Chapter 6: The Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly, Repaying a Kindness!

Wang Chen continued to observe the Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly. The joint connecting its two wings was covered in warm yellow fuzz, perfectly proportioned and not at all bulky. If this Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly could take human form, it would surely be a stunning beauty!

“What’s gotten into me?” Suddenly, Wang Chen came to his senses. He had just experienced an uncontrollable urge to help the Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly. “Fortunately, I have lived twice, and my will is strong—I recovered from that impulse quickly!” “Is this one of the butterfly’s abilities? When did it activate?”

For a moment, Wang Chen grew wary. Compared to the four Iron-backed Lizards, this Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly was far more troublesome. No wonder it took four lizards to dare to attack a single illusion butterfly. Still, he certainly intended to intervene in this conflict. With the butterfly distracting the lizards, he could join in, eliminate the lizards, and then bide his time to deal with the butterfly as well. With this plan in mind, Wang Chen sprang into action.

“Praise of Life!” A death chain lashed out, whipping through the group of Iron-backed Lizards and binding all four together. Seeing an opening before it, the Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly fluttered its wings and escaped the lizards’ encirclement. However, one of its wings seemed injured, making its movements labored.

Meanwhile, the death chain could no longer withstand the combined force of the four beasts’ struggle and broke apart into red particles of light. The two lizards closest to the butterfly lunged toward it, their powerful hind legs propelling them forward. The other two twisted their massive bodies and charged at Wang Chen.

“Indeed, they are of the same species!” “Without any roars or cries, they’ve already divided their tasks!” But this was precisely the situation Wang Chen wanted. The butterfly had managed to hold its own against four, so facing two should be no problem. As for Wang Chen himself, dealing with two level thirteen beasts was already quite a challenge!

“Lightning Barrier!” As the two lizards attacked, Wang Chen swung his staff. The head of Forest Gale shone with blazing white lightning, and three spheres of electricity shot out. One lizard was immediately trapped by the electric spheres, thrashing its limbs desperately and dragging chaotic tracks through the muddy ground.

Wang Chen didn’t rush to pursue. Instead, he maneuvered to dodge the other lizard’s attack. “Nature Totem!” Darting near the rocky wall, Wang Chen spun around suddenly, unleashing the long-prepared totem water pillar.

In an instant, the pillar engulfed the Iron-backed Lizard. The sharp water blades within needed time to build up strength, but trapping the lizard was enough. While it was disoriented in the swirling water, Wang Chen struck at the other lizard.

“Lightning Barrier!” Once more, three spheres of lightning replenished the previous attack, which was nearly spent. Though the spheres crackled with violent currents, the lizard lived up to its name—their iron backs sustained only superficial wounds so far. Truly, its spine was forged of iron.

Its relatively soft underbelly, meanwhile, was pressed against the ground, guarded by its sharp, scale-armored claws. The Iron-backed Lizard still seemed at ease, its blood-red eyes fixed on Wang Chen, maw opening and closing in constant low, taunting growls.

“Now’s the time!” Wang Chen seized the opportunity. When the lizard opened its mouth wide, he activated his detoxifying bracelet. Instantly, a stream of green poison shot out like an arrow, plunging deep into the lizard’s bottomless throat.

Caught off guard, the lizard’s growl was abruptly cut off, replaced by violent coughing. But the repeated intake of air only helped the poison’s toxic effects spread faster. It began to convulse wildly. Its blood-red eyes grew even more savage, as if they might truly begin to bleed.

[Successfully killed Iron-backed Lizard. Gained 260 experience points!]

Next, Wang Chen turned to the lizard trapped within the water pillar. It was in far worse shape than the one ensnared by the lightning spheres, likely because the sharp water blades penetrated every crevice. Its limbs weren’t enough to fully shield its underbelly. Yet even though it was battered and bloodied, Wang Chen hadn’t heard the success notification.

He glanced at the Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly on the other side of the battlefield. Its injuries were sapping its strength by the second; it was barely holding on now. Wang Chen’s mind raced—an idea came to him.

“Really now, when I killed the Toxic Worm earlier, I remembered combo skills—why not now? Should’ve thought of it sooner!” He raised his wrist and fired a stream of poison into the water pillar. The green toxin swiftly blended with the swirling water, though its concentration plummeted. The once-bright green was diluted, staining the water pillar only slightly.

But he didn’t forget—the water blades had already cut countless wounds into the lizard’s body, and each was now being continuously washed by the poisoned water. After several seconds—

[Successfully killed Iron-backed Lizard…]

Wang Chen closed the panel and strode like a shooting star to aid the Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly. With his newfound experience against the lizards and the butterfly’s assistance, he quickly finished off the last two.

[Congratulations, your level has increased to LV7!]

At the same time, a silver orb floated above the corpse of an Iron-backed Lizard. But Wang Chen wasn’t in a hurry to inspect it. He warily kept his distance from the Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly. With their common enemy gone, former allies could easily become adversaries.

He raised Forest Gale, ready to unleash a skill at any moment. The Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly seemed to understand his intent, gently fluttering its wings.

A shimmering cloud of powder drifted toward Wang Chen, gathering into a glowing orb before him.

[Phoenix Spirit Butterfly Powder]
[Effect: When applied to the body, increases luck]

Staring at the panel, Wang Chen was a bit stunned. Was this the butterfly’s way of repaying him? Before he could react, the Phoenix Spirit Illusion Butterfly beat its wings and departed.

“Well, that’s just as well—I can sort out my equipment now!” Wang Chen watched as the butterfly vanished into the depths of the forest, unable to help but sigh.

“Wait a second—was my intervention part of its calculations too? Hiss—these beasts aren’t even high-level, but they seem so clever. Could this be the psychic type?” Wang Chen was convinced—the uncontrollable urge to protect the butterfly when he first saw it had to be due to its psychic control ability.

Clearly, Wang Chen had no idea he was a sucker for beauty. Nowadays, even fierce beasts need good looks to get by.

After confirming his surroundings were safe, Wang Chen tapped the silver orb.

[Iron Lizard Dagger (Silver)]
[Category: Weapon]
[Level Requirement: 10]
[Effect: Strength +5]
[Durability: 30/30]
[Attached Skill: None]

“Though the dagger’s level is decent, its stats are lackluster, and its effects unimpressive. Too bad the system’s reversal doesn’t work on numerical values!” Wang Chen sighed.

His gaze happened to fall on [Attached Effect]. “Wait, what if I…”

Suddenly, an idea struck Wang Chen. “Rebel, help me out—reverse this equipment!”

Just to test it.

[Reverse effect activated. Please check for yourself!]
[Iron Lizard Dagger (Silver)]
...
[Attached Skill: Every three attacks, triggers an additional attack]

“Haha!” “It really works!” “No wonder I’m me!”

Wang Chen was overjoyed. He had just been thinking—if the reversal system could reverse anything, then the opposite of ‘none’ should be ‘have,’ right? He hadn’t expected his experiment to actually succeed.

A weapon that had originally lacked any attached skill now possessed an extra effect.