Before the Summoning, the Great Elder Was Utterly Shocked

Day three.

On this day, the situation finally changed dramatically during the Age of Grand Voyage.

Gao Linzhi's ship encountered a large reef, blocking its path.

The reefs stretched from south to north, across the horizon, seemingly endless.

I want to take a detour, but I don't even know how to do it.

Crucially, it is mostly covered by reefs, and beneath the rocks lies a deep, dark place where enormous creatures can be seen moving about.

Standing on the Treasure Ship, one looks as if they are inside the gaping maw of a giant creature.

And those reefs look like sharp teeth of varying lengths from a gaping mouth!

In fact, Gao Linzhi realized it wasn't just "seems," it was "exactly."

However, this colossal creature is currently sealed and will not cause any trouble for the time being.

Even so, Gao Linzhi would not do something like walking into the lion's den.

He summoned a great wind, which blew the Treasure Ship far around the gaping maw of the giant creature.

The more he wandered around, the more terrified he became.

Once he reached high in the sky, he used Exorcism Talisman to drive away a group of bird demons and looked down below.

These reefs form a striking circular shape.

This ring subtly encompasses dozens of islands, including Wolf Snake Island, in the distance.

This led him to a terrifying thought.

These islands are actually located inside the gaping maw of a colossal creature.

It could be swallowed whole anytime, anywhere.

Oh, he was just logging in with his Game Character, that's fine then.

Here, we are already deep in the sea, thousands of miles away.

Clearly, going any further would be very dangerous.

Gao Linzhi wanted to take a look before making a decision.

At this moment, the list has been updated again.

[Island Ranking:]

[Wolf Snake Island 3081]

[Ranked Player Nickname Points Increase]

[1st Place: Can Xue Waves Across the Map, 1000 Points]

[Overall Ranking]

[Ranked player's nickname's island's points increase]

[1 player: Can Xue Waves Across the Map), Wolf Snake Island 3081, 1000 points]

[12th Place: Pig Realm 3001, Pig Dragon Island 3001, 400 points]

[33rd place: Riding the Wind to Beat Luo Shao, 30 points]

Yes, ever since everyone on the ship surpassed Gao Linzhi in ranking, they all consciously moved to the cabins at the stern.

Clearly, the ranking is determined by who is the first to touch the finish line.

Gao Linzhi glanced at the rankings and suddenly realized that someone had caught up with him.

The opponent already has 400 points.

This is dangerous.

The world is vast, there are countless players, and there are countless talents.

Even whales (high-spending players) can't beat European Emperor or those with special accounts on the leaderboards.

He was very clear about this.

Being a whale (high spender) doesn't mean you're invincible. Some games that are good at using strategies will deliberately create challenges for whales.

For example, they might arrange for European Emperor players to participate, or even have the game master personally intervene to incentivize whales to spend money.

Anything is possible.

If you are careless and don't stick to the rankings, then this "Pig Realm 3001" could very well unleash a final burst of power and take you down with it.

It's only day 3 now, there are still 27 days to go.

If he wants to maintain his lead and gain 130 Free Attribute Points, he'll have to find a way to break through this rocky barrier.

Because the reef ring surrounds Wolf Snake Island, it's impossible to take a detour.

This is probably exactly what the game's developers intended.

They want the players to break through the jaws of this behemoth.

But how can we break through this barrier?

On the ship, the other players were whispering among themselves.

They also saw new changes in the rankings.

"We already have 1000 points, so this ranking should be secure, right?"

"That's not enough, I see that the twelfth person on the leaderboard already has 400 points."

"Yeah, they actually managed to get 400 points, so they'll definitely try to catch up."

"That's right, the reward for being number one on the leaderboard is fantastic!"

"But these reefs in front of us don't look like something to be trifled with."

Players could also vaguely sense the terror lurking beneath the reef.

The rocks are grayish-white.

It looks like a coral reef, but more like an animal's tooth.

At this moment, "Puppet Best" stepped forward. "Boss, let me send Puppet to take a look first."

"Okay." Gao Linzhi nodded.

The other players immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Puppets are indeed the best.

If they were just following the company's lead, then those who went to check on things now would definitely be cannon fodder.

"Our ships should retreat 20 li, no, 100 li." Gao Linzhi thought for a moment, then summoned a headwind.

The Treasure Ship quickly retreated.

This monk is a real lord.

Even without using items purchased from the store, you can easily control the ship.

It only consumes MP points.

Gao Linzhi currently has a lot of MP, but nowhere to use it.

Soon, the three puppets removed their armor, grabbed a log from the deck, jumped off the ship, and began to swim forward.

They reached the reef without incident.

