Searching for Treasure, Court Officials Arrive

When Gao Linzhi saw the message from the Corpse Vine, he instinctively frowned slightly.

"A treasure that can extend the lifespan of a soul?"

He had to admit that he sensed something amiss in this news.

Because he knew very well that with the intervention of supernatural forces, the lifespan of flesh and blood could actually be extended relatively easily.

Ultimately, the aging process of the human body is caused by the aging mechanism of cells.

In nature, there are many cells that can resist aging.

For example, bird cells only age before their lifespan ends.

Therefore, all we need to do is use extraordinary power to emulate nature's anti-aging mechanisms.

Technological power is difficult to achieve, but supernatural power is relatively easy.

However, there will be a significant price to pay—a price that, of course, will be borne by ordinary people.

For example, making strange requests: to keep oneself young.

However, the aging of the soul is much harder to address.

Even praying to the supernatural is a troublesome matter.

Because it's strange, polluted, and corrosive.

The aging of the soul has two parts: one is the aging of the mindset, which can be simply referred to as "being tired of living."

This is a common mindset among those Longevity Being.

Life is like a game; once you've tried everything, you'll get bored.

Secondly, there is the aging of the soul's essence.

Gao Linzhi had long ago understood this point through his research on the Longevity Technique.

After all, the abbot of the Daoist Academy had previously given a detailed explanation of the "Petrification Technique," the first step of which was used to preserve flesh and Chang Qing.

Spiritual and spiritual Immortality is the second and third step.

The Immortality involves three steps: turning the body into stone, Heart Transforms into Stone, Spirit Transforms into Stone.

To temper one's spirit and soul into a Strong Stone, eternally immortal.

The oldest and most abundant natural thing in nature is stone.

Some fossils are hundreds of millions, or even billions, of years old.

This lasts longer than anything that is sturdy.

Gao Linzhi has now entered the second step, which is to "Heart Transforms into Stone".

Therefore, the timing of this news about the treasure was perfect.

It seemed as if it was tailor-made for him.

However, even so, as long as the item is genuine, he still has to go.

After all, he needed to verify all clues related to Immortality as soon as possible.

Only by achieving the ultimate level can he truly attain Immortality.

Do you really think reality is a novel, where a casual insight or a simple meal of a magical fruit grants Immortality?

That's overthinking it.

Then he found Dragon Fruit.

"I need your help to verify the authenticity of a message..." Gao Linzhi said directly.

The Dragon Fruit, who was eating Dragon Fruit, spoke up upon hearing this, "Alright, but verifying such unfamiliar information could easily attract the attention of powerful and mysterious beings..."

Gao Linzhi reached out and flipped his hand, arranging nine Revival Stones on the table.

"Okay, that's alright. Even if it's a little dangerous, I can handle it." The Dragon Fruit quickly put it away.

She then took out a stack of tarot cards and began to divine the "treasure news" that Gao Linzhi had mentioned.

"I remember you didn't use this last time."

"The object of divination is merely a formality; ultimately, it comes down to skill level and talent."

"Oh."

Not long after, Dragon Fruit drew a card from the tarot deck.

That was clearly the "Hanged Man".

"How do you explain that?" Gao Linzhi asked seriously.

"This card primarily refers to a spiritual, sacrificial, and dedicated mindset."

"It implies that success comes from sacrifice and careful consideration."

Therefore, it can be said that the treasure mentioned in this message is real, and indeed it is a treasure related to the soul level.

"But this means there's a huge trap within, one that could lead to your sacrifice."

In other words, to achieve success, you have to pay the price of death.

"And you need to go there yourself and touch it yourself."

It must be said that Dragon Fruit's divination skills are quite effective.

Most of the key information has been hit.

This is what makes the extraordinary world so special; conspiracies devised by adversaries can be easily thwarted through Gao Ming divination and spiritualism.

Gao Linzhi smiled.

"Not bad, the bait you used was definitely heavy enough."

"Let's see if it's a lose-lose situation or if someone else benefits."

Now that the news was confirmed to be true, Gao Linzhi naturally had to go there.

