"What do you mean?"
Behind Su Xinghe, a group of players from the Xinghe Guild drew their weapons in unison. Did this gatekeeper of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool have no eyes, or did he not want his head anymore? He dared to stop the number one person in the Huaxia District, was he tired of living?
"Oh..."
Seeing the lineup of everyone, Tang Guangjun couldn't help but laugh. He immediately retracted his arm and raised his right hand to draw his sword. The simple long sword, full of nicks, behind him shimmered with wisps of faint sword intent. He curled his lips and sneered, "I am merely doing my duty. Since you are unwilling to cooperate, do not blame me for being impolite..."
He let out a low shout, and dense sword energy surged from his body. He shouted, "I have a sword..."
"Tang Guangjun, hold on!"
Lin Zhao, standing on a small hill, frowned and said, "They are not bad people. There's no need to stop them. Let them pass."
"Yes, my lord!"
Tang Guangjun immediately lowered his hand and cupped his fist towards Lin Zhao with an extremely humble posture.
"..."
Su Xinghe frowned and looked up at the person on the hill. This was the first time Su Xinghe had seen Lin Zhao in the game's open beta. The man was clad in snow-white armor, with two swords on his back. One of them exuded the unique glow of a flowing gold artifact, while the other was wrapped in cloth, mysterious and unseen.
It was this person who had stubbornly defeated Shen Xingchen and abducted his beautiful junior schoolmate to the Scarlet Moon Knights. Su Xinghe had actually been holding a grudge, wishing he could challenge the person called "White Robe" to a duel. However, he was afraid that doing so would disgust Shen Xingchen, as it would seem too petty.
Sword Emperor raised an eyebrow, looked at Lin Zhao, and smiled, "Alliance Leader White Robe, thank you!"
"You're welcome."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded.
Yan Yu Han, carrying an iron spear and riding a warhorse, led a group of his subordinates into the town and also nodded and smiled at Lin Zhao. Lin Zhao returned the gesture with a nod.
Of the four alliance leaders, only Shi Shi Cang Liang held the reins and rode his horse slowly. He kept looking back at Lin Zhao, and memories in his mind gradually surfaced. However, he couldn't connect the rather handsome level 97 Sword Hero in front of him with the young man who used to fish and practice martial arts in the town. The difference was too great.
He was full of uncertainty, yet he couldn't help himself. He cupped his fist towards Lin Zhao and then sent a friend request.
"Ding!"
With a light sound, the two became friends. Shi Shi Cang Liang, who had already ridden far away, sent Lin Zhao a text message: "Brother White Robe, I wonder if you and Lin Baiyi of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool are..."
The other party replied almost instantly: "My real name is Lin Zhao."
"!!!!"
Shi Shi Cang Liang's heart trembled. He was too straightforward, with no concealment whatsoever. He had directly admitted to him that he was the young man practicing martial arts at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool!
But, what kind of existence was Lin Baiyi of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool? To put it bluntly, in the opening storyline of "Tian Xia" when it launched, if one had to choose a protagonist from a large cast of characters, he was undeniably the protagonist of the entire world in the background story. Therefore, perhaps some people would impersonate him for fame?
As he thought of this, Shi Shi Cang Liang felt he had to try. He smiled and said, "In the beta version, I had the chance to meet you once. I wonder if you still remember?"
Lin Zhao said, "The matter of the Flood Dragon Pearl?"
Shi Shi Cang Liang trembled all over: "Yes, you helped me obtain the Flood Dragon Pearl and complete the quest, ranking me in the top five of the beta testers. Also, do you remember me going to your ancestral home to find you the next day?"
"I remember."
Lin Zhao smiled and said, "Lu Xun opened the door. Lu Xun's temper is not very good. Fortunately, you didn't say much at the time, otherwise Lu Xun would have drawn his sword and attacked. A Sword Immortal of the fifth realm, with one strike, Alliance Leader Cang Liang would have been gone."
"Hahahaha~~~~"
At this moment, Shi Shi Cang Liang was truly convinced that the person in white was Lin Baiyi of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Few people knew about the matters he mentioned, likely only Lin Zhao, Xiao Shit Tou, and Lu Xun. Lu Xun was a proper NPC, Xiao Shit Tou was nowhere to be found, so who else could this young man in front of him be if not Lin Zhao? Originally, the matter of Chen Xue going to the Scarlet Moon Knights had always bothered Shi Shi Cang Liang. However, after confirming that the alliance leader of the Scarlet Moon Knights was Lin Zhao, the knot in Shi Shi Cang Liang's heart instantly vanished. If it was him, then it wouldn't be a big problem. Chen Xue wouldn't be wronged by assisting his brother Lin Zhao, so he didn't need to have any lingering concerns.
Shi Shi Cang Liang was greatly excited: "I never expected to meet you again. What exactly happened? How did you become an NPC in the beta version, and even accomplished such a great feat!"
Lin Zhao said, "It's a long story. To put it simply, I was injured and in a coma in reality. Experts proposed a treatment plan of brainwave stimulation in the game, and then I obtained a beta qualification. However, the situation was special, and I woke up in the game as an NPC. Then, all these things happened."
"So..."
Shi Shi Cang Liang smiled and said, "I understand! I'll treat you to drinks when I have time!"
