Liu Xuan really couldn’t figure out Joanna’s identity. After thinking for a moment, he decided to conceal the truth for now.
“Your father is fine, Miss Joanna. It’s just that you’ve been missing for so long, and he’s extremely worried.”
Hearing that her father was still alive, Joanna let out a sigh of relief, but she immediately lowered her head again. “I shouldn’t have made Father worry… Even my guards and Lambert sacrificed themselves for me.”
Lambert was dead?
Although Liu Xuan had long since guessed that Lambert was probably gone, he was still surprised to hear it from Joanna herself.
In other words, the two of them had met back then?
The person who had come to rescue her had died, while the one being rescued had somehow remained alive for eight years. It was truly bizarre.
“May I ask why you came to this forest? Didn’t they say it was cursed and filled with terrifying monsters?”
Joanna’s expression fell at the question. “My father came down with a very serious illness. Although they told me he could be cured, I overheard a conversation between my mother and him. If things continue like this, he won’t live for more than a few months. I heard there’s a miraculous herb in this forest that can cure any disease, so I wanted to find it for my father.”
“I’ve heard the legends about the Wendigo, of course, but according to those stories, the monster only attacks people who are alone. I thought that as long as I brought guards, we’d be safe. I never expected the monster to appear anyway. My people died one after another. In the end, Lambert arrived and saved me, but he perished along with the monster.”
Listening to Joanna recount what had happened back then, Liu Xuan raised an eyebrow.
So far, everything made sense.
The existence of the miraculous herb also explained why so many people would venture into this place despite knowing how dangerous it was.
The only thing that didn’t make sense…
Liu Xuan secretly glanced at Joanna.
It was her existence.
“Did you eventually find the herb?”
Joanna shook her head. “No. If I had, I would have immediately taken it to my father.”
“What should we do now? Should I escort you out?”
“No! I have to keep looking for the herb. My father will die without it!”
Looking at Joanna’s determined expression, Liu Xuan thought to himself: Your father is already dead…
However, he still didn’t reveal the truth. Instead, he nodded. “Then I’ll help you look for it.”
“Is that really all right?”
“Didn’t you say that monster perished along with Lambert? As for the other ordinary monsters, you saw it yourself just now—they’re no match for me.”
“That’s true.” Joanna’s spirits lifted a little. “Thank you so much. Once we return to Orenburg, I’ll make sure my father rewards you.”
“Haha…”
The two of them set off at once.
According to Joanna, the legendary herb was most likely located in the center of the forest.
“More than ten days ago,” they had encountered the Wendigo somewhere in that area. Perhaps the monster was the herb’s guardian.
Liu Xuan made no comment. He simply took the lead, clearing out the monsters along the way.
He gradually noticed that the deeper they went into the forest, the lower the temperature became. After a while, the white vapor from their breath was clearly visible.
This was obviously not a natural phenomenon. Liu Xuan suddenly began to wonder if there really was some kind of miraculous herb here.
He glanced back at Joanna, whose clothes were far too thin for the cold, and asked, “Can you still hold out?”
Joanna rubbed her arms and firmly shook her head. “I’m… I’m fine.”
Just then, a bolt of lightning struck and killed a Soul-Reaping Whitewood, causing it to drop a common white-grade piece of clothing. Liu Xuan picked it up and handed it to Joanna, wanting to see if she could wear it.
However, she shook her head. “I can’t wear this.”
There was nothing he could do about that, so Liu Xuan could only remind her, “Then be careful. If you really can’t take it anymore, tell me. We can withdraw for now and come back for the herb later.”
“All right. Thank you.”
Seeing this, Liu Xuan continued clearing a path ahead of her.
After they had walked for a while, Joanna suddenly called out from behind him, “It should be somewhere around here! This is where we encountered the Wendigo back then!”
Liu Xuan asked curiously, “You remember it that clearly?”
The forest looked exactly the same in every direction.
“It’s only been more than ten days, of course I remember. Besides…” Joanna pointed at a nearby tree. An arrow-shaped mark on its trunk pointed ahead.
“We made this mark back then. There should be more up ahead. But why does this mark look a little different?”
Liu Xuan walked over and examined the so-called mark. It had clearly been there for many years. The tree bark had already grown back over it, leaving behind only an arrow-shaped scar.
Liu Xuan glanced at Joanna and nodded. “Then let’s keep going.”
The two set off again. Sure enough, they found several more marks along the way. Following the direction indicated by the arrows, they continued for several miles before Joanna suddenly pointed ahead and cried out excitedly, “Look! It’s right there!”
Liu Xuan looked into the distant woods and saw a rotting log lying on the ground. It was at least several people’s arm spans thick.
Moss covered its surface, and growing from one of its branches was a small, crystal-clear white herb.
Joanna excitedly moved to run over and pick it, but Liu Xuan grabbed her by the hand and stopped her. “Wait! It’s dangerous!”
Liu Xuan stared at the rotting log on the ground.
“That’s a monster.”
[Rotting Spirit (Boss)]
Level: 20
Attack: 800
Health: 100,000
Armor: 200
Magic Resistance: 80
Tenacity: 50%
Skills:
[Root Entanglement: Uses five roots to launch an attack from beneath the ground, binding enemies and preventing them from moving. Deals 500 physical damage per second while restoring the same amount of health to itself.]
[Withering Shockwave: Splashes a large amount of corrupted tree sap onto enemies within fifteen meters, inflicting them with “Fear” and “Poison.”]
[Rotting Cloud: Creates a cloud of poisonous mist that drifts around the battlefield, inflicting “Poison” on any enemies it touches.]
[Pollution Drain: When its health falls below 20%, the Rotting Spirit absorbs the power of the miraculous herb to rapidly restore its health. If the restoration rate is higher than the rate at which it is losing health, the process will continue until all the herb’s power has been consumed.]
Judging from the boss’s skills, although the exact effects remained unclear, the miraculous herb clearly did exist.
However, it and the boss were in a symbiotic relationship. Once the boss’s health fell below 20%, it would absorb the power of the herb.
Liu Xuan estimated that the amount absorbed would determine how much medicinal power the herb had left after the boss was killed.
Therefore, his damage output had to be high enough to interrupt the process as soon as the boss began absorbing the herb’s power.
But a mere level-20 boss with a mere 100,000 health had no chance of using [Pollution Drain] against Liu Xuan.
Liu Xuan only took two steps forward before [Thunder Aura] activated.
A bolt of heavenly lightning struck down, and damage exceeding 1.3 million instantly claimed the boss’s life.
“You killed the Rotting Spirit and gained 49,840 experience points.”
“Congratulations! You’ve reached Level 25 and received 37 free attribute points.”
“You have a new skill available to acquire.”
With more than a hundredfold experience bonus, a Level 20 boss had provided over 40,000 experience points—enough to raise Liu Xuan by an entire level.
Moreover, he was now only about 10,000 experience points away from Level 26.
But just as Liu Xuan was about to draw a passive skill, a roar suddenly came from behind him. Immediately afterward, the rapid sound of approaching footsteps rang out!
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
