《Fate Reignites: My Rampage in a World Where Time Stops》 Chapter 1 - 1 Blue Star 2.0 Update Complete "Qin Chuan!" "Qin Chuan, wake up quickly!" Qin Chuan, who had been sound asleep at his desk, felt a large hand tightly grasping his shoulder and shaking him vigorously, shattering the half-formed dream he was having. The last bit of clarity made him realize that he was currently in his homeroom teacher''s class. Qin Chuan suddenly sat up, instinctively straightened his posture, opened the textbook he had been using as a pillow to a random page, and pretended to read. As he had done in similar emergencies in the past, he should first check the position of the homeroom teacher, then confirm the current situation with his deskmate, Xiao Pang, who had woken him up. But as he stared at the textbook in front of him, Qin Chuan''s movements suddenly froze. Why couldn''t he recognize any of the characters in the book? Oh, the book was upside down. No, that''s not the problem! "Blue Star 2.0 update completed, new Dream World portal added, players over one year old can enter Dream World through sleep, portal opening time from 0:00 to 8:00 daily." "Portal opening time ended, Dream World timeline paused, will resume normal after next portal opening time." "Players who die in Dream World will automatically be ejected, next entry into Dream World will reset and appear at a random spawn point." "Next Blue Star update time: in 2 days." Texts had appeared before his eyes, overlapping with the text in the textbook in his field of vision, but as he shifted his gaze, the textbook''s text moved while these did not. These texts seemed eerily projected directly onto his retina. "You see it too, right?" Xiao Pang shook Qin Chuan''s shoulder vigorously, interrupting his thoughts, his expression mixed with excitement and fear, "Those texts." "Do you see them too?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but turn to look at Xiao Pang, the text overlapping with Xiao Pang''s acne-covered face. "Everyone in the class saw them!" Xiao Pang whispered, then paused, "Do you think what it says is true?" Qin Chuan didn''t have time to answer Xiao Pang''s latter question, having already swept his gaze across the classroom, stacked with high textbooks that blocked the view, upon hearing the first part. He then belatedly realized that the homeroom teacher was no longer in the classroom, the classroom was in chaos, the students panic-stricken and noisy. The sudden appearance of the text and the vast amount of information it contained had a significant impact on the inexperienced high school seniors. "I feel like my time to rise has come!" Xiao Pang trembled all over, but his expression was extremely excited, "This Dream World must be related to transcendent powers, maybe it''s another form of Spiritual Energy recovery." "Read fewer novels," Qin Chuan glanced at Xiao Pang, carefully rereading the texts that appeared before him, trying to extract every key piece of information. The term "update" is commonly seen in games or applications, appearing here gave Qin Chuan an ominously thoughtful feeling, but the content that followed was more important. The core of all content was "Dream World." According to the text, as long as you sleep between midnight and eight o''clock, you would enter this world. Once eight o''clock struck, Dream World would pause, waiting for the next entry time to continue, and those who had entered Dream World would presumably return to reality, right? If you died in Dream World, you would return to reality, capable of re-entering, but it would reset, appearing at a random spawn point... This was indeed good news, at least it wouldn''t affect reality. While Qin Chuan was pondering this, hurried footsteps approached from outside, and soon a figure rushed into the classroom. The homeroom teacher, who had left the classroom earlier, had returned. "Everyone, quiet down," he shouted, then quickly turned on the classroom''s multimedia equipment, connected to the internet and logged onto the official website, opening a live broadcast. Soon, a familiar presenter''s voice came through. "We interrupt with urgent news." "For unknown reasons, abnormal texts have appeared in the line of sight of humans worldwide, in different languages and time zones depending on the country, but all the texts have the same meaning and absolute times, this condition has not been found in other species." "The government has established an emergency affairs committee to fully investigate this matter." "Currently, apart from affecting vision, no other negative effects on people have been found. Residents are asked to remain calm and contact their local police station at the first sign of any abnormalities." The broadcast cut off abruptly there, and the homeroom teacher tapped on the blackboard, "You''ve all seen the news, don''t panic, try to pretend those words don''t exist." "Due to the unexpected situation, school is canceled for today, and there will be no morning reading tomorrow." "Everyone go home quickly, and be careful on the road." After saying that, he hurried out of the classroom. The temporary cancellation of classes due to the upcoming college entrance exams also alleviated some of the students'' panic. The classroom filled with the rustling sound of packing up backpacks as students quickly left the room in small groups to go home. At that moment, uncertain and anxious, they just wanted to reunite with their families as soon as possible. "I understand why today is a holiday," Xiao Pang scratched his head, his face filled with surprise, "but why cancel tomorrow''s morning reading?" "Because morning reading starts at 7:30," Qin Chuan quickly packed his bag without looking up, "the Dream World portal isn''t closed yet." The next moment, he walked out of the classroom carrying his backpack, leaving a bewildered Xiao Pang behind. ----------------- "Can these words disappear?" Leaning back against the headboard, Qin Chuan casually flicked at the air in front of him, just as he had tried countless times before, his hand passing directly through the text without causing any disturbance. A day had passed, and he had somewhat gotten used to the existence of these texts. He had read and reread the content of the texts countless times, now knowing it by heart. Glancing at his small, shabby rented room, where he lived alone, Qin Chuan silently put down a recently gathered fantasy novel about the recovery of Spiritual Energy. It was quite interesting the first time. Sarch* The n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at the thoroughly darkened sky outside the window, Qin Chuan murmured, "It''s getting late, time to sleep," then turned off the bedside lamp. The rented room plunged into darkness. As Qin Chuan drifted off to sleep, the old but precise clock on the wall methodically moved its hands until the hour, minute, and second hands all pointed to "12". A faint light flashed in the dark rented room. It seemed like nothing had changed, yet it seemed like everything had changed. Chapter 2 - 2 Welcome to the Dream World When Qin Chuan''s consciousness awoke once more, he found himself standing on a grassy lawn teeming with countless plants. "Is this... Dream World?" After a brief moment of confusion, Qin Chuan quickly realized where he was. Inhaling the fresh air tinged with a hint of sweetness and looking around at the strange plants and foliage he had never seen before, he tentatively touched the little grass on the ground with five-star leaves, and the realistic sensation blurred the boundary between dreams and reality. This place was slightly different from what he had imagined. The next moment, Qin Chuan''s gaze locked onto the upper right corner of his field of vision. There was a small, shimmering dot. The dot was fixed within his sight, identical to the text he had seen before. After a moment of contemplation, Qin Chuan tentatively reached out to touch the light point in the air. Unlike in the real world, he distinctly felt feedback against his fingertip. Rows of text instantly unfolded before his eyes. [Player Name: Qin Chuan (can be changed once)] [Player Image: Real appearance (can be changed once)] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Contract Slot: 0/1][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 0/10][View] [00:01:12/08:00:00][00:00:00] After quickly scanning through all the content, Qin Chuan didn''t hesitate to choose to change his player name and player image. Although the previous text indicated that dangers encountered in Dream World wouldn''t affect the real world, there was no need for him to reveal his identity if he could hide it. After being reminded several times that the player names were taken, he successfully selected "Luo" as his player name. Qin Chuan then started to modify his player image. His current image matched his real-world appearance, including the pajamas he was wearing to bed tonight. Within image customization, he could sculpt his face as well as choose to change his attire. After creating a face unrelated to his real one but equally handsome, Qin Chuan picked out a suit of clothes conducive to movement and finished the modifications. His gaze lingered on the Player Level line for a moment before he unhesitatingly clicked on the [View] link at the end of the Contract Slot row. A round pedestal-like slot appeared in his line of sight with a white ring of light floating up and down above it. However, the slot was empty, corresponding with the 0/1 description. The Item Equipment Bar revealed a locker with ten slots, all of which were empty for the time being. An extremely simple panel. Qin Chuan''s eyes rested on the last line. With his recent actions, the last line had changed. [00:03:46/08:00:00][00:00:00] As expected, this should be the time. It was three minutes past midnight, and Dream World would temporarily close at eight o''clock. He had just over seven hours to explore this entirely new world. As for the last [00:00:00], its meaning was unclear, so he set it aside for now. After trying out all the functions once more to ensure nothing was missed, Qin Chuan clicked the light point in the upper right corner again, retracting the panel before his eyes. He noticed that as the panel withdrew, the light point stopped blinking. So, it was a newbie reminder? "It''s getting more and more like a game," he muttered softly, "No wonder we''re called ''players.''" But is Dream World really just a game? Qin Chuan still harbored a skeptical attitude toward this. He carefully pushed through a shrub as tall as a person, aimlessly exploring his surroundings. Perhaps, he thought, he should first look for other people who had come here. After all, Dream World was open to the entire world. Eight billion people, if all in Dream World, the chances of encountering someone else should not be small. "Rustle~" Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A faint sound brought Qin Chuan''s steps to an abrupt halt. He stood still, warily looking in the direction the sound had come from. The odd plants around him made it impossible to see far, and as the sound seemed to be drawing nearer, Qin Chuan''s heart suddenly leaped into his throat. The unknown was always the most terrifying. He clenched his fists tightly, staring intently at the bushes in front of him, already considering whether he should punch whatever was making the noise as soon as it appeared. "Rustle~" Accompanying a clear noise, the bushes in front of him gently shook. It was coming! Qin Chuan quickly assumed a ready stance for attack. The next moment, a head poked out of the parted bushes, followed by a body. Qin Chuan watched the creature in front of him, dumbfounded, his mind gone blank for an instant. It looked like a puppy. But it had two tails, four ears, and its fur was a color that should be impossible for a dogblue. What species was this? "Woof~" The little dog looked at Qin Chuan curiously, taking steps closer to him. Qin Chuan cautiously backed away step by step, maintaining a certain distance, while he clicked on the flickering light in the upper right corner that had been flashing since the dog appeared. [Spiritual Beast Species: Water Leaf Dog] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Water Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv4] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: Water Leaf Dog, a Water Attribute Spiritual Beast, has keen senses, is curious by nature, loves exploring, and has a friendly disposition.] Reading the lines of text before him, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but take another look at the little dog, no, it should now be called a Water Leaf Dog. Was this a species from this world? Keen senses, naturally curious. So... had it heard his movements and came over out of curiosity? With this thought, Qin Chuan watched the Water Leaf Dog attempting to draw near, his gaze flickering slightly. The introduction of the spiritual beast mentioned that the Water Leaf Dog had a friendly nature. From his observation, this Water Leaf Dog indeed did not seem to have any malice. Maybe... he should try making contact? With this thought, Qin Chuan stopped backing away. The Water Leaf Dog''s water-blue eyes lit up, it moved faster, quickly reaching Qin Chuan''s feet, and began to sniff curiously. After a good sniff, the Water Leaf Dog looked up, barked, and its two tails wagged together. Qin Chuan let out a slight sigh of relief. It resembled the dogs from Blue Star, so the tail wagging probably meant the same thing, right? He crouched down cautiously before reaching out to touch the fur on the Water Leaf Dog''s back. The touch of the fur was strange; it seemed fluffy and soft, yet after stroking it, the palm felt moist. Being petted by Qin Chuan, the Water Leaf Dog seemed very pleased. It excitedly spit out a Water Ball, tossed it high into the air, and then began to play with it using its nose, as if performing, leaving Qin Chuan amazed. This ability to control water was obviously unscientific. He suddenly recalled the introduction, the Water Leaf Dog''s attribute was Water... So all spiritual beasts have Extraordinary Power, and depending on their attribute, they possess different powers? Realizing this, a look of surprise and delight crossed Qin Chuan''s face. He was finding the Dream World increasingly fascinating. Chapter 3 - 3 The Crisis Comes Suddenly "Water Leaf Dog..." Qin Chuan stroked the fluffy twin tails of the Water Leaf Dog and tentatively asked, "Besides playing with the water ball, can you do anything else?" "Woof!" Hearing Qin Chuan''s words, the Water Leaf Dog tossed aside the water ball on top of its nose and vigorously shook its tail. Under Qin Chuan''s astonished gaze, a stream of water materialized out of thin air and shot toward a small tree trunk nearby, accompanied by a muffled "bang," creating a clear dent in the trunk. If the earlier water ball was for play, then this stream of water was definitely a genuine attack. A blunt strike capable of denting a tree trunk would likely break bones if it hit a person. Seeing such strength in a seemingly harmless Water Leaf Dog, Qin Chuan gained a deeper understanding of the extraordinary powers of this world. "Any other abilities?" Qin Chuan asked with interest. Seeing a supernatural creature for the first time had sparked his curiosity. "Woof!" The Water Leaf Dog nodded human-like, excitement in its eyes. Just as it was about to take an action, its expression swiftly changed, and without hesitation, it whipped its tail. Another stream of water shot out, and before Qin Chuan could react, it was hurtling toward his head. Qin Chuan was shocked. Was their earlier closeness all a pretense? But the introduction clearly stated that Water Leaf Dogs have a friendly nature... Before he could understand, the stream of water grazed his face and swept behind his head. "Bang!" A dull sound followed by an angry beastly roar. "Aow!!!" With that roar coming from behind, a surge of viciousness caused cold sweat to instantly coat Qin Chuan''s back. Without saying a word, he took off running, only looking back after a few meters. A pitch-black leopard-like spiritual beast had appeared behind him unexpectedly. This leopard-like spiritual beast had clear water traces on its head, one eye swollen and bloodshot, emitting pained whimpers. [Spiritual Beast Species: Shadow Leopard] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Dark Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv12] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: A bloodthirsty dark attribute Shadow Leopard that can conceal its sounds, a born Hunter.] Damn! Internally cursing, Qin Chuan immediately turned and ran again. The Water Leaf Dog was Lv4, and the Shadow Leopard was Lv12it was clear which was stronger. If the Water Leaf Dog had such powerful attacks, wouldn''t a swipe from the Shadow Leopard tear him into pieces? And this creature could even conceal its sounds, he hadn''t sensed it approaching at all. If not for the Water Leaf Dog reacting in time, he wouldn''t even know how he had died! Wait! Where was the Water Leaf Dog? Startled, Qin Chuan''s eyes flashed to a blue figure not far beside him. He breathed a sigh of relief, quickly scooping up the Water Leaf Dog into his arms, and with every ounce of strength, bolted. Behind him, the Shadow Leopard violently shook its head, dispelling the dizziness from the Water Leaf Dog''s earlier strike, though one eye was still throbbing painfully and its vision somewhat blurred. However, its eyes filled with a ferocious light as it watched Qin Chuan''s retreating figure. Its limbs suddenly exerted force, and in the span of a breath, the Shadow Leopard pushed its speed to the limit. As a born Hunter, speed was its advantage. Watching the swiftly closing figure in front, a sinister gleam flashed across the Shadow Leopard''s front paws, and a lethal move was ready to be unleashed. Without needing to look back, Qin Chuan could already feel the terrifying aura rushing forth from behind. But against an opponent who held an overwhelming advantage in both speed and strength, there wasn''t much he could doonly continually adjust his running direction, trying to use the surrounding environment to evade. The effectiveness of such interference was truly limited: a few seconds later, he could already hear the breathing of the Shadow Leopard behind him. This caused Qin Chuan''s heart to sink. Thanks to the introduction he had read before entering the Dream World, he wasn''t very worried about his own safety. He was more concerned about the Water Leaf Dog in his arms. If he died, he could still enter the Dream World. But if the Water Leaf Dog died, it would truly be dead. Until the very last moment, he had to try and save it if he could. Seemingly sensing Qin Chuan''s thoughts, the Water Leaf Dog poked its head out from his embrace. It raised its head high, looking over Qin Chuan''s shoulder at the Shadow Leopard behind them. A bright light flashed through its water-blue eyes, and it abruptly barked out. "Woof!!!" The next moment, a sudden puddle appeared under the sprinting Shadow Leopard''s feet. It heavily stepped into the puddle, and just as its claws were about to exert force, an inexplicable force from within the puddle suddenly tripped it. In its rapid bounding state, the leopard lost balance instantly and tumbled directly into a nearby tree, letting out a dull thud, unable to move. Hearing the noise behind him and feeling that the killing intent had temporarily receded, Qin Chuan looked back in astonishment, overjoyed when he saw the situation behind him. "Water Leaf Dog! Well done!" He laughed heartily, his heart filled with the joy of a narrow escape from death. But the next moment, the Water Leaf Dog suddenly let out an anxious bark. "Woof!" Qin Chuan just felt the ground give way beneath his feet, and then he was falling heavily, tumbling down a steep slope before he could react; his body rolled repeatedly down the slope. Amid the intense pain, he only managed to tightly embrace the Water Leaf Dog in his arms, soon losing consciousness amidst the spinning world. ----------------- "Uh..." He did not know how long had passed when Qin Chuan woke up amid pain. He tried to sit up, but this simple action made him gasp in pain. Every part of his body ached. "Woof~" Seeing Qin Chuan awake, the Water Leaf Dog guarding by his side was extremely excited, its two thick tails wagging vigorously. Seeing the Water Leaf Dog, Qin Chuan''s memories quickly returned. He and the Water Leaf Dog had escaped from the Shadow Leopard''s pursuit but had fallen down a steep slope. It seemed he was fortunate to have survived. Wait a minute! How long had he been unconscious? Qin Chuan''s expression changed, and he quickly opened the indicator at the top of his view. sea??h th N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Contract Slot: 0/1][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 0/10][View] [07:49:37/08:00:00][00:00:00] Qin Chuan: "???" Had the Dream World''s opening time almost ended while he was unconscious?! "Woof!" The bark of the Water Leaf Dog brought Qin Chuan back to his senses. Just as he was about to say something, he saw the Water Leaf Dog wag its tail and then turn away. Was it time to part... Watching the Water Leaf Dog quickly shrink in his view, a sense of melancholy surged in Qin Chuan''s heart. He weakly raised his hand to wave, then leaned back against a large rock, staring at the countdown. [07:59:59/08:00:00][00:00:00] [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:01] [Dream World entry closed] Chapter 4 - 4 Special Affairs Group "Qin Chuan, did you encounter any Spiritual Beasts in the Dream World last night?" In the noisy classroom, Qin Chuan''s desk mate, the chubby boy, nudged Qin Chuan''s elbow and asked in a low voice. "Yes." Qin Chuan nodded and looked at the chubby boy. Compared to yesterday''s excitement, the chubby boy''s expression was quite gloomy now. "Did you encounter one too?" The chubby boy''s eyes lit up, his face eager for Qin Chuan''s agreement, "Were you also killed by a Spiritual Beast right away?!" "That didn''t happen." Qin Chuan shook his head, seeing the chubby boy''s expression dim again, Qin Chuan felt a bit amused, "Did you die in the Dream World?" "Yes." The chubby boy couldn''t help but sigh, "Around two o''clock in the morning, I encountered a Growth Rank bear in the Dream World. It hit me, and just like that, I was gone." "Do you know what''s the worst part?" The chubby boy''s expression suddenly became sorrowful, "The pain in the Dream World feels so real. When I woke up, it felt like my bones were shattered, and my whole body was in agony." "That''s rough." Qin Chuan patted the chubby boy''s shoulder, remembering the Shadow Leopard that almost tore him apart. If it hadn''t been for the Water Leaf Dog''s help, he probably would have ended up like the chubby boy. "By the way." Qin Chuan suddenly thought of something and quickly spoke up, "When you died in the Dream World and woke up, did you check on your parents? They must have entered the Dream World too, right? How are their bodies in the real world?" "I actually did go to their room." The chubby boy chuckled, "They were sleeping just like usual, so soundly. I didn''t dare wake them up in case something happened. I just took a peek and then went back to my room." "Is that so..." Qin Chuan couldn''t help but feel a bit more worried. He wondered what would happen if someone was woken up by an external force while in the Dream World. Pushing his worry aside, Qin Chuan continued to inquire, "Did you try to enter again afterward?" "Of course." The chubby boy gave Qin Chuan a reliable look, "Although my whole body was hurting, I went back to my room and listened to English listening exercises for over an hour on my bed, forcefully hypnotizing myself!" Qin Chuan: "..." Well, that makes sense. Before Qin Chuan could continue asking, the chubby boy chuckled and continued sharing, "When I fell asleep again, I appeared in a completely different place. I had to modify my Player Name and Player Appearance again, basically like creating a new account." "They mentioned that in the update announcement." Qin Chuan nodded. He remembered it very clearly after waking up today, even though yesterday''s text had disappeared. "You wouldn''t believe it, but this Dream World really isn''t much different from a game," the chubby boy winked at Qin Chuan, "Aside from the incredibly realistic senses, everything else is just the same." "The game panel is a bit crude though." The chubby boy couldn''t help but complain, "Other than Player Level, Contract Slot, equipment section, and countdown reminder, there''s nothing much." With that, the chubby boy rubbed his hands together, "As a veteran player who plays various games, everything that happened last night was just an accident. Just watch me as I make a comeback with a newly created account!" "You go for it." Qin Chuan gave a wry smile and then casually asked, "So, veteran, have you figured out what the one-second countdown does?" "What veteran!" The chubby boy glared, "Call me by my full title, veteran player!" After a second of eye contact, the chubby boy scratched his head, "One-second countdown? What''s that?" "Well..." Qin Chuan stopped mid-sentence, a thought crossing his mind, "I probably saw it wrong." He remembered clearly, just as the entrance to the Dream World was closing, the countdown timer''s [00:00:00]changed to [00:00:01] The meaning behind that one second, Qin Chuan had yet to fully understand. He had wanted to ask the chubby boy, but combining the chubby boy''s cluelessness and their previous conversation, Qin Chuan suddenly had a bold guess. That extra second might be something the chubby boy couldn''t see. "Alright." The usually carefree chubby boy didn''t mind the peculiarity Qin Chuan had nearly revealed, and soon he excitedly spoke up, "If I''m not mistaken, the core of this Dream World should be about Contracting Spiritual Beasts." "The Spiritual Beasts I saw all had a status labeled ''Uncontracted'', and our panel had a Contract Slot, clearly corresponding to each other." "Right now, the Contract Slot has only one space, indicating that we can contract one Spiritual Beast." As he spoke, the chubby boy''s face took on a wistful expression, "After contracting, we should be able to command the Spiritual Beast and make it stronger." "It''ll be fun then!" "After creating the second account, I saw several Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beasts, but unfortunately, they all ran away too fast when they saw me; it was a bit hard to catch." The chubby boy sighed, "Otherwise, I probably would have already contracted one by now." Qin Chuan silently listened on the side. He essentially agreed with the chubby boy''s speculation. After seeing the Spiritual Beast Status and Contract Slot, he had a similar guess, but before he could act on it, he was attacked by the Shadow Leopard. As the two exchanged their experiences, other classmates were also whispering among themselves when suddenly a shocked exclamation quieted the entire class. "Class President, have you already contracted a Spiritual Beast?!" Everyone in the classroom, including Qin Chuan and the chubby boy, turned their gazes toward a bespectacled boy seated in the front row, who now wore a proud look on his cultured face. The class president of Qin Chuan''s Senior Year Class 7, Zhang Yangwang. "Yes, I have already contracted a Spiritual Beast." Zhang Yangwang stood up, turned around to face the rows of envious and curious eyes behind him, and pushed up his glasses, "I know everyone is curious, and as the first person in the class to contract a Spiritual Beast, I am willing to share my experience with everyone." "Class President is so generous!" "Thank you, Class President! Long live the Class President!" "As expected of the Class President, he contracted a Spiritual Beast so quickly!" As Zhang Yangwang''s words fell, many classmates began to speak flatteringly. And their flattery only made the proud look on Zhang Yangwang''s face intensify. "Cough, cough!" He cleared his throat, ready to speak, but at that moment, the classroom door was pushed open. "Please, everyone, quiet down." The homeroom teacher quickly entered the classroom, followed by a casually dressed young man, "Now we''ll have a lecture on Dream World-related knowledge." "Zhang Yangwang, why are you standing up?" "Ah nothing." Zhang Yangwang faltered with his mouth open, then slowly sat down. Watching Zhang Yangwang''s gloomy expression, the chubby boy snickered and nudged Qin Chuan, "Let that guy show off." Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow and closely watched the young man stepping onto the stage. "Hello, everyone." The young man had a warm smile on his face as he approached the podium. "I am from the Special Affairs Group, Zhou Zixiu." sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 5 - 5: Dream Rules and Nihility State "Special Affairs Group, Zhou Zixiu" Sar?h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After writing these words on the blackboard, Zhou Zixiu smiled, "I know that many of you have questions. Please be patient and we will explain them one by one." "First, what is the Special Affairs Group." "This is an official organization specifically established for the Dream World, tasked with dealing with all situations related to the Dream World." "Although it was established only yesterday, please trust our professionalism." Zhou Zixiu tapped the blackboard, "Now, I will solve the mysteries related to the Dream World for everyone." He casually pulled out a USB drive, inserted it into the multimedia host in the classroom, and quickly opened a PowerPoint presentation. "Firstly, the dangers of the Dream World." Zhou Zixiu paused slightly, "As of now, there have been 168 domestic cases of death caused by the Dream World." Amidst the murmurs of the students below, Zhou Zixiu changed his tone, "However, these 168 deaths involved elderly individuals with severe underlying medical conditions, where pain and panic caused by dying in the Dream World led to sudden cardiac arrests or cerebral hemorrhages." "Through our observations and verifications, dying in the Dream World itself does not directly cause death or injury in reality." "Therefore, we recommend that elderly individuals with conditions like heart disease adjust their daily schedules to avoid sleeping times from overlapping with the opening times of the Dream World." "We have already sent people to each household to conduct educational sessions. If you have such elderly individuals at home, remember to encourage them to adjust their schedules." Hearing this, the classroom quieted down, and many students breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, they really thought that the Dream World could directly cause real death. Fortunately, that was not the case. "Next, issues related to the entry into the Dream World." Zhou Zixiu paused again, "Yesterday''s text was not detailed enough, and we have attempted further verification on some finer details." "Firstly, the timing of entry into the Dream World." "Between midnight and eight o''clock, falling asleep at any time will lead you into the Dream World; if you fall asleep before midnight, you will enter the Dream World at midnight." "But!" Zhou Zixiu emphasized, "There is an issue you need to be aware of." "If you only enter the Dream World at one o''clock, then between midnight and one o''clock, your body in the Dream World could be at risk." "Yesterday was everyone''s first entry into the Dream World, similar to creating a new game account, which being delayed had no impact, but tonight, having already created an account, a delayed entry could pose unknown risks." "What specific risks might arise will be verified tonight, and results will be communicated at the earliest." "Before the verification results are out, we suggest that everyone sleep before midnight and not delay." "That..." Zhang Yangwang raised his hand, and after Zhou Zixiu nodded, he stood up to speak, "If we just awaken the person who entered the Dream World last night and let them re-enter an hour later, wouldn''t that verify the effects of delayed entry?" "As we could have verified last night, why wait until tonight?" Zhang Yangwang''s words hid a sting, obviously frustrated with the man in front of him. "You are very thoughtful." Zhou Zixiu saw through Zhang Yangwang''s mischief but didn''t take it to heart, "We, of course, thought of this method." "This leads to the second point I want to discuss." His gaze swept around the room, sensing the importance of what he was about to say, "Once you enter the Dream World, you cannot exit before the portal closes." "You might have noticed, after entering the Dream World, there is no option to exit, the only way out is waiting until the portal closes at eight o''clock." "We tested the possibility of forceful exits through external triggers." Zhou Zixiu opened a video from the PowerPoint at this point. The video showed a high-tech laboratory environment, empty except for a hard bed with a man lying on it. The top-left corner of the video displayed the time, starting at 00:00:00. "The test begins." Soon, another man appeared in the video. Under the tense gaze of the audience, he started making loud noises, trying to awaken the man, with a decibel meter displaying the current volume level. Even when the noise reached 120 decibels C equivalent to sitting in the front row at a concert C the sleeping man showed no response. After the noise test concluded, the tester pressed a button and the bed below the sleeping man began to shake violently, as if there was an earthquake. However, even in such a test environment, the man showed no signs of waking up. "Damn...sleeping so soundly?" Xiao Pang couldn''t help but mutter softly, "Might as well just pull his bed away." Qin Chuan: "..." Act like a person! But the next moment, he was dumbfounded. The classroom erupted with exclamations. Because the tester really started to pull away the bed. Even more astonishing was that after the bed was pulled away, the sleeping man didn''t fall to the ground as everyone expected; instead, he continued to sleep in midair, maintaining his original posture. The tester in the video seemed stunned by this scene, clearly enough to utter a very distinct "What the hell." After regaining his composure a moment later, the tester reached out a hand to touch the man''s shoulder, attempting to shake his body. Under the watchful eyes of all, the tester''s hand just passed right through the man''s shoulder. The classroom erupted with shouts again. With the progress bar on the video still less than half, everyone realized that things were probably not so simple. Sewing needles, daggers, swords, handguns, flamethrowers... When the video ended with a rocket blowing the entire laboratory apart and the man''s body remaining unharmed, everyone''s expressions had turned numb. Sure enough, that tester must have had a grudge against the sleeping man. "This is the state you are in after entering the Dream World." Zhou Zixiu had already seen this video, but his lips still twitched slightly at this moment, "We have termed this the Nihility State." "As you saw, in the Nihility State, besides being visible, those who have entered the Dream World behave as if they do not exist in this world and cannot be awakened." "Hence, there''s only one way to wake up midway through the Dream World." "Die in the Dream World, resetting the account." Zhou Zixiu glanced at Zhang Yangwang, smiling slightly, "This is why the method you suggested couldn''t be done, and verification can only be conducted tonight." Zhang Yangwang silently sat down. Qin Chuan, having watched the entire video, also couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief at this moment. The Nihility State significantly enhanced the safety of entering the Dream World. Chapter 6 - 6 The Special One "Besides that, activities in the Dream World won''t affect our sleep quality," Zhou Zixiu smiled, "Spending eight hours in the Dream World, we will still feel refreshed today. So everyone can enter the Dream World with ease, without worrying about insufficient rest." Hearing this, laughter broke out in the classroom. "Regarding the entrance to the Dream World, we have mainly introduced these contents," Zhou Zixiu paused, "Next, we will introduce the Dream World itself." "Firstly, after entering the Dream World, we will see a panel. Those who have gaming experience should be familiar with it, but there are many who haven''t played games, so we''ll briefly introduce it." As his words ended, a hand-drawn image of the Dream World''s interface appeared on the PPT. Subsequently, Zhou Zixiu started to simply explain the meaning behind each item on the panel. At this moment, Qin Chuan''s pupils suddenly constricted. No. On this panel''s last line, there was only [xx:xx:xx/08:00:00] indicating the current time and when the entrance closes, without [00:00:00]. According to Zhou Zixiu''s explanation, it seemed that everyone''s panel was like this. This sent Qin Chuan''s heart into wild palpitations. He had thought he might be among a special group of people. Now it seems that he might be the only special one. What is this, a "Golden Finger" from a novel? Stay calm, can''t let others find out anything amiss. Qin Chuan glanced at the plump kid next to him. Everyone had been discussing just now, and his voice wasn''t loud; aside from the plump kid, there probably wouldn''t be a second person who heard what he said. S~ea??h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The plump kid, always carefree, hadn''t taken it to heart. And furthermore he hadn''t completely exposed his anomaly, only mentioning one second. With this thought, Qin Chuan steadied his mind. It shouldn''t be revealed. On the stage, after simplifying every corresponding meaning on the panel, Zhou Zixiu began to delve into a more core content of the Dream World: Spiritual Beast Contracts. Compared to the plump kid''s earlier speculations, Zhou Zixiu''s explanations were much more detailed. After all, he had the official organization behind him. "As of now, the highest Level Spiritual Beast we have come across is a Level 37 Hall Rank Spiritual Beast," Zhou Zixiu announced, "According to our current observations and summarizations, the strength of Spiritual Beasts progresses in stages every ten levels." "From 0 to 10 levels is the Juvenile Stage, 10 to 20 levels is the Growth Rank, 20 to 30 levels is the Elite Rank, 30 to 40 levels is the Hall Rank, and it is very likely that there are ranks above the Hall Rank... What is it that you want to ask?" Zhou Zixiu pointed towards the raised hand of Qin Chuan. "I would like to inquire whether having a Level 10 being both Juvenile Stage and Growth Rank doesn''t create a conflict?" Qin Chuan raised his doubt. "Good question," Zhou Zixiu chuckled, "It''s not a conflict." "It''s because once Spiritual Beasts reach the level, they need to Advance to move on to the next stage." "This involves the issue of contracting," Zhou Zixiu paused for a moment, "Currently, we can only contract with a Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast, which likely relates to our own Player Levels being at the Apprentice Level." "As for how to improve Player Levels, it is still unclear." "Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beasts that roam the wilds range from Level 0 to 10. Some members of the Special Affairs Group were lucky to contract Level 10 Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beasts. Through feedback from the Spiritual Beast panel, part of the mystery of Spiritual Beast Advancement was uncovered." "Once Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beasts reach Level 10, they need to collect specific types of resources to complete the Advancement to become Level 10 Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts. Depending on the Clan, the required resources differ." "Thank you, I understand now," Qin Chuan nodded and sat back down. Leveling up, Advancing, is this the way for Spiritual Beasts to become stronger... In that moment, an image of a water-blue silhouette emerged in Qin Chuan''s mind. The Water Leaf Dog at Juvenile Stage Lv4, if he could contract it, that would be a pretty good start, wouldn''t it... Thinking of this, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but shake his head in resignation. After he woke up from his coma, the Water Leaf Dog had left, and it likely did not want to contract with him. "After contracting, we can see more detailed information about our Contracted Spiritual Beasts, including characteristics, Race Value, and Talent Skills," Zhou Zixiu continued to explain from the stage. "Characteristics are special abilities of Spiritual Beasts, Race Value can be understood as the numerical representation of a Spiritual Beast''s strengths and weaknesses, and Talent Skills are techniques that a Spiritual Beast can use." He added a few more points, and the PPT progressed to its final slide. "That concludes today''s explanation," Zhou Zixiu smiled, "There are two more things to share." "First, the Special Affairs Group has prepared a gift for everyone." He clapped his hands, and soon two men entered the classroom with stacks of books, swiftly distributing them to each student. Qin Chuan said, "Thank you," took a book, and glanced at it. "Wilderness Survival Guide" Why this? Confusion appeared on Qin Chuan''s face, and the other students also began whispering among themselves. "Based on our current exploration, the Dream World is teeming with various Spiritual Beasts, but there are no indigenous humans, so there is an important issue we cannot ignore, and that is wilderness survival," Zhou Zixiu explained upon noticing the confusion from the crowd. "The Dream World is vast, possibly even larger than Blue Star, and of the eight billion people who entered the Dream World last night, at least half went in, but less than one-thousandth encountered other people within the Dream World, which proves this point." "In the initial stage of entering the Dream World, the greatest danger you face is the danger in the wilderness." "Mastering some of the tricks in this book can help you get through the early challenges better and explore the Dream World more effectively." "As for the second matter, it concerns the Dream Realm Forum," Zhou Zixiu made another pause, "Take out your phones, go into any major app store, and the top APP is the Dream Realm Forum." "It is officially set up for discussing the Dream World, and it''s a platform where related information is shared, and everyone can communicate with each other. The discoveries made by the Special Affairs Group will also be shared on the forum in real-time." "The initial log-in and password for the forum are your name and identity card number." "If anyone discovers something valuable in the Dream World, you can call the Special Affairs Group hotline or submit it in the official section of the Dream Realm Forum. There will be generous rewards in return, and individuals with outstanding contributions may be absorbed as members of the Special Affairs Group." "Alright, I am off to the next class for a presentation," Zhou Zixiu unplugged his flash drive and smiled at everyone, "I sincerely wish everyone all the best in the Dream World." Watching Zhou Zixiu stride out of the classroom, the students, after a moment of silence, took out their phones in unison and entered the app store. Chapter 7 - 7: Return to Dream World Qin Chuan quickly installed the Dream Realm Forum app and took a look. The forum had many pinned posts, but there was not much deviation from the content preached by Zhou Zixiu. There were many new posts, but most of them were meaningless content like "requesting familiarity." After scanning a few times, he quickly put down his phone. To obtain meaningful content from the forum, one had to let "the bullet fly a little longer." Compared to the forum, the Wilderness Survival Guide was more useful. Qin Chuan opened the first page and read with great interest. The chubby kid at the next desk flipped through the forum, his expression getting more and more excited. He turned his head, wanting to discuss with Qin Chuan, but stopped short when he saw Qin Chuan''s serious reading demeanor. Then he silently put down his phone and opened the Wilderness Survival Guide as well. Even with the existence of the Dream World, the real world still had to function normally. After confirming that the Dream World wouldn''t cause too much harm to reality, the senior year curriculum went on as usual. However, clearly, the classmates no longer had the mind to listen to lectures. They either hid their phones under the opened textbooks to browse Dream Realm Forum information or carefully studied the Wilderness Survival Guide sandwiched between pages of the textbooks. The teachers on the podium overlooked the classroom from their vantage point, and every move of the students was under their watch. But the teachers, who were usually strict, today had tacitly decided to turn a blind eye. After all, they empathized with the students and were eager to finish classes and do the same thing in their offices. The school day ended quickly, with teachers and students each harboring their own thoughts. Back at home, Qin Chuan had a simple dinner and picked up the Wilderness Survival Guide again. Indeed, the guide was full of practical information. He had been reading it all day and had digested less than a tenth of its content. How to find a safe water source, how to build a shelter by hand without tools, how to hide one''s scent as much as possible while moving in the wilderness, how to understand the surrounding wildlife through the tiniest of clues... These wilderness survival skills based on the real world might not be entirely applicable in the Dream World, but at least 80% of them were helpful to his current situation. From this, one could see the painstaking efforts of the Special Affairs Group. It wasn''t until the 11 p.m. alarm set on his phone rang that Qin Chuan reluctantly put down the guide. He picked up his phone, browsed through the forum to make sure he hadn''t missed any important messages, and then placed it on the bedside table. He turned off the light and went to sleep. ----------------- "Hiss..." As consciousness returned to his body, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but inhale sharply. His healthy physical condition in reality almost made him forget that in the Dream World, his injuries had not yet healed. Fortunately, with a day''s worth of wilderness survival study, Qin Chuan wasn''t about to just lie down and wait to die. He quickly tested the pain and mobility of various parts of his body and finally determined that his injuries weren''t serious. Most of the external injuries were abrasions, and the bleeding had already stopped. There were a few possible fractures, but no breaks. His organs might have been shaken during the previous falls, but there was no internal bleeding or life-threatening condition; rest would naturally heal him. He found a relatively hidden spot within a hundred meters and limped over, then sat down grimacing in pain. It was a pity he hadn''t found any of the medicinal herbs mentioned in the guide nearby. Due to the differences between the Dream World and reality, that part of the content probably couldn''t be used. Next, he had to wait for his injuries to heal slightly and for him to be viable before planning his next move. Or perhaps... encounter a fierce Spiritual Beast and have to restart by deleting his account? Wait a minute! Maybe that would be even faster! After all, with ligaments and bones injured, it takes a hundred days to recoverwhere can one find the speed of starting all over again? Thinking of this, Qin Chuan''s gaze glanced at the large rock beside him. He was considering the possibility of smashing himself to death against it. Just at that moment, a faint sound drew Qin Chuan''s attention back. Qin Chuan turned his head to look and immediately his eyes showed a startled expression. He saw a familiar water-blue figure approaching rapidly. It was the Water Leaf Dog that had left earlier. In an instant, a touch of surprise surged in Qin Chuan''s heart. As the Water Leaf Dog drew near, Qin Chuan quickly noticed it had something in its mouth. "Woof!" The Water Leaf Dog trotted up to Qin Chuan, placed the thing it had been carrying in its mouth on the ground, and joyfully wagged its tail. Only then did Qin Chuan see clearlyit was some unfamiliar herbs and two fruits. "So, you left just now to find these?" Qin Chuan said, a few more hints of realization and guilt in his eyes. It seemed he had misunderstood the Water Leaf Dog. "Woof!" The Water Leaf Dog nodded its head and then picked up one of the fruits again, placing it into Qin Chuan''s hand. "Can this be eaten?" Qin Chuan asked cautiously as he looked at the fruit in his hand. "Woof!" With the Water Leaf Dog''s affirmative response, Qin Chuan wiped the dirt off the fruit and stuffed it into his mouth. In the Dream World, his body also needed food and water; he had indeed planned to look for and try some once his body regained the ability to move. Gently biting through the skin, sweet juice erupted from the fruit, flowing down his throat into his stomach, easing Qin Chuan''s craving for water. The sugar content also lifted Qin Chuan''s spirits somewhat. But what was even more astonishing was that, after a brief period of digestion, Qin Chuan felt a warm energy surge from his stomach to his limbs, alleviating the pain throughout his body at a visibly fast pace. Could this fruit heal wounds?! A look of joy immediately swept across his face as he turned to the other fruit on the ground as if it were a treasure. Sar?h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, the Water Leaf Dog''s actions caught Qin Chuan''s attention. It controlled a stream of water, engulfing the herbs it had just brought back, forming a water ball the size of a head in the air. The water ball rotated rapidly, like a blender, extracting the essence from the herbs, turning the clear water into a deep green color. Then, under the Water Leaf Dog''s control, the water enveloped each of Qin Chuan''s wounds. Qin Chuan did not resist. He sat quietly, cooperating with the Water Leaf Dog''s actions, a few more moments of realization crossing his mind. No wonder when he had checked his body, he always found his wounds clean and his skin not too dirty. It was likely that while he had been unconscious, the Water Leaf Dog had already used a similar method to perform a simple wound cleaning on him. A cool and refreshing sensation came from the wounds, and after a few breaths, the green liquid''s color turned murkier, while the abrasions on Qin Chuan''s body had completely healed, leaving no scars at all. If such magical herbs existed in reality, people would fight tooth and nail for them, but in the Dream World, the Water Leaf Dog had found them without much effort. This was probably the allure of being Transcendent. Chapter 8 - 8: The First Contract with a Spiritual Beast! "I really owe you one this time," Qin Chuan said with a joyous smile on his face as he looked at the Water Leaf Dog beside him, having fully recovered after consuming the second fruit. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had almost had to reset his account. Fortunately, the Water Leaf Dog had found fruits and herbs that could heal wounds, though how it did so was beyond him. Qin Chuan casually sat cross-legged on the ground, hugging the approaching Water Leaf Dog, and his smile deepened as he observed how affectionate it was. Originally, because of the Water Leaf Dog''s departure, he was struggling to decide what kind of Spiritual Beast to contract. But now, it seemed that decision was no longer a concern. "I don''t know why you were so friendly with me the moment we met," Qin Chuan said softly. "I guess that''s a form of fate, too." "Woof!" The Water Leaf Dog barked, poking its head out of Qin Chuan''s embrace and excitedly licked his cheeka feeling akin to the comfort of wiping one''s face with a wet towel. "Do you want to make a contract with me?" "Woof!" The Water Leaf Dog nodded vigorously, and Qin Chuan smiled. The contracting process was not complicated. He simply had to open the contract sub-panel on his interface, align the empty Contract Slot with the Water Leaf Dog in front of him, and a prompt would appear to confirm the "Try to Contract." Without hesitation, Qin Chuan confirmed the action and, with lights flickering, the image of the Water Leaf Dog appeared in the first Contract Slot. At the same time, lines of text emerged below the Contract Slot. [Spiritual Beast Species: Water Leaf Dog] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Water Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv4](56/100) [Spiritual Beast Traits: Grass and Wood Recognition] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 320] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Water Master (Passive), Dark Current Binding (Active), Rapid Stream Break (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Water Attribute Spiritual Beast, the Water Leaf Dog, has keen senses, a curious nature, exploratory instincts, and a friendly disposition.] The brand-new introduction eliminated the previous Spiritual Beast State category and added traits, species value, and a description of skills. There was also an experience bar added to the Spiritual Beast Level. None of this surprised Qin Chuan since he had already learned about it from the Special Affairs Group''s educational talks. His eyes quickly fell on the Water Leaf Dog''s traits. Grass and Wood Recognition... Was this why the Water Leaf Dog could help him find healing herbs? No doubt, although the trait lacked combat ability, its usefulness to him at that moment was immense. Qin Chuan''s gaze continued down to the skills of the Water Leaf Dog. The Water Leaf Dog had a total of three skills, each with a corresponding icon above it and the skill name below. After pondering for a moment, Qin Chuan reached out and touched the first skill. The next second, more detailed information popped up before him. [Water Master: A passive skill that grants the Spiritual Beast the ability to breathe underwater and to condense and control water.] Having found the correct way to display skill details, Qin Chuan''s eyes brightened, and he quickly clicked on the next two skills. [Dark Current Binding: An active skill that hides a powerful force in water, producing bondage or other control effects.] [Rapid Stream Break: An active skill that releases a powerful jet of water, inflicting damage on opponents.] "So, the skill that tripped the Shadow Leopard was Dark Current Binding? And the attack it showcased earlier was Rapid Stream Break?" Qin Chuan stroked his chin, drawing a conclusion in his mind. The passive skill Water Master essentially provided the Water Leaf Dog with a foundation for executing Water Attribute skills. Its two active skills, one for control and the other for attack, might be few in number, but they were comprehensive, allowing for responses to many complex combat situations. Qin Chuan''s eyes shifted slightly, falling to the right side of the Rapid Stream Break skill icon. There seemed to be a trace of another icon beyond Rapid Stream Break. Experimenting, he slid the skill bar to the left and indeed saw a new skill. However, this skill was currently in a dim state with a lock on it. Beneath the lock was written "Unlock at Growth Rank." Did this mean that after the Spiritual Beast advanced, it could gain new skills? Qin Chuan shifted his gaze away from the introduction of the Water Leaf Dog, and reflexively looked to the right side of the filled Contract Slot. Although only a small edge was revealed, it seemed there was another new Contract Slot behind the current one. After performing a similar swiping action, he saw another grey Contract Slot locked in place. [Player Level reaches Official Level to unlock] "Official Level must be the next Player Level after Apprentice Level," Qin Chuan said with a hint of helplessness, "but so far, no one has discovered how to raise the Player Level." "We can only explore slowly or wait for the Special Affairs Group to release information," he muttered softly, his gaze returning to the Water Leaf Dog in his arms. Upon completing the contract, he could feel his connection with the Water Leaf Dog growing closer; not only could they understand each other''s intentions, but they could also communicate across distances without hindrance. "Shall I give you a name?" "Woof!" (Yes!) The Water Leaf Dog licked Qin Chuan''s cheek again, its large eyes full of anticipation, as if having a name of its own was of great importance. "How about the name Water Flower?" Qin Chuan suggested tentatively, "If you don''t like it, I can think of something else." "Woof! Woof!" (That''s the one! I love it!) "That''s settled then," Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. He really wasn''t good at naming things. He glanced at the time displayed below the main panel. The healing had taken an hour and a half, and there wasn''t much time left in his visit to the Dream World. Last time, too much time was wasted due to unconsciousness. He couldn''t afford to waste time again. "Water Flower, we''re going to find a safe place to serve as a survival spot for some time," Qin Chuan said, standing up and looking at Water Flower in his arms, "Do you know where there''s a water source nearby?" Water Flower''s large eyes rolled. "Woof~" (I heard the sound of running water while I was looking for herbs.) "Running water?" Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up, "Lead the way, let''s go have a look." Guided by Water Flower, they quickly followed the route Water Flower had originally taken, and after a few minutes, they arrived at a moist, low-lying valley. Water Flower jumped out of Qin Chuan''s embrace, sniffed carefully at the ground, and then eagerly dashed in a specific direction, running around an area overgrown with herbs. "Woof~" (It''s right here.) Qin Chuan walked up quickly and nodded in satisfaction after recognizing the familiar herbs. Not far from the herbs, he also spotted the type of fruit that could heal injuries. Both of these were incredibly valuable to him at the present. Chapter 9 - 9 Characteristics of Grass and Wood Recognition After learning from the Special Affairs Group, Qin Chuan already knew how to use the equipment item slot and could take the herbs and fruits before his eyes for emergencies. He carefully picked the herbs, trying to preserve their medicinal properties as intact as possible, and then stored them in the equipment item slots. Guessing Qin Chuan''s intentions, Water Flower approached a low bush bearing fruit, controlling the water to sweep past and gently catch the falling fruits, placing them on the ground. By the time Qin Chuan had filled an equipment item slot with herbs, amounting to ten times what Water Flower had picked before, there were already over a dozen pieces of fruit piled up in front of Water Flower. "Good job," Qin Chuan praised as he rubbed Water Flower''s head and carefully collected the fruits. With Water Flower''s Grass and Wood Recognition trait, he became quite confident about the upcoming wilderness survival. Having secured the fruits, Qin Chuan cupped his hands around his ears and listened attentively. Just as Water Flower had mentioned, he indeed faintly heard the sound of the water flow. Thinking of the description in the Wilderness Survival Guide, Qin Chuan hesitated no more and lay on the ground, one ear pressed to the earth, attempting to capture a clearer sound. Seeing this, Water Flower blinked, showing a puzzled expression. "Woof?" (What are you doing?) "I''m trying to figure out which direction the sound of the water flow is coming from." "Woof~" (It''s from that way!) Water Flower lifted a paw, pointed in a certain direction, and wore an expression that seemed to say, "Do you really need to lie on the ground to hear that?" Qin Chuan: "..." He silently stood up and discreetly dusted the dirt off himself. He had almost forgotten that Water Flower possessed extremely keen senses. "Let''s go. Let''s check over there." Without hesitation, he lifted his feet and moved in the direction Water Flower had pointed. Water Flower followed closely behind Qin Chuan with a thoughtful look on its face. It was considering whether it should pretend not to have seen what had just happened. After all, it seemed that Qin Chuan was rather embarrassed... "Woof~" (This fruit can quickly restore energy!) "Good, take more." "Woof~" (This herb can detoxify!) "Take it!" "..." As the duo made their way in stops and starts, the empty spaces in the equipment item slots were also gradually filling up. After following Qin Chuan for several hundred meters, Water Flower suddenly sniffed the air, its face showing a hint of surprise. "Woof! Woof!" (Wait! Something good is nearby!) "What good thing?" Qin Chuan stopped in his tracks, his face showing interest, "Is it another special herb?" Water Flower sniffed carefully again, its face uncertain. "Woof~" (I''m not sure, but it should be of great help to me.) "Then let''s have a look," Qin Chuan declared decisively. Enhancing a Contracted Spiritual Beast''s level was one of the main methods to increase power in the Dream World. This was something the Special Affairs Group had stressed, and Qin Chuan wholeheartedly agreed. If they really could find something that would strengthen Water Flower, they couldn''t simply pass it by. Water Flower nodded vigorously and sniffed attentively along the way, finally lifting its head sharply to look at the cliff side of the valley. At about fifty meters high on this mountain cliff, a stubborn branch was protruding from a crevice in the rocky surface. Hanging from the branch was a water-blue fruit roughly the size of an apple, plump and round, its surface having a sparkling radiance. It was clearly something good. "Woof!" (That''s it!) Water Flower barked, feeling the unique allure of the fruit; desire filled its eyes. "This cliff" Qin Chuan approached the cliff before him and looked again at the fruit fifty meters above. The cliff was not as steep as cut by a knife, but it still had an inclination of about seventy degrees. Fortunately, there were plenty of rocks scattered above, making it not too difficult to find footholds. For Water Flower, a canine-type Spiritual Beast, climbing a cliff was extremely difficult, but for Qin Chuan, although it was a bit troublesome, it was not entirely impossible. After all, the Wilderness Survival Guide had detailed numerous rock climbing techniques. He was certain he had memorized them well, even if he had never practiced them. Testing the grip on the protruding rocks at the base of the mountain, Qin Chuan made up his mind. "Water Flower, wait for me down here, I''ll go pick the fruit." He shouted, grabbed a handful of rock dust from the ground to rub on his hands, and without hesitation started to climb. "Woof!" (Be careful!) Water Flower sat apprehensively below Qin Chuan, gazing up. With every new footing Qin Chuan found, its expression grew tenser, only relaxing when Qin Chuan steadied himself. One step, two steps... Qin Chuan quickly climbed to a small platform about ten meters high and began a short rest. Due to this being his first attempt, he had made a few minor mistakes and had expended more energy than a professional climber would have, leaving him without the strength to continue upwards at the moment. Sar?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He reached into his equipment slot, took out a fruit that restored stamina, and ate it. After resting for a minute or two, Qin Chuan felt almost fully revived. Without time to marvel at the fruit''s recovery speed, he hastened to climb further up using his hands and feet. What doesn''t kill you makes you stronger; this time Qin Chuan''s movements were distinctly more agile. It was only when he reached twenty-five meters high that he had to stop again, exhausted, taking out a second fruit to recover. By the time he had eaten the third fruit for recovery, he was less than ten meters away from the water-blue fruit on the cliff. Gazing at the glistening light on the water-blue fruit, Qin Chuan made one last-push upwards. Eight meters... five meters... two meters... He was getting closer and closer to the water-blue fruit, just within reach, when suddenly there was empty space beneath his foot. The stone Qin Chuan had been stepping on as his foothold suddenly broke off. In this critical moment, Qin Chuan swiftly redistributed his weight, barely managing to support his body with his hands, preventing a direct fall. However, without a new foothold for his floating foot, he could only struggle to maintain his position. As his strength drained away, he would ultimately fall. Water Flower, panicked, leaped onto the cliff to help, but after climbing less than five meters, it fell heavily to the ground, its face filled with frustration and anxiety. Feeling the growing soreness in his hands, Qin Chuan gradually calmed down. "Water Flower, use Rapid Stream Break on my footsoles!" The words had barely left him when a stream struck fiercely against the soles of Qin Chuan''s shoes. The Rapid Stream Break, having ascended nearly fifty meters, no longer had the strong force it did upon release, but its remaining momentum was still enough to easily push Qin Chuan upwards. In the instant his hands were relieved of pressure, Qin Chuan seized the momentum to reach upwards, snatching the water-blue fruit and tossing it into his equipment slot, while his foot found another previously unreachable foothold. His hands also caught onto the rocks before him and after some shaking, he finally stabilized his stance. He had succeeded! Listening to Water Flower''s jubilant barking from below, a radiant smile appeared on Qin Chuan''s face. Chapter 10 - 10: Water Flower Upgrade! Although he had successfully obtained the fruit, climbing down the slope required equal care and caution. Finally, Qin Chuan leaped down from the two-meter-high foothold, concluding his first rock-climbing experience. "Here!" He quickly took out the hard-earned aqua-blue fruit and handed it to Water Flower, "Try this." "Woof!" (Okay!) The aqua-blue eyes of Water Flower reflected the faint glow of the fruit as it eagerly stepped forward and gobbled up the fruit in a few bites. Moments later, a flash of light enveloped its entire body. At the same time, two lines of text appeared in front of Qin Chuan. [Contracted Spiritual Beast Water Leaf Dog consumes the special fruit [Clear Fruit], Level experience +50] [Contracted Spiritual Beast Water Leaf Dog''s Level has been upgraded to Juvenile Stage Lv5!] This quickly to Level 5? Qin Chuan blinked and quickly opened Water Flower''s contract page. The original [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv4] (56/100) on the contract page had now changed to [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv5] (6/100). And Water Flower''s Race Value had also increased from 320 to 350, a growth of nearly 10%. If they could come across ten more fruits like this, Water Flower might just reach Juvenile Stage Lv10 directly. However, Qin Chuan also knew that such fruits were not easy to come by. "Woof!" (I feel like I''ve gotten much stronger!) Water Flower barked excitedly, its two fluffy tails wagging incessantly. "We''re in luck; I hope we can find more special fruits like this," Qin Chuan smiled, "We took a bit of a detour just now, now we must continue to search for a water source." Water Flower nodded and quickly recalled its mission. "Woof!" (This way!) It walked ahead of Qin Chuan with light steps, leading him toward the direction from which the sound of flowing water was increasingly emanating. As they drew closer, the sound of the water flow became more and more distinct, and even Qin Chuan could easily distinguish that there was definitely a significant water source ahead. This added a flicker of excitement to Qin Chuan''s eyes. Finding a water source would allow them to build a temporary place to stay nearby. "Whoosh" A slightly sharp sound of something cutting through the air came instantly. "Woof!" (Careful!) Water Flower''s four ears twitched, instantly pinpointing the attacker''s location and, with a fierce flick of its big tail, shot out a stream of water. "Bang!" The water collided with a sharp rock in mid-air with a dull sound, and upon impact, the rock shattered into pieces, scattering to one side. A slender figure swiftly moved through the tree branches and finally clung onto a stout branch, baring its teeth and growling softly at Water Flower and Qin Chuan below. It was a monkey-like Spiritual Beast with several rock-like plates covering its head like a helmet, its spine also covered by segments of rock resembling external skeletal armor, and even its tail was made of rocks linked together, looking quite peculiar. [Spiritual Beast Species: Covered Rock Monkey] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Earth] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv4] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] "Spiritual Beast Introduction: Earth Attribute Spiritual Beast Covered Rock Monkey, skilled in climbing, quick-witted and agile, with a strong sense of territory." Strong sense of territory... Qin Chuan felt like he understood why the other had attacked him. "Sorry, I''m just passing through and will leave right away," Qin Chuan spoke loudly, at the same time raising his hands to show he meant no harm. However, the Covered Rock Monkey was not in a forgiving mood, it bared its teeth and plucked a piece of rock from the tip of its tail, launching it directly at Qin Chuan and Water Flower. As the rock shot out, it rapidly transformed, quickly turning into a sharp rock spike, while the missing piece from the monkey''s tail swiftly regenerated. This bizarre mode of attack made Qin Chuan internally criticize, but his response was nevertheless quick. "Water Flower!" "Woof!" (Watch this!) Water Flower barked loudly and with a flick of its tail, two streams of Rapid Stream Break were released instantaneously. One collided with the rock spike thrown by the Covered Rock Monkey in mid-air and both disintegrated, while the other shot towards the Covered Rock Monkey. sea??h th novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The monkey let out a strange cry and leaped onto another tree branch. And the branch that it had been holding onto snapped into two under the barrage of the Rapid Stream Break. Seeing the power of this strike, the Covered Rock Monkey made a grimace at Water Flower. In response, it got hit by another two streams of water. As Water Flower''s Level increased, the frequency and power with which it could use Rapid Stream Break had improved. It launched attack after attack, forcing the Covered Rock Monkey to scamper away in fear. "Okay, stop," Qin Chuan called out, not seeing the Covered Rock Monkey anymore, and quickly discouraged Water Flower from continuing the pursuit. "We''re just passing through, as long as it doesn''t attack us, that''s enough." Water Flower nodded its head and wagged its tail excitedly at Qin Chuan. "Woof?" (How did I do just now?) "Great!" Qin Chuan earnestly praised. "I can''t wait to see you become even stronger." With Qin Chuan''s compliments, Water Flower''s tail wagged even more vigorously. Tongue lolling with excitement, it continued onward. After they left, the previously fleeing Covered Rock Monkey returned with a few monkeys roughly its size. Upon seeing the area empty, the leading Covered Rock Monkey showed its teeth in frustration, stamped its feet on the branches, and let out a series of strange cries. The reinforcements that had been brought there found no one to fight and exchanged glances. They then thrashed the leader and went their separate ways. Unaware that the escaping Covered Rock Monkey had gone to fetch reinforcements and had been beaten by them, Qin Chuan and Water Flower didn''t encounter any other Spiritual Beasts and successfully found a stream. The stream was about five meters wide and not deep. One could see the pebbles at the bottom, and several Spiritual Beasts were quietly drinking at the edge. Scanning the scene, Qin Chuan saw no Growth Rank beasts, the highest being Juvenile Stage Lv8. It seemed he was in luck. These beasts were focused on drinking and showed no reaction as Qin Chuan and Water Flower approached. This reminded Qin Chuan of some information from the "Wilderness Survival Guide." It was said that different creatures drinking at the same water source would tacitly maintain peace and not interfere with each other. This seemed to be the case here. Plucking a large leaf, Qin Chuan folded and rolled it into a makeshift bowl and scooped up some stream water. The cool, refreshing water with a faintly sweet aftertaste revitalized his somewhat tired spirits. Water Flower''s way of drinking was much simpler. Under its control, a stream of water flew straight from the stream into its mouth, followed by a second and then a third. After quenching its thirst, Water Flower looked expectantly at Qin Chuan, eager to know what they were going to do next now that they had found a water source. Making eye contact with Water Flower, Qin Chuan smiled. "Next, let''s find a place to settle down." Chapter 11 - 11 The Paused Second "Let''s settle here." Qin Chuan carefully surveyed the surroundings and stopped in his tracks. At his feet, Water Flower paced alongside him. In front of the man and beast stood a large rock, inwardly dented, with a fairly smooth rock surface at their feet, situated on a slope facing the sun, dry enough. The erect rock could also serve as a rock wall to reduce the difficulty of building a shelter. They were only dozens of meters away from the stream they had found earlier; whether in terms of terrain or other factors, Qin Chuan couldn''t find any fault. A textbook example of a site selection made Qin Chuan, who had read only a small part of the Wilderness Survival Guide, eager to try. "First is to prepare the stone knife and fire by friction..." Qin Chuan led Water Flower around to search, finding a stone the size of a head. "Water Flower, Rapid Stream Break!" "Woof!" (Coming!) Responding with a sound, Water Flower flicked its tail, and a powerful stream of water struck the stone hard. The stone shattered into several pieces; Qin Chuan went forward to pick and choose, quickly finding a piece with a rather sharp edge. That was the simple stone knife sorted out. The successful application of theory into practice excited Qin Chuan; he quickly searched the area for some dried wood and, with help from Water Flower, found some vines that could replace hemp rope. Returning to the shelter-less site, he started processing them. With the aid of the stone knife, a simple fire-by-friction setup was soon ready. "Watch carefully, Water Flower! I''m going to show you a magic trick!" Qin Chuan rubbed his palms together with glee, sat down cross-legged, grasped the ends of the vine with both hands, and started to pull back and forth. The vertical stick wrapped by the vine rapidly spun due to the pulling, and one end, smoothed by the stone knife, rubbed continuously in a groove carved by the stone knife on another piece of dry wood, emitting a dull sound. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Water Flower, already curious about the meaning behind Qin Chuan''s actions, now watched with eyes wide open, unblinking at the fire-by-friction device in his hands. Five minutes passed. Qin Chuan looked at the unchanged device in front of him and nonchalantly shook his slightly sore hands, "Making fire by friction is indeed not easy." "Woof?" (Is this for making fire?) Hearing Qin Chuan''s words and connecting it with what she had just seen, realization dawned on Water Flower. "That''s right. To survive better here, we need a source of fire." Qin Chuan nodded, took out a fruit that restored stamina and ate it, "You go find some food nearby that we can eat, I''ll continue." He had wanted to complete this historical achievement before Water Flower, but he hadn''t expected making fire by friction to be more difficult than imagined. Therefore, it was better to give Water Flower some tasks. "Don''t go too far, and be careful." He admonished with concern then rubbed his hands together and immersed himself once more in the great endeavor of making fire by friction. Water Flower glanced at Qin Chuan and turned to walk towards the dense forest behind. Soon, with something in her mouth, Water Flower trotted quickly toward the stream. By the stream, a squirrel-like Spiritual Beast with fiery red fur, its large tail entirely composed of flames, was drinking water. Seeing Water Flower approaching, it swiftly stopped drinking and eyed her with a mix of wariness and displeasure. Water Flower stopped, placing the two fruits she had in her mouth on the ground. "Woof! Woof!" The little squirrel paused then made two "squeak squeak" sounds. After a brief exchange between the two beasts, the little squirrel picked up the two pieces of fruit, holding them close, and quietly followed Water Flower towards the shelter. "Huh?" Sensing the commotion, Qin Chuan turned his head and immediately caught sight of the little squirrel. [Spiritual Beast Species: Flame Tail Squirrel] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Fire Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv3] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: A Fire Attribute Spiritual Beast, the Flame Tail Squirrel is food-loving and mischievous. As long as you don''t snatch its food, it''s relatively friendly.] "Water Flower, you..." Qin Chuan was about to ask about the situation, but he saw the flame-tailed squirrel touch the pile of dry wood nearby with its flame-woven tail. "Bear!!!" With a low booming sound, the dry wood was instantly ignited. Having done all this, the flame-tailed squirrel swished its tail at Water Flower as a farewell and trotted off holding two pieces of fruit. Qin Chuan looked at the blazing dry wood, then at the innocent-faced Water Flower, and after a moment of silence, he directly threw away the fire-starting drill in his hand, which had just produced a wisp of white smoke. Damn it! The guide misled me! ----------------- "Finished!" Qin Chuan stretched out his hand, washed it in a Water Ball condensed by Water Flower, and looked satisfied at the straight wooden poles and the neatly coiled hemp ropes and vines in front of him. After several hours of effort, his tools had evolved from a stone knife to a more efficient stone axe, and nearby, a pile of dry wood was burning with vigorous flames, with a wooden stick leaning to the side skewering a strangely-shaped fish that was now golden brown and sizzling. A Juvenile Stage Lv1 Rainbowtail Fish, caught by Water Flower. What he needed to do next was to use these poles and vines to construct a simple hut to serve as a temporary shelter. However, there was no need to rush this step. Qin Chuan glanced at the time. [07:51:49/08:00:00][00:00:01] There was less than ten minutes left until the entrance to the Dream World closed. The remaining work could wait until the next time he entered the Dream World. After washing his hands, Qin Chuan sat down beside the fire, took down the delicious grilled fish, handed half to Water Flower, and while tasting his portion, he stared at the one second ticking away on the panel''s time display. Before, he thought this was a normal feature. But after the explanation from the Special Affairs Group, Qin Chuan realized that this might be his unique aspect, in novel terms, his Golden Finger. Since it was a Golden Finger, he had to figure out how to use it properly. With one hand free, Qin Chuan randomly tapped on the panel, trying to find a breakthrough. Suddenly, his hand paused. [07:53:26/08:00:01][00:00:00] Seeing the new time display, Qin Chuan was stunned. He had accidentally touched the panel area corresponding to "08:00:00" and, by some fluke, actually used up that second. This second was added to the original eight o''clock, does that mean... Without further savoring the taste of the grilled fish, Qin Chuan gobbled up the rest, stood up, and said, "Water Flower, let''s do a little experiment." Water Flower, reluctantly looking at her unfinished grilled fish, quickly followed. Standing in the dense forest, Qin Chuan kept an eye on the time. [07:59:59/08:00:01][00:00:00] Above Qin Chuan''s head, on a branch, a Colorful Parrot suddenly fluttered its wings and flew up, unintentionally brushing against a fragile dry leaf and causing it to flutter down. [08:00:00/08:00:01][00:00:00] Suddenly, the surroundings fell into absolute silence; the abrupt quietness allowed Qin Chuan to hear his own heartbeat clearly. He stared steadily at the leaf frozen in front of his eyes, abruptly looked up at the Colorful Parrot frozen in midair, then turned to look back at Water Flower, who was curiously looking around. "Woof?" [08:00:01/08:00:01][00:00:01] [Dream World Entrance Closed] Chapter 12 - 12 Children After the Dream Descends "Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip!" sea??h th ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sound of the alarm clock by his ear quickly brought Qin Chuan to consciousness. He sat up abruptly in bed and grabbed his cellphone beside him, staring intently at the screen. The electronic display showed 8:00 and then under Qin Chuan''s watch, changed to 8:01 a moment later. The time, not exactly precise as the day before, was nevertheless clearly understood by Qin Chuan that the moment he returned to reality this time was delayed by one second. That one second was like observing a frozen Dream World as if he were a deity. Although he did nothing, he had the illusion of being omnipotent. Was this his Golden Finger? Having extra time to stay when the entrance to the Dream World closed? Qin Chuan rubbed his temples, his thoughts racing. Since he could linger in that world where time stood still, he might as well call it Time Stop. He had gained one second of Time Stop yesterday at the moment when he returned to the real world. Today, the moment he returned to the real world, he clearly saw that the Time Stop displayed behind the time had increased by another second. So, could he gain one second of Time Stop every day after leaving the Dream World? If he saved up Time Stop for some time and didn''t use it, could he stay for a longer period all at once? Taking a deep breath, Qin Chuan thought of Water Flower, who could move during the Time Stop just like him, and the colorful parakeet frozen in midair. The Spiritual Beasts in the Dream World had no power to escape the Time Stop. But Water Flower, bound to him by contract, could. This meant that the Spiritual Beasts contracted to him could also act within the Time Stop. If he could use this special power wisely, it would yield significant benefits, so he had to calm down and think clearly about what to do. Looking at the time on his phone once more, Qin Chuan put on his jacket by the bed. For now, he''d better get to class. After hastily washing up and getting ready, Qin Chuan shouldered his backpack and pushed open the front door of his rental. "Good morning, big brother!" Standing in front of the neighboring unit''s door were a mother and daughter; hearing movement, the two turned their heads in unison. The little girl, who appeared to be onlyfive or six, immediately brightened up and greeted him with a smile. "Good morning," Qin Chuan stopped in his tracks, first nodding at the little girl''s mother and then smiling at the little girl, "Tongtong, why are you up so early?" "Because Tongtong didn''t sleep last night!" The little girl''s face showed a frightened expression, "Sleep hurts!" Qin Chuan was slightly taken aback, then he realized. That''s right, the Dream World had no age restrictions; even a five- or six-year-old child would enter the Dream World if they fell asleep during the corresponding period. These little kids, who had very limited self-care ability in the real world and could hardly leave their parents, would obviously be in a dire situation in the Dream World. "The first night after the Dream World appeared, Tongtong was in the Dream World, and..." Tongtong''s mother paused mid-sentence, "That experience caused quite a psychological trauma for Tongtong, but thankfully the Special Affairs Group sent a professional psychologist to provide timely counseling." "Following the advice of the Special Affairs Group, we adjusted Tongtong''s routine to avoid the Dream World''s opening hours," Tongtong''s mother stroked her daughter''s head, "At least until she gets a bit older, she won''t be exposed to the Dream World again." "At present, only I can take leave to accompany Tongtong in adjusting our schedules," Tongtong''s mother spoke softly. "According to the Special Affairs Group, there are many children just like Tongtong." "So soon there will be special classes for children with reversed schedules in kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools. When the time comes, I won''t need to take leave to be with Tongtong." "I see," Qin Chuan understood, leaning down to pat Tongtong''s head. "Tongtong, don''t be scared, everything in the Dream World isn''t real." "I know, big brother!" Tongtong''s expression was very serious. "Tongtong is super brave and won''t be scared anymore!" "Yes, Tongtong is very brave." Qin Chuan was amused by the little girl. "Big brother, have some candy!" Tongtong fumbled a piece of candy out of her pocket and handed it to Qin Chuan. "Thank you." Qin Chuan did not refuse Tongtong''s kindness, unwrapping the candy and putting it in his mouth in front of her. "It''s sweet." "Alright, big brother needs to go to class, and you should hurry up and go to sleep," Tongtong''s mother smiled at Qin Chuan. "You should head to class, don''t be late." "Mhm." Qin Chuan waved to Tongtong and her mother, then turned and left. ----------------- Before the early class had even started, the classroom of senior year class three (7) was filled with the chatter of students who had arrived early. Continuously, students announced that they had contracted a Spiritual Beast, eliciting gasps of astonishment. However, amidst the lively atmosphere, there was a discordant voice mixed in. "Abandon, to desert, to leave behind." Xiao Pang was seriously gazing at his vocabulary book, his face showing a deep love for learning. Even Qin Chuan, who was absorbed in studying the "Wilderness Survival Guide" and looking for suitable solutions among the shelter''s building cases, couldn''t help but lift his head, looking at Xiao Pang in surprise. This guy who never liked to study in the past, had actually started to seriously memorize English vocabulary after Blue Star entered the 2.0 era? "Are you alright?" "Aban... Huh?" Xiao Pang''s recitation paused for a moment, turning to look at Qin Chuan with a hehe smile. "I''m fine, totally normal." Knowing that it was abnormal for him to be memorizing vocabulary at this time, Xiao Pang chuckled and explained in a low voice, "I met another player in the Dream World, a girl." "Hm?" Qin Chuan looked at Xiao Pang in surprise. "But she''s a foreigner, speaks English." Xiao Pang scratched his head. "You know, my English isn''t good, I can only understand a few words." "I thought I''d cram at the last minute to see if I could communicate with her more smoothly." "Is there a possibility," Qin Chuan spoke faintly, "that if you encounter another Growth Rank Spiritual Beast and restart, you might not see her again?" "Don''t jinx me!" Xiao Pang glared at Qin Chuan irritably. "You don''t say, I really was almost about to delete my account and restart." "I just ate two fruits and got chased by a Juvenile Stage Flame-tailed Squirrel. It was the girl who helped me out." Xiao Pang touched his chest with a silly smile. "Qin Chuan, do you know what love at first sight is?" Qin Chuan: "" My fist is hard. "Let''s not talk about that." Xiao Pang sensed a hint of murderous intent, silently closing his vocabulary book. "Qin Chuan, have you contracted a Spiritual Beast yet? I''ve seen quite a few classmates who have." "Yes, I already have," Qin Chuan glanced at Xiao Pang. "What about you?" "Not yet, I got delayed by that Flame-tailed Squirrel" Xiao Pang scratched his head. "But I already have a target, I should be able to contract it tonight." "Good luck," Qin Chuan was about to continue looking down at the guide, but Xiao Pang held him back. "Qin Chuan, did you see the update from the Special Affairs Group today?" Chapter 13 - 13 The Version Is Updated Again "I saw it," Qin Chuan nodded. After the entrance to the Dream World closed, the Special Affairs Group immediately organized some of the updated information and uploaded it to the Dream Realm Forum, with two main highlights. The first was to answer the question of delayed entry into the Dream World that remained uncertain yesterday. After conducting experiments, the Special Affairs Group had determined that players who entered the Dream World later would lose consciousness during the corresponding time frame. If at that time there were enemies in the dream, they would undoubtedly die. Therefore, the safest method for Dream World players was to fall asleep before midnight. The second was a document considering the attributes of Spiritual Beasts. After two days of exploration, the Special Affairs Group had discovered twelve attributes: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Ice, Light, Dark, Superpower, and Fighting. They did not rule out the possibility of undiscovered rare attributes. The document introduced these attributes and indicated that there may be fixed relationships of suppression between different attributes. The specific relationships were still under study, so everyone was asked to stay tuned for future details. "What''s the attribute of your Spiritual Beast?" Little Fatty asked with a curious face. Qin Chuan glanced at Little Fatty, then replied, "Water Attribute." "Water Attribute," Little Fatty expressed a look of yearning on his face. "I read the introduction to Spiritual Beast Attributes; Water Attribute Spiritual Beasts are second only to Wood Attribute in terms of helping players survive in the wild in the early stages." "Perhaps," Qin Chuan responded noncommittally. That might be the case for other Water Attribute Spiritual Beasts. But the Water Leaf Dog''s specialty was Grass and Wood Recognition, and it was no less helpful than a Wood Attribute beast. As they were talking, their expressions suddenly froze. Familiar text once again projected onto their retinas. [Blue Star Version 2.1 update complete. The connection between the space-time of the Dream World and the real world has been strengthened. The power of the Dream World will project into reality in entirely new forms.] [A new Spiritual Beast Affinity system has been added. Affinity will affect the projection of power.] [Next Blue Star update time: 10 days later.] Another version update! The classroom that had been noisy a moment ago suddenly became quiet. After a while, a voice with a slight tremor broke the silence. "Projecting into reality... does it mean what I think it means?" Then the whole classroom burst into an uproar. Students who had gradually accepted the Dream World once again wore expressions of horror. Qin Chuan silently read the update announcement. The power of the Dream World probably referred to the power of Contracted Spiritual Beasts and the Transcendent powers of the Spiritual Beasts themselves. What would the new form be? And what about this Affinity system? Questions surfaced in Qin Chuan''s mind. He knew only by entering the Dream World again could these questions be answered. But one thing was certain. The world was about to descend into chaos. The last version update hadn''t caused much panic, as it hadn''t greatly impacted reality, and any panic quickly subsided; but the upcoming Version 2.1 would be a different story altogether. Extraordinary Power entering a Blue Star that had no such power would lead to unpredictable consequences. Qin Chuan''s grip tightened slowly. He realized that Time Stop would have a more significant meaning. "Holy moses..." Little Fatty murmured next to him, "True Spiritual Energy is recovering." "Qin Chuan, do we even need to continue going to school?" he shook Qin Chuan''s shoulder with enthusiasm, his expression gradually growing excited. Qin Chuan could understand Little Fatty''s excitement. After all, both their grades were at the bottom of the class. Proceeding with college entrance exams, getting into a tier-three university was already their limit. An isolated Dream World unrelated to reality would not improve their futures in reality. But a Dream World that could interfere with reality might provide them with a new way forward. A path different from changing one''s destiny through studies. "You better contract a Spiritual Beast first," Qin Chuan replied calmly, splashing cold water on Little Fatty''s excitement. "Don''t worry," Little Fatty said unfazed. "Entering the Dream World tonight, I''ll be able to handle contracting a Spiritual Beast, just in time for the update." After the initial panic, other students also gradually calmed down. Those who had contracted a Spiritual Beast appeared the calmest, whereas those who hadn''t yet managed to finally looked serious. If they didn''t contract a Spiritual Beast soon, they would be completely left behind. In this tense atmosphere, the homeroom teacher walked into the classroom. sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The first class of the morning belonged to him. Entering the classroom and standing at the podium, the homeroom teacher looked at the students below and fell silent for a moment before putting down the teaching materials in his hand. "You all saw the update," he said. "If the power of the Dream World truly affects reality, this world is bound to undergo a tremendous transformation." He laughed softly, "In two months, you will be facing the college entrance exams, but whether there will be exams two months from now is an unknown." "In the past two days, everyone has been restless, not paying attention in class but focusing on content related to the Dream World. Iand the other subject teachersunderstand this." The homeroom teacher paused for a moment before his voice took on a more serious tone, "Going forward, this situation will likely intensify, with many students possibly giving up on the college entrance exams, even on studying altogether." With these words, Little Fatty couldn''t help but shrink a bit. Why did it feel like he was talking about him? "In light of this," the homeroom teacher continued after a moment of silence, his voice becoming more serious, "the college entrance exam is just one hurdle in life, but knowledge and the process of acquiring it are the most precious treasures gained during the journey to overcome this hurdle." "No matter how the world changes, knowledge is important and irreplaceable." The homeroom teacher''s voice, now rare and resolute, echoed through the classroom, "I don''t know what the world will become next, but now and in the future, I and the other teachers will still stand at this podium and impart knowledge to you without reservation." "To listen or not, to study or not, is up to you." "I only have one request, do not disturb the other students during class." After his words concluded, the homeroom teacher turned and began to write the day''s lessons on the board, among the contemplative faces of the students. Some chose to leave the classroom, and many more were still involved in activities unrelated to the class, but compared to the previous two days, the number of students listening attentively had increased significantly. ----------------- "Ding ling ling" Along with the clear sound of the school bell, the last class of the afternoon came to an end. Qin Chuan stretched lazily and flipped through the notebook in front of him. Perhaps touched by the homeroom teacher''s words, for the first time, he had listened attentively from beginning to end to the entire day''s classes. It felt... not too bad. "Home, I''m already looking forward to tonight," Little Fatty chuckled. He had memorized quite a few common English phrases in one day; he should be able to chat more with foreign girls now. Casually opening the Dream Realm Forum, Little Fatty suddenly exclaimed in a low voice. "Qin Chuan, take a look at the forum!" Chapter 14 - 14 Skill Carrying "Hm?" Qin Chuan glanced at Xiaopang and picked up his phone to enter the Dream Realm Forum. As soon as he logged in, a document popped up in front of him; it could not be closed directly and had to be read. However, after seeing the title of the document, Qin Chuan didn''t plan to skip it. "Yanhuang Country Special Affairs Temporary Management Measures (First Edition)" Without hesitation, he clicked in, and Qin Chuan''s face quickly revealed a look of astonishment. This was actually a management method for the abuse of extraordinary power and crimes in the real world; although it was only the first edition, it already carried actual legal effectiveness. Because the next Dream World entry had not yet opened, the specific impact of the Dream World on reality was not known; the descriptions of extraordinary abilities in the management measures were very general. But Qin Chuan read from beginning to end and found almost no loopholes to exploit. To discuss, review, and sign such a legislation within just a few hours after the update was announced, the efficiency of the Special Affairs Group once again astonished Qin Chuan. "Surely, it''s our Yanhuang speed!" Xiaopang, standing beside him, put down his phone, his face showing a rare solemnity, "The Dream World hasn''t yet affected reality, but the management measures have already been introduced." "Earlier, the Special Affairs Group even came to the school to lecture and shared various important information." Xiaopang paused before continuing, "Qin Chuan, what do you think the situation is like overseas?" "I don''t know, but it probably isn''t good," Qin Chuan shook his head. What the situation was like overseas, those who knew, knew. "Thankfully, we were born in Yanhuang." Xiaopang grinned with a trace of relief on his face, picked up his bag, and walked towards the back door of the classroom, "Let''s go!" Qin Chuan stood still for a moment, stuffed the Wilderness Survival Guide into his backpack, and left the classroom without looking back. ----------------- "Let''s use this plan." Qin Chuan opened the Wilderness Survival Guide, focusing intently on the step-by-step illustrations. He finally decided on a not-so-complicated, but sufficiently sturdy shelter building plan; choosing this, he would complete the construction of the shelter tonight upon entering the Dream World. This way, he would have a rudimentary base in the Dream World. Carefully noting down the steps, Qin Chuan was about to turn off his light and go to sleep when he heard a faint argument coming from next door. Were Tongtong''s parents fighting? Thinking of the cute girl who gave him candies that morning, Qin Chuan slightly furrowed his brow, couldn''t help but put down the guide, sat up in bed, and moved closer to the wall. The arguing voices became slightly clearer, though he still couldn''t make out the words, he could distinguish that it was two men arguing. It seems it wasn''t Tongtong''s parents fighting. Qin Chuan dismissed his earlier guess and then heard a loud slamming of a door. Footsteps swept past his door, followed by the sound of descending stairs. Moved by curiosity, Qin Chuan lifted a corner of the curtain, peering out in the moonlight toward the building''s entrance below. Soon, a gaunt man stepped out of the door and then looked up, staring at the window next to Qin Chuan''s. Under the moonlight, his face wore a heart-thumping gloom and malice. After just a glance, the man quickly left, obviously unaware of Qin Chuan''s spying. Qin Chuan silently let the curtain fall. That man wasn''t Tongtong''s dad, but the other man involved in the argument. He didn''t look like a good person. Oh well, every family has its own difficulties. Slightly shaking his head, Qin Chuan returned to his bed, checked the time, then turned off the light to sleep. ----------------- Casually grabbing a floating leaf in front of him, watching the colorful bird flying higher and ultimately becoming a tiny speck in his sight, Qin Chuan''s gaze shifted to the panel in front of him. [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Contract Slot: 1/1] [View] [Item Equipment Bar: 0/10] [View] [Skill Carrying] (Not set) [00:00:16/08:00:00] [00:00:01] Skill Carrying... Was this the content after the update? Qin Chuan clicked without hesitation, and a new panel appeared in front of him. The panel split into two, with a symbol on the left and a blank box on the right, a plus sign in the middle, while in the lower right corner, there were two other symbols. Qin Chuan was familiar with these three symbols. The symbol on the left corresponded to Water Master, and the lower right corner symbols corresponded to Dark Current Binding and Rapid Stream Break. At the top right corner of the panel, a blinking question mark icon caught Qin Chuan''s attention. He clicked it, and lines of text appeared. [Skill Carrying function is now active. Players can choose skills to carry. Spiritual Beast passive skills are carried by default, active skills can be selected to carry, and the number carried is determined by player level. Different contracted spiritual beast active skills can be carried simultaneously] [Each time you enter the Dream World, the settings will reset. When the Dream World entrance closes, the last Skill Carrying setting will be preserved, and players can use the carried skills in the real world] "I... damn!" After reading the introduction of Skill Carrying, Qin Chuan opened his mouth, momentarily speechless. The Skill Carrying after the update was beyond his imagination. Most importantly, the final statement "players can use the carried skills in the real world" stood out. Qin Chuan read it three times over to confirm that it was the players who could use the skills, not the spiritual beasts. Combining this with the first paragraph, he could then choose one active skill from either Dark Current Binding or Rapid Stream Break. The chosen skill and the Water Master would be usable by him in the real world after this Dream World entrance closed. Unable to conceal his excitement, Qin Chuan suddenly remembered another item from the update announcement. Affinity. He immediately clicked the Contract Slot and looked at Water Flower''s panel. [Spiritual Beast Species: Water Leaf Dog] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Water Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv5] (6/100) [Spiritual Beast Traits: Grass and Wood Recognition] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 350] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 72%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Water Master (Passive), Dark Current Binding (Active), Rapid Stream Break (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: Water Attribute Spiritual Beast Water Leaf Dog, with keen senses, naturally curious, loves exploring, and has a friendly personality.] Like the Skill Carrying panel just now, there was also a blinking question mark at the top right corner of the spiritual beast panel. He clicked it. [Affinity represents the spiritual beast''s favorability towards the player, which can be improved through interaction, with a maximum of 100%. The product of all spiritual beast affinities and species values is the Extraordinary Value, used to quantify the player''s strength in the real world] Qin Chuan: "!!!" Just moments ago, he was wondering how to determine relative strength when using spiritual beast skills in the real world; the affinity already provided an answer. Species value depended on the spiritual beast level. Affinity was enhanced through daily interactions. Thus, by nurturing relationships with contracted spiritual beasts and making them stronger during everyday interactions, he would become stronger in the real world. This was the form of power projection from the Dream World to the real world! Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 15 - 15: Transcendent, Descend Upon Reality! After understanding all the updates in version 2.1, Qin Chuan returned to the Skill Carrying panel he was just on. He looked at the two available Active Skills and didn''t hesitate long before choosing Dark Current Binding. Compared to Rapid Stream Break, which was purely for attack, Dark Current Binding had more directions to be utilized and potential. The way the Water Leaf Dog had surprisingly defeated the much higher-leveled Shadow Leopard with it was a clear proof. Passive Skill Water Master, Active Skill Dark Current Binding. Having confirmed the skills to carry, Qin Chuan didn''t bother with the new features of the update. This new feature would only take effect after the Dream World entrance closed in eight hours. He couldn''t just stand around foolishly waiting for eight hours. "Water Flower, let''s start building the house!" "Woof!" (Okay!) Watching Qin Chuan turn around and walk back to the shelter, Water Flower wagged its tail excitedly and followed. Qin Chuan had been silent just now, his expression changing constantly, which made it somewhat confused, but now seeing the familiar Qin Chuan return, it couldn''t help but ask the question weighing on its mind. "Woof?" (Why did everything stop just now?) "Hmm... that was my ability, it''s a secret." "Woof!" (Got it!) Water Flower nodded vigorously, a bit more joy appearing on its face. It had a secret shared with Qin Chuan! This feeling of being trusted made Water Flower particularly happy. The pair soon reached the previous rock platform, and seeing the wooden posts already prepared, Qin Chuan fetched a sharp stone needle. Working with a red-hot piece of charcoal, he slowly carved until he had hollowed out two finger-wide holes at each end of the wood. Then came the second and third posts. After making holes on both ends of all the posts, Qin Chuan stretched his back, ready to begin the next step, but then heard Water Flower''s voice from the side. "Woof!" (Here!) Seeing Water Flower bringing some vine hemp rope, Qin Chuan smiled as he took it. After threading it through the hole at one end of a wooden post and then through another, he repeated the threading several times before tying a secure knot and vigorously pulling on both sides to reinforce it. "Woof!" (I want to help too!) Sear?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at Water Flower coming closer, staring at his hands, Qin Chuan thought about it and handed one end of the rope to Water Flower, "Let''s both pull hard in opposite directions." Water Flower bit the rope firmly, nodding excitedly to indicate he understood. Upon seeing that, Qin Chuan grabbed the other end of the rope and began counting down, "Three, two, one." Both pulled hard in opposite directions, and soon the knot in the rope tightened to a point where it couldn''t be undone. "Good, just like that," Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction, "Let''s continue." Before long, the framework of the shelter was completely built, leaving only the details to be filled in. Laying a roof to shelter from the rain, reinforcing the walls and pillars, building a simple fireplace... Exhausted after finishing all the work, they sat beside the campfire eating grilled fish, looking at the shelter that now looked quite respectable, Qin Chuan and Water Flower''s faces were filled with happy smiles. This cabin, they had built it together! "You eat some more." Qin Chuan placed another large piece of fish on a leaf on the ground for Water Flower, watching it devour the fish heartily while he casually checked the time on the panel. [07:52:13/08:00:00][00:00:01] Without paying much attention, the time for this visit to the Dream World was almost over. But sharpening the axe will not interfere with chopping wood, having a steady shelter would make living and searching for important items in this area much simpler next time. "Water Flower, let''s go see if we can find those special fruits nearby next time," Qin Chuan spoke softly. By next time, he naturally meant the next visit to the Dream World. "Woof!" (Okay!) Water Flower wagged its tail excitedly. It''s strange to say, but when players move from the real world to the Dream World, their spirits recover as quickly as if they had slept, without affecting their actions the next day in the real world. In the Dream World, both players and Spiritual Beasts don''t feel fatigue either. From the first encounter with Water Flower until now, it had been 24 hours, yet Water Flower''s spirit remained as buoyant as ever, showing no signs of fatigue or weariness. "Next, we need to quickly get your level to Lv10," Qin Chuan smiled, "Once you reach that, you''ll be facing advancement." "Advancement requires collecting special resources." Thinking of this, Qin Chuan sighed softly, "I don''t even know if there are suitable ones nearby." In the past two days on the Dream Realm Forum, there were a few lucky ones who directly contracted a high-level Juvenile Stage, and have now reached Juvenile Stage Lv10, facing advancement. But forget about completing the advancement, most hadn''t even found the resources required. As he spoke, Qin Chuan casually opened Water Flower''s panel. After glancing at it casually, his gaze slightly sharpened. He had already checked Water Flower''s panel after entering the Dream World this time. But compared to eight hours ago, the panel had undergone some changes. Previously, Water Flower''s Spiritual Beast Level experience points were (6/100); now, it had changed to (8/100), an increase by two points. Besides, Water Flower''s Affinity had also risen from 72% to 73%, increasing by 1%. The small increase in spiritual beast experience should be natural growth. But what was the deal with the increase in Affinity? Qin Chuan couldn''t help but glance at Water Flower. "Woof?" After finishing the fish, Water Flower raised its head and looked at Qin Chuan. Seeing Water Flower''s affectionate eyes, Qin Chuan understood. It must have been the experience of building the wooden hut together earlier that had raised Water Flower''s Affinity toward him. He subtly grasped something. So the increase in Affinity, was it dependent on companionship and coexistence? Never mind, stop thinking about it for now. Qin Chuan stared intently at the time getting closer to the closing of the entrance. [07:59:59/08:00:00][00:00:01] [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:02] [Dream World Entrance Closed] ----------------- Waking up to the alarm, Qin Chuan rubbed his brow. The moment the Dream World entrance closed, his Time Stop increased by one second. This confirmed his earlier speculation. By entering the Dream World daily, he could continually accrue Time Stop, to be used when needed. Qin Chuan rubbing his brow paused briefly. He suddenly realized an unusual detail. Although he had returned to the real world, there was a bright spot in the upper right corner of his field of vision, just like the minimised panel in the Dream World. Curious, Qin Chuan casually tapped the bright spot, and lines of text appeared. [Current Extraordinary Value: 256] [Current Passive Skill: Water Master] [Current Active Skill: Dark Current Binding] This was a new panel! Qin Chuan leapt down from the bed and stood in front of the washbasin on the balcony, turning on the faucet. Water gushed from the faucet and surged upward under Qin Chuan''s gaze, like a fountain. With another casual tap, the water gathered at his fingertips into a rounded Water Ball. Under Water Master, Qin Chuan, controlling the water flow for the first time, felt as comfortable as if he was directing his own limbs. The Transcendent had indeed descended into reality at this moment. Chapter 16 - 16 Chaos Begins to Emerge, Transcendent Wanted Like playing with a walnut in his hand, Qin Chuan casually found a basin and quickly filled it with water. He quickly submerged his face completely below the water''s surface, feeling the new power within him. In the past, amid the water, he dared not even open his eyes due to the discomfort caused by water entering them; but now, he was able not only to freely open his eyes to observe everything underwater but also to breathe in it. Even breathing in water felt more refreshing than breathing normally. This unique ability also came from the Water Master, a passive skill that gave Qin Chuan an unparalleled advantage in the water. After testing the Water Master, Qin Chuan casually threw a towel that was hanging nearby into the basin. With a thought, the water in the basin began to swirl rapidly, stirring like a washing machine, and the water gradually turned muddy. When he took it out again, the towel was as clean as new. Indeed. Qin Chuan smiled. Although Dark Current Binding was not strong in attack, it had quite a bit of potential for development. He took a mouthful of water, used the same method to rinse his mouth, changed his clothes, and left home. Today, he did not encounter Tongtong and her mother again; Qin Chuan walked directly from the apartment building to the breakfast stall at the entrance of the community. "Boss, give me two meat buns and a bowl of soy milk." "Right away!" The diligent middle-aged boss quickly brought over the meat buns and soy milk, placing them in front of Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan thanked him and began to eat his breakfast, but then he heard arguing nearby. "Long Hang, are you looking for trouble?" "You think you''re the only one who has contracted a Spiritual Beast? If you''ve got the guts, let''s fight!" "Alright, let''s settle our new and old grudges!" Immediately after, the sound of scuffling and exclamations erupted. Qin Chuan, slightly pausing as he held his soy milk bowl, turned his head to look at the adjacent stall. At that moment, at that stall, two young men around his age were entangled in a fight. One of them, hands emitting flames, flung fire at the other repeatedly during the scuffle, quickly setting the other''s clothes on fire, which looked quite frightening. The sparks flying from the scuffle landed on the nearby plastic tables and chairs, quickly igniting them and emitting an unpleasant smell. The other was not to be outdone, his skin turning from flesh-colored to a stony white, as he swung his heavily fisted punches creating gusts of wind that repeatedly hit the body of the opponent, causing him to bleed from the corners of his mouth in no time. Occasional missed hits even cracked the floor tiles like spider webs. As the two shifted from arguing to fighting, patrons at nearby stalls quickly retreated, watching with frightened expressions but not daring to intervene, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire. Qin Chuan silently pulled out his phone and dialed the hotline of the Special Affairs Group. After briefly explaining the situation, the operator from the Special Affairs Group told Qin Chuan that someone had already called, and the staff were on their way. Almost a second after hanging up, a motorcycle roared like a wild beast, stopping at the roadside. A man wearing sunglasses, quick as a shadow, came rushing over. "Special Affairs Group, everyone stop!" Looking at the two entangled men, he immediately shouted and locked his hands like iron tongs around the two, forcefully pulling them apart. A police car with flashing lights arrived at this moment, and several burly men stepped out; without a word, they held down the two separated men, cuffed them, and took them away, while a few others professionally began taking statements and calming the crowd. The man who had initially arrived on the motorcycle, after receiving a phone call and cursing loudly, disappeared with the roar of his bike. Seeing that the situation was under control, Qin Chuan let down his guard, cooperated with a brief statement, finished his breakfast, and walked up to the breakfast stall owner at the counter. "Boss, I''ve transferred four yuan to you." "Alright." The boss''s face wore a look of greater concern, "If it continues like this, I dare not open for business." Qin Chuan pursed his lips and, without responding, turned and left. The arrival of extraordinary powers in the real world inevitably lead to chaos. He was well aware that the fight between the two Transcendents he witnessed was just the tip of the iceberg of this chaos. This could be partly seen from the busy Water Master driving a motorcycle, who belonged to the Special Affairs Group. At the classroom entrance, Qin Chuan paused. He also longed for extraordinary powers, yet he didn''t want everyone and everything to become completely unrecognizable because of them. Taking a deep breath, Qin Chuan pushed the door open and entered. "Qin Chuan, look at me quickly!" Seeing Tongtong with only his head showing above the floor, animatedly waving at him, Qin Chuan remained silent. At least Tongtong was still the familiar Tongtong. ----------------- "Qin Chuan, I successfully contracted a Contracted Spiritual Beast! An Earth Attribute one!" Tongtong, having pulled himself out of the ground, spoke excitedly. "I''ve already seen." Qin Chuan nodded. "Hehe," Tongtong could hardly keep the corners of his mouth down, "My Spiritual Beast has an active skill that allows it to move through the earth, which is the Taoist Earth Tunneling Technique." "Later I''ll contract a Spiritual Beast that can fly; then I''ll have achieved the feat of flying and tunneling!" As he spoke, Tongtong gave Qin Chuan a "jealous, aren''t you?" look. Qin Chuan took a sip of water, staying silent. "Hey, what about your Spiritual Beast''s abilities? Why don''t you show me a ''Water Ball''?" Tongtong asked with a chuckle. Water Ball... "Sure." Qin Chuan''s smile twitched bizarrely as he tapped a finger on the desk. "Huh?" Tongtong blinked, and the next second his expression dramatically changed. He abruptly stood up, clasped his hands over his crotch, and hurried out of the classroom. Qin Chuan calmly took another sip of water and then picked up his phone to access the Dream Realm Forum. Because extraordinary powers had appeared in the real world for the first time, the forum was exceptionally lively at the moment. Players who had already contracted Spiritual Beasts were showing off their new abilities through videos or photos, while those yet to contract were envious. Many players also expressed their concerns, believing that the current order would change with the arrival of extraordinary power. "Darn it, Qin Chuan, you trickster!" Tongtong returned to the classroom with a dark face, "I almost peed myself." "It was you who wanted to see the Water Ball." Qin Chuan gave Tongtong a sly look. Tongtong instinctively covered his crotch, and his face darkened even more. "You''re browsing the forum, huh." Noticing Qin Chuan''s activity, Tongtong''s attention quickly shifted, "This morning, the Special Affairs Group posted the first warrants for Transcendents on the forum. Did you see it? The wanted individual is from our city." Sar?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Warrant?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow. "Where is it?" "In the new section, right here..." Tongtong gestured with his hand. Soon, a wanted poster appeared before Qin Chuan. On seeing the photo on the poster, Qin Chuan''s pupils constricted. Is it him? Chapter 17 - 17 Educational Reform, Abolish Exemptions! Qin Chuan''s memory returned to last night. Last night, after a dispute broke out in the neighboring house, he saw a strange man slam the door and leave, casting a chilling glance at the neighbor''s windowsill after exiting the building. At this moment, that man''s photo was right in front of him on the wanted poster. "This guy is really a beast!" Little Fatty gritted his teeth in hatred, "After the entrance to the Dream World was closed, he immediately murdered a whole family he had conflicts with, not even sparing a little girl a few years old." Qin Chuan felt a pang of fear and immediately reviewed the criminal''s history. Not Tongtong''s family. It was another family that this man had murdered. Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately felt guilty for feeling relieved. After viewing the entire process, anger welled up in him, too. Simply because he had asked the man for a loan, and when he was not given one, this wanted man named Zhang Zhe brutally murdered the family of three and then fled the crime scene out of fear. Beyond anger, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but worry more. At this moment, the wanted criminal had not been caught. Tongtong''s family seemed to have conflicts with him, too. Could he continue committing crimes? Living right next door to Tongtong''s house, if the criminal acted again, he couldn''t guarantee that he wouldn''t be affected. "Qin Chuan?" "Ah?" Qin Chuan came back to reality, "What is it?" "Stop looking at the wanted poster, the reward money is decent, but it has nothing to do with us." Little Fatty rubbed his hands, "I''ll treat you to lunch, let''s go out to have a meal? Consider it a celebration of my Contracted Spiritual Beast." "Okay." Qin Chuan nodded. Little Fatty, due to poor grades and an ordinary appearance, had few close friends in class; coincidentally, Qin Chuan also had few classmates he could talk to. Sitting together, they became the ones with whom they could have the best conversations after some back and forth. It had been a long time since he had dined out, which he also missed. It''s a belated celebration of his contract with Water Flower. As for the wanted poster issue, Qin Chuan thought about it for a moment, dug out the contact information for the neighbors he had written down long ago, and sent a text message to warn Tongtong''s parents. Next, they would surely find ways to deal with it and, if necessary, contact the Special Affairs Group. The Water Leaf Dog''s skills did not include searching abilities, and looking for a wanted fugitive was still best not meddled in by him. As the homeroom teacher entered the classroom, the noisy room quickly quieted down, and students boasting about their Extraordinary Powers also stopped their activities, sitting properly in their seats with their residual respect for the teaching profession. The homeroom teacher calmly swept his eyes across the classroom, saw seven or eight empty seats, and without saying much, started the new day''s lesson. It wasn''t until the bell rang for break that he spoke a few more words. "I''ve received some news; in a while, in addition to the current curriculum, you may have classes related to the Transcendents added, the specifics of which are still unclear," he said. "Things have been rather chaotic outside recently, so try to avoid conflicts with others as much as possible. Even if you possess Extraordinary Power, you must not overstep the legal boundaries and also don''t neglect your personal safety." As his words ended, observing the contemplative students in the classroom, the homeroom teacher nodded slightly and walked out of the room. The break ended quickly, and the next subject teacher entered the classroom to start the class. Time flew by in the morning, and as the last class bell rang, Little Fatty dragged Qin Chuan toward the school exit. The place they were heading to was a food stall near the school gate called Little Vegetable Garden, where the chef was known for good skills as well as generous and affordable servings, often frequented by students with a bit of money to gather for a meal. After all, the cooking skills of the school cafeteria chefs were really mediocre. "Boss, give us a stir-fried pork with green peppers, and also" Entering Little Vegetable Garden, Little Fatty adeptly ordered three dishes and a soup, then turned to Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan shook his head slightly to indicate that this was enough. "That''s it, thanks; can you make it quick?" Little Fatty gave the owner a smile, "Just finished class, I''m starving!" "No problem!" The owner chuckled and turned to the kitchen to pass on the order. Little Fatty then pulled Qin Chuan to a window-side seat to sit down, raised an eyebrow, and whispered, "Did you know? Because of suddenly possessing Extraordinary Power, today seven or eight teachers at school applied for resignation, including one from the senior class specialized in Chinese." "The guys in Class One are screwed now, with college entrance exams coming soon, changing teachers at this time will have a big impact." "It''s not that bad," Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, "Future college entrance exams may not just cover academic subjects, so the fluctuation in scores for a single academic subject may not have such a big impact." "Hmm?" Little Fatty showed a confused look. "Do you remember what the homeroom teacher said today?" Qin Chuan glanced at Little Fatty, "We are going to have some Transcendent-related courses added." "That implies two points." "First, the college entrance exams will probably not be canceled." "Second, the exams might include requirements related to Transcendent abilities." "Ah, that..." Little Fatty was stunned. He certainly had heard the homeroom teacher''s words, too. At the time, he just complained a few words, thinking that there would be even more classes to attend. But the same sentence allowed Qin Chuan to predict so much more. After nine years, how did you become such a talent? "It''s just a guess," Qin Chuan spread his hands, "But I think it will become clear after some time." "Alright." Little Fatty shook his head, "Speaking of which, something else happened this morning." "A Transcendent student from the junior division got into a verbal conflict with a teacher and ended up beating the teacher severely, who was then sent to the hospital, and the student was taken away by the Special Affairs Group." "The junior division?" Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched slightly. Coming from the junior division himself, he knew how difficult those students were to manage. However, shouldn''t students at this stage adjust their schedule to avoid the opening of the Dream World? "The Special Affairs Group advises teenagers under 15 to adjust their schedules to adapt to reverse schedules, but that''s just a suggestion," as if perceiving Qin Chuan''s thoughts, Little Fatty spoke solemnly, "If they choose to enter the Dream World themselves, there won''t be anyone forcing them to adjust." "That student did just that." At this point, Little Fatty suddenly sneered with his fists clenched, "Yesterday''s announced regulations eliminated the juvenile criminal immunity for Transcendents." "Not only that, any crime committed by Transcendents against ordinary people will be punished to the fullest extent, and based on the charge of intentional Damage, that guy will be sentenced to at least ten years." Watching Little Fatty''s trembling hands, Qin Chuan suddenly remembered a past event Little Fatty had told him about. In junior high, he had been bullied by a classmate for three whole years until a kind teacher tried to help him but was injured for his troubles. The case was ultimately dismissed because the perpetrator was under 16 years of age. Sighing softly, Qin Chuan patted Little Fatty''s hand. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s all in the past." Chapter 18 - 18 Catch Him! Zixiu''s emotions were fleeting like a passing storm. After the aromatic dishes were served, Zixiu, whose hands were previously clenched tightly together, suddenly grabbed the chopsticks and with a single move picked up the most succulent part of the braised fishthe fish belly. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but feel stunned for a moment before he hurriedly started to eat with both amusement and irritation. "Save some for me!" The high schoolers'' fervor for eating lacked any semblance of table manners and restraint. All that mattered was efficiency and the resolution to grab an extra mouthful of meat. As the two indulged in a feast, the simple spread of three dishes and a soup somehow took on the taste of luxury. "Boss, I''ll have whatever''s ready, one meat and one veggie, make it quick!" A shout came from outside, and the busy owner hurried to respond. At that moment, Qin Chuan''s chopsticks came to a halt. He suddenly felt that the voice from moments ago sounded familiar. Unable to resist the urge, Qin Chuan turned to look at the man who had walked in by himself and sat near the entrance. The man looked unfamiliar, and Qin Chuan was sure he had never seen him before. And so, that sense of familiarity slowly vanished. After all, there were many people in this world with similar voices. "What''s wrong?" Zixiu, noticing Qin Chuan''s pause, asked curiously. "Nothing." Qin Chuan shook his head and took the opportunity to grab the last piece of stir-fried pork with green peppers. "Damn it, I wasn''t paying attention!" Zixiu''s eyes widened as he looked at the glistening piece of marbled pork, shining under the light just like a stolen lover, feeling terribly upset. When the meal was over and both had drunk a full bowl of soup, the dining experience drew to a close. "Burp~" Qin Chuan patted his belly contentedly, "It''s not often we get to eat meat, thanks." "Why say thanks for something like this between us?" Zixiu waved his hand dismissively but suddenly froze. Rubbing his eyes vigorously, he then nudged Qin Chuan with his elbow, "Qin Chuan, look over there." Following Zixiu''s gesture, Qin Chuan immediately saw a familiar figure. It was Zhou Zixiu from the Special Affairs Group who had come to give a presentation at their school the other day. At this moment, he was sitting in a restaurant across the street, dining with a few others while occasionally glancing their way. "Why would people from Special Affairs Group be near our school?" Zixiu couldn''t help but mutter quietly, "Are they coming for a presentation this afternoon?" "Maybe?" Qin Chuan was also unsure, responding offhandedly. Sitting not too far from them, the man who had casually ordered one meat and one veggie dish twitched his ears, and his expression changed in an instant. "Crash!" With a sudden noise, he quickly stood up and headed for the exit. "Eh? You haven''t paid yet!" The owner, noticing the commotion, couldn''t help but shout, but the man turned a deaf ear. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but glance at the man''s uneaten meal on the table. His food must have been served not long ago and he had hardly touched it. Even if someone was going to dine and dash, shouldn''t they at least eat their fill before running off? As he puzzled over this, he heard Zixiu cry out in alarm, "People from the Special Affairs Group are coming out!" What? Qin Chuan quickly turned his head and soon saw Zhou Zixiu and the others he had been eating with, rushing out towards the direction of the man who just left. From other directions, several figures who were previously doing their own things stopped abruptly, setting aside their tasks to chase with determination. "Stop him!" This... A flash of lightning seemed to strike through Qin Chuan''s mind. He remembered why the man''s voice sounded familiar! It was from the muted quarrel he overheard last night that seeped through the walls! This person was Zhang Zhe, who had just been put on the wanted list today! Although Qin Chuan didn''t know why the other party no longer looked the same, there were countless ways to change one''s appearance, and he trusted his intuition. He abruptly stood up, charging out of the food stall, and turned his head towards the direction Zhang Zhe had run off to. He saw the plainclothes figures of the Special Affairs Group, and further away, the fleeing figure of Zhang Zhe. Zhang Zhe, clearly unfamiliar with the place, had panickedly turned and darted into a dark alley amidst the chase of the plainclothes officers. That alley... Qin Chuan, exceedingly familiar with the area, narrowed his pupils. "Uncle, a hat, the fat one''s paying." Qin Chuan casually grabbed a duckbill cap from a nearby stall, pointed at the chubby boy, then turned and sprinted off in another direction. He knew where the alley''s exit was. And calculating the time, he had the chance to intercept Zhang Zhe before he emerged from the alley. Qin Chuan didn''t know why he made the choice at that moment, whether it was the bravery of youth or the impulsiveness of adolescence. But one thing was certain. Since he had made the choice, he had to do it well. "Hey, Qin Chuan!" The chubby boy finally snapped out of it, dashed out of the food stall, and tried to catch up with Qin Chuan, only to be stopped by the cap seller. "The hat is twenty-three bucks, he said you''re paying." "I..." The chubby boy first froze, then immediately became furious. "For this hat? I''ll give you fifteen at most, a penny more and you''re insulting me!" ----------------- "Zhang Zhe, don''t persist in your delusion!" Listening to the roars echoing through the alley from behind, Zhang Zhe''s eyes were filled with a coldness. Persist in a delusion? Had Zhang Zhe been down on his luck, fallen on hard times, so poor that he couldn''t even lift the cooking pot at home, and were those "good brothers" who clinked cups with him at the table climbing the ranks, living better and better, was he jealous? He was not! He simply hoped that these "good brothers" would help him out when he was down, give him a hand when it was but a small effort for them, yet what he received was nothing but insincere refusals. If that was the case, they couldn''t blame him, Zhang Zhe, for being unrighteous. With this in mind, a fierce flash crossed Zhang Zhe''s eyes. This damned Dream World, the timing couldn''t be better. Although it had caused him much suffering, it also gave him power beyond his imagination. A misty light appeared on Zhang Zhe''s face, and when it dissipated, he had a new face, even his clothes had changed. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could see the other end of the alley. The alley entrance was bustling with people. He was confident that hidden among the crowd, no one would find him. When he rose from the shadows, he would surely have his vengeance on all those who watched him with cold eyes! "Step!" A clear footstep sounded. Zhang Zhe''s foot had stepped into a puddle at the mouth of the alley that had appeared out of nowhere. Initially, he thought nothing of it, but in the next moment, his face changed abruptly. The splashed Water Flower froze mid-air, a massive force hidden in the water bound his foot. His forward momentum was instantly broken, and Zhang Zhe fell heavily to the ground. Before he could get up, a number of figures rushed out from the alley mouth, pinning him down with a variety of Extraordinary Powers, rendering him completely immobile. And the Water Flower had already fallen back into the water, only creating ripples, as if there had never been anything out of the ordinary. In the chaos, Zhang Zhe faintly saw a youth with a duckbill cap covering his face giving him a quiet glance before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Chapter 19 - 19 Replay After taking a large detour into a secluded alleyway, Qin Chuan picked up his school jacket that lay on the ground, shook off the dust, and draped it over himself; then, he removed his duckbill cap and tucked it into his chest. Having done all this, Qin Chuan followed the alley and quickly made his way back near the small vegetable market stall. "Qin Chuan, where did you go?" The rotund classmate, who had been waiting nearby, rushed over with large strides, a trace of worry visible on his face. Qin Chuan smiled but did not reveal the truth. "I just saw someone I knew and went to greet them." "Is that so?" The chubby classmate eyed Qin Chuan suspiciously. "Where''s your hat?" "I gave it to that acquaintance," Qin Chuan said impassively, telling a bold-faced lie. "He''s bald, and his wig was ruined, so I lent it to him to cover up." "Bald, huh" The chubby classmate involuntarily touched his own hair. "It''s about time; let''s head back to the classroom." "Okay." By the time the two returned to the classroom, it was already filled with quite a few students. It was rest time at noon, and everyone tacitly maintained the silence, each immersed in their own activities. While the carefree chubby classmate took a pillow out from his drawer, lay his head on the desk, and swiftly fell into a deep sleep, Qin Chuan, sitting next to him, could not fall asleep. After all, he had just performed a significant act. Once the impulse had passed, he still felt a bit frightened. If everything went as expected, the captured Zhang Zhe would undoubtedly face the death penalty, with no chance to retaliate against him, but Qin Chuan worried that Zhang Zhe might have accomplices or close associates. So, leaning back in his chair with arms crossed, Qin Chuan seriously reviewed the entire process from the moment he had given chase to his return. There were surveillance cameras along the way, but they didn''t cover all areas. He had changed his clothes in areas without surveillance. Moreover, he had been very discreet throughout the entire process of taking action. Having confirmed these points, Qin Chuan''s expression eased somewhat. His identity was not so easy to discover. He took out his phone and opened the Dream Realm Forum; the warrant for Zhang Zhe he had posted earlier had now dimmed, indicating the criminal was captured. Following Zhang Zhe''s warrant, a few more new warrants appeared, but these new warrants were not within his city, or even within the same province. He would leave those for the Transcendents in the other provinces and cities to handle. ----------------- "Boss, capturing Zhang Zhe so quickly has certainly made us stand out in front of our colleagues in the Special Affairs Group in Changxing City." In the temporary office of the Special Affairs Group, a young member who participated in the arrest exhibited an excited smile. "Indeed." The young man''s superior smiled back. "The Special Affairs Group was only recently established and has a lot of work ahead. We need a good victory to deter those agitated by their newfound extraordinary powers." "I''ll commend you all for your efforts, and there''ll be rewards for everyone!" Hearing this, the members of the office cheered. "Knock knock knock~" At that moment, a knock on the door sounded, followed by a tall and thin figure rushing in, holding a sealed file. "Boss, we''ve got a problem." "What problem?" Seeing the young man''s serious expression, the superior''s smile faded. "Zhang Zhe won''t admit his guilt?" "That''s not it," the young man shook his head slightly. "Zixiu, don''t be mysterious," a short-haired woman in the office couldn''t help speaking up, "What''s the issue?" "I think..." Zhou Zixiu considered his words carefully. "There was something wrong with our arrest of Zhang Zhe. His final fall was abnormal." "Psh! Is that it?" The first young man to speak waved dismissively. "He just had bad luck, stepped into a puddle and slipped!" "If you ask me, it''s fate. Even the heavens want to take down such a beast." "I thought so too at first," Zhou Zixiu spoke in a grave tone, then raised the file in his hand. "This is Zhang Zhe''s confession. He claims that he tripped over something at the end, and it wasn''t just a slip." Hearing this, everyone in the office looked at each other. And Lan Cheng, the superior, also appeared thoughtful. Due to the urgency of the situation, these members of the Special Affairs Group had been temporarily seconded from other official departments in the locality. Zhou Zixiu was the only member with a background in criminal investigation. Moreover, to better carry out his duties, he rejected a contract offer from a Level 10 Spiritual Beast, choosing instead a Contracted Spiritual Beast whose abilities were more suited to search and arrest work. It was he who had first pinpointed Zhang Zhe''s location through a combination of clues and the extraordinary power of the Contracted Spiritual Beast. It could be said that Zhou Zixiu had played the most crucial role in capturing Zhang Zhe so quickly. Though he regarded the exact manner of Zhang Zhe''s fall as a minor issue, he still chose to respect Zhou Zixiu''s opinion. "Zixiu, how do you propose we investigate?" Lan Cheng slowly asked. "Check the surveillance. I want to see the full process of Zhang Zhe being tripped," Zhou Zixiu replied without hesitation. "I''ll help with that," the short-haired woman with a laptop in her arms stood up, her slender fingers tapping quickly on the keyboard. She soon pulled up the surveillance footage needed. The entire sequence of Zhang Zhe stepping out of the alley, stumbling into a puddle, and then being tripped was laid out before everyone''s eyes. "Click!" As soon as Zhou Zixiu saw the moment when Zhang Zhe was tripped, he quickly pressed the pause button. His eyes sparkled with keen insight; he used the mouse to rewind the footage by one second, then watched in the slowest speed possible. The surveillance was blurry, yet Zhou Zixiu promptly noticed something amiss. "Here." He paused again, pointing at the puddle beneath Zhang Zhe''s feet. "At this moment, the ripples in the puddle should continue to spread, but they froze." Zhou Zixiu spoke solemnly. "Although it was just for an instant, there''s no doubt that an extraordinary power intervened." "Du You, what do you think?" "It''s water attribute." A bespectacled man with a scholarly air adjusted his glasses. "It''s likely a water attribute control Skill." "So, there was a Transcendent present at the time, hindering Zhang Zhe''s escape," Zhou Zixiu said gravely. "Rewind the surveillance; I want to see how the puddle formed." The short-haired woman nodded and continued to rewind the footage to before the puddle appeared. Soon, a silhouette hurried forward in the surveillance footage, the figure dashing hastily, accidentally knocking over a bucket of water placed at the entrance of a nearby stall. S~ea??h the ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhou Zixiu swiftly glanced at the timestamp on the surveillance footage. The moment the bucket was knocked over and the time Zhang Zhe stepped on it were less than half a minute apart! He instantly focused on the figure in the cap within the surveillance footage. In the video, after knocking over the bucket, the figure continued to apologize to the stall owner, and even as the owner gestured that it was okay, the apologies persisted. Not until Zhang Zhe was lying on the ground did he glance at him, and then he turned and left. An awkward silence fell across the office. Chapter 20 - 20 Qin Chuans Little Trouble Seeing this, even those who weren''t from the criminal investigation department had realized that something was definitely off with this guy in the duckbill cap. Sure enough, it must have been him who had covertly intercepted Zhang Zhe. "Keep tabs on him," Zhou Zixiu said, staring at the image of Qin Chuan that had paused on the screen. "We need to identify him." "Um, Zixiu," the young man who had spoken earlier couldn''t help but speak up, "Shouldn''t this be considered acting bravely for a just cause? Why does it feel like you''re treating him like a criminal?" "When I was in the criminal investigation department, I came across a case," Zhou Zixiu said calmly. "Someone secretly helped us find the culprit, but they turned out to be an even deeper hidden criminal themselves, merely sacrificing a pawn to save a chess piece." "Because we wrongly excluded him from our suspects, we almost let him get away, which could have been disastrous." "Since then, I''ve approached everyone related to a case with suspicion, to confirm their identity and purpose." "We''ve lost him," the short-haired girl suddenly said. "That area of the school district is part of the old town, with many blind spots in the surveillance." "He probably changed clothes in one of the blind spots, and since he wore a duckbill cap, we never saw his face." "Can we track him through the duckbill cap?" Zhou Zixiu asked. "Difficult," another member shook their head. "Those caps are just street market goods; you can find stands selling the exact same style all over that area." Zhou Zixiu was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "In that case, I personally will..." "Hold on," Lan Cheng said with a deep voice, interrupting Zhou Zixiu. "Zixiu, what do you think are the chances that this person is an accomplice of Zhang Zhe?" Zixiu pondered for a moment. "There were no signs of an accomplice at the scene of Zhang Zhe''s homicide. The probability should be less than ten percent." "Then let it go for now," Lan Cheng stood up and patted Zhou Zixiu''s shoulder. "In these troubled times, you have more important tasks at hand, and we cannot let a bit of suspicion divert us." "Besides, don''t forget our stance in the Special Affairs Group at this stage," Lan Cheng said solemnly. "We should try to win over as many Transcendents as possible to our side." "If he was just being courageous for justice, but becomes antagonistic toward the Special Affairs Group, or even the officials because of your suspicions, that would be against our original intention." Zixiu looked moved, "You''re right." "If you really want to know, I''ll allow you to investigate in your spare time without disturbing the person," Lan Cheng patted Zhou Zixiu''s shoulder. "After all, this is not the criminal investigation department." sea??h th ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I understand," Zhou Zixiu nodded, then suddenly said, "If he was acting bravely, what about the reward for the warrant..." "He''s keeping a low profile, probably doesn''t plan on claiming the reward," Lan Cheng chuckled. "In that case, we might as well pretend we don''t know about it." "However... let''s keep the reward for the time being, if he ever wants to join us and has the capability to do so, then the reward will go back to its rightful owner." "...Got it," Zhou Zixiu''s expression was somewhat peculiar. "That''s settled, you can go back to your tasks," Lan Cheng waved his hand. "Leave the credit claim to me, the administrator. You are my soldiers; just focus on earning the credits with your abilities." "Yes!" resounded clearly in the office. ----------------- [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Contract Slot: 1/1][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 7/10][View] [Skill Carrying](Not set) [02:37:25/08:00:00][00:00:09] Glancing at the panel, Qin Chuan picked up the milky white fish soup boiling beside the stove and set it on the stone dining table. It had been eight days since the completion of the shelter. During these eight days, he had been improving the shelter, firing various clay vessels, and making some furniture from various materials. The little shelter was gradually becoming more like a home. A home for him and Water Flower. "Dinner''s up!" "Woof!" (I''m so hungry!) Water Flower jumped excitedly onto the chair, her nose twitching, and her eyes lighting up at the sight of the fish soup as the lid was removed. The deliciousness of the rainbow fish stewed with various side dishes and seasonings far surpassed that of grilled fish. After just one taste, Water Flower was completely enamored. "Careful, it''s hot." Qin Chuan filled a large, specially made dog food bowl for Water Flower and placed it in front of her, then served himself a bowl from another clay bowl. The warm and delicious fish soup filled his belly, bringing an instant sense of satisfaction. In the eight days since he had covertly tripped Zhang Zhe, his life in the real world had gradually returned to normal. With the advent of the Transcendents, the special task force units around the world showed for the first time their sharp fangs against Transcendent criminals. These special departments, temporarily assembled from various official units, demonstrated astounding efficiency in a short time, forming combat squads with different functions, each member choosing only the most suitable Spiritual Pet contracts. If there was no fitting Spiritual Pet available in the Dream World to match their function, they only had one solution. To deliberately delete their account and choose death. Again and again, until they contracted the most suitable Spiritual Beast. This act, something ordinary people couldn''t fathom, allowed them to form the most efficient teams in the shortest time. With successive triumphs in maintaining order, they proved that even starting from the same line, the Special Affairs Group was not something ordinary Transcendents could challenge. Nine days ago, as soon as the update announcement was released, the Special Affairs Group issued the "Yanhuang Country Special Affairs Temporary Management Measures (First Edition)." Now it has been updated to the third edition, leaving no loopholes for Transcendent criminals. In turbulent times, draconian measures are needed! And so, the restlessness lurking in the shadows of various places subsided. As time progressed, the matter of the high school entrance exam incorporating an Extraordinary Course, mentioned by the previous headteacher, had also become clear. The implementation of the Extraordinary Course was inevitable and would be included in the entrance exam, but the enrollment of non-Transcendents wouldn''t be affected. Even now, there were very few non-Transcendents who had reached the age of 15. The Extraordinary Course would start in two days. The reason was related to the upcoming update. The Special Affairs Group would adjust their plans flexibly based on the new content of the update. Everything in the real world was changing for the better, but inside the Dream World, Qin Chuan and Water Flower had encountered a small problem. During this time, they had scoured the surrounding area, finding many special fruits that could increase Experience Points, allowing Water Flower''s Level to rise from Lv5 (8/100) to Lv7 (50/100), with its Race Value rising to 410, and its Affinity reaching 76%. But they had exhausted the resources nearby. To level up faster, they now needed to explore new areas of the Map. Chapter 21 - 21 Hunting the Shadow Leopard "Purr~" After finishing the last sip of fish soup, Qin Chuan set down his bowl and chopsticks. Water Flower almost at the same time licked her bowl clean of fish soup, and then looked up at Qin Chuan. "Next, we need to expand our territory," Qin Chuan spoke softly, "The surrounding area has been searched these past few days, and there are no longer resources available to help you level up." "To become stronger as quickly as possible, we need to find a new territory." "You''ve been living in this area since you were born, do you have any ideas?" After hearing Qin Chuan''s question, Water Flower''s face showed a thoughtful expression. A moment later, her eyes suddenly brightened, but then a hesitant look appeared. "What''s wrong?" Sensing Water Flower''s unusual behavior, Qin Chuan asked. "Woof, woof, woof..." (I do know a place with quite a few fruits that can enhance experience, but...) As Water Flower told her story, Qin Chuan had an expression that was both unexpected and yet reasonable. The place Water Flower mentioned was the territory of the Shadow Leopards, and also where they had first met. According to Water Flower, she didn''t actually live in that area, but went there because it had special fruits that could increase experience, and in large quantities. Instead of finding the fruits, she met Qin Chuan, and both person and beast were chased by a Shadow Leopard, leading to their current situation. Water Flower''s hesitation was obviously because of the Shadow Leopard. Even though she had reached Lv7, she was still far behind the Growth Rank Lv12 of the Shadow Leopard. After listening to Water Flower''s story, Qin Chuan wore a contemplative look. He believed that the Shadow Leopard wouldn''t fall for the same trick Water Flower used last time, and defeating the Shadow Leopard through normal means would certainly be impossible. His gaze finally settled on the Time Stop duration. He had not wasted any Time Stop duration over the past eight days, and by now, he had accumulated nine seconds. Nine seconds of Time Stop should be more than enough to deal with a Shadow Leopard. But this needed careful planning. Previously, Qin Chuan had only used Time Stop for one second, and hadn''t done anything with it. Strictly speaking, this would be his first real use of Time Stop. How to use the Time Stop duration more effectively, he needed to make a plan in advance. Qin Chuan casually took out a wooden pen and began to draw and scribble on a wooden frame covered with fine sand. About an hour passed, and he threw the wooden pen down, "I have a plan!" "Woof?" (What?) Water Flower, who had been lying beside Qin Chuan, glanced up quickly. "The biggest characteristic of the Shadow Leopard is its fast speed," Qin Chuan said confidently, "We''ll use the speed of the Shadow Leopard to our advantage to take it down." Water Flower tilted her head, her face showing confusion. Obviously, she hadn''t grasped Qin Chuan''s meaning. "That''s how it is..." Qin Chuan quickly outlined his plan, while gesturing with his hands in the air. Water Flower listened, and her eyes grew brighter and her face showed sudden understanding. After the explanation, Qin Chuan glanced at the time. [03:53:29/08:00:00][00:00:09] "We have four hours left, we need to hurry." "Woof!" (Alright!) ----------------- "Phew~ We''ve finally arrived." Qin Chuan exhaled a breath of relief, setting down the secret weapon that had taken nearly three hours to assemble. At the moment, this secret weapon''s surface was covered with crudely woven straw mats, topped with greenery, blending almost seamlessly with the surrounding knee-high vegetation. "Woof!" (We''re approaching the Shadow Leopard''s territory.) Sar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Water Flower stared ahead with a serious expression on her small face. "After today, this will be our domain." Qin Chuan revealed a wild smile, slightly ferocious. He glanced at the time. [07:58:18/08:00:07][00:00:02] Seven seconds was the minimum time Qin Chuan anticipated needing. If seven seconds were not enough, he would continue to add a second at a time until he reached his goal. However, now was not the time to make a move. He did not have the confidence to survive 102 seconds in the hands of the Shadow Leopard. [07:59:20/08:00:07][00:00:02] "Let''s go." Qin Chuan gave a low shout, leaving the secret weapon in place, and, carrying a peculiar wooden board on his back, he charged into the Shadow Leopard''s territory with Water Flower. Fifty meters... A hundred meters... Two hundred meters! [07:59:46/08:00:07][00:00:02] The moment they delved two hundred meters, Qin Chuan spotted a streak of black in his view. He immediately ran in another direction, yelling wildly, "Hey big black cat, come and catch me if you can!" "Roar!!!!" An astonishing roar came from behind, as the patch of black transformed in an instant into a terrifying black streak, chasing down Qin Chuan. The Shadow Leopard had recognized this pair of human and creature. The memory of being toyed with by these two insignificants became vivid; its hatred peaked in an instant. This time, it was determined to kill these two! The dark patterns beneath its feet flickered; with each leap, the Shadow Leopard covered a full ten meters, visibly closing the distance to Qin Chuan. But Qin Chuan showed no signs of panic. When the Shadow Leopard was only about twenty meters away, only a couple of leaps from pouncing, Qin Chuan leaped, tumbling down the slope hidden in the depths of the grass. This was the very slope that had caused his previous downfall, leaving him unconscious for several hours. Now, this slope had become his best battleground against the Shadow Leopard! Landing on the slope, the wooden board on Qin Chuan''s back somehow ended up under his feet, turning into a unique skateboard, with his speed increasing far beyond that of a full sprint. Driven by hate, the Shadow Leopard pursued without hesitation. Having lived here a long time, it was no stranger to this slope, but the rugged steepness hindered its chase, forcing it to slow down to avoid losing balance once more. Speed fluctuating, Qin Chuan, who should have been an easy catch, now seemed unattainable in the eyes of the Shadow Leopard. Its eyes glinted fiercely as it fixed its gaze on Qin Chuan''s retreating figure, waiting for the moment he would slow down at the foot of the slope. It vowed that upon catching this detestable creature, it would tear him to shreds! The slope wasn''t long; soon, Qin Chuan had slid to the bottom. Reaching the flat ground, his sliding speed sharply decreased, while the Shadow Leopard''s speed surged. [07:59:58/08:00:07][00:00:02] Qin Chuan took a quick look at the time, his mind made up. Without hesitation, he jumped off the skateboard, now moving no faster than his sprint, and twisted around to start a frantic run in another direction. Caught off guard, the Shadow Leopard quickly recovered and changed direction, relentlessly pursuing. [07:59:59/08:00:07][00:00:02] Qin Chuan could feel the ferocious aura from behind, but at the same moment, he also saw the inconspicuous secret weapon hidden among the grass and trees. Seeing Qin Chuan within reach, the Shadow Leopard let out a fierce roar and pounced with all its might. [08:00:00/08:00:07][00:00:02] In the instant when everything around him came to a standstill, Qin Chuan swiftly turned his head, facing the Shadow Leopard that was almost upon him, and took in a sharp breath. Chapter 22 - 22 Time Stop Again! Unlock Achievements! He had no time for astonishment; Qin Chuan dropped the Water Flower and ran to the secret weapon first. Casually, he lifted the hemp cover and green grasses from its surface, exposing its true form. It was a row of tightly bound wooden spikes supported by a simple yet sturdy stand, designed to withstand head-on impacts. Each of these wooden spikes was embedded with finely honed Stone Spearheads, and they were smeared with brightly colored and highly toxic juices, leaving no doubt that any flesh-and-blood creature that collided at full speed would instantly meet its demise. With no time to admire his own creation, Qin Chuan ate a fruit to quickly recover his stamina and carried the secret weapon, modeled after caltrops, to confront the Shadow Leopard. In this brief period, Water Flower had already used Rapid Stream Break seven or eight times, leaving a series of bloody wounds on the Shadow Leopard''s head. These wounds alone were enough to give the Shadow Leopard a tough time. [08:00:06/08:00:07][00:00:02] Seeing the Time Stop about to end, Qin Chuan cautiously added a second, then gasping for air, placed the hefty caltrops down and pushed them forward to press the sharp Stone Spearheads against the body of the Shadow Leopard. [08:00:07/08:00:08][00:00:01] [08:00:08/08:00:08][00:00:02] [Dream World entrance closed] ----------------- "It should solve it, right..." Inside the classroom, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but mutter under his breath. He had done all he could. The moment he entered the Dream World next, the Shadow Leopard would crash into the poison-laced caltrops at its original terrifying speed. Its head was already battered by several unresisted Rapid Stream Breaks, causing at the least a concussion, so it couldn''t possibly react in any way. Based on the current analysis of a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast''s strength on the Dream Realm Forum, the Shadow Leopard was certain to die. But since it was his first real use of Time Stop, he still felt a bit uncertain in his heart. "What are you going to resolve?" asked Xiao Pang curiously, turning his head. "Nothing," Qin Chuan shook his head, glanced at Xiao Pang''s phone, "Looking at the forum?" "Yeah," Xiao Pang chuckled, "You know, tomorrow''s the next update for Blue Star. Everyone on the forum is guessing what the next update will include." "I see," Qin Chuan nodded knowingly and opened the forum himself. When the Blue Star 2.0 update was announced, not many noticed the next update date because the information was overwhelming and the update interval was short. More importantly, everyone greatly underestimated the disruptive nature of subsequent updates. With the Blue Star 2.1 update announcement and the Extraordinary Descent into the real world, amidst panic and chaos, people began to realize the importance of the updates. Each update could bring a new order. Thus, the Special Affairs Group was thoroughly prepared for this update. Many preparatory measures had to be taken, and they would commence after this update. This way, no matter what the update entailed, adjustments could be made timely. The complete preparation by the Special Affairs Group also served as a strong reassurance to the public. This was evident from the trend of comments on the Dream Realm Forum. There were few who expressed worries about the next update; most showed anticipation. After all, the Extraordinary had descended into reality, and only by swiftly adjusting their mindset to proactively adapt could they go further. Among the many speculations about the update on the Dream Realm Forum, those guessing it would be a resource type update received the most likes. Because many players were stuck exactly there. As time passed and with the selfless sharing of information by the Special Affairs Group, the number of players whose Contracted Spiritual Beast reached Lv10 also increased. However, not a single Spiritual Beast had advanced from Juvenile Stage to Growth Rank. All players were stuck at the step of collecting resources for advancement. Resource gathering had become the most pressing need. Just as Qin Chuan finished browsing the forum discussions, the subject teacher walked up to the podium. The cultural courses continued and, with the confirmation of the addition of the Extraordinary course, those students who had previously skipped class had now dutifully returned to the classroom. Within the symphony of book voices, a day passed in the blink of an eye. The sky gradually darkened, and Qin Chuan, sitting on his bed, scrolled through the forum with his mind already drifting into the Dream World. Finally, Qin Chuan gave up struggling, picked up the melatonin from his bedside table, swallowed a pill, dropped his phone, and immediately fell asleep. Sear?h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This sleep aid indeed helped many players who couldn''t sleep to enter the Dream World on time. In the quiet room, the hour, minute, and second hands once again converged on "12." A flash of light streaked by, and the entrance to the Dream World opened. ----------------- "Pfft~" As soon as his consciousness cleared, Qin Chuan heard a strange noise. Immediately after, a stinking and scalding liquid drenched him from head to toe. With everything before his eyes dyed in blood red, Qin Chuan only glanced once at the miserable state of the Shadow Leopard on the crash barrier before he couldn''t help but crouch down and retch continuously. He had never seen such a bloody scene before. So much so that Qin Chuan had already begun to reflect, wondering if he was overreacting. Surely just a stone spear would have been enough... [Congratulations to Player for achieving the Hidden Achievement[Exceeding Rank Kill I], Achievement Points +500, Experience Gem +50] [Congratulations to Player for achieving your first Hidden Achievement, unlocking the hidden module: Achievement Wall] Qin Chuan stiffened up, staring at the suddenly emerging text in front of him, even forgetting about vomiting for a moment. A hidden achievement? What is that?! Water Flower, standing nearby with her mouth agape, staring at the tragically dead Shadow Leopard, finally came to her senses and hurriedly used water currents to help Qin Chuan wash off the bloodstains. Qin Chuan walked to the side, letting Water Flower help him clean up while he opened his panel. [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Achievement Wall: 1/1000][View] [Contract Slot: 1/1][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 8/10][View] [Skill Carrying] (not set) [00:00:23/08:00:00][00:00:02] The Achievement Wall! That''s it! Qin Chuan quickly clicked into it and soon saw a wall adorned with numerous gray, locked achievements, with the only one lit up being the newly obtained [Exceeding Rank Kill I]. It looked like a colorful billboard hanging on the wall, quite cool-looking. Below the name of the achievement was the method of achieving it. [Exceeding Rank Kill I: Use a Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast to kill a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast in a 1v1] In the Dream World, players themselves don''t possess Extraordinary Power, so naturally, the player''s strength isn''t considered. Below the method of achievement, there was a "500," displaying the Achievement Points corresponding to this achievement. As for what the Achievement Points meant, Qin Chuan hadn''t figured that out yet. After researching for a while, he exited the Achievement Wall and entered his own Equipment Item Bar. Inside the Equipment Item Bar, an extra slot appeared. That was 50 Experience Gems which, according to the corresponding introduction, each could be used to gain 10 Spiritual Beast Level experience. With them, Water Flower could now be leveled up to Lv10. Chapter 23 - 23 - Three Birds with One Stone! [Spiritual Beast Species: Water Leaf Dog] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Water Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv10][Advanced] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Grass and Wood Recognition] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 500] Sar?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 77%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Water Master (Passive), Dark Current Binding (Active), Rapid Stream Break (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Water Leaf Dog, a Water Attribute Spiritual Beast, is known for its keen senses, curious nature, love for exploration, and friendly disposition.] Looking at the panel belonging to Water Flower in front of him, a smile inevitably appeared on Qin Chuan''s face. After obtaining the Experience Gem, he had used 25 of them without hesitation, elevating Water Flower''s level to Lv10. Consequently, Water Flower''s Species Value reached 500, and its Affinity even increased by 1% due to the joy brought by three consecutive levels. Nowadays, in the Dream Realm Forum, more and more players with Contracted Spiritual Beasts reaching Lv10 are emerging; most of these players are rather fortunate to have contracted higher-level spiritual beasts from the start. When Qin Chuan contracted Water Flower, it was only Lv4, and this slight level disadvantage was finally rectified today. Without any contracted spiritual beasts reaching the Growth Rank yet, he had already entered the first tier of current players. What was most important next was the advancement. Qin Chuan''s gaze tightly locked onto the word "Advanced" following the level. The advacement process from Juvenile Stage to Growth Rank was no longer a secret. Many Lv10 players had shared the required resources for their Contracted Spiritual Beasts to advance, which varied depending on the species, but the quantity remained consistent, being three types. So far, he had not seen any player with a contracted Water Leaf Dog at Lv10, so the resources needed for Water Flower were entirely unknown. Taking a deep breath, Qin Chuan clicked "Advanced" and entered the advancement page. In the center of the page was the silhouette of Water Flower, surrounded by a series of ancient and mystical Array lines, evenly distributed around which were three inlay holes with three different shadows, corresponding to the three resources needed for Water Flower to advance. Upon touching it, the information for the three resources appeared in front of him. [Water Purification Stone: A low-level resource naturally formed by the Water Element, possesses magical powers to purify and refine water flows, a key material for the Juvenile Stage Water Leaf Dog to advance.] [Superheavy Water Core: A low-level resource naturally formed by the Water Element, can increase the density of Extraordinary Water thereby enhancing offensive power, a key material for the Juvenile Stage Water Leaf Dog to advance.] [Rapid Leg Bone: A low-level resource that has a chance to drop from a dead Spiritual Beast proficient in speed at the Growth Rank, can enhance movement speed, a key material for the Juvenile Stage Water Leaf Dog to advance.] After examining the information of the three resources, Qin Chuan''s gaze was fixed on the last item. A Growth Rank Spiritual Beast proficient in speed... He suddenly looked towards the Shadow Leopard, now riddled with stab holes and a horribly mutilated, barely watchable sight, but this moment he did not feel disgusted, instead, he was filled with intense anticipation. Could he be that lucky? He slowly walked forward, stretching out his hand to continuously search around the front and rear legs of the Shadow Leopard, simultaneously using a stone knife to cut open the skin and flesh to check the bones inside. The newly leveled-up Water Flower suppressed its excitement and curiously approached. "Woof?" (What are you doing?) "Find a special leg bone..." Qin Chuan''s voice suddenly halted, his gaze fixed intensely on the right hind leg of the Shadow Leopard. Using a sharpened stone knife, he cut open the pierced flesh, and he glimpsed an unusual creamy white. He increased the speed of his cutting, and soon a forearm-length leg bone was carefully extracted. This leg bone didn''t have the normal bone white color; instead, it had a jade-like creamy gloss. After being removed from the Shadow Leopard''s body, the leg bone didn''t adhere to any flesh but rather radiated a dim glow. Looking at the leg bone, which matched perfectly with the resource shadow for advancement, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but crack a smile. Rapid Leg Bone, in hand! He hadn''t expected that decisively deciding to kill the Shadow Leopard would not only unlock the hidden achievement but also secure one of the resources needed for Water Flower''s advancement. It was a two-for-one deal... no, it was a three-for-one. With the Shadow Leopard dealt with, they could explore the territory that originally belonged to it. With an increased area to explore, the gains naturally multiplied. Looking at Water Flower curiously examining the leg bone, even seemingly wanting to nibble on it a bit, Qin Chuan chuckled, "This isn''t for eating." "Your level has already reached Lv10, to reach the Growth Rank next, you need to advance, and advancing requires three key materials." "This Rapid Leg Bone is one of them." As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Chuan clearly saw a spark of excitement in Water Flower''s eyes. So, without further delay, he opened the advancement page again and inserted the Rapid Leg Bone into the corresponding slot. He then saw approximately a third of the array lines light up. "Arf" (This feeling) At the moment Qin Chuan completed the inlay, Water Flower''s expression turned peculiar. It felt its limbs suddenly tickle and after the tickling stopped, they gained a peculiar lightness. It tentatively started to run quickly, and soon its expression turned to one of surprise. "Speed increased?" Seeing this, Qin Chuan''s own eyes brightened. He had thought that resources used as advancement materials wouldn''t affect a Spiritual Beast directly. Unexpectedly, the two effects weren''t in conflict. This development made him even more eager to obtain the other two advancement materials. However, Qin Chuan was also aware that it wouldn''t be easy. After tallying up the loot from killing the Shadow Leopard, he quickly composed himself and glanced at the bloodied Shadow Leopard, "We should clean up the scene first." Killing a swiftly moving Growth Stage Shadow Leopard with ordinary caltrops was so far-fetched. Although a Spiritual Beast might not notice, if other players saw the remnants of the scene there, it could bring unnecessary risks to him. He disassembled the caltrops and, with the help of Water Flower''s strength, shattered and buried them on the spot. Afterward, he quickly rinsed the surroundings, Qin Chuan then breathed a sigh of relief, "You mentioned earlier that there is a scent around here that attracts you, can you smell it now?" Water Flower sniffed the air, looking towards a direction after eliminating the interference of the blood smell. "Arf!" (Over there.) "Let''s go." Qin Chuan stuffed a fruit for quick stamina recovery into his mouth and strode in the direction Water Flower was pointing. With successive upgrades and the boost from the Rapid Leg Bone, Water Flower''s speed had dramatically increased, effortlessly keeping up with Qin Chuan and even playfully running circles around him. Seeing the more noticeable plants around, it would make them a target, dashing at top speed to get close but not straying too far from Qin Chuan, then enthusiastically wagging its tail like a victorious general returning to Qin Chuan''s side. As they advanced effortlessly, a valley soon appeared before them. Chapter 24 - 24 Footprints of Humanity "Is this the place?" Standing outside the valley, Qin Chuan turned his head to look at Water Flower and confirmed once again. "Woof!" (This is the place, there''s more than one special fruit!) Water Flower nodded vigorously and hesitated before speaking again. "Woof!" (The scent of that Shadow Leopard we killed is also here.) "Um..." Qin Chuan stroked his chin, lost in thought. He had been in the Dream World for more than ten days, and in his daily searches, he had discovered certain patterns. Every corner of the Dream World was permeated with Extraordinary Energy, but this energy was not evenly distributed. Places with richer Extraordinary Energy were more likely to contain precious resources or fruits that could enhance experience. At the same time, locations with dense Extraordinary Energy were also more suitable for the growth of Spiritual Beasts. Therefore, Water Flower''s two findings did not contradict each other. If there truly were more than one special fruit in the valley, it would mean that the concentration of Extraordinary Energy here was richer than any other place Qin Chuan had found before. It was logical that the Shadow Leopard, as the sole Growth Rank creature in the vicinity, monopolized this place as its den. And now, the Shadow Leopard had been slain by him. This made the valley in front of him the safest place. After all, other Spiritual Beasts wouldn''t dare enter the den of a Shadow Leopard. "Let''s go!" Having understood the situation, Qin Chuan gestured grandly and, taking Water Flower with him, proceeded along the narrow path that led into the valley. The space inside the valley was not large. Upon entering, they were met with a pungent odor. Following the scent, Qin Chuan spotted a cave in a rock wall, outside of which lay a pile of broken bones. Clearly, this was the den of the Shadow Leopard. Putting the exploration of this place aside for the moment, Qin Chuan looked around and soon saw several fruits with a special glow not far away. There were six in total: three were water-blue Clear Fruits, each of which could give Water Flower an increase of 50 points in experience level. The other three fruits, two earth-yellow and one light green, corresponded to the Earth and Wind Attributes. Although these three were also special fruits, Water Flower could not absorb them due to the difference in attributes. The Shadow Leopard had left them untouched for the same reason. "Woof!" (Clear Fruits!) Water Flower excitedly approached and circled around the fruits nonstop, gazing eagerly at Qin Chuan and salivating. Seeing this, Qin Chuan somewhat regretted having used the Experience Gems too soon. Clear Fruits were only for Water Attribute Spiritual Beasts, but Experience Gems had no such restrictions; by any account, the gems seemed more valuable. However, the regret lasted only a moment. He placed the three Clear Fruits into his Item Equipment Bar and spoke seriously, "Your experience is already full now, eating Clear Fruits before advancing will have no effect." "So, I''ll keep them for you, and you can eat them after you''ve advanced." "Woof~" (Alright~) Water Flower appeared somewhat disappointed but quickly perked up and wagged its tail as it looked at the remaining three fruits. Qin Chuan faced a dilemma because there was only one slot left in his Item Equipment Bar, and the two different Attribute fruits required two slots. The other slots contained essentials that Qin Chuan had determined necessary during the past ten-plus days: fruits that quickly restored stamina, medicinal herbs for fast healingand none of these could be dispensed with. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But it felt like a loss not to take special fruits when he came across them. After some thought, Qin Chuan placed the two Earth Attribute special fruits into his Item Equipment Bar and then tucked the Wind Attribute special fruit into his chest, "Alright, that will do." If he came across a Wind Attribute Spiritual Beast that caught his eye, he could give it away as a gesture of goodwill. This was how Qin Chuan handled the special fruits of other attributes that he had encountered before. Besides someone as fierce as the Shadow Leopard, Qin Chuan was friendly towards his other neighbors. After ensuring there were no other special fruits missed, Qin Chuan then turned his attention to the inside of the Shadow Leopard''s den. The den was not deep, everything inside could be clearly seen during the day, and the closer to the entrance, the stronger the smell. Qin Chuan, covering his nose, stepped inside, ignoring the unfinished meat in the corner and the uneven claw marks on the rock walls. Soon his gaze was drawn to a raised stone platform in the center of the cave. The platform was about half a meter high with a smooth surface, and there was a small depression in the center. Qin Chuan extended his hand and felt the inside of the depression, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes. The inside of the depression was smoother than expected, and it wasn''t rounded but felt like it was multiple flat surfaces pieced together; he could distinctly feel the indentations. It was as if... There had once been a finely cut Crystal Stone embedded here that had since been removed. "Too late, huh," Qin Chuan sighed with regret after confirming this. If things were as expected, there once was a valuable resource here, which had been taken before he arrived. If it was a Dark Attribute resource, it might have been used by the Shadow Leopard itself, given that it was only Level 12 and probably had advanced not long ago. If it was a resource of another Attribute... The possibilities were numerous. "Woof~" (What a pity~) Water Flower at his side also realized this and showed a regretful expression. "It''s alright, the missed resource couldn''t have been of the Water Attribute." Qin Chuan smiled and comforted himself before walking out of the cave, "Next, we''ll explore the surroundings." "This place can produce six special fruits and condense special resources; the Extraordinary Energy is dense here, which should accelerate your growth." "I plan to build another simple shelter here." "With the cave as a foundation, it won''t take much time to construct." Water Flower naturally agreed with Qin Chuan''s idea. Although there were traces left by the Shadow Leopard, cleaning up would not take much time. Man and beast stepped out of the valley and began exploring the surrounding environment, adeptly collaborating with one another, with the valley as the central point. Where to find edible fruits and plants, where special fruits with different effects were, where trees suitable for building could be found... With the experience of building a shelter before, such exploration was easy for them. As time passed, the scope of their exploration expanded, and they were now a kilometer away from the valley. It was then that Water Flower made a startling discovery. "Woof woof!" (Look at this!) It picked something up from the ground and quickly ran towards Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan took the object from Water Flower and his pupils abruptly contracted. It was... a stone knife! Unlike natural stone, one edge of this knife was thin and sharp with clear signs of having been honed, something Qin Chuan recognized without a doubt. And this meant there were other players nearby. Thinking this, his expression turned serious. Friend or foe? Chapter 25 - 25: The Owner of the Stone Knife He weighed the stone knife in his hand, and Qin Chuan looked around. For outdoor survivors, there are probably three possibilities why such a stone knife was lost. The first is that the person obtained a more suitable tool, making the somewhat crude stone knife useless, so it was discarded casually. The second possibility is that the person died and restarted their account, but the stone knife they made was left behind. The third possibility, and the least likely one, was that the person genuinely dropped it by accident. Just as Qin Chuan thought of this, a sharp cry suddenly came from above his head. Both human and beast quickly looked up, only to see a cyan figure swooping down from the sky. Before it dived, its color had blended almost perfectly with the sky, making Qin Chuan and Water Flower completely unaware of its presence. "Arf!" Water Flower''s expression was tense, and she immediately assumed an attacking stance, her body surrounded by swirling water, ready to unleash several Rapid Stream Breaks at any moment. Sarch* The n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, as the cyan figure approached, Qin Chuan''s expression suddenly turned surprised. [Spiritual Beast Clan: Cyan Jade Falcon] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Wind Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv10] [Spiritual Beast State: Contracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Wind Attribute Cyan Jade Falcon, possessing super sharp vision and extremely fast speed, its color-mimicking feathers make it hard to detect before it strikes.] Contracted... Seeing such a Spiritual Beast State in the Dream World for the first time, Qin Chuan was stunned for a moment, but he quickly realized what this meant. The player behind this Cyan Jade Falcon was the owner of the lost stone knife! "Wait a minute." He stretched out his hand to stop Water Flower, who was ready to attack, and stared intently at the descending Cyan Jade Falcon. "Screech" The swooping Cyan Jade Falcon fluttered its wings and halted ten meters above the ground, its cyan eyes sharply focusing on Water Flower below, its aura tense. The brief standoff between the two was quickly interrupted by a shout. "Little Qing! Did you find my stone knife?" As the shout echoed, a figure rapidly approached. Seeing the situation, the figure paused, then ran even faster and stopped in front of Qin Chuan, grabbing his hands and shaking them vigorously. "I finally met another player! Hello, hello!" [Player Name: Yue Li] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beast: Cyan Jade Falcon] It was a female player, her delicate features up close momentarily distracted Qin Chuan, but remembering that appearances could be altered in the Dream World, he quickly regained his composure. "Hello, just call me Luo." "I''m Yue Li," the female player said with a giggly smile, "You''re the first player I''ve met in this world. Have you encountered any other players?" "No," Qin Chuan shook his head, surprised by her forwardness yet relieved by her genuinely friendly demeanor. At this moment, he couldn''t help but think of his desk-mate, Little Fat. Xiao Pang had indeed encountered other players earlier, but it was a foreign female player, and he had been struggling with English until now, uncertain how well he was communicating. "It seems we are each other''s first friends in the Dream World," Yue Li said earnestly, as if this was very important to her. "Chirp~" Originally tense, Water Flower and the Blue Hawk each calmed their auras. The Blue Hawk, flapping its wings, landed on the female player''s shoulder, staring at Qin Chuan, more precisely, at the spot on Qin Chuan''s chest. "Eh?" Listening to her Spiritual Beast, the female player showed a surprised expression, "Do you have a Tornado Fruit?" Before Qin Chuan could speak, she quickly pulled out a Clear Fruit, "Want to trade?" "Trade!" Qin Chuan didn''t hesitate, pulling out the Wind Attribute Fruit that he couldn''t fit in his Item Equipment Bar and had been carrying in his pocket. He also returned the stone knife to her. As he stored the Clear Fruit in his Item Equipment Bar, Qin Chuan also realized the importance of interacting with other players. Many times, the resources collected by lone wolf players are not useful to themselves. But the more players you meet, the more you can exchange in similar ways to obtain resources you can actually use. "Yay, I got another one!" Yue Li joyfully secured the Tornado Fruit, gleefully boasting to Qin Chuan, "I''ve saved up nine now. Once Xiao Qing advances, she can get a big boost in experience right away." "That many?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but express his surprise. "Xiao Qing''s trait is Energy Vision, which can identify the strength of energy within sight and quickly find Experience Fruit," Yue Li said with a touch of pride. As Yue Li introduced Xiao Qing, the named Blue Hawk proudly raised its head. "Impressive." Qin Chuan responded appropriately, although he was quite astonished. The young girl in front of him was being surprisingly open with someone she had just met. "Hehe~" Pleased with Qin Chuan''s agreement, Yue Li casually sat on a nearby large rock, "I accidentally dropped the stone knife and had Xiao Qing help me look for it. I didn''t expect it to be so coincidental." "Uh..." Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched slightly, "Did you really drop the stone knife by accident?" It turned out to be the third scenario he thought least likely. "Yes, it''s the most useful stone knife I have." While speaking, Yue Li rummaged through her woven backpack and pulled out a fruit resembling bread, handing it to Qin Chuan, "This is the Bread Fruit I just picked. Have one!" "I''ve been here so long and only discovered this type of fruit can satisfy hunger." Taking a bite of another Bread Fruit, Yue Li seemed slightly gloomy, "Luckily, it tastes pretty good." Qin Chuan glanced at Water Flower and then accepted the Bread Fruit, "Thank you." Seeing Qin Chuan take a bite, Yue Li immediately showed an expectant look, "How is it?" "Indeed, very nice." Qin Chuan nodded. The fruit had a somewhat bready aroma, sweet but not cloying, and very filling. "Too bad, the portal will soon be closing," Yue Li said, finishing the Bread Fruit in her hand and clapping her hands with a slight regret, "It''s rare to meet other players." "We can continue tomorrow when we enter again." Qin Chuan smiled, then changed the subject, "Speaking of which, there''s going to be an update tomorrow." "Exactly." Yue Li waved vigorously, eyes full of anticipation, "I can''t wait! I hope they''ll add some ways to get low-level resources so Xiao Qing can advance and become stronger sooner!" "Hopefully so." Qin Chuan nodded. Water Flower needed two more low-level resources to advance, and he still had no clue where to find these. Yue Li''s hopes were also his hopes. The two newly acquainted players chatted sporadically as the time for the Dream World portal to close drew nearer. [07:59:59/08:00:00][00:00:02] [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:03] [Dream World Portal Closed] Chapter 26 - 26 Blue Star Version 2.2 Update Luxuriantly verdant at the peak of the green mountains, a vast garden was constructed. Among the flowers, on the small paths, one could see individuals dressed in light pink uniforms, accompanying patients of various appearances on their walks. This place was one of the top rehabilitation centers in Yanhuang Country, where both the service and the environment were industry-leading. With the arrival of the power of Dream World into reality, the rehabilitation center even employed Transcendents capable of performing healing abilities as caregivers, attracting many in need. In the center of the garden, there stood meticulously built bungalows, serving as residences for the patients staying at the rehabilitation center, each corresponding to a patient. In a corner of these bungalow clusters, on the second floor of a sky-blue painted bungalow in a clean and tidy room, a girl with her hair spread out lay quietly on the bed, her peaceful and delicate sleeping face making her resemble Sleeping Beauty from fairy tales. If Qin Chuan were here, he would be surprised to find that this girl looked exactly like the player Yue Li he had just encountered in Dream World. Beside the bed stood flowers freshly trimmed and picked by the caretaker that morning, with fragile petals still carrying dewdrops from the morning, and the scent of the flowers was diluting the medicinal smell floating in the sickroom. The door was gently pushed open, and a beautiful woman, carrying a basin of water, tiptoed into the room, then drew open the tightly closed curtains, allowing the splendid sunlight to pour in, bringing the view of flowers, plants, and trees outside the French windows into full view. "Hmm" The sound and the light awoke the sleeping girl; she slowly opened her eyes, her shoulders moved slightly, and she made an unintelligible light hum. sea??h th N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''ve got it," said the beautiful woman, quickly stepping forward, controlling the upper half of the large bed to rise while skillfully adjusting the girl''s lying position, then gently wiped her face with a towel from the basin of water. "Thank you, Sister Xiaoyu." The sleepy girl revealed a sweet smile, "Sorry to trouble you again." "It''s no big deal," Du Yu softly said, "Ever since I can remember, aunt and uncle insisted on providing my education. I have always been grateful, and now that I have contracted a healing type Spiritual Beast, I am happy to have the chance to repay their kindness." While saying this, she extended her hands and gently kneaded the girl''s arms, a light green light emerged between her palms, then slowly merged into the girl''s arms. After massaging her hands, came the legs. After completing the massage of the limbs, Du Yu helped the girl turn over, and amid the girl''s murmuring sounds, she began to massage her back. Meanwhile, on the first floor of the bungalow, a middle-aged couple was looking nervously at the elderly man in a white coat in front of them, "Doctor Qu, how is our Yueyue''s condition now?" The elderly man stared at the test results in his hand, and after a moment, his expression relaxed as he removed his glasses, "I must say, the power of the Transcendent has indeed brought new hope for many incurable diseases." "Does that mean Yueyue''s illness can be cured?" The middle-aged woman asked with a surprised expression. "Mrs. Lin, please be patient," the elderly man spoke softly, "The treatment administered by the lady you hired, Ms. Du Yu, is indeed effective. Miss Lin Yue''s condition has stopped deteriorating and even the symptoms of muscle atrophy have been contained." "But, Miss Lin Yue''s disease is not something that can be completely cured just like that." The elder''s expression was slightly regretful, "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has extremely complex causes, which are even somewhat related to genetics." "The power of the Transcendent at its current stage, even though miraculous, still cannot eradicate a genetic illness." "What you mentioned, is about the current stage," said the middle-aged man, speaking up calmly for the first time, "Currently, Yanhuang has no Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts, but if stronger healing type Transcendents appear in the future, might there then be a possibility of cure?" "That''s" The old man gave the middle-aged man a helpless look, "Mr. Lin, this is beyond my area of expertise, please forgive me for not being able to answer." "It''s ok," Lin Changfeng nodded, then gently patted his wife, Zhou Wan, who looked sorrowful beside him, "Wait a little longer, Yueyue will get better." Amidst their conversation, a sound of footsteps came down from upstairs. The couple looked up and saw Du Yu descending the stairs. "Uncle, Auntie, today''s treatment is over." Du Yu said with a light smile, "I see Yueyue is in great shape today." "Xiaoyu, thank you." Lin Changfeng''s expression softened. "Uncle, you''re too kind; this is what I can do." Du Yu smiled and shook his head, "I''m very happy that I can help Yueyue." "I have a class later, so I''ll leave first!" "Okay." Lin Changfeng watched Du Yu leave the villa, then sighed, "Good deeds do pay off." Du Yu was just one of the hundreds of impoverished students they had supported; they never imagined that she would one day bring a hope of cure for their terminally ill daughter. "Let''s go see Yueyue," Zhou Wan tugged at her husband''s hand. The couple hurried upstairs and soon entered Lin Yue''s room. Lin Yue, gazing out the window, turned at the sound and showed a bright smile, "Mom, Dad, you''re here." "You seem in high spirits. Did you have any new gains in the Dream World?" Shifting from the seriousness outside, Lin Changfeng laughed heartily, quickly walked over to sit by the bed, and took his daughter''s hand, "Tell Daddy?" "There are indeed new gains." The young girl''s smile blossomed like flowers. "I made friends in the Dream World." ----------------- [Blue Star 2.2 update completed, further enhancing the space-time connection between the Dream World and the real world. Items from the Dream World will be allowed to be carried into the real world in a limited manner for exchange.] [New map added; the Dream World will be divided into 9999 game zones according to the map, allowing players to cross zones] [New ranking list added; the top ten thousand players in each zone will be listed, with rewards settled regularly based on ranking] [Next Blue Star update time: In 60 days] As the third update notice appeared, the classroom, after a moment of silence, plunged into a buzz of excitement. Qin Chuan looked at the update notice before him, his smile growing thicker. Quite interesting. This version update was exactly what he wanted. Allowing the transfer of resources from the Dream World into the real world for exchange was crucial. Qin Chuan, who had just exchanged Experience Fruit with Yue Li, realized instantly that this would cause a significant shift in the existing dynamics. Next, Spiritual Beasts of Growth Rank would spring up like bamboo shoots after rain, and those players who had not yet reached Juvenile Stage Lv10 would also reach that level and prepare to advance in a very short time. The overall strength of the Transcendents would surge! Besides, the remaining two updates were also of great concern to Qin Chuan. New Dream World map... The mysterious Dream World, was it finally going to reveal a tip of its iceberg? Chapter 27 - 27 The Instructor of the Extraordinary Course Dream World is vast, its total area may even surpass the land area of Blue Star. This has become a consensus over time. After more than ten days of dream exploration, less than one-tenth of the players have encountered other players in Dream World, which shows its vastness. However, just how large Dream World is and what its topography is like remain a mystery to this day. Currently, no one has the power to conduct such comprehensive exploration, not even the Special Affairs Group formed by Yanhuang Country with such a large workforce. Now with the map of Dream World opened up to all players, everyone can finally have a clearer understanding of themselves and Dream World. Qin Chuan rubbed his temples and turned to look at the excitedly yelling Little Fatty beside him, "I remember the Special Affairs Group shared a statistical report before, about the estimated total number of Blue Star players?" "Three billion." Little Fatty quickly responded, "Although Blue Star has a total population of about eight billion, only around three billion have really chosen to embrace the Extraordinary World." "The rest chose to adjust their schedules to avoid the entrance for various reasons." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. The power of the Transcendent attracts people, but there are also groups such as the elderly and children who must adjust their schedules, as well as those who are resistant and stubbornly clinging to their own beliefs. He heard that there are even sinister cults abroad called "Anti-Transcendent Sects." Therefore, it''s less than half of the eight billion people who have truly become players of Dream World. These three billion people are divided into different gaming zones, with each zone averaging about three hundred thousand players. But only the top ten thousand on the Ranking List can earn rewards. Thinking about it that way, the competition is still quite fierce. It''s just not known what criteria the Ranking List is based on. "Wow, the Special Affairs Group''s response is still so fast," Little Fatty suddenly exclaimed and then passed his phone to Qin Chuan, "Qin Chuan, take a look!" "Just now, the Dream Realm Forum posted a new announcement at the top." Qin Chuan casually swiped at the announcement that Little Fatty had already opened. The content of the announcement was uncomplicated but indeed timely. [Notice to all Yanhuang Country players: In response to Blue Star''s 2.2 version update, the Special Affairs Group will launch an official trading section on the Dream Realm Forum tomorrow to help players find and acquire the resources they need. Players are advised to avoid offline transactions with strangers to prevent being deceived. Special Affairs Group] "Now the safety of resource exchange is also guaranteed," Little Fatty said with a sigh, "The Special Affairs Group is really amazing, Qin Chuan, do you think we have a chance to join?" Having witnessed the strong execution and incomparable security of the Special Affairs Group for so many days, it has now become the place countless people most want to join. However, even with a staff shortage, the recruitment process of the Special Affairs Group remains very strict. "You keep trying, maybe you''ll have a chance," Qin Chuan replied casually, then looked toward the classroom door, "Isn''t it almost time for class?" Almost the instant his words dropped, the class teacher''s figure appeared outside the door. "Students, there''s something to inform you about before class," the class teacher said cheerfully as he entered the classroom, "The Extraordinary Course I mentioned before will start tomorrow." Sarch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The course time is from seven to nine in the evening." "After school this afternoon, the teacher in charge of the course will come over to get acquainted with everyone, so don''t rush to leave after school." Hearing this, the classmates in the classroom let out cheers immediately. If anything, they''ve been looking forward to the newly announced 2.2 update and the confirmed Extraordinary Course during this period. Now that the update announcement was out, the Special Affairs Group could finally determine the direction of future plans, and the start date of the Extraordinary Course was also set. Thinking that they would meet the new teacher after school today, everyone showed expressions of anticipation. In the rather dull school life, new teachers and transfer students are always fresh and exciting events. Time flew by quickly, and a day of academic classes came to an end with the ringing of the dismissal bell, temporarily calming the uproar brought by the update announcement. In the classroom of Senior Three (7), each student sat up straight, trying to make a good first impression on the new Extraordinary teacher. Even Qin Chuan and Little Fatty couldn''t escape convention. However, their efforts quickly fell apart, because the class teacher soon entered, "Everyone follow me to the auditorium, the new teacher will meet you there." The auditorium? They looked at each other in confusion. That was the largest venue of Changxing City No. 2 Middle School, typically only used for events like the New Year''s gala; now the new teacher''s meeting was chosen to be there? Seeing the class''s puzzlement, the class teacher explained, "Because the Special Affairs Group is short-handed, all the Extraordinary teachers for our senior year are the same." "We chose the auditorium because it can accommodate all the students in the senior year." With that, everyone understood. Following the teacher, they entered the designated area of the auditorium, and other classes arrived in succession; when all eight senior classes were seated, a figure slowly emerged and stood at the center of the stage. "Hello everyone! We meet again." Seeing the face of the young man on stage, the entire senior year became lively. Zhou Zixiu. Not only for Senior Three (7), but he had also explained the situation of Dream World on behalf of the Special Affairs Group to other classes. In a way, everyone was familiar with him. "I can feel your enthusiasm," Zhou Zixiu said, microphone in hand, with a bright smile, "The Extraordinary Course will start teaching from tomorrow, from seven to nine each evening, with one hour for teaching Extraordinary Theory and another for teaching Extraordinary Practical Combat." "And I, Zhou Zixiu, will be your Extraordinary Theory teacher for the time being." At this announcement, the students in the auditorium burst into cheers and applause. At the same time, a question arose in everyone''s heart. If there was someone else for Extraordinary Practical Combat, who might that teacher be? Seemingly perceiving their curiosity, Zhou Zixiu continued, "As for the teacher of Extraordinary Practical Combat, he was delayed due to some matters, so he might be a bit late..." Before he finished speaking, he suddenly turned his head to look at the side of the stage. A man with bloodstains on his clothes, a stern face carrying the scent of blood and an aura of solemnity, strode onto the stage and took the microphone from Zhou Zixiu''s hand. "Extraordinary Practical Combat, Ji Huai." After speaking, he returned the microphone to Zhou Zixiu and stood aside, rigid as a javelin. Zhou Zixiu''s lips twitched ever so slightly, and the audience was in an uproar. This was their Extraordinary Practical Combat teacher?! Chapter 28 - 28: The Spiritual Beast Ranking List! "Don''t be nervous, everyone." Seeing the commotion amongst the audience, Zhou Zixiu wore an increasingly helpless expression. "Teacher Ji went to chase after a transcendent who had committed several murders, and the blood is probably due to an injury..." Before he could finish, Ji Huai snatched the microphone, and seriously stated, "The blood is the other person''s, I''m not injured." Having said that, Ji Huai handed the microphone back to Zhou Zixiu, and his face reverted to its previous impassive state, as if proving he wasn''t injured was very important to him. Zhou Zixiu''s mouth twitched again. Can''t you see I''m trying to calm the students down?! Forget it, being stuck with such a guy, just chalk it up to bad luck. "Let me talk to you all about the specific meaning of Extraordinary Theory and Extraordinary Practical Combat." Hearing this, the restless students quickly settled down. After all, they were high school seniors, and though they were a bit nervous at the sight of the blood on Ji Huai, they weren''t terrified. Plus, being able to subdue a transcendent criminal without suffering any injuries indicated that Ji Huai was very powerful, and it was a good thing to have such a person as their Extraordinary Practical Combat teacher. Compared to this, they were more curious about the two subjects they were about to start. "In everyone''s mind, extraordinary powers are probably seen as a system that contradicts the scientific theories we''ve learned before," Zhou Zixiu slowly began, "but the actual situation is not so." "With the relentless efforts of over a hundred academicians at Yanhuang Science Academy and Yanhuang Engineering Academy, we have discovered many commonalities between the two." "That''s right, extraordinary powers also follow the rules of science!" "In fact, over ninety percent of current scientific theories also apply to extraordinary powers." Zhou Zixiu''s resolute voice echoed in the auditorium, instantly causing an uproar among everyone. Such a finding had not been previously announced by the Special Affairs Group. "And this is the origin of the Extraordinary Theory Class," Zhou Zixiu slowly continued, "It encompasses a large amount of knowledge from various subjects such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry, some of which you have learned in middle school, and some you would hardly come into contact with even in university." "Now, this knowledge related to extraordinary powers has been reorganized and compiled. Every bit of knowledge you learn will help you better master your own powers!" "I know everyone is feeling very anxious right now." Looking down at the chattering students, Zhou Zixiu smiled, "After all, the college entrance exam is less than two months away, and you''re worried that you won''t be able to master such profound knowledge." "But this is not something that you need to worry about." "Starting from elementary school, you began to touch upon simple linear equations. In middle school, you started learning quadratic equations and systems of linear equations, and in high school, you studied equations with more variables and higher degrees. All these pieces build upon equation-related knowledge." "What you''re learning has not changed, only the depth has increased." "The same goes for Extraordinary Theory." "In the following two months, what you will learn is just a relatively basic part of Extraordinary Theory," Zhou Zixiu smiled again, "Universities are also gradually rolling out studies for the Extraordinary Theory Class. Once you enter the university of your choice, you will be exposed to a larger body of knowledge." "That concludes the introduction to Extraordinary Theory. Next, is Extraordinary Practical Combat." Zhou Zixiu glanced at the silent Ji Huai next to him and decided to speak for him, "The so-called Extraordinary Practical Combat teaches you how to make better use of your extraordinary powers from a practical combat perspective." "Teacher Ji, do you have anything to add?" Zhou Zixiu passed the microphone to Ji Huai while fervently gesturing with his eyes. Don''t talk nonsense! Thankfully, Ji Huai was somewhat cooperative this time. He took the microphone and said gravely, "For tomorrow''s first class, everyone should bring the active skill they believe they have mastered the best." He then handed the microphone back to Zhou Zixiu. "That''s all for a simple introduction to the Extraordinary Course. You will be exposed to more detailed content in tomorrow''s class," Zhou Zixiu paused for a moment before continuing, "One last thing today, I need to take up a bit more of everyone''s time." "Outside the auditorium, the Special Affairs Group has organized medical staff to provide a free medical check-up for everyone as part of the preparation for teaching the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class. Please make sure to participate." After finishing, Zhou Zixiu exited the stage with Ji Huai. The content of the medical check-up wasn''t much different from a regular one, with blood sampling, blood pressure measurement, lung capacity, vision tests, and more. After queuing up and completing the tests, Qin Chuan got home it was already past ten at night. After quickly washing up, he lay down on his bed. The moment he closed his eyes, an image of Yue Li flashed through his mind. Suddenly, he found himself looking forward to entering the Dream World again. Sar?h the ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having a game partner sounds pretty good, doesn''t it? ----------------- Consciousness awakening, Qin Chuan once again saw Yue Li. In the blink of an eye in the Dream World, sixteen hours had already passed in reality. With just a simple exchange of glances, the two made the same move. They opened the flashing point that had been going crazy since they entered the Dream World. [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Map][View] [Ranking List][View] [Achievement Wall: 1/1000][View] [Contract Slot: 1/1][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 10/10][View] [Item Carrying: 0/1][View] [Skill Carrying](not set) [00:00:04/08:00:00][00:00:03] After a quick glance across the entire panel, Qin Chuan clicked on the view behind the map. A vast map appeared before his eyes. The Dream World was comprised of a single complete continental plate with rivers and lakes but no inner seas. Beyond this continental plate lay boundless oceans. Numerous contour lines divided the continental plate into 9999 areas. Qin Chuan quickly noted that one exceptionally small area on the map had a bright arrow pointing to it, with a line of text above. [Current Game Area: Area 3675] Area 3675, huh... Qin Chuan tapped the small section indicated by the arrow. The entirety of Area 3675 zoomed in before his eyes, becoming clear. He saw his location in the game area, situated toward the southern part. Although the whole area was just a tiny part of the Dream World''s map, its actual size was astonishingly large, ten times bigger than Yanshan City, the largest city in Yanhuang Country. But in comparison to Yanshan City, with a population exceeding thirty million, this area had only three hundred thousand players. No wonder it''s hard to encounter other players. Remembering his current position, Qin Chuan exited the map and opened the Ranking List. Three lists came into view, the first one being the most striking. [Spiritual Beast List] [Entry Requirement: Contracted Spiritual Beast of Corresponding Rank] [Current Rank: Juvenile Stage (other ranks'' lists can be viewed)] [The Spiritual Beast List automatically ranks players based on the strength of their Contracted Spiritual Beasts. The conduct of Contracted Spiritual Beasts in the Dream World will serve as a standard for the list.] Chapter 29 - 29 Ranking List Rewards, First Signs of Evolution Having understood the detailed rules of the Spiritual Beast List, Qin Chuan''s gaze moved downward, looking at the specific rankings of the list. His eyes landed on the name at the very top, and he couldn''t help but blink. [Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) 1st Place] [Location: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Listed Spiritual Beast: Water Leaf Dog] [Listed Spiritual Beast''s Current Rank: Juvenile Stage Lv10] [Reference Achievements: Solo killed a Lv12 Shadow Leopard at Lv7] Qin Chuan: "..." Oh right, he almost forgot. He had used Time Stop to kill the Shadow Leopard, which counted as Water Flower being the one to kill it alone. Even a Lv10 at the Juvenile Stage had a huge gap from the Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts, and the chance to kill one alone was almost nonexistent. Therefore, with Water Flower''s achievements, it indeed deserved the first place. Qin Chuan suddenly felt relieved that he hadn''t used his real name, even changing his appearance too. Otherwise, if his real-world identity were to be discovered, the trouble would be no small matter. His gaze continued downward, and he froze in surprise once again. [Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) 2nd Place] [Location: 3675] [Player Name: Yue Li] [Listed Spiritual Beast: Azure Falcon] [Listed Spiritual Beast''s Current Rank: Juvenile Stage Lv10] [Reference Achievements: Challenged a Growth Rank Lv11 Burning Flame Wolf multiple times at Juvenile Stage Lv10 and retreated unharmed] Qin Chuan: "???" The player he had randomly encountered was this incredible?! He looked up sharply at Yue Li and saw that she was also looking at him with the same expression; it was clear she had also seen the rankings of the Spiritual Beast List. "So, you''re actually this amazing," Yue Li said with her mouth slightly open, her face filled with surprise, "Little Qing saw that Shadow Leopard in the sky before, it was very powerful." "I set a trap to kill it," Qin Chuan said nonchalantly, "But you, on the other hand, have been initiating challenges against Growth Rank and managed to come back unharmed." "That''s because the dumb wolf can''t fly," Yue Li spread her hands. That sounds reasonable... what a load of crap! The Burning Flame Wolf can''t fly, but neither can players. Yue Li''s safe retreats were definitely not as simple as she claimed. "Let''s continue looking at the list," Qin Chuan said, turning his gaze back to the list. Yue Li responded with a "Hmm" and turned her attention back to the unfinished list. Continuing downward, the third place wasn''t as impressive as Qin Chuan and Yue Li, the reason for the ranking was consecutive victories over three Juvenile Stage Lv10s. Scrolling down faster, Qin Chuan soon reached the 823rd place. He stopped there because further down, the listed Spiritual Beasts were only Lv9. This meant that in the entire Zone 3675, there were only that many Lv10 players. It turned out to be a way to gauge the strength of players in his zone. Qin Chuan then switched to the Growth Rank list, and unsurprisingly, it was blankno Contracted Spiritual Beasts had reached that level of strength yet. Next, Qin Chuan clicked on the flashing question mark icon on the top right corner of the Spiritual Beast List. [The list will be calculated daily ten minutes before the closure of each Dream World gateway, and weekly calculations will occur ten minutes before every seventh closure of the Dream World gateway] [Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) Daily Settlement Rewards:] [1st Place: Experience Gem +10] [2nd-10th Place: Experience Gem +8] [11th-100th Place: Experience Gem +5] [101st-1000th Place: Experience Gem +2] [1001st-10000th Place: Experience Gem +1] So many! If one stayed in 1st place, wouldn''t that mean leveling up once a day at the Juvenile Stage? Of course, Qin Chuan knew this was a meaningless assumption, as anyone strong enough to stay in 1st place would certainly be Juvenile Stage Lv10, but this didn''t dampen his excitement. He continued scrolling down. [Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) Weekly Settlement Rewards:] [1st Place: Self-selected Low-level Resource +1] [2nd-10th Place: Random Low-level Resource +1] [11th-100th Place: Low-level Resource Fragments +5] [Rank 101-1000: Low-level Resource Fragments +2] [Rank 1001-10000: Low-level Resource Fragments +1] [Note: 10 Low-level Resource Fragments can be exchanged for one piece of Random Low-level Resource] You can even exchange fragments? Qin Chuan looked at the leaderboard somewhat oddly. The reward for first place was undoubtedly the best. The rewards for the top ten weren''t bad either, after all, items could now be traded, so a random low-level resource that wasn''t yours could still be swapped for a needed low-level resource. The other ranked participants would have to accumulate fragments. After understanding this, Qin Chuan''s gaze moved to the second leaderboard. [Extraordinary List] [Entry Conditions: All players] [The Extraordinary List is ranked automatically by players'' Extraordinary Values.] Compared to the Spiritual Beast List, the introduction to the Extraordinary List was much simpler. But the prestige of this list was in no way inferior. Because the Extraordinary Value represented the extent of Extraordinary Power that could be used in reality. For Transcendents, this was even more important than the strength of a Spiritual Beast. Qin Chuan''s gaze moved downward to the contents of the list, and then it sharpened. [Extraordinary List First Place] [Location: 3675] [Player Name: Yue Li] [Extraordinary Value: 410] At the same Spiritual Beast Rank, all Spiritual Beasts have the same Race Value. So if the Spiritual Beast Rank doesn''t hold you back, the Extraordinary List compares Affinity. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yue Li and her Azure Hawk had an Affinity of 82%?! The second-placed contestant after her only had an Extraordinary Value of 395, with an Affinity of 79%. The higher the ranking, the more difficult it is to increase Affinity; 80% is a threshold, and Yue Li and the Azure Hawk''s Affinity was practically an overwhelming gulf! Qin Chuan''s Affinity with Water Flower was only 77%, and unfortunately, there were more than one with 79% and 78% Affinities, and even among those with 77%, his ranking was not the first. Thus, his final ranking on the Extraordinary List was only 52nd place. He could only receive the third tier of rewards. He sighed softly and began to check the rewards for the Extraordinary List rankings. Unexpectedly, the rewards for the Extraordinary List were entirely different from the Spiritual Beast List. [Extraordinary List Daily Settlement Reward:] [First Place: Spiritual Beast Snack +10] [Rank 2-10: Spiritual Beast Snack +8] [Rank 11-100: Spiritual Beast Snack +5] [Rank 101-1000: Spiritual Beast Snack +2] [Rank 1001-10000: Spiritual Beast Snack +1] [Note: Spiritual Beast Snacks are the favorite food of Spiritual Beasts, and long-term consumption can accelerate the increase of Spiritual Beast Affinity] Qin Chuan: "..." No, he had to take building a relationship with Water Flower more seriously. Even if he couldn''t get first, he should aim for the top ten, right? After seeing the weekly settlement rewards below, Qin Chuan''s determination solidified even more. [Extraordinary List Weekly Settlement Reward:] [First Place: Self-selected Starshine Equipment Material +1] [Rank 2-10: Random Starlight Equipment Material +1] [Rank 11-100: Starshine Equipment Material Fragments +5] [Rank 101-1000: Starshine Equipment Material Fragments +2] [Rank 1001-10000: Starshine Equipment Material Fragments +1] [Note: 10 Starshine Equipment Material Fragments can be exchanged for one piece of Random Starshine Equipment Material, which can be used to forge Starshine Equipment, essential for the evolution of Spiritual Beasts] What''s this? Evolution! Spotting this brand-new term, Qin Chuan''s eyes instantly lit up. Many players on the forums had speculated that the nurturing of Spiritual Beasts shouldn''t be as simple as just leveling up and advancing ranks, but so far, they had only encountered these aspects. The appearance of the word "Evolution" undoubtedly confirmed this possibility. Taking a deep breath, Qin Chuan then looked toward the third leaderboard. [Achievement Leaderboard] Chapter 30 - 30 Yue Lis Invitation [Achievement Leaderboard] [Qualification to get listed: Unlock Achievement Wall] [The Achievement Leaderboard is sorted by the total number of Achievement Points a player has historically accrued. By default, the Achievement Wall of a player is hidden. Players can choose to make their Achievement Wall public, allowing others to see their achievements on the leaderboard, but the methods earned are not viewable.] This third leaderboard, the Achievement Leaderboard, was indeed a surprise to Qin Chuan. Before this, he hadn''t even seen related discussions on the forums. Clearly, there were not many who had really unlocked achievements, and even if some players had unlocked them, they kept it a secret due to personal reasons, as it was a hidden module. Because he had defeated the Shadow Leopard by leaping ranks, he had earned 500 achievement points. With so many points, could he get a good ranking on the Achievement Leaderboard? Qin Chuan''s gaze moved downward, and soon he was certain. [Achievement Leaderboard No. 1] [Region: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Achievement Points: 500] Seeing this ranking, he wasn''t too surprised anymore. Looking further down, Qin Chuan saw Yue Li''s name once again. [Achievement Leaderboard No. 6] [Region: 3675] [Player Name: Yue Li] [Achievement Points: 300] It seemed Yue Li had also unlocked the Achievement Wall and earned achievements. Compared to the previous two leaderboards, there were far fewer people listed on the Achievement Leaderboarda total of just over one hundred. The other ninety-nine hundred spots were empty. After browsing for a bit, Qin Chuan quickly checked the corresponding rank rewards. [Achievement Leaderboard Daily Settlement Rewards:] [1st Place: +2 Achievement Keys] [2nd-10th Place: +1 Achievement Key] [11th-100th Place: +5 Achievement Key Fragments] [101st-1000th Place: +2 Achievement Key Fragments] [1001st-10000th Place: +1 Achievement Key Fragment] [Note: 10 Achievement Key Fragments can be combined into 1 Achievement Key, which can be used to preview the conditions for unearned achievements] Was there really such a trick? Qin Chuan''s eyes slightly lit up. If unearned achievements could be viewed using Achievement Keys, then it would be much easier to earn new achievements. However, Qin Chuan also knew that such items offered an advantage only in the early stages. There were only a thousand achievements total; once someone checked and shared the conditions out, everyone would know how to earn that achievement, so no more Achievement Keys would be wasted. With collective effort, the conditions for these thousand achievements would soon be publicly known. Of course, knowing the conditions didn''t mean one could achieve them. For example, his own "Overcoming Rank Kill I"even if he published it, how many could actually do it? Qin Chuan then looked at the weekly settlement rewards listed below. [Achievement Leaderboard Weekly Settlement Rewards:] [1st Place: Refresh the Achievement Store at 30% discount] [2nd-10th Place: Refresh the Achievement Store at 50% discount] [11th-100th Place: Refresh the Achievement Store at 70% discount] [101st-1000th Place: Refresh the Achievement Store at 90% discount] [1001st-10000th Place: Refresh the Achievement Store] [Note: Upon weekly settlement, ranked players will refresh the Achievement Store where items can be exchanged using Achievement Points without affecting the ranking.] sea??h th ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, a smile returned to Qin Chuan''s face. At last, he understood how to use the achievement points. The Achievement Store... It sounded pretty good. As long as he stayed in first place during the weekly settlement, he could exchange items at a 30% discount, a reward structure different from other leaderboards, but to his liking. Having viewed all the leaderboards, Qin Chuan logged out and looked at the most important update feature this time, Item Carrying. The Item Carrying tab was somewhat similar to the Skill Carrying. It had a blank square with a plus sign on it; below were ten item slots. Qin Chuan could tell at a glance that these were the items currently in his Item Equipment Bar. After pondering for a moment, he clicked on the blinking question mark icon on the top right corner. [Item Carrying function activated, select items from the Item Equipment Bar in advance, retrieve in the real world after the Dream World portal is closed, and store items in the real world. Retrieve items from the Item Equipment Bar after the Dream World portal is opened.] [Note: Only items from the Dream World can be stored in the real world.] Indeed, just as said in the update announcement. The Item Carrying function enabled items from the Dream World to be brought into the real world and vice versa, facilitating player trade of resources. Without much hesitation, Qin Chuan selected two Earth Attribute Experience Fruits, clearing a slot in his own Item Equipment Bar. These were the only items he couldn''t use at the moment, suitable for trading in the real world. After setting this up, Qin Chuan closed the panel and looked up at Yue Li. Yue Li was looking at Qin Chuan almost simultaneously with an admiring expression, "You are really impressive, topping both the Spiritual Beast List and the Achievement Leaderboard." "You''re not bad either, topping the Extraordinary List." Qin Chuan and Yue Li exchanged smiles. "If I''m not mistaken, your achievement points have something to do with killing the Shadow Leopard, right?" Yue Li asked with a smile. "Yes," Qin Chuan didn''t want to deny it because it was obvious, "1v1 killing from Juvenile Stage to Growth Rank, earning 500 achievement points." "It looks like I don''t stand a chance then," Yue Li said helplessly, "That Burning Flame Wolf is really strong. Although it can''t get the drop on me, neither can I on it." "But speaking of it, my achievement is related to it," Yue Li seemed to think of something fun and chuckled, "My achievement is ''Newborn Calf''challenge from Juvenile Stage to Growth Rank ten times and survive to gain it." "All 300 achievement points came from that." Qin Chuan: "..." To be frank, if he had to challenge the Shadow Leopard ten times with Water Flower, he wasn''t sure he''d survive, whereas directly killing was simpler. "So, why do you keep challenging that Burning Flame Wolf?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but be curious. It couldn''t be that she knew in advance how to earn that achievement, could she? "Speaking of which..." Yue Li suddenly produced a Clear Fruit, "Can you help me with something?" Qin Chuan had a bad feeling, "You''re not thinking of having me help you fight that Burning Flame Wolf, are you?" "Yes, yes!" Yue Li nodded vigorously, "That Burning Flame Wolf guards two Low-level Resources, one of which is needed for Xiao Qing''s Advanced stage. If you help me take it down, the other Low-level Resource and the Clear Fruit are yours." "I know it''s a bit unfair to you, but this is my last Clear Fruit," Yue Li said somewhat embarrassedly, "Otherwise, when the daily leaderboard rewards come out, I''ll share some Spiritual Beast snacks with you?" "Deal!" Qin Chuan replied without hesitation. A mere Burning Flame Wolf, what level was it to guard two Low-level Resources? He was not after the Low-level Resource, he simply wanted to help a good friend from the Dream World! "Let''s head to your shelter to discuss tactics!" "Eh?" Yue Li tilted her head, "A shelter?" Chapter 31 - 31: Initial Ranking Settlement "Wow! You actually built such a big shelter so quickly!" Standing in front of Qin Chuan''s shelter, Yue Li couldn''t help but exclaim, her face showing an amazed expression, "Can I go in and take a look?" "No problem, feel free to look around." Qin Chuan casually waved his hand, watching Yue Li who was busy exclaiming in front of him, his expression turning bizarre. He hadn''t expected that this young girl hadn''t even built a shelter and had been wandering around the Dream World with a stone knife for twelve days. Having no choice, he had to bring her to his shelter first. "You even know how to fire pottery!" Upon entering, Yue Li was even more astonished; she widened her eyes at Qin Chuan, "Is our time in the Dream World really the same?" "Of course it''s the same." Qin Chuan smiled helplessly, "I just spent more time studying the Wilderness Survival Guide given by the Special Affairs Group, didn''t you receive it?" "I did." Yue Li''s gaze flickered slightly, without saying much. A sharp cry rang out, and the Qing Jade Falcon, which had disappeared into the sky at some point, flew back, landing on Yue Li''s shoulder, softly chirping and telling her something. After hearing the Qing Jade Falcon''s discovery, Yue Li''s eyes instantly lit up; she ran back to Qin Chuan, "There''s a stream nearby?" "Over there." Qin Chuan pointed in the direction of the stream, "Don''t you have one by you?" "There''s a small cave that can collect water, with a constant flow out of a rock crevice; it''s quite convenient to collect, but there''s no stream like this one," Yue Li explained, then showed a hopeful look, "Can you take me to see it?" "Let''s go, Water Flower and I were just about to catch a few fish." Qin Chuan didn''t refuse. "There are fish?" Yue Li couldn''t help but swallow. In the Dream World, apart from Breadfruit, she hadn''t tasted any other foods. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two quickly arrived at the stream, and seeing various Spiritual Beasts quietly lowering their heads to drink in a harmonious coexistence, Yue Li sat on the bank, propping up her cheek, momentarily entranced. Such a scene, whether in the Dream World or in reality, she had never seen before. "Water Flower, the task of catching fish is up to you." Qin Chuan made an encouraging gesture to Water Flower, then turned to walk toward the densely growing grass vines and woods by the stream. Collecting these grass vines and woods only needed simple processing to become very flexible vine ropes, suitable for making backpacks or used for securing wood. Qin Chuan planned to move the shelter to the valley where the Shadow Leopard was as soon as possible and needed lots of grass vines and woods. Picking up the stone knife tied at his waist, Qin Chuan quickly got busy. Water Flower strolled to the stream, her gaze quickly locking onto a fish in the stream with a rainbow-colored tail that shimmered in the sunlight, watching the Rainbow Tail Fish that was still completely unaware of the impending danger, and touched the surface of the water with her paw. The stream suddenly froze for an instant, and a powerful force burst from the water, like an invisible hand quickly grasping the Rainbow Tail Fish, and then throwing it toward the shore. That unlucky Rainbow Tail Fish then floundered and struggled on the bank, but it was already too late. Easily catching a Rainbow Tail Fish, Water Flower slightly raised her head, looking rather pleased. But in the next moment, a green shadow swooped down heavily, plunging into the water. In just a breath''s time, the green shadow flew out again, a gust of wind sweeping by in an instant, completely blowing off the water droplets stuck on its feathers. The Qing Jade Falcon placed another Rainbow Tail Fish on the shore, giving Water Flower a competitive glance. Water Flower''s eyes narrowed slightly. Bold! How dare you show off in front of the fishing master, Water Flower! "Woof!" ("Let''s have a competition!") Soon, two figures busied themselves, with sporadic splashes of stream water, the number of rainbow trout on the bank grew increasingly larger. The commotion awakened the daydreaming Yue Li. She turned her head in amazement, watching two Spiritual Beasts vying for the title of Fishing Master. Where''s Luo? Yue Li looked around, quickly spotting a busy figure among the grass, vines, and trees. She stood up, patted her bottom, and then quickly walked to Qin Chuan, taking out her stone knife, "Let me help you!" "Thank you then." Qin Chuan didn''t stand on ceremony and pointed to the grass and vines, telling Yue Li where to cut. Yue Li quickly got the hang of it, helping Qin Chuan collect and asked, "What are these grasses and vines for?" "Some are used to make vine bags to carry the pottery and other important things from the shelter, and some are for making the framework of the new shelter." "New shelter?" Yue Li looked surprised, "You''re moving from here?" "Yeah, the Shadow Leopard''s den is a good place, well suited for a shelter," Qin Chuan paused for a moment, "It''s also closer to the Burning Flame Wolf. Once we move there, we can discuss a strategy more quickly to deal with that guy." "In that case..." Yue Li''s eyes spun, tentatively asking, "Can I crash at your shelter?" "Huh?" Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li in surprise. "Don''t worry, I''ll pull my weight in building the shelter!" Yue Li''s expression was earnest, "The physical fitness of all players in the Dream World is about the same, and my strength is no less than yours." "That''s fine, it''s good to have someone to look out for each other." Qin Chuan thought for a moment and nodded. In the Dream World, they didn''t sleep, nor did they need to be too concerned about gender. And aside from the Time Stop ability, Yue Li was no less capable than he was. Such a game partner was indeed reliable. The only caution was not to reveal his Time Stop ability. "Then it''s settled!" Yue Li beamed with joy, humming an unknown tune, even the speed of her collecting grass and vines increased significantly. Soon, the grass and vines were almost completely collected by the two of them while the Spiritual Beasts'' fishing battle had also come to a close. Water Flower, being a Water Attribute Spiritual Beast, had the upper hand and successfully defended its status as the Fishing Master, to the trout''s misfortune in the stream. "You guys..." Looking at the flopping rainbow trout on the riverbank, Qin Chuan''s lips twitched slightly, "Pick the five most injured ones; release the others." Instantly, Qin Chuan received grateful looks from the rainbow trout. With an extra hand, Qin Chuan greatly sped up the efficiency of relocating the shelter, as well as the speed of construction. Furthermore, building a shelter was simpler inside a cave, and Qin Chuan had the experience. With ten minutes left before the entrance to the Dream World closed and the day''s first tally began, Qin Chuan and Yue Li were already savoring their fish soup in the newly built shelter. [Ranking List daily tally begins] [Congratulations to the player for achieving 1st place on the Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage), Experience Gem +10] [Congratulations to the player for achieving 52nd place on the Extraordinary List, Spiritual Beast Snack +5] [Congratulations to the player for achieving 1st place on the Achievement Leaderboard, Achievement Key +2] Qin Chuan''s eyes brightened, the rewards had arrived! Chapter 32 - 32: Dream Exchange Opens! He casually put all 10 Experience Gems into the Item Equipment Bar, joining the previous 25, and then Qin Chuan turned his attention to the five small bags of snacks and two gleaming keys on the table. "Arf!" (Want to eat!) Water Flower ignored her fish soup, swiftly approached the snacks, and couldn''t help but drool. "Are these Spiritual Beast snacks so attractive?" Qin Chuan, slightly surprised, opened a bag and placed it before Water Flower. The snacks inside the bag looked somewhat like popcorn, and Water Flower devoured them with great gusto, showing an expression of satisfaction she had never had before, her mood exceptionally delighted. The bag was soon polished off. "The rest we''ll eat later." Qin Chuan petted Water Flower''s head and was about to put the remaining four bags away, when suddenly two more bags of snacks appeared in front of him. "Here, the snacks I promised to share with you." Yue Li said with a chuckle, "I can''t take advantage of you." Beside her, the expression on the Green Jade Falcon''s face was slightly sullen. "Then I won''t be polite." Qin Chuan smiled as he accepted the six bags of snacks, "But you don''t need to give me any more after this, it''s already enough." "Okay." Yue Li packed away the rewards, leaving only an Achievement Key, "I have an idea, why don''t we use the Achievement Keys together?" "Here''s my key." She handed her Achievement Key to Qin Chuan, "You decide what Achievement to look up and just let me know how to get it." "Are you sure?" Qin Chuan looked at the key being offered and didn''t take it, instead, he confirmed once more. "Sure." Yue Li nodded, "From what I''ve seen, one key can only reveal a few Achievements, and some Achievements even require 20 keys." "Also, I saw that the Achievement for you needs 5 keys." Yue Li looked at Qin Chuan, "If all goes well, the one for me should require 3 keys, right?" "That''s correct." Qin Chuan glanced briefly, the [Newborn Calf] Achievement indeed required 3 keys to view. Of course, he had already learned the specific way to obtain it from Yue Li, so there was no need to waste the key. "It seems the number of keys required corresponds to the Achievement Points offered by the Achievement." Yue Li smiled, "If I give you the key, we can learn how to acquire more Achievements, a win-win!" "Then it''s settled." Qin Chuan took Yue Li''s key, entered the Achievement Wall, and began searching for Achievements within the range of three keys. Of course, compared to multiple Achievements worth 300 Achievement Points, a single Achievement was easier to complete; as for the difficulty of the Achievement, that was entirely up to fate. Qin Chuan quickly selected an Achievement named [Skillful], using 3 Achievement Keys to view it. [Skillful: Enter the Dream World once and defeat ten Spiritual Beasts of the same Rank.] Does that mean you have to defeat ten Juvenile Stage Lv10 within eight hours? Qin Chuan grinned. No wonder it''s an Achievement worth 300 points; it''s not easy. Setting everything else aside, even finding ten Juvenile Stage Lv10 to challenge in such a short time is no easy task. He informed Yue Li of how to obtain this Achievement, and the next moment saw the light of excitement burst in her eyes, "This is great!" "You have a way?" "There are many Juvenile Stage Lv10 around the Burning Flame Wolf''s habitat, probably because there''s a rich deposit of Extraordinary Energy there, making the Spiritual Beasts grow faster." Yue Li was already eager to try, "Just ten of them, this Achievement should be easy to capture!" "If that''s the case, we''ll need to take a good look at the Burning Flame Wolf''s territory the next time we enter the Dream World." Qin Chuan pondered with a speculative gaze. Whether it''s low-level resources or new Achievements, they all relate to the Burning Flame Wolf. Burning Flame Wolf, dangerous! As the time for the Dream World''s entrance closure drew closer, Qin Chuan remembered what Ji Huai said the night before and chose to take more Dark Current Binding as his Carrying Skill. In the final seconds, Yue Li offered Qin Chuan a sweet smile. "Luo, see you tomorrow." [07:59:59/08:00:00][00:00:03] [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:04] [Dream World Entrance Closed] Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ----------------- [Current Extraordinary Value: 385] [Current Passive Skill: Water Master] [Current Active Skill: Dark Current Binding] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] Gazing at the lines of text that appeared before him, Qin Chuan, who had just been awakened by an alarm clock, swiftly opened the Item Carrying panel. Two earth-colored fruits with curious shapes appeared in his hands and, feeling their tangible sensation, Qin Chuan''s face brimmed with surprise. He actually brought them out. He returned the Experience Fruits to their carrying slot and immediately opened his mobile phone, eager to see what the situation was with the Dream Realm Forum''s Dream Exchange. Today, the Dream Realm Forum was incredibly lively; upon opening it, one could see countless posts, with players sharing their game zone numbers in hopes of finding buddies in the same zone, and there were many discussions about the rankings, especially regarding the Achievement module that had previously been known to only a few. A mere refresh and hundreds of new posts appeared, an awe-inspiring sight. Eager to join in, but remembering his goal, Qin Chuan exited the discussion section and entered the newly emerged trade section. The rules of the Dream Exchange were not complicated. Players could list items they wanted to sell or state what they needed along with their expected price, accepting various forms of online payment or bartering. Once a deal was made, the Special Affairs Group would dispatch Transcendents for escort, ensuring safety, with domestic next-day delivery, and what was more surprising was that no fees were charged at all. However, Qin Chuan thought it over and quickly understood the rationale. What the Special Affairs Group wanted was control of the channel; as long as they controlled the channel, they could acquire needed resources faster than any regular player. And for players needing to trade, such a platform offered them peace of mind. So, it was a win-win. Without pondering too much on this, Qin Chuan accessed the Exchange. Though newly opened, the Exchange already displayed a variety of odd items for sale; there were low-level resources available, but, for now, all listings were for bartering. Qin Chuan also noticed listings to buy or sell Experience Fruits. If one wanted to exchange Experience Fruits of a different Attribute for those of their own, the trade was one-for-one, but another option in the Exchange allowed for trading Experience Fruits for Experience Gems. One Experience Fruit could provide 50 experience, but the Experience Gems offered in exchange were less plentiful. The advantage was that Experience Gems could be used for any Attribute. Since this exchange was just beginning, the prices were not stable; Qin Chuan saw listings of one fruit for three gems or even four gems. The highest price seen was an offer buying two Fire Attribute Experience Fruits for nine gems. But upon refreshing the page again, that offer was already completed. Thinking that his plump contract was a Earth Attribute Spiritual Beast, Qin Chuan suddenly wasn''t eager to sell. He decided to first ask if the plump one had any thoughts about the Experience Fruits. Chapter 33 - 33 Xiao Pangs Gratitude When Qin Chuan walked into the classroom, the atmosphere was rather odd. The class president, Zhang Yangwang, stood erect with a face that carried pride and smugness, naturally receiving compliments from other classmates while repeatedly pushing up his glasses to feign humility. It wasn''t the first time Qin Chuan had seen Zhang Yangwang''s somewhat vain side, but he was still curious about what he had done this time. He walked over to his seat beside the plump kid and sat down, then immediately heard him grinding his teeth. "It''s just that his Spiritual Beast level has reached Lv10, what''s there to be so smug about?" Then, Qin Chuan understood. At the moment, Spiritual Beasts reaching Level 10 were a minority. Two days ago, a student from the next class achieved it, and the news had spread throughout the whole grade. Under these circumstances, it was natural for Zhang Yangwang''s breakthrough to be something to show off. The plump kid and Zhang Yangwang had long-standing differences. As the class president, Zhang Yangwang looked down on the underperforming student and had repeatedly reported him for copying homework during their first and second years. "Class president, which district are you in? What''s your rank?" a female classmate asked curiously, "With a Spiritual Beast at Level 10, you should be able to rank in the top thousand on the Spiritual Beast List, right?" "Not bad at all!" Zhang Yangwang nodded with self-satisfaction, "I''m in district 3675, and my Fire Monkey ranks 723rd on the Spiritual Beast List!" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but look up at Zhang Yangwang. "With that rank, you can get two Experience Gems every day," the inquiring girl said with envy, "Is there any big shot in your district, class president?" "Actually, there is." Zhang Yangwang laughed, "The top player in our district is called ''Luo''. His Contracted Spiritual Beast killed a Level 12 Shadow Leopard when it was only at Level 7. He''s definitely a big shot among big shots." "Really? That''s impressive?" "Level 12 is the Growth Rank, right? A Juvenile Stage beast killing one at Growth Rank?" "Yes, that''s how amazing he is." Zhang Yangwang crossed his arms, "Speaking of which, I''ve had the fortune of meeting that big shot. Not only is he strong, but he also" "Pfft~" A stifled laugh cut off Zhang Yangwang''s words. Zhang Yangwang couldn''t help but look towards Qin Chuan at the back row, annoyance flashing in his eyes, "Qin Chuan, what are you laughing at?" "I thought of something amusing." Qin Chuan replied coolly, then turned and patted the plump kid whose complexion wasn''t looking too good, "Come out with me for a moment." Watching Qin Chuan and the plump kid leave the classroom, Zhang Yangwang''s mood immediately improved as he continued to brag about his encounter with the top-ranked "Luo" from their district. Meanwhile, Qin Chuan pulled the plump kid along to the school''s snack bar, bought two sodas, and took him to a secluded corner, "I remember your Spiritual Beast is about to reach Level 9, right?" "It reached Level 9 last night." Talking about this made the plump kid''s expression brighten up a bit, "But the last level is a bit difficult because there are no Earth Attribute Experience Fruits nearby. Amy''s Spiritual Beast hasn''t found any either; we can only rely on the Experience Gems awarded at the end to level up slowly." Amy was the foreign female player the plump kid had encountered; from what he''d told before, her Spiritual Beast had some detection abilities. "Take these." Without hesitation, Qin Chuan pulled out two Earth Attribute Experience Fruits and handed them to the plump kid. "Earth Fruit?!" The plump kid''s eyes widened in shock, looking at the two fruits in Qin Chuan''s hands, his breathing heavy. With these two fruits, his Spiritual Beast could immediately reach Level 10! Then, as if realizing something, the plump kid pulled out an Experience Gem, "My Spiritual Beast''s rank is beyond a thousand, so I only got one..." "I''ll pay you back in installments! Ten Experience Gems!" the plump kid bit his lip. "Who trades five Experience Gems for one Experience Fruit?" Qin Chuan helplessly shook his head, "The market price is four for one. Just give me eight; there''s no rush." "Qin Chuan" Xiao Pang''s eyes were slightly red. He had naturally seen today''s trading section too. With prices not yet stable, if Qin Chuan really wanted to trade, two fruits could completely fetch nine gems, especially since he was paying in installments. "Alright, cut the drama," Qin Chuan patted Xiao Pang''s shoulder, "Advance to Lv10 as soon as possible, and you''ll be able to know the three types of resources required for Spiritual Beast advancement and make preparations early." "And by reaching Lv10 the next time you enter the Dream World, you''ll receive more rewards during the daily settlement." "Hmm!" Xiao Pang nodded vigorously, knowing that words of gratitude at this moment were hardly significant. He turned and walked to the snack stand, "Let me treat you to a grilled sausage..." "With extra spice," Qin Chuan said with a grin. ----------------- By the time the two finished their grilled sausages and entered the classroom, Zhang Yangwang was still talking non-stop. However, Xiao Pang''s mood had already stabilized, and he was even ignoring Zhang Yangwang''s chatter. Xiao Pang took out his phone and started browsing through the Dream Realm Forum when suddenly he turned to Qin Chuan, "Qin Chuan, the Special Affairs Group has announced the methods for achieving 23 achievements!" "Hmm?" Qin Chuan''s eyes brightened. He had felt before that the Special Affairs Group couldn''t have possibly missed the achievements. As he had thought, now with the appearance of the Achievement Leaderboard, they finally made their move. Qin Chuan quickly logged into the Dream Realm Forum and started checking. The Dream Realm Forum was busier than ever, with the server even stuttering a bit, as revealing 23 achievements at once was truly significant. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After looking through all 23 achievements from start to finish, Qin Chuan realized that all of these were worth either 100 or 200 Achievement Points, likely observed by the members of the Special Affairs Group using keys during the daily settlement. Noting these down could save him quite a few keys. The Special Affairs Group had not announced achievements with higher Achievement Points, but Qin Chuan believed that they certainly held some, which was to be expected. In the forum, a few players speculated that the Special Affairs Group had access to better achievements but didn''t announce them, expressing their complaints and dissatisfaction. Without the officials needing to intervene, other grateful players greeted their ancestors eighteen generations back. Other students in the classroom gradually discovered the achievements announced by the Special Affairs Group, and as the classroom quieted down, Zhang Yangwang, realizing it was boring, sat down in silence. Before long, the cultural subjects teacher entered the classroom for the first lesson of the morning. Cultural classes began. As the college entrance examination drew nearer, students who no longer harbored the slim hope of skipping the exams due to the Extraordinary Descent picked up their nearly abandoned studies, setting other matters aside to listen attentively to the lectures, working hard for their futures. In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the last class in the afternoon. Changxing City''s Second High School had no dormitories for students; they all commuted, and in accordance with the local Education Bureau''s regulations, there were no evening self-study sessions arranged. In the past, students would have been heading home at this time. But today, they just went out for a meal and a little rest before quickly returning to the classroom, each showing an expression of anticipation. The Extraordinary Course was about to begin. Chapter 34 - 34 Seat Reservation Turmoil "Qin Chuan, it''s getting late. Shall we head to the lecture hall?" After dinner, the plump Xiao Pang, who had disappeared, peeked his head out from the back door and waved at Qin Chuan. "Coming." Qin Chuan tidied up the desk, picked up a brand-new notebook and a pen, and stood up to leave. Due to the scarcity of teachers for the Extraordinary Course, the entire senior year''s eight classes were taught by Zhou Zixiu and Ji Huai. Since they couldn''t encroach on the daytime cultural class hours, they had to resort to combined classes. The eight classes were split into groups of four for joint sessions, rotating between Extraordinary Theory Class and Extraordinary Practical Combat to ensure adequate teaching time for each class. With four classes together, they naturally couldn''t sit in a regular classroom. Extraordinary Theory occupied the school''s multimedia lecture hall, while Extraordinary Practical Combat was conducted directly on the large sports field. Qin Chuan''s Class 7 was grouped with Classes 1, 3, and 5. Their first evening class was Extraordinary Theory, followed by Extraordinary Practical Combat. The other group was just the opposite. Walking towards the multimedia lecture hall, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but glance at Xiao Pang, who was leisurely humming a tune, "Aren''t we walking a bit slow? All the good seats will be taken." "Don''t worry," Xiao Pang chuckled with a grin, "I guarantee you a seat, and it''s one of the best in the front row." "You''ve already saved a seat?" Qin Chuan realized what was going on, recalling Xiao Pang''s mysterious departure from the classroom earlier with his backpack and belongings. "That''s right, I took all the books out of my backpack so the backpack can occupy one seat, and the books can occupy another," Xiao Pang said proudly, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, thanks." Qin Chuan smiled. Having a good seat was naturally a good thing. Xiao Pang''s loyalty was rewarded; Qin Chuan hadn''t regretted selling him the Earth Attribute Experience Fruit in installments. As they chatted and laughed, they quickly arrived at the multimedia lecture hall. Looking towards a certain front row seat, Xiao Pang''s expression suddenly darkened. He strode over to a specific front row seat and glared at the boy sitting there. "Didn''t you see the books on this seat? This is my spot!" "Just because you say it''s yours, it is?" the boy sneered, pointing to a stack of books on the adjacent table. "I saw it with my own eyes; you took up two seats for yourself." "What''s wrong with saving a seat for a friend?" Xiao Pang''s expression grew uglier, "And I was away for just five minutes, and now I''m back, okay?" "Instead of arguing, you might as well just save another seat," the boy sneered coldly, taking out a study guide and pretending to study. "You" Xiao Pang was so angry he gritted his teeth, his fists clenching with a surge of earthy yellow light. Standing behind him, Qin Chuan helplessly shook his head, patted Xiao Pang on the shoulder, and stopped him from acting impulsively. In the next moment, the boy who pretended to study suddenly changed his expression. His body slightly curled, his hand tensely gripping the study guide, his face contorted as if trying to restrain something. Shifting on the seat, he ultimately couldn''t hold back and rushed out, covering his crotch. "Hehe!" Xiao Pang, having had the same experience, instantly knew whose handiwork it was. Feeling secretly pleased, he quickly gathered the boy''s belongings into a corner and pulled Qin Chuan to sit down. When the boy returned to the classroom and saw Xiao Pang sitting in his place, his expression changed rapidly. "Move! That''s my seat!" "Just because you say it''s yours, it is?" Xiao Pang crossed his arms and chuckled. "You" The boy''s own words being thrown back at him caused veins to throb on his forehead, but before he could finish, Xiao Pang cut him off again. "Instead of arguing, you might as well just save another seat." The turnabout was fair play; Xiao Pang had outplayed him. The boy''s expression grew uglier. "Liu Chen, what''s going on?" A slightly cold voice came from behind the boy. Liu Chen''s expression brightened as he quickly turned, "Class rep, I just went to the restroom, and this guy took my seat. You have to stand up for me!" Behind him, a delicate long-haired girl slightly furrowed her brows at Qin Chuan and Xiao Pang. "Is that so?" "Of course not." Xiao Pang despisingly glanced at Liu Chen. "Are you even a man? Hiding behind a girl when things go wrong, stirring up trouble with lies." "This seat was originally mine; I left for just a few minutes and came back to find you had taken it. Now you went to the restroom, and I took back my own seat. That''s only fair, right?" Hearing both sides'' completely different arguments, the girl turned her gaze to Qin Chuan. "When my friend saved seats, he also saved one for me. Your classmate, using this as a reason and without my friend''s permission, moved my friend''s belongings and took our seats," Qin Chuan spoke calmly, "That''s what happened." "Lies!" Liu Chen blustered, trembling slightly with indignation, "Class rep, we are classmates. You should believe me!" "Um Yuwei" a girl sitting not too far spoke up timidly, "It was indeed Liu Chen who took someone else''s seat." Hearing another classmate confirm this, the girl known as "Yuwei," the long-haired girl, had made up her mind and pointed at Liu Chen''s backpack and textbooks, "Find another seat for yourself." "I" Liu Chen''s face showed embarrassment, but with so many eyes on him, he had no choice but reluctantly to take his belongings to the back row. The long-haired girl nodded to Qin Chuan and Xiao Pang, then turned back to her own seat. "She''s worthy of being the campus beauty," Xiao Pang reluctantly took his eyes off her retreating figure. "Not only is she pretty and smart, but she''s also reasonable." "That''s our campus beauty?" Qin Chuan was somewhat surprised. "You''re telling me, Qin Chuan, after three years of high school, you don''t even recognize our campus beauty, Zhu Yuwei?" Xiao Pang gave Qin Chuan an incredulous look. "I know her now," Qin Chuan shrugged nonchalantly, quickly changing the subject, "Teacher Zhou is here." Xiao Pang turned his head to the smiling figure entering the classroom, swiftly putting thoughts of the campus beauty out of his mind. Women, they only disrupt his study efficiency! As Zhou Zixiu stepped onto the platform, the other students also quickly noticed him. The noisy classroom quieted down, and pairs of eyes filled with anticipation and curiosity watched Zhou Zixiu. They were eager to see how this young man, who looked only a few years older than them, would teach Extraordinary Theory. "There are three minutes until class starts," Zhou Zixiu glanced at the time and smiled, "Let''s wait for the students who haven''t arrived yet." His voice was soft, and he didn''t use any sound amplification equipment, but it was as if by magic, it reached the ears of all the students in the large lecture hall. Sear?h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As everyone waited quietly, soon a crisp bell for class rang. "Ding" Chapter 35 - 35 Never Underestimate the Power of Water "Class is starting, and there are still a few students who haven''t arrived, but we won''t wait for them." "Those who are late will have to rely on other students to help catch up during the break," Zhou Zixiu tapped his wristwatch, "I am a person who values punctuality, so I hope there won''t be any more tardiness." "Next, we begin our first lesson." Zhou Zixiu''s gaze swept over the students in the large classroom, paused imperceptibly on Qin Chuan, and then moved away, "This class, we will gain a preliminary understanding of Extraordinary Theory." "I introduced some concepts yesterday, but that was not everything." "Extraordinary Theory is an applied science," Zhou Zixiu''s voice paused for a moment, "although classifying the Extraordinary as science itself is quite unscientific." At this comment, a ripple of laughter spread through the large classroom. "What do we mean by applied science?" Zhou Zixiu tapped on the blackboard, opening the first page of his lecture PPT, "Applied science is the branch of science that starts from practical application and guides the direction of theoretical research based on practical needs." "In short, find problems, solve problems, research whatever is needed." "Extraordinary Theory best exemplifies this characteristic," Zhou Zixiu began slowly, "because the classification of research in Extraordinary Theory is divided according to Attributes." "With materials science as the main core discipline for Gold Attribute Extraordinary Theory; geology and civil engineering for Earth Attribute Extraordinary Theory; thermodynamics and chemistry for Fire Attribute Extraordinary Theory, botany for Wood Attribute Extraordinary Theory..." Sar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the crowd looked on with astonishment, Zhou Zixiu listed the core disciplines for twelve different Attributes, then he added, "The main core discipline is not all there is, each Attribute also encompasses knowledge from other disciplines." "And, the requirement for you all is not to master just one type," Zhou Zixiu said with a smile as he looked at everyone. But to them, this smile looked devilish. "You might think that mastering the Extraordinary Power of one Attribute is enough for now," "But that is a mistaken thought." "First of all, you''ll contract with other Spiritual Beasts in the future. Are you not going to contract with Spiritual Beasts of other Attributes? Thus, naturally, you need to learn related knowledge of other Attributes." "I think contracting only with Earth Attribute Spiritual Beasts is quite nice," a chubby student muttered under his breath, making Qin Chuan''s mouth twitch. Was contracting with just one Attribute''s Spiritual Beasts to learn less really okay? "Secondly, there is a saying, ''Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be in peril,''" Zhou Zixiu glanced at the students, "Having knowledge of various Attributes will make you Skillful when facing opponents with different Attributes." "I''m a person who loves peace," the chubby student mumbled softly again. "This student, stand up," Zhou Zixiu looked at the chubby student with a smile that was not quite a smile, signaling him to stand up, "What Attribute?" "Earth Attribute," the chubby student shrank his head, but stood up obediently. "Good," Zhou Zixiu nodded, "After this class, I will check your study notes for the other eleven Attributes. You may sit down now." The chubby student sat down with a look of deep sorrow and pain on his face. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but offer the chubby student a sympathetic glance. "The rest of you should also refrain from whispering," Zhou Zixiu smiled and pointed to his ear, "My ears are quite sharp." "In this class, I will introduce the relevant knowledge of each Attribute, about three minutes for each, and starting from the next class, we will go through each Attribute one by one," Zhou Zixiu clicked to the next page of the PPT, "First, let''s talk about Thunder Attribute." "Those who have contracted Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beasts, raise your hand." As the words fell, in the large classroom of over two hundred people, only seven hands were raised. "The Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beasts have a rather unique area of activity, which is why there are relatively fewer Players who contract them," Zhou Zixiu spoke calmly, "The essence of thunder is electricity, which we have all studied in middle school and high school physics." "Whenever there is a voltage difference between two points, charges will move from one end to the other, forming an electric current." "If the voltage difference between the two points remains positive or negative, then the direction of charge movement does not change, resulting in a direct current." "If the voltage difference between two points rapidly alternates between positive and negative, the direction of charge movement will continuously change, resulting in alternating current." "Compared with direct current, alternating current can conduct more easily within the human body, and the damage it can cause to the body is much more severe, in other words, it has greater power." "And the electric current produced by Thunder Attribute power is all alternating current." "Have you ever played with a rubber band?" Zhou Zixiu looked at the students and suddenly smiled, "If you pull a tight rubber band and then let go, it will vibrate up and down non-stop." "The Thunder Attribute Extraordinary Power is that hand, it plucks the rubber band called voltage." As Zhou Zixiu finished speaking, a buzz of discussion quickly spread throughout the classroom. A look of surprise appeared in Qin Chuan''s eyes. He had originally thought that a Transcendent sent by the Special Affairs Group to teach Extraordinary Theory would not be very adept at teaching, but Zhou Zixiu''s plain and easy to understand metaphors had made it very easy for him to grasp the essence of Thunder Attribute power. "Understanding the nature of Thunder Attribute power, we can start from the perspective of alternating current, consider how to enhance the power of Thunder Attribute Skills, how to control lightning more flexibly, for example..." Zhou Zixiu mentioned a few examples and concluded the introduction of the Thunder Attribute. "Next, let''s talk about the Water Attribute." Zhou Zixiu''s gaze naturally paused on Qin Chuan before moving away, "From a chemical standpoint, water is a liquid composed of H2O molecules, but this is water in its elemental form, which is pure water." "The power of Water Attribute is not limited to pure water." "Experiments targeting Water Attribute Extraordinary powers have shown that Water Attribute Transcendents have absolute control over liquids with more than 90% water content." "For liquids with less than 90% water content, Water Attribute Transcendents'' control weakens exponentially with the reduction of the water percentage C with every 1% reduction, the control is halved, and below 80%, the control is negligible." "This water content refers to the proportion of mass in the mixture." "900 grams of pure water mixed with 100 grams of any substance can be controlled by Water Attribute Transcendents," Zhou Zixiu''s tone intensified a bit, "including substances that are not water-soluble." "As suspension liquids can also be controlled by Water Attribute, particles that are not water-soluble can become suspension liquids without too much difficulty if they are finely ground." "There''s a saying that goes like a ''gentle stream of affection,'' suggesting the power of water is weak, but a water jet with abrasive can easily cut through diamond and high-strength alloys." "Never underestimate the power of water." Chapter 36 - 36: All of You Attack Together Zhou Zixiu spoke of the Water Attribute at that moment, and Qin Chuan''s attention was more focused than ever, his pen swiftly recording the content being discussed. But upon hearing "Never underestimate the power of water," Qin Chuan couldn''t help but be momentarily lost in thought. In Zhou Zixiu''s description, the power of water was beyond his imagination. To mix with other substances while maintaining 90% water content, to enhance the inherent power of Water? This whimsical idea was something Qin Chuan had never considered. He couldn''t help holding his breath while listening even more intently to Zhou Zixiu''s subsequent explanation. "Unlike the Thunder Attribute we just discussed, Water is a substance," Zhou Zixiu smiled. "It, along with the Wood, Earth, and Gold Attributes we will talk about later, is a substance Attribute." "In physics, there is a formula called the mass-energy equivalence." Zhou Zixiu wrote "E=mc^2" on the blackboard. "A massive amount of energy is contained within mass, and to create one kilogram of substance from nothing requires approximately ninety quintillion joules of energy." "But lifting one kilogram of substance one meter high only requires about ten joules of energy." "The difference in energy consumption between the two is a factor of ninety trillion." "We have to mention the marvel of Extraordinary Energy," Zhou Zixiu smiled. "Based on experimental research, the academicians of Yanhuang Science Academy have proposed a hypothesis about Extraordinary Energy." "This hypothesis suggests that Extraordinary Energy only translates into substance completely when creating it from nothing. In all other situations, we can only use a minuscule part of it." "It is precisely this difference that offsets the energy difference of quintillion levels, allowing us to control and create substance Attributes from nothing." "Even so, creating something from nothing still consumes more power than direct manipulation," Zhou Zixiu paused, "so it''s suggested that Transcendents of the substance Attributes carry some of their Attribute substance with them..." "For example, Water Attribute Transcendents can carry a bottle of water." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In fact, he had noticed this. With water available, controlling it through the Water Master was easy, but creating water from nothing without water would lead to exhaustion much faster. "Lastly, let''s briefly introduce some common liquids containing more than 90% water content." Zhou Zixiu flipped the PPT to the next page and listed them one by one. When Zhou Zixiu mentioned "urine," Qin Chuan distinctly felt the particularly plaintive gaze the chubby classmate beside him directed at him. "What we need to emphasize is this," Zhou Zixiu pointed to the last item listed on the PPT, "plasma." "Plasma has a water content of 90% to 91%, but it is not blood," Zhou Zixiu paused for a moment. "Blood is made up of plasma and blood cells, with an overall water content of 83%. At this level of water content, the control strength of a Water Attribute Transcendent has already weakened to less than one percent." "This means that unless the difference in Extraordinary Value between the two sides is a hundredfold, one cannot control the blood to kill the opponent." "However, the fact that a Water Attribute Extraordinary Value can influence blood is worth researching, and one should be guarded against it when facing Water Attribute Transcendents." Qin Chuan was visibly moved, quickly taking notes. He had realized that the Extraordinary Theory Class was far more important than he had imagined. It was not only about the college entrance examination but also about his own strength. Observing the thoughtful expressions on the students'' faces in the classroom, Zhou Zixiu shifted his tone. "Next, let''s introduce the Ice Attribute..." ----------------- "Ding ling ling~" As the end-of-class bell rang, Zhou Zixiu had just finished discussing the last Attribute. "Class dismissed." As he announced the end of class amidst the students'' reluctance to leave, Zhou Zixiu walked up to the chubby classmate with a smile, "Study notes." "Teacher Zhou..." the chubby student miserably handed over his study notes. He had never had the habit of taking notes during class, and cramming last-minute was somewhat tough on him. Fortunately, Zhou Zixiu did not deliberately make it difficult for him, leaving with a comment, "Next time, don''t chatter during class," and then turned to Qin Chuan, "Your Contracted Spiritual Beast is Water Attribute, right?" "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded. "Perform well in the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class coming up." With that, Zhou Zixiu, still smiling, turned and left the classroom, leaving Qin Chuan bemused. Perform what? "There''s only ten minutes for the break; let''s hurry to the main field," the chubby classmate put away his notebook and pulled Qin Chuan to his feet. "I feel like if we are late for Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, that Teacher Ji might just chop me down." "That won''t happen," Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched, but recalling Ji Huai''s entrance yesterday, he also felt some trepidation and quickened his pace. Before long, all the students from the large classroom arrived at the field for the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class. In the very center of the field, a figure sat cross-legged on the soft grass, meditating with eyes closed. It was none other than Ji Huai, who had made a profound impression on the entire senior year the day before. Now he was dressed in clean practice clothes, but the sharpness and aura of menace approaching him had not decreased one bit. Without waiting for Ji Huai to speak, students from all four classes quickly formed into four squares, standing in line under the direction of their respective class sports committee members, strikingly straight. Intimidated by Ji Huai''s presence, and even though class had not yet started, everyone stood as straight as if they were in military training. Soon, the bell for starting class rang. Ji Huai suddenly opened his eyes. The floodlights lit up the nighttime field as bright as day, but when the sharp glint passed fleetingly from his eyes, it still rendered the students present almost unable to bear looking directly at him. "Step forward when your name is called." Without any preamble, Ji Huai''s voice sounded. "Zhu Yuwei." "Here!" From the front row of the first class, a striking figure quickly walked forward. Seeing that the first person called out was the school beauty, students from all four classes immediately began whispering, but these murmurs vanished as soon as Ji Huai scanned the crowd with his gaze. "Dong Cun." "Here!" "Liu Xinran." "Here!" One after another, a boy and a girl stepped out from the formation of the fifth class upon being called. "Qin Chuan." "Here!" Still observing the first three, Qin Chuan, taken by surprise, quickly walked forward, feeling a mix of tension and curiosity in his heart. What was the purpose of calling out the four of them? In the next second, Ji Huai provided the answer. "Among the students of the four classes, your Extraordinary Values have exceeded 370 during the physical examination." The physical examination could measure Extraordinary Value? The students in the four formations showed various reactions. The students of the third class looked dissatisfied since none from their class was called. "Report!" Just then, a voice sounded. It was Zhang Yangwang. "Teacher Ji, my Contracted Spiritual Beast reached Lv10 last night, and now my Extraordinary Value is also over 370!" Zhang Yangwang spoke with pride, basking in the attention from all around him as he felt this was his moment to shine. "Then you also step forward." Ji Huai spoke evenly, a hint of strangeness briefly flickering in the depths of his eyes. Once Zhang Yangwang stood by the other four, Ji Huai''s mouth curled up slightly. "All of you come at once, and fight me." Chapter 37 - 37: One Against Five Battle! "You all come at once and fight me." As Ji Huai''s words echoed across the field, the entire playground fell silent. Including the five who had already stepped forward, all the students stared at Ji Huai, dumbfounded, doubting for a moment if they had heard wrong. What did an Extraordinary Value exceeding 370 imply? With a Race Value of 440 at the Juvenile Stage Lv8, achieving an Extraordinary Value over 370 would require an Affinity exceeding 84%, which was extremely rare at this stage. With a Race Value of 470 at the Juvenile Stage Lv9, achieving an Extraordinary Value over 370 would require an Affinity of 79%, which was also challenging but still possible. Thus, the contracted Spiritual Beasts of the five who stepped forward were at least Lv9. At this moment, when Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts had not yet appeared, they were already among the strongest batch of Transcendents. Even if Ji Huai''s Extraordinary Value was higher, how high could it be... "I chose you because my Extraordinary Value is 370," Ji Huai calmly stated. Thus, the atmosphere became even more bizarre. So... the five opponents you picked all have higher Extraordinary Values than you? Sar?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And then you still ask them to come at you together? But Ji Huai had no intention of explaining. Looking at the five still in a daze, he spoke again. "I''ll give you two minutes to discuss and prepare," Ji Huai turned and returned to his previous seated position. "The spar starts in two minutes." Looking at Ji Huai retaking his seat on the grass, Qin Chuan turned to glance at the other four. Zhang Yangwang goes without saying, and Zhu Yuwei had interacted in the last class too. The remaining two, Dong Cun, was somewhat short but always had a smile on his face, looking like a good-natured person. Liu Xinran was a girl with a high ponytail, her face showing a bit of baby fat. "Let''s introduce our abilities first," Zhu Yuwei spoke softly, her eyes gleaming with competitiveness. "Since Teacher Ji asked us to work together, let''s give it our all." "My name is Zhu Yuwei, Ice Attribute, I can instantly freeze opponents or attack them from a distance with ice, though the latter consumes more," Zhu Yuwei''s expression was somewhat regretful. "If there is ready-made ice, my ability could be greatly enhanced." "Why not check the ice in the convenience store''s freezer?" Dong Cun suggested. "That works," Zhu Yuwei''s eyes lit up. The convenience store''s freezer was a horizontal type, often containing thick ice inside. However, Zhu Yuwei didn''t immediately move; she waited for the others to introduce themselves. "My name is Dong Cun, Wood Attribute, capable of growing plants and controlling vines to whip opponents." Dong Cun glanced at the grass beneath him. "This environment is quite favorable for me." "Liu Xinran, Light Attribute, I can refract light to affect opponents'' vision and also have a healing skill," Liu Xinran said earnestly. "I''ll support you all!" "I..." Qin Chuan was about to speak, but Zhang Yangwang beat him to it. "I, Zhang Yangwang, Fire Attribute!" Zhang Yangwang puffed out his chest. "Can cast fireballs for long-range attacks and also engage in close combat, anyone touched will be scorched." At his words, everyone turned to look, even Qin Chuan was somewhat surprised. This guy, his contracted Spiritual Beast is that powerful? "Qin Chuan, Water Attribute, can control water to bind opponents." Seeing everyone''s gaze turning towards him, Qin Chuan cleared his throat. "I''ll also go to the convenience store to buy a couple of water bottles to have on hand." "Let''s go together," Zhu Yuwei nodded at Qin Chuan and led the way to the convenience store. As the two walked side by side, Zhu Yuwei suddenly spoke up, "I almost misunderstood you last class, sorry about that." Qin Chuan glanced at Zhu Yuwei in surprise, "It''s a small matter, no need for such fuss." Zhu Yuwei nodded silently and stopped speaking. Soon, the two of them arrived at the store. Qin Chuan purchased two 1.5-liter bottles of water, while Zhu Yuwei discussed with the shop owner and scraped some ice from the fridge, and then also bought a bottle of water. "Water Ice." Noticing Qin Chuan''s gaze, Zhu Yuwei explained briefly. Qin Chuan nodded in understanding. Looking at the two bottles of water in his hand, Qin Chuan felt he might need to prepare something else. Remembering the knowledge he had just learned in Extraordinary Theory Class, he quickly got an idea. Approaching the shop owner, Qin Chuan smiled, "Boss, I remember you have middle school physics experiment equipment for sale here, right? The type used by students." ----------------- "You two finally made it, two minutes were almost up." Seeing Zhu Yuwei and Qin Chuan returning, Zhang Yangwang could not help but complain, "We could have discussed some tactics, but now there''s no time." "With no knowledge of Teacher Ji''s capabilities, there wasn''t much to discuss regarding tactics," Qin Chuan glanced at Zhang Yangwang, "The five of us have clear roles, except we lack a defense specialist. We have everything else." "No choice," Dong Cun chuckled, "Two minutes is too short." "Alright then," Zhang Yangwang stopped talking, his face filled with anticipation, "I''ll lead the main output." Nobody raised any objections to this. After all, Zhang Yangwang''s skills were well recognized; the Fire Attribute naturally had explosive output. Meanwhile, as the two minutes elapsed, Ji Huai stood up. Positioning himself about ten meters away from the five, he stretched his hands naturally beside his thighs and gazed at Qin Chuan and the others, "Begin." From the moment the five discussed and prepared, the chatter among the four squares had not ceased; now, as the spar officially commenced, over two hundred pairs of eyes tensely watched the arena. "Attack!!" Zhang Yangwang hurled a fireball towards Ji Huai with a slightly hoarse shout, flames burst out around him as he sprinted towards Ji Huai while preparing to throw a punch. Dong Cun stood by, a green-brown halo flickering beneath his feet, vines burst forth from the ground like frenzied golden snakes, shooting towards Ji Huai. Though they launched later, they quickly caught up with the speed of the fireball. At the same time, Zhu Yuwei had already opened her water bottle, 1.5 liters of water poured out and froze before it hit the ground, shattering and then coalescing in Zhu Yuwei''s hands into several forearm-length ice needles. She didn''t make a move yet, clutching the ice needles and intently watching the field, waiting for the right moment. Qin Chuan was also waiting for his moment. Three liters of water circled by his side under the control of the Water Master, ready to be utilized at any moment. Observing the calm demeanor of Ji Huai, he couldn''t help but touch something in his pocket. Just as the vines and fireball closed to about two meters from him, Ji Huai finally made his move. He swiftly raised a hand, revealing a wrist hidden under loose clothing. In the bright lighting, metal rings on Ji Huai''s wrist reflected a cold light, instantly disassembling and reassembling into a Horse-cutting Saber. The sharp gleam of the blade cut through the night, instantly severing the venomously striking vines. The saber tip, pointing towards the ground, swiftly flicked upwards directly at the oncoming fireball, and as Ji Huai pushed the saber''s hilt forward, the Horse-cutting Saber instantly disassembled and reassembled into a shield, adeptly blocking the fireball. With every movement he made, he was composed and unruffled. Chapter 38 - 38: Weapon Master Ji Huai While the students from the four square formations were exclaiming in admiration at Ji Huai''s composed counterattacks, a sudden change occurred. A vine abruptly shot up from the grass not far in front of Ji Huai and instantly lashed towards his face. Making an ostensible move while secretly altering the path! The vine that had overtly whipped towards him was just a ruse by Dong Cun to confuse Ji Huai! Ji Huai''s expression remained calm. He swept the shield that had just blocked the fireball, its edge becoming as sharp as a blade in an instant, slicing the previously hidden vine right in the middle. "Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!" Three sharp sounds of cutting wind howled through the air. At the moment Ji Huai dealt with the sneak-attacking vine, Zhu Yuwei finally found her chance to strike. Her sharp, slender ice needles, with almost no air resistance, were so fast that only afterimages were left. Ji Huai slightly shifted his body, about to dodge the three ice needles headed his way, when his face suddenly changed color. With a swift move, he raised his shield to an empty space beside him. "Ding, ding, ding!" Three crisp sounds rang out as the surface of the shield was instantly pinned with three ice needles. With a flick of his shield, which turned back into a long sword, Ji Huai gave Liu Xinran a deep looka seemingly invisible presence in the arenabefore reversing his grip on the long sword and charging towards Zhang Yangwang. The moment Ji Huai revealed his abilities, Zhang Yangwang had already stopped his charge. As impulsive as he might be, he wouldn''t recklessly engage in close combat with an armed adversary. However, Ji Huai''s timing was so critical that their distance had shortened to less than five meters. Seeing Ji Huai rapidly approaching, Zhang Yangwang panicked, letting out a scream before he hurled a fireball in disarray. That fireball wasn''t even aimed at Ji Huai, instead flying off towards another direction. Ironically, two vines happened to pass by at that moment. Before they could strike Ji Huai, they were instantly turned to ash by Zhang Yangwang''s fireball. Worst team-mate ever! The other four cursed inwardly, but at this point, they had no choice but to save Zhang Yangwang. One of the water streams circling around Qin Chuan shot out close to the ground, transforming into a Water Hand right under Ji Huai''s feet, reaching for Ji Huai''s ankles with force. Liu Xinran remained silent, intently watching the Water Hand controlled by Qin Chuan, while covertly using her abilities to twist the light, affecting Ji Huai''s judgment of the Water Hand''s position. In an instant, Zhu Yuwei shot out five or six ice needles in a goddess-scattering-flowers move, attempting to block all of Ji Huai''s possible movements. The vine wielded by Dong Cun, this time targeting the stupefied Zhang Yangwang and not Ji Huai, was meant to bind Zhang Yangwang and pull him back to safety. Just as the rescue operation was about to succeed, Ji Huai suddenly erupted in power. "Clang" With a muffled sound, a very loose iron boot appeared around Ji Huai''s ankle, blocking the Water Hand. As Ji Huai''s foot slipped out with ease, it was as though he had shed a weight, his speed surging even more. Ji Huai quickly reassembled his long sword into a shield, blocking all the incoming ice needles. Then, to the astonishment of the onlookers, he turned it once again into a metal whip. "Crack!" The sound of the whip echoed, the wildly dancing metal whip entangling Zhang Yangwang''s waist before Dong Cun''s vine could, then with a forceful pull by Ji Huai, Zhang Yangwang was drawn close to him. The last thing Zhang Yangwang saw before losing consciousness was a fist that kept enlarging before his eyes. Knocking out Zhang Yangwang with a punch, Ji Huai''s whip moved like a venomous snake, accompanied by a crisp "crack" as it lashed out instantly towards Liu Xinran. Qin Chuan''s expression changed rapidly, and he swiftly raised his hand. Two streams of water burst towards Liu Xinran, and because they were closer, they intercepted in front of her first, forming a curtain of water. The moment the whip broke through the water curtain, the splashing droplets transformed into a hand that tightly grabbed the whip, Dark Current Binding immediately activated, rendering the whip completely powerless. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the other side, Dong Cun, who had failed to take Zhang Yangwang, also reacted very quickly, the empty lash of his whip turned and shot towards Ji Huai''s direction. Ji Huai''s weapon was already bound! Everyone''s hearts surged with excitement. Even though Zhang Yangwang was gone, they finally saw a chance for victory at this moment! Zhu Yuwei''s hands were overflowing with cold air, ice needles ready to launch, waiting for the vine to hit Ji Huai. Under the expectant gazes of the four, Ji Huai lifted his other hand that had yet to be raised. "Dingling~" The sound of metal rings striking each other sent a chill down the spines of the four. In the next instant, Ji Huai held a long knife in his other hand, swiftly cutting through the vines, changing direction to charge at Dong Cun, while at the same time, he yanked hard on the whip in his hand. The metal whip locked by Qin Chuan broke off directly and reassembled into a short blade. "Tap tap tap~" Following the rapid steps of the sprint, Ji Huai, wielding a long knife and short blade in both hands, launched an airtight offense, slicing the oncoming vines time and time again, and then with a fierce leap, he jumped over the Water Hand probing from beneath his feet. The short blade turned, the handle knocking heavily on Dong Cun''s chin at the same time, Ji Huai, as if he had eyes on his back, spun the long knife''s blade into a round shield, instantly blocking the ice needles shooting at him from behind. Dong Cun fell to the ground heavily, with his eyes rolling back after the heavy blow to his chin. Ji Huai reassembled the round shield into a long knife and, like an agile old ape entering the forest, he turned and charged at Zhu Yuwei with swift, ghost-like steps. Zhu Yuwei''s expression changed rapidly. The strike just now had used up all of her remaining ice needles. Watching Ji Huai getting closer and closer, a stream of water suddenly appeared in Zhu Yuwei''s hand, which she instinctively grasped. The chilling burst transformed the water into ice and simultaneously gave Qin Chuan a grateful look. "Crack" Accompanied by the sound of freezing, a layer of frost quickly formed on one of Ji Huai''s feet as he stepped within two meters of Zhu Yuwei, halting his forward momentum. He pushed hard with his other leg, retreating backwards while his hand turned the short blade back into a whip, lashing at Zhu Yuwei. At the same time, the long knife reformed into a shield protecting his face and body, blocking Zhu Yuwei''s instantly-fired ice needles. A water curtain quickly positioned itself in front of Zhu Yuwei, but the metal whip seemed to have anticipated this, deliberately swinging in a wide arc, wrapping around her slender waist from behind. A tremendous force burst from the metal whip, and the next moment, Zhu Yuwei lost her balance, flying towards Ji Huai with a shocked cry. Ji Huai made a motion as if throwing a punch and then flung Zhu Yuwei aside. He shook the leg that had just thawed after stepping out of the freezing range, turning to pounce on Qin Chuan. The long whip and round shield disassembled simultaneously, reassembling into a Heavy Halberd, slashing straight down at Qin Chuan''s head. "Clang" The sound of metal colliding echoed throughout the area. Two Water Hands clapped together, firmly clamping the Spear Blade just above Qin Chuan''s head, preventing it from advancing even an inch. In the colorless transparent water, numerous dark particles churned, occasionally flashing a cold glint under the floodlights, like a dark star revolving. Qin Chuan tossed away the bag of iron powder, his eyes sharpening. Zhou Zixiu''s words echoed in his mind. Never underestimate the power of water. Chapter 39 - 39: Why Can We Win? Caught it? Feeling the heavy halberd in his hands firmly clamped and unable to advance an inch, Ji Huai''s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. During the battle, he was also observing the five people on the field. This was an instinctive action borne from his countless battle experiences. To Ji Huai, Qin Chuan''s performance in the multiple exchanges just now was noteworthy. Although not the main assailant, each of his moves was quite crucial. That''s why, when facing Qin Chuan''s binding power, Ji Huai for the first time melted the metal in both hands into a single entity, forming a heavy halberd. Such an offensive move, with its power greatly surpassing that of the previous ones, was expected by him to break through Qin Chuan''s binding power and instantly neutralize his combat ability. But Qin Chuan gave him a surprise. Iron filings, huh... Ji Huai glanced at the numerous black particles tumbling through the water current. Indeed, he knows how to learn and adapt on the fly. With a thought from Ji Huai, the heavy halberd, which was firmly clamped by the Water Hand, instantly disassembled, breaking free from the water''s restraint before Qin Chuan could react and reassembled into a long-handled giant axe in Ji Huai''s hands, slashing horizontally at him. Seeing that powerful and heavy strike, Qin Chuan''s eyes twitched, hurrying to block it with the water current. "Clang" With another sound of metal clashing, all the water converged into a giant hand, firmly gripping the sharp edge of the giant axe. Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief and felt a sense of exhilaration from the successful adaption and use of iron filings. After the addition of iron filings, the power he exhibited with Dark Current Binding was clearly enhanced. Knowledge really is power! Ji Huai''s expression was unchanged as he once again restructured the giant axe in his hands into a broadsword that slashed down, then transformed into a pair of heavy maces that he swung and smashed continuously. Standing in place, his attack speed increased with each strike, each time with a new tactic, forcing Qin Chuan to bring his full focus to changing the water current in response. "Clang clang clang" The sounds of metal clashing rang out, causing the students in the four formations to exchange glances. After all, Ji Huai had just displayed crushing strength, but now, when facing Qin Chuan, he hadn''t been able to prevail immediately and was instead stuck in a standoff. Is Qin Chuan that strong? Sar?h the ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The students from Class 7 seemed to have recognized Qin Chuan anew, while those from other classes who didn''t know Qin Chuan''s name were now inquiring and getting to know this handsome youth. After about twenty exchanges, Qin Chuan suddenly felt dizzy, and his expression rapidly changed. This indicated that his extraordinary energy was nearly depleted! Unlike him, Ji Huai still moved swiftly, showing no sign of exhaustion. What''s going on? His extraordinary value of 385 was depleting faster than his opponent''s value of 370? Before Qin Chuan could figure this out, Ji Huai stopped attacking. "Not a bad reaction," Ji Huai spoke for the first time during the one-on-five battle. In the next moment, while Qin Chuan stared in astonishment, the weapon, which had reformed into a spear in Ji Huai''s hands, gently touched the water current, and the iron filings in the water were instantly pulled out of Qin Chuan''s control and absorbed into the spear. Having lost the boost from the iron powder, Dark Current Binding could no longer restrain the long gun made of metallic hands that Ji Huai had consolidated. Qin Chuan felt only a blur before the gun blade was resting on his shoulder. Iron powder was metal as well. For a moment, Qin Chuan looked at Ji Huai with a more complex gaze. So, Ji Huai could have taken away his iron powder from the start, breaking his Dark Current Binding, and proved he could defeat him in another way by continuously outputting and depleting his Extraordinary Energy? "If I''m not mistaken, you don''t have the ability to attack, do you?" Ji Huai turned his head, looking toward Liu Xinran. "I..." Liu Xinran stood there somewhat dejected, with all four teammates eliminated, she had no power to turn the tide, "I didn''t know we were going to spar today, and only brought healing skills, which were of no use." "They are of use now." Ji Huai pointed at Zhang Yangwang and Dong Cun, who were still unconscious, "Go." Liu Xinran: "..." Thank you, but I''m not feeling comforted! Zhu Yuwei, who was uninjured, quickly walked over to Liu Xinran, comforting the girl in a soft voice while helping her heal their teammates, and soon a smile returned to Liu Xinran''s face. The two who were unconscious gradually came to their senses. Ji Huai also disassembled the long gun, transforming it back into a series of metallic rings on his arms, hiding them within the large training clothes, and turned to walk towards the students of the four squads. "If possible, go buy some diamond dust." "Ah? Okay." Qin Chuan was startled for a moment before realizing Ji Huai was speaking to him, quickly responding in agreement. Metal powder like iron powder certainly could enhance Water Attribute abilities, but it was easily countered by Gold Attribute. He had chosen iron powder previously because in a mere two minutes, he couldn''t find anything else that could form a suspension liquid, and he didn''t know that Ji Huai was Gold Attribute. Given the opportunity, naturally, he would choose a finer dust. This choice was based on two simple criteria: first was hardness, the harder the powder itself, the better the Water enhancement effect. On the other hand, the material needed to be neither metal nor stone so it wouldn''t be countered by the Gold Attribute and Earth Attribute. Having listened seriously to Zhou Zixiu''s lectures, Qin Chuan now had a deeper understanding of the Gold and Earth Attributes. The Gold Attribute could control and affect various metals and alloys, allowing a certain proportion of impurities to be mixed in, possessing absolute control power when the metal composition was above 90%. Earth Attribute could control and impact a much broader range of substances, including mineral ores and rocks formed by inorganic non-metal compounds, as well as soils formed from mineral and organic substances. For this reason, diamond dust was an excellent choice. First, diamond dust possessed extremely high hardness, with diamonds touted as the hardest substance in nature, and few synthetically created materials in the lab could exceed its hardness. Secondly, from a chemical standpoint, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, which fortunately lies outside the sphere of influence of both the Gold and Earth Attributes. The only issue would be facing the Fire Attribute, as under high temperatures, diamond dust might ignite. But he was Water Attribute, and it seemed that he didn''t need to worry about this. Thinking of this, Qin Chuan''s eyes sparkled with excitement, quite intrigued. "Return to formation." Ji Huai''s stern voice rang out, snapping Qin Chuan back from his reverie, and he quickly ran back to his own place in the team. "Impressive, Qin Chuan!" The plump boy standing beside him was animated as if he had been the one showcasing himself in front of everyone. Nearby students couldn''t help but turn their eyes towards Qin Chuan, as if they were seeing him for the first time. However, when Ji Huai''s voice rose once more, everyone''s attention quickly shifted away from Qin Chuan. "You all saw the battle just now," Ji Huai began calmly, "Now, I have a question." "Why do you think I won?" Chapter 40 - 40 Immersed in the impressive battle that had just occurred, the students were now revealing thoughtful expressions due to Ji Huai''s question. Why were they able to win? Previously, they had been too focused on the battle process and had not deeply considered this point. Now, under Ji Huai''s guidance, they were thinking about this issue for the first time. Indeed, facing five opponents with higher Extraordinary Values than himself, why was Ji Huai able to win? Among the team, Qin Chuan was also pondering. Thinking about his decision to use iron powder against Ji Huai, his initial thought about the reason for his defeat was his lack of understanding of Ji Huai''s abilities. However, he quickly dismissed this thought. Because Ji Huai also did not know the abilities and Attributes of their group of five; facing five unknown opponents, in this regard, Ji Huai was at a disadvantage. Immediately after, Zhang Yangwang''s War Criminal Level performance flashed through Qin Chuan''s mind. Actually, not only Zhang Yangwang, but because of their first-time collaboration and rarely using Extraordinary Power in combat before, including him, all five of them had various mistakes in the recent sparring session. It could only be said that Zhang Yangwang had the biggest issues. Therefore, one important reason Ji Huai won was his battle experience. His flawless fighting style throughout the battle and his unpredictable array of weapons were simply overwhelming for the inexperienced high school seniors. Besides Images of Ji Huai consistently striking and completely exhausting his own Extraordinary Energy passed through Qin Chuan''s mind, his expression gradually turning serious. Before contending with him, Ji Huai had already eliminated three other students, so his energy consumption had to be even greater than Qin Chuan''s. Under such circumstances, he was still able to exhaust his own Extraordinary Energy. This did not match Qin Chuan''s impression of a 370 Extraordinary Value. But there was no need for Ji Huai to lie about such a matter, and even if he had lied, the real Extraordinary Value could not be absurdly different. Yue Li''s 410 Extraordinary Value was already number one on the Extraordinary List in district 3675. The situation in other districts'' Extraordinary Lists was about the same. So There was something wrong with Ji Huai''s Extraordinary Energy! Qin Chuan felt that he had grasped the key issue. As he was pondering, Dong Cun, who had already recovered his demeanor, spoke up. "I think Teacher Ji won because of his rich combat experience and his mastery of a wide variety of weapons, which are hard to defend against." His vine attack methods were bizarre, but Ji Huai handled them all with ease; Dong Cun had the deepest experience of Ji Huai''s combat capabilities. The other students nodded in agreement. In the brief battle that had just occurred, Ji Huai had used more than ten different weapons, giving off an aura of being unbreakable. Ji Huai nodded slightly, acknowledging this point, "Anything else?" The playground fell silent for a moment, and seeing that no one else spoke, Qin Chuan took the initiative, "I feel Teacher Ji''s energy consumption seems quite small, or rather, he seems to have more Extraordinary Energy than us." Zhu Yuwei, who had returned to Class 1''s formation, looked towards Qin Chuan in surprise. She had just come to this realization and hadn''t expected Qin Chuan to speak up first. "Your feeling is not wrong." Ji Huai nodded calmly, then his next statement stirred up a buzz of discussion among the crowd. "These two points that were just mentioned are what you will learn in the upcoming Extraordinary Practical Combat Classes." At this, Qin Chuan''s face immediately showed an interested expression. Could others also learn Ji Huai''s ability to increase Extraordinary Energy? "First, is the enhancement of combat experience." As Ji Huai''s voice resonated, the scene immediately quieted down, everyone listening more intently than before. "Extraordinary Practical Combat class focuses on practical combat, half of each class will be devoted to actual combat, and I will arrange sparring partners based on your strengths." "Each class, I will select some students to combat against me, just like today." "Subsequent practical arrangements will also be made, specifics yet to be determined." "As for the other half of each class" "Last class, Zhou Zixiu should have told you that Extraordinary Energy can be utilized one hundred percent when converted into matter. In other cases, only a minuscule portion is actually used," Ji Huai paused, "but he didn''t mention one thing." "That is, this minuscule portion can actually be enhanced." "This is another important content of the Extraordinary Practical Combat class, the development of Extraordinary Energy." Development of Extraordinary Energy? The students'' eyes lit up one by one. They wanted to learn! "It has been more than ten days since ''Extraordinary Descent.''" Ji Huai scanned the crowd, "You are all Transcendents, but have you felt how Extraordinary Energy has enhanced your physical fitness?" Hearing this question, everyone was momentarily stunned, then shook their heads in unison. Indeed, Extraordinary Values had endowed them with various Extraordinary Powers, but these powers had not improved their physical fitness. sea??h th novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their physical fitness was still that of ordinary people, all of them fragile Mages. "If Extraordinary Energy were compared to water, then everyone''s body would be like a water pot," Zi Huai slowly stated, "Extraordinary Energy uses our bodies as containers." "This water pot has two key elements: one is the capacity, and the other is the efficiency of pouring." "Capacity, is our Extraordinary Value, while the pouring efficiency is directly related to our physical fitness." "With the same Extraordinary Value, the better the physical fitness, the more that can be utilized." Under this vivid analogy, the students present all revealed contemplative expressions. Physical fitness So this was also a factor affecting the utilization of Extraordinary Energy? "Teacher, so does the development of Extraordinary Energy mean training our bodies?" A male student from Class 3 curiously asked, "Similar to military training?" "No, that would be too inefficient." Ji Huai shook his head slightly, "The physical fitness of humans has a limit. Even the physical fitness of Olympic champions is far from enough for the development of Extraordinary Energy, not to mention that many people may never reach that level of physical fitness in their lifetime." "The only thing that can break through the limit of physical fitness and further develop Extraordinary Energy is the Extraordinary Energy itself." "In the past several days, the Special Affairs Group has done something very interesting." "They gathered all the inheritors of martial arts and Taoist inheritors to compile the strengths of hundreds of schools, combined with the massive computing power of supercomputers, to create a Cultivation Method that uses Extraordinary Energy to enhance physical fitness and break human limits." Seeing the increasingly excited expressions on people''s faces, Ji Huai spoke solemnly, "This work has already achieved initial success." "Next, I will teach you a newly born Cultivation Method''Basic Boxing Skill.''" "Calling it ''basic'' because the Special Affairs Group hopes more and better Cultivation Methods will emerge in the future to replace it, which is a hopeful aspiration." Saying that, Ji Huai spread his legs apart, clenched his fists, and positioned one in front of his chest and the other at his lower back, assuming an unfamiliar starting stance. "Now, follow my lead." Chapter 41 - 41: This Child Must Not Be Kept! (1/10 Massive Update, Please Follow!) "Now, please follow me and start practicing the ''Basic Boxing Skill,''" said the instructor in the online lesson video sent by the Special Affairs Group, a smiling woman displaying the stance and explaining each movement. Leaning against the elevated bed, Lin Yue watched quietly, a hint of regret flashing across her face. Unfortunately, still unwell, she was unable to practice along at this moment. The part about Extraordinary Practical Combat would have to be postponed; she should start with Extraordinary Theory instead. Lin Yue''s thoughts wandered as she watched the boxing tutorial video, recalling the content learned in the last Extraordinary Theory class. Discussing all attributes, the online teacher had mentioned numerous connections between the Wind Attribute and aerodynamics. The essence of wind is the directional movement of gas molecules. The essence of Wind Attribute power involves creating pressure differences and applying external forces to gas molecules. Commonly used techniques in Wind Attribute power include... As she recalled each point, a light cyan whirlwind quickly gathered in front of Lin Yue. This was the Active Skill of the Cyan Jade Falcon, Tornado Bomb. The Tornado Bomb could continuously gather strengththe longer the storage time, the greater the powerand would burst upon hitting the target, causing damage. But now, Lin Yue wasn''t charging it; she merely maintained the Tornado Bomb, quietly observing. Time trickled by, and the Tornado Bomb gradually changed shape, transforming from its original spherical form to a funnel shape, rapidly expanding into a tornado. Objects in the room were swiftly picked up, swirling uncontrollably within the tornado. "Halt." Lin Yue whispered, and the next moment, the nearly room-engulfing tornado quietly dissipated, with each swirling object gently supported by an invisible wind, softly landing back in place. Her lips curved up slightly as she hummed a song, her mood instantly brightening. "Yueyue! What was that noise just now?" Lin Changfeng entered the room and seeing that everything was intact, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Dad, the online class is over." Lin Yue said with a smile. "Good." Lin Changfeng quickly stepped forward, took down the tablet, folded the stand, and casually asked, "Is the Extraordinary Course difficult?" "Not difficult," Lin Yue replied, watching her busy father. "It''s all knowledge I''ve learned before; it''s just applied in a different way now." "That''s good to hear," Lin Changfeng said as he finished folding the stand. "Since taking a break and living in the sanatorium, you''ve been watching online lessons every day, learning quite a bit of college knowledge while still of high school age." "If my body can''t move, I might as well let my brain work a bit," Lin Yue chuckled lightly. "Besides, I couldn''t do anything else before." "I still remember when you were first diagnosed, you locked yourself in your room, not eating for days and nights." Lin Changfeng sat by the bed, his expression pained. "Thankfully, everything is getting better." "From that perspective, I still have to thank the Dream World." "Since entering the Dream World, you''ve laughed more often than you did over the past few years combined." sea??h th n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Really?" Lin Yue tilted her head, giggling, "That''s an exaggeration." Lin Changfeng said nothing, his gaze on his daughter growing even softer. "Yueyue, didn''t you say your Cyan Jade Falcon was still missing two Advanced Resources? Is there still no trace of them?" "I managed to buy one for you." "Buy?" Lin Yue''s expression changed slightly. "How much?" Today was the first day of Dream World trading, and buying Low-level Resources with cash would undoubtedly be very expensive. "It''s not important." Lin Changfeng pulled a box from his coat; the box opened, revealing a cyan-gold feather shimmering with light. Low-level Resources, Wind Calming Golden Feather. "The stronger you become in the Dream World, the more likely you are to find a cure." "Dad!" Lin Yue''s eyes reddened slightly, and then she turned her head aside, "Don''t spend money on the remaining one." "I''m really good, you know. I''m second on the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List. After the weekly settlement, I can get a random piece of low-level resource to exchange for the resource I need." "Okay, okay, I know Yueyue is amazing," Lin Changfeng said with a smile. "Did you encounter anything interesting in the Dream World today?" "Yes!" Lin Yue seemed to remember something amusing and couldn''t help but laugh. "Today I..." As Lin Changfeng listened, his initially smiling face gradually stiffened. Why did everything Yueyue mentioned relate to that boy named Luo? Wait! Yueyue is living in the same shelter with that boy?! Yueyue gave that boy her Achievement Key from the list reward?! Lin Changfeng''s expression grew fierce, his face slowly reddening. This boy must not be spared! "Ah-choo!" Walking home, Qin Chuan suddenly sneezed and rubbed his nose, pulling up his collar a bit higher. It''s a bit cold walking home this late. I should bring a jacket next time. After muttering under his breath, Qin Chuan began to reflect on what he gained tonight. In Extraordinary Theory Class, he had gained a deeper understanding of the twelve attributes and had some ideas about the development of Water Attribute power, which he initially validated in the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class. During the break, he checked online on his phone and found Diamond powder, despite bearing the name "diamond," was cheaper than he expected. Thirty bucks for one hundred carats, which is twenty grams. Qin Chuan had tested it; to fight at full strength, he needed at least two kilograms of water. That means spending three hundred bucks at one-tenth the consumption of diamond powder... But since diamond powder can be reused, that cost is still acceptable. He had already placed an order. Besides that, the biggest gain of the night was the Basic Boxing Skill. Practicing it twice under Ji Huai''s guidance made him feel as refreshed as if he had soaked in a hot spring, obviously effective. According to Ji Huai, it was enough to practice during class time in the early stages without sneaking in extra practice after class, as overdoing it could actually harm the body. Qin Chuan gladly followed this advice. Just as he was thinking, he suddenly stopped walking. Just then, Qin Chuan felt a chill run up his spine. This fleeting sensation left him slightly uneasy. Qin Chuan quickly looked around and then faintly heard something, his gaze locking onto a nearby alley. He took two bottles of water from his backpack, opened them, and drew the water streams around himself, cautiously stepping into the slightly dim alley. The sound gradually became clearer, a faint meow. Following the sound, Qin Chuan saw a little cat huddled in the corner of the alley. It''s a stray cat... He had just relaxed when a shadow rushed out. An adult black cat stood in front of the kitten, staring intensely at him, ears folded back, mouth open, emitting a "Ha" sound. Qin Chuan''s gaze landed on the black cat''s back. Sharp protrusions one after another made it look particularly fierce. Chapter 42 - 42 Call from the Special Affairs Group (2/10 mass release, seeking followers!) It must have been because he had already seen many strange and oddly shaped Spiritual Beasts in the Dream World that when he saw the black cat for an instant, Qin Chuan had not reacted. It was only when the exceptionally hideous black cat gripped the kitten by the nape of its neck that Qin Chuan suddenly snapped back to realitythis was the real world! Spiritual Beasts only existed in the Dream World. In reality, such an abnormal animal should not appear! Was this a congenital malformation, or some kind of mutation that the animal had developed? If it were the former, then it would be nothing to worry about, but if it were the latter, the implications would be terrifying. He quickly turned on his phone and aimed it at the black cat, pressing the record button. The "beep" sound made the already vigilant black cat turn into a dark shadow and flee in an instant, fortunately, Qin Chuan had switched on video recording. After finishing the recording, he looked at the clear contour of the black cat at the start of the video and nodded slightly. Not bad, it''s clear enough. After glancing one more time at the now nowhere-to-be-seen black cat, Qin Chuan walked out of the dim alley and uploaded the video to the Dream Realm Forum. "I''m in Changxing City, ran into a strange black cat on my way home from school. [Video]" After posting, Qin Chuan pocketed his phone and quickened his steps home. His mind began to race with possibilities. If the appearance of the black cat indicated a recent mutation among real animals, did that mean many animals could potentially become like Spiritual Beasts in the future? For the ordinary people in the real world who hadn''t become Transcendents, this was a dangerous matter, after all, death in the real world meant actual death, unlike in the Dream World. But if Spiritual Beasts did appear in reality, could they be contracted? Various thoughts bubbled up in his mind, and before he knew it, Qin Chuan had already arrived at his front door. "Creak~" The neighbor''s door happened to open at that moment, and Tongtong, with her mother, stepped out. "Hello, brother!" Tongtong, carrying her little backpack, greeted Qin Chuan happily, "Tongtong is going to school now!" "Good, make sure to pay attention in class," Qin Chuan said with a smile as he patted the little girl''s head and nodded at Tongtong''s mother. "I heard that high school students started learning the Extraordinary Course today?" Tongtong''s mother casually started a conversation, "Is the Extraordinary Course difficult?" "It''s quite hard," Qin Chuan responded earnestly, "but the content taught is helpful for improving abilities, so everyone listens very attentively." "You''ll need to work hard then," Tongtong''s mother smiled, "I heard that the knowledge will gradually be made available to societal Transcendents too, your father and I are thinking of learning it as well." The number of Reverse Sleep Youth Classes, like bamboo shoots after rain, was growing more and more. Students like Tongtong, who were under 15 years old and thus not suitable for entering the Dream World, had gradually moved to the Reverse Sleep Youth Classes. Their classes started at eleven at night and ended at eight in the morning, which included not just studying but also other recreational activities, more a nursery than anything else. In the Reverse Sleep Youth Classes, there was only one thing to be careful of, and that was not to let the students doze off. The biggest limit for such classes currently was the number of teachers. Teachers willing to give up the opportunity to enter the Dream World were far too few. Luckily, many senior teachers who had underlying medical conditions that made them unsuitable for the Dream World stepped up and took on this work. Now that Tongtong had adapted to the reverse sleep schedule, her parents no longer had to stay up all night with her. They both had become Transcendents, perhaps the incident with Zhang Zhe had instilled in them a sense of crisis, and the couple took the matter of improving their abilities very seriously. However, they didn''t know that the hero who played a key role in the capture of Zhang Zhe lived next door. Knowing that Tongtong''s mother had to send her daughter to class and then rush back to sleep before midnight, Qin Chuan didn''t want to delay her any further. After a brief chat, he saw the mother and daughter off and entered his rented room. No sooner had he put down his schoolbag than his phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, Qin Chuan''s expression tensed slightly. The number was the official phone of the Special Affairs Group. Why would they be contacting him at this hour? Soon, he thought of the post he had made on the Dream Realm Forum. No way... Despite his suspicions, he picked up the call immediately. "Hello, this is the Changxing City branch of the Special Affairs Group. We have a few questions to ask you, don''t be nervous," a gentle female voice came through the phone. "Okay, go ahead," he replied. "We noticed that you posted a discussion thread on the Dream Realm Forum ten minutes ago, is the video in the post filmed by you, or did you repost it from elsewhere?" "I filmed it myself." "Can you tell us the exact location where it was filmed?" "No problem, the filming location is..." Qin Chuan gave the specific spot. The other end of the phone paused for a moment before the voice spoke up again. "Mr. Qin Chuan, here''s the thing." "The content of the video you filmed is closely related to some situations currently being investigated by the Special Affairs Group. As the Group has not yet fully clarified these situations, the related content should not be made public for the time being. Your post on the forum will be temporarily censored." sea??h th n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "However, don''t worry. Once the Special Affairs Group completes the investigation and makes an announcement, your post will be automatically uncensored." "I don''t care about the post," Qin Chuan''s eyes narrowed slightly, "but you just said the Special Affairs Group is investigating some situations..." "So are there many of these abnormal animals appearing?" The voice on the other end fell silent for a moment, then with a casual tone, "This will be the extent of our phone contact for today. I wish you a pleasant life~" "Beep, beep, beep~" The call was hung up directly, and Qin Chuan fell into silence. Sometimes, not getting an answer is an answer in itself. It seemed his suspicions matched the reality. Unaware to humans, animals in the real world had begun exhibiting abnormal changes. After a glance at the time, Qin Chuan decided not to dwell on it further. At this moment, he had something more important to do. Sleep. ----------------- "Zixiu, that student of yours is really astute," said a short-haired girl after hanging up the phone, looking at Zhou Zixiu sitting across from her, "He guessed the truth from just a few words." "Qin Chuan is not that simple," Zhou Zixiu chuckled without surprise, "Did you get the address?" "Right here," the girl passed a slip of paper with the address to Zhou Zixiu. "Good," Zhou Zixiu took the slip, "Let''s aim to catch it before midnight." "Don''t need help from others?" "A black cat that''s not even at Juvenile Stage Lv1, you think too little of me?" Zhou Zixiu strode out but then suddenly seemed to recall something and turned his head to look at the girl. "When''s the notice from above going out?" The girl''s expression became serious, "Starting at eight tomorrow morning, the TV news channel, all official media, and the Dream Realm Forum will speak in unison." Chapter 43 - 43 My Game Partner Can Print Money! (3/10 Burst Update, Please Follow!) Dream World. Qin Chuan''s consciousness came to life as he lifted the still warm fish soup to his lips and downed it all, wiping his mouth before looking towards Yue Li, "Did you study today''s Extraordinary Course?" "Studied." Yue Li nodded, propping her chin in her hand with a giggle, "I never thought Extraordinary Attributes could be so closely related to science, maybe the ultimate end of science is mysticism." "Not impossible." Qin Chuan shook his head with a light chuckle, "What surprised me even more was the ''Basic Boxing Skill,'' just following the teacher and practicing twice, I felt its effect." "Cough cough." Yue Li suddenly coughed twice, her gaze shifting to the side, "I also...have a strong feeling about it." "Let''s not talk about this, we''ll go to the Burning Flame Wolf''s Den in a bit." Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li, "My plan is this, since your Little Qing can clash with the Burning Flame Wolf and come back unscathed, then let it do it another time." "We''ll hide and watch from a dark place, first getting a clear understanding of the Burning Flame Wolf''s situation, then we''ll consider how to deal with it." "This plan has no problem." Yue Li nodded in agreement, then suddenly seemed to remember something, casually pulling out a green-golden feather. In the next instant, the feather vanished, and the Qing Jade Sparrowhawk gave out a spirited cry as its feathers quietly grew a bit more elongated. "With the fusion of the Wind Calming Golden Feather, Little Qing''s speed will be greatly increased, making this move even more assured." Yue Li smiled in satisfaction. "This is..." Qin Chuan, who was familiar with this kind of situation, was instantly startled, "The Qing Jade Sparrowhawk''s Advanced resource?" "Mm." Yue Li became somewhat embarrassed, "My dad helped me buy it." "However, I don''t plan to let my dad spend money on subsequent resources anymore. If we defeat the Burning Flame Wolf, we can get one. The weekly settlement also gives random Low-level Resources which can be exchanged for what we need." "That way, the Qing Jade Sparrowhawk''s Advanced conditions would be fulfilled." Qin Chuan''s look towards Yue Li immediately changed. At the current stage, the price to buy Low-level Resources with cash is very high, and to buy one necessary Low-level Resource, you''d need at least several hundred thousand, and with bad luck, it could even be over a million. This thing, is it something you can just buy whenever?! Who could have imagined, one''s own gaming partner actually has the financial means! "Don''t stare at me like that!" Yue Li puffed up her cheeks, "If possible, I''d still like to get stronger on my own!" "Alright, alright." Qin Chuan was caught between laughter and tears, "Shall we set out?" "After I finish this sip of soup!" ----------------- "The one ahead, is that the Burning Flame Wolf''s Den?" Following Yue Li and hiding in a patch of jungle, Qin Chuan stared at a redden hill a kilometer away, his face showing a look of surprise. Water Flower sniffed the scents around carefully, her expression slightly serious. "Woof!" (Dangerous scent!) "That''s the place." Yue Li had a good understanding of her old foe, "That hill is quite peculiar, the exposed rocks are all reddish, constantly emitting heat. Fire Attribute Spiritual Beasts really like it." "The Burning Flame Wolf lives on that hill, guarding two Low-level Resources, one is the Wind-breaking Steel needed for Little Qing''s Advanced rank, and the other seems to be Fire-attribute." "Fearing that the two Low-level Resources would be stolen, the Burning Flame Wolf never leaves the hill by more than a kilometer, so in the past I always stayed here while letting Little Qing take on the Burning Flame Wolf." "So that''s how it is." Qin Chuan understood, "So next, we just watch the Burning Flame Wolf from here?" "Mm-hmm." Yue Li nodded her head, "Little Qing will draw it towards this side." "Screech" Standing on Yue Li''s arm, the Qing Jade Sparrowhawk flapped its wings. With its speed significantly enhanced, the creature was now eager to try. "Go, but be careful," Yue Li instructed before forcefully lifting her arm. The Azure Hawk Falcon immediately took off like an arrow released from a bowstring and quickly merged into the firmament. Yue Li and Qin Chuan''s gazes were locked onto the distant hill. Before long, a sky-blue figure descended from the sky, while a crimson figure burst out from the mid-section of the hill. One shadow was in the sky, the other on the ground, continuously clashing while also moving steadily in this direction. Soon, their shapes became clear. Undoubtedly, the one in the air was the Azure Hawk Falcon, which was now forming whirlwinds and fiercely hurling them downwards at the figure below, while nimbly dodging the flames sprayed into the sky by the latter. Below was a giant wolf cloaked in red flames, looking ferocious and weaker than the Shadow Leopard but clearly stronger than the Juvenile Stage. At this moment, the Burning Flame Wolf appeared extremely angered, constantly roaring in fury at the Azure Hawk Falcon flying above, and although it kept missing, it still shot blazing red flames into the sky. Obviously, having been repeatedly provoked by a being weaker than itself, it had become thoroughly enraged. [Spiritual Beast Species: Burning Flame Wolf] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Fire Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv11] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The fire attribute Spiritual Beast, the Burning Flame Wolf, has a domineering and cautious personality, showing no mercy to those intruding on its territory.] After glancing at the scan results, Qin Chuan''s expression tightened slightly. A very oppressive creature. The Azure Hawk Falcon could keep provoking this creature because of its species'' advantage in speed and long-range attacks. If it were Water Flower facing the Burning Flame Wolf, it would still be quite dangerous. Lured deliberately by the Azure Hawk Falcon, the Burning Flame Wolf was moving further away from its nest, and at a position only dozens of meters in front of Qin Chuan and Yue Li, it suddenly stopped, roared angrily at the Azure Hawk Falcon, and then turned back to its nest. As Yue Li said, although angry, the Burning Flame Wolf was quite rational. "Screech" The Azure Hawk Falcon quickly returned to Yue Li''s side, a hint of excitement in its eyes. Having gained the Wind Calming Golden Feather, it felt its speed had improved greatly, making it especially at ease while dodging the Burning Flame Wolf''s attacks. "Luo, do you have any thoughts?" Yue Li stroked the Azure Hawk Falcon and turned her gaze to Qin Chuan beside her. "I have an idea," Qin Chuan nodded, "The Burning Flame Wolf is strong, so if possible, we should outsmart it." "Let the Azure Hawk Falcon draw away the Burning Flame Wolf, while Water Flower steals the resources." "Of course, we must also prepare for the worst scenario where we fail to steal them and get discovered by the Burning Flame Wolf." Qin Chuan frowned, "In that case, we''ll have to join forces to defeat it." To be honest, Qin Chuan felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Unlike the previous encounter with the Shadow Leopard, this time, with Water Flower and the Azure Hawk Falcon working together, there was a chance to defeat the Burning Flame Wolf without using Time Stop. "We only have one chance," Yue Li spoke slowly, "If we fail this time, the Burning Flame Wolf, sensing danger, may very well move both pieces of low-level resources." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Then we need to prepare thoroughly," Qin Chuan looked at Water Flower, his eyes gleaming, "Do you think... is it possible for a Spiritual Beast to utilize Extraordinary Theory?" Yue Li looked at Qin Chuan in surprise, "You''re thinking along the same lines as me." Chapter 44 - 44 Special Training for Water Flower! (4/10 Burst Update, Please Follow!) "Have you decided where to start?" Back at the shelter, Yue Li looked curiously at Qin Chuan. On the way back, Qin Chuan''s expression was particularly troubled, arousing her curiosity. "I have," Qin Chuan nodded. "The Water Attribute has some control over blood, and although it''s not lethal, it can be quite effective if used unexpectedly." "I want to try letting Water Flower master this ability." "I see," Yue Li realized. Having also attended the Extraordinary Theory Class, she was familiar with the capabilities of the Water Attribute. "What about you?" Qin Chuan turned to Yue Li and asked. "Me?" Yue Li smiled, "After the class, I found a great way to use the Wind Attribute power. I plan to teach it to Xiao Qing." "With this, Xiao Qing''s attack will be strong enough to truly threaten the Burning Flame Wolf, increasing our chances of victory." "Good," Qin Chuan nodded. "Shall we split up?" Water Flower needed an opponent to train in blood control. So he had to go out and find other Spiritual Beasts to spar with. The training for the green jade falcon could be conducted in the valley where the shelter was located. "Okay," Yue Li thought for a moment and suggested, "During training, you can use Spiritual Beast snacks as rewards; it might work better." "I''ll try that," Qin Chuan agreed seriously. Yue Li had high Affinity with the green jade falcon; her experience was worth learning from. After agreeing to meet back at seven, Qin Chuan left the shelter with Water Flower. He chose to train near the previous shelter. Many Spiritual Beasts in that area were already familiar with him, and having given several of them Experience Fruit, using them as sparring partners shouldn''t be a problem. Following the familiar route, Qin Chuan quickly reached the babbling stream. A few Spiritual Beasts were drinking by the stream; one of them stopped and hurried towards Qin Chuan upon seeing him. "Squeak~" "Flame Tail Squirrel, long time no see." Qin Chuan recognized the Flame Tail Squirrel that had interacted with Water Flower and greeted it with a smile. Coincidentally, it was one of the Spiritual Beasts that had received the Experience Fruit from Qin Chuan. "Squeak squeak~" sea??h th ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Flame Tail Squirrel pointed its large tail towards the direction of Qin Chuan''s previous shelter and gave him a puzzled look. "I''ve moved away with Water Flower, we don''t live there anymore," Qin Chuan explained softly. The Flame Tail Squirrel shook its tail slightly, and its head drooped a little. "By the way, Flame Tail Squirrel, could you help us out?" Qin Chuan smiled, "Water Flower needs some special training; could you spar with her?" The Flame Tail Squirrel turned its head to glance at Water Flower. "Woof woof~" (Spar with me!) Water Flower wagged its tail excitedly, moving closer to the Flame Tail Squirrel, causing it to back away. Being of the Fire Attribute, it didn''t like getting too close to the Water Attribute. However, it pondered Qin Chuan and Water Flower''s request and did not object. "Great," Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. The Flame Tail Squirrel was currently at Juvenile Stage Lv4, weaker than Water Flower. Controlling blood also related to the relative strength of both parties. So Qin Chuan planned to let Water Flower start with weaker Spiritual Beasts, gradually increasing the strength of the opponents, until it could affect a creature at the Burning Flame Wolf''s level. "Water Flower, what you need to do is use the Water Master to sense all the water around you," Qin Chuan explained seriously, "then find the water flowing inside the Flame Tail Squirrel and try to stop it." Water Flower blinked, showing a thoughtful expression. Water flowing inside the body? "Woof!" (Let me try!) Water Flower stared intently at the Burning Flame Squirrel in front of it. The Burning Flame Squirrel swung its large tail and looked confused. It didn''t understand Qin Chuan''s words, let alone what Water Flower was about to do. However, moments later, the expression of the Burning Flame Squirrel suddenly changed. It suddenly felt an icy sensation as if its blood had solidified, causing its body to stiffen. The sensation was fleeting, leaving the Burning Flame Squirrel somewhat baffled. But Qin Chuan, who was closely watching the Burning Flame Squirrel''s movements, revealed a look of joy. Indeed, there was a lot of water in the blood, which meant it could be influenced. Even for a Spiritual Beast, this held true. "Great!" Qin Chuan took out a packet of Spiritual Beast snacks, opened it, grabbed a few and rewarded Water Flower. Seeing the drooling expression of the Burning Flame Squirrel, he also gave it one as a training fee. "Let''s continue." "Next, Burning Flame Squirrel, you need to keep moving around nearby. Any movement will do, the faster the better," Qin Chuan communicated with the Burning Flame Squirrel. After receiving agreement, he turned to Water Flower, "And what you need to do is to control the blood under these circumstances." Controlling the blood of a Spiritual Beast that is moving quickly and one that is standing still is like hitting a moving target versus a stationary target. This type of training was helpful for Water Flower to better master the power of controlling blood. "Water Flower controls the Burning Flame Squirrel once, reward one snack; Burning Flame Squirrel dodges a control, reward one snack." After announcing the reward rules, Qin Chuan sat down on a nearby rock with a smile. Nearly the moment his words ended, the Burning Flame Squirrel darted around the rocks with surprising agility. Its body was instantly covered in flames, and its running speed was astonishingly fast. Clearly, this was a skill that increased speed. For a treat, it was going all out. "Woof!" Firearmed with determination, Water Flower barked loudly and then tried to lock onto the blood inside the Burning Flame Squirrel, attempting to control it instantly. But the speed of the Burning Flame Squirrel was too fast, this was not simple. Therefore, the first attempt failed. Qin Chuan took out a snack and threw it to the Burning Flame Squirrel, "Continue." With a flash, the Burning Flame Squirrel leapt high and caught the snack with its mouth, its cheeks moving rapidly as it ran even faster. Delicious! It wanted more! Seeing the Burning Flame Squirrel run off with its favorite Spiritual Beast snack, Water Flower''s face showed the same brooding expression as the Jade Falcon from yesterday. It quickly reenergized and exerted itself again Burning Flame Squirrel snack joy +1. ----------------- "Woof!" Accompanied by Water Flower''s bark, the full-speed Burning Flame Squirrel suddenly stiffened in its motion, rolling forward several times due to inertia, before quickly stabilizing with the help of its large tail. Qin Chuan threw the last piece of the Spiritual Beast snack bag to Water Flower, "Training paused." Water Flower bit the snack with pride and gave the Burning Flame Squirrel a triumphant look. Initially unable to control the Burning Flame Squirrel, it had now managed to control it ten times in a row, indicating it had initially mastered the ability to control blood. The Lv4 Burning Flame Squirrel could no longer continue as its training partner. Qin Chuan glanced at the time. [02:08:32/08:00:00][00:00:04] There was still time, he needed to find a stronger training partner. Chapter 45 - 45 Water Flower vs Xiao Qing (5/10 Burst Update, Please Follow!) Previously belonging to the Shadow Leopard, the valley now transformed into a shelter by Qin Chuan and Yue Li, a gigantic tornado with a maximum diameter of twenty meters spun rapidly, approximately five meters above the ground. The overwhelming wind force brutally uprooted the grass and trees in the valley, sparing not even the younger saplings, leaving craters of varying sizes in the ground, as if ransacked by bandits. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Grass and saplings with roots still covered in soil continuously spun in the air, making the scene in the valley resemble the coming of the apocalypse. When Qin Chuan and Water Flower excitedly returned to the valley shelter, the first thing they saw was this very scene. Both the man and beast were speechless; the slight self-satisfaction they had felt from their significant progress during special training vanished instantly. "Ah, you''re back!" Yue Li smiled and waved at Qin Chuan while the Azure Falcon easily dispersed the wildly spinning tornado and meticulously returned the airborne plants and saplings to their respective pits, wrapping soil around them with gusts. Judging by the smooth actions, it was clear that Yue Li and her beast had done similar tasks several times before Qin Chuan and Water Flower arrived. "Is this what you mentioned a decent way to use Wind Attribute power?" Qin Chuan''s mouth felt slightly dry; if that tornado had hit them, he and Water Flower would have been sent flying. Although it felt somewhat presumptuous, he couldn''t help but ask, "How did you do it?" "It all starts with the principle of tornado formation," Yue Li said cheerfully, "A tornado is formed by the vertical vortices caused by updrafts under the influence of changes in wind speed and direction" As Qin Chuan and Water Flower listened with growing bewilderment, Yue Li briefly explained the principles of tornado formation and continued, "It''s somewhat similar to Xiao Qing''s Tornado Bomb, so I thought, why not have Xiao Qing alter the control method of the Tornado Bomb." "I managed to accomplish this step last night in reality, but since Xiao Qing doesn''t understand these theoretical knowledge, I had to spend some time teaching it in a way that it could understand." Qin Chuan silently pondered. He remembered Yue Li mentioning during a casual chat that she was also a high school student. Is this the difference between a top student and a struggling student? Damn it! "However, just this won''t be enough to deal with the Burning Flame Wolf," Yue Li''s voice carried a hint of helplessness, "Creating a powerful enough tornado takes some time." "So we''ll need Water Flower''s help to hold off the Burning Flame Wolf." Yue Li looked at Qin Chuan and Water Flower, smiling, "How''s your training going?" "Quite well." Qin Chuan then remembered their own training progress, "Water Flower can now easily control the blood flow of a Juvenile Stage Lv10 Spiritual Beast, thereby interrupting its Skill use and movement." Not knowing if it was the motivation from the Spiritual Beast treats, Qin Chuan had initially thought they would need their next trip to the Dream World to achieve this training target, but surprisingly, after a few hours, Water Flower had mastered it. Could it really be a genius? "Although we haven''t tried this on a Spiritual Beast of the Growth Rank, it looks like we won''t get the chance," Qin Chuan said, spreading his hands helplessly. "Indeed," Yue Li nodded, then changed the subject, "How about letting Water Flower and Xiao Qing spar?" "Chirp~" Xiao Qing let out a confident cry. Control blood? How could that compare to its control over the tornado? Fishing Master?Water Flower, accept my challenge once again! "That works," Qin Chuan immediately agreed. The last partner they found for training was a Juvenile Stage Lv10 bear. Although the bear was not weak, it definitely could not match Yue Li''s Azure Falcon, especially since the Azure Falcon had acquired a piece of Low-level Resources, enhancing its speed even more. "Bark!" (Come on!) Water Flower was naturally confident too. Although it was frightened by the massive tornado controlled by the Azure Falcon right upon entering the valley, by now it knew that unleashing such power required time. And it, the Fishing Master Blood Controller Water Flower, would definitely not give the opponent a chance! Accompanied by a sharp cry, the Azure Falcon flapped its wings, shooting upwards, instantly flying high into the sky, and at the same time, a pale cyan cyclone appeared in front of its chest. A green light emerged all around, and the speed of the Azure Falcon suddenly increased. Its body, wrapped around by the cyclone, rapidly spun as it flew, and after a few circles, under the pull of its Wind Attribute power, the original cyclone already turned into a funnel shape. A small tornado was thus formed, and it visibly strengthened at a speed the naked eye could follow. Not only did the flight speed of the Azure Falcon not slow down, but it also increased as it spun in the direction of the tornado rotation, accelerating the strengthening process of the tornado with the aid of its own Wind Attribute power. Seeing this scene, Qin Chuan was surprised but also quite anticipatory. The Round Bear excelled in strength but was actually a bit slow in terms of speed, making it somewhat unfit as a moving target, but the only Lv10 Spiritual Beast he could bring for training was that one. Therefore, he felt somewhat regretful about Water Flower''s special training. At this moment, the speed of the Azure Falcon was an eye-opener. This speed was even faster than the previous speed of the Shadow Leopard and was qualified to match the speeds at the Growth Rank, making the Azure Falcon a qualified moving target. Let''s see then if Water Flower, after a few hours of training, could hand in a satisfactory report card. Qin Chuan turned his head to look at Water Flower beside him. Water Flower slightly lifted its head, full of fighting spirit, yet it did not immediately make a move. It was observing the Azure Falcon. At this moment, the speed of the Azure Falcon was too fast, and it concealing its form within the tornado meant Water Flower could only catch a faint afterimage, attempting to instantly control the opponent''s blood and disrupt its gathering momentum was truly a significant challenge. It calmed its heart, a profound gleam appearing in its aquamarine eyes. The power of the Water Master blossomed at this moment, giving Water Flower a completely new perspective. In this perspective, it saw the sap flowing within the grass and trees around, saw the blood flowing inside Qin Chuan and Yue Li beside it, observed the dark currents flowing deep underground, and also the quickly moving form in the sky. In a split second, a dazzling glow burst from Water Flower''s eyes, and the water in the air seemed to freeze in that moment. Got you! "Bark!" Along with its bark, the body of the Azure Falcon in the sky stiffened instantly, and under the inertia, it flew out of the tornado and smashed toward the valley''s rock walls. In the instant before the impact, the Azure Falcon regained control over its body, flapped its wings to hover, looked back at the collapsing tornado, and then, astounded, looked down at Water Flower below. This guy... So impressive! Chapter 47 - 47: Unexpected Gains, New Forum Announcement! (7/10 Massive Update, Follow for More!) "Here, this is for you." Yue Li excitedly handed a reddish bone to Qin Chuan, then joyously inspected the silver-white metal in her hand that was pulsating with light bluish light. Low-level resources, Wind-breaking Steel. This other resource needed for the advancement of the jade falcon was finally within her grasp. Both resources were located deep within the Burning Flame Wolf''s lair and were extremely well-hidden; even their scents and energies were shielded. Despite Water Flower''s keen sense of smell assisting them, it still took quite a while to find them. This proved that the previous strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain had not been very feasible. Even if the jade falcon could hold the Burning Flame Wolf at bay, Water Flower would not have had enough time to find the resources. Fortunately, they had a backup plan, and it had worked. The two walked shoulder to shoulder out of the lair. Outside, the severely injured Burning Flame Wolf lay gasping on the ground, with Water Flower and Xiao Qing vigilantly watching it from either side. The long-developing tornado that swept through the area had left the wolf with numerous cuts and gashes, several of which were bone-deep and still bleeding. Given its critical injuries, the Burning Flame Wolf''s strength had significantly decreased, and with Water Flower and Xiao Qing surveilling, it could no longer stir trouble. The piece of Wind-breaking Steel in Yue Li''s hand quickly disappeared, and in the next moment, the jade falcon emitted an excited cry. A light bluish wind surged around it, subtly altering its texture. With the enhancement from the Wind-breaking Steel, the Wind Attribute slash attacks performed by the jade falcon would become sharper, significantly boosting its strength. Now, the jade falcon was only one resource away from advancing. Seeing the envious look in Water Flower''s eyes, Qin Chuan shook the recently acquired Fire Attribute resource in his hand, "Don''t worry, this resource will soon be exchanged for the one you need." Saying this, he unhesitatingly stored the low-level resource, known as the Flame Burning Skull, into his Item Equipment Bar and then selected it from his carried items. "Woof!" (That''s great!) Water Flower''s expression brightened with anticipation. It certainly didn''t want to fall behind Xiao Qing! Laughing and joking, the two people and two beasts watched as the previously mortally wounded Burning Flame Wolf, enraged beyond measure by seeing its resources divided in front of it, eventually succumbed. [Congratulations, players have achieved the Hidden Achievement [Unity of Effort], Achievement Points +300, Experience Gem +30] The sudden appearance of the text surprised both Qin Chuan and Yue Li. Entering the Achievement Wall, Qin Chuan soon saw the second achievement light up. [Unity of Effort: Cooperatively accomplish a rank-surpassing kill] This was an unexpected delight. "I didn''t expect to earn another achievement," Yue Li said with a beaming smile, "With this, my rank on the Achievement Leaderboard should be second." "It should be," Qin Chuan smiled and opened the Achievement Leaderboard. The original second rank on the leaderboard had 400 Achievement Points, but it had now changed to 500, presumably because they had completed a 100 Achievement Point mini-achievement after entering the Dream World. Sear?h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unfortunately, instead of climbing to first place alongside Qin Chuan, he had actually dropped a rank. Having completed a 300 Achievement Point achievement, Qin Chuan''s points had increased to 800, while Yue Li had reached 600, securing second place. "Though second and sixth get the same rewards, second sounds much better than sixth," Yue Li giggled, pleased. "Who knows, maybe one day you''ll steal the first rank from me," Qin Chuan joked before he was about to close the leaderboard when something on the Spiritual Beast List caught his eye. Compared to before, there was an extra line under his own name on the Spiritual Beast List. [Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) 1st Place] [Region: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Listed Spiritual Beast: Water Leaf Dog] [Current Rank of Listed Spiritual Beast: Juvenile Stage Lv10] "[Reference Achievements: Lv7 - Solo killed a Lv12 Shadow Leopard Lv10 - Collaborated to kill a Lv11 Burning Flame Wolf] Qin Chuan casually opened Yue Li''s ranking and noticed that Yue Li''s reference achievements had also included this, and it was ranked ahead of many previous challenges. It seemed that the reference achievement rankings were based on the merit of the achievements. Collaborative kills naturally couldn''t compare to solo kills, but they were more valuable than Yue Li''s previous escapes from multiple challenges. Yue Li also noticed this change and half-jokingly said, "It looks like my hold on second place on the Spiritual Beast List will be stable until this week''s settlement." "You deserve it," Qin Chuan said earnestly. The Green Jade Falcon had now fused with two pieces of low-level resources and had mastered the ability to unleash a Tornado, reaching the peak of the Juvenile Stage. The next step was the Growth Rank. If it weren''t for his presence changing things, she would have been first on the Spiritual Beast List. "I love hearing that," Yue Li giggled. "The daily settlement is about to start, right?" Qin Chuan nodded. After chatting casually beside the corpse of the Burning Flame Wolf, the daily settlement alert appeared. On both the Spiritual Beast List and the Achievement Leaderboard, Qin Chuan remained first. Due to the intense training today, his affinity with Water Flower increased to 78%, and on the Extraordinary List, Qin Chuan''s rank rose from the previous 52nd to 37th, entering the top fifty. Although the rewards were no different than before, climbing the rankings was still a cause for happiness. It was worth using up all of the Spiritual Beast treats he had gotten the day before. On the other hand, Yue Li was second on both the Spiritual Beast List and the Achievement Leaderboard, but first on the Extraordinary List. Her achievements shone even brighter than Qin Chuan''s. After collecting their rewards, the two of them waited with smiles for the Dream World entrance to close. "See you tomorrow." Yue Li''s sweet smile was frozen in the last instant. [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:05] [Dream World Entrance Closed] ----------------- Waking to the sound of the alarm clock in the early morning, Qin Chuan got out of bed and immediately took out the Flame Burning Skull to snap some photos and videos before opening the Dream Realm Forum. He had originally planned to head straight to the Dream Exchange, but as soon as he entered the forum, a pop-up appeared that couldn''t be closed directly. He was all too familiar with this situation. Every time something like this happened on the Dream Realm Forum, it meant that the Special Affairs Group was about to announce something very important. At that moment, he could only patiently check it out. As he read, Qin Chuan''s expression gradually grew strange. Because the announced news was somewhat related to him. [Notice to all Yanhuang Citizens: With Blue Star entering version 2.2, we welcome a new transformation, but in addition to the content mentioned in the update announcement, we have also discovered a new crisis. According to incomplete statistics, by last night at 24:00, within the boundaries of Yanhuang Country alone, there have been more than 100,000 cases of animal mutations, and the mutated animals may gradually evolve into beings similar to Spiritual Beasts. We urge all citizens to watch their pets and nearby animals closely; in the event of any abnormalities, please call the Special Affairs Group hotline immediately for feedback, and we advise non-Transcendents to reduce unnecessary outings in the near term to lower the risk of safety incidents. Special Affairs Group] After closing the announcement, Qin Chuan quickly discovered that his post from last night had been unblocked, and the forum was in an uproar. Chapter 47 - 47: Unexpected Gains, New Forum Announcement! (7/10 Massive Update, Follow for More!) "Here, this is for you." Yue Li excitedly handed a reddish bone to Qin Chuan, then joyously inspected the silver-white metal in her hand that was pulsating with light bluish light. Low-level resources, Wind-breaking Steel. This other resource needed for the advancement of the jade falcon was finally within her grasp. Both resources were located deep within the Burning Flame Wolf''s lair and were extremely well-hidden; even their scents and energies were shielded. Despite Water Flower''s keen sense of smell assisting them, it still took quite a while to find them. This proved that the previous strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain had not been very feasible. Even if the jade falcon could hold the Burning Flame Wolf at bay, Water Flower would not have had enough time to find the resources. Fortunately, they had a backup plan, and it had worked. The two walked shoulder to shoulder out of the lair. Outside, the severely injured Burning Flame Wolf lay gasping on the ground, with Water Flower and Xiao Qing vigilantly watching it from either side. The long-developing tornado that swept through the area had left the wolf with numerous cuts and gashes, several of which were bone-deep and still bleeding. Given its critical injuries, the Burning Flame Wolf''s strength had significantly decreased, and with Water Flower and Xiao Qing surveilling, it could no longer stir trouble. The piece of Wind-breaking Steel in Yue Li''s hand quickly disappeared, and in the next moment, the jade falcon emitted an excited cry. A light bluish wind surged around it, subtly altering its texture. With the enhancement from the Wind-breaking Steel, the Wind Attribute slash attacks performed by the jade falcon would become sharper, significantly boosting its strength. Now, the jade falcon was only one resource away from advancing. Seeing the envious look in Water Flower''s eyes, Qin Chuan shook the recently acquired Fire Attribute resource in his hand, "Don''t worry, this resource will soon be exchanged for the one you need." Saying this, he unhesitatingly stored the low-level resource, known as the Flame Burning Skull, into his Item Equipment Bar and then selected it from his carried items. "Woof!" (That''s great!) Water Flower''s expression brightened with anticipation. It certainly didn''t want to fall behind Xiao Qing! Laughing and joking, the two people and two beasts watched as the previously mortally wounded Burning Flame Wolf, enraged beyond measure by seeing its resources divided in front of it, eventually succumbed. [Congratulations, players have achieved the Hidden Achievement [Unity of Effort], Achievement Points +300, Experience Gem +30] The sudden appearance of the text surprised both Qin Chuan and Yue Li. Entering the Achievement Wall, Qin Chuan soon saw the second achievement light up. [Unity of Effort: Cooperatively accomplish a rank-surpassing kill] This was an unexpected delight. "I didn''t expect to earn another achievement," Yue Li said with a beaming smile, "With this, my rank on the Achievement Leaderboard should be second." "It should be," Qin Chuan smiled and opened the Achievement Leaderboard. The original second rank on the leaderboard had 400 Achievement Points, but it had now changed to 500, presumably because they had completed a 100 Achievement Point mini-achievement after entering the Dream World. Sear?h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unfortunately, instead of climbing to first place alongside Qin Chuan, he had actually dropped a rank. Having completed a 300 Achievement Point achievement, Qin Chuan''s points had increased to 800, while Yue Li had reached 600, securing second place. "Though second and sixth get the same rewards, second sounds much better than sixth," Yue Li giggled, pleased. "Who knows, maybe one day you''ll steal the first rank from me," Qin Chuan joked before he was about to close the leaderboard when something on the Spiritual Beast List caught his eye. Compared to before, there was an extra line under his own name on the Spiritual Beast List. [Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) 1st Place] [Region: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Listed Spiritual Beast: Water Leaf Dog] [Current Rank of Listed Spiritual Beast: Juvenile Stage Lv10] "[Reference Achievements: Lv7 - Solo killed a Lv12 Shadow Leopard Lv10 - Collaborated to kill a Lv11 Burning Flame Wolf] Qin Chuan casually opened Yue Li''s ranking and noticed that Yue Li''s reference achievements had also included this, and it was ranked ahead of many previous challenges. It seemed that the reference achievement rankings were based on the merit of the achievements. Collaborative kills naturally couldn''t compare to solo kills, but they were more valuable than Yue Li''s previous escapes from multiple challenges. Yue Li also noticed this change and half-jokingly said, "It looks like my hold on second place on the Spiritual Beast List will be stable until this week''s settlement." "You deserve it," Qin Chuan said earnestly. The Green Jade Falcon had now fused with two pieces of low-level resources and had mastered the ability to unleash a Tornado, reaching the peak of the Juvenile Stage. The next step was the Growth Rank. If it weren''t for his presence changing things, she would have been first on the Spiritual Beast List. "I love hearing that," Yue Li giggled. "The daily settlement is about to start, right?" Qin Chuan nodded. After chatting casually beside the corpse of the Burning Flame Wolf, the daily settlement alert appeared. On both the Spiritual Beast List and the Achievement Leaderboard, Qin Chuan remained first. Due to the intense training today, his affinity with Water Flower increased to 78%, and on the Extraordinary List, Qin Chuan''s rank rose from the previous 52nd to 37th, entering the top fifty. Although the rewards were no different than before, climbing the rankings was still a cause for happiness. It was worth using up all of the Spiritual Beast treats he had gotten the day before. On the other hand, Yue Li was second on both the Spiritual Beast List and the Achievement Leaderboard, but first on the Extraordinary List. Her achievements shone even brighter than Qin Chuan''s. After collecting their rewards, the two of them waited with smiles for the Dream World entrance to close. "See you tomorrow." Yue Li''s sweet smile was frozen in the last instant. [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:05] [Dream World Entrance Closed] ----------------- Waking to the sound of the alarm clock in the early morning, Qin Chuan got out of bed and immediately took out the Flame Burning Skull to snap some photos and videos before opening the Dream Realm Forum. He had originally planned to head straight to the Dream Exchange, but as soon as he entered the forum, a pop-up appeared that couldn''t be closed directly. He was all too familiar with this situation. Every time something like this happened on the Dream Realm Forum, it meant that the Special Affairs Group was about to announce something very important. At that moment, he could only patiently check it out. As he read, Qin Chuan''s expression gradually grew strange. Because the announced news was somewhat related to him. [Notice to all Yanhuang Citizens: With Blue Star entering version 2.2, we welcome a new transformation, but in addition to the content mentioned in the update announcement, we have also discovered a new crisis. According to incomplete statistics, by last night at 24:00, within the boundaries of Yanhuang Country alone, there have been more than 100,000 cases of animal mutations, and the mutated animals may gradually evolve into beings similar to Spiritual Beasts. We urge all citizens to watch their pets and nearby animals closely; in the event of any abnormalities, please call the Special Affairs Group hotline immediately for feedback, and we advise non-Transcendents to reduce unnecessary outings in the near term to lower the risk of safety incidents. Special Affairs Group] After closing the announcement, Qin Chuan quickly discovered that his post from last night had been unblocked, and the forum was in an uproar. Chapter 48 - 48: Superheavy Water Core! (8/10 Massive Update, Please Follow!) Posts like Qin Chuan''s, which were temporarily blocked and then unblocked, were not few. To others, it was as if sightings had sprung up overnight everywhere. The entire Dream Realm Forum was bustling, with many people asking about specific sighting locations and other details under Qin Chuan''s post. Qin Chuan quickly glanced over, without responding. He opened other apps to find that almost all social media platforms had this announcement pinned at the top, and the news was repeatedly broadcasting it. Even the launch of Blue Star version 2.2 didn''t cause such a stir, the last time anything like this happened was when the announcement for Blue Star version 2.1 came out, bringing Extraordinary Powers into reality. The reason was simple, the mutation of animals posed a great threat to human societal order. What was once a problem amongst Transcendents had now become a problem between humans and animals. How to handle it specifically, the Special Affairs Group was probably still figuring that out. It was commendable that they could respond so promptly to the initial signs of mutation. Quietly lamenting the troublesome times, Qin Chuan reopened the Dream Realm Forum and entered the Dream Exchange. Regardless, only by becoming stronger himself could he better cope with various emergencies. Though it had only been online for a day, the Dream Exchange was fully functional. Unlike normal transactions with money, at this stage, over ninety percent of the transactions in the Dream Exchange involved bartering, with few willing to sell Low-level Resources for cash. Bartering had one drawback, though: both parties often found it hard to be satisfied. For instance, as Qin Chuan browsed, he found the Water Purification Stone and the Superheavy Water Core needed for Water Flower to Advance, but the providers didn''t need the Burning Flame Skull; they wanted other resources in exchange. Such situations were common in the Dream Exchange. To address this issue, the Dream Realm Forum had a very intelligent trade filtering feature. You just had to enter the resources needed and provided, and the forum would automatically filter and complete multi-party trade matches in a manner similar to connecting trains. For example, A''s resources to B, B''s to C, C''s to A, to get around the limitations of bartering. If he still couldn''t find the desired resources this way, Qin Chuan would have to list his Burning Flame Skull and wait for others to match with him. Fortunately, Qin Chuan was quite lucky. Although he had no success finding the Water Purification Stone, he managed to match with two possible trade routes for the Superheavy Water Core. One of them, the holder of the Superheavy Water Core, was in a neighboring city, expected to arrive the same day once the trade began. Without hesitation, Qin Chuan chose this option, selecting his home as the delivery location, with the pickup time set to immediate. After initiating the trade, Qin Chuan quickly washed up, got dressed neatly, and sat at the edge of his bed, casually browsing the forum posts while waiting for the courier. The forum''s posts were sorted by the latest comments, most relating to sightings of mutated animals. Compared to the bizarre appearances of other mutated animals, the black cat Qin Chuan saw was almost normal. The weirdest sighting was of a mutated octopus that nearly made Qin Chuan''s sanity drop at a glance. However, his scrolling finger paused midair very soon. He saw a post unrelated to the mutated animals. But the post''s title was particularly eye-catching. "District 2819, the First Growth Rank Spiritual Beast Appears!" So soon?! Qin Chuan''s gaze sharpened as he quickly clicked in to check. The poster was a player from District 2819 who claimed that the top player on the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List had suddenly vanished. He thought the other party had died and deleted their account, only to find them on the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List. Many players from District 2819 bubbled up in the comments to confirm this. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but sigh. Out of the billions of players, there was no lack of formidable individuals. Yesterday''s trade could only bring back a single Low-level Resource, meaning this advanced player had already obtained two advancement resources prior. Whether it was due to luck or strength, or perhaps both, wasn''t clear. The appearance of a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast added a sense of urgency to Qin Chuan''s mind. It was foreseeable that, after today, there would be more and more Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts. He looked forward even more to getting the Superheavy Water Core quickly. He didn''t have to wait long before a man dressed as a courier knocked on Qin Chuan''s door, showing his credentials from the Extraordinary Affairs Group to prove his identity, carefully verified Qin Chuan''s identity, and after confirming it was correct, took away the Burning Flame Skull. Seeing the trade status of the Burning Flame Skull change to "in transit" on the transaction page, Qin Chuan silently prayed for a smooth process and then stepped out the door, backpack on. Breakfast was at the same breakfast shop at the entrance of his residential complex. Different from the previous frowns and worries about the calamity brought by the Extraordinary Descent, the shop owner was now in a good mood every day, even greeting Qin Chuan, a regular customer, with enthusiasm. The reason, again, was simple: the shop owner had contracted a Spiritual Beast in the Dream World, becoming a Transcendent himself. And of the Fire Attribute. With more adept control over the temperature of flames, his cooking skills had improved over his previous standard, earning praise from the regular customers. Apparently, he was planning to add fast food service at lunch and dinner. Becoming a Transcendent didn''t mean one had to make waves or create havoc. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The contentment of such ordinary people was also there to be found. As usual, Qin Chuan ordered two buns and a bowl of soy milk, enjoying his meal when suddenly, a dog''s bark and several cries of alarm sounded nearby. Glancing over, a Husky as large as a calf with red eyes was charging towards them like a madman, its canine teeth far bigger than those of a normal dog; even with its mouth closed, they couldn''t be hidden, adorned with strange stripes all over its body. Those sitting at the temporary tables outside the shop were stunned. They had just been discussing mutated animals, and even at that moment, the TV at the shop entrance was broadcasting related reports; was a mutated animal really appearing before them? Qin Chuan''s brow furrowed, ready to stand up, but someone was faster. The two men nearest to the mutated Husky, both Transcendents, stood up and intervened right away, with other seated Transcendents reacting and stepping in to help. The recently mutated animal''s strength was still within a controllable range, and even the intelligence-spiking chaos-maker couldn''t withstand the combined efforts of several Transcendents. By the time the Special Affairs Group arrived in response, the Husky was already bound, having lost its combat ability. The Special Affairs Group took the mutated Husky away, along with its owner who had only just arrived on the scene. The Transcendents who had intervened returned to their seats amidst applause, unaffected and still cheerful as if the recent event was nothing notable. After taking a sip of the sweetened soy milk, Qin Chuan''s mood improved inexplicably. At that moment, he suddenly understood the true significance behind everything the Special Affairs Group had done since the update of Blue Star. Chapter 49 - 49 Official Level Promotion Conditions! (9/10 Massive Update, Please Follow!) After finishing breakfast, Qin Chuan had just arrived at the classroom when Xiao Pang immediately took out a milk tea full of toppings and placed it in front of him, "Here you go!" Qin Chuan recognized it as the top-tier offering from the milk tea store at the school gate and couldn''t help but look at Xiao Pang in surprise, "I''m not lending you money." "Hmph!" Xiao Pang rolled his eyes, then flashed a sycophantic smile, "Qin Chuan, my Contracted Spiritual Beast has reached Lv10!" So that was it. Xiao Pang''s Contracted Spiritual Beast had already broken through Lv9, and he had gotten two Earth Attribute Experience Fruits from Qin Chuan yesterday. It was only natural for it to have made a breakthrough. "Lv10 is just the beginning; you need to start collecting resources for advancement," Qin Chuan calmly took the milk tea, not forgetting to keep Xiao Pang grounded so the big fellow who weighed over 180 pounds wouldn''t float away in pride, "I saw on the forums today that Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts have already appeared." "Qin Chuan, you know about this too!" It wasn''t Xiao Pang speaking this time, but a girl in the seat in front of Qin Chuan. She turned her head, her face showing a bit of admiration, "Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts can have three Active Skills, and their strength has increased quite a bit!" "Yeah!" The boy sitting next to the girl pushed up his glasses, "Everyone''s Player Level has been stuck at Apprentice Level. There were speculations before on the forum that if a Contracted Spiritual Beast reaches the Growth Rank, the Player Level might also break through. I wonder if that''s true." A trace of amusement crossed Qin Chuan''s eyes. The girl in front was named Du Xia, and the boy next to her was Zhang Bin. Both of their academic performances were average in the class. During middle school, academic performance nearly always determined the pecking order, and they never deigned to mix with students who scored at the bottom like Qin Chuan and Xiao Pang. In the days since the advent of Dream World, the other classmates hadn''t included him in their discussions, leaving him to exchange information only with Xiao Pang. But today, things had changed. Not just the two students in the front row, Qin Chuan could distinctly feel many classmates glancing his way from time to time. And he was well aware of the reason for this change. During yesterday''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, the strength Qin Chuan had displayed made the other students start to reevaluate him. With the arrival of the Transcendents, it seemed that academic performance was no longer the only factor in the social hierarchy. But Qin Chuan wasn''t really interested in responding to this clumsy attempt at friendliness. In the last two months of high school, there was no need to mend broken relationships with classmates. With an indifferent response, Qin Chuan turned his head to Xiao Pang, "I remember you''re in district 2820. The player whose Spiritual Beast reached the Growth Rank is in 2819, which is pretty close." "That''s quite a coincidence," Xiao Pang chuckled, his round face showing a hint of shrewdness. He had noticed the change in everyone''s attitude toward Qin Chuan and had seen the shift in Du Xia and Zhang Bin''s behavior. He kept quiet, curious about how Qin Chuan would react. Now that Qin Chuan had shown his stance, although it might not have been the smoothest, it gave Xiao Pang a kind of secretive thrill. "According to the speculation on the forum, that player from district 2819 should be from Yanhuang Country," Xiao Pang said with a hint of pride, "If not, at the very least they are from a country that speaks Chinese, or they are Chinese overseas." "Is their Player Name in Chinese?" Qin Chuan quickly guessed the basis. "Exactly!" Xiao Pang nodded, "The Player Name is ''Chopper,'' such a name full of Yanhuang connotations couldn''t be made up by a foreigner." "That makes sense." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. The two of them chatted back and forth, completely ignoring the two in the front row. Du Xia and Zhang Bin realized this and shared an awkward smile before turning their heads back. Since the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast player hadn''t revealed more useful information, after talking for a while, Qin Chuan and Xiao Pang switched topics to mutated animals. "I had a Samoyed at home," Xiao Pang clicked his tongue, "My dad saw the news this morning and insisted on setting it free." "Samoyeds are the smiling angels, how vicious could they become even if mutated?" He was nonchalant in his expression. "Don''t take it lightly." Qin Chuan''s expression became more serious, "This morning I ran into a mutated husky that charged into a crowd, looking very aggressive. Luckily, it was subdued in the end." "Uh" Xiao Pang''s mouth twitched, "A husky?" The husky, once considered one of the three ''goofballs'' of the sled dog breeds, had mutated and started attacking people?! His initial nonchalance quickly wavered, and after hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth, "Fine, when I get home, I''ll release our Samoyed too." "Your uncle and aunt aren''t Transcendents; having a medium-sized dog at home is quite dangerous," Qin Chuan patted Xiao Pang on the shoulder, "If Transcendents were monitoring all the time, pets mutating wouldn''t be too risky, and they could be kept." "Indeed." Xiao Pang nodded in agreement, "Then I won''t release it. That silly dog might not survive on its own outside." "Let me ask around on the Dream Realm Forum, maybe there''s a Transcendent in the same city who likes Samoyeds? I could give it to someone to take care of." Saying so, Xiao Pang opened the Dream Realm Forum, his chubby hands moving swiftly, and quickly posted his message. He was just about to close the forum when he glanced at the pinned post, then suddenly his eyes widened, "Qin Chuan!" "What?" Qin Chuan turned his head to look. "The Special Affairs Group has released information regarding Spiritual Beast advancement!" "Oh?" Qin Chuan blinked and quickly opened the Dream Realm Forum. The Special Affairs Group had a dedicated section on the Dream Realm Forum for sharing various Dream World information. As Xiao Pang had mentioned, this section had indeed been updated, and there was no shortage of content. The first thing he saw opening it up was information related to Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts. A Growth Rank Lv10 Spiritual Beast had a Race Value of 800 points, which was a boost of 300 points during the progression. From there on, every level up for a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast required 500 Experience Points, and the Race Value increased by 120 points, with an expectation to reach 2000 Race Value at Growth Rank Lv20. Player Level must reach Official Level before a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast can level up. Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts can unlock a third Active Skill upon reaching the Growth Rank. Qin Chuan''s gaze sharpened as he continued scrolling down, and then his pupils suddenly dilated. The information that followed was not about Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts. It was about Official Level Players. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The requirements for a Player to advance from Apprentice to Official Level had finally been confirmed with the emergence of Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts. A Player needs an Extraordinary Value of over 600 points to advance to Official Level! Contrary to the majority''s speculations, the Player Level advancement condition hinged on Extraordinary Value. Thinking about it carefully, one could understand that this was no simple matter. Before advancing their Player Level, a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast could not level up, capping at a maximum Race Value of 800 points. This meant there were two conditions to promote to Official Level: the Spiritual Beast''s Affinity had to be above 75%, and the Spiritual Beast Rank had to reach Growth Rank Lv10. Neither could be absent. Chapter 50 - 50: New Ability, Player Talent! (10/10 massive release, please follow!) Just the unveiling of the promotion conditions for Official Level made Qin Chuan feel like he''d reaped a bountiful harvest. His Affinity with Water Flower had already reached 78%, so there was no problem in terms of Affinity. Once Water Flower advanced, he could smoothly be promoted to an Official Level Player. Qin Chuan continued to read on. A player advancing from Apprentice Level to Official Level could have a second Contract Slot to contract a second Spiritual Beast. Considering the Extraordinary Value equals the sum of the product of all Contracted Spiritual Beast Species Values and Affinity, having two Contracted Spiritual Beasts meant the upper limit of Transcendent Value would directly double. Qin Chuan already knew this. However, the subsequent content was completely new. After a player breaks through to Official Level, the number of Active Skills allowed to be carried increases to two, and a new Skill Resonance effect is added. If the multiple Active Skills carried originate from the same Contracted Spiritual Beast, all the Skills of the Spiritual Beast carried by the player will receive a degree of enhancement, including Passive Skills. The more Active Skills carried from the same Contracted Spiritual Beast, the stronger the enhancement received by the Skills. According to the information provided, two Active Skills from the same Contracted Spiritual Beast can generate a "Resonance 2" effect, where each Skill is enhanced by 5%. As the number of Skill Positions carried increases in the future, Resonance must become a factor that must be considered in the selection of carried Skills. But being overly fixated on Resonance and carrying all Skills of the same Contracted Spiritual Beast is not a good thing either, since carrying Skills from different Contracted Spiritual Beasts means a diversity of Attributes and capabilities. The information''s simple analysis of Resonance and future carried Skills gave Qin Chuan the feeling of having his eyes opened wide. He couldn''t help but continue reading, and then a shocked expression emerged on his face. Upon a player''s promotion to Official Level, a whole new ability would be unlocked. This ability was called Player Talent. Player Talent could only be used in the Dream World and was divided into six color levels: white, green, blue, purple, red, and gold, with significant differences in strength between the different levels. The specific effects of the Talents were incredibly diverse. White, green, and blue Talents had one Talent Effect, purple and red Talents had two Talent Effects, and gold Talents had three Talent Effects, as well as being unique. The so-called uniqueness meant that other five levels of Talent could be obtained repeatedly by multiple players, but once a gold Talent was obtained, it would no longer be possible for a second person to get it. And there were only nine such gold Talents in total. The method for players to obtain their Talent was to draw from a Talent Pool; each player had three chances to draw, choosing one from the three Talents they drew. Once chosen, unless there was a death reset, it could not be changed. At this point, Qin Chuan had already reached the end of the information. But the waves in his heart had not subsided; instead, they surged even more. "Qin Chuan, what level of Player Talent do you think ''Chopper'' got?" Xiao Pang turned to Qin Chuan, "With him knowing so much, could it be that his Player Talent is gold?" "This information is probably introduced after gaining new functions," Qin Chuan slowly began, "just like when the Ranking List was opened, the daily settlement and weekly settlement rewards were introduced." "As for ''Chopper''s'' Player Talent, that should not be revealed," Qin Chuan shook his head, "You can tell from the introduction that Player Talents are very important." "If Player Talents are exposed, they could very likely become targets." "That makes sense." Xiao Pang nodded in realization and then couldn''t help but sigh, "It really is true that there''s power in numbers. I didn''t expect that ''Chopper'' was actually someone from the Special Affairs Group." Yes, after reading this piece of information, everyone realized this point. Only then could it be explained why the Special Affairs Group added related information immediately after Chopper''s breakthrough. "This is a good thing. If ''Chopper'' were a bad guy, it would be difficult for anyone to deal with him at this stage," Qin Chuan smiled, "That would be the worst outcome." "Eh?" Xiao Pang quickly showed a surprised expression again, "''Chopper'' himself has appeared! He made a post!" Qin Chuan took a close look and quickly noticed an additional pinned post in the discussion area. The name of the post was simple. "I am ''Chopper''" The content was the opponent''s brief statement. He indicated that tonight, upon entering the Dream World, his Contracted Spiritual Beast would reach Growth Rank Lv20, and he would attempt to contract a second Spiritual Beast. Tomorrow, he would share the requirements for a Spiritual Beast to advance from Growth Rank to Elite Rank. He also stated that the rewards for the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List were much more than those for the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List, and he hoped everyone could break through soon. Currently, he was the only one on the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List, which felt lonely. Seeing this slightly show-offy post, out of annoyance, Qin Chuan... S~ea??h the N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Clicked to bookmark and enable update notifications. The class bell rang soon, and as the subject teacher walked into the classroom, it became silent at once. Qin Chuan quickly scanned and confirmed there were no other posts worth attention, then turned off his phone and opened his textbook. Studying attentively! Perhaps because he was stimulated by Yue Li in the Dream World yesterday, Qin Chuan felt he was listening even more seriously today. Only when the bell for the last cultural lesson of the morning rang did he raise his head like a dead fish floating in the ocean of knowledge. Xiao Pang stretched, pulling Qin Chuan to the cafeteria to grab a meal. Before they arrived, they saw many students returning from the cafeteria with helpless expressions. Inquiring about it, they learned that the cafeteria had unexpectedly closed for the day. As for the reason, a mutated mouse was discovered in the food storage of the cafeteria. The mouse had been captured, but it was unclear if it was poisonous, so the ingredients could not be used for cooking. "In that case, we have to eat off-campus," Xiao Pang shrugged, unable to resist complaining, "These phenomena of mutated animals are too frequent, aren''t they?" "Indeed," Qin Chuan agreed with a nod. He''d encountered one on his way home from school last night, another during breakfast, and now once again in the cafeteria at noon. This frequency was unmatched. "Fortunately, these mutated animals are not strong at this stage," Qin Chuan said softly, "Ordinary people have the power to fight them, and Transcendents are able to suppress them directly." "So most of the time, the Extraordinary Affairs Group just sends people to clean up the aftermath." "Just worried that they grow too fast," Xiao Pang muttered casually. With this incident, neither had the appetite for a big meal, so they ordered a couple of fried rices to pad their stomachs and returned to the classroom. However, shortly after entering the classroom, a man dressed in a courier''s uniform came in and called Qin Chuan out. This sudden disturbance made the other students reveal puzzled expressions. Since when did the school allow couriers to enter? Only Qin Chuan quickly realized and walked out decisively. Ordinary couriers are certainly not allowed on school grounds. But who could stop a courier from the Extraordinary Affairs Group? The Superheavy Water Core had arrived! Chapter 51 - 51: Give it a try? Then lets try! (Please follow) "Qin Chuan, is that a courier from the Dream Exchange?" Zhang Yangwang asked as he stood up grinning, his eyes held a hint of vigilance. "Just exchanged some experience fruits of other attributes for a few of the Water Attribute," Qin Chuan replied nonchalantly and then calmly returned to his seat. He naturally wouldn''t foolishly reveal that he had just obtained a piece of low-level resource. After confirming that the courier had indeed delivered a Superheavy Water Core, Qin Chuan had signed for it and instantly put it into his item carrying slot. "Is that so? Alright then," Zhang Yangwang sighed with relief and sat back down with a grin. Yesterday''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Class had not only redefined Qin Chuan in the eyes of his classmates but had also placed him as a competitor in Zhang Yangwang''s mind, who had never considered Qin Chuan a threat before. The moment he realized the identity of the courier, he couldn''t help but probe for information. Now, learning from Qin Chuan that it was merely a few Experience Fruits, he finally felt at ease. If Qin Chuan had obtained a low-level resource necessary for advancement, his strength might continue to grow beyond Zhang Yangwang''s reachan idea intolerable to him who prided himself as the best in the class. Unaware of the class president''s complex thoughts, Qin Chuan glanced at the Superheavy Water Core in his item carrying slot and his mind already soared into the Dream World, eager to enter. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time flew swiftly and soon it was evening. Before the Extraordinary Courses commenced, Qin Chuan received another delivery. Unlike the Superheavy Water Core, this package had to be picked up by Qin Chuan himself at the gatehouse entrance of the school, yet his anticipation was no less fervent. For it contained the Diamond Powder he had ordered the day before. The 200 grams of Diamond Powder wasn''t very much; contained in a small bottle, it was not even half a fistful in size. The moment Qin Chuan received it, he couldn''t resist mixing some with water to test its efficacy, which turned out to be far superior to yesterday''s iron powder. The cleanup was also straightforwardjust by letting it settle, the Diamond Powder would sink to the bottom of the water, and then could be easily dehydrated using Water Attribute power. The large-scale animal mutations hadn''t affected the evening''s Extraordinary Courses. In the Extraordinary Theory Class, after giving an overview of the twelve attributes yesterday, Zhou Zixiu began to detail the Thunder Attribute, stating that the Thunder Attribute course would extend over four days, followed by Water Attribute, and the subsequent order would follow as introduced yesterday. In the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, after drilling all students through the ''Basic Boxing Skill'' twice, Ji Huai called out several students for a challenge, while the rest paired up to spar based on their strengths. Qin Chuan wasn''t picked again by Ji Huai; instead, a chubby student who had just made a breakthrough was harshly dealt by Ji Huai. By the time Qin Chuan returned home from class, it was late into the night. After washing up and getting into bed early, he soon fell into a deep sleep due to the day''s fatigue. ----------------- Dream World. Upon his consciousness arriving, Qin Chuan stretched lazily, his hand inadvertently contained a drop of water. This drop exhibited extraordinary surface tension; even in the palm of Qin Chuan''s hand, it maintained an almost perfect spherical shape. It was colorless and clear like normal water, but Qin Chuan instantly felt its unusual weight. This drop, which should feel almost weightless, gave Qin Chuan the sensation of holding a bottle of water. The density was a thousand times that of regular waterthis was the low-level resource, the Superheavy Water Core. With a flash of light, the Superheavy Water Core was sent by Qin Chuan into Water Flower''s advancement interface, fitting into the second phantom slot. The mystical array''s patterns were once again lit up by one third, and at the same time, Water Flower let out a slightly confused cry. "Woof?!" It felt some powers changing within its body. "Water Flower, Rapid Stream Break," Qin Chuan said with a smile, pointing to a nearby rock. Understanding the command, Water Flower swished its tail, and a stream of water shot out like an arrow, striking the rock instantly. A dull sound erupted instantly, and the rock, which looked rather solid, shattered into hundreds of fragments in an instant. Had this been before, even if Water Flower could have shattered the rock, it would have merely split it into a few pieces. The extent of the shattering represented the blunt force''s power and within a mere few seconds, Water Flower''s attack strength had made a qualitative leap. "Congratulations on acquiring suitable advanced resources," Yue Li said with a smile, her voice emerging beside Qin Chuan. Turning his head and looking at Yue Li''s beaming smile, Qin Chuan felt very pleased. "I remember you mentioned that there are quite a few Juvenile Stage Lv10 Spiritual Beasts nearby. Do you still recall the ''Skillful'' achievement we looked at before?" "Of course I remember. Enter the Dream World once and defeat ten Spiritual Beasts of the same rank," Yue Li smiled and spoke, "Water Flower and Xiao Qing have made significant progress. Now is the perfect time." "Yep," Qin Chuan nodded, "This achievement grants 300 Achievement Points. There''s also another achievement announced by the Special Affairs Group worth 200 Achievement Points that we can complete together." "Are you talking about ''One Against Two''?" Yue Li quickly understood. This achievement required one to defeat two Spiritual Beasts of the same rank in a two-on-one battle. "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded, "I believe that both Water Flower and Xiao Qing can achieve this." "Let''s give it a try then." Yue Li was quite anticipative. The two searched through the corpse of the Burning Flame Wolf but, unfortunately, found no dropped low-level resources. Following Yue Li, they climbed over a small hill and arrived at a plain behind the hill. Looking at the various strong Spiritual Beasts that occasionally appeared on the plain, Qin Chuan and Water Flower were rubbing their hands eagerly, hardly able to wait. [Congratulations to the player for achieving the hidden achievement ''One Against Two'', Achievement Points +200, Experience Gem +20] [Congratulations to the player for achieving the hidden achievement ''Skillful'', Achievement Points +300, Experience Gem +30] Half of the eight hours in the Dream World had passed, and finally, Qin Chuan saw the achievement notice he had been aiming for. On the other side, Yue Li was even quicker. After all, Rapid Stream Break was a single-target attack, whereas the Tornado Bomb, which had transformed into a tornado, was a bona fide large-scale AOE skill. Qin Chuan saw Xiao Qing throwing down a tornado, and four closely positioned Juvenile Stage Lv10 Spiritual Beasts were blown sky-high in an instant, an utter brutality. It was just as well there weren''t any hidden achievements like ''One Against Three'' or ''One Against Four'' because then Yue Li''s ranking on the Achievement Leaderboard would have surpassed his. "Today''s achievements are done!" Yue Li walked up to Qin Chuan with a giggly smile, "Did you use the Achievement Key from yesterday''s tally?" "Using it now," Qin Chuan said with a smile, selecting an achievement worth 300 Achievement Points to check. [Self-binding: Defeat a Spiritual Beast of the same rank using only Passive Skills] When Qin Chuan told Yue Li about how to achieve this, she couldn''t help but laugh, "That''s quite challenging... Shall we try?" Looking into Yue Li''s bright eyes, Qin Chuan smiled. "Let''s give it a try!" Chapter 52 - 52 Weekly Settlement, Water Flower Advances! (Seeking to Follow) [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Map][View] [Ranking List][View] [Achievement Wall: 12/1000][View] [Contract Slot: 1/1][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 5/10][View] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Skill Carrying](Not set) [07:46:08/08:00:00][00:00:09] After glancing at the time, Qin Chuan turned his head to Yue Li in the shelter, "Less than four minutes left." "It feels like you''ve looked at the panel so many times," Yue Li giggled, "Relax a bit." "I can''t relax," Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly, "After this weekly settlement, I can get a self-selected low-level resource, and Water Flower can advance directly." "Once Water Flower advances, I can immediately be promoted to an Official Level Player." Five days had passed since the two of them worked together to kill the Burning Flame Wolf, and it was the seventh day after the 2.2 version update of Blue Star, also the day of the first weekly ranking list settlement. For all the players on the list, today was an extremely important day. "Alright, I have to wait until tomorrow," Yue Li spread her hands, "The chances of randomly getting Xiao Qing''s last resource are too small, I still need to take it back and exchange." "The Dream Exchange will definitely be bustling tomorrow, exchanging resources won''t be hard," Qin Chuan said with a reassuring smile. "That''s true," Yue Li nodded with more anticipation on her face, "More than that, I''m more interested in the first prize of the Extraordinary List, the self-selected Starshine Equipment Material." The day after his Contracted Spiritual Beast advanced to the Growth Rank, the player ''Chopper'' increased his Spiritual Beast Rank to Growth Rank Lv20, revealing the method for further promotion. Besides needing four intermediate resources for the advancement, in order to advance from Growth Rank to Elite Rank, the Spiritual Beast also needed to undergo an evolution. The player needed to create a piece of Starshine Equipment for their Spiritual Beast, and the Spiritual Beast needed to merge with the equipment to complete its first evolution. Unlike advancement materials, the materials to create Starshine Equipment are not fixed; the type and quantity of materials determined the final effect of the Starshine Equipment and the success rate of crafting it. Subsequently, some Official Level Players emerged, further confirming the veracity of this. Yue Li had been quite fortunate, as the number of Official Level Players in the entire Dream World had already exceeded a thousand, but there were none yet in the 3675 area, she still held the first place on the Extraordinary List with an 85% high Affinity. And with Yue Li''s help, Qin Chuan had also placed more emphasis on cultivating Affinity during this period, and with Water Flower''s Affinity quickly rising past 80% to 81%, he became the current seventh on the Extraordinary List; this settlement would reward him a piece of Random Starshine Equipment Material. "The reward for the Achievement Leaderboard settlement is a refresh of the Achievement Store, which is also something to look forward to," Qin Chuan smiled, "With 3000 Achievement Points at a 70% discount in the Achievement Store, I wonder what I could get." In the past few days, Qin Chuan and Yue Li, unable to think of other ways to improve, embarking on the path of grinding for achievements. By now, Qin Chuan had earned two 500-point achievements, three 300-point achievements, four 200-point achievements, and three 100-point achievements, totaling 3000 points and ranking first on the list. Yue Li was one achievement short compared to Qin Chuan, with a total of 2700 Achievement Points, taking the second place. "I wonder if the Achievement Stores refreshed by everyone are the same," Yue Li pondered with her cheek in her palm, grinding her canine tooth, "Just thinking about you getting a 70% discount and me only 50% makes me mad!" It was just one place short! "How about letting you take the first place next week?" Qin Chuan joked. "No way!" Yue Li immediately refused, "I''ll earn it with my own strength!" As the two of them joked, the settlement quickly arrived. [Ranking List Daily Settlement Begins] [Congratulations to the Player for ranking 1st in the Juvenile Stage of the Spiritual Beast List, receiving +10 Experience Gems] [Congratulations to the Player for ranking 7th in the Extraordinary List, receiving +8 Spiritual Beast Snacks] [Congratulations to the Player for ranking 1st on the Achievement Leaderboard, receiving +2 Achievement Keys] [Ranking List Weekly Settlement Begins] [Congratulations to the player for achieving first place in the Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage), self-select low-level resources +1] [Congratulations to the player for achieving 7th place on the Extraordinary List, random Starshine Equipment Material +1] [Congratulations to the player for achieving first place on the Achievement Leaderboard, refresh the Achievement Store at a 70% discount] Here it comes! Qin Chuan''s expression was one of excitement as he skimmed over the daily settlement rewards, his gaze settling on two light orbsone gold and one silverin the Item Equipment Bar, their shapes indistinct. The gold represented a self-selected low-level resource, while the silver was for a random Starshine Equipment Material. He chose the self-selected low-level resource, and with a thought, the golden orb transformed into a clear, water-blue crystal stone. Low-level resource, Water Purification Stone. Taking a deep breath, Qin Chuan went to Water Flower''s evolution page and set the final advancement resource into the socket. As the last resource slotted into place, the final third of the array''s patterns surrounding the socket lit up, and the entire formation suddenly burst into dazzling light. Simultaneously, Water Flower''s body also erupted in a stunning white glow. When the light faded, Water Flower''s appearance had undergone a major change. Once small like a puppy, now it appeared fully grown, with water flowing around its body, looking extremely handsome. [Contracted Spiritual Beast Water Leaf Dog advanced to Growth Rank Lv10!] [Congratulations to the player for exceeding 600 Transcendent Value points, player level promoted to Official Level!] "Woof! Woof!" Embracing an excitedly leaping Water Leaf Dog, Qin Chuan couldn''t stop the smile on his face as he read the two lines of text that popped up. Finally, a smooth breakthrough! Now looking at Water Flower''s panel, it was quite different from before. [Spiritual Beast Species: Water Leaf Dog] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Water Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv10] (0/500) [Spiritual Beast Traits: Grass and Wood Recognition] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 800] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 83%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Water Master (Passive), Dark Current Binding (Active), Rapid Stream Break (Active), Water Dipping (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Water Attribute Spiritual Beast Water Leaf Dog has keen senses, a curious nature, loves to explore, and has a friendly disposition.] With just one advancement, the affinity between Qin Chuan and Water Flower shot up by 2% and the species value increased significantly. Qin Chuan noticed the new active skill that Water Flower had acquired. [Water Dipping: Active Skill, greatly increases speed when stepping on water flow and enables the ability to walk on water.] Walking on water! Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up at the thought, images of ''lightness skill floating on water'' from reality coming to mind. With Water Dipping, he could easily achieve just that. No, there''s more! Combined with Water Master, could he actually walk on air?! The more he thought about it, the more excited he became; Qin Chuan just couldn''t wait to try it out. Yue Li quickly grabbed his arm, shaking it somewhat. Sear?h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Quickly draw your player talent and see what kind of talent you''ll get!" Her excitement was no less than Qin Chuan''s, as if she were the one drawing the talent, "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Snapping back to his senses, Qin Chuan took a deep breath. "Draw! Let''s draw now!" Chapter 53 - 53 Talent Extraction! During this period, the most discussed topic on the Dream Realm Forum concerning the Dream World undoubtedly pertained to Player Talent. Although the first Official Level Player, ''Chopper,'' hadn''t disclosed his Player Talent, subsequent Official Level Players gradually revealed more details. They didn''t reveal the Player Talent they eventually chose but did not mind sharing the other two they drew but didn''t select. Among these disclosed Talents were a green Talent, "Recovery," which could rapidly heal the injuries of Contracted Spiritual Beasts, a blue Talent "Enhancement" which temporarily increased a Spiritual Beast''s Race Value by 10%, and a purple Talent "Field" that could temporarily change the environment to suit the caster''s own Attribute and augment their Contracted Spiritual Beast... Unfortunately, no red Talents had been revealed yet. It''s understandable, though, as the revealed talents were essentially the ones that were drawn but left unchosen; under what circumstances would someone give up a drawn red Talent? Only if they had a better red Talent or a gold Talent themselves. Such players, even if they exist, would certainly not disclose it. Among the disclosed talents, purple ones were few and far between. Merely glimpsing the tip of the iceberg of the Player Talent Pool had already sparked wild discussions and strong anticipation in the Dream Realm Forum. The nine gold Talents were the talk of the town. Although the specific effects of the Talents were unknown, you could see all Talent names when drawing from the Talent Pool; hence the names of the nine gold Talents had already been disclosed. "Prayer," "Divine Cast," "Sun Needle," "Insight," "Holy Sanctuary," "Avoiding Disease," "Ascension," "Soul Fusion," "Traceless." Although each name was more abstract than the last, speculations about the specific effects of these nine gold Talents never ceased on the Dream Realm Forum. Especially the gold Talent: "Traceless." This Talent suddenly dimmed in the Talent Pool yesterday, indicating its uniqueness had been activated, and a player had acquired it. As a result, the 597 players promoted to Official Level that day were thrust into the limelight. At this moment, encouraged by Yue Li, Qin Chuan logged out of the Water Flower panel. [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Official Level] [Player Talent: To Be Drawn][Draw Talent] [Map][View] [Ranking List][View] [Achievement Wall: 12/1000][View] [Contract Slot: 1/2][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 6/10][View] [Item Carrying: 0/1][View] [Skill Carrying] (Not set) [Achievement Store][Countdown Closure: 23:58:36] [07:51:24/08:00:00][00:00:09] Compared to before, two new lines had appeared on the personal panel. One line was the Player Talent awaiting drawing, and another was the refreshed Achievement Store. A 24-hour countdown meant that for the next three entries into the Dream World, the Achievement Store would be available. Having confirmed this, Qin Chuan temporarily set aside the Achievement Store, planning to delve into it the next time they entered the Dream World. While the Dream World was still open, he wanted to draw his Player Talent first! With this thought, Qin Chuan unhesitatingly clicked on [Draw Talent]. A screen appeared before him. In the middle of the screen was a row of bright Talent entries, with several dim lines above and below. As Qin Chuan''s hand slid across the screen, the top line of Talent entries fell and became bright, while the previously bright Talent entry dimmed. Drawing rewards through scrolling of entries... Qin Chuan glanced at the [Start Drawing] below and understood. In the corner of the screen, there were two blinking icons, one a question mark that, when opened, revealed detailed introductions about Player Talents, exactly the same as those previously disclosed by the Special Affairs Group. The other, resembling a pond, opened up to reveal the names of all the Talents. The top part with eight bright and one dull golden talents instantly captured all his attention. He hoped he could draw one of them. Qin Chuan silently prayed and then pressed the "Start Draw" without hesitation. The words on the light screen scrolled rapidly, with various colors flashing before his eyes. Qin Chuan was tense to the extreme until the words finally settled. However, seeing the content of the words clearly, his expression darkened in an instant. sea??h th n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Brave (Green)" "Temporarily raises the Race Value of the Contracted Spiritual Beast by 5%~10%, the stronger the opponent, the greater the increase, lasting for 5 minutes, cooldown 60 minutes" Green talent... This was far below Qin Chuan''s expectations. What made it even more infuriating was there was a "Confirm Alternate" button below after drawing. Can I just not confirm it? "Water Flower, help me wash my hands!" Qin Chuan decided to try again. "Woof!" Water Flower didn''t understand why, but soon gathered a stream of water to wash Qin Chuan''s hands. Yue Li couldn''t help but chuckle nearby, "Did you draw something bad?" "The first was green. I still have two more tries, let me try again." Qin Chuan had a face that screamed "I''m definitely not unlucky." Soon after pressing "Confirm Alternate," Qin Chuan started his second talent draw. "Healing (Blue)" "Contracted Spiritual Beast''s healing skills have 100% increased healing effect." It looks like washing hands did have some effect, at least the talent he drew was blue. But after carefully looking at the specific effect of the talent, Qin Chuan''s face darkened even more. If he really had to choose between the two, he''d rather pick the green one he drew first! One more chance! The last chance! Qin Chuan looked at the "Start Draw" button lighting up again, but his hand trembled in mid-air, not managing to press it. For the last two draws, he could still hold on to the slim hope of having a chance. But this time, he had no new opportunities left. Yue Li stopped laughing, her expression turning sympathetic, "Also unlucky on the second try?" "Yeah." Qin Chuan responded sulkily. Seeing Qin Chuan''s hesitation, Yue Li sighed softly, "Maybe take a break and draw later." "Maybe." Qin Chuan temporarily exited the talent draw interface. At this moment, he completely dared not press draw, and the good mood from his recent breakthrough had disappeared. Seeing Qin Chuan''s mood, Yue Li thought for a moment, then suggested softly, "Why not try the bug draw method?" "Hmm?" Qin Chuan blinked, "Does Dream World have bugs?" "Day before yesterday I saw a post where a player said they pressed draw right when the entrance to Dream World was closing, and the next day when they logged in, they found they had drawn a Purple Talent; their other two draws were green." "In many games, there''re rumors about timing the draw." Yue Li looked very serious, "Even if there''s no bug, there must be some metaphysics involved." After hearing Yue Li''s words, Qin Chuan pondered. He didn''t believe the example Yue Li brought up would be a bug, as the Purple Talent could easily be explained by sheer luck. But this example sparked a moment of inspiration in his mind. What would happen if he drew a talent during Time Stop? Now, Time Stop had accumulated nine seconds, and drawing a talent could take about two seconds. He felt that spending two seconds for this experiment was acceptable. Chapter 54 - 54 Time Stop! Qin Chuans Ultimate Talent! "I''ve decided to listen to you and give it a try," Qin Chuan said seriously as he looked at Yue Li. "I believe you''ll be able to draw a great talent!" Yue Li smiled encouragingly, then her tone shifted, "Did you open the random Starshine Equipment Material yet?" "Not yet," Qin Chuan shook his head. "I found out that self-selected Star Equipment Materials don''t let you choose the type but the attribute and focus instead," Yue Li said, supporting her chin, "So I plan to check the Dream Realm Forum first for any useful advice, since making Starshine Equipment is still a long way off." "Then I''ll go first and set an example for you," Qin Chuan smiled. The random materials didn''t have this kind of concern. With just a few minutes left until the Dream World entrance closed, Qin Chuan added two seconds to his Time Stop beforehand, so now he could do something else. He took a bundle of silver light from his Item Equipment Bar, and the instant he took it out, the light froze into a strange metal with light aqua traces shimmering brightly, looking very dazzling. [Congratulations Player for obtaining Starshine Equipment Material: Wind Trace Star Iron, suitable attributes: Wind Attribute, Gold Attribute, focus: speed] Seeing the prompt before him, Qin Chuan had a strange expression on his face. This piece of Starshine Equipment Material had nothing to do with Water Flower. Well as expected. Seeing Yue Li casting curious glances his way, Qin Chuan took the initiative to introduce, "Wind Trace Star Iron, suitable attributes are Wind Attribute and Gold Attribute, focusing on speed." Then, he suddenly glanced at Xiao Qing, thoughtfully. "Isn''t that just perfect for Xiao Qing?" Yue Li suddenly smiled, voicing the thing Qin Chuan had thought of. She pulled out a golden light sphere and handed it to Qin Chuan, "Since that''s the case, let''s exchange!" "Huh?" Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li in astonishment, "Using selected materials to exchange for my random materials?" "But the material you randomly got is perfect for my Xiao Qing," Yue Li said earnestly, "Wind Attribute, speed, even if I chose myself, I would probably choose the same." "Why not use your own and save the option to pick for yourself?" Seeing Qin Chuan about to say more, Yue Li grinned, "We''re friends, right?" Saying so, she pushed the golden light sphere towards Qin Chuan. Seeing how Qin Chuan didn''t get a good talent in his two draws, looking gloomy, Yue Li was thinking about how to cheer him up, and now she had a chance. "Really give it to me?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but double-check. "Put yourself in my shoes, would you be willing to swap with me?" Yue Li asked with a smile. Hearing this, Qin Chuan hesitated no more and passed Wind Trace Star Iron to Yue Li, accepting the still-forming golden light sphere and placed it in his Item Equipment Bar. "One more minute," Yue Li glanced at the time, reminding Qin Chuan, "You need to get ready for the draw." "Okay," Qin Chuan nodded and reopened the talent draw screen, positioning his finger above the "Start Drawing" button, eyeing the countdown. [08:00:00/08:00:02][00:00:07] Everything around froze at that moment. Without hesitation, Qin Chuan pressed "Start Drawing" and then anxiously looked at the terms. Then, his expression suddenly turned blank. Because the terms that should be scrolling quickly weren''t scrolling at all. Instead, the "Confirm Reserve" button below was glaringly bright. After tentatively swiping the terms once, Qin Chuan used up the remaining seven seconds of Time Stop. All in! An anomaly occurred in talent drawing under Time Stop; scrolling talent terms turned into swiping them by oneself, and he had to consider whether this might be his only chance in life. Give me spin! Qin Chuan''s finger swiftly swiped over the terms, his eyes locked on each colored term that lit up, terribly afraid of missing one. [08:00:02/08:00:09][00:00:00] He saw the first shade of purple in his vision. But, it wasn''t enough! Normally, a purple talent would have made him very happy. But now, he had gone all in for nine seconds and was not content with just one purple talent. [08:00:05/08:00:09][00:00:00] After skipping over seven or eight purple talents, Qin Chuan saw a red flash before his eyes. Red Talent! For the first time, Qin Chuan''s rapidly moving fingers paused. [Return and Banish (Red)] [Contracted Spiritual Beasts temporarily obtain a 200% speed boost, 20% Race Value increase; duration 5 minutes, cooldown 10 minutes] [Obtain a waypoint; can teleport the Contracted Spiritual Beast to the waypoint location, usable once every seven entries into Dream World; waypoint location can be modified to any previously visited location.] Qin Chuan''s pupils contracted sharply, his face slightly contorting. His heart wrestled with an unprecedented dilemma at that moment. Should he give up this red talent in pursuit of a possible gold talent? Or should he stop here, choosing the red talent that had not easily refreshed before him? Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, and Qin Chuan clenched his teeth decisively after less than a second of hesitation. Continue! Even as he swiped, regret lightly touched his heart, but it was overwhelmed by an unprecedented nervousness. He had actively given up a red skill. If he couldn''t draw another red skill afterward, then this gamble would result in a complete loss. [08:00:07/08:00:09][00:00:00] Watching the Time Stop nearing its end, Qin Chuan was only annoyed that he hadn''t saved more Time Stop duration. Had he known about the unexpected changes in talent drawing under Time Stop, he definitely would have saved up a month or two before trying. But there weren''t so many ''ifs'' in the world. [08:00:08/08:00:09][00:00:00] A striking gold flashed before Qin Chuan''s eyes, which halted all thoughts in his mind. Gold! Gold!! Gold!!! Without any hesitation, Qin Chuan firmly pressed [Confirm Backup]. [Sun Needle (Gold)] [Passive; when resources are within one kilometer, initiation of guidance] [Actively scan for all resources within ten kilometers each time he enters Dream World] [Lock onto a specified target (player, resource, Spiritual Beast) within the entire map; when more than one of the specified target is present, only the nearest is locked; usable once every seven entries into Dream World.] In the last instant, Qin Chuan only had time to skim through all the talent effects, then his consciousness came to a halt. [08:00:09/08:00:09][00:00:01] Sarch* The N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Dream World entrance closes] ----------------- "Phew!!!" Qin Chuan suddenly sat up in bed, his face mingled with excitement and a bit of bewilderment. Recalling his wild gamble and the gain in the last moment, he now felt an unreal sensation, as if he were dreaming. He had obtained a gold talent? Sun Needle? In Qin Chuan''s mind floated many speculations from the Dream Realm Forum about this talent. Sun, as in sundial, an ancient device used to indicate time. Sun Needle, the long vertical needle on a sundial. Thus, many guessed that this talent might have something to do with time. Ha, netizens indeed can''t be trusted! ----------------- First day of April, adding two more updates, shamelessly asking for a Monthly Ticket Chapter 55 - 55 Season Demon King (Three more chapters, asking for Monthly Tickets!) Netizen speculations were unreliable, but that didn''t hinder Qin Chuan''s mood from being exceptionally great at that moment. Having obtained one of the nine golden talents, he had already gained an unparalleled advantage. And this advantage wasn''t achieved by luck, but by his Golden Finger. Reflecting carefully on the three talent effects of the Sun Needle, Qin Chuan''s heart brimmed with joy. The first effect, all resources within a kilometer range could not hide, greatly improving his resource gathering efficiency, truly a walking radar. The second effect, the range escalated directly from a kilometer to ten kilometers, the only limitation being that it could be used only once each time he entered the Dream World. However, entering the Dream World once, it was difficult for Qin Chuan to acquire all resources within ten kilometers, making the limitation seem almost non-existent. At least now, there were no limitations for Qin Chuan. As for the third effect It locks on other players, applicable for finding people. Locking on Spiritual Beasts, Qin Chuan couldn''t think of a scenario for its application. But locking on resources, Qin Chuan understood too well. Think about it, for the three low-level resources needed for Water Flower''s advancement, he spent a whole week first using Time Stop to battle the Shadow Leopard, then cooperating with Yue Li to slay the Burning Flame Wolf, and finally waited five full days, using rankings to collect the last piece. And this was considered fast among players. Imagine those players with weaker strength, how difficult it was for them to obtain a single low-level resource? At Juvenile Stage, they couldn''t defeat those at the Growth Rank, their only reliance was the rewards from the leaderboards. Already powerless, their rankings couldn''t be high, thus they had to accumulate fragments; it could take a week just to collect one low-level resource, simply progressing a Contracted Spiritual Beast to the Growth Rank could take months. Otherwise, they had to use money. Currently, the price of low-level resources had dropped a lot, but it still cost two to three hundred thousand per piece, nearly a million for three, and most importantly, they were in scant supply. Anyone with a hint of sense wouldn''t sell resources at this stage, pretty much all transactions were barter. Under such an extreme shortage of resources, with the third talent effect of the Sun Needle, Qin Chuan''s resource gathering would improve dramatically. One step ahead, leads to further strides ahead. Already at the forefront, he would inevitably continue to widen the gap with others. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself to stay low key and not to reveal his golden talent, Qin Chuan forced himself to calm down before opening the real-world panel. [Current Extraordinary Value: 664] [Current Passive Skill: Water Master] [Current Active Skill: Dark Current Binding] [Item Carrying: 0/1][View] After glancing at it, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but slap his forehead. The last ten minutes were too hectic, he got distracted, forgot to use the stored Experience Gems and Experience Fruits to upgrade Water Flower, and forgot to change the carried skill. After reaching the Official Level, he could have carried an additional Active Skill. Fortunately, there was nothing urgent today. Qin Chuan''s expression eased. What''s done is done, time to go to class. Because he was lost in thought just now, he delayed some time, so Qin Chuan bought buns and soy milk from a breakfast shop and cheerfully headed to school while eating. The way was exceptionally peaceful, no mutated animals suddenly appeared. This wasn''t because the phenomenon of animal mutation had ended, but rather, the animal mutations had entered the next stage. Two days ago, the animals that hadn''t mutated seemed to be eliminated by this evolution specific to them, no longer showing signs of mutation. However, the already mutated animals had been strengthening at a staggering rate. Humans had wiped out a large part, but eventually, when exhausted, many of the mutated animals had escaped to deserted regions like deep forests. Contrary to previous speculations, the mutated animals didn''t evolve towards becoming Spiritual Beasts. Although their intelligence had increased, they seemed to be negatively impacted, all becoming exceptionally savage and ferocious, even generally docile animals. They didn''t possess the power to control attributes with Extraordinary Powers, but their bodies had acquired great strength, defense, and resistance against Transcendent forces. More critically, their forms didn''t match any known Spiritual Beast clans. Thus, Yanhuang Country officially classified these creatures as Demon Beasts, differentiating them from Spiritual Beasts, and ranked their strength according to the corresponding relationship with the Spiritual Beast Ranks. Human cities regained temporary safety, but the danger was merely concealed, not truly gone. Entering the classroom, Xiao Pang quickly approached. "Qin Chuan, how many rewards did you get from the weekly settlement?" he asked excitedly, in a great mood, "I ranked within the top thousand on the Spiritual Beast List, obtaining two Low-level Resource Fragments. If I can keep it up, after five times, I can assemble one random Low-level Resource!" "Later, Low-level Resources will become more abundant, probably not as priceless as they are now. When the price falls below a hundred thousand, my parents have agreed to spend money to buy the remaining two pieces for me," he calculated, his face brimming with expectation. "Just over a month, and my Spiritual Beast can evolve!" "Before the college entrance exam, I will become an Official Level Beast Master!" he couldn''t help but grin foolishly, "I wonder what kind of Talent I will get?" Qin Chuan fell silent for a moment, turned his head to look at Xiao Pang, who was immersed in his fantasies, with a complex expression. He had initially thought of sharing his joy of breaking through with Xiao Pang, but now the desire to share suddenly disappeared. In the end, he said nothing, just patted Xiao Pang on the shoulder, "I also got a good amount of rewards, let''s work hard together!" The daytime cultural classes quickly ended, and in the evening, students from four classes gathered in the multimedia auditorium for the Extraordinary Theory class. The professor of Extraordinary Theory had already moved on to Module Two, which was the part Qin Chuan was most interested inthe study of the Water Attribute. The Thunder Attribute course had ended with a small test organized by Zhou Zixiu, and Qin Chuan''s score was in the top fifty of the four classes, a significant improvement from his previous cultural class rankings. Because of Extraordinary Theory, he was more interested. And interest is the best teacher. As the bell for class rang, Zhou Zixiu entered the classroom on cue. "Students, turn your textbooks to page 34, today we are going to discuss a very important physical concept for the Water Attributehydraulic pressure, this part of knowledge..." His calm voice echoed in the classroom, below the podium was the rustling noise of note-taking. Sarch* The novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The power of knowledge was irresistible, so much so that when the hour of class ended, the students in the room still felt somewhat reluctant to leave. Qin Chuan checked his notebook to ensure nothing was missed, then packed his bag, and with Xiao Pang, headed to the large playground to attend a class by Demon King Ji. This was a nickname secretly given to Ji Huai after six days of classes. Chapter 56 - 56: Actual Combat Assessment, Decision! (Four more for monthly ticket!) "The title of ''Demon King Ji'' was inextricably linked to Ji Huai''s absurdly fast improvement in strength. On the third day after the Blue Star 2.2 update, Ji Huai''s Contracted Spiritual Beast advanced to the Growth Rank, and he himself was promoted to an Official Level Player. On the fourth day, Ji Huai''s first Contracted Spiritual Beast reached Growth Rank Lv20, and at the same time, he contracted his second Spiritual Beast. On the sixth day, Ji Huai''s second Contracted Spiritual Beast advanced to the Growth Rank and achieved Growth Rank Lv20 on the same day. Now, Ji Huai''s Extraordinary Value had broken through the 3,000 mark. Of course, this wasn''t just his achievement alone; it was the inevitable result of a group of people behind the scenes burning themselves like firewood, and only a very few could truly benefit from it. Every one of them was one in ten thousand, carefully vetted by several layers of government before being approved by the high ranks of Yanhuang Country. At this moment, Ji Huai was not only the strongest person in Changxing City but also one of the top three Transcendents in terms of strength in the entire East Lake Province. In theory, with such strength, he no longer needed to take charge of teaching the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, but Ji Huai insisted on completing the term, hoping to see it through from beginning to end. And it was this persistence of Ji Huai that marked the beginning of the students'' nightmare. At first, Ji Huai only picked out five students in each class for sparring training, while the others practiced with their partners. Now, he directly had more than two hundred students from all four classes come together and eliminated everyone within half an hour, striking with severity unheard of amongst regular folks. Although Ji Huai had controlled his strength and there were no serious injuries, minor injuries were inevitable in such intense battles, so every day the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class would be a chorus of groans from the students. Fortunately, facing such pressure from a strong opponent, everyone truly improved. Combined with practicing the Basic Boxing Skill twice before each day''s combat training, Qin Chuan felt that his physical fitness was now almost equivalent to that of a Level 1 Demon Beast. Although it was only the lowest Level 1, he still had Extraordinary Power! As before, Ji Huai was still dressed in loose white practice clothes, sitting cross-legged on the playground waiting for everyone to arrive. Seeing the figure in white, the classmates couldn''t help but shrink their heads and quiet down, lining up and waiting in order. The class bell soon rang, and after leading the students in practicing the boxing routine twice as usual, Ji Huai''s sharp gaze swept over the whole field, but his next words granted nervous students a huge relief. "Today, we won''t be doing combat training." "I have something to announce," Ji Huai''s voice took on a more serious tone. The classmates listened intently, curious as to what could cause Ji Huai to cancel today''s combat training and make an announcement at this time. "Starting from the next academic year, all major universities will introduce the Extraordinary Theory Department and the Extraordinary Practical Department. You current examinees will be able to choose these two majors when you fill in your college preferences." A hand was raised. "Teacher, does this include Yan University and Huaqing?" sea??h th ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It includes both Yan University and Huaqing, as well as any other top university you know of," Ji Huai spoke gravely, "This policy is top-down from the top universities, covering almost all Tier-1 universities; those below Tier-1 will have this major by next year." Hearing this, the playground was abuzz, especially those students with poor grades, whose faces looked particularly grim at this moment. "Quiet," Ji Huai shouted, waiting for the playground to fall silent again before continuing, "The initial purpose of the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class was to quickly train Transcendents with sufficient strength to deal with the uncertain future after the arrival of Extraordinary Power." "And now, this uncertain future has begun to reveal the tip of the iceberg." "Demon Beasts have appeared." "So the content of the following Extraordinary Practical Combat Classes will be adjusted accordingly." "Tomorrow, you will face a real combat assessment," Ji Huai''s gaze narrowed slightly, "The opponents in the assessment will be Demon Beasts." "The Special Affairs Group will arrange personnel to ensure your safety as much as possible, but we cannot guarantee that there will be no accidents or casualties, so this is an assessment you may choose to refuse." "However, before you decide to refuse, first listen carefully to the rewards of the combat assessment," Ji Huai paused slightly, "You should have heard of independent recruitment." "This is another way for top universities to recruit studentsby lowering the score or even directly granting admission after confirming that the student is sufficiently excellent." "The combat assessment is somewhat similar." "Every time you participate in a combat assessment, your performance will be recorded and presented to the admissions staff of the universities." "As long as you perform well enough, even for Yan University and Huaqing, their Extraordinary Practical Departments will admit you exceptionally!" "Now, you have half an hour to decide whether or not to participate in tomorrow''s combat assessment," Ji Huai spoke slowly, "You all brought your phones, so you can contact your family and discuss it." "I''d like to add one more thing," seeing one student after another taking out their phones, Ji Huai raised his voice a notch, "Any student who chooses not to participate in any combat assessment before the college entrance examination will not be able to apply for any university''s Extraordinary Practical Department; you can only apply for the Extraordinary Theory Department or cultural majors." He said no more, sitting cross-legged silently, waiting. "Yeah, Dad, don''t worry, I''ll take care of myself. We Earth Attribute folks are built tough!" A chubby boy on the side finished his phone call quickly, grinned, and said, "My family agreed! Qin Chuan, what about you?" "I''m participating," Qin Chuan didn''t hesitate. With his academic results, even pushing hard for the last two months would only get him to the Tier-2 university threshold. The door to the Extraordinary World had already opened to him, and he didn''t want to watch it close while doing nothing. Hence, learning more in-depth Extraordinary Theory and Extraordinary Practical knowledge was vital. With the opportunity to enter higher education institutions, he had to seize it. As for the risk of fighting Demon Beasts, that was already cast aside by Qin Chuan. Having lived alone since he lost his parents at a young age, deep inside him lay a vein of ruthlessness and madness, repressed feelings that, with the descent of Extraordinary Power, were gradually coming to light. Time ticked by, seconds turning into minutes, and one by one, students put down their phones, having communicated with their parents and relatives to reach a final decision. Half an hour felt particularly fleeting at this moment. "Those who have decided to participate in tomorrow''s combat assessment, step forward." "Those who have decided not to participate in tomorrow''s combat assessment, move back to the track." As Ji Huai''s voice fell, about thirty percent of the crowd moved back to the track, while the remaining seventy percent stepped forward, their youthful vigor shining through as they walked with heads held high. The uniform sound of their steps seemed to shake the entire playground. Looking at the familiar faces in front of him, a slight smile appeared on Ji Huai''s indifferent face. "No class tomorrow. Gather here at ten in the morning." "Choose your Skill carefully, bring everything you use for combat." "After all this training, it''s time to taste some blood!" Chapter 57 - 57: Two People Thinking Alike Sitting at the bedside back home, Qin Chuan gazed out at the bright moonlight, Ji Huai''s last words still echoing in his mind. "Do you want to see blood?" A surge of nervousness arose in his heart, but he was surprisingly startled that this tension stemmed not from fear, but rather from excitement. Demon Beasts were brutal and insane; despite having acquired higher intelligence, they lacked corresponding rationality and were like flawed test subjects compared to Spiritual Beasts. In recent days, the Special Affairs Group and many official Transcendents had suffered casualties in the process of expelling and annihilating Demon Beasts, with daily reports in the news. This newly emerged clan seemed to establish an antagonistic relationship with humanity from its birth. Eradicating Demon Beasts had become the primary task of the Transcendents in the short term. As a fellow Transcendent, Qin Chuan felt frustrated whenever he saw such reports, wishing he too could join the Clearers. However, the Special Affairs Group had repeatedly ordered, and Ji Huai had emphasized several times, that students from his class were absolutely forbidden to get involved. In his words, "You''re too weak; you''ll only drag us down." With the emergence of actual combat assessments, it was clear that strategy adjustments had been made by the Special Affairs Group. These flowers nurtured in a greenhouse would now have the chance to face Demon Beasts directly. And the opportunity for reduced score admission or even a scholarship was something Qin Chuan eagerly sought. In this nascent stage of the Extraordinary Course, top-tier universities undoubtedly possessed the most comprehensive, authoritative knowledge, and might even offer other Extraordinary Cultivation Methods apart from Basic Boxing Skill. He hadn''t been ambitious enough before, but now, he wanted to seize this opportunity. Sitting motionless at the bedside, Qin Chuan lay down and closed his eyes. For better performance in tomorrow''s actual combat assessment, he intended to fully digest the weekly rewards from the Ranking List during this entry into the Dream World. ----------------- "Luo, did the last checkpoint succeed?" Almost the moment his consciousness awoke, Yue Li''s concerned voice reached Qin Chuan''s ears. This warmed his heart slightly. Sixteen hours had passed in reality, yet she still remembered his matter. "Yep, I drew a good Talent," Qin Chuan finalized his selection among the three Talent options, smiling as he spoke, "Purple Talent, two effects: one for scouting nearby resources, one with a large range and the other with a small range." Gold Talent was of great significance, and even when facing Yue Li, the best relation he had in the Dream World, Qin Chuan dared not divulge it, yet his own Talent, Sun Needle, would indeed be often used subsequently. Unless he left Yue Li and became a lone wolf who didn''t need partners, he needed to concoct a plausible Talent for himself. On reflection, Qin Chuan did not desire such solitude. The method he thought of was simple. That was to weaken the effect of his Gold Talent and masquerade it as a lower-level Talent. He concealed the last ability of the Sun Needle and blurred the first two, so calling it a Purple Talent passed muster. Initially, Qin Chuan planned to combine the first two Talents and claim he had drawn a Blue Talent. But facing Yue Li''s anxious gaze, he sensed her heartfelt wish for him to have a better Talent, so he changed his words in the moment he spoke. Let it be Purple then, it wasn''t too conspicuous. "Scouting resources?!" Yue Li''s eyes lit up instantly, "I didn''t expect such a Talent to exist in the Talent Pool, it''s really a great Talent!" In just a moment, she also realized the significance of this Talent. Sar?h the N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By leveraging its Rank, a Spiritual Beast could gather resources faster, become stronger, and even challenge the strongest enhancement Talents of the current phase. "You? Did you manage to exchange yesterday''s random resource for the low-level resource you needed?" Qin Chuan, worried that Yue Li would keep prodding and reveal too much, smiled and changed the subject. "Ah! I almost forgot!" Yue Li patted her forehead and quickly took out a light green gemstone, "Advance, Little Qing!" With a somewhat comical shout, the gemstone disappeared, and a dazzling light burst from Little Qing''s body. When the light dispersed, Little Qing''s size had substantially increased, now transformed into a giant hawk with two-meter-wide wings unfolded, its eyes and talons sharper, making it look extraordinarily fierce. The first moment after advancing, Little Qing threw a challenging glance at Water Flower. I''ve advanced too, fancy another competition sometime? Water Flower returned a look. Let''s do it! "Alright, I''m going to draw a talent now!" Yue Li rubbed her hands together, her face full of anticipation as she tapped the air in front of her. Watching her furrowed brow, her mouth puckering up nervously, and her fists clenched tightly, a smile appeared on Qin Chuan''s face. Over the past few days, the moments they had shared kept unconsciously flashing through his mind. The young girl in front of him seemed to have an intense passion for everything, her genuine sincerity and fairness had touched Qin Chuan''s heart several times. She was a great game partner. So If Yue Li didn''t draw a good talent, he would help her as much as he could. Qin Chuan''s eyes lowered, lost in thought. "Ah!" Yue Li''s exclamation interrupted Qin Chuan''s musings. Seeing Yue Li''s mouth slightly open and her eyes wide, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but ask, "What''s the matter?" "I" Yue Li''s smile suddenly brightened, "I think I''ve drawn a really good talent." "Really?" Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with her, "What talent is it?" "Like you, it''s a Purple Talent." Yue Li grinned, "The first effect makes me luckier, and the second effect makes a designated person luckier." "Lucky?" Qin Chuan eyed her with surprise, "There is such talent?" Just like his Sun Needle, such a talent had never been mentioned on the Dream Realm Forum before. "I''m also surprised." Yue Li''s smile slightly faded, and she couldn''t help but sigh, "It''s a pity if I had gotten a talent before you, maybe you could have drawn something even better." "I''m very happy with this talent already." Qin Chuan quickly interjected, "Don''t reveal your talent easily, or others, seeking better talents for themselves, will definitely find ways to get to you, perhaps even imprisoning you." "Don''t worry, I''ll only tell you." Yue Li nodded emphatically, a fleeting strange glimmer in her eyes. In front of her were lines of text only she could see. [Prayer (Gold)] [Passive, the owner and their Contracted Spiritual Beast''s luck greatly enhanced] [Greatly enhance the luck of a designated player and their Contracted Spiritual Beast, if designated players are oneself and their Contracted Spiritual Beast, the enhancement effect is doubled, lasts for 10 minutes, can be used once every entry into the Dream World] [Designate two players and their Contracted Spiritual Beasts, transfer all luck from one to the other, lasts for 60 minutes, can be used once every seven times entering the Dream World.] Now that she has a Gold Talent, she should help Luo more. Chapter 58 - 58 Achievement Store, Equipment Evolution Yue Li lucked out with a pretty decent Talent; it was a pleasant surprise. Although it was a Purple Talent, to Qin Chuan, this Talent seemed quite intriguing. Luck is such an elusive thing, and he just happened to lack it. He had never won a "get another bottle" from drinking soda, occasionally wasted five bucks on a lottery ticket only to come back empty-handed, and even had to resort to Time Stop to draw Player Talents. Yue Li making him a bit luckier already satisfied Qin Chuan. "Water Flower and Xiao Qing have already advanced; the ranking on the Spiritual Beast List must have changed too," Qin Chuan smiled. "Let''s check it out." "Yeah!" Worried that Qin Chuan would ask a few more questions and expose her Talent, Yue Li quickly nodded. The two of them opened the Spiritual Beast List at the same time. On the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List, their names were no longer there. After switching to the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List, a huge list displayed seven names. There were none in the Growth Rank just yesterday, but today, following the resource market''s surge after the settlement, many popped up like bamboo shoots after rain. While they were checking the list, an eighth name made it to the list. A new round of ranking competition was about to begin. The Growth Rank list cleared all the players'' previous records; the only basis for ranking now was the order of listing. Qin Chuan was ranked first, while Yue Li was in fourth place. She was probably a step slower in reacting; it wasn''t a big deal. S~ea??h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The rewards for settling in the Growth Rank list are indeed very generous." Beside him, Yue Li had already opened the reward preview, full of admiration. Qin Chuan had read many shared experiences on the Dream Realm Forum before, but he still casually clicked to check the rewards. [Spiritual Beast List (Growth Rank) Daily Settlement Rewards:] [1st Place: Experience Gem +50] [2nd-10th Places: Experience Gem +40] [11th-100th Places: Experience Gem +25] [101st-1000th Places: Experience Gem +10] [1001st-10000th Places: Experience Gem +5] Compared to the Juvenile Stage, all rankings'' daily settlement rewards had increased fivefold. [Spiritual Beast List (Growth Rank) Weekly Settlement Rewards:] [1st Place: Self-selected Intermediate Resources +1] [2nd-10th places: Random Intermediate Resources +1] [11th-100th places: Intermediate Resource Fragment +5] [101st-1000th places: Intermediate Resource Fragment +2] [1001st-10000th places: Intermediate Resource Fragment +1] [Note: 10 Intermediate Resource Fragments can be exchanged for one Random Intermediate Resource] Compared to the Juvenile Stage, the weekly resources in the Growth Rank had upgraded to Intermediate. This is the level of Advanced Resources needed to advance from the Growth Rank to Elite Rank. "I''m already looking forward to today''s daily settlement." Yue Li smiled brightly. "I''m more excited about the surprises the Achievement Store might offer." Qin Chuan smiled as he opened the last item of weekly settlement rewards he hadn''t had time to check yesterday, refreshing the 70% off Achievement Store. In the top right corner of the Achievement Store, a countdown indicated the closing time of the store, which was still 23 hours away, equivalent to entering the Dream World three times; there was plenty of time. In the Achievement Store, there were six items. [Experience Gem, original price 10 Achievement Points/discount price 3 Achievement Points, limit: 100] [Random Low-level Resources, original price 500 Achievement Points/discount price 150 Achievement Points, limit: 3] [Self-selected Low-level Resources, original price 1000 Achievement Points/discount price 300 Achievement Points, limit: 1] [Random Intermediate Resources, original price 5000 Achievement Points/discount price 1500 Achievement Points, limit: 1] [Random Starlight Equipment Material, original price 3000 Achievement Points/discount price 900 Achievement Points, limit: 1] [Premium Equipment Forging Stone, original price 4000 Achievement Points/discount price 1200 Achievement Points, limit: 1] "Shh" After checking all the purchasable items, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but gasp. Only one thought occupied his mind at that moment. The prices at 30% are incredibly cheap! Let''s leave the first three aside; the last three were exactly what he needed right now. Because these are what Water Flower needed to advance from Growth Rank to Elite Rank. According to information provided by pioneers on the Dream Realm Forum, advancing from Growth Rank to Elite Rank required fulfilling two conditions. First, collect four specified Intermediate Resources to activate the Advanced Array. Second, forge a piece of Starshine Equipment to let the Contracted Spiritual Beast complete one Equipment Evolution. Equipment Evolution was a brand-new enhancement method for Spiritual Beasts besides leveling and advancing. Spiritual Beasts naturally could integrate special equipment, transition their clan, and acquire the effects of the equipment''s entries. And the choice of equipment was key to the Equipment Evolution. Starshine Equipment possessed one entry effect. To forge it, at least two and at most nine pieces of Starshine Equipment Material were needed. However, forging Starshine Equipment might fail! Once it failed, the Starshine Equipment would not be obtained, and the Starshine Equipment Materials would disappear. Fortunately, some crucial information was directly provided to the players by the Dream World, reducing the players'' trial and error costs. The more uniform the attributes and biases of the Starshine Equipment Materials, the higher the success rate of forging. The higher the quantity of Starshine Equipment Materials used during forging, the stronger the entry effect. And the forging of Starshine Equipment, besides collecting Starshine Equipment Materials, required a vitally important resource. That was the Equipment Forging Stone! A Equipment Forging Stone allowed for one equipment forging. Equipment Forging Stones fell into three grades: normal, premium, and top-quality; higher-grade forging stones increased the success rate of forging, making them even more precious. At this moment, seeing the last three items in the Achievement Store, Qin Chuan almost wanted to exchange them all immediately. But reason held back his impulse. His 3000 Achievement Points were not enough to complete all three exchanges. "Just three more days." Qin Chuan couldn''t help muttering quietly. He could earn new achievements in these three days, and the Achievement Points should be usable for exchanges. Only kids make choices; adults want everything. If possible, he didn''t want to let go of the first three items either. Water Flower no longer needed Low-level Resources. But he had gained another contract slot; what if his future second Contracted Spiritual Beast needed them? As for the Experience Gems, they were always beneficial in abundance. "So many good things." Beside him, Yue Li, also wearing a worried expression, said, "This is the first time I''ve felt so poor." Qin Chuan: "..." He was already used to being poor. "What did you refresh?" Qin Chuan took the initiative to ask, "Let''s see if it''s the same." After checking, they discovered the refreshed items in the Achievement Store were different. Yue Li''s first four items matched Qin Chuan''s, but the last two were Self-selected Star Equipment Materials and normal Equipment Forging Stone, originally priced at 5000 and 1000 Achievement Points. "Let''s work hard on achievements in the next few days!" Yue Li had never been so motivated, "Now that Water Flower and Xiao Qing have advanced to Growth Rank, many achievements that were previously unattainable can now be completed!" "Alright." Qin Chuan had no objections; he turned to look at the two Spiritual Beasts. Speaking of this, he suddenly remembered that he hadn''t tested Water Flower''s new skill. "Water Flower, let''s try Water Dipping." Chapter 59 - 59: First Trial of the Sun Needle "Woof!" In the clearing outside the cave shelter, Water Flower excitedly shook its two large tails, leaving behind traces of water with every step, rippling across the surface. Nodding towards Qin Chuan, it signaled that it was about to start, and in the next instant, Water Flower burst into full speed, racing around the valley at high velocity. Its form became extremely blurred, like a blue rainbow dragging a long afterimage, only becoming clearer when turning corners. In just two breaths'' time, Water Flower had run a full circle around the valley. This speed even made Qingyu Falcon''s expression tense up slightly. "The speed is indeed very fast," Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction, already imagining the astonishing speed he would have when carrying this skill, "Next, let''s test if you can use Water Master to control the water flow to achieve aerial movement." This idea had come to Qin Chuan the moment he had seen Water Dipping the day before. If it were possible to move in the air, Water Flower''s strength would leap qualitatively. "Woof~" Water Flower nodded, clearly excited, and began to act. Under its control, the water on the ground rose into the air, and then with a strong leap, it stepped on the water flow, and with another jump, it landed on another patch of water. "Good!" Seeing Water Flower successfully completing several jumps, Qin Chuan''s expression instantly brightened. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Water Flower slightly speed up and then fall directly from the air. "This" Qin Chuan''s smile stiffened, "Keep it up, try again!" Water Flower showed a determined expression, feeling that the mishap was just a mistake, and tried again. Once, twice, three times Each time it tried to accelerate, the water flow immediately collapsed. This made Qin Chuan realize that the problem wasn''t with Water Flower. Could it be that Water Master combined with Water Dipping really couldn''t achieve it? "It might be an issue of control ability," Yue Li, who came with Qingyu Falcon, softly spoke as she watched, "Using Water Dipping to accelerate places certain demands on the water flow, and Water Master''s control ability isn''t enough to meet these demands." "So Water Flower falls whenever it accelerates." "But I think your train of thought is correct," Yue Li gave Qin Chuan an affirming look, "At least Water Flower can stay in the air if it slows down." "But then, it''s not usable in combat," Qin Chuan sighed, a bit disappointed as this was not what he had expected. "It''s not entirely hopeless." Yue Li thought for a moment, then suddenly spoke up. "What could it be?" Qin Chuan turned to look at her. "One direction of Starshine Equipment Material is called Attribute Control," Yue Li smiled, "If you choose this direction to craft Starshine Equipment Material for Water Flower, it should enable true aerial movement." "Attribute Control" Qin Chuan looked at Water Flower, his eyes gradually brightening. The Blood Control Ability that Water Flower mastered, the flexible application of Dark Current Binding, and now, the Water Dipping combined with Water Master. If Water Flower''s control over water could be enhanced, all these aspects could be strengthened. Considering this, this focus direction indeed seemed very fitting for Water Flower. Without hesitation, Qin Chuan took out the Self-selected Star Equipment Materials that Yue Li had exchanged with him yesterday, keeping in mind "Water Attribute, Attribute Control." The golden orb finally transformed into an eye-shaped blue crystal. [Congratulations player, you have obtained Starshine Equipment Material: Water Eyes Star Crystal, suitable attribute: Water Attribute, focus direction: Attribute Control] Water Flower''s Starshine Equipment Material happiness +1. After securely stowing away the Water Eyes Star Crystal, Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li, "How''s Xiao Qing''s new skill?" "Very good," Yue Li smiled, "I plan to craft Starshine Equipment focused on speed for Xiao Qing." "Is the third active skill related to speed?" Qin Chuan guessed. "Correct," Yue Li nodded, "Xiao Qing''s third skill is called Instant Wind Slash, which releases a slash with its wings while flying at high speeds, the faster the speed, the greater the slashing power." "That''s indeed a very suitable skill for Xiao Qing," Qin Chuan nodded. Xiao Qing''s traits included Energy Vision, a passive skill was Eagle Eyes which greatly enhanced vision, and the previous two active skills were Tornado Bomb and Wind Shadow. The latter could greatly increase Xiao Qing''s flying speed, perfectly complementing Instant Wind Slash. If Xiao Qing''s Starshine Equipment also focused on speed, that would truly add wings to a tiger. "Upgrade, upgrade!" Yue Li laughed as she took out a handful of light blue fruits and a small pile of Experience Gems, "I''ve already calculated it, after exchanging all the Achievement Store''s Experience Gems, Xiao Qing can directly level up to Lv20!" The Race Value would jump directly from 800 to 2000, this move was strong indeed! "Hold on!" Qin Chuan quickly interrupted, "I''ll first scout out the nearby resources. If we can obtain a few Tornado Fruits, we can save some Experience Gems." Having experienced a small drawback when killing the Shadow Leopard before, Qin Chuan had since been quite attentive to this. "I hadn''t seen it, but you''re quite thrifty," Yue Li laughed, "Then let''s see how effective your talent is!" "You won''t be disappointed," Qin Chuan replied confidently. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Currently, the two of them were in the shelter, and an area of a thousand meters around them had already been thoroughly explored. Thus, the first talent effect of the Sun Needle did not trigger. But within a ten-thousand-meter radius, there were still many areas not completely explored. Now, it was time to see the true value of the golden talent. Sun Needle, the second talent effect activated! Accompanied by the activation of Qin Chuan''s thoughts, a circular map suddenly appeared in his field of vision. This map had hundreds of light points, each representing one resource. As Qin Chuan looked at one of the light points, that light point swiftly changed to display the corresponding image, reducing the difficulty of the search to the lowest. Qin Chuan could choose to ignore the resources he didn''t need, causing the corresponding light points to automatically dim; they could also be re-lit if needed later. And this map, he could keep permanently. With limited time, after ignoring non-Water, non-Wind Attribute Experience Fruits and other unnecessary resources, Qin Chuan was left with just over twenty light points, and he abruptly stood up. "Let''s go! Time to set out!" ----------------- [Congratulations player, you have achieved the Hidden Achievement [Fruit Finder Expert],SIGNAL=hidden,Achievement Points +200, Experience Gems +20] Looking at the hidden achievement he had stumbled upon, Qin Chuan wore a peculiar expression as he glanced at the achievement wall. [Fruit Finder Expert: Enter the Dream World once, find over 20 Experience Fruits.] Beside him, Yue Li also wore a baffled expression, clearly having received the same achievement. After several hours of searching, they had collected 10 Tornado Fruits, 11 Clear Fruits, and dug up a deeply buried Earth Attribute low-level resource from the ground. It turned out that the Sun Needle''s value was quite astounding. "Next, we can upgrade," Qin Chuan revealed an expectant look. After leaving the Dream World this time, he would be participating in a practical examination, so there was no need to continue looking for Clear Fruits to save Experience Gems. Firstly, it was better to boost his strength. Chapter 60 - 60: You Call This a Little Bit of Luck?! After killing the Shadow Leopard, Qin Chuan discovered three Clear Fruits in its lair, and later obtained two more from Yue Li. Over the past week, while they were achieving milestones, the two of them didn''t neglect gathering daily resources, and subsequently found four more Clear Fruits. Adding to that a focused search for resources by using the Sun Needle, Qin Chuan currently had a total of 20 Clear Fruits, equivalent to a thousand Experience Points, which could level up Water Flower by two levels. The remaining eight levels required 400 Experience Gems. In the past seven days, the daily settlement in the Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) had earned him 70 Experience Gems. Along with gaining 3200 Achievement Points, Qin Chuan also got 320 Experience Gems, though 25 had been used when Water Flower reached Juvenile Stage Lv10. 35 were still needed. Qin Chuan simply spent 300 Achievement Points to exchange all the Experience Gems from the Achievement Store, then began leveling up Water Flower. [Spiritual Beast Species: Water Leaf Dog] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Water Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv20][Advanced][Evolution] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Grass and Wood Recognition] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 2000] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 84%] [] Watching Water Flower''s Race Value increase by more than double and its Affinity rise by 1% due to leveling up ten levels in just a few minutes, Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction. This time, when he returned to the real world, his Transcendent Value would reach 1680. "Damn, you''ve taken first place on the Extraordinary List!" Yue Li exclaimed, yet her face showed no displeasure, instead bearing a smile, "Now the only top spot is no longer there~" "Ah, this" Qin Chuan scratched his head, "Why don''t you level up Xiao Qing as well?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No rush." Yue Li shook her head, suddenly smiling, "Let you have the top spot once. I''ll level up after the daily settlement." "Then thank you." Qin Chuan smiled, then opened Water Flower''s Advanced interface. On the interface, an array much more complex than at the Juvenile Stage appeared. The array had four slots, each with a phantom image of a resource required for Water Flower''s advancement. [Water Penetration Stone Core: A Water Attribute power formed over a long time, imbued with miraculous power that enhances the water''s penetrating force, a key material for the Growth Stage Water Leaf Dog''s advancement] [Deep Blue Scale: A drop from the Elite Rank Blue Scale Jiao upon defeat, it can enhance the protective capability of a Water Attribute Spiritual Beast''s body, a key material for the Growth Stage Water Leaf Dog''s advancement] [Cyan Blue Gem: Naturally formed from Water Attribute power, it can enhance a Water Attribute Spiritual Beast''s self-healing ability after injury, a key material for the Growth Stage Water Leaf Dog''s advancement] [Canglan Conch: Only appears in random areas and time periods, slightly enhances a Water Attribute Spiritual Beast''s Attribute Control ability, a key material for the Growth Stage Water Leaf Dog''s advancement] The four Intermediate Resources looked more difficult to obtain than the previous ones. Qin Chuan noted down their names and methods of acquisition, then his eyes settled on the Deep Blue Scale and Canglan Conch. Setting aside the Self-selected Intermediate Resources for now, if he wanted to use the Sun Needle''s Third Talent to find resources, these two were undoubtedly more suitable. To obtain the Deep Blue Scale, one needed to kill an Elite Rank Blue Scale Jiao. Using the Sun Needle''s Third Talent, along with locking the Spiritual Beast Rank, would lock the level at Elite Rank Lv20, significantly lowering the difficulty. He could also brush a Hidden Achievement. Without surprises, the requirement for [Overcoming Rank II] would be to kill an Elite Rank single-handedly at Growth Rank, and this achievement would yield a 1000 Achievement Points. On the other hand, the Canglan Conch, which only appeared in random areas and time ranges, was considered the rarest and hardest to find among the four resources. But with the Sun Needle''s targeting, finding it would be as easy as turning over one''s hand. With a plan in mind, Qin Chuan turned his head to look at the other side of the Evolution interface. The newly appeared interface had eleven slots, nine of which formed a circle surrounding the middle one, designated for Starshine Equipment Material and Equipment Forging Stone. Adjacent to these, another slot was for inserting the Starshine Equipment to complete its evolution. As long as the attributes of the Starshine Equipment matched, the evolution would succeed. This was much more flexible than advancing. After some thought, Qin Chuan inserted the Water Eyes Star Crystal he had obtained earlier into one of the material slots and then exited. "Did you see the advanced resources for Water Flower?" Yue Li suddenly asked. Although she couldn''t see Qin Chuan''s interface, she could guess by his actions. "Yes." Qin Chuan nodded, unable to help but sigh, "Intermediate resources are indeed harder to obtain than low-level resources, who knows how long it will take to gather them all." "I have an idea, do you want to give it a try?" Yue Li asked with a smile. "What''s your idea?" "My Purple Talent can give you a bit of extra luck for ten minutes. Isn''t there a random selection of intermediate resources and Starshine Equipment Material in your Achievement Store? If you exchange them now and I boost your luck, maybe the random results will have a surprise." Listening to Yue Li''s words, Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up slightly. He had been planning to exchange for these two resources anyway; even if the results weren''t what he needed, he could gradually find a way to trade for the necessary items. So, Yue Li''s suggestion was quite tempting. It didn''t hurt to try. "Just a moment." Without any hesitation, Qin Chuan immediately opened the Achievement Store, where he still had 2900 Achievement Points to use. After spending 2400 Achievement Points on a random Intermediate Resource and random Starlight Equipment Material, there came a small surprise. [Congratulations, player has achieved the Hidden Achievement [Spendthrift I], Achievement Points +100, Experience Gem +10] [Spendthrift I: Spend over 1000 Achievement Points in a single refresh of the Achievement Store] Good, 600 Achievement Points left. Qin Chuan glanced over and, seeing two silver orbs in his Item Equipment Bar, nodded at Yue Li to indicate he had completed the exchange. Yue Li showed an expectant smile, clasped her hands together, and made a praying gesture. Faint radiance danced on her body, making her seem like a goddess in that instant. Qin Chuan was momentarily captivated, then noticed a similar radiance on himself. "You can start now." Yue Li nodded at Qin Chuan; her Talent was now fully used. Her eyes twinkled with a strange light. Who knew how much a significant boost in luck could actually increase? Qin Chuan took out the random intermediate resource without any doubt. The moment he did so, the silver orb''s form stabilized into a beautifully shaped gem, displaying a water-blue texture, with only the center glowing in aquamarine. [Congratulations, player has obtained Intermediate Resource: Aquamarine Gem] Qin Chuan: "!!!" He couldn''t help but glance at Yue Li, then took out the second orb. [Congratulations, player has obtained Starshine Equipment Material: Residual Blue Jade, compatible attribute: Water Attribute, focus of the material: Attribute Control] Qin Chuan: "???" Random resource double strike, you call this a little bit of luck?! Chapter 61 - 61 The Difference Between Locking Down and Probing "Two items... both hit the mark?" Yue Li blinked at the two items Qin Chuan was holding, which were clearly related to the Water Attribute, and her eyes became extraordinarily bright. Could the greatly enhanced luck be so powerful?! She couldn''t help but think of the first talent from the Prayer. The possessor and their Contracted Spiritual Beast''s luck are greatly enhanced! Unlike the second talent, which can only be used once each time they enter the Dream World, the first talent is passive, meaning its effect is permanently valid! So, from now on, could she achieve an effect similar to self-selection with random resources? With this thought, Yue Li couldn''t suppress the smile on her face. She decided, she didn''t need that Self-selected Starshine Equipment Material from the Achievement Store. It wasn''t that she couldn''t afford self-selection, but that random selection had a better cost-performance ratio! "Your talent is amazing," Qin Chuan praised as he fit the two resources into their corresponding slots. "Who would have believed that the effects of random selection could be almost the same as self-selection?" Yue Li''s smile froze, and she suddenly remembered she had only told Qin Chuan about the purple talent. She quickly made an excuse, "It must be a coincidence... Maybe next time the luck won''t be as good." "That''s possible." Unaware that the Prayer was no longer highlighted, Qin Chuan nodded slightly, accepting this explanation. "I have something I want to discuss with you." After verifying Yue Li''s talent, an idea that he had originally entertained now felt ever more compelling. "What is it?" Yue Li looked up at Qin Chuan, her eyes as clear as a deer''s, still retaining the undissipated mirth, even more dazzling than the scattered sunlight for a time. Their eyes met, and Qin Chuan was momentarily stunned before regaining his composure. "My talent can locate more resources, while your talent makes it easier for us to obtain the resources we need." He paused briefly, "I think it''s necessary for us to continue teaming up." "Absolutely necessary!" Yue Li nodded vigorously, highly agreeing with Qin Chuan''s words. "The task of finding resources is all yours! I''ll be in charge of boosting your luck!" Hearing this, Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief, and a sense of inexplicable joy swelled in his heart. "But we''ve already scoured the area for resources." He pointed out the current problem. "Before long, the wider area''s resources will also be exhausted." "So I think we need to change our current model." "The world is vast, nearly ten thousand zones, and just zone 3675 has an area of roughly one million square kilometers." Qin Chuan spoke softly, "The resources we need are getting more and more precious, so we must expand our range of activity." "Yeah." Yue Li sighed slightly, looking at the shelter that had begun to take shape. "I''m quite reluctant to leave this place." Expanding the range of activity meant the end of the shelter model; they would continuously be exploring new maps from now on. In fact, even without Qin Chuan''s talent, this was an inevitable future eventuality. Apprentice Level players contracted weaker Spiritual Beasts, which easily encountered danger, alongside needing more common resources; it was a rational plan to explore gradually around the shelter, taking it as a central point, after building it. But Official Level players were different. Their Contracted Spiritual Beasts had reached the Growth Rank, started maturing, and gained the confidence to traverse mountains and rivers to explore new maps. "Of course, we can''t leave empty-handed." Qin Chuan said dryly, "As long as it doesn''t impede our movement, we should still take some things, like various seasonings, and bring a pot..." "Then I''m bringing this!" Yue Li pointed to a small vine-decorated hanging ornament at the entrance of the cave. This decoration was something Yue Li personally made and hung up the day they moved into the shelter together, to celebrate the housewarming. Qin Chuan assisted by selecting and processing the vines, so strictly speaking, the ornament was a joint effort. "No problem." Qin Chuan looked at the small ornament and smiled, "Concerning our next destination, do you have any thoughts?" "None." Yue Li carefully removed the ornament and held it in her embrace, shaking her head at his question. "Your talent is to search for resources, so the destination is up to you to decide." "Okay." Qin Chuan revealed a not-surprised expression. Having known her for several days, he had also come to understand the temperament of this girl. Compared with himself, Yue Li seemed like a true gamer who enjoyed the game; it didn''t matter where they went, as long as she was having fun. Thus, his own third talent effect could now be reasonably concealed. He just needed to lead Yue Li to the targeted resources and attribute finding them to Yue Li''s luck. Perfect. Let''s begin then! Sun Needle, activate the Third Talent! Without hesitation, Qin Chuan used this talent effect that could only be used once every seven days for the first time. Target: an Elite Rank Lv20 Deep Blue Jiao! Torn between the two resources for a moment, he decided to go for the Deep Blue Scale first. In the next instant, a map of zone 3675 appeared before Qin Chuan. On the map, two bright spots were especially clear. One was himself, the other was the target. Moreover, Qin Chuan quickly noticed the difference from the second talent. After using the second talent, opening each bright spot revealed the location of the resource as if they had a photo taken of the scene around it. But after the third talent was activated, opening the bright spot would allow one to see the target''s current situation in real time, like switching on a surveillance camera, and would even track the movement of the target. On static resources, the difference might not be evident, but since the target right now was a Deep Blue Jiao, the difference was starkly obvious. After all, the second talent was "exploration" while the third was "lock-on." The distance between the two bright spots was roughly one hundred kilometers. With fruit that could restore stamina, there was no need to worry about stamina depletion. If they traveled at full speed, it would take two days to reach the destination. If they used the second talent once a day during their journey, stopping occasionally to try and obtain as many resources as possible, it would likely take five days to reach the destination, but the gains would be greater. After a simple consideration, Qin Chuan glanced at the lively Deep Blue Jiao in the video. Let you live three more days. "Luo, when do we leave?" "Ah!" Yue Li''s question snapped Qin Chuan back to reality. "We leave the next time we log in; for now, we should pack our things." "Okay." Yue Li pursed her lips lightly, with a sense of reluctance but also anticipation for the morrow. ----------------- Changxing City Second Middle School, the large sports field. Ten o''clock in the morning. Not a single one of the one hundred fifty-four students who had decided to participate in the combat assessment the day before was late; they had arrived early at the sports field, standing in neat rows like soldiers about to rush to battle. Sar?