Chapter Two: The Emperor's Seal

At that moment, Zhang Xiao suddenly thought of a possibility—to use the insights and understanding his avatar had gained from the Borra Zen Sutra to forcibly break through himself. Now that he had tried it, it indeed worked, filling him with joy. Ever since he realized he could not give up Zhao Xiaofang, Zhang Xiao knew that after forming such an emotional bond, he would be unable to reach the fifth level of the Borra Zen Sutra. He had essentially abandoned cultivating it, which was why he painstakingly used the Buddha’s Golden Wheel to create an avatar to practice this Buddhist technique in his stead. Who would have thought that the solution he sought so desperately would come so easily? He could rely on his avatar to force a breakthrough, meaning he could still cultivate both Buddhist and Taoist arts. How could Zhang Xiao not be overjoyed by such a method?

Now that he had broken through to the fifth level of the Borra Zen Sutra, his strength was enough to contend with a late-stage Golden Core expert. With his avatar and the two supreme treasures he carried, even a Nascent Soul expert would not intimidate him. Though the fifth level of the Borra Zen Sutra did not grant supernatural abilities, it significantly reinforced his physical body. A crisp chime sounded from his wrist, and Zhang Xiao’s expression changed, realizing he had neglected the countdown for his Heavenly Punishment. With a grim face, he opened the attributes prompt.

“Ding! Because you have slain the founding disciple of your sect, you are subject to Heaven’s punishment. You are compelled to accept the Nation-Building Quest: find the lost national artifact. Failure will result in a deduction of ninety percent of all attributes and a random reduction in cultivation level. Success will grant three thousand merit, the artifact’s blessing, and a ministerial title. The quest has begun; the countdown starts now—one year.” As the prompt finished, a portal suddenly appeared before him. An irresistible force pulled Zhang Xiao through, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself surrounded by ancient, towering trees. He frowned, unsure of the meaning—why had he been transported here? And what was this place?

“Ding! Nation-Building Quest: Find the lost Imperial Seal. When the seal is within a kilometer of you, you will sense its presence.” The Imperial Seal! Zhang Xiao’s brows shot up, his heart stirred. Some might not know what the Imperial Seal is, but its other name—Imperial Jade Seal—is legendary in China, known to every elder and child. This was a true national treasure; how could Zhang Xiao not be excited? Though he did not consider himself overly patriotic, such a treasure, embodying the essence of Chinese history, demanded to be found. Of course, failure meant his own demise. Yet after the initial excitement, Zhang Xiao calmed himself—the quest’s rewards and penalties were severe, proof that it would be no easy task. Most importantly, he had no idea where he was.

He decided to leave the jungle first. Zhang Xiao mounted the Heavenly Sound Bell and shot eastward into the sky. But barely had he begun his flight when a horde of strange monsters appeared, howling and charging toward him. Though Zhang Xiao had seen much in his life, these creatures were utterly unfamiliar—each had a lion-like head with two horns, and arms equipped with bat-like wings. Remove the wings and horns, and they’d look just like lions. Upon seeing Zhang Xiao, they attacked with the fury of avenging their fathers.

Zhang Xiao lightly tapped the Heavenly Sound Bell beneath his feet. “Boom!” A wave of bell sound exploded forth, stunning the strange monsters, who fell from the sky like rain. Yet Zhang Xiao was taken aback; he had not used much force, but the Heavenly Sound Bell’s power was not something ordinary monsters could withstand. He expected them to be pulverized, but instead, they merely fainted. Those who survived resumed their pursuit, joining the monster army attacking him again. Zhang Xiao’s expression darkened as he shouted, “Beasts, you still dare!” Slapping the bell, he poured his spiritual energy into it. “BOOM!” The bell’s sound thundered like a blast, visibly pushing aside the air as it spread. The sky was filled with anguished screams. Monsters struck by the sound wave were instantly blasted into pieces; as the bell’s sound faded, the sky turned a deep crimson. Blood rain, mixed with flesh and bone, poured down, feeding the monsters below. Zhang Xiao finally vented his anger and was about to move on when a distant chorus of monster howls sounded again. He peered ahead and saw a dense, dark mass approaching, his face changing as he sped eastward.

