Chapter 31 – Tiangang Steps

The Everlasting Evening District was totally different from what Dugu Zhuo had initially imagined. He nonetheless had a deep impression of that first evening the place demons had run rampant and hunted down human beings, so he had thought that he could be attacked upon taking one step into the Everlasting Evening District. In that case, he might mix evasion and sword strategies to remove just a few of these silly gamers, and full the necessities for forming a sect.

Unexpectedly, the Everlasting Evening District appeared fairly peaceable. It was full of each number of ghosts every attempting their finest to get previous the system censorship, however except for being mentally overstimulating, it was calm. 

On that first evening, a part of the explanation why the demons and ghosts had massacred human gamers on the streets had been envy.

Everybody had began enjoying on the identical time, so how come they might get together it up within the daylight, providing incense and ingesting tea and watching lingzhis feed themselves to NPCs, whereas the ghosts and demons needed to be confined to a tiny darkish space to struggle one another over a handful of missions so they might exit and fake to be bosses?

Qingyue and Aotian’s good friend, Xiaoyao, had had it worse. A minimum of the ghosts and demons might transfer about throughout the darkish space, however Xiaoyao was caught being a tree, and even needed to watch different gamers take pleasure in themselves underneath his branches. He really personally witnessed a pair of gamers who had someway gotten emotions for one another throughout the sport and have been planning to idiot round underneath the large willow tree. Fortuitously, the sport’s censorship system stopped that from occurring, in any other case Xiaoyao would’ve gone loopy from rage.

Being suppressed tended to make folks go uncontrolled. The restrictions throughout the day have been too harsh, so at evening, the ghosts and demons went a little bit loopy. That was why that they had indiscriminately attacked human gamers, as a way to make them as depressing throughout the evening as they’d been throughout the day.

Now that the Everlasting Evening District and the Everlasting Day District have been opened, everybody had their very own territory and will acquire expertise freely, so the demons and ghosts calmed down so much.

Other than a participant like Xiaoyao, who was going after the title “Depraved Yao King”, only a few folks would proactively assault people.

Plus, who would see Dugu Zhuo as a participant?

When Dugu Zhuo was together with his get together, everybody else noticed the peculiar gamers accompanying him and thus guessed that he was a participant, however whereas he was alone, there was nonetheless a big risk he could be mistaken for an NPC.

The white-robed maiden additionally made this identical mistake, and, assuming that he issued some particular job, drifted over and requested, “Which sect are you from, immortal?”

Dugu Zhuo ignored her. He swept his gaze over the Everlasting Evening District, looking for some simply provoked gamers. It might be even higher if he bumped into the veiled get together once more. They have been outdated enemies, so certainly it could be justified for them to struggle once more.

The white-robed maiden nonetheless thought Dugu Zhuo was a particular NPC, although, and who knew how a lot hair the designers had misplaced over his mannequin. He needed to be an essential character, possibly even the principle storyline’s last boss!

As a way to activate the principle storyline, you needed to converse the proper key phrase or carry out the proper motion. For the reason that white-robed maiden had no concept what this NPC would reply to, she began attempting each dialog subject she might consider.

“I logged on immediately instantly after the upkeep, at 5 within the morning, and I noticed an NPC lady sweeping the streets who appeared sort of like Widow Yang from the tofu stand. Since she appeared so good, somebody took a screenshot of her and uploaded it.”

“The tea shack on the outskirts of city is overpriced.”

“Have you ever been to the most costly inn on the town? Us ghosts can cross by way of partitions, however we will’t enter that inn or Tanye Temple.”

“The outdated monk on the Tanye Temple therapeutic sales space has develop into a few younger monks. Somebody requested certainly one of their names and apparently it was ‘Chansan’[1].”

Dugu Zhuo clenched a fist, questioning whether or not verbal annoyance may very well be counted as provocation, and whether or not he might simply eliminate this ghost.

The mosaic’d participant close by had now returned to regular. He was a younger man with a pale face and a depressing countenance. He held his personal severed head in his fingers, whereas the wound on his neck was lined with black blood.

