Once everything was ready, Chen Ming and the others charged straight into the Woodland Mansion. After a fierce battle, several messages suddenly popped up in the chat window.
[Dong Qianqiu was defeated by a Vindicator (5,000 years)] [Chen Ming was blasted away by a Creeper (10,000 years)] [Di Qiu'er was defeated by a Vindicator (30,000 years)]
The three of them sat dumbfounded outside the mansion and exchanged glances. Looks like we can't beat them.
"Why does that Vindicator hit so hard? One swing took two thousand health off me!"
Di Qiu'er sat gloomily on the stairs. She hadn't expected the monsters in the Woodland Mansion to be such a high level. The Vindicator in particular made no distinction between anyone when it brought its axe down.
Chen Ming had tried to wear the Vindicator down by building a two-block-high pillar, but a Creeper had snuck up and attacked him.
"So what do we do now?"
Dong Qianqiu was at a loss too. One swing of that axe had turned her into shark paste. At least dying here didn't mean actually dying, so she wasn't as scared.
"Let me think... I've got it! Let's ask Big Bro to come over!"
Chen Ming crossed his arms and pondered for a moment. Soon, a brilliant idea struck him, and he pulled out a Carved Pumpkin and a pair of Scissors.
"Qianqiu, get some snow in a bit, then shovel it up to make Snow Golems. Once you've made them, remember to use the Scissors to cut off the pumpkin heads so we can reuse them."
"Huh? Okay, I'll give it a try."
As Dong Qianqiu spoke, she raised her hand. A few snowflakes drifted down onto the grass, and soon a layer of snow covered the ground. Chen Ming dug it up and got several snowballs.
"By the way, is snow any good to eat? I've never seen it before."
Di Qiu'er had never been to the Far North, so this was her first time seeing snow. It looked a little like ice cream.
"Don't think about eating it. We'll trap the Snow Golems in a bit and have them make snow for us endlessly. Then we'll toss Snow Golems into the Woodland Mansion."
Chen Ming explained his plan. He didn't have many pumpkins, after all; he'd picked them up along the way.
If they made Iron Golems instead, there'd be no way to get the materials back. Soon, they had their first Snow Golem, and Chen Ming swiftly snipped off its pumpkin head.
Dong Qianqiu kept shoveling snow, making their work many times more efficient. Before long, she tossed the snowballs to him.
Chen Ming took them and crafted a Snow Golem, then snipped off its pumpkin head, all in one smooth motion. This one had a cultivation of a thousand years. Di Qiu'er immediately looped a lead around it.
A Wandering Trader had dropped the lead earlier. The moment the trader had met Chen Ming, they'd hit it off, and then the trader had insistently shoved two leads into his hands with a reminder.
"The road home is dangerous. Take these two leads with you."
Now they came in handy. After tying up the Snow Golem, Di Qiu'er spun around and flung it into the Woodland Mansion.
Chen Ming had already made two more Snow Golems, one with ten years of cultivation and the other with a hundred. Di Qiu'er flung them in too.
Then Dong Qianqiu tossed Chen Ming another batch of snowballs, and a new wave of Snow Golems arrived.
Inside the Woodland Mansion, a battle between Snow Golems and Vindicators was underway. Normally, Snow Golems couldn't deal any damage.
But these Snow Golems had cultivation. Naturally, once their cultivation grew, they could deal damage too.
"We've broken through the first floor! We can go in now!"
Seeing the Snow Golem army storming into the Woodland Mansion, Di Qiu'er immediately called out. Chen Ming and Dong Qianqiu quickly rushed in after her.
"Three-Shovel Style!"
Chen Ming held an iron shovel in each hand and even had one clenched between his teeth. Dong Qianqiu kept shoveling snow as well, helping Chen Ming build up their Snow Golem army.
Before long, they had made a Snow Golem with a hundred thousand years of cultivation. It swept through everything in its path, and soon Chen Ming and the others encountered an Evoker with a thousand years of cultivation. The Snow Golem struck it with a snowball, turning it into a cloud of blood.
They got the Totems of Undying, and Chen Ming and the others swept through the Woodland Mansion like a swarm of locusts, conquering it and ultimately claiming five Totems of Undying.
What a thoroughly satisfying battle! It was all thanks to Big Bro carrying the team. The Snow Golem got MVP this round! Chen Ming, Dong Qianqiu, and Di Qiu'er were just freeloaders who won by lying low!
"Let's split up the Totems of Undying! Qianqiu, Qiu'er, take two each. After leaving My World, make sure you keep them on you at all times, got it?"
Chen Ming handed the two girls two Totems of Undying each and reminded them. Dong Qianqiu obediently nodded, feeling deeply grateful.
He hadn't hesitated to give her such a life-saving treasure. And after spending so much time together, she seemed to be growing more and more reliant on him.
Of course, this "growing closer over time" hadn't reached the next stage yet. If it did, with the physical enhancements from the Golden Dragon King and the Silver Dragon King, plus the Life Tree's endless support, Dong Qianqiu probably wouldn't be able to handle it.
Their adventure in the Woodland Mansion came to an end. Chen Ming and the others teleported home through the Mini-map. After such a thoroughly satisfying battle, they were all a little tired.
Chen Ming leaned against the bed to rest, while Di Qiu'er slept with her head on his lap. Dong Qianqiu fiddled with her phone.
"What are you doing, Qianqiu?"
Watching Dong Qianqiu swipe back and forth, Chen Ming asked curiously. She immediately moved closer and showed him what was on her phone.
"I'm looking at the scenery I photographed along the way. Look, this is what it looked like in the ocean, and this is you catching fish. Here's you cooking for us, too."
"You look so capable in an apron. And I took pictures of the Dark Forest, the giant mushrooms, the Spruce Forest, and the mountains. I also got you teaching me how to tread water and making delicious food."
Dong Qianqiu showed him her photo album. There were also a few pictures of Chen Ming looking especially handsome. When one of them showed him asleep, she hurriedly tapped the power button, her face instantly turning red.
"Um... let me explain..."
Dong Qianqiu stammered, trying to explain, but Chen Ming didn't mind. It was just a photo.
"It's fine, take as many as you want. As long as they're not private photos, I don't mind."
Chen Ming shrugged. He wasn't ugly, so there was nothing to hide. Dong Qianqiu smiled awkwardly. She'd secretly taken the picture while Chen Ming was napping.
She just didn't know why she'd wanted to save a picture of him on her phone.
Fortunately, Chen Ming didn't mind. But after getting caught in the act, Dong Qianqiu was so embarrassed that she curled her toes and scrunched the bedsheet.
Before long, the vacation came to an end. Dong Qianqiu had had a wonderful time. She'd trained with Chen Ming and had fun, opened mystery boxes, and eaten delicious food. It had been a very relaxing time.
Now Dong Qianqiu had to leave, and she felt a little reluctant. Soon, Chen Ming and Dong Qianqiu stepped out of the Overworld. The next second...
"Ding ding ding ding ding!!!"
A flood of notifications sounded from both their phones. Chen Ming and Dong Qianqiu froze, staring at the barrage of calls and messages—more than ninety-nine—from their phones. They were both dumbfounded.
Looking closer, they saw that every message and call was from Lan Mengqin. They exchanged a glance, suddenly realizing something was very wrong.
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