Feng Jian stepped into Floor 21's emerald expanse—a low hill carpeted in wet grass and shadowed by towering trees. Distant snarls drifted up from below; he cupped his hands, channeling Qi Sense to map their positions.
A flash of movement—an A-Rank Grey-Back Kobold launched itself upward, its claws tracing three arc-like strikes in the air.
So, there are about twenty of these pack hunters… he calculated.
He crouched, anticipating a close-range pounce—but the beast's wind slash cleaved a nearby tree into thirds. He vaulted back, blades drawn.
"Duye Serpent Fang."
A venom-laced stab to the first two Kobolds' napes, green ichor blossoming where the short dagger bit. Their eyes rolled as poison coursed through their veins.
Leaping onto a branch, Feng hurled the second dagger at a third assailant, impaling its skull. Four more charged; he whispered:
"Shadow Step."
He reappeared behind them, felling each with swift cuts.
Landing at the hill's edge, he surveyed the clearing.
Seven down—thirteen to go… but one is holding back.
Below, a massive mound fortress bristled with Kobolds—its queen observing from the summit. With a bound, Feng descended. At the moment his foot touched soil, a coordinated onslaught erupted: twenty pack members lunging.
He steadied himself and invoked:
"Shi Ying – Shadow Bind."
Tendrils of darkness shot from his daggers, winding around enemies' shadows. Ten beasts froze, suspended in place for five heartbeats.
Then a roar split the air. The Kobold queen shattered her bind—far stronger than her kin. With enhanced speed and feral grace, she leapt into the fray.
Battle Scene Highlights:
Shadow Shuffle – Feng weaved through a circle of attackers, striking each with poisoned blade tips.
Gale-Shadow Lunge – Combining wind and shadow Qi, he propelled himself into the queen's flank, drawing crimson streaks in the mist.
Final Serpent's Kiss – As the queen lunged, he sidestepped into her shadow and delivered a dual dagger thrust at her core.
Outcome – Floor 21
Time: 17 minutes (Record: 21m)
Monsters Defeated: 21 Kobolds
ADP Earned: 21 × 2 = 42 + 588 record bonus = 630 ADP
Floor 22: Clash of Two Mounds
Before he could pause, the Floor 22 portal opened. Two Kobold mounds loomed across a swampy clearing—each defended by twenty-five Grey-Backs and their respective queens.
This time, Feng knew the pattern:
Split and Conquer – He divided his assault, using Shadow Bind to freeze half the pack.
Gale Style Barrage – With Wind Dance Gale Style, he unleashed a flurry of 360° slashes, carving through the first mound's defenders.
Twin Serpent's Echo – Poison daggers arced to the second mound, striking key shadow reveals.
As arrows and spears flew, he countered with:
Shadow Step – Sidestepping deadly traps, leaving only clipped shadows as traces.
Duye Serpent Fang – Each strike laced with toxin, weakening queens mid-fight.
Gale-Shadow Crescendo – A combined wind-shadow vortex to shatter horned shields.
By minute 27, both mounds lay silent beneath swirling mist and severed shadows.
Outcome – Floor 22
Time: 27 minutes (Record: 38m)
ADP Earned: 50 monsters × 2 = 100 + 830 record bonus = 930 ADP
Feng Jian strode forward, blades glinting in the dawn-like glow—the forest's hush broken by the whispers of conquest.
End of Chapter 17