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Chapter 7: Exploring the Fog Area
Zhou Yan turned his attention to the second new structure. Near the fence stood a tower wreathed in flickering flames—a rare elemental defense tower, its potential for devastation unmistakable.
[Building: Flame Tower]
[Level: 1]
[Upgrade Cost: 100 Spirit Coins]
[Defense: 500/500]
[Special: Flame Attack]
[Attack Range: 20 meters]
[Introduction: Unleashes bursts of fire to torment enemies.]
"Impressive," Zhou Yan murmured. Securing such a formidable tower so early held immense value. Elemental towers far outstripped standard arrow towers in power, and this one's group-attack capability promised to dominate the battlefield, safeguarding his territory. Yet his meager reserves of soul and spirit coins left upgrades out of reach for now.
His gaze shifted beyond the territory's bounds. Exploring outside was a novice taboo, but Diao Chan's extraordinary attributes emboldened him. His own stats, enhanced beyond a typical human's, further bolstered his confidence to face external threats. "Chan'er," he said, "our resources are too scarce to protect this land with just the two of us. I want to search for supplies outside."
"No objections here," she replied. Grasping her novice sword, she joined him at the gate formed by the thorn vine fence.
A grassy plain stretched 50 meters beyond the territory. Past that, a thick fog shrouded the unknown, awaiting exploration by those with sufficient might—typically after the novice trial. Zhou Yan, however, refused to squander the trial's high drop rates. Fortune favored him; this wasn't a barren desert. Novice territories materialized in random locales, unpredictable and varied. Few dared venture into the fog during the trial—such recklessness courted death. While trial monsters remained manageable, the fog's perils were uncharted.
Relying on Diao Chan's sky-defying stats and his own improved attributes, Zhou Yan stepped into the haze. Stagnation bred weakness; seizing the trial's bounty required bold action. Diao Chan's keen senses proved invaluable. When asked how she'd detected the earlier wolves, she couldn't explain—hostility simply registered with her, likely tied to her RRR-tier talent. In Xia City, no one had ever claimed a hero of such caliber.
Outside the territory, however, she cautioned, "My perception's dulled. I can only sense a few meters now. We must stay vigilant." Zhou Yan nodded. "It's the territory's influence, enhancing your abilities within its bounds." Textbooks omitted this detail; he filed it away mentally.
They pressed forward warily. After several hundred meters, a forest emerged, encircling his domain. This presented both peril and promise. Forests teemed with monsters, threatening attacks from all sides, yet his evolved fence offered robust defense. At level 1, it stood modest in height, and resources to upgrade it eluded him. Thankfully, trial monsters escalated gradually, a safeguard for novices. The fence's spirit-coin-only upgrades—a boon, given its wood-free growth—eased his burden. Spirit coins, imbued with spiritual power, served multiple purposes: building upgrades, lord trades, even cultivation with the right skills. The forest's abundance of wood, meanwhile, beckoned as a harvestable resource, though felling it demanded tools and time he couldn't spare yet.
They ventured deeper into the woods, finding no immediate threats. Still, danger surely lurked. Abruptly, Diao Chan halted, gripping his hand. "Careful—monsters are near," she whispered, her gaze darting left.
A shadow lunged from the mist. With a swift slash, Diao Chan bisected an arm-thick snake, its halves thudding to the ground. A wooden chest materialized beside it.
[Killed Level 1 Black-Scaled Snake. Bonus: 2 soul coins.]
Zhou Yan recognized the creature from his studies. In reality, its speed stunned him—too swift for an ordinary person to counter. Diao Chan's presence proved his salvation. "Killing monsters out here during the trial does yield extras," he noted, eyes gleaming. This perk demanded strength few novices possessed. Death outside the territory was final, no jest. Only he, bolstered by Diao Chan, dared such a gamble.
"Chan'er, you're incredible," he praised.
She smiled, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Hardly."
[Congratulations: Gained 2 soul coins.]
Her luck held, netting 2 more soul coins, bringing his total to 55. Yet upgrading Diao Chan to level 1 required 100—a steep cost. Soul coins, rich with soul power, fueled hero and lord advancements. Typically, 10 sufficed for level 1, but both he and Diao Chan demanded tenfold that amount. The realization frustrated him. Soul coins, already scarce, would stretch thin if every hero followed this pattern, their future needs ballooning to daunting heights.