Chapter Thirteen: New Techniques
"Congratulations, you have acquired an upgradeable skill! Blink (Level 0, spatial magic: instantly relocate to a target location regardless of terrain, range 5 meters, cooldown 1 minute. Killing any unit has a chance to earn upgrade points, which can be used to enhance this skill)."
Blink! Compared to the previous rewards, this skill was genuinely formidable. Whether for attack or escape, it was a top-tier tactic. Though the cooldown was a bit long and the range somewhat short, its ability to be upgraded made up for any shortcomings.
Moreover, every unit killed could potentially yield upgrade points!
"Wait a minute! Any unit? That phrasing sounds a little odd," Li Ren mused, rubbing his chin with amusement.
"Could it mean I can hunt monsters too? Hmm... this seems like a promising method!" After a brief consideration, Li Ren abandoned his initial idea.
He opened the map and scanned the nearby areas one by one. Locations with low-level monsters were skipped, as were places full of elite monsters. Sparse monster distributions were disregarded. After filtering through countless options, he finally found a place perfectly suited to his current level—Corrosion Canyon.
Corrosion Canyon lay at the edge of the Illusion Mountains, a fair distance from Skull Hill, but not too far. Monsters in the canyon ranged from level 45 to 50. The canyon was divided into three sections, each hosting different creatures: the outermost ring was populated by ordinary zombies, the middle section housed level 80 elite zombie leaders, and the final segment was the domain of the canyon’s ultimate boss, the level 130 Zombie King.
He chose this place partly because it wasn’t far from Skull Hill—he currently lacked any teleportation abilities—and partly because the area was saturated with corrosive substances. Most players entering suffered attribute reductions; even Sauron, the highest-level player, wouldn’t grind here. The cost of antidotes far outweighed the experience gained, so nobody would be foolish enough to stay when other zones were available.
Li Ren, however, was a skeleton himself, immune to the toxins. The monsters were concentrated and all undead, so it was a pure test of skill. Given his strength, facing hundreds at once posed no pressure; he was an elite himself, had bested level 130 elites, and served as a boss in ultimate-difficulty dungeons. Dealing with mere zombie fodder—what was there to fear?
Once he settled on the plan, Li Ren wasted no time. He packed up, left Skull Hill, and set off toward Corrosion Canyon.
Meanwhile, as Li Ren traveled, a momentous event shook the world of the players.
The infamous Sauron affair, which had been the subject of endless rumor, finally reached its climax. In Sunset Canyon, the top-ranked Sauron was ambushed by several factions, who threatened to kill him back to level 0 unless he handed over the guild token and a luck-enhancing treasure.
Words failed, and a fierce battle erupted.
That day, Sunset Canyon became awash with blood. Sauron, alone against the masses, displayed uncanny speed and ferocious techniques, his purple longsword dealing terrifying damage and dispatching every wave of attackers with ruthless efficiency.
The organizers watching from the rear were filled with envy at Sauron’s overwhelming power. In their minds, such strength must be tied to the treasure; high luck could indeed bring extraordinary change. But could luck alone make someone so formidable?
The answer was no.
As the siege continued, with players dying and resurrecting to rejoin the fray, a new force suddenly appeared in Sunset Canyon. This group wasted no words and immediately joined the slaughter. The second wave of arrivals were all elites; ordinary players stood no chance, falling in ranks before their blades.
They ignored the overwhelming numbers and cut down lives with every swing—a display of raw power.
Once the crowd was cowed by their astonishing aura, no one dared approach, and all obstacles vanished.
The group came before Sauron and, astonishingly, all knelt on one knee.
"Greetings, Guildmaster!" Their voices boomed as one, so imposing that the faces of the organizing factions darkened instantly.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Sauron had quietly assembled a core guild. Judging from their combat prowess and excellent gear, the others realized the tide had turned—Sauron’s guild was now unstoppable, and they retreated in defeat.
Though the matter was only temporarily resolved, it marked the first clear division of power in the player world.
"Congratulations to player Sauron for establishing the first guild: reward 1000 reputation, 10,000 gold, and one golden item of choice."
The system broadcast echoed three times across the world, resonating in every player’s ear. When the announcement faded, a name appeared on the once-empty guild leaderboard—Peerless Legion.
In several lavishly decorated rooms, young men in luxurious attire raged at their subordinates, demanding a guild token by any means. After driving their staff away, they slumped in plush chairs, sighing—guild tokens were not so easily acquired.
Li Ren also received the system message. He glanced at the guild leaderboard.
"Peerless Legion?" He shrugged dismissively. It wasn’t that he looked down on these players; rising above the masses was impressive. But absolute power meant absolute difference—in Li Ren’s eyes, they were merely walking sources of experience and attributes.
"Blink!" "Blink!" "Blink!" Every minute, a faint spatial ripple stirred the forest, as a skeleton vanished only to reappear five meters away. Occasionally, trees collided, and indistinct curses echoed; but as for what actually happened, no one witnessed the scene.
"Corrosion Canyon should be just here," Li Ren said, standing atop a pile of brown stones, gazing at the vast valley before him.
The canyon was shrouded in thick purple-green mists, obscuring any view of its interior. The unsettling color was a clear warning to all who approached: nothing good awaited inside.
Though this was the domain of level 45 monsters, Li Ren strode in boldly—these creatures were nothing to him.
As he entered the purple-green haze, the air felt uncomfortable, but his attributes remained unchanged and he suffered no poisoning—a welcome surprise.
Visibility within the mist was poor; the farthest he could see was about 100 meters, beyond which only vague shadows loomed, and further still, nothing at all.
Upon entering, several nearby zombies immediately turned their gaze toward him. Their skin was green, oozing pus that dripped onto the blackened earth, darkening it further.
Li Ren noticed the zombies’ names were all yellow, confirming his expectations. Even as he approached one, it merely showed a hint of warning, not attacking—truly a privilege of being a monster.
Looking around, he saw only ordinary zombie minions—there were no elite zombies here as in the second section. Li Ren raised his blade and struck a zombie beside him with full force, yet it survived with half its HP intact!
He had heard of zombies' high defense, but to withstand his strongest attack was remarkable.
Once Li Ren struck, all the surrounding zombies’ names turned red. Within a thirty-meter radius, they began advancing, claws raised and howling in preparation for attack.
Being surrounded by so many zombies for the first time would unsettle anyone. The first zombie he struck now swiped at Li Ren, dealing -300 damage. Nodding, Li Ren acknowledged their decent attack power—after all, these monsters were seven levels above him, and their innate advantage boosted both defense and offense.
Li Ren swung again, cleaving the wounded zombie in two, and then used his Blood Essence Conversion skill, pressing the gathered essence into himself. His HP, down by 300, instantly recovered over 200, and his experience bar ticked up slightly. Though small, every increment was precious given the daunting requirements for leveling; each kill was a cause for satisfaction.
If players outside knew there was a boss-class monster grinding for experience here, their shock would be immense!
Especially since this boss, through his own efforts, now surpassed Sauron, the current highest on the leaderboard. Both were leveling, but whether Sauron could outpace Li Ren, the boss, was anyone’s guess.