"Perhaps he is lucky?"
"Luck is definitely a factor. He might be someone who is naturally more suited for this kind of environment," Yang Kai said. "This is also a kind of talent and innate ability. Aren't there people from our faction who were impressive in the previous world, but were frightened silly when they encountered a monster? Breeze must be a player who has both luck and ability."
"I don't care what you say, that lad is also very scheming. He raised the price to 2,000 magic crystal coins from the beginning of the bidding. He attained all of the money that we've risked our lives over these few days to get in one auction!"
Yang Yong was extremely dissatisfied with Xia Chengfeng. "We've always been the ones taking advantage of other people. We can't let him take advantage of us so easily. We aren't going to buy anything from him in the future."
Purchase Department: "Brother Yong, Breeze just posted something for sale. He is selling [Bone-Tempering Elixirs] and they are even Lv6 ones. These are necessary for Berserkers. We have to get those."
Yang Yong's face turned dark. He answered angrily, "Buy them if you must. Why do you have to announce it? You should raise your IQ!"
...…
After deducting the 3 percent fee, Xia Chengfeng had received 1,940 magic crystal coins. He must be among the top three richest players in area 2222!
With this money, Xia Chengfeng went on another shopping spree and gathered materials and space crystals to further enlarge his space bubble.
There were now many [One Star Space Crystals] listed for sale on the trading channel. Xia Chengfeng grew his space bubble to 700 cubic yards.
He intended to expand his pigpen and build an enclosure for sheep with the extra space. He also wanted to build the [Beginner Beast God Totem (Special Item)].
Practice made perfect. Through his constant learning and practicing, Xia Chengfeng had become an expert in construction and survival. He rapidly expanded his pigpen and built an enclosure for sheep. He left an empty plot of land in the middle to place the [Beginner Beast God Totem].
"Building the [Beginner Beast God Totem] requires [100-Year Tree] x 1, [Soul Rock Lv3] or better x 10, [Magic Beast Blood Essence Lv3] x 1, [Energy Crystal Lv3] or better x 10, [Magic Crystal Coin] x 30."
Xia Chengfeng had already prepared these ingredients. He started to carve a likeness of the Beast God Totem.
According to the information Xia Chengfeng had received during the closed beta, there were a large variety of deities in this world, exactly like there were many kinds of magic souls.
There were even many different kinds of Beast Gods.
The Beast God that the Tauren tribe prayed to was called Minos. It was half-human and half-bull and had a muscular physique. It had a pair of hook-shaped horns and wielded a giant ax.
Xia Chengfeng had never learned how to carve. However, ever since he had become a superb individual, his control over his power had allowed him to carve exquisite details. The image of Minos gradually took shape on the 100-year tree.
"Next is the ritual. Carving the appropriate patterns, reciting the prayers and incantations, sacrificing to the Beast God with soul rocks and blood essence…" The process was a little complicated. Xia Chengfeng called the process opening light.
He had finished carving the patterns of the totem.
"@#%#!..." The incantation for the prayers appeared in Xia Chengfeng's brain after he'd studied the [Beginner Beast God Totem Design].
He voiced out the strange syllables. He didn't notice anything strange at the start. However, after repeating the incantation a few times, the energy of the energy crystals and magic crystal coins on the ground gradually started to flow into the totem pole.
Then the blood essence and the soul rocks also flowed into the totem pole.
The Tauren god of war, Minos, which was carved on the totem pole, released an invisible ferocious energy. It felt as though the totem had been imbued with life.
When all of the ingredients became one with the totem pole, a system notification rang out, "[Beginner Beast God Totem] crafting success. It will boost the growth, evolution, and healing of beasts within a 15-mile radius."
"Sustaining the aura of the totem will cost [Blood Essence Lv3] x 1, [Soul Rock Lv3] x 1, [Energy Crystal Lv3] x 1, [Magic Crystal Coin] x 1 every week."
"You can increase the effects and range of the aura if you introduce higher-level resources. (Note: A beginner Beast God Totem can only use Lv10 ingredients at best.)"
Xia Chengfeng could not determine any changes to the young pigs and lambs for the time being. He shouted, "Xiaozi, come and try out your new toy!"
RAWR! Xiaozi, who was covered in mud, flew out from a corner of the space bubble. She had had to find a way to entertain herself when Xia Chengfeng was working.
She immediately cried in excitement when she sensed the aura of the totem: RAWR!
She flapped her wings and flew around the totem pole, then began to roll on the ground.
