Chapter 63-1: Territory Node: Cloud Field (1) |
The lottery event came to an end after running for 24 hours.
In this event, the vast majority of players suffered greater losses than gains, with only a very small number receiving high returns.
However, no players suspected any issue with the draw probabilities.
In their perception, the game officials had no motive to profit through such events.
Failing to obtain good items would only be blamed on their own bad luck.
This was also why Qi Sheng chose to use a lottery to obtain sacrificial power from the players.
But Qi Sheng also understood that such events could not be launched too frequently, and were only suitable for occasional bursts when sacrificial power was urgently needed. Otherwise, it would severely affect the players’ growth rate.
He had already seen players complaining on the forum, regretting their inability to restrain themselves and spending all their sacrificial power originally meant for Star Vein development on the Lucky Wheel event.
After the event concluded, Qi Sheng calculated his earnings.
The event had extracted one-third of the players’ sacrificial power reserves.
It was certain that if the event had lasted longer than 24 hours, besides a small portion of players indifferent to gambling odds, even more players would have participated, bringing him even more sacrificial power income.
—
Primordial Altar.
Confirming that this amount of sacrificial power was sufficient to cover the Transdimensional development cost of the Armed Vehicles System, Qi Sheng waved his hand to disconnect the light screen link with Transdimensional.
He raised his head, his gaze sweeping toward the Primordial Containment Wall in front of the altar.
The grand wall built of blue crystal panels was divided into countless cells, but only Cells 1 through 15 at the bottom held Primordial Monsters.
Each Primordial Monster had a translucent tube connected behind it, constantly extracting energy from within their bodies.
In an instant, Qi Sheng switched to his Emperor’s Sign form.
As his head transformed into blazing flames, a galaxy-like luminous energy track faintly appeared, encircling his body, followed by fifteen orbs of different colors floating along the track, circling around him.
This stellar river track was the manifestation of his power, with each orb on the track representing a contained Primordial Ability.
Qi Sheng raised his right hand, his palm burning with Emperor’s Sign flames slowly opened.
Immediately, the fifteen Primordial Ability orbs detached from the power track and floated above his palm, spinning and releasing energies of different colors that were absorbed into his body. The surging heat currents fused within him, and the color of the Emperor’s Sign flames deepened as a result.
Every time a Primordial Monster was contained, it was like retrieving a piece of the power puzzle, and Qi Sheng could distinctly feel his strength increasing.
He believed that with the help of the players, one day he would be able to leave Emperor’s Mound Village and confront the terrifying Black Tide with his true Emperor’s Sign form.
[Boss, a new Territory Node has been discovered.]
Guide floating beside him suddenly spoke, interrupting Qi Sheng’s thoughts. He decisively switched his perspective to the one transmitted by Guide.
—
Fifteen minutes earlier, southeast of Emperor’s Mound Village.
Gray Mist Forest.
The fog on the map dissipated, and the exploration reward was delivered along with the notification.
The two-man team that received the reward did not stop, continuing deeper into the dense forest.
After passing through towering bone bamboo groves, the scene that unfolded before them left both players stunned.
This place resembled a secluded paradise. A narrow path paved with fine pebbles led straight into the depths of the forest. On both sides grew fluorescent grass emitting a soft glow, while thin white mist filled the air, each breath carrying a hint of sweetness, refreshing their spirits.
Deeper inside, all kinds of plants came into view.
Eventually, the two stopped before a spiritual tree.
The spiritual tree stood several metres tall, with lush foliage and thin vines coiled around its trunk. Various colored flowers bloomed upon the vines, each petal crystal clear, emitting a faint fragrance.
As they focused their gaze, analysis information surfaced in their minds.
[Seven-Colored Tree]
Spiritual Plant Level: Level 4
Spiritual Plant Description: A relatively rare medium-quality spiritual plant in Monster World. The flowers blooming on its companion vines change into seven different colors following the cycle of time and seasons, each color carrying a different effect. During winter, when cold winds howl, the Seven-Colored Tree turns into intertwined golden and fiery red hues, entering its mature harvest period. (Due to Black Tide energy corrosion, the growth condition of the spiritual plant has been damaged, and the Seven-Colored Tree can no longer change with the seasons, presenting a state of coexisting multiple colors.)
Spiritual Plant Effect: Consuming it grants body tempering experience, and it can also be used to produce special potions with amplification effects.
—
Realizing this was actually a Level 4 spiritual plant, the two players’ breathing grew rapid.
They never expected such luck would descend upon them in this manner.
“Monkey, are we about to strike it rich?” The man with the short buzz cut in the team asked with shining eyes.
The player called Monkey nodded excitedly, the frustration caused by the Lucky Wheel instantly vanishing.
“Let’s work. Dig it up, check the regional channel to see if anyone’s buying at a high price. If not, we’ll consider sacrificing it to Brother Emperor’s Sign.”
After a brief exchange, the two got to work. They took out their pickaxes and carefully dug out the Seven-Colored Tree, roots and all, storing it into their space pouches.
After completing this, they did not immediately post any sale information, but continued exploring deeper into the forest.
They felt that there must be other treasures here.
But they soon noticed something unusual in the depths of the forest.
As they advanced, black spots gradually appeared on the surfaces of the plants, growing more numerous the deeper they went.
Many plants drooped lifelessly, their leaves yellowed. Analysis revealed that the plants here had all suffered corrosion damage from Black Tide power, nearly withered to death.
“Monkey, could there be a corrosion core here?”
Having recently experienced the Shadowed Cavern campaign, they instinctively thought of the corrosion core upon seeing this eerie scene.
According to Guide’s description, corrosion cores were Black Tide evil objects naturally generated under the Evil Moon’s radiance. The area where they spawned would be gradually infiltrated by the corrosion core, severely damaging the environment.
The Territory Node crystal of the Shadowed Cavern campaign had once been entangled and infiltrated by a corrosion core.
“Not sure. Let’s go in a bit further.”
Five minutes later, after passing through a patch of withered fluorescent grass, their view suddenly opened up.
In the depths of the forest lay a vast field, divided into square plots. The spiritual plants growing within were all dead, and the air was filled with a faint, fishy stench. In the center of the field floated a pulsating tumor-like corrosion core.
Fungal tendrils spread out from the core like a spiderweb, covering the surface of the field and drawing nourishment from the earth.
At this moment, the Challenger Notification sounded.