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan stood quietly among the crowd. [Current Extraordinary Value: 1680] [Current Passive Skill: Water Master] [Current Active Skills: Dark Current Binding, Water Dipping] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Symbiosis 2: Skills Water Master, Dark Current Binding, Water Dipping enhanced by 5%] As Ji Huai approached with a commanding presence, Qin Chuan touched the small box of diamond powder hidden in his pocket, his eyes filled with both anticipation and nerves. Chapter 62 - 62: Cleanup Mission "Everyone''s here." After a roll call, Ji Huai spoke in a deep voice, "Next, I''ll briefly talk about today''s practical assessment." "In this practical assessment, you will be assigned to different assessment tasks, and the assessment locations will also vary." "According to the task requirements, you will form teams to complete the assessment tasks," Ji Huai said, shaking the team arrangement in his hand, "The number of people in a team varies according to the actual situation of the assessment task. The smallest consists of only 3 people, while the largest has 21 people." "No matter how many people are in a team, the Special Affairs Group will send an Official Level Player as the safety officer to accompany the team," Ji Huai''s voice grew slightly heavier, "The safety officers are also the examiners who will grade you based on your actual performance during the assessment task." "Thinking of slacking off is impossible." "Additionally, the safety officer will only intervene in the event of an accident or if a team member''s life is at risk. At other times, you should act as though they don''t exist." "That''s all you need to be aware of. Any questions?" "No," came the scattered replies from the team. "Louder, I can''t hear you!" Ji Huai barked. "No!" This time, the response was much more uniform. "Next, I will read out the team arrangement," Ji Huai picked up the list, "When I call your name, step forward and form groups with your teammates." "First group: Wu Long, Zhao Han, Liu Yulu..." Ji Huai''s voice echoed across the empty drill ground as neat rows were disrupted, and those assigned to the same group quickly gathered together. Qin Chuan soon heard his own name. "Tenth group: Qin Chuan, Li Xian, Zhang Yumeng, Qi Fei, Sun He." "Qin Chuan, we''re in the same group!" yelled the chubby youth next to him, who was finally able to reclaim his own name after 61 chapters: Li Xian. "Let''s go." Qin Chuan patted the chubby boy''s shoulder, and they walked out side by side. Elsewhere in the line, the other three members of the tenth group stepped forward. These three members were not from class seven, so Qin Chuan didn''t have a deep impression of them. However, Li Xian greeted them with great familiarity and started introducing them to Qin Chuan, "This is Zhang Yumeng, from class three. Her attribute is Wind Attribute." "Qi Fei is from class one, he has the same Earth Attribute as me." "Sun He is from class five, she has the same Water Attribute as you." "Hello," Qin Chuan nodded slightly in acknowledgment and politely said, "Let''s take care of each other in the upcoming assessment." Sar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s no problem, Qin bigshot," laughed Qi Fei, even though he was a top student from class one, his personality was quite easygoing, "With you in the same group, it''s like an assured victory." "How can you plan to slack off with an Earth Attribute?" Sun He glanced at Qi Fei, then greeted Qin Chuan more openly, "We both are Water Attribute, please take care of me." "My name is Zhang Yumeng, Wind Attribute," Zhang Yumeng spoke in a gentle and timid voice, only saying her name and attribute before standing awkwardly, not knowing what to say next. Definitely a socially anxious person. Following that, the five of them got to know each other''s strengths. As time went on, reaching Juvenile Stage Lv10 was no longer a rare thing. Apart from Zhang Yumeng who was still at Lv9, the other three were at Lv10, and because Zhang Yumeng''s Spiritual Beast Affinity was not low, her Extraordinary Value did not lag behind. Qin Chuan had no intention of being a conspicuous presence and voluntarily revealing that he had made a breakthrough. The others were aware of his previous abilities, and since they didn''t ask, he was happy it worked out that way. While they were getting acquainted, Ji Huai had finished reading all the team arrangements, "Everyone, follow me by your groups." Hearing this, the small clusters chatting on the field quickly fell silent and followed Ji Huai towards the school gate. Outside the gate, several minibusses had already parked, ready to depart at any moment. Students boarded different minibusses according to their group assignments. On the minibus labeled "10," Qin Chuan and the others saw a young man already seated inside. "You''re finally here," the young man chuckled, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Tang Qiuyi. I will be with you for the duration of today''s practical assessment. You can call me Brother Tang." "Hello, Brother Tang," the five responded in unison. Tang Qiuyi nodded in satisfaction, "The assessment location is about half an hour''s drive from here. I''ll tell you the specific tasks later." With that, he stretched out his hand and patted the driver''s seat, "Driver, let''s go!" As the minibus started moving, Tang Qiuyi pulled out five booklets. "In the past two days, traces of Demon Rats... which is a type of rat Demon Beast, were found in the sewers on Gold Stone Road. Your task is related to this." "You five need to eliminate as many Demon Rats in the sewers as possible. The more you eliminate, the better the score. On top of the basic score, I will give each of you additional points based on your individual performances, culminating in your total score." "Here are the specifics. You can take a look," Tang Qiuyi said, handing out the booklets to Qin Chuan and his teammates. The information inside was much more detailed than what he had described orally. When they flipped to the first page and saw the pus-filled, deformed bodies of the Demon Rats, their mouths twitched involuntarily. This thing, such a disgusting feeling. But... sewers? The five shared a look. No doubt, such an environment was advantageous for those with Water Attributes. As for Earth Attributes, as long as they weren''t in the air, they would be at no disadvantage. The other four couldn''t help but look towards Zhang Yumeng. "Erm..." Zhang Yumeng began timidly, "I see here it mentions the environment where the Demon Rats are active has some toxicity. My Passive Skill can purify the air." The rest had a moment of realization. "It seems this group assignment has taken into consideration all of our abilities," Qi Fei gently patted the booklet, "My Passive Skill allows me to sense the surroundings through the vibration of the earth. Although the range isn''t large, it''s no problem to scout in the sewer." "I''ll be the tank," chuckled the chubby boy, "My Passive Skill can create a full-body shield. My Defense is very high, tough skin, thick flesh." "If that''s the case, then Qin Chuan and I will handle the offense," Sun He was eager to try, "The one thing the sewers aren''t short of is water; now we can go all out." "Agreed." Qin Chuan nodded, consenting to the division of tasks. These Demon Rats were probably only Level 1 Demon Beasts. The only trouble was their large number. For Qin Chuan, whose Extraordinary Value had reached 1680, there would be no difficulty. He even had to take it easy; otherwise, there would be no chance for his teammates to show off. The five quickly reached a consensus, with a fair bit of time left before reaching their destination. In the idle chitchat that followed, Qi Fei suddenly spoke up. "Did you see the post on the Dream Realm Forum today?" "The Gold Talent has dimmed another five." Chapter 63 - 63 Do you want to hear what youre saying?! "Yes, I saw that post too," Xiao Pang echoed in agreement. "Before, there was only one ''Traceless'' that faded, but I didn''t expect four Gold Talents to be drawn just yesterday." His face took on a look of regret. "By the time I reach the Official Level, all nine Gold Talents will probably be taken." "Do you still hope to draw one?" Sun He asked with a strange expression. "Last night, over a hundred thousand players in the Dream World advanced their Contracted Spiritual Beasts to the Growth Rank." "It''s a surge compared to the previous few thousand." "It''s only natural that four Gold Talents were drawn." "If you ask me, by the day after tomorrow, the remaining four will probably be gone too." Qin Chuan silently listened to their discussion. He had also browsed the Dream Realm Forum this morning but had not seen this post; he must have just missed it. Five Gold Talents have already been drawn... A contemplative look appeared on Qin Chuan''s face. Besides the known Traceless and the Sun Needle he had drawn, which were the other three? Before he could ask, Xiao Pang sighed softly. "Sun Needle, Prayer, Insight, Ascensionfour Gold Talents!" His expression was tinged with pain. "Why didn''t you guys wait for me to break through?" Hearing Xiao Pang''s somewhat playful words, even Zhang Yumeng, who was socially anxious, couldn''t help but cover her mouth and laugh, filling the bus with cheerful air. Qin Chuan did not laugh. On the contrary, his expression was quite marvelous. Fortunately, he quickly lowered his head and was not seen by the others. Talents drawn last night included Prayer? He opened the Dream Realm Forum, quickly scrolled through a post, and reread the speculations about this Talent on the forum before fiercely rubbing his cheeks to calm his expression. He thought, Yue Li''s Purple Talent might be overly strong. You keep secrets from me, and I keep secrets from you. Now he and Yue Li were even. "Qin Chuan, which of the five Gold Talents that have been obtained do you think is stronger?" Suddenly cued by Xiao Pang, the now calm Qin Chuan thought for a moment. "Ascension, I guess. According to the forum, it''s supposed to be the only Enhancement type Talent among the nine Gold Talents." "It''s hard to say." Qi Fei, sitting nearby, shook his head, his face mysterious. "It''s said that Sun Needle might be related to time. In front of a Talent related to time, all enhancements are futile." "Hmm..." The corner of Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. "You have a point." "Right!" Getting confirmation from Qin Chuan, Qi Fei was slightly excited and began to vividly share the various speculations about the effect of Sun Needle from the forum. Listening to Qi Fei''s narration, Qin Chuan inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. It was said that on the day Traceless faded, more than five hundred players had encountered other players trying to find and test them, some even overwhelmed to the point of pleading publicly in real life for peace. But this time, with over a hundred thousand people advancing at the same time, searching for the four Gold Talents was like looking for a needle in a haystack; there shouldn''t be such trouble. Sear?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Currently, the speculations about the Talent effect of Sun Needle on the Dream Realm Forum were almost completely misguided by its enigmatic name, which was a good thing for Qin Chuan. Even if someone discovered his ability to explore resources, linking it to Sun Needle was almost zero. On the other hand, Yue Li... Qin Chuan''s expression grew slightly solemn. "I need to find an opportunity to remind her never to mention anything related to luck." Yue Li had told him about her two Talent Effects, which the forum had fully guessedit was pretty much an open book. The topic of the Purple Talent wasn''t pursued further. After all, for the other four, it was a realm beyond reach, good just for some gossips and chats. The conversation quickly shifted to the anticipation of breaking through to Official Level and drawing Talents. "Extraordinary Descent has been over for half a month now," Sun He rested her chin on her hands, her expression slightly gloomy, "I haven''t even got any Low-level Resource Fragments until now." "I guess I''m pretty lucky then," the chubby boy chuckled, "I''ve already got two Low-level Resource Fragments." Hearing this, the other three shot envious, jealous, and resentful glances at him. "Dude, don''t do this to me," Qi Fei exaggeratedly clutched his chest, "My heart hurts, you actually already have Fragments." "Luck, just luck." The chubby boy grinned sheepishly, quickly adding, "The Contracted Spiritual Beast I own is initially Rank Lv7, I bought two Experience Fruits from Qin Chuan by installment, and after appearing on the Ranking List even earlier reached Lv10, so I was still in the top thousand when it was settled." For many players on the Spiritual Beast List, rankings largely depended on who reached the Levels first, as their combat records were basically blank. "Ten Fragments to exchange for a random Low-level Resource, so advancing will still take me a long time," the chubby boy counting on his fingers, his expression mournful, "Earth Origin Stone, Rock Core Fragment, Earth Crystalevery night before sleeping I recite these three resources." "They say ''thoughts by day, dreams by night,'' what if I chant more in reality, and stumble upon them in the Dream World?" Laughter suddenly filled the bus. Even the driver couldn''t help but turn around for a glance. "That''s not ''thoughts by day, dreams by night,'' that sounds more like daydreaming to me!" Sun He laughed teasing him, then turned to Qin Chuan, "Qin Chuan, did you get any Low-level Resources?" The moment her voice dropped, the bus fell silent. The other four looked eagerly at Qin Chuan. This boy, who stirred a sensation on the first day of the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, had subtly become the strongest among the four classes. So far, in mutual sparring among his peers, no one had managed to beat him. So, had he, who had reached Juvenile Stage Lv10 much earlier, also been a step ahead in gathering resources? "Um, I got one," Qin Chuan nodded slightly, his expression calm. In truth, he had indeed obtained a Low-level Resource, just yesterday. That Low-level Resource was Earth Attribute and was currently in his Item Carrying slot. Originally, it was a spontaneous decision when he saw the Item Carrying slot was empty as he left the Dream World; now, Qin Chuan had another idea. Coincidentally, that resource was called Earth Crystal. "Eh, you''ve actually already got a complete Low-level Resource," Qi Fei exclaimed, his face filled even more with envy, "Seems like now there are only three ways to get Low-level Resources: rankings rewards, exchange at Achievement Store, or normal acquisition." "But for normal acquisition, the majority of Low-level Resources are guarded by Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts, and some even require killing Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts to drop," Qi Fei couldn''t help but glance at Qin Chuan, "Big guy, how did you get it?" Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, then uncertainly said, "Dug it out from the ground?" The other members of Group Ten: "???" Tang Qiuyi, with ears perked up: "???" The driver, who was sneakily eavesdropping: "???" Aren''t you listening to what you''re saying?! Chapter 64 - 64: The Gnawed Corpse of the Demon Rat Qin Chuan''s sincere words abruptly cooled the previously lively chatter inside the vehicle. Fortunately, as the group had been talking for quite some time, they were nearing the destination of their assessment. A few minutes later, the bus stopped next to the road sign on Jinshi Road, and Tang Qiuyi was the first to get off, then waved to the five people on the bus, "Follow me." Under his lead, the five soon arrived at a blocked-off section of the road. There were obstacles and armed police on both sides of the road, and personnel were stationed around each drain opening. "What you see is just the tip of the iceberg," Tang Qiuyi began to explain to the curiously looking group, "The sewer system is a very complex underground network, as interconnected as the roads above ground. It''s very troublesome to completely eradicate the rat monsters that appear in the sewers." "If any slip through the net, it won''t take long for a larger scale rat monster infestation to appear." At this point, Tang Qiuyi''s expression grew serious, "What you will be responsible for is just a portion of the sewer area; other areas will be handled by other Transcendents." "The detailed division of the areas is marked in the booklet." While speaking, he had already led the five to a manhole that was half open. Kicking the manhole lid aside, Tang Qiuyi took five safety helmets from the Special Affairs Group members who had come up and handed them to the five, "Put these on. They have headlamps for lighting and hidden cameras as an important record of your performance." Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan and his group quickly took and donned the helmets. Leaving no room for failure! Assuring that all five had their helmets on, Tang Qiuyi nodded towards the manhole, "Alright, now go down." "Starting now, unless your lives are threatened, I will remain silent the whole time and will not intervene." "I''ll go down first!" The chubby one courageously volunteered to take the lead. He handed his loose jacket to Qin Chuan, revealing the tight clothing beneath. His plump belly looked somewhat comical, but his expression was exceptionally serious. A khaki halo surged, and soon enough a small dent formed under his feet, while his body was quietly covered with a layer of rock, revealing only his eyes and mouth and nose. Despite being covered in rock, the chubby one''s movement was strangely unaffected. Giving a "fight on" gesture to his four companions, he grabbed the handrail at the manhole and climbed down into the sewer. sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two minutes later, muffled sounds came from the well. "It''s safe below; you can come down!" "I''ll be the second," Qin Chuan volunteered. He had intended to be the first to go down and check for dangers, but the chubby one had beat him to it. Considering this might be an opportunity for extra points, he simply yielded the chance. The underground drainage system of Changxing City mainly consists of tunnel-like sewers, including the segment beneath Jinshi Road. Nimbly entering the sewer, a foul stench immediately hit him. Qin Chuan covered his nose and mouth, turned on the headlamp, and quickly touched down with both feet. Chubby, covering his mouth, waved at him, apparently also overwhelmed by the smell. The third to descend was Zhang Yumeng. The moment she reached Qin Chuan and Chubby, the air around them suddenly freshened. "I was nearly suffocated," Chubby took a deep breath, finally recovering, "I''ve seen sewer construction before, but it never smelled this bad." "This might be related to the rat monsters," Zhang Yumeng still looked timid, yet unexpectedly reliable at the moment, "I can sense some toxins in the air nearby." "If it''s inhaled over a long term, there are bound to be problems." Qi Fei and Sun He came down just in time to hear Zhang Yumeng saying this. "Fortunately, we have Mengmeng." Sun He took Zhang Yumeng''s hand and spoke with a smile. The friendship between the girls seemed to form especially quickly. They were still quite strangers before getting on the vehicle, but now they were almost hitting it off well. "I''ll check it out." Qi Fei nodded to Qin Chuan and the others before stretching out a hand. He glanced at the dirty platform and placed his hand against the side wall of the passageway. "Bzzz" Accompanied by an earthy-yellow halo swirling around, a faint sound like a mosquito''s buzz echoed in the quiet sewer. After a moment, Qi Fei withdrew his hand and pointed in a certain direction, "There''s something over there." "Let''s go!" Little Fatty led the way, stepping forward with an indomitable stride, surrounded by a shield of rocks, his short and stout figure providing a considerable sense of safety. He was followed by Sun He. As one of the output bearers of the team, Sun He had already drawn some domestic sewage from the sewer, purified it into a water ball in her palm, and was ready to act at any moment. Water Attribute Transcendents could filter out other impurities from water when necessary, achieving purification. Zhang Yumeng followed behind Sun He. This position not only allowed her better access to purify the air for her teammates but was also relatively safer. Behind her were Qi Fei and Qin Chuan, who took up the rear. Tang Qiuyi had also entered the sewer and was now wearing a gas mask way behind the team of five, so quiet that he was hardly noticeable. "We''re here." Soon, Qi Fei took the initiative to speak, indicating that the place he had detected something unusual was nearby. Using headlamps, the members swept their lights across the dark sewer interior, and soon Sun He let out a low exclamation, "Over here!" Everyone gathered around and quickly saw a grotesquely twisted corpse of a demonic rat covered in pus-filled blisters. The demonic rat was already dead, its body incompletely intact with eyes bulging nearly out, making one feel nauseated. "What! It''s already dead?" Little Fatty murmured discontentedly, "Bad luck!" He was about to kick the demonic rat''s corpse away, but the silent Qin Chuan stopped him, "Wait!" "Look at the wounds on its body." He leaned close to the demonic rat, observing carefully before slowly speaking, "Don''t these wounds match the shape of its teeth?" "Indeed." Little Fatty crouched down, examined it closely, and then nodded in agreement before a look of realization crossed his face, "So it bit itself to death?" Qin Chuan: "" He looked at Little Fatty speechlessly, and behind him, Qi Fei could not stand it any longer and quickly explained, "Some rats have the habit of eating the corpses of their kind. Demonic rats are probably similar; these wounds must have been made by other demonic rats." "It''s hard to believe they could stomach it." Sun He couldn''t help but draw a cold breath. Zhang Yumeng had already turned her head away. "This demonic rat''s body isn''t completely stiff yet, it probably hasn''t been dead for long." Qi Fei poked the demonic rat with a small stick, "But I didn''t detect any other demonic rats nearby." Qin Chuan glanced at the darkness ahead, slightly frowning. He always felt a somewhat dangerous aura lurking within. "Let''s continue and see." ----------------- A slight modification has been made to the previous settings, removing the Ice Attribute from the material attributes. There is no need to go back and check; not much has changed, just know it. Chapter 65 - 65: Advanced Demon Rat King In the dark sewers, Qin Chuan and his group of five cautiously pushed forward, exploring the unknown ahead with the help of their headlamps. After walking about a dozen meters, Qi Fei once again used his Skill to detect and his expression slightly changed, "There are five or six monster rats ahead, they all seem to be corpses." So many monster rat corpses? The members of Qin Chuan''s group exchanged glances before quickening their pace and soon saw several monster rats lying on the ground, their bodies as mutilated as the first rat corpse they found. "They all died not long ago." Qi Fei prodded them one by one with a small stick, "Similar to the first monster rat." The expressions of everyone gradually became more serious. Although monster rats might have the habit of cannibalizing their own kind when starving, just like ordinary rats, the situation at hand seemed somewhat unusual. Firstly, if it was indeed out of hunger that they were consuming the corpses, the rat pack wouldn''t have only eaten parts of them and left other parts behind. Secondly, and most importantly, like the previous monster rat, the corpses had their eyes bulging out as if almost popping, their death states were quite ghastly. They seemed more like they were bitten to death by their own kind while still alive. "Buzz" Qi Fei once again placed his hand on the wall, and his expression grew grim, "Ahead, more than a dozen." Without saying it clearly, the others already understood what Qi Fei meant. More and more monster rat corpses! For them, whose assessment task was to exterminate, the more rat deaths should be good news. But if these monster rats were killed and eaten by their own kind, then that was another story. "Keep moving deeper, I''ll switch places with Su He," Qin Chuan''s expression was solemn as he spoke decisively. The increasing number of monster rat corpses proved one thing: the problem was definitely up ahead! "Okay." Su He didn''t waste words and quickly switched places with Qin Chuan, taking up the rear guard. Meanwhile, Qin Chuan was only half a body length behind Xiao Pang, continuing their advancement in the sewer side by side. In the darkness ahead, two faint red glimmers flickered. Qin Chuan, who sensed it, turned his head immediately and the headlamp illuminated a grotesque monster rat, baring its sharp teeth. However, it did not pounce but instead turned and ran toward the depths the moment Qin Chuan spotted it. This was the first live monster rat they had seen since entering the sewer. "That guy is probably like a sentinel in the rat pack," Qi Fei analyzed immediately, "It''s going back to report. If we follow it, we can find the monster rats'' nest." "Follow it, but be careful," Qin Chuan whispered, "A single monster rat is not that strong, but it can still be dangerous if there are too many." "Understood!" Xiao Pang stepped briskly forward. His short and stout figure had significantly improved in physical condition after practicing the Basic Boxing Skill, keeping pace behind the sentinel rat without losing it. The other four members followed closely behind him, rushing out about two hundred meters when suddenly soft "squeaks" started coming continuously from ahead. Monster rats! And not just a few! Seeing the sentinel rat suddenly turning into a side tunnel in the sewer, Xiao Pang took the lead and chased after it, and as he stepped into the fork, he shouted loudly. "Vermin! Meet your end!" Even under such pressing circumstances, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but twitch the corner of his mouth. Well, it really was a rat''s nest. Seemingly enraged by Xiao Pang''s shout, countless shrieking voices erupted in an instant. In the blink of an eye, a horde of demon rats like a tide surged from the split path, pouncing towards Xiao Pang. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Bring it on!" Xiao Pang, covered in rocks, let out a strange laugh, as an earthy yellow halo surged around his fists and he fiercely swung them down onto the ground. "BOOM!!!" Accompanied by a muffled sound, the entire sewer seemed to violently tremble at that moment, instantly sweeping the demon rats at the forefront into the air with a blast of wind. "Go!" Almost concurrently with Xiao Pang''s move, Sun He let out a soft shout. The water ball already accumulated in her hand instantly flew towards the horde of rats, sparking with countless glimmers in the clear water stream under the headlight, as if hiding twinkling stars. Diamond dust, now pretty much standard equipment for Transcendents with the Water Attribute. The water ball hit a demon rat in the blink of an eye and then exploded fiercely, unleashing water bombs the size of knuckles in every direction that, with the aid of diamond dust, could easily penetrate the ordinary demon rats'' mutated bodies. Accompanied by screams, countless demon rats bled out on the spot. A few that slipped through the net quickly changed direction, rushing towards Sun He with eyes full of insane killing intent, but before they could get close, a stone knife with a pitch-black blade whistled through the air, instantly cutting their bodies in half. Qi Fei nodded to Sun He, holding a stone knife reinforced with silicon nitride, and pushed forward. His sword skills were quite raw, probably only learned after his Extraordinary Descent, but with enhanced physical abilities and the boosted blade, his performance was commendable. Tang Qiuyi, who had already taken a position on the opposite side of the sewer, silently observed the actions of the five and nodded slightly, swiftly jotting down notes in his book. Zhang Yumeng, protected in the center by other teammates, was a bit bewildered at first, not snapping to reality until her comrades had already engaged the demon rats in battle. Purifying the air was just her Passive Skill, but the Active Skill she had prepared specifically for this real combat assessment would allow her to play a role in the fight as well. With a delicate shout, Zhang Yumeng raised her hand and pointed towards the densest area of demon rats. A whirlwind appeared out of thin air, unexpectedly lifting dozens of demon rats into the sky. Water balls timely appeared and, upon exploding, took their lives. Sun He, on a successful hit, gave Zhang Yumeng a thumbs up. Qin Chuan, who hadn''t acted immediately, but stayed on the sidelines, ready to allow his teammates more opportunity to shine, suddenly had his pupils constrict at this moment. The instant Zhang Yumeng blew away the demon rats, he briefly saw a blood-curdling, blood-red gleam flash behind the barrier of rats and then disappear. There indeed was a problem with these demon rats! Recalling the corpses of the demon rats they had seen on the way here, Qin Chuan hesitated no longer. A massive water stream like a mighty dragon rose from the sewage behind, sweeping up all of the diamond dust from the box Qin Chuan opened as it passed by him, and then ferociously lunged towards where the blood light had flashed. The tons of water almost filled the entire passageway, the sudden burst forcefully flinging the demon rat horde against the wall at the fork''s entrance, dying on impact without even a chance to scream, the scene too gory to witness. The other four teammates abruptly stopped their attack, gaping at Qin Chuan in stunned silence. But soon, their attention was entirely captured by another scene. An unscathed giant rat, more than a meter long without its tail, stood up from beside the wall. Its blood-red eyes were filled with ruthless and bloodthirsty light, and the terrifying aura it exuded had already surpassed the level 10 category, comparable to a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast. This was an Advanced demon rat king! Chapter 66 - 66: Skill Resonance, A Brand New Killing Move! Tang Qiuyi had never imagined that his first task as a freshly minted Official Level Player would be so challenging. Seeing Qin Chuan unleash the kind of power only an Official Level Player could exhibit, he was so stunned that the pen he was holding fell to the ground. And what happened next was once again beyond his expectations. The ranks of Demon Beasts had just stabilized, and only a few had advanced enough to rival a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast. Tang Qiuyi never expected one to appear here! Normally, he should interrupt the assessment without hesitation and deal with the King Rat. But seeing Qin Chuan stride toward the King Rat, his face calm and composed, and recalling his performance just now, Tang Qiuyi''s steps halted. According to the rules of this assessment, interrupting it would result in a 40% reduction in the team''s score. Perhaps it wasn''t yet time to stop the assessment? "Crackle" Accompanied by the sound of electrical arcing through the air, ferocious thunder in Tang Qiuyi''s hands was compressed into a javelin. Though he hadn''t made a move yet, he was ready to strike at any moment. On the other side, Qin Chuan, leaving the words "the rest of the rats are yours" behind, caused faint blue ripples to stir under his feet. His speed was so fast it nearly created an afterimage as he pounced towards the King Rat. The water flowing on the platform rose again, forming numerous shimmering snakes in the headlamp light, swiftly binding towards the King Rat as they followed Qin Chuan''s movements. "Squeak" A sharp screech erupted. The furious King Rat burst forward with all four limbs, its body rocketing towards Qin Chuan like a cannonball, and its tail, twice its body length, whipped towards Qin Chuan''s face like a steel lash. "Whoosh!!!" In that moment, Qin Chuan even had a delusion of facing Ji Huai''s long whip. Fortunately, even if he were facing Ji Huai, Qin Chuan was far from powerless at the moment. The ripples under his feet reappeared, his steps incredibly light. His speed astonishing, he swiftly retreated two meters, his upper body leaning back narrowly dodging the tail swipe aimed at his face. Then, abruptly he raised a hand, making a grasping motion in mid-air. A hand emerged instantly from the water flow, seizing the King Rat''s tail that it was about to retract. Before the King Rat could react, the Water Hand forcefully applied pressure. The King Rat''s body uncontrollably swung in an arc in the air, heavily smashing onto the platform, the impact creating spider-web-like cracks. [Skill Resonance 2]further amplified the power of Dark Current Binding. Even with the bodily strength of the King Rat post-advancement, such a smashing left its head buzzing. Before it could rise again, Qin Chuan already controlled wave after wave of water snakes to tightly coil around its body, eventually turning into a flow of water that completely enveloped the King Rat. Spin for me Qin Chuan''s clenched fist twisted gently, and the water flow, like a rolling drum washing machine, began spinning at high speed with the King Rat caught in it. Under the headlamp, countless tiny sparkling lights in the flowing water dragged out trails at an incredibly fast speed, looking like bright strands of hair. This stunning moment, however, concealed extreme terrifying force. The intense abrasiveness of diamond powder in the high-speed spinning motion turned into countless blades slicing iron as mud, instantly slashing across the King Rat''s body millions of times. Even the body strength of an advanced Demon Beast couldn''t withstand such horrifying cuts. The King Rat''s fierce struggle quickly weakened, and with the dispersal of blood mist, it finally fell silent. When the spinning water flow turned into thick blood water and heavily fell onto the platform, only a skeleton remained in the blood water. "What a pity." Qin Chuan muttered quietly with slight regret, "So contaminated, this diamond powder can''t be recovered." On the other side, while Qin Chuan was fighting the Demon Rat King, the other four members quickly took action and dealt with the remaining Demon Rats. Hearing this, and looking at the pale skeleton in the pool of blood, the others'' gazes towards Qin Chuan suddenly became complex. You killed a Demon Rat that was comparable in strength to a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast, and you''re actually distressed over the little bit of Diamond powder that was used?! Tang Qiuyi standing nearby coughed lightly, drawing everyone''s attention to himself. "The assessment is over." "The residual issues will be taken care of by the Special Affairs Group." "You can now leave the sewer." ----------------- The field assessment ended, and the team members went home to rest. As they were leaving, the expressions of Qi Fei and the other two were dazed. Although they had performed well in this real combat assessment and were likely to receive a good score, for some reason, they just couldn''t feel happy. Little Fatty was called over by Qin Chuan, which was just as well since he also had many questions. "When did your Contracted Spiritual Beast advance?" "Just these last few days," Qin Chuan spread his hands, "Luckily, it advanced right before this assessment, otherwise under those circumstances, even if Brother Tang had taken action, we would have been in danger." "Yes, it really was fortunate," Little Fatty nodded in agreement, then with a strange expression, he continued, "You told me before that you had obtained a Low-level Resource." "I wasn''t lying," Qin Chuan said with a smile, "I really did get a Low-level Resource, and I literally dug it out from the ground." Saying this, he pulled out the Earth Crystal and waved it in front of Little Fatty. Little Fatty''s eyes suddenly widened, and his breathing became as ragged as a bull''s in an instant. He stared fixedly at the Earth Crystal, momentarily lost for words, "You I This" "You mentioned before that your uncle and aunt were planning to wait until the price of Low-level Resources dropped to one hundred thousand to buy you two, didn''t you?" Qin Chuan handed the Earth Crystal to Little Fatty, "One hundred thousand." Little Fatty''s eyes instantly reddened. Based on the pricing trend at the Dream Exchange, in another month, the price of Low-level Resources could likely drop below one hundred thousand and might not be priceless anymore. But that was a month later. Sarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Why are Low-level Resources expensive now but will become cheaper later? On the one hand, Low-level Resources are currently scarce but will become more abundant in the future. On the other hand, in Dream World right now, time is everything. At the moment, Little Fatty is ranked within the top thousand on the Spiritual Beast List, acquiring a Low-level Resource in advance could possibly allow his Contracted Spiritual Beast to advance and maybe even break into the top hundred. This means he could earn more Experience Gems at the day''s end, gain three more Fragments at the week''s end, and the previous five weeks required to obtain a random Low-level Resource could be shortened to two weeks. Once he obtains a second advancement resource, the strength of his Contracted Spiritual Beast could further enhance, and with Little Fatty pushing for records, breaking into the top ten of the Spiritual Beast List isn''t impossible. Entering the top ten of the Spiritual Beast List means another Low-level Resource every week. Not only could he complete the advancement in a shorter period, but he could also save on buying one less Low-level Resource. If the additional gains from the Extraordinary List and the Achievement Leaderboard due to this are taken into account, the effect would be even more exaggerated. Such a future, made readily accessible by Qin Chuan simply selling him a resource at next month''s price, became tantalizingly within reach. This wasn''t just a resource, it was a massive favor. Chapter 67 - 67 Zhou Zixius Investigation Results Xiao Pang wasn''t a melodramatic person, and with the opportunity to change his fate right in front of his eyes, he only did one thinghe called home. Soon, a speeding car pulled up beside them on the roadside. The driver''s side door opened, and a middle-aged man with a strong resemblance to Xiao Pang hurried towards them. He looked at Qin Chuan, "You must be Qin Chuan? Xiaoxian often talks about you with his mom and me." "Hello, Uncle Li," Qin Chuan politely nodded his head. Li Father, named Li Youde, scanned the surroundings then took out a briefcase. "I''ve heard about it from Xiaoxian," Li Youde opened the briefcase to reveal bundles of cash that were particularly striking. "Here is two hundred thousand." "Um..." Qin Chuan blinked, "Uncle, did you hear wrong? I told Li Xian it was one hundred thousand." "I know," Li Youde nodded, then firmly said, "You and Xiaoxian are friends, and friends don''t just take advantage of each other." "I''ve already heard about the Earth Attribute Experience Fruit incident from Xiaoxian." "If you still consider my foolish son a friend, please accept this money." Li Youde spoke earnestly, his face breaking into a smile, "Our family has modest means, and this is all we can afford. I know it''s not enough; the remaining amount Xiaoxian will repay himself when he makes it." "Dad" Xiao Pang''s eyes instantly moistened, and he muttered while clenching his teeth, "Don''t worry, I will definitely make something of myself!" "Uncle Li" Hearing Li Youde''s words, Qin Chuan felt somewhat choked up, and after a moment of silence, he closed and lifted the briefcase. "Alright, I''ll accept this money." "Deposit it in a bank." Li Youde smiled and patted Qin Chuan''s shoulder, "Even though Transcendents are powerful, for money, it''s still best to keep it in a bank for peace of mind." "It''s almost lunchtime. I had your aunt cook quite a few of her specialties. She''s primarily responsible for fattening the two of us up. How about we have a meal together after you deposit the money?" Qin Chuan looked at Xiao Pang who was wiping his tears and making faces, and a radiant smile appeared on his face. "That sounds good." As Li Youde had mentioned, Xiao Pang''s mother was indeed a superb cook. So much so, that Qin Chuan ate an extra bowl of rice compared to usual. When Qin Chuan was leaving, Li Youde, who was drinking alone at the table, slightly drunk, patted Xiao Pang''s shoulder. "This friend of yours is no ordinary person, cherish this friendship." Xiao Pang fell silent for a moment, then nodded vigorously, biting his teeth, "Yes!" ----------------- "How did the practical assessment at Changxing City Secondary School go?" In the office of the Special Affairs Group, Zhou Zixiu, holding a cup of water, glanced at a woman who looked like a clerk, "There weren''t any casualties or accidents, right?" "No casualties," the woman paused briefly, "but there was an unexpected incident." "Um?" Zhou Zixiu put down his water cup and quickly walked behind the woman, looking at the screen in front of her, "What happened?" "During a mission by the tenth group of the senior year, a Demon Beast advanced." Zhou Zixiu''s expression instantly turned solemn, "The tenth group... the safety officer is Tang Qiuyi, that kid, right? He has just advanced; can he handle an Advanced Demon Beast?" Demon Beasts differ from Spiritual Beasts; they don''t possess Transcendent powers but rely solely on their abnormal physical strength to fight against Transcendents. Advanced Demon Beasts possess very high defense and not insignificant resistance against Transcendent abilities. Sarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Newly Advanced Transcendents were not necessarily a match for it. "In fact... Tang Qiuyi didn''t get a chance to make a move." The woman''s expression was slightly strange, "You should see for yourself." Saying so, she brought up the footage captured by the cameras. Watching the video of Qin Chuan fighting alone against the Demon Rat King and reducing it to a skeleton in just a few seconds, Zhou Zixiu''s eyes widened and he sharply inhaled a breath of cold air. "Qin Chuan broke through?!" "Mhm." The woman nodded, "This student named Qin Chuan was the first to spot the Demon Rat King hidden among the rat pack, he forced it out and fought it, eventually managing to kill it. The jury believes him..." The woman hadn''t finished her sentence when she turned around only to find that Zhou Zixiu, who had been there moments ago, had disappeared without a trace. "This guy, always popping up and vanishing unexpectedly." A few minutes later, outside the office door of Lan Cheng, the head of the Special Affairs Group in Changxing City, there came a series of urgent knocks. Without waiting for Lan Cheng inside to say "come in," a figure had already pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing the familiar figure in front of him, Lan Cheng, holding a cup of tea, twitched his lips slightly, "You never visit without reason; what is it this time?" "Chief." Zhou Zixiu sat down in front of Lan Cheng and looked at him calmly, "I remember our Special Affairs Group''s cooperation agreement still has places available, right?" "Yes." Lan Cheng looked at Zhou Zixiu and slowly set down his teacup, "But most of the spots are already targeted, just not finalized yet." "Remove one, I want to sign someone." Zhou Zixiu''s tone was as calm as if he was ordering in a restaurant, telling the waiter to take away a dish and replace it with another. Hearing this, Lan Cheng couldn''t help but laugh, "How about I give you the position of head of the Special Affairs Group, and whatever you say goes?" Zhou Zixiu ignored Lan Cheng''s sarcastic tone and pulled out a file, pushing it across to Lan Cheng. As Lan Cheng opened and flipped through it, Zhou Zixiu spoke up. "Qin Chuan, male, 18 years old, parents died in a car accident at 14 where both parties were at fault, leading to a court-ordered compensation of 50,000 yuan from the other family." "Without any other relatives in Changxing City, Qin Chuan has been living alone with the compensation money, currently attending his senior year at Changxing City''s Second High School." "Seventeen days ago, Qin Chuan assisted the Special Affairs Group in the critical moment of apprehending the fugitive Zhang Zhe, acting bravely and justly." Hearing this, Lan Cheng looked up at Zhou Zixiu. If he remembered correctly, he had indeed instructed Zhou Zixiu to investigate the situation without disturbing the other party, and now it seemed Zhou Zixiu had acquired the information about him. Looking back at the file in his hands, he wondered what else Zhou Zixiu intended to say. "On the day of the Blue Star version 2.2 update during a physical examination, it was confirmed that Qin Chuan''s Contracted Spiritual Beast Rank was Juvenile Stage Lv10." Zhou Zixiu paused briefly, glanced at Lan Cheng, and then delivered the decisive information. "In today''s practical exam, Qin Chuan demonstrated the strength of an Official Level Player by killing an Advanced Demon Beast within one minute." Lan Cheng''s pupils contracted, surprised, "Today? Official Level?" He fully understood what that implied. To date, the Ranking List had only been updated weekly once, and to become an Official Level Player, advancing a Spiritual Beast required three Low-level Resources. This meant that Qin Chuan was likely one of the top ten players on the Spiritual Beast List in the gaming district, and his ranking on the Achievement Leaderboard was also high! Only such a player could possibly gather the necessary resources for advancement through ranking rewards and exchanges at the Achievement Store in one weekly update. Chapter 68 - 68 Gold Talent Exposed! Surprised that there was still an undiscovered player in Changxing City, Lan Cheng quickly regained his composure under Zhou Zixiu''s gaze. "Not enough," he began slowly, "You should know that the few people we are currently vying for are also players in the top ten of the Spiritual Beast List." "Qin Chuan''s strength has met the standard for cooperation. If there are new cooperative spots available in the future, we can consider him, but not now." Zhou Zixiu was not surprised by Lan Cheng''s response. He tapped the desk with his knuckles, "I have one more thing to add." "I''ve checked the transaction records of the exchange." "Qin Chuan only traded for low-level resources once." "And... it was before the first weekly settlement." "What?!" Lan Cheng abruptly stood up, locking eyes with Zixiu for a moment before settling back down, using his privileges to start querying data. Moments later, his expression turned complex, "It''s actually true." If just before, Qin Chuan''s importance wasn''t high enough for Lan Cheng, now his significance had far surpassed the others that the Special Affairs Group was dealing with. Qin Chuan''s transaction records indicated two things. First, before the first weekly settlement, he already had the ability to obtain low-level resources. The only way to get low-level resources at that time was by normal means, which meant Qin Chuan had to either steal low-level resources under the noses of Growth Rank Guardian Beasts or kill Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts to obtain their dropped resources. Of course, Qin Chuan might have been lucky enough to find wild low-level resources unguarded by Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts, but according to the current intelligence of the Special Affairs Group, this possibility was very slim. Second, he did not trade for low-level resources after the weekly settlement and managed to advance. Discounting the extremely slight possibility of randomly obtaining the needed resources, the biggest possibility was... He acquired self-select low-level resources, so there was no need to barter. The Achievement Store could refresh self-select low-level resources, but only one. So the last piece of self-select low-level resources... "Is he the number one on the Spiritual Beast List of one of the game''s regions?" Lan Cheng rubbed his temples, incredulous, "My Changxing City actually has such an incredible talent?" "When I saw the transaction record, I was also surprised." Zhou Zixiu laughed, "That spot..." "Give it! I''m going to kick someone out right this moment," Lan Cheng said without hesitation, picking up the phone. If Qin Chuan were here, he would be the most surprised person. Because through a web of clues, and mostly incorrect deductions, these two had stumbled upon the right conclusion by chance. How outrageous. Soon after giving instructions over the phone, Lan Cheng put it down, "You''re familiar with him, so you go discuss the contract with him." "Sure," Zixiu nodded with a smile. Done. "The top of the Spiritual Beast List..." Lan Cheng rubbed his hands together, his face showing curiosity, "Can you determine his player name?" S~ea??h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unlike the top ten of the list, there were only 9999 players who made it to number one on the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List during the weekly settlement across the entire Dream World, making it not that difficult to investigate. "We can narrow it down," Zixiu tapped the desk again, "Out of the 9999 players, there are a total of 896 players who have contracted Water Attribute Spiritual Beasts, and 273 of them use a Chinese Player Name." "Among these people, approximately 183 have an advancement time that matches up," Zixiu paused, "Because Ji Huai didn''t have a combat training yesterday, this count also includes those who advanced the night before." "Of course, Qin Chuan might be using a player name in another language." Zixiu confidently smiled, "If we count all 896, there''s a total of 542 players whose advancement time matches." "As soon as Qin Chuan contracts a second Spiritual Beast, this range will be significantly reduced." Zixiu tapped on the desk again, "Keep an eye on him, we''ll eventually confirm his player name." "But..." Zixiu''s tone shifted, "Is his player name that important?" "Important, and not important," Lan Cheng smiled. After the Extraordinary Descent into reality, aside from the initially public "Temporary Management Measures of Yanhuang Country for Special Affairs", there was also a confidential internal document of the Special Affairs Group known as "Dream World Player Real-Name Management Measures". Leveraging big data related to the Extraordinary, Yanhuang Country planned to use the immense computing power of supercomputing to accurately pinpoint the player name for every citizen of Yanhuang Country, realizing real-name management for Dream World players. Due to the current lack of information, this work was not progressing smoothly, with only one-thousandth of players successfully identified, but as time passed and the big data refined, the number of players identified in real-name would exponentially increase. Real-name did not mean the Yanhuang Country intended to do anything to its citizens. It was an invisible supervision, and also a form of protection. If an extraordinarily vicious criminal appeared and proved difficult to apprehend, starting with the Dream World to kill the contracted Spiritual Beast or the person themselves to reduce or destroy their extraordinary ability, offered a completely new approach to criminal apprehension. Likewise, when real-world citizens encountered difficulties and needed help, starting from the Dream World by sending players from the Special Affairs Group of the same region for support and assistance could also become a new feasible method. Although not yet thoroughly publicized, an amendment from the supreme law of Yanhuang Country had already been confirmed to be included in the next edition of the supreme law. Player accounts in the Dream World, along with the contracted Spiritual Beasts and resources obtained, are part of the private property of Yanhuang Country''s citizens, inviolable! Therefore, even if the Special Affairs Group did confirm Qin Chuan''s player name, as an official organization, they would keep the citizen''s information confidential and act as if unaware unless necessary. That''s why Lan Cheng would say such a thing. Important, and not important. "Alright, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving," Zhou Zixiu got up and headed for the office door. Just like Lan Cheng had said, he wasn''t the type to come without a good reason. He came this time to secure a special cooperation agreement spot for Qin Chuan, and now that the matter was settled, it was time for him to leave. "Are you going to talk to Qin Chuan now?" Lan Cheng couldn''t help but ask. "Tomorrow," Zixiu smiled, "Today is one of the rare holidays for senior high school students, and those who encroach on a high school senior''s holiday are assholes without assholes, and those who eat instant noodles without the flavor packet!" "What are you even talking about..." Watching Zhou Zixiu''s casual departure, Lan Cheng was speechless with dumbfoundment. ----------------- Qin Chuan himself was completely unaware of the Special Affairs Group''s discussion about him. Due to the quick end of the combat assessments, Qin Chuan had a half-day holiday today. With two hundred thousand in hand, he could afford a little splurge today. He had rarely gone out to shop, buying some clothes that he had normally hesitated to purchase and also some essential household items, returning to his rental with bags aplenty. Just as he finished organizing the newly bought items, Qin Chuan''s phone rang. It was Xiaopang. Before Qin Chuan could even speak, Xiaopang''s hurried voice came through. "Qin Chuan, quickly open the Dream Realm Forum!" "A player with a gold-grade Talent has revealed themselves!" ----------------- A small announcement: To thank the readers for their support during this time, after the 70th chapter updates tomorrow, there will be a 24-hour limited-time free gift event. The author has custom-made a small number of Water Flower canvas bags. There will be a random draw to give away to readers, so don''t miss out! Chapter 69 - 69 Lion Eric "...Ah?" Upon hearing Xiao Pang''s words, Qin Chuan''s mind went blank. What? The player who obtained a Gold Talent... revealed themselves?! Before he could speak, Xiao Pang dropped a line, "Just check the Dream Realm Forum and you''ll know," and then he hung up the phone. Clearly, he had just received the news and was eager to get on the Dream Realm Forum himself. Qin Chuan finally came to his senses. He was still somewhat incredulous. This was a Gold Talent. The strongest and unique talent. Did a player really reveal it after obtaining it? At that moment, Qin Chuan''s mind flashed through five talents that were already fading. He definitely didn''t reveal himself, and Yue Li wasn''t that kind of person either. So... which of the other three could it be? Amid myriad thoughts, Qin Chuan had already opened the Dream Realm Forum. He didn''t need to make an effort to search; the top post in the discussion area gained thousands of comments with each refresh, firmly occupying the top spot in recent comments. "Shocking! Player with Spirit Ascension Talent Reveals Themselves!" It was Spirit Ascension? Qin Chuan''s pupils shrank. In the current mainstream speculation, many people believed that among the nine talents, the Spirit Ascension Gold Talent was the strongest. This speculation wasn''t very reliable. Apart from the players who received the Gold Talents themselves, others didn''t know the real Talent Effects of the Gold Talents. Outsiders guessed the effects of each talent based simply on the name. Even so, Spirit Ascension remained the most discussed Gold Talent. Now, the player who obtained Spirit Ascension had revealed themselves, pushing the fervor to its peak. With full curiosity, Qin Chuan clicked on the post. The post''s owner claimed they were just a re-uploader, and the content was downloaded from an overseas site. Below was a video. At the start of the video, a young man with shoulder-length golden hair, a tall and muscular figure, and a beard stood boldly and arrogantly on stage, his blue eyes staring in the direction of the camera. He spoke slowly in fluent American English. "I, Erik Solag, hereby declare." "I have obtained the Gold Talent: Spirit Ascension!" Once these words were spoken, a burst of exclamation erupted, and even the camera shook. It seemed to be a press conference scene. Qin Chuan frowned, watching the man in the video. Was it real? The reporters in the video were also trying to verify the truth. Soon, one of them asked about Erik''s game identity. "My game identity, I can tell you, because I am invincible." In the face of the reporter''s skepticism, Erik''s expression was haughty, "Region 2761, lion, that''s my region and game name. You are welcome to verify it and come find me." "I will straightforwardly force you to delete your account and start over, and I will not be polite." Hearing these arrogant remarks, the press conference erupted into even greater commotion. Announcing his game region and game name so provocatively was akin to declaring war on the entire world. With such confidence, could he really be the bearer of a Gold Talent? The reporters were stirred up, shifting from skepticism to semi-belief. Another reporter began to inquire about the specific effects of the Spirit Ascension Gold Talent. Just as Qin Chuan thought Erik would not respond, he actually did. "You all should know the uniqueness of a Gold Talent." Erik replied with the same pride, "It has three Talent Effects, and each is unique." sea??h th Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The first two Talent Effects alone demonstrate the power of the Gold Talent, and the third is a gift from the Dream God." Erik''s gaze swept over the people at the press conference, as if he was looking through the screen at everyone watching the video. "So today, you are fortunate to hear about the first two Talent Effects of Spirit Ascension. As for the third, only those chosen by the gods who also possess a Gold Talent are worthy to know." Erik turned towards the camera with a very aggressive smile. "The first Talent Effect of Spirit Ascension is a permanent 10% increase to all Contracted Spiritual Beasts'' Race Values, exclusions not counted towards Extraordinary Value." As Erik spoke each word at the press conference, a burst of exclamations followed. A permanent 10% increase in Race Value?! How could such a terrifying talent exist! Thinking that this was just the first Talent Effect of Spirit Ascencion, everyone''s expressions gradually became more solemn. And this was exactly what Erik wanted to see. He grinned broadly. "The second Talent Effect of Spirit Ascension temporarily increases the Race Value of Contracted Spiritual Beasts by 50%, which can be stacked with the first Talent Effect, lasting for 5 minutes with a cooldown of 5 minutes." "After stacking, the total increase in Race Value is 65%." As Erik finished describing the second Talent Effect, the room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Such a high increase ratio, with a duration and cooldown time that perfectly matched. Is this the Spirit Ascension Gold Talent? "As for the third Talent Effect, I said earlier, mortals are not worthy to know the gifts of the gods." Erik crossed his arms, "But I can offer a small hints." "By leveraging this Talent Effect, yesterday I killed a Level 26 Elite Rank Spiritual Beast with a Level 20 Growth Rank Contracted Spiritual Beast." "This point can be confirmed by all players in region 2761 by checking the Ranking List." As his words fell, the commotion at the press conference lingered. Qin Chuan watched the man in the video, full of spirit, and bearing an unyielding demeanor, showing a pondering expression. The man accurately stated that the third Talent Effect was much more powerful than the first two, and the first two Talent Effects also matched the strength expected of a Gold Talent. This inclined Qin Chuan to believe what the man was saying. He minimized the video window and began checking the comments below. The top-liked comment caught his eye. "I''m in region 2761, we do indeed have a top player called lion, he''s number one in three categories, and he does have records of killing Level 26 Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts." This comment directly corroborated all of Erik''s statements. So... this man really is the bearer of the Spirit Ascension. Another highly liked comment provided information about Erik''s family, the Solag Family from Mi Country, the wealthiest in Mi Country, dealing in arms trade, with influence sufficient to sway the allegiance of the foremost figure in Mi Country. Further down, another netizen commented: "No wonder he dares to reveal himself, no one can kill him in real life, nobody can beat him in the Dream World." Not to mention, this statement had some truth to it. While Qin Chuan was reading comments to understand who Erik was, Erik''s voice once again filled the video, bringing Qin Chuan''s attention back. "Next, I want to speak to the other Gold Talent holders." Erik''s eyes gleamed with unhideable ambition, "The world has changed, and the rules ought to change too." "We are the chosen ones by God, we should unite to create our own order!" Chapter 70 - 70 Another Prayer Talent Holder?! Madness. This person was definitely insane. Watching the chaotic press conference scene, Qin Chuan''s expression was particularly strange. Erik had actually announced in front of the whole world that he intended to gather the other eight Gold Talent players to overthrow the existing world order and create a brand new one. People from Mi Country really took freedom too far. Just as he was about to turn off the video, Erik''s next words made Qin Chuan''s hand stop mid-air. "I have already contacted the owner of the Prayer Talent, and she is here today!" "She has already allied with me, and as you have guessed, Prayer represents luck, which means Lady Luck is already standing by my side!" Yue Li? No, it couldn''t be Yue Li. Qin Chuan''s pupils contracted slightly, a look of surprise forming on his face. Another Prayer Talent owner had appeared? Could he have been mistaken? While he was confused, a stunningly beautiful woman with a voluptuous figure confidently walked onto the stage and smiled at the crowd, "I''m honored to be part of Mr. Lion''s new order." "I am the owner of the Prayer Talent, Helen Everson." ----------------- "...Huh?" Lying in the hospital sick room, Lin Yue watched the woman speaking in the video, her mouth twitching slightly. If you''re the owner of the Prayer Talent, then who am I?! A fake! This person was definitely a fake! Her fierce gaze fixated on the woman on the screen, her cheeks puffing up slightly. But soon, Lin Yue''s expression relaxed. Upon further consideration, this might not be a bad thing? Prayer Talent had to do with luck and was too conspicuous, making it easy to be targeted. Putting out such a decoy could save her a lot of trouble. Thinking this, Lin Yue''s look towards the woman in the video grew peculiar. She wanted to see how the other party would fabricate the effects of the Prayer Talent. At the press conference, as the "owner of the Prayer Talent" appeared, reporters indeed asked about the specific effects of the Prayer Talent. But Erik seemed not to have heard the reporter''s question, just flashed a wild smile, "Do you think that''s all?" "Of course not!" "Let us welcome the owner of the Compass Talent!" As another stunningly beautiful woman smiled and walked out, the atmosphere in the room soared again. "Really a busy season," Du Yu, who was massaging Lin Yue''s legs, looked up at the screen and couldn''t help but shake his head, "With so many Gold Talent owners standing together, who knows what the world will become." "Sister Yu, don''t worry." Lin Yue, quietly watching the video, suddenly smiled. "He''s just bluffing~" ----------------- "You scared me." Qin Chuan looked speechlessly at the blond man in the video, "Why didn''t you mention that Insight and Traceless were also on your side?" Pretending to be a holder of the Compass Talent was one thing, but why was the imposter a woman? Realizing that the man was bluffing, he couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed that among the so-called three golden Talent holders present, probably only Erik himself was genuine. The Prayer Talent should be with Yue Li, right? Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He couldn''t help but recall her silhouette. After the "Compass Talent holder" made his appearance, Erik dropped a line, "The other golden Talent holders, I''m waiting for you," before striding off the stage with two women, bringing the video to an end. The comments section of the post had already exploded, with the number of comments quickly approaching one million. Many people were pessimistic about the future and questioned why such a populous Yanhuang Country didn''t have a single player who had received a golden Talent. Although some objectively analyzed the content of the video and thought that the information revealed by the last two golden Talent holders was scant and might not be true, the voices of reason were always faint, easily drowned out by other comments, failing to become the mainstream. Scrolling through the comments, Qin Chuan''s lips tightened slightly. What was Erik trying to accomplish by doing this? ----------------- "Erik, what on earth are you trying to do?" Across the ocean, the door of a mansion was violently pushed open by a black man. Looking at Erikwho was enjoying himself with two scantily clad women on the sofathe black man''s expression turned ugly. "When we discussed holding a press conference, you never said you''d dress up your lovers as golden Talent holders!" If there were others present, they would realize that the two women acting intimately with Erik were none other than the so-called Prayer Talent and Compass Talent holders at the press conference. And their real identities were merely Erik''s lovers. "Conni, my friend, calm down a bit," Erik sat up and looked at the black man helplessly. "Don''t you think it''s a pretty good idea?" "Golden Talent holders are destined to be extraordinary, how could they tolerate others impersonating them?" Erik grinned, "Perhaps it won''t be long before the true owners of Prayer and Compass will find us." "Erik, not all golden Talent holders are like you," Conni''s expression was complex. "You''ve drawn the attention of the whole world, only making it easier for the real owners of Prayer and Compass to hide themselves." "Hide? Why?" Erik was unconvinced. "No one can resist the temptation of power, which is a part of the new order. Born into the Solag family, the idea thrills me. Why wouldn''t they come?" Conni fell silent. He began to doubt whether approaching this reckless lion had been the right move. It was just a pity that even a golden Talent couldn''t be effective in reality; otherwise, he would have liked to see just how long this fool could be arrogant. "Hey, Conni, don''t be so tense." Erik glanced at Conni and shook his head slightly. "After a ten-hour flight from Ba Country, let''s relax now. Do you prefer ''Prayer'' or ''Compass''?" Looking at the two seductive beauties smiling at him, Conni''s face was stoic, though it wasn''t visible on his dark skin, "No need!" "Alright then," Erik said with slight regret, "Even if they do as you say and plan to hide themselves in reality, they are still bound to emerge in the Dream World." "Just one look, and you can see through their Talents, just like when you found me, right?" Erik glanced at Conni, "Insight." "I''ve gone through the data you provided," Conni paused before shifting the topic, "I suspect that Traceless is not among those 597 players." "Hmm?" Erik''s expression shifted slightly, "What did you say?" "If, I mean if," Conni looked at Erik intently, and spoke deliberately, "If Traceless can hide the real strength of his Contracted Spiritual Beast or cover up the true ranking on the Ranking List?" Chapter 71 - 71: Has Everyone Been to the Shelter by the Creek? In the real world, Erik''s high-profile declaration had set off widespread turmoil, but that didn''t stop every Dream World player from going to bed on time. Following the principle of not dwelling on what one couldn''t understand, Qin Chuan had gone to bed early and, regaining consciousness, found himself once again in the shelter in the valley. As he turned his head, Qin Chuan saw Yue Li''s smiling face. After a moment''s hesitation, he took the initiative to ask, "Did you see Erik''s press conference video?" "I did," Yue Li responded, her expression quite relaxed, "but you don''t need to be too nervous. He''s probably just bluffing. Both the owners of the Prayer Talent and the Compass Talent he mentioned are fake." "Right." Qin Chuan''s gaze at Yue Li flickered with complexity. He could be sure of this because he himself was the possessor of the Compass Talent. And Yue Li''s confident tone meant that his previous guess was correct. Guessing was one thing, having it confirmed was another. "Speaking of which, your Talent is very similar to the Prayer Talent speculated online," Qin Chuan said in a joking manner, "so be very careful not to reveal the effects of your Talent, or others might start targeting you as a Prayer Talent holder." "My Talent is far inferior to the Prayer Talent, it''s just a Purple Talent." Yue Li glanced at Qin Chuan and suddenly smiled, "But don''t worry, I''ll be careful." "That''s good." Qin Chuan dropped the subject of Talents and picked up the Vine Whip backpack that he had packed before his last departure from the Dream World, "We should be leaving." "Yeah!" Yue Li also had a similar backpack. She picked it up, took one last look at the traces of their lives in the shelter, and then followed in Qin Chuan''s steps. Xiao Qing uttered a cry, flying high into the air to keep an eye on their surroundings, while Water Flower swished its big tail trailing beside them, occasionally darting into the bushes they passed and bringing back some usable herbs and fruits. "Does this direction seem familiar?" After walking a few hundred meters, Yue Li suddenly spoke up. "Yes, this is the way to my previous shelter," Qin Chuan smiled, "Since we don''t have a specific target, why not use the two shelters as our initial bearings?" Of course, that was not the whole truth. The actual plan was to search for the Level 20 Elite Rank Blue-Scaled Jiao; passing by the creek-side shelter just happened to be on the way. Before setting out, Qin Chuan had again confirmed the location of their target. It was impressive how far the Blue-Scaled Jiao had roamed, a good two or three kilometers from where it originally was. But the general direction remained unchanged. "I see, that''s a good idea," Yue Li nodded, not suspecting a thing. Although they were carrying backpacks, fruits that could restore their strength were not valuable and were easily found with Water Flower''s help. Energized and chatting cheerfully, they soon arrived near the creek-side shelter. After filling two water bladders with creek water, Yue Li squatted by the creek, scooping up the clear water to her mouth and gulping it down before looking towards the nearby shelter, "Should we take a look at your former shelter?" Qin Chuan hadn''t originally planned this, but hearing Yue Li''s suggestion, he felt somewhat inclined to accept. He glanced at Water Flower playfully splashing in the creek, "Sure, let''s take a look." That place was his first small home in this world and held beautiful memories with Water Flower. "Water Flower, let''s go!" Hearing Qin Chuan''s call, Water Flower responded energetically, wagging its big tail to follow him. It had been about a week since they last visited, and Qin Chuan thought the creek-side shelter might be somewhat dirty, but upon entering, he found it cleaner than expected. "Hey? What''s this?" Yue Li, who had entered the shelter with him, soon discovered a pile of nuts and fruits in a corner. "Hm?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow. He remembered taking all the food when they left. Moreover, some of the nuts were difficult to pick, so he had never harvested them. Had other players come here after he left? Thinking of that possibility, Qin Chuan''s face revealed an uncertain expression. "Shall we wait here and see?" Yue Li seemed to have the same thought as Qin Chuan, her expression tensing up at that moment. Could it be a new Player? However, it was Water Flower who, after seeing the pile of food, couldn''t help but lean in to sniff it, and then her expression turned a bit odd. That smell... "Shriek" "Squeak" Just then, outside the shelter, the cry of Xiao Qing and another angry sound were suddenly heard. The two inside the shelter along with the beast hurried outside. Seeing the situation outside, both Qin Chuan and Yue Li revealed surprised looks, while Water Flower had an expression of "just as expected." In the open area outside the shelter, Xiao Qing flapped its wings, its gaze locking onto the Flame-tailed Squirrel below, with a hint of warning in its eyes. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Flame-tailed Squirrel seemed very angry; its fire-gathered tail was even more inflated than usual. Although it was not as imposing as Xiao Qing, it showed no fear. "Xiao Qing, it''s not an enemy!" Qin Chuan shouted and then walked toward the Flame-tailed Squirrel. Seeing the nuts held by the Flame-tailed Squirrel, he had already understood the real situation. After his departure, it wasn''t other Players who lived here, but this little guy. "Flame-tailed Squirrel, have you been living here all this time?" The Flame-tailed Squirrel nodded, looked at the nuts in its arms, hesitated for a moment, and then, with a somewhat heartbroken expression, handed two nuts to Qin Chuan. "Squeak~" Human, this is the rent! Seeing the adorable little creature, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but laugh, "Alright, I don''t need your rent. If you like, just continue living here." "We just happened to come by, and now we are about to leave this place to go far away." Hearing this, the Flame-tailed Squirrel, which had been retrieving the nuts, paused and then without hesitation took out half and handed them to Qin Chuan. "Squeak~" This is a farewell gift! "What a cute little squirrel~" Yue Li, who was now by Qin Chuan''s side without knowing when she approached, watched the Flame-tailed Squirrel with gleaming eyes, her heart melting at the sight that even Qin Chuan found adorable, "May I touch you?" The Flame-tailed Squirrel glanced at the Xiao Qing hovering in the air, but showed no dislike towards Yue Li. Instead, it felt that this human was very amiable, and it moved forward voluntarily to rub against the palm of her hand. The soft fur''s touch made Yue Li''s eyes narrow happily. "Do you know this Flame-tailed Squirrel?" Yue Li looked at Qin Chuan curiously. The last time she came here, she hadn''t seen this little guy. "Mhm, when I was selecting a site here to build the shelter" Qin Chuan briefly shared his connection with the Flame-tailed Squirrel. After listening, Yue Li appeared contemplative. She stroked the Flame-tailed Squirrel and quietly spoke. "Why don''t we take it with us?" Chapter 72 - 72 What are your criteria for choosing a spouse? "Bring it along?" Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li in surprise. "Yeah, both of us have made a breakthrough to the Official Level and have our second Contract Slot now, so we should consider contracting a second Spiritual Beast," Yue Li said with a smile. "That''s true, but I am of the Water Attribute..." Qin Chuan''s expression showed a bit of difficulty. He really liked the flame-tailed squirrel, but Water and Fire Attributes didn''t exactly have much compatibility. Fire Attribute Extraordinary Power is essentially an invisible and intangible Super-flammable Material, but with an extremely high energy density. It only needs a very thin oxygen concentration to react violently and ignite, and even after long periods of burning, its consumption is still not significant. Exactly for this reason, although Fire Attribute power is strong, it still needs to follow corresponding science. Burning releases a lot of light and heat. This heat quickly raises the temperature of the water, turning it into gaseous water vapor, escaping the control of the Water Attribute Transcendent. The vaporization itself is an endothermic physical reaction, which in turn causes the reaction temperature to drop, also reducing the activity of the oxygen molecules, thus suppressing combustion. This meant that if Qin Chuan chose the flame-tailed squirrel as his second Contracted Spiritual Beast, using both types of Attributes might result in a "1+12" effect with the Water Attribute, Ice was the only choice. Ice is solid water, but the Ice Attribute is not limited to just ice. The reason it is called the Ice Attribute is that, for a Transcendent without any weapons, the most common ability they demonstrate is to solidify the water vapor in the air into ice. But its essence is the ability of the Ice Attribute''s extraordinary power to lower the temperature of other things below zero and gain some control over them, where the extent of control depends on the nature of the object that has been cooled. If the frozen object is water, it can be completely controlled; if it''s an opponent''s arm, total control becomes impossible. During their first Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, when Qin Chuan and Zhu Yuwei teamed up to fight against Ji Huai, Qin Chuan''s water stream was frozen into ice by Zhu Yuwei, and then the control shifted to Zhu Yuwei''s hands, turning it into her method of attack. This is a common application of the Ice Attribute powers. It was exactly because of this versatility that having both the Ice and Water Attributes could lead to many interesting combinations. "It should be the Ice Attribute." With that thought, Qin Chuan spoke softly, "It would be best if it has some interesting skills." To Qin Chuan, Dark Current Binding was a very interesting skill. It was not just a simple binding and control, but also about adding water pressure in any direction to the water flow, which is described in the skill''s description as "hiding powerful forces within the water." With the title of Water Master, Qin Chuan could easily condense water into the shape of a palm, but it remained static water, and its liquid nature wouldn''t change, making it unable to wield weapons or even be easily cut through with bare hands, let alone use it to grab objects. However, under the influence of Dark Current Binding, it was entirely different. When a long knife entered the Water Hand, it was like colliding with a high-pressure water jet. The powerful water pressure blocked the knife''s assault, indirectly making it "solid," with other applications following the same principle. Because of these interesting effects, Qin Chuan was able to continually develop new methods of use, such as the Water Hand he conjured during his first bout against Ji Huai, or the spinning and slashing of water against the Rat King. The latter was actually inspired by a drum washing machine. If the second Spiritual Beast he was to contract also had such interesting skills, that would be fantastic. "Your requirements aren''t few." Yue Li rested her chin in her hand and looked at Qin Chuan with a sideways glance, unable to hold back a laugh, "With all these conditions, when in the world will you find a second Spiritual Beast?" "Actually... it might not take that long." Qin Chuan laughed along, "As long as it pairs well with the Water Attribute, I can accept it. What I''ve mentioned are just personal hopes. What really decides if I can make a contract is the connection I feel." "It''s like relationship standards. You list a whole bunch, but maybe the person you end up with doesn''t match most of them." "Is that so?" Yue Li''s smile suddenly brightened, "So what are your relationship standards?" "I..." Qin Chuan faltered, meeting Yue Li''s smiling eyes, as if a warm current surged from his heart to his cheeks, making him involuntarily turn his head away, "I haven''t thought about it." Sarch* The n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Pfft~" Yue Li couldn''t help but laugh, sticking out her tongue and not continuing the topic. Chapter 73 - 73 The Coordination Method Between Prayer and Sun Needle Finally, Yue Li named the Flame-tail Squirrel as Little Red, a name as hastily given as Little Qing''s, making Qin Chuan feel like he finally had someone to share the burden of being terrible at naming. Little Red''s strength also skyrocketed after the contract. Originally just at Juvenile Stage Lv4, Yue Li first used an Experience Gem to raise it to Juvenile Stage Lv10, and then advanced it immediately using two random Low-level Resources and one chosen Low-level Resource exchanged from the Achievement Store. As everyone knows, in prayer, random equals chosen. If it weren''t for the lack of Experience Fruits and Experience Gems, Little Red might have reached Growth Rank Lv20 today. Inherently thrifty and obsessed with food, Little Red didn''t forget the small pile of food it had left in the shelter at the time of its departure. To celebrate its newfound power, Little Red took out all the food and shared it with everyone. After a hearty meal, the two humans and three beasts continued on their journey. Next, they entered regions that Qin Chuan had never ventured into before. The first talent of the Sun Needle suddenly became active. Almost every few steps, Qin Chuan would see a blinking cursor indicating resources within a one-kilometer range, the least being Energy Fruits. With Little Qing flying above and Water Flower on the ground, under Qin Chuan''s guidance, they could bring back quite a few resources each time, with Qin Chuan and Yue Li only needing to collect and sort them out, an efficiency that nearly made the newly contracted Little Red drop its Spiritual Beast snacks in fright. "You really scare people with your efficiency," Yue Li said with sparkling eyes as she watched the Item Equipment Bar get filled up. "Be honest, is your Talent ''Insight''? Many people think Insight has detecting effects." "Huh?" Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched slightly. "Isn''t the meaning of insight to see through the truth? How are resources the truth?" "Can''t there be some sincerity and trust between people? I really have a Purple Talent!" "Just kidding." Yue Li giggled. "But your Talent is really off the charts; Water Flower and Little Qing haven''t had a moment''s rest on this trip." "It''s mainly Experience Fruits, mostly those with Attributes we can''t use," Qin Chuan said with a laugh. Compared to his other two talents, Sun Needle''s first talent was a bit inferior. Although it could light up an indicator cursor when there were resources nearby, it wouldn''t tell you specific information about the resources. Many times, Little Qing and Water Flower would find them, only to discover they were Attribute Experience Fruits that weren''t needed. Though you could sell these things, collecting them would occupy most of the Item Equipment Bar and waste quite a bit of time. Qin Chuan simply had Little Qing and Water Flower leave them when encountered. It was also giving other Spiritual Beasts in the area a chance. Having said that, Qin Chuan stopped walking. "Compared to that, my second Talent is more useful." At this moment, they were about ten thousand meters away from the boundary of yesterday''s detection range. It was time to use the second Talent for a large-scale detection. "Shall we start?" Yue Li looked expectant. After Qin Chuan used this second Talent yesterday, he took her around the area, like turning on navigation, and there was a harvest wherever they went. The joy of being led was beyond imagination! But the next moment, Yue Li suddenly thought of something and grabbed Qin Chuan. "Wait a second." "I want to try something. I''ll add luck to you first and then see what happens when you detect resources." "Hm?" Qin Chuan was startled. Could you operate like that? He couldn''t help showing a sceptical expression. Though, admittedly, Prayer is a Gold Talent. But resources objectively exist; exploration merely uncovers their locations. What could luck possibly influence? "Give it a try~" Seeing Qin Chuan''s skepticism, Yue Li grabbed his hand and shook it twice, her eyes blinking. "Let''s give it a try then," Qin Chuan replied, tilting his head slightly, while Yue Li revealed a triumphant smile. As she clasped her hands together, light once again enveloped Qin Chuan. After Yue Li had used her Talent Effect, an idea crossed Qin Chuan''s mind. In the next instant, a map created by the second Talent appeared in front of him. Over a hundred resources were skillfully hidden by Qin Chuan, leaving only about twenty, and among them, one resource caused him to fall silent. "Is it useful?" Yue Li asked eagerly. "There''s a piece of Starshine Equipment Material, Wind Attribute, focused on speed," Qin Chuan disclosed the result of his scouting, then followed with some confusion, "You gave me luck, so why did we find something you need?" "Maybe" Yue Li''s eyes flickered, "your luck is too bad to carry through?" Qin Chuan: "???" "Just kidding!" Seeing Qin Chuan''s life-questioning expression, Yue Li chuckled, "Luck is such a mysterious thing, maybe the fortunate event has already happened, just not in searching for resources that suit you?" "Maybe that''s indeed the case," Qin Chuan accepted the explanation, finding it more comforting than "your luck is too bad to carry through." "At the location of that piece of Starshine Equipment Material, there''s also an Ice Attribute low-level resource," Qin Chuan took a deep breath, "This usually means" "There''s a Guardian Beast," Yue Li picked up the thread, "But this Guardian Beast is likely at the Growth Rank, posing no difficulty with our current strength." "That''s true," Qin Chuan laughed, "These two resources are on the inevitable path ahead of us, so we''ll find the other resources first, then head there last." sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lead the way, let''s go!" ----------------- On the inevitable path ahead of the two, there was a small Snow Ridge. A cold wind swept across the Snow Ridge, and the drifting snowflakes mingled in the wind, concealing unpredictable dangers in its natural beauty, the extremely low temperature capable of easily freezing frail beings to death. The wind swept past an entrance of an Ice Cave on the mountain, but the terrain prevented it from gushing into the cave. This Ice Cave was one of the relatively warmer spots on the Snow Ridge, where a three-meter-long White Wolf lay quietly, eyes tightly shut as if resting. Another gust of wind howled past the entrance of the Ice Cave, its scraping sound like a snow ghost''s wail, yet the White Wolf, long accustomed, paid it no heed. An inconspicuous snowflake seemed unintentional, fluttering and falling into the Ice Cave. Startled, the White Wolf abruptly opened its eyes, only to see that the snowflake swiftly grew and transformed into a small figure. At the same time this figure appeared, a snow-white long knife slashed down at the White Wolf''s head. "Awooo" It''s you again! The White Wolf''s roar echoed within the Ice Cave, its massive body surging instantly. The newcomer was far weaker than the White Wolf; a single clash sent them crashing against the cave''s inner wall. Before the White Wolf could strike again, the figure suddenly dispersed into countless snowflakes, blending into the cold wind outside. Only the fluctuating expressions of the White Wolf remained. Chapter 74 - 74: Choosing the Second Spiritual Beast! (End of Giveaway) "Is this the place where the Starshine Equipment Material is located?" Standing at the foot of Snow Ridge Mountain, looking up at the blizzard above, Yue Li cutely wrinkled her adorable nose, "It looks freezing just by looking at it." "Try this?" Qin Chuan pulled out two red fruits from the basket on his back, popped one into his mouth, and handed another to Yue Li, "Water Flower just found these nearby, they can warm up the body." "Where there''s a snake, there''s an antidote herb growing nearby, I think these fruits are for dealing with this kind of situation." "Okay." Yue Li took one and ate it. Before long, they both felt as if they were suddenly in the midst of the hottest days of summer; looking towards Snow Ridge Mountain no longer felt cold and they felt eager to rush in. Little Green descended from the high sky, circling at low altitude above their heads to dispel the cold winds, while Little Red hid in Yue Li''s arms, its flaming tail burning fiercely but not harming Yue Li, instead, it acted like a hand warmer. Water Flower''s four paws stepped on the snowy ground, shivering from the chill transmitted to its pads, it couldn''t resist shaking and started running wildly, even faster than usual. In no time, they saw the Ice Cave midway up the mountain. The White Wolf had already sensed their approach and let out a fierce howl, pouncing the moment they appeared, with an overbearing look that seemed to dismiss all others. A malevolent aura faced Qin Chuan and Yue Li, and a scan result appeared before both of them at the same time. [Spiritual Beast Species: Ice Demon Wolf] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Ice Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv20] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Ice Demon Wolf of the Ice Attribute Spirit Beast, a tyrant of the snowy plains, with formidable strength and a strong sense of territory.] Anyone not in the know would think you''re an Elite Rank, but who taught you to be so arrogant at Growth Rank? Expressions of speechlessness appeared on Qin Chuan and Yue Li''s faces at the same time. "Water Flower/Little Green, go!" ----------------- "Oooooo~" Watching the Ice Demon Wolf, shivering on the snow-covered ground with its paws over its head, Water Flower and Little Green both backed off and looked towards Qin Chuan and Yue Li behind them. Qin Chuan patted Water Flower on its head and casually walked into the Ice Cave; amidst the heartbroken expression of the Ice Demon Wolf, he quickly came out with two pieces of resources. "Here!" To Yue Li''s eager eyes, Qin Chuan smiled and handed over the Starshine Equipment Material to her while pocketing another piece, a low-level Ice Attribute resource called Cold Soul Essence. "Now I''ve also collected two pieces of equipment material," Yue Li nodded contentedly, fitting the materials into the forging page of the Starshine Equipment and then glancing at the Ice Demon Wolf, "This guy seems quite capable. Aren''t you considering contracting an Ice Attribute beast? Maybe consider this one?" Qin Chuan glanced at the Ice Demon Wolf, which looked back pitifully at him. The Special Affairs Group had shared a piece of intelligence before; there are two reliable methods for players to contract Spiritual Beasts: the first is reaching an agreement, where the beast willingly accepts the contract, and the other is forcing a contract after defeating the beast. Now that the Ice Demon Wolf had been defeated, it surely wouldn''t resist if he offered a contract. Contracting the Growth Rank Lv20 Ice Demon Wolf would save lots of cultivation resources, and the attributes were a good match too. But... "I''ll consider it," Qin Chuan said without hesitation, "This one surrenders too quickly; not a suitable choice for a Spiritual Beast." Water Flower and Little Green had barely shown their strength, and without much harm to it, the Ice Demon Wolf had already surrendered, a typical bully who fears the strong. Ice Demon Wolf: "???" Is there something wrong with abandoning the dark and turning to the light? "That''s true." Yue Li smiled, quite agreeing with Qin Chuan''s words, "Let''s keep looking then." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Saying so, the two turned and left. A flurry of snowflakes twinkled in the cold wind, quickly morphing into a figure. It watched through the vast blizzard as the two left, its icy crystal eyes showing thick grievances and anger before shattering back into the expanse of snow. ----------------- "We just managed to come down in time." At the base of Snow Ridge Mountain, as the last bit of warmth in their bodies faded, they both felt relieved. One step later, and they would''ve frozen stiff. Water Flower: "?" "Another fruitful day," Qin Chuan chuckled, "Let''s find a place nearby to rest." "Okay!" Yue Li nodded. After hours of searching for resources, their stamina had depleted and replenished over and over; they were ravenous by now. With the addition of the Flame-tailed Squirrel, even making fire had become easy. Finding a clear patch of ground, the two people and three beasts soon started to enjoy some warm food. While they were chatting and laughing, a chill wind blew by. Before Qin Chuan could react, a petite figure suddenly appeared, a snow-white long blade hanging from its lower back, charging rapidly toward Qin Chuan. "Woof!" Water Flower, the first to react, instantly tried to deploy her Blood Control Ability to interrupt the attacker''s move, but her usually infallible power lost its effect on this occasion. Light blue ripples spread out from under Water Flower''s feet. In a panic, she burst forth with effort, dragging behind her a string of afterimages as she viciously pounced toward the assailant. The attacker halted their momentum, and the long blade at their back flashed out of its sheath in an instant, slashing a blade of icy blue light toward Water Flower. Taking advantage of the moment Water Flower dodged to the side, they moved as lightly as a dandelion in the air, darting and pivoting, once again lunging at Qin Chuan. The howling wind caused them to sway back and forth, a pale green slash heading straight for their waist in the next instant. It was Xiao Qing''s turn to act. Just as everyone thought the attacker would be split in two, their body suddenly turned into countless snowflakes, willingly dispersing into the raging wind. One flake silently approached Qin Chuan and then suddenly coalesced back into the original form. Looking at Qin Chuan, who was just within reach, a flicker of joy passed through those ice crystal-like eyes. Just as Qin Chuan was about to be struck by the long blade, a Rapid Stream Break launched the attacker flying a dozen meters away, crashing against a rock before falling motionless. "That was close..." Yue Li let out a huge sigh of relief, and seeing Qin Chuan going over, quickly followed. A Spiritual Beast resembling a clear day doll lay fainted on the ground, no taller than the length of a forearm, with a rotating ice crystal snowflake behind its head and a snow-white long blade hung across its back. [Spiritual Beast Species: Frost Doll] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Ice Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv10] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Ice Attribute Spirit Beast Frost Doll, an assassin concealed within frost and snow, is endowed with unyielding belief thanks to the innate long blade.] Looking at the introduction text before him, Qin Chuan stroked his chin. The Frost Doll had just shattered into snow and then used a single snowflake to restore itself, a skill that immediately impressed Qin Chuan and piqued his interest. The courage it took to proactively attack an enemy stronger than itself pleased Qin Chuan as well. An idea began to take root in his heart. Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li. "What do you think... if I contract it?" ----------------- Lucky winners of the surrounding activities: 516th floor: Idqm 388th floor: The Child Who Can''t Fight 263rd floor: MHT Mu Qing Si Le 538th floor: I Won''t Share the Sky with Gambling Poison 75th floor: I Am a Cat Slave 364th floor: armos 121st floor: W Mo Ling Kong H 545th floor: Mo Xiao Shang 95th floor: Sogga the Emperor 394th floor: Book Friend 20180228090256622 202nd floor: I Will Wait for You Forever 175th floor: Chu Yu Han Xing 100th floor: The Clumsy Cat Who Loves to Nap 233 43rd floor: Kalin 566th floor: Shui Xuan Ruo Book friends who didn''t win, don''t lose heart. As long as this book keeps doing better, there will be more events like this. Book friends who haven''t joined the group, come and join us in blowing off steam! Chapter 75 - 75 Misunderstandings Cleared, Favorability Skyrockets "You want to contract the Frost Child?" Hearing Qin Chuan''s words, Yue Li blinked, a strange expression crossing her face, "Everything else aside, are you sure it won''t take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack after the contract?" After all, the Frost Child''s recent behavior seemed to indicate it was determined to fight Qin Chuan to the death. "Woof!" Water Flower barked loudly, her eyes filled with a hint of ferocity when she looked at the Frost Child. If it hadn''t been for her last-minute reaction, that creature could have injured Qin Chuan! "I think there must be some kind of misunderstanding here," Qin Chuan said seriously. He had never met the Frost Child before and certainly couldn''t have had any conflicts with it. Judging by the Frost Child''s introduction, it didn''t seem like the type of Spiritual Beast that was vicious by nature. So, there must be some hidden reason behind this. He decided to first contract the creature, then through the panel and communication, find out why it held such animosity towards him. Even if they couldn''t come to an understanding in the end, he could always dissolve the contract and find another Spiritual Beast to contract. With that thought in mind, Qin Chuan no longer hesitated to open the contract panel, aiming it at the unconscious Frost Child. The Frost Child''s image instantly appeared on the contract panel. [Spiritual Beast Species: Frost Child] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Ice Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv10][Advanced] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Fearless Heart] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 500] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 24%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Frost Cold (Passive), Frost Breaking Slash (Active), Seek Frost Trace (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: Ice Attribute Spirit Beast Frost Child, an assassin concealed within frost and snow, its innate long sword bestows it with an unyielding spirit.] 24% Affinity... Qin Chuan felt a twinge of discomfort in his teeth. It was indeed the first time he had seen such a low Affinity. Noticing that the Frost Child''s advanced interface was accessible, Qin Chuan casually clicked it open, and a look of astonishment spread across his face. He seemed to understand the reason behind the Frost Child''s attack. Just then, the Frost Child slowly came to. Sensing that it had been contracted, its expression changed rapidly. Its long sword drawn, the Frost Child was about to slash at Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan gestured to Water Flower to calm down and then took out the Cold Soul Essence he had just obtained. The Frost Child''s long sword instantly froze in place. Suspended in the air, it fixed its gaze on the piece of Cold Soul Essence, the desire evident in its eyes, yet filled with wariness. "Here, take it, no need to be so fierce!" Qin Chuan smiled, and the Cold Soul Essence vanished. It wasn''t retracted by him, but rather, he had inserted it into the Frost Child''s Advanced Array. This resource was one of the three that the Frost Child needed to advance. "Ying~" Feeling its Ice Attribute power becoming purified and strengthened, the Frost Child''s ice-crystal-like eyes revealed an exceedingly surprised expression; when it looked at Qin Chuan again, the fierceness was gone, replaced with a layer of frost mist from being touched. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In just a brief moment, Qin Chuan clearly saw the Frost Child''s Affinity skyrocket from 24% and finally settle at 71%. The rate at which the Affinity increased was indeed... "Did it attack us because of this?" Yue Li suddenly realized, standing aside. "Mhm, this is the Frost Child''s resource for advancement." Qin Chuan smiled as he looked towards the Frost Child, "Did you come after me because you were drawn to this resource?" After the appearance of Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts, there was once such a question on the Dream Realm Forum: "The evolution of Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts into Elite Rank is so difficult, even with a player''s assistance. How then do wild Elite Rank and even Hall Rank spiritual beasts come into existence?" Now, that question has a definite answer through inquiries with contracted Spiritual Beasts. Uncontracted Spiritual Beasts possess a trait called "Convergence." When they reach the state that requires advancement, they innately feel the mystical attraction of the resources needed for advancement. By following this allure to obtain the resources one by one, they can complete the evolution, and such a trait disappears once the Spiritual Beast is contracted. It was for this reason that Qin Chuan had this question. Unexpectedly, after he asked, Little Frost shook her head. "Ying~" ("This resource was originally mine...") "It was originally yours?" Qin Chuan blinked, and then it was as if a current ran through his mind, "Did the Ice Demon Wolf steal it from you?" Little Frost nodded vigorously, "Ying ying ying," protesting against the atrocity of the Ice Demon Wolf. According to her account, after the Ice Demon Wolf stole the resource, she followed it to this Snow Ridge and would bother it every so often in an attempt to take back the resource. With the uniqueness of her skills, even when facing the Ice Demon Wolf, she could come away unharmed, and so this stalemate continued. Each harassment brought her a little more progress than before. Originally, according to Little Frost''s plan, she would eventually be able to take it by surprise or annoy the Ice Demon Wolf enough to make it give up the Cold Soul Essence. But Qin Chuan appeared and took the Cold Soul Essence from the Ice Demon Wolf. This made Little Frost feel like she was about to lose the Cold Soul Essence forever, and in the end, she took a desperate risk. "So that''s how it was." Listening to Little Frost''s story, both Qin Chuan and Yue Li were somewhere between laughing and crying, even Water Flower, who had been the most annoyed by Little Frost before, felt a bit more sympathy and pity for her now. Poor little fellow. If it weren''t for Qin Chuan''s intention to contract her, Little Frost might have met her end here. "Anyway, the misunderstanding is cleared up now." Qin Chuan patted Little Frost''s head, "Not only the Cold Soul Essence, but I will also help you find the remaining two Low-level Resources so you can complete the evolution as soon as possible." "Ying~" Little Frost''s eyes, like icy crystals, became misty as she was moved once more. Qin Chuan then distinctly saw Little Frost''s Affinity jump directly from 71% to 79%. She was like an innocent child new to the world, who gained enormous favor just by receiving a promise. "Don''t cry, don''t cry." Qin Chuan hurriedly stroked Little Frost''s head again and then continued to check her stat panel. Fearless Heart wasn''t like Grass and Wood Recognition, where the effect was obvious at first glance. However, after tapping lightly on the trait, Qin Chuan saw its introduction. [Fearless Heart: Will not harbor any fear towards combat, gains enhanced combat skills when facing opponents more powerful than oneself.] This trait... Really isn''t bad at all. Unlike Water Flower''s auxiliary traits, Fearless Heart is a battle-related trait. This pleased Qin Chuan greatly. He then proceeded to open Little Frost''s skills one by one. [Frost Cold: Passive Skill, lowers the temperature within a certain radius around the Spiritual Beast.] [Frost Breaking Slash: Active Skill, unleashes a powerful cold slash with a longsword that instantly freezes the target and cuts them.] [Seek Frost Trace: Active Skill, disperses oneself into countless snowflakes, able to appear at the location of any one snowflake within ten seconds.] Reading through the three skills'' descriptions, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but inhale sharply in astonishment. He suddenly felt like he had found a treasure. Wait... found a treasure? Qin Chuan suddenly turned his gaze towards Yue Li. Could this have something to do with the luck Yue Li added? Chapter 76 - 76 Two Number Ones on the Spiritual Beast List? "You see, I told you something lucky has already happened," Qin Chuan said, after recounting Frost Baby''s skills, Yue Li smiled and spoke, "Congratulations on acquiring such an excellent second Spiritual Beast." "Chirp Chirp~" Little Red, being held in Yue Li''s arms, couldn''t help but chime in. "Little Red is also very excellent," Yue Li caressed Little Red''s tail as she spoke softly. Little Red immediately felt vindicated. Hearing Yue Li call the Flame Tail Squirrel "Little Red," Qin Chuan suddenly remembered that Frost Baby also needed a name. He couldn''t help but glance at Frost Baby, and feeling Qin Chuan''s gaze, Frost Baby, who was whispering with Water Flower, subconsciously looked over. As their eyes met, an idea flashed through Qin Chuan''s mind. Ice Attribute, assassin... "From now on, your name is Ice Cream, how about that?" "Ying~" The newly named Ice Cream nodded vigorously, its crystal eyes filled with joy, sparkling in the sunlight. "Ice Cream still needs two low-level resources, right?" Yue Li smiled slightly, "Luckily, you found an Earth Attribute low-level resource yesterday, if you exchange it for the needed Ice Attribute at the trading hall, and then exchange for a random low-level resource at the Achievement Store, you can advance Ice Cream." "I might need to exchange two pieces," Qin Chuan shook his head, "I''ve already sold that Earth Attribute low-level resource for a low price to a very important friend." "He just happened to need the Earth Crystal to advance his own Spiritual Beast." "I see," Yue Li''s eyes sparkled subtly, "Speaking of which, it seems less common for girls to contract Earth Attribute Spiritual Beasts?" "I haven''t really paid attention to that," Qin Chuan spoke without thinking, "But that friend of mine is a boy." Yue Li''s lips curled slightly, her tone becoming a bit lighter involuntarily, "Since the Earth Crystal is already used, tomorrow I''ll add some luck for you, and you can exchange for two random resources." "Okay." After speaking, Qin Chuan subconsciously glanced at the time, "The daily settlement is about to begin." As his words faded, rows of text appeared before his eyes. [Ranking List Daily Settlement Begins] [Congratulations to the Player for achieving 1st place on the Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage), Experience Gem +10] [Congratulations to the Player for achieving 1st place on the Spiritual Beast List (Growth Rank), Experience Gem +50] [Congratulations to the Player for achieving 2nd place on the Extraordinary List, Spiritual Beast Snack +8] [Congratulations to the Player for achieving 1st place on the Achievement Leaderboard, Achievement Key +2] Wait, did I see something wrong? Qin Chuan rubbed his eyes and looked at the settlement list again. Indeed, there were two 1st place titles on the Spiritual Beast List. One for the Juvenile Stage and one for the Growth Rank. The first place in the Growth Rank was naturally Water Flower, so the first place in the Juvenile Stage was... Qin Chuan turned his head sharply to look at the innocently expressing Ice Cream. Without a word, he quickly opened the Ranking List and switched to the Juvenile Stage of the Spiritual Beast List. [Spiritual Beast List (Juvenile Stage) 1st Place] [Zone: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Listed Spiritual Beast: Frost Baby] [Current Rank of Listed Spiritual Beast: Juvenile Stage Lv10] [Notable Records: Began challenging Ice Demon Wolves at Growth Rank Lv20 multiple times while at Juvenile Stage Lv10 and emerging unscathed.] "Ah, I see..." Qin Chuan understood. The Spiritual Beast List also accounted for Frost Baby''s achievements before contracting with him. But it also made sense, as these were indeed the basis of Frost Baby''s personal strength. Once the Spiritual Beast breaks through to the Growth Rank, the previous Juvenile Stage records would no longer be relevant and new records would be noted. Unfortunately, the repeated challenges initiated by the Frost Doll couldn''t be counted towards achievements. Because achievements are for players, only behaviors after the Spiritual Beast Contract can earn corresponding achievements. However... Qin Chuan turned his head and glanced at the towering Snow Ridge not far away. Challenging ten more times to earn an achievement doesn''t seem too much, right? At that moment, a certain Ice Demon Wolf on Snow Ridge couldn''t help but shiver. So cold... "What''s wrong?" Noticing Qin Chuan''s unusual expression, Yue Li, who had just finished collecting her rewards, curiously asked. "I seem to have occupied the first place on the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List again." Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly, telling Yue Li about his recent discovery. "So that''s what it is." Yue Li nodded in understanding, "Little Red is now at the 17th place on the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List, and I just received both the top ten and top hundred rewards simultaneously." "Because the Spiritual Beast List features Contracted Spiritual Beasts, players can receive rewards multiple times," explained Yue Li, while switching back to the Juvenile Stage list, "Huh? Why is it still him?" "What happened?" Qin Chuan curiously looked. "Look at this second place." Yue Li''s expression was somewhat peculiar, "Before, we were the first and second on the Juvenile Stage list, and he was third." "We have advanced to the Growth Rank list, so he should have been the first on the Juvenile Stage." "And now, he''s been pressed down to second place by you again." Qin Chuan, looking at the player named "KA" on the leaderboard, awkwardly scratched his head, "He''s not cursing me, is he?" The response he got was a teasing roll of Yue Li''s eyes. "What do you think?" ----------------- "This damned ''Luo'', why is he haunting me?!" In District 3675''s another area, a male player sat on a large rock, clutching his head with both hands, his expression fierce, growing gradually flushed. KA was a lucky player; upon entering Dream World, he encountered a gentle Juvenile Stage Lv10 Spiritual Beast and successfully contracted with it. And that Contracted Spiritual Beast had even absorbed an advanced resource. This not only saved him one advanced resource needed for progression, but also made his Spiritual Beast stronger than a regular Juvenile Stage Lv10, leading to victory after victory. This record kept his ranking on the Spiritual Beast List consistently in third place. The two ranked above him, each more perverted than the last. The one ranked first, Luo, had a Lv7 Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast that could kill a Lv12 Growth Rank. The second, Yue Li, had a Spiritual Beast that repeatedly challenged Lv11 Growth Rank and still came back unscathed. There was a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast near the area where KA was, but his Contracted Spiritual Beast, despite fusing with an advanced resource, could only scurry away in its presence. He finally plucked up the courage to take initiative and challenge, trying to emulate Yue Li, only to almost have to restart on the spot. After such a setback, KA gave up on the idea of surpassing those two freaks. S~ea??h the ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unexpectedly, after the weekly settlement ended, Luo and Yue Li advanced one after another, and he managed to be first on the daily settlement just once before being pushed down again by another of Luo''s Contracted Spiritual Beasts. And the Achievements of this Frost Doll seemed even more perverted. Thinking of this, KA wept like a man. Next time he entered Dream World, he would be able to exchange for the last advanced resource! He couldn''t stand staying in the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List for one more second! ----------------- Qin Chuan, waking up in the real world, was completely unaware that there was someone in this world shedding tears over him. The moment he sat up from the bed, he opened his Extraordinary Value panel. [Current Extraordinary Value: 2075] [Current Passive Skills: Water Master, Frost Cold] [Current Active Skills: Dark Current Binding, Seek Frost Trace] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] Looking at the brand new skills and the further increased Extraordinary Value, Qin Chuan chuckled. Starting today, he could use the abilities of two different Attributes simultaneously! Chapter 77 - 77 Special Affairs Cooperation Agreement "Qin Chuan, why does it seem like you''re really happy today?" In the classroom, after turning his head to look at Qin Chuan with suspicion for the sixteenth time, Xiao Pang couldn''t help but ask. "Yep, there is indeed something to be happy about." Qin Chuan didn''t hide it, after all, Xiao Pang already knew that he had been promoted to an Official Level Player, "I''ve contracted a second Spiritual Beast." "That was quick." Xiao Pang couldn''t help but sigh, "Contracting a second Spiritual Beast is great, not only does the Extraordinary Value limit double, but you can also use two different Attributes at the same time, and it gives you many more options for Skill combinations." "That''s true." Qin Chuan nodded. Water Flower has three Skills, and Ice Cream has two, so I have five Skills to choose two from for carrying, which means there are many more combination possibilities. Once Ice Cream successfully advances tomorrow, it will be choosing two out of six. "What Attribute is the second Spiritual Beast?" Little Fatty became curious. "As for that, you''ll find out in tonight''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Class." Qin Chuan didn''t reveal it right then but left him in suspense. If everything went as expected, in today''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, Ji Huai would surely announce the results of yesterday''s combat assessment, and by then, my breakthrough news would reach all four classes. "Fine then." Xiao Pang smacked his lips and asked no further. Sitting in the row in front of Qin Chuan, Du Xia silently took out her phone and began to type rapidly, sending a message to a small group with a few good sisters in it. Clouds at Dawn: "I just overheard Qin Chuan and Li Xian talking, Qin Chuan seems to be an Official Level Player already! And he''s even contracted his second Spiritual Beast!" A few minutes later, that message spread through the entire class like the wind. Originally chatting lively in the front row and boasting to other classmates about getting an Advanced resource, Zhang Yangwang glanced at his phone and suddenly felt emo. Thankfully, his emo moment didn''t last too long. Because the teacher in charge entered the classroom promptly with the ring of the class bell. "Class is in session!" ----------------- "Qin Chuan, want to grab something to eat from the snack bar?" The first two classes of the morning passed quickly, and during the long break, Xiao Pang stood up and invited Qin Chuan next to him. This morning, the pocket money Dad gave him had suddenly increased, and he knew exactly what he was going to do with it. "Sure." Qin Chuan nodded, feeling a bit hungry after finishing two classes. But before he could stand up, a figure walked briskly into the classroom. The classmates all looked at him and were collectively taken aback. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Is Qin Chuan here?" Zhou Zixiu ignored the surprised looks from the other students and spoke with a pleasant smile, "Come out for a moment, I have something to discuss with you in advance about tonight''s Extraordinary Theory Class." "I''m here!" Qin Chuan stood up and patted Xiao Pang''s shoulder, "Looks like you''ll have to go to the snack bar alone." "Okay then." Xiao Pang felt the money in his pocket. As a good friend, today he was going to eat double the amount of grilled sausages to make up for Qin Chuan''s share too! Watching Zhou Zixiu leave the classroom, Qin Chuan quickly followed, a hint of doubt in his heart. Extraordinary Theory Class, what could he want to discuss with me about that? Right, the content recently covered is the Water Attribute, and I just so happen to have that Attribute. Could that be the reason? Zhou Zixiu glanced at the students coming and going in the corridor, then looked at Qin Chuan, "It''s not convenient to talk here, I''ve reserved a small meeting room, let''s talk there." Although he was the teacher for the Extraordinary Theory Class, Zhou Zixiu didn''t have an office at the school. "Alright, Teacher Zhou." Qin Chuan had no objection. The two quickly found a small meeting room and, after closing the door, Zhou Zixiu signaled Qin Chuan to sit down, "What''s your view on the Special Affairs Group?" "Hm?" Qin Chuan glanced at Zhou Zixiu unexpectedly and, after a moment of thought, spoke carefully, "I think this department has contributed greatly to the current stable order of Yanhuang Country and has helped many domestic Transcendents." This was the truth. The Special Affairs Group was now Yanhuang Country''s biggest official department, possessing the ability to relay any political directive to the grassroots instantly, as well as the capacity to deal with all sorts of extraordinary events swiftly. Without its existence, Yanhuang Country, as the most populous nation in the world, would undoubtedly be in chaos following the Extraordinary Descent. And the selfless public sharing of information about the Dream World by the Special Affairs Group greatly reduced the trial and error costs for countless Players within Yanhuang Country, giving ordinary people a chance to become stronger through the Dream World. "It seems you rate the Special Affairs Group quite highly." Zhou Zixiu smiled, pulling out a kraft paper envelope, "Given that, I think you''ll find this agreement interesting." Qin Chuan looked at the kraft paper envelope in front of him, then back at Zhou Zixiu. When Zhou Zixiu asked him about his opinion on the Special Affairs Group, he already had a feeling that what Zhou wanted to discuss with him might not be about the Extraordinary Theory Class. And now, that feeling had been confirmed. Zhou Zixiu''s purpose in seeking him out was probably to recruit him. Was it because during yesterday''s combat assessment, I showed the power of an Official Level Player? After thinking it over, that was the only reason Qin Chuan could come up with. "Teacher Zhou, does being promoted to an Official Level Player qualify one to join the Special Affairs Group?" "It''s not that simple." Zhou Zixiu still wore that smile, "Did you forget your act of bravery in stepping forward to do the right thing? For joining an official department like the Special Affairs Group, this is a very significant plus." A hero''s deed? Qin Chuan was taken aback, then he remembered something. It was that fugitive named Zhang Zhe. That was the first time he brought Water Flower''s Skill into reality, using Dark Current Binding to trip up the fleeing suspect, which counted as assisting the Special Affairs Group''s arresting officer. Although he wore a baseball cap at the time, he never thought he could keep it a secret from the Special Affairs Group with such a rudimentary method. It was just an instinctive act of self-protection after he had just acquired Extraordinary Power. Now half a month had passed since that incident, and it was within reason for the Special Affairs Group to know that he was involved. Being strong and having a history of heroic deeds, hence being approached by the Special Affairs Group, did make sense. But receiving such an invitation out of the blue left Qin Chuan somewhat disconcerted. Armed with a Golden Finger like Time Stop and the Talent of the Golden Sun Needle, he couldn''t immediately determine what kind of impact joining the Special Affairs Group would have. This prevented him from speaking out right away with a definitive answer. "Moreover, this agreement isn''t about joining the Special Affairs Group." Zhou Zixiu shifted the topic. "I know you might have some doubts." Noticing Qin Chuan''s hesitation, he smiled lightly, "My suggestion is, take a look at the contract first." "After all, it''s not like you''ll lose a piece of flesh by looking." Fair enough. Zhou Zixiu''s words did offer a moment of clarity amidst Qin Chuan''s confusion. Check the contract first, then decide. Opening the kraft paper, a large title on the signature page appeared before his eyes. "Special Affairs Group Special Emergency Cooperation Agreement" Chapter 78 - 78 Ji Huai: Qin Chuan steps forward! Qin Chuan flipped open the contract, and rows of clauses appeared before his eyes. As he skimmed through it, Zhou Zixiu''s voice reached his ears. "This contract is known as the Special Affairs Collaboration Agreement." "You can think of it as a contract for auxiliary personnel." "In the not too distant future, there will be more and more powerful Transcendents appearing. The Special Affairs Group cannot possibly admit every powerful Transcendent, but it also cannot ignore such formidable combat forces. In potential future emergencies, every bit of strength is important." "Hence, such an agreement was created..." By the time Zhou Zixiu had finished explaining the background and reasons behind the agreement''s inception, Qin Chuan had also roughly looked over the content of the agreement. Overall, it was a rather lenient agreement. It was not the same as what he had imagined before, becoming a member of the Special Affairs Group and carrying out its tasks every day. The Special Affairs Group would only invite him and other Transcendents who had signed this agreement to assist when there were emergencies that the Special Affairs Group personnel could not successfully handle. Moreover, not every call for assistance was mandatory. According to the terms of the agreement, he could choose whether to participate and, if he did, he would receive a reward from the Special Affairs Group based on the extent of his contribution after the mission was over. Once he signed this contract, he would obtain two benefits. First was a fixed monthly subsidy. The current subsidy was five thousand a month. Later, as Qin Chuan demonstrated greater strength or accrued contributions through multiple assistance tasks, the subsidy could increase. Second was related privileges in the Dream Exchange. Just by signing this agreement, when he and regular players needed to trade for the same resource, he could trade first. Beyond this, his trading records would be given a higher level of confidentiality. Even within the Special Affairs Group, a higher clearance level would be required to view them. Having read the agreement, many of Qin Chuan''s doubts were eased. Like numerous Transcendents in Yanhuang Country, he had a favorable impression of the Special Affairs Group and was willing to do whatever was within his power for them. All his doubts and hesitations were merely due to his own special circumstances, but this very lenient agreement gave him a good sense of security. "I''m currently a senior in high school and plan to go to university in the future. I might not have so much time to assist the Special Affairs Group with emergencies. This says that I can choose whether to participate, is that true?" Qin Chuan pointed at the clause and confirmed. "Indeed, you can choose for yourself," Zhou Zixiu pointed at the contract, "However, this contract is only for one year. If you refuse all invitations for assistance within the year of the contract, it will not be renewed." "This will not be explained on paper, but I need to make it clear to you." "No problem," Qin Chuan quickly replied. Within a year, he would surely find a few occasions where he could be of help, right? Such a requirement was nothing to him. After thoroughly reviewing the agreement and making sure there were no issues, Qin Chuan finally signed his name and filled out the bank account number for receiving the monthly subsidy and the mailing address. "Congratulations, you are now one of the auxiliary personnel in collaboration with the Special Affairs Group," Zhou Zixiu picked up the contract and glanced at it, "Two copies in total, one of which will be mailed to your address after being stamped by the Special Affairs Group." "Besides that, there''s one more thing." Zhou Zixiu looked at Qin Chuan and smiled slightly, "The warrant for Zhang Zhe''s arrest, the reward is one million." "During the capture process, you interfered with Zhang Zhe, preventing him from rushing into the crowd and causing possible casualties. After discussing it, we''ve decided that one hundred thousand of it is yours." "This money will be transferred to your card today." Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up. He hadn''t really thought about the reward money; after all, what he did at the time was just a simple gesture. Now, there was an unexpected bonus. One hundred thousand, plus the two hundred thousand given by the chubby boy''s father yesterday, meant he wouldn''t have to worry about financial issues for a while, even with the steep price increase of Diamond powder due to frequent purchases by Water Attribute Transcendents he could afford to buy with confidence. Putting the contract into a kraft paper bag, Zhou Zixiu suddenly seemed to remember something else and smiled again. "There''s one more thing." "The results of yesterday''s tactical combat assessment are out. They will be announced during tonight''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, but I can let you know in advance that you scored 100 points," Zhou Zixiu''s voice paused slightly, "In the entire Changxing City, there are only three students who scored 100 this time." "Keep up the good performance in the upcoming practical assessments, and you have a high chance of being directly admitted to Yenbei or Huaqing''s Extraordinary Practical Department." "Thanks to Tang Qiuyi, that guy," Zhou Zixiu chuckled, "If he hadn''t made the decision at the critical moment to not stop the assessment, you would have only gotten 60 points." Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up again. Direct admission! That meant he could go to university directly without taking the college entrance exam. And those were two of the best universities in Yanhuang Country. For him, this opportunity was irresistible. "I''ll definitely participate in the upcoming practical combat assessments," Qin Chuan said without hesitation. "Put the practical combat assessments aside for now," Zhou Zixiu''s eyes gleamed with a touch of schadenfreude, patting Qin Chuan on the shoulder, "Ji Huai is quite interested in you after learning of your score." Qin Chuan''s expression immediately became quite animated. ----------------- "The results of yesterday''s practical combat assessment have come in." In the evening''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, after the customary two rounds of practicing boxing techniques, Ji Huai, facing numerous tense gazes, spoke calmly. "Even if I don''t announce the results, you should all have a rough idea of your own performance." "Considering that for the vast majority of you, this was your first time facing a Demon Beast, I will not criticize this time. Practice harder; next time, don''t drag down your teammates in the practical assessments." As Ji Huai''s words were spoken, many in the ranks showed embarrassed looks. Unlike the smoothly performing Group Ten, other groups had made quite a few blunders during the mission, and in some cases, members disagreed with each other and almost came to blows. "The scores of the practical assessments, look for yourselves after class," Ji Huai had no intention of wasting class time on such a trivial matter, "Now, Qin Chuan, step forward!" From within the ranks, Qin Chuan''s lips twitched slightly. When Zhou Zixiu mentioned Ji Huai''s interest in him earlier in the day, he anticipated that his evening''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Class might not go smoothly. As he stepped forward, pairs of curious eyes inevitably followed him. They were curious about why Qin Chuan was called out by name. Of course, there were also many who had heard of Qin Chuan''s promotion to Official Level Player, now showing a knowing "as expected" expression. "In this practical combat assessment, Qin Chuan is one of the three in Changxing City to receive a perfect score," Ji Huai mentioned offhandedly, and then looked at Qin Chuan, "For today''s practical combat sparring, you and I will have a one-on-one challenge." Sar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As his words fell, an uproar erupted amidst the ranks. Qin Chuan''s expression darkened. As expected, he just knew it would come to this! Chapter 79 - 79: Qin Chuan vs Ji Huai On the big sports field, over two hundred students sat at the junction between the central grass lawn and plastic track, forming a circle as they looked at the two figures standing afar in the field, with constant discussions buzzing among them. Now, everyone knew that Qin Chuan had broken through. They were filled with anticipation for the battle about to commence. "Are you ready?" Ji Huai gazed at Qin Chuan twenty meters away, and asked with a deep voice. Qin Chuan turned his head and glanced behind him. One end of a hose was connected to a water faucet in the distance, while the other end rested on the grass, gushing water for a while now. At this moment, the grass under his feet had become quite muddy, and he could extract several cubic meters of water for combat whenever he wished. After reaching the Official level, the volume of water he needed for battle couldn''t be satisfied with just a few liters. Opening a large box weighing about ten pounds and full of diamond powder, Qin Chuan slowly spoke. "I''m ready." The moment Qin Chuan''s words fell, Ji Huai''s legs explosively exerted force, instantly digging a small pit in the lawn beneath him and charging toward Qin Chuan like a cheetah. With the enhancement from the Extraordinary Cultivation Method, his speed easily surpassed the world record set before the Extraordinary Descent, covering ten meters in the blink of an eye. "Ding dang" The wrist that Ji Huai slowly raised was adorned with large metal rings that reflected cold white light under the night lamps. In an instant, they disassembled and reformed into a Horse-cutting Saber. As the saber materialized, Ji Huai had already reached in front of Qin Chuan, with the two and a half meter long Horse-cutting Saber drawing a crescent arc in the darkness, slashing horizontally! "Clang" A Water Hand enveloped with countless diamond powder particles instantly grasped the sharp blade of the Horse-cutting Saber with the aid of Dark Current Binding, turning the fragile stream of water into something as unbreakable as iron tongs. Even with Ji Huai''s strength, he momentarily couldn''t pull his weapon away. Another stream of water shot toward Ji Huai''s face at the same moment, turning into a thin water membrane spanning two to three square meters near his head, attempting to envelop Ji Huai''s head. Should it succeed, Ji Huai''s mouth and nose would be instantly sealed. Although his current physical condition allowed him to hold his breath for nearly ten minutes, the rapid depletion of stamina during combat meant that holding his breath for over a minute could have negative impacts. Ji Huai, who knew this as well, suddenly revealed a flash of red in his eyes. The next moment, he opened his mouth and expelled a flame wrapped in terrifying heat, which instantly landed on the water membrane. The intensely boiling water turned to gas in an instant, and the countless diamond powder particles that had been exposed to the flames shone brightly one final time before turning into carbon dioxide and dispersing. At the same time, the Horse-cutting Saber, which was tightly grasped by the Water Hand, turned red-hot in that instant, as if it had just been removed from the forging furnace, with temperatures soaring to over a thousand degrees vaporizing the water stream that was in direct contact. Ji Huai, who had been in an awkward situation just moments ago, now coolly pulled out the long saber, and while slashing at Qin Chuan once more, the flame rising from the blade lit up half of the sports field. Ji Huai''s second contracted Spiritual Beast was of the Fire Attribute! Qin Chuan''s pupils suddenly constricted. In the past practical combat classes and exchanges, even when facing the joint attack of over two hundred students, Ji Huai had never used his second attribute, as one was enough to be skillful. Fortunately, Qin Chuan had now also contracted a second Spiritual Beast. "Crack" In just a split second, the temperature within a five-meter radius centered on Qin Chuan plummeted below zero, and the water vapor in the air instantly condensed, forming a large area of frost on the grass and Ji Huai''s body. Sarch* The N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sudden drop in temperature caused the burning flames to dim sharply, and the exposed blade was instantly intercepted by a water stream exhaling cold air. "Clang" Another sound of metal clashing echoed across the sports field. Under the night''s lamplight, the currents of water sparkled as if countless jewels were shimmering within, the seeping chill extinguishing the red-hot blade in an instant. The mixture of ice and water was the most suitable state for Qin Chuan''s dual attributes at this stage. Within the water at zero degrees, the content of tiny ice crystals, making up 10% of the mixture, could strengthen the flow of water. The fact that this icy liquid could swiftly solidify into ice or melt back into water made Qin Chuan''s attacks even more flexible. Knowing that Ji Huai might seek him out for a sparring match, he would not have failed to prepare. "Crack" The uneven alternation between cold and heat caused the blade in Ji Huai''s grasp to snap instantly, but Qin Chuan didn''t miss this precious opportunity. A thick shard shot out from within the water current, already transformed into a razor-sharp ice cone by the time it reached Ji Huai. "Boom!!!" Regaining his composure, Ji Huai extended a hand in haste, grasping the ice cone tightly while bursting forth with intense flames. The power of the Fire Attribute collided with that of the Ice Attribute in an instant, and although the terrifying heat could not break through the suppression of the Frost Cold, it still effortlessly turned the solid ice into steam within its reach. The rising steam, once freed from the fiery domain, was turned into layers of frost mist by the cold, then dispersed by the shockwave of the collision, instantly obstructing the visibility between the two fighters. Taking advantage of the cover of the frost mist, Ji Huai''s figure rapidly retreated, creating a distance of about five meters from Qin Chuan in the blink of an eye. "Ice Attribute?" Ji Huai''s voice carried a more somber tone, "From a contract last night?" The reason he asked was that he had watched Qin Chuan''s combat assessment video from the previous day, in which this power had not been demonstrated. "Yes." Qin Chuan pursed his lips slightly, uplifted at having fended off Ji Huai, yet he dared not become complacent too early. The observing students were already astir with excitement. Who, after sparring for so long, could fend off Ji Huai head-on? This was Changxing City''s number one fighter! And now, Qin Chuan had done it! In an instant, the way people looked at Qin Chuan was filled with admiration, as if he had become a master on the same level as Ji Huai. "Not bad." Ji Huai spoke indifferently, not continuing the attack but instead pulling two uneven silver-white metal rods from his waist, each with the thickness of a finger joint, and attaching them to the long blade in his hand. Watching as the long blade consumed the two metal rods and the color turned dark and profound, Qin Chuan''s expression immediately became stern. Alloys! By adding a small proportion of other metals to one kind of metal, the resulting fully mixed alloy could potentially see great improvements in strength, hardness, and other attributes. Though they were both silver-white, Qin Chuan was certain those two rods were not made of iron. Ji Huai''s blade had snapped under rapid temperature fluctuation, thus the alloys he now added must be related to that! "Let''s go again!" The moment Ji Huai''s voice fell, he was already charging at Qin Chuan with the newly forged Horse-cutting Saber. As the Horse-cutting Saber approached Qin Chuan, the fiery red blade flared up, its heat soaring high enough that even the Frost Cold couldn''t completely suppress it. "Boom!!!" Watching the Water Hand, brimming with cold air, again blocked the advance but remained undamaged through the alternating cold and heat, and bursting with terrifying heat that rapidly sliced through the water current, Qin Chuan''s complexion turned grave. Ji Huai, terrible indeed! Chapter 80 - 80: Cooking Up Personal Favors "Clang" "Ting" The howling winds, the roaring flames, and the clash of metal intermingled, resonating continuously across the training ground. With the new alloy material, Ji Huai held nothing back; his weapon was no longer limited to the Horse-cutting Saber as he reverted to the variable weapon mode. Feeling immense pressure, Qin Chuan became momentarily careless after several rounds, allowing the flaming lance to pierce through his Water Hand. Just as the sharp tip of the spear was about to puncture a hole in Qin Chuan''s body, Ji Huai instinctively held back but sensed something was amiss. It was not until Qin Chuan''s body transformed into countless flying snowflakes, causing the sharp spear to stab the air, that Ji Huai realized what was wrong. Qin Chuan had another skill he had not used before. Watching the drifting frost snow, Ji Huai withdrew his lance, his muscles tensing. A flake of snow that drifted behind Ji Huai flickered with light, revealing Qin Chuan''s figure. Sensing the movement immediately, Ji Huai did not turn his head; his lance thrust backward from his hip in a flash, the blade ablaze as he accurately thrust it towards Qin Chuan''s position. But Qin Chuan, prepared and faster, had already controlled the water on the ground to rise swiftly, forming a barrier in front of him. As it blocked the blade, a freezing chill emanated from the wall of water, quickly suppressing the fierce flames at the spear''s tip. One-by-one, hands reached out from the wall of water, clamping down on the blade fiercely. At the same time, countless spikes emerged from the water, transforming into icy spikes fiercely aimed at Ji Huai. Ji Huai''s expression remained calm. In an instant, as his other hand lifted, a shield-sword was already in his grasp; with a slant and a chop, he shattered the incoming icy spikes and swung, striking the wall of water with a crimson flame. With a forceful and powerful strike, he split the water barrier, slicing Qin Chuan into a sky full of frost snow again; the spear freed itself, and combining with the shield-sword, it transformed into a Heavy Halberd in Ji Huai''s grip. "Huff" Ji Huai blew fiercely towards the frost snow, the intense blaze rapidly spreading, a deep explosive sound roaring like a demon, against the cold frost, instantly sublimating much of the frost snow formed by Qin Chuan. Having observed once, he pinpointed Qin Chuan''s flaw right away. Qin Chuan''s shadow, forced out with a bitter smile, found the Heavy Halberd resting upon his neck. Ultimately, his Extraordinary Value was much inferior. If Qin Chuan''s Frost Cold could suppress Ji Huai''s flames, the outcome would still be uncertain. "Good use of the attribute," Ji Huai rarely spoke a word of praise, "your Ice Attribute Skill would be best paired with a weapon." Qin Chuan knew Ji Huai was referring to Seek Frost Trace. He had also realized this. Because Seek Frost Trace could transform everything he carried into snow, including weapons. On the other hand, paired with water flow, an attribute that needed manipulation, Seek Frost Trace''s advantage could not be fully utilized. The person moved, but the water remained in place. There was evasion, but it lacked the element of surprise in attack. "How long does it take you to get home from school?" Ji Huai suddenly asked. Qin Chuan, puzzled, estimated and then replied, "About twenty minutes." "Starting today, stay an hour after combat class," Ji Huai left these words and strode towards the other students, "Combat training, begin." The students watching this battle each seemed invigorated as if injected with adrenaline, each fighting with extra vigor. Only Qin Chuan fell into deep thought. What was the extra hour for? And now that he had made a breakthrough, who would he spar with in upcoming combat training? ----------------- Sear?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Half an hour of combat training quickly ended. The other students gradually went home, leaving only Qin Chuan and Xiao Pang, who after saying their goodbyes, remained behind. With no one else on the training ground, Ji Huai approached Qin Chuan, "Every day for an hour, I will instruct you in mastering a type of Weapon Skill." "You choose which one." "Eh?" Qin Chuan was momentarily stunned, and then his eyes burst with surprise. This had already exceeded what Ji Huai typically taught in his classesit was what people call "extra lessons." But Qin Chuan had his doubts. "Teacher Ji, I heard that martial arts training takes a long time to build a foundation, often requiring several years just to grasp the basics. Is one hour a day really enough?" "Others'' methods might not be sufficient, but mine is," Ji Huai said calmly, lending credibility to his words. Thinking that Ji Huai looked only about thirty years old yet had mastered so many weapons, Qin Chuan also felt that Ji Huai might really have some special methods. He became even more excited. "Thank you, Teacher Ji!" Qin Chuan said gratefully. "About the tuition fees..." "I don''t need money," Ji Huai slightly frowned, as if he thought Qin Chuan talked too much. "Have you chosen?" "The long saber," Qin Chuan quickly responded. He chose the long saber because Water Flower used a saber. If he could master the long saber, he could better complement the Frost Breaking Slash. Additionally, once he had achieved some success himself, he might even be able to give pointers to Water Flower and help her enhance her strength with saber techniques, just as Water Flower had mastered the Blood Control Ability. Moreover, from what Qin Chuan observed, though Ji Huai was proficient with all weapons, the first weapons he always reassembled were sabers, which might mean that sabers were his specialty. "Good," Ji Huai casually reassembled two identical unsharpened long sabers and tossed one to Qin Chuan. "Follow my lead." Saying this, he held the handle with both hands, the tip of the saber pointing upwards, assuming the initial stance. Qin Chuan took the long saber and mimicked the stance properly. After confirming there were no issues with Qin Chuan''s posture, Ji Huai raised the saber in his hand high and then swiftly chopped downwards. "This is a chopping blade. The force reaches the blade, arm and saber in a straight line, the body of the saber aligning with the direction of the chop," Ji Huai said, then looked at Qin Chuan, signaling him to try it out. Perhaps the Basic Boxing Skill had provided a comprehensive boost to Qin Chuan''s physical condition, for after merely two or three tries, Qin Chuan successfully grasped the key points of this basic movement. Thus, Ji Huai proceeded to the next basic movement. There were a dozen basic movements in saber techniques, and by the time Qin Chuan had mastered them all, about half an hour had passed. The patient and meticulous instruction from Ji, the Demon King, took Qin Chuan by surprise, but considering he was a beginner, it indeed made sense to start from the basics. "Moving on to the next stage," Ji Huai said calmly. "Consolidate what you''ve just learned." Qin Chuan quickly picked up the long saber. The next moment, his expression was baffled. Because Ji Huai picked up the saber and charged directly at him, his fierce attack completely unreserved. You call this consolidation? You''re trying to kill me! We now know "1 + 1 = 2", so we''re proving Goldbach''s conjecture??? Qin Chuan instinctively wanted to control the flow of water but then heard Ji Huai''s calm voice. "Do not use Extraordinary Power, use only the basic saber movements I just taught." And you still call those "basic movements"?! Qin Chuan took a deep breath, his eyes hardening. He raised the long saber high, as if aiming to split the heavens and earth with one strike. Chopping Blade!!! "Clang" The saber flew away, the heavens and earth remained. "Pick up your saber, continue." "...Oh." ----------------- Don''t rush, there are two more updates. Chapter 81 - 81: Ice Cream Advances! "Hiss~" Walking on the way home, Qin Chuan rubbed his sore shoulders, grimacing with pain. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Too miserable. Only God knows what he had gone through in the last half hour. Relying on a long sword and the basic sword skills he had just learned, every encounter with Ji Huai would end in defeat within two roundswithin half an hour, he had been defeated hundreds of times. The key point was that Ji Huai had been mercilessly giving Qin Chuan no time to catch his breath. Exhausted? Here, have some fruit! When Ji Huai tossed the oh-so-familiar Physical Recovery Fruit into his arms, Qin Chuan felt an unprecedented disdain for it. However... Qin Chuan couldn''t help but crack a smile. The effect was indeed good. Perhaps it was the immense pressure from Ji Huai that maximally stimulated his own potential. From initially only reacting after his long sword was knocked away, by the end, Qin Chuan had developed some muscle memory. That was the reason he could last till the second round. From nothing to something in an hour, Qin Chuan''s improvement was nothing short of tremendous. After all, he was facing Ji Huai. "Hiss~" The soreness in his shoulder surged once again, and Qin Chuan''s smile quickly faded. It hurts, hurts, hurts~ ----------------- "What happened to you?" Just as she entered the Dream World, Yue Li cocked her head at the sulky Qin Chuan and looked puzzled, "Did something unhappy happen in the real world?" "Not really, it''s actually a good thing..." Qin Chuan thought about it, decided not to hide anything, and briefly described being singled out by Ji Huai for intense training, "The training was just too intense. All over soreness almost kept me from falling asleep before midnight." "It''s okay." Yue Li said with a beaming smile, "Even if you hadn''t fallen asleep before midnight, I would still protect you in the Dream World and wait for you to log in!" "Thanks for that." Qin Chuan smiled, and turned to look at Snow Ridge not far behind, "I''m heading over to Snow Ridge." "To beat up the Ice Demon Wolf ten times and incidentally earn an achievement." "Pfft~" Yue Li covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter, "I have a strong suspicion that you''re looking for a chance to vent." "How could that be?" Qin Chuan said innocently, "I just want to have a nice ''chat'' with that Ice Demon Wolf." Taking the Red Fruit that Water Flower had fetched for him, he waved at Yue Li and ascended Snow Ridge with Snow Cream and Water Flower. Half an hour later. [Congratulations to the player for achieving the Hidden Achievement ''Newborn Calf'', Achievement Points +300, Experience Gem +30] [Newborn Calf: Successfully challenge a higher-ranked Spiritual Beast and escape unharmed 10 times.] Having earned an achievement and giving the Ice Demon Wolf, that snatched Snow Cream''s Cold Soul Essence, a good beating, Qin Chuan returned in high spirits with Snow Cream and Water Flower. As soon as he got back to where he and Yue Li had parted ways, he saw Yue Li directing Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong to create a Fire Dragon Tornado engulfed in flames in the air. Its mighty power was significantly stronger than Xiao Qing''s Tornado alone. "All vented out?" sensing Qin Chuan''s arrival, Yue Li turned around smilingly, somewhat showing off as she spoke, "Look at my new research!" "You developed a Fusion Skill for Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong?" As he watched the Fire Dragon Tornado in the sky, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but exclaim. Yue Li had only contracted Xiao Hong yesterday, and yet today she was able to command two Contracted Spiritual Beasts to use such a skill. Such efficiency, truly worthy of a top student. "I just had a few ideas," Yue Li said softly. "A Spiritual Beast can only possess one Attribute, but we can utilize more Attributes in reality." "This means we can try to combine different Attributes, develop multi-Attribute Skills, and then teach the Contracted Spiritual Beasts, so that they can also master them in their training." "There are discussions about the development of multi-Attribute Skills on the Dream Realm Forum," Qin Chuan mused, "but it seems they haven''t thought of teaching their Contracted Spiritual Beasts." "Maybe because they don''t care that much about the Dream World," Yue Li said with a smile. "In the Dream World, players can start over even if they accidentally die. Even though the power of the Dream World impacts reality, many people still feel that reality is more important." "What about you?" Qin Chuan glanced at Yue Li. "I think both worlds are equally important," Yue Li''s eyes shone brightly. "Here, I can see things I can''t in reality and experience what can''t be experienced there." She subconsciously looked down at her feet, and her smile became even more radiant, "Here I''ve met Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong, and you, and every day has been so joyful." "I really like this place, so..." Yue Li''s gaze dropped slightly, "I''ll never let myself start over by deleting my account." Qin Chuan didn''t speak, admiring the girl in front of him. At this moment, he felt he understood why, despite being with Water Flower day and night, his Affinity couldn''t catch up with hers. Because she treated this place as another reality. "I think you''re right, helping Contracted Spiritual Beasts master the combat method of using multiple Attributes together is very important," Qin Chuan suddenly smiled. An interesting idea had just surfaced in his mind. Among all his abilities, the most powerful was controlling water currents to rotate at high speed and slice the opponent''s whirling strangle. That ability required diamond powder, which couldn''t be brought into the Dream World, and without it, the damage from the water currents would be greatly reduced. But, he had developed a way to use an ice-water mixture in reality yesterday. Within the zero-degree water flow, minute ice crystals could serve as a substitute for diamond powder. Although the ice crystals were not as strong as diamond powder, they had the advantage of being enhanced by the Ice Attribute, which could freeze the opponent while strangling. With that, the power wouldn''t be diminished. "It seems you already have some ideas," Yue Li said softly as she looked at a thoughtful Qin Chuan, whose eyes were becoming brighter. "Yeah, a few," Qin Chuan nodded, "but let''s not rush the training." "Let''s head to the next exploration point first, and let Snow Cone advance." Snow Cone still needed two Low-level Resources. With Yue Li''s luck enhancement, he could exchange for two random Low-level Resources at the Achievement Store to complete the set. Yue Li''s luck enhancement could last for ten minutes, and when used in conjunction with the Sun Needle''s second Talent, perhaps he could be as lucky as he was yesterday. Two unrelated things, because of good fortune, were arranged together. So, he needed to go to the next exploration point first to allow Snow Cone to advance. "Let''s go." Yue Li followed behind Qin Chuan with a smile, very curious about what good things they would find today. An hour later. In Snow Cone''s amazed gaze, Qin Chuan conjured two silvery orbs like magic, which solidified into the two other resources needed for its advancement before being set into the Advanced Array. Accompanied by a dazzling light of advancement, Snow Cone''s skirt lengthened, the ice-like eyes shed some of the childishness, and the aura around her became even more imposing. Snow Cone, successful advancement! Chapter 82 - 82 Luo! Why is it you again! Hugging the ice cream that pounced into his arms, Qin Chuan opened its panel and began to upgrade. Previously, he upgraded Water Flower to Growth Rank Lv20 in one go, which consumed the vast majority of Qin Chuan''s experience items. Even with the daily settlement supplements and achievements gained over the past two days, there were only enough Experience Gems to raise Snow Shadow by 5 levels. However, in the upcoming resource exploration, Qin Chuan would no longer neglect the Ice Attribute experience fruits. Coupled with the daily settlement earnings, it wouldn''t take long for Snow Shadow to reach Lv20. [Spiritual Beast Species: Frost Baby] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Ice Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv15] (0/500) [Spiritual Beast Traits: Fearless Heart] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 1400] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 81%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Frost Cold (Passive), Frost Breaking Slash (Active), Seek Frost Trace (Active), Snow Shadow (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: An Ice Attribute Spirit Beast, Frost Baby is an assassin hidden within frost and snow. Its innate long blade bestows it with a fearless conviction.] Advancing to a higher rank had pushed Snow Shadow''s Affinity past the 80% threshold, and the subsequent upgrades increased it by another 1%. Glancing at the high Species Value of 1400, Qin Chuan did a quick calculation and realized his Extraordinary Value had already reached 2814. Getting stronger every day, truly troublesome. Better check out the new skill first. [Snow Shadow: Active Skill, constructs a doppelg?nger made of frost and snow identical to itself; the doppelg?nger cannot attack and will shatter automatically after 20 seconds.] A doppelg?nger? A look of surprise surfaced on Qin Chuan''s face. It seemed that Frost Breaking Slash was currently Snow Shadow''s only offensive skill. Both Seek Frost Trace and Snow Shadow were meant to conceal that decisive strike. It indeed had the feel of an assassin who hits his mark with one blow. Interesting. In just an instant, Qin Chuan had already thought of how to apply this new skill. Using the doppelg?nger directly would probably be easy for an opponent to see through. But if he were to use Seek Frost Trace first and then Snow Shadow, it would be a completely different story. One figure shatters, condensing into two. Who would be able to discern the real one! "Keep it cool," Yue Li, who was beside him, said with a laugh as she looked at Qin Chuan, "Seeing you like this, Snow Shadow''s third skill must be pretty good." "Indeed," Qin Chuan looked at Snow Shadow, "Snow Shadow, use Snow Shadow." "Ying~" Snow Shadow nodded, floated forward a distance, and split into two figures effortlessly and without a trace during the drifting process. "Hm?" Qin Chuan stroked his chin. He retracted his previous statement. It seemed that even if the skill was used on its own, it would still be difficult to see through. "Doppelg?nger!" Yue Li, beside him, wore an equally astonished expression, "This ability, if brought into reality, would be quite interesting." "Yeah," Qin Chuan nodded with a smile, "Not much lucky time left; I''ll go scout out the nearby resources first." "Okay!" Yue Li nodded repeatedly. Sun Needle''s second Talent, activate! Qin Chuan looked at the map that appeared before his eyes and after sifting through it, his expression suddenly turned to one of surprise. "Is there something good today?" Yue Li''s eyes sparkled. "Well" Qin Chuan smiled mysteriously. "Revealing it ahead of time would spoil the surprise of treasure hunting." ----------------- As Qin Chuan and his companion started a new round of their treasure hunt, over on the other side in area 3675, the player KA, ranked second on the Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List, trekked over ten kilometers. After arriving at a certain location, he began pacing back and forth nervously, as if waiting for something. After about fifteen minutes, he was met by a player named "Zhong Xi." "KA?" Zhong Xi sized up KA and began to inquire in fluent Korean. "Yes, it''s me!" KA nodded quickly, responding in Korean. In reality, KA was Korean. At the moment, he was quite excited because the player named "Zhong Xi" had something he desperately needed. The last piece of low-level resources needed for his Spiritual Beast to advance. The resource exchange between the two was not taking place in reality but in the Dream World. Such a primitive method of resource exchange was unthinkable in Yanhuang Country but was the mainstream in Korea. And the reason was straightforward. Korea, to this date, had not established a truly credible online trading platform. After the Blue Star 2.1 version update, several online trading platforms popped up overnight in Korea, but soon players attempting to trade with resources discovered their resources vanished without a trace and were informed that "the resources were lost in transit and could not be retrieved." Compensation? No problem! Here you go! Every player who lost resources was given a substantial sum of money as compensation. But the issue was that they didn''t need money at this stage; they needed the resources themselves. Clearly, this was almost a tactic of coercion. These trustless online platforms, each with the dark involvement of Korean conglomerates behind them, left ordinary players helpless in pursuing their claims. After such incidents happened frequently for a few days, Korean players were thoroughly disillusioned with the so-called online trading platforms; they began to arrange trades offline with others. But these trades could easily lead to ambushes and theft of resources when one went alone. Report the robbery? The resources of the Dream World were not yet recognized as citizens'' property by Korean law. Merely taking resources couldn''t constitute robbery, at most, if injuries occurred in the scuffle, the robber might have to pay for medical expenses. And this too was deliberately orchestrated by the conglomerates. Among these offline traders, there were also their planted agents. Neither online nor offline options were viable, and eventually, ordinary Koreans in reality resorted to the most primitive method. Seek out local players and agree to exchange resources at a fixed location. Since players appear in a game zone at random, and although the conglomerates could still plant agents, there might only be one or two such agents among the local Korean players. This was relatively safer. After confirming each other''s identities, the two Korean players completed the resource exchange. Sar?h the N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhong Xi didn''t linger and left immediately. KA swiftly used the acquired resources to advance. As the light of advancement shone, his expression gradually became excited. Finally, he had completed the advancement! He was going to leave that damned, unlucky Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast List! Even if his ranking would undoubtedly be lower at the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List, he didn''t want to remain the eternal second place in the Juvenile Stage! Although he hadn''t caught up to those freaks, Luo and Yue Li, he had at least surpassed Luo''s second Contracted Spiritual Beast, hadn''t he? With that thought, KA excitedly opened the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List. The next instant, his smile suddenly faded. His ranking on the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List was at number 32. And right above him at number 31 was a familiar name. [Spiritual Beast List (Growth Rank) No. 31] [Location: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Ranked Spiritual Beast: Snow Baby] [Current Rank of Listed Spiritual Beast: Growth Rank Lv15] [Reference Achievements: None] KA''s expression suddenly twisted, his complexion gradually reddening. "Luo! How is it you again!!!" Chapter 83 - 83 New Gold Talent Holder (1/10 Please Subscribe!) "Qin Chuan, you have a package." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. During the big break, a man dressed in a delivery uniform stood at the doorway, calling out Qin Chuan''s name, once again attracting the attention of the entire class. "You''ve been getting quite a few deliveries these past couple of days," Xiao Pang joked. "Just some little trinkets." Feeling the complex glances from those around him, Qin Chuan helplessly shook his head. It seemed he''d have to change his delivery address next time. After following the Dream Exchange''s delivery staff to a secluded spot to sign for it, Qin Chuan casually threw a piece of Starshine Equipment Material named Deep Blue Treasure into his item carrying slot. This was already the second piece of Starshine Equipment Material he had traded for in the past few days. It had been four days since the contractual ice cream. As it turned out, the combination of Prayer''s second Talent and Sun Needle''s second Talent was effective, but the results were not as stable as opening random materials. It could ensure that Qin Chuan found at least one low-level resource each time he ventured out, but it couldn''t guarantee that the findings would be suitable for him and Yue Li. Even a gold-level Talent of luck needs to follow objective laws to a certain extent, at least to the extent that Yue Li''s current increased luck needs. At this time, the cooperation agreement Qin Chuan signed played quite a significant role. High confidentiality levels and priority trading rights allowed him to confidently exchange for the items he needed. It''s worth noting that initially, in the Dream Exchange, most trades were barter of the same type of items, and trades of different types, like Experience Fruits and low-level resources, were practically nonexistent. Because everyone was uncertain about the value differences between different types of items. This problem was solved after the Achievement Store appeared, where the amount of Achievement Points exchanged could indirectly compare the value differences between different resources. For example, a low-level resource is worth between fifty to one hundred Experience Gems, and often the ones that drop upon Growth Rank death are pricier. A piece of Starshine Equipment Material is worth six low-level resources. An intermediate resource is worth ten low-level resources. The Deep Blue Treasure that Qin Chuan just obtained was exchanged for six low-level resources. The day the ice cream was upgraded, he scouted a Spiritual Beast nest and, together with Yue Li, defeated three Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts guarding it and directly obtained five low-level resources, three of which were the same kind and could be brought out in one go. Yue Li had also been following him around looking for treasures these past few days, and her harvest was by no means small. Returning to the classroom, Xiao Pang chuckled, "I was wondering why you seemed a bit out of it this morning; turns out you were preoccupied with the trades." "These two things are not really related," Qin Chuan said dryly, "That was purely from the exhaustion of nightly intensive training." "It''s Ji Demon King''s special training dish after all." Xiao Pang curled his lip, looking disdainfully at Qin Chuan. This guy, always playing innocent while benefiting. Currently, who in grade 12 wouldn''t envy Qin Chuan? Not only had he early become an Official Level Player, but he had also received individual guidance from Ji Demon King. Rumor had it that as long as Qin Chuan performed steadily in further practical combat assessments, he could almost certainly be recommended for Yanbei and Huaqing. Qin Chuan smiled without saying anything. He had indeed been distracted more often that morning, but it wasn''t much related to the special training. After all, eight hours in the Dream World was not much different from sleeping; it could keep a person full of energy, and in the past few days, while his sword skill progressed rapidly, he also acclimated to the high-intensity grueling training. The reason he was distracted was that when he exited the Dream World last night, he was only ten thousand meters away from that Elite Rank Lv20 Blue Scale Jiao. It must be said that the Blue Scale Jiao was quite disappointing; he gave it three more days to live, yet it spent its days without ambition, only mingling with another Blue Scale Jiao of the opposite sex. Every time Qin Chuan checked its status through tracking, he would lament the decline of the world''s standards. Having been preparing for five whole days, tonight, entering the Dream World would be the moment to hunt. "Qin Chuan, you need to register for the second practical combat test tonight," Xiao Pang, propping his chin, couldn''t help but mutter, "I guess I won''t be grouped with you this time." "Don''t think too much," Qin Chuan responded with a smile upon hearing this, "You are not weak, and right now, it''s still rare to advance to Growth Rank. I believe even if you''re not in the same group as me, you can achieve a good result." Recently, as the number of Official Level Players increased, the speed at which Apprentice Level players were promoted to Official Level also accelerated. The reason is simplebecause Official Level Players can more easily defeat Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts and obtain low-level resources, with them around, a continuous stream of low-level resources flowed into the market. However, the prices of low-level resources have not collapsed so easily; currently, one piece of low-level resource still costs about three hundred thousand, but from the previous ''available but priceless,'' it had turned into being hopeful to buy after queuing a few days. In Changxing City Second Middle School, besides Qin Chuan, Zhu Yuwei had also completed her promotion. Wealthy background, truly a school beauty. However, Qin Chuan, who had already upgraded his ice cream to Growth Rank Lv20, still left her far behind, making him the undisputed number one in practical combat at the school. "I''ll try my best," Xiao Pang nodded, "Last time I scored 83 on the assessment; I hope to score higher this time." "This practical combat test might be different from the last one," Qin Chuan said after a thought, suddenly speaking. He learned this last night during his Extraordinary Practical Combat Class after his bout with Ji Huai. "What could be different? Are they going to have us go to a Demon Beast''s den?" Xiao Pang laughed indifferently, but halfway through his laughter, seeing Qin Chuan''s serious expression, he couldn''t laugh anymore, "Really?" "Not to the den, but indeed more dangerous than last time," Qin Chuan patted Xiao Pang''s shoulder, "Don''t ask anymore, you''ll know tonight." "Alright," Xiao Pang quietly straightened up, staring at the homework in front of him, which hadn''t moved a bit, and began considering whether to use it to write a will. That way, he could boldly skip this homework assignment. "Look at the forum, Matsusaka Shigeki has made a move again!" Someone in the front row suddenly shouted out, making both Xiao Pang and Qin Chuan look up; the former couldn''t help but click his tongue, while the latter furrowed his brows instantly. Matsusaka Shigeki was a Dream World player who had recently come into the public eye. This Sakura Country name was only his in-game name, not his real name, but it was highly likely he was from Sakura Country. Following Erik, he was another player with a gold-level Talent to enter the public eye. Unlike Erik, he did not show his face or publicly acknowledge his gold-level Talent. To this day, no one could confirm whether he had a gold-level Talent or which of the nine gold-level Talents he might possess. But the things he did far surpassed Erik''s craziness. He indiscriminately killed players and specifically targeted players high on the Spiritual Beast List, even beginning to act across district borders. Chapter 84 - 84: Examination Venue, Qingwang Mountain (2/10 Please Subscribe!) As everyone knows, player death in Dream World does not cause death in the real world; it only resets everything the next time they enter Dream World, appearing at a random spawn point. But now, those who rank at the top of the Spiritual Beast List are all Spiritual Beasts of Growth Rank Lv20, and most of them have quite impressive combat records. Each of these players has spent a considerable amount of energy and even money to reach their current status. Being killed means all of that goes down the drain. Even though there''s no real-world death, such a loss is still hard to accept. If players have conflicts, killing each other might be understandable, but Matsusaka Shigeki is currently killing players he has no connection with, simply because they are strong and ranked high on the leaderboards. Moreover, he''s not just harming players in his own section; he''s moved on to adjacent sections to continue his killing spree. That''s why Matsusaka Shigeki''s actions have been condemned and scorned by the whole world. If he is allowed to continue, he may bring disaster to all gaming areas. Erik is just reckless; although he''s shouting about establishing a new order, for now, aside from live-streaming every day to tell the whole world how many challengers he has beaten, and provocatively revealing his new location, he hasn''t done anything outrageous. Just the appearance of Matsusaka Shigeki in an area is enough to put all players on alert. Of course, Matsusaka Shigeki''s unscrupulous killing of players does not come without cost. His Talent Ability, exposed in the process of his killings, has become known to everyone, as victims have angrily exposed it. Matsubara Takashi has the ability to temporarily fuse his two Contracted Spiritual Beasts into a new Fusion Spiritual Beast. The Spiritual Beast Species Value of the Fusion Spiritual Beast is the sum of the two Contracted Spiritual Beasts, lasting for five minutes. Since Matsubara Takashi only kills one player a day and has shown restraint when encountering a second high-ranking player on the same day, it''s highly likely that the Talent Effect can be used once per entry into Dream World. Judging by the name of the gold Talent, it''s highly likely to correspond to "Soul Fusion," but it''s not entirely certain, nor are his remaining two Talent Effects known. Yet, this Talent Effect is no less significant than Erik''s two exposed Talent Effects. As soon as Qin Chuan entered the Dream Realm Forum, he quickly saw the corresponding reposted thread. This time''s victim was a player from The Sun Never Sets. This player''s complaint was indeed heartfelt. He claimed that his Talent was a rare red Talent, with an effect that allowed him to instantly teleport to another location. Hmm... It sounded a bit like the "Return and Banish" Talent that Qin Chuan had drawn but had decided against. This player was very cautious, choosing to teleport away the moment he encountered Matsubara Takashi. But even so, the latter still relentlessly found him the next day when his instant teleportation Talent was on cooldown, and killed him on the spot. During this process, Matsubara Takashi did not reveal any other abilities. After reading the description, Qin Chuan''s frown deepened. Matsubara Takashi''s initial area was Zone 6231, quite far from his own Zone 3675, so he was not likely to encounter him soon. But he couldn''t just sit back and wait. He had to hurry to improve his strength. "Qin Chuan, Erik has started live streaming," Xiao Pang turned his head to remind Qin Chuan. "Let me check." Qin Chuan clicked on the live-streaming room he was following. In theory, this foreign stream should require bypassing a firewall, but Erik had people actively reach out to live streaming platforms in various countries, opening up broadcasting rights. For some reason, Yanhuang Country did not block this action, allowing Erik''s live stream to be broadcasted within the country. Whether or not Erik could become the "creator of the new order" he claimed to be was yet to be seen, but he had indeed become the broadcaster with the most viewers worldwide. Soon, Erik''s handsome yet reckless face appeared in the live stream. "It''s ten in the evening in New York, good evening to ordinary players and the chosen ones who have yet to appear," Erik said, his words polite yet not, with a grin, "Today, I have beaten two challengers. They were weak, but courageous." "My location has shifted a little, but this won''t stop you from finding me. I am still waiting for challengers." "Most importantly, I am waiting for you, the chosen ones who share my vision." "Now for the Q&A session." Erik glanced in the direction of the chat and then shook his head with a smirk, "Matsusaka Shigeki has killed again?" "Whether ordinary players kill or not is of little concern to me, but I do not approve of the strong bullying the weak, which cheapens the image of the chosen." "Matsusaka Shigeki, come find me. I''ll show you what real combat is." "If you''re not a gold Talent holder, I won''t hesitate to kill you." Erik''s azure eyes shone with intense confidence as if he were speaking to the world for the first time, "Your Fusion Spiritual Beast is nothing special to me." "I will let you know that no Talent surpasses Ascension. Even the other eight gold Talents will follow my lead." This was the first time Erik had directly responded to matters concerning Matsusaka Shigeki. His firm stance carried an ingrained arrogance that instantly sent the chat into a frenzy. After responding to a few trivial questions, Erik ended the stream. The few minutes of live streaming, like a stone dropped into water, were bound to stir up new ripples. "These gold Talent players are crazier than one another," Xiao Pang couldn''t help but show his teeth, "But then again, if I had a gold Talent, I''d be even crazier than them." Qin Chuan gave Xiao Pang a weird look and exited the chat-infested live stream. As a gold Talent player, he naturally paid attention to every move of other gold Talent players. As for having plans, he did not. The two revealed gold Talent players were a fair distance from his section, Zone 3675; the flames of war were not near him yet, and the strength of Sun Needle was not in combat. He would first quietly grow stronger. Sarch* The n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The school bell rang, signaling the end of the large break. Qin Chuan suppressed his thoughts, opened his textbook, and endeavored to be a salted fish sinking into the sea of knowledge. Soon, it was time for the evening Extraordinary Practical Combat Class. After two rounds of Basic Boxing Skill, Ji Huai looked at everyone and slowly spoke. "Tomorrow is the second actual combat test. You have half an hour to decide whether to register." "This test is different from the last one; it''s no longer limited to Second Middle School. You''ll be joining students from other schools in Changxing City for a combined test." "The test location, Qingwang Mountain." Upon this declaration, the students erupted into a buzz. Qingwang Mountain. Before the outbreak of Demon Beasts, it was a scenic spot in Changxing City. But now, Qingwang Mountain had been completely overtaken by Demon Beasts. Chapter 85 - 85: No Pressure, Just Encouragement (3/10 please subscribe!) Ji Huai had anticipated the students'' reactions. He stood in place with his arms crossed over his chest, a look of "I''ll see when you quiet down" on his face. Gradually, the students came to realize that the Demon King Ji was right before them and quickly became quiet again. "This time, the practical exam is indeed more dangerous than the last," Ji Huai slowly began. "Last time, the demon beasts you faced were generally of average strength, except for Team Ten, which unexpectedly encountered an advanced demon beast. The other groups'' tasks were very easy." "But this time, I''ll make it clear to you that there are advanced demon beasts in Qingwang Mountain, and not just one." "The Special Affairs Group will still do everything possible to ensure your safety, but accidents and casualties can''t be guaranteed not to occur, so like last time, participation in the practical exam is voluntary." "However" Ji Huai''s voice trailed off slightly, "before you make your final decision, I still need to make the key information of this exam clear." Apart from Ji Huai''s voice, there were no other sounds in the arena. Everyone pricked up their ears, eager to hear the key details about the exam before making their decision. "Firstly, in this practical exam, Apprentice Level players and Official Level players will be assessed separately," Ji Huai began slowly. "Apprentice Level players will still be assigned random teams for the exam, while Official Level players will not be grouped and will undertake the practical exam on their own." At these words, many people couldn''t help but look toward Qin Chuan and Zhu Yuwei. After all, they were the only two at this school who had reached the Official Level. Qin Chuan''s expression remained calm, as he had already known this since the previous night. Once Official Level players upgraded their Contracted Spiritual Beasts to Lv20, the disparity in strength compared to Apprentice Level players was indeed quite large, and it wouldn''t be suitable for them to act together. If he were to be assigned several Apprentice Level teammates, he would have to focus on the exam while also looking out for the safety of his teammates. He might as well go it alone. The next words from Ji Huai set the students in the ranks abuzz with quiet discussion. "Secondly, those participating in the practical exam, besides receiving your respective practical exam results, will also be rewarded according to your ranking," he said. This time, even Qin Chuan couldn''t hide his surprise. Because Ji Huai had not previously told him about this. There were rewards? He suddenly became very interested. Ji Huai didn''t keep the students waiting long before he announced the ranking rewards. "Apprentice Level players and Official Level players will have separate rankings. The Apprentice Level player who ranks first in this exam will be rewarded with a piece of Low-level Resources, which can be selected from a list provided by the Special Affairs Group." "The Official Level player who ranks first in this exam will be rewarded with a piece of Starshine Equipment Material, which can also be selected from a list provided by the Special Affairs Group." "Other participants will be rewarded with different amounts of Experience Gems based on their exam results." As soon as this statement was made, there was an uproar. For Apprentice Level players, the most urgent need was naturally to advance. For Official Level players, the significance of Starshine Equipment Materials was equally important. As for Experience Gems, these things are always beneficial in plentiful supply. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even if they can''t be used right now, they are sure to be needed after advancing, and whenever they are needed, there will certainly be a shortage. Even Qin Chuan, a district leaderboard topper, had no way to immediately maximize his second Contracted Spiritual Beast after advancing, so one can imagine how much more difficult leveling up becomes after reaching Elite Rank. After Ji Huai announced the ranking rewards, even Qin Chuan found his breathing grew heavier. He already possessed four pieces of Starshine Equipment Material. With Gold Talent like the Sun Needle, Qin Chuan naturally wouldn''t easily craft Starshine Equipment. He wanted to gather nine pieces of Starshine Equipment Material to create the strongest bonus-featured Starshine Equipment. So, he still needed five more pieces of Starshine Equipment Material. If he could win first place, he would be one step closer to his goal. A piece of low-level resources was currently worth two to three hundred thousand, while a piece of Starshine Equipment Material was worth over a million! Qin Chuan''s eyes instantly became firm and sharp. He was set on winning this first place! "Now, you can consider whether to participate," Ji Huai said, seeing the expressions he wanted on the students'' faces, a nearly imperceptible smile flickered in his eyes. Was Qingwang Mountain dangerous? Of course, it was dangerous. But with such significant changes in the world, no one could remain unaffected. Yanhuang Country would do its utmost to ensure the safety of every citizen, but citizens becoming stronger themselves would safeguard the lives of many more who needed protection. Some needed to grow stronger first so that in the future everyone would be strong, everyone like a dragon. The training of the new generation was of utmost importance. Before the arrival of the Dream World, high schools and universities had military training. Now as the Dream World had descended and extraordinary beings wreaked havoc across the globe, even the flowers in the greenhouse needed to breathe the blood-tinged air. There would be no coercion, only encouragement. Those who stood out in real combat assessments would naturally receive extra care and training as recognition for their courage and abilities. Half an hour quickly passed. Perhaps it was the generous rewards that inspired everyone''s courage because, when Ji Huai asked about participating, eighty percent of the students stood upmore than the last time. After announcing that they would gather at the playground at nine o''clock the next morning, Ji Huai gestured for everyone to disperse. After that, he walked towards Qin Chuan, carrying two dull blades. The fact that Ji Huai gave Qin Chuan special training every night was already known to the other students. After breaking through to Official Level, Zhu Yuwei had actively approached Ji Huai, hoping to stay and listen to the lessons. Ji Huai did not object. But after just one night, she gave up on her own. For Zhu Yuwei, who came from a well-off family, there were too many ways to learn weapon skills; there was no need to torture herself. So, in the end, only Qin Chuan was fortunate enough to enjoy Ji Huai''s special training. Qin Chuan seamlessly caught the long sword and, without waiting for the other students to walk far, already assumed his stance. The next instant, Ji Huai''s blade whooshed toward him, its tip aimed straight at Qin Chuan''s chest. Even without using any extraordinary abilities, the force powered by his strong physical constitution alone was enough to shatter rock. Qin Chuan''s expression tensed, his hands gripped the long sword tightly, he abruptly stepped to the side, slightly deflecting the attack while simultaneously using the momentum to retreat in the opposite direction, narrowly avoiding the slash. The empty strike of the long sword instantly turned, with the blade now facing Qin Chuan''s direction, switching from a thrust to a horizontal slash. The sword had not yet reached him, but Qin Chuan already felt the fierce wind bearing down on him. Although not sharpened, a blade was still a blade; it was thinner than the flat of the sword, with a smaller contact surface, yielding greater force under the same slashing power. "Clang" With a metallic ring, Qin Chuan grabbed the handle with one hand and braced the front end against the back of the blade with his palm, blocking the slash only to uncontrollably fly back two to three meters. Before he could steady himself, Ji Huai, calm and composed, was already on him again. "Clang, clang, clang" Three more strikes rang out, and Qin Chuan received a slash on his shoulder. Although Ji Huai reined in his strength in time to avoid bone-deep injury, it was still painful enough to make Qin Chuan grimace. The students who hadn''t yet left the playground cast sympathetic glances his way. Chapter 86 - 86: Good Steel Must Be Used on the Knife Edge (4/10 Subscribe!) "Today will be enough." Ji Huai sheathed his sword and stood, "Tomorrow is the practical combat exam, so today''s training time is halved." "Okay." Qin Chuan let out a sigh of relief, immediately soothing his sore body. Now, he could withstand Ji Huai''s attacks five or six times. Although it didn''t seem much more, Ji Huai''s sword skill was ever-changing. Even though the movements were based on the same basic sword skill, in his hands, they seemed to return to simplicity, making it impossible for Qin Chuan to predict what the next strike would be like. He needed to see and dismantle moves spontaneously. Therefore, withstanding each additional strike was a significant improvement. According to Ji Huai, once Qin Chuan could withstand ten of his strikes without defeat, his sword skill would be considered useful. "Have you ever been to Qingwang Mountain?" Ji Huai suddenly spoke, causing Qin Chuan to be slightly startled. "No." Qin Chuan shook his head. Although Qingwang Mountain was a local scenic spot in Changxing City, it cost money to enter. To Qin Chuan, viewing the scenery from afar was enough; there was no need to go inside. Of course, the most important reason was that previously he didn''t have the spare money. "Here is an environmental guide to Qingwang Mountain." Ji Huai tossed a booklet to Qin Chuan, "Take a look when you get back and think about which skills to bring tomorrow." "Okay." Qin Chuan took the booklet, his face showing a bit of surprise. He could feel that Ji Huai revealing this information in advance was to help him. Was it to help him secure first place and get that piece of Starshine Equipment Material? That explanation made sense, but Qin Chuan felt that it wasn''t that simple. Noticing Qin Chuan''s confusion, Ji Huai disassembled his long sword into a metal bracelet and turned to leave, his calm voice drifting into Qin Chuan''s ears. "Observers from the admissions offices of various universities will be present at tomorrow''s practical combat exam." Qin Chuan couldn''t help showing a look of surprise. Admissions offices from various universities? He quickly understood. Ji Huai had mentioned in the last practical combat exam that such exams were similar to independent recruitment. Outstanding performance and remarkable results could lead to reduced-admission scores or even direct admissions offers. Zhou Zixiu had also mentioned that performing well in subsequent exams could potentially secure him direct admission offers from the Extraordinary Practical Departments of Yanbei and Huaqing universities. The purpose of the admissions offices sending observers was clear. Watching Ji Huai''s retreating figure, Qin Chuan''s eyes harbored a touch of gratitude. After spending these days together, he had discovered that Ji Huai was a man whose exterior was cold but whose heart was warm. ----------------- "Are there no above-ground rivers..." Sitting on the bed and looking at the booklet, Qin Chuan showed a contemplative expression. As a mountain and forest scenic area, Qingwang Mountain naturally had plenty of water, but there were only underground streams, no above-ground rivers. Extracting water directly from underground streams was difficult for those with the Water Attribute. Of course, this wasn''t much of a problem for Qin Chuan. Zhou Zixiu''s Extraordinary Theory Class had already covered the Water Attribute and had started on the Ice Attribute. Some of the content had given him new insights. By using the Ice Attribute''s ability to control temperature to condense the gaseous water in the air into mist, the Water Attribute could then control this mistfeasible due to the high humidity in the mountain forests. Of course, that didn''t mean Qin Chuan had to use this method. Because he had a better option. Sarch* The N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After contracting the ice cream, he had never tried carrying two Ice Attribute active skills. "Let''s try out the sword skills tomorrow," Qin Chuan said with anticipation. Although he had not yet reached the standard of being "usable" according to Ji Huai. But Ji Huai had high standards, naturally higher than that of ordinary people. With his current level of sword skills combined with Frost Breaking Slash, it would only be stronger than Dark Current Binding. After all, the former was a pure output skill. With a plan in mind, Qin Chuan placed the booklet on the bedside table, laid down with anticipation, and quickly fell asleep amidst overwhelming fatigue. When his consciousness awakened once again, he found himself in the Dream World. "Luo, what did you mean by ''doing something big'' yesterday?" The slightly reproachful inquiry of Yue Li echoed in his ears. Just before leaving the Dream World yesterday, seeing an Elite Rank Lv20 Blue Scale Jiao only ten thousand meters away, Qin Chuan had excitedly blurted out that tomorrow he would do something big. Before Yue Li could ask for specifics, it was eight o''clock. Thus, Yue Li had been thinking about this matter for sixteen whole hours. This damned Luo, abruptly cutting off the conversation! "Ah... well," feeling the slightly murderous gaze from Yue Li, Qin Chuan scratched his head awkwardly, "It was an accident, purely accidental." "I know where an Elite Rank Lv20 Blue Scale Jiao is located, killing it will provide us with an Intermediate Resource necessary for Water Flower''s evolution." "Elite Rank?!" Yue Li exclaimed, her eyes instantly lighting up. During her Juvenile Stage, she had exceeded her rank more than once or twice, so naturally, she had little fear now. Moreover, it was an Elite Rank Lv20, the weakest existence among the Elite Rank. "No wonder you said you wanted to do something big," Yue Li smiled and spoke, "It''s not easy for someone in Growth Rank to kill someone in Elite Rank." From Growth Rank to Elite Rank, one not only had to advance but also evolve. For this reason, the power gap between Elite Rank and Growth Rank was much wider than the gap between Growth Rank and Juvenile Stage. Although there were no exact Clan Value data currently, the Special Affairs Group had provided an estimate of the Elite Rank''s strength. The weakest Elite Rank Lv20 probably had a Clan Value of 4000, which was twice that of a Growth Rank Lv20. Not only that, an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast possessed a piece of Starshine Equipment that could use the equipment entry effects of Starshine Equipment to provide additional boost. Even the weakest Starshine Equipment, crafted from two pieces of Starshine Equipment Material, had an advantageous boost in its equipment entry effects when facing a beast without any equipment. "Shall we strike together?" Even though she mentioned that killing an Elite Rank wasn''t easy, Yue Li was already eager to try. "Okay," Qin Chuan nodded. Initially, he had planned to kill the Blue Scale Jiao alone, earning 1000 Achievement Points from the "Cross-Rank Killing II" achievement. The Cross-Rank Killing series of achievements required a 1v1 kill, but this ''1'' does not refer to Contracted Spiritual Beasts but to the player. According to his original plan, as long as he contracted a second Spiritual Beast and maximized the strength of both beasts, this goal seemed not too difficult to achieve. However, after observing and speculating some of the Blue Scale Jiao''s abilities over the past five days, he realized that it wasn''t so simple. Water Flower and Ice Cream together couldn''t take this guy down, so it needed more time with Time Stop. As of now, he had accumulated seven seconds of Time Stop. Seven seconds were enough to cross the rank. But it wasn''t a profitable deal. Because if he teamed up with Yue Li to kill the Blue Scale Jiao, he would get a 500 Achievement Points achievement "Empty Fist Cooperation" without using Time Stop. Thus, spending seven seconds would only net him an additional 500 Achievement Points. Unlike when he killed the Shadow Leopard, whether he had these 500 Achievement Points or not, he could firmly hold the top spot on the Achievement Leaderboard; the invisible benefits it brought were minimal. After gaining the Gold Talent at the limits of Time Stop, Qin Chuan valued the Time Stop even more. Good steel should be used for the blade''s edge. Chapter 87 - 87: The Fall of the Blue Scaled Jiao, Deep Blue Scale! (5/10 Subscribe!) Qin Chuan was well aware of the location of the Deep Blue Scale Dragon. At this moment, he casually walked around twice and then led Yue Li straight to the Deep Blue Scale Dragon. Soon, a deep "rumbling" sound emerged ahead. "Screech" Xiao Qing let out a sharp cry, fluttering its wings as it descended from high above. "There''s a waterfall ahead," Yue Li slightly slowed her pace and spoke softly after receiving the report from Xiao Qing, "The nest of that Deep Blue Scale Dragon is in the Pond below the waterfall." "Good," Qin Chuan nodded slightly. He was equally aware of this. "In the upcoming battle, let Water Flower and Snow Cream take the lead, with Xiao Qing assisting," he relayed the tactics he had pondered over the past few days along with his observations, "The Deep Blue Scale Dragon''s strength will increase in the water, so we need to force it out of its aquatic environment." "Snow Cream''s Frost Cold can lower the temperature of a body of water, luring the opponent to reveal itself. Its combined skills with Water Flower can force the Deep Blue Scale Dragon out of the water. Then, Xiao Qing can use the Tornado to push it onto the shore." Over the past four days, under Qin Chuan''s guidance, Water Flower and Snow Cream had initially mastered the skills of using ice-water mixtures for vortex strangulation. "When it gets to the shore, Xiao Hong can participate better in the battle." Qin Chuan glanced at the Flame-tailed Squirrel, which had also advanced to Growth Rank Lv20 and was no longer the harmless little creature it used to be. Not to mention the combined skill Flame Tornado with Xiao Qing, even its own skills were considerably damaging. "Good," Yue Li nodded, her eyes shining with anticipation, "When the four Spiritual Beasts coordinate, we''ll take it down in one shot!" The two exchanged looks, excitement evident in their eyes. As the "rumbling" sound grew louder, soon a Pond appeared before them, with a waterfall several tens of meters high thunderously crashing down on the other side, sounding like thunder. Qin Chuan watched the dynamic images displayed on the map. At this moment, his and the Deep Blue Scale Dragon''s position markers had completely overlapped. Although the Deep Blue Scale Dragon hadn''t surfaced, it was right beneath the Pond. It had even sensed their arrival and was watching them warily. "Snow Cream! Make your move!" "Meh~" Snow Cream nodded solemnly at Qin Chuan and floated to the center of the lake, the ice crystals behind its head slowly rotating, the intense chill gradually seeping into the lake water. It didn''t freeze the surrounding water directly, but this slow invasion of cold was even more formidable. As the lake water convected, the temperature of the entire Pond gradually fell. Sensing this sharply, the Deep Blue Scale Dragon hidden underwater grew restless. The current temperature was bearable, but if it continued to fall, that could pose a problem. Its elongated body moved swiftly through the water, and in an instant, it surged from the bottom of the lake, opening its huge mouth to bite at Snow Cream in mid-air. Snow Cream''s eyes, like icy crystals, locked onto the Deep Blue Scale Dragon immediately, dispersed into a flurry of snowflakes, avoiding the sudden attack. At the same time, Water Flowerwho had yet to make a moveswiftly tread on light blue ripples along the shore. Its form was so fast it blurred, dashing directly towards the Deep Blue Scale Dragon. Countless streams of water shot out from the lake surface beneath its feet, then, under Water Flower''s control, jetted towards the Deep Blue Scale Dragon like heavy artillery. Caught off guard, the Deep Blue Scale Dragon hadn''t even reacted before it got hit several times by Rapid Stream Break, flinching in pain and instantly filling with rage. "Roar!" It let out a fierce roar, the invisible sound waves rippling across the water surface, quickly forming a wave several meters high. As the giant wave was about to surge back and strike Water Flower, Water Flower suddenly let out a loud bark. "Woof!!!" The body of the Blue Scale Jiao suddenly stiffened. Though it lasted only for a moment, the skill it was halfway through executing was interrupted. Massive waves heavily slapped onto the lake''s surface, quickly dissipating as they spread. The next moment, it suddenly shivered. Unbeknownst to it, the Frost Cold Ice Cream that had reappeared behind the Blue Scale Jiao erupted forcefully, instantly forming countless tiny ice crystals in the surrounding lake water. The columns of water rose high like dragons, entwining the ice crystals to envelop the Blue Scale Jiao. Under Water Flower''s full control, it rapidly spun, launching a strangling attack on the Blue Scale Jiao. "Good!" Seeing Water Flower and Ice Cream''s moves proceed as expected, Yue Li, watching from the shore, couldn''t help but cheer. Beside her, Qin Chuan''s gaze turned toward Xiao Qing in the sky. Xiao Qing''s form turned into a bluish afterimage, continuing to circle around the tornado, which had become quite large by now. Seeing this, he relaxed slightly. Ice Cream and Water Flower managed to score hits because they were sufficiently unexpected. But the Blue Scale Jiao would soon catch on. Therefore, Xiao Qing''s next move was crucial. Accompanied by the high-speed spinning of the ice crystals, which repeatedly scraped across the Blue Scale Jiao''s hard scales, making a cringe-inducing sound, the eyes of the Blue Scale Jiao had turned completely blood-red. A horn on its forehead burst with light, suddenly boosting its powerful strength by a level. Starshine Equipment effect, activated! [Water Force (Starshine Level 2): In contact with a water environment, Race Value increases by 12%, Attribute Control increases by 6%] The rapidly spinning water flow stopped instantly, and with a flick of its tail, the Blue Scale Jiao burst open. "Xiao Qing!" Qin Chuan''s steady voice called at this moment. Sear?h the N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiao Qing in the sky, carrying the long-built tornado, fiercely slammed it down. The pale-blue wild wind accurately swept up the Blue Scale Jiao, completely lifting it off the lake beneath. The Blue Scale Jiao''s heightened strength instantly fell back down. Before it could struggle, the tornado, under Xiao Qing''s control, harshly flung it toward the shore. "Squeak squeak!" Xiao Hong on the shore closely watched the Blue Scale Jiao flying toward it. Its tail, condensed of flames, expanded dozens of times, now swinging in a wide arc toward the Blue Scale Jiao. It smacked the Blue Scale Jiao on the head like a giant slap, directly sending it crashing down. Ice Cream, who had quickly arrived, raised the long knife high, unleashing a swing that emitted a cold, icy-blue light, instantly striking the waist of the Blue Scale Jiao. The fierce strike shattered its tough scales and a burst of coldness immediately stiffened its body. With Fearless Heart already triggered, this strike was only the beginning. Wielding enhanced combat skills, Ice Cream''s knife strikes flowed like crashing waves, slashing continuously. When it finished and stepped back, the swiftly flying Xiao Qing, with a swift move, flashed past the wound on the Blue Scale Jiao, its sharp wingpower like a knife, precisely hitting the cuts left by Ice Cream. Water Flower didn''t move. Back on the shore, its sole task was to prevent the Blue Scale Jiao from making contact with the water environment. Before long, Qin Chuan and Yue Li both received a notification. [Congratulations to the Players for achieving the Hidden Achievement [Empty Fist Cooperation], Achievement Points +500, Experience Gem +50] [Empty Fist Cooperation: More than one but fewer than five unequipped Spiritual Beasts collectively kill an equipped Spiritual Beast.] They had succeeded! Qin Chuan quickly walked to the body of the Blue Scale Jiao, plucking off a shimmering scale. [Congratulations Player obtained Intermediate Resource: Deep Blue Scale] Chapter 88 - 88 Dragon Gate Camp (6/10 subscribe!) "Woof woof!" As the Deep Blue Scale embedded itself into the array, Water Flower only felt her thick fur become even tougher, and her body''s defensive capabilities had significantly increased. Feeling herself grow stronger, Water Flower was in high spirits and couldn''t help but look towards Qin Chuan. Currently, Ice Cream had also reached Growth Rank Lv20 and similarly required four Intermediate Resources to advance; it had originally thought that the second Intermediate Resource Qin Chuan obtained would belong to Ice Cream. Unexpectedly, this resource was still its own, and it was obtained together with its companions after they had slain the blue-scale serpent. In the past five days, Water Flower''s Affinity for Qin Chuan hadn''t decreased because of Ice Cream''s appearance. It wasn''t the jealous type and maintained a normal increase in Affinity, from 84% to 86%. At this moment, the emotional touch in its heart directly pushed its Affinity from 86% to 88%. Affinity became harder to increase later on, and Water Flower''s steady growth in Affinity was quite rare. Noticing this, Qin Chuan crouched and stroked Water Flower''s head. "Meow~" Ice Cream excitedly floated towards Qin Chuan, swaying back and forth in front of him, its large eyes occasionally looking at Qin Chuan as if expecting something. "Don''t worry, when we encounter the Intermediate Resources you need, I will strive for them for you," Qin Chuan thought Ice Cream also wanted Intermediate Resources and immediately spoke up. Yet unexpectedly, Ice Cream slightly shook its head, unsheathed a long sword for a moment to replicate the recent process of slaying the blue-scale serpent. Qin Chuan understood. "Your performance just now was excellent. Those few strikes were very impressive and startled me." Hearing Qin Chuan''s praise, Ice Cream''s ice crystal-like eyes blinked, instantly expressing a joyous demeanor. Under the influence of the Fearless Heart, its performance had just been beyond its usual level. Even Ice Cream itself, recalling its combat skills from just now, felt incredibly stunned, which was why it had actively sought praise from Qin Chuan. As an exceptional assassin, it specially cared about its combat ability. Of course, it wanted the Intermediate Resources too. "Meow~" We agreed! When we encounter the Intermediate Resources I need, you have to strive for them for me! "Of course," Qin Chuan said, dumbfounded. Today was the weekly settlement day; if things went smoothly, he would have to start figuring out a way to obtain Intermediate Resources for Ice Cream afterward. While interacting with the two Contracted Spiritual Beasts, Qin Chuan felt something and turned his head towards Yue Li, only to see her hurriedly shifting her gaze elsewhere. "What''s the matter?" Qin Chuan curiously asked. "It''s nothing," Yue Li shook her head, "I just think the battle went very smoothly." "I overheard some players from area 3675 on the Dream Realm Forum discussing this blue-scale serpent a couple of days ago," Qin Chuan knew Yue Li was surprised by his earlier performance and started to explain with a ready-made excuse. "Because I had some understanding, I could arrange tactics specifically." Sar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So that''s it," Yue Li nodded, seemingly accepting this explanation, but a hint of strangeness that Qin Chuan didn''t notice flickered in the depths of her eyes. "Screech" A sharp cry suddenly rang out, stopping Qin Chuan who wanted to add a few more words. After slaying the blue-scale serpent, Little Green had flown high into the sky, resuming its role as a Sentinel. This sharp cry was an alert! The next moment after the cry echoed, rustling sounds came from the dense forest next to the Pond. Qin Chuan and Yue Li were each on alert, and the four Spiritual Beasts that had just experienced a battle once again entered combat readiness. Soon, a figure hurried out from the dense forest, raising both hands and shouting, "Don''t be impulsive!" Player? Chinese? Surprise flickered in the eyes of Qin Chuan and Yue Li at the same time. It was the image of a female player. After she shouted, seeing that Qin Chuan and Yue Li didn''t attack, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I heard some noises over here, so I I" Her gaze fixed on the corpse of the blue-scaled jiao on the ground, her voice trailing off. Wasn''t this the Elite Rank blue-scaled jiao from the waterfall? It had been killed? She looked again at Qin Chuan and Yue Li, her hands trembling as she clicked on the shimmering light point. "Luo?! Yue Li?! Is it you two?" As she exclaimed, Qin Chuan and Yue Li also saw her details. [Player Name: Meng Yu] [Player Level: Apprentice Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beast: Four-eyed Spirit Fox] At Meng Yu''s feet, a white fox with four eyes trembled as it looked at four Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts. "Hello!" Yue Li was the first to react, waving her hand to signal the four Spiritual Beasts to hold back their power, while smiling and greeting the other, "Are you a player from around here?" "Yes" Meng Yu''s eyes brightened, looking at Yue Li as if seeing an idol, "We often mention you guys, I never thought I''d actually see you in person today." Yue Li couldn''t help but laugh at her words and a smile appeared on Qin Chuan''s lips as well. Over the past few days of trekking through mountains and rivers, they naturally encountered other players. But strangely, they had never met any players from Yanhuang Country; they only met players with names in other languages. Unable to communicate, and perceiving him and Yue Li''s player names with great wariness, they hadn''t been able to interact at all. Now, they finally met a player also from Yanhuang Country. At least they could communicate with each other. "You''re the first Yanhuang Country player I''ve encountered in this period," Yue Li said with a smile, then glanced at Qin Chuan, "apart from Luo." "Previously, we encountered some players, but it seems they were from other countries," Yue Li added, somewhat puzzled, "even though there are most of us from Yanhuang Country." "Uh I think I know the answer to that." Hearing Yue Li''s comment, Meng Yu''s expression turned a bit strange, "because players from Yanhuang Country in this area have all gathered together." "We''re all at a help camp called ''Dragon Gate Camp,'' helping each other out so we can live better in the Dream World." "Dragon Gate" Qin Chuan displayed a contemplative look and suddenly interjected, "Is it related to the Special Affairs Group?" "Yes!" Meng Yu nodded vigorously, "Dragon Gate was initiated by the Special Affairs Group, and they actively contacted us in the real world to inform us about the camp." Hearing this, Qin Chuan nodded in understanding. It seemed that the Special Affairs Group was making efforts not only in the real world but also in the Dream World. This mutual help system might not mean much for top-tier players, but it was a safety net for the majority of ordinary players. "In area 3675, there are six camps, and the one I belong to is ''Dragon Gate Camp No. 20131,'' not far from here." As she said this, Meng Yu''s eyes suddenly sparkled, "Do you want to come and check it out with me?" "I believe everyone at the camp would be very excited to see you!" ----------------- There are four more chapters updating today at 12:00 PM, let''s go! Chapter 89 - 89: Some People are Destined Not to Settle in One Corner (7/10 subscribe!) Hearing Meng Yu''s words, Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li with an inquiring gaze. "I want to go see!" Yue Li blinked. "Then let''s set off." With Yue Li''s agreement, Qin Chuan quickly made the decision. He was also very interested in the situation at Dragon Gate Camp. Moreover... Having spent so much time in the Dream World, it was time to interact with other players. Otherwise, he might think he was playing a two-player online game with Yue Li. "Follow me!" Having successfully invited two big shots, Meng Yu was quite excited, leading the way through the dense woods. She then remembered to ask about the scene they had just witnessed, "Did you two work together to kill that blue-scaled flood dragon?" "Yes." Yue Li nodded vigorously, "Elite Level is indeed formidable, but we had four Growth Rank Lv20. With coordinated effort, it was still possible to defeat it." "That''s amazing." Meng Yu couldn''t help but exclaim. To her, even Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts were fearsome creatures not to be messed with, let alone the Elite Rank beyond Growth Rank. "Your records on the Spiritual Beast List have been updated. Now the whole region knows you killed an Elite Level blue-scaled flood dragon." Meng Yu glanced at the Spiritual Beast List, "Everyone had been guessing that you two were a team." "After all, many of your records overlap." Meng Yu chattered all the way, with Yue Li occasionally responding, while Qin Chuan remained somewhat silent. By nature, he was wary of people he had just met, until he was sure they could be trusted. The three walked together and soon entered a valley. As soon as she saw the situation in the valley, Yue Li couldn''t help but exclaim. "Wow!" Qin Chuan next to her also showed a look of surprise. Looking around, the valley was neatly filled with wooden houses, with clear divisions such as lodging areas, dining areas, and other various zones. There were at least dozens of people at first glance. Moreover, there were Spiritual Beasts of various appearances frolicking around, creating a lively scene. Seeing such a scene in the Dream World, both of them momentarily felt as if they were playing a different game. "Impressive, isn''t it!" Seeing the astonishment of the top one and two on the list, Meng Yu felt a bit proud, "Our 20131 camp now has 273 players. I remember Brother Sun said the other five camps have a similar number of people." Earlier on the road, Meng Yu had mentioned "Brother Sun," who was the camp leader of camp number 20131 and a staff member of the Special Affairs Group. "While this number is not large compared to all the Yanhuang players in zone 3675, it is already quite impressive at this stage!" Meng Yu unconsciously puffed out her chest. "Indeed." Qin Chuan nodded, and suddenly thought of the camp numbers Meng Yu had mentioned multiple times, "Your camp is number 20131; does that mean there are over twenty thousand similar camps before yours?" "Yeah." Meng Yu nodded, "The camp numbers start from zone 0001, and each zone has five or six camps. By our area, it''s already over twenty thousand, and in total, the Dream World currently has 55,000 camps!" As they spoke, someone inside the camp had already noticed their presence. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yu Waizi, brought some newbies?" A man with an uncle-like appearance spoke with a strong local accent, taking big steps toward them. After getting a clear look at the two''s Player Names, the uncle was startled and then shouted to those behind him, "The top two kids are here!" Within a few short minutes, Qin Chuan and Yue Li found themselves surrounded by people. The older attendees were relatively calm, but the younger players, about the same age as Qin Chuan and Yue Li, could hardly restrain themselves from asking numerous questions, clearly showing a lot of admiration for the pair. After all, these two Chinese names had been continuously at the top of the Ranking List ever since they appeared, never being overtaken. Don''t underestimate this fact; because of these two, when Yanhuang players from zone 3675 faced players from other countries, they were significantly more confident. "Alright, with so many talking, how can they answer all of you." A helpless voice arose, instantly quieting the gathered players. The crowd made way, and a middle-aged man quickly approached Qin Chuan and Yue Li, "I''m Sun Sihai, the leader of camp number 20131 from the Special Affairs Group, welcome." [Player Name: Sun Sihai] [Player Level: Official Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beast: Thorn Pig, Feathered Crown Monkey] Seeing this name, Qin Chuan and Yue Li had strange expressions. Real-name registration, huh? Guessing their reactions from theirs, Sun Sihai explained with a smile, "We use not only our real names but also our real images; it''s to facilitate our work." "I am assigned in Guanglong City''s Special Affairs Group. If you encounter any trouble in the surrounding areas in real life, you can also seek my help." "This is true. Once, a Demon Beast appeared near my home, and I asked Brother Sun for help; the very next day, the Special Affairs Group dispatched a team to eliminate it," one of the players intervened in Cantonese to corroborate the story. "Well, the place I live is quite far from Guanglong City," Qin Chuan smiled. "Me too." Yue Li nodded. "No matter," Sun Sihai''s smile remained unchanged, "My colleagues are equally reliable." "Since it''s rare for you to visit, please have a seat first." Sun Sihai pointed to another area, "In Dragon Gate Camp, every player has the opportunity to leverage their unique strengths, and it so happens that among our camp players, chefs seem to be somewhat overrepresented." "So you''re in for a treat!" Qin Chuan saw clearly that at the moment Sun Sihai said this, Yue Li''s eyes lit up. Away from the shelter, the quality of their food had indeed declined. "Then we won''t be polite." ----------------- It must be said, the power of the crowd is strong. It was the first time that Qin Chuan and Yue Li had eaten food in the Dream World that tasted like it could have come from the real world. No, even better. Because the Dream World''s resources were richer than those in reality. While enjoying a lovely meal, they also met quite a few players within the camp and learned many interesting things about the construction process of the camp. However, all good things must come to an end. A few hours later, Qin Chuan and Yue Li took the initiative to say goodbye to Sun Sihai and leave. The camp was nice, but they were destined not to belong there. "Take care, and remember to come back and visit when you have the chance!" Sun Sihai watched Qin Chuan and Yue Li leave, smiling. He believed that as long as the two were still active in the area, there would be a time they''d meet again. "Brother Sun, why didn''t you invite them to stay?" A voice came from behind. "Because some people are destined not to settle in one corner," Sun Sihai looked back at the group of players behind him, "The weekly settlement is coming up, everyone get ready in advance." Hearing this, the faces of the players in the camp showed anticipation. Another function of the camp, naturally, was resource exchange. Being able to swap needed resources within the camp was much faster than in reality. Chapter 90 - 90: Theres this Setting?! (8/10 Subscribe Please!) "I actually quite like the atmosphere of the camp." Walking on the road, Yue Li turned her head toward Qin Chuan, "Luo, Sun Sihai said that the current Dragon Gate Camp is just the initial scale, and it is destined to continue increasing the number of camps in the future." "Will we often pass by different camps by then?" "It''s possible," Qin Chuan nodded. "It''s a good thing, although we are destined not to stay in a certain camp, we can use the camps as rest areas along the way to briefly stop and interact with other players." "I was thinking the same thing!" Seeing that Qin Chuan shared her thoughts, Yue Li''s eyebrows curved, and her smile suddenly became lively, "The weekly settlement is in two minutes." "I''ve already prepared to enhance your luck!" Watching Yue Li wave her hands excitedly, a smile also appeared in Qin Chuan''s eyes. This was a new trial they had decided on yesterday. Among the three ranking lists, there is a special onethe weekly settlement rewards of the Achievement Leaderboard. Refresh discounts in the Achievement Store; different players have different items in their stores. Therefore, Yue Li came up with the idea of using luck to refresh the Achievement Store to bring out more good items. Appropriately, the settlement rewards and random resources in the Achievement Store could also benefit from this wave of luck enhancement. As for using the Sun Needle''s second Talent Effect to scout for resources on the day, it would be done after the weekly settlement, and the treasure search in Dream World could continue the next time. Focusing on maximizing ten minutes of fortune. Yue Li kept her eyes on the countdown, and when there were only a few seconds left until the weekly settlement, she hesitated before using the second Talent Effect of Prayer. As the light lit up on Qin Chuan, rows of text emerged. [Ranking List Daily Settlement Begins] [] [Ranking List Weekly Settlement Begins] S~ea??h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Congratulations to the player for achieving 1st in the Spiritual Beast List (Growth Rank), Self-selected Intermediate Resources +1] [Congratulations to the player for achieving 4th in the Spiritual Beast List (Growth Rank), Random Intermediate Resources +1] [Congratulations to the player for achieving 2nd in the Transcendent List, Random Starshine Equipment Material +1] [Congratulations to the player for achieving 1st in the Achievement Leaderboard, Refresh 3-fold Discount in Achievement Store] Before today, the snow doll''s ranking was outside the top ten; slaying the Blue-Scaled Jiao directly boosted its ranking to 4th. Ahead, respectively, are Water Flower, Little Qing, and Little Red. Their four achievements are almost the same; rankings are determined by who advanced first. Gaining one self-chosen intermediate, one random intermediate, and one random Starshine Equipment Material simultaneously gave Qin Chuan a feeling of abundant harvest, but he didn''t forget the most important thing. Check what the Achievement Store has refreshed! [Experience Gem, original price 10 Achievement Points/discounted 3 Achievement Points, limited: 100] [Self-selected Intermediate Resources, original price 10,000 Achievement Points/discounted 3,000 Achievement Points, limited: 1] [Random Intermediate Resources, original price 5,000 Achievement Points/discounted 1,500 Achievement Points, limited: 1] [Random Starshine Equipment Material, original price 3,000 Achievement Points/discounted 900 Achievement Points, limited: 1] [Random Starshine Equipment Material, original price 3,000 Achievement Points/discounted 900 Achievement Points, limited: 1] [Top-Tier Equipment Forging Stone, original price 16,000 Achievement Points/discounted 4,800 Achievement Points, limited: 1] Qin Chuan''s eyes sparkled. Although, some items refreshed in the Achievement Store this time are very expensive. But was it not lucky? What he most wanted, the random intermediate resources, came out, and the urgently needed random Starshine Equipment Materials even refreshed twice! The possibility of repeating refreshes was beyond his expectation. Qin Chuan quickly glanced at his Achievement Points balance. [Current Available Achievement Points: 3900/8100] In the last Achievement Store, he had exchanged for the Experience Gem, random intermediate resources, random Starshine Equipment material, and top-tier Equipment Forging Stone, and also exchanged two low-level random resources for the snow doll''s advancement, spending a total of 4200 Achievement Points. As their strength increased, the number of achievements Qin Chuan and Yue Li completed this week was reduced, but the quality had increased, and individual achievements rarely scored below 300 points, so their accumulated Achievement Points also rose accordingly. This time, the six items refreshed in the Achievement StoreQin Chuan directly skipped the self-selected intermediate resource and top-tier Equipment Forging Stone. With Yue Li''s luck enhancement, buying these was a waste. The remaining four items cost a total of 3600 Achievement Points, which he could just afford. Next, it was the pleasant resource opening time. First, were the three pieces of random Starshine Equipment Material. Water Flower, which already had four pieces of Starshine Equipment Material, now directly reached seven piecesonly two short of being able to craft top-tier equipment. Next, Qin Chuan started to unpack intermediate resources. One self-chosen, two random. He decided to check the random resources first, then use the self-selected resource to make up for what was lacking after the random. [Congratulations to the player for receiving the Intermediate Resource: Water Penetration Stone Core] Great, with this, Water Flower only needed one more piece of the Canglan Conch. Qin Chuan rubbed his hands together, filled with anticipation, and opened the second random intermediate resource. [Congratulations to the player for receiving the Intermediate Resource: Heart of Extreme Cold] Hmm? Qin Chuan glanced at the snow doll. This resource was needed for the snow doll''s advancement. He had thought he would randomly get the Canglan Conch first, to complete Water Flower''s advancement resources. However, it was not a big issue; there was still one self-selected! Completely unaware of the problem, Qin Chuan embedded the two resources into the advancement arrays of the two Spiritual Beasts. Then he rubbed his hands together again and took out a ball of golden light. Self-selected Intermediate Resource! The image of Canglan Conch appeared in Qin Chuan''s mind, and just as he was about to make a selection, a line of text suddenly popped up. [Notice: The Canglan Conch is a Rare Intermediate Resource, unavailable through Self-selected Intermediate Resources or Random Intermediate Resources.] Qin Chuan''s expression instantly froze. Before this, he had only used random intermediate resources; he never thought that there were intermediate resources that couldn''t be obtained using self-selected! Rare class... Qin Chuan had a guess in his mind, he thought for a moment, and opened the snow doll''s advancement array. [Heart of Extreme Cold: an intermediate resource formed by a second condensation of Ice Attribute power, possessing miraculous power that enhances the lower limits of Ice Attribute temperatures, essential for the advancement of the Frost Doll during the Growth Rank] [Frost Essence Iron: an intermediate resource formed when essence iron is permeated by extreme cold power, can forge powerful weapons that match the Ice Attribute, essential for the advancement of the Frost Doll during the Growth Rank] [Cloud Light Snow Core: an intermediate resource naturally condensed from Ice Attribute power, can enhance the speed and agility of Ice Attribute Spiritual Beasts, essential for the advancement of the Frost Doll during the Growth Rank] [Frost Temperature Jade: an intermediate resource that only appears in random regions and time periods, slightly enhances the Attribute Control ability of Ice Attribute Spiritual Beasts, essential for the advancement of the Frost Doll during the Growth Rank] When trying to select the first three resources, no notices appeared. But when Qin Chuan tried to choose the Frost Temperature Jade... [Notice: Frost Temperature Jade is a Rare Intermediate Resource, unavailable through Self-selected Intermediate Resources or Random Intermediate Resources.] Indeed, the description "only appears in random regions and time periods" was problematic. Chapter 91 - 91 Hidden Advanced Difficulty (9/10 subscribe!) "What''s wrong?" Yue Li had just finished exchanging her resources when she looked up to see the incredible expression on Qin Chuan''s face. "I''ve discovered a little problem," Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li. "Among the four resources required for both Xiaoqing and Xiaohong to advance, isn''t there one that''s described as ''appearing only at random locations and times''?" "Yes." Yue Li nodded. "I''ve seen a discussion post on the Dream Realm Forum before. Among the four intermediate resources required for every Spiritual Beast to advance from the Growth Rank to the Elite Rank, there is one with such a description." "Then it''s settled." Qin Chuan gave Yue Li the self-selected intermediate resources he held with a quirky look on his face. "Try and see if you can use it to select those two resources." "I''ll give it a try... huh?" Yue Li took the golden light orb and soon after, her expression turned vacant. "There''s such a restriction?!" Clearly, her attempt was unsuccessful too. "Yes, and the restriction is very well concealed." Qin Chuan smiled wryly. "Initially, I had thought advancing would be much easier than evolution." To evolve, one must craft a piece of Starshine Equipment. Depending on the quantity and quality of the materials, the quality of the equipment can vary. To obtain higher-quality equipment, one needs to collect more materials before evolving. Moreover, the crafting of Starshine Equipment is prone to failure. The more materials used, the greater the loss if one fails. So, to aim for higher-quality equipment, the quality of the Equipment Forging Stones can''t be too low. Thus, the difficulty of evolving is greatly increased. In comparison, the requirement to advance using four intermediate resources seems incredibly easy. That''s what Qin Chuan had originally thought. Until now, when he realized that one of them is a rare intermediate resource. Being unobtainable through self-selection or random intermediate resources means its scarcity will be greatly increased. More importantly, it does not have a fixed location, which further increases the difficulty of obtaining it. "The total number of Official Level players in the Dream World has already exceeded one million," Yue Li spoke softly. "After this weekly settlement, there should be quite a few people who will discover this problem. I think the Special Affairs Group will release relevant information." "After all they must have known since last week." Before the first weekly settlement, although there were few Official Level players, there were indeed some, and among those Qin Chuan knew, Ji Huai was one of them. They received the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List settlement rewards one week early and must have discovered this problem, but they had temporarily not made it public. The Special Affairs Group would share some crucial information that most players temporarily didn''t need later on, to secure a faster development pace, but they wouldn''t always keep it to themselves. This had happened when the Achievement Leaderboard appeared. The methods for obtaining achievements they held in their hands were made public immediately after everyone became aware of the existence of hidden achievements. After this settlement, the rare intermediate resources will undoubtedly be known to everyone. Those pieces of information that the Special Affairs Group has not yet shared, I believe, will be no exception. "We''re about to leave the Dream World soon, and we''ll naturally find out by then," Qin Chuan spoke softly while beginning to ponder the possibility of using the Sun Needle to locate rare intermediate resources. Using only the second talent, it would be difficult to find rare resources. Because the location of such resources would continually change, the second talent would only present the results of an instant''s search and could not dynamically capture the resources within range. Unless at the moment of the search, the rare resource just happened to be within range, and it hadn''t disappeared by the time Qin Chuan went to look for it. The likelihood of that was too small. Thinking of probability, Qin Chuan then thought of combining the luck boost from Yue Li. S~ea??h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he quickly dismissed his speculation. The second talent''s search during the past five Dream Days had all been with Yue Li''s luck boost, but he hadn''t located any rare resources all five times. This indicates that the location of rare resources might not be affected by luck or that there''s some mechanism he was still unclear about. Therefore, he needed to use his third talent to lock onto the rare intermediate resources. That way, no matter where the resource appeared, he would know immediately. Since the last use of the third talent, six Dream Days had passed, and by the next Dream Day, this talent could be used once again. Thinking of this, Qin Chuan''s heart was set. The presence of a rare resource amongst the Growth Rank advancement resources might not be a bad thing for him. He temporarily stored the self-selected intermediate resources back in the Item Equipment Bar, feeling his lucky time nearing its end, Qin Chuan did not hesitate to use today''s resource search. Soon, his eyes lit up with joy. Lucky him, there was a piece of Starshine Equipment material suitable for Water Flower nearby. But going to find it now would be too late. He''d have to wait until the next time he entered the Dream World. "Luo, see you tomorrow." Turning his head to look at Yue Li, whose face was brimming with smiles, Qin Chuan returned the smile. "Okay, see you tomorrow." [07:59:59/08:00:00][00:00:07] [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:08] [Dream World entrance closed] ----------------- The warm morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows with the curtains drawn, gently spilling onto the girl in the hospital bed, coating her delicate features in a golden hue like a perfect piece of art crafted by the Creator. The girl''s brows furrowed slightly as if ripples spread across a spring pond, and then her water-cutting eyes slowly opened. "Yueyue''s awake?" The elegant woman by the bed smiled. "Sister Du Yu." Lin Yue''s eyes began to focus. "What time is it?" "Almost nine o''clock." Du Yu laughed lightly. "Wait for me for a moment." She turned and quickly brought over some hot water, skillfully cleaning Lin Yue''s face. "Thank you, Sister Du Yu..." Lin Yue flushed with embarrassment. "You''re always doing these things for me." "It''s nothing." Du Yu smiled. "And I think, very soon, you''ll be able to do these things yourself." "I have used almost all of the treatment capability on your right hand over this period. After today''s rehabilitation treatment, your hand should be able to return to normal." "Really?!" Lin Yue''s face instantly lit up with joy. After being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS, a few years ago, her limbs quickly began to show signs of muscle weakness that progressively worsened. If it weren''t for Du Yu''s rehabilitation treatment, her condition might have spread from her limbs to her torso, resulting in more dreadful consequences. Although only her right hand had recovered, this represented a ray of light amidst the darkness for Lin Yue. "Thank you, Sister Du Yu!" Lin Yue''s eyes reddened, but she seemed a bit hesitant. "But... why the right hand?" "Of course, because it''s more convenient to use the right hand," Du Yu said with a smile, delighted by the therapy''s success. "I deliberately didn''t tell you in advance. Do you like this surprise?" Lin Yue was silent for a moment, glancing at her left hand. "Yes... I like it very much." Chapter 92 - 92 Yue Li: Could Luos Talent be... (10/10 Please Subscribe!) "Okay, give it a try!" Du Yu let go of her hands, her expression one of anticipation. She took out the paper and pen she had prepared earlier from her bag and handed them to Lin Yue. "Hmm" A moment later, looking at the crooked, unrefined characters spelling "Lin Yue" on the paper, Du Yu''s smile gradually faded, "Has it not fully recovered?" "It''s probably because I haven''t written in a long time and I''m a bit out of practice," Lin Yue said softly as she set down the pen, "It''s already very good, I''m very satisfied." "That''s good," Du Yu was relieved and smiled once more. "I have class in a bit, I need to hurry back to school," she said with a smile, gathering her things and preparing to leave. