"This is our first time working together, right?" Lin Yixin asked.

"Yes.” I nodded.

"How about a 50% discount then?"

I stepped on the grassy ground, the Bloody Ring of Protection on my finger bone glistening with red light, accentuating the orange glow of my Weeping Fire Blade. My equipment was extremely strong.

I turned and glanced at Lin Yixin's chest armor, asking, "This... is not normal armor, is it?"

"Yes.”

Lin Yixin did not hide and said with a smile, "Level 27 Dark Steel–grade. 42 Defense, 9 Strength bonus. Not bad, right?"

I was slightly shocked and couldn't help but smile. "Not bad at all. This armor should be top equipment at the current stage. Dark Steel, tsk tsk, it’s way too good. Most people haven’t even seen Steel-grade items yet!”

"Haha, yes...”

"So… the last time we fought, your sword had that silver hue. What skill is that?" I asked.

Lin Yixin suddenly stopped walking and looked down at me from the top of a small tree. Her beautiful eyes seemed to have a magical power, making people feel as though they were falling and unable to turn away.

"Your sword also had a hue, red. What was that?" Lin Yixin asked in return.

I took a deep breath and said honestly, "Undead Energy, a Talent, Undead Energy III increases my damage to living targets by 15%.”

"Oh, that's how it is. No wonder it gave me such pain...”

Lin Yixin frowned, and then she smiled. "Since you have asked humbly, then I will be kind and tell you. My skill is Holy Energy. It is the perfect opposite of Undead Energy. Holy Energy III boosts my damage against undead targets by 15%!"

My heart jerked. No wonder I lost so terribly last time. This skill was the bane of the undead!

When I thought of this, I couldn't help but look at Lin Yixin. Would this beautiful girl be the second great enemy of my life?

"So, is that Holy Energy a Talent of your class?" I asked.

"No.”

"Then how did you learn it?"

Lin Yixin smiled and turned to me, saying softly, "Because my race is succubus, and I am a lucky one among the succubi. I was born in a region of glaciers. When I left the starting village and fought monsters, I accidentally fell into an icy cavern. Then I saw a beautiful goddess, and obtained the profession Light Wanderer. I also learned this powerful Holy Energy. Are you satisfied with this answer?"

My mouth widened. I closed it after a long beat. "Your experiences are really bizarre... you make me feel as though I need to reread ‘Demigods and Semidevils’...”

"Yes!"

Lin Yixin smiled. I couldn't understand the meaning behind her enchanting smile. Was she lying or was she telling the truth?

……

The two of us traveled south along the border of Frost Forest. I was dressed in dark armor, and Lin Yixin wore a silver-plated one. With our strength, we could basically instakill any target that came our way without any pressure.

Half an hour later, we reached Greenstone Mountain Valley. Stretching out in front of me was an endless mountain range. The lush green forest covered the mountain range, and even the cliff walls of nearby mountain valleys were covered in moss, resembling green stones. Greenstone Mountain Valley was named after this natural phenomenon.

I heaved my sword and walked to the base of the mountain as I observed the plants on both sides.

"What does Dreaming Grass look like?" I asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen it.” Lin Yixin laughed softly, her beautiful eyes sweeping across my face. She smiled meaningfully. "Lu Chen, you are really naive...”

"Naive? Are you cursing me...”

"No, you are really naive...”

"Hmph, search for the Dreaming Grass!"

I carried the Weeping Fire Blade and entered the mountain valley. Logically, the Dreaming Grass should be in the mountain valley. Lin Yixin quickly followed me like a beautiful butterfly fluttering among the flowers.

I had not gone far when the sound of fighting suddenly came from ahead. I could even see the light of skills!

A battle!

I was very wary, and instinctively blocked in front of Lin Yixin. I pulled out my sword and said, "It seems that someone is already inside...”

Lin Yixin reached out to gently push me aside. She smiled and said, "I do not need your protection. You just have to protect yourself.”

After walking a few more minutes, Lin Yixin and I suddenly saw a fight occurring in a clearing while hiding in the forest. There were about fifty players attacking a powerful boss together. This was a human-shaped puppet with a rock head completely covered in green stones. It had a very high level!

Guardian of Boulders (D Rank Boss)

Level: 35

Attack: ???

Defense: ???

HP: ???

Skill: ???

……

"Damn! A D Rank boss?"

I couldn't help but exclaim while hiding in the bushes.

