**Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Seven: Target - Primeval Forest**
The little girl reached out her little hand, took the Candy from Phoenix's hand, and gave him a ladylike bow: "Thank you, Uncle, you are truly a good person."
Then, she returned to the boy's side, broke the Candy in half, gave the larger half to the boy, and said softly with an innocent smile: "One half each."
"That's 55 times. Let's at least round it up to a nice number, and then go have a drink together to celebrate, how about it?" I patted the already petrified Phoenix's Shoulder, offering what I considered a very pertinent Suggestion.
"Seems I spent the whole day acting like an Idiot with Phoenix today."
After sending the near-death Phoenix back to the Inn, the Sun had already set. On the way Home, I muttered this.
"A pair of Idiots."
The Three-No Princess beside me didn't hold back her sharp lines, complaining.
Of course, it wasn't without Gain. Look, I successfully got the Adventurer's Weekly, and I learned about the Existence of the Elf Race. Most importantly, Phoenix promised to go out with us tomorrow. Although this guy is a bit of an Idiot, as a Wandering Adventurer, he should be very familiar with Kurast.
And so, the next morning, I, Marissa, Alice, Eriya (Little Mermaid), and Dead Dog (Leona) – a total of two Humans, one Ghost, and two Golden Small Animals – grandly set off towards the Exit of Kurast. Of course, the Little Mermaid and Little Ghost were still hidden inside the Necklace.
When we arrived at the Exit, Phoenix was already waiting there. Seeing our group of three (?) swaggering over, his Eyes couldn't help but widen.
"I say, Little Brother Wu Fan, you're truly talented. Bringing a Level 22 Maid is one thing, but what's with this Dog? Don't tell me this is the Ghost Wolf you Summoned. This is too ridiculous, ahaha, hahahaha..."
After speaking, Phoenix twisted his mouth laughing at his own humor, but was immediately bitten hard by Dead Dog. He instantly clutched his Lower Leg and began to Shout. Incidentally, the Power of Dead Dog's fangs was in no way Inferior to Little Ghost, and together with Three-No Princess's Footwork, Velas's smile, and Sarah's Gaze, they were collectively known as Wu's Five Absolutes.
"Would you Die if you said one less word?"
I looked at the continuous stream of Adventurers passing by, glared at him in embarrassment and anger, and then walked straight towards Outside the City of Kurast.
It's not like I wanted to bring this Dead Dog, but for some reason, it automatically Teleports to my side whenever we're separated by a certain Distance. Rather than having it suddenly Teleport during a Battle, it's better to just let it follow all the time. Most importantly, if I run out of Food, I can still use it to fill my stomach...
"Hey, hey, you're not serious, are you? You're really going to bring this Dog? What do you think a Trial is? And where's your Team? Don't tell me it's just Miss Hain alone." Seeing me walk out so casually, Phoenix finally realized I wasn't making a Joke.
"Brother, I advise you to reconsider. This is absolutely not something to be fooling around with. I must Declare beforehand, if any Danger occurs, it will be difficult enough for me to Protect myself, so don't expect me to Protect you all."
As a Wandering Adventurer, Phoenix understood the hardships of being alone outside better than anyone. A Level Druid was already tough enough, let alone bringing so many burdens.
"So what if it is? Don't Worry, they won't be a burden. Just be a good Guide for me, that's enough." Although I was grateful for his Reminder, it was a completely unnecessary thing to Worry about.
"Alright, since you've Decided this, I have nothing more to say."
Phoenix secretly made a Determination. He would first take these guys who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth to some safe places. He would make them Realize the Danger of the Forest, and then they would obediently go Home with these burdens.
Speaking of which, this Swamp is really troublesome. It looks like flat ground, but when you step on it, it's completely different. Although it's not much of a Threat to Adventurers, no one wants to get covered in Mud before even seeing a Monster, right? Fortunately, with Phoenix, an old hand with rich Experience, leading the way, we walked for about an hour and finally left the Swamp. The Dense Jungle completely covered our Line of Sight.