This time, Zhang Xiao no longer confronted them head-on. Their numbers were overwhelming, and fighting would only drain his spiritual energy—he would not be so foolish. But soon he was forced to stop, as another black tide of monsters blocked his path. Thoroughly frustrated, Zhang Xiao put away the Heavenly Sound Bell and landed in the jungle below. Watching the approaching swarm, he cursed inwardly, “Damn it, if you keep chasing me, I’ll wipe out your entire species.” However, the monsters flying overhead completely ignored him on the ground, passing like a dark cloud, leaving nothing but falling excrement from the sky. Zhang Xiao, primed for battle, felt as if he’d punched cotton—utterly unsatisfying.

Watching the monsters recede, Zhang Xiao concluded: these creatures clearly have fierce territorial instincts in the sky. As long as he avoided flying with magical treasures, they would not trouble him. Since he couldn’t fly, he decided to use his Divine Foot Technique instead. In fact, moving on foot was even faster—each step covered a thousand miles, far surpassing flight. He just had to stop occasionally to confirm his direction.

“Sister, I’m scared.” As Zhang Xiao stood atop a hill, orienting himself, he suddenly heard a tender voice nearby. Though soft, it could not escape his ears. At first, he thought he’d misheard, but soon a woman’s voice followed: “Rock, you’re already a paladin—you can’t keep saying you’re afraid. You’re a man! Look, your sister isn’t afraid; what are you scared of?” Zhang Xiao’s heart leapt with joy. If he could find people, at least he could learn where he was. He hurried toward the source of the voices with his Divine Foot Technique. At that moment, Karina was encouraging her younger brother to be brave.

The boy, rallied by Karina’s words, was about to speak when his eyes widened in fear. He quickly hid behind Karina, pale and trembling. Karina thought her encouragement had failed, but just then a calm voice sounded from behind: “Excuse me, could you tell me where this is?” Karina replied offhandedly, “It’s the Dark Jungle, why do you—” She stopped, suddenly realizing something was amiss, grabbed her staff, and pointed it at Zhang Xiao. “Who are you?” Zhang Xiao quickly waved his hands. “I’m just lost, trying to find my way.” He hadn’t expected to meet two foreigners, but fortunately, after the world’s transformation, people could understand each other’s languages, so Zhang Xiao did not face the language barrier he feared.

Karina sneered, “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. Who would dare get lost in the Dark Jungle? Tell me, who are you really?” Zhang Xiao had never been questioned so harshly, but since Karina was a girl, he did not want to resort to force—besides, he did need her guidance. He softened his tone as much as possible. “I really am lost. I was swept here by a strong typhoon—I truly don’t know where I am.” His voice was sincere, and Karina, seeing his honest face, felt he didn’t look like a villain. She cooled her expression and put away her staff, asking, “Are you Japanese or Chinese?” Zhang Xiao quickly replied, “I’m Chinese. I was leveling up outside when a typhoon hit. When I woke up, I found myself here. Could you tell me what this place is?” Zhang Xiao was an expert at lying; after the world changed, anything was possible, and Karina was unlikely to press for details.

Sure enough, Karina’s demeanor eased. “Alright, you’re in the southern United States, Zone 10—the Dark Jungle. I am Karina, and this is my brother Rock. I am a Level 3 Ice Mage, and my brother is a trainee paladin. What about you?” Mage? Paladin? Had he been sent by Heaven into a game world? Zhang Xiao was stunned, only snapping out of his daze when Karina repeated her question. “I am Zhang Xiao, and my profession is Taoist.” He considered his own role—he couldn’t be a monk, after all. Karina had no idea what a Taoist was, but seeing Zhang Xiao’s build was nothing like the warriors she knew, she assumed Taoist must be a ranged profession.

“Very well, we’ll take you to the nearest town. Once there, you can fend for yourself.” Zhang Xiao nodded eagerly, asking Karina about American professions and geography along the way. Her answers astonished him more than he could have imagined.