After emerging from her drunken stupor, Bai Xia couldn’t shake the feeling that the atmosphere between herself and Tian Zheng had become subtly peculiar.
She couldn’t quite pinpoint the emotion; it was a mix of aversion, yet not quite dislike.
A sense of vexation settled upon her, its origin elusive.
‘Was I truly influenced by what Qian Qiao said earlier?’
Standing on the streets of Forest Capital, Bai Xia scratched her head, an inexplicable irritation bubbling within her as Tian Zheng contacted the others to inquire about their whereabouts.
However, the man quickly approached after clarifying their destination, compelling her to temporarily suppress the strange sensation stirring deep within her.
“Did you find them?”
“Yes, they’re currently at the temple,” Tian Zheng affirmed with a nod, his expression betraying no change in emotion compared to Bai Xia’s. “It seems they’re preparing to challenge a special dungeon unique to this city.”
Special dungeon?
Bai Xia paused, a moment of surprise giving way to the recollection of information she had previously gathered from forums and the official website.
Within the game, beyond the myriad maps and dungeons found in the wilderness, cities and certain special regions occasionally featured dungeon maps accessible to players.
These particular dungeons were also known as daily instances, typically allowing a set number of entries each day.
While daily instances offered comparatively less experience and their equipment drop rates were unremarkable, these special dungeons usually yielded exclusive materials.
By collecting a sufficient quantity of these materials, players could exchange them with specific NPCs for unique gear and items.
This served as a boon for players, offering a viable path for even those with notoriously bad luck, or who struggled to find groups for high-level boss hunts, to acquire decent equipment and weapons through material collection.
If her memory served correctly, the Forest Capital’s special dungeon was the ‘Trial of the Fairies,’ allowing only three entries per day and dropping a unique material called Fairy Feathers.
Amassing a certain number of Fairy Feathers enabled players to exchange them with the Nature Priestess at the temple for components of the ‘Fairy’s Blessing’ set.
Of course, if one possessed exceptional luck, the dungeon could directly drop the corresponding equipment; however, the probability of obtaining finished gear was virtually zero.
Furthermore…
“I recall that ‘Trial of the Fairies’ being a Level 20 dungeon, wasn’t it?”
Hearing the dungeon Qian Qiao and the others had chosen, Bai Xia subtly furrowed her brow.
Individual pieces of the Fairy’s Blessing were Level 20 Epic equipment, and wearing more than five pieces would activate a set bonus, thus the official website recommended a level range of 20 to 25.
Their current average level wasn’t even 12.
Were they truly intending to challenge a dungeon designed for levels 20 to 25?
Leaving aside whether they could even enter, even with exceptional individuals like Bai Xia and Tian Zheng, venturing in would be nothing short of a death wish!
Observing Bai Xia’s changing expression, the man beside her merely chuckled. “In any case, let’s go see what’s truly happening first.”
“…Alright.”
****
****
The Temple of Nature was situated in a relatively central area of the city, not far from the tavern where Bai Xia and Tian Zheng had been.
Consequently, they didn’t even need to utilize the city’s various teleportation gates; after walking just a few blocks, the surprisingly unadorned yet imposing temple came into view.
Along the way to the temple, Bai Xia and Tian Zheng encountered no other players.
It was likely that most players had yet to venture out, and those who had were predominantly the type obsessed with grinding levels, making their absence from the city streets entirely normal.
This was for the best, preventing the temple from becoming overcrowded and troublesome with too many players.
The Nature Priestess was a golden-haired elven scholar, adorned with a monocle.
When Tian Zheng led Bai Xia to her, she was leaning back in a chair before the temple, engrossed in a book, embodying the image of a gentle and beautiful elder sister.
Beside her stood Qian Qiao, Qian Zhong, and Dream Butterfly.
Upon seeing Bai Xia, Qian Qiao immediately waved them over, approaching with eager steps.
“Over here, over here.”
As the two drew nearer, she cast an odd, scrutinizing gaze over them. “Tell me, Little Bai Xia, that Tian Zheng fellow didn’t do anything to you just now, did he?”
“Do what?”
“Why, unspeakable things, of course! Think about it: a lone man and woman, confined to a single room, with one of them in a defenseless, drunken stupor… Hehehe, something utterly indescribable must have transpired, wouldn’t you agree?”
Qian Qiao’s intensely probing gaze left Bai Xia speechless, her initial impression of the girl’s quiet demeanor now utterly shattered.
Just as Bai Xia was about to speak, before she could utter a word, Tian Zheng’s hand-chop landed mercilessly on Qian Qiao’s head, sending her crouching down, clutching her injured scalp.
Ignoring the red-haired girl’s protesting glare, Tian Zheng shifted his attention to Qian Zhong and Dream Butterfly, who had also approached. “What exactly is the situation here?”
“Uh… we discovered that while this dungeon’s recommended level is 20 and above, the entry requirement is only Level 10.”
Glancing at his girlfriend, who was still crouching on the ground clutching her head, Qian Zhong continued, “Although it looks quite challenging, dying in this dungeon incurs no penalties to equipment or level, so there’s no harm in trying.”
