Tang Zheng took it from the Hobgoblin Muguo's hands with great interest.
He looked at the ancient, pale Bone Necklace in his hand. Unlike the grimy Hobgoblin Muguo, the surface of this Bone Necklace was exceptionally clean.
At first, he had not noticed.
Only upon closer inspection did he discover that faint pale-green light occasionally flickered across the surface of the billiard-ball-sized bone.
That was the magical radiance of a magic item.
"This is the bone of a Great-Horned Elk."
"The Great-Horned Elk is a magical beast found deep in the jungle. It has enormous antlers, about this big..."
The Hobgoblin Muguo continuously gestured with both hands as it explained the origins of the magic item.
The pained expression on its face made it clear just how important this magic item was to both it and the Jik Tribe.
Despite its somewhat jumbled explanation, Tang Zheng finally understood the Bone Necklace's ability.
According to the Hobgoblin Muguo, Great-Horned Elks, with their enormous antlers, were magical beasts that originally lived in the Great Forest of Tob.
They were naturally capable of moving freely through the jungle, so this magic item made from a Great-Horned Elk's skull possessed the same ability.
Upon hearing that,
Tang Zheng already knew what ability this Bone Necklace contained.
Forest Traversal!
Like Camouflage, it was another Divine System spell.
Its specific effect allowed the user to move through jungle terrain without being obstructed by plants. Tang Zheng had forgotten whether it was Third-Tier or Fourth-Tier.
However!
This Forest Traversal spell was far more practical than Camouflage.
Now that he knew the Bone Necklace had such an effect,
Tang Zheng naturally had no intention of returning it. However, instead of wearing it around his neck like the Hobgoblin Muguo had, he wrapped it around his wrist.
Magic items needed to be worn in designated places on the body to function.
For example, a ring could only display its power when worn on a finger.
But although the Bone Necklace before him was called a necklace, it was actually just that billiard-ball-sized piece of bone. Calling it an ornament would not have been wrong.
The thin vine cord threaded through it was merely for the Hobgoblin's convenience in carrying it!
Even if he removed the vine cord, it would not affect the magic item in the slightest.
"Alright, enough idle chatter."
"Now, let's discuss business."
Having gained a magic item, Tang Zheng was in an excellent mood as he looked at the Hobgoblin Muguo.
Business?
Confusion appeared in the Hobgoblin Muguo's eyes.
"That's right." Tang Zheng nodded, a faint chill flashing through his gaze.
The earlier matters had merely been incidental to why he had not killed this Hobgoblin. His true purpose was what came next.
"Since you came to the outer region to select outstanding Goblins, I assume you know all the Goblin settlements in the outer region quite well."
"So, how about you lead me there?"
Tang Zheng spoke with a broad smile.
For more than half a month, he had hunted Goblins in the forest entirely by relying on luck and stumbling across them.
The Great Forest of Tob was simply too vast!
The difficulty of moving through the jungle and the disadvantages of nighttime conditions greatly slowed his leveling progress.
Before level ten, it had been manageable. By hunting magical beasts and Goblins each day, he could earn at least one or two hundred Experience Points. But after reaching level ten, advancing one level now required a full 5,000 Experience Points.
If he continued gaining Experience Points at the same pace as before, he would not be able to gain many levels in the remaining half month.
The appearance of the Hobgoblin Muguo gave Tang Zheng a new idea.
When it came to the locations of the major Goblin settlements around the outskirts, who could know better than the Goblins themselves?
That was right!
What he needed now was a guide, and this Hobgoblin capable of speaking and communicating was practically the most suitable candidate... no, the most suitable Goblin candidate.
"H-human lord, don't kill... kill..."
Seeing the smile on Tang Zheng's face, the Hobgoblin Muguo seemed to have seen a demon. Its entire body trembled as it stammered.
Just as expected!
Possessing intelligence close to that of a human, it could understand from Tang Zheng's words what he was about to make it do.
"This isn't a negotiation."
Tang Zheng smiled, stepped forward, raised his foot, and viciously stomped on the Hobgoblin's left ankle, crushing its bones beneath his foot.
"Aah!!!"
The Hobgoblin Muguo's screams rang through the forest once more, startling flocks of birds into shrill cries.
After a little friendly exchange!
The Hobgoblin Muguo quickly accepted Tang Zheng's excellent proposal and immediately revealed the location of the nearest Goblin group.
Tang Zheng happily carried the Hobgoblin Muguo and headed toward that Goblin settlement.
A figure darted rapidly through the forest.
Shrubs, grass, and interwoven branches and leaves all parted of their own accord, making way for the figure.
With the magic item that granted Forest Traversal,
Tang Zheng's speed increased by several times. The disadvantage of his agility being unable to fully manifest in the jungle was instantly erased.
Moreover, he made very little noise in the process.
With Forest Traversal and Camouflage used together, as long as no one possessed detection-type magic, it was nearly impossible for him to be discovered.
No wonder the Hobgoblin Muguo had followed him for so long without him noticing at all!
What followed was a massacre!
With the Hobgoblin Muguo providing locations and the effects of the magic item, almost no Goblin could escape Tang Zheng's grasp!
During this time,
Tang Zheng even wiped out a large Goblin tribe containing more than two hundred Goblins and five Trolls.
Before obtaining the Forest Traversal magic item,
if Tang Zheng had faced the combined assault of five Trolls, temporarily avoiding their edge would likely have been his only option.
But with an ability like Forest Traversal, the jungle environment was no longer an obstacle. Relying solely on his speed advantage, Tang Zheng easily kited the five Trolls to death.
After Tang Zheng cut through that large Goblin tribe from beginning to end with a single sword and slaughtered every last one of them!
the Hobgoblin Muguo, which had still harbored some resistance, completely gave up and obediently became his guide!
How could Tang Zheng fail to understand the Hobgoblin Muguo's little schemes?
With the greedy and cunning nature of Goblins, it would have been stranger if it had offered no resistance at all.
However, after seeing even such a powerful large Goblin tribe wiped out by Tang Zheng, the Hobgoblin Muguo had clearly abandoned all thoughts of resistance.
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