Chapter Two: The Unexpected Ring

After Shen Ce crushed the Return to City Scroll, in the blink of an eye he was transported from the Frostleaf Plains to the gates of Lingshui City.

The city walls, constructed from massive blocks of granite, towered above him. A dozen or so watchtowers were scattered around the perimeter, arranged with calculated intent, gazing down like gods on the fleeting lives of mortals. There were few players entering the city at this hour, and those who did moved with urgent purpose—no one paused to admire the grandeur of the city’s façade.

The online game “Heaven’s Dominion” had only recently launched its public beta, and only players above level 15 were permitted to leave the novice village for the city. Naturally, those who made it this far were all fervent levelers—who among them would waste time gawking at the scenery after reaching the city?

Shen Ce made his way through the straight avenues, heading directly for the Temple of Light in Lingshui City. In all territories dominated by the forces of light in “Heaven’s Dominion,” the temple always occupied the very center—and Lingshui City was no exception.

The Temple of Light was a marvel of majestic splendor, its vast silhouette rendered in sweeping expanses of silver and white. Most awe-inspiring was the Gothic architecture crafted from white jade, which radiated both mystery and authority. Under sunlight, layer upon layer of stone-carved windows cast a dazzling, sacred brilliance across the temple, a beauty so peerless that it could move even the most devout believers. Even Shen Ce had felt a sense of awe the first time he saw the Temple of Light here—in comparison, the temple back in the novice village could only be described as ramshackle.

At this moment, the grand hall of the temple was hushed and tranquil, with only a few white-robed priests conversing quietly. In “Heaven’s Dominion,” NPCs did not walk about with names floating above their heads as in other games, so it was likely these men and women in priestly garments were all non-player characters.

Shen Ce steadied his breath and deliberately lightened his footsteps as he walked toward the sanctuary where the High Priest resided. Yet at the entrance, a priestess clad in a white cloak barred his way. She was slender and graceful, her face as lovely and pure as an angel’s. “Greetings. This is the priest’s chamber. Are you certain you wish to meet with the High Priest?” Her tone was gentle and courteous, and though it was only a routine inquiry, Shen Ce felt genuinely respected.

One had to admit, the game’s design for NPCs was exceptionally well done. Their speech and actions were far from the mechanical stiffness common in other games.

“I am a faithful follower of the God of Light. Would you kindly announce me?” Shen Ce replied calmly, meeting the priestess’s gaze.

“Very well, you may enter.” The priestess smiled softly, stepping aside to open the heavy white jade doors of the sanctuary for him.

Shen Ce nodded slightly and passed through. Within, a tall figure, slightly stooped with age, stood before him. As the man turned, his face revealed the marks of long years—the High Priest of the Temple of Light.

The High Priest held a scepter in his right hand, inlaid with a ruby. His face was deeply lined, yet his eyes were calm and warm, as if they could peer through the endless tides of time—wise, experienced, and, framed by his snowy white hair, the very embodiment of sanctity.

“Oh, my devout follower of the God of Light! Have you already completed the task I entrusted to you?” The High Priest regarded Shen Ce, his discerning gaze seeming to pierce right through him.

“Yes,” Shen Ce replied, placing his left hand over his right breast, sweeping his right hand above his head, and bowing in a perfect formal salute. “Thanks to the grace of the God of Light, I did not fail your expectations.” His posture was dignified and graceful, his sincere and steadfast expression testifying to his unwavering faith.

Since the advent of fully immersive online games, there was no longer any secret to increasing one’s favor with NPCs, and players like Shen Ce, who maintained a respectful attitude toward quest-givers at all times, were not uncommon. After all, who knew if an NPC in a good mood might grant a unique hidden quest?

The High Priest’s gaze rested on Shen Ce for a long moment, then he stepped forward. Shen Ce, though unsure of his intent, dared not show it. The High Priest reached out and smoothed a small wrinkle in Shen Ce’s collar—a gesture so natural that it startled Shen Ce. As he looked up, he noticed a ring on the priest’s left index finger, silver tinged with black—a color not standard for the Temple of Light. Shen Ce studied it for a moment, then quickly averted his eyes, realizing he was being impolite. Perhaps this small gesture meant the High Priest’s favor was high? Shen Ce couldn’t help but regret that “Heaven’s Dominion” had no system to display NPC favor—otherwise, he would know the exact value.

After straightening his collar, the High Priest stepped back and looked at him. “Young believer, you have great potential.”

“Ding—Your devotion to the God of Light has increased by 100. Congratulations on completing the Priest’s First Advancement Quest.”

Devotion? What’s that? This was the first time Shen Ce had heard of a “devotion” stat, but before he could ponder further, another system prompt sounded.

