A white light flashed, and Tang Xin found himself standing in a quaint village square. Beams of white light continuously emerged around him, transforming into players clad in coarse cloth.
"Is this the beginner village? It feels so real!" "Look, I can feel the wind on my face!" "Stop marveling and go get some quests to level up!"
The players ran around excitedly, accepting tasks from NPCs.
Unlike the others who rushed to grab quests, Tang Xin swiftly followed the route etched in his memory. He darted through the crowded streets towards the dilapidated temple in the southwest corner of the village.
Sure enough, under a large tree beside the old temple, sat a ragged old beggar reeking of alcohol. Most players avoided him. Those who occasionally tried to talk to him were only met with replies like, "Have a heart, spare some coin for a drink?"
Tang Xin calmed his breathing and approached the old beggar. Unlike other players who directly asked for quests, he pulled out a flask of wine from his robe—something he had planned before even entering the game, purchased with his starting copper coins from the village grocery store instead of a weapon.
"Elder, it's a hot day. Have a drink to quench your thirst," Tang Xin said respectfully, offering the flask.
The old beggar's murky eyes lit up slightly. He took the flask and gulped down several large mouthfuls before wiping his mouth and scrutinizing Tang Xin. "Interesting lad. Everyone else is busy killing monsters to level up, yet you bring wine to this old beggar?"
Tang Xin smiled without replying. In his previous life, the player who triggered the hidden quest had offered food to the beggar who hadn't drunk for three days, not knowing the old man was a severe alcoholic. Simply offering him wine was the key to unlocking the hidden test.
"Not bad, not bad. You know how to respect your elders," the old beggar shook the flask. "But one flask isn't enough to satisfy this old wine worm."
[Hidden Quest Triggered: The Old Beggar's Test. Quest Requirement: Collect ten jars of Xinghua Village Vintage. Accept?]
"It would be my honor to assist you," Tang Xin accepted the quest without hesitation.
The jars of Xinghua Village Vintage were scattered in various hidden corners around the beginner village. In his previous life, it took that player a full three days to find all ten. But for Tang Xin, it was effortless—he had memorized all the locations.
In just fifteen minutes, Tang Xin had scurried around the entire village and placed ten jars of Xinghua Village Vintage before the old beggar.
The old beggar's eyes widened comically. "So fast? Lad, did you already know where the wine was?"
Tang Xin smiled without answering, simply opening one jar. The rich aroma of wine wafted out. "Please enjoy, Elder."
The old beggar didn't press further. After drinking his fill, he patted his stomach contentedly. "Good! Good! Good! This old man has been wandering here for some time and hasn't met an interesting youngster like you in ages. Tell you what, I have an old book here. Consider it payment for the wine."
As he spoke, the old beggar pulled out a yellowed ancient text from his robes, shoved it into Tang Xin's hands, then stood up wobbling and wandered off, humming a little tune.
[Hidden Quest Completed: The Old Beggar's Test. Rewards Obtained: "Primordial Dao Scripture"Fragment, 1000 EXP]
A golden light rose from Tang Xin's body, and the sound of leveling up echoed in his ears—three times in a row. The few players who noticed this scene were stunned. How had someone completed a hidden quest and leveled up three times within half an hour of the game's launch?
Tang Xin suppressed his excitement and examined the "Primordial Dao Scripture"Fragment in his hands.
["Primordial Dao Scripture"(Fragment): An ancient inheritance. Cultivating it to mastery can lead directly to the source of the Great Dao. Current stage: First Layer. Can absorb the world's spiritual energy and convert it into Primordial True Qi. Cultivation efficiency is three times that of ordinary techniques.]
This was it! In his previous life, that player had only obtained an Earth-grade technique. But the "Primordial Dao Scripture"was a peerless technique that surpassed even Heaven-grade. The Primordial True Qi it cultivated was incredibly pure, far surpassing same-level techniques in both cultivation speed and combat power.
More importantly, this technique was intricately linked to several major fortuitous encounters later on; it was the key to becoming a Dao Ancestor!
Tang Xin immediately learned the "Primordial Dao Scripture". Instantly, he felt a warm current rise from his dantian, flowing throughout his body. The spiritual energy around him continuously poured into his system, transforming into refined Primordial True Qi.
"Excuse me, brother... How did you trigger that quest?" A soft female voice came from behind him.
Tang Xin turned around to see a female player with delicate features standing behind him, her bright eyes studying him curiously. Her ID read "Su Muyu," and her simple coarse clothes couldn't hide her exceptional grace.
Tang Xin's heart shook. Su Muyu. One of the most famous female players in Celestial Realm in his previous life. Not only was she powerful, but she also founded the top female guild, "Moon Palace." After the realities merged, she became a ruler of her own territory, but ultimately perished during a beast tide.
"I just happened to find the trigger condition," Tang Xin replied calmly, though his heart was stirred. He had seen Su Muyu from afar a few times in his past life but had never interacted with her.
"Could you tell me? I'm willing to pay," Su Muyu said sincerely. She敏锐地 sensed this quest was unusual.
Tang Xin pondered for a moment, then an idea struck him. Su Muyu was known for her loyalty and sense of justice in his previous life. Forming a good relationship with her now could be a significant asset.
"Payment won't be necessary," Tang Xin smiled. "However, I need a teammate for a quest right now. If you're willing to help, I can share how to trigger this hidden quest."
Su Muyu's eyes lit up. "What quest?"
"Exterminating the Western Mountain Wolf King," Tang Xin said slowly. "And... I have a way for you to obtain a hidden class as well."
Su Muyu stared at Tang Xin in shock. The Western Mountain Wolf King was a level 5 elite monster. The average player level was barely 2 after less than an hour. How could they possibly defeat it? And a hidden class? That was a rare encounter one could only hope for, not something easily obtained!
But looking into Tang Xin's confident eyes, Su Muyu felt an inexplicable sense of trust.
"Alright," she agreed. "It's a deal."