"First, it's best to walk along the River. The Line of Sight by the River is open, which is more suitable for Battle, and most Adventurers also walk along the River, so if you encounter Danger there, it's easier to get Support." After a few Coughs, Phoenix began to Explain to us.
"The most important Single Point is that inside the Forest, unless you're an Amazon, it's very difficult for ordinary Adventurers to orient themselves. But following the River is completely different. If you have Experience, you can quickly find a Waypoint. Of course, you don't need to Worry that all Adventurers gathering in these places will lead to a shortage of Monsters. Do you know how big the Primeval Forest of Kurast is? Do you know how many River branches there are inside? It's like the roots of a Large Tree reaching towards the sky. Let me tell you, even after being Explored by Adventurers for thousands of years, there are still many Unknown Rivers within a thousand miles of Kurast that haven't been discovered."
Oh, so that's how it is. But I don't need to Worry about the direction problem at all. I'd get lost even if I wasn't in the Forest, and I'd get lost even if I followed the River...
"We'll soon reach the Zone where Monsters appear. Everyone, be careful."
Leading us through the Forest, a gurgling River appeared In Front of us. Probably because it had been trampled by countless Adventurers, the banks of the River were very clean. It was indeed a good place with open Vision, suitable for Battle.
As he walked, Phoenix changed into a set of Blue Outfit: a Normal Staff, Blue Chest Armor, Blue Chain Boots, Blue Helmet, Blue Chain Gloves, a Golden Belt. On his hands, he also wore two Rare Blue Rings and a Blue Necklace. He even had a Normal Mage Robe. As a Wanderer Adventurer, it was quite difficult for him to assemble this set of Equipment, which was considered upper level among Kurast Adventurers.
As he proudly flipped up his Normal Mage Robe in the wind, revealing his full set of Blue Equipment that looked neither like a Warrior's nor a Sorceress's – especially the Golden Level Belt around his waist, which he even provocatively lifted with both hands as if afraid others wouldn't see it – the scene he saw next caused the Treasure Staff in his hand to slip. It fell to the ground, and he remained in a stunned Stance, letting his Normal Staff, which he used to cherish like a Treasure and wipe three times a day, roll and roll, several meters away into a small mud pit, becoming like a burnt stick.
Three-No Princess had already put on the full set of Equipment I gave her: Golden Chest Armor, Golden Belt, Golden Gloves, a Golden Helmet, a green Necklace (Kasshan Set), and the Sorceress Exclusive Weapon Holy Orb, which could drive all Sorceresses into Madness. Apart from the two Blue Rings and the Normal Mage Robe being "relatively Ordinary," everything else was Top-tier Equipment that would make those so-called Elite Adventurers want to jump off a building.
Three-No Princess, shimmering with Golden Glow all over, was a stark contrast to her usual petite and cute Stance in a fitted Robe. She became somewhat majestic, and her indifferent Expression added a touch of noble Temperament like a cold beauty, resembling a Golden snow lotus blooming in ice and snow.
Finally, Three-No Princess put on the Normal Mage Robe and Concealed the Golden light emanating from the Hat. Her entire set of Equipment looked unremarkable, but only Phoenix knew that even if he sold himself entirely, he couldn't exchange for two or three pieces of this "unremarkable" Equipment.
So it was for the Servant. What about the Master then? Could it be that he gave all the good Equipment to his Maid? It must be. Otherwise, how could he win the heart of such a cold-tempered little Maid? Phoenix suddenly twisted his Head, moving his Gaze to a certain person with a Speed that almost broke his neck.
Hmm, a Normal Crystal Sword, a Normal Robe, Normal Chain Mail, Normal Gloves, a Normal Belt, Normal Shoes, a Normal Necklace, a Normal Ring. Just as he imagined, all the good Equipment was given to the Maid...
Wait, doesn't that seem Strange? Even if he gave all the good Equipment to the Maid, to be able to drop such good Equipment... it's impossible that he wouldn't even have one piece of Blue grade Equipment, right? Moreover, do Normal Necklaces and Rings Exist in this world? No, they don't! So there's only one Answer...
"I say, Little Brother Wu Fan, could you turn off the Concealment Magic on your Body..." Phoenix said, swallowing saliva.
