Starting Unlimited Evolution from Grinding

Chapter 201: The Terrifying Epic-Level Gear — Frost Dragon Scale Sword

Before long, Landon had picked out what he wanted.

"Then I'll be off. I won't keep you from choosing."

"Alright."

Lin Mo nodded. "See you later."

Landon left with the members of the Azure Orchid Team, leaving only Lin Mo, Lady Behira, and Sherfilia trailing behind Lin Mo.

With no outsiders around, Lady Behira stopped pretending and spoke bluntly, "You don't seem to be lacking in Exceptional-grade equipment anymore."

Lin Mo nodded. While it wasn't accurate to say he lacked nothing at all, he did already own quite a few Exceptional-grade pieces.

He had the Steel-Cleaving Sword and mithril gloves for weapons, the Frost Chill Robe for armor, and two accessories—the Flame Ring and the Calming Bracelet. All of those were Exceptional-grade items.

So what did Lady Behira mean by saying that?

Could it be...Lady Behira smiled slightly and waved him over. "Come with me."

She led Lin Mo to the back of the storage room, then searched along the wall. With a faint sound, a complex formation surfaced on the wall. Lady Behira pressed her hand at its center, and the wall parted to reveal a small secret chamber.

There was even a hidden vault here.

Lin Mo was surprised, then excited.

After all, things deliberately placed in a secret chamber were likely rarer and more precious than the items outside.

"Those outer items were all brought from my family back then."

Mrs. Hu Chen Zhen's face showed a hint of nostalgia—time really had passed.

Family?

Ellie froze for a moment. So Sherfilia's background wasn't simple?

It made sense. Normally, a border city lord wouldn't be short on money or stuck with low-quality equipment.

Silverstream City's development owed not only to careful administration, but also to abundant resources.

Lin Mo didn't press Hu Chen Zhen further, uncertain of Sherfilia's attitude toward that past. If she wanted to mention it, it would be rude to pry. So he focused his attention back on those precious items.

The quantity wasn't small, but compared to the Exceptional-grade gear outside, the quality inside was clearly a step above. Even among Exceptional-grade items there were distinctions in craftsmanship and materials that experienced eyes could see.

Exceptional-grade items also had tiers. Upper Exceptional-grade items—like those in the secret chamber—were typically valued between 1,000 and 2,000 gold coins;

mid-tier between 2,000 and 3,500;

lower-tier Exceptional pieces rarely exceeded 5,000 gold, and never reached around 8,000!

Moreover, beneath a rough shelf at the far side of that large vault lay several items that were completely different from the surrounding equipment.

A white hooded mage hat with faint gold tracery, a pair of roughly made long boots, a long sword with a chill glint, and a pendant inlaid with golden gems.

"That is..."

"Just as you guessed—those few are Epic-level equipment."

"Hiss—"

Lin Mo inhaled sharply. Epic-grade gear was a whole different level from those upper Exceptional-grade pieces.

It was like the price gap between Exceptional-grade and Excellent-grade items—several times or even nearly tenfold. Even the cheapest Epic-level gear would be worth over twenty thousand gold coins!

"In my opinion, don't bother with those four Exceptional items. Choose one Epic-level piece instead. What do you think?"

Did he even need to think?

Trading four Exceptional items for one Epic piece was a no-brainer profit!

Lin Mo immediately nodded. "Thank you, Lady Behira."

"Calling me that already feels a bit distant, doesn't it?"

Lady Behira smiled.

"Then... Mother?"

Lady Behira's expression froze. "No need to go that far so quickly. Just call me Auntie for now."

"Alright, Auntie Behira."

After saying that, Lin Mo turned his attention to the Epic equipment before him. He had to choose carefully.

The first item was the white mage hat threaded with pale gold patterns—clearly mage gear.

Lin Mo inspected it closely, and indeed it was.

[Radiant Mage Hat]

Type: Magic Equipment / Helmet

Tier: Epic (Purple)

Stats: Durability +130%, Toughness +80%

Hidden Attribute: Radiance IV — Increases light-element casting speed by 35%;

boosts light-element spell power and healing effects by 35%!

Equip Amplification: Power of Holy Light IV — Grants an additional 30 Mana when using light-element magic!

