Chapter 13: Departure, Harvest

"Finally, it's over..."

Su Yuan let go of his left hand. Blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. His body was covered in burns and wounds, all inflicted by the Green Flame White Wolf's desperate struggle. After all, the Green Flame White Wolf had the "Wolf Nature" talent.

Fortunately, it only lasted a few seconds. Otherwise, he would not have been able to endure it any longer.

"Even though they are both Bronze Level, the difference between elite and ordinary is much greater than I imagined..."

Su Yuan felt a shiver in his heart. The Green Flame White Wolf's strength was far higher than he had expected. This time, he had taken quite a risk.

It might have been because he had suppressed himself for a year, and now, with his explosive growth in strength and after killing the Bronze Level Wind Running Weasel, he had become somewhat impetuous.

"I need to reflect on this carefully. After all, I only have one life."

While Su Yuan was summing up, Zhuang Xun walked over, dumbfounded. Looking at the corpse of the Green Flame White Wolf lying on the ground, he skeptically asked, "This... you killed it just like that?"

Su Yuan, still reflecting on himself, nodded casually, saying, "Killed it."

"Killing such a powerful Green Flame White Wolf and still staying so calm, is this what a real expert is like?" Seeing Su Yuan so composed, Zhuang Xun secretly marveled, "Indeed, I still don't have enough 'expert demeanor.' Stay calm, stay calm, it's just a Green Flame White Wolf, no big deal!"

"But how did Su Yuan get on top of the Green Flame White Wolf? Could he possibly fly?"

Zhuang Xun was still very puzzled.

Earlier, while dealing with the Gray Flame Strike, Zhuang Xun had been fully occupied conjuring fireballs, paying no attention to how Su Yuan had suddenly appeared.

Zhuang Xun was about to ask further when Su Yuan had already leaned down to extract the Green Flame White Wolf's Star Core.

"As we agreed earlier, the Star Core is mine, and the Flame Crystal Stone is yours."

"Oh, right, the Flame Crystal Stone!" Zhuang Xun slapped his forehead. Seeing the Flame Crystal Stone on the ground in the distance, he rushed over happily to pick it up, without bothering to question Su Yuan any further.

He held the Flame Crystal Stone in his hand, studying it fondly for a moment. Suddenly, a white light flashed on his left hand, and the Flame Crystal Stone disappeared from his hand.

"A space ring? No wonder he didn't even carry a backpack. Truly a rich kid..." Su Yuan's gaze fell on the ring on Zhuang Xun's left hand, clicking his tongue, "This thing is really convenient. I'll have to buy one when I have money."

While Su Yuan was secretly thinking, he carefully put the Green Flame White Wolf's Star Core in his bosom and then retrieved his backpack and scabbard from a distance, sitting down to rest.

Zhuang Xun, satisfied, clapped his hands and walked over to Su Yuan: "Su Yuan, thanks a million this time! You not only saved my life twice but also killed the Green Flame White Wolf to help me get the Flame Crystal Stone!"

Su Yuan shook his head and smiled: "It's nothing, really. Besides, the reason we could kill the Green Flame White Wolf so smoothly was mainly because you attracted its fire."

Seeing Su Yuan say this, Zhuang Xun laughed and said, "Alright, I won't thank you much more then. Let's exchange contact information; if you need any help in the future, just let me know."

Su Yuan nodded: "Sure."

The two exchanged contact information and then went their separate ways.

Zhuang Xun headed directly back to Qingye City with the Flame Crystal Stone, while Su Yuan planned to replenish and rest in the suburbs of Guangchuan City, let his parents know he was safe, and then head back to the Great Barbarian Mountain Area to hunt Star Dust.

After all, whether it was the Hardened Iron Skin, Instant Movement, or the soon-to-be-acquired Gray Flame Strike, they all consumed a lot of Star Dust.

With three weeks left in the winter break, he had to seize the time.

After leaving the Great Barbarian Mountain Area, he returned to a hotel in the eastern suburbs of Guangchuan City to rest for a day, replenished his supplies, and then returned to the Great Barbarian Mountain Area to continue hunting Star Beasts.

...

Time flew, and before he knew it, the winter break was almost over.

Su Yuan left the Great Barbarian Mountain Area again, took a good shower in the hotel, and then took the light rail home.

Besides the time spent resting in the hotel and traveling back and forth, Su Yuan had spent almost three and a half weeks in the Great Barbarian Mountain Area.

On good days, he could hunt a dozen or so Star Beasts. On bad days, only five or six.

