Chapter 67: Golden Bamboo Slip, Water-repelling Pearl

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Ethereal Green Robe, waiting for him to present his case. Even the usually silent Pudu Taoist, who had remained quiet all this time, turned his gaze toward him.

During the Closed Beta, Ethereal Green Robe was known as the Gentleman in Green. His extensive connections and wide circle of friends were well-known among all Closed Beta players. The Xuan Gui Dian Sect specialized in formation techniques and shipbuilding. While players from other Sects received high-level spells and advanced cultivation methods as rewards for completing quests, Xuan Gui Dian players could obtain shipbuilding blueprints. Ethereal Green Robe was already a famous Shipbuilder back then, and by the late Closed Beta, he had even created a Seventh Rank warship.

Large warships were supreme tools for Faction naval battles, while small warships served as luxurious means of transport. If equipped with ship-mounted magical tools, they were comparable to high-grade Magic Treasures, making them unbeatable in PvP combat.

Thanks to his shipbuilding skills, Ethereal Green Robe had built a wide network of friends and established good relations with various Factions.

“Everyone, take a look. This is the Rogue Cultivator’s Remains.”

A flash of white light appeared, and suddenly, a skeleton was in Ethereal Green Robe’s hand. The bones had a bronze metallic sheen. A black greatsword was impaled through its chest, piercing completely through the body. It had fused inseparably with the skeleton.

After letting everyone take a quick glance, Ethereal Green Robe stored the Rogue Cultivator’s Remains away again.

“After I obtained these remains, I also found a Brocade Map and a golden bamboo slip nearby. This is a multiplayer quest. You all can accept it too.”

What appeared in Ethereal Green Robe’s hand was indeed a pure golden bamboo slip, the size of a toothpick. Upon closer inspection, one could see a faintly carved Water Mansion adorned with countless Aquatic Demonic Creatures lingering around it. A misty water vapor seemed to form above it.

“But let me say this upfront: once you confirm your participation, you cannot withdraw. You must not disclose any information about this Water Mansion. Inside the Water Mansion, acquiring treasures will depend on your own abilities. If anyone violates these rules, the other five will jointly hunt them down, making it impossible for them to survive in this game! If you wish to back out and leave, now is still the time.”

Ethereal Green Robe raised his voice and laid out his rules one by one, addressing everyone, but his gaze lingered on Ye Rong for a moment longer.

Regardless of their character, he had interacted with the other four and had some understanding of them. But he had only cooperated with Yijian Kurong once in the Starter Village, and it was brief, making it impossible to judge his true nature.

“Green Robe, rest assured about that. I believe everyone here understands the value of a Water Mansion. If the news were to spread, it might slip out of our control. Those guild leaders would surely come to take a share.”

Shinai Zuigao narrowed his small eyes, rubbed his chubby hands together, and kept his gaze fixed on the golden bamboo slip in Ethereal Green Robe’s hand.

Including Ye Rong, all five nodded in agreement, willing to join the quest and promising never to leak the information to anyone else.

The temptation of a Water Mansion, even if it seemed distant and uncertain, was something no one could resist.

Each person did as Ethereal Green Robe instructed: they walked up to the golden bamboo slip, pressed their index finger firmly against it, and let a drop of blood stain it. Immediately, they received the quest prompt to explore the Water Mansion.

System Notification: You have triggered the Dujiangyan Water Mansion quest. Do you wish to escort the ancient Rogue Cultivator’s Remains back to the unknown Water Mansion?

Ye Rong naturally accepted the quest. He noticed that this quest had been added to his quest list, marked as currently in progress, with a total of six participants.

“Ethereal Green Robe is quite the strategist. The five people he invited each have different identities and roles. They are strong enough but not so powerful as to completely overshadow him.”

After sitting down and analyzing carefully, Ye Rong realized there was much consideration behind the list of participants.

Ethereal Green Robe, Changkong Wuhen, and himself were all Qingcheng Disciples. Including Shinai Zuigao, a disciple of Wufu Xianzi Sun Xun, they could also be counted as part of the Qingcheng lineage. By this count, there were as many as four Qingcheng Players. If disputes arose later, based on Sect loyalty and fellow disciple solidarity, they could likely secure majority support.

Pudu Taoist was probably considered the strongest by Ethereal Green Robe, judging by how everyone treated him. Therefore, the last spot absolutely could not go to a top Emei expert, so he opted for the unruly and uncooperative Kunlun disciple Lingding Yang instead.

As for within Qingcheng, Ye Rong was just a newcomer and probably wasn’t placed in an important position by Ethereal Green Robe. Changkong Wuhen also seemed restrained and somewhat afraid in his presence, though the reason was unclear.

Players like Shinai Zuigao could only be considered peripheral to Qingcheng, so conflicts of interest with Qingcheng Players would be minimal, leaving great potential for cooperation. If Ye Rong were Ethereal Green Robe, he would surely promise Shinai Zuigao some future Sect benefits in exchange for his assistance.

“I need to be careful with this quest. I shouldn’t end up losing myself before even finding the Water Mansion!”

Ye Rong grew inwardly cautious, wiping the blinding lure of great benefits from his eyes, and prepared to proceed carefully.

Quests like exploring a Water Mansion were probably among the most difficult in Far Shore at the moment. At the current Level, more people weren’t necessarily better. The Dujiangyan Waters housed thousands of types of Aquatic Demonic Creatures, and creatures over Level 100 were distributed along every stretch of the river.

Ordinary Players couldn’t even enter the water, which ruled out the idea of using sheer numbers.

Even with Water-repelling treasures, those without sufficient strength couldn’t move underwater. Encountering any Aquatic Demonic Creature would mean a total party wipe.

The six of them discussed the precautions for exploring the Water Mansion and the potential dangers they might face. Fortunately, Ethereal Green Robe had a detailed Brocade Map, allowing them to make arrangements in advance, avoid powerful groups of Aquatic Demonic Creatures, and choose the safest possible underwater route.

However, the Tuo River covered such a vast area that relying solely on six people searching aimlessly would likely make luck a more crucial factor in finding the Water Mansion. None of the six believed they would find the Water Mansion within a few days. If it were that easy, the Water Mansion wouldn’t be valuable enough to be considered an important strategic base for a Faction.

Since everyone had accepted the quest and the team was formed, there was potential for cooperation on other large-scale quests outside the Water Mansion as well.

“What about Water-repelling tools? I assume no one has a Sword Art Form above the twentieth layer?” said Pudu Taoist, who had spoken fewer than five sentences since joining the discussion.

“Shinai has a Water-repelling Pearl that can expand to help ten people move underwater. We’ll be relying on him.”

“Oh!”

Ordinary Water-repelling Pearls only allowed the bearer to enter the water and had no effect on helping others. It was quite rare for Shinai Zuigao’s pearl to have such an additional function.

“Hehe, I’m not particularly talented. I got this from Wufu Xianzi.”

Shinai Zuigao held up a sparkling water pearl the size of a fist. Watery light swirled within it, giving the impression it might dissipate at any moment. Inside, a vivid golden-finned red crucian carp was sealed, still swimming and wagging its tail.

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow morning at eight o’clock, at the estuary of the Tuo River in Dujiangyan. Meet on time!”