Undying Body

[Spirit Pearls +550]

???

"How was a monster that broken only worth 550 Spirit Pearls?"

The mantis shrimp and the Human-Faced Thornfish weren't even in the same league!

Why was it only worth fifty more Spirit Pearls than the thornfish?

Xiao Hao couldn't help voicing his confusion.

[That's right. A level-ten wild monster is worth exactly 550 Spirit Pearls.]

[The streamer's beaten pretty much all the minibosses in his starter village, hasn't he?]

[There's still one miniboss and one main boss left.]

[Seriously, this streamer's fucking amazing. Other players start with regular mobs, but he went straight for a miniboss.]

[Yeah, most players can't even find a boss. He just stumbles across them, and he even went all that way to run into such a rare one.]

[His luck is unreal!]

???

Xiao Hao was baffled all over again.

So every monster he'd fought, starting with the very first one, had been a boss?

No wonder he'd always thought this game was ridiculously difficult. Even with a Shadow Seahorse as overpowered as a game-breaking bug, he'd struggled so badly. How was anyone else supposed to survive?

It turned out he'd been playing on hell mode all along...

And they called that luck?

Hadn't he just been following the chat the whole time?

After a moment's thought, Xiao Hao figured it out.

Why would the viewers want to watch him fight ordinary mobs?

If he was going to fight, naturally it had to be a boss.

So it made perfect sense that they'd indirectly steered him toward bosses.

The viewers didn't even realize they were the ones who'd guided him there.

Xiao Hao didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

After summoning the Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Xiao Hao couldn't shake the feeling that it had shrunk.

Its information page showed that the Peacock Mantis Shrimp had returned to level zero.

Uh...

All right, raising it to level ten required 550 Spirit Pearls in total, exactly as many as it had dropped.

Unfortunately, a guardian's level couldn't exceed the Coral Shell Room's.

He spent all 550 Spirit Pearls, bringing the Coral Shell Room to level five, the seahorses to level five, and the mantis shrimp to level four.

He climbed onto the mantis shrimp's armored back. He wouldn't be walking home himself.

[Aaaaah! I want to ride a mantis shrimp too!]

[That looks so majestic!]

[So cool. I'm jealous...]

[That's even more impressive than a pegasus!]

Seated on its armored back, Xiao Hao didn't feel the slightest wobble.

With over a dozen pairs of ruby-like jointed legs, its gait was incredibly steady.

Xiao Hao took spicy strips out of his Space Slot while browsing the chat and the forum.

His maximum stamina was down to fifty. Tomorrow, he would have to gather Soul-Replenishing Grass.

[How does he know the way back?]

A little later, Xiao Hao spotted a fluorescent aquatic plant and casually explained, "Yep, there's that landmark, so this is the right direction."

[???]

[This streamer's brain is amazing!]

[As someone with no sense of direction, I'm jealous!]

[My god, he traveled over a kilometer across the dark seabed, and he's finding his way using these tiny landmarks? Isn't he afraid of mixing them up?]

[Waaah, I'm useless.]

[Back then, I only survived by relying on an expert. Compared to this streamer... forget it. There's no comparison.]

Xiao Hao nearly blushed.

Luckily, he had thick skin.

Keep the compliments coming. Don't stop.

He opened the forum. It was still a sea of misery.

Finding nothing useful, Xiao Hao casually closed it.

What he didn't know was that someone had noticed him the moment he came online on the forum.

Before the players could even greet the expert, Xiao Hao went offline again, leaving those hoping to ride his coattails thoroughly frustrated.

[Hey, which Battle General skill do you think he picked?]

[No idea. I've heard Peacock Mantis Shrimp are incredibly rare and have lots of unique skills.]

Only then did Xiao Hao remember he hadn't chosen his Battle General skill yet.

He'd been so eager to return to the Coral Shell Room to rest and recover that he'd rushed through the upgrades without looking closely.

Xiao Hao immediately opened the mantis shrimp's guardian information page.

Guardian (Battle General): Peacock Mantis Shrimp

Attributes: metal, water

Level: 4

Skills:

Jade Armor: the Peacock Mantis Shrimp's shell is metal-attribute Jade Armor, possessing exceptionally powerful defenses and granting near immunity to physical attacks from opponents of the same level.

