The enormous white sac spider fell, and Chu You, with only a sliver of his HP remaining, could no longer withstand any further damage.
However, the aggressive combat style he had just employed made it difficult for Chu You to regain his composure.
While his character had mellowed somewhat, the underlying streak of violence in his blood continued to affect Chu You's demeanor.
A glance at the fallen corpse revealed a faint glimmer, suggesting that something had detonated within the body, causing it to rapidly disintegrate.
"Unlike the wilderness, where loot is found directly on the corpse, dungeons added an element of anticipation. In the wild, loot exploded and scattered on the ground, increasing the risk for players."
This was particularly evident when battling wilderness bosses; after defeating them, equipment would burst forth. The scene made the players appear as if they hadn't eaten in days, with red eyes and an insatiable desire for loot.
"Is it merely a mission item?" Chu You felt somewhat desensitized. Even in the wilderness, despite having defeated numerous elite monsters, he had yet to see any equipment drop. The drop rate was abysmal, and his character's appetite for it was starting to seem insatiable."
Chu You squatted down, touched the body, and immediately a window popped up displaying several pieces of equipment in front of him.
Chu You's heart raced as he identified a skill book, although he couldn't discern its specific occupation.
He picked up the first piece of equipment.
Name: Broken Breastplate
Rarity: Common-tier
Requirement: Warrior class, usable from level 5.
Attributes: Defense +3
Chu You examined the second piece of equipment.
Name: White Sac Spider's Ring
Rarity: Green-tier
Requirements: All professions must be at least level 5 to wear.
Attributes: Attack power +5, mana +20, stamina +2, hit +1.
Lastly, Chu You retrieved the third item, which turned out to be the skill book.
Name: Rapid heal (Can be rapidly cast within 1 second, with a base healing effect of +100 HP, combined with the caster's attributes to determine the final healing amount)
Category: First-tier skill (Maximum tier is 9)
Requirement: Limited to the Priest class, can only be practiced after reaching level 5.
In terms of equipment, there were three items. Fortunately, there was a Rare ring with exceptional attributes. What made it even more valuable was that early-game jewelry drops were exceedingly rare and could be worn for an extended period. Chu You was quite satisfied.
As for the skill book, it pertained to the Priest profession. Chu You wasn't disappointed, as this skill book was a universal one for Priests. Regardless of the specific specialization a Priest player chose after transitioning, they could still learn from this skill book.
Universal skill books were the rarest because they could be acquired by players of all sub-classes within a given system. Obtaining them was particularly challenging and they held significant value. However, if a player chose to sell it to an NPC... well, would you take 1 silver coin for it?
There were only four ways to obtain the skill book. The first was to find it as a drop from slain monsters, the second was to earn it as a mission reward, the third was to trade it with other players, and the fourth was to acquire it from the auction house. There was no fifth possibility; major cities in "Tian Shi" didn't sell skill books.
Among the items, Chu You retrieved the last one: a task item.
Name: Perfect Blue Demon Flower × 2 (indicating there were two)
Item Description: This is the most cherished medicinal ingredient for the elder herbalist. Generous rewards await those who offer it to the kind old man.
After reading the description, Chu You couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. He was eager to progress further in his profession.
Turning his attention to the nest, Chu You noticed a treasure chest awaiting him.
After collecting all the equipment from the spider's corpse, the massive arachnid gradually vanished.
Chu You approached the nest, the lingering effects of slowed movement still present. Finally, he stood before the treasure chest, radiating a brilliant glow. With a sense of anticipation, Chu You chose to open it, his hands extending automatically.
The system displayed a prompt: "The Rare treasure box is opening, progress...10%...21%...56%...79%...93%, the opening is successful."
After two minutes of progress, the Rare chest trembled briefly, and its lid swung open, releasing a radiant burst of light.
Chu You wasted no time and retrieved the equipment inside.
Name: White Sword
Level: Green-tier
Requirements: Usable by the Warrior and Assassin classes, available from level 5.
Attributes: Attack power 11-17, strength +3, critical strike +5, hit +2.
Chu You couldn't help but rejoice; he felt that this would be a significant turning point after reaching level 5.
He received 10 silver coins.
Additionally, he obtained a small quantity of healing potions × 10 (healing 10 points every 3 seconds for 25 seconds).
Chu You promptly consumed one of the healing potions and continued on his path, determined to eliminate all the remaining white sac spiders without leaving a single one behind.
Shortly thereafter, Chu You followed the same method as before to clear out the obstacles and ultimately decided to exit the dungeon.
White light emerged from Chu You, and he vanished from the dungeon.
As he adapted to the dark surroundings, Chu You was momentarily dazzled by the sudden burst of bright sunlight.
As Chu You looked around, he noticed two players in front of him, engaged in a conversation with the elderly man who had been collecting herbs. They hadn't yet spotted Chu You, who had just exited the dungeon. The elderly man, now fully recovered, stood up, shook his head, and gestured as if declining something.
Both of these players were at level 1, displaying remarkable courage by venturing into a level 4 experience area. One was a priest, and the other a mage, both belonging to legal professions.
Taking a step forward, Chu You approached the elderly man, ready to turn in the quest.
