Lin Xinru may have withstood the onslaught of sword qi, but she ultimately fell dead on the spot.
"Wang Lang..." Lin Xinru whispered with her final breath, "As the snow blankets the mountains, whose shadow will I follow..."
And with that, she breathed her last.
"You have slain the Level 11 Rare Elite Lin Xinru and earned 15,000 Slaughter Points!"
"You have advanced to Level 12!"
"You have acquired the Phoenix Head Hairpin!"
"Phoenix Head Hairpin: Tier 4 Equipment. Equipping it boosts your Spirit by 30 points. When attacking, there's a chance to invoke the power of the five notes!"
"You have obtained an Orange Treasure Chest Fragment!"
"You have secured the True Martial Order!"
"True Martial Order: The secret edict of the True Martial Emperor, also revered as the Nine Heavens Demon Slayer. Renowned for his love of combat, wielding the True Martial Order allows you to declare an unyielding war upon an individual or faction. Should you emerge victorious, you will earn the favor of the True Martial Emperor!"
"You have received the Pomegranate Skirt!"
"Pomegranate Skirt: Tier 4 Equipment. Increases charm by 10% when worn!"
"You have gained the Jade Lady Qin!"
"Jade Lady Qin: Tier 5 Weapon. Delivers attacks ranging from 100 to 250 points. Amplifies the power of the five notes and significantly enhances the art of music when attacking!"
Chen Guo's loot was substantial, including three pieces of equipment, one of which was a Tier 5 weapon. The catch? All the gear was designed for women!
Was he really expected to don a pomegranate skirt and top it off with a phoenix head hairpin?
Dressing in women's attire was out of the question for him. He'd never do it in this lifetime. The only option was to stash the gear away for now and wait for the chance to merge them with a Horadric Cube later on.
The Orange Treasure Chest Fragment was a familiar and valuable find, no further explanation needed.
But what truly piqued Chen Guo's interest was the True Martial Order. The ability to declare an all-out war on individuals or factions was intriguing!
This item was undeniably potent. In the future, should he encounter someone or a group he disliked, he could invoke the True Martial Order to wage war and utterly annihilate them.
"The bounty is impressive, but the task remains—I must search the body. My apologies, Miss Lin Xinru."
With that thought, Chen Guo set about searching Lin Xinru's body. The taboo of physical contact between men and women didn't apply to the deceased, after all. A quick search should be harmless enough.
"Ding! Copy initiated. You've successfully duplicated Lin Xinru's skill, the Secret Arts of Spring, and her talent, Painting!"
"Secret Arts of Spring: A coveted professional skill from the Glow Building, highly praised by patrons!"
"Painting: Immerse yourself into an ancient painting, which can be ignited in an instant. You can transport along with the painting, which will absorb any attacks on your behalf. Cooldown time: 5 minutes."
The talent of Painting was a gem, but the Secret Arts of Spring left Chen Guo with mixed feelings. He wasn't a courtesan, so what use did he have for such a skill?
Regrettably, once copied, the skill was his to keep, unforgettable. Chen Guo consoled himself with the thought that he could one day share everything with his girlfriend, enhancing their life together.
At that moment, having soloed the Glow Building, Chen Guo had ascended to Level 12. Leveling up was a breeze for him.
Chen Guo's stats had improved yet again —
Name: Chen Guo
Identity: Explorer
Level: 12 - ???
Strength: 503
Agility: 498
Endurance: 456
Spirit: 547
Charm: 310
Heart Sutra: Celestial Spell (incomplete)
Cultivation: 100 years.
Talents: Heaven Level Omnipresent Duplication, Universe Level Flying Thunder God Art, Universe Level Electromagnetic Dominator, Universe Level Charm Human...
Skills: Playing Dead, Spirit Gourd Curse, Concealment Art, Secret Sect Giant Palm, Dao's Singular Sword, Mount Mao Body Technique, Yellow Turban Warrior Art, Heavenly Master's Talismans, Heavenly Demon Whip Technique, Myriad Spirit Gu...
Combat Power: 6411
Rating: Rising Star!
Reviewing his stats, Chen Guo felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He had reached this milestone through sheer personal effort, without relying on any external forces, a true testament to the saying that hard work pays off.
He, Chen Guo, was nothing without his efforts!
Next, Chen Guo collected Lin Xinru's body into his gourd, preparing for its refinement. Having resolved to be ruthless, he was determined to see it through to the end.
Just then, a system announcement materialized before Chen Guo:
"Lee Fala, the Sect Master of the Tiger Claw Gang from Beginner Village 10,733, has invoked the Nether River Order to declare war on Beginner Village 996!"
"Beginner Villages #10733 and #996 have temporarily merged in time and space!"
"Battle rules: Both villages will engage in a fight to the death. The winner will claim 20% of the loser's resources, while the loser will suffer a permanent reduction of 200 points across all attributes!"
"Surrender is an option, but it comes at the cost of half your resources!"
"Let the bloodshed begin! Fight! Engage in slaughter! The great ancestor from the primordial world, the Underworld River, watches over you!"
When this announcement was made, the entire Sector was in shock.
"War can actually be declared? My God, that's brutal! Beginner Village #10733 has the Tiger Claw Gang; they're far stronger than #996. It's the end for Beginner Village #996 this time!"
"They're doomed. With a 20% resource loss and a 200-point attribute reduction, a defeat would mean total annihilation for Beginner Village #996. Two thousand people will be wiped out!"
"But Beginner Village #996 has Boss Guangcheng, the strongest fighter among the villages. He's reached Level 12 with a combat power of 6411!"
"Still, it's futile. Their overall strength is too weak, and not even Boss Guangcheng can turn the tide. Plus, I have a hunch that the Tiger Claw Gang is gunning for Guangcheng. Lee Fala, the gang's leader, has been a thorn in his side, especially when Guangcheng was making purchases!"
"Beginner Village #996 is done for. It's the end of the line!"
On the Sector Channel, not a single soul was optimistic about Beginner Village #996's chances. They all believed it was a lost cause.
Each Beginner Village had exactly 2,500 inhabitants, but that didn't mean their strengths were comparable.
Different villages were assigned various trial challengers at random.
Some villages were populated mostly by ordinary citizens who had never seen bloodshed, making them inherently weaker.
On the other hand, some villages were outrageously strong, filled with either active-duty soldiers or retired special forces, even mercenaries still active in combat zones. These villages formed militarized units with frightening efficiency, naturally overpowering the other villages in terms of average strength.
Take the Beginner Village 996, for instance, which is predominantly inhabited by regular townsfolk. Among them, there's only a single special forces operative and one professional MMA fighter, leaving the village sorely lacking in combat experience and consequently, its development has been lackluster.
Furthermore, Chen Guo's rapid advancement and his monopoly on the lion's share of resources have inadvertently hampered the village's progress even more. At present, Chen Guo stands at the forefront of Beginner Village 996, having reached level 12.
In contrast, the second-tier residents, including Wang Shaoyun and his peers, have only managed to reach an average of level 9.
On the other side of the spectrum is Beginner Village 10733, infamous for its rough-and-tumble inhabitants. A third of its population consists of gang affiliates, another third comprises street thugs, and the remaining third are either athletes or ex-special forces. This eclectic mix has propelled their development at an astonishing pace, with the Tiger Claw Gang alone boasting several members above level 10.
Pitting these two Beginner Villages against each other in combat, it's clear that Beginner Village 996 stands little chance of victory.