“Congratulations! You are the first player to complete the class advancement quest. You are awarded 100 gold coins and 500 reputation points.”

!!!

Realizing he was the first to complete the quest filled Shen Ce with delight. He gave the High Priest a somewhat bashful smile, striving to appear even more sincere. “Thank you for your praise. I will work even harder.”

“Child, bathed in holy light, your heart is truly pure. Since I first issued this quest, you have completed it the fastest and with the attitude most to my liking.” The High Priest stroked his snowy beard, his gaze as loving and sacred as a father’s. “The distance from Lingshui City to the easternmost part of Frostleaf Plains is considerable, and it must have taken you some effort to defeat the dark creatures there. Why don’t I reward you with a mount?”

Could this be an extra reward for being the first to complete the class change quest?

At the mention of a mount, images of the three uninvited guests on Frostleaf Plains flashed through Shen Ce’s mind, and he couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his eye.

The game had only launched the mount system a week ago, and prices for even the most basic mounts were exorbitant, with additional restrictions. For instance, the lowest-tier chestnut horse cost 300 gold coins, yet even its speed was mediocre—a level 25 assassin could probably outrun it. Higher-tier mounts, such as the Flame Leopard, required at least level 30. Other than those three uninvited guests, Shen Ce hadn’t seen any player with a mount.

He hesitated only a moment before bowing slightly. “There’s no need, but thank you for your generosity. Driving out the undead is simply my duty.”

Given his current level, the High Priest would likely grant him only a chestnut horse—slow, requiring regular feeding, and since mounts couldn’t be resold in this game, to Shen Ce such a horse was as useless as a chicken rib. He declined without hesitation, hoping this might further increase the High Priest’s favor—perhaps even unlock a hidden quest.

“I’m very glad you think this way,” the High Priest replied, his joy evident. “I noticed you were eyeing my ring. I obtained it by chance years ago; it’s of little use to me now. If you like, I’ll give it to you.”

Shen Ce was surprised by this outcome. He glanced at the ring on the priest’s left index finger—if the High Priest was willing to give it away so easily, it likely wasn’t more valuable than the chestnut horse.

“Ding—You have received a ring.”

He felt a little disappointed, but knew the High Priest would not offer another quest, so he thanked him respectfully and placed the ring in his inventory.

After leaving the temple, Shen Ce made his way to the Appraisal Hall. The ring he’d just received was unidentified—until it was appraised, he couldn’t use it.

The Appraisal Hall was a familiar place for Shen Ce. His daily routine consisted mainly of leveling up and fighting monsters, which frequently yielded items with unknown properties. Over time, even the appraisers recognized him, and as a regular, he enjoyed a ten percent discount on appraisals.

In “Heaven’s Dominion,” equipment was ranked from A to E. The higher the quality, the more it shone. Players could choose to disable the glow effect on their gear, but some couldn’t resist showing off, which naturally attracted thieves. No wonder the Appraisal Hall was a favorite haunt for rogues—most players had their items appraised right there in the lobby. Shen Ce himself had once fallen victim to theft, having just appraised a D-rank helmet, which was part of a set. Set items, as everyone knew, always had better stats. It was no wonder that as soon as it was identified, he received a system message: “Your item has been stolen.”

Unfortunately for the thief, Shen Ce was a priest not to be trifled with. Not only did he recover his helmet, he killed the rogue and sent him back to the novice village. The thief was only level sixteen; after Shen Ce killed him twice, he dropped to level fifteen. Shen Ce ended up with a red name—rare for a priest—which drew him plenty of curious stares. Fortunately, since the rogue had started the conflict, his PK value didn’t rise much—he only remained red for an hour. Otherwise, he’d never have made it out of the city, as the guard NPCs far out-leveled him.

This time, Shen Ce strode straight to the appraiser in the far left corner of the hall. Without a word, he opened his inventory, thought “ring,” and a silver-and-black ring appeared in his palm.

The familiar appraiser glanced at the ring and said flatly, “One hundred gold coins.”

Shen Ce was taken aback. What kind of item warranted such a high appraisal fee? His previous D-rank helmet had only cost thirty.

Noticing Shen Ce’s disbelief, the appraiser raised an eyebrow. “Too expensive? This ring’s clearly been tainted by dark elements. Its stats probably won’t be great. This fee is already cheap—if it weren’t damaged, a zero would be added to that price, and I couldn’t appraise it anyway.”

Hearing this, Shen Ce’s feelings were complicated. As expected, the ring was as useless as a chicken rib. He pondered for a moment, then asked, “Is there any chance it can be repaired?”