Chapter 17 – Cheng Huang Temple

The group wasn’t in a rush to do their process, as a substitute hiding behind a constructing to look at the veiled gamers purchase tofu.

“Human, yao, and spirit gamers wouldn’t be dressing like that throughout the day, so they have to both be particular NPCs, demons, or ghosts,” Qingyue stated confidently.

“How come?” Black Cat requested.

“Video video games are about seems to be,” Qingyue stated. “What sort of participant would put on that getup, except they couldn’t present their face?”

“Video video games are about seems to be?” Black Cat stated, arching his again in shock. “What do you play, dress-up gacha video games?”

Qingyue pinched her face, then gave Dugu Zhuo an envious look. “Wasn’t I tricked into enjoying by this recreation’s max stage enticing characters in VR? After spending a lot cash on a helmet, I came upon this silly recreation truly makes use of your regular look lowered to 80%. I’ve been placing my attribute factors each level-up on my look, so now I lastly look okay.”

There have been six attributes in 9 Heavens, power, well being, spirit, agility, attractiveness, and can. With every stage up, every attribute would mechanically improve by one, plus the sport would give gamers six attribute factors, which they might use to regulate their attributes how they wished.

As soon as attribute factors had been allotted, they couldn’t be modified. For the reason that recreation was new proper now, nobody was certain how greatest to allocate their attributes, so for the primary few ranges, they might solely spend them blindly.

For instance, Aotian had calculatedly spent his factors on agility, well being, and spirit, Black Cat had picked agility and spirit, following the yao race’s affinities, whereas Ye Zhou had picked will and spirit.

You didn’t usually see a participant who spent all their first factors on look like Qingyue.

“Assuming Dugu Zhuo’s conjecture was right, Qingyue’s level isn’t unreasonable,” Ye Zhou stated. “If these folks actually are ghost or demon gamers, and took some form of process with a view to seem within the daytime city, how come they’re lining as much as purchase tofu identical to us?”

Ye Zhou emphasised ‘purchase tofu’. SInce Widow Yang was a part of the primary questline, why would just a few gamers who may solely come to the daytime city on a process particularly need to see her?

It was an excessive amount of of a coincidence. Ye Zhou and Dugu Zhuo shared a look.

“I recall you as soon as stated the PC recreation had PVP restrictions in sure maps, in order that gamers couldn’t assault one another in populated areas like this one,” Dugu Zhuo stated to Ye Zhou.

“That’s proper,” Ye Zhou stated, “however within the VR version, they modified it in order that gamers stage 20 or decrease can combat with out restrictions. You’d solely be restricted above stage 20. Proper now although, the very best stage is… 18? That’s quick! Seems to be like we’ll be seeing the primary embodied spirit quickly.”

Naturally, the extent 18 participant was the lingzhi from earlier. The highest ten ranks on the leaderboard had been all spirit gamers, and no non-spirits had been greater than stage 15.

Dugu Zhuo didn’t actually care whether or not some gamers leveled up exceedingly quick. He stated, “Since we are able to combat beneath stage 20, let’s give it a attempt.”

That they had a celebration of 5, and their opponents occurred to even be 5 folks, so they’d an equal matchup.

Aotian held Dugu Zhuo again. “Maintain on, even if you happen to’re certain that they’re gamers, what’s the purpose? I do know you’re suspecting that they’re additionally on the primary questline, however that’s fairly regular. Everybody does duties collectively, and whoever’s quickest will get to be first. As an alternative of confirming their identities, we’d as properly hurry up and discover the fortune teller.”

Dugu Zhuo shook his head. “I simply have a suspicion. It wouldn’t harm to attempt.”

Unable to persuade Dugu Zhuo, Aotian stated, “In that case, why don’t we break up up? Whoever needs to can keep right here and examine that group, whereas the remaining can do the duties with me.”

It was a great resolution. Qingyue and Ye Zhou determined to remain and trigger bother with Dugu Zhuo, whereas Black Cat selected to finish duties with Aotian.

Black Cat was a traditional participant, so he wished to be the primary to finish the questline. Ye Zhou wished that too, however he was extra apprehensive about his disciple, so determined to remain and again him up. Qingyue’s considering was very simple, alternatively. She simply wished to see what these gamers regarded like underneath their hats.

For the reason that celebration chief needed to full the duties, Ye Zhou transferred management to Aotian and the 5 went their separate methods.

After they had acquired their process from Widow Yang, different gamers had been unable to see their interplay. Of their eyes, their dialog had merely been about shopping for tofu, as the sport firm had positioned a filter on them with a view to preserve the storyline secret.

In the identical manner, the veiled group gave the impression to be usually shopping for tofu to Dugu Zhuo and his celebration, in order that they couldn’t discover something suspicious.

After the group mysteriously purchased their tofu, they shared just a few glances and despatched just a few personal messages, then left the stand.

They didn’t appear to know the place to go subsequent, and after choosing a random course, began questioning the primary NPC they met.

In a abandoned alleyway, Ye Zhou quietly drew his weapon.

His sword was highly effective, so Ye Zhou was assured he may destroy their garments in a single hit and reveal their true appearances.

Nevertheless, Dugu Zhuo held his hand down.

Ye Zhou gave Dugu Zhuo a confused look. Dugu Zhuo had prompt this assault, and now the time was ripe, but he was stopping Ye Zhou from performing.

“I need to see the place their mission aim is,” Dugu Zhuo stated to Ye Zhou in a non-public message.

