Reaching Level Four

"But I'm only level four."

Calculating based on the ten-fold experience requirement for each level, he would need 1,000,000,000 Core Power to reach level ten!

With that many zeros, perhaps only Chengdu could afford such a cost.

Xiao Fan really found it hard to imagine; at one hundred Core Power a day, how long would it take him to earn that much?

"Could there be other ways to earn Core Power in this game?"

The more Xiao Fan thought about it, the more unreasonable the game seemed.

"The experience required after level five won't increase ten-fold."

Wind Snow Traveler seemed to see what Xiao Fan was thinking and took the initiative to explain.

Xiao Fan breathed a sigh of relief, though not entirely.

After all, reaching level five already required ten thousand experience; even without a ten-fold increase, it would still start at ten thousand.

"It's a pity that the Novice Zone limits the amount of Core Power that can be traded at once, otherwise I could have lent you some."

Wind Snow Traveler said with regret.

Over these years, unable to level up, he had accumulated a great deal of Core Power from hunting.

However, the game system had a protection mechanism for novices, preventing new players from trading more than 1,000 Core Power per month.

Otherwise, he would have been truly willing to lend Xiao Fan the Core Power to level up so they could go clear the trial dungeon together.

Xiao Fan felt a bit regretful too; he had almost had a chance to avoid working so hard.

But upon further reflection, he realized this mechanism was meant to protect people from backgrounds like his. Otherwise, if there were no limits on Core Power trading, players from wealthy families wouldn't even need to stay in the Novice Zone.

Xiao Fan felt a strange sense of balance in his heart.

"Right, Village Chief, do you know if there are any places near Zone 18 where one can obtain high amounts of Core Power?"

Wind Snow Traveler: "There are, but they are dangerous."

Xiao Fan's eyes lit up: "So such a place really exists!"

"How dangerous is it?" Xiao Fan asked.

Wind Snow Traveler: "Even my team has only been there once."

Xiao Fan's expression dimmed instantly. If even a level ten Wind Snow Traveler had only been there once, one could imagine how dangerous that place was.

He had to be responsible for the safety of his team members; such a place was truly not...

"That one time, each of us obtained 1,000 Core Power."

Xiao Fan: Go! I'm going to the dangerous place!

That was 1,000 Core Power per person in one go; if it weren't dangerous, it wouldn't be worth that price, would it?

Seeing Xiao Fan's expression, Wind Snow Traveler knew he was determined to go, and he sighed inwardly.

Is this what a player with a Heaven-Tier Skill is like? He certainly has more confidence.

Following that, Wind Snow Traveler told Xiao Fan all the information he had about the place.

According to him, it was a small Secret Realm.

There were three Bosses in the Secret Realm, along with countless minor monsters.

Although those minor monsters were not high-level, they made up for it with their sheer numbers.

When speaking of this, Wind Snow Traveler still felt a lingering fear.

"If we hadn't had high levels and high stats at the time, we would have been worn down to death by those swarming minor monsters."

"Couldn't those minor monsters be killed separately?" Xiao Fan asked.

Wind Snow Traveler was stunned for a moment.

Back then in the Secret Realm, they had seen the minor monsters were low-level and charged straight in, only to find more and more appearing until they were surrounded by three layers of them inside and out.

They had been so focused on fighting for their lives that they hadn't thought of anything else.

Now, hearing Xiao Fan's question, Wind Snow Traveler seemed to realize something.

If those minor monsters could truly have been killed separately...

Then what did that mean for the time they were almost swarmed to death?

"Please continue." Xiao Fan did not press the issue.

He already had his answer. Having never been exposed to games before, combined with the singular nature of their skills, people here were quite direct when it came to killing monsters. Especially ordinary people.

Wind Snow Traveler remained silent for a moment before continuing to talk about the three Bosses.

"All three Bosses are level five. Since our levels were high, killing the first and second Bosses wasn't too difficult."

"The hard part is the third Boss..."

The horizon began to glow with a pale white light, and the ink-like darkness gradually thinned. The distant mountain ranges began to sharpen, looking like a landscape painting slowly being washed out by clear water.

The first ray of morning light pierced through the clouds, dyeing the horizon a faint golden red.

The two had chatted all night, and seeing the dawn break, Wind Snow Traveler stood up.

"I can understand why you want to go to that Secret Realm, but I still have to remind you: with your talent, as long as you survive, your future holds infinite possibilities."

Wind Snow Traveler still did not want to see Xiao Fan take risks; after all, Xiao Fan was the first Player in four years to reignite his hope.

"Thank you for the reminder."

Seeing the determination in Xiao Fan's eyes, Wind Snow Traveler was stunned for a moment.

"Good luck."

Watching Wind Snow Traveler leave, Xiao Fan sighed inwardly.

If talent were truly useful, would he still be appearing in Zone 18?

Uncle's illness, his impoverished family, and...

The humiliation from the Chen Family!

These matters constantly weighed on his heart.

He had no choice but to fight with his life!

However, that said, he would not gamble with his life recklessly.

He would go to the Secret Realm, but only after Garfield Without Fat and the others reached level four.

Moreover, he needed to accumulate some Core Power.

After reaching level four, his skill Gift of the Holy Mother could be upgraded again, but it required one thousand Core Power.

Additionally, he needed to store some Core Power for emergencies.

There was also Halo of the Saint, which needed more mana farmed up.

"Brother Chen, you didn't sleep all night yesterday; why don't you take a day off?" Garfield Without Fat suggested.

Xiao Fan shook his head. His Spirit stat was naturally high, so he didn't feel very tired after one night without sleep. If he activated a skill while hunting, wouldn't his condition return to normal?

"No need, let's go. I have something to tell you all."

On the way, Xiao Fan explained his plan to take them to the Secret Realm, with the prerequisite that everyone must reach level four.

"This Secret Realm sounds so cool." Zai Zai's eyes lit up.

"One thousand per person, let's go for it!" Garfield Without Fat raised his hands and shouted excitedly.

Swift as Wind and Han the Person also looked on with anticipation.

Over the next few days, the group hunted beasts with all their might, striving to reach level four as soon as possible.

During this period, the other two teams also encountered Wild Bosses twice.

Although these Players had reached level two, they never dared to enter the level two Beast Zone of the Northwest Forest.

Whenever they encountered a Boss, they would call for help from the Xiao Fan Team.

Operating on the principle that even a mosquito is meat, the Xiao Fan Team would stop by to resolve the issues on their way.

After their efforts, seven days later, the entire Xiao Fan Team finally reached level two.

Xiao Fan spent one thousand Core Power to upgrade the skill Gift of the Holy Mother.

Skill Name: Gift of the Holy Mother 4 (Upgradable)

Skill Rank: Heaven Rank

Skill Description: After active activation, consumes 80 mana points to unfold a pure Radiant Domain centered on the caster. All friendly units within range immediately gain an 80-point [Holy Light Shield], movement speed increased by 65%, all negative status effects removed, and [Gift] is granted for 15 seconds: restores 15 health points per second.

Cooldown: 90 seconds.

Creation Attributes: Intelligence 10(+), Spirit 10(+), Constitution 10(+)

Creation Trait: Saint (Unique)

Very good, the effects had increased and the cooldown had decreased.

But that one thousand Core Power really made his heart ache.