342: King of Demons' Throne

Wan Lin stared at the man in front of him in bewilderment.

The surrounding wolf Yao all retreated, stopping behind the man, their heads lowered, as if showing submission, but also like the unique attacking posture of canids.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Helian Rui, a Wanderer under the Helian Throne of the Yuyao Kingdom."

Helian Rui smiled, appearing very calm.

Wan Lin was a bit confused; he suddenly wondered if he had triggered a hidden quest.

Seeing his confusion, Helian Rui continued, "Let me be clearer. I invite you to join the Yuyao Kingdom, to join my Helian Throne, and from now on become a Dominator above all Yao. Are you willing?"

Wan Lin gasped, feeling that this hidden quest seemed quite powerful. He quickly asked, "Are you going to take me as your disciple?"

He remembered Veteran Players saying that the Xuanhuan World had countless Dao Lineages and Legacies, and naturally countless old Seniors who wanted to take disciples.

If one encountered a good Master, they would immediately soar.

"No, not taking you as a disciple."

Helian Rui shook his head: "My Yuyao Kingdom does not distinguish by Master-disciple or father-son relationships. All under the Throne are Wanderers, wielding the authority of the Throne, inheriting the will of the Throne, and acting on its behalf throughout the land."

Wan Lin was still a bit confused. He thought this might be a different term for Master-disciple and lord-vassal relationships in the Xuanhuan World's different cultivation systems and social structures.

He asked again, "Can anyone join the Yuyao Kingdom?"

Wan Lin knew his limits; he wasn't even considered the lowest ninth rank. In the eyes of Mortals, he was a strong individual who had begun Spirit Nurturing, but in the eyes of Cultivators, he was no different from a Mortal.

Helian Rui shook his head: "Not everyone can join the Yuyao Kingdom."

Wan Lin was surprised: "Then why me?"

He thought of a Senior's earlier warning that the area outside the Immortal Dynasty might be full of evil Cultivators, and advised him to be careful.

Helian Rui patiently explained: "As a Mortal, you witnessed the Yao Beast army marching, and even faced Yao Beasts directly. Your eyes showed shock, surprise, and curiosity, but uniquely, no fear.

"This is enough to show that you are exceptionally courageous, possessing a strong heart that ordinary people lack. Your Soul is tenacious and unyielding, precisely what the Yuyao Kingdom needs."

Wan Lin was silent for a moment. In the end, he didn't reveal that he was a player who could revive, and therefore fearless.

Helian Rui patted his shoulder and asked, "Friend, what is your name?"

"Wan Lin."

"Good, Wan Lin, you now have two choices: one is to leave now and continue to wallow in the Mortal world; the other is to follow these wolf Yao to the Yuyao Kingdom and become a Wanderer under my Helian Throne, achieving instantaneous Ascension. What is your choice?"

Wan Lin raised an eyebrow: "I have a question. Is your Yuyao Kingdom's cultivation method the Immortal Foundation Golden Core Method?"

Helian Rui laughed heartily: "Immortal Foundation Golden Core Method? Such a clumsy, inferior method, how could it be the foundation of my Yuyao Kingdom's establishment?

"Wan Lin, when you arrive at my Yuyao Kingdom, you will naturally learn of our methods. They will surely open your eyes!"

Wan Lin gasped.

The Immortal Foundation Golden Core Method was currently the most mainstream method among players. Even the Yao Race's methods were based on it, with slight modifications.

Currently, the fifth-rank combatants among players were either Golden Core or Demon Body, and while they could be divided into many small Dao Lineages, broadly speaking, they all stemmed from the Immortal Foundation Golden Core Method.

Now, Helian Rui was telling him that this was merely the most inferior and clumsy method?

'Then if I just follow them to the Yuyao Kingdom, I'll be able to glimpse stronger methods...' Even if I don't cultivate myself, just submitting information will surely earn me a lot of points.

'If I can establish myself in the Yuyao Kingdom, when the settlement comes in a year, I won't just continue to dominate the rankings, but at least make it into the top ranks, right?'

Thoughts flashed through Wan Lin's mind, and he immediately made a decision.

A wolf Yao approached him and squatted down, signaling Wan Lin to ride on its back. It carried him northward at a frantic pace, accelerating rapidly, and soon disappeared from sight.

Helian Rui's smile remained, but he no longer looked at Wan Lin's retreating figure. Instead, he gazed southward, then suddenly flashed, reappearing before a second player.

"Friend, are you..."

...In the North Mountain region, near a collapsed mountain range.

The Western Country player, 'Durian-Smashed Maton,' was covered in blood.

His true form was a red-horned ox Yao, characterized by two fiery red horns, and his body could transform into a blazing, boiling form, making him extremely compatible with fire virtue.

Previously, after a series of struggles and seizing many resources, he had used his Lifespan to achieve a Breakthrough before the version update, becoming one of the few fifth-rank combatants among Western Country players.

Unfortunately, after the version update, the Yao Race seemed to be targeted; the entire Northern Mountain Range was invaded, the native Yao Race crumbled, and player Yao Race members were also suppressed, in precarious situations.

The three top players of the Western Country quickly developed disagreements.

The Looking Up at the Stars Faction directly sided with the Immortal Dynasty, stating that the new version would be an expansion version, and players should not continue to fight amongst themselves.

Joseph led a group of people to detour to the Western Great Desert and planned to continue to the Southern Mountain Range, preparing to re-establish themselves in the South Mountain.

Durian-Smashed Maton, however, was different.

First and foremost, the cultivation method he practiced was not one taught by the native Yao Race, but a Yao Race cultivation method originating from Mingshui Heaven.

This meant that when the Yuyao Kingdom invaded, while Joseph and the Looking Up at the Stars Faction were suppressed and unable to fully utilize their Demon Body strength, he could unleash his full power, becoming the only Demon Body capable of fighting in the North Mountain.

Precisely because his combat power was undiminished, Durian-Smashed Maton's ambition grew. He wanted to seize this critical moment to integrate the entire North Mountain and become its emperor.

Then he discovered that the native Demon Bodies were being controlled one after another, all coming to gang up on him.

In a short time, Durian-Smashed Maton was beaten black and blue, his injuries so severe that he couldn't even maintain his Demon Body, reverting to a two-meter-tall red-horned ox Yao, desperately hiding in the mountains.

He already had some regrets. If he had known the disparity was so great, he should have left the North Mountain and escaped from the beginning, instead of staying here.

Now, with the continuous onslaught of Yao Beast armies and more and more North Mountain Great Yao being controlled, and him being severely injured and slowed, there was almost no chance of escape.

Could he only die here and restart?

Durian-Smashed Maton's mouth was bitter. After the version update, the Lifespan acceleration function was gone. While restarting allowed him to keep his trade points, items in storage, and effective Soul methods, etc.

It still meant day after day of tedious cultivation, which was agonizing.

For natives, this was already considered a heaven-defying method, even envied by the most powerful.

But for players, it was still too tormenting.

So Durian-Smashed Maton truly didn't want to restart. He fled with all his might, trying every possible way to survive.

Just as he crossed another mountain, getting one step closer to the south.

Suddenly, a figure landed in front of him.

The person wore a brocade robe with python patterns, black tinged with crimson, appearing low-key yet subtly exuding the aura of a superior.

"Little Yao."

The python-robed man squinted at Durian-Smashed Maton: "You have two choices."