--- Chapter 42 ---
"How?"
"HOW?!"
"How did you reach peak Dou Spirit from 4-Stars Dou Spirit in six days? Even talent has its limit, brat!"
Out of everyone in the group, Hai Bodong is the one who always asks questions every 5 seconds.
Baek Ain smiled helplessly inside and answered everything with some coverage here and there, but this senile fellow sure was persistent.
Anyway, Baek Ain used the oldest trick in the book.
"I don't know, Ice Emperor."
"It's either enlightenment or..."
"Or?" Hai Bodong frowned, making the wrinkles on his face darken in grim.
Baek Ain shrugged and smiled at Hai Bodong, "I am just that blessed and built differently than others."
"..." Hai Bodong.
"Fuck!"
"Do you think I'd believe that!"
Baek Ain ignored Hai Bodong's rambling in the background and went to Lan Rou for a hug. "I'm tired." He whispered into her ears.
"Good job, Ain." Lan Rou smiled and rubbed Baek Ain's head gently.
"Take a rest. The desert has been quiet for six days as if something big is about to happen, so recover your stamina first."
"Yeah." Baek Ain chuckled amusingly.
When Baek Ain was busy absorbing his rewards in the magma, Lan Rou and others secured the desert area around the magma. They created a camouflage and illusion formation, which means none could enter this place. And with Hai Bodong's protection, no one besides the Dou Emperor can threaten them.
Hearing Lan Rou's explanation, Baek Ain laughed internally because that senile Ice Emperor is tsundere through and through. Baek Ain expected Hai Bodong to be a brass kind of guy, but the reality is more interesting than expected.
Even though the Ice Emperor disliked Baek Ain for taking his niece away, he's not unreasonable enough to discredit his value and incredible talent to the Miteer Family.
'And Hai Bodong is easier to deal with than most senile cultivators in those eastern fantasy novels.' Baek Ain thought to himself.
[Ding! You have Sign In to the Green Lotus Core Flame's Origin for the seventh time]
[Green Lotus Core Flame's Origin can't be signed in anymore]
'Oh, show me the list.'
[Right away, host]
[I'll sort them based on the days]
[1st Day: You have obtained 1x Severed Green Lotus Blade(A), 4x Core-Fire Lotus Seed(B+), and 1x Geocentric Core Crystal(S)]
[2nd Day: You have obtained 1x Xuan Class Dou Technique: Fiery Earth Wave, 1x Lotus Fire Shield(S), and 3x Green-Colored Lotus Pendants(B)]
[3rd Day: You have obtained 1x Passive Skill: Cinder's Eyes(F) and 2x Green Lotus Slaying Cloaks(B+)]
[4th Day: You have obtained 1x Xuan Class Dou Technique: Green Sun's Wheel, 2x Core-Fire Lotus Seed(B+), and 1x Green Lotus inner Armor(A)]
[5th Day: You have obtained 1x Active Skill: Fire Clone(F) and 1x Green Lotus Rejuvenation Pill(A)]
[6th Day: You have obtained 1x Active Skill: Fire Devouring(F), 2x Core-Fire Lotus Seed(B+), and 1x Ancient Green Volcanic Serpent's Fang(S)]
'Fucking hell. This place is a literal treasure trove.' Baek Ain couldn't help but blink when listening to Alicia's list.
Why did Baek Ain wait months to visit the Tager Desert if the rewards were like this? He should have come sooner.
Baek Ain thought the Poison Master's Inheritance Cave was generous when giving rewards, but the Green Lotus Core Flame's Origin is something else.
'Uh... Can you list them based on type now, Alicia?'
[Okay]
[Sorting...]
[Skills: Cinder's Eyes(F), Fire Clone(F), Fire Devouring(F)]
[Weapon/Equipments: 1x Severed Green Lotus Blade(A), 1x Lotus Fire Shield(S), and 3x Green-Colored Lotus Pendants(B), 2x Green Lotus Slaying Cloaks(B+), 1x Green Lotus inner Armor(A)]
[Materials/Consumables: 8x Core-Fire Lotus Seed(B+), and 1x Geocentric Core Crystal(S), 1x Green Lotus Rejuvenation Pill(A), 1x Ancient Green Volcanic Serpent's Fang(S)]
[Dou Techniques: 1x Fiery Earth Wave, 1x Green Sun's Wheel]
...
...
'Let's start from skill, shall we?'
[Name: Cinder's Eyes]
[Type: Passive]
[Grade: F]
[Description: A pair of eyes that awakened from inner fire, tell good from evil, truth from lies, and gained strong resistance to fire element]
[Name: Fire Clone]
[Type: Active]
[Grade: F]
[Description: Create a clone from the fire that lasted fifteen seconds or until it received deathly damage. The clone's strength depends on the type of fire and amount of energy used at one time]
[Name: Fire Devouring]
[Type: Active]
[Grade: F]
[Description: Devour fire(that wasn't "directly." generated by the wielder) and recover a portion of stamina and energy]
'Hmm, not bad. These skills will be beneficial later on. Especially Cinder's Eyes and Fire Devouring in this world filled with wickedness and heavenly flames.'
