Gao Linzhi Makes His Move, Talent Enters Cooldown

"Not all of you Orc Race are at the Level-Two Life Level, are you?" Zhang Mingzhen suddenly asked.

"Of course not."

"Most orcs are only at level 1.5, with only a few Mutation Tier reaching level 2. Such examples are extremely rare and are all predetermined by nature."

"I remember the Wolf Clan once had a hybrid called Lang Man, but unfortunately he was a mixed-blood, his bloodline was impure, and although he hadn't reached level two, he was already stronger than ordinary beastmen."

"I heard that he recently broke free from the shackles of the God's Domain and was liberated from its control."

"This matter has spread quite widely among us—when he was affected by the God's Domain and left the Orc City, everyone thought he would never return."

It seems that the chieftain of the Wolf Barbarians is a branch of the Wolf Clan.

The mission that "One Sword Nine Provinces" accepted was indeed extraordinary; it's hard to say whether this Lang Man was fortunate or unfortunate.

Although it was once accused of being the chief guardian of the dungeon, the real one eventually escaped from its cage. What remains in the dungeon now is probably its reincarnation.

Unfortunately, his son was buried deep within the dungeon and could never return.

The Lang Man, now awakened, were at a loss for words, their true feelings unknown.

"I will take the Crimson Blood Jiao, no matter the means."

"If anyone tries to stop me, I will show no mercy."

"You've seen Xiong Ping's fate. Even those who are already destined for it, I can still kill."

It was only after witnessing this person actually attacking them, these NPCs, that Xiong Yi changed his attitude and became willing to explain everything to him.

If this person is determined to seize the Crimson Blood Jiao, then the only path he can take is the Beast King Trial.

"I will contact the clan leaders who joined forces to seal off the space back then, but you must first pass the Beast King Trial."

"This is an ancient law of the clan, and even you cannot make an exception."

"Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, you can't just kill those beings at will—such items are rare even in the later stages of the game, and you can't use them too many times."

"The entity behind the God's Domain will not allow the arbitrary killing of its puppets."

So that token was truly so precious, even at its peak it was difficult to obtain easily? Zhang Mingzhen wondered where the Starlight Merchant Guild had acquired it... He seemed lost in thought.

He then recalled that his previous talent had received "downgrade" warnings, so it was clear that Xiong Yi wasn't lying.

The system will not allow a large number of NPCs to disappear.

That's normal; creating a high-level NPC is extremely difficult.

How could beings like pandas and dragons be allowed to be hunted at will?

"What are the contents of the Beast King Trial?" he then asked.

A look of reminiscence appeared in Xiong Yi's eyes:

"The Beast King Trial was the highest-level dungeon challenge we faced when we were still players."

"The trial participant will become the chief guardian, engaging in battle against the other players."

"Whichever side wins will be richly rewarded."

"Of course, as one of the trial participants, if the leader you're playing is defeated by the players, you'll be punished—perhaps by losing cultivation points, or perhaps by dropping your valuable items..."

Zhang Mingzhen was taken aback upon hearing this.

He still has four growth artifacts that he has painstakingly upgraded to the Platinum Tier!

After becoming the leader of the gatekeeper, it's unknown whether his innate attributes will change.

If all the players in the God's Domain were to attack, and he were to be ambushed by some treacherous individual and lose his equipment... he might truly go insane.

Seeing Zhang Mingzhen's expression darken as he listened, Xiong Yi explained:

"Crisis often coexists with opportunity."

"The more enemies you defeat during the trial, the richer the rewards will be, and you might even get a Sacred Tier- grade item."

"With your abilities, you certainly won't fail." He began by offering a high compliment.

"The rewards from the God's Domain are generally divided into several categories: Common Tier, Special Tier, Rare Tier, Mutation Tier, Sacred Tier, and Transcendent God Tier."

"In my opinion, the item you possess that can kill a predetermined person is at least at the level of Mutation Tier."

