Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 522 Jianghu Hunting Order

Xiao Jie stopped at the village entrance and did not rush off.

Gazing at the familiar outline of the village behind him, his heart was filled with a thousand conflicting emotions. This departure might be irreversible. Though the villagers were merely virtual "NPCs," they had shared a long time together, and some bond had formed. If the system used this to blackmail him, he could suppress his anger, but the thought of watching familiar faces die because of him would be unbearable.

Out of sight, out of mind. But where should I go now?
Xiao Jie had already thought about this issue.

His life in the village over the past ten years or so has not been just about lying around and doing nothing.

Not only did he diligently practice martial arts, replicating three or four tenths of his skills, but he also kept thinking about the mechanism and underlying logic of this trial.

Why can one gain the third eye and become an immortal by living a life without speaking?

If it can be accomplished, there must be some reason behind it.

And this principle is inevitably closely related to everything he has to go through.

My life in the Land of Illusion must follow some kind of rule or philosophy; it is not truly an ordinary life like that of an average person.

The appearance of this group of bandits today proves this point.

At this moment, Xiao Jie had a vague idea of ​​the challenges he would face in the future, but whether they would be as he thought required more data and information to make a judgment.

But there's one thing Xiao Jie is very confident about: as long as it's still a game, he'll be able to master it and beat it.

At this moment, Xiao Jie was weighing three paths forward:

One option is to retreat to the wilderness and live a solitary life. Find a remote, secluded mountain forest, completely cut off from the disturbances of the world. This method can minimize the influence of "people," allowing for peace and tranquility. Without the entanglements of interpersonal relationships, the only remaining concern is survival. One can focus wholeheartedly on survival without distractions.

Secondly, seek a master and ascend to the pinnacle. Find a renowned sect or a reclusive master and immerse yourself in the martial arts of this world. If you can cultivate internal energy, master the essence of this world's martial arts, and combine it with your own understanding and memory of the martial arts, becoming a peerless master will not be difficult. At that time, what fear will there be of the system's obstacles?

If one could learn demonic arts and replicate one's own powerful demonic techniques, one could roam the world freely.

Thirdly, hide in the bustling city and deal with whatever comes your way. Directly immerse yourself in the vibrant metropolis and conceal yourself amidst the noise and chaos. As the saying goes, "When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it." Since the system will inevitably arrange calamities for you, it's better to take the initiative with preparation than to be ambushed by the system.

After much deliberation, Xiao Jie remained hesitant and unable to make a decision. Wilderness survival seemed simple, but this world was rife with demons and monsters. If he were to be harmed by demons instead of by human intervention, wouldn't that be even more unjust?

With his martial arts skills, he could easily defeat a few bandits and outlaws, but if he encountered a powerful demon, he would probably just be a sitting duck.

Seeking a master to learn a skill is the best option, but unfortunately, I am unable to speak, so whether I can get through to the master is uncertain.

After careful consideration, it seemed the only option was to first explore a nearby major city, gather intelligence, and then make a decision.

Regardless of the choice you make, the system will inevitably try every means to force you to comply, and avoidance is not a long-term solution. It's better to face the challenge head-on and remain steadfast in the face of change.

He wanted to see what tricks this system could pull.

With his mind made up, Xiao Jie finally stepped onto the dusty official road.

As he traveled, he paid extra attention to gathering information about this world. The information he had obtained from the village was only superficial, due to its remote location and lack of communication. Now, by being observant along the way, he learned many details about this world.

The more Xiao Jie learned, the more astonished he became—this was clearly the "Nine Provinces World" he knew! The difference was that this was the end of the Longhua Empire three or four thousand years ago, and the Nine Provinces were still ruled by the Dragon Emperor.

However, this world is far larger and more real than the game's setting. Its vast territory resembles a real planet, with towns and villages scattered like stars in the sky and a population as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. It is far from the game map where you can reach the end of the world in just a few days.
It took Xiao Jie three full days to walk out of the valley where the village was located, and another seven days to walk along the way, asking around and inquiring, before he finally learned the general information about this world.

On this day, the outline of a town came into view in the distance. Xiao Jie walked into the town gate with trepidation. He had nothing when he left the village except for a few loose coins and a steel knife. He had already spent most of his money on the journey. His most urgent task now was to find a way to earn some money to make a living.

Arriving at a notice board in the city, he saw a bustling crowd, so densely packed that it was impossible to move. Someone was loudly reading the notice aloud. Xiao Jie squeezed closer, his gaze sweeping over the wanted posters displayed on the wall:
[Wanted: The Shadow Swordsman, the Drunken Sword Immortal, has committed countless murders and atrocities, wreaking havoc on the martial arts world for years. The Heroes' Guild hereby issues a hefty reward, life or death, for the capture of the Drunken Sword Immortal. A reward of three thousand taels of silver will be given.]

