I rejoiced in my heart as I read the message that the blue screen displayed. Though the rewards weren't displayed. The words that Elder Brian spoke earlier made it clear. There were no rooms to doubt. Although Elder Brian possessed an eccentric attitude, I knew that he was the kind of person that cared about personal family and relationships more than anything. A respectable, dignified person.
~Swishh...
A glow of several resplendent lights exploded around Elder Brian's body. The air around me quickened and the pressure of the air intensified. I could even hear the ground crack. Elder Brian is releasing his Qi!
"The fight has started, Let's go now!" Elder Brian solemnly shouted. He leaped towards a roof and flew towards the northern boundary. Me who stared there at shock, finally regained my consciousness and followed. But sadly, I was unable to fly, so I kept on leaping from roofs to roofs.
Elder Brian's flying speed wasn't fast nor slow, Judging from the movements of the air around him. I knew that he was constantly adjusting his flying speed with my running speed. Fortunately, and strangely, though I ran non-stop. I didn't feel tired or sore. Perhaps this was the benefits of Qi? But, who knows?
After running for about thirty minutes. Elder Brian finally stopped. I gasped for air as my joints hurt. I turned to look at Elder Brian despite my sweat filled face.
I could hear constant explosions and flashed of divine abilities being used. I could also hear miserable shrieks that resonated in both sides. Occasionally, I would see lightnings crossing the sky, aiming towards a certain mountain peak. Fellow disciples floated in the air and bandits alike, activating their abilities towards each other.
The peaceful atmosphere of the northern borders of the first district became a battlefield. Trees were toppled and smaller trees, uprooted. Elder Brian's expression turned grim when he looked around the area. I also changed my mindset to serious mode.
"Kid, see that mountain peak over there. That's where my grand-daughter is being held. I hope that you can save her." Elder Brian spoke, his tone melancholic.
"But, Elder. Why did you ask me to do this dangerous mission? Couldn't you just flatten that mountain peak while protecting your grand-daughter?" I asked, my tone contained skepticism.
Elder Brian gave a long lasting sigh that echoed in the air. I could feel a faint helplessness contained in that sigh.
"Kid, I must let you know that my cultivation base is too high to attack that place. Yes, I can flatten the entire mountain peak, but do you really think that they would not kill my grand-daughter for collateral damage? I am disappointed, I thought you were smart." Elder Brian snorted, as he rebuked me.
"I see, I understand now, Elder. Then, I'll be off." I didn't speak anymore words and ran towards the mountain peak. Elder Brian didn't stop me, Instead he looked at my disappearing back and murmured. "Take care, youngster."
....
I opened my User Interface and found out that the system declared the area where I am in as a danger zone. From the northern borders. It changed to the name 'Battlefield of the First District.'
In the center of the 1000x1000 battlefield. A mountain peak of about three hundred meters stood. The entire mountain peak was tainted scarlet red by the system. Declaring that the mountain peak was a very dangerous spot to venture.
I ran while avoiding the areas where divine abilities where being used. I turned to look back and I could see floating nametags of players. Some of them leaped towards their enemies and chopped them down. Seems like they're also included in this mission. I wonder, what Quest Rank did they obtain.
Author's Note: Quest Rank is the difficulty of the Quest. For Zhang Wei. The quest he obtained was an SS ranked Quest.
I carefully took a much more longer route towards the mountain peak. But, I obviously underestimated the strict force of the Harrowing Bandits. When I was about one kilometer away from the mountain peak. I encountered resistance from several bandits.
[Harrowing Bandit Musketeer (Level 2) Middle Ranked]
Health: 2304/2304
Qi: 500/500
Defense: 25
Attack: 350-405
I felt dread rising from my heart, but I dismissed it immediately and turned to look at my stats. I increased the range of my basic attributes and included my health in the list.
[Player: Heaven Defying (Warlock) Level 5]
Health: 820/820
Qi: 1649/1649
Strength: 40
Magic Power: 589
Defense: 20
Attack: 79-94
I sighed in my heart. Though I didn't have the feeling to vomit blood anymore. I still disappointingly sighed. And then, What the Fuck?! With his attack of 350-405 I can only endure at least two hits from it! And if the attack was a critical hit. I would die on the spot.