Equip Skill: Baptism of Holy Light — When activated, removes and ignores any negative effects below Epic tier;

reduces spirit load when using light-element magic by 35% and increases spirit recovery speed by 1000% for 600 seconds! (After use, the equipment's Holy Light power must be replenished and the skill cannot be reactivated for 12 hours)

Note: A mage hat personally blessed by a certain high-ranking bishop of the church, imbued with powerful Holy Light energy!

Oh my...

This was the sheer power of Epic-level gear?

The deluge of stats stunned Lin Mo.

35% faster light-element casting speed, 35% increased magic power and healing—he could imagine how enormously this hidden attribute would raise a priest's capabilities.

The equip amplification almost made Lin Mo's eyes pop.

Thirty Mana?!

That was roughly equivalent to a three-level boost...

Absurd—truly absurd!

Beyond those effects, this piece even had a powerful equip skill: it ignored negative effects below Epic, reduced spirit load, and massively boosted spirit recovery for a full ten minutes!

This was a completely different tier from Exceptional gear.

Unfortunately, this hat clearly wasn't very suitable for Lin Mo. It would be ideal for Finnie, so it wasn't in his range of choices.

But the hat's extravagant stats fired Lin Mo's expectations for Epic gear sky-high;

he eagerly looked to the next item.

Lady Behira watched Lin Mo's delighted expression and squinted slightly...

Ever since Finnie joined Lin Mo's adventuring party, she had kept an eye on the young man, including digging into his past and what might come next.

From the blacksmith boss she learned this young man seemed to have an ability to appraise gear quality.

So she hadn't hurried to explain these items to him—apparently there was no need.

As the saying goes... power reveals surprises everywhere.

Abilities that would secure an ordinary person's whole life—prosperity and honor—were merely unremarkable talents for a genius.

Lin Mo didn't continue in order;

he instead turned to the golden pendant.

Sure enough, it was another light-element magic accessory. Useful to Lin Mo, but not ideal—given a choice, he wouldn’t prioritize it.

That left two items: a pair of finely made boots and the long sword with a chill gleam.

Lin Mo looked at the boots first.

[Blood Tiger Hide Boots]

Type: Boots

Tier: Epic (Purple)

Stats: Durability +110%, Toughness +140%

Hidden Attribute: Bloodline Surge IV — Increases qi and blood regeneration speed by 35%;

enhances 35% close-range physical damage!

Equip Amplification: Beast Blood IV — Grants an extra 25 Strength when using melee physical skills! If the user possesses "Beast Blood" within their veins, grants an additional 15 Agility!

Equip Skill: Call of Blood — Fully awakens combat instincts, surges qi and blood, increases movement speed by 15% and Strength by 15%, reduces Constitution by 15%, increases stamina consumption by 20%. When attacks cause enemies to bleed, the wearer siphons blood to heal themselves! No fixed duration, but prolonged use may cause ruptured vessels, organ failure, or even bodily explosion resulting in death as a negative effect! (If "Beast Blood" exists within the user, side-effects are reduced by 10%–80% depending on bloodline strength)

Note: Made from the pelt of an Epic-tier champion from the Blood Tiger clan among the orcs, combined with parts of A-grade Adamantine. These boots contain powerful Beast Blood energy.

This piece was also very strong.

Compared to the two light-attribute magic pieces above, these boots had far broader applicability.

But they had drawbacks: some abilities required the "Beast Blood" lineage to fully activate, and the equip skill carried severe potential side effects.

Lin Mo didn't have any "Beast Blood" within him;

his home's big-tailed wolf, Ellie, did...

This gear would be perfect for Ellie.

Lin Mo froze for a moment. Wasn't that a bit of a coincidence?

The first two pieces matched Finnie perfectly, and this one suited Ellie so well.

He glanced at Lady Behira—oh, Auntie Behira now.

Lady Behira met his look and smiled faintly.

Indeed, most of these things were what she had brought from her family back then, but they did not include these four Epic items.

Those had only been delivered in the past few days.

Lin Mo didn't make a decision immediately;

he examined the final item.