This was because the outer areas of the Great Barbarian Mountain Area were sparse with Star Beasts, and Su Yuan did not venture deep inside easily.

After the battle with the Green Flame White Wolf, Su Yuan realized he needed to develop more steadily.

After nearly a month of hunting, Su Yuan had gained nearly 2000 points of Star Dust, and his status panel had undergone tremendous changes!

[Host: Su Yuan]

[Level: Star Apprentice Eighth Stage]

[Soul Card: Azure Sky Phoenix]

[Grade: Master]

[Species: Phoenix]

[Element: Space]

[Talent: Azure Sky - enhances the power of space-related skills by 20%]

[Six Dimensions: Strength C, Agility C, Defense C, Constitution C, Spirit C, Star Power C]

[Soul Skill: Instant Movement (blue, mastered): casting time reduced to 0.5 seconds, casting interval 4 seconds, teleportation distance affected by skill level and Star Power]

[Skills: Steel Flame Finger (white, transformation), Hardened Iron Skin (white, transformation), Wind Walking (white, transformation), Gray Flame Strike (green, great success)]

[Star Dust: 160]

The system panel elements had been directly color-coded by Su Yuan.

The cost-performance ratio of the three White Card skills was the highest, so Su Yuan had upgraded them all to the transformation realm, resulting in not only enhanced power but also a qualitative change.

The transformation level Steel Flame Finger could cover his entire palm and fingers and had been used against the Green Flame White Wolf, showing strong lethality.

The transformation level Hardened Iron Skin could turn his entire body into steel skin for a certain period, similar to the iron cloth in Earth's martial arts, making him almost impervious to blades and bullets!

The transformation level Wind Walking allowed him to manipulate the wind to affect the trajectory of long-range attacks, thereby evading certain types of ranged attacks.

Additionally, the Green Card Gray Flame Strike was upgraded to great success. It was highly consuming, but the power increased correspondingly! Although it was not as strong as the Green Flame White Wolf's strike, it was not far off.

Lastly, the Soul Skill Instant Movement, due to the high Star Dust cost for upgrading blue skills, was only leveled up to master. However, it became increasingly useful, further reducing casting time and interval, and enhancing teleportation distance.

After many upgrades, Su Yuan had also gained a deeper understanding of the system's functions.

Enhancing a White Card skill once required 10 points of Star Dust, a Green Card 40 points, and a Blue Card 200 points.

If using the system's extraction function to choose directly, it would consume the Star Dust required for one upgrade.

"It's just that the E-3 longsword is almost scrapped. With the Joint Trial coming up, I'll need to buy a new one." Su Yuan sighed slightly.

This month of training had turned his nearly new longsword into a worn-out mess, and in the battle two days ago, it had even been broken by a Star Beast.

Su Yuan had buried it in the woods of the Great Barbarian Mountain Area as he left.

"It would be nice to have a Weapon Card. Regardless of its attributes, at least Star Devices wouldn't be as easily damaged as Mortal Iron."

Thinking of Zhuang Xun's black and red longsword with the scorching trait, Su Yuan couldn't help but feel envious.

...

Tang Shiyang, who had gotten the news of her son's return, waited early in the living room. As soon as Su Yuan came back, she quickly went up to check him all over, very worried.

It took a full two hours before Su Yuan finally escaped from his mother's deep concern and endless questions.

Returning to his bedroom, Su Yuan collapsed into bed in a big, spread-eagle position and slowly closed his eyes.

"Overall, this trip to the Great Barbarian Mountain Area was very rewarding. The rapid improvement in strength is quite addictive. But it's really exhausting, both physically and mentally..."

The warm atmosphere at home quickly relaxed Su Yuan's continuously tense nerves, and as he lay there with his eyes closed, he fell into a deep sleep within a few seconds.

In a short while, Tang Shiyang came to his bedroom with a plate of freshly cut fruit: "Little Yuan, these are fresh fruits your dad brought back from the suburbs this morning..."

Tang Shiyang opened the door, only to find Su Yuan already asleep. She quickly stopped talking.

"He fell asleep so quickly, this child..."

There was pain in Tang Shiyang's eyes, and tears involuntarily welled up.

Su Yuan had spent a whole month in such a dangerous place as the Great Barbarian Mountain Area. As a mother, how could Tang Shiyang not feel pained and worried?

But seeing her son work so hard, she and his father could only support him and try not to be a hindrance to his growth.

Gently placing the fruit platter on the bedside table, Tang Shiyang carefully pulled the quilt over Su Yuan, then quietly exited the bedroom...