Mist Over Aolai and First Signs of Brilliance

Riding the post station carriage, the scenery around him sped backward like a Data Stream. Su Yan closed his eyes and focused. The Yellow Court Scripture mental cultivation method within him began circulating on its own, faintly resonating with the weak fluctuations emitted by the [Damaged Compass] in his arms. Though he had cultivated at Mount Fangcun for only a few days, his perception of "data anomalies" had become far sharper. He could sense that the direction indicated by the compass was not a simple bearing, but something more like "coordinate correction" deeply embedded within this world's rules.

[System Notification: You are about to arrive at Aolai Country. Recommended area level: Level 20-40. A special quest item has been detected in your possession. The probability of triggering regional events has increased.]

The carriage came to a stop, and the salty sea breeze rushed toward him. Aolai Country was several times grander than Jianye City. The harbor was thick with masts, the markets buzzed with voices, and players mingled with native NPCs, their auras clearly much stronger. Su Yan's Level 7 stood out awkwardly here, drawing a few sidelong glances. Yet his composed bearing, along with Little Big Dipper, the Mutated Sea Hairy Caterpillar beside him with its deep-purple shell, star-like markings, and lively eyes, kept people from underestimating him.

He did not rush to explore. Instead, he first found a secluded corner to sort out his situation. On the [Probability Accumulation Panel], points were accumulating noticeably faster due to his cultivation at Mount Fangcun and his previous reserves, after the boosts to his basic efficiency. For now, he focused on [Item Acquisition Chance (Rare)] and [Skill Comprehension/Breakthrough Chance].

"First, I need to familiarize myself with the area, gather information, and raise my level and strength," Su Yan planned. Aolai Country was a hub leading to high-level areas such as the East Sea Maze and Dragon Cave. With all kinds of people gathered here, it was the perfect place to gather intelligence and search for clues to repairing the compass.

He led Little Big Dipper through the market, paying attention to the various stalls and players' conversations. Before long, he heard something of interest at a stall selling East Sea specialties.

"Did you hear? Things have been unsettled around Flower-Fruit Mountain lately," a Tiger Head Monster player carrying a Xuanhua Axe said to his companion. "Turbid Qi is everywhere. Quite a few brothers went in to level and got burned. They said the monsters' attacks come with confusion effects. It's damned annoying."

"Exactly. Even Water Curtain Cave has been affected. Someone on the forums said it might be related to certain 'anomalies,' triggering some hidden mechanisms..." Another Fox Beauty player lowered her voice.

Flower-Fruit Mountain? Turbid Qi? Anomalies? Su Yan immediately thought of the "Paradoxical Events" Patriarch Bodhi had mentioned, as well as the clues hinted at by Li Shanren and Lingdang. Keeping his expression neutral, he stepped forward and struck up a conversation. "Gentlemen, pardon the interruption. I just arrived in Aolai and am quite interested in Flower-Fruit Mountain. What exactly do you mean by these 'anomalies'?"

The Tiger Head Monster player sized Su Yan up. Seeing that his level was not high but that his tone was steady, and that the pet beside him was rather extraordinary, he said, "Kid, if your level isn't high, don't go looking for excitement. The monsters there are fiercer than normal data, and they know some strange tricks too. One of our guild brothers took some inexplicable quest in there. Not only did he fail to get the reward, he lost quite a bit of experience instead. Creepy stuff."

The Fox Beauty added, "There's an analysis post on the forums. They suspect the server... no, the underlying rules of this world have developed a few minor bugs. It may be linked to certain special quests or items." Her gaze flicked meaningfully toward Su Yan's waist, where his virtual inventory was located.

Su Yan understood. He thanked the two of them. It seemed the anomaly at Flower-Fruit Mountain was no longer a secret, and it might be connected to other informed parties or factions. He decided to investigate the outskirts of Flower-Fruit Mountain first.

Upon arriving at the foot of Flower-Fruit Mountain, he indeed sensed a faint, restless fishy stench in the air. It resembled the abnormal data fluctuations from the sunken ship, though it was thinner and more dispersed. He tried circulating Mount Fangcun's cultivation method. With his mind clear, he could more distinctly capture those distorted Data Streams, like static amid background noise.

"Be careful, Little Big Dipper." Su Yan patted the Sea Hairy Caterpillar curiously looking around his feet. The little fellow raised its head, its antennae swaying lightly. It seemed to sense the strangeness in the surroundings as well, and the star markings on its shell flickered faintly.

He chose a path with fewer players and ventured deeper. Most of the monsters he encountered were Little Dragon Girls and Tigers, but some individuals had abnormal red glimmers in their eyes. Their attacks occasionally carried the effect of [Data Rend], which ignored part of one's defense and inflicted continuous damage. They were extremely troublesome.

Su Yan did not dare be careless. His tactics were clear: upon encountering an enemy, he would first use [Mind Loss Talisman] to seal its special skills, then follow with [Dragon Quelling Talisman]. Little Big Dipper, meanwhile, pounced in to bite and tear with its high attack aptitude and the skills [Advanced Poison] and [Life Steal]. Mount Fangcun's control and powerful single-target talismans, combined with Little Big Dipper's formidable single-target damage and sustain, proved surprisingly efficient against these monsters strengthened by anomalies.

