Chapter 28: Stepping into a trap

A green helmet was not bad and could greatly increase my current survivability. Thus, I raised my hand and exchanged for it. At this moment, my equipment was a mix of green and blue and I was starting to look like an expert. Ifyesterdaymy equipment could not be compared to most players, then today I could insta-kill them. Even without the Boss stats, I might not lose against people like Breaking Dawn Ash.

With basic equipment done, it was time to check skills!

Currently only having Stealth, Gouge, and Backstab, it was truly quite a pitiful sight. This was nottheskillset of a hidden job. Thus, I opened the skillbook list of Precious Treasure Pavilion and my eyes shone brightly. There were a bunch from green to purple, but most were things I could only look at as they needed tens or even hundreds of thousands of contribution points!

In the end, my eyes landed on a blue skillbook.This was it!

(A): Used when in Stealth.Consume 50 stamina and deal a heavy blow to the target, stunning them and lasting for twelve seconds. Level required: 20.Contribution points needed: 200.

I exchanged for it and then learned it. Instantly, anotherwas addedto my skillset.

Right when I moved to close the list, I noticed one more skillbook in the corner; it was also something that an Assassin could learn—

(A): Consumes 10 stamina and obtains 50% increased in movement speed, which lasts forseven seconds, but there is a sixty-second cooldown. Required level: 20. Contribution points needed: 200.

I exchanged for it and learned it!

Now that I had a stun and a movement speed skill,I was much stronger!

……

Around 11pm.

On the streets, there were not many people. Ah Fei and I were like two vagrants. We sat in front of a barbecue store and ordered many dishes. We each drank a glass and started to chat.

“How is it going on your end?” Ah Fei asked.

“I am following the storyline.”

I drank a cup of mine and said, “Illusionary Moon’s plan is too fierce and the storyline is really open. I nearly got killed by a NPC.Once I die, I will be wiped out.”

“Wiped out?” As expected, he was stunned.

“En, my account will be wiped out and my hidden race and job will disappear.”

“D*mn, so fierce?” He was shocked. “Ah Li, then you must really work hard. We are depending on your hidden job; if you get wiped out, then we are finished!”

“I will try my best.”

After glancing at him, I asked, “How is it on your end? What is your level?”

“I am about to reach level 21.”He smiled. “I’ve been leveling much quicker after learning the level 20 skills. I also arrived at Linchen County, and the leveling resources there are much better. If you descend, remember to select Linchen County!”

“I don’t know what will happen in the future; let’s talk about it later.”

“En, drink and eat more.”

……

It was around twelve when the two of us returned to our place. We both did not feel like sleeping, so we decided to go online for a while more. Ah Fei went to level, while I continued studying Black Castle. I had to find a way to level quickly; if not, the second task in the Achievement System would be dragged on.That would be such a waste.

Shua!

I appeared beside Wind Cloud Platform. The moment I appeared, a bell rang in my ears—

Ding!

[System notification: Please head to the Land of Reincarnation to join the Soul Refining Furnace cleaning job!]

Again?

I laughed. This was the best chance for me to obtain contribution points and experience. Thus, I packed up and prepared to head out.

At that moment,Ding Heng appeared in the wind. “Little fellow, remember to be careful, or rather just don’t go. Would you like me tohelp you reject them?”

“No need.”I shook my head. “Master, I will be back alive.”

“Good.Go on, then.”

……

Land of Reincarnation.

Many Undead Giants carried giant furnaces and walked about in the forest. They were in charge of moving the scattered bones, while my target was still the few ancient golden Soul Refining Furnaces in the middle.

“You, follow me!” A Fire Soul Corpse General said. “The deacon has been waiting for you for a long time.”

“Great.”

I followed him into the Land of Reincarnation. We had walked for a full ten minutes, and when I was at the end of it, there was only one ancient golden Soul Refining Furnace there. It had just stopped and heat emanated from the sides of the furnace.

“July Wildfire!”

