren Lan''s mouth dropped open, her pupils shaking.
"You''re so rich, even more extravagant than me. I admire you," Jiang Luoyumented with a mischievous smile.
QAQ!
Ren Lan immediately burst into tears, putting on a mask of pain.
She grabbed Lin Jichen''s arm and asked, "Little Lin, is what she said true?"
Lin Jichen, halfughing and half-crying,forted her, "It''s true, but..."
TAT!!!!
Ren Lan couldn''t listen anymore. As soon as she heard it was true, her mindset copsed.
She had just missed out on ten million! A whole ten million!
Jiang Luoyuughed happily.
But herughter didn''tst long before it faded.
Because Ren Lan had already thrown herself into Lin Jichen''s arms, crying...
"Little Lin, I spent ten million on a bunch of junk. I must be a spendthrift. I just missed the chance to be a millionaire. Please, p me a few times to wake me up."
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh and had tofort her repeatedly, "It''s okay, it''s not a big deal. There are plenty of ways to make money in this game. If you want to be a millionaire, I can make it happen in no time."
"But it''s not the same. That would be you helping me. I could have be a millionaire on my own."
"How is it different? What''s mine is yours. If you really want to be a millionaire, I have plenty of battle merit points. I can sell them and give you the money," Lin Jichen said.
Hearing this, Ren Lan stopped crying, looked up at Lin Jichen with teary eyes, and blushed slightly.
"Little Lin, you''re so good to me~"
Lin Jichen returned a doting smile and said, "You''re good to me too. Don''t you remember how you took care of me before I entered the Tale of Immortal? You bought me a house and a gaming ring with your own money. Now that I can make money, of course, I have to repay you."
A warm feeling surged through Ren Lan''s heart, and just as she was about to say something, her phone rang.
"My phone''s ringing. It should be my parents. I''ll go take the call."
Ren Lan quickly found a quiet ce to answer the phone.
You could answer calls in the game, even with the gaming ring, without having to log out.
As Ren Lan temporarily left, Lin Jichen noticed Jiang Luoyu''s disappointed expression.
Before Lin Jichen could ask, she spoke up, "Little Chen, are you and her together?"
"No, we''re just friends, good friends," Lin Jichen replied.
"Just friends? So, you might be together in the future?"
Jiang Luoyu caught onto those words, a hint of sadness shing in her eyes.
Lin Jichen was silent for a second, then shook his head.
"She''s the only person, besides my cousin, who has always been good to me and whom I trust. It''s only right for me to be good to her. But if I were to consider a romantic rtionship, I would think of my sister first."
He didn''t want to deceive those around him, nor did he want to y games with girls who liked him.
Since the question was already out there, Lin Jichen decided to respond directly.
"What????"
Jiang Luoyu couldn''t believe her ears, thinking she had heard wrong.
He said he wanted to be with his sister? Isn''t that...?
"Oh, you misunderstood. I meant my distant cousin," Lin Jichen corrected.
Jiang Luoyu''s eyes grew even more confused.
Realizing he hadn''t exined clearly, Lin Jichen quickly added, embarrassed, "We''re not closely rted. She has a different surname, Gu, while mine is Lin. There''s no blood rtion."
Jiang Luoyu breathed a sigh of relief, almost thinking Lin Jichen was that kind of person.
"What if your cousin doesn''t want to?" Jiang Luoyu asked again.
"If she doesn''t want to, then we''ll just remain siblings," Lin Jichen said calmly.
"Have you considered anyone else?"
Jiang Luoyu asked hopefully, adding, "Besides Ren Woxing."
Lin Jichen felt a bit guilty but knew that not being clear now would only cause more troubleter. So, he shook his head and replied, "No."
Jiang Luoyu''s eyes dimmed. She understood this was Lin Jichen''s response to her.
Seeing the look in Jiang Luoyu''s eyes, Lin Jichen almost wavered.
As a man, how could he bear to see a Heavenly Immortal-like girl sad and upset?
But Lin Jichen knew this was something he had to face and be honest about.
The two fell into silence.
After a few seconds, Jiang Luoyu forced a smile and said, "I understand. Thank you for your honesty. Let''s just be friends from now on."
"Okay, we are friends," Lin Jichen nodded.
"From now on, I''ll call you Lin Jichen, and you can call me Jiang Luoyu, or President Jiang," Jiang Luoyu said calmly.
Lin Jichen hesitated for a second, his tone bing distant, "Alright, President Jiang."
Jiang Luoyu''s body trembled slightly, her eyes misting over.
She knew that her rtionship with Lin Jichen had returned to square one.
But she didn''t want to try to salvage it because she was Jiang Luoyu!
She couldn''t beg for love, no matter who it was.
This pride was ingrained in her bones.
"I have something to do, so I''ll be going now. Goodbye."
After saying this, Jiang Luoyu turned and left decisively.
Lin Jichen watched Jiang Luoyu''s departing figure, reminiscent of the time when Ren Lan had argued with him and walked away resolutely.
He wanted to call her back, but the words stuck in his throat.
"Lin Jichen, I hate you!"
Su Wanling, who had been watching everything from the side, saw her president leave and knew Jiang Luoyu was truly heartbroken.
She red at Lin Jichen angrily and then left as well.
Lin Jichen remained silent, sighing after a long while. So be it.
Chapter 157 – Loneliness
Chapter 157 C Loneliness
"Little Lin, I finished my call. Huh, where did that woman go?"
Ren Lan asked Lin Jichen curiously upon her return.
Lin Jichen adjusted his mindset and replied, "She had something to take care of and left."
"Oh, Little Lin, I need to go home for a bit. My dad called just now and said my mom caught a cold. I need to check on her. I might not be back until the day after tomorrow," Ren Lan said.
"Alright," Lin Jichen nodded.
Feeling reassured, Ren Lanreturned to her sect and logged off the game . Lin Jichen, also not in the mood to y, decided to log off as well.
Ren Lan packed some things, slung her bag over her shoulder, and headed out.
Lin Jichen walked her to the gate of themunity. Before getting into a cab, Ren Lan reminded him, "Don''t ck off while I''m gone. Make sure to exercise every day, got it? If I find out you werezy, I''ll drill you to death when I get back!"
Lin Jichen smiled and nodded, "Don''t worry, I will."
"Good," Ren Lan felt relieved and got into the cab.
Watching the cab drive away, a sense of loneliness suddenly washed over Lin Jichen.
Perhaps it was the unpleasant encounter with Jiang Luoyu earlier that left him feeling down.
Not wanting to go home just yet, Lin Jichen decided to take a walk along the streets.
Under the streetlights, his shadow stretched long as he wandered aimlessly through the night in Jiangling.
He stopped by a parkke, found a bench, and bought some barbecue and beer.
As he ate and drank, looking out over theke, his mood gradually lifted.
Reflecting on what had happened earlier, he realized there was nothing worth feeling sad about.
It was just the end of a fleeting, unformed emotional connection. He might have hurt a girl''s feelings, which made him feel a bit guilty and sad.
But more than that, he didn''t want to see her waste time on him.
Compared to the pain and betrayal he experienced in his past life, this was nothing.
Back then, he was truly in despair, living each day in utter hopelessness, gravely injured, waiting for death toe.
That feeling was still vivid in his memory.
Having gone through such highs and lows, this minor setback was nothing.
He had burned away all his childishness and impulsiveness with his persistence. Now, his heart was a barrennd, grown over with rationality and indifference.
He knew that the most important thing for him now was to focus on improving his strength, not wasting time on someone he barely knew.
Hadn''t the lessons from his past life been enough?
Though it seemed extreme and overly sensitive, this was all Lin Jichen could do.
In terms of rtionships, aside from Gu Qiuxue and Ren Lan, he actually trusted Leng Feiyan and Nangong Yue more.
Understanding this, his mood improved.
"Little Lin?"
A voice called out, and Lin Jichen turned to see Qin Xiaowei standing in front of him with a guitar on her back.
"Sister Xiaowei, what are you doing here?" Lin Jichen asked in surprise.
Qin Xiaowei exined, "I just finished recording and was heading home. When I saw you send Ren Lan off and then walk here alone, you seemed upset. I was worried you might do something foolish, so I followed you."
Lin Jichen chuckled, "Sister Xiaowei, you underestimate me. I''m not a kid anymore. What foolish thing could I possibly do?"
"Don''t be so sure. People your age can be quite impulsive. Just the other day, I read about a girl your age who drank a bottle of herbicide after a fight with her boyfriend. Such a pity," Qin Xiaowei said.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly, "I was just feeling cooped up at home and came out for a walk and somete-night snacks."
"That''s good. Quite mature of you," Qin Xiaowei teased.
Lin Jichen smiled and invited, "Sister Xiaowei, would you like to join me for some snacks? You probably haven''t eaten since you got back."
Qin Xiaowei hesitated for a moment but then sat down. She was indeed a bit hungry.
"I saw Ren Lan leave. Did you two have a fight?"
"No, you misunderstood. Her mom is sick, so she rushed home to check on her. I just saw her off," Lin Jichen exined.
"That can''t be it. You looked more than just cooped up. Something unpleasant must have happened," Qin Xiaowei insisted, confident in her judgment. Lin Jichen had looked genuinely down, or as they said twenty years ago, he was "emo."
Unable to lie any further, Lin Jichen confessed, "I can''t hide anything from you, Sister Xiaowei. I said something blunt to a friend in the game and hurt her feelings."
"A girl, right?" Qin Xiaowei guessed immediately.
"Yes," Lin Jichen nodded.
"So you rejected her?"
"Sort of."
Qin Xiaowei smiled, having guessed correctly.
"Do you like her?" Qin Xiaowei asked.
Lin Jichen hesitated for a second, then shook his head, "Not really. I just enjoyed herpany. She helped me a few times, and I helped her too. We''re friends."
"I see. More than friends, but not quite lovers, right?"
Lin Jichen took a sip of beer and smiled awkwardly, "Sister Xiaowei, you''re overthinking it. At my age, I just want to focus on my career."
"Oh,e on. You''re still so young. This is the time to enjoy love and romance," Qin Xiaowei teased. "Besides, you''re so handsome. It''s normal for girls to like you. Don''t be embarrassed."
"Let me ask you, do you like your game friend more, or Ren Lan?"
"Of course, Ren Lan," Lin Jichen answered without hesitation.
"Then there you go. Telling the other girl your true feelings now will save her from deeper heartbreakter. It''s a good thing. I admire you for that," Qin Xiaowei praised.
Her words resonated with Lin Jichen. That''s exactly what he thought.
"Let me sing you a song. It might cheer you up. It''s a new one I wrote."
"Sure," Lin Jichen agreed eagerly.
Qin Xiaowei took out her guitar and started tuning it. Soon, a light, cheerful melody apanied her clear, melodious voice.
"You once passed by under the scorching sun."
"Silent and unnoticed, like a gentle breeze."
"The cicadas'' song in midsummer seemed like a song written for you."
"The fireflies in the woods are still flickering."
"Listening to the cicadas'' leisurely singing of the rainbow''s song."
"I suddenly fell into a sweet dream, at a loss."
"Watching flowers, rain, clouds, and you."
"My heartbeat and breath so clear."
...
Qin Xiaowei''s voice was crisp and bright yet soft and gentle. It was like a babbling brook, the wind rustling through willows.
Listening closely, it felt like the vast sky and calm sea, instantly lifting Lin Jichen''s spirits.
Her voice seemed to have a magical quality. Lin Jichen closed his eyes, leaning back on the bench, savoring the moment.
As she sang, Qin Xiaowei watched Lin Jichen, a smile on her face.
She loved singing for Lin Jichen, watching him enjoy and immerse himself in the music. It gave her immense satisfaction.
It was something no one else could give her.
Chapter 158 – There are so many gentlemen at night
Chapter 158 C There are so many gentlemen at night
The song continued.
"The wind quietly brings a romantic firework of love."
"I scoop up a handful of crystal-clear moonlight, still warm."
"This is a summer love song about us."
"Recording all our happiness with heart."
"We will board a train heading to the distance together."
"To find the horizon where the sea meets the sky, as often mentioned in books..."
***
When Qin Xiaowei finished singing the entire song, Lin Jichen opened his eyes and eximed:
"Sister Xiaowei, what''s the name of this song?"
Lin Jichen felt like he had never heard this song before, and the previous song "About You" was also something he had never heard in his past life.
"This song is called ''Summer Love Song'', do you like it?" Qin Xiaowei replied.
Lin Jichen nodded vigorously: "It''s really good, I feel so much better!"
As he spoke, Lin Jichen felt a bit nostalgic and mncholic: "Sister Xiaowei, I''m afraid that once you be famous, I won''t be able to hear you sing for me anymore."
Qin Xiaowei smiled gently but replied seriously: "Don''t worry, even if I be a big star in the future, as long as you want to hear me sing, I''ll sing for you. You are my exclusive audience."
"That''s great, it''s a deal then, haha." Lin Jichenughed.
"By the way, Sister Xiaowei, did you go to record a song today?"
Qin Xiaowei nodded, delighted: "Yes, a lot of people have listened to my song on this music tform, and the response has been quite good. Thepany asked me to record it and is preparing to sign a contract with me."
"Congrattions, it looks like Sister Xiaowei is really going to be a big star." Lin Jichen teased.
Qin Xiaowei blushed: "What big star? I''m just a signed singer, but there''s a bit of a problem."
"What problem?"
Qin Xiaowei looked troubled: "Thepany said that in a while, they want me to go to the Capital City to participate in a music festival with other singers to gain more fans."
"That''s a good thing." Lin Jichen said.
"It is a good thing, but if I go to the Capital City, I might have to stay for several days. There will be no one to take care of Tang Tang, and she is about to start school. I can''t take her with me, so I was thinking of hiring a nanny." Qin Xiaowei sighed.
"Why hire a nanny? Can you trust a stranger? Don''t worry, I''ll take care of her. Besides, Tang Tang is familiar with me and should be okay with me taking care of her."
Lin Jichen offered to help, as he genuinely liked the little girl Tang Tang.
"That''s not good, you have to work in the game, it will dy your work." Qin Xiaowei shook her head.
"It won''t dy anything. I exercise every morning, I can drop Tang Tang off at school while running, and pick her up in the evening. If I can''t, there''s still Ren Lan. It''s just an extra pair of chopsticks at meals, no big deal. It''s settled." Lin Jichen decided firmly.
Seeing this, Qin Xiaowei could only gratefully say: "Thank you, Xiao Lin."
"You''re wee, Sister Xiaowei. Just sing me another song." Lin Jichen said with a smile.
"Sure, I can sing ten songs!"
***
The two of them stayed in the park for an hour or two.
After finishing the barbecue and beer, and enjoying the songs, Lin Jichen''s mood improved.
He got up to throw away the trash, as if discarding his negative emotions, and turned to head home with Qin Xiaowei.
When they reached the bottom of the apartment building, they had just gone upstairs when they saw Tang Tang in her bear pajamas running down.
The little girl ignored her aunt and ran straight into Lin Jichen''s arms.
"Brother Lin!"
Lin Jichen smiled and picked her up, asking: "Tang Tang, why are you downstairs?"
"Tang Tang, why aren''t you asleep yet?" Qin Xiaowei asked.
Tang Tang replied: "I saw that Auntie hadn''te back yet, so I was on the balcony watching for you. I just saw you and Brother Lining back, so I came down."
As she spoke, Tang Tang sniffed and asked: "Brother Lin, Auntie, did you eat something delicious?"
Lin Jichen and Qin Xiaowei exchanged a nce andughed. This little girl had a keen nose.
"Xiao Lin, I''ll take her back. It''s toote, and if she doesn''t sleep, she''ll wake upte tomorrow morning."
"Alright." Lin Jichen handed Tang Tang over to Qin Xiaowei.
"Goodbye, Brother Lin~" Tang Tang waved at him, her eyes showing a bit of reluctance.
"Goodbye, Tang Tang."
After the two went upstairs, Lin Jichen also returned to his room.
Ren Lan wasn''t there, making the room feel a bit empty.
At this moment, Ren Lan sent a message saying she had safely arrived home.
Lin Jichen told her to spend time with her parents and then took a shower before lying in the gaming pod, feeling refreshed.
Before entering the game, he routinely checked the surveince and browsed the Tale of Immortal forum.
He found that the forum was buzzing with discussions about the recent plot opportunity.
yers from the other three provinces wereining on the forum, saying that the plot opportunity was too difficult and practically impossible toplete.
They had all tried to eliminate small sects with strength almost identical to the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. After defeating the elders, they were stuck.
Two Later Stage Crystal Formation elders and an early-Golden Elixir sect leader were unbeatable, and they were all counter-killed.
Only the yers from Mu Xian Province were smug, saying their plot opportunity was very easy and mocking the yers from the other three provinces as noobs.
Then, a yer who had witnessed everything at the Ten Thousand Poison Sect''s mountain peak posted a recorded video, and they realized how lucky they were to be in the same province as Lin Jichen.
If Lin Jichen hadn''t soloed the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, their oue would have been a definite failure.
In other words, the 500 reputation points and 100 battle merits were gifts from Lin Jichen.
For a while, yers from Mu Xian Province flooded the forum with thank-you posts, expressing their gratitude to Lin Jichen for carrying them to victory.
However, the Blood Fiend Guild openly led the opposition. Not only did they continuously insult Lin Jichen on the forum, but they also adamantly imed that Lin Jichen must have been cheating.
Li Fengwen even cursed Lin Jichen with a dozen profanities on the forum and vowed to make Lin Jichen disappear from Tale of Immortal forever!
Seeing these posts, Lin Jichen directly used his main ount ID toment below.
"President Li, how''s the prison food? No creepy uncles bothering you in the game prison, right?"
This one sentence should warm his heart for the whole day.
After doing this ''good deed,'' Lin Jichen contentedly exited the forum and entered the game.
Still in Fengqu City, he walked out from the back door of the equipment shop. He had logged out in a hurry earlier, so he had to go offline in his shop''s backyard.
The shop was already closed, and it waste at night. Many shops in Fengqu City had already shut down, and there weren''t many people in the city center.
But when Lin Jichen walked to the Shenbao Pharmacy, he was shocked. The entrance of Autumn Moon Pavilion was bustling with people, filled with guests.
Most of them were yers.
The queue even stretched to the end of the street.
Some yers even bought medicine from his pharmacy and immediately went to line up.
Seeing this scene, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but sigh. There were so many gentlemen at night.
However, the high-ss brothel industry in the game was destined to be a hit.
Who could imagine that they could patronize a brothel in the game, without worrying about diseases, without fear of being caught, and still experience pleasure almost indistinguishable from reality?
Which gentleman could resist such a good thing?
Chapter 159 – Zhao Baige
Chapter 159 C Zhao Baige
Not only were the high-ss brothels in the main city packed every day, but soon, all the brothels in every city, big or small, in the Tale of Immortal would bepletely taken over by yers.
It''s a pity yers can''t open brothels; otherwise, Lin Jichen wouldn''t open any other shop. He''d definitely start with a brothel.
This business was practically like printing money.
Why is the "prostitution" industry ranked first among the vices ofprostitution, gambling and drugs? It''s not without reason.
Many gentlemen im to despise gambling and drugs, but when ites to the "prostitution" industry, they remain silent.
Enviously ncing at the bustling business of the Autumn Moon Pavilion, Lin Jichen shook his head. Too bad he couldn''t open one.
He collected the earnings from the past few days at the Shenbao Pharmacy.
Without the Corpse Poison Potions, the small pharmacy selling only aphrodisiacs still managed to sell 70,000 Spirit Stones in two days.
You have to understand, the high price of Corpse Poison Potions was due to the huge demand and limited supply.
Aphrodisiacs didn''t have that problem; they sold purely based on volume.
This made Lin Jichen marvel at the business genius who had opened the Shenbao Pharmacy in his past life!
After collecting the Spirit Stones, he added the sales from the equipment shop, therge pharmacy, and the auction house over the past two days, totaling 250,000 Spirit Stones.
The reason the three major shops didn''t have high sales was mainly due to the limited stock. Lin Jichen could only supply 3,000 items per day for now, so the profits couldn''t go up.
Originally, he had nned to go to the Corpse King Valley to farm some equipment today, but... after falling out with Jiang Luoyu, Lin Jichen naturally didn''t want to go anymore.
Thinking of Jiang Luoyu, Lin Jichen secretly opened his friends list and found that Jiang Luoyu was online.
However, he didn''t want to talk to her; he didn''t know what to say, and it would only add to his troubles and awkwardness.
She didn''t contact him either. The two seemed to have be the most familiar strangers.
At this moment, a new friend suddenly appeared and sent him a message.
"Hello, are you the boss recruiting Alchemy Masters on the forum?"
Lin Jichen''s attention was diverted. Seeing the message and the person''s ID, he was delighted.
Zhao Baige!
She finally replied.
The future Alchemy Grandmaster Zhao Baige, who had the most potential to be a Pill King, was right in front of him.
Moreover, she didn''t seem to have been recruited by any guild yet; otherwise, she wouldn''t havee looking for him.
Lin Jichen knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Yes, that''s me. Are you an Alchemy Master?"
Lin Jichen remained calm; being too enthusiastic would only scare people away.
Zhao Baige was at a point where she was facing rejection everywhere. At this time, just a little benefit, a small sweet treat, could easily win her over.
"Yes, but my sess rate in alchemy is... quite low... Many guilds don''t want to recruit me," Zhao Baige said,cking confidence.
Lin Jichenughed. What a straightforward girl, revealing her fatal w right away. Wasn''t she pushing herself out?
Even if someone agreed to hire her, they would exploit her to the bone.
It seemed Zhao Baige really had no social experience at all.
"Low sess rate is not a problem; I''ll find a way to train you," Lin Jichen responded.
Zhao Baige could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the message.
Every time she told others this, they would usually respond with: "Oh, thene back when you''ve improved your sess rate."
Only this person said he would train her. Zhao Baige was overjoyed!
"Really? But improving my alchemy skills will waste a lot of materials. I''m afraid you''ll lose money..."
Zhao Baige said adorably and silly, as if afraid others wouldn''t know her shorings.
But this also showed her kindness; she didn''t want her employer to lose money or cause trouble for others.
Lin Jichen gave her a firm answer: "Don''t worry about that. No matter how low your sess rate is or how much material you waste, I can handle it. Let''s do this: which province are you in? Come over, and we''ll talk face-to-face."
"I''m in the Xuanhan Bow Sect of Yuehua Province."
"Thene to Fengqu City in Mu Xian Province. I''ll cover your travel expenses."
After saying that, Lin Jichen transferred several hundred Spirit Stones to her.
There was no response from Zhao Baige for a long time.
Anyone who didn''t know might think she had taken the money and run.
In fact, she was just stunned. She had never seen so many Spirit Stones in all her days ying Tale of Immortal.
And it was given by a stranger, without any hesitation.
Several hundred Spirit Stones! If she used them for alchemy, she could buy a lot of materials and even a better furnace.
In her sect, she could only receive 10 Spirit Stones a month.
This was equivalent to her sry for two or three years...
And these many Spirit Stones were just for her to use the teleportation array.
Wasn''t that too extravagant?
Wasn''t he afraid she would take the money and block him?
"Um... Boss, can I discuss something with you?" Zhao Baige finally replied.
"Go ahead."
"Can I walk over instead? That way, I can save these Spirit Stones," Zhao Baige asked hesitantly.
Lin Jichen was speechless.
"Walking across a province, with your cultivation level, would take at least a few months. Are you sure?"
"That long? Then... never mind..."
Zhao Baige realized she couldn''t save the Spirit Stones. She regretted not choosing Mu Xian Province initially.
"Boss, I have another question."
"Go ahead."
"Aren''t you afraid I''m a bad person who would take your Spirit Stones and block you?" Zhao Baige voiced her concern.
She felt the other party trusted her too much. Was there some trap?
Lin Jichen knew she was suspicious of him, so he didn''t bother pretending to be a good person.
"It seems you don''t understand this game. Search my name on the forum, and you''ll know why I can trust you so much. If you''re a scoundrel, see if you can continue ying this game."
Seeing his confident words, Zhao Baige skeptically searched for Lin Jichen''s name on the forum.
The information that popped up left her stunned.
The person recruiting her was the top yer in Tale of Immortal!
Zhao Baige instantly understood. If she dared to take the Spirit Stones, Lin Jichen would hunt her down until she quit the game.
Although a bit scared, this actually reassured Zhao Baige.
"Don''t worry, I''m not that kind of person. Boss, wait for me. I''ll teleport over right away, but I have one condition..."
"Go ahead," Lin Jichen replied patiently.
Zhao Baige stammered, "I cane, but if you don''t like me, I won''t have the travel expenses to return..."
Lin Jichen understood andughed, "Don''t worry, even if I don''t hire you, I''ll cover your return expenses."
"That''s great! Thank you, boss. I''ming right away!"
Zhao Baige was overjoyed. She even hoped Lin Jichen wouldn''t hire her so she could get the return fare.
She nned to walk back, even if it took a few months, she was willing!
If Lin Jichen knew her thoughts, he''d probably be struck speechless.
Lin Jichen went to the city gate''s teleportation array to wait. Before long, a girl in sect attire walked out.
The girl looked timid, ncing around nervously, as if feeling insecure in an unfamiliar city.
Chapter 160 – Successful solicitation
Chapter 160 C Sessful solicitation
Zhao Baige had striking features, her eyebrows and eyes were like a painting, with a hint of baby fat on her cheeks.
There was a shallow dimple at the corner of her mouth, her skin was very fair, with delicate eyebrows and big eyes, making her a top-notch beauty in the making.
She seemed to be around the same age as Lin Jichen, but her eyes had a somewhat adorable and silly look, making her appear a bit naive.
"Zhao Baige?"
"Yes, yes, that''s me... Are you... Lin Jichen?"
Looking at the handsome and otherworldly young man in front of her, who was just as attractive as the photos on the forum.
In fact, he looked even better in person than in the photos.
Zhao Baige found it hard to imagine that this seemingly gentle and innocent young man, who had a puppy-like charm, could be the top expert in Tale of Immortal.
Moreover, he had single-handedly killed thousands of people and was revered as the ''God of Death'' Lin Demon by the yers on the forum.
She had thought Lin Jichen would be very fierce, but now it seemed he wasn''t fierce at all.
"It''s me, let''s talk inside, there are too many people here."
Lin Jichen said and walked into the city, Zhao Baige immediately followed.
The two of them found a quiet spot under a willow tree, conversing under the moonlight.
"Let''s talk about my terms first," Lin Jichen got straight to the point.
"Alright, boss, go ahead," Zhao Baige nodded quickly, listening attentively.
Lin Jichen didn''t hold back, "I can hire you as my Alchemy Master and guarantee to train you into a high-grade Alchemy Master. During this period, you don''t need to worry about any herbs, no matter how many you need for practice. However, there''s one condition: you must sign a confidentiality agreement and a long-term contract with me."
"The contract term is five years. During these five years, you will be my employee. No matter which guild tries to poach you, you can''t switch jobs or make elixirs for others. Otherwise, you will face a hefty penalty. Of course, as long as you don''t switch jobs, there won''t be any issues."
Zhao Baige asked nervously, "What do I need to do?"
Lin Jichen replied, "Your job is to work eight hours a day. Your sry will be ten thousand cash per month and two hundred Spirit Stones. Overtime is voluntary andes with overtime pay. As your rank increases, thispensation will double. I''ll provide the herbs, you handle the elixirs, and I''ll give you a ten percent profit from the sales of the elixirs. How does that sound?"
Zhao Baige waspletely stunned after hearing this. This... what kind of divine treatment is this!
She had inquired at many guilds'' alchemy departments, and the average sry for their Alchemy Masters was only three thousand, with no Spirit Stones provided, as they were currently scarce.
Just the two hundred Spirit Stones alone could sell for twenty to thirty thousand on the market.
Moreover, other Alchemy Masters worked over twelve hours a day and had to ensure the sess rate of their alchemy. They had to cover the losses themselves if they failed.
She had a low sess rate, so no one wanted her.
Even if someone did take her in, she wouldn''t dare to go because she couldn''t afford the losses.
Now, with Lin Jichen offering such conditions, she wondered if she was dreaming or if this person was actually a scammer?
Seeing her remain silent, Lin Jichen asked, "Are you not satisfied with the terms? If there''s anything you''re not happy with, you can bring it up. As long as it''s not excessive, we can discuss it."
Zhao Baige hurriedly shook her head, waving her hands, "No, no, I''m very satisfied. This is the best offer I''ve ever received! I''m just afraid..."
"Afraid I''m scamming you, right?" Lin Jichen guessed.
"Mm..." Zhao Baige nodded embarrassedly, being quite honest.
Lin Jichen chuckled and shook his head, "Do you think I need to scam someone who can''t even afford travel expenses?"
Zhao Baige thought about it and agreed. He was the top expert in Tale of Immortal, there was no need for him to scam a newbie like her.
Besides, the contract was in ck and white, it couldn''t be fake.
Thinking of this, she awkwardly apologized, "Sorry, I was too suspicious."
"How about this, sign the confidentiality agreement first, and I''ll take you somewhere. After that, you should believe I''m not a scammer."
Lin Jichen handed her a confidentiality agreement document.
In the game, contracts could be drafted and were legally protected.
This was the most powerful aspect of Tale of Immortal.
Zhao Baige nced at the confidentiality agreement, saw no issues, and signed her name.
Lin Jichen then took her to a shop in the city.
Other NPC shops were closed, but his shop was still open.
It operated at night as usual, with more night shift staff hired.
The shop was still open, with NPC staff on duty, working in shifts 24 hours a day.
This was something Jiang Luoyu had taught him.
At this moment, there were no other yers in the shop.
As soon as Lin Jichen walked in, the staff greeted him in unison, "Good evening, boss!"
Zhao Baige, following behind, waspletely dumbfounded.
"You... you''re the owner of this shop?"
"Now you should believe I''m not scamming you, right? My shop needs many Alchemy Masters, but weck high-grade ones. I''m nning to train high-grade Alchemy Masters. Are you willing?" Lin Jichen asked.
This time, Zhao Baige waspletely convinced.
"I''m willing!!!"
Zhao Baige answered excitedly, nodding like a pecking chick.
With such treatment and arge shop as a guarantee, she would be a fool not to agree.
Lin Jichen handed her the contract documents. After carefully reviewing them and finding no issues, Zhao Baige signed her name without hesitation.
"Wee to my alchemy team," Lin Jichen said with a smile, extending his hand.
Zhao Baige, overjoyed, shook hands with Lin Jichen.
"Thank you, boss! I''ll do my best!"
Lin Jichen smiled with satisfaction, knowing he had recruited a future Alchemy King as his employee.
From now on, he wouldn''t have to worry about high-grade elixirs.
But for now, the most important thing was to quickly improve Zhao Baige''s alchemy rank and sess rate.
Lin Jichen took Zhao Baige to the alchemy room in the backyard, where many Alchemy Masters were working, though they were all NPCs, each with their own room.
Most NPCs were asleep at this hour, with only a few still working.
Lin Jichen arranged a separate alchemy room for Zhao Baige, took her inside, and handed her the herbs.
"Try refining a basic Blood Clotting Pill now."
Zhao Baige nervously agreed and started refining on the spot.
As expected, the furnace emitted ck smoke, indicating a failed attempt.
Zhao Baige, with a face covered in soot, apologized guiltily, "I''m sorry, boss..."
Lin Jichen didn''t me her but encouraged her to continue.
After ten consecutive attempts, she seeded only once.
This sess rate was indeed rmingly low.
If an ordinary guild had to support her, they would go bankrupt, not only failing to make money but also incurring huge losses.
"Show me all your personal attributes," Lin Jichen said.
"Oh, okay," Zhao Baige hurriedly sent over her attributes.
Lin Jichen reviewed them and saw that Zhao Baige''s cultivation realm was at the Initial stage of Qi Refining, which was indeed very weak.
However, unless it was high-quality elixirs, the realm didn''t matter much for low-quality ones.
Zhao Baige''s low sess rate was likely due to herck of proficiency.
Moreover, her talent wasn''t anything like ''Little Medicine Boy,'' ''Alchemy Maniac,'' or ''Spirit Child of Alchemy,'' which were talents rted to alchemy.
Her talent was a rather uselessbat talent, not suitable for alchemy at all.
That''s why her sess rate was so low.
No wonder no guild wanted her.
Chapter 161 – Guidance in Alchemy
Chapter 161 C Guidance in Alchemy
Lin Jichen was just like Zhao Baige in his previous lifecking in talent but making up for it with hard work.
In his past life, he was a business genius who somehow managed to be the top spell cultivator.
Although Zhao Baige had abat talent, she was obsessed with alchemy and eventually became an eighth-grade Alchemy Master.
Her alchemical talents only began to flourishter, far surpassing those yers who had innate alchemy talents.
But all of this required a lot of medicinal herbs to nurture.
It''s like a sharpshooter who needs bullets to practice.
The initial investment was huge, which is why only the Moon Shadow Guild dared to take her in during her previous life.
After all, Jiang Luoyu''s family was wealthy and never worried about money.
Lin Jichen thought for a moment and said, "Try refining again. I''ll guide you."
"Boss, you know alchemy too?"
"A little."
Zhao Baige obediently sat down and continued her alchemy.
Lin Jichen began to guide her, noticing she was anxious and distracted due to repeated failures.
"Distraction is the biggest taboo in alchemy. Remember, no matter what elixir you''re refining, you must be fully focused. Don''t feel embarrassed or worry that I''ll fire you. I said I''d cover all the medicinal herbs; you just need to focus on alchemy."
Lin Jichen''s reminder and assurance made Zhao Baige feel both guilty andpletely at ease. She quickly adjusted her attitude and focused seriously.
However, her soot-covered face made her look like a sloppy mess, which was quiteical.
As the alchemy began, Lin Jichen started correcting Zhao Baige''s bad habits and teaching her some of his alchemy techniques from his previous life.
Under Lin Jichen''s guidance, Zhao Baige seeded again, and this time, it took much less time than before.
Zhao Baige was overjoyed and said, "Boss, thank you for your guidance. You''re truly my benefactor!"
"Don''t get too excited yet. Each elixir requires different techniques and methods. This is just the simplest one. You still have a lot to learn. For now, practice refining the Blood Clotting Pill until your sess rate reaches 80%. When you run out of herbs, just ask the store for more. I''ve already informed them. You don''t need to think about anything else, just focus on alchemy."
"Yes! I''ll work hard on my alchemy!"
Zhao Baige''s eyes burned with determination. She felt that her path in alchemy, which had been bleak and almost abandoned, was now filled with hope because of Lin Jichen!
In her heart, her gratitude towards Lin Jichen was no longer just that of an employee towards a boss; she saw him as her mentor!
"By the way, you work eight hours a day. Will this interfere with your real-life job?"
Zhao Baige shook her head repeatedly and said, "No, don''t worry, boss. My family runs a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, and business has been bad as traditional medicine is declining. I have plenty of time every day."
"That''s good. Just keep practicing. Rest when you''re tired. I have other matters to attend to. Let me know when your sess rate reaches 80%."
"Okay! Take care, boss!"
Zhao Baige grinned, her soot-covered face showing only her white teeth and eyes.
Lin Jichenughed heartily and then turned to leave.
"Why is the bossughing?"
Zhao Baige wondered, then suddenly remembered something and quickly checked her appearance panel, feeling utterly embarrassed.
"Ahhh! Why do I look so ugly?"
***
By the time he left the pharmacy, it was already daylight.
He had spent the entire night in the alchemy room with Zhao Baige, watching her refine elixirs.
But spending this time to dig up a future Alchemy King was totally worth it!
After logging out of the game, he exercised a bit, had breakfast, and then hurried back into the game.
Next, he went to the royal city and bought arge golden shop.
It was also a prime central location for future development.
He only bought one.
He still had a lot of reputation points left, enough to buy a dozen more shops, but he was short on Spirit Stones.
Arge shop required nearly a million Spirit Stones, and he had invested almost all his earnings.
Buying one was already his limit.
The money he earned from selling Corpse Poison Potions was also spent on the Harmony Pharmacy.
But Lin Jichen wasn''t in a hurry. He had four shops raking in money daily, and it wouldn''t be long before he could buy another one.
He nned to open two more branches as well.
The only issue was the supply of goods, but he had exchanged some equipment from the Battle Merit Shop. He had plenty of battle merits, so he didn''t need to worry about supplies for now, nor did he need to farm in Corpse King Valley.
After buying the shop, Lin Jichen prepared to return to his sect.
He had promised Leng Feiyan a date, but it had been dyed for many days.
He wondered if Leng Feiyan would be angry when he returned...
Moreover, he was already in theter stage of Foundation Establishment and was about to face the Crystal Realm''s tribtion.
He had a premonition that this tribtion would be extremely dangerous.
He nned to go on the date with Leng Feiyan, attend the auction in Fengqu City, and then head to Thunder Marsh to find the Thunder Spirit Heart.
He also needed to start collecting materials for the Heavenly Dao Crystal.
The auction should have been held yesterday, but due to a sudden plot twist, Lin Jichen had to postpone it for two days.
This time, the auction''s quality was higher, with several Mysterious Grade items, likely attracting more yers to bid.
The most crucial thing was to face the uing Crystal Realm tribtion. If he failed, all his efforts would be in vain.
If he died, no amount of money or a smooth start would matter.
The side effects of his Heaven-defying Fate talent always kept Lin Jichen on edge.
He nced at his attribute panel, checking it for the first time since his breakthrough.
yer: Lin Jichen
ss: Sword Cultivator
Innate Talent: Heaven-defying Fate
Sect: Tianyan Sword Sect
Reputation:15488
Battle Merits: 7500
Achievement Medal: Killing Intent (Damage to monsters +1%)
Innate Attributes: Full
Spirit Stones: 220,000
Properties: Shenbao Pharmacy, Harmony Pharmacy, Honest Auction House, Kind Equipment Store
Realm: Later stage of Foundation Establishment
Cultivation: 0/20000
Acquired Talents: Tree of Vitality (stalled), Eye of Insight (cooldown 28 days)
Vitality: 17000/17000
Mana: 14000/14000
Strength: 317
Mental Power: 124
Defense: 210
Speed: 272
Critical Hit: 40
Heart Protection: 12
Fire Resistance: 15Wind Resistance: 4Water Resistance: 10
Skill Resistance: 10%
Evasion: 25%Tenacity: +21%
Swordsmanship Aptitude: +95%
Alchemy Aptitude: +50%
Heart Sutra: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Mastery 15%), Bloodthirsty Heart Sutra (Proficient 70%), Dark Cloud Secret Scroll (Beginner 0%)
Movement Technique: Phantom Step (Mastery 15%), Mist Piercing Charge (Mastery 15%)
Martial Arts Technique: Frost Moon sh (Mastery 15%), Phoenix Feather (Mastery 15%), Dizzying Sword Qi (Proficient 70%), Gu Sword Qi (Proficient 70%), Wind Thunder Sword (Proficient 70%)
Spirit Skill: Rebirth Buddha Seal (Proficient 70%), de Storm (Proficient 70%)
Ultimate Technique: Shattered Sky Demon Seal Palm (Unavable)
Equipment: Mysterious Grade Tide Sound Robe, Mysterious Grade Dark Night Sword, Mysterious Grade Spring Thunder Belt, Mysterious Grade Nightmare Cloak
Not bad, his strength had already surpassed 300.
Without further dy, Lin Jichen teleported back to Tianyan Sword Sect!
Master, your disciple has returned~
Chapter 162 – Versus
Chapter 162 C Versus
```
"Master, your disciple has returned."
In the Sword Pce, Lin Jichen stood nervously in the grand hall.
Leng Feiyan, sitting in the Sect Master''s seat, was as stunningly beautiful as ever.
She leaned against the back of her chair, her wless jade hand supporting her delicate chin.
A strand of ck hair hung loosely, adding to her natural elegance.
She resembled a proud snow lotus, or perhaps a pristine water lily.
But at this moment, Leng Feiyan''s face was expressionless as she looked at Lin Jichen.
"You still remember toe back? Why do I feel like your attachment to the mortal world is a hundred times stronger than your dedication to the sect?"
Leng Feiyan spoke coldly, her tone unfriendly.
There was an indescribable quality to her voice, like... the resentment and jealousy of a beautiful woman who had waited alone for too long, towards a husband who stayed out all night.
Lin Jichen hurried to exin; if he didn''t, he wouldn''t have a good day ahead.
"Cough, cough, Master, you''ve misunderstood. Your disciple has no attachment to the mortal world. Besides running a shop to earn money for gifts for you, I''ve been diligently cultivating."
"Is that true?" Leng Feiyan''s expression softened a bit.
"Of course, when I left the sect, I was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Now, I''m already at theter stage."
Leng Feiyan nced at him, nodding in approval. "Your cultivation has indeed progressed rapidly. It seems you have been working hard during this time."
Lin Jichen sighed with some regret. "I''ve always remembered your words to cultivate diligently, so I haven''t dared to ck off for a moment. I intended to follow your orders and go to the Thunder Marsh, but..."
He hesitated.
"But what?" Leng Feiyan asked curiously.
"But I missed you too much, Master, so I couldn''t help bute back," Lin Jichen said sheepishly.
Leng Feiyan was caught off guard, her beautiful cheeks flushing with a hint of red. She said, half-jokingly, "Should I believe such sweet talk?"
"How could you not believe me, Master? I''ve always remembered our date in Everwinter City. I''ve been looking forward to it every day," Lin Jichen said urgently.
Leng Feiyan''s face turned even redder, and she quickly corrected him, "What date? Nonsense! I asked you to take me there to understand the Dao Heart."
Lin Jichen chuckled, "Yes, yes, to understand the Dao Heart, to understand the Dao Heart!"
Leng Feiyan finally looked satisfied, her previous coldness and frustration dissipating.
Lin Jichenughed inwardly. He had discovered that the higher his affection level with Leng Feiyan, the easier it was to appease her.
In the beginning, it was so hard to make her happy, but now, a few words would do the trick.
Although Leng Feiyan was a Feather Transformation Realm expert, likely over a thousand years old, with unparalleled talent and experience in cultivation, she was quite naive when it came to matters of the heart.
"Master, when are we going to Everwinter City?" Lin Jichen began to look forward to their date.
He hoped to use this opportunity to increase his affection level with her.
"No rush. Since you are about to head to the Thunder Marsh, I can''t give you a Soul Talisman for protection, but I can help you improve your strength. Follow me," Leng Feiyan said, rising and flying out of the hall.
Lin Jichen hurried to follow. They stood opposite each other in a sword training field.
Leng Feiyan picked up a dry branch and said to Lin Jichen, "Use your Dark Night Sword and attack me with all your might."
"What? How can I do that? How can a disciple do such a disrespectful thing to his master?" Lin Jichen quickly refused.
Damn, how could he not refuse? Sparring with a Feather Transformation Realm expert? Wasn''t that asking for trouble? If Leng Feiyan identally killed him, he''d have nowhere to cry.
Leng Feiyan couldn''t help butugh. "I just want to test your strength. How is that disrespectful? Go ahead and attack."
"No, no, I respect my master too much to do such a thing!" Lin Jichen shook his head repeatedly.
Leng Feiyan found his words strange but had no choice but to offer a bait.
"How about this: if you can touch even a corner of my clothes, you win, and I''ll reward you with two gifts. Even if you lose, you''ll still get one gift."
[Ding! Opportunity triggered: Leng Feiyan''s personal test! Do you ept?]
Lin Jichen perked up at the mention of gifts.
After all, anything Leng Feiyan offered was extraordinary.
From the Phoenix Feather to the Dark Night Sword, each was Lin Jichen''s strongest asset.
"Alright then, can I use any method?" Lin Jichen asked.
Leng Feiyan nodded, "Of course. No matter what method you use, as long as you touch my clothes, you win. I will only use the power of the Foundation Establishment Realm and no skills. You can use anything you want."
Damn! She was underestimating him!
Lin Jichen''spetitive spirit was ignited.
"Alright! Then I won''t hold back. Master, if you lose, you can''t go back on your word or get angry."
Leng Feiyan smiled, "Do you think I''m that petty? Besides, your chances of winning are zero."
Damn! Such a confident and domineering master! Love it!
Lin Jichen got serious.
He summoned the Dark Night Sword, standing opposite Leng Feiyan, his aura blending seamlessly with the environment and resonating with his sword.
Leng Feiyan''s eyes showed more approval and surprise.
She hadn''t expected Lin Jichen''s progress to be so rapid. She could see at a nce that his swordsmanship had improved significantly, just like his cultivation.
After a moment of contemtion, Lin Jichen stepped forward and suddenly moved!
His entire figure shot forward like a bolt of lightning, closing in on Leng Feiyan in an instant, his sword gleaming!
A sh!
Leng Feiyan''s approval deepened, but her figure vanished like a fleeting shadow under Lin Jichen''s sword.
Without thinking, Lin Jichen immediately used Phantom Step.
Just as he left his original spot, a branch struck where he had been standing.
Lin Jichen felt lucky. If he hadn''t moved in time, he would''ve been hit.
Just as he rxed slightly, something poked his back.
He flew out, crashing to the ground in an embarrassing heap.
"-2155!"
Lin Jichen looked up to see Leng Feiyan holding the branch, smiling at him. "Disciple, you let your guard down too soon."
Blushing, Lin Jichen got up and said defiantly, "Again!"
"Come at me," Leng Feiyan taunted.
Thispletely ignited Lin Jichen''spetitive spirit.
He no longer held back,unching a frenzied assault on Leng Feiyan, using all his sword techniques and skills.
But to his despair, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t touch Leng Feiyan.
All his attacks were effortlessly dodged or deflected by her with the branch.
Even though Leng Feiyan was using only 1% of her strength, just a touch from her would cost Lin Jichen thousands of health points.
Lin Jichen ended up battered and bruised, covered in injuries.
Chapter 163 – Want to die at the hands of the master?
Chapter 163 C Want to die at the hands of the master?
"Sit down and recover for a bit. I''ll give you another chance," Leng Feiyan said, seemingly intent on helping Lin Jichen unlock his potential.
Lin Jichen sensed her intention and immediately sat down to take some medicine and regte his breathing.
After a while, Lin Jichen''s condition improved, and his fighting spirit reignited. Heunched another fierce attack on Leng Feiyan.
However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t even graze Leng Feiyan, let alone touch her clothes. Yet, sparring with her significantly improved his swordsmanship.
"Swordsmanship aptitude +10%!"
After a while, Lin Jichen heard a notification.
"Martial Arts Technique: Frost Moon sh has reached the pinnacle level!"
[Frost Moon sh (Pinnacle)]: Concentrates mana to unleash a crescent-shaped Sword Qi within a 30-meter range, dealing 800 points of skill damage plus additional attack damage. The Sword Qi is as cold as frost.
Slow: 100% chance to slow the target for 10 seconds upon hit.
Freeze: 10% chance to freeze the target for 3 seconds upon hit. The freeze effect is broken if the target takes additional damage.
Mana Cost: 500 points, Cooldown: 25 seconds.
...
Damn! Lin Jichen didn''t expect Frost Moon sh to improve so much after reaching the pinnacle level. Previously, its skill damage was only 300 points.
Moreover, the slow sess rate was 20%, but now it''s 100%. This means that as long as it hits, the target will definitely be slowed for ten seconds.
What surprised Lin Jichen the most was the new special attribute of Frost Moon sh.
It couldpletely freeze the target for 3 seconds. Although not as useful as a stun, it would break upon taking damage.
But three seconds was enough for Lin Jichen to charge up a Dizzying Sword Qi!
Thebo was clear as day.
Start with Frost Moon sh. Once the target is frozen, he could safely charge up Dizzying Sword Qi.
When the target gets stunned, he could unleash his full power!
Lin Jichen finally understood why Leng Feiyan was sparring with him.
She wanted him toprehend swordsmanship and gainbat experience.
To be honest, although he was constantly being beaten, Lin Jichen felt his swordsmanship was indeed bing more proficient.
After more than an hour, Lin Jichen was drenched in sweat, having taken several breaks.
Finally, another skill reached the pinnacle level!
[Dizzying Sword Qi (Pinnacle)]: Charges for 3 seconds to unleash a Sword Qi, dealing 900 points of base damage to enemies within a 60-meter range.
Stun: 100% chance to stun the target for 3 seconds upon hit.
Silence: 5% chance to silence the target for 4 seconds upon hit. During silence, the target cannot use skills.
Mana Cost: 600 points, Cooldown: 80 seconds.
...
Not bad, another additional effect.
But the probability is a bit low, only 5%, so it''s hard to trigger.
No matter how hard Lin Jichen tried afterward, his swordsmanship aptitude and skill proficiency didn''t increase anymore.
Reaching the pinnacle level is extremely rare, requiring luck,prehension, and aptitudeall indispensable.
Beginner, Proficient, Skilled, Master, Pinnacle.
Most people, even after ying this game for five years, wouldn''t have a single skill reach the pinnacle level.
Pinnacle means you''ve mastered the skill to perfection, reaching the peak.
This requires not just effort, but also talent and understanding.
Lin Jichen reaching the pinnacle level with two skills was already the result of his great luck and fullprehension.
Moreover, his swordsmanship aptitude was now at 100%.
This means that if he learns a new skill, he only needs to seed once to advance its proficiency to the next level.
While others might need dozens or even hundreds of attempts, he only needs one.
After another spar with Leng Feiyan, with no further improvement possible, Lin Jichen knew today was a bust.
But he was unwilling to give up. After all, losing meant getting only one gift, while winning meant getting two.
Of course, Lin Jichen wanted to win.
But sparring wouldn''t allow him to touch Leng Feiyan, so he had to resort to some trickery...
With this in mind, Lin Jichenunched another full-force attack, only to be knocked away by Leng Feiyan with a branch.
This time, Lin Jichen fell heavily to the ground and didn''t get up, lying motionless.
Seeing this, Leng Feiyan panicked, thinking she had hit him too hard.
She hurriedly went to help him up, just as she was about to check his injuries, a hand suddenly reached out and pressed against the soft area of her chest!
"Haha, Master, you lost, I win... Damn!"
Lin Jichen opened his eyes, ready to boast to Leng Feiyan, only to find his hand on... his master''s chest!
No wonder it felt so good.
The reckless Lin Jichen couldn''t help but squeeze, savoring the sensation.
Before he could relish it further.
Bang!
He was sent flying.
"You... you ungrateful disciple!"
Leng Feiyan''s face was flushed with anger and embarrassment, her phoenix eyes ring at Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen quickly got up, his face contorted in pain, "Master, I didn''t mean to... I just wanted to use this trick to win, I didn''t expect to touch... that part of you..."
Leng Feiyan''s face turned even redder, the strange feeling in her chest not yet dissipated. Furious, she picked up the branch and started hitting Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen didn''t dare resist, only running and begging for mercy, "Master, I''m sorry, I really didn''t mean to touch your chest."
"Ungrateful disciple, how dare you speak! See if I don''t teach you a lesson!"
Leng Feiyan, both embarrassed and angry, gave Lin Jichen a good beating with the branch.
Each hit made Lin Jichen''s health bar drop significantly.
Lin Jichen felt bitter; his clever trick had backfired.
Leng Feiyan''s affection level for him was only 50 points, far from the level where he could be so forward.
So, this beating was inevitable.
If it were Nangong Yue, it would be fine, as her affection level for him was already 70 points.
Lin Jichen''s pleas didn''t calm Leng Feiyan. The branch kept hitting him, and his health bar was almost empty.
Lin Jichen almost cried. This was it, he was done for!
He hadn''t died at the hands of demonic beasts or cultivators, but at his master''s hands.
What a fate...
Just as Lin Jichen was about to give up hope, Leng Feiyan stopped.
"Say, will you dare to be disrespectful to your master again?"
Leng Feiyan asked angrily, holding the branch menacingly.
"No, I won''t dare anymore. I''m sorry, Master, please calm down."
Lin Jichen immediately understood that Leng Feiyan didn''t intend to kill him and quickly apologized.
Leng Feiyan''s anger subsided. Seeing Lin Jichen''s bruised and swollen face, she couldn''t help but feel a bit sorry for him.
But she still had to maintain her stance and attitude.
"Hmph, this is the consequence of being disrespectful to your master. If you dare to do it again, I won''t go easy on you. Today''s sparring ends here. Come to my bedchamber when you''re healed."
With that, Leng Feiyan threw a bottle of healing pills at him and ran off with a red face.
Lin Jichen was left looking at his health bar, which was at [1/], feeling utterly helpless.
It proved that with a low affection level, one really had to be careful (facepalm).
Chapter 164 – Wash in the master’s bedchamber
Chapter 164 C Wash in the masters bedchamber
Although he was nearly beaten to death by Leng Feiyan, Lin Jichen didn''t receive any notification that her affection level towards him had dropped. It was still at 50 points.
This indicated that Leng Feiyan wasn''t truly angry.
Indeed, if he had really angered her, would he still be alive with just a drop of blood left?
It was good that she wasn''t truly angry.
Besides, he had touched Leng Feiyan''s chest... Recalling that sensation, it was unforgettable for a lifetime.
He could only say that his master''s punishment was both firm and soft!
After Lin Jichen had fully recovered, he obediently stood in front of Leng Feiyan''s bedchamber.
This time, he had to behave well and show a proper attitude of repentance.
"Master, your disciple is here."
"Come in," Leng Feiyan''s ethereal voice called out.
Lin Jichen walked in nervously.
Having been here once before, he walked skillfully into Leng Feiyan''s sleeping quarters.
However, he didn''t see Leng Feiyan in the main hall.
Nor was she on the phoenix bed.
Just as Lin Jichen was feeling puzzled, Leng Feiyan emerged from the back hall, her hair slightly damp, dressed in a ck dress that he had never seen before.
The ck dress fluttered, a white jade belt cinched her slender waist, entuating her perfect figure.
Below were a pair of long, well-proportioned jade legs, and above, towering peaks.
The ck dress made her skin appear as white as snow, and a delicate bracelet adorned her fair wrist, looking both casual and naturally elegant, like a Heavenly Immortal descending to the mortal world.
Her three thousand strands of ck hair were coiled into a bun, held in ce by a simple white jade hairpin. A few strands of hair floated in front, looking both casual and enchanting.
Leng Feiyan''s face seemed to have a touch of makeup, making her appear even more delicate and beautiful.
Dreaming of seeing her cloud-like hair from afar, now adorned with flowers, descending to the mortal world.
Lin Jichen thought, even a fairy couldn''t be more beautiful than this!
"Master, you..." Lin Jichen swallowed hard.
Leng Feiyan looked even more beautiful than usual.
Leng Feiyan seemed a bit bashful, her eyes wandering, but she pretended to be calm.
"Didn''t you say you were going to take me to Everwinter City to gain enlightenment on the Dao Heart? I took a bath and changed into some casual clothes. What, don''t I look good?"
As she asked this, Leng Feiyan anxiously watched Lin Jichen''s expression, fearing he would say she didn''t look good.
This was an outfit she had painstakingly chosen over the past few days, putting a lot of thought into it.
Lin Jichen swallowed again, trying to steady his breathing, and praised her:
"Master, saying you look good would be an understatement. You are a feast for the eyes, a peerless beauty! A fleeting glimpse in a crowd, where others see their lover as , but even your enemies would see you as Xi Shi!"
Leng Feiyan couldn''t hide her smile upon hearing this, and any previous resentment towards Lin Jichen''s ''impropriety'' was long forgotten.
"Hmph, you just know how to sweet-talk me," Leng Feiyan huffed proudly.
"How could that be? Your disciple always speaks the truth."
"Alright, let''s set off then. It''s gettingte."
Leng Feiyan was already filled with anticipation for this outing... no, this training in the mortal world, and she was even a bit impatient.
Lin Jichen looked at Leng Feiyan, dressed so exquisitely, then looked down at himself, disheveled and in tattered clothes.
This was all due to his earlier sparring with Leng Feiyan.
In this state, how could he have the nerve to go out with her?
"Master, look at me. I also want to take a bath and change my clothes, is that okay?"
"Does your living quarters have a ce to bathe?"
"Uh, I don''t think so," Lin Jichen thought for a moment and realized he had never considered this.
Bathing was another realistic setting in the game.
Everyone had a cleanliness value; the lower it was, the more NPCs would avoid you, thinking you smelled.
So, bathing was necessary. Usually, soaking in ake would suffice, or staying at an inn in the city where you could also bathe.
In his current state, Lin Jichen indeed needed a bath.
Moreover, Lin Jichen had a bit of a cleanliness obsession.
Seeing this, Leng Feiyan kindly said, "Why don''t you bathe in my bedchamber? There''s a bath barrel in the back, filled with Tianshan Spirit Water. It''s good for your body. Go and wash up."
Lin Jichen immediately agreed and rushed to the back hall.
He had never seen what was behind his master''s bedchamber.
Upon entering, he found it to be ancient and elegant, with exquisite furnishings.
There was also a small bath barrel, just big enough for one person to lie in, simr to a modern bathtub.
The material of the bath barrel was extraordinary. Based on Lin Jichen''s experience, it was made of Millennium Green Spirit Wood.
Millennium Green Spirit Wood was the finest of woods.
Equivalent to modern golden-threaded nanmu.
Extremely valuable, it could be used to craft Heavenly Grade wooden equipment.
Unexpectedly, Leng Feiyan used it for bathing. How extravagant.
The bath barrel was filled with water, which was milky white and emitted an astonishing fragrance.
It was indeed Tianshan Spirit Water!
This was a precious item, capable of nurturing spiritual energy and healing old ailments.
Many hidden injuries could be cured with just a cup of Spirit Water.
A cup of Spirit Water could sell for thousands of Spirit Stones in the future.
Such arge barrel, and Leng Feiyan used it for bathing.
Lin Jichen didn''t know what to say.
A master is truly a master.
He touched the water temperature; it was still warm.
Lin Jichen thought Leng Feiyan had prepared it for him in advance, so he immediately took off his clothes and jumped in.
As soon as he got in, Leng Feiyan rushed in, anxiously saying, "Disciple, get out quickly. This is the water I just bathed in... I haven''t changed it yet..."
Leng Feiyan had just remembered.
But upon entering, she found Lin Jichen already in the water...
Lin Jichen felt a bit awkward, but quicklyposed himself, saying, "It''s okay, Master. I don''t mind."
Leng Feiyan red at him, embarrassed and annoyed. She hadn''t even mentioned being bothered, and here he was saying he didn''t mind!
"Get out, and I''ll change the water for you," Leng Feiyan said.
Unexpectedly, Lin Jichen refused.
"No need, Master. This is fine. The water temperature is just right, and it smells good, with flower petals. I''ll just wash like this."