“You’re so annoying,” the beheaded boy mentioned to the white-robed maiden. “This NPC’s a saint for not having choked you to loss of life but. In the event you bothered the Tanye Temple monks this fashion, they might be like ‘Ho! Depraved being!’ and ship you proper again right here.”

“I’m attempting my luck by testing key phrases, duh,” the white-robed maiden mentioned. Her eyes all of a sudden brightened and she or he revealed an eerie smile. “Do you suppose I ought to strive phasing by way of his physique, or possessing him?”

The beheaded boy wiped on the black liquid dripping down from the corners of his eyes and mentioned, “You made enjoyable of me turning myself right into a mosaic to scare folks, however take a look at you! All you consider is a bunch of terrifying issues that simply look okay on the floor.”

“That’s simply the right strategy to play a ghost character.” The white-robed maiden drifted up into the air with a foreboding smile. “Right here I am going.”

Dugu Zhuo glanced at her. “This counts as self-defense, then.”

Dugu Zhuo wasn’t clear on what the system meant by “footwork”. He had assumed it meant one thing like wind driving or flying on artifacts, however after taking a visit with Ye Zhou, the system didn’t react in any means. Perhaps this was as a result of he hadn’t killed any gamers, or possibly he was misunderstanding.

Maybe footwork didn’t seek advice from motion strategies, however to…

Since somebody right here didn’t worth her life, he may as effectively use her to experiment on.

Dugu Zhuo circulated his religious essence. After reaching Basis Institution at stage 20, he might already stand within the air with religious essence alone. Because the maiden launched herself in the direction of him, attempting to cross by way of his physique, he leapt into the air. His steps moved in an advanced means, strolling over totally different positions in midair.

Other than motion strategies, there have been one other set of strategies which may very well be known as footwork. With them, a cultivator used heaven and earth as a chessboard, transferring by way of set positions upon the board. Every footstep was a pawn, and these pawns invoked the powers of the celebs. This was known as the Tiangang[2] Steps.

Opposing it, there was additionally a corresponding Disha Steps which invoked the facility of religious veins beneath the earth.

Each these two techniques of footwork had myriad variations, and the way a lot a cultivator might make use of the powers of heaven and earth would rely on their very own understanding.

For now, Dugu Zhuo couldn’t sense the religious veins of the Everlasting Evening District, and it wasn’t a spot with wealthy religious veins anyway, so he selected the Tiangang Steps as an alternative of the Disha Steps.

“Woah! He’s flying! Is he an NPC? He appears so…” One other demon participant remarked to at least one facet, as Dugu Zhuo took a number of steps in midair, every footstep forceful as if it was leaving a mark within the sky.

If this have been day, Dugu Zhuo might invoke the solar’s energy, and even when, together with his present energy, he might solely summon a tiny quantity of the solar’s true fireplace, it could nonetheless be adequate to incinerate these gamers.

There was no solar within the Everlasting Evening District, although, simply the moon and stars. Dugu Zhuo couldn’t command the facility of the celebs in a really advanced means together with his present energy, so he might solely use the moon and the seven stars of the Large Dipper. Thus, he selected the moon.

The moon within the Everlasting Evening District was at all times full, so its energy would at all times be on the most. The factors the place Dugu Zhuo’s ft had simply fallen shone with gentle, which led the moon within the sky to steadily brighten.

Dugu Zhuo pointed to the moon together with his left hand, whereas his proper hand drew the design of the Tiangang Steps beneath him with blinding pace. He clapped his fingers collectively. The moonlight grew to become overpowering, linking with the glowing factors underneath his ft and forming a mirrored picture of the complete moon.

“It’s the moon! That man’s stolen the moonlight!” The maiden, not sensing any hazard, clapped the beheaded boy a number of instances on the shoulder. “Fast, fast! What are you doing simply standing there? Take screenshots! File a video!”

Different folks within the Everlasting Evening District had additionally observed the commotion by now, and the vigilant ones had activated their screenshot or recording capabilities, however discovered that every one of them had been disabled at this second.

Even when somebody had taken a screenshot of Dugu Zhuo earlier due to his look, these screenshots had now vanished with no hint.

There have been no postings of images of Dugu Zhuo on any boards or chatting platforms, as if there have been some invisible drive which deleted the whole lot that contained Dugu Zhuo’s look, as a way to stop information of it from spreading past the sport.