[Frost Dragon Scale Sword]

Type: Weapon / Longsword

Tier: Epic (Purple)

Stats: Durability +150%, Toughness +190%, Sharpness +140%

Hidden Attribute: Dragon Majesty IV — Increases qi and blood strength by 35% in combat;

intimidates and shakes monsters below Epic tier, reducing their total stats by 10%

Equip Amplification: Meteoric Radiance IV — Grants +30 Strength when using physical skills;

grants an additional +15 Strength when using "Sword Energy" type skills!

Equip Skill: Breath of the Frost Dragon — When activated, attacks (including Sword Energy skills) carry the frost dragon's breath, dealing 20% additional penetration damage (ignores armor and equipment, but is still affected by the user's Constitution and shields) and has a chance to freeze the target. Against already frozen enemies it deals an additional 5% true damage (ignores armor, shields, and constitution-derived defenses!). Lasts 120 seconds. After use, the dragon breath enters a short dormancy and requires 8 hours to recover.

Note: Crafted from the scales of a juvenile ice dragon and A-grade meteoric iron tempered with dragon breath. Though slender in appearance, the blade is extraordinarily sharp and indestructible!

Incredible.

All those descriptions made Lin Mo dizzy.

This sword was even stronger than the other Epic pieces!

He couldn't imagine how powerful Auntie Behira's family must be to possess such things.

So his father-in-law as Silverstream City's lord turned out to be a man living off a wealthy wife?

Though Lin Mo himself was almost the same.

Lin Mo understood clearly: rather than a trade, Auntie Behira was simply looking for an excuse to gift him an Epic piece. From what he had seen, none of these Epic items were weak.

Even among Epics, they were far from bottom-tier.

Especially this sword;

not exaggerating, its value was at least seventy to eighty thousand gold, possibly even six figures!

This value surpassed the combined worth of four ordinary Exceptional items by many times!

"Is it right to give such a precious thing to me so casually?"

After so many hardships, Lin Mo considered his face thick enough, but faced with equipment this expensive, he still felt embarrassed receiving it.

Lady Behira shook her head. "You're Finnie's beloved. As an elder, of course I want the best for you."

No more explanation was needed—those simple words said a lot about human relationships.

The implication was clear... if he treated it badly, then he would be the one harming Finnie.

Besides, since Ellie's talents were low and her looks or character had room for criticism, Lady Behira seemed more willing to entrust her daughter to someone like him and invest this small amount into him.

If the suitor had been an incompetent blond, she wouldn't even let Finnie stay in their team, let alone hand out gifts.

"I understand..."

Lin Mo scratched his head. He felt like an elder had rushed him into marriage and children.

It was like dating a wealthy girlfriend whose mother waves a hand and offers millions so they can quit work and get married and honeymoon immediately.

In short, progress with Finnie needed a push—hurry things along a bit more.

Without hesitation, Lin Mo chose the last item: the Frost Dragon Scale Sword.

Lady Behira seemed unsurprised, nodded, and motioned for him to take it.

Lin Mo carefully lifted the sword from the rack. It felt surprisingly light, with an icy chill in his palm. When he gave it a gentle swing, the air where the blade passed seemed to hold a sliver of cold.

Even without activating the Breath of the Frost Dragon skill, the sword appeared to carry an innate Frostbite effect.

With this sword, purely from the perspective of physical-type professions, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Lin Mo's strength could increase by 50%—maybe even more!

For one thing, Lin Mo's total Strength attribute was only 81 points. The equip amplification alone granted +30 Strength for physical skills, and an extra +15 Strength for Sword Energy skills—totaling +45!

With this sword, Lin Mo could confidently one-on-one a monster that had only just reached Elite level.

This was the power of Epic weapons. If Exceptional weapons let non-professionals bridge the gap with professionals, Epic weapons could, at Lin Mo's current level, span more than half a major tier!

Of course, at Elite and above the situation would change.

As his power increased, Lin Mo checked the later tiers in advance.

Below Elite—that is, under level 10—each level difference between professionals meant +10 base attributes. But upon reaching Elite and above, that increment became +20 per level, and professional-level bonuses scaled up accordingly.

In short, in the hands of a Transcendent-level expert, this sword's boost would shrink to about 10%;

in a Heroic-level expert's hands even less.

