Chapter Twenty-Two: Divine Ability... Nine Heavens Sacred Lotus!

I had just logged in when Dashan sent a message inviting me to head to the "Forgotten Ruins" to level up. As I was planning to find a spot to grind experience, we agreed to meet at the west gate of Dali.

Before I even arrived, A-Wei, sharp-eyed as ever, shouted out, "Boss, you're fashionably late! We've been waiting so long the flowers have withered."

"Pfft! You only got here a minute ago, don't pretend!" Xiaoyue mercilessly exposed his hyperbolic lie. She then strangely linked her leveling progress to me, demanding, "Brother Bat, I’ve been working really hard these past few days. I’m level 31 now—I’ve surpassed you! Do I get a reward?" Girls can be so unreasonable.

"No way, you’ve really overtaken me? Sigh, they say those who fall behind get beaten, so I suppose I need to grind harder. I’ve spent these last few days surrounded by ores and materials, smelling of potions and sweat. I crafted a few pieces of gear, but nothing suitable for you yet. I’ll make it up to you once I forge something better, alright? Dashan, here’s some armor I made yesterday; it should be better than what you’re wearing."

"The boss is truly wise and mighty! Even with all the good things you have, you never forget us. They say a day apart feels like three years; I haven't seen you in four, it feels like a lifetime! Every day without you breaks my heart. When you aren't around, I keep reciting your virtues, your warmth, your every smile, the gear you often gift me, and the delicious food we’ll have at the World Restaurant next time. Only You can bring me sunshine and smiles, Only You..." A-Wei unleashed his signature nonsense. Whenever he used this tactic to torture my poor ears, I would usually end up so confused that I’d agree to some of his "unreasonable" requests.

"Ouch!" This time, it was Xiaoyue who couldn't stand his rambling and gave him a sharp rap on the head.

"You damn monk, stop yapping in front of me! 'Only you' your head!" Xiaoyue giggled, trying to put on a fierce expression. She looked like a little girl who had successfully pulled off a prank—utterly adorable.

"You wicked little witch, how dare you sneak attack me when I wasn't looking... Ouch!" His head was struck again.

"Bat, thanks! You two, stop messing around. It’s time to go," Dashan said, shrugging helplessly as he put an end to their squabbling.

"A-Wei, stop! I have a silver bracer here and I’m considering what to do with it. Why don't you tell me what you think?" Having grown used to their bickering, I knew this was the most effective way to silence him.

"Boss, you’ve come to the right person! If you feel it’s a burden in your inventory, why not hand it over to me? Your loyal little brother will surely handle it for you. I wouldn't hesitate even if it meant shedding blood!" A-Wei thumped his chest, looking unnervingly righteous.

"Is it really that serious? In that case, I’d better not make things difficult for you. I’ll just handle it myself."

"Hee hee, trying to have your cake and eat it too! Brother Bat is too clever," Xiaoyue laughed.

"Boss, I was wrong! My ideological awareness hasn't reached your standard yet, and I haven't fully grasped the directives laid out by leadership. I will definitely reform next time; please give me another chance!" It was a massive loss for the entertainment industry that no talent scout had discovered A-Wei. If he went into comedy, he would surely cause a sensation. His expressions changed faster than the speed of light.

"Very well, I’ll entrust the handling of the bracer to you. Just don't cause any more trouble. My level has already fallen quite far behind the others."

"I firmly support the leader's decision!"

The Forgotten Ruins are located west of Dali. The monsters there consist of skeletons, zombies, and other undead, which are slow-moving and generally range from level 40 to 50. When we arrived, many players were already grouped up in battle, with the halos of Holy Witches shimmering everywhere as they purged the zombies of their "corpse poison."

The ruins were once an ancient fortress. The crumbling walls still faintly traced its grand, original layout—four courtyards surrounding a wide plaza. Dilapidated statues and grey-blue bricks silently spoke of the desolation left behind by long-faded glory. The entire area was gloomy and wretched, resembling a ghost realm, with broken human bones and rotting corpses scattered across the ground. From time to time, the "rustle" of footsteps could be heard, along with mournful, heavy sighs, while ghostly green flames flickered in the dark corners of the walls.

Xiaoyue was spooked by the eerie atmosphere before she even entered the ruins. "Brother, let's go level up somewhere else. It’s too scary here—there are bones and corpses everywhere."

"Sigh, women are small-hearted and even smaller-spirited. They’re just a bunch of skeletons and zombies, what’s there to be afraid of?" A-Wei finally had a rare chance to get the upper hand in his "battle" with Xiaoyue.

"Who said I was scared? I just find these armless and legless things disgusting. Hmph..." Xiaoyue retorted, refusing to be outdone.

"Xiaoyue, they’re just monsters in a game. Stay behind us, keep a little distance, and just focus on healing us and buffing our stats. Bat and I will hold the front," Dashan said, encouraging his sister.

"Xiaoyue, don't be nervous. Just treat it like any other leveling grind; you’ll get used to it soon. A-Wei, it’s rare to see you acting so brave. I’ll leave the honorable task of luring the monsters to you," I said to A-Wei calmly.

