101: Looking into the distance at the Holy State, the new 'traveler'

The night wind, at the edge of Wen Tian Platform, was torn into a sharp howl.

Su Meier's outstretched hand, under the clear moonlight, was so fair it resembled a finely carved jade artifact.

Her palm was facing upward.

It was an invitation, a gesture of Alliance.

More than that, it was the only choice, impossible to refuse, placed before Lin Gou.

"Overturn this chessboard?"

Lin Gou's heart, upon hearing these six words, found a strange calm amidst the overwhelming sense of crisis.

He smiled.

There was no warmth in that smile, only a coldness that came from seeing through certain essences.

"Cooperation?"

Lin Gou's voice was very light, yet it was like an ice pick, piercing through the tense atmosphere Su Meier had created.

"Why do you think I would trust a Demonic Path enchantress?"

"And why do you think a 'newborn' who just came into existence is qualified to be on equal footing with an old fox like you, who has already clawed her way through a pack of wolves?"

The smile on Su Meier's face faltered slightly.

Her peach blossom eyes narrowed.

The allure in her eyes was compressed to the extreme, leaving only dangerous sharpness.

"Little man, reverse psychology won't work on me."

"This big sister is merely stating a fact."

"Right now, besides me, you have no other choice."

Lin Gou took a step forward.

He didn't look at Su Meier, but walked beside her, also standing at the edge of Wen Tian Platform, overlooking the mountains submerged in a sea of clouds below.

"You're wrong."

His voice was terrifyingly calm.

"I still have another choice."

Su Meier's breath hitched.

Lin Gou continued, in a tone as serene as if describing a beautiful landscape:

"I can kill you right now."

"Then, I'll find a corner where no one can find me, and keep dying, keep farming rewards, until I become the strongest existence in this world."

"By then, who cares about the Chosen Ones Alliance, who cares about any great purge."

"I'll punch a hole through the heavens."

"What can they do to me?"

Dead silence.

Su Meier abruptly turned her head, staring intently at Lin Gou's profile.

The moonlight outlined his handsome features, and in his eyes, there was no longer any pretense of gentleness, only a pure, all-consuming madness that disregarded everything!

She suddenly realized that she might have underestimated this man.

He was not a lamb to be slaughtered.

He was a mad Dragon, who had just realized he possessed fangs, and dared to point those fangs at the entire world!

"You can't do it."

For the first time, Su Meier's voice held a hint of dryness.

"They won't give you that time."

"The phenomenon of your Undergoing Tribulation won't escape those old monsters."

"That 'Flame Emperor' can sense it, and others in the Alliance can sense it too."

"In three months at most, 'Travelers' will come to 'visit' you."

"You don't even know what you're up against; how can you fight them?"

Lin Gou finally turned his head, his gaze meeting hers.

"So, I need information."

He spoke each word distinctly, his voice becoming cold and rational again.

"Tell me everything you know about the 'Chosen Ones Alliance'."

"The code names, abilities, and activity ranges of every member."

"The forces behind them, their goals, everything they've ever done."

"Also, all information about that 'Flame Emperor'."

"And what exactly are these 'Travelers' you mentioned?"

He did not respond to the Alliance.

He was issuing orders.

This was a stance.

A stance that forcibly shifted the relationship between the two parties from "equal cooperation" to "intelligence exchange."

Su Meier looked at him deeply.

For a long time.

She suddenly smiled.

Her smile was more enchanting than ever, a hunter's appreciation and excitement at finally seeing its prey bare its fangs.

"Little man, you are truly interesting."

She leaned back against the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade, her posture languid.

"Alright, since you're so adorable, big sister will satisfy you."

"The Alliance is very loose; members call each other 'Chosen Ones', but privately, they prefer to use another term to refer to themselves – 'Players'."

Lin Gou's pupils suddenly contracted.

"They believe that this world is a grand game, and they are the only Players."

"As for us natives," Su Meier's voice carried a hint of mockery, "we're just background props for the game."

