Abyss Difficulty and New Allies

Lin Shenyue and Ye Jue emerged from the blacksmith’s. Already, adventurers were steadily streaming back, their quests completed.

Lin Shenyue surveyed the bustling crowd, a flicker of confusion crossing her face as she noted the absence of harassment. Yet, she held her tongue, realizing this quiet was precisely what she desired. Her gaze then drifted to the world channel, where calls for dungeon groups had already begun to flood the feed.

Turning to Ye Jue, she asked, “Peerless Karma Fire, shall we tackle a dungeon now?”

“Indeed,” Ye Jue confirmed. “With only three hours remaining until the daily activity reset, we must complete three dungeon runs.”

Lin Shenyue voiced her doubt. “Will we manage to finish them all?”

Ye Jue pondered for a moment. “For a safer approach, let’s recruit a few more players. That way, we can challenge higher-difficulty dungeons and boost our efficiency considerably.”

Lin Shenyue nodded, already moving. “Alright, let’s get this done quickly so we can sell the loot.”

Ye Jue found himself both exasperated by Lin Shenyue’s fondness for money and further enlightened by her uncanny ability to get lost. She was currently walking the exact opposite way they had just come.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Ye Jue stated with a sigh.

Lin Shenyue’s steps faltered, her head snapping around to fix Ye Jue with a sharp glare. She was, once again, painfully aware of her dreadful sense of direction. Ye Jue, understanding that his companion was not to be trifled with at this moment, merely offered a brief correction before swiftly leading the way toward the dungeon entrance.

With a resigned sigh, Lin Shenyue patted her head, then quickened her pace to keep up with Ye Jue.

By the time Lin Shenyue and Ye Jue reached the dungeon’s maw, a sparse scattering of players had already gathered, diligently forming their parties.

“Normal dungeon 4=1, looking for a healer or a support.”

“Seeking group for normal dungeon. Powerful warrior here, 300+ HP.”

“Normal dungeon, second run, 3=2. Need a mage with over 40 attack and a warrior with over 350 HP.”

****

Upon spotting Lin Shenyue and Ye Jue, the gathered players’ eyes gleamed with recognition, and they quickly converged. Clearly, Lin Shenyue and Ye Jue’s gear far surpassed their own. Even without discerning specific stats, the near-complete sets adorning the duo marked them as formidable, almost god-like, compared to the meager two or three items most others possessed.

“Hey, buddy, forming a party? I’m a powerful warrior.”

“Oh, great one, carry me! My heals are abundant.”

“Join my team, friend; I’m just two short.”

****

Ye Jue offered no verbal response. Instead, he quietly broadcast a message: [Recruiting powerful off-tank, 400+ HP, and strong damage dealer, 45+ attack. Dungeon clear guaranteed.]

Seeing the stringent recruitment criteria, the crowd instantly erupted into chatter.

“If I had stats that high, I’d just solo it! Why would I need you to lead?”

“Stats that high are practically impossible, aren’t they? My gear is already excellent, yet my attack is only 41. Exceeding 45 is quite a challenge.”

“You have 41 attack, mate? Join my party; we’ll have a 60% chance of success.”

“Sounds good…”

****

Ye Jue remained silent, simply waiting.

Observing Ye Jue’s continued silence, the crowd gradually dispersed, seeking other groups. A few parties, captivated by Lin Shenyue’s appearance, attempted to recruit her, but their efforts proved futile. Lin Shenyue, after all, placed far more trust in Ye Jue than in these strangers with their hidden agendas.

The handful of teams hovering around Lin Shenyue, seeing she offered them no acknowledgment, eventually conceded defeat and moved on.

Ye Jue patiently continued his recruitment efforts, while Lin Shenyue busied herself sorting through the equipment in her inventory. Ye Jue had passed all the dropped gear to her, as he was in the final month before his college entrance exams and had no free time during the day. Thus, the task of selling items fell to her.

As Lin Shenyue meticulously arranged her gear, a player approached. “Would a tank with 410 HP be acceptable?”

Ye Jue’s gaze swept over the newcomer, a barely perceptible spark of excitement igniting in his eyes. He swiftly reined in his emotions, offering a calm smile. “That works. What are your physical and magical defenses?”

“Physical defense 17, magic defense 9,” the player responded.

Ye Jue nodded. While the stats were a fraction lower than he’d anticipated, it wasn’t a significant concern. He extended an invitation to the player, bringing them into the party.

[Ding, Fissure has joined the party.]

Gazelle at the player before him, Ye Jue felt a pang of nostalgia. Fissure, once the formidable main tank of his previous guild, Bloodstained World, now stood before him. In that past life, Ye Jue had been the off-tank, but in this timeline, their roles were inverted. Fissure, still early in his progression, couldn’t match Ye Jue’s skill or gear, thus settling for the secondary tank position.

Fissure’s arrival proved to be just the beginning. Soon after, two more familiar faces appeared: Divine Wind and Empty Night, arriving sequentially.

“Well, if it isn’t you, little brother,” Divine Wind boomed, approaching with an easy stride. “My attack is 47; not bad for a ranged damage dealer, wouldn’t you say?”

Ye Jue, of course, didn’t refuse. Even if Divine Wind’s attack power had been insufficient, their camaraderie from his previous life would have ensured his acceptance. Besides, even if Divine Wind hadn’t yet reached his peak, his innate skill remained undeniable.

Divine Wind immediately began winking at Ye Jue, his gaze flitting between him and Lin Shenyue with a suggestive grin that made Lin Shenyue visibly frown.

