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墨書 Inktalez
Out of self-restraint, Fang Lin Kong did not carefully read the game instructions. Following the game introduction, he inserted his candidate card into the gaming machine and activated the game. The machine, which looked quite impressive, immediately displayed an English prompt on its built-in LCD screen, instructing Fang Lin Kong to place his hand on the sensor.
With a feeling of trepidation, Fang Lin Kong placed his hand on the sensor and felt a strange force emanating from his palm, coursing through his entire body. In an instant, the scenery around him changed.
However, Fang Lin Kong did not find himself transported from the room to a desolate wilderness or a desert gorge. He merely turned from facing the door to facing the window.
Even being transported into the mouth of a monster would not have surprised Fang Lin Kong more than this change. He pondered for a while, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"Wasn't I supposed to be transferred to the Zero Boiling Point examination space? Why is there no change at all? Could it be that this gaming machine is a rare defective product?"
While Fang Lin Kong was still puzzled, he heard a clear voice coming from the speakers in the room.
"Attention all candidates, you have arrived at the examination venue. You are safe within the castle, and this is also your only supply point. You may now venture outside to hunt magical beasts. However, please be aware that the magical beasts here can genuinely endanger your precious lives, so exercise caution. If you feel unable to complete your mission, please apply for withdrawal immediately. Teaming up for this examination is allowed!"
Upon hearing this announcement, Fang Lin Kong jumped up, but his face quickly turned pale.
He suddenly realized that his body seemed to be enveloped by a mysterious force that firmly restrained him; no matter how hard he tried, he could not break through this strange confinement. He couldn't even manifest any artifacts from his Inner Universe into reality. In other words, he had completely lost his powers.
"How could this happen?"
Fang Lin Kong searched through all his memories but found no satisfactory explanation or solution to his predicament.
Having grown accustomed to power, losing it again filled Fang Lin Kong with an unprecedented sense of panic. Once he managed to calm his anxious emotions and stepped out of the room, he discovered that the castle was already bustling with voices.
Occasionally, some candidates were expressing their frustrations about their experiences, which made Fang Lin Kong feel slightly better knowing that nearly everyone had realized they had lost their once-prized spiritual energy.
In the chaos, Fang Lin Kong was unsure where to go. Following the majority of the crowd, he made his way to the square in front of the castle.
There were already over ten stalls set up here, displaying various Psycho Weapons. Some candidates were already selecting weapons at the stalls.
As Fang Lin Kong stood there uncertainly, someone tugged at his sleeve from behind. Turning around, he found it was Lin Yu.
“Fang Lin Kong! Why don’t you join our group? I feel a bit uneasy, though I can’t quite explain why.”
Fang Lin Kong nodded slightly but immediately asked, “Everyone has lost their spiritual power. Do you know what’s going on? How are we supposed to hunt magical beasts like this? This castle is really strange.”
Standing next to Lin Yu, Ye Lisha said, “Fang Lin Kong, didn’t you read the game instructions? We’re no longer in the original castle. That castle was just the entrance to this place. Although this castle looks exactly like the original one, just look at the outside…”
Hearing Ye Lisha’s words, Fang Lin Kong quickly climbed up the nearest castle wall. When he looked outside, he couldn’t help but gasp.
The scenery outside the castle had completely changed; now it stood alone on a vast plain. In the distance, he could faintly see the shadows of mountains and forests. Not far from the castle, several strange animals were leisurely wandering about.
Lin Yu, who had followed Fang Lin Kong up to the wall, panted and said, “We’re already at Zero Boiling Point. We’ll have to live here for a while until we complete our mission or get disqualified.”
Fang Lin Kong looked at those creatures in the distance with two heads or deer heads and wolf bodies, then glanced at his own palms. Without turning back, he said to Lin Yu, “Then why have we lost our powers? How can we possibly kill magical beasts and pass the exam without our abilities?”
