Social Death
But inside the carriage, Gao Yunyi felt as though his head was about to explode. He was so embarrassed that his toes could have dug out a three-bedroom apartment.
He had to find a way to get a flying spirit pet as soon as possible. Chicken, duck, eagle or crane—it didn't matter, as long as it could fly.
He didn't want to go through a scene like this a second time.
As the saying went, people's joys and sorrows were not shared.
Unlike the mortified Gao Yunyi, the constables and yamen runners accompanying him were experiencing the proudest moment of their lives.
The people's cheers and excitement, their colleagues' envy and jealousy, and the officials' approval and satisfaction were like a shot of chicken blood injected into their bodies.
Heads high, chests out, and faces flushed red, they strode along as if they didn't recognize their own kin, like triumphant roosters returning from battle.
To have a moment of glory like this made their lives worthwhile.
The carriage stopped before the county magistrate.
The high-and-mighty officials and gentlemen of the county town stood there with their heads lowered and backs bent, as respectful as schoolchildren who had done something wrong and were about to meet their homeroom teacher, not daring to show the slightest discourtesy.
As the magistrate with the highest standing and position in Heyang County, County Magistrate Zhang stepped forward and made a deep bow toward the carriage.
"Immortal above, I, Zhang Huaimin, magistrate of Heyang County, have led all the people of Heyang County here to await your arrival! For years, vicious bandits have run rampant on Crouching Ox Mountain, harming the people. Every household in the countryside has suffered from the turmoil, and the people have been unable to make a living.
"Thanks to your vast divine might, Exalted Immortal, you destroyed the bandits' lair and wiped them out in one stroke. Now that the bandits have been eradicated, our county will no longer suffer the scourge of their raids. On behalf of all the people in the county, this humble official thanks you for ending the turmoil, bringing peace to the people, and protecting this land. Your boundless kindness will be remembered for generations. From this day forth, the people of the entire county will surely burn incense and build shrines year after year, forever grateful for your protection, Exalted Immortal."
County Magistrate Zhang's voice rang out firm and strong, his expression solemn and grave. After speaking in a loud voice, he lifted his official robes and dropped heavily to his knees before the carriage.
"We thank you, Exalted Immortal, for ending the turmoil, bringing peace to the people, and protecting this land. Your boundless kindness will be remembered for generations."
Behind County Magistrate Zhang, officials and gentry, merchants and commoners, men and women, young and old, all bent down and knelt. Their voices of gratitude soared into the clouds.
Gao Yunyi, inside the carriage: "..."
Silence!
Dead silence!!!
County Magistrate Zhang and several thousand people knelt on the ground, waiting for the immortal in the carriage to respond.
But all that greeted them was a deathly silence.
The scene instantly turned awkward.
"Snort..."
Perhaps the carriage horse couldn't bear the awkward silence, because it suddenly sneezed.
"Understood. You may all withdraw."
At last, the immortal's aloof, indifferent voice came from inside the carriage.
County Magistrate Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. The immortal had responded, thank goodness. The immortal had responded.
As for the immortal not showing himself, County Magistrate Zhang didn't mind in the least.
He was an immortal, after all! Eccentric and unfathomable—nothing could be more normal.
"As you command."
County Magistrate Zhang rose with the utmost respect, then hurriedly directed the crowd behind him to move aside and clear a road wide enough for the carriage.
The carriage moved off, slowly entering Heyang County under the fervent, respectful gazes of thousands of people.
"What are you all standing around for? Keep playing the music! Keep dancing!"
With a grand wave of County Magistrate Zhang's hand, gongs, drums, cheers, and firecrackers once again resounded through the clouds, and the whole of Heyang County was instantly plunged back into an ocean of celebration and joy.
Welcomed by people lining both sides of the road, the carriage returned to the county yamen.
County Magistrate Zhang followed closely all the way, showing the people of Heyang County his place of greatest importance at the immortal's side.
At the entrance to the county yamen, Gao Yunyi stepped out of the carriage, and County Magistrate Zhang hurried over to him.
"Thank you for your efforts on the journey, Exalted Immortal. This humble official has prepared a banquet and asks that you honor us with your presence."
"There's no need for a meal. County Magistrate Zhang, tell me, have I completed the task you entrusted to me?"
Gao Yunyi declined County Magistrate Zhang's invitation and asked him a question instead.
County Magistrate Zhang was taken aback, then nodded vigorously. "Of course you have. With your vast divine might, Exalted Immortal, you wiped out the bandits in one stroke and delivered Heyang County from disaster. Your kindness is like giving us a new lease on life. The people of Heyang County are moved to tears with gratitude, and this humble official has already prepared a memorial to the imperial court..."
But before County Magistrate Zhang could finish, he saw a sacred, brilliant golden light suddenly flash over the immortal's body.
Having turned in the quest, Gao Yunyi leveled up.
Not only that, he had also received a quest reward: the blueprint for the Mystic Azure Dao Robe.
"Don't mention my name."
Looking at the Mystic Azure Dao Robe blueprint in his inventory, Gao Yunyi suppressed his excitement and spoke in an even tone.
His level was too low right now, and attracting the imperial court's attention would be no good. Besides, the mere thought of all the elaborate formalities at an ancient imperial court made him instinctively recoil.
"Huh???"
County Magistrate Zhang had yet to recover from the strange sight when the immortal's words left him baffled all over again.
As expected of an immortal descended from heaven, he regarded fame and fortune as dirt, stood above worldly concerns, and possessed a noble character.
But if that's the case, how am I supposed to write my memorial to the court?
"Prepare some warm water for me. I'm going to bathe. And three sticks of incense."
Having given his instructions, Gao Yunyi strode into the county yamen.
County Magistrate Zhang immediately followed, answering, "This humble official prepared everything long ago. Please follow me, Exalted Immortal."
Now that he had a blueprint, Gao Yunyi wanted to craft some equipment.
In the game Immortal Journey, equipment was divided into the following types: white, green, blue, and purple.
White equipment had only basic attributes, while green equipment had additional attributes on top of its basic ones.
Blue and purple equipment not only had enhanced basic attributes, but also powerful special effects and special skills.
Above purple equipment was orange equipment. These were divine artifacts, each one unique, and only a tycoon could possess one.
Gao Yunyi had struggled in the game for over half a year, but even after finally reaching the level cap, he had never obtained one.
To obtain that piece of legendary orange equipment, one had to kill the final BOSS in a large-scale raid, crush a host of competitors with immense financial resources, and complete an incomparably complicated and tedious quest chain.
A prestigious divine artifact like that, which could easily cost hundreds of thousands in cash, was therefore beyond the reach of an ordinary player like him.
Life skills could only craft equipment below orange grade, and the higher the quality, the lower the chance of crafting it.
When in doubt, turn to mysticism.
He had to go through the whole ritual of bathing and burning incense.
Back then, Gao Yunyi had used this very trick to craft a top-grade purple weapon with excellent attributes, which he had then sold for 1,000 yuan in cash.
Now that exciting moment had come again.
In the real world, he was going to craft his first piece of equipment, one that belonged to him alone, with his own hands.
Gao Yunyi walked into his room and found that a large bathing tub had already been placed behind the screen.
Steam rose from the tub, and there were even flower petals scattered all over the water.
Gao Yunyi nodded in satisfaction. County Magistrate Zhang was a good man who took care of things thoroughly.
But then,
his face instantly darkened.