NOVEL WEB Chapter 780: A Strange Discovery (Part 2)
They were a potion, a secret key, and a piece of hat equipment.
[Poison Coating Potion: Your physical attacks will carry a poison effect, lasting 10 minutes, with a cooldown of 1 hour]
Wang Tao had seen this Poison Coating Potion in his previous life. Just like other potions, it has been significantly strengthened in this life. However, the quantity is somewhat limited. In his previous life, when killing this sort of Fourth and Fifth Rank Mutant Plant, dozens of bottles could be obtained at once, but now there are only two. Still, it's not bad.
[Cannibal Flower Hat]
[Fifth Order (Excellent)]
[Durability +500, defensive power +100, Poison Attribute Defense +10%, with stronger immunity to poison attribute ability and awakening]
The attributes of this equipment surprised Wang Tao a bit. Doesn't it perfectly prevent this kind of mutated cannibal flower!
However, Wang Tao himself didn't need these... He glanced at Lightning beside him and directly put the Cannibal Flower Hat on Lightning's head.
To be honest, it fit quite well on Lightning, looking like a cannibal flower dog. As for whether it works, that can only be found out through a test.
Wang Tao then led them to find the second mutant plant, which was also a mutant cannibal flower lord.
When they got near it, without Wang Tao's interference, Taxue and Golden Eagle involuntarily moved towards the mutant cannibal flower, while only Lightning stood still, baring its teeth, as if struggling.
"Not bad, it works."
Wang Tao nodded with satisfaction and then launched an attack on the mutant cannibal flower.
A moment later, the mutant cannibal flower was killed by Wang Tao without much resistance, and the dropped spoils of war were the same as before. Wang Tao put the other Cannibal Flower Hat on the Golden Eagle. Although it looked a bit strange, the Golden Eagle's level was higher than Lightning's, and the resistance effect was much stronger when wearing the Cannibal Flower Hat.
However, Wang Tao felt a bit unfortunate as these mutated plants did not drop Evolution Potions; otherwise, all three of them would have a chance to evolve to Fifth Order.
"Continue!"
Wang Tao took Lightning and the others to continue hunting mutated plants.
The second level is larger than the first. Wang Tao spent several hours exploring it fully. Numerous Fifth-Order mutated plants fell at his hands, dropping countless Crystal Cores, and these Crystal Cores were ones he could use!
"Could I possibly ascend to Level 6?"
Wang Tao rubbed his eyes, somewhat incredulous.
After all, it had only been half a month since he ascended to Level 5, and ascension becomes more difficult as one progresses. Advancing from Level 5 to Level 6 in just half a month seemed too sci-fi, considering that in his previous life, it took over two months to ascend from Level 5 to Level 6.
But after counting carefully, Wang Tao found that the Basic Crystal Cores he needed were indeed enough, and they were synthetic with 100% purity! This means Wang Tao could ascend to Level 6 at any moment!
"So... should I ascend to Level 6 now, or go to the next level?"
Looking at the entrance ahead, Wang Tao pondered.
Indeed, on the second level, he found another entrance leading to the third level!
If nothing unexpected happens, there should be Sixth-Order mutant beasts or mutated plants in the third level!
Although Wang Tao was currently Level 5, his fighting power was definitely not weaker than Level 6, especially since these Level 6 creatures were still in a [Dormant] state and would be [Weakness] upon waking. If he was still unable to defeat a Level 6, he might as well find a piece of tofu to knock himself dead against.
However, he could indeed ascend to Level 6 now, and if he ascended to Level 6 before going down, it would be much safer than rushing in now. Although he was confident that his combat power surpassed Level 6, this was still the apocalypse where danger lurked at every corner, and this life differed from the previous one, presenting a chance of an unexpected defeat. It's better to stay cautious...
After deliberating for a while, Wang Tao ultimately decided to play it safe and ascend to Level 6 before delving further, as it would only take at most a day.
However, Wang Tao didn't immediately return. Since he was already there and had found the entrance, he had to at least take a peek; he had to see what kind of Sixth-Order creatures were below.
"I'll go down and take a look, you guys wait here for me."
Wang Tao instructed Golden Eagle, Lightning, and Taxue.
After all, the three of them were only at the Third or Fourth Order, and if the creatures below possessed passive awakening or abilities, they might not withstand it. It was safer for them to guard the doorway.
Taxue and the others were quite smart, knowing that following Wang Tao would only be a burden, so they obediently waited at the entrance for Wang Tao's return.
Wang Tao patted their little heads and then stepped down the path.
A minute, two minutes, three minutes...
"Why haven't I reached the end yet?"
Wang Tao frowned, doubting whether he had encountered an illusion similar to a ghost wall. But with his current level of spiritual power, he didn't feel anything... Logically, even a Level 6 illusion shouldn't trap him unless it was a Level 7. Was there a Level 7 creature on this third level? Yet, he felt no danger...
After hesitating a bit, Wang Tao decided to trust his instincts and continued forward, making some marks along the way. He decided to walk for another three minutes, and if he still hadn't reached the end, he would retrace his steps.
After another two minutes, just as Wang Tao was about to turn back, he finally saw a vast space below his feet; he had reached the third level.
"It's not an illusion; the third level's passage is just that long…"
Wang Tao breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like he had scared himself. Then he took big strides, ready to enter the third level.
However, after taking a step, Wang Tao didn't enter the third level but instead reappeared in the original position.
"..."
Wang Tao's body stiffened for a moment.
He was sure he had actually stepped forward just a moment ago, and that step should have led him into the third level space. Yet surprisingly, he ended up back where he started!
He sensed no spiritual power, illusions, or any physical contact, nor did he feel compelled to return... He felt nothing at all, yet he still returned to the original spot!
The unknown is the most terrifying. Although Wang Tao faced no danger, this situation, defying his comprehension, scared him more than confronting Seventh Order creatures!
Wang Tao stood motionless for a long while, then suddenly took a step back.
He could retreat; he didn't end up back where he was.
Wang Tao immediately turned and walked until the third level space vanished from view, finally stopping.
"No danger, nor did it send me back to the start. I managed to retreat smoothly, and the marks I made were still there…"
Feeling reassured that there was no danger, Wang Tao summoned up some courage, eager to understand what had just happened. Thus, he proceeded to the third level again.
Moments later, he saw once more the expansive space of the third level, merely a step away from entering.
Thud—
Wang Tao took another step forward, finding himself mysteriously back in the starting position again.
"..."
The sensation was identical to before, essentially lacking any sensation, at least none that Wang Tao could detect.
"Not an ability, or an awakening, nor like a Law Domain…"
Though Wang Tao didn't know much about laws, he was an earnest domain user in his previous life, familiar with the feeling of the Law Domain. This most likely wasn't a Law Domain. As for Cataclysmic Awakening or Destruction Domain, it was even less likely since he hadn't suffered any harm…
Wang Tao, refusing to give up, tried several more times, each time inexplicably returning to the start.
Although he claimed to have felt nothing, after numerous attempts, Wang Tao seemed to discern something.
"It's a bit like some sort of… rule? Similar to an 'air wall'?"
In some games, certain places are inaccessible or not yet open, creating an "air wall" that, although appearing passable, is actually blocked by an invisible barrier. It's one of the game rules, requiring exploits or glitches to bypass it.
The situation Wang Tao encountered was very much like an in-game air wall, except this was a real-life "air wall"!