Chapter 12 - The Three Zones

Lin Feng

After three and half months playing , Lin Feng cultivation has now reached the second major cultivation realm, Organ Melding. The significant jump in strength is plain obvious with how he has just killed the last of the demonic wolf that consist of a pack of seven wolves. If this was just two days ago, he would have to run for his life even though he is at the peak of the first major cultivation realm. A few yards away, Lin Fu and Lin Yi are laying on the ground panting to catch their breath after a battle both of them have to struggle just to stay alive.

 "Bro, let's not get into such fight in the future." Lin Yi complains.

"Oh, is our great sword immortal complaining now?" Lin Feng teases. Unlike him, both Lin Fu and Lin Yi possess a dominant spiritual root. Both chose the immortal cultivation pathway that is highly similar to those found in Chinese Xianxia novels. The eight major realms are Qi Gathering, Core Formation, Gold Core, Nascent Soul, Earth Immortal, True Immortal, Immortal King and Immortal Emperor. Lin Yi fancy thinking himself destined for greatness like those protagonists in Xianxia novels, choosing to specialize in the path of Sword Dao, a branch of the immortal cultivation pathway.

"A person who doesn't know his own limits is just a reckless fool destined to a life of mediocrity." Lin Yi immediately counters.

"The better idea is not risking our life in the first place." Lin Fu joins in. "Since there are still so much that needs to be done in the settlement, we should be doing that in the first place."

"Boring!" Lin Yi rejects the suggestion and continues to justifies, "And we already agreed that we can get more sect merits out here hunting demonic beasts and gathering herbs. Without the cultivation hall, we need the extra boost from redeeming more cultivation resources. More importantly, who would complain of having more sect merits?"

"Nice try Brother Fu. You are not getting out of the hunt being the only herbologist in the team." Lin Feng rebuts Lin Fu. With Lin Fu in the team, they have managed to gather a nice pile of valuable herbs hunting for demonic beast this past three days. This is something Lin Feng won't be able to achieve on his own in the past and also the reason why he is willing to venture much deeper into the wild. There is less competition the further they travel from Ovina. "Look on the bright side. We will be making our way back to Ovina after tonight."

To increase the players survival rate, the sect has been actively interfering in the surrounding of all the settlements when it comes to presence of demonic beasts. A radius of fifty miles from any settlements is the green zone and it will only have demonic beasts with strength equivalent to the first major realm. The yellow zone is between fifty miles to a hundred miles from any settlement and players have the possibility of encountering demonic beasts with strength equivalent to the second major realm. Beyond a hundred miles from any settlements is the red zone. Within the red zone are the lairs of demonic beasts with strength that can rival those with cultivation in the third major realm. Thankfully, such demonic beasts in the red zone are very rare as the environment on Eldorin greatly limits their growth. Eldorin is after all a training ground for outer sect disciples in the past.

Their hunt after three days has brought them close to the border of the green zone. It will be a catastrophe for the team if they encounter a second major cultivation realm demonic beast. Lin Feng can still escape if can't defeat the demonic beast but it will be a different story when he has to escape while protecting two others. Both Lin Fu and Lin Yi are now at the proficient stage of the first major realm and it will be a pity if they ended up killed.

More importantly, they will reach their login time limit in two days. It will be a horribly bad idea for them to logout of out in the wild unprotected.

*****

The three cousins are sharing a warm dinner around a campfire after another day of profitable hunt.

"Brother Feng, how far are we from securing all the close beta player slots we are eligible for?" Lin Yi asks.

"At the rate we are progressing, we should be done in another Earth month." Due to time difference caused by the time dilation technology. Things can get awfully confusing when players talk about timeframe in . To deal with this issue, it has become common for players to add 'Earth' whenever they are referring to timeframe in the real world.

"Great! This means we still have to spent months out here in the wild." Lin Fu complains. "You guys should have treated me much better than this. I'm the family's future alchemist. I didn't learn about herbs so that I can suffer with you guys out here in the wild."

"Stop complaining Brother Fu. If you have not just broke up with your girlfriend and needs a distraction, I would have given your slot to either Weiping or Weiwei." Lin Feng retorts. Xiang Weiping and Xiang Weiwei is his two cousins on his mother side of the family.

Unwilling to lose, Lin Fu counters, "Don't give me that excuse. I'm pretty sure you just don't want your mom to nag you. Given how our family obsession over academic grades, she will definitely accuse you of distracting them from their studies. Aren't I suffering out here with you guys? I'm entitled to complain however I want."

Lin Feng also refused to back down and counters, "Where are you going to get enough herbs to practice your alchemy if you don't gather it yourself? The settlement is still having supply chain issue and it is wasteful paying a premium for all the herbs you need for your practice. Just hang in there for another Earth month. Once we have secured all the close beta player slots we are eligible to redeem, I don't mind you returning to Oryn and practice your alchemy in comfort there."

To keep the peace, Lin Yi immediately steps in to divert the conversation, "Don't you think we need to setup a few strongholds out here in the wild? Accidents happen and there is no guarantee we will always be able to return to Ovina before the login limit is up."

"There are two spirit stone vein in the yellow zone. There has been talk among the players of building a stronghold at each of those site and a simple emergency shelter between the two routes. We should consider buying some land to build an inn at each of those site. Too bad the richest spirit stone vein on the island is in the red zone and the lair of a demonic beast with strength in the third major realm is sitting right on top of it. The sect has dangled a very big carrot on whoever manage to get rid of that demonic beast. Exclusive mining right to the richest spirit stone on the island. Too bad it will be a very long time before anyone can even attempt to grab this big carrot." Lin Feng answers.

"Inns in the yellow zone? Brother Feng, I thought our end goal is to build a high-end resort empire. Why would you even bother running a business that caters to an entirely different client segment?" Lin Yi asks.