Chapter 75: Chapter 56: Exploring the High-Grade Mining Zone

Chun asked anxiously, “Can we return to the second floor?”

“The vortex leads downward; we can’t go back now. We’ll be able to return when the volcano erupts again.”

Chun was stunned, “When will that be?”

The Dragon replied, “I don’t know! Isn’t there still Lady Maria, as your master said?”

Chun suddenly became wary. Was it testing how well I knew Maria? Okay, good, yesterday it was just a giant lizard, but after evolving, it now plays mind games…

Chun had to feign calmness, “Exactly, with Lady Maria present, going back will be easy.”

Yet watching the ongoing task timer, Chun felt odd. Logic dictates since I’ve surpassed the level, the system should either show a prompt for completing the second-floor trial or interrupt it. Why is the timer still running?

The answer might be that the situation is out of control, and the supervisor doesn’t know I’ve reached the 7th floor? With so many paths at the lake’s bottom, the supervisor might not be aware of all. If it gets out of control…

Chun became thrilled! That means I’ve avoided detection. Is it possible to carve out a secret realm here with the restored Volcano Dragon? This way, even if the big consortium keeps up, they can’t intercept me!

Thinking of this, Chun immediately overcame his fear of the 7th floor, filled with intense curiosity for exploration. So he activated the barrier and ascended invisibly to take a look.

Invisibility became Chun’s only reliance. In novels, thieves who can become invisible often create miracles by overcoming the strong while being weak.

As he ascended, Chun felt the abnormal fluctuations in the surrounding magma, as if something was swimming over.

Holy Shit?!

Chun was so startled he didn’t dare move. The next moment, a fish half a person’s length appeared, radiating purple crystal light all over its body.

A fish in the magma! Fortunately, the fish had a yellow name, circled around, and then swam away.

Chun let out a big sigh of relief and was even more expectant of this layer, thinking it might be possible to fish in the Magma Lake?

Upon surfacing, the overhead was a stunning starry-like scene, with a dome smooth as glass; the lakeside surrounded by crystal stone pillars and mountains shining with purple crystal light. This scene?

Then he heard rumbling on the ground, and indeed saw several stone monsters, as tall as three or four-story buildings, with bodies purple crystal light and flames steaming as they moved between crystal stones, their level unknown!

These should be the common monsters of the 7th floor, right? Not only do they have skills, but magic wouldn’t be surprising either, and a Boss-level would be even more unimaginable.

Chun had no desire to challenge them, merely wanting to scout the map quietly.

Fortunately, the scattered crystal stone pillars provided effective hiding cover for Chun’s maneuverings, and then he saw beneath the crystal stone pillars a large cluster of something like snowflakes.

Chun was further amazed, is this a mine? A plant?

Chun attempted to gently shake the root, finding it quite flexible, resembling a plant! But while shaking, the snowflakes began to transform into a scattering of crystal glow, looking similar to dandelions. He then clawed it out with his hand.

The system prompt: Congratulations! You’ve activated the talent “Essence of Mining,” successfully collecting rare unknown mineral plant; your Collection Technique has successfully upgraded to Expert level 1! Achievement Rewards: Physical Strength +2, Load capacity +2, acquired talent skill “Expert Collection Mastery.” You received the achievement reward “Newcomer’s Three-Day Big Discount Blessing”: Wisdom +1!

The system prompt: Congratulations! You mined rare mineral plant; your Master-level Mining Technique upgraded to level 2, achievement reward: Physical Strength +3, Load capacity +3.

…

Holy Shit!

Chun was in shock! Simultaneous upgrades in Collection Technique and Mining Technique! But considering a high-end scene where even fish exist in the magma, encountering “mineral plant” seems unsurprising. So, can it be eaten like mushrooms?

Chun tried eating a bite, producing a sound like ice cream.

The system prompt: You ate rare unknown mineral plant, your body starts absorbing unknown energy.

Holy Shit, it can be eaten!

Chun was overjoyed; this is clearly like an Immortal Herb or something, even the steadfast Master-level mining finally leveled up, showing its high level.

Chun immediately saw more clusters beneath other crystal stone pillars!

Excellent, this scene is practically a paradise like a mouse falling into a rice vat specifically tailored for consortium moguls, isn’t it? No hesitation, dig and eat along the way.

Following is the skyrocketing Collection mastery; Expert level 2, 3… yet Master Mining level 2 saw no progress. Chun understood; Master-level can’t upgrade by sheer quantity, but needs higher-grade minerals for every level up. To reach Grandmaster, it requires something 8 levels higher than this mineral plant, which seems a bit…

Amidst this joyful effort, Chun suddenly realized there were no mineral plants under nearby crystal stone pillars. What was happening?

Afterwards, he discovered a flattened bone embedded into the ground.

Holy Shit, someone came to mine before?

Chun moved forward to inspect, based on the figure it was humanoid, but the skull appeared to have horns, with bone wings beside it, confirming it was of the Demon Race! And even a flying demon race could die here, suggesting those stone monsters had long-range attack magic, making them entities his Flying Hoe couldn’t dare provoke?

Chun started digging carefully, daring not to make a sound.

