Arriving at the next spawn point of the sub-elite scale frogs, Nie Yan still used the same method, consuming a Dust of Mist. After the Dust of Mist enveloped the sub-elite scale frog, he handed it over to Tang Yao.
In the jungle, aside from the sound of Tang Yao casting spells, everything remained exceptionally quiet. Occasionally, one or two small animals would pass through the underbrush between the trees.
In the distance, faint splashing sounds came and went like whispers.
“Is there a lake or stream ahead?” Rao Rao asked casually. The distant water sounds were like a softly played piano, drifting through the jungle, vast and far-reaching.
“A lake?” Nie Yan’s mind stirred. Suddenly, he recalled there was indeed a lake outside this scale frog spawn area. It was a small lake surrounded by dense trees. A tall and flourishing canopy of trees shaded the lake’s surface, with a small island in the center. Legend had it there was an abandoned fallen elf altar there, where one could obtain some good items, including several lost fallen elf recipes.
Nie Yan’s thoughts stirred. Since they were already nearby, it wouldn’t hurt to go and check it out before returning if nothing was found.
Soon it was time to log off. After Tang Yao killed the last sub-elite, a ray of white light fell upon Nie Yan. Dingdong, a crisp system notification sounded.
Nie Yan checked his level. He was currently level 17, matching Tang Yao, although Tang Yao’s total experience was much higher and he would soon level up to 18.
“There are still eighteen minutes left. You two should find a place with fewer monsters to log off,” Nie Yan said, glancing at today’s loot: three pieces of equipment, a blueprint for a level 30 silver item, a formula for a mid-tier instant recovery potion, and three pieces of lucky gemstones.
Killing monsters above one’s level grants additional loot bonuses. Combined with the fact that they were killing elite monsters, their gains were quite good. Compared to his past life, when it was difficult to even encounter elite monsters, and even when they did, many teams would compete for them, making resources scarce, they could only hope to get one or two silver or gold-level items a day. Most of the time, having a boss drop items for you was already great. Nie Yan and his team, however, were taking on higher-level challenges, avoiding competition from other players, and Nie Yan knew where to find elites. The advantage was obvious.
Today, Sun had leveled up to 11, and Rao Rao had reached level 12, just one level away from 13. This rapid leveling surprised both of them. How fast!
“Big Brother Nie Yan, Big Brother Yao, Sister Rao Rao, see you tomorrow,” Sun said goodbye to Nie Yan and the others before logging off.
“I’m logging off too. Nie Yan, Yao, see you later,” Rao Rao bid farewell to Nie Yan and Tang Yao before logging off.
“Aren’t you logging off?” Tang Yao asked, noticing Nie Yan didn’t seem ready to log off yet.
“There are still more than ten minutes left. I’ll take a look around and explore the terrain. Here are five Dusts of Mist. I’ll tell you the spawn locations of several sub-elite and elite scale frogs. You record them. Before I return tomorrow, give the Dusts of Mist to Sun so he can use them. You two can continue farming scale frogs,” Nie Yan said, trading several Dusts of Mist to Tang Yao.
Tang Yao thought for a moment and nodded, “Alright,” confirming the trade. He had full confidence in Nie Yan. With Nie Yan’s skills, if he deliberately avoided danger, he should be safe.
“You log off too.”
“I’m off,” Tang Yao’s figure gradually faded and then disappeared.
Following the source of the splashing sounds, Nie Yan walked forward and found a stream in the jungle. He began tracking the stream’s source, encountering many scale frogs along the way, which he bypassed by activating his stealth.
As he ventured deeper into the jungle, Nie Yan encountered a wooden chest by the stream. Opening the chest, he found only a level 30 white item. Disappointed, he thought his luck was terrible to get a white item from a chest. However, he soon realized that even selling the white item to an NPC shop would yield more than five silver coins, and breaking it down for materials would be even more valuable, so he calmed down.
Continuing deeper into the jungle along the stream, he passed the scale frog spawn area. In the distance, a lake appeared before Nie Yan’s eyes. The lake wasn’t large, about 300×300 yards, with a small island in the center.
System: You have discovered the Sylvan Lake of Sordalin.
In his past life, it was said that some players found several rare recipes in the center of the lake. Rare recipes from level 30 zones were at least mid-tier, making each one valuable. For Nie Yan, who owned a potion shop, each potion recipe was significant.
Arriving at the edge of the lake, Nie Yan saw the calm and undisturbed surface. He remembered that monsters would spawn in the lake, and apparently, there were elite creatures. Currently, he carried many valuable items, and dying would result in losing a lot, so he dared not take unnecessary risks.