It was obvious that she liked the feelings that the totem exuded. The aura of the totem was beneficial to her growth.
"Its effects aren't bad." Xia Chengfeng stroked his chin and said, "Should I build a nest here for you? Do you want to sleep here?"
HNGHNG!" Xiaozi immediately voiced her dissatisfaction. What she meant was that she wanted to continue sleeping in Xia Chengfeng's room.
"Fine, fine, I'll let you sleep on the bed still." This was an easy problem to fix. All Xia Chengfeng had to do was to change the position of the totem pole or the bed. That would allow Xiaozi to continue to receive the blessing of the totem pole's aura.
Xia Chengfeng rested for the night. The next day, he started to study the skill book that he'd received from the trade that he'd made -- [Vine Slash Skill Book (Exceptional)].
The information in the scroll entered Xia Chengfeng's mind. He learned everything, from the way to control the strength of the spell to the contents of its incantation.
The technique [Vine Slash Lv1] also appeared on his skill interface. He would be able to become proficient and increase the level of the technique if he practiced it.
"Using Vine Slash requires me to control earth elemental power."
Every superb individual on the magic path would have a main element such as wind, fire, or water. Some players would even have a side element.
Different elemental powers could complement or counter each other. Normally, a superb individual's body would be dominated by their main element and their other elemental power attributes would be much weaker. Only then could there be balance.
Alchemists were like that too. Xia Chengfeng had experimented with this. His main element was metal, while his side element was wood. The other elemental power attributes in his body were slightly weaker. However, he had no problems using those for lower-level techniques.
For higher-level techniques, he would have magic elixirs or magic equipment to help him channel the other attributes of his elemental power.
"Vine Growth!" The first stage of Vine Slash was Vine Growth. Xia Chengfeng practiced it in his space bubble.
Earth elemental power entered the ground through a special incantation and promoted the growth of long vines.
"Slash!" Xia Chengfeng's target was a wooden pillar. The vines restrained and constricted the pillar fiercely. The wooden pillar was squeezed tightly until it could no longer sustain the force. It cracked and splintered.
"Its power is lacking. The speed at which I cast the spell is too slow!" Xia Chengfeng was rather dissatisfied with his performance. The wooden pillar couldn't move or retaliate. His attack would have missed if it had been a moving creature.
"I'll continue to practice." Xia Chengfeng practiced once again to increase the experience bar of the technique.
Xia Chengfeng spent three days practicing the new technique. He made use of the Life Alchemy Array and continuously replenished his energy by absorbing [Elemental Crystals] before finally increasing the level of [Vine Slash] to Lv5.
Other mages would be extremely shocked if they had seen him cast his spell. That was because they had to rest for a long while after they cast their spells a few times. Furthermore, they could only replenish their energy using [Meditation]. They could not restore their energy using [Elemental Crystals] or [Magic Crystal Coins].
They would not dare to think about using such an extravagant method to level up their skills.
Xia Chengfeng thought that the only way to become strong was to spare no expense.
"I'll continue exploring." Xia Chengfeng explored caves for the next ten days.
His points increased by 130 and his level hit 80 percent of Lv6. Xiaozi's level had also reached Lv6. He'd also obtained a few pieces of gear that he couldn't use and sold them on the trading platform.
There were less than three days left before the scoreboard was going to be tallied.
The survivors and major factions had increased their rate of exploration. The competition was becoming more and more intense.
Xia Chengfeng's ranking had risen by two and he was temporarily in fourth place.
Yang Yong was still standing at the top of the rankings with 297 points.
The player ranked second was Feifei, with 282 points.
Miaomiao, who had been third, had disappeared. Yang Kai replaced him with 280 points.
Xia Chengfeng had 274 points.
The player ranked in the 100th place had 30 points.
The competition for the top few spots was intense. Any player who rested on his laurels would be overtaken in an instant.
Furthermore, their points showed that they were exploring One Star caves every day. That was very dangerous, as the levels of the monsters that would appear in the One Star caves would increase as time went on.
There would be times when a player made a mistake or got injured if they battled every day. The name of one of the players who had ranked in the top ten had disappeared, while the points of two other players had stopped rising. This meant that someone had died or someone had been severely injured.
"I'll have to depend on this if I want to clinch first place." Xia Chengfeng looked at the [Tauren Village Token (Special Item)] in his hand. Conquering a leader's cave would gain him 100 points. This was going to be the key to his rise to the top.