Lin Yu replied exasperatedly, “Fang Lin Kong, you really are careless. Didn’t you read the game instructions carefully?”
Fang Lin Kong shrugged and said, “How was I supposed to know this exam would be so twisted? I thought it would be easy to complete, so I didn’t pay much attention to that stuff.”
Lin Yu patiently explained, “Zero Boiling Point is a place where the predecessors of the Demon Hunting Team practiced in seclusion. Due to the unique nature of this space, everyone who enters here loses their abilities. However, there is abundant energy here, making it easy to start training from scratch. The abilities from the outside world cannot be brought into this realm, and all tangible training results cannot be transferred back to our reality. The predecessors of the Demon Hunting Team didn’t train here to enhance their strength but to better understand how to communicate with the energies of heaven and earth and elevate their spirits to a higher level. We also need to start training anew here until we have the ability to kill five designated magical beasts in order to pass the exam. This process may take a long time—maybe a year or more!”
Upon hearing this, Fang Lin Kong asked, “Didn’t they say we could complete the exam in just a few days? If we waste so much time here, what will happen to our lives in the real world?”
Lin Yu finally sighed and teased Fang Lin Kong, “Fang Lin Kong, you really haven’t read anything! Time flows faster here than in reality; about a year here is equivalent to one day outside. Moreover, due to the differences in time and space, this passage of time cannot be brought back to reality. So you don’t need to worry about suddenly aging several years.”
Fang Lin Kong finally began to smile bitterly and turned dejectedly toward Lin Yu. “If I had known it would be this unfunny, I wouldn’t have participated in this damned exam. Spending years here would drive me insane.”
Lin Yu couldn’t help but laugh at Fang Lin Kong’s expression and pulled him down from the wall.
“Quickly choose your weapon and come with me to wander in the wild! For every magical beast we kill here, we’ll absorb some of its energy. If you want to strengthen your abilities quickly, don’t dawdle.”
As Lin Yu’s warm hand tugged at him, Fang Lin Kong suddenly thought about what Ding Qingya might be doing now. After not seeing her for several days, he found himself missing her a bit. However, right now beside him was this big sister-like Lin Yu instead of that gentle girl who always acted like a little bird.
The stalls in the square were clearly marked with signs indicating that only one weapon could be chosen per person and that they could only be accessed with an examinee card. If someone preferred using their own weapon, they had to go to a designated stall for approval and wait for the exam staff to deliver their submitted weapon back. Since Lin Yu wasn’t accustomed to using these Western-style Psycho Weapons, she had already requested from the exam staff to retrieve her sword Azure Silk for use and was currently waiting for them to return it.
Fang Lin Kong had no particular hobbies and was too lazy to go through the trouble of applying for Vampire's Kiss. His Beast Armor, Hundred Seas Dragon, was beyond the B-grade weapon standard, making it impossible to retrieve.
The examination site only provided a Western Knight's Greatsword, a German-style Military Jungle Combat Knife, the lowest-grade Psycho Gun, a staff, a bow, and an Axe.
Although Fang Lin Kong had lost his spiritual power, the strong physique he cultivated through Giant Spirit Transformation remained robust. After some thought, he decided that while the Axe looked impressive, it was cumbersome and difficult to wield. He chose instead the thickest and sturdiest staff available.
The Western staff was not the kind used by wizards but resembled a weapon similar to a Chinese stick. It relied on blunt force to daze enemies or deliver a powerful blow.
Another reason Fang Lin Kong opted for the staff was that there was a famous monkey in China known for using such a weapon. Additionally, traditional Chinese martial arts, particularly the Shaolin Staff Technique, were well-known. Wielding a stick-like weapon looked cooler than any other.
Upon entering this place, Fang Lin Kong realized he had left his detector in the Black Wood Ring and that his phone had no signal. After searching for a while without finding Wen Yi and the others, he decided to venture outside the ancient castle with Lin Yu and Ye Lisha.
