Nie Yan continued using the teleportation array to travel to Tesoy town. Then, following the original path, he entered the land crocodile cave and arrived at the edge of the cliff.
A cold wind blew through the canyon. This wind came from the desolate northern plains. Although the air temperature had risen significantly after passing through the valleys along the way, the piercing chill in the wind was still noticeable.
Nie Yan looked down from the cliff and saw the dense canopy of trees below.
The main area of Plague Canyon lay beneath. It was known for its abundance of hyacinth herbs, the primary ingredient for crafting intermediate anti-paralysis potions. At the peak of their market value, each hyacinth herb could sell for seventeen silver coins. Additionally, there were many monsters in the area, mainly fat, slow hedgehogs with no ranged attacks. In his previous life, mages around level twenty often came here to grind experience.
However, the journey to this area was quite long, requiring a detour around a large mountain range. Most players rode horses, but Nie Yan had no mount. Walking there would take an unknown amount of time. However, jumping down from here seemed like a much shorter route.
Jumping from this height without a treasure like a feather-falling gemstone would certainly result in death.
Nie Yan took a deep breath and leaped off the cliff.
His descent was rapid, the wind roaring past his ears.
Jumping from several hundred yards up was quite thrilling. After falling over a hundred yards, his speed increased rapidly. Nie Yan struggled to open his eyes as he neared the ground and quickly activated his feather-fall skill.
Once the feather-fall skill was activated, his descent slowed. Nie Yan adjusted his landing spot, aiming for a clear area, and landed safely on the ground.
Nie Yan steadied himself and surveyed the area. There was a grassy patch about 50×50 yards in size, conveniently located at the edge of the cliff.
“This is the spot,” Nie Yan thought. The terrain here was ideal. He noticed several hyacinth herbs growing on the grass, densely packed since no one had harvested them. Unfortunately, Nie Yan’s gathering skill was not high enough.
A hedgehog monster appeared in front of Nie Yan. It was short and stout, only half a man tall, wielding a club and covered in gray spikes, giving it strong physical defense and the ability to reflect damage. However, it moved very slowly, making it an easy target for spellcasters. Upon spotting Nie Yan, it let out a strange growling sound and charged at him.
Nie Yan cast Super Insight on the hedgehog.
Hedgehog: Level 23, Health 1300/1300.
A level 23 hedgehog, its health and defense were impressively high.
Nie Yan raised his crossbow and fired three bolts at the hedgehog.
-10, -11, -10, three damage numbers floated above the hedgehog’s head. However, the hedgehog’s health regeneration speed was also quite fast. Nie Yan’s damage output barely matched its healing rate.
Nie Yan quickly fled. His movement speed was 30% faster than the hedgehog’s, so it was soon left far behind.
After estimating the speed, Nie Yan had a clear idea. As long as he avoided being hit by the hedgehog, he would be safe.
Nie Yan began luring monsters, running deeper into the jungle. Whenever he encountered a wandering hedgehog, he shot it a few times. The hedgehogs were immediately attracted and angrily chased after him. Nie Yan carefully controlled his running speed, keeping the hedgehogs trailing behind him at a steady pace.
As he ran, the number of hedgehogs chasing him grew, one by one, ten, twenty… A large crowd of hedgehogs followed Nie Yan. Under his guidance, all the hedgehogs entered the clear area.
Once all the hedgehogs were lured into place, Nie Yan immediately accelerated, quickly escaping their sight. The hedgehogs lost their target and resumed their wandering state.
The clear area now had a large group of wandering hedgehogs, about fifty to sixty in total. They would not disperse anytime soon.
Nie Yan ran to the other side of the jungle and continued using his crossbow to lure more monsters. Within just over ten minutes, another large group of hedgehogs gathered behind him, also around fifty to sixty. Nie Yan could see a few larger hedgehogs among them, moving faster. However, there were too many hedgehogs, and they were too crowded, so the larger ones could not exert their full potential.
Nie Yan cast a reconnaissance spell on one of the larger hedgehogs.
Hedgehog Leader: Level 25, Health 2100/2100.
These were leader monsters with high health. A level 25 hedgehog leader was usually a formidable opponent for Nie Yan, but now, they were his prey.
Another group of hedgehogs was lured by Nie Yan to the clear area. As more hedgehogs were drawn in, the open space became even more crowded. Hedgehogs filled the area densely.
Nie Yan accelerated again, running away and escaping the hedgehogs’ sight.
