Survival in an apartment, starting with a stroke of luck on a plane

Lin Yu replied expressionlessly, "Not interested. I have other things to do. Please move aside."

The politeness on Crackbone's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold sternness: "Witcher, I advise you to think this through."

Our Lieyang Fist Alliance extends a sincere invitation, and we don't just refuse any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

"Could it be that you look down on our guild?"

He began looking for an excuse to take action.

"I'm saying this one last time, get out of the way." Lin Yu's tone also turned cold.

If the guy coming is a Platinum-level player, Lin Yu might have to think twice, but if it's just a Gold-level player, he won't be too afraid.

After all, it's not like he hasn't killed Gold-level enemies before.

"He won't listen to reason, so he'll have to suffer the consequences! Take him down!" Crack Bone finally revealed his true intentions. At his command, the six silver-level players behind him moved instantly. Two charged forward, while the other four prepared to launch ranged attacks.

However, Lin Yu was faster than them.

The moment Liegu finished speaking, the ground beneath Lin Yu's feet suddenly cracked open, and an incredibly thick and enormous vine burst forth from the earth.

With terrifying force, it lashed out like a giant python at the two charging silver-level warriors.

The two warriors raised their shields to block, but their resistance was futile against the absolute power of the Gold-level Flower Willow Vine.

Boom! Crack!

The shields, along with the bones in their arms, shattered instantly. The two men were thrown backward as if hit by a high-speed train, coughing up blood. It was clear they wouldn't survive.

At the same time, Lin Yu's figure flickered like a ghost. [Spatial Leap] allowed him to easily avoid the dense barrage of arrows and spells, while [Azure Rose] spewed out tongues of fire.

The bullet struck the player who was channeling a spell.

Crack Bone was both shocked and furious. He never expected that this guy, who was only level 10, would dare to make a move.

Moreover, the resistance was surprisingly strong.

"You're courting death!" Crack Bone roared, unleashing his full Gold-level aura. His fists were instantly covered in blazing flames, like two small suns, carrying the momentum to burn the eight wastelands as he slammed towards Lin Yu.

He was practicing the signature fist technique of the Blazing Sun Fist Alliance.

Faced with Liegu's furious attack, Lin Yu neither dodged nor avoided it; instead, a mocking smile even appeared on his lips.

Suddenly, the main vine of the willow vine coiled back, and thousands of thinner but equally tough vines intertwined instantly, forming an incredibly thick vine shield in front of Lin Yu.

Boom!!!

The Fragile Bone Fist, powerful enough to melt gold and fossilize stone, slammed into the giant vine shield, unleashing a deafening roar and a shower of sparks.

The rattan shield trembled violently, its surface scorched and turned black, but it steadily withstood the attack without retreating an inch!

"What?!" Crack Bone's pupils shrank drastically. His full-force attack had actually been blocked by a plant?!

Just as his old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet arisen, and his mind was shaken, Lin Yu made a move.

As if he had anticipated it, he flashed out from behind the giant vine shield. The lightning and ghostly energy on the [Demon Sword] intertwined in a strange way, turning into a gray-black lightning bolt that pierced straight into the chest cavity slightly exposed by Liegu due to shock!

Liegu tried to dodge but it was too late; he could only barely turn to the side while simultaneously gathering protective qi.

puff!

The sword finally pierced his right chest. Thunder magic and ghostly energy instantly invaded his body, causing him to groan, spurt blood, and retreat violently.

Meanwhile, the other four silver-level players he brought with him had all perished from the entanglement and whipping of the gold-level willow vine branches, as well as from the occasional shots fired by Lin Yu.

In less than a minute, an elite squad from the Blazing Sun Fist Alliance, led by a Gold-level fighter, was almost completely wiped out, leaving only the injured Liegu.

Liegu clutched his wound, his face deathly pale, his eyes filled with disbelief and terror.

He finally realized that he had kicked a hornet's nest; this witcher was not the silver-ranked individual they had been told they could easily manipulate.

"You...?!" Cracked Bone's voice trembled.

Lin Yu did not answer, but coldly raised the [Azure Rose] and pointed the gun at his head.

