Chapter 328: Invitation, New Instance [10,000 Words] (Part 2)
Mu Rufeng immediately stood up, some water droplets sliding off his robe.
His clothes were immune to water and fire.
Mu Rufeng felt his own strength, discovering it was still as formidable as ever.
His strength hadn't been weakened or restricted, which put Mu Rufeng at ease.
What he feared most was an instance world where he was suppressed or his power sealed from the start.
To Mu Rufeng's surprise, this world showed no signs of an Abnormality; the bamboo raft under his feet, the fish in the river, and the large trees on both banks seemed just like the real world.
Mu Rufeng couldn't sense any ghost qi around, only a very special power.
This power could also be absorbed, somewhat similar to Spiritual Power, yet different.
"So, is this a world similar to an Ancient Dungeon?" Mu Rufeng speculated.
Mu Rufeng instantly entered a Virtualization State, then soared into the sky, flying down along the river.
The task tip indicated that the first phase was to obtain the title of Brave.
This left Mu Rufeng slightly puzzled.
But regardless, the priority was to find traces of humans, as people usually inhabited areas near rivers.
Whether it was a small village, a small town, or even a large city.
Soon, Mu Rufeng found a small village ten miles downstream, three hundred meters from the riverbank.
Though it was a small village, there appeared to be quite a number of households.
Many people were gathered in a vacant area in the village, busy with something unknown.
After a quick glance, Mu Rufeng flew back to the bamboo raft and revealed himself.
Looking at his rather modern attire, Mu Rufeng immediately transformed his clothes into a set of silver armor.
His entire body was covered in armor, including a mask, with a large sword strapped to his back.
To make it seem realistic, he even added weight to the armor, causing the bamboo raft to sink a little.
However, the raft barely managed to hold Mu Rufeng.
To save time, Mu Rufeng increased the raft's speed, reaching a simple dock in just a minute.
Here, five or six small fishing boats were docked, watched over by an old man in rough clothes.
The old man noticed Mu Rufeng and immediately got up, staring intently at him.
Mu Rufeng stepped forward, leapt into the air, and landed heavily on the riverbank.
Due to his weight, Mu Rufeng's legs left two deep imprints in the ground.
"Sir Knight, are you here to obtain the title of Brave?" the old man quickly asked.
"Indeed, today is the day for the Brave title ceremony?" Mu Rufeng slightly nodded and inquired.
"Yes, Sir Knight. It's already started, but if you hurry, you'll still have time to join," the old man said.
"Thank you," Mu Rufeng replied, then ran towards the village.
"Another knight overestimating himself; I do hope he becomes a Brave," the old man sighed as he watched Mu Rufeng leave.
...
Mutu Village.
In the center of the village was a huge open space, where most villagers gathered.
Besides the village residents, people from other villages had also come, so the open area was nearly full.
Only the middle portion was left empty.
There stood a giant stone, four meters tall.
Beside the stone, a middle-aged man in a white robe stood.
"Next." The middle-aged man called out.
A group of youths aged 12-18 stood in front, and after the man's words, one stepped forward.
This youth, with a face full of small blemishes, was trembling slightly, clearly tense or fearful.
"Step forward quickly," the middle-aged man frowned, urging.
At his words, the youth shivered and hastened his steps forward.
Then he placed his arm on the stele.
The next instant, his body exploded.
Before the blood and flesh scattered, they were swiftly absorbed by the stele.
No trace of blood was visible on the ground or the stele.
This scene caused the surrounding crowd not to dare to breathe loudly, though they weren't surprised, clearly having anticipated it.
"Next!" the middle-aged man called again.
A girl slowly stepped forward.
"Sister, no, don't go, you'll die, you'll die," a five-year-old girl rushed out from the crowd, running towards the girl.
"Hmm?" The middle-aged man frowned, waving his hand fiercely at the little girl.
In an instant, a crisp slap sound was heard.
"Slap!"
A bright red palm print appeared on the girl's face, knocking her to the ground.
To strike someone at such a distance showed this was indeed a world of supernatural power.
"Sorry, sorry sir, our little girl doesn't know better."
A couple hurriedly came forward to hold the girl, continuously kowtowing to the middle-aged man.