CHAPTER 943: CHAPTER 25: MYSTERIOUS EXPERT, SIMPLE TASK

Xiao Jie was suddenly taken aback.

"Ah, indeed there are distinguished guests visiting, please come in, please come in."

Xiao Jie was stunned. Was he just allowed to enter like that? Without even asking what he was here for?

He had even prepared a speech for this occasion.

But since he was allowed in, he naturally wouldn’t be polite.

Xiao Jie followed the servant inside, explaining as he walked, "I am a traveler heading north, passing by this place in the midst of a snowstorm, wishing to rest here for a while..."

"No need for explanations, esteemed guest. My master has been awaiting you for quite some time. Please, come in, come in."

Xiao Jie walked into the manor and was immediately surprised. The inside of the manor was a completely different world, with carved beams and painted rafters, lush green trees, and strange flowers and plants decorating the large garden, tucked away between pavilions and towers, appearing even more elegant.

Looking around, it was like a paradise.

The manor seemed even more expansive and profound than it looked from the outside. Xiao Jie followed the servant deeper inside, winding through corridors, and more servants and maids awaited them.

Xiao Jie couldn’t help but feel a misconception; how could this be the desolate and cold northern wilderness? It was clearly like a prosperous and beautiful southern garden.

As they walked to the depths of the manor, there was even a waterside pavilion, perched atop a mirror-smooth pond.

He saw a white-clad gentleman, elegant and ethereal, holding a wine cup in one hand and a book in the other, reading while sipping his wine.

Upon hearing footsteps, he turned slightly, revealing a refined and handsome face.

Cang Qiu Sheng (Owner of Spring Manor): Level 52 Worldly Expert. Life Value 4200.

"The esteemed guest has finally arrived, making me wait quite long. You all may leave now." With a wave of his hand, the attending servants immediately withdrew.

Xiao Jie walked into the pavilion, only to find a round table already set with fine wines and dishes.

Xiao Jie tentatively asked, "You knew I was coming?"

Cang Qiu Sheng replied, "Of course, I knew. This morning, I had a premonition and divined a hexagram, foretelling the arrival of a distinguished guest today, and have been awaiting your visit since."

Xiao Jie felt slightly disappointed. He thought this person was also arranged by the Wuming Taoist, specifically to welcome him, the ’Heavenly Destiny’. However, from his description, it seemed similar to the divination skill of Wentian Wuji’s Qimen Dunjia, a skill triggered randomly.

Initially, Xiao Jie felt the other person was mysterious and unfathomable, with a grand background. But now, this feeling had somewhat diminished.

"Please, esteemed guest."

"Please, Manor Owner."

They both took their seats. Xiao Jie looked around at the lake and mountains, then glanced at the fine wines and dishes on the table, which were clickable for use and exceptionally exquisite, making one’s mouth water. Unfortunately, separated by a screen, no matter how delicious, it would only restore physical strength.

Xiao Jie helped himself, first consuming some snacks and cold dishes to replenish his physical strength completely.

Then he clicked on a jug of wine on the table and drank it in one gulp.

System prompt: After drinking the [Jiao Palace Fire Spirit Dew], your [Yin Wind Bone Erosion] equipment was removed, and you gained 30 points of Frozen Resistance.

A great thing indeed! Xiao Jie’s eyes lit up, and he proceeded to click on the several types of wine on the table one by one.

After a short while, several buffs appeared above his head.

Cang Qiu Sheng smiled warmly and asked, "Esteemed guest, are you satisfied with the food and drinks?"

At this moment, Xiao Jie already had a plan in mind. This fellow being so hospitable to him probably had something to ask for.

He quickly said, "Very satisfied—just not sure why the manor owner is so courteous to me?"

"Meeting is destiny. For the two of us to meet in this desolate and uninhabited land, it shows there must be a destined opportunity."

(Destiny? There must be a quest indeed.)

"Manor Owner, do you live here alone? This Nine Evil Yin Wind can kill without a trace, yet the manor owner is unaffected. Truly admirable."

"Haha, why beat around the bush, esteemed guest? If you have something to say, just say it."

"Manor Owner, straight to the point, indeed. So I won’t waste words. Does the manor owner know how to resist this Nine Evil Yin Wind?"

"Of course, I do."

"Then could you teach me? Frankly, I have important matters to attend to in the north, and I must pass this hurdle. If you could teach me, I would be immensely grateful and reward you richly in the future."