Ye Zhou accepted his rationalization, and the three adopted the veiled crew as they wandered by means of Zhulong City. After some time, they heard a system notification. “You’ve agreed to roast the proper beggar’s rooster for the fortune teller. The beggar boss on the outskirts of city makes essentially the most genuine beggar’s rooster.”

It appeared like Aotian and Black Cat had already discovered the fortune teller and acquired the subsequent process.

Every hyperlink of the hunt chain led to a different, making it fairly a trouble. With a view to acquire one factor, they needed to full duties for a number of folks.

Nevertheless, for every accomplished process, the gamers acquired a little bit of expertise, and the primary questline’s quest rewards had been good in comparison with preventing monsters or finishing cases.

In the meantime, the veiled crew had requested half the city’s NPCs earlier than lastly arriving at a temple within the north aspect of city.

“It’s Cheng Huang Temple,” Ye Zhou stated. “Yesterday, I spoke to each NPC on the town that had dialogue, however there weren’t any duties referring to this temple. There additionally aren’t many individuals within the space, so I suppose human gamers can’t get duties referring to Cheng Huang Temple.”

For the reason that different crew had come right here, the likelihood they had been demons or ghosts was now even greater.

“In the event that they’re additionally doing the primary questline, how come it’s utterly totally different from ours?” Qingyue requested.

Ye Zhou thought for a bit. “Assuming that that ghost I met was a participant, we had been finishing the identical mission underneath totally different roles. Possibly the primary questline they’re making an attempt to finish is totally totally different from ours?”

“What do you imply?” stated Qingyue.

“The duty we acquired from the Tanye Temple was to assist the Qingtian Sect take within the Xuan Sword’s wielder. Possibly their process is to have another sect take the child away, or kill him?”

“However in that case, the primary storyline would have two outcomes, so how would the sport’s plot proceed?” Qingyue stated doubtfully.

They each checked out Dugu Zhuo. Over these two days, Dugu Zhuo had displayed spectacular perception and been spot-on in all his conjectures, so maybe he would have some concepts about this too.

Dugu Zhuo didn’t reply, simply trying like he was deep in thought and knew one thing else about the primary storyline.

“It’s exhausting to say now,” Dugu Zhuo stated. “I’m going to seek out out extra data.”

“How?” Qingyue requested.

Dugu Zhuo rearranged his garments, making himself look much more distinguished. He smiled at Ye Zhou. “Don’t I look very very like an NPC?”

A light-weight breeze stirred Dugu Zhuo’s lengthy hair. Ye Zhou, his coronary heart thumping wildly, was unable to reply in time. As an alternative, Qingyue answered, “You look uncannily so!”

“Then let me give my NPC act a shot,” Dugu Zhuo stated.

Earlier than the veiled crew entered Cheng Huang Temple, Dugu Zhuo hopped over the wall into the courtyard.

A temple normally had a most important and aspect entrance, so Dugu Zhuo was accustomed to the best way Cheng Huang Temple was constructed. He discovered the again door to the primary corridor and slipped inside.

Cheng Huang Temple wasn’t as vigorous as Tanye Temple, with just one particular person sweeping the primary corridor. It was a bit like Tanye Temple at nighttime.

There was an enormous sealed gate within the again courtyard, making Dugu Zhuo consider how Aotian and Qingyue had stated their pal was caught behind a big gate throughout the day.

Seeing the opposite crew was now hesitating exterior the temple corridor, Dugu Zhuo thrust out a palm and slammed the primary doorways shut.

The attendant who was sweeping the ground was startled and regarded towards Dugu Zhuo. “Younger hero, outsiders could not enter the primary corridor.”

The NPCs within the recreation all referred to human gamers as “younger hero”. “I’m not a younger hero,” Dugu Zhuo stated.

The attendant froze for a second. Looking at Dugu Zhuo, he gave the impression to be confused about his personal notion. After a protracted whereas, he lastly stated, “Lord Cheng Huang presides over this place. Outsiders could not enter.”

Pondering again to how intently this storyline resembled his personal life, Dugu Zhuo launched a few of his sword aura and stated, “This one is Dugu Zhuo, the Xuan Sword’s wielder.”

“The Xuan Sword’s wielder? This…” The NPC was utterly incoherent, apparently not realizing how he ought to establish this man earlier than him. He threw down his broom, holding his head and seeming to be in ache.

Dugu Zhuo had came upon whereas interacting with the previous monk that his presence appeared to have the ability to name over folks from his personal world and affect the NPCs of this world.

He assumed that this attendant was necessary within the demons and ghosts finishing the primary questline, so he was curious what would come of him revealing his identification earlier than this NPC.

“No, it will possibly’t be Dugu Zhuo, Xiao Bao is simply ten, Dugu Zhuo shouldn’t be…” the NPC babbled.

“This city is split between night time and day because of the torch dragon’s curse. The Tanye Temple needs for the Qingtian Sect to remove the longer term Xuan Sword wielder. What do you folks need?” Dugu Zhuo requested.

As if he had heard some type of key phrase, the attendant’s habits improved barely. He stared blankly at Dugu Zhuo. “The Xuan Sword’s wielder is supposed to be taken by the Qingtian Sect. We solely wished the longer term Xuan Sword wielder to be extra suited to the depraved qi of the 9 Wishes Abyss.”

“How?” Dugu Zhuo stated, gripping the attendant’s shoulder.

“I’m unsure.” The attendant shook his head. “In any case, proper now we should make the Xuan Sword wielder’s mom die an unkind loss of life in hatred and resentment.”