Chapter 73 – A Narrow Victory

Chapter 73 – A Narrow Victory

Cheng Yang immediately turned his gaze to the ground, spotting faint blue spirit stones scattered further ahead. A surge of excitement welled up within him. The level 1 spirit stone he had just obtained had already netted him over a thousand spirit energy points. If these were higher-level stones, how much more could he gain?

Before Cheng Yang could rush to collect the stones, a shrill screech echoed from deep within the cave. The sound was identical to the giant rats he had just slain.

*Damn! Are there more of those rats in here?* Cheng Yang groaned inwardly as he stared at the winding cavern ahead.

As if on cue, a series of heavy thuds reverberated from the depths. Cheng Yang immediately tensed, knowing better than to underestimate his foes. Moments later, two glowing orbs emerged from the darkness, revealing an even larger giant rat than before.

If the previous rats were the size of leopards, this one was as big as a black bear. Its massive frame caused the ground to tremble slightly with each step. Recognizing the danger, Cheng Yang instantly cast a Frostbolt spell. In the mere second it took to cast, the beast had already closed half the distance between them.

Thankfully, the spell hit its mark, freezing the rat in place. Cheng Yang didn’t hesitate, immediately turning to flee while launching an Ice Sphere at the creature’s head. However, just as he released the attack, the ice encasing the rat shattered, and it resumed its charge.

*The Frostbolt only lasted half its usual duration!* Cheng Yang realized with alarm. This peak first-order beast must possess some innate resistance to control effects. The situation was far more dangerous than his previous encounters in the Blood Church dungeon, where he had the advantage of high ground.

The Ice Sphere struck true but failed to slow the rat’s advance. Cheng Yang quickly calculated his odds: with the rat’s magic defense at around 8 points, each of his attacks would deal about 30 damage. Against its estimated 240 HP, he’d need at least seven successful hits. But with the rat closing in fast, he’d only get one more shot before it reached him.

*If I use a health potion, I might just outlast it,* Cheng Yang thought, though he knew the real challenge wasn’t this single rat, but the possibility of more lurking in the cave. The meager 8 spirit energy points from killing one hardly seemed worth the risk.

Another Ice Sphere struck the rat’s chest, eliciting a pained screech. But the beast retaliated with a powerful swipe, sending Cheng Yang flying despite his attempt to dodge. He crashed into the cave wall, pain shooting through his body as he spat out blood.

With only 20 HP remaining, Cheng Yang knew one more hit would be fatal. As the rat charged again, he simultaneously launched another Ice Sphere and downed a health potion. The spell’s slowing effect finally took hold, giving Cheng Yang just enough time to recover his health and gain some distance.

Seizing the opportunity, Cheng Yang unleashed a barrage of attacks, finally bringing down the formidable beast. A wave of relief washed over him as he realized how close he had come to death.

This encounter served as a stark reminder that his previous knowledge and experience, while valuable, weren’t infallible. The peak first-order rat’s sudden burst of power had nearly cost him his life, highlighting the need for greater caution against these evolved beasts.

After composing himself, Cheng Yang carefully examined the rat’s corpse, lamenting his lack of skinning skills that could have yielded valuable materials. He then turned his attention back to the cave’s depths, proceeding with far more caution than before.

After painstakingly advancing about twenty meters, Cheng Yang finally reached one of the faint blue stones. As he picked it up, its properties immediately became clear:

Cheng Yang’s heart raced with excitement. Not only was this a higher-level spirit stone, but it contained a hundred times more energy than the level 1 variety. His eyes gleamed as he spotted at least three more level 2 stones within view, along with numerous level 1 stones.

*With these, I could upgrade the territory a full day earlier!* The potential rewards far outweighed the risks now. Cheng Yang resolved to collect as many stones as possible, using the level 1 stones for personal cultivation while saving the level 2 stones for the territory.

PS: Seeking recommendations and collections…