Mantis Scythe: the Peacock Mantis Shrimp's scythe-like appendages are extraordinarily sharp, with special severing and piercing properties. Opponents of the same level are virtually unable to defend against its reaper's scythes.

Rinkaku Tentacles: the Peacock Mantis Shrimp can branch out numerous Rinkaku Tentacles to attack or bind enemies. These tentacles can regenerate.

Sea Fan Peacock Tail: the Peacock Mantis Shrimp's peacock-tail sea fan can stir up undercurrents or waves. Even in areas without water, Sea Fan Peacock Tail can condense water molecules from the air to create waves.

Undying body (passive skill): undying body greatly enhances the Peacock Mantis Shrimp's physical capabilities and continuously unlocks its body's potential. It is the key to the Peacock Mantis Shrimp's unrestricted use of its skills.

Well, damn. The mantis shrimp's tentacles really were Rinkaku.

He didn't know whether this Rinkaku was the same as that other Rinkaku, but they certainly looked alike.

The last skill made Xiao Hao's heart skip a beat!

He wanted the other four skills too, but that final passive skill was the crucial one!

The key to using skills!

God knew how frustrating it was to possess the seahorses' skills yet be unable to use them properly!

He could only use them for a few seconds at a time, and two or three uses left him completely drained.

Just how weak was his body?

Undying body!

I have to pick undying body!

On the pale-red game panel, the five skills glowed with a faint green light.

Xiao Hao selected undying body with a thought, and a dialog box immediately appeared.

[Select Battle General skill-undying body?]

Do you even need to ask?

Yes!

A warm current suddenly erupted from his lower abdomen and spread through his limbs. Sweat seeped continuously from his skin, and Xiao Hao could even feel his blood flowing, scorching hot as magma.

Back at the Coral Shell Room, Xiao Hao discovered that his level-five base had gained a kitchen. Without taking a closer look, he rushed into the bathroom and stripped off his clothes, revealing eight sharply defined abdominal muscles.

Xiao Hao froze. This skill had a bodybuilding effect too?

With no time to dwell on it, Xiao Hao turned on the shower. Cold water washed over him, only to send up a cloud of steam.

After a long shower, his body temperature finally dropped. Xiao Hao wiped the large bathroom mirror and looked at his physique, as muscular as Muscle Golden Wheel's, the corners of his mouth rising uncontrollably.

Who knows which lucky girl will get to enjoy this someday?

As his thoughts wandered, Xiao Hao brought himself back to reality.

Let's get through this ordeal first.

The crisis isn't over. This humble monk's tranquil heart must remain unwavering!

He casually synthesized a bathrobe and walked out of the bathroom.

Only after he lay down on the bed and opened the game panel did he see the densely packed chat messages.

[His skin is so smooth!]

[Those resolute eyes, that faint veil of moisture, and that bathrobe giving us little glimpses... that hazy look is so sexy!]

[Smooth without looking greasy. I remember the game's livestreams don't have beauty filters, so how does he look like he's using a level-ten one?]

When he'd first obtained the undying body skill, he'd been hot-blooded in the most literal sense.

Xiao Hao had been so focused on cooling down that he'd forgotten his livestream was still running...

Then, just like he always used to, he'd strolled out without a care, wearing only a bathrobe.

I'm done for!

Another legendary moment of public humiliation!

Xiao Hao clutched the quilt tightly around himself, his face reddening.

He couldn't help feeling grateful that he didn't sleep naked. Otherwise, the sheer embarrassment would have driven him insane!

[Let go of that quilt and come at me instead!]

Like hell I will!

Glancing toward the kitchen, Xiao Hao realized the meat stored in his Space Slot finally had a use.

Unfortunately, he'd eaten too many snacks on the way back and wasn't hungry.

After a whole day of fighting, he was tired too. Xiao Hao couldn't be bothered to cook.

He switched off the coral shell lights and said softly, "Good night."

[Hubby's so gentle. He even says good night to himself.]

[So handsome, and he really makes a ritual of it. I'm going to start saying good night to myself too.]

[Good night! You'll definitely find Soul-Replenishing Grass tomorrow!]

[That's right. We're always here with you!]

[Nighty-night.]

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