Absolute Death Game

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Xuan Zhenzi (Sect Leader of Xuantian Palace): "You, why would you do this, I..."

Xiao Buli was waiting for him to finish speaking when a private chat from Xuanxu Zi suddenly popped up on the screen.

Xuanxu Zi whispers to you, "Quick, kill him!" followed by an angry emoji.

Feeling a shock in his heart, Xiao Buli thrust his sword out and pierced Xuan Zhenzi straight through, eliciting a scream as he died.

Looking at the body on the ground, Xiao Buli still found it hard to believe. He cautiously looked around and moved away from the body, fearing a sudden Second Stage Transformation. But after a while, there was no reaction from the body, which now seemed genuinely dead — the mission was indeed completed by him.

Xuanxu Zi whispers to you, "Disciple, how did it go? Why can't I sense that traitor anymore?"

Hurriedly, Xiao Buli replied, "Master, rest assured, Xuan Zhenzi has been killed by me."

Xuanxu Zi whispers to you, "Good, very good, excellent even. You did very well. Remember to bring Xuan Zhenzi's head back when you return, and I will reward you generously. I won't say more for now. I'll contact you if something else comes up." With that, no more private messages came through.

Although the mission was complete, Xiao Buli didn't feel much joy. The ease of the mission was suspect, leaving him with an eerie, unclear sense of a hidden agenda behind it.

But he couldn't think too much about it now. Xuan Zhenzi was dead, and it was too late for regrets. He hadn't forgotten the task given by his eldest apprentice brother and took out the Soul Absorption Pearl, double-clicking it above Xuan Zhenzi's body. A soul's light was drawn into the pearl, leaving an incomplete shadow within it.

(Another mission completed, I can't earn too little Contribution Value when I return,) Xiao Buli thought to himself. He clicked on the body and noticed it dropped several pieces of equipment, all of poor quality and merely white-tier gear.

Cloth Armor - Breastplate (Cloth Armor - Chest): Armor +3.

Item Description: A Taoist robe made from coarse hemp, the kind worn by the lowest-ranking Taoist for daily use.

Peach Wood Sword: Attacks 2-5, Yang Attribute Spell Power +1.

Item Description: A wooden sword made from peach wood, said to have restraining effects on the undead.

"Tao Te Ching": A book of knowledge, seemingly useful only for moral cultivation.

Looking at the "Tao Te Ching," Xiao Buli was momentarily stunned. His RPG gaming experience made him feel there was more to this mission than met the eye.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" a voice suddenly emerged from behind. When Xiao Buli turned around, he saw it was Wu Min'er, who had somehow entered the Taoist temple without him noticing.

After glancing at the body on the ground, she said, "Is this the NPC you had to kill? Doesn't seem that impressive."

"Yeah, not very impressive," Xiao Buli replied nonchalantly, deciding not to dwell on it. There'd be time to uncover more secrets by delving deeper into the game later. But how was he meant to take the head?

He asked Wu Min'er, who responded with surprise, "You don't know? You should use Anatomize, like when you did the task of skinning a tiger. It's the same principle."

Suddenly realizing, Xiao Buli understood the concept. Though he had learned Anatomize a while ago, this was his first time using it on a person, albeit a game character. It felt awkward wielding the knife, but determined to complete the mission, he steeled his heart and performed Anatomize on Xuan Zhenzi.

System Notification: You have obtained Xuan Zhenzi's Head x1, Incomplete Corpse x1.

After discarding the Incomplete Corpse, he examined Xuan Zhenzi's Head.

Item Description: A blood-drenched head with a grim expression, as if telling the tale of this man's tragic fate (Mission Item).

Keeping a head in one's inventory requires quite a bit of courage, but thankfully it's just a game, Xiao Buli consoled himself inwardly. Explore hidden tales at empire

"Thanks for your help this time," he said as he closed his inventory and spoke to Wu Min'er.

Wu Min'er smiled, "It's nothing. You helped me once. Consider this my way of returning the favor."

Helped her once? Xiao Buli had to think for a moment before remembering that he had given her the "War God Atlas." "Have you maxed out the prestige with that NPC?" he asked.

Wu Min'er replied, "Not so fast. That person is pretty important, not someone you can please with just a book. I still don't know how much longer it'll take. Anyway, I've got to go, I have other things to do." She then leaped over the surrounding wall and disappeared from sight.

Assassin types are just cool, Xiao Buli mused, admiring the spot where Wu Min'er vanished. Unlike the qinggong that required Physical Strength expenditure, the Light Body Skill of professions like assassins only consumed Physical Strength and could be used frequently without cooldowns.

But there was no need for envy; each profession had its merits, and once he advanced, he would surely be no weaker than an assassin.

Xiao Buli left Xuantian Palace and Sprinted towards Nine Dragons City. He didn't plan to return to Mystic Hollow Palace right away, as he still had quests from Jingci and Ji Xiangyun to complete. It would be better to turn them all in together.

Zhang Yaoyang had already gathered many of the Alchemy Recipes Ji Xiangyun needed, roughly enough to fulfill about sixty to seventy percent of the quest. That should suffice.

As for the "breeding animals" Jingci needed, that proved to be more troublesome. Still, as the saying goes, money makes the world go round. After making inquiries at various NPCs in Nine Dragons City and spending a hefty sum of Gold Coins, he bought a cage of "in heat long-eared rabbits" from a farmer outside the city.

This item, classified as a pet in the game, had an interesting effect: if kept in the inventory, it would produce a pair of baby rabbits every hour, perfect fodder for Jingci's wolf pups.

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