novelraw Chapter 174-1: The Subterranean Shadow Fiend, the Treasure Within the Nest (1)
Chapter 174-1: The Subterranean Shadow Fiend, the Treasure Within the Nest (1)
[Do you wish to enter the Cave Leading to the Underground Abyss?]
Lin Xun originally thought that, since he could run into behemoths on the road, he could travel repeatedly between the Starvault Tower Ruins and the Underground Abyss Cave. With a bit of luck, he might run into a few lone behemoths.
But the anomaly inside the cave had piqued his interest.
“I can always grind for Divine items after I finish exploring the Abyss Cave…”
With that thought, he clicked ‘Yes.’
[You stepped into the pitch-dark cave…]
[Inside, the air was cold, damp, and utterly dark. A pungent stench of rot drifted around you.]
[Looking at the stalactites of every shape hanging from the ceiling, and the stalagmites rising from the floor, and smelling the fetid, moist air, you judged this was a karst cave, and that there was likely an underground river deeper inside.]
[You kept moving forward. From time to time, the limestone under your feet felt soft. When you looked down, you saw patches of moss and droppings of unknown creatures…]
[After progressing deeper into the karst passages, you soon arrived at an underground chamber…][The enormous subterranean space was vast as a plaza. Some stalactites and stalagmites were joined together to form thick, strange pillars. The stone buds, stone flowers, and stone drapes on the walls appeared in countless forms…]
[While you were immersed in the beautiful scene, you suddenly sensed a hint of danger.]
[A formless shadow flickered past behind a thick pillar. When you stared at it intently, there was nothing to be seen.]
Lin Xun frowned.
He had a feeling combat was about to break out.
From the text description, the monster in this cave was very likely an agile type.
He opened his inventory and clicked on the Refined Copper Sand Maraca.
[You took out the Refined Copper Sand Maraca and gently shook it…]
[Amid the pleasant rhythm of rustling, you summoned the watcher Battle Angel – Valkyrie.]
[A beautiful long-haired girl stepped lightly from the void. She wore a short pale-violet kimono, and a pair of enormous refined copper wings unfolded behind her…]
[The Battle Angel – Valkyrie narrowed her eyes, scanning the darkness. In this pitch-black space, she could only rely on the glow from your Thunder Dragon Staff-Spear to see things nearby.]
“…Seems like the Valkyrie doesn’t have night vision.”
Lin Xun’s mouth twitched.
The Valkyrie was a refined copper construct and couldn’t receive eye transplants. Since she had no innate night vision, her combat ability in darkness was greatly reduced.
The Three-Headed Lion, on the other hand, as a living creature, might be able to get eye transplants…
He considered whether he ought to transplant a few special eyes into the lion to improve its all-weather fighting power.
Suddenly he smacked his forehead and simply summoned the lion directly.
[With a crisp whistle, you summoned the ferocious and hulking Corrupted Three-Headed Lion.]
[The Battle Angel – Valkyrie’s form dispersed into the void…]
[As soon as the Corrupted Three-Headed Lion appeared, its six enormous eyes swept around. The crimson glow of its pupils gleamed vividly in the darkness.]
[The lion crouched beside you, muscles taut and fangs bared, ready to launch an attack on any threat lurking in the dark.]
Lions were felines with excellent night vision. Their sensitivity to light was six times that of humans.
If an ordinary lion could hunt in darkness, a magical creature like the Three-Headed Lion had even less to fear.
[Suddenly the lion let out a roar of pain. You glimpsed a shadow flash past, leaving a deep gash across its body.]
[The wound squirmed and healed quickly, but the attacker had already vanished from your sight.]
Sure enough, an agile monster…
[The shadow flickered past again, blood spraying…]
[The Three-Headed Lion ignored its wounds and pounced, but the creature evaded easily and disappeared behind a stone pillar once more…]
The monster was so elusive that Lin Xun’s spells had no way to lock on to a target.
He was about to switch to the Dancer Shell, fighting speed with speed.
But then he remembered, apart from the Mage Shell, none of his other Shells had night vision.
Lin Xun frowned, canceled the lion’s guarding command, and instead issued an attack command.
He opened the skill menu and clicked on Knowledge Barrier.
[You raised your staff and began chanting…]
[A pure-white Knowledge Barrier surged up from the ground, enclosing you in protection.]
[The instant the barrier flared to life, it illuminated the silhouette lunging at the lion from behind you!]
[The creature froze, hastily covering its eyes with its forelimbs, as if unable to bear the sudden glare.]
[In that moment, you saw its full form clearly.]
[It had a humanoid body covered in black bristling fur, a pair of undersized shriveled bat wings sprouting from its back, and on its vicious head, two curved horns twisted upward…]
[The Subterranean Shadow Fiend opened its wide maw full of fangs and let out a piercing shriek that echoed deeper into the cave…]
[It swiftly dodged the lion’s pounce and vanished once more behind the stone pillar.]
[The Three-Headed Lion flared its nostrils as if it had caught the monster’s scent. It sprinted behind a stalagmite deep in the cavern, forcing out a rapidly dodging shadow.]
A perfect chance!
Lin Xun quickly pressed a skill.
[You widened your eighteen ghostly green eyes. Countless characters flashing with white light surged into existence.]
[Under the radiance, the Subterranean Shadow Fiend let out a miserable wail and clutched its eyes, just as the dense characters poured into its skull…]
[Its head exploded with a thunderous blast!]
[You have defeated the Subterranean Shadow Fiend. Experience slightly increased.]
[You have obtained Indomitable Trace of Spirit Essence x1]
[You have obtained Foul-Smelling Bat Guano (Item).]
Lin Xun had used a single Infusion of Illusory Knowledge to instantly kill the monster.
“Looks like it was an all-agility glass cannon.”
He opened his inventory to check the newly acquired item.
[Foul-Smelling Bat Guano (Item). A clump of dry material resembling a lump of soil, emanating a stench that lingers stubbornly. Using this item will very slightly enhance your night vision ability.]
“What the heck? You can actually improve night vision? There’s something like this?”
Lin Xun was about to switch to the Earth Giant and enhance his Berserker Shell’s night vision.
“Bat guano… sounds familiar, damn! Isn’t this just bat shit?”
It dawned on him abruptly, and he immediately abandoned the idea of using this on any other Shell.
“Better to wait for a chance to have Bennett transplant some proper night-vision eyes. I’m no Hungry Old Man with a fetish for eating raw intestines.”