The monster luring proceeded in an orderly manner. After about an hour and a half, Nie Yan had lured approximately six groups of hedgehogs. The originally small clear area was now packed with over 300 hedgehogs, an astonishing sight.
“Done,” Nie Yan thought with a slight smile as he looked at the densely packed hedgehogs. It was now time to reap the rewards!
Nie Yan dodged a few chasing hedgehogs and sprinted to the edge of the cliff. He activated the skill from the Ring of the Crawler, his hands immediately transforming into suction cups. He nimbly climbed up the cliff, reaching a higher position and standing on a protruding ledge.
Looking down, he saw a dense crowd of hedgehogs!
If he didn’t act quickly, these hedgehogs would disperse!
Nie Yan switched to the three pieces of gear that increased his intelligence and took out the Scroll of Thunder Flame, unfurling it.
System: Are you sure you want to use the Thunder Flame?
Yes!
System: Reading the Scroll of Thunder Flame…
Following the scroll’s instructions, Nie Yan muttered a series of difficult words.
Activating this spell required a set of incantations and gestures, taking ten seconds. Nie Yan felt as if the Scroll of Thunder Flame in his hand was like a ball of fire, burning fiercely.
The Scroll of Thunder Flame was activated!
The fire elements gathered wildly, and the air became unbearably hot, as if some distant, destructive force was awakening. Flaming clouds swirled in the sky like a breathtaking sunset.
Yet, these beautiful clouds heralded destruction and doom.
Thunder Flame was an area attack spell for elemental mages, summoning fire rain to attack enemies. As a level one spell in the Elemental Temple, its power was formidable in the early stages, capable of dealing significant damage even to monsters over thirty levels. Let alone these level twenty hedgehogs!
The hedgehogs seemed to sense the danger, moving restlessly and spreading outward.
Ten seconds, in the heat of battle, was a long time. Many things could happen in ten seconds; a half-cast spell might be silenced or interrupted, and a rogue could unleash maximum damage to kill a mage instantly. But for now, ten seconds were too short. By the time the hedgehogs sensed danger, it was already too late; ten seconds were not enough for them to scatter safely.
Nie Yan aimed at the densest area of hedgehogs and cast Thunder Flame!
The sky filled with fiery clouds as a torrent of fire rained down in waves on the clear area below.
A frenzy of flames!
Boom, boom, boom, fireballs exploded among the hedgehogs, sparks flying everywhere as they let out piercing screams.
It was like hell on earth, flames raging, waves of heat rolling in, and all the hedgehogs within a 20×20 yard area were overwhelmed by the fire rain, unable to lift their heads.
In the flames, -200, -200, -200 damage numbers floated up densely, a spectacular sight!
Even the sturdy hedgehog leaders could not withstand such devastating damage!
Fifteen seconds, nearly ten waves of fire rain, enough to roast all the hedgehogs!
In the most intense area of Thunder Flame, the hedgehogs fell like wheat before the scythe.
System: You have killed a hedgehog, gaining 1800% experience bonus for defeating a higher-level monster, earning 5290 experience.
System: You have killed a hedgehog, gaining 1800% experience bonus for defeating a higher-level monster, earning 5290 experience.
…
Nie Yan checked his experience bar. The experience was rising at a terrifying rate… 56%… 67%… 83%… A crisp system notification sounded, indicating a level-up, reaching level 8.
But the experience gain did not stop, continuing to surge, 12%… 56%…
System: You have killed a hedgehog leader, gaining 2800% experience bonus for defeating a higher-level monster, earning 25290 experience.
System: You have killed a hedgehog leader, gaining 2800% experience bonus for defeating a higher-level monster, earning 25290 experience.
…
Nie Yan noticed his experience bar quickly exceeded 100%. A beam of white light fell on him, and a crisp system notification sounded again. He had leveled up once more, reaching level 9 with 56% experience.
What terrifying experience gains!
Nie Yan was only level 7, while all these hedgehogs were over level 20. The experience bonus was significant, and their base experience was high, so each hedgehog provided an absurd amount of experience.
The massive experience gain allowed Nie Yan to level up twice, jumping directly to level 9 with 56% experience. This rate of leveling was incredibly fast.
Nie Yan suppressed his excitement and looked again at the area attacked by Thunder Flame. The fire clouds from Thunder Flame had gradually dispersed, leaving the central area in ruins, littered with hedgehog corpses. The ground was charred, and glimmers of loot were visible among the bodies.
The attack range of Thunder Flame was only 20×20 yards. Outside this range, many hedgehogs had been driven away by the heat.
Nie Yan could now safely descend to collect the loot.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage