Zhan Yue

Chapter 74: Hidden Shadow Forest

Weng~

Master Ding Heng appeared from the clouds, giving off a celestial-like demeanor. He smiled. "As expected from my disciple. Little fellow, you have won once more. Are you ready to accept the challenge?"

"En."I nodded my head. I looked at the time and it was 9pm. This was the golden time when there were the most players online. This Wind Cloud Platform's trial was probably going to be an intense one!

At that moment, a blood-colored pillar descended from above and landed on my body. Power surged into me and I changed. My size was the same as before, but death energy wrapped around me. I bent my back and a red cloak fluttered in the wind. My daggers gave off cold glimmers and looked the same as Blade of the Beastrider and Snow Moon. This time, I did not look too different from my main body.

Ding!

[System notification: Congratulations for turning into the level 40 Exiled One (Super Rare Boss)! Please choose the town you would like to descend on!]

...

Exiled One again?

I frowned, but this time I was a level 40 Exiled One. At the same time, I felt a huge pressure. During the last Wind Cloud Platform's trial, the Boss was level 38 and players were level 33 to 34, but now was different. Most of the first- and second-rate players had reached level 38 and the gap was not so big. This meant that this journey would definitely be dangerous.

Select town, Linchen County!

Shua~

Lightning wrapped around my body and I was teleported. My body charged into the sky and the giant Black Castle started to shrink as it turned into the size of a bean in my eyes. Beneath my feet, mountains and rivers flowed, and in a blink of an eye, I was above Linchen County. I landed in a forest and turned into a new Boss

Ding! 

[System notification: Players please pay attention; Exiled One (Super Rare Boss) has landed in Linchen County's Hidden Shadow Forest with treasures. Courageous warriors, please head over to kill him and help Xuanyuan Empire wipe out the demon!] 

...

I was finally here!

A giant hole appeared in the ground and flames blazed, burning the soil all over. I stood up and realized that dark flames were surging around me which made me look really terrifying. This Boss was much stronger than the previous Exiled One and the aura was totally different.

I jumped out of the hole and looked around. This was a grey and dark forest. Although it was noon in game, clouds covered the sky, such that no sunlight could shine in at all. The entire forest seemed dark and was befitting of its name: Hidden Shadow Forest. Moreover, on the map, Darkness Forest was quite far away from Linchen County and it would take players twenty minutes to get here.

"Exiled One?" Ah Fei asked.

"Yes." I nodded. "Let me familiarize myself with the environment. Be careful if you come here; Lin Xi is probably targeting us again. If needed, we shall kill her once more!"

"En, I am a little worried."

"You are worried that Lin Xi will want to kill you this time?"

"Yes."

"There is indeed a need to be worried." I laughed. "Anyway, just come first and let's talk about succeeding later. I have a bad feeling that things won't be so easy this time."

"That's okay. We have earned enough already."

"En, just that Apprehension hasn't dropped. That is a waste."

"That is okay; we will still have chances."

"Head out first. I should start a fight here soon."

"En."

...

Sha sha...

I stepped into the forest. As I had just landed, I did not worry about there being players. It was impossible for them to be so fast. In front of me were many green monsters; they looked like treants with darkness energy around them.

They were roughly the size of two humans and they walked really slowly.

Hidden Shadow Treants, level 40 Super Rare monsters that used magic attacks. They could use roots to wrap themselves and launch wood attacks. Now, it depended on whether or not they listened to my orders.

"Oi, brothers?"

With my Exiled One identity, I walked to the front and asked them, "Do you recognize me?"

One of them turned around and looked at me with his pair of black eyes. "Undead, your aura is so disgusting. Before we attack you, you should scram! Hidden Shadow Forest is not a place for you; this is our treant's land!"

"So rude..." I lazily placed my arms behind my head. "Who is your lord? Let me talk to him!"

"You are worthy?"

One of them got furious. He whipped his vine arm and shouted, "Scram!"

Shua shua shua~

Many wooden vines swept up from the ground, this was the Root Constrict skill. I jumped back and those vines instantly brushed past my feet.

