Chapter 115: Effortlessly Grinding Monsters with New Skills!

The head of the Forest Gale staff released a stream of air, carrying a surge of smoke that erupted outward, as if a smoke grenade had been triggered.

"Within Five Miles of Mist!"

Smoke billowed from the staff's tip, spreading in all directions, enveloping the dense foliage surrounding Wang Chen. Although the smoke was somewhat diluted by the vastness of the forest, the mist that already lingered among the trees maintained its concentration at a level deadly enough to inflict harm.

Wang Chen could see the smoke from his skill gradually assimilating the ambient mist. The smoke released by "Within Five Miles of Mist" would occasionally flicker with flashes of light amidst its whiteness, resembling thunderclouds charged with storm.

As the glow shimmered within a radius of over thirty meters from Wang Chen, the jungle seemed transformed into a celestial illusion. Yet, the smoke did not obscure his vision; he focused intently, scanning the grass and leaves for jungle leeches.

He spotted a leech shrouded in smoke, writhing as though it had swallowed razor blades, clearly suffering. Moments later, the leech perished, and a prompt sounded in Wang Chen's ear:

[Successfully slain Jungle Leech lv6, gained 120 experience points]

Such notifications continued to ring:

[Successfully slain Jungle Leech lv4, gained 80 experience points]
[Successfully slain Jungle Leech lv5, gained 100 experience points]
[Successfully slain Jungle Leech lv7, gained 140 experience points]
[…]

Annoyed by the incessant prompts, Wang Chen simply muted the experience notifications. The world grew silent, allowing him to concentrate.

"This old chain-smoker's jungle is perilous indeed, its danger more insidious than other secret realms," he mused. "Who knows how many leeches lurk here? While traversing the forest, one must pause every few hundred meters to clear them away."

"Otherwise, one's skin would surely be covered with blood-sucking leeches."

The thought sent a shiver through him, but he was grateful his skills proved a blessing here. With smoke surrounding him for protection and clearing leeches ahead, he had little to fear—so long as he remembered to drink his invigorating potion and replenish the smoke every ten minutes.

Yet, though he could easily wipe out these jungle leech beasts, to level up quickly, he would have to challenge golden-tier monsters.

Otherwise, his qualification token would be wasted.

With that in mind, Wang Chen brandished his machete and pressed deeper into the forest.

…

He pushed through the foliage, arriving at a river winding through the jungle.

"Once a river appears, the likelihood of encountering fierce beasts nearby increases," he thought. "I must be ready."

He stowed the machete in his storage ring. The riverbanks were relatively open, so he need not hack his way forward anymore.

Wang Chen prepared to follow the river downstream, as it might eventually lead to a larger lake where many beasts could dwell—a suitable place to level up.

As he carried the Forest Gale staff and moved downstream, a shadow suddenly leapt from the river toward him.

Heart pounding, Wang Chen pushed off with both feet, dodging to the side.

At the same time, his Forest Gale staff sparked with electricity.

"Lightning Barrier!"

Three balls of lightning, connected by arcs of electricity, spun out in a forceful spiral and struck the shadow.

"Roar!" The shadow was bound mid-air by the lightning spheres, crashing heavily to the ground with a pained cry.

After his emergency dodge, Wang Chen steadied himself and looked at the shadow.

It was a beast two or three meters long, resembling a crocodile, bound tightly by the lightning spheres. The current wracking its body made it howl in agony, its pair of orange eyes glaring fiercely at Wang Chen.

The beast flashed its ivory teeth at him. A purple gleam flickered in Wang Chen's eyes, and information about the creature appeared in his mind.

[Giant-Toothed Freshwater Crocodile lv16]
[Skill: Iron Teeth – this beast possesses astonishing bite force, able to shred steel]

With this knowledge, Wang Chen felt a measure of calm. It was merely a silver-tier beast; its skills posed little threat to him, and he could defeat it easily.

He raised his Forest Gale staff, preparing to use a water jet for a little cranial surgery on the crocodile.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

He spun around and saw pairs of orange eyes emerging from the river, attached to massive bodies lurking beneath the water.

"Well then, yet another pack-hunting beast. The monsters in this chain-smoker's jungle certainly stick together."

Wang Chen laughed, "But that's just as well—time to try another skill."

He waved his Forest Gale staff, and a chorus began to rise from its tip.

"Hymn of Reason!"

The song floated from the staff, growing clearer and more tangible, accompanied by leaping musical notes that lunged toward the water's surface.

The notes spiraled above the orange eyes. Wang Chen understood the Giant-Toothed Freshwater Crocodile was now under the hymn's effect.

The crocodile afflicted by the hymn immediately felt sluggish; its legs, struggling against the current, relaxed, and it was swept downstream by the rushing water.

When it regained composure, it swam back to the surface, but found it difficult to focus.

Wang Chen observed the river closely, noting the crocodile's struggles. He realized the hymn's reversal was working.

But that was only the beginning. With the Hymn of Reason's short cooldown, Wang Chen could seamlessly chain the skill, and the song never ceased.

One hymn after another drifted toward the crocodiles in the river.

There were too many lurking crocodiles, and each needed three layers of hymn for the optimal effect. Even casting nonstop, Wang Chen found the process slow.

Those not affected by the hymn had already begun lunging for the shore.

Wang Chen continued casting from his staff, letting the song soar.

He freed his left hand, palm suffused with the aura of death.

"Celebration of Life!"

A black-and-red chain of death shot from Wang Chen's palm, striking and binding a crocodile as it leapt.

Without pausing, Wang Chen drank an invigorating potion, his palm once again exuding death's aura.

Another black-and-red chain, bristling with barbs, lashed out, ensnaring more crocodiles in the group.

Repeatedly unleashing Celebration of Life, Wang Chen bound the Giant-Toothed Freshwater Crocodiles coming ashore. The barbed chains tightened around them, lashing and constricting them ever tighter.

Held fast at the riverbank, they could advance no further.

Wang Chen had planned to use Dragon Wave Strike to finish them off individually, but it seemed unnecessary.

He noticed the crocodile he had bound with lightning spheres had quietly died.