Chapter 831 Clearance

Chen Tian was locked in an intense battle with the boss, starting to show signs of fatigue under the boss's sudden barrage of attacks. Still, Chen Tian could manage the pressure.

Chen Tian needed to maximize his efforts to buy enough time for Sen Sha to complete another task. The boss, sensing something was amiss, found Chen Tian's performance strangely balanced yet unsettling.

The boss remained oblivious to Sen Sha's progress, believing Chen Tian was unaware of its vulnerability. If Chen Tian knew its weakness, why would he be wasting time here instead of exploiting it?

The boss's assumption was wrong. This particular boss was a "mechanic boss," requiring players to find its true lair, its soul, to defeat it.

Indeed, the figure battling Chen Tian was merely an empty shell. The true soul resided elsewhere. The boss's immense power stemmed from its soul not being within this body, allowing it to unleash its strength without restraint.

Compounded by the game's bizarre settings, Chen Tian found himself struggling to find a solution. Mechanic bosses could only be overcome using the game's mechanics. No matter how powerful Chen Tian was, he had to play by the system's rules.

Facing the boss's onslaught, Chen Tian produced dual blades from who knows when. With blades in hand, he unleashed a relentless flurry of slashes, falling like a torrential rain upon the boss. The boss extended a claw, and as it opened, a black shield of light intercepted every blade.

Clangs echoed continuously as the blades struck the shield, sounding like a blacksmith hammering iron. Chen Tian stood before the boss, who recognized his considerable skill but found it peculiar that Chen Tian seemed to be deliberately evading its attacks, not engaging in a full fight. Suddenly, a realization dawned on the boss. "Boy," it declared, "do you know where my true body is? You're deliberately stalling to let your companion successfully kill it, aren't you?"

Chen Tian's expression remained placid, showing no reaction to the boss's words. He understood it was an attempt to glean information. Chen Tian’s face was as unreadable as it could be, leaving the boss guessing. Chen Tian maintained his composure, baffling the boss. Was his assumption wrong? If not, why would Chen Tian waste time here? Seeing the boss's suspicion wane, Chen Tian inwardly exhaled a breath of relief. His acting had convinced the boss he was unaware of its true form.

Chen Tian remained silent, then stepped forward. As he moved, his figure transformed into a blur of light, his speed increasing tenfold compared to before. Chen Tian decided against further defense, as his previous defensive stance had already alerted the boss. Now, it was time for a full-blown battle.

Chen Tian's form, a streak of light, shot towards the boss. The boss unfurled wings from its back, its speed nearly matching Chen Tian's. Two streaks of light collided in the sky, separating and then crashing together again. The resulting shockwaves were potent enough to shatter the surrounding space, but thankfully, the space had self-repairing capabilities, preventing Chen Tian and the boss from being flung into the void. For now, Chen Tian and the boss were evenly matched, though the boss had not yet unleashed its full power, while Chen Tian was fighting with all his might.

To put it simply, mechanic bosses were formidable. These bosses, being insurmountable through direct combat, had to be overcome using game mechanics. Even Chen Tian, as powerful as he was, could only contend. As time wore on, Chen Tian began to falter. The boss's power had escalated beyond Chen Tian's capacity to withstand it directly. A single hit from the boss would halve Chen Tian's health. He couldn't afford to lose health here, with many more levels to go.

The boss, noticing Chen Tian's weakening state, accelerated its attacks. Just as it was about to strike, its form flickered, becoming semi-transparent. The boss created distance between itself and Chen Tian. Witnessing this, Chen Tian knew Sen Sha had succeeded. The boss, sensing its condition, roared in fury, "Boy, our fight is not over! You tricked me into a delay, but I can reach my other location in seconds!"

"You think I'll let you go?"

Chen Tian's voice was resolute. A brush materialized in his hand, etching runes that soared upwards, forming a barrier that trapped Chen Tian and the boss. The boss found itself unable to break free from the area. Its face contorted into a cold sneer. "Boy, you are seeking death. I shall grant your wish."

