Chapter 8

“Yun Feiyang, Brother Yun, as the leader of a major guild, isn’t it somewhat dishonorable to attack ordinary players like us?” White Sunflower, who had some camaraderie with Tuantuan Yuanyuan, couldn’t bear to see his friend standing awkwardly in the cold wind. He stepped forward and attempted to negotiate with Yun Feiyang.  

Yun Feiyang laughed loudly: “I was merely taking a stroll outside the city. Yet you all insisted on driving players away—twice—and even launched a sneak attack. Was I supposed to just stand there and wait to be killed?”

This was a way out. if White Sunflower had simply called it a misunderstanding, the tense situation might have been resolved.  

But Mist Veiling the Creek lifted her chin with an air of arrogance befitting a major guild: “If you had obediently gone back to the respawn point, you would’ve only died once. But now that you’ve killed Great River Eastward members, the consequences won’t be so simple.”  

White Sunflower’s expression turned utterly numb—If we could actually kill Yun Feiyang, would we still be here babysitting you?

Meanwhile, the onlookers around Xie Mengyun were fully immersed in the drama—some snapping screenshots, others recording videos, and a few even livestreaming the confrontation on the forums.

—《Shocking! Great River Eastward Guild Master’s Newbie Cousin vs. The leader of the Sanren Alliance, A Fierce Showdown is About to Start!》

The original poster gave a brief overview of the situation and thoughtfully included the coordinates, welcoming other players to come and watch.

White Sunflower sent a private message to Black Swan Knight: “…I really thought earning double guild contribution points this time would be easy T_T.”

Black Swan Knight’s expression had gone numb: “Next time, even if it’s triple the points, I’m not taking another job babysitting some spoiled young lady…”

Yun Feiyang, however, didn’t seem angry at all. Standing alone against the guild members of Great River Eastward, he lazily crossed his arms and smirked: “Well, I’ve already killed them. What are you going to do about it now?”

Mist Veiling the Creek’s face was as cold as frost. “Send people to camp the respawn point. Once we kill him, don’t let him escape—attack now!”

“…”

A few birds flew high overhead.

The Great River Eastward members stood frozen in place as if collectively hit by a pressure point technique. They exchanged uneasy glances, each seeing the same hesitation and internal struggle reflected in their comrades’ eyes.  

Life’s disappointments outnumber its joys nine to ten. Ignoring the order might mean future retaliation from the guild leader’s cousin, but obeying would be like willingly offering their heads to the executioner’s blade.

In a game, death is inevitable. It can be with dignity, like Mount Tai, or in utterly ridiculous ways. This largely depends on the wisdom and competence of one’s leaders—

“If you don’t attack now, I’ll tell my cousin!” Mist Veiling the Creek’s eyes welled up with furious tears as no one obeyed her.  

—and, of course, nepotism. T_T

Tuantuan Yuanyuan gritted his teeth, shut his eyes, stamped his foot, and drew his spear. The weapon’s tip flashed silver as he spun it through the air with practiced flourish: “Great River Eastward’s Tuantuan Yuanyuan seeks guidance from Guild Leader Yun!”

At this point, resistance was futile. No matter what excuses they concocted, this guild-newbie-who-got-in-through-her-cousin would ruthlessly demolish them all. Might as well go down fighting, maybe Yun Feiyang would even note his bravery and go easy on him. ==

White Sunflower, Black Swan Knight, and Pink Jelly reluctantly assumed combat stances, steeling themselves for a desperate fight against Yun Feiyang.

Among the four banner leaders from the Great River Eastward sent to lead the team, Tuantuan Yuanyuan was a disciple of the Six Harmonies School, specializing in spear techniques. Black Swan Knight and White Sunflower were both disciples of the Tianshan Sect, focusing on swordsmanship. Pink Jelly, a disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect, held the same rank as her three companions. Her yin-aligned internal energy granted her attacks a unique freezing effect that could temporarily paralyze opponents.

Yun Feiyang grinned, flashing his teeth.  

Black Swan Knight and the others, all from the same guild, had excellent teamwork and didn’t need any commands. The moment they saw Yun Feiyang’s hand reach for his saber hilt, they all flew forward at the same time.

Tuantuan Yuanyuan, wielding his long spear, charged straight down the center line, the weapon thrusting fiercely toward Yun Feiyang’s heart. Meanwhile, Black Swan Knight and White Sunflower flanked left and right, their blades aimed at their opponent’s vital points. As fellow disciples of the Tianshan Sect, the two often sparred together and now, executing the same sword technique in unison, their movements flowed with effortless grace.  