He simply wanted to save some Tianshan Spirit Water for Leng Feiyan, as it was a raremodity.
But the more Leng Feiyan listened, the more embarrassed she felt.
A disciple bathing in his master''s bathwater, this...
Seeing Lin Jichen lyingfortably in the water, she couldn''t bring herself to order him out.
Besides, if he came out, wouldn''t she see things she shouldn''t?
Leng Feiyan blushed and told Lin Jichen to wash quickly, then turned and left.
She already regretted letting Lin Jichen bathe in her bedchamber. Her private bath barrel was now upied by Lin Jichen, and he was using her bathwater.
Leng Feiyan felt utterly embarrassed.
She ran out, feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles.
Lin Jichen, on the other hand,yfortably in the bath barrel, savoring the experience of bathing in Tianshan Spirit Water.
He had never experienced this in his previous life, and he couldn''t miss such a good opportunity.
While Lin Jichen was soaking in the bath, his attention was suddenly drawn to some scattered clothes on a rack beside the bath barrel...
Chapter 165 – Exotic Beast Azure Phoenix
Chapter 165 C Exotic Beast Azure Phoenix
Seeing the clothes beside the bathtub, Lin Jichen, driven by curiosity, picked them up.
Upon closer inspection, he realized they were the clothes Leng Feiyan had worn during their sparring session earlier.
He intended to put them back, but then he noticed something insidea purple... undergarment!
Almost as if possessed, Lin Jichen pulled out the purple undergarment, and a faint fragrance wafted into his nose.
Gulp.
Lin Jichen stared at the purple undergarment, his hand trembling as he touched it.
The fabric was silky, still carrying a bit of warmth.
Where does an undergarment cover? Wasn''t it exactly the spot he had identally touched before...
Lin Jichen began to imagine how Leng Feiyan would look wearing this undergarment. Just the thought made his nose feel like it was about to bleed!
"Ah!!! You lecherous disciple!"
At that moment, Leng Feiyan, who had remembered she left her clothes by the bathtub, returned.
She arrived just in time to see Lin Jichen holding and touching her undergarment in a perverted manner.
Leng Feiyan was utterly mortified, her face turning as red as the evening sky.
She snatched the clothes from Lin Jichen''s hand like lightning, ring at him fiercely before giving him a hard knock on the head.
"Ouch!"
Lin Jichen cried out in pain, falling into the water and swallowing a mouthful of Tianshan Spirit Water...
Leng Feiyan couldn''t bear to look. Wasn''t he drinking her bathwater?
Ah!
Leng Feiyan felt like she was going crazy and quickly fled.
As Lin Jichen emerged from the water, he heard a dreadful notification.
[Ding! Due to your lecherous behavior, Leng Feiyan now thinks you''re a pervert. Affection Level -10! Current Affection Level: 40 points]
Lin Jichen: "...."
Snowkes drifted, and the north wind howled...
Lin Jichen''s heart felt as cold as ice, filled with regret.
He pped himself. Why did he have to be so impulsive!
The Affection Level he had painstakingly raised had dropped by ten points in an instant.
Lin Jichen wanted to cry but had no tears. Previously, he could im that touching her chest was idental, and Leng Feiyan could barely believe it.
This time, no matter how much he exined, Leng Feiyan wouldn''t believe him.
Sigh, he could only me his thirty-something years of being a virgin. Seeing such a thing, he couldn''t control himself.
Lin Jichen dared not act recklessly again. He quickly finished his bath, changed his clothes, and walked out anxiously.
Leng Feiyan was sitting outside. Seeing hime out, her anger red up again.
Lin Jichen quickly said, "Master, if I told you I did it out of curiosity, would you believe me..."
"Hmph! Do you think I would believe that?" Leng Feiyan sneered, her face still flushed.
Lin Jichen''s head drooped, and he said weakly, "I don''t think Master would believe it."
Leng Feiyan bit her red lip, both ashamed and angry, "I never thought you were this kind of person. You... you... have truly disappointed me!"
Lin Jichen said miserably, "I''ve never seen such a thing before, so I picked it up to take a look..."
"This matter ends here. If it happens again, I won''t forgive you. Understand?" Leng Feiyan warned.
Lin Jichen breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had 50 points of Affection Level before. Otherwise, seeing such a lewd scene, Leng Feiyan would have deducted more than 10 points.
"I will remember today''s lesson and never dare to do it again!" Lin Jichen promised repeatedly.
Next time? Next time, when the Affection Level is higher, he can take a closer look!
"Good, as long as you know your mistake." Leng Feiyan''s expression softened, finally letting the matter rest.
"Then... shall we depart, Master?" Lin Jichen asked cautiously.
He was a bit unsure if his master would still go on a date with him after this incident.
Fortunately, he was overthinking.
"Yes, it''s gettingte. Let''s go early and return early."
With that, Leng Feiyan waved her sleeve, and both she and Lin Jichen disappeared from the Tianyan Sword Sect.
They didn''t use the teleportation array because Everwinter City was a small town in the northern desert without one.
Many special small towns alsocked teleportation arrays, requiring yers to find their way there.
High in the sky, Leng Feiyan waved her jade-like hand.
A massive bird beast suddenly appeared, startling Lin Jichen.
The bird beast was enormous yet elegantly shaped, with magnificent blue feathers.
Its tail had several long feathers trailing behind, burning with azure mes.
These mes seemed innate.
The bird spread its wings and let out a loud cry, exuding the aura of a king among birds.
Lin Jichen took a closer look and was shocked to confirm that this bird was an exotic beast, a Azure Phoenix!
This was a creature extremely close to a divine beast.
Among birds, it was on the same level as the Rosefinch, me Crow, Gu Huo , and the Three-legged Golden Crow.
Only slightly inferior to the divine beast Phoenix.
Seeing this Azure Phoenix, Lin Jichen was dumbfounded.
This Azure Phoenix had the strength of the Enlightenment Realm!
And it seemed to be Leng Feiyan''s mount.
As soon as it appeared, it obediently crouched at Leng Feiyan''s feet. Leng Feiyan petted its feathers affectionately.
The Azure Phoenix looked as if it had eaten a celestial fruit, overjoyed.
Leng Feiyan mounted the Azure Phoenix and then moved Lin Jichen over.
The Azure Phoenix seemed to dislike this stranger, but with Leng Feiyan present, it had no choice but to carry him.
"Azure Phoenix, fly north," Leng Feiyanmanded.
The Azure Phoenix obeyed, letting out a cry and spreading its wings, flying north.
Its speed was astonishing, like a bolt of lightning, traversing the clouds. Within a few breaths, they had left the Tianyan Sword Sect hundreds of miles behind.
Despite the speed, Lin Jichen felt no difort, nor was he blown away by the wind.
A semi-transparent barrier surrounded the Azure Phoenix, shielding them from all the wind.
Sitting on it felt like riding a high-speed train, with no sense of shaking, and the speed was a hundred times faster.
"Master, is this your pet?" Lin Jichen couldn''t help but ask.
"Yes," Leng Feiyan nodded, "Three hundred years ago, I saved this Azure Phoenix in the Crimson Abyss. It was originally a pair, but the male was killed by an exotic beast, a Ba Snake, in its early metamorphosis. I avenged it by ying the Ba Snake, and the female Azure Phoenix pledged its loyalty to me. I named it Qingzhi."
Lin Jichen''s heart raced.
An exotic beast in its early metamorphosis was casually in by Leng Feiyan three hundred years ago...
He wondered if there was anyone in the Tale of Immortal who could defeat her if she fought with all her might.
Suddenly, Lin Jichen thought of something and asked, "Master, can you defeat the Illuminating Dragon?"
Leng Feiyan shook her head, "The Illuminating Dragon is the most terrifying exotic beast in the Tale of Immortal, with strength in the Immortalization Realm. Only if all the top experts in the Tale of Immortal gathered could they possibly deal with it. Or, if I reach the Immortalization Realm, I could fight it."
Lin Jichen was speechless. The Illuminating Dragon was indeed the top boss in the Tale of Immortal. Avenging himself would be a long and arduous journey.
They didn''t chat for long before the Azure Phoenix flew over an ice-covered city.
Below was a small town almost buried in snow.
Lin Jichen recognized it as Everwinter City.
Chapter 166 – From now on, I’ll be your family
Chapter 166 C From now on, Ill be your family
Everwinter City experiences the same snowyndscape year-round. Here, its always winter, with perpetual snowfall.
The entire city seems to be asleep under the nket of ice and snow.
Everyone wears winter coats. Though its a small city, its quite bustling.
North of Everwinter City lies the Eternal Icefield, a gathering ce for ice-type beasts. Many cultivatorse here to hunt these beasts.
Thus, Everwinter City has be the only supply station.
Lin Jichen and Leng Feiyan quietly appeared in Everwinter City.
[Frostbite! -5! -5! -5!]
As soon as Lin Jichen arrived, he heard this prompt, and his health bar kept dropping.
He suddenly remembered that he was dressed too lightly and couldnt withstand the severe cold here.
After all, he was only in the Foundation Establishment Realm, and the temperature here was below -40 degrees.
"Master, wait a moment. I need to buy a coat." Lin Jichen said with a wry smile.
Leng Feiyan chuckled softly, raised her slender jade finger, and a stream of spiritual energy flowed into Lin Jichens body.
Lin Jichen immediately felt as if a small heater had been ced beside him.
The frostbite status was instantly removed.
"Hehe, thank you, Master." Lin Jichen said without hesitation.
"Though you have reached theter stage of Foundation Establishment, your physical constitution is still weak. When we return, I will find you a body-refining secret manual." Leng Feiyan said slowly.
"Thats too much trouble for you, Master!" Lin Jichen said politely, but his heart was filled with joy.
Lin Jichen couldnt help but ask curiously, "Master, with your current physical constitution, you shouldnt fear any extreme cold or heat in the four provinces, right?"
"Of course, even if I fell into magma, it wouldnt matter." Leng Feiyan replied proudly.
Lin Jichen was filled with envy. This was the basic capability of a true cultivator.
Not only were they immune to cold and heat, but their bodies were also wless, and they could enjoy lifespans of thousands or even tens of thousands of years.
Lin Jichen suddenly had a bold question.
Its said that the higher the cultivation, the stronger the physical constitution. For top-tier experts like Leng Feiyan, ordinary flying swords and magic treasures couldnt harm them at all.
So... does that mean that during intimate moments, theyre also in this state?
Wouldnt that be like... tempered ss...
Lin Jichen really wanted to ask this question, but considering his own life, he decided against it.
He definitely didnt want to be strangled by his master.
"Master, lets go. Ill show you around Everwinter City!" Lin Jichen eagerly took on the role of guide for Leng Feiyan.
Leng Feiyan asked curiously, "You seem very familiar with this ce?"
"Yes, Ive been here before. To be honest, Master, Ive been to many ces in the four provinces. Although I was just an ordinary person back then, I loved to wander around." Lin Jichen replied.
Leng Feiyan nodded, her eyes showing a hint of envy for Lin Jichens free past.
As the two walked through the small city, Lin Jichen noticed that people didnt seem surprised by Leng Feiyans stunning beauty.
Leng Feiyan seemed to notice his confusion and smiled, "I used some concealment techniques. Unless someone is at the same realm as me, they wont see me."
Lin Jichen suddenly understood. He originally thought that the people of Everwinter City must all be eunuchs, not reacting to Leng Feiyans beauty.
As the two strolled through the snowy city, Lin Jichen suddenly received a message from a friend. It was from Chu Hongling.
"Benefactor Lin, I received news that Master Zhiqing from the Buddhist Sect and Master Qinghui from my Cihang Jingan are leading a group of disciples to capture you. Be very careful!"
Lin Jichen was initially startled by the message, but a nce at Leng Feiyan beside him made his tension disappear.
"Alright, thanks for the warning." Lin Jichen replied, actually looking forward to their arrival.
Lin Jichen bought some items from a general store and then led Leng Feiyan away from the market.
They arrived at a frozenke.
Theke surface waspletely frozen, allowing people to walk freely on it.
In the middle of theke was a pavilion. Lin Jichen set up a stove, wine, and dishes, then used his sword to carve out two holes in the ice.
"Master, lets give it a try."
Lin Jichen handed a fishing rod to Leng Feiyan.
Leng Feiyan took it with a wry smile and said, "I dont know how to fish."
"No worries, just treat it as a game. We can eat and wait for the fish to bite." Lin Jichen said.
The master and disciple enjoyed their time in the icyndscape, brewing wine, making tea, and savoring snacks and fruits while leisurely fishing.
Leng Feiyan quickly rxed, munching on snacks while keeping an eye on the fishing rod.
When the rod moved, Lin Jichen quickly reminded her to reel it in.
Leng Feiyan lifted the rod, bringing up a fresh,rge carp.
"Master, youre amazing! You caught such a big one without even learning how to fish!" Lin Jichen praised.
Leng Feiyan smiled happily and said, "Fishing is quite simple, but its fun. No wonder Elder Tianyuan and Elder Tianqing love it so much. Elder Tianyuan is even the top fishing expert in the Sword Sect."
"Huh? Hes the top fishing expert?" Lin Jichen said disdainfully.
"Yes, those old men used to hold variouspetitions for fun, including fishing. Elder Tianyuan was one of the best, not just in fishing but also in chess. Hes very talented." Leng Feiyan said.
Lin Jichen might have believed it before, but after hearing Senior Sister Nangong Yues revtions, he knew that Tianyuan was just a cheat!
"Master, youve all been deceived by him." Lin Jichen said.
"Deceived? Are you talking about Elder Tianyuan?" Leng Feiyan was puzzled.
"Yes, to be honest, he wins fishingpetitions by using a Three-Eyed Greedy Roon to eat his opponents catches. He wins chess tournaments by having a chess master from Fengqu City guide him." Lin Jichen revealed the truth.
"Really?" Leng Feiyan was very surprised, then burst intoughter. "Is what youre saying true?"
"Of course, I guarantee it! Senior Sister Nangong told me herself." Lin Jichen said.
Leng Feiyanughed even more happily.
"I never thought Elder Tianyuan was like that. He even beat my father many times."
"Master, who is your father?" Lin Jichen asked curiously.
He wanted to make sure to build a good rtionship in the future and not identally offend someone important.
"My father was the previous Sect Master, but he and my mother passed away a hundred years ago."
Leng Feiyans tone turned sad, and her smile gradually faded into sorrow.
Lin Jichen realized he had said the wrong thing and quicklyforted her, "So, Master and I both have no family left. I lost my parents when I was very young."
Leng Feiyans eyes trembled as she looked at Lin Jichen, her gaze filled with pity.
"It seems Im much luckier than you."
After saying this, Leng Feiyan suddenly raised her hand and gently stroked Lin Jichens forehead, saying, "From now on, Ill be your family."
[Ding! Leng Feiyans affection level for you +5! Current affection level: 45 points (Kindred Spirits)]
Lin Jichen stood still, feeling his eyes well up with tears.
This was the first time, apart from Gu Qiuxue, that someone had said such words to him.
Chapter 167 – The hustle and bustle of the mortal world
Chapter 167 C The hustle and bustle of the mortal world
Outside the pavilion, snowkes danced in the air, nketing the world in white.
Surrounded by towering mountains, all dressed in silver, with frost clinging to branches, it was a crystalline wondend.
Inside the pavilion, Lin Jichen and Leng Feiyan sat across from each other, brewing tea and wine, grilling fish over the fire, and admiring the breathtaking snowyndscape.
It felt as if the entire world had shrunk down to just the two of them.
They chatted and fished, asionally catching a fish that would bring a bright smile to Leng Feiyan''s face, her beauty as radiant as a thawingke in spring.
Lin Jichen found himself captivated by her.
As dusk approached, they finally left the frozenke.
"There''s no way we can eat all these fish. How about we release them?" Leng Feiyan suggested, looking at the bucket full of fish.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly. He had originally nned to bring the fish back for Panda Xiong as a treat.
But since his master had spoken, it wouldn''t hurt for Panda Xiong to miss a meal.
Lin Jichen promptly released the fish back into theke.
They returned to Everwinter City, which was bustling with activity in the early evening.
Street vendors lined the streets, their shouts mingling with the aroma of food, making mouths water and stomachs growl.
"Come on, Master. Let me show you what the hustle and bustle of the mortal world is like," Lin Jichen said with a smile, leading the way, with Leng Feiyan following, clearly intrigued.
It had been many years since she had visited such a ce.
It reminded her of her childhood, when her father had taken her to bustling markets a few times.
Back then, Leng Feiyan had been just a little girl. Now, her father was gone, and it was another man who brought her to the mortal world.
Leng Feiyan nced at Lin Jichen, a smile ying on her lips.
Their footsteps crunched in the snow, echoing the shouts of vendors beneath the rednterns.
Amidst the rising steam, Leng Feiyan felt an unparalleled sense of peace.
She murmured to herself, "My disciple is right. It''s been too long since I''ve been to the mortal world. The path to immortality requires a clear mind, but one shouldn''t be isted from the world. The human experience is what soothes the heart. How can one achieve enlightenment if their Dao Heart is unsettled?"
"Master, this is red bean cake. Try it," Lin Jichen said, handing her a small bag of delicate pastries.
Leng Feiyan took a bite and nodded approvingly. "It''s been a long time since I''ve had mortal food, but it still tastes just like I remember."
"Hehe, Master, you should eat to your heart''s content today. It''s a rare opportunity," Lin Jichenughed.
"Then I won''t hold back," Leng Feiyan said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Don''t hold back! Eat whatever you want, Master. I''ll pay for everything!" Lin Jichen dered, patting his chest.
Leng Feiyan smiled and continued to explore the market.
"I want to try this," she said, pointing to a stall selling pine nut cookies.
Lin Jichen paid without hesitation. Leng Feiyan ate two pieces and handed the rest to Lin Jichen.
"I can''t eat so much. You finish these for me," she said.
Lin Jichen was momentarily stunned but quickly agreed, finishing the cookies in a few bites.
But...
"Disciple, I want to try these silver-threaded meatballs."
"Buy!"
"I can''t finish them. Here, you take the rest."
...
"Disciple, I want to try these snow hawthorn berries."
"Buy!"
"I can''t finish them. Here, you take the rest."
...
"Disciple, I want to try these plum blossom cakes."
"Buy?"
"I can''t finish them. Here, you take the rest."
...
"Disciple, I want to try these icefield rabbit buns."
"Buy..."
"I can''t finish them. Here, you take the rest."
...
And so, they wandered and ate their way through the market.
Lin Jichen''s stomach visibly expanded with each bite.
He had eaten over thirty pieces of cake, seven or eight boxes of meatballs, and countless other foods.
By the end, Lin Jichen felt like his stomach was about to burst.
"Disciple, there''s some water chestnut cake here. I want to try it," Leng Feiyan said, stopping at another stall, looking expectantly at Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen forced a smile, "Master, how about we... stop eating?"
Leng Feiyan pouted, looking pitiful, "But I really want to try it... Water chestnut cake was my favorite as a child."
With that, Lin Jichen had no choice but to pay.
As expected, after a couple of bites, the rest of the water chestnut cake ended up in Lin Jichen''s hands.
"I can''t finish it. Here, you take it," Leng Feiyan said.
Lin Jichen was on the verge of tears, "Master... can we just throw this one away? It''s just too much."
"That would be such a waste. Besides, water chestnut cake is my favorite. Can you really bear to throw it away?" Leng Feiyan asked, her eyes intense.
"Can I take it home and eat it tomorrow? I really can''t eat anymore. Look at my stomach," Lin Jichen said, showing his bloated belly.
Leng Feiyan chuckled, teasing, "I didn''t ask you to eat everything right away. You could save the rest for tomorrow. But this water chestnut cake is my rmendation. Can you really not eat it?"
Lin Jichen sighed, "Fine, I''ll eat it."
Just as he was about to take a bite, Leng Feiyanughed, "I''m just teasing you. Save it forter when you''re hungry."
Lin Jichen felt a wave of relief and quickly stored the cake in his ring. He didn''t want to see another pastry for at least six months.
Seeing Leng Feiyan about to continue exploring, Lin Jichen quickly suggested, "Master, we''ve been walking for a while. How about we do something else?"
Leng Feiyan thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright, I''m a bit tired of walking."
Lin Jichen sighed in relief and led her out of the market, fearing he might be the first yer in Tale of Immortal to eat himself to death.
"Disciple, wait," Leng Feiyan suddenly stopped at another stall.
Lin Jichen''s face fell, but when he turned, he saw it was a sugar figurine stall.
Seeing it was just sugar figurines, Lin Jichen rxed. Sugar figurines wouldn''t fill him up like pastries, buns, or meatballs.
"Master, do you want one? I''ll buy it for you," he offered.
Leng Feiyan pointed to a fairy-shaped sugar figurine, "I''ll take that one."
Lin Jichen bought it immediately. The vendor''s craftsmanship was impressive, molding the sugar into a lifelike fairy.
"Master, this sugar figurine looks just like you, a fairy," Lin Jichen said, handing it to her with apliment.
Leng Feiyan smiled, "tterer. I''m no fairy."
"Of course you are, Master. You''re even more beautiful than a fairy!"
"Alright, alright, let''s go," Leng Feiyan said, satisfied, as she left the market with her sugar figurine.
Chapter 168 – A Sweet Date with Leng Feiyan
Chapter 168 C A Sweet Date with Leng Feiyan
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection level towards you +5! Current affection level: 50 points (Heartfelt Connection)]
As Lin Jichen walked out of the bustling city, he received another notification that Leng Feiyan''s affection level towards him had increased.
This finally gave him some reward for the pain of stuffing himself with so many pastries and snacks.
It wasn''t in vain; he managed to raise her affection level again.
The two of them arrived at the edge of the city, where most of Everwinter City''s residents lived.
At this moment, people were releasing skynterns.
Arge number of skynterns floated up into the sky with the help of hot air, one after another, adorning the night sky like stars.
The night was cool as water, the moon setting, and the sky filled withnterns!
Leng Feiyan slightly raised her head, her eyes leisurely gazing at thenterns in the night sky, a unique brilliance flowing in her eyes.
"Master, should we release one too?" Lin Jichen asked.
"Do we need to? I can turn night into day with a wave of my hand," Leng Feiyan replied.
Lin Jichen chuckled, "It''s different, Master. Releasing a skyntern isn''t for illumination; it''s symbolic. It signifies that your wishes wille true. Legend has it that if you write your wish on thentern, it will be granted."
"Really? Then let''s release one, no, two. You release one, and I''ll release one," Leng Feiyan said with interest.
Lin Jichen smiled and agreed. He found a vendor selling skynterns and bought two, along with two pens.
Leng Feiyan took one and mysteriously started writing on it.
"Master, what are you writing?" Lin Jichen asked curiously.
Leng Feiyan immediately covered it with her hand and scolded, "No peeking, it''s a secret."
Lin Jichen pouted and had to write his own wish.
After he finished, Leng Feiyan came over and asked, "Disciple, what did you write?"
"Master, it''s my secret, you can''t see," Lin Jichen mimicked her, refusing.
But Leng Feiyan acted shamelessly, "You''re my disciple, how can you keep secrets from your master? I must see it."
Without giving Lin Jichen a chance to refuse, she took hisntern and openly read it.
"Want to get rich? That''s your wish?" Leng Feiyan said with a half-smile.
Lin Jichen awkwardly exined, "I couldn''t think of anything else, so I just wrote that."
"Disciple, your wish is too mundane," Leng Feiyan teased.
"Then what''s your wish, Master? Let me see."
"No way, a master''s wish can''t be seen by a disciple. Quickly release it, you release yours, and I''ll release mine. Don''te over," Leng Feiyan instructed.
Lin Jichen, feeling helpless, had toply.
They lit their skynterns, and soon, Leng Feiyan''sntern floated up and drifted into the sky.
Leng Feiyan smiled like a flower, savoring this rare moment of romance.
But just then, Lin Jichen''s loud and disruptive shouting came from beside her.
"Hey, hey, hey! Why isn''t it flying?"
Leng Feiyan turned to see Lin Jichen''s ''Want to get rich'' skyntern barely flying a meter before falling down.
The me inside touched thentern''s wall and it started burning.
Lin Jichen scratched his head in frustration, trying several times to put out the fire. By the time he seeded, half of thentern was burnt.
The words ''Want to get rich'' were also half-burnt, leaving only ''Want to'', with ''get rich'' gone.
"Disciple, it seems even the heavens can''t fulfill your wish to get rich," Leng Feiyan teased,ughing so hard she almost lost her cool demeanor.
Lin Jichen felt bitter, but he didn''t say anything!
After releasing the skynterns and strolling through the night market, it was already veryte.
The two of them walked out of Everwinter City, ready to head back.
Leng Feiyan took out the sugar figurine and couldn''t resist tasting it.
Lin Jichen, feeling a bit envious, said, "Master, can I have a bite?"
Leng Feiyan looked at him, probably recalling the disaster with his skyntern, and her heart softened. She handed the sugar figurine over.
Lin Jichen took a big bite, right where Leng Feiyan''s lips had touched.
Leng Feiyan''s cheeks instantly turned red. What was this?
"Mm~ delicious, so sweet, much sweeter than regr sugar figurines. Why is that?" Lin Jichen asked curiously.
Leng Feiyan, extremely embarrassed, red at him with no real threat in her eyes.
Lin Jichen pushed his luck, "Master, can I have another bite?"
"No!"
"Just one bite."
"Not even a small bite!"
"Don''t be so stingy."
"Hmph! Naughty disciple! You''ve already bitten off the fairy''s head!"
***
The two of them chatted as they walked out of the city. The cold wind carried snowkes, drifting between them.
The bright moonlight spread across the ground, their shadows growing longer and longer in the snow, almost merging into one.
Until they walked out of Everwinter City, it became pitch ck outside. The night wind howled, and the atmosphere suddenly turned eerie.
At this moment, many figures suddenly appeared around Lin Jichen and Leng Feiyan in the darkness!
They surrounded the two of them.
These people exuded a powerful aura, all with cultivation levels above the Crystal Realm.
Judging by their appearance and attire, they were all bald, wearing monk robes.
"Amitabha."
An old but resonant voice sounded. From among the bald figures, an old monk walked out.
The old monk wore a kasaya and held a string of prayer beads, muttering prayers.
Beside him was an old nun of simr age.
"I presume you are Lin Jichen, a disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect?" the old monk asked as he approached.
"That''s me. What do you want?" Lin Jichen replied, thinking these baldies sure came quickly.
He was actually worried that if Leng Feiyan returned to the Sword Sect, they woulde looking for him.
He was heading to the Thunder Marsh, and encountering them would make things even more difficult.
The old monk looked kind andpassionate, sping his hands together, "Lin Jichen, I am Zhiqing from Tianyin Temple, and this is Master Jinghui from Cihang Jingan. We are here for the ''Rebirth Buddha Seal'' you learned."
Lin Jichen had anticipated this and asked, "What do you want to ask or do?"
Master Jinghui frowned and said, "Lin Jichen, the Rebirth Buddha Seal is an exclusive skill of my senior brother Zhiqing, a secret technique of the Buddhist Sect!"
Zhiqing didn''t want to waste time and bluntly said, "Lin Jichen, stealing our Buddhist Sect''s secret technique is indeed excessive. How about this, Tianyin Temple doesn''t want to make things difficult for you. We just want you toe to the temple, let the abbot use a mental secret technique to erase the Rebirth Buddha Seal from your mind, and then reflect on your actions for three days in our temple. This matter will be settled."
Lin Jichen sneered after hearing this, "Are you dreaming?"
Master Jinghui immediately shouted angrily, "You stole our Buddhist Sect''s secret technique and still act so righteously? Who gave you the courage?"
Chapter 169 – As a humble monk, I greet you
Chapter 169 C As a humble monk, I greet you
"Which of your eyes saw me stealing the technique? Did I kill your Buddhist disciple and snatch it from him?"
Facing the usations from Master Zhiqing and Master Jinghui, Lin Jichen retorted without any hesitation, his voice firm and resolute.
Master Jinghui snorted coldly, "Though you didn''t kill our Buddhist disciple, the fact remains that you learned our Buddhist Secret Technique. Anything belonging to our Buddhist Sect must not be privately learned or taken by outsiders!"
At this moment, Master Zhiqing looked at Lin Jichen with a sudden expression of surprise.
He realized that Lin Jichen had extraordinary talent and excellent innate qualities!
No wonder a Sword Cultivator could learn the Rebirth Buddha Seal.
After pondering for a moment, Zhiqing spoke, "Benefactor Lin, I had another solution. Would you be willing to hear it?"
Lin Jichen chuckled, "Let''s hear it."
Zhiqing smiled kindly and said, "Benefactor Lin, your ability to learn the Rebirth Buddha Seal shows that you have a connection with our Buddha. You have exceptional wisdom; why remain a Sword Cultivator? Why not join our Tianyin Temple? I guarantee the abbot will take you as a personal disciple, and your Buddhist fate will be boundless."
Lin Jichen looked at him with a sympathetic gaze.
Those previous words were understandable; after all, his master was also a righteous person, and it was indeed unreasonable for him to learn someone else''s Spirit Skill.
Just like the Ultimate Techniques of the Sword Sect cannot be taught to outsiders, it was the same principle.
But this old bald donkey dared to recruit him into the Buddhist Sect?
Wasn''t this equivalent to openly poaching his master''s disciple?
At this moment, Lin Jichen felt he had to show his loyalty immediately.
He sneered and replied, "How absurd! From the moment I stepped into the Tianyan Sword Sect, my life and death are tied to the Sword Sect. How could I betray my sect? Moreover, my master''s kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain. Even if your abbot wants to take me as a disciple, even if your Buddha himself came, I would rather die thanply!"
"Outrageous! You are truly ungrateful! Brother Zhiqing, there''s no need to waste words with him!" Master Jinghui said angrily.
Zhiqing''s expression also changed, and he said in a deep voice, "In that case, don''t me us for using extreme measures. All disciples, capture him and take him back to Tianyin Temple to await the abbot''s decision."
A group of monks immediately moved, swiftly attacking Lin Jichen!
With so many experts, Lin Jichen didn''t even think of resisting; he just stood there motionless.
"Hmph!"
Suddenly, a cold snort echoed.
All the Buddhist disciples surrounding him were struck as if by lightning, spitting out a mouthful of blood and flying back dozens of meters, crashing into the snow, their life and death uncertain.
Master Zhiqing and Master Jinghui were shocked, thinking Lin Jichen was pretending to be weak and was not at the Foundation Establishment Realm at all.
But upon closer inspection, they saw that beside Lin Jichen, there was now a stunning woman in a ck dress.
The woman''s face was exquisite, but her demeanor was as cold as the ice of the Nine Netherworlds, staring at them coldly.
Master Zhiqing felt the aura and cultivation of the other party, as if falling into an ice cave, cold sweat dripping from his bald head.
He, a dignified Divine Transformation Realm expert, couldn''t even see through the other party''s strength. Who was this person?
Looking at Lin Jichen beside him, standing tall and proud, with a smirk on his face, he finally understood why Lin Jichen wasn''t panicked at all when they arrived and didn''t choose to flee. It turned out he had a powerful backer.
"Dare I ask the senior''s esteemed name?" Master Zhiqing asked nervously.
"Tianyan Sword Sect, Leng Feiyan," Leng Feiyan lightly opened her lips and reported her identity.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Master Zhiqing and Master Jinghui''s minds went nk at this sentence.
They stood there in a daze, their tongues tied.
Their eyes went from shock to terror in less than a breath.
"So it''s Sect Leader Leng. I''ve long heard of your name. This humble monk Zhiqing greets you."
Zhiqing hurriedly made a respectful Buddhist salute, even calling himself a humble monk.
Hehe, in front of Leng Feiyan, how could he dare to call himself a master, not even a humble monk.
"Jing... Jinghui greets Sect Leader Leng," Master Jinghui stammered nervously.
The more domineering they were just now, the more humble they were now.
Leng Feiyan looked at them and sneered, "Your Tianyin Temple is really bold now, daring to poach my Sword Sect''s disciple. Do you think that after my father''s passing, the Sword Sect has no sessors and can be bullied at will?"
Their souls seemed to leave their bodies, cold sweat pouring down.
Zhiqing quickly exined, "Sect Leader Leng, you misunderstand. I only saw that Benefactor Lin has exceptional talent and wisdom and spoke out of admiration. I never intended to be enemies with the Sword Sect."
"I don''t think so. If I weren''t here, you would have already taken my disciple to your Tianyin Temple, perhaps even forcing him to shave his head. After all, your Buddhist Sect has done such things many times," Leng Feiyan''s tone grew colder.
She thought that if she hadn''t been by her disciple''s side today, her only disciple would have been taken to be a monk.
Her anger was almost uncontroble.
Zhiqing and Jinghui received another shocking piece of news: Lin Jichen was Leng Feiyan''s disciple!
No wonder this kid was so fearless and disdainful of their Buddhist Sect.
Although Zhiqing regretted it deeply, he still tried to maintain hisposure and exined, "Sect Leader Leng, you really misunderstand. Our Buddhist Sect never does such things. Besides, I truly didn''t know he was your disciple. If I had known, how could I dare to act recklessly? Please, Sect Leader Leng, be magnanimous and don''t hold it against this humble monk. Amitabha."
Although Leng Feiyan was very angry, she was still a righteous cultivator, not a demonic woman who would kill innocents in a fit of rage.
She still considered the rtionship between the two major sects and didn''t want to create a mortal enmity.
"This Sect Leader won''t make things difficult for you. You just said you wanted to take my disciple to Tianyin Temple to reflect for three days. Very well, this master, you wille with me to the Sword Sect and stay at the Quiet Reflection Cliff for three days."
Before Zhiqing could speak, Master Jinghui''s eyes rolled back, and she fainted, then flew to Leng Feiyan''s side.
Leng Feiyan said to Zhiqing, "In three days, I will personally take this master to Tianyin Temple to ''negotiate'' with your abbot. It''s been a while since I sparred with someone. At that time, I will also ask your abbot for some guidance. Disciple, let''s go."
After speaking, Leng Feiyan summoned the Azure Phoenix, taking Lin Jichen and the unconscious Master Jinghui, and flew into the sky, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Zhiqing opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Looking at the dozens of unconscious, blood-spitting Buddhist disciples behind him, and thinking about Leng Feiyan''s parting words, he knew things were not looking good.
He quickly revived the disciples and hurried back to the Buddhist Sect overnight.
"Master, won''t this cause a war between the two sects?"
On the back of the Azure Phoenix, Lin Jichen asked cautiously.
Leng Feiyan smiled confidently, "No, and besides, their Tianyin Temple is no match for our Sword Sect."
Lin Jichen felt relieved after hearing this, but before he could fully rx, Leng Feiyan asked, "How did you learn the Buddhist Sect''s Ultimate Technique? Do you really want to convert to Buddhism?"
Lin Jichen: "...."
Chapter 170 – Autumn’s Lament Slash
Chapter 170 C Autumns Lament sh
"Master, you''ve misunderstood. Here''s what happened: that day, I found two skeletons in a cave..."
Lin Jichen hurriedly recounted the entire incident.
After listening, Leng Feiyan nodded slightly, showing no intention of ming Lin Jichen anymore.
"It seems this is your own fortune. I misunderstood you. Learning an additional Spirit Skill will be beneficial for you, especially when you head to the Thunder Marsh."
As Leng Feiyan spoke, she took out two items and handed them to Lin Jichen.
"Master, what are these?" Lin Jichen asked, puzzled.
Leng Feiyan''s expression was a bit evasive as she said, "These are your rewards for defeating me earlier. Although you used... some underhanded methods to win, I keep my promises."
Recalling the scene from earlier, Leng Feiyan felt a strange sensation in her chest and quickly turned her head to pretend to look at the bright moon in the night sky.
Lin Jichen, however, was overjoyed. He had thought that using such despicable means to take advantage of his master would surely make her angry and that she wouldn''t give him any rewards.
Unexpectedly, the rewards still came, and there were two of them!
Master still cares about me, heh heh~
In his hands were two rewards: a skill book and a ring.
[Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill Autumn''s Lament sh]:
Passive Effect: Duringbat, each use of a skill forms ayer of ''Autumn''s Lament''. Eachyer provides 2 points of strength and 2 points of defense, stacking up to 10yers.
The passive effectsts for 2 minutes. If a skill is used within 2 minutes, the time resets. If no skills are used or ifbat ends, the passive effect disappears.
Active Effect: Converts Autumn''s Lament into sword intent and releases it at the opponent. At least 1yer of Autumn''s Lament is required to activate the effect, with eachyer causing a minimum of 200 base skill damage.
Cooldown: 30 minutes, Mana Consumption: 1000 points.
Note: As long as the active effect is not used, the passive effect does not enter cooldown and does not consume mana.
Requirement: Sword Cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm with 70 points of innate attributes or higher.
Seeing this skill, Lin Jichen could only exim, "Amazing!"
This skill could both attack and defend, with dual active and passive effects.
The passive effect increased his strength and defense by 2 points each with every skill used, up to a maximum of 20 points each.
The active effect released all umted passive effects, dealing a minimum of 200 skill damage and up to 2000.
This Spirit Skill was incredibly versatile,bining the passive benefits of a heart technique with the power of a skill.
Both aspects were present. In his previous life, Lin Jichen had never seen such an impressive Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill sword technique.
Like the Phoenix Feather, it had never appeared in the Tale of Immortal.
It was one of Leng Feiyan''s exclusive private collections.
Then he looked at the ring, which was crystal clear and dark purple, clearly not an Ordinary Grade item.
[Mysterious Grade Purple Essence Ring]: Innate Charm +1, Backpack Space +1000 slots.
Requirement: None.
Wow!
This was the first time in this life that Lin Jichen had seen equipment that increased innate attributes.
The Youth Retaining Pill was an elixir and didn''t count, plus it was an Earth Grade Youth Retaining Pill.
This ring was only Mysterious Grade, and he had never seen a Mysterious Grade item that increased innate attributes. He could only admit that he was still too ignorant.
The items in the hands of a master were never ordinary.
Although the innate attribute increase wasn''t much, the 1000 slots of backpack space were incredibly valuable.
He wouldn''t have to worry about running out of space in his ring and constantly needing to clear it out.
His Spirit Grade Stone Sinking Ring only had 100 slots, which was quite spacious, butpared to the Purple Essence Ring, it was insignificant.
After learning the skill and putting on the ring, Lin Jichen was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Master, for your generosity!"
Leng Feiyan smiled slightly but said with concern, "You are about to head to the Thunder Marsh. I hope these two items will help you. Remember, the Thunder Marsh is extremely dangerous. Don''t be reckless. If you encounter an unbeatable enemy, run away. There''s no shame in that."
"I will remember, Master. I will return safely. When Ie back, I''ll take you on a date... I mean, toprehend the Dao Heart," Lin Jichen said with a smile.
Leng Feiyan, however, declined.
"This time, I won''t be able to go with you for a while."
"Why?"
Leng Feiyan exined, "After traveling with you in the mortal world, I''ve gained some insights. Once you break through to the Crystal Formation, I n to go into seclusion for a while."
"What? How long will you be in seclusion?"
Lin Jichen was anxious. His golden opportunitywas it slipping away just like that?
Leng Feiyan thought Lin Jichen was reluctant to part with her and felt touched. Sheforted him, "Don''t worry. I have a feeling it will be a short seclusion,sting from half a month to two months at most."
Lin Jichen breathed a sigh of relief. He had almost thought it would be several years, which would have ruined his happy days.
"Master, why don''t you go into seclusion right away? Don''t let my matters dy you," Lin Jichen urged.
The sooner she went into seclusion, the sooner she woulde out.
But Leng Feiyan still refused, saying, "No need. I won''t have peace of mind for seclusion until I see you sessfully break through. Otherwise, it might give rise to inner demons. I''ll wait until after you break through to the Crystal Formation."
Leng Feiyan nced at the still unconscious Master Jinghui and said, "Besides, I need to visit Tianyin Temple."
"Alright, I won''t let you down, Master. I will sessfully cross this tribtion!" Lin Jichen clenched his fists.
With Leng Feiyan valuing him so much, he had to seed in crossing the tribtion.
"With that confidence, I can rest assured. By the way, after you reach Crystal Formation, before I go into seclusion, I''ll treat you to a meal," Leng Feiyan said.
"A meal?" Lin Jichen was taken aback.
"Yes, this time in Everwinter City, you treated me to so many things. I also want to treat you once. Tell me what you like to eat, and I''ll have disciples procure it from the best restaurants in the mortal world."
Lin Jichen hadn''t expected Leng Feiyan to n to treat him to a meal. He thought for a moment and asked expectantly, "Master, can I eat... something you cook?"
The way he stretched the word "you" almost made Leng Feiyan misunderstand.
"Something I cook? But I''ve never cooked before," Leng Feiyan said, troubled.
"No problem, as long as it''s made by you," Lin Jichen said nonchntly.
Leng Feiyan pouted slightly and said, "Then why didn''t you think of cooking for me when you treated me?"
Lin Jichen was stunned and thenughed awkwardly, "You''re right. Never mind, let''s just have some delicacies from the mortal world."
Leng Feiyan smiled without responding, but she was secretly considering trying to cook for her disciple.
The Azure Phoenix flew back to the Sword Sect at an incredible speed.
Leng Feiyan casually tossed Master Jinghui onto Quiet Reflection Cliff and then took Lin Jichen back to the Sword Pce.
They had spent the entire day outside, and it was already dawn.
Leng Feiyan knew Lin Jichen was about to depart for the Thunder Marsh and repeatedly reminded him to be careful.
She wanted to give Lin Jichen a Soul Talisman.
But for the sake of Lin Jichen''s future growth, she restrained herself.
If Lin Jichen had a Soul Talisman, he would be dependent on it and would never be a true strong cultivator.
Her father had treated her the same way, and she had grown through it.
Chapter 171 – The latest news about Guo Jie
Chapter 171 C Thetest news about Guo Jie
Saying goodbye to Leng Feiyan, Lin Jichen intended to bid farewell to Nangong Yue before heading to Thunder Marsh.
As soon as he reached the mountain where the old man Tianyuan resided, he was promptly chased away.
He didn''t even get a chance to speak.
It was clear the old man still held a grudge against him for taking away an Iron-Eating Beast and trying to court his granddaughter. Not beating him up was already a favor considering the Sect Master''s face.
With nothing said, Lin Jichen went to the branch halls to inquire with other elders and learned that Elder Nangong Wu had not yet returned.
This meant that Nangong Yue was also not back.
Lin Jichen had no choice but to leave the Sword Sect for now.
Before heading to Thunder Marsh, he needed to attend the auction.
The auction was starting today.
Seeing that there was still time, Lin Jichen decided to temporarily log out of the game and go out for some exercise.
Without Ren Lan''s supervision, he had already developed the habit of daily exercise.
After persisting in exercise these days, Lin Jichen found that his physical fitness was gradually improving.
Previously, running one or two kilometers would exhaust him, but now one or two kilometers only made him breathe heavily. Although still weak, it was a significant improvement.
His body was also starting to take shape. He wasnt fat to begin with, justcking muscle.
After these days of exercise, Lin Jichen felt that his abdominal muscles had be noticeably firmer.
However, it would still take some time to develop a six-pack.
Lin Jichen had also started to enjoy exercising and the feeling of sweating.
To speed up the process of getting a six-pack, Lin Jichen decided to run an extra five kilometers today.
Unexpectedly, he ended up running to the entrance of his university.
Lin Jichen didn''t pay much attention and was about to head back home.
Suddenly, he heard some cursing and a woman''s crying from outside the gate.
"What kind of lousy university is this! How dare they expel my daughter!"
"Saying my daughter''s behavior is inappropriate, just because she dated a few boyfriends?"
"This kind of lousy university isn''t worth attending! There are plenty of rich second-generation kids chasing after my daughter!"
"Xiao Jie, let''s go. Call your rich boyfriends toe pick you up in their sports cars and show off at their school gates."
"My daughter is destined to marry a dragon among men!"
***
Lin Jichen stopped in his tracks, finding the voices very familiar.
He looked towards the school gate.
Three people were walking out, carryingrge bags.
Two of them seemed to be a couple in their forties or fifties.
Following them was a young woman dressed in designer brands.
The one crying was the young woman.
Lin Jichen recognized them immediately.
It was Guo Jie and her parents.
Lin Jichen was very familiar with her parents, having met them many times in his previous life.
He had a deep impression of them because Guo Jie''s parents were extremely snobbish.
They had often looked down on him for being poor, mocking and making things difficult for him.
Those sneering faces were still fresh in his memory.
Now, seeing them making a scene in public, Lin Jichen wasn''t surprised at all because that was just how the couple behaved.
What puzzled Lin Jichen was that Guo Jie seemed to have been expelled.
How could this be?
He remembered that in his previous life, Guo Jie had never faced any disciplinary action at school. The student council president even had an ambiguous rtionship with her.
How could she suddenly be expelled?
The first person Lin Jichen thought of was Ren Lan. Could it be that Ren Lan had her father step in to avenge him?
But thinking about it, it seemed unlikely. Without substantial evidence of serious misconduct, the school wouldn''t expel a student.
Unless the student had done something illegal.
But Lin Jichen knew Guo Jie well. During her student years, she wouldn''t have dared to do anything illegal. At most, she was just a gold-digger and a maniptive girl.
Such behavior alone shouldn''t be enough to get her expelled, right?
Unable to figure it out, Lin Jichen chose to hide in the shadows and observe.
Guo Jie seemed very upset about being expelled, crying continuously.
Based on his understanding of her, Lin Jichen didn''t believe she was so sad just because she lost her academic credentials.
There must be another reason.
After leaving the school, Guo Jie''s mother asked her, "Daughter, quickly call your rich boyfriend toe pick you up. Rich people have wide connections. They can ask around and get you into another university."
Guo Jie continued to cry, even more heartbroken.
"Stop crying. It''s just an expulsion, nothing serious. You have so many suitors. Are you afraid of suffering in the future? Without a degree, you can still live a life of luxury by marrying a good man and bing a rich wife."
Guo Jie''s fatherforted her, dreaming of bing inws with wealthy people.
Guo Jie finally spoke, sobbing uncontrobly.
"They all broke up with me, boohoo..."
"What? How could they break up with you? Did they find out you were two-timing?" Guo Jie''s mother was shocked.
Guo Jie''s father angrily pped his hands and said, "I''ve told you many times, just pick the richest and best boyfriend. But you insisted on ying around and keeping spares. Now you''ve been exposed."
Guo Jie, with a bitter face and tears in her eyes, said, "That''s not the reason. I wasn''t found out. I don''t know why, but all those rich second-generation kids who used to surround me have disappeared. I heard several of their families even went bankrupt."
"They might think I''m a jinx and are all avoiding me. No matter how I try to contact them, they ignore me, boohoo..."
The more Guo Jie spoke, the sadder she became.
These past few days had been the most tormenting for her. She had nned to go to a car show with a rich senior who promised to buy her a car.
Guo Jie was thrilled, but just before the car show, the senior''s family suddenly went bankrupt.
The senior couldn''t even keep his own car, let alone buy her one.
One spare tire down, Guo Jie didn''t mind and continued to flirt with other rich spares.
But she found herself like a jinx; whoever she flirted with ended up in trouble, either bankrupt or in debt.
Soon, no one wanted to be around her. Those rich kids avoided her like the gue.
Then, the school expelled her.
Guo Jie felt like she had never been so unlucky in her life, as if she were possessed by a god of misfortune.
Lin Jichen had already turned back. He didn''t need to watch any longer.
If he stayed, he might not be able to resist taking action.
On his way back, Lin Jichen was deep in thought.
He didn''t believe this was all a coincidence. Such absurd coincidences couldn''t happen.
And they all happened to Guo Jie.
Could it be that Guo Jie had offended someone?
That seemed to be the only possibility.
Maybe she had two-timed a powerful and influential young master, who then discovered it and started to take revenge on her.
Lin Jichen couldn''t have guessed that all of this was orchestrated by Jiang Luoyu. He only knew that he was in an exceptionally good mood!
He had thought he would have to wait five years to get his revenge, but karma hade so quickly.
Someone dealing with her was fantastic. He hoped she would remain miserable, and in five years, it would be his turn for revenge.
In high spirits, Lin Jichen returned home, took afortable shower, andy down in the gaming pod.
Chapter 172 – The first server-wide auction
Chapter 172 C The first server-wide auction
Fengqu City Honest Auction House.
Hosting the server''s first private auction.
yers flocked in countless numbers to attend.
Since the auction house couldn''t amodate all the yers at once, Lin Jichen set a threshold.
To participate, one needed at least ten thousand Spirit Stones.
Even so, thousands met the requirement, nearly filling the entire auction hall.
To boost its reputation, Lin Jichen decided to livestream the auction to the entire server.
However, yers who weren''t physically present couldn''t bid; they could only watch as spectators.
This was Jiang Luoyu''s idea, to maximize the anticipation among yers, making them envious while they could only watch.
This would thoroughly hype up the reputation of Honest Auction House.
Setting a financial threshold was also Jiang Luoyu''s idea, aimed at attracting wealthy participants.
Without such a limit, many yers without bidding power would upy seats, and wealthy yers wouldn''t feel special.
In real high-end auctions, you wouldn''t see a single poor person; it''s all wealthy individuals.
The same applies to the game. Normally, the auction house is open to everyone, treating all equally, allowing free trade.
But an auction must cater to the high-end.
It''s like the auction house follows a public route, but the auction itself must go high-end; otherwise, there''s no point in holding it.
Lin Jichen learned many business tricks from her, all very practical.
The results spoke for themselves.
The auction house was packed with yers, proving everything.
The livestream had already attracted millions of viewers, and it hadn''t even started yet.
Lin Jichen disguised himself as an ordinary bidder, walked into the auction house, and found an inconspicuous seat.
Soon, the second-floor auction hall was filled, with thousands of people packing the venue.
These were all individuals with economic power exceeding ten thousand Spirit Stones.
It seemed the wealthy in Tale of Immortal were growing in number.
Lin Jichen scanned the room and spotted many familiar faces, almost all the famous guild leaders were present.
There were also some well-known pay-to-win yers from his past life.
One person left a deep impression on Lin Jichen, a chubby young man.
His name was Wang Fuchun, quite ''famous'' in the past life, having spent nearly a billion in Tale of Immortal in less than two years.
He didn''t run a guild or recruit followers, just a scatter cultivator.
But he bought himself luxurious equipment, threw money around to flirt with girls, gifted equipment to girls, and even arranged real-life meetups.
He even dated a few minor celebrities and popr female streamers.
Everyone thought he was a super-rich second-generation, and many guilds tried to recruit him for sponsorship.
Later, it was discovered he was just an ordinary college student from a modest family, working as an ountant in a bigpany.
He embezzledpany funds due to his obsession with Tale of Immortal, and the unluckypany immediately reported him.
When he was caught, he was in a hotel with a second-tier female streamer, speeding things up.
Seeing him decked out in Spirit Grade equipment, Lin Jichen was sure this guy had started embezzling from hispany again.
But who he embezzled from was none of Lin Jichen''s business; it wasn''t hispany anyway.
Li Fengwen didn''te; he was still in prison.
But Kuang Xiaoyan attended in his ce.
Besides, Lin Jichen also saw Liu Xiazi, the number one female streamer in Tale of Immortal, who had alsoe. It seemed she was a hidden richdy.
Suddenly, Lin Jichen''s attention was drawn to a figure, his gazepletely shifting.
Jiang Luoyu.
She had also arrived.
Su Wanling, her assistant, was still by her side.
This was the first time Lin Jichen saw her since their fallout.
Jiang Luoyu didn''t seem to be in good shape, her face showing signs of fatigue, her eyes stiff and indifferent.
Even when familiar faces greeted her, she only nodded briefly without saying a word.
Jiang Luoyu''s attention seemed captivated by the venue, her gaze sweeping across, seemingly searching for someone.
When her eyes swept towards Lin Jichen, her gaze trembled, and their eyes met.
The next second, Jiang Luoyu said nothing, casually finding a seat.
Su Wanling also saw Lin Jichen, gave him a big eye roll, and ignored him.
Lin Jichen showed a self-deprecating smile. If possible, he didn''t want their rtionship to be so strained.
But some things had to be confronted, some hurdles had to be crossed.
Soon, the auction began, and Lin Jichen''s thoughts returned to the present.
On stage, a beautiful NPC woman stood, smiling as she gave the opening remarks.
This NPC was also hired by Lin Jichen, eloquent and experienced in hosting auctions.
To avoid exposing himself as the owner of Honest Auction House, Lin Jichen used NPCs as much as possible.
After some pleasantries, the beautiful woman announced the first auction item.
"Today''s first auction item is the Spirit Grade Wind Chasing Fire Spear. This spear''s attributes are top-notch among Spirit Grades, acquired from a master by our auction house. Starting bid is 200 Spirit Stones."
She then disyed the equipment''s attribute panel for everyone to see clearly.
Bidding immediately erupted.
"220 Spirit Stones!"
"225 Spirit Stones!"
"230 Spirit Stones!"
...
Seeing this item, Kuang Xiaoyan almost cursed.
Wasn''t this his treasured Spirit Grade equipment? He had been depressed for days after Lin Jichen looted it. Unexpectedly, he saw his treasure again at the auction.
"Boss, fuck Lin Jichen, he really sold the equipment our brothers looted to the auction house."
Kuang Xiaoyan chatted with his friend Li Fengwen in prison.
Although Li Fengwen couldn''te out, he could still chat.
So he was now giving instructions from behind the scenes.
"I knew it long ago. The equipment store is full of our brothers'' stuff. I bought most of it back. Get this spear back too."
Li Fengwen instructed from prison, his heart bleeding.
In less than half a minute, the spear''s price had risen to 300 Spirit Stones.
Converted to market Spirit Stone prices, the spear had been raised to four hundred.
He had no choice but to buy it, as it was his loyal subordinate''s equipment. He couldn''t just let it go.
"Okay, thank you, boss!"
Kuang Xiaoyan was overjoyed, feeling touched, and immediately joined the bidding war.
A few minutester, Kuang Xiaoyan bid 500 Spirit Stones.
Others gave up; 500 Spirit Stones was already very high.
Spirit Grade equipment wasn''t too valuable now, given the game''s public beta had been running for so long.
Plus, with the recent storyline trigger and the appearance of the Battle Merit Shop, many yers had exchanged for Spirit Grade equipment.
This made Spirit Grade equipment not rare, though well-attribute Spirit Grade equipment was still cherished.
Seeing he was about to reim his treasured spear.
A voice rang out.
"501 Spirit Stones!"
Damn it!
Kuang Xiaoyan was furious, turning to see Lin Jichen raising his hand, smiling smugly at him.
"600 Spirit Stones!" Kuang Xiaoyan raised the price again.
"601 Spirit Stones!" Lin Jichen didn''t back down.
The audience couldn''t help butugh. Everyone knew Lin Jichen and the Blood Fiend Guild had a deep-seated grudge.
But seeing Lin Jichen''s cheeky bidding style, they couldn''t help butugh.
Chapter 173 – Blood Fiend can ‘become famous’ anywhere
Chapter 173 C Blood Fiend can be famous anywhere
```
"Boss, what should we do? Should we just let it go?"
Kuang Xiaoyan found himself in a dilemma.
"Keep bidding. If we back down from this provocation, everyone will think our Blood Fiend Guild is a bunch of spineless cowards."
Li Fengwen was also furious, but what could he do? Even knowing the other side was deliberately trying to disgust them, he had to endure it.
"Alright, bid up to 1000 and then stop. Let him keep it!"
Li Fengwen thought it was a good n, preserving their dignity while also giving Lin Jichen a taste of his own medicine.
"Got it, Boss."
"700 Spirit Stones!"
Kuang Xiaoyan followed the n and ced another bid.
But after waiting for a long time, Lin Jichen didn''t bid again.
He stopped.
Lin Jichen wasn''t that foolish. He just wanted to annoy Blood Fiend a bit and didn''t expect this piece of Spirit Grade equipment to fetch a sky-high price.
If it ended up in his hands, it wouldn''t be worth it. Even though he was the boss, if he had to put it up for a second auction, the price would surely plummet.
It wasn''t worth the risk. Who knew if Li Fengwen was nning a counterattack? Better to y it safe.
The elegant auctioneer called out "700" three times, and no one else bid.
The spear went to Kuang Xiaoyan.
Although he won the spear, Kuang Xiaoyan couldn''t feel happy about it.
Spending 700 Spirit Stones on a Spirit Grade weapon was equivalent to 140,000 Chinese Yuan.
At current market prices, it was definitely a loss.
When this spear was still on the equipment rankings, it was worth 500,000.
But now, the top ten spots on the equipment rankings were all taken by Mysterious Grade equipment. Even the former number one Storm Gauntlets had dropped off.
Let alone other Spirit Grade equipment.
Now the Dark Night Sword still dominated the top spot, followed by all Mysterious Grade items.
So this spear wasn''t worth the price.
But Kuang Xiaoyan had to swallow the loss.
The most frustrating part was that this spear originally belonged to their Blood Fiend Guild...
The first item sold for 700 Spirit Stones, making a great start for the auction.
"The second item, Spirit Grade equipment: Crimson Cloud Sword. This sword was once the weapon of Lin Jichen, the top yer in Tale of Immortal. With this sword, Lin Jichen was nearly invincible. He once easily defeated the Medicine Spirit Falcon in Cann Medicine Valley and single-handedly routed a guild, leaving them in disarray..."
Before the auctioneer could finish, Kuang Xiaoyan stood up and cursed, "What the fuck do you mean by this?"
He felt the auctioneer was deliberately causing trouble today.
Selling the Wind Chasing Fire Spear as the first item was bad enough, but now they were bringing up Blood Fiend Guild''s old wounds.
It was like rubbing salt in their wounds.
"Sir, I am merely stating facts. Lin Jichen indeed aplished those feats with this sword. You can verify it if you don''t believe me."
"Verify your ass! Is this how you promote things? Who''s your boss? Get him out here so I can ask him what the hell he''s thinking!"
Kuang Xiaoyan couldn''t ept it.
The elegant auctioneer warned, "Sir, this auction prohibits disturbances. If you continue, I have the right to disqualify you and have the guards escort you out."
"You..." Kuang Xiaoyan wanted to say more, but Li Fengwen stopped him.
"Forget it, don''t argue with an NPC!"
"You''re ruthless!" Kuang Xiaoyan cursed under his breath and sat back down.
People around them stifled theirughter. Blood Fiend Guild was bing infamous wherever they went, and it was hard not to envy them~
"This sword has excellent attributes and was once among the top three Spirit Grade items. Starting bid: 200 Spirit Stones."
