Cultivating in Online Games

Chapter 27 – Lingzhi joins

The players had been stirred into a frenzy by the server announcement. No one paid any more mind to the first level 20 player and the strange [Bib] item he had received, everyone discussing Dugu Zhuo in the world chat. Seeing a wall of writing suddenly appear before their eyes, the group members rushed to close their world chat panels.

Dugu Zhuo had already closed it, and didn’t pay any mind to the system announcement, focusing on the information in his jade slip—

Name: Five Phases Swordplay

Grade: High-class sword art

Requirements to Learn: Level 30 or above, must be a sword cultivator with experience in the sword (the higher the experience level, the higher the success rate)

Special Conditions: Metal-affiliated mythics may learn this technique without restrictions

Replication Limit: 10 times

Notice: Disciples who have reached a familiarity value of 100 may replicate this technique up to 3 times

Everyone’s attention was particularly drawn to the last note. This meant that if Dugu Zhuo passed down this sword technique to Ye Zhou, after Ye Zhou had used the technique many times and gained enough familiarity with it, he would then be able to copy it three more times and give it away in transactions with other people.

Meanwhile, the “Array Expert” title had also been explained. Since the system would rank arrays, sword techniques, and such by Low, Middle, High, and Ultimate-class, there were corresponding titles of Array Adept, Array Expert, Array Master, and Array Grandmaster, as well as Sword Adept, Sword Expert, Sword Master, and Sword Grandmaster.

The title could have an effect on the replication limit. For example, if Dugu Zhuo later gained the Sword Grandmaster title, the replication limit of the Five Phases Swordplay would be increased to 30 times. Each of his students would still be able to replicate it only three times, for a total of 90.

And as for opening his own sect? Dugu Zhuo had never held those kinds of ambitions, and he thought there was no particular need for it.

The whole party stared at Dugu Zhuo in tense anticipation, each hoping Dugu Zhuo could pass down the sword technique to them. They would be willing to pay—he only needed to name a price!

“Is this Dugu Zhuo fucking using a cheat engine?” They suddenly heard a voice ring out, belonging to some other player in the Karmic Forest.

The lack of visible IDs made it unfortunately difficult to distinguish between players and NPCs, but as an upside, now that every player was searching for Dugu Zhuo, Dugu Zhuo could pass right before their eyes without anyone recognizing him.

“You’re right,” another player said. “How can he create both an array and a sword technique? Who is he, a dev?”

“Even if he’s the heir of a renowned martial arts lineage and the world martial arts champion, this is a cultivation game. Could he also be the heir to a line of practicing Daoists?”

“There’s another option, that he writes novels, hahahaha!”

“It’s a cheat engine, I’m sure of it! I’m logging off to report him right now.”

“You need his in-game ID to file a report. Can you find him?”

“Don’t get too worked up. Even if he’s super impressive and can make his own techniques, there’s no way they can match up to the game’s original techniques. He only stands out right now because everyone’s low level. After the maintenance, when new maps unlock and players can find masters to study under, we’ll be able to surpass him.”

“‘Start his own sect’? Even if he does, who would want to join? The monsters have respawned. C’mon, let’s focus on grinding right now.”

As all the players in the Karmic Forest started to discuss idly, the party members huddled into themselves and didn’t dare make a sound. When all the conversations had finally moved on, Black Cat said quietly, “Should I… find my shixiong and ask him for an isolated room in the temple to discuss?”

“You don’t need to be so quiet,” Qingyue said. “If we chat in the party channel, no one will be able to hear.”

“Aren’t you saying ‘shixiong’ with a bit too much familiarity?” Aotian said.

Following after Dugu Zhuo, who held himself ramrod-straight, the group tiptoed toward the entrance to the Karmic Forest like they had committed a crime.

“Hey, over there!” a player called toward Long @ Aotian.

“Huh? What’s up?” Aotian answered, feeling guilty.

“The fat baby you’re carrying there wouldn’t happen to be the game’s first level 20 player, would it?” the player asked. “I heard that he turned into a three-year-old little brat.”

“Of course not, this is… an item in the game. It’s fake, heheh.”

Aotian gave the lingzhi baby a few shakes to demonstrate, while the lingzhi baby played dead with his eyes open, not daring to even twitch.

The player turned away, looking doubtful, and everyone rushed toward the transport array. With Black Cat’s cuteness as their ticket, they finally returned to a location forbidden to normal players.

Throughout this progression, Ye Zhou had wanted to say something, but Dugu Zhuo gripped his hand and said, “Just wait half a ke—no, ten minutes—for me.”

Dugu Zhuo’s wide sleeves hid their linked hands. Ye Zhou hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Ten minutes is fine.”

In the side hall, Dugu Zhuo told everyone the replication limit and prerequisites of the Five Phases Swordplay. No one cared much about the prerequisites, as rising to level 30 would only be a matter of time. The real problem was the replication limit of ten times. That made the situation entirely different from the Misdirection Array with its limit of 100.

The lingzhi baby, who had personally experienced the fearsomeness of the Five Phases Swordplay, felt it might be stronger than any other technique within the game. He wanted it badly, yet covered his face and said, “A limit of ten times. I’ll never be able to afford it.”

Aotian, Qingyue, and Black Cat all considered themselves close with Dugu Zhuo, but they didn’t dare say anything.

Ye Zhou had plenty of money. He wanted to say, ‘name your price’, but looking into Dugu Zhuo’s eyes, he was unable to say anything.

He faintly sensed that if he were to discuss money with Dugu Zhuo, the other man would be very hurt.

“At the moment, the only one who can learn the Five Phases Swordplay is Ye Zhou,” Dugu Zhuo said.

“Isn’t Bian Zhou only level 17?” the party chorused.