A bystander near Xie Mengyun, clearly familiar with the fighters’ skills, eagerly explained to his companion: “That’s Tuantuan Yuanyuan’s ultimate move—Silver Strikes! It boosts his speed by 10% during the thrust and hits like a truck. Black Swan Knight and White Sunflower are using the Tianshan Sect’s Towering Peak Swordplay: North Wind Night Roll!”

Twin arcs of sword light streaked toward Yun Feiyang’s sides like silver ribbons, just as Tuantuan Yuanyuan’s spear barreled toward his chest. With attacks sealing off three directions, Yun Feiyang remained as nonchalant as ever. Against the onslaught, he simply raised his saber in a horizontal guard.

Xie Mengjun also got swept up in the moment and started recording, while also using the all-knowing forum to quickly look up Yun Feiyang’s detailed information.

—Yun Feiyang is a disciple of the Huashan Sect, wielding the Heaven-grade saber “Great Xia Longque”. His signature technique, Zhengqi Blade, weaves saber afterimages into a dazzling silver curtain, a fearsome move that seamlessly merges offense and defense. Reliable sources confirm this ultimate technique is named “Pure Heart in a Frosted Vessel.”

Xie Mengyun had witnessed Yun Feiyang in action before, but his opponents then had been far too weak, his blade’s flash vanishing in an instant. This time, however, she could clearly see the saber’s radiance unfurl outward, tracing the arc of its edge as it transformed into a full, snow-white moon before its wielder.  

The crowd’s enthusiasm was fully ignited as they watched the high-level PK.

“Super badass~” 

“That ‘Pure Heart in a Frosted Vessel’ move is insane!”

“What tier is this saber technique?”

“Rumor says it’s seventh-tier.”

“Aaaah so cool! Hubby, I wanna learn this too!”

“Did you even pass Huashan Sect’s entry test?”

“……”

“You can’t learn a sect’s martial arts from a manual in this game”

“…Shut up =_=#”

The spear and two swords were simultaneously blocked, unable to advance even an inch. Tuantuan Yuanyuan, Black Swan Knight, and White Sunflower felt their qi and blood churn violently from the impact. When they tried to retreat, they discovered their weapons were entangled in their opponent’s saber light, instantly trapping them in a dilemma where neither advance nor retreat was possible.

Just as everyone thought Yun Feiyang had the upper hand, Pink Jelly, who had been a step slower than her three companions, swiftly drew her sword and joined the fight.

Xie Mengyun widened her eyes, yet found she couldn’t clearly discern the shape of Pink Jelly’s weapon at all. All she could see were faint glimmers of cold light reflecting where the blade should be, shimmering under the sunlight.  

Suddenly recalling something Sese Hong had once mentioned about the game’s mechanics, she quickly sent her a private message.  

Just as Pink Jelly thrust her sword into the luminous curtain, Sese Hong’s reply arrived simultaneously—  

 

【PM】 Sese Hong to you: “She must have completed the Snow Mountain Sect’s ‘Frost Jade Sword’ quest.”

 

This quest was available to every Snow Mountain Sect disciple, but not all had the skill to complete it, like Sese Hong, who, after three bloody failures, temporarily abandoned her attempt to obtain that Mystic-grade sword that boosted sect skills, deciding to try again at higher levels.

The Frost Jade Sword is a signature weapon of the Snow Mountain Sect, forged with a core of glacial ice. Its semi-transparent blade carries both Freeze and Blade-Shattering effects, making it an essential item for travel, murder, and sneak attacks.

Unlike Tuantuan Yuanyuan and the others whose attacks were completely deflected by the saber’s glow – like snowflakes dissolving into water without leaving a ripple – Pink Jelly’s strike only met brief resistance. The Blade-Shattering effect of her Frost Jade Sword activated, allowing her technique to pierce straight through that luminous defensive curtain.  

Yun Feiyang let out a low laugh “Finally, someone interesting.”

With a flick of his wrist, the luminous curtain before him shattered—one becoming two, two becoming three, three multiplying into four… Like moonlight scattered across rippling water, the fragments dissolved into countless shimmering waves, dazzlingly beautiful in their weightless, intricate dance.  

The onlookers, man or woman alike, stared transfixed without blinking. Xie Mengyun sighed softly, thinking that if this scene were posted on the forums, the Huashan Sect’s recruitment office would soon be overwhelmed by hordes of eager players.  

