Not knowing what Nie Yan was up to, Tang Yao figured it must be a high-difficulty task and thus stopped asking further questions. He began reading a recall scroll. After a flash of white light, he returned.
These wandering soul berserkers could detect invisibility, so they must be eliminated first. Nie Yan considered using advanced entangle scrolls because the magical vines from these scrolls could bind the wandering souls and also deal additional damage.
Nie Yan glanced ahead and saw numerous wandering soul mages scattered about. These soul mages were also wandering souls, but they were much smaller than the berserkers, about the size of an average human, wielding gray staffs with black flames burning at their tips.
Wandering Soul Mage: HP 2000/2000.
They were merely ordinary monsters, but they had a special trait: they were immune to magic attacks while taking double damage from physical attacks.
Nie Yan had been lurking around for a long time. When he spotted a lone soul mage, he raised his mounted crossbow and fired a shot before quickly retreating.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Five arrows struck the wandering soul mage.
Nie Yan was too far away for the mage’s spell range, so it chased after him instead.
Nie Yan kept backing up, luring the mage away. Then, using Shadow Dance, he suddenly vanished and dashed toward it.
The soul mage’s eyes glowed with a terrifying green light, locking onto Nie Yan’s position.
But Nie Yan was too fast, vanishing like a flash of lightning.
The soul mage unleashed a spell: Soul Penetration!
A ripple-like wave of soul energy spread outward. This kind of soul attack was impossible to evade!
The wave of Soul Penetration pierced through Nie Yan, dealing the damage. A number over 600 floated above his head.
What a powerful attack!
After all, the soul mage’s level was significantly higher than Nie Yan’s. High damage was only natural.
Nie Yan drank a medium instant recovery potion and quickly circled behind the soul mage. He struck a backstab followed by an explosive attack. With a dull boom, the soul mage shuddered and a number over 500 floated above its head.
The soul mage waved its staff.
Soul Shock!
A surge of soul energy charged toward Nie Yan.
This close-range magical attack was impossible to dodge. Not knowing what type of magic Soul Shock belonged to, Nie Yan hastily activated the mental immunity ability from the Medal of the Ten Saints.
With a loud thud, Nie Yan’s body took the hit and shook violently. A number over 500 appeared above his head. He felt as if his body was bound by ropes, unable to move.
The soul mage quickly retreated a significant distance, gathering a black fireball in its hands while chanting incantations.
Time seemed to freeze in this moment, with only the heavy syllables uttered by the soul mage echoing.
Five syllables!
The mage’s usual instant-cast spell could already halve Nie Yan’s health. This spell would certainly kill him!
The black fireball traced an arc through the air, directly shooting toward Nie Yan.
Just then, Nie Yan’s body twitched slightly.
Soul Shock consisted partly of soul damage and partly of mental damage, so part of the damage was mitigated by mental immunity.
Even if Soul Shock’s control effect was strong, it couldn’t immobilize someone for too long.
As the soul mage’s spell was about to hit Nie Yan, Nie Yan activated Dash Step. Using the invincibility effect at the beginning of Dash Step, he dodged the attack. Then, at top speed, he charged toward the soul mage.
The soul mage began forming another fireball in its hands.
Nie Yan lunged forward, unleashing a series of attacks. As the soul mage was about to cast again, Nie Yan kicked it, interrupting its spell.
Nie Yan circled behind the soul mage, delivering several attacks in quick succession, finally slaying it.
Seeing the soul mage fall, Nie Yan exhaled in relief. Indeed, being attacked by a level 60 monster was terrifying due to the massive level gap.
He picked up the dropped items from the ground—just three silver coins.
Looking ahead, Nie Yan saw countless wandering soul mages in the wilderness, some occasionally passing by in groups.
Nie Yan targeted one of the soul mages and used a disguise skill. His body gradually became ethereal, turning into a mist-like form identical to the soul mages.
“Looks good enough,” Nie Yan thought, checking his hands, which now appeared exactly like a normal wandering soul.
He lowered his head and walked slowly into the distance, wandering like a soul mage.
The effectiveness of the Disguise skill was related to his mimicry ability. If he failed to convincingly imitate a soul mage, it would be easy to be exposed.
Nie Yan moved slowly, wandering for a while before advancing another segment.
