Walking near a flight point, what was called a flight point here was actually just a stable filled with giant bats, each one plump and strong. At the exit of the stable stood several elderly cave gnomes, frail in body and very ugly in appearance.
Suddenly, Nie Yan received a system notification.
Quest Progress: Head to Brend Isle in the Scorching Islands.
Nie Yan approached the old cave gnome.
The old cave gnome looked up and asked, “Respected guest, may I ask what service you need?”
Nie Yan glanced at the list of flight destinations. Dozens of locations were densely marked on it. Spotting Brend Isle among the Flaming Islands, he said, “Please send me to Brend Isle.”
“It’s my pleasure to serve you.” The old cave gnome led a giant bat out of the stable and fitted it with something similar to a saddle. “It’s ready, sir. Please pay 50 silver coins.”
Nie Yan paid the money.
The giant bat took a few steps forward, appearing very tame.
In his past life, Nie Yan had also ridden flying mounts, but those were griffons. The flying mounts at the flight points in Granland were usually griffons.
Nie Yan mounted the giant bat. The bat flapped its wings and took off, circling upward gradually. From above, the white tents below became smaller and smaller as the bat flew toward the distant islands.
The giant bat flew over the Lava Sea, and a wave of scorching heat rose from below, causing the bat to shudder violently for a moment.
Nie Yan, seated on the bat’s back, tightly gripped the ropes tied to its back. After a while, the bat stabilized its flight and glided at an altitude of about two to three hundred yards above the Lava Sea, heading forward.
Approaching in the distance were towering volcanic craters and rising plumes of thick smoke, which the giant bat flew past before continuing onward.
Looking ahead, Nie Yan noticed that behind him, scattered across the Lava Sea, were many islands arranged in a peculiar formation.
Nie Yan surmised that these islands must hold some historical significance. He searched the official website for information about the Scorching Islands. The records revealed that this area had once been part of the Kirkby Empire, a formidable underground gnome empire whose power rivaled that of the Undead Empire. Eventually, it had been engulfed by the Lava Sea. Among these dozen or so islands, remnants of ancient gnome cities could still be found, though many had already been overrun by lava beasts and fire spirits.
Lava beasts and fire sprites often dropped gems and other items, which made them highly favored by players.
After flying for more than ten minutes, the giant bat gradually descended and landed on a large island. Here, the landscape was dominated by limestone formed from volcanic lava, and through the cracks in the limestone, flowing magma could be seen below.
System: You have discovered Brend Isle.
At the center of Brend Isle was a volcano, resembling a giant chimney, belching thick black smoke into the sky.
Bennett’s spirit flew toward the central volcano.
Nie Yan hurriedly followed. After checking the official website, he learned this was an 80th-level map, so he became cautious and did not summon his Golden Earth Dragon. Encountering an 80th-level elite monster would mean certain death for the dragon.
He activated his stealth ability and moved toward the dense jungle in the distance. Here, many tall black plants grew, and Nie Yan had no idea what they were. Some of these plants were even hostile.
After moving through the woods for a while, he noticed some fire sprites active in the area. These fire sprites were about three yards tall, resembling humans in appearance, their entire bodies engulfed in red flames.
Fire Sprite: Level 80, HP 8000/8000.
These Fire Sprites were a higher-tier variant among fire sprites. Though their HP was not very high, they possessed powerful fire magic and strong offensive capabilities.
Even Nie Yan dared not fight more than two Fire Sprites at once.
The Fire Sprites walked through the woods, their flames illuminating a radius of about thirty yards.
Using his stealth skills, Nie Yan evaded these Fire Sprites and followed Bennett’s spirit deeper into the jungle. In the distance, a towering tree caught his attention. This tree was five to six yards high, resembling a giant open umbrella. Its thick trunk was so wide that it would take five or six people to encircle it, and its densely packed roots partially protruded above the ground.
Bennett’s spirit floated toward the tree and paused momentarily. Nie Yan scanned the area and noticed, beneath the giant tree, several animal skeletons and some glowing objects scattered on the ground, the nature of which was unknown. Beside the tree was a small chest, covered in a thick layer of dust, appearing quite unremarkable.
Nie Yan was unsure whether there might be any unforeseen dangers nearby. He surveyed his surroundings and noticed no monsters in the vicinity. He cautiously approached, bent down, and began collecting the scattered items on the ground, discovering them to be metallic chunks about the size of a fist.
Nie Yan examined these metals.
Nightmare Metal (Quality 7): Raw material.