Dugu Zhuo knew that even if he secretly handed the technique to Ye Zhou, in the future, the rest of the party would be able to tell, yet he also didn’t want to reveal Ye Zhou’s mythic identity, so he thought up an excuse off the cuff. “Since I’ve formed a blood oath with Ye Zhou, the system has assigned us a master and disciple relationship, thus I can pass the technique on to him.”

After saying this, Dugu Zhuo handed a copy of the jade slip to Ye Zhou without any reservations.

“Take it,” he said. “You just have to remember to give me a share if you find anything good in the future.”

Ye Zhou finally accepted the jade slip, quickly scanning the information on it, and found that there was no mention that it could be transferred through a master-disciple relationship, though it did say that metal-affiliated mythics could learn it without requirements. He licked his slightly dry lips and felt his heart rate rise again.

Dugu Zhuo had all his attention fixed on Ye Zhou’s reaction. Seeing that Ye Zhou seemed to like it, he let a corner of his mouth curve in satisfaction. He turned to the rest of the group, about to cleverly talk them over, but when he turned his head, he was faced with three fingers and a cat paw offered to him.

“Zhuo-shen[1],” they all said, “wanna form a blood oath? If you don’t take money, we’ll be your servants.”

Dugu Zhuo replied, courteously but coldly, “Ye Zhou and I know one another in private, so we formed a blood oath immediately upon entering the game.”

The implication being, ‘I don’t particularly want to form a blood bond with you.’

Seeing everyone’s despondent expressions, Dugu Zhuo reassured, “We don’t know yet what new sects or techniques will be introduced to the future game. Don’t you feel it would be a shame to lock yourselves into becoming sword cultivators so early?”

“That’s a good point,” Qingyue said. “I actually wanted to join a sect where I could make myself even prettier.”

Hearing her words, everyone else wavered as well.

“You don’t need to offer money either,” Dugu Zhuo continued. “I don’t care about money. If we get along with each other and it’s a suitable technique, of course I would be willing to give it to you.”

Aotian showed an envious expression on his face. “I sure would like to be able to say that I don’t care about money.”

No one suspected Dugu Zhuo of not having money. He exuded an aura of nobility, always appearing isolated and lofty and standing out from the masses. If Dugu Zhuo said he had money, then of course he had money.

Those few well-placed words were able to win over the whole party, and none of them held any resentment.

After all, they had all witnessed Xiao Bao’s past and saved the washerwoman together. Dugu Zhuo had now developed some faint goodwill toward them. He didn’t want to have a falling-out with them, or for any of them to become jealous of Ye Zhou.

He supposed that if he cared about Ye Zhou, he would have to care about his friends too.

Ten minutes had flown by and Ye Zhou really couldn’t stay any longer. He said his farewells to everyone and arranged to meet at 9 am the next morning to explore the new maps together, then signed off.

After he left, Dugu Zhuo’s gaze grew colder, as he glanced over to the one outsider present, the lingzhi.

The lingzhi baby’s heart jumped in his chest as he abruptly realized that despite not being a member of this party, he had discovered Dugu Zhuo’s identity. All of a sudden, he felt like a sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves.

The lingzhi baby immediately bent his little legs which looked chunky like lotus roots. It was hard to tell whether he was sitting or kneeling. “Zhuo-shen, I’m playing this game by myself and I don’t have a party. I really wanted to join some sort of powerful group, so… do you suppose I could defect to you?”

Dugu Zhuo had more than enough techniques to bind someone’s soul and prevent them from saying something, but what good would those do? Even if they couldn’t say something in the game, they could log off and go post it on the forums.

Of course, this didn’t mean that Dugu Zhuo had no way to control this player.

“I don’t care about my identity being exposed,” Dugu Zhuo said calmly. “It would just cause some minor inconvenience. Do you think other players could actually pose any sort of problem to me? And the Five Phases Swordplay is nothing. In the future, I know I can create even more techniques of my own.”

“What?” the lingzhi said, gaping.

Dugu Zhuo gave Aotian a detached look, and Aotian immediately spoke up like a proper lackey, “Don’t you know? Zhuo-shen already gifted the Misdirection Array he first created to this entire party. Even the cat has it.”

Black Cat tried to raise his head proudly, but halfway there he realized that this wasn’t much to be proud of. He maintained his head in a half-raised pose, though his neck started to ache.

“Is he really that generous?” the lingzhi said, unable to believe his ears.

“Of course,” Aotian said. “He was also the one who found the first main quest. Ahh, thinking about it now, after seeing that stunning scene in the bamboo forest, choosing to follow him was the wisest decision in my entire gaming career. This is the real way to play a xianxia game! It feels great!”

Aotian made a perfect supporting actor and, in a moment, the lingzhi’s thoughts had shifted from “I’ll join if Dugu Zhuo gives me something” to “it would be my loss to miss this chance to join Dugu Zhuo’s team”.

“Th—then— I’m the number one player on the leaderboard. Would you consider me for your sect in the future?” the lingzhi said enthusiastically.

“That would depend on your aptitudes,” Dugu Zhuo said.

The lingzhi baby immediately started rattling off his qualifications. “I can heal and also move instantaneously! With a spirit in your party, you’ll be closer to creating a union of all the races!”

“That sounds acceptable,” Dugu Zhuo said. “If in the future, the game adds gangs or other ways of forming groups, there will be a place for you.”

The lingzhi was overwhelmed with gratitude.

“If you perform well, this Misdirection Array can also be given to you in the future,” Dugu Zhuo said.

“The moment the game finishes maintenance, I’ll show you the true power of a spirit!” the lingzhi said, clapping his own chest.

Qingyue: “…”

Speechless, she could only give Dugu Zhuo and Aotian a thumbs-up. That was really something, converting the number one leaderboard player into an underling so quickly.