Chen Tian appeared unharmed before the Bloodwood Giant Rhinoceros, which could hardly believe that its previous attack had no effect, having clearly struck the opponent.
What the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros didn't know was that Chen Tian had awakened the ability to control earth elements, and even his elemental divine body rendered earth elemental attacks immune, thus causing no damage. Chen Tian smirked and said, "Do you have any other moves now?"
The Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros retorted, "Don't think you can defeat me."
With those words, it burrowed into the ground again. Chen Tian called out, "This move is useless against me now."
Chen Tian stomped his feet, and the entire ground shook. A figure then shot into the sky. The Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros stared at Chen Tian in disbelief, forced to emerge from the ground.
Chen Tian spread wings from his back, but this time they were composed of earth. He instantly ascended into the sky. The Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros was shocked and exclaimed, "Impossible! How can you still control earth element abilities? How can one person possess three elements?"
Chen Tian kicked out with his feet, striking the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros in the abdomen. The rhinoceros's body then shot towards the wall, embedding itself with a thud.
The Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros lost a full 15% of its health. Witnessing the damage dealt by Chen Tian, it found it hard to believe that it was now being completely outmatched.
It slowly emerged from the wall, its eyes glowing with silver light before transforming into its massive true form, appearing before Chen Tian.
Chen Tian knew the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros was enraged, but what of it? His current power boost had reached 350%, slightly surpassing the rhinoceros. Even if it unleashed its true form, Chen Tian wouldn't be at a disadvantage; it would be a draw at best.
But let's not forget the "Ever-Fighting, Ever-Stronger" effect, which had a cap of 1000%. Chen Tian was confident that once he reached 500%, he could slay the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros, unless it had other hidden trump cards, which Chen Tian highly doubted it didn't.
Its colossal body appeared before Chen Tian, its legs slamming down. Chen Tian swung his fists, parrying the attack. Simultaneously, waves of energy swept out, causing the surrounding cave to collapse.
Chen Tian exerted force with his fists, sending the rhinoceros's legs flying back. He then appeared above the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros's head and unleashed a flurry of punches. The blows struck its armored body with a crack, and a fissure slowly appeared. Chen Tian's fists had shattered the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros's defense.
The Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros roared in pain, its entire body emitting silver light. A fearsome sonic wave spread outwards. Chen Tian brought his wings together to resist the sound, the earth-element wings offering considerable defense, as earth elements are known for their sturdiness and resilience.
Chen Tian slowly spread his wings, and the armor that had previously cracked began to repair itself. Chen Tian then conjured elemental dual blades in his hands. If fists couldn't fully break through, then weapons would have to do.
With dual blades in hand, various elemental currents swirled around him, converging on the weapons. As Chen Tian’s blades materialized, the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros felt a primal fear, knowing those blades could cleave its body apart.
It then whipped its tail, a silver meteor hammer on its tip, swinging it towards Chen Tian. The terrifying force caused the air to explode. Chen Tian knew it had used a self-created skill, but so what? Facing the meteor hammer tail, his dual blades glowed with a seven-colored radiance. A slash of seven-colored blade energy fell, and a massive tail landed on the ground.
"Roar!"
The Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros cried out in agony, its tail completely severed by Chen Tian. Its self-created skill proved utterly ineffective against Chen Tian. Chen Tian then brandished his dual blades and charged at the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros, a smirk on his lips as he declared, "It's time to end this."
He extended his arms, crossed his dual blades, and spun his entire body, transforming into a drill. He pierced through the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros's body, instantly depleting its health.
The power of the dual blades, imbued with multiple elemental energies, was immeasurable, especially with Chen Tian's mastery of wind element reaching the highest level. The damage dealt was beyond calculation.
Then, behind Chen Tian, an explosion resonated, and the Bloodless Giant Rhinoceros's body shattered into countless fragments that flew towards the sky. A synthesized voice echoed in Chen Tian's mind.
"Ding! Congratulations to player for defeating boss Bloodwood Giant Rhinoceros. Level increased to seventy-eight."
"Ding! Congratulations to player for obtaining three thousand attribute points."
"Ding! Congratulations to player for obtaining three Skill Fusion Cards."
"Ding! Congratulations to player for obtaining equipment: Silver Armor!"
"Ding! Congratulations to player for obtaining ability: Silver Sand Mastery!"
Chen Tian rejoiced at the voices in his mind and then reviewed the rewards. Three thousand attribute points were decent, though he had only gained three levels for defeating a boss of a higher level. The experience required now was truly immense!
The Skill Fusion Cards could be used to merge two self-created low-level skills into a more powerful one. Chen Tian had many self-created skills, but half of them were low-level.
He only possessed a few divine-grade skills, all related to elemental power. With the Skill Fusion Cards, Chen Tian could now have more high-level skills.
However, the number of self-created skills would decrease. But Chen Tian didn't care. Once players reached level one hundred of the White Flame rank, self-created skills were the primary means. Practicality, not quantity, was what players pursued.
Chen Tian then turned his attention to the next piece of equipment, the Silver Armor.
Silver Armor
Weapon Type: Defensive
Quality: White Star Tier Thirty-Eight Stars
Completeness: Ten-tenths.
HP +1500, Speed +2100, Constitution +3500, Sub-Armor +1960
Ability: Indestructible
Traits: Devour Armor, Evolve Armor
Chen Tian examined the ability and traits, and was astonished. The armor's ability meant it would never break, and its traits indicated it could evolve by devouring other armor. However, his Shapeshifter Ball couldn't replicate it, requiring a higher level of advancement.
Chen Tian placed it in his inventory. This armor clearly had no upper limit, otherwise, the Shapeshifter Ball could already replicate purple-tier weapons. Its quality limit surpassed purple-tier, and the Shapeshifter Ball's next upgrade required three weapon upgrade cards, which Chen Tian didn't have.
He'd deal with the Smart Lamp later. Next was Silver Sand Mastery. Chen Tian appraised it as a useless skill because it could only be used in regions with silver sand.
Silver sand was rare, and besides general maps and leveling areas, there was no silver sand. It was just silvery sand.
Chen Tian felt this ability was still useless.
Little did he know, he would later praise this skill incessantly. But that was a story for another time.
Chen Tian glanced at the surrounding cave, then spun his body and shot towards the sky. He emerged from the ground.
Chen Tian landed on the ground.
He walked through the Blood Hand Thorn Forest again. Unbeknownst to him, beneath the ground where he had just walked, an ocean of blood appeared, engulfing the entire cave. The walls were then torn open, revealing a blood-red crystal coffin embedded within.
Four small structures suppressed the coffin, as if preventing whoever was inside from awakening.
If Chen Tian had been there, he would have recognized the figure inside as identical to the little girl from the quest he had accepted.