Chapter 168-3: Player Corridor, Faith Divinity (3) |
Realizing that if he kept running like this he would be caught, Tong Xin nimbly climbed up a thick ancient tree.
The Thorn Beast showed no intention of leaving. It began to ram the ancient tree repeatedly. Each impact made the tree shake and shed leaves.
Tong Xin lowered his head to take a screenshot, then sent the image to the guild chat channel.
“Brothers, something big has happened. I am probably going to die. (screenshot)”
Before long, the brothers all replied.
Little Class Iron Hammer: Fine wine, barbecue, beach, sunshine. This lazy life is wonderful in every way. Now that I see our brother suffering, the taste of the barbecue has suddenly improved in essence. So fragrant.
Little Class Drunken Milk: Principal, I will teach you a shield technique from the heavens. Climb a bit higher, then summon Rock Shield and slam it down. If that does not kill it, we will meet on the Colorful Mist Coast beach in an hour.
Little Class Cute Baby: Thorn Beast, huh. I encountered it before. Very ferocious, but it has no combat power. Principal, how did you get tangled up by such a weak-chicken monster? (funny.jpg)
Little Class Gulu: Principal, this cup is to you. I drink, you climb.
Listening to the brothers’ banter in the voice channel, the Principal spat.
“I wanted you to give me ideas, not watch a comedy.”
Hearing the brothers continue to tease, Tong Xin gave up on outside support and looked around for a way out.
At this rate, the ancient tree would be knocked down sooner or later. He had to find a way to relocate.
Vines.
Seeing the vines hanging from the ancient tree, Tong Xin imagined himself alternating handholds along the vines, swinging through the forest.
Try it.
With the idea formed, Tong Xin leaped without hesitation. After grabbing a vine, he swung forward by inertia.
The powerful physique in the game let him hold the vine steadily with one hand without effort. In practice, this method indeed worked.
Reaching the apex of inertia, Tong Xin leaped to change vines.
His feet kicked hard against the tree to the side. His body took to the air again, wind howling past his ears.
“Yahoo.”
The green world before his eyes sped backward. Branches and leaves crisscrossed, and sunlight poured through the gaps in dappled patches, as if guiding his way.
The vine traced an arc in the air. His body swung forward with inertia. He felt like part of the jungle, free, wild, fearless, exhilarated.
Turning to look at the Thorn Beast still chasing behind, Tong Xin raised his middle finger.
“Beast, if you have the guts, keep chasing.”
Switching vines again, Tong Xin’s swinging speed abruptly increased.
The extraordinary physique brought by attributes became especially tangible at this moment. He felt utterly invigorated.
After switching to another vine and swinging high, he passed through a green wall formed by interwoven vines and leaves. His view suddenly opened up. He could glimpse the distant undulating mountains and the boundless sea of dense forest.
But Tong Xin’s expression froze.
Looking down, it was a cliff. The mountain wind roared up from the valley bottom, tugging at his hair.
“Crap.”
He wanted to hold the vine and swing back, but the Thorn Beast had already reached the cliff’s edge. It raised its head toward him, and after its body shook, a steel quill shot straight at him.
With no way to dodge, Tong Xin decisively let go.
As his body fell toward the valley, Tong Xin raised his right hand and gave the Thorn Beast the middle finger.
“A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even in ten years. I will come for you.”
At that moment, Tong Xin completely relaxed.
Glancing down at the great net of green interwoven below, he adjusted into a comfortable pose, lying flat with both hands behind his head in midair. After taking a screenshot with Guide’s view as a memento, he prepared to fall to his death.
No.
What if I do not die?
Tong Xin suddenly had a thought, then decisively activated the Petrification form.
His falling speed kept increasing.
The cliff wall rushed past in his vision. Rough rock and rampant weeds blurred into a band of light and shadow as he accelerated.
With a ‘crash’ sound.
The dense greenery caught him. His body plunged through the plants, falling downward, his HP bar dropping continuously.
Very soon, the Petrification trait automatically deactivated due to low vitality.
Bang.
After snapping several branches in succession, he slammed into a thicket like a cannonball.
Sharp branches cut his skin like small knives, carving blood marks. The stabbing pain instantly spread through his whole body. A thick vine cinched viciously around his waist, nearly snapping his bones.
His body felt as if it had fallen apart, every joint faintly aching.
His head buzzed, golden sparks dancing before his eyes.
His mouth was full of rust. He did not know whether he had bitten his tongue during the fall or whether his internal organs were hurt.
At this moment every inch of skin screamed with pain. Moving even a fraction was extremely difficult.
He discovered that his left arm was broken, hanging limply to the side. Waves of searing pain washed over him one after another.
“You said ten percent. This hurts way too much.”
Though he was not dead, it was almost worse than death.
Tong Xin suddenly regretted activating Petrification for nothing. In this state, he would have been better off going to the little black room.
Gritting his teeth, beads of sweat as large as beans rolled from his forehead. He tried to push himself up with his good right arm, but the moment he exerted strength, pain like a thousand needles stabbing at once swept across his body. The broken arm sent a wave of piercing agony that made him groan.
He immediately relaxed and slumped in the thicket, then took a bottle of Low Restoration potion from his spatial pack and tilted his head back to drink in big gulps.
The liquid, with a hint of coolness, slid down his throat. Wherever it passed, it was as if a warm current spread through his body.
The HP bar rose.
The torn muscles on his body regenerated and healed.
One bottle was not enough, so he drank another.
The broken arm first tingled, then itched, as new bone tissue quickly grew and connected.
Inside his body where he could not see, the cracked bones gradually healed as the HP bar rose.
A third bottle, a fourth, a fifth.
After drinking five potions, the HP bar was full. The injuries on his body had healed, and even the blood marks from branch cuts had vanished.
“Five potions. Big loss.”
But he had to drink. The sustained pain was simply worse than death.
Letting out a long breath, Tong Xin leaped out of the thicket.
A dreamlike scroll unfolded slowly before his eyes. Towering cliffs rose on all sides like straight cuts by blade and axe. Under the sunlight, the textures on the cliff faces were like runes engraved by the years, exuding an ancient and solemn aura.
At the bottom of the valley, a clear stream wound its way through. The water leaped among the rocks, splashing crystal droplets.
Colorful spirit plants grew by the stream, and the analysis information showed they were all valuable spirit plants.
Not far away was a vast ancient forest. The trees towered to the sky, with thick branches interwoven, forming a dense canopy of green shade.
Turning his head to look behind, there was a pitch-black cave on the cliff wall. After the wind met within, it tore out a wailing sound.
Fell off a cliff. Discovered a cave.
Tong Xin’s heart pounded. According to the normal unfolding of a plot, he was probably about to strike it rich.
He automatically filled in the next plot.
He would enter the cave and discover an ancient stone platform, upon which lay an ancient book exuding a mysterious aura.
Approaching to check, he would see three large words on the cover reading Peerless Divine Art. After asking Guide, he would learn it was a peerless technique long lost in Monster World, and that Big Brother Emperor’s Sign had created Monster World back then relying on this very technique.
Then an old man’s ethereal, hoarse voice would suddenly echo through the cave.
“Fated one, since you have come, you are destined for this divine art. May you use this divine art to benefit the world in days to come. Do not give rise to evil thoughts.”
His heart would be full of excitement. He would bow deeply toward the direction of the voice and thus obtain a destiny-changing encounter.
When the brothers learned the news, they would stomp in frustration on the guild voice channel, while he would beam with joy and burst into song.
“Pa.” He clapped his hands sharply.
The daydream ended and the script was set. Next came action.
With excitement in his heart, he arrived at the cave mouth.