Staring agape, the white-robed maiden watched Dugu Zhuo standing atop the reflection of the moon, which now approached her till it had trapped her and the beheaded boy, who was nonetheless messing together with his screenshotting perform.

The light and funky gentle of the moon illuminated them. Immediately, the 2 ghosts felt as if that they had gained a deeper understanding of the Moon Worship Chant, and realized how you can use the moon to strengthen their very own skills as effectively.

Feeling these sensations, they have been unwilling to keep away from the moon’s energy, solely wanting to wash on this lovely moonlight and by no means wake once more.

And certainly, the 2 gamers by no means awakened once more.

Dugu Zhuo didn’t have the facility to take care of this system for lengthy. Because the moonlight dissipated, so did the 2 ghosts’ varieties. Actual ghosts would’ve been eradicated, however these two gamers had simply died and misplaced some expertise and some gear objects, spirit stones, and silver items. They’d be advantageous in truth.

Moreover, ghosts who managed to outlive basking within the moon’s energy would have their cultivation pace dramatically improved sooner or later.

On the entire, that they had really gained from this encounter, so this may very well be thought-about merciful for Dugu Zhuo.

As anticipated, after the 2 gamers’ deaths, Dugu Zhuo acquired a notification from the system, telling him he might submit a footwork method, in addition to offering him a clean jade slip.

Dugu Zhuo circled and left the Everlasting Evening District. He wished to document the method and look ahead to the system’s approval along with Ye Zhou.

Very quickly after he left, the 2 ghosts resurrected on the spot. The white-robed maiden held the youth’s head up, so they might make eye contact simpler.

After that they had each stared at one another cluelessly for some time, the white-robed maiden requested, “Did we simply witness a god descend to earth?”

“Yeah, and he kicked our asses,” mentioned the beheaded boy.

“What stage are we?” the maiden mentioned.

“Nineteen,” mentioned the boy. “You mentioned the extent 20 occasion was too arduous, so that you wished to attend for another person to clear it first and publish a information.”

With eyes resolute, the maiden mentioned, “Search for a crew to problem the occasion instantly. Inside ten minutes, I wish to be standing within the daylight, and know the whole lot about this NPC!”

“You’ve learn too many tyrant novels,” mentioned the boy. “Neglect ten minutes. The occasion can solely be tried as soon as per day, and also you may not cross it as soon as in ten days!”

As they gathered their crew, Dugu Zhuo flew again to the restaurant.

It was virtually the sixth ke of Wushi, and Ye Zhou was presupposed to log out at 12, which was the fourth ke of Wushi. Dugu Zhuo didn’t know if Ye Zhou had waited for him, and at this level instantly began questioning about the price of what he had gained.

He reached their personal room on the second ground in just a few steps and was about to enter, when he noticed that Ye Zhou had ordered a tableful of meals and was at present gnawing on pig trotters together with his sleeves rolled again.

Seeing Dugu Zhuo had returned, Ye Zhou put down the pig trotter awkwardly, not figuring out the place to place his greasy fingers. “I’m simply having fun with the power to eat no matter I need in-game,” he mentioned, a bit embarrassed.

Dugu Zhuo at all times behaved very correctly and had eaten that roast rooster final time with propriety too, so Ye Zhou felt uncomfortable about being found scarfing down meals by him.

Nevertheless, Dugu Zhuo acted as if nothing was amiss and mentioned. “I used to be fearful you had logged off. What a aid.”

He sat in entrance of Ye Zhou and casually forged a cleaning spell. In a ripple of sunshine, the grease on Ye Zhou’s fingers vanished.

The grease on his face hadn’t been cleansed, nonetheless. Dugu Zhuo had a waiter ship a clear handkerchief, which he then used to rigorously wipe Ye Zhou’s mouth.

Ye Zhou: “…”

If he had a cleaning spell, why didn’t he cleanse Ye Zhou’s mouth as effectively, and demand on utilizing a handkerchief?

Ye Zhou as soon as once more felt like Dugu Zhuo was secretly pursuing him.

