Chapter 247 - 241: Senior Brother! Please Stay
Lin Qingfeng’s gaze swept across the map, where he discovered another anomaly.
There was a skull icon near the sect. It was located a hundred meters outside the Transmission Hall, labeled: Disciple D.
"Well, I’ll be,"
Lin Qingfeng’s eye twitched again.
’I’m working myself to death in the secret realm, and what the hell are these little bastards up to outside?’
At that moment, the other players on the training grounds also snapped out of their excitement from clearing the instance.
Exhausted after a long day, some were preparing to log off and rest, while others were full of energy, eager to go out and explore while the sect upgrade was still fresh.
"First Senior Brother! We cleared it! Shouldn’t we have a celebration feast?"
"Yeah, yeah! The sect leveled up. We should at least have a big parade or something!"
Just as everyone was chattering away, a player suddenly uploaded a screenshot to the sect channel.
[Sect Channel]
[Screenshot] (In the image, the Transmission Hall’s transmitting elder, "Mr. Qian," stands with his hands behind his back. His once-clean robes are covered in large patches of dark red blood. Specks of blood and scraps of flesh still cling to his face and hands. His eyes are as vacant as ever, his expression blank.)
[OneSwordArmy]: Holy crap! Guys, look! What did Mr. Qian in the Transmission Hall get up to? Did he just get off his shift at a slaughterhouse?
The moment the screenshot appeared, the channel exploded.
[Shi Gandang]: Isn’t that Mr. Qian? How’d he end up in such a state?
[Lu Wu]: Considering the skull icon on the map of someone who died at the Transmission Hall’s entrance... I have a bold theory.
[Ji]: I’ve read the signs, and I’d wager this unlucky junior brother was sent to the afterlife by a single slap from Mr. Qian. Sigh, should I perform the rites for him too?
[Lin Qingfeng]: ...Haven’t they fixed this game’s bugs yet? Why is Mr. Qian still bugging out and killing people at the drop of a hat!
Lin Qingfeng read the complaints in the channel, his gaze returning to the sect map.
The two cursors representing Su Ling’er and Wang Xiedi were currently positioned one behind the other, not far from the cluster of skull icons belonging to Ye Longtao and his group of undercover disciples. And they weren’t moving.
’You’ve got to be kidding me!’ Lin Qingfeng’s head began to throb.
’What are you doing getting mixed up in that?! If there’s danger, run! Are you just staying there asking to be killed?’
’Is this the first trial after the sect’s promotion?’
He sighed. It was a good thing he could leave the sect now. Otherwise, if those two died out there, he wouldn’t even be able to retrieve their bodies.
Lin Qingfeng cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Alright, quiet down. It looks like Ye Longtao’s group got wiped out there. Our junior sister and junior brother are nearby. I’m going to check it out. Anyone want to come with?"
As soon as he said this, some players immediately expressed their confusion.
"Why bother with them, First Senior Brother?"
"There are plenty of replacements within eight hundred li. We can just use the methods of our Ninth-Rate Sect on those mortals, and we won’t have to worry about recruitment limits. Why go to all this trouble for a few people?"
"Exactly. It’s not like they’re some irreplaceable treasures," Shi Gandang added in his booming voice.
Lin Qingfeng exploded on the spot.
"Easy for you to say! You’re not the ones who’ll have to guide them when the time comes!
You’re not the ones who have to handle the sect’s chores!
I want to go out and adventure in the martial world, too! I still need to find someone to help me manage things here!
Besides, do you want Gaye to become a widow?!
Ermmm... although I doubt our junior brother is worried about whether she becomes a widow or not..."
"Alright, alright. First Senior Brother has spoken. Let’s go take a look."
"Rescue mission, rescue mission!"
"I’ve got something to do, though. I’m logging off!"
"I don’t mind, but I’m not strong enough. If some cannon fodder pissed off some great terror, I’m dipping."
"What’s there to be afraid of! We have newbie protection!"
Seeing this, Lin Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction and began arranging the next steps.
"Those of you who are busy, go take care of your business. Those who want to go out and farm mobs, don’t go too far."
"When I get back, we’ll have a small party to celebrate. Anyone who wants to join is welcome!"
"You got it!"
Everyone made their own plans. Some prepared to wait for their First Senior Brother to return for the celebration, while others couldn’t contain their curiosity and decided to first explore the area within eight hundred li.
Meanwhile, Lin Qingfeng prepared to take a few core members, including Shi Gandang and Ji, and head toward the cluster of skull icons on the map.
’This whole mess is probably related to that bugged-out, murderous Mr. Qian.’
’Then they fled the sect for their lives, only to provoke some powerful being outside and get casually wiped out.’
’After all, he’s just cannon fodder. If he’s not stirring up trouble and running around like a headless chicken, is he even cannon fodder?’
However, just as he was about to fly off on his sword using Sword Control, a figure dropped to their knees with a THUD and hugged his leg.
It was Dong Changsheng.
"First Senior Brother! Please wait!"
Dong Changsheng had an earnest expression, his eyes shining with a thirst for knowledge.
"This disciple has many questions in his heart about the great path of Cultivation, about how to advance further on this path... I hope First Senior Brother can enlighten me!"
’I have to hold this demon back and buy time for my junior brothers and sisters to escape!’
Lin Qingfeng looked down at the "leg pendant" latched onto him, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
"Get out of the way and stop bothering me!"
"No! If First Senior Brother does not enlighten me, I will kneel here forever!"
Dong Changsheng, with tears streaming down his face, hugged even tighter.
"This disciple’s admiration for you is like a surging river..."
"Get lost! Ye Longtao and his group are dead out there!"
"Only Wang Xiedi and Su Ling’er are still alive, and I don’t have time to argue with you here!"
"What?!"
Dong Changsheng froze as if struck by lightning.
’Ye Longtao... is dead?’
’How could this be?’
’Could it be... that the Sect Leader ran into some trouble while coming to meet us?!’
’Sect Leader... Su Ling’er... Wang Xiedi... You have to be okay!’
His face turned deathly pale, and his grip on Lin Qingfeng’s leg loosened involuntarily.
"First Senior Brother... this disciple... this disciple wants to go see, too. May I?"
Hearing this, Lin Qingfeng glanced down at the crestfallen Dong Changsheng, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.
’If we really run into a powerful enemy, or if there’s a treasure that needs opening...’
’Bringing this guy along might make something good drop?’
"Fine."
Lin Qingfeng’s reply was concise.
The next second, completely ignoring Dong Changsheng still clinging to his leg, he stomped his foot hard.
"Up!"
The ancient sword shot toward the sky!
Dong Changsheng felt a massive force, a tightening around his neck, and his entire body was yanked clean off the ground.
"AHHH—!"
He let out a piercing scream, dangling in mid-air in an utterly humiliating position from the [Fate-Seeking Silk], swinging wildly as the flying sword accelerated.
Behind them, Shi Gandang, Ji, and the others watched this absurd scene, the corners of their mouths twitching.
But, since it was Dong Changsheng, it was fine.
They nodded to each other, then all used Sword Control to follow, speeding toward the land of the dead!