Puppet A was the first to climb onto a reef.

The other two climbed up two other rocks.

They looked around; the sea was calm, and so was the reef.

Using the puppet's perspective, "The Puppet Best" frowned slightly.

"What's going on?" Gao Linzhi asked.

"Boss, I don't know why, but reefs are usually where fish, shrimp, and crabs gather. However, the area under these reefs is too clean; there isn't even a single seaweed." The Puppet Best shook its head.

"Oh, then it seems there's a big problem," Gao Linzhi said thoughtfully.

Sure enough, the next moment...

Suddenly, a huge wave crashed up from the seabed!

The waves were a full hundred meters high.

It then suddenly knocked the puppet off the reef!

It was immediately swept away.

"Bang!"

The waves crashed down with a deafening roar that could be heard for miles around.

But the rocks only shone a little brighter, without causing any hindrance.

"Look at those waves, they look like moving tongues!" one player exclaimed in horror.

Indeed, from a distance, the waves looked like a person's tongue cleaning their teeth after eating.

Then the puppet fell into the sea.

Before long, the Puppet Best's expression changed.

She suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Oh no! My puppets have all lost contact; they seem to have been devoured by something!"

Gao Linzhi nodded.

This was actually not unexpected for him.

He had initially thought that the rocks would suddenly spring together like a row of teeth and crush the puppet to pieces.

In retrospect, these puppets were nothing more than scraps, not worth using teeth at all; a quick flick of the tongue and they were swallowed.

Sure enough, a gigantic object was hidden below.

The other players, upon seeing this, were all terrified.

"Good heavens, good heavens, that's too ruthless!"

"Yes, it's a good thing we didn't go there ourselves."

"This is simply unbelievable; who could resist such divine might?"

Everyone was extremely shocked.

"Could we fly over from the sky?" someone whispered.

Afterwards, Gao Linzhi took control of a light puppet, a small puppet weighing about ten kilograms, which was used to clean corners and masts.

A strong wind then arose, blowing it up to a height of a thousand meters, attempting to pass over it from the sky.

As a result, just as the lightweight golem flew over the reef...

Suddenly, a strong wind appeared in the sky and blew down to the sea.

Gao Linzhi was completely out of control.

The lightweight puppet was immediately blown down.

It should be said that it was inhaled.

In Gao Linzhi's eyes, a gigantic mouth was faintly visible on the surface of the sea, inhaling air.

And so, like its predecessors, it was devoured by this monster.

This left everyone speechless.

I immediately felt very depressed.

"Was this all for nothing?" someone whispered.

"In short, things are difficult now."

"Neither the higher-ups nor the lower-ups will work, and as for attacking, that's a joke."

Yes, even with Gao Linzhi's current abilities, he wouldn't challenge such an unknown entity that's like a natural disaster.

It's worth noting that there was absolutely no indication of danger at that location on the Minimap.

That means the game's AI couldn't recognize its danger either.

This is similar to natural disasters like volcanoes and tsunamis.

The Minimap can only identify dangerous NPCs, monsters, and other strange creatures.

The others were talking amongst themselves, all looking worried and distressed.

Even if Qingcheng*Bored, she was at a loss.

The single-player machine behind him said directly, "This is beyond human capability. It seems your Grand Voyage is coming to an end."

"I don't believe we can't get through this. Otherwise, how did the people of the imperial court manage in the past?"

"Of course the imperial court will wait until this behemoth is asleep before coming. Do you have the time to wait?" the single-player mocked.

Bored, I fell silent.

They only have one month. Can they really expect this behemoth to be asleep in that one month?

Besides, even if they dozed off, what will happen when they come back?

Yes, the boss has Resurrection Pearl that can send everyone back to their original state after they die.

As long as you log back in after dying, you can choose to respawn in a place you've been before.

That would naturally be the choice of Wolf Snake Island.

And at this time...

Gao Linzhi naturally searched for the Game Help.

"How do we get past this treacherous rocky terrain?" Gao Linzhi asked directly.

"Ding! Respected Noble 22, there is no official strategy guide for this natural barrier."

"Players are encouraged to explore the game on their own; this is an important part of the fun."

"I don't want fun, I just want to coast along without any problems."

"..."

The Game Help play dead.

Clearly, the game developers are powerless to overcome this natural barrier.

Or rather, the price that needs to be paid is not something Gao Linzhi can afford to pay right now.

He did manage to get a V22, but the cost of overcoming the current natural barrier is far more than just one V22 can accomplish.

"Alright, let's explore this far for now and go back to the village to rest," Gao Linzhi casually ordered. He then called a few members of the Fixed Team to the deck and cabin to discuss matters.