Lin Yixin whispered as she stood silently by my side, "Yes, a D Rank boss, it’s probably the strongest boss at this time. Hmph, those people brought news and assumed that others wouldn’t catch wind of it.”

I looked and found that most of the people attacking this guardian of boulders were familiar people. Many of them had the words "Mad Dragon" in their name!

"The Mad Dragon guild!" My eyes widened and I said, "How is it...”

Roaming Dragon held his spear as he directed the battle. One of the melee players nearest the boss advanced and retreated in good order, immediately retreating after striking a blow, fluid and practiced in his movements. This warrior was also someone I was familiar with. Level 30 Warrior, Iron Pardon!

Yes, this was the person who had bought large amounts of Rank 3 Consumables from me. I was full of regret. I had never thought that he was someone from Mad Dragon. Otherwise, I would not have given them the precious food needed to defeat this boss!

Lin Yixin suddenly poked me with her sword handle and laughed quietly. "Hey, how about we killsteal this boss?"

I had a shocked expression. "They’re fighting it right now. You want to steal the boss?"

"Yes.” She nodded seriously.

I was full of righteousness. "Stop that. I came with you so you can gather herbs, and here you are, trying to get me to help you steal the boss. Hmph, I’m a good-natured youth. What? You thought I would do something shady like that with you?"

Lin Yixin's mouth was wide. She looked disbelieving.

I pressed my lips together and changed my words. "No, I will do it myself! You just watch from the side!"

Lin Yixin grinned and punched me with her fist. "You asking for a beating? Why pretend when you’re originally this way? Work together with me. We’ll try to steal the boss's EXP. Our party of two will definitely soar in experience then.”

"Mn.”

I nodded, looked into the distance and said, "No matter what, we certainly cannot give the D Rank boss to Mad Dragon!

Lin Yixin gripped her sword hilt as her eyes fixed on the boss and laughed lightly. "Prepare your strongest killing move. The moment the boss has the last bit of health left, we move out. Don’t you have that Earth Escape skill? Go, we’ll act together!"

"Yes!"

I gave a shout, turning into threads of blood and sinking into the ground. Then I slowly moved toward the boss at my reduced 10% speed. At the same time, I decided that I had to go all out to steal experience and the loot. I couldn’t let Mad Dragon succeed, or Lin Yixin. I could see that the girl was very wary of me still.

When I moved under the boss's feet, the Guardian of Boulders only had a sliver of health left. Iron Pardon had been forced to retreat by the boss's arm!

Roaming Dragon shouted, "Hold, you have to hold on. Kill this boss. This will be Mad Dragon’s first step toward dominating Floating Ice City!"

Alas, Roaming Dragon’s dream was bound to be shattered!

Everyone surrounded the boss and attacked. At the moment it was about to fall, something suddenly happened—

"Argh!"

The stone giant roared, a layer of blood appearing over its entire body!

Ding~!

System Notice: The Guardian of Boulders has successfully enraged. All stats have increased by 35%. It has summoned a stone armor shell and entered a state of magic immunity for 30 minutes!

……

Boom!

The stone giant suddenly hit the ground and crushed four Mad Dragon guild players into paste. Thunder rumbled and earth quaked as lightning bolts struck all over. The dozen of nearest players fell to the ground. Only two people were left. One was Iron Pardon, the other, Inconstant. They were both over Level 30 experts that had undergone their second class promotion!!

In the party channel, Lin Yixin said, "Don’t be in a hurry to act. The boss enraging is for the best. Have it kill for a while. Ha, we won’t have to act personally to take care of Roaming Dragon.”

I hid under the ground and said, "Not very possible. Iron Pardon and Inconstant are both players in the Heavenly Ranking. With the two of them here, the boss will definitely die!"

"Then...” Lin Yixin thought for a while. "Let's first defeat Iron Pardon and Inconstant, then kill the boss. Do not be polite. These two are all Roaming Dragon's people. They’re called the Gemini Stars of Mad Dragon. They’ll be our enemies in the future.”

"Alright!"

Holding the Weeping Fire Blade, I suddenly leapt out of the ground like a god of death straight from the pits of hell. With a blood-red glow, I thrust my blade at Iron Pardon’s throat.

"What... how is it you?"

Iron Pardon looked at me with hate. His throat was immediately punctured. Blood sprayed. A damage number of 412 points flew up. He was immediately killed.