This time, instead of using Substitute Puppet, he sent out his own Game Character, "Can Xue Waves Across the Map".

After all, in the game world, this is actually one's true form.

And at this time...

Many people also saw this message.

The Daoist Academy's headmaster also approached Gao Linzhi.

"Wuming, according to my divination, that thing is real."

"I must remind you that for those of us who seek Immortality, all treasures related to extending the lifespan of the soul are the most precious, without exception."

"I don't know how those people got this thing."

"But you absolutely cannot miss this opportunity."

"Ordinary people can easily achieve a long lifespan for their physical bodies, but their souls often only last for a few hundred years before being worn away and dissipated."

"After all, this is a world filled with Mysterious Energy."

"This Mysterious Energy can easily maintain the Chang Qing of flesh and blood, but it also constantly corrodes the soul."

"From this perspective, if your world remains pure, it is actually easier to achieve Immortality. Once you break through the physical aging mechanism, you don't need to worry about the soul or corruption."

As the headmaster finished speaking, a strange sense of regret appeared on his face.

Upon hearing this, Gao Linzhi was immediately shaken.

Yes, before the real world was invaded by strange entities, when it was still a pure material world, people wanted to live forever without having to consider the aging of their souls.

As long as the body remains energetic, the mind can remain active.

Thought is a product of the body and brain, and is determined by matter.

He truly hadn't expected that the headmaster would envy the real world.

It seems that the real world, devoid of any supernatural powers, is actually the final answer.

The prerequisite is that technology must be advanced to the point of unlocking the secrets of Immortality.

Gao Linzhi had a grand idea vaguely forming in his mind.

Using extraordinary powers to solve technological problems, then using technology to Immortality, and finally eliminating the extraordinary powers...

In this way, there's no need to worry about matters of the soul.

This path is impossible in the Skyfall Game.

Because its underlying nature and essence are completely bound to extraordinary power.

Once it's removed, it's tantamount to the collapse of the world.

However, the real world has not yet reached that point.

There are still ways to cut it.

However, this is a long-term project, and he doesn't have the time or energy to do it right now. He can only design a large framework and let others fill in the details gradually.

The task at hand now is to not miss the bait that is presented to us.

From the headmaster's words, he understood that this thing was extremely important.

Everything related to the Immortality of the soul is important.

It's worth the risk for him.

Of course, his true self would never take any risks.

He has to take it away.

Those behind the scenes were indeed clever; they offered bait they couldn't refuse.

It's safe to say they definitely conducted thorough self-examination.

As expected, his Pay-to-Win Talent remains as coveted as ever.

Those people never gave up.

He needs to be vigilant at all times, otherwise, he would be at a great loss if his talent were taken away by someone else.

Having thought this through, Gao Linzhi wasted no more time and immediately took action.

The location of that treasure was revealed on the Game Forum.

It is hidden on a remote island, which is numbered "2066".

In other words, it is also an island area where gamers come to visit.

It's still relatively new.

After Gao Linzhi determined the location, he hired a team of elite players who used the method of switching spawn points to arrive at the corresponding offline location.

After all, players in zone 2066 are relatively easy to find.

He then arrived on the island with his teammates.

"This island is called Myriad Flower Island," a player from this region said, acting as a guide.

As the name suggests, this island is covered in flowers.

"There are also four villages on the island, namely Spring Flower Village, Summer Flower Village, Autumn Flower Village, and Winter Flower Village."

"These four villages are all cultivating flowers of different seasons, which are also tributes to the imperial court."

"It can be used to make various spices, which can effectively repair mental damage and enhance soul strength." The player from 2066 said excitedly to Gao Linzhi.

This is a big shot from another region.

He was ranked number one on several activity leaderboards.

Although no new activity rankings have appeared recently, it still cannot conceal the opponent's strength.

In the last temporary mission, the other side easily crushed the imperial court's powerful figures, which is why the mission was completed so easily.

Without the other party's presence, the mission could not have been completed so easily.

"These flowers are truly vying for attention with their beauty."

Looking at the beautiful scenery on the island, with different flowers everywhere—roses, peonies, chrysanthemums— Gao Linzhi felt refreshed and invigorated.

