Morning.
In the studio, everyone was drinking spicy soup and eating fried dough sticks and sesame cakes.
"Drip!"
Suddenly, a line of notification text appeared above Chen Xue's phone—
"Ding!"
System Announcement: Congratulations to player [Zheng Du] for challenging the [Tower of Realms] and successfully obtaining the realm: [Golden Core Realm]!
...
"Oh wow~~~"
Ding Chi looked up and asked in surprise, "Su Xinghe is an eight-realm Sword Cultivator now?"
"Mhm."
Chen Xue nodded. "It is said that Su Xinghe has been collecting all sorts of top-tier equipment recently, especially life-steal attributes. He's almost maxed out, so his sustainability in endless mode is very strong. And Su Xinghe himself... to be honest, when he wants to delve into something, he becomes extremely focused. Breaking through to the eighth realm isn't surprising."
Lin Zhao nodded in agreement. As the saying goes, a strong reputation is not without substance. Su Xinghe is hailed as the quasi-King of the China server, and his strength is undoubtedly top-notch. Even if someone could challenge Su Xinghe's absolute authority at this stage, his own strength is beyond doubt.
Shen Xingchen took a deep breath and said, "It seems I should also consider entering the Tower of Realms again and aim for the legendary Golden Core Realm."
"Yes, the eighth realm is a watershed."
Lin Zhao looked at everyone and said, "The minimum requirement for everyone in our Scarlet Moon Knights studio is the eighth realm. There's no time limit, but you all must reach the eighth realm. Otherwise, it would be unacceptable."
Luo Man pursed her lips and smiled, "Got it, Brother!"
Mo Chenxue asked, "Brother, are there any new abilities at the eighth realm?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao nodded and smiled. "Once players enter the eighth realm, they gain the ability to fly. Sword cultivators rely on flying swords. I've been flying on my sword for over half a month. Other professions should rely on flying artifacts. Refine a magical artifact and turn it into a flying artifact, and then you can also fly with it. In short, everyone work hard, and in the future, everyone will be in the Golden Core Realm."
"Mhm!"
Everyone nodded with smiles, each with their own aspirations in their hearts.
...
In the game, Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
A figure descended from the sky, stepping on a flying sword. It was Su Xinghe. At the mountaintop villa, Zhi Zhi held her sword hilt and looked into the distance, frowning. Someone dared to trespass into the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool again, showing no regard for the rules? Was the Sword-Untying Stone on the mountainside a mere decoration? But she hesitated, not striking down the human sword cultivator. After all, that sword cultivator's figure often appeared in the Nine Zhang Plain area and was uncompromising when it came to killing demons.
Moreover, those people, like Lin Zhao, came from another world, and some respect had to be given.
"Done!"
Su Xinghe was full of joy. With a gentle flick of his sleeve, the flying sword beneath his feet lay horizontally before his chest. This flying sword was bestowed by his master, Cao Ying. It was a heavenly-grade flying sword embryo, just a step away from becoming a divine sword. It also had many additional attributes and did not conflict with the Illusion Armor system. Thus, Su Xinghe's current combat power had greatly increased.
"I'll go to Ji Zi Forest."
Su Xinghe raised his eyebrows and said, "To have a showdown with Ding Chunqiu and his gang."
"Huh?"
Vice-Alliance Leader Yun Mi Wu Suo
...
Panyang Mountain, Demon Clan Barracks.
Shi Jun Gang, clad in a black long dress, stood veiled on a peak of Panyang Mountain, gazing towards the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Beside her stood Yu Zhi, a great demon in a fiery red long dress.
"Wu Yu is dead."
Shi Jun Gang frowned. "The scholars of the Confucian Academy are truly meddlesome. That Gu Lingyu is the grand-disciple of Gu Zixi, who died in battle at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool back then. It is said that the person he most admired was the Confucian Sage Qin Suihan, who shared the same scholarly lineage. Now Gu Lingyu has become the head of that academy on the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, aiming to be another Qin Suihan?"
"Based on him?"
Yu Zhi couldn't help but laugh. "Sister Shi, you're thinking too much. Qin Suihan is a fourteenth-realm Confucian Sage with imperial decree. Even demoted, he's still a Confucian Sage. Gu Lingyu is just a twelfth-realm scholar. His combat power is probably not much stronger than Gu Zixi back then. He's just meddlesome; he's not on the same level as Qin Suihan."
"Alas..."
Shi Jun Gang sighed softly. "Wu Yu thought he could obtain the pure jade body of the woman on the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool without anyone knowing. Who would have thought it would lead to his own demise? Those scholars are truly ruthless when they kill. Facing a beautiful woman like Wu Yu, how could they bear to do it so cruelly?"
"Scholars."
Yu Zhi's lips curved into a smile. "Behind their vast knowledge, there is a belly full of propriety and righteousness. Especially scholars like Qin Suihan, Gu Zixi, and Gu Lingyu, they have long seen through superficial appearances. Do you think they can truly appreciate the beauty of demon women? Impossible. These scholars look at the heart. In Gu Lingyu's eyes, Wu Yu might have been extremely ugly and unbearable. He probably felt he was being kind by not adding another palm strike, lest his hands feel disgusted."
"..."
Shi Jun Gang was speechless and looked towards the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool again.
"Sister Shi."
Yu Zhi smiled slightly. "Do you also desire the body of that woman named Wang Yue? If you want it... I have a way to help you possess her."
"Ah?"
Shi Jun Gang was horrified. "How can I possess her?"
