Chapter 146: Phantom Forest
Heavenly Stellar City’s east side.
This patch of trees was too small to be called a forest, but too big to be called woodland. Once, this place was an area covered in several miles of quiet green trees, but after the Moment of Destiny disappeared and the Tower of Destiny began to overflow with demon qi, this forest that existed in this patch of wetlands began to greedily absorb the demon qi coming from far away. In just three years, the plant life already contained traces of an ash grey and black colour. Also, the fresh air surrounding the forest had disappeared and had been replaced with an oppressive death qi and aura.
The animals of the forest were all being slowly demonized, turning the forest into the gathering place of demon beasts. The name of the forest had also changed into – Phantom Forest.
“Alright, we’re here.”
Standing at the edge of the Phantom Forest, Ye Tian Xie stopped and turned around to say, “Are you all prepared? This place is full of level fifteen and above monsters, so everyone needs to be careful. Po Jun, I don’t need to worry about your ability to survive, so you’ll need to protect Qiu Shui.”
Su Fei Fei’s heart filled with sweetness. If Zuo Po Jun was protecting Qiu Shui, that also meant……he would be protecting her.
“Fei Fei, be sure to protect yourself with your heals……Also don’t move too far away from me.”
“I got it.” Su Fei Fei responded in a low voice and she gently waved the magic staff in her hand. She had a full set of white equipment……It was fine since Ye Tian Xie did not expect her to play any role here anyway. At least for now, she would be a complete – leech.
“Relax second brother, although I am only level thirteen right now, my HP is still over one thousand. It is far above second brother’s.” Zuo Po Jun had a bronze shield and a one handed sword equipped. He patted his chest as he spoke. While Ye Tian Xie chose to place all his stat points into strength, Zuo Po Jun had done the opposite and placed all his stat points into vitality……This was a full Knight!
Knights were the protective souls of parties and were the essential barriers needed when a team fought high level bosses. When one changed from a basic Knight to an official Knight, they would receive a one time increase in HP and defense. At the same time, instead of gaining ten HP and one defense every time they added a point in vitality like other players, Knights would instead gain fifteen HP and 1.5 defense for every point of vitality and they would gain twenty HP each level. These were the advantages of Knights, but the price was……They had low attack power. In terms of stats, every point Knights added to strength only increased their attack by 1.5.
Zuo Po Ju was level thirteen and his HP had already over one thousand, as well as having two hundred defense, making him quite an outstanding individual among Knights. Being a Knight was the safest Job, but because it had a weak attack power, it was also the hardest class to level in the beginning. This was just part of the balance.
Ye Tian Xie just remained silent. He wasn’t willing to use the fact that his HP had already exceeded two thousand to strike a blow against this poor young fragile mind.
“Being together with second brother, I have never known what fear is…..Wu! With this fatty blocking in front of me, he is only blocking my sight of second brother.” Murong Qiu Shui prepared his steel bow and said in a self-satisfied tone. If he did not understand this person’s personality, with Zuo Po Jun’s temperament, he would have sent him flying with a single kick.
“That’s right, Po Jun, this is for you.” Ye Tian Xie took out the level ten Silver Grade Vicious Bull Bracers from his inventory and traded it to Zuo Po Jun. This was the only piece of equipment he owned that they could currently use.
“Sil…..Silver Grade Equipment.” Zuo Po Jun received the item and his eyes began to shine with excitement. After looking at the stats of the item, the glow in his eyes became even stronger. He quickly took off the bracers he already had on his hands and quickly equipped the Silver Grade bracers. Raising his wrist, he excitedly and proudly punched out, then he admired them, “Ai, looking at the stats of this Silver Equipment, I finally realized that the items I currently have are really too shabby……Qiu Shui, look, isn’t it cool? Are you jealous? Ha, ha, ha, ha!”
Murong Qiu Shui curled his lips in disdain and he looked over at Ye Tian Xie. He gently bit his lower lip as affectionately said, “Second brother……Is there some…..For me……”
If this was a real woman, then this seductive voice would have a large effect…..But coming from the mouth of a man……This would be a different kind of lethal. When Murong Qiu Shui said “second brother”, Ye Tian Xie, Zuo Po Jun, and Su Fei Fei were covered in goosebumps.
“We’re going in.” Ye Tian Xie wisely chose to disregard this and quickly marched into the Phantom Forest.
Zuo Po Jun looked at Murong Qiu Shui with a look of despise and quickly followed after Ye Tian Xie. His giant body made him look like a moving mountain. He was not the least bit surprised when Ye Tian Xie brought out a piece of Silver Grade Equipment. There was no one that understood Ye Tian Xie’s abilities better than them.
