Chapter 7: Entering the Game (Please Add to Favorites)

“Lu…” Wang Liang turned his head and saw that Elder Lu was watching him from not far away.

Elder Lu made a gesture to keep quiet and ran over to Wang Liang’s side. “Keep your voice down, don’t reveal my identity. In this game, I go by the name Peony Happy Ball.

How about it? I’m a quick learner, aren’t I? You didn’t know, did you? That was a blessing from the game just now, something my friend told me about. He said it’s the most fitting blessing for when old friends meet.

So you should be like me, play more, don’t act like an old man with a stern face all day. That’s so dull.”

Wang Liang wiped the sweat from his brow. “So it’s you! You really are a master. In just a few days you’ve made such a name for yourself, and have so many friends.”

“Oh, not at all. I had a good foundation to begin with, so it’s easier for me to get along. By the way, what brings you here? You didn’t have to rush over, the real treasures haven’t appeared yet.”

“What treasures?” Because Elder Lu and he were from the same place, and Elder Lu had guided him before, Wang Liang didn’t keep things to himself like others might. Whenever he didn’t understand something, he asked directly.

“That open space ahead. When I arrived I sensed four streams of sword energy hidden beneath it, but I couldn’t draw them out. So I found someone to cooperate with, planning to use a million flying swords to pierce the ground and extract the sword energy.

We’ve only just started, so you really are early.”

Hearing this, Wang Liang finally understood: the smith’s forge placed at the city gate wasn’t meant to help players repair weapons, but was part of Elder Lu’s plan.

Curious, Wang Liang asked, “Can I join?”

“Of course. Not just because of our relationship, but you and—” At this point, Elder Lu seemed to recall something and paused. “Rest assured, I’ll save you a spot. But from the looks of it, it might take some time.”

“No problem. I plan to raise my level a bit anyway. By the way, what level are you now?”

Elder Lu hesitated. “Well, I think immortals should focus on cultivating the heart. As for levels… let’s not talk about that.”

“Oh!”

Wang Liang responded and said no more, preparing to find a world to play in on his own.

After Wang Liang left, Elder Lu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at his own level, marked with skulls and question marks in red, smiled indifferently, and went about his own business.

Wang Liang knew little of Elder Lu’s situation; at the moment, he was selecting a game world suited to himself.

At Jiepaiguan, thirty new worlds were opened every day, while thirty old worlds ended and awaited reboot.

Of these thirty new worlds, there were always twelve micro, eight small, five medium, three large, and two super-large worlds.

As for how worlds were classified—micro, small, medium, large, super-large—there seemed to be some standard. Players didn’t need to know much; it was enough to know that micro worlds could hold 20 players, while super-large ones could accommodate 2,000.

Because different worlds could hold varying numbers of players, micro and small worlds were often snapped up by big guilds the moment they appeared.

Ordinary players could only join medium and larger worlds, and those who arrived last, unable to squeeze in, had no choice but to pick super-large worlds.

Wang Liang himself didn’t understand these things, nor was he in a hurry. By the time he arrived, all the worlds below large were full—only two large and one super-large world had a few spots left.

Wang Liang had come to familiarize himself with the game and level up, not for any particular quest.

After offering a gift to the guards at the world entrance, one of them said to Wang Liang, “None of these three are great worlds. You can try the red large world—it’s the best of the three, at least you won’t have to travel far.”

Wang Liang’s greatest strength was listening to advice. These guards, stationed at the world entrances daily, weren’t completely in the know, but generally understood which world led where.

Especially since the smaller, more refined worlds were taken by others, choosing a suitable world depended largely on the guards’ recommendations.

With this tip, Wang Liang headed towards the entrance.

There were thirty enormous disks, each thirty meters in diameter. At the moment, only three glowed in different colors.

Wang Liang looked at the red disk, which displayed: ‘317/1000.’

This must be the maximum number of players allowed in that world, and the current number inside.

“Over three hundred people have entered already? Are there really that many players here?” Wang Liang had barely finished speaking when the guard laughed.

“You’re underestimating the players, kid. Called the Fourth Calamity, their numbers are limitless.”

Wang Liang smiled and said nothing. By then, he had already stepped onto the disk.

Before he could make a choice, the disk spun automatically, sending him into the void.

A series of scenes flashed before him: a shepherd boy riding a green ox, using a tiger and a snake to block a group of people who looked like officials from climbing the mountain.

The officials entered a place called the Demon Suppression Hall, opened its seals, and released more than a hundred imprisoned demons.

Time then swiftly passed by several decades. The kingdom seemed to have fallen into chaos—external enemies without, internal strife within.

Those hundred demons were reincarnated, grew up, and began their own journeys.

Fate would guide them to reunite, and what they would bring to the troubled nation—rebirth or destruction—would depend on their destinies.

Scene after scene flashed before Wang Liang’s eyes, spinning faster and faster until they merged into a beam of white light that illuminated his vision.

Instinctively, Wang Liang squinted. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself somewhere else.

He was at the foot of a mountain, standing before an inn. The inn wasn’t large—inside and out, it could seat just over thirty people. Wine jars were stacked casually in the corners, and a dozen burly men rested inside.

Outside, four large wagons waited, piled with goods. The horses were already harnessed, seemingly ready to depart.

A sign hung outside the inn, reading “Three Bowls and No More.”

Yet the passing guests paid little attention to the sign, busy with their own affairs.

Taking in the scene, Wang Liang wanted to find out where he was and walked towards the inn’s entrance.

As he stepped past the sign, the words changed, transforming into a string of quest prompts.