Chapter 20 Scalefrogs

At the next spawn point for the sub-elite Scalefrogs, Nie Yan used the same old method, using a Mist Dust. After the Mist Dust enveloped the sub-elite Scalefrog, he handed it over to Tang Yao.

Apart from the sound of Tang Yao casting spells, the jungle remained unusually quiet. Occasionally, one or two small animals would dart through the bushes between the trees.

Faint sounds of water could be heard in the distance, barely audible.

"Is there a lake or stream ahead?" Yao Yao asked casually. The sound of the water in the distance, like a light piano piece, floated through the jungle, empty and far away.

"Lake?" Nie Yan's heart stirred. He suddenly remembered that there was indeed a lake outside this Scalefrog spawn point. It was a small lake in the forest, with tall, lush trees obscuring the surface. There was a small island in the center, said to have an abandoned Fallen Elf altar where one could find some good things, like a few lost recipes of the Fallen Elves.

Nie Yan had some ideas. Since they were in the vicinity, it wouldn't hurt to take a look. If there was nothing to gain, they could always come back.

Soon, it was time to log off. After Tang Yao killed the last sub-elite, a beam of white light fell on Nie Yan. A crisp system notification sounded.

Nie Yan checked his level. He was currently level 17, the same as Tang Yao. However, Tang Yao's total experience points were much higher than Nie Yan's, and he would soon reach level 18.

"There are still eighteen minutes left. Find a place with fewer monsters to log off," Nie Yan said. He checked today's loot: 3 pieces of equipment, a level 30 Silver equipment blueprint, a Medium Instant Health Potion recipe, and 3 Lucky Gems.

Killing monsters above one's level provided an extra drop rate bonus, and since they were killing elite monsters, the rewards were quite good. If it were like his past life, they would have a hard time encountering elite monsters. Even if they did, there would be many teams competing, resulting in too few drops for too many people. Therefore, they could only get one or two pieces of Silver or Gold equipment a day. Most of the time, it was good enough to get a boss to spawn for them to farm. Nie Yan and the others were challenging higher-level monsters, avoiding the competition with other players, and Nie Yan knew where to find elites. The advantages were obvious.

Today, Sun's level had increased to 11, and Yao Yao's level had increased to 12, just one step away from level 13. This leveling speed scared them both. It was so fast!

"Nie Yan, Tang Yao, Yao Yao, see you tomorrow," Sun said goodbye to Nie Yan and the others, and then logged off.

"I'm logging off too. Nie Yan, Tang Yao, goodbye," Yao Yao said goodbye to Nie Yan and Tang Yao, and then logged off as well.

"Aren't you logging off?" Tang Yao asked. Nie Yan didn't seem to want to log off yet.

"There are still ten minutes left. I'll take a look around, scout out the terrain. Here are 5 Mist Dusts. I'll tell you a few spawn locations for the sub-elite and elite Scalefrogs. Record them. Tomorrow, before I get back online, give the Mist Dust to Sun and have him cast it. You guys can continue farming Scalefrogs," Nie Yan said, trading a few Mist Dusts to Tang Yao.

Tang Yao thought for a moment and nodded. "Okay." He confirmed the trade. He had great trust in Nie Yan. With Nie Yan's skills, he shouldn't encounter any danger if he was careful.

"You log off too."

"I'm leaving." Tang Yao's figure gradually faded and then disappeared.

Nie Yan followed the sound of the water upstream and found a stream in the forest. He began to trace the source of the water. He encountered many Scalefrogs along the way, but he activated Stealth and bypassed them.

Gradually delving deeper into the jungle, Nie Yan found a wooden treasure chest by the stream. After opening it, he only found a level 30 White equipment item. He was frustrated, opening a treasure chest only to get White equipment? His luck was too bad. But then he thought that even if he sold the level 30 White equipment to the NPC store, it would be worth more than five silver coins. It would be even more expensive if he broke it down into materials, and he felt better.

Following the stream deeper into the jungle, he passed through the Scalefrog spawning area. A lake appeared in the distance. The lake wasn't large, about 300 by 300 yards, and there was a small island in the middle.

System: You have discovered Lake Soradin.

In his past life, it was said that some players had found several rare recipes in the center of the lake. Rare recipes produced in a level 30 map were at least intermediate-level, so each one was very valuable. For Nie Yan, who owned a pharmacy, each recipe was significant.

Nie Yan reached the edge of the lake. The surface was calm and still. He remembered that monsters would spawn in the lake, and there seemed to be elite creatures. He had a lot of wealth right now, and if he died, he would drop a lot of items, so he didn't dare to risk it easily.

He didn't think he had the ability to solo a level 30 elite right now, and moving underwater wasn't as nimble as on land. Even encountering ordinary level 30 monsters would be dangerous.

Looking at the island in the middle of the lake, it was only thirty yards away. Large trees grew along the shore, fifty or sixty yards tall, their shade covering the lake, and vines hanging down from the trees.

Nie Yan looked at the lush leaves above, the interwoven branches. Even if he didn't swim across the lake, he should be able to reach the opposite island!

He walked to a large tree and used the skill on the Creeper Ring. Like a spider, Nie Yan quickly climbed onto a thick branch and looked at the other side. He was about ten yards away from the opposite fork.

After pondering for a moment, he estimated the distance. It should be about right. Nie Yan suddenly jumped, leaping forward.

The horizontal distance across the water was at least twenty yards. Nie Yan used his momentum to fly forward for a distance before falling towards the lake.

Nie Yan used the skill on the Left Hand Weaver Ring. The spider silk from the Weaver Ring adhered to the fork on the opposite side. The spider silk quickly tightened, pulling Nie Yan. Nie Yan used this force to swing forward like on a swing.

Flying over the surface of the lake, Nie Yan retracted the spider silk and continued to fly forward for a distance.

His altitude dropped rapidly. Nie Yan landed on the opposite shore, rolled, and finally steadied himself, a -23 damage value floating above his head.

Looking back, he had successfully crossed the open lake. He smiled slightly. The Weaver Ring and Creeper Ring were indeed awesome.

In the distance, a huge water snake slowly swam over the lake, five or six yards long, its body covered with yellow and white scales. As it swam, ripples spread across the surface. This water snake must be a level 30 or higher monster. Nie Yan didn't dare to be careless. He entered Stealth and hid in a patch of grass on the island.

The water snake didn't notice Nie Yan. It swam across the surface of the water and disappeared at the end of the lake.

Nie Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If he hadn't chosen to jump across from above just now, but had chosen to swim across the water, he didn't know what would have happened.

This small island in the middle of the lake was only about 30 by 30 yards. Several large trees grew on it, and there were no monsters active. In the center of the island was a giant tree, towering into the sky, but its trunk had been hollowed out. A black box was placed under the hollow trunk. It was an ancient box, not known how long it had been placed there, long eroded by wind and rain, covered with dirt, dim and without a trace of luster.

Nie Yan walked towards the box. The shape of this box was full of the flavor of the dark ages, the era when the ancient dragons ruled, more ancient than any box he had encountered before. The more ancient the box, the more historically significant, the better the items it would contain. This was a common understanding among players.

Wiping away the dirt on the top, a dark golden luster flickered faintly.

It was dark gold-grade!

Discovering that it was actually a dark gold chest, Nie Yan's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Nie Yan had never seen a dark gold chest before. Even in his past life, he had only heard of dark gold chests, never seen one. A dark gold chest contained at least dark gold-grade items, with a high probability of containing sub-legendary items. It was also possible to obtain legendary items, of course, with a small probability.

He wondered if it was locked. Nie Yan bent down and reached for the lock catch with his right hand. A huge sense of disappointment surged up. This dark gold chest had a very delicate small lock, its intricate lock catch was breathtaking.

This was the most intricate lock catch Nie Yan had ever seen. It would probably take at least expert-level lockpicking to open it. This type of lock might have a special key. Ordinary keys would definitely not open it.

Nie Yan was depressed. He smiled wryly. Thinking about it, it made sense. How could a dark gold treasure chest be left wide open here waiting for him to open it?

Although he remembered that there were items on this island, the results of the search were disappointing to Nie Yan.

Nie Yan stood up. After thinking about it, he felt something was wrong. In theory, expert-level lockpicking would at least require a Grand Thief. In other words, players would have to wait at least five, six, seven, or eight years before they could use expert-level lockpicking to open this dark gold chest. By then, countless players would have discovered this place, and the news that there was a dark gold treasure chest here would definitely spread widely. But why had Nie Yan never heard of a dark gold treasure chest here?

Unless someone had discovered the dark gold treasure chest before the players arrived, and used expert-level lockpicking to open the chest and take the items away, the treasure chest would disappear, and players would not know that there was a dark gold treasure chest here.

Expert-level lockpicking was rarely achieved even by Grand Thief-level players, because expert-level lockpicking was not something that could be obtained casually. It required continuously practicing lockpicking skills, opening thousands upon thousands of locked treasure chests to reach that level.

The only possibility was that there were other methods to open this dark gold treasure chest! Maybe he could find a special key to open this dark gold treasure chest.

Thinking of this, Nie Yan stood up. The answer must still be on this island! There was also an abandoned Fallen Elf altar on this island. Maybe it was related to that altar!

He looked at the time. The game was about to shut down. There wasn't enough time. He'd take a look next time he logged in.

Fa Biao De Wo Niu