C17 Lanxi Valley!
Behold the Illusion Attribute Immune Crystal!
Not long ago, Qinglian had snagged a quest for a hidden profession!
This quest was tied to the Illusion Attribute, which had stumped her from completing it.
She could have waited to level up enough to tackle the quest, but with the Immune Crystal in play, making things easier, she no longer wanted to waste time and effort.
Yet, the Immune Crystal was notoriously hard to come by.
That's why Huan Ying considered teaming up with One More Life!
He possessed the Immune Crystal and was the first to achieve a First Kill—a player of true skill!
She might not be his boss, but a long-term partnership was definitely on the table!
With this in mind, Huan Ying's gaze fixed back on Lin Bei, anticipating his response.
With an easy smile, Lin Bei nodded, "Sure, add me as a friend. I'll hit you up if I come across any good loot."
This was business, no shame in it—just a mutually beneficial deal.
Huan Ying's smile was warm. "Thanks, Mr. One More Life! Here's to a fruitful collaboration!"
Friend requests exchanged, Lin Bei logged out.
Back in his room, he sat up, his vision sharpening from a blur.
Everything was as he remembered—his computer, desk, and chair, simple yet brimming with fond memories.
This was home, the starting point of it all.
Lin Bei glanced at the pale blue crystal in his hand—the Eon Realms login device.
He stood, placing the crystal on the nightstand, then headed to the living room.
Passing a cabinet, his eyes lingered on a framed photo—two men, two women.
A ten-year-old Lin Bei smiled in the photo, flanked by his good-looking parents.
Though an only child, he held hands with a little girl in the photo—his adopted sister, beautiful and pure as a lily.
Her eyes were captivating—one clear and expressive, the other starry yet blind.
Perhaps her blindness led to her abandonment and subsequent adoption.
At thirteen, Lin Bei's family vanished. His archaeologist parents disappeared on an expedition.
His 16-year-old sister had said, "I'll find our parents. Stay here. If I can, I'll return for you. If not, find me in the Eon Realms."
Ten years passed without their return.
When Eon Realms surfaced, Lin Bei, recalling his sister's words, stepped into the game.
Yet, in his past life, he found neither sister nor parents before the world's end.
"Sister, your mystery eludes me! May this life bring answers," Lin Bei whispered, eyes reddening.
Eyes reopening, resolve shone within.
But first, he needed to eat.
Checking his phone, he noted his account was 95 million yuan richer—no surprise, just calm.
A supermarket trip later, he had provisions for the battles ahead.
Evening arrived.
Post-noodle dinner, Lin Bei lay down, crystal in hand, and logged back in.
Light flared.
Back at the Trading Bank entrance, the crowd swelled with nightfall.
After a brief pause, Lin Bei sorted his backpack and strode from the village.
Much lay ahead, but first, he needed to hit Level 15, unlock the village Dungeon, and speed through it.
He had to leave Beginner Village.
Higher levels meant access to deeper secrets, fueling Lin Bei's drive.
"I need a leveling spot," he mused, heading towards the city's edge.
Northeast of Misty Village, a stream flowed endlessly.
Rumor had it, monster kills there yielded Experience Points.
Leveling there could be swift.
But having never trained there before, Lin Bei wondered if the rumors were true.
He was just about to level up, so it was the perfect time to check out that place!
Otherwise, at his current Level 7, reaching Level 15 would take an unlikely three or four days!
In the Eon Realms, gaining Experience Points was no easy feat for a lone player.
Solo leveling was painfully slow, like a snail's pace!
Joining a team, however, could skyrocket a player's level!
Teammates could pool their Experience Points from monster hunts.
Solo, you'd get a single Experience Point per monster, but in a team, those points could multiply several-fold.
That's why Lin Bei was forced to find ways to battle above his level!
Before long, he arrived at the fabled Lanxi Valley, guided by his memory.
The valley was enchanting, with lush greenery and crystal-clear air—a stark contrast to other leveling spots.
