Faced with Old Master Tong's request, Lin Feng straightforwardly chose to refuse.

Obviously, going to the Fuwei Escort Agency meant he had to head to the Smiling Proud Map first, which contradicted his plans.

There aren't many top-tier martial arts in the Smiling Proud Map, just the Sunflower Manual, the Dugu Nine Swords, and the Muscle-Tendon Change Classic.

Techniques like Ren Woxing's Star Absorption Method may seem powerful, but they're actually trash. The method is incomplete, and the side effects are significant, far inferior to the Divine Skill from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

Lin Feng wouldn't even consider the Sunflower Manual, leaving only the Dugu Nine Swords and the Muscle-Tendon Change Classic.

However, both of these martial arts require joining a sect to have a chance to learn them. You can't naively think you can sneak into a sect to steal them, can you?

That's like lighting a lamp in a latrine.

As for joining a sect, Lin Feng had thought about it.

But the problem is that joining a sect comes with too many rules, and his aptitude isn't great, so whether he could even get in is uncertain.

It's important to know that the Huashan and Shaolin in the Smiling Proud Map aren't third-rate sects like those in My Own Swordsman; they're first-rate sects with high recruitment standards.

Moreover, once a player chooses to join a sect, it means they can't switch to another sect.

For example, if you join the Shaolin Temple in My Own Swordsman, you're labeled as part of the Shaolin Sect.

You can leave the novice map and join the Shaolin Temple in other maps, that's fine.

But if you switch allegiance to another sect, you're considered a Shaolin traitor, despised by the righteous path, and no other righteous sect will accept you unless you turn to the demonic path.

Additionally, once you join a sect, you can't do anything against the sect's rules, or you'll face consequences.

Linghu Chong is a prime example; he befriended Tian Boguang and Ren Yingying, was eventually expelled from Huashan, and even pursued by the Huashan Sect.

This is also the main reason Lin Feng refused to join a sect. He didn't want to be labeled and set up a persona, nor did he want to follow rules and become an underling to the sect's bosses.

His nature is both righteous and evil, never bound by conventions, and he dislikes being ordered around.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have become a mercenary on Blue Star. With his skills and combat abilities, many military units would want him, but he values freedom.

Moreover, Old Master Tong's task is just one of many, and there will surely be a series of side quests afterward.

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Even if Lin Feng completes them, all he would get is the Bixie Sword Manual.

He wouldn't practice it anyway.

If he wanted to, he wouldn't need to go through so much trouble.

Knowing the storyline, he could just go to the Fuwei Escort Agency and find the manual, without all the hassle.

Old Master Tong didn't expect Lin Feng to refuse, but seeing his firm attitude, he had no choice but to accept it reluctantly.

Lin Feng is probably the first player in the game to refuse a hidden quest, highlighting his rebellious nature.

Even though he refused Old Master Tong's request, the latter still treated him to good food and drink.

Lin Feng didn't feel guilty at all; instead, he enjoyed the hospitality with a clear conscience.

At night, after eating and drinking his fill, Lin Feng was pampered by two pretty maids as he took a comfortable hot bath and prepared to sleep.

Before going to bed, Lin Feng didn't forget the rewards from the Escort Agency: a secret manual and a piece of equipment.

[Martial Arts: Iron Cloth]: Yellow Grade, superior quality, base defense +80 points. When activated, the skin becomes as hard as iron, impervious to blades and bullets, reducing ordinary attack damage by 30%, and reflecting 8% of damage from unarmed attacks back to the opponent, with no cooldown time.

Consumption: Consumes 100 points of internal strength per second.

Requirement: Martial artists with an innate talent of 55 points or higher can learn.

...

[Item: Weapon Box]: Can repair the durability of Yellow Grade or lower weapons at any time, ensuring the weapon doesn't break, rust, or dull, maintaining sharpness, and adding 5% damage. It can restore a total of 3000 durability points before disappearing.

...

Lin Feng didn't hesitate to learn the Iron Cloth. Although his Yellow Grade martial arts attributes were already maxed out, the 80 points of defense seemed wasted.

However, the Iron Cloth is still a very practical defensive martial art, reducing ordinary attack damage by 30% and having a reflection effect, which is very helpful in actual combat.

As for the Weapon Box, it's a unique item for players in The Grand Martial World, allowing them to repair weapon durability anytime, anywhere.

In the game, all weapons and equipment have hidden durability, and it's normal for them to wear down and oxidize over time.

To deal with this, players often need to visit a weapon shop for maintenance, which takes time and money, with better weapons requiring longer and more expensive maintenance.

But with the Weapon Box, there's no need for such hassle, allowing players to maintain their beloved weapons anytime, saving a lot of time.

Besides the Weapon Box, there's also an Equipment Box for repairing equipment.

Lin Feng's Bandit-Slaying Saber had been used for quite a while, having killed dozens if not a hundred enemies. Although a Yellow Grade saber has much higher durability than a Common Grade one, it still suffers from wear and tear.

He had planned to find a weapon shop for maintenance, but with the Weapon Box, he didn't have to worry about it for now.

Putting away the Weapon Box, Lin Feng finally went to sleep satisfied, logging out of the game.

Today is already Friday, and both Fang Zhiqiu and Fang Hanshuang will be returning home, and Lin Feng also has to go to school.

He's delayed going to school for so long that if he doesn't go soon, he might get expelled.

Although Lin Feng is doing well in The Grand Martial World and doesn't need to go to school, Yu Meixiang always hoped he would go to college, as a promise to Lin Feng's mother.

Not wanting to disappoint Yu Meixiang, Lin Feng decided to continue attending school.

After all, being alone at home during the day is boring, and attending classes isn't so bad.

In his past life, he dropped out after middle school and never experienced high school or college life.

Digging out his high school uniform from the closet, Lin Feng found it no longer fit.

So he tossed the uniform aside, grabbed his dust-covered backpack that hadn't been used in over a month, and headed to school alone.

Mingjiang No. 3 High School.

Classroom of Grade 12, Class 6.

"There are only over seventy days left until the college entrance examination, and the National Martial Arts exam is coming up soon. The exam includes physical fitness and martial arts assessments, totaling 300 points. These 300 points might be the only hope for you underachievers to get into college. If your National Martial Arts exam scores are high enough, police academies and armed police schools will open their doors for you, and even some Ivy League and 211 universities might give you special admissions, so this is the most crucial exam!"

"The teacher here has a tonic called Bear-Snake Oral Liquid, which can strengthen the body and enhance strength. This isn't an advertisement or a bluff; it's made from Bear-Snake Pills diluted by a friend of mine from The Grand Martial World."

"Let me explain: Bear-Snake Pills are great for strengthening the body in the game, but since you are ordinary people, the effects are too strong for your bodies to handle, so it's diluted a thousand times. My friend is only selling it to you at a low price because of my relationship with him. It's 10,000 per box with three bottles, and if you buy now, you get a 2% discount. Anyone interested? Raise your hand to sign up now!"

"Student Hang Dali wants to buy a box? Great! Very good, the teacher is optimistic about you. Come over to register and call your parents for money."

"Oh? Student Bai Jingjing wants to buy too? And two boxes at that? Haha, very good, Bai Jingjing, you have the right mindset!"

"Anyone else? One, two, three, get ready to place your orders..."

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