Beyond the Fusu Great Wall, the journey headed north.
The monsters encountered on the road were of higher levels, completely without visible levels. Thus, Lin Zhao was forced to continue by returning to his corpse, a grim experience. He was even chased by a Skeleton King, reviving a total of 27 times before finally escaping alive. Finally, as he neared the area of Grey Mist Mountain, with a pained cry from Lin Zhao, he was once again instantly killed by a monster with a single blow.
At this moment, a bell rang again—
"Ding!"
System Prompt: Congratulations! As the first player in the entire server to exceed 500 deaths on the opening day, you have obtained the skill [Life and Death Indifference]!
...
"Again?!"
Lin Zhao was overjoyed. He had died countless times on this journey, only to be rewarded by misfortune?
Opening his skill panel, he found another S-rank passive skill. It seemed useless for now, but might be useful later—
[Life and Death Indifference] (S-rank): While online, for each death, your attack, defense, and resistance increase by 10%. Disappears upon logging off.
One could only say that this skill was suitable for desperate situations. If one truly wanted to kill someone, they could commit suicide a few times first, then crush the opponent. However, this skill consumed too much experience. Losing levels one by one was unbearable!
Fortunately, Lin Zhao was currently level 1, and he could endure it completely!
Moreover, an idea had already formed in his mind. As long as he didn't log off, if he died a hundred times or so, he could stack up the buff effects of Life and Death Indifference, then return to the新手村 (newbie village) to level up. Wouldn't that make him invincible?
Well, unless this passive skill, Life and Death Indifference, had a cap. Otherwise, even if he leveled up seven or eight hours later than other players, he could still overtake them!
At the thought of this, he felt a surge of excitement!
He plunged directly into the monster horde, intending to die 50 more times!
After dying fifty times, the effect was mediocre. Due to his abysmal base stats, the 5x increase in attack and defense was barely noticeable. High-level monsters could still kill him with a single touch!
But it didn't matter; he continued to push forward.
Along the way, he passed by Luoxia Valley but did not see Zhang Xicheng. Perhaps it was due to the daytime, the Xia Clan heroic spirits dared not appear. Or perhaps something had happened within the past hundred years. After all, heroic spirits could not last forever. Under the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning of heaven and earth, the spiritual energy of heroic spirits would inevitably be constantly worn away, eventually vanishing into thin air.
Thus, after dying many more times, he arrived at Bronze Mirror Lake. However, Lin Zhao did not enter; he merely passed by. His current appearance was vastly different from the young Lin Zhao of the past; he was more mature, sunnier, and more unrestrained. It was normal for the Peach Blossom Demon Han Yurou not to recognize him, and he didn't need to knock on her door to disturb her. Some things were best left forgotten in the rivers and lakes.
...
Seven-thirty in the evening.
He arrived at a great river, the Xiujian River, and finally reached his destination.
Lin Zhao intended to swim across but feared his level 1 body couldn't withstand the depth. He hesitated by the riverbank. Just then, the river water rippled with constant golden light shimmering from the riverbed. Immediately, the surface of the water parted as if a golden stone staircase had been laid out. A River God Maiden, clad in golden armor, a golden sword at her waist, and a golden coronet, emerged from beneath the water.
She gracefully stepped forward and embraced Lin Zhao.
"Xiao Zhao, you've returned..."
Lin Zhao immediately burst into tears. No one recognized the reborn him, yet his aunt, Lin Xingchu, recognized him at a glance.
"Aunt..."
He struggled slightly, feeling embarrassed. After all, he was now a grown man, and being held by Lin Xingchu like this was a bit awkward.
Lin Xingchu couldn't help but chuckle, "A hundred years. My Xiao Zhao has grown into a true man~~~"
Lin Zhao stepped back and knelt on one knee, "Lin Zhao greets Aunt..."
Courtesy was still necessary.
"There's no need for formality."
Lin Xingchu smiled slightly, helped him up, and said, "Although Aunt doesn't know what happened to you, I knew it was my Xiao Zhao the moment I saw you..."
"Aunt."
Lin Zhao was also overjoyed. "I have returned to this world in another identity, and I can see you again. It is truly fortunate... Aunt, I have many things I want to tell you."
"Aunt also has many things to tell you. Shall we go to my residence?"
"Not today..." Lin Zhao smiled, "Today is a grand occasion, and I still have many matters to attend to. So let's keep it brief. Aunt, how have you been during the hundred years I was gone?"
"Quite well."
Lin Xingchu said, "The battle at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, which annihilated millions of demons, greatly weakened the four northern tribes. However, quite a few remnants still crossed the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. But if they want to cross the Xiujian River, they must face my sword. So, Aunt has been quite busy these past hundred years, busy hacking down countless demons, spirits, and ghost cultivators every day. How about you, how have you been?"
"A long dream, and now I've awoken."
"That's good, that's good..."
Lin Xingchu asked, "Are you heading to... the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao nodded. "I want to see the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Otherwise, I can't rest easy."
"Alright. Aunt will escort you to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, but I won't enter. That Mountain Lord troubles me quite a bit."
"Okay, thank you, Aunt!"
...
And so, Lin Xingchu, with a wisp of her sword intent, escorted Lin Zhao through the wind to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, dropping him south of the pool mountain before returning to the Xiujian River. Lin Zhao then stepped onto the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
Returning to his homeland, things had changed.