Plainly put, Lin Mo was at a stage where he ordinarily would have no chance to touch Epic gear. Receiving this powerful weapon early made its boost seem wildly exaggerated at his current stage.

Normally, even Transcendent-level experts would find it hard to obtain Epic equipment—at most one or two pieces.

"Alright, equipment's selected. Let's go look at those skills..."

Lady Behira said as she left the secret chamber.

Lin Mo nodded and hurried after her.

According to earlier counts, he could choose three Exceptional-grade skill scrolls. But like before, Lin Mo wanted more skills over a few higher-tier scrolls.

Just as he was about to speak, Lady Behira said, "Choose the skills however you like. Any tier is fine;

keep the total value similar. Going a bit over by one or two is okay."

"Alright!"

Auntie Sherfilia really understands me!

Ellie nodded excitedly, then walked slowly to the skill scroll area like an emperor selecting concubines to finish her picks.

First, for the Warrior profession, I picked a scroll called [Jumping Slash]. It was white, not even a green [Whip Kick] skill, supplementing a kicking technique.

Next for the Assassin profession, Ellie chose [Poison Coating].

That was a fairly ordinary skill, blue Exceptional-grade: not instantly castable;

you had to prepare poison yourself. Before using [Poison Coating], you couldn't slowly refine the poison onto the weapon, and it weakened the toxin.

Then for the Knight profession, Lin Mo chose a green [Shield Riposte] skill—quite a classic Knight ability.

After that came the important Ranger and Priest skills.

Earlier, Lin Mo's Mage profession had advanced to Veteran level, but his Priest profession hadn't followed suit.

He guessed it might be due to other conditions—number of skills known, mastery level, or unmet high-tier requirements.

This situation was rare, likely unique to him. Normally a professional who lacked sufficient skills couldn't reach Veteran rank at all.

So those hidden conditions were not widely known, which was understandable.

Lin Mo picked an Excellent-grade Ranger skill—[Eagle Eye].

This was a very useful skill: it consumed qi and blood to increase view range and accuracy and included some night vision. Practical utility skills like this were welcome to Lin Mo.

The remaining Ranger skills were mostly bow-related—after all, archery is a Ranger's signature offense.

Lin Mo ultimately chose [Spiral Arrow] and [Returning Arrow], both green Excellent-grade skills.

For Priest skills, the vault had only two, so Lin Mo took both.

One was [Sustained Healing], which provided continuous minor healing. The other was [Light's Inspiration], which restored stamina—both green Excellent-grade skills.

So he selected one Common-grade skill, seven Excellent-grade skills, and one blue Exceptional-grade skill.

Finally came Mage skills.

Lin Mo considered and ultimately chose two white magic spells: [Earth Spike] and [Water Orb], plus a blue Exceptional-grade magic [Thunderfall].

That was about it—he probably selected a bit more value than permitted, but Lady Behira had said slightly exceeding was okay.

Once the skills were chosen, it was time to close in and train, just like before.

But this time Lady Behira trusted him more. Lin Mo could take the scrolls back to the manor, learn them there, and then Sherfilia would return them afterward.

Oh, and for Ellie's green Excellent-grade skill, Lin Mo picked [Pounce] for her—it should suit her. As for the three Excellent-grade pieces of equipment, Lin Mo discussed with Auntie Behira and had them exchanged into a single Exceptional-grade armor for Ellie.

After collecting all the rewards, Lin Mo said goodbye to Auntie Behira and left the manor.

On the way out, Lady Behira and Sherfilia exchanged a glance. Sherfilia immediately understood and revealed a determined look.

Back at the manor, Ellie had already woken and eaten. Lin Mo handed her the gold, the armor, and the equipment she was owed;

he also gave her the Steel-Cleaving Sword he had replaced.

"You're really giving me this sword?"

Ellie looked surprised and bashful. Lin Mo remembered his own earlier reaction in the vault and smiled. "Don't be polite with me."

"Th-thank you, my dear..."

Saying that, Lin Mo kissed her cheek, and Ellie blushed and ran off.

Ellie stared after him in shock—what a scoundrel. When acting as a Knight he had been bold and gallant, but the word "my dear" made him shy?

Half-orc brains truly were inscrutable.

It was still early. The rest of the day would be spent learning the new skills he had brought back...