The Cosmos Bag was an absolute gem
Chen Guo had amassed a heap of items and was at a loss for how to store them. Though his strength surpassed that of an ordinary person, making it easy to carry the load, the bulk of it was cumbersome. With the Cosmos Bag, he now had his own personal storage space, perfect for stashing away various items.
Equipped with the bag, Chen Guo could move about unencumbered, which was a considerable relief.
The title "Oppressor of All Beings" seemed rather insignificant. Yet, as trial challengers grew stronger and potentially confronted Chen Guo, that slight 2% boost in damage could prove pivotal.
The Cosmos Bag itself was a work of art, a palm-sized deerskin pouch adorned with the Eight Trigrams and Four Symbols, crafted with exquisite detail. It easily fastened around his waist.
In a moment of inspiration, Chen Guo transferred most of his belongings into the Cosmos Bag.
He then set about duplicating the golden treasure chest. After successfully creating a copy, he didn't hesitate to open two golden treasure chests in quick succession.
"You have obtained the Elixir of Youth!"
"Elixir of Youth: Upon use, one will retain everlasting youth, immune to aging and decay."
"You have obtained the skill 'Singularity of the Sword'!"
"'Singularity of the Sword,' a legendary technique of the Mount Shu Sword Sect, forms a sword from Qi to vanquish foes, inflicting catastrophic damage. Cooldown time: 1 minute!"
The Elixir of Youth was an enigma. Seemingly useless, yet eternal youth was a coveted state for anyone—preserving beauty for women and peak physical condition for men.
Chen Guo felt confident in achieving longevity in the Whole Heaven Battlefield, rendering the Elixir of Youth superfluous.
Despite this, the elixir had its merits, though it did not directly enhance combat capacity.
After pondering, Chen Guo decided to store the Elixir of Youth in the Cosmos Bag, potentially for future trade or as a gift for a lady.
Regarding 'Singularity of the Sword,' despite a lengthy one-minute cooldown, its power was undeniable. The Mount Shu Sword Sect was renowned for its devastating offensive capabilities.
Overall, the rewards were quite good, leaving Chen Guo with nothing to complain about.
"Let's take a two-hour break, then get back to monster-slaying..."
After a full day's hustle, Chen Guo's body might have been fine, but his spirit was starting to flag. It was time for a brief respite.
After all, even in the hunt for monsters, it's important to balance work with rest!
At this moment, the release of the rankings had sent shockwaves across the realms. Chen Guo's ability to conceal his identity, coupled with his remarkable fighting prowess, left countless formidable figures speechless.
In Yin Xu:
"Boss, that guy with the hidden name has insane combat strength!"
"Yeah, he's nearly 300 points ahead of you!"
"And he's two levels below you, that's the crazy part!"
Lei Kun's eyes bulged in disbelief, "How's that possible? I'm two levels above that hidden-name guy, yet he's crushing me in combat strength. How did he manage that? I even had a stroke of luck and gained the wings of the Divine General..."
Lei Kun, who had assumed his global top spot was secure, was disheartened to discover that Chen Guo had outclassed him in combat strength.
In the Yellow Desert:
Blues scowled at the leaderboard, "It's shocking enough that this person can hide their name, but their combat strength is off the charts. How is that possible? It defies logic!"
On the Red Coast:
Puluo told his teammates, "Jutrela truly is a land of masters. Both Lei Kun and this mysterious individual are formidable, but the real menace is this unknown person. His combat strength is through the roof!"
At the Redwood Shrine ruins:
Yamamoto Michio's eyes widened in astonishment, "By the grace of Tianzhao, 1,296 combat strength, how can this be?"
Across the Whole Heaven Battlefield, experts were astounded by Chen Guo's extraordinary combat strength. Many bristled with eagerness to confront him.
With the rankings as a benchmark, trial challengers everywhere were invigorated as if infused with newfound vigor. Particularly those already on the leaderboard, striving to climb higher or maintain their standing, redoubled their efforts, leaving no room for complacency.
Chen Guo resumed his quest, mindful not to neglect the survival mission at hand. Advancing to level 9 sooner rather than later seemed like a prudent move.
On his path, he cut through Human Demons and disciples of Medicine Valley until the true nature of Medicine Valley revealed itself to him. Nestled on the eastern flank of Phoenix City, it was clear that this valley had once been a thriving sect. Now, however, the once-grand entrance lay in ruins, with jade structures either shattered or completely toppled.
But Chen Guo wasn't concerned with the valley's past—his focus was on the abundance of monsters present. His eyes lit up as he spotted numerous Level 4 Medicine Valley disciples roaming about. Elated, he plunged into the valley, embarking on a killing spree that swiftly racked up his slaughter points to two-thirds of the required total.
It was then that a premonition struck him. "The calamity of heaven and earth spares no one; not even a Medicine King can withstand it! Why must the heavens be so unjust?"
Accompanied by a shrill, rambling voice, a ten-meter-tall specter materialized not far from Chen Guo. The apparition, a blue humanoid monster with indistinct features, was shrouded in malevolence, radiating an aura of pure terror.
"Warning, warning, warning!" the system blared. "Mutated elite detected! Level 8 mutated elite, Ghost King Sun Chengzong, combat strength: 2100! Ghost King Sun Chengzong, the 17th descendant of the Medicine Valley's master, succumbed to spite and resentment, transforming into a vengeful spirit. Extreme danger—team combat is advised!"
Chen Guo didn't need the system to tell him that the Ghost King Sun Chengzong posed a grave threat. As the Ghost King drew near, Chen Guo's skin prickled with fear.
"Intruder, die!" bellowed the Ghost King, having spotted Chen Guo. From his elevated position, he launched an attack.
"The Ghost King's combat strength is too formidable. I'm not equipped to take him on. Discretion is the better part of valor—I'll return to fight another day, after leveling up!" Chen Guo reasoned.
With an actual combat power of around 1,700 and his superior talents and skills, Chen Guo was confident that, when the time was right, he could indeed vanquish the Ghost King Sun Chengzong.
However, the risk of a disastrous defeat wasn't the only concern; even if he managed to overcome Ghost King Sun Chengzong, it would be a hollow victory at best.
Chen Guo had no desire for such an outcome.
So, he made a strategic retreat to level up, planning to return and face the Ghost King once he reached Level 8.
"Flying Thunder God Art!"
With a focused thought, Chen Guo swiftly invoked the Flying Thunder God Art and vanished from sight.
"???"
Sun Chengzong, the Ghost King, stared bewildered at his attack hitting nothing but air. Lacking in wit, he didn't dwell on the confusion and resumed his patrol of Medicine Valley.
The Ghost King continued to mutter the same phrases repeatedly:
"The great catastrophe spares no one, not even the Medicine King can withstand it!"
"Why, oh why are the heavens so unjust!"