As soon as the auctioneer finished, more bidders joined inpared to the first item.
After all, the celebrity effect was very powerful.
Lin Jichen''s former weapon,bined with its excellent attributes.
Especially after the auctioneer''s promotion, many yers wanted to buy the sword and be the next Lin Jichen.
The price of the sword quickly soared, soon surpassing 700 Spirit Stones.
"1000 Spirit Stones!"
A yer''s voice suddenly raised the price to a thousand.
It was a girl''s voice.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw it was Liu Xiazi.
Many people understood. Liu Xiazi was Lin Jichen''s number one fan and wouldn''t hesitate to offend Blood Fiend for him.
Seeing Lin Jichen''s former weapon, she immediately wanted to buy it.
But there were otherspeting with her.
"1100 Spirit Stones!"
The bidder was Wang Fuchun, a fake second-generation wealthy.
But he didn''t seem to be bidding for Lin Jichen. His eyes were lecherously fixed on Liu Xiazi.
Liu Xiazi ignored him, focused solely on winning the sword.
"1200 Spirit Stones!"
But as soon as she spoke, Wang Fuchun immediately raised the bid: "1300 Spirit Stones!"
Liu Xiazi frowned, nced at him, and turned away in disgust after seeing his lecherous gaze.
"2000 Spirit Stones!" Liu Xiazi was determined.
But Wang Fuchun wouldn''t give up, saying, "2100 Spirit Stones!"
"Damn it! I''ll fight you to the end!" Liu Xiazi was furious.
Just then, a message popped up in her friend list. It was from Lin Jichen.
"Stop bidding. The sword isn''t worth that much. Let him have it. Don''t waste your money."
Lin Jichen''s words were like an imperial decree. Seeing the message, Liu Xiazi beamed with joy, feeling blessed.
"Okay, Lin God! If you say don''t buy, I won''t buy!"
Liu Xiazi quickly replied, adding a cute emoji at the end.
Lin Jichen shook his head andughed, feeling a bit tipsy.
Liu Xiazi stopped bidding, so the Crimson Cloud Sword went to Wang Fuchun.
2100 Spirit Stones, the highest transaction price for Spirit Grade equipment.
An attendant immediately brought the Crimson Cloud Sword to Wang Fuchun, who paid the Spirit Stones without batting an eye.
Everyone was a bit surprised. This guy seemed really wealthy.
After buying the Crimson Cloud Sword, Wang Fuchun immediately stood up and walked to Liu Xiazi''s seat, offering her the sword.
"Xiaxia, I''m actually a loyal viewer and fan of your livestream. I didn''t bid on this sword to target you; I just wanted to be friends. This sword is for you."
Liu Xiazi didn''t expect this move. She was stunned for a second before refusing immediately!
"Thanks, but I don''t need your gift. Since you bought Lin God''s sword, I hope you treat it well and don''t disgrace it."
Just based on his earlier gaze, Liu Xiazi had no good impression of this unremarkable guy.
Wang Fuchun didn''t expect his expensive gift to be rejected. Unwilling to give up, he said, "Xiaxia, if you like any other itemter, just tell me, and I''ll buy it for you."
He boasted arrogantly, "I don''t think anyone here can match my financial power."
After saying that, he swaggered back to his seat.
Some people were actually fooled, thinking he was the son of some wealthy conglomerate.
The auction continued.
Chapter 174 – Satisfactory conclusion
Chapter 174 C Satisfactory conclusion
The third auction item wasn''t equipment but a Spirit Skill book.
This was also something Lin Jichen had obtained earlier, the Spirit SkillHundred Fierce me sh.
As soon as this Spirit Skill book appeared, all the yers in the room began to rub their hands in anticipation.
Skill books were always in high demand. Sect skill books required contributions and were hard to exchange for quality skills.
Even slightly better Martial Arts Techniques had contribution requirements that could make people despair.
Not to mention Spirit Skills.
And skills, the more the better.
Just the name of this Spirit Skill sounded powerful, and looking at its attributes1000 points of base skill damage plus armor prationit was definitely a small treasure!
Buy it! It must be bought!
Without any malicious bidding, the price of this Spirit Skill book quickly broke a thousand.
The price kept rising.
In the end, Jiang Luoyu won the skill book for 3000 Spirit Stones.
The fourth auction item wasn''t Lin Jichen''s.
It was something another yer had consigned to the auction house, selected for the auction due to its excellent attributes.
The auction house operated this way; it couldn''t rely solely on Lin Jichen''s equipment. It was just a tform.
Earning money came from takingmissions on yer transactions, umting over time.
Simr to an emerce tform.
Now, Lin Jichen''s "emerce tform" was unique in the Tale of Immortal, so as long as its reputation grew, it would be thergest auction house.
In the future, just themissions could bring in tens of millions or even billions per month.
The subsequent auction items varied, from weapons and armor to skills and elixirs. The bidding never stopped.
Every auction item was highly sought after.
The auction continued throughout the entire morning.
All items were sessfully auctioned off, with none left unsold.
This also demonstrated the strength of Honest Auction House, with every item being a top-quality product!
Many wealthy yers regretted not attending.
"Now, the 48th auction item, the third-tost highlight of tonight, Mysterious Grade equipmentShadow de!"
Finally, the main event arrived!
All the yers'' eyes lit up, staring at the dagger on the stage, some even breathing heavily.
Mysterious Grade!
Mysterious Grade equipment was currently rare in the Tale of Immortal.
This was thebined number from all four states.
Moreover, almost no one would auction off Mysterious Grade equipment; it usually only had a tiny chance of dropping in Hell Realm Secret Realms.
Even if it did drop, people would be too eager to use it themselves.
After seeing the equipment''s attributes, the bidding couldn''t be stopped.
In just five minutes, the Mysterious Grade equipment was bid up to 5000 Spirit Stones.
And the price kept rising.
In the end, Wang Jinghao from the Eternal Guild won the dagger for 8500 Spirit Stones.
The next two auction items were Mysterious Grade gloves for palm techniques and a Mysterious Grade Spirit Skill for finger techniques.
Both were obtained by killing the Grand Elder of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu didn''t want them, so Lin Jichen brought them to the auction to build a reputation.
Sure enough, these two Mysterious Grade items also excited everyone, making them unable to hold back their wallets.
In the end, they were auctioned off for 8000 and 9500 Spirit Stones respectively, to different buyers.
With that, the auction ended perfectly.
The host announced that from now on, an auction would be held at this time every month.
Many viewers watching the live stream vowed to attend the next auction!
After the auction ended, Lin Jichen checked the ie from this auction. A total of fifty items were auctioned, with nearly 300,000 Spirit Stones in sales.
Other yers'' items only counted formissions, but Lin Jichen earned nearly 200,000 Spirit Stones from this auction.
Because the most expensive items were almost all his, especially thest three Mysterious Grade items, which were all Lin Jichen''s personal earnings.
Besides the 200,000 Spirit Stones, the most crucial thing was that the reputation of Honest Auction House was thoroughly established through this auction!
The potential profits from this were iparable to 200,000 Spirit Stones.
As the guests gradually dispersed, Lin Jichen waited until everyone had left before slowly getting up to leave the auction house.
Just as he stepped out of the shop, he saw Jiang Luoyu standing outside, seemingly waiting for him, with Su Wanling nowhere in sight.
Lin Jichen walked over nervously, forcing a smile, and said, "President Jiang, what are you doing here?"
Hearing this address, Jiang Luoyu felt a strange pain in her heart, looking at Lin Jichen with aplicated expression.
She suddenly spoke, "Didn''t you say we were friends?"
"Uh? Yeah, we are friends..." Lin Jichen nodded, unsure of what to do.
"Then why are you deliberately distancing yourself from me?" Jiang Luoyu pressed.
Lin Jichen was speechless, stammering, "I didn''t..."
"Didn''t we agree to clear Corpse King Valley together? Why haven''t I seen you for days?" Jiang Luoyu asked, staring into Lin Jichen''s eyes.
Seeing Jiang Luoyu''s slightly tired expression and sad eyes, Lin Jichen felt a tug at his heart.
He had no choice but to confess, "I thought you didn''t want to see me, so I didn''t go..."
Jiang Luoyu said nothing, turning her head away silently. She didn''t look at Lin Jichen but also didn''t leave.
Lin Jichen stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
They looked like a couple having a quarrel.
Finally, Lin Jichen sighed and took the initiative, "I''m sorry, Luoyu."
Jiang Luoyu''s body trembled, her eyes filled with mist, hiding her resentment.
She said with a hint of grievance, "It''s your right to choose who you want to be with. You didn''t wrong me. I just don''t want to lose you as a friend and this friendship."
"I understand, I don''t want to lose you either," Lin Jichen realized he had misspoken and added, "as a friend."
"Do you mean it?"
Lin Jichen nodded, "Of course I mean it. You''re very excellent and perfect. Actually, I''m not worthy of you. I''m afraid you''ll waste your time on me, only to end up with an apology. That''s why I was honest with you that day."
Jiang Luoyu bit her lip stubbornly and said, "Does love have to be about worthiness? If I like someone, even if he''s a beggar, I would feel we''re well-matched."
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly and said, "You can think that way because your family is the world''s wealthiest. But for the guy, the pressure is too much. Being with you, he''d always bebeled a gigolo. How embarrassing is that?"
Jiang Luoyu almost couldn''t help butugh.
She asked discontentedly, "Do all men care so much about others'' opinions? If the woman''s family is well-off, the man is a gigolo? By your logic, do I have to find an alien from the richest in the universe to match my family?"
Lin Jichen waved his hand and said, "I don''t think being a gigolo is bad. If I really loved a girl, I''d be willing to be a gigolo. But the key is, the one I love... is my sister."
Jiang Luoyu was dissatisfied with Lin Jichen''s answer.
"But didn''t you used to be head over heels for Guo Jie from your school? Why didn''t you say you loved your sister then?"
"This..." Lin Jichen was momentarily speechless.
Chapter 175 – Return to good
Chapter 175 C Return to good
Lin Jichen wanted to exin that it was his foolishness in his past life that caused him to let down his sister''s feelings, and that he had now found his way back.
But he doubted even a ghost would believe that.
"Forget it, I''m not here to me you. I waited here just to tell you that I''m not that petty. If confessing doesn''t work, we can still be friends. You don''t have to avoid me."
Jiang Luoyu said seriously, though her eyes betrayed her true feelings.
"Alright, I understand." Lin Jichen nodded and said, "Then shall we continue to raid Corpse King Valley in the future?"
A slight smile appeared on Jiang Luoyu''s face, but she pretended to be displeased. "Why wait for the future? Can''t we raid it today? Are you trying to avoid me?"
Lin Jichen hurriedly shook his head and exined, "No, no, I took on a mission to go to Thunder Marsh. It might take a few days to return. Otherwise, I''d definitely go with you to raid Corpse King Valley anytime."
"Really?"
"Of course, if I''m lying, I''m a puppy."
Lin Jichen promised.
"Alright, then we''ll talk after you finish your mission. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be going. Good luck with your mission."
With that, Jiang Luoyu left without looking back.
Although she wasn''t as cheerful with Lin Jichen as before, their rtionship seemed to have improved a lot.
This was the best they could do for now.
Watching Jiang Luoyu leave, Lin Jichen felt he hadn''t lost a good friend and felt much happier.
Knock, knock~
Suddenly, there was a slight sound of the door opening outside the bedroom.
Lin Jichen, alert, quickly logged off, fearing an enemy hade to find him.
He cautiously opened the door and found Ren Lan had returned.
"Little Lin! Hehe, I''m back!"
Lin Jichen breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You''re back, so why sneak around like a thief?"
Ren Lanughed, "I was afraid you''d bring some girl over while I was away and I''d interrupt your fun."
Lin Jichen''s forehead darkened. "Can you think more purely?"
"How am I not pure? Did I hit the mark? Did you really bring a girl home? Let me see."
Ren Lan said as she rushed into Lin Jichen''s bedroom, but finding no wild girl as she imagined, she pouted in disappointment.
"What a pity, I thought I could catch you in the act and hear your tearful confession."
Lin Jichen was speechless. What on earth was this woman thinking all the time?
"By the way, I brought some of my mom''s special dishes for you. You''re in for a treat. Go cook some rice, I''m starving."
Ren Lan handed a tote bag to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen took it andined, "Are you taking care of your mom or is she taking care of you? Isn''t she sick?"
"Can''t she recover? I can''t cook, and besides, my mom made this especially for me. If you don''t want to eat it, then don''t."
Ren Lan said as she tried to take the bag back, but Lin Jichen quickly hugged it and scurried to the kitchen.
Ren Lanughed heartily behind him.
Looking at the dishes in the bag, Lin Jichen sighed in relief that he didn''t have to eat his own cooking.
"Chicken soup, meatballs, ribbonfish, pork knuckle... Wow, your mom made so many delicious dishes. Aren''t you afraid you won''t finish them?"
Lin Jichen opened each container, marveling as he popped a meatball into his mouth. Delicious!
"You''re kidding. You know my appetite, and besides, there''s your share too. If I didn''t bring enough, one meal wouldn''t be enough."
"True." Lin Jichen began preparing the rice.
Ren Lan came over to take over. "I''ll do it. You go upstairs and ask Niu Naitang and Sister Xiaowei if they want to join us."
"Why don''t you go?"
"Niu Naitang is closest to you. That little appearance-obsessed girl doesn''t like me. I''m afraid it won''t work if I ask." Ren Lan rolled her eyes.
Lin Jichen nodded and went upstairs to knock on the door.
After a while, the door opened, and a small head peeked out. Seeing it was Lin Jichen, the little one immediately opened the door.
"Brother Lin, please persuade my aunt."
"Huh? What''s wrong with your aunt?" Lin Jichen tensed up, worried that Qin Xiaowei might be in trouble.
Niu Naitang''s little face drooped. "My aunt is learning to cook, saying she wants to cook for me. She''s chopping vegetables in the kitchen."
As she spoke, the sound of nging came from the kitchen, more like chopping bones than vegetables. The whole building could probably hear it.
Niu Naitang hugged Lin Jichen''s leg, crying, "Brother Lin, please persuade my aunt. If she cooks, Tang Tang will get diarrhea again."
Lin Jichen almost burst outughing.
"Tang Tang, who''s here?" Qin Xiaowei came out of the kitchen, holding a kitchen knife.
The knife... already had a chipped edge, full of scars.
Qin Xiaowei was sweating profusely, panting heavily.
Anyone who didn''t know better would think she was doing physical exercise in the kitchen.
"Oh, it''s you, Little Lin. Come in." Qin Xiaowei warmly invited Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen smiled and said, "No need, Sister Xiaowei. I''m here to invite you and Niu Naitang downstairs for dinner. Ren Lan''s mom brought a lot of dishes, and she wants us to eat together. The rice is already cooked."
"But I''m cooking." Qin Xiaowei said awkwardly, showing the already ruined knife in her hand.
Niu Naitang covered her forehead, unable to bear looking.
Lin Jichen swallowed nervously and asked, "Sister Xiaowei, what are you cooking that ruined the knife..."
Qin Xiaowei smiled bitterly, "I bought a bone and wanted to make bone soup for Tang Tang."
"You don''t need to chop the bone for bone soup..."
"Really? Cook it whole?" Qin Xiaowei realized.
"Yes, and you can''t chop bones with a vegetable knife..."
"Then what knife should I use? A Damascus knife?"
Lin Jichen felt a bit of heartache and said, "Just use a bone cleaver..."
"Oh, I see. No wonder this knife got dull and chipped after a few chops." Qin Xiaoweiughed.
At this moment, Niu Naitang tugged at Lin Jichen''s pants, her small face full of emotion, silently pleading with him to take her away. She didn''t want to be a guinea pig.
Holding back hisughter, Lin Jichen said to Qin Xiaowei, "Sister Xiaowei, why don''t you give me the bone? I''ll cook it, and we can eat together."
"But it''s not good to always freeload at your ce." Qin Xiaowei said embarrassedly.
"It''s fine, the more the merrier. Besides, you''re contributing a dish too. I haven''t had bone soup in a long time. Let''s eat together!"
"Alright, let''s go. I''ll bring the bone." Qin Xiaowei agreed and brought out the bone from the kitchen.
Seeing the bone in her hand, which looked like a mourning stick, Lin Jichen was speechless...
Chapter 176 – Thunder Marsh
Chapter 176 C Thunder Marsh
Lunchtime.
Four people sat around a table. Besides the dishes brought by Ren Lan''s mom, there was arge pot of bone soup.
Inside were several huge bones.
Since they couldn''t find a suitable container, Lin Jichen used a washbasin to hold it...
Lin Jichen had to go downstairs to the hardware store to buy a saw to cut the bones before they could be cooked.
Otherwise, they would have had to feed them to the dogs.
"Sister Xiaowei, I didn''t expect your cooking knowledge to be on par with mine, hahaha."
Ren Lanughed heartily.
Qin Xiaowei said shyly, "I saw the bones were quite big and thought the soup would be delicious, so I bought them. I wondered why people on the street were staring at me when I was heading home."
"I think you should give up cooking, Sister Xiaowei. Your hands are meant for ying the piano and being a good singer. Cooking is not your profession, and neither is mine," Ren Lan teased.
Qin Xiaowei awkwardly said, "I n to hire a nanny once my ie increases. I don''t want Tang Tang to eat instant noodles with me every day."
Lin Jichen nodded and said, "That''s a good idea. But there''s no rush. When you do look for a nanny, make sure to find a reliable one. Until then, you can bring Tang Tang here to eat. As long as I''m not busy, I''ll cook something."
"No, no, we''ve already freeloaded several times. We can''te every day."
Qin Xiaowei quickly refused.
"Auntie, please agree. I really like Brother Lin''s cooking."
Tang Tang lifted her head from her bowl, rice grains still stuck to her face, and pleaded with Qin Xiaowei.
To her, Lin Jichen''s cooking was a feastpared to her aunt''s.
As long as she didn''t have to eat her aunt''s cooking, it was better than anything.
"Yeah, Little Lin doesn''t mind the trouble, so don''t refuse. At most, you buy the groceries, and Little Lin cooks. How about that?" Ren Lan suggested.
Qin Xiaowei''s eyes lit up and she was about to agree when Lin Jichen quickly interrupted.
"No need, no need. I''ll buy the groceries and cook. No trouble at all."
Lin Jichen didn''t want to make another ''funeral stick soup.'' Who knows what weird ingredients Qin Xiaowei might buy next time.
"Then I''ll pay for the food."
Lin Jichen chuckled, "Really, no need, Sister Xiaowei. I don''t cook every day. Sometimes I''m busy with the game and don''t have time toe out. We''re neighbors, and you''re myndlord. It''s just a meal now and then, no need to make it so formal. When you be famous, you can treat us to a few good meals at a hotel."
Qin Xiaowei thought about it and agreed. Paying him would indeed make it seem like she was hiring him as her chef, which would be too formal.
"Alright, Little Lin, when you have time in the next few days, let''s go out to eat. My treat."
Lin Jichen smiled and nodded, agreeing.
After lunch, Tang Tang patted her full belly, waved goodbye to Lin Jichen, and left with Qin Xiaowei.
As soon as they left, Lin Jichen and Ren Lan couldn''t resist the urge to...
Enter the game.
"I haven''t yed Tale of Immortal for two days. I''m dying here. Today, I must be a Foundation Establishment expert! Little Lin, get ready to be crushed by me, haha."
Ren Lan said, rushing into her room like an inte-addicted teenager who had been forced to quit for two days and was now back with a strong desire to y.
Lin Jichen shook his head with a smile, not understanding where this girl got her confidence from.
But he also needed to quickly break through to the Crystal Realm and cross the Tribtion.
Currently, many people on the Tale of Immortal cultivation leaderboard had already reached the Crystal Realm, with some even at the mid-stage.
He wasn''t worried about being surpassed by them. Most of the people on the leaderboard had forcibly raised their realm through human-level breakthroughs, making their actual strength very weak.
In a real fight, Lin Jichen could easily defeat them.
He was more concerned that with more Crystal Realm yers, the second wave of Secret Realms might open soon.
He needed to catch up to them to explore the Crystal Realm Secret Realm.
Moreover, stepping into the Crystal Realm would unlock many hidden opportunities, tasks, and even caves waiting for him to explore.
The only reason he hadn''t gone yet was because his realm was too low and his cultivation insufficient.
Re-entering the game.
Lin Jichen took arge number of elixirs from his own pharmacy and stuffed them into his ring. This trip to the Thunder Marsh might take several days, so he needed to stock up on supplies.
Having a pharmacy was great; he could take as much medicine as he wanted without spending a dime.
He also checked his four shops, replenishing anycking materials, and then left Fengqu City, boarding a teleportation array and disappearing from sight.
The next moment, Lin Jichen appeared in a small border town in the western part of Yongning Province.
The Thunder Marsh was located in the western region of Yongning Province.
This was the nearest town, still several hundred miles away.
Lin Jichen hurried towards the Thunder Marsh.
Before he even arrived, he saw the sky tens of miles ahead was dark and humid, with torrential rain pouring down.
Thick clouds gathered, and lightning asionally struck, terrifying all living creatures. It was like and abandoned by the heavens.
Ordinary people would be too scared to move upon seeing it from afar, let alone venture inside.
But Lin Jichen showed no fear. He had been here many times before, so why would he be afraid now?
The difference was that in his previous life, he only dared toe here when he was in the Golden Core Realm, as the monsters inside were generally above the Crystal Formation level, not to mention the highly cultivated cultivators.
There were also many demonic cultivators mixed in. This time, Lin Jichen was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
He didn''t want to take this risk, but he had no choice. Without finding the Thunder Spirit Heart in the Thunder Marsh, he feared he wouldn''t survive the Crystal Realm''s lightning tribtion.
The Thunder Spirit Heart could increase his sess rate in crossing the tribtion by more than 30%, so he had toe.
As he approached, Lin Jichen chose not to fly. Flying in this area would only attract lightning strikes.
It would also draw the attention of other cultivators and monsters. He needed to stay low-key.
As he progressed, he finally entered the Thunder Marsh area.
The ground was wet and muddy, with swamps everywhere.
An old book once said: "Where nine rivers converge, the Summer Thunder Marsh forms. The Yung and Ju Rivers join, and the mulberry soil is fertile. The Thunder Marsh is home to a thunder god, with a dragon''s head and a human face, who drums on its belly to create thunder."
The thunder god was the Thunder Dragon.
He was here to find the Thunder Dragon and obtain the Thunder Spirit Heart to ensure his sess in crossing the tribtion.
However, the Thunder Dragon was elusive, often roaming around. The Thunder Marsh was vast, and Lin Jichen couldn''t determine its exact location, so he had to rely on luck to find it.
The torrential rain quickly drenched Lin Jichen.
Boom!
Thunder roared above, deafening.
Lin Jichen didn''t dare stay in one ce for too long, nor did he dare to hide under a nearby tree.
Even children in the real world knew not to hide under trees during a thunderstorm to avoid being struck by lightning.That sucks.
Chapter 177 – Bloodthirsty Thunder Crocodile
Chapter 177 C Bloodthirsty Thunder Crocodile
[Ding! Your pet has been resurrected! You can summon it again!]
At this moment, the game notification sounded, and Lin Jichen found that Panda Xiong had finallye back to life.
Pet deaths are more troublesome than yer deaths, requiring forty-eight hours before they can be resurrected.
Last time at the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, Panda Xiong fought desperately, acting as a sandbag for Ren Lan and taking countless hits for her.
Without Panda Xiong''s assistance, Ren Lan would have died countless times; even a minor elder in the Crystal Formation stage could have easily defeated her.
Ren Lan managed to withstand the pressure mainly because of Panda Xiong.
Panda Xiong took the most damage and endured the most hits, but ultimately couldn''t hold on and was blown to pieces by Li Chang''an''s self-detonating Golden Elixir.
Seeing it revived, Lin Jichen quickly summoned it out.
[Spirit Beast: Iron-Eating Beast (Juvenile)]
[Name: Panda Xiong]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Strength: Mid Foundation Establishment stage]
[Cultivation: 5000/10000]
[Loyalty: 82 points]
[Health:12000/12000]
[Attack: 125]
[Defense: 110]
[Speed: 90]
[Skills: Thunder Roar, Absolute Defense, Furious Thunder Strike]
The resurrected Panda Xiong didn''t change much, except its cultivation experience dropped significantly, which had been full before.
Unfortunately, this death caused it to lose half of its umted cultivation experience.
The most critical issue was the drop in loyalty.
Lin Jichen covered his face, feeling heartbroken as he looked at the loyalty, which had dropped to 82.
He had put in so much effort and persuasion to raise Panda Xiong''s loyalty by two points.
This death instantly caused it to drop by ten points.
Pets with loyalty below 70 would disobey their master''s orders, and below 50, they were prone to rebellion.
Lin Jichen was now worried that Panda Xiong might betray him, just as he betrayed Chiyou...
"Don''t worry, Panda Xiong. Once I break through to the Crystal Formation stage, I''ll take you to the Purple Arrow Bamboo Forest to eat the best bamboo, the crunchy kind. I''ll even find you a female panda, no, two! So you can have the best of both worlds."
Lin Jichen patted Panda Xiong''s big head,forting it while making grand promises.
Unfortunately, Panda Xiong was no longer naive and didn''t easily believe Lin Jichen''s words.
Seeing its disinterested look, Lin Jichen knew it wouldn''t be easily coaxed.
It seemed that without seeing real bamboo and real female pandas, it wouldn''t believe him.
"Alright, just wait until I find them for you. For now, apany me to find and kill the Thunder Dragon," Lin Jichen promised.
Panda Xiong''s eyes turned disdainful. Hmph, still making empty promises, just wanting me to work, huh?
Fortunately, Panda Xiong''s loyalty hadn''t dropped below 70 yet. Despite its dissatisfaction, it had to obey Lin Jichen''s orders.
Man and bear started walking through the torrential rain in the Thunder Marsh.
The heavy rain drenched them both like drowned rats.
Panda Xiong''s fur clumped together, losing all its Iron-Eating Beast spirit, looking more like a sloth...
Roar!
Suddenly!
A massive ck shadow leaped out from the nearby swamp, roaring as it pounced on Panda Xiong, its bloodthirsty mouth wide open, aiming to bite down.
Panda Xiong, in pain, immediately activated Absolute Defense.
Lin Jichen looked over and saw that the attacker was an eight-meter-long giant crocodile!
The crocodile had a massive body, covered in crystal armor, with fierce and violent eyes and rows of sharp teeth.
There was already blood on its teeth, from Panda Xiong''s wounds.
The sudden attack caught Panda Xiong off guard.
Lin Jichen recognized the monster as the notorious Thunder Crocodile of the Thunder Marsh.
Thunder Crocodiles lived in the swamps of the Thunder Marsh, masters of camouge, ambushing prey from the swamp grass.
Whether animal or human, anything appearing before them was food.
Moreover, Thunder Crocodiles, having lived in the Thunder Marsh for years, had thick crystal armor from constant lightning strikes, like gemstones.
They were extremely tough and bloodthirsty, making them the most hated creatures in the Thunder Marsh.
Lin Jichen checked the Thunder Crocodile''s attributes.
[Monster: Bloodthirsty Thunder Crocodile]
[Strength: Early Crystal Formation stage]
[Vitality: 13000/13000]
[Strength: 135]
[Defense: 160]
[Speed: 130]
[Heart Protection: 30]
[Thunder Resistance: 40%]
This Thunder Crocodile was stronger than the minor elders of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect.
With 160 defense, 30 heart protection, and 40% thunder resistance.
Its defense was almostparable to theter stages of the Crystal Formation.
Panda Xiong was already fighting the Thunder Crocodile.
Though the Thunder Crocodile was fierce, the Iron-Eating Beast was no pushover.
Panda Xiong roared, grabbing the Thunder Crocodile''s jaws with its paws, trying to tear it apart.
But Panda Xiong, being only at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, couldn''t break through the Thunder Crocodile''s defense.
The Thunder Crocodile, relying on its high attributes, broke free from Panda Xiong''s grip and swept its tail across.
Panda Xiong was sent flying.
But Panda Xiong, with its fiery temper, refused to give up despite knowing it couldn''t win.
It ran back, leaping into the air, its bear shadow looking especially imposing in the thunderstorm.
"Furious Thunder Strike!"
As Panda Xiong leaped, its paws burst with incredible thunder power.
Panda Xiong, being a thunder-attribute spirit beast, had skills like Thunder Roar and Furious Thunder Strike.
Its bear body mmed onto the Thunder Crocodile''s head, its paws striking down like boulders, smashing the Thunder Crocodile''s head into the mud.
Panda Xiong kept pounding the Thunder Crocodile''s head with its bear fists.
The Thunder Crocodile, dazed, sank deeper into the mud.
[-500! -500!]
Unfortunately, that was all it could do.
The opponent''s defense was too high; Panda Xiong could only rely on skills for some damage.
Though the Thunder Crocodile was only at the early Crystal Formation stage, its defense wasparable to theter stages.
It would be strange if Panda Xiong could hurt it.
Before Panda Xiong could continue, the Thunder Crocodile broke free, rolling and throwing Panda Xiong away again.
Panda Xiong, unwilling to give up, got up from the mud to fight again, but Lin Jichen stepped in first to avenge it.
Lin Jichen''s Dark Night Sword moved swiftly through the rain, approaching the Thunder Crocodile in an instant, piercing through the rain, and stabbing into its eye!
The crocodile''s weak points were its eyes and belly.
The once imposing Thunder Crocodile screamed in pain from the strike.
[Critical Hit! -3140!]
The Thunder Crocodile didn''t expect the seemingly weak human beside Panda Xiong to cause such damage.
The Thunder Crocodile''s target instantly shifted from the seemingly delicious Panda Xiong to Lin Jichen.
The Thunder Crocodile''s steel-like tail swept across, creating a gust of wind.
Lin Jichen, however, smiled calmly, not even dodging.
[MISS!]
After taking the Thunder Crocodile''s tail sweep, Lin Jichen was unharmed.
The Thunder Crocodile seemed incredulous, opening its bloody mouth to bite, its teeth suddenly doubling in size, resembling dragon teeth with immense biting power!
Chapter 178 – Three pet eggs
Chapter 178 C Three pet eggs
"Tyrant Bite!"
The Thunder Crocodile''s massive jaws opened wide, making Lin Jichen''s small frame appear so insignificant inparison, as if it could be bitten in half in one gulp!
Even though Lin Jichen knew he wouldn''t die from this bite, he still didn''t want to be bitten by this foul-smelling crocodile.
With a speed of 272, twice that of the Thunder Crocodile, dodging was a piece of cake.
The Thunder Crocodile bit into the air, and in its frustration, turned to pounce on Lin Jichen again.
At this moment, Panda Xiong rejoined the battle, using its two paws to grab the upper and lower jaws of the Thunder Crocodile, locking it in a stalemate.
"Good job, Panda Xiong! Once we kill it, you can have crocodile meat!"
Lin Jichen stepped forward, shing with his sword.
After his life-and-death battle with Li Chang''anst time, his swordsmanship had improved significantly.
With each full-force strike, he could hit the crocodile''s most vulnerable eyes.
St!
The Thunder Crocodile''s eyes finally couldn''t withstand the assault and burst open, blood mist spreading.
Blinded, the Thunder Crocodile became extremely agitated, frantically trying to retaliate.
But Panda Xiong didn''t give it a chance to go berserk, activating Absolute Defense and mming it to the ground.
Lin Jichen only needed to deal damage from the side, delivering a few more shes.
The Thunder Crocodile finally lost its life, dying miserably on the spot.
[Cultivation +0 points! Reached bottleneck, please break through as soon as possible!]
[Panda Xiong''s cultivation +1000 points!]
After killing the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sectst time, Lin Jichen''ster stage of Foundation Establishment cultivation experience was already full, now he just needed to break through.
He released Panda Xiong to let it gain experience and level up faster.
He had already collected over a dozen Beast Spirit Pills from the auction house, enough for the Iron-Eating Beast to break through to the Crystal Realm.
However, after reaching the Crystal Realm, it would need Monster Beast Pills to break through further.
Lin Jichen''s strength had already surpassed Panda Xiong''s by a lot, and if he didn''t nurture it, his pet would be useless.
Pets could be summoned in solo mode, such as in solo Secret Realms.
In future Ascension Tournaments, solo challenges, and other activities, pets could be summoned for PK.
So pets were very important and had to be well-trained.
Moreover, Lin Jichen''s Iron-Eating Beast had great potential, capable of reaching the Gathering Spirit Realm, making it an important early-stagebat member for Lin Jichen.
"This Thunder Crocodile is all yours, eat as much as you want."
After Lin Jichen finished speaking, he casually sliced open the Thunder Crocodile''s body, chopping up the meat to make it easier for Panda Xiong to eat.
Panda Xiong didn''t hold back, feasting on the Thunder Crocodile. This damned little lizard dared to bully it, it had to eat its meat!
[Ding! Panda Xiong''s loyalty to you +1 point!]
Not bad, helping it get revenge and providing a meal had some benefits.
Lin Jichen took the opportunity to walk over to the Thunder Crocodile''s Soul Burial Mound and rummaged through it.
He found a piece of Spirit Grade equipment and a Thunder Crystal Stone.
[Spirit Grade Armor Thunder Crocodile Armor]: Defense +30, Heart Protection +15, Speed -5.
Requirement: Crystal Realm yers only.
This equipment could only be used by Crystal Realm yers.
Lin Jichen wasn''t interested at all, and the armor was heavy, reducing speed when worn.
Clearly, this equipment was more suitable for tank or body cultivator yers.
Lin Jichen tossed it into his Storage Ring and looked at the remaining Thunder Crystal Stone in his hand.
[Spirit Grade Ore Thunder Crystal Stone]: High-grade ore material for crafting thunder attribute equipment.
This ore was good, just right to take back to the equipment shop for the cksmiths to craft equipment.
Lin Jichen stored the two items, while Panda Xiong continued to eat happily in the rain.
Lin Jichen wanted to wait for it to finish eating, but suddenly noticed more Thunder Crocodiles swimming over.
And not just one!
One, two, three...
A total of seven Bloodthirsty Thunder Crocodiles!
Thunder Crocodiles were social animals, usually living in the same territory.
They had smelled the blood of theirpanion and quickly came to support.
"Stop eating, let''s run." Lin Jichen saw Panda Xiong still engrossed in eating, and couldn''t help butugh and cry, quickly calling it to run.
Although he wasn''t afraid of these Bloodthirsty Thunder Crocodiles, once the fight started, it would create too muchmotion, easily attracting other monsters or cultivators.
Cautious as always, Lin Jichen didn''t want to take such a risk.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to leave, he noticed a Thunder Crocodile crawling out from a bush in the distance.
The bush was originally well-hidden, but as the Thunder Crocodile emerged, it pushed aside the grass, revealing something white inside.
Lin Jichen''s sharp eyes immediately recognized that there were three eggs in the bush!
Those were Thunder Crocodile eggs!
Lin Jichen immediately abandoned the idea of running, his gaze locked on those three Thunder Crocodile eggs!
Thunder Crocodile eggs could be used as pets.
And Thunder Crocodiles were quite strong, capable of reaching theter stage of Crystal Formation.
They were tough and could fight, making them good pet candidates.
Although Lin Jichen wasn''t interested, it didn''t mean other yers wouldn''t be.
If these eggs were put up for auction, it was imaginable that many yers would spend a fortune on them.
Moreover, Thunder Crocodile eggs were hard to find because mother crocodiles would protect their eggs to the death. If they found themselves losing, they would rather destroy the eggs than let others have them.
So to get these three eggs, Lin Jichen had to act before the mother crocodile returned to the nest.
"Panda Xiong, we''re not running, attack!"
Lin Jichen abandoned the idea of running,unching an attack first, unleashing a flurry of strikes on one of the Thunder Crocodiles!
The seven Thunder Crocodiles quicklyunched their assault on the man and the bear.
"de Storm!"
Lin Jichen didn''t want to waste time, fearing that dys would causeplications, and wanted to end the battle quickly.
The sword array swept the four Thunder Crocodiles into it.
The perfected de Storm dealt 800 damage per second,sting 8 seconds.
Combined with Lin Jichen''s base damage.
Each second dealt 2300 damage, and within eight seconds, no Thunder Crocodile could withstand it.
The four Thunder Crocodiles turned into corpses in an instant.
The remaining three, Panda Xiong held off one, while Lin Jichen turned into a shadow, attacking the other two.
Without any surprises, within half an incense stick''s time, all six Thunder Crocodiles were dead!
Thest mother crocodile, seeing it was no match, broke free from Panda Xiong''s grip and turned to run towards the nest, intending to destroy its eggs before dying!
But its speed was no match for Lin Jichen, who quickly caught up and killed it with a few shes!
Without any hesitation, Lin Jichen leaped forward, rushing into the bush.
Sure enough, three balloon-sized Thunder Crocodile eggsy quietly inside.
[Thunder Crocodile Egg]: Can hatch Bloodthirsty Thunder Crocodile, 100% loyalty.
Lin Jichen smiled, putting all three eggs into his bag.
This unexpected windfall made him quite happy.
After collecting the three eggs, Lin Jichen didn''t dare linger, quickly calling Panda Xiong to run.
Panda Xiong''s cultivation was full and ready to break through.
But Lin Jichen didn''t dare let it break through here, nning to take it elsewhere.
Just as the man and bear were about to leave, an arrow suddenly shot towards Lin Jichen from behind!
Someone had arrived!
Chapter 179 – Offend the Ten Thousand Demon Sect
Chapter 179 C Offend the Ten Thousand Demon Sect
Lin Jichen had been on high alert from the moment he stepped into Thunder Marsh. The most terrifying and deadly threats often came from ambushes lurking in the shadows, not from enemies faced head-on.
Since entering Thunder Marsh, Lin Jichen had never let his guard down, even while battling those seven Thunder Crocodiles earlier, he had constantly been observing his surroundings.
The instant the arrow appeared, Lin Jichen twisted his body to dodge it, sessfully avoiding the attack.
"Come out, you sneaky rat. I could smell your stench from miles away in the rain," Lin Jichen mocked.
As soon as he finished speaking, two figures emerged from the shadows in the distance. One held a bow, and the other wore a pair of gloves.
An archer and a palm cultivator.
Both were at the mid-stage of Crystal Formation.
"Kid, we know you''re strong, but if you hand over three Thunder Crocodile eggs, we''ll let you go."
"Don''t say we didn''t warn you. You might be able to beat us, but if we send out a signal, arge number of experts will surround and kill you. So you''d better be smart about this."
Despite having seen Lin Jichen single-handedly take on seven Thunder Crocodiles, the two didn''t seem overly worried. Instead, they appeared quite confident.
Lin Jichen temporarily suppressed his killing intent and sneered, "Do you think I''ll believe you?"
A burly man among themughed wickedly, "To tell you the truth, we are underlings of the Young Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect. This time, the Young Sect Leader has brought thousands of men to Thunder Marsh to hunt the Thunder Dragon. Do you think we''re lying?"
Lin Jichen frowned upon hearing this.
The Ten Thousand Demon Sect was a top-tier demonic sect well-known in his previous life.
Although the Ten Thousand Poison Sect was only one word different, the gap in power between the two sects was like night and day.
In the Tale of Immortal, sects could be roughly divided into third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, grand sects, and super sects.
The Ten Thousand Poison Sect was a third-rate sect, while the Ten Thousand Demon Sect was a super sect!
Their strength wasparable to the Tianyan Sword Sect.
Although the two sects had never trulypared, the Tianyan Sword Sect only had Leng Feiyan at the Feather Transformation Realm, while the Ten Thousand Demon Sect had two!
However, Leng Feiyan was at the peak of the Feather Transformation Realm, while the two from the Ten Thousand Demon Sect were at the early and mid-stages of the Feather Transformation Realm.
But they definitely had the strength of a super sect.
Offending a sect of this caliber would be very troublesome for Lin Jichen in the future.
After weighing the pros and cons, Lin Jichen decided it wasn''t worth offending them over three pet eggs.
Although he was reluctant, Lin Jichen knew his current strength was weak, and his goal here was the Thunder Dragon.
If he killed them now and alerted the other members of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect, it would be a loss.
Even though he had Leng Feiyan as his master to back him up, Lin Jichen didn''t want to trouble her over three pet eggs.
A master is meant to protect, not to be used as a scapegoat.
Of course, this only applied to female masters; male masters didn''t matter.
If Leng Feiyan got involved, it could really trigger a war between two super sects, and that would be a big problem.
Besides, Leng Feiyan was far away in Mu Xian Province right now, so even if he wanted to call her for help, he couldn''t.
After a moment of contemtion, Lin Jichen chose to take out the three Thunder Crocodile eggs.
A small concession to avoid a bigger conflict.
Lin Jichen decided to back down after weighing the pros and cons.
Seeing Lin Jichenpromise, the two demonic cultivators both showed smug smiles.
"Smart move, kid. You know when to back down."
The archer demonic cultivator walked over, ready to take the Thunder Crocodile eggs from Lin Jichen''s hand.
But the palm cultivator suddenly spoke, "This kid also has an Iron-Eating Beast as a pet. Hand over the pet too."
The archer demonic cultivator was stunned and looked at Lin Jichen, noticing his eyes suddenly turned cold.
A surge of killing intent erupted from him!
Before the archer demonic cultivator could react, Lin Jichen retracted the three Thunder Crocodile eggs back into his ring and thrust a jet-ck sword towards him!
St!
Lin Jichen''s sword pierced the archer''s heart.
All thoughts of concession and weighing pros and cons went out the window.
The archer demonic cultivator screamed in pain, retreating while waving his hands, "It wasn''t me who said that~"
Lin Jichen ignored him, using Phantom Step to close the distance, his Dark Night Sword bing a de of death in the rain.
The archer''s defense was weak, and after a few strikes, he died on the spot.
Even in death, his eyes were wide open, unable to rest in peace. Fuck, it wasn''t even him who said it, why did he have to die?
The palm cultivator hadn''t expected Lin Jichen to actually attack. In a panic, he took out a signal talisman.
Just as he was about to tear it apart!
"Wind Thunder Sword!"
Lin Jichen''s figure moved like lightning, charging forward!
A sword strike aimed straight at the palm cultivator''s heart!
The palm cultivator''s action was interrupted, but he still tried to tear the talisman.
However, Lin Jichen''s sword strikes were relentless, like the torrential rain, swift and deadly!
Every time the palm cultivator tried to tear the talisman, he was forcibly interrupted. In excruciating pain, he had to strike out with a palm to force Lin Jichen back.
But Lin Jichen endured the damage, his sword unwavering, determined to kill him.
The palm cultivator panicked and begged for mercy.
"Brother, I was wrong. I don''t want your pet or your Thunder Crocodile eggs. Let me go, I won''t notify the Young Sect Leader."
However, Lin Jichen seemed not to hear him at all.
Terrified, the palm cultivator used his movement technique to escape Lin Jichen''s attack range.
Lin Jichen, with his high speed, caught up again.
But he saw the palm cultivator had already torn the signal talisman.
In the end, he couldn''t stop it.
Lin Jichen had no choice; the opponent was a palm cultivator known for defense and health, at the mid-stage of Crystal Formation. Killing him instantly was impossible.
In the end, the guy managed to tear the talisman.
"Hahaha, kid, you''re done for! My Young Sect Leader will be here soon, you''re dead... Ah!"
Before he could finish his threat, Lin Jichen''s attacks intensified.
Despite his efforts to resist and hold out until his allies arrived, the palm cultivator was quickly dealt with by Lin Jichen.
After killing the two, Lin Jichen didn''t even bother to collect their Soul Burial Mounds. He summoned Panda Xiong back into his pet space and fled the scene at full speed!
Just as he left, a man with an unfathomable aura appeared.
The man was handsome, dressed in luxurious clothes, with a cold and arrogant demeanor.
He surveyed the scene, not finding the Thunder Dragon, but only the bodies of his two subordinates.
Soon, other subordinates arrived as well.
"Young Sect Leader!"
They knelt respectfully upon seeing the man.
The handsome man, with cold eyes, said, "The signal talisman was for discovering the Thunder Dragon, but these two idiots used it to call me for help, wasting my time. Chop up their bodies and feed them to the Thunder Crocodiles."
"Yes!"
The subordinates, trembling with fear, immediatelyplied.
"But someone dared to kill members of my Ten Thousand Demon Sect. They must have a death wish."
The handsome man nced at the bodies and the wounds on the Thunder Crocodiles, revealing a cold smile.
"A sword cultivator, huh? Find him and skin him alive, extract his soul."
Chapter 180 – Kai Ming Beast
Chapter 180 C Kai Ming Beast
At this moment, Lin Jichen had already distanced himself from the scene.
He hadn''t expected so many demonic cultivators from the Ten Thousand Demon Sect to be in the Thunder Marsh.
Moreover, he had killed two disciples of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect. Given his understanding of the Young Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect, Li Xinghun...
Li Xinghun was a prominent figure among the younger generation of the demonic sect, known for his formidable strength, erratic and violent personality, ruthless methods, and cruel tactics.
Even after the worlds merged, this guy had led the demonic sect to conquer real-world cities, turning the entire poption and yers into his sect''s subordinates.
Anyone who dared to resist would be killed.
Li Xinghun would nt a demonic mark in their minds, enving them as puppets and resources for the demonic sect.
At that time, due to the recent fusion, hundreds of thousands of real-world yers suffered, and several cities were devastated.
Lin Jichen knew that he had definitely formed a grudge with Li Xinghun.
Having provoked the Ten Thousand Demon Sect and being alone here, he had to be extremely cautious in his next actions.
What gave Lin Jichen a headache was that, ording to the two Crystal Formation demonic cultivators he had interrogated earlier, Li Xinghun was also in the Thunder Marsh searching for the Thunder Dragon.
This meant he had to find and seize the Thunder Spirit Heart before Li Xinghun and his people did.
Otherwise, all his previous efforts would be in vain.
Although "Tale of Immortal" was still just a game, the Thunder Dragon would respawn.
But a wild boss of the Thunder Dragon''s level would take at least a month to respawn after being killed.
Lin Jichen didn''t want to wait that long. Being stuck in the Foundation Establishment Realm for a month would waste the advantage he had umted in the early stages.
Moreover, as yers'' realms advanced, those valuable opportunities would likely be found and taken.
By then, Lin Jichen would be left with nothing but regret.
He had to take a risk; fortune favors the bold.
Lin Jichen made up his mind. He wouldn''t leave until he found the Thunder Dragon.
He had already moved far from the previous location. The heavy rain served as a good cover, masking all scents and footprints.
Additionally, the Thunder Marsh was vast and boundless, with numerous cultivators. It wouldn''t be easy for the Ten Thousand Demon Sect to find him.
Lin Jichen found a temporary shelter from the rain, took some medicine to restore his mana, and summoned Panda Xiong, feeding it a Beast Spirit Pill.
In the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, Panda Xiong sessfully broke through to theter stage of Foundation Establishment, with significant improvements in its attributes.
[Spirit Beast: Iron-Eating Beast]
[Name: Panda Xiong]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Strength: Later stage of Foundation Establishment]
[Cultivation: 0/20000]
[Loyalty: 83 points]
[Health: 18000/18000]
[Attack: 155]
[Defense: 160]
[Speed: 130]
[Skills: Thunder Roar, Absolute Defense, Furious Thunder Strike, Earth-Shattering Charge]
Not only did its attributes improve, but it also gained a new skill.
[Earth-Shattering Charge]: Charge in a direction, dealing 700 base skill damage to targets within a 5-meter range and knocking them back for 1 second.
Cooldown: 120 seconds.
This skill was excellent, a group control skill!
It was also Panda Xiong''s first true control skill, and a group control at that.
As expected of an Iron-Eating Beast~
Lin Jichen smiled with satisfaction, patting its head in encouragement.
Panda Xiong had grownrger, almost out of its cub stage.
Once it reached Crystal Formation, Lin Jichen could ride it.
Just imagining riding a national treasure around was incredibly cool.
Lin Jichen looked at Panda Xiong with anticipation, eager to ride it.
The rain gradually stopped.
The thunder in the sky finally quieted down.
Then, a zing sun appeared, causing the temperature in the Thunder Marsh to soar, as if switching from early spring to scorching summer in an instant.
Lin Jichen was used to it; the Thunder Marsh always had such bizarre weather changes.
But now that the rain had stopped, without the cleansing rainwater, he had to be even more cautious in his actions.
To avoid attracting greedy eyes, Lin Jichen put Panda Xiong back into the pet space and continued westward.
Several hourster, Lin Jichen was hundreds of miles away from the Thunder Crocodile Marsh.
During this time, he hadn''t encountered any more demonic cultivators from the Ten Thousand Demon Sect, but he dide across a few cultivators. Lin Jichen avoided them from a distance.
Lin Jichen stopped, not to rest, but to stare at the huge footprints in the muddy ground.
The footprints were twice the size of an elephant''s, deeply embedded in the mud, half a foot deep, with scattered fur around them.
After careful examination and memory search, Lin Jichen recognized the owner of the footprints.
It wasn''t the Thunder Dragon but another great beast of the Thunder Marsh, known as the Kai Ming Beast.
There was a saying in ancient texts: "The Kai Ming Beast, born of golden essence, with a tiger''s body and a human face, exudes an imposing presence; its gaze intimidates all spirits."
It was a unique great beast in "Tale of Immortal," and the Kai Ming Beast had many types. Based on its fur, white was inferior, ck was superior.
The fur scattered around the footprints was all white.
This somewhat reassured Lin Jichen.
White-furred Kai Ming Beasts weren''t particrly strong, but they were definitely at the Golden Elixir stage.
Lin Jichen thought for a moment and decided to follow the footprints.
Since he hadn''t found the Thunder Dragon yet, he might as well see if there were any clues.
The footprints extended further, bing more numerous.
Lin Jichen knew he had entered the Kai Ming Beast''s territory.
He released Panda Xiong.
With its keen nose, Panda Xiong quickly determined the direction.
Man and bear hurried on.
After more than half an hour, they heard thunderous snores ahead.
In the hollow of a giant ancient tree, a tiger-like monster was sleeping soundly.
It looked like a tiger, but muchrger, covered in white fur. The most terrifying part was its head.
It had nine heads!
Each head resembled a human face, looking extraordinarily eerie.
Lin Jichen had been quite shaken the first time he saw such a creature in his previous life.
At this moment, the Kai Ming Beast was sleeping soundly, with a massive skeleton beside it. Lin Jichen couldn''t identify the creature from the bones alone.
But judging by the size of the bones, it was definitely not an ordinary monster.
It was likely killed and eaten by the Kai Ming Beast, which then slept at the base of the tree after a full meal.
Lin Jichen tried to check its attributes but couldn''t.
Clearly, its realm far exceeded his. Lin Jichen didn''t hesitate about whether to make a move.
Because he had to act, the Kai Ming Beast was one of his targets this time.
The Kai Ming Beast had a treasure called the Northern Underworld Soul Sand, a material for the Heavenly Dao Crystal.
There were other, lesser materials that could alsoplete the Heavenly Dao Crystal.
But their effects were much inferior.
Moreover, such great beasts were rare opportunities; if he missed this one, there wouldn''t be another.
Lin Jichen thought for a moment and decided to act!
Just as he revealed his killing intent, the Kai Ming Beast''s nine heads simultaneously opened their eyes!
Chapter 181 – Another Golden Core Realm opponent
Chapter 181 C Another Golden Core Realm opponent
When the Kai Ming Beast''s nine pairs of eyes simultaneously locked onto him, Lin Jichen had already moved!
Once he decided to act, he wouldn''t hesitate or look back!
Lin Jichen''s figure blurred, transforming into a fleeting shadow.
ng!
As he approached the tree hole, he shed out a Sword Qi from a distance!
"Frost Moon sh!"
Lin Jichen didn''t want to test the waters; he directly used a Martial Arts Technique against his opponent.
With the Ten Thousand Demon Sect in the Thunder Marsh, he had toplete any task as quickly as possible.
The Sword Qi was like frost, a white line tearing through the sky, swift as lightning, fast as the wind, and naturally perfect!
It precisely struck the Kai Ming Beast, which had just woken from its sweet dream.
[-970! Slow!]
[Slow: Reduces the opponent''s speed by 30%,sts for 8 seconds.]
Lin Jichen thought it was a pity that the freezing attribute of Frost Moon sh didn''t trigger.
Otherwise, his Dizzying Sword Qi could have perfectly followed up.
Thebo he imagined couldn''t be executed.
But Lin Jichen also saw the attributes of this Kai Ming Beast.
[Great Monster: Kai Ming Beast]
[Level: BOSS-level]
[Strength: Early Golden Elixir]
[Health: 44030/45000]
[Attack: 355]
[Defense: 300]
[Speed: 300]
[Critical Hit: 50]
[Heart Protection: 40]
[Tenacity: 20%]
[Skills: Heaven-Opening Sonic Wave, Three Thousand Thunderclouds, Beast Spirit Body, Eight-Directional Axe Might, Sky-Splitting Thunder Punishment]
Fortunately, this was just an early Golden Elixir Kai Ming Beast; he could still handle it.
But looking at these attributes, it was far superior to the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect''s Golden Elixir.
As the realm gets higher, whether it''s yers, NPCs, or monsters, the gaps between everyone be more pronounced.
This is especially evident within the same realm.
Li Chang''an''s Golden Core Realm was clearly inferior to this Kai Ming Beast.
The injured Kai Ming Beast leaped out of the tree hole, its nine heads simultaneously roaring at Lin Jichen!
Heaven-Opening Sonic Wave!
The sound was like thunder!
In that instant, Lin Jichen was stunned on the spot.
[-2080! Stunned for 2 seconds!]
[Stun status: Tenacity offset,sts for 1.6 seconds.]
Lin Jichen''s tenacity was 20%, which shortened the stun duration, but the Kai Ming Beast still used this blink of an eye to close in on him.
The Kai Ming Beast swung its giant paw, pping Lin Jichen away and creating arge crater.
[-1400!]
In the blink of an eye, he lost over three thousand health points. Even with a health bar of seventeen thousand, at this rate, it wouldn''t be enough to withstand a few more hits from the Kai Ming Beast.
At this moment, Lin Jichen had regained his mobility.
He charged forward again, like a moth to a me!
His right hand held the sword, his aura soaring to the sky!
In an instant, sword shadows flickered around him, and white Sword Qi shed through the air, appearing and disappearing in a blink.
The Sword Qi exploded inch by inch on the Kai Ming Beast''s body, like the sound of firecrackers.
Sword marks began to appear all over the Kai Ming Beast, but its self-healing ability was extremely strong, often healing a wound within seconds.
Lin Jichen had dealt with such great monsters before and knew that the Kai Ming Beast''s vitality was extremely tenacious.
So his attacks were like a storm, not daring to pause.
[-190!]
[-190!]
[Critical Hit! -280!]
The damage was low, but it was much stronger than when he fought Li Chang''an at the mid Foundation Establishment stage.
Panda Xiong didn''t have Lin Jichen''s high tenacity and had just recovered from the stun, immediately joining the battle.
One man and one bear surrounded the Kai Ming Beast, attacking it.
"Panda Xiong! Knock it away!"
Seeing Panda Xionging to help, Lin Jichen quicklymanded.
Panda Xiong also wanted to try out his new skill. With a roar, his entire bear body shot towards the Kai Ming Beast like a zing meteor.
"Earth-Shattering Collision!"
The Kai Ming Beast, not knowing what was happening, saw a round ball flying towards it.
Boom!
Panda Xiong collided with the Kai Ming Beast, sending it flying several meters into the air.
Itnded back on the ground a secondter.
[-700!]
"Well done!" Lin Jichen praised, following up with two more sword strikes.
The Kai Ming Beast, now irritated, had its nine heads simultaneously spew mes, like nine fire dragons, aiming to engulf Lin Jichen.
But Lin Jichen had anticipated this and flipped in mid-air,nding outside the range of the fire dragon''s attack.
Panda Xiong wasn''t so lucky, wrapped in mes, howling in pain, rolling on the ground to extinguish the fire.
The Kai Ming Beast, missing its target, was unwilling to give up. Countless light orbs floated from its body, gathering together to form a giant transparent sphere, with lightning shing inside, like a miniature thundercloud world.
Three Thousand Thunderclouds!
The thundercloud flew above Lin Jichen''s head and exploded!
In that instant, Lin Jichen felt the raging lightning rampaging above him.
The next second, he used ''Wind Thunder Sword,'' riding the tail of the lightning to sh out.
Unlucky Panda Xiong was hit again, his health bar halved.
Lin Jichen couldn''t care about him now, using the Wind Thunder Sword''s dash tounch a fierce attack!
His Wind Thunder Sword was always used for offense, catching the Kai Ming Beast off guard.
An unprepared Kai Ming Beast had one of its heads shed by the Wind Thunder Sword, blood gushing out.
The beast face split open from the middle, a clear and terrifying wound running through the entire face.
[Critical Hit! -2580!]
The Kai Ming Beast roared like a great bell, one head severely injured.
But the perfected Wind Thunder Sword not only had a considerable 1100 damage.
After casting, it also increased speed by 60% for 5 seconds!
At this moment, Lin Jichen was as swift as lightning, leaving only afterimages as he moved.
No matter how the Kai Ming Beast swung its giant paws, it couldn''t touch even a corner of Lin Jichen''s clothes.
On the contrary, Lin Jichen continued to strike while dodging.
But this ''joy'' was short-lived, as the five seconds quickly passed.
Lin Jichen''s speed returned to normal, and he recalled Panda Xiong.
He had no choice; if Panda Xiong took a few more hits, he would die on the spot.
He wanted Panda Xiong to gain experience, but he feared the stupid bear would die again, losing not only experience but also loyalty.
Seeing Lin Jichen slow down, the impatient Kai Ming Beast swung its giant paw, golden spiritual power gathering in its palm.
The Kai Ming Beast''s paw, like a heavenly drum, smashed towards Lin Jichen''s head!
"Phantom Step!"
Lin Jichen wouldn''t be so easily hit.
Boom!
The beast''s paw struck the ground, creating a crater as if hit by dozens of bombs, shaking the surrounding ground, the sound echoing through the heavens and earth.
The shockwave sted the surrounding vegetation t.
Seeing its attack fail, the Kai Ming Beast suddenly spoke human words.
"Foolish and insignificant human, you have truly angered me!"
With that, the Kai Ming Beast''s body straightened, transforming.
In the blink of an eye, it became a nine-headed white-haired giant.
And in its hands, two golden giant axes appeared!