Lin Bei followed the valley downstream and soon spotted a creature by the stream!
It resembled a snail but was clearly something else.
It had a snail's shell but also two black claws oozing slime.
The claws dug into the earth, propelling it forward and leaving a slimy trail—quite the odd sight!
Ghost Claw Snail
Quality: Black Iron
Level: 14
Attack: 88 (95%)
Defense: 90 (95%)
HP: 1250/1250 (95%)
Skills: Indestructible Defense, Ghost Claw Heart Digging
Description: Drawn to the sacred energies of South Stream Valley, they roam its outskirts, fiercely territorial. Players beware: they attack on sight. Encountering one? Better to steer clear!
"The Ghost Claw Snail is Level 14—nearly double my level. Time for an attack. Fingers crossed for a surprise!"
Lin Bei smirked, spinning the Blade of God in his hand and lunging at the Ghost Claw Snail!
But as he closed in, the snail sensed him and locked on.
Retreating into its shell, it cast Indestructible Defense, glowing with a protective aura.
"The Ghost Claw Snail has used Indestructible Defense. Defense is up tenfold for three seconds!"
The system alert echoed as Lin Bei's blade burst into flames.
The fiery strike hit the shell, sending sparks flying and dealing significant damage.
The Ghost Claw Snail had let its guard down!
Lin Bei's attack could shatter the shell's defense and scorch the creature within.
A roar from inside, and two ghostly claws reached out, swiping at Lin Bei!
"Damn!" Startled, Lin Bei zipped away in a Z-shaped Step, narrowly evading the claws.
The snail emerged from its shell, relentless in pursuit.
Lin Bei circled behind it.
As soon as Indestructible Defense ended, he struck with the Blade of God, targeting the snail's vulnerable parts.
The snail's HP dropped by 116 points, rivaling the Blazing Fire Blade's burn damage.
And it was a precision strike.
Grinning, Lin Bei pressed the attack while the snail's defense was down.
As the Blazing Fire Blade's effect wore off, the snail's HP hit zero.
"Congratulations, you have slain the Ghost Claw Snail. You've earned 150 Experience Points!"
Killing these snails really boosted Lin Bei's Experience Points—perhaps thanks to Lanxi Valley's unique properties.
"I'll grind here a while!" Lin Bei laughed, charging at a group of snails emerging onto the bank.
He rounded up seven or eight Ghost Claw Snails and summoned the Charm Rabbit, seizing control of the creatures.
Then he set a trap and had the Charm Rabbit lead them all into it.
With the Elemental Trap sprung, he unleashed the Blazing Fire Blade once more!
The snails' HP plummeted in the pit!
Once the Blade and Trap effects expired, their HP was wiped clean.
"Exhilarating!"
Flush with Experience Points, Lin Bei felt a rush of satisfaction.
He eagerly cast All Things Psychic on the remains.
The system notifications chimed in rapid succession:
"Congratulations, your All Things Psychic is effective. You've acquired 0.8 Devour Gene from the Ghost Claw Snail, now adapted for Charm Rabbit Summoning! Your Devour Progress is up by 8%! Plus, you've gained 3 Constitution points, 2 Strength points, and 1 Intelligence point!"
Following his strategy, Lin Bei made his way down Lanxi Valley, dispatching monsters left and right.
In under an hour, he soared from Level 7 to Level 8!
Then came the thrilling moment he'd been waiting for!
The system alert chimed in: "Your Charm Rabbit's Devour Gene has met the required threshold and has ascended from Silver to Gold tier. Its attributes, summon duration, and talent effects have been refreshed, and it has also acquired a new skill. Please visit the skill panel to review the updates!"
A friendly heads-up: Your second summoning slot is now unlocked. The next time you defeat a monster or a Lord, it will automatically be converted into a new summoning skill. Ensure you're ready and plan accordingly to prevent the acquisition of an unwanted skill!