"And items of the Sacred Tier Rank are the treasures worthy of top-tier players—I don't think you'd want to miss out, would you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Mingzhen was moved. Was the reward proportional to the number of enemies killed?

Then he'll definitely unleash his slaughter!

"My identity as the head of the gatekeeper should be kept completely secret, right? You won't let the news leak out?" Zhang Mingzhen asked.

If his identity could be concealed, he might be able to maneuver; but if these people plotted against him in secret, he was by no means an easy opponent.

"You don't need to worry about this," Xiong Yi nodded.

"We, the assimilated people, have long forgotten the details of the Beast King Trial, and we old folks will not voluntarily interfere in the affairs of the God's Domain."

"Once the God's Domain discovers this, even the protection of Holy Relic will be of no use."

"It is already a great risk for me to be able to say these things to you at this moment."

"This is the only house in the Bear Clan that has been imbued with holy power, making it immune to outside spying."

"Leave this place and never ask me again about anything concerning the God's Domain."

Zhang Mingzhen to be deep in thought. It turned out that this seemingly ordinary room had such extraordinary abilities, and its furnishings were not even as exquisite as his own home.

"Alright, I'm willing to accept the Beast King Trial." He readily agreed.

"Wait a minute. Even if you've agreed, you must first inform the others."

"The trial can only begin with their unanimous approval."

Zhang Mingzhen frowned – the Orc Race was diverse, their rules were outdated, and although they seemed crude, they were actually more troublesome than humans.

"It's alright, just lead me to them."

"There's no need to go."

"I have already sent a message using special means; please wait here."

Xiong Yi remained calm and composed, as if he had everything under control.

Did this old man already predict that he would accept the challenge? Was he certain that he couldn't resist the reward?

As they were talking, footsteps could be heard outside; the sound preceded the person's arrival.

"Xiong Yi, what is the matter that you summoned us here in such a hurry?"

The door opened, and two figures came into view.

One was tall and robust, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, like a mountain; the other was thin and bony, with sparse white hair, like a candle flickering in the wind.

"Please allow me to introduce you."

"This valiant warrior is Fire Lion, the patriarch of the Explosive Lion Clan, and the other is Lang Yin, the high priest of the Wolf Clan."

"As for this adventurer, he wishes to open the Secret Realm to obtain the Crimson Blood Jiao's heart and blood, and is willing to undertake the Beast King Trial."

Both of them were taken aback upon hearing this.

Crimson Blood Jiao... Beast King Trial... These words have been silent for many years.

It seems this person also has some understanding of the laws of the God's Domain.

Before they could respond, another figure stepped into the room and immediately rejected the idea outright:

"Xiong Yi, you've mobilized so many people just for this? It's utterly absurd!"

"Does anyone think that everyone can covet the Beast King Trial?"

"Moreover, have you even asked the Scale Serpent Clan about obtaining the Crimson Blood Jiao's heart and blood? I will never agree to it!" The newcomer was none other than "She Si," the head of the Scale Serpent Clan.

In the past, the Crimson Blood Jiao and the Scaled Serpent Clan had a very deep connection. Even now, having fallen to this state, the She Si still does not allow outsiders to easily harm it in the slightest, not even if they pass the trial!

After all, the two have a very close relationship.

"Ahem, this is She Si, the patriarch of the Scale Serpent Clan." Xiong Yi said solemnly, "She Si, the clan rules state: Anyone who passes the Beast King Trial may make any request to our clan, as long as it does not endanger the lives of the entire clan or involve Holy Relic, it shall be granted."

"Hmph! Wasn't the Crimson Blood Jiao once a member of my Orc Race?"

"Even if their intelligence is extinguished, they are still half of our kind! Do you really intend to agree to this?"

"I hereby declare: as long as I have a breath left, I will not allow this person to participate in the trial, nor will I allow him to harm any of the Crimson Blood Jiao!"

The Scale Serpent Clan and the Crimson Blood Jiao Clan share the same bloodline and have close ties.