"Are you sure?"
Following the Principle of not revealing one's wealth, the Equipment I wore had long been Concealed with Magic to hide its Glow. And now, I didn't want to strike this poor guy Uncle, who had become complacent just because of a Low-level Golden Belt.
Phoenix gritted his teeth and wisely shook his Head, but then couldn't resist his Curiosity. He nodded again, then shook his Head again. It was just as Cain said, Wanderers are indeed quite conflicted guys.
In the end, Phoenix still chose to nod. What an M-attribute kid! Knowing he'd be Stimulated, why would he still charge headfirst? I sighed and Instantly turned off all the Concealment Magic. In an instant, a brilliant Glow erupted, and the entire Forest seemed to be illuminated by a Golden light. If there were Cultivators present, they might even say something flowery like, "This is the aura of Radiant Light, a Treasure is surely unearthed, this is what I desire," followed by a bloody storm of Treasure battles.
Ah, I got off track. This is the Other World, absolutely unrelated to Cultivation.
"Ah—, my Dog Eyes are blinded! This is impossible, absolutely impossible!" Phoenix covered his Eyes and rolled on the ground, clearly not lightly Injured. Whether it was an eye Injury or a heart Injury was Unknown.
I told you, it's not that I didn't want to show you, but that I couldn't bear to Strike you. I looked at Phoenix Innocently, just about to activate the Concealment Magic, when unexpectedly, Phoenix, whom I thought would keep rolling into the River, suddenly Resurrected with Full Health on the spot. He rushed over at probably the fastest Speed of his life, looking over the Equipment on my Body.
A Golden Ring? Jaw dislocated; A Golden Necklace? Foaming at the mouth; A Golden Mage Robe? Convulsing all over; What are these Gauntlets? Golden Gauntlets! The legendary super super super super super Rare Equipment – Gauntlets, and they're Golden! Kicking his legs, Phoenix fell down again.
It would be a real Waste if this guy didn't become a Comedy Actor. The Expression on his face was truly Rich. If he were to act in silent films, Charlie Chaplin should Transmigrate from King Yama's place to become his disciple.
I don't know if this fellow is a pious believer of Brother Chun, but after falling down, he clearly looked like he wouldn't survive. However, a few seconds later, he suddenly bounced up from the ground again, looking over the only dimly glowing Advanced Helmet I was wearing on my Head with a startled and uncertain Gaze.
"This shouldn't be Normal goods either, right?" An ethereal Voice uttered from Phoenix's mouth, which was opening and closing like a goldfish's. His Tone was as troubled as could be.
"That's right, it's a Divine Word Helmet." Since he was already Stimulated, let's give him enough Stimulation. I simply took off the Helmet and Showed him the Stats.
Knowledge: Advanced Helmet
Defense: 40
Durability: 30-30
Required Strength: 41
Required Level: '
+1 All Skills
+10 Energy
+0.2 Mana after each Enemy kill
Lightning Resistance +30%
Damage Reduction 2
+2 Light Radius
+15 Attribute Point
"Oh oh oh oh oh—"
After looking at the Stats for a long time, this poor guy was probably over-Stimulated. He suddenly started spinning in circles like he had gone mad, then found a nearby Large Tree and fiercely smashed his Brain against it. That self-abusing Expression, as if he wouldn't stop until his Head was broken and bleeding, couldn't help but remind me of Wang Hu, a certain naked man from Samurai Shodown who used a Stone Pillar as a weapon.
Hit it, hit it. Maybe you can fix your Brain by hitting it. I looked at Phoenix pitifully, activated Concealment Magic, and then performed my daily Routine: Summoning Magic. Light Snow , Poison Creeper, and four Ghost Wolves, Oak Sage, Lazy Crow, come out!
Before long, the empty Riverbank was filled with either Giant or Strange Creatures. The Poison Creeper, finally out, smelled the Scent of Prey and became filled with Excitement. Light Snow affectionately rubbed against my face. The other four Ghost Wolves lay on the ground, lazily yawning, but their cold Eyes occasionally flashed with an Alert Line of Sight. Oak Sage was the same as always, like a good baby, burrowing into my embrace seeking Protection. As for Lazy Crow, forget it, I won't bother with it. It's probably napping on some tree branch again.