Chapter 182 – Intense battle
Chapter 182 C Intense battle
Golden Elixir Transformation.
This is something only a rare few beasts can achieve.
They can transform into human form and use human weapons and skills, just like human cultivators.
After transforming, the Kai Ming Beast stood upright, towering at a height of six to seven meters, resembling a giant.
Without a word, it swung its two golden axes down at Lin Jichen!
Swish!
The golden axes, under the sunlight, appeared like divine weapons capable of splitting the heavens and earth, incredibly intimidating!
Lin Jichen chose not to dodge. He raised his Dark Night Sword and blocked horizontally!
ng!
The two axes collided with the sword, sending sparks flying.
Lin Jichen''s small frame looked frail and insignificant against the seven-meter-tall beast.
His feet sank into the muddy ground, the immense force driving his calves into the earth.
But Lin Jichen remained unfazed. Instead, he taunted the Kai Ming Beast, "Is that all you''ve got?"
The Kai Ming Beast''s eyes widened in fury. It raised its axes again, gathering spiritual energy, causing the sky and earth to change color.
Its axes were now enveloped in terrifying, domineering spiritual energy!
A stronger strike seemed imminent, aimed at Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen''s eyes turned cold. He wouldn''t just sit and wait for death.
Instead, he took the initiative. His long sword hummed as it was drawn.
The sword tip shed upward!
Dozens of Phoenix Sword Qi burst forth!
Due to the Kai Ming Beast''s massive size, the scattered Phoenix Feather Sword Qi easily hit its body.
In its transformed state, the Kai Ming Beast became the perfect target for the Phoenix Feather.
It took nearly fifty percent of the sword qi!
This was exactly the moment Lin Jichen had been waiting for.
Phoenix Feather deals more damage torge enemies.
[-7522! Interrupted, Crippled!]
[Interrupted: Interrupts the opponent''s charging skill!]
[Crippled: All parts are weak points,sts for 10 seconds!]
Lin Jichen was lucky to interrupt the Kai Ming Beast''s skill just as it was about to unleash it!
The Kai Ming Beast, struck by this blow, lost its previous domineering aura.
Roar!
Its nine heads roared in unison, trying to stun Lin Jichen again and prepare to split him in two.
But this time, Lin Jichen didn''t give it the chance to stun him.
As the Heaven-Opening Sonic Wave sounded!
"Mist Piercing Charge!"
Lin Jichen sessfully broke free from the stun and continued his attack!
The Kai Ming Beast lost all patience.
Its attack frequency increased, each swing of its axes like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
However, Lin Jichen used various miraculous movement techniques to dodge one axe strike after another!
In the continuous skirmish with the Kai Ming Beast, to end the battle quickly, Lin Jichen used more and more skills.
His strength and defense increased correspondingly.
The passive effect of Autumn''s Lament sh benefited him greatly.
After using ten skills and all his spirit skills, Lin Jichen''s strength and defense increased by 20 points!
Although this boost wasn''t high, it added to Lin Jichen''sbat power.
Seeing its health depleting and Lin Jichen''s attacks bing more painful...
The Kai Ming Beast''s body erupted with astonishing lightning power.
Its nine heads simultaneously spewed golden streams of light, which flew into the sky.
A rift appeared in the void, followed by a dazzling lightning bolt shing through!
Crack!
A thunderbolt as thick as an adult''s arm struck down.
Seeing the danger, Lin Jichen tried to escape.
But the lightning seemed to lock onto him, striking him precisely.
"Sky-Splitting Thunder Punishment!"
An ultimate technique! Another ultimate technique.
Lin Jichen was speechless. Ultimate techniques were quite unfair.
Ultimate techniques almost always hit enemies with lower realms.
Unless one had top-tier movement skills, it was nearly impossible for lower-realm yers to dodge ultimate techniques.
This was the perpetual advantage of higher-realm opponents.
As expected, the lightning struck Lin Jichen.
His body convulsed, paralyzed, with his health bar nearly depleted.
[-11400! Armor Break Status!]
"Armor Break... Dark Cloud Secret Scroll, immune to Armor Break!"
Lin Jichen fell to the ground, still recovering.
He could confidently say this wasn''t true heavenly lightning, just one of the Kai Ming Beast''s ultimate techniques.
Real heavenly lightning would be far more terrifying.
One could imagine how dreadful the lightning tribtion at the Crystal Realm would be.
Even so, Lin Jichen''s health bar was down to less than two thousand.
Lin Jichen quickly used the Spring Thunder Belt''s blood pool to restore three thousand health points.
It was his first time using this skill; Ren Lan was the first to use it.
After fighting the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, she returned the belt to him.
Lin Jichen initially wanted to give it to her, but Ren Lan declined.
In hindsight, it was the right decision, as it now helped him sustain more health.
Moreover, Lin Jichen wasn''t too nervous about being hit by the ultimate technique.
As long as it didn''t kill him instantly.
With the Bloodthirsty Heart Sutra, each attack could restore some health.
Combined with elixirs, his health could recover quickly.
Recovering from the aftermath of the ultimate technique, Lin Jichen quickly stuffed a handful of elixirs into his mouth.
Time was tight, so he grabbed a handful and shoved them in.
Lin Jichen knew the Kai Ming Beast had exhausted its big moves and was now out of tricks. It was his turn to shine.
Learning from Li Chang''an''s previous lesson, Lin Jichen didn''t dare rx, fearing the opponent might self-destruct with a Golden Elixir.
Almost immediately after getting up and finishing his elixirs, he attacked the Kai Ming Beast again.
Frost Moon sh had just finished its fourth cooldown.
Lin Jichen''s sword moved like a flood dragon, tearing through the sky!
He unleashed a frosty sword qi, and even before it hit, a bone-chilling cold filled the air!
After being hit by Frost Moon sh, the Kai Ming Beast''s entire body began to freeze rapidly!
[-970! Slowed! Frozen!]
[Slowed: Reduces opponent''s speed by 30%,sts 8 seconds.]
[Frozen: Freezes all opponent''s actions,sts 2.5 seconds.]
Finally triggered!
Lin Jichen sighed at the 5% chance, which was really hard to hit, taking four tries to seed once.
While sighing, Lin Jichen stored up sword intent against the now frozen Kai Ming Beast!
He didn''t attack directly, as the frozen state would break upon taking damage.
So Lin Jichen charged up Dizzying Sword Qi, preparing for a dreambo.
Although the frozen statested only 2.4 seconds, Lin Jichen''s Dizzying Sword Qi required 3 seconds to charge.
The 0.6-second difference was negligible for this giant beast.
Unless it could predict his Dizzying Sword Qi or had extreme speed.
Speed was out of the question, as it was still slowed.
2.4 seconds passed quickly, and the Kai Ming Beast broke free from the frozen state.
It hesitated slightly, and the Dizzying Sword Qi hit it directly.
[1410! Stunned for 3 seconds!]
After mastering Dizzying Sword Qi, the charge time remained the same, but the damage and stun duration increased.
The stun duration extended from 2 seconds to 3 seconds.
Don''t underestimate that extra second; it was enough for Lin Jichen to swing several more times!
These 3 seconds, Lin Jichen had to seize them!
Chapter 183 – Mastery of Swordsmanship
Chapter 183 C Mastery of Swordsmanship
Lin Jichen moved like a ghost, closing in on the stunned Kai Ming Beast and unleashing his sword qi with full force.
Watching Lin Jichen wield his sword was like witnessing a piece of art in motion.
Each strike was more powerful than thest, yet simple and precise!
Every sword strike hit a vital point, exploiting weaknesses.
This was the advantage of bing one with the sword, achieving Sword Heart rity!
As the three-second stun wore off, Lin Jichen kept his eyes on the Kai Ming Beast''s health.
He quickly calcted and then unleashed the active skill of Autumn''s Lament sh!
Combining it with a new wave of sword qi!
[-3150!]
The remaining health of the Kai Ming Beast was drainedpletely.
The Kai Ming Beast woke up, covered in wounds.
Its nine proud heads were all injured, with two even severed, revealing clean, bloody cross-sections.
The Kai Ming Beast let out a mournful cry, trying to muster a final attack on Lin Jichen.
But it was futile; its health was entirely depleted. With a final wail, its life force vanished.
[Cultivation +0! Cultivation has reached a bottleneck, please break through as soon as possible!]
[Ding! Congrattions on achieving the first kill of a Golden Core Realm BOSS in "Tale of Immortal". A global announcement will be made. Do you wish to hide your name?]
"No."
Lin Jichen made his choice.
Since he was already famous, there was no point in staying low-key.
Either stay low-key forever or go all out.
[Congrattions to yer Lin Jichen for achieving the first kill of a Golden Core Realm BOSS in ''Tale of Immortal''. Reward: Reputation +3000 points, 1 random Mysterious Grade equipment, 1 Dao Heart Fruit, 1 Achievement Medal. May all yers have immortal luck and strive to catch up.]
[Congrattions...]
Three consecutive global announcements sent the entire "Tale of Immortal" yer base into a frenzy.
No one could believe their ears.
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
"What the heck? The first kill of a Golden Core BOSS is gone?"
"Damn, I struggle with Foundation Establishment monsters, and he can solo a Golden Core Realm?"
"I''m starting to believe what the Blood Fiend Guild said, this guy must be cheating, right?"
"What''s so strange about it? Didn''t Lin Jichen kill the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect alonest time?"
"Why wasn''t there a first kill announcement then?"
"Li Chang''an was a Sect Leader, not a BOSS, not even considered a cultivator."
***
Lin Jichen once again became the hot topic across the entire server.
But he had no time to think about these things; he quickly cleaned up the battlefield and approached the Soul Burial Mound of the Kai Ming Beast.
Inside the Soul Burial Mound were five items.
One was a material.
The other four, three were Mysterious Grade. When he saw thest one, Lin Jichen was delighted.
Earth Grade!
He finally got an Earth Grade item!
There was no time to check it out now; Lin Jichen needed to leave quickly.
The battle with the Kai Ming Beast had been too loud; surely, cultivators nearby had heard it. He had to make a swift escape.
After looting the Soul Burial Mound, Lin Jichen was about to flee when he remembered something important upon seeing the Kai Ming Beast''s corpse.
He turned back and, with two swift sword strikes, cut open the Kai Ming Beast''s body.
A blood-red inner core floated out!
This was the demon core of a great beast, equivalent to a cultivator''s Golden Elixir, extremely useful.
Lin Jichen then stored the Kai Ming Beast''s body as well.
A great beast like the Kai Ming Beast was a treasure trove; nothing should be wasted.
Just as he finished cleaning up the battlefield, Lin Jichen keenly sensed movement behind him; it seemed someone was approaching.
He immediately took off, disappearing in a sh.
As soon as he left, several cultivators arrived at the scene, looking at the chaotic battlefield and specting about the intense battle that had taken ce.
Before long, Li Xinghun also arrived, followed by several subordinates.
"Young Master, could it be that someone has already discovered the Thunder Dragon?" a subordinate asked worriedly.
Li Xinghun shook his head, surveying the scene. "It''s not the Thunder Dragon. Judging by the footprints, it should be the Kai Ming Beast."
"Someone could fight the Kai Ming Beast to such an extent? It seems the opponent''s strength is extraordinary," the subordinate remarked in surprise.
Li Xinghun didn''t seem to care. He carefully scanned the area, noticing many ces and broken trees marked by sword qi.
Looking at the footprints, they were identical to those left at the Thunder Crocodile Marsh earlier.
Li Xinghun immediately deduced the truth.
"It seems the sword cultivator who killed our Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciples has some skill. I really want to find out who you are."
Li Xinghun seemed intrigued and ordered his subordinates to intensify the search. Whether they found Lin Jichen or the Thunder Dragon, they were to tear the signal talisman immediately.
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen had already run far away.
This timely retreat, coupled with the remote location of the Kai Ming Beast''sir, meant no one was tracking or ambushing him.
Lin Jichen traveled for another half day until dusk, then chose a small cave to rest and replenish his state.
He took out the loot from the Kai Ming Beast''s Soul Burial Mound to inspect.
The first item was a pair of pure white boots with gold-threaded edges, very textured andfortable to the touch.
The boots had andscape scene embroidered in gold thread on the instep, giving them a refined look.
[Mysterious Grade Boots: Mountain River Step]: Speed +25, Evasion +7%, Foot Strength +100 points in nonbat state,es with the skill [No Trace].
No Trace: Even inbat, nonbat, or while being chased, your movements leave no footprints. This skill is passive and requires no activation.
Requirements: None.
The first piece of equipment brought a smile to Lin Jichen''s face.
Mountain River Step boots were one of the most popr Mysterious Grade boots in his previous life.
These boots had incredible movement speed and left no traces.
They were excellent for escaping or chasing.
In his previous life, these boots were more expensive than real estate and were in high demand.
Lin Jichen unceremoniously put on the boots, retiring his Cloud Step Boots, which he decided to give to Ren Lan.
She probably wouldn''t mind that he had worn them.
Lin Jichen looked at the second Mysterious Grade item and was delighted again!
[Mysterious Grade Movement Technique: Sword Flight]: Allows sword flight, up to 200 meters high, flight speed is 300% of base speed.
Cooldown: None, Mana Consumption: 30 mana per second.
Requirements: Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator.
Sword Flight! He finally got Sword Flight.
Lin Jichen was thrilled.
He had always wanted Sword Flight, to fly freely on a sword.
Unfortunately, he had only found the art of flying, which was somewhatcking.
As a sword cultivator, flying and escaping should be done on a sword, it was much cooler.
In his previous life, even as a spell cultivator, he had found Sword Flight.
Actually, non-sword cultivators could also use Sword Flight, as long as they bought a sword and learned the skill.
But it was easy to be ridiculed.
Moreover, in theter stages, yers would ride their life-bound magic treasures, engaging in aerial battles.
You couldn''t always use a sword as your life-bound magic treasure if you were another ss.
Lin Jichen had felt embarrassed to use Sword Flight as a spell cultivator and had tried flying on a staff, which looked ridiculous.
Chapter 184 – Leng Feiyan’s first time… cooking
Chapter 184 C Leng Feiyans first time cooking
Chapter Three: The Mysterious Grade Bow
The third Mysterious Grade item was a bow.
[Mysterious Grade Weapon Red Moon Bow]: Strength +30, Critical Hit +20, transforms spiritual power into arrows, and every third arrow that hits the same target deals an additional 150 points of damage.
Requirement: Usable by bow-wielding yers.
The bow''s attributes were decent.
However, Lin Jichen had no use for it and nned to save it for the next auction.
Next, Lin Jichen turned his attention to the Earth Grade equipment, the two axes previously used by the Kai Ming Beast.
The axes gleamed with golden light, their weight indiscernible. The axe heads were engraved with dense, mysterious patterns and designs, giving them an aura of divine weaponry.
[Earth Grade Weapon Six Harmonies and Eight Trigrams Axes]: Strength +70, Critical Hit +40, single-handed attributes are halved, each attack has a 5% chance to trigger a bleeding effect, and ites with the skills [Throw] and [Brutality]!
Throw: Hurl both axes for a ranged attack, dealing double damage, and the axes will immediately return to the user. Cooldown: 1 minute.
Brutality: Ignores armor to deal additional damage to the enemy. Cooldown: 1 minute.
Requirement: Usable only by Golden Core Realm axe-wielding yers.
After examining the Earth Grade weapon, Lin Jichen pursed his lips in disappointment.
He hadn''t expected it to be a mere decorative pillow, a silver spear with a wax head.
He was not only disappointed that he couldn''t use the weapon himself but also that the Earth Grade weapon''s attributes were sockluster.
It didn''t live up to the standards of an Earth Grade weapon at all.
Lin Jichen nced at the Magic Treasure Rankings. As expected, even though it was Earth Grade, it could only rank below his Dark Night Sword.
His Dark Night Sword could be considered the pinnacle of Mysterious Grade weapons.
Ordinary Earth Grade weapons couldn''tpare to it.
Thinking about who had given him the sword, Lin Jichen''s face lit up with a happy smile, and he suddenly missed his master.
At this moment, Leng Feiyan was in the main hall of the Sword Pce, patiently flipping through aprehensive cookbook, muttering to herself from time to time.
"Flower Pork Wontons... use the finest flower pork, first dry-fry to enhance the vor, then add seasonings... a pinch of salt... then..."
The dignified leader of a major sect, the head of a super sect, was actually learning how to cook.
Just then, a voice came from outside.
"Sect Master, the items you requested have arrived."
Leng Feiyan''s eyes lit up. She temporarily put away the book and walked out of the Sword Pce.
Outside the Sword Pce, a female elder from the outer temple stood respectfully, presenting the items she had brought.
They weren''t rare treasures or miraculous elixirs.
Instead, they were... arge assortment of kitchen seasonings and fresh ingredients.
"Sect Master, this is Spirit Fish from the Vast Sea, this is July Flower Pork, this is Snow Region White Duck, and this is..."
The female elder introduced each item to Leng Feiyan, ensuring she hadn''t bought the wrong things.
After listening to the introductions, Leng Feiyan nodded in satisfaction.
"Good job. There''s nothing else for now; you may go."
"Yes!" The female elder turned and left.
Leng Feiyan, with a look of anticipation, gathered up all the items and, with a somewhat cheerful step, headed to a kitchen in the back courtyard of the Sword Pce.
This kitchen had hardly ever been used. If it weren''t for the daily cleaning by disciples, it would have long been abandoned.
Leng Feiyan had never cooked before. She had practiced inedia for many years and no longer needed to eat.
Even if she asionally craved something, she only needed to give an order.
The top chefs in the logistics department of the Sword Sect would prepare any delicacy she desired. Even if the Sword Sect didn''t have it, someone would immediately go and buy it for her.
So Leng Feiyan had never cooked a meal in her life.
This sudden desire to learn cooking left Leng Feiyan at a loss.
It felt like asking an emperor to cook.
Leng Feiyan looked at the ingredients and kitchen utensils, her beautiful face full of bitterness. How should she start...
"Let''s give it a try first. It shouldn''t be too hard."
With that, Leng Feiyan rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
Half an hourter, ck smoke wafted out of the kitchen. Leng Feiyan emerged, holding a te of something that looked like ck charcoal.
"Can this really be eaten?" Leng Feiyan was doubtful.
To find a guinea pig to test it, she released the Azure Phoenix.
"Azure Phoenix,e, have a taste."
The Azure Phoenix thought its master had brought it some spiritual herbs and happily decided to try it.
As soon as it took a bite, it spat it all out, its face full of resistance and fear.
"Is it really that bad? No way, let me try."
Suspicious, Leng Feiyan picked up a piece for herself. As soon as she bit into it, she spat it out too.
"How can it taste so awful? I followed the recipe exactly!"
Leng Feiyan was puzzled.
This only fueled her determination.
"No, I refuse to believe this!"
Leng Feiyan threw away the ckened mess and headed back into the kitchen.
And so, every now and then, she woulde out with a new dish for the Azure Phoenix to taste.
The Azure Phoenix wanted to escape but couldn''t. After a few tries, it had lost all will to live.
It couldn''t understand what mistake it had made to deserve such torture from its master.
Half a day passed, and Leng Feiyan walked out, her face full of defeat.
Her face was also smudged with a few ck marks from the oil and smoke, making her look somewhatical and cute.
"Sigh, every profession has its own specialization. I should ask someone for help."
Having failed to teach herself, Leng Feiyan had no choice but to summon the female elder again.
"Sun Yue, how do you cook?"
Huh?
The female elder was stunned, unable to believe what she had heard. "Sect Master... you want to learn how to cook?"
Leng Feiyan nodded. The female elder chuckled awkwardly. "Sect Master, there''s no need for you to do this. If you want to eat something, I can have it prepared and brought to you immediately."
But Leng Feiyan refused.
"No, I want to try it myself."
"Uh... why?"
The female elder couldn''t understand why the sect master suddenly wanted to learn how to cook.
Which sect master still needed to cook for themselves?
Seeing her question, Leng Feiyan had toe up with an excuse. "My cultivation has been stagnant for a long time, and I want to try to gain some insights through other means."
She could only say this. She couldn''t possibly admit that her beloved disciple wanted to eat her cooking, so she was learning for him.
That would be too embarrassing. Leng Feiyan would never say that, not even if you beat her to death.
The female elder was even more astonished. She had never heard of cooking being a way to break through cultivation bottlenecks.
This was truly eye-opening. Could it be that the breakthrough methods of top experts were this simple and unpretentious...
"Elder Sun, you are in charge of the Sword Sect''s logistics. I heard that before you embarked on the path of cultivation, your father was the most famous chef in Fengqu City, and you inherited his culinary skills. Your cooking should be quite good, right?" Leng Feiyan inquired.
Elder Sun Yue smiled humbly. "It''s just a minor skill. Cooking is something even ordinary people can do. I do know a thing or two."
"Good, then teach me how to cook. Follow me to the kitchen."
Leng Feiyan was delighted and, without further ado, led the female elder to the kitchen.
Leng Feiyan was secretly pleased. Once she learned how to cook, she could prepare a sumptuous meal for her disciple to enjoy.
Thinking of Lin Jichen eating heartily, she couldn''t help but smile and felt a newfound enthusiasm for cooking.
Chapter 185 – The use of Dao Heart fruit
Chapter 185 C The use of Dao Heart fruit
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen was still examining his spoils of war.
Thest item dropped by the Kai Ming Beast was a material for the Heavenly Dao Crystal.
[Northern Underworld Soul Sand]: Formed from the condensation ofher energy, it is entirely ck and purple, possessing the ability to stabilize souls and capture spirits. It is used by Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators when breaking through to the Heavenly Dao Crystal.
Increases strength by +10, critical hit by +15, and maximum vitality by +1000.
Requirement: Can only be used when breaking through to the Heavenly Dao Crystal.
In addition, Lin Jichen also took out the items rewarded by the system.
This time, the first-kill reward was much better than before: a Dao Heart Fruit, a piece of Mysterious Grade equipment, and an achievement medal.
The Dao Heart Fruit is a valuable item. It allows you to choose one of your skills and elevate it to the supreme level without any conditions!
There are many types of Dao Heart Fruits, such as Martial Arts Dao Heart Fruit, Movement Technique Dao Heart Fruit, Spirit Skill Dao Heart Fruit, and so on.
Lin Jichen''s was a Martial Arts Dao Heart Fruit.
[Martial Arts Dao Heart Fruit]: After consumption, you can choose one martial arts skill and elevate its proficiency to the supreme level.
Requirement: Only for martial arts skills, and you can only choose one skill.
Lin Jichen began to ponder which skill he should choose.
Currently, he had two skills at the supreme level: Dizzying Sword Qi and Frost Moon sh.
Phoenix Feather, Wind Thunder Sword, and Gu Sword Qi were only at the mastery stage.
Breaking through to the supreme level required luck and opportunity, not just simplebat.
Now that he had the Dao Heart Fruit, he could naturally elevate one skill.
Logically, he should choose Phoenix Feather, as it was his highest damage skill.
But Phoenix Feather had a long cooldown, and Lin Jichen didn''tck damage skills. He rarely used Phoenix Feather, usually only against bosses or groups of enemies.
Lin Jichen preferred to first maximize his most frequently used skills.
After some consideration, Lin Jichen chose Wind Thunder Sword. This skill could deal damage and provide mobility, had wide applications, and a short cooldown, allowing for multiple uses.
After deciding, Lin Jichen swallowed the Dao Heart Fruit, and Wind Thunder Sword immediately changed.
[Wind Thunder Sword (Supreme)]: Dashes within a 15-meter range to strike the target, like wind and thunder, ignoring slowing and immobilizing effects, dealing 1200 damage, and increasing speed by +70% and dodge by +20% for 10 seconds.
Cooldown: 2 minutes, Mana cost: 300 points.
The supreme-level Wind Thunder Sword did not disappoint Lin Jichen.
Its range, damage, cooldown, mana cost, and duration were all enhanced.
The key was that it now ignored not only slowing effects but also immobilizing effects.
Additionally, after using the skill, speed increased by +70% for ten seconds, with an extra +20% dodge.
The cooldown was reduced from five minutes to two minutes.
This skill upgrade was definitely worth it!
Thest item left was an achievement medal.
[Achievement Medal 2]: Beast yer, increases damage to all wild bosses by +10%, and increases wild bosses'' aggro towards you by +20%.
Seeing this achievement medal, Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh wryly. Although a 10% damage increase was significant, the aggro increase was a bit excessive.
From now on, those bosses would probably target him first.
After checking all his spoils, Lin Jichen''s condition had also recovered.
He was about to leave this ce and continue on his quest to find the Thunder Dragon.
Just then, a message from a friend came through. It was Wang Jinghao.
"Brother Lin, as expected of the number one expert in Tale of Immortal! You even managed to take down a Golden Core Realm boss."
Seeing Wang Jinghao''s sudden greeting, Lin Jichen was a bit puzzled but decided to y along.
"You''re too kind, Brother Wang. I was just lucky."
"Don''t be modest, brother. There''s no need for such formalities between us," Wang Jinghao continued warmly.
Lin Jichen responded with the same friendly tone, "You''re right, Brother Wang. There''s no need for formalities between us. So, what brings you to me?"
Wang Jinghao''s next words revealed his true intentions.
"I saw a new Earth Grade weapon on the Magic Treasure Rankings, called the Six Harmonies and Eight Trigrams Axes. Did you get it from the Golden Core boss?"
Lin Jichen wanted to deny it, but anyone with a bit of intelligence could guess.
He had just killed a Golden Core Realm boss, and immediately an Earth Grade equipment appeared on the rankings. Even a fool could figure out it was likely him.
"Yes, I got it from the boss. I was lucky to get an Earth Grade item," Lin Jichen admitted openly.
Wang Jinghao immediately stated his purpose: "That''s great, Brother Lin. How about selling that equipment to me?"
"Sell it to you?" Lin Jichen didn''t expect Wang Jinghao to be interested in the axe.
"Yes, you probably don''t need it anyway. Why not sell it to me? I have a big use for it," Wang Jinghao said.
"You''re not an axe user, are you?" Lin Jichen asked.
"I''m not, but our guild has a new member who is. He''s quite skilled, and this axe is for him," Wang Jinghao exined.
"Brother Wang, you''re quite generous," Lin Jichen said, a bit skeptical. Was Wang Jinghao really that kind?
Wang Jinghaoughed, "Of course, we''ve signed a lifetime contract. He will be our Eternal Guild''s top expert from now on."
"Oh? Who is this person?" Lin Jichen asked curiously, feeling a vague sense of familiarity.
"His name is Xing Sen, a new recruit I just brought in."
Lin Jichen''s eyes narrowed as he remembered.
In his previous life, the person who exposed Wang Jinghao''s true nature was named Xing Sen.
Xing Sen was the number one axe user in Tale of Immortal and the top expert of the Eternal Guild.
His strength and skills were unquestionable.
Lin Jichen had once faced Xing Sen in the third Ascension Tournament, simr to a world martial artspetition, where they were ced in the same group for a match.
Lin Jichen narrowly lost to Xing Sen, Lin Jichen was not yet the top spell cultivator in Tale of Immortal at the time.
He remembered Xing Sen as a straightforward and honest person, who had politely said it was a lucky win when he defeated Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen had a good impression of him.
But after that, they had no further interactions.
Untilter, he heard that Xing Sen betrayed the Eternal Guild and took Wang Jinghao to court, exposing all of Wang Jinghao''s misdeeds and true nature.
The reason Xing Sen betrayed was because Wang Jinghao had used despicable means to defile his sister.
This led the loyal and honest Xing Sen to betray the guild and take Wang Jinghao to court.
However, due to insufficient evidence and with the help of a ruthlesswyer, Wang Jinghao got away with it.
Instead, Xing Sen was ruined financially, and the twopletely fell out.
Later, when the game merged with reality, Xing Sen immediately sought revenge on Wang Jinghao.
But by then, Wang Jinghao''s Eternal Guild was filled with experts, and Xing Sen''s revenge failed, resulting in his death.
Unexpectedly, in this life, Xing Sen still ended up as Wang Jinghao''s subordinate.
If nothing changed, Xing Sen''s fate would likely be the same as in the previous life.
Chapter 186 – Too weak
Chapter 186 C Too weak
"Brother Lin, don''t worry. I know this is the first Earth Grade weapon, and it''s worth a lot. I won''t let you suffer a loss. Currently, Mysterious Grade equipment goes for around ten thousand Spirit Stones on the market. For Earth Grade, I think it should be at least twenty thousand to fifty thousand Spirit Stones. I''ll buy it for fifty thousand Spirit Stones!"
"Of course, the guild is currently tight on Spirit Stones. How about this? We''ll do a cash transaction. Fifty thousand Spirit Stones can be exchanged for over ten million Chinese Yuan. I''ll give you fifteen million directly. How about that?"
Wang Jinghao''s offer was indeed sincere.
He genuinely wanted to buy Lin Jichen''s weapon.
Lin Jichen pondered. This Earth Grade axe was indeed useless to him, and its attributes were mediocre.
He had seen plenty of Earth Grade equipment, and this one was definitely on the lower end.
Most importantly, this axe could only be used by someone in the Golden Core Realm.
That made it even more of a chicken rib.
Even if he took it to the next auction, selling it for two or three thousand Spirit Stones would be considered good.
Wang Jinghao was willing to pay fifty thousand; why not?
It was another chance to swindle him.
"I was nning to put it up for auction, but since Brother Wang has asked, sure! I''ll sell it to you!"
Lin Jichen pretended to be pained as he spoke.
Wang Jinghao was overjoyed, repeatedly thanking him and immediately suggesting they meet in Fengqu City for the transaction.
"I''m still on a mission and can''t return right now. It''ll probably take two days."
Wang Jinghao felt a bit anxious upon hearing this. He was afraid Lin Jichen might sell the axe to the Moon Shadow Guild in the meantime, especially since Su Wanling was his online girlfriend.
"Two days is fine, but let''s sign a contract first. I''ll send it to you, just sign it, and we can trade as soon as you return."
To be safe, Wang Jinghao decided to secure the contract first, so he wouldn''t lose the fish already in his.
Lin Jichen didn''t expect him to be so eager, practically throwing money at him.
How could he not ept such a good deal?
They immediately signed an electronic contract, and Wang Jinghao transferred fifteen million in cash to Lin Jichen on the spot.
Lin Jichen had now be a hidden multimillionaire.
After a brief chat, Lin Jichen was about to end the conversation when Jiang Luoyu sent a message.
"That axe, did you get it?"
"Yes," Lin Jichen replied.
"I remember you''re a Sword Cultivator, right?" Jiang Luoyu asked knowingly, adding a mischievous doge emoji.
Her meaning was clear.
"Sell it to me? My guild has plenty of yers who use axes. Name your price."
"Uh... I''ve already sold it to Wang Jinghao," Lin Jichen answered honestly.
Jiang Luoyu was silent for a moment before asking, "You still don''t want to reconcile with me, do you?"
Lin Jichen broke into a sweat and quickly exined that he was using it to swindle Wang Jinghao. The axe''s attributes were mediocre and not worth the high price.
To convince Jiang Luoyu, Lin Jichen sent her the axe''s attributes.
After reading it, Jiang Luoyu calmed down andughed, "That''s more like it. When you get back, let''s go to Corpse King Valley. Your shop needs restocking, Boss Lin."
"Absolutely," Lin Jichen agreed with a wry smile.
After ending the chat, Lin Jichen nned to continue searching for the Thunder Dragon but realized it was already dark.
The Thunder Marsh at night was several times more terrifying than during the day.
To be safe, Lin Jichen decided to wait until morning to go out.
He logged out of the game.
Although logging out in the wild was dangerous, Lin Jichen had his gaming ring with him.
The ring, like the gaming pod, was bound to Lin Jichen''s Tale of Immortal ount.
This was to provide a better gaming experience for yers using the gaming pod.
Even without the pod, yers could log into Tale of Immortal anytime, anywhere with the ring.
Moreover, if you encountered danger while logged out, the game would send a text message to your bound phone number, alerting you that your character was in danger.
This feature perfectly solved the issue of unsafe logging out.
After logging out, Lin Jichen walked out of his room and found Ren Lan already out of the game, ying chess with Niu Naitang in the living room.
Niu Naitang was lying on the sofa, with Ren Lan sitting across from her, a chessboard between them.
There were reheated dishes on the dining table, leftovers from lunch.
Ren Lan''s mother had made a lot of food, and they couldn''t finish it in one meal, so they saved it for dinner.
Two empty bowls indicated someone had already eaten.
Qin Xiaowei was not around, probably at thepany again.
It seemed Niu Naitang, bored after dinner, had decided to y chess with Ren Lan in the living room.
Seeing Ren Lan scratching her head, Lin Jichen knew this Miss Frenzy was getting thoroughly beaten.
He had seen Niu Naitang scare off a group of old men ying chess in the neighborhood before.
How could Ren Lan, a novice, be a match for Niu Naitang?
She couldn''t even beat him.
Seeing Lin Jichene out, Niu Naitang shed an irresistibly cute smile and called out, "Brother Lin~"
Lin Jichen walked over and asked with a smile, "ying chess?"
"Yes, Sister Ren Lan called me for dinner. After eating, we started ying chess. We wanted to call you, Brother Lin, but Sister Ren Lan said you were busy, so we ate first," Niu Naitang exined.
Lin Jichen looked at Ren Lan and teased, "Why aren''t you saying anything?"
Without lifting her head, Ren Lan waved her hand and said, "Don''t disturb me. I''m contemting a winning move. Go eat, or the food will get cold."
Lin Jichen chuckled, letting her focus, and served himself a bowl of rice, enjoying his meal at the dining table.
Ren Lan and Niu Naitang continued their game.
Niu Naitang looked particrly rxed, lying on the sofa with her chubby cheeks propped up by her hands, her little feet kicking yfully,pletely at ease.
In contrast, Ren Lan was restless, frowning, asionally biting her nails, deep in thought.
"Sister Ren Lan, are you done yet? Tang Tang is about to fall asleep."
"Don''t rush me while I''m ying chess. I''m thinking, you wouldn''t understand," Ren Lan said, finally making a move she had pondered for a long time, thinking it was wless.
Niu Naitang casually moved a piece, cing a cannon next to Ren Lan''s general.
"Double cannon checkmate. Sister Ren Lan, you''re so bad at this. Didn''t you say you were a chess master? You''ve lost over ten times, and we''ve only been ying for half an hour."
Niu Naitang''s childish voice was filled with boredom, as she found no challenge in beating Ren Lan.
Frustrated, Ren Lan reset Niu Naitang''s move.
"No, no, that doesn''t count. I wasn''t paying attention. Let''s redo it."
"That''s called taking back a move."
"Fine, just this once!"
"Alright."
Ren Lan happily changed her strategy.
But within a few moves, she was checkmated again...
"You lost again, Sister Ren Lan. You''re really like fourteen days."
"What do you mean?"
"Too weak."
"..."
Chapter 187 – National Tale of Immortal Craze
Chapter 187 C National Tale of Immortal Craze
"Ahhh!! I quit!"
Ren Lan couldn''t bear the humiliation any longer. She shoved the chessboard away, utterly frustrated.
Seeing her on the verge of a breakdown, Niu Naitang quickly tried to console her, fearing she might really quit.
"Ren Lan, you''re actually pretty good. Tang Tang was just teasing you. Let''s y another round."
"Enough! You''ve said that six times already! If I believe you again, I''m a fool!" Ren Lan clearly wasn''t falling for the little one''s tricks anymore.
"Then... how about Go?"
"No."
"Military Chess?"
"No!"
"Checkers?"
"Not ying any of them! You little rascal, don''t even think about making me y chess with you again! Hmph!"
Ren Lan was devastated, feeling utterly defeated. There was no way she would y chess again tonight.
Tonight was the most humiliating night of her life, being utterly thrashed by a little kid and then mocked for it.
Ren Lan looked over at Lin Jichen, who was trying hard to suppress hisughter at the dining table. Infuriated, she walked over and demanded, "Are youughing at me?"
Lin Jichen feigned innocence, "What are you talking about? I''m just having dinner, officer."
"You areughing at me! Your expression gives you away!" Ren Lan fumed.
Instead of holding back, Lin Jichen''s smile grew even wider. He teased, "I canugh if I want to. What does it have to do with you? Surely, I have the right tough, don''t I?"
Ren Lan was so angry she could only huff, "Just wait until tomorrow morning. I''ll make sure you regret it!"
Lin Jichen suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Oh no, what am I going to do tomorrow...
After dinner, Lin Jichen nced at the fridge and saw that they were running low on groceries. He decided to go out and buy some more.
Unexpectedly, both Ren Lan and Niu Naitang wanted to join him.
So, the three of them went out together.
Lin Jichen and Ren Lan each held one of Niu Naitang''s hands as they walked down the street. The trio, with their striking looks, drew frequent nces from passersby.
A couple saw them and the wife said enviously to her husband, "Honey, look at their family genes. They''re so good-looking. I hope our future kids will be that good-looking."
The husband smiled wryly, "Their genes are just too good. The man is handsome, and the woman is beautiful. We shouldn''t get our hopes up."
"Are you saying I''m ugly?"
"No, of course not, honey~"
***
Lin Jichen and Ren Lan heard the conversation and their expressions turned a bit awkward.
Perhaps unable to bear the stares from the passersby, Ren Lan let go of Niu Naitang''s hand and deliberately walked to the side, afraid that people might get the wrong idea.
Lin Jichen found it amusing but said nothing, continuing to hold Niu Naitang''s little hand as they walked forward.
Niu Naitang seemed very happy, skipping along and smiling at everyone they passed.
As they walked, Lin Jichen noticed many advertisements for "Tale of Immortal" along the roadside.
Even the bus stops had promotional videos for "Tale of Immortal."
Everywhere he looked, there were recruitment posters for "Tale of Immortal" studios.
There were ads for professional yers, gold farming studios, and evenpanion gaming studios.
"Tale of Immortal" was everywhere.
Many young people were discussing which ss was the strongest, how to clear certain Secret Realms, and how realistic and fun "Tale of Immortal" was.
Some people even wore gaming rings at the bus stops, sneaking in some game time while waiting for the bus.
ying "Tale of Immortal" was incredibly convenient. With the ring, you could y anywhere.
The gaming ring was more convenient than a phone. Although it needed charging, one chargested a month, and you could y it anywhere.
It even had a ''split-focus mode.''
In split-focus mode, you could keep an eye on your real-world surroundings while ying the game. You wouldn''t have to worry about someone stealing your stuff or missing your stop.
It was just like ying a mobile game on the roadside.
Outside the mall, there were many youngdies cosying as characters from "Tale of Immortal."
The game had only been out for half a month, but it was already bing a national sensation.
"Little Lin, should I go tell those youngdies that you''re the top yer in ''Tale of Immortal,'' Lin Jichen? They''d all swarm you for autographs, and you''d get to feel like a celebrity," Ren Lan joked.
Lin Jichen replied seriously, "No, I need to remind you that we must not reveal our identities casually."
"Why?" Ren Lan clearly didn''t understand the gravity of the situation.
Lin Jichen had to exin the reasons, stating that someone was investigating him for revenge.
Ren Lan was shocked, "Are they crazy? It''s just a game!"
Lin Jichen replied earnestly, "It''s a game, but the stakes are high enough to make many unscrupulous people take risks."
"Alright, I''ll keep my mouth shut and won''t reveal your identity."
Ren Lan felt a bit scared after hearing this, grateful that school hadn''t started yet. Otherwise, she might have bragged about Lin Jichen to her dorm mates.
Lin Jichen also warned, "It''s not just about me. You should keep a low profile too."
"Come on, I''m not the top yer," Ren Lan said.
"You may not be now, but with your ''Immovable King'' talent, you''ll be a top yer sooner orter. Many guilds will want to recruit you."
"I don''t want that. If I join a guild, it will be yours. By the way, Little Lin, when are you going to start a guild? I want to be the vice president!" Ren Lanughed.
Lin Jichen chuckled, "I don''t have any ns for that right now. The most important thing is to improve ourselves as much as possible. Why don''t you start one, and I''ll be your enforcer."
"No way. I can barely manage myself, let alone others. Besides, my vacation is almost over, and I''ll have to go back to school. I''ll have even less time to y."
Ren Lan looked a bit reluctant. She had gotten used to living with Lin Jichen and didn''t want to go back to the dorm.
Just then, Ren Lan''s phone rang.
She took out her phone and said, "It''s my mom calling. I''ll go take this call."
Lin Jichen nodded and sat on a nearby bench with Niu Naitang, waiting for her.
"Brother Lin, is that game you were talking about fun?" Niu Naitang suddenly asked.
Lin Jichen smiled and patted her head, "Why? Do you want to y too?"
Niu Naitang shyly said, "Some of my ssmates said it''s really fun. They said you can y chess in it. Is that true?"
Lin Jichen chuckled, "Yes, that''s true."
Niu Naitang''s eyes lit up, "Are the yers good at chess?"
Lin Jichenughed, shaking his head, "I don''t know, but they should be pretty good."
Niu Naitang got excited, "Brother Lin, can you buy me a gaming ring? I''ll pay you back when we get home."
Lin Jichen asked, amused, "Where will you get the money?"
"My New Year''s money. I''ve saved up a lot, and Auntie doesn''t know about it," Niu Naitang whispered.
"You''re not nning to tell your Auntie?"
"No, Auntie would be mad. I''ll y in secret."
Lin Jichen sighed, "But it will affect your studies. And if you get caught, I''ll be med for it."
He was worried that Qin Xiaowei would me him for corrupting Niu Naitang.
That would be a well-intentioned deed gone wrong.
Chapter 188 – Caught in the act
Chapter 188 C Caught in the act
"Don''t worry, Brother Lin. My grades have always been excellent. I alwayse first in my ss. I just y a bit after finishing my homework. It won''t affect my studies. If Auntie finds out, I''ll just say I bought it myself. I won''t rat you out."
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh. He didn''t expect the little one to be so loyal.
Tang Tang''s reason for wanting a gaming ring wasn''t even to y games but to y chess with the NPCs inside.
What a weirdo.
"Alright, I''ll buy you one tomorrow. Keep your New Year''s money. This will be my gift to you."
Lin Jichen''s perspective was far ahead of his time. Getting into "Tale of Immortal" early had only benefits and no drawbacks.
Kids could also y this game. These children were the future hope of "Tale of Immortal."
In his previous life, many underage kids had shone brightly in the merged world.
The most famous was a girl named Tang Jing. At just fourteen, she had be a Gathering Spirit Realm expert after ying "Tale of Immortal" for two years in her spare time.
When her small city was attacked by demonic creatures after the world merged, this little girl stood up and single-handedly took down many Golden Elixir stage demonic cultivators, helping the military defend the city.
She waster recruited into the army and given special training.
If kids were allowed to fully immerse themselves, geniuses like Tang Jing would be everywhere in the future.
But "Tale of Immortal" faced resistance from parents who wouldn''t let their kids y, iming it was too violent and bloody.
The game was indeed too realistic and bloody, so the authorities also felt it was inappropriate for children. Two years after itsunch, "Tale of Immortal" restricted underage logins.
So, minors could still y for two more years. After that, due to numerous parentalints, they would be banned from logging in.
Tang Jing hadn''t yed for three years, but after the game merged with reality, her ount''s power was transferred to her.
Lin Jichen was all for Niu Naitang ying the game. Even if she only went in to y chess, it would be beneficial for her future.
"Thank you, Brother Lin!" Niu Naitang was overjoyed when she heard Lin Jichen agree to buy it for her.
At this moment, Ren Lan returned after finishing her call, looking a bit off.
"What''s wrong?" Lin Jichen asked.
"My mom suddenly asked what I was doing."
"What''s so strange about that? What did you say?"
"I told her I was at work. I had told her I found an internship during this break. She just said ''okay'' and hung up." Ren Lan exined.
Toe to Lin Jichen''s ce to y games, she had made up a perfect excuse and even had her bestie cover for her.
"Then there''s nothing to worry about. Why the long face?"
"It''s nothing. I can''t put my finger on it, but my mom''s tone seemed odd. Based on my understanding of her, this isn''t normal."
"You''re overthinking it. She was just casually asking about your situation. Let''s go shopping." Lin Jichen said nonchntly.
"Okay." Ren Lan also felt she was being too sensitive and stopped thinking about it.
The three of them went into the mall, bought some eggs and fruits, and some daily necessities, snacks, and milk.
After an hour of shopping, they left the mall with severalrge bags, ready to head home.
As Lin Jichen stepped out of the mall, he saw a beautiful middle-aged woman standing at the entrance, scanning the peopleing out.
The woman was dressed simply, exuding a gentle and elegant beauty.
Though not young, her face was exceptionally charming, hinting at her past glory.
Wearing sses, she had an intellectual aura, clearly a well-educated person.
Many middle-aged mening out of the mall were so stunned by her that they almost forgot how to walk, feeling ashamed when they looked at their own wives.
Lin Jichen just nced at her briefly and continued walking.
But he noticed that Ren Lan and Niu Naitang hadn''t followed. Looking back, he saw Ren Lan standing there like a statue, holding Niu Naitang''s hand, as if frozen in ce.
Niu Naitang looked up curiously and asked, "Sister Ren Lan, what''s wrong?"
Ren Lan didn''t respond. Lin Jichen, puzzled, walked back and asked, "Miss Frenzy, what are you doing? Let''s go home and sleep."
Ren Lan''s face changed dramatically, and she frantically signaled to Lin Jichen with her eyes.
But Lin Jichen didn''t understand her meaning and muttered, "Are you possessed? Why are your eyelids twitching?"
He even pinched Ren Lan''s face, finding nothing unusual.
Ren Lan was so anxious she wanted to curse.
At this moment, a voice came from behind Lin Jichen.
"Lan Lan, exin to me what''s going on here."
Lin Jichen felt a fragrant breeze pass by, and a figure walked up beside him. It was the elegant and intellectual middle-aged woman.
The woman looked at Ren Lan angrily.
"Mom... let me exin..." Ren Lan hurried over.
Lin Jichen was dumbfounded.
Damn!
That''s her mom???
It''s over...
"You better exin this to me. Didn''t you say you were at work? Didn''t you say you were interning? You even dared to lie to me?"
The woman was furious, gritting her teeth as she scolded Ren Lan.
Ren Lan lowered her head, not daring to talk back. "Mom, I was wrong..."
"Tell me, what have you been doing this break? If you dare lie again, I''ll tell your dad and let him deal with you!"
"No, no, Mom, I''ll tell you everything. Just don''t tell Dad. If he finds out, I''m doomed." Ren Lan quickly admitted defeat.
She confessed everything in detail.
"You''re hopeless! I usually let you y games and work out, but now you''ve gone behind my back to co-rent with a boy just to y games. Are you trying to drive me mad?"
Ren Lan''s mother was so angry her face turned pale, her breathing uneven.
"Mom, I''m sorry. Please don''t be mad. Your heart isn''t good. It''s all my fault. I really messed up. Please don''t get upset."
Ren Lan hurriedlyforted her mother, repeatedly apologizing.
Ren Lan''s mother took a deep breath and began to scrutinize Lin Jichen.
Seeing Lin Jichen''s appearance, her eyes brightened for a second.
Lin Jichen could only stand there dumbly, forcing a smile that was worse than crying. "Hello, Auntie..."
Then, something unexpected happened.
After carefully examining Lin Jichen, Ren Lan''s mother suddenly turned to Ren Lan, her tone softening.
"Be honest, are you dating him?"
Ren Lan: "????"
"Mom, I''m not dating him. We''re just ssmates. He''s my junior, and I''m his senior. We''re just friends who get along well." Ren Lan quickly exined.
But her mother''s eyes clearly showed disbelief.
Chapter 189 – The mother’s request
Chapter 189 C The mothers request
Faced with Ren Lan''s exnation, Ren''s Mom simply didn''t believe it.
Just now, she saw Lin Jichen touch her daughter''s face. The two were so intimate, how could she believe there was nothing between them?
Ren''s Mom spoke earnestly to Ren Lan, "You''ve grown up. I don''t oppose you dating, but there''s no need to hide it from me."
"Mom, I really..."
Not giving Ren Lan a chance to speak, Ren''s Mom continued, "I used to think you were clueless, always busy with fitness, boxing, and martial arts. I worried you wouldn''t date anyone even by thirty, and your father and I wouldn''t get to be grandparents by seventy. But now, it seems I was overthinking."
"Mom, you really misunderstood. We''re just friends," Ren Lan said awkwardly, her face full of embarrassment.
"Alright, it''s none of your business now, so hush." After saying this, Ren''s Mom turned to Lin Jichen, her gaze softening.
"Young man, what''s your name?"
Lin Jichen coughed lightly and answered honestly, "Hello, Auntie. My name is Lin Jichen. I''m Ren Lan''s junior, also a student at Jiangling University..."
"I believe that. You look very young, and my daughter has always lived on campus. If she were to find a boyfriend, it would definitely be someone from her school," Ren''s Mom said with a smile.
"Mom, I..."
"I told you to hush. If you keep talking, I''ll tell your father," Ren''s Mom warned. Ren Lan quickly covered her mouth, not daring to make a sound.
Ren''s Mom then continued to question Lin Jichen, "Xiao Lin, what do your parents do?"
"Uh... Auntie, my parents passed away a long time ago."
"Oh, I''m so sorry. It''s my fault for asking. How did you manage your university tuition?"
"I was specially admitted, and the school waived my tuition fees."
"Special admission? Wait, I remember now. You''re the student who scored over 690 in the college entrance examinationst year, right? You broke our school''s record."
"Yes," Lin Jichen responded.
In fact, he had long forgotten his exact score. He only remembered that his score was good enough for the best universities in the country, but due to the tuition fees, he chose Jiangling Normal University.
"You could have gone to the best universities, but because of the tuition fees, you had no choice but toe to our school, right?"
Lin Jichen nodded awkwardly and quickly added, "But after being here for so long, I feel that Jiangling Normal University is no worse than any top institution, really."
Ren''s Mom''s smile deepened. "I''m d to hear you say that. The tuition is free, but what about your living expenses?"
"I earn my living expenses by working part-time in my spare time, and I have a cousin who helps me asionally," Lin Jichen admitted.
After hearing this, Ren''s Mom''s appreciation for him grew even more.
"You''re a good child, with a natural ambition and a resilient heart. You''ve turned your unfortunate past into a source of strength and determination. I believe you''ll achieve great things in the future. A stream cannot hold back the waves of the sea."
Ren''s Mom''s heartfelt words made Lin Jichen blush.
This was the first time he had heard such praise.
Behind him, Ren Lan couldn''t help butugh. She wondered if her mother would still say such things if she knew Lin Jichen had dropped out of school to y video games.
"Thank you, Auntie, for your affirmation. I''ll work hard."
Ren''s Mom nodded in satisfaction. "But you two are still young. It''s fine to date, but living together is a bit much. If something happens, it won''t be good. Recently, a girl at school was expelled for getting pregnant."
Lin Jichen: "..."
"Auntie, don''t worry. We haven''t done anything. We''re really just renting together," Lin Jichen quickly exined.
"If that''s the case, then that''s best. Auntie thinks you''re a good kid and doesn''t oppose you being with my daughter, but there''s one thing I hope you can promise Auntie."
"Uh... Auntie, go ahead," Lin Jichen felt he couldn''t clear his name anymore, so he just went along with Ren''s Mom''s words.
"Auntie hopes that during your university years, you won''t have a sexual rtionship. Can you do that?"
Lin Jichen: "...."
Ren Lan: "...."
This was the definition of speechless.
Lin Jichen had lost the ability to speak, and Ren Lan was so embarrassed she wanted to crawl into a hole.
But Ren''s Mom continued to exin, "It''s not that Auntie is old-fashioned, but you two are still young. Your feelings might not be stable yet. If something happens, I don''t want my daughter to get hurt. In other words, if you break up, it''s always the girl who suffers, right?"
"...Auntie, you''re right... I promise you," Lin Jichen replied, gritting his teeth.
"That''s good. Auntie trusts your character and my daughter''s judgment."
Ren''s Mom finished speaking with satisfaction and said to Ren Lan, "Alright, I won''t hold this against you anymore."
"Really? Mom, you''re the best. Mwah~" Ren Lan excitedly kissed her mother, feeling like she had escaped a disaster.
"Don''t try to sweet-talk me. Come home with me," Ren''s Mom said.
"Huh? Go home?" Ren Lan was stunned.
"Of course, you have to go home. Do you still want to live with Xiao Lin? You young people are like dry wood and fire. If something happens, your father would be furious," Ren''s Mom said.
Ren Lan''s face turned red with embarrassment and anger. "Mom, I''ve exined a thousand times. We''re just renting together, sleeping in separate rooms. What are you thinking?"
"Still being stubborn? Fine, take me to where you live and let me see," Ren''s Mom said. She was actually worried they might be sleeping together and wanted to verify it.
With Ren''s Mom''s request, Ren Lan and Lin Jichen had no choice but to take her home.
"Mom, how did you find out?" Ren Lan asked as they walked.
Ren''s Mom snorted, "Your Auntie Taozi lives near this mall. She saw you and even took a video to show me. That''s how I found out you''ve been lying to me."
"Hehe, Mom, I know I was wrong. I promise I won''t do it again," Ren Lan said with a cheeky smile.
"Who''s this child?" Ren''s Mom finally noticed Niu Naitang beside Ren Lan. She hadn''t noticed earlier in her anger.
"She''s thendlord''s child. She lives upstairs and oftenes down to y with us," Lin Jichen exined.
"Hello, Auntie. My name is Niu Naitang, but you can call me Tang Tang," Niu Naitang introduced herself sweetly.
Ren''s Mom immediately liked this pretty and cute little girl and praised her for being so well-behaved.
The four of them returned to the apartment. After entering, Ren''s Mom looked around and found that they were indeed sleeping in separate rooms, which finally put her mind at ease.
Moreover, the apartment was clean and tidy, which improved her impression of Lin Jichen even more.
She didn''t think her daughter was the one who cleaned up.
This young man was not only good-looking and sensible but also knew how to clean. When she found out that Lin Jichen could cook, she was even more satisfied.
"Mom, now do you believe me?"
"I believe you, but you still have to go home."
"Huh? No, I only have a few days left of my vacation. Mom, please let me stay a bit longer," Ren Lan pleaded.
"What if your father finds out? He''d be furious," Ren''s Mom hesitated.
Seeing a chance, Ren Lan quickly promised, "He won''t find out if you don''t tell him. It''s only a few days. Besides, I already told Dad I wouldn''t being home this vacation. If I suddenly go back, he''ll be suspicious."
Ren''s Mom thought about it and agreed. She looked around the apartment and at Lin Jichen, who was organizing the fridge, and felt reassured. She agreed.
Chapter 190 – Used as a punching bag
Chapter 190 C Used as a punching bag
After seeing off Ren''s Mom, the three of them returned home, and Lin Jichen and Ren Lan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Ren Lan''s mother was quite open-minded and reasonable; otherwise, Lin Jichen wouldn''t have known what to do.
However, it seemed that Ren''s Mom had already decided that Lin Jichen was her daughter''s boyfriend, and no matter what, he couldn''t shake off this suspicion.
But this was already the best possible oue. If things had really escted, Lin Jichen might have ended up being used of abducting a young girl...
Not long after, Qin Xiaowei came home, unaware of what had happened. She chatted briefly with Lin Jichen and Ren Lan before taking Niu Naitang to bed.
"Phew! I need to take a shower. Today scared me into a cold sweat," Ren Lan said as she ran to the bathroom. Before long, she came out in her pajamas, drying her hair with a towel.
She thought Lin Jichen would have already entered the game, but to her surprise, he was still sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed, resting.
Ren Lan walked over and sat down, saying, "Little Lin, don''t worry. It''s all over now. My mom always sides with me; she won''t tell my dad."
Ren Lan thought Lin Jichen was still worried about being discovered today, which was why he was sitting on the sofa, uneasy.
Lin Jichen opened his eyes and smiled, "I was waiting for you to finish. I need to shower too before I can sleep."
"Huh? You''re not going into the game tonight?" Ren Lan asked, puzzled.
Lin Jichen had to exin that it wasn''t convenient to go out at night in the Thunder Marsh.
Ren Lan was delighted to hear this, "That''s perfect! I need your help with something!"
"Sure, what do you need?" Lin Jichen agreed without thinking.
He quickly regretted it.
"I haven''t practiced my punches in a long time. Can you be my sparring partner?"
Lin Jichen''s expression froze. Did this woman want to use meas a punching bag?
"Um... I need to sleep."
Ren Lan pouted and gave him a sharp look, "You just promised me, didn''t you?"
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly, suddenly recalling the voice message he left for Ren Lan before he died in his past life. Was it reallying true?
"But we don''t have any protective gear. What if you hurt me?" Lin Jichen tried to make ast-ditch effort.
Ren Lan smiled; fate is unpredictable.
She turned and brought out boxing gloves and protective gear from her room.
"Come on, let''s just do it for half an hour. I still need to do tasks in Tale of Immortal afterward," Ren Lan urged.
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly, "You just showered. Isn''t boxing right after a waste?"
"No worries, I can always shower again. This is a rare opportunity," Ren Lan said nonchntly.
Lin Jichen knew he couldn''t refuse. It seemed he was destined to be the punching bag today. Sigh...
In the living room, Lin Jichen put on the protective gear and held up the pads, while Ren Lan put on the gloves.
Before Lin Jichen could mentally prepare, she started attacking.
Thud! Thud! Bang!
The first two sounds were from Ren Lan''s punches, and thest bang was Lin Jichen hitting the floor.
"Ouch!" Lin Jichen grimaced, clutching his backside.
"Are you okay, Little Lin? Sorry, I''ll go easier on you."
"Alright..."
Thud, thud, thud!
"It still hurts! Can''t you go easier?"
"Hehe, I got too excited and didn''t control my strength. My bad, my bad. How about this?"
"Ugh, it all hurts anyway. Just finish quickly."
"Okay, okay, I''ll try to be quick. Hang in there."
Thud, thud, thud!
***
Half an hourter.
Lin Jichen was curled up on the floor, holding himself, his face filled with despair, his eyes vacant.
Ren Lan, on the other hand, was flushed with excitement, thoroughly enjoying herself, apanied by a mischievousugh.
"Hehe, Little Lin, you did well tonight. Go shower; you can go first."
Lin Jichen dragged his battered body like a walking corpse to the bathroom.
Ha, is this life? Just end it already.
After a shower, Lin Jichen still felt intense pain all over, his bones nearly falling apart.
This crazy woman, where did she get such strength?
Exhausted and sleepy, Lin Jichen quickly fell asleep on the bed.
