"Don't blame me for not holding back!" Chen Guo declared, and with the activation of the Flying Thunder God Art, he materialized instantly behind City Lord Dugu.
With the Kingslayer in hand, he effortlessly pierced City Lord Dugu's heart.
Yet, he failed to kill him.
Struck by the attack, City Lord Dugu swiftly dissipated into a wisp of black smoke.
But there was no system prompt signaling a kill.
Dozens of seconds later, City Lord Dugu's form reassembled.
"See, I cannot be killed. I am cursed," City Lord Dugu proclaimed. "Unless the Fiend Demon is vanquished, I shall not perish."
Chen Guo pondered for a moment before asking, "Do you truly wish for death?"
"I am the lord of Doonatel, sworn to its protection, yet I have failed in my duty. Now, trapped here like a specter, existence is torture. Death would be my liberation!" City Lord Dugu confessed.
"How can I put an end to your life?" inquired Chen Guo.
"Destroy the Fiend Demon, and with that, you can kill me..." City Lord Dugu replied.
Just then, a system notification appeared.
"An advanced mission has been triggered. Would you like to accept?"
Chen Guo realized that City Lord Dugu was, in fact, an NPC capable of issuing missions. There was no need for drastic measures.
He naturally opted to accept the advanced mission.
Previously, Chen Guo was uncertain how to conclude the survival mission. Maybe it would complete automatically after seven days?
Besides, Chen Guo had only finished one adventure mission.
This adventure mission greatly enhanced Chen Guo's abilities and elevated his status from a trial challenger to an explorer.
Now, as an explorer, his true fighting capacity remained obscured, compelling Chen Guo to seek a new identity.
Perhaps this advanced mission would grant him that new identity, so he readily accepted.
"If it's within my power, I will eradicate the Fiend Demon. I may not be a disciple of Mao Mountain, but banishing demons is an unshirkable responsibility," Chen Guo declared with a noble air.
City Lord Dugu was ecstatic, exclaiming, "That's wonderful! Your power is astounding. You truly possess the might to vanquish the Fiend Demon!"
Chen Guo inquired, "Where can I find the Fiend Demon? And how can I defeat it?"
City Lord Dugu recounted, "Once, Doonatel was a haven of tranquility until the world shifted drastically, unleashing demons and devils. As the leader of the Black Armored Guard, my duty was to safeguard the city and its inhabitants, a task as precarious as walking on ice. Yet, we met an adversary beyond our might—the Fiend Demon!"
"This Fiend Demon, a malevolent entity born from the malignant qi of the cosmos, has brought Doonatel to its knees. The city's common folk have been converted into lesser Fiend Demons, now serving as its underlings."
"Even the mightiest among us have been corrupted by the Fiend Qi, transformed into monstrous beings, stripped of their self-awareness. My Mystic Armor Guards suffered this fate, possessed by the Fiend Demon, they became mindless creatures."
"I alone, with unmatched strength and resolve, have waged war against the Fiend Demon for years. I once believed my resilience was the key, but I now see it for the cruel curse it is."
"I am akin to a prisoner trapped in a cell, endlessly circling in place, never breaking free. Should you liberate me, my gratitude would know no bounds."
"If you're set on conquering the Fiend Demon, come with me!"
With that, City Lord Dugu turned and strode off, with Chen Guo promptly on his heels.
Armed with an astonishing combat strength of 99999 and a suite of Earth Level talents, Chen Guo's prowess was off the charts. At this juncture, he harbored no fear of danger.
Guided by City Lord Dugu, Chen Guo soon arrived at the base of an immense banyan tree.
Towering over twenty meters, with a robust root system and a dense canopy, the banyan dominated the entire backyard of the City Lord's Mansion.
The malignant aura of Doonatel clung to the tree's crown, so potent that even the mere presence of an ordinary person would result in contamination by the insidious qi.
The heart of the Fiend Demon's stronghold lies within this banyan tree, a mirage of its own making. However, with the Fiend Demon's numerous minions, defeating it on your own will be a formidable challenge," City Lord Dugu remarked, his gaze fixed on the towering banyan. "I recommend you gather more allies."
At that moment, Chen Guo received a system alert:
"Fiend Demon Domain discovered! This domain is a multiplayer instance, and you must assemble a team to enter."
A team is required for entry?
Chen Guo, accustomed to solitude, had no desire to team up. He was confident he could conquer the Fiend Demon Domain solo and proceeded toward the banyan tree alone.
Below, a blood-red portal beckoned. It seemed that passing through this portal would grant him access to the so-called Fiend Demon Domain.
"Insufficient number of entrants; access denied. A minimum of twenty team members is required to generate enough soul power to enter the instance…"
His attempt to enter was thwarted.
Upon seeing this, City Lord Dugu mused, "As a creature that survived the Fiend Demon's curse, I can enter. But as a living being, you'll need to expend soul power to do the same. Your inability to enter suggests your soul power is lacking; you must find others to join you."
Chen Guo sighed in resignation, "It seems I have no other choice."
He pondered the situation. With such stringent entry requirements, the monsters within would be formidable, and the rewards, correspondingly substantial. He couldn't possibly abandon the challenge.
He needed to recruit a team.
As long as they agreed on the distribution of loot beforehand, all would be well.
Chen Guo was determined to claim the lion's share of the spoils; after all, compared to the average trial challenger, he was akin to a high-level player in Beginner Village.
It was only fair that he secure a greater portion of the loot.
As for leaving the less desirable scraps to others, that was of little consequence to him.
Chen Guo had no intention of completely cornering the market on resources. He was willing to let go of those that held little significance for him.
Once he had made his decision, Chen Guo set out to assemble a temporary team of twenty people.
Previously, Chen Guo hadn't kept abreast of the evolving dynamics within Beginner Village 996, leaving him unaware of its current state. Upon closer inspection, he was astonished to discover that both the Bellowtalons and the Four Seas Gang had vanished.
All 1,500 remaining residents of Beginner Village 996 had joined a faction known as the Jade Void Temple, which was even recruiting members from outside, attracting many trial challengers from different villages to join their ranks. The Jade Void Temple was flourishing.
The key to their success, Chen Guo realized, was an unexpected twist—he had somehow become the leader of the Jade Void Temple. Under his name, the Temple had gathered a substantial following.
As the old saying goes, "A person's reputation casts a long shadow." In the entire East Asia region, Chen Guo's name was indeed the most illustrious.