He shows no mercy to those who want to harm him.

"No... wait! If you kill me, the Blazing Sun Fist Alliance won't let you get away with it..." Crack Bone's pleas and threats were not finished.

boom!

The bullet, imbued with charged magic, whistled out and instantly blasted his head into pieces.

After the battle ended, Lin Yu quickly cleaned up the battlefield, sweeping away all the equipment, items, and supplies dropped by the members of the Blazing Sun Fist Alliance.

Looking at the mess on the ground, he contacted Xuancheng through his friends list without expression.

"President, the Blazing Sun Fist Alliance sent a small team to 'invite' me, but I dealt with them."

I hope this is the last time we'll be harassed by other guilds. If this happens again, our "business" might have to be suspended.

Lin Yu knew very well that, given the current situation, the only possibility for his identity to be exposed was that there was a problem within the Heroes' Gathering, specifically at the higher levels, since not many people knew that he was the supplier of the Spirit Spring.

Therefore, Xuancheng must resolve this matter no matter what.

On the other end of the communication, Xuan Cheng replied quickly: "Understood. You can focus on your work. There won't be a next time, and your identity won't be exposed."

After ending the chat, Lin Yu didn't linger and his figure quickly disappeared on the northern road.

……

The capital of the Great Qian Dynasty, deep within the palace.

A secret report, delivered urgently through special channels, was respectfully presented to the emperor's desk by an old eunuch with a pale face, no beard, and an aura as effeminate as an abyss.

On the dragon throne, the emperor, whose face was hidden behind the tassels and surrounded by a faint dragon aura and a trace of eerie black energy, slowly opened his eyes.

The secret report was simple: the Black Buddhism had been completely eradicated in Jiangyuan City and seven other important strongholds in the surrounding area; three "Golden Core Stage" monks (who are now at the Gold level and no longer need to follow the cultivation system) were confirmed dead; the perpetrator was suspected to be a "Pure Body" and his strength assessment needed to be revised upwards.

"Useless!" The emperor's voice was deep and hoarse, with a metallic, scraping quality.

"That vixen from the Black Buddhism sect has only a bunch of useless bastards under her command!"

He tapped the armrest of the dragon throne lightly with his fingertips, and the armrest, made of ancient warm jade, made a faint cracking sound.

"This child... has already gained momentum and has become a serious threat." The emperor's gaze turned to the old eunuch standing below with his hands at his sides: "Wei Banban, the 'Immaculate Body' is of paramount importance to my grand plan of becoming a dragon, and cannot be lost, much less fall into the hands of that vixen. Since this child can no longer be used by me, he can no longer be kept alive."

The old eunuch—Wei Wuyai, the supervisor of the Imperial City Guard—bowed his head even lower, his shrill voice echoing in the empty hall: "This old servant understands."

"I grant you permission to use the 'Three Fiends of the Netherworld.'" The emperor's tone was indifferent, yet carried an undeniable resolve: "You must capture them alive. If it is impossible... then kill them without mercy, and bring back their heart's essence and soul's origin."

Wei Wuyai's body trembled almost imperceptibly.

The "Three Fiends of the Netherworld" are three top assassins secretly trained by the Imperial City Guard. They are all adopted sons personally trained by him. Their cultivation level is at the Golden Core stage. They are proficient in combined attack formations and are especially skilled in assassination and capture. Their techniques are insidious and unpredictable, and they are adept at breaking through various protective auras and magical artifacts.

When the three of them work together, they are virtually invincible among the Gold-level.

His Majesty actually intends to use them?

This is enough to demonstrate His Majesty's emphasis on this matter, and... his determination to obtain that "immaculate body".

"This old servant obeys the decree! I will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!" Wei Wuyai bowed deeply, his figure disappearing into the shadows as he quietly withdrew from the hall.

……

Meanwhile, Lin Yu had already left the Jiangshui County area and headed north into the territory of a place called "Beihe County".

Compared to the humid and prosperous Jiangshui County, Beihe County appears more desolate and rugged. The land is barren, the mountains are mostly bare rocks, and vegetation is sparse.

The eerie spiritual energy permeating the air seemed to carry a touch of the northern chill and sharpness, and the corrosive feeling did not diminish.