Note: Critical attacks are, default of highest attack 110%
Damn it! I cursed in my mind. This mission is impossible to complete. But though I thought of that. I didn't give up. I fell onto pensive thinking while I am hiding in one of the bushes around the area. Thankfully, the bandit didn't notice my arrival. After about three minutes, my eyes brightened as a plan appeared in my mind
After I reached the level 5. I obtained two new skills that can be used for the picking.
Leech: Summons a field which constantly draws upon the powers of the darkness, sucking the health of the enemies while healing for the same amount. Costs six talismans, AoE Spell. Costs 600 Qi to cast. Cooldown: 35 seconds.
Illusion of the Samsara: Summons a zone which bewitches enemies inside, stunning and rooting them in place for 2.5 seconds. Costs five talismans, AoE Spell. Costs 400 Qi to cast. Cooldown: 90 seconds.
I sneaked towards the bandit in a slow pace. When I was about six meters away from him. The system indicated that the bandit had entered my casting range. I immediately withdrew my stack of Middle-Ranked talisman papers. The talisman papers swirled around my body, as if they were controlled by an invisible force.
I leaped towards the Musketeer. The Musketeer startled by my sudden appearance, but he wasn't a rookie anymore. he quickly regained its composure and prepared its weapon. But the loading time of its weapon was too long. It gave me enough time to cast.
"Illusion of the Samsara!" A resplendent dark glow exploded from my body. Five talismans flew before my line of sight before being burned to ashes, the ashes of the talismans flew towards the dumbfounded Musketeer. Not long, the ashes of the talismans arrived and formed a black smoke that covered the body of the Musketeer. Within the black smoke, I could hear ghastly howls of apparitions and the miserable shriek of the poor Musketeer.
The Musketeer stood firmly, stiff like a rock. Hovering above his head were orbiting six stars indicating that he had been stunned.
Now is the time! I exclaimed as I ran towards the Musketeer and stared at his listless eyes. "Dominating Gaze!" The Musketeer regained its consciousness after two and a half seconds but the only entity that it saw caused it to convulse on the ground whilst bubbles foamed on his mouth.
I commanded him using Dominating Gaze to fall asleep. But since he fought back against my skill. He mentally broke and laid on the ground, unconscious.
The reason why I was able to use the Dominating Gaze to conquer this bandit's mind was because, his cultivation base was lower than mine.
A/N: Cultivation base = Level
And the reason why I still used 'Illusion of the Samsara to stun him was because he belonged to the human category that Elder Brian spoke. If he resisted under my gaze, The skill would fail.
I sighed in relief after finding out that the location of his scouting was a very remote place. Now that he was unconscious, I can just pound him to death with rocks without any resistance.
I felt quite guilty pounding an enemy to death unguarded. But I had no other choice, his attack was just too high for a level two NPC! Before I pounded him to death. I stripped him naked and took any things that were valuable. After that, I finally killed him and his spirit went to the afterlife.
I picked up a small emblem of my sect from my inventory and started to rush towards the castle.
...
In the harmonious mountain peak. A huge castle stood, the castle wasn't visible to the outside. But after one neared the vicinity of the castle, one could see its enormous size of which was about four hundred meters tall. The castle pierced the sky, like a needle piercing a piece of fabric.
On the top of the castle was a dungeon hidden from sight. Currently, inside this dungeon was a woman whose features, though could not be clearly seen, can be depicted through the dark as extremely beautiful. Her curvaceous figure could make any man's underpants to drop. Her smooth jade like visage can be compared to the purest jade in the entire universe. No words can express the beauty of this woman.
But this body seated like a beggar inside a filthy cell. Outside the cell were two men who smiled at the woman lecherously. On their waist were saber that emanated an extremely baleful aura which affected the mental states of any humans around them. But judging from their composure, they seem to be immune to the effect.
"Fang Mu. How's our operation in acquiring one of the spirit vein mines in this trash sect's first district?" A middle-aged man with an armor which shone a green light in the dark asked to the middle-aged man beside him.
The man beside him wore a silver armor which was oddly obvious in the dark. In contrast, the man's skin was dark, which was suitable in night operations.
"Li Mu. Our first squad greeted extreme resistance from this trash sect's disciples. We suffered enormous casualty, but they also suffered the same. We still have the help of that person, so we don't need to be fearful. " The man called Fang Mu shrugged the topic as if it was just a normal one.
