Chapter 3: Entering the Instance "Poisonous Scorpion Jungle

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Having prepared everything he needed, Zi Liyuan headed once again toward White Crane Academy while opening his attribute panel.

[Zi Liyuan]

[Attributes]: Physique 1 (+3), Spirit 2 (+9), Spiritual Power 1 (+9).

[Overall Attributes]: Health 400, Spiritual Energy 1000, Physical Damage +9, Magic Damage +20, Physical Defense +9, Magical Resistance +20

Looking at the Spiritual Energy that had reached 1000 points, Zi Liyuan once again cast his gaze upon the skill section of his attribute panel.

The originally greyed-out "+" behind "Skeleton Summoning" had now been lit up, but only the first of the mutation enhancement requirements had been met.

[Activate Nether Crystal Core, consume 1000 energy points, and mutate (1) strengthen "Skeleton Summoning"? Yes/No?]

Without any hesitation, Zi Liyuan directly clicked "Yes".

There were no cool graphics, no celestial signs, just the skill column enshrouded in a layer of grey, returning to normal after one second.

His previously sparse skill column had split from one skill into two.

The "Skeleton Summoning" skill, like the main trunk of a tree, had mutated a new branch, the "Summon Skeleton Warrior" skill.

[Summon Skeleton Warrior (LV1)]: Use Spirit as a guide, consume 20 units of Spiritual Energy, and summon a Skeleton Warrior from the Netherworld Realm Territory to serve you. (Note: Has a 0.01% chance to summon a Mutated Body Skeleton Warrior)

[Skeleton Warrior]

[Level]: LV1

[Occupation]: Warrior

[Attributes]: Physical Damage 5, Physical Defense 4, Health 50.

[Skills]: Heavy Strike

[Combat Power]: 5

While the energy cost to summon had doubled, the attributes of the Skeleton Warrior were more than double that of an ordinary skeleton, at least reaching the level of a "combat five scum".

With Zi Liyuan's current Spirit strength of 11, he could control 11 Skeleton Warriors at once.

However, Zi Liyuan's focus was now on the last sentence of the skill description.

For him, wasn't a 0.01% chance in the skill description the same as a 100% chance to summon a Mutated Skeleton Warrior?

Arriving once more at the altar square of White Crane Academy, the place was still bustling with crowds.

The once hovering nine-tier altar was now grounded, unknown when, and the first tier of the altar had opened up several swirling blue portals.

Clearly, while Zi Liyuan was preparing his supplies, White Crane Academy had opened up novice instances for levels 1-10 to newcomers.

Standing before an instance portal and gently touching it, Zi Liyuan was transported into a pale blue instance space.

[Please select the instance you wish to enter. Newcomers below level 10 may activate an instance once per day, refreshed automatically at 0:00 daily.]

[Available instances: Gloom Forest, Dungeon Mine, Terror Forest, Blood Land...]

Looking at the several hundred low-level instances, Zi Liyuan felt dazzled and had a deeper impression of White Crane Academy.

As one of the Nine Great Divine Provinces academies, the volume of low-level instances was truly terrifying.

Second and third-tier academies would be very remarkable to have a storage of 20 instances for levels 1-10, yet here there were several hundreds, and all were handpicked for being very cost-effective.

No wonder so many students were desperate to become part of the Nine Great Divine States Academy; the resources were indeed abundant.

Zi Liyuan immediately began to filter through and quickly chose an instance that was advantageous for him— "Scorpion Jungle".

This was an insect-type instance famous for its toxins and abundant monsters, chosen by very few but exceptionally suitable for his needs.

The monsters in this instance, scorpions, had low attack, weak defense, and low health, but their toxin effects posed considerable threats to ordinary adventurers.

But undead creatures were immune to toxin damage, making this instance a rare treasure for Zi Liyuan.

[Confirm entry into "Scorpion Jungle" instance? Yes/No?]

After he selected "Yes", a portal emitting a ghostly green glow appeared in front of Zi Liyuan.

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[Please select a dungeon difficulty: Normal, Elite, or Rare. Once the difficulty is confirmed, teleportation will begin immediately.]

For low-level dungeons below level 20, there are only three difficulties. For maximum benefit, Zi Liyuan directly chose the "Rare" difficulty.

After a dizzying spin, Zi Liyuan found himself in a sandy jungle.

The sparse low bushes and ubiquitous gravel made the entire dungeon space feel desolate and bleak.

Without wallowing in sentiment, Zi Liyuan gripped the [Staff of Bones] and activated the skill [Summon Skeleton Warrior], although he was muttering under his breath.

"Goddess of Luck, grace me with a Defense-Enhanced Mutated Skeleton Warrior~~"

As a grey-black summoning circle appeared, a Skeleton Warrior holding a half-body shield was conjured before him.

[Mutated Skeleton Warrior]

[Level]: LV1

[Class]: Shield Warrior

[Attributes]: Physical Damage 3, Physical Defense 8, Health 100.

[Skill]: Taunt

[Combat Power]: 6

"Excellent, with this talent for wishful thinking, I'm leagues ahead of the Luck Emperors! Not to mention those shady lot."

Zi Liyuan was quite satisfied with the Shield Warrior skeleton. Though it sacrificed 2 points in attack, its Physical Defense and Health had more than doubled, transitioning it from combat trash to slightly less trash.

Without any delay, Zi Liyuan continued to mutter incantations and summoned 11 Skeleton Warriors in succession.

Among them, 3 were Mutated Shield Skeletons, while the remaining 8 were Mutated Berserker Skeletons.

[Mutated Skeleton Warrior]

[Level]: LV1

[Class]: Berserker

[Attributes]: Physical Damage 10, Physical Defense 2, Health 80.

[Skill]: Heavy Strike

[Combat Power]: 7

Ribcage No. 1, the Shield Skeleton, stayed behind for protection. Ribcage Nos. 2 and 3 led the way, followed by the Berserker Skeletons, Ribcage Nos. 4-11, plowing through without a care - this was the Undead tactic, a Skeleton Sea pushing through everything!

Of course, Zi Liyuan was far from possessing a Skeleton Sea in scale, but he believed that as long as he stayed low and kept developing, the Undead Scourge was not an unrealistic dream.

Shield Warriors Ribcage Nos. 2 and 3 had barely walked out ten meters when a mound rose beneath the gravel, and a half-meter-sized green-armored scorpion emerged with a thin mist of green poison and charged out.

Its enormous pincers swept at Ribcage No. 2, but with a "clang," the attack was blocked by Ribcage No. 2's bone shield.

[Jungle Poison Scorpion (Rare)]

[Level]: LV1

[Attributes]: Physical Damage 6, Physical Defense 6, Health 200.

[Skill]: Toxic Erosion

[Combat Power]: 10

The moment the two sides clashed, the monster's attributes were displayed before Zi Liyuan's eyes.

Without the skill Toxic Erosion, this scorpion's attributes would definitely be at the bottom of the pile among creatures of its rank.

Zi Liyuan, with little regard for martial morality, waved his hand grandly and his gang of Skeleton thugs lifelessly mobbed the creature.

With Ribcage No. 2 in the front taking the hits, a flurry of bone swords hacked away madly, quickly dismembering the scorpion.

[You have slain a Jungle Poison Scorpion (LV1, Rare), gained +30 experience.]

[Materials obtained: Scorpion Tail (Blue) x1, Scorpion Pincers (Green) x2, Scorpion Shell Fragments (White) x5]