Just as Lin Shenyue prepared to step forward and inquire, Empty Night, the assassin, arrived. His eyes brightened upon seeing Ye Jue. “So it’s you, old friend,” he chuckled. “My attack is 46—barely qualified, I suppose.”

Ye Jue offered a faint smile in return. “Welcome.”

Once the five-person party was assembled, the other three players exchanged hesitant glances. Lin Shenyue’s displayed profession was ‘None,’ a sight none of them had ever witnessed.

Ye Jue chuckled softly. “She’s a Priest, a formidable healer. With her, our success rate will jump by thirty percent.”

The other three players gasped in surprise. They had initially assumed Lin Shenyue was merely a decorative companion, forcing Ye Jue to recruit three high-level teammates to compensate. However, at Ye Jue’s revelation, their dismissive attitudes vanished instantly.

Just as Ye Jue prepared to enter the dungeon, he suddenly recalled his oversight—he’d forgotten to stock up on potions. A touch of embarrassment colored his expression as he looked at the other three. “Yue’er and I both neglected to bring potions,” he admitted sheepishly. “Does anyone have a surplus? I’d be willing to buy some.”

Empty Night let out a hearty laugh. “Why speak of buying? Here, take these fifty blue and red potions.”

Ye Jue started to refuse, but as Empty Night simply tossed him fifty red and blue potions, he decided against it, instead filing the gesture away in his memory.

Ye Jue strode to the cavernous entrance of the dungeon, where a menu of entry options instantly materialized before him.

“Do you wish to enter the dungeon ‘Dark Cave’?”

“Yes.”

“Please select a difficulty: Normal, Hard, Abyss, Hell.”

“Abyss.”

“Abyss-level Dark Cave dungeon confirmed. Entering dungeon.”

A blinding flash enveloped them, and in an instant, all five players found themselves transported into the dungeon.

Empty Night exclaimed, utterly stunned. “Mate, you didn’t accidentally pick the wrong difficulty, did you? This is Abyss!”

Ye Jue merely chuckled. “If not for our nascent team’s lack of coordination, I would have aimed for Hell difficulty.”

Lin Shenyue offered a slight smile, remaining silent. She, too, believed Hell difficulty was the appropriate choice, but since Ye Jue had made his decision, it was prudent to prioritize team cohesion for now.

Divine Wind laughed heartily. “Since we’re already in, let’s simply follow Peerless Karma Fire’s lead. He wouldn’t bring us here just to die pointlessly.”

Empty Night and Fissure both nodded, signifying their assent.

Ye Jue surveyed his companions. “We’ll distribute loot based on need. Should any warrior equipment drop, I’ll claim one piece, with the remainder subject to fair competition. Any weapons that appear will be fairly contested among three of us.”

The three players voiced no objections. While the arrangement was marginally less favorable for Fissure, Ye Jue was both the party leader and the main tank, making the terms quite reasonable.

Ye Jue glanced at Lin Shenyue, and seeing her affirmative nod, he took a deep breath. “Abyss difficulty isn’t particularly challenging. Our primary goal here is to synchronize, to let everyone familiarize themselves with each other’s combat styles. Let’s prepare to begin.”

The other four players collectively nodded, shifting into battle-ready stances.

Ye Jue

Level 6: Strength 29, Intelligence 9, Constitution 23, Agility 12, Spirit 14. Physical Attack: 45-48, Physical Defense 20, Magic Defense 11, Health 510.

Windwolf Chestplate (Iron, Plate Armor): Level Requirement: 4. Physical Defense +3, Magic Defense +3, Speed -1.

Novice Pants: Magic Defense +1.

Windwolf Bracers (Iron). Level Requirement: 4. Physical Attack +3-4, Physical Defense +2.

Hurricane Longsword (Bronze, Main Hand Weapon): Level Requirement: 4. Physical Attack +10-12, Strength +4, Agility +2, Attack Speed +10%. (An unknown longsword, imbued with the power of wind.)

Windwolf Belt (Iron): Level Requirement: 4. Health +100, Constitution +3.

Iron Shield (Bronze, Off-Hand Weapon): Level Requirement: 5. Health +150, Physical Defense +3, Magic Defense +3, Constitution +5. Additional: 30% chance to block 30% of damage.

Lin Shenyue

Level 6: Intelligence 35, Spirit 28. Strength 7, Constitution 8, Agility 9. Magic Attack 65-69. Health 150.

Crystal Staff (Bronze, Main Hand Weapon): Level Requirement: 5. Magic Attack +13-15, Intelligence +5, Spirit +3, Cooldown -10%.

Windwolf Boots (Iron, Leather Armor): Level Requirement: 4. Physical Defense +1, Speed +3.

Windwolf Necklace (Common, Accessory): Level Requirement: 4. Magic Attack +2-3, Magic Defense +1.

Magic Crystal Ball (Iron, Off-Hand Weapon): Magic Attack +9-10, Magic Defense +3, Intelligence +3.

Novice Cloth Robe: Physical Defense +1.

Novice Skirt: Magic Defense +1.

Windwolf Ring (Iron): Level Requirement: 4. Magic Attack +3-4. Additional Skill: Swiftness. (Consumes 30 Mana, increases movement speed by 30%, duration 10 seconds, cooldown 3 minutes.)

Windwolf Belt (Common): Level Requirement: 4. Health +70.

Healing Spell: Restores 15+34 HP per second. (15S)

Cure Spell: Instantly restores 80+136 HP. (30S)