Attached to it is a portrait with rough brushstrokes and blurred features.

The Drunken Sword Immortal? How could he appear in this illusion? Xiao Jie's mind raced, and he became increasingly certain that his guess was correct.

He had long suspected this anomaly—it must be the work of the system, incorporating images of familiar faces into this illusory realm to confuse his memories and blur the lines between illusion and reality. He could remain silent in the face of strangers, but if he were to meet old friends again and they asked him questions, could he truly control himself?
This must be the systematic approach.

Thinking of this, Xiao Jie suddenly felt like laughing, but unfortunately, the system had overlooked one thing: these "old acquaintances" were all characters from the game, and their names were also their in-game titles. Their appearance in this world not only failed to deceive Xiao Jie, but instead acted as a striking label, allowing him to more clearly distinguish between illusion and reality!
The resurfacing of the names of his deceased teammates only strengthens his resolve to keep quiet.

Just as Xiao Jie was about to turn and leave, he suddenly heard someone in the crowd exclaim in surprise, a finger pointing directly at him:

"Look! It's the Drunken Sword Immortal!"

Xiao Jie was taken aback, thinking, "What a coincidence!" He turned his head and saw a burly man in tight-fitting clothes leaning on a long spear pointing at him excitedly.

Xiao Jie was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized—damn it, this bastard was referring to himself.

Xiao Jie cursed inwardly: What kind of eyesight do you have!

He opened his mouth, but could not make any sense of it—he was completely unable to speak!
The onlookers all turned to look at Xiao Jie.

"Hmm, it does look somewhat similar."

"Hey kid, are you the Drunken Sword Immortal?"

"If he doesn't speak, he must be feeling guilty!" "Quickly, report to the authorities!"

"Why report to the authorities? Just kill him and claim the reward!"

Seeing the crowd making a great commotion, and many of them dressed as martial arts practitioners brandishing their ice blades.

Xiao Jie immediately felt a sense of foreboding—damn it, this damn system, can't handle this? Does it have to be so blatant in digging a hole for us?

The portrait was incredibly abstract. Apart from both having a nose and two eyes, he and the Drunken Sword Immortal were practically identical, even using the same weapon, a sword. How could he possibly get cheated out of this? It was clearly the system playing tricks on him.
Xiao Jie didn't dare hesitate and turned to leave. If he were caught by the officials, he would be unable to speak and would have no way to explain himself.

"Look, everyone! This person has escaped! We were right! This person is none other than the great thief, the Drunken Sword Immortal!"

"Quick, quick! Don't let him get away!"

Xiao Jie inwardly groaned, then pushed off with his feet, his figure shooting into the alley like an arrow. Shouts and footsteps followed closely behind; several martial arts men in tight-fitting clothes and wielding weapons clearly saw him as an opportunity to make a name for himself. He deliberately chose to navigate narrow, winding alleys, using clothes drying in the sun and piles of debris to obstruct his pursuers.

A furious shout came from behind: "Sword Immortal, stop right there!"

"Don't run! Leave your heads and claim your reward!"

Xiao Jie paid no heed, only feeling the wind whistling past his ears and sweat soaking his back. He suddenly flung open a half-closed back door and rolled into a darker alley, temporarily escaping the pursuit, but the footsteps of his pursuers still echoed like maggots in the alley.

Damn it! This system's really gone all out! Xiao Jie thought to himself with a vengeance. He'd just rushed out of the alley when he bumped into someone, seemingly a helper who'd heard the commotion, who blocked his way with a sword. A fierce glint flashed in Xiao Jie's eyes, and his killing intent surged—since he'd been forced into this situation, he might as well go all out! He swung his long sword down with a swift, unadorned motion!

puff!

The man didn't even have time to draw his sword before blood spurted from his neck, and he collapsed to the ground without uttering a sound.

So bad? No, it's because I'm too good.

Xiao Jie steeled his resolve. Since he was already a desperate fugitive, he saw a merchant leading a horse standing there in shock. He slashed the man down with a backhand stroke, grabbed the reins, leaped onto the horse's back, spurred it on, and galloped off towards the wilderness outside the city...

As the sun set, both men and horses grew weary. Looking at the desolate wilderness and rolling forests around them, Xiao Jie reined in his horse and sighed deeply. "Well, this place is no longer safe. Let's find somewhere else to lay low."

However, through this experience, he gained a better understanding of the mechanics of the Illusionary Realm and even acquired a horse, so his trip wasn't entirely in vain.

Hunger gripped his stomach, and Xiao Jie dismounted, tying the horse to a tree. He scanned the bushes with sharp eyes. Soon, two plump pheasants came into view, pecking at grass seeds.