"No way, boss. This..."

"I just saw a cow flying in the sky! What's wrong? It's just luring monsters, not asking you to die, you coward!" Xiaoyue immediately struck back at his hesitation.

"A real man doesn't fear these dead things! Fine, I'll go, there's nothing to be afraid of." He rolled up his sleeves and marched forward heroically.

"Stop! You're really going to use your own body as bait? You’re a hunter, just use your bow. I can’t handle you sometimes," I stopped him as he prepared to engage at close range.

A-Wei’s arrow traced an arc, striking a Skeleton Warrior with precision, immediately drawing the attention of it and its companion. The thin skeletons, wielding dark iron axes, strode toward us. The "clacking" sound of their bones rubbing together was particularly grating, and their eye sockets glowed with a murky green phosphorus light. As they closed in, I used my advanced "Appraisal": Skeleton Axeman, Undead, Level 42, HP 1700/1700, MP 220/220, Attack 176-314, Physical Defense 230-315, Dark Resistance 10%, Holy Resistance -15%, Speed 32, Evasion 32, Skill: "Double Strike." These were high-attack monsters, but with our current strength, Dashan and I had no issues dealing with them. We just had to be careful to keep our HP up to avoid dying if we were hit by a Double Strike before we could drink a potion.

Dashan and I met the two Skeleton Axemen, one on the left and one on the right. Xiaoyue promptly buffed us with the Tier 2 Water Taoist skill "Water Curtain Protection," which increased physical defense by 10% and fire resistance by 10%. The Tier 2 sword techniques, combined with my Haoran Heart Method, were truly formidable. My primary "Mystic Moon" was no less impressive than the advanced "New Moon" sword technique. I unleashed a barrage of parries, thrusts, cuts, and slashes. With Xiaoyue’s healing support, I didn't have to worry about safety, so I focused on familiarizing myself with my new skills. We easily finished off the two skeletons. A-Wei, who had been shooting cold arrows from the back, quickly darted forward to loot the spoils. Whenever he was around, he usually handled the scavenging. There was no helping it; he was the idlest one. He never even needed to use his traps; by the time he’d finished setting them up, we’d have already cleared the surrounding mobs. Collecting didn't work on these skeletons, which actually saved time, allowing us to focus on grinding.

As we ventured deeper into the ruins, we mostly encountered groups of three: two Skeleton Warriors and one magic-attacking Skeleton Warlock. They were around level 42. Both Dashan and I had zero magical defense, so the damage from the Warlocks was significant. While it didn't affect me much, Dashan’s HP wasn't as high as mine; if he were hit by a Skeleton Warrior’s "Double Strike" and then struck by a Warlock’s "Lightning Bolt," he could lose more than half his HP in one go.

Seeing Dashan struggling, I suggested, "How about this: I’ll hold off the two warriors, and you and A-Wei focus on the Warlock. Xiaoyue, you stay in the back and heal me."

Dashan knew I had high defense and HP, so he readily agreed, "Sounds good. Since you’re a tank anyway, with Xiaoyue healing, it’ll be no problem at all."

"Bat can be considered a boss among players. This level of difficulty really doesn't mean much to him."

"A-Wei, you seem pretty free over there. Do you want me to assign you some 'tasks'?"

"Brother Bat, just have him solo the Warlock. After all, A-Wei is 'extraordinarily mighty'."

"What do you think, A-Wei? Xiaoyue’s suggestion isn't bad, right? Do you have the confidence?"

"Boss, what kind of good ideas could a little girl like Xiaoyue have? Don't let her distract you from your wise decisions. Dashan, let's go." Terrified that I might actually force him to solo the Warlock, he hurried Dashan toward the caster.

Our tactical adjustments made dealing with the skeletons a breeze. Two hours later, Dashan reached level 32, and A-Wei and Xiaoyue’s inventory weight limits were already maxed out. We moved to the plaza in the center of the ruins. Square blue-grey bricks, each over a meter long, paved the ground, forming a circle around a pool. In the middle of the pool stood a bronze statue of a general, holding a massive sword and wearing armor. Despite years of wind and rain, the statue was rusted and weathered, yet the general’s image remained imposing. His wide-open, angry eyes seemed alive, radiating a majestic gaze.

This statue was likely the master of the fortress; only a general with great military achievements could own such a grand castle. This area was a mix of skeletons and zombies. The zombies, missing limbs and legs, were particularly annoying. The moment they saw you, they would spray corpse poison, covering you in green slime. Aside from the continuous HP drain, the sticky poison itself was incredibly irritating. Fortunately, having gone through the "Spider Stream" in the Blackwood Forest, I had built up some immunity to this disgusting venom. Unlike Xiaoyue, who panicked, on the verge of tears, and kept rubbing against me to wipe the poison off, leaving me in a very awkward position.

Dozens of people were leveling in the plaza, clearly divided into two groups. Their organized movements and seamless cooperation showed they were obviously close friends. This place was perfect for group leveling. Although you couldn't gather materials from the skeletons and zombies, the drop rate for money and gear was higher than for beasts of the same level, which explained why there were so many people here.