He passed by one soul mage after another, traversing a hill. All over the hill were wandering soul mages. In the distance, amidst the ruins, an unusual figure caught Nie Yan’s eye.
She was also a wandering soul. Her appearance was beautiful, wearing a white robe, floating in midair, holding a long staff.
She was Princess Aina, the wandering soul princess, a level 60 boss!
She was a rare non-aggressive boss. Once attacked, however, she would cast Summoning, instantly summoning dozens of evil mages.
Evil mages were level 60 elites. Princess Aina could summon so many elite creatures at once, making her quite formidable.
She was Nie Yan’s target!
In a previous life, Princess Aina was famously wealthy. Thieves who used Pickpocket on her often stole unexpected and valuable items. However, few players could successfully perform Pickpocket on her, as thieves attempting it were often instantly killed by the evil mages’ combined attacks. Thieves had mixed feelings about Princess Aina—both loving and fearing her.
Nie Yan, using his disguise, approached the wandering soul princess’s location.
One soul mage after another passed by Nie Yan. He could clearly see their faces, each with different appearances and expressions, retaining their looks from when they were alive.
Gradually, Nie Yan drew closer to Princess Aina.
Princess Aina glanced at Nie Yan and then ignored him, continuing her wandering.
Nie Yan’s heart raced as he approached within 2 yards of Princess Aina. Several soul mages were wandering nearby.
He cast Pickpocket on Princess Aina.
System: Pickpocket failed.
Failure…
Princess Aina paced restlessly for a moment.
After a while, Princess Aina calmed down a bit and resumed wandering. He tried Pickpocket again.
System: Pickpocket failed.
Still failure!
Princess Aina paced restlessly again. After some time, Nie Yan tried Pickpocket once more.
System: You obtained Aina’s Prayer Bracers (Sub-Legendary).
Seeing this system message, Nie Yan was stunned. So easily obtaining a sub-legendary bracer? His luck was just too good!
Thinking about it, it might not be solely due to luck but also his level. Coming alone at level 30+ to this level 60 map for loot, the game’s AI probably granted players some additional luck.
At that moment, Princess Aina glared at Nie Yan, fixing her gaze on him.
“Despicable human, you wretched thief!” Princess Aina shouted at Nie Yan. She had detected him and immediately summoned nearby soul mages to prepare to attack Nie Yan.
He was discovered! Nie Yan’s heart sank. He noticed all the surrounding soul mages now targeting him. As the soul mages began casting spells, dozens of magical attacks flying toward him, Nie Yan activated Divine Blessing from the Book of Peace.
Celestial Judgment was still on cooldown, so he could only use Divine Blessing.
Magic Immunity!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Magical attacks exploded against Nie Yan, but none caused any damage.
Nie Yan used Divine Blessing to withstand the magical onslaught while continuously using Pickpocket on Princess Aina.
System: Pickpocket failed.
System: Pickpocket failed.
System: You obtained Soul Gem.
System: You obtained Soul Gem.
System: Pickpocket failed.
System: You obtained Dela’s Magical Apparatus Manual (Legendary).
A legendary item! This was it! In a previous life, some players had stolen Dela’s Magical Apparatus Manual from Princess Aina. It seemed to be something players could learn, although its exact purpose was unknown to him for now. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a legendary piece of equipment but a book.
The book lay quietly in a corner of Nie Yan’s bag, entirely crimson red, adorned with many geometric patterns, and with a uniquely designed cover.
But Nie Yan had no time to examine the item’s attributes.
As Princess Aina kept losing items, she became increasingly furious. With a wave of her hand, twenty or more evil mages appeared around her. These evil mages wore black robes, their faces completely obscured.
Level 60 elites!
However, they were all magic attackers, so Nie Yan was already prepared. He held a random teleportation scroll in his hand, ready to crush it at any moment.
Time passed, and countless magical attacks exploded against Nie Yan’s body.
Nie Yan was truly formidable, using Divine Blessing to withstand such intense attacks. The spell immunity of Divine Blessing only lasted 60 seconds. Once it expired, any evil mage’s attack could instantly kill him.
Nie Yan tightly gripped the teleportation scroll in one hand while enduring the magical attacks, continuing to use Pickpocket on Princess Aina.
System: Pickpocket failed.
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