"Alright!"
Lin Zhao smiled and said, "Alliance Leader Cang Liang, have a safe journey!"
"Mhmm!"
Watching Shi Shi Cang Liang and his group leave, Lin Zhao frowned. He had actually wanted to say "Alliance Leader Cang Liang, have a good journey." After all, this journey north, this group of people would likely never return. He turned to look. At this time, the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool was already swarming with players, forming a long dragon. Su Xinghe, Shi Shi Cang Liang, Yan Yu Han, and Jian Huang at the forefront had already descended North Mountain and were heading straight for Jiuzhangyuan.
More than 200,000 troops, who knew how many would return.
...
Half an hour later, the dense crowd of players had completely passed through the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool and entered the area north of Tianchi Mountain. Lin Zhao led Xu Zhi, Mu Gua, and others to a cliff on North Mountain. This was once a place where Shen Xingchen and Leng Yan loved to hang out. The cliff offered an excellent view, with wild flowers and grass beside it, and a magnificent snow-covered forest in the distance. Lin Zhao could vividly imagine the scene of Miss Leng sitting here, her long legs dangling in the wind.
"My lord."
Xu Zhi frowned and said, "What are they trying to do?"
"Northern Expedition,"
Lin Zhao smiled and said, "To destroy two of the demon race's camps."
"Ah?"
Mu Gua was stunned: "Isn't that too arrogant? Who are these people, to look down on the demon race so much?"
Xu Zhi narrowed her eyes and smiled, "I've heard some rumors from the martial world that these people are actually from another world, and each of them possesses a rebirth mark. Is that right?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded: "To be precise, I am also from another world."
"Ah?"
Xu Zhi's willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed: "Your Excellency means... the place where you underwent reincarnation was actually another world?"
"Mm, roughly that's the idea."
Lin Zhao smiled: "I also possess a rebirth mark. The demon race cannot kill me. So, in future major battles, you should protect yourselves first and don't worry about me. I will not die in this world."
"Oh..."
Xu Zhi pursed her red lips, but she still found it hard to believe.
"Xu Zhi."
Lin Zhao looked towards the direction of Panyun Mountain to the north and said, "The forces of the demon race's two camps have already stationed themselves in Panyun Mountain. How many great demon auras can you sense on Panyun Mountain?"
"Not a single one."
Xu Zhi's expression was solemn: "The demon race set up a restriction to isolate their auras when they stationed themselves in Panyun Mountain. My eleventh realm is definitely unable to detect it. However, I think there must be a reason why the demon race is doing this."
"Naturally, there is a reason."
Lin Zhao smiled: "Either the demon race doesn't want us to know how many demon race experts are hidden in the camps, or these two camps are just bluffing, and there are no upper fifth realm experts stationed there. They are just using the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool to distract the human race's attention. In fact, the demon race's ancestral mountain has other plans. Overall, the first possibility is more likely."
Xu Zhi nodded quickly. She loved listening to Lin Zhao analyze the situation so calmly.
Mu Gua frowned: "Are you so sure, my lord?"
Lin Zhao smiled: "Last time, Fu Sheng and Lu Hai suffered greatly at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Fu Sheng's cultivation was damaged, and Lu Hai even directly fell from the True Return realm. If I were the strategist of the demon race's ancestral mountain, I would also retreat to Panyun Mountain and adopt a defensive posture, waiting for the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool's forces to attack. At the same time, I would set up heavy troops on Panyun Mountain. As long as the ambush is successful, whether it's killing Aunt Lin Xingchu or Miss Lin Fusu Changcheng, it would be a great gain for the demon race. After all... there aren't many skilled fighters in the entire human world, and both Aunt and Miss Lin are among the best."
"I see..."
Mu Gua felt enlightened, his mind suddenly clear.
...
Six o'clock in the morning.
In the northern region, snow fell again. On Jiuzhangyuan, Su Xinghe, Shi Shi Cang Liang, Yan Yu Han, and Jian Huang stood beneath an old pine tree, looking north. The outline of Panyun Mountain was within sight.
"The progress is a bit slow."
Su Xinghe glanced at the time and said, "By rights, everyone should have entered Jiuzhangyuan by now."
"The line is too long, and the people behind can't walk fast."
Yan Yu Han frowned: "Shall we rest for a while on Jiuzhangyuan?"
Su Xinghe couldn't help but chuckle: "You don't actually think of this northern expedition as a military campaign, do you? We are players. As long as our stamina is above 100 points, we are in perfect condition. Time waits for no one. We are playing a lightning offensive this time, rushing over before the demon race's camps can react and engage them in a decisive battle, giving them a surprise from the heavens."
"Okay!"
Shi Shi Cang Liang and Jian Huang both nodded with smiles.
Su Xinghe turned to look north, narrowed his eyes, and smiled: "The demon race has dispatched approximately 100,000 troops from two camps to defend the snowy forest between Panyun Mountain and Jiuzhangyuan. This should be their vanguard. The remaining 300,000 demon race main forces should be on Panyun Mountain. Everyone, pass down the order: in ten minutes, we will launch a surprise attack on the two 50,000-man camps, wipe them out in one go, and then charge towards Panyun Mountain!"
"Good!"
Everyone nodded in unison.