"Hmph~~~"
Yu Zhi revealed a beautiful smile. "After Wu Yu's covetousness was discovered, with Lin Zhao's personality, he will definitely forbid Wang Yue from leaving the mountaintop villa and protect her to the greatest extent. Lin Zhao feels he bears the responsibility for the mountaintop villa and should take care of everyone. Since that's the case, I will precisely prevent him from succeeding, making him bear guilt for his entire life. Hmph, by helping Sister Shi, I can also disrupt Lin Zhao's Dao heart. Two birds with one stone."
Shi Jun Gang pursed her red lips. "Yu Zhi... I have repeatedly failed at Panyang Mountain and the Nine Zhang Plain, deeply disappointing the Demon Ancestor and my master. Why do you still help me?"
"Not at all."
Yu Zhi smiled. "Sister Shi has done her best. That's Lin Zhao, the renowned general who planned the overall strategy and brought about the defeat of the four northern tribes. It's not shameful to suffer a loss at Lin Zhao's hands."
"..."
Shi Jun Gang had no words.
Yu Zhi's eyes looked towards the mountaintop villa, but her mind harbored different thoughts. In truth, she now felt immense hatred for the woman beside her. The Demon Clan's ancestral mountain had spent a vast amount of manpower and resources, only to produce such a useless individual? If not for Shi Jun Gang's greed and cruelty, Yu Zhi would have paid her no mind. As for helping her possess someone, it was merely incidental. Being able to break Lin Zhao's Dao heart and make Lin Zhao suffer was something Yu Zhi naturally relished.
"How exactly do we do it?" Shi Jun Gang asked softly.
"Enter dreams, seize the heart."
Yu Zhi smiled faintly. "Sister Shi can wait to possess a rare pure jade body."
"Mhm!"
Shi Jun Gang's face was full of smiles.
...
Ji Zi Forest.
Three players from "All Villains" were secretly hiding behind the bushes. Ahead was a leveling spot for White Emperor City players. In an instant, the three attacked, killing a mage almost immediately. Then, after their sword energy clashed with a nomad and the nomad was also instantly killed, the remaining sword cultivator was no longer a threat. They went forward and killed him with a few more strikes!
The ones killed were all players from the Xinghe Guild. They quickly reported their PK location in the guild channel.
In less than ten seconds, just as the three "All Villains" players retreated into Ji Zi Forest, a figure descended from the sky. With a fierce "Heaven and Earth Cast" and a flying sword attack, one person was instantly killed. Then, a sword energy cage descended from the sky, and "Broken Sword Style" swept across the remaining two. Quickly repositioning and dodging, when the three were in a line, Su Xinghe's "Sword Departure Style" instantly killed the remaining two.
He didn't even glance at the potions and equipment that dropped. He looked up, and several blood-red dots appeared on the mini-map, indicating enemy players.
"Gulp!"
After taking a bottle of Qi Replenishing Powder, Su Xinghe lowered his sword blade, stood on his flying sword, and crouched down, waiting for the enemy's next wave of attacks. Today, Su Xinghe had no intention of leaving. He wanted to break the confidence of "All Villains" and make them behave themselves.
However, a scene that Su Xinghe had not expected appeared. Suddenly, three zombies rushed out from the jungle. One of them was even a powerful green zombie, comparable to a mid-fifth-realm cultivator. He hurriedly twisted to avoid the green zombie's pounce. With a flash of his blade, sword energy fell into the grass ahead, forcing out an "All Villains" Templar Knight. Then, the flying sword attacked, combined with "Sweeping Thousand Armies" + "Heaven and Earth Cast," instantly reducing him to critical health.
But, just as Su Xinghe was about to finish him off, three more people rushed out from the forest. One of them was Ding Chunqiu. Unlike before, these people were carrying eerie coffins on their backs. They were now true coffin bearers!
"Bang!"
The sword energy of a sword master's clash rigidly held Su Xinghe in place. Despite his summoning of Illusion Armor and flying sword, Ding Chunqiu and the others attacked one after another. As their long swords advanced, the coffins also slammed repeatedly onto Su Xinghe's forehead. The coffin attacks even had a chance to stun him. Instantly, Su Xinghe, the Golden Core Sword Cultivator, was stunned and surrounded, unable to move. In a blink of an eye, he was defeated by Ding Chunqiu's sword.
"Hahahaha~~~"
Ding Chunqiu suddenly kicked over Su Xinghe's corpse and laughed, "Just an eighth-realm Sword Cultivator, what are you pretending to be? Did you really think you were invincible? Today we kill you, Su Xinghe. Next time, we'll go kill Lin Zhao. I'd like to ask the players of the China server, who else dares to look down on us 'All Villains'?!"
The crowd roared with laughter, their morale soaring!
...
Late at night, mountaintop villa.
Wang Yue practiced her punches until her body was exhausted before returning to her room to sleep.
In a blink, she fell into a dream.
In the dream, she stood by a small river. This river was the one in front of her family's ancestral home, the place where she grew up. Children often played by the river. Now, in the middle of the river, two figures seemed to be walking away side by side. The figures were very familiar.
"Daddy, Mommy..."
Wang Yue's eyes immediately welled up with tears. As she watched, the two figures disappeared into the mist. Then, ripples appeared in the river. From the ripples, a head rose from the water, followed by a woman slowly emerging from the water. She wore a black long dress and a veil. Her face seemed to have been cut to pieces. Although it was stitched up, it was not attractive.
Looking at Wang Yue, she revealed a smile, indescribably strange.