Chapter 414: The Rock Astrologer

Nie Yan and Kuangao Zhanqiang successfully completed their transaction. After parting ways, Kuangao Zhanqiang left first.

Nie Yan checked the equipment he had acquired through the trade. It included various types, with only dozens providing dark vision, slightly more offering focus bonuses, and the rest granting shadow damage enhancements. The demand for dark vision gear among surface players was limited. Since he had already sold a large quantity previously, attempting to transport another one or two hundred pieces would likely result in lower prices—surface players needed time to absorb the existing supply. While shadow damage gear was not as popular as dark vision gear, it still had decent demand.

After organizing his backpack, Nie Yan stood up and walked outside. The two rogue thieves, seeing Nie Yan and Kuangao Zhanqiang depart, also rose and entered stealth mode. They abandoned tracking Kuangao Zhanqiang and instead followed Nie Yan from a distance. They were curious about Nie Yan’s true identity.

Nie Yan glanced at his status and discovered he had been marked with a tracking effect. This was an exclusive skill of the undead rogue class, capable of tracking invisible units, though it would expire if the distance exceeded one hundred yards.

Nie Yan wandered briefly around Guya Town, then accelerated with Evasion Step to shake off the two undead rogues. After leaving Guya Town, he sprinted away. The two undead rogues pursued but soon lost sight of Nie Yan.

He vanished into the vast darkness, leaving no trace.

As Nie Yan advanced through the wilderness, several unidentified guild players searched desperately for him but found nothing.

Six different guilds! It seemed that Angel’s Fall had many enemies, but capturing Nie Yan was simply impossible.

He dashed into the distance and found a secluded spot to remove his black cloak, reverting to his lawful good appearance.

Nie Yan began searching for monsters to grind experience. In two days, once the dark portal’s cooldown ended, he could return to the surface.

He spent over five hours grinding, reaching monster zones around level seventy. After traversing a dark forest, Bennett’s spirit appeared in his vision again. Surprised, Nie Yan noticed that Bennett’s spirit had become slightly larger and brighter than before.

Its movement speed had also increased. As it darted through the woods, Nie Yan quickened his pace, closely following Bennett’s spirit heading southward.

After about thirty minutes of passing through various training maps, they gradually reached the area of level 100 monsters. Nie Yan felt a tingle of unease. Level 100 was a significant threshold. Monsters above this level were far stronger than lower-level ones. Ordinary level 100 monsters possessed strength comparable to level 90 elites. Equipment above level 100 was generally superior to lower-level gear. A basic level 100 white item’s stats were on par with level 90 golden items, but the drop rate was extremely low—perhaps only one or two pieces from hundreds of monsters. Thus, players often got stuck at this level for a long time.

In his past life, Nie Yan had deeply experienced how arduous it was to cross this threshold. When he first reached level 100, even basic level 100 gear was sold at exorbitant prices. Later, as more level 100+ players emerged, such equipment became more common, and prices gradually dropped.

Challenging level 100+ monsters with sub-level 100 gear was practically suicide, much like the Order Warden—despite possessing only low intelligence, it was incredibly formidable.

Nie Yan gazed across the vast wilderness and spotted several towering rock giants. They stood nearly five yards tall, their skin a rocky pale white, with bulging muscles and spiked clubs in hand, wandering the open fields.

Nie Yan crept close to one of the rock giants and cast Detect.

Rock Hunter: Level 100, HP 110,000/110,000.

Nie Yan searched for “Rock Hunter” on the official website and found some information.

Rock Hunters were among the weaker level 100 monsters. They possessed strong combat intelligence, used Rock Protection, had attacks that caused stun effects, and could charge, making them deadly to casters. Their movement speed was also extremely high. Without a movement speed of at least 500, challenging them was very difficult.

Nie Yan dared not confront them directly, but Phenas’s Venom Sack was too tempting to ignore. Since he had the chance to find it, he decided to give it a try.

Bennett’s spirit drifted forward. Nie Yan carefully remained in stealth, keeping more than thirty yards away from each Rock Hunter. The level gap was too large; if he got too close, the Rock Hunters might detect him.

Gradually entering a canyon area, he encountered seven Rock Hunters blocking his path.