Zhuang Huai Shui stood with his arms behind his back and his face full of arrogance. “You’re still first in the Wind Cloud Platform, so you will clear this furnace. Remember:It has been a long time since someone cleaned this.”

At this time, I was actually the only one called to clear furnaces.

Something was weird!

However, since I was here, let us see what they wanted to do. Even if it was a trap, I had to step into it. The scenario was like this:If I rejected it, I might miss something, so I took a leap and walked into the furnace entrance. There was a kengand the door shut.

Ahead of me were mountains of bones and many souls roamed around. One did not even need to think to know that this was not an easy job, but it was okay, my stats were strong and I had also entered the Body Refining Realm, so logically speaking I should not fear such jobs.

I walked in front and started to clear them out.

Kong kong~

In front, two red Corpse Eating Ghosts pounced on me.

Stealth!

Staggering Blow!

With a pu, when my dagger slashed past, I used Staggering Blow on one of them and Gouge on the other. I moved and used basic attack plus Backstab to kill one and then turned around to kill the other. My movement was smooth and it was easy for me to fight two at once.

This time, the workload was big.

An hour later, I only finished cleaning half of that mountain, butat that moment, I was already at level 22. My contribution points had also reached 1500+. Just as I started to wipe off my sweat,I felt the temperature here rising.

It seemed… Something was not right!

I became wary and went to kick a cover at the bottom of the furnace. I saw raging flames spitting out. Who knew when but the furnace had started running!

“Zhuang Huai Shui!”

I was shocked.He was actually going to burn me to death? I jumped and charged at the top of the furnace. At that moment, a person appeared above and his words had the words Target of Extinction. He smiled viciously. “July Wildfire, you have gone against me time after time.Now, your soul will turn to dust in this Soul Refining Furnace!”

Dang!

A heavy cover pressed down. No matter how I used strength, I was neither able to remove it nor make it budge.

Wu wu wu~

The few holes at the bottom started to spit flames, and in the blink of an eye, the temperature started rising. Was I really going to burn to death here?!

I gritted my teeth and felt really unwilling to accept this. I spent so much effort gaining a footing in Black Castle. Was it all going to waste? If I was burned to death here, I would be wiped out. This was all done by Zhuang Huai Shui. If I got wiped out, everything would be gone!

“D*mn!”

I waved the Snakebone Blade and slashed on the furnace walls causing sparks to fly. Although the Snakebone Blade was sharp, it could not deal with this tough wall. At the same time, Zhuang Huai Shui and another elder laughed—

“Hahaha!This Soul Refining Furnace has been around for ten thousand years and was built using ancient metal. You, immature kid, want to break it? Stop dreaming!”

Zhuang Huai Shui laughed. “Elder Xu, thanks for finding such a furnace; if not, we really couldn’t wipe out this annoying thing!”

“Deacon is so polite. July Wildfire not only offended the Land of Reincarnation but also caused my disciples to lose. Scoff!He deserves it. Once his soul disperses, that old fellow won’t be able to blame us, either.”

“Right. Hahaha!This plan is so secretive that this kid definitely won’t be able to escape death. His soul will be burned here!”

……

“These two dogs!”

Although I knew that the two were just NPCs, I was so furious that I gritted my teeth. I did not expect that I would die to NPCs and felt so bad!

At that moment, flames wrapped around the furnace and things started burning. Many of those bones were being melted.

This was when all my equipment lost their durability and those that reached 0 returned to my bag. In just a few minutes, my clothes were all gone and my dagger returned.

The weird thing was that I was fine, however!

Although it felt bad, my skin started shiningas if it was resisting the flames… Was it because I cultivated in the Earth Essence Pool or was it the Shura bloodline that allowed me to resist flames?

……

Even then, however, if I continued to be trapped here, I would still die!

I gritted my teeth and punched the furnace walls.

“Little scum, continue to struggle~”

Zhuang Huai Shui laughed loudly.

Right at that moment, under my successive hits, a piece of the wall dropped with a pata. After that piece dropped, a bunch of old words appeared. What were these?