"This damn exam, why does it have to be so complicated? Can't it be simpler?"
Fang Lin Kong grumbled silently, feeling countless grievances but knowing he could only complain internally. He couldn't afford to lose face in front of the two girls.
By this time, hundreds of candidates had rushed into the plains outside the ancient castle. Several seemingly foolish animals quickly fell victim to them. Although these candidates had lost their spiritual power, many were physically strong from regular training, resembling wild bulls in strength. Their sheer brute force was quite impressive.
Ye Lisha may not have specialized in martial arts, but she was not a fragile girl either. Considering their teamwork, Fang Lin Kong's staff was a powerful melee weapon while Lin Yu's longsword Azure Silk was still a close-range weapon. Thus, they handed Ye Lisha a Psycho Pistol. Without spiritual energy here, they couldn't compress spiritual energy bullets themselves; however, those who chose the Psycho Pistol were given one hundred spiritual energy bullets as part of their equipment.
As Fang Lin Kong and his companions began moving slowly, nearly two thousand candidates poured out of the ancient castle by then, scattering or slaughtering nearby beasts.
At Lin Yu's suggestion, the three started heading toward the distant forest.
Fang Lin Kong carried his staff on his shoulder and led the way. However, after walking for three or four hours, he could no longer maintain his composure; his hand holding the staff grew weary.
"This stick is really heavy and cumbersome. I shouldn't have chosen this; if I had known better, I would have retrieved the Black Wood Ring. At least I could have stored this thing away!"
Fang Lin Kong complained to Lin Yu, who didn't know how to console him. From their vantage point at the castle, the forest and mountains didn't seem far away, but traversing them proved challenging. They were now among very few people; most candidates had begun to disperse.
Feeling bored, Fang Lin Kong tucked the staff under his arm and flipped through a book titled Monster Compendium. This peculiar space-time rift wasn't a true world; thus it lacked consistent spatial laws. Sometimes due to temporal dislocation, events contrary to common sense occurred. The Demon Hunting Team had operated here for hundreds of years without fully grasping this space's rules; they only knew some general taboos.
The Monster Compendium detailed each type of monster's appearance locations, attributes, abilities, approximate demonic power levels, and lifestyle habits extensively. Upon closer inspection, Fang Lin Kong discovered that there were thousands of monsters here and noted some that were rarely encountered and unnamed with insufficient recorded information.
The Monster Compendium itself is a magical item, with instructions on how to use it printed on the front page. As long as one encounters an unrecorded monster, they can use this compendium to document it. Alternatively, they can complete the missing monster data or correct any errors within the compendium. Doing so will earn them a substantial reward and encouragement from the company that compiled the Monster Compendium.
Fang Lin Kong had yet to capture any of the five types of monsters required for his exam. However, he remained skeptical about the claim that killing other creatures would enhance his strength. Thus, he contemplated smashing any random creature he came across to test this theory in practice.
Unfortunately, the fierce competition among the candidates ahead made it impossible for those behind to find any living creatures to test their skills. Fang Lin Kong was able to endure, but the candidates trailing behind him were not as patient; groups of them frequently rushed past his team.
Ye Lisha was relatively composed, while Fang Lin Kong was more laid-back. Lin Yu, though lively, had just lost her magical energy and had become somewhat timid. The three of them continued to move forward at a leisurely pace.
After more than an hour of monotonous walking, there were no candidates in sight around Fang Lin Kong and his companions. Ahead, sparse tall trees began to appear as they entered a jungle area.
While flipping through the Monster Compendium, Fang Lin Kong suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
"Something's off! Lin Yu! Ye Lisha! Have you noticed the map in this Monster Compendium?"
Ye Lisha replied calmly, "I've noticed it for quite some time. This map only details about four hundred thousand square kilometers; all other areas are marked as dangerous. There's not even a rough sketch available. This means those places haven't even been explored by the Demon Hunting Team headquarters!"