Nevertheless, Dugu Zhuo acted with utmost propriety and by no means got here into contact with Ye Zhou’s lips, even by way of the handkerchief. After wiping off the oil round his mouth, he put down the handkerchief and picked up some chopsticks. “What do you wish to eat? I’ll choose it out for you.”

Surreptitiously, he used the 5 Phases Swordplay to shroud his chopsticks in a faint sword aura, which cleanly sliced the meat off the bones of that pig trotter, turning all of the meat and pores and skin into completely bite-sized items.

Dugu Zhuo put the items into an empty dish and positioned it earlier than Ye Zhou.

Ye Zhou wished to say that pig trotter tasted the perfect once you gnawed on it, however seeing the perfectly-sliced meat, he blushed and muttered his thanks as an alternative.

“It’s about time so that you can depart. Have been you ready for me?” Dugu Zhuo appeared expectantly at him.

Really, he had wished to eat a bit extra… Swallowing down a mouthful of pig meat, Ye Zhou mentioned quietly, “That’s a part of it.”

Although Dugu Zhuo wished Ye Zhou to be with him within the sport always, he nonetheless mentioned, “You shouldn’t miss your noontime nap. Log out quickly. If you wish to eat, I can accompany you to eat this afternoon for 3 hours.”

“I don’t want that lengthy to eat.” Ye Zhou shortly scarfed down the sliced pig trotter within the dish. “Did you succeed?”

“After all,” Dugu Zhuo mentioned, trying detached, as if this was a matter hardly value mentioning.

“That’s nice!” Ye Zhou mentioned. “Have you ever submitted it but?”

“Not but,” Dugu Zhuo mentioned. “I had wished to attend with you for the outcomes.”

“However I’ll need to get off actually quickly.”

“Then I’ll wait so that you can come on-line tomorrow.”

Ye Zhou all of a sudden felt like he couldn’t stay inside Dugu Zhuo’s sight. A bit flustered, he stood up and mentioned, “I’m logging off to nap proper now. I’ll be on on the exact time this afternoon.”

After he was gone, Dugu Zhuo sat alone on the desk, gazing on the empty reverse seat.

He sat like that, gazing serenely, for an entire hour. Lastly, Dugu Zhuo known as over the waiter, ordering him to clear the totally chilly meals and make a brand new set of specialty dishes, to be delivered at Shenshi, or three within the afternoon. 

After the desk had been cleared, Dugu Zhuo opened a window subsequent to him. He rested an arm on the windowsill, his sleeve fluttering in a lightweight breeze.

If a participant exterior merely appeared up, they might be capable to see Dugu Zhuo’s uncommonly good-looking face, staring fixedly at another person. 

Who knew what individual was sitting reverse him, deserving of such a deep gaze from this man.

In the meantime, Ye Zhou had returned to the true world, however all he might take into consideration was Dugu Zhuo. After consuming lunch with out enthusiasm, he woodenly let somebody set him on his mattress in preparation for his afternoon nap.

He thought that he hadn’t identified Dugu Zhuo for lengthy sufficient, but additionally he couldn’t determine what sort of individual Dugu Zhuo was in actual life.

Talking of which, to start out secretly pursuing him from the second they met… then once more, possibly he was simply misinterpreting. If Dugu Zhuo handled everybody he met this fashion, wasn’t he too flippant?

Besides, Dugu Zhuo didn’t deal with different folks the identical means. Qingyue appeared so fairly after leveling up, however Dugu Zhuo hadn’t proven any response. As for Jet Black and Aotian… really, overlook about them. One didn’t take a human type a lot and had develop into a monk, whereas the opposite was too skimpy in the direction of his look and hadn’t added a single attractiveness level even at stage 20. 

Was there a risk? A notion appeared in Ye Zhou’s thoughts. It was a sport anyway, so… possibly…

His gaze fell on his legs. There was no sensation in them, and regardless of folks massaging them each day, they continued to atrophy and appeared abnormally skinny.

Ye Zhou closed his eyes. There wasn’t any risk.

1. yeah which means zen three 

2. in daoist custom there are 108 stars related to the large dipper, 36 天罡 tiangang stars and 72 地煞 disha stars. these have been featured as heroes in chinese language literary traditional Water Margin