Lin Yu did not go directly to the county seat of Beihe County, but chose to stay in some smaller towns or simply travel through the desolate mountains and wilderness.

He needed time to digest the gains from the series of battles, further enhance his strength, and also wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the situation in this county and see the extent of Black Buddhism's infiltration here.

He first found a secluded valley and used the [Apartment Relocation Card] to settle the safe house there.

He then spent several days immersing himself in cultivation and organization.

Having expended a large amount of resources plundered from the Black Buddhism stronghold, he further enhanced the [Demon Sword].

Although the spiritual energy of this world is strange, it must be said that it is indeed very suitable for the Demon Sword. The omnipresent yin energy, evil energy, ghost energy and other auras in the air, as well as those strange spiritual medicines and various creations, are all the most suitable nourishment for the Demon Sword.

The Demon Sword devoured several materials containing Yin energy, making its sword spirit more solid. The fusion of moonlight power and ghostly energy became smoother, significantly increasing its lethality against souls.

In addition, Skyhawk's strength has increased rapidly during this period, and it has now reached the Silver level.

This was mainly thanks to Lin Yu's generosity. He would often feed the Skyhawk high-level monster meat from this world, and the Skyhawk would also stay next to the True Monarch statue every day, which is why its strength improved so quickly.

Lin Yu estimated that, based on this guy's rate of improvement, he might reach the Gold level by the end of the year in this game, directly catching up with or even surpassing him.

After resting, Lin Yu began to move around in North River County. He first came to a border town called "Blackstone Town".

The town is built along a murky, yellowish river. The buildings are mostly constructed from locally quarried dark brown rocks. The rough surfaces of the rocks, with mud filling the gaps, make them exceptionally sturdy and able to withstand the sandstorms common in the north and the occasional wild animals that leap out of the wilderness.

The town is small, with only one main street, paved with flagstones of varying sizes, worn uneven by passing vehicles and pedestrians.

On both sides of the street, simple shops were open, and many more vendors simply spread out animal hides, displayed ore blocks, or made their own weapons on the ground.

The air was filled with the smells of livestock, the pungent odor of leather, and the rust of metal.

The items traded were mostly crude but practical: thick wolf and bear pelts, unrefined metal ores, and swords and hunting bows that were crafted to be somewhat bulky but sturdy.

The townspeople, regardless of gender, mostly have dark and rough skin due to years of exposure to wind and sun.

Lin Yu suppressed his spiritual energy fluctuations, changed into a worn-out fur coat, and disguised himself as an ordinary martial artist who had traveled here.

He sat down at a simple tea stall at the entrance of town, ordered a bowl of bitter local tea, and listened silently to the conversations of the people around him.

Compared to Jiangshui County, there is indeed much less talk about "immortal masters" here. When they are mentioned, they are mostly cultivators who are passing through the area, going to the wilderness to hunt monsters or look for mineral veins.

The townspeople were more concerned about the vast and dangerous "wasteland" to the north.

"Have you heard? The other day, Old Scarface and his hunting team encountered a mutated sand wolf in Vulture Ridge. It was incredibly fast, and they almost didn't make it back," a man with a scar on his face said to his companion.

"That's nothing. The situation in Blackwater Village to the west is much worse. Last month, they were attacked by a group of demons at night. More than a dozen people died, and several houses were burned down." Another lean man lowered his voice: "Luckily, their village walls are high, and the men on night watch are tough enough, otherwise..."

"Demons..." An old man beside him sighed, his cloudy eyes filled with worry. "There are more and more of them these days. I've heard that even in the mountain tribes, there are starting to be guys corrupted by demonic energy. They're even harder to deal with than before."

Lin Yu listened carefully. The so-called "demon" was described as being mad, incredibly strong, unafraid of ordinary swords, and even capable of using some strange and evil methods, which was very similar to a demonic cultivator.

However, the local people are known for their fierce nature, and when faced with threats, they rely more on their own strength.

He overheard the townspeople discussing how to organize able-bodied men to form formations for self-defense using the terrain and simple combined attack techniques, or how to pool their money to hire passing monks who were willing to take the job to wipe them out.

