Between broken rocks striking my root deep,

I bite the mountain free and won’t let go.

From whichever direction the winds leap,

I remain strong, through dealt many a blow.

Bamboo and Rock by Zheng Banqiao (TN: translated by Xin Quancheng in Appreciation of The Quintessence of Chinese Classical Poetry, 2008)

…

Bai Xiaoya’s words had convinced Li Yi.

However, there was no need for her to sleep with him.

Li Yi already had enough women by his side if he were to take in a couple more, they would not be gathering for a game of mahjong but assembling a whole soccer team.

Although he did not agree to Bai Xiaoya giving herself to him, he added in another condition.

He would accept the Aryan Association’s 40% profit and the other condition added in was to have dozens of the Fluttering Snow Alliance’s elites such as Fluttering Snow Purple Water Chestnut, Brother Simon, Lil Jinlian, etc. to unconditionally join Neo Platinum Hand and listen to Li Yi’s commands.

“Neo Platinum Hand does not participate in any PVP battles. It’s only for PVE battle. When the party assembles, every party member must be accounted for. When the party disbands, the players are free to resume their activities.”

Bai Xiaoya agreed.

Although she did not understand what Li Yi was up to, after measuring the gains and losses, it was more advantageous to team up with Li Yi.

Li Yi handed Bai Xiaoya a list with the names of the players required to join Neo Platinum Hand clearly written on it.

“I have heard of Platinum Hand but Castellan Dark Wing, what good is it to you to have our Fluttering Snow Alliance elites to join Neo Platinum Hand?” Bai Xiaoya was a sensible person. She knew well that if the Fluttering Snow Alliance was useless to Li Yi, he would not allow them in. Take the list as an example, the names written out left her in shock.

Every single one listed was a core member of the Fluttering Snow Alliance. Basically, elites of every trade and class were listed.

PVE experts such as Brother Simon, Lil Jinlian, Fluttering Snow Purple Water Chestnut were extremely experienced.

It was not strange for Li Yi to pick them but what left Bai Xiaoya speechless was the dozen expert lifestyle class players written out on the list.

Apothecary Master — Drifting Flower, Engineer Master — Might Bull God, Archeology Expert — Battle Worm, Gem Master — Sand Sharpener, etc… were among the list.

Bai Xiaoya found it strange that Li Yi knew this much.

“Why do you need lifestyle class experts for PVE? Also, my name’s on the list, I… You know, I’m not that good in PVE.”

Li Yi coughed. “My party needs a team on the frontline, do you understand?”

Bai Xiaoya had no words.

She was in the position of asking for help and if Li Yi persisted on waging war, it would be the end of the Fluttering Snow Alliance.

There was a difference between this life and the previous one. Currently, Little Drunk Cat was Pantheon’s No. 1 guild while Windcloud Clan remained steadfast in second. As for the Fluttering Snow Alliance, they placed third.

Without skills to match, they could only accept compromise.

Bai Xiaoya took the list back for discussion. The wound on her waist has not healed but it was not visible in the game.

The Fluttering Snow Alliance’s actual leader was Bai Xiaoya. Fluttering Snow Purple Water Chestnut was only the Guild Master by name. She did not manage any affairs pertaining to the guild and left them to Bai Xiaoya to deal with.

The request to join Neo Platinum Hand was not unreasonable. In fact, many experts of the Fluttering Snow Alliance had considered the possibility of the strongest joining forces. They were not restricted in PVP (player versus player) and only teamed up during PVE (player versus monster). This could potentially reduce their losses.

Reducing the death count in dungeons could save them from equipment repairs.

That very afternoon, Bai Xiaoya returned the list to Li Yi. On each of the names, was signed their consent to join and after Li Yi’s approval, they were now Neo Platinum Hand’s substitute team…

Li Yi then extended the invite to Brother Windcloud Nine, Chen Yang and the rest, pulling all his friends into Neo Platinum Hand.

The newly established Neo Platinum Hand had 200 members in a span of a day.

When news broke out about Li Yi assembling Neo Platinum Hand, it stirred a commotion throughout the land. Countless players sent an invite to Li Yi through various methods in the hopes they could be a part of the party.

Li Yi rejected them all and publicly announced that the quota for Neo Platinum Hand was met. He would not be adding any more members for now.

“Shen Lang, have you found any leads on the boss kill-stealing Thief?”

“Not yet, I only see a blurred shadow from the video. It was a thin figure, but I can’t be too sure. I’m sorry, I’ve planted informers in Trading Centers all around the world but still have not found any sales on the item dropped by Boss Moonlight.”

“I’m leaving it to you.”

“No problem, I’ll be first to let you know once I receive news.”

“Okay!”

Ending the call with Shen Lang, Li Yi went straight to Sky Island to pick Grade 11 materials.

He had been on the lookout for the identity of that kill-stealing Thief. Only, the leads so far had left him speechless. A blurry shadow and nothing to identity him with.

There were plenty of highly skilled Thieves in King of Pantheon…

Out of the three major God-tiered Thieves of his previous life, Bloody Rose has retreated from the limelight, while bug Thief Hostile Mutilation ruined. Now, only the God of Massacre with a Thousand Faces, who used a fake name, Jiggly, remained. He still maintained the strength he had in his past life.

However, no matter how long and hard Li Yi thought about it, he found it hard to link the kill-stealing Thief to Jiggly.

Based on Jiggly’s egotistic character, if he were to steal a boss, surely he would have a high profile, wanting everyone on the server to know? He would not sneak away.

However, apart from him, which other Thieves had the capability to steal a boss?

Li Yi rode on Onyxia and flew to Sky Island. Midway, Ghostly Walker’s icon on his Friends Pane lit up, leaving him knitting his brows.

If capability was at stake, the low-profile Ghostly Walker as a definite dark horse.

He had gone all the way to Demon God Castle and challenged the First Demon God, Genghis, while using with **ty equipment. Li Yi did not believe it was simply by chance.

Not to mention, the Endless Sea, the wild map he appeared in…

“Could it be he who had kill stolen the boss?”

Thoughts ran through Li Yi’s head as he sent a message to Ghostly Walker.

“Buddy, what are you up to?”

It was not long before Ghostly Walker replied, “Quest.”

Ghostly Walker may look young but the way he acted was something even an adult could not catch up to.

Li Yi replied back. “Is it still the same quest? Why are you on a quest this long?”

“Hehe, it’s quite a difficult quest. I have been doing it and should be done within a few days.”

“Oh, do you need my help?”

“Thank you, there’s no need for that.”

He would reply to every question Li Yi asked him, but their conversation was nothing out of the ordinary. Li Yi was not able to pry any information from the words coming from Ghostly Walker.

“Human, we have arrived.”

Onyxia spoke in the human tongue as she flapped her wings to glide down to Sky Island.

There was no longer a need to pretend to be a corpse to descend upon Sky Island.

With the most powerful boss, the Winged One Ruler, Moonlight dead, the Winged Ones had scattered and fled. Sky Island was now under the control of players until a new Moonlight respawned!

The guild that seized Sky Island was formidable but it was not Savage Tribe nor was it the Windcloud Clan. It was… Huashan!

…