"Young hero..."
Xiang Ji frowned and said, "Didn't you look down on people like me before?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao admitted directly, "I used to look down on defeated generals who retreated without fighting, but you have learned from shame and have the courage to stay here and kill demons. You have a backbone. What reason do I have to look down on you? Xiang Ji, in the time to come, I will stay here and kill demons with you."
"Really?"
Xiang Ji was a little excited and said, "Although our Purple Thunder Legion has been wiped out, my command token for fifty thousand troops is still here, and I have hidden some supplies in the mountains. Young hero, if you can help kill demons, I will give you some rewards. After all, you are the only young person brave enough to come to the Snow Domain Celestial Pool to kill demons."
Lin Zhao's heart was overjoyed. Just as he was wishing for it, he found an NPC to accept quests from! Although Xiang Ji was a defeated general, he was still the commander of a fifty-thousand-strong legion. A thin camel is still bigger than a horse; he still held authority. It would definitely not be a loss to stick with him for a while.
The next moment, when Lin Zhao spoke to Xiang Ji again, a quest box directly popped up. There was only one quest, and he could only accept the next one after completing this one.
"Ding!"
System notification: You have accepted the quest [Kill Enemies I] (Rank A)!
Quest content: Head north of the Snow Domain Celestial Pool and defeat over 1000 demon units of level 75 or above. After completing the kills, return to Xiang Ji. You will receive generous rewards.
...
Here we go, time to grind!
Lin Zhao drew his sword and rode his horse down the mountain. This time, he truly had confidence. After descending, he saw demon soldiers respawning and roaming the plains and forests. The monsters near the Snow Domain Celestial Pool were basically level 75-78, perfectly matching the quest requirements. Lin Zhao also had experience grinding Liu Jin grade monsters. Before, with the Qinglu Sword, his attack power was insufficient, and his lifesteal efficiency was a bit poor, so he could only aggro a small number of monsters. But now, it was different. Holding the Liu Jin artifact, the Thunder Roar Sword, his attack power surged. He immediately aggroed over 50 demon soldiers and began to AOE them down!
"Little thief, die!"
A group of demon soldiers cursed him as they chased after him.
Lin Zhao turned around and plunged directly into the monster pack, raising the Thunder Roar Sword and instantly unleashing a cage of sword energy!
"Boom!"
Under the cage of sword energy, a barrier appeared in the forest, trapping a group of monsters. Dense sword energy surged like a tide, causing a large number of monsters to lose health. As Lin Zhao swung his sword wildly, the splash effect of his high attack power was quite astonishing, replenishing his health bar in an instant. The Thunder Roar Sword continued its chaotic dance, coupled with the occasional strike of the flying sword Ming Yue, the monster grinding efficiency was exceptionally fast.
Undoubtedly, at the Snow Domain Celestial Pool, Lin Zhao could properly level up. With Xiang Ji, an NPC waiting on standby, he could continuously accept quests. This place was simply a leveling paradise!
Around 4 PM, Lin Zhao returned to the mountainside of the Snow Domain Celestial Pool, covered in wind and frost. Xiang Ji stood there, resting his hands on his sword hilt, like a war god guarding the spot. In fact, Xiang Ji's demeanor bore some resemblance to Chu Huaixi, but... Xiang Ji's cultivation was a little lower, and his personal command ability and prestige were significantly inferior to Chu Huaixi's. After all, Chu Huaixi was once known as the number one general in the northern human race, making Xiang Ji seem inferior in comparison.
"Sir, I have completed the quest."
Lin Zhao directly submitted the quest.
Xiang Ji revealed a smile, "Thank you, young sword cultivator. This is your reward!"
"Ding!"
System notification: Congratulations on completing the quest [Kill Enemies I] (Rank A)! You have received rewards: Current level experience +20%, Gold Coins +100, Reputation Points +100!
...
A Rank A quest, such a reward is about right. At least the experience gain was quite substantial, and there were also 100 gold coins. This was also very important. In the game, making money is about accumulating little by little, and those who always think about getting rich from dropping a divine artifact are unlikely to become rich.
As a result, after submitting the quest, the next one immediately refreshed, and he accepted it on the spot.
"Ding!"
System notification: You have accepted the quest [Kill Enemies 2] (Rank S)!
Quest content: Head north of the Snow Domain Celestial Pool and defeat over 5000 demon units of level 75 or above. After completing the kills, return to Xiang Ji. You will receive generous rewards.
...
Upgraded to Rank S, it's still hard work, just keep grinding monsters. But for Lin Zhao, it doesn't matter. As long as it gives experience and charm points, nothing else is too important. Besides, grinding monsters in groups is already commonplace for a "monster" like Lin Zhao, and he grinds with great relish.
He kept grinding until 5:30 PM, and the quest progress was still a bit short.
"Beep!"
A message came from Chen Xue: "Log off for dinner."
"Coming!"
When Lin Zhao exited the game, he saw Roman also slowly getting up from the game pod. He immediately made a heart gesture to him. Lin Zhao rolled his eyes, ignored her, and turned to go downstairs with Ding Chi and Zhang Jun, linking arms with them for dinner. As they walked on the stairs, Ding Chi lowered his voice, "Roman seems quite interested in you. Why no reaction at all? If I were you, I'd be thinking about naming the baby in another month."
"What name?"
"Ding Man Chi."
"Good name, beautiful!" Lin Zhao said with a smile.
Ding Chi laughed heartily, feeling a little embarrassed. He was indeed a bit shameless, always coveting Roman, and feeling quite shy.
