Chapter 191
Chapter 191
Ding!
[System Notification: You have entered [Merri Region] – [Star-Moon Lake]!]
Following the directions on the treasure map and Yun Wuyou’s search, the group crossed the national border from the Sakura Region into the Merri Region and arrived at their destination.
A gentle breeze sent ripples across the emerald surface of the lake.
Star-Moon Lake was not a safe area. It lay within territory occupied by the Dark Faction in the Merri Region. Through the water, they could vaguely see aquatic races living below, ready to attack any land creature that approached.
On the way to the treasure, Zhou Ming studied the effects of the two cores and fell into thought.
[Core of Light] (Special SSS-Rank Item)
Description: A special product formed from limitless light elemental energy. It came into existence alongside the Light Domain.
Item Effect: Owner’s Light Resistance +50%, light-element damage +100%.
Additional Effect: When embedded into armor equipment, greatly increases its strength and grants a trait. After the user deals damage, inflicts additional light-element damage equal to 50% of the user’s Attack.
(Note: This item is unique and cannot be duplicated.)
[Core of Darkness] (Special SSS-Rank Item)
Description: A special product formed from limitless dark elemental energy. It came into existence alongside the Dark Domain.
Item Effect: Owner’s Dark Resistance +50%, dark-element damage +100%.
Additional Effect: When embedded into armor equipment, greatly increases its strength and grants a trait. After the user deals damage, inflicts additional dark-element damage equal to 50% of the user’s Attack.
(Note: This item is unique and cannot be duplicated.)
…
Both items were top-quality treasures!
If used properly, every attack Zhou Ming made in the future, including normal attacks, would deal an additional 50% light-element damage and 50% dark-element damage.
Moreover, each elemental core increased damage of its corresponding element by 100%.
In other words, a single normal attack would deal a total of 300% damage. If he activated Demonic Flame Armor as well, the multiplier would reach 400%!
The only troublesome part was…
“They have to be embedded into equipment!” Zhou Ming said with a headache.
If judged purely by equipment strength, the only item on his entire body worth mentioning was Ask the Heavens. His other equipment was rather mediocre and had no long-term potential.
Using the cores to enhance them would be a complete waste of priceless treasures.
“It would be best to choose god-tier equipment to enhance!” Qianying seemed to know the effects of the Core of Light as well and reminded him, “Then I can expend part of my power to enhance it again, giving it two layers of improvement. It could never reach Ask the Heavens’s strength, but it might still advance to Sacred grade!”
“Right!”
Zhou Ming nodded, then smiled. “Actually, seeing the effects of these two cores makes me think it may be possible to forge a theoretically invincible equipment set in this world.”
“That would be extraordinarily difficult to achieve. At the very least, no one has ever done it before.” Qianying smiled faintly.
How could she fail to understand what Zhouyou Shijie meant?
Every otherworld domain possessed a core.
If he obtained all of them and had the Dwarves embed every core into his equipment, he could theoretically fill every slot in an entire equipment set.
“There’s more!”
Zhou Ming shook his head and added, “Xiaoyou could enhance the elemental cores first. But I’m only imagining it…”
In reality, such a scenario truly was far too difficult to realize.
After all, he had no feud with those worlds. He could not simply go looking for trouble with them.
“Chirp! Chirp!”
Xiaoyou landed on Zhou Ming’s shoulder. It had no objection to its master frequently making use of its passive Super Lucky Star.
By staying beside Zhou Ming, it had witnessed sights it could never have experienced in an ordinary lifetime and had even successfully advanced into an extraordinary “Sacred Beast.”
And all of that had been gained in only a few months.
“Enough whispering over there!”
Just then, Yun Wuyou burst out of Star-Moon Lake in a spray of water. “There’s more to this lake than meets the eye. The place marked on the treasure map is right here!”
“Please lead the way, Senior Yun!”
Zhou Ming’s spirits lifted, and he entered Star-Moon Lake with the others.
With a barrier created by a god-tier powerhouse around him, he could move and speak freely underwater without needing to breathe.
“Gurgle…”
The aquatic creatures in Star-Moon Lake instinctively cowered beneath the pressure of these powerful enemies and did not dare approach.
At a spot within the lake buried beneath accumulated silt, Yun Wuyou cleared the area and immediately revealed a rectangular recess.
Without needing to think, he placed the entire treasure map into it.
“Boom!!”
