“Huh!?”
Lin Zhao was slightly taken aback. The Lord of Tianchi Mountain? Speaking of which, he had amassed a force of over 1,800 people on Snow Domain Tianchi and planted his banner atop the mountain, so he could indeed be considered the master of Tianchi Mountain. The disheveled man before him looked sallow and emaciated, appearing to have traveled a great distance to reach this place. However, Lin Zhao felt no aura from the man, and even his name was “???”, indicating a person of great mystery.
“My name is Bai Yi.”
Lin Zhao frowned. “Currently, I am considered the master of Tianchi Mountain. Who are you?”
“This humble one is Tang Guangjun!”
The disheveled man quickly clasped his fists and smiled. “I live east of the Fusu Great Wall, in the Eastern Wu Kingdom. My hometown was recently in chaos, so I fled. Now, with nowhere to go, I have come to Snow Domain Tianchi, hoping to find some way to earn a living under the mountain master. I don’t need a salary, just a place to stay and food to eat. I wonder if the mountain master…”
Lin Zhao scrutinized him, thinking that this person’s origins were unknown, and he couldn’t rashly let him join the Snow Domain Legion’s cavalry. He asked, “What can you do?”
“I can do anything!”
The disheveled man drew a sword from his back. The blade was somewhat curved, and it looked quite clumsy. He swung it a few times forcefully and said, “I learned swordplay from a young age in my village, apprenticed to a sword cultivator of the Grandmaster level of the Four Realms. Unfortunately, my master never returned from a journey he took years ago. I heard he was killed by demon cultivators. I have been adrift for years, but I have never neglected my sword practice. Although I don’t have a Sword Lake or flying swords, I am now a sword cultivator of the Three Realms. If nothing else, I have strength. I can carry things for your lordship, or stand guard. Oh, and my lord, back home, I was a gatekeeper for the town for over ten years. I have a keen eye for people, discerning good from bad at a glance…”
“I understand.”
Lin Zhao nodded. “Tang Guangjun, I don’t have extra manpower to build you a residence at the moment. Can you build houses yourself? If you can, you can take whatever materials are piled up at Snow Domain Tianchi to build your own dwelling. From now on, you will guard the entrance to Snow Domain Tianchi from the south of the mountain, just as you said. If they are bad people, don’t let them into the town.”
“Yes, thank you, my lord!”
Tang Guangjun nodded repeatedly.
“Later, someone from our side will bring you rice, flour, oil, and salt. As for water, you can fetch it from the White Fish Stream yourself.”
“Okay, thank you, my lord!”
Tang Guangjun slung his long sword across his back and, not daring to delay, immediately scurried off to the supply pile on the mountain to carry stones and wood to build his house. Before joining the ancestral court of the military, Tang Guangjun had actually been a disciple of the Mohists for decades, studying under a Seven Realms cultivator of the Mohist school. While he didn't grasp the essence of Mohism, he was very familiar with the most basic mechanical structures, so building a house was not a problem.
…
Not long after, the disheveled man was seen carrying timber and stone, darting back and forth. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he had accumulated a pile of construction materials at the town entrance. He then began to survey the empty space, using his sword to level the ground bit by bit, then tamping it down with his palm. After that, he drove in stakes and erected beams. In less than half an hour, the basic structure of a small stone and wood house had taken shape.
Not far away, Lin Zhao sat on a blue rock, watching Tang Guangjun busy himself, as he had nothing else to do.
Xue Zhi, dressed in a long gown, knelt beside Lin Zhao, her beautiful eyes fixed on Tang Guangjun.
She furrowed her delicate brows and spoke to Lin Zhao with her mind. “He’s going to be a gatekeeper?”
“Mm.”
Lin Zhao nodded and said in his mind, “Can you discern the depth of this Tang Guangjun?”
“I can’t quite tell.”
Xue Zhi pursed her red lips. “I can’t see through his cultivation foundation. This can only mean two things: first, this Tang Guangjun is indeed just a Three Realms sword cultivator with brute strength. Although he lacks a Sword Lake and flying swords, his swordsmanship should be passable. The second possibility is more troublesome. If I can’t see through his foundation, it means his realm is higher than mine, and he is also a sword cultivator. In that case, this person can only be a Twelve Realms sword cultivator, or perhaps even a Thirteen Realms. However… a Thirteen Realms cultivator coming to Snow Domain Tianchi to be a gatekeeper is a bit… odd.”
“Indeed.”
Lin Zhao gazed at the busy disheveled man. “You and Mu Zha keep an eye on him.”
“Yes, my lord!”
…
Snow Domain Tianchi, the command tent.
Dong Zang slept soundly on the warm, soft bed behind the command tent. She hadn’t slept on such a comfortable bed in a long time. When she opened her eyes, Xue Zhi and Lin Zhao were both before her.
“How is it?”
Lin Zhao asked with a smile, “Do you want a bowl of chicken soup to warm yourself up?”
“Young master…”
Dong Zang’s pretty face turned red. “I am… a spirit now…”
“So what if you’re a spirit? Do spirits not eat?”
Lin Zhao waved his hand. “Chu Yu, bring Dong Zang a bowl of chicken soup.”
Chu Yu smiled, her dimples appearing. “Yes, my lord!”
Not long after, a bowl of chicken soup was placed before her. Dong Zang picked up the spoon and took small sips. When she looked up at Lin Zhao, Xue Zhi, and Mu Zha, she felt a little flustered, her pretty face blushing. “Why… why are you looking at me like that…”
“Mm-hmm.”
Lin Zhao smiled and turned to glare at Xue Zhi and Mu Zha, signaling them to stop staring. Then, he turned his face back to Dong Zang and said, “Thank you, Dong Zang. Without you… my Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow would have been completely lost. After all… this Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow also carries a piece of Mr. Qin’s heart…”
Back then, Lin Zhao had accompanied Qin Suihan on a journey along the river of time, catching fleeting glimpses of some scenes within the flowing temporal stream. Coupled with his own deductions, there was no reason for the old man at Ju Bao Fang to sell him this rather expensive Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow for a mere forty Qing Fu coins. Clearly, the old man had sold it based on Mr. Qin’s face. Therefore, this Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow was, in essence, a gift from his mentor, Mr. Qin Suihan.
Holding the Thousand Cavalry Rolling Snow, Lin Zhao’s heart was filled with mixed emotions. He missed his mentor dearly. When his mentor was alive, he knew nothing but was always protected by him. Now that his mentor had passed away, it seemed as though he was still subtly guiding him along his path.
“Young master…”
Dong Zang’s eyes welled up with tears. “You are the renowned Lin Bai Yi, while Dong Zang is merely a humble maid. Dong Zang feels at peace when she can do something for you, so you don’t need to feel sad for Dong Zang. In Dong Zang’s heart, even if she has become an apricot spirit, as long as she can see you again, she is content.”
“Mm.”
Lin Zhao nodded emphatically. “Xue Zhi, how much do you know about mountain and water spirits? What is Dong Zang’s current situation?”
“Well…”
Xue Zhi pursed her red lips. “Currently, Dong Zang’s life essence is still that apricot tree. As long as the apricot tree exists, Dong Zang exists. If the apricot tree is gone, Dong Zang’s soul will dissipate. Therefore, I have set up a sword formation around Dong Zang’s apricot tree to protect her at least somewhat. Moreover, Dong Zang cannot leave the apricot tree for too long. One or two days are fine, but any longer will cause severe loss of her soul power. So, she cannot stay here for too long and will soon have to return to the apricot tree to recuperate her soul power.”
“Is that so…”
Lin Zhao frowned. “Is there any way to help Dong Zang cultivate and become stronger? She is too weak in her current state.”
