Chapter 6: Xiangyang

A Fei quickly shook his head, explaining that this was not his intention. He had merely asked out of curiosity, as he was still in a state of extreme unfamiliarity with the game. He felt, based solely on intuition, that the levels and skills of these few individuals must be quite impressive, but he had no concrete basis for this belief. As for the idea of having them assist him in leveling up, that was even more vulgar; he simply wanted to explore the joys of this game, rather than exhaust himself in a relentless pursuit of leveling up, which would leave him feeling both weary and burdened. This was not playing a game; it was being played by the game.

The Golden Ring Blade, however, was dismissive of A Fei's idea and laughed, saying: "Poor A Fei, it seems you are also a lazy person. You must understand that any game requires time and effort to be played brilliantly and enjoyed thoroughly. If you are unwilling to put in the effort, you will not become a master. To become a master, to be a prominent figure in the game who commands respect, one must endure monotony and concentrate deeply; this kind of solitude..."

Ah Fei was dumbfounded, secretly thinking that in the martial world, one is often not in control of their own fate; this is rather serious. Has this great sword master played too many games and become a big brother in the martial world, to utter such a phrase filled with the essence of the martial world? However, they are all experts, and what experts say naturally carries some truth. Ah Fei is no longer a child; he is an adult now, so he casually chimed in a few words. Thus, the four experts, accompanied by a novice, weaved through the streets of Xiangyang City, heading towards that horse-drawn carriage.

A Fei curled his lips and said: "Experts are lonely, I know. I never intended to become a gaming expert. Players are just here to have fun and seek enjoyment, aren't they?"

Furthermore, within the city of Xiangyang, there are also hidden talents and formidable figures, and it is possible that NPCs are wandering about. Encountering them would be a stroke of luck, and it might even trigger some quests or the like. Therefore, this place has also become a major hub for players.

Ah Fei naturally did not know that his inadvertent gesture had actually blocked the first disaster in the game

The person who was captured clearly held a high rank, adorned in eye-catching and extravagant equipment. Behind him was slung a magnificent longsword, with an exceptionally wide blade and a notably long hilt, unmistakably extraordinary, exuding an air of a divine weapon. He was momentarily taken aback by the boy dressed in novice attire who had captured him, and it took him a while to regain his composure.

A major city in the game, its level of prosperity is second only to the capital. Historically, notable figures such as the great hero Guo Jing and the wild Yang Guo have appeared here, and the Beggar's Sect once established its headquarters in this location, creating a rich atmosphere of martial arts. In the past, when Yang Guo fought against the Mongolian army, he threw a stone that struck and killed Mongke, which can be considered a legendary moment in history. Players, especially novice players, often wander here; on one hand, there are countless humanoid monsters outside to level up against, and on the other hand, the transportation is convenient, allowing direct access to any destination by carriage, making it particularly advantageous for novice players to complete their quests.

"This is really too funny... I'm sorry, I haven't seen such an interesting player in a long time," said not the person carrying the long sword, but a tall and thin player dressed in black. He had a very distinctive appearance, which could be described in one word as "dark and long like a *picture* book." This dark and tall fellow seemed to be a companion of the sword-bearing person, and he was laughing heartily, thoroughly amused by A Fei's words.

After hesitating for a while, A Fei cautiously asked, "You four look so impressive; your levels must be quite high, right?"

Brother, where do we sit in the carriage

A Fei smiled awkwardly, but he withdrew his hand, feeling somewhat at a loss.

The elder brother of the Long Spear Sect is a player named "Bestow You a Spear", while the elder brother of the Five Tiger Sect is called "Double Blade". This Golden Ring Blade is quite familiar with Double Blade, and many stories are recounted in detail, suggesting that he is also a well-known figure within the Five Tiger Sect

Taking a deep breath, he extended his steady arm and firmly grasped a person who had passed by him.

In the distance, a few individuals were observing thoughtfully, yet they remained in a constant state of surveillance.

This sentence once again flushed A Fei's face red, and he was involuntarily pulled along by that tall, dark figure, entering the city of Xiangyang. It was evident that the four individuals A Fei casually grabbed were together, and their martial arts skills and equipment were clearly superior to those of ordinary people. Along the way, many people saw their group and hurriedly made way, even some players who appeared to be of the same high level turned to glance at them.

The long-silent Great Sword God suddenly spoke: "This is both a game and a martial world. Do you not understand the principle that in the martial world, one is not in control of their own fate? If one approaches this with merely a mindset of 'playing', they will surely suffer in the game"

Ah Fei had not yet spoken when the dark and long fellow with a *picture* book burst into laughter, came up, and patted Ah Fei on the shoulder, saying enthusiastically: "Let's go, young hero of the rivers and lakes, oh my, I'm dying of laughter! I didn't expect this flowery language to actually have a bit of a rivers and lakes flavor."

