New Players

The old players gathered to discuss things before logging in.

Wang Zhongwang: "What got updated? Why isn't there even a game announcement? Do we have to explore this ourselves, too?"

I Am an Angel: "Isn't that what makes it fun?"

Ten-Year Veteran: "Open the map and take a look."

Spirit Hall Eternal: "The Sun Moon Empire and the Star Dou Great Forest-both of these maps have opened."

Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "That's right! The next part of the story really does move over to the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Dou Great Forest. That's where the story of the most important character, Wang Qiuer-the Emperor Auspicious Beast-takes place."

I Am an Angel: "Can we prevent Huo Yuhao and Wang Qiuer from meeting? That way, we could put a stop to their tragedy."

Wang Zhongwang: "That'll be difficult, won't it? After all, in the original story, their meeting was arranged by a certain Tang God-King."

Qian Xixi: "We're players. Who cares what the original story is? We're here to wreck the plot. I refuse to believe that if we keep hounding Huo Yuhao, he and Wang Qiuer will still spark anything."

Ten-Year Veteran: "Take another look at the Star Dou Great Forest. That's not an ordinary map; it's a leveling dungeon."

Qian Xixi: "A leveling dungeon! That means we've got another place to raise our Soul Power levels. We don't have to rely solely on quests to level up anymore."

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "I don't think this was made for us."

Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "What do you mean? Pull up the sect list and take a look."

Spirit Hall Eternal: "There are so many more names on the list. So new players are coming, but why haven't they appeared yet?"

Wang Zhongwang: "Are you stupid? They're obviously awakening their Martial Souls! In other words, the Star Dou Great Forest dungeon is actually for these new players to catch up in levels."

I Am an Angel: "Oh, then doesn't that mean we can take the newbies along?"

Primordial One: "Newbies are great. They're precious, but this isn't a certain Yuan. You're not going to charge for taking newbies along, are you?"

I Am an Angel: "What kind of person do you take me for? I'll take anyone who's easy to get along with for free!"

Just then, one new player after another appeared in the sect plaza.

The sect channel also grew lively.

Qian Xunji: "Haha, this game is really interesting. It really is fully immersive! Does today's technology actually have something like this? With this level of realism, it's worth spending a little more money."

Nine-Tailed Male Fox: "Hey, buddy, didn't you pick that name just to get beaten up?"

Qian Xunji: "What's wrong with my name? Are you just sour because you can't have the grapes?"

Crimson Tassel Blaze: "Man, I don't know whether the grapes are sour, but that girl beside you definitely wants to beat you up."

The girl beside him was named Dong'er.

Wang Zhongwang: "Hello, all you newbies! We're the players who've been here since launch. Ask us anything you want."

Motorcycle Robot Transformation: "How do you all level up? Are the old players' Martial Souls really powerful? What's that above your heads? A title? 'Soul Master Tournament Champion'!"

Only then did the old players notice that they really did have a title above their heads.

But that Soul Master Tournament Champion title was only good for showing off. It didn't add any attributes at all; it was just a special perk for the old players who'd competed.

I Am Xiao Jian: "Old players have it so good? You even competed in the Soul Master Tournament and won the championship."

Ten-Year Veteran: "New players, you should go check the game announcement first. This game is basically about leveling up and following the quests and plot. You can change the original story."

I Am an Angel: "That's right, that's right. We old players stole the Soul Master Tournament championship from Shrek Academy."

Zhou Xingxing: "Awesome! By the way, what point in the story are we at now?"

Qian Xixi: "It's just after the Soul Master Tournament ended. You guys have it good now, with another place to grind levels. Before, we could only follow the story and level up slowly."

Qian Xunji: "I want to level up. Anyone willing to take me along? I can pay. They're called Life Coins here, right?"

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "Here comes another rich guy. @Qian Xixi, your position is in danger."

Qian Xixi: "What's that supposed to mean? We're all friends. Of course, the more rich players there are in the game, the better. When we need to do something big later, there'll be more people paying."

Dong'er: "Oh, what big things can we do? Can we blow up Shrek Academy?"

Nine-Tailed Male Fox: "Holy crap! Do you have to be that extreme? Even if we can blow up Shrek Academy, that's something for the late game, right? We're only level 10 now. Oh, right, level 10! This game starts you at level 10, not level 1."

Wang Zhongwang: "That's one of the game's features, I guess. All the players are geniuses born with their innate bonuses maxed out. Hahaha..."

Ten-Year Veteran: "Are there any gaming experts who play a lot of games? Tell us what Martial Souls you have."

Qian Xixi: "If our rich bro has money to spare, he can take a look in the shop. You can pay to reawaken your Martial Soul or unlock a slot for it and get Twin Martial Souls."

Qian Xunji: "Unlocking a Martial Soul slot! Twin Martial Souls! Not bad, though it's a little expensive! Which of you have Twin Martial Souls?"

Qian Xixi: "Right now, only I, I Am an Angel, and Ten-Year Veteran have them."

Wang Zhongwang: "You named yourself Qian Xunji. Don't tell me you really have an Angel Martial Soul?"

Qian Xunji: "Hahaha, I really do have an Angel Martial Soul, but it's a Dark Angel Martial Soul."

Qian Xunji summoned his Martial Soul, spreading two black wings.

Dong'er: "Heh, it really suits your name."

Qian Xunji: "You're not really Bibi Dong, so why do you keep picking on me?"

Dong'er: "Because you annoy me. What about it? Look at my Martial Soul."

Dong'er summoned her Martial Soul. It turned out to be a spider Martial Soul, and a Man-Faced Demon Spider at that.

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "Black Widow! Stay away from her!"

Just as the old and new players were chatting animatedly in the sect channel,

a new quest announcement appeared.

[Tang Ya, the Sect Master of the Tang Sect, has returned. Go welcome her. Tang Ya will designate a player to receive her. The player who completes the task will receive a special reward.]

Nine-Tailed Male Fox: "Is this the quest? Where's Tang Ya?"

Qian Xunji: "Idiot, look at the map! She's right outside the gate."

Qian Xunji reacted the fastest and ran straight for the gate. The other new players who caught on also ran toward the entrance.

The old players weren't in a hurry. They might as well leave the new quest to the new players.

Besides, there was only one slot for this quest. It really wasn't easy to get.

At that moment, Tang Ya stood outside the Tang Sect Stronghold. Looking at the tightly shut gate and the words "New Tang Sect" above it, she felt somewhat moved.

"Father, Mother, does this count as me avenging you? Does avenging you through someone else's hands really count as revenge?"

While Tang Ya was lost in thought, the new players had already rushed out through the gate and surrounded her.