In his dreams, he felt someone lift his nket and then pull it off.
A pair of cool, jade-like hands started roaming over his body.
Lin Jichen woke up in shock, thinking, no way, he had already satisfied this crazy woman''s punching desires. Did he now have to satisfy her carnal desires too?
Was he going to lose his purity tonight?
But soon, Lin Jichen smelled the scent of medicinal wine and realized he had overthought it.
Ren Lan was just there to apply medicine to him.
Lin Jichen rxed and pretended to sleep, letting her do her thing.
Ren Lan carefully applied the medicine and massaged his bruises.
"It actually feels a bit good..." Lin Jichen thought to himself.
But soon, he felt something was wrong...
Sure enough, Ren Lan noticed too, but she just thought Lin Jichen was reacting in his sleep.
"Ugh! Stupid Lin, all your energy is spent on this. No wonder you''re so weak," Ren Lan muttered, blushing, as she quickly finished applying the medicine, covered Lin Jichen with the nket, and fled the room.
Lin Jichen breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, she didn''t realize he was awake, or he might have faced another round of torture.
Hearing Ren Lan''sst words, Lin Jichen smiled bitterly. Was it his fault? It was a normal reaction, okay!
With those hands roaming all over him, if he didn''t react, he''d be a eunuch!
But Lin Jichen was still very tired and soon fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Lin Jichen woke up to find Ren Lan had already finished her workout and even bought him breakfast.
"Why didn''t you call me when you went out to exercise?"
"You were sleeping like a dead pig. How could I wake you? Besides, considering how you sacrificed your bodyst night, take the day off," Ren Lan said.
Lin Jichen felt something was off with her words, as if he had sold his body.
"Eat your breakfast. I specially went to a soup shop to get you some chicken soup to nourish your body."
Lin Jichen felt even weirder. He seriously suspected he had been taken advantage ofst night...
After breakfast, Lin Jichen quickly logged into the game.
He hadn''t been online all night, wasting precious early development time, which made Lin Jichen feel a pang of regret.
In Tale of Immortal, every second counted for development and self-improvement.
But there was no other way. Going out at night in the Thunder Marsh was suicidal; you wouldn''t even know where the attacks came from.
If he couldn''t find the Thunder Dragon, Lin Jichen would have to continue hiding during the night and moving during the day in the Thunder Marsh.
Logging back in, he was still in the Thunder Marsh. Fortunately, nothing had happened overnight.
Lin Jichen emerged from his hiding spot. The Thunder Marsh was still pouring rain, with constant lightning and thunder.
Soaked to the bone again, Lin Jichen continued his aimless search for the Thunder Dragon in the Thunder Marsh.
Chapter 191 – Accidental Encounter with Sect Infighting
Chapter 191 C idental Encounter with Sect Infighting
Another half day had passed, and Lin Jichen still hadn''t seen any trace of the Thunder Dragon.
However, he had killed countless Thunder Crocodiles, Thunder Apes, Thunder Snakes, and other monsters in the Thunder Marsh.
He had acquired quite a bit of Crystal Realm equipment, so it wasn''t entirely fruitless.
He could consider it as stocking up for his shop.
As the sky began to darken again, Lin Jichen sighed. He would have to find a ce to hide for the night again.
The game "Tale of Immortal" required more and more patience as it progressed.
Often, a single material or piece of equipment would take a lot of time to find.
Many yers found this boring and couldn''t endure it.
Most yers would choose to give up, find another way, or skip it altogether, opting for the easiest path.
But in reality, ying "Tale of Immortal" required enduring the monotony.
Because you weren''t just ying a game; you were experiencing another life, a life that was soon to be reality.
The path of cultivation had no shortcuts, only years of tedium and a desire to be stronger.
Some people were stuck at a realm for years, even decades or centuries. Some would spend years practicing a single core technique, dedicating themselves day and night.
This was the world of Xianxia.
"Tale of Immortal" now served as a transitional channel for yers, allowing them to temporarily enjoy the fun of the game and more easily ept the fully integrated world toe.
If you couldn''t even muster this bit of patience, you could forget about ever making a name for yourself.
Lin Jichen remembered that after the world merged in his previous life, he had spent nearly half a year searching for a single herb, scouring mountains, rivers, and the vastnds of the human world.
He had also spent an entire year in seclusion in a bitterly cold ce, abandoning the guild he had established toprehend his Dao Heart.
So, this bit of monotony was nothing to him. If he couldn''t find it in one day, he would search for two days; if not in two days, then three.
He had spent half a year searching for a single herb, so he was even more determined this time, as it concerned his survival through the Thunder Tribtion.
Even if he had to search every inch of the Thunder Marsh, he would find the Thunder Dragon.
As the day seemed to being to an end, Lin Jichen was looking for a ce to hide for the night.
As he passed through a grove of thunder trees, he heard the sounds of intense fighting, with dust and stones flying and the ground trembling.
Curious, Lin Jichen quietly entered the grove to see what was happening.
The closer he got, the more intense the airwaves from the battle became.
The thunder trees, each as thick as a grown man''s waist, were being felled in swathes by the force of the battle.
Fortunately, this had no effect on Lin Jichen. Judging by the situation, it seemed to be a battle between Golden Core Realm cultivators.
Lin Jichen''s curiosity grew, and he quickly approached.
He imagined two great beasts fighting each other, both severely injured, allowing him to swoop in and collect the spoils.
However, as he got closer, Lin Jichen discovered that it wasn''t beasts fighting, but two cultivators, a man and a woman.
He immediately lost interest. Such scenes weremon in the Thunder Marsh, happening countless times every day. He was long used to it.
Most of the time, it was about killing and stealing treasures.
Lin Jichen didn''t want to get involved, especially since these two were not to be trifled with. Both were Golden Core Realm cultivators, and one was even at the mid-Golden Core stage.
Moreover, they were wearing the same sect''s robes. Internal conflict? Even more reason not to get involved.
If discovered, they would surely team up to eliminate him first.
So, Lin Jichen decided to leave. He didn''t want to y the role of the mantis stalking the cicada, only to be caught by the oriole.
The battle was one-sided, with the mid-Golden Core male cultivator easily gaining the upper hand. The early-Golden Core female cultivator was already severely injured.
The oue was clear. To y the oriole, Lin Jichen would need the strength topletely defeat a mid-Golden Core cultivator.
Forget it. He was already at his limit fighting an early-Golden Core cultivator.
Each time, it was a fight to the death.
The Golden Core Ultimate Techniques were too overpowered, and their attributes spanned two major realms.
If not for his Heaven-defying Fate''s doubled attributes, the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment''s attribute bonus, and his luxurious equipment and Mysterious Grade skills, Lin Jichen wouldn''t stand a chance. Hisbat skills alone wouldn''t be enough, as he would bepletely outmatched in attributes.
Moreover, the two early-Golden Core opponents he had faced weren''t particrly strong.
If he encountered a true elite Golden Core cultivator, one who had also broken through with the Heavenly Dao and was meticulously trained by their sect, with luxurious equipment and powerful skills, they could easily defeat him without using their Ultimate Techniques.
Take Nangong Yue, for instance. She was now at the early-Golden Core stage, but Lin Jichen had no chance of winning against her. It would be a zero-to-ten oue.
Chu Tianhan was even more formidable; he could crush Lin Jichen with one hand.
The man and woman before him were likely elite members of some sect. Lin Jichen didn''t want to risk losing everything.
As he turned to leave, the male cultivator suddenly spoke.
"Junior Sister Fang, you already know my identity. I can''t let you live. Surrender now, and for the sake of our sect, I''ll give you a quick death. Otherwise, don''t me me for being ruthless."
"Liang Baiye, I never thought you were ackey of the demonic sect. If the Sect Master finds out, he will surely kill you!" The female cultivator''s voice was filled with determination and disappointment, as if squeezed out from between her teeth.
The male cultivator sneered, "That''s why I can''t let you live."
"Hmph, if ites to it, we''ll both perish. Even if I die, I, Fang Qingzhu, will fight you, a demonic sectckey, to thest breath!" Fang Qingzhu''s angry and resolute words echoed through the quiet thunder tree grove, sounding particrly jarring.
Liang Baiye chuckled, "Junior Sister Fang, why be so stubborn? This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. Strength is everything. Why not join the demonic sect? I guarantee your strength will soar, and countless benefits await you."
"Spit! You ungrateful, self-servingckey. The Mysterious Medical Sect raised you from a young age. The Sect Master valued you, and your master treated you like a son. Not only do you not repay their kindness, but you also only think of yourself. Are you even human?" Fang Qingzhu''s voice dripped with sarcasm, as if she had already epted her fate.
Liang Baiye lost his patience and angrily said, "Then don''t me me for being heartless!"
Just as Liang Baiye was about to strike, another voice suddenly rang out.
"Amitabha, merciful Buddha. The merciful Gatling Bodhisattva once said, a monk should meddle in others'' affairs, be greedy for money, and lust for... ahem... In short, let go of that girl ande at me instead."
Liang Baiye''s cold eyes swept over and found a Foundation Establishment Realm weakling meddling in his affairs. Heughed in anger.
"It seems you''ve recited too many scriptures and want to meet your end early. I''ll grant your wish!"
With that, Liang Baiye turned and charged at Lin Jichen.
In that instant, Liang Baiye erupted like a dormant volcano, his powerful Golden Core aura causing the air around him to be chaotic.
This was definitely an elite-level Golden Core opponent.
Chapter 192 – Fang Qingzhu
Chapter 192 C Fang Qingzhu
Lin Jichen''s heart sank, and he stood there frozen, as if scared stiff.
Seeing this, Liang Baiye sneered and struck Lin Jichen''s head with his palm!
Whoosh!
To Liang Baiye''s surprise, his palm hit nothing but air.
Lin Jichen''s figure twisted and blurred in the air, like a reflection in water.
He had been tricked!
Realizing he had been duped, Liang Baiye turned around to see Lin Jichen already standing in front of Fang Qingzhu, seemingly saying a few words before scooping her up and fleeing into the distance.
Furious, Liang Baiye flew after them.
But suddenly, a Buddha seal appeared above his head and came crashing down!
"Rebirth Buddha Seal!"
Caught off guard, Liang Baiye was struck by the seal and fell from the sky.
Though uninjured, Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu had already disappeared into the forest of thunder trees.
"Damn Buddhist disciple! I, Liang Baiye, swear to skin you alive and tear you apart! You will die without a grave!"
Liang Baiye roared through gritted teeth and quickly chased into the forest!
Liang Baiye moved at lightning speed, reaching the spot where hest saw the two disappear in an instant.
He nced at the ground, finding no footprints, and saw no trace of anyone flying in the sky.
Liang Baiye sneered, thinking the two must be hiding nearby, waiting for him to pass before fleeing in the opposite direction.
"Do you think you can fool me with such tricks? Hmph!"
Liang Baiye soared into the air, wielding an umbre sword. In a blink, he shed down all the thunder trees around him, but saw no one.
"Could they have an earth-escaping technique?"
Puzzled, Liang Baiye threw several skills at the ground beneath him.
The ground was pitted withrge holes, but he still found no trace of Lin Jichen or Fang Qingzhu.
"This is impossible!"
Panicking, Liang Baiye began a thorough search of the area.
While he was still searching, Lin Jichen had already run far away with Fang Qingzhu in his arms.
Lin Jichen hadn''t hidden anywhere, nor had he flown.
He had simply run, putting as much distance as possible between himself and Liang Baiye.
Theck of footprints was thanks to the new equipment skill "Mountain River Step" gifted by the Kai Ming Beast, which left no traces.
And since he was carrying Fang Qingzhu, she left no footprints either.
This hadpletely fooled Liang Baiye.
At this moment, Fang Qingzhu, blushing deeply, was being carried in Lin Jichen''s arms like a princess.
Before carrying her, Lin Jichen had sought her consent; otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to carry her away.
Lin Jichen ran wildly until he exited the forest, then immediately changed direction.
As night fellpletely, Lin Jichen found a cave that seemed to be inhabited by Thunder Apes and took her inside, killing the sleeping Thunder Ape inside.
"Phew! He shouldn''t be able to catch up now," Lin Jichen said, sitting on the ground and catching his breath.
Fang Qingzhu stood in front of him, severely injured but still enduring the pain, and bowed to Lin Jichen.
"Thank you, young master, for saving my life. I, Fang Qingzhu, will never forget the Buddha''s life-saving grace."
Lin Jichen waved his hand with a smile, "I''m not a Buddhist disciple, nor a Buddhist cultivator."
"How can that be? I saw you use a Buddha seal earlier," Fang Qingzhu said.
"That was just a Buddhist secret technique I happened to learn. Actually, I''m a sword cultivator," Lin Jichen said, taking out the Dark Night Sword and fiddling with it before putting it away.
Fang Qingzhu understood and still thanked him, "Regardless, you saved my life. Can you tell me why you helped me?"
"Of course, to uphold justice. I am a righteous cultivator, and I cannot stand by while demonic cultivators harm others," Lin Jichen said righteously.
Indeed, that was part of the reason he intervened.
But the main reason was that he recognized the Mysterious Medical Sect and Fang Qingzhu.
The Mysterious Medical Sect was the top healer sect in Yuehua Province.
More importantly, he remembered Fang Qingzhu as the most promising Inner Temple disciple of the Mysterious Medical Sect.
She had done something remarkable: she had saved the entire Jiangling City.
After the world merged, Fang Qingzhu happened to pass by Jiangling City, which was under attack by demonic creatures.
Fang Qingzhu decided to temporarily join the Jiangling military, treating countless injured civilians and soldiers.
She eventually went to the front lines to fight the demonic creatures, but as a healer, she was no match for the powerful demons.
Still, her desperate efforts bought time for reinforcements to arrive, sessfully defending Jiangling.
When soldiers found her among the corpses of demonic creatures, she was barely alive, with one arm bitten off by a demon.
Her once beautiful face was disfigured by demonic ws and corruption.
Though she survived, she became a disfigured, one-armed cultivator. Yet, in people''s hearts, she remained beautiful and great.
This was why Lin Jichen had risked his life to save her.
He couldn''t understand why Fang Qingzhu, who should have lived until the world merged, was about to die now.
If he hadn''t intervened, Fang Qingzhu would surely have died.
Although "Tale of Immortal" was just a game, and NPCs killed by yers could revive, NPCs killed by other NPCs would permanently disappear as part of the storyline.
This puzzled Lin Jichen. Fang Qingzhu should have lived until the world merged.
The only possibility was that the storyline had changed, and the plot of "Tale of Immortal" was quietly shifting.
Considering the early game updates and the righteous-demonic war, Lin Jichen felt he might be the butterfly causing these changes.
He might be the one pping his wings, leading to a series of plot changes.
With the plot already changing so much, future events might unfold unpredictably.
Lin Jichen was worried. The further the story deviated, the less advantage he would have as a reborn individual, and he might no longer foresee events.
This was something he didn''t want to see, but he was helpless against such changes.
He could only take advantage of the plot before it became too chaotic.
Lin Jichen decided that after reaching Crystal Formation, he would immediately collect all the opportunities and treasures he remembered scattered across "Tale of Immortal."
To prevent any unforeseen changes.
"May I ask my benefactor''s name?" Fang Qingzhu asked gratefully.
"My name is Lin Jichen, a disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect," Lin Jichen replied politely.
"So, you are a distinguished disciple of the Tianyan Sword Sect. I am Fang Qingzhu, an Inner Temple disciple of the Mysterious Medical Sect in Yuehua Province. Here is a small gift, please ept it."
Fang Qingzhu said, taking out two items and handing them to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen knew this was the reward for saving her and epted them without hesitation.
[Ding! Fang Qingzhu''s affection level towards you +30! Current affection level: 30 points (Riding Together)]
Chapter 193 – Mysterious Medical Sect Letter
Chapter 193 C Mysterious Medical Sect Letter
[One-Grade Crystal Formation Elixir]: A dream elixir for all Foundation Establishment cultivators. The higher the quality, the greater the assistance it provides during breakthroughs, increasing the sess rate of advancing to the Crystal Realm.
Sess Rate: 100%, with an additional +10 points to allbat attributes upon breakthrough.
Lin Jichen looked at the elixir given to him by Fang Qingzhu and felt a bit regretful.
His master had already given him this Crystal Formation Elixir.
However, it was still a kind gesture from Fang Qingzhu, probably because she saw that his realm was stuck at the bottleneck of the Foundation Establishment Realm and wanted to help him.
Even though he already had one, it was no big deal. He could save it for Ren Lan, and if she had one too, he could give it to Gu Qiuxue or even auction it off.
This was the highest quality Crystal Formation Elixir, and it would definitely be highly sought after at the auction house.
Moreover, it came with additional attribute bonuses, which other grades of Crystal Formation Elixirs did not have.
Other grades of Crystal Formation Elixirs also had lower sess rates, with the lowest being only 30%.
Many unlucky yers had to fail several times before sessfully forming a crystal.
Lin Jichen put away the Crystal Formation Elixir and looked at another item, a letter.
[Letter of Inner Temple Disciple from the Mysterious Medical Sect]: The bearer of this letter can directly join the Mysterious Medical Sect as an Inner Temple disciple! The prerequisite is that they have not joined another sect or have left their current sect.
This...
Could Fang Qingzhu be trying to recruit him into the Mysterious Medical Sect? But he was a member of the Sword Sect. If his master saw this, he would definitely go to the Mysterious Medical Sect to settle the score.
But since it was a reward, he just wouldn''t use it himself. He could give this spot to someone else.
Lin Jichen thought of his cousin, Gu Qiuxue.
But he wasn''t sure if Gu Qiuxue would choose to be a healer. If she preferred another profession, Lin Jichen wouldn''t force her.
Gu Qiuxue hadn''t yed Tale of Immortal in her past life, so it was up to her to decide.
He decided to keep both the letter and the Crystal Formation Elixir for now.
"Fellow Daoist Fang, you''re seriously injured. Healing is your priority. I have some elixirs here that might help."
Lin Jichen took out some elixirs from his shop and handed them to Fang Qingzhu.
Fang Qingzhu chuckled but felt grateful. "Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Lin, but our Mysterious Medical Sect is a major healer sect. I have my own healing elixirs."
She then took out a bottle of Mysterious Grade elixirs, making Lin Jichen awkwardly retract his elixirs.
Of course, the Mysterious Medical Sect''s elixirs were the best in Tale of Immortal, even better than those of the Tianyan Sword Sect. He wouldn''t embarrass himself further.
Fang Qingzhu took an elixir and waved her delicate hand in the air, a white light enveloping her.
Her injuries began to heal at a visible speed, and her pale face regained its color.
In less than half an hour, after using several skills, she was fully recovered.
Lin Jichen marveled at the effectiveness of healers. They could heal others and themselves, and true healer experts had formidablebat abilities.
Otherwise, Fang Qingzhu wouldn''t have been able to hold off the demonic army for so long.
The earlier battle in the Thunder Tree Forest also proved this point. Both Liang Baiye and Fang Qingzhu''sbat skills were not inferior to those of other cultivators.
Never underestimate healers. Even among yers, there were many expert healers.
"Fellow Daoist Lin, my injuries have healed. Thank you for protecting me," Fang Qingzhu said with a smile.
"You''re wee. It was no trouble at all. Now that you''re healed, what are your ns?" Lin Jichen asked.
Fang Qingzhu sighed. "I was ordered by my master toe to the Thunder Marsh with Senior Brother Liang Baiye to find the Thunder Dragon. I didn''t expect to encounter such trouble along the way."
"You''re also here to find the Thunder Dragon?" Lin Jichen was surprised.
"Yes, my master needs the Thunder Dragon''s essence blood to refine an Earth Grade elixir, the Dragon Blood Elixir. Are you here for the Thunder Dragon too?"
"Yes, but I''m here for the Thunder Spirit Heart," Lin Jichen replied.
"I see. How about we search together? You need the Thunder Spirit Heart, and I need the dragon blood," Fang Qingzhu suggested.
Lin Jichen was happy to ept. Having someone with him meant more help, and Fang Qingzhu, being a healer, could assist him greatly.
"But we must be extra careful. The Ten Thousand Demon Sect is also searching for the Thunder Dragon. Plus, your senior brother is likely still looking for you in the Thunder Marsh, so we need to be cautious," Lin Jichen warned.
Fang Qingzhu was taken aback and murmured, "I knew it. No wonder Liang Baiye was so eager to get rid of me!"
"Is there a connection?" Lin Jichen asked, puzzled.
Fang Qingzhu raised her eyebrows and exined, "Liang Baiye has probably joined the Ten Thousand Demon Sect. He wants to offer the Thunder Dragon to them. To prevent me from finding out, the best way is to eliminate me and then return to the sect with an excuse, saying I died at the hands of exotic beasts or demonic cultivators. It''s a wless n."
"Why is the Ten Thousand Demon Sect so eager to find a Thunder Dragon?" Lin Jichen was confused.
"I heard the Demonic Sect is nning something big. Recently, the righteous cultivators of the four provincesunched a collective attack on the Demonic Sect, causing them significant losses. The major demonic sects decided to retaliate by appointing a young leader to lead this revenge battle."
Fang Qingzhu paused before continuing, "This leader will be chosen from the most outstanding disciples of the major demonic sects. The Ten Thousand Demon Sect wants the Thunder Dragon to help their Young Sect Leader obtain the Thunder Spirit Heart and increase his strength."
Lin Jichen suddenly understood but was also speechless.
Great, the next plot opportunity wasing soon.
The pace was picking up.
"In that case, we must not let the Ten Thousand Demon Sect seed. We must get the Thunder Dragon!" Fang Qingzhu, who hated demons, said firmly.
Lin Jichen agreed. He wasn''t doing it to stop the Ten Thousand Demon Sect but purely for the Thunder Spirit Heart to increase his chances of crossing the tribtion.
The two decided to join forces.
They began to search for the Thunder Dragon in the Thunder Marsh, moving cautiously.
Withpany, Lin Jichen didn''t need to go on autopilot.
As night fell, the mountain wind blew, the pines rustled, and the chill grew.
In a cave, the two chatted, sharing cultivation insights and amusing stories, bing more and more in sync.
Fang Qingzhu already considered Lin Jichen a close friend,ughing and talking with him.
[Ding! Fang Qingzhu''s affection level towards you +5! Current affection level: 35 points (Close Companions)]
The night passed in the blink of an eye. Lin Jichen didn''t feel bored and even gained five affection points from Fang Qingzhu.
"Dawn has broken. Let''s set off. We need to find the Thunder Dragon before the Ten Thousand Demon Sect does," Lin Jichen said eagerly.
"Yes," Fang Qingzhu agreed, getting up immediately. The two left the cave together.
Though the weather had cleared and there was no more thunderstorm, to avoid attracting the attention of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect, especially with Liang Baiye still pursuing them, they decided not to travel by air.
Chapter 194 – Hell Boar God
Chapter 194 C Hell Boar God
With a beautifulpanion by his side, the dreariness of this marsnd seemed much less unbearable.
Fang Qingzhu was undoubtedly a top-tier beauty. Her willow-like eyebrows were as picturesque as a painting, her delicate features unmatched, not losing to Nangong Yue in the slightest.
Dressed in a light green dress that entuated her graceful and slender figure, her long ck hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing a slender swan-like neck.
Standing under the sky, her smooth, snow-white skin glowed softly. As she walked, the delicate curve of her back and her straight, long legs formed an enticing silhouette.
Of course, Lin Jichen''s looks were more than enough toplement her presence.
Among male cultivators, Lin Jichen was the most handsome and otherworldly Fang Qingzhu had ever seen. Yesterday, when he swept her up into his arms, her face flushed, her heart raced, and she had butterflies in her stomach.
Walking together, they looked like a perfect couple, a match made in heaven.
However, having Fang Qingzhu with him didn''t change their luck. After searching for most of the day, they still hadn''t found any trace of the Thunder Dragon.
Instead, they had killed quite a few Crystal Realm beasts and even took down two disciples of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect before quickly fleeing.
They had ventured deep into the heart of the Thunder Marsh, where the dangers were greater and the beasts more numerous.
But Lin Jichen noticed that they hadn''t encountered a single beast for a long stretch.
There were only two possibilities: either someone had just cleared this area, killing all the beasts, or they had stepped into the territory of a powerful beast!
At that moment, a terrifying aura suddenly appeared behind him and Fang Qingzhu! The ground trembled!
"Watch out!" Lin Jichen instantly grabbed Fang Qingzhu''s hand, their figures shing away in a burst of speed!
Just as they dodged, a massive shadow, asrge as a mountain, swept past them.
The shadow missed its mark and immediately turned back.
Lin Jichen finally saw the attacker and couldn''t help but be surprised by this unexpected encounter.
The massive shadow before him was a pitch-ck beast resembling a wild boar.
This beast was at least ten timesrger than the Wild Boar King he had encountered in the novice vige!
In front of it, the Wild Boar King would seem like a mere piglet.
The beast''s body was asrge as a mountain, covered in demonic energy, with bristle-like hair standing on end. Its huge tusks were exposed, dripping with saliva, and its triangr eyes were filled with ferocity. A string of human skulls hung around its neck, making it look extremely terrifying.
Roar!
The beast roared at the two of them, its voice like thunder, causing the surrounding birds and beasts to tremble in fear and flee in panic.
Even Fang Qingzhu''s face changed at the sight of such a beast.
"This is..."
Lin Jichen remained calm and said, "This beast is called the Hell Boar God."
"The Hell Boar God, the most powerful exotic beast in the Thunder Marsh besides the Thunder Dragon?" Fang Qingzhu asked.
"Yes, it seems we''ve identally stepped into its territory," Lin Jichen replied.
The Boar God, also known as the Tooth Boar, was originally a type of auspicious beast.
But in the "Tale of Immortal," the Hell Boar God was not an auspicious beast but a demonic beast, an exotic beast!
In the Thunder Marsh, besides the Thunder Dragon, it was the strongest, dominating the area.
For the two intruders in its territory, the Hell Boar God obviously had no intention of letting them go.
And Lin Jichen had no intention of dodging either.
ng!
At the same time, the sound of a sword resonated, and the Dark Night Sword appeared in Lin Jichen''s hand.
"You want to take down this Hell Boar God?" Fang Qingzhu asked.
"Why not?" Lin Jichen replied.
Fang Qingzhu looked at Lin Jichen and realized he wasn''t joking. She had thought Lin Jichen wanted to rely on her.
After all, Lin Jichen was just a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. She couldn''t believe Lin Jichen could handle this Hell Boar God.
"Very well, Daoist Lin, I''ll cover you."
"Huh?" Lin Jichen was taken aback.
It was the first time he had heard of a healer stepping in for a sword cultivator... Was she looking down on him?
As they spoke, Fang Qingzhu had already charged forward.
Lin Jichen: "..."
How embarrassing! He felt underestimated.
Fang Qingzhu''s eyes were calm, her dress fluttering, and she lightly waved her green umbre sword in the air.
The umbre sword swung out!
The delicate sword light, like a gentle spring rain, softly enveloped the Hell Boar God.
The continuous sword light seemed gentle but immediately unleashed astonishing power.
The Hell Boar God, in pain, charged forward again!
At the same time, its bristles suddenly fell off, turning into countless ck needles, flying towards Fang Qingzhu in retaliation!
Fang Qingzhu held the umbre sword, which suddenly transformed into a paper umbre.
The umbre opened and spun, blocking the dense needle shadows.
Then, Fang Qingzhu extended a hand, her slender white fingers forming a seal in the air like a blooming lotus.
She then lightly tapped with her fingertip.
A crystal-clear flower-shaped pattern appeared in the air.
The flower, resembling a plum blossom, bloomed in the sky, shining brightly, and descended upon the Hell Boar God''s head!
"Plum Blossom Confusion Seal!"
Boom!
The Hell Boar God, struck by the seal, staggered as if drunk, swaying unsteadily.
Seeing this, Fang Qingzhu immediately flew forward, her umbre sword splitting into a sword and an umbre.
The umbre hovered above the Hell Boar God''s head, spinning continuously, projecting scorching light that burned its body.
Meanwhile, Fang Qingzhu wielded the thin sword, shing relentlessly.
The Hell Boar God seemed unable to fight back, being beaten mercilessly, and its consciousness appeared to be fading.
A healer, managing to beat a Golden Core Realm exotic beast into submission?
But Lin Jichen knew the Hell Boar God wasn''t that easy to deal with.
The Hell Boar God had three forms based on its health, simply put, the less blood it had, the stronger it became!
Sure enough, under the continuous burning and sword Qi damage, the Hell Boar God''s eyes turned blood red, and its demonic energy surged!
Suddenly, it broke free from Fang Qingzhu''s restraints, transforming from a four-legged beast into a terrifying creature with a boar''s head and a human body!
Its demonic energy soared to the sky, its bristles turning into ayer of blood-red armor, and it wielded a rake-like weapon, resembling the Zhu Bajie from "Journey to the West."
The Boar God held the rake in its left hand and a horn in its right.
It brought the horn to its mouth and blew.
Buzz!
The horn''s sound was like the music of a heavenly demon!
Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu felt as if their ears were about to explode, their minds unsettled.
[-3100! Dazed!]
[Dazed state: Unable to concentrate, evasion impossible,sts 20 seconds!]
All the beasts within a few miles heard the horn and their eyes turned blood-red, quickly rushing towards the Hell Boar God!
In the blink of an eye, all the surrounding beasts gathered, their minds controlled by the Boar God''s horn, bing its minions.
Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu were instantly surrounded by hundreds of beasts!
Chapter 195 – Escape? Why should we escape?
Chapter 195 C Escape? Why should we escape?
Facing hundreds of beasts, Fang Qingzhu silently cursed her luck. She hadn''t expected these exotic beasts to have such a trick up their sleeves.
Fortunately, despite their numbers, these beasts were all minor demons, generally only at the mid Foundation Establishment to early Crystal Formation stages.
For a Golden Core Realm cultivator like Fang Qingzhu, these beasts posed no real threat.
However, her real challenge wasn''t just these minor demons; it was the Hell Boar God.
If she had to deal with both the minor demons and the Hell Boar God, they could wear her down to death.
"Daoist Lin, can you help me fend off these minor demons? I''ll handle the Hell Boar God as quickly as possible," Fang Qingzhu asked, hoping Lin Jichen would lend a hand.
But Lin Jichen shook his head and refused.
Fang Qingzhu thought hecked the confidence to deal with the minor demons and smiled bitterly, "Then we should probably escape. I''ll hold them off for a bit; you go first, and I''ll follow."
Lin Jichen, however, asked curiously, "Escape? Why should we escape?"
Fang Qingzhu was speechless. Did he expect her to handle both the Hell Boar God and all these minor demons by herself?
He was overestimating her abilities as a healer. Attack skills were not her forte.
Lin Jichen smiled faintly and said, "I mean, I''ll handle the Hell Boar God. You just deal with these minor demons. I''lle back to help you as soon as I''m done."
"????"
Fang Qingzhu thought Lin Jichen had lost his mind. A Foundation Establishment cultivator boasting about dealing with a mid-Golden Core exotic beast?
This was absurd!
Just as she was about to speak, she saw Lin Jichen''s figure darting out, heading straight for the Hell Boar God.
"How could he be so impulsive and naive? He didn''t seem like such a boastful and reckless person when we chattedst night," Fang Qingzhu felt a pang of disappointment towards Lin Jichen, thinking he was overconfident and arrogant.
But it was toote to call him back.
With beasts attacking from all directions, Fang Qingzhu had no choice but to focus on herself and deal with these beasts first.
On the other side, Lin Jichen, holding a ck longsword, leaped forward like a long-dormant tiger.
As he approached, his sword struck out!
"Frost Moon sh!"
A sh of frost cut through the air, striking the Hell Boar God''s head.
The Hell Boar God hadn''t taken Lin Jichen seriously. It had been focused on Fang Qingzhu, not noticing Lin Jichen''s approach until it was toote.
[Critical Hit! -1610! Slowed! Frozen!]
[Slow Status: Reduces target''s speed by 30%,sts for 10 seconds.]
[Frozen Status: Freezes target for 3 seconds!]
Lin Jichen''s eyes lit up. He hadn''t expected to trigger the 10% chance of freezing.
The Hell Boar God''s entire body was encased in ice, unable to move.
Lin Jichen quickly readied his sword, preparing for a Dizzying Sword Qi.
At the same time, he observed the Hell Boar God''s attributes, which were far superior to the Kai Ming Beast.
[Great Beast: Hell Boar God]
[Level: BOSS]
[Strength: Mid-Golden Core]
[Health:46400/52000]
[Attack: 400]
[Defense: 350]
[Speed: 340]
[Critical: 60]
[Heartguard: 50]
[Physical Resistance: 15]
[Magic Resistance: 20]
[Skills: Triple True Form, Beast Summoning Horn, Rake''s Might, Butcher''s Blood Hand, Blood Rain Prison Hand]
The Hell Boar God''s defense alone far exceeded Lin Jichen''s strength of 317.
Normally, his skills wouldn''t cause any damage.
But the Hell Boar God had underestimated Lin Jichen, allowing him to hit its head, thus enabling the Frost Moon sh to deal damage.
A perfect Frost Moon sh could deal 800 points of skill damage, with a critical hit doubling it to 1600.
Due to the Hell Boar God''s high Heartguard, there was no additional critical damage.
Moreover, Lin Jichen had the Beast yer Achievement Medal, which increased damage to wild beasts by 10%, making it 1760.
However, the Hell Boar God also had physical resistance, so the final damage was precisely 1610 points.
Despitending a hit, Lin Jichen remained fully focused on the charging time.
Three seconds passed in a sh, and the ice on the Hell Boar God quickly melted away.
Just as it broke free from the ice, Lin Jichen unleashed the charged Dizzying Sword Qi!
Again, aiming for the head!
This smallbo could effectively control the opponent.
Once frozen, the subsequentbo was almost guaranteed to hit.
Unless facing a beast with extremely high tenacity, which could quickly break free.
But for now, Lin Jichen''s smallbo was effective.
[Dizzying Sword Qi!]
[Critical Hit! -1610! Stunned!]
[Stun Status: Causes the target to be stunned for three seconds, attacks will not interrupt.]
The Hell Boar God had just broken free from the ice, only to be stunned again.
It must have been furious.
Lin Jichen didn''t care. Instead of using the three seconds to attack with normal strikes, he chose to unleash skills! Skill after skill!
[Wind Thunder Sword!]
[Critical Hit! -2490!]
...
[Phoenix Feather!]
[Critical Hit! -5000!]
Lin Jichen unleashed his skills as if they cost nothing, all aimed at the Hell Boar God''s head.
He was using his skills now to quickly stack the passive effect of Autumn''s Lament sh.
The stun duration would soon end, and once the Hell Boar God regained its senses, it wouldn''t easily let him hit its weak points again.
Without hitting the weak points, his damage would be ineffective.
So Lin Jichen needed to quickly stack the passive effect of Autumn''s Lament sh and use elixirs to temporarily boost his strength for subsequent damage.
Three seconds were only enough for Lin Jichen to unleash a few skills.
The Hell Boar God roared in anger as it woke up, its body transforming again, shrinking into a greasy-faced, grotesque man.
His eyes gleamed with ferocity, holding a rake that glowed with a bloody light.
The Hell Boar God left a trail of afterimages as it moved, swinging the rake with the force of a mountain, aiming at Lin Jichen!
The sharp spikes on the rake seemed poised to tear Lin Jichen''s organs apart!
"Phantom Step!"
Lin Jichen didn''t dare to take the hit head-on and dodged.
The rake missed, smashing into the ground.
The ground cracked like a spider web where the rake hit.
Then, with a loud crash, the surrounding ground copsed as if the sky had fallen!
Though Lin Jichen dodged the fatal blow, he couldn''t avoid the rake''s shockwave and was thrown into the pit created by the rake.
[-6800!]
Damn!
Momentarily careless, Lin Jichen quickly flew out of the pit.
But as soon as he emerged, the Hell Boar God, like a ghost, was already waiting above him.
Seeing Lin Jichen, the Hell Boar God turned into a blood shadow, spinning the rake to create a whirlwind!
The whirlwind lifted sand and stones, forming a barrier to trap Lin Jichen inside!
Lin Jichen frowned, and the Dark Night Sword suddenly flew out of his hand, circling around him before lifting him into the sky!
Chapter 196 – Master Lin’s massage Service
Chapter 196 C Master Lins massage Service
Sword Flight!
This was Lin Jichen''s first time using Sword Flight.
His speed was much faster than flying through the air, like an eagle soaring into the sky, quickly escaping the predicament.
Lin Jichen tried to get close and strike, but the passive effect of Autumn''s Lament sh wasn''t fully charged, so he couldn''t break through the Hell Boar God''s defense.
Moreover, the Hell Boar God was already on alert, using its arms and rake to block the sword qiing from above.
Except for its weak points, Lin Jichen couldn''t break its defense no matter where he hit.
Seeing this, Lin Jichen decided to stop attacking and focus entirely on defense.
The Hell Boar God, seeing Lin Jichen give up attacking,ughed arrogantly and began to attack him mercilessly!
When it came to dodging enemy attacks, Lin Jichen was always the best.
In his past life as a spell cultivator, he was fragile and couldn''t take many hits, which had honed his excellent dodging skills.
Moreover, the Mountain River Step boots had greatly increased his speed, making his movements more fluid.
Due to the effect of Beast yer, the Hell Boar God''s hatred towards Lin Jichen was unmatched, ignoring Fang Qingzhu entirely and focusing solely on killing Lin Jichen, the annoying fly.
Lin Jichen used Sword Flight to soar into the sky, and the Hell Boar God naturally followed. The two fought fiercely in the air, their movements almost invisible, with only the loud sounds echoing in the sky!
Of course, he couldn''t dodge every attack. After all, there was still a speed gap between him and the Hell Boar God.
Lin Jichen was dancing on the edge of a de, one misstep and he would be cut. He was doing his best to keep his distance.
His health bar asionally dropped by two or three thousand points.
But finally, the cooldown for Dizzying Sword Qi was over after 80 seconds. He deliberatelynded back on the ground.
As the Hell Boar God chased down, he turned and struck!
Frost Moon sh!
The cooldown for Frost Moon sh was only 25 seconds and had long since finished.
Lin Jichen had been waiting for thebo, dragging it out until Dizzying Sword Qi''s cooldown ended.
He silently prayed, hoping to trigger the freezing effect again. Otherwise, he would have to continue dodging like a turtle.
Whether it was his prayer or his maxed-out luck, the second Frost Moon sh triggered the freezing effect again!
[Critical Hit! -1610! Slowed! Frozen!]
[Slow Status: Reduces target''s speed by 30%,sts 10 seconds.]
[Frozen Status: Freezes target for 3 seconds!]
A smile appeared on Lin Jichen''s lips. Who could beat this luck?
As the freezing effect ended, Dizzying Sword Qi seamlessly followed!
At the moment the Hell Boar God entered the dizzy state, a Rebirth Buddha Seal formed above its head.
As the Buddha Seal crashed down, a sword formation followed closely behind!
Rebirth Buddha Seal paired with de Storm! Two major spirit skillsnded together!
[-2400!]
[-4500!]
The Hell Boar God''s health bar dropped significantly.
Taking advantage of thest bit of time, Lin Jichen used Mist Piercing Charge, swinging his sword with all his might at the Hell Boar God''s head!
He even used the Palm Qi from his Night Cave Gauntlets!
His skills had finally been used ten times.
The passive effect of Autumn''s Lament sh was fully charged, strength +20, defense +20.
Lin Jichen swallowed a Power Elixir, strength +3!
Finally, he took out a bottle of strong liquor and drank it!
This liquor was specially bought from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, currently only of ordinary grade, with a weak strength boost.
But it didn''t matter, he had another way, which was to buy drinks and food that could increase attributes from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!
The attributes boosted by these drinks were not to be underestimated.
[Carefree Drunk]: After drinking, strength +15 points for five minutes!
This bottle of liquor cost Lin Jichen fifty Spirit Stones, equivalent to ten thousand dors, just for five minutes.
These Spirit Stones could have been spent at the Autumn Moon Pavilion for several nights, even booking a top performer!
But here, it was worth only five minutes (facepalm).
If Ning Kuan knew how wasteful Lin Jichen was, he would be heartbroken. This bottle of liquor was enough for him to spend a whole night with Little Red, the top performer!
Fortunately, with all these buffs, Lin Jichen''s strength had increased to 355, sessfully surpassing the Hell Boar God''s defense by a full 5 points!
Lin Jichen was both relieved and moved. For these 5 points, he had exhausted all his tricks.
Don''t underestimate these 5 points. Without them, Lin Jichen could only attack the weak points to deal damage.
As long as the opponent guarded its weak points, any of his moves would be futile, no matter how strong the spirit skill.
But with these 5 points, his skills could at least deal damage, and he wouldn''t have to keep dodging.
The Hell Boar God woke up again, and Lin Jichen shed its arm.
[-50!]
Wow! Such high damage! Did you see that?
With this output, the Hell Boar God still had about thirty thousand health points. Just cut it 600 times, and it would die!
The Hell Boar God roared, its entire body crashing like a cannonball, the rake in its hand glowing with dazzling blood light.
Lin Jichen took a sudden step and flew into the air like a loach.
The Hell Boar God followed closely, and they fought in the air again.
Compared to before, when Lin Jichen was only dodging, this time he had started to counterattack.
Although the damage was pitifully low, like a mosquito bite, Master Lin was still very dedicated to his massage service.
Striving to make the customer, the Hell Boar God, satisfied.
Low damage? No problem! Even a mosquito bite is better than taking hits.
And now he didn''t need to wait for Frost Moon sh and Dizzying Sword Qi''s cooldowns to align. As long as he had a skill, he could use it on the Hell Boar God.
The Blood Fury effects of Sword Qi and Dark Night Sword also began to take effect.
They perfectly suppressed the Hell Boar God''s self-healing, otherwise, it would recover faster than he could cut.
Ten minutes passed, and Lin Jichen''s mana was exhausted, but the Hell Boar God still had over twenty thousand health points.
Master Lin was almost out of energy to continue.
Suffering from a low realm, Lin Jichen had to take out a handful of Rejuvenation Pills and Power Elixirs and stuff them into his mouth.
At the same time, he took out another bottle of liquor and took a big gulp.
This was already his third bottle.
Besides liquor, there was fish meat to increase mana, meatballs to increase vitality, and so on.
In short, Lin Jichen had bought a lot of temporary attribute-boosting food and drinks.
He had even be a member of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
Luckily, he had prepared well this time, or he wouldn''t havested this long.
This battle had almost exhausted his reserves.
After fighting for so long, Lin Jichen could still hold on, which made the Hell Boar God feel humiliated.
But it couldn''t do anything to Lin Jichen. It should have easily killed him, but every attack was dodged.
asionally, it would be shed, the damage was low, but the insult was high.
And it was because Lin Jichen had dragged it out for so long that Fang Qingzhu could deal with all the other beasts.
After finishing her battle, Fang Qingzhu immediately went to find Lin Jichen. When she saw him still fighting the Hell Boar God, she was astonished.
She thought Lin Jichen wouldn''tst long and would have run away by now. But to her surprise, they were still fighting back and forth not far away.
Was this something a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator could do?
Could it be that this guy was deliberately hiding his cultivation, pretending to be weak to catch the tiger?
Chapter 197 – A healer at the Golden Elixir stage is just great
Chapter 197 C A healer at the Golden Elixir stage is just great
Fang Qingzhu was still puzzled when Lin Jichen noticed her. It seemed he had already dealt with those beasts.
Fang Qingzhu heard Lin Jichen shout to her, "Fellow Daoist Fang, I needle keep!"
"What?"
Fang Qingzhu was taken aback.
"I need help~" Lin Jichen said bitterly.
Fang Qingzhu chuckled and scolded, "See, you shouldn''t have been so reckless."
Lin Jichen quickly admitted his mistake, "It''s my fault for overestimating myself. Please help."
Lin Jichen thought to himself, it''s not that he didn''t want Fang Qingzhu to intervene, but if she did, and the Hell Boar God was defeated, he wouldn''t get any benefits.
So, Lin Jichen chose to tough it out.
Fang Qingzhu didn''t me Lin Jichen. He had already done things she couldn''t even imagine.
With Foundation Establishment strength, he could hold out against a mid-Golden Core beast for so long; no one would believe it if they heard.
Fang Qingzhu didn''t hesitate. With a flick of her delicate hand, her umbre sword flew out!
"Radiant Night Technique!"
The green umbre projected a soft glow, which entered Lin Jichen''s body.
Lin Jichen immediately felt a warm current flow through him.
[Vitality +3400! Mana +2800!]
But it wasn''t over. Fang Qingzhu formed another hand seal!
"Universal Illumination!"
Another beam of light flew over!
[Vitality +300/second,sts 15 seconds!]
[Mana +300/second,sts 15 seconds!]
And still, it wasn''t over!
Empowerment Technique!
[Allbat attributes +30 points! Lasts 30 seconds!]
Holy crap!
Lin Jichen suddenly understood what a healer was. This was a true healer!
No wonder she was a Golden Core healer; these buffs were incredible!
One Fang Qingzhu was worth a hundred healer yers.
The key was that these skills were so powerful; among ten thousand healer yers, not one would have such strong support skills.
Fang Qingzhu''s true strength was in support!
Combat was just her secondary role.
With the buffs from Fang Qingzhu, Lin Jichen quickly regained his vigor.
From a massage master, he became a grinding master.
One sword strike!
[-350!]
Seven times the damage, restoring Lin Jichen''s confidence!
Fang Qingzhu also joined the battle.
Helping Lin Jichen deal with the Hell Boar God.
One Lin Jichen was already troublesome enough; now with Fang Qingzhu, the Hell Boar God''s health rapidly declined.
Fang Qingzhu was buffing Lin Jichen while also dealing damage.
Her operations were top-notch, each skill perfectly timed.
She perfectly demonstrated the correct way to y a healer, this kind of healer who could fight and heal was the dream of other professions.
Lin Jichen wanted to challenge high-level bosses, but hecked an invincible healer like Fang Qingzhu.
Unfortunately, yers generally had low cultivation and few skills. Artifact and spell cultivators were already like this, let alone the slow-developing healers.
Having a healer yer wouldn''t help Lin Jichen much.
Unless it was a healer like Fang Qingzhu, but she was an elite disciple of the Mysterious Medical Sect''s inner temple, only such a healer could reach this level.
yers wanting to be like Fang Qingzhu still had a long way to go.
Facing the two''s onught, the Hell Boar God transformed onest time, reverting to its beast form.
But it was even more ferocious, its triangr eyes filled with killing intent.
A giant hand mmed the ground, and a shocking blood light swept across!
Thousands of blood-red hands appeared in the air, crashing down!
Each hand contained the power of the Golden Core, easily crushing rocks in their path.
"Butcher''s Blood Hand!"
Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu retreated in unison, dodging the skill, and exchanged a nce, smiling.
"Fellow Daoist Fang, you''re amazing!" Lin Jichen praised.
Fang Qingzhu pursed her lips and teased back, "Fellow Daoist Lin is the amazing one."
The two exchangedpliments.
This thoroughly enraged the Hell Boar God.
Not taking it seriously? Still flirting?
The Hell Boar God couldn''t stand it, it was breaking down!
With a stomp of its hooves, the ground copsed, and its massive body suddenly flew up.
Boom!
A strange roar echoed through the sky.
The Hell Boar God''s size suddenly shrank, as if something had drained its power.
At this moment, the sky turned blood-red, and crimson blood rain fell.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn''t ''rain'' but red threads, like fishing lines, hanging from the sky.
Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu seemed like ''fish in ake,'' trapped by these ''fishing lines.''
"Blood Rain Prison!"
Lin Jichen knew this was the Hell Boar God''s final trump card, its ultimate technique!
Under this ultimate technique, he couldn''t escape.
Just as Lin Jichen was worrying if his health could withstand this ultimate technique.
A clear bird''s cry suddenly came from beside him, causing the pine trees in the valley to surge and the clouds to scatter.
Lin Jichen turned to see Fang Qingzhu raising her jade hand, spinning on her toes, and twirling in ce.
At the same time, she rotated the umbre handle, and a crystal-clear pink lotus shadow suddenly shot out.
"Flying Lotus Life Technique!"
The lotus rose, dazzling and brilliant, blooming between heaven and earth. Then, the lotus scattered petals, wrapping the two in a cocoon-like sphere, glowing brightly.
The blood-red ''fishing lines'' couldn''t pierce the petals, instead, they were all deflected.
Lin Jichen then remembered, if the Hell Boar God had an ultimate technique, wouldn''t Fang Qingzhu have one too?
She was an elite inner temple disciple of a super sect, how could she not have an ultimate technique at the Golden Core stage?
And as a healer, her ultimate techniques were all supportive, perfectly blocking the Blood Rain Prison for Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen safely hid under Fang Qingzhu''s protection, finding her more pleasing to the eye. With Fang Qingzhu around, many problems were solved.
And many crises were avoided.
Unfortunately, Fang Qingzhu was an NPC, and her sect was far away in Yuehua Province.
Otherwise, he really wanted to keep her around, of course, if she agreed.
The Blood Rain Prison was ultimately avoided, and the Hell Boar God, knowing it was outmatched, tried to flee.
Lin Jichen wouldn''t let it go, chasing after it with Fang Qingzhu, delivering the final blows, sessfully killing the arrogant Hell Boar God!
Unfortunately, Lin Jichen didn''t gain any cultivation experience, otherwise, he would have gained a huge amount.
He still needed to cross the tribtion quickly.
Although he couldn''t gain experience, the Hell Boar God''s Soul Burial Mound was still there.
"It seems someone ising!" Fang Qingzhu eximed.
Lin Jichen quickly erased the Soul Burial Mound, stored the Hell Boar God''s corpse, and flew away with Fang Qingzhu without looking back.
He didn''t want to see who wasing; they were in no condition to fight, staying would be courting death.
Just as they left, Liang Baiye arrived in the valley.
He saw the ground littered with corpses, hundreds of beasts dead.
The valley was filled with signs of a fierce battle, and from the wounds on the beasts, he immediately knew it was his junior sister''s doing.
Immediately, Liang Baiye shot into the sky, chasing in the direction the two had left!
Chapter 198 – Thrilling escape
Chapter 198 C Thrilling escape
"Fellow Daoist Lin, something''s not right."
As they flew, Fang Qingzhu suddenly spoke to Lin Jichen.
"What is it?"
"Just now, I felt the aura of our Mysterious Medical Sect''s heart technique," Fang Qingzhu said with a frown.
Lin Jichen was startled. Could it be that Liang Baiye had arrived?
"Let''s go down and check it out!"
Lin Jichen decisively abandoned flying and returned to the ground. The two of them found a tree hollow and hid inside.
The hollow was small, barely enough for both of them, forcing them to squeeze together.
Fang Qingzhu was pressed against Lin Jichen''s chest, her soft bosom making contact with his chest, causing Lin Jichen to feel a sense of unease. This... this was going to give them away!
Fang Qingzhu''s face was flushed with embarrassment. Just as she was about to suggest finding another hiding spot, a streak of light shed across the sky.
They held their breath, not daring to move.
Liang Baiye had caught up. He noticed the sudden disappearance of their aura and stopped mid-air to carefully inspect the ground.
The dense forest below aroused Liang Baiye''s suspicion. He guessed that Fang Qingzhu might be hiding there and nned to destroy the entire grove.
Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu''s expressions changed. They could sense the energy fluctuations above; Liang Baiye was about to make a move!
"We should split up. His target is me; he won''t chase you," Fang Qingzhu said, her shyness gone, reced by urgency.
Lin Jichen hesitated. To be honest, sacrificing himself for an NPC seemed too much of a loss. After all, even though he was a yer, his death would result in a decrease in innate attributes, which was uneptable to him.
Moreover, even if he stayed, the two of them together couldn''t possibly defeat Liang Baiye.
So, the best choice for Lin Jichen was to abandon Fang Qingzhu and escape.
However, looking at Fang Qingzhu so close in his arms, he remembered her heroic act of saving Jiangling City years ago.
"No, I can die, but you must live!" Lin Jichen said resolutely.
No matter what, he couldn''t abandon Fang Qingzhu and run away, nor could he watch her die prematurely because of his interference with the storyline.
Such a great woman deserved his sacrifice...
His first...
Death!
Before Fang Qingzhu could respond, Lin Jichen said firmly, "I''ll go out and distract him. You take the chance to escape. Don''t worry, I won''t die."
Even though this meant certain death for him and a drop in his innate attributes, it wasn''t irrecoverable.
After all, once his cultivation improved, he could find Immortal Pills to restore his innate attributes.
Using a bit of innate attributes to save a hero who once saved Jiangling City was worth it!
Though Lin Jichen had been cautious and steady since his rebirth, he didn''t want to save himself in this situation.
Fang Qingzhu stared at Lin Jichen, her eyes misting. She never expected a stranger to save her repeatedly, even choosing to sacrifice himself for her escape.
[Ding! Fang Qingzhu''s affection level towards you +20! Current affection level: 55 points (Intimate)]
At this moment, Liang Baiye had summoned his umbre sword and started bombarding the grove, though he hadn''t hit the tree hollow where Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu were hiding yet.
But judging by his actions, Liang Baiye clearly intended to destroy every tree, leaving no ce untouched.
Lin Jichen knew they couldn''t wait any longer. Just as he was about to crawl out of the hollow, Fang Qingzhu suddenly hugged him, her voice filled with emotion and a hint of tears.
"Lin Daoyou, I can''t repay your kindness, but I can''t watch you die for me. Otherwise, I will never be at peace. I''ll buy you some time; you must leave quickly. Meeting you is the luckiest thing in my life..."
Before she could finish, she turned to leave, but Lin Jichen grabbed her.
Lin Jichen held her tightly, urgently persuading, "Listen to me, I might not die if I go. But if you go, you''ll surely die. You stay."
"Lin..."
As they argued, Liang Baiye suddenly stopped his attack.
He took out amunication talisman, and a voice came through, "We''ve found the Thunder Dragon. The Young Sect Leader wants you toe and help capture it!"
Hearing this, Liang Baiye immediately ceased his bombardment and left reluctantly.
After a long while, Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
That was close!
"It''s over. We don''t have to die," Lin Jichen said with relief.
"Yes, the virtuous are blessed," Fang Qingzhu said, her worry turning to joy.
Only then did they realize their awkward position, tightly embracing each other, their breaths almost mingling.
Lin Jichen''s hands were still around Fang Qingzhu''s slender waist, feeling her soft, delicate body through her dress.
At that moment, Lin Jichen''s natural reaction kicked in.
Earlier, he had been too tense and focused to think about it, but now, with the danger gone, he couldn''t help but react.
Fang Qingzhu felt something pressing against her stomach. Realizing what it was, her face turned crimson, and she quickly scrambled out of the hollow.
"Uh... I didn''t mean to. Really... it just happened," Lin Jichen said, embarrassed, as he climbed out to exin.
Fang Qingzhu''s face was as red as blood. She bit her lip, both shy and annoyed, and stomped her foot, "Don''t say another word!"
Seeing she wasn''t angry, Lin Jichen finally rxed.
"Alright, alright," Lin Jichen said with an awkward smile. "We should leave here quickly. If Liang Baiyees back, it''ll be trouble."
"Mm," Fang Qingzhu replied softly.
They immediately left the area, only stopping at a safe ce to rest and recover.
Both of them quickly took the time to replenish their strength. Fang Qingzhu shared her elixirs with Lin Jichen, and after taking them, he quickly recovered.
Fang Qingzhu was still meditating.
Lin Jichen didn''t disturb her but turned his attention to the spoils from the Hell Boar God.
The loot was luxurious!
He first took out a flower-like nt. It had a green cylindrical stem, tendrils, and five high-petal flowers with green and white stripes, emitting a strange fragrance.
[Treasure Evening Flower]: Also known as Moonlight, a rare treasure in the Tale of Immortal. When a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator uses it to break through to the Crystal Realm, it significantly enhances their attributes.
Strength/Mental Power +15, Defense +15, Speed +15, Vitality +2000, Mana +2000.
Just this treasure alone made the battle with the Hell Boar God worthwhile.
This Evening Flower was the most cost-effective treasure Lin Jichen had obtained so far.
It boosted almost allbat attributes!
Chapter 199 – Conceal and Shadow
Chapter 199 C Conceal and Shadow
The second item Lin Jichen took out was a horn-shaped object.
[Earth Grade Magic Treasure Hell Horn]: Blowing the horn can unleash the Hellish Demon Sound, causing 1000 points of base skill damage to all cultivators within a 1000-meter radius and temporarily turning all beasts below the Crystal Realm within the range to fight for you.
This horn is a consumable item and can only be used three times, with a cooldown of 7 days.
Requirements: None.
Seeing this horn, Lin Jichen was astonished. He didn''t expect to get a magic treasure so quickly.
Magic treasures are different from equipment and weapons; most of them are consumable and very rare.
The effect of this horn magic treasure is incredibly powerful. If he had this item when attacking the Ten Thousand Poison Sect, his battle merit would have doubled!
The third item was a skill book, but it was a bit strange because this skill book contained a special skill.
Special skills, like magic treasures, do not belong to movement techniques or martial arts techniques and can be learned and used by any profession.
[Earth Grade Skill Conceal and Shadow]: Can hide one''s figure, disappearing silently from sight. Cultivators or beasts below the Nascent Soul Realm cannot detect you. You can move normally during this period but cannot use spiritual power, or you will be exposed. Duration: 60 seconds.
Cooldown: 24 hours. Mana consumption: 3000 points.
Requirements: None.
This skill book made Lin Jichen overjoyed because this skill was even rarer than the Dao Heart Fruit in his previous life.
This skill is a lifesaving divine skill in the early stages because it can be used even inbat.
It can also be used to steal other people''s BOSS Soul Burial Mounds and loot.
Although the skill has no power or damage, its uses are extremely wide-ranging, making it a divine skill for escaping and beingzy.
If you can''t win, you can activate this skill to escape. Enemies below the Nascent Soul Realm basically won''t be able to find you unless they have some special eye technique to see through illusions.
Lin Jichen immediately learned this skill.
Besides these two Earth Grade items, there were three other Mysterious Grade pieces of equipment, but none of them were useful to Lin Jichen.
After putting everything away, it wasn''t long before Fang Qingzhu finished her meditation.
Opening her eyes, Fang Qingzhu saw Lin Jichen and immediately smiled happily.
"Lin Daoyou, thank you again for protecting me."
After jointly fighting the Hell Boar God and escaping death from Liang Baiye, their rtionship seemed to have grown closer. Fang Qingzhu''s gaze towards Lin Jichen had changed.