The Snow Domain Heavenly Pool had been reduced to ruins. Only a dilapidated shrine on the mountainside remained standing, but it had no incense offerings. The Heavenly Pool Town on the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool had long since vanished into nothingness. Now, there was only the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool itself, with no buildings. The stone bridge of yesteryear, the former and latter streets, had all turned to dust in the great battle.
"It's gone..."
Lin Zhao slowly walked through the ruins, reaching the location where the Lin family ancestral home once stood. His heart was filled with a thousand emotions. Things had changed, and people were no more. The bitterness of the human world could be no greater than this. Sister Bai, Mister Qin, Chu Huaixi, Chen Yu, Huang Tingyu, Zhang Liucheng, Shao Shiyu—many familiar faces were likely lost forever.
Just then, the depths of the earth suddenly rumbled!
"Buzzzzzz~~~~"
The entire Snow Domain Heavenly Pool seemed to be undergoing a massive upheaval. Immediately, a colossal pillar of light erupted from the ground, shooting straight into the sky. As Lin Zhao watched in astonishment, the light pillar slowly contracted, finally condensing into an ancient sword wrapped in tattered cloth. The sword hung in the air, as if waiting for its master to arrive.
The Dragon Slaying Sword, reappeared!
Lin Zhao's heart was filled with shock. He had returned to this world as a player, and two entities had recognized him immediately: one was his aunt, Lin Xingchu, and the other was the Dragon Slaying Sword!
He walked forward and gently touched the Dragon Slaying Sword. Instantly, as if recognizing its master, all its radiance and majestic power vanished.
"Sister Bai, are you still here?"
Lin Zhao stroked the scabbard.
There was no response.
"How can it be here?"
Not far away, the landscape swirled, and a figure in white robes emerged. It was none other than Su Shan Jun, as handsome and dashing as ever. He smiled slightly, "A hundred years ago, you killed Bai Lan, the peak of the Thirteenth Realm, with a single sword. Did you think the backlash of the Heavenly Dao would be so easily endured? Furthermore, she struck that blow with only a wisp of her soul. A hundred years of slumber isn't enough for her to recover!"
"I know."
Lin Zhao habitually slung the sword behind his back, cupped his fists towards Su Shan Jun, and smiled, "Su Shan Jun, long time no see!"
"Hmph!"
Su Fu smiled, "Indeed, it has been a long time. A hundred years. I almost thought you wouldn't descend upon this world again."
"How could I not?"
Lin Zhao felt a touch of melancholy. "There are many people here I care about and cannot let go of... By the way, what is Sister Bai's current condition? I can't sense her presence anymore."
"Sleeping."
Su Fu said, "A hundred years ago, in order to kill Bai Lan, she exhausted all her strength. After all, she was a Thirteenth Realm cultivator who could contend with a Fourteenth Realm. That one sword strike even surpassed the Fifteenth Realm."
"Surpassed it?"
Lin Zhao was shocked. "No way?"
"Why not?"
Su Shan Jun glanced at him. "A hundred years ago, Xi Ge, as the God of War, used two sword strikes equivalent to the Fifteenth Realm to repel the Demon Ancestor and the Demon Emperor, both Fourteenth Realm cultivators, and only managed to wound them. But the sword strike you unleashed killed a peak Thirteenth Realm demon sword immortal who was comparable to a Fourteenth Realm. Repelling and killing are entirely different concepts. You don't understand the vast difference in power. To avenge your father's death, she almost sacrificed her entire Dao."
"Sister Bai..."
Lin Zhao frowned, then lightly touched the sword hilt. "I will heed your words and carry the Dragon Slaying Sword always."
Su Fu smiled indifferently.
"Su Shan Jun."
Lin Zhao looked at the handsome Mountain Lord. "You seem... to no longer be in the Upper Five Realms, hmm?"
"Yes."
Su Fu chuckled, "Now I'm a broken Eighth Realm mountain god with little incense. I'll accumulate it slowly."
"How did your realm drop?"
Lin Zhao narrowed his eyes and smiled, "To preserve a trace of Sister Chen Yu's essence?"
"You know everything?"
Su Shan Jun rolled his eyes. "Her name is not Chen Yu; her name is Lin Yue. She is my wife, understood?"
"Understood, understood."
Lin Zhao cupped his fists and apologized, smiling, "I apologize. I was too influenced by the young Lin Zhao before, which is why I liked Chen Yu. If it were to happen again, I definitely wouldn't."
"Then who do you plan to like?"
"I'd like the great demon Yu Zhi before liking her. I must give Su Shan Jun face."
"That's more like it."
Lin Zhao turned to look at the mountains. "Su Shan Jun, can you send me to the place with the most monsters? I want to die a few times, and then I should go back and level up..."
"Certainly."
...
At this moment, deep within the northern territories, among endless mountains of demons, in a majestic palace hall, a woman in a red dress lay languidly on a phoenix ivory bed. She slowly opened her eyes. She frowned; her heart had just skipped a beat for no reason. Was someone thinking of her?
Or perhaps, thinking of her head?
Yu Zhi, now a Thirteenth Realm cultivator, frowned and looked south. The battle a hundred years ago had not concluded. Was it continuing now? After all, if she were to move south again, she wouldn't encounter such a monstrous talent, would she?
Thinking this, Yu Zhi revealed a beautiful smile.
In terms of strategy, I am invincible in this world!