He didn’t think he was capable of soloing a level 30 elite monster, especially since moving underwater was not as flexible as on land. Even encountering a regular level 30 monster would be dangerous.
Glancing at the island in the lake, he estimated the distance to be about thirty yards. The lakeside was lined with tall trees, fifty to sixty yards high, their shade covering the lake’s surface, with vines hanging from the branches.
Nie Yan looked up at the dense foliage and intertwined branches above. Even without swimming across the lake, he should be able to reach the island.
Approaching a large tree, Nie Yan used the skill from his Ring of the Climber. Like a spider, he swiftly and cleanly climbed onto a thick branch. Glancing toward the opposite side, he estimated the distance to the fork of the tree on the other side to be about ten yards.
After a moment of contemplation and calculating the distance, Nie Yan suddenly leaped forward.
The horizontal distance over the water was at least twenty yards. Using his forward momentum, Nie Yan flew forward for a distance before descending toward the lake.
Nie Yan used the skill from his Ring of the Weaver on his left hand. The spider silk from the ring stuck to the tree fork on the opposite side. The silk quickly tightened, catching Nie Yan. Using this force, he swung forward like on a swing.
Flying over the open lake, Nie Yan retracted the silk thread and continued flying forward for a distance.
His height rapidly decreased, and Nie Yan landed on the opposite shore, rolling to stabilize himself. A -23 damage number floated above his head.
Looking back, he successfully crossed the open lake. He smiled slightly. Having the Ring of the Weaver and the Ring of the Climber was indeed great.
A giant water snake slowly swam across the lake in the distance. It was about five to six yards long, covered in yellow and white scales. As it swam, ripples spread across the water’s surface. This water snake was likely a monster of level 30 or higher. Nie Yan didn’t dare to be careless and entered stealth, hiding himself in the underbrush on the island.
The water snake didn’t detect Nie Yan and swam past, disappearing at the far end of the lake.
Nie Yan exhaled in relief. If he had chosen to swim across the lake instead of jumping over it, he couldn’t imagine what might have happened.
The small island in the middle of the lake was about 30×30 yards. It had several large trees but no active monsters. In the center of the island stood a giant tree, towering into the sky, though its trunk had been hollowed out by pests. At the base of the hollow trunk was a black chest. The chest looked ancient, as if it had been there for ages, weathered by time, covered in grime, and devoid of any luster.
Nie Yan approached the chest. The chest’s design had the style of the dark ages, the era when the ancient dragons ruled. It was much older than any chest he had encountered before. The older and more historically significant a chest was, the better the loot it usually contained. This was a common belief among players.
Wiping away the mud, a faint dark golden luster emerged.
It was dark gold!
Discovering it was a dark gold chest, Nie Yan’s heart skipped a beat.
Nie Yan had never seen a dark gold chest before, not even in his past life. He had only heard of them but never seen one. Inside a dark gold chest, the loot was at least dark gold quality, with a high probability of sub-legendary items, and even a small chance of legendary items.
He wondered if it was locked. Nie Yan bent down and touched the latch. A sense of great disappointment surged within him. The dark gold chest had a very delicate small lock, the intricate latchwork was amazing.
This was the most intricate latch Nie Yan had ever seen. It would likely require at least an expert-level lockpick to open. Such locks might have specific keys, and ordinary keys would definitely not work.
Nie Yan felt frustrated and gave a bitter smile. Thinking about it, how could a dark gold chest be left here, waiting for him to open?
Although he recalled that there was something on this island, the search results left Nie Yan deeply disappointed.
Nie Yan stood up. Then he thought again, something didn’t seem right. Logically, expert-level lockpicking wouldn’t be available until reaching the rank of Grand Thief, meaning players wouldn’t be able to open this dark gold chest for at least five or six, maybe even seven or eight years. By then, countless players would have discovered this place, and news of a dark gold chest here would spread widely. Yet, why had Nie Yan never heard of a dark gold chest here?
Unless someone discovered the dark gold chest before players arrived and used an expert-level lockpick to open it, taking the items and removing the chest, so players would never know it existed.
Expert-level lockpicking was rarely achieved even by Grand Thief-level players, as it wasn’t something that could be easily obtained. It required continuously honing the lockpicking skill, opening thousands of locked chests to reach that level.
The only possibility was that there was another way to open this dark gold chest! Perhaps he could find a key specifically designed for this dark gold chest.
Thinking of this, Nie Yan stood up. The answer must still be on this island! There was also an abandoned fallen elf altar on this island, which might be related!
Glancing at the time, the game was about to shut down. There was no time left. He would check again next time he logged on.
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