Chapter 329 - Dragon Seal

Meng Qi’s Power potential increased by three while his Water potential increased by four. A single gallbladder had boosted his potential dramatically.

He eyed the two remaining gallbladders with keen anticipation. “If I eat the other two, won’t I turn into some kind of genius?”

Leng Ning snorted. “What are you talking about? It only works once per person, and it only raises Power and Water potential. Since yours jumped so much, your Power and Water should be near 30 already, right?”

Meng Qi grinned. “Yep. Power’s at 30, and Water’s at 28.”

“Then there’s no need to eat any more.” Leng Ning glanced at Han Wu. “Do you want one?”

Han Wu checked his interface. His Power was 32, and his Water was 42. They both far exceeded the gallbladder’s effective range, so he shook his head. “No need.”

Leng Ning’s curiosity spiked. She had previously investigated Han Wu’s background. His parents were ordinary workers living in a small house on the outskirts. Given their poverty, it was almost certain that Han Wu had never cultivated properly as a youth. She had even seen his potential on the information sheet. Yet he refused the gallbladder to increase his potential, which only deepened her suspicion.

“Hey, what are your current numbers?” she asked.

“It’s a secret,” he answered.

Leng Ning’s expression soured. They were already teammates, yet he still kept his information hidden. Clearly, he didn’t trust her.

Han Wu chose not to explain further. He kept his values hidden to avoid discouraging them.

The three cleared the area and pressed forward. The Dragon Seal was a place where treasures and rare herbs could appear anywhere, so they needed to explore thoroughly.

After three hours of walking, they arrived at a canyon.

Han Wu spotted a four-colored flower blooming along the cliff wall. He had read about it before in his book. It was a rare treasure, capable of granting Assist Points for Water, Earth, Wind, and Fire simultaneously. The older the flower, the more Assist Points it offered, making it a crucial resource for leveling up his Skills. Meng Qi and Leng Ning agreed with his plan to collect it.

Most treasures in the Survival Sites were guarded by formidable creatures, and their presence had been documented by previous adventurers. To claim the flower safely, they first had to locate any guardian to avoid ambush.

The three scoured the area, with Leng Ning employing her newly acquired third Skill, Frost Gaze, which could detect the heat signatures of living beings. Through it, she noticed a peculiar stone beside the flower. It was no stone at all but a living creature expertly camouflaged.

Han Wu nodded and launched a Fireball at the creature. Black flames consumed it, and it leaped in agony. In its panic, it tumbled off the cliff and died. Han Wu did not know what species it was, but with it neutralized, he climbed down and plucked the flower without interference.

Under Leng Ning and Meng Qi’s protection, Han Wu consumed the flower and absorbed its Assist Points. Having grown for a century, the flower granted him a total of 10,000 Assist Points across the four attributes. Life Shield soared to Level 15 and grew even tougher, while Vigor received enough Assist Points to reach Level 13—though it still required Assist Points from the other three attributes to advance further.

Both Leng Ning and Meng Qi rejoiced at Han Wu’s growth.

The trio continued exploring until night fell. Within the Dragon Seal, night was especially perilous, as powerful creatures emerged to hunt.

Meng Qi had heard that many teams failed to survive their first night, so he had made ample preparations. He retrieved a bag of bone dust he had bought at great expense. The dust came from the bones of a powerful, ferocious creature. Scattering it around the campsite, he hoped its scent would ward off some of the night predators. They then took turns keeping watch to ensure their safety.

Han Wu took the first watch and ensured everything was secure. The night in the Dragon Seal pressed heavily on him. He sat within the circle of bone dust, catching occasional sounds of fighting. A massive porcupine bristling with spines and a pack of hungry wild dogs crossed his path. He handled them cautiously, careful not to wake Meng Qi or Leng Ning, until something entirely unexpected appeared.

After incinerating the wild dogs with his Fireballs, he heard a rhythmic marching sound. He hurled a Fireball toward it and discovered a massive swarm of ants, each the size of his fist, advancing toward them. Their numbers were impossible to count.

The ants surrounded them but remained at the edge of the bone dust. The scent of the dead beast deterred them, and they dared not cross it. They had no choice but to circle around the campsite incessantly.

Han Wu quickly roused Meng Qi and Leng Ning. Still rubbing sleep from their eyes, they stepped from their tent and stared at the dense ant swarm in disbelief. There were far too many of them. They could strip flesh from bone in moments. Fortunately, they dared not cross the protective circle of bone dust.

Meng Qi patted his chest with pride. “Thank goodness I was smart enough to buy the bone dust, or we would all—”

A sudden gust of wind swept through, scattering part of the bone dust and leaving gaps in their defense. The ants surged through the breaches to attack them.

Meng Qi was stunned. He had barely praised himself when the wind undid his handiwork.

Amid the chaos, Leng Ning remained calm and issued clear orders. “Stop staring! Activate your Golden Bell and Iron Shirt! Move through the swarm and try to stun them with the Golden Bell’s effect!”

Meng Qi had no time to think. He obeyed immediately. The combined defenses of the Golden Bell and Iron Shirt shielded them from the swarm, while the Sonorous Chime effect killed many ants outright, piercing their organs with destructive sound waves.

Even so, the ant swarm was immense. Meng Qi had only eliminated the tip of the iceberg.