A mechanism inside Star-Moon Lake immediately activated. The stone door below slowly opened, while a special restriction kept the water from pouring inside.
“I’ll go in first and scout the way!”
Filled with anticipation, Zhou Ming entered immediately.
As a player, he could revive without limit. If this place contained danger, it was only right that he take the lead.
After confirming there was no danger, everyone entered and arrived inside a hidden chamber.
Many objects in the chamber had already decayed, clearly worn away by the passage of countless years. No wonder the treasure map itself had been damaged.
Looking around, Zhou Ming spotted a stone monument inscribed with a single line.
I exhausted everything I had, yet failed to break the dimensional barrier. May whoever comes after me inherit my legacy, carry on my final wish, and never waste their entire life in mediocrity on the Destiny Continent!
“…”
The five god-tier powerhouses fell silent at the inscription.
Breaking the dimensional barrier!
For countless god-tier powerhouses throughout history, this had been the ultimate goal.
Unfortunately, Ning Wushen was the only one who had ever succeeded, while Wu Xing had only managed half a step!
If they could not advance any farther, they too would eventually return to dust on the Destiny Continent.
“Don’t lose heart!” Zhou Ming said solemnly. “One day, I will do everything in my power to break through the barrier for all of you!”
“I’ll remember that promise!”
Yun Wuyou said excitedly, “I’m not like Ye Zhibei or Cangxuan, who still have a chance to advance. Without some great expert carrying me, I’m stuck where I am.”
He was already old and had long since reached his limit. Advancing another step would require a heaven-defying opportunity.
In his eyes, the greatest opportunity of all was the helping hand Zhou Ming had extended.
“That’s right!”
Renee giggled. “I’ll remember it too. If I don’t reach Saint tier, I’ll be counting on you!”
“This is my promise to all of you as Zhouyou Shijie!” Zhou Ming vowed.
His gaze then fell beneath the stone monument, where he spotted a hidden compartment. He opened it and found a piece of jade, a skill book, and a ring.
Ding!
[System Notification: Congratulations! You have successfully completed the [Mysterious Treasure Map] and received the following items: [Class Change Certificate: Shadowless Rogue] (SS-Rank Hidden Class), [Traceless Step] (Rare SSS-Rank Skill), and [Mystic Heaven Ring] (God Tier)!]
“Hiss!!”
Zhou Ming could not help sucking in a sharp breath.
As expected of an SSS-rank treasure map, the rewards were truly outstanding. Not one of them was trash!
After some thought, Zhou Ming kept Traceless Step and the Mystic Heaven Ring, then tossed the Class Change Certificate: Shadowless Rogue to Yun Wuyou. “Take it. Whether you can benefit from it will depend on your own ability.”
“You’re giving me something this valuable?” Yun Wuyou accepted the certificate as though he had received the greatest treasure imaginable.
“You deserve it!” Zhou Ming laughed. “But don’t think you’re getting it for free. Once you’ve learned from it, you’ll have to teach me a few of your ultimate techniques!”
Attack was important.
Zhou Ming’s path of growth centered on possessing enough Attack to kill his enemies in a single strike.
But speed that surpassed his opponents was important as well.
Wind Wanderer ยท Su Feng, the previous owner of the God-Demon Orb, had taught him Shadowless Step and made up for his weakness in speed, but that was nowhere near enough.
He needed to be faster!
“That’s no problem at all!” Yun Wuyou beamed with delight.
“By the way, if you benefit from this, won’t Tingfeng Xiyu gain something too?”
“Yes!”
Yun Wuyou gave Zhou Ming a long look, not expecting him to have considered even that. “As his mentor, I’ll naturally pass on anything I comprehend to him.”
“That’s why you’re the best person for this class change certificate!” Zhou Ming said with certainty.
Afterward, everyone left Star-Moon Lake.
“Boom!”
Just as Zhou Ming was planning to find somewhere to focus on leveling, he suddenly felt an overwhelmingly powerful pressure descend from every direction.
It was like the blazing sun itself had fallen.
Scorching heat rushed over them, evaporating every drop of water in Star-Moon Lake in an instant.
MISS!
MISS!
MISS!
…
Symbols indicating damage immunity continually rose from Zhou Ming.
“!!”
Everyone’s heart jolted as they prepared to face a formidable enemy.
“Impossible!”
Cangxuan stared at the Demon Gods bearing down on them and cried out, “How could the Dark Faction have a Saint-tier powerhouse?”
…