“This…”
Xue Zhi looked worried. “I’m not very sure either, as most of my energy is focused on sword refinement. My understanding of the spirit path is only superficial. My lord can wait until a suitable person appears to ask and then find a solution for Dong Zang.”
“Mm.”
Lin Zhao nodded. “During this period, you and Mu Zha must ensure Dong Zang’s safety.”
“Yes, I understand.”
…
Changle City.
In a palace next to the City Lord’s mansion, surrounded by birds and fragrant flowers, four players were seated with solemn expressions. Each of them had a very high level and was extremely powerful in combat. Among them were Su Xinghe, the leader of the Xinghe Guild; Yi Shi Cang Liang, the leader of the Cang Long Guild; Yan Yu Han, the leader of the Han Cheng Guild; and Jian Huang, the leader of the Lin Yuan Xian Yu Guild. All of them were among the ten beta testers and were now leaders of the top ten guilds in the national server.
“Let’s get straight to the point, no need to beat around the bush. Everyone is quite busy.”
Yi Shi Cang Liang placed his long sword horizontally on the table and frowned. “Alliance Leader Xinghe, please state your plan directly. If it’s feasible, we’ll participate. If not, then forget it.”
Yan Yu Han smiled and nodded. “Yes, it’s still the early stages of exploration. We all need to focus on leveling up.”
Jian Huang smiled without speaking. In Jian Huang’s mind, not speaking was better than speaking, and speaking less was better than speaking more. Silence was golden, especially at times like these. Silence made people feel that he was a man of depth and cultivation.
“Then I’ll speak plainly.”
Su Xinghe stood up, his exquisite equipment radiating a dazzling glow. He placed his fists on the stone desk, his eyes scanning the other three alliance leaders. “My intention is for our four major guilds to take the lead, gather the other small and medium-sized guilds, and those willing to participate will join. We will all register together, agree on a time to undertake the quests, undertake the quests at midnight, and set off before 1 AM. Based on my calculations, we will definitely reach the territory of Snow Domain Tianchi within four hours. Then, we can cross Snow Domain Tianchi and directly attack the forces of the two demon camps. Optimistically, we still have at least 18 hours to use. If we can eliminate the 400,000 demon soldiers in the two camps within 18 hours, plus kill some great demons above the Fifth Realm, then everyone will have the equipment and levels they need. More importantly, our four major guilds’ names will be recorded in the history of ‘Tian Xia,’ because we are the first to take the plunge.”
Yan Yu Han crossed his arms and smiled. “That’s fine. We’ve been in the game for so long; we should make a big splash. Otherwise, the top ten guilds in the Huaxia region would just be for show.”
Yi Shi Cang Liang curled his lips. “Ah… I remember when we were wandering around Tianchi Town. How carefree and happy it was. And my brother Lin Zhao… what a pity… he’s gone. I heard that the Bai Yi from the Scarlet Moon Knights is Lin Zhao. I don’t know if it’s true. Su Xinghe, aren’t you and Shen Xingchen senior and junior schoolmates? Shen Xingchen is now working under Bai Yi. You should know best, right?”
Su Xinghe’s face turned pale. Know what? After Shen Xingchen joined the Scarlet Moon Knights, he had become increasingly unresponsive to his inquiries.
He frowned. “Jian Huang, only you haven’t expressed your stance yet.”
Jian Huang opened his eyes. “Since we’re going to be the first to take the plunge, how can our Lin Yuan Xian Yu be absent?”
“Good!”
Su Xinghe said sternly, “Then have your people prepare as soon as possible. Tonight at midnight, everyone will teleport to Shanhaiguan to undertake the mission to enter the Northern Region. By 1 AM, everyone will be assembled, then we will cross the Fusu Great Wall and head to Snow Domain Tianchi. I have already contacted Fei Er, a well-known contracted reporter from ‘Tian Xia’ in the Huaxia region. She will write extensively to promote our four major guilds.”