C27 The Fisherman Gets The Benefits!!

Anna's words were cut short; she could no longer continue.

A dagger had already plunged through her heart.

It was Frank!

With a chilling smile, Frank withdrew the dagger and shoved Anna aside, his voice icy, "I always knew you'd betray me, but I never imagined you'd be so ruthless!"

"Why... you..." Anna staggered, her white sweatshirt soaked in a spreading crimson.

"You're wondering how I reacted so quickly?" Frank said. "I was on guard. Once I concentrated, your 'Infinite Horror' could only frighten me for half a second. You weren't quick enough, so I turned the tables and came out on top!"

Anna, pale-faced, realized, "You were prepared all along!"

"I had a feeling you were holding a grudge," Frank continued. "I didn't think you'd actually go through with it. I was going to give you more time, considering your talents were quite useful to me."

"Do you truly believe you've won? Are you finding it hard to breathe? Is your skin itching?" Anna challenged.

"What have you done to me?" Frank's face drained of color.

"Fool, I poisoned you!" Anna declared. "The poison from the treasure chest, 'Silk Thread Poison,' won't kill but will leave you in a vegetative state. It's taking effect right now! My only mistake was acting too hastily, giving you a chance to retaliate. I didn't expect Hwa Yangzi to fall so quickly. I had to prevent you from claiming his life, which is why you had the opportunity to strike back!"

Enraged, Frank barked, "Wench, I've been checking the food and water you provided. When did you manage to poison me?"

"I knew you'd be cautious," Anna retorted with a sneer, "so I took the antidote beforehand during our intimate moments, and then I poisoned you. Haha... it seems we both lost..."

With those final words, Anna could no longer stand and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"To think you'd poison me during our intimate moments; no wonder I was affected. But I remain the victor, for I possess the antidote!" Frank declared, producing a white pill, "Universal Antidote. Rumored to neutralize all toxins, it may not completely cure me, but at least it will offer some relief..."

Frank had just finished speaking when he downed the Universal Antidote in one gulp.

"Bravo!" At that moment, Chen Guo rose to his feet, applauding. "First, you exploit your talents to use people as expendable pawns, then you stage a dramatic turn between husband and wife—love and betrayal, murder and heartbreak. You two could really be in a movie!"

"You're not dead?!" Frank exclaimed in shock as he saw Chen Guo standing. "You weren't under my control?!"

"I was playing possum, pretending to be under your spell, all the while waiting for this moment! Ever heard the saying, 'The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind'?" Chen Guo retorted.

"Then I'll be the one to send you to your death!" In a sudden fury, Frank lashed out with a kick aimed at Chen Guo.

"Sword of the Singularity!"

Chen Guo had no time for Frank's antics. He drew his Shadowless Sword and unleashed his ultimate technique, "Sword of the Singularity!"

A formidable surge of sword energy shot towards Frank, and in the blink of an eye, he was sliced into pieces.

Frank's head got a glimpse of his own backside, grotesquely positioned right in front of his face.

"You can't possibly be Wang Shaoyun. He doesn't have this kind of fighting prowess. Who are you, really?" Frank's severed head voiced its last confusion.

"Take a guess?" Chen Guo replied with a faint smile.

Frank died, his eyes still wide with disbelief.

"You have slain the trial challenger Frank and earned 1000 slaughter points!"

Chen Guo then turned his attention to Hwa Yangzi, who was teetering on the brink of death.

But to avoid any further trouble, Chen Guo decided to act decisively.

"Five-Element Thunder Magic!"

He unleashed the Five-Element Thunder Magic, striking Hwa Yangzi with full force.

"Divine Lord of Salvation, Sovereign in Yellow..."

Hwa Yangzi's screams echoed as he met his end.

"You have slain the legendary figure Hwa Yangzi, earning 10,000 slaughter points!"

"You have advanced to level 10!"

"By defeating a legendary character, you have acquired the legendary Purest Wood Root!"

"Purest Wood Root: A superior spirit root that accelerates the practice of the Immortal Path, especially potent for wood-based magic arts!"

"You have obtained the Jasper Gourd!"

"Jasper Gourd: A magical artifact capable of containing and refining demons and spirits!"

"Your standing with the Order of the Heaven has increased by 500 points, and you have caught the eye of several of the Taoist Heavenly Gods!"

Chen Guo hardly broke a sweat this time and reaped the biggest reward, skyrocketing to level 10!

Consider this: Hwa Yangzi had a combat strength of 6000, and his three puppets averaged 3000 each. Chen Guo, having left the scene, wouldn't stand a chance against so many bosses on his own.

Thankfully, Frank and his wife sacrificed the lives of twenty-one masters to clear the hurdle. Chen Guo swooped in for the kill and snagged the ultimate prize.

"Is that a treasure chest behind Hwa Yangzi? A redwood treasure chest?"

Chen Guo spotted a redwood treasure chest hidden behind Hwa Yangzi, likely containing his prized possessions.

Without hesitation, Chen Guo picked up the chest and opened it.

"You have obtained the Sovereign's Order!"

"Sovereign's Order: A decree from a Heavenly Venerable, automatically elevating your status."

"You have used the Sovereign's Order!"

"Your status has been elevated from Trial Challenger to Explorer!"

"Explorer Privilege: Earn 5% more slaughter points!"

"Explorer Privilege: Consult the system for assistance with mission queries!"

"Explorer Privilege: Gain earlier access to mission scenarios than Trial Challengers!"

"Explorer Passive Skill: Divine Insight!"

"Divine Insight: You can view the combat strength of Trial Challengers who are within a close range of your own!"

The redwood chest contained only the Sovereign's Order, which automatically activated and upgraded Chen Guo's status.

Chen Guo was no longer just a Trial Challenger; he was now an Explorer with enhanced privileges and the ability to directly assess the combat strength of others, a skill previously limited to monsters.

This status boost didn't directly amplify Chen Guo's combat strength, but it did expand his potential. It was bound to be a game-changer in the future.

Pleased with the outcome, Chen Guo proceeded to search the bodies as was his custom, starting with Hwa Yangzi.

"Ding! Copy ability triggered. You have copied Hwa Yangzi's Spirit Gourd Curse!"

"Spirit Gourd Curse: Recite the spell to capture weaker or gravely injured demons and spirits inside a gourd for refinement." Note: Possessing an Innate Spirit Gourd allows you to capture enemies regardless of the power disparity!"

The potency of the Spirit Gourd Curse remained a mystery, yet given its origin as an Earth Immortal's ability, it was likely to be incredibly potent.

Chen Guo barely gave a second glance to the notion that an Innate Spirit Treasure gourd could bridge gaps in power. After all, he was but an insignificant ant in the grand scheme, light-years away from possessing such an Innate Spirit Treasure.

Even Hwa Yangzi, a former Earth Immortal and a disciple under the Divine Lord of Salvation, wielded a jasper gourd of mere magical artifact caliber. To dream of a Spiritual Treasure was, for now, just that—a dream.