...
Wang Ju made a table full of delicious dishes. Little Juzai held a large bunch of chopsticks and distributed them one by one to everyone. The mother and daughter took good care of everyone's meals. Lin Zhao was already hungry and started shoveling food into his bowl. After finishing a bowl of rice, he was half full and got up to get more.
"Brother!"
Roman, sitting by the rice cooker, reached out and said, "I'll get you rice. If you don't let me, I'll get angry."
Lin Zhao handed her his bowl and glanced at Chen Xue, "What's wrong with her? Always getting angry?"
"Don't mind her."
Chen Xue smiled and said, "How are things going for you in the Snow Domain Celestial Pool? Is there any profit there?"
"Yes, there's plenty of profit."
Lin Zhao briefly recounted, "North of the Snow Domain Celestial Pool, there is a defeated general from a great merchant dynasty named Xiang Ji. His subordinates were all wiped out, and he stayed alone in the Snow Domain Celestial Pool to deal with the demon race. I can continuously receive quests from him, so my level will likely skyrocket during this period."
He glanced at Shen Xingchen, "Be careful, your level might be surpassed by me at any moment."
Shen Xingchen's lips curled up, "Go ahead and try. Are you afraid of me?"
"How are things going with the guild?"
Lin Zhao asked with a smile, "While I was away... were there any problems? I was focused on grinding monsters today and basically didn't open the guild chat channel, so I'm not too sure."
"No major issues."
Shen Xingchen said, "I've spoken with Wu Wang and people from Guanghan Palace, and we've reached a verbal agreement of non-aggression. Although it's not an alliance, our relationship is quite good. I also chatted with Xian Bai from the Seeking Immortals Guild, and he said that the Scarlet Moon Knights do not wish to be enemies with the Seeking Immortals Guild. So, guess what Xian Bai's attitude was?"
"What did he say?" Lin Zhao asked.
"He said..."
Shen Xingchen pursed her red lips and smiled, "As long as the Scarlet Moon Knights don't obstruct the Seeking Immortals Guild, he won't make a move against us. That's his promise. However, I think this promise is worthless."
"Indeed, it's worthless."
Lin Zhao smiled faintly, "What does it mean to obstruct the Seeking Immortals Guild? To put it bluntly, as long as Xian Bai wants to make a move, he can directly say that the existence of the Scarlet Moon Knights is obstructing the way. Then, he can manipulate us whenever he wants?"
"It doesn't matter."
Ding Chi frowned, "If the Seeking Immortals Guild wants to fight, let them fight. Who's afraid of whom? Our Scarlet Moon Knights have been fighting since their establishment and have never flinched."
"We can't be impulsive."
Shen Xingchen shook her head, "The Seeking Immortals Guild currently has a scale of 10,000 people, and Xian Bai has substantial financial support. He can afford to play this game. Our Scarlet Moon Knights currently have less than 2,000 people. We should try not to tear the face if we can avoid it. Let's lie low for now and develop slowly. At most, I'll have to humble myself more to Xian Bai."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao looked at Chen Xue, "It's your turn to speak."
Chen Xue smiled and said, "Starting this morning, our Scarlet Moon Knights have occupied a total of 4 wild maps. One of them has monsters of level 72-75, which I and Shen Xingchen are personally leading frontline players to grind. The other three maps are for monsters of level 68-72, 65-69, and 64-68 respectively, each with someone leading everyone to grind. After occupying these four maps, we haven't had any conflicts with other guilds, so you don't need to worry about the guild's development for now. You can focus on leveling up yourself."
"Okay."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded. With Shen Xingchen and Chen Xue in charge, he could indeed put his mind at ease and be a hands-off leader.
...
Nightfall, White Horse City.
Ningzhou's White Horse City is one of the most prosperous main cities in the northern three prefectures. In the center of the city is a towering marble statue of a white horse standing on its hind legs. The exterior of the statue is polished to a snow-white sheen. The white horse has always been the totem of Ningzhou. As a land of hardship, Ningzhou, like Yunzhou, has many warhorses, the most highly regarded being a breed of white horse from beyond the frontier, known for its extraordinary speed and stamina, called the 'thousand-mile horse'. Thus, since ancient times, the white horse has been the totem of the Ningzhou region.
Now, under the statue of White Horse City, two people meet.
One is the leader of Sheng Shi Mu Dan, Ghost King.
The other is the leader of the Han Ye Chang guild, who has established a presence in White Horse City, Chang Ye Yu Huo.
Chang Ye Yu Huo is a middle-aged player with a scar on his face, implying he was not someone to be trifled with in reality. He wears top-tier equipment, and a group of people from the Han Ye Chang guild follows him from a distance.
"What's the matter, Lord Ghost King?" Chang Ye Yu Huo narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Who is it that requires you, an elder, to personally come to White Horse City in such a grand manner?"
"A transaction."
Ghost King smiled slightly and said, "Mo Chen Xue, a traitor from our Sheng Shi Mu Dan, has established a presence in White Horse City. I hope Guild Leader Chang Ye Yu Huo can suppress her a bit, preferably making her and her group of friends unable to stay in White Horse City. However, this matter has nothing to do with our Sheng Shi Mu Dan; it's simply that Guild Leader Chang Ye Yu Huo finds them displeasing."
"Love turned to hate?"
Chang Ye Yu Huo laughed heartily. Seeing Ghost King's displeased expression, he said in a deep voice, "10 million universal currency, and I will make them disappear from White Horse City, and I will keep my mouth shut."
"Deal!"