Entering the Phantom forest, the surrounding light grew dimmer. What put people on guard was the strange and terrifying peace that was present. They could not hear the sound of insects or beasts walking at all and this silence made people’s hearts beat faster.
Su Fei Fei anxiously moved closer to Ye Tian Xie and asked in a small voice, “Tian Xie……This place is a little scary, how long are we staying here?”
She was already speaking in the smallest voice possible out of fear of waking any nearby monsters. This was the first time in Su Fei Fei’s life that she was was experiencing a gloomy forest like this. Although this was clearly a scene in a game world, it was not any different from the real world. She could not control the feelings she was experience deep down in her heart.
“If the Heavenly Stellar City Lord didn’t lie to me, then the goal of the quest should be in the center of the forest. If we walk without stopping, we should reach it in around an hour. We’ll avoid monsters as much as possible and arrive there as soon as possible.” Ye Tian Xie said.
While he was speaking, the bushes in front of him began to shake and six-seven brown figures jumped out, rushing right at Ye Tian Xie.
Zuo Po Jun and Murong Qiu Shui instantly reacted at the same time. Murong Qiu Shui jumped back and a bow with an arrow nocked appeared in his hands. Zuo Po Jun moved forward, standing in front of everyone. He raised his shield and used a “Crowd Taunt” skill on the figures, at the same time he shouted, “Come at me!!”
After changing into an official Knight, the single target taunt changed into the Knight’s signature move, Crowd Taunt. It affected all monsters within a certain range. While Zuo Po Jun’s body firmly stood there, a figure flashed past him.
Demonized Leopard Cat: Level 15
HP: 600
It was once an ordinary leopard cat, but it has turned wild under the influence of demon qi. It will actively attack any living beings near it.
Innate Skills: None
Skills: None
Weakness: Because it is dark attributed, it fears light and flames.
“Dragon Shadow Slash!”
Ye Tian Xie’s body shot forward as fast as lightning and flashing in front of three pairs of eyes, he instantly appeared five meters away. Out of the seven Demonized Leopard Cats that jumped out, four of them were perfectly in range of the “Dragon Shadow Slash” and the four leopard cats’ HP all emptied while in midair. Stepping back and turning around, the Moment of Destiny swung out and slashed out at the remaining three leopard cats that had just landed on the ground.
-669, -672, -669!
A black shadow completely covered all three of the leopard cats and with three red damage numbers, the three leopard cats let out a strange sorrowful cry.
Dragon Shadow Slash…..And turning around to slash out took a total of half a second. The seven Demonized Leopard Cats had all turned into corpses onto the ground with copper coins and potions dropping beside them.
With Zuo Po Jun’s Crowd Taunt activated, the seven Demonized Leopard Cats all aimed at him……But right as Zuo Po Jun’s Crowd Taunt was released, before he could be attacked by the monsters, all the enemies had been exterminated……He just stood there petrified as he stared with his eyes wide open. His mouth was opened wide enough that the shield in his hand would have been able to fit inside.
Right as Murong Qiu Shui had pulled back his bowstring…..He didn’t even have the time to shoot the arrow. He put down the bow and arrow in his hand and raised his head as he sighed, “Oh moon, you do not understand the sinking feeling I have in my heart right now……Oh! What did I just see…..”
In less than two seconds, without enough time to let Zuo Po Jun, Murong Qiu Shui and Su Fei Fei to react, seven level fifteen monsters had all been killed.
“Tian Xie…..You’re really strong……” Su Fei Fei who had been scared by the Demonized Leopard Cats was unconsciously holding her chest with both hands. She spoke with a faint whispering voice as her eyes shined brighter than the stars in the sky.
“Let’s go, be careful. There will definitely be more dangers in front of us.” Ye Tian Xie said as he calmly walked forward as if nothing had happened.
“Second……Second brother, you, you, you, you……You are too…..” Zuo Po Jun who had finally recovered bitterly swallowed his saliva as he stuttered these words out. Instantly killing this crowd with a single attack, his attack power was actually higher than six hundred! The power that players had at this stage could never reach this kind of damage figure……And with that fast as lightning sprint forward as well as the fast as lightning spin, he just saw a flash in front of his eyes and all seven of the Demonized Leopard Cats were on the ground.
He wanted to say……This was too messed up.
Tian Mo Xie had already been considered abnormal, but he only had a normal Job at that point with equipment that was a little stronger than normal players, but his stats was not that much higher compared to the other players. His strength came from his miraculous positioning, sensitivity, judgement, and analytical powers. Now, those huge damage figures clearly showed him that Ye Tian Xie’s stats had already far surpassed normal players……It also meant that he had changed from being abnormal to being completely messed up.
An astonishing Innate Skill with astonishing stats, how could other players even compete!!
A Hidden Job in the Destiny World……could actually be this terrifying!