"What if the Elders attack. Those guys are at the Severed Spirit Stage! If those guys really attacks us. We won't be able to hold a candle!" Li Mu asked, his tone contained deep dread towards the Severed Spirit Stage practitioner that they mentioned.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Hah! If they really did that wouldn't they flatten the entire first district where their source of income, the spirit vein mines reside?" Fang Mu rebuked. His tone contained deep certainty.
"Hmm, you're right. But what if they suppress their cultivation base and attack us in masses?" Li Mu once again asked.
"Then if they do that. Our master will be able to easily kill those bunch of old bastards. For the meantime, what shall we do with this princess?" The two turned their heads towards the cell behind them. There, inside was a woman whose appearance looked to be extremely bedraggled. Her clothing looked like a ragged that was just recently used in cleaning the floor.
However, even though the woman's features were stained by the clothing that she wore. Her figure can still be considered as extremely alluring. The two men couldn't help but feel a reaction down there. They started to remove their lower body clothing and moved towards the cell. Their manhood erect and a liquid substance formed on the tip. Clearly, they're about to explode.
The unconscious woman inside started to blink her eyes. Her pupils widened in shock when she noticed that two burly men, who wore armor and were naked below their waist approached her. She nervously trembled and helplessly shouted.
"No! Don't come here! Please... No!" The two men started to lick their lips as they stared at the woman with their lecherous gazes. Inside their minds, they had already stripped the woman before them, naked.
A clang sound echoed as the jail lock opened. The two approached the woman who desperately screamed and took a shining object from behind her. She waved the object near her neck, and the two men stiffened when they saw the object, of which was a dagger.
"Don't come near me! I will kill myself if you dare!" The woman's expression became ghastly pale as tears streamed down her cheeks. Clearly, she was on wits end.
"Hah! Do you really think that we will still not do you even if you're dead?! Hah! Keep dreaming! We will still violate you're precious body while your spirit watches! Hahahaha!" Fang Mu laughed, his lips leaked a sinister smile as he approached. Li Mu wiped the drool on his lips as he said.
"Let me rip her clothes off!" But before the two men could pounce towards the woman. They heard a solemn voice which resonated from behind the steel door behind them.
"Commanders! Commanders! I have an urgent report!"
"What the hell is it?! To disturb our precious time here!" Fang Mu angrily shouted. The voice from behind didn't reply. Li Mu who was also about to pounce to the woman nodded. Fang Mu stood up and said.
"You're coming with me."
"Eh? Why? That's just a report. Tell me the full details later on." Li Mu shrugged, he couldn't suppress the raging desire in his chest anymore.
"YoU'rE coMiNg wiTh mE!" Fang Mu emphasized and seized Li Mu by the neck before he sprinted towards the steel door and opened it. What greeted them was a man whose featured depicted that his age ranged from nineteen to twenty-one.
"What urgent report is it that you actually dare to disturb our precious time?!" Fang Mu angrily shouted. The man standing before them didn't reply. Instead, he nervously took an object from his pocket and presented it before the commanders.
"Eh?" The two commanders gave an ~Eh~ sound as they glanced at the object. Their expression stiffened like a rock. A small emblem about the size of half a palm could be seen resting there silently. On its borders where intricate designs of vines, and a gigantic book with its pages opened. A crossed sword was on the center, standing before the gigantic book.
Below the designs were two words carved in letters that expressed a domineering atmosphere that caused the two commanders to become hard like a rock. The man before them didn't seem to be affected by the pressure emanated by the emblem. Instead, his pupils constricted when he noticed the pitiful appearance of the woman whose clothing barely covered her curvaceous body.
The two commanders turned the emblem and glanced towards the back part of the emblem. The four words tactfully carved on the emblem caused their hearts to quake in fear. Each letter contained an even more domineering atmosphere than the previous.
'Solitary Sect: Elder Brian.'
"Fuck!" Fang Mu threw the emblem on the ground as a clanging sound echoed. He turned to look towards the dumbstruck man and said.
"Go back and tell our comrades in the front lines to immediately retreat and strengthen the defense of our stronghold!" Fang Mu solemnly commanded, but instead of the man fearfully running backwards. He just stood there, giving an icy cold smile. The hands of the man which was on his back squeezed an object which gave a green glow. The small object turned to dusts which dissipated in the wind.
