Chapter 150: The South Sea Jade Rod

“Marcus, tell me that’s not the Violet Thunderwing,” Lily asked, her voice instinctively dropping as she stared at the massive creature before them. “The one ranked second on the mount leaderboard?”

“It is,” Marcus replied, leaning back slightly, a satisfied grin tugging at his lips.

There was a very specific pleasure that came with being admired by people you cared about, especially when it came from the women closest to you. Marcus had originally planned to drag the reveal out a little longer, maybe tease them with half-truths and misdirection, but the Violet Thunderwing Steed was simply too distinctive. Its vast wings crackled faintly with restrained lightning, and its regal, towering frame made subtlety impossible the moment it materialized.

“Here, I’ll pull up the stats for you,” Marcus said, casually opening the interface.

“It’s… overwhelming,” Amber whispered, her attention never leaving the stallion.

“Absolutely gorgeous,” Lily added, nodding in agreement.

Marcus let out a quiet laugh. As expected, the technical details of a Mythic Mount barely registered with them. Numbers and rankings meant little when compared to sheer presence and visual impact, and in that regard, the Violet Thunderwing was in a league of its own.

“Amber,” Marcus said, turning to her, “the Violet Thunderwing is yours.”

Amber froze. “You’re serious?” Her eyes widened as she stepped forward, her hand lifting almost hesitantly before resting against the stallion’s powerful neck. Her fingers trembled as she felt the warmth beneath its hide, and for a moment she looked like she might swing herself into the saddle on instinct, only to remember the city’s strict ban on mounted travel.

Then she stopped, her hand stiffening mid-stroke. “Wait. If you give this to me, what are you going to ride?” She turned sharply toward him. “I can’t just take your best mount.”

Her expression shifted, suspicion and realization dawning at the same time. “Hold on. If you’re giving away the number two mount… then that means the Nightmare Dragon Steed. The number one Divine Mount. Don’t tell me that one’s yours too.”

Marcus said nothing. He simply smiled, that familiar, maddeningly confident smile she had long ago labeled his “villain look.” Without answering, he completed the transfer, officially binding the Violet Thunderwing Steed to Amber, then moved on as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

With a casual motion, he summoned his very first companion, now fully evolved. The small Phoenix Chick was gone, replaced by the Darkfire Phoenix.

The creature that appeared was a breathtaking fusion of shadow and flame. Its long, elegant body gleamed with a dark, metallic gold that seemed to swallow light rather than reflect it, while heat shimmered faintly around its wings. Crimson fire pulsed through its feathers like a living heartbeat, and its eyes glowed with an ancient, otherworldly intelligence. Its tail feathers streamed behind it like ribbons of living embers, each movement leaving a faint trail in the air.

“Lily,” Marcus said, turning to her. “The Darkfire Phoenix is yours.”

“Marcus, I really can’t just take something like this,” she began, shaking her head.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, stepping closer before she could finish. “I’ve still got the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, and I also have a Dark Violet Sky Dragon egg that hasn’t even hatched yet. More importantly, if we’re both summoning companions, leveling will be faster and safer for everyone. Take it.”

Before she could argue again, the ownership transfer was complete. Marcus was already picturing future battles, the Gryphon King at his side and Lily fighting alongside him with the Darkfire Phoenix soaring overhead.

“Now,” he said, his tone lowering slightly, “let me show you everything.”

With a flick of his wrist, the air rippled as the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King and the Nightmare Dragon Steed emerged.

The Gryphon King was a colossal presence, its golden feathers dense and sharp, radiating raw, oppressive strength. Its massive wings stretched wide, easily spanning over two meters, and its gaze carried a cold, predatory arrogance, as though it viewed the world below as nothing more than territory waiting to be claimed.

Even so, it was the Nightmare Dragon Steed that dominated the room.

Its obsidian-black body gleamed like polished stone, reflecting the light with eerie clarity. Hellfire licked around its hooves, leaving faint scorch marks on the floor with every step, and a single prismatic horn rose from its forehead, shimmering with shifting colors. It carried itself with unmistakable regality, the grace of a sovereign and the dread of something born from nightmares.

“Marcus… it really is you,” Amber whispered. “The Nightmare Dragon Steed.”

“I knew you were good,” Lily said quietly, shaking her head. “But this is on another level.”

They had already known he owned the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, but realizing that Marcus held the top positions on both the mount and pet leaderboards was something else entirely. It was the kind of revelation that left no room for casual disbelief.

The three of them stood in the center of the massive foyer, surrounded by power that most players would never even glimpse. The Gryphon King and Darkfire Phoenix circled above, their wings casting sweeping shadows across the marble floor, while the two breathtaking steeds stood calmly at the center of it all. If even a screenshot of this scene ever reached the player forums, it would have caused absolute chaos.

“So,” Marcus said at last, breaking the silence. “Tell me what you were really doing in the Newbie Village. What kind of quests kept you there that long?”

He had been curious for a while, but every attempt to pry had been met with teasing smiles and vague deflections.

“Well,” Amber said, lifting her chin slightly, “it’s not like we were slacking off.”

She brought up her character profile with an almost theatrical gesture. “I triggered a hidden chain quest that took several days to finish. When it was over, I unlocked a new race-class combination. I’m an Elven Archer now.”

“An Elven Archer,” Marcus repeated, genuinely impressed.

“Exactly,” Amber said, clearly enjoying the reaction. “I get two passive bonuses right away. Twenty percent increased attack power and twenty percent increased evasion. I also gain two extra points of Agility every time I level up. Later on, I can unlock Elemental Contracts that let me summon sprites. Fire for offense, Earth for defense, Wood for support, Water for magic amplification, and Metal for physical damage.”

Marcus let out a low whistle. “That’s absurdly good. I’m officially jealous.”

“You should be,” Amber said with a grin. “Don’t worry though. I’ll keep an eye out for hidden quests so you don’t fall too far behind.”

“And you, Lily?” Marcus asked, turning to her. “What did you unlock?”

“I found a hidden support class,” Lily replied. “It’s called Angler. It sounds simple, but it’s far stronger than it looks. An old NPC in the village taught me the class and asked me to catch a Prismatic Starfish for him. It was incredibly difficult, but he gave me something to help.”

She produced a bamboo fishing rod that glowed faintly with a soft, green light. Marcus took it from her, and the moment he read the description, his expression changed.

South Sea Jade Rod

Classification: Support Tool, Mythic Artifact

A mystical rod crafted from King Jade Bamboo found in the Jade Pool of the South Sea, strung with silk from the Great Jade Silkworm and reinforced with a Wyvern’s tendon. Once a Divine Artifact, it was damaged a thousand years ago when the legendary hero Bibo used it to capture the Divine Sea-Beast known as the Golden-Eyed Dragonfish. Its rank has since fallen to Mythic.

Effect: The fishing line camouflages itself as the perfect bait for any sea creature, increasing fishing success rate by 50%.

Skill: Dragon-Silk Net

Swinging the rod in deep water creates a protective jade net that reduces incoming damage by 30% for 30 minutes. (Cooldown: 1 hour)

Skill: Dragon’s Roar

At level 60, the user can swing the rod to unleash a high-level Tidal Wave attack. (Cooldown: 10 minutes)

“This thing is ridiculous,” Marcus muttered. “Lily, you’re officially just as broken as I am.”

She smiled. “It gets better. Because of the rod, I managed to catch the Prismatic Starfish in only two days. The old man told me there’s an eight-hundred-year-old Golden Carp living in those waters. Once my fishing skill reaches Intermediate, I might actually have a real chance of catching it.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep