Chapter Thirty-Three: A New Summoned Beast

I began killing monsters to hatch summoning eggs, but most of what emerged were low-grade creatures, with rare exceptions being of intermediate quality, and none of high grade at all. Every time I saw the attributes of a newborn summoned beast, I would sigh and click the release option in the summoning beast menu, returning them to the main brain. Although my Hurricane Wolf King could evolve further, it seemed impossible to break through its current state, so I focused my efforts on nurturing more summoned beasts.

Buying summoning eggs and releasing the unsatisfactory ones consumed a huge amount of currency. Aside from a few pieces of purple equipment that I kept, I sold everything else for gold. I also took on tasks for commissions, which I used to buy more summoning eggs and hatch them. After all this, I was left with only four gold coins and ten silver coins. Over the past few days, I had spent more than a hundred gold coins nurturing summoned beasts, vanishing without a trace. I had no idea how many summoned beasts had been released, and I even adjusted the experience gained by summoned beasts from the default 50% up to 100%, leaving myself with no experience gain at all these days. After spending a week in this cemetery, finally, on the first day of the new week, fortune favored the persistent, and I successfully hatched a decent summoned beast.

It was a lizard, its entire body brown and admittedly rather ugly, with a blade-like structure on its back that looked extremely sharp.

Back-Blade Lizard

Category: Animal
Race: Dinosaur
Quality: Intermediate
Evolvable: Yes
Health: 150
Attack: 5
Defense: 15
Skill: Charge
Description: The Back-Blade Lizard is an adorable little creature, very nimble and difficult to catch. When threatened, it leaps up and uses the blade on its back to strike enemies.

This one was good. Quality doesn’t determine the summoned beast’s current attributes, but rather its strength after evolution. Just like my little black dog, which was born high-grade but had only one point in attack and defense; after evolving into a Black-Furred Hound, it possessed 350 attack power. Clearly, quality is indispensable for determining the power a summoned beast gains after evolution. However, summoned beasts with high quality but poor attributes are rare—my little black dog is a notable exception.

I picked up this creature, gazing into its bright, spirited eyes and its wide mouth, which made me smile. After I set it down, it nuzzled my feet, acting coy, which reminded me of Luo Sanpao. I wondered if I would ever see him again.

With this new Back-Blade Lizard, I resolved to train it up.

But first, I had to reset the experience distribution to normal; otherwise, I’d fall far behind in experience gain. Just then, a message came through.

It was Ye Shuang and the others, asking me to join their monster hunting party. After a week of staring at skeletons, I was dying for a change, so I replied, “Where are you, and what monsters are you hunting?”

“You finally show up! We wanted to take on the level 25 boss, the Three-Tailed Fox King, but nearly died there. Now we’re just killing level 30 mobs for experience, but it’s so little!” Ye Shuang replied.

“Alright, wait for me. I’ll buy some potions and we’ll deal with that fox.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

I immediately returned to town to stock up on potions, food, water, and most importantly, return scrolls. I checked the rankings—someone named Phantom Moon was already level 27, still holding the top spot, with second and third at level 26, and the rest all at level 25.

When we gathered, Ye Shuang was level 23, Xiao Yue was 24, Xiao Xi and Xiao Ai were 23, and Long Xin had reached level 25. Everyone was leveling quickly. Upon seeing Long Xin at level 25, I handed her the Flaming Staff. She accepted it happily and said, “Brother, you’re so good to me. I’m really glad to have you.”

I replied, “Is that so? Then log off and show me that performance of yours. When I get a green item, I’ll send it to you.”

Long Xin pouted, “Dream on!” and made a face at me.

Ye Shuang walked over and said, “Brother, did you save one for me?”

I took out the Sunblade and said, “Whoever between you and Xiao Yue reaches level 25 first gets this.”

Feng Xiao Yue said, “Then I won’t hold back when the time comes.”

Ye Shuang, self-assured, declared, “I won’t lose to you. This purple sword is mine.”

With that, we continued hunting monsters. I also took out my last summoning egg, eager to see what it might hatch. We were at a small river in the Blood Wastelands, crossed it, passed through a small basin, and arrived at the entrance of a canyon. As we entered, we soon witnessed a fierce battle a few dozen meters ahead.

The canyon was about five meters wide, flanked on both sides by sheer stone cliffs over ten meters high, covered in green vines. At the far end of the canyon, a large group of monsters appeared, each nearly two meters tall, clad in thick breastplates and wielding massive wooden clubs. They looked human, but their faces were twisted and monstrous.

At that moment, a team of eight was fighting there—five men and three women. The men were all warriors; among the women, one was an archer, another a mage, and the third a summoner wielding a whip, commanding a strange, gigantic plant. The plant was a flower, but at its center was a huge mouth lined with sharp teeth. The monsters caught by its vines were swallowed whole and spat out as bones. That plant must have been a plant-type summoned beast. I had never thought plant-type summons could be so terrifying until now.

Xiao Ai asked, “Should we join them to hunt monsters or wait for them to die and pick up the loot?”

Ye Shuang said, “Let’s wait here for a bit. Those eight aren’t having an easy time. If they die, we might get some red or purple gear, which would be great.”

Feng Xiao Yue said, “Dropping purple gear is unlikely. These days, not everyone has purple gear, but blue and red drops are much more probable.”

Long Xin said, “You’re all too cruel. If it were me, I’d just sneak attack from behind and take what I wanted without waiting.”

I said, “You’re worse.” Long Xin stuck out her tongue at me and I smiled wryly.

The monsters were nearly defeated, but suddenly a creature appeared, nearly five meters tall, armored, its huge nose spewing crimson mist, wielding a massive spiked club, and making strange noises as it moved.

We drew closer to observe, and the information appeared: Ogre Chieftain, level 32, boss. It was indeed a boss, and the opposing team saw the same data. A female warrior shouted,

“Don’t be afraid, everyone! Just like usual—Da Li, you four warriors and I will hold the line. Xiao Mei, your carnivorous flower clears the other mobs. Xiao Guang, cover us with your bow. If we kill it, our mission is done.” The female warrior commanded loudly. Beside her, the female archer loosed two sharp arrows, instantly striking the Ogre Chieftain’s breastplate, producing sparks—minus ten, minus ten, two damage numbers appeared. The Ogre Chieftain ignored the damage, its body shifting, and with thunderous steps, it charged at the four warriors holding the line.

It let out a chilling snarl, swung its massive club, and knocked one warrior flying. The other three quickly adjusted their formation, filling the gap and leaping up to strike with heavy attacks.

Almost simultaneously, the female summoner shouted, “Little Flower, Root Vines, bind!”

Suddenly, green vines erupted from the ground around the Ogre Chieftain, wrapping it into a tight bundle—all in the blink of an eye. I marveled at the team’s coordination; they were remarkably in sync. Even after one warrior was knocked away, they didn’t lose formation, quickly adapting and covering each other’s positions. Meanwhile, the plant summoner’s beast had excellent control skills, limiting the boss’s movement and giving their teammates a chance to shine.

Countless vines instantly wrapped around the Ogre Chieftain. The warrior who had been knocked down got up, and the four warriors struck simultaneously, slashing hard at its body, though the effect was limited.

From afar, the female mage was already chanting. In midair, a gigantic, translucent spear of frost materialized. With a sharp sound, the massive ice spear shot straight down, slicing through the air with a hissing noise and striking the Ogre Chieftain, immediately draining four-digit health. Enraged, the Ogre Chieftain broke free from the vines with brute force and unleashed a furious roar at the party. The boss was finally enraged.