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something, her expression becoming serious, "I heard from Uncle Lin that you self-studied high school and even college courses while you were ill." "I will make sure your left hand fully recovers before the college entrance exam," she said earnestly, holding Lin Yue''s hands gently, "So you need to prepare well and not delay!" "The college entrance exam, huh" Lin Yue looked lost in thought for a moment, then cracked a smile, "Okay!" Seeing Lin Yue agree, Du Yu let out a sigh of relief, picked up her bag and quickly left. When the room door was gently closed, Lin Yue raised her right hand and examined it carefully, clenching and unclenching repeatedly, her smile growing more radiant. Suddenly, she thought of something. Luo was also preparing for the college entrance exam, wasn''t he? Could it be that the two of them would end up at the same university? But that thought vanished as quickly as it had appeared in Lin Yue''s mind. After all, it seemed like Luo''s grades weren''t too good. Thinking of Luo, Lin Yue''s smile slightly receded, and she took out her tablet to navigate it somewhat unfamiliarly. Soon, a post from the Dream Realm Forum appeared before her eyes. It was a speculative post about the effects of "golden talents." On this board, countless players discussed and guessed the real effects of the nine golden talents. Except for the discussion area for Spirit Ascension, which was somewhat quiet, the other eight discussion areas were still bustling. Lin Yue first clicked on the discussion section for "Prayer", where the top-liked speculations accurately guessed the effects of her first and second talents, she couldn''t help but roll her eyes. The name of this talent was just not misleading enough! Then, Yue Li hesitated for a moment before clicking on the discussion section for "Insight". Among the top-liked speculations, two caught her attention. Top like: "Irresponsible guess: The Insight Talent can see through an opponent''s weaknesses, and a player with this talent might seem almost prophetically sharp when killing Spiritual Beasts." Seventh like: "Irresponsible guess: The Insight Talent can find nearby resources, making it impossible for them to hide, the player with this talent is basically cheating, I''m already crying with envy." Before today, Luo''s talent only seemed to match the seventh statement. But after he killed the Blue Scaled Jiao, his performance closely resembled the first statement. Could it be Luo''s talent, is actually Insight?! Counting the time, four golden talents including her own Prayer were drawn that day, and Erik had already revealed that he possessed the Spirit Ascension Talent, leaving only Sun Needle and Insight, which also matched the timeline perfectly. Although she lacked evidence, Lin Yue''s conviction that Luo''s talent was Insight grew stronger. If that''s the case Lin Yue''s gaze shifted to another top-liked speculation. Third like: "Irresponsible guess: The Insight Talent can see through other players'' talent levels and talent effects. If that''s true, then in front of a player with this talent, it''s like being completely exposed." Seeing through other players'' talents If this speculation was also right, then did Luo know from the beginning that his talent was Prayer? Wait a second Some memories that she had never paid attention to suddenly surged into her mind. She still remembered how Luo had repeatedly hinted, both overtly and covertly, that she should hide her talents, even jokingly saying that others might mistake her for a "Prayer"... Some things are not easily noticed under normal circumstances, but when you trace them back from the answer, the clues become apparent. At this moment, a bolt of lightning seemed to flash through Lin Yue''s mind. He definitely knew about her talent! Realizing this, Lin Yue couldn''t help but grind her canines. So, these past few days in front of Luo, she had been like naked... She suddenly froze, and her fair complexion instantly flushed with a delicate red. "Ptui, ptui, ptui!" --- "Achoo!" On the sports field, Qin Chuan suddenly felt an itch in his nose and couldn''t help sneeze. "Are you catching a cold?" asked the chubby kid curiously. "Have you ever seen an Ice Attribute Transcendent catch a cold?" Qin Chuan looked at the chubby kid helplessly, "Just a sudden itch in my nose." "Alright, as long as it doesn''t affect today''s combat assessment," the chubby kid chuckled, then suddenly thought of something, "Qin Chuan, have both of your Contracted Spiritual Beasts reached Growth Rank Lv20?" "Yes." "Then the Advanced materials for these two Contracted Spiritual Beasts, is there one that''s quite special, called... Rare Intermediate Resources?" The Chubby kid couldn''t help but inquire, "I saw that the Special Affairs Group released new intelligence, and these resources seem particularly hard to find." "Indeed, they are hard to find," Qin Chuan nodded in agreement. Even the chubby kid knew about the existence of Rare Intermediate Resources, which proved that this hidden resource category had become widely known after this week''s settlement. This morning, just as Yue Li had predicted, the Special Affairs Group was the first to release intelligence about Rare Resources. First, Rare Resources cannot be chosen at will; they are acquired randomly. Second, Rare Resources possess a self-concealing nature; unlike normal resources, their dense energy is not readily visible. If one doesn''t look closely, Rare Resources appear like any ordinary object, with no discernible energy fluctuations. Normal players, without touching it and receiving a game prompt, are unable to confirm its presence. This increases the difficulty of discovering them by several levels. Third, once Rare Resources are acquired, they must be stored in the Item Equipment Bar immediately. According to the Special Affairs Group, four days ago, a Special Affairs Group player accidentally found a piece of Rare Intermediate Resource. At the time, his Item Equipment Bar happened to be full, so he placed the resource in his accompanying bag. Two minutes later, the resource ran away. Although only three points of intelligence on Rare Resources were released, Qin Chuan also had his gains. At least, after finding the Canglan Conch using his third Talent Effect with the Sun Needle, he definitely wouldn''t foolishly hold it in his hand. "I believe you can do it!" the chubby kid said with conviction, quite confident in Qin Chuan''s abilities. He couldn''t help but rub his hands together, "The combat assessment is about to start, I''m a bit nervous." Qin Chuan patted the chubby kid''s shoulder for comfort, and a string of text appeared before his eyes. [Current Extraordinary Value: 3440] [Current Passive Skills: Water Master, Frost Cold] [Current Active Skills: Frost Breaking Slash, Seek Frost Trace] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 2: Skills Frost Cold, Frost Breaking Slash, Seek Frost Trace receive a 5% enhancement] Sarch* The ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 93 - 93 Assessment of Plentiful Wolves and Scarce Meat! As Ji Huai strode towards the crowd, the students who were chatting in groups quieted down. Having finished the roll call and confirmed that everyone was present, Ji Huai began with a grave voice, "We are now heading to the base at the foot of Qingwang Mountain, the team arrangements for the Apprentice Level examinees will be announced there." "The detailed rules of this assessment will also be announced there." "The bus is already at the school gate. Now, line up and get on the bus!" Everyone responded in succession, followed Ji Huai out of the school with a sense of anticipation. Buses loaded with examinees soon left the school and, after a bumpy ride, arrived at the base of Qingwang Mountain. Every ten meters at the foot of Qingwang Mountain, there was a sentry post. These posts formed a circle, encompassing the entire mountain. The armed soldiers at the posts boarded the buses to check IDs and identities before letting them pass; after some rigmarole, the examinees finally got off at a large parade ground at the foot of Qingwang Mountain. Second High wasn''t the first school to arrive at the site; before their arrival, examinees sporting two different types of school uniforms stood distinctly separated into their respective areas on the parade ground. "It''s First High and Fifth High." With just a glance, the chubby kid was introducing to Qin Chuan on the side, "This time a total of five high schools: First, Second, Fifth, Seventh, and Eighth, are participating in the combat assessment." "First High reportedly already has five Official Level students." The chubby kid curled his lips, "Deservedly the best high school, students from good families sure are plentiful." "Fifth High''s Official Level students, like us, are two." "Seventh High has three, Eighth High has two." The chubby kid raised his eyebrows at Qin Chuan, "A total of fourteen." "You sure are well-informed." Qin Chuan was somewhat surprised. "How could I possibly know?" The chubby kid spoke bluntly, "My dad told me." Qin Chuan suddenly understood. Although Uncle Li and the chubby kid were of the same build, the father and son were completely different in character; with Uncle Li''s abilities, getting a hold of such information was normal. Then, a warmth seeped into his heart. Uncle Li didn''t need to go out of his way to find out these things for his son, who was still at the Apprentice Level, so it could only be to help him out. "Please thank Uncle for me." "Pshaw, it''s nothing!" The chubby kid chuckled. As they were talking, a boy from First High approached and addressed all of the Second High students, "Who is Qin Chuan?" Just as his words fell, the examinees from Second High quieted for a moment, then pairs of eyes turned towards Qin Chuan. Following the direction of the crowd''s gaze, the boy did not stop at the chubby kid but looked straight towards Qin Chuan, "You are Qin Chuan?" "Yes, I am." Qin Chuan nodded, "What''s up?" "Chu Zhou, just remember the name." The boy introduced himself and turned to leave. "This guy''s got quite an attitude!" The chubby kid clicked his tongue in annoyance after the other had walked some distance, suddenly realizing something, "Standing together, why didn''t he guess I was Qin Chuan?" Qin Chuan could only give the chubby kid a helpless glance. "Dang! Is he looking down on me?" The chubby kid became suddenly furious, "Qin Chuan, you have to show him up during this assessment for me!" "You handle stuff like this yourself." Qin Chuan looked at him with a deadpan expression. "Can''t, not one bit." The chubby kid shook his head resolutely, "Last time in the combat assessment, he got a perfect score, just like you." "Really?" Qin Chuan took a surprised look at Chu Zhou, who had rejoined his group and arrogantly stood there alone. There were three perfect scores in the last combat assessment, and he was one of them? While they were speaking, more buses drove into the parade ground, and soon, students wearing another school''s uniform disembarked in an orderly fashion. "That''s Seventh High." The chubby kid''s eyes shone as he patted Qin Chuan''s shoulder, "See that girl walking in front who is the prettiest? That''s Song Ling, the beauty queen of Seventh High!" "Do you have some kind of beauty queen radar or something?" Qin Chuan did not hide his amusement, having no intention of turning his head to look. "She also got a perfect score in the last assessment." Qin Chuan turned his head. Song Ling was a girl who seemed delicate and weak, with a benevolent smile on her face that, remarkably, earned her a full score in a combat assessment. Qin Chuan turned serious. Generally speaking, those who look innocent and harmless are often the most dangerous. A formidable opponent! He couldn''t help but take a few extra glances. After Seventh High, the students from Eighth High also quickly arrived. When almost a thousand students from the five schools had lined up in their designated areas of the parade ground, a figure took to the temporary platform. It was a resolute middle-aged man. "I am Lan Cheng, the chief of the Special Affairs Group of Changxing City." The group leader of the Special Affairs Group himself? The crowd was abuzz, and Qin Chuan also showed his surprise. The special combat assessment was being taken this seriously? "Today, I and hundreds of workers from the Special Affairs Group will ensure the safety of this assessment to the best of our ability," Lan Cheng spoke in a solemn tone. "Now, I will explain the rules of this combat assessment to you all." "The two items currently being distributed, please carry them with you for the duration of the assessment." "One is a safety helmet, equipped with a fixed camera to record your kill score throughout the assessment; keep it on at all times, and if lost, your score will not be recorded." "The other is an Emergency Signal Emitter. There won''t be any safety officers following you to stop the assessment in case of an accident, but there will be safety officers stationed throughout Qingwang Mountain." Sear?h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "In case of danger, you''ll need to decide whether to stop your assessment; if you decide to stop, press the button on the emitter, and the nearest safety officer will come to you immediately." "Moreover, a large number of hidden cameras have been installed throughout Qingwang Mountain; if an examinee fails to call for help in an emergency, we will issue the alert on their behalf." As Lan Cheng spoke, the two items he mentioned were rapidly distributed to everyone by the staff. The emitter looked like a wristwatch, with a button protected against accidental activation. After strapping on the helmet and emitter, Qin Chuan continued to listen to Lan Cheng''s explanation. "This assessment will not use a percentage grading system but a points system," Lan Cheng began slowly. "The assessment time is two hours, including survival points and kill points." "For every minute you last in the assessment, you earn 1 point of survival points; if you stop the assessment, no further points will be accrued, with the full score being 120 points." "The demon beasts in Qingwang Mountain range up to level 20; 1 point for killing a level 1 demon beast, an additional point for every increase in level up to level 11, 20 points for killing a level 11 demon beast, and after that, an additional 20 points for each increase in level, with a 200 point score for killing a level 20 demon beast." Levels 1-10 demon beasts are equivalent to Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beasts. Levels 11-20 Advanced demon beasts are equivalent to Growth Rank Spiritual Beasts. "If survival points are less than 120, only 90% of the kill points will be counted," Lan Cheng announced. "The sum of these two will be your final score." "Now, students who have reached the Official Level, step forward!" Qin Chuan and Zhu Yuwei stepped out with confidence, standing shoulder to shoulder with students from the other four schools who stepped forward. A total of fourteen Official Level students instantly drew everyone''s gaze. "There''s a piece of not so good news," Lan Cheng said with a smile. "There are only ten Advanced demon beasts in Qingwang Mountain." Chapter 94 - 94 New Cultivation Method! Upon hearing Lan Cheng''s words, the fourteen Official Level examinees present all showed grave expressions. This seriousness was not due to the fear of Advanced Demon Beasts, but because there were too few Advanced Demon Beasts in Qingwang Mountain. Not being able to allocate even one beast per person meant that they not only needed to fully commit to killing the beasts in the mountain but also secretly compete with each other. The examinee who first killed ten Advanced Demon Beasts could gain a large number of points, while those who were slower could only accumulate points by killing more ordinary Demon Beasts. However, the points for the latter were far lower than the former, making it nearly impossible to overtake by this method. Noticing their reactions, Lan Cheng smiled satisfactorily and then announced, "Next, the team arrangement for the Apprentice Level examinees will be announced." "You must form teams according to the arrangement, and kill Demon Beasts to complete the assessment." "The team points calculation is slightly different from the Official Level examinees'' individual points calculation." "As long as there is still one member of the team not eliminated, all members'' survival points will continue to accumulate, 60% of the team''s killing points will be evenly distributed among the members, and the remaining 40% will be awarded based on actual combat contributions as determined after review by the judges." The team arrangements were quickly distributed, and upon knowing their respective groups, the playground suddenly became agitated. The examinees began to move, searching for their teammates; no longer organized by school or class, but rather by small groups. Although Qin Chuan was not in a group, he observed the grouping situation. The grouping was completely randomsix people per group, and nearly every group had examinees from different schools. This point was quite interesting. Examinees from different schools should have been in a competitive relationship during practical assessments. Just like during city-wide exams when teachers often mention the top students from other schools. Yet, they were assigned to the same group, forced to assist examinees from other schools in achieving the highest possible score. Qin Chuan was quite suspicious that this was intentional by the Special Affairs Group. When he saw the faint smile at the corner of Lan Cheng''s mouth, his suspicion quickly turned into conviction. It was definitely intentional. After a while, Qin Chuan finally spotted Xiao Pang''s figure in the crowded field, watching him engage in friendly interaction with his five new teammates before turning his attention away. Hoping that Xiao Pang would achieve good results. If he could get first place at the Apprentice Level and win the prize of Low-level Resources, Xiao Pang''s promotion to Official Level could be further accelerated. About a quarter of an hour later, the playground, filled with thousands of examinees, gradually quieted down. There were occasional whispers, but order was no longer chaotic. "Next, all of you will be led by staff from the Special Affairs Group and enter Qingwang Mountain from different directions," Lan Cheng slowly spoke. "I remind you for the last time, in case of danger, do not hesitate to call for help immediately." "Your life safety is much more important than the results of a practical exam." "Attacking other examinees during the practical exam is prohibited; violators will have their results canceled and severe cases will be legally prosecuted." Following Lan Cheng''s words, one after another, Special Affairs Group staff stepped forward, leading Apprentice Level teams and Official Level examinees to different entrances. Qin Chuan was soon called up, along with nine Apprentice Level teams. After entering the designated entrance, he immediately separated from the others and alone chose a path to delve deeper into Qingwang Mountain. The other examinees also knew their goals were not the same; as an Official Level examinee, Qin Chuan had to actively seek Advanced Demon Beasts, while these Apprentice Level teams, by contrast, did not invite Qin Chuan to join them. At this moment, at the other entrances, the remaining thirteen Official Level examinees made choices similar to Qin Chuan''s. To secure the first place in this assessment and win a piece of Starshine Equipment Material of their choice, they must find Advanced Demon Beasts and kill them quickly. Killing an Advanced Demon Beast meant their results would not be at the bottom. If fortunate enough to kill more, not only could they have a greater chance of finishing first but also deprive other competitors of the opportunity to kill Advanced Demon Beasts. This was a winner-takes-all competition. ----------------- After all the examinees had left, the large playground at the base of the mountain became quiet again, but a building next to the big playground was bustling at the moment. Inside the building was the main surveillance room for this assessment. Dozens of Special Affairs Group staff, wearing serious expressions, closely monitored each hidden camera in Qingwang Mountain, occasionally focusing on some particularly striking parts of the footage. Selected footage would immediately appear in the large meeting room next-door. In that meeting room sat Lan Cheng, leading Special Affairs Group personnel, deputy principals of the five schools participating in the assessment, and dozens of men and women of various ages and accents. Each of them represented a university that had established an Extraordinary Practical Department and was set to recruit students after this year''s high school exams. These were observers sent by the universities'' admissions offices. Their task was simply to observe and record. There were many such observers, distributed all over. They would conduct an initial screening of high-school seniors nationwide, note the outstanding examinees, and list them for further selection. Of course, if they encountered exceptionally excellent examinees, they could also apply to the university admissions office for permission to make early contact, offering certain benefits and promises. Every time a new image appeared on the big screen, it sparked their soft discussions; when they saw potential, they quickly jotted down notes. Only a man and a woman were different from the rest. They sat in the front row of all observers, and after more than a dozen changes on the big screen, they showed no intention of interacting or intending to take notes. Because none of the examinees in the footage had caught their eye. And these two people, or rather the universities they represented, indeed had such selective qualifications. The woman, with an ever-calm expression, was Zhou Xiaoyu, an observer from Yan University''s admissions office. Sarch* The n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The man next to her, arms crossed, was Fan Gang, an observer from Huaqing''s admissions office. Yan University, Huaqing. The authority of these two universities within Yanhuang Country had not wavered despite the arrival of the Transcendent era. For they possessed the most cutting-edge research capabilities, the most extensive research resources, and the finest faculty among all universities in the country. This enabled them to lead the way in the research of Extraordinary Theory, which, in turn, drove their leadership in Extraordinary Practical Combat. It is said that both universities had each developed a new Cultivation Method that, after verification by supercomputers, had already been preliminarily validated in realityan achievement other universities could only dream of. Chapter 95 - 95: Qin Chuans Provisional Rating (April Bonus for 1050 Monthly Tickets) The observers from Yan University and Huaqing remained unresponsive, and the high school vice principals exchanged glances, knowing they couldn''t continue like this any longer. For high schools, the number of students admitted to Yan University and Huaqing is arguably the most important performance indicator. In today''s changing world, as Yan University and Huaqing launched the Extraordinary Theory Department and Extraordinary Practical Department and began admission, they are also somewhat uncertain without past experience to draw from. Today''s arrival, to probe the observers for information, was an important objective for them. "These children have been too comfortable in the past," the vice principal of First High School said with a chuckle, "The group we saw earlier were ambling along." "I disagree," the vice principal of Seventh High School spoke calmly, "Caution is not a bad thing, the more dangerous the place, the more responsible one should be for their own safety. Recklessness is inadvisable." The group they were referring to had six students, three of whom were from his own Seventh High School. "Having watched many surveillance clips, how come there are no Official Level candidates?" the vice principal of Second High School slowly asked. With Qin Chuan scoring full marks in the previous assessment in Changxing City, he was eager to see the candidate''s performance now. "Yes, yes, yes, let''s switch to more Official Level candidates'' feeds and take a look," the vice principal of First High School quickly agreed. There was no helping it; there were five Official Level candidates from First High School. Lan Cheng nodded and, while notifying the main monitoring room, started to explain, "There aren''t many Demon Beasts near the entrance, so no battles have broken out for now." "However, Official Level candidates are more proactive. They need to compete to kill Advanced Demon Beasts, so they should soon venture deeper into Qingwang Mountain and engage in battles." "They should be given live score rankings as a reminder," Ji Huai, standing in the corner with his arms crossed, spoke nonchalantly. "An assessment like this isn''t very exciting to watch." "Reducing the number of Advanced Demon Beasts has already intensified the competition," Zhou Zixiu helplessly shook his head at the side. "If we add live score rankings as well, what happens if it leads to danger?" If they could see the standings and the performances of other competitors, who killed which Advanced Demon Beasts would be clear at a glance, making an already intense competition even fiercer, prompting candidates to become more impulsive and aggressive, and increasing the level of risk accordingly. This was only the second practical assessment; a gradual process is necessary. Ji Huai stopped speaking and watched the images on the large screen. After several switches, the students finally engaged in combat. This invigorated the observers present, as if injected with a dose of excitement, and Zhou Xiaoyu and Fan Gang also sat up a bit straighter. The vice principal of Second High School also sat up straight, because the one encountering the Demon Beast on screen was Zhu Yuwei. However, the Demon Beasts she came across were not Advanced ones but three ordinary ones. They were three Demon Wolves, significantly larger than ordinary wolves with well-developed muscles and sharp claws. Their red eyes were chilling to the bone. Zhu Yuwei''s response was eye-catching; she casually raised her hand and three slender and sharp ice needles pierced the bodies of the Demon Wolves. A burst of cold instantly encased the three Demon Wolves in ice. After her Spiritual Beast advanced, she acquired a nice Ice Attribute skill. "Excellent! Such a clean and decisive move!" The vice principal of Second High School laughed heartily, discreetly glancing at the observers from the two top high schools and noticing their subconscious nods, he felt a surge of elation. A chance! The other four vice principals felt a tinge of envy as they wished for the good luck of the vice principal of Second High School; their candidates found an opportunity to showcase their abilities so quickly. The next moment, the vice principal of Fifth High School had a smile on his face. One of their school''s Official Level candidates had encountered a Demon Beast. The screen continued to switch, with the Apprentice Level team candidates still cautiously making their way deeper, while Official Level candidates had started to encounter Demon Beasts. Closely observing their combat performance, the observers rapidly took notes, and soon, Qin Chuan''s figure appeared on screen for the first time. Here he comes! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The vice principal of Second High School was inwardly shaken, while the other vice principals all displayed a vigilant look. It wasn''t that Qin Chuan was particularly famous. When Chu State and Song Ling, the two full-score students from the last assessment, appeared before him, their reactions were just like this. It was only natural for these three to receive more attention. In the footage, Qin Chuan encountered a bear-like Demon Beast. This Demon Beast was a Level 10 creature, its body as tall as a two-story building, making Qin Chuan''s figure appear rather miniature in front of it. Although it had not yet advanced, such a mutated beast, already possessing superior physical qualities before, was clearly more difficult to deal with. The observers quietly started discussing, and even Zhou Xiaoyu and Fan Gang showed a trace of interest on their faces. Qin Chuan''s response in the footage surprised everyone. He casually condensed an ice crystal longsword and charged forward to engage the roaring Demon Beast in close combat. Even for Official Level candidates, such an act was dangerous. Did this candidate not have any long-range attack skills? Seeing Qin Chuan''s action, Zhou Zixiu''s gaze sharpened and he quickly turned his head to look at Ji Huai beside him, "What''s going on?" "He learned some tricks and was itching to use them," Ji Huai replied indifferently, thinking of Qin Chuan''s skill to transform into snow. He was not at all worried about his safety, "Don''t worry, he''s fine." "Oh" Zhou Zixiu heaved a sigh of relief. Ji Huai, the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class teacher, was more familiar with Qin Chuan''s strengths. If he said it was fine, then there probably wasn''t much of an issue. But as Zhou Zixiu looked back at the footage of Qin Chuan trading blows with the Demon Beast, his expression stiffened slightly. You call this "some tricks"? As Qin Chuan''s battle continued, the observers'' discussions grew more heated. For the first time, Zhou Xiaoyu took out pen and paper to take notes. "Monitor D217''s footage shows the candidate is bold and confident, with strong sword skills. Preliminary rating: C+." Top universities considered many factors when recruiting talents, and strength wasn''t the highest priority. Is the Official Level difficult? Perhaps it was before the first weekly settlement. But now, it was nothing special. So what they looked at more were things beyond strength. Bold and confident personalities were undoubtedly a plus for a combat-type Transcendent, and weapon skills were also a bonus. Taking all these into account, Zhou Xiaoyu provisionally gave a C+ rating. Fan Gang, on the other hand, did not take notes. He stood with his arms folded and quietly watched the footage, as if waiting to see more. Not until Qin Chuan ceased sparring with the Demon Beast and split the creature in two with a swift slash of his cold blade did he begin to take notes. "Monitor D217''s footage shows the candidate has a bold but reckless character, with strong sword skills. Preliminary rating: C-." The next moment, seeing Qin Chuan magically produce a Physical Recovery Fruit and pop it into his mouth on screen, Fan Gang pondered for a moment, crossed out the word "reckless," and changed the rating to "C". In his view, wasting a large amount of physical strength during the exam to deal with a Demon Beast of not formidable strength was indeed a reckless action. Since Qin Chuan had brought a Physical Recovery Fruit, Fan Gang''s opinion changed. But taking extra time to kill when he could''ve done it in one strike seemed show-offy. Provisional rating: "C". Chapter 96 - 96 Advanced Demon Beast First Kill! (April additional chapter for 1100 Monthly Tickets) As Qin Chuan killed the Demon Bear, the scene quickly switched to the other examinees. But before the next examinee had finished slaying, the scene switched back again, returning to Qin Chuan. Upon seeing the situation in the scene, a chorus of gasps erupted in the conference room. "So fast?!" "To encounter an Advanced Demon Beast just like that, really..." Looking at the Advanced Demon Beast on the screen, Zhou Zixiu''s expression looked a bit strange as he couldn''t help but glance at Lan Cheng''s figure sitting in front of him. Qingwang Mountain had already been cleared by the Special Affairs Group. The Demon Beasts left were specifically for the practical exams, and only Lan Cheng knew about the ten Advanced Demon Beasts. This Advanced Demon Beast was also a Demon Bear. So... When Qin Chuan encountered the previous Demon Bear, Lan Cheng had probably already anticipated this scene and secretly enjoyed it on his own, right? No wonder he didn''t say a word. ----------------- "Quite lucky." Watching the ferocious, roaring Advanced Demon Bear charging toward him, Qin Chuan''s face showed a hint of surprise. Although Demon Beasts are influenced by mutation to become fiercer, this particular Advanced Demon Bear appeared distinctly furious. Its ferocity laced with a touch of anger suggested a significant connection with the other Demon Bear he''d killed earlier. Extracting a bit of diamond powder from the box he carried, he flicked his finger, and a stream of water carrying the diamond powder flew toward his ice blade, rapidly freezing a thin layer of diamond powder onto the blade''s edge. The hard, refined diamond powder formed countless serrations on the blade, greatly enhancing the Ice Blade''s cutting ability. With a thought, Frost Cold activated. Instant frost mist appeared around the space suddenly, and the ground beneath was covered with a layer of frost. Enhanced by ''Resonance'' level 2, the effect of the frost on lowering temperatures heightened, rapidly reducing the temperature of the long knife in Qin Chuan''s hand to negative fifty degrees. At this temperature, the strength of the ice greatly increased, and its density also marginally heightened. Continuing to increase the temperature beyond this point had limited benefits. Weighing the now slightly heavier long knife in his hand, Qin Chuan''s face showed a hint of eagerness. After testing the knife, it was time to slay the enemy. He still didn''t know that his performance had been considered showy by Huaqing''s Observers. Had he known, he surely would have protested loudly. His only opponent in swordplay today was Ji Huai. An example was necessary to get a gist of where his Sword Skill stood. The close combat with a Demon Bear earlier was just for that. After an exchange, neither he nor the bear could gain the upper hand, but the desired effect was achieved. Knowing his level of Sword Skill, Qin Chuan offered his opponent a swift end. "ROAR!!!" The roar of the Advanced Demon Bear caused the surrounding trees to tremble. In front of its over ten-meter stature, Qin Chuan looked like a small child. It swung its millstone-sized bear paws, slamming them down towards Qin Chuan in the blink of an eye. Ignoring the talons sharp enough to easily tear through rock, just being hit by the bear paw meant Qin Chuan would end up with broken bones and torn ligaments. The bear''s paw rapidly enlarged in front of Qin Chuan''s eyes, but his expression remained remarkably composed as he held the long knife in one hand, unflinching. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "BOOM!!!" Accompanied by a massive sound, the Advanced Demon Bear''s pounce missed, and its heavy paws landed heavily on the ground, immediately blasting a crater in the surface. Amidst the rising dust and wild wind, countless snowflakes were swept up. Even with the madness of the Advanced Demon Beast, it couldn''t help but pause for a moment. Soon after, it felt an icy chill bursting from the ground where its paws touched, instantly freezing its bear paws solidly to the ground. Qin Chuan''s figure quietly appeared in the sky behind the Advanced Demon Bear. His Ice Blade slashed down towards the back of the Advanced Demon Bear, instantly bursting into a sharp and frosty light. Frost Breaking Slash! Accompanying the Advanced Demon Bear''s painful roar, its thick fur was cut open by a blade wound. Blood hadn''t yet begun to flow out before it was instantly frozen by the extreme cold. Unfortunately, the defense of the Advanced Demon Bear was too high. Although its overall strength was on par with the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast, its thick skin and flesh were even more indomitable than the Elite Rank Blue-Scaled Jiao. "Roar!!!" In that brief moment, the increasingly frenzied Advanced Demon Bear had already separated its frozen paw from the ground, and with some remaining stiffness and numbness, it hesitated not at all in reaching out towards Qin Chuan, determined to tear the human who had injured it to shreds. "Strong but devoid of Extraordinary Abilities, it''s still inferior to a Spiritual Beast." Qin Chuan slightly shook his head. Before the paw of the Advanced Demon Bear could strike, he dissolved into snowflakes that scattered, circling to the back of the Advanced Demon Bear and slashing down once more. The same spotdeeper wound. Now that the surface Defense was breached, Qin Chuan''s Ice Blade struck successfully. With momentum, he thrust the blade from the opened wound into the back heart of the Advanced Demon Bear. With each powerful pulse, the Advanced Demon Bear pumped blood through its heartsomething Qin Chuan perceived very clearly. This blade, precisely stabbed into the heart of the Advanced Demon Bear. As he pulled out the Ice Blade, a large spray of blood spurted out. Before it could stain Qin Chuan''s clothing, it had already congealed amidst the frosty cold, forming a vividly ghastly flower of blood on the back of the Demon Bear. After issuing its final roar, the Advanced Demon Bear thunderously fell to the ground, twitching a few times before it completely ceased living. "Done." Without looking back at the Advanced Demon Bear lying on the ground, Qin Chuan quickly walked toward the deeper parts of Qingwang Mountain. With plenty of time left, he would need to kill at least two Advanced Demon Beasts to take first place, wouldn''t he? ----------------- "Hiss" Inside the meeting room, someone unknowingly gasped, and everyone slowly came back to their senses. "The entire killing process took less than ten seconds," Fan Gang slowly began, his eyes carrying a hint of daze, "Clean and efficient, each strike precise." He glanced at the rating he had just written, tore that page out, crumpled it up, and quickly wrote something new. "Monitor D217, examinee shows boldness, skillful sword technique, decisive in killing Demon Beasts, has a Contracted Spiritual Beast with an unusual ability, tentative rating" After hesitating a little, Fan Gang firmly wrote down. "B+ level!" Achieving level B would secure Huaqing''s special attention in subsequent practical assessments. If found suitable, they could be considered for admission two levels lower than the cutoff line. B+ was above B level, which could improve the decline to two levels below the cutoff line. Like Fan Gang, intensely focused on his writing, Zhou Xiaoyu too was jotting something down on the other side. However, what she wrote was slightly different. "Monitor D217, examinee is bold and confident, skilled and precise in sword technique, extremely calm in combat, uses a Contracted Spiritual Beast Skill that is rare, tentative rating" Jolted by the memory of Qin Chuan''s indifferent face when facing the descending bear claw, Zhou Xiaoyu took a deep breath, and resolutely wrote down. "A level!" Achieving level A, once confirmed suitable, came with A guaranteed offer! ----------------- Recently, the company has been busy, I need to work overtime on Saturdays, can only manage to return two chapters per day for now. When things slow down, will return three chapters daily and additional ones! I acknowledge all owed updates, will not default on them! Please be assured on this point! Chapter 97 - 97: A Familiar Figure in the Assessment It seemed as if there were no other candidates whose actions shone in comparison, or perhaps the monitors in the main control room were also taken aback by Qin Chuan''s swift and decisive killing. After the Advanced Demon Bear fell to the ground, Qin Chuan had already left the range of the camera''s view, but the video feed had yet to switch to the next one. Watching the screen featuring the enormous Demon Bear, the vice-principal of the second middle school couldn''t help but twitch the corner of his eye twice, excited that Qin Chuan had made such an impression in front of everyone, and filled with an involuntary sense of fear towards the Demon Beast. "That Advanced Demon Bear just now, what level was it?" he couldn''t resist looking at Lan Cheng and asking this crucial question. "A Level 20 Demon Beast," Lan Cheng took a deep breath and slowly began, "Among the ten Advanced Demon Beasts, there are only two Level 20s, and that was one of them." With these words, the noise level in the meeting room grew even louder. Many observers were so excited they wanted to write their reports immediately, ranking Qin Chuan at the highest possible level. sea??h th ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But when their gazes swept over the notebooks that Zhou Xiaoyu and Fan Gang had opened at some point in front of them, it was like a bucket of cold water had been poured from head to toe. Yan University and Huaqing, the two top universities of Yanhuang Country, had also taken notice of that remarkable young man? Although it was expected, many observers still showed looks of disappointment, knowing that the schools they represented had no competitive edge before those two towering institutions. Yet, a number of observers were undiscouraged, still shifting in their seats and not ready to give up. They were prepared to use the utmost sincerity and the greatest treatment within their authority to try and sway the other party. Amidst the diverse thoughts of the crowd, the scene on the screen finally began to change, and when they saw the content within the new footage, the observers who had been thinking about how to approach Qin Chuan quickly settled their minds. Because on the screen, another candidate had encountered an Advanced Demon Beast. It was Chu Zhou! The vice-principal of the first middle school swung his fist in the air with tension and anticipation. And Chu Zhou did not disappoint his expectations; possessing both Fire Attribute and Thunder Attribute, he managed a swift kill of the Advanced Demon Beast using the most explosive of attacks, becoming the second candidate in the practical examination to kill an Advanced Demon Beast. After some deliberation, the observers then put pen to paper. Seeing Zhou Xiaoyu and Fan Gang also raising their pens, the vice principal of the first middle school smiled with delight. Good! They had managed to recover some ground! The video feed switched once more, focusing on an Apprentice Level team battling three regular Demon Beasts. Although they were significantly outmatched in ability compared to the Official Level candidates, their cooperative efforts and understanding of each other allowed them to quickly succeed. During this process, two candidates stood out so much that they garnered the attention and notes of many observers. As time quickly passed and the video feed continuously changed, the tenth Advanced Demon Beast was encountered and killed by Song Ling, which let the vice-principal of the seventh middle school finally relax. As one of the three full-score achievers in the last evaluation, Song Ling demonstrated equally formidable strength. His Wood Attribute Extraordinary Ability held a distinct advantage in Qingwang Mountain, though his luck was somewhat lacking this time. "This is the last Advanced Demon Beast, isn''t it?" The principal of the first middle school glanced at Lan Cheng and suddenly asked. He felt a slight regret; out of the five Official Level candidates from his school, only three encountered an Advanced Demon Beast, and one of them barely triumphed after a long struggle. "Yes," Lan Cheng nodded slightly, "All ten Advanced Demon Beasts have been killed." "What a pity, there wasn''t a candidate who killed two Advanced Demon Beasts," the second middle school''s vice-principal said with regret. In his opinion, Qin Chuan, who had first killed an Advanced Demon Beast, was the most likely candidate to kill a second one. If that happened, then the first place in this examination would have been securely won. "May we see the current ranking of the examination points?" Zhou Xiaoyu''s voice came through. "Yes," Lan Cheng glanced at Zhou Xiaoyu and nodded his head, quickly pulling up the current point rankings and displaying them on the big screen. The first to be displayed was the scoring ranking situation of the Official Level examinees. Somewhat surprisingly, the one who ranked first was Song Ling, who had killed the last Advanced Demon Beast, with a total of 763 points. At this moment, about an hour had passed since the start of the examination, subtracting survival points, she had obtained nearly seven hundred points just from killing alone. Ranked second was Qin Chuan, whose total score was nearly one hundred less than Song Ling''s, at only 672 points. The third was Chu Zhou with a total of 621 points, and the rest fell below 600 points. Seeing the almost staggering gap in Song Ling''s scores, aside from the composed vice-principal of the seventh school, the other four vice-principals were starting to feel uneasy. "Why is Song Ling''s score so high?" the vice-principal of the second school couldn''t help but speak up for Qin Chuan, "The Advanced Demon Beast that Qin Chuan killed was level 20, wasn''t the one Song Ling killed level 18?" "Just from that, she''s missing 40 points." "This..." Lan Cheng paused slightly in his speech. To be honest, he was also unclear, as, like the others in the conference room, he had only seen part of the surveillance footage. But it didn''t matter, someone knew. The personnel responsible for tallying scores were in the main monitoring room, and they had a clear record of how Song Ling''s scores were obtained. A phone call was made, and soon, a highlight reel of the kills captured by the hidden camera on Song Ling''s exam helmet appeared on the big screen. After watching just a short clip, everyone understood the reason. Song Ling''s skill seemed to be able to scout the demon beasts within a certain range, and with this ability, she was able to precisely locate and kill every demon beast nearby without wasting a bit of time. Although she was not very lucky and almost missed the last Advanced Demon Beast, the number of ordinary demon beasts she killed far exceeded that of other examinees in Qingwang Mountain. "My thanks." The vice-principal of the seventh school chuckled and nodded to the other four vice-principals as if the first place in this live-action exam had already been secured in his pocket. Although the other four vice-principals were frustrated, they were also helpless. Because judging from the performances of the Official Level examinees, it seemed unlikely that the final assessment results would bring any surprises. Following that, the Apprentice Level examinees'' scoring rankings appeared on the big screen. Seeing the current first place in the Apprentice Level, the vice-principal of the second school''s expression lightened somewhat. ----------------- "Whoosh" With a casual slash, Qin Chuan cleaved an eagle-like demon beast that pounced on him in two, shook the long knife in his hand, and revealed an expression of helplessness. The emergency signal emitter came with a timing function; looking at the ten minutes left until the end of the examination, he knew he couldn''t kill a second Advanced Demon Beast. The nine Advanced Demon Beasts had probably already been killed by the other thirteen people. Suddenly, Qin Chuan sensed something ominous and subconsciously executed Seek Frost Trace. The next instant, a dark shadow pierced through the endless snow he had become, instantly splitting a rock on the other side in two. Qin Chuan, now revealing his figure, looked at the familiar silhouette and was momentarily stunned. "It''s you?!" Chapter 98 - 98: The Eleventh Advanced Demon Beast?! Within the main surveillance room. As the two-hour assessment time gradually drew to a close, the staff members who had initially been intently and fixatedly watching every monitoring screen finally got some time to breathe. On one hand, this assessment was unlike the last, with anything possible happening within Qingwang Mountain, so there were continuous interruptions in the assessment process due to unexpected events involving the examinees. Now, with only ten minutes left until the end of the assessment, the number of examinees still undergoing assessment had dropped below 300. Fewer examinees meant fewer screens to monitor. On the other hand, and more importantly, there weren''t many Demon Beasts left inside Qingwang Mountain. These Demon Beasts had been deliberately left by the Special Affairs Group for the assessment, and the limited number wasn''t just of Advanced Demon Beasts but normal ones as well. At this stage, the examinees were much safer, with fewer chances of combat, and there had not been an interruption in the assessment for a good ten minutes. It could be said that the ranking by points was about to solidify. So much so that the staff responsible for watching the screens and tallying the scores began to engage in idle chat while keeping an eye on the monitors. "That examinee called Song Ling is really something else. She''s still going all out to track down Demon Beasts even though her score has already exceeded the second place by nearly 200 points." "She doesn''t know her score ranking, so she probably wants to seize first place with all her might," another surveillance staff member smiled, "That student called Qin Chuan is also very efficient at killing Demon Beasts; it''s pity, though." Everyone knew what he found pitying. If Qin Chuan had a detection skill, first place might not belong to Song Ling. When facing normal Demon Beasts, Qin Chuan''s killing efficiency was too high. Weaker beasts didn''t even need him to draw his knife; as long as they entered the range of Frost Cold, they''d be frozen to death in the extreme cold, and slightly stronger ones were nothing more than a matter of a single slice in his hands. Such killing efficiency was not only unmatchable by Song Ling, but even Chu Zhou, known for his more explosive dual-outputs of Thunder and Fire, couldn''t compare. "Skills are also a part of one''s strength," a scorekeeper nearby chuckled, "Although Qin Chuan lacks detection abilities, his evasion ability is extremely rare; it''s downright enviable to watch." This remark resonated with many. Although the newly emerging Extraordinary Theory strove to explain all things related to the Transcendents through science, some abilities of the Spiritual Beasts exceeded the current scope of explanation. These abilities were relatively uncommon but coveted by all Transcendents. Qin Chuan''s Seek Frost Trace was precisely one such ability. While the staff in the main surveillance room continued their chatter, a sudden exclamation rang out at that moment. "What the hell?!" Everyone quickly quieted down and turned their heads in a particular direction. A young man was seen pointing at a monitor, his mouth agape and expression extremely surprised. Another staff member next to him took a glance, and as his expression changed, he issued a low command, "What are you stunned for? Switch!" "Oh, oh" The young man, coming back to his senses hastily, pressed the selection button, which would instantly switch the screen to the large display in the conference room. In the conference room on the other side, the atmosphere was similar to the main surveillance room; as the assessment drew to an end, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Although many examinees had to stop the assessment, the personnel arranged by the Special Affairs Group had reacted very timely, and presently, there were no cases of examinee deaths. There were two serious injuries, but they were also rescued in time by treatment-type Transcendents who had been rapidly dispatched. On the big screen, the battle screens of the examinees were still being switched, though the ones in the screens took their opponents down with ease. Their combat literacy was visibly improving during the assessment process. However, when the next monitoring screen suddenly flashed onto the display, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly froze. "What''s going on?" Lan Cheng stood up abruptly, his eyes wide as he stared at the Demon Beast confronting Qin Chuan on the screen, his expression extremely animated, "How could there still be an Advanced Demon Beast in Qingwang Mountain?" Those ten Advanced Demon Beasts had been planted one by one by Lan Cheng himself after the Special Affairs Group had turned the entire mountain upside down in a thorough sweep! With such meticulous preparation, there shouldn''t have been an oversight. Sporting an equally animated expression was Zhou Zixiu, standing behind Lan Cheng. Because he recognized that Demon Beast. Also recognizing the beast, and with a strange look on her face, was a short-haired woman standing beside Zixiu. She glanced at the screen, then at Zixiu, seemingly hesitant to speak. Both of them recalled an incident that had previously not been taken seriously. On the first day after the Blue Star 2.2 update, mutated animals began to appear worldwide. The Special Affairs Group immediately noticed and temporarily locked and blocked the related posts on the Dream Realm Forum, awaiting further policy decisions from above. sea??h th N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among those posts was one shared by Qin Chuan, who had witnessed a mutated black cat and recorded a video. After contacting Qin Chuan and blocking the post, Zixiu was ready to capture the black cat, whose location was determined. But when he arrived at the scene, he came up empty. The black cat was nowhere to be seen, and not even Zixiu''s detection skills could capture its trace. Since it was late at night by then, and to avoid staying up too late and encountering danger in the Dream World, Zixiu reluctantly gave up the search. Since there were no further incidents of the mutated black cat harming people, and with more mutated animals emerging, causing a shortage of personnel in the Special Affairs Group, Zixiu gradually forgot about the incident. Until now when he saw the black cat again. Although its appearance had changed significantly from before, Zixiu was certain he was not mistaken. He was about to share this information with Lan Cheng when the vice-principal of the Second Middle School spoke up even faster. "Since it''s an Advanced Demon Beast, it should count towards the assessment points, right?" the vice-principal of the Second Middle School was visibly exhilarated, raising his voice a few notches. At the moment, Qin Chuan was in second place, trailing the first-place Song Ling by 187 points. This Advanced Demon Beast looked unassumingly strongif its defeat could be included in the kill points, Qin Chuan had a chance to surpass Song Ling and become the first-place winner of this assessment! At this moment, the vice-principal of the Second Middle School felt a surge of unexpected delight, as if the tables had unexpectedly turned. He had completely given up hope, yet a turnaround in the race for first place in the assessment came out of nowhere! As for whether Qin Chuan would be in danger... What a joke. Qin Chuan could easily kill a level 20 Advanced Demon Bear, so this Demon Cat definitely wouldn''t be any match for him! "This..." Lan Cheng nodded, "It counts." Having an additional Advanced Demon Beast was the negligence of their Special Affairs Group; they couldn''t make the examinees pay the price. Killing Advanced Demon Beasts'' points, of course, had to be counted. The next moment, however, a slightly solemn voice sounded. "I think, the issue right now isn''t about whether or not this Demon Beast''s points should count," Fan Gang spoke with a serious expression, "This Demon Beast has characteristics of a second advancement." "It''s about to reach level 21." Chapter 99 - 99 Ji Huais Persistence! (April added chapter for 1150 Monthly Tickets) "Almost reached Level 21?!" Hearing Fan Gang''s words, Lan Cheng''s expression changed once again. In the Dream World, there was a scanning panel that could instantly determine the rank of Spiritual Beasts, but Demon Beasts were differenttheir levels needed to be assessed through devices. The ten Advanced Demon Beasts they had encountered before were all evaluated. But this Demon Cat had not been evaluated, and even until today, Lan Cheng had no idea that such an Advanced Demon Beast existed. Therefore, he had tentatively rated the Demon Cat''s strength at Level 20. He thought he had already overestimated its power, but he never expected that this Demon Cat could be even stronger. Level 21 represented the strength equivalent to an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. Even if the Demon Cat hadn''t fully reached it, it was still quite dangerous. In the image, Qin Chuan reappeared and stood at a distance, confronting the Demon Cat that had also become visible. Both parties cautiously refrained from making any further moves, which gave Lan Cheng some time. "Can its strength be confirmed?" Lan Cheng had already picked up the Communication Device as he once again sought confirmation from Fan Gang. The answer to this question would determine whether he should forcibly interrupt Qin Chuan''s assessment, prompting the surrounding rescue personnel to take action. And if the assessment were interrupted, Qin Chuan''s results would inevitably be affected. Though, after the last assessment, the impact of interrupting the assessment had been reduced significantly, a 10% reduction of kill points would be enough to make Qin Chuan drop out of the top three. "There''s no problem with what Fan Gang said," Zhou Xiaoyu spoke with a serious tone. Yan University''s biology had been stronger than Huaqing even before the Extraordinary Descent, and after the appearance of Demon Beasts, their research had never ceased. Zhou Xiaoyu, an observer from Yan University, had noticed something unusual about the Demon Cat just as quickly as Fan Gang hadshe had just been preempted by him. Seeing the observers from both universities concur with the same assessment, Lan Cheng no longer hesitated and prepared to interrupt the assessment by picking up the Communication Device. A hand reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Wait a bit longer," Ji Huai''s calm voice resounded at this moment. "Ji Huai!" Lan Cheng''s voice suddenly rose, "Fine at other times, but what mess are you causing now?!" "He''s my student," Ji Huai''s voice remained steady as ever, "I am clearer about his abilities than anyone else." "So, wait a bit longer." "You..." Lan Cheng glared at Ji Huai, "Do you realize that once he..." "Look at his eyes," Ji Huai interrupted Lan Cheng, pointing to the screen at Qin Chuan, "Do you see a trace of fear in his eyes?" "I..." Lan Cheng clutched the Communication Device tightly, "But his safety..." "The Demon Beast hasn''t reached Level 21 yet, what''s to panic?" Ji Huai pushed open the conference room door, leaving behind a supremely calm statement echoing in the room. "I am not a rescue personnel." "Always trying to play the hero!" Watching Ji Huai disappear outside the conference room door, Lan Cheng cursed under his breath but felt significantly more at ease in his heart. After all, this show-off had slain a Level 23 Demon Beast not long ago. He turned his gaze back to Qin Chuan on the screen, his heart involuntarily tightening. Even if you can''t overcome, you must hold on until Ji Huai arrives... ----------------- "Long time no see." Standing with a long blade in hand and confronting the black Demon Cat with a fierce form, sharp bone spurs on its back and limbs, Qin Chuan''s eyes held a touch of surprise. Sear?h the ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had not expected to have an opportunity to see it again. And... The strength of this Demon Cat was somewhat surprising to him. The previous demon bear, towering over ten meters, appeared terrifying but hadn''t given Qin Chuan a significant sense of danger. But the black demon cat was different. It was only two meters long, yet Qin Chuan felt a considerable threat. This was an opponent much stronger than a Growth Rank demon bear. At this moment, Qin Chuan didn''t know that the demon cat was not amongst the ten Advanced Rank demon beasts, nor did he know its power had surpassed the usual Level 20 demon beasts, and was about to reach Level 21after all, he had not encountered many demon beasts. Glancing at the remaining time, Qin Chuan tightened his grip on the Ice Blade in his hand, with only one thought in mind. If I take this guy down, I''ll secure my first place, right? "Kill" With a low shout, Qin Chuan took the initiative to attack the black demon cat. Frost Cold, unleashed with full force, formed a frost path on the ground alongside his charge. The Ice Blade, enveloped in extreme cold, shrouded in a layer of hazy frost, shed its frosty veil at the moment of slashing to reveal its sunlit, chillingly cold blade. The icy gleam of the blade flared out, horizontally slashing at the black demon cat. Before even making contact, the piercing chill already covered the demon cat''s body in a thin layer of frost. The black demon cat bared its fangs, letting out a hoarse roar before its figure instantly vanished from the spot, turning into a streak of black light too fast for Qin Chuan to see. It leaped over ten meters in an instant and then pounced straight at Qin Chuan. So fast! A shock surged through Qin Chuan''s mind. Although he had seen a hint of the other''s sneak attack speed earlier, the black demon cat''s velocity was even more astonishing now. Could a demon beast comparable to a Growth Rank Spiritual Beast really possess such strength? With no time to ponder, a shallow blue glow quietly spread across the depths of Qin Chuan''s eyes. This was another use of the Water Master''s powerWater Vision. By sensing water movements, one could detect all aquatic activities in their surroundings. Any creature with water in its body could not escape the observation of Water Vision. Qin Chuan''s piercing strike to the heart of the Advanced Rank demon bear had relied on the precise positioning of Water Vision. Now, the black demon cat would be no exception. In just an instant, the previously untrackable figure became much clearer, and though the speed was still astonishing, Qin Chuan was now able to respond. Frost Cold continued to run at full power, further dropping the temperature in the vicinity. The thickening mist made Qin Chuan''s body contour seem blurred, like a gauze-shrouded figure, making his position a bit more ethereal and elusive. "Clang" Along with a crisp sound, an energy storm sparked by the clash immediately dispersed the fog. Qin Chuan''s Ice Blade slashed across the outstretched claw of the black demon cat, the blade becoming wedged between the claws, momentarily holding off the demon cat. "Caught you." As Qin Chuan''s voice fell, a sharp ice cone suddenly shot out from the ice-covered ground, targeting the unprotected belly of the black demon cat. "Hah" The black demon cat howled, contorting its body in mid-air with a bizarre pose, and grasped the ice cone with one of its back bone spurs just before impact, while its powerful hind legs fiercely kicked towards Qin Chuan''s chest and abdomen. Those hind legs, which granted the black demon cat its fearsome speed, possessed unimaginable strength. They produced a roaring wind as they kicked out, their speed so fast that even Water Vision struggled to precisely track them. If such a kick were to connect, Qin Chuan''s abdomen would be ripped open, and he would die instantly! "Whoosh" Unable to dodge, Qin Chuan scattered into a flurry of snowflakes. He reappeared beside the demon cat the moment it stiffened in mid-kick, unleashing a cold blade flare like a crescent moon sweeping towards the black demon cat''s waist. Frost Breaking Slash! With a successful strike, the black demon cat let out a pained yowl and burst into full speed to put distance between itself and Qin Chuan, baring its fangs threateningly. Looking at the bloodstain on the black demon cat''s waist, Qin Chuan smiled. It seemed he was slightly superior after all. Chapter 100 - 100 The Ninth Starshine Equipment Material! (April extra with 1200 Monthly Tickets) Ji Huai''s special training taught the use of the longsword, yet it was about more than just the longsword techniques. During his guidance, he also imparted his own philosophy of combat. Ji Huai believed that in battle, both sides were like the two pans of a balance scale. If the strength disparity between the sides was too great, the scale would quickly tilt to one side, making the battle rather predictable. Sarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When their strengths were more evenly matched, the scales of victory would waver uncertainly. If one party received an affliction or injury during battle, they would become more susceptible to injury in the subsequent fighting, causing the scales to tip to the other side. So... Strike him while he''s sick, take his life! Qin Chuan tightly gripped his longsword, aiming it at a black demon cat not far away, his eyes resounded with Ji Huai''s low shout and suddenly sharpened. A water-blue light surged in his eyes once again. Qin Chuan could see the black demon cat''s pulsating heart and the circulation of blood in its body, as well as the momentary blockage where the blood passed through the wound on its waist and abdomen. As he focused all his attention on the sword in his hand and the opponent before him, this moment in his perception seemed particularly silent; he felt the cold frost surging around him and the wind brushing through the dense forest behind him. His body, together with the longsword, instantly turned into countless frost and snow, catching the wind and rushing swiftly toward the black demon cat. The black demon cat, vigilant and with a ferocious roar, arched its back and fixed its eyes on the frost and snow coming its way. It did not retreat but charged forward, swinging its sharp claws in an attempt to tear apart the human hiding within the frost and snow, playing tricks. Its swiping claws raised a gale, disturbing the incoming frost, and its boundless strength shattered the snowflakes into grains in a mere instant. But its attack missed, failing to touch Qin Chuan in the slightest. Frustrated by its failed attempt, the moment it landed, the black demon cat exploded with its fastest speed without hesitation, trying to escape from the ominous snowfield. It seemed, however, to have forgotten its own injuries. With the full force of its burst, the wound on its waist tore open a little more, the blocked blood burst through the constriction like a breached dam, spurting out and exacerbating the wound once again. It was time. Seeing everything clearly through Water Vision, Qin Chuan silently thought a word and appeared beside the black demon cat''s injured flank. His longsword thrust out in an instant, piercing deeply through the wounded area into the chest cavity at a trickily acute angle through the gap in the ribs. "Puchi" The chill that erupted from inside the body made the black demon cat''s body instantly stiffen, and its heart, pierced and frozen, rapidly slipped away from its body. As Qin Chuan withdrew the bloody longsword, the body of the black demon cat heavily fell to the ground. In its final moments, it stared intently at Qin Chuan, a whine containing blood foam escaping its mouth. The last bit of light faded from its eyes, sealing Qin Chuan''s figure within its lifeless pupils. It was over. Qin Chuan glanced at the time indicated on his wrist, confirming he hadn''t exceeded the time limit, and let out a slight sigh of relief. This should secure him in first place. "Not bad." A familiar voice floated over from not far away. Qin Chuan was startled and turned his head sharply, "Teacher Ji?!" He had not realized when the other person had arrived at all. "Just passing by," Ji Huai said nonchalantly, without too much explanation, "You have five minutes left, continue with the assessment." "Okay" Qin Chuan nodded. That said, there were only five minutes left, and he had just slain the black demon cat. The tension that had been tight for nearly two hours also loosened, and he slumped against a nearby tree, popping a Physical Recovery Fruit into his mouth. Ji Huai walked over to the black demon cat, took a look, glanced at Qin Chuan, then turned to leave. "Teacher Ji!" Suddenly remembering something, Qin Chuan hurriedly called out to him, "Is this demon cat level 20?" Ji Huai''s departing figure didn''t stop, and his words drifted back. "The bear is." Huh? Watching Ji Huai vanish into the dense forest, Qin Chuan fell into contemplation. Does Teacher Ji mean... the advanced monster bear I killed earlier was level 20? He couldn''t help but glance at the black monster cat again. Then what''s this? ----------------- When the examination was over, all the candidates gathered on the playground where they had started. Their gazes were immediately drawn to the small mountain of Experience Gems on the ground, which captured everyone''s full attention. For a moment, even Qin Chuan found it hard to look away. How many Experience Gems are there? At least a thousand! "Congratulations to all of you for successfully completing this practical examination and for safely returning here," Lan Cheng cleared his throat and began to speak, diverting the candidates'' attention from the Experience Gems. "The Experience Gems you see here are the rewards for this practical examination. Apprentice Level candidates from the second to the hundredth place will receive different amounts of Experience Gems according to their rankings." "All Official Level candidates will receive a share, with the amount also related to their rankings." "And now..." Lan Cheng''s voice rose slightly as he lifted a sheet of paper in his hand, "your rankings are right here." As his words ended, everyone''s eyes turned to the rankings in Lan Cheng''s hand. "Apprentice Level first place... Changxing City No. 2 Middle School, Senior Year Class 7, Li Xian!" As Lan Cheng finished speaking, a cheer erupted from the lineup. The chubby boy walked out, striding indifferently through the envious and jealous gazes of his peers, grinning until his eyes were nearly invisible. Qin Chuan was also a bit stunned. Did this guy really take the first place in the Apprentice Level? But noticing that the chubby boy was not wearing the same clothes as he was when they arrived, and the glimpse of a white bandage at the cuff of his short sleeve, Qin Chuan''s expression changed slightly. To attain this first place, the chubby boy must have endured quite a lot of hardship. Once this guy sets his mind on something, not even ten bulls could pull him back. Before he could ponder further, Lan Cheng spoke again. "Official Level first place... Changxing City No. 2 Middle School, Senior Year Class 7, Qin Chuan!" Immediately, everyone''s gaze turned to Qin Chuan. Both first places belonging to the same school and even the same class were clearly beyond everyone''s expectations. Qin Chuan stepped forward, his heart inevitably stirring. First place! This meant that he could choose any one piece of Starshine Equipment Material from the list provided by the Special Affairs Group. Before the weekly settlement, he already had four pieces of Starshine Equipment Material. The Extraordinary List settlement and the refresh of the Achievement Store had granted him another three, and before leaving the Dream World, he discovered the eighth Starshine Equipment Material. Although he hadn''t gone to claim it yet, Qin Chuan already counted it as his. So, this was his ninth piece of Starshine Equipment Material. If all went well, Water Flower would soon possess her own Starshine Equipment and complete the Equipment Evolution. Patting the chubby boy''s shoulder, Qin Chuan stood at the front, looking down at the other thirteen Official Level candidates with varying expressions, his smile beaming. Gentlemen, you''ve been generous! Chapter 101 - 101: Contact with Yan University Lan Cheng did not have the leisure to announce the rankings of all the examinees. He only announced the top hundred Apprentice Level examinees eligible for Experience Gem rewards and the rankings of all Official Level examinees, followed by an award ceremony. The rankings beyond that were posted for public display. After the other examinees joyfully returned to their respective lines with Experience Gems, Qin Chuan and the chubby boy followed Lan Cheng away from the scene and headed straight for the Special Affairs Group. Their rewards were not Experience Gems, but what they had received was even more precious than the gems. Through the rearview mirror, Lan Cheng watched the young faces and his smile deepened. Qin Chuan, with the strength of an Official Level Player, had defeated a Demon Cat on the verge of its second advancement and had signed a cooperation agreement with the Special Affairs Grouphe was the top-ranked player in a certain district. Although Li Xian''s strength was average, his fearless charging through the hordes of Demon Beasts during the assessment was increasingly valiant as he battled, killing countless Demon Beasts and impressing many observers. These two children were worth cultivating. It was not in vain that he had pushed against popular opinion and taken out two items from the resources allocated to Changxing City''s Special Affairs Group to use as rewards for this assessment. Colleagues from other cities might not have this level of courage at the current stage. Low-level Resources were one thing, but Starshine Equipment Material was still very scarce. What Lan Cheng desired was simply the hope that examinees who stood out in the assessment would remember this kindness when facing major right and wrong decisions in the future, and do some things that would be more helpful to Yanhuang and the Special Affairs Group. Soon, the car stopped in front of the headquarters of the Special Affairs Group. Lan Cheng led the two directly to his office and quickly pulled out two lists to hand over, "This is the list of resources currently in the Changxing City Special Affairs Group''s warehouse that can be used to reward you." "You may choose any one item to take as a reward." "I choose the Rock Core Fragment!" The chubby boy immediately saw one of the two Advanced Resources he was lacking and spoke up without hesitation. "I''ll choose this Coordination Water Drop." Qin Chuan looked over the list from top to bottom, considered for a moment, and made his choice. This resource called Coordination Water Drop had a Water Attribute and was a multi-directional focus. ''Multi-directional'' was equivalent to having no specific focus. So, Qin Chuan was somewhat conflicted when he chose it. But among the list in his hands, there was no more suitable resource. However, after making his choice, Qin Chuan thought again and felt that this resource seemed quite good. The other eight resources he had chosen were all focused on single Attribute Control. There is a saying: too much is as bad as not enough; choosing a different yet non-conflicting resource was quite good. "Choosing the Coordination Water Drop?" Lan Cheng looked at Qin Chuan somewhat unexpectedly but said nothing more, "No problem." A phone call was made, and soon a staff member entered the office with two boxes containing the resources. Qin Chuan took out the remaining Physical Recovery Fruits from his inventory to make room for the Coordination Water Drop. Not until the Coordination Water Drop was secured in his inventory did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. On the other side, the smile on the chubby boy''s face with his Rock Core Fragment could not be contained. Without further ado, Qin Chuan and the chubby boy quickly got up to take their leave. Just as the two stepped out of Lan Cheng''s office, a short-haired woman in her thirties came towards them. "Excuse me for a moment." The woman smiled at them. "I''m Zhou Xiaoyu, an admission observer from Yan University. Can I have a private chat with student Qin Chuan?" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ----------------- In a nearby coffee shop close to the Special Affairs Group building, Qin Chuan asked a waitress for a glass of water and then turned to the woman who claimed to be an admission observer from Yan University. "Hello, Teacher Zhou." "I watched the edited video of your assessment," Zhou Xiaoyu said with a slight smile. "The last few minutes where you killed that nearly Third Rank Demon Beast were spectacular." "Thank you." Qin Chuan picked up the glass of water the waitress had brought and took a sip, noting a key term in Zhou Xiaoyu''s words, "Nearly Third Rank Demon Beast?" "Yes," Zhou Xiaoyu nodded, "As the power of Demon Beasts grows stronger, our classification of their strength becomes more detailed." "Ordinary Demon Beasts are First Rank, the ones we often refer to as Advanced are Second Rank, corresponding to levels 11 to 20; above Second Rank, there are Third Rank Demon Beasts." "At present, Fourth Rank Demon Beasts have not appeared, but they will inevitably do so in the future." "I see," Qin Chuan nodded in understanding. That made sense the black Demon Cat he encountered was stronger than the Advanced Demon Bear, but when compared to Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts, it seemed rather weak. It turned out that it was a Demon Beast that hadn''t completed its advancement. "Once Demon Beasts reach the Third Rank, they undergo some peculiar evolutions. While they don''t reach the level of Spiritual Beasts, they do acquire abilities unique to them and don''t just rely on their physicality to fight." "Your dodging Skill has a strong advantage when facing First and Second Rank Demon Beasts, but it carries considerable risk against Third Rank ones with unique abilities." "Thank you." Qin Chuan gave Zhou Xiaoyu a nod, acknowledging that the information she had just mentioned was quite important to him. "This is nothing," said Zhou Xiaoyu as she took a sip of the coffee the waitress had brought, changing the subject, "Yan University and Huaqing have different focuses." "Yan University emphasizes research in basic and theoretical sciences, while Huaqing leans more toward applied sciences and engineering." "Of course, this was before the Extraordinary Descent," Zhou Xiaoyu paused slightly, "After the Extraordinary Descent, Yan University became the leader in the field of Extraordinary Theory, thanks to our advantage in the basic sciences." "In this regard, we''re superior to Huaqing." "Additionally, by integrating various life sciences, Yan University has developed a new Cultivation Method, which will be included as part of the curriculum in the new term of the Extraordinary Practical Department." "If the coefficient of Basic Boxing Skill is 1, then this Cultivation Method has a coefficient of 5.4." "While Huaqing also has its Cultivation Method, from what I understand, their method has a coefficient of 4.8." Hearing this, Qin Chuan became somewhat restless. It sounded like Yan University was stronger in both theory and practical combat than Huaqing? "Huaqing also has its strengths." Seeing Qin Chuan''s moved expression, Zhou Xiaoyu spoke plainly, not shying away from anything, "We may have a better Cultivation Method, but Huaqing has better practical combat teachers." "They collaborate with many Martial Arts Inheritors, making their practical combat teaching staff stronger," Zhou Xiaoyu smiled, "Of course, we''re making efforts in this area too." "This time in Changxing City, we have reached a preliminary intention with Ji Huai, the top expert in the city. After the college entrance examination, he will join Yan University and become one of the lead instructors for the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class." After laying out her cards, Zhou Xiaoyu played her trump. "Teacher Ji?!" Qin Chuan looked surprised. "That''s right." A glint of amusement flashed in Zhou Xiaoyu''s eyes. The moment Ji Huai took action in person to rescue Qin Chuan, she had already figured out how to get this young man interested in Yan University. Chapter 102 - 102: Matsusaka Shigekis New Move After laying down a strong hand, Zhou Xiaoyu did not mention anything about hoping Qin Chuan would join Yan University. Instead, she suddenly brought up another matter. "In today''s evaluation, we temporarily graded the candidates we''re interested in." "In the next evaluation, we will refer to these provisional grades to determine the candidates'' final grades, which will also be your last assessment before the college entrance exams." "There are four grades: S, A, B, and C, each with three sub-grades." "Being temporarily graded as C means that you''re within observation range. In the next evaluation, you can receive more attention and scrutiny, but if the final grade remains at C level, there will be no preferential treatment during college admission." "Being temporarily graded as B means increased attention and the final grade will not be lower than ''B-''." Zhou Xiaoyu paused, "''B-'', ''B'' and ''B+'' sub-grades correspond to preferential treatments such as reduced admission scores, one tier reduction, and two tier reduction respectively." "Being temporarily graded as A follows the same principle. A final grade of ''A-'' allows for three tier reduction, a final grade of ''A'' is direct admission, and if the final grade is ''A+''..." Zhou Xiaoyu paused again, "in addition to direct admission, a substantial scholarship is added." "What about S level then?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but be curious. Sarch* The N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An A level could already guarantee admission and even a scholarship. How exceptional would S level be then? "S level?" Zhou Xiaoyu smiled, "S level is also direct admission, but the reward is not scholarship, it is resources." "You should know that the Special Affairs Group had gathered the strength of many to create over a hundred Official Level Players long ago, even before there were weekly settlement rewards." "An S level from Yan University will receive transcendent resources and full support in many aspects." Zhou Xiaoyu spoke softly, "Each of them will receive treatment no less than that of the first batch of Official Level Players in the Special Affairs Group." "That''s why the criteria for S level are extremely strict, and there are very few spots." "I see." Qin Chuan nodded, then couldn''t resist asking, "Can you reveal my provisional grade from Yan University?" Zhou Xiaoyu smiled slightly. "A+." ----------------- Until the end of their conversation, Zhou Xiaoyu had not uttered any direct invitation for Qin Chuan to attend Yan University, as if this had been nothing more than a casual chat. However, the substantial amount of information had Qin Chuan feeling dazed all the way back to his rental until he settled in. This is Yan University. One of the top two universities in Yanhuang Country. Even though Zhou Zixiu had told him after the first evaluation that if he maintained his performance, he could hope for direct admission to Yan University or Huaqing, when Zhou Xiaoyu was actually standing in front of him, he still felt an unreal sensation. Being graded as A meant that at a minimum he would receive a final grade of ''A-'' in the third practical assessment, and the worst-case scenario would be admission with a three tier reduction. He could firmly achieve this score. So for him, Yan University was within easy reach. According to Zhou Xiaoyu, Huaqing''s grade for him would likely be A as well, which meant that it wouldn''t be long before an observer from Huaqing would also approach him. At that time, Qin Chuan would be able to compare the advantages and disadvantages of both options on his own. That being said, Qin Chuan''s mind had already been leaning towards one of the choices when he heard that Ji Huai was going to teach at Yan University. After thinking it over, Qin Chuan picked up his phone and dialed Xiao Pang''s number. When Zhou Xiaoyu had approached him, Xiao Pang had immediately said he had to rush home because of a family matter while also recommending the coffee shop where they had chatted. This made Qin Chuan feel that he needed to share the good news with Xiao Pang. Also, he wanted to inquire what exactly Xiao Pang had done during the practical assessment. The call connected quickly, and Xiao Pang''s anxious voice came from the other end, "What did they say? Is Yan University offering you direct admission?" "Um..." Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, "Pretty much, I can go there if I want." "Wow" Xiao Pang couldn''t help but gasp, his expression almost distorted over the phone, both proud and envious, "That''s Yan University!" He suddenly realized what it meant to "fear for one''s brothers'' hardships, yet envy them driving Land Rovers." "You ranked first in the Apprentice Level; surely some good universities will take notice of you too." Qin Chuan reassured with a smile and then suddenly asked, "So, what happened during your assessment?" "Well..." Xiao Pang scratched his head, "I charged into the demon beast horde wearing the Stone Armor and fought them hand to hand, scaring my teammates out of their wits." He didn''t see it as particularly dangerous and couldn''t help laughing at the thought of his teammates'' reactions at the time. But Qin Chuan on the other end of the phone fell silent. The Stone Armor was Xiao Pang''s skill that encased him in rock. Indeed, that skill greatly enhanced Xiao Pang''s defense, but the demon beasts he faced were similarly formidable in that regard. It was bound to be a fierce battle. At this moment, Qin Chuan understood why Xiao Pang was bandaged up and wearing a fresh set of clothes. "I was up front taking the hits, and all my teammates had to do was hang back and dish out ranged attacks. It was not only safe but also efficient," Xiao Pang still sounded cheerful over the phone. "They never realized I was a K-head freak!" "Most of the demon beasts'' last hits were landed by me. How could my points not be high?" "You deserve it," Qin Chuan said softly. Xiao Pang noticed Qin Chuan''s unusual mood and quickly realized why. "Don''t worry, I''m okay," Xiao Pang pursed his lips, "I''m being smart about it. The moment I couldn''t hold on anymore, I immediately pressed the signal transmitter, not staying a second longer than necessary." "I had to try my luck; what if I got some low-level resources? And I succeeded!" Xiao Pang chuckled gleefully, his eyes filled with anticipation, "Qin Chuan, after one more weekly settlement, I''ll be an Official Level Player too!" "I heard there''s another practical assessment coming up; you and I will stand side by side in battle once again!" Qin Chuan fell silent for a moment, "Okay, I''ll wait for you." "Never mind that," Xiao Pang raised an eyebrow, quickly changing the subject, "Qin Chuan, I''ve discovered something big." "What is it?" "Matsusaka Shigeki didn''t kill any other players today!" A gossipy look flashed in Xiao Pang''s eyes, "Moreover, he switched areas again." "Your topic change is a bit abrupt," Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly, "Forget that guy; you''re still injured, so get some rest early." After responding, Qin Chuan hung up the phone and logged into the Dream Realm Forum. Searching for keywords, he soon found the latest discussions about Matsusaka Shigeki. To Qin Chuan''s surprise, Matsusaka Shigeki not only hadn''t killed any other players, but he also hadn''t attacked when encountering them the previous night. After moving from area 6231 to 6232 just a few days ago, his name disappeared from the ranking list of area 6232 last night, reappearing on the ranking list of area 6132. Chapter 103 - 103: The Trajectory of the Canglan Conch! (April +1250 Monthly Ticket Bonus) As mentioned before, Dream World is a vast continent surrounded by endless oceans. There are 9999 game zones on this continent, and their division method is quite straightforward and crudeeach is separated into one hundred areas both horizontally and vertically. Although the outline of each game zone isn''t a regular rectangle, the overall layout of the zones is just as described. And the numbering is similarly crude. The first row consists of areas 0001 to 0099, a total of 99 areas. The second row runs from area 0100 to 0199, totaling 100 areas. And so on. Thus, players can move horizontally into adjacent numbered areas, or they can vertically traverse a full hundred areas. Matsubara Takashi moved from area 6232 directly into area 6132, which was actually a shift northward. Qin Chuan''s expression became contemplative. He was speculating on the significance of the change in Matsubara Takashi''s movements. This mad player started his first kill on the day his Golden Talent of Soul Fusion dimmed, and since then, he killed a player every day without fail. This was also one of the key factors in most people''s conjecture that his Talent was Soul Fusion. The sudden change in his pattern of movement today is likely not a coincidence. In just an instant, Qin Chuan thought of Erik''s public declaration from yesterday. Could it be... He casually pulled out a hand-drawn replica map of the Dream World and compared the positions of Erik and Matsusaka Shigeki. Although Matsusaka Shigeki had only moved one area, and his intentions weren''t that clear, there was indeed the possibility that he was heading towards Erik in area 2761. Was Matsusaka Shigeki provoked by Erik''s challenge yesterday and wanted to fight it out? The thought emerged in Qin Chuan''s mind, and he couldn''t help but shake his head with a chuckle. The idea was a bit too preposterous. The distance between the two of them was great, and for Matsusaka Shigeki to seek him out would mean crossing half of Dream World, just for a fight? Suppressing this thought, Qin Chuan marked the current positions of Matsusaka Shigeki and Erik on the map, and then put it away carefully. Only by observing for a while longer could one come to a conclusion. At this moment, the most important thing he should do was to quickly complete the crafting of his Starshine Equipment and find the last piece of advanced material for Water Flower. The ever-elusive Canglan Conch. ----------------- "Good evening~" Yue Li greeted him as cheerily as ever, bringing an inexplicable sense of ease to the freshly awakened Qin Chuan. "Good evening," Qin Chuan smiled, "Even though it''s actually daytime right now." "But we sleep at night, right?" Yue Li blinked, "How did your resource scouting go last night?" "I found a Water Attribute material focused on Attribute Control," Qin Chuan smiled, taking out the Coordination Water Drop from his Item Equipment Bar and placing it in the slot on the Starshine Equipment crafting page. "Eh?" Yue Li realized something as she watched Qin Chuan''s action, "So the one you''re going to look for next is your last piece?" "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded, "You must be close too, right?" "I''m still missing two pieces," Yue Li held up her index finger, "I''m counting on you to help me find them." "I wouldn''t dare promise that," Qin Chuan said wryly. "I believe in you!" Yue Li pumped her fist energetically, "Charge, charge, charge, we have to find treasures twice today, we need to hurry up!" Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aside from the resources scouted on the previous Dream Day, there was another opportunity for resource scouting on this Dream Day. "Just a moment," Qin Chuan called out to Yue Li, his thoughts focusing. Third Talent of the Sun Needle, activate! In the next instant, a bright spot appeared on the vast map of area 3675. Qin Chuan clicked on it and, sure enough, it was the Canglan Conch. At this moment, the Canglan Conch was hidden among a pile of shells on the shore, looking pretty but otherwise unremarkable. Clearly, its self-concealment was at work. I''ve finally found you. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but mutter to himself. Of course, he didn''t plan to go looking for it right now. The current distance between him and the Canglan Conch was a good five hundred kilometers, and this resource could change its location. By the time he got there, the Canglan Conch would have long since moved on. Qin Chuan''s plan was to first observe and find some patterns in the Canglan Conch''s movements, and then figure out a way to acquire it. So... "Let''s go, now our treasure hunt begins," Qin Chuan said with a smile to Yue Li, feeling a surge of excitement about the ninth piece of Starshine Equipment Material. Compared to the Canglan Conch, acquiring this resource was a bit more reliable. ----------------- "Roar" With an angry roar, a Growth Rank Lv20 Forest Hunter Lizard, beaten down by Water Flower and Snow Cone, watched helplessly as Qin Chuan took the resources it had guarded for a long time from its nest, looking as wronged as a deflowered maiden. "Alright, what does a Wood Attribute Spiritual Beast like you need Water Attribute Starshine Equipment Material for?" Qin Chuan said cheerfully, "Feeling generous today, I''ll let you off." "Bye-bye~" Waving at the Forest Hunter Lizard, Qin Chuan walked away with Water Flower and Snow Cone. Not far outside the nest, Yue Li, who was waiting, spoke with a smile, "Is it over?" "Yes," Qin Chuan shook the spoils of combat in his hand, "Got them all." As he spoke, he inserted the ninth piece of Starshine Equipment Material into the Starshine Equipment crafting page. Looking at the empty slot in the middle, Qin Chuan took a deep breath and took out a high-quality Equipment Forging Stone he had been keeping in his Item Equipment Bar. It can''t be helped, as long as the Equipment Forging Stone is slotted, and there are more than two pieces of material in the material bar, it will keep prompting you to confirm if you want to craft. Now fully prepared, it was finally time to give it a try. Slotting the high-quality Equipment Forging Stone into the corresponding recess, a prompt appeared in front of Qin Chuan. [Do you want to use a high-quality Equipment Forging Stone and nine pieces of Starshine Equipment Material including Water Eyes Star Crystal to craft Starshine Equipment?] [Crafting attribute focus this time: Attribute Control] [Crafting attribute level this time: Starlight Level 9] [Crafting success rate: 30%] [Yes][No] Qin Chuan unhesitatingly clicked [No], then removed the high-quality Equipment Forging Stone. Such a low chance, screw that. If he was really going to craft, he would do it after Yue Li had blessed him with luck. However, today''s luck boost couldn''t be squandered carelessly. He had been locking onto the Canglan Conch for three hours now, and Qin Chuan had noticed some patterns. The Canglan Conch would change its location every half hour. The range of its movement was tremendously large, almost random within Area 3675. In the past six movements, the farthest the Canglan Conch got from Qin Chuan was nearly eight hundred kilometers, while the closest was over three hundred kilometers. After discovering this pattern, Qin Chuan also realized why he couldn''t find rare resources even with Yue Li''s luck enhancement when using the Sun Needle''s Second Talent. It wasn''t that luck had no effect on rare resources, but that he hadn''t given the resources a chance to come close to him. The Sun Needle''s Second Talent only records the resource situation in the surrounding area at the moment of use. Only if rare resources move during the intermediate time between enhancing luck and using the talent, and appear within a one hundred thousand meter range, is there a possibility of being detected by the Second Talent. But under normal circumstances... Qin Chuan would enhance his luck and instantly use the talent, with less than ten seconds in between. Chapter 104 - 104 Crafting the Starshine Equipment! (April extra with 1300 Monthly Tickets) Knowing why he couldn''t find rare resources like the Canglan Conch in the past, Qin Chuan naturally came up with an approach to locate them. First, he had to determine a safe distance. That is, after locking in the new location of the Canglan Conch, the distance from which it could be acquired within 30 minutes. Given the known characteristics of rare resources, if the Canglan Conch wasn''t stored in the Item Equipment Bar, even after acquisition, it would continue to transfer. Therefore, Qin Chuan himself must reach the corresponding location within 30 minutes or allow his Contracted Spiritual Beast to bring back the rare resource within 30 minutes. The latter, though requiring the spiritual beast to run a round trip, would still be faster than the former. Among the four spiritual beasts he and Yue Li had, the fastest was Xiao Qing. But Xiao Qing had no contract with him and couldn''t achieve telepathy; it would fail to find self-concealing rare resources even at the designated location. Therefore, only Water Flower could be dispatched. Now that Water Flower was executing Water Dipping at full speed, its velocity was about 40 meters per second. Considering a round trip, theoretically, it could bring back rare resources from 36 kilometers away within 30 minutes. Taking into account possible unexpected factors, the final safety distance was set at 30 kilometers. The first method was to use the Third Talent of the Sun Needle to lock onto the Canglan Conch, timing it right when it was about to transfer, and have Yue Li bless him with luck. That way, the Canglan Conch''s next transfer would most likely be to a location closer to him; as long as it was within 30 kilometers, he could securely obtain it. The second method, without using the Third Talent of the Sun Needle, was to wait until the last moment to utilize the Sun Needle''s Second Talent after the luck had been increased. This would provide a ten-minute window; with the Canglan Conch transferring every thirty minutes, there was a one-third chance it would transfer during the window and appear in the exploration results of the Second Talent. Of course, the feasibility of this method hinged on the luck allowing the Canglan Conch to refresh within ten kilometers, as beyond this range the Second Talent of the Sun Needle wouldn''t be able to detect it. Thinking up to this point, Qin Chuan had a plan. First, find the next exploration point, then time the Canglan Conch''s transfer perfectly, have Yue Li bless him with luck, complete the creation of Starshine Equipment within the lucky ten minutes using the Second Talent, and wait for the appearance of the new coordinates of the Canglan Conch; then have Water Flower go collect it. Calmly, three steps at a time. After reviewing the plan once more and confirming there were no flaws in his thinking, Qin Chuan casually tossed the Equipment Forging Stone back into the Item Equipment Bar, "Let''s head to the next exploration point." "Okay." Yue Li caught up with Qin Chuan and smiled, "The chance of Equipment Forging Stones isn''t high, right?" "Only 30%," Qin Chuan spread his hands. "That''s already quite good," Yue Li nodded slightly, "The chance for regular Equipment Forging Stones is even lower, with only a 10% success rate using nine pieces of Starshine Equipment Material focused in the same direction." "I remember the Special Affairs Group once released some intel," Qin Chuan thought for a moment, "If using top-grade Equipment Forging Stones, under the same conditions, the success rate goes up to 90%." "That''s why expensive things have their value," Yue Li spoke with a smile. "That means luck equates to saving money," Qin Chuan said seriously. The two exchanged a smile. Before long, they arrived at the next exploration point. Qin Chuan constantly monitored the Canglan Conch. It had been 25 minutes since the last transfer, so increasing luck now would be effective during the transfer period. Let''s see if his conjecture held true. Qin Chuan nodded at Yue Li, and Yue Li quickly performed the Luck Blessing. After receiving luck, Qin Chuan took out the Equipment Forging Stone and once again inserted it into the slot. This time, facing the same confirmation page, he immediately pressed "Yes." What 30%? Before "Prayer," you must turn it into 100% for me! The next instant, the quality Equipment Forging Stone vanished, and in front of Qin Chuan, a phantom of a huge Casting Hammer appeared, striking heavily on the nine pieces of material on the forging interface. "Clang" With a loud noise, the nine pieces of Starshine Equipment Material instantly turned into myriad points of light. They converged, whirled, and fused rapidly before exploding into a burst of light a few breaths later. [Congratulations, Player, on successfully forging Starshine Equipment: Shape-shifting Water Crown, obtaining Equipment Entry: Canglong (Starlight Level 9)] [Canglong (Starlight Level 9): Attribute Control Power increased by 84%] Looking at the Water Crown, which was made entirely of water currents and constantly changing in shape, after the light dissipated, an excited expression appeared on Qin Chuan''s face. It was a success! Completing the forging of the Starshine Equipment, he had finished half of the journey to the Elite Rank. Without hesitation, he embedded the just-obtained Shape-shifting Water Crown into the evolution page, and the next moment a prompt appeared in front of him. [Please complete the embedding of the Advanced Array first.] Sarch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It seemed he couldn''t evolve it alone. Qin Chuan turned his gaze back to the Canglan Conch. Right now, the Canglan Conch had three minutes remaining to transfer. "My Starshine Equipment forging was successful," Qin Chuan said with a smile, noticing Yue Li beside him looking expectant during the wait. "The equipment entry increases the Attribute Control Power by 84%." "That''s so high!" Yue Li exclaimed in surprise. "Can you evolve it?" "Not yet," Qin Chuan shook his head, "Only when the Advanced Array is fully embedded can the Starshine Equipment be embedded in the evolution page, they are integral to each other." "So, we still need to find that rare Intermediate Resource." Yue Li rested her chin in her hand, and the soft flesh on her cheeks squeezed together, so cute that one couldn''t help but want to give it a bite. "Even with my luck and your Talent, we can''t find it, advancing to the Elite Rank is too difficult!" "There''s always a way out when we get to the mountain. Don''t worry." Qin Chuan said, but his gaze couldn''t help falling on Yue Li''s cheeks. The soft light shone down, and they were so close that Qin Chuan could clearly see the fine down on Yue Li''s cheeks. Perhaps the joy of successfully completing the Starshine Equipment loosened a tense string in his heart. It wasn''t until his finger touched Yue Li''s cheek that Qin Chuan suddenly realized something was amiss and withdrew his hand awkwardly, "That..." A blush flew onto Yue Li''s pretty face, and she glared at Qin Chuan cutely yet fiercely, turning her eyes away, but her ears gradually took on a cherry color. The atmosphere was both sweet and awkward, leaving Qin Chuan at a loss for wordsafter all, that move had really been subconscious. However, in the next moment, the transferring Canglan Conch shifted Qin Chuan''s attention in a flash. Staring at the new location of the Canglan Conch, his eyes widened with surprise. Twenty kilometers! The Canglan Conch was only twenty kilometers away from his current position! "Water Flower! Charge!" Qin Chuan called out, pointing towards the direction of the Canglan Conch, "Full-speed sprint, the Canglan Conch is over there!" "Woof woof!" Water Flower barked, and a blue halo rippled on its four paws, instantly turning into a blur as it burst forth. "Did you find the Canglan Conch?" Yue Li stood up abruptly, putting aside the previous embarrassment, "Do you need Xiaoqing''s help?" "Xiaoqing can''t find it under my direction." Qin Chuan shook his head, full of confidence. "Don''t worry, this time, it won''t escape!" Chapter 105 - 105: Where Did Luos Top Rank Go? During the last moments when his luck was still effective, Qin Chuan quickly made use of his second talent for exploration. He did not filter or inspect the newly acquired map but immediately switched back to the map locked on his third talent. On the locked map, there were two light points about twenty kilometers apart, one was Qin Chuan''s own location, the other was the latest position of the Canglan Sea Snail after it refreshed. At that moment, a slightly dimmer light point separated from the one at Qin Chuan''s location and approached the position of the Canglan Sea Snail. Contracted Spiritual Beasts and players, in most talents'' effects, were treated as a single target, the maps generated by the second and third talents of the Sun Needle were no exception. Normally, Qin Chuan, Water Flower, and Ice Cream were together, represented by a single light point on the map. If Water Flower and Ice Cream temporarily separated from him, corresponding light points for them appeared on the map. This was something Qin Chuan had discovered early, and it was key to his ability to remotely command Water Flower to find the Canglan Sea Snail. At the moment, intently watching the changes in the light point only he could see, Qin Chuan''s expression appeared quite serious. Yue Li, noticing Qin Chuan''s focus, turned her head to look at Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. She placed a finger to her lips and quietly made a "shush" gesture, then sat back down on the soft grass, lost in thought as she gazed at Qin Chuan. Scenes she had just witnessed flashed through her mind, and the places where she had been touched tingled strangely, but curiously, she did not dislike the sensation. Luo, this guy Her eyes slightly downcast, her gaze shifted from Qin Chuan to the grass in front of her, her eyes twinkling oddly as if trying to see flowers sprouting from the small grass. Time ticked away by the minute and second. Qin Chuan alternated between watching the map and the clock. Whenever Water Flower''s direction of progress slightly deviated, he immediately made remote adjustments, allowing Water Flower to avoid many detours. After 12 minutes, she successfully reached the vicinity where the Canglan Sea Snail was located. Using the overlapping visions of Water Flower and the Canglan Sea Snail, Qin Chuan took about three minutes to direct Water Flower to the Canglan Sea Snail. Watching Water Flower pick up the Canglan Sea Snail and return at top speed, Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief but couldn''t help having some doubts in his mind. He still wasn''t sure the safety distance he had estimated was secure enough. If there really was a distance of 30 kilometers, he feared it would be too late now. However, the safety distance next time should be greater. Because after acquiring the Canglan Sea Snail, Water Flower had advanced to Elite Rank. With the increase in strength, her speed had also significantly improved. Sarch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The return journey was smoother than the trip there. With her sensitive nose, Water Flower didn''t even need Qin Chuan''s verbal guidance and ran back following the path she had come. Before long, Qin Chuan saw a water-blue figure rushing toward him from afar. The moment he took the Canglan Sea Snail from Water Flower''s mouth, he directly embedded it into the Advanced Array, finally at ease. It took 27 minutes, with thrills but no dangers. After the last piece of resources for advancement was embedded, the Advanced Array''s dim last quarter brightened, the entire array shimmering with light and a line of text appeared. [Advanced Array complete, please embed the Starshine Equipment in the Evolution Array to begin the advancement evolution] "Is it starting?" Yue Li patted the tail of her dress and stood up, the anticipation on her face nothing less than that on Qin Chuan''s. "Yeah!" Qin Chuan nodded, grinning, "Watch closely!" Without hesitation, he embedded the Shape-shifting Water Crown into the Evolution Array. The two arrays simultaneously erupted in bright light and flew out their corresponding pages, merging together in front of him. Simultaneously, a bright radiance burst from around Water Flower nearby. The light surged for more than twice as long as when evolving from Juvenile Stage to Growth Rank. During this surge of light, both Qin Chuan and Yue Li felt the power within the radiance gradually escalating. After a while, the radiance gradually receded until it completely vanished. A brand-new form of Water Flower appeared before the two people and the other three spiritual beasts. Its size had grown larger than at the Growth Rank, and on its head was a water crown whose shape kept changing. Trailing behind its ears were semi-transparent ribbons that flowed naturally like water, even without any wind. [Spiritual Beast Species: Xuan Cang Dog] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Water Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Elite Rank Lv20](0/4000)[Player Level must reach Elite Level to increase] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Water Domain Vision] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 4000] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 90%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: StarWater Master (Passive), StarDark Current Binding (Active), StarRapid Stream Break (Active), StarWater Walking (Active), StarSky-Rolling Waterfall (Active)] [Equipment Entry: [Canglong (Starshine Level 9): Attribute Control increased by 84%]] [Current Entry Usage/Cool-down Duration: 5 minutes/15 minutes] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Water Attribute Spiritual Beast Xuan Cang Dog evolved from the Water Leaf Dog, is friendly and composed, and commands all water flows wherever it is.] Water Flower, Elite Rank! ----------------- Dragon Gate 20131 campsite. At this moment, Meng Yu was helping other players serve delicious food. Today''s food was exceptionally lavish because, with the mutual aid of every member of the camp, and after another round of weekly settlements, two new Official Level players were born. These two Official Level players, after discussion, decided to team up and head to other regions of zone 3675 to explore the world more. To thank everyone in the camp for their help, they promised to periodically send back one or two pieces of low-level resources through Sun Sihai. This was not difficult for them, already being Official Level players. Today was both a celebration and a farewell. One player, known as "Old Drunk," even brought out his own self-brewed wine from this world and shared it with every member present at the camp. Amid songs and dances, laughter echoed long through the valley. After having their fill of food and drink, an Official Level player, flushed with the influence of the wine, shouted, "Luo is our pride in the 3675 zone, but I am not far behind!" "I believe I will soon enter the top ten of the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List!" Hearing his confident declaration, the other players laughed heartily, loudly clapping and cheering him on. The player preparing to journey with him, who was not yet drunk, couldn''t help but laugh at the remark. "Today''s weekly settlement has seen many break through, you probably didn''t even make it into the top hundred!" "How can that be" the drunken player muttered under his breath, tapping into the air in front of him, "I should at least be damn, only in 172nd place!" The sober Official Level player spread his hands, showing an "I told you so" expression. However, the next moment, the drunk Official Level player suddenly jolted sober a bit, his voice laced with astonishment. "How come Luo is no longer at the top of the list?!" Chapter 106 - 106: The First Elite Rank Across the Entire Network! Hearing this, the faces of all the players in the camp revealed expressions of astonishment. They opened the Ranking List at first opportunity, and when they saw the first place on the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List change from Luo to Yue Li, their jaws dropped at the Water Leaf Dog that vanished without a trace. "Luo''s other spiritual beast is in 3rd place!" Meng Yu shouted, feeling a slight relief in her heart. This meant that Luo was still in Area 3675, he hadn''t switched zones, nor had the worst happened: death. Sarch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Could it be that he encountered danger and Luo''s Water Leaf Dog was killed?" one player ventured, worry evident on their face. Everyone was from Yanhuang Country, and with Luo ranking high in Area 3675, they all stood to gain some invisible advantages, so very few harbored dark thoughts and wished for his misfortune. "You guys, don''t just stare at one list." Sun Sihai suddenly laughed, "Take a look at the Extraordinary List first!" Upon hearing his words, everyone quickly switched lists. The throne of the number 1 on Extraordinary List had shifted from Yue Li to Luo. [Extraordinary List No.1] [Area: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Extraordinary Value: 5280] Wait... 5280?? This value had surpassed the sum total of the Race Values of two Growth Rank Lv20 spiritual beasts, something that was impossible even if the Affinity of both contracted spiritual beasts was at 100%?! The quick-thinkers realized something was up and immediately switched back to the Spiritual Beast List and transitioned from Growth Rank to Elite Rank. They finally saw the missing name. [Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank) No.1] [Area: 3675] [Player Name: Luo] [Listed Spiritual Beast: Xuan Cang Dog] [Current Rank of Listed Beast: Elite Rank Lv20] [Reference Achievement: None] After a brief silence, the entire camp erupted in uproar at the sole name on the vast list. Elite Rank! Just earlier that day, the Special Affairs Group had announced new intelligence regarding the advancement from Growth Rank, that among the required four pieces of Intermediate Resources, one had to be a Rare Resource! Unattainable via selection or random acquisition, and with a self-concealing nature that caused its location to shift randomly... Even hearing about it was enough to reveal the level of difficulty involved. This left those who had already made a Breakthrough from Growth Rank and were trying to advance further feeling despondent, and it made the path seem riddled with thorns for those still at Apprentice Level. Who would have thought that in such a dark hour, Luo''s Contracted Spiritual Beast had successfully advanced! "Could this be the world''s first Elite Rank Contracted Spiritual Beast?" one player murmured, and his words were heard by everyone, plunging the camp into silence once more. "Perhaps," Sun Sihai was the first to snap out of it, his expression complicated, "I both hope it is and it isn''t." As a Yanhuang Country player, Luo achieving this world-first accomplishment was a point of pride for every Yanhuang player. But, it also meant that he would become a target for everyone. For Luo, this might not be good news. In another place in Area 3675, KA held his head in his hands, his expression fierce. "Damn it! That detestable Luo!" During this period, he had been working hard with his Contracted Spiritual Beast to earn sufficiently good achievements in the Growth Rank, successfully rising from the 32nd place to the 14th. Just a moment ago, he had secured another new achievement, and with his previous achievements, he hoped to break into the top ten of the Spiritual Beast List. However, when he triumphantly opened the Spiritual Beast List, his joy dissipated. Good news, his Spiritual Beast List ranking had just reached 10th at the Growth Rank. Bad news, Luo had given up that ranking. Seeing Luo''s name alone at the very top of the Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List, KA''s face flushed red, filled with disbelief. Why? Why did this guy advance so fast?! He took a few deep breaths, then collapsed weakly onto the grass, the flush fading from his face, his expression gradually adopting a more Zen-like attitude. After being struck down by Luo several times, he had come to terms with it. Enough! Truly enough! Regarding the commotion the ranking might cause, Qin Chuan had anticipated it before making his breakthrough. At Growth Rank, the acquisition of low-level resources was not difficult, and his rate of advancement was not as fast as that of players who spent heavily or were part of various organizations, so naturally, he did not attract attention. At Elite Rank and the subsequent Ranks, even the heavy spenders and collective efforts would encounter problems that were difficult to solve, and the power of the Compass Talent would begin to reveal just the tip of the iceberg. He would also move from being a nobody to gradually placing himself at the center of the Transcendent maelstrom. But this was inevitable. The current advantage of Compass Talent was development, and he had to grow faster than other players in order to overcome those talents that could boost their own strength. An increase in strength could not be hidden on the ranking list. Qin Chuan could have chosen to underplay his achievements, but that was not what he wanted. If he couldn''t hide, he would face the incoming challenges. He had already prepared to deal with players from all walks of life while paying close attention to every player with a golden talent. What concerned him more at the moment were the various changes after Water Flower''s breakthrough. The clan had changed from Water Leaf Dog to Xuan Cang Dog, which certainly fit the meaning of evolution. The change in clan brought not only a more powerful Race Value and a brand new skill but also changes in Spiritual Beast Traits and the existing skills. Water Flower''s Spiritual Beast Trait had changed from Grass and Wood Recognition to Water Domain Vision. [Water Domain Vision: Within the gaze, all traces of water are discerned.] This statement was somewhat abstract, and even after looking at the trait description, it took Qin Chuan some time communicating with Water Flower to fully understand its meaning. It was an enhanced version of Water Vision. Water Vision itself was not a skill, but rather a sensation of seeing water flows, generated by combining the Water Master''s water perception with what was in the field of view. Because it was based on perception, its range was limited, much lower than visual range. Water Domain Vision, however, was effective within the visible range and provided clearer effects. As a trait, Qin Chuan was quite satisfied. After all, the original Grass and Wood Recognition had become less useful as Qin Chuan became familiar with the plants of Dream World and the Special Affairs Group shared continuous updates. Having confirmed the changes in traits, Qin Chuan then looked at the skills whose names had changed. [StarWater Master: Passive Skill, allows the Spiritual Beast to breathe underwater and condense, control water, significantly reducing the power consumption of producing water from thin air.] [StarDark Current Binding: Active Skill, hides strong forces within the water, creating binding or other control effects, strength increasing with the amount of water, up to a limit of 200%.] [StarRapid Stream Break: Active Skill, releases a powerful jet of water to cause damage to opponents, penetration increasing with the amount of water, up to a limit of 200%.] [StarWater Walking: Active Skill, greatly increases speed when there is a water flow beneath the feet, allowing walking on water, speed increasing with the amount of water, up to a limit of 200%.] [StarSky-Rolling Waterfall: Active Skill, instantly forms a waterfall from the sky to sweep over and strangle targets within range, power increasing with the amount of water, up to a limit of 200%.] Having looked through each skill, Qin Chuan''s lips could not help but curl into an uncontrollable smile. He hadn''t expected that the existing skills would receive such astonishing enhancements after the evolution. Chapter 107 - 107 Not Insight, but Sun Needle! (April additional update for 1350 Monthly Tickets) The new skill, Sky-Rolling Waterfall, is a large-area attack skill. And it is an extremely powerful one. At the signal of Qin Chuan, Water Flower tried it once, and instantly the volume of surging backward water reached tens of tons, easily shattering everything within the attack range such as trees and rocks. And this was clearly not the full extent of Sky-Rolling Waterfall''s power. If the environment was aquatic and the water was limitless, the power of Sky-Rolling Waterfall could be further enhanced. After all, one of its effects was that its potency increased with the volume of water. Similar phrases had been added to the enhanced Dark Current Binding, Rapid Stream Break, and Water Dipping after the evolution, indicating the evolved Water Flower''s heavy dependency on the volume of water. The more water there was, the stronger it became. Normally, a great need for water volume means a great dependence on aquatic environments for battle, and the power fluctuates greatly between environments with and without water, which is a disadvantage. But this disadvantage was greatly mitigated by the enhancement from Water Master. sea??h th N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The new passive effect of Water Master greatly reduced the energy consumption when generating water from thin air, as if it was tailor-made for Water Flower at this moment. With this effect, Water Flower could produce a large amount of water out of thin air, satisfying its skills'' demand for water volume, and even lowering its environmental dependence than before. Moreover, the effect of the Starshine Equipment significantly increased attribute control. The concepts Qin Chuan had conceived, such as walking on water flows, enhancing blood control ability, and boosting Dark Current Binding, were all realized through Water Flower''s individual verification. After activating the Starshine Equipment, Water Flower''s combat power could surge once again. Ice cream hugged its knife, almost crying with envy. Little Green and Little Red weren''t much better, the two little fellows glanced at each other, both firmly resolved to break through to Elite Rank as soon as possible. "The enhancement from reaching Elite Rank is too significant, isn''t it?" Yue Li exclaimed in surprise after hearing Qin Chuan''s explanation about Water Flower''s improvements. "However, the further enhancements after reaching Elite Rank will be even harder," Qin Chuan said with a smile, "400 Experience Gems to level up, which is an eightfold increase compared to the Growth Rank." "Shouldn''t the daily settlement of the Spiritual Beast List at Elite Rank give a lot?" Yue Li speculated. "Let''s have a look," Qin Chuan said with anticipation as he opened the Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List, and his smile deepened a bit when he saw he was the only one on the list before clicking on the reward introduction. [Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank) Daily Settlement Rewards:] [1st place: Experience Gems +200] [2nd-10th place: Experience Gems +160] [11th-100th place: Experience Gems +100] [101st-1000th place: Experience Gems +40] [1001st-10000th place: Experience Gems +20] Hmm? Qin Chuan couldn''t help but furrow his brow. Compared to the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List, the Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List''s daily settlement rewards were indeed more, but less than he had anticipated. For the previous Juvenile Stage and Growth Rank, the 1st place reward in the Spiritual Beast List was equivalent to the Experience Gems needed for leveling up, but at Elite Rank, the 1st place daily settlement reward was only enough for half a level up. This meant that just relying on the daily settlement rewards, levelling Water Flower up to Elite Rank Lv 30 would take a full 20 days. With a somewhat bad premonition, Qin Chuan clicked on the weekly settlement. [Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank) Weekly Settlement Rewards:] [1st place: Advanced Resource Fragments +10] [2nd-10th place: Advanced Resource Fragments +8] [11th-100th place: Advanced Resource Fragments +5] [101st-1000th place: Advanced Resource Fragments +2] [1001st-10000th place: Advanced Resource Fragments +1] [Note: 20 Advanced Resource Fragments can be exchanged for one Advanced Resource of choice, and cannot be exchanged for random Advanced Resources] Indeed. The weekly settlement rewards had decreased. Even the first place could no longer directly obtain their choice of resources, only fragments. And the original fragments that could be exchanged for a random resource at a rate of ten pieces were now changed to twenty pieces for a chosen resource. This was bad news for Qin Chuan, who had Yue Li''s cooperation. Facing Yue Li''s curious eyes, Qin Chuan could only shake his head helplessly and inform her of the situation. "It''s not bad already," Yue Li chuckled soothingly after hearing about the settlement rewards, "The sheer increase in difficulty from the Growth Rank to the Elite Rank is evident; it becomes tougher to level up later on." "But as it gets harder, the scope for improvement also grows. That''s inevitable." "You haven''t reached Elite Rank Lv30 yet, so you can''t see the requirements for breaking through to the Hall Rank. Perhaps after you see the specific requirements, you''ll think all this is nothing." "Speaking of which..." At this point, Yue Li suddenly remembered something, "Is your player level still at the Official Level?" "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded, "I have already exceeded five thousand in Extraordinary Value and still haven''t met the threshold for Elite Level players. If things go as expected, I''d probably need both Contracted Spiritual Beasts to breakthrough before I can be promoted." Saying this, he let out a heavy sigh, "At this rate, it might be an month or two before I can break through to the Hall Rank." "You''re almost there, you know!" Yue Li''s mouth twitched slightly as her fists clenched tight, fighting an impulse to hit someone, "Complaining about it being slow with a golden Talent, what about other players..." Before she could finish, she abruptly stopped herself. It seemed like she had said something she shouldn''t have... But in the next instant, Yue Li steeled her heart, bravely lifting her head to meet Qin Chuan''s astonished and surprised gaze. Indeed, this guy had to be Insight! The moment she saw that expression, Yue Li was certain in her heart. In light of this, it was time to lay the cards on the table! After all, this guy had always known that she was Prayer! "Do you know?" Qin Chuan was truly surprised. He could tell that she wasn''t tricking him; she genuinely knew. But how did Yue Li come to know? The effects and the name of the Sun Needle Talent were virtually unrelated. The top ten guesses of the Sun Needle effects on the Dream Realm Forum hadn''t even come close to touching the actual Talent Effect. This had made Qin Chuan feel relatively safe until now. So, he really wanted to know the reason for Yue Li''s knowledge. Could this be the third Talent Effect of Prayer? "Of course, I know!" Yue Li''s voice trembled slightly, clearly showing strong emotional fluctuation yet she was trying her best to appear calm, "Insight. It''s just as obvious as my Prayer." Qin Chuan: "..." Sure enough, the girl in front of him always managed to hit the mark where he least expected. And she had even blurted out her own Talent too. He had hinted to her many times not to tell anyone about the Prayer Talent. With a sigh in his heart, Qin Chuan raised a hand and gently tapped on Yue Li''s smooth forehead, "You''ve guessed wrong; my Talent really isn''t Insight." "Is that so?" The tremor in Yue Li''s voice suddenly disappeared, her tone still light but a flash of disappointment crossed her eyes. A sense of dejection from not receiving an equal response to her heartfelt offering rose inexplicably within her. Even after she had said so much, Luo was still not willing to admit it... "It''s the Sun Needle." Qin Chuan''s calm voice echoed in Yue Li''s ears for a good while before she lifted her head with some confusion and looked at the smiling youth in front of her. "Eh?!!" Chapter 110 - 110: The Entire Special Affairs Group is Confused! [Congratulations to the player for achieving the Hidden Achievement [Elite First Kill], Achievement Points +1000, Experience Gem +100] [Elite First Kill: The first kill of an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast on the server that is not lower than the player''s own rank.] Elite First Kill... Seeing the sudden achievement notification, Qin Chuan felt a joy akin to receiving double happiness. He had almost forgotten about this achievement. Every growth rank has its corresponding first kill achievement. He had no chance to attain the Growth Rank first kill achievement before, as there were too many players who broke through before him. Now, as the first player in the entire server to contract with an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast, he had managed to snatch this unique server-wide achievement. On the other side, Water Flower, having defeated the Giant Rock Boa, flew into the cave on the mountain wall and quickly returned with a lively buzz, clutching a green jade in its mouth. "Squeak" Watching the jade, Xiao Qing''s wings trembled, and he gazed eagerly at Water Flower. With a flick of its head, Water Flower dropped the Wind-Extinguishing Jade right into Xiao Qing''s claws. Instantly, Xiao Qing cast a grateful look towards Water Flower, which proudly accepted the thanks from its good buddy with a slight lift of its head. Meanwhile, Xiao Hong and Ice Cream also made discoveries. They circled around the Giant Rock Boa, quickly stopping at a certain spot on its body. Ice Cream slashed out with its Chopper, effortlessly leaving a wound on the fallen Giant Rock Boa''s body, followed by a second and third cut. From the ever-deepening wounds, a hint of earthy yellow light spilled out. Ice Cream plunged the Chopper into the wound with force, levering against it, while Xiao Hong deftly dug out the partly exposed earthy yellow object. The two little ones ran back to Qin Chuan and Yue Li, and with Yue Li''s gesture, Xiao Hong excitedly handed over the newly found item to Qin Chuan''s hands. [Congratulations to the player for obtaining Intermediate Resources: Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder] Touching the snake gallbladder, which felt as hard as a stone, Qin Chuan gave a playful smile. Who would need this resource for their advancement? Resources that could only be acquired through killing like this tended to fetch a higher price. Taking it back to the real world, he could sell it for a handsome sum. The Wind-Extinguishing Jade was given to Yue Li; naturally, the Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder was his. The two had developed a thorough understanding of resource allocation during their past half-month of companionship; no words were needed to decide the ownership of resources. Putting the Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder into the item carrying slot, Qin Chuan casually glanced at the time. [07:47:19/08:00:00][00:00:08] Just perfect, the Dream World entrance was about to close. After setting up the skill-carrying configuration, they spent the last tens of minutes chatting idly with their four contracted Spiritual Beasts. "Luo, see you tomorrow!" With the final seconds ticking down, Yue Li spoke with a smile as usual, her grin exceptionally bright in the sunlight today, causing Qin Chuan to be momentarily distracted, so much so that he forgot to respond as he usually would. [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:09] [Dream World Entrance Closed] ----------------- sea??h th N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sitting up in bed, Qin Chuan''s face still displayed a trace of slight regret. If only the Dream World had the capability to take photos and bring them back to the real world. Rubbing his cheek, he casually clicked open the light-spot in the upper right corner. [Current Extraordinary Value: 5280] "[Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, Frost Cold] [Current Active Skills: StarDark Current Binding, StarSky-Rolling Waterfall] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 2: Skills StarWater Master, StarDark Current Binding, StarSky-Rolling Waterfall receive a 5% enhancement] His power soared. Qin Chuan''s gaze fixed on the effect of [Resonance 2] for a moment. Without any surprises, once Ice Cream also broke through to the Elite Rank, he would be able to be promoted to an Elite Level Player, gaining an additional active skill-carrying spot, and he could at most activate [Resonance 3]. He had no idea how much stronger Resonance 3 would be compared to Resonance 2. His drifting thoughts settled down, and after hesitating for a moment, Qin Chuan took out his phone and entered the Dream Realm Forum. The first post on the Dream Realm Forum made the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. "Shocking! The first Elite Rank Contracted Spiritual Beast appears in the Dream World!" Clicking on the post, "Luo''s" in-game name was even bolded and blackened by the poster, as if afraid others wouldn''t see it. Although he had anticipated such a result, it was still just past eight o''clock. Were there really so many people waking up on time?! Shaking his head resignedly, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but continue scrolling down. The content continuously updated by the poster mentioned quite a bit about him. For example, the record on the Juvenile Stage Leaderboards of defeating the Shadow Leopard out of rank. This record had been mentioned on the Dream Realm Forum before but did not stir up much of a storm, as it was directly overshadowed by the first Official Level Player, "Chopper." Now the old news was brought up again, causing many players who didn''t know about it before to exclaim repeatedly, adding a few more legendary colors to the deeds of the first player who contracted an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. Of course, what other players were most concerned about was Luo''s nationality issue. This player with a Chinese name, whether or not he was from Yanhuang Country, was very important. Soon, Qin Chuan saw a familiar ID appear in the comments section of the post. [3675-Meng Yu: I''ve seen the great Luo, he is from Yanhuang Country!] This lady''s forum nickname is the same as her in-game district and name? Qin Chuan was speechless. Many netizens asked Meng Yu for the specifics, and her fluent replies made it clear to everyone that this was true. The world''s first Official Level Player was from Yanhuang Country, and the world''s first player to contract an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast was also from Yanhuang Country. For a moment, countless players expressed their pride in the Special Affairs Group and Yanhuang Country. In their view, the only ones who could break through the Elite Rank so quickly were the Transcendents from the Special Affairs Group, who were dedicated to major endeavors. Seeing this scene, Qin Chuan''s lips couldn''t help but curl up slightly. He wondered what the people from the Special Affairs Group would think of this? ----------------- Staff from the Special Affairs Group all across Yanhuang Country had no comments, they were collectively baffled when they woke up this morning. Every staff member of the Special Affairs Group had dual responsibilities in the Dream World and reality; they were true 24-hour workers. For instance, Sun Sihai, as an Official Level Player in reality, was a demon beast cleaner, responsible for patrolling the city and checking for potential demon beasts in the city; in the Dream World, he was the person in charge of the Dragon Gate Camp, organizing and maintaining camp order. In the Dream World, aside from the responsibility as a camp leader, there were many other duties, among which resource gathering was the most important. These personnel were responsible for exploring the Dream World, gathering as many obtainable resources as possible, and then bringing them back to reality to hand over to the Special Affairs Group. Yanhuang Country naturally would not mistreat them; they would receive generous treatment, whether in the Extraordinary Domain or other aspects. After the characteristics of rare resources were discovered, these personnel developed a habit of touching everything they saw to see if it might be a self-concealing rare resource. This habit had been ongoing for three days. The rare resources that they had not found were discovered by an ordinary player. Chapter 109 - 109: Water Flowers First Battle at Elite Rank! "Triple luck?" After hearing Yue Li''s words, Qin Chuan was startled. It occurred to him that since they had obtained their respective Talents, Yue Li had never used her golden Talent on herself, which made Qin Chuan almost forget that the second Talent effect of Prayer could be used in this way. The luck effect already generated by Yue Li was terrifying. What would it be like at three times that level? Qin Chuan found it hard to imagine, but he was clear about one thing: under triple luck, Rare Resources would definitely refresh within ten kilometers! With this, the second plan for searching Rare Resources that he previously thought unusable now had a chance to be utilized. "If you apply luck to yourself every day and I use the second Talent effect of the Compass to scan for resources, then there''s a one-third chance each day of finding Rare Resources." "Speaking of which," Qin Chuan wore a thoughtful expression, "could this one-third chance be influenced by luck to become even higher?" "Of course not," Yue Li flatly stated, "Moving Rare Resources to a position close to me is already the result of luck. Having another stroke of luck on top of this would really be like exploiting a bug." "However, this is already very fast." Yue Li''s eyes showed an expectant look, "With some luck, in six days, I might be able to obtain Rare Resources twice, maybe even faster than the next time you use the third Talent effect of the Compass." Qin Chuan: "..." He, the owner of the Compass Talent, had to wait two weeks to find two Rare Resources, yet Yue Li could obtain two in one week. Thinking about it, Prayer truly was an enviable Talent. Of course, he also understood that in searching for Rare Resources, neither of their Talents could function without the other. Without Prayer, even after the Compass''s third Talent locks onto Rare Resources, one can only desperately wait for the resources to refresh closer by pure luck. Without the Compass, even if the Prayer Talent user refreshes the Rare Resources within one kilometer of themselves, there''s a significant chance they couldn''t be found within half an hour. "Since that''s the case, let''s start from tomorrow," Qin Chuan decided, "In the following days, you keep using luck on yourself, and we''ll quickly help you find those two Rare Resources you need." "Alright." Yue Li nodded and then suddenly thought of something, "Oh! Did you use the second Talent during the lucky period just now?" "Don''t worry, I didn''t forget." Qin Chuan smiled, "For the next few hours, we can continue treasure hunting." He opened the map he hadn''t managed to glance at before, and after some filtering, his expression suddenly changed, "I remember the Wind-extinguishing Jade is an Intermediate Resource needed for Xiao Qing''s Evolution, right?" "Yes, aside from Rare Resources, Xiao Qing just lacks this one," Yue Li nodded, her face lighting up with surprise, "Did you find it?" "Yep." Qin Chuan looked over at Water Flower, who stood guard beside him like a sentinel, and suddenly smiled, "There''s an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast guarding the Wind-extinguishing Jade." "Perfect, we can test Water Flower''s strength after the Breakthrough." "Woof woof!" Water Flower raised its head high, its Water Crown surging, evidently looking forward to the upcoming battle. The location of the Wind-extinguishing Jade was relatively far from the two. After discussing, Qin Chuan and Yue Li decided to search for other resources first and then challenge the Elite Rank Spiritual Beast guarding the Wind-extinguishing Jade at the end. Three hours later, they arrived in front of a rock cliff. Hundreds of meters above the rock cliff was a huge rock cave where a giant snake Spiritual Beast, twenty-something meters long and about a meter thick, clung to the mountain rock outside the cave, like a guardian. [Spiritual Beast Species: Giant Rock Boa] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Earth Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Elite Rank Lv22] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: An Earth Attribute Giant Rock Boa, evolved from a Rock Python, possesses a strong sense of perception, launching fierce attacks on all creatures invading its territory.] "What a huge snake," Yue Li exclaimed in surprise. "This Giant Rock Boa is two levels higher than Water Flower. Can Water Flower handle it?" Qin Chuan turned to look at Water Flower. At this moment, Water Flower''s blue eyes were emitting a bright blue glow, with its Special Water Area Vision coming into play. In front of it, the Giant Rock Boa in the sky instantly transformed into numerous individuals interwoven with streams of varying thickness. The opponent had blood. This greatly boosted Water Flower''s confidence, and it nodded vigorously at Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan gently patted Water Flower''s head, his face also filled with anticipation. "Then let''s believe in Water Flower''s abilities." "Woof!" Having received Qin Chuan''s approval, Water Flower immediately let out a threatening roar toward the Giant Rock Boa in the sky, whose tightly closed eyes slowly opened at this moment. Those indifferent eyes seemed to swirl with a cold light, and along with the flickering of its forked tongue, it looked particularly dangerous. Its body slightly twisted, seemingly adjusting itself to the best posture, and the fangs inside its open mouth shone faintly. "Hum" The Water Crown atop Water Flower''s head also began to glow. Both spiritual beasts instantly activated their Starshine Equipment. [Earth Travel (Starlight Level 3): Speed increased by 42%, Race Value increased by 7%] [Attribute Control (Starlight Level 9): Attribute Control increased by 84%] With a significant increase in Attribute Control, a pale blue halo instantly spread from under Water Flower''s feet, stepping on spontaneously appearing streams. Water Flower''s body transformed into a pale blue afterimage, pouncing into the sky with a speed hard to discern by the naked eye. The Giant Rock Boa''s pupils slightly narrowed, seemingly unprepared to see a dog flying towards it, but it reacted quickly. Its vertical pupils instantly shrunk to the size of pinpoints, appearing like a dark abyss about to devour Water Flower. "Swoosh" Accompanied by a sharp sound of cutting wind, the long-ready Giant Rock Boa intercepted Water Flower in the air like an arrow leaving its bow. The terrifying jaws rapidly enlarged in front of Water Flower, seemingly about to swallow it whole. Water Flower''s pupils abruptly narrowed, and it let out a bark amidst sparks of fire. "Woof!!!" Blood Control initiated! Originally only able to slightly affect the opponent momentarily, the Blood Control Ability became more targeted with the increase in Attribute Control. In that instant, the Giant Rock Boa felt as if a hand had tightly grasped its heart, like it was pressed with a pause button, and its body stiffened abruptly. The next second, dozens of Rapid Stream Breaks were instantly unleashed, hitting the still-open mouth of the Giant Rock Boa, evidently its weak protective spot compared to its sturdy body. "Hiss" The Giant Rock Boa let out a painful hiss, blood spurting from its mouth as its body instinctively coiled up. The next moment, a hundred tons of water thundered down from the void, sweeping up the Giant Rock Boa''s massive body, instantly generating a terrifying force of strangulation. Sky-Rolling Waterfall, a serious strike! By the time the water dispersed, the Giant Rock Boa''s massive body crashed down from the cliff, covered in fractures, no longer showing any signs of life. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 110 - 110: The Entire Special Affairs Group is Confused! [Congratulations to the player for achieving the Hidden Achievement [Elite First Kill], Achievement Points +1000, Experience Gem +100] [Elite First Kill: The first kill of an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast on the server that is not lower than the player''s own rank.] Elite First Kill... Seeing the sudden achievement notification, Qin Chuan felt a joy akin to receiving double happiness. He had almost forgotten about this achievement. Every growth rank has its corresponding first kill achievement. He had no chance to attain the Growth Rank first kill achievement before, as there were too many players who broke through before him. Now, as the first player in the entire server to contract with an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast, he had managed to snatch this unique server-wide achievement. On the other side, Water Flower, having defeated the Giant Rock Boa, flew into the cave on the mountain wall and quickly returned with a lively buzz, clutching a green jade in its mouth. "Squeak" Watching the jade, Xiao Qing''s wings trembled, and he gazed eagerly at Water Flower. With a flick of its head, Water Flower dropped the Wind-Extinguishing Jade right into Xiao Qing''s claws. Instantly, Xiao Qing cast a grateful look towards Water Flower, which proudly accepted the thanks from its good buddy with a slight lift of its head. Meanwhile, Xiao Hong and Ice Cream also made discoveries. They circled around the Giant Rock Boa, quickly stopping at a certain spot on its body. Ice Cream slashed out with its Chopper, effortlessly leaving a wound on the fallen Giant Rock Boa''s body, followed by a second and third cut. From the ever-deepening wounds, a hint of earthy yellow light spilled out. Ice Cream plunged the Chopper into the wound with force, levering against it, while Xiao Hong deftly dug out the partly exposed earthy yellow object. The two little ones ran back to Qin Chuan and Yue Li, and with Yue Li''s gesture, Xiao Hong excitedly handed over the newly found item to Qin Chuan''s hands. [Congratulations to the player for obtaining Intermediate Resources: Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder] Touching the snake gallbladder, which felt as hard as a stone, Qin Chuan gave a playful smile. Who would need this resource for their advancement? Resources that could only be acquired through killing like this tended to fetch a higher price. Taking it back to the real world, he could sell it for a handsome sum. The Wind-Extinguishing Jade was given to Yue Li; naturally, the Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder was his. The two had developed a thorough understanding of resource allocation during their past half-month of companionship; no words were needed to decide the ownership of resources. Putting the Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder into the item carrying slot, Qin Chuan casually glanced at the time. [07:47:19/08:00:00][00:00:08] Just perfect, the Dream World entrance was about to close. After setting up the skill-carrying configuration, they spent the last tens of minutes chatting idly with their four contracted Spiritual Beasts. "Luo, see you tomorrow!" With the final seconds ticking down, Yue Li spoke with a smile as usual, her grin exceptionally bright in the sunlight today, causing Qin Chuan to be momentarily distracted, so much so that he forgot to respond as he usually would. [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:09] [Dream World Entrance Closed] ----------------- sea??h th N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sitting up in bed, Qin Chuan''s face still displayed a trace of slight regret. If only the Dream World had the capability to take photos and bring them back to the real world. Rubbing his cheek, he casually clicked open the light-spot in the upper right corner. [Current Extraordinary Value: 5280] "[Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, Frost Cold] [Current Active Skills: StarDark Current Binding, StarSky-Rolling Waterfall] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 2: Skills StarWater Master, StarDark Current Binding, StarSky-Rolling Waterfall receive a 5% enhancement] His power soared. Qin Chuan''s gaze fixed on the effect of [Resonance 2] for a moment. Without any surprises, once Ice Cream also broke through to the Elite Rank, he would be able to be promoted to an Elite Level Player, gaining an additional active skill-carrying spot, and he could at most activate [Resonance 3]. He had no idea how much stronger Resonance 3 would be compared to Resonance 2. His drifting thoughts settled down, and after hesitating for a moment, Qin Chuan took out his phone and entered the Dream Realm Forum. The first post on the Dream Realm Forum made the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. "Shocking! The first Elite Rank Contracted Spiritual Beast appears in the Dream World!" Clicking on the post, "Luo''s" in-game name was even bolded and blackened by the poster, as if afraid others wouldn''t see it. Although he had anticipated such a result, it was still just past eight o''clock. Were there really so many people waking up on time?! Shaking his head resignedly, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but continue scrolling down. The content continuously updated by the poster mentioned quite a bit about him. For example, the record on the Juvenile Stage Leaderboards of defeating the Shadow Leopard out of rank. This record had been mentioned on the Dream Realm Forum before but did not stir up much of a storm, as it was directly overshadowed by the first Official Level Player, "Chopper." Now the old news was brought up again, causing many players who didn''t know about it before to exclaim repeatedly, adding a few more legendary colors to the deeds of the first player who contracted an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. Of course, what other players were most concerned about was Luo''s nationality issue. This player with a Chinese name, whether or not he was from Yanhuang Country, was very important. Soon, Qin Chuan saw a familiar ID appear in the comments section of the post. [3675-Meng Yu: I''ve seen the great Luo, he is from Yanhuang Country!] This lady''s forum nickname is the same as her in-game district and name? Qin Chuan was speechless. Many netizens asked Meng Yu for the specifics, and her fluent replies made it clear to everyone that this was true. The world''s first Official Level Player was from Yanhuang Country, and the world''s first player to contract an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast was also from Yanhuang Country. For a moment, countless players expressed their pride in the Special Affairs Group and Yanhuang Country. In their view, the only ones who could break through the Elite Rank so quickly were the Transcendents from the Special Affairs Group, who were dedicated to major endeavors. Seeing this scene, Qin Chuan''s lips couldn''t help but curl up slightly. He wondered what the people from the Special Affairs Group would think of this? ----------------- Staff from the Special Affairs Group all across Yanhuang Country had no comments, they were collectively baffled when they woke up this morning. Every staff member of the Special Affairs Group had dual responsibilities in the Dream World and reality; they were true 24-hour workers. For instance, Sun Sihai, as an Official Level Player in reality, was a demon beast cleaner, responsible for patrolling the city and checking for potential demon beasts in the city; in the Dream World, he was the person in charge of the Dragon Gate Camp, organizing and maintaining camp order. In the Dream World, aside from the responsibility as a camp leader, there were many other duties, among which resource gathering was the most important. These personnel were responsible for exploring the Dream World, gathering as many obtainable resources as possible, and then bringing them back to reality to hand over to the Special Affairs Group. Yanhuang Country naturally would not mistreat them; they would receive generous treatment, whether in the Extraordinary Domain or other aspects. After the characteristics of rare resources were discovered, these personnel developed a habit of touching everything they saw to see if it might be a self-concealing rare resource. This habit had been ongoing for three days. The rare resources that they had not found were discovered by an ordinary player. Chapter 111 - 111 Clues and Tracing the Vine (Extra for 1450 Monthly Tickets in April) Blue Star 2.2 update, Resource Exchange and Ranking List appeared, and it had been 15 days since. Qin Chuan and Yue Li were somewhat right in their speculations that the Special Affairs Group had already seen Official Level players like "Chopper" before the first weekly settlement. By the time of the weekly settlement on the 7th day after the update, hundreds of Official Level players from the Special Affairs Group had already received the first prize on the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast Listself-selected intermediate resources. By then, they were already aware of the existence of rare resources. But knowing the existence of rare resources didn''t mean they knew their characteristics. At first, resource scouts, following normal understanding, believed that rare resources would stand out conspicuously, just like other resources. They searched tirelessly, but all the resources they found were just ordinary intermediate resources. Many people encountered dangers during the collection process and had to restart their accounts. Despite such sacrifices, they hadn''t found a single piece of rare resource. Just when the Special Affairs Group was at a loss, a turnaround occurred. Four days ago, a resource scout serendipitously discovered a self-concealing rare resource. Although he lost the resource by putting it in his bag, the information was still extremely valuable. Knowing that their previous approach was completely wrong, all resource scouts of the Special Affairs Group collectively shifted their strategy, adopting the method of tactile identification for potential rare resources. The efficiency was very low, but the direction was correct. According to estimates by experts in statistics and probability from within the Special Affairs Group, there was a good chance of finding rare resources within five to ten days, and then the first Elite Rank Spiritual Beast would appear. Under the spirit of striving to be first in everything, driven by the enthusiastic nature of Yanhuang Country, the resource scouts in the Special Affairs Group worked feverishly, and other members also paid close attention to the situation. Who could have expected that the first to make a breakthrough was not an internal member of the Special Affairs Group? Fortunately, Luo was a player from Yanhuang Country. If this first place had been taken by a foreign country, quite a few people would have been cursing. In less than half an hour, orders from the upper echelons were issued to the Special Affairs Group in every city: 1. Clarify the real identity of "Luo." 2. If the individual is nearby, extend goodwill. 3. If possible, recruit them as a member of the Special Affairs Group. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Special Affairs Groups in all cities called emergency meetings without delay, discussing execution plans. Inside the meeting room of the Special Affairs Group building in Changxing City, Lan Cheng looked down at the core members below, his expression solemn, "That''s the situation, is there anything you would like to add?" "That..." Zhou Zixiu slowly raised his hand, "May I say a few words?" "Go ahead," Lan Cheng said, looking at him. "Luo might be Qin Chuan," Zhou Zixiu spoke gravely. His words brought immediate silence to the entire meeting room. Ji Huai, who had been sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed in rest, suddenly opened his eyes with a sharp gaze fixed on Zhou Zixiu. Others in the room, who had little contact with Qin Chuan, were visibly surprised. Yesterday, Qin Chuan had won first place in the second Official Level practical assessment in Changxing City, and during this assessment, he had even killed a Demon Beast on the verge of breaking through level 21. They had all heard his name, at least to some degree. Now, Zhou Zixiu was suggesting that this same individual was "Luo"? Lan Cheng''s pupils shrank sharply, his demeanor becoming serious, "On what basis do you say this?" "Luo''s first Contracted Spiritual Beast is of the Water Attribute, and the second is of the Ice Attribute," Zhou Zixiu shook the documents in his hand. This was the information compiled by the Special Affairs Group about "Luo" for immediate release. "In terms of attributes, Qin Chuan matches him," Zhou Zixiu paused slightly, "Of course, this alone does not confirm it." "Nationally, there are over seventy Official Level players whose first Spiritual Beast is of Water Attribute and the second of Ice Attribute. Besides them, there are players hiding in the shadows or who have not revealed their second attribute. Just on the attribute front, ''Luo'' could be any one of them." "So, I have other evidence," Zhou Zixiu pointed to the documents in his hand, "which is Qin Chuan''s second Contracted Spiritual Beast, Frost Wawa." "I''ve checked our internal Spiritual Beast database in the Special Affairs Group; others from our team have contracted a Frost Wawa before, so its first three skills are recorded and quite distinctive." Speaking to this point, Zhou Zixiu''s expression became more serious, "In the practical assessment yesterday, all of Qin Chuan''s Active Skills were Ice Attribute, and they corresponded to the Frost Wawa''s skills." "Besides, although the Water Attribute skills Qin Chuan used before didn''t have a significant identification mark, if we suppose that he is ''Luo'' and take that as a fact, then all his capabilities perfectly match the recorded skills of the Water Leaf Dog." "So, it''s very likely that Qin Chuan is ''Luo''." Hearing this, everyone in the meeting room felt that Zhou Zixiu''s "very likely" was already a cautious statement. "Everyone except me is not to leave this meeting room." Lan Cheng spoke solemnly, and then turned and strode out of the meeting room. Shortly after, he returned carrying a stack of documents, placing them in front of every individual person. "Sign," he directed. It was a non-disclosure agreement. Nothing about today''s meeting was to be revealed. Everyone understood the seriousness of the situation and dutifully signed their names. As for mobile phones and other electronic devices, they had been turned in before the meeting began. After collecting the agreements, Lan Cheng''s expression softened slightly, "I will report this matter immediately. Zhou Zixiu, you have done a good job." Zhou Zixiu remained expressionless. Being transferred from the criminal investigation department to the Special Affairs Group as its brightest new star, the thirty-year-old had already stacked up a lot of merits; one more or less didn''t make much difference to him. Under everyone''s gaze, Lan Cheng picked up an encrypted, specially-designed Communication Device and dialed a number, informing the person on the other end of Zhou Zixiu''s deduction. Once the call was disconnected, Lan Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, "Next, the higher-ups will have a meeting to discuss their opinions. We will wait for the results here." "By the way, Ji Huai, are you instructing Qin Chuan?" Suddenly recalling Ji Huai''s performance during yesterday''s assessment, Lan Cheng''s eyes brightened, "Could you persuade him to join the Special Affairs Group?" "I will not use my position to influence his decision," Ji Huai stated calmly. Lan Cheng''s lips twitched slightly. Well, you are the capable one, so you make the call. Understanding Ji Huai''s personality very well, he turned his head to Zhou Zixiu and began to inquire in detail about Qin Chuan''s situation. Zhou Zixiu didn''t have as many private interactions with Qin Chuan as Ji Huai, but because he had previously investigated Qin Chuan, he paid attention to him and shared some of Qin Chuan''s performances at school, which Lan Cheng and the other members listened to very attentively. For the first time, they got a relatively rounded impression of Qin Chuan. About half an hour passed, and the encrypted Communication Device rang. Lan Cheng immediately answered, hearing orders from the higher-ups. As he listened, his pupils shrank slightly. The decision from above was quite surprising to him. Chapter 112 - 112 Erik Calls on Luo (April 1500 Monthly Tickets Bonus) Even though Qin Chuan had mentally prepared for his Dream World identity to be exposed sooner or later, he never imagined that it could happen so quickly. He still lacked a sufficient understanding of the power of the national machinery. At this moment, he believed that the Special Affairs Group wouldn''t be able to track him down in such a short time, so after stirring up a new storm, he went to school as usual, carrying his backpack. As soon as he arrived at the classroom, the early-arrived chubby boy grabbed his hand fiercely, "Qin Chuan! You were right!" Qin Chuan: "... Ah?" At first, he couldn''t remember which of his words had hit the mark. "It''s what you said yesterday, that a good university would definitely take notice of me!" Chubby boy chuckled with excitement in his eyes. "So it was that." Qin Chuan suddenly understood, then smiled, "Has a university''s admissions office contacted you?" "Yeah! And it''s a big one!" Chubby took a deep breath, looked around, then instinctively lowered his voice, "Modu Jiaotong University!" Qin Chuan''s expression became one of surprise. Although Modu Jiaotong University couldn''t compare to Yan University or Huaqing, it ranked very high among the second tier. Had they really taken interest in chubby boy? But thinking about chubby boy''s performance yesterday, Qin Chuan felt that it wasn''t impossible. "What''s the preliminary rating?" "B+." Chubby was so happy he could hardly see out of his eyes, "They said they really appreciated my brave performance in the assessment." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. A B+ rating corresponded to a reduction of the tier-two admissions line. It would be difficult for chubby boy''s college entrance exam score to reach the tier-two line, but Qin Chuan believed he wouldn''t miss this chance. As long as chubby boy could maintain this rating in the next practical assessment and show the same determination in his studies during the last month and a half before the college entrance exam, there was still hope. Chubby had said yesterday that it would take another week for him to become an Official Level Player; this timing should coincide with the next practical assessment. If he could achieve a higher rating next time, the matter would be even more certain. Qin Chuan felt happy for his best friend''s brighter future. "Class monitor, I remember you said before that you and Luo are both from the 3675 district, right?" A voice caught their attention. Amidst the gazes of everyone, Zhang Yangwang nodded with a mix of reserve and pride. With Qin Chuan becoming increasingly high-profile in the class, Zhang Yangwang hadn''t shown off in a while, and seeing the usually mocked chubby steal the spotlight yesterday made him feel even more on edge. Craving the chance to grandstand in front of others, he finally got his opportunity. Pushing up his glasses, Zhang Yangwang tried to appear calm as he nodded, "That''s right, I''m not only from the same district as Luo, but I''ve also had a few interactions with him." "I don''t believe you." Chubby immediately retorted with a sneer, eager to dismantle the poseur''s pretense. He just couldn''t stand seeing this guy show off! Zhang Yangwang glanced at chubby, then pushed his glasses up again with an inscrutable look. "Dragon Gate Camp, ever heard of it?" "I was at a camp in the 3675 district, and Luo just happened to pass through." The classroom buzzed with discussion. Although this official Dream World mutual aid organization was not widely public, there had been quite a bit of discussion among Transcendents recently. Even Qin Chuan couldn''t help but show a hint of surprise at this moment. Could it be that Zhang Yangwang was one of the players from the 20131 camp? If so, they might actually have met. Qin Chuan''s mind flashed with some of the more memorable players, but it seemed none matched up with Zhang Yangwang. Other classmates began to curiously ask Zhang Yangwang for details about his encounter with Luo, and Zhang Yangwang''s demeanor brightened, pondering for a moment before speaking calmly. At first, Qin Chuan was listening quite seriously, but when Zhang Yangwang claimed that Luo had distributed a large amount of Low-level Resources to the camp''s players and delivered an impassioned speech to motivate other players, he lost interest. "One look and it''s obviously fake, who would believe that?" However, Qin Chuan looked around and found that his classmates were all listening very seriously... Even the chubby kid muttered under his breath with a somewhat gloomy expression, "So what if you know him? It''s not that amazing." He was starting to lose his patience. One dares to speak, a crowd dares to believe. Spreading rumors about me, huh... Qin Chuan took a deep look at Zhang Yangwang who was still chatting away. Just don''t let me find out your game name! In the end, it was the ringing of the class bell that left Zhang Yangwang reluctantly cutting short his speech and allowed Qin Chuan to breathe a sigh of relief. If that guy kept going, he would be facing players asking him for resources in the future because he''s the "kind and helpful guy who never refuses to help other players fight monsters," right? The two morning classes passed, and it was time for the big break. "Qin Chuan, Erik is live streaming," the chubby kid beside him, scrolling through his phone, suddenly reminded. "Let me check it out." Qin Chuan opened his own phone and skillfully entered the live stream. The big break was around ten o''clock at night in Mi Country, which just happened to be the time Erik usually streamed, so they always managed to catch it. Inside the live stream, Erik''s handsome and arrogant face appeared once again. After delivering his usual opening remarks, he suddenly smiled. "The challenger last night had some good skills, although he didn''t make me use the effect of the third Talent in Ascension, it was still a hearty and exhilarating battle." "Establishing the new order requires many hands, and he honorably became one of my subordinates." "If any of you also have the thought of joining me, I don''t mind having more supporters," Erik said with a smile curving his lips, "Of course, I don''t want any trash." "You need to prove your worth." "Today''s stream, I''d like to announce two things," Erik said, his blue eyes shimmering with light. "First, I am offering a bounty for a piece of Rare Intermediate Resources to the whole world, the Refined Light Mystical Stone, and this is what it looks like." While talking, Erik picked up a photo and showed it in front of the camera for a moment. "The bounty amount..." He slowly put down the photo, his lips curling into a smile. "One hundred million dollars." Like a giant stone thrown into a lake, his words instantly covered the entire comment section with a dense barrage of messages. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Erik, as if he didn''t see it, moved onto the next topic. "Second." "A king should not just sit on his Throne; he should survey his territory." "So, I will be leaving the 2761 area, embarking on a new journey." "My first stop..." Erik raised his hand high, dazzling light flowing around him morphing into Armor gathered with light, then he casually grabbed a majestic Bright Broadsword, pointing it towards the camera, seemingly directed at each person watching the live stream, as if on display for one person in particular. "The 3675 area." "Luo, as the Dream World player to first break a Contracted Spiritual Beast through to the Elite Rank, you are deserving to be one of the generals under my command." "I will show to you, the sincerity and power of a king." The stream ended there, the screen dimmed, but the comments continued to flood. "That despicable Erik is actually targeting Luo." The chubby kid''s face showed worry, "Luo is strong, but Erik can kill Lv26 Elite Rank, it''s very dangerous." He turned his head to look at Qin Chuan, who seemed to be lost in thought, and started to ask. "Qin Chuan, what are you thinking about?" "I''m thinking about how to spend a hundred million dollars," Qin Chuan casually replied. The chubby kid: "???" Chapter 113 - 113 Conni: Luo must be a Prayer! "Why are you looking at me like that?" Qin Chuan asked with a smile as he noticed Xiao Pang''s odd expression. "I don''t know who would be so lucky." Perhaps his own breakthrough had rattled Erik. This overt action was a bit too showy, but it was certainly a method. Rare resources are zone-specific, only shifting within one game zone, so there would at least be one in each zone; looking at the entire Dream World, there would be at least 9999 of the same resources. Great rewards bring brave men forward. Under the allure of a hundred million dollars, many would undoubtedly put aside their current tasks to search for the Intermediate Resource known as the Refining Light Mysterystone. The man who had first exposed himself was playing his cards in the open from the beginning, but he was holding enough bombs to justify his confidence. These bombs were not just figurative; they were literal bombs. Qin Chuan was sure that if things continued this way, it wouldn''t be long before Erik''s Spiritual Beast achieved a breakthrough to Elite Rank, and once Yue Li and he were promoted to Elite Level players, Erik would catch up within a week at the latest. But to catch up to him and Yue Li, who had just broken through to Elite Rank, it would take such a vast financial effort - could this lion continue that at the Hall Rank? And how many players could keep up with him in terms of spending money? "A hundred million dollars is indeed a lot, even I''m a bit tempted," Xiao Pang smacked his lips, but then realized that Qin Chuan had sidetracked him. "No, wait, Erik is even going after Luoaren''t you worried about Luo?" Therefore, Qin Chuan also had to defend himself a bit, "Luo is indeed in danger, but I think he must have been prepared before the breakthrough." Although surprised by Erik''s approach, he had never underestimated this lion from the West. A single breakthrough to Elite Rank could shake off most players, but shaking him off wouldn''t be so easy. However, Qin Chuan also had his own plan. Erik''s Zone 2761 was not close to Zone 3675; there were more than a dozen zones in between. Given Erik''s character, he would stop briefly in each zone, just like before, to let more players challenge him or to take the initiative to attack and expand his following. At that rate, it would take him at least two to three weeks to reach Zone 3675. By that time, Yue Li and he would already have been promoted, and the Third Talent of the Sun Needle wouldn''t necessarily have to be used for resource hunting; it could be used for something else. For instance... Locating Erik''s position. Besides the Sun Needle, he also had Time Stop. The biggest disadvantage of Time Stop was that it couldn''t be used at any given moment; it could only be activated when the Dream World entrance closed. But compensating for this weakness was easy, in Qin Chuan''s view. That was to turn passivity into initiative, just as he had actively sought out the more powerful Shadow Leopard. He had the final say on when the battle started. If Erik still insisted on targeting him by then, Qin Chuan wouldn''t mind spending one use of his Third Talent Effect and a few seconds of Time Stop to make one of the nine dimmed golden Talents shine again. At this thought, Qin Chuan suddenly remembered another golden Talent player. Matsusaka Shigeki. What was this guy doing today? He casually opened the Dream Realm Forum and searched for the name, quickly finding discussions about him. Last night, Matsusaka Shigeki had still not killed anyone, so the discussion wasn''t very heated; it was completely overshadowed by the news of Water Flower''s breakthrough to Elite Rank. But still, there were people paying attention to Matsusaka Shigeki. So, Qin Chuan quickly got the information he wanted. Matsusaka Shigeki''s location had moved from Zone 6132 to Zone 5933. Witnesses claimed that one of his Contracted Spiritual Beasts was no longer the one that had been rumored on the internet; it seemed he had swapped his original beast for a horse-like Spiritual Beast with incredible speed. To cross the distance of two vertical zones and one horizontal zone in one Dream Day, even for the fastest Spiritual Beasts, it would require relentless full-speed travel to be possible. Do nothing but switch zones? Such purposeful movement, coupled with an increasingly clear direction, almost confirmed Qin Chuan''s speculation from yesterday, which he had felt was far-fetched. The target was Erik. "Qin Chuan, could you come out for a moment?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The voice of the homeroom teacher interrupted Qin Chuan''s thoughts. He looked up to see the homeroom teacher beckoning him from the classroom door, a look of joy on his face. "Coming!" Qin Chuan replied and briskly walked out of the class. "A teacher from Zhendan University''s admissions office would like to have a word with you; don''t be nervous later." The homeroom teacher patted Qin Chuan''s shoulder encouragingly, "I heard about your assessment yesterday, you did great, and I''m proud of you." "Come with me." "Okay." Qin Chuan nodded and quickly followed, though a bit puzzled in his mind. He had thought the next university to seek him out would be Huaqing. ----------------- Meanwhile, across the ocean. Not long after leaving the live stream room, Erik was with Conni, the owner of the Insight Talent. "Conni, do you think ''Luo'' from the East could be the owner of a Gold Talent?" Erik asked, his eyes half-closed, enjoying a massage from a beauty, suddenly inquiring. "That ancient country has a population of over a billion, and organizations like the Special Affairs Group, it wouldn''t be strange for one or even multiple Gold Talents to emerge there," Conni said, looking at a stack of intelligence in their hand, "As for whether ''Luo'' is one of them..." "I can only say, there''s a high probability." "And furthermore, he should be the Prayer you are looking to find." "The goddess of luck turns out to be a man; what disagreeable news," Erik shrugged and embraced the beauty behind him, "The reason?" "Luo had an impressive record at the Apprentice Level," Conni pointed to a line on the intelligence report, "He, with his Lv7 Water Leaf Dog, defeated a Lv12 Shadow Leopard on his own." "Apprentice Level" Erik showed an interested expression, "How did he do it without a Talent?" "Traps, or something else? Who knows." Conni casually replied before bringing the conversation back on track, "The important thing is, someone with such combat achievements was still on the Spiritual Beast List of the Juvenile Stage at the first weekly settlement." "That''s enough to prove one thing: Luo isn''t from the Special Affairs Group." "Otherwise, the initial allocation of resources by the Special Affairs Group could not have overlooked such a promising Apprentice." "In that eastern country, the Special Affairs Group is the only Extraordinary Organization allowed to exist," Conni said in a serious tone, "If Luo isn''t one of their members, his identity could only be that of a lone Player." "The only Gold Talent possibly having a resource-exploration effect, Insight, belongs to me, and unfortunately, it actually doesn''t have such a Talent effect." "So, there are only two possibilities for Luo''s Spiritual Beast being the first to Breakthrough to the Elite Rank." "The first possibility is that he really just stumbled upon some good luck, finding a Rare Resource that just happened to be what his Contracted Spiritual Beast needed," Conni paused slightly, "After all, it''s not possible for him to find a Player to trade Rare Resources with at this stage." "As for the second possibility..." "He can make himself luckier." Chapter 114 - 114 Huaqings Tentative Rating After hearing Conni''s words, Erik fell silent for a moment before stretching his lips into a smile, "Although you mentioned two possibilities, there''s actually only one, right?" The first possibility Conni had listed was so unlikely that it could almost be dismissed. Only players with the Prayer Talent that brings luck could so easily obtain such scarce resources. "I''m just responsible for listing all the possibilities," Conni replied calmly. "I''m really looking forward to meeting Luo in two to three weeks," Erik''s smile was full of confidence, "With you here, I will be able to understand all the Talent Effects of Prayer." "If you temporarily abandon the idea of recruiting under your banner, it could be much faster," Conni glanced at Erik, "Two to three weeks can bring a lot of variables." "After all, you''ve already declared war on them in a high-profile manner." "Declare war?" Erik shook his head, "That was just recruitment." "Besides, a king''s journey is neither rushed nor slow." The corners of his mouth curved up naturally, revealing a domineering aura, "Conni, if you''ve ever hunted, you''d understand that capturing prey that''s running with all its might is far more pleasurable." "I don''t hunt," Conni shook his head calmly. After spending a week together, he had already learned to face Erik''s arrogance with indifference. The lion, once set on a matter, would not easily change its mind, and would not listen to others'' advice. Two to three weeks... He sighed inwardly. The other party is a player with the lucky Prayer Talent; who knows what could happen in two to three weeks? "Another thing." Without dwelling on the subject, Conni pulled out another document, opened it, and handed it to Erik, "Based on Matsusaka Shigeki''s movements, we believe he''s coming for you." "Oh?" Erik took the document and cast a glance, his expression turning playful, "Matsusaka Shigeki is so eager to join me?" "Obviously, he''s not here to join!" Conni''s face was covered with an invisible black line due to his complexion, "You''d better be cautious with a madman who also possesses a Gold Talent." "Understood." Erik tossed the document back to Conni, wrapping his arm around a beauty as they entered the house, "Don''t worry, like I said the day before yesterday, Matsusaka Shigeki''s Fusion Spiritual Beast is nothing much." Conni watched Erik leave, then tossed the document aside and rubbed his temples hard. Let that fool go to hell! If he had known how powerful Erik''s real identity was, he would never have taken the initiative to approach him in the Dream World. He regretted choosing such a reckless collaborator, but it was too late; he had no choice but to continue working with him. ------------ "Thank you for your school''s consideration; I will certainly give it some thought." Qin Chuan said these polite words as he saw off the seventh college admission officer of the day. These universities had one simple purpose in approaching him: they hoped he would apply to their respective institutions. The lowest assessment they gave Qin Chuan was an "A," and several less prestigious universities even offered him an S ranking. Of course, S rankings from different schools were not equal. Zhou Xiaoyu could confidently state that Yan University''s S ranking was comparable to the initial resource tilt of the Special Affairs Group, while other schools didn''t have such confidence, offering limited Transcendent resources to Qin Chuan. Therefore, Qin Chuan was unmoved. "How was your conversation just now, Qin Chuan?" the homeroom teacher, who had stepped out earlier, returned after the admissions officer left and asked with concern. "The offer wasn''t bad?" Qin Chuan spoke offhandedly. "With your Extraordinary Descent, you now have more possibilities than in the past," the teacher patted Qin Chuan''s shoulder, his face filled with sighs. Who would''ve thought that a student who could only hope to attend a tier-three university would now become the target of competition among prestigious schools? "The schools that contacted you today are among the best in Yanhuang," the homeroom teacher took out a freshly printed booklet and spoke softly, "Students with the hope of getting into these universities have already looked into them." "I suppose this is what you''re lacking." "So I''ve put together a detailed introduction of the top universities for your perusal when you have time," the teacher''s smile was encouraging, "Regardless of how favorable their conditions are, a decision that will determine your future should be considered carefully." "If there''s anything you don''t understand, you can always discuss it with your teacher." "Okay!" Qin Chuan took the booklet, feeling a warmth in his heart. "Is Qin Chuan here?" A voice sounded from outside the door. Soon after, a portly man entered with another middle-aged man. Upon seeing Qin Chuan and the homeroom teacher, he smiled, "Good, you''re both here." "Vice Principal Liu." The homeroom teacher nodded and stepped aside. Sear?h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Qin Chuan, I was at the practical combat assessment site yesterday, and your performance was thrilling!" Vice Principal Liu beamed as he approached, grabbing Qin Chuan''s hand, "Let me introduce you C this is Teacher Fan Gang from Huaqing Admissions." "He appreciates your performance a lot and came to our school personally, hoping to have a chat with you." "Hello, Teacher Fan," Qin Chuan looked towards the middle-aged man beside Vice Principal Liu. The people from Huaqing have come at last? "Please, sit down," Fan Gang said with a slight smile, settling into the main seat in the meeting room and gesturing for Qin Chuan to sit first. "You guys talk," Vice Principal Liu chuckled, leading the homeroom teacher out. Walking out, the homeroom teacher''s face was full of excitement. He didn''t know that Qin Chuan had already been in contact with Yan University. In his opinion, Huaqing was better than the previous seven universities; Qin Chuan being valued by them was a source of great satisfaction to him. Once the two had left and the meeting room door was closed, Fan Gang began with a smile, "I heard from Vice Principal Liu that quite a few universities came looking for you today." "I should have come earlier, but due to being on the way, I visited Seventh Middle School first." "Song Ling?" A thought crossed Qin Chuan''s mind. "Exactly." Fan Gang smiled and nodded, "You must have some understanding of our Huaqing. Our Extraordinary Practical Department at Huaqing has developed new Cultivation Methods that are several times more efficient than the ''Basic Boxing Skill.'' This alone is something ordinary universities cannot match." "Furthermore, Huaqing''s Extraordinary Practical Combat Department has employed a large number of retired special forces and martial arts masters as Transcendent combat instructors; in terms of teaching strength, even Yan University is far inferior." "Your Sword Skill displayed during the practical assessment was quite good, but at Huaqing, you can learn even better skills." Fan Gang''s face held confidence as he continued, "I believe the other universities have already mentioned the provisional ranking matter to you." "Huaqing''s provisional ranking for you is ''A-,'' which corresponds to lowering the tier-three college entry line, and the final ranking will only go up, not down. With your performance, as long as you perform steadily in the college entrance exam, you can enter Huaqing." "Student Qin Chuan, Huaqing values your potential highly." Chapter 115 - 115 Ji Huais Another Discussion (April 1550 Monthly Ticket Additional Update) After hearing what Fan Gang had said, Qin Chuan''s brow slightly furrowed, almost imperceptibly. This was what Huaqing considered his level? Had there not been the previous "A+" rating from Yan University, he might not have had any issues with this rating. However, given Huaqing only offered an "A-" when Yan University, ranked equally, gave an "A+", the difference was clear. Moreover, having carefully considered Fan Gang''s recent words, Qin Chuan sensed something wasn''t quite right. Fan Gang didn''t mention a word about Huaqing''s cultivation method being inferior to Yan University''s, nor did he comment on Yan University''s strengths, choosing instead to focus solely on the merits of Huaqing. Admittedly, this was the role of an admissions officer and couldn''t be faulted, but with the conversation he had had with Zhou Xiaoyu the day before, it was clear which institution was superior. Comparatively, Qin Chuan, already inclined towards Yan University because of Ji Huai, found himself even less interested in Huaqing. After pondering for a moment, he decided to dismiss this Huaqing representative in the same manner as he had with others from different universities earlier. However, before Qin Chuan could speak, Fan Gang spoke first. "Qin Chuan, do you have any other questions about our Huaqing?" Fan Gang asked with a smile, taking out a document from the briefcase he carried, "If not, here''s a letter of intent you can look over." Qin Chuan took it absentmindedly and after quickly scanning it his brows furrowed again. According to the document, if he signed it now, the next time he took the practical assessment, his guaranteed lowest rating would no longer be "A-", but an "A". The catch was, he wouldn''t be able to choose any other universities. The agreement itself was unproblematic, yet of the nine universities he had encountered, Huaqing was the only one attempting to secure his commitment right now. Silently putting down the document and observing Fan Gang''s confident smile, Qin Chuan felt he could be straightforward. "I''m sorry, Mr. Fan, but I can''t sign this agreement," he said, noting Fan Gang''s smile stiffen slightly, "Actually, Miss Zhou from Yan University approached me yesterday, and their provisional rating for me was ''A+''." "You said...''A+''?" Fan Gang''s smile vanished, experiencing for the first time a slip beyond his control, "Zhou Xiaoyu provided this?" "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded. "How could she..." Fan Gang started to speak impulsively, caught himself upon realizing Qin Chuan was still present, and stopped short, though his expression darkened considerably. The provisional ratings given by the observers weren''t arbitrary. They didn''t have the authority to assign ratings whimsically. Different universities had different standards for provisional ratings, and observers merely relied on these standards to assess and rate candidates. Huaqing and Yan University, being of the same tier, followed the exact same rating criterions. Of this, Fan Gang was certain. And the score he had assigned to Qin Chuan was entirely fair. Was "A-" really that low? Relative to the ratings other universities had given to Qin Chuan, indeed, it was lower. But Huaqing stood behind him! As one of the top two universities in Yanhuang Country, Huaqing''s standards were notably stricter. By Huaqing''s standards, Qin Chuan''s performance the day before merited an "A-". Had Qin Chuan not slain that black demon cat at the end, he would have been graded at a B. The grades "A" and "B" represented significantly different ensured ratings. Fan Gang was confident his provisional rating had been accurate. Therefore, the problem lay with Yan University. That Zhou Xiaoyu had managed to assign a provisional rating two levels higher than his was suspicious, and it was hard to say whether there were undue influences at play. Fan Gang gritted his teeth. As an observer, giving an inaccurate tentative rating would be punished, and if the rating jumped a level, such as from B to A, altering the guaranteed final rating, he would be directly disciplined, or even dismissed. In just a moment, Fan Gang understood Zhou Xiaoyu''s intent. Both their ratings were at A, so even if Zhou Xiaoyu''s rating was incorrect, he would only face minor penalties, but her two-tier higher provisional rating had severely outmaneuvered Huaqing! Moreover, Zhou Xiaoyu had met Qin Chuan yesterday! Yesterday, as the top Official Level Player, Qin Chuan was taken away by Lan Cheng, and Fan Gang never got the chance to meet him. How did Zhou Xiaoyu do it? Had he known earlier that Zhou Xiaoyu had met with Qin Chuan, he would have certainly adjusted his strategy today! That woman! "So it''s like that, then let Qin Chuan think it over a bit more." Fan Gang forced a slight smile, took back the agreement, and walked out of the meeting room. After leaving the meeting room, he immediately called Zhou Xiaoyu. Once he heard the voice on the other end, he spoke with a dark expression, "Teacher Zhou, quite the tactic." "You''d rather accept punishment just to obstruct our Huaqing recruits?" "Hehe." From the other end of the phone, Zhou Xiaoyu''s light voice came, "Seen Qin Chuan, have you? You sound quite deflated, Teacher Fan!" Fan Gang was quiet for a moment, "How did you find Qin Chuan yesterday?" S~ea??h the ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Teacher Fan might have forgotten, I''m a local from Changxing City." Zhou Xiaoyu laughed, "It''s only natural to have some well-connected relatives here." "Fine, fine, fine." Fan Gang clenched his teeth, "Illegally adjusting provisional ratings to maliciously compete in recruitment, I''ll report this upwards." "Suit yourself." Zhou Xiaoyu hung up. "He really thinks I adjusted his provisional rating?" Looking at her phone that displayed "Call Ended," Zhou Xiaoyu shook her head and chuckled, then dialed another number. "Zixiu, thanks for yesterday, I''ll treat you to a meal when you''re free." ----------------- For rejecting Huaqing, Qin Chuan didn''t feel much psychological burden. If he had to choose between Huaqing and Yan University, Yan University seemed more fitting for him. After Fan Gang, no other university recruitment staff came knocking, likely realizing their lack of strength and giving up upon hearing the news. Time moved on, and soon it was evening for the Extraordinary Course. During the Extraordinary Theory Class, Zhou Zixiu had already finished discussing the Ice Attribute and was now discussing the Earth Attribute. Xiaopang, touching on his mastered attribute, was more serious than ever, and even proactively asked Qin Chuan about parts he didn''t understand. Qin Chuan earnestly answered Xiaopang, completely unaware that today Zhou Zixiu looked at him more times than usual. After the theory class, it was time for practical combat. With Qin Chuan''s abilities reaching Official Level Player, there were few students left in the Extraordinary Practical Combat Class that could spar with him. Thankfully, due to diligent cultivation, the recommended frequency for practicing "Basic Boxing Skill" had increased from twice to four times a day. Others practiced boxing for half an hour and sparred for the other half, while he practiced for a full hour. "Clang" A loud clanging sound of metal resonated across the field as Ji Huai''s special training began. Perhaps the increase in Extraordinary Value had somewhat strengthened his body, or perhaps yesterday''s practical assessment gave him new insights into sword skills, but at the end of an hour''s intensive training, Qin Chuan managed to block Ji Huai for eight rounds for the first time. Before he could even rejoice, Ji Huai threw a Physical Recovery Fruit at him and spoke sternly. "We haven''t sparred in a few days, come on, give it a try!" Chapter 116 - 116: The Special Affairs Groups Gold Talent Player (April 1600 Monthly Ticket Bonus) "a spar?" Qin Chuan, having just swallowed a Physical Recovery Fruit, looked astonished. He was aware that the spar Ji Huai was referring to was not a mere exchange of Sword Skills, but a spar of Extraordinary Abilities. It''s not... If you wanted to spar, why didn''t you say so earlier! I would have switched my Skills to all Ice Attribute to spar with you! He had just achieved a Breakthrough today and excitedly brought along two Water Flower Skills. Wouldn''t this spar expose his Breakthrough? Currently, there was only one Elite Rank Spiritual Beast in the entire world. Wouldn''t his Player identity be directly exposed? "Ji, teacher, it''s quite late today, maybe tomorrow" "You seem well-rested." Ji Huai did not give Qin Chuan a chance to push back, flicked his wrist, and a long saber instantly condensed, slashing towards Qin Chuan. Damn! Qin Chuan cursed inwardly, but had no choice but to instantly conjure streams of water, transforming into a giant hand to intercept the long saber. I can''t use Sky-Rolling Waterfall! The only thing to do now was to use Dark Current Binding Skill to fight against Ji Huai. Moreover, he had to try to restrain himself, not exposing too much of his extraordinary strength. Frost Cold burst forth in an instant, the piercing cold suppressing the flames on the saber, also transforming the water flow into a mixture of ice. In an instant, Ji Huai''s other hand pressed down on the hilt of the saber, the metal ring on his wrist disintegrated, allowing the saber to elongate to two or three meters suddenly, transforming into a heavy Horse-cutting Saber, the glowing red blade pulsating with fierce heat, slicing downward amid ascending white mist. Qin Chuan clenched his teeth, another stream of water instantly poured into Water Hand, with the increasing volume of water, the enhanced effect of Dark Current Binding was activated, the hidden strength improving, forcibly holding down the opponent''s blade. Ji Huai switched the saber, transformed it into an ax, then a halberd, and then a stick. "Clang clang clang" The high-strength alloy continuously changed shapes like liquid in his hands, during a brief breath, the three consecutive weapon transformations instantly changed Qin Chuan''s expression. This is not right! Sar?h the n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The strength Ji Huai is displaying now exceeds his expectations! Could it be Ji Huai had never revealed his true strength in front of them before? "Fighting against me, yet still distracted?" Ji Huai roared, his long stick instantly transformed into Dual Blades, swinging forcefully with his left and fluidly like water with his right, combining strength and softness, capable of splitting both gold and stone. Tai Chi Dual Swords! Just this move made Qin Chuan certain that Ji Huai had certainly not revealed his full strength before, not even fifty percent possibly. "Clang clang clang" Ji Huai''s left-hand sword, carrying a soaring fire momentum, forced Qin Chuan to exhaustively respond with each slash, while his right-hand sword was agile like a snake, striking from angles Qin Chuan couldn''t anticipate. In an instant, Qin Chuan, who tried to reserve his strength, fell into an absolute disadvantage. "Go all out! Why hold back?" Ji Huai roared again, his left-hand sword carrying fire and chopping, at the moment when Qin Chuan''s center was wide open, his right-hand sword, swift like a Spiritual Snake darting out of its hole, moved so fast that under the night lamps it flashed dazzlingly, leaving a trail of blood on Qin Chuan''s shoulder. Qin Chuan didn''t respond, from the scattered streams of water, instantly erupted countless ice spikes, aimed at Ji Huai''s face and body, Ji Huai''s left-hand sword dance shattered the ice spikes. Seeing that Ji Huai was about to continue, he couldn''t help but grit his teeth and forcefully pointed at Ji Huai. This is because you asked me to go all out! Sky-Rolling... Waterfall! "Boom!!!" In an instant, tens of tons of waterfalls descended and completely enveloped Ji Huai''s body, crashing down like a waterfall and then rolling back towards the sky. Ji Huai, his body covered in metal armor, was hurled high into the air, and on the brink of hitting the ground, his armor broke apart transforming into a long spear that he plunged fiercely into the earth to stabilize himself. His robe was tattered, bearing multiple bloodstains. Despite reacting quickly, he had been injured by that powerful blow. Following the strike, Qin Chuan took a deep breath, watching Ji Huai approach step by step. Amidst the fight, there was little time for detailed thought, but as the Sky-Rolling Waterfall tossed Ji Huai into the air, he recalled everything and understood. Ji Huai had known about his player identity even before their spar. The reason he had struck with full force was precisely to compel Qin Chuan to reveal his full strength. Realizing this, Qin Chuan instantly tensed up. He had considered the possibility of his player identity being exposed but never thought it would happen so soon. As Ji Huai took large strides toward him, Qin Chuan''s hanging hand clenched slightly. Was it only Ji Huai who knew, or did the Special Affairs Group know as well? If it was the latter, how would the Special Affairs Group handle him? "Step~" Ji Huai halted before him. "Your real identity has been classified as a top-secret state secret of Yanhuang Country," Ji Huai spoke with a calm tone, "Similarly classified are your Dream World transaction records." "Huh?" Qin Chuan blinked, looking at Ji Huai, clearly not expecting him to discuss this. "Additionally, your Special Affairs collaboration agreement treatment has been upgraded." Ji Huai spoke as if he hadn''t noticed Qin Chuan''s expression, continuing, "Your monthly subsidy is increased to fifty thousand, and you will earn Special Points instead of cash rewards for carrying out Special Affairs tasks." "Access to the Special Affairs Mall is now open, allowing you to directly purchase Transcendent resources with Special Points." "Lastly," Ji Huai, ignoring Qin Chuan''s astonished expression, handed him a lead-sealed box, "Open this, memorize the information inside, and never disclose even a fraction of it." "...Okay." Looking at the words "Top Secret" on the lead seal, Qin Chuan cautiously took and opened the box, peering inside, and then he was slightly stunned. It was a small card-like piece of paper with only two lines of tiny text. "Chang Jinze, Contact Telephone: xxxxxxxxxxx" "Game Zone: 4764, In-game Name: Dragon Halberd" Information about another player''s Dream World and real-world identity? While Qin Chuan was still processing, Ji Huai spoke again in a firm voice, "Did you memorize it?" "I did." Qin Chuan came to his senses. His Cultivation Method had granted him an all-round improvement in qualities, including a notable enhancement in memory. He had firmly memorized the telephone number and game zone at a glance. Ji Huai slightly nodded. In the next instant, he picked up the box and, without a glance, crushed it along with the card inside, and then set it all ablaze with fire. "If you encounter any danger in the Dream World, you can contact him for help," Ji Huai looked at Qin Chuan, seemingly worried that Qin Chuan might not understand his implication, and spoke once more. "Remember, any danger." With that, Ji Huai turned and left, giving Qin Chuan no chance to ask questions. As Qin Chuan watched Ji Huai''s retreating figure, his expression grew complicated. Ji Huai had not mentioned his player identity, but the substantial improvements in his benefits were almost a clear sign: the Special Affairs Group knew about his player identity and did not plan to excessively interfere. Most importantly, there was that piece of top-secret identity information. He understood Ji Huai''s hintif he could not cope with Erik, he could seek the help of Chang Jinze. What kind of player has their identity information classified higher than top-secret? What kind of player could instill so much confidence in the Special Affairs Group that they could handle even Erik? There was only one answer. The player known as "Dragon Halberd" was another possessor of a golden Talent. A possessor... affiliated with the Special Affairs Group! Chapter 117 - 117: Conversing with the Dragon Halberd, An Unexpected Talent! "Dragon Halberd..." Back home, Qin Chuan was still digesting the huge amount of information Ji Huai had brought. The Special Affairs Group had become aware of his gaming identity and had expressed goodwill toward him. And this goodwill seemed to surpass the "value" held by the identity "Luo." Besides increasing the confidentiality level of his own identity, making it less likely for his identity to be exposed to outsiders, this goodwill also included a significant improvement in his treatment. More importantly, to preserve himself under threats from Erik, they directly assigned him a player with a Gold Talent. The other party''s identity should be deemed more important than his own by the Special Affairs Group. Why so? Was reaching the Elite Rank first that crucial? He sat by the bedside, watching the moonlight outside the window, lost in thought for a moment. After a while, Qin Chuan''s gaze gradually focused, and his expression turned serious. He realized he might have made a mistake in his assumption. He had only considered that a Spiritual Beast breaking through to Elite Rank could be explained by luck and did not prove he had a Gold Talent, but he failed to consider that many things in the world do not need proof. Compared to being lucky enough to obtain a needed Rare Resource, him being seen as having a special Talent was more probable in the eyes of others. This Talent might not be Gold, but it would certainly make it easier to find Rare Resources. Thinking this, Qin Chuan''s eyes slightly lowered. Instead of waiting for the Special Affairs Group to continue investigating, it was better to take the initiative and limit their judgment to the range he desired. After hesitating for an instant, Qin Chuan picked up his phone and dialed the number he had just noted down that evening. After two "beep" sounds, the call connected, and an androgynous voice came from the other end, "Don''t talk yet." Qin Chuan, who was about to speak, slowly closed his mouth. Soon, the voice on the phone guided him, and following the guidance, Qin Chuan downloaded an app through a special link, registered it with his ID card, and filled in a twenty-five-digit verification sequence, creating his own account. "Use this to call me in the future." The call ended. Indeed very cautious, Qin Chuan thought to himself, redialing through the encrypted call function in the app. The voice that came through the phone this time was no longer androgynous but was a calm and not-so-old voice, "Luo? I''m Dragon Halberd, Chang Jinze." "It''s me." Qin Chuan took a deep breath, "Can you deal with Erik?" "I cannot," Chang Jinze spoke calmly, "but together with you, we should be enough." On hearing this, Qin Chuan paused for a moment. This was a bit different from what he had imagined. More surprising to him was what Chang Jinze said next. "I think you might have guessed that my Talent is a Gold Talent," he said. "I did indeed guess so." Seeing how directly the other asked, Qin Chuan spoke openly, "Your Spiritual Beast hasn''t reached Elite Rank, and with strength comparable to Erik, aside from the same Gold Talent, I can''t think of other possibilities that could counter him." "It seems you aren''t foolish; I don''t particularly enjoy dealing with foolish people," Chang Jinze''s voice relaxed a bit, "Giving you my contact was arranged by the Special Affairs Group, but it was at my own suggestion." "Now, I have a question that will decide whether we can establish a basis for cooperation." "Does your Talent Effect increase luck, making it easier to find Rare Resources?" Here it came. Upon hearing Chang Jinze''s question, Qin Chuan was certain, also guessing a bit about Chang Jinze''s proactive suggestion. It seemed that his first big secret was about to be exposed to the Special Affairs Group. "It''s not related to luck," Qin Chuan spoke evenly, "My Talent can explore resources, including Rare Resources." "An interesting Talent," Chang Jinze''s voice from the other end paused, with a hint of amusement, "My Talent is Holy Sanctuary." "Holy Sanctuary?" Qin Chuan''s pupils slightly constricted, his voice carrying a hint of surprise. Being one of the nine Gold Talents, Holy Sanctuary was subject to many speculations on the Dream Realm Forum. But despite considering the top ten speculations in his mind, he still couldn''t figure out how Holy Sanctuary could compete with Spirit Ascension. According to the speculations, this should be a Domain Talent that alters the terrain. In terms of individual strength, it wasn''t a match for Enhancement Talents. The only possibility was that the Talent Effect of Holy Sanctuary was not as the outside world speculatedit likely had a very critical effect that nobody had guessed. "There''s no need to speculate about the Talent Effect of Holy Sanctuary anymore," Chang Jinze laughed, "I can tell you directly why I can suppress Erik." "The Third Talent Effect of Holy Sanctuary allows for the creation of a domain that disables all Talents; in this domain, including myself, all Talent Effects will become unusable." Qin Chuan''s pupils sharply contracted. Disabling all Talents? If that was true, Erik''s Spirit Ascension was practically a joke. No wonder Chang Jinze was confident against Erik but said he couldn''t handle him alone. Without Talents, he and Erik were equally matched, which would likely result in a draw. But with Qin Chuan Erik might as well delete his account. Forget discussing which Gold Talent is stronger; let''s stop using any at all! Who could have thought, among the Gold Talents, there was such a game-changing one. "You just said cooperation?" Qin Chuan suppressed the enormous wave of excitement in his heart and spoke calmly, "How do we cooperate?" "You first give me a basis; if I need a Rare Resource, how long could it take for you to provide it?" sea??h th N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan estimated in his mind. Yue Li could search in a second way, which didn''t require using the Third Talent Effect of Sun Needle. Finding Rare Resources for Chang Jinze would definitely be a lower priority after ice cream; he had to reach Elite Player level himself first. So, at the earliest, it would be after the next cooldown of Sun Needle''s Third Talent. And he had just used the Third Talent of Sun Needle. So... "Half a month," Qin Chuan spoke slowly. "That''s acceptable," Chang Jinze''s voice came evenly from the phone, "You find me a Rare Resource, and I help you disable Erik''s Spirit Ascension Talent, deal?" Qin Chuan appeared contemplative. Without Chang Jinze, he could defeat Erik using his own strength, but this would consume one use of his Third Talent targeting Erik, and would also consume Time Stop. Having Chang Jinze''s help, he wouldn''t need to use Time Stop, just the Third Talent once to locate the necessary resource for Chang Jinze. Moreover, Chang Jinze was part of the Special Affairs Group, and he was in a cooperative relation with the group. "That works," Qin Chuan nodded, agreeing to the cooperation, "After obtaining the Rare Resource, how should I give it to you?" "Don''t give it to me," Chang Jinze chuckled, "Just sell one of Crack Crystal Marrow or Fantasy Vertical Pupil in the Special Affairs Mall." "The Special Points you get are still yours." "Don''t worry, I''ll arrive at District 3675 earlier than Erik." Chapter 118 - 118: Triple the Luck with Massive Increase! Chang Jinze''s call was quickly disconnected; after pondering for a moment, Qin Chuan opened the Dream Realm Forum. On the Dream Realm Forum, the discussion about "Luo" was still extremely popular, but Qin Chuan had no interest in these at the moment. He entered the Dream Exchange and soon saw a brand-new section. Special Affairs Mall. This section wasn''t available to all players of the Dream Realm Forum. It belonged to an internal section of the Special Affairs Group. It was also Qin Chuan''s first time entering; after browsing through, he had understood the operation of the Special Affairs Mall. Here, there was no need for bartering. The Special Affairs Group had established a type of special points called Special Points; players could exchange resources for Special Points, and also use Special Points to redeem resources. And other methods like earning merits for the Special Affairs Group could also yield Special Points. Previously, Ji Huai had mentioned that in the upcoming special cooperation tasks, if Qin Chuan participated, the reward he would get would be Special Points. Therefore, the Special Affairs Mall could be said to be an upgraded version of the Dream Exchange. Without a doubt, at this stage, a rare resource could exchange for a vast amount of Special Points in the Special Affairs Mall. Chang Jinze wanted Qin Chuan to put his resources on the Special Affairs Mall, not only because he was confident in acquiring the resources Qin Chuan sold, but it was also a gesture of goodwill towards Qin Chuan. This made Qin Chuan feel that the deep cooperation with the Special Affairs Group this time was quite good. Suddenly thinking of something, a stone snake gallbladder appeared in Qin Chuan''s hand. Intermediate resource, Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder. He tried to look it up and found that the Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder was worth 1080 Special Points. One Special Point could exchange for one Experience Gem. It was very late today, and the Special Affairs Mall''s pickup service was already temporarily suspended. Qin Chuan scheduled the earliest time for the following day, then carefully stored the Rock Boa Snake Gallbladder in a hidden spot in his rental room, and hurried to sleep. ----------------- "Luo! That despicable Erik is targeting you!" Just as he entered the Dream World, Qin Chuan was met with Yue Li''s anxious gaze. He felt a warmth in his heart and smiled, "Don''t worry, it''s going to be okay." "How could I not worry?" Yue Li frowned lightly, "The Sun Needle can''t be used in battle, and although my Prayer Third Talent can transfer Erik''s luck to you, that guy Erik probably doesn''t have high luck to begin with, I don''t know if it will be effective." Hearing this made Qin Chuan want to laugh, "Erik is such good at ''choosing his parents,'' he probably doesn''t lack luck." Yue Li glared at Qin Chuan, "Why don''t you seem worried at all?" At this moment, Qin Chuan felt somewhat relieved that he had chosen to cooperate with Chang Jinze. He didn''t plan to tell Yue Li the secret of Time Stop at this stage. In this way, if he was preparing to solve Erik with Time Stop, this innocent girl would probably worry for a long time to come, and her smiles would be much fewer. "Don''t worry, I''ve found a helper with a gold Talent." Qin Chuan couldn''t help but pat Yue Li''s head as he spoke softly, "I help him find a piece of rare resource, and he helps me deal with Erik. His Talent is very powerful; we won''t lose." "Really?!" Yue Li''s eyes lit up. She didn''t ask for more details about the gold-talented helper, but quietly stared at Qin Chuan for a moment, making sure Qin Chuan wasn''t lying to her, then smiled sweetly, "Then I''m relieved." "Today we are going to test the effect of you adding luck to yourself." Qin Chuan smiled and shifted the topic, "Let''s set off now, we are going to the next exploration point." "You didn''t mention it, I almost forgot." Yue Li smiled, with a piece of Starshine Equipment Material appearing in her hand, "I helped Xiao Qing trade for the last piece of Starshine Equipment Material during the day." "Perfect, let''s try crafting Starshine Equipment with triple luck." She had exchanged for a common Equipment Forging Stone in the first week''s Achievement Store refresh. The success rate with it was only 10%, but under triple luck, there is no question about its success. "Screech!" Xiao Qing''s eyes instantly lit up. Was its Starshine Equipment finally going to be crafted? The last piece of rare Intermediate Resources it was missing was also being sought after. So it could soon Breakthrough to the Elite Rank and become as strong as Water Flower? Thinking this, Xiao Qing couldn''t help but glance at Water Flower. "Woof!" Sensing Xiao Qing''s gaze, Water Flower gave it an encouraging look. "Good." Qin Chuan nodded with a smile, and the two of them began to chat while walking. "Water Flower has already reached the Elite Rank, what are you planning for Xue Gao to choose for Starshine Equipment Material?" Yue Li asked curiously, "I haven''t decided for Xiao Hong yet." "Whine~" Hearing the question, Xue Gao floated to Qin Chuan''s side, a pair of ice crystal-like big eyes blinking. "The material suitable for Xue Gao focuses on two aspects: Attribute Power and Attack." Qin Chuan glanced at Xue Gao and smiled, "I''m more inclined to Attack." "After all, it is a born assassin." There are six focuses for Starshine Equipment Material. Attack, Defense, Speed, Attribute Power, Attribute Resistance, Attribute Control. The first three are straightforward. Attribute Power refers to the enhancement of attribute strength under the same consumption and control. To give a simple example, if Ice Attribute chose this focus, then every attack would become colder, and temperatures that could lower to fifty degrees below zero could now become even lower. The same applied to the other Attributes. Attribute Resistance is the resilience against other Attributes, which is somewhat similar to Defense, but the two can be stacked to create a "1+1>2" defensive effect. As for Attribute Control, it is the ability to have greater control over an Attribute; with it, the Attribute can produce entirely new effects through more precise control. Water Flower''s Blood Control Ability enhancement and Water Stepping and Sky Flying are embodiments of Attribute Control Power. Considering Xue Gao''s situation, both Attribute Power and Attack are good choices. Choosing between the two, Qin Chuan leaned more towards Attack. He was eager to see how astounding Xue Gao would be with an enhanced attack by a Starlight Equipment Entry. Since it was already extreme, why not make it even more so. sea??h th N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Whine~" Xue Gao''s eyes curved into a smile, obviously pleased with the choice. "In that case, Xiao Hong will choose Attribute Power." Holding Xiao Hong, Yue Li quickly made her decision too. Unlike Xue Gao, Xiao Hong''s skills weren''t as extreme, and its three current Active Skills had different effects. In such cases, Attribute Power could enhance its abilities more comprehensively. "Squeak~" Xiao Hong nodded with satisfaction and couldn''t help but sneak a peek at Xue Gao. The two were the second Spiritual Beasts, sharing much common language, but their relationship differed from Water Flower and Xiao Qing. Their Attributes opposed each other, and love and battles were inevitable. While they talked, they quickly arrived at the next exploration point. Yue Li clasped her hands in front of her chest, and a moment later, a dazzling radiance enveloped her. Qin Chuan had seen similar radiance while Yue Li enhanced luck in the past, but it was never as brilliant as Yue Li''s. Greatly enhancing luck, tripled! Chapter 122 - 122 Task Assistant: Bajie As Qin Chuan and Chang Jinze were talking, on the other side, Erik, who had just woken up not long ago, sat with Conni in his mansion, wearing a bathrobe, his face full of anticipation. "It seems we can be sure now, ''Luo'' is indeed ''Prayer.''" "I''m actually not so sure," Conni said, looking at the documents in his hand, a thoughtful look on his face. "Prayer could also be ''Yue Li.''" "Are you referring to that female player?" Erik grinned, "That''s just a decoy put forward by ''Luo,'' a trick we in the Solag Family have used many times." "But it''s also possible that Yue Li is the real one, deliberately misleading us," Conni introduced another possibility. The two disagreed, and suddenly Erik laughed, "I think there''s no need for us to debate this, since according to the intelligence, the two of them are acting together." "Only children have to make choices." "You''re right, it doesn''t matter who is Prayer, targeting both of them clearly won''t be wrong," Conni''s voice went a bit deeper, "Before you get the second piece of rare resources, I suggest we stay put." "An Elite Rank Spiritual Beast capable of levelling up is a completely different concept, Luo will likely advance soon too, by that time you could be facing an attack from four Elite Rank Lv30s." Erik fell silent for a moment, with the Third Talent effect of Ascension, he could completely take on two Elite Rank Lv30 beasts with just one Elite Rank Lv20. But to fight against four, the hopes were slim. "Fine," he slowly said, the undefeated aura in his eyes brewing once again. "Once my two Spiritual Beasts are both Elite Rank Lv30, no one in this world can stop my march." ----------------- The Special Affairs Group was quite generous, offering Qin Chuan a reward of 100 Special Points simply for information on the threshold for Elite Level players. This made Qin Chuan feel like he''d found another path to wealth. "Qin Chuan! Come down!" Little Fatty''s shout came from downstairs. Qin Chuan responded and quickly went downstairs. "Take a look?" Little Fatty chuckled, waving a piece of paper in his hand and handing another to Qin Chuan, "I just happened to run into someone handing out flyers, and it''s about the club I told you about. I took two." Sar?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan took it and saw that the club''s opening ceremony was quite a spectacle, and the so-called ring challenge offered low-level resources as prizes. With the difficulty of obtaining low-level resources getting lower and the pricing dropping below a hundred thousand, anyone with money could buy them, but to use them as prizes for an opening event was generous. "Qin Chuan, I looked, and there''s an Earth Origin Stone on the prize list!" Little Fatty had an expectant look, "I want to see if I can get that." "Haven''t you already applied for a trade?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but laugh. "If I can get it, I can cancel the trade, right?" Little Fatty snickered, "The player I''m trading with is quite far away; the logistics won''t get here till tomorrow." "If I get it now, I can advance a day earlier, and I can use this item later to obtain resources for my second Spiritual Beast." "Then good luck to you," Qin Chuan tossed the flyer into the nearby trash can, "I''ll cheer for you from down here." "Okay!" Little Fatty pumped himself up. The newly opened club was on the sixth floor of Fenghu Tian Street, and by the time the two arrived, it was already crowded. There was a large ring in the central area of the sixth floor, where a boy stood, excitedly waving to the crowd below. Behind him on the electronic screen, the number "3" was displayed. According to the rules, as long as one defeated the current champion and then won five continuous matches, one could receive a piece of low-level resource from the list. However, the strength of the contenders that could go on the ring was limited to the Apprentice Level. "I''m up!" Little Fatty exclaimed, rushing towards the ring. Qin Chuan crossed his arms and watched as Little Fatty covered his body with rocks, landing several punches that knocked his opponent off the stage, he twisted his hips provocatively at the crowd below, drawing a series of boos, and Qin Chuan couldn''t help but laugh. "Ding-dong" When the next challenger climbed onto the ring, Qin Chuan''s phone in his pocket signaled a text message. He casually picked it up and his smile faded. [Special Task Cooperation Invitation] [Two Third Rank Demon Beasts and a large number of Second and First Rank Demon Beasts have appeared in East Lake Nature Park. The situation is urgent, and the Special Affairs Group is short on personnel. We request cooperation and assistance.] [If you confirm your participation in the assistance, please reply with "Participate", and we will contact you as soon as possible. Afterward, rewards will be given based on the number of Demon Beasts killed.] Two Third Rank Demon Beasts, a large number of Second and First Rank... Qin Chuan''s expression grew more solemn by the second. East Lake Nature Park, centered around a lake with several islands in it, and beautiful scenery along its shores, used to be a famous tourist spot before the animal mutations. After the mutations, many Demon Beasts fled to East Lake, and mutated aquatic Demon Beasts were also present in the lake waters, so the area was completely sealed off, even the water flow was blocked. Should I go? Qin Chuan thought for a moment, then made a call to Ji Huai. Some time passed before the call connected, and Ji Huai''s calm voice came through, "What is it?" "Mr. Ji, are you at East Lake?" "Yes," Ji Huai answered succinctly. Faintly, through the phone, shouting for Ji Huai to take action could be heard. Qin Chuan quickly hung up, no longer hesitating, he replied with "Participate". A few seconds later, a call came in. After confirming Qin Chuan''s participation and getting his location, the other party left a message, "We will arrive within five minutes," and then hung up. Qin Chuan set down the phone and glanced at the stage. Xiao Pang was in the midst of his third fight, and it looked like he was about to win. He sent a text briefly explaining the situation to Xiao Pang and then turned to leave. Having fended off his third challenger, Xiao Pang, with a smile on his face, looked in Qin Chuan''s direction, just in time to see his retreating figure disappear into the crowd, the smile on his face faltered for a moment. Seizing the moment before the fourth challenger appeared, he picked up the phone that was lying in the corner of the ring, intending to call and ask about the situation, but upon opening it, he fell silent. "The next challenger, come to the stage!" A voice from the audience called out. Xiao Pang vigorously rubbed his face, then with gritted teeth, turned to face the new Transcendent stepping onto the stage. "Come!" Covered in rock armor, the corners of his eyes were slightly red, and he threw each punch with all his might, as if his opponent was not just the one standing before him. ----------------- "Mr. Qin, what''s this?" The Special Affairs Group staff member who came to pick up Qin Chuan looked at Qin Chuan''s current outfit, a puzzled expression on his face. "A bit strange, huh?" Qin Chuan touched the mask on his face, "Yeah, it is a bit." "Please, get in the car." The staff member, realizing that the other party chose not to reveal his identity during the mission, opened the door for Qin Chuan while asking, "How should I address you?" "Bajie," Qin Chuan replied without a second thought, as he fastened his seat belt. Staff member: "???" The driver couldn''t help but turn his head and glance at the mask Qin Chuan was wearing. Isn''t that the Monkey King? You''re wearing a Monkey King mask and you say you''re Bajie? Okay, you''re strong, you''re impressive. Taking a deep breath, the staff member buckled up and started the vehicle. Destination, East Lake Nature Park. Chapter 120 - 120: Snowballs Starshine Equipment! (April 1700 Monthly Tickets plus update) [Congratulations to the player for obtaining the 1st place in the Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank), Advanced Resource Fragments +10] [Congratulations to the player for obtaining 2nd place in the Spiritual Beast List (Growth Rank), Random Intermediate Resources +1] Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Congratulations to the player for obtaining 2nd place in the Extraordinary List, Random Starlight Equipment Material +1] [Congratulations to the player for obtaining the 1st place in the Achievement Leaderboard, Refresh 30% Off Achievement Store] The weekly settlement was probably the moment that players in the Dream World were looking forward to the most at this stage. As the rewards came in one after another, an excited expression couldn''t help but show on Qin Chuan''s face. He stored the Advanced Resource Fragments carefully and glanced at the Random Intermediate Resources in his Item Equipment Bar. Now that Water Flower and Ice Cream didn''t need them, he wasn''t in a hurry to use them. After advancing to Elite Level players, he would unlock the third Contract Slot, and it wouldn''t be too late to bind it to the third Contracted Spiritual Beast. Opening the Random Starlight Equipment Material, Ice Cream''s Starshine Equipment progress became 5/10. Finally, Qin Chuan looked towards the refreshed Achievement Store. Experience Gems, Random Low-level Resources, Random Intermediate Resources, Random Starlight Equipment Material, Top-grade Equipment Forging Stone, High-quality Equipment Forging Stone. Except for a slight shortage of Starshine Equipment Materials, there was nothing wrong. Even the Equipment Forging Stone that Ice Cream was missing had come through. The price of the High-quality Equipment Forging Stone was only a quarter of the Top-grade''s, so it was quite cost-effective. After casually exchanging for the Experience Gem, Random Starlight Equipment Material, and High-quality Equipment Forging Stone, Ice Cream''s Starshine Equipment progress was 7/10. Still three pieces of Starlight Equipment Material short. Just as Qin Chuan was thinking this, a hand appeared in front of him holding a resource that was emitting cold air. "Here!" Turning his head to look at Yue Li, Qin Chuan took the obviously Ice Attribute resource she was holding. [Congratulations to the player for obtaining the Starshine Equipment Material: Frost Crystal, suited Attribute: Ice, focus of the material: Attack] Qin Chuan immediately realized where it came from. "Did you use your first-place pick from the Extraordinary List?" Yue Li smiled without saying a word. With a flash of light, another resource was handed to Qin Chuan. [Congratulations to the player for obtaining the Starshine Equipment Material: Cold Ice Marrow, suited Attribute: Ice, focus of the material: Attack] Qin Chuan: "???" Another flash of light, and the third piece of Starlight Equipment Material suitable for Ice Cream appeared. Qin Chuan: "!!!" The flashes of silver indicated randomness. "Why are all your random results exactly what I need?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but become curious. "Have you developed a new Talent?" "Of course not." Yue Li''s smile was sweet, with a hint of something special, "Being lucky is having the best things happen to the master of luck." "Clearly" her voice paused slightly, her eyes lowered, avoiding Qin Chuan''s probing gaze, "for me right now, the best thing is for you to become stronger." Qin Chuan was momentarily stunned, somewhat lost in thought. "Hurry up and start crafting Ice Cream''s materials," Yue Li turned away, muttering quietly, "we''re almost out of time." "Right, right!" Qin Chuan snapped back to reality, opened Ice Cream''s equipment crafting interface, and embedded the three pieces of Starlight Equipment Material he had just obtained. [Would you like to consume the High-quality Equipment Forging Stone and Cold Ice Marrow along with nine pieces of Starlight Equipment Material to craft the Starshine Equipment?] [Direction of Equipment Entry for this crafting: Attack] [Level of Equipment Entry for this crafting: Starlight Level 9] [Success rate of this crafting: 30%] [Yes][No] Qin Chuan didn''t hesitate and clicked [Yes]. The next moment, the scene of the hammer falling reappeared. When the light scattered, a Horse-cutting Saber with a hilt that was one-third the length of the blade and nearly two meters in total appeared before Qin Chuan. The guard (the protruding part between the hilt and the blade) was shaped like a snowflake, the blade itself emitted a slight chill, and a light blue color flashed by as if frost and snow were condensed. [Congratulations to the player for successfully crafting the Starshine Equipment: Frost Blade Horse-cutting Saber, obtaining Equipment Entry: Frost Annihilation (Starlight Level 9)] [Frost Annihilation (Starlight Level 9): Increases Attack by 42%, 9% chance for a critical hit, Equipment Entry effect doubled] Success! Seeing the effect of the Frost Annihilation''s equipment entry, Qin Chuan beamed with joy. The attack power increase was naturally supposed to be lower than that given by Attribute Control, so having a 42% enhancement was already quite good, enough to turn what would have been minor damage into a serious injury. The additional 9% for critical hits was an even more pleasant surprise. The only problem was... Qin Chuan glanced at the Water Crown above Water Flower''s head and the breastplate that had formed on Xiao Qing after her evolution. According to the rules of equipment evolution, the Starshine Equipment would become a part of the spiritual beast''s body. Would he need to change his sword in the future? "Looks like the equipment entry you made is pretty good?" Yue Li couldn''t help but ask, seeing Qin Chuan''s cheerful demeanor. "Indeed," Qin Chuan nodded emphatically, "the increase in attack isn''t low, and there''s a 9% chance of landing a critical hit, resulting in double the increase." "I saw on the forums that Starshine Equipment entries that don''t just simply increase attributes are harder to come by," Yue Li said with a smile. "It seems Ice Cream is quite lucky." "Ying~" Ice Cream fluttered her big eyes, her face full of happiness and anticipation. "Is Little Red not advancing?" Qin Chuan glanced at Little Red, who was being held in Yue Li''s arms. It only needed one more intermediate resource, and it should be able to advance after the weekly settlement. "I wanted to discuss this with you," Yue Li said softly, "if Little Red breaks through now, I''m going to beat you to becoming the first player to advance to Elite Rank." Hearing this, Qin Chuan''s expression turned unusually solemn. He didn''t care about who was first or second. But many others did. "I don''t mind these things," Qin Chuan''s face took on a more serious look, "but by doing so, you''ll draw more attention to yourself." "If you don''t mind, that''s good," Yue Li''s smile grew richer, "as for others... you''ll fight alongside me, right?" "Of course!" Qin Chuan''s tone unconsciously intensified, resolute beyond doubt. "Then I''m not afraid," Yue Li spoke softly, yet with a sense of gravity, "since we''re companions, I refuse to hide behind you like a shrinking turtle!" With Yue Li''s words coming to an end, Little Red erupted in dazzling light, its aura soared to the heavens, and as the light from the advancement and evolution faded, it had undergone a significant change in appearance, with the flame-formed tail now suspended with streaks of golden red light. Starshine Equipment, Scorching Mark Badge. [Spiritual Beast Clan: Golden Tail Flame Beast] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Fire Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Elite Rank Lv20] [Spiritual Beast State: Contracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The fire attribute Golden Tail Flame Beast evolved from a Flame Tail Squirrel. Its fiery enthusiasm and explosive personality make it an excellent companion in life and combat.] Golden Tail Flame Beast, huh... Qin Chuan''s gaze shifted toward Yue Li. [Player Name: Yue Li] [Player Level: Elite Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beasts: Wind-breaking Falcon, Golden Tail Flame Beast] "The condition for promotion to Elite Rank is to reach 6400 Extraordinary Value," Yue Li spoke quickly, then tapped the air with her hand, "I''ll try the effect of resonance level 3." Qin Chuan nodded, passing time by conducting a wave of resource exploration. "Eh?" Yue Li, having finished the settings, suddenly let out an exclamation of surprise. "Resonance level 3 actually..." [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:15] [Dream World entrance closing] Qin Chuan: "..." For the first time, he so wished that both he and Yue Li had Time Stop! Chapter 121 - 121 Resonance 3, New Ability Spirit Descent! "I feel like I got cut off before I finished speaking?" After waking up in the hospital ward of the sanatorium, Lin Yue propped herself up with her now functional right arm and sat up, a peculiar expression emerging on her delicate face. However, recalling how Luo had kept her in suspense a week ago, she felt a sense of dark satisfaction in getting her revenge. Take that, you taste the frustration of an interrupted story! With a thought, several lines of text appeared before her eyes. [Current Extraordinary Value: 7320] [Current Passive Skills: StarEagle Eye, StarFlame Body] [Current Active Skills: StarFlowing Flame Tail, StarFiery Flame Bomb, StarFlame Dance Burning] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 3: Skills StarFlame Body, StarFlowing Flame Tail, StarFiery Flame Bomb, StarFlame Dance Burning enhanced by 10%, unlocking Spirit Descent: Golden Tail Flame Beast] [Open Spirit Descent] In her haste, Lin Yue chose to carry the last three active skills, including the new ones, and upon triggering Resonance 3, she saw the new prompt before her. Spirit Descent. This was undoubtedly a new ability, and the very thing she had wanted to tell Luo at the last moment. Unable to contain her curiosity, Lin Yue touched the button to "Open Spirit Descent." [Corresponding Spiritual Beast Affinity increased to 100%, can unlock after jointly comprehending the Secret Technique] So there were other restrictions; Resonance 3 was just for unlocking. Lin Yue appeared pensive. After 90%, increasing affinity became increasingly difficult. Even as someone who took the Dream World as seriously as the real world and treated each partner sincerely, her affinity with Xiao Qing was only at 93%, and with Xiao Hong, it was barely 90%. Many players on the forum thought that after 90%, it wasn''t necessary to spend a lot of energy on increasing Spiritual Beast Affinity; the increase in Extraordinary Value was minimal, and it was exhausting. But the appearance of Spirit Descent clearly meant that this viewpoint was wrong. 