The manor owner did not reply immediately but stood up, facing away from Xiao Jie, gazing at the distant sky. "Esteemed guest, do you know the origin of the Nine Evil Yin Wind?"

"I don’t know."

Cang Qiu Sheng began to explain eloquently, "Ten thousand years ago, the Outer Heaven Demons descended upon the world. They came from beyond the heavens and tore a crack in the sky. The Immortals united to resist and ultimately slew all the Outer Heaven Demons. The few who fled were no longer a threat.

However, the Immortals had no means to deal with the crack in the sky and could only let it exist.

The Nine Evil Yin Wind originates from a wicked wind outside of heaven, which mere mortals cannot withstand. Only by surviving for years under this force can one gradually adapt.

Yet, ultimately, only one in a hundred can survive; most creatures residing here cannot escape extinction.

The reason I can live here is due to the benefaction left by my ancestors, and there is nothing I can do about your current situation either."

Xiao Jie didn’t worry, knowing that since the mission reached this point, there must be a way. Since Cang Qiu Sheng mentioned there was a destiny between them, there surely must be a solution.

As expected, the manor owner continued, "However, I do indeed have a way to help you. Head northeast from here to a Nameless Wilderness Mountain. At the foot of that mountain is a cave, where a Snow Monster resides.

This Snow Monster is violent and cruel, often harassing me. Although I’m not afraid of it, I don’t wish to fight.

If you can slay that Snow Monster and bring back its fur to me, I can make use of it to craft a cloak for you, which will easily resist the Nine Evil Yin Wind.

And I will have peace. What do you think?"

Xiao Jie couldn’t help but feel intrigued, "Is it that simple?"

He thought to himself, this monster-killing—task item taking—reward claiming quest procedure is too ’standard’, isn’t it?

If it were in other games, it would be fine, but in this death game of Old Soil, when has there been such a good deal?

Cang Qiu Sheng shook his head, "Naturally, it’s not that simple. The Snow Monster is powerful, and an ordinary person would not be its match, certainly a dead end against it in a direct confrontation.

I have a talisman here. If you carry it, it can conceal your presence. Wait until the Snow Monster falls asleep, then stealthily approach and stab it in the heart with one sword stroke, thus you can succeed."

System prompt: Triggered quest [Hunt the Snow Monster].

Quest Content: Cang Qiu Sheng asks you to go to the cave in the Nameless Wilderness Mountain to hunt the Snow Monster residing inside.

Quest Reward: Snowman Cloak.

Xiao Jie thought this seemed even simpler.

He felt something was not quite right inside, yet couldn’t pinpoint exactly what the problem was.

However, since there’s a quest that could solve the current predicament, he naturally had to accept it.

"In that case, I’ll undertake this quest."

"Good, good, very good." Cang Qiu Sheng said happily, casually handing a talisman to Xiao Jie.

System prompt: Cang Qiu Sheng offers you the item ’spiritual talisman’.

[Spiritual Talisman (Task Item)]

Item Introduction: A peculiar talisman never seen before, exuding a strange power. It’s said to conceal human presence, making the Snow Monster unable to detect your existence.]

The Rising Mist’s equipment effect still had more than ten minutes remaining, so he must act quickly.

Fortunately, he had drunk several kinds of wine earlier, gaining several buffs, so even if the Rising Mist effect wore off, he should be able to hold on for a while.

Thinking of this, Xiao Jie hurriedly left the manor.

Ten minutes later, Xiao Jie already found the massive cave at the foot of the wilderness mountain.

Facing the dark and eerie icy cave, everything seemed to be going smoothly, yet Xiao Jie couldn’t shake off a feeling that something was off.

Killing a monster, obtaining a quest item, and he could resolve his greatest difficulty; even the task-giving NPC thoughtfully provided a prop specifically for the quest monster...

Although this quest formula was very common in other games, in Old Soil, this death game, it always made Xiao Jie feel it was a bit too easy.

This was the northern forbidden land devoid of player exploration; in Xiao Jie’s view, the threats he would face must be unimaginably terrifying, with various terrifying monsters and super difficult tasks.

Who would have thought it would follow such a typical quest procedure?

But time wouldn’t wait. Seeing the time of Rising Mist was about to end, Xiao Jie could only cautiously step into the cave.

His mind though was thinking—let’s see what this task is really about.