Finally, beneath the excavated skeleton, he found a flattened bag — system prompt: Congratulations! You’ve discovered the ancient Demon Dragon skin space bag, Sacred Artifact, durability 81/1000, Defense 50, Magic Defense 50, weight 10, volume 100. (Note: You’ve discovered alien race text on the bag, suspected to be the owner’s name)

Holy Shit, the legendary space bag!!!

Chun was exuberant with joy; this sure is a high-end scene where even Sacred Artifacts can be found!

The sacred artifact attribute of the space bag is this “capacity 100,” meaning if the player puts an item weighing 100 units into this bag, it equals having no weight!

On the surface, players can practice some skills to gain +100 load capacity for a similar effect, but their own weight increases, making it harder to float in water or fly in the air! Moreover, this Demon Race creature is a Flying Demon and is very strict about self-weight, so a bag without weight is a sacred artifact! Even if you bind it at the insurance company, you only need to bind this bag; all other valuable equipment can be stored inside it.

Not to mention this bag also has double defense, which can be used as a shield! But due to its durability, it’s absolutely not suitable for use as a shield.

Chun excitedly opened the package—system prompt: Requires magic spell to open, failing three times will activate self-destruction.

Holy Shit, it needs a password!

Chun was slightly stunned, then realized that needing a password means there’s a follow-up decryption event. Plus, the text on the bag clearly indicates it’s a quest item, so it’s certain this isn’t an enclosed space, definitely connected to the outside world, and there must be a Demon Race town!

Could it be Maria’s main city under supervision? Then wouldn’t going round and round mean still being under her surveillance…

In any case, activate the treasure perception skill and keep digging, digging up something like a badge to prove its identity. The supervisor’s badge is an inverted cross, if this skeleton’s badge is the same, I’ll accept my fate, take the bag back, and claim the reward as an outstanding youth of the Demon Race. If nothing is found to prove it, assume it’s her clan’s…

Before long, a faint glow flashed in the soil!

Chun hurriedly flipped it out for a look, a hexagram with a ram’s horn demon head in the center.

It’s not her clan’s! That means there is more than one faction. The idea of evading her surveillance and establishing a secret small faction might be possible.

Great!

Just then, the ground trembled, and a Giant Stone Monster was heading in this direction.

Chun had no choice but to become invisible and leave—no wait! Got to bury the bones back quickly. After all, even the level 1 miners on the first floor aren’t ordinary wild monsters, and it’s uncertain if those on the 7th floor are. If there’s intelligence that detects the bones have moved, it might just trigger an alarm…

Chun quickly covered the soil but didn’t have time to compact it, immediately finding a nearby Crystal Stone Pillar by the lake to hide. In case of unforeseen circumstances, he could jump into the lake at any time.

After a short while, the Giant Head Monster indeed stopped at the excavation site and became motionless.

Chun was shocked, did it really notice the site changes? This intelligence is truly not an ordinary wild monster!

If it continues to watch, it might trigger an alarm, what to do?

Making a quick decision, Chun picked up a stone and threw it into the distance—clang!

The Giant Stone Monster immediately reacted and hurriedly strode towards the sound.

The reaction, speed, and range made Chun’s scalp tingle!

Finally, the Giant Stone Monster didn’t find anything unusual and resumed its previous slow pace, casually leaving.

Chun let out a sigh of relief; fortunately, he had foresight!

In any case, quickly return to the skeleton site, compact the soil, and then continue searching for snow to eat throughout the field.

While happily eating, a system prompt came:

—System prompt: Through Soul Link, you have gained Advanced Fishing Technique level 5, Physical Strength +1, load capacity +1.

—System prompt: Through Soul Link, you have gained Expert Module Combination level 2, Physical Strength +2, load capacity +2, Life +2, Commanding Power +2.

Chun was stunned, what did his original self fish up to upgrade?

He quickly switched over to take a look—system prompt: Congratulations! You have successfully fished up a Pearl Fish…

Holy Shit, such a valuable fish! Pearl Fish like to eat pearl mussels but can’t digest pearls, so catching a Pearl Fish is like opening a treasure chest, with a guaranteed pearl at the minimum, and who knows with good luck!

Chun looked up and saw the shimmering school of fish around the pier, all Pearl Fish! Not only that, but it seemed there was a group of dolphins on the periphery of the fish school!

Seeing Chun rise, a dolphin leapt out of the water, it’s a Demon Dolphin! Holy Shit, is it herding the precious fish school over as a favor?

Chun happily waved, and the entire dolphin group collectively erupted in jubilant sounds, a rainbow light enveloping Chun!

—System prompt: Congratulations! You have received the dolphins’ Lucky Blessing! Duration: 1 day.

Chun was overjoyed: “Aileen! Aileen, look—”

Aileen laughed: “I see it, I’m practicing sailing! You try to fish more Pearl Fish, maybe you’ll become an expert!”

With a Lucky Blessing, I must reach expert status before midnight!

As soon as he finished speaking, another Pearl Fish bit the hook!

Hahaha, awesome! I thought the main character had nothing to do, but fishing turned out to be the real deal! We’re rich…

…

With the main character’s rapid progress, Chun was mentally invigorated, switching to the secondary character to collect snow even more energetically!

Then the expected effect finally arrived:

—System prompt: Congratulations! You have absorbed a lot of energy from rare mineral plants, your body has received Earth Series enhancement, and has fused with your Fire Flame Constitution, illusion skill value +10, and you have developed the special skill “Illusionary Earth Flame Element.”

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