"No need to be so polite between us," Lin Jichen smiled.
Fang Qingzhu overthought it, assuming Lin Jichen was expressing his feelings, and blushed as she softly replied.
"Where should we go next? Are we still looking for the Thunder Dragon? It seems we are already toote."
Fang Qingzhu said regretfully. Both she and Lin Jichen had heard Liang Baiye''smunication talisman.
The Ten Thousand Demon Sect had already found the Thunder Dragon, and Liang Baiye had gone to help encircle it.
She and Lin Jichen were too weak to snatch the Thunder Dragon from under their noses. They would likely lose their lives instead.
Liang Baiye alone could easily handle the two of them, not to mention the many demonic cultivators of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect, especially the Nascent Soul peak Young Sect Leader, Li Xinghun.
Li Xinghun''s strength was unfathomable. Even Liang Baiye probably couldn''tst a single round against him.
Going there would be a death sentence, so Fang Qingzhu was ready to give up.
Lin Jichen had also given up, nning to wait until the Thunder Dragon respawned next month.
But the newly acquired Earth Grade skill gave Lin Jichen an idea.
"Fang Daoyou, you should return to the sect and report back," Lin Jichen nned to bid farewell to Fang Qingzhu.
Fang Qingzhu was surprised, "You''re not leaving?"
"Yes, I want to go and take a look," Lin Jichen smiled.
Fang Qingzhu panicked, "Are you crazy? Don''t you know the strength of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect? Liang Baiye alone is more than you can handle, and Li Xinghun''s cultivation is even higher. If you fall into his hands, it''s certain death!"
"I know, I just want to take a peek. I won''t be discovered," Lin Jichen said.
"No! You can''t go!" Fang Qingzhu grabbed Lin Jichen''s sleeve, refusing to let him do something so dangerous.
In her eyes, this was no different from seeking death.
Lin Jichen chuckled, "Fang Daoyou, don''t worry. I''m not reckless. I know my limits."
"Still no, if you''re discovered, you won''t even have a chance to escape. Why are you so foolish? Listen to me, okay?" Fang Qingzhu was anxious, her eyes full of worry.
Lin Jichen teased, "Fang Daoyou, this seems to be my personal matter. Why are you so concerned?"
Fang Qingzhu was momentarily speechless, her face turning red, but she stubbornly said, "I don''t care, I just won''t let you go!"
Lin Jichenughed and freed his sleeve from her grip, then gently held Fang Qingzhu''s jade-like hand.
Fang Qingzhu felt as if she had been struck by lightning and instinctively wanted to pull her hand back.
But Lin Jichen held her hand and said, "Don''t worry, I have a secret technique to hide myself. Li Xinghun won''t be able to find me. I''ll just take a look, and if things go south, I''ll leave immediately. I won''t risk my life."
Fang Qingzhu''s heart was in chaos, her mind racing as Lin Jichen held her hand, making her feel endlessly shy.
After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Then I''ll go with you!"
"There''s no need for that. If youe, it''ll be easier for us to be discovered. I can handle it alone," Lin Jichen said.
But Fang Qingzhu insisted, "I must go. This is also my personal matter. Why are you trying to stop me?"
Lin Jichen was momentarily at a loss for words, feeling the swift retribution. Her determination left him with no choice but to persuade her gently, "Fang Daoyou, I appreciate your concern. It makes me happy, but if youe with me, it''ll only make it easier for us to be exposed. Neither of us will be able to escape. Let me go alone, okay? Be good."
After speaking, Lin Jichen even patted Fang Qingzhu''s head.
Fang Qingzhu was flustered by this intimate gesture, losing her resolve.
In the end, she could only agree.
But Fang Qingzhu said, "You can go, but I''ll wait for you outside the small town on the western edge of Thunder Marsh for three days. If you don''t show up within three days, I''lle looking for you."
Lin Jichen had no choice but to nod in agreement.
The two then went their separate ways. Fang Qingzhu reluctantly bid farewell to Lin Jichen and flew away.
Lin Jichen also took to the sky on his sword, flying in the direction Liang Baiye had left.
But Liang Baiye was long gone, leaving no trace. Lin Jichen could only search blindly, praying to find something.
Fortunately, Fang Qingzhu had given Lin Jichen many of her elixirs before leaving. Relying on these elixirs, Lin Jichen flew for an entire day.
Just when he was about to give up, he finally found traces of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect!
Chapter 200 – Vanished
Chapter 200 C Vanished
In the distant sky, thunder and lightning roared. A massive dark blue dragon hovered mid-air, its entire body wrapped in lightning, eyes fierce and domineering.
With a dragon''s roar, a colossal bolt of lightning descended, seemingly slicing the sky in half.
Lin Jichen recognized it immediately. It was the strongest boss of the Thunder Marsh, the Thunder Dragon, his target for this journey.
However, the Thunder Dragon was already surrounded by disciples of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect. A man with a rebellious aura and delicate features was engaging it in battle.
The man''s strength was formidable, and the Thunder Dragon couldn''t gain any advantage against him.
Lin Jichen recognized this man as well.
Li Xinghun, the Young Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect, a rising star of the demonic sect that would cause great losses to China in the future.
Currently, Li Xinghun''s strength was at the peak of the Golden Elixir stage. In five years, after the fusion, his power would be even more terrifying.
The Thunder Dragon was also ate-stage Golden Elixir boss, but it stood no chance against Li Xinghun.
Knowing it couldn''t win, the Thunder Dragon had been trying to escape, but it was still captured and surrounded by the Ten Thousand Demon Sect.
At this moment, realizing escape was futile, the Thunder Dragon decided to fight desperately.
It opened its mouth, a brilliant light like intense lightning blossoming from deep within its throat. This was the dragon''s breath, a scorching st!
Li Xinghun didn''t dodge. He stepped forward in mid-air, his body surging with purple energy, shining brilliantly!
"Beast, surrender and die!"
Li Xinghun sneered arrogantly, throwing a punch with the force to suppress the earth!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The air was piercedyer byyer, producing explosive sounds.
A massive fist struck the Thunder Dragon.
In an instant, the surrounding airflow stilled, solidified, and then copsed.
Blinding light shot skyward, dazzling and radiant.
The Thunder Dragon roared in pain, struck heavily.
Its entire body of lightning condensed into a giant, zing white lightning sword.
The lightning sword shed towards Li Xinghun.
A silver spear appeared in Li Xinghun''s hand. Gripping the spear, he channeled his spiritual power, and the world suddenly dimmed, as if all the white light converged at the spear''s tip.
As Li Xinghun thrust the spear forward, white light surged!
The terrifying power pierced through the Thunder Dragon''s body with a single strike!
Dragon blood sttered, gushing out wildly.
Li Xinghun sneered disdainfully, "You call yourself a dragon? What a joke."
The Thunder Dragon howled and fell from the sky.
Just as it tried to run, Liang Baiye drove it back.
Surrounded by thousands of Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciples, the Thunder Dragon had nowhere to escape.
Liang Baiye diligently guarded the Thunder Dragon for Li Xinghun, repeatedly ttering Li Xinghun''s profound cultivation, dering him the inevitable leader of the demonic army.
Li Xinghunughed heartily, clearly pleased.
The Thunder Dragon had already be their prey.
However, seeing no hope of escape, the Thunder Dragon''s ferocity was ignited, and it began a desperate counterattack.
Li Xinghun remained calm, entangling the Thunder Dragon in battle, slowly wearing down its vitality.
Liang Baiye enthusiastically boosted Li Xinghun''s power, making him even more unstoppable.
The Thunder Dragon''s death was inevitable, its wounds multiplying.
Finally, under thebined assault of Li Xinghun and Liang Baiye, the Thunder Dragon fell!
The massive dragon body copsed into the swamp, covered in mud, blood flowing everywhere, lifeless.
Beside ity a Soul Burial Mound of the Thunder Dragon.
"Young Master, this swamp is too filthy. Let me retrieve the Thunder Spirit Heart and Soul Burial Mound for you," Liang Baiye fawned like a sycophant.
Knowing his identity was exposed, he had fully joined the demonic sect, and Li Xinghun had even made him a protector of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect.
This filled Liang Baiye with motivation, vowing to serve the sect loyally.
"Go ahead," Li Xinghun smiled contentedly.
Liang Baiye took the order, eagerly approaching.
At that moment, the ground suddenly began to shake.
From all directions, arge number of beasts appeared, charging towards them.
Li Xinghun frowned slightly, "Could it be a Beast Tide?"
He looked down from the air, realizing it wasn''t a Beast Tide, as there were only a few hundred beasts, not even enough for a small tide.
"Hmph, have the beasts of the Thunder Marsh gone mad? Deal with them," Li Xinghun ordered his subordinates.
The disciples of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect immediately began ughtering the beasts.
While their attention was diverted, a hidden figure slipped through their encirclement, sneaking in.
Seeing the beasts were merely there to die, Liang Baiye continued towards the Thunder Dragon''s corpse.
He was about to retrieve the Soul Burial Mound and the Thunder Dragon''s body.
But just as his hand was about to touch the Thunder Dragon''s body, before he could use his storage ring
Swish!
The Thunder Dragon''s body suddenly vanished!
Liang Baiye was stunned, thinking he had already stored the Thunder Dragon''s body, instinctively reaching for his ring.
But upon checking, there was nothing.
What was going on? Was this Thunder Dragon from void? Nothing at all?
Perplexed, Liang Baiye hurriedly checked his storage ring, only to find the Thunder Dragon wasn''t there!
How was this possible?
Frantically, he checked the storage space again, turning it inside out, but found no trace of the Thunder Dragon.
Even the Soul Burial Mound was gone.
What the hell?
Sweat beaded on Liang Baiye''s forehead as he searched around, even stepping into the swamp, digging through the mud with his hands.
By now, the hundreds of beasts were dead, and Li Xinghun''s attention returned to Liang Baiye, seeing him in the swamp, acting strangely.
"Protector Liang, what are you doing?"
Liang Baiye, drenched in cold sweat, looked up, trembling, "Young Master, the Thunder Dragon... is gone..."
Li Xinghun''s eyes turned fierce instantly. He descended, scanning the surroundings, indeed finding no Thunder Dragon corpse.
Bang!
Liang Baiye was sent flying, vomiting blood.
Before he could recover, his neck was grabbed, and he was lifted by Li Xinghun.
"I didn''t expect you to have such guts, daring to steal from me?"
Veins bulged on Liang Baiye''s neck, his face pale, struggling to breathe.
He squeezed out a difficult voice, "Young Master, it wasn''t me. I wouldn''t dare do such a foolish thing... Please, believe me..."
Li Xinghun, suspicious, took Liang Baiye''s storage ring and threw him into the crowd of subordinates.
"Make him cough it up."
The subordinates immediately began beating Liang Baiye, surrounding him.
Though Liang Baiye''s strength far surpassed theirs, he didn''t dare resist, not even using a spiritual shield, enduring the beating with his body.
Liang Baiye''s screams echoed continuously.
Li Xinghun examined the storage ring, finding no Thunder Dragon corpse.
It made sense; Liang Baiye wouldn''t do something so self-destructive.
But what happened? Where did the Thunder Dragon go?
Chapter 201 – To fish in troubled waters
Chapter 201 C To fish in troubled waters
Li Xinghun meticulously searched the surroundings again, but still found nothing.
Around the Thunder Dragon''s corpse, only his and Liang Baiye''s footprints were visible.
However, he keenly sensed a trace of a stranger''s presence nearby.
Combining this with the strange behavior of those hundreds of beasts earlier, Li Xinghun realized something was amiss.
It seemed someone had used a highly advanced concealment technique to sneak in and steal the Thunder Dragon!
Li Xinghun''s face turned ashen, his eyes zing with fury.
"Fine, very fine. Daring to covet what''s mine, Li Xinghun''s, even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I''ll find you, extract your soul, and refine it! You''ll never be reborn!"
It was the first time in his life he had suffered such a loss, filling Li Xinghun with burning rage.
At this moment, Liang Baiye was already beaten to the brink of death, barely able to scream.
"Stop!" Li Xinghun shouted impatiently.
His subordinates immediately halted.
Liang Baiye crawled out from the pile of people, covered in wounds, his face swollen like a pig''s head.
He cried out to Li Xinghun, "Young Sect Leader, it really wasn''t me..."
Li Xinghun knew he had wronged him, but his pride wouldn''t allow him to admit it or apologize.
"Even if it wasn''t you, the Thunder Dragon was lost right under your nose. Do you have anything to say about this beating?"
Liang Baiye cursed Li Xinghun''s ancestors in his heart but outwardly showed deep remorse, "Young Sect Leader''s lesson is right. It''s all my fault for being too careless. I''m at your disposal."
Li Xinghun ignored him, turning his fierce gaze elsewhere as he ordered, "He can''t have gone far. Find him and seal off the entire Thunder Marsh! Don''t stop until you find the Thunder Dragon''s corpse!"
With that, Li Xinghun activated his demonic arts and vanished instantly.
Li Xinghun''s analysis was spot on; Lin Jichen couldn''t have gotten far.
The Conceal and Shadow technique onlysted a minute. Just sneaking into the Ten Thousand Demon Sect''s encirclement, stealing the Thunder Dragon''s corpse and the Soul Burial Mound, and then retreating had already used up the time.
Fortunately, Liang Baiye took the me, buying Lin Jichen precious time with his suffering.
This allowed Lin Jichen to sneak far away, then take to the sky on his sword, fleeing madly towards the edge of the Thunder Marsh.
Lin Jichen unceremoniously stuffed the elixir Fang Qingzhu had given him into his mouth, even using all his movement techniques, including the Wind Thunder Sword, just to increase his speed.
He was also grateful for the Mountain River Step boots, which left no footprints, otherwise, Li Xinghun would have easily found him.
He had to escape before the Ten Thousand Demon Sect sealed the Thunder Marsh''s exit, or he would be trapped.
At this moment, the sky poured down rain again, with thunder and lightning shing, making sword flight unwise.
But Lin Jichen couldn''t afford to care. If he didn''t run now, all his efforts would be in vain.
Boom!
A bolt of lightning suddenly struck, hitting Lin Jichen directly.
[-3000!]
Damn!
Lin Jichen almost fell from the sky.
Some bastard cultivator nearby must have sworn recklessly.
Luckily, it was just ordinary lightning, far weaker than the tribtion lightning.
Despite being struck, Lin Jichen didn''t give up, continuing to fly through the storm with all his might.
Meanwhile, Li Xinghun was searching everywhere, killing any cultivator he saw, leaving none alive.
With each kill, Li Xinghun would search the victim''s storage ring, but still found no trace of the Thunder Dragon''s corpse.
This made Li Xinghun increasingly anxious and furious.
Other cultivators, seeing Li Xinghun''s indiscriminate ughter, fled in terror, making his pursuit even more difficult.
After a whole day of fleeing, Lin Jichen finally escaped the Thunder Marsh without incident.
Ren Lan had called him several times, asking why he hadn''te out to eat. Lin Jichen could only reply that he was on a mission and couldn''t leave for now.
He hadn''t left "Tale of Immortal" for two days, not because he didn''t want to, but because he had no time. Whether he could escape was still uncertain.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to leave the Thunder Marsh, a group of Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciples blocked the exit.
Other cultivators were also stopped, whether they wanted to enter or leave.
"The Thunder Marsh is sealed. No one is allowed in or out for now!"
Li Xinghun had already notified the Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciples outside to seal the exit.
Lin Jichen was a step toote.
Many cultivators were also blocked, expressing their dissatisfaction and questioning the Ten Thousand Demon Sect''s authority, creating a tense atmosphere.
At this moment, a white-clothed man appeared, speaking kindly, "Everyone, please rest assured. The Ten Thousand Demon Sect means no harm. Our Young Sect Leader had a precious treasure stolen. This treasure carries his aura. Once he arrives to check, you will be free to go."
Hearing this, everyone, intimidated by the Ten Thousand Demon Sect''s power, had no choice but to stay and wait.
They couldn''t help but find the white-clothed man strange, though. Why was his face bruised and swollen like a pig''s head?
Seeing this man from a distance, Lin Jichen''s heart skipped a beat.
It was none other than Liang Baiye.
Because Lin Jichen had been changing directions while fleeing, Liang Baiye had reached the exit first.
This was bad. Liang Baiye knew him and had previously seen him rescue Fang Qingzhu...
Wait, maybe he didn''t know who he was!
Lin Jichen thought for a moment. Liang Baiye had only nced at him once, and at that time, Lin Jichen had disguised himself as a Buddhist cultivator without a weapon.
Now he was flying on a sword, clearly a sword cultivator. Liang Baiye might not recognize him.
With this thought, Lin Jichen quickly flew forward.
"Stop! The Thunder Marsh is sealed. No one is allowed in or out! Wait for our Young Sect Leader to arrive before leaving!"
Another Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciple stepped forward to intercept him.
But Lin Jichen ignored him, shouting loudly, "Help! The Young Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect is ughtering everyone in the Thunder Marsh! Run for your lives! Don''t believe their lies!"
This statement shocked all the cultivators. What did Li Xinghun mean by this? Was he dering war on all sects?
Liang Baiye''s face darkened as he shouted at Lin Jichen, "You brat, stop spouting nonsense!"
Lin Jichen was delighted to see that Liang Baiye indeed didn''t recognize him.
"I''m not lying! Li Xinghun is killing everyone like a madman. If you don''t run now, it''ll be toote!"
Liang Baiye was furious, but at this moment, other cultivators couldn''t sit still.
Li Xinghun''s massacre was intolerable. Immediately, some began to force their way through.
The Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciples panicked, and a brawl broke out with the other cultivators.
"Stop! Stop fighting!" Liang Baiye shouted in the rain, trying to calm everyone down, but no one listened to him.
Chapter 202 – Narrowly escape death
Chapter 202 C Narrowly escape death
Lin Jichen seized the opportunity and dashed outside!
Amidst the chaos, Lin Jichen, an unremarkable Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, managed to slip out of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect''s encirclement and fled into the distance.
Liang Baiye sensed something was wrong. From the start, he had a feeling that Lin Jichen looked familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
But he couldn''t quite ce it.
Upon closer inspection of Lin Jichen''s back, he realized that it looked almost identical to the Buddhist cultivator who had saved Fang Qingzhu. Moreover, the key point was that this person''s cultivation was also at the Foundation Establishment Realm!
Damn it! Fooled again!
Liang Baiye realized he had been deceived, but Lin Jichen was already far away.
He suddenly remembered that when Lin Jichen had escaped right under his nose, it was silent and without leaving a single footprint.
Combining this with the earlier disappearance of the Thunder Dragon''s corpse, which also left no footprints on the ground, Liang Baiye''s mind suddenly cleared, and the truth became evident!
"Catch him! It''s him!"
Liang Baiye was furious, his figure soared into the sky, and he was about to chase after Lin Jichen at high speed!
At this moment, a blood-soaked figure suddenly appeared beside him.
"Protector Liang, what''s going on? I told you to stop everyone, not to start a fight here."
Liang Baiye''s figure paused, trembling slightly. He turned his head and saw that it was Li Xinghun.
Li Xinghun coldly stared at Liang Baiye. He hadn''t instructed Liang Baiye to act; in the Thunder Marsh, killing was no problem.
But outside the Thunder Marsh, in a ce where so many cultivators were gathered, the Ten Thousand Demon Sect couldn''t act recklessly.
If they started a massacre in front of everyone, the Ten Thousand Demon Sect would be the target of all.
Moreover, among these cultivators, there were quite a few from other demonic sects who had good rtions with the Ten Thousand Demon Sect.
Cold sweat broke out on Liang Baiye''s back. He hurriedly exined, "Young Master, it wasn''t my doing. I found the guy who stole the Thunder Dragon''s corpse!"
"Where is he?" Li Xinghun immediately asked.
"He ran that way!" Liang Baiye pointed in the direction Lin Jichen had fled.
"You useless fool!" Li Xinghun pped him, sending him flying. Then he burst into pursuit!
Liang Baiye didn''t dare to make a sound, even though seven or eight of his teeth were knocked out. He could only endure the pain and quickly follow.
He had to catch Lin Jichen. If he let him escape, Li Xinghun wouldn''t let him off easily.
At the same time, Liang Baiye was filled with hatred for Lin Jichen. This Foundation Establishment novice had ruined his ns twice. He swore to grind Lin Jichen''s bones to dust!
"This kid is a Sword Cultivator, not a Buddhist Cultivator at all!"
Liang Baiye was furious. Because of this, he had killed several Buddhist cultivators in the Thunder Marsh, and one of them had already reported the matter back to the Buddhist Sect.
He had gained a bunch of Buddhist enemies for no reason.
Damn it!
The small border town was not far from the Thunder Marsh, and Lin Jichen, flying at full speed, was almost there.
Lin Jichen breathed a slight sigh of relief. As long as he could enter the town and use the teleportation array to leave, he would bepletely safe.
But just at that moment, he suddenly felt a chill on his back.
Turning his head, he saw a figure rapidly approaching from the distance.
At first, it was just a ck dot, but soon, he could see the figure''s outline.
Damn! It''s Li Xinghun!
He was still being pursued.
Li Xinghun also saw Lin Jichen.
Although he didn''t recognize him, he could sense the spiritual energy and the Thunder Dragon''s aura on Lin Jichen.
He sneered coldly, "It''s you!"
Then he elerated even more.
Lin Jichen''s heart raced, and cold sweat broke out on his back.
With his current strength, he had no chance of winning.
Run! He had to run!
"Wind Thunder Sword!"
Lin Jichen elerated again, the passive effect of the Wind Thunder Sword doubling his speed, and he disappeared from sight.
Li Xinghun frowned and also sped up!
In the blink of an eye, Lin Jichen had reached the small border town. From a distance, he could see the teleportation array right in front of him.
Fang Qingzhu was waiting for him at the town entrance.
Seeing him safe, Fang Qingzhu was overjoyed and was about to greet him when she noticed Li Xinghun behind Lin Jichen.
Her face changed dramatically!
"Run!" Lin Jichen roared, not slowing down at all.
Fang Qingzhu, seeing this, cast a ray of light onto Lin Jichen.
[Empowerment Technique!]
[Allbat attributes +30 points! Duration: 30 seconds!]
Lin Jichen''s speed increased again.
Fang Qingzhu had already reached the teleportation array.
Lin Jichen dived down, and Li Xinghun in the sky realized what Lin Jichen was about to do.
He roared in anger, his whole body like a fiery meteor, rushing down!
Fang Qingzhu had just ced the Spirit Stones into the array''s core, but the teleportation hadn''t started yet.
It seemed they wouldn''t make it!
At this life-and-death moment!
Lin Jichen forced himself to calm down and swung his sword backward!
"Frost Moon sh!"
Li Xinghun thought Lin Jichen was trying to force him back. He sneered and let the Sword Qi hit him, determined to continue the chase.
His target was the teleportation array. As long as he destroyed the array''s core, Lin Jichen would have no escape!
The Sword Qi struck Li Xinghun, not even leaving a white mark.
Let alone injuring him.
[MISS! -0!]
Just as Li Xinghun was smugly smiling, he suddenly felt a chill, his whole body encased in ice!
[Frozen Status triggered! Duration: three seconds!]
Lin Jichen was ecstatic. Although there was no damage, the passive effect of the Frost Moon sh had sessfully triggered!
He turned and entered the teleportation array.
"It''s okay, three seconds is enough for us to leave." Lin Jichen smiled at Fang Qingzhu.
But Fang Qingzhu''s eyes were still fixed on Li Xinghun behind them.
She eximed, "Look!"
Lin Jichen turned back, his soul almost leaving his body!
He saw that the ice on Li Xinghun''s body had shattered in less than a second.
Damn! This guy''s toughness is too high!
Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu both broke out in a cold sweat.
At this moment, the teleportation array began to activate, enveloping them in a pir of light, about to transport them away.
Li Xinghun, freed from the ice, summoned a long spear and hurled it down!
The spear shot through the air like an arrow!
Carrying terrifying destructive spiritual energy, it aimed straight for the core of the teleportation array!
It''s over!
Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu both showed expressions of despair.
Boom!
The spear struck, hitting the teleportation array''s core with pinpoint uracy.
The core was destroyed, and the entire teleportation array failed.
But just before the array was destroyed.
In less than half a second, Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu''s figures had already faded and disappeared!
When the core was destroyed, Li Xinghun looked down, but Lin Jichen and Fang Qingzhu were nowhere to be seen.
Just a moment toote, and Lin Jichen had escaped right under his nose.
Even if he wanted to chase now, it was useless. The array was destroyed, and by the time it was repaired, Lin Jichen would likely be far out of Yongning Province.
Li Xinghun descended, coldly surveying the scene, motionless, but his killing intent made all the nearby cultivators shiver.
At this moment, Liang Baiye finally arrived.
Chapter 203 – Return to the Sword Sect
Chapter 203 C Return to the Sword Sect
"Young Master, where is he?"
Liang Baiye''s face was filled with anxiety. His hatred for Lin Jichen was so intense that he didn''t even notice the usatory tone in his voice towards Li Xinghun.
It wasn''t until he saw the destroyed teleportation array and the icy expression on Li Xinghun''s face that he realized something was terribly wrong.
Li Xinghun''s gaze was as cold as death itself as he looked at him.
"Are you ming me for letting him escape?"
Liang Baiye''s body trembled like a leaf in the wind. He fell to his knees, pleading, "Young Master, I didn''t mean it like that. It''s all because that kid is too cunning."
Li Xinghun''s eyes were filled with murderous intent. "A mere Foundation Establishment Realm kid managed to escape right under your nose. Impressive. You truly are a great asset to our Ten Thousand Demon Sect."
Liang Baiye looked up, but before he could exin, Li Xinghun struck his head with a palm.
Liang Baiye let out a scream, but before he could struggle, Li Xinghun used his demonic powers to extract his soul.
Liang Baiye''s Golden Elixir flew out of his body, and his soul begged for mercy.
"Young Master, I''ve always been loyal to you. I even betrayed the Mysterious Medical Sect to join you. You can''t do this to me."
Li Xinghun ignored him, crushing his soul and Golden Elixir into nothingness,pletely erasing him from existence.
Seeing how ruthless Li Xinghun was to his own subordinates, the surrounding people fled as far as they could. The entire city was soon deserted.
Li Xinghun looked at the destroyed teleportation array, as if speaking to the departed Lin Jichen.
"I''ll remember you. Next time, you won''t be so lucky!"
***
At this moment, Lin Jichen had already appeared in the main city of Yongning Province, Shengqing City.
With him was Fang Qingzhu.
The two of them felt a mix of relief and urgency, having narrowly escaped with their lives.
"We''re finally safe," Fang Qingzhu said with a smile to Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen returned the smile and sighed, "Yes, surviving such a disaster must mean good fortune ahead."
Li Xinghun would never dare to appear in the main city of Yongning Province.
After all, he was a demonic cultivator. If he dared toe so openly, the royal family of Yongning Province would immediately hunt him down.
But to be safe, they needed to return to their sects as soon as possible.
"Fellow Daoist Fang, to avoid any further tricks from the Ten Thousand Demon Sect, we should quickly return to our respective sects."
Fang Qingzhu nodded, "You''re right. I also need to report the matter of Liang Baiye to my sect in detail."
"Then let''s part ways here, Fellow Daoist Fang," Lin Jichen said, taking his leave.
Fang Qingzhu suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Were they really parting ways now?
She didn''t like this feeling.
"Wait, Lin... Jichen."
Fang Qingzhu called out, addressing him by his full name.
"What is it, Fellow Daoist Fang?" Lin Jichen asked, puzzled.
Fang Qingzhu, feeling a bit down, said, "Can you stop calling me that from now on?"
Lin Jichen realized what she meant and chuckled awkwardly, "Alright, I''ll call you Qingzhu from now on. How''s that?"
"Mm," Fang Qingzhu''s mood brightened, a blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Lin Jichen, will we meet again in the future?" Fang Qingzhu asked, her eyes filled with hope.
Lin Jichen smiled freely and replied confidently, "Of course. We share a bond and have faced life and death together. We''ll have plenty of opportunities to meet. You cane to the Tianyan Sword Sect to find me, or when I have time, I''ll visit you at the Mysterious Medical Sect."
Fang Qingzhu''s spirits lifted immediately.
"Then it''s a promise!"
"A promise!"
With those words, Lin Jichen disappeared into the teleportation array.
Fang Qingzhu suddenly felt an emptiness in her heart. She muttered to herself, "I hope we can meet again soon."
With a sense of reluctance, she also left the ce.
Lin Jichen returned from Shengqing City to Fengqu City, the main city of Mu Xian Province.
After several days away, Lin Jichen was exhausted.
The days in Thunder Marsh had left him particrly weary, not physically, but mentally drained.
He had narrowly won several battles and escaped death at the hands of Li Xinghun. Lin Jichen feltpletely spent.
He didn''t even take a look around Fengqu City, directly teleporting back to the Tianyan Sword Sect.
Returning to Sword Pce Mountain, Lin Jichen felt incredibly fortunate. This trip to Thunder Marsh had made him miss the Sword Sect immensely, especially his master.
"Master, I''m back!"
Lin Jichen walked into Sword Pce, finding no one there. He then familiarly made his way to Leng Feiyan''s bedchamber, calling out from outside.
Before long, Leng Feiyan emerged from her bedchamber, her face filled with joy.
"Disciple, you''re back?"
But when Leng Feiyan saw Lin Jichen''s disheveled appearance, a trace of heartache appeared in her eyes.
"Yes, mission aplished. Master, look."
Lin Jichen threw out the corpse of the Thunder Dragon.
Leng Feiyan looked at the Thunder Dragon. She didn''t need to think to know that Lin Jichen''s journey had been fraught with difficulties.
"How did you kill this Thunder Dragon?" Leng Feiyan asked curiously.
She assumed Lin Jichen must have found many helpers to kill it together.
Although she no longer sheltered Lin Jichen, she hadn''t sent him to Thunder Marsh alone.
Leng Feiyan didn''t want Lin Jichen to be dependent on her, preventing him from truly growing.
But Lin Jichen said, "I didn''t kill this Thunder Dragon. I picked it up."
"Picked it up?" Leng Feiyan was stunned.
Lin Jichen chuckled, "To be precise, I stole it."
Leng Feiyan''s curiosity grew, "Come inside and tell me all about your experiences in Thunder Marsh."
"Sure thing." Lin Jichen swaggered into Leng Feiyan''s private bedchamber.
He was so familiar with this ce, more so than his own quarters.
And the familiar fragrance...
Once inside, Lin Jichen recounted everything he had experienced in Thunder Marsh.
When she heard that Lin Jichen had encountered threats from the Ten Thousand Demon Sect right at the start, Leng Feiyan pped the table, turning the exquisite purple sandalwood Eight Immortals Table into dust.
"The Ten Thousand Demon Sect, the demonic sects have be increasingly rampanttely. It seems they need a thorough cleaning!"
Leng Feiyan''s face was as cold as frost, her voice as icy as shattered jade, chilling to the bone.
Lin Jichen continued his story, mentioning how he encountered and killed the Kai Ming Beast.
Leng Feiyan couldn''t help but interrupt.
"Disciple, did you go to Thunder Marsh alone?"
Lin Jichen nodded, "Yes, Master told me not to be dependent, so I went alone. Oh, I also brought my pet Iron-Eating Beast."
Thud!
Leng Feiyan knocked Lin Jichen on the head, her anger rising.
"Foolish disciple, when did I ever tell you to go to Thunder Marsh alone!"
"But Master, you said..." Lin Jichen held his head, feeling wronged.
"I told you to find a way to get the Thunder Spirit Heart from Thunder Marsh, not to go alone. You''re only at the Foundation Establishment Realm. It''s too dangerous to go alone! You could have asked others to go with you. There are so many experts in the sect. Why didn''t you think of that?" Leng Feiyan said in a tone of exasperation.
Lin Jichen suddenly understood and smiled bitterly, "So that''s what you meant. I thought you wanted me to go alone."
"How could I bear to send you to your death?" Leng Feiyan''s phoenix eyes red, her voice filled with frustration.
Chapter 204 – Yes! Absolutely!
Chapter 204 C Yes! Absolutely!
Upon hearing Leng Feiyan''s words, Lin Jichen finally understood his master''s painstaking efforts.
"Alright, I get it now. It won''t happen again. Your lesson is well taken, Master."
Leng Feiyan rolled her eyes at Lin Jichen, still somewhat incredulous. She asked, "So, you took down a Kai Ming Beast in the early-Golden Elixir stage all by yourself?"
"Yeah, I was lucky to kill it," Lin Jichen admitted with a nod.
The reproach in Leng Feiyan''s eyes was finally reced by admiration.
To kill a Golden Elixir stage beast with Foundation Establishment Realm strengthsuch talent made even Leng Feiyan feel inferior.
"And then?"
Leng Feiyan continued to probe.
Lin Jichen didn''t hide anything and recounted how he had saved Fang Qingzhu.
"It seems this Fang Qingzhu is quite beautiful, worth risking your life for," Leng Feiyan remarked, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lin Jichen, her words carrying a deeper meaning.
Lin Jichen''s body tensed, and he immediately replied righteously, "Disciple could not bear to see a righteous cultivator harmed by demonic cultivators. Since ancient times, righteousness and evil have been irreconcble. I did not save her because she was beautiful. Besides, who in this world dares im to be beautiful besides Master? That would be self-humiliation!"
A smile tugged at the corners of Leng Feiyan''s lips, and she asked mischievously, "What if this Fang Qingzhu were a man? Would you still have intervened?"
"Yes! Absolutely!"
"I''ll believe you for now. Continue," Leng Feiyan said, lifting her chin proudly.
In truth, she wasn''t angry at all. Lin Jichen could have hidden the truth, but he chose to be honest with her.
This made Leng Feiyan even happier inside.
Lin Jichen felt a wave of relief, grateful for his quick thinking and smooth responses.
He then recounted how he teamed up with Fang Qingzhu to search for the Thunder Dragon, encountered and killed the Hell Boar God, and finally discovered that the Ten Thousand Demon Sect was after the Thunder Dragon. He risked his life to steal the corpse and was pursued, barely escaping with his life.
Just from Lin Jichen''s narration, Leng Feiyan could tell how dangerous his experience had been.
She also felt a pang of fear, realizing that her own mimunication had led Lin Jichen to venture alone into the Thunder Marsh, facing so many perils.
Fortunately, Lin Jichen was blessed with great fortune and extraordinary talent, allowing him toe out unscathed.
Otherwise, the Sword Sect would have lost a peerless genius, and she would have been left as a solitary master, mourning the loss of her beloved disciple.
Thinking about it, Leng Feiyan deeply regretted it. The Thunder Marsh was not a ce Lin Jichen should have ventured into at his current level.
Had she known, she would have apanied him.
More than anything, she felt anger.
The Ten Thousand Demon Sect and Li Xinghun were now on Leng Feiyan''s must-kill list.
Daring to harm her beloved disciple, she would repay them a hundredfold!
A few days ago, she had returned from the Buddhist Sect because they wanted to capture Lin Jichen. She had gone to the Buddhist Sect to "reason" with them, destroying several of their mountain peaks and dozens of temples in the process.
She even had a "discussion" with Abbot Zhiyuan, who was now in seclusion, healing his wounds.
Capturing Lin Jichen had already provoked such a response from Leng Feiyan, and that was the righteous Buddhist Sect. She had shown them some mercy.
But this time, a demonic sect dared to kill her disciple.
No need to think, Leng Feiyan would find time to avenge her disciple!
"Alright, consider this a lesson. If you act impulsively like this again, I won''t forgive you!" Leng Feiyan warned.
Lin Jichen nodded repeatedly, "I will remember, Master. I''ll go take a bath now. I''m filthy and need to clean up and get some sleep."
Seeing Lin Jichen''s tired face, Leng Feiyan''s heart ached again.
"Forget it. Where would you go to bathe at this hour? Just use mine. I''ll go prepare the water for you," Leng Feiyan said, heading to the back hall.
Soon, she returned, "The water is ready. Go wash up and rest for the night. We''ll talk about the Tribtion Crossing after you''ve recharged."
"Yes! Thank you, Master!"
Lin Jichen said with a grin, rushing into the inner room. This was his second visit.
Seeing the bath barrel, Lin Jichen quickly stripped off his clothes and got in.
Feeling the Tianshan Spirit Water, Lin Jichen let out afortable hum.
Outside, Leng Feiyan blushed at the sound of Lin Jichen''s moans, muttering to herself, "This silly disciple, just take a bath quietly."
Lin Jichenyfortably in Leng Feiyan''s private bath barrel, instinctively looking at the spot where he had found a "treasure"st time.
Unfortunately, he wasn''t so lucky this time; there were no clothes left behind by Leng Feiyan.
Even if there were, he wouldn''t dare touch them again.
He didn''t want to lose the affection he had painstakingly regained.
As he soaked in the bath, Lin Jichen identally fell asleep.
***
When he woke up, it was already dark.
He must have been really exhausted.
After waking up, Lin Jichen walked out of the inner room and found Leng Feiyan waiting for him.
"Sorry, Master, I fell asleep."
Leng Feiyan didn''t me him, "Go rest well for a day. Come find me tomorrow at the hour of Shen. I have a little surprise for you."
"What surprise?"
Lin Jichen thought Leng Feiyan was going to give him some divine weapon or powerful skill book and eagerly asked.
But Leng Feiyan yed coy, "You''ll find out tomorrow."
Lin Jichen had no choice but to agree, bid farewell to Leng Feiyan, and returned to his quarters to log off.
Emerging from the gaming pod, he realized four days had passed.
He hadn''te out for four whole days.
Not long after he logged off, Ren Lan noticed and followed him out of the game, appearing from the bedroom.
"Little Lin, you really are something, staying in the game for four days straight. If it weren''t for the gaming pod, I''d be worried you''d drop dead."
Ren Lan teased.
Lin Jichen scratched his head with a bitter smile, sighing, "Don''t mention it. This mission was too tough. I barely had time toe out."
"What kind of mission was that crazy?" Ren Lan asked, curious.
Lin Jichen briefly exined the process, and Ren Lan was amazed, sticking out her tongue, "It''s even crazier than I imagined. And youpleted it? You''re even crazier."
Lin Jichen: "..."
"Nothing happened these past few days, right?" Lin Jichen asked.
"What could have happened?"
"I wasn''t around. How did you manage meals?"
"I cooked for myself," Ren Lan replied without hesitation.
"You cooked?" Lin Jichen was astonished.
"Yeah, Tang Tang even came over to eat once," Ren Lan said proudly.
"And then?"
"And then she didn''te back these past few days. When I called her, she said she was busy with homework and not hungry," Ren Lan answered earnestly.
Lin Jichen chuckled, "She wasn''t not hungry; she was probably scared."
"Nonsense, my cooking has improved significantly. How about I make you a few dishes to try now?"
"No, I just want to take a bath and sleep. I''m not hungry."
Lin Jichen said, rushing to the bathroom as if a ghost were chasing him.
Chapter 205 – Chapter 205
Chapter 205 C Chapter 205
The next day, Lin Jichen had afortable sleep.
As the morning light broke, he went out for a run with Ren Lan.
Having not exercised for a few days, Lin Jichen felt a bit out of shape.
After their workout, the two bought breakfast and headed home.
On their way back, they saw Niu Naitang watching the old men y chess in the neighborhood again.
Niu Naitang squatted nearby, watching eagerly.
The old men were nervous, asionally ncing at Niu Naitang.
Some advised her to go home and do her homework, while others gave her pocket money to buy snacks, but Niu Naitang remained unmoved and stayed put.
At this moment, two old men finished their game, and Niu Naitang quickly stood up and said, "Let me y a round, I''ve been waiting for so long."
But as soon as the old men saw Niu Naitang wanting to y, they all made excuses.
"Oh, I need to go buy groceries."
"Oh, my head hurts, I need to lie down, you guys y."
"My back is acting up, I need to take some medicine."
"I haven''t had breakfast yet, I''m heading home."
...
Just like that, the group of old men dispersed, leaving Niu Naitang hanging her head in frustration.
No old man in the neighborhood was willing to y chess with her anymore.
Only when new old men moved in could she get a few games in.
Going outside was too far, and Qin Xiaowei wouldn''t let her go.
Niu Naitang''s frustration was palpable.
At this moment, a hand rested on her head.
Niu Naitang looked up and saw Lin Jichen, and she joyfully threw herself into his arms.
"Brother Lin, you''re finally out! Tang Tang missed you so much!"
Lin Jichen smiled and said, "Brother missed you too. How about it, have you had breakfast? Brother bought some beef to make beef noodles."
"Tang Tang has eaten, but I can eat a bit more," Niu Naitang giggled.
Beside them, Ren Lanined, "I''ve called you to eat every day, and you nevere. But when he calls, youe right away. What''s the deal, little one?"
Niu Naitang pouted and said, "Sister Ren''s cooking is even worse than my auntie''s..."
Ren Lan was so angry she almost cried.
***
The three of them returned home, and Qin Xiaowei had already left for thepany.
ording to Niu Naitang, Qin Xiaowei had been getting busier and busiertely. Lin Jichen understood, after all, Qin Xiaowei was destined to be a big star, with schedules, advertisements, recording, concerts, shows, and so on.
At this rate, she would only get busier in the future.
Lin Jichen cooked three bowls of beef noodles, and the three of them started eating.
After finishing the noodles, the doorbell rang, and a delivery arrived.
Opening it, they found a small box, with the packaging of the game "Tale of Immortal."
Lin Jichen handed the box to Niu Naitang, smiling, "Brother has been so busy these days that I forgot about my promise. Here, it''s for you."
This was something Lin Jichen had pre-orderedst night. He remembered promising Niu Naitang a gaming ring, and it had arrived this morning.
Niu Naitang took the box, overjoyed, put down her bowl and chopsticks, and ran to Lin Jichen, standing on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek, leaving a little oily mark.
"Thank you, Brother Lin~"
Lin Jichen smiled indulgently and said, "No need to thank me, but remember, don''t rat me out if you get caught."
"Tang Tang would never betray Brother!" Niu Naitang promised.
Their conversation was overheard by Ren Lan.
"Little Lin, you bought this little one a gaming ring, aren''t you afraid of leading her astray? Besides, such a violent game isn''t suitable for a child her age."
Ren Lan said worriedly.
Indeed, "Tale of Immortal" wasn''t suitable for children.
Otherwise, there wouldn''t be a regtion two yearster prohibiting minors from logging into "Tale of Immortal."
As someone who had been through it, Lin Jichen didn''t share Ren Lan''s concerns, but he couldn''t reveal the truth, so he exined, "Tang Tang gets too bored staying home alone every day. Buying her ''Tale of Immortal'' will keep her from wandering around. Besides, Tang Tang only wants to y chess in the game, not engage in violence. It will be fine."
"Alright, but if Sister Xiaowei finds out, you''ll be in trouble. She''ll definitely me you for leading Tang Tang astray."
Niu Naitang quickly interjected, "Tang Tang won''t tell Auntie, and even if I''m caught, I won''t betray Brother!"
Ren Lan couldn''t help butugh and cry, saying, "You little one, you''re quite loyal."
As they spoke, Ren Lan had an idea and smiled, "Tang Tang, since you''re going to y this game, how about letting Sister teach you?"
"No! I want to y by myself!" Niu Naitang refused without a second thought.
"Sister is really good at it. Sister can teach you to punch, one punch per kid!" Ren Lan tried to persuade her again.
But Niu Naitang still refused, "Tang Tang doesn''t like punching, Tang Tang only likes ying chess."
"Fine, but don''t me me if someone bullies you."
"If someone bullies me, I''ll find Brother Lin, I don''t need you."
Ren Lan rolled her eyes in frustration, unable to do anything with this little girl.
After breakfast, the little girl happily took the box and went upstairs to y.
Before she left, Lin Jichen taught her some basic game knowledge and operations, which Niu Naitang quickly grasped and then went home to try it out.
Lin Jichen and Ren Lan also logged into the game.
Lin Jichen reappeared in his quarters at the Sword Sect. Instead of looking for Leng Feiyan, he checked the Soul Burial Mound of thest Thunder Dragon.
It might have been killed by an NPC, so the Thunder Dragon''s Soul Burial Mound wasn''t very rich.
However, there were many Spirit Stones, over ten thousand of them.
This was the first time since his rebirth that Lin Jichen had encountered a boss that dropped so many Spirit Stones.
Indeed, dragons were wealthy, no doubt about it.
Besides the Spirit Stones, there were only three items. He looked at the first one, a skill book of Earth Grade!
[Earth Grade Spirit Skill Armor of Thunder]: Converts one''s spiritual power into a thunder attribute armor spirit shield. For 10 seconds, it can block 30% of damage from enemies below the Nascent Soul Realm and can reflect 10% of the damage.
Cooldown: 60 minutes, Mana consumption: 2000 points.
Requirement: Cultivators above the Crystal Realm can learn.
This skill was great! He had learned the Thunder Armor spirit skill in his previous life, and it was an extremely useful early defense skill.
As a spell cultivator back then, this skill was one of Lin Jichen''s most important life-saving skills.
It had helped him escape many dangers and withstand numerous fatal injuries.
Lin Jichen stored it away, nning to learn it immediately after reaching the Crystal Formation.
He then looked at the second item.
[Mysterious Grade Equipment Dark Star Bracelet]: Mana +1500 points, Defense +25, Heart Protection +15,es with the [Spirit Reservoir] skill.
Spirit Reservoir: Can store 3000 points of mana, which can be used to replenish health even inbat. Once depleted, it has a 24-hour cooldown.
Requirement: Cultivators above the Foundation Establishment Realm can use.
This bracelet was also excellent, far surpassing his current Spirit Grade and Phoenix Bracelets.
Moreover, the bracelet''s skill was very practical, storing mana.
He already had a Spring Thunder Belt for storing health, and now he had a Dark Star Bracelet for storing mana.
With both vitality and mana somewhat secured, this bracelet, with its 3000 points of mana, would allow him to cast several more skills.
Lin Jichen put it on.
Thest item was...
Chapter 206 – Alluring Bone？
Chapter 206 C Alluring Bone
[Earth Grade Skill Earth Level Herbalism]: No need to learn various herbal manuals, you can identify all herbs below Earth Grade, distinguish, pick, and preserve them. Those who haven''t learned Herbalism cannot pick herbs.
Requirement: None.
Lin Jichen''sst item was a skill book.
Skills differ from techniques; skills are secondary professions, such as alchemy, herbalism, artifact crafting, mining, feng shui, talisman drawing, etc.
In his previous life, Lin Jichen was a seventh-grade herbalist. In the Thunder Marsh, he encountered many excellent herbs he wanted to pick, but due to game settings, he couldn''t pick them without learning Herbalism.
He missed out on a lot of good herbs.
Now, he could return to his old profession. In the future, when he visits dangerous ces, he can also gather some herbs along the way.
After examining his spoils, Lin Jichen turned his attention to the corpses of the three exotic beasts.
There were three demon cores in total, eachrger than thest. Demon cores are used by pets above the Crystal Realm to break through their realms.
Moreover, the higher the quality of the demon core, the stronger the pet''s power will be, with a very small chance of improving the pet''s aptitude.
For example, if your pet can only grow to the Golden Core Realm at most, continuously feeding it high-quality demon cores might give it a chance to break through to the Gathering Spirit or even Nascent Soul Realm.
Lin Jichen summoned Panda Xiong.
During this trip to the Thunder Marsh, except for facing exotic beasts at the Golden Core Realm, he kept Panda Xiong by his side, asionally letting it handle some minor beasts while he assisted from the side.
Over the past few days, Panda Xiong''s cultivation experience had maxed out.
Moreover, feeding itvishly had finally increased its loyalty by 2 points.
Lin Jichen gave it a Beast Spirit Pill to consume. It couldn''t use the demon cores yet; the best time to use them is during each breakthrough in the Crystal Realm.
After swallowing the Beast Spirit Pill, Panda Xiong''s body began to undergo a qualitative change!
It finally broke through to the Crystal Realm, even faster than Lin Jichen.
[Spirit Beast: Iron-Eating Beast (Adult)]
[Name: Panda Xiong]
[Owner: Lin Jichen]
[Strength: Early Crystal Realm]
[Cultivation: 0/500000]
[Loyalty: 85 points]
[Health: 25000/25000]
[Attack: 210]
[Defense: 240]
[Speed: 190]
[Critical Hit: 40]
[Heart Protection: 50]
[Toughness: 15%]
[Skills: Thunder Roar, Absolute Defense, Furious Thunder Strike, Earth-Shattering Collision, Sky-Splitting Thunder Strike]
The strength of the Iron-Eating Beast after breaking through to the Crystal Realm had significantly increased. Compared to an early Crystal Realm Thunder Crocodile, it was overwhelmingly superior.
The Thunder Crocodile''s attributes were not even half of the Iron-Eating Beast''s!
If they went back, the Iron-Eating Beast could easily ughter all the crocodiles in the Thunder Marsh.
This is the difference in pet grades. The Iron-Eating Beast, being Chiyou''s mount, had its reasons.
This breakthrough also granted Panda Xiong a new skill, Sky-Splitting Thunder Strike.
[Sky-Splitting Thunder Strike]: After a 2-second dy, summon a lightning bolt to strike a 10x10 meter area, dealing 1000 base skill damage and paralyzing the struck opponent.
Paralysis: Movement speed reduced by 40%,sting 3 seconds.
This skill was quite good. Combined with Earth-Shattering Collision, it formed a smallbo.
First, summon the lightning bolt, then knock the opponent away. Basically, no one could escape thisbo.
After breaking through to the Crystal Realm, Panda Xiong''s size doubled, bing three to four timesrger than a real panda, almost the size of an elephant.
It was now rideable.
Without hesitation, Lin Jichen mounted it, sittingfortably on Panda Xiong''s back.
It was indeedfortable!
"Panda Xiong, let''s go! Giddy up!" Lin Jichenughed, patting itsrge rump and directing it.
Panda Xiong immediately carried Lin Jichen out of the room.
Lin Jichen urged it to run faster.
Although Panda Xiong''s speed wasn''t very fast, it was decent for daily travel.
And it was quite impressive!
No wonder Chiyou loved riding it.
After having his fun, Lin Jichen recalled Panda Xiong and took out the Thunder Dragon''s heart.
This was the Thunder Spirit Heart.
[Treasure Thunder Spirit Heart]: Taken from the heart of the strongest exotic beast in the Thunder Marsh, the Thunder Dragon. It can be used as an additional material for any realm breakthrough, tempering the body and enhancing lightning resistance.
Holding the Thunder Spirit Heart, Lin Jichen felt more confident about the uing Thunder Tribtion.
Besides the Thunder Spirit Heart, Lin Jichen also obtained a Thunder Dragon tendon, a bottle of dragon blood, and some dragon meat.
The dragon meat was left for Panda Xiong as snacks, and the dragon blood would be given to Fang Qingzhu. They had left in such a hurry that they forgot about the dragon blood.
As for the dragon tendon, it could be used to make lightning attribute bows, an excellent material for artifact crafting.
Lin Jichen even considered getting the dragon whip to make aphrodisiac pills to promote his Shenbao Pharmacy, but unfortunately, he couldn''t find it. It seemed to be a female dragon or an eunuch dragon.
He also processed the corpses of the Kai Ming Beast and the Hell Boar God, obtaining many good materials.
The Kai Ming Beast''s fur could be used to make clothes, and the Hell Boar God''s tusks could be used to make essories.
Their meat could be cooked into attribute-boosting dishes or left for Panda Xiong as food.
Overall, this trip to the Thunder Marsh was highly profitable.
However, all of this hinged on Lin Jichen surviving the Thunder Tribtion.
Otherwise, all the wealth he amassed would be for naught.
He wasn''t sure if he could survive this tribtion.
To prepare for the Thunder Tribtion, Lin Jichen even secretly wrote a will yesterday.
If he died, all the wealth he umted during this period would go to Gu Qiuxue.
After calming his mind, Lin Jichen resolutely decided to break through!
He took out all the materials and the Crystal Formation Pill, swallowing the pill, and sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
The treasures around him automatically floated up, quickly merging into a warm stream that flowed into his body, spreading like a tide to his limbs and bones, causing his vitality to surge.
In just a moment, Lin Jichen felt his body and mind bing ethereal and clear, like a full moon in a clear sky. Immediately, the surrounding spiritual energy surged in.
His entire body was filled with spiritual energy, bursting with vitality!
[Ding! Realm breakthrough, Early Crystal Realm! Allbat attributes +40 points! Vitality +4000! Mana +4000!]
[Ding! Heaven-defying Fate talent triggered! Defying the Heavens: Allbat attributes doubled!]
[Ding! Heavenly Dao Crystal effect, Strength +25, Critical Hit +15, Defense +15, Speed +15, Lightning Resistance +30%, Vitality +3000, Mana +2000!]
[Ding! Heaven-defying Fate talent triggered! Born Defying the Heavens: Rewarded with a new random talent!]
[Ding! Random talent confirmed: Alluring Bone, increases favorability growth rate with opposite-sex NPCs by 20%!]
[Ding! Thirty minutes until the Thunder Tribtion, please proceed with caution.]
Lin Jichen was quite satisfied with the attribute boosts, but he was a bit puzzled by the random talent.
Alluring Bone... What the heck is that?
He was born with an alluring bone?
Is this a trait a man should have? Hey!
Chapter 207 – Life and Death Thunder Tribulation Arrives
Chapter 207 C Life and Death Thunder Tribtion Arrives
[yer: Lin Jichen]
[ss: Sword Cultivator]
[Innate Talent: Heaven-defying Fate]
[Sect: Tianyan Sword Sect]
[Reputation: 95500 points]
[Battle Merit: 585 points]
[Achievement Medals: Killing Intent, Beast yer]
[Innate Attributes: Maxed]
[Spirit Stones: 1,000,000+]
[Industries: Shenbao Pharmacy, Harmony Pharmacy, Honest Auction House, Kind Equipment Store, 2 unopened shops]
[Realm: Early Crystal Formation]
[Cultivation: 0/50000]
[Acquired Talents: Tree of Vitality (stagnant), Eye of Insight (cooldown 21 days), Alluring Bone]
[Vitality: 28000/28000]
[Mana: 25500/25500]
[Strength: 422]
[Mental Power: 204]
[Defense: 325]
[Speed: 380]
[Critical Hit: 55]
[Heart Protection: 27]
[Lightning Resistance: 30%]
[Five Elements Resistance: 10%]
[Skill Resistance: 10%]
[Evasion: 30%] [Tenacity +21%]
[Swordsmanship Aptitude: +95%]
[Alchemy Aptitude: +50%]
[Skills: Earth Grade Herb Gathering Technique]
[Heart Sutras: Tianyan Heart Sutra (Mastery), Bloodthirsty Heart Sutra (Mastery), Dark Cloud Secret Scroll (Mastery)]
[Movement Techniques: Phantom Step (Mastery), Mist Piercing Charge (Mastery)]
[Martial Arts Techniques: Frost Moon sh (Perfection), Phoenix Feather (Mastery), Dizzying Sword Qi (Perfection), Gu Sword Qi (Mastery), Wind Thunder Sword (Perfection)]
[Spirit Skills: Rebirth Buddha Seal (Mastery), de Storm (Mastery), Autumn''s Lament sh (Mastery), Armor of Thunder (Beginner 0%)]
[Ultimate Techniques: Shattered Sky Demon Seal Palm (Beginner 0%)]
[Special Skills: Conceal and Shadow]
[Equipment: Mysterious Grade Tide Sound Robe, Mysterious Grade Dark Night Sword, Mysterious Grade Spring Thunder Belt, Mysterious Grade Nightmare Cloak, Mysterious Grade Dark Star Bracelet, Mysterious Grade Mountain River Step, Mysterious Grade Purple Essence Ring]
[Magic Treasure: Hell Horn]
Finally, I''ve stepped into the Crystal Formation Realm.
Apart from the Alluring Bone, Lin Jichen was quite satisfied with his other improvements.
At this moment, the sky began to change color, the daylight dimmed, and dark clouds gathered, quickly enveloping the entire Taiyin Mountain Range, including the Tianyan Sword Sect.
Lin Jichen knew that the Thunder Tribtion was approaching.
This was his third Thunder Tribtion. Compared to the previous two, the speed at which these dark clouds gathered and the oppressive atmosphere indicated that this time, the tribtion was extraordinary.
Thest two times, Leng Feiyan had helped him, allowing him to pass easily. But this time, he had to face it alone.
If Leng Feiyan were to help, he could indeed pass this wave of Thunder Tribtion safely again.
However, with each major realm breakthrough, the power of the Thunder Tribtion would increase exponentially.
Perhaps the Thunder Tribtion of the Nascent Soul Realm alone would be enough to destroy the heavens and the earth, reaching a point where even Leng Feiyan would be powerless.
At that time, Lin Jichen might have no chance of survival.
Many yers and disciples of the Sword Sect looked at the sky in confusion, wondering which elder was undergoing tribtion.
They would never have guessed that the one undergoing tribtion was Lin Jichen, who had just stepped into the Crystal Formation Realm.
Lin Jichen was already sitting on a mountaintop in the back mountain, waiting for the Thunder Tribtion to descend.
At this moment, a graceful figure flew over and hovered in front of him. It was Leng Feiyan.
"Are you ready?" Leng Feiyan asked quietly, looking at Lin Jichen.
"Master, rest assured, your disciple is fully prepared," Lin Jichen replied with a smile.
Leng Feiyan looked at Lin Jichen''s smiling face and, for some reason, felt that her disciple looked even more handsome after his breakthrough. Her heart fluttered inexplicably.
"Remember, this time, I won''t intervene. It''s for your own good," Leng Feiyan said regretfully.
If she could, she would dly shield her beloved disciple from all the Thunder Tribtions.
But Leng Feiyan knew she couldn''t do that anymore. It was thew of the heavens.
"Disciple understands. Master, rest assured. I made it through the Thunder Marsh, let alone this mere Thunder Tribtion," Lin Jichen said with a confident and radiant smile.
Leng Feiyan nodded and smiled slightly, saying, "Then I can rest assured. I will watch you undergo the tribtion from the side. After you pass, I will give you the surprise I promised yesterday."
"Then I must pass this Thunder Tribtion, haha," Lin Jichen couldn''t help but feel a bit excited.
As time passed, the dark clouds in the sky grew thicker. What should have been a bright and sunny day now seemed like nightfall.
The ck clouds in the sky churned and gathered, forming terrifying scenes like the deep sea hanging upside down.
Within the clouds, lightning shed like wild pythons, darting and twisting. They seemed like vicious, starving pythons that had been imprisoned for a long time, eager to break out of the clouds and hunt their ''prey.''
And their prey was none other than Lin Jichen below the clouds!
Leng Feiyan had already retreated to the side, watching silently.
All the elders and experts of the Sword Sect flew out, looking at Sword Pce Mountain in confusion.
How could this celestial phenomenon be so terrifying? Of course, they wouldn''t suspect that Leng Feiyan was undergoing tribtion.
If it were Leng Feiyan, this level of Thunder Tribtion would be child''s y, not even worth mentioning. Just one strike could destroy the entire Sword Sect.
Several Grand Elders also flew out one after another, curiously looking at Sword Pce Mountain.
"Is it the Sect Master''s new disciple undergoing tribtion? Wasn''t he just at the Qi Refining Realm?" Grand Elder of Tianque wondered.
Grand Elder Tianqingughed, "This disciple was indeed at the Qi Refining Realm when he first joined, but in a short time, he has already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. Now, he should be at the Crystal Formation Realm."
"So fast? Is it the Heavenly Dao Crystal?" Tianque was surprised.
"Of course. The Sect Master wouldn''t allow a breakthrough through human or earthly means. Such a good seedling, it would be self-destructive to ruin his foundation," Tianqing replied.
At this moment, Grand Elder Tianjianughed, "The disciple the Sect Master took in has exceptional talent. Even his breakthrough from the Qi Refining Realm triggered a Thunder Tribtion. Truly unheard of."
"Indeed, and look at the power of this Thunder Tribtion. It seems no weaker than that of the Golden Core Realm. I hope this kid can make it through. I''m still waiting to take him as my disciple," Tianqing sighed with a smile.
At this moment, Grand Elder Tianyuan snorted, "This kid has good talent, but he likes to flirt around. I can''t stand him. You still want to take him as your disciple?"
"What? Did he steal your granddaughter?" Tianqing teased.
Tianyuan immediately blew his beard and red, "If he dares to have designs on my granddaughter, I''ll beat him to a pulp!"
"Hahaha, what if your granddaughter likes him?" Grand Elder Tianjian interjected, hitting Tianyuan right in the heart.
"I..." Tianyuan was at a loss for words.
While everyone was discussing.
Boom!
A lightning bolt as thick as an arm tore through the sky and struck down!
The entire world echoed with deafening thunder, incredibly terrifying.
The faces of several Grand Elders changed. Was this really the Thunder Tribtion of the Crystal Formation Realm? How could it be so powerful!
As the sole focus and protagonist of the Thunder Tribtion, Lin Jichen was directly struck by the heavenly lightning!
His whole body exploded with electric light. Fortunately, he had taken off his clothes in advance. Otherwise, with just this strike, his painstakingly gathered set of Mysterious Grade equipment would have turned to ashes.
"!"
Damn!
Lin Jichen cursed.
What kind of lightning is this? So terrifying!
Back in the Thunder Marsh, a single lightning strike only took away three thousand of his health, and that was when he was just at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Now he was in the Crystal Formation Realm, with greatly enhanced defense and a 30% lightning resistance from the Thunder Spirit Heart.
Yet I still lost so much health? Damn, is this targeting me? Do you want me dead?
Brother Lightning, I was wrong~
Chapter 208 – Thunder Vein Inheritor
Chapter 208 C Thunder Vein Inheritor
Thunder roared and lightning shed, the fierce wind whipping Leng Feiyan''s robes into a frenzy. She watched Lin Jichen, struck by heavenly lightning, his body torn and bleeding profusely.
Her expression remained unchanged, feigning calm, but the worry and distress in her eyes betrayed herpletely.
Leng Feiyan''s delicate hand clenched tightly. As the Sect Master of the Sword Sect and a peerless expert at the peak of the Feather Transformation Realm, even she felt nervous and uneasy.
Her own tribtion crossing had never been thisplicated.
If the power of the first bolt of lightning had already exceeded everyone''s expectations, then the second bolt was even more terrifying!
The sky resounded with a deafening roar once more.
Boom!
Crack!
The second bolt of heavenly lightning, like a giant dragon formed of purple currents, burst from the thick ck clouds, carrying an unparalleled aura of destruction, and charged at Lin Jichen below.
"Armor of Thunder!"
Lin Jichen could only use his Spirit Skill. Golden electric light surged from within him like ocean waves, continuously forming a dazzling armor of thunder.
The heavenly lightning collided with the thunder armor, shattering it instantly! It was as fragile as paper.
A massive amount of lightning struck Lin Jichen''s body again!
The terrifying destructive force caused Lin Jichen''s vitality to diminish by more than half once more.
[-9000!]
Fortunately, the Armor of Thunder had some effect, blocking a significant amount of damage.
But even so, Lin Jichen''s vitality had dropped by nearly ten thousand, leaving him with only 7000.
Lin Jichen was in a miserable state, his entire body charred ck, flesh and blood indistinguishable.
If it weren''t for the game''s pain adjustment feature, he would have fainted from the pain long ago.
But it wasn''t over yet. Lin Jichen, at the Crystal Realm, had to face three bolts of thunder tribtion!
Each one stronger than thest.
When the final bolt of thunder tribtion descended, it seemed to change the color of the entire world.
The earth trembled, and all living things were terrified!
Lin Jichen knew this would be the final test.
If he made it through, he would seed; if not, everything would be in vain.
Thinking of the strength he had painstakingly umted since his rebirth, thinking of the people around him.
Lin Jichen could not ept the fact that it would all turn to dust!
He had vowed to change his fate upon his return, not to be toyed with by it!
At this moment, Lin Jichen''s eyes became incredibly determined. He straightened his back, looked up at the sky, his eyes deep, ck hair flying.
Since there was no way to avoid it, then bring it on!
The third bolt of heavenly lightning struck.
To everyone''s surprise, this bolt did not ravage Lin Jichen''s body like the previous two.
Instead, it drilled into his body, attacking his dantian and sea of consciousness!
It seemed to want topletely destroy Lin Jichen from within.
There shouldn''t have been any pain, but at this moment, Lin Jichen''s brain felt like it was being pierced by needles and stirred by swords, the intense mental pain making him want to scream.
But Lin Jichen remained silent, clenching his fists, gritting his teeth.
He was a reborn, having experienced countless severe injuries since the Tale of Immortal merged with reality. He had faced all kinds of storms, even dared to fight the Illuminating Dragon. What was this painpared to that!
"Come on, you damned heavens, if you can''t kill me, you''re my son!" Lin Jichen''s eyes were blood-red, like a messenger from hell. He looked up at the sky, roaring in defiance.
His voice shook the heavens, causing Leng Feiyan and the elders to be moved.
This boy... had such spirit and intellect!
It seemed that the heavenly lightning within him was also intimidated by Lin Jichen''s spirit and resilience. After a prolonged attack with no sess, it gradually dissipated, turning into starlight and merging into Lin Jichen''s dantian.
[Ding! Sessfully crossed the threefold thunder tribtion! Received one Achievement Medal!]
[Achievement Medal 3]: Thunder Vein Inheritor, all skill mana consumption -20%, thunder attribute skill damage +20%.
The clouds dispersed, and the sky cleared.
Everything settled.
Lin Jichen''s eyes rolled back, and he fell from Sword Pce Mountain.
Several elders were about to rescue him, but a graceful figure had already caught him and disappeared.
They wanted to check if Lin Jichen was alive or dead, but a voice stopped them.
"Gentlemen, no need to worry. Feiyan will take care of her disciple. You may all disperse."
Tianqing and the others exchanged nces, smiling wryly. Well, the Sect Master was dismissing them, so they might as well leave quickly.
When Lin Jichen woke up again, he found himself lying on an extremelyfortable phoenix bed, the fragrance of the bedding intoxicating and very familiar.
Turning his head, he saw a fairy-like figure sitting by the bed, quietly watching him.
Lin Jichen asked in confusion, "Master, where am I?"
"Where else could you be? This is my bedchamber."
Leng Feiyan replied indifferently.
Lin Jichen then realized the room was very familiar, with the green spirit wood bath barrel he had used twice in the distance.
He didn''t expect to end up here again, and even sleep in his master''s bed. Normally, he wouldn''t even dare to think about it.
Thinking of this, he quickly pulled the quilt closer to his body.
Seeing this, Leng Feiyan''s jade-like cheeks flushed slightly. She was about to kick him out of bed when Lin Jichen changed the topic.
"Master, did I cross the thunder tribtion?"
"What do you think? If you hadn''t, would you still be lying here?" Leng Feiyan rolled her eyes at him, amused.
"Did I make it through on my own? Or did I need Master''s help again?" Lin Jichen asked again.
Leng Feiyan smiled and replied, "You made it through on your own. I didn''t intervene. You did very well, really well."
Lin Jichen breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally made it through on his own.
If he had relied on Leng Feiyan''s help again, the next thunder tribtion would have been even more terrifying.
Now it should be fine. The uing thunder tribtions should return to normal and not be so abnormal.
"Thanks to Master''s excellent teaching. If it weren''t for Master watching over me, giving me immense encouragement and courage, I definitely wouldn''t have made it." Lin Jichen began to tter.
But Leng Feiyan didn''t fall for it and started to chase him out.
"Since you''re awake, get down quickly."
Seeing Lin Jichen lying on her bed, especially with his bare torso, she felt increasingly ufortable now that he was awake.
Especially when she saw him hugging her quilt and secretly sniffing it, she couldn''t sit still any longer.
When Lin Jichen heard Leng Feiyan asking him to get out of bed, he immediately began to act.
"Master, I still feel a bit unwell, my head is dizzy. Oh no, it''s getting worse. I need to sleep a bit more. Goodnight, Master."
After saying that, Lin Jichen closed his eyes and started snoring lightly.
Leng Feiyan was both amused and annoyed, her jade hand brushing her hair, a smile ying at her lips, but she said nothing, quietly watching Lin Jichen''s performance.
Just when Lin Jichen thought he had sessfully fooled her, he suddenly found himself flying out of the bed,nding on the ground with a thud.
"Ouch!" Lin Jichen stood up, rubbing his butt, and said to Leng Feiyan with a pout, "Master, can''t I sleep a bit longer?"
Leng Feiyan gave him a charming re and scolded, "If you want to sleep, go back to your own ce!"
Lin Jichen shrugged. It seemed his masters bed experience card had expired. He hadn''t slept enough yet.
If Master joined, it would be even better... cough cough...
Chapter 209 – Indeed a ‘surprise’
Chapter 209 C Indeed a surprise
"Quick, put on your clothes!"
Leng Feiyan looked at Lin Jichen, who was still standing shirtless in front of her, with a slightly strange expression.
Lin Jichen smiled wryly. He had just woken up and hadnt intentionally remained undressed.
After he put his clothes back on, Leng Feiyan immediately resumed her demeanor as a master.
"I promised you a surprise after you crossed your tribtion."
"Really? Where is it?" Lin Jichen asked eagerly, his eyes lighting up.
He was already fantasizing about whether it was another divine weapon or a peerless secret manual. He had been looking forward to it for a long time and was sure it wouldn''t disappoint him.
"It''s outside. Go see for yourself."
Lin Jichen immediately turned and ran out. When he reached the inner temple, something on a table caught his attention.
The table was filled with strange items in ck, red, green, and white. What were these things?
Lin Jichen didn''t pay much attention and continued walking, but Leng Feiyan called him back.
"The surprise is right in front of you. Why are you still walking away?"
Lin Jichen stopped, looked around again, and finally focused his gaze back on the new Eight Immortals table.
"Master... are you saying these... are the surprise for your disciple?" Lin Jichen asked, pointing doubtfully at the bizarre items on the table.
Leng Feiyan nodded with a smile, her eyes sparkling with pride and a hint of bashfulness.
"Yes, didn''t you say you wanted to taste my cooking? I made these while you were unconscious. Eat them while they''re hot."
Gulp!
Lin Jichen inexplicably swallowed, looking at the dishes on the table.
If Leng Feiyan hadn''t said so, he wouldn''t have recognized them as food.
This surprise... was indeed both surprising and ''pleasant''!
He wanted to say he wasn''t hungry, but seeing Leng Feiyan''s expectant eyes, he finally gave in.
Who told him to have a big mouth and insist on Leng Feiyan cooking?
Thinking back, he felt like a fool. Leng Feiyan had never touched kitchen utensils. She was a cultivator, for heaven''s sake.
Even Ren Lan, a modern person, could make dark cuisine despite never having cooked before. Leng Feiyan, who had been practicing inedia for years, would be even worse.
Leng Feiyan had been practicing inedia for years. Even when she was young, the entire sect catered to her needs. Did she ever need to cook?
Now, he was reaping what he had sown.
Lin Jichen sat down with aplex expression, while Leng Feiyan gracefully sat beside him, ready to watch him eat.
With a heavy heart, Lin Jichen picked up his chopsticks and pointed at the first ck, charcoal-like dish. "Master, what is this dish?"
"Flower Pork Wontons, made with flower pork and the wings of flying cloud pigeons. I just didn''t control the heat well, so it''s a bit burnt," Leng Feiyan exined seriously.
Lin Jichen listened, half-believing, and thought it might just be a bit burnt and still edible.
With that thought, he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.
Leng Feiyan watched his expression closely.
"Oh my! Master, your cooking skills are amazing!"
Lin Jichen looked surprised and picked up another piece, eating it with relish.
Leng Feiyan immediately smiled and asked, "Really?"
"Yes! It''s really good! I''ll have another piece!"
Lin Jichen ate another piece.
At this moment, no one noticed his vitality was decreasing.
[Extremely salty! Overwhelming! -300!]
[Extremely salty! Overwhelming! -300!]
[Extremely salty! Overwhelming! -300!]
***
Yes, he was eating this at the cost of his life.
If Leng Feiyan hadn''t already replenished his vitality, he might have died from food poisoning before the thunder tribtion could kill him.
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection level for you +5! Current affection level: 55 points (Intimate)]
See? Sacrifices must be made; this was a great opportunity to increase affection!
Leng Feiyan didn''t notice Lin Jichen''s decreasing vitality.
After his praise, she smiled sweetly and said, "Then try another dish."
"What is this?"
"This is Steamed Spirit Fish, made with Spirit Fish from the Vast Sea. You just crossed your tribtion and your body is weak, so this is perfect for you," Leng Feiyan introduced enthusiastically.
Lin Jichen picked up a piece of the colorful fish, which was as fragile as jelly.
In the end, he used a spoon to scoop it into his mouth.
"Mmm! Not bad, not bad! Delicious! This is even better than the dishes at Drunken Immortal Pavilion!"
Lin Jichen looked ''enjoyed'' and scooped another spoonful.
But then, his face turned a bit green.
Leng Feiyan asked curiously, "Disciple, why is your face so green?"
"Huh? Is it?"
Lin Jichen btedly checked his status.
[Poison attack! -1500! Lasts 5 seconds!]
Lin Jichen suddenly remembered something and quickly asked, "Master, when you prepared the Spirit Fish from the Vast Sea, did you remove its poison sac?"
He knew about the Spirit Fish. It was delicious but as poisonous as a pufferfish. The poison sac had to be removed before eating.
Leng Feiyan suddenly remembered and adorably said, "Oh no, I forgot."
Thud!
Lin Jichen copsed onto the table, foaming at the mouth.
Leng Feiyan quickly helped him up and fed him an elixir.
Lin Jichen slowly regained consciousness.
Leng Feiyan said awkwardly, "I forgot to remove the poison sac. My fault, my fault. Let''s not eat this fish. Try something else."
Holding his chopsticks, Lin Jichen was on the verge of tears. Others'' cooking might just be unptable, but his master''s cooking was life-threatening.
But thinking about how Leng Feiyan, a dignified sect master and a peak Feather Transformation Realm expert, had humbled herself to cook because of his casual remark, Lin Jichen decided that even if he died from poisoning today, he had to show his appreciation!
And so, Lin Jichen ate dish after dish.
His vitality kept decreasing.
After finishing all the dishes on the table, he looked at his health bar, which was only half full.
As long as he wasnt dead.
"Phew! That was so satisfying. Masters cooking is truly a feast for the senses, unforgettable!" Lin Jichen praised.
Leng Feiyan was already beaming with joy, her eyes filled with happiness, and she modestly said, "I only learned for a few days, so its not perfect. The only regret is forgetting to remove the poison sac from the Spirit Fish."
"But it''s okay. If you haven''t had enough, I can make another batch for you now."
Leng Feiyan was about to get up, but Lin Jichen, pale-faced, quickly stopped her.
"No need, Master. Your disciple is already very full and can''t eat anymore."
"Is that so? Then maybe tomorrow?" Leng Feiyan said with some regret.
Lin Jichen inwardly groaned and quickly said, "Master, we are cultivators. Always indulging in food is not good. Inedia and cultivation are the true paths."
Leng Feiyan agreed, "You''re right, disciple. But it''s okay to indulge asionally. How about this, after my next closed-door cultivation, I''ll make you a big feast!"
Lin Jichen wanted to refuse but could only agree.
"Master, are you going into seclusion?" Lin Jichen asked, feeling a bit reluctant.
"Yes, now that you''ve crossed your thunder tribtion, I can safely go into seclusion for enlightenment," Leng Feiyan replied.
Lin Jichen felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart and couldn''t help but grab Leng Feiyan''s cold, jade-like hand.
Chapter 210 – Where did the moon come from?
Chapter 210 C Where did the moone from?
Leng Feiyan was caught off guard by this sudden move.
Lin Jichen seemed not to have learned his lesson fromst time, still so bold.
Of course, this time he had more confidence.
A 55-point affection level was his confidence.
Their rtionship was already quite special, and besides, he was just holding her hand, not doing anything too outrageous.
Like stealing his master''s underwear or something.
Before Leng Feiyan could react, Lin Jichen held her delicate hand, his face full of sorrow.
"So, all departures are premeditated. Master, are you also nning to leave me?"
Leng Feiyan: "????"
Seeing Lin Jichen''s sorrowful expression, Leng Feiyan couldn''t help but exin, "I''m not leaving you, just going into seclusion for a while."
"Really?" Lin Jichen''s eyes were clear, full of emotion, without any pretense.
Leng Feiyan believed him, smiling as she said, "Of course it''s true. How could I bear to... I mean, how could I leave you?"
Realizing she had misspoken, Leng Feiyan''s face turned even redder, looking stunningly beautiful, almost making Lin Jichen lose hisposure.
"Master, be careful during your seclusion. I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes, even if it takes forever, even if the seas dry up and the rocks crumble! I will wait for you!"
Leng Feiyan''s heart fluttered at his heartfelt words, feeling a bit flustered.
"I''m only going into seclusion for a short while, it won''t be too long."
"But have you ever heard of ''not seeing each other for a day feels like madness''?" Lin Jichen asked.
Leng Feiyan''s gaze turned adorably nk for a moment, then her eyebrows trembled slightly as she said, "I... understand..."
After speaking, she quietly withdrew her hand.
Ever since her disciple crossed his tribtion, she always felt that he was bing more and more pleasing to the eye, especially when he looked at her so affectionately, making it hard for her to resist.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to intensify his efforts, he heard a pleasant notification sound.
[Ding! Leng Feiyan''s affection level for you +5! Current affection level: 60 points (Intimate)]
Hehe! Finally gained some more affection points!
He just wanted to make onest effort before his master went into seclusion to see if he could increase it a bit more.
Sure enough, his Alluring Bone was really useful. Normally, the higher the affection level, the harder it is to increase.
With the Alluring Bone, it seemed much easier.
Sixty points, sixty points!
With a bit more effort, once it surpasses seventy, he could... ahem...
"After I go into seclusion, you must be careful, understand? Don''t get too attached to the mortal world, don''t let ythings ruin your ambition, and definitely don''t flirt around. Got it? And don''t get involved with any royal princesses or female cultivators from the Medical Sect."
Leng Feiyan warned him with a half-smile.
Lin Jichen felt a bit guilty and quickly nodded, "Master, don''t worry. Besides waiting for you, I have no other thoughts!"
Leng Feiyan was finally satisfied.
Even though it was just a short seclusion, neither master nor disciple wanted to part.
"Disciple," Leng Feiyan suddenly called.
"I''m here, Master." Lin Jichen answered, and a secret manual and a talisman appeared before him.
"I will be in seclusion for about a month. Take this secret manual and magic treasure."
Lin Jichen was overjoyed. As expected, the surprises Leng Feiyan gave him were never just a ''feast''!
But Leng Feiyan continued, "I have two tasks for you."
"Please instruct me, Master. Even if I have to go through fire and water, I won''t frown."
"The first task is that in a few days, it will be the birthday of Ji Hongyue from the Hidden Dragon Royal Family. He has invited various sects to attend the banquet. You will go on my behalf."
"No problem, Master!" Lin Jichen thought it would be a tough task, but it turned out to be a chance to eat and drink.
Seeing his rxed expression, Leng Feiyan said softly, "Don''t bring any princesses back to the Sword Sect."
Lin Jichen felt a chill down his spine and quickly said, "How could that be! I''ve already forgotten what the princess looks like, I wouldn''t dare."
Leng Feiyan didn''t say whether she believed him or not, and continued seriously, "The second task is that to the east of the Sword Sect, at the border of Mu Xian Province, there is a branch of our sect called the Sword Pavilion. Yesterday, for some unknown reason, we lost contact with them. I feel something is amiss. Go and investigate, but if things are beyond your control, don''t act recklessly."
"I will remember!" Lin Jichen was startled. He knew about the Sword Pavilion; wasn''t that where the second Great War between the righteous and demonic sects took ce?
Sure enough, the plot was elerating!
"Alright, justplete these two tasks and return." Leng Feiyan said.
Lin Jichen was reluctant to leave.
The thought of not seeing his fairy-like master for half a month or even a month made his heart itch like it was being scratched by a cat.
"Um... Master, when will you go into seclusion?"
"Tomorrow. I need to instruct the senior uncles to manage the Sword Sect well and handle some sect affairs." Leng Feiyan replied.
"Then there''s still some time. Master, would you like to go see the moon with me? It''s very round tonight!" Lin Jichen invited.
Leng Feiyan looked out the window at the night sky, smiling as she asked, "Where''s the moon?"
Lin Jichen turned his head and saw nothing but dark clouds. It looked like it would rain tomorrow, not a single star in sight.
He smiled awkwardly and said, "Never mind, I''ll just go back then."
He turned to leave.
But Leng Feiyan''s voice came from behind.
"Forget about the moon, but we can enjoy the mountain breeze. If you have any questions about cultivation, I can answer them for you."
Lin Jichen was delighted, "Great! That''s wonderful!"
Soon, the two of them appeared on a mountain peak.
This was the highest peak of the Taiyin Mountain Range. Standing here, the sky seemed within reach.
From here, they could even see the brightly lit Fengqu City at night.
Even though the two ces were nearly a hundred miles apart.
A great river flowed by, its surface wide, stretching thousands of miles, with a magnificent view.
Lin Jichen and Leng Feiyan stood at the edge of the cliff.
Leng Feiyan suddenly asked, "Looking down from here, what do you feel?"
Lin Jichen looked at the scenery below and the distant city, remained silent for a moment, then said, "Only from the peak can one see the great river flowing above the mountains, feel the vastness of the long wind. The path of cultivation should inspire oneself in this way."
Leng Feiyan nodded in satisfaction, "With such ambition, I am relieved."
Then, silence.
The two sat on a stone stool, quietly admiring the beautiful night view.
At this moment, silence spoke louder than words, both enjoying this peaceful moment.
Leng Feiyan was not one to talk much. Ever since she took Lin Jichen as her disciple, she had spoken more in this period than she had in her entire life.
Chapter 211 – Xing Sen
Chapter 211 C Xing Sen
The next day.
Leng Feiyan went into seclusion for a while, so Lin Jichen had to put his grand n of wooing her on hold and return to Fengqu City.
Wang Jinghao had already urged him no less than ten times, asking when he wouldplete the task.
Ever since he paid the money, Wang Jinghao had been eagerly waiting for Lin Jichen to deliver the Earth Grade axe, practically counting the stars and the moon.
Lin Jichen had signed a contract, so he naturally wouldn''t renege on it. However, he had been in the Tale of Immortalnd and had to go through a Tribtion Crossing, which caused the dy.
Wang Jinghao had been getting impatient these days. If it weren''t for their superficial brotherly rtionship, he would have taken the contract to the system and demanded enforcement long ago.
"Brother, you''re finally here. I''ve been waiting for you so bitterly," Wang Jinghao said, wrapping his arm around Lin Jichen''s shoulder in the private room on the second floor of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, acting as if they were close siblings.
Lin Jichen gave a professional fake smile and apologized, "I''m really sorry. I''ve been out on missions these past few days. I came back just to deliver the equipment to you, Brother Wang."
"Haha, why the rush? I wasn''t worried you wouldn''t deliver. Our brotherhood is solid," Wang Jinghaoughed.
Lin Jichen smiled knowingly and took out the Six Harmonies and Eight Trigrams Axes.
Seeing the design of the axes, Wang Jinghao and his subordinates eximed in awe. These axes were so cool!
Wang Jinghao couldn''t take his eyes off them and immediately grabbed the axes. After checking their attributes, he couldn''t help but shout out in excitement.
It was understandable; after all, he hadn''t seen much of the world and hadn''te across many good pieces of equipment. Naturally, he thought the attributes of these axes were impressive.
However, when Wang Jinghao saw the requirement for using the axes, his face changed instantly.
"These... these axes require the Golden Core Realm to use?"
Lin Jichen nodded innocently, "Yes."
"I... Damn it..." Wang Jinghao almost cursed out loud, "Brother, why didn''t you tell me earlier?"
"Brother Wang, you didn''t ask," Lin Jichen said righteously, adding, "As soon as you heard I got this Earth Grade axe, you wanted to buy it without asking anything and signed the contract with me. I thought you were in a hurry to get this Earth Grade weapon because of its reputation."
Lin Jichen continued with a face full of grievance, "My girlfriend even argued with me over this, wanting me to cancel the contract. I didn''t agree and delivered it to you as soon as I finished my mission. Do you think it was easy for me?"
Wang Jinghao was stunned and speechless.
A subordinate couldn''t help butin, "These axes require the Golden Core Realm to use. They''re not worth thirty million."
Wang Jinghao said nothing, which was a silent agreement, clearly his true intention.
Unexpectedly, Lin Jichen exploded, pointing at the subordinate and cursing, "Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that? Do you deserve to speak to me?"
"I..." The subordinate was furious.
Unexpectedly, Lin Jichen, with a dark face, turned to Wang Jinghao and said, "Brother Wang, I did everything ording to your request. My girlfriend hasn''t spoken to me for days because of this. If you don''t want it, fine. Give me back the axes, and I''ll transfer the thirty million back to you. The contract is void, and let''s end this here. Consider it my one-sided wish!"
Wang Jinghao''s eyes flickered as he stared at Lin Jichen, trying to find any w in his expression.
Unfortunately, Lin Jichen remained indignant, his eyes red with anger, clearly genuinely upset.
Wang Jinghao had seen many skilled actors, and he could tell if someone was acting.
Lin Jichen was definitely not acting; it was all genuine emotion, and he believed it.
Moreover, Lin Jichen looked under twenty years old. What kind of scheming could such a young kid have? He was just a naive youngster.
Wang Jinghao''s attitude immediately changed. He smiled and grabbed Lin Jichen''s arm, saying, "Oh, brother, there''s no need for this. Our business may not work out, but our friendship remains. Besides, this is indeed my fault for not rifying things, causing a misunderstanding. It''s my mistake."
After saying that, Wang Jinghao pped the subordinate who spoke, scolding, "My brother is right. Who do you think you are to interrupt when I''m talking to my brother? Apologize!"
The subordinate, holding his face, had no choice but to apologize to Lin Jichen.
"Alright, everyone out. I need to talk to my brother alone."
After the subordinates left, Wang Jinghao smiled awkwardly at Lin Jichen, "These subordinates have be a bit arroganttely. I''ll discipline them properly when we get back!"
Heforted himself, "The attributes of these axes are indeed excellent. Don''t worry, I''ll still take this deal. It''s just the Golden Core Realm; I''ll wait."
Lin Jichen''s expression finally softened, "Brother Wang, you''re truly righteous."
"Of course. Let me introduce someone to you. This is Xing Sen, the top expert of our Eternal Guild. Come on in, let me introduce you to your idol. Haven''t you always said Lin Jichen is your idol? Today, I''ll fulfill your wish."
Wang Jinghao called out enthusiastically.
At this moment, a big guy walked in. He looked about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, tall and burly, with a very square face.
His face was so square that even Brad Pitt would envy it.
He had a decent appearance, rugged and honest, clearly not very scheming.
Seeing Lin Jichen, he scratched his head shyly and greeted, "Hello, I''m Xing Sen. Nice to meet you."
Lin Jichen looked at the big, honest guy in front of him and nodded with a smile, "I''m Lin Jichen. Brother Wang said you''re the top axe wielder in Tale of Immortal. Is that true?"
Xing Sen, embarrassed, quickly waved his hand, "No, no, Brother Wang is exaggerating. I''m just an ordinary yer."
At this moment, Wang Jinghao received a phone call and stepped out to answer it.
Seeing Wang Jinghao was not around, Lin Jichen asked softly, "By the way, how did you meet Brother Wang? How did you join the Eternal Guild?"
"Oh, a while ago, I was gathering materials in the Land of zing mes when a group of yers tried to rob me. Fortunately, Brother Wang stepped in, drove them away, and even ordered his subordinates to help me catch a cunning fox. That''s how we met."
Lin Jichen sneered inwardly. The same old trick.
"Then how did you join the Eternal Guild? I heard you signed a permanent contract," Lin Jichen asked again.
Xing Sen smiled, "After we met, Brother Wang often invited me to explore Secret Realms and hunt monsters. We became familiar with each other. Brother Wang is a great person. When he heard my sister was sick, he sent money and arranged the best hospital for her. He was very kind to us. Later, he asked me to join the Eternal Guild, and I naturally agreed."
Lin Jichen sighed. When it came to winning people''s hearts, Wang Jinghao was indeed skilled.
Judging by Xing Sen''s tone and attitude, it was clear he was utterly loyal to Wang Jinghao.
If Wang Jinghao hadn''tter ruined it by defiling his sister, Xing Sen would probably have remained his most loyal henchman and bodyguard for life.
Chapter 212 – Of course, he was definitely a good boss!
Chapter 212 C Of course, he was definitely a good boss!
If Wang Jinghao hadn''t done what he did, even after the world fusion in five years when those guild contracts be void, with Xing Sen''s loyal nature, he would still have followed Wang Jinghao.
Wang Jinghao would have gained a powerful subordinate.
Unfortunately, he coveted someone else''s sister''s beauty and couldn''t control himself, leading Xing Sen to sever ties with him.
It''s said that after the world fusion, Wang Jinghao regretted it so much that his intestines turned green, but regret was useless.
After the world fusion, the first thing Xing Sen did was to try to kill Wang Jinghao.
At that time, Xing Sen was already a peak Divine Transformation Realm expert, just a step away from Enlightenment.
His strength was formidable, and he almost killed Wang Jinghao.
Fortunately, Wang Jinghao had also gathered many top experts as his subordinates, which saved his life.
Xing Sen, however, was outnumbered andter died in an ambush by several top experts. It could be said he died a very aggrieved death.
Lin Jichen looked at Xing Sen, who still had no idea about Wang Jinghao''s true nature, and couldn''t help but ask, "Which hospital is your sister staying at?"
He thought that if her sister was nearby, he might be able to help and possibly change her fate.
But this question made Xing Sen wary. He suspiciously asked, "Why do you want to know?"
Lin Jichen was speechless. Goodness, now he seemed like the bad guy?
He quickly tried to smooth things over, "Don''t misunderstand, I know a very good hospital that might be able to help you."
Xing Sen reluctantly believed him but still politely declined, "No need, my sister''s condition is stable now, and she should be discharged soon. But thank you for your kindness, I appreciate it."
Lin Jichen shrugged helplessly and said, "That''s good. I wish your sister a speedy recovery."
"Thank you." Xing Sen fell silent after speaking, clearly still wary of Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly in his heart. Was it so hard to be a good person?
But he couldn''t me Xing Sen. This guy was simple-minded; whoever treated him well, he would treat well in return, making him easy to deceive.
At least on the surface, Wang Jinghao treated him very well, spending thirty million to buy him equipment. With that kind of gesture, it would be strange if Xing Sen didn''t pledge his loyalty.
At this moment, Wang Jinghao finished his call and returned, so Lin Jichen stopped paying attention to Xing Sen.
After the meal, Lin Jichen bid farewell to Wang Jinghao and went to his shop in the city. It was still bustling with peopleing and going.
The second batch of goods from the Sword Sect had already arrived. Using the method Jiang Luoyu taught him, he sold a fixed amount each day, ensuring a steady stream of customers from morning till night.
These days, Lin Jichen had already earned millions of spirit stones.
Moreover, as he hired more alchemy masters and equipment masters, the daily sales had increased from three thousand to six thousand and were still steadily rising.
Lin Jichen sneaked into the backyard of the Harmony Pharmacy, which was filled with alchemy rooms.
Since it was daytime, almost all the NPCs were present, providing most of the pharmacy''s stock.
Lin Jichen''s real profit came from these hired alchemy masters and equipment masters.
After all, the sect''s goods required amission; for a ten-dor elixir, he could earn three dors.
But for the elixirs made by his own shop''s alchemy masters, he could earn over seven dors out of ten.
Besides these NPC alchemy masters, there was also a yer alchemy master in the backyard.
This was the only yer alchemy master Lin Jichen had hired so far, Zhao Baige.
At this moment, Zhao Baige was still diligently refining Blood Clotting Pills day after day.
Lin Jichen had told her that she had to achieve an 80% sess rate with Blood Clotting Pills before she could move on to other elixirs.
Unfortunately, despite her efforts, her sess rate was still just over 50%.
With such a sess rate, any other boss would have fired her long ago. After all these days, she still couldn''t master the most basic Blood Clotting Pill. Only a fool with too much money would continue to employ her.
But Lin Jichen didn''t mind. After all, he was a reincarnator.
Investing more now to cultivate a loyal elixir king was a deal worth making.
Seeing Zhao Baige still engrossed in her work, Lin Jichen coughed to get her attention.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Baige got distracted, and the furnace emitted ck smoke.
"Ugh... failed again. Who disturbed me?"
Zhao Baige turned around, hands on her hips, questioning the intruder, her angry face covered in ck soot.
But when she saw it was Lin Jichen, she immediately calmed down and awkwardly said, "Boss, you''re here."
Lin Jichen chuckled and nodded, "Just checking on you. How''s the Blood Clotting Pilling along?"
"Not great. After all these days, my sess rate is still only 50%. Boss, I''ve wasted so many herbs... maybe you should dock my pay."
Zhao Baige looked dejected.
Lin Jichen didn''t mind. He walked over and sat on another cushion, looking at the furnace emitting ck smoke, filled with thick ck residue.
It was clear this was the result of many failed attempts.
He joked, "With so much residue, if I docked your pay, you might owe me money instead."
Zhao Baige''s face fell immediately, and she pleaded, "Boss, I don''t have any money..."
Lin Jichenughed and asked, "Do you enjoy alchemy?"
Zhao Baige nodded vigorously, "I love it! The more I practice, the more I love it!"
"Why?" Lin Jichen was curious, "Is it for the money?"
"No, money is only a small part of it. I genuinely love alchemy. I find the alchemy in this game fascinating. It feels connected to ancient Chinese medicine, and the more I practice, the more I resonate with it. I truly feel it, boss, I''m not making it up," Zhao Baige answered earnestly.
Lin Jichen smiled knowingly. This was probably why Zhao Baige could be an elixir king.
Most people practiced alchemy for money or to enhance their in-game strength.
But Zhao Baige''s motivation was entirely different.
She seemed to have an almost obsessive passion for alchemy.
Such a person was destined to be an elixir king in the future.
"Then keep at it. I told you, don''t worry about my losses. As long as you improve your alchemy skills, you''ll be an outstanding alchemy master. Some high-quality elixirs are worth a fortune each. I''m waiting for you to make me rich in the future, so don''t worry about the current losses. Keep going," Lin Jichen encouraged her with a pat on the shoulder.
Zhao Baige felt a warmth in her heart. Lin Jichen''s unconditional trust made her feel cherished.
This young man, a few years younger than herself, seemed genuinely convinced that she could achieve great things in alchemy.
What seemed like childish and absurd dreams to others appeared entirely different in his eyes.
"I''ll do my best! Boss! I''ll make any elixir you need in the future!"
"Then I''ll be waiting."
Lin Jichen smiled. He could tell that Zhao Baige had the same simple and kind nature as Xing Sen.
Such talents were most afraid of encountering a bad master, wasting their loyalty and passion on the wrong person.
Of course, he was definitely a good boss! A boss who cared deeply for his employees!
Chapter 213 – President Li is out of prison?
Chapter 213 C President Li is out of prison?
After giving Zhao Baige some more pointers on alchemy, Lin Jichen finally stepped out of the Harmony Pharmacy and headed towards thest shop on his list.
The Shenbao Pharmacy, located right across from the Autumn Moon Pavilion.
To Lin Jichen''s surprise, several new shops had sprung up on the same street as Shenbao Pharmacy.
Names like "Moon Shadow Equipment Store," "Eternal Pharmacy," "Dominion Drugstore," and "Misty Rain Weapon Shop" dotted the street.
Clearly, these modern-sounding names indicated that they were opened by yers.
Lin Jichen wasn''t too shocked by this. The recent storyline events had brought many battle merits and reputation points to the yers.
Though not a lot, it was enough to open small shops.
In just a few days, these shops had mushroomed everywhere.
However, there were hardly any medium-sized shops, let alone prime locations like Lin Jichen''s.
Curious, Lin Jichen wandered around and found that Moon Shadow Guild had the most shops.
They had equipment stores and pharmacies aplenty.
In addition, Jiang Luoyu had taken a unique approach by opening a pet shop, though it had very few pet eggs and their quality was poor.
Still, it attracted a lot of new yers who lingered, eager to buy a pet.
After all, while more yers were getting pets, the majority stillcked the luck or means to find one.
Lin Jichen had also considered opening a pet shop butcked suitable pet resources. He knew of a leveling spot with plenty of pet eggs, but it was a bit far.
He had been too busy before, but now that he had sessfully crossed his tribtion, he nned to go there in a few days and bring back some eggs to open arge pet shop.
Jiang Luoyu''s shops even included a restaurant, an inn, an alchemy room, and a forging room.
She also opened a "Moon Shadow Pawnshop," specializing in pawning equipment and secret manuals, essentially functioning as a small auction house.
Since the shop was too small to be an auction house, she cleverly used the pawnshop to rece it.
Topete with other shops, she ran numerous promotions, quickly establishing a "Moon Shadow" brand street.
Many Moon Shadow Guild members would spend their free time promoting in the city, warmly weing yers.
Other guilds tried to follow suit.
But Moon Shadow had an edgeits members were all female yers, many of whom were attractive.
Just a few of them doing promotions had a far greater impact than other guilds, and with more shops, they could create synergy.
For instance, buying a weapon from Moon Shadow Weapon Store would get you a 20% off coupon for Moon Shadow Pharmacy, and buying elixirs from the pharmacy would get you a 30% off coupon for the restaurant.
These continuous discounts dazzled yers, leaving other guilds far behind.
After seeing all this, Lin Jichen couldn''t help but admire Jiang Luoyu''s business acumen.
He had only managed to get ahead by relying on hisrge shop and his foresight as a reborn person.
If he had topete with Jiang Luoyu on equal footing, he wouldn''t stand a chance.
Lin Jichen silently thanked his lucky stars for being reborn; otherwise, he wouldn''t have stood a chance against these capitalists in business.
Returning to his Shenbao Pharmacy, business was still booming.
However, unlike other shops that thrived during the day, his shop was busy at night.
After all, the Autumn Moon Pavilion only opened at night...
Though there wasn''t much business during the day, Ning Kuan was busy making elixirs in the back.
He had to work overtime now since he had to "work" at the Autumn Moon Pavilion at night.
The female shop assistant was no longer Xiaocui; she had been promoted to manager of the Harmony Pharmacy.
The current assistant was a charming woman who eagerly greeted Lin Jichen with shining eyes.
Lin Jichen, however, had no interest in her and casually exchanged a few words before greeting Ning Kuan and leaving the shop.
Seeing that Jiang Luoyu was online, he messaged her to let her know he was back.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Luoyu immediately asked if he had time to go to the Corpse King Valley.
Lin Jichen readily agreed.
Returning to the Corpse King Valley, he found it as crowded as ever, especially since it was the weekend.
Fortunately, the Moon Shadow Guild stood out, making it easy for Lin Jichen to find them.
Seeing Lin Jichen, everyone started talking. After all, he had just taken down the Golden Core Realm BOSS a few days ago.
He had stunned all the yers in the Tale of Immortal.
The cultivation rankings showed that Lin Jichen was only in theter stage of Foundation Establishment, yet he had managed to kill a Golden Core Realm BOSS.
It was unbelievable.
But Lin Jichen had done it.
Now, Lin Jichen had just stepped into the Crystal Realm.
However, his ranking on the cultivation leaderboard was still far behind, outside the top 100,000.
But no one doubted his strength because of his ranking.
Many yers had realized that the cultivation rankings were not an urate measure of a yer''s true strength.
As Lin Jichen walked, guild leaders greeted him warmly.
Only one guild harbored hatred and resentment towards him.
It was none other than Li Fengwen''s Blood Fiend Guild.
Lin Jichen responded politely to the greetings from other guild leaders, showing no arrogance.
Passing by Blood Fiend, Lin Jichen couldn''t resist taunting the silent Li Fengwen.
"Hey, isn''t this President Li? Out of jail already? You look pretty rough."
"Lin Jichen, you ****ing ****!"
Li Fengwen cursed loudly. If he didn''t know he couldn''t win, he would have attacked Lin Jichen right then.
He had been imprisoned for seven days, and those seven days had been torture.
Every time he logged in, he was stuck in the cell, unable to do anything.
If he logged out, his imprisonment time would pause, and it would only resume when he logged back in.
Seven whole days, he had almost gone mad.
In real-life detention centers, at least you could asionally get some fresh air, see the sun, or even y some games.
But in Tale of Immortal, there were no such activities. All he could do was sit in the cell.
During those seven days, he had cursed Lin Jichen''s ancestors up to two thousand years back.
Other Blood Fiend members hadn''t fared much better, being imprisoned for three days.
They had missed out on the storyline events and gained no benefits.
They hadn''t managed to open a single shop.
Li Fengwen had been so angry that his blood pressure hadn''te down, nearly causing a stroke.
His hatred for Lin Jichen was indescribable,parable to a vendetta for killing his father!
Chapter 214 – Limited perspective
Chapter 214 C Limited perspective
"Just out of prison and already so hot-tempered, President Li. Looks like you need to go get some fire cupping therapy. I''m leaving now, no need to see me off."
Lin Jichen said this and left without bothering to look at Li Fengwen again, walking away with a swagger.
Thousands of Blood Fiend Guild members could only watch him leave in silence.
Li Fengwen''s face turned ashen with rage.
"Boss, should we take action and finish him off?" Kuang Xiaoyan asked angrily.
Li Fengwen shook his head and said, "Didn''t you see those Moon Shadow women watching us? If we make a move, they''ll definitely intervene. Besides, that bastard Lin Jichen can take down a Golden Core Realm boss. What do you have to fight him with? Haven''t you learned from our past mistakes?"
Kuang Xiaoyan had no choice but to drop it. However, Li Fengwen suddenly sneered, "But don''t worry, this kid won''t be arrogant for long."
"Boss, you have a n?" Kuang Xiaoyan asked eagerly.
Li Fengwen smirked, "We can''t deal with him in the game, but in reality, it''s much easier. During my seven days in prison, I spent a lot of money and connections to investigate him. His information is top secret, but I managed to find some clues."
"You found him? What are we waiting for? Let''s finish him off! If you can''t do it yourself, I''ll find someone to handle it, no loose ends." Kuang Xiaoyan whispered excitedly.
"If only it were that simple. His information is top secret, but I found out he''s a student at Jiangling Normal University. However, he''s no longer at school. ording to real estate sources, he dropped out and bought a vi and a car. He lives in a high-endmunity."
Li Fengwen''s eyes were filled with a desire for revenge.
"Should I take action now?"
"No need. Thatmunity is well-guarded, and he stays in the game all day. If you go, you''ll alert him. Besides, I don''t just want to kill him; I want to torture him slowly."
As Li Fengwen spoke, a malicious and perfect n formed in his mind.
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen had already arrived at the Moon Shadow Guild.
The girls of Moon Shadow had been eagerly awaiting the return of the great Lin Jichen. As soon as he arrived, they couldn''t contain their excitement.
"Lin, handsome~ It''s been so long, did you miss us?"
"Lin, little brother, big sister missed you so much. Come here and let me hug you~"
"Lin, my husband~ You''re my husband~"
"Jichen oppa, you look even more handsome than before. I''m falling for you all over again, ahhh~"
...
The girls were noisy until Su Wanling''s stern voice quieted them down.
Lin Jichen walked up to Jiang Luoyu and smiled, "Haven''t seen you in a few days, and you''ve opened so many shops. I saw them all over the city."
Jiang Luoyu chuckled, "This is just the tip of the iceberg. If I had more Spirit Stones, I could open small shops in all four states."
"So many shops, can you keep up with the supply?" Lin Jichen teased.
This woman probably wants to make her business the biggest in the world...
"It''s fine. I''ve hired tens of thousands of Alchemy Masters and equipment masters. They make elixirs and equipment every day. Our guild yers are constantly raiding Secret Realms for gear. It''s enough for now. If not, I''ll just hire more people." Jiang Luoyu said casually.
"Tens of thousands? No way, are there that many NPCs to hire in the city?" Lin Jichen couldn''t believe it.
Jiang Luoyu looked puzzled, "Why hire NPCs? It''s a waste of Spirit Stones. Just hire yers, pay them cash, three to five thousand a month."
Lin Jichen: "...."
Too small-minded, too small-minded.
Why didn''t he think of that?
He wanted to imitate her, but he didn''t have the financial strength.
Tens of thousands of employees, three thousand a month, that''s thirty million...
What a concept!
The more he thought about it, the more he felt defeated. Sigh, being rich is great.
He felt overspent hiring just a few dozen employees, while Jiang Luoyu hired tens of thousands. Goodness!
Lin Jichen wanted to ask if he could borrow some of her employees for a few days...
But he didn''t have the nerve to ask.
"Let''s go raid a Secret Realm." Lin Jichen didn''t want to continue this topic, afraid of getting more frustrated.
"Sure, you be the leader and organize the team. The gear we get from the Secret Realm is all yours."
"No, we agreed before, fifty-fifty. If you insist, I won''t feelfortable joining the team." Lin Jichen insisted.
"Alright, fifty-fifty then. You organize the team." Jiang Luoyu agreed happily.
Lin Jichen nced at the Moon Shadow yers'' general information and smiled wryly, "There''s nothing much to organize. Most of your guild members are in the mid tote Foundation Establishment stage, with many in the Crystal Realm. We can just steamroll Corpse King Valley."
With the yers'' cultivation levels rising, these three Secret Realms had be easy to clear.
Even the Hell difficulty was being cleared by many teams daily.
The leaderboard for clearing times was constantly being updated with new records.
The records Lin Jichen had set with Moon Shadow were long broken.
These beginner Secret Realms could no longer satisfy the yers'' needs.
Lin Jichen knew that with so many yers advancing, the second batch of Secret Realms would soon be released.
After a quick formation setup, Lin Jichen led thousands of girls into Corpse King Valley, even on Hell difficulty.
There was no suspense. Lin Jichen didn''t even need to act ormand. The Moon Shadow girls were well-coordinated and easily steamrolled the entire Secret Realm.
The Crystal Realm Corpse King was also instantly killed by them.
Previously, most of the Moon Shadow girls were in the Qi Refining stage. Now, Qi Refining stage yers were mostly new yers.
The majority were above the Foundation Establishment stage, with fifty percent in that realm and thirty percent in the Crystal Realm.
So, how could Corpse King Valley still pose a challenge to them?
Lin Jichen coasted through the entire Secret Realm, winning effortlessly.
After clearing the Hell difficulty, they also cleared the Extreme, Hard, and other modes.
Later, with Jiang Luoyu, Su Wanling, and other guild girls, they cleared the Night Cave Ghost Ridge Secret Realm as well.
Lin Jichen was just along for the ride, chatting with Jiang Luoyu, and easily cleared the Secret Realms.
They ended up with ten thousand of pieces of equipment.
Lin Jichen felt a bit embarrassed, as Jiang Luoyu was practically giving them to him.
"This feels a bit too much. How about I give back thirty percent?" Lin Jichen offered.
Jiang Luoyu refused and retorted, "When we relied on you to clear the way, didn''t we feel the same about the gear you got us? You didn''t say anything then. Just take it, consider it Moon Shadow''s way of repaying you."
Hearing this, Lin Jichen didn''t refuse anymore and epted the equipment.
Their rtionship seemed to have returned to its former state, full ofughter and conversation.
Chapter 215 – Birthday banquet
Chapter 215 C Birthday banquet
Today, Fengqu City was exceptionally lively.
Because today was the birthday of the current emperor of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, Ji Hongyue. Representatives from various major sects in Mu Xian Province hade to celebrate his birthday.
However, everyone went directly to the royal city. The yers didn''t even know about this event; it had nothing to do with them.
The Hidden Dragon Royal Pce was adorned withnterns and decorations, drums and music resounded, and the atmosphere was filled with celebration.
Inside the jewel-encrusted pce, rows of luxurious tables were set up.
Each seat wasbeled with the name of a different sect, arranged in an orderly manner.
Over a thousand beautiful pce maids stood gracefully behind the tables, ready to serve the iing guests at any moment.
A group of songstresses danced gracefully to the music.
This was the venue for tonight''s banquet.
At the head of the hall, many tables were also set up. Ji Hongyue sat in the center on a golden dragon throne, with his empress by his side.
Behind him were his children, all the princes and princesses were present.
"The Grand Elder of the Saber Sect, Wang Shuhai, and his disciple Zhang Chang, present five Nine-Curve Spirit Ginsengs to celebrate the birthday!"
"The Sect Leader of the Crimson me Fist Sect, Quan Buming, and his disciple Fang Feifeng, present ten Golden me Ink Crystals to celebrate the birthday!"
"Abbot Zhiyuan of Tianyin Temple and his disciple Shengjue, present five Bodhi Flower Seeds to celebrate the birthday!"
"The Grand Elder of the Star-Gazing Spell Sect, Chu Feiyan, and his disciple Wei Tai, present five bottles of Earth Grade Broad Spirit Pills to celebrate the birthday!"
...
As the eunuchs outside the hall announced the guests, one by one, they entered the hall and politely congratted Ji Hongyue at the head of the hall.
All these people were either sect leaders or elders, bringing their most outstanding disciples to attend the birthday banquet.
Ji Hongyue and his empress greeted each of them with smiles and invited them to take their seats.
The princes behind them, their eyes gleaming, were already thinking about how to seize the opportunity to converse with these people once the banquet started.
Of course, they couldn''t possibly strike up a conversation with the grand elders and sect leaders.
But those disciples, who were the future pirs of each major sect, were definitely worth befriending.
Next to the princes were two stunningly beautiful princesses.
The two princesses were whispering to each other.
"Sister, it''s so lively today~"
"Yes, you love lively events, don''t you? Are you happy today?"
"Hehe, sister, I have a secret to tell you."
"Go ahead."
"Yesterday, I passed by Mother''s bedchamber and overheard her talking to Grandmother. They mentioned that today''s birthday celebration is not only for Father but also for you to choose a consort."
"What? You''re making this up. I haven''t heard anything about it."
"It''s true. Grandmother agreed too. She asked Father to keep an eye out for you. I heard there''s even an event nned for it."
"This... this is ridiculous. I don''t want it!"
"Shh, let''s just wait and see. Besides, the disciples from these sects are all outstanding. What if you fancy one of them?"
"I..."
...
The two sisters wanted to continue chatting but were reprimanded by the empress: "Linglong, Tongyin, what are you two talking about? Do not be disrespectful during the banquet."
The two girls immediately fell silent.
More and more guests arrived, and the hall''s tables were quickly filling up.
From the seating arrangement of the various sects, one could see the rtive strength of different professions in Mu Xian Province.
Artifact cultivation sects were at the front, followed by spell cultivators, then body cultivators and healers.
The seats of the artifact cultivation sects at the front were all filled: Saber Sect, Spear Sect, Sword Sect, Axe Sect, and so on.
Ji Hongyue''s gaze constantly swept over these disciples. The disciples of the artifact cultivation sects had significantly stronger cultivation and aptitude than those of the other three types of sects.
However, one sect was notably absentthe Sword Sect, the leader of artifact cultivation!
The Sword Sect seemed to have not arrived yet.
Just as Ji Hongyue thought of this, the eunuch''s voice came from outside the hall.
"Lin Jichen, the personal disciple of the Sect Master of the Tianyan Sword Sect, presents an eight-foot white jade pendant to celebrate the birthday!"
Upon hearing this announcement, the entire hall fell silent.
Tianyan Sword Sect! Personal disciple of the Sect Master!
These two pieces of information greatly stimted everyone present.
The Sect Master of the Tianyan Sword Sect was Leng Feiyan, the strongest person in Mu Xian Province, at the peak of the Feather Transformation Realm.
Her personal disciple?
Before anyone could react, a tall andposed figure stepped into the hall.
This person was young, with a tall and elegant stature, long hair flowing like a waterfall, eyes like stars, exuding an extraordinary charm.
He wore a simple Sword Sect robe, light and elegant, yet he possessed an unparalleled grace!
His appearance made the other male disciples, who were already quite handsome, seem dull inparison.
All the elders and sect leaders couldn''t help but sigh. What a graceful young man! With such looks and temperament, no wonder he could be Leng Feiyan''s disciple. Truly one in a million.
The pce maids in the hall were all captivated by his divine presence, blushing and their hearts racing. They envied the two pce maids standing behind the Sword Sect''s table, thinking they were incredibly lucky to serve such an extraordinary young man.
Those two pce maids also felt fortunate, thinking they could boast about this for a year.
"It''s Young Master Lin!" Ji Tongyin suddenly smiled in delight.
But her sister beside her had apletely different tone: "Why is it that guy, the yboy, hmph~"
Seeing her sister''s delighted expression, Ji Linglong couldn''t help but worry and started badmouthing Lin Jichen.
"Sister, don''t be fooled by his appearance. Although he saved you, he''s a two-timer. I saw him flirting with the girls at Autumn Moon Pavilion. He seems very familiar with them. You should think carefully about such a person."
Ji Tongyin covered her mouth andughed, saying, "Brother told me about it, and I checked the records at Autumn Moon Pavilion. He didn''t spend any money there. He just went once and then left."
"Really?" Ji Linglong was a bit skeptical.
"Of course. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Third Brother."
"Is that so..." Ji Linglong was still half-convinced.
Clearly, the first impression had left a deep mark on this young girl, making it hard for her to change her mind quickly.
After entering the hall, Lin Jichen cupped his hands in salute and smiled, "My master is currently in seclusion,prehending the Dao, and couldn''t attend Emperor Ji''s birthday celebration. She specifically sent me to attend on her behalf. I hope Emperor Ji can understand."
Ji Hongyue looked at Lin Jichen and suddenlyughed heartily, "No problem, no problem. Sect Master Leng''s seclusion is a major event. Her sending her only disciple is already a great honor for me, Ji Hongyue."
"Moreover, you once saved my daughter Tongyin. I, Ji Hongyue, have always remembered this kindness. Young Hero Lin, please take a seat."
Lin Jichen didn''t expect Ji Hongyue to react so warmly and enthusiastically. Moreover, the empress beside him seemed quite pleased with him, whispering a few words to Ji Hongyue, who nodded repeatedly with a beaming smile.
This left Lin Jichen somewhat puzzled. What''s going on? I''m just a disciple of the Sect Master. Is it necessary to treat me with such importance?
Chapter 216 – The Challenge of Shengyuan
Chapter 216 C The Challenge of Shengyuan
When all the guests had arrived, the birthday banquet officially began.
A line of pce maids brought out exquisite dishes and fine wines.
Graceful dancers swayed to the sound of silk and bamboo instruments.
The guests enjoyed the imperial feast and special royal drinks while watching the performances.
Compared to the refined manners of the other guests, Lin Jichen''s behavior was quite peculiar.
He had no interest in the performances, burying his head in the food and drink before him, eating with great enthusiasm.
Many people noticed Lin Jichen''s behavior, and several men sneered at his eating habits.
"Hmph, and this guy is supposed to be Leng Sect Master''s disciple? What a disgrace."
"Exactly, this is a banquet, and he doesn''t even know basic etiquette."
"Sitting with him is really bad luck."
"He''s eating like a starving ghost reborn!"
...
The ones gossiping were mostly disciples from various sects.
After all, they were all young talents, and Lin Jichen had stolen their thunder as soon as he arrived. They had long been displeased with him.
Now that they had caught him in the act, they couldn''t miss the chance to mock and ridicule him.
Lin Jichen heard theirments clearly but had no time to bother with them.
The reason he was eating so ravenously was that the food at this banquet was all treasures!
Take this te of Iceme Sword Tiger meat, for example. Eating it could permanently increase vitality by 1000 points.
And this jug of Crystal Dew Wine, drinking it could permanently increase mana by 1000 points.
Many of the ingredients here could increase attributes, and even some fruits had miraculous effects.
Why be polite? Not eating would be a waste.
It''s just a pity that each type of ingredient could only increase attributes once; eating more wouldn''t stack the effects. Otherwise, Lin Jichen would have rolled up his sleeves and gone all out.
In fact, the dishes Leng Feiyan had made for him before were even more precious than these, and eating them could also increase attributes, even more so.
But... because Leng Feiyan''s cooking was so terrible, not only did the attributes not increase, but Lin Jichen also kept losing health.
In "Tale of Immortal," all ingredients needed to be carefully prepared; otherwise, eating them raw would just waste the ingredients.
So the game had another side profession: chef. No one paid attention to it now, but soon there would surely be a bunch of yers taking up the chef profession.
In just half an hour, Lin Jichen had increased his vitality by 2000 points, mana by 1000 points, and strength by 3 points thanks to these ingredients.
Seeing Lin Jichen eating more and more indulgently, even the princes behind Ji Hongyue couldn''t help but mock him.