"As for 'Travelers', it's the internal term within the Alliance for members who specialize in exploring unknown areas and searching for 'new Players' like you and me."

"They are the Alliance's scouts."

"And also the Alliance's... Scavengers."

"Any new Player unwilling to join the Alliance, or deemed worthless, will be eliminated by them, and their 'fortuitous encounters' will be stripped away and handed over to the core of the Alliance."

Lin Gou listened in silence.

Every word was like a boulder pressing on his heart.

Scavengers.

The word was filled with the smell of blood.

"Deal."

Lin Gou uttered two words.

"I need you to be my eyes and ears."

"And I will become the sharpest blade in your hand."

The smile on Su Meier's face grew even brighter.

"Pleasure working with you, little man."

She extended the tip of her tongue, lightly licking her crimson lips, a gesture full of endless temptation, yet her eyes held a cold calculation.

"Well then, to celebrate our Alliance, big sister will give you another free piece of information."

"That 'Flame Emperor' is named Xiao Yan."

"His most famous saying is..."

"Thirty years of prosperity for the east, thirty years for the west; do not bully a young man for his poverty."

Lin Gou's heart sank completely.

He turned, no longer looking at Su Meier.

His figure flickered, transforming into a streak of green light, and without any hesitation, instantly vanished into the deep night.

Only Su Meier remained, standing in the wind, her smile slowly receding, replaced by a profound solemnity.

She knew she had made the right gamble.

This mad Dragon was even more terrifying than she had imagined... Lin Gou's figure swiftly moved through the night sky.

The fierce wind was like a knife, cutting across his cheek, but it could not take away the slightest chill from his heart.

Chosen Ones Alliance.

Players.

Scavengers.

Xiao Yan.

One cold term after another whirled frantically in his mind, shattering all the joy he had just felt from forming his Golden Core.

He had always thought he was the only player.

Now he realized he was merely a new chess piece just thrown onto the board.

And he had already been targeted by a group of old players, eyeing him covetously.

He had never felt such an intense sense of crisis.

This sense of crisis even surpassed facing the Chaos Heavenly Tribulation.

He wasn't afraid of death.

What he feared was having even the chance of resurrection stripped away.

His speed grew faster and faster, almost transforming into a streak of light imperceptible to the naked eye, heading straight for Holy Son Peak.

When he landed at the entrance of his Immortal Cave, the aura emanating from him was as cold as ten thousand years of profound ice.

Then, he saw it.

He saw it not far from the Immortal Cave's entrance, behind a large bluestone.

A slender figure was curled up there, hugging her knees.

It was Zhao Linger.

She seemed to have fallen asleep while waiting.

Her small head bobbed, resting on her arm, and her long eyelashes still held traces of unshed tears.

The wind on the mountaintop was very cold.

It made her thin dress cling tightly to her body, and even in her sleep, her body instinctively curled into a ball, trembling slightly.

On her sleeping face, there was still a hint of stubbornness, a touch of grievance, and an undeniable, deep worry.

The icy killing intent that could freeze one's Soul, emanating from Lin Gou, melted away like ice and snow under the scorching sun the moment he saw this scene.

The turbulent waves in his heart, stirred by the "Chosen Ones Alliance," seemed to have had a stabilizing stone thrown into them, slowly calming down.

In this perilous, cold world full of "Players" and "Scavengers."

It turned out there was still such a warm beam of light.

Stubbornly, shining for him.

Lin Gou's gaze softened as never before.

He lightened his steps, walking silently to the bluestone.

He squatted down, quietly looking at her sleeping face.

The moonlight shone on her face, coating her with a sacred halo, so pure, untainted by dust.

He reached out, wanting to brush away the strands of hair on her cheek that had been disheveled by the night wind.

But his fingertip stopped just as it was about to touch her skin.

He was afraid of waking her.

He slowly withdrew his hand and took off his outer robe.

That blue robe, imbued with his body temperature, was gently placed over Zhao Linger's body.

The sleeping girl seemed to sense the familiar warmth, unconsciously murmured, stretched out her body, and fell into a deeper sleep.

