Chapter Eighty-Three: The Stone Tablet

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Southeast corner of Yuxiao City.

Perhaps this place was obscure on ordinary days, maybe only visited by players seeking peace and quiet; or perhaps it was bustling, with all sorts of shops open here. But at this moment, no matter what it once was, Li Ren’s ultimate goal lay here.

The pillar of light stood ahead. After he unleashed “Rain of Transcending Fate” and cleared the surrounding players in an instant, the building he needed to enter appeared clearly before him.

It was a standing stone stele, carved with intricate patterns, weathered by wind and rain, time passing like light. The stele had become mottled and worn, some patterns barely visible, faint traces remaining only if one looked closely.

Yet, at this moment, in Li Ren’s eyes, the stele was radiating a suffocating brilliance.

“Damn! The quest wants me to take this, but surely it doesn’t expect me to carry it on my back? No one could move this thing! Damn it!” Li Ren glared angrily at the stele before him. The surrounding players, cowed by the threat of the skeleton army, wisely cleared out a space, standing just outside his attack range.

They were merely curious about what this strange skeleton was planning. As for attacking him together, forget it—unless NPCs lent a hand, these players weren’t even enough for Li Ren’s skills to mow down. After all, their skills had range limitations! Wanting to bully him with numbers? They’d need the strength for that first!

Though Li Ren appeared arrogant, he was actually more anxious than anyone. Even though he was in the middle of the quest, and the system’s restrictions on Yuxiao City were in place, if he kept slaughtering players in the city, more than just two guards would be dispatched—two squads might come. He couldn’t possibly take them all on, one by one.

The Voodoo Lord had fallen to those guys; even if Li Ren joined him, it wouldn’t make much difference.

So, both sides maintained a strange distance, neither willing to start a fight prematurely, each waiting for the right moment.

“Destroy the Guardian of Yuxiao before you, release the suppressed soul, quest complete: gain three skill upgrade points of your choice!”

As expected, the system delivered the quest just as Li Ren was puzzled. A slim health bar appeared on the stele.

Without hesitation, Li Ren swung his sword at the stele. With a clang, the health bar dropped only a sliver—if one didn’t look closely, it was hard to notice any change at all.

He shook his aching hand. The stele was tough indeed. Completing this quest was no easy feat.

Thinking this, Li Ren hacked faster, his Five-Star Flurry never stopping. He didn’t call any skeleton minions for help—not because he didn’t want to, but because showing any weakness now might embolden a leader among the players to charge, which would be disastrous. He’d never finish the quest, and the longer it dragged on, the more likely the city guards would arrive.

He attacked frantically. His once-sharp “1% chance to ignore defense” attribute seemed broken, failing to activate even once. His plan to rely on that attribute to destroy the stele in one blow was dashed.

All he could do was give his all, hacking as quickly as possible. The health bar dwindled, and when the stele was nearly ruined, its health only half remaining, trouble finally arrived.

Four Earth Dragon Knights appeared beside the stele in a row, summoned by a flash of white light. They stood between Li Ren and his minions. Seeing the knights, Li Ren cursed inwardly. The instant they appeared, he abandoned the stele and charged at them.

He knew these four knights couldn’t be allowed to engage him in prolonged combat under these circumstances. If the players caught on, his quest would surely fail. Only half an hour remained until failure.

Even if players suicidally rushed at him, he’d have no time left to finish off the stele. When time ran out, all his attributes and equipment would be lost—that was the system’s ultimate restriction and trial.

Of course, there were rewards for risks. If Li Ren succeeded, his “Blink” skill would upgrade three levels, becoming monstrously powerful.

During teleportation, everyone experienced a brief moment of confusion, no matter how strong their will.

Li Ren saw how the four knights appeared, and immediately ran toward them, determined to strike before they fully recovered.

Blink! Rain of Transcending Fate! Five-Star Flurry! Crescent Slash!

All his skills burst forth as he blinked behind the four knights.

First, Rain of Transcending Fate unleashed ethereal sword energy like a storm of petals. Five-Star Flurry hammered a single knight’s back with five rapid blows, followed by Crescent Slash’s group effect.

The four knights were stunned the moment they appeared.

A knight, once he sets formation and charges, is nearly invincible—his strength is that of the whole unit, not the individual.

But knights have a fatal flaw: if you get behind them before they accelerate, it’s deadly.

Scarlet numbers sprang up over their heads. Li Ren desperately tried to kill one knight, reducing the attacks he’d face—and he was also making a statement, warning reckless players.

Luckily, his aim was true. As the other three knights turned, the one he attacked collapsed, horse and rider dissolving into a pool of blood. Li Ren swiftly stashed its blood essence in his backpack. Just as three lances nearly struck him, he withdrew, leaping back. He waited, counting down the critical fifteen seconds—only five left! But the knights were accelerating, their blades aimed straight at Li Ren!