01:22 AM.
That was the time.
Fenric paused to think, then returned briefly to the real world. After confirming that everything was normal, he came back to the Samsara Space.
Without delay, he headed straight for the Samsara Tower.
Standing before its gates, Fenric used a dungeon cooldown-refresh card.
He had previously acquired one from "Kung Fu Hustle" and still had one refresh left. For now, his stock of cooldown cards was more than enough.
He stepped forward.
Fenric arrived on the eighth floor.
An elf spirit materialized out of thin air and greeted him.
"Hello, dear Samsara participant—Shura. How may I assist you today?"
"I'm here to run a dungeon," Fenric said.
"Very well. Please select the dungeon world you wish to enter."
With a wave of her hand, a holographic projection appeared before Fenric.
Two options lit up on the screen:
Blade Runner(Normal)
A Bride Ghost Story(Difficult)
Fenric didn't hesitate. He immediately selected A Bride Ghost Story.
Selection confirmed.
The next moment, he was teleported into a sterile white room.
There were only six or seven other people present.
As Fenric appeared, several participants frowned.
This dungeon had relatively few monsters and ghosts—one person could clear it alone. Two was manageable. Three made things tight. Four practically guaranteed one person would be eliminated.
The more players there were, the fiercer the competition—more wolves, less meat.
No one wanted someone else encroaching on their chances.
"Tch. Another person joined? Let me scare him off."
One Samsara participant scowled and began to approach Fenric.
"Don't!"
Another participant grabbed his arm urgently.
"That guy's no ordinary player—he's Shura! We can't afford to mess with him."
"What? Why should we give way?" the first man protested. "Red Devil, since when did you get so timid?"
"Are you stupid? You seriously don't recognize the Shura God himself? If you've got the guts, go challenge him. But I'm out of here!"
"...F*k, I didn't notice at first. Red Devil, wait up, bro!"
When the others overheard it was Shura, they were visibly stunned. After a brief hesitation, they left one by one.
In the end, only two participants remained.
Fenric: "..."
He hadn't expected this.
Was he already that intimidating?
Just his presence alone could make people flee?
Still, it was fine. Less interference, less trouble.
He glanced at the two who stayed behind but said nothing. Since they chose to remain even after learning who he was, it meant they weren't easily scared.
No words were needed. The challenge had already been accepted.
Fenric knew the plot—was he supposed to be afraid of a little competition?
Time passed quickly.
Soon, only ten minutes remained.
Once the countdown entered the final ten minutes, players could no longer quit, and no new participants could join.
The two remaining players exchanged conflicted looks, hesitated... and finally logged out.
They knew well—it was foolish to compete with a Shura-level boss.
A system message echoed:
"Attention all Samsara participants: the mission world teleportation will begin in ten minutes."
Now, only Fenric remained in the preparation room.
Though it was originally a public dungeon, it had effectively become Fenric's solo run.
The ten-minute timer ran out.
Another system prompt followed:
"Teleportation countdown commencing—10, 9, 8... 3, 2, 1!"
As the countdown hit zero, a red glow enveloped Fenric.
He vanished.
When Fenric regained his vision, he found himself standing in a forest.
Flowers bloomed across the ground, willows swayed gently, and the scenery was serene and beautiful.
However—
Despite the apparent sunshine and calm, the wind carried a strange chill.
Even with Fenric's strong physique, he could feel the oppressive presence of Yin Qi in the air.
The system prompt rang out again:
"Main Mission Issued
Objective: Collect Yin Qi.
Current Progress: 0/1500
Task Details: Defeat evil entities to absorb Yin Qi.
Time Limit: Seven Days
Failure Condition: Obliteration
Note: The more Yin Qi you collect, the higher your mission rating will be!"
Hearing the prompt, Fenric looked up at the sky. The sun was already dipping toward the horizon.
He began heading south.
According to the official guide, the south led to Orchid Temple, where Yan Chixia was currently staying.
Fenric's plan was simple: meet Chixia and ask if he could escort him directly into the underworld. If that worked, he wouldn't have to go through Lillian's storyline.
An hour later—
Fenric stood outside a dilapidated temple, deep in the jungle.
The temple looked ancient and abandoned. Ivy crept over its crumbling walls.
A moss-covered stone stele stood at the entrance. On it were carved characters: Orchid Temple.
By now, the sun had completely set. Night wrapped its cold arms around the forest.
Fenric didn't hesitate. He stepped through the archway into the temple courtyard.
The yard was overgrown with weeds, untended for years.
Just as Fenric was about to go deeper inside, a figure leapt down from an attic above and landed firmly in front of him.
"Kid, this isn't a place you should be poking around in," the man warned.
He was a middle-aged man with thick eyebrows, sharp eyes, a bushy beard, and a rugged aura. He wasn't tall, but his presence was formidable.
Fenric immediately recognized him—Yan Chixia.
"Senior, are you the famed hero Chixia?" Fenric asked respectfully, bowing slightly.
His appearance had been adjusted by the system—he now wore ancient-style robes fitting the dungeon's era.
Chixia looked surprised. "You know me?"
Fenric smiled. "There are many portraits of Hero Chixia outside. You're quite famous."
Chixia nodded in understanding.
Over the past few years, he had meddled in many affairs, offended numerous officials, and was long wanted by the government.
"You know I'm a wanted man, and you're still here?"
Chixia narrowed his eyes, feigning hostility.
Fenric, having read the original story, knew Chixia was righteous beneath his gruff exterior. Otherwise, he wouldn't have saved the protagonist Naichen.
"I've heard about Hero Chixia's integrity. I don't believe a word the government says."
Fenric clasped his hands again.
"Master Chixia, I have a request."