As for the matter of Black Buddhism, Lin Yu inquired about it at a tea stall and later at a tavern.

We didn't get much information.

According to the locals...

Indeed, dark-skinned monks have come to Blackstone Town, talking mysteriously about building some kind of temple to protect the peace of the area.

Hey, but in this place, praying to gods and Buddhas is not as reliable as having the handle of your own knife.

Because there weren't many pilgrims or ordinary people converting to Buddhism for a long time, this group of people didn't stay long before leaving.

This surprised Lin Yu somewhat. He had thought that the Black Buddhism group would forcibly take root and force people to believe in Buddhism.

But now it seems there must be some restrictions preventing these guys from enforcing it.

Lin Yu didn't believe they would kindly let the people choose freely; there must be a reason.

In short, for whatever reason, there is indeed no trace of Black Buddhism still existing in Blackstone Town. The only thing Lin Yu could find was a dilapidated temple.

He had already checked with his divine eye and found that nothing was left in the temple.

However, although these guys left no trace in Blackrock Town, Lin Yu did manage to find out something.

He heard from a guard in a caravan that there seemed to be a Black Buddhism temple in the area of ​​Red Rock City to the north.

The area is relatively wealthy, and the people there have a tradition of practicing Buddhism.

"Red Rock City..." Lin Yu silently memorized the name. It seemed that the Black Buddhism was not inactive in Beihe County, but rather focused its efforts further north, perhaps due to the environment and population composition there.

After lingering in Blackrock Town for two days and confirming that he could not obtain any more clues about the Black Buddhism, Lin Yu decided not to delay any longer and continued north to the county seat of North River County, the "Cold Iron Mine Capital" famous for its cold iron mining industry.

Where cultivators gather, information must circulate more rapidly, and perhaps new discoveries can be made.

……

Just as Lin Yu left Blackstone Town less than a hundred miles away, passing through a rocky forest, he found himself surrounded by strangely shaped stones.

Another unexpected event occurred.

Three ghostly figures emerged without warning from the shadows of the three giant rocks, surrounding him in a triangular formation.

The newcomer was dressed in dark purple eunuch robes, with a pale, beardless face and empty, cold eyes, as if devoid of any human emotion.

The weapons they held were also extremely peculiar. One person held a short, dark blue fork with a hook at the end, another held a chain wrapped around his arm, and the last person had empty hands, but his fingernails were sharp and long, gleaming with an eerie dark green light.

The three exuded an aura that was conjoined, cold and obscure, yet also carried a chilling sharpness, indicating that their strength was all at the Gold level.

Especially the empty-handed person, whose aura had reached the peak of the Gold level, and the sense of pressure he brought to Lin Yu was second only to that of the Black Mist Lady.

"Here we go again, you bunch of guys, why do you always like to ambush us halfway?"

Seeing these three guys, Lin Yu was speechless. He wondered if he had some kind of constitution that made him a target for being ambushed while traveling. How many times had this happened already?

"The Imperial City Guard has been ordered to capture and execute the traitor." The empty-handed eunuch spoke, his voice as flat as two ice shards rubbing together.

"Surrender and you will be spared the torment of soul-searching and spirit-refining."

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow. Imperial City Guard?

He's one of the emperor's men. It seems I was right; Li Qianfeng really did have ill intentions.

"Interesting. What law have I broken that even the emperor's eunuchs have been mobilized?" Lin Yu sneered, his internal magic power already running at full capacity, and his [Heavenly Eye] quietly activated.

It was rather strange to Lin Yu that the group mobilized was actually eunuchs.

In his mind, even if someone from the Great Qian government did cause him trouble, it would most likely be the Evil Suppression Division.

The presence of the Imperial City Guard and eunuchs makes things a bit interesting.

Eunuchs were usually close attendants of the emperor, so could their actions have been orchestrated by the emperor himself?

What do I possess that would make the emperor value me?

Could it also be that so-called "immaculate body"?

"Stubborn and obstinate."

Before Lin Yu could finish thinking, the empty-handed eunuch—"Ghost," the leader of the Three Fiends—said indifferently.

