Across the web, immortals and true beings, their thoughts and energy creating the heavens.

Chapter 114 Return, Lin Zhuo's Identity

"Ah, it's snowing." Shu Yuliu stood in the winter wind and stretched out his hand. This year, the snow fell exceptionally early in Liquan Town. Snow clouds covered most of the Jianghu world from south to north. The quiet snowflakes fell from the distant gray sky, like dandelion seeds flying in the wind, landing on the shoulders and palms of travelers.

Jin Xiaohu stuck out his tongue, staring at a snowflake landing on the tip of his tongue. The slight coolness made the kitten squint its eyes in satisfaction.

Lin Zhuo stood on the banks of the Qingshui River, gazing at the shimmering water. The sky and mountains reflected in the water flowed eastward with the river, yet remained steadfast.

Zhu Baixuan shook the yellow gourd in his hand and said to Lin Zhuo, "This wine needs to ferment for a few days. Once it's ready, find a large container to store it. It should yield about 500 jin. Xiao Shu and Xiao Hu don't want it; we'll split it equally."

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother." Lin Zhuo hesitated for a moment. He had never been good at saying goodbye, but at this moment he sincerely wanted to keep his companions company, so he asked, "Senior Brother, Junior Sister, and Little Cat, will we ever see each other again?"

Shu Yuliu and Jin Xiaohu both turned their heads toward Zhu Baixuan.

The giant panda had reverted to its original form, rubbing its belly and chuckling softly. It said gently, "You're already level five Qi Masters, no longer novices. You can stand on your own; you don't need my help. But there are many other newcomers in the dungeon channel, just arrived on the network, completely clueless and need assistance."

"What about the other dungeons? Will we have another chance to explore them together?" Jin Xiaohu asked anxiously. Shu Yuliu nodded repeatedly, looking on with anticipation.

Zhu Baixuan glanced at his three companions, his expression shifting slightly as if he were pondering something. After a moment, he spoke solemnly: "The dungeons in the multiverse are endless, but as long as you climb higher, you will eventually meet the powerful beings from the multiverse again. If you plan to team up long-term, you can try joining the same player guild."

"Player guild? Senior Brother, do you have a guild too?" Shu Yuliu asked curiously.

Once a player on the online platform reaches level 10 and passes the trials to become a Model Adventurer, they are eligible to establish their own player guild. Many large player trading platforms are themselves guilds, but the content of these guilds goes far beyond simply exchanging goods and services.

Each guild recruits different groups of players. Some tend to gather according to good and evil factions, and any class can join as long as they meet the faction requirements. Other guilds recruit players of the same class based on class affiliation, meaning they only accept players of certain classes.

If professional discussion groups are a small circle within a general online forum, then the player circle of a guild is even smaller, with much closer relationships between members. Many resources often circulate only within this circle, including various specially crafted equipment and items, spiritual materials and cultivation techniques, as well as benefits and perks.

While there are quite a few cultivation techniques shared freely in the discussion group, those generally considered safe, reliable, and superior are those of gray and white quality. Once you reach blue quality techniques, the selection narrows considerably; higher quality techniques like purple and light gold...

Dark gold and other grades are becoming increasingly rare, and their security cannot be guaranteed.

For players who want to go far in their careers, joining a large guild that suits them is very helpful for their growth. To put it another way, it's quite appropriate to think of player guilds as sects, while players who don't join guilds are naturally like independent cultivators.

The difficulty of achieving enlightenment as a rogue cultivator is always higher than that of a disciple of a major sect. Unless one is truly exceptionally talented, then there is no need for any guild background or connections.

"Of course I have a guild. My master recruited me back then. Our guild isn't very big, with only tens of thousands of players. We operate on an invitation-only basis, so you definitely won't find us by searching on the forum." Zhu Baixuan smiled as he looked at the three newcomers whose eyes were shining. "Alright, if you want to join, I'll submit your applications. However, it will take about a day or two for the review team to confirm your eligibility."

Jin Xiaohu was a little anxious. "What are the review requirements? Do I have to be really good at fighting? Isn't the cat too weak?"

"You're all good kids. There shouldn't be any problems," Zhu Baixuan reassured him. Then, his expression turned serious, and he asked in a deep voice, "Joining or leaving a guild isn't something you can do casually; it will affect your future development. I can say for sure that our guild's strength and foundation aren't top-notch, and it might not be the best choice for you. Don't act impulsively at this time; think it over carefully."

Shu Yuliu clapped his hands on tiptoe, grinning, "With such a great player like you, Senior Brother, this guild is bound to be pretty good!"

Jin Xiaohu nodded in agreement, and everyone looked at Lin Zhuo, who had not yet expressed his opinion.

Zhu Baixuan encouraged him, "Don't feel pressured. Follow your heart."

"After joining the guild, will there still be opportunities to run maps with the senior brother, or even help him out?"

Ultimately, regardless of his background or influence, Lin Zhuo would never stop climbing the ladder. What he valued was the most basic and fundamental function of a player guild: maintaining contact with his gaming partners.

"There will be opportunities. That day will come eventually, and I look forward to your growth." Zhu Baixuan chuckled, extending his broad, heavy paw to pat Lin Zhuo's shoulder.