It She Si proposed sealing the deranged Crimson Blood Jiao into a special space back then.

It is outrageous that someone would dare to covet the Crimson Blood Jiao's lifeblood!

"Heh... this is going to be difficult," Xiong Yi said, frowning.

Zhang Mingzhen's gaze turned cold. "Elder Xiong Yi, it seems this matter has encountered obstacles?"

"Since someone has declared that 'it will not be allowed to exist for even a day,' then if we were to disappear from the God's Domain... the problem would be easily solved."

Zhang Mingzhen, who had already found the situation extremely tedious, felt a surge of murderous intent upon seeing the Scale Serpent Clan's utter disrespect.

Without applying color, it will probably be difficult to achieve the desired result.

Before Xiong Yi even speak up to change the situation, he was the first to activate the Killing Token —to use the Scale Serpent Clan to establish his authority!

"Arrogant!"

The She Si, not expecting this player who was not yet at the maximum level to dare to attempt to kill it, was enraged and immediately charged forward.

The other orc Orc Race, however, each had their own agendas and none of them stepped forward to stop them.

"She Si (Level 100), Physique (Leader Form)"

"Strength 9000, Agility 8000, Intelligence 6700..."

A physical barrier and a magical shield appeared simultaneously, and the opponent, in the form of a giant python, exuded a dangerous aura.

Its venomous fangs are fierce: critical hits inflict plant-based poison, while Combos add beastly corrosion.

"You arrogant brat, today I'll make sure you die here!"

A violent blow exploded on Zhang Mingzhen's body, and the continuous poison eroded his life every second.

A critical hit right from the start!

If one were not Priest, this relentless onslaught and additional damage would indeed be troublesome.

However, for Zhang Mingzhen, as long as he failed to deliver a fatal blow, it would be an opportunity to retaliate.

The Vines broke through the soil and bound the giant python, followed by a series of powerful bear-shaped strikes!

Critical hit! Combo!

A barrage of damage numbers rained down, shocking not only the She Si but also the clan leaders watching the battle, who suddenly lost their composure.

The other player was clearly cheating!

"Where did this boy come from? His level is not even complete yet, how can he have such terrifying output?" The Fire Lion Clan Chief turned to Xiong Yi, his eyes blazing.

Xiong Yi gave a wry smile, "How could I possibly recruit WB? He clearly came to me of his own accord."

"I knew he was extraordinary, so I had no choice but to allow him to participate in the Beast King Trial."

"Please, everyone, refrain from causing trouble— the Crimson Blood Jiao has long since strayed from the origins of the beast race. Although it has wronged the She Si lineage, it is still better than bringing annihilation upon our race."

"You have all witnessed his strength. Our clan is declining day by day and can no longer afford further losses."

The Lang Yin clan chieftain's pupils suddenly contracted.

This Aberrants not only possesses astonishing attack power, but also unfathomable healing and defense abilities.

The She Si's fierce attack failed to budge it in the slightest. If they continued to stand idly by, another powerful member of the beast race would fall.

"Xiong Yi, Fire Lion, it's time to make a move." At this moment, Lang Yin suddenly spoke up.

"She Si cannot die. You hold him back while I go help him heal his wounds."

"Alright!" Seeing that the She Si on the verge of defeat, the three of them instantly entered the battle.

The Xiong Yi firm like mountains, while the Lang Yin a powerful attack like thunder; their combined assault significantly increased the pressure.

But Zhang Mingzhen's gaze remained fixed on She Si, who was being treated by Lang Yin —this scoundrel must not be allowed to live!

He withstood two fierce attacks, his body radiating golden light and unleashing his Super Armor as he charged straight at the She Si!

"Not good!" The three men, realizing his determination, unleashed their full power in an attempt to stop him.

Ignoring the declining health bar, Vine Zhang Mingzhen preemptively used vines to entangle the Lang Yin, blocking its healing.