At that moment, the two players spotted Chu You, but when they realized that Chu You was already at level 3, they couldn't help but be slightly surprised. They wondered how someone had managed to reach level 3 in such a short time. They considered their own progress as relatively swift, even though they were a team and shared experience, their efficiency had always been satisfactory.
However, what took them by surprise was that a fighter's occupation had surpassed both of their levels. They couldn't fathom how this had happened.
Despite their puzzlement, Chu You approached the old man.
"Old man, I've brought what you asked for," Chu You stated.
"Really? Show it to me," the old man replied, his eyes filled with excitement.
The two players exchanged glances, and from their expressions, it was clear they shared the same sense of astonishment.
They had both been struggling to complete the old man's task by any means necessary, and the old man had always treated them dismissively. Yet now, observing the way the old man was treating Chu You, it was evident that his attitude was markedly different.
"Is this the only task?" The two players wondered aloud and, instead of leaving, they chose to stand there and observe quietly.
Chu You retrieved two "Perfect Blue Demon Flowers" from his backpack and handed them to the elderly herbalist.
As Chu You presented the flowers, the elderly man who had been collecting herbs couldn't contain his excitement. His body trembled slightly as he reached out with shaking hands to accept the "Perfect Blue Demon Flowers" from Chu You.
"Young man, did you obtain these from the most treacherous of places?"
"Yes, I believe this is what you desired most," Chu You responded, trying to provide as much information as possible. In task dialogue mode, sometimes showing favor to NPCs could yield unexpected rewards.
"Oh, this is truly... this is exactly what I yearned for the most. You must have faced great hardships to obtain these. That place is akin to a perilous journey," the old man murmured, his gratitude and guilt evident as he stroked the blue demon flowers in his hand.
Seeing the elderly man's acknowledgment of the perilous location, the two players couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't rewarding this young hero.
Chu You lowered his head and smiled, but he remained silent. His eyes held a touch of world-weariness, as if he had endured unimaginable hardships, and he said nothing.
"Excellent!" The old man nodded vigorously, took the task items, and then retrieved a book from his robes, handing it to Chu You. "This is the true treasure of my family. My grandfather achieved great fame thanks to the secrets contained in this book. Now, I pass it on to you!"
To the onlookers, it was an astonishing sight. The so-called "cheat" book was, in fact, a skill book. Their eyes widened in disbelief.
What kind of task rewarded a skill book? This was an incredible opportunity.
Chu You's pupils contracted slightly, his surprise evident. He reached out slowly to accept the skill book.
System prompt: You have received a task reward (skill book): Decapitate!
System prompt: You have received 4000 Exp rewards!
System prompt: Congratulations on your successful upgrade!
A glow enveloped Chu You. This was a heightened perception. Chu You had reached level 4!
"Unbelievable!" The two players beside Chu You were completely astonished. They had completed a quest to upgrade directly, and they had been impressed by Chu You's level 3 achievement, but now he had reached a level that seemed almost otherworldly.
At that moment, the elderly herbalist retrieved another letter from his robes and handed it to Chu You. "Young lad, once you change professions, head to Wangshan City and seek out Captain Zhao Duwei. I believe he'll be very grateful for your assistance. Here's the letter of introduction."
"So, the elderly gentleman's task was to find this gentleman?" Chu You accepted the letter of introduction, understanding that this would trigger a new quest once he changed professions, as he would need to seek out the man.
"Exactly." The old man sighed as he confirmed. "Captain Zhao Duwei has been troubled. He was secretly poisoned, which has left him with difficulties in his legs and feet. Young hero, you possess extraordinary abilities, and I hope you can become his trusted ally."
"Very well, I will pay a visit to Captain Zhao," Chu You agreed.
"According to my predictions," the elderly herbalist began, his tone filled with concern, "there is an unpredictable chaos in the world. There are many disloyal ministers lurking within the court, and this is an ominous omen. Their treacherous actions threaten the stability of our kingdom." After imparting these enigmatic words, the elderly man turned and vanished.
Chu You then examined the skill book from his backpack.
Name: Decapitation (within a range of ten meters, the mana cost is 100, delivering a fatal blow to the target. If the target has less than 300 HP, it can be instantly killed. If the target has more than 300 HP, it will cause 200 HP damage. Cooldown: 3 minutes. Casting speed: instant)
Proficiency: 0/1000, reaching full proficiency will enhance the skill's power.
Category: Third-tier skill (Maximum tier is 9)
Requirement: All warriors must reach level 5 to practice.
Chu You glanced at his mana value. Since he hadn't invested in intelligence, his mana value remained at the base increase provided by the upgrade.
"After the upgrade, Chu You had 5 more free points to allocate. He contemplated for a moment and decided to distribute them thoughtfully. Recognizing the importance of bolstering his abilities, he chose to invest in intelligence to enhance his overall capabilities.
Chu You allocated all of his points to intelligence, significantly improving his magical capacity. Now, Chu You's mana had substantially increased, and his overall prowess had risen as well, thanks to the upgrade's enhancements. With these improvements, Chu You was prepared for the challenges that lay ahead."
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