"Okay. I'll join too."

[Important Notice from the General Network: There are [10] minutes left until the instance closes —]

"It's time to go," Zhu Baixuan said, bidding farewell.

"Take care, everyone." Lin Zhuo clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Keep in touch, meow."

"Everyone, please stay safe and sound. Senior Brother, wait for us to come to the guild. Second Senior Brother, please stop fighting all the time. Little Cat, just stay alive."

"What do you mean, 'just being alive is good enough'?! Hiss!"

As they chatted and laughed, four deep purple spacetime vortexes opened behind each player. As they parted, it was as if all their unspoken words had melted into the continuous snowfall. They said no more, turned around and walked away, disappearing into the rushing Qingshui River. From then on, there was no news of them in the martial arts world, only legends that have continued for years.

A buzzing sound echoed as the spacetime tunnel collapsed behind him, and the eerie purple light vanished without a trace.

Lin Zhuo is back.

The bedroom was dimly lit, and everything around seemed unchanged, since time in reality was relatively still.

The only thing that has changed in this room is Lin Zhuo himself.

Before leaving, he was dressed in a smart modern outfit, but when he returned, he was dressed as an ancient martial artist, in a grandmaster's outfit and a fire-repelling cloak. He was noticeably taller, with more muscular and robust muscles. His black hair was loose, extending past his shoulders and down his back, and the bluish stubble on his face resembled the rust on bronze.

"Hmm————" Lin Zhuo smelled the clean air in the room, which had a constant temperature and humidity all year round. There was a faint, refreshing floral fragrance that was pleasant and welcoming. Compared to the winter in Liquan Town, the room was exceptionally warm and comfortable.

In the blink of an eye, the world has changed.

Lin Zhuo was even a little clumsy at the moment. Looking at the room full of clean and flawless minimalist furniture with neat geometric lines, he was at a loss.

He still needs to readjust to this comfortable modern living space and dredge up the modern Lin Zhuo from the depths of his mind.

Of course, martial artists have their own ways of adapting. Lin Zhuo practiced his fist techniques and walked around the room, stirring up the air, feeling the chaotic airflow with his skin, observing this real world that had never been so vivid before, and breathing in and out, letting his memories surge.

As the dragon-wielder adapted to the changing times, his every move gradually lost its natural wildness, becoming disciplined and even. His punches were no longer like an eagle striking or a tiger biting, and his movements were no longer as swift as a rabbit leaping or a falcon swooping. His fists were like gunshots fired, and with a bang, the force of the punch shook the curtains across half the bedroom, causing the glass to tremble. Suddenly, the night view of Hongshui City outside the window came into view, with towering buildings stretching like a deep mountain forest, and colorful lights arranged like a chessboard.

Memories of this city have returned; its scenery and landscapes welcome those who have wandered far from home back.

Lin Zhuo clenched his fist and stood upright, as straight as a flagpole that had stood for many years. He closed his eyes, and his mind flashed with a series of matters that he needed to resolve one by one.

The most important thing, and the most urgent task, is for him to turn himself in.

Back at my computer desk, I placed my palm on the wide, flat screen and unlocked it using palm print recognition.

A white circular icon of the personal operating system appeared on the black screen, and a mechanical synthesized voice came from the speaker: "Lin Zhuo, welcome back. It's 2:31 a.m., it's late at night. I didn't expect you to still be planning to work."

Where should we begin?

"Call Comrade Chijiang for me. Turn on the camera; I want to speak with it."

"Okay, calling... please wait... connected!"

The white circle in the center of the screen retreated to the upper left corner, and a video pop-up appeared, displaying a new icon: a white five-pointed star rising from a crimson wave.

"Hello, Comrade Lin Zhuo." Chi Jiang descended, emitting a soft and friendly female synthesized voice through a loudspeaker.

In the camera's view, Lin Zhuo's new appearance also fell into the eyes of this artificial intelligence that controls hundreds of millions of people in Hongshui City. Chi Jiang waited quietly for him to speak.

"Comrade Chijiang." Lin Zhuo paused, raised his hand in a salute, his eyes bright as burning red-hot coals, "Next, I need to tell you some facts, to ensure this information is not leaked. After I prove to you that everything I've said is true, I will need the applicant to obtain a Level 10 confidentiality status from the Community."

The highest level of citizenship in the human community is level seven. At level seven, one can have a significant impact on the direction of the entire civilization. The highest level of confidentiality is level ten. At level ten, one enjoys near-perfect personal security and the greatest degree of freedom in their actions, almost completely above the law.

These are two different identity systems, and the evaluation requirements are also quite different.

Every level of the citizenship approval process is fair and transparent, and can be accessed and checked by any citizen. Each promotion requires a manual vote.

However, maintaining confidentiality is different. Artificial intelligence has almost complete power in this regard, deciding who needs protection. This is the ultimate strategy concerning the survival of human civilization, and all emotional interference must be eliminated. Only intelligent agents on whom the human community places high hopes can fulfill such a significant responsibility.

"You already are. Comrade Lin Zhuo." Chi Jiang's reply came faster than Lin Zhuo's confession.