Under the horrified gaze of the She Si, Self-Sacrifice radiance ignited, and in an invincible state, he withstood all the attacks head-on, piercing through the She Si's vitals with a single blow!

Before it could even beg for mercy, the She Si collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Gao Linzhi watched this scene coldly.

In fact, if he simply canceled the other person's talent, the other person would die here today.

However, after thinking about it, he decided not to do so.

After all, this chess piece is the one that has gone the furthest in exploring the mysteries of the system.

However, a warning should still be given.

Therefore, he directly set a cooldown period for the talent.

Zhang Mingzhen needed to establish his authority, and those who betrayed their clan were the most suitable targets for sacrifice.

The afterglow of his invincibility lingered, and he could have pressed his advantage, but he suddenly stopped.

It wasn't just because "the Beast King Trial still needs these clan leaders to maintain it," but because the system suddenly notified. "You have killed a high-level important NPC of the system. Your talent has entered the cooldown period, with a cooldown time of 1 hour."

He suddenly felt weak.

He quickly opened the system panel and, sure enough, his most relied-upon talent, "Yin Yang Walker," which could double his attributes, provide invincible skills, and grant two sets of equipment—a cheat-like talent—had turned black.

There's also a countdown timer: "59:58".

His attributes immediately plummeted.

Damn it, the system's warning came true so quickly!

This time it's one hour; next time it could be 24 hours, or even a month.

Is his talent still a passive skill?

He took a deep breath and pretended nothing was wrong.

Now he understood why Xiong Yi and the other high-level race players who remained were keeping a low profile.

No matter how capable you are, in the face of a system, it's just a matter of manipulating data.

Just like those big entrepreneurs, no matter how Wind and Cloud you were before, once a new rule is set in place, you can expect your industry to go bankrupt and you to go from glory to imprisonment.

Immediately, Zhang Mingzhen cast a healing spell on himself. When the golden light dissipated, the healing spell had fully restored his qi and blood.

He looked up and saw that the three clan leaders looked terrified, as if they were looking at demons.

Knowing full well that they were not ordinary puppet NPCs, but players who had also entered the game, and that death meant eternal loss, this person still did not hesitate.

Hatred may have been born, but the crushing force of the snake as it died made them dare not make any further moves.

"I couldn't stop myself for a moment, please forgive me."

"However, since the She Si blocked my path, it is reasonable for me to take its life. What do you all think?" Zhang Mingzhen naturally would not reveal his current weakness.

Zhang Mingzhen quietly put away the Killing Token —he had just checked it, and the token's durability had dropped by 30% after killing only one snake.

It seems that the cost of killing different entities varies greatly.

This item is so precious that it must be used with caution in the future.

In the ensuing silence, Xiong Yi had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward to negotiate.

Fire Lion's concessions have reached their limit; his only concern is the survival of his own race, and the life and death of the other Orc Race are unlikely to affect him.

As for the high priest of the Wolf Clan, he was an old fox with a deep and cunning mind; it was absolutely impossible for him to take a stand at this moment.

"While there were compelling reasons for this matter, we urge that such actions never be repeated."

"We old bones simply can't withstand this kind of wear and tear."

"Moreover, with each fellow cultivator lost, the obstacle to opening that sealed realm increases, which is surely a situation you would not want to see."

"Of course."

"What kind of person do you take me for? Am I some kind of willful and reckless individual? If that She Si insisted on obstructing me, neither allowing me to take the Crimson Blood Jiao nor permitting me to participate in the Beast King Trial, I wouldn't have been so ruthless," Zhang Mingzhen said, feigning magnanimity.

"I think there must be only one person so out of touch with reality, right? The rest of our Orc Race friends must all be reasonable and understanding, aren't they?"

The imposing presence conveyed in their words no longer needed to be concealed.

In truth, he was already too weak to fight back.

He's also worried that the cooldown period might be extended to 24 hours next time, which would be a huge problem.