During battle, Su Yan became increasingly proficient in his use of talismans. At times, he briefly applied [Probability Accumulation] to [Skill Comprehension/Breakthrough Chance]. Then, in one critical moment, inspiration struck, and [Dragon Quelling Talisman] underwent a slight change in form. Its lightning condensed into needles, greatly increasing its piercing power and producing the astonishing number, "-201! (Spell Critical Hit)!"

[System: You have gained insight into 'Dragon Quelling Talisman' during actual combat. Proficiency has increased significantly!]

Little Big Dipper's performance was even more dazzling. Once, Su Yan accidentally drew two Mutated Tigers at once, while [Mind Loss Talisman] was on cooldown. One tiger broke through the line and lunged at Su Yan. Just as its claws were about to strike, Little Big Dipper let out a sharp hiss. The star markings on its body erupted with intense silver light, and its speed suddenly surged. Though it moved later, it arrived first, viciously biting the tiger's neck with [Life Steal]. Not only did it deal massive damage, the health it recovered directly formed a thin Energy Shield that barely blocked the sneak attack from the other tiger!

"Well done, Little Big Dipper!" Su Yan was both surprised and delighted. It seemed this Mutated Sea Hairy Caterpillar's potential went far beyond what its status panel showed.

Just after they cleared out a group of anomalous monsters, the compass in Su Yan's arms suddenly began to tremble continuously, growing slightly warm. He took it out and saw that its broken needle was no longer twitching erratically. Instead, it firmly pointed toward the depths of Flower-Fruit Mountain, in the direction of Water Curtain Cave!

At the same time, a message unlike a system notification, carrying Garbled Code, forcibly entered his mind:

[...coordinates (Flower-Fruit Mountain, Water Curtain Cave core)...Rule Conflict point...'Crimson Tail'...data redundancy...eliminate...or...absorb?...]

The message was fragmented, but the keywords "Water Curtain Cave" and "Crimson Tail" made his heart tighten. Combined with the rumors he had heard and this anomalous prompt, an important "abnormal data source" had to exist deep within Water Curtain Cave!

He took a deep breath and decided to press onward. The closer he got to Water Curtain Cave, the stronger the abnormal data fluctuations became, and the denser and more powerful the monsters grew. He even saw several player teams suffer defeat here, cursing as they retreated.

After a grueling battle, Su Yan and Little Big Dipper finally reached the entrance to Water Curtain Cave. The enormous waterfall poured down like an overturned Milky Way, roaring thunderously. The cave beyond was dimly lit and filled with Turbid Qi and Data Turbulence ten times denser than outside.

Just as he prepared to step into the entrance, a somewhat frivolous yet unquestionable voice called out to him.

"Yo, little brother from Mount Fangcun, hold on."

Su Yan turned around and saw three players who had appeared behind him at some point. The leader was none other than Fleeting Life, Dreaming, whom he had met once at the marketplace in Jianye City! He still wore that magnificent brocade robe and held a folding fan glowing blue. His level had already risen to Level 22. The Tiger Head Monster and Giant Demon King behind him had also reached Level 20.

Fleeting Life, Dreaming stared intently at the compass in Su Yan's hand, a confident smile hanging on his face. "Looks like we really are fated, little brother. Your compass seems quite interested in the 'anomaly' here? To be honest, our Drunken Spring Breeze guild accepted a quest to clear out the abnormal data in this place. How about... we cooperate? Of course, the quest rewards and any... special items we discover will be divided according to contribution." He deliberately emphasized "special items," never taking his eyes off the compass.

Su Yan sneered inwardly. Cooperation was a lie. What they truly wanted was the compass and whatever quest rewards might be here. He could feel the other party's undisguised pressure, as well as the malicious gaze the Tiger Head Monster player kept directing at Little Big Dipper.

"No need to trouble yourselves." Su Yan put the compass back into his inventory, his tone calm. "I can handle my own quest."

The smile on Fleeting Life, Dreaming's face did not change, but his gaze turned cold. "Little brother, your level may be low, but your temper isn't. Water Curtain Cave isn't like outside. It's full of danger. Without powerful teammates, I'm afraid you won't complete your quest. You might even lose experience, equipment, or perhaps... a precious pet." The threat in his words was obvious.

Su Yan gripped the Bronze Short Sword in his hand as spiritual power quietly circulated within him. Sensing his master's fighting intent, Little Big Dipper lowered its body and let out a threatening hiss. The star markings on its shell lit up again.

"I'll walk my own path. And no one else gets to covet my companion."

The atmosphere instantly became taut with hostility.

Fleeting Life, Dreaming lightly waved his folding fan, smiling without really smiling. "Since that's the case, then we shall... each rely on our own abilities. I hope you can 'successfully' complete your quest, little brother." He deliberately drew out the word "successfully," his voice full of mockery. Then he led his two teammates into Water Curtain Cave first, their figures vanishing into the darkness.

