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'As expected for the first time. There really is a lot of treasure.' From afar, Shi Feng could already see a few large Treasure Chests placed inside the storehouse. Amongst them, there was even a pitch black Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest.

Filled with excitement, Shi Feng was just about to enter the storehouse and take a look at the items within the treasure chests when he heard a loud roar.

'Ao! Ao! Ao!'

A Mountain Beast Fighter, who was three sizes larger than its peers, rushed out from within the storehouse. The monster was covered in silver armor, and both its hands wielded a gigantic ax. Both its blood-red eyes stared tenaciously at Shi Feng.

Chapter 66 — Phantom Kill

After this silver armored Mountain Beast Fighter rushed out, before Shi Feng could observe it, it had already thrown its incomparably heavy Mountain Splitting Ax. The ax flew like a rocket, reaching Shi Feng in an instant.

Everything happened too quickly, too suddenly. If it were an average player in this situation, their head would have parted with their body before they could even react.

However, Shi Feng was not an average player. He pulled out the Abyssal Blade with great speed, and the moment before the ax could hack at his neck, he Parried this flying death ax.

The collision between the giant ax and the longsword did not produce any sparks, only the sound of an explosion.

Shi Feng's entire person was sent flying back over ten yards.

Following which, the giant ax landed on the ground, deeply penetrating the earth. Its landing caused the earth to start shaking. It could be seen just how heavy this giant ax was. Moreover, the silver-armored Mountain Beast Fighter who could simply throw this giant ax was even more terrifying.

Such strength did not exceed the normal Mountain Beast Fighters by just a level...

After landing, Shi Feng immediately used Observing Eyes on the new monster.

[Mountain Beast Warrior] (Special Elite)

Level 10

HP 3500/3500

Shi Feng immediately understood the Mountain Beast Warrior's strength after taking a look at these numbers. Without saying anything further, he turned tail and ran.

What a joke. Directly battling against a Level 10 Special Elite was literally suicide. When meeting a Special Elite in the Moonlight Forest, players didn't have to consider whether or not they could kill it, rather whether or not they could run away.

The Mountain Beast Warrior was stronger than the Mountain Beast Fighter by more than a notch. Not only regarding Strength, but its speed and flexibility were also greatly increased. It would not be easily toyed with like the Mountain Beast Fighters. If Shi Feng did not use Parry to defend against the ax, then, even if he had blocked the attack with the Abyssal Blade, he would still end up dead. The gap between their strength was just too huge.

Although Shi Feng wished to escape, the Mountain Beast Warrior had no plans let this intruder go. It used Charge to rush at Shi Feng, picking up its giant ax along the way. The way it picked up the weapon was as if it were picking up a leaf, effortless.

Seeing that the Mountain Beast Warrior had used Charge, Shi Feng knew he could not shake it off. He turned his body around in mid-air, pointing his sword at the Mountain Beast Warrior.

Abyssal Bind!

Within an instant, the Mountain Beast Warrior who was swiftly rushing at Shi Feng was restricted by pitch black chains. It could not move even a muscle, only helplessly stare at Shi Feng.

Shi Feng did not dare stay any longer. He activated Windwalk, leaving the campsite at high speed and fleeing into the stone forest.

With the added speed from Windwalk, the Mountain Beast Warrior had no chance of catching up to him.

About twenty seconds later...

'Finally broke away from it.' Shi Feng turned his head around to take a look, discovering the Mountain Beast Warrior already turning around and heading back to its camp. Thereupon, Shi Feng let out a breath of relief. If it had continued chasing, Shi Feng's Windwalk would have timed out.

His luck was truly rotten. There was actually a Special Elite inside the campsite. In his previous life, there were no monster camps that were guarded by a Special Elite. There would only be the occasional normal Elite monster. Shi Feng felt unfortunate for losing the Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest.

Currently, Blackie's communication arrived.

'Brother Feng, all of our members have reached Level 4. Moreover, we obtained a lot of ore, equipment, and skill books. Everyone has learned quite a few skills, and our strength has greatly increased. Unfortunately, our leveling speed from grinding Gnomes has greatly decreased. When will you be coming over to carry us through the Hell Mode of the Deathly Forest? Our fighting spirits are all sky-high right now, and we're just waiting for your command,' Blackie laughingly said.