Xiao Jie held his breath, his wrist flicked, and two throwing knives were already caught between his fingers. He slightly raised his arm, and with a sudden jerk of his wrist! Two soft "whoosh" sounds rang out, almost inaudible as they sliced ​​through the air. The two pheasants fell to the ground, their skulls precisely shattered before they could even struggle. He walked over and picked up his prey, its weight substantial in his hand.
This skill with hidden weapons was something he had practiced diligently every day for over a decade. It was a replica of the technique of the Meteor Chasing Soul Dart from his memory. Without the support of internal energy, it would probably be difficult to deal with experts, but it would be quite good for hunting rabbits and pheasants.

Finding a clear stream, Xiao Jie deftly plucked and cleaned the two pheasants, gutting them. He looked around and picked a few large, emerald-green, fragrant wild lotus leaves, and dug up some damp yellow mud.

He wrapped the pheasant, lightly coated with coarse salt, tightly in lotus leaves to prevent any juices from seeping out. Then, Xiao Jie skillfully spread moist yellow mud evenly over the lotus leaf wrappings, forming two thick mud balls. He chose a flat, dry spot by the stream, dug a shallow pit, buried the mud balls, and lit a campfire on top. The flames crackled, and he occasionally turned the firewood, controlling the heat. The dampness of the mud slowly dried, and the delicate fragrance of lotus leaves mixed with the oily aroma of the chicken began to waft out.

Half an hour later, estimating that the fire was almost done, Xiao Jie cleared away the fire and ashes and carefully pulled out the two hardened mud balls.

He gently tapped open the scalding mud shell with the back of his knife, peeling back the lotus leaves that had turned brown. Instantly, a burst of steam, a blend of the delicate fragrance of lotus leaves and the rich aroma of meat, rose up! The chicken inside was golden brown, with crispy skin and tender meat, glistening with oil. Xiao Jie, ignoring the heat, tore off a chicken leg, blew on it, and eagerly began to devour it, feeling as if the fatigue of the past few days had dissipated somewhat.

This master-level cooking skill was definitely worth practicing. Although everything in the Illusionary Realm is just like reality, and it's no longer as easy to make food as in the game, once you get started, the next step will automatically appear in your mind, and making food is quite easy.

Just as he was enjoying his meal, the tranquility of the wilderness was suddenly shattered by a soft yet abrupt splash. Xiao Jie instantly became alert, his muscles tensing, and he abruptly looked up in the direction of the sound. Upstream, a figure was slowly wading towards them. The person was dressed in coarse cloth, wearing a worn-out straw hat that almost completely obscured their face. A large, yellow water gourd was carried on an inconspicuous wooden stick over their shoulder. Their steps appeared slow, yet exuded an indescribable steadiness.

Xiao Jie chuckled inwardly, thinking, "Well, here comes another problem."

Let me guess, was it a reclusive master who asked me to become his apprentice, or—

"It smells so good! Young man, I'm hungry, could you share some chicken with me?" The old man in the straw hat stood by the stream, sniffing greedily, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy eyes.

Xiao Jie's alarm bells rang, but since the other party hadn't shown any hostility yet, he couldn't just turn on them directly. He silently tore off a shiny, oily chicken leg, flicked his wrist, and tossed it precisely to the old man. The old man chuckled, his withered hand casually catching it, unfazed by the heat, and immediately started eating, his mouth dripping with oil, making smacking noises.

"Delicious, delicious! Give me some more!" The old man licked his fingers and asked for more without any hesitation.

Xiao Jie frowned slightly, then simply tossed the remaining half of the chicken over. The old man beamed, ready to devour it—

“Dead, dead, dead…”

The rapid, dense sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, breaking the tranquility of the mountains and fields like a sudden rainstorm! Xiao Jie suddenly stood up and saw that a dozen or so martial arts figures had already arrived on horseback amidst the flying dust. They quickly dispersed, their swords drawn, their cold light gleaming, completely blocking the way in front and behind the stream.

Xiao Jie's heart sank, and he sighed inwardly. Without hesitation, he picked up the steel knife beside him and held it horizontally in front of him.

It seems that today we have no choice but to fight our way out! Fortunately, after the morning's actual combat, he has become more adept at using the sword. He can even barely execute a few of the exquisite moves in the Illusionary Annihilation Sword Technique, but the lack of internal energy to activate them greatly reduces their power.

Dealing with a dozen or so ordinary martial arts practitioners shouldn't be a problem.

This old man is hard to fathom; he seems to have the air of a reclusive master. I don't know if he's friend or foe.

However, he was fairly certain of one thing: the purpose of these people's appearance was to force him to speak.

Sure enough, the old man gnawing on a chicken leg spoke slowly the next second: "Boy, I see no evil or malevolent aura between your brows, why make a rash move? There must be some misunderstanding, why not explain it? If you are not the Drunken Sword Immortal, just say it."

(End of this chapter)