"... ... Must I speak in the language of the rivers and lakes in this game? Esteemed brother, could you kindly enlighten me as to the location of the horse and carriage station in this city?"

Indeed, it is about asking for directions. The city of Xiangyang before him is simply too vast, with an overwhelming number of people coming and going, leaving A Fei at a loss. He needs to find a carriage and then take it to Maling, before switching to walking to the Mo Mountain Sect. ... The Mo Mountain Sect is located near Maling ... . ... This was the advice given to him before the sunset bid farewell. Otherwise, if he were to walk to Maling, it would take him at least ten days or half a month in the game, and in reality, it would take seven or eight days.

Xiangyang City

After exchanging a few words, A Fei learned the names of the four individuals. The one carrying a long sword is named Da Jian Shen, which is quite fitting as he wields a massive long sword. The tall and dark individual is called Jin Huan Dao, clearly named for his use of a knife. The other two are named Qing Feng and Zhui Yun, though their martial arts skills remain unknown. Given A Fei's novice perspective in the martial world, he naturally cannot discern their martial arts styles. This group of four, led by Da Jian Shen, seems to be preparing for a mission.

Along the way, everyone exchanged names and added each other as friends. The four were very interested in A Fei's online name, "The Ill-Fated A Fei." A Fei explained the reason for his visit to help, but he did not mention the names of his friends or the details of the task; he simply stated that he was there to help gather people and run errands. To his surprise, the game turned out to be quite unique, and he decided to give it a try. Upon hearing this, Jin Huandao became even more enthusiastic and immediately invited A Fei, insisting that he must find him once he arrived at the Mo Shan Sect. Looking at Jin Huandao's spirited demeanor, A Fei guessed that this person must be very hospitable; his character was evidently the most bold among the group, as he spoke eight out of ten sentences.

A Fei nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said: "I apologize, it was just a casual question"

This unfortunate Ah Fei is indeed no ordinary person, one of them whispered, as he is able to walk alongside the Great Sword God. Inform the other followers of the Huashan disciples not to act rashly.

Are you asking for directions

Ah Fei knew a bit about Xiangyang City, and it was his first time marveling at the prosperity of this game. Its comprehensive imaging and perception technology attracted countless gaming enthusiasts, and the bustling traffic and lively markets before him had already proven this point. This city marked his first step into the game; previously, he had merely skimmed through while helping the Sunset team with their tasks in a secluded valley. To make this step more solid, he decided to do something. This city marked his first step into the game; previously, he had merely skimmed through while helping the Sunset team with their tasks in a secluded valley. To make this step more solid, he decided to do something.

The person carrying the long sword smiled gently and said, "Everyone has been a novice at some point, haven't they? It seems this young brother has a great passion for the martial world! You wish to know the direction of the horse-drawn carriage, correct?"

The swordsman smiled and said, "The place for the carriage is a bit far. It cannot be explained clearly in just a few words. It happens that we also need to take the carriage, so let us go together."

"Pfft," several people nearby burst out laughing. The person and the three individuals beside him all broke into smiles, while A Fei felt a flush of embarrassment, clearly realizing how disgusting his words were

Throughout the journey, the Great Sword God spoke little, while the Golden Ring Blade was quite talkative, engaging Ah Fei in conversation for quite some time. This person spoke in a rather hearty manner, not displaying much arrogance typical of a master, which made Ah Fei feel much more at ease. Upon hearing that Ah Fei was preparing to go to the Demon Mountain Sect, the Golden Ring Blade burst into laughter. It turned out that this Golden Ring Blade was also from the Demon Mountain Sect, having joined the Five Tiger Gate, which specializes in swordsmanship. From the tone of his words, Ah Fei could discern that the Golden Ring Blade held a relatively high status within the Five Tiger Gate, as many matters seemed to involve various sect affairs, and he appeared to be quite familiar with the senior brother of the Five Tiger Gate.

Others smiled without speaking, but Jin Huan Dao laughed heartily and said: "Compared to you, it is not low at all. So, do you want us to take you to level up?"

Every sect has a senior disciple, who is generally selected through internal competition within the sect. In the game, this competition typically occurs once a year, while in reality, it is about every six months. Therefore, each senior disciple almost represents the strongest member of their respective sect and is also a prominent figure in the game. In addition to their reputation, the senior disciple can represent the sect leader in handling various sect affairs, such as task assignments and sect activities. The greatest advantage lies in martial arts, as the senior disciple receives a 10% power boost when using the sect's martial arts, which is highly valued by everyone. In addition to their reputation, the senior disciple can represent the sect leader in handling various sect affairs, such as task assignments and sect activities. The greatest advantage lies in martial arts, as the senior disciple receives a 10% power boost when using the sect's martial arts, which is highly valued by everyone.