At the same time, a strong wind blew, causing the Treasure Ship to turn back.

"Tell me your thoughts, how should we resolve this?" Gao Linzhi scanned the group of people.

The Puppet Best, the Qingcheng*Bored, Jiangnan1912, and the Dragon Fruit are all frowning.

"In my opinion, boss, we should go back and ask the locals about this."

"They've been here for years, they should know something," Bored said first.

"I agree," Dragon Fruit said in a tender voice, no longer pretending to be an old person.

"He really is just a child," the Puppet Best said disdainfully. "I agree."

"Alright, let's go back and find the Second Elder."

Two hours later, the Treasure Ship flew back to the village.

One thousand li, 500 kilometers, four hours, equals 125 kilometers per hour, comparable to a highway.

Back in the village Council Hall, Gao Linzhi immediately summoned the other four elders.

Second Elder, Third Elder, Fourth Elder Zheng Dong, Fifth Elder.

"On the sea off the village, a thousand miles away, there is a group of reefs. What is the origin of them?" Gao Linzhi asked directly.

The Second Elder glanced at the other three and said cautiously, "Great Elder, you actually reached that area! This is truly a feat never before seen in the village."

"Alright, stop flattering and get to the point."

"Oh, it's all a thousand miles away, and it's all a secret within the village. The knowledge of these secrets is passed down orally from the former Great Elder," the Second Elder said helplessly.

"Yes, the former Great Elder once said that some secrets cannot be told to outsiders. Even telling a third person will bring disaster. They can only be passed on from one person to another," the Third Elder said helplessly.

"Oh, what if the Great Elder suddenly passes away?" Gao Linzhi asked.

"This, let's summon the spirit to ask."

"By offering sacrifices to the ancestral hall in the village, we can summon the spirits of our ancestors and uncover these secrets," the Second Elder explained.

"Understood."

Gao Linzhi suddenly realized that the ancestral hall in the village was more important than he had imagined.

Not only can it protect a certain number of villagers, but it also shoulders the responsibility of passing on secrets, so there is no need to worry about the lineage being lost.

Gao Linzhi then ordered the group to begin setting up the soul-summoning ritual.

The ancestral hall in the village.

It was dusk.

A large courtyard, plus a three-section temple.

The first temple houses the most important ancestors: the one who founded the village, the one who preserved the village, and the one who brought prosperity to the village.

The second and third courtyards, which house temples, are where elders who have made contributions throughout history, and even a few villagers, are kept.

Each memorial tablet, high above, is engraved with a different person's name.

"The memorial tablet of Zheng Da, the Founding Ancestor of East Wolf Village..."

Gao Linzhi rarely comes here, after all, he's not from this village.

It wouldn't look good if we got entangled with those ancestral spirits.

The four elders have already prepared the ritual to summon the soul.

The first temple.

The sacrificial offerings consisted of cattle, sheep, and pigs, with incense sticks as thick as an arm being lit.

Then, the Second Elder led the way, cutting open his own wrists, letting his blood drip amidst the swirling incense smoke.

After an unknown amount of time, a spirit appeared.

It was none other than the soul of the former Great Elder, who had been tortured to death by Gao Linzhi.

That's awkward.

Gao Linzhi stood aside, not embarrassed at all, but the four elders were quite embarrassed.

"Damn it, you bastards, how dare you summon me out!" The former Great Elder's soul was very ethereal, barely taking shape amidst the incense smoke.

The elders were immediately extremely embarrassed.

None of them were easy to talk to.

Gao Linzhi, however, simply smiled faintly.

"You are unworthy of your position and have made a mess of the village. Now we're summoning you to do some work so that you can make up for your bad karma. This is a great thing for you."

"You should be grateful to us, why do you hate us?" Gao Linzhi said matter-of-factly.

The former Great Elder was stunned.

This guy killed me, and even in death I won't find peace; I'll have to work for him, and I should be grateful to him?

Is there no justice left? Is there no law left?

"Hmph, you stole my village! Give it back to me!" the former Great Elder roared angrily.

"I robbed your village, but is it even your village?" Gao Linzhi wouldn't tolerate this and retorted with utter contempt.

"That's the villagers' village."

"Go out and see what it's like now, and what it was like before."

Under the cover of night and with the protection of a wisp of incense, the Great Elder's spirit rose to the top of the ancestral hall and looked down upon the village.

He was stunned.

Looking around, everything was brightly lit.

The streets were lined with shops and workshops, their lights burning all night long.

Laughter and shouts filled the air.

It was evening, a time when strange things roamed freely!

Why is it so lively?

This shocked him greatly.