'All of you are Level 4?' Shi Feng entered a deep thought, trying to think of the next task for Blackie and the others to do. After some thought, Shi Feng thought of a good location, 'Blackie, you guys should stop grinding Gnomes and return to town to tidy up your bags. Go to the Level 5 area, the Red Leaf Forest. Follow this marker and grind Forest Wolves. The Wolf Meat and Wolf Skins are good stuff. The more you grind, the better, as all the drops can be sold, fattening your wallets.'

With Blackie and the others' current potential, it would be very easy to grind Forest Wolves. This was especially true with Blackie's equipment. The monster's 400 HP would be gone with just three Dark Arrows. Moreover, the location Shi Feng gave to Blackie was a large Wolf Den. The respawn rate there was very quick, and there was also higher ground for Blackie and the others to occupy. As long as Cola and Lonely Snow firmly block the pathway up the slope, preventing even a single wolf from moving past them, the ranged members could easily deal damage. Moreover, Beasts[1] were afraid of fire, taking additional damage from it. A single Hell Flame could wipe out the entire pack of wolves. Their leveling speed would increase by at least 60% to 70%.

'Great! We're bored out of our minds from constantly grinding Gnomes. We'll go immediately after we tidy up our bags,' Blackie excitedly confirmed. More and more players started going to their location to grind Gnomes now. In addition to them being Level 4, their leveling efficiency was constantly decreasing. They were naturally excited to have a new location to grind.

'Brothers, pack up! We won't have to compete with them anymore. Let's go play in a new location,' Blackie said to the others after cutting off the call.

Everyone stopped fighting over monsters with the other players when they heard Blackie say so. They cheerfully left this place with Blackie.

When the Elite parties saw Blackie and the others leaving, their faces revealed expressions of joy. There would be fewer people competing over this precious leveling ground now. They inwardly sneered at the foolishness of Blackie's party. Currently, players filled the entirety of Dark Moon Valley. How could the leveling speed at the other locations be faster than here?

Elsewhere, just when Shi Feng was ready to look for other Mountain Beast Fighters, he noticed a problem from the conversation with Blackie.

It was definitely not possible for him to kill the Mountain Beast Warrior by himself, but he could still escape. However, it was not necessary for him to kill the Mountain Beast Warrior to obtain the Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest.

As long as one person lured the Mountain Beast Warrior, another person could go and open the Treasure Chest.

Thinking up to this point, Shi Feng looked at the Abyssal Blade with a faint smile.

As expected, Phantom Kill was a very powerful skill.

Following which, Shi Feng once more returned to the Mountain Beast camp. He activated Phantom Kill, his doppelganger appearing before him.

The doppelganger possessed all of Shi Feng's skills. It was sufficient to hold off the Mountain Beast Warrior for more than twenty seconds. With these twenty seconds, Shi Feng could activate the Treasure Chest and take away all the items.

Shi Feng took out a Speed Scroll and Polymorph Scroll, giving them to the doppelganger. The Polymorph Scroll could polymorph monsters below Level 15 into a sheep for 4 seconds. However, the effective duration on a Special Elite would be greatly decreased. Although, it was enough as long as it could disrupt the Mountain Beast Warrior's Charge.

After activating the Speed Scroll, the doppelganger immediately went to the storehouse to lure the Mountain Beast Warrior.

As expected, the scene from before replayed itself, and the doppelganger used Parry to block the flying death ax. It subsequently used Charge at the doppelganger. The doppelganger immediately used the Polymorph Scroll, instantly turning the Mountain Beast Warrior into a little white sheep.

The Mountain Beast Warrior reverted to its original form in less than a second. It then chased after the doppelganger, entering deep into the stone forest. The Mountain Beast Warrior's speed was slightly faster than the doppelganger, but the doppelganger activated Windwalk, its speed and the distance between them increasing once more.

A short distance away, Shi Feng watched as the Mountain Beast Warrior departed from the campsite. He let out a small chuckle, similarly activating Windwalk as he rushed into the storehouse.

This time, there were no monsters present to interrupt him when he entered the storehouse. Shi Feng first went up to the Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest, opening it.

The Treasure Chest needed time to be opened.

1 second... 2 seconds...

The loading bar for the Treasure Chest was still going, causing Shi Feng to become slightly nervous. The time his doppelganger could delay was limited. Aside from the Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest, there was still one more Bronze Treasure Chest and three Common Treasure Chests. Time was of the essence. As long as he opened a Treasure Chest now, it would not be possible to lure the tiger out of the mountain the next time around. After all, Special Elites possessed their own intelligence.

