Chapter 119: The Oncoming Giant Waves!

Blistering waves of heat swept across the wetlands, turning the raging pythons into charred remains amid the blazing flames. Those few that escaped the inferno were swiftly dispatched by Wang Chen, who occupied the high ground, sending forth wave dragons to slay them one by one. Not long after, the wetland was strewn with the corpses of pythons. The wild wetland python, wracked by the agony of blades and axes within its body, lost the light in its eyes, dying in bitter defeat.

A notification chimed in Wang Chen's ears:
"Congratulations, your level has risen to lv25. All attribute values increased by 250 points."
After slaughtering a swarm of young pythons and this golden-ranked wild wetland python, he had finally leveled up.

Gazing at the massive python corpse, Wang Chen felt a twinge of regret. With its formidable defenses, few could have overcome this creature—yet, encountering him and his smoke skills that countered its strengths, it perished with resentment, dragging its offspring with it.

A cluster of glowing spheres drifted from the python's corpse. Wang Chen inspected them one by one; most were materials, but one was equipment.
"Wetland Python Leather Armor (Gold Rank)"
"Type: Apparel"
"Level Requirement: 16"
"Effect: Increases Constitution attribute by 170 points when equipped"
"Durability: 70/70"
"Additional Skill: This leather armor possesses remarkable elasticity; it can be unfurled to protect multiple targets as needed. Its defense mimics the unmoving body of the wetland python. Using this skill consumes durability."

Wang Chen casually stowed all items in his storage ring, including the armor. Now that he had the Life Tree’s soft armor, this equipment felt redundant—perhaps he'd sell it in Luzhou, or gift it to a friend.

He rested atop the rocky palm for a while, restoring himself to peak condition, then set off once more. From his storage space, he retrieved a new set of long poles—the previous set had been destroyed by the wild python. Once back in Luzhou, he'd need to commission several more sets to avoid running out.

Methodically, he adjusted the pole to the proper length, lowered the rocky hand, stepped onto the pole, and began traversing the wetlands.

The haze surrounding him drifted along as he moved, covering much of the wetland.

...

Meanwhile, a pair of eyes opened in the darkness.
The pupils were marked with two black horizontal stripes, the whites tinged with bluish-purple—cold and reptilian.
"The white death is approaching," a whisper barely audible murmured.
The eyes closed again, returning everything to darkness.

...

Wang Chen pressed forward with his pole for nearly ten minutes, finally emerging from the wetlands. He scraped the muddy residue from the pole onto the ground, then stowed it in his storage ring. He bounced lightly on solid earth, savoring the sensation of firm ground beneath his feet, then followed the river downstream.

No longer did the riverbank offer an easy path; dense foliage once again blocked his way. He drew his machete from storage, cutting through the leaves and branches that barred his progress.

After weaving through the jungle for over forty minutes, a notification sounded:
"Level successfully raised to twenty-six. All attributes increased by 260 points."
"Ah, even just walking around is enough to level up," Wang Chen thought, delight filling his heart.

Of course, his leveling was no accident—the haze of Five-Li Mist had enveloped and killed countless small beasts along the way. Every so often, he’d stumble upon the corpse of a creature felled by the mist.

"This skill is simply a monster-slaying marvel in jungles where small beasts abound!"
He mused, "Following the river is good, but I should also seek out areas of denser foliage—the thicker the vegetation, the higher the density of small beasts per square meter, and the more my mist can eliminate."

He was plotting his rapid leveling strategy when a tremendous noise erupted behind him. Wang Chen instantly turned, alert, and saw a great wave surging from the upper reaches of the river, spilling over both banks and rushing toward him.

"Damn!" Wang Chen cried in alarm, "Where did such a massive wave come from, so suddenly?"

If struck by the wave, its momentum alone would be enough to cause him serious trouble, and he might be swept into the river. The waters hid untold bloodthirsty beasts, poised to feast on any prey that fell in.

Wang Chen quickly changed direction, fleeing from the riverbank. Wielding his machete, he hacked at all foliage impeding his escape, desperate not to let a single branch slow him down.

But the wave was too fast—within moments, it crashed onto his back. Wang Chen felt his blood surge, knocked flying by the impact. Even so, the Life Tree's armor had absorbed much of the force. Had he taken the hit directly, several bones would surely have been broken.

He had barely landed when the flood swept in again, dragging him into its current. Wang Chen grabbed at the vegetation, trying to anchor himself, but the overwhelming torrent pulled him away, tearing off handfuls of branches in the process.

Swept into the river, icy water soaked him to the skin, turning him instantly into a drowned rat. The immense wave carried him deep into the river channel.

In the turbid waters, he groped for something to hold onto, searching for a way out.
"I need to reach the surface and use the immobilization spell to latch onto a tree on the bank and pull myself out."

With this plan in mind, he paddled upward, striving for the surface. Yet the strange, powerful current held him down, thwarting his efforts.

Tumbling through the water, pressure squeezed the air from his lungs.
"Stay calm—think of another way," Wang Chen thought swiftly. "At least I don’t have to worry about river beasts attacking me now; with such a torrent, they’re probably as disoriented as I am."

"Normally, even the fiercest wave would subside after one hit. Even this one should be stopping soon," he reasoned. "So, I’ll go with the flow for now, conserve my oxygen, and wait for the current to pass."

He stilled his movements, shielding his vulnerable spots with his limbs, careful not to expend more air than necessary.

Occasionally, the water carried small stones that struck his body—though the soft armor lessened the impact, the blows still made him tremble with pain.

"Come on, stop already," Wang Chen prayed silently.

As if heaven heard his plea, the force of the surrounding waters began to abate, gradually losing its strength.