100% affinity was a qualitative change and a necessary condition to unlock Spirit Descent. Besides that, another necessary condition made Lin Yue feel somewhat confused. Comprehending the Secret Technique What was that? Oh well, she would find out eventually; for now, she should focus on nurturing relationships with Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. Lin Yue turned to glance at the "Aerodynamics" book by her bedside, a look of anticipation on her face. She decided to teach the two little ones a completely new method of combining wind and fire elements tomorrow! ----------------- [Current Extraordinary Value: 5420] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, Frost Cold] [Current Active Skills: StarDark Current Binding, StarSky-Rolling Waterfall] [Item Carrying: 0/1][View] [Resonance 2: Skills StarWater Master, StarDark Current Binding, StarSky-Rolling Waterfall enhanced by 5%] "So what exactly is special about Resonance 3?" Sitting up from his bed, Qin Chuan vigorously scratched his head, turning his hair into a messy nest, and wore a face of utter despondency. Damn it! This feeling was too agonizing! He suddenly empathized with Yue Li from a week ago. He still had to wait 16 hours before he could get the answers from Yue Li. "Dingling" The ringing of the mobile phone sounded at that moment, and Qin Chuan casually picked up the phone. Soon, the excited voice of Xiao Pang came from the other end, "Qin Chuan! I''ve gathered ten Low-level Resource Fragments, and the resources have been sent to the exchange!" Thinking of the ten Advanced Resource Fragments gathering dust in his backpack, Qin Chuan revealed a smile on his end of the phone, "Congratulations." "By the way, Qin Chuan, do you have any plans for today?" Xiao Pang, in a good mood, asked with a laugh. "Plans?" Qin Chuan glanced at the warm sunshine outside the window and fell into thought. Today was the only day off for high school seniors in a week. The past two weeks, even the rest days were occupied with practical assessments. The last practical assessment would be held three days later, with a longer interval, giving the students time to adjust and prepare. Thus, Qin Chuan had some rare leisure time. "I don''t have any plans. What about you?" "I heard that a new Transcendent Combat Club opened in Fenghu Tian Street, with Transcendents participating in ring challenges. I''m thinking of checking it out, do you want to come along?" "Ring challenge?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow. As Extraordinary Power became more widespread, related industries indeed sprouted up like bamboo shoots after a rain. Since Fenghu Tian Street was not far from the rental house and he truly had nothing else to do today, he nodded. "Let''s check it out." Xiao Pang lived further away from Fenghu Tian Street, so he took the initiative to suggest gathering at Qin Chuan''s rental house first before heading over together. After freshening up and getting dressed, while waiting for Xiao Pang, Qin Chuan took out his phone and entered the Dream Realm Forum. Seeing the discussion threads on the forum, his heart sighed slightly. Indeed, although Yue Li''s promotion to Elite Level occurred very closely to the time she exited the Dream World portal, not even a minute apart, many attentive people still noticed it. Before this, including him and Yue Li, several Players'' Contracted Spiritual Beasts had consecutively achieved a breakthrough to Elite Rank, but there had always been no new information about Elite Level Players, which led everyone to speculate that to break through to Elite Rank, two Contracted Spiritual Beasts had to break through simultaneously. Qin Chuan rubbed his temples, thinking of the breakthrough threshold Yue Li told him after her advancement. An Extraordinary Value of 6400 to promote to Elite Level Player. This meant that, on top of having both Contracted Spiritual Beasts reach Elite Rank Lv20, the average Affinity of the two beasts had to be over 80%, a higher restriction compared to the previous requirement to promote to Official Level. Following this pattern, he could probably guess what the future level thresholds would be. Qin Chuan''s gaze settled on a post. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The post questioned when the Special Affairs Group would release the information about Elite Level Players. In the eyes of the majority of players in Yanhuang Country, both Yue Li and he were considered part of the Special Affairs Group. Yue Li''s promotion meant that the information would be public. However, this time, it seemed they would disappoint the others. The phone rang again, this time it was a call encrypted by a special app. "Someone asked me to inquire if you could share the information about Elite Level Players, and they are willing to offer Special Points as a reward," the voice of Chang Jinze came through. "Share a piece for now," Qin Chuan thought for a bit, "The promotion requirement is an Extraordinary Value of 6400. I''ll organize the rest of the information and give it to you tomorrow." "Yue Li just promoted and hasn''t had the chance to explore." "No problem," Chang Jinze readily responded, "I also have a personal question." "Why did you let that player named Yue Li break through first?" "To cover up my presence a bit," Qin Chuan''s eyes slightly lowered, "This way, the attention I''ll get from my breakthrough tomorrow will be less. It doesn''t make much difference if it''s a day earlier or later." Exposing the secret was enough with just him. Making the Special Affairs Group think Yue Li was a shield he intentionally put forward was advantageous in covering up the talents of Yue Li. "I see." Chang Jinze accepted this convincing explanation, his voice carried a bit more laughter, "You should have said so earlier, I wouldn''t mind being the shield too." "I''ll find the resources I promised you in about a week," Qin Chuan changed the subject. "Good, I''m already on my way to Area 3675," Chang Jinze''s tone shifted, "What do you think Erik will think when he gets this news?" Chapter 122 - 122 Task Assistant: Bajie As Qin Chuan and Chang Jinze were talking, on the other side, Erik, who had just woken up not long ago, sat with Conni in his mansion, wearing a bathrobe, his face full of anticipation. "It seems we can be sure now, ''Luo'' is indeed ''Prayer.''" "I''m actually not so sure," Conni said, looking at the documents in his hand, a thoughtful look on his face. "Prayer could also be ''Yue Li.''" "Are you referring to that female player?" Erik grinned, "That''s just a decoy put forward by ''Luo,'' a trick we in the Solag Family have used many times." "But it''s also possible that Yue Li is the real one, deliberately misleading us," Conni introduced another possibility. The two disagreed, and suddenly Erik laughed, "I think there''s no need for us to debate this, since according to the intelligence, the two of them are acting together." "Only children have to make choices." "You''re right, it doesn''t matter who is Prayer, targeting both of them clearly won''t be wrong," Conni''s voice went a bit deeper, "Before you get the second piece of rare resources, I suggest we stay put." "An Elite Rank Spiritual Beast capable of levelling up is a completely different concept, Luo will likely advance soon too, by that time you could be facing an attack from four Elite Rank Lv30s." Erik fell silent for a moment, with the Third Talent effect of Ascension, he could completely take on two Elite Rank Lv30 beasts with just one Elite Rank Lv20. But to fight against four, the hopes were slim. "Fine," he slowly said, the undefeated aura in his eyes brewing once again. "Once my two Spiritual Beasts are both Elite Rank Lv30, no one in this world can stop my march." ----------------- The Special Affairs Group was quite generous, offering Qin Chuan a reward of 100 Special Points simply for information on the threshold for Elite Level players. This made Qin Chuan feel like he''d found another path to wealth. "Qin Chuan! Come down!" Little Fatty''s shout came from downstairs. Qin Chuan responded and quickly went downstairs. "Take a look?" Little Fatty chuckled, waving a piece of paper in his hand and handing another to Qin Chuan, "I just happened to run into someone handing out flyers, and it''s about the club I told you about. I took two." Sar?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan took it and saw that the club''s opening ceremony was quite a spectacle, and the so-called ring challenge offered low-level resources as prizes. With the difficulty of obtaining low-level resources getting lower and the pricing dropping below a hundred thousand, anyone with money could buy them, but to use them as prizes for an opening event was generous. "Qin Chuan, I looked, and there''s an Earth Origin Stone on the prize list!" Little Fatty had an expectant look, "I want to see if I can get that." "Haven''t you already applied for a trade?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but laugh. "If I can get it, I can cancel the trade, right?" Little Fatty snickered, "The player I''m trading with is quite far away; the logistics won''t get here till tomorrow." "If I get it now, I can advance a day earlier, and I can use this item later to obtain resources for my second Spiritual Beast." "Then good luck to you," Qin Chuan tossed the flyer into the nearby trash can, "I''ll cheer for you from down here." "Okay!" Little Fatty pumped himself up. The newly opened club was on the sixth floor of Fenghu Tian Street, and by the time the two arrived, it was already crowded. There was a large ring in the central area of the sixth floor, where a boy stood, excitedly waving to the crowd below. Behind him on the electronic screen, the number "3" was displayed. According to the rules, as long as one defeated the current champion and then won five continuous matches, one could receive a piece of low-level resource from the list. However, the strength of the contenders that could go on the ring was limited to the Apprentice Level. "I''m up!" Little Fatty exclaimed, rushing towards the ring. Qin Chuan crossed his arms and watched as Little Fatty covered his body with rocks, landing several punches that knocked his opponent off the stage, he twisted his hips provocatively at the crowd below, drawing a series of boos, and Qin Chuan couldn''t help but laugh. "Ding-dong" When the next challenger climbed onto the ring, Qin Chuan''s phone in his pocket signaled a text message. He casually picked it up and his smile faded. [Special Task Cooperation Invitation] [Two Third Rank Demon Beasts and a large number of Second and First Rank Demon Beasts have appeared in East Lake Nature Park. The situation is urgent, and the Special Affairs Group is short on personnel. We request cooperation and assistance.] [If you confirm your participation in the assistance, please reply with "Participate", and we will contact you as soon as possible. Afterward, rewards will be given based on the number of Demon Beasts killed.] Two Third Rank Demon Beasts, a large number of Second and First Rank... Qin Chuan''s expression grew more solemn by the second. East Lake Nature Park, centered around a lake with several islands in it, and beautiful scenery along its shores, used to be a famous tourist spot before the animal mutations. After the mutations, many Demon Beasts fled to East Lake, and mutated aquatic Demon Beasts were also present in the lake waters, so the area was completely sealed off, even the water flow was blocked. Should I go? Qin Chuan thought for a moment, then made a call to Ji Huai. Some time passed before the call connected, and Ji Huai''s calm voice came through, "What is it?" "Mr. Ji, are you at East Lake?" "Yes," Ji Huai answered succinctly. Faintly, through the phone, shouting for Ji Huai to take action could be heard. Qin Chuan quickly hung up, no longer hesitating, he replied with "Participate". A few seconds later, a call came in. After confirming Qin Chuan''s participation and getting his location, the other party left a message, "We will arrive within five minutes," and then hung up. Qin Chuan set down the phone and glanced at the stage. Xiao Pang was in the midst of his third fight, and it looked like he was about to win. He sent a text briefly explaining the situation to Xiao Pang and then turned to leave. Having fended off his third challenger, Xiao Pang, with a smile on his face, looked in Qin Chuan''s direction, just in time to see his retreating figure disappear into the crowd, the smile on his face faltered for a moment. Seizing the moment before the fourth challenger appeared, he picked up the phone that was lying in the corner of the ring, intending to call and ask about the situation, but upon opening it, he fell silent. "The next challenger, come to the stage!" A voice from the audience called out. Xiao Pang vigorously rubbed his face, then with gritted teeth, turned to face the new Transcendent stepping onto the stage. "Come!" Covered in rock armor, the corners of his eyes were slightly red, and he threw each punch with all his might, as if his opponent was not just the one standing before him. ----------------- "Mr. Qin, what''s this?" The Special Affairs Group staff member who came to pick up Qin Chuan looked at Qin Chuan''s current outfit, a puzzled expression on his face. "A bit strange, huh?" Qin Chuan touched the mask on his face, "Yeah, it is a bit." "Please, get in the car." The staff member, realizing that the other party chose not to reveal his identity during the mission, opened the door for Qin Chuan while asking, "How should I address you?" "Bajie," Qin Chuan replied without a second thought, as he fastened his seat belt. Staff member: "???" The driver couldn''t help but turn his head and glance at the mask Qin Chuan was wearing. Isn''t that the Monkey King? You''re wearing a Monkey King mask and you say you''re Bajie? Okay, you''re strong, you''re impressive. Taking a deep breath, the staff member buckled up and started the vehicle. Destination, East Lake Nature Park. Chapter 123 - 123: The Colossal Wave that Pierced the Sky (April Bonus for 1750 Monthly Tickets) The Special Affairs Group''s vehicle looked ordinary, but its performance was extremely good, and the personnel''s driving skills were quite impressive. Driving at 120 miles per hour in the city was rather thrilling. Qin Chuan''s gaze drifted outside the window at the rapidly retreating scenery, lost in a daze. He had chosen the codename "Bajie" purely because, in legend, Zhu Bajie was a general in charge of the Heavenly Court''s aquatic troops, which corresponded to his abilities. As for why he didn''t wear Zhu Bajie''s mask... Because it was ugly. Around twenty minutes had passed, and they left the city area, drawing ever closer to East Lake. The employee was no longer silent and began to brief Qin Chuan on the situation. "A Third Rank Demon Beast has already been killed by Boss Ji on the North Shore, another one heavily injured escaped into the waters, and is currently being searched for." "The situation at East Lake is mainly that we are short-staffed in the South Shore area, which is where I am taking you now," the employee explained further. "Besides preventing that Third Rank Demon Beast from escaping, we also need to eliminate as many Second Rank and First Rank Demon Beasts in East Lake as possible." "Understood," Qin Chuan nodded, grasping his mission. "Mr. Bajie...we''ve arrived," the employee hadn''t quite gotten used to Qin Chuan''s codename yet and stopped the car. Qin Chuan got out of the car, and the faint fishy smell of the lake mixed with the scent of blood assaulted his senses. Looking into the distance, he could see the tumultuous waves of East Lake. The lakeside was bustling with people, filled with shouts and the strange roars of the Demon Beasts merging into one chorus. "Let''s go," Qin Chuan nodded to the employee who had acted as the driver and strode towards the lakeside battlefield. After the employee explained Qin Chuan''s identity to nearby guards, he took off his coat to reveal the combat suit underneath and also rushed towards the lake. He was not just a driver, but also a warrior heading to the battlefield. With Qin Chuan''s bizarre appearance arriving on the scene, the combat personnel of the Special Affairs Group fighting fiercely couldn''t help but pause for a moment. But passing the perimeter guards meant they were trusted allies. At that moment, as Demon Beasts surged out of the lake like a tide, they couldn''t afford to be careless. They only had enough time to point out the areas lacking in defensive forces before they had to continue engaging the Demon Beasts. Qin Chuan took a couple of steps to the indicated position and, seeing one Demon Beast after another with blood-red eyes lunging onto the shore, couldn''t help but take a deep breath. In just one glance at the group of Demon Beasts, he spotted five or six Advanced Demon Beasts. Without hesitation, Qin Chuan reached out his hand. "Boom!!!" A giant Water Hand emerged from the surface of the lake ten meters away, violently sweeping towards them. It cleaned out the Demon Beasts in front of Qin Chuan in an instant, and then, with its palm facing upward, it came to rest slowly in front of him, the hand itself being a hundred square meters in size. He took out bottles of Diamond powder from his waist and sprinkled it into the palm of the Water Hand, his expression under the Monkey King mask carrying a hint of sternness. "Kill!" Countless Water Snakes, each carrying sparkling light points, emerged from the Water Hand, swiftly attacking the nearby Demon Beasts. As the Water Snakes coiled around their prey, the thinly diluted Diamond powder, carried by the high-speed whirling water, turned into the sharpest blades and in the screams of the Demon Beasts, they were gutted open. In an instant, nearly one-tenth of the sprawling lakeside battlefield was cleared, tearing open an edge in the climbing tide of Demon Beasts. The combat personnel turned their heads in astonishment to look at the figure standing quietly amid the corpses of the Demon Beasts, and someone shouted out loud. "Monkey King rocks!" Hearing the cheer, Qin Chuan felt a fleeting moment of embarrassment, but he quickly refocused his attention on the surge of Demon Beasts in front of him. The area that had just been cleared was quickly swarmed with countless Demon Beasts crawling out of the lake again. The aquatic Demon Beasts, many with particularly twisted appearances, struck fear into those merely watching them emerge like a bestial tide. Wave after wave of Water Snakes continued to tear apart the bodies of the Demon Beasts, and countless blood and tissues with a stench of blood spilled onto the ground. The thick blood plasma gradually spread over Qin Chuan''s shoes as time went on. A new wave of Demon Beasts erupted, their offensive was even more ferocious than the previous ones. Looking at the countless Demon Beasts emerging from the lake, Qin Chuan''s gaze was suddenly drawn to one in particular. The creature, which had just leaped out of the lake, seemed to be guarded distantly by numerous Second Rank Demon Beasts, and its body was missing a large chunk, with a wound so neatly cut it appeared to have been sliced by a blade. Recalling the introduction given by the staff earlier, Qin Chuan had a hunch. Could this be the other Third Rank Demon Beast that had escaped... Well, then he wouldn''t be polite. The Third Rank Demon Beast that had just surfaced saw that the South Shore was notably weaker in defense compared to the other areas and was currently in a state of surprised joy. It had planned to escape from the closer Eastern and Western shores, but its exploration had revealed that the humans'' weakest defense was on the South Shore. Now at a glance, heaven was truly aiding it... A boom, like the sky collapsing, and the horrified shrieks of subordinate Demon Beasts interrupted the Third Rank Demon Beast''s daydreams. The surrounding water was controlled by some invisible force, instantly transforming into towering waterfalls that swept up its newly emerged body. The assaulting force of strangulation exploded instantly, and the Third Rank Demon Beast only felt a surge of intense pain before losing all consciousness. When the huge waves finally cast the thoroughly mangled body of the Third Rank Demon Beast onto the shore, the Demon Beast tide suddenly fell into an eerie silence. Red disappeared from the eyes of countless Demon Beasts due to the death of the Third Rank creature. "Mr. Bajie is so strong!!!" exclaimed the staff member who had brought Qin Chuan, rushing towards him with an extremely excited expression. Looking at Qin Chuan who was chatting and laughing with the man, the Transcendents who were just about to shout "Monkey King is awesome" found their voices stuck in their throats. What? This guy is called Bajie?! ----------------- Above the turbulent surface of East Lake, five silhouettes sped by. The man leading the way was surrounded by a bracing chill. With each step, the water beneath his feet instantly froze, and he left a trail of ice that formed a path across the surface of the lake as if walking on flat ground. Behind him followed four figures. The five-member team, led by Ji Huai, had, after checking both the Eastern and Western shores, finally determined that the gravely wounded Third Rank Demon Beast might appear on the South Shore area. Apparently, the Demon Beasts in the water had some unknown method that let the Third Rank creature know the southern defense was the weakest. "Hurry up, we can catch up," Ji Huai said calmly with a hint of severity, "I''ll slice it with one strike." The other four were already accustomed to Ji Huai''s domineering attitude. "Bro Ji, I''m already going as fast as I can," said the man opening the path, shaking his head helplessly, "Any faster and the ice won''t be strong enough to support you guys." "I''ve said it before, we might as well control a piece of ice like a boat and float us over there," another strong individual said with a smirk, "Why wouldn''t you listen?" "I can control Ice, not Water!" the Ice Attribute Transcendent retorted with veins popping on his forehead, "If any of you were Water Attribute, we wouldn''t need to run on foot." The group fell silent. Ji Huai remained quiet throughout, though he couldn''t help but think of a figure who could control water. Sarch* The N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The man had called him earlier, probably having received an invitation for a cooperative task from the Special Affairs Group. However, Ji Huai couldn''t be sure whether he would choose to participate. "Boom!!!" At that moment, a deep booming sound came from the direction of the South Shore. All five simultaneously looked up, then saw a towering wave nearly a hundred meters high sweep over everything, rising to the skies before crashing down brutally onto the shore. Chapter 128 - 128: Lets Take Care of Erik Along the Way! (April plus 1900 Monthly Tickets) "Yue Li, thank you." Qin Chuan, realizing his thoughts had just been too stubborn, spoke earnestly. Indeed, Blue Star clearly had more updates to come, how could he so arrogantly think he had already seen the end of the road ahead? It could be anticipated that the update in 38 days would be more significant than any that had come before. This was an irresistible great force and an unprecedented opportunity for every player. What he had to do was to enhance his own power to the strongest possible at the current stage before the update arrived. With the strongest stance, to face the unknown. "You would have figured it out on your own without me saying it," Yue Li said with a light laugh, not taking credit. She subtly withdrew her hand from Qin Chuan''s grasp but inadvertently, Qin Chuan caught it back with his other hand. "You got one thing wrong," Qin Chuan said firmly, "the impressive player isn''t me, it''s us." A touch of red flew to her cheeks, and Yue Li gave Qin Chuan a lightly annoyed look, yet he did not let go. "I know," Yue Li''s eyes slightly drooped, she avoided his gaze, and after a few seconds, she spoke with a slightly nasal, sticky voice. "Let go." "...Sorry." Qin Chuan released her hand, his face showing a bit of embarrassment, after all, he still couldn''t say what he wanted to say. Like a startled rabbit, Yue Li quickly withdrew her hands, turned her head to one side, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with joy. After a while, she turned her head back towards Qin Chuan. "To advance Snow Cream, we need to defeat the Spiritual Beasts of other districts. Are we going to leave District 3675 and check out other districts then?" "That''s right." With the subject changed, Qin Chuan answered and couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief internally, "It''s about time we visited other districts." As players within Dream World grew stronger and their range of activities expanded, traveling across districts had become not so rare. Official Level players just needed to avoid the Elite Rank''s nests and not foolishly venture into the territory of the Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts, then the risks associated with long-distance cross-district travel were relatively controllable. Players travel across districts to meet up with friends and family in reality to form teams, or to achieve a higher position on the Ranking List by heading to a district with overall weaker players; cross-district travel happens for various reasons. Qin Chuan and Yue Li hadn''t considered traveling across districts before because District 3675 alone was sufficient to satisfy all their needs for advancement. Now with higher demands, traveling across districts naturally became inevitable. "I remember you mentioned earlier... there is an Advanced Resource that requires defeating a District Spiritual Beast, in District 3273, right?" Yue Li suddenly recalled, "That district seems to be..." "The same district where Erik is currently located," Qin Chuan gave a definitive answer. In his most recent stream, Erik''s publicly disclosed coordinates were in District 3273. Sar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among the four districts requiring the defeat of District Spiritual Beasts, 3273 was the closest to 3675, and the strength of the Spiritual Beast there was relatively weaker, only at Hall Rank Lv36. Therefore, that place was destined to be the first stop for Qin Chuan and Yue Li. Fortunately, both of them had already reached Elite Level. It was time to deal with the fellow who had set their sights on them. "With Snow Cream''s current strength, we shouldn''t be afraid of Erik''s Spirit Ascension Talent, right?" Yue Li couldn''t help but ask. "It''s difficult," Qin Chuan shook his head slightly. Erik''s current public highest battle achievement involved using a Growth Rank Lv20 Contracted Spiritual Beast to kill an Elite Rank Lv26 Spiritual Beast. The corresponding Race Values for these two Ranks were 2000 and 7600, respectively. This suggested that under his unrevealed Third Talent of Ascension, Erik could temporarily boost a Spiritual Beast''s Race Value by more than threefold. Considering that Elite Ranks are bolstered by Starshine Equipment and Growth Ranks are not, the uplift in Race Value by the Talent could be even greater. Moreover, Erik currently had a Contracted Spiritual Beast that had reached Elite Level Lv20, not only boosting its Race Value to 4000 but also strengthened with Starshine Equipment. Under such circumstances, the effects of his Third Talent of Ascension might momentarily let Erik''s Spiritual Beast surpass the realm of the Elite Rank. According to players who''ve battled and lost to him in the past, Erik''s Spiritual Beasts are also extraordinary; it''s very likely that he rerolled multiple times at server launch to select his Spiritual Beasts. Both exhibit abilities with distinctive features, much like Xue Gao''s, far from ordinary. Therefore, while Xue Gao is very strong, winning this battle will be fraught with difficulties. Moreover, Erik might obtain a second piece of rare resources before we approach him and advance to an Elite Level player. An Erik capable of further upgrading his Elite Rank Spiritual Beast will become even more of a handful. Ascension, as the strongest gold-class Enhancement Talent, indeed has its unreasonable side. So, to be on the safe side, it''s best to collaborate with Chang Jinze in this battle. "Erik has the capital to be rampant; we must not underestimate him," Qin Chuan spoke earnestly. "Since he has set his sights on us, then we must nip the risk in the bud." "After clearing the resources we''ve just scouted, we''ll head to area 3273." "We''ll attempt to defeat that Hall Rank Lv36 Rapid Freeze Bird, and incidentally deal with the threat that is Erik." ----------------- [Ranking List Daily Settlement Begins] [Congratulations to the player for securing 1st place on the Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank), Experience Gem +200] [Congratulations to the player for securing 2nd place on the Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank), Experience Gem +160] [Congratulations to the player for securing 1st place on the Extraordinary List, Spiritual Beast Snack +10] [Congratulations to the player for securing 1st place on the Achievement Leaderboard, Achievement Key +2] Looking at the settlement screen that appeared before him, Qin Chuan smiled. Although the daily settlement gains were similar to before, he was no longer in area 3675 but had moved to area 3674. By now, players in areas 3674 and 3675 must be in an uproar. "The Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List for area 3674 is empty," Yue Li said with a light chuckle. "Our arrival has only caused some changes in the Extraordinary List and the Achievement Leaderboard." "No problem, the previous 3674 area''s list wasn''t under Yanhuang Country''s control," Qin Chuan said without feeling any pressure. "Besides, we will be moving to other areas tomorrow." In the midst of their casual conversation, ten minutes swiftly passed, and the two said their goodbyes at the Dream World entrance before logging off. The next moment, the alarm clock rang punctually, and Qin Chuan awoke in reality. [Current Extraordinary Value: 12880] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, StarFrost Cold] [Current Active Skills: Star Frost Slash, StarFrost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 3: Skills StarFrost Cold, Star Frost Slash, StarFrost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze receive a 10% Enhancement, unlocks Spirit Descent: Frost Battle Spirit] [Activate Spirit Descent] Even though he had already learned from Yue Li that Resonance 3 only unlocked Spirit Descent and that there were two other prerequisites for its true activation, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but click on [Activate Spirit Descent]. [Raise corresponding Spiritual Beast Affinity to 100% and achieve mutual understanding of the Secret Technique to activate] Shaking his head to dispel any faint hope, Qin Chuan picked up his phone and made a call. He was calling Chang Jinze. ----------------- Author''s Note: 1. We have a new book cover. 2. The prizes from the previous peripheral activities will be shipped out soon, and there will be new peripheral activities in tomorrow''s Chapter 132, a small token to celebrate reaching over three thousand subscribers on average. Chapter 125 - 125 Ice Cream Advancement, Elite Level Player! Qin Chuan still didn''t know that, due to the strength he displayed and the instructions from the higher-ups of the Special Affairs Group, the combat assessment that was coming in three days had undergone a change in the rules. He looked at the more than two thousand special points that had been credited to his account, his mood greatly uplifted. This was the reward given after killing the demon beasts during the mission, tallied after the battle. Even if there were some discrepancies in the results, they wouldn''t be significant. The harrowing battle at East Lake surfaced in his mind, and Qin Chuan''s smile slightly diminished. Being able to obtain more resources for himself and reduce the casualties of the Special Affairs Group was a win-win. He wanted to take part in more similar missions in the future. He glanced at a few stars twinkling softly in the sky outside the window, listening to the occasional chirping of cicadas in the deep silence of the night. Qin Chuan drew the curtains and turned off the light. Dream World, here he came. ----------------- "What''s different about Resonance 3?" Brooding over the words Yue Li hadn''t said when they last parted, Qin Chuan, whose consciousness had just cleared, spoke up immediately. "I suddenly don''t want to tell you," Yue Li blinked, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous smile, "Anyway, Water Flower is about to advance today, and then you''ll find out." Qin Chuan: "???" "We need to finish searching the resource map we explored yesterday first, then we can add some luck at the next exploration point. Can you really bear making me wait a few more hours?!" "Just kidding," Yue Li said with an even broader smile, seemingly enjoying seeing Qin Chuan flustered, "Resonance 3 can unlock the corresponding Spiritual Beast''s ''Spirit Descent''." "Spirit Descent?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow, feeling a vague sense of awe, "What exactly is the effect?" "I''m not sure," Yue Li shook her head, "There''s no explanation for Spirit Descent, and even though Resonance 3 unlocks it, there are two conditions to use it." "First, Spiritual Beast Affinity must reach 100%." "Second, you must comprehend a secret technique together with the Spiritual Beast." "That''s quite a lot of requirements," Qin Chuan frowned, "What''s a secret technique?" Yue Li spread her hands. "Looks like I need to hurry up and increase our affinity," Qin Chuan glanced at Water Flower and Frost Cold. Currently, their affinities were at 92% and 87%, respectively. The appearance of the mysterious new power, Spirit Descent, made Qin Chuan long for the Elite Rank even more. It was time for Frost Cold to break through to the Elite Rank. Third Talent effect of the Sun Needle, activate! As Qin Chuan''s thoughts focused on the Extreme Cold Jade, a new point of light appeared on the map, a full seven hundred kilometers from where Qin Chuan and Yue Li were located. The two immediately set out to sweep through the resource map they had explored before leaving the Dream World yesterday. Three hours later, they arrived at the next exploration point. "There are three minutes left until the next transfer." Qin Chuan, who was constantly keeping an eye on the Extreme Cold Jade''s position, spoke slowly. By locking onto rare resources again, he was now certain that the transfer patterns of the Canglan Conch also applied to other rare resources. "Let''s start then," Yue Li clasped her hands together, and a hazy light quickly enveloped Qin Chuan. Seconds ticked by, and amidst the tense wait of the two of them and the four Spiritual Beasts, the Extreme Cold Jade underwent another location transfer. Covering a distance of nearly forty kilometers, Qin Chuan let out a sigh of relief seeing the transfer result. Thank goodness the first to break through was Water Flower. Luck could only make rare resources refresh at closer distances, but it still encompassed a range. It could be closer or further away. Had Water Flower not broken through, faced with a forty-kilometer distance, Qin Chuan would have had to give up and try again tomorrow. But now, with Water Flower''s breakthrough and the consequent increase in speed, this distance was no problem at all. "Water Flower, over there!" "Woof woof!" Following Qin Chuan''s shout, Water Flower dashed out. During the wait, Xuegao kept turning in circles on the spot, its eyes filled with tension and anticipation, almost making Xiaoqing and Xiaohong, who were watching it, dizzy. Sar?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Twenty minutes later, Water Flower returned with a piece of beautiful jade emanating cold air. [Congratulations to the player for obtaining intermediate resources: Extreme Cold Jade] Taking the Extreme Cold Jade and seeing the prompt that flashed before his eyes, Qin Chuan did not hesitate to insert it into the last available slot of the Advanced Array and then slotted the Starshine Equipment: Frost Blade into the Evolution Array. As the Advanced Array and Evolution Array spun simultaneously, dazzling light erupted rapidly from Xuegao''s body. As its power climbed higher and higher, its body also began to transform within the light. A line of text appeared before Qin Chuan''s eyes. [Congratulations to the player for exceeding an Extraordinary Value of 6400 points, Player Level promoted to Elite Rank!] When the light dispersed, a figure as tall as a person emerged. Xuegao''s original body was now draped in a layer of light blue frost snow gauze, with one large and one small ice crystal snowflake behind its headup from the original single one. The long sword hanging at its waist had also taken on the likeness of Frost Blade. [Spiritual Beast Species: Frost Battle Spirit] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Ice Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Elite Rank Lv20] (0/4000) [Spiritual Beast Traits: Brave Heart] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 4000] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 92%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Star Frost Cold (Passive), Star Frost Slash (Active), Star Frost Trace (Active), Star Snow Shadow (Active), Star Frost Snow Gauze (Active)] [Equipment Entry: [Frost Annihilation (Starlight Level 9): Attack increased by 42%, 9% chance of a critical hit, effect of the entry doubled on a critical hit]] [Current usage of the entry/Cool-down duration: 5 minutes/15 minutes] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Ice Attribute Spirit Beast Frost Battle Spirit, evolved from Frost Doll, is a natural fighter, with fearlessness and bravery being its most admirable traits.] "Ying~" Xuegao, with tears of excitement in its eyes, rushed towards Qin Chuan, causing him to question the description of "a natural fighter." It''s clearly a natural crybaby. After Water Flower''s breakthrough to Elite Rank, Qin Chuan had promised to help Xuegao make its own breakthrough soon. Now that he had kept his word, Xuegao''s Affinity had skyrocketed from 87% to 92%. As he spent more and more time together, Qin Chuan had discovered that Spiritual Beasts'' character differed, and so did the ways and rates of increasing their Affinity. Water Flower was a loyal companion, its Affinity steadily increasing over time without sudden jumps, but the steadiness was a win. Xuegao was a practitioner of vows, with its simple mind the daily increase in Affinity was slow, but fulfilling promises to it caused a surge in Affinity. So next, let''s see how Xuegao is doing after its Evolution. First, there''s the new trait that replaced the old oneBrave Heart. [Brave Heart: After killing any target, the next attack is guaranteed to trigger a critical hit from the Starlight Equipment Entry.] Hmm??? Qin Chuan''s eyes widened. Spiritual Beast Traits they can actually link up with Starshine Equipment Entries? Come to think of it, Water Flower''s new Trait, Special Water Area Vision, seemed to have some connection with Attribute Control Power, but the connection didn''t seem very clear. The new Trait of Xuegao was almost complementary to the Starshine Equipment Entry. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but turn to Xiaoqing and Xiaohong. He wondered how the two of them were doing. Chapter 126 - 126: A True One-Hit Kill "What''s wrong?" Noticing Qin Chuan''s gaze fixed on Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong, Yue Li asked curiously. "I''ve made a discovery." Qin Chuan simply shared with Yue Li the hypothesis he had formulated based on the ice cream''s situation, "After evolving, the traits of the Spiritual Beast change in correlation with the Starshine Equipment." "It does seem so." Yue Li pondered a bit and agreed, "Xiao Qing''s trait has changed from Energy Vision to Wind Dancer, where the faster the flying speed, the higher the flying flexibility; this matches perfectly with the Starshine Equipment Entry on it." "Xiao Hong''s new trait is Careful Arson, which allows for more precise control of fire temperature; it also matches a Starshine Equipment Entry." "It seems to be correct." Having Yue Li''s confirmation, Qin Chuan nodded knowingly. "How about Ice cream''s skill effects?" Yue Li curiously pressed on. "Let me check." Qin Chuan gradually opened Ice cream''s five new skills, and his expression became increasingly intrigued. "StarFrost Cold: Passive skill that lowers temperature within a certain range around the Spiritual Beast, enhancing ice and snow''s resistance to melting." "StarFrost Breaking Slash: Active skill where a sword swipe releases a strong cold air to instantaneously freeze a target and slice through it, doubling the damage against opponents in the ''Frost Freeze'' state." "StarSeek Frost Trace: Active skill dispersing oneself into countless snowflakes; within ten seconds, you can appear at any flake''s location and the next attack after reappearing boosts damage by 20%." "StarSnow Shadow: Active skill creating an identical snow and frost clone of oneself, which cannot attack and automatically shatters after 20 seconds; the next attack after the clone shatters is enhanced by 20%." "StarFrost Snow Gauze: Active skill enshrouding oneself in a garment formed of extreme cold, which shatters upon touch, freezing the contactee in the ''Frost Freeze'' state; the next attack after the garment shatters is enhanced by 20%, and regenerating the garment takes 10 seconds." "Frost Freeze: The target cannot move, lasting 2 seconds." After repeatedly reviewing one passive and four active skills, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but inhale sharply. This wave... Ice cream''s increase in strength is somewhat terrifying. Starting with the passive Frost Cold''s enhancement, the added resistance against melting to ice and snow truly made Ice cream live up to its name. It seemed inconsequential, but Qin Chuan suddenly recalled his first display of Seek Frost Trace in front of Ji Huai. Having seen it only once, Ji Huai pointed out the flaw in Seek Frost Trace, reducing the number of snowflakes using fiery burns, ultimately forcing him out of his hidden form. Now, with the gathered ice and snow more resistant to fiery burns, this represented a significant boost for Seek Frost Trace, substantially mitigating its previous flaw. Ice cream''s previous three active skills also had their impressive boosts within this enhancement wave; both Seek Frost Trace and Snow Shadow had added effects of powerfully increased damage on subsequent attacks. Combined, they represented a boost of 40%, nearing the increase when Starshine Equipment is activated, without a critical hit. The new effect of Frost Breaking Slash needed to be considered in conjunction with the fourth active skill, Frost Snow Gauze. Frost Snow Gauze, like Seek Frost Trace and Snow Shadow, also offered a 20% increase after breaking, plus inflicting the two-second ''Frost Freeze'' status on any contactee. And under these circumstances, Frost Breaking Slash''s damage could be doubled. When all the buffs were stacked together, and combined with Brave Heart''s guaranteed critical hits from the Starshine Equipment Entry... Sar?h the n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ideally, Ice cream''s maximum single attack could reach 244% of normal status, and with damage doubled, this might hit 488% effectivenessnearly five times a regular attack! That was a truly fatal blow. The next moment, Qin Chuan''s eyes filled with a touch of regret. Unfortunately, the skills he carried could not cause as high damage in reality. Without the boost from Starshine Equipment Entry, he could only take up to three active skills; thus, his all-out single strike could merely cause a 280% damage effect; even with the enhancement level resonating at 3, it still fell far short of Ice cream''s damage coefficient. Gathering his thoughts, Qin Chuan reported Ice cream''s new skill effects to Yue Li. Likewise, Yue Li''s mouth fell slightly agape, her expression mixed with a bit of astonishment. Water Flower, Xiao Qing, and Xiao Hong all showed perplexed expressions. After breaking through to the Elite Rank, everyone had gotten significantly stronger. But who had become this strong?! Take "Frost Annihilation"''s 9% critical hit rate, for instance. With the amplification from Prayer and every strike being a critical hit, what was the difference? Damn it, after this wave, the latest to evolve, Ice Cream, had actually become the son of the version! "I have an idea!" Yue Li suddenly spoke after snapping out of her thoughts. "Right now, we are the only two Elite Level players in the world, but we both don''t have enough Experience Gems to upgrade a Contracted Spiritual Beast directly to Elite Rank Lv30." "I want to see as soon as possible what the requirements are for breaking through from Elite Rank to Hall Rank, so..." Yue Li softly suggested. "Why don''t we combine our Experience Gems and use them on a single Spiritual Beast?" The two of them had saved up quite a number of Experience Gems from the day''s tally, enough together to max out the level of one Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. "What do you mean?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but look towards Ice Cream. He had realized Yue Li''s choice. "Ice Cream''s explosive power is the strongest among the four of them at this stage." Yue Li comforted Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong in a soft voice. "Enhancing its strength first could strengthen both of our overall power and better handle unknown risks, achieving two goals at once." "And this is temporary." She chuckled lightly. "We have four Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts on the list; from the day''s tally of Experience Gems, we can soon max out the levels of the other three, too." Under Yue Li''s reassurance, Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong were quite stable emotionally and agreed to the plan of enhancing Ice Cream to the highest level first. Seeing this, Qin Chuan patted Water Flower on the head and gave an inquiring look. "Woof!" Water Flower responded affirmatively with her gaze. "Yip~" Ice Cream''s eyes brimmed with emotion as it looked at its friends, and then its gaze gradually became resolute. After getting stronger, it would never let down its friends'' expectations! "I''ll give you the Experience Gems I receive later, until we max out either Xiao Qing or Xiao Hong''s level." Qin Chuan no longer demurred, taking it as initially borrowing Yue Li''s Experience Gems. The two pooled their Experience Gems together, and soon Ice Cream''s strength climbed steadily. [Spiritual Beast Species: Frost Battle Spirit] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Ice Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Elite Rank Lv30][Breakthrough] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Brave Heart] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 10000] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 92%] [] The Elite Rank species value cap was 10000, which was consistent with the expectations of the Special Affairs Group. Qin Chuan looked at the Breakthrough requirements following the Spiritual Beast Level and paused for a moment. Just an advancement? He had initially thought that moving from Growth Rank to Elite Rank needed an advancement and evolution, and that advancing from Elite Rank to the higher Hall Rank would also be the same, perhaps even with more conditions. Unexpectedly, there was no longer a requirement for evolution, only for advancement. Chapter 127 - 127 The Advancement Conditions for Hall Rank! (Aprilplus 1850 Monthly Tickets) "Perhaps it involves two Ranks evolving once?" After learning the circumstances from Qin Chuan, Yue Li began to speculate, "From the Juvenile Stage to the Growth Rank, one only needs to Advance; from the Growth Rank to the Elite Rank, one needs not only to Advance but also to Evolve; and from the Elite Rank to the Hall Rank, one only needs to Advance; it is possible that going beyond the Hall Rank might require another Evolution." "That might be the case," Qin Chuan nodded, but his face inadvertently revealed a thoughtful expression. What exactly was the Rank after the Hall Rank? Sarch* The ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the very first day the Dream World arrived, the Special Affairs Group had integrated intelligence and discovered a Spiritual Beast of Hall Rank Lv37, speculating that there were even higher Ranks. But until now, there had been no discovery of higher Ranks worldwide. In the Dream World where player strength was rapidly increasing and the range of exploration expanding, this was highly unusual. Therefore, many began to doubt whether there was a higher Rank after the Hall Rank. Is it possible that the Hall Rank is the end of everything? "Don''t think too much, let''s first look at the requirements for Advancing to the Hall Rank," Yue Li said, noticing Qin Chuan lost in thought. She gently pushed his shoulder with her hand, "Although it''s just Advancing, I feel the difficulty will definitely not be low." "Let me see..." Qin Chuan clicked on the Advancement page and immediately his eyes widened in shock. "...It seems like you were right." There were only five different slots in the Advanced Array before him. But the introductions to the resources corresponding to those five slots completely baffled Qin Chuan. [Rigid Snow Essence: Advanced Resource obtained by defeating the Winter Snow Demon (Hall Rank Lv38) in sector 6125; key material for the Elite Rank Frost Battle Spirit''s Advancement] [Rapid Freeze Cold Crystal: Advanced Resource obtained by defeating the Great Rapid Freeze Bird (Hall Rank Lv36) in sector 3273; key material for the Elite Rank Frost Battle Spirit''s Advancement] [Icebound Dreamspeak: Advanced Resource obtained by defeating the Frost Snow Verb Spirit (Hall Rank Lv39) in sector 2814; key material for the Elite Rank Frost Battle Spirit''s Advancement] [Permafrost Tear: Advanced Resource obtained by defeating the Ice Sea Mermaid (Hall Rank Lv37) in sector 9454; key material for the Elite Rank Frost Battle Spirit''s Advancement] [Hall Crystal: An ultra-rare Advanced Resource that can only exist one at a time within the Dream World; key material for all Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts'' Advancement] [Note 1: Town Sector Spiritual Beasts are extremely powerful, please challenge with caution] [Note 2: Hall Crystal cannot be carried to Blue Star and can only be refreshed after being used; if a player holds it for more than 30 days without using it, a server-wide announcement will name the current holder] As Yue Li said, the requirements to Advance from Elite Rank to Hall Rank were high, far more difficult than the combined challenges of Advancing and Evolving from Growth Rank to Elite Rank. Previously, the Special Affairs Group had shared information that in every gaming zone of the Dream World, traces of Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts could be found, but only one per zone, evenly distributed. Now, the Advancement information had precisely defined those Hall Rank Spiritual BeastsTown Sector Spiritual Beasts. As the name suggested, one Spiritual Beast presided over one game zone. Each piece of Advanced Resource required defeating a Town Sector Spiritual Beast or could be obtained through selecting Advanced Resources. If one only opted for the latter, waiting for the weekly settlement to accumulate Fragments to complete the requirements for the Spiritual Beast''s Advancement was safe, but it would take a very long time. But as the Dream World had warned to tackle these challenges with caution, one could imagine the difficulty of the former method. Four pieces of ordinary Advanced Resources were one thing, but the existence of the final resource, the Hall Crystal, significantly heightened the demands of advancing a Hall Rank Spiritual Beast to the utmost. Its description was not "key material for the Elite Rank Frost Battle Spirit''s Advancement," but rather "key material for the Advancement of all Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts," implying that every Elite Rank Spiritual Beast needed a Hall Crystal for their Breakthrough. And this resource, according to the introduction and note 2, was unique across the entire Dream World: only after the current one was consumed would a new one appear. Qin Chuan''s brows grew increasingly furrowed, and his expression turned somber. "Advancement conditions... Are they that tough?" Yue Li, observing the changes in Qin Chuan''s demeanor, felt a "thump" in her heart and cautiously inquired. "Indeed, they are tough," Qin Chuan exhaled softly and shared what he had seen with Yue Li. "Isn''t that a good thing, though?" After listening to Qin Chuan''s recount, Yue Li pondered for a moment, "The requirements to Advance to the Hall Rank are higher than we imagined, but for you, this is a huge advantage." "With the Third Talent of the Sun Needle, you''ll definitely find the Hall Crystaleven prevent other players from finding and using it before you, by holding it in advance," Yue Li looked at Qin Chuan, her eyes filled with confusion, "Why do you seem unhappy?" "Because, for the first time, I have begun to doubt whether there is a new Rank after the Hall Rank," Qin Chuan spoke with a tinge of regret, "During the Juvenile Stage, three Low-level Resources already posed significant difficulty for me, but looking back now, Low-level Resources aren''t really that rare." "During the Growth Rank, the rarity of Intermediate Resources and Starshine Equipment Material was a step up from Low-level Resources, and although rare, you could still find at least one piece in each game zone." "But reaching the Elite Rank..." Qin Chuan paused slightly, "The Achievement Store doesn''t refresh Advanced Resources, removing a key way to obtain them, leaving only the Ranking List and defeating Town Sector Spiritual Beasts as possibilities." "The scarcity of Advanced Resources has shifted from being able to be gathered within one zone to requiring cross-zone collection across the entire Map." "Furthermore, the range for searching for the Hall Crystal also encompasses the entire Map." "I cannot imagine what kind of resources would be required for a new Rank beyond the Hall Rank, and where to search for themperhaps even scouring the entire Dream World might not yield a single piece, right?" Qin Chuan found it difficult to explain the origin of that sense of loss within him. Perhaps the future that he could easily perceive was causing him to feel somewhat disillusioned. "It seems like, you''ve forgotten something." Yue Li''s voice was soft, yet it acted like a hand pulling Qin Chuan back from his sinking emotions, "In 38 days, Blue Star will update once more." She gently placed her hand on Qin Chuan''s hand, raising her head to look at him with certainty in her eyes, "Each update on Blue Star takes longer, and each time it brings larger impacts." "Last time, the interval was ten days." "And the next time, it will be two months." "I haven''t played many games, but I know that before a game releases new content, there will surely be skillful players who have mastered the current content." Yue Li''s gentle voice brightened Qin Chuan''s eyes. "Luo, you will be that skillful player in the days to come." "But this is just the beginning, not the end." Chapter 128 - 128: Lets Take Care of Erik Along the Way! (April plus 1900 Monthly Tickets) "Yue Li, thank you." Qin Chuan, realizing his thoughts had just been too stubborn, spoke earnestly. Indeed, Blue Star clearly had more updates to come, how could he so arrogantly think he had already seen the end of the road ahead? It could be anticipated that the update in 38 days would be more significant than any that had come before. This was an irresistible great force and an unprecedented opportunity for every player. What he had to do was to enhance his own power to the strongest possible at the current stage before the update arrived. With the strongest stance, to face the unknown. "You would have figured it out on your own without me saying it," Yue Li said with a light laugh, not taking credit. She subtly withdrew her hand from Qin Chuan''s grasp but inadvertently, Qin Chuan caught it back with his other hand. "You got one thing wrong," Qin Chuan said firmly, "the impressive player isn''t me, it''s us." A touch of red flew to her cheeks, and Yue Li gave Qin Chuan a lightly annoyed look, yet he did not let go. "I know," Yue Li''s eyes slightly drooped, she avoided his gaze, and after a few seconds, she spoke with a slightly nasal, sticky voice. "Let go." "...Sorry." Qin Chuan released her hand, his face showing a bit of embarrassment, after all, he still couldn''t say what he wanted to say. Like a startled rabbit, Yue Li quickly withdrew her hands, turned her head to one side, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with joy. After a while, she turned her head back towards Qin Chuan. "To advance Snow Cream, we need to defeat the Spiritual Beasts of other districts. Are we going to leave District 3675 and check out other districts then?" "That''s right." With the subject changed, Qin Chuan answered and couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief internally, "It''s about time we visited other districts." As players within Dream World grew stronger and their range of activities expanded, traveling across districts had become not so rare. Official Level players just needed to avoid the Elite Rank''s nests and not foolishly venture into the territory of the Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts, then the risks associated with long-distance cross-district travel were relatively controllable. Players travel across districts to meet up with friends and family in reality to form teams, or to achieve a higher position on the Ranking List by heading to a district with overall weaker players; cross-district travel happens for various reasons. Qin Chuan and Yue Li hadn''t considered traveling across districts before because District 3675 alone was sufficient to satisfy all their needs for advancement. Now with higher demands, traveling across districts naturally became inevitable. "I remember you mentioned earlier... there is an Advanced Resource that requires defeating a District Spiritual Beast, in District 3273, right?" Yue Li suddenly recalled, "That district seems to be..." "The same district where Erik is currently located," Qin Chuan gave a definitive answer. In his most recent stream, Erik''s publicly disclosed coordinates were in District 3273. Sar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among the four districts requiring the defeat of District Spiritual Beasts, 3273 was the closest to 3675, and the strength of the Spiritual Beast there was relatively weaker, only at Hall Rank Lv36. Therefore, that place was destined to be the first stop for Qin Chuan and Yue Li. Fortunately, both of them had already reached Elite Level. It was time to deal with the fellow who had set their sights on them. "With Snow Cream''s current strength, we shouldn''t be afraid of Erik''s Spirit Ascension Talent, right?" Yue Li couldn''t help but ask. "It''s difficult," Qin Chuan shook his head slightly. Erik''s current public highest battle achievement involved using a Growth Rank Lv20 Contracted Spiritual Beast to kill an Elite Rank Lv26 Spiritual Beast. The corresponding Race Values for these two Ranks were 2000 and 7600, respectively. This suggested that under his unrevealed Third Talent of Ascension, Erik could temporarily boost a Spiritual Beast''s Race Value by more than threefold. Considering that Elite Ranks are bolstered by Starshine Equipment and Growth Ranks are not, the uplift in Race Value by the Talent could be even greater. Moreover, Erik currently had a Contracted Spiritual Beast that had reached Elite Level Lv20, not only boosting its Race Value to 4000 but also strengthened with Starshine Equipment. Under such circumstances, the effects of his Third Talent of Ascension might momentarily let Erik''s Spiritual Beast surpass the realm of the Elite Rank. According to players who''ve battled and lost to him in the past, Erik''s Spiritual Beasts are also extraordinary; it''s very likely that he rerolled multiple times at server launch to select his Spiritual Beasts. Both exhibit abilities with distinctive features, much like Xue Gao''s, far from ordinary. Therefore, while Xue Gao is very strong, winning this battle will be fraught with difficulties. Moreover, Erik might obtain a second piece of rare resources before we approach him and advance to an Elite Level player. An Erik capable of further upgrading his Elite Rank Spiritual Beast will become even more of a handful. Ascension, as the strongest gold-class Enhancement Talent, indeed has its unreasonable side. So, to be on the safe side, it''s best to collaborate with Chang Jinze in this battle. "Erik has the capital to be rampant; we must not underestimate him," Qin Chuan spoke earnestly. "Since he has set his sights on us, then we must nip the risk in the bud." "After clearing the resources we''ve just scouted, we''ll head to area 3273." "We''ll attempt to defeat that Hall Rank Lv36 Rapid Freeze Bird, and incidentally deal with the threat that is Erik." ----------------- [Ranking List Daily Settlement Begins] [Congratulations to the player for securing 1st place on the Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank), Experience Gem +200] [Congratulations to the player for securing 2nd place on the Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank), Experience Gem +160] [Congratulations to the player for securing 1st place on the Extraordinary List, Spiritual Beast Snack +10] [Congratulations to the player for securing 1st place on the Achievement Leaderboard, Achievement Key +2] Looking at the settlement screen that appeared before him, Qin Chuan smiled. Although the daily settlement gains were similar to before, he was no longer in area 3675 but had moved to area 3674. By now, players in areas 3674 and 3675 must be in an uproar. "The Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List for area 3674 is empty," Yue Li said with a light chuckle. "Our arrival has only caused some changes in the Extraordinary List and the Achievement Leaderboard." "No problem, the previous 3674 area''s list wasn''t under Yanhuang Country''s control," Qin Chuan said without feeling any pressure. "Besides, we will be moving to other areas tomorrow." In the midst of their casual conversation, ten minutes swiftly passed, and the two said their goodbyes at the Dream World entrance before logging off. The next moment, the alarm clock rang punctually, and Qin Chuan awoke in reality. [Current Extraordinary Value: 12880] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, StarFrost Cold] [Current Active Skills: Star Frost Slash, StarFrost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 3: Skills StarFrost Cold, Star Frost Slash, StarFrost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze receive a 10% Enhancement, unlocks Spirit Descent: Frost Battle Spirit] [Activate Spirit Descent] Even though he had already learned from Yue Li that Resonance 3 only unlocked Spirit Descent and that there were two other prerequisites for its true activation, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but click on [Activate Spirit Descent]. [Raise corresponding Spiritual Beast Affinity to 100% and achieve mutual understanding of the Secret Technique to activate] Shaking his head to dispel any faint hope, Qin Chuan picked up his phone and made a call. He was calling Chang Jinze. ----------------- Author''s Note: 1. We have a new book cover. 2. The prizes from the previous peripheral activities will be shipped out soon, and there will be new peripheral activities in tomorrow''s Chapter 132, a small token to celebrate reaching over three thousand subscribers on average. Chapter 129 - 129: Is Insight Eriks Companion?! "Hum" The screen of the phone by the bed suddenly lit up, and the low vibration startled the manwho had just been deeply asleepa moment agoto open his eyes abruptly. He sat up, one hand picking up the phone to glance at the caller ID while the other grabbed a pair of glasses from the nightstand, slipping them on and concurrently grabbing a tablet. "This isn''t even work hours yet, it should count as overtime." The man mumbled, answering the phone with one hand while navigating the tablet with the other, entering a page to submit an overtime application for himself. "I actually needed to talk to you," the man''s voice became steady and forceful as soon as the call connected, "However, I think what you have to say may be more important, so you go first." Meanwhile, he tapped open another chat window on the tablet, entered "Luo''s strength changes last night," and sent the message. From the other end of the phone, Qin Chuan''s voice came through, "Dragon Halberd, I have some information about the post-Elite Rank that I''m preparing to share with the Special Affairs Group." "No problem." Chang Jinze made notes in a split-screen notepad, preparing to record. But his recording only continued for a moment before his brows furrowed tightly. Spirit Descent... Affinity 100%... Secret Technique... There was much more information than he had anticipated... As this thought arose, Qin Chuan''s voice sounded again, "Oh right, I''ve also managed to promote a Spiritual Beast to Elite Rank Lv30." Simultaneously, a reply popped up in the previous chat window, briefly summarizing Luo''s strength changes, as well as the situation of moving from Zone 3675 to 3674. Chang Jinze scanned the reply quickly, his tone unchanged, "In that case, you must have seen the requirements for advancing from Elite Rank to Hall Rank, haven''t you?" "If you''re willing to share this information, the reward in Special Points should be substantial." "I can share. After all, it won''t be long before you find out on your own," Qin Chuan calmly stated from the other end of the phone, "To break through from Elite Rank to Hall Rank, you need four Advanced Resources and one Super Rare Resource. Besides self-selection for Advanced Resources, they can only be obtained by defeating Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts." Chang Jinze''s writing hand suddenly trembled, and he felt somewhat frustrated. Defeating Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts? Not to mention the difficulty in strength, isn''t there only one of those creatures per zone? But relying solely on Advanced Resource Fragments would be too slow. And what the hell is a Super Rare Resource?! Just the Rare Resources had already disrupted the existing plans of the Special Affairs Group, and now a Super Rare Resource pops up. How many resources would it take to find it? Though inwardly complaining, Chang Jinze''s voice remained steady, "Go into detail about the Super Rare Resource." Moments later, Chang Jinze''s expression became increasingly grim. "That''s all for the information. The main reason I reached out to you is for another matter," Qin Chuan changed his tone over the phone, "I''m planning to make a move against Erik in three days'' time." "Hm?" Chang Jinze''s expression shifted subtly, clearing up slightly. Finally, some good news. "No problem. I will meet with you in three days," Chang Jinze gave a firm response, and then he changed the subject, "Today, ten thousand Experience Gems will be delivered into your hands." "How much?!" Qin Chuan''s voice rose with surprise. "Ten thousand Experience Gems," Chang Jinze said affirmatively, "To be safe, you and that player called ''Yue Li'' need to max out your Contracted Spiritual Beast Levels as soon as possible." After a brief silence, Qin Chuan''s voice came through from the other end, "What do I need to do?" "You don''t need to do anything special." Chang Jinze spoke calmly, then added, to prevent Qin Chuan from overthinking, "You can think of it as another hidden collaboration." "As a member of the Special Affairs Group, assisting you in killing a Golden Talent holder, there''s a very critical factor, which is taking the initiative in Talent extraction." "After the dimming of the nine Golden Talents, those of us who are promoted to the Official Level will not extract Player Talent under non-essential circumstances," Chang Jinze stated flatly, revealing a significant secret of the Special Affairs Group. "If we can eliminate a player with a Golden Talent from another nation, they will extract it the moment the Golden Talent re-emerges, aiming to ensure Yanhuang possesses as many Golden Talents as possible." "Thus, this action isn''t just about taking down Erik; it''s also an attempt at a new round of contention for two Golden Talents." "The ten thousand Experience Gems are your compensation." "...Two Golden Talents?" Qin Chuan suddenly spoke up from the other end of the line. "During this period, many of us have challenged Erik. Through our deliberate probing, we''ve confirmed something," Chang Jinze''s gaze flickered, "Among Erik''s companions, there is a holder of the Golden Talent, Insight." "The priority of Insight is even higher than Ascension." "A Golden Talent that can see through other players'' Talents must be in Yanhuang''s hands." ----------------- Qin Chuan put down the phone, his expression changing constantly. At the end of the call, Chang Jinze had disclosed his own businessof the two Rare Resources Qin Chuan had been looking for, one had already been found; they just needed to find the other one to be sufficient. Compared to the content of their earlier conversation, it really was a minor issue. Just as the information Qin Chuan revealed had momentarily stunned Chang Jinze, so too had Chang Jinze''s information stunned him. Although the early planning of the Special Affairs Group for the Golden Talents surprised Qin Chuan, on further reflection, it seemed reasonable. What truly astonished him was the existence of Insight. Until today, he had never considered the possibility of Erik having a Golden Talent companion by his side. Thinking back, Erik''s initial publicity stunthaving two women pose as Golden Talent holderswhat seemed like a laughable act actually had considerable meaning. He was not only trying to lure out the real Golden Talent holders but also having the true Golden Talent holder become the most convinced of his bluff. The world remembered only his arrogance, overlooking the potential traps beneath that flamboyance. With a partner hidden in the dark, capable of seeing through all players'' Talents, those players whose strength alone was insufficient to threaten Erik had no chance of winning through information disparity. And those players who were truly a threat to Erik, each one of them would hesitate because of the presence of Insight. Erik, inherently on undefeated grounds. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This lion, arrogantly overlooking all, was not foolish. Even Qin Chuan and Yue Li couldn''t unravel the opponent''s combination. As long as they appeared before Erik, their Talent Effects would be exposed, and even if they went all out to kill him, the negative repercussions would far outweigh the benefits. After all, dying in the Dream World didn''t mean true death. Qin Chuan was certain that if he killed Erik and his partner, by the next day everyone would know the Talent Effects and ownership of Sun Needle and Prayer. No wonder, Dragon Halberd needed to take action. Qin Chuan''s eyes drooped slightly, now understanding why the other party had taken the initiative to contact him. Possessing the Holy Sanctuary, Dragon Halberd wasn''t just a counter to Erik. Chapter 130 - 130 Qin Chuan: I Have a Bold Idea The bright moon hung high, and the glow of the floodlights sketched out two silhouettes wielding swords on the empty training field. Accompanied by the incessant clanging of metal on metal, one of the figures was quickly defeated. "Twenty-four rounds," Ji Huai''s sword-wielding hand slowly dropped as his long sword disassembled into metallic rings and returned to his wrist, "tonight''s highest record." Hissing in pain, Qin Chuan grimaced as he rubbed his shoulder, feeling a flicker of joy when he heard those words. After successfully parrying Ji Huai''s onslaught for ten rounds, it seemed that the speed of his sword skill improvement had increased. Each time, he was able to ward off a few more of Ji Huai''s rounds, giving him a sense that he was making progress every day. However, the joy in Qin Chuan''s heart disappeared in the next instant. "Once you can parry thirty of my rounds, I will no longer just use the long sword as my weapon and will not limit myself to basic sword movements when fighting you." Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan felt his entire body starting to ache. "Two more days, and it''s the final practical exam," Ji Huai looked at Qin Chuan and suddenly spoke, "The rules have been slightly modified." Hm? Qin Chuan couldn''t help but glance at Ji Huai. A few days ago, Ji Huai had already revealed the rules of the practical exam to him. Now, with the practical exam around the corner, they were changing the rules? "We added a Third Rank Demon Beast to the exam area," Ji Huai stated succinctly the change in the practical exam, "I will follow that Third Rank Demon Beast the entire time, and if no one kills it by the halfway point of the exam, I will be the one to kill it." "All examinees will get real-time location updates of this Third Rank Demon Beast." S~ea??h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan fell silent. No one in Changxing City but him could deal with a Third Rank Demon Beast. So, the reason for this Demon Beast''s appearance was easy to guess. Was it specially prepared for him? "Team Leader Lan''s message is, you may not need to display your strength, but you must have the opportunity to do so," Ji Huai spoke calmly, "We respect your decision and at the same time, we provide you with a stage." "Your identity information is classified. If you choose to show your strength, we will use all possible means to ensure your identity is not leaked." "Thank you," Qin Chuan said softly. Whether he chose to kill the Third Rank Demon Beast or not, in the end, the beast would be taken care of properly. Its presence was simply to provide him with a suitable target should he wish to demonstrate his power during the exam. Until today, aside from their cooperation against Erik''s Dragon Halberd, the Special Affairs Group had never mentioned "Luo" or his Contracted Spiritual Beast''s promotion to Elite Rank in his presence. An unspoken understanding was maintained, keeping a relative sense of distance. Even when showing consideration for Qin Chuan in the exam, the Special Affairs Group had not overstepped the distance between them, which increased the favor Qin Chuan felt towards them. Thinking about the outcome of taking action in the practical exam, Qin Chuan fell into contemplation. Undoubtedly, if he could kill the Third Rank Demon Beast and reveal considerable strength, he could easily secure an S ranking, not only ensuring his admission but also gaining additional resources from Yan University. However, revealing his strength would mean his dream identity would also be exposed. Looking at Ji Huai beside him, a thought crossed Qin Chuan''s mind. He wanted to hear the other''s opinion. "Teacher Ji, do you think I should make a move?" "I will not outright tell you whether you should or shouldn''t; I don''t like influencing others'' decisions," Ji Huai spoke calmly, then paused, "But before you make a decision, you might want to think clearly about two questions." "First, do you believe you can keep hiding forever? If not, how long before you think you''ll be exposed? If you are exposed earlier, will there be any loss to you?" "Secondly, if there''s a loss due to being exposed earlier, can the benefits of an S rank compensate for the loss of being exposed prematurely, or even bring you greater benefits?" "Think these two questions through, and you will naturally find your answer." Qin Chuan was plunged once more into contemplation. The words of Ji Huai, like the clearing of clouds to reveal the sun, brought clarity to his somewhat disordered thoughts. His dream identity could not stay hidden forever. If the Special Affairs Group hadn''t classified his real identity and past as confidential, he would have already been discovered by those with ulterior motives. Do not underestimate the speed and breadth of information dissemination in the internet age, nor the wisdom of others. For the moment, it was alright. Although he and Yue Li were the first to advance to Elite Level players, other players'' Contracted Spiritual Beasts were gradually advancing to the Elite Rank as well, thus diverting the world''s attention. But after a while, once his Contracted Spiritual Beasts were promoted to Hall Rank and other players were still struggling to break through, he would inevitably become a target. Forget classified; even if his identity was made top-secret, with the traces he had inadvertently left in the past, a lot could be inferred. Moreover, he was destined not to possess such formidable power and never use it. The next time the Sun Needle showcased the Third Talent, per the agreement, he would help the Dragon Halberd find special resources, but the time after next, he would be targeting Hall Crystals. Water Flower, Ice Cream, and his yet to be revealed third Contracted Spiritual Beast would all gradually advance to Hall Rank. Therefore, in two or three weeks, it would be difficult for him to hide. The purpose of hiding one''s identity was ultimately for greater security. If he could no longer keep it a secret, he needed to gain as much power as possible in the limited time available. From this perspective, being exposed prematurely was not in Qin Chuan''s best interest. But he indeed needed the benefits that came with an S ranking. With the Sun Needle, Qin Chuan would not lack the key resources needed for advancement. But resources were not limited to just key materials. After this promotion, his and Yue Li''s Experience Gems combined could only max out one Spiritual Beast''s level due to the swift acquisition of key resources, leaving them struggling to catch up with basic resources. This time, since his hunt for a Gold Talent harmonized with the Special Affairs Group''s plans, he had gained ten thousand Experience Gems, meeting the upgrade requirements. But what about the next time? After becoming a Hall Level player, how would he rapidly max out the experience of three Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts? Without maximizing them, he wouldn''t be able to determine the next stage of advancement requirements, and refreshing the Sun Needle''s Third Talent could result in awkward situations where he temporarily had nowhere to use it, slowing his strength progression. This difficult problem many players would never encounter was already before him. Furthermore, besides Experience Gems, the resource allocation included many other items useful to him, like Spiritual Beast snacks, various unpublicized methods of achievement acquisition, intelligence on different regions, Cultivation Methods, and more. No one can forever be a lone wolf. Even if there is no wolf pack to submit to, there must at least be collaborators. Considering this, Qin Chuan had a bold idea flash through his mind. If this idea could be successfully executed, not only could he reduce the risk of prematurely exposing his identity, but he could also smoothly secure an S ranking from Yan University. However, this would require a bit of cooperation from the Special Affairs Group. "Teacher Ji, I have an idea" Chapter 136 - 136 Golden Talent Insight, Reignited! (April Bonus for 2100 Monthly Tickets) "Luo..." Stopping in his tracks, Erik''s expression was grim. As the heir of the Solag Family, his Chinese was fluently, "This is the effect of Holy Sanctuary, isn''t it?" "Guess?" Qin Chuan naturally wouldn''t give his opponent the answer. As the two talked, Erik''s two Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts had already engaged in battle with the four Spiritual Beasts of Qin Chuan''s Yue Li. Water Flower and Ice Cream immediately targeted the Holy Light Lion that surged with Mystic Wood Golden Light and wore a golden crown on its head. On the other side, high in the sky, the Thundering Vulture unfolded its wings, its vicious eyes glowing, and its sharp beak covered in a sheath adorned with thunder patterns, colliding with Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. Without the enhancement from Ascension, Erik had no chance of winning this fight. "You''ve really given me quite a surprise," Erik took a deep breath, "Truly worthy of a bearer of the Prayer Talent." Qin Chuan didn''t respond, just quietly watched Erik. Yue Li stood by his side, only half a step behind him. The storm kicked up by the clash of the six Spiritual Beasts made the trio''s clothes flutter and whistle. "But, thinking you can defeat me so easily, you are thinking too much!" Flame of battle ignited in Erik''s eyes, "Even without Ascension, I am still invincible!" With his roar, the momentum of Thundering Vulture and Holy Light Lion rose sharply, the thunder pattern sheath and the golden crown lighting up as the Starshine Equipment activated in an instant. [Strong Electricity (Starshine Level 9): Attribute power increased by 56%] Accompanied by a resounding thunder that echoed all around, the lightning that exploded around Thundering Vulture immediately recoiled, its electric arcs piercing through the violent wind and roaring flames, shattering the Fire Dragon Tornado that was about to engulf it, and then, with a piercing cry, charged towards Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. [Divine Light (Starshine Level 9): Attack increased by 21%, defense increased by 21%, speed increased by 84%] Holy Light Lion let out a roar toward the sky, its already extreme speed nearly turning it into an afterimage, and its bursting velocity even suppressed Water Flower, who was using Water Dipping. "Clang" Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sound of a blade ringing instantly filled the air, as Ice Cream slashed out with a blade whose cold light shone like a waning moon, landing on the path the Holy Light Lion was bound to take. "Roar!" The Holy Light Lion let out a fierce growl, swiftly dodging the blade light, and as its body folded, it avoided the attack and instantly changed its momentum from pouncing on Water Flower to charging at Ice Cream. Ice Cream, fearless, clad in the Frost Snow Gauze, flew straight out, instantly splitting into two, and attacked the Holy Light Lion. A gold-clawed swipe the size of a head whipped up a gale, howling towards Ice Cream''s fragile body to smack it away, and the next instant, a crisp "crack" resounded. The illusion created by Snow Shadow instantly shattered, as did the Frost Snow Gauze that draped Ice Cream''s true body, which turned into flying snow at the moment of impact and dispersed with the gale raised by the giant paw. A layer of thin frost spread from the Holy Light Lion''s giant paw, rapidly covering its massive body and momentarily freezing its soaring momentum. [Frost Freeze], activated! A snowflake reappeared beside the Holy Light Lion, manifesting Ice Cream''s figure; the Frost Blade shone brilliantly as it heavily slashed at the vital spot on the Holy Light Lion''s neck. [Frost Annihilation], activated! Attacks enhanced by StarSnow Shadow, StarFrost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze took effect! The blade light, aimed straight at the Holy Light Lion! At the same moment, a massive waterfall hundreds of meters wide descended from the sky; the terrifying force of strangulation it contained had not yet arrived, but the surrounding void already roared with its presence. Shape-shifting Water Crown burst with aqua blue brilliance, and under enhanced Attribute Control Power, the massive waterfall instantly became a high-speed rotating water drill head, its inner and outer strangulation forces intertwined, sending chills down the spine. StarSky-Rolling Waterfall! The two Spiritual Beasts cooperated; their attack was an Absolute Kill! The Holy Light Lion, which should have been in a state of [Frost Freeze], let out a roar, and a dazzling light burst from its body, melting away the frost covering it as if confronted by a scorching sun, in the blink of an eye. As Ice Cream''s descending blade was about to strike, it suddenly retracted its body, and as a spurt of blood burst forth, the massive form dodged away from the crashing Sky-Rolling Waterfall as if it had teleported. Appearing just outside the range of the Sky-Rolling Waterfall, the Holy Light Lion had a deep, bone-deep wound on its shoulder blade, but it wasn''t fatal. A tinge of regret filled Snow Cone''s eyes, and in the next instant, she looked in another direction. A Growth Rank Spiritual Beast, half-dead, was violently thrown her way by the Dragon Demon Lion. With a knife in hand, Snow Cone executed a swift Absolute Kill on her opponent, clad once again in the regathered Frost Snow Gauze, and once more charged at the Holy Light Lion. After confirming that Conni''s last Spiritual Beast was slain by Snow Cone, Dragon Halberd turned his head toward Conni, who showed a face of horror, "Tell me the three Talent Effects of Insight, and I''ll give you a quick end." "Our informant in Mi Country told me there''s a black youth often seen with Erik, frequenting various high-profile venues. That''s you, isn''t it?" "Do you think you''ll remain valuable to Erik after losing Insight?" "There are seven hours left before the entrance to the Dream World closes." "You still have a chance to run away." Listening to Dragon Halberd''s heart-piercing words one by one, Conni gradually calmed down. "I''ll talk." A dozen seconds later, Conni fell to the ground, dissipating into points of light. At the same time, within the Dream World, players from the Special Affairs Group who were frequently refreshing the Talent Pool triggered Insight to light up again and pressed the [Draw Talent] button. "Damn it!!!" Catching a glimpse of Erik, his eyes red with fury as he watched the battlefields on both sides fall into an overwhelming disadvantage, a fierce glint in his eyes, he dashed without looking back toward the outer film of light. "Hiss" Sensing the movement, Little Qing didn''t hesitate to throw out a Tornado, and Water Flower also shot several strikes of Rapid Stream Break, but these attacks seemed to be in a different dimension from Erik, going straight through him. Contracted Spiritual Beasts are alive, unable to inflict damage on players. "Leave him to me!" Dragon Halberd shouted lowly, charging after the enemy riding the Dragon Demon Lion. "Kill the Spiritual Beasts first," Qin Chuan directed, looking toward the two battle zones with a serious tone. The four Spiritual Beasts got the message and were about to deliver the final blow when a sudden change occurred. Erik''s two Contracted Spiritual Beasts let out lamenting cries, vibrating with a dangerous aura, and then exploded with a bang. "Boom!!!" Accompanied by two deafening blasts, Water Flower and Little Qing, who were closest to the blast, were sent flying and landed hard, covered in deep and shallow wounds. Only Snow Cone, who had utilized Seek Frost Trace to dodge, and Little Red, who was on the ground far from the aerial battle zone, remained unscathed. "This madman!" Qin Chuan''s eyes widened as he looked in Erik''s direction, his expression shifting once more. Erik, having rushed into the dense forest not far away, was riding a wounded Elite Rank deer-shaped Spiritual Beast, instantly repelling Dragon Halberd and speeding towards the domain boundary. [Player Name: lion] [Player Level: Elite Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beast: Forest Flower Deer] This guy... had actually defeated an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast in advance, as his last trump card! Dragon Halberd''s Dragon Demon Lion, only Elite Rank Lv20, was no match for Erik''s Forest Flower Deer that he had just pushed to full Level, and the only two on the field who could possibly catch up to Erik, Water Flower and Little Qing, were both injured in the self-destruction of the Spiritual Beasts! Watching Erik quickly disappear out of the light film, Qin Chuan''s face showed frustration. Who would have thought that the brash and arrogant Erik would have so many fallbacks? A hand gently grasped his, and Yue Li''s voice rang in his ear. "Leave the rest to me." Chapter 132 - 132 "Speaking of which, Changxing City''s move this time is rather bold," Director Liu said with a smile as he watched the video of the Third Rank Demon Beast. "It''s a good thing to let the candidates have a chance to encounter a Third Rank Demon Beast early on, as long as safety is ensured." "Third Rank Demon Beasts are becoming more and more common; they will encounter them sooner or later." "An hour is almost up, and according to the rules, the Third Rank Demon Beast will next be taken down by someone from the Special Affairs Group," added Fan Gang, a hint of disappointment in his heart. Although powerful, Third Rank Demon Beasts could be taken down if multiple Official Level candidates with maxed out Spiritual Beast Levels joined forces. In this practical exams, there were more than thirty Official Level Players, more than double the last time, yet all they did was avoid the Third Rank Demon Beast. Not even willing to try, they seemed cowardly after all. "The one responsible for taking it down is Ji Huai, isn''t it?" Director Song chuckled, "This is also an opportunity to witness the prowess of Changxing City''s number one expert." As an Official Level Player himself, Ji Huai''s repeated success against Third Rank Demon Beasts was due to the deep exploitation of Extraordinary Power brought about by pure skill and physical qualities. That was also why Yan University was so keen on recruiting him. Such talents were really rare in modern society. Yan University was slow on the uptake; most of the talents had already been poached by Huaqing. Amidst the casual conversation, Zhou Xiaoyuwho had been silentsuddenly exclaimed, "Why is Qin Chuan here?!" Directors Song and Liu''s smiles vanished simultaneously. As they watched Qin Chuan advancing toward the Third Rank Demon Beast, both their faces reflected shock mixed with bewilderment. Just Qin Chuan alone? How could he dare... Before they had time to figure it out, a blade light that streaked across the sky emerged obliquely from Qin Chuan''s longsword, enveloping the furious Third Rank Demon Beast like a crescent moon shrouded in mist, leaving a slash on the body of the howling beast. The Third Rank Demon Beast, as if someone had hit the pause button, suddenly froze in mid-roar and action. In the next instant, its massive body crashed to the ground, cleaved in two. The cut that split it apart didn''t bleed even a drop; everything was instantly frozen, and the icy, mirror-like cut was intimidating to behold. Having struck that blow, Qin Chuan turned and left, vanishing from the spot within a few seconds. The small conference room fell silent. "Ah!" Lan Cheng suddenly became annoyed. "The signal just now wasn''t very good, the video only synced up to this side, it wasn''t streamed to the other conference room... looks like we need to do a replay there." The admission officers from both universities sent him peculiar looks. By this moment, how could they not know the reason Lan Cheng had singled them out and placed them in one conference room? Claiming to ensure fairness and justice, yet such manipulation was a bit too deceitful, wasn''t it? However... they liked it! "A replay wouldn''t be appropriate," Director Song declared righteously. "The assessment is ongoing, and new battles happen every second. Replaying earlier fights would prevent other candidates'' highlight moments from being seen, which would be extremely unfair." "Indeed," Director Liu agreed, unusually allying with Director Song, his expression quite serious. "What''s missed is missed. Let''s continue with the live broadcast of other candidates'' performances." "You both make a good point," Lan Cheng sighed with regret. "But the network was unstable just now, and Qin Chuan''s safety helmet also temporarily malfunctioned, so I''m afraid this 1000-point Third Rank Demon Beast might not be counted in his score." "Yes, what a pity," both directors echoed in unison, though inwardly they were already overjoyed. Not keeping records, just as they intended. The large screen switched to the next candidate''s combat, but at that moment, Directors Song and Liu had already lost interest in watching. They buried their heads in recording, with the turmoil in their hearts hidden beneath an outward calm. Ice Attribute, surpassing the strength of Official Level Players from Yanhuang Country. Just these three points were enough for them to deduce Qin Chuan''s other identity. Almost simultaneously, the two directors finalised Qin Chuan''s ultimate classification. "S+" Zhou Xiaoyu suddenly let out a sigh of relief. It seemed she no longer needed to blame herself for Yan University''s loss of talent due to her unilateral decision. A smile returned to her face, while nearby, Fan Gang found it hard to crack a smile. A smile doesn''t fade away, it just shifts elsewhere. The final hour of the assessment quickly passed. Just as the two directors and the two observers were ready to approach Qin Chuan the first chance they got, Lan Cheng stood up and stopped them. "Gentlemen," he said, picking up a file bag that had been on the table since they entered the small conference room, and calmly drew out four confidentiality agreements with a smile that turned dangerous, "the details of Qin Chuan''s identity are classified as secret. Now that you''re aware, please sign the agreements." "Team Leader Lan, this..." Both directors were at a loss whether to laugh or cry. At that moment, they very much felt like they were in a den of wolves. Watching the four sign the confidentiality agreements, Lan Cheng''s smile became warm once again, "Please take your leave, I won''t see you out!" Walking out of the conference room with Zhou Xiaoyu, and parting ways with the Huaqing personnel, Director Song''s face broke into a broad smile, "Xiaoyu, if you can sign Qin Chuan, you will have made a great contribution." "Director, now that we''ve signed that agreement, can we still recruit Qin Chuan?" Zhou Xiaoyu looked worried, "Given an ''S+'' rating, but unable to state the reason for the rating, won''t there be significant controversy?" "You still lack experience," Director Song said composedly, "Just tell them that we both signed a confidentiality agreement and can''t reveal the specifics, and they will naturally realize the importance of Qin Chuan." "Furthermore, a pearl won''t be covered in dust forever." Director Song paused for a moment, "Sooner or later, Qin Chuan will exhibit his own brilliance." "''S+'' may be the limit for the rating, but not necessarily his limit." ----------------- "All right." Qin Chuan, who had just signed the agreement, extended his hand to shake hands with the now-beaming Director Song. After the assessment concluded, both Yan University and Huaqing came to visit. Although Huaqing offered the same final rating as Yan University, he did not hesitate much before choosing Yan University. After the dejected departure of the Huaqing admissions staff, the two parties signed the relevant agreements for guaranteed admission and support. Sear?h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The three million scholarship stipulated in the agreement will be transferred to your account immediately," Director Song said with a smile, "The ''S+'' level resource allocation can start now, not after the college entrance examination." "Every resource you need, we''ll report and organize a search team to gather as much as possible, with a monthly allocation of twenty-thousand Special Points. Unused points can be accumulated; for any excess, we will still do our best to collect, but you''ll need to pay with your own Special Points." "Your intelligence clearance is at level S; you can access all existing intelligence of Dream World and can apply for personnel to collect the information you need." "The latest cultivation method developed by Yan University, with a coefficient of 5.4, the ''Unnamed Breathing Skill,'' is now yours to learn in advance." "Welcome to Yan University, Mr. Qin Chuan." ----------------- See the illustration below for the new round of peripheral activities (Open the illustration to view) Chapter 133 - 133: Unnamed Breathing Skill, The Lucky Erik Seeing off the Yan University enrollment staff, Qin Chuan returned to his rented apartment and looking at the two copies of agreements, his face lit up with joy. Even after undergoing the transcendent initiation, as a high school senior on the eve of National College Entrance Examination, his heart still harbored longing and anticipation for university life. At this moment, having already secured admission to Yan University, his excitement was beyond words. Just one month left before the exams, he could afford to relax a bit now. Apart from the evening Extraordinary Theory Class and Extraordinary Practical Combat Class, he could skip any of the other classes. It was two in the afternoon now and it would be nearly ten hours before the entrance to the Dream World would open again. Qin Chuan took out his phone and casually logged into the Dream Realm Forum. He and Yue Li had been promoted to Elite Level players for three days now, and the forum was still abuzz with discussions about them. After all, both were from Yanhuang. And besides the two of them, no third Elite Level player had emerged yet. No, it seemed someone was about to make a breakthrough. Spotting a forum post title, Qin Chuan''s expression tensed. "Erik is about to breakthrough, he feels confident again!" Opening the post for a quick read, Qin Chuan directly entered Erik''s live room and played back the session. Today, on his stream, Erik flamboyantly announced that he had secured a second Rare Resource and would ascend to Elite Level in his next foray into the Dream World, embarking on a new journey. After watching the video, Qin Chuan clicked his tongue, "This guy''s luck is really good." In the past three days, both he and Yue Li had been moving towards Zone 3273, while Erik had chosen to pause, staying put in Zone 3273. As Qin Chuan and Yue Li had just promoted at that time, Erik''s decision had been scoffed at, seen as a sign of cowardice. Erik had repeatedly claimed he was only waiting for "Luo" to come and surrender, but most netizens didn''t buy it. Just last night, Qin Chuan with Yue Li and Dragon Halberd had reached Zone 3273. Early this morning, the two compared positions and had agreed to meet in the Dream World today to launch an offensive against Erik. Unexpectedly, this fellow was lucky enough to have obtained a second Rare Resource just today. With Erik''s financial resources, Qin Chuan had no doubts that he had prepared the necessary Experience Gems to max out his level. Thus, tonight they would face Erik, who possessed two Lv30 Elite Rank Contracted Spiritual Beasts. Though they had Dragon Halberd''s Holy Sanctuary on their side, and the balance of victory still tilted towards them, the night was long and fraught with uncertainties, and they couldn''t afford to let Erik continue his developments. Tonight, it would be the end for him and that player with the Insight Talent. Qin Chuan''s eyes narrowed, hiding the murderous intent that had momentarily flickered. He scanned the Dream Realm Forum once more and confirmed there wasn''t anything else worth noting, then he took out a book of about dozens of pages. The book''s cover featured the words "Unnamed Breathing Skill," in robust, skillfully done calligraphy. Yan University had an Unnamed Lake, and it seemed that the Unnamed Breathing Skill was thus named. Turning to the first page, Qin Chuan quickly looked astonished. Unlike the Basic Boxing Skill he had studied before, the Unnamed Breathing Skill didn''t require any physical movements during cultivation, and only required serene and focused breath work at specific frequencies and rhythms. Granted, this specific rhythm was quite complex and took dozens of pages to describe. Just attempting to perform one breathing cycle based on the descriptions stumbled Qin Chuan, consuming over an hour yet yielding minimal effect due to his imprecision. Mastering it required patience. But Qin Chuan, having read through the Unnamed Cultivation Method, took it very seriously. A coefficient of 5.4, that''s the efficiency of the Unnamed Cultivation Method relative to the Basic Boxing Skill. This new method held a major advantage over the Basic Boxing Skillit could be practiced for prolonged periods, unlike the latter which could only be practiced a few times each day. Just that was incredibly valuable. So... continue! Qin Chuan took a deep breath, soon immersing himself in the joy of cultivation. ----------------- On the other side of Blue Star, it was three in the morning in Mi Country. However, with the emergence of the Dream World, the transcendents of Mi Country had already adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle. A large portion of the population adopting this invert schedule further compounded Mi Country''s already chaotic economic and social order, but the top 1% who owned 90% of the wealth didn''t care. sea??h th N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The power of the transcendent enthralled them, sending them into a pathological frenzy. In Erik''s mansion, a muscular man danced closely with a naked woman to loud jazz music, while empty bottles and various sordid items scattered across the floor made the dimly lit setting all the more intoxicating. Conni sat in a corner with his arms crossed, calmly observing the scene with no intent to join. "Hey, my friend, don''t just sit there like a mute," Erik laughed heartily as he lifted a woman by her waist and strode over to Conni, "Today''s just an appetizer. Wait till Prayer joins us, then I''m throwing an even bigger party!" "It''s too early to celebrate," Conni furrowed his brows, "Erik, I have a bad feeling." "Three days ago, Luo and Yue Li left Zone 3675 and headed straight for us. They must have prepared thoroughly to be so confident." "Don''t scare yourself, my friend," Erik grinned, "They just think that since they''ve become Elite Level players, they can challenge me." "They don''t know of your existence, they can''t possibly be my match." "To surprise them, I only announced yesterday''s acquired resource today," Erik said confidently, "Tonight, they''ll have a night to remember." "Along with Luo and Yue Li who entered Zone 3273, there''s another Yanhuang player called ''Dragon Halberd.'' He also has a Spiritual Beast that achieved an Elite Rank, and their routes don''t completely overlap," Conni spoke calmly, "It''s likely he belongs to the Special Affairs Group." "I fear the other party''s arrival isn''t simple." "I admit that the Extraordinary Organization from the Eastern Kingdom is large and united, but the efforts of countless people in the transcendental world pale in comparison to individual talents," Erik raised an eyebrow, "What can a bunch of resources stacked onto a non-Elite level player do to me?" "And Matsusaka Shigeki, that guy is already near Zone 3273..." "Alright, my friend," Conni was about to add something but Erik pulled him up, "Now is party time!" "More than your premonitions, I trust in your Talent Effect," he said playfully, "If you''re really concerned, just divinate when we enter the Dream World tomorrow." "How many times do I have to repeat?" Conni''s dark face seemed to darken even further. "That''s not divination, it''s a glimpse of the future!" Chapter 134 - 134 Insight’s Second and Third Talent Effects "Phew" Qin Chuan sat cross-legged on his bed, breathed out a breath of turbid air, and ended a day of cultivation. After multiple attempts, he finally managed to execute the Unnamed Breathing Skill accurately without any mistakes in a single breathing cycle, although he still needed to glance at the cultivation method occasionally for assistance. Once he truly mastered it, he was clearly aware of the astonishing advantage of the Unnamed Breathing Skill over the Basic Boxing Skill. The Extraordinary Power flowed through every part of his body with his breath, subtly enhancing his physical condition and thereby improving his development rate of the Extraordinary Power. With the same Extraordinary Value, there was still much of his power left to be tapped. He glanced at the time, 10:30 PM. Qin Chuan quickly washed up and soon fell deep into sleep, only to awaken in the Dream World. "Luo, good evening~" Yue Li''s slightly mischievous voice rang out, snapping Qin Chuan back to reality. "Um, good morning," he smiled at the girl beside him, "Let''s meet with Dragon Halberd first, then go find Erik together." "Okay," Yue Li nodded but then her expression filled with a bit of worry, "I watched Erik''s live stream, and by the time we find him, he should have already promoted to Elite Level." "What about that Dragon Halberd you mentioned? What''s his Talent Effect? Is it reliable?" Upon hearing the girl''s question, Qin Chuan remembered that he hadn''t yet told her about the Dragon Halberd''s Talent, "He is Holy Sanctuary, with a Talent Effect that can create a Domain, making all Players within range unable to use their Talent Effects." "Holy Sanctuary..." Yue Li looked surprised, "There''s such a Talent Effect?" She quickly realized what this meant, her eyes lighting up with excitement, "Without Talent enhancements, the two of us together can definitely defeat Erik!" "Exactly." Qin Chuan nodded, "After all, the two of us don''t rely so much on Talents in a battle." Yue Li''s Prayer would still be affected by the Holy Sanctuary, while his Sun Needle would not be affected at all. "Erik also has a partner, who possesses a Gold Talent." Thinking of when Yue Li had once speculated that she was Insight, Qin Chuan''s expression turned a bit strange, "He is the real Insight." "Um..." Yue Li''s face flushed, recalling the awkwardness when they had revealed their Talents to each other, but soon she grasped Qin Chuan''s point, "Can he see our Talents?" "Yes." Qin Chuan nodded, "I''ve already discussed with Dragon Halberd, he will use his Talent Effect first. As long as Insight doesn''t leave the Domain''s area, he won''t be able to use his Talent Effect or see our Talent situation." "That''s good," Yue Li sighed in relief, "Shall we set off now?" She was already eager to deal with the guy who had been eyeing her and Luo. Qin Chuan smiled, checked the map, and led Yue Li to the rendezvous point with Dragon Halberd. ----------------- "Hey, Conni, guess what I found?" Erik, who had just been promoted to an Elite Player, exclaimed, "Advancing to Hall Rank not only requires defeating four Spiritual Beasts from different districts but also finding a piece called a Hall Crystal, a super rare resource." "I know," Conni glanced at Erik with a calm expression. "You always know." Erik rolled his eyes, "Knowing too much in advance can take away a lot of fun." "With my Spirit Ascension Talent, even fighting Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts alone is entirely possible." He then grinned broadly, "Though the Hall Crystals are hard to get, there''s always a way." "Maybe I''ll become the first to promote to Hall Level?" "Alright, lion, let''s focus on the present," Conni spoke seriously, "They will definitely come after us." "Come on, come on, I can''t wait any longer." Erik clenched his fists, producing a series of crisp "crackling" sounds, "Aren''t you going to perform divination? You can start now." Conni glanced at Erik, not bothering to argue whether his talent effect was "divination." A brilliant golden light emerged in his eyes, which instantly became vacant, appearing as if it were probing countless secrets. Insight''s second talent effect. [Randomly obtain a piece of information related to the Dream World, usable once per entry into the Dream World] This talent effect was highly random. The information obtained could be either good or bad, much like drawing a blind box. Previously, the most precious piece of information Conni had obtained was about the current game zone of the owner of the Gold Talent of Spirit Ascension. This piece of information was what he had obtained using his Insight Talent for the first time. Leveraging this information along with the first talent of Insight that allowed him to check other players'' talent effects, he, who was merely one zone away from Erik, was able to pinpoint his location precisely. However, after that, the performance of the second talent had been mediocre, often yielding trivial or low-value information. For instance, a piece of low-level resource he couldn''t utilize was two kilometers away. The requirements for promotion from Elite Rank to Hall Rank were also known to him from a use of the second talent. At this moment, numerous golden stars appeared in his vision, spinning rapidly. One star hurtled toward him, transforming into a brand-new piece of information. [Divine Cast (Gold) first talent effect: Create any level of equipment without needing a casting stone, guaranteed success, and critical hit, item level +1] Was this one of the effects of a Gold Talent? An unexpected expression appeared on Conni''s face. Although he couldn''t use this information now, it was valuable. It could be considered a good omen. He turned his head towards Erik, and then his pupils lost focus again, turning completely golden. Insight''s third talent, activated. [View a corner of the future of a designated target other than oneself, usable once every seven entries into the Dream World] This was the ability Erik jokingly referred to as "divination." Like the second talent, this talent had strong randomness. Perhaps the scene viewed would occur in the next minute, offering little reference value. It could also present a crucial moment in the future. Since activating this talent effect required gazing, and he couldn''t view his own future, the previous several uses had been to view Erik''s future. After all, the two were now in the same boat. As the third talent activated, countless images shrouded in fog passed before Conni''s eyes. Eventually, one image froze, and the fog slowly dissipated, revealing a corner of the future hidden in the mists. Sear?h the ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Conni''s pupils constricted as his heart skipped a beat. He saw the figure of Erik, riding a wounded Spiritual Beast, fleeing in a fluster. That spiritual beast... "How about it, did you see my invincible posture?" Erik boasted proudly, the next moment seeing Conni''s somber and heavy expression, his smile faded. "It seems not." Chapter 135 - 135: Domain Deployment! Facing Erik! (April 2050 Monthly Ticket Additional) When Qin Chuan and Yue Li arrived at the lake agreed upon with Dragon Halberd, there was already a figure leisurely sitting by the lake, looking down at the water as if observing the school of fish. Beside him, two Spiritual Beasts quietly accompanied him, the weaker of which was a cat-type Spiritual Beast. It was now inching closer to the lake''s surface, secretly gulping as it longed for the fish in the water. The other, a lion-type Spiritual Beast, was stronger and more composed, lying prostrate, its massive head raised. Noticing the arrival of the two, the man lifted his head, fairly handsome with a smile on his glasses-wearing face, "Nice to meet you, I am Dragon Halberd." [Player Name: Dragon Halberd] [Player Level: Official Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beasts: Dragon Demon Lion, Illusion Heart Cat] The results of the scan appeared before Qin Chuan and Yue Li, and they exchanged a greeting, quickly sitting down on the ground. "Luo has told me about you, thank you for the Experience Gems," Yue Li said with a courteous smile, greeting Dragon Halberd. Upon hearing this, Dragon Halberd gave Qin Chuan a meaningful look, "You are stronger, and better equipped to kill Erik." "Based on the intelligence I received and what Erik himself has disclosed, his current location is less than thirty kilometers from us," Dragon Halberd paused slightly, "I can expand my Domain up to ten kilometers in diameter, disabling all Talent Effects, lasting for ten minutes." "If we miss this opportunity, I won''t be able to use it again for another seven Dream Days." "So..." his gaze swept over Qin Chuan and Yue Li, "we only have one chance." "If we can''t severely damage or kill Erik within ten minutes, he will have the chance to use his Third Talent of Ascension to counterattack, and given our current estimate of this Talent Effect, none of us will escape." "If we fail to kill and let him use the Talent Effect after the Domain disappears, my Holy Sanctuary Talent Effect will be exposed." Dragon Halberd''s expression grew stern, "Either outcome is absolutely unacceptable." After listening to Dragon Halberd''s explanation, Qin Chuan and Yue Li also became serious. Even for Qin Chuan, it was the first time he received detailed information about Dragon Halberd''s talents. Ten minutes, a ten-kilometer battlefield, once the battle began, there was no turning back. "So, to better conduct this battle, I need to make tactical arrangements in advance," Dragon Halberd adjusted his glasses, "The Special Affairs Group has other personnel in Zone 3273 who will handle Erik''s players." "I will take care of the Insight Player who hasn''t broken through to Elite Rank." "And Erik is left to you two." "No problem," Qin Chuan nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. He and Yue Li''s four Spiritual Beasts had now all reached full Elite Rank Lv30. Over the past few days, they had trained extensively, familiarizing themselves with the newfound powers post-evolution, enhancing the synergy among the four beasts. All the necessary preparations were made; now it was up to Erik to respond. After discussing some details with Dragon Halberd, the trio promptly set off. Thirty kilometers was not a short distance, but Water Flower who had evolved into a Black Abyss Dog and Xiao Qing who had evolved into a Wind-breaking Falcon had grown in size and were now capable of carrying people. Dragon Halberd''s Dragon Demon Lion was the same. With the help of the Spiritual Beasts, they reached the predetermined location in just over ten minutes. It was a valley, and at that moment, several players of Official Level were waiting inside the valley; they quickly approached upon seeing the trio. "It''s confirmed, Erik and Insight Player''s positions haven''t changed," the leading player spoke in a solemn voice, "Our people have already clashed with Erik once, confirming his promotion to Elite Level, but the Insight Player''s two Spiritual Beasts are still at Growth Rank." "Thank you for your hard work," Dragon Halberd looked at the few before him. He knew that clashing once meant a member of the Special Affairs Group had to restart. During the past period, to uncover Erik''s secrets, quite a few members of the Special Affairs Group made these sacrifices. "Proceed according to the planned scheme." He lowly commanded, and after the warriors of the Special Affairs Group dispersed at his call, he turned to Qin Chuan and Yue Li, "This location is precisely five kilometers away from where Erik is." "To ensure that the Insight doesn''t see through the Talent Effect, I''ll engage my Domain two kilometers away from him, and the position of the Domain won''t change with my movement." "So during the battle, be careful not to let him escape the range of the Domain." "Understood," Qin Chuan replied gravely, Yue Li beside him had a tight expression, showing rare seriousness and tension. This was their first time targeting a player instead of a Spiritual Beast in the Dream World. Dream World players, compared to powerful Spiritual Beasts, were inherently fragile. Thus, in player versus player combat, there was a protection mechanism absent in battles against wild Spiritual Beasts. One cannot inflict damage on a player until all their Contracted Spiritual Beasts have been killed. To kill Erik, they needed first to eliminate his two Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts. The trio quickly left the valley, heading toward Erik''s location. One kilometer, two kilometers, three kilometers! Yet to see Erik and his companion, Dragon Halberd, sitting atop the Dragon Demon Lion, issued a low command, "Domain... deploy!" "Buzz" Sarch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A deep buzzing sound resonated, Qin Chuan and Yue Li saw a pale gold light membrane swiftly expand in all directions from Dragon Halberd, instantly enveloping the surroundings and the sky. At the same moment, the two felt their Talents unable to be used, even the First Talent of Prayer was temporarily dispersed and no longer brought Yue Li luck. Holy Sanctuary Third Talent, activate! The speed of the trio and their six beasts surged forward, instantly sprinting more than a kilometer, spotting two figures on a plain. One looked exactly like Erik in reality, the other, a dark-skinned male player, was the Player with the golden Talent Insight according to the intelligence. The sudden advent of the Domain clearly caught them off-guard. At that moment, Erik''s expression was surprised and shocked, while on the other side, Conni''s face bore an unprecedented brooding look. "Get out of the golden light membrane range!" Conni shouted lowly, rushing towards the boundary of the light membrane three kilometers away. Erik reacted swiftly as well, leaping astride a majestic golden lion, charging full speed toward the perimeter of the Domain. However, no matter how fast they reacted, they couldn''t outpace Qin Chuan''s trio who were well-prepared. Before they''d covered a few hundred meters, a brilliant tornado descended from the sky, the resulting wall of wind instantly trapped Erik and Conni. [Player Name: lion] [Player Level: Elite Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beasts: Holy Light Lion, Thundering Vulture] Rows of text appeared before his eyes, Qin Chuan leapt down from Water Flower''s back. "Erik, I heard you wanted to see me." "I''m here." Chapter 136 - 136 Golden Talent Insight, Reignited! (April Bonus for 2100 Monthly Tickets) "Luo..." Stopping in his tracks, Erik''s expression was grim. As the heir of the Solag Family, his Chinese was fluently, "This is the effect of Holy Sanctuary, isn''t it?" "Guess?" Qin Chuan naturally wouldn''t give his opponent the answer. As the two talked, Erik''s two Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts had already engaged in battle with the four Spiritual Beasts of Qin Chuan''s Yue Li. Water Flower and Ice Cream immediately targeted the Holy Light Lion that surged with Mystic Wood Golden Light and wore a golden crown on its head. On the other side, high in the sky, the Thundering Vulture unfolded its wings, its vicious eyes glowing, and its sharp beak covered in a sheath adorned with thunder patterns, colliding with Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. Without the enhancement from Ascension, Erik had no chance of winning this fight. "You''ve really given me quite a surprise," Erik took a deep breath, "Truly worthy of a bearer of the Prayer Talent." Qin Chuan didn''t respond, just quietly watched Erik. Yue Li stood by his side, only half a step behind him. The storm kicked up by the clash of the six Spiritual Beasts made the trio''s clothes flutter and whistle. "But, thinking you can defeat me so easily, you are thinking too much!" Flame of battle ignited in Erik''s eyes, "Even without Ascension, I am still invincible!" With his roar, the momentum of Thundering Vulture and Holy Light Lion rose sharply, the thunder pattern sheath and the golden crown lighting up as the Starshine Equipment activated in an instant. [Strong Electricity (Starshine Level 9): Attribute power increased by 56%] Accompanied by a resounding thunder that echoed all around, the lightning that exploded around Thundering Vulture immediately recoiled, its electric arcs piercing through the violent wind and roaring flames, shattering the Fire Dragon Tornado that was about to engulf it, and then, with a piercing cry, charged towards Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. [Divine Light (Starshine Level 9): Attack increased by 21%, defense increased by 21%, speed increased by 84%] Holy Light Lion let out a roar toward the sky, its already extreme speed nearly turning it into an afterimage, and its bursting velocity even suppressed Water Flower, who was using Water Dipping. "Clang" Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sound of a blade ringing instantly filled the air, as Ice Cream slashed out with a blade whose cold light shone like a waning moon, landing on the path the Holy Light Lion was bound to take. "Roar!" The Holy Light Lion let out a fierce growl, swiftly dodging the blade light, and as its body folded, it avoided the attack and instantly changed its momentum from pouncing on Water Flower to charging at Ice Cream. Ice Cream, fearless, clad in the Frost Snow Gauze, flew straight out, instantly splitting into two, and attacked the Holy Light Lion. A gold-clawed swipe the size of a head whipped up a gale, howling towards Ice Cream''s fragile body to smack it away, and the next instant, a crisp "crack" resounded. The illusion created by Snow Shadow instantly shattered, as did the Frost Snow Gauze that draped Ice Cream''s true body, which turned into flying snow at the moment of impact and dispersed with the gale raised by the giant paw. A layer of thin frost spread from the Holy Light Lion''s giant paw, rapidly covering its massive body and momentarily freezing its soaring momentum. [Frost Freeze], activated! A snowflake reappeared beside the Holy Light Lion, manifesting Ice Cream''s figure; the Frost Blade shone brilliantly as it heavily slashed at the vital spot on the Holy Light Lion''s neck. [Frost Annihilation], activated! Attacks enhanced by StarSnow Shadow, StarFrost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze took effect! The blade light, aimed straight at the Holy Light Lion! At the same moment, a massive waterfall hundreds of meters wide descended from the sky; the terrifying force of strangulation it contained had not yet arrived, but the surrounding void already roared with its presence. Shape-shifting Water Crown burst with aqua blue brilliance, and under enhanced Attribute Control Power, the massive waterfall instantly became a high-speed rotating water drill head, its inner and outer strangulation forces intertwined, sending chills down the spine. StarSky-Rolling Waterfall! The two Spiritual Beasts cooperated; their attack was an Absolute Kill! The Holy Light Lion, which should have been in a state of [Frost Freeze], let out a roar, and a dazzling light burst from its body, melting away the frost covering it as if confronted by a scorching sun, in the blink of an eye. As Ice Cream''s descending blade was about to strike, it suddenly retracted its body, and as a spurt of blood burst forth, the massive form dodged away from the crashing Sky-Rolling Waterfall as if it had teleported. Appearing just outside the range of the Sky-Rolling Waterfall, the Holy Light Lion had a deep, bone-deep wound on its shoulder blade, but it wasn''t fatal. A tinge of regret filled Snow Cone''s eyes, and in the next instant, she looked in another direction. A Growth Rank Spiritual Beast, half-dead, was violently thrown her way by the Dragon Demon Lion. With a knife in hand, Snow Cone executed a swift Absolute Kill on her opponent, clad once again in the regathered Frost Snow Gauze, and once more charged at the Holy Light Lion. After confirming that Conni''s last Spiritual Beast was slain by Snow Cone, Dragon Halberd turned his head toward Conni, who showed a face of horror, "Tell me the three Talent Effects of Insight, and I''ll give you a quick end." "Our informant in Mi Country told me there''s a black youth often seen with Erik, frequenting various high-profile venues. That''s you, isn''t it?" "Do you think you''ll remain valuable to Erik after losing Insight?" "There are seven hours left before the entrance to the Dream World closes." "You still have a chance to run away." Listening to Dragon Halberd''s heart-piercing words one by one, Conni gradually calmed down. "I''ll talk." A dozen seconds later, Conni fell to the ground, dissipating into points of light. At the same time, within the Dream World, players from the Special Affairs Group who were frequently refreshing the Talent Pool triggered Insight to light up again and pressed the [Draw Talent] button. "Damn it!!!" Catching a glimpse of Erik, his eyes red with fury as he watched the battlefields on both sides fall into an overwhelming disadvantage, a fierce glint in his eyes, he dashed without looking back toward the outer film of light. "Hiss" Sensing the movement, Little Qing didn''t hesitate to throw out a Tornado, and Water Flower also shot several strikes of Rapid Stream Break, but these attacks seemed to be in a different dimension from Erik, going straight through him. Contracted Spiritual Beasts are alive, unable to inflict damage on players. "Leave him to me!" Dragon Halberd shouted lowly, charging after the enemy riding the Dragon Demon Lion. "Kill the Spiritual Beasts first," Qin Chuan directed, looking toward the two battle zones with a serious tone. The four Spiritual Beasts got the message and were about to deliver the final blow when a sudden change occurred. Erik''s two Contracted Spiritual Beasts let out lamenting cries, vibrating with a dangerous aura, and then exploded with a bang. "Boom!!!" Accompanied by two deafening blasts, Water Flower and Little Qing, who were closest to the blast, were sent flying and landed hard, covered in deep and shallow wounds. Only Snow Cone, who had utilized Seek Frost Trace to dodge, and Little Red, who was on the ground far from the aerial battle zone, remained unscathed. "This madman!" Qin Chuan''s eyes widened as he looked in Erik''s direction, his expression shifting once more. Erik, having rushed into the dense forest not far away, was riding a wounded Elite Rank deer-shaped Spiritual Beast, instantly repelling Dragon Halberd and speeding towards the domain boundary. [Player Name: lion] [Player Level: Elite Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beast: Forest Flower Deer] This guy... had actually defeated an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast in advance, as his last trump card! Dragon Halberd''s Dragon Demon Lion, only Elite Rank Lv20, was no match for Erik''s Forest Flower Deer that he had just pushed to full Level, and the only two on the field who could possibly catch up to Erik, Water Flower and Little Qing, were both injured in the self-destruction of the Spiritual Beasts! Watching Erik quickly disappear out of the light film, Qin Chuan''s face showed frustration. Who would have thought that the brash and arrogant Erik would have so many fallbacks? A hand gently grasped his, and Yue Li''s voice rang in his ear. "Leave the rest to me." Chapter 137 - 137: The First Use of the Third Talent Effect of Prayer! "I think I know what''s going on here." Looking in the direction where Erik had fled, Dragon Halberd shook his head regretfully, "Erik''s successful escape has to do with Conni C that''s the player with the Insight Talent." "Why do you say that?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but ask. "The Third Talent of Insight allows one to foresee a glimpse of the future of a specified subject other than themselves every seven Dream Days," Dragon Halberd stated calmly the effect of the Insight Talent. Sar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That guy can really predict the future, even though there are quite a few limitations and uncertainties." "So, is it because Insight foresaw everything that just happened that Erik was fully prepared?" Yue Li asked softly. "Almost, but not quite that exaggerated," Dragon Halberd shook his head, "It''s more likely that they caught only a small part related to Erik." "This ability is rather complex; even Conni hasn''t completely figured out the rules," Dragon Halberd continued, looking in the direction Erik had escaped. "Anyway, since Insight was killed, our intervention wasn''t in vain this time." "As for Erik..." his voice trailed off slightly, "if it comes to that, we''ll just find him and fight again in seven days." "Without Insight, he won''t be able to escape." Hearing this, smiles appeared on the faces of Qin Chuan and Yue Li. Indeed, Erik without Insight was like an eagle with one wing severed. And Qin Chuan could strike at him without any reservations. Ten minutes passed, and the domain dissipated. "Erik won''t dare to come back to kill without figuring out my strength," Dragon Halberd chuckled, "That''s enough for today, let''s retreat." He nodded at the two of them and rode away on his Dragon Demon Lion. The two appeared to have an unusual relationship, and the air filled with pink bubbles made him acutely aware of his own redundancy. Moreover, he had real business to attend to. The entire Special Affairs Group was mobilized following the killing of Insight. As long as the Insight was lit, the members who hadn''t been drawn would delete their accounts and restart, continuing to try. Those who had already drawn a Talent would not be idle eitherthey had other tasks. Deleting accounts and restarting on such a large scale meant a huge consumption of low-level resources. They needed to replenish supplies... Watching Dragon Halberd leave, Qin Chuan turned to Yue Li, "What you said just now about leaving it to you... could it be?" He already had a guess in his heart. "Mhm." Yue Li chuckled lightly, a hint of anticipation in her eyes, "I haven''t used the Third Talent effect since I drew Prayer." "The Third Talent of Prayer allows me to designate a player I''ve scanned, and although Erik has run away, I can still transfer his luck." "Let''s give it a try," Qin Chuan smiled too. "I wonder how much impact transferring his luck for an hour will have on Erik." "Maybe it will cause the guy to trip and fall to his death," Yue Li muttered viciously, looking over at Xiao Qing and Water Flower. The two Spiritual Beasts had been injured in the self-destruction of Erik''s Spiritual Beasts, but Dragon Halberd, who was prepared, immediately brought out resources that could heal the Spiritual Beasts. Now their injuries were visibly healing, which still caused Yue Li much distress. With her hands together, Yue Li designated Erik and Qin Chuan as the targets. The Third Talent of Prayer activated! Indistinctly, she saw numerous light points flying from the direction where Erik had escaped, eventually landing on Qin Chuan and shrouding him in a visible aura of light. It seemed like quite a lot. Yue Li was surprised, and then a smile crept into her eyes. The Second Talent of Prayer activated! The aura became even more intense. "Let that bastard fend for himself!" Having transferred Erik''s luck, Yue Li was in high spirits and spoke cheerfully, "Let''s begin today''s treasure hunt!" After the battle just now, all four Spiritual Beasts were not in great shape. The matter of challenging the town''s Spiritual Beast would have to wait until tomorrow. "Alright," Qin Chuan smiled and activated the Second Talent of the Sun Needle. Before long, the two who had just experienced a world-shaking battle started today''s treasure hunting game. ----------------- "Damn it..." Having run an unknown distance, Erik collapsed onto the ground, his long golden hair disheveled from the long escape, with the pride of a lion seemingly trampled into the dust at this moment. Thinking back to the recent battle, a shadow crossed Erik''s eyes. Holy Sanctuary... He had always felt that among the nine golden Talents, none could suppress him. It never crossed his mind that there could be such an outlier. Without a doubt, the player with the Holy Sanctuary was that Dragon Halberd. No wonder Luo had brought along a player who had not yet achieved Elite Level to make their move together. As Dragon Halberd guessed, the notion of counterattacking after the Domain had dissipated had never formed in the mind of the fleeing Erik. However, this was not merely due to his lack of understanding of the duration and cooldown time of the Holy Sanctuary but also because of the object known as "luck" playing its part behind the scenes. "Ah, isn''t this the invincible Erik?" Cherry blossom language? Erik turned his head abruptly, looking in the direction the voice came from, his pupils constricting sharply. A thin man had appeared not far from his side, unbeknownst to him. Scars adorned his forehead and the bridge of his nose, stark against his pale face, which bore a radiant and warm smile that felt disturbingly fake upon closer inspection. [Player Name: Matsusaka Shigeki] [Player Level: Elite Rank] [Contracted Spiritual Beasts: Wind Chasing Horse, Demon Flame Mastiff, Black Elephant Ghost] "When did you become Elite Level?!" Erik spoke in tentative cherry blossom language. Before today, Matsusaka Shigeki clearly did not possess even one Spiritual Beast who had made a Breakthrough to Elite Rank. "I just got my second Rare Resource yesterday and used it." Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile brightened, "Do you like the surprise I''ve prepared for you, Erik?" "I vividly remember, twelve days ago you said, you would show me what real battle is." He stretched out both hands and hugged himself tightly across the chest, "Ah~" "I''m really looking forward to it, so very much, extremely so~" "Come on, Erik!!!" Matsusaka Shigeki''s eyes, narrowed from smiling, suddenly snapped wide open, a terrifying madness swirling within the blood-red spheres. "I can''t wait any longer!!!" Behind him, the figures of three Elite Rank Lv30 Spiritual Beasts twisted and fused together, soon turning into a monster with the head of a mastiff and the body of a stallion, with a pair of pitch-black bone wings on its back. Race Value: 30000! "You think... that three Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts are enough to take me down?" Erik slowly rose to his feet, his eyes gradually growing colder. Just a mere Soul Fusion... The aura of the forest-flower deer behind him surged dramatically, the combined effects of the First and Second Talents rapidly raising its Race Value to 16500. Third Talent of Ascension, activated! [Temporarily boosts all Contracted Spiritual Beast''s Race Value by 200%, stackable with the effects of the First and Second Talent, lasts for 5 minutes, usable once every seven entries into the Dream World] In the next instant, the Race Value of the forest-flower deer skyrocketed without warning, finally stopping at an extremely frightening number. Race Value: 49500!!! Chapter 138 - 138: Awesome! Erik! "Heh...heh..." Looking at Eric''s Fusion Spiritual Beast with all three Spirit Ascension Talents activated, a creature as awe-inspiring as a god or demon, Matsusaka Shigeki''s pale skin, as if it had been soaking in formalin for a long time, flushed with a sickly crimson. His body trembled with excessive excitement, and one hand shoved fingers into his mouth, giving off a wild, bestial panting without realizing it. Even Eric couldn''t help frowning at the sight of that madness and distortion. Let''s end this tedious battle quickly. That was what he thought, when in the next instant, the Water Flower Deer let out a low groan, and countless thick vines shot out from the depths of the earth towards the monstrous creature formed by the fusion of three Spiritual Beasts. In a flash, several bloody holes were pierced through the body of the beast, letting out a wretched howl, a sound like nails scraping a chalkboard that sets one''s teeth on edge, as if three different voices were overlapped. The vines that pierced the monster''s body under the control of the Water Flower Deer, coiled around the beast''s flesh tightly; the terrible power left deep marks on its body. Just as the beast seemed about to be strangled to death, Matsusaka Shigeki, as if suddenly coming to his senses, let out an eerie, owl-like laugh. "Fantastic~" "Truly fantastic! Mr. Eric!!!" "Then...see you tomorrow~" With that, Matsusaka Shigeki and the beast shimmered with light, and quickly became ethereal. Boom!!! The Water Flower Deer lashed out with countless vines towards the direction of Matsusaka Shigeki, but when the dust cleared, there was no trace of him to be found. He had just disappeared abruptly in front of Eric. Looking at the cratered earth, Eric''s expression shifted between light and dark. A battle that should have ended with a decisive victory had utterly failed due to Matsusaka Shigeki''s Instant Teleportation. Who could have thought that Soul Fusion had the Talent Effect of Instant Teleportation?! Eric frowned deeply, feeling as if he had overlooked something. ----------------- [Ranking List Daily Settlement Begins] [Congratulations to the Player for obtaining 2nd place in the Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank), Experience Gem +160] [Congratulations...] As Qin Chuan watched the lines of text appearing before him, his brows twitched slightly. At this time yesterday, his Spiritual Beast was 3rd on the Spiritual Beast List, with Eric''s Contracted Spiritual Beasts holding the 1st and 2nd positions. The Spirit Ascension Talent had an unbeatable advantage in climbing the rankings. With the death of Eric''s Contracted Spiritual Beasts, by all logic, he should have been in 1st place. Why had it changed to 2nd? Before he could figure it out, Yue Li suddenly exclaimed. "Luo! Look at the Spiritual Beast List quickly!" Qin Chuan hurriedly opened the Ranking List, and then saw the name occupying the first place. [Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank) 1st Place] [Location: 3273] [Player Name: lion] [Listed Spiritual Beast: Water Flower Deer] [Current Rank of Listed Spiritual Beast: Elite Level Lv30] [Reference Battle Record: Defeated three Contracted Spiritual Beasts of player Matsusaka Shigeki single-handedly.] Taking on three opponents at once? Wait... Matsusaka Shigeki?! Qin Chuan scrolled through the Ranking List, and quickly spotted Matsusaka Shigeki''s three Spiritual Beasts that had made it onto the list. This guy... When did he come to sector 3273, and he even got promoted to Elite Level?! "My Third Talent doesn''t seem to be very effective," Yue Li said with a downcast expression, "Erik won, can this be called bad luck?" "No, his luck really isn''t that great." Qin Chuan thought about it and suddenly smiled, "To defeat Matsusaka Shigeki, he must have used his Third Talent." "If Matsusaka Shigeki seeks him out again tomorrow..." Yue Li''s gloomy expression quickly dissipated, and she smiled, "Then he''ll have to delete his account." They both had Golden Talents and knew all too well that Erik''s Third Talent Effect probably only worked once every seven Dream Days, otherwise he wouldn''t be so reluctant to use it. And for Matsusaka Shigeki''s Fusion Spiritual Beast, it activated once a Dream Day. The Third Talent was a big gun, but it was also something not to be used lightly unless absolutely necessary. "Water Flower and Xiaoqing have both fully recovered from their injuries, and everyone is fully energized, so we can challenge the town''s Spiritual Beast in sector 3273 tomorrow," Qin Chuan said with a smile, "It''s our first challenge at Hall Rank, and I''m really looking forward to it." "The two of us working together will definitely take it down!" Yue Li swung her arm, full of energy, "I''ve already planned out the best route according to the distance and difficulty of the four Spiritual Beasts we need to defeat, and next we''ll take turns challenging the town''s Spiritual Beasts according to this map!" "For those too far away or too strong, we''ll use Advanced Resource Fragments to exchange for our choice!" "Good." Qin Chuan smiled, "The third Spiritual Beast also needs to be scheduled as soon as possible." These past few days, both of them had been preparing for the battle with Erik and had no time to consider the selection and contracting of the third Spiritual Beast. S~ea??h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Contracting an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast directly like Erik and Matsusaka Shigeki had an immediate effect on improving combat power and also saved a piece of rare resource, but this wasn''t a good choice for Qin Chuan and Yue Li. The reason was simple, wild Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts'' Starlight Equipment Entries were often very low in level. To have an excellent Contracted Spiritual Beast, one had to at least train it from the Growth Rank. If one wanted to increase Affinity faster, starting from the Juvenile Stage had even better effects. As the requirement for Spirit Descent needed 100% Affinity was discovered, the Juvenile Stage had become the theoretically best time to contract a Spiritual Beast. Although it took more resources in the early stages, the rewards were greater in the middle and later stages. "The third Spiritual Beast..." Yue Li''s face showed longing, "I want to contract a Thunder Attribute one; it would fit best with my current Attributes." "Wind, Fire, Thunder," Qin Chuan nodded in agreement, then his face took on a peculiar expression, "Indeed, that fits perfectly, but isn''t it a bit too violent?" "You''re calling me violent?" Yue Li turned to look at him, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "No, no," Qin Chuan quickly waved his hands, "I mean these three Attributes'' output is just... too fierce." Watching Qin Chuan''s hurried explanation and embarrassed look, Yue Li''s lips curled up slightly, "Just teasing you." "The reason I chose Thunder Attribute is partly because it resonates well with my Attributes," she said with a light chuckle, "and also because I know quite a bit about electromagnetism. I have many ideas I want to try out with Thunder, and besides..." "I really like the Attributes that allow for ranged attacks, they''re convenient to use." "Is it inconvenient to use melee Attributes?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but ask. Perhaps it was due to sparring with Ji Huai for too long or perhaps men naturally yearned for a close combat that got the blood pumping; Qin Chuan preferred Attributes and Spiritual Beast Skills that could be used in close combat. His choice for the third Spiritual Beast also leaned in this direction. "Hmm..." A barely perceptible shadow flickered across Yue Li''s eyes, but she quickly suppressed the sad memories that surged in her mind. Everything was going to get better. She told herself silently, then looked at the young man beside her, showing a sweet smile. "For now, it''s not so convenient~" Chapter 139 - 139: The Huge Commotion in Reality (Monthly Ticket Bonus for April 2150) Turning off the ringing alarm clock, Qin Chuan slowly sat up in bed, the lingering smile of Yue Li from the last moment still etched in his mind. Calculating the time, it had been almost a month since they met, and as their relationship in the Dream World grew closer and closer, they had tacitly refrained from probing each other''s real-world identities. However, as their strengths increased, so did the attention they received. Their identities would sooner or later be exposed to the public, and by then secrets between them would no longer exist. Rubbing his cheeks to awaken himself more quickly, Qin Chuan opened the Dream Realm Forum. These past two days, district 3273 had definitely taken on the momentum of becoming the center of a storm. Yesterday, he and Yue Li entered district 3273, and when they were in the same district as Erik, the eyes of the whole world had already turned towards this area that only accounted for one ten-thousandth of the Dream World. As expected, the Dream Realm Forum was in complete chaos at the moment. Overnight, the numerous upheavals within the Dream World were successively unveiled online, causing the whole world to shudder. The first was the re-ignition of Insight! To this day, a significant number of new players are promoted to Official Level each day, Draw Talent to step out of the novice stage. However, not many are concerned with these latecomers anymore, since all nine Gold Talents have dimmed, and no matter how lucky they are, they can only obtain Red Talents. But last night, when those newly promoted players checked the Talent Pool, they discovered in unison that, starting from a certain moment, one of the nine Gold Talents, which had always been dim, had suddenly become bright again. Insight! Four hours after lighting up, the Insight Talent became dim again, but the hidden message within caused everyone to tremble with excitement. One of the nine Gold Talent holders had died in the Dream World, and the Talent had found a new owner! Although it had been speculated that upon the death of a Gold Talent owner, the Talent would return to the Talent Pool waiting to be drawn again, the actual occurrence still made many secretive forces unable to resist stirring thoughts that had never been stirred before. Another hot topic of discussion was the battle in district 3273. The Domain that Dragon Halberd unfolded could not conceal from everyone. After all, a hemisphere with a five-kilometer diameter, even if a hundred miles away, was very conspicuous. Moreover, a few players who were close and daring enough tried to enter the Domain before it dissipated and personally experienced the feeling of Talent effect being disabled. Combining the continuous changes in the Spiritual Beast List rankings, player combat records, and discussions induced by the Talent-blocking Domain, a summary and sorting of the timeline, the important events that occurred in district 3273 yesterday were partially deduced by those with intentions. After Erik was deprived of his Spirit Ascension Talent by an unknown force, he was defeated by Luo and Yue Li teaming up, both of his Contracted Spiritual Beasts dying, but he did not delete his account. He who escaped successfully contracted a new Spiritual Beast and encountered Matsusaka Shigeki, who had also made successive Breakthroughs and contracted his Third Spiritual Beast that day, and he defeated him with this Spiritual Beast. Conni''s strength was just at the Official Level Player, and he didn''t genuinely enter the public eye; only a very few players knew that such a companion existed alongside Erik. Thus, the removal of Conni''s name from the Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List did not attract much attention or speculation, nor was the re-ignition of Insight ever connected to Erik''s battle. Dragon Halberd, who killed Conni, because it was a case of the strong overpowering the weak, did not even reflect on the Spiritual Beast List achievements and similarly did not enter the public''s eye. Within the deduced partial truths, the mysterious Domain which disabled Erik''s Spirit Ascension Talent sparked enormous discussion. Only another Gold Talent could target a Gold Talent. The Holy Sanctuary, a Talent that previously had a relatively low level of discussion, became the greatest possibility. Because the Dragon Halberd had not been discovered, the Talent of Holy Sanctuary had fallen on both Luo and Yue Li. Prior to this, Luo and Yue Li, who had been the first to break through to the Elite Rank on two consecutive occasions, had already been speculated by many players to possibly possess Gold Talents. In their understanding, out of the nine Gold Talents that could help in finding Rare Resources, only Insight and Prayer were likely candidates. Now, after Insight had illuminated and dimmed again, it had eliminated one incorrect answer for them, and the appearance of Holy Sanctuary had offered them a new possibility. Consequently, an amusing speculation gained acceptance from most people, which made Qin Chuan laugh and cry at the same time. Luo was the owner of the Prayer Talent, and Yue Li was the owner of the Holy Sanctuary Talent. Good news, nobody ever suspected the Sun Needle from the start. Bad news, these wild guesses still pushed the two into the limelight. Chang Jinze''s call came at such a time. On the other end of the phone, Chang Jinze''s voice carried a hint of strangeness, "Thank you." Qin Chuan: "..." He naturally knew what the other party was thankful for. Yet, this was precisely something he couldn''t explain to outsiders. "Special Points compensation!" "No problem, no problem at all," readily agreed Chang Jinze, then his tone shifted, carrying a touch of caution, "Speaking of which, are you really not the owner of the Prayer Talent?" "I am not." Qin Chuan spoke softly, "If I find resources for myself, it is my luck; if you find resources for yourself, it is your luck. Then what kind of luck is it if I find resources for you?" Qin Chuan, who was clear about every Talent Effect of Prayer, knew well that Prayer was hard to use to help others find resources. At best, it could be used for Yue Li''s own benefit. Therefore, he was not really worried about being suspected of possessing Prayer. Because the abilities he displayed in front of the Special Affairs Group clashed with it. "Sorry, just personal curiosity," Chang Jinze said after hearing this, as his last bit of doubt dissipated. Knowing his question was somewhat presumptuous, he promptly shared a piece of critical intelligence as compensation, "The new owner of Insight is from the Special Affairs Group." "Congratulations." Qin Chuan was not too surprised, but he nonetheless breathed a sigh of relief. Although there were many new Official Level Players who had drawn Talents in the Dream World yesterday, they couldn''t compare to the organized and disciplined Special Affairs Group, which had prepared and strategized in advance. Seeing that the Forum mentioned Insight had dimmed again, he had guessed it was most likely that the Special Affairs Group had achieved success; now, it was merely confirming this speculated outcome as a definite conclusion. "The Third Talent Effect of Insight can predict the future, but it''s a pity it can only be used once every seven days. If you have this need, I can try to negotiate on your behalf." Chang Jinze''s voice carried a bit more laughter, "The new owner has a good relationship with me." S~ea??h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Then thank you for that, I''ll mention it if I need it," Qin Chuan said with a laugh on his face, while inwardly thinking, ''damn it,'' he firmly decided to keep his distance from Chang Jinze from then on. He certainly did not want his talents observed through Insight. When he found an opportunity, he would pin down the new owner of the Insight Talent and steer clear of him from then on. After exchanging a few pleasantries and hanging up the phone, Qin Chuan finally noticed a message he had received during the call. He only looked at it once, and his expression immediately turned serious. [Special Task Cooperation Invitation] Chapter 140 - 140 Challenge! Hall Rank Lv36 Rapid Freeze Bird! (April 2200 Monthly Ticket Extra) "Teacher Ji, are the numbers of Third Rank demon beasts increasing?" At night, after practicing sword skills with Ji Huai, Qin Chuan suddenly spoke up. Having already secured a guaranteed admission, he didn''t need to continue with cultural studies; he thought it better to spend that time practicing the Unnamed Breathing Skill more. However, Qin Chuan still attended the Extraordinary Theory Class and Extraordinary Practical Combat Class regularly in the evening, as his learning was not for college entrance exams. That morning, he received an invitation for a special collaboration task and chose to participate. Compared to the last task at East Lake, this demon beast incident was much smaller in scale, but there were three Third Rank demon beasts. The task went smoothly, but Qin Chuan couldn''t help but worry. He always felt that the number of Third Rank demon beasts was increasing faster than expected. "Indeed," Ji Huai dusted off his sleeves and nodded at the words, "Demon beasts have simple ways to advance, including natural growth and devouring each other to quickly grow stronger." "Conventional weapons do limited damage to them; large-scale thermal weapons might even be absorbed by them to enhance their own energy, so we have to rely on Extraordinary Power." "But Transcendents need to advance their Spiritual Beasts to enhance their own Extraordinary Value, and the requirements for advancing Spiritual Beasts are much higher than those for demon beasts; it''s hard for us to keep up with the growth in strength of demon beasts." "Therefore, not just Yanhuang, but the whole world places great importance on eradicating demon beasts. While we still can overcome them, we should suppress them as much as possible in their infancy." "But you don''t need to be overly anxious," Ji Huai glanced at Qin Chuan''s tense face and spoke calmly, "The rank division of demon beasts is benchmarked against that of Spiritual Beasts." "Although our Transcendent power comes from Spiritual Beasts, it is essentially not the same system," Ji Huai''s voice carried a tone of calm, "We have cultivation methods, which allow for deeper development of Extraordinary Power." "We have higher combat skills, which allow us to use individual combat power more efficiently." "Also, our Extraordinary Value is the sum of several Spiritual Beast Species Values and Affinity, inherently higher." "Although most people can''t achieve this, Official Level Players have the strength to counter Third Rank demon beasts." This point, Ji Huai himself was the clearest example. "Our current focus on offering Extraordinary Practical Combat courses is primarily to empower more players to gain stronger power under difficult promotion circumstances." "At this stage, it''s only implemented in secondary and tertiary institutions because educational resources are very limited." "But this is only the situation at present; the scope will continue to expand in the future." "Eventually, everyone will be cultivating, everyone will become stronger." "I understand," Qin Chuan nodded, gaining a deeper understanding of the current situation. After explaining to Qin Chuan, Ji Huai coolly turned around, leaving only one sentence. "From tomorrow, I will continuously switch weapons and moves to spar with you." Qin Chuan grimaced, unable to care about demon beasts anymore. In tonight''s sparring, he had successfully grappled with Ji Huai for 30 rounds. So, he was about to be thrashed again. ----------------- Dream World. Coming to her senses, Yue Li immediately looked sideways at Qin Chuan, her eyes carrying a bit of oddness, "Now I''ve become the possessor of the Holy Sanctuary Talent." "It''s okay, since we started being promoted to Elite Level Players, we''ve been under global player scrutiny," Qin Chuan said with a shrug, "More debts won''t crush us." "Besides, this misjudgment isn''t necessarily a bad thing," he continued with his thought from real life, "Now everyone knows that the Holy Sanctuary can disable all Talent Effects." "Without Talent Effects, we can only rely on the original strength of the Contracted Spiritual Beasts." "Not many can surpass us in that regard; it may even deter some who are targeting us," he added with a smile. "That makes sense," Yue Li nodded slightly, then her eyes showed a hint of worry, "But Matsusaka Shigeki and Erik..." These two individuals were strong enough to threaten them and were currently in the same area. "Let them fight among themselves first," Qin Chuan mused, "Forcing out Erik''s Third Talent, Matsusaka Shigeki will go all out against Erik until Erik is dead or the seven Dream Days are over." "I''m not sure if he''ll target us after dealing with Erik, but after challenging the area''s Spiritual Beast, we''ll soon be leaving here." At that point, Qin Chuan''s eyes slightly drooped, hiding a trace of sharpness. He clenched nearly 20 seconds worth of Time Stop in his hand, ready to teach anyone who dared approach him a lesson. Matsusaka Shigeki, best not to provoke him. "Right," Yue Li nodded, "If things go smoothly, we''ll be able to leave area 3273 tomorrow. It won''t be easy for them to find us if we''re not in the same area." Both being highly noticed players, their every move from one area to another was revealed after leaving the Dream World, though there was still a time lag. Moreover, Yue Li had luck on her side. "Let''s not talk about that. Let''s go see how formidable the Rapid Freeze Bird is," Qin Chuan chuckled, glancing at the four beasts beside them, rearing to go. Though the Hall Rank was only one rank higher than the Elite Rank. Having the title of a regional Spiritual Beast meant overcoming it wouldn''t be so simple. During their Growth Rank, the four beasts had worked together at full strength to successfully kill a Level 20 Elite Rank Blue Scale Jiao. Now their opponent wasn''t just any newly Advanced Hall Level Spiritual Beast but at Level 36. Facing an enemy for the first time, without knowing the extent of its strength, called for caution. Seeking the regional Spiritual Beast didn''t require the guidance of the Third Talent of the Sun Needle. The Special Affairs Group had already marked the territory ranges of the Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts on the map of each area. Initially, their purpose was to warn players not to court death. Six hours later, Qin Chuan and Yue Li stood at the base of a snow-capped mountain. Compared to the majestic, snow-blanketed mountain before them, the snow hill where they first found the ice cream seemed insignificant. Staring up at the summit of the snow mountain, the assassin''s innate instinct tensed Snow Cream''s little face. It faintly sensed a dreadful opponent at the top of the mountain. One unimaginably powerful. But to become equally strong, it must first overcome this foe. "Let''s go," Qin Chuan took a deep breath and took the first step into the territory of the snow mountain. As both individuals and all four beasts entered the range of the snow mountain, the harsh snow and wind abruptly stilled. A sharp, authoritative cry echoed from the peak of the snow mountain. In the next instant, a gigantic bird covered in ice-blue feathers and dragging long icicle-like tail feathers, emitting a severe cold, and with wings spanning over ten meters in width soared from the summit. In just a few seconds, it crossed the vast snow mountain and appeared right above their heads, its icy eyes filled with a cold murderous intent, radiating a formidable aura far surpassing the Elite Rank, powerful enough to take one''s breath away. Text then appeared in front of both Qin Chuan and Yue Li. [Triggered regional Spiritual Beast Challenge, Opponent: Hall Rank Lv36 Rapid Freeze Bird] [Number of Challengers: 2/10] [Challenge Rules as follows] [1. Regional Spiritual Beasts cannot injure players or be killed] [2. If a player exits the territory range, the Regional Spiritual Beast halts its attack, and the challenge is deemed a failure] [3. Upon completion of the challenge, the Regional Spiritual Beast loses memory of the challenge process] [Challenge begins] ----------------- Tonight at midnight is the deadline for adding one more update for every 100 monthly tickets in April. Starting from 3750 tickets, there have been 66 updates so far, with 24 already restored, and more to follow! Sear?h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thank you for the support from all subscribers! Orz Chapter 141 - 141: Soul Fusion, Three Talents, The Lion Falls! The spiritual beasts of the town area couldn''t be killed... No wonder obtaining advanced resources required defeating the corresponding town area spiritual beasts. The thought flashed through Qin Chuan''s mind, but as the Rapid Freeze Bird let out a fierce cry and swooped down towards the four spiritual beasts below, he quickly suppressed his thoughts. Now was not the time to consider this. "Water Flower!" "Woof!!!" A blue light radiated from the Shape-shifting Water Crown atop Water Flower''s head, and at the instant it activated its Starshine Equipment, it let out a forceful bark. The significant boost in Attribute Control Power caused the blood within the Rapid Freeze Bird to momentarily stall, and its preparatory movements for attack became somewhat distorted. Effective! Both Qin Chuan and Yue Li felt an upsurge of joy, and the other three spiritual beasts also made their moves at this moment. The bright fireworks entwined with the raging wind raised heat waves so intense that they visibly melted the snow plains around them. Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong cooperated silently, and without waiting for the Rapid Freeze Bird to react, a fiery tornado enveloped its massive body. On the other side, Ice Cream slowly lifted the Frost Blade. A faint glow covered Qin Chuan''s body, a lucky buff from his second Talent of Prayer, and not just for him, but for Water Flower and Ice Cream as well. Following this, every strike from Ice Cream would trigger a critical hit, receiving an 84% attack boost. "Screech" With a cry mixed with anger, the Rapid Freeze Bird suddenly presented an extremely terrifying subzero temperature around it, and the fiery tornado engulfing it was instantly frozen, the frightening Ice Attribute power sealing both the storm and flames in ice. Swinging its wings to shatter the ice around it, it reemerged almost unscathed, and immediately set its sights on Ice Cream, which it faintly felt posed a threat. Kill this one first! The eyes of the Rapid Freeze Bird grew cold, and it immediately plunged toward Ice Cream with its sharp, immense claws emanating a chilling blue light. "Crack" Accompanied by the faint sound of ice cracking, Ice Cream shattered into flying snow, and the Frost Snow Gauze it wore transformed into biting frost, beginning to spread over the Rapid Freeze Bird''s body from the claws it touched. [Frost Freeze], activated! "Meep!!!" Ice Cream, having reappeared, split in two, with the double actively charging towards the Rapid Stream Break thrown by Water Flower, while the real body, upon the double''s shattering, cut down with an extreme strike. Total damage boost, 488%! The blade''s trail was bright like snow, cold like frost, like a waning moon cutting through the sky, and in an instant, it deeply struck the Rapid Freeze Bird''s belly with a grating sound. The next moment, Ice Cream''s figure shattered again, with water, fire, and wind powers enveloping from different angles, swallowing the Rapid Freeze Bird in an instant! The clashing Attribute Powers churned against each other, raising an energy storm that swept up the surrounding frost and snow, cloaking the entire battlefield in chaos. "Screech!!!" Two seconds later, the Frost Freeze effect was lifted, and the Rapid Freeze Bird''s cry suddenly turned furious, as it violently flapped its wings, sweeping up a chilling wind that cleared everything, revealing its massive body once again. A gaping wound several meters long was evident on its abdomen, looking particularly ferocious. Under the intense pain, the Rapid Freeze Bird''s strength erupted further, and a long feather at its head''s center shone brightly. [Rapid Freeze (Starshine Level 10): Attribute Power increases by 30%, Attribute Control increases by 45%] As the Starshine Equipment was activated, the Rapid Freeze Bird flapped its wings and soared dozens of meters into the air. In the next instant, ice blue breath blasted down like heavy artillery, and even the void bore marks of frost wherever it passed. Four Spiritual Beasts awkwardly dodged, barely waiting for the breath to end before countless ice crystal spears rained down like the end of the world. Qin Chuan''s expression changed, and without hesitation, he pulled Yue Li out of the Rapid Freeze Bird''s territory. Sarch* The N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ice crystal spears in the air instantly froze, then vanished, and the wound on the chest of the Rapid Freeze Bird healed as if it had never been, its gaze sweeping over the two humans and four beasts before turning to fly back to the summit of the snowy mountain. Four words appeared in front of the two of them. [Challenge Failure] ----------------- "Erik-kun~ I''ve missed you so much since yesterday." Today, Matsubara Takashi still wore that characteristic squinting smile, but his behavior was that of a Western gentleman, entirely different from the day before. Erik''s expression remained cold as he watched Matsusaka Shigeki stand before him once again. Behind him, besides the forest deer from yesterday, there were two more Elite Rank Lv30 Spiritual Beasts. These two Spiritual Beasts, having been defeated by the forest deer with the boost of its first and second Spirit Ascension Talents, had been fully leveled up in his hands and become a temporary source of power. With the three Spiritual Beasts all powered by the first and second Spirit Ascension Talents, theoretically, they should be able to battle against Matsusaka Shigeki''s Fusion Spiritual Beast. "Matsusaka Shigeki, today, I won''t give you the chance to instantly teleport away." Erik pronounced each word distinctly as he instantly activated the second Spirit Ascension Talent. As their Race Values climbed progressively higher, the three Spiritual Beasts rapidly pounced towards Matsusaka Shigeki. "Alas~" Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile gained a hint of helplessness, his squinted eyes opening a slit as a cold light flickered through, "This isn''t very gentleman-like at all." "Go, my children~" At Matsusaka Shigeki''s signal, his three Spiritual Beasts instantly met Erik''s, clashing into a fierce battle. Initially at a disadvantage due to lower Race Values, they quickly fell into a losing position. But as they gradually merged the three combat zones, the situation suddenly reversed. Watching the three Spiritual Beasts fight as if controlled by a single mind, flawlessly coordinated, skillfully outmaneuvering a stronger opponent, Erik''s pupils constricted sharply. And on Matsusaka Shigeki''s face, the smile grew even more radiant. "Erik-kun, I see your confusion." He placed one hand on his chest and the other behind his back, striking the pose of a classic Western noble, "Now, please allow me, Matsusaka Shigeki, to clarify it for you." "Soul Fusion first Talent Effect, when Contracted Spiritual Beasts are in a joint battle state, they all receive a Race Value boost of X5% based on the number of fighting Spiritual Beasts, greatly enhancing their combat synergy." "You..." Erik''s pupils narrowed as he bellowed, "Spread out!" "Too late!" With a snap of Matsusaka Shigeki''s fingers, the three Spiritual Beasts instantly merged into the same Fusion Monster from the day before, catching one off guard for a lethal strike, then turning to the others. "Soul Fusion second Talent Effect, merge all Contracted Spiritual Beasts to form a Fusion Spiritual Beast with a Race Value equal to the total of the original beasts, effective for five minutes, once per entry into the Dream World." As the second and third Spiritual Beasts fell one after another to the Fusion Spiritual Beast, Erik''s face quickly paled, "Why..." "Spurt~" Before he could finish, the sharp bone spurs of the Fusion Spiritual Beast pierced through his chest. Matsusaka Shigeki opened his eyes wide, filled with madness, his lips curling into a ferocious smile. Why? Because you, with the Spirit Ascension Talent, have been my prey from the very beginning! Soul Fusion third Talent Effect, activate! [After slaying a Player, absorb one Talent Effect of the player as an additional personal Talent Effect; retains only one additional Talent Effect, usable once every seven entries into the Dream World] Chapter 142 - 142: Traceless Appearance! Deadly Cooperation! "Soul Fusion (Gold)" "When contracted spiritual beasts are in a joint battle, all receive a race value boost of the number of battling spiritual beasts X 5%, greatly improving combat coordination." "Fuse all contracted spiritual beasts to form a fusion spiritual beast with a race value equal to the sum of all contracted spiritual beasts'' race values, lasting 5 minutes, usable once per entrance into the Dream World." "Upon killing a player, any talent effect of that player''s talent can be taken as an additional talent effect for oneself, retaining only one extra talent effect, usable once every seven entrances into the Dream World." "Current extra talent effect source: Spirit Ascension (Gold)" "Temporarily boosts all contracted spiritual beasts'' race values by 200%, stackable with the first and second talent effects, lasting 5 minutes, usable once every seven entrances into the Dream World." Looking at the talent details before him, Matsusaka Shigeki opened his mouth wide, letting out a wild laugh that echoed across the plain for a long time. Was Spirit Ascension the strongest? No! Now he was the strongest!!! Soul Fusion was a talent that became stronger with the increase in the number of contracted spiritual beasts. At this moment, combined with the Third Talent of Ascension, Matsusaka Shigeki could give his fusion spiritual beast a further 200% boost to its race value! "Now, I have no opponents!" "Yes, a truly terrifying talent," a voice floated into his ears, as if speaking right beside him. Matsusaka Shigeki''s pupils constricted sharply, the madness in his eyes temporarily masked by astonishment. He swiftly turned his head to see the female player who stood just a meter away, her arms crossed, her cloak unable to hide her seductive figure, wearing a mask beneath her hood. Behind the female player followed three spiritual beasts at the Elite Rank. When had she arrived? How could she have approached him so silently at such a distance?! He casually clicked on the scanning light point and after seeing the scan results, even the fake smile that perpetually hung on his face became rigid. "Player Name: Oriel." "Player Level: Apprentice Level." "Contracted Spiritual Beast: Flame Devouring Lizard." Apprentice Level... Damned Apprentice Level! Matsusaka Shigeki''s gaze turned dangerous as he looked at the woman before him. "Traceless?" The only player he could think of, who could have such a talent, was that Gold-Talent player, who could have exposed herself early on but never truly did. "It''s me." The woman nodded slightly, directly admitting her identity, "When you killed that Red Talent player and acquired the Instant Teleportation talent ability and headed straight for Erik, I knew, you were rather interesting." "Any interest in cooperating?" "Cooperate?" Matsusaka Shigeki chuckled with a smirk, the fake smile returning to his face, "I''m sorry." "I much prefer slaughter and lone-wolf tactics!" The information the other party provided proved one thing. She had been observing him from the shadows for a long time. And he had not noticed it at all. Such an opponent must die! As his words fell, the three spiritual beasts that had just undergone a fierce battle quickly lunged towards Oriel, their fighting spirit surging. The first talent effect of Soul Fusion activated instantly. "That''s not a good habit," Oriel''s voice held a hint of mockery. In a flash, she and her three spiritual beasts vanished from the spot, leaving no trace behind. A cold sweat streaked down Matsusaka Shigeki''s forehead. Instant Teleportation? No... He had an intuition that she was still here, just concealed by some means. His three spiritual beasts roared, indiscriminately attacking the area where Oriel had just been and the nearby region, to no avail. Since the opponent was gone and they were no longer in joint combat, the race values of the three spiritual beasts that had been boosted now fell back down. In the next instant, Oriel appeared before Matsusaka Shigeki, grasping his collar to lift him up, her light green eyes beneath the mask bearing a chilling oppressiveness. Accompanied by a scream, one of Matsusaka Shigeki''s Spiritual Beasts was instantly killed by the suddenly appearing opponent. "Considering you haven''t wasted your once-in-seven-days Spirit Ascension Talent, consider this a small warning," Oriel released her hold, standing tall as she faced Matsusaka Shigeki, "You may have gained the effects of the Spirit Ascension Talent, but you''ve also lost your true threat." "Your Talent is no longer full of endless possibilities." "Wake up, Matsusaka Shigeki." "You are not the strongest." Matsusaka Shigeki fell silent for a moment, and the insincere smile on his face vanished. "Did you just say... cooperation?" "Correct," Oriel''s voice became light-hearted again, "I cannot beat the town''s Spiritual Beast, but you can, so you help me defeat the town''s Spiritual Beast!" "If I''m not misunderstanding... cooperation should be mutually beneficial, right?" Matsusaka Shigeki looked at Oriel, his eyes narrowing as they began to gleam with a dangerous light. "Exactly!" Oriel''s eyes were filled with sincerity. "Not killing you is already the greatest favor." ----------------- "The town''s Spiritual Beast really is strong," Yue Li said as she sat on a large rock, looking towards the majestic snow mountain in the distance, her face showing a hint of helplessness, "We''ve all put forth our best effort, but we still can''t subdue our opponent." "Ying~" Ice Cream hung its head in dejection. Thanks to the team''s coordination and the element of surprise, Ice Cream was able to make its mightiest slash, but it could only wound the opponent because the Rapid Freeze Bird''s defense was too strong. And for Ice Cream, this slash was its only chance. Because after its attack, the Rapid Freeze Bird would ascend to the sky, attacking from a distance with a sweeping barrage. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Woof!" Sensing its companion''s disheartened state, Water Flower, Little Blue, and Little Red gathered around, comforting Ice Cream, though they too felt uneasy within. After all, they couldn''t think of any way to handle such a formidable opponent. Leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree, Qin Chuan wore a contemplative expression. After the recent battle, he could be almost certain of one thing: four Elite Rank Lv30 Spiritual Beasts were not enough to defeat the town''s Spiritual Beast. Even if he filled the empty Contract Slot with a new Spiritual Beast and maxed out the Rank, Qin Chuan still saw no hope for successful defeat. Such an overwhelming strength seemed utterly despairing. "Luo, why aren''t you speaking?" Yue Li''s voice snapped Qin Chuan out of his thoughts. "I am thinking, can Elite Rank players really defeat the town''s Spiritual Beast?" "Of course, there''s a way," Yue Li''s mouth twitched slightly, "Challenging the town''s Spiritual Beast can be accomplished with up to 10 people together." "The odds of 10 Elite Rank players overwhelming the town''s Spiritual Beast and completing the challenge are very high." "But..." Yue Li didn''t continue, but Qin Chuan understood what she meant. They couldn''t gather eight Elite Rank players to challenge the town''s Spiritual Beast. This was the price of being ahead. Currently leading the entire game with few equals, they couldn''t just wait for other Elite Rank players to gradually level up; they could only rely on themselves. Depend on themselves... Qin Chuan opened the player panel, his eyes focusing on the last line. [04:52:16/08:00:00][00:00:19] His eyes slightly downcast, his voice became determined. "I think, let''s try one more time!" Chapter 143 - 143 Time Stop Again! Slash the Rapid Freeze Bird! (April 2250 Monthly Ticket Extra) "No problem." Upon hearing Qin Chuan''s words, Yue Li nodded. "Tomorrow..." "No, let''s try again today." Qin Chuan interrupted Yue Li, looking up at her. Their eyes met, and Yue Li fell silent at the sight of Qin Chuan''s determined and bright gaze. "This Dream Day, both my second and third Talents are unusable." "That''s alright." Qin Chuan quickly thought of a solution. "I still have Water Flower and Brave Heart; I only need one chance with the blade." "One blade is enough." The youth''s soaring confidence, like a dazzling, luminescent gem, momentarily mesmerized the girl who had her gaze fixed on him. "Then..." Realizing she had been caught off guard, Yue Li quickly shifted her gaze aside, and after a moment, slightly pursed her lips. "What do you need me to do?" Qin Chuan smiled. "No rush, we can even start by seeking a treasure during the next three hours." ----------------- [Ranking List Day Settlement Begins] [Congratulations to the player for ranking 1st on the Spiritual Beast List (Elite Rank), Experience Gem +200] [Congratulations] Watching the lines of text appear before him, Qin Chuan, who had just swept through the surrounding resources with Yue Li and returned to the outer perimeter of the Snow Mountain, looked slightly startled. He remembered that at this time yesterday, he was 2nd on the Spiritual Beast List, while the 1st was Erik, who had defeated Matsusaka Shigeki in a three-on-one battle. He didn''t have any remarkable achievements today, yet he ranked 1st? Realizing a certain possibility, Qin Chuan immediately opened the Spiritual Beast List. He could no longer see the name of that lion. "Erik deleted his account so quickly?" Yue Li, not much slower in reaction, looked surprised at this revelation. "Maybe not. Perhaps he left area 3273?" Qin Chuan continued looking down at the other players on the list and shook his head slightly. "Matsusaka Shigeki is also not on the list." "Do you mean Erik might have left area 3273 to avoid Matsusaka Shigeki''s pursuit, and Matsusaka Shigeki left to catch him?" Yue Li thought for a moment. "That''s possible." "Either way, their being out of area 3273 is good for us." Qin Chuan smiled, "We need to hurry up and kill the Rapid Freeze bird and leave here." "Mm..." Yue Li nodded, looking at Qin Chuan worriedly, "Are you sure?" "Trust me." Qin Chuan responded with a firm gaze. "Then I''ll trust you this time." Yue Li pursed her lips. She did not ask where Qin Chuan''s confidence came from, just as she didn''t reveal her own personal circumstances; even close partners should have their own private spaces. Sarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As time ticked by, Qin Chuan began to methodically arrange the battle plan. "Little Red''s power repels Water Flower and Water Flower, and can only exert a fraction of its strength on Snow Mountain, so you won''t join the upcoming battle. Your task is to find a Spiritual Beast to support Water Flower." "Squeak~" Little Red waggled its tail, accepting the command and departing. "Little Green and Water Flower, distract the opponent, buying time for Water Flower to make a move." "Water Flower, be ready to take the final action." The three beasts nodded together, clear on their next moves. Qin Chuan glanced at the time and casually added a second to the Time Stop duration, then quietly waited. [07:59:45/08:00:01][00:00:18] "Let''s go." Qin Chuan, with Yue Li and the four Spiritual Beasts, stepped into the territory of the Rapid Freeze bird. "Graa" A shrill screech echoed through the entire Snow Mountain, and the Rapid Freeze bird swiftly approached and then hovered above the heads of the two people and four beasts. Its gaze was just as indifferent as in their last encounter, as if it had never seen the challengers before. And that was indeed the case. According to the challenge rules, once the last challenge ended, its memory faded away. This meant that Water Flower could use its Blood Control Ability unexpectedly again, and Snow Ice could land that crucial blow without the opponent understanding their capabilities. But that alone was not enough to secure victory. They needed a little bit of Golden Finger. [Challenge Begins] After a ten-second "interlude animation," the prompt appeared and the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird, just like last time, immediately dove down. [07:59:55/08:00:01][00:00:18] Greeting the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird was Water Flower''s authoritative bark. "Woof!!!" The Giant Rapid Freeze Bird''s body stiffened abruptly, its wings poised to flap but halted, its rapidly descending body instantly lost balance and crashed straight into the Tornado that erupted suddenly. Xiao Qing made her move. The ferocious whirlwind engulfed the enormous body of the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird, spinning so fast that its shape blurred, whirls counting in the tens in a blink. Even the Hall Rank Giant Rapid Freeze Bird was somewhat stupefied under such a combo. It took a full two seconds before it managed to recover from the dizziness, bursting out with a terrifying presense as its wings vibrated sharply. The howling ice storm tore the tornado apart, and the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird, stabilizing its form, shook its head and immediately swiped its sharp talons at the closest figure. Its claw missed, clutching only at shattered afterimagesthe Giant Rapid Freeze Bird paused instantly. A duplicate? Strong power surged from behind, chilling the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird''s mind. It spun around rapidly only to be enveloped instantly by a sky-descending waterfall. "Boom!!!" The Sky-Rolling Waterfall''s crushing force exploded instantly, subjecting the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird to immense pressure from all directions, causing it to burst out with frost in an attempt to freeze the water flow. "Woof!!!" Another bark at this critical moment and the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird felt its blood solidify, its heart seemingly gripped by an invisible hand. Again! Fire of anger sparkled in the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird''s eyes. Frost burst from its body, instantly freezing the torrential waterfall. Completely focused on the battle at hand, it failed to notice in the corner, Little Red holding down a Juvenile Stage Little Rock Monster as Snow Ice delivered the final blow. The Little Rock Monster died, triggering the Brave Heart. Snow Ice surged forward with its sword. [07:59:59/08:00:01][00:00:18] As the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird shattered the completely frozen Sky-Rolling Waterfall, it faced the already poised Snow Ice. It let out a cry and, without thinking, swiped fiercely with its claw. "Crack" The sound of ice breaking echoed, a thin layer of frost instantly coated the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird''s body. [Frost Cold], activated! Snow Ice reappeared elsewhere, raising the Frost Blade high, bringing it down heavily with chilling ferocity! [08:00:00/08:00:01][00:00:18] The chill surrounding the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird became static, its gaze solidifying, and its massive body''s defense neutralized by the stagnation. Overpowered by Ice''s force, it was now frozen entirely by the overwhelming power. With everything around falling into absolute silence, the world seemed to only contain the endless cold light of that slicing blade, cleaving the Giant Rapid Freeze Bird in two like a hot knife through butter. [08:00:01/08:00:01][00:00:19] [Dream World Entrance Closes] Chapter 144 - 144: Eriks Final Frenzy! (April additional chapter for reaching 2300 Monthly Tickets) "That slash..." Having awakened in reality, Qin Chuan relished the memory of that overwhelming slash, the excitement still lingering on his face. The effect of Time Stop surpassed his expectations. An absolute effect that even halted the operation of Extraordinary Power meant stripping away all the buffs and enhancers attached to a Spiritual Beast, leaving only the raw physical strength. Even a Spiritual Beast of Hall Rank couldn''t possibly withstand the full force of Xuegao''s slash. The only uncertain part for him was whether splitting the Rapid Freeze Bird in two with a single instant slash at the very last second should count as a kill. Would this violate the challenge rules? Could he still obtain the corresponding Advanced Resources smoothly? This point could only be verified upon his next entry into Dream World. If he could still acquire Advanced Resources in this way, he would be able to use this method to defeat other district Spiritual Beasts! A district Spiritual Beast would only require one second of Time Stop time... Impossible to exhaust, utterly impossible! Once he collected all the Advanced Resources for the Contracted Spiritual Beasts, his Time Stop duration would only increase! And under such circumstances, he wouldn''t have to worry about Yue Li noticing any hint of Time Stop. Although the Dream World only seems to pass in an instant between a Player''s exit and reentry, the consciousness of the Player experiences sixteen hours of real time one would never notice a seamless transition, let alone a missing second or two. As long as he didn''t make any overly obvious positional changes immediately before and after Time Stop, he wouldn''t give himself away. With the district Spiritual Beast issue resolved, the challenge before him now was the Hall Crystal. At this thought, a sharp light flashed in Qin Chuan''s eyes. According to the agreement with Dragon Halberd, the Third Talent would refresh in three days, and he would use the Third Talent to help Dragon Halberd find the missing Rare Resource. On this matter, Qin Chuan had no intention of reneging or delaying since Dragon Halberd helped him resolve the issues with Insight and Erik and had even taken on threats that would have required Qin Chuan''s own use of the Third Talent, potentially at a loss due to Insight. Thus, the refresh of the Third Talent in ten days would be the moment he obtained the Hall Crystal. As for Yue Li, just like when searching for Rare Resources, she didn''t want her own needs to hinder Qin Chuan''s progress, so they agreed that once he truly acquired the Hall Crystal, they would test together whether it could be obtained through Prayer. Suppressing the thoughts in his mind, Qin Chuan took out his mobile phone and opened the Dream Realm Forum. Due to both Erik and Matsusaka Shigeki''s names vanishing from the Ranking List of District 3273, he was uncertain about their situations within the Dream World. However, on the Dream Realm Forum, the latest updates across the server would be integrated in real-time, and even if those two guys had moved to other districts, he could find out their specifics. Sure enough, the moment he accessed the Dream World forum, his gaze was firmly locked onto a post with several hundred thousand comments. "Spirit Ascension Talent shines again, Erik gave up! Bros, quick, delete your accounts and start over, maybe your bicycle will turn into a motorcycle!" It appeared Erik had indeed deleted his account, but... Bicycle into a motorcycle? Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched slightly. He couldn''t deny that with the popularity of the Spirit Ascension Talent, there probably wouldn''t be a shortage of people doing this. Curiosity led him to click through the post, and he found that until the last second of last night, the Spirit Ascension Talent had not dimmed. After all... The surge caused by Insight Talent the night before last had dramatically reduced the number of Official Level Players worldwide who hadn''t yet chosen a Talent. The number of players still able to choose Spirit Ascension yesterday had greatly dwindled. Qin Chuan exited the post and soon came across another one. "Shocking! The person who made Erik delete his account is actually him!" He clicked to see, and the post was about Matsusaka Shigeki. Matsusaka Shigeki maintained his usual traveling speed, instantly traversing two zones to appear in Zone 3275, and his battle record was updated with new achievements of having slain all of Erik''s Contracted Spiritual Beasts. Seeing this news, Qin Chuan let out a slight sigh of relief. He had thought that given Matsusaka Shigeki''s initial approach of targeting top players from different zones, he would set his sights on Qin Chuan after killing Erik. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To his surprise, after killing Erik, Matsusaka Shigeki simply moved on. If you say he''s normal, well, he''s on the road every day. If you say he''s not normal, upon further thought, it had been over ten days since Matsusaka Shigeki last killed any innocent players, almost as if he had changed his nature. Even now, the online resistance and vigilance against him had greatly diminished because of it. To this moment, Qin Chuan was still unclear of the other''s logic in his actions. But not having to consider him an enemy for the time being was always good. Just as he was about to exit the forum, a freshly posted thread made his gaze freeze once again. Erik had made a statement. He didn''t stream live, but he used his own social media account to release a lengthy post. The content of the post was explosive. He had publicly revealed the full Talent Effects of the Gold Spirit Ascension, Insight, and Soul Fusion Talents. Players in the Special Affairs Group who had obtained the Insight Talent were probably sweating profusely by now. The Third Talent of Spirit Ascension turned out to be even stronger than Qin Chuan had previously estimated. Now, there would likely be even more players willing to delete their accounts and try to acquire the Spirit Ascension Talent. Qin Chuan''s gaze moved to the Talent Effects of Soul Fusion. The next second, his expression became puzzled. The Third Talent Effect of Soul Fusion... Instant Teleportation? ----------------- At the same time, across the ocean in Erik''s mansion. "It''s over," Eric said, haggard and with unkempt hair, throwing his phone aside and looking at the middle-aged man whose features resembled his own, a trace of self-mockery on his lips, "Now, you can laugh at me." "No father would laugh at his child," said Lauren Solag, Clan Leader of the Solag Family and Erik''s father, speaking calmly, "However, it''s true that you, who have not faced many setbacks since childhood, do indeed need a proper setback." "Is that why you watched indifferently?" Erik glanced at his father, his expression neither sad nor happy, as if resigned, "Tell me, what''s the family''s decision?" After obtaining the Gold Spirit Ascension Talent, he had not consulted with the Solag Family and unilaterally chose to publicize the Talent, thereby pressuring other members of the Solag Family to join his side. Other family members had long been dissatisfied with this, but out of respect for the Spirit Ascension Talent, they had not spoken out. Now that he had lost the Spirit Ascension, actions from the other family members were inevitable. "From now on, you are not to step out of this villa, nor are you to contact the outside world," Lauren got up and walked towards the villa''s door, "All the Low-level Resources you need will be delivered to you promptly; this is the only privilege you have as a marginalized member of our family." "Only by obtaining a Red Talent or above may you return to your former position." Erik watched Lauren''s retreating back in silence but suddenly spoke up. "Was there something wrong with my high profile?" Lauren paused. "Being high profile is not wrong." "Born into the Solag Family and possessing a Gold Talent, you are entitled to be high profile." "But my child, being high profile does not mean you can overlook everything." "The human heart is a prison; if your heart contains no opponents, those outside the prison will naturally come for you." Chapter 145 - 145: Second Generation Insight, Su Yuanshan! "This Erik..." Within a conference room at the Special Affairs Group Headquarters, Chang Jinze, staring at the lengthy post by Erik on the Dream Realm Forum, couldn''t help shaking his head, "Having lost his Gold Talent, he has completely exposed it." "I can understand." Opposite Chang Jinze, a man sitting with a pair of half-framed glasses, who had a rather refined look, pushed up his glasses and showed a slight smile. "If I were in his shoes, I probably would do the same." "To reveal the Talent Effect of Soul Fusion is to take revenge on Matsusaka Shigeki who killed him, and to reveal the Talent Effect of Ascension is to make it hot to handle for subsequent players who acquire this Talent." "And what about Erik revealing the Talent Effect of Insight then?" Chang Jinze glanced at the man before him with a touch of sympathy, "You ended up in an undeserved disaster." That night, though the Special Affairs Group was well-prepared, the first round of draws was a complete failure, failing to secure Insight. Members of the Special Affairs Group who only got blue or lower Talents restarted right at the scene and re-entered Dream World, striving to reach the nearest Dragon Gate Camp. With the assistance of other Special Affairs Group personnel at the camp, the second round of draws was launched and finally secured it. The man wearing glasses before him was the lucky member and also a colleague whom Chang Jinze had known for years. Su Yuanshan, a detective with a resounding reputation throughout the entire Criminal Investigation Department before joining the Special Affairs Group, was known as "Four-Eyes Fox." "Not really an undeserved disaster," Su Yuanshan said with a slight shake of his head, his expression calm, not at all annoyed that the Gold Talent he had just acquired and had scarcely used had been exposed. "Erik must have guessed the Special Affairs Group''s actions after killing Conni, guessed that Insight was in our hands." "In fact, we were the reason he was killed by Matsusaka Shigeki." "So... it''s not exactly an undeserved disaster." "Moreover, don''t worry about it." Su Yuanshan glanced at Chang Jinze, "Insight is different from other Talents; even if I openly tell you its effect, you still won''t be able to guard against it fully." Chang Jinze looked thoughtful. "It seems you are quite pleased with this Talent." "Indeed," Su Yuanshan nodded. "Of the nine Gold Talents, the exact effects of several are still unclear, but I think this one should suit me the best." "It might not come into play quickly, but it will definitely be crucial in turning the tides of the game." "That player named Conni didn''t fully exploit its advantages, but I will not make that mistake." "I am quite certain of that," Chang Jinze nodded in agreement, thinking of the former owner of the Insight Talent whom he had killed. That guy was at best a little clever, being able to blindly turn to Erik like that, evidently not having much wisdom to speak of. And the Talent of Insight, it was meant for smart people. Only a wise man who could string together each seemingly ordinary clue and maximize its use to influence the game could utilize this Gold Talent to its fullest potential. Luckily, Su Yuanshan before him had both the confidence and the capability for it. "The higher-ups intend to team us up," Chang Jinze said slowly. "Soon Luo will help me find the missing piece of Rare Resources I need. By the time I advance to Elite Level, I should just be about ready to meet up with you in Dream World." "Good," Su Yuanshan nodded and then suddenly asked, "There''s a female player named Yue Li around Luo. You''ve been in close contact with her during this operation, any findings?" "Yue Li?" Chang Jinze thought about the girl who always followed Luo''s lead and replied nonchalantly, "Other than being quite strong, nothing really remarkable, I guess?" Hearing this, Su Yuanshan couldn''t help but sigh and shake his head. "What''s wrong?" Seeing the expression on Su Yuanshan, Chang Jinze frowned. "Does this Yue Li have any special significance?" Instead of answering, Su Yuanshan questioned back, "Previously, when Luo proactively approached you to confess his Talent, and later when you asked him again if his Talent was Prayer, he also proved it himself, right?" "Yes," Chang Jinze couldn''t stop glancing at Su Yuanshan, "Are you still suspicious that he possesses the Prayer Talent? But what does this have to do with your questions about Yue Li?" "I don''t think Luo holds the Prayer Talent," Su Yuanshan pushed up his glasses, "but during the process of stating his own Talent, he often subconsciously avoids mentioning Prayer." "That was an expression of someone quite familiar with the ''Prayer Talent Effect''," Su Yuanshan said. "Are you suggesting... Yue Li?" Chang Jinze widened his eyes in disbelief, his gaze towards Su Yuanshan now laced with amazement. Despite having direct communication with Qin Chuan, Chang Jinze hadn''t noticed the slightest clue. Yet, Su Yuanshan was able to detect hints of it just by reviewing their conversational records after the fact. Was their gap really that wide? "Moreover, I think there''s a good chance that Qin Chuan might also possess some Gold ''Talent'' that we are unaware of," Su Yuanshan stated calmly, "because when he faced you, he maintained an equal stance, implying he didn''t place much emphasis on your ''Holy Sanctuary.''" "Under normal circumstances, one wouldn''t do so without having a Gold ''Talent.''" "Maybe it''s because he''s used to being around a holder of the ''Prayer Talent'' every day?" Chang Jinze offered his own speculation. Su Yuanshan''s previous deduction was logical and well-founded, but he was less convinced by this one. "That''s why I said it''s a possibility," Su Yuanshan replied thoughtfully. "His ''Talent'' can locate Rare Resources, but that alone isn''t sufficient." "If Luo can obtain a ''Hall Crystal'' through his ''Talent,'' becoming the first to advance a ''Spiritual Beast'' to ''Hall Rank,'' then I can be certain that his ''Talent'' is some unknown Gold ''Talent.''" "Gold ''Talent''..." Chang Jinze fell silent. Although the internet was rife with speculations that both Luo and Yue Li possessed Gold ''Talents,'' he had always found that hard to believe. Considering their past trajectories, both had been allies from the moment the ''Ranking List'' first appeared. Both winning Gold ''Talents'' simultaneously? The odds were astronomically low. Now, even with Su Yuanshan suggesting it, Chang Jinze couldn''t help but doubt. "When Luo gives you the Rare Resources, you can reveal some key information to him," Su Yuanshan eyed the contemplative Chang Jinze. "In Erik''s recount, Matsusaka Shigeki used ''Instant Teleportation'' to trick out his ''Third Talent.'' The next day, while it was still on cooldown, he killed him." Sarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "In defeating Erik, ''Instant Teleportation'' was crucial." "Matsusaka Shigeki, a notorious killer on the leaderboards, suddenly halted his killing spree and made a beeline for Erik." "That day Erik provoked Matsusaka Shigeki during a live broadcast, but that wasn''t the real reason for Matsusaka Shigeki''s change." "The real reason was that he had killed a player with the ''Instant Teleportation Talent.''" "What?" Chang Jinze''s pupils shrank sharply. He was aware of all of this information. But knowing and being able to connect the dots were very different things. As Su Yuanshan reasoned, a terrifying speculation unfolded in Chang Jinze''s mind. Su Yuanshan spoke again. "The true effect of ''Soul Fusion''s'' Third Talent is to use the ''Talents'' of the players he kills." "So..." "The current Matsusaka Shigeki can use the ''Talent Effect'' of ''Ascension.''" Chapter 146 - 146: The Truth of a Corner of the Dream World "Too slow!" "Is that all your sword has to offer?" "No! Absolutely not!" On the empty training ground, Ji Huai''s reprimands echoed intermittently, his weapon changing seamlessly within his grasp; every time Qin Chuan picked up his weapon with renewed vigor, he found himself defeated within five rounds. It was as if yesterday''s success of thirty rounds against Ji Huai was merely a hallucination of Qin Chuan. Yet Qin Chuan knew that this was just Ji Huai starting to show his true skills. What he was witnessing now was the pinnacle of his craft. Standing before him now was a true Weapon Master. "Clang" With another sound of steel clashing, Qin Chuan only felt Ji Huai''s soft sword coil around his own horse-cutting saber like a snake, its force yanking the saber uncontrollably out of his hand, causing it to fly and embed itself obliquely ten meters away in the ground. "You need more practice," Ji Huai said calmly as he retracted his weapon, delivering his verdict for the day. Qin Chuan: "..." Damn it! It had to be said that today Ji Huai indeed managed to push back Qin Chuan''s somewhat inflated ego; he had thought withstanding thirty rounds against Ji Huai meant he had few equals. As Ji Huai turned to leave, he seemed to remember something, glancing back at Qin Chuan, "If you have a Spiritual Beast that can use a long sword, you could start teaching it the basics of swordplay." What do you mean ''if''? You clearly know everything about Ice Cream, don''t you? Qin Chuan silently retorted, happily agreeing out loud, knowing that Ji Huai''s words were a sign of recognition C at least he wasn''t going astray in teaching Ice Cream the sword skill fundamentals. Thinking back to one of his original purposes for learning the sword from Ji Huai, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but feel excited. During this period, not only had he combined the knowledge from Extraordinary Theory Class to teach Water Flower how to use Blood Control Ability, but as he gained new insights into using Water Flower''s skills in reality, he would immediately pass them on to help her grow stronger. The various new enhancements of Sky-Rolling Waterfall, magnified by the strength of the surging waters, were one such result. Looking at Ice Cream, though strong, Qin Chuan hadn''t been able to teach it much. After all, Ice Cream''s abilities were too ultimate. Despite being an Ice Attribute, it couldn''t learn many Ice Attribute offensive methods. It had only Frost Breaking Slash, and it only needed Frost Breaking Slash. Remembering the times he had instructed Water Flower on their journey, with Ice Cream watching on the side, occasionally revealing a hint of envy in its eyes, Qin Chuan felt this would be good news for it. When he snapped back to reality, Ji Huai had already left. It was very late, and Qin Chuan didn''t dare to linger any longer. He rushed home and quickly went to bed, falling into a deep sleep. ----------------- "Boom!!!" As soon as he entered the Dream World, Qin Chuan heard a thunderous crash. The Rapid Freeze Cold Crystal bird, split in two by Ice Cream, fell heavily onto the snowy plain, prompting Yue Li, who had also just regained consciousness, to exclaim in shock. "We really won?!" She was utterly astonished, her eyes wide and for a moment, looking somewhat adorably dumbfounded, "One slash took down the Rapid Freeze Cold Crystal bird?!" "I told you, trust me." Seeing Yue Li''s stunned face, Qin Chuan was in high spirits and spoke with a chuckle. As they spoke, text simultaneously appeared before both of them. [Challenge Success] [Congratulations to Player for defeating the Hall Rank Lv36 Grand Rapid Freeze Bird] It seemed that the attack completed during the Time Stop also counted as a challenge success. With this confirmation, Qin Chuan was in high spirits and quickly walked towards where the body of the Grand Rapid Freeze Bird had fallen. As text emerged, the fallen carcass of the Grand Rapid Freeze Bird turned into points of light and dissipated, leaving behind only a shimmering spindle-shaped ice crystal. [Congratulations to Player for obtaining Advanced Resources: Rapid Freeze Cold Crystal] Weighing the chilling Rapid Freeze Cold Crystal in his hand, Qin Chuan casually inserted it into the Advanced Array of Water Flower. One-fifth of the Advanced Array lit up, and Water Flower, who felt her Ice Attribute power enhanced, couldn''t help cheering. It wasn''t until this moment that Yue Li, who had been following close behind, finally caught on. "Didn''t they say it was impossible to kill the Spiritual Beasts in the town area?" "Uh..." Qin Chuan couldn''t explain this either; he only focused on the killing part and not the consequences, "Maybe it''s a bug?" "What about other Players who need to challenge the Grand Rapid Freeze Bird in the future?" Yue Li''s mouth twitched slightly, a strange look appearing on her face. "Shall we try?" Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan felt a bit guilty, "During the previous challenge, the Grand Rapid Freeze Bird healed instantly after getting injured. Maybe now it could also..." As he spoke, even he struggled to continue. How could it possibly resurrect itself after being split in half and vanishing on the spot? "Let''s give it a go." Yue Li glanced at Qin Chuan as if holding back a laugh, curious to see how he''d explain this. She stepped boldly outside the territory of the Grand Rapid Freeze Bird. Qin Chuan followed her out, and then both, along with their Spiritual Beasts, turned around and re-entered the beast''s territory. "Shriek" Hearing that familiar cry and watching the Grand Rapid Freeze Bird, which Water Flower had just sliced in two, soar high from the mountaintop as if nothing had happened and come flying towards them, Qin Chuan and Yue Li''s expressions froze simultaneously. They quickly stepped out of the territory and watched the Grand Rapid Freeze Bird fly back to the peak and then disappear once again. Qin Chuan turned his head to Yue Li, "There wouldn''t be a Grand Rapid Freeze Bird''s nest up there, filled with a flock of them, would there?" "It''s obviously the same one." Yue Li pressed her lips together, just as shocked by the scene before her, "Even if they''re the same kind of Spiritual Beast, individuals would have some differences in appearance." "The Grand Rapid Freeze Bird just now was identical to the one you slew." "Alright then." Extinguishing the last bit of hope, Qin Chuan''s gaze grew solemn, "Are the town area Spiritual Beasts actually real Spiritual Beasts?" He was starting to doubt this. Challenging a town area Spiritual Beast was a completely different situation than the usual slaying of Spiritual Beasts. Merely by entering the territory of a town area Spiritual Beast, one would be considered to have initiated a challenge. After undergoing the exact same appearance procedure, the Spiritual Beast would emerge before them. The special challenge rules made the town area Spiritual Beast act unfamiliar with the Players each battle, granting them trial and error opportunities over and over again. And then, there were the town area Spiritual Beasts that would instantly recover back to their original state after a challenge. The rule of "town area Spiritual Beasts cannot be slain" within the challenge did not mean they could not be killed during the challenge, but that even if they were killed, they would resurrect once the challenge concluded. If many aspects of Dream World behaved like a game, this one certainly seemed the most game-like of all. He simply couldn''t imagine a Spiritual Beast that could casually heal itself or even resurrect was truly real. "Maybe, it really isn''t one." Yue Li gazed towards the direction of the snowy mountain peak, a contemplative look in her eyes, "The town area Spiritual Beast''s behavior is very programmed, like a predetermined setup that executes only according to the set steps." "I have a speculation." She looked at Qin Chuan, "Perhaps somewhere, this Grand Rapid Freeze Bird really does exist." "But the one before us, it''s just a projection." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 147 - 147: Regional Barriers, New Ideas (April Bonus for 2350 Monthly Tickets) "Projections..." Qin Chuan was stunned by Yue Li''s guess, and a whirlwind of connections sprang to his mind. If the massive Rapid Freeze Bird before them was just a projection of another real Rapid Freeze Bird, who was projecting it, and where was the real Rapid Freeze Bird? The thought was terrifying. Qin Chuan''s mind became somewhat chaotic. He had thought that as his strength continued to increase, he would get closer to the truth of the Dream World. He hadn''t expected that the more powerful he became, the thicker the fog before his eyes would be. Shaking his head, he temporarily put aside these guesses, which still seemed far-fetched to him at the moment, and looked at Yue Li, "Matsusaka Shigeki has left zone 3273; we don''t have to worry about him targeting us for now." "Next, we need to acquire Advanced Resources as quickly as possible and become stronger." "It''s time to set off for the game sector where the next target town''s Spiritual Beast resides." "Okay," Yue Li nodded. She took out the route map planned in advance, "The next target, zone 2967''s town Spiritual Beast, the Hall Rank Lv37 Gale Wolf King." The four Spiritual Beasts required to defeat a town''s Spiritual Beast were different, and their distribution on the map was completely random. Yue Li''s planning only considered the shortest route; which resources corresponded to which Spiritual Beast was not within her considerations. "Squeak" Xiao Qing let out an excited cry. Because defeating the Gale Wolf King would bring it the Advanced Resources. "Let me look at the route." Yue Li opened the overall server map and zoomed in for a glance. She quickly arranged their itinerary, "This place is not far from the major barrier. Let''s head to zone 3272 first, then transfer to zone 3172. We can reach zone 3171 today." The route for the past days had also always been planned by Yue Li, and it had proven to be the most efficient. This also eased Qin Chuan''s mind a great deal. "Let''s go." Qin Chuan swung up to sit on Water Flower''s back, with Snow Cone following close behind. Yue Li, holding Little Red, sat on Xiao Qing''s back. The two set off immediately, and half an hour later, a pure white semi-translucent membrane appeared in front of them, piercing the sky from the ground, dividing everything. That was the major area barrier. Once they crossed it, their Player Names would disappear from the Ranking List of zone 3273 and show up in the adjacent zone 3272 instead. Although this wasn''t the first time for them crossing the major area barrier, Qin Chuan suddenly thought of something, "Tomorrow is the weekly settlement, isn''t it?" "That''s right." Yue Li answered while they already passed through the light membrane at a very high speed, "What about it?" Qin Chuan shared his idea, "I was thinking, we could arrive at a major area barrier before the weekly settlement starts tomorrow, and stand on either side of the barrier." He continued, "This way, we could get more rewards during the settlement." Similar tactics had emerged in the first week when the Ranking List appeared. If a certain zone was too competitive, players unable to secure first place there would consider transferring to an adjacent, less competitive zone to get more rewards in the Ranking List settlement. Qin Chuan and Yue Li had not done so before because they traveled together; their Talents complemented each other perfectly, and they couldn''t part ways. Plus, standing on either side of the major area barrier during the weekly settlement was not really beneficial from a rewards perspective. The top spot on the Spiritual Beast List received a choice resource, while places 2-10 received random ones. With Prayer, random equaled choice; why go out of the way to take a detour? Now was different, though. Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List rewards were not Resources, but Advanced Resource Fragments. Separating zones for settlement, Yue Li could get two extra Advanced Resource Fragments every week. Two Advanced Resource Fragments wasn''t a huge number, but at a critical moment, that might be all you lacked. More Importantly, they were crossing zones constantly now anyway, so splitting for the weekly settlement was convenient and not a hassle. "Alright," Yue Li instantly realized and smiled, "I can finally refresh the Achievement Store at a seventy percent discount." Only the top-ranked on the Achievement Leaderboard gets a seventy percent discount at the Achievement Store, starting from the second rank it''s fifty percent off. Qin Chuan had previously suggested they take turns holding the first place, but Yue Li didn''t want to take advantage of that arrangement, so for three consecutive weekly settlements, she accessed the Achievement Store at a fifty percent discount. If it weren''t for Prayer being able to acquire more suitable resources during daily resource exploration, her progression speed would hardly catch up to Qin Chuan''s. The gap in Achievement Points between the two wasn''t significant; as long as she wasn''t in the same district as Qin Chuan, claiming the top spot on the Achievement Leaderboard would be a piece of cake for Yue Li. Although the resources available in the Achievement Store weren''t of much use for Small Blue and Red, who were about to break through to Elite Rank, it was entirely feasible to stock up resources in advance for the third Spiritual Beast. "Actually, you could have done that earlier," Qin Chuan said resignedly, glancing at the stubborn girl. She seemed to have a particular aversion to being taken care of. Yue Li pressed her lips together in silence as Small Blue, gliding low and fast, and Water Flower, sprinting at high speed, moved side by side, with the scenery rapidly receding around them. Two hours later, they crossed District 3272 and entered the territory of District 3172. They needed to rest and adjust here before ultimately entering District 3171 just as the Dream World''s entrance was about to close. The two found a resource-rich forest and stopped by a stream in the woods, where Water Flower and Red took on the tasks of hunting, collecting edible fruits, and cooking, soon disappearing from the spot. As Qin Chuan awaited their return, he recalled Ji Huai''s words before entering the Dream World, stood up from the ground, broke off a tree branch to use as a long sword, and approached Ice Cream. "Ice Cream, starting today, I''m going to teach you a sword skill!" "Meep?" Ice Cream looked at Qin Chuan with a mix of surprise and confusion. It had often seen Qin Chuan coaching Water Flower, but guidance towards it had been scant, causing feelings of envy towards Water Flower to arise in its heart. Did this mean it was now going to receive guidance from Qin Chuan as well? Sarch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But... To teach a sword skill, would a mere tree branch suffice? Ice Cream was somewhat skeptical but cooperated nicely by nodding its head, expressing eagerness. Yue Li, sitting under the shade of a nearby tree resting her head on her hands, watched with interest. "Now, follow my lead," Qin Chuan instructed, taking a deep breath. He gripped the thicker end of the branch with both hands, recalled the images Ji Huai had shown him, then lifted the branch high and chopped down forcefully. "This is Chopping Blade..." On the clearing by the stream, Ice Cream controlled the long sword, straining to grasp the basics of the sword skill under Qin Chuan''s guidance, while Yue Li watched the large and small figures intently, her gaze flickering and slightly mesmerized. Beside her, Small Blue folded its wings, observing carefully and thoughtfully. Its Instant Wind Slash could, perhaps, take cues from the sword skill and become even more powerful. Suddenly, Small Blue''s gaze sharpened, sensing something, and swiftly looked towards the nearby lawn. All that met its eyes were soft, tender green grass blades. But through the shadows cast upon the grass blades, Small Blue saw a clear cluster of energy. After evolving into the Wind-breaking Falcon, Small Blue had lost its original special Energy Vision, but the transformation of its Passive Skill, Eagle Eyes, into StarEagle Eyes had fortuitously added the Energy Vision effect. Something was hiding in the grass, but it couldn''t escape its sight. Chapter 148 - 148: The Hollow Beast in the Shadow! (April 2400 Monthly Ticket bonus chapter) Sensing the presence of a third party under the shade, Xiao Qing silently moved closer to Yue Li''s direction. It didn''t pay much attention to this unknown individual, as its perception told it that the other party was very weak. However, it still promptly and quietly informed Yue Li of the situation. Yue Li''s eyes flickered slightly, she didn''t turn around to look at the location, pretending to know nothing and continued to watch the one person and one beast practicing with the sword by the creek, arms around her knees and a smile on her face. Soon, Water Flower and Xiao Hong returned with various fruits and two weak Spiritual Beasts they had hunted; Xiao Hong breathed out flames and skillfully started cooking. Ever since Qin Chuan discovered this guy''s talent for cooking, he had handed over the arduous task of cooking to Xiao Hong, who had not let everyone down, and now had even more experience, his culinary skills no longer inferior to Qin Chuan''s. Before long, two people and four beasts sat around in the shade, with a clean dining cloth in the middle, piled up like a small hill with freshly picked fruits still wet with dew and roasted beast meat golden-brown, sizzling with oil and emitting a mouth-watering rich fragrance. There was also a pot of soup, made from a few fish Water Flower had casually caught and stewed, the soup was milky white, fresh but not fishy, and didn''t need too much seasoning, surprising Yue Li with its taste. "Let''s eat!" Qin Chuan swallowed his saliva, tore off a beast leg with his bare hands, the golden skin concealing large chunks of tender meat with visible juices under the sunlight, making one eager to take a bite and savor its delicious flavor. He handed the beast leg to Yue Li, then blew on his hands and tore off another leg, taking a bite. The crispy skin gave way to the soft texture of the meat, the subcutaneous fat having melted into the fibers of the meat during thorough roasting, several spices from this world eliminating the last bit of greasiness, making the meat''s flavor doubly profound. The rich fragrance that quickly filled his mouth and nose made Qin Chuan''s eyes light up, and he couldn''t help but give Xiao Hong a thumbs-up. Indeed, such tasks should be left to a Fire Attribute Spiritual Beast. "Squeak~" Xiao Hong proudly shook its tail, holding the nuts specially picked for itself, its sharp teeth skillfully cracking open the surface to reveal the layered nuts inside. Water Flower and Xiao Qing were equally unreserved. Whenever Water Flower opened its big mouth, part of the food on the dining cloth would disappear, chewed away quickly, both fruits and meat unable to escape. Xiao Qing''s claws, sharp as knives, deftly tore the meat into large chunks, half given to Water Flower, the other half slowly shredded into strips and swallowed. Usually, Water Flower ate faster than Xiao Qing, and later, it would look at Xiao Qing''s remaining meat with a covetous gaze. At that moment, Xiao Qing would glare fiercely at Water Flower, with an expression that said, "If you dare touch it, I''ll kill you." Among the four spiritual beasts, the one who ate the most elegantly and peculiarly was probably Xue Gao. It only needed to lightly hover over the food, cover the food with the hem of its body, and in the next instant, the food would disappear without a trace. As the two people and four beasts wolfed down the meal, the food on the dining cloth visibly diminished. Just then, a faint sound of swallowing salvia arose nearby. The four Elite Rank Lv30 Spiritual Beasts instantly captured the sound, and except for Xiao Qing, who was already prepared, the other three glanced toward a certain spot under the shade, looking puzzled. "What''s up?" Qin Chuan poked his head out of a beast steak the size of half his face, his expression blank, cheeks smeared with a bit of grease. "You better wipe it off." Seeing Qin Chuan''s somewhat comical eating style, Yue Li couldn''t help but smile, putting down her food, she took out a handkerchief and passed it over. After Qin Chuan cleaned his face, she slowly spoke, "While you were teaching Xue Gao sword skills, an uninvited guest arrived." "An uninvited guest?" Qin Chuan followed the gaze of the four beasts, but only saw tender green grass leaves. Invisible? Or underground? Or was it something else? As many guesses sprang up in his mind, Qin Chuan spoke loudly, "No use hiding, we''ve already spotted you." After one second, two seconds, three seconds. In the gaze of the two people and four beasts, a pitch-black firelight suddenly emerged on the grass leaves shaded by the canopy. The firelight was not blazing hot; although it had the form of fire, it was not of the Fire Attribute. Drawing power from the surrounding canopy, the scale of the black fire grew bigger, from the size of a fist to that of a basketball, then with a muffled "bang," the firelight exploded and transformed into a Spiritual Beast with a somewhat strange appearance. It looked like a black cat without a single speck of another color on its body, but its head was covered by a pale bone helmet, only exposing one fluffy ear. In place of the other ear was a pale white horn, with a pitch-black flame burning at the tip of the horn, identical to the flame from when it first appeared. There were clear cracks at the mouth and nose areas of the bone helmet, yet it was impossible to see the interior. What caught the most attention were the black, hollow eye sockets on the bone helmet. At the moment of its appearance, this Spiritual Beast subconsciously trembled in front of the four Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts, and despite its vacant eyes, its instinctual leaning back motion and its tucked tail clearly expressed the fear in its heart. It did not choose to flee, but instead looked towards the food on the tablecloth, its twisting body revealing its inner indecisiveness. Both Qin Chuan and Yue Li saw the scanning results of the Spiritual Beast in front of them. [Spiritual Beast Species: Shadow Flame Cat] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Dark Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv10] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Dark Attribute Spiritual Beast Shadow Flame Cat, friendly yet timid in nature, likes to silently observe its surroundings from the shadows.] Observing from the shadows? That did indeed match the behavior of the Shadow Flame Cat just now. But as to its timid nature, that might be questionable. For a Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast to face four Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts without running away, its courage was almost as good as ice cream. Or perhaps... it was truly desperate with hunger? "Come here, have something to eat." Qin Chuan casually picked up a piece of fruit, gesturing for the Shadow Flame Cat to come over. The four beasts looked at each other and subdued their auras. Sensing the goodwill from Qin Chuan and his group, the Shadow Flame Cat gradually calmed its trembles and cautiously took a few steps forward. Seeing that the four formidable Spiritual Beasts in its eyes did not stop it, it gathered more courage and quickly approached Qin Chuan. But it did not take the fruit from Qin Chuan''s hand. Instead, its vacant eyes silently turned towards the roasted meat in front of Qin Chuan. "So you wanted to eat meat," Qin Chuan realized. That made sense. The Shadow Flame Cat, after all, was a Juvenile Stage Lv10 Spiritual Beast and finding food to stave off hunger was not an issue for it. Only the roasted meat, which it had never eaten before, would pique its interest like this. It seemed it wasn''t desperate from hunger, but truly a food lover. Tearing off a piece of meat and handing it to the Shadow Flame Cat, Qin Chuan watched as it instantly enveloped the meat in pitch-black flames. Moments later, the flames dissipated, the meat disappeared, and Qin Chuan''s eyes twinkled with amusement. Come to think of it, he seemed to have a special connection with black cats. Sear?h the ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Shadow Leopard he first encountered in the Dream World, a leopard which also counts as a cat, made perfect sense. The mutated black cat he met in reality, which later became his opponent at the final moment of his assessment. And now, another black cat. Chapter 149 - 149: The Contract, The Third Spiritual Beast! The Special Affairs Group has an internal report called the Spiritual Beast Atlas. There are dedicated personnel responsible for the daily maintenance and updating of the Spiritual Beast Atlas, which records details of the spiritual beasts that members of the Special Affairs Group have either contracted themselves or learned about through other means, including their traits and the effects of their skills. Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At present, the Extraordinary Practical Departments of various colleges are in the exchange phase with the Special Affairs Group, where both parties share all intelligence, and resource transactions are carried out using special points. And Qin Chuan, he''s an "S+" rated student at Yan University. He has the authority to view many internal reports that are not disclosed to the public. Because he''s currently lacking a third contracted spiritual beast, Qin Chuan accessed the Spiritual Beast Atlas at the first opportunity after gaining the authority. This atlas was even more comprehensive than he had imagined. It contained information about Water Flower and Ice Cream, which also made Qin Chuan realize why his identity had been targeted so quickly. Although he hadn''t had the authority for long and hadn''t finished reading all about the spiritual beasts in the atlas, he just happened to have looked through the section about the Shadowflame Cat. If his memory served him correctly, the traits and skills of the Shadowflame Cat Qin Chuan looked at the Shadowflame Cat in front of him, his smile growing warmer. Seeing that the cat had finished a piece of meat, he tore off another piece and placed it in front of it, "Eat more, there''s plenty." Yue Li, standing beside him, wore an expression of surprise. Familiar with Qin Chuan as she was, seeing his expression at the moment, she realized what the guy was up to. She had pretended not to notice, simply curious about the Shadowflame Cat''s purpose and allowing it space to act, but could it be that Qin Chuan had actually taken a liking to this little fellow? Sensing Yue Li''s questioning gaze, Qin Chuan smiled and made eye contact with her, nodding slightly. After eating the third piece of beast meat, the Shadowflame Cat shook its head, indicating it couldn''t eat anymore. Despite this, it looked at the meat on the tablecloth with a greedy look still in its eyes. Indeed, a glutton. Qin Chuan chuckled to himself and softly spoke up, "If you follow me, you can eat meat like this every day. Would you like that?" The Shadowflame Cat instantly turned its head, its hollow eyes intently focused on Qin Chuan. Although there was no sound, its rapidly twitching long tail and its eager movements clearly showed that it was willing. Surprise and curiosity crossed the eyes of Water Flower and Ice Cream as they looked at the Shadowflame Cat, assessing a potential future partner. Was this pitch-black guy going to be their partner? Contract Slot locked, contract complete. As the image of the Shadowflame Cat appeared on the third skill slot, the Spiritual Beast panel instantly unfolded. [Spiritual Beast Species: Shadowflame Cat] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Dark Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv10][Advanced] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Ghostly Shadow Charm] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 500] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 72%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Dark Flame (Passive), Shadow Erosion (Active), Shadow Escape (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: A Dark Attribute Spiritual Beast, the Shadowflame Cat has a friendly yet timid nature, and enjoys hiding in shadows to silently observe its surroundings.] Sure enough, the traits and skills were accurate. Glancing over them, Qin Chuan felt certain in his heart. He clicked through one by one, reviewing the effects. Similarly, they were just as recorded in the Spiritual Beast Atlas. [Ghostly Shadow Charm: Recovers and boosts by 10% in the Shadow Space, with a speed increase of 30%.] [Dark Flame: A passive skill that allows switching to Dark Flame form at will, gaining 10% damage reduction.] "Shadow Erosion: Active Skill. Uses a vast amount of Shadow Power to erode the target''s shadow, inflicting real damage that ignores defense." "Shadow Escape: Active Skill. Opens a Shadow Space within the shadows, where one can hide their presence and gain a 20% damage reduction." Real damage, damage reduction. Combining these two rather rare traits, the Shadow Flame Cat may be friendly and timid, but its strength was undoubtedly genuine! Every Spiritual Beast has a Defense Attribute, which indicates its resistance to damage, and most of this resistance does not come from the physical strength of the Spiritual Beast''s body. It is only the Demon Beasts that rely on their physical strength for defense, while the defense of a Spiritual Beast is a dense protection formed naturally by the adherence of Extraordinary Power to their bodies. If there is a large gap in strength between two Spiritual Beasts, the weaker one might not even be able to break through the other''s defense, completely incapable of causing harm. During the challenge against the Rapid Freeze Bird, Ice Cream''s all-out strike only managed to wound the opponent because it had extremely high defense. So, what happens when an attack can ignore such defense? This, Qin Chuan understood all too well. Because the strike he delivered during Time Stop was an attack that ignored defense. Time Stop caused Extraordinary Power to come to a standstill, leaving the Spiritual Beast with only its most basic physical defense. Compared to strong Extraordinary Defense, this level of defense was almost negligible. It was that very strike that bisected the Hall Rank Lv36 Rapid Freeze Bird in one fell swoop. And now, the Shadow Flame Cat could perform a similar attack without the aid of Time Stop! Despite the significant energy drain, the effect was worth it! As for damage reduction, it was another rare trait. It was different from defense and had an effect resisting real damage. Because real damage, too, was included in the scope of damage! The Shadow Flame Cat''s Dark Flame and Shadow Escape combined could provide a 30% damage reduction, and this reduction could stack with the Shadow Flame Cat''s own defense effects, allowing it to both dish out considerable damage and withstand hits better than the average Spiritual Beast! Moreover, the ability of the Shadow Flame Cat to hide itself within the Shadow Space made it appear and disappear unpredictably. Just this ability alone was of great value! Previously, Qin Chuan had mentioned he hoped his third pet would be suitable for some close-combat abilities. The skills of the Shadow Flame Cat undoubtedly met his needs. So when a Shadow Flame Cat appeared before him, Qin Chuan was thoroughly tempted. After some exploratory contact, he was very satisfied with its personality. Under the lure of his culinary delights, the Shadow Flame Cat agreed to the contract. With that, the outcome was naturally joyous for everyone involved. "Congratulations on contracting the Spiritual Beast of your dreams," Yue Li finally understood why he had chosen to contract it without hesitation, after listening to Qin Chuan''s explanation. However, Yue Li''s focus was on something else. "Did you just say... you''ve been accepted into Yan University without examination?" "That''s right," Qin Chuan smiled, "I was planning to share this good news with you a couple of days ago, but the matter with Erik slipped my mind." Luo would go to Yan University... Upon receiving Qin Chuan''s affirmative answer, a flicker of turmoil passed through Yue Li''s eyes. "I remember you telling me before that we were in the same grade." Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li, his voice filled with a hint of anticipation, "You''re so good at your studies, getting into Yan University or Huaqing wouldn''t be difficult for you, not to mention you definitely have a preferential treatment for your practical combat assessment grade. In a few months..." "I won''t be going to Yan University or Huaqing." Yue Li suddenly sped up her speech, interrupting Qin Chuan, "I... I have a relative who teaches at Yue Mountain University, and I will probably go there." "Yue Mountain University, huh..." A tinge of disappointment showed on Qin Chuan''s face, but he quickly smiled again, "That''s good too, the climate in the south is nourishing." Watching the visible disappointment in the young man, Yue Li felt a twinge of sympathy, and her delicate features softened with tenderness. "There will be a day when we meet again." After she could stand tall once more. Chapter 150 - 150 Another Use of the Third Talent of Prayer Hearing Yue Li''s soft and gentle voice, Qin Chuan''s feeling of loss quickly dissipated. After all, it was the first time Yue Li had mentioned meeting in reality. Thinking about it, even if they weren''t attending the same high school, with how developed transportation was nowadays, would it really be difficult to meet? With this thought, Qin Chuan cheered up again and couldn''t help but look towards Yue Li. Yue Li had already turned her gaze away, her eyes slightly downcast as she murmured softly, "You haven''t named the new Spiritual Beast yet." "Oh, right." Qin Chuan redirected his attention back to the Dark Flame Cat in front of him, touching its smooth head and fluffy ear, "Shall I give you a name?" He pondered for a moment, his eyes landing on the solitary horn on the other side of the Dark Flame Cat, "Silver Horn?" "Pfft" Before the Dark Flame Cat could respond, Yue Li, standing beside, had already thought of a character from a classic novel, and she covered her mouth as her shoulders began to tremble lightly. "It does seem a bit hasty," seeing Yue Li''s reaction, Qin Chuan scratched his head awkwardly. Just as he was about to give the Dark Flame Cat another name, he felt a force from its head against his palm. It was rubbing against Qin Chuan''s hand, showing its liking for the new name. "Since you like it, let''s keep it," Qin Chuan smiled. Thus, the third Spiritual Beast was named. Thinking that he hadn''t checked what resources were needed for Silver Horn''s advancement, Qin Chuan opened its advancement page. His face showed surprise once again. A third of Silver Horn''s Advanced Array had already lit up, with only two slots. Wild Spiritual Beasts, guided by their convergence, would gradually acquire the resources needed for their own advancement. Typically, a Juvenile Stage Spiritual Beast needs just one piece of low-level resources, and acquiring the next two becomes increasingly easier with enhanced strength. This allows them to complete their advancement into Growth Rank in a relatively short time. But there are exceptions. If a wild Spiritual Beast is contracted by a player during this intermediate stage, any acquired low-level resources would light up the corresponding sections of the Array, and the slots would decrease accordingly. Clearly, Silver Horn was such a case. Six days ago, during the third weekly achievement store settlement, Qin Chuan refreshed the random low-level resources and purchased two limited items. Considering the future needs of the third Spiritual Beast, he had exchanged them ahead of time using Achievement Points. Now, with just the power of prayer, he could directly advance the Dark Flame Cat. Coincidentally, today''s resource exploration had yet to start. With that thought, Qin Chuan turned to Yue Li, "Shall we start exploring resources now?" Yue Li''s eyes shifted, realizing Qin Chuan wanted to utilize the power of luck, "Do you have enough low-level resources to advance Silver Horn? If not, I have some." "Silver Horn already got one, and I have two random ones, just enough." "That works." Yue Li clasped her hands together, quickly blessing Qin Chuan with luck. The two were conveniently in a forest, a place often richer in resources. They didn''t even need to bother looking for exploration points, as Qin Chuan directly activated the Sun Needle''s second talent, obtaining the other two pieces of low-level resources needed by Silver Horn and embedding them into the Advanced Array. The advancement was completed in a smooth motion. In the bright light, Silver Horn''s size visibly increased from a small juvenile cat to the size of a medium feline cat. Its physique became more agile, and its claws also showed a black flame. [Spiritual Beast Species: Dark Flame Cat] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Dark Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv20][Advanced][Evolution] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Ghostly Shadow Charm] "Spiritual Beast Species Value: 2000" "Spiritual Beast Affinity: 76%" "Spiritual Beast Skills: Dark Flame (Passive), Shadow Erosion (Active), Shadow Escape (Active), Shadow Devouring Poison (Active)" "Spiritual Beast Introduction: Dark Attribute Spiritual Beast, Shadow Flame Cat, friendly yet timid, enjoys quietly observing its surroundings from the shadows." Two pieces of Low-level Resources, Advanced, and Level increases each brought about a 1% increase in Affinity. In this aspect, Silver Horn''s increase in Affinity was somewhat similar to that of Water Flower, highlighting a sense of stability. However, the specific Affinity increase pattern of Silver Horn would still need to be discovered and summarized by Qin Chuan through future interactions. After advancing, Silver Horn gained a completely new skill. The introduction of Shadow Flame Cat in the Spiritual Beast Atlas stopped at the Juvenile Stage''s three initial skills. This skill was unfamiliar to Qin Chuan. He casually opened it and quickly saw a detailed introduction. "Shadow Devouring Poison: Active Skill, condenses anomalous shadow power, targets touched by it suffer continuous true damage that ignores defense." True Damage again! Compared to Shadow Erosion, the damage from Shadow Devouring Poison was much lower, but it had the advantage of persistence. The output effect of this skill wouldn''t be bad, and more importantly, Qin Chuan saw the possibility of pairing it with other Attributes. Dark Attribute didn''t conflict with Water or Ice Attributes; if Shadow Devouring Poison could be added to other Attribute attacks, it would result in higher hybrid damage. Seeing the smile on Qin Chuan''s face, Yue Li knew that Qin Chuan was also very satisfied with Silver Horn''s new skill. After understanding the skill, she first exclaimed and then suddenly thought of something. "When do you plan to find Rare Resources for Silver Horn?" Hearing this, Qin Chuan''s expression stiffened slightly. He had almost forgotten about this issue. One piece of Rare Resource meant one use of the Sun Needle''s Third Talent. However, the next two uses of the Sun Needle''s Third Talent had already been planned, so the earliest he could obtain Rare Resources for Silver Horn would be in half a month. Other resources needed for advancement could be gathered by Qin Chuan in the short term. This meant that Silver Horn would endure quite a long wait. But delaying the Breakthrough to Elite Rank by even one day meant losing more rewards from the Ranking List''s settlement. Sear?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Missing a weekly settlement would directly cost him eight Advanced Resource Fragments. Seeing Qin Chuan''s expression, Yue Li couldn''t help but smile, "Let me handle finding the Rare Resources for Silver Horn." "This way, you can save a use of the Sun Needle''s Third Talent." "Hm?" Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li unexpectedly. If it were Yue Li''s own Contracted Spiritual Beast, she wouldn''t need the Sun Needle''s Third Talent, using the Second Talent combined with Prayer''s triple luck could suffice after several attempts. But Silver Horn was his Contracted Spiritual Beast, what was Yue Li planning to do? Seeing Qin Chuan''s confusion, Yue Li smiled, "Did you forget? The Third Talent of Prayer can transfer luck." "I can apply the Second Talent''s luck to myself and then transfer all of the triple luck to you, allowing you to use my method to search for Rare Resources." "The duration of the Third Talent is one hour; once transferred, the luck is fixed, effectively extending the Second Talent, which originally lasts only ten minutes, to one hour." "Since the duration now exceeds the transfer cycle of Rare Resources, your probability of finding Rare Resources is not one-third, but one hundred percent." "But this could be very dangerous for you." Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li gravely, "After you transferred luck to Erik, he encountered Matsusaka Shigeki." "I will stay by your side," Yue Li said with a smiling gaze. "You will protect me, right?" Chapter 151 - 151: High-Privilege Exclusive Service (April bonus chapter for 2450 Monthly Tickets) Gazing at the girl in front of him, Qin Chuan really wanted to tell her that if possible, he would prefer to nip the risks in the bud. But as their eyes met and he saw the bright, determined light in the girl''s eyes, he knew that this girl, who often listened to him on ordinary days, was surprisingly resolute about certain matters. Even if he disagreed, she would probably go ahead with her plans regardless. So... Taking a deep breath, Qin Chuan''s voice grew firm. "I will definitely guard you every step of the way." Then he saw it, the glorious sight of the brilliant sunlight sprinkling atop Yue Li''s even more brilliant smile. "You don''t have to worry too much," Yue Li said with a lift at the corner of her lips that couldn''t be suppressed after hearing Qin Chuan''s comforting words. "Even if I lose all my luck, I won''t necessarily be in danger." "Since our strengths are similar, most things that could put me in danger would also endanger you, and with your high fortune, you would naturally be able to avoid some hidden dangers." "So... as long as we don''t split up, even if something unfortunate happens, it will be within controllable bounds." "That''s good to hear." Hearing this, Qin Chuan let out a small sigh of relief, but still couldn''t resist repeating, "No matter what, I will guard you every step of the way." Yue Li belatedly realized her cheeks were ablaze, the heat spreading to the tips of her ears. In Luo''s eyes, her face must be completely flushed... With this thought, she couldn''t help but turn her face to the side, trying not to look into Qin Chuan''s star-like eyes, but the words he had just said echoed in her mind, feeling that she ought to respond somehow, so she mumbled with a stutter at the corner of her lips. "Got it... got it~" The scene suddenly fell silent, with only Silver Horn eyeing the unfinished beast meat on the tablecloth. After a moment''s hesitation, it sneaked closer and swallowed it in a puff of Dark Flame. Sarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other four beasts couldn''t help but cast odd looks at Silver Horn. After a while, when the burning sensation on her cheeks had subsided considerably, Yue Li turned back around and changed the subject, "Let''s go treasure hunting." "After we''ve gathered all the resources, it''s time to move on." ----------------- Real world. Qin Chuan sat up in bed, his face unconsciously carrying a trace of a smile. The experiences from last night in the Dream World had put him in a great mood. Before the entrance to the Dream World had closed, the two had successfully reached sector 3171 and received the daily settlement rewards. Tomorrow they would set off again. Thinking of the newly contracted Silver Horn, Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, then opened the Special Affairs Mall. [Special Points Balance: 27681] Of these special points, twenty thousand were transferred to him by Yan University after signing the "S+" agreement, and the rest were from exchanging resources brought out from the Dream World for special points, which were left over after trading for needed resources. With his current strength, even taking out one intermediate resource per day was entirely reasonable, so there was no need to be secretive. Moreover, his transaction record was protected and not just anyone had the right to view it. Looking at this considerable fortune for himself, Qin Chuan wore a contemplative expression. Going into the Dream World tomorrow, it would be time for the weekly settlement, but the resources needed for Silver Horn''s advancement and evolution couldn''t be gathered in a single weekly settlement. According to Yue Li''s plan, he didn''t have to wait for another weekly settlement to obtain rare resources, so naturally, he needed to get the other resources in order first. This way, when Silver Horn broke through to the Elite Rank, he would be able to catch up with the next weekly settlement and gain an extra 8 Advanced Resource Fragments. Therefore, he needed to exchange some special points for the resources Silver Horn required. The intermediate resources could wait; there were only three in total, and he could exchange for the missing ones after tomorrow''s weekly settlement. But the nine Starshine Equipment Material could certainly be exchanged for a few in advance. After some consideration regarding the attribute focus for Silver Horn''s gear, Qin Chuan finally decided on Attribute Power. Compared to ice cream, Silver Horn''s skills were more comprehensive and varied. Additionally, Silver Horn could ignore a target''s defense, so the need for an increase in attack attribute was not as high. Higher attacks are primarily aimed at breaking defense and then increasing damage. Attribute Power, offering more balance and a boost to all skills, thus became the more suitable attribute focus for Silver Horn. After some selections, Qin Chuan finally purchased five different Dark Attribute, Attribute Power focused Starshine Equipment Materials from the Special Affairs Mall. Looking at the notification that appeared, "Delivery allocation completed, ready for pick-up," Qin Chuan''s face showed anticipation. He could finally experience the exclusive service available only through higher privileges in the Special Affairs Mall. The "S+" rating''s resource allocation was reflected not just in the resources themselves, but also in the privileges. Normally, Qin Chuan could only transfer one resource at a time into the Dream World. Just to bring these five Starshine Equipment Materials back to the Dream World would take five days. But with his current privileges, he could choose the delivery service. This "delivery" was not in the real world, but in the Dream World. He could choose the Dragon Gate Camp nearest to him as the resource pick-up location, where several members from the Special Affairs Group within the camp would carry the resources he needed into the Dream World. Once he arrived at the corresponding camp, he could obtain all the resources at once. This service broke the restriction of carrying resources, allowing resources to be traded and circulated faster. However, due to manpower and other factors, it was currently impossible to widely implement. It required not only higher privileges, but also a significant carrying fee, as such a service consumed the corresponding manpower''s opportunity for resource transportation. One resource came with a carry fee of 20 special points. Qin Chuan would have to pay an additional 100 resource points for this one-time pick-up service. It didn''t seem like much, but it was equivalent to one low-level resource. The joy and anticipation of receiving all five pieces of the Starshine Equipment Material needed tomorrow at once made even Qin Chuan, who had gotten used to collecting resources, feel a sense of excitement. However, the next moment, as his phone''s message tone rang, Qin Chuan''s smile faded as he read the content of the message. Another invitation to a Special Affairs cooperative mission. Just two days ago he had received one. As Teacher Ji had said, the Demon Beasts were growing quickly, and to completely defeat them, more power was needed. After replying with "Participate," Qin Chuan began to carefully read the content of the invitation. His pupils contracted slightly in surprise. A level 28 Demon Beast?! This was probably the highest level Demon Beast he had seen so far. The invitation also made it clear that Ji Huai was unable to defeat the opponent and needed reinforcements. Qin Chuan glanced over his own panel. [Current Extraordinary Value: 20120] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, StarFrost Cold, Dark Flame] [Current Active Skills: Shadow Erosion, Shadow Escape, Shadow Devouring Poison] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 3: Skills Dark Flame, Shadow Erosion, Shadow Escape, Shadow Devouring Poison receive 10% Enhancement, unlocks Spirit Descent: Shadow Flame Cat] [Activate Spirit Descent] Let''s see how well True Damage works against Demon Beasts. Chapter 152 - 152: Demon Beast Nemesis, True Damage! (April Additional for 2500 Monthly Tickets) "Mm..." Lin Yue opened her sleepy eyes, subconsciously turning her head to glance at the window cracked open to let in the dawn light, which quickly focused her somewhat scattered gaze. She was now quite adept at propping herself up in bed with one hand, allowing her to sit up. She then gathered her disheveled long hair, fully revealing her pale and delicate face. Picking up the cellphone on the bedside table, Lin Yue quickly entered the Dream Realm Forum. The post at the very top made her pretty brows and eyes momentarily tighten. "Shocking! The first kill of the district''s Spiritual Beast has been captured!" The post recounted the achievement she and Luo had made by defeating the Rapid Freeze Bird. After the Challenge Success, such a sterling record naturally appeared on their Spiritual Beast List profile, and as they had moved between districts last night, players from several districts noticed, sparking a great deal of discussion. After all, the conditions for advancing to the Elite Rank had just been disclosed not long ago, and to most players such advancement criteria seemed utterly unattainable. Looking at the discussions below the post, Lin Yue''s previously furrowed brows and eyes gradually relaxed, a hint of pride shining through. This was an achievement she had reached together with Luo! Although she was well aware that Luo''s intervention was the primary factor, it did not prevent her from feeling elated. Memories of their time together last night flashed through Lin Yue''s mind, and she thought again of the boy''s eyes, bright and firm like stars. A blush crept quietly onto her fair cheeks as Lin Yue let her thoughts wander. I wonder what Luo is like in real life? She remembered Luo once mentioning that his appearance in the Dream World was different from his real-world appearance. But no matter how different the looks, the eyes should be similar. She was somewhat looking forward to seeing those eyes in reality. Yet when her gaze fell upon her own legs, Lin Yue''s smile quickly faded. It was not yet time. "Creak~" At this moment, the door was pushed open, and Lin Changfeng entered with a beaming smile, "Yueyue, I just asked Doctor Qu, and your examination results have improved a lot from last time!" "I know," Lin Yue replied with a smile as she pressed her lips together. She knew her body better than anyone else. "Have you been reading a lot lately?" Sitting beside Lin Yue''s bed, Lin Changfeng saw a neat stack of college entrance exam materials by the bedside and looked at her with a touch of concern, "You haven''t recovered yet, so you need to rest more." "Dad, I understand," Lin Yue said, smiling at her father. "Don''t worry, I''m in control. I won''t joke with my health." Lin Changfeng nodded, aware that his daughter always had her own opinions and that this had only become more pronounced after her illness. So he didn''t press further and instead smiled and asked, "Which university do you want to apply to?" "I remember when you were in middle school, I took you to Huaqing to see your Uncle Liu. You were particularly interested in the laboratories there, touching this and looking at that, and you even said that you wanted to attend Huaqing in the future," Lin Changfeng recalled with a smile. "Yueyue, is Huaqing still your goal?" "Maybe Yan University," Lin Yue''s eyes slightly dropped, avoiding her father''s somewhat surprised gaze, "Sister Xiaoyu is at Yan University, and I often hear her talking about it. I''m quite interested in it." "Besides, it would make it convenient for Sister Xiaoyu to continue my treatment," she added. "I see," Lin Changfeng said, nodding his head with an enlightened expression, "Studying at Yan University would indeed be beneficial for your treatment." "I''ve heard that Yan University has a new Cultivation Method called ''Unnamed Breathing Skill,'' which doesn''t require boxing practice and might be something you could try." Lin Changfeng showed an expectant look, "If it hadn''t been for the fact that you couldn''t learn ''Basic Boxing Skill,'' your recovery might have been even faster." "It''s okay, I''ll get better," Lin Yue extended her right hand and took hold of her father''s, "Look, Dad. I can already move one hand." "I know, I know," Lin Changfeng gently patted Lin Yue''s hand, "Let me talk to the admissions office at Yan University." With pride on his face, he said, "My daughter is so outstanding, she deserves some special consideration! If not direct admission, at least a reduced-score acceptance!" "Dad~" Lin Yue''s eyes sparkled with a smile. Sar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She didn''t mention how, based on her recent performance on college entrance exam practice tests, getting into Yan University wouldn''t be difficult. Sometimes, a father needs an opportunity to prove he''s still the hero from their child''s younger days, the towering figure who could do anything. And that''s not a bad thing. ----------------- "Mr. Ji." Arriving at the mission location, the desolate mountains on the eastern outskirts of Changxing City, escorted by members of the Special Affairs Group, Qin Chuan quickly spotted Ji Huai''s figure and hastened to greet him. Seeing Qin Chuan, who had changed into a new outfit, wearing a black mask and donning a black trench coat, a hint of amusement flickered in Ji Huai''s eyes, "...you?" "I am Black Flame," Qin Chuan took the initiative to continue. Ji Huai: "..." This guy, changing his identity again. Despite the fact that the majority of the Special Affairs Group was well aware of Qin Chuan''s true identity, he persisted in disguising himself for every collaborative mission. And each time, it was a different persona. When using Water Attribute powers, he was "Bajie" behind a Sun Wukong mask. When using Ice Attribute powers, he was "Frost Blade" behind a pure white mask. Now, with a new identity, he probably contracted a third Spiritual Beast. However, it was precisely Qin Chuan''s somewhat childish behavior that kept reminding Ji Huai, setting aside the aura of the strongest Transcendent in Changxing City, the person standing before him was just an eighteen-year-old boy, his youth not yet shed, his enthusiasm not yet cooled. "Let''s go." Ji Huai turned and headed deeper into the desolate mountain. By the time he arrived, Qin Chuan had already learned the details. Four Third Rank Demon Beasts were hidden in this desolate mountain; besides the strongest one at level 28, the other three were generally around level 23. With Ji Huai''s strength, he could deal with those three simultaneously, or just the level 28 Demon Beast on his own, but not both at the same time. That''s why reinforcements were needed. After understanding the situation, Qin Chuan didn''t hesitate to speak up, "I''ll take care of the level 28 Demon Beast." Ji Huai glanced at Qin Chuan and cautioned him to "be careful." Before long, the two who had entered the deepest part of the desolate mountain saw the four Third Rank Demon Beasts and a multitude of lower-ranked Demon Beasts gathered together. Confronting them were numerous well-equipped Transcendent combat personnel. Ji Huai let out a shout and immediately charged toward the three lower-strength Third Rank Demon Beasts. Qin Chuan focused on the level 28 lion-type Demon Beast and sprinted forward. Transforming into Dark Flame, he dodged the opponent''s attack with a flash and, seizing the opportunity, pressed a palm against the creature''s shadow. Shadow Erosion, activated! Under the astonished gazes of countless humans and Demon Beasts, the level 28 lion-type Demon Beast, whose body not even cannon shells could penetrate, was as fragile as paper in the face of a pitch-black force, entirely dissolved in an instant, leaving not a trace of flesh or blood behind. In its place was only the figure emerging from the Dark Flame. ----------------- We''ve reached five thousand average subscriptions! To thank my readers for their support during this time, coinciding with one of the three monthly ticket bonus chapter events of the year, I will release a five thousand-word bonus chapter about Lin Yue''s story tomorrow (5.1), which can be unlocked with just one Monthly Ticket. Don''t forget to leave your Monthly Tickets. The winning readers from the three thousand average subscription merchandise event will be announced in the next individual chapter, and there will be an even bigger merchandise event for five thousand average subscriptions, details to be revealed in a separate chapter. Chapter 153 - 153: The Hidden Differences of the Spiritual Beasts It seemed that Qin Chuan''s decisive action had spurred Ji Huai to even greater ferocity. One minute later, all three Third Rank Demon Beasts were dead. Watching the Transcendents from the Special Affairs Group effortlessly clean up the aftermath, he turned his head to look at Qin Chuan, "Shadowflame Cat?" Normally, he might not be able to identify a Spiritual Beast after just one intervention by a Transcendent, but the Shadowflame Cat was different. Its distinctive black flames, along with its unique ability to disregard defense, shone like an eye-blindingly bright lighttoo conspicuous to miss. "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded without denial. After all, his every move in the Dream World had already been exposed through the Spiritual Beast List, and his newly contracted Spiritual Beast had also attracted considerable attention. By now, there were probably discussions about it on the Dream Realm Forum. This was the consequence of being ahead in strength, but fortunately, his lead had grown to a point where he could gradually ignore the negative impact of such consequences. "You''re in luck, such a Spiritual Beast is very rare," Ji Huai said calmly. However, the actual situation was not as trivial as he made it sound. Through observation and study, the Special Affairs Group had found that there are indeed disparities between Spiritual Beasts. This gap wasn''t reflected in basic data like Race Value, but rather in the strength of Skills and their rarity. This was a phenomenon that wasn''t explicitly pointed out by the Dream World, but nonetheless genuinely existed. Take the Shadowflame Cat as an example. A Player within the Special Affairs Group who had contracted the Shadowflame Cat had already advanced it to Growth Rank Lv20 and had obtained impressive victories against Demon Beasts in combat, where the ability to ignore defense was akin to a natural predator against them. Consequently, the Special Affairs Group naturally shifted their focus to the Spiritual Beast Species of the Shadowflame Cat, hoping more Players would contract it to enhance their effectiveness against Demon Beasts. But this was easier said than done. On the one hand, under normal circumstances, the Shadowflame Cat would hide in shadows, and only a few Spiritual Beasts'' Skills could detect its presence. On the other hand, and most importantly, the number of Shadowflame Cats was incredibly scarce. So, until now, the Special Affairs Group managed to locate and contract the second one, then abandoned this method. Under his mask, Qin Chuan chuckled. Indeed, to have contracted the Shadowflame Cat as his third pet, he was very fortunate. Silver Horn was discovered by Yue Li, and it was perhaps her luck that led to its discovery, but he was the one who contracted it. Soon, the battle came to a complete close with the annihilation of the Demon Beast horde. Therefore, Qin Chuan also took his leave. Killing a level 28 Demon Beast was enough for him to earn a considerable amount of Special Points. ----------------- Dream World. Qin Chuan smiled as his consciousness awoke and he listened to Yue Li''s ramblings about the forum discussions sparked by their joint victory over the Rapid Freeze Bird, then suddenly said, "If everything goes as expected, you''re about to meet quite a few fans online." "What?" Yue Li turned her head, puzzled. "Let''s head to the nearest Dragon Gate Camp," Qin Chuan smiled, "I used Special Points to exchange for five pieces of Starshine Equipment Material for Silver Horn. Time to pick them up." "Eh? What''s that about?" Yue Li perked up with interest upon hearing this. "We''ll talk as we go," said Qin Chuan as he and Yue Li began their journey, briefly explaining this service that Yue Li was unaware of on the way. "I have a lot of Special Points now, just tell me what resources you need later, and I''ll exchange them for you too. That way, you won''t have to bring each item over from reality one by one." "Okay," Yue Li said with a smiling nod, "then aside from the resources I need, I''ll give you the rest." "Speaking of which, hasn''t the Special Affairs Group contacted you?" Qin Chuan curiously glanced at Yue Li. Yue Li and he were both elite-level players. Could it be that the Special Affairs Group still didn''t know Yue Li''s real identity? Come on! That would make him, who was identified earlier, seem a bit foolish! "No." Yue Li, discerning Qin Chuan''s thoughts, revealed a hint of a smile. In fact, it should have been easier to discover Yue Li''s identity than Qin Chuan''s, as her player avatar had not undergone many changes. But only specific items could be transferred between Dream World and reality, and without accurate photos for facial recognition, trying to identify one person among over a billion in a database by sight was extremely difficult. Sear?h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Currently, she was staying in a sanatorium and hardly had any opportunity to use her extraordinary powers, let alone make a public appearance. Not using powers was naturally the best way to keep one''s identity secret. Therefore, even the Special Affairs Group had not been able to pinpoint Yue Li''s identity for the time being. "Alright then," Qin Chuan said with a helpless shake of his head. While talking, the two had already arrived at their destination, and in a canyon, they saw flags marking Dragon Gate Camp and the densely packed wooden huts. Before this, Qin Chuan and Yue Li had interacted and even made some trades with the passing Dragon Gate Camp. Aside from the players who lacked strength, the camp housed capable people from all walks of life. The picnic blanket and handkerchiefs they used previously had been handcrafted by players skilled in silk weaving and sewing and could be exchanged for just a small number of experience gems. If Qin Chuan happened to have some bulky resources that he couldn''t use, he would also choose to exchange them with camp players for basic resources like experience gems. So, they were not unfamiliar with Dragon Gate Camp. The arrival of the two top-tier players, Luo and Yue Li, stirred up the enthusiasm of all the players in camp, unsurprisingly. The person in charge, upon learning of Luo''s purpose, quickly took him away from the crowd to a quiet, deserted area. "Mr. Luo, here are the five resources you need." The person in charge handed over five pieces of Starshine Equipment Material to Qin Chuan, then smiled, "If Mr. Luo needs to carry multiple items back to reality at once, you can also make use of the power of Dragon Gate Camp." "It''s still the same, 20 Special Points for the item carrying fee." "If the resources being carried are already meant to be exchanged for Special Points, then this carry will be free." "Okay," Qin Chuan kept this in mind and took the five pieces emanating dark attribute energy from the other party''s hand. Silver Horn, hidden in Qin Chuan''s shadow, couldn''t help but poke its head out from the shadow because it sensed this energy, its empty eyes fixed on the Starshine Equipment Material. "Don''t worry, I''ll craft for you once I gather nine pieces," Qin Chuan said, amused, embedding the materials into the corresponding slots before heading towards the nearby crowd. Yue Li was outgoing, but even she found it taxing to deal with the enthusiasm of so many players; it was time for him to give her a break. "Yue Li, let''s go." As Qin Chuan''s voice rang out, many players looked at them with reluctance; after all, it wasn''t often that legends from the Dream Realm Forum appeared in front of them in the flesh. "Okay." Yue Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly exited the crowd. She really was a bit overwhelmed by such an overly enthusiastic scenario. "Won''t you stay for a meal before you go?" the person in charge tried to retain them with a genial smile. "No, thanks," Qin Chuan said, shaking his head slightly, "we''re in a hurry to defeat the next district''s Spiritual Beast." Upon hearing this, the crowd went quiet. This guy... always showing off! Chapter 154 - 154: To Compete or Not to Compete, Which is More Important Qin Chuan had made his point clear, so the person in charge naturally wouldn''t try to keep him any longer. He cheerfully called over the idle players in the camp, insisting on giving a proper send-off. Unable to decline the warm gesture, Qin Chuan could only reluctantly agree. Just as they walked out of the canyon, they saw a figure hurrying towards them. It was an Apprentice Level player with a gloomy expression, also a player from Yanhuang Country, named "Hero Beyond Measure." "How come you all are here?" he looked bewilderedly at the crowd gathering together, instinctively thinking they were there to meet him, only to become more disheartened, "I failed again! That detestable Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast is just too strong." "Damn, how can there be a Juvenile Stage stronger than the Growth Rank!" "Little Shrimp, you''re mistaken, we aren''t here to meet you." A player in the crowd, familiar with him, didn''t hesitate to reveal his nickname and set things straight, then pointed toward Qin Chuan and Yue Li, "Look who these are." "Um?" Hero Beyond Measure, too overwhelmed to care about being called "Little Shrimp," turned and his jaw dropped upon seeing the game names of Qin Chuan and Yue Li, "You...you..." "Not a good time, young hero." The person in charge smiled, "Luo and Yue Li are leaving." "No hurry." Yue Li suddenly spoke up, looking interestedly at Hero Beyond Measure, "That Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast, what''s the deal?" Her target for her third Spiritual Beast was of the Thunder Attribute. Although she only heard snippets, the Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast mentioned by this player piqued her interest. "Um?" The person in charge looked at Yue Li in surprise and then briefed her on the situation. As the camp''s person in charge, he was familiar with every player at the camp, especially something well-known as Hero Beyond Measure''s predicament. Hero Beyond Measure''s Spiritual Beast had secured two pieces of low-level resources and had discovered the whereabouts of the third pieceonly a step away from becoming an Official Level Player. And it was this step that trapped him. The low-level resource was guarded by a Spiritual Beast. Usually, in such a scenario, Hero Beyond Measure could have sought help from Official Level players in the camp; with their aid, defeating a low-level resource''s guardian Spiritual Beast wouldn''t have been difficult. But Hero Beyond Measure didn''t seek help. The reason was simple: the low-level resource was quite rare, guarded by a Juvenile Stage Lv10 Spiritual Beast. Hero Beyond Measure had a somewhat adolescent and competitive heart, which was evident from his game name. A resource guarded by a Spiritual Beast of the same Rank, and he still needs to call for help? What a joke! He chose to face it alone, relying on his own strength to defeat it! And then...he failed. The guardian Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast was only a Juvenile Stage Lv10, but its skills were extremely powerful, almost anomalously so. Defeated three consecutive times, each time battered and bruised, Hero Beyond Measure still didn''t utter a word, aiming to rely on his strength to defeat it. Hearing this, Yue Li and Qin Chuan exchanged glances. Was Hero Beyond Measure''s target just that one piece of low-level resource? Perhaps not. He might also be thinking, after acquiring the last resource and advancing to Official Level, to naturally tame the powerful Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast as his second Spiritual Beast. The idea was sound. But clearly, Hero Beyond Measure''s strength wasn''t sufficient to achieve this, otherwise he wouldn''t have repeatedly failed, thus embarrassingly. After understanding the situation, hesitation flickered in Yue Li''s eyes. Noticing this, Qin Chuan smiled and patted her hand, then turned to Hero Beyond Measure. "I am quite interested in that Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast. Could you take me to see it?" At these words, Hero Beyond Measure''s expression changed, and the others'' expressions turned somewhat strange. They could more or less guess the thoughts of the young hero. "Okay... alright," although the expression on Gai Shi XiaoXia''s face wasn''t great, he hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement and turned back towards the way he had come. Seeing the two people following XiaoXia as they left, there were murmurs among the players at the camp. "Alright, disperse," the person in charge waved their hands, "It''s good news that XiaoXia can be promoted to an Official Level Player soon." ----------------- Walking two or three kilometers, a nest appeared on a cliff ahead. At the entrance of the nest, a Spiritual Beast made up of several purple crystals, with flashes of thunder constantly connecting the crystals to form its body, came into view. [Spiritual Beast Species: Thunder Crystal Spirit] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Thunder Attribute] [Spiritual Beast Level: Juvenile Stage Lv10] [Spiritual Beast State: Uncontracted] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast, Thunder Crystal Spirit. It is as explosive as its Attribute suggests and craves stronger battles, admiring those more powerful than itself.] "That''s the one," Gai Shi XiaoXia pointed out and stepped aside. Yue Li glanced at Qin Chuan. They had some discussions on the way here. "Xiao Qing, go." "Squeal~" Xiao Qing let out a cry, flapped its wings, and instantly flew into the sky, looking provocatively at the opponent. The Thunder Crystal Spirit turned its head, its gaze landing on Xiao Qing. Although there were two ranks between them, it only possessed a strong fighting spirit. "Boom!" With a sound similar to thunder, a flash of purple thunder, the body of the Thunder Crystal Spirit had already appeared above Xiao Qing. It raised its hands formed of purple crystals and clasped them together, hammering down fiercely on Xiao Qing. That single move illuminated Qin Chuan''s and Yue Li''s eyes. Instant Teleportation? Or a skill of movement fast enough to compare to Instant Teleportation? No wonder it had managed to defeat opponents of the same level who had obtained two pieces of low-level resources. This skill alone gave it enough confidence to look down upon peers. Even Xiao Qing was stunned momentarily by the opponent''s rapid movement before reacting. Instantly, it swung out a barrier formed of whirling wind, blocking between itself and the opponent''s fists. Sear?h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Rumble!" Accompanied by the Thunder Crystal Spirit''s fists heavily hitting the wind barrier, countless sparks of electricity exploded, sweeping around. This was clearly an output ability that burst with incredible force; if the opponent had been the same rank, this strike would have caused severe damage. After testing was complete, Xiao Qing, spurred by Yue Li''s signal, erupted in earnest. It gusted its wings, and a big mouth smack directly hit the head of the Thunder Crystal Spirit. The savage force instantly made the Thunder Crystal Spirit fall from the sky, crashing into a dirt pit, knocked senseless. Yue Li quickly stepped forward and directly contracted the defeated Thunder Crystal Spirit, while Xiao Qing picked up the resource guarded by the opponent and flew down to hand it over to Gai Shi XiaoXia. "I..." Gai Shi XiaoXia took the resource, his expression notably vibrant. He was both shocked by Xiao Qing''s power and delighted that his Spiritual Beast could advance, but also slightly regretful that he missed the chance to contract the Thunder Crystal Spirit himself. It was only when an intermediate resource shook in front of him that Gai Shi XiaoXia came to his senses, looking up at the smiling Yue Li. "Thank you for guiding the way, here''s a token of thanks, please accept it." Once the two had left, Gai Shi XiaoXia''s expression became increasingly complex. A formidable Spiritual Beast hard to conquer at this stage or an intermediate resource worth millions, which was more valuable was hard to say. ----------------- The character drawing of the Thunder Crystal Spirit is still being drawn Damn, the updates are too fast, the artist can''t keep up. Chapter 155 - 155: Yue Lis Third Spiritual Beast (April Bonus for 2550 Monthly Tickets) "Luo, is this considered as forcing a deal?" Sitting on Xiao Qing''s back and watching the scenery fly by in reverse, Yue Li felt a bit embarrassed, "We contracted the Spiritual Beast that someone else had their eyes on, and then compensated with resources." "I always feel a bit uneasy about this." "You''ve got two things wrong," Qin Chuan turned his head to glance at Yue Li, speaking gently. "First off, the mighty young hero doesn''t have the strength to defeat the Thunder Crystal Spirit, so the Thunder Crystal Spirit was never his. If it wasn''t his to begin with, where is the question of selling?" "Then why did you specifically take out an Intermediate Resource for me, telling me if I choose to contract a Spiritual Beast, to hand it over to him?" Yue Li blinked. According to Qin Chuan''s logic, it didn''t seem necessary to do so. She was baffled again. "That''s the second thing you''ve misunderstood," Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly. "I never said that the Intermediate Resource was compensation for him." "In fact, I don''t think there''s any need to compensate the other party in this matter." His eyes slightly lowered, "Though it''s a case of first-come, first-serve, if the one who arrives first can''t grasp the opportunity, it''s only natural for someone who comes later to take that opportunity." "As to why I would take out an Intermediate Resource..." Qin Chuan smiled but didn''t continue. That Intermediate Resource wasn''t for the mighty young hero; it was for Yue Li. Through their interactions, Qin Chuan understood Yue Li''s character very well. She seemed to have been well protected due to her affluent background, so quite often her thoughts were naive and whimsical. Compared to him, who had experienced the warmth and coldness of human relationships, she appeared more like what someone her age should be. Therefore, Qin Chuan knew very well that Yue Li would feel somewhat guilty over something that was not wrong at all. Giving the Intermediate Resource to the mighty young hero would greatly alleviate Yue Li''s guilt. And that was enough. An Intermediate Resource, just a tool to make a young girl happy. Of course, he definitely wouldn''t tell Yue Li this directly. The two traveled in silence, Yue Li''s face reflecting contemplation. She thought about what Qin Chuan hadn''t finished saying and also reflected on her own thoughts. Suddenly, considering a particular possibility, she couldn''t help but turn to look at Qin Chuan, her cheeks flushing with twin blooms of red. Seeing the curve of Qin Chuan''s lips, she quickly realized something and turned her gaze away swiftly, muttering under her breath only loud enough for herself to hear. "This guy..." Her words carried a hint of complaint, yet her heart felt inexplicably joyous. "Boom!" Along with a deep rumble of thunder, the Thunder Crystal Spirit tied upon Xiao Qing''s back slowly came to, turning its head to look around, sensing its contracted state and its current strength, it wore a confused expression. What happened? The memory was fuzzy, but it seemed to have been thrashed soundly. And then, it had gone from Juvenile Stage Lv10 to Growth Rank Lv20? Not only that, but it had also been contracted? "Ah! You''re awake!" Yue Li''s attention quickly shifted to the other party, a smile appearing on her face, "I saw you were just one Low-level Resource short of advancing, so I topped you up, and then leveled you up." "From now on, we''re partners!" Upon hearing this, the Thunder Crystal Spirit''s gaze turned to Yue Li, then sequentially looked at Xiao Qing, Xiao Hong, Water Flower, and the Ice Cream, and finally glanced at Silver Horn, who was the weakest beside Qin Chuan. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Boom!" I only submit to the strong! "Xiao Qing, Water Flower, hold up!" Yue Li spoke without hesitation, "Let''s teach our new partner a lesson first!" A few minutes later, after being thrashed four times in succession, and then finding that Silver Horn of the same rank could match it blow for blow, the Thunder Crystal Spirit quickly became submissive. And Yue Li clearly saw the Thunder Crystal Spirit''s Affinity rise from 43% all the way to 82% after five battles. It''s hard to judge. Knowing the changes in the Thunder Crystal Spirit''s affinity, even Qin Chuan couldn''t help but chuckle as he glanced at the other, "Anyways, the Thunder Crystal Spirit''s skills are very strong, I''ve picked up a treasure." Despite constantly taking hits, the ability to fight on par with Silver Horn, who boasts high mitigation and true damage, is more than enough to showcase the Thunder Crystal Spirit''s strength. "Indeed," Yue Li laughed, nodding, and looked toward the Thunder Crystal Spirit''s panel. [Spiritual Beast Species: Thunder Crystal Spirit] [Spiritual Beast Attribute: Thunder] [Spiritual Beast Level: Growth Rank Lv20][Advance][Evolution] [Spiritual Beast Traits: Energy Body] [Spiritual Beast Species Value: 2000] [Spiritual Beast Affinity: 82%] [Spiritual Beast Skills: Discharge (Passive), Instant Thunder Flash (Active), Thunder Bombardment (Active), Thunderclap (Active)] [Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Thunder Attribute Spiritual Beast, Thunder Crystal Spirit, has a temperament like its attribute, impetuous, desiring stronger battles and admiring opponents stronger than itself.] Upon opening the details, the specifics of the traits and skills emerged one by one. [Energy Body: Closer to stray energy, recovery after disengaging in battle is increased by 100%.] [Discharge: Passive Skill, targets hit by its own attacks will take additional continuous electric current damage.] [Instant Thunder Flash: Active Skill, body briefly turns into thunder and lightning to reach a specified location at high speed; the farther the distance, the greater the energy consumption.] [Thunder Bombardment: Active Skill, infuses fists with massive thunder and lightning energy to deliver a devastating punch, causing splash damage.] [Thunderclap: Active Skill, summons a bolt of lightning to strike a designated location, dealing single-target damage and adding a "Paralysis" effect] [Paralysis: The target''s spellcasting wind-up is lengthened, and speed is reduced, lasting 2 seconds.] Recovery, additional damage, speed, melee, ranged, controlit''s quite rare to have such comprehensive skill effects even in the Growth Rank. Having fully tamed the Thunder Crystal Spirit, Yue Li also gave it a name: Xiao Zi, sticking to her usual casual naming style. As the two chatted and laughed, Xiao Zi also began to actively interact with and get used to the other companions, slowly becoming familiar with them. Time passed by the minute, and soon it was time for the weekly settlement. Following the previous plan, Qin Chuan and Yue Li controlled their pace and arrived early at the boundary between Sector 2969 and Sector 2968. After applying a blessing effect to Qin Chuan, Yue Li turned around to cross the great sector barrier, settling in separate sectors with Qin Chuan. [Ranking List Weekly Settlement Begins] [Congratulations Players...] As line after line of text appeared in front of him, Qin Chuan turned his head to look at the other side of the great sector barrier, seemingly touched by a feeling, Yue Li on the other side also looked over and then smiled, stretching out a hand to make a "Yay" gesture towards Qin Chuan. Clearly, their plan was a success. Settling in separate sectors allowed both parties to gain more resource rewards. Focusing his mind, Qin Chuan began to look over his gains. The previous weekly settlement brought 10 Advanced Resource Fragments, and this time Water Flower and Ice Cream obtained 18 together, which added up to a piece of self-selected Advanced Resources. However, Qin Chuan hadn''t decided who to use it on and after combining it, he just threw it into the Item Equipment Bar. Although Silver Horn was only contracted not long ago, yesterday while treasure hunting Qin Chuan incidentally brushed up Silver Horn''s battle performance, and now it had smoothly entered the top ten, earning a piece of Random Intermediate Resources. First on the Extraordinary List, self-selected Starshine Equipment Materials. Discounted Achievement Store, Experience Gem, self-selected Intermediate Resources, random Intermediate Resources, random Starlight Equipment Material x2, premium Equipment Forging Stone. After one round, Silver Horn was very close to reaching the Elite Rank. Chapter 156 - 156: Feeling Each Others Breath (April additional with 2600 Monthly Tickets) "Luo, I''m ready!" In a wilderness, Yue Li stood firm and looked towards Qin Chuan with an expression full of anticipation. Yet Qin Chuan appeared quite cautious. He kept observing his surroundings, trying to assess any risks in advance, and it was some time before he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Five days had passed since their first attempt at sector settlement. A lot had happened during those five days. On the second day after the weekly settlement, Qin Chuan used the Third Talent of the Sun Needle, whose cooldown had ended, to lock onto the Rare Resource that Chang Jinze had been so eager to obtain. Though not blessed with luck, making it difficult for that Rare Resource to spawn near them, their enhanced strength had significantly boosted their mobility. As long as the distance wasn''t absurd, they were entirely capable of actively pursuing resources. The Rare Resources they obtained were sold in the Special Affairs Mall for tens of thousands of Special Points, enriching Qin Chuan considerably. Additionally, Chang Jinze had disclosed some speculations about the Soul Fusion ability made by Second Generation Insight players. Right when Erik announced the Talent Effects of Soul Fusion, Qin Chuan felt that the Third Talent was quite out of sync with the previous two and did not match well with them. Moreover, unlike the precise descriptions of the first two Talent Effects, Erik''s description of the Soul Fusion Third Talent was vague, clearly just speculation. In Qin Chuan''s view, this so-called Third Talent Effect seemed more likely to be the Talent of the player Matsusaka Shigeki had last killed before Erik. This also raised his caution and speculation. S~ea??h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The conjecture of the Second Generation Insight was close to his thoughts and even more specific. This made him pay even more attention to Matsusaka Shigeki, someone he had already been tracking. After all, the full power burst of Soul Fusion + Ascension was indeed quite powerful. Of course, despite Matsusaka Shigeki''s potential threat, Qin Chuan was not overly worried. In his view, while the other was indeed forceful, he was not smart. If the Soul Fusion Talent Effect was as they speculated, then obtaining the Third Talent of Ascension was not the optimal solution. After all, the strength of Enhancement Talents was limited. Such power did not last long but only in brief moments. The Third Talent of Ascension required charging for seven days for a five-minute use. The Second Talent of Soul Fusion required charging for a day for a five-minute use. If one was unaware of the last time the opponent used their Talent, these could undoubtedly be frightening trump cards, but once known, the situation would be different. The Third Talent of the Sun Needle could continuously observe the target after locking onto them. If Qin Chuan wanted to make a move against Matsusaka Shigeki, he only needed to lock onto him with the Sun Needle, maintain a safe distance and retreat if necessary before the opponent used his Talent, and then strike hard once the Talent was used. Of course, currently Matsusaka Shigeki had not provoked him nor shown any intention of attacking him, so there was no need to use his Talent on him so soon. Qin told Yue Li about Matsusaka Shigeki''s situation, but this did not affect their own actions. In the past five days, they accelerated their pace and, following the Rapid Freeze Bird, successively killed three more District Spiritual Beasts, attracting attention. Now, as time went on, and with more knowledge about the transfer patterns of Rare Resources, more and more Rare Resources were being discovered. There were always players who managed to gather the necessary ones, and the number of Elite Level players had officially surpassed double digits, with the trend of increasing numbers accelerating. As more Elite Level players advanced, the District Spiritual Beasts also became a hotter topic of discussion. So far, aside from Qin Chuan and Yue Li, other players had successfully defeated District Spiritual Beasts only twice. Once among these was Matsusaka Shigeki, who had solo-killed a District Spiritual Beast. Another time, four newly promoted Elite Level players joined forces and struggled to defeat a district Spiritual Beast. The difficulty of dealing with district Spiritual Beasts meant that Qin Chuan and Yue Li''s achievement of continuously defeating four district Spiritual Beasts was even more impressive. Not only had their rate of improvement left many players with ample financial resources and solid backgrounds eating their dust, but their strength was also formidable. As for the buzz from outside, Qin Chuan and Yue Li had already learned to completely ignore it. At this moment, their short-term goal was singular, and that was to quickly get each of their third Spiritual Beasts to the Elite Rank. Yue Li had already accomplished this goal. After four days of attempts, she successfully obtained the Rare Resources from the Thunder Crystal Spirit, and Qin Chuan, using the "Home Delivery" service, had completed the other resources in advance. The Thunder Crystal Spirit successfully broke through to the Elite Rank, evolving into a Thunder Demon Idol. The Paralysis control effect and Damage of its skills significantly enhanced, making it quite formidable. Today, Yue Li was about to try using her already cooled-down Third Talent of Prayer to transfer her maximized luck to Qin Chuan. This unprecedented and somewhat dangerous act made Qin Chuan particularly nervous; he checked and rechecked each possible risk like a worried old lady, eliminating forests, lakes, and other terrains before finally choosing a wilderness area. This meticulous act also made Yue Li cover her mouth and giggle while feeling warmth in her heart. "I am really starting now!" Looking at the young man by her side and confirming once again, Yue Li joined hands in prayer. A faint light shimmered around her, casting her exceptionally beautiful figure as if a Goddess had descended. The Second Generation Insight of Prayer was activated. Greatly increasing luck, effect tripled! After completing all this, Yue Li pointed gently at Qin Chuan. The Third Talent of Prayer was activated. Luck... transferred! The faint light appeared unchanged around Qin Chuan, completely enveloping him, while the light around Yue Li was gone, making her seem slightly dim. Like a Goddess falling into the mortal world, she lost her untouchable aura but seemed more endearing and approachable. After using the Talent, Yue Li looked around, pursed her lips in a smile, "You see, I''m perfectly sa..." Before she could finish, she accidentally stepped on her skirt as she took a step and lurched forward, her eyes widening instinctively because of the sudden mishap. Luckily, the ever-vigilant Qin Chuan promptly grabbed the young girl''s waist and pulled her up, sparing Yue Li from landing face-first in an embarrassing situation. The moment the young girl steadied herself, standing face-to-face, close enough to clearly see their reflections in each other''s pupils, even their breaths touched each other. Looking at the face so close to his, Qin Chuan swallowed hard, experiencing an unexplainable dryness in his mouth. He cleared his throat slightly, speaking in a somewhat hoarse voice, "You see, I told you to be careful." "I know," Yue Li mumbled, turning her face slightly to the side, her upper eyelids trembling lightly, her cheeks already blushing to the tips of her ears. "I''m standing just fine now." "Oh, oh," Qin Chuan finally reacted, releasing his hold around her waist, feeling the lingering softness in his palm. For some reason, a slight regret welled up inside him. If only it could have lasted a moment longer. It wouldn''t take much, just a second. Chapter 165 - 165 Are You Joking With Me? (April +2800 Monthly Tickets) "Ding ding ding" The sound of metal clashing echoed as Ji Huai, wielding dual swords, engaged in battle with the Fourth Rank Demon Beast. Reaching Fourth Rank, the physical prowess of the Demon Beasts saw a huge improvement. Seeing that Ji Huai''s swords could only inflict shallow cuts on the beast, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but be amazed. It''s worth noting that Ji Huai''s weapons are far from ordinary metal. In full combat, he would use the skills of a Gold Attribute Spiritual Beast to enchant his weapons, granting them the terrifying power to slice through rock as if it were tofu. The ordinary Third Rank Demon Beasts couldn''t possibly survive such strikes, yet this Fourth Rank Demon Beast was able to withstand most of the attacks with its flesh and blood? "Roar!!!" Although not fatal, the relentless injuries enraged the Fourth Rank Demon Beast. It stared ferociously at Ji Huai and, in an instant, spewed forth a blazing red breath, sweeping over Ji Huai while incidentally involving Qin Chuan as well. With a low shout, Ji Huai''s swords instantly transformed into a spear with a fiery blade that turned the sky red. He forcefully scattered the breath while the spearhead, like a meteor of flame, snaked through the air towards the Fourth Rank Demon Beast''s face. Caught in the aftermath, Qin Chuan activated Frost Cold, and the residual breath of the attack dimmed and dissipated in the extreme cold. Noticing that five Third Rank Demon Beasts were struggling fiercely, he frowned slightly. Giving you extra time to live, yet you don''t want it, huh? The water forming the Water Hand spun rapidly, wrapping around diamond dust to become countless sharp blades, and in an instant, it claimed the lives of the five Third Rank beasts. With no further worries, Qin Chuan returned to spectating mode. Ji Huai''s battle with the Fourth Rank Demon Beast was intense, but it was clear that Ji Huai had not gone all out in his effort, as it was his first encounter with a Fourth Rank Demon Beast, he was also testing the beast''s abilities as much as possible. During the subsequent fight, the Fourth Rank Demon Beast displayed multiple abilities such as Fire Shield, Flame Bomb, and Fire Wall. As Ji Huai had said, the special abilities of Fourth Rank Demon Beasts had developed into a system and were not much weaker than those of Spiritual Beasts. Finally, perhaps bored from the probing, Ji Huai ended the beast''s life with a single cut, slashing open the corpse to extract a fist-sized crystal from its chest. The crystal was a fiery red color, seemingly with the glow of flames swirling inside; it looked quite extraordinary. "This is the Demon Core?" Qin Chuan approached and examined it with curiosity. "Yes." Ji Huai casually tossed the Demon Core to Qin Chuan, vibrated the long blade to shake off the blood, and then it reverted to a metal ring around his wrist. "This thing can''t be taken into the Dream World, and if Transcendents directly absorb its energy, it would damage their bodies." "Alright then." Qin Chuan returned the Demon Core to Ji Huai. Hearing that the Demon Core couldn''t be taken into the Dream World, and that Transcendents couldn''t absorb it either, he instantly lost interest. It would be better to leave it to the Special Affairs Equipment Department''s researchers to study. "Combat personnel will sweep the periphery for Demon Beasts and take away the corpses of Third and Fourth Rank Demon Beasts for research," Ji Huai said as he put away the Demon Core. "Our mission is over." The two retraced their path of arrival, leaving behind only a few ghastly corpses deep in the valley. Soon after, a Demon Beast appeared silently in the area. It looked at the dead Fourth Rank Demon Beast, fury of a humanlike nature flashing in its eyes. The timing was not ripe, yet it had already exposed itself in the humans'' view. Even if insanity could be suppressed, individual intelligence still varied. Such a fool! The anger turned to resignation, and without hesitation, the Beast devoured the corpse of its fellow Fourth Rank kin, leaving behind nothing but stark white bones, before disappearing from the spot in an instant. Soon, very soon. ----------------- Six Third Rank Demon Beasts had been accounted for, and it was already evening. The income exceeding three thousand Special Points sent Qin Chuan''s balance soaring past the forty thousand mark, lifting his spirits significantly. To level up from Hall Rank requires twenty thousand Experience Points, which is equivalent to two thousand Experience Gems. To progress from Hall Rank Lv30 maxed out to Hall Rank Lv40, it would take twenty thousand Experience Gems, which is the equivalent of twenty thousand Special Points. That would be sixty thousand Special Points for three Spiritual Beasts. Although he had not yet been promoted to a Hall Level Player at the moment and Water Flower could not level up, it did not stop him from preparing in advance. Before sleep, Qin Chuan, as usual, checked the Dream Realm Forum to see if there were any messages he had missed. Matsusaka Shigeki''s current position was a straight-line distance of forty zones away from his current location, so there was no need to worry for the time being. The owners of Divine Cast, Avoiding Disease, Traceless, and the new Spirit Ascension Talent still had not revealed themselves. Through the forum discussions about the four players who were promoted to Elite Level last night, Qin Chuan unexpectedly learned Ji Huai''s player name. Martial Fool. It could be said to fit quite well with his real personality. Aside from Ji Huai, the other three players who were promoted had the names Ross, Kolmat, and Oriel. They were all foreign players. After browsing for a while, Qin Chuan put down his phone and immediately fell asleep. The moment his consciousness became clear again, he was already in the Dream World. "Is the direction correct?" Yue Li asked with a look of anticipation. Over the past three days, they had been moving at full speed towards the direction indicated by the wooden stick before. If the wooden stick''s direction was wrong, they would have to make a big detour. But conversely, if the direction of the wooden stick was correct, they would have saved a lot of time. Third Talent of the Sun Needle, activate! Seeing the Hall Crystal just ahead, only about ten zones away, Qin Chuan smiled and said, "Congratulations, your judgment was correct." "Great!" Yue Li excitedly clenched her small fists and waved them in the air. Not only did this prove once again the strength of Prayer, but it also meant that she had discovered an entirely new way to use it. Though the stick''s thirty-zone object search was nowhere near as precise as the Third Talent of the Sun Needle and unable to observe the target in real-time, it was still an overwhelming advantage over other Talents. "In another two days, we will once again obtain a Hall Crystal," Qin Chuan said with a light laugh, "This time, I will not let it slip away." "That''s right," Yue Li agreed, nodding vigorously with determination in her eyes. Sar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had to redeem herself! ----------------- "Ha~" Oriel, who had just arrived in the Dream World, lazily stretched, fully revealing her stunning figure in the sunlight as if she hadn''t gotten enough sleep. The next instant, her body and the three Spiritual Beasts behind her silently vanished, causing Matsusaka Shigeki''s combined strike from his three Spiritual Beasts to miss completely. "Good evening, Mr. Soul Fusion." Oriel reappeared, a smile evident in her eyes behind her mask, "Today''s ''Try to Kill Me'' game is over. If you want to keep trying, you''ll have to pay with the life of a Contracted Spiritual Beast each time~" "That''s really a pity," Matsusaka Shigeki said with a feigned smile, a cold glint passing through his narrowed eyes. Such a troublesome woman. "Keep up the good work, I believe you can do it," Oriel spoke in a light tone, "Judging by the time, Luo should be close to obtaining the next Hall Crystal." "Let''s go and get the Hall Crystal from him," Oriel suggested with a smile to Matsusaka Shigeki, "I believe, with your Ascension and Soul Fusion, you are more than capable of handling him." Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile gradually faded. "You''re joking with me, right?" Chapter 158 - 158: Sun Needle Locks, Hall Crystal! Yue Li curiously inquired, and Qin Chuan revealed to her the new powers Silver Horn had gained after its breakthrough. Upon learning that Silver Horn now possessed not only enhanced damage, but also the ability to indirectly increase allies'' output by reducing opponents'' defense, even she couldn''t help but be dazzled. One could imagine how strong the combined strength of six Spiritual Beasts cooperating would be. "You say... if the six of them team up, can they handle the town Spiritual Beast without stopping time?" Yue Li asked, eyes filled with anticipation, "Previously, four weren''t enough, but now both Little Purple and Silver Horn have advanced to the Elite Rank, and each of their strengths is formidable." Qin Chuan glanced at the six eager Spiritual Beasts beside him, his face reflecting deep thought. From the Elite Rank to the Hall Rank, as there was no Evolution process, merely a normal advancement, the improvement lies only in strength, unlike the qualitative change that existed from Growth Rank to Elite Rank. S~ea??h the Novl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was the foundation for the possibility of the Elite Rank overcoming the Hall Rank. The strength of the Hall Rank was several times that of the Elite Rank, meaning that the opponent''s attacks were very powerful, and if he and Yue Li''s Contracted Spiritual Beasts were hit, they could instantly be severely damaged. Aside from that, there was the opponent''s defense. After all the stacking effects of the most powerful strike in the team, currently even a single strike could only inflict minor damage, not to mention killing or even causing serious injury. With Silver Horn''s new ability, there was now hope for compensation, and from this perspective, they indeed had the chance to defeat their opponent. Being able to save Time Stop time, Qin Chuan was naturally willing. "Tomorrow we will arrive at district 3145," Qin Chuan smiled, "That''s our next target, Hall Rank Lv36 Water Mirror Qilong''s area." "Since we now have six at the Elite Rank, let''s give it a try." "Woof woof!" Water Flower suddenly became excited. The Water Mirror Qilong was the town Spiritual Beast it needed to defeat to advance. This would be the first Advanced Resource it collected! "Okay," Yue Li smiled lightly, "Please report the district numbers of the four town Spiritual Beasts that Silver Horn needs to defeat for its advancement, and I''ll add Little Purple''s in and re-plan our route." The previously planned route to defeat town Spiritual Beasts only considered the needs of four Spiritual Beasts. Now that two more Spiritual Beasts required advancement, the route naturally needed to be re-planned. After Qin Chuan reported the district numbers, he glanced at the time. There were twenty minutes left before the Prayer''s Third Talent expired. He quietly waited beside Yue Li, watching as her brow slightly furrowed in thought, her hand moving continuously through the air. As Yue Li hand-drew a completely new map, the time maintained by Prayer''s Third Talent finally passed. "I can finally move freely now." Feeling the return of her luck, the girl stretched lazily, revealing her beautiful figure and making a pitiful face, "I didn''t dare to breathe deeply just now, fearing I''d choke myself." "So maybe don''t use the Prayer''s Third Talent like this in the future," Qin Chuan almost laughed. "We''ll see," Yue Li''s face was filled with a "dare to do it again" expression, clearly indicating she would use it again if the situation arose. Knowing he couldn''t argue with Yue Li, Qin Chuan helplessly helped her up as she had been sitting on the ground too long and her legs were numb, "Let''s go, we''re off treasure hunting." "Yes!" Yue Li nodded, but as she took a step, she put on a mask of pain. Her legs were so numb! She stared at Qin Chuan''s back, grinding her teeth. That guy did it on purpose! ----------------- The next day, district 3145. "Aaah" Accompanied by a lonely dragon''s cry, a qiu dragon coated in smooth, water-blue scales, severely scarred, heavily fell into the lake, which shone like a mirror, stirring up towering waves that took a long time to subside. [Challenge Success] [Congratulations Player for Defeating Hall Rank Lv36 Water Mirror Qiu Dragon] Watching a bundle of water-blue Advanced Resources flying towards them, Qin Chuan and Yue Li exchanged smiles, as their six Spiritual Beasts, though weakened, let out victorious cheers. After Xiaozi and Silver Horn had grown in strength, they finally possessed the power to defeat a Hall Rank Spiritual Beast without relying on other forces! "In that case, the upcoming battles are all yours," Qin Chuan spoke softly. "The six of you still lack coordination, like just now during the attack; Ice Cream and Xiaozi almost collided, and also... " He listed several issues with their teamwork, one after the other, causing the pointed-out Spiritual Beasts to restrain their smiles and adopt serious expressions to listen. "Overall though, you all performed wonderfully today," Qin Chuan concluded, sparking joy within the six little ones once more. Yue Li, standing to the side with a curve on her lips, quietly watched Qin Chuan and the six Spiritual Beasts interacting. Only when their exchange ended did she speak up with a laugh, "I hadn''t realized it, but you''re quite good at encouraging Spiritual Beasts." "Really?" Qin Chuan scratched his head. "I feel like I''m coaxing kids." "Coaxing kids?" Hearing Qin Chuan''s words made Yue Li think of something, her smile suddenly deepening, but quickly reined it in, a blush flew across her face as she firmly continued, "Up to now, we''ve defeated five District Spiritual Beasts." "Two of Xiaoqing''s, and one each of Red, Water Flower, and Ice Cream." "According to the route plan, the next District Spiritual Beast is also Water Flower''s." "Tomorrow is the weekly reconciliation; the day after tomorrow is when your Talent refreshes again." "Right on time, according to the preset plan, we''ll reach the next District Spiritual Beast''s area the day after tomorrow." "Alright," Qin Chuan nodded. Water Flower was quite lucky; out of the four District Spiritual Beasts she needed to defeat, two were very close, but the other two were quite far apart. In the route planned by Qin Chuan and Yue Li, some District Spiritual Beasts were too distant to defeat, and they would use self-selected Advanced Resources to fill the gaps when the time came. The weekly reconciliation the next day would yield 26 Advanced Resource Fragments; together with the previous eight left over, they totaled 34. These could be exchanged for another piece of self-selected Advanced Resource. Two pieces of self-selected Advanced Resources plus the resources obtained from defeating two District Spiritual Beasts, and lastly, combined with the next Time Stop targeted at the Hall Crystal, Water Flower would advance to the Hall Rank among the six Spiritual Beasts first. Following Water Flower would be Xiaoqing. However, before this, they still needed to verify if Prayer could let Yue Li obtain the refreshed Hall Crystal. If not, the two would need to think of another plan. With no time to delay, the two soon set off after defeating the fifth District Spiritual Beast. Time shifted swiftly, and it was two days later. Just after logging in, Yue Li''s nervous yet expectant eyes turned towards Qin Chuan, "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" "I''ve started," Qin Chuan smiled and nodded. Sun Needle''s Third Talent, activate! Target, Hall Crystal! As his thoughts shifted, the entire map of the Dream World appeared before his eyes. About twelve districts away from his current location in a straight line, there was a bright light spot. That was the current location of the Hall Crystal. However, when Qin Chuan tapped on this light spot, he couldn''t help but widen his eyes. Hall Crystal... It actually looked like this?! Chapter 159 - 159: The First Hall Rank Spiritual Beast on the Entire Network! "You mean... the Hall Crystal is alive?!" Upon hearing Qin Chuan''s words, Yue Li couldn''t help but show a surprised expression. In the Evolution Array, they had seen the phantom of the Hall Crystal. That was clearly just a magnificent crystal, and Yue Li couldn''t imagine what it would look like for a resource to be alive. "It should be said that the external appearance of the Hall Crystal is not a crystal," Qin Chuan shook his head slightly, correcting Yue Li''s statement. "I observed the Hall Crystal through the Third Talent of the Sun Needle; it turned out to be a Juvenile Stage rabbit-type Spiritual Beast." "I think this must be the disguise method of the Hall Crystal," Qin Chuan smiled. "No wonder no one has ever discovered it before." There are so many players in the Dream World that, in theory, any resource that exists in the Dream World would be discovered. Previously, Rare Resources remained undiscovered due to their self-concealment and constant movement. As more players become aware of this, more Rare Resources are being discovered, allowing more Spiritual Beasts to break through to the Elite Rank. Now, the Hall Crystal disguises itself as a Spiritual Beast. The most numerous entities in the Dream World are the Spiritual Beasts, and no player would bother to search each one. Moreover, since the Hall Crystal can transform into a Spiritual Beast, it naturally has ways to avoid various risks. It is indeed a Super Rare Resource; even its disguise is so unique. "Area 2633" After learning the location of the Hall Crystal from Qin Chuan, Yue Li opened the map. "It will take us three days to get there." "But we can take the opportunity to defeat a zone''s Spiritual Beast needed for Silver Horn''s advancement." "Good," Qin Chuan smiled. "It won''t cause a delay." "Let''s first deal with the zone''s Spiritual Beast in Area 3042." Area 3042 was where they were currently located. There was one of the four zone''s Spiritual Beasts needed for Water Flower''s advancement here. With the lessons learned from last time and several days of active coordination, the six Spiritual Beasts exhibited much stronger teamwork this time, making the battle process much smoother than before. Additionally, Qin Chuan had embedded three Advanced Resources into Water Flower''s Advanced Array beforehand, enhancing its strength significantly. Eventually, the Hall Rank Lv38 zone''s Spiritual Beast in Area 3042 couldn''t escape the duo''s onslaught. After acquiring the last Advanced Resource for Water Flower''s advancement, they immediately changed direction and headed towards Area 2633, finally arriving there three days later. "Xiao Qing, Water Flower, stop." Closely watching the current situation of the Hall Crystal, Qin Chuan suddenly spoke. Xiao Qing fluttered his wings and hovered in the air instantly, carrying Qin Chuan while Water Flower also stopped. "What''s wrong?" Yue Li turned her head, curiously looking at Qin Chuan. "Didn''t you just say it''s not far ahead?" "It''s now moving positions rapidly," Qin Chuan frowned slightly. Over the past three days, he had been observing the movements of the Hall Crystal. Normally, the Hall Crystal would move within a very small range. But in the past three days, Qin Chuan had noticed the Hall Crystal''s sudden rapid movements twice; these movements came without warning, and after moving, it wouldn''t return to its original position but instead would move within a small range in the new location. Previously, Qin Chuan wasn''t aware of the reason behind these sudden movements. Now, he roughly understood why. Because of players. At this moment, he was only a thousand meters away from the Hall Crystal, and no matter how close he got, the Hall Crystal would quickly move to maintain a distance of at least a thousand meters between them. It was unclear whether it was a coincidence, but this distance happened to be just beyond the reach of the Sun Needle''s First Talent. Apparently, players had happened to pass by over the past three days, causing its sudden movements. Realizing this, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but inhale sharply. He was already disguised so successfully, yet he still actively avoided players?! No wonder no one could find it. Hearing Qin Chuan''s story, Yue Li slightly frowned, "Should we try having the Spiritual Beast go alone?" "Okay." Qin Chuan nodded, flipped over from Water Flower''s back, and patted its shoulder which was as tall as a person. Water Flower, charge! "Woof!" Water Flower barked loudly and, under Qin Chuan''s direction, rushed towards the direction where the Hall Crystal was located. Watching the Hall Crystal that hadn''t moved from its spot, Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, the crystal wouldn''t run unless only the Spiritual Beast approached. Otherwise, he really wouldn''t know how to obtain this resource. "This way, without the Sun Needle''s targeting, we can still find it," Yue Li pondered lightly, and then her eyes brightened. "The two of us will ride Water Flower on the ground while Xiao Qing observes from the air to see if any Spiritual Beasts within a kilometer are behaving unusually." "This will allow us to quickly identify the animal that the Hall Crystal has transformed into." "Indeed," Qin Chuan nodded in agreement. Now that they understood the pattern, they could find a targeted solution. Soon, Water Flower came running back, happily holding a rabbit-like Spiritual Beast in its mouth. As the distance between this rabbit-like Spiritual Beast and Yue Li and Qin Chuan forcibly narrowed, its body gradually began to blur. The moment Qin Chuan touched it with his hand, the Spiritual Beast transformed into a magnificent crystal. [Congratulations player for obtaining a Super Rare Advanced Resource: Hall Crystal] Holding the Hall Crystal tightly in his hand, Qin Chuan''s smile was unstoppable. However, he didn''t immediately embed the Hall Crystal into the Advanced Array to advance Water Flower but turned to look at Yue Li, "We can start now." "Yes!" Yue Li nodded and then clasped her hands together, full of anticipation. A faint halo blossomed beside her, and within ten minutes, Yue Li''s luck would receive an immense triple boost effect. Based on their previous experience in obtaining Rare Resources, with such an intensity of luck, the next transition of rare resources would surely appear within a kilometer radius around Yue Li. Hall Crystal is a Super Rare Resource, and only after using one would the next one refresh, so after discussing, they wanted to try if marinating Yue Li with luck before using the Hall Crystal could refresh the next Hall Crystal nearby. Even though the Super Rare Resources were less influenced by luck and the refresh distance was greater than that of Rare Resources, with their current efficiency, they could quickly find it. Sarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Indeed, they had just surmised the method to locate the Hall Crystal. Once Yue Li had enhanced herself with luck, Qin Chuan took a deep breath and placed the Hall Crystal into the central, uniquely-shaped slot of the Advanced Array. Accompanied by a burst of light emanating, the whole Advanced Array lit up, and simultaneously, so did Water Flower''s body. With escalating momentum, Water Flower''s body rapidly grew in size within the radiance. Once the light dispersed, what was originally a three-meter-long creature including its tail now nearly reached ten meters in length, looking very much like the Spiritual Beasts they had defeated in the past. Large size is exclusive to the Hall Rank. Water Flower slightly shook its head and under the watchful eyes of Qin Chuan, Yue Li, and five other little companions, swiftly shrank back to its original size. This ability to freely adjust size was also exclusive to the Hall Rank. ----------------- ps: Since the only difference between Hall Rank and Elite Rank is body size, we won''t create new illustrations, otherwise, the artist really wouldn''t be able to finish Chapter 169 - 169: A Curtain Call Like a Beaten Dog Watching the scanning result flicker before his eyes, a hint of astonishment flashed in Qin Chuan''s eyes. It''s her? If he remembered correctly, this woman had been promoted to Elite Level alongside Ji Huai just a few days ago. It was said that her time since breaking through to Official Level wasn''t long either, which didn''t match up with Traceless at all. Therefore, Qin Chuan had never really doubted Oriel. To his surprise, she was Traceless. In an instant, Qin Chuan gained some insight into Oriel''s ruse. "Woof!!!" A bark rang out sharply from afar, the sound belonged to Water Flower. In the recent battle with the monsters, Water Flower could have done more but didn''t; it was on Qin Chuan''s signal that part of its attention was kept on the unseen opponent lurking in the shadows. At that moment, with the appearance of Oriel''s three Contracted Spiritual Beasts, it didn''t hesitate to activate its Blood Control Ability from a distance, causing them to stiffen temporarily while a massive tidal wave instantly surged toward the trio of beasts. StarSky-Rolling Waterfall! Sar?h the ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under her mask, Oriel''s mouth twitched slightly, realizing that because of the unexpected whiff, she had exposed not only herself but also failed to reduce her opponent''s numbers. Wait, unexpected? Ha, what a Prayer! How could there be so many coincidences in this world! Without another word, Oriel vanished from the spot with her three spiritual beasts. Traceless Third Talent Effect, activate! The Sky-Rolling Waterfall struck an empty space, and Oriel retreated safely. A glint flickered in Qin Chuan''s eyes. Sun Needle Third Talent, activate! Target, Player [Oriel]! A map instantly appeared before him, marking Oriel''s blip as much dimmer than normal, and it also displayed the words on it. Unable to attack the enemy while they''re hidden? Qin Chuan frowned, then relaxed after a few seconds. Thankfully, that state didn''t last forever. "Water Flower!" "Woof!" Water Flower, always ready, followed Qin Chuan''s command, affecting the Fusion Spiritual Beast once again with its Blood Control Ability and immediately controlled the Sky-Rolling Waterfall to spin rapidly like a grinding disc, hurtling powerfully towards Oriel''s current location. Hiding in the shadows, Oriel''s face under the mask showed fear for the first time. Looking at Luo''s eyes which seemed capable of seeing right through her, she, who had never imagined her Talent would be seen through since obtaining Traceless, felt her heart sinking continuously. She instantly lifted her own stealth status only to re-enter it, relying on the split-second of being untargetable to dodge the terrifying strike, and Oriel turned head over heels without hesitation. Run! The farther, the better! With unprecedented panic under her mask, Oriel re-entered her stealth state and without the slightest hesitation mounted her Spiritual Beast to make her escape from this place immediately. Qin Chuan reluctantly shifted his gaze from the direction of Oriel and turned his head to look at Matsusaka Shigeki. Although one of its claws had been severed, Matsusaka Shigeki''s Fusion Spiritual Beast not only possessed a Race Value far exceeding all other Spiritual Beasts present but also had a terrifying healing ability; the claw had already regrown. Little Red had also joined the fight, but since the Skill''s effect was gradually exposed and it could no longer launch a surprise attack, they were slowly being overpowered in this six-on-one battle. Seeing this, Qin Chuan shook his head slightly. With Traceless gone, there was no point in keeping up pretenses anymore. "Water Flower." "Woof!!!" Water Flower let out an odd howl as dazzling water lights surged around it, sweeping in all directions from its core in an instant. Ignoring the other five allied Spiritual Beasts, the water lights hit the Fusion Spiritual Beast, sending its massive body flying upon contact. StarSky Water Clarity! As Knockback took effect, the Fusion Spiritual Beast''s momentum plummeted dramatically, returning to how it was before Matsusaka Shigeki used the Third Talent of Ascension. For the first time, a look of astonishment appeared on Matsusaka Shigeki''s face, which always bore a hypocritical smile. Despite the Third Talent of Ascension not even close to ending, why... Before he could react, Snow Cone, having revealed its form, already brought down its blade, cleaving the Fusion Spiritual Beast in two. The massive body of the Fusion Spiritual Beast collapsed with a thud, turning into three heavily injured Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts. As the other companions reaped their harvest, all of Matsusaka Shigeki''s Spiritual Beasts eventually met their deaths. "You..." Watching Qin Chuan and Yue Li approach, Matsusaka Shigeki''s already pale-as-a-corpse face instantly showed a look of shock and anger. He turned his head to look around, issuing a beast-like roar, "How long are you planning to watch the show?!" "You think you can take them on by yourself without me?!" "You damn foolish woman! You..." "Are you talking about Oriel?" Qin Chuan interrupted his roar, a hint of strangeness in his eyes, "Stop shouting, she''s been gone for a while now." Matsusaka Shigeki''s madness came to an abrupt halt. "Yare yare, I really do look like a defeated dog now." He dropped his arms weakly and let out a heh, of cold laughter, "Luo, what exactly is your Talent?" "Would you satisfy my curiosity as a man about to die..." Ptui The long sword pierced through Matsusaka Shigeki''s chest, solidifying the last trace of bewilderment on his face. "You''re not really dying anyway, do you take me for a fool?" Qin Chuan wore a look of disgust while Yue Li, beside him, couldn''t help but laugh with her hand over her mouth. Watching Matsusaka Shigeki dissipate into points of light, Qin Chuan''s voice contained a touch of melancholy, "I wonder what the next player who obtains the Soul Fusion Talent will be like." "Let''s just hope they don''t try to make enemies with us." Yue Li spoke softly and then looked at Qin Chuan, "Did you just use the Third Talent of Sun Needle to lock onto the owner of Traceless?" Despite the chaos of the battle, she had noticed Qin Chuan easily catching Oriel, who had been hidden. "Yes." Qin Chuan nodded, "I hadn''t expected this time, the Third Talent of Sun Needle would be used on Traceless." Originally, according to his plan, if Yue Li were to obtain the Hall Crystal without needing the Third Talent of Sun Needle, he would have used this Talent to lock onto the missing Matsusaka Shigeki. Yet before he could use it, Matsusaka Shigeki appeared at their doorstep, and the Sun Needle ended up being used on Traceless. In terms of results, though, this was more advantageous. "Are we going after Traceless?" Yue Li started laughing, "Your Talent really does counteract hers perfectly." "Hmm..." Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "No, we''re not going after her." Seeing the puzzled look on the young girl''s face beside him, he smiled. "If Oriel were to die, it would be much harder for us to locate the new Traceless." "Who owns Traceless isn''t important." "But we do need a Traceless that has been locked onto." Chapter 161 - 161: Then It Can Only Be the Sun Needle (April Extra for 2700 Monthly Tickets) While Qin Chuan and Yue Li were at a loss for not being able to find the Hall Crystal, in another corner of the Dream World, two figures were traversing the wilderness. One of them, if Qin Chuan were there, would undoubtedly recognize him immediately as Dragon Halberd. By now, he had ascended to Elite Level Player status by defeating and taming his own third Spiritual Beast, joining the first echelon. Beside him stood a man wearing glasses. Although his appearance differed from reality, his expression showed the same indifferencea sense of calm that transcended time, unchanged through the ages. Second Generation Insight, Su Yuanshan. Player Name: Feng Yin. Following the Special Affairs Group''s instructions, the two Players with Golden Talents teamed up for their mission. "What do we do next?" Dragon Halberd glanced at Feng Yin, fully aware of his role in their duo, leaving the decision-making to Feng Yin. "Let''s see what good stuff I can draw today." Feng Yin surveyed their surroundings and then, in an instant, his eyes shone with a golden light as countless tiny golden flecks began to circulate. In his view, golden stars spun across the sky until one quickly locked into place, unfolding into a message. "Oh?" After reading the message, a look of surprise crossed Feng Yin''s face, "This information... it''s quite important." "What information?" Dragon Halberd turned his head to look. "This information is about the Hall Crystal," Feng Yin slowly began, "After the Hall Crystal is refreshed, it will not leave the area it''s currently in." "...Wait a minute," Dragon Halberd raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean it won''t leave the area it''s in? Does it move like rare resources?" "Not sure, possibly," Feng Yin spoke casually, "The message didn''t say, but it did reveal another very important piece of information." "The Hall Crystal''s refreshing locations before and after are at a straight-line distance of no less than thirty zones." "With this information, as long as we can find out where the Hall Crystal last refreshed, we can eliminate a lot of areas for the next refresh location." "This is good!" Dragon Halberd''s eyes lit up. But in the next moment, his face fell at Feng Yin''s words. "If someone holds the Hall Crystal and uses it in another zone, it might mislead our judgment. This info will only be useful if our own people acquired the Hall Crystal." ----------------- "Still nothing." Yue Li and Qin Chuan sat side by side on a large rock in the woods, their expressions blank. They had searched nearly every region in zone 2633 where a Spiritual Beast could exist, but still failed to find one that resembled the Hall Crystal. With the fully activated Prayer Talent''s luck, could it really not ensure the Hall Crystal''s refresh in the same zone? "Prayer''s effect is very strong," Qin Chuan took a deep breath, looking at the somewhat disheartened Yue Li, "I don''t believe the Hall Crystal won''t be affected by luck." "So the only answer is there must be some unknown properties of the Hall Crystal that prevent us from obtaining it smoothly." "Like, the new Hall Crystal will not refresh in the same zone as the original." "Our combined strength is ultimately limited," Yue Li sighed lightly, "With the use of the Sun Needle''s Third Talent, we can only get one Hall Crystal a week." "It''s too difficult to figure out the hidden properties and patterns of the Hall Crystal." "Yeah," Qin Chuan couldn''t help but agree, but then he saw the girl beside him suddenly turn her head to look at him. Her bright eyes were dim, like an injured fawn invoking sympathy. "Luo, if I can''t keep up with your pace of improvement and only end up holding you back, would you leave me and find another Player to team up with?" "How could I?" Qin Chuan flicked Yue Li''s forehead not too gently, "If Prayer really can''t find the Hall Crystal, we''ll just use the Sun Needle a few more times." "That''s not okay." Yue Li rubbed her forehead, scrunching her nose, "If it comes to that, I''ll just run away and stop teaming up with you." "As long as I make the first move, it won''t count as... Ouch!" Yue Li covered her forehead, looking pitifully at Qin Chuan. "You forgot, the Sun Needle''s Third Talent can lock onto players," said Qin Chuan as he stared at Yue Li. "Even if you run to the ends of the earth, I will find you." "...Fine," Yue Li pouted, but strangely enough, a hint of joy emerged in her heart, and her deeply furrowed brows gently relaxed, like clouds parting to reveal the sun. Watching the girl''s expression brighten, yet her eyes still harbouring melancholy, Qin Chuan inwardly sighed. In her eyes, being a burden was such an unacceptable thing, wasn''t it? As he watched the countdown approaching eight o''clock, Qin Chuan once again turned his gaze toward the girl beside him and spoke softly. "See you tomorrow." [08:00:00/08:00:00][00:00:28] Sar?h the ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Dream World Entrance Closed] ----------------- Real world. Qin Chuan slowly opened his eyes, sat up, and the image of Yue Li''s gaze in the last moments still flickered through his mind. Moments later, he shook his head and picked up his cellphone. A Contracted Spiritual Beast''s first breakthrough to Hall Rank was a big deal; at this moment, the Dream Realm Forum was probably exploding with discussion. Sure enough, upon opening the Dream Realm Forum, all he saw were discussions about him. The number of Elite Level players had barely exceeded double digits not long ago, and now the first Hall Rank Spiritual Beast had already emerged. The Sun Needle was widening the gap faster than he had imagined. At this moment, the entire world''s attention was focused on him. As for Qin Chuan''s response... He was hungry. He decided to head to the breakfast stall at the entrance of his residential complex for a couple of buns and a cup of soy milk. He was in a good mood today, so he''d add a tea egg. ----------------- Special Affairs Group Headquarters. Su Yuanshan and Chang Jinze had just awakened from the Dream World and were summoned to a brief yet significant meeting. When they returned to the office they shared, their expressions had not yet settled. "No way" Chang Jinze hissed, "Luo has reached Hall Rank already?" "He found the Hall Crystal so quickly?!" "It seems my guess was correct," Su Yuanshan reclined in his chair, massaging his temples, "Luo''s so-called Talent for finding resources is definitely a Gold Talent." "...Which one?" Chang Jinze fell silent for a bit. Instead of answering, Su Yuanshan asked, "Have our people found Conni?" "Yes," Chang Jinze glanced at Su Yuanshan, "Although I don''t know why you''re looking for the former Insight, we''ve found him." "After Erik lost the Spirit Ascension Talent, Solag''s efforts to pursue him dropped significantly. He''s hiding in a slum in Mi Country, temporarily safe." "Make a call and ask if Conni has ever obtained information related to a Gold Talent." "Have the people there figure out how to ask, I just want the result." "One moment." Chang Jinze glanced at Su Yuanshan, picked up an encrypted phone, and made an international call. After a short while, he turned to Su Yuanshan, surprise in his eyes, "There actually is." "Conni knows the first Talent Effect of Divine Cast: equipment creation requires no Equipment Forging Stones, one hundred percent success rate and guaranteed to be a lucky critical hit." Chang Jinze''s face displayed envy as he spoke. He had terrible luck when forging Starshine Equipment; his two Spiritual Beasts had failed three times in total, wasting as many as twenty-seven Starshine Equipment Materials. It hurt too much. "Hmm..." Su Yuanshan''s gaze lowered slightly, "Then it can only be Sun Needle." Chapter 172 - 172: The Vanishing Target! [Peripheral Activity Chapter] (April +3050 Monthly Tickets) Regardless of everything, Zhou Zixiu was still happy that his good friend had a promising future. "Oh, by the way, how are things going with that Amy?" He suddenly remembered the plump gaming partner from Dream World and casually inquired about her. Unexpectedly, on hearing this question, the plump friend fell silent. After a moment, he finished the rest of his grilled sausage in one bite, his expression one of grief and indignation, "Zhou Zixiu, take advice from a brother, never trust a good-looking female player in Dream World!" Qin Chuan: "...Huh?" "It''s all fake! All of it!" The boy chewed on his grilled sausage, his expression growing fierce, "It took me so long to get Amy''s contact information in real life, and guess what?" "That Amy in real life is a perverted man! His chest hair is even thicker than the hair on my legs!" "He also said he liked me and wanted to continue things with me in the real world!" As he spoke, the plump boy couldn''t help but rub his arms, goosebumps popping up all over. "Pfft" Qin Chuan burst out laughing. After a moment, he managed to stifle his laughter and patted his plump friend''s shoulder sympathetically, "So what''s your situation now? You didn''t team up with him anymore, did you?" "Of course not." The plump boy shook his head like a rattle, "It just so happened that the person in charge of Dragon Gate Camp contacted me, so I joined the camp." "Well, that''s good." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. With his plump friend''s strength and personality, he would likely do well at Dragon Gate Camp. The warning bell rang, and the two tossed their wooden tokens into the nearby trash bin before walking back to the classroom together. As the teacher entered the classroom, his plump friend once again entered a serious study mode. Qin Chuan, however, was somewhat distractedly staring out the window. Speaking of which, Yue Li''s Dream World avatar was also really good-looking. Wonder what she looks like in real life? The plump friend''s experience flashed through Qin Chuan''s mind for a moment, and he violently shook his head. Impossible. Absolutely impossible! Yue Li couldn''t possibly be some foot-scratching big guy! ----------------- "Clang" "Ding" The sound of metal clashing echoed across the practice field engulfed in nightfall, as Qin Chuan, gasping for breath, swiftly retreated with his sword to dodge the sweeping heavy halberd of Ji Huai. "Ten moves." Ji Huai stopped his movements, "Congratulations, you lasted ten moves under my full strength." "Mr. Ji, what stage am I at now?" Qin Chuan grinned, his face showing a touch of pride. His progress had been rapid thanks to the daily late-night special instructions. Of course, this was greatly related to the overall improvement in his physical attributes since practicing the Unnamed Breathing Skill. "Competent, I suppose," Ji Huai said calmly, "You can bully the beginners at least." Qin Chuan''s smile froze. Getting praise from the mouth of ''Demon King'' Ji was too hard. "Mr. Ji, can I continue learning from you?" Qin Chuan suddenly asked. Today was the last cultural lesson at school, as well as the last Extraordinary Theory Class and Extraordinary Practical Combat Class. Moving forward, if he didn''t come to school, he would no longer have Ji Huai''s private instruction. But Qin Chuan wanted to continue learning. Weapon Skills were not just about weapon usage; they also enhanced one''s combat abilities. Now Qin Chuan was much more efficient when killing Demon Beasts, and Ji Huai''s contribution was indispensable. "The Special Affairs Group Headquarters has a Training Ground open from one to two in the afternoon every day." Hearing this, Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up, "Thank you, Mr. Ji!" "But not tomorrow or the day after," Ji Huai went on as he disassembled and collected the weapons from both of them, "You remember the Fourth Rank Demon Beast body that I killed when we teamed up before?" "When the personnel arrived for handling, the body was already gone." "The corpses of six Third Rank Demon Beasts were left at the scene." "These past two days, investigators found some clues; there seem to be several Fourth Rank Demon Beasts lurking on the outskirts of Changxing City," Ji Huai said calmly. "Do you need my help?" Qin Chuan hastily spoke up. "You stay in the city," Ji Huai shook his head. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but frown. Although Ji Huai could handle a single Fourth Rank Demon Beast, dealing with multiple Fourth Rank Demon Beasts was currently not within Ji Huai''s capabilities, right? Wasn''t this being a bit too overconfident? Sensing Qin Chuan''s confusion, Ji Huai unusually offered an extra explanation, "Zhou Zixiu believes that the clues we''ve found might have been intentionally exposed by the Demon Beasts." "Fourth Rank Demon Beasts might be more cunning than we think." "Having you stay in the city is a precaution." "As for me..." Ji Huai''s eyelids twitched slightly, "If I can''t beat them, I''ll just retreat." "Alright." Hearing this, Qin Chuan nodded slightly. As long as Ji Huai had a plan. Time was getting late; after the two parted ways, Qin Chuan quickly returned to his rented room. Sitting on the bed, he was still thinking about the Fourth Rank Demon Beasts that Ji Huai had mentioned. The clues found might have been intentionally exposed by the Demon Beasts... Then, what exactly were these Demon Beasts aiming for? Humans, during a fixed time period, would enter the Dream World as the gateway to the dream realm opened, and their consciousness would enter it. Similarly, during these periods, Demon Beasts would fall into a deep slumber of consciousness. This kind of slumber was like a forced hibernation; during this quiet period, the physical strength of the Demon Beasts would greatly increase, while the rate of mutation sped up. The Demon Beasts'' current rate of mutation and the emergence of Fourth Rank Demon Beasts in a very short time was primarily due to this hibernation. Because of the existence of this hibernation, Qin Chuan didn''t need to worry about Demon Beasts taking advantage of humans entering the Dream World to infiltrate human cities. Other than that, he couldn''t think of any other tactics that the Demon Beasts could use. Not thinking further, Qin Chuan slowly closed his eyes and entered into sleep. ----------------- The following day. Departing early in the morning, Ji Huai, along with a dozen or so members of the Special Affairs Group with significant strength, followed the investigators'' clues, cautiously advancing towards the hidden lair of the Fourth Rank Demon Beast. After eliminating the obstructing Demon Beasts along the way, the dozen or so people eventually stood before a pitch-dark cave entrance. sea??h th N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before they even entered, they smelled a pungent stench and a bloodiness from the cave entrance that was so strong it made one feel like vomiting. "Leave it to me," a woman in the team said somberly. Accompanied by the touch of a breeze, the surrounding air instantly cleared, and any potential toxins or other harmful substances were excluded. She raised her hand and materialized several orbs of light that scattered among the group and then nodded at Ji Huai. "Stay close to me," Ji Huai spoke calmly and stepped into the cave. The dozen or so people behind him quickly followed. With the illumination from the orbs of light, the scenery inside the cave became clear. They hadn''t gone far when everyone''s faces turned grim. At the top of the cave walls hung countless web-like structures, each web cradling a corpse that had completely desiccated into a mummy. Most of these were of Demon Beasts, but a portion was human. "We can''t identify them with the naked eye; we need to take them back for DNA matching," one person quickly stepped forward, looked for a moment, and then spoke with a heavy expression, "There have been disappearances in the nearby area before, but no clues were uncovered by the investigations at that time. I suspect these might be the missing persons." Ji Huai''s grip on his long knife tightened, and in silence, he led his team further in. Along the way, the sight of more and more hanging mummies made the expressions of everyone grow increasingly solemn. Upon reaching the deepest part of the cave, they found a gigantic web-like nest suspended in the air. Inside the nest, there was not a single trace of a Demon Beast. "The webs here are very fresh," one of them quickly noticed something unusual, examining a strand of web closely before speaking loudly, "That creature hasn''t been gone long!" Ji Huai''s silence broke for a moment as killing intent flashed across his eyes. "Pursue!" ----------------- Chapter 163 - 163: Searching with a Wooden Stick, Fourth Rank Demon Beast! "So, not finding the refreshed Hall Crystal doesn''t mean that luck has lost its effect?" Entering the Dream World once again, Yue Li felt a sense of relief in her eyes upon hearing Qin Chuan''s explanation about the refresh rules of the Hall Crystal. The threefold luck from yesterday had failed to find the Hall Crystal, dealing quite a blow to her. She was not the type to accept one-sided efforts from others. Luo''s Talent could not only be used by himself but also by her. Under such circumstances, if she couldn''t help in return, the interaction between the two would make her uncomfortable. Fortunately, the truth wasn''t so bad. "You have a gold-level Talenthow could a mere Hall Crystal not be affected?" Detecting the change in the girl''s expression and her inner thoughts, Qin Chuan inwardly sighed with relief, soon presenting a similar smile, "We''ve now encountered a minor problem." "There are three days left until the next refresh of the Sun Needle." "In these three days, which way should we go?" Hearing this, Yue Li wore a pensive expression. She understood what Qin Chuan meant. If nothing unexpected happened, the Hall Crystal would currently be thirty sectors away from them, and the points satisfying this condition formed a circle on the map. At full speed, it would take five to six days to cover the distance of thirty sectors. They couldn''t simply wait in place for three days, so the direction they chose to travel in the next three days was crucial. If by chance the Hall Crystal was directly along their path, they could save a few days'' journey. If, after three days, they targeted the Hall Crystal and discovered that it was in the opposite direction to their travel, they would waste a lot of time doubling back. After pondering for a moment, Yue Li seemed to have a good idea, her eyes lighting up as she looked at Qin Chuan with a smile, "Why don''t we leave the choice to luck?" Such a suggestion would seem ludicrous if made by anyone else, but coming from the owner of the Prayer Talent, it was a different story. Qin Chuan showed an interested expression, "How do you propose we do that?" "Wait for me!" Yue Li ran to a nearby bush, broke off a branch, stripped it of forks, and made a mark on one end before running back to Qin Chuan. She threw the stick forcefully into the air, shouting, "The marked direction will be our forward path!" For some reason, this scene appeared to Qin Chuan to be akin to casting spells in movies, and combined with the girl''s serious demeanor, he couldn''t help but want to laugh. The stick spun in the air, soon landing on the ground in front of them with the marked end pointing southwest. "There, it''s decided." Yue Li''s eyes curved in a smile, perhaps because the rules for the Hall Crystal had relieved some of the tension in her heart, or perhaps because her relationship with Qin Chuan was growing closer, allowing her to reveal more of herself. The girl''s smile was radiant, revealing a set of small fangs. "Three days from now will be the moment when luck is revealed!" ----------------- "Buzz" The vibration of his phone roused Qin Chuan, who was practicing the Unnamed Breathing Skill, opening his eyes and temporarily halting his cultivation. Three days had passed since Yue Li threw the stick, and it had been more than ten days since Qin Chuan obtained the Unnamed Cultivation Method. He had already fully mastered it and insisted on practicing daily. The effects of the Unnamed Breathing Skill were quite impressive. Qin Chuan had assessed his situation, realizing that without this breathing technique, if he had continued as before, focusing solely on the Basic Boxing Skill with the same Extraordinary Value, his overall strength would''ve likely decreased by 10%. Even without employing any Extraordinary Abilities, his body''s comprehensive quality was already sufficient to grapple with Second Rank Demon Beasts, and ordinary firearms posed a minimal threat to him. And this was only after cultivating for a mere ten-plus days. Although there was a "beginner''s bonus" that yielded better results at the start of cultivation, this was still astonishing. He casually clenched his fist and picked up his phone, quickly noticing a new invitation for a Special Affairs cooperative mission. During this period, an invitation for a Special Affairs cooperative mission was sent to him every few days, and each time such a mission arose, it meant that at least several Third Rank demon beasts had appeared. The increasingly rapid growth and reproduction rate of demon beasts had made the situation extraordinarily urgent. Inside Yanhuang Country, the Special Affairs Group was the first to detect and rush to battlefields to continue fighting. The large population base had produced a sufficient number of Transcendents, at least maintaining the stability of the social order. It was said that some small countries were on the verge of collapse under the onslaught of demon beasts. And at this moment, when all the countries were too busy to attend to anything else, these small nations were helpless and isolated. After securing his guaranteed spot, Qin Chuan had some downtime and wasn''t refusing such missions. In fact, just by partaking in Special Affairs cooperative missions, he had already accumulated tens of thousands of Special Points. He casually replied "I''ll participate" and began to carefully read the details of this mission. Moments later, his expression turned solemn. A Fourth Rank demon beast had appeared! Had the situation become this perilous? Although he had anticipated the appearance of a Fourth Rank demon beast might not be far off when that level 28 Third Rank demon beast appeared, it was still too soon. Such a demon beast, even Teacher Ji probably couldn''t handle it, right? Qin Chuan glanced at his own panel. [Current Extraordinary Value: 32350] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, StarFrost Cold, StarDark Flame] [Current Active Skills: StarDark Current Binding, StarFrost Trace, StarShadow Erosion] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] With Silver Horn''s breakthrough to Elite Rank and Water Flower''s advancement to Hall Rank, the continuous increase in Clan Value and Affinity had officially pushed his Extraordinary Value past the 30,000 mark. Since he couldn''t use Spirit Descent for the time being, under normal circumstances, Qin Chuan wouldn''t forcibly seek resonance but would choose one active skill from each of the three Spiritual Beasts to ensure diversity in attributes and offensive methods. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He put down his phone, made some quick preparations, and soon went downstairs. The transport personnel had already arrived. Half an hour later, at the mission location, Qin Chuan saw Ji Huai. "You''re here," Ji Huai glanced at Qin Chuan, "There are six Third Rank demon beasts in the valley, and one Fourth Rank demon beast. Later, you take on the six Third Rank beasts, and I''ll handle the Fourth Rank." "Huh?" Hearing Ji Huai''s division of labor, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but show a look of astonishment. Seeing Qin Chuan''s expression, Ji Huai fell silent for a moment, "Last night at the weekly tally, my second Spiritual Beast broke through to Elite Rank." Qin Chuan realized what had happened. As the world continuously discovered more and more rare resources, the number of Elite Level players had already surpassed twenty. Ji Huai, who had initially received a skew in resources from the Special Affairs Group, was naturally among the beneficiaries. Several days ago, Ji Huai already had one Spiritual Beast break through to Elite Rank. Now, it seemed that he had obtained the necessary second rare resource. There was a vast array of rare resources, and while coming across one that you needed wasn''t difficult, encountering two at the same time was another story. So whether one could break through, and who would break through first, largely depended on luck at this point. Clearly, the Weapon Master before him was in luck. Chapter 164 - 164: Damn, He Acted Through It! "Congratulations, Teacher Ji," Qin Chuan said with a smile, yet also with confusion. After being promoted to an Elite Level Player and maxing out the Spiritual Beast Level, Ji Huai''s strength had inevitably surged. Although his Extraordinary Value still had a certain distance from Qin Chuan''s, Ji Huai''s individual strength could not be simply measured by Extraordinary Value. In such circumstances, even a Fourth Rank Demon Beast along with six Third Rank Demon Beasts should not pose a problem for Ji Huai, so why did he extend an invitation to him? It should be known that the reason for an invitation to a Special Affairs Group task was due to a shortage of personnel. Realizing Qin Chuan''s confusion, Ji Huai spoke calmly, "This time I called you here mainly to let you see a Fourth Rank Demon Beast." "This is not the first Fourth Rank Demon Beast within the borders of Yanhuang Country; two days ago, one appeared in Gui Sen City, and several more have appeared in the last two days." "Third Rank Demon Beasts already have some special abilities, but Fourth Rank Demon Beasts even more so." "Taking this opportunity to see a Fourth Rank Demon Beast up close will help you in dealing with similar Demon Beasts in the future." "After all" Ji Huai''s eyelids fluttered, "as my strength has been promoted to the Elite Level, the number of times I invite you to join Special Affairs tasks will likely decrease significantly." Hearing this, Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched. What Ji Huai meant was that he alone was enough to oversee Changxing City, and there wouldn''t be a shortage of personnel in the short term, thus, Qin Chuan wouldn''t have many opportunities to participate later on. Considering this, Ji Huai had Qin Chuan join this operation so he could see the situation with a Fourth Rank Demon Beast up close. Although it sounded like he was being considerate, the aura of a powerful individual was overwhelming. Even Qin Chuan, familiar with Ji Huai, felt it difficult to withstand. Damn, it made him pose. The two strode swiftly, one in front of the other entering the valley, only to be met by dozens of First and Second Rank Demon Beasts charging at them. Before Qin Chuan could act, Ji Huai casually flicked his wrist and a metal ring transformed into numerous slender steel needles, penetrating the bodies of the Demon Beasts before retracting, leaving only a pile of corpses. "The two of us will clear the way, first killing the Third and Fourth Rank Demon Beasts," Ji Huai moved quickly forward, still speaking in an even tone, "then the other combat personnel will handle the cleanup." "Now, let me tell you about the differences between Fourth Rank Demon Beasts and ordinary Demon Beasts." "Alright," Qin Chuan listened attentively. He was indeed very curious. "First and Second Rank Demon Beasts fight solely with physical strength. They are smarter than normal animals, but they are full of madness and impulsiveness," Ji Huai offhandedly cleared the area with another round of flying needles and continued, "They are more like mere foot soldiers." Hearing this, and seeing the pile of Demon Beast corpses on the ground, Qin Chuan nodded slightly. Although First and Second Rank Demon Beasts could resist firearms and other modern weapons, they were at a disadvantage against Transcendent powers; Official Level Players, with some training, could have the strength to kill these types of Demon Beasts. Official Level Players, easy as pie. First and Second Rank Demon Beasts, mere foot soldiers. No problem there. "Compared to First and Second Rank Demon Beasts, Third Rank Demon Beasts have undergone a new change; they are smarter and can maintain a certain level of reason amidst their madness. At the same time, they can possess some special abilities, rather than relying solely on physical fighting," Ji Huai paused slightly. "Moreover, their body structure is a bit different." "If the body ofType III Demon Beasts is dissected immediately, a special energy similar to Extraordinary Energy will be found, which dissipates quickly after the Demon Beast dies." Sear?h the ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This is considered the source of the Demon Beast''s special abilities." "In a Fourth Rank Demon Beast, this energy condenses into a solid and becomes crystal-like, remaining even after the Demon Beast''s death." "This type of crystal, called a Demon Core, is currently very scarce, and the Special Affairs Equipment Department is researching its uses." "Soon, you''ll see what a Demon Core looks like," Ji Huai stated calmly, "Unlike Third Rank Demon Beasts, the special abilities of Fourth Rank Demon Beasts are more diverse and complete." "Just like the skills of the Spiritual Beasts, their abilities have become systematic." "At the same time, Fourth Rank Demon Beasts could completely suppress their insane nature and maintain their sanity at all times." "Therefore, Fourth Rank Demon Beasts are far more difficult to deal with than Third Rank ones." "I see," Qin Chuan nodded thoughtfully. Demon Core, huh... It somewhat resembles the resources dropped by Spiritual Beasts after they are killed. But resources can be used to advance Spiritual Beasts, something the Demon Core definitely cannot do. Thus, it must be handed over to the Special Affairs Equipment Department for research. The Special Affairs Equipment Department, a crucial department within the Special Affairs Group, was something Qin Chuan only learned about after gaining higher clearance. The purpose of this department was to utilize extraordinary objects to develop extraordinary weapons. Moreover, they had already achieved certain results. Using low-level resources, the Special Affairs Equipment Department had developed an Extraordinary Bomb that could threaten Third Rank Demon Beasts; these bombs had already been employed in various battles against Demon Beasts. With the presence of Ji Huai and Qin Chuan, the leading player in Changxing City, there was no need to request Extraordinary Bombs; instead, they were reserved for places in greater need. Therefore, Qin Chuan had not witnessed the actual use of an Extraordinary Bomb in previous battles. Now with the Demon Core, the Special Affairs Equipment Department might develop even more powerful Extraordinary Bombs or other extraordinary weapons. As they spoke, the two slaughtered their way and eventually entered deep into the valley. The deeper parts of the valley were eerily quieter than the outskirts, with not a single First or Second Rank Demon Beast appearing. But the sense of danger was much more intense. Suddenly, a Third Rank Demon Snake, thick as a water barrel, shot out like a spear from its hiding spot toward Qin Chuanbefore the giant snake attacked, there was not even a hint of its presence, indicating its special ability to hide its aura. Qin Chuan''s gaze slightly hardened, and the next moment he transformed into scattering snowflakes. Having missed its target, the giant snake paused momentarily. But that was the only chance it got. Appearing amidst the drifting snow, Qin Chuan''s hand had already landed on the shadow of the giant snake. A black handprint appeared on the corresponding spot on the body of the snake, which quickly spread around, turning most of its body pitch black. Accompanied by a painful scream, the giant snake heavily fell to the ground and was soon completely corroded by the Dark Attribute Power, leaving no blood or bones. Qin Chuan turned his head toward the appearing Third Rank Demon Beasts and one that they surrounded and protected, resembling a fierce beast with both lion and deer features. The aura emanating from the beast far exceeded that of a Third Rank Demon Beast, causing Qin Chuan''s gaze to harden slightly. Was this a Fourth Rank Demon Beast? "Attack." With a low shout, Ji Huai flicked out the Female and Male Dual Swords, charging toward the leading Fourth Rank Demon Beast. Watching the other five Third Rank Demon Beasts that immediately rushed to intercept Ji Huai, Qin Chuan shook his head slightly, and then raised a hand, clenching it tightly. "Boom!!!" Streams of water that breached from the void transformed into five gigantic hands, striking toward the Third Rank Demon Beasts. After swiftly subduing the Third Rank Demon Beasts, Qin Chuan looked toward the battleground where Ji Huai was fighting the Fourth Rank Demon Beast. This was the main event. Chapter 165 - 165 Are You Joking With Me? (April +2800 Monthly Tickets) "Ding ding ding" The sound of metal clashing echoed as Ji Huai, wielding dual swords, engaged in battle with the Fourth Rank Demon Beast. Reaching Fourth Rank, the physical prowess of the Demon Beasts saw a huge improvement. Seeing that Ji Huai''s swords could only inflict shallow cuts on the beast, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but be amazed. It''s worth noting that Ji Huai''s weapons are far from ordinary metal. In full combat, he would use the skills of a Gold Attribute Spiritual Beast to enchant his weapons, granting them the terrifying power to slice through rock as if it were tofu. The ordinary Third Rank Demon Beasts couldn''t possibly survive such strikes, yet this Fourth Rank Demon Beast was able to withstand most of the attacks with its flesh and blood? "Roar!!!" Although not fatal, the relentless injuries enraged the Fourth Rank Demon Beast. It stared ferociously at Ji Huai and, in an instant, spewed forth a blazing red breath, sweeping over Ji Huai while incidentally involving Qin Chuan as well. With a low shout, Ji Huai''s swords instantly transformed into a spear with a fiery blade that turned the sky red. He forcefully scattered the breath while the spearhead, like a meteor of flame, snaked through the air towards the Fourth Rank Demon Beast''s face. Caught in the aftermath, Qin Chuan activated Frost Cold, and the residual breath of the attack dimmed and dissipated in the extreme cold. Noticing that five Third Rank Demon Beasts were struggling fiercely, he frowned slightly. Giving you extra time to live, yet you don''t want it, huh? The water forming the Water Hand spun rapidly, wrapping around diamond dust to become countless sharp blades, and in an instant, it claimed the lives of the five Third Rank beasts. With no further worries, Qin Chuan returned to spectating mode. Ji Huai''s battle with the Fourth Rank Demon Beast was intense, but it was clear that Ji Huai had not gone all out in his effort, as it was his first encounter with a Fourth Rank Demon Beast, he was also testing the beast''s abilities as much as possible. During the subsequent fight, the Fourth Rank Demon Beast displayed multiple abilities such as Fire Shield, Flame Bomb, and Fire Wall. As Ji Huai had said, the special abilities of Fourth Rank Demon Beasts had developed into a system and were not much weaker than those of Spiritual Beasts. Finally, perhaps bored from the probing, Ji Huai ended the beast''s life with a single cut, slashing open the corpse to extract a fist-sized crystal from its chest. The crystal was a fiery red color, seemingly with the glow of flames swirling inside; it looked quite extraordinary. "This is the Demon Core?" Qin Chuan approached and examined it with curiosity. "Yes." Ji Huai casually tossed the Demon Core to Qin Chuan, vibrated the long blade to shake off the blood, and then it reverted to a metal ring around his wrist. "This thing can''t be taken into the Dream World, and if Transcendents directly absorb its energy, it would damage their bodies." "Alright then." Qin Chuan returned the Demon Core to Ji Huai. Hearing that the Demon Core couldn''t be taken into the Dream World, and that Transcendents couldn''t absorb it either, he instantly lost interest. It would be better to leave it to the Special Affairs Equipment Department''s researchers to study. "Combat personnel will sweep the periphery for Demon Beasts and take away the corpses of Third and Fourth Rank Demon Beasts for research," Ji Huai said as he put away the Demon Core. "Our mission is over." The two retraced their path of arrival, leaving behind only a few ghastly corpses deep in the valley. Soon after, a Demon Beast appeared silently in the area. It looked at the dead Fourth Rank Demon Beast, fury of a humanlike nature flashing in its eyes. The timing was not ripe, yet it had already exposed itself in the humans'' view. Even if insanity could be suppressed, individual intelligence still varied. Such a fool! The anger turned to resignation, and without hesitation, the Beast devoured the corpse of its fellow Fourth Rank kin, leaving behind nothing but stark white bones, before disappearing from the spot in an instant. Soon, very soon. ----------------- Six Third Rank Demon Beasts had been accounted for, and it was already evening. The income exceeding three thousand Special Points sent Qin Chuan''s balance soaring past the forty thousand mark, lifting his spirits significantly. To level up from Hall Rank requires twenty thousand Experience Points, which is equivalent to two thousand Experience Gems. To progress from Hall Rank Lv30 maxed out to Hall Rank Lv40, it would take twenty thousand Experience Gems, which is the equivalent of twenty thousand Special Points. That would be sixty thousand Special Points for three Spiritual Beasts. Although he had not yet been promoted to a Hall Level Player at the moment and Water Flower could not level up, it did not stop him from preparing in advance. Before sleep, Qin Chuan, as usual, checked the Dream Realm Forum to see if there were any messages he had missed. Matsusaka Shigeki''s current position was a straight-line distance of forty zones away from his current location, so there was no need to worry for the time being. The owners of Divine Cast, Avoiding Disease, Traceless, and the new Spirit Ascension Talent still had not revealed themselves. Through the forum discussions about the four players who were promoted to Elite Level last night, Qin Chuan unexpectedly learned Ji Huai''s player name. Martial Fool. It could be said to fit quite well with his real personality. Aside from Ji Huai, the other three players who were promoted had the names Ross, Kolmat, and Oriel. They were all foreign players. After browsing for a while, Qin Chuan put down his phone and immediately fell asleep. The moment his consciousness became clear again, he was already in the Dream World. "Is the direction correct?" Yue Li asked with a look of anticipation. Over the past three days, they had been moving at full speed towards the direction indicated by the wooden stick before. If the wooden stick''s direction was wrong, they would have to make a big detour. But conversely, if the direction of the wooden stick was correct, they would have saved a lot of time. Third Talent of the Sun Needle, activate! Seeing the Hall Crystal just ahead, only about ten zones away, Qin Chuan smiled and said, "Congratulations, your judgment was correct." "Great!" Yue Li excitedly clenched her small fists and waved them in the air. Not only did this prove once again the strength of Prayer, but it also meant that she had discovered an entirely new way to use it. Though the stick''s thirty-zone object search was nowhere near as precise as the Third Talent of the Sun Needle and unable to observe the target in real-time, it was still an overwhelming advantage over other Talents. "In another two days, we will once again obtain a Hall Crystal," Qin Chuan said with a light laugh, "This time, I will not let it slip away." "That''s right," Yue Li agreed, nodding vigorously with determination in her eyes. Sar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had to redeem herself! ----------------- "Ha~" Oriel, who had just arrived in the Dream World, lazily stretched, fully revealing her stunning figure in the sunlight as if she hadn''t gotten enough sleep. The next instant, her body and the three Spiritual Beasts behind her silently vanished, causing Matsusaka Shigeki''s combined strike from his three Spiritual Beasts to miss completely. "Good evening, Mr. Soul Fusion." Oriel reappeared, a smile evident in her eyes behind her mask, "Today''s ''Try to Kill Me'' game is over. If you want to keep trying, you''ll have to pay with the life of a Contracted Spiritual Beast each time~" "That''s really a pity," Matsusaka Shigeki said with a feigned smile, a cold glint passing through his narrowed eyes. Such a troublesome woman. "Keep up the good work, I believe you can do it," Oriel spoke in a light tone, "Judging by the time, Luo should be close to obtaining the next Hall Crystal." "Let''s go and get the Hall Crystal from him," Oriel suggested with a smile to Matsusaka Shigeki, "I believe, with your Ascension and Soul Fusion, you are more than capable of handling him." Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile gradually faded. "You''re joking with me, right?" Chapter 166 - 166: Traceless Talent Effect! (April additional release at 2850 monthly tickets) "Of course not." Facing Matsusaka Shigeki''s words, Oriel''s tone remained unchanged, "Soul Fusion, you should realize that the guy leading everyone can acquire the Hall Crystal, right?" "A resource that can only exist singly on the server; if it''s continuously held by one person, that would be terrifying," Oriel''s tone shifted, "And I need the Hall Crystal myself." "So, we have to approach him," a sudden pity emerged in Oriel''s eyes, "Even if I have to resort to groveling and pleading, we must get the Hall Crystal from him." "Heh," Matsusaka Shigeki scoffed coldly, having gradually lost his patience for pretense with this woman, "You have Traceless, hiding your strength unnoticed, but I am different." "My every move is watched by countless people every day, and every area I pass through gets heavily scrutinized," Matsusaka Shigeki chuckled, "As soon as I show signs of approaching Luo, the other side will instantly seek Dragon Halberd''s help." "By then, I would be a fool caught in my own trap." The Holy Sanctuary, which could nullify all Talent effects, was utterly unreasonable. "So, you''re worried about this," Oriel paused, then suddenly burst into laughter, "I have a way!" "You can counter the Holy Sanctuary?" Matsusaka Shigeki glanced at Oriel with disdain, "You might manage a surprise attack, killing one of Dragon Halberd''s Spiritual Beasts before the Domain is set up, but that''s about it." "Once Dragon Halberd sets up his Domain, your invisibility will be utterly exposed." Having traveled with Oriel, Matsusaka Shigeki was confident he had grasped most of Traceless''s Talent Effects. This Talent had no enhancement effects, yet it perfected self-concealment. "No, no, no~," Oriel''s tone became increasingly light-hearted, "There''s no need for me to fight Dragon Halberd. Only fools would think about battle all the time." Feeling insulted, Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile grew dangerously on his face, "So, what''s your plan?" "Very simple," Oriel glanced at Matsusaka Shigeki, "You just said that as soon as you approach Luo, he''ll know and then notify Dragon Halberd to come aid him, right?" "So, let''s make sure he doesn''t know~" "You..." Matsusaka Shigeki''s pupils shrank slightly, realizing her implication, his smile gradually twisted, "You can hide the Ranking List information for multiple people?!" The Ranking List in Dream World was an important way for players to acquire numerous resources but also a source for top-level players to expose themselves to all. On the Ranking List, your achievements and strength have nowhere to hide. Once you reach the first tier, you''re bound to attract attention from interested parties. Oriel, as one of the earliest possessors of the Gold Talent, managed to hide her identity till now and conceal her exact strength from others, mainly because she could obscure the Ranking List information. As time passed, many had guessed this point. But guesses were futile. As long as Oriel did not expose it, they were powerless regarding this ability. Until today, Matsusaka Shigeki had always thought that Oriel''s Talent Effect was to hide her own Ranking List information, but now it seemed that was not the case. If Oriel could also hide him... That would truly be fantastic! "Multiple people? Of course not," Oriel laughed, "Have you forgotten what I''ve been doing these past few days?" Matsusaka Shigeki wore a thoughtful expression, then suddenly raised his head. He remembered a detail he had previously overlooked. Oriel''s apparent strength had been constantly increasing. She had first advanced from Apprentice Level to Official Level, and two of her Spiritual Beasts had made it onto the Spiritual Beast List. Two days later, one of her Spiritual Beasts revealed Elite Rank strength. Just yesterday, another of her Spiritual Beasts also displayed its Elite Rank strength, officially promoting her to an Elite Level Player. Matsusaka Shigeki opened the Ranking List and was stunned to see Oriel''s third Spiritual Beast also make an appearance on the Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List. He then thought of something and suddenly spoke, "Did you give up your previous third Spiritual Beast and contract a new one yesterday to erase the record of you ever killing my beast?" "After finding me, you didn''t lift a finger twice when defeating the district''s Spiritual Beasts, also to avoid leaving any records?" "Smart," Oriel said with a smile in her eyes, "Who says hiding oneself necessarily means concealing the Ranking List?" Sar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Now I am just one of the Elite Level Players in the world, with nothing impressive in my records." "Do you think... Luo will let Dragon Halberd back me up because I''m getting close?" "Of course not," Matsusaka Shigeki immediately responded, his smile suddenly blooming, "Come on~ let''s cooperate~" Although he detested the damn woman before him, at least on this matter, their interests were highly aligned. The Talent Ability that could find the Hall Crystal was something they both wanted~ Oriel''s eyes flickered slightly, and in the next instant, Matsusaka Shigeki''s scanning result in front of her plummeted rapidly, falling from an Elite Level Player all the way to an Apprentice Level Player. Traceless''s second Talent Effect, activate! [Pretend a player and their Contracted Spiritual Beast''s scanning results and Ranking List rankings] ----------------- "Chirp" Little Qing, with its claws, grabbed a gradually blurring deer-like Spiritual Beast, swiftly flying towards Qin Chuan and Yue Li who were waiting a kilometer away. Soon, the deer-like Spiritual Beast transformed into a splendid Hall Crystal in Yue Li''s hands. "Next, we have to hurry again, we need to leave this area by thirty districts before we can use the Hall Crystal," Yue Li chuckled lightly, turning her head towards Qin Chuan who seemed somewhat lost in thought, "Still thinking about Matsusaka Shigeki?" "Yep." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. Two days earlier, Matsusaka Shigeki''s name had suddenly disappeared from the Ranking List. A large number of players across all 9,999 game districts repeatedly checked and confirmed that Matsusaka Shigeki''s name was nowhere on any district''s Ranking List. Logically, by this time one should think that Matsusaka Shigeki had reset his account. Yet, no player''s records showed defeating Matsusaka Shigeki, and those constantly monitoring the Talent Pool also confirmed that the Soul Fusion Talent had not lit up again. Not even for a moment. So, Matsusaka Shigeki must still be alive. A player still alive, but without any Rankings List information led Qin Chuan to think of a Gold Talent with an extremely low presence. Traceless. This Talent was considered to have the ability to conceal Ranking List information, its other abilities unknown. Traceless''s Talent didn''t light up again either, meaning Matsusaka Shigeki hadn''t obtained the Traceless Talent Effect through defeating someone. So, there were only two possibilities. First, Matsusaka Shigeki had found a non-Gold Talent holder with a similar effect to Traceless, and had achieved a kill, obtaining the ability to hide himself. Second, he was with Traceless who, aside from hiding himself, could also hide others. Either possibility was not good news for Qin Chuan. Chapter 178 - 178 New Directions After the Hall Rank! "Spiritual Beast Species: Night Nightmare Beast" "Spiritual Beast Attribute: Dark Attribute" "Spiritual Beast Level: Hall Rank Lv40, Advanced, Evolution" "Spiritual Beast Traits: Dark Night Madman" "Spiritual Beast Species Value: 40000" "Spiritual Beast Affinity: 93%" "Spiritual Beast Skills: StarDark Flame (Passive), StarShadow Erosion (Active), StarDark Shadow Escape (Active), StarShadow Devouring Poison (Active), StarSilent Darkness (Active), StarThreefold Annihilation (Active)" "Equipment Entry: [Dark Nightmare (Starlight 10 Level): Attribute Power increased by 60%]]" "Current Entry Usage/Cooldown Duration: 10 minutes/10 minutes" "Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Dark Attribute Spiritual Beast Night Nightmare Beast evolved from the Shadowflame Cat, containing terrifying dark forces sealed within its pallid skull carapace." Looking at the lines of text that materialized before him, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but take a deep breath. After reaching the Hall Rank, each level increased the Race Value by 2500. After ten levels, a Hall Rank Spiritual Beast with a maxed-out level could reach a Species Value of forty thousand. The added value of three Hall Rank Lv40 Spiritual Beasts easily broke the one hundred thousand mark of his Extraordinary Value, several times more than before. And that was just part of the upgrades brought by advancing to the Hall Level. "StarThreefold Annihilation: Active Skill, inflicts True Damage equal to 25% of the target''s lost Life Value to a specified target; the third use against the same target inflicts True Damage equal to 90% of the target''s maximum Life Value, with a cooldown of 60 seconds." True Damage execution! Silver Horn''s new skill once again displayed the strength of the Hall Rank compared to previous Ranks. Facing a target with less than 20% Life Value, Silver Horn could achieve an instant kill, and using it three consecutive times on the same target, as long as the opponent''s Life Value was below 90%, it would result in an instant kill! Although this new skill had a high cooldown and required over two minutes to be effective three times, enough for a weaker party to be instantly killed several times in high-level confrontations, there was no doubt that it could have unexpected effects in certain situations. After reviewing Silver Horn''s new skills, Qin Chuan opened the pages for Advanced and Evolution. On the Advanced page, there were six sockets, and this time the number of resources needed for advancement had increased by one. Seeing the description of these resources, Qin Chuan revealed a look of both surprise and anticipation. "Dark Night Remnant Light: Epic resource, a key material for the Hall Rank Night Nightmare Beast''s advancement, no known methods of acquisition]" "Night Shadow Candle Flame: Epic resource, a key material for the Hall Rank Night Nightmare Beast''s advancement, no known methods of acquisition]" "Hollow Black Feather: Epic resource, is" All six resources shared the same description. This meant that before the update, he was unable to obtain these Epic resources, which were even rarer than Advanced Resources. Next, Qin Chuan opened the Evolution interface, and once again, his expression turned to surprise. Compared to the time when breaking through from Growth Rank to Elite Rank, this time the Evolution interface had something additional. The first Array was the same as before, with nine inlay holes forming a circle and a space in the middle for an Equipment Forging Stone. However, this time it was not Starshine Equipment that needed to be forged. It was Moon Halo Equipment. The second Array was the Evolution Array, which had two inlay holes, one of which had already been filled with Silver Horn''s Starlight Equipment, though it was now in a dimmed state. The other inlay hole was empty. Then there was the third Array, which had only one inlay hole, currently holding Silver Horn''s Starlight Equipment. Clicking the flashing question mark in the top left corner, Qin Chuan quickly understood the method for Hall Rank Evolution. First, he needed to gather Moon Halo Equipment Materials to forge a piece of Moon Halo Equipment. Next, it''s necessary to enhance the existing Starshine Equipment to at least Moon Halo level 1. The third array serves this exact purpose. Players can use Equipment Enhancement Stones to strengthen their existing equipment, and with each successful enhancement, the equipment level increases by one. Beyond Starshine level 10, it becomes Moon Halo level 1. However, according to the introduction, enhancing equipment is far more dangerous than crafting it. Because Starshine Equipment that has been used for evolution cannot be replaced. And there''s a failure rate for equipment enhancement. After a failure, there''s a 67% chance the level remains unchanged, and a 33% chance it will decrease by one level. Moreover, the failure rate of equipment enhancement doesn''t increase with higher equipment levels, but with the number of Equipment Enhancement Stones used. For example, if a piece of equipment at Starshine level 9 fails during enhancement and falls back to Starshine level 8, its next enhancement''s success rate will not rise because of the lower level, but will drop further due to the increased number of stones used. A piece of equipment with an initially low Starshine level might never be able to be enhanced to Moon Halo level 1; it may drop back to its original level or even fall to a lower level due to the increasing failure rate. This is the complete opposite of the luck value system commonly seen in other game enhancements. Upon reading this, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but glance at Yue Li, who was beside him looking innocent. Luckily, he shouldn''t have to face this issue. Neither Moon Halo Equipment Materials nor Equipment Enhancement Stones are currently available. Without a doubt, these are items that can only be obtained after the update. Casually, Qin Chuan opened up his own panel. After being promoted to Hall Rank, the number of Contract Slots increased from 3 to 4. At the same time, the number of Active Skills he could carry increased to 4. sea??h th NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This meant that he could now enhance his skills to Resonance 4. He was looking forward to this. "Let''s go find the next Hall Crystal," Qin Chuan gently tugged at Yue Li''s hand, "After finding it, you can also be promoted today." According to their original plan, after obtaining the new Hall Crystal, the two of them would move away from the current area by thirty zones before using it, just as before. But having been promoted to Hall Rank and having seen a glimpse of the future, he changed his mind. With so many new things emerging, one could imagine that the scale of this update would be unprecedentedly large, and under such circumstances, wasting another three days was not worthwhile. Hall Crystals could be obtained in the future by numerous means. He hadn''t even used his Sun Needle''s Third Talent, which refreshed on the first day of the ninth week. Being promoted to Hall Rank ahead of time, to maximize strength before any potential crisis, was the most important thing. This was true for both him and Yue Li. "I''ll follow your lead." After hearing Qin Chuan''s thoughts, Yue Li''s eyes brimmed with laughter. She looked deeply at Qin Chuan and nodded obediently in agreement. Moments later, the newly rediscovered Hall Crystal was used on Little Purple. Due to the lack of Experience Gems, Yue Li could only temporarily maximize Little Green''s level, while Little Red and Little Purple remained at Hall Rank Lv30. But for now, this was already enough. "Luo, imagine how exciting the Dream World will be at this time tomorrow!" After viewing the various changes at Hall Level, Yue Li sat on a rock, gazing up at the clear blue sky, her eyes full of anticipation. "Yeah, I''m really looking forward to it too." Qin Chuan spoke softly, his gaze falling onto the tender hand within reach. Gently, he placed his hand over it, and then took hold of it, while Yue Li only symbolically struggled for a moment before letting him hold her hand. Blush flew across the girl''s cheeks, her lips slightly pursed, yet she did not shy away from the boy''s gaze. In the slanting sunlight, their two shadows merged into one. Chapter 168 - 168: Lucky Deflection, Traceless! No matter whether it was Erik or the victims who had been deleted by Matsusaka Shigeki in the past, they all mentioned one crucial piece of information during the disclosed battle process. Matsusaka Shigeki was a perverted guy. Even so, the first time Qin Chuan met Matsusaka Shigeki, he couldn''t help but feel a chilling sensation, and his eyebrows involuntarily knitted together. This had nothing to do with strength, but purely an aversion to the other''s insincere smile devoid of any warmth. "Are you alone?" Qin Chuan''s eyes flickered slightly before he suddenly spoke, "Shouldn''t Traceless be here too?" "Traceless?" Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile brightened a bit more, "I indeed covet her skills; if she were really by my side, I would be the first to kill her." Qin Chuan was noncommittal. He wanted to test which of the two possibilities of hiding the ranking list Matsusaka Shigeki might be using, but unfortunately, the other party didn''t fall for his bait. Since that was the case, it was better to prepare for the worst possibility in the upcoming fight. Beside him, Yue Li quietly squeezed Qin Chuan''s hand. Qin Chuan turned his head and noticed that Yue Li was still shrouded in a dim halo. It was triple luck. Prayer''s second talent lasted for ten minutes, and at this moment, Matsusaka Shigeki had come too quickly; the time hadn''t completely passed yet. Matsusaka Shigeki''s timing, neither too early nor too late, arriving just as Xiaoqing broke through to Hall Rank and they found the Hall Crystal before the end of the second talent of Prayer, was in itself a manifestation of luck taking effect. However, no matter what, Qin Chuan knew he couldn''t waste any more time talking with this guy in front of him. Water Flower stepped on the pale blue ripples at her feet, transforming into a water-blue long rainbow, instantly rushing toward Matsusaka Shigeki, while above his head, Xiaoqing was even faster, soaring high while a violent wind swept around. The terrifying pressure from two Hall Rank beasts instantly bore down, causing even Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile to momentarily freeze. When he realized the appearance of a second Spiritual Beast in the Hall Rank on the Spiritual Beast List, he knew he was ultimately one step too late. Fortunately, these two Hall Rank beasts had not leveled up yet. Hall Rank Lv30, though powerful, was limited in strength. "Make your move." The corners of his mouth twisted in a hint of ferocity and cruelty, and the three Spiritual Beasts behind him suddenly merged into one, forming a monstrous creature that seemed pieced together. This monster let out a strange sound, like the simultaneous roar of three different beasts, and swung its paw toward the inevitable path of Water Flower''s charge. Water Flower didn''t stop, a bright light burst instantly from the Shape-shifting Water Crown atop her head, activating the "Stargleam 9" grade ability, and a roar echoed. The monster''s paw was mysteriously paralyzed in mid-air; in that brief moment, the well-coordinated Xiaoqing had already plummeted from the sky. The blooming Starshine Equipment boosted its speed by 270%, and the sharp wind on its wings transformed into long blades, the Instant Wind Slash activated instantly, harshly slashing down at the monster. At the same moment, from the shadow under the monster, a pitch-black flame emerged. Silver Horn took advantage of this and immediately activated Shadow Erosion, and despite the huge disparity in strength, it managed to leave a slight shadow erosion mark on the opponent. But its purpose had been achieved. [Armor Break], activated! Before Xiaoqing''s blade truly hit the monster''s giant claw, Silver Horn''s intervention caused its defense to drop by 50% instantly! Would it work? Qin Chuan and Yue Li watched the battle that erupted in a blink of an eye with bated breath. On the other side, Matsusaka Shigeki''s smile grew even brighter. "Extremely interesting~" He suddenly exclaimed excitedly, and at the same time, a golden glow flickered briefly around his body. "Boom boom boom" With a deep rumbling sound spreading, the monster, whose body was momentarily paralyzed by Water Flower''s Blood Control Ability, and not yet recovered, suddenly raised its head. Its strength climbed sharply, instantly surpassing several times its previous level, and with it, its attack, defense, and other attributes roseeven in the state of[Armor Break], Xiaoqing''s slash only left a shallow bloody mark on the opponent''s giant claw. And the monster, regaining its ability to move, lifted its giant paw and, with a speed almost blurring into afterimages, fiercely grabbed at Xiaoqing who hadn''t had the chance to change direction in mid-air. "Crack" Sarch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An ice-blue figure timely appeared in front of the monster''s giant claw, bringing with it a blizzard swept up by fierce winds, rapidly spreading layers of frost from the monster''s claw, instantly sealing the creature in ice! "Frost Freeze," activated! "Squawk" Startled and enraged, Xiao Qing didn''t hesitate to retaliate, gathering a terrifying green light swiftly in front of it, within which seemed to condense boundless, mad winds. Accompanied by another cry, it blasted towards the monster like a cannon. It was the skill she had newly acquired after breaking through to Hall Rank, "StarResidual Wind Shattering Dome." Accompanying the attack that accurately hit the frosted, immobile opponent, tiny, meticulous cracks of illusion appeared all around it. "Slicing," activated! "Ying!" Reappearing, the ice cream immediately slashed at the wound Xiao Qing had just inflicted. Nearly at the same instant, Matsusaka Shigeki felt a chill wind blow by, a cold enveloping him. On the other side, Qin Chuan was covered in a halo of light. Yue Li gently lowered her clasped hands. "Prayer Third Talent," activated! Under the increment of such fortune, "Frost Annihilation''s" critical hit triggered! Accompanied by the monster''s scream, a giant claw was instantly severed! ----------------- Oriel stood behind Qin Chuan and Yue Li, quietly watching the two of them, as well as the rapidly changing battle. She had witnessed the full extent of Matsusaka Shigeki''s strength not for the first time. But that Luo and Yue Li''s Spiritual Beasts could counter and grievously wound him, was unexpected to Oriel. It''s no wonder they, as players with the Gold Talent involving rare resources, had enough means to indulge in the cultivation of their Spiritual Beasts. She could feel that each of their Pet Beasts had been carefully selected and nurtured from the Juvenile Stage. For these players, using a piece of Rare Resources for their third Spiritual Beast, consuming a large amount of Starshine Equipment Material to make Starshine Equipment, was indeed a lavish act. That meant there was a significant gap in individual combat power between their Spiritual Beasts. Matsusaka Shigeki''s "Soul Fusion" and "Ascension" could only last for five minutes. If it continued like this, Matsusaka Shigeki would lose. And without this help, she would not be able to achieve her goal. It was time for her to make a move. With a flicker in her eyes, Oriel set her sights on the little purple hovering beside Yue Li. Unlike the tense little red vigilantly looking around, the opponent''s attention was entirely focused on the current battle, overly excited and completely unguarded against hidden dangers. It must be that one. Oriel signaled her three Spiritual Beasts with a glance. The three Spiritual Beasts gathered their full strength and struck instantaneously. "Zzala" Accompanied by a streak of lightning, unable to restrain its eagerness for battle, little purple didn''t wait for Yue Li''s command and an "Instant Thunder Flash" materialized above the fusion monster''s head. Its fists, wrapped in thunder, struck violently. In the same instant, the full-force attack of the three Spiritual Beasts hit the afterimage left by little purple. Eh? Oriel''s pupils contracted, and as she turned to look at Yue Li and Luo, cold sweat "whooshed" down. Chapter 169 - 169: A Curtain Call Like a Beaten Dog Watching the scanning result flicker before his eyes, a hint of astonishment flashed in Qin Chuan''s eyes. It''s her? If he remembered correctly, this woman had been promoted to Elite Level alongside Ji Huai just a few days ago. It was said that her time since breaking through to Official Level wasn''t long either, which didn''t match up with Traceless at all. Therefore, Qin Chuan had never really doubted Oriel. To his surprise, she was Traceless. In an instant, Qin Chuan gained some insight into Oriel''s ruse. "Woof!!!" A bark rang out sharply from afar, the sound belonged to Water Flower. In the recent battle with the monsters, Water Flower could have done more but didn''t; it was on Qin Chuan''s signal that part of its attention was kept on the unseen opponent lurking in the shadows. At that moment, with the appearance of Oriel''s three Contracted Spiritual Beasts, it didn''t hesitate to activate its Blood Control Ability from a distance, causing them to stiffen temporarily while a massive tidal wave instantly surged toward the trio of beasts. StarSky-Rolling Waterfall! Sar?h the ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under her mask, Oriel''s mouth twitched slightly, realizing that because of the unexpected whiff, she had exposed not only herself but also failed to reduce her opponent''s numbers. Wait, unexpected? Ha, what a Prayer! How could there be so many coincidences in this world! Without another word, Oriel vanished from the spot with her three spiritual beasts. Traceless Third Talent Effect, activate! The Sky-Rolling Waterfall struck an empty space, and Oriel retreated safely. A glint flickered in Qin Chuan''s eyes. Sun Needle Third Talent, activate! Target, Player [Oriel]! A map instantly appeared before him, marking Oriel''s blip as much dimmer than normal, and it also displayed the words on it. Unable to attack the enemy while they''re hidden? Qin Chuan frowned, then relaxed after a few seconds. Thankfully, that state didn''t last forever. "Water Flower!" "Woof!" Water Flower, always ready, followed Qin Chuan''s command, affecting the Fusion Spiritual Beast once again with its Blood Control Ability and immediately controlled the Sky-Rolling Waterfall to spin rapidly like a grinding disc, hurtling powerfully towards Oriel''s current location. Hiding in the shadows, Oriel''s face under the mask showed fear for the first time. Looking at Luo''s eyes which seemed capable of seeing right through her, she, who had never imagined her Talent would be seen through since obtaining Traceless, felt her heart sinking continuously. She instantly lifted her own stealth status only to re-enter it, relying on the split-second of being untargetable to dodge the terrifying strike, and Oriel turned head over heels without hesitation. Run! The farther, the better! With unprecedented panic under her mask, Oriel re-entered her stealth state and without the slightest hesitation mounted her Spiritual Beast to make her escape from this place immediately. Qin Chuan reluctantly shifted his gaze from the direction of Oriel and turned his head to look at Matsusaka Shigeki. Although one of its claws had been severed, Matsusaka Shigeki''s Fusion Spiritual Beast not only possessed a Race Value far exceeding all other Spiritual Beasts present but also had a terrifying healing ability; the claw had already regrown. Little Red had also joined the fight, but since the Skill''s effect was gradually exposed and it could no longer launch a surprise attack, they were slowly being overpowered in this six-on-one battle. Seeing this, Qin Chuan shook his head slightly. With Traceless gone, there was no point in keeping up pretenses anymore. "Water Flower." "Woof!!!" Water Flower let out an odd howl as dazzling water lights surged around it, sweeping in all directions from its core in an instant. Ignoring the other five allied Spiritual Beasts, the water lights hit the Fusion Spiritual Beast, sending its massive body flying upon contact. StarSky Water Clarity! As Knockback took effect, the Fusion Spiritual Beast''s momentum plummeted dramatically, returning to how it was before Matsusaka Shigeki used the Third Talent of Ascension. For the first time, a look of astonishment appeared on Matsusaka Shigeki''s face, which always bore a hypocritical smile. Despite the Third Talent of Ascension not even close to ending, why... Before he could react, Snow Cone, having revealed its form, already brought down its blade, cleaving the Fusion Spiritual Beast in two. The massive body of the Fusion Spiritual Beast collapsed with a thud, turning into three heavily injured Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts. As the other companions reaped their harvest, all of Matsusaka Shigeki''s Spiritual Beasts eventually met their deaths. "You..." Watching Qin Chuan and Yue Li approach, Matsusaka Shigeki''s already pale-as-a-corpse face instantly showed a look of shock and anger. He turned his head to look around, issuing a beast-like roar, "How long are you planning to watch the show?!" "You think you can take them on by yourself without me?!" "You damn foolish woman! You..." "Are you talking about Oriel?" Qin Chuan interrupted his roar, a hint of strangeness in his eyes, "Stop shouting, she''s been gone for a while now." Matsusaka Shigeki''s madness came to an abrupt halt. "Yare yare, I really do look like a defeated dog now." He dropped his arms weakly and let out a heh, of cold laughter, "Luo, what exactly is your Talent?" "Would you satisfy my curiosity as a man about to die..." Ptui The long sword pierced through Matsusaka Shigeki''s chest, solidifying the last trace of bewilderment on his face. "You''re not really dying anyway, do you take me for a fool?" Qin Chuan wore a look of disgust while Yue Li, beside him, couldn''t help but laugh with her hand over her mouth. Watching Matsusaka Shigeki dissipate into points of light, Qin Chuan''s voice contained a touch of melancholy, "I wonder what the next player who obtains the Soul Fusion Talent will be like." "Let''s just hope they don''t try to make enemies with us." Yue Li spoke softly and then looked at Qin Chuan, "Did you just use the Third Talent of Sun Needle to lock onto the owner of Traceless?" Despite the chaos of the battle, she had noticed Qin Chuan easily catching Oriel, who had been hidden. "Yes." Qin Chuan nodded, "I hadn''t expected this time, the Third Talent of Sun Needle would be used on Traceless." Originally, according to his plan, if Yue Li were to obtain the Hall Crystal without needing the Third Talent of Sun Needle, he would have used this Talent to lock onto the missing Matsusaka Shigeki. Yet before he could use it, Matsusaka Shigeki appeared at their doorstep, and the Sun Needle ended up being used on Traceless. In terms of results, though, this was more advantageous. "Are we going after Traceless?" Yue Li started laughing, "Your Talent really does counteract hers perfectly." "Hmm..." Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "No, we''re not going after her." Seeing the puzzled look on the young girl''s face beside him, he smiled. "If Oriel were to die, it would be much harder for us to locate the new Traceless." "Who owns Traceless isn''t important." "But we do need a Traceless that has been locked onto." Chapter 182 - 182: Strategy Rating: SSS! [Peripheral Activity Chapter] (April +3350 Monthly Tickets) [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: S] [Current Strategy Reward: [Blue] Corpse Wolf''s Teeth, [Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror] [Receive Strategy Reward] That''s an S? Looking at the suddenly elevated dungeon rating, Qin Chuan felt the rating was somewhat hasty. But on further thought, he realized that while everything seemed easy for him, it was actually quite difficult for the average player. Without finding "Ella''s Earrings," a dying Sosali likely wouldn''t have reacted that way, and the clue for this instance could only be dropped by killing a specific Corpse Wolf leader. At that moment, he also understood the significance of the dungeon clues. They played a significant role in improving the dungeon rating. The other two dungeon clues had also received partial guidance from Sosali due to "Ella''s Earrings." If he delivered them to someone named Clary, his dungeon rating would definitely be raised again. But... where''s Clary? Qin Chuan couldn''t help but frown. This Clary certainly wasn''t just any Corpse Wolf in the Evil Demon Forest. The Third Talent of the Sun Needle had run out of uses in this instance and, since the target wasn''t a dungeon boss, couldn''t be locked on. Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly and activated the Second Talent of the Sun Needle. Within a ten-thousand-meter radius, all hostile targets were visible at a glance. Corpse Wolves and their leaders appeared in his field of vision. Since he temporarily had no clue, he might as well take care of these Corpse Wolves. Perhaps after exterminating a few more, a clue would emerge? ----------------- "Roar" Accompanied by a fierce and hoarse howl, the last Corpse Wolf leader was sliced in two by Qin Chuan. After wandering through the entire instance area, Qin Chuan also discovered another feature of the dungeon. The dungeon area was limited. Reaching the edge of the map, he could see further landscapes but was blocked by an invisible force, unable to make progress. He even painfully spent one second of Time Stop, only to find out that he couldn''t walk out even under Time Stop condition. At this point, all instance creatures within the dungeon area had been exterminated by Qin Chuan. But he had neither found Clary nor obtained any new dungeon clues. [Congratulations, player has achieved the Advanced Strategy Requirement: Kill all Corpse Wolves and their leaders, Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: SS] [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SS] [Current Strategy Reward: [Purple] Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse, [Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror] [Receive Strategy Reward] Well, it seems there was a reward for his accidental success. Qin Chuan shook his head with a wry smile, and then his expression changed suddenly, gazing into the distance. A female with the same clan characteristics as Sosali after regaining consciousness was walking toward him cautiously. She was originally outside the bounds of the dungeon map, but she crossed the invisible barrier of the instance as if it wasn''t there and appeared before Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan was stunned. [Stranger of an unknown clan... Who are you?] [My name is Clary, and I am the Clan Leader of the nearby Moon Spirit Clan, and came to check out the commotion here] [This place is dangerous. If you have no further business, please leave quickly] A look of realization flashed in Qin Chuan''s eyes. It seemed that Clary would appear only after killing all the Corpse Wolves or a certain number of them. Due to the language barrier, he was cautious not to speak but instead took out "Letter to Clary" and "Sosali''s Painkillers" and handed them to her. Clary took it and showed a puzzled expression, but as she opened the letter, her face suddenly changed. "This...this is!!!" Having read the letter, she looked at Qin Chuan once more, her expression distinctly different from before. "To have obtained these, the old Clan Leader must have found relief in your hands! On behalf of the Moon Spirit Clan of Milian Territory, I express our highest gratitude to you." "The contents of this letter are too important, concerning the safety of all the Moon Spirit people in Milian Territory. I must return to our lands immediately to deal with this matter." "Stranger, please forgive my rudeness. The Moon Spirit Clan wishes to become your friend forever." With those words, Clary waved to Qin Chuan and turned away, soon disappearing beyond the instance map. "Congratulations to the Player for fulfilling the advanced strategy requirements: Transmitting the past truth to Clary. Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: SSS." "Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SSS." "Current Strategy Reward: [Purple] Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse, [Blue] Clary''s Gift, [Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror." "Receive Strategy Reward." Having slain all the Corpse Wolves and used up all the instance clues found, Qin Chuan was confident that the "SSS" rating was the highest evaluation for this B-level instance, and without hesitation, he clicked "Receive Strategy Reward." The Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse was a short dagger radiating a rotting scent, made from the teeth of Corpse WolfSosali. The moment Qin Chuan took it, an introduction appeared before his eyes. "[Purple] Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse: Reduces target''s recovery by 70%." Nice item. Turning his gaze to the ordinary-looking Wolf Teeth Dagger in his hand, Qin Chuan''s eyes blazed with excitement. Water Flower''s and Ice Cream''s abilities weren''t very useful to him, but this dagger, paired with Silver Horn''s StarThree Times Annihilation, would truly be like adding wings to a tiger! Next, Qin Chuan took out Clary''s Gift. It was a small, light gift box. Qin Chuan opened the gift box to reveal an ancient-looking page. "[Blue] Clary''s Gift: As Clan Leader of the Moon Spirit Clan, Clary is proficient in life and healing magic. This is Clary''s most adept concoction, the recipe for [Disease Cleansing Spirit Water], which can eradicate all diseases after preparation." sea??h th N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eradicate all diseases... If it includes incurable diseases too, this potion can surely sell for an astronomical price, right? So why just give the recipe? Qin Chuan glanced at the [Disease Cleansing Spirit Water] recipe and was at a loss for words. To prepare the [Disease Cleansing Spirit Water], one must collect three extremely rare treasures and expend one recipe. Qin Chuan didn''t want to complain about why the recipe was a consumable, because having to collect three treasures was even more ridiculous. They had to be obtained from a place called [Semia Abyss]. Qin Chuan had no clue where that was. No wonder it was only a blue reward! But considering that he hadn''t put much effort into obtaining this SSS rating, Qin Chuan quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, everyone should have some ace up their sleeve, right? Lastly, Qin Chuan looked at the blue TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror. "[Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror: When worn, grants a 10% attack boost, which doubles against cadaverous creatures." Title... Qin Chuan remembered the panel inside the instance. There was indeed a spot for wearing a title, but he didn''t have one at the time and skipped it. Looking at the rules again, Qin Chuan quickly understood them. All acquired titles could be worn and effective one at a time and only worked inside an instance. It was a unique buff effect within an instance. Seeing the option "Abandon Strategy" turned into "Leave Instance" at the bottom of the panel, Qin Chuan, having tallied up his loot, clicked it. In the next instant, his figure vanished from the Milian Demon Forest. ----------------- Chapter 171 - 171: College Entrance Exam Scoring Tips! (3000 Monthly Tickets Bonus in April) In a sealed room, two men sat facing each other. One of them, with a hint of aging on his face, neatly combed his hair back. He was dressed in casual home clothes, but as he propped his hands on the desk, the interlocking of his fingers in an instant emitted a calm and commanding presence. Across from him sat a man in his thirties, bearing similar features to the middle-aged man. Even the composure on his face bore resemblance. "There are no electronic devices here, all signals are completely isolated." After a moment of eye contact, the middle-aged man slowly began, "Now, you can tell me about your Talent." "Soul Fusion." The moment the young man spoke, a peculiar smile appeared on his face. The middle-aged man''s pupils shrank slightly, carefully observing his son who had changed drastically in less than a month. He confirmed again, "Soul Fusion?" "Yes." The young man shook his head and chuckled, "Who would have thought, the Talent that was meant to kill me, has ended up in my hands?" Erik reflected on the surprise he felt last night when he drew Soul Fusion, and the realization after seeing the Third Talent Effect of Soul Fusion. There was a touch of melancholy in his eyes. It turned out that in the end, he had been tricked by the guy named Matsusaka Shigeki. No, the other party did not reveal the Third Talent Effect of Soul Fusion, he had just assumed it was Instant Teleportation. Lauren Solag, the current Clan Leader of the Solag Family, fell into silence, then he looked at Erik, "The press conference has been prepared for you." "You can step back into the spotlight at any time and announce the return of the lion." "Press conference?" Erik shook his head, "No, I don''t need such things anymore." "Oh?" Lauren looked at Erik, surprised. "Lauren, I remember you taught me as a child to always choose the option most beneficial to myself," Erik spoke calmly, "I chose to be conspicuous in the past because it brought me what I desired." "Supporters, worshippers, any resources I wanted." "As long as I stood in the spotlight, I could capture the attention of the world, and as long as I had strong enough power, countless people would become my fervent supporters." "I could establish a new order under their adoration." "But now, being conspicuous is not the most beneficial way for me." "No one cares about a loser, just as no one cares about the name of the world''s second highest peak." A sharp light flashed in his blue eyes, "And no one would think that a Player who once possessed the Gold Talent could possess another Gold Talent." "Staying low-key is what I need to do right now." "I won''t underestimate anyone anymore; on the contrary, I want them all to underestimate me." Lauren suddenly laid his hands down from the table, his tense body gradually relaxing, leaning back against the comfortable soft high-quality leather chair, a smile appeared on his face. "I''m comforted by your growth." "I thought this setback would make you grow, but I didn''t realize the changes it would invoke in you would be so profound," he said with appreciation in his eyes as he looked at his son, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening because of the smile, "Erik, you''re completely different from before." "It''s not the setbacks that changed me." Erik rose to his feet, pushed open the door, and strode out, "It was the twenty-four deaths in the past." "Thank you, father." No sooner had Erik calmed down than he realized that the family''s retaliation would never let him spend the rest of his life in a mansion worth billions of dollars. This was the punishment Lauren had preemptively given him. But sometimes, punishment is also a form of protection. A lion, no longer blinded by sudden powerful forces, firmly locking down numerous adversaries with his heart alone, is the real lion. He, Erik, had returned! ----------------- Qin Chuan did not know anything about what had happened across the ocean. At this moment, he had returned to his school classroom. The day after tomorrow was the entrance examination; the day before the exam was a holiday, so today was his last day in the classroom with his classmates. Even with guaranteed university admittance, he had no plans to skip classes at this time. The last class from each teacher was a farewell to their students. Qin Chuan didn''t want to miss it. Next to Qin Chuan, chubby listened to the class with exceptional focus, diligently noting down every point the teacher mentioned last, a stark contrast to his past self. He still had not achieved an A-grade rating on his third practical assessment, and his final rating remained "B+" like his provisional rating after the second assessment. This meant chubby needed to pass the second-tier university cutoff to get into a top university like Modu Jiaotong University. This was challenging for Chubby, who usually hovered around the third-tier cutoff. While Qin Chuan was away from cultural courses for a month, chubby also took several days off. Unlike Qin Chuan, chubby took leaves because his father had hired the best tutors for him to receive one-on-one tutoring at home. Reportedly, the price was steep, costing a thousand yuan for two hours of lessons. "Let''s go buy some snacks from the snackbar," Qin Chuan suggested during the break, patting chubby on the shoulder as he pulled him up. sea??h th n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two bought their usual roasted sausages and stood in the corner, just as they had done before. "How''s your preparation going?" Qin Chuan asked, looking at chubby. "Not bad." Chubby bit off a piece of sausage with a carving knife and swallowed it with two bites, then chuckled, "With the exams coming up, it''s not possible for me to improve in every subject." "That Mr. Liu, the tutor, is really good. He prepared a targeted improvement strategy for me, focusing on Chinese, English, and mathematics." "For Chinese, it''s mainly about memorizing all sorts of model answers so I can just write them out earnestly and score some points, especially the essays, mainly memorizing model essays." Chubby scratched his head, "Believe it or not, it really works. I took a mock test a couple of days ago and my Chinese score increased by over thirty points." "For English, it''s mainly about memorizing vocabulary and rules... oh, and handwriting!" Chubby''s eyes sparkled, "You know about roundhand, right? That fancy-looking English script that seems very high-end. Mr. Liu told me to just practice that." "But not too fancy, you have to find the right balance, and then not make corrections." "When the marker sees your essays, the first thing is a pleasant surprise because they look so nice. Then, if they don''t look closely, even misspelled words might get overlooked, and that gets you a higher score." "For my last mock test at school, I only lost three points on the English essay!" "And for mathematics, for the last two multiple-choice questions, the last fill-in-the-blank, and the two big questions, I just give them up and focus on the easier questions at the beginning!" Chubby bit fiercely into his sausage again, "Now, in the mock exams for the college entrance exams, I can consistently score in the triple digits!" "Impressive." Qin Chuan gave Chubby a thumbs up. Chubby''s improvement was clear to him. With such progress, securing a spot in a second-tier university was almost a given. That tutor was expensive, but evidently for good reason. Chapter 172 - 172: The Vanishing Target! [Peripheral Activity Chapter] (April +3050 Monthly Tickets) Regardless of everything, Zhou Zixiu was still happy that his good friend had a promising future. "Oh, by the way, how are things going with that Amy?" He suddenly remembered the plump gaming partner from Dream World and casually inquired about her. Unexpectedly, on hearing this question, the plump friend fell silent. After a moment, he finished the rest of his grilled sausage in one bite, his expression one of grief and indignation, "Zhou Zixiu, take advice from a brother, never trust a good-looking female player in Dream World!" Qin Chuan: "...Huh?" "It''s all fake! All of it!" The boy chewed on his grilled sausage, his expression growing fierce, "It took me so long to get Amy''s contact information in real life, and guess what?" "That Amy in real life is a perverted man! His chest hair is even thicker than the hair on my legs!" "He also said he liked me and wanted to continue things with me in the real world!" As he spoke, the plump boy couldn''t help but rub his arms, goosebumps popping up all over. "Pfft" Qin Chuan burst out laughing. After a moment, he managed to stifle his laughter and patted his plump friend''s shoulder sympathetically, "So what''s your situation now? You didn''t team up with him anymore, did you?" "Of course not." The plump boy shook his head like a rattle, "It just so happened that the person in charge of Dragon Gate Camp contacted me, so I joined the camp." "Well, that''s good." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. With his plump friend''s strength and personality, he would likely do well at Dragon Gate Camp. The warning bell rang, and the two tossed their wooden tokens into the nearby trash bin before walking back to the classroom together. As the teacher entered the classroom, his plump friend once again entered a serious study mode. Qin Chuan, however, was somewhat distractedly staring out the window. Speaking of which, Yue Li''s Dream World avatar was also really good-looking. Wonder what she looks like in real life? The plump friend''s experience flashed through Qin Chuan''s mind for a moment, and he violently shook his head. Impossible. Absolutely impossible! Yue Li couldn''t possibly be some foot-scratching big guy! ----------------- "Clang" "Ding" The sound of metal clashing echoed across the practice field engulfed in nightfall, as Qin Chuan, gasping for breath, swiftly retreated with his sword to dodge the sweeping heavy halberd of Ji Huai. "Ten moves." Ji Huai stopped his movements, "Congratulations, you lasted ten moves under my full strength." "Mr. Ji, what stage am I at now?" Qin Chuan grinned, his face showing a touch of pride. His progress had been rapid thanks to the daily late-night special instructions. Of course, this was greatly related to the overall improvement in his physical attributes since practicing the Unnamed Breathing Skill. "Competent, I suppose," Ji Huai said calmly, "You can bully the beginners at least." Qin Chuan''s smile froze. Getting praise from the mouth of ''Demon King'' Ji was too hard. "Mr. Ji, can I continue learning from you?" Qin Chuan suddenly asked. Today was the last cultural lesson at school, as well as the last Extraordinary Theory Class and Extraordinary Practical Combat Class. Moving forward, if he didn''t come to school, he would no longer have Ji Huai''s private instruction. But Qin Chuan wanted to continue learning. Weapon Skills were not just about weapon usage; they also enhanced one''s combat abilities. Now Qin Chuan was much more efficient when killing Demon Beasts, and Ji Huai''s contribution was indispensable. "The Special Affairs Group Headquarters has a Training Ground open from one to two in the afternoon every day." Hearing this, Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up, "Thank you, Mr. Ji!" "But not tomorrow or the day after," Ji Huai went on as he disassembled and collected the weapons from both of them, "You remember the Fourth Rank Demon Beast body that I killed when we teamed up before?" "When the personnel arrived for handling, the body was already gone." "The corpses of six Third Rank Demon Beasts were left at the scene." "These past two days, investigators found some clues; there seem to be several Fourth Rank Demon Beasts lurking on the outskirts of Changxing City," Ji Huai said calmly. "Do you need my help?" Qin Chuan hastily spoke up. "You stay in the city," Ji Huai shook his head. Qin Chuan couldn''t help but frown. Although Ji Huai could handle a single Fourth Rank Demon Beast, dealing with multiple Fourth Rank Demon Beasts was currently not within Ji Huai''s capabilities, right? Wasn''t this being a bit too overconfident? Sensing Qin Chuan''s confusion, Ji Huai unusually offered an extra explanation, "Zhou Zixiu believes that the clues we''ve found might have been intentionally exposed by the Demon Beasts." "Fourth Rank Demon Beasts might be more cunning than we think." "Having you stay in the city is a precaution." "As for me..." Ji Huai''s eyelids twitched slightly, "If I can''t beat them, I''ll just retreat." "Alright." Hearing this, Qin Chuan nodded slightly. As long as Ji Huai had a plan. Time was getting late; after the two parted ways, Qin Chuan quickly returned to his rented room. Sitting on the bed, he was still thinking about the Fourth Rank Demon Beasts that Ji Huai had mentioned. The clues found might have been intentionally exposed by the Demon Beasts... Then, what exactly were these Demon Beasts aiming for? Humans, during a fixed time period, would enter the Dream World as the gateway to the dream realm opened, and their consciousness would enter it. Similarly, during these periods, Demon Beasts would fall into a deep slumber of consciousness. This kind of slumber was like a forced hibernation; during this quiet period, the physical strength of the Demon Beasts would greatly increase, while the rate of mutation sped up. The Demon Beasts'' current rate of mutation and the emergence of Fourth Rank Demon Beasts in a very short time was primarily due to this hibernation. Because of the existence of this hibernation, Qin Chuan didn''t need to worry about Demon Beasts taking advantage of humans entering the Dream World to infiltrate human cities. Other than that, he couldn''t think of any other tactics that the Demon Beasts could use. Not thinking further, Qin Chuan slowly closed his eyes and entered into sleep. ----------------- The following day. Departing early in the morning, Ji Huai, along with a dozen or so members of the Special Affairs Group with significant strength, followed the investigators'' clues, cautiously advancing towards the hidden lair of the Fourth Rank Demon Beast. After eliminating the obstructing Demon Beasts along the way, the dozen or so people eventually stood before a pitch-dark cave entrance. sea??h th N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before they even entered, they smelled a pungent stench and a bloodiness from the cave entrance that was so strong it made one feel like vomiting. "Leave it to me," a woman in the team said somberly. Accompanied by the touch of a breeze, the surrounding air instantly cleared, and any potential toxins or other harmful substances were excluded. She raised her hand and materialized several orbs of light that scattered among the group and then nodded at Ji Huai. "Stay close to me," Ji Huai spoke calmly and stepped into the cave. The dozen or so people behind him quickly followed. With the illumination from the orbs of light, the scenery inside the cave became clear. They hadn''t gone far when everyone''s faces turned grim. At the top of the cave walls hung countless web-like structures, each web cradling a corpse that had completely desiccated into a mummy. Most of these were of Demon Beasts, but a portion was human. "We can''t identify them with the naked eye; we need to take them back for DNA matching," one person quickly stepped forward, looked for a moment, and then spoke with a heavy expression, "There have been disappearances in the nearby area before, but no clues were uncovered by the investigations at that time. I suspect these might be the missing persons." Ji Huai''s grip on his long knife tightened, and in silence, he led his team further in. Along the way, the sight of more and more hanging mummies made the expressions of everyone grow increasingly solemn. Upon reaching the deepest part of the cave, they found a gigantic web-like nest suspended in the air. Inside the nest, there was not a single trace of a Demon Beast. "The webs here are very fresh," one of them quickly noticed something unusual, examining a strand of web closely before speaking loudly, "That creature hasn''t been gone long!" Ji Huai''s silence broke for a moment as killing intent flashed across his eyes. "Pursue!" ----------------- Chapter 173 - 173: College Entrance Exam Day, Emergency Situation! The national exam, is one of the most significant events of the year in Yanhuang Country. Traffic, production, and the media... all aspects have to make certain concessions to provide the senior year students who have studiously prepared in seclusion a relatively fair chance to strive for a better future and change their fates. This year''s national exam has attracted more attention than usual. Because it''s the first national exam since the Extraordinary Descent. With such massive changes in the world, the exam naturally could not remain unchanged. First, the change in the subjects of the national exam. On the basis of the existing cultural subjects, an Extraordinary Theory subject has been added, scheduled for the morning of the third day of the exam, while the Extraordinary Practical Combat assessment was completed in advance of the exam. Second, the change in the order of the national exam. Most of the senior students are Transcendents with a wide array of extraordinary abilities; continuing with the old order would simply not prevent cheating. To address this, Yanhuang Scientific Academy specifically organized personnel to complete the verification and mass production of a scientific achievement before the exam. It was something called the Extraordinary Power Precision Surveillance Device. Any fluctuations of extraordinary power in the nearby area, no matter how minuscule, would trigger its alarm and precise localization. These devices were just mass produced and taken directly from the production line to be distributed to national exam sites across the country, ensuring a device in every exam site. After this examination, they would be collected by the Special Affairs Group for routine management of extraordinary incidents. By the next national examination, there probably would be better equipment available. Besides, each local Special Affairs Group would also allocate some personnel to patrol various exam sites, constantly checking the working status of the devices while ensuring the order of the exam. Everything that could be done had been done, now it was time to see how the students would perform. The first subject in the morning was Chinese. Due to the closing time of the entrance to the Dream World, the original start time of nine o''clock was postponed to nine-thirty to give the students more preparation time. At this moment, before the exam had started, the area around the exam sites in Yanjing City was already surrounded by people, including parents and relatives of the students and various media reporters. Outside the noisy exam venue, a voice amplified by a loudspeaker briefly attracted attention, "Excuse me, please make way, everyone." The crowd looked towards the source of the sound and upon seeing the situation, their expressions varied immediately. Despite the crowded scene where it was quite difficult to even step, they quickly made way, clearing a path wider than one meter. They then watched as a girl with an exam badge, dressed in a white dress, sitting in a wheelchair, passed by. sea??h th N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The girl''s upper half of the face was covered with a plain white mask, revealing a pair of spirited eyes and a delicate jawline. With a smile on her lips, she softly thanked the people who moved aside and then followed the path into the exam venue. The media quickly realized that such a special candidate might be a worthwhile promotional highlight, but before they could raise their cameras, a few people following the girl stepped forward to stop them. "Sorry, my daughter does not wish to be prominently featured." The middle-aged man following the girl, who was holding a megaphone, casually mentioned and then gently pushed her wheelchair forward to the deepest point parents were allowed to go. "Hello, do you need help pushing the wheelchair?" a member of the Special Affairs Group responsible for maintaining order immediately stepped forward to ask. "No, thank you," the girl softly responded, turning her head to look at Lin Changfeng, who had a slight look of concern, "Dad, I can do this." She then slightly raised one hand. A gentle breeze turned into a pushing force, softly supporting her body and her wheelchair, easily overcoming the stairs in front of her. Waving at her father, the girl headed straight to her exam site. Only upon passing through the security check did she gently remove the mask from her face and hand it to the examiner for safekeeping, arriving at her own seat under the admiring gazes of fellow students. In the upper right corner of the seat, her name was displayed. Lin Yue. ----------------- "Little Fatty, you can do it!" Outside the exam site, Qin Chuan gave Little Fatty a tight hug and then waved to him with a smile. Although everyone was a senior student, Qin Chuan had become the person accompanying him to the exam site, which felt oddly comforting yet fleeting in Little Fatty''s heart. He waved his fist firmly, his face full of resolve, "Just wait, I will definitely pass the Tier Two threshold!" As Little Fatty entered the exam site, Qin Chuan smiled and was about to turn away when he spotted an unexpected figure approaching him. "Teacher Zhou? You''re here too!" "Just checking on things." Zhou Zixiu looked around, "It''s not convenient to talk here, shall we go across the street?" "Sure," Qin Chuan nodded. They walked away from the crowded crowd and stood in a corner across the street. "I was actually about to look for you, if I hadn''t run into you, I might have had to send you an invitation for a special cooperation mission later." Zhou Zixiu looked at Qin Chuan, "You don''t have other plans today, do you?" "No," Qin Chuan shook his head, his expression slightly intensifying as he immediately thought of something Ji Huai mentioned the night before about the traces of several Fourth Rank Demon Beasts, "Is it something to do with Teacher Ji?" "Sort of, let''s head to headquarters and talk while we walk." Zhou Zixiu pressed his car key, and the lights of a car parked by the roadside blinked twice. The car started, and Zhou Zixiu began to explain the current situation to Qin Chuan. "Yesterday morning, Ji Huai led a team of over ten members from the Special Affairs Group to the discovered lair of the Fourth Rank Demon Beast, only to find it empty, as the other party had already moved just before they arrived." "Ji Huai led the team on a chase, and they haven''t returned yet." "What about after midnight yesterday?!" Qin Chuan looked alarmed. "Don''t worry, staying out in the field for several days is not new for the combat personnel of the Special Affairs Group; by evening, they can quickly set up temporary accommodations. At the Dragon Gate Camp, personnel who are relatively safe remain on real-world duty while others enter the Dream World," Zhou Zixiu explained. "That''s a relief," Qin Chuan sighed. It appeared that Dragon Gate Camp was not only a collaborative platform prepared for Yanhuang Country players but also a safeguard for the Special Affairs Group''s combat personnel who unexpectedly could not enter the Dream World. But thinking of Ji Huai and others not returning overnight, Qin Chuan''s expression tensed again, "Is Teacher Ji in danger?" "That, I cannot confirm," Zhou Zixiu shook his head slightly, "Because Ji Huai and the others are temporarily out of contact with the headquarters." "What?!" Qin Chuan''s pupils slightly constricted. Lost contact... The communication devices used by the Special Affairs Group are satellite communications, which generally do not suffer from poor signals, so being out of contact likely means the devices are probably damaged. But if the communication devices are damaged... Could the people still be safe? Chapter 174 - 174: Diversion, the Demon Beasts Conspiracy "In the last communication before losing contact, Ji Huai reported some situations to us," Zhou Zixiu glanced at Qin Chuan and began to speak slowly. "They haven''t directly encountered any Fourth Rank Demon Beasts, but based on the clues available, there may be more than ten Fourth Rank Demon Beasts around Changxing City." "...That many?!" Qin Chuan''s expression grew even graver. Double digits of Fourth Rank Demon Beasts. Even Ji Huai couldn''t possibly handle that, could he? "Yes, it has already exceeded the number Ji Huai can handle," Zhou Zixiu nodded slightly. "Therefore, before losing contact, he was already leading his team on the way back." "Normally, he who chose to withdraw at the first instance shouldn''t have encountered any issues, but now he is missing." "Unless something unexpected happened, he fell into a trap set by the Demon Beasts," Zhou Zixiu continued, his expression growing grim. "Ji Huai tends to be reckless, not considering many things, and Fourth Rank Demon Beasts just happen to possess higher intelligence and the ability to suppress madness with rationality." "Are we going to rescue Master Ji right now?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but ask, worry evident in his eyes. "No, rescuing without understanding the situation would be like a foolish act," Zhou Zixiu shook his head. "Moreover, Ji Huai is very strong, so the situation might not be as bad as it seems." "Right now, we need to figure out the last known location of Ji Huai and his team before they went missing so we can start" Zhou Zixiu was continuing when suddenly a series of urgent rings interrupted him. After answering the phone with a couple of words, Zhou Zixiu''s face turned livid, he turned the car around immediately, and floored the accelerator. Feeling the sudden push, Qin Chuan involuntarily looked towards Zhou Zixiu. "There''s good news and bad news," Zhou Zixiu spoke in a serious tone. "The good news is that Ji Huai is most likely not in life-threatening danger; the bad news is that the entire Changxing City is now in danger." "In the eastern part of the city, Demon Beasts are organizing an assault on the city''s defensive line." "Special Affairs Group''s combatants have already rushed there at the first instance, and we''re heading there too." "Okay," Qin Chuan''s expression tightened. Demon Beasts assaulting the defensive line of Changxing City. To use the word "assault" gives one an idea of the immense number of Demon Beasts involved. One wrong move, and this could turn into a major disaster. More importantly, today is the day of the high-stakes examination. At this moment, countless students in Changxing City are filling out answer sheets for their futures. Remembering how Xiao Pang excitedly told him about his improvement over just one month, Qin Chuan''s eyes slightly lowered, a quick flash of resolve passing through them. Zhou Zixiu, driving, was equally silent, his eyes particularly sharp. Although he had felt before that the clues on Fourth Rank Demon Beasts seemed like a deliberate exposure by the enemy. But it was just an intuition with no solid evidence, he could only warn Ji Huai to be cautious, he could not stop the engagement with Fourth Rank Demon Beasts based on such intuition alone. Now with Demon Beasts assaulting Changxing City, including unmistakably the presence of Fourth Rank Demon Beasts, Zhou Zixiu realized that it was indeed a conspiracy. From devouring the corpse of a Fourth Rank Demon Beast earlier to exposing tracks the day before yesterday, it was all to lure out the powerhouses of Changxing City, allowing the Demon Beast horde to execute a diversionary attack. Since the main force of the Demon Beasts is here, naturally, not many are left targeting Ji Huai. He shouldn''t be in danger but is most likely detained, unable to return for the time being. Even selecting the examination day for the city attack was no coincidence. The city must be hiding as-yet-undetected Demon Beasts, coordinating inside with those outside, letting the external Demon Beasts understand the human city''s situation. He underestimated them When facing this entirely new kind of life in Demon Beasts, even though Zhou Zixiu tried to estimate as highly as possible, it seems he still underestimated their level of intelligence. The speeding vehicle swiftly carried the two towards the battlefield in the eastern district of the city. From a distance, they saw countless differently-shaped demon beasts rushing towards the city''s defense line like a tide, the end of the line not visible at all. Even Zhou Zixiu and Qin Chuan couldn''t help but inhale sharply at the sight. "Please," Zhou Zixiu took a deep breath and spoke earnestly to Qin Chuan before striding towards the defense line deployment area. He, possessing numerous reconnaissance and detection skills, was not adept at combat. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, his participation in the deployment of personnel would significantly enhance the efficiency of the battle. Qin Chuan watched Zhou Zixiu depart, then his gaze returned to the long battle line before him. A row of text appeared before his eyes. [Current Extraordinary Value: 32800] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, StarFrost Cold, StarDark Flame] [Current Active Skills: StarFrost Trace, StarShadow Erosion, StarSilent Darkness] [Item Carrying: 1/1][View] [Resonance 2: Skills StarDark Flame, StarShadow Erosion, StarSilent Darkness receive 5% enhancement] The skills he brought today were indeed well-suited for the current situation. Just then, the frontline was violently breached by the demon beasts, and Qin Chuan suddenly exerted strength under his feet, quickly moving forward. There was no time to say anything to the combatants nearby. Qin Chuan''s body instantly turned into countless flakes of snow, threading through the narrow gaps in the beast tide and reappearing among the demon beasts. StarFrost Trace effect, the next attack after reappearance increased by 20%! Before the demon beasts around him could react, Qin Chuan, surrounded by a pitch-black flame, snapped his fingers. "Snap~" Accompanied by a soft noise, a world devoid of light instantly enveloped a large area. StarSilent Darkness! In the darkness, Qin Chuan reached out to touch the pitch-black before him and also touched the shadows of all the demon beasts within range. Then, he clenched tightly. StarShadow Erosion, activated! This skill, which required direct contact with the target''s shadow to activate and ignored defense, was also the beneficiary of the Silent Darkness. When light returned to the pitch-black world, in the vast area, only Qin Chuan stood calmly; hundreds of demon beasts were completely eroded by the darkness in an instant, turning into ash. "Hold the line!!!" He looked at the demon beast group nearby, the madness in their eyes momentarily suppressed by fear, shouted lowly, and without hesitation shifted positions, turning into flying snow toward another spot. Before the gap torn open in the beast group could be filled, operatives from the Special Affairs Group had already swiftly moved forward, blocking the gap. In awe amidst the fight, they watched the figure who was attacking the only Fourth Rank Demon Beast nearby. "Hiss" The Fourth Rank giant python demon beast, coiled among the beasts, coldly stared with its slit-like eyes at the abruptly appearing figure. When darkness descended once again, every scale on its body surged with a yellow earthy glow, and layers of hard rocky shells rapidly surfaced. Demon beasts were innately strong in physique, and its abilities after advancing were also related to defense. A mere human couldn''t possibly break its "Sss" Watching the pitch-black rapidly climbing up its body, eroding both its physique and life inch by inch, the disbelief in the giant python demon beast''s eyes quickly solidified. Chapter 175 - 175: Spirit Descent·Infinite Tomb of Soldiers! (April Bonus for 3100 Monthly Tickets) "One." Qin Chuan picked up the Fourth Rank giant python Demon Beast''s Demon Core that had fallen to the ground, his expression impassive. The StarFrost Trace had enabled him to move unscathed through the swarm of Demon Beasts, perfectly complimenting the defense-ignoring Skill StarShadow Erosion for his next attack upon reappearing. Not only did the StarSilent Darkness allow the attack mode of StarShadow Erosion to change to an AOE attack, it also eliminated the need to touch a shadow at close range to activate it. Although he hadn''t foreseen the current scenario when choosing his Skills the night before, the ones he brought with him coincidentally fitted the situation perfectly. After several shuttles, Qin Chuan appeared in front of the next closest Fourth Rank Demon Beast. The dragon-like Fourth Rank Demon Beast''s eyes were filled with extreme gravity. It had witnessed the death of its companion. All it took was a spread of darkness, and its companion vanished without a trace. The opponent''s attacks were too strange; it had to give its all. The moment Qin Chuan materialized, a brilliant breath of thunderous lightning spewed from the maw of the dragon-like Demon Beast, slamming towards him with force. "Boom!!!" Qin Chuan was enveloped in black flames, instantly activating Dark Silence, crossing his arms in front of his chest to take the attack he had no time to dodge with Seek Frost Trace. Damage Reduction 35%. The clothes on his arms turned to ash, sparks of electricity scattering from his arms along with seeping blood from the wounds, Qin Chuan wiped his arm nonchalantly, ushering the Fourth Rank Demon Beast to follow its companion''s fate. After the darkness dissipated, he picked up the Demon Core and waved his hand backward. A branch drilled its way out from the ground, swiftly wrapping around Qin Chuan''s wounded arm, shining with a wood-green light. The next instant, the branch retracted, and his arm was as good as new. In the vast battlefield, there would surely be healers present. Qin Chuan''s every move didn''t just take a single life but a swath of Demon Beasts, making him a prime target for healers, who would heal him at the first sign of injury. However, such a conspicuous display didn''t only attract attention from the human side. On the Demon Beast''s side, Fourth Rank Demon Beasts stationed elsewhere in the swarm could no longer sit idly by upon witnessing two fellows fall to Qin Chuan consecutively. In an instant, five Fourth Rank Demon Beasts charged towards Qin Chuan at once, even the tide of Demon Beasts voluntarily parted to create five passages for them. Amidst the rush of surging energy, the five beasts came to kill! Qin Chuan calculated the distances in his mind, his eyes suddenly fierce. StarSilent Darkness, activate! In an instant, encompassing all five Demon Beasts, Qin Chuan transformed into frost and snow, scattering within the absolute darkness to avoid the simultaneous attacks of the Fourth Rank beasts, and as he materialized, he fiercely pressed into the void. "Sss" Accompanied by the faint sound of shadows eroding flesh, the lives of the five Fourth Rank Demon Beasts were extinguished at once, realizing the cause of death of their predecessors too late as they felt the attack completely ignoring their defenses. Gathering up the five Demon Cores, as the realm of darkness vanished, Qin Chuan''s eyes flickered with a hint of fatigue. Shadow Erosion could ignore defense, naturally coming with its drawback of greater power exhaustion compared to regular attacks. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moreover, he had used Shadow Erosion during Silent Darkness, with one attack equating to multiple simultaneous uses, a level of expenditure that even a Transcendent Value as high as thirty thousand couldn''t sustain for long. But the effect was excellent as a deterrent. Having eliminated seven Fourth Rank Demon Beasts in a short time, Qin Chuan could sense that the surrounding onslaught of Demon Beasts had lost its previous frenzy, seemingly wavering with the notion of retreat. Turning once again into flying snow, he drifted toward the direction of the main base within the city. With two consecutive blinks, he was almost there, when suddenly a cry of alarm rang out around him. "Be careful!!!" Without needing a reminder from others, Qin Chuan himself felt a terrifying presence that chilled him to the bone rapidly approaching from behind the horde of Demon Beasts, simultaneously singling him out from a distance. As he transformed into frost and snow again, he twisted his viewpoint and quickly saw a massive, nearly blurred Demon Beast charging towards him. A mere few thousand meters away, it would reach him in the span of a breath under its lightning speed. The horror of that presence, far surpassing any Fourth Rank Demon Beast, made Qin Chuan instantly realize something. Fifth Rank. Among these Fourth Rank Demon Beasts, there was actually a Fifth Rank Demon Beast hidden!!! Countless attacks erupted from the human ranks, all aiming at the blurry figure, attempting to stall it for a moment, but it was all in vain. Before Qin Chuan could reappear, the figure had already arrived in front of the flying snow he had become, its form becoming clear once more. It was a huge spider, with each leg spanning over a dozen meters, flashing a chilling light under the sun. At this moment, all eight eyes of the spider Demon Beast were fixed on him, filled with disdain and mockery. Although the beast could not speak the human tongue, Qin Chuan instantaneously understood its message. ''I have already seen through your little trick.'' Seek Frost Trace''s maximum duration was only ten seconds, and after those ten seconds, he would reappear and would be the first to suffer an assault from the creature. It would be a terrifying attack that even 35% damage reduction could not withstand. And at this moment, five seconds of Seek Frost Trace had already elapsed. Was there still a chance? Qin Chuan, hidden in the flying snow, was silent. He saw countless human Transcendents attacking in unison, he saw the cannons and machine guns firing without reservation even though they knew it was futile, he saw the worried and angry faces of every combatant. But he could not see any hope. Until a familiar voice reached him. "From here on out, leave it to me." The next instant, a figure appeared as if descending from the heavens, standing protectively in front of Qin Chuan. Seeing the familiar figure, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but exclaim in surprise as he appeared, "Teacher Ji?!" "Got held up on the way back," Ji Huai nodded slightly, then turned to face the spider Demon Beast, "Your trap is nothing special." Qin Chuan clearly saw the surprise in the eyes of the Fifth Rank spider Demon Beast at Ji Huai''s arrival. Upon hearing Ji Huai''s words, the surprise turned into anger and an unmistakable intent to kill. "Step back and watch closely." Qin Chuan opened his mouth, ready to express his desire to fight side by side. But Ji Huai had already taken a step forward, wielding his long sword straight at the spider Demon Beast. "Spirit Descent" The world seemed to fall silent in that moment, and Qin Chuan clearly saw a phantom appear above Ji Huai''s head. It was a being made entirely of metal armor, without a head or flesh, its hands raising a long sword high, like an invincible knight cleaving down. "Buzz" With a deep humming sound, that being dissolved into countless specks of light, a beam enveloped Ji Huai, and then rapidly spread in all directions. When the light column receded and dispersed, the surrounding scenery had drastically changed. A large swath of the battlefield was studded with weapons thrust into the earth, and the Demon Beasts that didn''t evade in time were impaled on the spot, unable to emit a single cry. With armor draped over him, Ji Huai casually drew a long spear from his side, pointing it at the bloodied Fifth Rank spider Demon Beast. In his indifferent eyes, a fierce battle intent rose. "Infinite Tomb of Soldiers." Chapter 176 - 176: Secret Technique and Spirit Descent! (April Bonus for 3150 Monthly Tickets) The physical prowess of a Fifth Rank Demon Beast was even greater than that of a Fourth Rank. The spider Demon Beast''s body was covered in bloodstains, which healed at a visible rate, even the blood tinged with darkness being absorbed back into its body. Its eight eyes, filled with malevolence, stared at the human before it, a flicker of deep-seated doubt passing through them. Just a moment ago, the creature perceived this human as a harmless ant, but now it sensed a power emanating from the human that could threaten its life. The spider Demon Beast trusted its instincts. Caution had been key to its survival and remaining undetected after the anomaly. Even after seeing Qin Chuan make a move, it preferred to lurk in the shadows, only striking without hesitation after confirming it understood his abilities. Faced with the unknown, a hint of retreat had already begun to sprout in its mind. However, as soon as this thought of retreat began to take shape, Ji Huai''s indifferent voice was already echoing. "Now trying to run, wouldn''t it be too late?" As he spoke, his long spear thrust out in an instant. "Clang" The sharp spear tip nailed into one of the spider Demon Beast''s legs, penetrating an inch. Feeling the sting in its leg, the spider Demon Beast suddenly calmed down. Is this it? It seemed its senses had slightly misjudged. The human in front of it was still an ant. Even if it could have luckily harmed it, it wasn''t much "Gurgle" The Gun Blade instantly extended, penetrating the entire leg of the spider Demon Beast and thrusting into its body, tearing through its defenses as if they were non-existent and emerging from the other side. In the next instant, the long spear turned into flying ash. As a dense, foul-smelling blood spurted from the body of the spider Demon Beast, Ji Huai expressionlessly pulled a long sword from the ground beside him. "Not dead yet?" Observing the still-living creature, its eight eyes revealing a panicked expression, Ji Huai''s tone was calm and certain, "Your heart seems to be misplaced." Spider Demon Beast: "???" Shouldn''t it be your strike that was off?! How could it blame the misplacement of someone else''s heart?! Before it could react, Ji Huai''s long sword had already been fiercely plunged into its body. It penetrated merely an inch as well. The horror in the spider Demon Beast''s eyes instantly solidified. The bloodstain spread from one side of its body to the other, eventually forming a circle, the seamlessly smooth cut surface splitting apart, and blood sprayed everywhere as its massive body split in two and heavily fell to the ground. The Fifth Rank spider Demon Beast was dead. Ji Huai stumbled, his armor and the numerous weapons embedded in the ground around him all vanished, leaving behind only countless corpses, resembling a battlefield of slaughter. Witnessing all this up close, Qin Chuan was still speechless and had yet to snap back to reality. Spirit Descent Was this Spirit Descent? Unlocked only at Resonance 3, requiring 100% Affinity and the understanding of a Secret Technique before it could be truly executed? To enable an Elite Level player to kill a Fifth Rank Demon Beast, what terrifying power! "Don''t just stand there, pull up your pants." Approaching Qin Chuan, Ji Huai''s voice was calm with a touch of strangeness, "Told you to stay back and you didn''t listen, don''t blame me if your phone is broken." "Ah?" Qin Chuan came to his senses, belatedly realizing that his pants seemed a bit loose, even though he had securely fastened his belt before. As he casually reached to tighten his belt, Qin Chuan suddenly looked confused. Sar?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t feel the metal buckle that should have been there. Wait a momentmetal?! Thinking of the latter part of Ji Huai''s statement, Qin Chuan hurriedly took out his phone. No, it could no longer be called a phone. In the absence of its metal casing, most parts containing metal were damaged beyond repair; it was just a pile of junk now. He seemed to understand why Ji Huai had lost contact. ----------------- "Teacher Ji, when did you master Spirit Descent?" After replacing his belt and buying a new phone, along with getting a new SIM card, Qin Chuan looked at Ji Huai who sat boldly in front of him, filled with curiosity. "Last night," Ji Huai said calmly. "I just reached 100%." "Isn''t it said that you also need to comprehend the Secret Technique with a Spiritual Beast?" Qin Chuan blinked. "That, well, once the Affinity reaches it, it''s understood," Ji Huai replied as casually as if dipping dumplings in vinegar. Qin Chuan: "..." Really? Why did he feel like it wasn''t that simple? "When the Spiritual Beast Affinity reaches 100%, it triggers a very special transformation," Ji Huai said slowly as he looked at Qin Chuan. "Once the Dream World entrance closes, the consciousness of the Spiritual Beast will return to the real world with us." "The consciousness of my Contracted Spiritual Beast, Gold Armor, is currently in my mind," Ji Huai pointed at his head. "It can see, hear, and feel everything that I experience." "The so-called Secret Technique is the key alignment between a Player and their Contracted Spiritual Beast, jointly developing a power that neither can achieve alone, but both can execute together." "It is not fixed; there is potential for enhancement after the realization." A look of surprise gradually appeared in Qin Chuan''s eyes. When the Dream World entered Time Stop, the consciousness of the Spiritual Beast was also halted. A Player''s consciousness experiences 16 more hours daily than that of the Spiritual Beast, leading to a disconnect between their consciousnesses and preventing a perfect integration. According to Ji Huai, reaching 100% Affinity perfectly resolves this problem. With the Spiritual Beast''s consciousness entering the real world and perceiving everything the Player perceives, there''s no doubt that the deeper integration of consciousnesses could be achieved. Under this deep integration, jointly developing powers that both can execute presents a possibility of success. Thus, the true comprehension of Secret Techniques begins only after reaching 100% Affinity. The rapid mastering of Secret Techniques by Ji Huai was largely due to his exceptional Weapon Skills, the peculiarities of his Contracted Spiritual Beast, and their compatibility, which wasn''t universally applicable. Qin Chuan was visibly energized. Ji Huai had just explained the changes that occur after reaching 100% Affinity and the specifics of the Secret Techniques. But the real highlight was still to come. "Teacher Ji, what exactly is Spirit Descent?" Qin Chuan asked earnestly. "Spirit Descent is a method where the Contracted Spiritual Beast transfers its power to the Player in the real world to execute Secret Techniques," Ji Huai glanced at Qin Chuan. "Also, during Spirit Descent, the Player can temporarily gain the attributes and Equipment Entry of the Contracted Spiritual Beast." "My Infinite Tomb of Soldiers, in the moment of use, draws away all metal within range to deliver an area attack and possesses absolute Armor Break with the ultimate effect of the weaponry technique." "Absolute Armor Break means that any protective gear touched by the weapon is only as strong as the weakest point of contact. In simple terms, if I pierce the opponent''s armor, then in front of this weapon, the opponent is as if unarmored." "Ultimate Weaponry is focusing the force of every weapon within the Infinite Tomb of Soldiers to an extreme," Ji Huai paused slightly. "The thrust of a spear, the slash of a sword, the smash of a club" "Weapons are manifold, their variations infinite." Chapter 191 - 191 Initial Subjugation of A-level Secret Realm (3600 Monthly Tickets in April added) "It''s okay, bring Evelyn along too." Yue Li suddenly smiled and said, "I''ll have Xiao Qing guard her in the sky at all times, and won''t let her encounter any danger." Hearing this, and seeing Evelyn''s defiant gaze, Iron Hammer was a bit helpless but nodded his head anyhow, "Then I''m indebted to you." Although he was worried about his and Evelyn''s safety, Iron Hammer also understood that A-grade Secret Realm expeditions could yield a huge amount of points. Even just a bit of loose change was enough for them to exchange for many needed resources. This was a great opportunity. "Let''s go." Yue Li smiled, stepped forward, and took Evelyn''s hand, "Although I don''t understand Russian, I believe we will get along very well." Evelyn: "?" She looked at her hand being held by Yue Li, lost in confusion. With Iron Hammer''s thoughtful translation, knowing that Yue Li would take care of her, Evelyn''s expression suddenly turned to one of shock, as if Little Red Riding Hood had ended up in the hands of the Big Bad Wolf. Seeing this, the smile on Yue Li''s lips deepened. Sarch* The novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The most confused person in the field was probably Qin Chuan. Didn''t Yue Li just say she understands Russian? Why did she suddenly not understand it again? But noticing the subtle glance Yue Li sent him, Qin Chuan was certain in his heart and didn''t ask further. "Let''s set off." Xiao Qing brought a wild wind, carrying the four of them into the Time-Space Rift. The next instant, the Time-Space Rift dimmed, and a line of giant text appeared on it. [Secret Realm Subjugation in progress, only Luoyue Guild members may enter, remaining subjugation slots: 1] The subjugation of the A-grade Secret Realm begins! ----------------- "Boom!!!" Accompanied by a loud roar, a three-story-tall Hall Rank Lv32 Earth Rock Bear crashed to the ground, its body covered in arcs of electricity and patches of dark marks. Having cooperatively completed the kill, Silver Horn and Xiao Zi returned to Qin Chuan and Yue Li''s side, exchanging looks that seemed to carry a competitive undertone. The next moment, the Earth Rock Bear dissipated into light particles, leaving behind a pile of Experience Gems and Secret Realm Stones, and in addition, a cluster of golden light. That was a piece of dropped choose-your-own Low-level Resources. As expected of an A-rank instance, even after killing Secret Realm Spiritual Beasts, resources could drop. In this way, once the subjugation target was killed, the resources would definitely be more plentiful. Waving his hand towards the uncle and niece duo not far off, signaling them to collect the dropped resources, Qin Chuan and Yue Li continued towards the deeper parts of the Secret Realm. Iron Hammer was startled but then quickly led Evelyn forward to assist in collecting. "Your demeanor right now is quite like that of a Guild Leader," Yue Li couldn''t help but laugh as she observed Qin Chuan''s performance, "earlier outside the Secret Realm too." "Is that so? That''s good then," Qin Chuan shook his head with a wry smile. Managing a guild was a first for him, and Yue Li''s encouragement made him feel a lot more at ease. "Pretty handsome, keep it up." Yue Li tossed out her words lightly with a laugh, hands clasped behind her back, her steps becoming even more sprightly, and those words tickled at Qin Chuan''s heart like a playful scratch. Qin Chuan caught up quickly, lowering his voice, "Why did you tell Iron Hammer you don''t understand Russian?" "I think that little girl called Evelyn is quite interesting," Yue Li pursed her lips and smiled, not hiding anything, "she thinks we are going to harm Iron Hammer, to take away his Talent." "I plan to pretend not to understand Russian, to see what other bizarre ideas she has," Yue Li glanced at Qin Chuan with twinkling eyes, "just don''t give us away." "Don''t worry," Qin Chuan smiled helplessly. If Yue Li wanted to play, then he would play along. As the two of them talked, three Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts surrounded them, but were then taken down as easily as chopping vegetables by the six little ones, leaving behind three more piles of resources on the ground. Having just collected the resources and caught up to the two, Iron Hammer and Evelyn saw this scene and exchanged glances. "Uncle Iron Hammer, they are so amazing..." Evelyn couldn''t help but mutter in a low voice, "This is bad, I might not be able to protect you now." "Uncle''s not quite at the point where he needs your protection yet," Iron Hammer chuckled as he ruffled Evelyn''s hair. "Continue gathering resources. I''ll handle the Experience Gems, and you take care of the Secret Realm Stones and the rest." "Okay," Evelyn said, staring at the colorful resources in front of her, unable to help swallowing hard. "So many resources, we..." Before she could finish, a hand tapped her head neither too lightly nor too heavily. "Don''t you dare steal any!" Iron Hammer glared. "Otherwise, at night, a four-eyed goblin will come and steal ten times more from you." "...It''s another legend I haven''t heard of," Evelyn pouted as she diligently collected and logged the Secret Realm Stones and other resources. "There''s still plenty of legends you haven''t heard of," Iron Hammer chuckled and began to tally the Experience Gems with practiced ease. Before long, the uncle and niece pair caught up with Qin Chuan and Yue Li again. ----------------- "That''s enough, no need to follow further." Qin Chuan turned his head to look at the uncle and niece who had caught up again. "Yue Li and I have already cleared out this area. It''s very safe right now." "The target for our quest is just ahead; just wait here for us." "Got it," Iron Hammer acknowledged, aware of the vast gap in strength between them. "Good luck!" Qin Chuan flashed a no-problem hand signal and, with Yue Li, headed toward the location of their quest target. "Can the two of them win?" Evelyn suddenly asked. "We have to believe in them," Iron Hammer raised his eyebrows and sat on the ground. "For now, all we can do is stay here and not wander off." "After all, even a simple Hall Rank Spiritual Beast is not something we can handle." "Okay..." Evelyn squatted on the ground, her chin propped in her hands. "Uncle Iron Hammer, I want to become stronger." The experience of entering the Secret Realm with Luo and Yue Li had clearly left a significant impression on her, still a minor. "We will grow stronger," Iron Hammer said softly, his gaze fixed on the distance. A rumbling mountain split open, and a Bone Dragon, ablaze with dark fires, flew out, emitting a sorrowful wail that shook the soul. Even from where they were, the two could hear it clear as day and see it distinctly. "They''ve started." On the other side, Qin Chuan and Yue Li looked up at the nearly hundred-meter-long behemoth before them. [Combat quest triggered, Target: Sorrowful Bone DragonCasadan (Epic Rank Lv50)] [Number of fighters: 4/5] [Combat quest start] An Epic Rank quest target didn''t just make a showy appearance; they also had their own names, something not found in Low-level Secret Realms. Without a doubt, successfully taking down such a target would be immensely satisfying. But... it was going to be immensely tough. Watching the light explode from the Bone Dragon''s third eye and a segment of its spine, the domineering aura climbing higher, Qin Chuan moved behind Yue Li and gently covered her eyes with his hands. "I''ll perform a magic trick for you." Everything, including the overwhelming aura of the Sorrowful Bone DragonCasadan, froze. Looking up at the still light in the creature''s hollow eyes, Qin Chuan took a deep breath. [00:00:47] Time Stop! [00:00:44] "Boom!!!" Along with a massive sound, the earth trembled violently as the Bone Dragon fell. Watching the Sorrowful Bone DragonCasadan dissolve into a shower of light, leaving only resources behind, Qin Chuan took another deep breath and removed his hands from Yue Li''s eyes. Three seconds, a small loss. Yue Li stared blankly at the resources scattered before her, then turned to look at Qin Chuan. A strange light flickered in her bright eyes, and a moment later, she smiled. "I like this magic trick." Chapter 178 - 178 New Directions After the Hall Rank! "Spiritual Beast Species: Night Nightmare Beast" "Spiritual Beast Attribute: Dark Attribute" "Spiritual Beast Level: Hall Rank Lv40, Advanced, Evolution" "Spiritual Beast Traits: Dark Night Madman" "Spiritual Beast Species Value: 40000" "Spiritual Beast Affinity: 93%" "Spiritual Beast Skills: StarDark Flame (Passive), StarShadow Erosion (Active), StarDark Shadow Escape (Active), StarShadow Devouring Poison (Active), StarSilent Darkness (Active), StarThreefold Annihilation (Active)" "Equipment Entry: [Dark Nightmare (Starlight 10 Level): Attribute Power increased by 60%]]" "Current Entry Usage/Cooldown Duration: 10 minutes/10 minutes" "Spiritual Beast Introduction: The Dark Attribute Spiritual Beast Night Nightmare Beast evolved from the Shadowflame Cat, containing terrifying dark forces sealed within its pallid skull carapace." Looking at the lines of text that materialized before him, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but take a deep breath. After reaching the Hall Rank, each level increased the Race Value by 2500. After ten levels, a Hall Rank Spiritual Beast with a maxed-out level could reach a Species Value of forty thousand. The added value of three Hall Rank Lv40 Spiritual Beasts easily broke the one hundred thousand mark of his Extraordinary Value, several times more than before. And that was just part of the upgrades brought by advancing to the Hall Level. "StarThreefold Annihilation: Active Skill, inflicts True Damage equal to 25% of the target''s lost Life Value to a specified target; the third use against the same target inflicts True Damage equal to 90% of the target''s maximum Life Value, with a cooldown of 60 seconds." True Damage execution! Silver Horn''s new skill once again displayed the strength of the Hall Rank compared to previous Ranks. Facing a target with less than 20% Life Value, Silver Horn could achieve an instant kill, and using it three consecutive times on the same target, as long as the opponent''s Life Value was below 90%, it would result in an instant kill! Although this new skill had a high cooldown and required over two minutes to be effective three times, enough for a weaker party to be instantly killed several times in high-level confrontations, there was no doubt that it could have unexpected effects in certain situations. After reviewing Silver Horn''s new skills, Qin Chuan opened the pages for Advanced and Evolution. On the Advanced page, there were six sockets, and this time the number of resources needed for advancement had increased by one. Seeing the description of these resources, Qin Chuan revealed a look of both surprise and anticipation. "Dark Night Remnant Light: Epic resource, a key material for the Hall Rank Night Nightmare Beast''s advancement, no known methods of acquisition]" "Night Shadow Candle Flame: Epic resource, a key material for the Hall Rank Night Nightmare Beast''s advancement, no known methods of acquisition]" "Hollow Black Feather: Epic resource, is" All six resources shared the same description. This meant that before the update, he was unable to obtain these Epic resources, which were even rarer than Advanced Resources. Next, Qin Chuan opened the Evolution interface, and once again, his expression turned to surprise. Compared to the time when breaking through from Growth Rank to Elite Rank, this time the Evolution interface had something additional. The first Array was the same as before, with nine inlay holes forming a circle and a space in the middle for an Equipment Forging Stone. However, this time it was not Starshine Equipment that needed to be forged. It was Moon Halo Equipment. The second Array was the Evolution Array, which had two inlay holes, one of which had already been filled with Silver Horn''s Starlight Equipment, though it was now in a dimmed state. The other inlay hole was empty. Then there was the third Array, which had only one inlay hole, currently holding Silver Horn''s Starlight Equipment. Clicking the flashing question mark in the top left corner, Qin Chuan quickly understood the method for Hall Rank Evolution. First, he needed to gather Moon Halo Equipment Materials to forge a piece of Moon Halo Equipment. Next, it''s necessary to enhance the existing Starshine Equipment to at least Moon Halo level 1. The third array serves this exact purpose. Players can use Equipment Enhancement Stones to strengthen their existing equipment, and with each successful enhancement, the equipment level increases by one. Beyond Starshine level 10, it becomes Moon Halo level 1. However, according to the introduction, enhancing equipment is far more dangerous than crafting it. Because Starshine Equipment that has been used for evolution cannot be replaced. And there''s a failure rate for equipment enhancement. After a failure, there''s a 67% chance the level remains unchanged, and a 33% chance it will decrease by one level. Moreover, the failure rate of equipment enhancement doesn''t increase with higher equipment levels, but with the number of Equipment Enhancement Stones used. For example, if a piece of equipment at Starshine level 9 fails during enhancement and falls back to Starshine level 8, its next enhancement''s success rate will not rise because of the lower level, but will drop further due to the increased number of stones used. A piece of equipment with an initially low Starshine level might never be able to be enhanced to Moon Halo level 1; it may drop back to its original level or even fall to a lower level due to the increasing failure rate. This is the complete opposite of the luck value system commonly seen in other game enhancements. Upon reading this, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but glance at Yue Li, who was beside him looking innocent. Luckily, he shouldn''t have to face this issue. Neither Moon Halo Equipment Materials nor Equipment Enhancement Stones are currently available. Without a doubt, these are items that can only be obtained after the update. Casually, Qin Chuan opened up his own panel. After being promoted to Hall Rank, the number of Contract Slots increased from 3 to 4. At the same time, the number of Active Skills he could carry increased to 4. sea??h th NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This meant that he could now enhance his skills to Resonance 4. He was looking forward to this. "Let''s go find the next Hall Crystal," Qin Chuan gently tugged at Yue Li''s hand, "After finding it, you can also be promoted today." According to their original plan, after obtaining the new Hall Crystal, the two of them would move away from the current area by thirty zones before using it, just as before. But having been promoted to Hall Rank and having seen a glimpse of the future, he changed his mind. With so many new things emerging, one could imagine that the scale of this update would be unprecedentedly large, and under such circumstances, wasting another three days was not worthwhile. Hall Crystals could be obtained in the future by numerous means. He hadn''t even used his Sun Needle''s Third Talent, which refreshed on the first day of the ninth week. Being promoted to Hall Rank ahead of time, to maximize strength before any potential crisis, was the most important thing. This was true for both him and Yue Li. "I''ll follow your lead." After hearing Qin Chuan''s thoughts, Yue Li''s eyes brimmed with laughter. She looked deeply at Qin Chuan and nodded obediently in agreement. Moments later, the newly rediscovered Hall Crystal was used on Little Purple. Due to the lack of Experience Gems, Yue Li could only temporarily maximize Little Green''s level, while Little Red and Little Purple remained at Hall Rank Lv30. But for now, this was already enough. "Luo, imagine how exciting the Dream World will be at this time tomorrow!" After viewing the various changes at Hall Level, Yue Li sat on a rock, gazing up at the clear blue sky, her eyes full of anticipation. "Yeah, I''m really looking forward to it too." Qin Chuan spoke softly, his gaze falling onto the tender hand within reach. Gently, he placed his hand over it, and then took hold of it, while Yue Li only symbolically struggled for a moment before letting him hold her hand. Blush flew across the girl''s cheeks, her lips slightly pursed, yet she did not shy away from the boy''s gaze. In the slanting sunlight, their two shadows merged into one. Chapter 179 - 179: Blue Star 2.3 Version Update! The real world. Qin Chuan woke up promptly at the sound of the alarm clock. Sitting up, he casually opened the Dream Realm Forum, and the news of both him and Yue Li''s promotion to Hall Level Players had become the hot topic of discussion throughout the entire forum. Although the attention of the world had already been focused on the two of them as their Contracted Spiritual Beasts successively made breakthroughs to Hall Rank, and a breakthrough to Hall Level had been anticipated early on, the fact that they achieved it the night before Blue Star''s update held an unusual significance, causing the discussions to be wider and even more heated. However, they were not the most talked-about thing on the Dream Realm Forum today. While the strength of top players was certainly of interest, what was more compelling was something that affected every player personally. Blue Star was due for another update today. This was more important than anything else at the moment. The previous three update announcements were released at 8:30 am Beijing time. Based on everyone''s estimates, this time was expected to be the same. A mere half hour felt exceptionally long amidst the tension and anticipation of countless people across Blue Star. Finally, as the minute hand on the clock hanging on the wall of the rental apartment moved from "29" to "30," rows of text appeared before Qin Chuan''s eyes. Before he had a chance to read it carefully, this update announcement gave Qin Chuan the impression of a massive amount of information because it was several times longer than previous ones. [Blue Star 2.3 Version Update Completed. As players'' strengths gradually increase, Dream World can no longer fully withstand the players'' powers, and a large number of Time-Space Rifts have appeared, hiding more powerful creatures. This represents new opportunities as well as new challenges.] [New [Secret Realm] added. Entrances to the Secret Realm appear randomly in Dream World. The Time-Space Rifts have special rule restrictions. Upon entering the Secret Realm, Player Talents will be inoperative. Defeat the powerful creatures within the Secret Realm, and upon conquering it, rich rewards can be obtained.] [Stronger players are no longer confined to one area. Higher-level challenges are destined to require the powerful collaboration of strong players to complete.] [New [Guild] added. Players can create Guilds themselves. Once created, all players within Dream World can see it and apply to join. By conquering Secret Realms as a Guild, you can earn Guild Points, and high rankings in Guild Points will bring rich rewards.] [New changes bring new demands. To optimize the player experience and make the process of communication between players more convenient, new [Friends] and [Channel] functions have been added.] [As the connection between Dream World and the real world strengthens over time, Transcendent powers have already planted extraordinary seeds in the real world. The newly born Seeds of the World will inevitably attract higher-dimensional coveting, and for this, initial probes have been made. Fortunately, such probes require the connection of time and space, and hence are influenced by Dream World.] [New [Dungeon] added. Players in the real world need to teleport into the Dungeon within 72 hours of its emergence to complete it; otherwise, the Dungeon will descend upon the real world where powerful high-dimensional creatures will rampage unchecked. If no one stops them, they will attempt to seize the Seeds of the World, causing the world''s roots to wither completely.] [Within the Dungeon, Player Talent will change to [Dungeon Talent]. Utilize this power properly to conquer Dungeons, defeat Dungeon bosses, and players will receive rich rewards.] [Next Blue Star update time: The moment the first player is promoted to Mythical Level.] The Secret Realm, if nothing else, is the way to continue getting stronger and obtaining various resources after reaching Hall Rank, as can be inferred from the rewards of the Hall Rank Spiritual Beast List. Secret Realm Stones and Secret Realm Keys are all related to the Secret Realm. What Qin Chuan didn''t expect was that this update significantly increased player interactivity. The new Friends and Channel features allow players from different areas to communicate with each other, no longer limited to dealing with matters encountered in Dream World the next day in the real world. At the same time, the emergence of Guilds makes it easier for players of similar strength to form teams to defeat town Spiritual Beasts or conquer Secret Realms to earn Guild Points, and, as introduced in the update, high Guild Points will lead to rich rewards. This was also worth looking forward to. Updates concerning Dream World seemed to be moving towards better and higher grounds. But when Qin Chuan read about the updates to the real world, everything changed. Blue Star''s power has attracted higher-dimensional coveting? Dungeons appearing in the real world if not conquered within 72 hours, with powerful enemies from the Dungeons entering reality? Qin Chuan, in silence, opened his own panel. [Current Extraordinary Value: 114,800] [Dungeons: 174/178][Today''s Conquerable Attempts: 1] [Item Equipment Bar: 0/20][View] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, StarFrost Cold, StarDark Flame] [Current Active Skills: StarFrost Breaking Slash, StarSeek Frost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze, StarResidual Frost Domain] [Item Carrying: 0/1][View] [Resonance 4: Skills StarFrost Cold, StarFrost Breaking Slash, StarSeek Frost Trace, StarFrost Snow Gauze, and StarResidual Frost Domain receive a 20% enhancement, unlocking Spirit Descent: Frost Battle Spirit] [Activate Spirit Descent] To test the effect of Resonance 4, Qin Chuan chose four active skills associated with the same Spiritual Beast this time. Although Silver Horn was strong, its consumption was too great to sustain, and Ice Cream balanced strength with sustained combat. Just right, the skill StarResidual Frost Domain which Qin Chuan obtained had not been properly executed in reality yet. Looking at the instance that could now be viewed, Qin Chuan casually clicked to open it. Quickly, a list of instances appeared. [Instance: Akyar Eagle Valley (A)][Assailable] [Recommended Player Level: Hall Level] [Player Number Limit: 3] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance Remaining Challenge Time: 71:56:22] ----------------- [Instance: Screaming Demon Lake (A)][Assailable] [Recommended Player Level: Hall Level] [Player Number Limit: 1] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance Remaining Challenge Time: 71:56:22] ----------------- [Instance: Kleik Giant Peak Mountain (B)][Assailable] [Recommended Player Level: Elite Level] [Player Number Limit: 6] S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance Remaining Challenge Time: 71:56:22] ----------------- [Instance: ...] Qin Chuan scrolled down through the list of instances and quickly realized the current situation. 