'Hurry, hurry...' Shi Feng impatiently looked at the loading bar.

Ten seconds later, the Mysterious-Iron Treasure Chest opened.

At the same time, a wrathful roar came from the stone forest. It would seem that Shi Feng's actions had been discovered.

Looking through the doppelganger's vision, Shi Feng could see that the Mountain Beast Warrior no longer paid the doppelganger any attention. Instead, it ran back towards the camp's storehouse.

Without pause, Shi Feng immediately stored all the items in the Treasure Chest into his bag. He then continued to open the Bronze Chest.

The Bronze Treasure Chest's loading bar started to move slowly. To Shi Feng, every second right now was crawling by.

Meanwhile, the sound of the Mountain Beast Warrior's bellow was getting closer and closer...

TL Notes:

[1] Beasts : A general category for monsters.

Chapter 67 — Ring of Nothingness

The loading bar for the Treasure Chest was currently only halfway done. Hearing the roar getting closer and closer, Shi Feng became extremely anxious.

'Hurry... Hurry...'

The Mountain Beast Warrior had already entered the camp, yet the loading bar was still a hair's breadth away from full.

When the Mountain Beast Warrior saw Shi Feng opening the Treasure Chest, its large pair of eyes turned crimson red. It aimed its giant ax at Shi Feng, throwing it at him. It could not help but wish for Shi Feng to go to hell immediately.

At this moment, the Bronze Treasure Chest opened.

Without giving the flying ax even a single glance, Shi Feng immediately activated Defensive Blade, blocking the attack from the flying death ax. Following which, his two hands swiftly stretched into the Treasure Chest, taking the items within and cramping them into his bag with lightning speed.

When Shi Feng finished storing all of the items from the Treasure Chest, the Mountain Beast Warrior also arrived before him. It picked up the fallen ax with both of its hands, raising it up high as it prepared to murder.

Having no plans to stay, Shi Feng turned and ran.

Boom!

The earth split when the ax landed, leaving behind a scar and causing crushed stones to go flying. However, Shi Feng was already five yards away by the time the ax landed. He was running directly to the outside of the camp.

Seeing that its attack missed, the Mountain Beast Warrior turned to face Shi Feng and used Charge. It did not intend to give Shi Feng any chance to escape.

On the other hand, Shi Feng did not have any skills to deal with the Mountain Beast Warrior who was charging at him. He allowed the Mountain Beast Warrior to send him into a Fainted state, his body then receiving a slash from its ax. In an instant, the attack sent him flying over ten yards away.

The attack from the Mountain Beast Warrior could cause even a Level 5 Shield Warrior to harbor a grudge, yet Shi Feng acted as if it was nobody's business as he stood and started running out of the camp once more. Now, Defensive Blade could only prevent Shi Feng from receiving damage from a melee attack one more time.

Although only one chance remained, there was more than a 10-yard distance between Shi Feng and the Mountain Beast Warrior. As long as Shi Feng ran into the stone forest, he would be a lot safer.

However, an unexpected situation occurred. The Mountain Beast Warrior that should have used Charge only once used it a second time, sending Shi Feng into a Fainted state once more. It raised its giant ax, slashing it again at Shi Feng's body.

Shi Feng was sent flying for over ten yards again; this time it immediately threw him out of the camp. He was just a short distance away from the stone forest now.

However, Shi Feng's expression became much more serious. The current Mountain Beast Warrior was completely different from before. Previously, it only used Charge once. Now, it used Charge twice. That meant that there was a possibility for a third or fourth Charge, maybe even more. That meant, as long as the distance between Shi Feng and the Mountain Beast Warrior exceeded eight yards, the Mountain Beast Warrior would use Charge. This was definitely not good news.

Just as expected, the moment Shi Feng stepped out of the 8-yard range, the Mountain Beast Warrior used Charge once again. If Shi Feng were to be hit once more, he would definitely die.

He was not willing to die just yet.

Shi Feng took out a Polymorph Scroll, immediately turning the Mountain Beast Warrior that was charging at him into a sheep. Although it was polymorphed only for a second, just one second was enough for Shi Feng to run a long distance away. As long as Shi Feng could run out of the 30-yard range, it would be too far for the Mountain Beast Warrior to use Charge.