Lin Gou looked at her defenseless appearance, and a warm, heartfelt smile finally appeared on his lips.

He didn't leave.

He sat down beside her, leaning against the cold bluestone.

He no longer looked at the distant night sky, nor did he think about those remote and fatal threats.

His gaze was fixed solely on the girl beside him.

Protection.

For the first time, this word held more weight in his heart than “Death Reward.”

If living was about not dying,

then what was not dying for?

Before tonight, he had no answer.

But now, he seemed to have a vague outline.

He wanted to live.

Not for Lin Gou.

But to protect this ray of light that belonged to him.

Whoever dared to touch her,

whoever wanted to extinguish this light,

he would make them his most magnificent Death Reward.

Lin Gou slowly closed his eyes, and the three-colored legendary Golden Core began to rotate slowly with a new, more steady rhythm.

His Dao Heart, at this moment, truly reached Perfection...

He didn't know how much time had passed.

At the edge of the sky, a hint of dawn appeared.

Zhao Linger's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.

She was still a bit muddled; the first thing she felt was not the coldness of the mountain peak, but a warm aura that enveloped her.

She lowered her head and saw the familiar green robe covering her.

On the robe, his clear scent, with a hint of sunshine, still lingered.

Zhao Linger's cheeks instantly flushed red.

She abruptly sat up straight and looked around.

Then, she saw him.

She saw Lin Gou sitting beside her, leaning against the bluestone, eyes closed in contemplation.

The first ray of morning light shone on his profile, making his delicate features appear like a god's.

“Senior Brother Lin... Senior Brother Lin?”

She called out softly, tentatively.

Lin Gou slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear, without any fatigue from staying up all night.

“Awake?”

His voice, a little hoarse from the morning, was so gentle it could melt.

“You...”

Zhao Linger looked at him, then at the robe on her, and for a moment, a thousand words were stuck in her throat, unsure what to say.

“You... you were here all night?”

“Yes.”

Lin Gou nodded, stood up, and brushed the dust from his clothes.

“I was afraid you'd catch a cold.”

Those simple four words made Zhao Linger's heart feel as if it was gently held by a warm hand, and an indescribable warm current instantly surged through her entire body.

She lowered her head, burying her face in the robe that still carried his body heat, her voice muffled.

“You... weren't you going to your appointment?”

In her tone, there was still a hint of the small jealousy from last night.

Lin Gou looked at her like this and couldn't help but chuckle.

“Indeed.”

“To your appointment.”

Zhao Linger suddenly looked up, her watery eyes filled with confusion.

Lin Gou walked to her, reached out, and very naturally, ruffled her head.

The gesture was intimate and doting.

“Silly girl.”

“Let's go.”

After he finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the Immortal Cave.

Zhao Linger stood frozen, hugging the robe, feeling the lingering warmth of his palm on her head, completely dumbfounded.

After a long while, she finally reacted, her cheeks so red they almost dripped blood.

This... big liar!

...The stone door of the Immortal Cave slammed shut.

Cutting off everything from the outside world.

All the tenderness on Lin Gou's face instantly vanished without a trace, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and determination.

He sat cross-legged.

His Divine Sense sank into his mind.

Those lines of SSS+ legendary Death Rewards now held a completely different meaning in his eyes.

This was no longer capital for him to recklessly seek death.

Instead, it was his only path to survival when facing the unknown Scavengers three months later.

“System, begin the Fusion of the Ten Thousand Tribulations Undying Demon Soul and the Godfiend Undying Body.”

He gave the command.

Without any hesitation.

The next moment, an indescribable, dual agony originating from both Soul and body erupted!

It was as if billions of red-hot steel needles simultaneously pierced his Divine Soul.

And as if countless primordial beasts were frantically tearing at every inch of his flesh and every bone in his body.

Even Lin Gou, a ruthless individual long accustomed to various forms of death, let out a muffled groan under this intense pain, his face instantly turning pale.