'Anyway, next.'
[Name: Severed Green Lotus Blade]
[Type: Weapon/Blade]
[Grade: A]
[Description: A blade made from a severed green lotus's root and refined under earth's pressure. It has a great affinity with Fire Dou Qi and is very durable]
[Name: Lotus Fire Shield]
[Type: Weapon/Shield]
[Grade: S]
[Description: A shield of Green Lotus Core Flame's dying will and Geocentric Core. It has a protection ability that could resist Dou Emperor's attack up to three times]
[Name: Green-Colored Lotus Pendant]
[Type: Equipment/Accessory]
[Grade: B]
[Description: Pendant made of Core-Green Lotus's pieces, granting the user immunity against extreme heat. The pendant will break if the heat exceeds its limit]
[Name: Green Lotus Slaying Cloak]
[Type: Equipment/Accessory]
[Grade: B+]
[Description: Cloak made of Green Lotus's Leaves, having protective ability against extreme heat and piercing attack. Hides the user from Fire-Sensing Ability]
[Name: Green Lotus Inner Armor]
[Type: Equipment/Armor]
[Grade: A]
[Description: A durable armor made of Geocentric Core Crystal and Green Lotus's Leaves. Its slim design allowed the user to move freely and resist extreme heat, explosion, and Dou King's attack up to 10 times]
'Damn. These bountiful rewards are starting to make me suspicious.'
'The pendants... I'll give them to Lan Rou, Yi Xian, and Qing Yin.'
'As for the cloak, the Ice Emperor might need it.'
'The rest is mine, hehehe.'
Baek Ain grinned from ear to ear, ignoring the materials because he'd check them later.
[Name: Fiery Earth Wave]
[Type: Technique]
[Grade: B+]
[Description: A Xuan Class Dou Technique. When mastered, it allowed the user to create fiery sand/earth tsunamis and miniature earthquakes with enough force]
[Name: Green Sun's Wheel]
[Type: Technique]
[Grade: B+]
[Description: A Xuan Class Dou Technique. When Master, it lets the user create green sun's wheels and send them directly to the enemy or infuses them into a weapon, dealing more damage]
[Do you want to learn Fiery Earth Wave and Green Sun's Wheel?]
[Yes/No]
'Yes. Who wouldn't?' Baek Ain returned with confusion as the information entered his head. He meditated beside Lan Rou and used Breathing to calm his nerves, feeling the change after becoming Peak Dou Spirit.
'Open Status.'
"Status."
[Opening Status...]
[Name: Baek Ain]
[Race: Enhanced Human]
[Age: 14(Irrelevant)]
[Blessings: The Golden Crow & White Tiger]
[Physique: Pure Yang Physique]
[Soul Connection: Gnome(S)]
[Innate Skills: Breathing(A), Synthesize(B+), Soul Protection(Unknown)]
[Active Skills: Super Jump(A+), Steel-like Enhancement(B), Energy Blast(A), Stealth(B), Nirvana Touch(C), Pyrokinesis(S), Life Drain(B), Revolver(B), Parry(A), Howl of Sovereign White Tiger(S), Fire Clone, Fire Devouring(F)]
[Passive Skills: Energy Mastery(A), CQC(A), Pain Resistance(S), Poison Immunity(S), Blade Mastery(A), Hidden Weapon Mastery(B), Healing Factor(A), Sixth Sense(A), Lightning Impulse(A), Parallel Thinking(B), Alchemist Instinct(S), Herbology(S), Eastern Alchemy Mastery(A+), Last Man Standing(F), Cinder's Eyes(F)]
[Cultivation: 10-Star Dou Spirit]
[Martial Techniques: Tiger Lashes Kicks, Three Breakthrough Punches, Silent Shadow Steps, Seven Star Blade Art, Voice Changing Art, Wings of Freedom, White Poison Art, Fiery Earth Wave, Green Sun's Wheel]
[Body Technique: Blood Tiger Muscle, Unrecorded Body Tempering Technique]
[Cultivation Technique: The Record of the Burning World(Incomplete)]
'Looks nice.' Baek Ain opened his eyes, stretching a little.
He looked at Lan Rou and commented, "Well, our job is over here. We can return anytime-!"
[Ding! You have triggered a quest from the "Goddess of Opportunity."]
[Name: Queen Medusa]
[Objective: Fight Queen Medusa without any help and win(0/1)]
[Description: You have reached the bare minimum cultivation realm to fight the powerhouses of this world, prove your strength, and defeat Queen Medusa. Use tricks and dirty by any means if possible. Win, or you'll die painfully]
[Failure's Penalty: Death]
[Time Limit: A Week]
[Reward: Synthesize's Upgrade, 5x Skill Upgrade Token(A), Record of Burning World(4-7), 1st Irregularity's Clue]
"..." Baek Ain.
"Fuck, I shouldn't have jinxed myself..."