Lin Yu glanced at the map in Fang Lin Kong's hand and remarked curiously, "Four hundred thousand square kilometers! Our Kunlun headquarters, Kunlun Wonderland, is only about that size. If there are other bases like Demon Hunting Team's, wouldn't they be much stronger than our Kunlun Celestial Path?"
Ye Lisha sighed with a wry smile. "Lin Yu! Are you just realizing that our Kunlun Celestial Path is no longer on par with them? The overly conservative policies and treating opposition to feudal superstitions as national policy have widened the gap between us and the West, where magical novels can be published freely."
"Fang Lin Kong, you see it too; we can't muster such a grand scale to recruit Taoists. The title of Demon Hunter is like that of a sea turtle; even in China, it's more impressive than what Kunlun produces!"
Their conversation drifted away from the singular focus of passing the exam.
The forest grew denser around them. Just as Fang Lin Kong was about to speak to Lin Yu, he felt a sudden alertness and instinctively swung his staff. A long shadow leaped up from where his staff struck. Fang Lin Kong reacted quickly and pressed his strength against a nearby tree; with a splatter of blood, he crushed a black serpent with a single large eye on its head.
Lin Yu had been laughing at Fang Lin Kong's joke when this sudden turn of events startled her into reflexively drawing her sword, Azure Silk. Seeing that Fang Lin Kong had already succeeded with his strike, she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and said with lingering fear, "That snake was too well hidden; I didn't see it at all. It's my first time seeing such an eye-catching serpent! Fang Lin Kong! What does this snake call itself in the Monster Compendium?"
Fang Lin Kong silently sensed a peculiar wave emanating from his staff's tip; he indeed felt an extremely faint energy radiating after killing the serpent. He could only perceive about one percent of it. Since Lin Yu and Ye Lisha were further away, they likely sensed even less energy. Suddenly, Fang Lin Kong had a strange thought: he could feel the existence of his Inner Universe but couldn't summon any treasures.
"I wonder if I can let Nine Heavens Primordial Demon Flame absorb this energy?"
Fang Lin Kong slowly directed this minuscule energy into his Inner Universe. Indeed! Not only could his Yuan Shen power not reach out, but this energy also encountered a peculiar barrier that prevented it from entering.
After several attempts, Fang Lin Kong finally gave up. He had come to a rough understanding: "In this world, energy cannot interact with normal space, which is why this state exists. It's not that I've lost my spiritual power; it's just that my spiritual power cannot manifest here. Similarly, the energy here cannot manifest in other worlds due to certain properties and differences in time and space!"
Lin Yu called out to him, noticing that Fang Lin Kong seemed lost in thought and was not responding. She reached out and patted his shoulder, trying to bring him back to reality.
"Since this isn't working, why not try another approach and refine this energy into the nature of the Nine Heavens Primordial Demon Flame?"
Only then did Fang Lin Kong have the time to respond to Lin Yu, saying, "Have you noticed that after this strange snake died, it is emitting some energy? It seems we can absorb some of it!"
Lin Yu shrugged, indicating she hadn’t felt anything.
Ye Lisha frowned slightly and said, "I have a faint sensation, but it's so weak that I thought it was just my imagination. Could this be why we can quickly cultivate powers usable in this world?"
Fang Lin Kong casually tossed aside the snake's corpse and replied, "That seems about right. However, if we absorb the energy according to our respective mental methods, the effect might be even better."
Although Lin Yu felt nothing herself, she trusted that Fang Lin Kong and Ye Lisha were not deceiving her.
The three of them understood that danger lurked everywhere in this forest. The earlier ease had vanished, and they became vigilant. Fang Lin Kong led the way while Lin Yu held her sword, Azure Silk, at the rear. The more vulnerable Ye Lisha walked in the middle.
What they did not know was that behind their trio, a pair of evil eyes was watching them intently!
(To be continued)
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