There are also large Bamboo Forest scattered across the island.

Bamboo can also flower... but after it blooms, it withers and dies.

And at this time...

Gao Linzhi and the others followed the guide player, casually strolling around the island.

As they were enjoying the beautiful scenery of the island and casually getting acquainted with their surroundings, they suddenly saw another group of people approaching from a distance.

This group of people were clearly gamers, but their appearance was less than flattering.

They all had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and looked fierce and menacing.

From afar, Gao Linzhi could hear their voices.

They talked as they walked.

"I've heard there's a treasure here that can nourish the soul."

"According to the forum, this treasure is extremely valuable; even the imperial court would take it seriously."

"I heard that a large company has already offered a reward; this treasure can be exchanged for a piece of land with permanent ownership within the Safe Zone."

"And it's a full 500 square meters in size and six meters high!"

"Damn, if we get our hands on that thing, won't we be rich?"

"Yes, for the sake of a permanent Safe Zone, we must get that thing."

Gao Linzhi used the Appraisal Skill.

It was quickly discovered why these people looked exactly alike.

[...]

[Class: Shield Guard]

[Technique: Great Strength Ox Demon Art]

It turns out they were meat shields who had practiced the same technique.

A group of physical damage dealers actually showed up, clearly to prevent anyone from getting the treasure and using it themselves.

Magic-based classes have very high requirements for soul strength.

The requirements for one's soul in physics-related professions are not very direct, but they are actually very important. However, most people cannot see them because one needs to reach the pinnacle to realize them.

At that moment, the group of burly men also spotted Gao Linzhi and his group.

Someone immediately said, "Damn, there really are other people trying to take it from us!"

"Let's see how it goes first."

These people, though strong, are not stupid.

One of the leaders stepped forward and said, "Hey, brothers."

"Are you all here for the same reason as us?"

Gao Linzhi smiled slightly, "So, what brings you here?"

"Let's all speak frankly."

"We came here because of the information about the treasure on the forum."

"We are too."

"Just as I thought."

At this moment, Gao Linzhi said to them, "We haven't seen anything yet."

"I have no idea if it's true or not."

"So the first thing we need to do is determine if the item exists."

"Otherwise, we'd be the biggest fools, killing each other over a prize we haven't even won yet."

The person on the other end nodded repeatedly. "That's right, looks like you're not stupid, brother."

"Although we've heard there's a treasure here that can extend the lifespan of a soul, its authenticity is uncertain, so we shouldn't fight each other."

Gao Linzhi nodded; he was naturally not afraid of the other party playing tricks.

It's normal for the other party to know this information.

After all, this news had already been released on the platform.

"Haha. I think you probably already know this is a trap."

"But I think this thing might be real. After all, to set a trap, you need to offer some meat; otherwise, tigers and bears wouldn't be stupid enough to fall for it," the burly leader said seriously.

"That's right, we're all here for the bait."

"As for how they plan to set the trap, we don't know yet," Gao Linzhi said.

"Yes, the item is real. How will this trap be set?" the burly leader asked, frowning.

He had been suspicious ever since he arrived on the island.

They didn't know where the other side's trap was.

They searched everywhere but found no trap.

The reason we look for traps first is because the item is definitely inside a trap.

Like a trap to catch a tiger, the prey is definitely in the trap.

Meat is hard to find, but the traps are probably quite large and relatively easy to spot.

Gao Linzhi said, "Brother, why don't we join forces and search together?"

"This way, we can also speed things up."

They then continued their search on the island.

But not long after, they saw another team of players arrive.

And that's not all; more and more player teams are arriving.

Clearly, these players also realized the value of this treasure.

Even at the very end, Gao Linzhi saw a troop of imperial troops.

That was an imperial flying boat, probably belonging to the Imperial Observatory.

This shows how much importance they attached to this thing.

Gao Linzhi, however, smiled.

Those behind the scenes really value themselves.

They actually brought out such an important item as bait.

Why was Gao Linzhi so certain?

One source was divination, and the other was his inspiration.