Bennett’s spirit trembled slightly. Nie Yan could sense its emotional fluctuations, as if it had developed some awareness. He received a message from Bennett’s spirit: Phenas’s Venom Sack was inside this canyon.

Nie Yan touched the canyon wall, which was covered in a thick, slippery liquid. The Climber’s Ring was useless here, so he had to find another way.

Observing the Rock Hunters’ patrol routes, Nie Yan activated the Gnome Ring’s transformation ability and carefully crept along the wall. He could now clearly see the Rock Hunters’ appearances—muscular arms, fierce faces, exuding immense pressure.

After transforming into a gnome, Nie Yan was unsure of the safe distance from the Rock Hunters. As he approached within thirty yards, his body completely vanished into the shadows of the wall corner.

The Rock Hunters patrolled around, and the one closest to Nie Yan moved toward his direction.

Twenty-five yards… twenty yards… fifteen yards…

The closer it came, the more anxious Nie Yan felt.

Eventually, he cautiously retreated to a corner.

After a moment’s thought, Nie Yan opened the Sacred Hire interface and summoned the paladin Kio.

At this point, sacrificing a hireling was necessary—after all, they could be revived with money.

“Honored Demon Hunter, do you have any orders?” Paladin Kio asked devoutly.

Nie Yan began mentally directing Paladin Kio toward the seven distant Rock Hunters, slowly entering their line of sight.

The seven Rock Hunters noticed Kio and issued threatening warnings. They spoke in the language of Rock Giants, which Nie Yan couldn’t understand, but their intent was clear.

Nie Yan ordered Kio to cast Purify on one of the Rock Hunters.

Upon being attacked, the Rock Hunter immediately called for help. The seven Rock Hunters chased after Kio.

Under Nie Yan’s control, Paladin Kio activated Heroic Presence and fled into the darkness.

Kio lured the seven Rock Hunters farther away. Nie Yan seized the opportunity to cross the narrow area and enter the canyon.

A few minutes later, a system message indicated that Paladin Kio had been defeated.

Nie Yan continued forward, following Bennett’s spirit through the canyon. He discovered a flat clearing, approximately 500×500 yards. The vegetation had been cleared, and the ground was leveled with small stones.

In the center of the clearing stood a rock platform about two to three yards high, roughly 100×100 yards in size. It was flat, with wide staircases on all sides. Three black-robed rock giants patrolled the platform, clearly more advanced than the Rock Hunters outside.

System: You have discovered the Kavner Observatory.

Nie Yan cautiously approached the observatory and cast Detect on one of the rock giants.

Rock Astrologer: Level 100 Leader, HP 150,000/150,000.

There were no other Rock Hunters in the area, but even these three Rock Astrologers were beyond Nie Yan’s capabilities.

Something seemed placed on the observatory. Adjusting his position, Nie Yan looked through the gap between two Rock Astrologers and spotted an unusual object floating above the platform’s center, hovering two to three yards above the ground. It was about the size of a fist, emitting green fluorescence, and shining brightly in the darkness.

Due to the distance, Nie Yan couldn’t see clearly what it was.

At that moment, Bennett’s spirit vibrated slightly, and Nie Yan received a message: that was Phenas’s Venom Sack.

Nie Yan searched for “Rock Astrologer” on the official website.

Rock Astrologer: Servant of Darkness, leader of the Rock Giant tribe. Even deep underground, they could sense changes in the stars. They possessed immense magical power.

They could use numerous skills, including summoning Rock Wolves, casting Moonlight Rite to cause continuous damage within a 50-yard radius, and using Fear Howl to incapacitate all units within 30 yards. Additionally, they had formidable physical attack capabilities.

These powerful Rock Astrologers were intimidating. Nie Yan cautiously approached one, staying around thirty yards away. The Rock Astrologer turned its gaze toward Nie Yan’s stealth direction. The deep gaze hidden beneath its robe seemed to pierce through the darkness.

Under the Rock Astrologer’s gaze, Nie Yan dared not move.

After a while, the Rock Astrologer shifted its gaze, allowing Nie Yan to cautiously retreat. At this moment, he was still in his gnome form, with strong invisibility, but the safe distance was only thirty yards. If he reverted to his original form, the safe distance would likely expand to around fifty yards.

Three level 100 leader creatures prevented Nie Yan from advancing further. Phenas’s Venom Sack was within reach, yet seemed unattainable.