For Pink Jelly, Black Swan Knight, White Sunflower, and Tuantuan Yuanyuan—who witnessed this spectacle up close, there was nothing beautiful about it. All they felt was their entire bodies engulfed in a storm of whirling, leaping blade fragments, each strike precise and relentless. A moment’s carelessness meant another shallow wound, a cut on the arm, a gash on the thigh. Though none were fatal, the accumulated damage, like countless trickles merging into a vast ocean, swept them helplessly along, inching them ever closer to the respawn point.  

“Old Hei, looks like you’re dying twice today.”

“What kind of saber technique even is this—?!” 

“Yun Feiyang, you bastard, I won’t forget this!!”

The four of them had long been stationed in Luoyang City, and most players were familiar with their skill level. Now, witnessing these once-unreachable experts being utterly dominated by Yun Feiyang, without even a chance to fight back, the crowd’s admiration for the leader of the Sanren Alliance grew exponentially. Some had already quietly made up their minds to apply to join his guild after the show was over.

As for whether Guild Leader Yun actually managed his guild at all… that was another matter entirely.

Unlike most onlookers, Mist Veiling the Creek had initially only been mildly annoyed. Had her underlings obediently rushed in and swiftly chopped that arrogant bastard down to size, sending him straight to the respawn point, her irritation would’ve quickly dissipated. But now, despite Tuantuan Yuanyuan and Black Swan Knight actually engaging him, they’d been thoroughly schooled with humiliating ease. To make matters worse, the surrounding crowd only cheered louder for Yun Feiyang, laughing and even spontaneously chanting his name. Her face flushed crimson with rage, and she stomped her foot hard against the ground in frustration.  

Yun Feiyang’s saber had already ensnared the four in its lethal dance when he glimpsed Mist Veiling the Creek from the corner of his eye. With a scoff, the radiant aura around Great Xia Longque vanished. He kicked off the ground, his figure blurring as he closed the ten-meter gap between them in an instant, until barely two feet separated them. His arm extended casually, the saber’s tip piercing her heart with effortless precision.  

“Zhengqi Blade, Second Form: Returning Swallow Among Falling Blossoms.”

Mist Veiling the Creek had no time to react before her body dissolved into a streak of white light, vanishing mournfully toward the resurrection point. Of her four bodyguards, White Sunflower took two hesitant steps forward, then—after a pause—retreated to rejoin his companions.  

All four bore injuries, their expressions grim as they stood in silence, likely messaging their superiors. Moments later, they clasped their fists toward Yun Feiyang in salute, abandoning the fight entirely before quietly withdrawing from the herb fields with their remaining forces.  

Yun Feiyang, as if he’d anticipated this outcome, watched Great River Eastward’s retreat with an amused grin. Having no intention of pursuing total annihilation and noticing the swelling crowd, he shifted his shoulders slightly. Without any visible effort, his figure soared like a roc taking flight, vanishing into the distance with a few effortless leaps. Behind him, he left a crowd of spectators buzzing with exhilaration.  

 

【PM】Yun Feiyang to you: “Great River Eastward will probably come back soon. Let’s move to another grinding spot~”  

【PM】You to Yun Feiyang: “You saw me while you were fighting?”

【PM】Yun Feiyang to you: “Nope, just a guess.” 

【PM】Yun Feiyang to you: “When a handsome, chivalrous hero like me steps in, most people can’t resist sticking around to watch ^_^ “

【PM】 You to Yun Feiyang: ” …I’m switching grinding spots now.”

 

Xie Mengyun minimized the communicator and studied the markings on Wu Yue Shan Qing’s map before gradually making her way deeper into the herb fields.  

 

【PM】Wu Yue Shanqing to you: “At your current level, you might want to try grinding monkeys by Peach Blossom Creek.”

【PM】 You to Wu Yue Shanqing: “Got it. So you’ve already heard about what happened in the herb fields? ” 

【PM】Wu Yue Shanqing: “The forums are buzzing about it.”

【PM】Wu Yue Shanqing: “There’s a lot of duckweed around Peach Blossom Creek, could you gather some for me while you’re there?”  

【PM】You to Wu Yue Shanqing: “No problem 😊.”

 

When Wu Yue Shan Qing said the forums were “buzzing” about the incident, that was actually an understatement. To be precise, the discussions had gone completely wild…  

What’s more, the game’s developers had thoughtfully taken inspiration from an old-school online novel forum: here, players could post anonymously.