Phoenix, who was currently practicing the infinite tree-hitting style, inadvertently noticed several Summoning Glows light up behind him. Then the Sky darkened, and he mechanically turned his Head. A huge "white wall" blocked his In Front. He Stunnedly stepped back a few steps before he could see clearly. What white wall? It was clearly two White Giant Wolves taller than himself.
After a long time, he turned his Head towards me, his neck making a harsh "creak—" friction sound like a machine lacking Oil.
"These are... your Ghost Wolves."
I nodded. Xiao Er and Little Three in front of him seemed dissatisfied with his question – Aren't we the Master's Summons or something? Damn it, watch out or this lord will eat you! One of them disdainfully let out a Sneeze, instantly messing up his flamboyant hairstyle.
"You're really only 26 years old." Seeing this Equipment and these Summons, Phoenix seemed to finally understand that the other party hadn't Deceived him.
I continued to nod.
"Mom in Heaven, this is terrible! Your Son seems to have met a very Important person. What should I do? Please tell me, what exactly should I do?" Phoenix suddenly turned his Head back Mysteriously, clasped his hands over his chest, and muttered a prayer. Although his Voice was very small, it couldn't be hidden from me, a Druid.
Is this guy a bit of a Natural Airhead?
"Don't Worry, I won't look at you with the Vision of looking at a Weakling or a Crawler." I said, Smiling, gently stroking Light Snow 's soft Fur.
"Your Comfort really doesn't make me Happy."
Phoenix immediately turned his Head back to Complain. Oh, oh, it's really good! After only two days of Training, he can already Complain so naturally. Perhaps I should introduce him to Ormus, lest that Indian A-San keeps thinking about me.
Phoenix, who had no idea I was plotting a little scheme to sell him off, rubbed his hands and came closer at this moment.
"I say, Little Brother Wu Fan, oh—, should I call you Little Brother Wu Fan, Young man, or something else?" Phoenix suddenly thought of the other party's Age and couldn't help but get a Headache. His own Age was more than enough to be the other party's biological father.
Sweat, Little brother? Have you ever read a Novel where a Passerby supporting character dared to take the Protagonist as his little brother? Go to hell.
"Then I'll just keep calling you Little Brother Wu Fan from now on. I say, Little Brother Wu Fan, can you let me see exactly how strong your Strength is? That way I can Ponder it over."
What is there to Ponder? Carrying Doubt, I looked left and right.
"It's not impossible, but there are no Monsters nearby, so I don't know how to Demonstrate."
"It's okay, it's okay. Look, opposite, yes, right there in the Dense Forest, there's a Dwarf Tribe. Because Adventurers often pass by here, the Scale of this Tribe isn't large, only a dozen or so Little People. Brother, just use them for your Test."
Phoenix pointed to the depths of the Dense Forest across the River and Said. I looked in the direction he pointed, Observed carefully for a while, and only then faintly discovered some Figure flitting past quickly inside. Judging from their Height, they should indeed be Little People.
Good heavens, I took a breath. Even I had to use Concentration to carefully find traces of the Monsters. I don't believe Phoenix could spot them at a glance. It's clear that he's already thoroughly familiar with the surrounding Environment. It seems calling him as a Guide this time was indeed a Wise Choice.
Being Happy, I didn't mind showing Phoenix a few tricks. Seeing me rubbing my hands together eagerly, Phoenix was Instantly amused.
"Come with me, I know there's a stone bridge not far ahead. We can reach the opposite bank by crossing it." He took a few steps forward, ready to lead the way and Depart, but I stopped him with my hand.
"No need." My Eyes were still Gazing at the Figure in the Dense Forest on the opposite bank. I Said softly.
Phoenix didn't understand what I was planning, but he still chose to Step back, entering spectator mode. The person in front of him had given him too many Surprises. Even if the other party told him now that he could scare the Little People opposite to death with just a Roar, he might believe half of it.