174/178, indicating that 178 instances had been refreshed at this moment, with 4 instances already chosen by players for an assault. Whether successful or failed, other players cannot choose to assault the same instance until it is completed. In the brief time he was checking, the number of instances already being assaulted had broken into double digits. The lowest instance rating was a D, corresponding to Apprentice Level, and the highest currently was A, corresponding to Hall Level. Once the instance challenge time ended, what awaited Blue Star would be the descent of the instance creatures. Low-level instances probably wouldn''t pose too much of a threat, but the higher the instance level, the more dangerous it could get, possibly even leading to the completely desolate state of the world''s foundation as mentioned in the update notice. So, which instance should he choose... Qin Chuan revealed a thoughtful expression. Chapter 195 - 195: The Bizarre Digging Tree Deer (April 3700 Monthly Tickets Extra) "Ah!!!!!" The moment Qin Chuan set foot on solid ground after choosing a strategy and teleporting, a fleeting scream echoed in his ears. It was a high-pitched scream, interspersed with a high-frequency noise similar to fingernails scraping a blackboard, echoing in the dense forest concealed by thick fog, instinctively causing discomfort the moment it was heard. Qin Chuan''s brows instantly furrowed. Without encountering any enemies within the instance, the eerie sound alone cast a shadow over his heart. [Instance: Screaming Demon Lake] [Instance Introduction: 313 years ago, this was the Mother Lake, the pride of the Crystal Clan tribe in Masiso Territory and one of the "Four Treasures" of Masiso. However, one day, a sudden scream destroyed everything, becoming a nightmare that the displaced Crystal Clan could never forget.] [Dungeon Level: A] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance Boss: Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban] [Dungeon Talent: Sun Needle (Gold)] [Wearing Title: [Blue] Corpse Wolf Conqueror] sea??h th N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Minimum Instance Strategy Requirement: Kill Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban] [Instance Strategy Time Limit: 48:24:30] [Abort Current Strategy] [00:00:45] Crystal Clan... Qin Chuan quickly scanned the instance introduction, looking for information he could utilize. In yesterday''s Special Affairs Group instance information discussion meeting, this clan was also mentioned. The Crystal Clan has an appearance highly similar to humans, each possessing extremely delicate features, but fundamentally, the two are vastly different. Inside the Crystal Clan''s body is a strange crystalline state; if they are injured, the inner crystals hidden beneath their human-like exterior would be exposed. Due to this unique body structure, their defense was weaker, easily shattering. Fortunately, having their body broken into many pieces was not a fatal injury for the Crystal Clan, as long as they properly collected the broken remains, the Crystal Clan could restore their bodies through a special method, quickly recovering even if some parts were missing. The crystals that made up the Crystal Clan''s body could greatly store and operate extraordinary power, hence the Crystal Clan naturally possessed stronger extraordinary powers than other clans. Therefore, these crystals were coveted by many other clans. Information regarding the Crystal Clan flashed swiftly through Qin Chuan''s mind; his eyes flickered. Sun Needle''s Third Talent effect, activate. In just an instant, the complete map of the instance appeared in front of Qin Chuan; in the central position of the map, a bright light point flickered. Instance Boss: Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. It was a humanoid figure submerged in lake water, countless sea-weed-like dark blue strands of hair concealing the details of its body, four terrifying steel pillars piercing through its limbs, with the other ends extending into the distance, anchored at the bottom of the Demon Lake. The moment he saw the figure clearly, a piercing scream exploded crisply next to Qin Chuan''s ears, much clearer than the echoes on the periphery, as if the figure was howling in despair right next to him. Qin Chuan grunted, without hesitation, he turned off the image, his eyes filled with shock and uncertainty. Could the opponent sense the Sun Needle''s lock and affect him remotely? Or, did the opponent have some special ability that made him inevitably hear this terrible scream whenever he saw them? Regardless of the reason, Qin Chuan could not attempt it again for now. Fortunately, from his quick glimpse just now, he hadn''t come away empty-handed. First of all, this time the instance boss was at the bottom of the lake. Secondly, this time the instance boss appeared to have restricted movement. With the passive ability of StarWater Master, fighting at the bottom of the lake didn''t affect Qin Chuan''s combat strength. And the instance boss having restricted movement, in Qin Chuan''s view, was equally good news. As he was contemplating this, Qin Chuan caught a glimpse of a shadow flashing through the dense fog at his side. The next instant, the fog tore apart as a monster about two meters tall lunged at him. It floated up like a ghost, its body shrouded in a tattered black robe, with only a pair of blood-red eyes under its wide hood, glowing with a bloodthirsty light. [Instance Creature: Servant of the Dead Soul] Sensing an aura from the opponent comparable to a Hall Rank Lv40 Spiritual Beast, Qin Chuan''s eyebrows slightly raised. His body turned into pitch-black flames, he avoided the attack at a tricky angle, and the moment he brushed past his foe, he reappeared with one foot stepping on its shadow. StarShadow Erosion, activated. The Servant of the Dead Soul that flew past Qin Chuan let out a piercing howl, and a burst of ghostly light exploded beneath its black robe, dissolving it into nothingness. Qin Chuan didn''t even glance back as he headed straight for Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. A few seconds later, a line of text popped up in front of him. [Instance Clue Found] Looking at the direction of the arrow, Qin Chuan turned without hesitation. The direction of the arrow was not fixed; it shifted several times as Qin Chuan pursued the clue. A kilometer''s distance passed in the blink of an eye, yet his proximity to the clue had not shortened. The instance clue was moving, and it was moving fast. Interesting. Qin Chuan stepped on the shadow of a tree beside him, rippling through it like water, before his entire body submerged into it, even his aura concealed. StarDark Shadow Escape. While moving quickly between different shadows to close in on his target, Qin Chuan also noticed that the arrow from the Sun Needle''s first Talent effect suddenly stopped changing. It seemed like his opponent was deliberately avoiding him. After a few breaths, Qin Chuan, through the shadows, saw a five-meter-tall creature resembling a deer. It had a slender figure, with its antlers branching out like the limbs of a tree, adorned with many flower-like structures. This was once an incredibly beautiful creature, but now its eyes held no light, and its body reeked of decay, shambling in a twisted posture utterly unnatural for an ungulate. [Instance Creature: Disembodied CorpseDeer] Confirming that the creature in front of him was the directed instance clue, Qin Chuan did not hesitate, immediately revealing himself. Looking at its current form, an idea struck him, and a Wolf Teeth Dagger appeared in his hand. Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse. The blade aimed at the creature''s neck flashed with a faint light, and in the next instant, it beheaded the Disembodied CorpseDeer. As the smooth cut at the neck reflected a gem-like shine in the sunlight, Qin Chuan''s pupils shrank. Crystal Clan?! The Disembodied CorpseDeer crashed to the ground, and in the moment Qin Chuan was stunned, its head flew towards its body, but the wound could not heal under the 70% reduced recovery effect of the Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse. The flesh on the surface pulled at the two halves of the severed head. The deer twisted its neck nearly 180 degrees, propping itself up with branch-like antlers, and its long hind legs pushed it upright. With its front legs skewed to one side, it began scratching the ground like paddles, moving with startling speed despite its bizarre stance. Qin Chuan slipped into the shadows and unhesitatingly gave chase. Chapter 181 - 181 Global First Clear, B-level Instance! (April 3300 Monthly Ticket Extra) According to the dungeon introduction, the dungeon boss that Qin Chuan faced at this moment was a monster that had mutated suddenly, killed most of its kind, and fled into the Evil Demon Forest. Qin Chuan didn''t quite understand the reason for the change, but that didn''t prevent him from following the guidance of the Third Talent of the Sun Needle, killing his way through the dungeon creatures, and finally standing before the adversary. During this process, the First Talent of the Sun Needle was constantly in effect. Besides the dungeon clue "Ella''s earrings," he also obtained two other dungeon clues; one was a letter, whose text he couldn''t understand at all, titled "Letter to Clary," and the other was an empty medicine bottle named "Sosali''s painkiller." They all sounded quite abstract, at least for Qin Chuan, who was navigating a dungeon for the first time; except for the last one which had some connection with the boss, he was entirely clueless about the first two. But since they were dungeon clues after all, Qin Chuan took them along. The Corpse WolfSosali was not alone; by its side, there were seven Corpse Wolf Commanders guarding it, making a total of eight targets. This was not a bad thing for Qin Chuan, who carried the Frost Domain. At this moment, he had already gauged the strength of this dungeon boss, which was comparable to that of a Hall Rank Lv40 Spiritual Beast. Together with the seven Corpse Wolf Commanders, comparable to Hall Rank Lv35, this dungeon indeed posed a Five stars difficulty for two Elite Level players. But Qin Chuan was not an Elite Level player. He stomped heavily, and cold air spread rapidly around him, sweeping across the eight dungeon creatures in front of him and forming a thin layer of frost around them. "Frost Freeze," activated! StarResidual Frost Domain, attack increased by 60%. Qin Chuan performed a sweeping strike, and the cold air flowed like water, instantly slicing at all targets under the Frost Freeze condition. The bodies of the seven Corpse Wolf Commanders and the Corpse WolfSosali were split in two in an instant; in their final moments, the guardians and the thing they protected departed together to the underworld. "Congratulations, player has met the minimum dungeon clearance requirements and has completed the clearance of the B-level dungeon: Milian Demon Forest, current Dungeon Clearance Rating: A" "Clearance rewards can only be claimed once. Players can choose to receive them immediately, or continue to clear within the time limit to improve their Dungeon Clearance Rating and obtain better rewards" "Dungeon: Milian Demon Forest""Cleared" "Dungeon Level: B" "Horizontal Difficulty Rating: " "Dungeon Clearance Time Limit: 70:54:33" "Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: A" "Current Clearance Reward: [Blue] Corpse Wolf''s Teeth, [Green] TitleCorpse Wolf Hunter" "Receive Strategy Reward" Pretty average rewards... Qin Chuan glanced at the text floating before his eyes and turned his attention to the Corpse WolfSosali. sea??h th N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The display of the defeated foe didn''t immediately fall silent; its ferocious body gradually transformed in the last moments of its life, finally becoming a human-shaped life that fell to the ground. The opponent had moon-blue skin and silver-long hair, with deep purple pupils that now appeared quite scattered. The aged but vaguely once-handsome face was full of pain, and his breath was faint, clearly nearing the end. Hesitating only for a moment, Qin Chuan strode forward, took out the three dungeon clues he had obtained along the way, and decided to try his luck. The other''s breathing abruptly stalled, as he struggled to sit up with his last breath, glaring intensely at the silver earrings. Qin Chuan knew he had guessed correctly. ----------------- At this moment, in every corner of Blue Star. Countless players were intently watching the dungeon list, observing as one after another entered the clearance state, their expressions extremely tense. Although Dream World had more updates, these could only be seen the next time they entered Dream World, whereas the dungeons in the real world had already appeared. If the batch of dungeons that had appeared now was not cleared within 72 hours, what awaited Blue Star was the opening of each dungeon entrance and the terrifying unknown creatures inside them. This was a threat far beyond that of Demon Beasts. As of now, the first batch of 178 instances has seen over one hundred enter strategy mode, and this number is still climbing. But so far, no instance has shown as "cleared." Not even the lowest level D dungeon has seen any players come out. This is definitely not good news. And there''s even worse news. An hour after the Blue Star 2.3 version update, the number of instances increased from 178 to 181, adding 3 new instances. If new instances continue to appear every hour, it would be a terrible disaster for the entire Blue Star. Until a certain moment, all players checking the instance interface were greeted with a line of text. [Player Luo has successfully cleared the B-level Milian Demon Forest dungeon!] In the dungeon list, one dungeon rose above two A-level dungeons and instantly appeared at the very top! [Dungeon: Milian Demon Forest (B)][Cleared] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Dungeon Clearance Time: 01:05:27] [Guide: Luo] Cleared!!! After many calls and in eager anticipation, the first dungeon had been cleared! Moreover, it was not the lowest D-level dungeon! Not even the C-level dungeons that most players chose!!! It was a B-level dungeon!!! At this moment, when the number of Elite Level players was less than triple digits, too few players chose to tackle B-level dungeons! There were only seven B-level dungeons currently being cleared, not even one-third of the total B-level dungeons! Under these circumstances, clearing a five-star difficulty B-level dungeon was like giving the whole world a shot of adrenaline! Luo! It was him! This player, who had already reached the pinnacle before the update, caught the world''s attention yet did not reveal his identity loudly, known only to be from Yanhuang, had now stepped forward! At this moment, countless people fearful of the new update suddenly realizedthey might indeed have a chance to clear all the dungeons within the time limit. They had Hall Level players! ----------------- Qin Chuan was completely unaware of the commotion caused by the dungeon clearance. At this moment, he was staring at the blue-skinned old man in front of him. Corpse WolfSosali, restored to his original appearance just before death, caressed the silver earrings in his hand, and his lifeless eyes regained focus. He repeatedly murmured the name "Ella," then looked at Qin Chuan and slowly spoke in a strange language. Fortunately, there was a translator. [Unknown visitor, thank you for granting me relief and for bringing me the token of someone dear in my final momentsElla was my most beloved daughter, but also the first of my kin to suffer from my incurable madness.] [I constantly feel pain from this and the pain only exacerbates my madness.] [You have ended all of this.] [I noticed you found the Medicine Bottle I had used. Should you encounter similar medicine, please do not use it, as beneath its apparent effects lies something dreadful, capable of causing a fundamental transformation in Extraordinary Power.] [This is the scheme of a Half-demon.] [Please hand it over along with the letter to Clary, which was actually what I intended to do, but my madness had become uncontrollable before I could do so.] With his last breath, Sosali passed away, and new text emerged before Qin Chuan''s eyes. [Congratulations player for meeting the Advanced Strategy Requirement: Understand the root cause of Sosali''s aberration, Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: S] Chapter 182 - 182: Strategy Rating: SSS! [Peripheral Activity Chapter] (April +3350 Monthly Tickets) [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: S] [Current Strategy Reward: [Blue] Corpse Wolf''s Teeth, [Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror] [Receive Strategy Reward] That''s an S? Looking at the suddenly elevated dungeon rating, Qin Chuan felt the rating was somewhat hasty. But on further thought, he realized that while everything seemed easy for him, it was actually quite difficult for the average player. Without finding "Ella''s Earrings," a dying Sosali likely wouldn''t have reacted that way, and the clue for this instance could only be dropped by killing a specific Corpse Wolf leader. At that moment, he also understood the significance of the dungeon clues. They played a significant role in improving the dungeon rating. The other two dungeon clues had also received partial guidance from Sosali due to "Ella''s Earrings." If he delivered them to someone named Clary, his dungeon rating would definitely be raised again. But... where''s Clary? Qin Chuan couldn''t help but frown. This Clary certainly wasn''t just any Corpse Wolf in the Evil Demon Forest. The Third Talent of the Sun Needle had run out of uses in this instance and, since the target wasn''t a dungeon boss, couldn''t be locked on. Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly and activated the Second Talent of the Sun Needle. Within a ten-thousand-meter radius, all hostile targets were visible at a glance. Corpse Wolves and their leaders appeared in his field of vision. Since he temporarily had no clue, he might as well take care of these Corpse Wolves. Perhaps after exterminating a few more, a clue would emerge? ----------------- "Roar" Accompanied by a fierce and hoarse howl, the last Corpse Wolf leader was sliced in two by Qin Chuan. After wandering through the entire instance area, Qin Chuan also discovered another feature of the dungeon. The dungeon area was limited. Reaching the edge of the map, he could see further landscapes but was blocked by an invisible force, unable to make progress. He even painfully spent one second of Time Stop, only to find out that he couldn''t walk out even under Time Stop condition. At this point, all instance creatures within the dungeon area had been exterminated by Qin Chuan. But he had neither found Clary nor obtained any new dungeon clues. [Congratulations, player has achieved the Advanced Strategy Requirement: Kill all Corpse Wolves and their leaders, Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: SS] [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SS] [Current Strategy Reward: [Purple] Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse, [Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror] [Receive Strategy Reward] Well, it seems there was a reward for his accidental success. Qin Chuan shook his head with a wry smile, and then his expression changed suddenly, gazing into the distance. A female with the same clan characteristics as Sosali after regaining consciousness was walking toward him cautiously. She was originally outside the bounds of the dungeon map, but she crossed the invisible barrier of the instance as if it wasn''t there and appeared before Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan was stunned. [Stranger of an unknown clan... Who are you?] [My name is Clary, and I am the Clan Leader of the nearby Moon Spirit Clan, and came to check out the commotion here] [This place is dangerous. If you have no further business, please leave quickly] A look of realization flashed in Qin Chuan''s eyes. It seemed that Clary would appear only after killing all the Corpse Wolves or a certain number of them. Due to the language barrier, he was cautious not to speak but instead took out "Letter to Clary" and "Sosali''s Painkillers" and handed them to her. Clary took it and showed a puzzled expression, but as she opened the letter, her face suddenly changed. "This...this is!!!" Having read the letter, she looked at Qin Chuan once more, her expression distinctly different from before. "To have obtained these, the old Clan Leader must have found relief in your hands! On behalf of the Moon Spirit Clan of Milian Territory, I express our highest gratitude to you." "The contents of this letter are too important, concerning the safety of all the Moon Spirit people in Milian Territory. I must return to our lands immediately to deal with this matter." "Stranger, please forgive my rudeness. The Moon Spirit Clan wishes to become your friend forever." With those words, Clary waved to Qin Chuan and turned away, soon disappearing beyond the instance map. "Congratulations to the Player for fulfilling the advanced strategy requirements: Transmitting the past truth to Clary. Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: SSS." "Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SSS." "Current Strategy Reward: [Purple] Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse, [Blue] Clary''s Gift, [Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror." "Receive Strategy Reward." Having slain all the Corpse Wolves and used up all the instance clues found, Qin Chuan was confident that the "SSS" rating was the highest evaluation for this B-level instance, and without hesitation, he clicked "Receive Strategy Reward." The Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse was a short dagger radiating a rotting scent, made from the teeth of Corpse WolfSosali. The moment Qin Chuan took it, an introduction appeared before his eyes. "[Purple] Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse: Reduces target''s recovery by 70%." Nice item. Turning his gaze to the ordinary-looking Wolf Teeth Dagger in his hand, Qin Chuan''s eyes blazed with excitement. Water Flower''s and Ice Cream''s abilities weren''t very useful to him, but this dagger, paired with Silver Horn''s StarThree Times Annihilation, would truly be like adding wings to a tiger! Next, Qin Chuan took out Clary''s Gift. It was a small, light gift box. Qin Chuan opened the gift box to reveal an ancient-looking page. "[Blue] Clary''s Gift: As Clan Leader of the Moon Spirit Clan, Clary is proficient in life and healing magic. This is Clary''s most adept concoction, the recipe for [Disease Cleansing Spirit Water], which can eradicate all diseases after preparation." sea??h th N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eradicate all diseases... If it includes incurable diseases too, this potion can surely sell for an astronomical price, right? So why just give the recipe? Qin Chuan glanced at the [Disease Cleansing Spirit Water] recipe and was at a loss for words. To prepare the [Disease Cleansing Spirit Water], one must collect three extremely rare treasures and expend one recipe. Qin Chuan didn''t want to complain about why the recipe was a consumable, because having to collect three treasures was even more ridiculous. They had to be obtained from a place called [Semia Abyss]. Qin Chuan had no clue where that was. No wonder it was only a blue reward! But considering that he hadn''t put much effort into obtaining this SSS rating, Qin Chuan quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, everyone should have some ace up their sleeve, right? Lastly, Qin Chuan looked at the blue TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror. "[Blue] TitleCorpse Wolf Conqueror: When worn, grants a 10% attack boost, which doubles against cadaverous creatures." Title... Qin Chuan remembered the panel inside the instance. There was indeed a spot for wearing a title, but he didn''t have one at the time and skipped it. Looking at the rules again, Qin Chuan quickly understood them. All acquired titles could be worn and effective one at a time and only worked inside an instance. It was a unique buff effect within an instance. Seeing the option "Abandon Strategy" turned into "Leave Instance" at the bottom of the panel, Qin Chuan, having tallied up his loot, clicked it. In the next instant, his figure vanished from the Milian Demon Forest. ----------------- Chapter 183 - 183: Rapidly Increasing Number of Instances! "Did I... see that wrong just now?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but rub his eyes after reappearing in his rented apartment. He quickly opened his panel, but, unfortunately, Time Stop duration didn''t display on the panel after he left the instance. This brought a touch of regret onto Qin Chuan''s face. The moment he clicked "Leave Instance" and teleported away, he vaguely thought he saw his Time Stop duration, which should have had 46 seconds remaining after using two seconds, increase to 47 seconds. But he wasn''t sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him. If it were true, that would be yet another piece of good news for him. Before this, the only way Qin Chuan knew to increase Time Stop duration was to gain one second every time he left Dream World. Now that he could enter an instance once a day, if he could also gain a second every time he left an instance, then he could double the rate at which he accumulated Time Stop duration. As for whether this was true, he would have to wait until he next entered Dream World and check the Time Stop duration to be sure. Temporarily setting aside this uplifting speculation, Qin Chuan once again entered the list of available instances. Having used up his attempts for the day, he planned to see how other people were doing with their walkthroughs. sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Considering the time, three hours had already passed since Blue Star''s 2.3 update. Moments later, a slight pause crossed his smiling face. The situation didn''t seem too good. At the very top of the list of instances available for walkthrough, Qin Chuan saw the collapsed status of instances already completed. As time went on, there were now twenty-two instances that had been cleared. Aside from the B-rank instance he had cleared, there was another B-rank instance that Dragon Halberd and two others had cleared; the remaining twenty cleared instances were C and D rank. One hundred and seventy-eight instances, so many cleared in just three hours, should have been a good thing, but Qin Chuan discovered that the total number of instances available and currently being cleared was still one hundred and eighty-two. This meant that during his clearing of the Milian Demon Forest, twenty-six new instances had been added. Judging by the remaining time for the instances to be cleared, it seemed that instances were being added every hour. This rate was somewhat frightening. Qin Chuan casually opened the Dream Realm Forum to check the discussions there. At this moment, the forum was almost entirely dominated by discussions about instances, and soon enough, he found the information he was looking for. "Three were added in the first hour, seven in the second, and sixteen in the third?!" Qin Chuan''s expression instantly grew solemn. Uniform growth and accelerating increases were two different concepts. If the instance count continued to grow each hour, with the number increasing each time, the difficulty of clearing all instances within 72 hours would increase significantly. Then, Blue Star would face the arrival of creatures from the instances. "Ding-a-ling" The phone rang, and Qin Chuan answered it while belatedly noticing that he had more than a dozen missed calls on his phone. All of the calls were from Chang Jinze. "You finally answered the phone." Chang Jinze''s voice came from the other end, making Qin Chuan feel somewhat guilty. After all, he had turned down the man''s invitation, making up an excuse about wanting to choose an "easier instance" and now the entire world had seen him clear the Milian Demon Forest. But Chang Jinze''s next words made Qin Chuan set aside those thoughts. "Of the twenty-two instances that have been cleared, eight were cleared by members of the Special Affairs Group, and there were forty-seven attempts that failed to clear the instances, but they did yield some clues." "We''re going to have an online meeting in a bit to discuss the situation with these instances, mainly regarding the so-called unknown high-dimensional creatures revealed by the instances." "Do you want to join?" Images of the Moon Spirit Clan and the true culprits, the Half-demon Clan mentioned by Sosali in the instance, flashed through Qin Chuan''s mind, and he nodded without hesitation, "Yes." The instances that had appeared were not randomly generated. They might actually be part of the world of powerful high-dimensional creatures. Apart from clearing instances to gain rewards to enhance oneself, reconstructing as much background information as possible revealed by the instances to identify the entity coveting Blue Star was also paramount. Following Chang Jinze''s guidance, Qin Chuan quickly found the encrypted meeting feature in the APP he had downloaded earlier, and after entering the meeting code given by the other party, he joined the meeting. Several people were already participating in the online meeting room, openly sharing their experiences in their instances. However, as soon as Qin Chuan, under the nickname "Luo," joined the meeting, the entire meeting room fell silent in a matter of seconds. The eerie silence made the corners of Qin Chuan''s mouth twitch slightly. Why stop talking? I wanted to listen. Fortunately, a voice soon broke the awkward atmosphere of the meeting room. "We can start the meeting now, we won''t wait for the others who haven''t arrived." It was a calm and steady voice that immediately made Qin Chuan feel a sense of reliability about the person. Recognizing the nickname beneath the flashing avatar, a flicker of realization crossed Qin Chuan''s eyes. Feng Yin, Second Generation Insight. Although he had heard of this person before, it was the first time he actually heard his voice since he mainly coordinated with Chang Jinze. "I''ll start by briefly talking about the background of the instance we cleared," Feng Yin began at an unhurried pace, "We cleared a B-rank three-star instance: Lilivian Port. The main clan featured in this instance was a race called Dwarf Demons." "They are quite short, no taller than 1.2 meters, and resemble humans in shape, but are more gruesome-looking." "Dwarf Demons seem to be skilled in construction and blacksmithing. In the instance setting, we saw many creations, some of which were very advanced to us." "In this instance" Feng Yin quickly wrapped up his introduction, giving other participants a certain understanding of the Dwarf Demon Clan. "Has anyone else come into contact with this clan in an instance?" Feng Yin posed the final question. "My instance was also related to the Dwarf Demons," a voice promptly spoke up, "Although my colleague and I didn''t succeed in clearing it, during the process we found that" He quickly shared their findings, many of which matched the characteristics Feng Yin had mentioned. "Any additional contributions?" Feng Yin continued to inquire, and soon two more people said they had encountered the same clan in their instances. After that, including Qin Chuan, other participants also shared their respective discoveries. However, when all participants had finished sharing, the atmosphere in the meeting room became somewhat heavy. Because from the compiled information of the instances, everyone discovered many inconsistencies. For example, in Qin Chuan''s instance, the Half-demon Clan used a conspiracy to turn the elder of the Moon Spirit Clan into a monster, indicating clear enmity between them. But in another player''s experience with the Half-demon Clan, their enmity lay greatly with the Demon Clan, and they were actually on good terms with the Moon Spirit Clan. Situations like this were not isolated. This made the background of the instances particularly fragmented. Chapter 184 - 184: Instance Guide: Yue Li "There are two possibilities." After a moment of silence, Feng Yin slowly spoke. "The first possibility is that the instance is related to higher-dimensional beings, but the relationship is not very close. It is merely a byproduct created using a part of a higher-dimensional background, so the backgrounds of different instances may conflict with each other." Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan''s eyes reflected a thoughtful expression. A randomly generated byproduct... He wasn''t very convinced by this conjecture. Although he had only experienced the tip of the iceberg, his intuition told him that everything in the instance could actually be happening. Therefore, he wanted to hear the other possibility that Feng Yin mentioned. "The second possibility is that the higher-dimensional world is vast, so vast that distant places do not affect each other at all," Feng Yin suggested a second guess. "For example, Clary, the clan leader of the Moon Spirit Clan mentioned by Luo, is only a leader of a small group of Moon Spirits living in the Milian Territory, not the leader of the entire clan." "There are many other branches of the Moon Spirit Clan elsewhere that have very little, if anything, to do with her." "The same situation applies to other clans." "This means that distant branches may undergo differentiation, and the relationships among different clans could also be completely dissimilar," Feng Yin slowly stated, "These differences are also reflected in the instances created in different areas, contributing to the feeling of contradictory backgrounds." "I feel the second possibility is more likely." A participant spoke up, eliciting agreement from many others. Qin Chuan, too, thought the second possibility made more sense. "Given that, let''s temporarily consider the second possibility," Feng Yin''s tone became slightly more solemn, "With the background of the instances being so complex, it would probably take us a long time to fully integrate the background of the higher-dimensional world." "Perhaps, it might even be impossible to achieve." Each instance background represents a tiny piece of the puzzle, but one can never know how many pieces are needed to complete the entire picture, possibly millions, or even hundreds of millions. This situation is quite challenging. The main purpose of this meeting within the Special Affairs Group was thus met with significant setbacks. "We need to open the Special Affairs Mall to ordinary players in our country, offering Special Points as rewards for more information about the instance backgrounds, while also increasing our close contact and exchanges with Transcendents abroad," Feng Yin concluded the overall guideline before changing the topic, "Next is the second matter." "The rate at which instances are being added is too rapid." "The number of instances is still in the triple digits now, but if it reaches the thousands or even tens of thousands in the future, it will be too difficult for Transcendents around the world to clear all the instances within 72 hours without some level of organization." "We can''t control Transcendents from other countries, but at least we can influence our local Transcendents to prioritize instances that are closer to their deadlines as much as possible." "How do we influence them?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but ask curiously. "By releasing the information about the instances in batches," Feng Yin replied without hesitation, "The Special Affairs Group will target all instances as trial clearances, even if they can''t be cleared, we will gather as much information as possible." "Instances that haven''t been cleared within 24 hours will trigger an orange alert, releasing the information gathered to encourage more players to try." "Instances that haven''t been cleared within 48 hours will trigger a red alert, led by players who are above the recommended Player Level." Qin Chuan understood. Because each player can only tackle one instance per day, the number of times stronger players can attempt instances is crucial. Unless absolutely necessary, the Special Affairs Group would not let personnel above the recommended Player Level attempt lower-level instances. Indeed, Qin Chuan, who had already figured out the patterns of the instances, had no plans to continue tackling B-level instances. Tomorrow, he would certainly need to tackle A-level instances. sea??h th ovlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With two A-level instances hanging bright and clear, one per day was just right. If Yue Li could... Just as the image of the young girl surfaced in Qin Chuan''s mind, someone in the meeting room suddenly exclaimed, "Another B-level instance has been cleared." Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan immediately opened the instance to check. A line of text appeared. [Player Yue Li has successfully cleared the B-level instance Nightmare Valley!] Yue Li? Qin Chuan''s eyes lit up as he opened the folded cleared instances and quickly saw a new addition at the top. [Instance: Nightmare Valley (B)][Cleared] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance Clearance Duration: 01:44:17] [Guide: Yue Li] A smile could not help but appear on his face. Come to think of it, this was the first time Qin Chuan had learned about Yue Li''s situation in reality. Although in this manner. ----------------- [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SSS] [Current Strategy Reward: [Purple] Puppet Rope, [Blue] Fake Voice Mask, [Blue] TitleAwakener] [Receive Strategy Reward] Lin Yue sat in her wheelchair, looking at the instance boss lying not far ahead, engulfed in blazing flames, its huge and ferocious body sprawling on the ground. Nightmare PuppetSanjali Cara. Near it, several fallen Puppet Commanders surrounded, their bodies covered in traces of arcing electricity and sweeping winds. Due to her restricted mobility, even clearing this mere B-level instance had taken her considerable time. Fortunately, it wasn''t too dangerous. Inside the instance, the Prayer Talent had also undergone a new change, but this change was entirely in terms of usage frequency, with no change in effect. [Prayer (Gold)] [Passive, significantly increases the luck of the owner and the Contracted Spiritual Beast] [Significantly increases the luck of a designated target, with the effect doubled when the target is oneself, usable three times per instance entry] [Designate two targets, transferring all the luck from one to the other, usable once per instance entry.] In fact, the first Talent Effect alone was enough to keep her safe in a B-level instance. The usage of the second Talent Effect helped her find three crucial instance clues. As for the Third Talent Effect, it was quite effective on the instance boss. Amidst the flames, Yue Li lightly clicked [Receive Strategy Reward]. [[Purple] Puppet Rope: Temporarily gain control over the designated target''s body, controlling the target''s movements, duration depends on the strength difference between both parties, equal strength results in 1 minute, cooldown 60 minutes] [[Blue] Fake Voice Mask: The wearer can change their voice and somewhat conceal their presence and movements, making it less likely to be detected] [[Blue] TitleAwakener: Gains 20% resistance against illusion-type abilities] Lin Yue''s lips curled into a slight smile, she put on a thin, cicada-wing-like silver mask, and invisible threads pulled at her immobile legs, slowly helping her stand from the wheelchair. The girl''s smile was like a bright light, dissipating the eerie atmosphere of the haunted valley. She really liked the instance rewards. Chapter 185 - 185: Qin Chuans Sense of Urgency Surges! (April 3400 Monthly Ticket Bonus Chapter) For every Blue Star player, today was maddening. A chance to run an instance every hour led to more and more players reaping rich rewards but also caused a growing number of them to worry about the future. With half an hour to go until the Dream World entrance opened, the final increase in the number of instances before entry had already reached 121. The number of instances that had been cleared kept increasing significantly over time, reaching 427. Although A-rank instances had always resisted defeat, the clearing of B, C, and D-rank instances had gradually gotten on the right track. Sarch* The n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, there were still 792 instances that had not been cleared. If the number of instances would not continue to rise during the opening of the Dream World tonight, that would be slightly better. If it continued to increase, then by tomorrow morning when players emerged from the Dream World, the number of instances might reach a level that would cause all Transcendents to fret. No, they were already fretting. Because the number of A-rank instances had grown from the initial 2 to 3. Although only one more had been added, compared to the total increase in instances, it was already quite a lot and still left all players gasping for air. Up to now, there were only two Hall Level players, Luo and Yue Li. How many A-rank instances will there be tomorrow, or the day after? Once instances that required Hall Level players to defeat descended into the real world, how would they be solved? This question turned into a massive weight on everyone''s hearts within just a few hours. Inside his rental room, Qin Chuan watched the final refresh of instances before the entrance opened, a flicker in his eyes. The true source of a player''s power was the Dream World, so the solution to the instance problem would likely have to be found within the Dream World. Blue Star''s 2.3 version had updated more than just the instances. He slowly closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep. Once his consciousness became clear again, he found himself within the Dream World. "Good evening~" Yue Li''s casual greeting, as warm as a gentle breeze, instantly swept away the tension in Qin Chuan''s heart. "Good evening," Qin Chuan replied with a smile, turning his head to look at Yue Li, "I haven''t congratulated you on successfully clearing a B-rank instance yet." "Didn''t you also clear a B-rank instance?" Yue Li smiled. She was indeed very happy about it. Not only because of the good rewards from clearing the instance but more because this was the first time she demonstrated her strength in reality, proving herself. "Let''s check the changes in the Dream World," Qin Chuan spoke softly. Both of them opened the light point in the top right corner, and rows of text emerged. [Player Name: Luo] [Player Level: Hall Level] [Player Talent: Sun Needle (Gold)] [Affiliated Guild: None][View Guild List] [Map][View] [Ranking List][View] [Secret Realm Information][View] [Achievement Wall: 167/1000][View] [Contract Slot: 3/4][View] [Item Equipment Bar: 8/10][View] [Item Carrying: 0/1][View] [Skill Carrying](Not set) [00:01:04/08:00:00][00:00:47] Qin Chuan first noticed that there were only 47 seconds left of Time Stop. It seemed that the additional second he gained upon exiting the instance wasn''t an illusion. Having confirmed this, Qin Chuan started to look for changes in the panel. There were two main ones; first was the addition of guild-related features. [Affiliated Guild: None][View Guild List] Qin Chuan opened the list of guilds and quickly saw various new guilds sprouting after a rain, almost every refresh brought a new one. Each player had only one chance to create a guild, but there were no limits on joining or leaving others'' guilds. As for what the guilds actually did, one had to be a member of a guild to understand. Qin Chuan quickly moved on from the guilds section to the next change. [Secret Realm Information][View] After clicking, Qin Chuan saw a complete map of the Dream World. Unlike the previous map, this one was dotted with numerous light points. Each district had dozens of them. In total, there were hundreds of thousands of these light points. Qin Chuan casually clicked on one, and a line of text popped up before his eyes. [Secret Realm Level: C] [Secret Realm Difficulty: ] [Secret Realm Attack Target: Flame Dragon General (Elite Rank Lv30)] [Player Level Limit: Elite Level] [Maximum Number of Players: 5] [Cost to Enter Secret Realm: None] [Possible Secret Realm Outputs: Universal Intermediate Resources, Secret Realm Key, Secret Realm Stone, Self-selected Intermediate Resources, Random Intermediate Resources, Intermediate Resource Fragments, Self-selected Star Equipment Materials, Random Starshine Equipment Material, Top-Grade Equipment Forging Stone, Fine Equipment Forging Stone, Ordinary Equipment Forging Stone, Self-selected Low-level Resources, Random Low-level Resources, Low-level Resource Fragments, Experience Gem] It seemed that the level designations for secret realms were similar to those of instances. However, unlike instances, secret realms not only had a limit on the number of entrants but also restrictions on the levels of entering players, preventing the use of higher strengths to sweep lower-ranked targets. Qin Chuan read from top to bottom, and his gaze finally fell on a light group that was shining with rainbow light displayed among the possible outputs. [Universal Intermediate Resources: Can be embedded into an Advanced Array, acting as a substitute for any intermediate resource to activate the Advanced Array. There is a chance of dropping after completing the target attack in C-level secret realms and above] [Drop Rate Announcement:] [C-level 1-star Secret Realm: 10%] [C-level 2-star Secret Realm: 15%] [C-level 3-star Secret Realm: 20%] [C-level 4-star Secret Realm: 25%] [C-level 5-star Secret Realm: 30%] Qin Chuan''s expression immediately became bizarre. The presence of the Universal Intermediate Resources on top of self-selected intermediate resources was self-explanatory. This was specifically for substituting rare resources and enabling a Spiritual Beast''s breakthrough to Elite Rank. With it, the number of Elite-level players was bound to increase faster than before. However, given the current situation in the real world, such a change might not necessarily be a bad thing. Next, Qin Chuan clicked on another light point, brighter than the one before. [Secret Realm Level: B] [Secret Realm Difficulty: ] [Secret Realm Attack Target: Frost Cold Phoenix (Hall Rank Lv40)] [Player Level Limit: Hall Level] [Maximum Number of Players: 6] [Cost to Enter Secret Realm: Secret Realm Key x1, Secret Realm Stone x16] [Possible Secret Realm Outputs: Hall Crystal, Self-selected Advanced Resources, Random Advanced Resources, Universal Intermediate Resources, Secret Realm Key, Secret Realm Stone] Hall Crystal?! Qin Chuan''s eyes widened. Isn''t this the thing that was supposed to only exist one at a time in the Dream World? How... Oh right, according to the update announcement, secret realms are situated within the Time-Space Rift. So theoretically, there could be a Hall Crystal in every secret realm, right? [Hall Crystal: A key material for advancing all Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts. There is a chance of dropping after completing the target attack in B-level secret realms and above] [Drop Rate Announcement:] [B-level 1-star Secret Realm: 5%] [B-level 2-star Secret Realm: 6%] [B-level 3-star Secret Realm: 7%] [B-level 4-star Secret Realm: 8%] [B-level 5-star Secret Realm: 10%] Not too bad, the probability isn''t high. His and Yue Li''s lead was not so easy to shake. Qin Chuan took a deep breath, and a sense of urgency came over him. He still needed to level up!!! ----------------- PS: There will be players who break through to Hall Level, but their numbers won''t be excessively high. Don''t forget that player Talents cannot be used in Secret Realms. Chapter 186 - 186 New Guild: Luoyue! (April bonus with 3450 Monthly Tickets) Following two consecutive checks on secret realm information, Qin Chuan''s heart, which had slightly relaxed after reaching the peak, became tense again. If he became complacent now, the current rank advantage could disappear at any moment. Carefully examining the map filled with light points in front of him, Qin Chuan noticed that the B-class secret realm he had just checked was not the brightest spot. Each area had two or three light points, brighter than the B-class secret realm. A-class? Qin Chuan, filled with anticipation, clicked on one of them. [Secret Realm Level: A] [Secret Realm Difficulty: ] [Secret Realm Attack Target: War FanaticAleksey (Epic Rank Lv50)] [Player Level Limit: Epic] [Player Limit: 5] [Entry Cost: Secret Realm Key x5, Secret Realm Stone x60] [Possible Rewards: Self-selected Epic Resources, Random Epic Resources, Moon Halo Equipment Material, Equipment Enhancement Stone, Hall Crystal] No special type of epic resources? Qin Chuan casually opened the Advanced Array for Water Flower. With the update in the Dream World, the descriptions of the six resources in the Advanced Array changed too, "No acquisition method available" now became "Obtainable through A-class Secret Realms." It seems that advancing from Hall Rank to Epic Rank truly doesn''t require special resources. However, thinking about the even more challenging equipment enhancement, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but click his tongue. It seems they shifted the difficulty of advancement to evolution... Bad news, Sun Needle entered a period of disadvantage. Good news, the period of advantage for Prayer had arrived! Qin Chuan couldn''t help but turn his head to look at the serene girl beside him. The girl noticed the gaze from close by, lifted her head, and gave him a sweet smile, "What''s up?" "I just finished checking the secret realm information," Qin Chuan took a deep breath, "It seems we''re going to be quite busy from now on." "Yes," Yue Li nodded, "There''s no limit on how many times we can enter the secret realm, but each entry requires a Secret Realm Key and Secret Realm Stones, and they''re not few." "That''s okay, we''ve already got some from our previous settlement." "But this isn''t a long-term plan," Qin Chuan spoke helplessly, "The daily and weekly settlements from the Hall Rank aren''t enough for a few uses." "No worries," Yue Li smiled, "The secret realm itself offers them, plus, if I''m not wrong, the Guild should have ways to get them too." "Let''s start a guild together!" Yue Li looked at Qin Chuan, full of expectation. "Alright," Qin Chuan nodded, then added, "I just checked, a new guild can accommodate up to 20 guild members. Should we recruit?" "Um" Yue Li pondered. The two of them together were able to overcome most challenges, but sometimes they also needed some companions to assist them. Well Although it doesn''t sound nice to say, that''s the reality. Other players at this stage could only assist them. "Let''s recruit, we need to expand our influence," Yue Li said earnestly, swinging her arm as if ready to embark on a great enterprise, "How about we name the guild Luoyue?" "Good," Qin Chuan agreed dumbly, swiftly finishing the guild creation process. [Guild Name: Luoyue] [Guild Level: Lv1] [Guild Members: 1/20] S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Guild Leader: Luo] [Guild Total Points: 0](23285th in the server) [Personal Points: 0] [Guild Store][View] Over twenty thousand guilds already? Qin Chuan twitched his lips and opened the guild store. The guild store offered a richer array of resources than the Achievement Store. Except for Hall Crystals and universal intermediate resources, all rewards obtainable from A-level secret realms were listed in the exchangeable list, which covered all rewards from lower-level secret realms. To exchange for these resources, personal points were needed, obtainable through the secret realm. The total points accrued by the guild on the previous Dream Day determined the discount for the guild store the next Dream Day. [1st Place: 50% off guild store] [2nd-10th Place: 60% off guild store] [11th-100th Place: 70% off guild store] [101st-1000th Place: 80% off guild store] [1001st-10000th Place: 90% off guild store] [10001st Place and beyond: No discount] Having roughly grasped the guild rules, Qin Chuan looked at Yue Li, "It''s set up." As his words fell, a new message appeared. [You have received a new membership application] After approving Yue Li''s application and setting her as the vice president, Qin Chuan spoke, "Speaking of which, I don''t seem to see any friend and channel functions?" "You closed the personal panel, look at the bottom left corner," Yue Li, having noticed the new feature''s position earlier, smiled while guiding Qin Chuan. After closing the personal panel in the top right corner, Qin Chuan quickly found a new light point in the bottom left corner. Once clicked, a new interface appeared. First was the friends functionjust knowing the player name allowed Qin Chuan to send a friend request, nd after becoming friends, they could enter a private chat. At this moment, Qin Chuan''s friend request icon showed a red "999+" Being one of the only two Hall-level players, it was natural to attract much curiosity, so this situation wasn''t unusual. He chose to ignore all requests, but after a refresh, several hundred new friend requests popped up. "You can set it to ''add friends only face-to-face''." Yue Li, looking at Qin Chuan''s furrowed brow, smiled, "This way you can only add players in front of you." Qin Chuan''s face eased, and after finding the setting and clearing the friends application list again, he finally found some peace. A second later, a new friend request appeared. It was from Yue Li. After accepting, Qin Chuan''s empty friends list finally had its first contact. They glanced at each other, entered the friends channel with excitement brimming. A screen appeared before them, showing each other''s faces. With the real person right before them, the video call felt somewhat strange. They made several faces at each other and after making each other laugh, ended the call. "Channels are divided into the server-wide channel and the guild channel," Yue Li, still smiling, continued to explain to Qin Chuan, "The guild channel is for communication among guild members, the server-wide channel is visible to all server players." "Our guild has just been established, should we shout something in the server-wide channel?" Yue Li said while opening the server-wide channel, "No one has applied to our guild yet, probably because we''re ranked so far back." The order in the guild list was determined by guild points. With all being zero, the order was according to the time of establishment. Which normal player would scroll to the 20,000th rank to find a guild? Channel communication was text-based and apparently had an automatic translation feature, watching the server-wide channel pop up with thousands of messages every second, Qin Chuan''s lips twitched, "Never mind, I have a better idea." Instead of letting messages drown in the deluge of messages from billions of players, better to directly raise the guild ranking. Once the guild ranked first, they would naturally appear in everyone''s sight. Chapter 206 - 206: Evelyns Fist Hardens! With the arrival of the visitor, Iron Hammer and Evelyn could clearly see the other''s appearance. He was a red-haired, red-eyed young man with handsome features; the unnatural eye color meant that he had modified his appearance, so his looks might be deceptive. Hearing the visitor''s fluent English, Iron Hammer quickly responded in English and asked about his origin. "My name is Fenrilo." The young man laughed and gave Iron Hammer a hug, glancing around at the wood piled up like a small mountain, "Mate, is this the Luoyue Guild?" "Yes," Iron Hammer smiled and nodded, "Although it''s just started construction, this is indeed the Luoyue Guild." "That''s really great," Fenrilo said enthusiastically, "I''ve been traveling since yesterday, and it seems I might be the first one to arrive here for the interview at the Luoyue Guild?" "Are Luo and Yue Li around? What kind of interview will I have to undergo? Did you have an interview when you joined? What was it like back then?" Fenrilo''s barrage of questions somewhat overwhelmed Iron Hammer. However, he quickly caught on to the crux of the matter and patted Fenrilo on the shoulder, "Young man, don''t be anxious." "The Guild Leader and Deputy Guild Leader are out targeting a secret realm. Before their return to conduct the interview, just wait patiently." "Alright, it seems I haven''t arrived at the most convenient time," Fenrilo shrugged slightly, his expression quickly turning eager again, "There are many rumors about Luo''s and Yue Li''s golden Talent. As a member of the Luoyue Guild, you must have seen them use their Talent, right?" "What are their Talents? Can you tell me about them?" Iron Hammer''s brows barely furrowed, recalling yesterday when he was enhancing Luo''s Contracted Spiritual Beast''s equipment, Yue Li had paused time and used some power on Luo. Without a doubt, that must have been Prayer. Contrary to popular rumors, which implicated Luo as the Prayer, it was indeed Yue Li. Of course, now that he was a member of the Luoyue Guild, he had no intention of spreading this discovery; it was sufficient to know it himself. Whether Fenrilo was intentionally or unintentionally inquiring, such a question clearly crossed the line. "Sorry, I''m not aware of such matters," Iron Hammer said with a slight smile, "If you''re really curious, you can ask them in person once the Guild Leader and Deputy Guild Leader arrive." "Er, let''s not," Fenrilo ducked his head, then quickly changed the topic, "Mate, what''s your Talent?" "A Talent not worth mentioning," Iron Hammer''s smile faded slightly as he briefly responded. "Is that so? It seems the Luoyue Guild doesn''t have very high requirements for Player Talent!" Fenrilo clicked his tongue, "The threshold for Official Level can''t keep too many people out, and if there''s no requirement for Player Talent, wouldn''t that lead to many dragging their feet?" "Ah, I don''t mean you, mate." Fenrilo gave Iron Hammer a friendly smile, "Once I join the Guild, you''ll be the first Guild member I know. I''ll have your back!" "Are you so sure you''ll pass the interview?" Iron Hammer eyed him meaningfully. "Of course." Fenrilo was confident, "Mate, my Talent is red, which is the highest Talent Level after the nine golden Talents!" "Not only that, but I also have a Contracted Spiritual Beast that has broken through to the Elite Rank. Such strength is absolutely significant among Growth Rank Players. To my knowledge, the number of Elite Rank Players is still quite limited." "As long as Luo and Yue Li take me through a high-level secret realm at least once, I''ll have a chance to get Random Intermediate Resources and promote to Elite Level." Fenrilo''s face was full of eager fantasies as he glanced at Evelyn standing behind Iron Hammer. "If even a little girl can advance to Elite Level with their help, Luo and Yue Li surely wouldn''t mind helping me too!" "After progressing to Elite Level, if I can follow Luo and Yue Li into more advanced instances and acquire Hall Crystals, I definitely can advance to Hall Level quickly." "Hall Level!" Fenrilo exclaimed with delight, "I can hardly wait!" "Iron Hammer, uncle, what is he saying?" Seeing that the other party was looking at her and saying a lot she couldn''t understand, Evelyn turned her head and asked curiously in Russian. "Um..." Iron Hammer thought for a moment and translated their conversation into Russian. Evelyn looked back at Fenrilo with a slightly more peculiar gaze. "What a cute little girl." Fenrilo chuckled as he stepped forward and patted Evelyn on the head, seeing her expression visibly darken a few shades but laughed it off nonchalantly. "Anyway, your stay here still needs to be decided by the Guild Leader and Vice Leader, I will notify them immediately," Iron Hammer whispered to Evelyn, subtly trying to keep things smooth, "For now, we still need to focus on building the new guild. Could you wait nearby?" "Sure, sure." Fenrilo chuckled, looked around, found a spot with his Spiritual Beast where he could rest, and made himself comfortable lying on the Spiritual Beast, waving to Iron Hammer and Evelyn, "I''ll just rest here. Keep up the good work!" "Iron Hammer, uncle..." Evelyn started somberly, "Can I hit him?" That damned guy, how dare he touch her head! "For now... no," Iron Hammer''s mouth twitched, and he opened the guild channel, "I''d better report to the Guild Leader and Vice Leader first." ----------------- "Boom!!!" The first Epic Rank Lv50 target fell heavily, dissolving into a burst of light spots and leaving behind a pile of scattered rewards. Qin Chuan''s face was calm, but his eyes hid a hint of delight. [00:00:40] With more experience fighting during Time Stop, his efficiency had rapidly increased; the previous A-level target took him three seconds of Time Stop time, this one only took two. Saving that precious second was the greatest victory. Yue Li flew in from afar, sitting on Xiao Qing''s back, and landed beside Qin Chuan, "The nearby Hall Ranks have been completely wiped out." "Good." Qin Chuan couldn''t help but take another look at Yue Li. She had taken the initiative to divide the work, leaving him to handle the Epic Rank Lv50 target alone while she cleared the other Spiritual Beasts from the surrounding secret realms, clearly to let Qin Chuan not worry about her presence and fully utilize secrets unknown to her. She was a clever and attentive girl. "Let''s check out the rewards," Yue Li said, pretending not to notice Qin Chuan''s stare, and walked directly towards the amassed resources. sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tremor and shyness she felt when the young man put a ring on her finger had not entirely faded; she was always afraid that if she looked into his eyes too much, she would inadvertently fall for them. "Okay." Qin Chuan steadied himself and followed Yue Li. The two began collecting and tallying the rewards in unspoken agreement. This time, the A-Level instance yielded 1 piece of Random Epic Resources. In addition to that, there was 1 piece of optional Moon Halo Equipment Material, 7 Equipment Enhancement Stones, and various lower-ranked resources. After they finished tallying, they were teleported out before the Secret Realm collapsed. Chapter 188 - 188 Uncle Iron Hammer and Evelyn "Iron Hammer, Uncle, are you really going to join Luo and Yue Li''s Luoyue Guild?" In a certain location in the Dream World, a little girl with high golden twin ponytails, just a few strands of loose hair framing her temples, and light blue eyes as clear as the sky, walked with her hands in her pockets while chewing on a grass root, barely able to suppress her urge to speak to the middle-aged man walking in front of her. Her voice carried a hint of reluctance, seemingly holding certain prejudices against the Luoyue Guild, or more specifically its president and vice-president. Her barely twelve-year-old face, with its delicate features still tinged with youthful naivety, wrinkled slightly as she spoke. "That''s right." The middle-aged man in front stopped and turned to look at the little girl behind him, his muscles bulging from years of exercise, giving him an imposing frame that contrasted with his honest and plain face. "Evelyn, it might be a good place," Iron Hammer said, scratching his silver-gray hair with his large hand, his face bearing a simple smile. "I want to give it a try." "I don''t think it''s a good place," Evelyn retorted, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly, revealing a precocious expression on her childlike face. "Nine golden talents dimmed to this date. The re-lighting of Insight, Ascension, and Soul Fusion have all been directly or indirectly caused by Luo." "You exposing your Divine Cast is like walking straight into a trap!" After Qin Chuan killed all of Erik''s Contracted Spiritual Beasts and Erik fled in panic, he encountered Matsusaka Shigeki and was pursued a second time, ultimately being killed. Matsusaka Shigeki himself died directly at the hands of Luo. As for Insight... At the time it was lit, not many people associated it with Luo. It wasn''t until Erik, who had been killed, had completely exposed the Insight Talent''s effect that it became clear that Erik was very familiar with Insight. Comparing the times when the Domain was engaged and Insight was lit, people suddenly realized that the death of the Insight Talent''s possessor was also related to Luo. These were truths that gradually emerged long after the past battles had taken place, but undoubtedly, now in the eyes of most players, Luo was virtually the bane of the players with golden talents. It was no wonder that this little girl named Evelyn was so tense and resistant. "Evelyn, don''t let the words of others affect you. You should have your own judgment," Iron Hammer said, tousling the little girl''s hair with his large hand. "To judge a person''s character, you should use your own eyes and heart." "Matsusaka Shigeki, before he was killed, concealed his movements for a week. Various signs indicate that he initiated the fight. There''s a kind of death that comes from one''s own doing, and Matsusaka Shigeki clearly falls into that category." "Erik and the possessor of the Insight Talent openly declared war on Luo, and their arrogance led to their deaths, which is not unreasonable. Moreover..." Iron Hammer grinned, "to some extent, you should thank Luo for that." Evelyn remained silent, her pursed lips and tense expression full of resistance. Seeing this, Iron Hammer sighed slightly and squatted down, his tower-like body lowering to meet the little girl''s gaze. "Evelyn, the world has changed, and we need to change too." "Don''t be afraid of Luo, because you are Evelyn, not a second Erik." "Then..." Evelyn looked up at the only person she trusted in the Dream World, "Iron Hammer, Uncle, will you protect me like you did before?" "Of course," Iron Hammer said softly. "Anytime, anywhere, just like a knight guarding his princess." ----------------- "Divine Cast..." Qin Chuan looked at the membership application in front of him, unable to help but reveal a thoughtful expression. The simple two words were all too evocative. Was the applicant a holder of the Divine Talent? Or did they have information on the holder of the Divine Talent? Or could it be some other situation? Sar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan clicked on the other party''s player name, and soon lines of text popped up in front of him. [Player Name: Iron Hammer] [Player Level: Official Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beasts: Molten Fire Turtle, Little Gold Monster] "Luo, do you think the player could be a Divine Talent holder?" Yue Li asked, watching Qin Chuan lost in thought and couldn''t help but speak up. "I''m not sure," Qin Chuan slightly shook his head. He checked the other person''s two Contracted Spiritual Beasts and found that neither was of Elite Rank. Divine Talent was the last of the nine golden talents to be drawn, but it has remained elusive for a month and a half now. If he really was a holder of a golden talent, wouldn''t he have fared better? But the next second, Qin Chuan smiled, "However, I have a way to confirm." Because of the close collaboration with the Special Affairs Group, Dragon Halberd occasionally shared some precious information with him at Feng Yin''s hint C details that were beyond his current level of clearance. Sometimes there was no need for any trade-off, merely a kind of goodwill; other times, it was part of some transaction. Among this information was something regarding Divine Talent. Namely, the first Talent effect of Divine Casting. Qin Chuan believed that not many people knew about this Talent effect. If the other person could state it correctly, even if they weren''t the Divine Talent holder, they must have a close connection with the holder. Thus, his plan was to add the other person as a friend and, through private messaging, probe to see if they knew the first Divine Talent effect. After sharing his thoughts with Yue Li, she was first shocked by the information about Divine Talent''s first effect, but soon realized there was a flaw in Qin Chuan''s plan, "The other person''s player name is in Russian; they must be from White Bear Country. Can you communicate?" "This" Qin Chuan was at a loss for words. Indeed, there was a slip in his meticulous plan. "Let''s start a group chat with friends," Yue Li suggested with amusement, looking at Qin Chuan, "I know a bit of Russian, though I''m not really fluent." "Alright," Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief, couldn''t help but admire the academically gifted girl who always managed to surprise him in unexpected ways, and he promptly sent a friend request to Iron Hammer. Once the friend list showed the new addition, he invited Yue Li and Iron Hammer for a group chat. Soon, Iron Hammer, with a simple and honest face and a smile, appeared before them. "Luo, Yue Li, nice to meet you," Iron Hammer greeted them in Chinese with a hint of a Russian accent. "You speak Chinese?" Yue Li was surprised. "I traveled in Yanhuang Country for a while; those are some wonderful memories," Iron Hammer said with a touch of nostalgia, "If communication had been a problem, I probably wouldn''t have approached you." Hearing this, Yue Li silently turned her gaze to Qin Chuan, signaling it was his turn to communicate. Qin Chuan looked carefully at the other person, ignoring the minor language-related hiccup, and his expression turned somewhat serious as he spoke, "Iron Hammer, what do you mean by ''Divine Cast'' in your application to join the Guild?" "It means exactly what you''re guessing," Iron Hammer replied, his smile unwavering but his tone becoming a little more serious, as if to affirm that he was not joking. "My talent is indeed Divine Cast." Chapter 189 - 189 Divine Cast Talent Effect Is this man really a possessor of the Divine Talent? When he acknowledged it himself, Qin Chuan was still somewhat surprised. Among the Gold Talent owners he had encountered before, Conni was probably the most miserable one, but if Conni had survived to this day, he most likely would have been promoted to an Elite Level Player with Erik''s help. Is a Gold Talent owner who is still at the Official Level and doesn''t even have a single Elite Rank Spiritual Beast really that unfortunate? Luckily, he had a way to verify the authenticity of the other party''s claims. "Could you tell me the effect of the Divine Talent?" Qin Chuan''s eyes flashed slightly as he slowly spoke up. "Of course," Iron Hammer nodded, "In fact, even if you didn''t ask, I would have taken the initiative to tell you." "Joining the Luoyue Guild is a matter that benefits me far more than it benefits you. I need your help and naturally, I need to demonstrate my worth." His eyes held a deep understanding of the world as he smiled and spoke, "The first effect of the Divine Talent." "Crafting any rank of equipment without needing a Casting Stone, guaranteed to craft successfully and produce a lucky critical hit, with the equipment entry level +1." It matched. Qin Chuan''s eyes flickered. It was exactly the same as the first effect of the Divine Talent he knew about, which made him trust the identity of the other party by at least eighty percent. At the same time, he was also curious about the effects of the second and third Divine Talents. Even Feng Yin didn''t have this information. Yue Li, standing to the side, had stepped back when she saw that her translation was unnecessary, letting Qin Chuan lead the conversation. But upon hearing this, she too couldn''t help but perk up her ears. "The second effect of the Divine Talent," Iron Hammer paused before continuing, "Possesses an independent Enhancement Array, can enhance equipment for non-Contracted Spiritual Beasts, reduces the degradation in success rate due to cumulative uses of the Enhancement Stone by 90%, and maintains the original level of the equipment 100% upon a failure." "To be honest, I don''t fully understand the effect of this Talent..." He scratched his head, "But today I inadvertently checked the potential rewards of a Level A Secret Realm, which included Equipment Enhancement Stones, so" "Is this what is required for the promotion from Hall Rank to Epic Rank?" Qin Chuan and Yue Li did not immediately answer Iron Hammer''s question but, in that moment, both revealed looks of astonishment. This effect Are you telling me this is the second Talent effect?! Equipment crafting needs to be conducted in the corresponding Spiritual Beast''s evolution panel, and if the crafted equipment is unsatisfactory, it can be discarded but cannot be used for other Spiritual Beasts'' evolution. This is because during the crafting process, the equipment is already linked to the corresponding Spiritual Beast. Similarly, equipment already used for evolution becomes part of the Spiritual Beast and can only be strengthened in its specific Enhancement Array using Enhancement Stones. But, Iron Hammer here is saying he can enhance equipment for other people''s Spiritual Beasts. Not only can he enhance, but he can enhance better. The greatest risk of equipment enhancement isn''t anything else but the 33% chance that the equipment will degrade by one level if the enhancement fails. If it can''t degrade, no matter how low the success rate, you can boldly use the Enhancement Stones because it''s just a matter of how many resources you consume. Moreover, the success rate degradation decreases by 90%. What does that mean? For instance, if the success rate for one enhancement is 40%, and for the next, it drops to 10%, which is a 30% decrease. Under the same conditions but enhanced by the Divine Talent, the degradation in success rate for the next enhancement becomes 3% instead, meaning the next success rate would be 37%. Such a significant reduction in success rate degradation, without a doubt, saves a large amount of Enhancement Stones. Combining the effects of no degradation on failure and a 90% reduction in success rate decline... The biggest challenge from Hall Rank to Epic Rank, one could say the difficulty decreases by 99%. The key is that the second effect of the Divine Talent can not only be used for oneself but also for enhancing others'' equipment. This makes things even more interesting. "Equipment enhancement is indeed required for the breakthrough from Hall Rank to Epic Rank" After a slight hesitation, Qin Chuan did not hide this fact and simply explained the conditions for the next promotion. "It seems this Talent really plays a big role!" Iron Hammer first expressed his surprise, then his expression cleared up, and his smile grew even brighter, "The third effect of the Divine Talent." "Render the specified target''s equipment entries ineffective for 20 minutes. If the target is a player, this effect applies to all the player''s Contracted Spiritual Beasts. This ability can be used once each time one enters the Dream World." Hmm? Qin Chuan glanced at the Iron Hammer in surprise, and Yue Li also showed a look of astonishment. Rendering all equipment entries on a target ineffective for 20 minutes This effect nicely corresponds with the Third Talent Effect of the Holy Sanctuary. Sear?h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One nullifies equipment entries, the other nullifies talent effects. The power of equipment entries is indubitable. Just look at the six Starshine Equipment Entries on their Contracted Spiritual Beasts. If facing an Epic Rank Spiritual Beast, nullifying two Moon Halo Equipment Entries simultaneously would have an even bigger impact. Thinking this, Qin Chuan and Yue Li both showed a look of regret. Unfortunately, talents can''t be used in the Secret Realm, otherwise the Divine Talent''s Third Talent Effect would play a significant role when targeting creatures in the Secret Realm. However, just the Second Talent Effect of the Divine Talent was enough to excite Qin Chuan and Yue Li. Having them join the guild benefits not just the two of them, but all the future members who join the guild. "Luoyue Guild welcomes you to join." Qin Chuan said with a friendly smile. "There''s something I''d like to ask" Iron Hammer scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "I have a companion, kind of my distant niece, and I hope to bring her along to join as well." Distant niece? Qin Chuan and Yue Li exchanged glances. With the importance of Iron Hammer''s talent, sparing an extra member spot for him wasn''t a problem. "Of course." Qin Chuan nodded in agreement. "What''s your niece''s Player Name? I''ll invite her," Yue Li said with a smile. Iron Hammer seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his smile broadening. "Evelyn." ----------------- [Guild Name: Luoyue] [Guild Level: Lv1] [Guild Members: 4/20] [Guild Total Points: 10000](Ranked number 1 in the entire server) [Personal Points: 5000] [Guild Store][View] After Iron Hammer and Evelyn joined the guild, Qin Chuan checked the panel once again. Successfully targeting a Level B Five-Star creature in the Secret Realm brought the guild 10000 points, placing the Luoyue Guild temporarily in first place. According to the point distribution rules, the guild points are allocated based on a scheme negotiated by the participating guild players, and confirmed by the guild leader or vice leader before being credited to the participating players'' personal points. The guild''s total points do not decrease with expenditure, while personal points can be exchanged for various resources in the guild store. Qin Chuan turned to look at Yue Li. There were no discounts in the guild store at the moment, so there was no rush to make exchanges. Maintaining the top rank was more critical. So "Shall we try a Level A Secret Realm?" Chapter 211 - 211 Personal Points Usage Planning "Do you know each other?" Seeing Yue Li''s reaction when she met a female player named Red Leaf, Qin Chuan asked curiously. "Mhm." Yue Li nodded and naturally moved forward, grabbing Red Leaf''s hand, then turned to Qin Chuan and explained, "We went to the Dragon Gate Camp today." "Red Leaf was there at the camp, she asked about our guild''s requirements for player Talent, so I had a strong impression of her." After explaining, Yue Li turned her head with a smile towards Red Leaf, "Welcome to the Luoyue Guild." "You remember me!" Hearing Yue Li''s words, there was a surprised look in Red Leaf''s eyes. In her view, Luo and Yue Li were already the strongest players in the world, generally they wouldn''t care much about a small fry like her. There were so many players in the Dragon Gate Camp, perhaps Yue Li wouldn''t even remember everyone there. But to her surprise, not only did Yue Li remember her, she even remembered the question she had asked! "So, are you here for a guild interview?" Yue Li asked with a light chuckle. Red Leaf quickly came back to her senses, calming down from her excitement. "Yes." She nodded, her expression growing tense again, "What do I need to do for the interview?" Off to the side, Iron Hammer''s expression shifted slightly as his fingers moved through the air. [Iron Hammer(5149): Red Leaf came here two hours ago and voluntarily offered to help me and Evelyn with the guild construction.] Seeing the message, Yue Li''s gaze flickered slightly, but her expression remained unchanged as she held Red Leaf''s hand, "Don''t be nervous, we''re just going to chat." The two walked to the side, under Yue Li''s soothing voice, Red Leaf''s tension eased a lot, and soon the two of them were chatting back and forth. Qin Chuan glanced at the two women, didn''t approach, but turned to look at Iron Hammer nearby, "Iron Hammer, haven''t you participated in an exclusive subjugation yet?" "Not yet." Iron Hammer touched his head and chuckled, "I was busy setting up the guild''s framework earlier, didn''t have the time." "Hard work," Qin Chuan had seen the initially completed framework of the guild main building. "Small matter, I''ve done similar work in real life," Iron Hammer waved his hand, looking very excited, "In the past, building a building required many people working together, but now with the help of Spiritual Beasts, I can do it alone and efficiently." "That''s it for today, just as the guild leader and deputy guild leader have returned, I can proceed with the exclusive subjugation with peace of mind." Iron Hammer chuckled. After making some adjustments, he vanished on the spot with his Contracted Spiritual Beast. Nodding towards Evelyn, Qin Chuan walked aside and opened the Guild Store. Actually, he had already checked the resource prices there yesterday, and today, being ranked first, the Guild Store was at a fifty percent discount, and he could already exchange items with Personal Points. He hadn''t bought immediately because he wanted to wait until after the subjugation of today''s two A-level Secret Realms, to earn more Points and buy everything at once. Unexpectedly, right after the subjugation, the guild had upgraded, unlocking new features. Originally, Personal Points could only be used for resource purchases in the Guild Store, which was straightforward to use. But now, Personal Points had two different uses, not only for the Guild Store but also for upgrading the Personal Array Map. How to use the Personal Points would now need careful consideration. On the way back, Qin Chuan and Yue Li had already discussed this issue. Personal Points used in the Guild Store could purchase Equipment Enhancement Stones, Equipment Forging Stones, Moon Halo Equipment Materials, and Epic resources, aimed at allowing Spiritual Beasts to break through to the Epic Rank faster. Personal Points used to upgrade the Personal Array Map were for improving various attributes of the Spiritual Beasts. Both essentially aimed at increasing potential, yet each had its pros and cons. The advantage of breaking through to the Epic Rank was clear, as for the Spiritual Beasts, it was an all-around leap in strength which could quickly enhance the Spiritual Beasts'' capability considerably and since the Race Value would also increase, the player would benefit in real life as well. Upgrading the Personal Array Map was a way to enhance the strength of all Contracted Spiritual Beasts, so the increase in power was no less significant than advancing one beast to Epic Rank. Moreover, this enhancement could be realized immediately, without the need to gather all resources as required for a breakthrough. However, upgrading the Personal Array Map did not affect reality; it only aided the player in conquering the Secret Realm. After all, when upgrading the Array Map, the beasts'' Race Value did not increase. Besides, another point needed clarification. Exchanging Personal Points for resources merely expedited the breakthrough of Spiritual Beasts. Even without exchanging, Qin Chuan and Yue Li, by subjugating A-grade Secret Realms daily, could gather the necessary resources to advance their beasts to Epic Rank, though more slowly. But the use of Personal Points for upgrading the Personal Array Map was irreplaceable by other means. Considering the pros and cons and the irreplaceability of the two approaches in enhancing strength, Yue Li thought it more fitting to upgrade the Personal Array Map using Personal Points. She opted to use all her Personal Points for the upgrade of the Personal Array Map. Qin Chuan, who usually agreed with Yue Li on many choices, differed on this issue. Because he had Time Stop. Therefore, some issues naturally needed to be reconsidered. Advancing a Spiritual Beast to Epic Rank a day earlier would enhance his actual strength by a degree. If his strength reached the level where he could conquer A-grade instances and achieve an SSS rating without using Time Stop, the situation of Time Stop being inefficient would instantly reverse. Thus, Qin Chuan''s choice was to first use Personal Points to hasten the rank advancement of Spiritual Beasts, and when his strength sufficed, to then invest Personal Points into the enhancement of his Personal Array Map. Entering the Guild Store, a variety of resources and their respective prices caught his eye. [Self-selected Epic Resources, original price 100,000 Points/current price 50,000 Points] [Random Epic Resources, original price 50,000 Points/current price 25,000 Points] [Self-selected Moon Halo Equipment Material, original price 60,000 Points/current price 30,000 Points] [Random Moon Halo Equipment Material, original price 30,000 Points/current price 15,000 Points] [Equipment Enhancement Stone, original price 5,000 Points/current price 2,500 Points] [Premium Equipment Forging Stone, original price 1,600 Points/current price 800 Points] [] Good news, the Premium Equipment Forging Stones, which he''d never felt inclined to buy from the Achievement Store before, were now easily affordable with Personal Points. Bad news, the prices of other resources remained high. The only cheap item, the Equipment Enhancement Stone, was the one thing Qin Chuan didn''t need to buy. Perhaps considering that normal players would fail many times in enhancing equipment, the drop rate of Enhancement Stones in A-grade Secret Realms was much higher than other resources, but with the effects of Prayer and Divine Cast stacked, Qin Chuan and Yue Li didn''t need so many Equipment Enhancement Stones. Soon, Qin Chuan used 45,000 Personal Points to exchange for three pieces of Random Moon Halo Equipment Material. He thought first to forge the Moon Halo Equipment, then gather the six Epic resources needed for advancement. Thinking this, Qin Chuan''s gaze shifted to Water Flower next to him. If there were no unexpected circumstances, the order of breakthrough would naturally follow the sequence of arrival. Sar?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seemingly sensing Qin Chuan''s thoughts, excitement and joy flickered in Water Flower''s eyes. "Woof woof!" Chapter 191 - 191 Initial Subjugation of A-level Secret Realm (3600 Monthly Tickets in April added) "It''s okay, bring Evelyn along too." Yue Li suddenly smiled and said, "I''ll have Xiao Qing guard her in the sky at all times, and won''t let her encounter any danger." Hearing this, and seeing Evelyn''s defiant gaze, Iron Hammer was a bit helpless but nodded his head anyhow, "Then I''m indebted to you." Although he was worried about his and Evelyn''s safety, Iron Hammer also understood that A-grade Secret Realm expeditions could yield a huge amount of points. Even just a bit of loose change was enough for them to exchange for many needed resources. This was a great opportunity. "Let''s go." Yue Li smiled, stepped forward, and took Evelyn''s hand, "Although I don''t understand Russian, I believe we will get along very well." Evelyn: "?" She looked at her hand being held by Yue Li, lost in confusion. With Iron Hammer''s thoughtful translation, knowing that Yue Li would take care of her, Evelyn''s expression suddenly turned to one of shock, as if Little Red Riding Hood had ended up in the hands of the Big Bad Wolf. Seeing this, the smile on Yue Li''s lips deepened. Sarch* The novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The most confused person in the field was probably Qin Chuan. Didn''t Yue Li just say she understands Russian? Why did she suddenly not understand it again? But noticing the subtle glance Yue Li sent him, Qin Chuan was certain in his heart and didn''t ask further. "Let''s set off." Xiao Qing brought a wild wind, carrying the four of them into the Time-Space Rift. The next instant, the Time-Space Rift dimmed, and a line of giant text appeared on it. [Secret Realm Subjugation in progress, only Luoyue Guild members may enter, remaining subjugation slots: 1] The subjugation of the A-grade Secret Realm begins! ----------------- "Boom!!!" Accompanied by a loud roar, a three-story-tall Hall Rank Lv32 Earth Rock Bear crashed to the ground, its body covered in arcs of electricity and patches of dark marks. Having cooperatively completed the kill, Silver Horn and Xiao Zi returned to Qin Chuan and Yue Li''s side, exchanging looks that seemed to carry a competitive undertone. The next moment, the Earth Rock Bear dissipated into light particles, leaving behind a pile of Experience Gems and Secret Realm Stones, and in addition, a cluster of golden light. That was a piece of dropped choose-your-own Low-level Resources. As expected of an A-rank instance, even after killing Secret Realm Spiritual Beasts, resources could drop. In this way, once the subjugation target was killed, the resources would definitely be more plentiful. Waving his hand towards the uncle and niece duo not far off, signaling them to collect the dropped resources, Qin Chuan and Yue Li continued towards the deeper parts of the Secret Realm. Iron Hammer was startled but then quickly led Evelyn forward to assist in collecting. "Your demeanor right now is quite like that of a Guild Leader," Yue Li couldn''t help but laugh as she observed Qin Chuan''s performance, "earlier outside the Secret Realm too." "Is that so? That''s good then," Qin Chuan shook his head with a wry smile. Managing a guild was a first for him, and Yue Li''s encouragement made him feel a lot more at ease. "Pretty handsome, keep it up." Yue Li tossed out her words lightly with a laugh, hands clasped behind her back, her steps becoming even more sprightly, and those words tickled at Qin Chuan''s heart like a playful scratch. Qin Chuan caught up quickly, lowering his voice, "Why did you tell Iron Hammer you don''t understand Russian?" "I think that little girl called Evelyn is quite interesting," Yue Li pursed her lips and smiled, not hiding anything, "she thinks we are going to harm Iron Hammer, to take away his Talent." "I plan to pretend not to understand Russian, to see what other bizarre ideas she has," Yue Li glanced at Qin Chuan with twinkling eyes, "just don''t give us away." "Don''t worry," Qin Chuan smiled helplessly. If Yue Li wanted to play, then he would play along. As the two of them talked, three Hall Rank Spiritual Beasts surrounded them, but were then taken down as easily as chopping vegetables by the six little ones, leaving behind three more piles of resources on the ground. Having just collected the resources and caught up to the two, Iron Hammer and Evelyn saw this scene and exchanged glances. "Uncle Iron Hammer, they are so amazing..." Evelyn couldn''t help but mutter in a low voice, "This is bad, I might not be able to protect you now." "Uncle''s not quite at the point where he needs your protection yet," Iron Hammer chuckled as he ruffled Evelyn''s hair. "Continue gathering resources. I''ll handle the Experience Gems, and you take care of the Secret Realm Stones and the rest." "Okay," Evelyn said, staring at the colorful resources in front of her, unable to help swallowing hard. "So many resources, we..." Before she could finish, a hand tapped her head neither too lightly nor too heavily. "Don''t you dare steal any!" Iron Hammer glared. "Otherwise, at night, a four-eyed goblin will come and steal ten times more from you." "...It''s another legend I haven''t heard of," Evelyn pouted as she diligently collected and logged the Secret Realm Stones and other resources. "There''s still plenty of legends you haven''t heard of," Iron Hammer chuckled and began to tally the Experience Gems with practiced ease. Before long, the uncle and niece pair caught up with Qin Chuan and Yue Li again. ----------------- "That''s enough, no need to follow further." Qin Chuan turned his head to look at the uncle and niece who had caught up again. "Yue Li and I have already cleared out this area. It''s very safe right now." "The target for our quest is just ahead; just wait here for us." "Got it," Iron Hammer acknowledged, aware of the vast gap in strength between them. "Good luck!" Qin Chuan flashed a no-problem hand signal and, with Yue Li, headed toward the location of their quest target. "Can the two of them win?" Evelyn suddenly asked. "We have to believe in them," Iron Hammer raised his eyebrows and sat on the ground. "For now, all we can do is stay here and not wander off." "After all, even a simple Hall Rank Spiritual Beast is not something we can handle." "Okay..." Evelyn squatted on the ground, her chin propped in her hands. "Uncle Iron Hammer, I want to become stronger." The experience of entering the Secret Realm with Luo and Yue Li had clearly left a significant impression on her, still a minor. "We will grow stronger," Iron Hammer said softly, his gaze fixed on the distance. A rumbling mountain split open, and a Bone Dragon, ablaze with dark fires, flew out, emitting a sorrowful wail that shook the soul. Even from where they were, the two could hear it clear as day and see it distinctly. "They''ve started." On the other side, Qin Chuan and Yue Li looked up at the nearly hundred-meter-long behemoth before them. [Combat quest triggered, Target: Sorrowful Bone DragonCasadan (Epic Rank Lv50)] [Number of fighters: 4/5] [Combat quest start] An Epic Rank quest target didn''t just make a showy appearance; they also had their own names, something not found in Low-level Secret Realms. Without a doubt, successfully taking down such a target would be immensely satisfying. But... it was going to be immensely tough. Watching the light explode from the Bone Dragon''s third eye and a segment of its spine, the domineering aura climbing higher, Qin Chuan moved behind Yue Li and gently covered her eyes with his hands. "I''ll perform a magic trick for you." Everything, including the overwhelming aura of the Sorrowful Bone DragonCasadan, froze. Looking up at the still light in the creature''s hollow eyes, Qin Chuan took a deep breath. [00:00:47] Time Stop! [00:00:44] "Boom!!!" Along with a massive sound, the earth trembled violently as the Bone Dragon fell. Watching the Sorrowful Bone DragonCasadan dissolve into a shower of light, leaving only resources behind, Qin Chuan took another deep breath and removed his hands from Yue Li''s eyes. Three seconds, a small loss. Yue Li stared blankly at the resources scattered before her, then turned to look at Qin Chuan. A strange light flickered in her bright eyes, and a moment later, she smiled. "I like this magic trick." Chapter 215 - 215: The Girls Grand Adventure! "Stay safe on the road!" Iron Hammer shouted and watched the figure quickly shrink in his sight before it disappeared. He slowly lowered his waving hand and stretched lazily. He would continue yesterday''s construction work. During the day, when he had nothing else to do, he had further perfected the guild construction blueprint and plans. Even though he had switched careers to become a blacksmith many years ago, in that moment, he felt as if he had regained the passion he once shared with his friends in building their home. But before that Iron Hammer vanished in a flash and reappeared one minute later, nodding in satisfaction. With the addition of more group formation bonuses, he had broken through 1% in his damage progress, no longer just scraping by. A small progress each day. "Don''t forget to carry out your daily exclusive hunt!" he reminded Evelyn and Red Leaf before preparing to get to work. "Uncle Iron Hammer, today I''d like to find a suitable third contracted spiritual beast," Evelyn spoke up with her plan, "So I might not be able to help you with the guild construction for now." "Choosing a contracted spiritual beast is quite important," Iron Hammer nodded earnestly, "Go ahead, and maybe you can take Red Leaf with you." "She, having just been promoted to official level, probably needs a new contracted spiritual beast as well." "Um" Evelyn looked at Red Leaf with a slightly conflicted expression. "Red Leaf has impressive talents, she might be able to help you in times of danger," Iron Hammer said with a smile, "You don''t need to worry too much about exposing her talents, as long as you don''t use the third talent, the ascension boost is not exaggerated." "Alright, then I''m willing to set out with Red Leaf!" Evelyn was persuaded by Iron Hammer. Thinking of herself growing stronger and possessing the power to protect her companions, a hint of pride appeared in Evelyn''s eyes, and she couldn''t help but puff up her still-developing chest. "No problem," Iron Hammer chuckled, switching to Chinese to speak out loud, "Red Leaf, are you interested in going with Evelyn to find a new contracted spiritual beast?" "Huh?" Red Leaf looked surprised, "Uncle Iron Hammer, don''t we need to help you build the guild today?" "Haha, building a guild isn''t an overnight task," Iron Hammer laughed heartily, "According to my plans, it will take at least a week before we can see the guild taking shape. You and Evelyn shouldn''t spend all your precious time here." Seeing Red Leaf''s thoughtful expression, Iron Hammer winked at her, "Actually, I''m a bit worried about Evelyn, so I hope you can help me keep an eye on her." "Then I''ll go with her!" Red Leaf promptly responded, "And I can look for my own contracted spiritual beast along the way." "That''s wonderful," Iron Hammer nodded in satisfaction, "If you encounter any danger or unexpected situations, leave a message in the guild channel immediately." "Okay!" Red Leaf nodded vigorously, also a bit excited. Before becoming an Official Level Player, being just an Apprentice Level Player, she had no ability to navigate the Dream World independently. Facing any Growth Rank spiritual beast would be enough to make her restart from scratch. And Growth Rank spiritual beasts were almost every few kilometers in the Dream World. After luckily joining the Dragon Gate Camp, which was not far from the starting point, she had always lived inside the camp. Leaving Dragon Gate Camp for the Luoyue Guild was the boldest decision she had made. The potential dangers along the way were quite challenging to deal with. Now, being able to explore the world further with her guildmates, she was very much looking forward to it. Although Evelyn was small, her strength was unexpectedly reliable! "Let''s go, Evelyn!" Red Leaf ran up to Evelyn, grabbed her hands, and said, "Please teach me a lot today!" Evelyn tilted her head and then nodded gently. Iron Hammer, worried, gave them a few more reminders before watching them leave the camp area, a hint of reluctance showing on his face. Now, he was the only one left to watch over the home. At that moment, Iron Hammer suddenly hoped someone would come for an interview soon. At least, he wanted someone to talk to. ----------------- "It''s decided then, you''re the one!" In a forest, Red Leaf, with the cooperation of the Illusion Spirit Fox, subdued a Juvenile Stage rabbit Spiritual Beast, her face showing a very excited expression. She was quite lucky when she contracted her first Spiritual Beast. At that time, the Illusion Spirit Fox''s level wasn''t high, but it possessed the relatively rare Superpower Attribute. The one they encountered now, belonging to the Jumping Rabbit clan, had the Fighting type Attribute. Having both Superpower and Fighting type attributes, it was simply fantastic! The already subdued Jumping Rabbit shivered. Having no room to refuse, it quickly became Red Leaf''s second Contracted Spiritual Beast. S~ea??h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I will help you break through to the Growth Rank soon," Red Leaf promised sincerely, giving the Jumping Rabbit a hopeful feeling for the future. It stopped trembling, and its Affinity greatly increased. Holding the petite Jumping Rabbit in her arms, Red Leaf was in a great mood and turned to look at Evelyn beside her, "Evelyn, let''s quickly find a suitable Spiritual Beast for you next!" Evelyn was chewing on a grass root, with her hands in her pockets. Hearing Red Leaf call her name, she lifted a hand and pointed in a direction. "Shall we go there? No problem!" Red Leaf, holding the rabbit with one hand, grabbed Evelyn''s other hand that was about to slip back into her pocket, and they moved in the direction the little girl wanted to go. Behind the two of them followed the Illusion Spirit Fox and Evelyn''s Spiritual Beasts. Evelyn let Red Leaf lead her, her gaze inevitably falling on their intertwined hands. Red Leaf''s hand was bigger and completely enveloped her small one, warm and soft. A sudden, inexplicable feeling of safety surged in her heart. Following Red Leaf step by step, a smile gradually appeared on Evelyn''s face. Before long, the two arrived at a plain. There, Evelyn took a liking to a Juvenile Stage Earth Attribute Spiritual Beast, the Rockhorn Deer. Uncle Iron Hammer would probably need the power of the Earth Attribute. The idea suddenly popped into Evelyn''s mind while contracting the Rockhorn Deer. Of course, that wasn''t the reason she chose to contract it. The Rockhorn Deer itself had a pretty decent skill configuration and could also be used as a mount. Hmm it would first need to break through to the Growth Rank. Gently patting the little deer, which wasn''t much taller than her, Evelyn gave it an encouraging look. She turned her head to Red Leaf and nodded, indicating she had completed the contract on her own. "There''s a lake over there, shall we rest by the lake and eat something before we head back?" Red Leaf''s gaze moved to a lake nearby that had caught her attention earlier. The lake water was exceptionally clear, like a gem embedded in the earth, making Red Leaf eager to take a closer look. Moreover, having walked all the way, they were indeed a bit tired. Evelyn agreed to this suggestion. The two quickly approached the lake and finally stepped into the lakeside area. "Boom!!!" The calm lake water instantly churned up huge waves, a massive head emerged from the water, looking towards the two women at first, then swiftly crossing over to them, stepping on the water flow. [Triggered Town Area Spiritual Beast Challenge, Opponent: Hall Rank Lv36 Azure Shell Water Turtle] Red Leaf/Evelyn: (á㧥;) Chapter 193 - 193 Guild Location Selection, A New Chapter! [Guild Name: Luoyue] [Guild Level: Lv1] [Guild Members: 4/20] [Guild total points: 40000] (Ranked 1st in server) [Personal Points: 19000] [Guild Store][View] The Grade A 1-star Secret Realm had brought 30,000 total points to the Luoyue Guild; after discussing with Yue Li, Qin Chuan decided to distribute 2000 points to Iron Hammer and Evelyn, dividing the remaining 28,000 points equally between themselves. Iron Hammer and Evelyn each received 1000 personal points. Although it was only a small portion of Qin Chuan''s share, the amount was significant. When the rankings were settled for the day, and the Guild Store had its half-off sale the next day, they would have considerable purchasing power. Iron Hammer was naturally overjoyed, completely letting go of his worries and feeling very fortunate about his choice. Even Evelyn''s gaze towards Qin Chuan and Yue Li had obviously changed. The young girl''s perception of the two had changed significantly after spending time with them. Standing on a small hill near the disappearing Time-Space Rift, Yue Li and Evelyn were speaking softly, one in Chinese and the other in Russian. Meanwhile, Qin Chuan was discussing guild development issues with Iron Hammer. "Iron Hammer, do you think the guild needs a fixed address?" Qin Chuan asked. "Yes," Iron Hammer nodded slightly, "the guild is a new concept. Members of the same guild need to assist each other, jointly tackle Secret Realms to earn rewards, and work towards improving personal points while striving for a better ranking for the guild collective." "A higher rank for the guild benefits every member," he continued. "In such circumstances, the interaction between guild members is very frequent. Although we can communicate through the guild channel, that alone is not enough." "Guild members need to gather together, taking one or more adjacent areas as the main activity range. Only by doing so can we better play the role of the guild and everyone can fulfill their responsibilities to create a better guild." "I''ve encountered an alliance formed by many players from Yanhuang Country, which they call the Dragon Gate Camp. Unfortunately, I''m not a Yanhuang player, so I couldn''t join them," Iron Hammer said with a hint of regret on his face, "I think the guild can operate in a similar way." Dragon Gate Camp, huh... Qin Chuan appeared contemplative. Along the way, he and Yue Li had passed through numerous Dragon Gate Camps, each with its distinct characteristics, but the players within the camps all got along harmoniously. Yue Li had always admired that atmosphere. Perhaps this was why she was keener on establishing a guild than he was. Choose a fixed guild address, then mainly operate in the surrounding areas... For Qin Chuan, this was a new decision that required careful consideration. "Of course, this is just a small suggestion," Iron Hammer said with a straightforward smile, noticing Qin Chuan''s thoughts, "I''ve been paying attention to both you and the vice guild leader. You two have been moving across zones rapidly for quite some time." "Although I''m not sure why you''re doing this, if it''s necessary, then the guild should not become a burden to you. We can put off developing the guild for now." Iron Hammer''s words helped clarify Qin Chuan''s thoughts. Yes, for nearly a month, he and Yue Li had been on a long journey. In the days before the update, they moved across ten zones in a single day at an exaggerated pace, constantly on the move in the Dream World. So much so, that when Qin Chuan recalled the past month''s experiences, he found them rather unremarkable, nowhere near as thrilling as the first month after the 2.2 version update. It seemed like a long time ago, but on reflection, there wasn''t much worth mentioning. After all, he and Yue Li spent most of their time on the road. So, why did they do this? On one hand, it was because the Hall Crystal''s refresh had a distance limit. They had to move thirty zones away after obtaining a Hall Crystal to ensure they could immediately find another one. On the other hand, it was because to break through from the Elite Rank to Hall Rank, they needed to defeat territorial Spiritual Beasts in four different zones and obtain four separate Advanced Resources. This was not the only way to obtain Advanced Resources, but before the 2.3 version update, relying solely on the Elite Rank Spiritual Beast List was very slow in obtaining these resources. Everything they did was to make the most of their talents, aiming to augment their strength as quickly as possible. Initially, their goal was to surpass other players, but when the other players were no longer a concern, their aim shifted towards the limits of the current version. However, with the update to version 2.3, it seemed they no longer needed to do this. Hall Crystals could be dropped in Secret Realms of Grade B and above. Advanced Resources could be obtained from Secret Realms and exchanged at the Guild Store. Even the items needed for promotion from Hall Rank to Epic Rank could all be met by Grade A Secret Realms. And Secret Realms were evenly distributed across all zones. Grade B, C, and D Secret Realms of difficulty levels from one star to five stars were available in every zone. Sarch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were two to three Grade A Secret Realms in one zone, but by including the nearby zones, difficulty levels from one star to five stars were equally available. Moreover, Secret Realms were not unique. The targets of Secret Realms varied, but the rewards from conquering them were very similar. Furthermore, after a successful conquest, the Secret Realm would disappear for the day, but a new one with the same difficulty level would refresh the next day, as mentioned in the Secret Realm Information. Even for players like Qin Chuan and Yue Li, staying in one area was certainly sufficient to meet their current needs. With this in mind, Qin Chuan gestured to Iron Hammer to wait and turned to walk toward Yue Li, who was not far away. At the moment, Yue Li was attempting to teach Evelyn Chinese. Watching her show an appropriate amount of confusion when Evelyn spoke Russian, and then using gestures to guide Evelyn to speak Chinese word by word, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but allow a smile to spread across his lips. "What''s up?" Sensing Qin Chuan''s approach, Yue Li turned her head to look at him. Noticing the slightly bemused smile on his face, she realized something and winked at him behind Evelyn''s back. "Iron Hammer and I were discussing the next steps for the guild''s development," Qin Chuan said, his smile fading slightly as he softly spoke to Yue Li, "He thinks we should develop the guild in a way similar to the Dragon Gate Camp, settling in a district as our base and operating in the nearby areas..." Watching Yue Li''s eyes light up with his words, Qin Chuan stopped speaking, carrying a touch of annoyance in his heart. He should have noticed it sooner. "Yue Li, we can slow down a bit now." "Okay!" Yue Li''s smile widened cheerfully, "Sounds good!" "Iron Hammer!" Qin Chuan quickly turned his head and shouted, "It''s decided! Let''s choose this district... No! This hill as our guild''s address!" Watching the young man immediately start planning the guild''s layout, eager to establish the guild, Yue Li''s smile grew even deeper. Chapter 194 - 194 A-level instance: Screaming Demon Lake! "Alright, let''s settle on this for now!" Qin Chuan and Iron Hammer, after one or two hours of planning, finally nailed down the construction layout for the small hilltop, which was, the future base of the Luoyue Guild. Among all the Gold Talent owners Qin Chuan had encountered, Iron Hammer was not the smartest one, but he possessed the steadiness and reliability of a middle-aged man, and he had a certain understanding and interest in many matters, providing Qin Chuan with quite a few effective suggestions. "Chairman, next we need to set the entry threshold for the guild members," Iron Hammer reminded, "Our guild is currently ranked first in total points, and I believe with the chairman and vice-chairman''s leadership, we can maintain this ranking for a very long time." "There are billions of players in Dream World, and the vast majority will want to join our guild, but the number of guild member spots is limited." "We need to resolve this issue as soon as possible." "I know," Qin Chuan nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. At this moment, on the pending membership applications, there was a conspicuous red "999+". And clearly, "999+" was only the display limit, not the application limit. Even if there were hundreds of thousands or millions of applications, Qin Chuan wouldn''t be too surprised. After all, Dream World had such a huge player base. "First, let''s limit the player level to the Official Level and above," Qin Chuan thought for a moment and quickly made a decision. Despite Dream World''s development of over two months now, the number of Official Level players, compared to the entire player community, was still few. To date, no Growth Rank Spiritual Beast List in any region had reached the limit of ten thousand listed positions. Just this restriction to Official Level and above could screen out 99% of players. If one wanted to screen out more players, the threshold could be raised to Elite Level, but that approach would be unreasonable. To break through the Elite Level, players needed to obtain rare resources, which had stumped too many players. Even Iron Hammer had been at the Official Level before joining the guild. Setting the bar too high might cause the guild to miss out on some real talent. Of course, the main reason Iron Hammer couldn''t break through to the Elite Level was that his easygoing nature didn''t drive him to seek great power, and he had never revealed his Gold Talent to anyone before. Otherwise, White Bear Country would have certainly recruited him and provided him with resources, just like Matsusaka Shigeki and Oriel who had quickly gathered rare resources. And the reason Iron Hammer changed his mind was simple. The arrival of instances put Blue Star in a precarious situation, and he realized he couldn''t continue to be so lackadaisical, at the very least he couldn''t let one of the strongest nine Gold Talents gather dust. These were things Qin Chuan learned after communicating with Iron Hammer. After raising the threshold, the number of new membership applications dropped sharply, and the volume of previous applications decreased significantly after automatic level filtering. Qin Chuan thought for a moment and then focused on the guild description. This was the content players could see when entering the guild list to apply for a guild. This meant that after his modification, every applicant could see it. After pondering for a while, Qin Chuan began to edit. Soon, a message appeared on the previously blank guild description. "Luoyue Guild''s base is set in Zone 5149. Applicants must reach the base for a qualifying interview to become a guild member. Welcome to every like-minded individual wishing to join." Zone 5149 was their current location. Conveniently, this area was at the central point of the Dream World continent. "This way, players who are further away may very likely give up," Iron Hammer, who was the first to see the description, smiled helplessly. "Iron Hammer, we Yanhuang people believe in destiny," Qin Chuan said calmly, "Zone 5149 is already situated at the center of Dream World; compared to other areas, it is more convenient for players to come here." "In this case, if they give up due to the distance being too far, it means they are not fated to be with the Luoyue Guild." "The guild is just starting; we indeed lack outstanding players, but the one thing Dream World is not short of is outstanding players." "That''s true," Iron Hammer nodded in agreement, "Even if they were to join the guild, they would have to come here anyway." Sar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It''s understandable that such a restrictive threshold would weed out countless players. Because it''s a hassle. Anyone is willing to try their luck with a simple click to apply for membership, but to trek a long distance at the risk of danger for an in-person interview is not something everyone is willing to do. This way, even if the Luoyue Guild is the number one guild on the server, it will be able to handle the player applications. "Luo, you''ve added the guild introduction," Yue Li said, holding Evelyn''s hand as they walked over. After a couple of hours together, the two had grown closer. "I glanced over just now, and there are quite a few players discussing our guild in the global channel." "It''s surprising they can still chat normally on a channel of that scale," Qin Chuan said with a resigned shake of his head, then looked at Yue Li, "The entrance to Dream World is about to close. Starting tomorrow, players should start coming in for interviews." "How about letting me handle the interviews?" Yue Li was eager to try, "I want to give it a shot." "No problem." Qin Chuan was speechless. Players chosen by Prayer shouldn''t be too bad. ----------------- [Current Extraordinary Value: 114800] [Instance: 773/792][Attempts available today: 1] [Item Equipment Bar: 2/20][View] [Current Passive Skills: StarWater Master, StarFrost Cold, StarDark Flame] [Current Active Skills: StarShadow Erosion, StarDark Shadow Escape, StarSilent Darkness, StarThree Times Annihilation] [Item Carrying: 0/1][View] [Resonance 4: Skills StarDark Flame, StarShadow Erosion, StarDark Shadow Escape, StarSilent Darkness, StarThree Times Annihilation receive a 20% enhancement, unlocking Spirit Descent: Night Nightmare Beast] [Activate Spirit Descent] Qin Chuan, who had awoken in reality, glanced at the number of secret realms and breathed a sigh of relief. The number of instances hadn''t increased during the eight hours the entrance to Dream World was open, which was probably the best news. Thinking of the secret realms in Dream World, similar to instances but not quite the same, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but laugh and shake his head. Secret realms were dangerous, but only for the players who chose to enter and challenge. By comparison, instances were like heavy clouds bearing down, leaving Blue Star with no choice. If not conquered within 72 hours, the arrival of the Alien Race awaited Blue Star. Though conquering instances provided rewards, the addition of an instance every hour was a constant reminder to Blue Star that this was not a charity. And Qin Chuan was ready. With a flash of light, an ancient Wolf Teeth Dagger was retrieved from his Item Equipment Bar. This was newly added to reality in the 2.3 version update, unlike the Item Equipment Bar in Dream World, its function was to carry weapons and items obtained from instances into new ones. The weapon in his hand had been obtained yesterday in the Milian Demon Forest. [Purple]Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse. This weapon was very well-suited to Silver Horn''s skills, and therefore all four of the active skills he carried today were Silver Horn''s. His eyes lowered to conceal the sharpness that had just appeared, Qin Chuan looked toward the instance list. [Instance: Screaming Demon Lake (A)][Suitable for conquest] [Recommended Player Level: Hall Level] [Player Limit: 1] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance conquest time remaining: 48:24:33] Next, let''s see what an A-level instance is made of! Chapter 195 - 195: The Bizarre Digging Tree Deer (April 3700 Monthly Tickets Extra) "Ah!!!!!" The moment Qin Chuan set foot on solid ground after choosing a strategy and teleporting, a fleeting scream echoed in his ears. It was a high-pitched scream, interspersed with a high-frequency noise similar to fingernails scraping a blackboard, echoing in the dense forest concealed by thick fog, instinctively causing discomfort the moment it was heard. Qin Chuan''s brows instantly furrowed. Without encountering any enemies within the instance, the eerie sound alone cast a shadow over his heart. [Instance: Screaming Demon Lake] [Instance Introduction: 313 years ago, this was the Mother Lake, the pride of the Crystal Clan tribe in Masiso Territory and one of the "Four Treasures" of Masiso. However, one day, a sudden scream destroyed everything, becoming a nightmare that the displaced Crystal Clan could never forget.] [Dungeon Level: A] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance Boss: Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban] [Dungeon Talent: Sun Needle (Gold)] [Wearing Title: [Blue] Corpse Wolf Conqueror] sea??h th N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Minimum Instance Strategy Requirement: Kill Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban] [Instance Strategy Time Limit: 48:24:30] [Abort Current Strategy] [00:00:45] Crystal Clan... Qin Chuan quickly scanned the instance introduction, looking for information he could utilize. In yesterday''s Special Affairs Group instance information discussion meeting, this clan was also mentioned. The Crystal Clan has an appearance highly similar to humans, each possessing extremely delicate features, but fundamentally, the two are vastly different. Inside the Crystal Clan''s body is a strange crystalline state; if they are injured, the inner crystals hidden beneath their human-like exterior would be exposed. Due to this unique body structure, their defense was weaker, easily shattering. Fortunately, having their body broken into many pieces was not a fatal injury for the Crystal Clan, as long as they properly collected the broken remains, the Crystal Clan could restore their bodies through a special method, quickly recovering even if some parts were missing. The crystals that made up the Crystal Clan''s body could greatly store and operate extraordinary power, hence the Crystal Clan naturally possessed stronger extraordinary powers than other clans. Therefore, these crystals were coveted by many other clans. Information regarding the Crystal Clan flashed swiftly through Qin Chuan''s mind; his eyes flickered. Sun Needle''s Third Talent effect, activate. In just an instant, the complete map of the instance appeared in front of Qin Chuan; in the central position of the map, a bright light point flickered. Instance Boss: Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. It was a humanoid figure submerged in lake water, countless sea-weed-like dark blue strands of hair concealing the details of its body, four terrifying steel pillars piercing through its limbs, with the other ends extending into the distance, anchored at the bottom of the Demon Lake. The moment he saw the figure clearly, a piercing scream exploded crisply next to Qin Chuan''s ears, much clearer than the echoes on the periphery, as if the figure was howling in despair right next to him. Qin Chuan grunted, without hesitation, he turned off the image, his eyes filled with shock and uncertainty. Could the opponent sense the Sun Needle''s lock and affect him remotely? Or, did the opponent have some special ability that made him inevitably hear this terrible scream whenever he saw them? Regardless of the reason, Qin Chuan could not attempt it again for now. Fortunately, from his quick glimpse just now, he hadn''t come away empty-handed. First of all, this time the instance boss was at the bottom of the lake. Secondly, this time the instance boss appeared to have restricted movement. With the passive ability of StarWater Master, fighting at the bottom of the lake didn''t affect Qin Chuan''s combat strength. And the instance boss having restricted movement, in Qin Chuan''s view, was equally good news. As he was contemplating this, Qin Chuan caught a glimpse of a shadow flashing through the dense fog at his side. The next instant, the fog tore apart as a monster about two meters tall lunged at him. It floated up like a ghost, its body shrouded in a tattered black robe, with only a pair of blood-red eyes under its wide hood, glowing with a bloodthirsty light. [Instance Creature: Servant of the Dead Soul] Sensing an aura from the opponent comparable to a Hall Rank Lv40 Spiritual Beast, Qin Chuan''s eyebrows slightly raised. His body turned into pitch-black flames, he avoided the attack at a tricky angle, and the moment he brushed past his foe, he reappeared with one foot stepping on its shadow. StarShadow Erosion, activated. The Servant of the Dead Soul that flew past Qin Chuan let out a piercing howl, and a burst of ghostly light exploded beneath its black robe, dissolving it into nothingness. Qin Chuan didn''t even glance back as he headed straight for Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. A few seconds later, a line of text popped up in front of him. [Instance Clue Found] Looking at the direction of the arrow, Qin Chuan turned without hesitation. The direction of the arrow was not fixed; it shifted several times as Qin Chuan pursued the clue. A kilometer''s distance passed in the blink of an eye, yet his proximity to the clue had not shortened. The instance clue was moving, and it was moving fast. Interesting. Qin Chuan stepped on the shadow of a tree beside him, rippling through it like water, before his entire body submerged into it, even his aura concealed. StarDark Shadow Escape. While moving quickly between different shadows to close in on his target, Qin Chuan also noticed that the arrow from the Sun Needle''s first Talent effect suddenly stopped changing. It seemed like his opponent was deliberately avoiding him. After a few breaths, Qin Chuan, through the shadows, saw a five-meter-tall creature resembling a deer. It had a slender figure, with its antlers branching out like the limbs of a tree, adorned with many flower-like structures. This was once an incredibly beautiful creature, but now its eyes held no light, and its body reeked of decay, shambling in a twisted posture utterly unnatural for an ungulate. [Instance Creature: Disembodied CorpseDeer] Confirming that the creature in front of him was the directed instance clue, Qin Chuan did not hesitate, immediately revealing himself. Looking at its current form, an idea struck him, and a Wolf Teeth Dagger appeared in his hand. Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse. The blade aimed at the creature''s neck flashed with a faint light, and in the next instant, it beheaded the Disembodied CorpseDeer. As the smooth cut at the neck reflected a gem-like shine in the sunlight, Qin Chuan''s pupils shrank. Crystal Clan?! The Disembodied CorpseDeer crashed to the ground, and in the moment Qin Chuan was stunned, its head flew towards its body, but the wound could not heal under the 70% reduced recovery effect of the Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse. The flesh on the surface pulled at the two halves of the severed head. The deer twisted its neck nearly 180 degrees, propping itself up with branch-like antlers, and its long hind legs pushed it upright. With its front legs skewed to one side, it began scratching the ground like paddles, moving with startling speed despite its bizarre stance. Qin Chuan slipped into the shadows and unhesitatingly gave chase. Chapter 223 - 223: The Vice President is Actually My Roommate?! "Hello, I''m Lin Yue." Upon entering the dormitory, Lin Yue saw Qiao Chang, whom she had already met before registration, a tall girl with a high ponytail, and another girl with long black hair in a short skirt. The latter must be another roommate, Song Yuxin. "Hi!" Song Yuxin stepped forward to take Lin Yue''s hand, "Ever since the college entrance exam scores came out a few days ago, I''ve heard your name so many times!" "But back then, I only knew the name and didn''t even see a photo." Song Yuxin looked thoughtfully at Yue Li, and then smiled, "Now I finally get to see the true face of Mount Lu." "Now that Lin Yue is here, shouldn''t we add each other as friends?" Qiao Chang shook her smartphone and spoke with a smile, "Let''s create a roommate group chat. If there''s anything, just say it in the group, and we can help each other out in no time." The atmosphere in the dormitory went slightly strange for a moment after Qiao Chang spoke those last few words. After all, out of the four girls present, Lin Yue appeared to be the one who needed help the most. However, this mood lasted only a brief moment. Zheng Xiaoyu was the first to open up her QR code, eagerly facing the other three girls, "Scan me, scan me!" With that, any slight strangeness evaporated. Friendship between girls develops uniquely quickly. After adding each other and creating a roommate group chat, the four girls got familiar with one another in a very short time and stopped calling each other by full names. Initially, the other three girls were a bit reserved when interacting with Lin Yue, but when they saw that Lin Yue was very open about her situation, they also relaxed quite a bit. "Yueyue, won''t it be troublesome to eat with your mask always on?" Qiao Chang finally couldn''t help but ask the question she had been curious about for a long time. Hearing this question, the other two girls also quieted down and looked curiously at Lin Yue. They had the same doubt, but it seemed inappropriate to ask. After all, what if the reason Lin Yue wore the mask was related to some flaw in her appearance? Wouldn''t that be poking at the sore spot of someone else? Looking at the three curious girls, a smile formed on Lin Yue''s face beneath the mask, "Actually, it''s not necessary to always wear it. I can take it off in the dormitory." "Due to some personal reasons, I just don''t want too many people to see my face for now." "Hold on a second." With that, Lin Yue took out her phone. A few seconds later, Zheng Xiaoyu''s phone vibrated. Zheng Xiaoyu instinctively glanced at it and then couldn''t help but widen her eyes. Lin Yue, who had just added her as a friend and exchanged greetings on the communication app, had suddenly sent her a message. "Red Leaf, make sure you don''t blow my cover later, okay~" Not to blow Lin Yue''s cover... Wait a minute! How did Lin Yue know her gaming name?! Zheng Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. When she looked up and saw Lin Yue''s smiling eyes as she took off the mask, she was even more stunned. That face! That face!!! She almost blurted out the name "Yue Li," but the message Lin Yue had just sent privately popped into her mind, and she stopped herself. No way... the vice president is actually my roommate?! What kind of magic twist is this?! On the other side, Qiao Chang and Song Yuxin couldn''t help but exclaim in surprise. "Yueyue, you''re so beautiful!" Qiao Chang gasped, hastily walking over to Lin Yue and poking at her soft cheek, her eyes gradually lighting up. She was already braced for the worst, but Lin Yue''s face beneath the mask was nothing like she had imagined! "Now I understand why you wear a mask," Song Yuxin said helplessly, shaking her head, "Without it, if the three of us went out with you, we''d all be overshadowed by you." "That''s an exaggeration," Lin Yue said with a light smile, then her expression grew a bit more serious, "Please keep this a secret for me. I don''t want my appearance to attract too much attention for now." Qiao Chang and Song Yuxin nodded, taking it that Lin Yue''s appearance was so outstanding that she wanted to keep a low profile and didn''t give it much thought. But when Zheng Xiaoyu heard this, she was taken aback. That''s right, she''d almost forgotten that Yue Li was not only the vice president of their Guild but also one of the only two Hall-Level Players in the world. The player who had the attention of the entire world, to this day, no one knew Yue Li''s true identity. And Lin Yue, like herself, had an appearance that hardly changed between reality and the Dream World. If Lin Yue''s look drew the attention of many, her identity would no longer be a secret. Thinking of such dire consequences, Zheng Xiaoyu''s face immediately turned serious, and she nodded firmly, "Don''t worry, I absolutely, absolutely will not let anyone know your appearance!" The sincerity of her near oath made Qiao Chang and Song Yuxin cast surprised glances her way. "Then, thank you so much," Lin Yue said, taking Zheng Xiaoyu''s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Yueyue, does that mean you can only eat meals packed from the cafeteria in your room?" Qiao Chang asked with concern. "Yes," Lin Yue nodded, "Because of my illness, I need to eat lightly, and normally getting takeout from the cafeteria is fine." "That''s a shame," Qiao Chang said with a hint of regret, "I was planning to have dinner together with everyone tonight." "Dinner together?" Song Yuxin looked at Qiao Chang in surprise, "Where? Just us?" "There''s a great barbecue place outside the west school gate," Qiao Chang smiled, "And it''s not just us. I have a high school friend who I''m really close with. We''ve arranged to bring our roommates along for the meal, sort of like a small dormitory mixer." "He''s a Major in Extraordinary Practical Combat, and I''ve heard there are quite a few handsome guys in that major!" Upon hearing this, Song Yuxin''s expression showed she was tempted, "Count me in." "I..." Zheng Xiaoyu looked a bit troubled. It sounded intriguing, but if she went too, Lin Yue would be left alone in the dorm. What if Lin Yue needed help... "Xiaoyu, you should go too," Seeing Zheng Xiaoyu''s conflict, Lin Yue said with a light laugh, "When Chang Chang mentioned barbecue, I saw you swallow." "No, I didn''t!" Zheng Xiaoyu said, a bit embarrassed. Because she had actually swallowed at that moment. "Don''t worry, I can take care of myself," Lin Yue patted Zheng Xiaoyu''s hand gently, her voice soft, "Though movement is difficult for me, we are Transcendents after all." This reminded Zheng Xiaoyu. Thinking of how the girl in front of her was a Hall-Level Player yet had difficulty moving, Zheng Xiaoyu felt quite reassured and was inclined to check it out. "Then, I''ll go take a look," "Yueyue, whenever you need help, just call me!" "Don''t worry," Lin Yue''s smile grew wider, "If I really need help, I won''t hesitate to ask." ----------------- "Finally finished," Qin Chuan sighed with relief after spending half the afternoon completing the entire new student registration process. Carrying a bag of documents, he walked toward the dormitory building. Sarch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The phone rang at just the right moment, and seeing "Feng Yin" on the caller ID, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow. This seemed to be the first time the person had called him directly. Choosing to answer, Qin Chuan put the phone to his ear. Soon Feng Yin''s voice came through. "We''ve made new research progress on the instance channel." Qin Chuan''s expression became serious. This was something he had to listen to carefully. Chapter 197 - 197: Kasakabans Diary【Surrounding Activity Chapter】(April 3850 Monthly Tickets Extra) "Click, click, click, click" Four consecutive sounds of shattering instantly changed Qin Chuan''s expression. He watched as Kasakaban''s limbs, impaled by steel pillars, shattered instantly. The ominous gray-black crystals gathered and reformed into his hands and feet. The seemingly impenetrable restraint was, in fact, incapable of restraining him, a member of the Crystal Clan! Watching the increasingly grotesque smile on Kasakaban''s face after freeing himself, a bad premonition emerged in Qin Chuan''s heart, making his eyes suddenly fierce. Strike first! [00:00:45] Time Stop! [00:00:44] Qin Chuan''s body disappeared from its original place, appearing on the other side of Kasakaban. A gigantic crack appeared along Kasakaban''s waist, following the wound that had not yet healed, directly severing his waist. Kasakaban, interrupted in mid-attack, stared in silence at his own silently severed waist, his crazed and grim expression replaced by confusion. Without waiting for him to react, Qin Chuan, gripping the Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse, killed again. Shadow Erosion activated once more, delivering the final strike to the two severely wounded Soul Commanders. Under the effect of Armor Break, the Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse pierced through Kasakaban''s body repeatedly. One after another, the gray-black crystals shattered, and Kasakaban''s expression changed from confusion to astonishment. In the next moment, that astonished face also shattered. [Congratulations to the player for meeting the minimum strategy requirements and completing the A-level instance: Screaming Demon Lake, with a current Dungeon Clearance Rating: A] [Strategy rewards can only be received once. Players may claim them immediately or continue to strive for higher Dungeon Clearance Rating to gain greater rewards before the strategy deadline.] ----------------- Blue Star. Last night, entering Dream World, they experienced the other side of the version 2.3 update, throwing countless players into ecstatic joy. Yet, amidst their ecstasy, the players did not forget the ongoing countdown of the instance. Every time they checked the instance list, their gaze would ultimately come to rest on one particular instance. Sar?h the ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Instance: Screaming Demon Lake (A)][Undergoing Clearance] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] This instance''s clearance had already lasted an hour. The only players in the world who could stay in an A-level, solo-clearable instance for over an hour were just two. Was it Luo or Yue Li? After what seemed like ages, a line of text emerged before everyone''s eyes. [Player Luo has successfully cleared the A-level instance Screaming Demon Lake!] It was Luo! He did it! Countless players refreshed the instance list, noticing the status change of the instance. [Instance: Screaming Demon Lake (A)][Cleared] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Instance Clearance Time: 01:15:14] [Guide: Luo] In the next instant, cheers erupted across Blue Star! ----------------- [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: A] [Current Strategy Reward: [Purple] Scream Ring, [Blue] TitleSoul Destroyer] [Receive Strategy Reward] Kasakaban... just like that, he was dead? Qin Chuan could not help but frown. Although he was indeed very strong during Time Stop, the fact that his opponent died too easily, without putting up a significant resistance, still gave Qin Chuan the feeling that "everything was too smooth." But the prompt that the instance had been cleared was never wrong. He had killed the Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. Slowly sinking in the water, finally resting on a densely packed layer of gray-black Crystal Shards on the riverbed, was clear evidence. Glancing at the current Dungeon Clearance Rating, Qin Chuan did not rush to Receive the Strategy Reward but sank with the gray-black crystals until his feet touched the bottom of the lake. He hadn''t forgotten that there were new instance clues at the opponent''s location. Following the guidance of the first Talent of the Sun Needle, Qin Chuan quickly found a cave at the bottom of the lake that radiated light outward. A thin water membrane on the outside of the cave blocked the inflow of water. Inside the cave was a stone table; in the corner of the table was a lit lamp, its light shining outward, and several sheets of paper were scattered on the table. Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, then decisively passed through the water membrane into the cave. When his hand touched the sheet of paper with large unfamiliar characters on it, a line of text appeared before him. [Congratulations Player on obtaining the instance clue: Diary of Kasakaban] As the prompt appeared, the text twisted before his eyes, rapidly transforming into Chinese characters he could understand. [We have failed, the Lake Bottom Death Demon is immortal.] [The corrupted Ominous Crystal possesses healing abilities far surpassing those of the Crystal Clan crystals, arguably in some aspects, unimaginably so.] [As long as there are some crystals left unshattered, the Lake Bottom Death Demon will not truly die.] [The cunning one hid its "Core," using the characteristic of the "Core" being indestructible when isolated, making itself a true immortal.] [Unless the "Core" is located and returned to the body to neutralize its characteristics, the Lake Bottom Death Demon remains invincible.] [Even if the "Core" can be returned to the body, one would still need the strength to defeat the more powerful Lake Bottom Death Demon to completely crush it.] [By the time we realized this, it was already too late.] [Countless of my kin are buried at the bottom of the lake, and I, severely damaged, am powerless to search for the whereabouts of the "Core," let alone defeat the Lake Bottom Death Demon with the "Core" returned to its body.] [My companion tree deer has been unusually irritable lately, even unwilling to accept my touch, probably as frustrated as I am for not having been able to kill the Lake Bottom Death Demon.] [It is time to leave, I will use my discoveries as a bargaining chip to bring more reinforcements against the Lake Bottom Death Demon in a new round of encirclement.] [Next time, he will not have the chance.] The diary abruptly ended there, written in an uplifting spirit by the diary''s owner who had failed but had not lost faith. But Qin Chuan''s heart was gradually sinking. This was Kasakaban''s diary. If Kasakaban had participated in the encirclement against the Lake Bottom Death Demon and decided to leave to get reinforcements after the ultimate failure. Then who had he just killed? His eyes slightly drooping, Qin Chuan set down the paper in his hand and turned to walk out of the underground cave, heading towards where he had just fought with the Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. Looking at the fragments scattered at the bottom of the lake, Qin Chuan fell silent for a moment. If he wasn''t wrong, the only way to obtain an SSS Clearance Rating in Screaming Demon Lake should be like this. "Come on." [Ominous Crystal Core] was casually thrown out, bursting with a terrifying attraction force, instantly bringing all the surrounding gray-black Crystal Shards together. A huge humanoid figure swiftly formed within the gathering Ominous Crystals, with violent water currents swirling around it, and a high-pitched screeching noise mixed with screams reverberating in the quiet lake bottom. [Instance Creature: Complete Lake Bottom Death Demon] Blue long hair trailed behind, spreading like waves in the water flow, a fierce smile just starting to show on extremely handsome features, but upon seeing the young man before it, it slightly subdued. The young man slowly raised the dagger in his hand. "We go again." Chapter 198 - 198 Ways to Increase Instance Strategy Attempts! Looking at the opponent before him, both familiar and alien, Qin Chuan''s eyes were deep and pensive. Prior to this, the most formidable opponent he had encountered had already reached the epic rank Lv50. There were two such opponents in total, one was the A-grade 1-star Secret Realm target from last night''s campaign: the Sorrowful Bone DragonCasadan, and the other was the A-grade 2-star dungeon boss he had just slain minutes ago: Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. And now, the opponent he was about to face had grown even stronger than that. Having obtained the "Core", the resurrected Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban became the [Complete Lake Bottom Death Demon], with its power further enhanced. An opponent surpassing epic rank, how to contend with it? The answer was clear at a glance. [00:00:44] Time Stop! [00;00:42] Qin Chuan''s figure appeared before the complete Lake Bottom Death Demon as if through instant teleportation, and in the mere two seconds of time stop, he executed multiple Shadow Erosions and in the final moment delivered the first strike of Threefold Annihilation. In the blink of an eye, the body of the once intact Kasakaban shattered from within, black radiance blossoming out of every inch, leaving only the unharmed head that once again revealed a look of confusion and bewilderment. Carrying the memory of the last time he was killed, he still couldn''t comprehend the abilities Qin Chuan had displayed. Clearly, he was weaker than himself, so why could he... "Crack" Before Kasakaban could figure it out, the Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse had embedded itself into his brow. The once delicate yet ferocious face burst with countless cracks, revealing a deep grey-black crystal pulsating with ominous energy. "It''s over." Qin Chuan spoke calmly, and in the next instant Kasakaban''s head shattered. Among the numerous scattered shards, a faint light shone distinctly. [Dungeon Clue Found] This should be the last dungeon clue. Qin Chuan thought, casually touching it. The glow faded, and something more was in his hand, as a line of text appeared before his eyes. [Congratulations Player for obtaining dungeon clue: Masiso Territory''s Secret History Fragment (Copy)] Masiso Territory... If Qin Chuan remembered correctly, that should be the region where Screaming Demon Lake is located, just like the Milian Territory before. He keenly sensed that this so-called Secret History Fragment held the key to the biggest mystery surrounding the Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban. But... Looking at the fragmented Secret History in his hand, merely some snippets of cut paper, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but feel a bit of mirth mixed with frustration. Isn''t this a little too much of a ''fragment''? The unfamiliar text began to twist, and before he could further muse, Qin Chuan started to earnestly inspect it. [Besides the lord, the other existences in the Masiso Territory were actually unwelcoming to the Crystal Clan as newcomers. Their emergence would disrupt the existing balance, yet simultaneously they themselves were the sweetest of fruits, a covetable treasure.] [Thus, as the Crystal Clan entered the Masiso Territory with the consent of Lord and flourished, the undercurrents within the Masiso Territory intensified as well.] ----------------- "The Clan Leader of the Dead Ghost Clan, the Insomniac Sphenard, hasn''t appeared in public for a long time. Even the provocations of the half-demons have not made him show himself, which is very unusual." "The relationship between the Dead Ghost Clan and the Crystal Clan seems to have gotten closer than before, which is surprising given that they were the most vocal opponents when the Crystal Clan entered the Masiso Territory." ----------------- "There appears to be some kind of anomaly occurring in a lake within the Crystal Clan Territory, which has started to emit a continuous, nauseating scream. The Crystal Clan Leader happened to be away on a journey when, after a series of explorers went missing, the Crystal Clan requested support from the new lord." "Regrettably, the new lord hails from the Half-demon Clan, and the previous close enmity between the Crystal Clan and the Half-demons had already made the new lord disapprove. Hence, the request for support was not granted." ----------------- "Screaming Demon Lake is the name that was ultimately given to that mutated lake, which has now become a forbidden zone. The Crystal Clan launched an attack on it before being forced to evacuate their land, but only a very few clanspeople survived." "One of the Crystal Clan survivors named Kasakaban tried to request new support from the lord, but his speech was disorganized and often made no sense, it''s hard to understand how such a foolish person managed to survive." "After the Crystal Clansman left in defeat, the lord disdainfully claimed that the survivor was contaminated by "filthy things," an excuse that likely masked his refusal to provide support based on his attitude toward the Crystal Clan." ----------------- "The Crystal Clan, which originally planned to relocate within the Masiso Territory, chose to leave for unknown reasons, much to the satisfaction of the lord." "The only thing that displeased the lord after turning down that deranged Crystal Clan survivor was that Screaming Demon Lake seemed to have become even more terrifying. Those Crystal clanspeople left behind something rather problematic in the Masiso Territory before they departed." "The lord said: Yes, that''s just how terrible the Crystal Clan is." Qin Chuan''s expression grew solemn as he looked at the fragmented yet relevant information before him. Because there were many similarities with the journal of Kasakaban, but also some contradictions. Firstly, it was clear that the Lake Bottom Death Demon was not Kasakaban. Or rather, the Lake Bottom Death Demon at the birth of the Screaming Demon Lake was not him. In the journal of Kasakaban, the Lake Bottom Death Demon was likewise a Crystal Clansmember. Thus, there were significant suspicions about that Crystal Clan Leader who coincidentally had been away when the Screaming Demon Lake emerged. The Dead Ghost Clan, according to earlier intelligence, were the sworn enemies of the Half-demon Clan, with a power system related to ghosts and undead, which closely relates to the Servant of the Dead Soul and the Soul Commander existing within Screaming Demon Lake. Thus, the birth of the Screaming Demon Lake must have involved the Dead Ghost Clan. Like that long-absent Clan Leader of the Dead Ghost Clan, the Insomniac Sphenard. According to the secret history, the Kasakaban who sought help from the lord was a "foolish person" with disorganized speech, but his journal was quite clear and logical. If neither account is falsified, then the problem likely lies in the "filthy things" mentioned by the lord. A flash of electricity went through Qin Chuan''s mind, causing a surge of palpitations. The previous Lake Bottom Death Demon, had hidden the "Core" inside Kasakaban?! The most dangerous place is the safest place... Considering the case of the Corpse WolfDeer, the Crystal Clansmember implanted with the Ominous Crystal Core was significantly affected. Kasakaban, who had not yet been implanted with the "Core," noticed something off about his companion Corpse WolfDeer, which is why it became anxious and resistant toward Kasakaban. Kasakaban, whose sanity was fading and unable to call for reinforcements due to the influence of the "Core," implanted the "Core" into the body of his own companion Corpse WolfDeer. Kasakaban, who led the campaign against the undead, became a new undead. Qin Chuan''s expression was slightly solemn. So... where could the previous Lake Bottom Death Demon be now? "Congratulations, Player, for meeting the Advanced Strategy Requirements: Kill the complete Lake Bottom Death Demon, uncover a corner of the truth, Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: SSS." Sear?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SSS." "Current Strategy Rewards: [Purple] Kasakaban''s "Core," [Purple] Scream Ring, [Purple] TitleUndead Terminator." "Extra Strategy Reward: Today''s additional dungeon run +1" (Received for getting an SSS rating in an A-rank or above dungeon.) "Receive Strategy Reward" Chapter 199 - 199: Epic Enhancement of Time Stop! "Has it reached SSS rating?" A trace of wistfulness flickered through Qin Chuan''s eyes. He really wanted to know where the previous Lake Bottom Death Demon had gone. But clearly, this wasn''t a truth that an A-rated instance could reveal. Well, it was all said and done, an A-rated instance was completely resolved. Qin Chuan shook his head, discarding the stray thoughts and looked at the noticeably larger rewards following the SSS rating. Upon seeing the first item of the rewards, he was momentarily stunned. The "Core" of Kasakaban? Thinking of the misfortune the ominous Crystal Core brought to Kasakaban, Qin Chuan felt an impulse to reject it. However, after clicking on the description, he realized he had misunderstood. "[[Purple]Kasakaban''s ''Core'': Kasakaban, having lost his mind under ominous powers, discarded his own ''Core'' and merged with the ''Core'' of the Lake Bottom Death Demon, becoming the new Lake Bottom Death Demon. The Crystal Clan''s ''Core'' possesses extremely strong energy transmission capabilities, carrying it can increase Attribute Control by 30% and Attribute Power by 20%.]" From the item description, his previous guess had been correct. The item being rewarded at this moment was Kasakaban''s abandoned, unaffected by ominous power, "Core." Its amplification effect might not be as good as a Level 10 Starlight equipment entry but, having no cooldown arguably made it as significant as a Level 10 Starlight equipment entry. This was an absolute treasure. With the first reward being this generous, Qin Chuan suddenly became extremely interested in the subsequent rewards. "[[Purple]Scream Ring: Once activated, affects all living targets within range except the wearer, reducing their speed by 50% and rendering them unable to remain calm.]" Qin Chuan: "6." Although both were purple items, this Scream Ring, achievable at an A rating, was far inferior to Kasakaban''s "Core." The effect was good, but it did not discriminate between friend and foe. sea??h th N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Let it be, let''s check the titles. Qin Chuan still had a keen interest in titles. During this venture into Screaming Demon Lake, he distinctly felt his strength enhancing to a certain degree, which was even more pronounced when facing the Lake Bottom Death Demon. This was the current enhancement effect of the blue title, Corpse Wolf Conqueror. Without it, Qin Chuan might have had to waste an extra second of Time Stop when facing the Lake Bottom Death Demon. Now, the conquest reward was a purple title. "[[Purple]Title - Undead Terminator: After wearing, gain a 30% increase in attack, reduce the target''s recovery by 80% (can be stacked with the same name effect, up to 99%).]" Very good, he liked this title. Not only did it completely replace the previous Corpse Wolf Conqueror in terms of effects, but it also added a recovery reduction effect. This effect, stacked with the effect of Wolf Teeth of the Dead Corpse, directly reached the cap. 1% recovery... Almost no difference from none. After perusing the dungeon conquest rewards, Qin Chuan''s gaze moved down, then he suddenly paused. So it turned out that gaining an SSS rating in an A-level or above instance brought additional conquest rewards. And this conquest reward Thinking carefully, Qin Chuan''s expression suddenly turned excited. Leaving an instance once would increase Time Stop by one second. If one could enter multiple instances within a day, Time Stop could potentially increase several times. As long as he conquered an A-level or above instance each time and obtained an SSS rating, Qin Chuan could continuously obtain conquest counts. In this endless loop, the number of instances he conquered had no limits, and Time Stop could increase as much as desired No, it couldn''t be calculated that way. Qin Chuan quickly realized the limitations. Firstly, the number of A-level instances was limited, and up to now, the fourth A-level instance had still not appeared, let alone instances higher than A-level. Moreover, his strength wasn''t yet at a level where he could easily conquer A-level instances without using Time Stop. Invading Screaming Demon Lake flawlessly, he used 3 seconds of Time Stop and received one chance to raid it. Calculated like this, the input didn''t justify the output. To rapidly increase his Time Stop duration, he first needed to ensure his own strength was sufficient. There were generally three methods to enhance strength. First, breaking through further in Spiritual Beast strength to achieve a higher Transcendent Value. Second, mastering the Spirit Descent of any Spiritual Beast. Third, continue to raid instances, obtaining more equipment and better titles. The first required a certain amount of time, the second needed maximum Affinity firsta bit more was still needed. Water Flower, the one with the highest Affinity, was currently at 98%. Nevertheless, a negative return had to be endured; consider it an initial investment. Qin Chuan clicked on "Exit Instance" and immediately chose another A-level instance upon returning to reality: Akyar Eagle Valley. He entered the instance, ready to begin the raid! ----------------- "Have you contacted Qin Chuan yet?" At the Special Affairs Group Headquarters, Feng Yin glanced at Dragon Halberd. "Not yet," Dragon Halberd shook his head slightly, "He''s probably still leveling up in the instance." Both, having raided an instance yesterday, knew that to switch an instance to a "raided" status, which would not pose any more threats to reality, one merely needed to meet the minimum clearance requirements and kill the instance boss. However, for players entering the raid, this was only the beginning. The highest rating for an instance could go up to SSSthe higher the rating, the better the rewards. Given that one could only raid once per day, naturally one would aim for as high a rating as possible to secure better rewards. In just one day, this practice had already coined a term: leveling. The final rating of a raider wasn''t made public; only the raider themselves would know. But obviously, players like Qin Chuan aimed for the SSS-tier. Without reaching it, he wouldn''t leave the instance easily. "Let''s wait a bit longer," Feng Yin shifted his gaze to Ji Huai, who sat opposite with his arms across his chest and his eyes closed in meditation leaning against an armchair. "Once we clarify the situation with the Screaming Demon Lake, we can make a move." During yesterday''s instance raid, they had witnessed Ji Huai''s immense strength post-Spirit Descent for the first time. This ability, easily annihilating a B-level instance boss, also gave them a slight inkling to conquer a higher A-level instance. Although he and Dragon Halberd weren''t as strong as Ji Huai, the Dungeon Talent Effects of Insight and Holy Sanctuary could greatly assist Ji Huai, and together, tackling an A-level instance wasn''t out of reach. Among the three existing A-level instances, there was one that looked suitable. The 3-person-restricted A-level instance: Akyar Eagle Valley. This being one of the earliest instances, they needed to raid it swiftly. They were waiting for Qin Chuan so they could gain some insights on A-level instances from him before embarking on the raid, increasing their chances of victory. Insight never entered a battle unprepared. "Eh? Fuck!" Dragon Halberd, bored while refreshing the instance list, suddenly noticed something amiss. "Why does Akyar Eagle Valley show it''s being raided?" Upon hearing this, Feng Yin opened the instance list and paused, "Wait three minutes." Players entering the instance would immediately be sought out by the creatures therein; any weak individual merely trying their luck would definitely not last three minutes. Three minutes later, seeing that Akyar Eagle Valley was still listed as "In Progress," Feng Yin shook his head helplessly. "It seems Yue Li has beaten us to it." Chapter 228 - 228: Top Ten Guilds, New Hall Level! Dream World. As soon as Qin Chuan regained consciousness, he immediately accessed the Secret Realm Information. After solving two more A-Rank 1-star Secret Realms, he would have gathered six Epic resources needed for Water Flower''s advancement, combined with the equipment already upgraded to Moon Halo Level 10, which could enable Water Flower to achieve an Epic Rank breakthrough. Not only that, Water Flower''s Affinity had reached 99% due to their constant companionship and successive rounds of equipment crafting and enhancement. If nothing unexpected occurred, she would breakthrough at the same moment. 100% Affinity meant he was one step closer to Spirit Descent. Because his focus was on choosing a Secret Realm, Qin Chuan didn''t notice the exchange of glances between Yue Li and Red Leaf when they entered the Dream World. Soon, he looked up, seeing Yue Li approaching. "The target for today has been chosen." "Good," Yue Li smiled and was about to speak when Iron Hammer approached them with a somewhat serious expression. "President, Vice President, a new Hall Level player has appeared." "The entire server channel is discussing this." Qin Chuan and Yue Li exchanged a glance and opened the server-wide channel simultaneously. Due to the high number of players online at the same time, the chat experience in this channel was very poor when it first launched. Later, everyone seemed to realize this point, and messages were only sent on this channel when absolutely necessary, which improved the situation somewhat. Now, as they re-entered the Dream World, there was a short vacuum period for messages in the server-wide channel. At this moment, a new, significant topic emerged, instantly unifying the previously chaotic discussions on the server-wide channel. "Zefina?" Qin Chuan raised his eyebrows slightly. The name was unfamiliar yet vaguely familiar. Soon, Qin Chuan recalled the reason for the familiarity. Initially, he was the first player in the entire server to own an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. But Yue Li was not the second. A player named Zefina from the Sunset Guild, during an auction, broke the bank to secure a piece of Rare Resource and became the second player to own an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. After that, she seemed to fade from public view. Qin Chuan''s only impression of her was that she was wealthy and low-key. Now, she had become the first player after him and Yue Li to achieve a Hall Level breakthrough. "She is the president of the Secret Silver Dagger Guild," Iron Hammer shared, showing noticeable attention to and understanding of other guilds, "Secret Silver Dagger is currently ranked third among guilds, and like our Luoyue Guild, they chose a location and openly recruited members." "Ranked third, that''s quite impressive," Yue Li was somewhat surprised and opened the guild ranking list to check. Taking the opportunity, Iron Hammer continued, "The guild has been established for several days now, and the rankings have basically stabilized. We''ve been holding the first place, but the guilds behind us should not be underestimated." "The guild currently second in total points is Dragon Gate Guild No. 1; they filled their member count on the first day they appeared. Although their exploration of Secret Realms is much weaker than the President and Vice President, they have gained a large number of points by leveraging their member count and solving numerous realms, closely following behind us." Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan''s gaze flickered slightly. This guild was formed by some of the strongest players from the Special Affairs Group. It could be called a gathering of the Special Affairs Group''s strongest forces, containing no weak players. Due to their cooperative relationship, Qin Chuan knew some details about certain players. It could be said that without their Rank advantage, Luoyue would not be able to hold off the competition in its current size. "And then comes the Secret Silver Dagger Guild, which currently boasts a size of 13 members," Iron Hammer said. "It''s said that their guild has higher requirements for Player Talent than Player Level, only accepting members with Purple Talent or above." "Currently, only our three guilds have reached Guild Level 2," Iron Hammer emphasized. Attaining Guild Level 2 unlocks crucial elements. "Next is the guild ranked fourth, the Ambition Guild..." In the top ten guilds, the Special Affairs Group occupies four spots, namely, Dragon Gate Guilds number 1, 2, 3, and 4. This is related to the personnel strategy of the Special Affairs Group. According to what Qin Chuan knew, the Dragon Gate n Guilds, entirely composed of members of the Special Affairs Group, numbered 100, while other Special Affairs Group members organized tens of thousands of semi-official guilds, with the remaining ones being guilds independently formed by unofficial players. The top 10 Dragon Gate guilds gathered the most excellent players of the Special Affairs Group. With Guild number 1 as the spearhead and the other nine guilds as the blade, they supported each other. Once Iron Hammer finished introducing the top ten guilds, Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, "You just mentioned that the Secret Silver Dagger is located in one district, where is it?" Zefina''s rapid promotion to Hall Level and the high points ranking gained by Secret Silver Dagger, being the first to break through to Lv2 after Luoyue and Dragon Gate number 1, piqued his interest. "Area 2457," Iron Hammer pointed northward, "right in our due north direction." "2457..." Qin Chuan frowned and opened a complete map of the Dream World. It was a map displayed after using the Third Talent of Sun Needle, and at this moment, there was a bright spot on the map, distant from his location. That was Traceless, locked on as Oriel. Counting the time, she had been locked on for more than ten days. Naturally, Qin Chuan, being a gold-talented player himself, would not underestimate his opponent. He checked the opponent''s location at least once a day. After the 2.3 version update, the activity range of Oriel had significantly reduced, confined only to one district. And that district was area 2457. Sarch* The ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan''s eyebrows twitched slightly as he tapped on the light point corresponding to Oriel. He wanted to see what this woman was doing. ----------------- "This is just fantastic!" Oriel slapped her hand onto a wooden table, visibly excited, "Zefina, everything is as you predicted." "Calm down, Oriel," a sinuous woman sitting across the table said with an air of elegance and maturity that naturally contrasted with Oriel. Zefina leisurely brewed herself a cup of red tea, "I must say, the tea in the Dream World is far superior to that in reality. Would you like a cup?" "Yes!" Oriel took the cup from Zefina''s hand, giggling, "No wonder you got the Hall Crystal yesterday but chose to breakthrough today; you wanted the entire server to notice it." "Manipulating public opinion is the easiest thing," Zefina sipped her tea, "It won''t be long before Secret Silver Dagger fills up with players." "After reaching the member limit, we will start an elimination process, gradually filtering out the purple-talented players," her eyes glittered with intent, "Purple? That''s just a transition. Ultimately, we want all guild members to have red talents." "It would be better if all these red talents were different." "After all, I enjoy the feeling of collecting them." "Wouldn''t it be even more fulfilling to gather all nine gold talents together?" Oriel, sipping her tea, spoke cheerfully. "While I do enjoy collecting, I am also aware of my own limits," Zefina tapped Oriel''s forehead, her expression affectionate, "I wouldn''t be as impulsive as you." Ignoring Oriel''s displeased pout, Zefina''s eyes slightly lowered, gazing at the clear red tea in her cup. "Two is enough." Chapter 231 - 231: The Fourth Hall Level Player! "I didn''t expect the S-class secret realm to appear so soon." Looking at the announcement before her, Yue Li couldn''t help but sigh, "The raid target of the A-class secret realm is already Epic Rank Lv50, so the raid target of the S-class secret realm should be the next rank after Epic Rank." "We can try it out after tomorrow''s refresh," Qin Chuan said, but his expression wasn''t relaxed, and even his tone seemed a bit grave. "Are you worried that S-class instances will also appear in reality soon?" Yue Li, seeing through Qin Chuan''s thoughts, spoke softly. "Yes." Qin Chuan nodded, briefly informing Yue Li about the situation in Prison Valley, "I can confirm that instances beyond A-class definitely exist, just like the S-class secret realm, they didn''t appear immediately after the 2.3 update." "I understand what you mean now," Yue Li realized. If an S-class instance appeared and Qin Chuan couldn''t complete it within 72 hours, the instance would transform into a channel descent. If it was like yesterday, where the instance increased its level as it descended, it would become a completely unwinnable situation. "We''ll know the result tomorrow," Yue Li spoke softly, "No matter what, there will always be a way." A flicker of determination flashed through her eyes. If it really came to the worst-case scenario, she would definitely join hands with Qin Chuan without hesitation. "That''s all we can do," Qin Chuan nodded, "No matter the future, what we need to do most at this stage is still enhance our strength." "I''ll try doing an exclusive raid," he said with a hint of anticipation in his eyes. With the condition of the boss in the exclusive raid, Water Flower could easily apply Water Flow Marks on it, and with enough marks, a Void Abyssal Flow Slash would take it down instantly. In this way, the progress of exclusive raids would increase significantly, allowing for the accumulation of a large number of conquest points in a short period of time and upgrades to the group formation. Once the guild members'' strengths were enhanced, subsequent secret realm conquests and exclusive raids would also become easier, thus forming a virtuous cycle. [Exclusive Raid:] [Current Target: No.15 Gorio] sea??h th n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Current Progress: 1%][Start Raid] Yesterday, the exclusive raid had defeated the 12th raid boss, and today, after Yue Li and other guild members raided together, they managed to barely handle the 13th and 14th ones, obtaining 7000 and 7500 conquest points respectively. The Array [Nihility] had been upgraded to Lv9 by Qin Chuan, just 500 points shy of reaching Lv10. Once [Destruction] and [Nihility] were both upgraded to Lv10, the first major formation in the group formation could begin upgrading. Yue Li had allocated all her personal points to the personal array map. Her personal array map''s upgrade was faster than the group formation''s, and she had already seen the effect of the first major formation. If the effects of the major formations on both array maps were the same, then the major formation would be a significant enhancement for all guild members. With a flash of light, Qin Chuan and the three little ones disappeared on the spot. Exclusive raid, begin! ----------------- "What surprising news." In the Luoyue Guild headquarters, a brown-haired man in a black trench coat looked at the server-wide announcement with an expression of wonder, then suddenly smiled. "It seems I''ve come at just the right time." "Indeed." Iron Hammer standing beside him laughed heartily, "After today, I believe more players will come for interviews at our guild, and the competition in the interview process will become more intense. Mr. Leonhardt, your timing couldn''t be better." "Would it be possible to reveal some details of the interview?" the brown-haired man asked with a smile. "The vice president said before that we could disclose them," Iron Hammer smiled, "But even if we disclose the content of the interview, it doesn''t seem to be of much help." "The so-called interview is just a conversation with the vice president, who then decides whether the interviewee stays or leaves." Leonhardt paused for a moment, then couldn''t help but confirm. "The vice president, are you referring to Yue Li?" "Yes," Iron Hammer nodded. "So it is..." Leonhardt crossed his arms and his expression became a bit more serious. "Mr. Leonhardt, there''s no need to be too nervous, I personally have high hopes for you," Iron Hammer patted Leonhardt''s shoulder, "Although I don''t know why you, as a person from Mi Country, can speak fluent Russian, but chose a Chinese Player Name." "But the Guild indeed needs players who are fluent in multiple languages, so when we recruit players from different linguistic regions in the future, communication will be much more convenient." "I chose a Chinese transliteration for my Player Name simply because I like the culture of Yanhuang, and I don''t have a set Yanhuang name," Leonhardt smiled, "But hearing what you''ve said makes me feel much more at ease." "After all, I am a translator in real life and I know quite a few languages." "If this can be counted as a plus, then God bless." ----------------- "Finally, a Hall Crystal exploded!" In a B-grade Secret Realm, Dragon Halberd laughed heartily, holding tight in his hand a gorgeous crystal wrapped in invisible force. Although now Hall Crystals can be dropped through B-grade Secret Realm conquests, the drop rate is really not high. Even for a B-grade Secret Realm with a 5-star difficulty, the drop rate is only 10%. After the initial pioneering period ended and the Special Affairs Group''s Elite Level Players devoted themselves to the conquest of B-grade Secret Realms to obtain Hall Crystalsa stable supply of Secret Realm Keys and Secret Realm Stones needed to enter the B-grade Secret Realms. The conquest targets of B-grade Secret Realms were all Hall Rank Lv40 Spiritual Beasts, and players couldn''t use their Talents within the Secret Realms. Although Ji Huai mastered Spirit Descent, Spirit Descent could only be used in reality and was useless in Dream World. Everyone was on the same starting line, and the only difference was probably the Spiritual Beasts themselves. Thus, if the Special Affairs Group wanted to conquer a B-grade 5-star Secret Realm, they had to gather five Elite Level Players who had maxed out their number of Contracted Spiritual Beasts and Ranks. Dragon Gate Guild No. 1 was all made up of Elite Level Players, divided into four groupseach group conquering at least two B-grade Secret Realms on every Dream Day. At this rate, over the past few days, they had only obtained two Hall Crystals through Secret Realm conquest. Now, they finally had the third. "Martial Fanatic, it''s up to you!" After leaving the Secret Realm, Dragon Halberd handed the Hall Crystal to Ji Huai, looking hopeful, "Our Special Affairs Group is finally about to have a Hall Level Player!" Ji Huai silently accepted the Hall Crystal. All Hall Crystals were prioritized for him, not for the two gold-talent players of the Special Affairs Group, which was a unanimous decision by the upper echelons of the Special Affairs Group. And the reason was simple. So far, no one but him had mastered Spirit Descent. It would be more helpful for instance strategy to enhance his strength first, who could defeat enemies above his Rank with the help of Spirit Descent. A light flashed, and Ji Huai''s third Spiritual Beast broke through. The fourth Hall Level Player emerged. "Too bad, we were one step too late," Dragon Halberd spread his hands, "Zefina broke through first, the limelight has been stolen by the Secret Silver Dagger." "God knows how much support those Westerners gave to the Secret Silver Dagger behind the scenes." "If Yanhuang is making moves, how can other countries not?" Feng Yin shook his head slightly, "Being in the limelight is not important for us." "We''re not recruiting from outside." "Besides, hasn''t Luoyue already overshadowed the limelight of the Secret Silver Dagger?" Dragon Halberd stroked his chin. "Seems like it, haha." Chapter 202 - 202: The Full Talent Effect of Holy Sanctuary "What are your plans for the next strategy?" Hearing the question on the other end of the phone, Qin Chuan blinked, somewhat confused. "Yes." The voice of Dragon Halberd came through from the other end, "Since you received an SSS rating in Akyar Eagle Valley as well, you should still have one more chance to enter an instance today, right?" "Today''s instance count has increased twice, the first increase was by 178 instances, and the second time by 214 instances, which is a higher number each time compared to before." "Although there hasn''t been a fourth A-level instance yet, according to this trend, there is an eighty to ninety percent chance one will appear today. Are you planning to wait until the new A-level instance appears before making a move?" "So that''s what you meant." Qin Chuan came to a realization, thought for a moment, and then shook his head, "No, I''ll find a B-level instance to enter soon; that''ll be it for today." The A-level instances refreshed today have three days of strategy time, so there''s no need to be in such a hurry. Currently, Time Stop is still in a deficit phase, so first using a B-level instance to recuperate some energy, even if just for a second, would be helpful. More importantly... "I''ve got to sort some things out in the next few days; I''m getting ready to register at Yan University." Qin Chuan spoke confidently, "There are quite a few trivial things to do." "...Registering at Yan University?" Dragon Halberd on the phone was silent, his mouth twitching sharply because Qin Chuan''s reason for not continuing the A-level instance was this. He opened his mouth, ready to say something when his shoulder was tapped by Feng Yin. Seeing Feng Yin gesturing to hand him the phone, Dragon Halberd passed it over. "Luo, this is Feng Yin." "Hello." Qin Chuan''s expression became slightly more serious. Compared with Dragon Halberd, he was more unfamiliar with Feng Yin; the only time he had heard the other''s voice was during yesterday''s meeting. "After yesterday''s Blue Star 2.3 version update, urgent consultations were conducted on instances, and corresponding decisions have been made," Feng Yin stated calmly. "Most of the work arrangements are implemented by the Special Affairs Group, but there are also few tasks to be completed in cooperation with Transcendents who have signed special cooperation agreements." "These tasks requiring cooperation with Transcendents can be broadly divided into two parts, one part being that the Special Affairs Group and cooperating Transcendents tackle instances together, and the other part being information sharing and communication between both parties on instance strategies." "As your strength currently stands alone, the first part will not involve you. You can freely tackle the instances, and the Special Affairs Group will not interfere." "But the second part still requires your participation." "Information sharing and communication about instance strategies?" Qin Chuan understood the gist, "What exactly do I need to do?" "Log into the Dream Realm Forum; you''ll see a new section called ''Instance Strategy Group.'' Currently, only those from the Special Affairs Group and players who have signed cooperation agreements have access," Feng Yin explained, "Once you enter, you''ll know what to do." sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Okay." Qin Chuan nodded, noting this down and preparing to end the call after checking it out, "Is there anything else?" "Yes." Feng Yin paused slightly before continuing, "The first Talent Effect of the Holy Sanctuary is to create a domain where the Overall Strength of enemies within the domain decreases by 20%, and that of allies increases by 20%, lasting for 5 minutes with a cooldown of 5 minutes." Beside him, Dragon Halberd, who had just poured himself another cup of tea and was about to drink, silently set down his cup and gave a blank and puzzled look. This isn''t... Why would you disclose my Talent Effect just like that?! Qin Chuan on the other end appeared surprised as well, blinking but remaining silent. Ignoring Dragon Halberd''s gaze, Feng Yin continued, "The second Talent Effect of the Holy Sanctuary is to seal off an area, cutting off all contact inside and outside the domain, preventing entry and exit, lasting for 10_minutes, and can be used once every entry into Dream World." "As for the third Talent Effect, you already know it." "After transitioning to Dungeon Talent, the first Talent remains unchanged, the second Talent changes to being usable three times per dungeon entry, and the third Talent Effect changes to being usable once per dungeon entry, disabling all Talents while also disabling the key abilities of dungeon creatures." Dragon Halberd looked at Feng Yin, fury gradually emanating from his eyes, already considering whether to dismember this person who had just openly exposed his abilities. Why don''t you expose Insight while you''re at it? Just as Dragon Halberd had this thought, he was stunned the next moment. Because Feng Yin actually did it. "After transitioning to Dungeon Talent, the first Talent Effect of Insight changes to identifying the key abilities of dungeon creatures, the second Talent Effect changes to immediately gaining a random dungeon clue upon entering, and the third Talent Effect changes to predicting the next move of the dungeon boss, usable once per dungeon entry." Seeing the stunned Dragon Halberd, Feng Yin internally sighed at his companion''s intelligence and spoke calmly, "If you find it difficult to tackle instances alone, you can seek support from the Special Affairs Group." After saying that, Feng Yin hung up the phone. Dragon Halberd gradually recovered, giving Feng Yin a thumbs-up, "Brilliant!" Meanwhile, Qin Chuan also recovered, realizing Feng Yin''s intention. The Special Affairs Group not interfering in his instance tackling meant that they would not forcefully request him to team up with them. However, Qin Chuan could actively invite members of the Special Affairs Group to tackle instances. By revealing the Dungeon Talent Effects of Holy Sanctuary and Insight, Feng Yin essentially made a self-recommendation. If Qin Chuan wanted to leverage the power of these two Talent Effects, he could invite them. It must be said, the dungeon effects of these two Talents were quite tempting. There might indeed be an opportunity for collaboration in the future. Shaking his head, Qin Chuan entered the Dream Realm Forum. It was only after seeing countless discussions about him on the forum that Qin Chuan belatedly realized that tackling two A-level instances in one day was a matter that had shocked the world. He seemed to have inadvertently given players around the globe a bit of a jolt. Oh well, invincibility is just this dull and boring. Finding the newly appeared ''Instance Strategy Group'' section, Qin Chuan chose to enter. Just as Feng Yin said, he quickly knew what to do. The Instance Strategy Group had categorized modules based on the main involved clans, summarizing the data for the instances, allowing players to upload the names and backgrounds of the instances they managed. Uploading strategies earned Strategy Points. Using Strategy Points, he could view the strategy details uploaded by other players. This was a measure to encourage active uploads. Qin Chuan tried uploading the background of Milian Demon Forest, quickly earning a reward of 1000 Strategy Points. These Strategy Points were enough to view the details of ten B-level instances. It seemed quite worthwhile. Understanding this, Qin Chuan also uploaded the details of Screaming Demon Lake and Akyar Eagle Valley. Each A-level instance earned 5000 Strategy Points. Chapter 203 - 203: Yue Lis Surprise, Secret Realm Migration After obtaining the Strategy Points, Qin Chuan didn''t use them immediately. He opened the instance list and quickly saw the current number of instances. [354/672] The instances had increased by two, but the number of unexplored instances had decreased, indicating that the speed at which players were clearing instances was surpassing the rate at which new instances were being added. On one hand, more players had decided to join in clearing instances after watching from the sidelines yesterday, and on the other hand, a large number of secret realms refreshed in the Dream World last night had benefited many players, giving them a quick overall boost in strength. However, the growth rate of instances was still expected to accelerate, so the outlook was not optimistic. The fourth A-level instance had not yet appeared, and currently at the top of the instance list was a B-level five-star instance. He casually chose to start clearing it, and in the next instant, Qin Chuan''s figure disappeared from the spot. ----------------- [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SSS] [Current Clearance Reward: [Purple]Gritley''s Gloves, [Blue]Cai La''s Recovery Potion, [Blue]Title: Valley Bottom Walker] [Receive Strategy Reward] After stretching, Qin Chuan collected the rewards and began checking what he had gained from successfully clearing this B-level instance named Soria Rift Valley. [[Purple]Gritley''s Gloves: Exquisite equipment crafted by the Dwarf Demon Clan, increasing the wearer''s defense by 60%] [[Blue]Cai La''s Recovery Potion: A one-time item, a special recovery potion prepared by the Moon Spirit Alchemist Cai La; drink immediately after sustaining injuries for rapid recovery] [[Blue]Title: Valley Bottom Walker: Speed increased by 50%] Although it was only a B-level instance, the rewards were appealing and applicable. The defensive item was something Qin Chuan was lacking, so it filled a gap in his tankiness. The one-time recovery item was also valuable; in the instance storyline, Qin Chuan saw the Moon Spirit called Cai La use this item, which nearly healed a critically wounded Dwarf Demon within minutes. With these two items combined, Qin Chuan might be able to try clearing an A-level instance without relying on Time Stop. Anything that saved Time Stop was a good thing. Sear?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although he already possessed a purple title, the newly obtained blue title was not useless. In the instance, players could change their equipped titles at any time to obtain different buffs in various situations. Increased speed was useful both for traveling and for pursuing targets. Pleased with his success, Qin Chuan left the instance. He completed the upload of the newly cleared instance and then began to use his Strategy Points to exchange for information on instances that interested him, browsing through them during his free moments to pass the time. Each instance''s background was a segment of a story, and although the instances he was clearing right now barely connected to one another due to the small amount available, they were still quite interesting. When night fell, Qin Chuan took out a long sword from his Item Equipment Bar that shimmered with cyan and silver colors, examining it closely. The blade of the long sword had mysterious cyan inscriptions on both sides, was thinner and longer than ordinary swords, and the guard spread out like wings, making it look exceptionally dazzling. Purple Equipment, Daile''s Sky Sword. Seeing this sword, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but recall its former owner, the half-human, half-eagle female boss from Akyar Eagle Valley. Her strength was only second to that of the complete Lake Bottom Death Demon. Daile''s Sky Sword was something Qin Chuan had obtained by achieving an SSS rating, making it more precious than another purple item from the same instance, the Eagle Ring. In Yue Li''s hands, it was bound to shine bright again. Thinking of this, Qin Chuan had an expectant smile on his face as he placed it in the Item Carrying Bar. Sleep! ----------------- Dream World. As soon as Qin Chuan''s consciousness descended, he looked at Yue Li beside him. "Good evening~" Yue Li''s lips curved into a light smile, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion, "I saw you cleared two A-level instances and one B-level instance today, what''s up?" Iron Hammer and Evelyn turned their heads upon hearing this. Clearly, Qin Chuan''s world-shocking move had piqued everyone''s curiosity. "Clearing instances above A-level with an SSS ranking increases the number of instance clearances," Qin Chuan explained with a smile. "I see." Yue Li looked enlightened. Iron Hammer nodded in understanding and turned to explain to Evelyn in Russian. "Sorry, there were too few A-level instances, so I didn''t save any for you," Qin Chuan said somewhat sheepishly to Yue Li. "It''s okay, you don''t have to save them for me," Yue Li gently shook her head, "I don''t plan to tackle A-level instances in the coming period." Even with the luck boost from Prayer, her physical constraints were a fact. The Purple Equipment, Puppet Rope, when controlling her body, operated based on the standard of an opponent with equal strength, only allowing her to restore mobility for a minute at a time. Moreover, as she hadn''t had the chance to practice any Cultivation Method, Yue Li''s overall strength was significantly weaker than Qin Chuan, whose Extraordinary Value was close to hers. At this stage, B-level instances were her limit. "Okay." Qin Chuan nodded slightly. Since Yue Li was not planning to tackle A-level instances, he could clear more of them himself and not worry about her safety. "Take this." While speaking, Qin Chuan took out Daile''s Sky Sword from the Item Carrying Bar and handed it to Yue Li. "This is" Yue Li carefully took it, and upon just one look, she fell in love with the long sword in front of her. Upon discovering the effects of the Sky Sword, she couldn''t help but look up at Qin Chuan with a mix of surprise and inquiry. "I got it in Akyar Eagle Valley. I felt it suited you, so I saved it for you," Qin Chuan smiled, "Even when clearing B-level instances, you need to be careful." "Mm!" Feeling the care in the young man''s eyes, Yue Li felt warmed inside, her cheeks flushing slightly, "When I find something suitable for you, I''ll bring it back too!" "Good." Qin Chuan smiled and nodded. Unable to part with the Sky Sword, Yue Li carefully caressed it, then clenched the long sword and swung it twice in the air, her flowing skirt and the clothes that perfectly showcased her figure adding a dash of heroism to her cuteness. "How does it look?" Yue Li, reluctant to put away the sword, turned her head, her bright smile dazzling Qin Chuan momentarily. "Looks good." Qin Chuan quickly regained his composure and sincerely spoke up. "Good~kang~" Evelyn mimicked Qin Chuan''s words, struggling a bit before quickly muttering in Russian, "Chinese is really hard to learn." Iron Hammer stood with his arms crossed, smiling silently. The yet-to-be-built venue was airy and cheerful. "Next, we need to decide on the Secret Realm we''re going to attack today," Qin Chuan quickly regained his composure and spoke while opening the Secret Realm Information. The Secret Realms that were successfully attacked and vanished yesterday were replenished today, and not only that, there were numerous swaps and shifts in positions of the same level Secret Realms. The targets of yesterday''s Secret Realm attacks, which were in this area, might have moved to other areas today, and Players who were still in the Secret Realm when the Dream World entrance closed were directly teleported out, remaining at their original locations. Unlike instances, the rewards from Secret Realms do not vary based on different attack targets but depend solely on the Secret Realm Level and difficulty stars. Chapter 204 - 204: A Senior at Home is a Treasure (April 4150 Monthly Ticket Bonus Chapter) "Let''s go with these two." Qin Chuan quickly selected two A-level 1-star Secret Realms from the Secret Realm Information. According to his attempt yesterday, successfully subjugating two Secret Realms within one day was already very fast. If he wanted to subjugate three Secret Realms within a single Dream Day, it was only possible if the three Secret Realms were adjacent and didn''t require traveling in between. The two A-level 1-star Secret Realms he had chosen were just right as targets for a Dream Day''s subjugation, with one in the current district and the other in the neighboring district. "No problem." Yue Li nodded in agreement after taking a glance at Qin Chuan''s selection. Sar?h the N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I and Evelyn won''t be joining you this time." Iron Hammer chuckled and volunteered, "Let me take care of the guild construction; whether it''s carpentry or blacksmithing, I''m pretty skilled at both." "If any players come by for guild member interviews, Evelyn and I can also help with reception while you''re not around." "Great." Qin Chuan looked at Iron Hammer with satisfaction. He was a middle-aged man who knew his limitations and was very reliable. They say having an elder in the house is like having a treasure, and with Iron Hammer at the Luoyue Guild, Qin Chuan and Yue Li could be spared many worries. If it was not because they knew each other for too short a time, Qin Chuan would even consider giving him the position of a vice president. "The guild is all yours, Uncle Iron Hammer." Seated on Xiao Qing, Qin Chuan and Yue Li vanished into the sky in an instant. Iron Hammer watched the two leave and turned to Evelyn with a smile, "Evelyn, could you lend me a hand?" "Alright, since you''re asking for help." Evelyn stretched out her hands, which were tucked in her pockets, and took an axe from Iron Hammer. The mismatched pair got busy very quickly. ----------------- "Xiao Qing, stop here for a moment." In the high sky, Qin Chuan looked at their position on the map and suddenly signaled Xiao Qing to stop. "Squee~" Xiao Qing flapped its wings to slow down and looked back in confusion. "What''s up?" Yue Li was also curious. "There''s a Dragon Gate Camp nearby, and I''m stopping by to pick up an item." Qin Chuan explained with a smile, anticipation in his eyes. Since only one item could be carried in the Item Carrying slot at a time, Qin Chuan had given the less valuable Eagle Ring, out of the two purple items he had prepared for Yue Li, to the Special Affairs Group for delivery. The surprise Yue Li had when she received the Sky Sword was still fresh in his mind, and Qin Chuan couldn''t wait to see the expression on the young girl''s face when she got another purple item. "Okay." Yue Li nodded, understanding. Picking up items while on the go was not uncommon in their previous journeys, and she didn''t think much of it. As Xiao Qing descended with flapping wings, a vibrant camp capable of accommodating hundreds of people appeared before them, the Dragon Gate flag flying conspicuously. They had passed many Dragon Gate Camps on their way, so as soon as they entered, they sensed something unusual about this place. A large number of players were moving around the camp, conversing with each other as if they were in the process of relocating. They weren''t leaving the camp but moving from one location within the camp to another. It felt... like classmates changing seats. "Hello, what''s going on here?" Qin Chuan casually grabbed a passing player to inquire curiously. The player turned subconsciously, and upon recognizing Qin Chuan and Yue Li, his expression turned to one of immense surprise, before he shouted, "Luo and Yue Li are here!" The noisy camp fell silent in an instant, all activity ceased, and everyone turned their gazes towards them. Qin Chuan: "..." Yue Li: "..." Well, I knew it would come to this. The camp manager appeared promptly, "Everyone, please don''t get excited. Luo is here to discuss important matters with the Special Affairs Group, so please carry on with your own tasks." With that, he swiftly gestured for Luo to step aside with him. The players crowding around sensibly made way, their eyes shining brightly as they watched Yue Li who remained in place. This one surely isn''t here to discuss important matters, right? After giving Yue Li a look that said, "I''ll be back soon," Qin Chuan quickly followed the manager, casting a glance at his Player Name, "Mr. Zhao Ruohan, why do the players at your camp need to relocate?" "Well, this..." Zhao Ruohan glanced at the players who had resumed their activity, his expression rather odd, "It''s related to the Guild." "Guild?" Qin Chuan was surprised, then quickly realized something. Guilds and Dragon Gate Camp were essentially similar in model. It was just that Yanhuang Country''s Special Affairs Group had taken the initiative to organize earlier. Now that the Guilds had emerged, Dragon Gate Camp would naturally be affected. "Would you mind detailing the situation?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but become curious. "It''s nothing much, everyone was in the same camp before, so they''re naturally more familiar with each other compared to players from outside." Zhao Ruohan explained, "Now that we have Guilds, everyone wants to be in the same Guild." "But the number of people in a Guild is limited. Only 20 people can join." "So everyone had to divide into different Guilds. Yesterday, we discussed this for an entire day, and in the end, 26 Guilds were formed within the camp." 26 Guilds... Qin Chuan''s lips twitched slightly, and he made a guess about the current situation of the camp, "Are they redividing the living areas according to the Guilds?" "Exactly." Zhao Ruohan nodded, "Members of the same Guild live together, which makes action and daily communication more convenient." "Compared to the relationship between unfamiliar Guilds, the Guilds from the same Dragon Gate Camp can watch out for and support each other." "This deviates a bit from the original intention of the Special Affairs Group in building Dragon Gate Camp, but it''s also adapting to the circumstances." Qin Chuan understood, then looked again, "Are there some players who haven''t relocated?" "Which Guild the camp players decide to join is mostly based on how close they are with the other players in the Guild on a day-to-day basis; there are still quite a few who, for various reasons, haven''t chosen a Guild yet," Zhao Ruohan said with a smile. "In the future, we will also try our best to help them join a Guild." As the two of them were talking, they had already arrived at a secluded camp building. The manager took a cyan-gold ring from his Item Carrying and handed it to Qin Chuan, "Mr. Luo, please check." "Okay." Qin Chuan took a look and, satisfied, put it away, "Alright, Yue Li and I are leaving now." "Please take care," Zhao Ruohan said with a polite smile. "No need to see us off." Qin Chuan waved his hand, turned, and walked back the way he came, heading towards Yue Li surrounded by the crowd. Before he reached her side, Qin Chuan could hear Yue Li''s voice. "The Luoyue Guild is currently under construction. It''s located on a small hill to the southwest. If anyone wishes to join, you''re welcome to visit our headquarters for an interview!" Well now. Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched slightly. It seemed he didn''t have to rush to rescue Yue Li from her predicament. After answering a few players'' questions, Yue Li soon saw Qin Chuan smiling at her from the edge of the crowd, waved cheerily towards them, "Alright, I''m off, see you all if we''re fated to meet again!" The crowd parted to make way. At the end of the path, Yue Li jogged up to Qin Chuan, her eyes curving into a smile. "Shall we go?" Chapter 236 - 236: Like to Yell? Shut Your Mouth! "I''m back!" Zheng Xiaoyu pushed open the door of the dormitory and saw only Lin Yue inside. She blinked and asked, "Where''re Achang and Yuxin?" "They went shopping," Lin Yue turned her head, glanced at Zheng Xiaoyu with a smile, and handed over a piece of bread from the table. "Here." "Wow! How did you know I was hungry?" Zheng Xiaoyu''s eyes lit up as she took it and started eating without any reservations. It was almost two o''clock in the afternoon by now. She was already hungry. But Qin Chuan, her team leader, didn''t seem to be anywhere near done, and she felt awkward about mentioning it. "I''ve been keeping an eye on the dungeon guide situation," Lin Yue rubbed Zheng Xiaoyu''s head. "You all have been at it for three hours, with no time to eat." "Wuwuwu, Yueyue is the best." Zheng Xiaoyu nuzzled Lin Yue''s head, chewing on the soft bread, her face revealing an expression of bliss. "He... probably hasn''t had anything to eat either," Lin Yue said, her voice dropping as she glanced out the window. "This guy, when he''s focused on something, he never pays attention to anything else." "The president is probably at the cafeteria by now, right?" Zheng Xiaoyu paused in her chewing at those words. "Even though we could''ve continued with the A-level instance, the president ended it early. He probably wanted to rest a bit too." "Hard to say," Lin Yue muttered softly. Though she hadn''t met Luo in real life, judging by what she knew about him, it was likely only Red Leaf who had finished, right? "Xiaoyu, can you tell me about your experience in the dungeon?" "Sure thing!" Zheng Xiaoyu nodded her head, continuing to eat while somewhat muffled, she recounted their miraculous three-hour experience to Lin Yue. After hearing about their adventure, Lin Yue''s eyes shone brighter, her face filled with longing. Today, she had already given the first piece of Intermediate Resources to Du Yu. Getting back on my feet won''t take long. Finishing the last bite of her bread, Zheng Xiaoyu opened the dungeon list to look and began speaking cheerily, "See, the president didn''t go for the A-level dungeons." "Really?" Lin Yue followed suit and opened up the dungeon list, but her expression soon turned serious. Sarch* The N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why didn''t you check the S-level dungeons?!" ----------------- Once again grounded, Qin Chuan scanned his surroundings and his expression instantly became serious. The scene before him was unlike any dungeon he''d experienced in the past. He found himself at the very bottom of a tower that spiraled upwards with a hollow center, the design allowing him to see all the way to the top in a single glance. But his gaze was obscured by the thick fog inside the tower, sending a cold shiver down his spine, as if some terrifying creature hidden within the mist had already set its eyes on him. [Dungeon: Warrensoke Mysterious Tower] [Dungeon Description: Even after an ominous start on the first day of construction, the Dwarf Demon Clan of Beligo Territory stubbornly proceeded to build this Sacrificial Tower to showcase the Dwarf Demon''s creations, and they paid the price for their stubbornness the day this cursed tower was complete.] [Dungeon Level: S-level] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Dungeon bosses: Cursed RemnantLanso, Mysterious ShadowLelian] [Dungeon Talent: Sun Needle (Gold)] [Wearing Title: [Purple] Undead Terminator] [Minimum Requirement for Dungeon Conquest: Defeat Cursed RemnantLanso] [Dungeon time limit for conquest: 66:35:32] [Abandon this conquest] [00:00:39] Multiple dungeon bosses?! Qin Chuan was taken aback. This was a first. If all goes as expected, this should be a hallmark of an S-level instance or higher. Fortunately, although there is more than one instance boss, the minimum requirement for clearing the instance is still to kill one of them. As for the other, if left alone... The moment Third Talent of the Sun Needle activated, Qin Chuan fell silent. After changing to Dungeon Talent, the Third Talent of Sun Needle no longer had a limit on the number of locks, and at this moment, it had marked the positions of both instance bosses. The instance boss known as Cursed RemnantLanso was situated at the very top of Mysterious Tower. He maintained the form of a Dwarf Demon from before his death, barely one meter tall but with an extraordinarily muscular body, draped in a suit of armor that seemed very powerful, his face masked by a bizarre covering that seemed neither to cry nor smile. Through the gaps in the armor, the densely packed, strange eyes and fierce flesh buds on Lanso''s body could be seen, adding an even greater sense of danger to his presence. At this moment, this S-level instance boss with his mask that made Qin Chuan shudder at a glance had his eyes tightly closed, sitting cross-legged at the central point of Mysterious Tower''s top level, as if in a deep sleep. Below him, within the mists that enveloped the middle level of the Mysterious Tower, another instance boss was moving rapidly and unpredictably, its nearly translucent body fierce and twisted. The pair of blood-red eyes of the other seemed to sense the lock of the Third Talent of Sun Needle, turning its head to look, its mouth filled with sharp fangs, revealing a savage and crazy smile. Qin Chuan silently concluded his observation of the two instance bosses and heaved a sigh within his heart. It looked like there was no way to avoid it. "Water Flower, this is a high-end game," he took a deep breath, murmuring to himself as if talking to himself, "We''ll have to work together on this." In his mind came Water Flower''s firm voice. Collecting himself, Qin Chuan lifted his foot and walked toward a wall nearby. The moment he had entered the instance, the prompt of the First Talent of Sun Needle had already appeared before his eyes. Near him was a piece of instance clue. Holding the Dragon Slayer Blade of Salas in hand, he slashed a deep crack into the wall and looked towards the hidden space behind the wall. Inside was an object similar to a conch shell, and as Qin Chuan picked it up, a line of text emerged before his eyes. [Congratulations Player for obtaining an instance clue: Lelian''s Sound Recording Conch] Sound Recording Conch? Qin Chuan fiddled with it for a bit, bit his lip, and carefully put it to his ear. A gradually intensifying bizarre screech filled his ear and at that moment, Qin Chuan felt as if an electric current had passed through his head, instantly becoming more alert. That was the sound stored in the conch shell. From the name of the instance clue, it could be inferred that it should be the screech of the Mysterious ShadowLelian from above. Regarding this, Qin Chuan felt that compared to the screeching of the Lake Bottom Death Demon, it was simply too weak, it not only failed to make him uncomfortable but actually had a somewhat refreshing and invigorating effect... Wait a minute... Refreshing and invigorating?! Qin Chuan instantly looked upwards toward the fog, faintly seeing through the mist a shadow casting a mocking gaze. A troublesome fellow indeed. His eyes narrowed slightly, and the next instant his legs forcefully propelled him up the spiraling staircase, rapidly ascending the Mysterious Tower. A grotesque monster, a fusion of flesh and mechanical creation, lunged at him, but Qin Chuan did not even glance at it, the Dragon Slayer Blade in his hand cleanly slicing it in two. His steps did not slow in the slightest. [Instance Creature: Dwarf Demon Creation Beast] It wasn''t until the monster was slain that a tardy introduction prompt appeared. Laying waste as if chopping melons and cutting vegetables, he quickly stepped into the middle level of the Mysterious Tower. The semi-transparent, ferocious figure suddenly appeared in front of him. Its blood-red eyes filled with madness, its mouth bristling with sharp teeth suddenly opened wide, seemingly about to let out a screech. [00:00:38] As everything around him came to an abrupt halt, a continuous barrage of Rapid Stream Break had already been funneled into Lelian''s wide-open mouth. Like to scream? Shut your mouth! Chapter 206 - 206: Evelyns Fist Hardens! With the arrival of the visitor, Iron Hammer and Evelyn could clearly see the other''s appearance. He was a red-haired, red-eyed young man with handsome features; the unnatural eye color meant that he had modified his appearance, so his looks might be deceptive. Hearing the visitor''s fluent English, Iron Hammer quickly responded in English and asked about his origin. "My name is Fenrilo." The young man laughed and gave Iron Hammer a hug, glancing around at the wood piled up like a small mountain, "Mate, is this the Luoyue Guild?" "Yes," Iron Hammer smiled and nodded, "Although it''s just started construction, this is indeed the Luoyue Guild." "That''s really great," Fenrilo said enthusiastically, "I''ve been traveling since yesterday, and it seems I might be the first one to arrive here for the interview at the Luoyue Guild?" "Are Luo and Yue Li around? What kind of interview will I have to undergo? Did you have an interview when you joined? What was it like back then?" Fenrilo''s barrage of questions somewhat overwhelmed Iron Hammer. However, he quickly caught on to the crux of the matter and patted Fenrilo on the shoulder, "Young man, don''t be anxious." "The Guild Leader and Deputy Guild Leader are out targeting a secret realm. Before their return to conduct the interview, just wait patiently." "Alright, it seems I haven''t arrived at the most convenient time," Fenrilo shrugged slightly, his expression quickly turning eager again, "There are many rumors about Luo''s and Yue Li''s golden Talent. As a member of the Luoyue Guild, you must have seen them use their Talent, right?" "What are their Talents? Can you tell me about them?" Iron Hammer''s brows barely furrowed, recalling yesterday when he was enhancing Luo''s Contracted Spiritual Beast''s equipment, Yue Li had paused time and used some power on Luo. Without a doubt, that must have been Prayer. Contrary to popular rumors, which implicated Luo as the Prayer, it was indeed Yue Li. Of course, now that he was a member of the Luoyue Guild, he had no intention of spreading this discovery; it was sufficient to know it himself. Whether Fenrilo was intentionally or unintentionally inquiring, such a question clearly crossed the line. "Sorry, I''m not aware of such matters," Iron Hammer said with a slight smile, "If you''re really curious, you can ask them in person once the Guild Leader and Deputy Guild Leader arrive." "Er, let''s not," Fenrilo ducked his head, then quickly changed the topic, "Mate, what''s your Talent?" "A Talent not worth mentioning," Iron Hammer''s smile faded slightly as he briefly responded. "Is that so? It seems the Luoyue Guild doesn''t have very high requirements for Player Talent!" Fenrilo clicked his tongue, "The threshold for Official Level can''t keep too many people out, and if there''s no requirement for Player Talent, wouldn''t that lead to many dragging their feet?" "Ah, I don''t mean you, mate." Fenrilo gave Iron Hammer a friendly smile, "Once I join the Guild, you''ll be the first Guild member I know. I''ll have your back!" "Are you so sure you''ll pass the interview?" Iron Hammer eyed him meaningfully. "Of course." Fenrilo was confident, "Mate, my Talent is red, which is the highest Talent Level after the nine golden Talents!" "Not only that, but I also have a Contracted Spiritual Beast that has broken through to the Elite Rank. Such strength is absolutely significant among Growth Rank Players. To my knowledge, the number of Elite Rank Players is still quite limited." "As long as Luo and Yue Li take me through a high-level secret realm at least once, I''ll have a chance to get Random Intermediate Resources and promote to Elite Level." Fenrilo''s face was full of eager fantasies as he glanced at Evelyn standing behind Iron Hammer. "If even a little girl can advance to Elite Level with their help, Luo and Yue Li surely wouldn''t mind helping me too!" "After progressing to Elite Level, if I can follow Luo and Yue Li into more advanced instances and acquire Hall Crystals, I definitely can advance to Hall Level quickly." "Hall Level!" Fenrilo exclaimed with delight, "I can hardly wait!" "Iron Hammer, uncle, what is he saying?" Seeing that the other party was looking at her and saying a lot she couldn''t understand, Evelyn turned her head and asked curiously in Russian. "Um..." Iron Hammer thought for a moment and translated their conversation into Russian. Evelyn looked back at Fenrilo with a slightly more peculiar gaze. "What a cute little girl." Fenrilo chuckled as he stepped forward and patted Evelyn on the head, seeing her expression visibly darken a few shades but laughed it off nonchalantly. "Anyway, your stay here still needs to be decided by the Guild Leader and Vice Leader, I will notify them immediately," Iron Hammer whispered to Evelyn, subtly trying to keep things smooth, "For now, we still need to focus on building the new guild. Could you wait nearby?" "Sure, sure." Fenrilo chuckled, looked around, found a spot with his Spiritual Beast where he could rest, and made himself comfortable lying on the Spiritual Beast, waving to Iron Hammer and Evelyn, "I''ll just rest here. Keep up the good work!" "Iron Hammer, uncle..." Evelyn started somberly, "Can I hit him?" That damned guy, how dare he touch her head! "For now... no," Iron Hammer''s mouth twitched, and he opened the guild channel, "I''d better report to the Guild Leader and Vice Leader first." ----------------- "Boom!!!" The first Epic Rank Lv50 target fell heavily, dissolving into a burst of light spots and leaving behind a pile of scattered rewards. Qin Chuan''s face was calm, but his eyes hid a hint of delight. [00:00:40] With more experience fighting during Time Stop, his efficiency had rapidly increased; the previous A-level target took him three seconds of Time Stop time, this one only took two. Saving that precious second was the greatest victory. Yue Li flew in from afar, sitting on Xiao Qing''s back, and landed beside Qin Chuan, "The nearby Hall Ranks have been completely wiped out." "Good." Qin Chuan couldn''t help but take another look at Yue Li. She had taken the initiative to divide the work, leaving him to handle the Epic Rank Lv50 target alone while she cleared the other Spiritual Beasts from the surrounding secret realms, clearly to let Qin Chuan not worry about her presence and fully utilize secrets unknown to her. She was a clever and attentive girl. "Let''s check out the rewards," Yue Li said, pretending not to notice Qin Chuan''s stare, and walked directly towards the amassed resources. sea??h th N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tremor and shyness she felt when the young man put a ring on her finger had not entirely faded; she was always afraid that if she looked into his eyes too much, she would inadvertently fall for them. "Okay." Qin Chuan steadied himself and followed Yue Li. The two began collecting and tallying the rewards in unspoken agreement. This time, the A-Level instance yielded 1 piece of Random Epic Resources. In addition to that, there was 1 piece of optional Moon Halo Equipment Material, 7 Equipment Enhancement Stones, and various lower-ranked resources. After they finished tallying, they were teleported out before the Secret Realm collapsed. Chapter 207 - 207: The Advanced Direction of Moon Halo Equipment "I finally have the option to select Moon Halo Equipment Material." Looking at the Time-Space Rift that had just vanished, Yue Li smiled, "Now, we can figure out what the Moon Halo Equipment Material directions are." "Mm," Qin Chuan nodded. Yesterday, in the A-level 1-star Secret Realm, they had obtained two pieces of random Moon Halo Equipment Materials. Qin Chuan had originally planned to use them directly with the blessing of Prayer, but Yue Li had persuaded him not to. The reason was simple. The effect of Prayer was to bestow luck onto the player, and luck is an abstract concept. To some extent, it can be understood as getting what one wishes for. Since that''s the case, if they determined the material direction they needed and then used the random Moon Halo Equipment Material, they were more likely to obtain the desired outcome. So, the problem lay in the direction of materials. Without obtaining a selectable Moon Halo Equipment Material, the two couldn''t be sure if Moon Halo Equipment Material and Starshine Equipment Material were the same. Were they still focused on the six basic attribute directions? Or were there some new elements involved? Eventually, they decided that they would determine the answer after obtaining a piece of selectable equipment material. And now, they had just gotten one. "Let me check," Qin Chuan picked up the orb of golden light and began to feel it carefully. After a moment, a surprised expression appeared on his face, "The attributes of Moon Halo Equipment Material align with Starshine, but the focus is completely different!" "As expected," Yue Li had an ''I knew it'' expression, "What are the directions?" "The focus of Moon Halo Equipment Material isn''t on basic attributes but on advanced directions," Qin Chuan pondered, "There are only four in total." "Offense, Defense, Support, Integrated." "The scope of these directions is quite broad," Yue Li glanced at her six Spiritual Beasts, "In that case, do all of our Contracted Spiritual Beasts fall under the offense category?" "Not necessarily," Qin Chuan shook his head, "Offense and Integrated both are possibilities." "Integrated should be a choice that encompasses the first three directions." "On my side, aside from Xuegao, both Water Flower and Silver Horn can opt for Integrated." Water Flower naturally didn''t need to say. It excelled in attack, but it wasn''t just good at attacking. Speed, control, those were its domains of expertise. As for Silver Horn... Compared to Xuegao, the skill effects of Silver Horn were actually rather interesting. It had true damage that ignored defense, but none of its skills increased attack power; instead, it continuously stacked Damage Reduction and even had two skills that reduced Defense. It had an execute skill, but its efficiency in suppressing same-level HP wasn''t as good as Xuegao. It only had a significant advantage when fighting above its level. Skills determine positioning. Silver Horn''s position was definitely not the same type of assassin as Xuegao but a close-combat warrior. Ignoring skill tendencies and forcibly highlighting one aspect of capability might not be a good thing. "Integrated direction..." Yue Li looked at her three Spiritual Beasts and pondered for a moment, "Xiao Hong can do it, but Xiao Qing and Xiao Zi should still opt for offense." In a few words, the two decided the Moon Halo Equipment Material directions for the six Contracted Spiritual Beasts. Offense: Xuegao, Xiao Qing, Xiao Zi. Integrated: Water Flower, Silver Horn, Xiao Hong. "After we conquer the next Secret Realm, we can use points to exchange for items in the Guild Store," Qin Chuan smiled, "When the time comes, let''s open random Moon Halo Equipment Materials together!" As they spoke, suddenly a new message popped up in the Guild channel. """" Iron Hammer (5149): President, Vice President, a player has arrived at the guild headquarters and hopes to be interviewed. I''ve asked him to wait nearby. Iron Hammer (5149): Oh, he revealed that he is a red talent. "The first player to be interviewed is a red talentis this what they call a stroke of good luck?" Yue Li''s face showed a mix of surprise and delight. "Seems like our Luoyue Guild''s appeal is quite strong." "The Special Affairs Group has done some statistics; the probability of drawing a red talent is about one in ten thousand," Qin Chuan smiled. "At this stage, not even ten thousand official level players exist in a district, so it''s very likely that a district might not even have a red talent." "If there''s no problem with the interview, then our guild will have its fifth member," Yue Li also showed a look of anticipation. As they were talking, another message popped up in the guild channel. Evelyn (5149): (,,???,,) That guy is super annoying! Hm? Qin Chuan and Yue Li paused for a moment, exchanging glances. "I''ll ask." Yue Li''s smile faded slightly as she sent a message in the guild channel. Yue Li (5149): () How did he annoy our cute Evelyn? Evelyn (5149): (????p) He actually dared to pat my head! And he looked down on Uncle Iron Hammer! Immediately thereafter, Evelyn rapidly typed out everything that had happened since Fenrilo arrived at the guild headquarters. Yue Li (5149): (?????) Don''t be mad, Evelyn~ After soothing Evelyn, Yue Li turned to Qin Chuan, "What do you think?" "Iron Hammer is level-headed; he wouldn''t complain to affect your judgment of the interviewee, so he surely wouldn''t tattle," Qin Chuan shook his head helplessly. "But him not stopping Evelyn from continuing to speak means there''s no issue with what Evelyn said." "So should I reject him?" Yue Li looked at Qin Chuan, seeking his opinion. "You are the interviewer now," Qin Chuan gently tapped between Yue Li''s eyebrows. "The decision is yours to make." "Alright then, President," Yue Li giggled. Yue Li (5149): Iron Hammer, tell that player named Fenrilo he doesn''t need to be interviewed. The Luoyue Guild does not welcome him. Iron Hammer (5149): Received. The reply came instantly. "Let''s go, let''s move on to the next secret realm," Qin Chuan said with a smile after settling the minor episode. "The 5150 district is still some distance away." ----------------- "Thud" With a heavy knock, Iron Hammer drove in the last foundation pile of the guild''s main building, wiped the sweat from his forehead, paused his work, and looked towards Fenrilo who was basking in the sun and waiting for Luo and Yue Li to come interview him. He strode towards Fenrilo, with Evelyn quickly following. "Is there news? Are Luo and Yue Li coming back soon?" Sensing the two approaching, Fenrilo opened his eyes, revealing an expectant smile. "The Vice President asked me to inform you that you don''t need an interview," Iron Hammer said gravely. "Straight into the guild?" Fenrilo rejoiced. "As expected, they do have good judgment. A red talent player like me, why would I even need an interview!" "You misunderstand," Iron Hammer shook his head slightly. "Regrettably, the Luoyue Guild does not welcome you to join." Eh... Fenrilo''s expression froze, and after a moment, his face gradually darkened. "This is a joke, right?" "This is not" Iron Hammer was about to speak when Evelyn tugged at his sleeve. The sky-blue eyes beside him swirling with golden light. "Uncle Iron Hammer, can I hit him now?" Iron Hammer considered for a moment, then smiled. "You may." Sarch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 208 - 208: Guild Upgrade, New Features Unlocked! (April Bonus for 4350 Monthly Tickets) "You will definitely regret what you''ve done today! Definitely!" Seconds later, after dropping a harsh threat, Fenrilo mounted his Contracted Spiritual Beast and fled in a panic. Watching the other''s figure disappear from sight, Evelyn''s golden eyes slowly faded, and a hint of annoyance and disappointment involuntarily surfaced on her pretty face. "Uncle Iron Hammer, should I not have let him go?" "If it had been Erik, he would have definitely deleted his account by now." "And yet, I couldn''t even bring myself to kill his Spiritual Beast." "No, this was exactly right," Iron Hammer said slowly, squatting down until he could look Evelyn in the eye. He looked into her eyes earnestly and spoke softly. "Fenrilo is just a player we''ve turned away from our door. He is rude, but not to the extent that we need to kill his Contracted Spiritual Beast or force him to delete his account." "Teaching him a lesson is enough." "Evelyn, do you remember what I told you?" He reached out and touched Evelyn''s head, "There is a difference between the powerful and the strong." "Those who have the power to trample on order and the laws, and do so, are merely the powerful." "Those who have the power to trample on order and the laws, yet still abide by them, are the true strong." "I know." Evelyn''s eyes were clear. "The strong have things they do, and things they do not do." "Very well," Iron Hammer said with a relieved smile, "Strong yet restrained, just in this respect, you are much more suited for Ascension than Erik." "Rustle~" A slight noise made the two of them instantly lower their voices. They looked together in the direction of the disturbance. A figure approached, looking around timidly before speaking up. "Um...excuse me, is this the Luoyue Guild?" ----------------- "The second one." Following Qin Chuan''s words, the Epic Rank Lv50 conquest target in Secret Realm A-Class Zone 5150 crashed to the ground. [00:00:38] Watching the Time Stop time decrease from a "4" at the start to a "3," Qin Chuan couldn''t help but sigh. Indeed, it was right to save Time Stop time whenever possible. He wondered when the Time Stop time would return to starting with a "4," or even breakthrough to a "5." Considering A-Class instances in reality and A-Class Secret Realms in the Dream Realm also required Time Stop time, Qin Chuan instantly put on a pained expression. "What''s with that face?" Yue Li, who had quickly arrived, couldn''t help but laugh. "It''s nothing, just suddenly thought about my dwindling savings," sighed Qin Chuan. "Let''s tally up the resources." Tally results: 1 piece of Random Epic Resources, 2 pieces of Moon Halo Equipment Material, 9 Equipment Enhancement Stones, and some other resources. After three consecutive conquests of A-Class 1-star Secret Realms, Qin Chuan roughly understood some of the reward patterns. Epic Resources generally dropped 1 random piece, Moon Halo Equipment Material might be 1 selected piece or 2 random pieces, Equipment Enhancement Stones fewer than 10, and the rest of the resources negligible. If the conquered Secret Realm Difficulty was higher, there might have been better rewards. It was just a pity that Prayer could not take effect in the Secret Realm, otherwise doubling the drop rewards would have been possible. Once resource collection was complete, the space within the Secret Realm began to distort. This was a sign of impending collapse. A teleportation force covered the two of them and six Spiritual Beasts, instantaneously transferring them outside of the Time-Space Rift. As the Time-Space Rift slowly closed up and ultimately vanished, rows of text abruptly appeared. [Congratulations to the player''s Guild for reaching a total of 10w points, Level upgraded to Lv2!] [Guild member limit has been increased to 22 people!] [Guild Array Map unlocked!] [Exclusive Conquest unlocked!] Hmm? Upgraded? Following the update, the Guild had just been unlocked, and there were many discussions about it on the Dream Realm Forum. Everyone believed that since there was such a thing as Guild Level, it was certainly possible to level up the Guild, and the most likely thing related to Guild leveling was Guild total points. Now, this guess had been confirmed. With a total score exceeding 10w, the Guild level had risen to Lv2. The two exchanged glances and simultaneously opened the Guild panel. [Guild Name: Luoyue] [Guild Level: Lv2] [Guild Members: 4/22] [Guild Total Points: 100000] (Ranked 1st on the server) [Personal Points: 49000] [Guild Store][View] [Guild Array Map][View] [Exclusive Conquest:] [Current Target: No.1 Agasoc] [Current Progress: 0%][Start Conquest] Looking at his interface, which had quite a few new additions, Qin Chuan stroked his chin and clicked on the Guild Array Map. The next instant, a surprised expression appeared on his face. The Guild Array Map was divided into Personal Array Maps and Group Formation Maps. Array Maps resembled the double helix of DNA, with many symmetrical Arrays on two parallel lines, which intertwined in certain areas to form larger Arrays. Qin Chuan randomly clicked on an Array named [Qi Power] in the Personal Array Map, and a line of text emerged before his eyes. [Please first upgrade [Enlightened] to Lv10] [Enlightened] was the precursor to [Qi Power]. Qin Chuan clicked on [Enlightened], and a similar prompt appeared. If it was a large Array at the intersection of two lines, then both precursor Arrays needed to reach Lv10. After some exploration, Qin Chuan had a realization. It seemed that the Array Map could only be upgraded starting from the two lines'' initial points. The starting points of the two lines were [Sharp Intent] and [Solid as Rock]. Qin Chuan clicked on [Sharp Intent]. [Do you want to spend 1000 Personal Points to upgrade [Sharp Intent] to Lv1?] [Sharp Intent (Lv1): Increases the attack of all Spiritual Beasts by 1%] [Yes][No] What?! Qin Chuan''s eyes widened. The Personal Array Map could actually be upgraded using Personal Points? This way, there were two big spenders of points: the Array Map and the Guild Store. Qin Chuan''s teeth began to hurt a bit; he didn''t immediately upgrade but clicked on [Solid as Rock] instead. The cost was the same, and the increase was the same, only the attack had changed to defense. Do the two lines focus on different directions...? Qin Chuan mused and exited the Personal Array Map to enter the Group Formation Map. The names and layouts of the Arrays in the two maps were entirely the same, but the text prompt that appeared when Qin Chuan clicked was different. [Do you want to spend 1000 Conquest Points to upgrade [Sharp Intent] to Lv1?] [Sharp Intent (Lv1): Increases the attack of all Spiritual Beasts by 1%] [Group Formation Map affects all Guild Members] [Yes][No] Affects all Guild Members... sea??h th n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Clearly, the Group Formation Map was more cost-effective than the Personal Array Map. However, the two maps consumed different resources and didn''t conflict, they could be stacked. That raised a question. What were Conquest Points? Qin Chuan quickly associated it with another unlocked feature. Exclusive Conquest. Exiting the Guild Array Map interface, Qin Chuan was about to understand more about the Exclusive Conquest when Yue Li suddenly spoke up, "Luo, can you upgrade the Group Formation Map on your end?" "Yeah, I can, just don''t have any Conquest Points..." Qin Chuan spoke reflexively, then quickly thought of something, "You can''t upgrade the Group Formation Map?" "Right." Yue Li nodded, "I can see it, but I can''t upgrade it." Qin Chuan understood. If even Yue Li, the Vice-President, didn''t have the authority to upgrade the Group Formation Map, then clearly, only the President had that authority in the entire Guild. "Let''s study the Exclusive Conquest, shall we?" Chapter 241 - 241: Its You, The One Who Killed My Sister (Add more for 1650 Monthly Tickets in May) A few minutes later, a designated car appeared at the entrance of Yan University, speeding away with Qin Chuan, quickly reaching an airport. At the airport, a domineering military special transport plane was already prepared. "Let''s go, and I''ll fill you in as we walk," said Su Yuanshan, who had been waiting, with a deep voice. "Okay," Qin Chuan, who had met Su Yuanshan during yesterday''s dungeon incident, nodded. Once both men boarded the plane, Su Yuanshan handed Qin Chuan a tablet, "That half-demon claims to be the Tidal Demon LordDalaisai. This is a recording of it emerging from the dungeon portal." "Okay," Qin Chuan took it with a stern face and started to review. Watching the figure in the recording, covered in dark blue scales, controlling the water to form a cage around the severely injured Ji Huai, his expression grew darker. Soon, the recording ended. Su Yuanshan slowly spoke, "Are you confident?" As a Second Generation Insight, his voice lacked its usual certainty. Qin Chuan was very strong. The Special Affairs Group had barely caught up to his Hall Level, and one of his Spirit Beasts had reached the Epic Rank. This advancement speed, surpassing everyone else, endowed Qin Chuan with power far beyond others. But Ji Huai, who had been promoted to Hall Level, had mastered Spirit Descent. In theory, he shouldn''t be much weaker than Qin Chuan. Now, Ji Huai had been defeated by Dalaisai, and after beating Ji Huai, Dalaisai''s power had increased further. Could Qin Chuan truly defeat him? Even though Qin Chuan had cleared an S-rank dungeon, Su Yuanshan still couldn''t be sure. After all "In the world outside the dungeon portal, titles and dungeon talents can''t take effect." "I know," Qin Chuan''s eyes slightly narrowed. It wasn''t just those two that were ineffective, but also Time Stop. But Qin Chuan was certain, the opponent, having left the dungeon and come to the completely foreign world of Blue Star, couldn''t retain all his strength. The opponent must also have abilities restricted, only that they had not been exposed. Looking at a serious Su Yuanshan, Qin Chuan spoke calmly. "I can perform Spirit Descent now." The expression on Su Yuanshan''s face visibly relaxed a bit. There still might be a fight. The plane swiftly ascended, flying towards the destination at several times the speed of a commercial airliner. ----------------- "Ah...this is truly boring." Dalaisai sat on the White Bone Throne, resting his chin on his hand as he watched the Transcendents watching him warily, using various means of communication to contact every strong individual they could. "To be honest, I''m starting to regret letting you call for reinforcements," he glanced at Ji Huai, who sat calmly in the water cage beside him, suddenly feeling annoyed, "Servant, come keep me company and chat, or I might just take back my earlier decision." Ji Huai slowly opened his eyes. "I thought a strong individual wouldn''t change his commands overnight." "Then you misunderstood me," Dalaisai grinned silently, "The word ''change overnight'' doesn''t exist in the half-demon''s dictionary." "We revere primitive desires and act solely according to our own nature." Ji Huai was silent for a moment, "What would you like to talk about?" "Let''s start with you," Dalaisai tapped the armrest of the throne with his other hand, "Servant, although you''re pretending to be calm, you can''t fool me." "You''re worried." "Let me guess what you''re worried about," Dalaisai looked at the silent Ji Huai, his eyes gleaming with a playful light, "for instance, are you worried that once the Dream World''s entrance opens, my clan inside the dungeon passage will seize the opportunity to invade Blue Star?" Ji Huai abruptly lifted his head, his expression gradually turning solemn, "You even know about the Dream World''s entrance?" "Of course, after all my clan once also..." Dalaisai''s voice suddenly shifted, "but your worries are unnecessary." "The opening of the Dream World''s entrance coincides with the return time of the Heavenly Dome Rank." "I''m quite lazy. I don''t like to engage in long discussions, so all you need to know is that when the Dream World''s entrance opens, I won''t have time to bother with you." Ji Huai fell silent, analyzing the credibility of the other''s words and doubting his motives for sharing this information. After a moment, he chose to stop thinking. Sarch* The N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why tell me all this?" he looked up at Dalaisai, "If what you say is true, wouldn''t it be more advantageous for you if we didn''t know?" "You would have discovered it sooner or later." Dalaisai spoke in a deep voice, "We, the Half-demon Clan, are not adept at tactics. It took us only three days to uncover that." "So, whether I tell you or not isn''t important." Dalaisai leaned back against the back of the throne, "I dislike going around in circles. I came to this world only to fight and conquer." "So it''s best if you don''t waste your energy on pointless matters, as that would bore me even more." Ji Huai paused briefly, "You''ve mentioned the Heavenly Dome Rank many times, what is it?" "I thought you wouldn''t ask," Dalaisai glanced at Ji Huai, "Want to know?" "I won''t tell you." Ji Huai clenched his fists, feeling a surge of impulse to initiate Spirit Descent and fight to the death with his opponent. "Speaking of which..." Dalaisai looked into the distance, a thoughtful expression on his face, "In your world, you''re not the strongest one, are you?" Ji Huai didn''t answer. He suddenly thought of Qin Chuan. He wondered who would be strongerQin Chuan, who had initiated Spirit Descent and evolved with a Spiritual Beast, enhancing all his skills and Extraordinary Value, or himself. A trace of worry flickered in Ji Huai''s eyes. Qin Chuan was strong, but according to his estimate, not a match for Dalaisai. Unless... Qin Chuan also mastered Spirit Descent. Is that possible? He was unsure. His ability to rapidly achieve 100% Affinity, was by catering to his Gold Attribute Spirit Beast''s craving for Weapon Skills. Every time he instructed it in Weapon Skills, he gained substantial Affinity. Having mastered Spirit Descent immediately upon reaching 100% Affinity was because the skills of his own Gold Attribute Spirit Beast were learned directly from him. This was a very special situation that others couldn''t replicate. "Boring fellow." Not getting the answer he wanted from Ji Huai, Dalaisai snorted subtly, suddenly sensing something, and looked towards the horizon. Spotting a rapidly enlarging black dot in his line of sight, his face took on an interested expression. "Looks like a capable guy has arrived." Ji Huai looked up, his expression changing slightly at the sight of the familiar military aircraft. Before the plane even landed, a figure leaped from the sky, stepping onto the ocean with a surge of water that was quickly subdued by the control of Water Attribute power. Holding the upgraded Red Dragon Slayer Blade, Qin Chuan walked step by step on the ocean surface, the blade point creating a series of ripples on the calm sea. He stared at the not-so-distant White Bone Throne, stood firm, and remained silent. Dalaisai observed Qin Chuan''s face, suddenly showing a hint of interest. "It''s you!" He walked down from the White Bone Throne step by step, treading on the white skeletal steps until he reached the ocean surface, holding the White Bone Long Spear, walking up to Qin Chuan. "I recognize you, Luo." "The guy who ''killed'' my sister." Chapter 243 - 243: Infinite Tomb of Soldiers · Heaven Burying Slash! Accompanied by Ji Huai''s voice echoing through the air, a golden pillar of light shot up into the sky. Countless weapons fell from the sky like rain, then plunged into the depths of the ocean. "Servant, there is no place for you to take action here." Dalaisai put away the water mirror he held in the sky and looked towards Ji Huai, not far away, clad in metallic armor, without the slightest bit of panic due to the latter''s arrival. Within the instance portal, he had already witnessed Ji Huai''s Spirit Descent. It had to be said that Ji Huai''s Spirit Descent was unique and warranted his esteem. But this was the ocean. How could those weapons falling from the sky threaten him, the Tide Demon Lord, as they sank into the sea? As he lifted the White Bone Long Spear in his hand, countless sea demon beasts emerged beneath the surface at Dalaisai''s feet. The moment the White Bone Long Spear pointed at Ji Huai, the sea demon beasts summoned from the surrounding waters pounced towards Ji Huai in an instant, with dozens of them being Fifth Rank demon beasts alone. "Play with these little things!" Said Dalaisai, as his gaze returned to Qin Chuan. In his view, it was this man who was equally matched with him that posed the real threat. "Your strength is considerably greater than Daile described," said Dalaisai, raising the White Bone Long Spear, a surge of azure light erupting from his eyes, "If your power came from any other attribute, I might have faced the possibility of defeat." "But unfortunately, your power comes from water." "Half-demons have an affinity for attributes second only to the Crystal Clan. Using the same series of Extraordinary Power in front of a half-demon is a huge disadvantage that cannot be compensated for by tools or equipment." "The warm-up ends here." Dalaisai''s lips curled into a wicked smile, "Next, I''m going to thoroughly enjoy this battle." "You sure talk a lot," said Qin Chuan, gripping the Dragon Slayer Blade tightly, his eyes flickering with a cold light. He was about to strike when suddenly his expression changed, and he stepped back half a step. "Infinite Tomb of Soldiers" "Clang" A clear ring of a blade resonated through the heavens and earth, instantly sweeping towards Dalaisai, the massive blade severing the world, the sharp intent that erupted in a flash split the ocean open, revealing a seabed hundreds of meters deep, while also cleaving a crack in the sky and the clouds. Numerous sea demon beasts were sliced apart by the residual Sword Force, and at the end of the bloody path carved open, the armor-clad Ji Huai slowly lowered a blood-soaked hand, his expression exceptionally calm. "Heaven Burying Slash!" Dalaisai''s expression changed instantly. His figure explosively retreated, narrowly dodging the slash, but his body was still lined with countless cuts in the wake of the Sword Force. Just as he was about to take action, Qin Chuan had already appeared next to him like a phantom. The full-force strike of the Dragon Slayer Blade heavily landed on the White Bone Long Spear that Dalaisai had hastily raised. In the next instant, a terrifying force exploded, blasting Dalaisai, who had been pushed back to the portal entrance by Ji Huai, into the instance portal! Without any hesitation, Qin Chuan followed closely into the portal, confronting the gradually steadying figure of Dalaisai, moved forward in a few flashes, and raised the Dragon Slayer Blade high. Just as he was about to initiate Time Stop, Qin Chuan''s expression shifted slightly. He decisively slashed down, watching Dalaisai, who was directly bisected into two halves and turned into two streams of water, his face growing somber. In the void, the infuriating voice of Dalaisai echoed. "This ends today, let''s battle another day." Without a second word, Qin Chuan stepped out of the instance portal, looking out at the calm battlefield outside the portal, he couldn''t help but turn to Ji Huai, "Mr. Ji, did you see where that guy went?" "I only saw him being chased by you into the portal," Ji Huai pressed one hand over his other, which had stopped bleeding, and his expression tensed upon hearing the question, "He''s not in the portal?" Qin Chuan shook his head slightly. sea??h th n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Transcendents who were observing the battle from a distance had just arrived at this moment. After hearing the conversation between the two, they exchanged glances. "All Transcendents with detection abilities, immediately scan the surroundings," Su Yuanshan ordered in a deep voice. Moments later, everyone returned without success. Qin Chuan''s expression grew grave. After discovering that the Daile who had entered the instance portal was merely a water-formed doppelg?nger, he realized that the chances of finding the other party were extremely slim. That guy, even being forced into the instance portal, was just a ruse. "I''ll go destroy the portal first, you all be careful in case Daile comes back with a vengeance outside the portal," Qin Chuan said, before turning and entering the portal once again. Comparing finding Daile with destroying an instance portal that could elevate to S-rank at any moment, the latter was, of course, more important. Ten minutes later, Qin Chuan''s figure flashed and reappeared outside the instance portal, which rapidly collapsed and vanished. The A-rank instance portal, Toxic Gas Lake, was successfully destroyed. The Transcendents who witnessed this scene cheered, but when they thought of the now-traceless Daile, a persistent shadow loomed over their hearts. ----------------- In a secluded town within the borders of The Sun Never Sets, a large number of Transcendents surrounded an opened portal, their faces taut, ready for battle. After an unknown period of waiting, a graceful figure flashed into existence outside the portal. Immediately after, the portal that had been open for several hours rapidly collapsed and disappeared. The C-rank instance portal that had opened in The Sun Never Sets was successfully destroyed. The guarding Transcendents quickly breathed a sigh of relief, and the crowd of onlookers excitedly shouted the name "Zefina." Zefina, clad in light armor and wearing a short skirt, with her spirited golden short hair fluttering in the wind, smiled and waved at the crowd before sitting in an arriving Phantom car. As soon as the car door closed, Oriel, hidden inside, pounced excitedly, her deep blue eyes sparkling like stars, "That was amazing!" "Flaya, don''t use this as an excuse to take advantage of me," Zefina pushed Oriel away, her expression a mix of resignation and amusement, "How''s the situation over there?" "A video was just sent back, do you want to see it?" Oriel said with a smile, picking up a laptop from next to her and placing it on her lap, "I haven''t had a chance to see it myself; let''s watch it together." Zefina gestured for her to play it, and soon the footage of Qin Chuan''s intense battle with Daile appeared before the two women. The video ended after Daile was blasted into the instance portal. In the car, Zefina and Oriel fell into silence. "So, this is the power of Spirit Descent..." Longing appeared in Zefina''s eyes as she watched, "Flaya, now you see how unwise it is to oppose him, right?" Oriel shrank a little, "Who could have thought that guy would be so abnormally strong and able to counter my Talent." "You made the same mistake as Erik, but fortunately, due to the uniqueness of your Talent, you were able to retreat unharmed," Zefina said as she stroked Oriel''s smooth long hair, "Take the opportunity to extend an olive branch and see if we can coexist peacefully with him." "Alright," Oriel agreed, hugging Zefina''s arm and swiping on her phone for a moment before her expression turned to surprise, "This battle footage seems to have already been leaked online." "The perspective is different from our video, and it''s clearer than ours." "Hey? It even captured Luo''s face!" Zefina looked at the video playing on Oriel''s phone with interest. "Now, things are getting more interesting." Chapter 211 - 211 Personal Points Usage Planning "Do you know each other?" Seeing Yue Li''s reaction when she met a female player named Red Leaf, Qin Chuan asked curiously. "Mhm." Yue Li nodded and naturally moved forward, grabbing Red Leaf''s hand, then turned to Qin Chuan and explained, "We went to the Dragon Gate Camp today." "Red Leaf was there at the camp, she asked about our guild''s requirements for player Talent, so I had a strong impression of her." After explaining, Yue Li turned her head with a smile towards Red Leaf, "Welcome to the Luoyue Guild." "You remember me!" Hearing Yue Li''s words, there was a surprised look in Red Leaf''s eyes. In her view, Luo and Yue Li were already the strongest players in the world, generally they wouldn''t care much about a small fry like her. There were so many players in the Dragon Gate Camp, perhaps Yue Li wouldn''t even remember everyone there. But to her surprise, not only did Yue Li remember her, she even remembered the question she had asked! "So, are you here for a guild interview?" Yue Li asked with a light chuckle. Red Leaf quickly came back to her senses, calming down from her excitement. "Yes." She nodded, her expression growing tense again, "What do I need to do for the interview?" Off to the side, Iron Hammer''s expression shifted slightly as his fingers moved through the air. [Iron Hammer(5149): Red Leaf came here two hours ago and voluntarily offered to help me and Evelyn with the guild construction.] Seeing the message, Yue Li''s gaze flickered slightly, but her expression remained unchanged as she held Red Leaf''s hand, "Don''t be nervous, we''re just going to chat." The two walked to the side, under Yue Li''s soothing voice, Red Leaf''s tension eased a lot, and soon the two of them were chatting back and forth. Qin Chuan glanced at the two women, didn''t approach, but turned to look at Iron Hammer nearby, "Iron Hammer, haven''t you participated in an exclusive subjugation yet?" "Not yet." Iron Hammer touched his head and chuckled, "I was busy setting up the guild''s framework earlier, didn''t have the time." "Hard work," Qin Chuan had seen the initially completed framework of the guild main building. "Small matter, I''ve done similar work in real life," Iron Hammer waved his hand, looking very excited, "In the past, building a building required many people working together, but now with the help of Spiritual Beasts, I can do it alone and efficiently." "That''s it for today, just as the guild leader and deputy guild leader have returned, I can proceed with the exclusive subjugation with peace of mind." Iron Hammer chuckled. After making some adjustments, he vanished on the spot with his Contracted Spiritual Beast. Nodding towards Evelyn, Qin Chuan walked aside and opened the Guild Store. Actually, he had already checked the resource prices there yesterday, and today, being ranked first, the Guild Store was at a fifty percent discount, and he could already exchange items with Personal Points. He hadn''t bought immediately because he wanted to wait until after the subjugation of today''s two A-level Secret Realms, to earn more Points and buy everything at once. Unexpectedly, right after the subjugation, the guild had upgraded, unlocking new features. Originally, Personal Points could only be used for resource purchases in the Guild Store, which was straightforward to use. But now, Personal Points had two different uses, not only for the Guild Store but also for upgrading the Personal Array Map. How to use the Personal Points would now need careful consideration. On the way back, Qin Chuan and Yue Li had already discussed this issue. Personal Points used in the Guild Store could purchase Equipment Enhancement Stones, Equipment Forging Stones, Moon Halo Equipment Materials, and Epic resources, aimed at allowing Spiritual Beasts to break through to the Epic Rank faster. Personal Points used to upgrade the Personal Array Map were for improving various attributes of the Spiritual Beasts. Both essentially aimed at increasing potential, yet each had its pros and cons. The advantage of breaking through to the Epic Rank was clear, as for the Spiritual Beasts, it was an all-around leap in strength which could quickly enhance the Spiritual Beasts'' capability considerably and since the Race Value would also increase, the player would benefit in real life as well. Upgrading the Personal Array Map was a way to enhance the strength of all Contracted Spiritual Beasts, so the increase in power was no less significant than advancing one beast to Epic Rank. Moreover, this enhancement could be realized immediately, without the need to gather all resources as required for a breakthrough. However, upgrading the Personal Array Map did not affect reality; it only aided the player in conquering the Secret Realm. After all, when upgrading the Array Map, the beasts'' Race Value did not increase. Besides, another point needed clarification. Exchanging Personal Points for resources merely expedited the breakthrough of Spiritual Beasts. Even without exchanging, Qin Chuan and Yue Li, by subjugating A-grade Secret Realms daily, could gather the necessary resources to advance their beasts to Epic Rank, though more slowly. But the use of Personal Points for upgrading the Personal Array Map was irreplaceable by other means. Considering the pros and cons and the irreplaceability of the two approaches in enhancing strength, Yue Li thought it more fitting to upgrade the Personal Array Map using Personal Points. She opted to use all her Personal Points for the upgrade of the Personal Array Map. Qin Chuan, who usually agreed with Yue Li on many choices, differed on this issue. Because he had Time Stop. Therefore, some issues naturally needed to be reconsidered. Advancing a Spiritual Beast to Epic Rank a day earlier would enhance his actual strength by a degree. If his strength reached the level where he could conquer A-grade instances and achieve an SSS rating without using Time Stop, the situation of Time Stop being inefficient would instantly reverse. Thus, Qin Chuan''s choice was to first use Personal Points to hasten the rank advancement of Spiritual Beasts, and when his strength sufficed, to then invest Personal Points into the enhancement of his Personal Array Map. Entering the Guild Store, a variety of resources and their respective prices caught his eye. [Self-selected Epic Resources, original price 100,000 Points/current price 50,000 Points] [Random Epic Resources, original price 50,000 Points/current price 25,000 Points] [Self-selected Moon Halo Equipment Material, original price 60,000 Points/current price 30,000 Points] [Random Moon Halo Equipment Material, original price 30,000 Points/current price 15,000 Points] [Equipment Enhancement Stone, original price 5,000 Points/current price 2,500 Points] [Premium Equipment Forging Stone, original price 1,600 Points/current price 800 Points] [] Good news, the Premium Equipment Forging Stones, which he''d never felt inclined to buy from the Achievement Store before, were now easily affordable with Personal Points. Bad news, the prices of other resources remained high. The only cheap item, the Equipment Enhancement Stone, was the one thing Qin Chuan didn''t need to buy. Perhaps considering that normal players would fail many times in enhancing equipment, the drop rate of Enhancement Stones in A-grade Secret Realms was much higher than other resources, but with the effects of Prayer and Divine Cast stacked, Qin Chuan and Yue Li didn''t need so many Equipment Enhancement Stones. Soon, Qin Chuan used 45,000 Personal Points to exchange for three pieces of Random Moon Halo Equipment Material. He thought first to forge the Moon Halo Equipment, then gather the six Epic resources needed for advancement. Thinking this, Qin Chuan''s gaze shifted to Water Flower next to him. If there were no unexpected circumstances, the order of breakthrough would naturally follow the sequence of arrival. Sar?h the N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seemingly sensing Qin Chuan''s thoughts, excitement and joy flickered in Water Flower''s eyes. "Woof woof!" Chapter 212 - 212: New Member! Red Leafs Talent! "Luo!" As Qin Chuan finished using his Personal Points, Yue Li''s call came from the other side. Seeing Yue Li waving at him from a distance, Qin Chuan smiled and walked over, "What''s up?" "I''ve had a brief chat with Red Leaf and decided to recruit her as the fifth member of the Guild," Yue Li said with a smile. "What do you think?" "Your opinion is my opinion," Qin Chuan responded without hesitation. "Good," Yue Li nodded and sent a Guild invitation to Red Leaf. Soon after, a line of text appeared in the Guild channel. [Player Red Leaf has joined the Guild] Iron Hammer, who had just finished an exclusive hunt, strutted over with Evelyn, giving Red Leaf a warm smile, "Welcome to the Guild, we''re all comrades now." "Welcome~ to~ you~," Evelyn greeted in her somewhat awkward Chinese, her eyes kind as she looked at Red Leaf. After all, they had a pleasant interaction over the past two hours. "Thank you, everyone!" Feeling the warmth from the Guild members, Red Leaf''s cheeks flushed, "I will definitely work hard to catch up to everyone''s strength!" At this stage, she was the weakest member of the Luoyue Guild. Even as an Official Level Player, Iron Hammer had two Spiritual Beasts, whereas Red Leaf only had one. "Red Leaf, Luoyue is a Rank 2 Guild, which has some new functionalities compared to a Rank 1 Guild, you can explore to understand them," Yue Li spoke softly, then gave Qin Chuan a look. The two walked aside in tacit understanding, and Qin Chuan lowered his voice, "What''s up?" "Our luck is really not bad," Yue Li started with a beaming smile, "we rejected a player with a Red Talent, and the new member we got also has a Red Talent." "Oh?" Qin Chuan raised his eyebrows, glancing at Red Leaf who was learning about the new Guild functions with Iron Hammer, "Red Leaf also has a Red Talent?" "Yes, and it was her recent breakthrough to Official Level Player that she didn''t tell anyone at Dragon Gate Camp," Yue Li''s smile deepened, "If the folks at Dragon Gate knew, we wouldn''t have been able to snatch her from the Special Affairs Group." Qin Chuan was dumbfounded. Although he had a cooperative relationship with the Special Affairs Group, they were still competitors when it came to recruiting Guild members. Red Leaf was a rare catch who just happened to be at the Dragon Gate where he was picking up items and also happened not to choose any of the 26 guilds within Dragon Gate Camp, but instead, came to Luoyue Guild... It could only be said that letting Yue Li conduct the interviews was a very smart move indeed. "I didn''t ask Red Leaf about her specific Talent, but she took the initiative to tell me," Yue Li said cheerfully, "Red Talent: Balance." "Ha?" Surprise flickered across Qin Chuan''s face, "It''s that Talent." Since the advent of Dream World, more than two months had passed, and even the most powerful Gold Talents couldn''t completely conceal their mysterious veil, let alone the Red and lower Player Talents. After all, these Talents can be drawn multiple times and owned by many people. Even if you don''t reveal yours, other players who draw the same Talent may disclose it. Now, just by telling other players the name of your Talent, the effects of the Talent are pretty much known. There are a total of 32 Red Talents. These Talents focus on various aspects, each with a similar overall strength. However, there are always a few Talents with considerable variability in strength; sometimes, you think they''re incredibly strong, and other times, they seem ridiculously weak. Balance is one of those. Its first Talent Effect belonged to the enhancement category, which allowed the designated Spiritual Beast to obtain a Spiritual Beast Species Value equal to the highest Species Value among its own Contracted Spiritual Beasts, with a maximum increase of up to 100% of the target Spiritual Beast Species Value, lasting for 5 minutes, with a cooldown of 10 minutes. Its second Talent Effect belonged to the debuff category and could reduce the Species Value of the designated Spiritual Beast to match the lowest Species Value among its own Contracted Spiritual Beasts, with a maximum reduction of up to 50% of the target Spiritual Beast Species Value, lasting for 5 minutes, with a cooldown of 10 minutes. Its strength depended entirely on the difference in power between the target and oneself, with very large fluctuations. For the first Talent, if one''s strength was inferior to that of the designated Spiritual Beast, the effect would be zero, but if one''s strength far surpassed the designated Spiritual Beast, then the Species Value of the designated Spiritual Beast could be doubled. For the second Talent, if one''s strength surpassed that of the designated Spiritual Beast, the effect would be zero, but if one''s strength was far below that of the designated Spiritual Beast, then the Species Value of the designated Spiritual Beast could be halved. In unsuitable situations, it could even be worse than the poorest white Talent, but in the right circumstances, its strength wasn''t much weaker than that of a gold Talent. "Yeah, this Talent is really quite good." Yue Li smiled, then sighed, "Unfortunately, Talents can''t be used in Secret Realms." Whether it was the third Talent Effect of Divine Cast that directly invalidated Equipment Entries or the current powerful debuff effect that directly halved Species Values, none could take effect in the Secret Realm. Otherwise, with these two in a team, let alone an A-rank 1-star Secret Realm, even an A-rank 5-star Secret Realm would be manageable with ease. "It doesn''t matter." Qin Chuan smiled, "Even if it''s not useful right now, there will definitely be opportunities to use it in the future." Player Talent, as one of the most important abilities for players, wouldn''t become useless so easily. "That''s true." Yue Li nodded. When they looked back, Red Leaf had already disappeared from Iron Hammer''s side. After learning the corresponding rules for exclusive hunts, she began her first attempt, filled with enthusiasm. Just in time, Qin Chuan had a favor to ask of Iron Hammer, and this matter was not yet convenient to let Red Leaf know. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Iron Hammer, I need your help with some Equipment Enhancement." Qin Chuan, accompanied by Water Flower, strode towards Iron Hammer and took out 9 Equipment Enhancement Stones from his Item Equipment Bar. In yesterday''s attempt, the Equipment Entry of Water Flower''s existing gear, the Shape-shifting Water Crown, had been raised from Starlight level 9 to Moon Halo level 1. Calculating it out, just 9 more enhancements would be needed to reach Moon Halo level 10. Although that sounded incredible, with the boost from Divine Cast and Prayer, that was the reality. Yue Li promptly pressed her palms together and used today''s second Talent Effect of Prayer. "No problem." Iron Hammer laughed and took the Equipment Enhancement Stones from Qin Chuan''s hands, pressing a hand on the Shape-shifting Water Crown atop Water Flower''s head just like yesterday. A golden Enhancement Array emerged out of thin air, and Iron Hammer crushed an Equipment Enhancement Stone, instantly turning it into a golden hammer that slammed down on the Shape-shifting Water Crown. [Congratulations to the player for successfully enhancing the equipment, Shape-shifting Water Crown Equipment Entry (Moon Halo level 1) has been enhanced to (Moon Halo level 2)] [(Moon Halo level 2): Attribute Control increased by 114%] During the Starlight Stage, each level increased Attribute Control by 6%, and at the Moon Halo Stage, each level increased it by 12%, effectively doubling it. Eight more hammers fell, and the figure reached Moon Halo level 10. [(Moon Halo level 10): Attribute Control increased by 210%] "We can''t continue anymore," Iron Hammer regretfully withdrew his hand. "It shows that the current limit for Equipment Entry at this Rank has been reached." "That''s enough," Qin Chuan was in high spirits. In these two days of hunting three A-rank 1-star Secret Realms, he and Yue Li had obtained 1 piece of self-selectable and 4 pieces of random Moon Halo Equipment Material. Yue Li gave her choice to him, only taking 2 random pieces. Together with 3 pieces exchanged from the shop, he now had 6 pieces of Moon Halo Equipment Material. Tomorrow, he would be able to gather all 9 pieces. Chapter 247 - 247 S-Class Secret Realm Rewards, Beast Egg and Additional Entries! "It seems you''ve already seen the situation in the S-rank Secret Realm," Yue Li said with a smile, looking at the expression Qin Chuan had on his face. "I''m suddenly a bit relieved that we weren''t in a rush to find the fourth Contracted Spiritual Beast." "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded in agreement. "I didn''t expect that higher-level Secret Realms wouldn''t only drop resources but could also drop dragon eggs, from which one could contract Spiritual Beasts." "Being able to nurture a bond right after they hatch, with Spiritual Beasts that can''t be obtained in the Dream Worldit''s simply the best choice for a contract. It seems we''ve found our fourth Spiritual Beast." "You checked out the Black and White Dragon Nest, right?" Yue Li understood. "But what can drop isn''t limited to just hatchable and contractible Spiritual Beasts, you know~" Yue Li had entered the Dream World even earlier than Qin Chuan. While waiting and keeping watch, she had checked all the S-rank Secret Realms. "The entire Dream World has refreshed 100 S-rank Secret Realms, only one within a 10x10 range, evenly distributed." "Unlike the previous A, B, C, D rank Secret Realms, each S-rank Secret Realm is distinguished by a name. Each realm drops the same common resources, but the special resources are not the same." "Among these 100 S-rank Secret Realms, only 3 can yield Beast Eggs, and the rest have special resources, but those are resources that can strengthen a Spiritual Beast." "You can check out the nearest S-rank Secret Realm in the southwest directionDragon Hawk Valley." Following Yue Li''s suggestion, Qin Chuan opened the Secret Realm named Dragon Hawk Valley. The conquest target was also 2, but the special resources that could drop in this realm were the Wind Dragon Blessing and Wind Eagle Blessing. [Wind Dragon Blessing: Usable for Wind Attribute Spiritual Beasts, a Spiritual Beast that gets the Wind Dragon Blessing will receive an additional Equipment Entry "Gale," Attribute Power increase by 60%, this type of Equipment Entry can only be possessed by one beast at a time, obtaining another will replace the existing one] [Wind Eagle Blessing: Usable for Wind Attribute Spiritual Beasts, a Spiritual Beast that gets the Wind Eagle Blessing will receive an additional Equipment Entry "Rapid Wind," speed increase by 300%, this type of Equipment Entry can only be possessed by one beast at a time, obtaining another will replace the existing one] Additional Equipment Entry? Qin Chuan''s face showed a look of surprise. "Most of the special resources dropped by S-rank Secret Realms can provide extra Equipment Entries for the corresponding Attribute Pet Beasts," Yue Li explained. "I''ve checked, and the effects of these entries vary, as do their levels." "The two additional entries in Dragon Hawk Valley are equivalent to a level 10 Starlight Equipment Entry, which are the worst among the additional entries." "Most additional entries are equivalent to Moon Halo level Equipment Entries, and some I feel have surpassed that level." "Of course, the number of Secret Realms that have such entries is also very few, similar to the Beast Eggs. Only 3 out of the 100 S-rank Secret Realms offer such rewards." "I understand," Qin Chuan had gained a full understanding of the S-rank Secret Realm situation under Yue Li''s explanation, and a contemplative look appeared on his face. S-rank Secret Realms, like other Secret Realms, refresh their locations every Dream Day. Thus, undertaking a long journey like previously searching for the Hall Crystal was not feasible. They could only choose the nearby S-rank Secret Realm with the best rewards for their conquest. Given the current mobility of Qin Chuan and Yue Li, they could cover a 30x30 game area range in a single Dream Day, which is approximately 9 S-rank Secret Realms. According to the rewards of the S-rank Secret Realms, the rewards like Beast Eggs and the Equipment Entries above Moon Halo level can be called top special rewards, representing 6%. On average, every two days, an S-rank Secret Realm with a top reward would appear within their nearby range. Of course, one can''t just look at the rewards but must also consider the difficulty of conquering S-rank Secret Realms. Thinking about the information previously revealed by Dalaisai, Qin Chuan''s expression became slightly solemn. Legend Rank Spiritual Beasts, corresponding to a Race Value range from 400,000 to 1,000,000. """ With the strength of such a conquest target, he had to resort to Time Stop to complete the kill; and the probability of special rewards from the S-rank Secret Realm depended on the time taken to complete the conquest. Not sparing the child won''t catch the wolf; for the fastest kill, the Time Stop required wouldn''t be short. Having just mastered Spirit Descent, and gained the ability to quickly accumulate Time Stop by soloing A-rank instances, here came a major consumer of Time Stop right away. This really is Sarch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan shook his head with a wry smile, "Let''s finish today''s unique conquest first, then head to the Black and White Dragon Nest together." Among the 9 nearby S-rank Secret Realms, this was the only one with top-level rewards. Also, he and Yue Li just happened to have not contracted their fourth Spiritual Beast. The two of them took turns attacking, along with the four other members'' progress; they eventually killed eight conquest bosses and earned 110,000 Conquest Points. Adding the remaining 17,500 points after upgrading "Battle More, Battle Stronger" to Lv3 yesterday, Qin Chuan boosted "Battle More, Battle Stronger" to Lv9 in one go, now increasing the final damage ratio by 9% after each kill. "Ah, the president is awake!" Iron Hammer''s laughter came from afar, with three Spiritual Beasts carrying various high-quality wood materials right behind him. Approaching Qin Chuan, Iron Hammer raised an eyebrow, "I didn''t expect the president to be so young in real life too." Obviously, he had seen that video as well. "Hmm Iron Hammer, you''ve come just in time. I''m going to try the S-rank Secret Realm strategy with Yue Li next," Qin Chuan said with a serious face. "No problem, I''ll handle the task of protecting our base." Iron Hammer patted his chest, "The wood I found today will just be perfect for decorating the newly constructed guild building." "Okay." Qin Chuan nodded and set off with Yue Li. As Xiao Qing soared high in the sky, his serious expression quickly disappeared, replaced by a mix of anxiety and nervousness, as he turned to Yue Li, "You saw the video too, right?" "The whole Dream Realm Forum is buzzing about it, I saw it of course," Yue Li chuckled, "I finally got to see what you look like in reality." "Slightly handsomer than I expected." "Really?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but curl the corners of his mouth, "Then am I at a bit of a disadvantage, considering I haven''t seen what you look like in the real world?" "The way I look in real life, you see it every day." Yue Li propped her cheek with one hand, smiling as she turned her head to look at Qin Chuan, "Didn''t I tell you?" "When I modified my player image, I only changed my hair and eye color." "Eh? Did you tell me?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but turn to stare at Yue Li. The girl''s silver-white hair and light purple eyes gradually turned black in his mind; he was beginning to imagine just how stunning the girl in reality must be. Being stared at by Qin Chuan like this, Yue Li couldn''t help but turn her gaze aside, "Why are you looking at me? Watch the road." "Oh, oh" Qin Chuan instinctively looked ahead, then realized something was off. Sitting on Xiao Qing, what road was there to watch? When he turned back, he saw the blush had already spread to the tips of the girl''s ears. In the slightly odd atmosphere between them, Xiao Qing fluttered its wings, crossing one game zone after another at top speed. Two hours later, a Time-Space Rift much larger than any A-rank Secret Realm appeared in Qin Chuan and Yue Li''s view. Black and White Dragon Nest, here we come! """ Chapter 248 - 248 That Beam of Golden Light! As the only S-class Secret Realm in a hundred nearby districts, the Black and White Dragon Nest corresponding to the Time-Space Rift attracted quite a crowd of spectators. Even with their strength, it was impossible for them to conquer such a Secret Realm, but witnessing such a large-scale Time-Space Rift was also a valuable experience. Many players even saw it as a good opportunity to meet other players, gathering in small groups to chat. If there was a chance to recruit any lone players to their Guilds, they certainly wouldn''t pass it up. However, these discussions and idle chatter vanished after a giant bird descended. Seeing the distinctly blue giant bird and the male and female figures on its back, the players at the scene immediately became excited. It was Luo and Yue Li! If anyone was qualified to conquer an S-class Secret Realm at this stage, the first names that came to mind for players worldwide were these two. Even though they were no longer the only two Hall-Level players in Dream World, other Hall-Level players had yet to even challenge an A-class Secret Realm, so naturally, they didn''t compare to Luo and Yue Li in everyone''s eyes. What was more important was that Luo had already had a Spiritual Beast breakthrough to the Epic Rank. The S-class Secret Realm had appeared precisely because of his breakthrough. The mere arrival of the two stirred up immense excitement among the countless players present. "Luo! Yue Li! Go for it!" a player from Yanhuang Country couldn''t help but shout out. Yue Li threw a friendly smile at the player and then signaled Xiao Qing to enter the Secret Realm. The gusting wind rose, and the two disappeared inside the Time-Space Rift. The next moment, players at the scene began sending messages across the global and Guild channels. News of Luo and Yue Li''s venture into the S-class Secret Realm swept through the entire Dream World. ----------------- In District 5149, three players and their Contracted Spiritual Beasts were instantly teleported outside the Time-Space Rift, all wearing smiles as they watched the disappearing rift. "We did it!" Red Leaf exclaimed joyfully, "Even though it''s just a B-class, 1-star Secret Realm, it''s still B-class!" "Maybe next time, we can try the 2-star difficulty?" Leonhardt said cheerily, glancing at the global channel and clicking his tongue, "The Guild Leader and Deputy Guild Leader have gone to challenge the S-class Secret Realm; we can''t fall too far behind." "The Guild Leader is awake?" Red Leaf couldn''t help but look surprised, "That''s really great news." "Are we going to challenge the next B-class Secret Realm?" Evelyn tilted her head to the side and asked. With Leonhardt, who was proficient in both Russian and Chinese, facilitating their communication, the exchange between the two women had become much smoother. "Let''s call it a day," Red Leaf said, glancing at their Spiritual Beasts who were showing signs of fatigue, and shook her head, "Our strength isn''t enough to take on consecutive B-class challenges yet." "Miss Red Leaf is right," Leonhardt nodded in agreement, "Then, lovely ladies, it seems we might have to part ways for now." "Mr. Leonhardt, do you have something else to do?" Red Leaf inquired curiously. "Well... I have some Advanced Resources needed for one of my Contracted Spiritual Beasts, and there''s a Clan Spiritual Beast challenge in District 5148 that''s not far from here; I''m thinking of giving it a try," Leonhardt explained with a smile. "We can go together!" Red Leaf stated confidently, puffing out her chest, "We''re all Guild members, we should help each other." "Challenging a Clan Spiritual Beast allows us to use our Player Talents, and the talents of Evelyn and me are quite powerful. Together we''ve successfully challenged a Clan Spiritual Beast in this district before!" "You agree, right? Evelyn." "Yep." Evelyn nodded, glancing at Leonhardt before crossing her arms, "If you need help, I don''t mind assisting you." "Is that so... then I won''t be shy." Leonhardt chuckled after a moment''s thought, "It''s an honor to receive help from two lovely ladies." "Rawr~" Behind him, a three-meter-long lizard-like Spiritual Beast raised its head and roared. "Please, hop on." "The Single-Horned Earth Dragon excels in speed; riding it, we can reach our destination faster." Soon, the Single-Horned Earth Dragon, with its robust limbs, was sprinting towards area 5148, carrying the three of them. Over an hour later, the trio arrived at a valley. "The District Spiritual Beast of area 5148 is in here," Leonhardt said with a grave expression, "This District Spiritual Beast is very strong, its Rank has reached Hall Level Lv39." "No worries, I can reduce its strength by half!" Red Leaf exclaimed as she swung her arm vigorously in the air, "The rest is up to you and Evelyn." "The Spiritual Scale is truly a magical Talent." Having already learned about Red Leaf''s talent on the road, Leonhardt smiled faintly, leading the two women into the valley. Inside the valley, a giant scorpion covered in rocky armor studded with stone spikes emerged from beneath the earth, unleashing a terrifying presence befitting its Hall Rank, while its cold eyes mercilessly surveyed the three challengers, its sharp stinger quivering, ready to strike. [Triggered District Spiritual Beast Challenge, Opponent: Hall Level Lv39 Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion] [Number of Challengers: 3/10] [...] [Challenge Begins] "Suppress!" Red Leaf yelled, and the only Spiritual Beast among the three behind her that hadn''t reached the Elite Rank burst into light. The Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion, which had just entered the challenge mode, also emitted light. Watching the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion''s momentum drastically decrease and its strength halve in an instant, Leonhardt gave Red Leaf a thumbs upbehind him, the three Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts, with their boosted Clan Value, rapidly charged at the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion. But someone was faster. The three Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts surged with golden light, their momentum surpassing what was expected of their original rank, and they pounced on the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion even quicker. Before Leonhardt''s three Spiritual Beasts could strike, the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion was instantly dealt a heavy blow, dissipating into a shower of light moments later, leaving behind only a piece of Advanced Resources lying quietly on the ground. Seeing this, Leonhardt paused, then turned in surprise to the twin-tailed little girl beside him, holding a blade of grass. "Despite Evelyn''s young age, she is very capable." Seeing Leonhardt''s astonishment, Red Leaf chuckled. "When we defeated the District Spiritual Beast together previously, I was still an Official Level Player. After using the Spiritual Scale to suppress the District Spiritual Beast, it took Evelyn no time at all to end the battle." "Yes, she is indeed incredible." Leonhardt regained his composure and, unable to help himself, smiled and gave Evelyn a thumbs up as well, then walked towards the piece of resource on the ground. Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Evelyn held her head even higher, a trace of pride adorning her delicate face. "It''s getting late, we should head back." After securing the Advanced Resources, Leonhardt checked the time, "To thank you two lovely ladies for your help, once we return to the Guild, I''ll let you taste my cooking." "I''m quite confident about my culinary skills." Chapter 215 - 215: The Girls Grand Adventure! "Stay safe on the road!" Iron Hammer shouted and watched the figure quickly shrink in his sight before it disappeared. He slowly lowered his waving hand and stretched lazily. He would continue yesterday''s construction work. During the day, when he had nothing else to do, he had further perfected the guild construction blueprint and plans. Even though he had switched careers to become a blacksmith many years ago, in that moment, he felt as if he had regained the passion he once shared with his friends in building their home. But before that Iron Hammer vanished in a flash and reappeared one minute later, nodding in satisfaction. With the addition of more group formation bonuses, he had broken through 1% in his damage progress, no longer just scraping by. A small progress each day. "Don''t forget to carry out your daily exclusive hunt!" he reminded Evelyn and Red Leaf before preparing to get to work. "Uncle Iron Hammer, today I''d like to find a suitable third contracted spiritual beast," Evelyn spoke up with her plan, "So I might not be able to help you with the guild construction for now." "Choosing a contracted spiritual beast is quite important," Iron Hammer nodded earnestly, "Go ahead, and maybe you can take Red Leaf with you." "She, having just been promoted to official level, probably needs a new contracted spiritual beast as well." "Um" Evelyn looked at Red Leaf with a slightly conflicted expression. "Red Leaf has impressive talents, she might be able to help you in times of danger," Iron Hammer said with a smile, "You don''t need to worry too much about exposing her talents, as long as you don''t use the third talent, the ascension boost is not exaggerated." "Alright, then I''m willing to set out with Red Leaf!" Evelyn was persuaded by Iron Hammer. Thinking of herself growing stronger and possessing the power to protect her companions, a hint of pride appeared in Evelyn''s eyes, and she couldn''t help but puff up her still-developing chest. "No problem," Iron Hammer chuckled, switching to Chinese to speak out loud, "Red Leaf, are you interested in going with Evelyn to find a new contracted spiritual beast?" "Huh?" Red Leaf looked surprised, "Uncle Iron Hammer, don''t we need to help you build the guild today?" "Haha, building a guild isn''t an overnight task," Iron Hammer laughed heartily, "According to my plans, it will take at least a week before we can see the guild taking shape. You and Evelyn shouldn''t spend all your precious time here." Seeing Red Leaf''s thoughtful expression, Iron Hammer winked at her, "Actually, I''m a bit worried about Evelyn, so I hope you can help me keep an eye on her." "Then I''ll go with her!" Red Leaf promptly responded, "And I can look for my own contracted spiritual beast along the way." "That''s wonderful," Iron Hammer nodded in satisfaction, "If you encounter any danger or unexpected situations, leave a message in the guild channel immediately." "Okay!" Red Leaf nodded vigorously, also a bit excited. Before becoming an Official Level Player, being just an Apprentice Level Player, she had no ability to navigate the Dream World independently. Facing any Growth Rank spiritual beast would be enough to make her restart from scratch. And Growth Rank spiritual beasts were almost every few kilometers in the Dream World. After luckily joining the Dragon Gate Camp, which was not far from the starting point, she had always lived inside the camp. Leaving Dragon Gate Camp for the Luoyue Guild was the boldest decision she had made. The potential dangers along the way were quite challenging to deal with. Now, being able to explore the world further with her guildmates, she was very much looking forward to it. Although Evelyn was small, her strength was unexpectedly reliable! "Let''s go, Evelyn!" Red Leaf ran up to Evelyn, grabbed her hands, and said, "Please teach me a lot today!" Evelyn tilted her head and then nodded gently. Iron Hammer, worried, gave them a few more reminders before watching them leave the camp area, a hint of reluctance showing on his face. Now, he was the only one left to watch over the home. At that moment, Iron Hammer suddenly hoped someone would come for an interview soon. At least, he wanted someone to talk to. ----------------- "It''s decided then, you''re the one!" In a forest, Red Leaf, with the cooperation of the Illusion Spirit Fox, subdued a Juvenile Stage rabbit Spiritual Beast, her face showing a very excited expression. She was quite lucky when she contracted her first Spiritual Beast. At that time, the Illusion Spirit Fox''s level wasn''t high, but it possessed the relatively rare Superpower Attribute. The one they encountered now, belonging to the Jumping Rabbit clan, had the Fighting type Attribute. Having both Superpower and Fighting type attributes, it was simply fantastic! The already subdued Jumping Rabbit shivered. Having no room to refuse, it quickly became Red Leaf''s second Contracted Spiritual Beast. S~ea??h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I will help you break through to the Growth Rank soon," Red Leaf promised sincerely, giving the Jumping Rabbit a hopeful feeling for the future. It stopped trembling, and its Affinity greatly increased. Holding the petite Jumping Rabbit in her arms, Red Leaf was in a great mood and turned to look at Evelyn beside her, "Evelyn, let''s quickly find a suitable Spiritual Beast for you next!" Evelyn was chewing on a grass root, with her hands in her pockets. Hearing Red Leaf call her name, she lifted a hand and pointed in a direction. "Shall we go there? No problem!" Red Leaf, holding the rabbit with one hand, grabbed Evelyn''s other hand that was about to slip back into her pocket, and they moved in the direction the little girl wanted to go. Behind the two of them followed the Illusion Spirit Fox and Evelyn''s Spiritual Beasts. Evelyn let Red Leaf lead her, her gaze inevitably falling on their intertwined hands. Red Leaf''s hand was bigger and completely enveloped her small one, warm and soft. A sudden, inexplicable feeling of safety surged in her heart. Following Red Leaf step by step, a smile gradually appeared on Evelyn''s face. Before long, the two arrived at a plain. There, Evelyn took a liking to a Juvenile Stage Earth Attribute Spiritual Beast, the Rockhorn Deer. Uncle Iron Hammer would probably need the power of the Earth Attribute. The idea suddenly popped into Evelyn''s mind while contracting the Rockhorn Deer. Of course, that wasn''t the reason she chose to contract it. The Rockhorn Deer itself had a pretty decent skill configuration and could also be used as a mount. Hmm it would first need to break through to the Growth Rank. Gently patting the little deer, which wasn''t much taller than her, Evelyn gave it an encouraging look. She turned her head to Red Leaf and nodded, indicating she had completed the contract on her own. "There''s a lake over there, shall we rest by the lake and eat something before we head back?" Red Leaf''s gaze moved to a lake nearby that had caught her attention earlier. The lake water was exceptionally clear, like a gem embedded in the earth, making Red Leaf eager to take a closer look. Moreover, having walked all the way, they were indeed a bit tired. Evelyn agreed to this suggestion. The two quickly approached the lake and finally stepped into the lakeside area. "Boom!!!" The calm lake water instantly churned up huge waves, a massive head emerged from the water, looking towards the two women at first, then swiftly crossing over to them, stepping on the water flow. [Triggered Town Area Spiritual Beast Challenge, Opponent: Hall Rank Lv36 Azure Shell Water Turtle] Red Leaf/Evelyn: (á㧥;) Chapter 216 - 216: Evelyns Reward [Triggered a District Spiritual Beast Challenge, Opponent: Hall Rank Lv36 Blue Shell Water Turtle] [Number of Challengers: 2/10] [Challenge Rules as Follows] [1. The District Spiritual Beast cannot harm players nor be killed.] [2. If players exit the territory, the District Spiritual Beast will cease its attack, and the challenge will fail.] [3. Once the challenge ends, the District Spiritual Beast will lose memory of the challenge process.] [Challenge Starts] Seeing the incredibly powerful opponent before her, Red Leaf''s forehead was suddenly drenched in cold sweat. District Spiritual Beast! As her own strength was not yet sufficient to encounter a District Spiritual Beast, her knowledge was minimal; even residing in Area 5149, she was unaware of the location of the local District Spiritual Beast. However, upon seeing the text before her and piecing together snippets from the Dream Realm Forum, Red Leaf quickly regained her composure and identified the key point. Territorial radius! The territory of the District Spiritual Beast in front of her was clearly centered around this lake and its shore areas; they had triggered the District Spiritual Beast challenge simply by straying into its territory. All they needed to do was to step back slightly and exit this area, which would automatically end the challenge. Understanding this, Red Leaf grabbed Evelyn and attempted to retreat. She didn''t budge. Evelyn turned around, her light blue eyes flashing with excitement and anticipation, pointing to a creature behind her. It was one of Evelyn''s two Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts, the Water Attribute Blue Abyssal Python. Red Leaf''s eyes widened as she realized something. Could it be that this District Spiritual Beast exactly corresponded to the resources needed for Blue Abyssal Python to advance? "I want to try!" Evelyn whispered gently, with a pleading look in her eyes. Although Red Leaf did not understand her words, she grasped the intention. "Alright!" Red Leaf clenched her teeth and pointed fiercely at the Blue Shell Water Turtle. A flash of light burst forth simultaneously from the Blue Shell Water Turtle and the bunny in her arms. Talent Effect of the spiritual scale, activated! Simultaneously, Red Leaf did not forget to leave a message in the guild channel. [Red Leaf (5149): Trouble! Evelyn and I encountered a District Spiritual Beast!] ----------------- "Ah!" In a Level A, 1-star Secret Realm, Yue Li, who was clearing the realm''s spiritual beasts with Qin Chuan, suddenly exclaimed, "Red Leaf and Evelyn are in danger!" "Hmm?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow, tapped on the guild channel, and realized, "Oh, they encountered a District Spiritual Beast. Don''t worry too much." "How can I not worry?" Yue Li frowned slightly. "District Spiritual Beasts are not easily defeated." "Did you forget Red Leaf''s talent?" Qin Chuan tapped Yue Li''s forehead with a smile, "Area 5149''s Spiritual Beast is Hall Rank Lv36 with a Race Value of 30000. Under the second Talent Effect of the spiritual scale, it will drop directly to 15000." "Evelyn has two maxed out Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts; two 10000s versus one 15000 is not without hope." "Moreover, Iron Hammer mentioned to me before that Evelyn''s talent is for enhancement, which increases their chances of winning." "Right, I almost forgot about the spiritual scale," Yue Li realized. Her tension was mainly due to recalling her and Qin Chuan''s first attempt at challenging a Hall Rank Lv36 Rapid Freeze Bird, where they had been defeated, making her subconsciously feel that Evelyn, accompanying the Official Level Player Red Leaf, would be at an even greater disadvantage. However, their actual situation was different. Their talents had distinct effects. Back then, she and Qin Chuan could only rely on their luck-based talent, while Red Leaf and Evelyn had talents to suppress their opponent and enhance themselves. As she pondered, new messages popped up in the guild channel. [Red Leaf (5149): We won!!!] ----------------- Iron Hammer stared at the message that popped up less than ten seconds after the previous one. He deleted the long speech he had been about to send, and his tense body relaxed rapidly. Winning was all that mattered. But in the next instant, Iron Hammer thought of something, and his expression slightly darkened. Yesterday, he had chatted with Evelyn about her Spiritual Beasts leveling up to Elite Rank and the Advanced Resources needed for advancement. At the time, Evelyn mentioned that one of the formidable local beasts she needed to challenge was in zone 5149, while others were quite distant. Iron Hammer had even joked that once Evelyn leveled up her third Contracted Spiritual Beast, Ascension would make challenging a local beast not too hard, allowing her to save some specific resources. Today, the two girls who went out looking for Contracted Spiritual Beasts happened to encounter the local beast. This was no coincidence. Sar?h the n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because just yesterday, Evelyn had asked him where the local beast of zone 5149 was. From Red Leaf''s reaction, it seemed she didn''t know about it. Iron Hammer couldn''t help but sigh. Evelyn, forgive me for not having the chance to teach you about friendship yet. It''s meant to be pure, sincere, and devoid of utilitarianism. ----------------- "How powerful!" Watching the giant aqua turtle smash heavily back into the lake, creating a massive wave, Red Leaf''s eyes sparkled as she admired the petite girl in front of her. After the Array took effect, she watched the two Spiritual Beasts'' powers soar, giving her the impression that either could defeat the aqua turtle alone. And indeed, as she had sensed, the two Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts quickly overcame the aqua turtle. The thought that she had participated in defeating the game zone''s most formidable local beast filled Red Leaf with joy at that moment. It was just a pity that not many people knew of her in-game identity yet, so she couldn''t boast about it in real life. But no matter! It would be just as good to share it with Uncle Iron Hammer back at the camp! Even though she had already mentioned it in the Guild channel, there were still plenty of details to share. Evelyn picked up the aqua blue Advanced Resource that had dropped and embedded it into the Blue Abyssal Python''s Advanced Array. Watching a fifth of the Array light up, her face also showed excitement. It was a success! Defeating the aqua turtle had saved her an optional Advanced Resource. She was now one step closer to Hall Rank. But her excitement faded slightly when she felt Red Leaf''s gaze. A tinge of guilt surfaced in Evelyn''s pale blue eyes. She had intentionally chosen the direction where the local beast was. But she hadn''t told Red Leaf about it. Evelyn didn''t fully understand what exploitation was, yet she could almost see Iron Hammer''s reproachful gaze. She pursed her lips, looking at Red Leaf who showed no signs of anger, her feelings of guilt grew stronger. "Evelyn, let''s head back to the Guild," Red Leaf said as she grabbed Evelyn''s hand, eager to tell Uncle Iron Hammer all about what had just happened. The word "Guild," now familiar in Chinese, sent a shiver through Evelyn''s heart. She hesitated for a moment, shook her head, then broke off a branch from a bush by the lakeside, and wrote a "C" on the ground, with five "" after it. Lifting her head to meet Red Leaf''s surprised eyes, the little girl waved her arms solemnly. Your C-level Secret Realm is in my hands now, Evelyn! Chapter 219 - 219: Instance Descends upon Reality! Inside the headquarters of the Special Affairs Group in Yanjing City, a meeting room was filled with people. Su Yuanshan stood on the podium, calmly announcing the results of the emergency investigation, with Chang Jinze, Ji Huai, and others among the attendees. "D-Level instance: Alabaka Mountain Range currently has the last 20 minutes left until the time limit for conquest, and it remains in a ''currently being conquered'' status." "This instance was refreshed at 9:30 AM three days ago and entered that status at 9:34 AM. At that time, we had already arranged manpower to track and statistically analyze the instance''s conquest status and quantity changes around the clock." "According to the tracking results, the Alabaka Mountain Range has been in a state of conquest for more than 71 hours, and the status has not been refreshed, even during the period when the entrance to the dream realm was open." "We have urgently screened the cases of missing Transcendents in the country over the past three days. Based on the current investigation results, there is a high probability that the Guide is not a player from Yanhuang Country." At the end of the investigation results, Su Yuanshan for the first time used a word indicating uncertainty. After all, it is impossible to be completely precise with investigations within a mere hour. Once Su Yuanshan finished reading, the entire meeting room fell silent. A moment later, an elder seated at the head of the room lightly cleared his throat, and everyone became solemn. This elder was not the strongest individual among the attendees, but he held a very high status; he was a heroic general who had fought for the country both in the south and the north, and after the Extraordinary Descent, had been appointed to lead the Special Affairs Group. The head of the Special Affairs Group, Zhai Weiguo. "Two things," even in his advanced age, Zhai Weiguo''s voice was still full of vigor, filling the meeting room without any need for an amplification device. "First, the descent of instances is not a disaster for just one family or one country; we must always be prepared for the aftermath, even if the descent is not in Yanhuang." "All the satellite forces we are able to deploy are in position." The head of the Extraordinary Equipment Department spoke solemnly from his seat, "The first generation of the Qintian Monitor satellite has entered its predetermined orbit, completed self-adjustment, and is operational." Hearing this, the atmosphere in the meeting room noticeably lifted. The Qintian Monitor first generation was an attempt by the Special Affairs Group''s Extraordinary Equipment Department to combine technology with the Transcendent, applied to a geosynchronous satellite. It boasted a monitoring capacity far superior to that of ordinary geosynchronous satellites. To see people walking on the streets with a satellite was an exaggerated claim for other satellites, but under the astonishing Transcendent monitoring capabilities of the Qintian Monitor first generation, it was no mere boast! Even before the instance had descended, the Qintian Monitor first generation had already completed its development. With the descent of the instance, three Qintian Monitor first generation satellites were swiftly completed in overtime and successfully launched into space, preliminarily achieving full coverage of Blue Star! With their presence, the Special Affairs Group was confident that they could determine the location of the instance in the shortest time after its descent! "Special Affairs Group personnel from various regions have already been dispersed into different areas of the city to ensure immediate response and maintenance of order and public safety if the instance descends within the borders of a Yanhuang City," another Extraordinary Coordination Department head spoke from his seat. "A special plane is already prepared, no matter where the instance appears, we will set out immediately," stated the head of the Extraordinary Combat Department calmly. The statements from the three senior officials brought a slight relief to Zhai Weiguo''s expression. "This is a disaster, but also an opportunity," he said slowly, setting the tone for the instance that had yet to be conquered, "The risk of instance descent exponentially increases with the number of instances, and the future is uncontrollable. We must be prepared more comprehensively." "D-Level instances are the weakest. If we can properly resolve this instance descent, then we will have more experience to confidently face the possibility of higher-level instances in the future." "However, all this is predicated on our understanding of why this D-Level instance has yet to be conquered." Zhai Weiguo''s voice paused slightly, then a murderous intent emerged on his aged face, seasoned by bloody battles, "If there is treachery among mankind, they must be executed!" As the words "they must be executed" echoed throughout the meeting room, everyone''s expression turned grave. A D-Level Secret Realm should be within the capability of Official Level Players to conquer smoothly, and even if they couldn''t, it shouldn''t take this long without emerging. There must be something wrong. And the most likely explanation was that someone was doing this deliberately. In the face of calamity, if such a traitor truly existed, they deserved death without exception. Sarch* The novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Head of the Group, according to the statistical analysis of other instances, there is another instance displaying a similar situation to the Alabaka Mountain Range," Su Yuanshan pondered for a moment before speaking. Instantly, everyone''s gaze turned to him. Zhai Weiguo''s eyes sharpened, "How long? What Level?" "This instance has 25 hours and 13 minutes left until the time limit for conquest," Su Yuanshan said with a grave voice. "Just like with the Alabaka Mountain Range, it entered the ''currently being conquered'' status shortly after refreshing and has remained so ever since." The second day''s instance? It seemed that today they only needed to deal with this one instance. But before the crowd could relax, the second half of Su Yuanshan''s statement hit like a sledgehammer. "Its Level is B-Level." Zhai Weiguo fell silent instantly, and the expressions of the others also fluctuated. To stay within an instance for dozens of hours without defeating the instance boss suggested a strength that, at the very least, exceeded that of the instance boss. In other words, one''s own power had to surpass that of the instance. While it wasn''t completely impossible to do this in a D-Level instance, the weakest of instances, For a B-Level instance... The eyes of everyone in the room could not help but sweep over Ji Huai. At this stage, excluding possible candidates who could achieve this, it was nigh impossible for others to keep a B-Level instance in a state of conquest. However... If the conjecture of human treachery was overturned, then another likely explanation would have consequences far more terrifying than the prospect of a human traitor. "Wait!" Zhai Weiguo''s voice was firm as he glanced at the time, "Ten more minutes." "In ten minutes, all will be revealed!" ----------------- While the Special Affairs Group headquarters was in the midst of an urgent and intense meeting, on the flight route from Changxing City to Yanjing City, an airplane was completing its ascent, transitioning from the troposphere to the high-stratosphere region at tens of thousands of meters. Qin Chuan opened the window shade next to him, slightly dazzled by the sunlight that, unobstructed by clouds, gilded the layer of clouds beneath the plane with a radiant golden sheen. He was a bit lost in thought. This was his first time on an airplane. He, who had deliberately purchased a first-class ticket, was feeling the novelty of this brand new experience. The golden sunlight, passing through the sealed window, spilled onto the handsome face of the young man, also giving his face a golden glow, drawing frequent glances from the flight attendants in the first-class cabin. But this peaceful and beautiful moment was short-lived. The airplane, which had been flying steadily, suddenly jolted violently. Then, cries of alarm erupted from various locations throughout the cabin. "What... what is that?!" Chapter 220 - 220 Scream Reemerges, Ominousness Restarts! At the moment the turbulence struck, Qin Chuan was startled. Because he had never flown before, he had done some homework in advance. Turbulence during a flight often occurs during the ascent and descent stages; the troposphere is the most dangerous for aircraft taking off from the ground. The higher stratosphere, on the other hand, doesn''t experience turbulence or other problems. And at this moment, the airplane was in the stratosphere! As exclamations rose and fell, Qin Chuan caught sight at the very edge of his window view of countless mirage-like illusory scenes slowly descending as if colliding with Blue Star, ultimately leaving behind a gaping black hole. Its appearance was so sudden, as if two worlds had overlapped in an instant. "That is" Qin Chuan''s expression changed, and he immediately looked at the instance list. [D-Rank instance, Alabaka Mountain Range, not conquered within 72 hours, has descended into reality.] [Dream World has lost control over this instance, Rank suppression has disappeared, instance Rank reassessed as: C-rank, will continue to rise over time.] The instance has descended after 72 hours without being conquered, and its level has increased... Qin Chuan quickly looked toward the hole that was rapidly enlarging outside the window as the plane continued on its course. The scene within the hole was gradually becoming visible, with monstrous-looking creatures moving around inside it, seemingly aware of the hole''s existence and trying to break through. "Dinglingling" The urgent ring of a telephone brought Qin Chuan back to his senses. It was Chang Jinze making the call. "The situation is urgent, can you take action?" Chang Jinze spoke very quickly, "There happen to be Special Affairs Group personnel on the plane, if you are willing to take action, they can coordinate with you." "If you are not willing to take action, our people will arrive as soon as possible, just help the Special Affairs Group on the plane maintain order." "According to the flight path, the plane will brush past the instance but will not collide." Almost as soon as Chang Jinze finished speaking, three figures rushed forward from the economy class behind them, showing identification to Qin Chuan and nodding slightly. Could it really be that instance that''s descended... Qin Chuan raised his eyes to look forward at the hole; as the distance closed, he clearly noticed that the creatures inside the instance were beginning to gather. Although they were at an altitude of ten thousand meters, among those instance creatures were many capable of flight, so height would not limit them. By the time the Special Affairs Group sent more people, the difficulty of surrounding those instance creatures once they escaped would be substantially higher, and there was no guarantee that some wouldn''t slip through the net. Not to mention, the instance level seemed to still be on the rise. Who knows how fast this "over time" could be? "How do we get there?" Qin Chuan glanced outside the window. "Don''t worry! We have a way!" Chang Jinze let out a sigh of relief, then spoke in a serious tone, "Chen Zhonghao has a flight skill; he''ll accompany you the whole way." "We will also arrive as soon as possible, ready to provide support." Qin Chuan looked at one of the three tall and slender members of the Special Affairs Group and nodded slightly, "Okay." After hanging up the phone, Qin Chuan looked at the three of them, "I will take action." "Mr. Qin, I have already communicated with the pilot and the cabin crew," one of them said in a deep voice, "We will use extraordinary abilities to open an exit pathway that doesn''t affect the flight without influencing navigation, with Chen Zhonghao leading you into the instance." "Let''s start." The situation was urgent, Qin Chuan did not waste time with words. The three acted swiftly, the man who had communicated earlier now pressing one hand against the window next to Qin Chuan, the high-strength alloy rapidly disintegrating. Around the glass he clutched, a portal formed instantly big enough for two to pass through. Another person quickly acted, Wind Attribute power bursting forth, forcibly equalizing the terrible pressure difference inside and outside the plane. "Mr. Qin, please follow me," Chen Zhonghao gave Qin Chuan a "trust me" look. Qin Chuan glanced at the Sun Needle skill among his carried skills, grabbed the man''s hands, and leaped out amid the exclamations of countless passengers. "Shhhh" Sear?h the N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the sound of the wind breaking, Chen Zhonghao sprouted a pair of Wind''s Feathered Wings from his back and, with a forceful flap, headed straight toward the dungeon entrance with Qin Chuan in tow. The disassembled alloy quickly reconstituted, sealing the portal in an instant. The man with the Gold Attribute put the windowpane back with not a crack to spare, while the man controlling the air currents withdrew his hands promptly. The two exchanged worried glances, looking at both individuals who had disappeared into the dungeon''s maw before turning their heads simultaneously. "Everyone, stay calm! The Special Affairs Group is handling this unexpected event! Put down your phones, photography is prohibited!" ----------------- [Dungeon: Alabaka Mountain Range] [Dungeon Intro: This is the ancestral land where those lost in consciousness will inevitably arrive. It''s a place the myriad beings of Frost Leaf Territory are loath to enter. Despite not being dangerous, it seems to hold some unknown menace.] [Dungeon Level: C Rank] [Player Talent: Sun Needle (Gold)] [Wearing Title: [Violet] Undead Terminator] [Boundary Entry/Exit Rank Cap: Elite Rank] [Warning 1: The dungeon has exceeded the time limit for clearances and has transformed into a dungeon passageway. Over time, the dungeon boundaries will continue to weaken, and the entry/exit rank cap will increase.] [Warning 2: After the transformation into a dungeon passageway, all native creatures within the dungeon must be killed and the passageway core destroyed to close the passage. The core will be revealed once all native creatures are slain.] [Warning 3: After the dungeon passage transformation, Dungeon Talents are reverted to Player Talents.] [00:00:31] Qin Chuan calmly watched as each line of text appeared, then his gaze next second fell upon the countless dungeon creatures coming and going in his direction. These dungeon creatures seemed alive, but their eyes were soulless, their movements sluggish, as if under some sort of control. Even as they saw Qin Chuan and Chen Zhonghao enter, there was no change in their expressions, only a growing sense of oppression as they approached. "What do I need to do?" Chen Zhonghao swallowed and spoke in a deep voice. "Guard the entrance," Qin Chuan stepped forward. "Crack" He drew forth the Dragon Slayer Blade from Salas, freezing numerous beings in place. Dungeon Talents reverted to Player Talents? The timing was perfect. After dispatching all the native creatures within the dungeons limits as if chopping vegetables, a golden glint flickered in the depths of Qin Chuan''s eyes. Sun Needle''s second Talent, activate. A ten-thousand-meter radius of resource exploration engulfed the entire Alabaka Mountain Range, which was much smaller than the area of an A Rank dungeon. Qin Chuan flashed several times, grasped a nondescript stone hidden among a pile of boulders, and crushed it. The entire Alabaka Mountain Range roared violently, and Qin Chuan distinctly saw the light membrane signifying the dungeon boundaries flash brightly. The power of teleportation descended in an instant, an unpredictable force that was about to transport Qin Chuan out of this place. Is it over? Qin Chuan felt a sense of relief, but the next moment, as if sensing something, he turned to look beside him. A figure shrouded in a tattered Black Robe stood outside the dungeon boundary, a hand pressed against the light membrane. He looked up at Qin Chuan. A chilling scream filled with madness and despair, sharp enough to instinctively discomfort, rang out in Qin Chuan''s mind in an instant. Below the hood of the Black Robe, a delicate face bore a fierce smile. Qin Chuan had never seen that face before. But he had seen that smile. Chapter 223 - 223: The Vice President is Actually My Roommate?! "Hello, I''m Lin Yue." Upon entering the dormitory, Lin Yue saw Qiao Chang, whom she had already met before registration, a tall girl with a high ponytail, and another girl with long black hair in a short skirt. The latter must be another roommate, Song Yuxin. "Hi!" Song Yuxin stepped forward to take Lin Yue''s hand, "Ever since the college entrance exam scores came out a few days ago, I''ve heard your name so many times!" "But back then, I only knew the name and didn''t even see a photo." Song Yuxin looked thoughtfully at Yue Li, and then smiled, "Now I finally get to see the true face of Mount Lu." "Now that Lin Yue is here, shouldn''t we add each other as friends?" Qiao Chang shook her smartphone and spoke with a smile, "Let''s create a roommate group chat. If there''s anything, just say it in the group, and we can help each other out in no time." The atmosphere in the dormitory went slightly strange for a moment after Qiao Chang spoke those last few words. After all, out of the four girls present, Lin Yue appeared to be the one who needed help the most. However, this mood lasted only a brief moment. Zheng Xiaoyu was the first to open up her QR code, eagerly facing the other three girls, "Scan me, scan me!" With that, any slight strangeness evaporated. Friendship between girls develops uniquely quickly. After adding each other and creating a roommate group chat, the four girls got familiar with one another in a very short time and stopped calling each other by full names. Initially, the other three girls were a bit reserved when interacting with Lin Yue, but when they saw that Lin Yue was very open about her situation, they also relaxed quite a bit. "Yueyue, won''t it be troublesome to eat with your mask always on?" Qiao Chang finally couldn''t help but ask the question she had been curious about for a long time. Hearing this question, the other two girls also quieted down and looked curiously at Lin Yue. They had the same doubt, but it seemed inappropriate to ask. After all, what if the reason Lin Yue wore the mask was related to some flaw in her appearance? Wouldn''t that be poking at the sore spot of someone else? Looking at the three curious girls, a smile formed on Lin Yue''s face beneath the mask, "Actually, it''s not necessary to always wear it. I can take it off in the dormitory." "Due to some personal reasons, I just don''t want too many people to see my face for now." "Hold on a second." With that, Lin Yue took out her phone. A few seconds later, Zheng Xiaoyu''s phone vibrated. Zheng Xiaoyu instinctively glanced at it and then couldn''t help but widen her eyes. Lin Yue, who had just added her as a friend and exchanged greetings on the communication app, had suddenly sent her a message. "Red Leaf, make sure you don''t blow my cover later, okay~" Not to blow Lin Yue''s cover... Wait a minute! How did Lin Yue know her gaming name?! Zheng Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. When she looked up and saw Lin Yue''s smiling eyes as she took off the mask, she was even more stunned. That face! That face!!! She almost blurted out the name "Yue Li," but the message Lin Yue had just sent privately popped into her mind, and she stopped herself. No way... the vice president is actually my roommate?! What kind of magic twist is this?! On the other side, Qiao Chang and Song Yuxin couldn''t help but exclaim in surprise. "Yueyue, you''re so beautiful!" Qiao Chang gasped, hastily walking over to Lin Yue and poking at her soft cheek, her eyes gradually lighting up. She was already braced for the worst, but Lin Yue''s face beneath the mask was nothing like she had imagined! "Now I understand why you wear a mask," Song Yuxin said helplessly, shaking her head, "Without it, if the three of us went out with you, we''d all be overshadowed by you." "That''s an exaggeration," Lin Yue said with a light smile, then her expression grew a bit more serious, "Please keep this a secret for me. I don''t want my appearance to attract too much attention for now." Qiao Chang and Song Yuxin nodded, taking it that Lin Yue''s appearance was so outstanding that she wanted to keep a low profile and didn''t give it much thought. But when Zheng Xiaoyu heard this, she was taken aback. That''s right, she''d almost forgotten that Yue Li was not only the vice president of their Guild but also one of the only two Hall-Level Players in the world. The player who had the attention of the entire world, to this day, no one knew Yue Li''s true identity. And Lin Yue, like herself, had an appearance that hardly changed between reality and the Dream World. If Lin Yue''s look drew the attention of many, her identity would no longer be a secret. Thinking of such dire consequences, Zheng Xiaoyu''s face immediately turned serious, and she nodded firmly, "Don''t worry, I absolutely, absolutely will not let anyone know your appearance!" The sincerity of her near oath made Qiao Chang and Song Yuxin cast surprised glances her way. "Then, thank you so much," Lin Yue said, taking Zheng Xiaoyu''s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Yueyue, does that mean you can only eat meals packed from the cafeteria in your room?" Qiao Chang asked with concern. "Yes," Lin Yue nodded, "Because of my illness, I need to eat lightly, and normally getting takeout from the cafeteria is fine." "That''s a shame," Qiao Chang said with a hint of regret, "I was planning to have dinner together with everyone tonight." "Dinner together?" Song Yuxin looked at Qiao Chang in surprise, "Where? Just us?" "There''s a great barbecue place outside the west school gate," Qiao Chang smiled, "And it''s not just us. I have a high school friend who I''m really close with. We''ve arranged to bring our roommates along for the meal, sort of like a small dormitory mixer." "He''s a Major in Extraordinary Practical Combat, and I''ve heard there are quite a few handsome guys in that major!" Upon hearing this, Song Yuxin''s expression showed she was tempted, "Count me in." "I..." Zheng Xiaoyu looked a bit troubled. It sounded intriguing, but if she went too, Lin Yue would be left alone in the dorm. What if Lin Yue needed help... "Xiaoyu, you should go too," Seeing Zheng Xiaoyu''s conflict, Lin Yue said with a light laugh, "When Chang Chang mentioned barbecue, I saw you swallow." "No, I didn''t!" Zheng Xiaoyu said, a bit embarrassed. Because she had actually swallowed at that moment. "Don''t worry, I can take care of myself," Lin Yue patted Zheng Xiaoyu''s hand gently, her voice soft, "Though movement is difficult for me, we are Transcendents after all." This reminded Zheng Xiaoyu. Thinking of how the girl in front of her was a Hall-Level Player yet had difficulty moving, Zheng Xiaoyu felt quite reassured and was inclined to check it out. "Then, I''ll go take a look," "Yueyue, whenever you need help, just call me!" "Don''t worry," Lin Yue''s smile grew wider, "If I really need help, I won''t hesitate to ask." ----------------- "Finally finished," Qin Chuan sighed with relief after spending half the afternoon completing the entire new student registration process. Carrying a bag of documents, he walked toward the dormitory building. Sarch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The phone rang at just the right moment, and seeing "Feng Yin" on the caller ID, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow. This seemed to be the first time the person had called him directly. Choosing to answer, Qin Chuan put the phone to his ear. Soon Feng Yin''s voice came through. "We''ve made new research progress on the instance channel." Qin Chuan''s expression became serious. This was something he had to listen to carefully. Chapter 224 - 224: Investigating Ominous Signs, Trap Instance! Qin Chuan glanced around and found a secluded corner to stand in. "Could you be more specific?" "The Player you brought out has regained consciousness," Feng Yin said succinctly. "Unfortunately, even the strongest healing type Transcendent from the Special Affairs Group couldn''t help; he was eroded by an inexplicable power." "He lost his life just a few minutes after waking up." "A few minutes should have been enough for you to understand the true reason the instance manifested, right?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow. "Indeed," Feng Yin spoke with a heavier tone, "But this is not good news." "Normally, Players who realize they are outmatched can choose ''Abandon this challenge'' at any time to be directly teleported out." "Even during combat, instance creatures can''t stop this teleportation power." "But this Player was eroded by a special power called an ''ominous presence'' due to an accident during exploration." "This erosion instantly stripped him of the ability to control himself. Although he was still conscious, he couldn''t choose to abandon the challenge and leave." A cold sweat broke out on Qin Chuan''s forehead. Sear?h the ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ominous presence... He too had entered an instance with this power! An A-rank instance, Screaming Demon Lake! Did this mean that he could have potentially followed in that Player''s footsteps without being aware of it?! Thinking of the dark, extremely off-putting presence and thinking of Kasakaban, who was eroded by it, Qin Chuan couldn''t help but feel a surge of fear and stood silently in place. On the other hand, Feng Yin hadn''t noticed Qin Chuan''s unusual silence. "There are only three possibilities when an instance ends the ''In Progress'' status," he paused slightly, "First, the Player meets the minimum challenge requirements and successfully completes the instance." "Second, the Player gives up on the challenge and teleports out of the instance." "Third, the Player dies during the challenge." "The ominous erosion stopped that Player from giving up the challenge and leaving. However, this erosion wouldn''t kill him immediately, it just turned him into a sort of living dead, maintaining basic life signs while constantly eroding his life." "So, the D-rank instance Alabaka Mountain Range remains in an ''In Progress'' state, inaccessible for other Players to challenge." "This issue is very dangerous." Feng Yin''s voice grew even more solemn, "After discovery, we immediately investigated and found several instances that have been ''In Progress'' for a long time, and also found references to ''ominous'' in some previous instances." "This means this Player-eroding power exists in many instances." "Once a Player enters an instance and encounters the ominous presence and is eroded by it, the result could be the instance manifesting immediately after the challenge time limit ends." Qin Chuan looked serious, "Is it possible to have Players enter instances in teams as much as possible so they can look out for each other? If a companion is eroded, they can respond immediately." "Regrettably, that''s not possible," Feng Yin spoke gravely, "Because all instances that mention ''ominous'' have one thing in common." "They only allow one person to enter the challenge." "What we can currently do is to quickly make this information public so that more Players will give up the challenge at the first sight of the words ''ominous presence.''" "Then, we''ll try to send higher First Rank Players in to ensure safety." "We can only contain but not completely prevent the Players from being eroded by the ominous presence," Feng Yin sighed softly, "But that''s all we can do." Instances faced Players globally. How could the Special Affairs Group get everyone to listen to them? That''s unrealistic. There are just too many fools in this world who court death. "There''s always something better than doing nothing," Qin Chuan exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly began speaking. "Indeed," Feng Yin''s tone shifted, "Furthermore, we have made some discoveries about the coming of instances." "The instances after they descend have a significant difference from those attempted within the time limit." "Based on the method of killing all the native creatures, destroying the passage core, and the existence of entry restrictions, we have a bold hypothesis." "The instances after they descend are passages that connect Blue Star with the Otherworld." "Beyond the range of the instance lies the Otherworld." "Or perhaps, the instance is a part of the Otherworld, simply transformed into an instance under the influence of special forces." "Therefore, the creatures from the Otherworld can pass through the instance''s boundary into the instance and then use the instance as a stepping stone to enter Blue Star." "The boundary of the instance poses obstacles to powerful beings; those stronger than the restriction level cannot pass through, which is the meaning behind the entry restrictions." Hearing this, Qin Chuan showed a contemplative expression. He thought of the final moment today when he destroyed that passage, the black robe standing outside the boundary, staring at him. The other party had not been able to act against him, probably because of the entry restrictions. At that time, the entry restriction only allowed the Elite Rank to pass through, while the other party''s strength greatly exceeded this level. With just a cursory glance, he had confirmed that the other''s strength far surpassed that of the Lake Bottom Death DemonKasakaban, even after merging with the "core." Thinking of the opponent''s grin, identical to that of Kasakaban, sent a chill through Qin Chuan''s heart. "The worst news is that the entry restrictions will rise over time," Feng Yin continued speaking, "So even the lowest-level instances could potentially allow very powerful Otherworld creatures into Blue Star if their gateways aren''t dealt with quickly." "There will be a new instance gateway appearing at ten-thirty tomorrow morning," Feng Yin said gravely, "It is a B-ranked instance with a player limit of one." "If it transforms into an instance gateway, the risk is great as the grade and strength of the native creatures inside might increase." "Qin Chuan, we need your help." "If needed," Qin Chuan was silent for a moment, "I''ll give it my all." The formation of an instance gateway was a crisis for all of Blue Star. He had no reason to remain indifferent. After discussing the details for a while, Feng Yin hung up the phone. Qin Chuan tucked his phone back into his pocket, rubbed his cheeks, and then strode towards the dormitory building. Pushing open the dorm room''s door, three boys were already chatting away inside. Besides Yu Zhao and Zhou Xiaochen, whom he had already met, there was another tall, well-proportioned young man with a sunny and hearty appearance. "Wow, look at this handsome guy!" The man laughed heartily upon seeing Qin Chuan and strode forward, "Looks like I might have to hand over my title of ''king of dorm 602''!" "Du He''an," he reached out a hand towards Qin Chuan. "Qin Chuan," Qin Chuan shook hands with him, and the two made each other''s acquaintance. "With you here, our dorm 602 has got someone to hold down the fort tonight!" Du He''an laughed, with Zhou Xiaochen nodding in agreement beside him. Even the usually silent Yu Zhao looked somewhat intrigued. "There''s an event tonight?" Qin Chuan asked curiously. "Yes, a dorm mixer!" Du He''an winked at Qin Chuan, "I''ve got a high school friend who majors in Extraordinary Theory, and I''ve arranged for our two dorms to have dinner together." Chapter 225 - 225 Qin Chuan: How is Red Leaf Here? (May 450 Monthly Ticket Bonus) "Gathering for a meal, huh..." Qin Chuan stroked his chin, his face revealing a trace of interest. Throughout the three years of high school, he only occasionally went all out at a restaurant outside of school with Little Fatty. Those classmate dinner parties and the like seemed to be a world away from him. Before entering Yan University, he had already decided to take this opportunity to make up for some past deficits that he had always longed for. Though these things might feel somewhat distant to him, already one of the only two Hall Level Players in the world, they might still hold significance. Everyone needs pursuits beyond their power, if only for the emotional value. "I''m not that interested in social mixers, so you wouldn''t mind if I just bring my mouth to eat, right?" "Of course not!" Du He''an smiled, "Today''s gathering is for barbecue, that barbecue restaurant is quite famous at Yan University. A barbecue wrap stuffed into a pancake and taking a big bite... Man, you''ll never forget that taste." "Just listening to you makes me crave it." Qin Chuan said dryly, actually looking forward to the restaurant they were going to for the gathering. "It''s about time, too. We lads can''t arrive later than the ladies," Du He''an checked his watch, "Let''s set off now!" ----------------- Soon, Du He''an, leading Qin Chuan and the other two, arrived at a barbecue restaurant. Just upon entering, Qin Chuan believed a bit in what Du He''an had described. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Strictly speaking, it wasn''t yet mealtime, but the barbecue restaurant was already full. Each seated pair, male and female alike, appeared to be college-aged, including not just Yan University students but also students from other nearby institutes. The rich barbecue scent that hit their faces made the four of them, hungry already, swallow their saliva simultaneously. "I''ve booked a private room in advance, this way." Du He''an was apparently well-prepared. Sitting in the private room, Du He''an started to fill the other three in on the situation. "Qiao Chang and I have been classmates for six years, from junior through high school. We discussed and organized this mixer. We''re all from the Extraordinary Practical Combat Major, and Qiao Chang''s dorm is from the Extraordinary Theory Major." "I hear our courses are pretty similar, just with different emphases." "We also need to learn the Extraordinary Theory stuff, but I reckon, like me, most of you are poor students, right?" "That''s not quite right; I somehow managed to get admitted with a score just above the tier one cutoff..." Zhou Xiaochen muttered unwillingly, shrinking his head a bit as he saw everyone else''s gaze turning to him, "Okay, fine, I''m a poor student." "Students from the Extraordinary Practical Combat Major, ninety percent of them obtained B-level evaluations," Du He''an said, shaking his head helplessly. "The pot can''t call the kettle black. Based solely on academic scores, we definitely wouldn''t meet the cut." "I got injured during the practical assessments and didn''t perform well on the college entrance exam. If it weren''t for the two-tier concession, it would''ve been touch and go." "So, knowing a few academic high achievers to ask questions when we don''t understand could be helpful. And if we could develop feelings in the process of discussing knowledge points..." Du He''an gave the other three a knowing look. "I don''t have a practical combat rating, but they might not be as good as me," Yu Zhao chimed in all of a sudden, casting an awkward silence over the room. Damn it, a top student snuck in among the poor ones! Du He''an pointed at Yu Zhao, speechless for a moment, and after a deep sigh, he patted his shoulder, "Yu Zhao, you''re not going to make friends that way." "Qin Chuan, you didn''t get in on your raw score alone, did you?" Zhou Xiaochen cast a skeptical look at Qin Chuan, "You, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, you''re not a hidden top student, are you?" "Me?" Qin Chuan tactically drank some water, then set down his glass, "Recommended." "Damn! An A-level big shot!" Zhou Xiaochen and Du He''an''s eyes widened, even Yu Zhao''s gaze towards Qin Chuan took on a hint of surprise. Managing to get recommended status for practical assessments at Yan University, how impressive was that? "I heard that in our cohort at the Extraordinary Practical Combat Major, out of 809 students, only 43 were recommended," Zhou Xiaochen spoke faintly. "That many?" Qin Chuan sounded surprised, "To think there would be so many." Three people: "..." What should I do? I really feel like hitting someone. "Actually, it''s not many." Du He''an shook his head and gave a bitter smile. "This is Yan University; just randomly pick a student, and they were among the top of their city during high school." "43 recommended spots, spread across each province, even two per province would be somewhat insufficient." Qin Chuan understood and realized he had been thinking off track. "Knock, knock, knock~" A crisp knocking came from the door of the private room. In the next instant, it swung open, and a tall girl with a high ponytail had not yet entered the room when her voice drifted in, "What are you talking about? Did I just hear something about a recommendation?" "One of our roommates was recommended for admission," Du He''an stood up, "Let me introduce you, this is my old classmate, Qiao Chang." "Hello!" Qiao Chang waved with a smile, quickly glancing over the other three people, then point at Qin Chuan with a chuckle, "Then my guess is that it''s this classmate who was recommended, right?" "How did you know?" Du He''an asked, surprised. Qin Chuan and the others were also somewhat taken aback. "Because out of the four of you, he''s the most handsome!" Qiao Chang declared with confidence, and her reason made everyone feel a mix of amusement and speechlessness. "Alright, alright, come in!" After the jest, Qiao Chang waved towards the door. Two beautiful girls swiftly walked in. One of them had long black hair that reached her waist and a subtle smile on her face, which added bonus points to her girl-next-door charm. The other, with ear-length short hair, had a pretty appearance matched with a dash of a spirited temperament. As the two girls entered the private room, the atmosphere instantly heated up. Zhou Xiaochen couldn''t help but take a sharp breath, his gaze firmly fixed on the girl with long straight black hair, unwilling to look away for a long time. On the other hand, Yu Zhao, still expressionless, occasionally glanced at the three girls, his small actions proving he was not as calm as he appeared on the surface. Recently freed from the hardships of their final year of high school, most young men and women nurtured the simplest of desires: to set a modest goal for their wonderful college life. To fall in love. Although by the time they graduated from college, very few had achieved that goal. Only Qin Chuan, at this moment, had a particularly odd expression. He couldn''t help but take a glance at the short-haired girl, followed by a second look, and then a third. No... Why is Red Leaf here?! "Is your dorm missing a person?" Du He''an chuckled, teasing his old classmate, "Why didn''t you wait for them to come along? Did you have a fallout?" "Don''t stir up trouble in our harmonious dorm relationship," Qiao Chang glanced sidelong at Du He''an, "Lin Yue couldn''t make it, later I''ll pack some tasty food for her to take back." "Put it on my tab!" "Sure, sure," Du He''an raised his hands in mock surrender. "Lin Yue?" Yu Zhao suddenly spoke up, "The science subject top scorer from Yanjing City?" "Right," Qiao Chang nodded. "It''s her! No wonder she couldn''t come to the dinner," Zhou Xiaochen couldn''t contain his curiosity, "I heard that she wore a mask when she went to take her college entrance exams. Did you guys get to see what she looks like?" "Ah! I''m so hungry," Zheng Xiaoyu pitifully rubbed her stomach, "I feel like I could eat an entire cow." "Then let''s order first," Du He''an said with a smile, "Order the cow." Laughter filled the private room. Zhou Xiaochen, the one who had laughed the most, was so distracted by the interruption that he completely forgot about his earlier question. Chapter 227 - 227: Is the Cost Too High? UnfreePat was a creature bound by dozens of thick chains deep in Prison Valley, his body covered with scales and fur. He possessed both human and beastly features, a symbol of the Half-demon Clan. It hadn''t taken Qin Chuan much time to find and kill him. Or rather, it was after the killing that the real challenge began. Behind Pat, surrounded by mountains, was a massive cavern entrance, standing over ten meters tall. All signs indicated that Pat was merely a bound guardian, a pitiful "Unfree." Entering the cave, Qin Chuan carried the dungeon clue "Immortal Candle Lamp" he had obtained earlier, using its faint light to see stone cells dug into the cave walls. There wasn''t even a notch for torches, seemingly no means for lighting at all. If the extreme criminals once imprisoned here had to live in enduring darkness, it was indeed a terrifying thought. By now, these stone cells no longer housed any living creatures, but the corpses of those who had been imprisoned here had not been cleared away. Illuminated by the lamp, Qin Chuan saw the ferocity and agony of these corpses before their death, a vast despair still perceptible through their dried flesh and blood. With the help of the first clue from the Sun Needle, he quickly found the second dungeon clue. It was a somewhat special stone chamber within the cave, equipped with flat tables and bookshelves, and a slot that perfectly fit the "Immortal Candle Lamp." Clearly, this chamber was not meant for imprisoning the vicious criminals. "Congratulations Player, you''ve obtained a dungeon clue: Prison Director''s Imprisonment Records." Prison Director? There indeed was such an entity. Qin Chuan looked at the books neatly arranged on the shelves; the Otherworld script had already been translated into Chinese, showing a sequence of dates correlating with imprisonment dates. He randomly pulled out a binder and opened it, seeing the record at the very top. "Heavenly Dome Calendar 3828, January 12, Solras of the Dead Ghost Clan, incarcerated in stone cell number 742 of Prison Valley, as prisoner number 742." "Prisoner 742 in the cell..." The details that followed were a horrifying recount of the imprisonment process. Right after his imprisonment, the one named Solras had all his powers stripped away. In this lightless cave prison, he was only allowed to "feed" at set times each day. This feeding wasn''t from the wardens providing food, but rather temporarily opening each stone cell''s doors, sealing the entire cell block, allowing prisoners to come into contact with one another. The prisoners here were both the feeders and the food itself. After the "feeding" time ended, only those who were still alive were taken back to their cells, awaiting the next "feeding" time. After a mere 22 days, the Dead Ghost named Solras perished amidst wails. And he was not an exception. Qin Chuan browsed through other criminals'' records, very few survived past 30 days in this place. After reviewing dozens of records, and as his dungeon clearance rating increased to S, Qin Chuan carried the "Immortal Candle Lamp" deeper into the cave. In the deeper parts of the cave, he finally saw other living beings besides Pat; they were prisoners of various clans, their bodies maimed, faces twisted in madness. The coincidentally arriving "feeding time" caused all the stone cell doors to open, the ravenous prisoners irrationally lunging at the newly arrived Qin Chuan, only to be annihilated. In their moment of death, there was no pain on their faces, only a color of liberation in their sudden clarity. While the rating increased to SS, the words from the dungeon introduction flashed through Qin Chuan''s mind. "And now, Prison Valley has found new meaning; it is the extreme criminals'' last redemption before plunging into despair." A ridiculous thought suddenly surged in his mind. To die in Prison Valley, is it truly a redemption for the extremely vicious? If that was the case... Just how terrifying is Semia Abyss? Looking at the stone pathway not far ahead, which was clearly excavated later than the stone prison, Qin Chuan took a deep breath. During the battle, he noticed that the frenzied prisoners were doing their utmost to stay away from the entrance of that pathway, as if there was something there that they were extremely afraid of. He had a premonition that on the other side of the pathway lay the Semia Abyss. Gripping the "Immortal Candle Lamp" tightly in his hand, Qin Chuan stepped into the passageway, where the echoes of wails and despair seemed to be eternally sealed within, resounding throughout the passage endlessly. After advancing several hundred meters, Qin Chuan was blocked by a hazy light membrane. That was the boundary of the instance. On the other side of the light membrane, the blood lights flickering in the darkness revealed a corner of a hellish scene, with terrifying creatures looking this way, causing the hair on Qin Chuan''s body to stand on end instantly. "Congratulations Player for achieving Advanced Clearance Requirements: First Glimpse into the Abyss, Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: SSS." "Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SSS." After collecting the instance rewards, Qin Chuan reappeared in the dormitory, displaying a thoughtful expression. He had initially thought that the Prison Valley, ranked the same B-level as the Evil Demon Forest, would allow him to enter the Semia Abyss to gather the three treasures required to mix "Disease Cleansing Spirit Water" from Clary''s Gift. But it seemed he had underestimated the difficulty. And greatly so. Just from a fleeting glimpse, Qin Chuan could be certain that the Semia Abyss was a profoundly terrifying place. If this was also an instance, then its level was definitely beyond A. "Clary," Qin Chuan thought of the woman with moon-blue skin and silver-white hair, and couldn''t help but sigh softly. "Is the cost of your Disease Cleansing Spirit Water a bit too high?" ----------------- In the girls'' dormitory on the other side, Lin Yue listened with a smile as Zheng Xiaoyu and the other two roommates chatted back and forth, recounting the fun stories from the dormitory mixer, while she finished the barbecue packed for her. "That restaurant''s barbecue is really delicious," Lin Yue said seriously. "Right?" Qiao Chang laughed, "Knowing you prefer lighter flavors, I specifically asked them to use as little chili and cumin as possible." "That was just right." Lin Yue stuck out her tongue and licked the lingering taste from her lips, "How much was it?" "No need to split the bill, someone has already treated us!" Song Yuxin laughed, "Qin Chuan secretly paid the bill." Lin Yue memorized this name. If there''s a chance, she needed to say thank you. After the four girls washed up, they each got into bed, chatting intermittently about gossip and their own experiences until late into the night. Once the dormitory quieted down, Lin Yue thought for a moment and picked up her mobile phone to send a message. A buzzing sound came from the bed next to her head. Zheng Xiaoyu opened her phone. "Lin Yue: After entering the Dream World, can you keep it a secret if you see Luo?" "Lin Yue: He is also at Yan University, but I don''t want him to know about my situation yet." "Eh?" Zheng Xiaoyu''s eyes widened, she couldn''t help but raise her head to look at Lin Yue, then laid her head back down on the pillow. Got it! The vice-chairman doesn''t want the chairman to know she is in a wheelchair! After all, the vice-chairman just mentioned that she should be able to walk normally soon. Sar?h the novlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No wonder the vice-chairman wants to wear a mask to hide her identity. Her secret, I must keep it well! Determination appeared in Zheng Xiaoyu''s eyes. "Zheng Xiaoyu: No problem!" Chapter 228 - 228: Top Ten Guilds, New Hall Level! Dream World. As soon as Qin Chuan regained consciousness, he immediately accessed the Secret Realm Information. After solving two more A-Rank 1-star Secret Realms, he would have gathered six Epic resources needed for Water Flower''s advancement, combined with the equipment already upgraded to Moon Halo Level 10, which could enable Water Flower to achieve an Epic Rank breakthrough. Not only that, Water Flower''s Affinity had reached 99% due to their constant companionship and successive rounds of equipment crafting and enhancement. If nothing unexpected occurred, she would breakthrough at the same moment. 100% Affinity meant he was one step closer to Spirit Descent. Because his focus was on choosing a Secret Realm, Qin Chuan didn''t notice the exchange of glances between Yue Li and Red Leaf when they entered the Dream World. Soon, he looked up, seeing Yue Li approaching. "The target for today has been chosen." "Good," Yue Li smiled and was about to speak when Iron Hammer approached them with a somewhat serious expression. "President, Vice President, a new Hall Level player has appeared." "The entire server channel is discussing this." Qin Chuan and Yue Li exchanged a glance and opened the server-wide channel simultaneously. Due to the high number of players online at the same time, the chat experience in this channel was very poor when it first launched. Later, everyone seemed to realize this point, and messages were only sent on this channel when absolutely necessary, which improved the situation somewhat. Now, as they re-entered the Dream World, there was a short vacuum period for messages in the server-wide channel. At this moment, a new, significant topic emerged, instantly unifying the previously chaotic discussions on the server-wide channel. "Zefina?" Qin Chuan raised his eyebrows slightly. The name was unfamiliar yet vaguely familiar. Soon, Qin Chuan recalled the reason for the familiarity. Initially, he was the first player in the entire server to own an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. But Yue Li was not the second. A player named Zefina from the Sunset Guild, during an auction, broke the bank to secure a piece of Rare Resource and became the second player to own an Elite Rank Spiritual Beast. After that, she seemed to fade from public view. Qin Chuan''s only impression of her was that she was wealthy and low-key. Now, she had become the first player after him and Yue Li to achieve a Hall Level breakthrough. "She is the president of the Secret Silver Dagger Guild," Iron Hammer shared, showing noticeable attention to and understanding of other guilds, "Secret Silver Dagger is currently ranked third among guilds, and like our Luoyue Guild, they chose a location and openly recruited members." "Ranked third, that''s quite impressive," Yue Li was somewhat surprised and opened the guild ranking list to check. Taking the opportunity, Iron Hammer continued, "The guild has been established for several days now, and the rankings have basically stabilized. We''ve been holding the first place, but the guilds behind us should not be underestimated." "The guild currently second in total points is Dragon Gate Guild No. 1; they filled their member count on the first day they appeared. Although their exploration of Secret Realms is much weaker than the President and Vice President, they have gained a large number of points by leveraging their member count and solving numerous realms, closely following behind us." Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan''s gaze flickered slightly. This guild was formed by some of the strongest players from the Special Affairs Group. It could be called a gathering of the Special Affairs Group''s strongest forces, containing no weak players. Due to their cooperative relationship, Qin Chuan knew some details about certain players. It could be said that without their Rank advantage, Luoyue would not be able to hold off the competition in its current size. "And then comes the Secret Silver Dagger Guild, which currently boasts a size of 13 members," Iron Hammer said. "It''s said that their guild has higher requirements for Player Talent than Player Level, only accepting members with Purple Talent or above." "Currently, only our three guilds have reached Guild Level 2," Iron Hammer emphasized. Attaining Guild Level 2 unlocks crucial elements. "Next is the guild ranked fourth, the Ambition Guild..." In the top ten guilds, the Special Affairs Group occupies four spots, namely, Dragon Gate Guilds number 1, 2, 3, and 4. This is related to the personnel strategy of the Special Affairs Group. According to what Qin Chuan knew, the Dragon Gate n Guilds, entirely composed of members of the Special Affairs Group, numbered 100, while other Special Affairs Group members organized tens of thousands of semi-official guilds, with the remaining ones being guilds independently formed by unofficial players. The top 10 Dragon Gate guilds gathered the most excellent players of the Special Affairs Group. With Guild number 1 as the spearhead and the other nine guilds as the blade, they supported each other. Once Iron Hammer finished introducing the top ten guilds, Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, "You just mentioned that the Secret Silver Dagger is located in one district, where is it?" Zefina''s rapid promotion to Hall Level and the high points ranking gained by Secret Silver Dagger, being the first to break through to Lv2 after Luoyue and Dragon Gate number 1, piqued his interest. "Area 2457," Iron Hammer pointed northward, "right in our due north direction." "2457..." Qin Chuan frowned and opened a complete map of the Dream World. It was a map displayed after using the Third Talent of Sun Needle, and at this moment, there was a bright spot on the map, distant from his location. That was Traceless, locked on as Oriel. Counting the time, she had been locked on for more than ten days. Naturally, Qin Chuan, being a gold-talented player himself, would not underestimate his opponent. He checked the opponent''s location at least once a day. After the 2.3 version update, the activity range of Oriel had significantly reduced, confined only to one district. And that district was area 2457. Sarch* The ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan''s eyebrows twitched slightly as he tapped on the light point corresponding to Oriel. He wanted to see what this woman was doing. ----------------- "This is just fantastic!" Oriel slapped her hand onto a wooden table, visibly excited, "Zefina, everything is as you predicted." "Calm down, Oriel," a sinuous woman sitting across the table said with an air of elegance and maturity that naturally contrasted with Oriel. Zefina leisurely brewed herself a cup of red tea, "I must say, the tea in the Dream World is far superior to that in reality. Would you like a cup?" "Yes!" Oriel took the cup from Zefina''s hand, giggling, "No wonder you got the Hall Crystal yesterday but chose to breakthrough today; you wanted the entire server to notice it." "Manipulating public opinion is the easiest thing," Zefina sipped her tea, "It won''t be long before Secret Silver Dagger fills up with players." "After reaching the member limit, we will start an elimination process, gradually filtering out the purple-talented players," her eyes glittered with intent, "Purple? That''s just a transition. Ultimately, we want all guild members to have red talents." "It would be better if all these red talents were different." "After all, I enjoy the feeling of collecting them." "Wouldn''t it be even more fulfilling to gather all nine gold talents together?" Oriel, sipping her tea, spoke cheerfully. "While I do enjoy collecting, I am also aware of my own limits," Zefina tapped Oriel''s forehead, her expression affectionate, "I wouldn''t be as impulsive as you." Ignoring Oriel''s displeased pout, Zefina''s eyes slightly lowered, gazing at the clear red tea in her cup. "Two is enough." Chapter 231 - 231: The Fourth Hall Level Player! "I didn''t expect the S-class secret realm to appear so soon." Looking at the announcement before her, Yue Li couldn''t help but sigh, "The raid target of the A-class secret realm is already Epic Rank Lv50, so the raid target of the S-class secret realm should be the next rank after Epic Rank." "We can try it out after tomorrow''s refresh," Qin Chuan said, but his expression wasn''t relaxed, and even his tone seemed a bit grave. "Are you worried that S-class instances will also appear in reality soon?" Yue Li, seeing through Qin Chuan''s thoughts, spoke softly. "Yes." Qin Chuan nodded, briefly informing Yue Li about the situation in Prison Valley, "I can confirm that instances beyond A-class definitely exist, just like the S-class secret realm, they didn''t appear immediately after the 2.3 update." "I understand what you mean now," Yue Li realized. If an S-class instance appeared and Qin Chuan couldn''t complete it within 72 hours, the instance would transform into a channel descent. If it was like yesterday, where the instance increased its level as it descended, it would become a completely unwinnable situation. "We''ll know the result tomorrow," Yue Li spoke softly, "No matter what, there will always be a way." A flicker of determination flashed through her eyes. If it really came to the worst-case scenario, she would definitely join hands with Qin Chuan without hesitation. "That''s all we can do," Qin Chuan nodded, "No matter the future, what we need to do most at this stage is still enhance our strength." "I''ll try doing an exclusive raid," he said with a hint of anticipation in his eyes. With the condition of the boss in the exclusive raid, Water Flower could easily apply Water Flow Marks on it, and with enough marks, a Void Abyssal Flow Slash would take it down instantly. In this way, the progress of exclusive raids would increase significantly, allowing for the accumulation of a large number of conquest points in a short period of time and upgrades to the group formation. Once the guild members'' strengths were enhanced, subsequent secret realm conquests and exclusive raids would also become easier, thus forming a virtuous cycle. [Exclusive Raid:] [Current Target: No.15 Gorio] sea??h th n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Current Progress: 1%][Start Raid] Yesterday, the exclusive raid had defeated the 12th raid boss, and today, after Yue Li and other guild members raided together, they managed to barely handle the 13th and 14th ones, obtaining 7000 and 7500 conquest points respectively. The Array [Nihility] had been upgraded to Lv9 by Qin Chuan, just 500 points shy of reaching Lv10. Once [Destruction] and [Nihility] were both upgraded to Lv10, the first major formation in the group formation could begin upgrading. Yue Li had allocated all her personal points to the personal array map. Her personal array map''s upgrade was faster than the group formation''s, and she had already seen the effect of the first major formation. If the effects of the major formations on both array maps were the same, then the major formation would be a significant enhancement for all guild members. With a flash of light, Qin Chuan and the three little ones disappeared on the spot. Exclusive raid, begin! ----------------- "What surprising news." In the Luoyue Guild headquarters, a brown-haired man in a black trench coat looked at the server-wide announcement with an expression of wonder, then suddenly smiled. "It seems I''ve come at just the right time." "Indeed." Iron Hammer standing beside him laughed heartily, "After today, I believe more players will come for interviews at our guild, and the competition in the interview process will become more intense. Mr. Leonhardt, your timing couldn''t be better." "Would it be possible to reveal some details of the interview?" the brown-haired man asked with a smile. "The vice president said before that we could disclose them," Iron Hammer smiled, "But even if we disclose the content of the interview, it doesn''t seem to be of much help." "The so-called interview is just a conversation with the vice president, who then decides whether the interviewee stays or leaves." Leonhardt paused for a moment, then couldn''t help but confirm. "The vice president, are you referring to Yue Li?" "Yes," Iron Hammer nodded. "So it is..." Leonhardt crossed his arms and his expression became a bit more serious. "Mr. Leonhardt, there''s no need to be too nervous, I personally have high hopes for you," Iron Hammer patted Leonhardt''s shoulder, "Although I don''t know why you, as a person from Mi Country, can speak fluent Russian, but chose a Chinese Player Name." "But the Guild indeed needs players who are fluent in multiple languages, so when we recruit players from different linguistic regions in the future, communication will be much more convenient." "I chose a Chinese transliteration for my Player Name simply because I like the culture of Yanhuang, and I don''t have a set Yanhuang name," Leonhardt smiled, "But hearing what you''ve said makes me feel much more at ease." "After all, I am a translator in real life and I know quite a few languages." "If this can be counted as a plus, then God bless." ----------------- "Finally, a Hall Crystal exploded!" In a B-grade Secret Realm, Dragon Halberd laughed heartily, holding tight in his hand a gorgeous crystal wrapped in invisible force. Although now Hall Crystals can be dropped through B-grade Secret Realm conquests, the drop rate is really not high. Even for a B-grade Secret Realm with a 5-star difficulty, the drop rate is only 10%. After the initial pioneering period ended and the Special Affairs Group''s Elite Level Players devoted themselves to the conquest of B-grade Secret Realms to obtain Hall Crystalsa stable supply of Secret Realm Keys and Secret Realm Stones needed to enter the B-grade Secret Realms. The conquest targets of B-grade Secret Realms were all Hall Rank Lv40 Spiritual Beasts, and players couldn''t use their Talents within the Secret Realms. Although Ji Huai mastered Spirit Descent, Spirit Descent could only be used in reality and was useless in Dream World. Everyone was on the same starting line, and the only difference was probably the Spiritual Beasts themselves. Thus, if the Special Affairs Group wanted to conquer a B-grade 5-star Secret Realm, they had to gather five Elite Level Players who had maxed out their number of Contracted Spiritual Beasts and Ranks. Dragon Gate Guild No. 1 was all made up of Elite Level Players, divided into four groupseach group conquering at least two B-grade Secret Realms on every Dream Day. At this rate, over the past few days, they had only obtained two Hall Crystals through Secret Realm conquest. Now, they finally had the third. "Martial Fanatic, it''s up to you!" After leaving the Secret Realm, Dragon Halberd handed the Hall Crystal to Ji Huai, looking hopeful, "Our Special Affairs Group is finally about to have a Hall Level Player!" Ji Huai silently accepted the Hall Crystal. All Hall Crystals were prioritized for him, not for the two gold-talent players of the Special Affairs Group, which was a unanimous decision by the upper echelons of the Special Affairs Group. And the reason was simple. So far, no one but him had mastered Spirit Descent. It would be more helpful for instance strategy to enhance his strength first, who could defeat enemies above his Rank with the help of Spirit Descent. A light flashed, and Ji Huai''s third Spiritual Beast broke through. The fourth Hall Level Player emerged. "Too bad, we were one step too late," Dragon Halberd spread his hands, "Zefina broke through first, the limelight has been stolen by the Secret Silver Dagger." "God knows how much support those Westerners gave to the Secret Silver Dagger behind the scenes." "If Yanhuang is making moves, how can other countries not?" Feng Yin shook his head slightly, "Being in the limelight is not important for us." "We''re not recruiting from outside." "Besides, hasn''t Luoyue already overshadowed the limelight of the Secret Silver Dagger?" Dragon Halberd stroked his chin. "Seems like it, haha." Chapter 232 - 232 Important Intelligence Learned by Insight Mentioning Luo, Dragon Halberd thought of something and couldn''t help looking towards Feng Yin. "Do you think the probability of an S-level instance appearing tomorrow is high?" "Me?" Feng Yin sighed after a moment of silence, "Over 90%." "Just now, I obtained some new information using Insight." Dragon Halberd, Ji Huai, and the other two teammates all turned their attention to Feng Yin. The information obtained from Insight daily was quite random, but the chance of obtaining significant information was not low; about once every ten days. Using past information, the Special Affairs Group had preemptively seized many advantages. From the tone of Feng Yin''s voice, it was clear that this information was also significant. "First of all, the Dream World has a total of 10,000 areas." Upon hearing this, the other four exchanged glances. It was well-known that the Dream World had 9,999 game areas. Although this number could be maddening for someone with OCD, that was the reality. Now, Feng Yin said that the Dream World had 10,000 areas. Did this mean there was one area not on the map? Meeting the curious gaze of the four, and thinking of the latter half of the information, Feng Yin''s expression gradually became grave. "Next, the missing area is the source of disaster; when it appears, both the Dream World and the reality will be like boats in the ocean, at risk of capsizing at any time." Watching the rapidly changing expressions of the four, Feng Yin spoke deliberately, "Based on this information, the description of content in the version 2.3 update, and our recent observations of the Secret Realms and instances, some things have become very clear." "The instances and the Otherworld creatures behind them are greatly related to that missing area; they are currently trying to invade in the form of instances, and when the missing area appears, they may come down more directly." "They harbor strong malice towards us, while the rules the Dream World follows, or the mysterious existences behind it, are benevolent towards us... at least for now." "So, the Dream World has always been obstructing the arrival of the Otherworld." "The instance information directly tells players the minimum requirements for successful advancement, the rewards obtained after completing the instances, the Dungeon Talents which transform from the Player Talents, and the Secret Realms with numerous rewards that help us improve our strength faster." "These are all measures to prevent the Otherworld." "So, the appearance of S-level Secret Realms and the increase in the number of other levels of Secret Realms are a sign that we are about to face stronger opponents." "Even if it doesn''t happen tomorrow, an S-level instance will definitely appear within a short time." Sarch* The n?vel_Fire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I see," Dragon Halberd realized, "you indeed have a sharp mind." All the clues, as gleaned by Feng Yin through bits and pieces, were like unraveling a cocoon, revealing the possible truth. Now, the situation had become much clearer. Although they faced instances and Otherworld opponents, the Dream World was on their side! The teammates all breathed a sigh of relief; even Ji Huai''s tense expression relaxed a bit. Only Feng Yin, a hint of gravity flickered deep in his eyes. What he had just said was the most likely guess based on the current clues. But the most likely did not mean completely correct. Yesterday, during the entire process when the D-level instance from the Alabaka Mountain Range descended into reality and the passage was destroyed, there was a detail that Qin Chuan did not mention but was noted down by Chen Zhonghao, one that could easily be overlooked. After the instance descended into reality and turned into an instance passage, the Dungeon Talents of the players inside turned into Player Talents. ----------------- [Exclusive Conquest:] [Current Target: No.23 Edius] [Current Progress: 5%][Start Conquest] A minute later, reappearing at the original spot and seeing the fresh conquest progress, Qin Chuan''s face was filled with smiles. Previously, he couldn''t kill even one conquest boss in half a minute; now, he had killed eight in just one minute. After her strength enhancement, Water Flower became virtually a bug in her exclusive conquest. The conquest target not only had nearly zero attack power but also had a massive body, like a living target. Under the full force execution of Rapid Stream Break by Water Flower, nearly twenty layers of Water Flow Mark could be stacked in a second. After stacking the Water Flow Marks for a few seconds and executing Void Abyssal Flow Slash once more, the boss''s health bar would simply evaporate. This proved that the thickness of the opponent''s health bar stemmed from its lack of damage. The consecutive conquests of eight bosses brought the Luoyue Guild a total of 78,000 conquest points, which was even more than all previously obtained points combined. Adding to the previously accumulated 1500 points left over from leveling, Qin Chuan now had 79,500 conquest points to use for upgrading the Group Formation. He directly upgraded "Nihility" to Lv10 and then gazed at the first major Array unlocked. His eyes revealed an expression of "Just as I expected." [Would you like to spend 20,000 conquest points to upgrade "Growing Stronger With Every Battle" to Lv1?] [Growing Stronger With Every Battle (Lv1): After all Spiritual Beasts kill a target, final damage is increased by 1% for 5 seconds, stackable] [The Group Formation is effective for all Guild members] [Yes][No] Twenty thousand conquest points, the upgrade cost of the major Array was ten times higher than that of "Nihility" and "Destruction." But in the face of powerful effects, everything was worth it. Unlike upgrading Attributes along two separate paths, the major Array at their intersection could bring about entirely new Equipment Entry effects. This wasn''t an Equipment Entry, but an Array Map Entry. In the entire Array Map, there were three major Arrays, completely activating them would yield three Array Map Entries. The Personal Array Map and the Group Array Map were consistent; if both were activated at the same time, the three Array Map Entries would gain double effectiveness. Qin Chuan started upgrading "Growing Stronger With Every Battle" without hesitation. The nearly 80,000 points he had just obtained were only enough to upgrade "Growing Stronger With Every Battle" to Lv3, where the increase in final damage after a kill would be 3%. However, Qin Chuan was in no rush. His pace of conquering bosses hadn''t shown a noticeable slowdown yet since his breakthrough. In a day or two, "Growing Stronger With Every Battle" would certainly be upgraded to Lv10. "This makes trying to conquer an S-rank Secret Realm tomorrow even more promising!" Yue Li said with a slight smile, looking at the skill lit up on the Group Formation. Her Personal Array Map already had "Growing Stronger With Every Battle" at Lv2. Combined, after the Spiritual Beasts completed a kill, the final damage could be increased by 5%. "Indeed," Qin Chuan agreed nodding, "I wonder what rewards the S-rank Secret Realm might yield." "If the rewards are generous, our official promotion to Epic level could be accelerated even further." The two chatted casually as they headed back to the guild hall. Half an hour later, they arrived at the venue. On the nearly completed Guild building, two men using ladders were busy painting the outer walls of the dome. One of them was Iron Hammer, the other was unfamiliar. Seeing Qin Chuan and Yue Li return, the two men stopped their work and climbed down the ladders. Iron Hammer enthusiastically patted the other man on the shoulder and introduced him to Qin Chuan and Yue Li. "This is Mr. Leonhardt. He''s here for an interview." "Pleased to meet you. I hope to learn from you," Leonhardt said with a smile, his Chinese surprisingly fluent. [Player Name: Leonhardt] [Player Level: Elite Level] [Contracted Spiritual Beasts: Single-Horned Earth Dragon, Furious Flame Demon Ape, Red Gold Tiger] Looks pretty strong. Glancing at the player before him, Qin Chuan turned his gaze to Yue Li. Yue Li pondered for a moment. "Then, let''s start the interview." Chapter 233 - 233: Returning to Reality with Water Flower! (May +1050 Monthly Tickets) "So, welcome as the sixth member of Luoyue." After some exchange, Yue Li smiled at Leonhardt. "That''s really fantastic." Leonhardt''s slightly tense expression relaxed, revealing an easy smile, "Before coming here, I was really worried I''d be eliminated outright. That would have been terribly embarrassing." "You''re too modest." Yue Li laughed dryly, "An Elite Level player is an extremely important mid-tier force for any guild." Her voice paused slightly, "Not to mention, you also have a pretty good Red Talent." "That''s nothing special." Leonhardt shook his head with a serious tone, "Considering the player base, Dream World has thousands of Red Talent players, and above the Red Talent, there are even more powerful Gold Talents." "Hmm... It''s not bad that you think this way." Yue Li smiled. Modesty is always better than arrogance. "Right." Recalling something, Yue Li turned to Leonhardt, "Our guild is now a Lv2 guild, so compared to a Lv1 guild, there are some new functions." "I''ve seen them already." Leonhardt nodded. "Next, you can get familiar with these new functions, ask Iron Hammer if you have any doubts, and then complete today''s exclusive mission," Yue Li reminded him and then waved goodbye. "Exclusive Mission..." Leonhardt looked at his panel and stroked his chin, then strode towards Iron Hammer. Meanwhile, Yue Li stepped lightly to Qin Chuan''s side. "It seems that you''re very satisfied with the new member named Leonhardt?" Qin Chuan asked with a smile. "Not really." Mentioning this, Yue Li''s expression turned a bit strange, "After understanding his situation, I had a weird feeling of wanting to recruit him but not really wanting to." "But you decided to take him in the end." Qin Chuan smiled, "That probably means he just met the lucky standard for being suitable as a guild member." "That should be it." Yue Li nodded lightly. Don''t fret over it! Making it by a hair is still making it! "Oh right, Leonhardt is from Mi Country, and he works as a translator in reality, so he knows many languages," Yue Li shared the member details with Qin Chuan, "His Player Talent is Dispute." "Is it really that one?" Qin Chuan quickly recalled information about this Red Talent. The first effect of Dispute is to briefly increase all his Spiritual Beasts'' Race Value by 20% and combat skills by 100%, categorized as an Enhancement Talent Effect. The second Talent Effect is more interesting. For every Spiritual Beast that dies within a 1000-meter radius, the Race Value of a designated Spiritual Beast increases by 5%, with a maximum single boost of 50%, and each increase lasts for 5 minutes, with the duration calculated separately. This Talent Effect, combined with the first, can become an excellent enhancement Talent, and can also be used as a supportive effect, increasing the strength of teammates. A good member indeed. As the two conversed, Evelyn and Red Leaf hurried back from a distance. Judging from the changes in the Guild total points, one could guess that they had conquered three C-grade 5-star Secret Realms today. A C-grade Secret Realm is vast, with hundreds of areas, and not hard to search. The targets themselves only have the strength of Elite Rank Lv30, and in front of Evelyn who has maxed out two Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts, it was a breeze even without using talents. Thus, their conquest pace was even faster than that of Qin Chuan and Yue Li. Red Leaf was especially cheerful, her smile impossible to hide. In a C-grade 5-star Secret Realm, the drop rate for universal Intermediate Resources is 30%. After conquering realms yesterday and today, the two had obtained two pieces. Evelyn handed both pieces of universal Intermediate Resources to Red Leaf. According to her, Red Leaf reaching Elite Rank sooner would mean they could conquer C-grade Secret Realms more efficiently, and even try tackling B-grade ones. Red Leaf deeply agreed with this. She, who had been promoted to the Official Level not long ago, now faced a new vexation. Despite having gathered all the necessary intermediate resources, she hadn''t yet accumulated the other resources required for the advancement of her two Spiritual Beasts. Others would have envied such a problem, but for Luoyue, who seldom worried about low-tier resources, it was a normal predicament. Seeing Red Leaf return, Qin Chuan gave Yue Li a "I''ll go talk to her" look and then quickly walked towards Red Leaf. Red Leaf blinked, instinctively glanced at Yue Li, and after receiving a reassuring look from her, she waved at Qin Chuan, "Hello, President!" "Uh-huh." Qin Chuan pondered for a moment before speaking up, "I study at Yan University, and I think I saw a girl yesterday who looked just like you." "Eh?" Red Leaf blinked. Yue Li had already informed her of Luo''s presence at Yan University. Still, she was a bit surprised to be recognized by Luo so quickly. "Don''t be nervous," Qin Chuan explained with a smile, "I need your help with something in real life. If it''s convenient for you, could we meet at the entrance of the Student Activity Center at ten tomorrow morning?" "Okay" Red Leaf reflexively agreed, and it wasn''t until Qin Chuan had walked away that she began to digest the situation. After discovering the Vice President''s identity, was she also going to learn about the President''s? Was she the first person in the world to know both identities? No, no, that''s not the point. The President wants her help, and it seems the Vice President knows about it. But the Vice President wants her to keep her secret from the President. So what exactly is the situation between these two?! At this moment, Red Leaf felt her brain was a bit overwhelmed. ----------------- In the real world. Qin Chuan sat up in bed as the alarm clock went off, and looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, he belatedly realized he was no longer in his rented room in Changxing City, but in the student dorms at Yan University. The next moment, Zhou Xiaochen, who had suddenly sat up, started to yell, "Guys, Luo has broken through again, an Epic Rank Spiritual Beast has appeared!" The other two roommates, who had just woken up, became instantly more alert as Du He''an engaged in an interested discussion with Zhou Xiaochen about the power of the Epic Rank Spiritual Beast and the impending appearance of the S-Rank Secret Realm, while Yu Zhao, usually quiet, listened intently and with great interest. For Qin Chuan, this was a somewhat strange experience. After all, he was the one they were talking about. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the other party involved was very interested. "Woof woof!" The call of Water Flower echoed in Qin Chuan''s mind. After reaching 100% Affinity, Water Flower''s consciousness was able to follow Qin Chuan back to reality, perceiving the surroundings through his senses. It was an unusual experience, and for Qin Chuan, who had always been accompanied by Water Flower, he could clearly feel that Water Flower''s consciousness seemed livelier than before. It was as if its soul had become fuller in the process. As he listened to his roommates'' opinions about himself, Water Flower''s mood evidently improved a great deal, followed by another cry. It was hungry. Or rather, Qin Chuan was hungry, and it was just sharing his sensations. "Alright, I''ll take you to try the delicacies of Yan University." Qin Chuan responded with a chuckle in a voice only he could hear. Without joining the discussion with the others, he quickly finished washing up and headed for the nearest dining hall. Chapter 235 - 235: A Fine Line, A Level? Not Enough! Zheng Xiaoyu was extremely nervous at the moment. She was about to meet the president of her guild. He was the first player globally to be promoted to Hall Level in the Dream Realm Forum, widely discussed, but no one knew his real identity. This was much like the vice president. Thinking of this, Lin Yue''s words echoed in Zheng Xiaoyu''s mind. "Don''t be too nervous, Luo needs your help with something related to the dungeon, and he will explain it when you meet." "Isn''t your Spiritual Beast currently lacking Intermediate Resources and Starshine Equipment Material to breakthrough to Elite Rank? Breaking through from Elite Rank to Hall Rank also requires a lot of resources." "So just think of it as working to earn resources!" "Don''t ask me about Luo''s identity, if I tell you now, you won''t be able to act surprised when you meet him." "..." Despite saying that, it was really hard not to be nervous in the current situation! Zheng Xiaoyu muttered to herself and turned her head to look around, hoping to find someone among the surrounding boys who looked like the president. Then, a somewhat familiar figure caught her eye. Seeing the boy she had just met at the dinner yesterday, Zheng Xiaoyu waved to greet him. However, the next second, he quickly walked towards her. Eh? Looking at Qin Chuan''s calm expression, an image flashed through Zheng Xiaoyu''s mind and suddenly overlapped with him. Eh?! ----------------- "Anyway, yesterday''s situation was quite coincidental." In a quiet corner of Yan University''s campus, Qin Chuan calmly explained yesterday''s situation, "I didn''t expect to encounter you at Yan University." "Yes," Zheng Xiaoyu sighed, murmuring to herself. Indeed, the president didn''t know the vice president was also at Yan University. "Back to business, I plan to tackle several A-level dungeons today, and for safety''s sake, I need to team up with you," Qin Chuan''s calm words fell heavy like a hammer. "A A-level?!" Zheng Xiaoyu''s eyes widened. So far, she had only successfully tackled D-level dungeons, even C-level dungeons had ended in failure. And now she was to team up with Qin Chuan to tackle an A-level dungeon? "Don''t worry." Seeing the astonishment on Zheng Xiaoyu''s face, Qin Chuan quickly explained, "You don''t have to do anything, just use the Spiritual Scale when we encounter the dungeon boss... By the way, what is the second Talent Effect of the Spiritual Scale?" "The second Talent Effect of the Spiritual Scale?" Zheng Xiaoyu blinked, "It reduces the specified target''s strength to the same as yours, with a maximum reduction of up to 50%, lasting for 5 minutes, with a cooldown of 10 minutes." "That''s settled then." Qin Chuan nodded, "Other than using the Spiritual Scale against the dungeon boss, you just need to follow me." "Alright." Zheng Xiaoyu nodded, understanding her role. Although tackling an A-level dungeon would definitely be dangerous, if it was just using the Spiritual Scale at a critical moment and otherwise sticking close to Qin Chuan, it should be fine. When teaming up for a dungeon, all guides receive the same title rewards. The title from an A-level dungeon was at least a blue one, while she had only ever received white titles so far. Just for the titles alone, it was worth the effort. Moreover, Lin Yue had told her that as a reward, they would later provide her with resources sufficient to advance to Elite Level or even Hall Level. After mentally preparing herself thoroughly, Zheng Xiaoyu took a deep breath, her expression becoming resolute. "President, I''m ready!" "Just call me by my name in real life." Qin Chuan shook his head slightly and opened the dungeon list, selecting an A-level dungeon. He was about to form a team to enter, when suddenly two lines of text appeared. [B-level dungeon Silent Poisonous Lake failed to be tackled within 72 hours, has descended into reality] [Dream World loses control over the dungeon, dungeon level suppression disappears, dungeon level re-evaluated as: A-level, level will continue to rise over time.] Qin Chuan''s movements paused briefly, and his expression became more solemn. After the dungeon manifested in reality twice in a row and advanced a level, it likely meant the same for all dungeons. It was still manageable at B Level, but if A-level or even S-level dungeons also behaved like this... Qin Chuan couldn''t imagine what the world would become. Although Dragon Halberd had already said that this B-level dungeon descent could be handled by Ji Huai, seeing the descent notification with his own eyes, he couldn''t just ignore it. After making a phone call, Dragon Halberd''s voice soon came through from the other end. "Descent location," Qin Chuan asked concisely. Dragon Halberd paused for a moment, his voice tinged with helplessness, "Indonesia." Abroad? Qin Chuan understood. In terms of the whole Blue Star, Yanhuang''s range wasn''t wide; if the dungeon''s descent location was random, it naturally couldn''t always appear in Yanhuang. And a dungeon descending abroad definitely posed a problematic issue for the Special Affairs Group. Their support would take longer to arrive, and they might encounter diplomatic issues. As for not providing support, leaving the locals to deal with it on their own... Lower levels were one thing, but an A-level dungeon portal was of great importance. If the locals couldn''t manage it, causing creatures from the Otherworld within the dungeon portal to emerge, or even the dungeon portal to upgrade further to S-level, who could resolve it then? At that point, it wouldn''t just be a single country that suffered. "It''s up to you," Qin Chuan spoke resolutely. After hanging up the call, Zheng Xiaoyu couldn''t help but speak up, "President, aren''t you going to help?" She had seen the dungeon descent notification and guessed some details from the snippets of Qin Chuan''s phone conversation; seeing that Qin Chuan had no intentions of taking action, she couldn''t help but be curious. "Trust the Special Affairs Group." Qin Chuan smiled and selected the first A-level dungeon. "Let''s form a team." ----------------- A flash of light, and two figures suddenly appeared in the campus of Yan University. The few passing students took a couple more glances but weren''t too surprised. Nowadays, there were many Transcendents in Yan University campus, and it was common to see those who were conquering dungeons. Fresh out of the dungeon, the bloodlust around Qin Chuan quickly faded; he looked at Zheng Xiaoyu beside him and smiled, "Let''s call it a day." "Okay." Admiration filled Zheng Xiaoyu''s eyes as she looked at Qin Chuan. She had truly witnessed the President''s strength. It seemed he didn''t even need to scout to know the location of the dungeon boss; he could seamlessly gather all the clues in the dungeon, and even knew all the enemies around. What was a perilous and life-threatening dungeon to others seemed like a walk in his own backyard to him. Was this the strength of the number one player? Waving her hand, Zheng Xiaoyu took her leave. She couldn''t wait to share her dungeon conquering experience with Lin Yue. Watching her departing figure, Qin Chuan smiled. It had been three hours since they first tackled an A-level dungeon. He and Zheng Xiaoyu had teamed up and completed seven dungeons. sea??h th ovelFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, he wasn''t stopping the conquest of A-level dungeons because of a lack of time or dungeons to conquer. Rather, he keenly felt that he was very close to mastering the Secret Technique. So close, it seemed only a thread away. He needed a battle that posed greater pressure to cross that threshold. A-level dungeons were no longer sufficient. Chapter 236 - 236: Like to Yell? Shut Your Mouth! "I''m back!" Zheng Xiaoyu pushed open the door of the dormitory and saw only Lin Yue inside. She blinked and asked, "Where''re Achang and Yuxin?" "They went shopping," Lin Yue turned her head, glanced at Zheng Xiaoyu with a smile, and handed over a piece of bread from the table. "Here." "Wow! How did you know I was hungry?" Zheng Xiaoyu''s eyes lit up as she took it and started eating without any reservations. It was almost two o''clock in the afternoon by now. She was already hungry. But Qin Chuan, her team leader, didn''t seem to be anywhere near done, and she felt awkward about mentioning it. "I''ve been keeping an eye on the dungeon guide situation," Lin Yue rubbed Zheng Xiaoyu''s head. "You all have been at it for three hours, with no time to eat." "Wuwuwu, Yueyue is the best." Zheng Xiaoyu nuzzled Lin Yue''s head, chewing on the soft bread, her face revealing an expression of bliss. "He... probably hasn''t had anything to eat either," Lin Yue said, her voice dropping as she glanced out the window. "This guy, when he''s focused on something, he never pays attention to anything else." "The president is probably at the cafeteria by now, right?" Zheng Xiaoyu paused in her chewing at those words. "Even though we could''ve continued with the A-level instance, the president ended it early. He probably wanted to rest a bit too." "Hard to say," Lin Yue muttered softly. Though she hadn''t met Luo in real life, judging by what she knew about him, it was likely only Red Leaf who had finished, right? "Xiaoyu, can you tell me about your experience in the dungeon?" "Sure thing!" Zheng Xiaoyu nodded her head, continuing to eat while somewhat muffled, she recounted their miraculous three-hour experience to Lin Yue. After hearing about their adventure, Lin Yue''s eyes shone brighter, her face filled with longing. Today, she had already given the first piece of Intermediate Resources to Du Yu. Getting back on my feet won''t take long. Finishing the last bite of her bread, Zheng Xiaoyu opened the dungeon list to look and began speaking cheerily, "See, the president didn''t go for the A-level dungeons." "Really?" Lin Yue followed suit and opened up the dungeon list, but her expression soon turned serious. Sarch* The N??elFir.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why didn''t you check the S-level dungeons?!" ----------------- Once again grounded, Qin Chuan scanned his surroundings and his expression instantly became serious. The scene before him was unlike any dungeon he''d experienced in the past. He found himself at the very bottom of a tower that spiraled upwards with a hollow center, the design allowing him to see all the way to the top in a single glance. But his gaze was obscured by the thick fog inside the tower, sending a cold shiver down his spine, as if some terrifying creature hidden within the mist had already set its eyes on him. [Dungeon: Warrensoke Mysterious Tower] [Dungeon Description: Even after an ominous start on the first day of construction, the Dwarf Demon Clan of Beligo Territory stubbornly proceeded to build this Sacrificial Tower to showcase the Dwarf Demon''s creations, and they paid the price for their stubbornness the day this cursed tower was complete.] [Dungeon Level: S-level] [Horizontal Difficulty Rating: ] [Dungeon bosses: Cursed RemnantLanso, Mysterious ShadowLelian] [Dungeon Talent: Sun Needle (Gold)] [Wearing Title: [Purple] Undead Terminator] [Minimum Requirement for Dungeon Conquest: Defeat Cursed RemnantLanso] [Dungeon time limit for conquest: 66:35:32] [Abandon this conquest] [00:00:39] Multiple dungeon bosses?! Qin Chuan was taken aback. This was a first. If all goes as expected, this should be a hallmark of an S-level instance or higher. Fortunately, although there is more than one instance boss, the minimum requirement for clearing the instance is still to kill one of them. As for the other, if left alone... The moment Third Talent of the Sun Needle activated, Qin Chuan fell silent. After changing to Dungeon Talent, the Third Talent of Sun Needle no longer had a limit on the number of locks, and at this moment, it had marked the positions of both instance bosses. The instance boss known as Cursed RemnantLanso was situated at the very top of Mysterious Tower. He maintained the form of a Dwarf Demon from before his death, barely one meter tall but with an extraordinarily muscular body, draped in a suit of armor that seemed very powerful, his face masked by a bizarre covering that seemed neither to cry nor smile. Through the gaps in the armor, the densely packed, strange eyes and fierce flesh buds on Lanso''s body could be seen, adding an even greater sense of danger to his presence. At this moment, this S-level instance boss with his mask that made Qin Chuan shudder at a glance had his eyes tightly closed, sitting cross-legged at the central point of Mysterious Tower''s top level, as if in a deep sleep. Below him, within the mists that enveloped the middle level of the Mysterious Tower, another instance boss was moving rapidly and unpredictably, its nearly translucent body fierce and twisted. The pair of blood-red eyes of the other seemed to sense the lock of the Third Talent of Sun Needle, turning its head to look, its mouth filled with sharp fangs, revealing a savage and crazy smile. Qin Chuan silently concluded his observation of the two instance bosses and heaved a sigh within his heart. It looked like there was no way to avoid it. "Water Flower, this is a high-end game," he took a deep breath, murmuring to himself as if talking to himself, "We''ll have to work together on this." In his mind came Water Flower''s firm voice. Collecting himself, Qin Chuan lifted his foot and walked toward a wall nearby. The moment he had entered the instance, the prompt of the First Talent of Sun Needle had already appeared before his eyes. Near him was a piece of instance clue. Holding the Dragon Slayer Blade of Salas in hand, he slashed a deep crack into the wall and looked towards the hidden space behind the wall. Inside was an object similar to a conch shell, and as Qin Chuan picked it up, a line of text emerged before his eyes. [Congratulations Player for obtaining an instance clue: Lelian''s Sound Recording Conch] Sound Recording Conch? Qin Chuan fiddled with it for a bit, bit his lip, and carefully put it to his ear. A gradually intensifying bizarre screech filled his ear and at that moment, Qin Chuan felt as if an electric current had passed through his head, instantly becoming more alert. That was the sound stored in the conch shell. From the name of the instance clue, it could be inferred that it should be the screech of the Mysterious ShadowLelian from above. Regarding this, Qin Chuan felt that compared to the screeching of the Lake Bottom Death Demon, it was simply too weak, it not only failed to make him uncomfortable but actually had a somewhat refreshing and invigorating effect... Wait a minute... Refreshing and invigorating?! Qin Chuan instantly looked upwards toward the fog, faintly seeing through the mist a shadow casting a mocking gaze. A troublesome fellow indeed. His eyes narrowed slightly, and the next instant his legs forcefully propelled him up the spiraling staircase, rapidly ascending the Mysterious Tower. A grotesque monster, a fusion of flesh and mechanical creation, lunged at him, but Qin Chuan did not even glance at it, the Dragon Slayer Blade in his hand cleanly slicing it in two. His steps did not slow in the slightest. [Instance Creature: Dwarf Demon Creation Beast] It wasn''t until the monster was slain that a tardy introduction prompt appeared. Laying waste as if chopping melons and cutting vegetables, he quickly stepped into the middle level of the Mysterious Tower. The semi-transparent, ferocious figure suddenly appeared in front of him. Its blood-red eyes filled with madness, its mouth bristling with sharp teeth suddenly opened wide, seemingly about to let out a screech. [00:00:38] As everything around him came to an abrupt halt, a continuous barrage of Rapid Stream Break had already been funneled into Lelian''s wide-open mouth. Like to scream? Shut your mouth! Chapter 237 - 237: Spirit Descent!!! (May 1350 Monthly Ticket Bonus Chapter) With Water Flower''s strength after advancing to the Epic Rank, she could instantaneously cast Rapid Stream Break more than twenty times in one second, applying over twenty layers of Water Flow Marks to her opponent who was frozen in Time Stop in an instant. But Qin Chuan''s Extraordinary Value was the sum of three Spiritual Beasts. So his strength was greater than Water Flower''s, and naturally, he could cast Rapid Stream Break more times within a second. In one second, more than thirty Rapid Stream Breaks viciously struck into the open mouth of Mysterious Shadow PhantomLelian, not only turning its physical mouth into a bloody mess but also leaving Water Flow Marks all over Lelian''s body. Those elusive marks, which could last for a long time without being erased, now settled all at once as Qin Chuan pointed his finger. "Buzz" From within Lelian''s mouth erupted a water line that spanned dozens of meters across, seemingly cleaving the void in half, instantly splitting Lelian''s head into two. Time Stop ended, and the ferocious body of Lelian stiffened in the void, with the flying upper half of its head filled with bewilderment. The enormous life force and the body distorted beyond clan recognition did not cause an immediate loss of life; countless flesh buds sprang from the cross-section of the wound, seemingly trying to repair the bifurcated head. "Puchi" Qin Chuan''s Dragon Slayer Blade pierced into the opponent''s chest, and time after time, it cut open Lelian''s body, accompanied by the spray of foul-smelling grayish-black blood. After being torn into pieces, Lelian''s massive body finally ceased to move. [Congratulations to Player for achieving the Advanced Guide Requirement: Kill Mysterious Shadow PhantomLelian, settle the advanced rating after the minimum Guide requirement in the instance is achieved] Qin Chuan let out a deep breath. When he had used the Third Talent effect of the Sun Needle, he had found that compared to Cursed RemnantLanso, Mysterious Shadow PhantomLelian was significantly weaker. Even similar to the complete Lake Bottom Death Demon. As one of the bosses in the S-rank instance, it didn''t quite match up. The only thing to pay attention to was its piercing scream. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That refreshing scream, if it erupted within Mysterious Tower, would likely awaken the Cursed Remnant at the tower''s top, and then the Guide would have to face the encirclement of two instance bosses. He needed a breakthrough, not a dead end. A faint light rose from the shattered body of Lelian, and Qin Chuan''s gaze shifted slightly as he reached out to grab it. [Congratulations to Player for obtaining an instance clue: Lelian''s Memory Image] Three different images appeared before him. The first image was a group of Dwarf Demons who were laughing and digging into the earth to build the foundation of a high tower. During the excavation, they found a mask that bore a crying yet not crying, a smiling yet not smiling expression embedded in the remains of a Dwarf Demon, but no one recognized the identity of that Dwarf Demon. The second image was of a leader-like Dwarf Demon carefully examining the mask; he was clad in a set of exquisite armor, identical to what Cursed Remnant Lanso wore, while the mask seemed to have a flow of grayish-black aura. The third image depicted the completion of the Sacrificial Tower, where the Dwarf Demon Clan danced and sang on the tower, excitedly bringing their creations into the tower, but none ever walked back out. The mask... Qin Chuan furrowed his brows slightly. It seemed that the fate of the Dwarf Demon Clan was related to that mask worn on the face of the Cursed Remnant? Collecting his thoughts, Qin Chuan exerted force on his feet and while keeping a close eye on Cursed RemnantLanso with the Sun Needle, he deftly slashed at the powerful instance creatures that pounced on him with his long blade. [Congratulations to Player for achieving the Advanced Guide Requirement: Kill all creations within the Mysterious Tower, settle the advanced rating after the minimum Guide requirement in the instance is achieved] When such a new Advanced Guide requirement prompt appeared, Qin Chuan had already stepped into the top floor where Cursed RemnantLanso resided. The Lanso that had been silent as if in stillness a moment ago, now suddenly opened his eyes. Those eyes were not mad, rather, they revealed a hard-to-conceal look of loss. The somber and jerky language of the Otherworld echoed within the uppermost space, transforming into lines of text before Qin Chuan as they were translated. "[You creatures that are like ants, even though I don''t know by what means you slew that monster hidden in the mist, you shouldn''t have come here, shouldn''t have awakened me]" "[Throughout the long years, I have maintained this state, trying to suppress the ominous imbalance with my own quiescence, and ultimately reached a sort of equilibrium with it]" "[But now... the balance... has been...]" Lanso''s voice grew increasingly strained, his body shaking violently. Before he could finish his last sentence, his eyes were completely covered by the grey-black aura of ill omen. "Roar!!!" Completely engulfed in madness, Lanso let out a ferocious roar, suddenly grabbing the Battle Axe planted beside him on the ground and pouncing viciously toward Qin Chuan. That was strength far surpassing the ranks of Epic. As the first being Qin Chuan had ever seen capable of fighting against the ominous with his own power, Lanso''s strength was the greatest he had witnessed so far. The only one that might compare to it was perhaps the fleeting glimpse he caught yesterday when he destroyed the C-level instance passage, seeing that being blocked outside the boundary, shrouded in Black Robe. "I will grant you release," Qin Chuan muttered, clutching the Dragon Slayer Blade with one hand and a magnificent Crystal Core appearing in the other. The "Core" of Kasakaban. It boosted Attribute Control by 30% and Attribute Power by 20%. "Woof!" Water Flower''s voice echoed in his mind, filled with resolution and an unstoppable force. This was what the man and Spiritual Beast neededan opponent with enough pressure! Waves like raging torrents formed instantly in the upper space, voraciously curling toward Lanso as he leaped into the air. The constricting force of MoonSky-Rolling Waterfall exploded in an instant, and hidden within the water, Rapid Stream Break bombarded Lanso in rapid succession. "Roar!!!" A strange crimson surged in Lanso''s eyes as he clenched both hands, and the Battle Axe larger than his own body began to spin, releasing a terrible force that seemed capable of tearing the void asunder, splitting the waves with unstoppable momentum as it hurtled down the gaps in the waves toward Qin Chuan. Seeing the Battle Axe raised high, Qin Chuan''s expression was as grave as it had never been before. He forcefully lifted the "Core" of Kasakaban, and the water split to both sides coalesced like giant hands before being torn apart once again by Lanso. Watching the approaching Lanso now so close, Qin Chuan forcefully stamped on the ground. A pale blue halo rippled out from him in all directions. Lanso''s hefty body experienced Knockback for an instant, and his momentum also fell by several degrees. But, relying on the powerful combat Talent of the Dwarf Demon Clan, the moment the Knockback effect ended, the opponent readjusted his stance. Using the momentum of his descent, he continued his formidable assault on Qin Chuan. Observing the silently proliferating Water Flow Marks around Lanso, Qin Chuan lifted the Dragon Slayer Blade and, with a shout, met Lanso''s axe head-on. Simultaneously, a tens of meters long line of water blossomed along Lanso''s body. MoonVoid Abyssal Flow Slash! "Boom!!!" With a loud explosion, Qin Chuan was sent flying backward, crashing against the wall and leaving a web-like pattern at the moment of impact, his Dragon Slayer Blade trembling, a clear notch where it had collided with the Battle Axe. Breaking through the smoke mixed with water vapor, the injured Lanso instantly charged forward. Qin Chuan''s bloodstained lips curled into a slight arc. "Spirit Descent" Chapter 239 - 239: Servant, Your Resistance Ends Here Only SS, hmm... Qin Chuan glanced around and his eyes finally landed on a bizarre mask on the ground that seemed neither crying nor laughing. After he had successfully killed Cursed RemnantLanso, the mask seemed to have lost its restraint, sliding off Lanso''s face and revealing his distinct deep green visage belonging to the Dwarf Demon Clan. From the remnants of Lelian''s memory, Qin Chuan knew that this mask was the source of the tragedy of the Dwarf Demon Clan and a crucial factor in the creation of the Mysterious Tower. Looking at the mask, he seemed to hear the hopeful cries of countless Dwarf Demons who had perished within the Mysterious Tower. Destroy it! Destroy it!!! Qin Chuan raised his hand, and a sweeping flow of water grabbed the mask through the air. If this was indeed the last requirement for the advancement strategy... "Crack" He clenched his fist fiercely, and the ominous and bizarre mask shattered in response. A phantom figure rapidly emerged, that of the Mysterious ShadowLelian whom he had already eradicated. At this moment, the face of Lelian no longer showed madness but had become calm, and from its huge and twisted body, different looking Dwarf Demons split off, casting grateful glances at Qin Chuan before dissolving into countless points of light. By the time the last Dwarf Demon had dissipated, the twisted and fierce body of Lelian had returned to normal, transforming into a female of the Dwarf Demon Clan. The woman looked affectionately at Lanso, who lay on the ground, then followed in the footsteps of her kin. Suddenly, Qin Chuan realized what the Mysterious ShadowLelian truly was. It was a creation born from the fusion of all the clan members of the Dwarf Demon Clan in despair. [Congratulations Player for meeting the advancement strategy requirement: Destroy the ominous laughing and crying mask, Dungeon Clearance Rating upgraded to: SSS] [Current Dungeon Clearance Rating: SSS] [Current Strategy Reward: [Red] Lanso''s Battle Axe, [Red] High Rank Dwarf Demon Forging Essence, [Red] TitleFearless Conqueror] [Additional Strategy Rewards: +2 Strategy Attempts Today] [Receive Strategy Reward] Looking at the lines of text that had appeared before him, Qin Chuan ended the Spirit Descent state, relaxing his expression slightly. The Battle Axe and the red title were already part of the SS rating, whereas the High Rank Dwarf Demon Forging Essence in red was a new addition for obtaining the SSS rating. Besides, obtaining the SSS rating in the S-level Dungeon, and the additional two attempts, also delighted Qin Chuan. Without delay, let''s see what the S-level dungeon rewards are. [[Red] Lanso''s Battle Axe: The weapon of Lanso, a brave and skillful warrior of the Dwarf Demon Clan. The wielder can channel the belief of the strong, significantly enhancing resistance to adverse conditions and increasing attack by 70%] [[Red] High Rank Dwarf Demon Forging Essence: The essence of the creation powers of the Dwarf Demon Clan. Applying it to any purple equipment can upgrade the equipment to red] [[Red] TitleFearless Conqueror: Wearing it increases attack by 40%, and when facing multiple opponents, the effect doubles] Qin Chuan fell silent for a moment, then picked up the battle axe that Lanso had used. It was good equipment, though not particularly suited for him. The other two items, however, were treasures. The High Rank Dwarf Demon Forging Essence was a small bottle of liquid flickering with brilliant light, which needed only to be sprinkled over equipment for enhancement. Without much hesitation, Qin Chuan poured it over the Dragon Slayer Blade of Salas. This piece of equipment was the one he found most handy at the moment. The purple glow on the surface of the Dragon Slayer Blade gradually brightened, then quickly transformed into red. [[Red] Salas''s Dragon Slayer Blade: Increases attack by 35%, ignores 35% of the target''s defense, reduces the target''s recovery by 50%, and the effect doubles against dragon species] Looking at the greatly enhanced effects of the Dragon Slayer Blade, Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction, replaced his old purple title with the newly obtained red title, and prepared to click [Exit Dungeon]. The next instant, his expression underwent a drastic change. What should have been a "Quit Instance" button was now covered with a dark gray sheen and unresponsive to Qin Chuan''s touch. Qin Chuan was shocked and abruptly looked toward the shattered mask fragments on the ground. These mask fragments were swirling with a foreboding aura so thick it nearly turned liquid. As Qin Chuan gazed at them, the ominous aura transformed into an indescribable monster that violently lunged towards him. [00:00:37] Every surrounding thing instantly froze. Facing the sudden crisis, Qin Chuan didn''t hesitate to activate Time Stop. Then the next instant, his pupils contracted drastically, and a tumultuous wave surged in his heart. In Time Stop, the ominous aura moved as if it was mired in mud, its originally swift movements, now only leaving afterimages, slowed considerably, the ferocity of its attack faltered. But it didn''t stop! This was the first time Qin Chuan had seen something that Time Stop couldn''t completely halt. "Quit Instance" was still gray, and Qin Chuan''s expression grew solemn. The ominous aura seemed startled by Time Stop, senselessly perceiving its surroundings; then it appeared to realize something, and the mouth it had formed opened as if it wanted to say something. "Buzz" The halted world trembled violently at that moment, and the next instant, Qin Chuan''s world was engulfed in a dazzling array of multicolored lights. When the brilliance dimmed, one second of Time Stop had ended. There was no trace of the ominous aura left in the scene, and even the shattered mask had disappeared. sea??h th N?velFire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at the now glowing "Quit Instance," Qin Chuan''s expression shifted constantly. ----------------- Outside the entrance to a Grade-A instance, Silent Poison Lake. Apart from the officials of Indonesia and the members of Yanhuang Country''s Special Affairs Group who had come to lend assistance, figures from other powers and countries were also present. After realizing their inferiority, Indonesia''s pleas for help were not directed solely at Yanhuang. Regardless of whether the intentions behind these pleas were to assist, they at least had all arrived. At this moment, a large group of transcendent beings, each at least of Elite Level, were closely watching the entrance to the instance, their expressions grave and cautious. "Chang, are you sure your Special Affairs Group''s weapon fanatic can handle it?" a transcendent from The Sun Never Sets Country inquired, casting a glance towards the Special Affairs Group. "If he can''t, do you think you can?" Chang Jinze furrowed his brow, already worried about Ji Huai''s safety, "Isn''t Zefina one of yours from The Sun Never Sets? Why didn''t she come?" "You should know, half an hour ago, a Grade-C instance descended in The Sun Never Sets," the team leader from The Sun Never Sets shrugged, "Zefina is dealing with that." "Besides, this place is too far from The Sun Never Sets, even the few of us had to use transcendent methods to hasten our arrival." Chang Jinze fell silent for a moment. He hadn''t been aware of the Grade-C instance occurring in The Sun Never Sets. It seemed the only hope rested on... "Boom!!!" Inside the instance channel, Ji Huai was blasted out, falling heavily into the ocean, creating towering waves. Chang Jinze was stunned for a moment, then his expression turned uglier than ever. Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Dalaisai emerged, carrying the White Bone Long Spear, his body''s bloodstains healing at a visibly rapid rate. A jet of water shot up, fishing Ji Huai out from the ocean, tightly binding him. "My servant, your resistance ends here." Chapter 240 - 240: Now, do your best to call for help "Wow" Under the pressure of the enormous power binding him, Ji Huai, whose face was already pale, vomited a mouthful of blood. "Release Wu Chi!" Chang Jinze angrily exclaimed, the members of the Special Affairs Group were excited and eager to immediately step in. "He is my servant," Dalaisai said indifferently, "According to the rules of the Half-demon Clan, this is the fate of the defeated." Ji Huai gave Chang Jinze a "do not intervene" look. He remained silent, his gaze towards Dalaisai was especially grave. Inside the dungeon passage, he had fought with all his might against his opponent but still ended in defeat; now outside the dungeon passage, without the Dungeon Talent and titles to aid him, there was even less chance of defeating the opponent. Up to this moment, Ji Huai was still unable to assess the opponent''s strength. The opponent''s strength clearly exceeded the normal Epic Rank category, but if the opponent really was above Epic Rank, why could he disregard the boundaries and enter the dungeon passage? "What... exactly is your strength?" Ji Huai asked in a deep voice. At the same time, the captain of the Transcendents from Mi Country shouted, "Damn Otherworld creature, let''s send it back to where it belongs!" The moment his words fell, he, along with a few Transcendents behind him, launched an attack towards Dalaisai. "What you want to ask is why I can pass through the limits of the dungeon, right?" Dalaisai''s lips curved slightly, "The restriction of the dungeon limits is absolute." "Even if suppressing strength, as long as one''s own Rank is higher than the limit, entering the dungeon passage is impossible." "Unless one truly lowers their Rank to below the dungeon limit." While speaking, Dalaisai flicked his finger, instantly turning several Transcendents from Mi Country into a mist of blood. He did not look at the people, yet the whole scene fell into silence. "The range of power for Legend Rank is 400,000 to 1,000,000," Dalaisai said with a smirk, "as long as it''s below Legend Rank, it''s Epic Rank." "Under normal circumstances, the strength range of Epic Rank is 100,000 to 250,000." "So... I only need to lower my strength to 399,999 to easily surpass the limits and effortlessly crush anyone at Epic Rank." Dalaisai''s voice was not intentionally lowered, not only Ji Huai but also the vast number of Transcendents blocking the passage entrance heard him clearly. "How is that possible?" the captain from The Sun Never Sets exclaimed, disregarding his shock from seeing the Transcendents from Mi Country being instantly killed, "How can you control your own strength so precisely?!" The Race Value of Spiritual Beasts increases in fixed increments at each Rank, and a Transcendent''s Extraordinary Value is a discontinuous sum of the Spiritual Beast Species Value and Affinity; even the smallest change is calculated in tens or hundreds. For someone like Dalaisai to precisely control his power to be just a trivial amount below Legend Rank was unimaginable to the Transcendents of Blue Star. "Is it difficult?" Dalaisai tilted his head, "For every Clan at Heavenly Dome Rank, this is merely the most basic ability." "When you reach that step, you''ll be able to grasp it too." "Of course, that is if you ever get the chance." Looking around, Dalaisai opened his mouth and emitted a strange syllable. In the next instant, the ocean beneath everyone''s feet suddenly trembled. In their astonished gaze, numerous ferocious Demon Beasts emerged from the water. They crazily worshiped Dalaisai and then burst apart under his feet. Their flesh and blood swiftly converged in front of Dalaisai, as stark white bones rapidly constructed a majestic White Bone Throne beneath his feet. Gathering the flesh and blood of numerous marine Demon Beasts into a Dan Pill, Dalaisai placed it in his mouth; his aura instantly crossed a certain boundary, causing the expressions of all the humans present to turn even more somber. A vast amount of information displayed in the dungeon revealed that the Half-demon Clan possesses the ability to control some beasts. But no one had expected that this ability would also include the Demon Beasts of Blue Star. Dalaisai leaned back, sitting upon his White Bone Throne. "Now, do whatever you can to call for help." "Let me see, this new clan called humanity, what qualification do you have to step onto the Heavenly Dome Rank?" ----------------- "What exactly is an Ominous presence?" Sitting on a bench in the Yan University campus, Qin Chuan wore a thoughtful expression. After smoothly exiting the S-rank dungeon, his mind was still filled with the abnormalities during the Time Stop. Even the Time Stop couldn''t completely halt it, the fearful nature of the Ominous presence had surpassed Qin Chuan''s expectations, no wonder all clans could not escape being eroded by it when faced with the Ominous presence. Fortunately, Time Stop still managed to suppress the Ominous presence. If Qin Chuan wasn''t wrong, that burst of colorful radiance that completely eradicated the Ominous presence might also have something to do with the Time Stop. With the update to version 2.3 of Blue Star, Time Stop seemed to have begun showing him more unusual aspects. sea??h th Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan recalled his experience in Screaming Demon Lake. After removing the Ominous Crystal Core from the soul-separated corpse of the Tufted Deer, he had immediately sought out the Lake Bottom Death Demon Kasakaban. The "Core" from the previous Lake Bottom Death Demon had fallen onto Kasakaban, instantly transforming him into the new Lake Bottom Death Demon. He had been carrying such an item with him, and nothing happened? Just the thought of it sent a shiver down Qin Chuan''s spine. Looking back, the fact that he hadn''t been eroded during this process wasn''t due to luck but likely related to the Time Stop ability. So, was there a possibility that he, possessing the Time Stop ability, would not be eroded by the Ominous presence? Thinking of this possibility, Qin Chuan felt a strong urge to try out a few lower-level Ominous dungeons. Just then, after obtaining an SSS rating in Mysterious Tower, he had earned two more chances to tackle dungeons. As soon as Qin Chuan opened the dungeon list and was about to make a selection, a sudden urgent ringing interrupted him. He glanced at the caller ID, hesitated for a moment, and quickly answered, "Feng Yin, what''s up?" "Luo, congratulations on successfully clearing the S-rank dungeon," Feng Yin spoke very quickly. Although his words were congratulatory, his tone lacked joy, "But now, I''m sorry I have to interrupt your continued attempts at tackling dungeons." "A problem has arisen with the B-rank dungeon Silent Poison Gas Lake that appeared recently," Feng Yin said solemnly. "A Half-demon just one step away from surpassing the Epic Rank and reaching the Legend Rank has emerged from there." "Ji Huai was defeated by it and is now captured, we can''t rescue him for the time being." "The creature has the ability to control Demon Beasts, and after stepping out of the dungeon portal, it consumed a large number of Demon Beasts and in front of everyone, it broke through to the Legend Rank." "I am about to head to the location of the dungeon portal, and I hope you can join me. Right now, you are probably the only person who has a chance to defeat it." Ji Huai got captured? Thinking of the figure who had guided him every evening for over a month, Qin Chuan''s eyes lowered slightly, a cold light flickering. Legend Rank? Coincidentally, he had just killed one. "Send someone to pick me up." Chapter 241 - 241: Its You, The One Who Killed My Sister (Add more for 1650 Monthly Tickets in May) A few minutes later, a designated car appeared at the entrance of Yan University, speeding away with Qin Chuan, quickly reaching an airport. At the airport, a domineering military special transport plane was already prepared. "Let''s go, and I''ll fill you in as we walk," said Su Yuanshan, who had been waiting, with a deep voice. "Okay," Qin Chuan, who had met Su Yuanshan during yesterday''s dungeon incident, nodded. Once both men boarded the plane, Su Yuanshan handed Qin Chuan a tablet, "That half-demon claims to be the Tidal Demon LordDalaisai. This is a recording of it emerging from the dungeon portal." "Okay," Qin Chuan took it with a stern face and started to review. Watching the figure in the recording, covered in dark blue scales, controlling the water to form a cage around the severely injured Ji Huai, his expression grew darker. Soon, the recording ended. Su Yuanshan slowly spoke, "Are you confident?" As a Second Generation Insight, his voice lacked its usual certainty. Qin Chuan was very strong. The Special Affairs Group had barely caught up to his Hall Level, and one of his Spirit Beasts had reached the Epic Rank. This advancement speed, surpassing everyone else, endowed Qin Chuan with power far beyond others. But Ji Huai, who had been promoted to Hall Level, had mastered Spirit Descent. In theory, he shouldn''t be much weaker than Qin Chuan. Now, Ji Huai had been defeated by Dalaisai, and after beating Ji Huai, Dalaisai''s power had increased further. Could Qin Chuan truly defeat him? Even though Qin Chuan had cleared an S-rank dungeon, Su Yuanshan still couldn''t be sure. After all "In the world outside the dungeon portal, titles and dungeon talents can''t take effect." "I know," Qin Chuan''s eyes slightly narrowed. It wasn''t just those two that were ineffective, but also Time Stop. But Qin Chuan was certain, the opponent, having left the dungeon and come to the completely foreign world of Blue Star, couldn''t retain all his strength. The opponent must also have abilities restricted, only that they had not been exposed. Looking at a serious Su Yuanshan, Qin Chuan spoke calmly. "I can perform Spirit Descent now." The expression on Su Yuanshan''s face visibly relaxed a bit. There still might be a fight. The plane swiftly ascended, flying towards the destination at several times the speed of a commercial airliner. ----------------- "Ah...this is truly boring." Dalaisai sat on the White Bone Throne, resting his chin on his hand as he watched the Transcendents watching him warily, using various means of communication to contact every strong individual they could. "To be honest, I''m starting to regret letting you call for reinforcements," he glanced at Ji Huai, who sat calmly in the water cage beside him, suddenly feeling annoyed, "Servant, come keep me company and chat, or I might just take back my earlier decision." Ji Huai slowly opened his eyes. "I thought a strong individual wouldn''t change his commands overnight." "Then you misunderstood me," Dalaisai grinned silently, "The word ''change overnight'' doesn''t exist in the half-demon''s dictionary." "We revere primitive desires and act solely according to our own nature." Ji Huai was silent for a moment, "What would you like to talk about?" "Let''s start with you," Dalaisai tapped the armrest of the throne with his other hand, "Servant, although you''re pretending to be calm, you can''t fool me." "You''re worried." "Let me guess what you''re worried about," Dalaisai looked at the silent Ji Huai, his eyes gleaming with a playful light, "for instance, are you worried that once the Dream World''s entrance opens, my clan inside the dungeon passage will seize the opportunity to invade Blue Star?" Ji Huai abruptly lifted his head, his expression gradually turning solemn, "You even know about the Dream World''s entrance?" "Of course, after all my clan once also..." Dalaisai''s voice suddenly shifted, "but your worries are unnecessary." "The opening of the Dream World''s entrance coincides with the return time of the Heavenly Dome Rank." "I''m quite lazy. I don''t like to engage in long discussions, so all you need to know is that when the Dream World''s entrance opens, I won''t have time to bother with you." Ji Huai fell silent, analyzing the credibility of the other''s words and doubting his motives for sharing this information. After a moment, he chose to stop thinking. Sarch* The N??eFire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why tell me all this?" he looked up at Dalaisai, "If what you say is true, wouldn''t it be more advantageous for you if we didn''t know?" "You would have discovered it sooner or later." Dalaisai spoke in a deep voice, "We, the Half-demon Clan, are not adept at tactics. It took us only three days to uncover that." "So, whether I tell you or not isn''t important." Dalaisai leaned back against the back of the throne, "I dislike going around in circles. I came to this world only to fight and conquer." "So it''s best if you don''t waste your energy on pointless matters, as that would bore me even more." Ji Huai paused briefly, "You''ve mentioned the Heavenly Dome Rank many times, what is it?" "I thought you wouldn''t ask," Dalaisai glanced at Ji Huai, "Want to know?" "I won''t tell you." Ji Huai clenched his fists, feeling a surge of impulse to initiate Spirit Descent and fight to the death with his opponent. "Speaking of which..." Dalaisai looked into the distance, a thoughtful expression on his face, "In your world, you''re not the strongest one, are you?" Ji Huai didn''t answer. He suddenly thought of Qin Chuan. He wondered who would be strongerQin Chuan, who had initiated Spirit Descent and evolved with a Spiritual Beast, enhancing all his skills and Extraordinary Value, or himself. A trace of worry flickered in Ji Huai''s eyes. Qin Chuan was strong, but according to his estimate, not a match for Dalaisai. Unless... Qin Chuan also mastered Spirit Descent. Is that possible? He was unsure. His ability to rapidly achieve 100% Affinity, was by catering to his Gold Attribute Spirit Beast''s craving for Weapon Skills. Every time he instructed it in Weapon Skills, he gained substantial Affinity. Having mastered Spirit Descent immediately upon reaching 100% Affinity was because the skills of his own Gold Attribute Spirit Beast were learned directly from him. This was a very special situation that others couldn''t replicate. "Boring fellow." Not getting the answer he wanted from Ji Huai, Dalaisai snorted subtly, suddenly sensing something, and looked towards the horizon. Spotting a rapidly enlarging black dot in his line of sight, his face took on an interested expression. "Looks like a capable guy has arrived." Ji Huai looked up, his expression changing slightly at the sight of the familiar military aircraft. Before the plane even landed, a figure leaped from the sky, stepping onto the ocean with a surge of water that was quickly subdued by the control of Water Attribute power. Holding the upgraded Red Dragon Slayer Blade, Qin Chuan walked step by step on the ocean surface, the blade point creating a series of ripples on the calm sea. He stared at the not-so-distant White Bone Throne, stood firm, and remained silent. Dalaisai observed Qin Chuan''s face, suddenly showing a hint of interest. "It''s you!" He walked down from the White Bone Throne step by step, treading on the white skeletal steps until he reached the ocean surface, holding the White Bone Long Spear, walking up to Qin Chuan. "I recognize you, Luo." "The guy who ''killed'' my sister." Chapter 243 - 243: Infinite Tomb of Soldiers · Heaven Burying Slash! Accompanied by Ji Huai''s voice echoing through the air, a golden pillar of light shot up into the sky. Countless weapons fell from the sky like rain, then plunged into the depths of the ocean. "Servant, there is no place for you to take action here." Dalaisai put away the water mirror he held in the sky and looked towards Ji Huai, not far away, clad in metallic armor, without the slightest bit of panic due to the latter''s arrival. Within the instance portal, he had already witnessed Ji Huai''s Spirit Descent. It had to be said that Ji Huai''s Spirit Descent was unique and warranted his esteem. But this was the ocean. How could those weapons falling from the sky threaten him, the Tide Demon Lord, as they sank into the sea? As he lifted the White Bone Long Spear in his hand, countless sea demon beasts emerged beneath the surface at Dalaisai''s feet. The moment the White Bone Long Spear pointed at Ji Huai, the sea demon beasts summoned from the surrounding waters pounced towards Ji Huai in an instant, with dozens of them being Fifth Rank demon beasts alone. "Play with these little things!" Said Dalaisai, as his gaze returned to Qin Chuan. In his view, it was this man who was equally matched with him that posed the real threat. "Your strength is considerably greater than Daile described," said Dalaisai, raising the White Bone Long Spear, a surge of azure light erupting from his eyes, "If your power came from any other attribute, I might have faced the possibility of defeat." "But unfortunately, your power comes from water." "Half-demons have an affinity for attributes second only to the Crystal Clan. Using the same series of Extraordinary Power in front of a half-demon is a huge disadvantage that cannot be compensated for by tools or equipment." "The warm-up ends here." Dalaisai''s lips curled into a wicked smile, "Next, I''m going to thoroughly enjoy this battle." "You sure talk a lot," said Qin Chuan, gripping the Dragon Slayer Blade tightly, his eyes flickering with a cold light. He was about to strike when suddenly his expression changed, and he stepped back half a step. "Infinite Tomb of Soldiers" "Clang" A clear ring of a blade resonated through the heavens and earth, instantly sweeping towards Dalaisai, the massive blade severing the world, the sharp intent that erupted in a flash split the ocean open, revealing a seabed hundreds of meters deep, while also cleaving a crack in the sky and the clouds. Numerous sea demon beasts were sliced apart by the residual Sword Force, and at the end of the bloody path carved open, the armor-clad Ji Huai slowly lowered a blood-soaked hand, his expression exceptionally calm. "Heaven Burying Slash!" Dalaisai''s expression changed instantly. His figure explosively retreated, narrowly dodging the slash, but his body was still lined with countless cuts in the wake of the Sword Force. Just as he was about to take action, Qin Chuan had already appeared next to him like a phantom. The full-force strike of the Dragon Slayer Blade heavily landed on the White Bone Long Spear that Dalaisai had hastily raised. In the next instant, a terrifying force exploded, blasting Dalaisai, who had been pushed back to the portal entrance by Ji Huai, into the instance portal! Without any hesitation, Qin Chuan followed closely into the portal, confronting the gradually steadying figure of Dalaisai, moved forward in a few flashes, and raised the Dragon Slayer Blade high. Just as he was about to initiate Time Stop, Qin Chuan''s expression shifted slightly. He decisively slashed down, watching Dalaisai, who was directly bisected into two halves and turned into two streams of water, his face growing somber. In the void, the infuriating voice of Dalaisai echoed. "This ends today, let''s battle another day." Without a second word, Qin Chuan stepped out of the instance portal, looking out at the calm battlefield outside the portal, he couldn''t help but turn to Ji Huai, "Mr. Ji, did you see where that guy went?" "I only saw him being chased by you into the portal," Ji Huai pressed one hand over his other, which had stopped bleeding, and his expression tensed upon hearing the question, "He''s not in the portal?" Qin Chuan shook his head slightly. sea??h th n??el Fire.nt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Transcendents who were observing the battle from a distance had just arrived at this moment. After hearing the conversation between the two, they exchanged glances. "All Transcendents with detection abilities, immediately scan the surroundings," Su Yuanshan ordered in a deep voice. Moments later, everyone returned without success. Qin Chuan''s expression grew grave. After discovering that the Daile who had entered the instance portal was merely a water-formed doppelg?nger, he realized that the chances of finding the other party were extremely slim. That guy, even being forced into the instance portal, was just a ruse. "I''ll go destroy the portal first, you all be careful in case Daile comes back with a vengeance outside the portal," Qin Chuan said, before turning and entering the portal once again. Comparing finding Daile with destroying an instance portal that could elevate to S-rank at any moment, the latter was, of course, more important. Ten minutes later, Qin Chuan''s figure flashed and reappeared outside the instance portal, which rapidly collapsed and vanished. The A-rank instance portal, Toxic Gas Lake, was successfully destroyed. The Transcendents who witnessed this scene cheered, but when they thought of the now-traceless Daile, a persistent shadow loomed over their hearts. ----------------- In a secluded town within the borders of The Sun Never Sets, a large number of Transcendents surrounded an opened portal, their faces taut, ready for battle. After an unknown period of waiting, a graceful figure flashed into existence outside the portal. Immediately after, the portal that had been open for several hours rapidly collapsed and disappeared. The C-rank instance portal that had opened in The Sun Never Sets was successfully destroyed. The guarding Transcendents quickly breathed a sigh of relief, and the crowd of onlookers excitedly shouted the name "Zefina." Zefina, clad in light armor and wearing a short skirt, with her spirited golden short hair fluttering in the wind, smiled and waved at the crowd before sitting in an arriving Phantom car. As soon as the car door closed, Oriel, hidden inside, pounced excitedly, her deep blue eyes sparkling like stars, "That was amazing!" "Flaya, don''t use this as an excuse to take advantage of me," Zefina pushed Oriel away, her expression a mix of resignation and amusement, "How''s the situation over there?" "A video was just sent back, do you want to see it?" Oriel said with a smile, picking up a laptop from next to her and placing it on her lap, "I haven''t had a chance to see it myself; let''s watch it together." Zefina gestured for her to play it, and soon the footage of Qin Chuan''s intense battle with Daile appeared before the two women. The video ended after Daile was blasted into the instance portal. In the car, Zefina and Oriel fell into silence. "So, this is the power of Spirit Descent..." Longing appeared in Zefina''s eyes as she watched, "Flaya, now you see how unwise it is to oppose him, right?" Oriel shrank a little, "Who could have thought that guy would be so abnormally strong and able to counter my Talent." "You made the same mistake as Erik, but fortunately, due to the uniqueness of your Talent, you were able to retreat unharmed," Zefina said as she stroked Oriel''s smooth long hair, "Take the opportunity to extend an olive branch and see if we can coexist peacefully with him." "Alright," Oriel agreed, hugging Zefina''s arm and swiping on her phone for a moment before her expression turned to surprise, "This battle footage seems to have already been leaked online." "The perspective is different from our video, and it''s clearer than ours." "Hey? It even captured Luo''s face!" Zefina looked at the video playing on Oriel''s phone with interest. "Now, things are getting more interesting." Chapter 244 - 244: The Traces of Dalaisai! "I told you before," Qin Chuan said, "that Secret Techniques are not unchangeable." "So Spirit Descent is also not unchanging." Ji Huai, with one hand wrapped in bandages and the other holding a cup of tea, sat boldly on a couch in the resting room. Looking at Qin Chuan across from him, he said, "Heaven Burying Slash is a completely new ability I''ve comprehended, building on the foundation of my original Infinite Tomb of Soldiers." "It''s just that this strike is too extreme, and the backlash on my body is severe." "Teacher Ji, your hand" Qin Chuan looked at Ji Huai''s bandaged arm with some concern, "Can''t item-class healing potions heal it?" "It''s no use," Ji Huai shook his head slightly, "My hand isn''t simply injured; it''s because I''ve exerted an extreme Sword Force, allowing it to penetrate into the flesh and bones of my arm. As long as the Sword Force remains, the wound cannot heal." "The natural dispersal of Sword Force will take about two days." "So for the next two days, I can''t use Spirit Descent again, or it will stimulate the Sword Force further, leading to irreversible consequences." "War fanatic, you are too impulsive," Chang Jinze sighed from the side, "that strike not only failed to achieve anything, but also crippled yourself." "If it weren''t for Dalaisai''s ability to silently create clones, he would be dead," Qin Chuan said, shaking his head slightly, "Who could have foreseen such an accident?" "I just feel it''s a pity," Chang Jinze said apologetically, glancing at Ji Huai, then quickly changed the subject, "Dalaisai said that when the entrance to Dream World opens, he won''t have time to bother with Blue Star. How credible do you think that is?" "Zero," Qin Chuan replied, shaking his head slightly, "Dalaisai is the first Otherworld Clan we have actually encountered; we don''t even have a reference to verify his words." "So whether what he says is true or false, I''ll treat it as false." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The reason Qin Chuan didn''t care to listen to Dalaisai at all during their encounter was for this reason. Cripple first, then judge whether what he says is true. "No problem with that approach, but we can''t just, because Dalaisai might still be on Blue Star, prevent all players from entering Dream World," Chang Jinze sighed. Qin Chuan was also silent. If a large number of players don''t enter Dream World, and their bodies lose consciousness in Dream World, it could lead to a sharp decline in Blue Star''s Extraordinary strength overnight. Let alone others, even Qin Chuan himself could not afford to stay out of Dream World for a long time. Although he was safeguarded by Yue Li, his security in Dream World wouldn''t be a problem, but if he did not enter Dream World, his strength would stagnate. "Since we are not sure whether what Dalaisai says is true or false, let''s use our own way to verify it," Su Yuanshan''s voice came from outside the resting room, and he walked in slowly, "Today there was one B-rank, one C-rank, and three D-rank instances descending into reality." "Now both the B-rank and C-rank have been destroyed, leaving one D-rank that has descended into Yanhuang," Su Yuanshan found a seat and spoke in a solemn voice, "I''ve already arranged people to imprison the Otherworldly creatures within the instance channel." "We''re not in a hurry to destroy this instance channel." "Tonight after midnight, we''ll see what''s going on with those Otherworldly creatures, and whether Dalaisai can act on Blue Star during the opening period of Dream World''s entrance will naturally become clear." "Once we''re certain there''s no problem, then we can sleep, it won''t delay us for too long." Hearing Su Yuanshan''s arrangements, Qin Chuan and the others nodded slightly. It was much safer this way. Su Yuanshan and the others were all at the Dragon Gate Guild No. 1, so as long as their companions lay down on time, those who lose consciousness for a short time would not be in too much danger. With Yue Li present, Qin Chuan''s side also had no issues. If he wanted to be extra secure, he could completely contact Zheng Xiaoyu in reality, and after she entered Dream World, have her relay the message to Yue Li. "Now that the issue in Indonesia is resolved, it''s not convenient for us to continue staying here. We''ll return to our country later," Su Yuanshan said, then smiled, "I managed to secure a substantial amount of aid money, time to bleed those stubborn folks dry." "After we get back, rewards will be distributed," Qin Chuan said. The atmosphere in the rest room immediately lightened up a bit. The Special Affairs Group had taken the initiative to propose destroying the passageway, but the Indonesian government was unwilling. After their failure, they came back sheepishly asking for help, so naturally, the initial price was no longer on the table. Extra money would have to be added. "To avoid any possible unforeseen circumstances, let''s not return to Yanjing tonight," Su Yuanshan paused slightly, "We''ll stay in Zengmu Ansha for the night and head back to Yanjing tomorrow morning." Zengmu Ansha, the southernmost island of Yanhuang Country. Staying there meant they could respond immediately if Dalaisai appeared. "Oh, right," Su Yuanshan glanced at Qin Chuan, his expression somewhat strange. "Luo, it looks like we won''t be able to prevent your identity from being exposed." "Those Transcendents who were watching the battle filmed your fight with Dalaisai, and the video clarity is quite high." "It''s now being uploaded all over the foreign internet. Although we have the Special Affairs Group suppressing it domestically, it''s becoming very difficult to control under these circumstances." Qin Chuan''s mouth twitched slightly, caught between laughter and tears. "Let things take their natural course then." ----------------- On the high seas of the Pacific Ocean. A naked man stepped out of the sea and onto an unremarkable island, possessing a physique similar to that of humans, save for a small patch of blue scales at the corner of his eyes, with no other differences apparent. Looking around, he began to mutter to himself in the Otherworldly language. "That guy called Luo still poses some threat." He suddenly leaped, swiftly ascending the steep cliffs shaped by years of waves, and entered a cave. He sat cross-legged as the sound of waves crashed against the cliffs, his power seemingly growing and stabilizing continuously. Forcing his strength down to Epic Rank had still been a bit too risky. Even though he had forcefully increased his power by devouring Demon Beast flesh and blood, such a boost was unstable, and far from enough to return him to his former peak. He had thought it would be sufficient. Yet, in this new world, there were already native players with such strength. So, at the last moment, when Luo and that fight enthusiast together forced him toward the instance gateway, he decisively chose to retreat. Although the Forbidden Technique he used caused his newly regained strength to plummet once again, losing those forcibly increased, disordered powers might not be a bad thing. Besides, he really didn''t dare to compete in Talent with his opponent. To be among the strongest echelon in the new world, Luo''s Dungeon Talent must be one of the very strongest Gold Talents. In comparison, himself... If he had a Talent that was on par with Luo''s, he wouldn''t be merely at Legend Rank. Feeling the concentration of Extraordinary Power surging around him, Dalaisai''s eyes flickered. In just three days, he could return to his peak. By then, he would be the Tide Demon Lord in his complete form. He was really looking forward to his next battle with Luo. Chapter 245 - 245: Identity Officially Exposed! (May 1950 Monthly Ticket Extra) Yan University male dormitory, Building 16, Room 602. Just after forming a team, Zhou Xiaochen, Du He''an, and Yu Zhao disappeared in a flash and appeared in the dormitory. "Old Du, that move of yours just now was crucial!" Zhou Xiaochen excitedly gave Du He''an a thumbs up as he sat back down, "Awesome!" "You and Yu Zhao are great teammates too!" Du He''an smiled, "Without you two, I wouldn''t have been able to achieve an SSS rating alone." "It''s my first time getting an SSS rating," Zhou Xiaochen chuckled, "The rewards for perfectly clearing the instance are way better than before!" "It''s a pity Qin Chuan didn''t team up with us," Yu Zhao suddenly spoke up. Du He''an and Zhou Xiaochen fell silent. The three of them glanced at Qin Chuan''s empty bed. They hadn''t seen him since the morning. "Do you guys think, what level of Transcendent is Qin Chuan?" Zhou Xiaochen couldn''t help but mutter, "I just remembered, when we discussed our skills yesterday, Qin Chuan didn''t reveal anything." "Today is the last day to register, and classes start tomorrow," Du He''an patted Zhou Xiaochen on the shoulder, "There will definitely be a test of strength during the first class." "Even if Qin Chuan doesn''t say, the answer will be revealed tomorrow." "You''re right." Zhou Xiaochen suddenly felt a bit depressed, "Do you think Qin Chuan deliberately said his attempts were used up yesterday because he thinks we are too weak?" "Probably... not." Du He''an''s mouth twitched, "Even if he is already an Elite Level player, it doesn''t mean we are totally useless." "There''s no need to doubt, it is the case." Yu Zhao suddenly spoke up. Facing the puzzled stares of his roommates, he silently handed them his phone, "Take a look." In the video, two figures were battling intensely over the sea, their casual strikes capable of summoning waves hundreds of kilometers high, power beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Zhou Xiaochen and Du He''an exclaimed repeatedly, but were also a bit puzzled about why Yu Zhao showed them this video. Until the two figures briefly stopped fighting and became clearer. The face of one figure was clearly captured. "Holy shit?!" Both of them exclaimed. Although the hair and eye color were slightly different, they were too familiar with that face. Wasn''t this Qin Chuan, who hadn''t been in the dorm all day? "Is this Qin Chuan? He''s this strong?" Zhou Xiaochen''s eyes widened, "What level of Transcendent must he be?" "That..." Du He''an, even though he was extremely shocked, couldn''t help but twitch the corners of his mouth, "Don''t you look at the video title?" Zhou Xiaochen glanced at the title subconsciously. "Shocking! Luo and Half-demon Clan Battle Footage Revealed!" Oh... it was Luo, no wonder he''s so powerful... Wait a second... Zhou Xiaochen couldn''t help but gasp. Their roommate is Luo?! The three exchanged glances, and after a moment, Zhou Xiaochen spoke hesitantly. "Do you think..." "Can we cling to his coattails now, would he carry us through a B-level instance?" "I''m not very capable, but I''m very good at washing socks." ----------------- S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ah ah ah ah!!" In dormitory 306, Song Yuxin, who was browsing the Dream Realm Forum while lying on her bed, suddenly sat up and screamed like a groundhog. "What happened? What happened?" Qiao Chang, who was studying for the next day''s class, was startled and stood up, patting Song Yuxin''s bed railing with a helpless expression, "You scared me." Lin Yue, who was reading at her desk, and Zheng Xiaoyu, who had grown tired after running through seven Elite Level instances on the other side of the room, also cast curious glances. "Do you remember the boys'' dorm we visited last night for the mixer? The boy named Qin Chuan?" Song Yuxin''s voice trembled with excitement. "Come on, we just met him yesterday. How could we forget?" Qiao Chang spread her hands. Lin Yue and Zheng Xiaoyu exchanged glances without saying a word. "The Dream Realm Forum has exposed him! He''s Luo!" Song Yuxin took a deep breath and shouted excitedly, "We had dinner with Luo last night!" "Huh?" Qiao Chang''s eyes widened, and she quickly logged into the Dream Realm Forum. Seeing the video that was being fervently discussed and a few screenshots from that video, after recognizing that very familiar face, she exclaimed in disbelief, "No way! What a coincidence!" Meanwhile, Zheng Xiaoyu, who had quickly logged in to see the video on the forum, fell silent. The skills he had shown while tackling the Elite Level instance weren''t even the full extent of his prowess! No wonder he took her through an Elite Level instance but left her out of the S-Level ones afterward. She was just too weak to keep up. Damn it! Wait, did Yueyue see it too? She sneakily peeked out from the side of her bed to look at Lin Yue. Seeing the video playing on Lin Yue''s screen, she thought to herself, "As expected." Zheng Xiaoyu, leaning lazily on her cheek, suddenly felt the joy of shipping a couple. Lin Yue didn''t notice Zheng Xiaoyu''s gaze as her full attention was fixated on a figure fighting in the video. She was all too familiar with each skill the figure executed. After watching just a few seconds, she had already confirmed his identity. That must be Luo, there couldn''t be another. Her heart suddenly filled with a mix of nervousness and intense anticipation. At that moment, the two figures in the video faced off, and the person filming zoomed in intentionally, making Luo''s face clearer. Looking at that face, Lin Yue''s breath caught slightly. Just like Luo had mentioned before, his appearance in the Dream World was different from reality, but for some reason, Lin Yue felt this face looked familiar. She seemed to have seen it somewhere. Suddenly, her mind flashed back to an image. It was when she had just finished registering and was heading back to her dormitory. Coming out of the student activity center, she encountered a boy who blocked her path. The boy immediately stepped aside and even offered to help, but she rejected him without hesitation. That vaguely remembered figure now suddenly merged with Luo, gaining a clear outline. Lin Yue couldn''t help covering her face. She remembered sounding rather indifferent then. What if Luo had a bad impression of her because of that... A touch of blush quietly flew up her cheeks, and Lin Yue bit her lip with slight annoyance. If only she had talked to him a bit more or hadn''t refused his help. But she also knew, that''s not how she usually behaves around strangers. Her finger gently tapped on Luo''s magnified handsome face on the paused video screen, and a bright smile suddenly appeared on Yue Li''s face. Though different from his Dream World guise, he was still very handsome. Chapter 247 - 247 S-Class Secret Realm Rewards, Beast Egg and Additional Entries! "It seems you''ve already seen the situation in the S-rank Secret Realm," Yue Li said with a smile, looking at the expression Qin Chuan had on his face. "I''m suddenly a bit relieved that we weren''t in a rush to find the fourth Contracted Spiritual Beast." "Yes," Qin Chuan nodded in agreement. "I didn''t expect that higher-level Secret Realms wouldn''t only drop resources but could also drop dragon eggs, from which one could contract Spiritual Beasts." "Being able to nurture a bond right after they hatch, with Spiritual Beasts that can''t be obtained in the Dream Worldit''s simply the best choice for a contract. It seems we''ve found our fourth Spiritual Beast." "You checked out the Black and White Dragon Nest, right?" Yue Li understood. "But what can drop isn''t limited to just hatchable and contractible Spiritual Beasts, you know~" Yue Li had entered the Dream World even earlier than Qin Chuan. While waiting and keeping watch, she had checked all the S-rank Secret Realms. "The entire Dream World has refreshed 100 S-rank Secret Realms, only one within a 10x10 range, evenly distributed." "Unlike the previous A, B, C, D rank Secret Realms, each S-rank Secret Realm is distinguished by a name. Each realm drops the same common resources, but the special resources are not the same." "Among these 100 S-rank Secret Realms, only 3 can yield Beast Eggs, and the rest have special resources, but those are resources that can strengthen a Spiritual Beast." "You can check out the nearest S-rank Secret Realm in the southwest directionDragon Hawk Valley." Following Yue Li''s suggestion, Qin Chuan opened the Secret Realm named Dragon Hawk Valley. The conquest target was also 2, but the special resources that could drop in this realm were the Wind Dragon Blessing and Wind Eagle Blessing. [Wind Dragon Blessing: Usable for Wind Attribute Spiritual Beasts, a Spiritual Beast that gets the Wind Dragon Blessing will receive an additional Equipment Entry "Gale," Attribute Power increase by 60%, this type of Equipment Entry can only be possessed by one beast at a time, obtaining another will replace the existing one] [Wind Eagle Blessing: Usable for Wind Attribute Spiritual Beasts, a Spiritual Beast that gets the Wind Eagle Blessing will receive an additional Equipment Entry "Rapid Wind," speed increase by 300%, this type of Equipment Entry can only be possessed by one beast at a time, obtaining another will replace the existing one] Additional Equipment Entry? Qin Chuan''s face showed a look of surprise. "Most of the special resources dropped by S-rank Secret Realms can provide extra Equipment Entries for the corresponding Attribute Pet Beasts," Yue Li explained. "I''ve checked, and the effects of these entries vary, as do their levels." "The two additional entries in Dragon Hawk Valley are equivalent to a level 10 Starlight Equipment Entry, which are the worst among the additional entries." "Most additional entries are equivalent to Moon Halo level Equipment Entries, and some I feel have surpassed that level." "Of course, the number of Secret Realms that have such entries is also very few, similar to the Beast Eggs. Only 3 out of the 100 S-rank Secret Realms offer such rewards." "I understand," Qin Chuan had gained a full understanding of the S-rank Secret Realm situation under Yue Li''s explanation, and a contemplative look appeared on his face. S-rank Secret Realms, like other Secret Realms, refresh their locations every Dream Day. Thus, undertaking a long journey like previously searching for the Hall Crystal was not feasible. They could only choose the nearby S-rank Secret Realm with the best rewards for their conquest. Given the current mobility of Qin Chuan and Yue Li, they could cover a 30x30 game area range in a single Dream Day, which is approximately 9 S-rank Secret Realms. According to the rewards of the S-rank Secret Realms, the rewards like Beast Eggs and the Equipment Entries above Moon Halo level can be called top special rewards, representing 6%. On average, every two days, an S-rank Secret Realm with a top reward would appear within their nearby range. Of course, one can''t just look at the rewards but must also consider the difficulty of conquering S-rank Secret Realms. Thinking about the information previously revealed by Dalaisai, Qin Chuan''s expression became slightly solemn. Legend Rank Spiritual Beasts, corresponding to a Race Value range from 400,000 to 1,000,000. """ With the strength of such a conquest target, he had to resort to Time Stop to complete the kill; and the probability of special rewards from the S-rank Secret Realm depended on the time taken to complete the conquest. Not sparing the child won''t catch the wolf; for the fastest kill, the Time Stop required wouldn''t be short. Having just mastered Spirit Descent, and gained the ability to quickly accumulate Time Stop by soloing A-rank instances, here came a major consumer of Time Stop right away. This really is Sarch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Chuan shook his head with a wry smile, "Let''s finish today''s unique conquest first, then head to the Black and White Dragon Nest together." Among the 9 nearby S-rank Secret Realms, this was the only one with top-level rewards. Also, he and Yue Li just happened to have not contracted their fourth Spiritual Beast. The two of them took turns attacking, along with the four other members'' progress; they eventually killed eight conquest bosses and earned 110,000 Conquest Points. Adding the remaining 17,500 points after upgrading "Battle More, Battle Stronger" to Lv3 yesterday, Qin Chuan boosted "Battle More, Battle Stronger" to Lv9 in one go, now increasing the final damage ratio by 9% after each kill. "Ah, the president is awake!" Iron Hammer''s laughter came from afar, with three Spiritual Beasts carrying various high-quality wood materials right behind him. Approaching Qin Chuan, Iron Hammer raised an eyebrow, "I didn''t expect the president to be so young in real life too." Obviously, he had seen that video as well. "Hmm Iron Hammer, you''ve come just in time. I''m going to try the S-rank Secret Realm strategy with Yue Li next," Qin Chuan said with a serious face. "No problem, I''ll handle the task of protecting our base." Iron Hammer patted his chest, "The wood I found today will just be perfect for decorating the newly constructed guild building." "Okay." Qin Chuan nodded and set off with Yue Li. As Xiao Qing soared high in the sky, his serious expression quickly disappeared, replaced by a mix of anxiety and nervousness, as he turned to Yue Li, "You saw the video too, right?" "The whole Dream Realm Forum is buzzing about it, I saw it of course," Yue Li chuckled, "I finally got to see what you look like in reality." "Slightly handsomer than I expected." "Really?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but curl the corners of his mouth, "Then am I at a bit of a disadvantage, considering I haven''t seen what you look like in the real world?" "The way I look in real life, you see it every day." Yue Li propped her cheek with one hand, smiling as she turned her head to look at Qin Chuan, "Didn''t I tell you?" "When I modified my player image, I only changed my hair and eye color." "Eh? Did you tell me?" Qin Chuan couldn''t help but turn to stare at Yue Li. The girl''s silver-white hair and light purple eyes gradually turned black in his mind; he was beginning to imagine just how stunning the girl in reality must be. Being stared at by Qin Chuan like this, Yue Li couldn''t help but turn her gaze aside, "Why are you looking at me? Watch the road." "Oh, oh" Qin Chuan instinctively looked ahead, then realized something was off. Sitting on Xiao Qing, what road was there to watch? When he turned back, he saw the blush had already spread to the tips of the girl''s ears. In the slightly odd atmosphere between them, Xiao Qing fluttered its wings, crossing one game zone after another at top speed. Two hours later, a Time-Space Rift much larger than any A-rank Secret Realm appeared in Qin Chuan and Yue Li''s view. Black and White Dragon Nest, here we come! """ Chapter 248 - 248 That Beam of Golden Light! As the only S-class Secret Realm in a hundred nearby districts, the Black and White Dragon Nest corresponding to the Time-Space Rift attracted quite a crowd of spectators. Even with their strength, it was impossible for them to conquer such a Secret Realm, but witnessing such a large-scale Time-Space Rift was also a valuable experience. Many players even saw it as a good opportunity to meet other players, gathering in small groups to chat. If there was a chance to recruit any lone players to their Guilds, they certainly wouldn''t pass it up. However, these discussions and idle chatter vanished after a giant bird descended. Seeing the distinctly blue giant bird and the male and female figures on its back, the players at the scene immediately became excited. It was Luo and Yue Li! If anyone was qualified to conquer an S-class Secret Realm at this stage, the first names that came to mind for players worldwide were these two. Even though they were no longer the only two Hall-Level players in Dream World, other Hall-Level players had yet to even challenge an A-class Secret Realm, so naturally, they didn''t compare to Luo and Yue Li in everyone''s eyes. What was more important was that Luo had already had a Spiritual Beast breakthrough to the Epic Rank. The S-class Secret Realm had appeared precisely because of his breakthrough. The mere arrival of the two stirred up immense excitement among the countless players present. "Luo! Yue Li! Go for it!" a player from Yanhuang Country couldn''t help but shout out. Yue Li threw a friendly smile at the player and then signaled Xiao Qing to enter the Secret Realm. The gusting wind rose, and the two disappeared inside the Time-Space Rift. The next moment, players at the scene began sending messages across the global and Guild channels. News of Luo and Yue Li''s venture into the S-class Secret Realm swept through the entire Dream World. ----------------- In District 5149, three players and their Contracted Spiritual Beasts were instantly teleported outside the Time-Space Rift, all wearing smiles as they watched the disappearing rift. "We did it!" Red Leaf exclaimed joyfully, "Even though it''s just a B-class, 1-star Secret Realm, it''s still B-class!" "Maybe next time, we can try the 2-star difficulty?" Leonhardt said cheerily, glancing at the global channel and clicking his tongue, "The Guild Leader and Deputy Guild Leader have gone to challenge the S-class Secret Realm; we can''t fall too far behind." "The Guild Leader is awake?" Red Leaf couldn''t help but look surprised, "That''s really great news." "Are we going to challenge the next B-class Secret Realm?" Evelyn tilted her head to the side and asked. With Leonhardt, who was proficient in both Russian and Chinese, facilitating their communication, the exchange between the two women had become much smoother. "Let''s call it a day," Red Leaf said, glancing at their Spiritual Beasts who were showing signs of fatigue, and shook her head, "Our strength isn''t enough to take on consecutive B-class challenges yet." "Miss Red Leaf is right," Leonhardt nodded in agreement, "Then, lovely ladies, it seems we might have to part ways for now." "Mr. Leonhardt, do you have something else to do?" Red Leaf inquired curiously. "Well... I have some Advanced Resources needed for one of my Contracted Spiritual Beasts, and there''s a Clan Spiritual Beast challenge in District 5148 that''s not far from here; I''m thinking of giving it a try," Leonhardt explained with a smile. "We can go together!" Red Leaf stated confidently, puffing out her chest, "We''re all Guild members, we should help each other." "Challenging a Clan Spiritual Beast allows us to use our Player Talents, and the talents of Evelyn and me are quite powerful. Together we''ve successfully challenged a Clan Spiritual Beast in this district before!" "You agree, right? Evelyn." "Yep." Evelyn nodded, glancing at Leonhardt before crossing her arms, "If you need help, I don''t mind assisting you." "Is that so... then I won''t be shy." Leonhardt chuckled after a moment''s thought, "It''s an honor to receive help from two lovely ladies." "Rawr~" Behind him, a three-meter-long lizard-like Spiritual Beast raised its head and roared. "Please, hop on." "The Single-Horned Earth Dragon excels in speed; riding it, we can reach our destination faster." Soon, the Single-Horned Earth Dragon, with its robust limbs, was sprinting towards area 5148, carrying the three of them. Over an hour later, the trio arrived at a valley. "The District Spiritual Beast of area 5148 is in here," Leonhardt said with a grave expression, "This District Spiritual Beast is very strong, its Rank has reached Hall Level Lv39." "No worries, I can reduce its strength by half!" Red Leaf exclaimed as she swung her arm vigorously in the air, "The rest is up to you and Evelyn." "The Spiritual Scale is truly a magical Talent." Having already learned about Red Leaf''s talent on the road, Leonhardt smiled faintly, leading the two women into the valley. Inside the valley, a giant scorpion covered in rocky armor studded with stone spikes emerged from beneath the earth, unleashing a terrifying presence befitting its Hall Rank, while its cold eyes mercilessly surveyed the three challengers, its sharp stinger quivering, ready to strike. [Triggered District Spiritual Beast Challenge, Opponent: Hall Level Lv39 Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion] [Number of Challengers: 3/10] [...] [Challenge Begins] "Suppress!" Red Leaf yelled, and the only Spiritual Beast among the three behind her that hadn''t reached the Elite Rank burst into light. The Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion, which had just entered the challenge mode, also emitted light. Watching the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion''s momentum drastically decrease and its strength halve in an instant, Leonhardt gave Red Leaf a thumbs upbehind him, the three Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts, with their boosted Clan Value, rapidly charged at the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion. But someone was faster. The three Elite Rank Spiritual Beasts surged with golden light, their momentum surpassing what was expected of their original rank, and they pounced on the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion even quicker. Before Leonhardt''s three Spiritual Beasts could strike, the Thorny Armored Rock Scorpion was instantly dealt a heavy blow, dissipating into a shower of light moments later, leaving behind only a piece of Advanced Resources lying quietly on the ground. Seeing this, Leonhardt paused, then turned in surprise to the twin-tailed little girl beside him, holding a blade of grass. "Despite Evelyn''s young age, she is very capable." Seeing Leonhardt''s astonishment, Red Leaf chuckled. "When we defeated the District Spiritual Beast together previously, I was still an Official Level Player. After using the Spiritual Scale to suppress the District Spiritual Beast, it took Evelyn no time at all to end the battle." "Yes, she is indeed incredible." Leonhardt regained his composure and, unable to help himself, smiled and gave Evelyn a thumbs up as well, then walked towards the piece of resource on the ground. Sar?h the N?vel(F)ire.et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Evelyn held her head even higher, a trace of pride adorning her delicate face. "It''s getting late, we should head back." After securing the Advanced Resources, Leonhardt checked the time, "To thank you two lovely ladies for your help, once we return to the Guild, I''ll let you taste my cooking." "I''m quite confident about my culinary skills."