Su Yan knew that the dangers inside the cave now included not only unknown anomalies, but also threats from his own kind. Yet his gaze remained firm as he patted Little Big Dipper's head.

"Come on, Little Big Dipper. Let's see what secrets this Water Curtain Cave is hiding."

After adjusting his condition, he directed more of [Probability Accumulation]'s points toward "survival and response," then stepped through the roaring curtain of water.

The inside of the cave was a world of its own, vast and spacious, with stalactites hanging overhead. Yet the spiritual energy that should have been pure was mixed with nauseating Turbid Qi and the scorched stench of data. Faint sounds of battle came from the distance. Clearly, Fleeting Life, Dreaming's group had already begun fighting the anomalous monsters within.

Su Yan did not follow the sounds. Instead, guided by the increasingly intense pull of the compass, he chose a fork in the path. This route was deeper and quieter, and the concentration of abnormal data was even higher. He could even occasionally see tiny arcs of electricity flash through the air, like short-circuiting circuits.

Finally, in a cavern deep within the cave covered in strange purple moss, he found his target—

It was not a powerful BOSS, but a little monkey curled up in a corner. Its body flickered constantly between solid form and translucent Data Streams, while its eyes were full of pain and confusion! Its name displayed as [Polluted Crimson Tail]. Above it floated an [Abnormal Data Fragment] similar to the one from the sunken ship, though smaller and darker in color. The fragment was constantly extracting the little monkey's data, keeping it trapped in this agonizing, distorted state.

[Hidden Quest Updated: 'Echoes of Data' -> 'Purify Crimson Tail']

[Description]: One of the sources of Turbid Qi at Flower-Fruit Mountain is connected to the little monkey 'Crimson Tail,' which has been contaminated by abnormal data. Try to purify it. Doing so may calm some of the anomalies here and yield key information.

[Objective]: Purify 'Polluted Crimson Tail'.

[Hint]: Forcibly killing it may cause its data to collapse completely. Mount Fangcun talismans may have an unexpected effect.

Looking at the suffering little monkey, Su Yan recalled the forum rumors and the name in that garbled message. It seemed this Crimson Tail was the key.

He tried to approach, but Crimson Tail immediately let out a sharp warning cry. The Data Streams around its body shook violently, releasing unstable Energy Fluctuation.

He could not attack head-on. Su Yan calmed himself and recalled Patriarch Bodhi's teachings about "the heart and talismans," about "driving out evil and upholding righteousness." Spiritual power gathered at his fingertips. Instead of drawing an offensive [Dragon Quelling Talisman], he tried guiding the gentle power of the Yellow Court Scripture within him, mixing it with the intent to "purify data" as he traced a talisman through the air.

A previously unseen talisman radiating soft white light slowly took shape at his fingertips—[Heart Purifying Talisman]! This was an auxiliary talisman he had comprehended on the spot by combining the principles of Mount Fangcun's basic talismans with his own understanding of "data," aided by the slight boost from [Skill Comprehension Chance] on his golden finger!

"Go!" Su Yan shouted softly. The white talisman floated lightly toward Crimson Tail and merged into its body.

Crimson Tail's body shook. The confusion in its eyes lessened slightly, and it let out a weak, mournful cry. It worked!

Su Yan's spirits soared as he continuously drew [Heart Purifying Talisman]. One streak of white light after another entered Crimson Tail's body, fiercely battling the tainted Data Streams released by the [Abnormal Data Fragment].

Just then, footsteps sounded at the entrance to the cavern, followed by Fleeting Life, Dreaming's teasing voice.

"Tsk, tsk. So it really is here. Little brother, it seems you found the quest target. But purification is so slow. Why not let us help you 'end' its pain? We'll claim the quest reward for you. How does that sound?"

Fleeting Life, Dreaming and his two companions had returned. Marks of battle covered their bodies, showing that they had cleared quite a few monsters. They stared greedily at Crimson Tail being purified and the floating data fragment.

Su Yan's heart sank. At the most critical moment, trouble had still arrived. While maintaining the drawing of [Heart Purifying Talisman], he coldly said, "You're not welcome here."

"You don't get a say!" Fleeting Life, Dreaming's expression darkened. "Attack! Take that data fragment and the monkey!"

The Tiger Head Monster roared and charged forward with his axe, while the Giant Demon King gathered spell light in his hands.

Little Big Dipper needed no command from Su Yan. It transformed into a streak of purple lightning and met the Tiger Head Monster head-on. [Advanced Poison] and [Life Steal] activated at the same time as it tightly entangled its opponent.

Facing the Giant Demon King's spell and the folding fan thrust toward him by Fleeting Life, Dreaming, Su Yan rapidly retreated. At the same time, one hand continued drawing [Heart Purifying Talisman] to purify Crimson Tail, while the other swiftly fired [Mind Loss Talisman] to disrupt the Giant Demon King's casting!

Multitasking doubled the pressure! Yet Su Yan's gaze was sharp, without the slightest hint of retreat. The purification had to be completed. This concerned not only the quest, but also his exploration of this world's truth!

Within the cavern, battle and purification continued simultaneously amid the swirling Turbid Qi and Data Turbulence...