His Divine Soul was being torn apart and reassembled.

His physical body was being crushed and regenerated.

This was a true metamorphosis.

And it was a death without reward.

Time lost its meaning in the extreme pain.

Just as Lin Gou entered deep seclusion, desperately assimilating his trump cards,

the entire Qingyun Sect, and even the entire Tiannan County, were quietly undergoing changes because of him.

Danxia Peak.

Zhao Linger carefully folded the green robe and treasured it.

Then, she walked into her Pill Refining Room, and from a hidden compartment, took out an ancient alchemy scripture with a yellowed cover and strange patterns.

That was her Family's Legacy treasure, with extremely strict Cultivation conditions, which she had thought she would never be able to touch in her lifetime.

But now, her gentle eyes were filled with determination.

She wanted to refine Medicinal Pills that could help him.

Even if it meant paying any price.

Sword Tomb.

Li Hanyue stood before ten thousand swords, and in front of her, the ancient longsword floated.

Her aura was sharper and more dangerous than before.

“I will not leave seclusion until I break through to Nascent Soul.”

She murmured to herself, then her entire being transformed into a ray of Sword Qi and rushed into the deepest part of the Sword Tomb.

That was the place where successive Sword Dao seniors had fallen, where Sword Intent soared to the heavens, and anyone below Nascent Soul would perish upon contact.

She knew Lin Gou was facing an enemy she couldn't imagine.

The only thing she could do was to make her sword faster and stronger.

And in the distant depths of the Blood Demon Sect, shrouded in Devilish Qi.

Su Meier sat upon a throne of white bones, and before her knelt dozens of trembling Demonic Path Elders.

“Deploy all forces.”

Her voice was cold and devoid of emotion.

“I want to know all intelligence about ‘Chosen Ones,’ ‘Players,’ and ‘Travelers’ across the entire continent.”

“Dig three feet deep, and find it for me!”

...The camera zoomed out infinitely.

Passing through the barren lands of Tiannan County, crossing the vast East Sea, and traversing the continuous Ten Thousand Mountains.

Finally, it arrived at a supreme continent where Spiritual Qi was so rich it turned into immortal liquid, and Laws were so clear they were visible to the naked eye.

Central Saint State.

At the center of the Saint State, above the Nine Heavens.

An immense floating immortal island quietly hovered.

On the island, immortal cranes danced, Qilins roamed, and cascades of Spiritual Qi, connecting heaven and earth, fell from beyond the sky, washing over every inch of the island.

At the peak of the immortal island, on a Chaos-colored Dao enlightenment stone.

A young man dressed in a starry Daoist robe sat cross-legged.

A vertical golden divine seal was on his glabella, and terrifying Law fluctuations, making one's heart palpitate, surrounded him, as if he himself was the center of a Universe.

Just then.

A very faint, but unimaginably high-level Law aftershock, traversed hundreds of millions of miles of Void Realm, penetrated the numerous Restrictions of the immortal island, and gently landed before him.

That was a wisp of the Origin aura of the “Dao Tribulation” that escaped when Lin Gou Underwent Tribulation of the “Three-colored Chaos Divine Lightning Tribulation.”

The golden divine seal on the glabella of the young man, who had been meditating with closed eyes, suddenly flickered.

He abruptly opened his eyes.

What terrifying eyes they were.

In his left eye, the Universe was born, and stars shone brightly.

In his right eye, all things perished, returning to nothingness.

A very blurry image was reflected in his pupils.

It was a barren land, a figure bathed in three-colored lightning, laughing wildly up at the sky.

The young man looked at that image, and a smile, with a hint of playfulness and a touch of condescension, slowly curved on his lips.

“Interesting.”

His voice, as if containing the Heavenly Dao's profound sound, echoed throughout the immortal island.

“In such a discarded, barren land, a peer capable of triggering a ‘Dao Tribulation’ has actually appeared...”

“It seems that after I come out of seclusion, it will be necessary for me to personally ‘visit’ this...”

“...new ‘Traveler’.”