The eldest prince, Ji Qing, who was closest to the Buddhist Sect, knew that the Tianyan Sword Sect and the Buddhist Sect had been at odds recently, so he decisively took a stand.
"Is this what the disciples of the Tianyan Sword Sect are like? Are they all country bumpkins who have never seen the world? What do you think, my royal brothers?" Ji Qing sneered.
The other princes had different attitudes, some agreeing, some remaining silent.
But none dared to offend Ji Qing.
Only the third prince, Ji Chen, retorted.
"I think, royal brother, you are exaggerating. Brother Lin is genuine, not pretentious, and doesn''t care about worldly opinions. He simply does what he wants to do. As expected of Leng Sect Master''s disciple, he is extraordinary."
"Extraordinary? Chen, you are exaggerating too. Although he is the Sect Master''s disciple, look at his mediocre cultivation. He is already in his twenties but is still only at the Crystal Realm. Look at the other sects'' disciples; which one hasn''t already reached the Golden Elixir stage? What''s extraordinary about him?" Ji Qing sneered.
"I don''t think so. Brother Lin just startedte. Being recognized by Leng Sect Master means he has something exceptional." Ji Chen was clearly determined to oppose Ji Qing.
Ji Qing''s eyes shed with anger, and he said with a smile, "I didn''t know you were so good at judging people, Chen. Are you trying to make friends with him and approach the Sword Sect?"
Ji Chen replied without hesitation, "Aren''t you currying favor with the Buddhist Sect, standing up for Tianyin Temple?"
"You..."
The two were about to argue further when their mother scolded them, and they dared not speak again.
Ji Tongyin and Ji Linglong covered their mouths andughed.
After the banquet had been going on for over an hour, Ji Hongyue suddenly stood up and invited the sect leaders and elders to the rear hall for a discussion.
The sect leaders and elders went to the meeting, leaving the disciples in the banquet hall.
Soon, only the disciples from various sects and the princes and princesses at the head table were left at the banquet.
The princes knew this was the best time to make connections with the elite disciples from various sects, so they all got up with their cups and jugs, starting to toast and chat with everyone.
As Ji Qing passed by Lin Jichen''s table and saw him still eating with his head down, he disdainfully said, "Vulgar and uncouth, not fit for polite society!"
He then flicked his sleeve and walked away gracefully.
But Lin Jichen''s voice came from the table, "That''s still better than some people who are all show and no substance."
Ji Qing stopped in his tracks, his voice cold, "Are you referring to me when you say all show and no substance?"
Lin Jichen downed a cup of wine, then looked up at him and said, "I didn''t expect you to have a good quality: self-awareness."
Ji Qing''s face darkenedpletely, and he said viciously, "Don''t think that just because you are Leng Feiyan''s disciple, you can act recklessly."
Lin Jichen, now full and leaning back on a cushion, smiled freely and said, "My master is Leng Feiyan, so I can indeed act recklessly. If you''re not convinced, you can go to the Sword Sect, or I can have my mastere here. After all, she just visited Tianyin Temple."
Ji Qing''s expression froze, a look of apprehension and tension shing in his eyes.
He didn''t believe it, "You don''t really think Leng Sect Master woulde to the Hidden Dragon Royal Family over a minor dispute between us, do you?"
Lin Jichen shrugged and pointed behind him to the Tianyin Temple''s position, "Don''t believe me? You can ask the people from Tianyin Temple; they know best."
Only a young bald monk was left at the Tianyin Temple''s position. Hearing this, his previously calm expression immediately changed.
Lin Jichen was indeed taking advantage of the situation. Recently, Leng Feiyan had caused a hugemotion at Tianyin Temple, not only demolishing several temples but also injuring the abbot.
This was a great humiliation for Tianyin Temple, and now Lin Jichen was bringing it up again. How could the monk not be angry?
"Master Lin must be Leng Sect Master''s esteemed disciple. Since Leng Sect Master once sparred with my master, I, Shengyuan, would also like to experience Master Lin''s skills."
Shengyuan directly challenged Lin Jichen.
The other guests at the banquet began to watch the excitement with interest.
The news of the conflict between the Sword Sect and the Buddhist Sect had long spread in Mu Xian Province.
Everyone knew about Leng Feiyan''s tant disrespect for the Buddhist Sect and her rampage at Tianyin Temple.
Now, with both masters absent, their disciples were shing.
This was going to be a good show!
Chapter 217 – Argument
Chapter 217 C Argument
Seeing Shengyuan actively challenge Lin Jichen, Ji Qing pped his hands in schadenfreude.
"This is great! We''ve all been wanting to see the skills of the Sword Sect''s top disciples. Honestly, besides your Senior Brother Chu Tianhan, I don''t think much of any of you! Especially you!"
Lin Jichen casually picked his ear and replied calmly, "Some people, even if they''re trash, always love to judge others. No matter how fancy they dress, they can''t hide their stupidity. To be honest, out of all the princes, you''re the only one I don''t think much of."
Pfft!
Someone couldn''t hold back augh, and the others followed suit.
Ji Qing''s face turned ashen, his eyes filled with killing intent.
In all his life, no one had dared to mock him like this. For someone used to being high and mighty, this was a grave insult.
"You''re courting death!" Ji Qing roared, about to make a move.
But he was stopped by Princess Ji Tongyin, who rushed forward.
"Brother, do you want to start a war between the Hidden Dragon Royal Family and the Sword Sect? Do you believe I won''t report this to Father and Mother?"
Ji Qing gritted his teeth in hatred. "Didn''t you hear him insult your brother? Insulting me is insulting the Hidden Dragon Royal Family!"
Ji Tongyin coldly replied, "Brother, have you forgotten? You started this argument!"
Ji Chen also stepped forward at this moment and said, "Tongyin is right. If you don''t provoke others, why would they provoke you?"
The implication was clear: if you talk trash first, don''t me others for talking trash back.
Ji Qing nodded, suddenly remembering Shengyuan. He quickly regained his arrogant posture and said to Shengyuan, "Brother Shengyuan, the grudge between your Buddhist Sect and the Sword Sect is none of my concern. I believe you can avenge your master!"
"Rest assured, Eldest Prince. This humble monk knows what to do." Shengyuan gave him a reassuring look and then turned to Lin Jichen.
Ji Tongyin and Ji Chen both looked troubled. They could stop Ji Qing, but they couldn''t stop Shengyuan.
They had no authority over matters involving other sects.
"Benefactor Lin, I wish to seek your guidance." Shengyuan walked up to Lin Jichen''s table and issued a direct challenge.
"What? Your master couldn''t beat mine, so now you want to save face? Rx, it''s not shameful that your master couldn''t beat mine."
Lin Jichen picked up a bunch of fruits and started eating while mocking.
Shengyuan''s face darkened, his words sharp as lightning, "That makes me even more eager to experience the Sword Sect''s techniques."
"No can do." Lin Jichen shook his head.
"Why not?"
"It''s unfair."
"How is it unfair?" Shengyuan pressed.
Lin Jichen answered matter-of-factly, "Let me ask you, how long have you been in the Buddhist Sect?"
"I entered the Buddhist Sect at the age of three, and it''s been twenty-three years."
"So, you''ve been cultivating for twenty years. I just joined the Sword Sect and have been cultivating for less than a month. Do you think that''s fair?" Lin Jichen said confidently.
"Moreover, you''re at the peak of the Golden Core Realm, while I''m just at the early Crystal Formation stage. Do you think that''s fair?"
Lin Jichen''s two reasons left Shengyuan speechless.
The others also secretly agreed; Lin Jichen''s points were valid.
Lin Jichen continued, "You just see my low cultivation level and want to use this opportunity to find some bnce and avenge your master. What''s that called? Bullying the weak and fearing the strong? Is that all you''re capable of?"
Want to see him make a fool of himself? Dream on!
Lin Jichen sneered inwardly. If he epted this challenge, he''d be an idiot.
He wasn''t foolish enough to think that just because he had entered the Crystal Realm, he could easily defeat a Golden Core Realm cultivator.
Come on, ordinary Golden Core Realm cultivators might be manageable.
But who was Shengyuan? The direct disciple of the abbot of Tianyin Temple, almost on par with Chu Tianhan. What could he use to fight him?
epting the challenge would mean certain defeat and disgrace to his precious master. He wasn''t that stupid.
If it were an ordinary hot-blooded youth, they might have already fallen for it.
But Lin Jichen, this old fox, wasn''t buying it.
Being used of bullying the weak, Shengyuan''s face turned red with anger. "Nonsense! We are both disciples of the Sect Masters. In terms of qualifications and seniority, we are equals. How is this bullying the weak?"
Lin Jichen mocked, "We are both cultivators, and my master is also a cultivator. By that logic, all cultivators in the world should be equals. Why don''t you go challenge my master? Or challenge Chu Tianhan? Why only challenge me, a neer? Is this all your Buddhist Sect is capable of?"
Then, Lin Jichenughed, "Oh, I get it. You''re afraid you can''t beat Chu Tianhan, so youe boasting to me. Right?"
"Utter nonsense! Why would I fear Chu Tianhan!"
"If you''re not afraid, then go challenge him. He''s at the same realm as you, and has been cultivating for about the same time. If you can beat him, then you''re truly impressive." Lin Jichen fanned the mes.
"Fine, I will challenge him sooner orter!" Shengyuan, enraged, dered confidently.
But he wasn''t that stupid; he knew Lin Jichen was diverting the focus.
"But what about you? You don''t n to hide behind your master forever, do you?"
"If my master is willing and I am willing, what business is it of yours?" Lin Jichen replied smugly, not feeling embarrassed at all.
He loved hiding behind his master... under her protection... got a problem with that?
Shengyuan waspletely at a loss with this old fox.
At this moment, Ji Qing stepped forward andughed, "Brother Shengyuan, don''t be hasty. If someone likes being a turtle, let him be. But he won''t be able to hide for long."
Seeing that Ji Qing seemed to have a n, Shengyuan quickly asked, "What do you suggest, Eldest Prince?"
Ji Qing chuckled, "Have you forgotten? Next month is the Mu Xian Province''s triennial Ascension Tournament, the greatest opportunity in Mu Xian Province. Every sect''s disciples will fight tooth and nail to participate. Do you think he won''t show up?"
Shengyuan''s eyes lit up, suddenly enlightened. "Thank you for the reminder, Eldest Prince. This humble monk understands."
Then he turned to Lin Jichen and said, "Next month''s Ascension Tournament, unless you''re too scared to attend, we''ll see then."
Before Shengyuan could finish, Lin Jichen interrupted, "No need to say more. Stop mentioning my master''s name; you''re not worthy. I''ll definitely attend the Ascension Tournament. But I hope when you face me, you won''t beg for mercy!"
"Agreed!" Shengyuan thought to himself, this guy finally fell for his bluffing strategy, and quickly made a decision, afraid Lin Jichen might change his mind.
"I''ll be there too. I hope Lin the Sword Cultivator doesn''t get beaten by Brother Shengyuan and crawl back to his sect," Ji Qing added, being a Golden Core stage cultivator himself, not fearing Lin Jichen at all.
Lin Jichen disdainfully replied, "Please don''t talk to me. My master told me to avoid talking to fools as much as possible; it might be contagious."
Ji Qing almost couldn''t hold back again, but could only leave a harsh remark, "Just you wait."
With that, he stormed off.
Themotion ended, and everyone returned to their ces.
The other princes also started mingling with disciples from various sects.
The challenge was postponed to the Ascension Tournament.
Although some felt it was a bit anticlimactic, the thought of seeing a grand battle between the top disciples of the Sword Sect and the Buddhist Sect next month filled them with anticipation.
Lin Jichen sat back down and continued eating!
With a month left, was he really afraid he couldn''t reach the Golden Core stage?
Chapter 218 – Crybaby Ji Linglong
Chapter 218 C Crybaby Ji Linglong
It might have been Ji Qing''s words that made the princes wary. To avoid offending Ji Qing, they all bypassed Lin Jichen and went to mingle with other sect disciples.
Ji Chen, however, sat opposite Lin Jichen with a rxed demeanor and smiled, "Brother Lin, you don''t mind mypany, do you?"
"Of course not,e, sit down and eat while we chat. Princess Tongyin, you join us too," Lin Jichen called out.
Ji Tongyin, seeing Lin Jichen''s invitation, dly took a seat.
"Help yourselves, make yourselves at home, no need to be polite."
Lin Jichen said as he poured wine for the two of them.
Ji Tongyin and Ji Chen chuckled softly.
At this moment, a petite figure approached, looking very simr to Ji Tongyin, like twin sisters.
However, her temperament was vastly different from Ji Tongyin''s, and she appeared much younger, only about sixteen or seventeen years old.
"Sister, I want to join too~"
Ji Tongyin smiled and said, "You have to ask Mr. Lin if he''s willing. You spoke ill of him before; he might not want you to sit here."
"Spoke ill of me? What did she say? We don''t seem to know each other," Lin Jichen looked at the young girl in front of him, puzzled.
Ji Linglong blushed, feeling extremely awkward, wanting to exin but not knowing how.
Seeing Lin Jichen looking at her, she decided to throw a little tantrum.
Without waiting for Lin Jichen''s invitation, she sat down herself.
"Hmph, this is my home, I''ll sit wherever I want~"
Ji Tongyin was both amused and exasperated.
Ji Chen had to exin to Lin Jichen, "Brother Lin, please don''t mind her. This is my younger sister, Linglong. She''s a bit mischievous. She disguised herself as a little eunuch at the City Administration Hall that day and saw you."
"Oh, it''s her."
Lin Jichen remembered but was still puzzled, "But why did she speak ill of me? What did she say?"
Ji Chen hesitated, but Ji Linglong couldn''t hold it in anymore. She put her hands on her hips and admitted, "I said you were a yboy, a heartbreaker, okay?"
"Why?" Lin Jichen was baffled. He was clearly a decent guy, how did he getbeled as a heartbreaker?
"Because I saw you winking at the girls at Autumn Moon Pavilion that day!"
Ji Linglong didn''t realize her voice was a bit loud, and everyone around heard her clearly.
All the sect disciples burst intoughter, not expecting Lin Jichen to have such a hobby.
"Who would have thought, a Sword Sect disciple likes this kind of thing."
"Yeah, Lin the Sword Cultivator is quite the dashing young man."
"Sword Sect disciples are so unruly, going to such sordid ces?"
"Is this Leng Sect Master''s prized pupil? Hahaha."
...
Now, Lin Jichen''s reputation was tarnished again.
He became known as a frequenter of high-ss brothels...
Lin Jichen was speechless; this was really a case of mud falling into his pants.
Ji Tongyin blushed and scolded, "Linglong, how can you speak so carelessly?"
Ji Linglong also realized she shouldn''t have spoken so loudly, causing a misunderstanding, and her momentum immediately weakened. She lowered her head and said, "I didn''t mean to..."
Ji Chen apologized to Lin Jichen, "Brother Lin, I''m really sorry. Let me exin to everyone."
He was about to stand up and exin, but Lin Jichen waved his hand to stop him.
"Forget it, even if you exin, in their eyes, I''m still a lecherous person. They won''t listen to your exnation. If they want to add a crime, there''s no need for an excuse."
"But..."
"No buts, othersugh at me for being too crazy, Iugh at them for not seeing through it. It doesn''t matter how irrelevant people see me, just be yourself. Let''s drink."
After saying that, Lin Jichen started eating again, savoring every bite.
The three of them were impressed by Lin Jichen''s temperament.
Despite his young age, Lin Jichen had such a calm and seasoned mindset, truly a remarkable person!
[Ding! Ji Chen''s affection level for you +15! Current affection level: 15 points (Enjoyable Conversation)]
[Ding! Ji Tongyin''s affection level for you +10! Current affection level: 25 points (Riding Together)]
[Ding! Ji Linglong''s affection level for you +5! Current affection level: 3 points (Instant Connection)]
"Sorry, I''ll toast to you."
Ji Linglong still felt a bit guilty and raised her ss to toast.
Lin Jichen generously raised his ss and clinked it with hers.
Ji Linglong immediately smiled, looking at Lin Jichen with much more favor.
The three of them began to drink and chat,pletely ignoring the gazes from others around them.
Many male cultivators from various sects felt envious seeing the beautiful Ji Tongyin and Ji Linglong sitting with Lin Jichen.
Why were both princesses sitting next to Lin Jichen? Wasn''t it just because he had a good-looking face? A pretty boy!
Ji Qing, seeing Ji Tongyin and Ji Linglong getting close to Lin Jichen, was also displeased. Ji Chen was one thing, clearly opposing him.
But with both his younger sisters acting this way, it was hard for him not to be unhappy.
"Tongyin, Linglong,e over here. I''ll introduce you to some outstanding talents from various sects," Ji Qing walked over and said.
But neither sister had any intention of moving.
Ji Tongyin smiled and politely declined, "Brother, I don''t want to make new friends. You go ahead."
"Exactly, I''m fine here with my sister. You go do your thing," Ji Linglong nodded repeatedly.
Seeing that neither sister was giving him face, and already being quite angry with Lin Jichen earlier, Ji Qing couldn''t hold back anymore.
"Are you ignoring what your brother says? I told you toe over!" Ji Qing shouted.
Ji Tongyin''s face instantly turned sour, coldly staring at her brother.
Ji Linglong pouted in grievance and then started crying!
Her cries echoed through the entire hall, causing the pce maids to kneel in panic.
Ji Qing was caught off guard, forgetting that his youngest sister had a special skillcrying. She was famously known as a crybaby.
Moreover, Ji Linglong was very pampered. Both the emperor and empress doted on her. If the emperor found out, Ji Qing wouldn''t escape a scolding.
Realizing he had scared his sister, Ji Qing quickly tried to soothe her, "Linglong, don''t cry. Brother didn''t mean it. Brother just wants..."
Before he could finish, Ji Hongyue and the empress returned with a group of sect leaders and elders.
Hearing Linglong''s cries, the empress, who doted on her youngest daughter the most, immediately frowned and angrily asked, "What''s going on? Who bullied Linglong?"
Ji Linglong got up and threw herself into the empress''s arms, sobbing, "Mother, big brother scolded me, boohoo..."
Ji Hongyue, who also doted on Linglong, scolded Ji Qing upon seeing this.
"As the eldest brother, you bully your sister, and at such an important banquet. Do you have any sense of princely manners and brotherly demeanor?"
Ji Qing turned pale with fright and quickly knelt to apologize, "Father''s teaching is right. I was just ying with my sister..."
But at this moment, Ji Linglong sobbed again.
"Father, big brother forced me and sister to drink with other men. If we didn''t, he would scold us, boohoo..."
Damn!
Ji Qing''s heart... shattered.
Chapter 219 – Secret Technique Stele
Chapter 219 C Secret Technique Stele
Ji Linglong''s words were simply baffling. No matter how you listened, they sounded off.
He quickly tried to salvage the situation, "Linglong, you shouldn''t say things like that. I just wanted to introduce you to some outstanding individuals, not to have you serve drinks."
Ji Hongyue''s face remained grim, his expression as cold as ice. Ji Qing was so scared he didn''t dare to breathe.
At this moment, Ji Chen stepped forward to add fuel to the fire, feigning concern, "Father, please calm down. Brother must have had too much to drink. He even had a quarrel with Leng Sect Master''s top disciple earlier and almost attacked Brother Lin."
Ji Qing was instantly enraged and red at Ji Chen, "Ji Chen, you..."
p!
Before Ji Qing could finish his sentence, Ji Hongyue pped him across the face.
Ji Qing was left stunned by the p.
Before he could react, Ji Hongyue roared, "This is outrageous! Chief Eunuch, expel him from the hall and confine him to his residence for a month! He is not allowed to go anywhere!"
The chief eunuch beside Ji Hongyue immediatelyplied, sighing as he approached Ji Qing.
"Eldest Prince, today is the birthday banquet. How could you cause such a scene? Let me take you back."
With that, he hoisted Ji Qing onto his shoulder and disappeared in an instant.
This eunuch was also a top-tier expert.
Ji Qing was thus taken away, utterly humiliated, and now even more disfavored by his father. This incident had unnecessarily increased the difficulty of his struggle for the throne.
Back at his residence, Ji Qing was so furious that he nearly smashed the entire ce.
With Ji Qing gone, the banquet continued.
Ji Hongyue returned, and the princes resumed their seats.
Ji Tongyin and Ji Linglong also bid farewell to Lin Jichen and returned to their seats.
Without Ji Qing''s interruption, Lin Jichen continued to eat heartily.
When he finally couldn''t eat any more, he reluctantly stopped.
But then Lin Jichen suddenly said something shocking.
"Hey, beautiful, could you bring me another serving of the dishes and wine? I want to take them to go."
Even after he was full, he didn''t forget to ask the pce maid to pack some food to take to Ren Lan and Jiang Luoyu.
It''s better to share joy than to enjoy it alone.
Asking for a takeaway after a banquet? Such a bizarre request made everyoneugh.
Even Ji Hongyue and the Empress couldn''t help but chuckle.
But the Empress graciously instructed the pce maid to follow Lin Jichen''s request without any disdain.
After the banquet, Ji Hongyue stood up and smiled at everyone, "Thank you all for attending my birthday banquet and for the gifts from each sect. As a token of appreciation, I have prepared a gift for all the young people here."
Ji Hongyue''s words piqued the curiosity of all the sect disciples.
The sect leadersughed and sped their hands in thanks to Ji Hongyue.
Led by the pce maids, the group passed through the grand hall, winding corridors, and arrived at a mysterious temple.
The temple was surrounded by armored guards, with many experts hidden in the shadows.
Each of these armored guards was at least at the Golden Core Realm.
This made everyone curious about what was inside.
Ji Hongyue stepped forward and smiled, "This is the most secret ce of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, the Scripture Repository. It contains all our secret techniques and core techniques."
Everyone was shocked.
Before they could react, Ji Hongyue''s sleeve billowed, and he grabbed at the air with his left hand!
A mysterious stone tablet flew out from the pavilion.
The tablet floated above everyone''s heads, spinning without wind.
When they looked at it, they found it blurry and mysterious.
Momentster, the tabletnded and stood before everyone.
"This is the Hidden Dragon Tablet. It records many of our secret techniques and core techniques, ranging from Spirit Grade to Heavenly Grade. Each sect disciple can step forward and ce their hand on it to randomly receive a technique suitable for them. What grade of technique you get depends on your luck."
Upon hearing this, all the sect elites'' eyes lit up.
Heavenly Grade techniques? This was extraordinary.
Even as Inner Temple elites or Sect Master''s disciples, they rarely had the chance to learn such techniques.
Now, with a free opportunity, it was like a pie falling from the sky.
The sect leaders and elders smiled, knowing that Ji Hongyue wasn''t this generous without reason.
They had agreed to cooperate with Ji Hongyue against the demons in the earlier meeting, which was why he was being so magnanimous.
Soon, the first brave soul stepped forward, an Inner Temple disciple of the Fist Sect, Fang Feifeng.
He walked up to the tablet and lightly touched it with his hand.
Momentster, a secret manual appeared in Fang Feifeng''s hand, titled: Spirit Grade Martial Arts Technique - Gale Fist Force.
He looked disappointed, and the sect leader behind him also showed a hint of regret.
After all, it was free, and he hoped his disciple could get something good. Better to have it than not.
"Thank you, Emperor Ji." Fang Feifeng thanked him and returned to the sect leader''s side.
Next up was Zhang Chang from the Saber Sect. He ced his hand on the tablet.
Momentster, a secret manual appeared in his hand: Mysterious Grade Core Technique - Purple Sky Saber Scripture.
Not bad, Zhang Chang smiled and thanked him.
One by one, disciples stepped forward to touch the tablet, receiving various secret techniques and core techniques.
There were Spirit Grade, Mysterious Grade, and even someone lucky enough to get an Earth Grade!
From core techniques to martial arts techniques, spirit skills, and ultimate techniques, there was a wide variety.
But no one got a Heavenly Grade technique.
This made everyone wonder if there were any Heavenly Grade techniques at all.
Could Ji Hongyue be bluffing? After all, he had no reason to be so generous.
Heavenly Grade techniques were treasures that any sect would guard jealously. Who would give them away for free?
What they didn''t know was that Ji Hongyue had indeed ced one.
But he had deliberately put it at the very bottom of the tablet, making it nearly impossible for anyone to get.
After everyone had their turn, he would open the tablet to prove that he had indeed included it, perfectly silencing any doubts.
This scheme was wless!
Ji Hongyue couldn''t help but praise himself as a genius.
Gradually, fewer people went up to touch the tablet.
Only one person remained.
That was Lin Jichen.
He had deliberately stayed at the back, knowing that the best items were likely at the end. The more people went before him, the higher his chances of getting something valuable.
So he stood there calmly, watching.
Ji Hongyue saw this and thought Lin Jichen was someone who had seen the world, nodding in approval. As expected of Leng Sect Master''s disciple, he wasposed.
"Young Hero Lin, you''re thest one," Ji Hongyue invited with a smile.
Lin Jichen stepped forward.
Ji Tongyin and Ji Linglong quietly cheered him on.
Lin Jichen looked at the tablet, took a deep breath, silently prayed, and then ced his hand on it!
The tablet began to stir.
In the next moment, instead of a book, a jade slip appeared in Lin Jichen''s hand.
Seeing the jade slip, Ji Hongyue''s heart skipped a beat...
Chapter 220 – Server-wide wanted
Chapter 220 C Server-wide wanted
Lin Jichen held the jade slip in his hand, which contained the only Heavenly Grade Secret Technique Ji Hongyue had ced inside!
[Heavenly Grade Movement Technique: Bloodburn Shadow Escape]:
Passive Effect: Evasion +15%, Speed +20%.
Active Effect: Burns 20% of your blood, forcibly teleporting you to a location a hundred miles away. After teleportation, you enter a weakened state for three days. Weakened: Allbat attributes -30%.
Cooldown Time: 7 days, Mana Consumption: None.
Requirement: Cultivators with a root bone or spiritual grace of 85 or above.
Lin Jichen was a bit surprised. He didn''t expect his luck toe through again, scoring a Heavenly Grade Movement Technique just like that.
And it was an escape technique, a life-saving skill. This was a treasure indeed.
Don''t underestimate this skill. Anything that can save your life is invaluable.
If he had this skill back in Thunder Marsh, he wouldn''t have had to escape so miserably.
However, Lin Jichen couldn''t learn it just yet.
It wasn''t because his root bone wasn''t enough; his root bone had long been maxed out.
It was because...
[Global Announcement! yer Lin Jichen has acquired the first Heavenly Grade Movement Technique in Tale of Immortal. If anyone kills him within seven days, the technique will drop. Lin Jichen''s real-time location will be announced every day. The first announcement will be in one hour.]
[Global Announcement! yer Lin Jichen has acquired...]
The announcement repeated three times.
Lin Jichen listened to the system announcement and showed a wry smile.
In Tale of Immortal, whenever a yer obtains a Heavenly Grade or above treasure, whether it''s a skill, equipment, elixir, or ore, it gets announced to the entire server. For seven days, you can''t use or trade the treasure.
Moreover, the game system will announce your location to the entire server, and your death drop rate will be 100% for seven days.
Anyone who kills you can pick it up.
Of course, they will also be announced to the entire server and must guard the treasure for seven days to im victory.
In his previous life, every time a Heavenly Grade treasure appeared, it would trigger a bloody storm.
Often, obtaining a Heavenly Grade treasure wasn''t necessarily a good thing.
The next second, Lin Jichen received another system prompt.
[During the treasure-guarding period, you cannot enter any city or sect. In one hour, you will be forcibly teleported out of the city, and your location will be announced.]
Lin Jichen smiled helplessly. He had to find a chance to leave Fengqu City quickly.
Meanwhile, all the yers outside were shocked by the news.
Heavenly Grade!
Lin Jichen actually got a Heavenly Grade skill!
"Damn it, I haven''t even learned a single Spirit Grade skill, and he got a Heavenly Grade?"
"Our guild''s top yer has only learned one Mysterious Grade skill..."
"Cheater, report him!"
"Support Blood Fiend, punish the cheater!"
"Didn''t you hear the system prompt? Lin Jichen''s drop rate is 100% for seven days. Brothers, let''s get him!"
"A Heavenly Grade skill could sell for enough to buy a 100,000 Yuan Mazda, right?"
"Idiot! At least a 150,000 Yuan Chevrolet!"
"You two fools upstairs, you''re making meugh!"
***
While the Heavenly Grade skill sparked heated discussions across the server, it also aroused countless people''s greed.
A Heavenly Grade treasure was a big deal.
Wang Jinghao spent 30 million Chinese Yuan for an Earth Grade axe.
Heavenly Grade treasures didn''t even have a price concept yet.
Even without knowing its effect, everyone saw it as a divine skill!
In just a few minutes, various tycoons posted on the forums, offering sky-high prices to buy the Heavenly Grade skill from Lin Jichen.
The starting price was 50 million.
Li Fengwen, the boss of the Blood Fiend Guild, even offered a vi in the Nine Halls of Magic City!
The Nine Halls vis were so luxurious that even the top properties like Tomson Riviera paled inparison. Each vi was worth hundreds of millions.
This undoubtedly fueled every yer''s desire.
As the saying goes, heavy rewards bring brave men.
Moreover, hunting yers in the game carried no real risk. If you lost, you''d just die once and lose some cultivation or equipment.
It was zero cost, low risk, and high reward.
Who wouldn''t want to do something like this?
No matter how powerful Lin Jichen was, if the entire server came after him, he couldn''t escape.
Thus, Lin Jichen quickly became the server''s "most wanted," listed on countless yers'' "capture" lists.
yers formed teams spontaneously, searching for Lin Jichen everywhere.
Many guilds also took action. Such high stakes meant that even the top yers couldn''t deter others.
yers from other provinces started flooding into Mu Xian Province.
Even top yers like the first de Cultivator Dang Jinchuan, the first Body Cultivator Nine Nether, and the first Spear Cultivator couldn''t resist the temptation and prepared to be bounty hunters.
Countless people targeted Lin Jichen, ready to kill him for the treasure.
After all, it was the first Heavenly Grade treasure in Tale of Immortal, causing an unprecedented sensation.
Lin Jichen didn''t even need to think to know that thousands of yers were eyeing him.
His only option now was to escape!
Suddenly, Jiang Luoyu sent a message.
"This is serious. I heard many yers and guilds are nning to hunt you. Come to me. With the Moon Shadow Guild, they shouldn''t dare to touch you."
Lin Jichen thought for a moment and declined.
He remembered that in his previous life, the first person to pick up a Heavenly Grade treasure was the leader of arge guild in Yuehua Province. He forgot the guild''s name, but it had tens of thousands of members. Even so, they couldn''t protect the treasure and were besieged by other guilds, forcing the leader to hand it over.
But the leader refused, and the entire guild fought to protect the treasure.
All members died over ten times, resurrected, and were killed again.
In the end, the leader was killed, and the treasure was stolen.
Not only did they lose the treasure, but the members also demandedpensation for their lost levels and equipment, which was astronomical.
The leader couldn''t afford it, and the members left in anger.
Therge guild disbanded, and the leader quit the game.
So, the only way to handle a Heavenly Grade treasure was to escape! Don''t even think about fighting unless you have no other choice.
Lin Jichen was ready to flee.
"It''s useless. In reality, people risk their lives for profit, let alone in a game. If your guild helps me, it will be a target. I have a solution; don''t worry."
Lin Jichen declined Jiang Luoyu''s offer.
Soon, Ren Lan also sent a message.
"Little Lin, run! Many people in our sect are saying they want to catch you. Tell me your location, and I''lle to help you."
Lin Jichen couldn''t help butugh. This girl was really naive.
Chapter 221 – Do you want Old Lin to be the prince consort?
Chapter 221 C Do you want Old Lin to be the prince consort?
Faced with Ren Lan''s futile attempt to help, Lin Jichen quickly tried to dissuade her.
"Don''te over. It won''t help if anyone tries to assist me. You go do your own thing; I''ll be fine."
"Really?" Ren Lan was skeptical.
"Even if it''s not true, youing to help would be pointless, silly girl," Lin Jichen retorted irritably.
"Alright, I hope you can hold on. I''ll support you mentally. If it really doesn''t work out, just give them the item. It''s better than dying and losing experience," Ren Lan advised.
Lin Jichen had the same thought.
If he truly couldn''t protect this Secret Technique, he would hand it over immediately.
Compared to a Heavenly Grade skill, his life was obviously more important.
Dying once wasn''t just about losing some experience.
At this moment, Lin Jichen couldn''t move.
After obtaining this Heavenly Grade jade slip, Ji Hongyue''s gaze towards him changed, filled with unwillingness, regret, and a hint of malice.
The other sect leaders and disciples, seeing Lin Jichen''s incredible luck, also hadplex expressions.
However, these big figures had seen much of the world. Coming from major sects, how could they not have Heavenly Grade treasures, or even higher ones?
Moreover, yers didn''t need to worry about Lin Jichen''s identity, but NPCs had to.
Offending the Tianyan Sword Sect for a Heavenly Grade Secret Technique, especially Leng Feiyan''s direct disciple, would have dire consequences, as Tianyin Temple had already demonstrated.
Thinking about Leng Feiyan''s terrifying cultivation and strength, and her extremely protective nature, everyone dismissed any bad thoughts.
They were just a bit jealous of Lin Jichen''s luck, stumbling upon a Heavenly Grade Secret Technique. This guy really had a stroke of luck.
Since the birthday banquet was over and the Secret Techniques had been distributed, everyone bid farewell to Ji Hongyue and returned to their respective sects.
Ji Hongyue smiled as he saw them off.
Just as Lin Jichen was about to leave, Ji Hongyue called out to him.
"Young Hero Lin, no need to rush off. I still want to chat with you."
Ignoring Lin Jichen''s resistance, Ji Hongyue grabbed his arm with a smile and led him back.
Lin Jichen''s heart was in turmoil.
Damn, this old fellow isn''t nning to go back on his word and kill me, is he?
If that''s the case, even ten lives wouldn''t be enough.
Ji Hongyue was also a powerful cultivator in the Feather Transformation Realm. How could he resist?
Lin Jichen decisively handed over the jade slip, crying out, "Emperor Ji, I''ll give this back to you. I don''t want it anymore, alright? Just don''t kill me. I won''t say a word. My greatest virtue is keeping secrets."
Ji Hongyue was momentarily stunned by Lin Jichen''s reaction, then burst intoughter.
"Hahaha, boy, do you think I''m such a despicable person? Once I''ve given something away, there''s no taking it back. Rest assured, I''m not that petty!"
Lin Jichen felt slightly relieved and forced a smile. "It was a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."
Behind him, Ji Tongyin and Ji Linglong were stifling theirughter, their faces red.
The Empress beside Ji Hongyue also covered her mouth,ughing uncontrobly.
Lin Jichen felt extremely awkward and cautiously asked, "So, Emperor Ji, is there something else you need from me?"
If not, he needed to get out of here. He had no time to stay in this royal city.
Ji Hongyue stroked his beard and smiled. "There are two things. First, earlier I invited all the sect leaders and elders into the inner temple for a discussion. Everyone agreed, except for your Tianyan Sword Sect. So, I wanted to talk to you about it."
"Please go ahead, Emperor Ji," Lin Jichen felt at ease.
As they walked, Ji Hongyue exined, "You know about thest time the four provinces attacked the demonic sect. I''ve heard that the demonic sect is nning a major retaliation against our righteous sects and the court. So, I''m inviting all sects to join forces."
"Once any trace of the demonic sect is found, we must immediately inform each other. If any sect is attacked by the demonic sect, nearby sects or my Hidden Dragon Royal Family muste to their aid at once, to prevent the demonic sect from seeding. So, I need your master, Sect Leader Leng''s opinion. Will she agree?"
Lin Jichen thought it was something serious and immediately took it upon himself to say, "Emperor Ji, you can rest assured. All righteous sects would do this without being told. Although my master is in seclusion, I can guarantee she will agree."
Ji Hongyue nodded. "Then I''m relieved. Now, for the second matter."
"Please go ahead."
Ji Hongyue started to speak in riddles, smiling. "I''ll let the Empress tell you."
Lin Jichen was taken aback and turned to look at the Empress.
The Empress smiled gracefully and said, "Young Hero Lin, as the direct disciple of Sect Leader Leng, are you married?"
"No," Lin Jichen instinctively shook his head.
The Empress''s smile deepened, getting straight to the point.
"Then, what do you think of my daughter, Tongyin? You two know each other, and you even saved her. You should remember, right?"
Lin Jichen: "....."
What the heck!
What does this mean? Are they trying to make me a prince consort?
Ji Tongyin clearly didn''t expect this to be real, and that her mother had already chosen a suitor for her.
Her face turned bright red as she said to the Empress, "Mother, how can you make such a hasty decision for your daughter?"
Beside her, Linglong wanted to speak up for her sister but was silenced by a stern look from the Empress.
The Empress gave Lin Jichen an apologetic smile and said, "Young Hero Lin, please wait a moment. I need to have a word with my daughter."
Without waiting for Lin Jichen to respond, she pulled Ji Tongyin aside and began whispering.
The Empress calmly said to Ji Tongyin, "Marriage is determined by the parents and matchmakers. As a princess of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, you should understand this. You have no choice in this matter."
"But..."
Seeing Ji Tongyin''s aggrieved expression, the Empress softened and gentlyforted her, "Tongyin, you must understand that even ordinary girls listen to their parents about marriage, let alone a royal princess. Political marriages and sacrifices are normal."
Ji Tongyin lowered her head, clearly knowing her mother was right, but it was hard to ept since it was her first time facing this.
The Empress continued to persuade, "Many sect leaders and other royal families have proposed marriage to your father, but we didn''t agree. We seriously chose an outstanding match for you."
"Lin Jichen, as Sect Leader Leng''s direct disciple, has a noble status and is likely to inherit her position. In terms of future status, you can''tpare. Besides, Lin Jichen is exceptionally handsome."
"And he once saved you, proving there''s a connection between you two. I can see you have feelings for him, don''t you?"
"I... I... don''t..."
Ji Tongyin stammered, her face as red as a cherry, stealing nervous nces at Lin Jichen.
Meanwhile, Lin Jichen was also dumbfounded, his mind nk.
Hey, Master? I might be bing a prince consort...
Chapter 222 – Freeload with confidence
Chapter 222 C Freeload with confidence
[Ding! You have triggered a rare opportunity with the Hidden Dragon Royal Family! Be the Hidden Dragon Royal Family''s son-inw! Do you ept?]
Hearing this prompt, Lin Jichen didn''t know whether tough or cry.
If he agreed, he could indeed be a prince consort.
But Lin Jichen knew that if he really chose to be a prince consort, Leng Feiyan would be furious.
It wasn''t just personal feelings that couldn''t ept it; on arger scale, he was a disciple of the Sword Sect and a direct disciple of the Sect Master.
He represented the entire Tianyan Sword Sect.
In "Tale of Immortal," the various sects and factions were intertwined withplex interests and rtionships that couldn''t be summarized in a few words.
If he acted on his own and became the prince consort of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family, it would mean binding the sect''s interests with another faction.
This was something no sect could ept.
Even if Leng Feiyan had no objections, the other twelve elders would definitely unite to impeach him and kick him out of the Sword Sect.
In other words, even if Lin Jichen wanted to be a prince consort, he would have to ask for Leng Feiyan''s opinion first. It would only proceed with her consent.
But anyone could guess what Leng Feiyan''s attitude would be.
At this moment, Ji Chen smiled and congratted him, "Brother Lin, you''re in luck. My royal sister is as beautiful as a goddess and extremely talented, having already reached the Golden Core Realm. You two would make a perfect pair as Daopanions. I don''t think you would refuse, right?"
Ji Hongyue also stared at Lin Jichen, as if ready to explode if he dared to say no.
Facing this situation, Lin Jichen felt bitter inside. What kind of mess was this?
At this moment, the Empress had already returned with Ji Tongyin.
Seeing Ji Tongyin blushing and obediently following the Empress, Ji Hongyue and Ji Chen exchanged smiles.
Clearly, Ji Tongyin no longer opposed this marriage.
So next, it was up to Lin Jichen''s attitude.
As long as he agreed, Ji Hongyue would immediately set the wedding date.
The other princes also knew that Lin Jichen was now Ji Hongyue''s prospective son-inw and immediately came over to build a rtionship with him.
Lin Jichen forced a bitter smile and cupped his fists toward Ji Hongyue, "Your Majesty''s kindness is overwhelming."
Ji Hongyue waved his hand, clearly not wanting to hear such polite words, and asked directly, "I only ask you, do you agree or not?"
Lin Jichen knew that if he directly refused now, it would definitely anger Ji Hongyue, and he might even get beaten up.
At this moment, his experience as an old hand came into y.
He sighed, "Your Majesty treats me so generously, and Princess Tongyin is as beautiful as a flower. Anyone would find it hard to refuse."
Ji Hongyue was delighted.
Ji Tongyin was also secretly pleased, her face turning as red as blood.
But Lin Jichen changed his tone and said with difficulty, "But I am, after all, a disciple of the Sword Sect and a direct disciple of the Sect Master. I can''t make this decision on my own. I need to seek my master''s opinion. I hope Your Majesty can understand; a teacher for a day is like a father for life, and parents'' orders and matchmakers'' words must be respected."
Ji Hongyue thought it over and found it reasonable. Indeed, if Lin Jichen agreed but the Sword Sect didn''t, what use would he be as a son-inw?
He admired Lin Jichen, but more importantly, he valued the alliance with the Tianyan Sword Sect, a union of strong forces.
More importantly, Leng Feiyan, as a peak Feather Transformation Realm expert, was the most likely to break through to the Immortalization Realm and be a supreme powerhouse.
If he could establish a good rtionship with her now, it would mean having a super-strong ally in the future, solidifying the Hidden Dragon Royal Family''s position.
"Young Master Lin speaks reasonably. It was my oversight. How about this: you go back first, and when your masteres out of seclusion, discuss this matter with her. Given the good rtionship between our Hidden Dragon Royal Family and the Tianyan Sword Sect, I don''t think she will refuse."
Ji Hongyue was confident that Leng Feiyan had no reason to refuse.
After all, Leng Feiyan''s father and the former emperor, Ji Hongyue''s father, were close friends, so there was even less reason to refuse.
"Alright, I will definitely convey the message," Lin Jichen quickly agreed, intending to deal with itter.
Ji Hongyue nodded in satisfaction, though a bit disappointed, but not in a hurry.
He said to Lin Jichen, "Since that''s the case, I have other matters to attend to. Let Tongyin apany you around the royal city, and then see you out."
After saying this, he left with the Empress and everyone else.
Ji Linglong wanted to stay but was pulled away by the Empress.
Now, only Lin Jichen and Ji Tongyin were left in the imperial garden.
A perfect setting for a private moment.
Ji Tongyin stood there nervously, her hands hidden in her sleeves, not knowing where to ce them, her head lowered, staring at the ants on the ground.
Lin Jichen wasn''t much better off; this sudden matchmaking had left him dizzy.
The two ''neers'' stood there in silence, like two wooden stakes.
Finally, Lin Jichen spoke first.
"Um... Princess Tongyin..."
Before he could finish, Ji Tongyin took the initiative tofort him, "Young Master Lin, I know you might not like me, and I understand. We are both members of prominent families and can''t decide our personal matters."
Lin Jichen was silent, acknowledging her words.
Don''t think you can mess around in the game just because you''re a yer. He was no ordinary disciple now.
He was Leng Feiyan''s direct disciple, representing the Tianyan Sword Sect. Many things were no longer under his control.
His status brought him countless conveniences, but it also took away other things, like freedom.
Looking at Ji Tongyin in front of him, with her dignified appearance, noble temperament, blushing cheeks, and graceful figure, she was undoubtedly a stunning beauty.
Such a person being offered to him as a wife, asking him to be a prince consort, would be hard for any man to refuse.
Moreover, Ji Tongyin already had a good impression of Lin Jichen.
As long as Lin Jichen was willing, their affection level could quickly reach a new height.
But Lin Jichen knew he had to hold back.
If he rashly agreed, it would mean choosing between Leng Feiyan and Ji Tongyin.
If he had to choose, he would choose Leng Feiyan without hesitation, even if given ten Ji Tongyins.
After all, Leng Feiyan was his master and had helped and protected him countless times.
She was like Gu Qiuxue in real life, always unconditionally good to him.
How could he bear to leave Leng Feiyan to be a son-inw of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family?
"Thank you for understanding, Princess Tongyin. Let me go back and discuss this with my master," Lin Jichen reassured her.
"Okay," Ji Tongyin nodded, her voice as soft as a mosquito''s.
[Ding! Ji Tongyin''s affection level for you +10! Current affection level: 35 points (Growing Affection)]
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly. See, if he agreed, with Ji Tongyin''s parents'' orders, it wouldn''t take long to max out the affection level and be Daopanions.
Even if his cultivation stagnated in five years, he could still rely on his status as a prince consort and the protection of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family to live a life of luxury without worries.
But this was not what Lin Jichen wanted.
Living off someone else was fine, but it had to be done with dignity!
Chapter 223 – One person against the crowd
Chapter 223 C One person against the crowd
To escape the city as soon as possible, Lin Jichen had no choice but to deceive Ji Tongyin.
"Um... there''s no time to lose. I need to return to the sect now to see if my master hase out of seclusion."
Ji Tongyin thought Lin Jichen was eager to be with her, which was why he wanted to return to the sect so quickly.
Feeling both shy and secretly delighted, she didn''t hesitate to personally escort Lin Jichen out of the royal city.
Before leaving, Ji Tongyin gazed at Lin Jichen with deep affection.
Lin Jichen sighed inwardly, almost unable to resist staying.
But remembering the matter of the Heavenly Grade Movement Technique, he finally bid farewell and left.
As soon as Lin Jichen stepped out of the royal city, he was recognized by the yers.
"Look! It''s Lin Jichen! He has a Heavenly Grade Secret Technique on him!"
"The whole server has been looking for him, and he was hiding here all along."
"Hurry, follow him, find a chance to ambush him."
"We found Lin Jichen! He''s here!"
***
Arge number of yers quickly gathered outside the royal city, surrounding Lin Jichen inyers.
In no time, thousands of yers had encircled the area.
Among the yers were bystanders, members of various guilds, and many high-level yers.
Then another group arrived, led by none other than Kuang Xiaoyan and his Blood Fiend Guild.
Seeing Lin Jichen surrounded, Kuang Xiaoyan grinned and said, "Lin Jichen, how does it feel to be a rat everyone wants to beat?"
Lin Jichen looked at him in surprise and said, "Hey, where''s your guild leader? Haven''t seen him. Did he get thrown in jail again?"
Kuang Xiaoyan sneered, "Lin Jichen, today it''s not just the Blood Fiend Guild after you; it''s the entire server."
Instead of being afraid, Lin Jichen scanned the crowd arrogantly andughed, "You think a bunch of nobodies like you can take me down? Do you even know what it means to court humiliation? Pathetic."
Lin Jichen''s words instantly ignited everyone''s anger. Some yers who were hesitating now feltpelled to act.
After hearing his taunts, they thought, "We must act! Otherwise, we''re just taking insults for nothing."
Not to mention, Lin Jichen was carrying valuable treasures.
Lin Jichen seemedpletely unaware that he had provoked everyone, continuing to boast.
"I did get the Heavenly Grade Secret Technique. If you have the guts,e and take it. Let''s see how capable you are. Look at yourselves, a bunch of useless fools!"
Lin Jichen transformed into a master of insults, spitting words at thousands of yers.
The yers'' anger grew.
Someone shouted, "Get him!" and in an instant, everyone attacked!
Lin Jichen didn''t resist, letting them attack.
Countless skills rained down on Lin Jichen.
Lin Jichen activated his mana, forming a mana shield.
This was something all Crystal Realm yers had, simr to the methods used by the Poison Sect Elders during the attack on the Ten Thousand Poison Sect.
However, activating the mana shield meant he couldn''t do anything else; he had to maintain it continuously, or it would disappear.
At the Golden Elixir stage, this wouldn''t be necessary, as the mana would automatically protect the user.
All the yers'' skills and attacksnded on Lin Jichen''s shield, resulting in a bunch of MISS notifications.
Lin Jichen''s evasion rate was as high as 30%, and this was before he learned the Heavenly Grade Secret Technique.
So, 30% of the attacks were directly nullified.
Even the attacks that weren''t evaded couldn''t harm Lin Jichen; they couldn''t break through his defense.
With a defense of 325, the strength or mental power of Foundation Establishment Realm yers was generally around 100, and Crystal Realm yers ranged from 100 to 200.
Reaching 200 was already quite high, and surpassing 200 was considered an exceptional expert.
Their talents might not be weak, and with a Heavenly Dao breakthrough, they could exceed 200.
But they were still worlds apart from Lin Jichen.
As Lin Jichen''s realm increased, his attributes doubled each time, bing more exaggerated.
Minor realms had top-grade elixirs for breakthroughs, increasing the highest free attribute points.
Moreover, Lin Jichen always chose the best and strongest treasures for his Heavenly Dao breakthroughs.
Other yers wouldn''t dare to seek out the Hell Boar God or kill the Kai Ming Beast for their breakthroughs.
From this point on, Lin Jichen had already left all current yers far behind.
The reason Lin Jichen activated his mana shield was that he didn''t want to be hit in a weak spot and suffer a Critical Hit. He also wanted everyone to hit him and turn red-named.
Yes, taking advantage of thest bit of time he could stay in the city, Lin Jichen yed a trick, deliberately provoking all the yers to make them attack.
There was a clear rule in the city: no fighting.
Otherwise, Lin Jichen wouldn''t have wasted his breath on them.
As more and more yers focused their attacks, all the yers started turning red-named.
Red-named status didn''t care if you hurt anyone; as long as you attacked, you would be marked.
Most yers didn''t know about this rule in the city, and even if some did, they didn''t care.
After all, they thought, "So many people are attacking, do you think the guards of Fengqu City would dare to arrest thousands of us? Don''t be ridiculous, thew doesn''t punish the masses!"
Under the frenzied attacks of tens of thousands of yers, Lin Jichen, like a lone boat in a storm, seemed on the verge of destruction.
His mana shield was rapidly depleting, and it looked like Lin Jichen would soon run out of mana and be killed by the crowd.
Yet Lin Jichen stubbornly persisted.
The scene was almost unbearable to watch.
Jiang Luoyu, who had rushed over upon receiving the news, saw Lin Jichen, now the enemy of everyone, and felt a surge of inexplicable anger.
"All Moon Shadow members, attack!" Jiang Luoyu, holding her staff, summoned a ck mist that gathered over the tens of thousands of yers.
Su Wanling also drew her sword, ready tomand all Moon Shadow yers to counterattack these greedy yers.
But at that moment, Jiang Luoyu''s staff suddenly stopped. She looked at Lin Jichen, and Lin Jichen looked back at her, even winking.
Jiang Luoyu hesitated for a moment, then suddenly called out, "Everyone, stop."
The Moon Shadow members were puzzled. Weren''t they here to save him? Why stop now? Master Lin can''t hold on much longer.
Kuang Xiaoyan saw Jiang Luoyu stop and thought she was scared,ughing wildly, "Lin Jichen, today you will die! No one can save you!"
Just then, an old man in an eunuch''s robe passed by. Seeing Lin Jichen, his eyes widened slightly, and he looked at the attacking yers.
Suddenly, he waved his sleeve, and all the skills, like flickering candles, were extinguished by a strong wind.
Immediately, arge number of guards appeared, surrounding all the yers.
At this point, the yers stopped, not knowing what was happening.
The old eunuch walked up to Lin Jichen, suddenly showing a smile like an old chrysanthemum, and said in a sharp voice, "Young Master Lin, this old servant iste. It was my negligence."
The entire crowd was stunned!
Chapter 224 – Ten thousand people in prison
Chapter 224 C Ten thousand people in prison
Seeing the old eunuch bowing and scraping in front of Lin Jichen, all the yers were dumbfounded.
Who the hell is this old eunuch?
Kuang Xiaoyan, impatient, stepped forward and pointed at the eunuch, cursing loudly, "Damn it, you old freak without a dick, get lost! What''s an eunuch doing here, acting all high and mighty?"
The old eunuch''s face changed, and he nced back at Kuang Xiaoyan. In the crowd, Kuang Xiaoyan suddenly felt like he was being stared down by a ferocious beast, cold sweat breaking out all over his body.
Before he could react, the old eunuch suddenly disappeared from his spot. In the next second, he was already in front of Kuang Xiaoyan, his skeletal hand gripping Kuang Xiaoyan''s neck.
Without any visible effort, words started appearing above Kuang Xiaoyan''s head.
[Blood Curse: Vitality -30%,sts for 90 days.]
[Strength Curse: Strength -30%,sts for 90 days.]
[Reduced Beauty Curse: Looks -30%,sts for 90 days.]
[Fate Curse: Luck -30%,sts for 90 days.]
...
A series of curses made Kuang Xiaoyan scream like he had seen a ghost.
"Let go of me! Let go of me!"
Lin Jichen''s eyelids twitched as he watched. In his previous life, he had never seen this old eunuch. He never expected that this eunuch was actually a curse master!
Curse masters were a rare profession in Tale of Immortal, extremely umon.
And judging by his cultivation aura, he was a Elemental Infant Realm curse master.
Curse masters generally had short lifespans, and reaching the Elemental Infant Realm as a curse master was extremely rare.
After all the attributes were lowered, the old eunuch casually tossed Kuang Xiaoyan into the crowd of guards.
"Detain this man in the Hidden Dragon Dungeon for 30 days, not a day less."
"Yes, Chief Eunuch!"
The guards immediatelyplied.
The Chief Eunuch then scanned everyone present and ordered again, "All red-named yers, detain them in the dungeon for 3 days."
This statement caused an uproar in the city, with everyone expressing their dissatisfaction.
"Why? NPCs can just arrest people randomly? He cursed at you, we didn''t!"
"Yeah, this game is ridiculous. How can NPCs interfere in yer conflicts?"
"I''m reporting this to Nuwa!"
"Is Lin Jichen the game''s favorite? Why do NPCs favor him so much?"
"We don''t ept this!"
...
Facing the protests of tens of thousands of people, the Chief Eunuch sneered and said sharply, "You didn''t curse at me, but you triggered the city''s ban. Anyone who fights in the city must be imprisoned for 1 to 3 days."
Everyone was stunned. Then someone stepped forward and asked, "Didn''t you say 1 to 3 days? Why are we being detained for 3 days and not 1?"
The Chief Eunuch replied without hesitation, "Because you dared to attack a guest of the Hidden Dragon Royal Family. Detaining you for 3 days is already lenient. If Princess Tongyin finds out, she might add more charges!"
After saying that, the Chief Eunuch waved his hand, and the city''s guards began arresting people.
Everyone realized they had fallen into Lin Jichen''s trap.
This guy had deliberately provoked them in the city, forcing them to act and get themselves thrown into jail.
With the Chief Eunuch overseeing, no one could escape; they were all captured and imprisoned.
It was quite a spectacle, with tens of thousands of yers being arrested.
Only the yers from the Moon Shadow Guild and those who hadn''t had time to act were spared.
The other yers who were imprisoned immediately logged out of the game and went to the Tale of Immortal official website to protest collectively.
Are you kidding? Who can stand being detained for three days?
However, no matter how they reported or pleaded with the officials, there was no response, not even an exnation.
The official stance was clear: y if you want, leave if you don''t.
The yers were furious but helpless, swallowing their anger.
They had all been tricked by Lin Jichen.
Thinking about Kuang Xiaoyan''s fate made them feel a bit better inparison.
Once all the red-named yers were arrested, Fengqu City quieted down.
Although many yers continued to pour in, no one dared to mess with Lin Jichen anymore.
With the bloody lesson of tens of thousands of yers, who would dare to cause trouble in the city?
Lin Jichen casually removed his spiritual shield and walked over to Jiang Luoyu with a rxed expression.
"Good thing you didn''t act."
Jiang Luoyu, still a bit shaken, cutely stuck out her tongue and said, "If I got caught, I''d me you."
Lin Jichenughed and said, "That''s why I told you before, don''t help me, I have my own way."
"I was just worried you''d be overwhelmed, trying to be helpful," Jiang Luoyu pouted in dissatisfaction.
Lin Jichen chuckled awkwardly, "Yes, yes, thank you, beautiful Jiang, for your help. I''m deeply grateful."
Jiang Luoyu smiled and asked curiously, "By the way, why is this eunuch so protective of you?"
Su Wanling, standing beside them, asked whimsically, "Did you apply to be an eunuch in the royal city? Is that old eunuch your colleague?"
Lin Jichen: "..."
"Since you''re so talkative, why not keep it going?" Lin Jichen red at her, annoyed. Damn it, you''re the eunuch, your whole family are eunuchs!
"I came to save you, and you''re so mean. President, look at him, he''s so ungrateful," Su Wanlingined.
Jiang Luoyuughed, "Serves you right for talking nonsense."
Su Wanling felt dejected. Great, her bestie was siding with someone else so quickly? What happened to their friendship?
"She''s always like this, ignore her. You haven''t told me the reason yet," Jiang Luoyu pressed.
Lin Jichen didn''t hide anything and exined the whole story.
Jiang Luoyu and Su Wanling were both shocked, their mouths agape in disbelief.
"You mean, you attended the Empress Ji''s birthday banquet and drew a Heavenly Grade Secret Technique? That''s how you got it?"
Lin Jichen nodded, "Yes."
The two women exchanged nces, speechless.
A Heavenly Grade Secret Technique, and it came so easily!
How was this different from getting it for free?
"I''m not convinced. This guy already has an absurdly high drop rate from monsters, and now he draws a Heavenly Grade Secret Technique? Be honest, did you seduce the boss''s daughter? How else do you have such luck?"
Su Wanling looked suspicious. This guy was either the boss''s son-inw or the reincarnation of the God of Luck. There were no other possibilities!
"You have quite the imagination," Lin Jichen rolled his eyes at her.
"Wanling, stop it," Jiang Luoyu interrupted her wild spection and turned to Lin Jichen, "So you just need to hide in the city for seven days?"
Lin Jichen smiled bitterly, "It''s not that easy. I''ll soon be forcibly removed from the city. I won''t be able to enter sects, cities, or use teleportation arrays or talismans."
"What? Then aren''t you still in danger?" Jiang Luoyu eximed.
Lin Jichen nodded, "That''s why I need to leave the city quickly and hide outside for seven days. I have to go now, message me if you need anything."
"Be careful. If you need help, just ask. The entire Moon Shadow Guild is your friend," Jiang Luoyu reminded him.
A warm feeling flowed through Lin Jichen''s heart. He nodded and left the city.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!