Before he finished speaking, the other two eunuchs simultaneously activated "Soul Lock" and "Heart Piercing"!

With a flick of his arm, the dark chains, like venomous snakes, instantly split into dozens of afterimages, which coiled around Lin Yu's limbs.

Even more strangely, the space around him was sealed off, and an invisible binding force field suddenly descended, making Lin Yu feel as if he were trapped in quagmire, and his movements were slowed down by a fraction.

Ci Xin moved with lightning speed, his dark blue short fork carrying a chilling coldness and the ability to break through Qi, stabbing straight at Lin Yu's dantian Qi Sea, so fast that only a blue light remained.

The two worked together seamlessly, one controlling and the other attacking, clearly demonstrating a well-honed and refined combined attack technique.

Lin Yu dared not take it head-on. He instantly activated [Spatial Leap], his figure blurring as he attempted to break free from the core of the chain force field.

However, the chain force field seemed to interfere with space, causing a slight deviation in Lin Yu's teleportation landing point, preventing him from completely escaping the attack range.

The piercing fork was like a shadow, already upon him.

"clang!"

At the critical moment, the Hun Tian Cloak autonomously protected its master, its crimson light blazing brightly, transforming into a sturdy shield that blocked the short fork.

The dark blue short fork collided with the crimson light, emitting a piercing shriek and sparks flying everywhere.

The cloak shimmered violently. Although it blocked the attack, Lin Yu could feel a chilling, bone-piercing, and strange energy that specifically eroded magical power trying to penetrate his body through the cloak.

At the same time, the ghost that had been motionless began to move.

His figure appeared silently behind Lin Yu, like a ghost without substance. His dark green fingernails were like five poisoned daggers, piercing straight into Lin Yu's back.

Before the fingertips even arrived, the sharp wind from the fingertips already sent chills down Lin Yu's spine. Fortunately, Lin Yu had a magical shield that blocked the opponent's attack.

The three men's techniques were extremely insidious and bizarre, specifically designed to break through all kinds of defenses, and their coordination was flawless.

Lin Yu was attacked from both sides and faced constant danger.

With a thought, the symbiotic willow vines suddenly erupted, countless thick vines bursting out of the ground, like giant pythons dancing wildly, whipping and coiling around the three eunuchs, trying to interrupt their offensive.

However, the three eunuchs moved with extraordinary agility, weaving freely through the vines. Their dark chains were like a nemesis, easily cutting and corroding the tough vines wherever they went.

The piercing short forks and the ghostly poison fingers can easily tear apart the vines' defenses.

Although Lin Yu tried his best to dodge, his left shoulder was still hit by the ghost's finger wind, and five black finger holes appeared instantly. A cold and painful sensation spread instantly, and his left arm felt numb and sore, making it difficult to circulate his magic power.

Not only that, the toxin was also frantically eroding his flesh and blood and meridians!

The mana shield didn't work?

What's going on? Is it a shield-breaking skill?

"Damn it!" Lin Yu cursed inwardly. These eunuchs were far more troublesome than any opponent he had encountered before.

Their individual strength is extremely high, and their combined attack is even more powerful. Moreover, the attributes of their techniques are extremely effective against his defensive methods.

He tried to cast a thunder spell, but the chain force field of the Soul-Locking Technique kept interfering, and the attacks of the Heart-Piercing Technique and the Ghostly Spirit were like a storm, giving him no chance to cast a spell at his own pace.

【Azure Rose】's shots were easily neutralized or deflected by the opponent's unpredictable movements and irritating chains.

The battle was one-sided from the very beginning.

Lin Yu sustained new injuries, none of which were fatal, but the accumulation of the cold poison and strange energy caused his condition to decline rapidly, and his mana consumption to increase dramatically.

If it weren't for the Heavenly Cloak and the symbiotic willow vines fighting to protect their master, coupled with his own strong physique and the occasional consumption of spiritual spring water to dispel some of the toxins, he would probably have already been defeated and died.

"This can't go on any longer!" A fierce glint flashed in Lin Yu's eyes.

He realized that conventional methods were simply not a viable way to win, and he might even be worn down and killed by the enemy.

......

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, brothers!