After hearing Qian Zhong’s explanation, Tian Zheng nodded, yet he didn’t immediately make a decision.
As he pondered, the usually lively Qian Qiao, surprisingly, refrained from disturbing him.
This period of deliberation didn’t last long, however, and the man ultimately agreed to their proposal. “Let’s give it a try then. Even if we can’t clear it now, testing the difficulty will prepare us for the future.”
With a decision made, the others no longer hesitated, gathering collectively around the Nature Priestess once more.
However, when they requested to undertake the Trial of Nature, the Nature Priestess did not immediately assent.
Instead, after a sweeping glance, she shook her head and stated, “Adventurers, please return once you have reached Level 20.”
“Why?”
“Because the Trial of the Fairies is a test passable only by true powerhouses. At your current levels, even if you insist on entering, you are bound to perish amidst the fairies’ wrath.”
Bai Xia raised an eyebrow, about to interject, when she heard Qian Qiao, from the side, remark with a hint of displeasure, “What, are you looking down on us?”
In response to the red-haired girl’s words, the elven scholar, serving as priestess, maintained her gentle smile.
“Certainly not. In fact, I believe every adventurer possesses an unimaginable future, and that is precisely the potential we anticipate. Very well… it seems I cannot dissuade you. Then, I urge you to personally experience the power of the fairies!”
With that, the elven scholar gave a slight wave of her hand, and a faint, ephemeral layer of starlight enveloped the adventurers before vanishing just as quickly.
Concurrently, a system notification chimed, informing them that they were now free to enter the Trial of the Fairies, while also providing essential information about the trial.
[Trial of the Fairies]: A trial left by the fairies, intended to certify and test the strong. The mighty shall receive the fairies’ acknowledgment and protection, while the weak shall be reduced to dust by their power.
Related Rules:
① Special trial dungeon; a maximum of three entries allowed per day.
② Teaming allowed, with a maximum of seven participants (dungeon difficulty and material drop rates increase with party size).
③ No penalties upon death within the dungeon; however, resurrection by any means is impossible, and players will be directly teleported outside the temple, automatically forfeiting one trial attempt.
The system’s description, coupled with the elven scholar’s words, caused the group to frown involuntarily.
However, after a brief moment of contemplation, Tian Zheng made his decision: “Let’s go in.”
The true difficulty of this so-called trial could only be ascertained by experiencing it firsthand.
Furthermore, even if they were to fail, it would merely cost them one attempt; with no loss of level or experience, what was there to fear?
Having thus drawn everyone into the party, Tian Zheng immediately initiated the trial.
The next moment, with a flash of white light, they all vanished from the temple.
When Bai Xia’s vision cleared once more, she found them enveloped within a colossal barrier.
Beneath their feet lay barren ground, while outside the shimmering enclosure stretched an expanse of impenetrable darkness.
Concurrently, the system’s voice chimed again.
“Ding! [Trial of the Fairies] First floor will open in 30 seconds. Eliminate 20 Elemental Spirits to open the entrance to the second floor trial.”
Eliminate 20 Elemental Spirits?
Though they had no idea what these ‘Elemental Spirits’ truly were, everyone instantly entered combat readiness the moment the system notification sounded.
As their positions were at the very center of the barrier, they instinctively encircled Dream Butterfly, placing her at the core.
Dream Butterfly, without any pretense, drew forth her pristine white staff.
After a soft chant, a radiant light of Group Blessing Prayer enveloped everyone, followed by a Holy Spirit Shield capable of deflecting a certain amount of damage.
Qian Zhong, meanwhile, immediately brandished a massive shield, positioning it before them.
His towering stature, combined with the shield, formed an impenetrable wall of flesh.
Qian Qiao remained silent, but as the 30-second countdown began, she cast Swift Wind upon the group, enhancing their movement speed.
Only then did she concentrate, beginning to softly chant a fire-elemental offensive spell.
Just as Bai Xia and Tian Zheng finished equipping themselves and stood ready, two bursts of colorful light shimmered around them.
As the light dissipated, their adversaries finally materialized before their eyes.
How to describe them… perhaps a bit unexpected, for the enemies before them were remarkably adorable.
They resembled blue furballs, entirely covered in soft fur, with round, plump bodies featuring only a pair of large, cartoonish eyes that blinked in a way that made one almost reluctant to attack.
[Elemental Spirit – Ice]: Level 15, Health 900. A nature spirit capable of manipulating ice elements to a certain extent, adept at using frost attacks to slow enemies.
Skills: Ice Thorn, Frost Mist.
Special: Elemental Repulsion, immune to 50% ice attribute damage.
“The first wave is Level 15 already?”
Observing the Elemental Spirits, which floated innocuously in mid-air, wreathed in faint wisps of ice, Bai Xia and Tian Zheng remained outwardly impassive, yet the others displayed varying degrees of surprise.
At the same time, they largely understood why the elven priestess had advised them to return after reaching Level 20.
If the first wave consisted of Level 15 monsters, it was inevitable that subsequent waves would feature Level 20, or even higher-level, creatures.
Players fresh out of the新手村 (TL Note: Newbie Village) who rashly ventured in would likely meet a fate where not even their bones remained!