"This True Mode feels a bit like Iron Man Mode. There's no saving, and you have to clear it in one life."
After getting out of bed, Mu Xinghe felt pretty hungry. Excitedly pondering the game, he cooked himself some food.
It was almost the Hai hour. Usually, he would have gone to bed by now.
But after grinding away at this game today, he suddenly felt like staying up late for a run.
Cooking in the world of immortal cultivation was actually quite simple. Even with a Mud Stove, special Ignition Talismans were embedded inside. These low-grade talismans only needed a little Spiritual Power to ignite a fierce flame. Cooking Qinghe Spirit Grain, which contained Spiritual Energy, took just a few minutes.
"There isn't much meat left at home. I've only got two pounds of Blood Deer Meat..."
"I'll have to go out and stock up in a few days."
Though it was ordinary venison, it tasted delicious steamed, boiled, stir-fried, or braised. Seasonings and such were readily available here, too.
Mining took a tremendous amount of stamina. Without meat, even a Cultivator would struggle to keep going.
The Spirit Rice was for replenishing Spiritual Power. Otherwise, he wouldn't have enough to cast spells while mining the next day, and his efficiency would suffer.
It took nearly half an hour to get the meal ready.
"Actually, if you eat this stuff long enough, it's nothing special."
When he'd first arrived in this world and tried Spirit Rice and meat dishes, he'd nearly swallowed his tongue along with them.
Mu Xinghe burped. After checking the time and glancing at the moon outside, he reckoned it was nearly the Zi hour.
Full and satisfied, Mu Xinghe lay back down on the bed.
"Mm... I'll just, just play a little longer, then go to sleep."
Since he'd turned on True Mode, he ought to give it a proper try.
"But I have 50 Paradise Coins now. I could also try exploring Taiping City as a Ranger."
But a Ranger might be even weaker in combat than a Demon Slayer, especially without Mind Eye and Demon Subduing Body, abilities exclusive to Demon Slayers.
After thinking for a few seconds, Mu Xinghe decided to try True Mode.
He'd already beaten the boss. As long as he didn't make a mistake, it should be fine.
If he could really use Golden Blade Art, clearing the game should be no problem.
With that thought, Mu Xinghe brought up the game interface, chose Demon Slayer, and entered the Tutorial Stage in True Mode.
Taiping City.
Mu Xinghe stared blankly at the scene around him.
"This is incredibly realistic!"
Mu Xinghe looked himself over, then took in the familiar surroundings, his eyes full of amazement. "This game's something else!"
Before, playing it had been like using VR goggles. But now... Mu Xinghe walked over to a nearby stall, picked up a bun, and took a bite.
The savory smell of meat filled his nostrils. The soft dough blended perfectly with the fresh meat, scallion fragrance, and savory sauce. For a moment, Mu Xinghe could hardly tell if he was in reality or in a game.
"Hey, what are you doing? You can't just eat my bun without paying!" The Peddler was stunned, then immediately scolded him.
[1, This lord's eating one of your buns is an honor.]
[2, There's something wrong with your bun. There's a bug inside.]
[3, Pay.]
"..." Mu Xinghe.
All right, it was a game.
Mu Xinghe pulled a few Copper Coins from his waist and headed straight to Yuelai Inn to ask around for information.
"The interactions in True Mode are much better... The environment reacts in real time. This game is so fun."
Mu Xinghe was fascinated. A thought suddenly occurred to him: he'd crossed into another world, so could this game world actually exist somewhere?
But even if it did, it wouldn't mean anything. To him, it was still just a game world.
As he walked, he pondered. Halfway there, he suddenly thought of something.
In the normal game, he had to ask about Shen Mansion at Yuelai Inn first to unlock the option to enter it.
That process would take a lot of time.
"But... as the player, I already know what's going on at Shen Mansion... Does my Demon Slayer character still need to go to the inn and ask around?"
If he didn't, then the game was calculating everything in real time based on the player and the character. That was no ordinary feat.
According to the Tutorial Stage's initial rating, the fewer casualties at Shen Mansion, the better. That meant he needed to kill the demons in advance.
Mu Xinghe changed direction and went straight to Shen Mansion, walking right up to the gate.
The steward cupped his hands and asked:
"Who are you, sir? What brings you to Shen Mansion?"
[1, I'm a Demon Sealer. I saw Demonic Aura surging over your mansion, so I've come to seal the demons and drive them out.]
[2, Sir, I'm your long-lost son.]
[3, Pickpocket (ability not unlocked).]
[4, I'm here to deliver vegetables.]
[5, ...]
"That option isn't there..." Mu Xinghe frowned slightly.
But this time, unlike before, he wasn't controlling a character. In True Mode, he had become the character himself.
With that in mind, Mu Xinghe lowered his voice and said slowly:
"I am Mu Xinghe, a Demon Sealer who fought alongside Hero Shen in Chishui Village. I was passing through Taiping City, so I came to pay my respects to him."
He paused, then continued:
"Please inform Madam Shen."
The steward was taken aback, then immediately sent a servant into the mansion.
A moment later, the servant came back and murmured something in the steward's ear.
"In that case, young hero, please come in."
At that answer, Mu Xinghe's pupils narrowed slightly beneath his bamboo hat.
It really worked?
Once inside Shen Mansion, the process went as before, except that he'd arrived early, so there weren't many people around.
After paying his respects, a maid led him to a side room.
On the way, Mu Xinghe pondered for a long while, then suddenly asked:
"May I ask why Madam Shen isn't here?"
"Hmm?" The maid turned around and asked, "Why do you ask, young hero?"
[1, To be honest, before Hero Shen died, he asked me to look after his wife. I came here to find out how Madam Shen is doing.]
[2, I've heard Madam Shen is Guo Se Tian Xiang. Everyone loves beauty, and I just want to catch a glimpse of her.]
[3, What's it to you?]
Mu Xinghe's heart stirred. After a moment's thought, he chose 1.
It fit the identity he'd set for himself.
"Huh?" The maid stared blankly, then glanced at him. "Well... Madam is in her chambers, washing up and getting dressed. She'll appear when the banquet begins. She isn't receiving guests right now."
"But if you'd like to see Madam, you can go to the banquet hall early and wait for the feast to begin."
After the maid finished speaking, an information panel appeared.
[Achievement Quest: Legacy of Wei Wu unlocked.] [Legacy of Wei Wu: Protect Madam Shen, and earn her trust. If the target dies, the quest will fail.]
This must be the achievement mentioned in the rating.
It seemed he had to unlock it first.
When he reached the banquet hall, dozens of tables had already been set out, stretching all the way into the courtyard.
There were all kinds of delicacies—Braised Bear Paw, Eight Treasure Duck, Braised Fish Maw, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, crispy roast suckling pig... The dishes were countless. Never mind their quality; just seeing that many made Mu Xinghe's eyelids twitch.
Especially the fragrance, which shot straight to the top of his head. The food was definitely high quality, too.
By comparison, he felt like a beggar, despite being a bona fide Cultivator.
"No wonder they're a wealthy household," Mu Xinghe thought. "The amount of work that went into this game is insane."
This time, instead of waiting in the side room, he went to the banquet to wait.
The guests gathered around him in droves, and their numbers kept growing.
Before long, a shadowy figure emerged from the back, and the entire hall fell silent.
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