The way through Shu is difficult, more so than climbing to the blue sky.
Yet above that blue sky at this moment, Jiang Dali was leisurely traveling with a beauty, looking down upon the Shu landscape that looked like terraced fields, gliding over ancient city walls brimming with charm.
This was a sight he had never experienced in his previous life as a player.
From high above, one could see markets bustling with people, where many players set up stalls to peddle goods.
In some open spaces in the wilderness, there were player guilds fiercely contesting resource points, PKing and fighting.
From many a City God Temple, players with floating steps, pale faces, and snarling curses began to emerge one after another.
Compared to the more secluded Hui Prefecture,
The number of players in the Shu region was evidently greater.
Players in this area mostly joined sects such as Tang Sect, Broken Sword Sect, and Iron Palm Sect, with a minority joining secret organizations with higher barriers to entry like Green Dragon Society, Black Hand, and Black Tiger Hall, and others.
Leshan was a city within Shu, not exactly a Prefecture, but it was famous in the Martial World for well-known cave heavens like Leshan Giant Buddha and Lingyun Cave.
However, the entrance to Lingyun Cave was always shrouded in the extremely terrifying Red Flame—Qilin Fire Poison.
Ever since players discovered Lingyun Cave, countless had attempted to enter in hope of finding rare adventures.
But no one could get past the cave entrance engulfed by Qilin Fire Poison; all were instantly killed the moment they made contact.
As time passed and players noticed that even native NPCs, formidable in their martial arts, dared not rashly enter Lingyun Cave, they gradually gave up the idea of entering this blessed land.
Thus, the Lingyun Cave near the Giant Buddha became a scenic spot for sightseeing.
Rumors had it that a Fire Qilin resided within Lingyun Cave; such claims, unseen and unproven, were gradually treated by players merely as cultural lore.
However, Jiang Dali was after all someone from the previous world.
He knew very well that around this time, Leshan would witness the massive event of the Flooded Buddha’s Knee.
When this happened, the Qilin Fire Poison lurking at the entrance of Lingyun Cave would temporarily weaken due to the influx of water from the Three Rivers, and even the rumored Fierce Beast, the Fire Qilin, might emerge, stunning all players.
In his previous life, it was only after the Flooded Buddha’s Knee event that Jiang Dali learned about the incident through the Jianghu Forum.
At that time, he was shocked for quite a while by the Fire Qilin he saw in a video on the forum, which left a deep impression on him.
Therefore, Jiang Dali remembered the timing of the Flooded Buddha’s Knee event very clearly.
These past few days, spring rains continued incessantly.
The waters of the Three Rivers at Leshan were also slowly rising.
Yet, the players and native NPCs in Leshan were all unaware that the waters of the Three Rivers would rise enough to flood the knees of the Giant Buddha at Lingyun Cave.
For this reason, Leshan was relatively peaceful during this time.
The relative calmness came because inside Leshan City, there had recently been quite a stir—more native Martial World people around than usual and many more players who came to join in the excitement.
Yet, many players who traveled from afar to join in were stopped by Tianyun Guild, the most powerful player guild in Leshan.
Even those who made it into the city couldn’t get close to the excitement.
Tianyun Guild’s players were all well-equipped and formidable.
Most of the guild’s players were born in Leshan and had joined the Tang Sect; they stuck together and kept outsiders at bay. With four of their ranks among the top hundred players, it could well be said to be a major force among players.
Thus, when Tianyun Guild’s players issued a unified warning to the independent players, Leshan Restaurant was completely sealed off by a group of Tianyun Guild players clad in straw raincoats and bamboo hats.
Aside from native NPCs and Tianyun Guild’s own personnel, no independent players could get into the restaurant to meet with the well-known NPC inside—Chu Liu Xiang.
This naturally led to many disgruntled and dissatisfied complaints from solo players who had heard the news.
"Hmph! Tianyun Guild is really overbearing, just relying on the fact that many of Leshan City’s officials are from Tang Sect, what’s there to be so arrogant about?"
"Ah, you’re right about that, it’s the worst when relationships come into play. And you can’t do anything about it."
"I traveled from so far away; my feet are so sweaty from running, I could wring out my socks. And now I can’t even trigger a quest. It’s so frustrating. Who in the world is Chu Liu Xiang waiting for?"
Around Leshan Restaurant, in various teahouses and inns, many solo players were discussing bitterly, with expressions of unwillingness.
They would occasionally cast glances at the opposing well-equipped and numerous players of Tianyun Guild, their expressions mixed with dread, indignation, hostility, and a tinge of envy.
Leshan Restaurant was built near the dock, at a junction of three roads, with a wide stone-paved street to each side. A flagpole stood at its entrance, a brocade banner fluttering in the wind, bearing four large characters: "Leshan Restaurant."
The streets were wet at this time, the spring rain falling like cow hair, pairs of eyes watching merchants and travelers arriving by boat from the Three Rivers enter the restaurant for food and rest.
Any player trying to force entry was confronted and stopped by players from Tianyun Guild wearing raincoats and hats.
Those who tried to barge in were laid flat on the ground and thrown out.
Such scenes unfolded while Leshan City’s patrolling soldiers seemingly turned a blind eye, obviously having been squared away beforehand.
Several players bearing the title "Black Wind Village" tried to use their status to enter the restaurant and meet Chu Liu Xiang.
Yet they too were directly stopped.
The leader of the group cast a cold smile towards several Disciples with titles of Black Wind Village, "Even a dragon won’t pressure a local snake. Friends from Slaughter Pig Alliance, please turn back. Today, Leshan Restaurant is not receiving any players outside of Tianyun Guild."