From Nie Yan’s memory, Nightmare Metal was used to make crossbow strings for city-defense ballistae because of its extreme flexibility. This material was very difficult to find, typically only available in areas with frequent volcanic activity. The best quality was usually found near volcanic craters, though these areas were often extremely dangerous and seldom reached by people.
There were about twenty to thirty pieces of Nightmare Metal scattered on the ground nearby. Nie Yan collected them all and then approached the chest embedded beneath the tree. This chest was firmly lodged in the tree roots, appearing quite ancient.
Nie Yan brushed off the dust on its surface. The top of the chest was engraved with some peculiar runes, and its latch was shaped like a white skull, emitting an eerie aura.
He was unsure from which era this chest originated. Though Nie Yan was not very familiar with the history of the Undead Empire, judging from the chest’s material, it must be several hundred years old.
It was an artifact of dark gold rarity, a relatively rare type.
Nie Yan bent down to open the chest, but the lock was quite difficult to pick.
System: Opening the chest. Progress: 3%… 5%…
Opening this chest required a long time. Just then, suddenly, the roots of the nearby tree wrapped around his right foot.
Nie Yan was startled. He had never expected the tree to suddenly attack him. Countless tendrils from the tree extended toward Nie Yan.
The previously motionless tree suddenly opened a pair of eyes and transformed into a treant.
Nie Yan’s attempt to open the chest was interrupted midway.
He glanced at his skill bar. Abilities like Dash Step or Shadow Dance Step could not be used, as they required movement to activate, but his right foot was firmly entangled by the treant’s tendrils.
As countless tendrils rushed toward him, if they completely surrounded Nie Yan, he would likely never escape, for he could feel his health being gradually drained by the treant.
Nie Yan suddenly realized the truth behind the bones scattered on the ground.
However, he had no skill that could free him from the treant’s root entanglement!
A sudden thought flashed through Nie Yan’s mind—wasn’t there a way!
Nie Yan activated the Gnome Ring’s transformation ability, shrinking his body rapidly. His right foot also quickly reduced in size, loosening the grip of the treant’s roots around it.
He quickly pulled his foot free and sprinted outward, narrowly dodging the treant’s sweeping roots.
The treant, clearly surprised by Nie Yan’s sudden shrinkage, extended its tendrils rapidly to encircle him again.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The treant’s tendrils pierced the ground like falling arrows.
Nie Yan kept dodging left and right. As one tendril lunged toward him, he activated Dash Step to evade the attack. Unfortunately, after transforming into a gnome, his movement speed was significantly reduced due to his short legs.
The densely packed tendrils descended rapidly, threatening to completely engulf him. Nie Yan used a shapeshifting ability, further shrinking his body into that of a wildcat. He leaped forward, covering a distance of five or six yards, slipping through the gaps between the treant’s tendrils.
The treant still pursued relentlessly. After missing its strike, it extended its tendrils toward Nie Yan once more. Its tendrils were already over twenty yards long and continued to elongate.
Nie Yan leaped upward, pressing his body against the trunk of a nearby tree. Suddenly, sharp claws extended from his soles, firmly gripping the bark as he rapidly climbed upward. Soon reaching the top of the tree, he leaped again, transferring from one tree trunk to another, swiftly evading the treant’s attacks and disappearing from its line of sight. Only then did the treant give up, retracting its tendrils slowly.
After running about fifty to sixty yards away, Nie Yan reached a concealed spot and canceled both his gnome transformation and shapeshifting abilities, leaning against a tree trunk and exhaling in relief. He was finally safe. That had been extremely dangerous. If he hadn’t thought to use the gnome transformation ability at the last moment, he might not have escaped.
This treant was indeed cunning—disguised as an ordinary tree, using a dark gold chest as bait, and delivering a fatal blow when players attempted to open the chest. Nie Yan had nearly perished here, but fortunately, his reactions had been quick enough.
After failing to catch Nie Yan, the treant slowly retracted its tendrils and resumed its appearance as an ordinary tree, giving no indication of its true nature.
Nie Yan re-entered stealth mode and slowly approached to within about twenty yards of the treant, casting a Super Insight ability on it.
Dark Treant: Level 80 Elite, HP 300000/300000.
This creature had an enormous amount of health!
Moreover, it was immune to magic, rendering spells ineffective, and possessed strong physical defense, making it resistant to normal arrows.
However, it had one weakness—it could not move, and its maximum attack range with tendrils was thirty yards.
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