Meanwhile, Sen Sha had plunged his long saber, "Long Dao 3," into a diamond-shaped crystal. Inside the pure white crystal, a single point of light pulsed – the boss's soul. Sen Sha's saber continued to advance. The crystal's hardness proved challenging, and after considerable effort, Sen Sha reached his target, his body covered in blood. The backlash from his self-created techniques was evident, but to save time, Sen Sha had continued to use them, steadily depleting his health.

Sen Sha refused to give up, refusing to believe the crystal was that unbreakable. He channeled more power into his saber, his entire being erupting with aura. His will to win ignited, allowing Sen Sha to comprehend the "Penetrating Blade Intent." Before this intent, the saber sliced through the crystal. A wail emanated from within, and the soul was instantly bisected.

On Chen Tian's side, the boss's form began to crack. It didn't cry out in pain but said calmly, "Boy, you have won." Its figure dissolved into starlight. Chen Tian and Sen Sha appeared on the game interface almost simultaneously, indicating a reward. Sen Sha received the bulk of the reward, as his mission was the main storyline, while Chen Tian's was a side quest. A portal appeared before Chen Tian and Sen Sha, and they stepped through it together, heading to the next level.

The portal opened at a specific location, and Chen Tian and Sen Sha appeared. Sen Sha was in a precarious state, enduring the pain to reach this level. Finally seeing Chen Tian, he stumbled towards him. "Chen Tian, I succeeded. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. You, on the other hand, are in bad shape with low health and status. Wait here, I'll find something in my backpack."

Chen Tian saw Sen Sha's dire condition, realizing a single mistake could lead to death. He opened his backpack interface, revealing a myriad of potions in his inventory. Chen Tian randomly selected a few. These potions were rewards from previous boss kills and completed quests. Perhaps it was his luck, but he always managed to acquire them. He tossed the potions to Sen Sha, who caught them, his eyes widening in astonishment at the vials' labels.

Chen Tian inquired, "What's wrong? These potions won't harm you."

"Gulp! Chen Tian, where did you get these potions? These are rare-grade potions!"

"Rare? I have over five hundred in my inventory. I haven't even used any yet."

Chen Tian's understated remark left Sen Sha speechless. How could he respond? To possess over five hundred of these potions, considering their incredibly low drop rate, was almost unbelievable.

"If you want them, I'll send you a few more."

Chen Tian immediately opened the mail system and sent them. Sen Sha was astonished by Chen Tian's generosity, gifting him fifteen potions. In the game "Epoch of Time," the value of potions was immense. Items were scarce and incredibly powerful, designed to complement players' self-created skills and diverse classes. The game's philosophy centered on player growth and personal strength, with items intended to be rare to prevent over-reliance.

Sen Sha promptly consumed the potions. The potent effects took immediate effect, restoring his health to full and revitalizing his status. Sen Sha couldn't help but marvel at the potion's effectiveness, truly a rare item. Seeing Sen Sha recovered, Chen Tian surveyed their surroundings. This level was a boundless desert, with soft sand underfoot. The moment Chen Tian released his senses, he felt a suppression that forced them back into his body.

"Interesting."

Chen Tian stroked his chin, realizing this level would not be simple. At the very least, his senses were restricted. Chen Tian's interest was piqued. As he began to walk across the desert, a game interface popped up. It displayed a buff. Chen Tian glanced at it and then warned, "Sen Sha, be careful. This desert will deplete our constitution attribute. You must pay close attention."

Zero constitution meant character death, a fact both Chen Tian and Sen Sha were well aware of. Fortunately, they both had food supplies. Players always prepared food and resting places for emergencies. Constitution wasn't only restored by dining at restaurants or resting; it could be recovered anywhere. However, the wilderness posed the risk of monster attacks, making such situations truly dire.

