In a small grove within the Lisha Suburbs.
A playful golden finch pecked at the seeds hidden in the grass, occasionally lifting its head to scan its surroundings for any signs of danger. After all, lurking predators like foxes were always eager to make a meal out of it.
Even though the finch was small, it was still a piece of poultry.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar presence startled the finch, causing it to flutter into the air. It looked back with lingering fear at the spot where it had been foraging. Two humans had appeared out of nowhere.
"Chirp chirp chirp!"
Perched on a branch, the finch chirped what sounded like threats in a language no human could understand. It flapped its wings, ready to find another "all-you-can-eat" spot.
Unfortunately... a fox that had been lying in wait on the tree wasn't about to let it go so easily.
The branch shook, and the finch vanished, leaving behind only a fox licking its lips. It glanced at the humans below before disappearing into the forest.
Your poultry is gone.
Setting down Qiqi, whom he had been holding by the collar, Bai Luo let out a sigh of relief. When Zhongli had deduced it was him earlier, he had been startled but not entirely surprised.
Who was Zhongli? A millennia-old god. Without a sharp mind, how could he have dominated such a vast territory? While formidable strength was crucial, exceptional intelligence was equally indispensable.
"Here, I got what you needed."
Bai Luo handed the Juvenile Jade he had retrieved earlier to little Qiqi.
The Primo Geovishap typically grew only two of these. One was located on its dorsal fin, while the other was inside its body, gradually replacing its heart.
In extremely rare cases, a Primo Geovishap might grow three Juvenile Jades, and those with three were usually the strongest among their kind.
After Bai Luo killed this Primo Geovishap, a new Geovishap would soon inherit the residual power left in the ley lines by its predecessor and evolve into a new Primo Geovishap.
However, unlike the numerous young and mature Geovishaps, there was only one Primo Geovishap at any given time, much like how a wolf pack has only one alpha.
It was up to the Geovishaps to decide who would become the new Primo Geovishap.
Setting aside the matter of the Primo Geovishap, Bai Luo's long-dormant system suddenly stirred.
These past few days, while it seemed like he was aimlessly wandering, he had actually been visiting places with connections to ancient gods.
For example, the "Guoba" at Wanmin Restaurant was actually the legendary Stove God, Marchosius. However, interacting with it hadn't triggered any reaction from his system.
It wasn't until he climbed the towering peaks of Jueyun Karst with Qiqi that his long-silent system seemed to go haywire, occasionally beeping but without providing any prompts.
That was why he had been sticking close to Qiqi, wondering if this little girl, who had lived through the Archon War, had somehow triggered a change in his system.
Unexpectedly, the following days passed uneventfully. It was only after his battle with the Primo Geovishap that his seemingly broken system finally gave a prompt.
[Achievement Unlocked: Killing the Goose That Lays the Golden Eggs]
[Reward Obtained: Jun Mo...]
"???"
Seeing the first two characters, Bai Luo shuddered.
No way. No way! His fight with the Primo Geovishap hadn't been that bad, right? Why was he being rewarded with a "bathhouse attendant"?
T/N: Bai Luo sees the first two characters of the reward name, "君莫" (Jun Mo), and panics. He mistakenly associates it with a meme or joke about a "bathhouse attendant"
After calming down, he took another look at the reward and breathed a sigh of relief.
[Reward Obtained: Jun Mo Xiao's Myriad Manifestation Umbrella (Weapon Skin)] (Lord Grim's Myriad Manifestations Umbrella from "The King's Avatar")
[Jun Mo Xiao's Myriad Manifestation Umbrella (Weapon Skin)]: If you like it, treat it as glory, not as a boast.
Unique Effect – Myriad Manifestation Umbrella: Can freely switch between all weapons of owned classes, but only benefits from weapon attributes, not class bonuses. (Cooldown: 3 seconds)
Unique Effect – Plum Blossom Shade: Can switch the weapon to umbrella form. While lacking in lethality, it might shield you from wind and rain.
Looking at the effects of this new skin, Bai Luo drew the dagger from his waist.
The dagger gradually stretched and lengthened, transforming into a cold, sharp-edged katana. However, the blade was on the backside, making it a reverse-blade sword.
With the reverse-blade sword in hand, Bai Luo no longer felt the seamless connection he usually had with his weapon. While he still knew how to wield it, it didn't feel as natural as when he switched to his Battousai class.
The same was true when he switched to Battousai and used the dagger. He knew where the wire mechanisms were and how to use them, but it wasn't as fluid as when he was in his "Hei" class.
Perhaps this was the result of only benefiting from weapon attributes and not class bonuses. He wondered if "Hei" could still kill someone with the reverse-blade sword.
After testing the Myriad Manifestation Umbrella's effects, Bai Luo activated Plum Blossom Shade.
The reverse-blade sword softened and reshaped itself into a red oil-paper umbrella. The umbrella looked ordinary, no different from the ones sold by the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
However, it carried a faint scent of plum blossoms and appeared somewhat aged, to the point where one might doubt its ability to withstand wind and rain.
Bai Luo tested it out. Switching between the umbrella and other weapons was seamless, but switching weapons again required a three-second cooldown.
It was fine for showing off, but using it in combat would likely end in disaster. Three seconds was enough time for the Raiden Shogun to land several strikes or for Rex Lapis to drop a few "I WILL HAVE ORDER!" meteors.
The oil-paper umbrella transformed back into a dagger, which Bai Luo sheathed at his waist.
He then turned his attention to the second reward.
Yes, this time it was a double reward, and the second one gave him another scare.
[Achievement Unlocked: This is the Item Meta? (First Use of Active Equipment)]
[Reward Obtained: Heart of the Earth (Active Equipment)]
[Heart of the Earth (Active)]: The wrath of the earth, capable of burning everything to ashes. Note: Do not use in forests. A fire on the mountain means a trip to the police station.
Unique Active: Summon the Heart of the Earth, calling forth magma at the target location. After 1 second, the magma erupts, dealing 15% of max HP as Pyro damage to all targets within the area and knocking them back. (Cooldown: 90 seconds.)
If Bai Luo had a cigarette on hand, he might have tried lighting it with the Heart of the Earth.
His dream was to become a legendary swordsman, assassin, ronin, or hunter.
But this damned system was forcing him into becoming a one-trick pony with no room for creativity.
He was almost certain that if he got another piece of equipment, it would either be an electric trap or a sheep knife.
Definitely not something like the Three Sacred Treasures or Tetsusaiga.
Sigh... Would this cursed system give him a "Heaven's Punishment" next?
Ah, life is unpredictable.