"So impulsive?"I frowned. This was a problem as I would not have any backup. The Hidden Darkness Treants looked like they were not close to Black Castle as they would even attack me. This meant that, not only did I have to worry about players' attacks, I also needed to defend against these treants. That was so annoying!

Shua!

I sank low and disappeared into the wind. I had to be more lowkey.

...

Five minutes later, human voices came from the distance. Flames flickered as players entered the Hidden Shadow Forest. However, they had to kill the treants on the outskirts first. I walked over and noticed that it was only a twenty-man party and the leader was a level 37 Warrior. He could be considered a relatively high-level player. He held a light blue sword and said, "Be careful. The Hidden Shadow Treant's Constrict skill is strong and they often deal poison damage. Avoid it and don't let the Priests waste mana for nothing."

"Leader."

A Mage throwing Fireball said, "I think that we should just level here; there is no need to try our luck with finding that Exiled One... It is probably that system Boss. Even a thousand-man team like Elements couldn't kill him. There are only twenty of us."

"You don't sound ambitious at all."The Archer laughed coldly. "First, whether or not the Exiled One is the system Boss is a question; second, even if he is, how do you know that we will fail? We trained so hard and we finally got close to being a first-rate party. What was it for? Wasn't it to challenge top Bosses? Since we are so close, why don't we try?"

As he said that, disdain appeared in his eyes as he looked at the Mage. "You don't have courage at all, so why are you even playing? No wonder He Yuxin said that you have no ambition. As the prettiest in our class, how will she even like you?"

"D*mn!" The Mage got furious. "Zhang Yiyang, don't think that I don't know. You badmouthed me to her. If you are a guy, then say it upfront. Why did you have to be a backstabber? You really are shameless!"

The Archer said, "I was just speaking the truth; I didn't want to backstab you. Is telling the truth wrong? Plus, He Yuxin is so pretty; she has the right to choose a better guy. How is it my problem? You can't be lousy and still blame others."

"Can you two stop making noise?!"The Warrior leader raged. "Have you all quarreled enough? You have been talking about this matter for days. Isn't it just one girl? What is the matter? I don't have a girlfriend, but isn't life still so good?"

I charged out from the air and used Apprehension plus Dragon Will on this team and then Hunter's Edge and Godslaying Blade to say 'hi'. Within ten seconds, I wiped them out.

I looked at the corpses, shiny gold, equipment, and also the Mage.

"People who truly love you won't choose between others and you; don't you understand such a simple theory?"

...

The first bunch of guests were sent away by me just like that.

In the end, in no more than three minutes, the second and third batches were here. Naturally, I sent them out quickly. The fourth batch was slightly stronger. On the outskirts of the forest, a muscular person appeared. He wore dark green and light blue equipment and his left hand held a light-studded shield. In his right hand was a blue sword. His hair did not move at all in the wind as he looked on with his melancholic eyes. It was him; Man of Steel was here again!

"Exiled One, we can confirm that he is the system Boss!"

Man of Steel said coldly, "He has cleared out a few parties, but Hidden Dragon Mountain is a truly strong guild. It is time that we fight him head on!"

Beside him, the middle-aged Warrior Wang Yaozu frowned. "Captain Lu, we are asking to die again~"

"What nonsense are you saying!" Man of Steel scolded him. "If you say such things again, I will kick you out. There are so many reserves who want to enter the guild. This time, we must be ambitious enough to succeed in taking down the Boss. All of you, focus!"

"Yes, captain!"

The Hidden Dragon Mountain players nodded their heads.

I also noticed that Hidden Dragon Mountain seemed to have expanded. They had over five hundred people here in the east side of Hidden Shadow Forest. These players were around level 35 to 36, and while they could not match up to first-rate guilds like Elements and Breaking Dawn, compared to those third-rate ones, they were slightly stronger. This was also roughly the reason why Man of Steel had rushed here to challenge me.

Who cared, though? Just reduce their confidence first!

I had always looked down on Hidden Dragon Mountain. These bunch had little to no threat on me, so I did not care.

Sha~

I stepped on the bark and jumped off an old tree. Like a falling leaf, I pounced on Man of Steel and the others.