Chen Tian and Sen Sha continued walking, monitoring their constitution. Reaching zero constitution was no joke. No matter how powerful Chen Tian was, he had to abide by the game's rules. Chen Tian had no desire to be a bug. He mused internally, 'Am I already a bug-level player?'

Chen Tian felt a touch of exasperation. He'd never before found himself critiquing himself. After an indeterminate amount of time, Chen Tian made a sweeping gesture, opening his interface. A house materialized from his backpack. The sudden sound of sand caving in startled Sen Sha. The house was a portable item he carried! Chen Tian even possessed this, something he remembered was prohibitively expensive even for veteran players.

The game "Epoch of Time" had no pay-to-win mechanics; game currency and time currency could only be accumulated through player effort. This item had originally been astronomically priced, making Chen Tian's wealth unimaginable.

Chen Tian looked at the stunned Sen Sha and said indifferently, "Why are you standing there? Come inside, let's rest."

Sen Sha was beyond words. Chen Tian's actions suggested he was no newcomer, despite only registering for the game half a year ago, still within the novice category based on his level. Leaving the beginner village didn't necessarily mean one wasn't a novice. Oh, the novices in the beginner village were different from those here.

Sen Sha didn't refuse Chen Tian's invitation. His life was more important than lingering on formalities. Chen Tian and Sen Sha entered the house. Upon entering, Sen Sha doubted if he had the right place. The amenities – a kitchen, sofas, a living room – a modern-style house like this was certainly not cheap.

Chen Tian said, "Why are you dazed? Come and rest. There's food in the kitchen, and there are dedicated rooms for sleeping and recovery, where you won't be disturbed."

"Chen Tian, I truly can't describe your way of doing things."

Sen Sha was exasperated with Chen Tian. As a player who had been gaming for a few months longer than Chen Tian, his every action was a blow to Sen Sha's ego. Sen Sha shook his head, discarding such thoughts. His priority now was to figure out how to clear this level.

"Chen Tian, do you know how to pass this level?"

Sen Sha looked bewildered. There were no clues on this level. How were they supposed to pass it? Chen Tian waved his hand. 'I don't know. Anyway, there's no danger for now. Why worry about it? Perhaps we haven't encountered the challenge yet.'

"I know. I'll go rest for a bit."

Chen Tian and Sen Sha's constitution meters were in the single digits. Resting in the room would help them recover slightly. This house was purchased by Chen Tian long ago; it was quite affordable for him, but for other players, it was a sky-high price, especially for newcomers. The cost of such an item required a considerable amount of saving. Chen Tian could afford it because he undertook rare-level quests and defeated rare-level bosses, yielding immense rewards.

Chen Tian had consistently saved his gold, gradually accumulating it. He currently possessed hundreds of billions of gold.

If Sen Sha knew about Chen Tian's hidden wealth, he would likely be green with envy.

Sen Sha and Chen Tian ate some food and rested, then slept.

Eating and sleeping were the fastest ways to restore constitution. Outside the house, a green oasis suddenly appeared in the desert. The oasis looked illusory and ethereal, a mirage. However, this mirage showed no signs of dissipating, which was peculiar. Mirages typically vanished after a period, but this one was different. Chen Tian and Sen Sha were asleep and unaware of this phenomenon.

Chen Tian's senses were suppressed, and he couldn't perceive such details while sleeping. During their slumber, their constitution meters rapidly recovered, reaching a third of their capacity. Chen Tian and Sen Sha awoke the next morning. The recovery rate for constitution slowed considerably as it neared full, requiring a full day to restore completely, a game setting.

Chen Tian and Sen Sha opened their eyes. They hadn't slept this comfortably in a long time. Chen Tian felt completely relaxed.

"Chen Tian, Chen Tian, come quickly," Sen Sha's voice rang out, sounding incredibly excited. Chen Tian hurried downstairs.