Obviously, this man was Zhang Wei. He successfully infiltrated the enemy bases by donning the equipment of a bandit! He successfully borrowed a knife! Thankfully, no one suspected him when he approached the castle. Each bandits were busy fighting the forces of the Solitary Sect. Which made the situation even more convenient for Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei turned towards the cell in the furthermost area of the dungeon. There, a bedraggled woman was unconscious. Hovering over the woman's head was a golden exclamation mark and a message that said. [Quest Objective: Leila Strut.]
Seeing the appearance of the woman whose clothing resembled a recently used rag and the clothing which barely covered her body. Zhang Wei's anger seethed inside his chest, he turned to look towards the commander and found out that the two didn't have any clothing to cover their lower body. Their erect manhood stood with a liquid like substance forming on the tip.
Zhang Wei's eyes turned bloodshot as the anger inside his chest almost immediately exploded. But still, he waited for Elder Brian's arrival. When Fang Mu threw the emblem on the ground, Zhang Wei used the clanging sound as a cover when he broke the jadeslip to pieces.
"Are you listening you piece of shit?!" Fang Mu grabbed Zhang Wei by the collar and pushed him backwards. Zhang Wei staggered backwards, but with this actions. His killing intent soared and couldn't be suppressed anymore. The pupils of the two men constricted as their floating nametags turned red. Clearly, he had attracted the aggro of these two men!
Zhang Wei's pupils widened when he saw the stats of the two men.
[Harrowing Bandits Commander: Fang Mu (Level 65) Nascent Soul Realm 5th Layer]
Health: 231,351/231,351
Qi: 182,390/182,390
Defense: 19,325/19,325
Attack: 10,235-13,512
One of the commanders of the Harrowing Bandits Group, their might echoes throughout the continent. Their strength belongs to the upper limit of the entire continent. If possible, DO NOT PROVOKE.
[Harrowing Bandits Commander: Li Mu (Level 65) Nascent Soul Realm 5th Layer.]
Health: 120,234/120,234
Qi: 231,350/231,350
Defense: 8,351/8,351
Attack: 30,132-38,312
One of the commanders of the Harrowing Bandits Group, their might echoes throughout the entire continent. Their strength belongs to the upper limit of the entire continent. If possible, DO NOT PROVOKE.
Fuck! Isn't this too overpowered?! One of these guys can kill me with just a flick of their pinky fingers! Dread overcame my chest, but it was too late to regret. The two had already clenched their fists and attacked towards me!
The airflow quickened and the dungeon room's temperature significantly dropped. I panicked at first, but my mental strength was strong, so I quickly regained my composure and burned one talisman paper to cast Riposte. A transparent screen flickered around my body. When they noticed the shield which was as thin as a cicada's wing around me. The two snorted in disdain as they howled. "Break!"
~Clang! Bang!
158!
188!
As expected, the Riposte skill was able to block any attacks as long as the transparent screen lingered. Their attacks struck my shield, and I flicked my wrist, causing two damage numbers to pop out and their figures to fly backwards, striking the dungeon walls.
A muffled sound echoed, when their body struck the dungeon walls. Riposte went on cooldown as I cursed in my mind. Damn it! That was too small of a damage! Fuck, fuck fuck!
Now that Riposte was on cooldown. I had no other skills to block their next attacks. Fang Mu angrily stood up as small pieces of rocks floated around his body, a scarlet red substance encircled his figure, and the temperature inside the dungeon room surged!
Li Mu also stood up, his face grim as he stared at me venomously. He opened his palm as a lightning about the size of a basketball materialized.
"Die!" The two commanders howled, Fang Mu congealed a dragon from the scarlet red substance and threw it towards me. Li Mu sent a roaring lightning which flew in the air towards me. I felt a suffocating pressure stopping me from escaping. Even though I desperately tried to move my feet. They won't bulge an inch.
Looking towards my status bar. A snared debuff icon flickered. As expected, around my body was the scarlet red substance which previously revolved around Fang Mu's body, But now. A part of it restricted me from moving while a part turned to a scarlet dragon which roared towards me.
The lightning ball and the scarlet dragon neared my body. I mentally prepared myself to die!
"Youngster!" A resplendent flash of divine light enshrouded my body and in the next instance. I found out that I was now outside the castle! I stood in the air, while I looked towards the castle, dumbfounded.
But not long, an explosion decimated the upper parts of the castle. My mind connected the pieces together, the familiar voice and the sudden explosion... A striking realization struck me as I shouted. "Elder!!!"
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Author's Note: Chapter delayed due to computer suddenly turning off.