Chapter 354: Hidden Reward Settlement

It wasn't just Yang Ling who saw the option to accept the White Bone Elder's surrender before him.

Every player present saw the same option appear before their eyes.

Zhang Shendao was about to speak, but Li Shou clamped a hand over his mouth:

"Teacher Zhang, don't say anything!"

Zhang Shendao pried the hand off and shouted at Yang Ling:

"Brother Yang, we can't trigger another hidden side quest! Quit while we're ahead!"

"I definitely won't open it. I couldn't handle another one anyway."

Yang Ling resolutely selected No.

[You have rejected the White Bone Elder's surrender]

[The White Bone Elder bears a grudge against you and activates Corpse Explosion Scorching Heaven]

The White Bone Elder stared fixedly at Yang Ling, its eyes brimming with resentment.

Its pale skin began to split apart, with wisps of green light surging out from within!

With his Transcendent perception, Yang Ling's scalp went numb in an instant, every hair on his body standing on end!

He had a premonition that if he took this attack, his HP could be completely emptied in an instant!

"It's about to explode! Get out now!"

Yang Ling shouted urgently at Zhang Shendao and the others.

Startled, Zhang Shendao and the rest turned and fled without a second word.

Fortunately, they were standing right at the entrance, having never ventured deeper inside.

They escaped the cavern in an instant, retreating to the first Stone Cavern, then scattering to either side.

Yang Ling also activated Ethereal Steps with all his might, layering on Treading Emptiness.

His figure was even faster than a crossbow bolt.

The moment he made it back to the first cavern, the White Bone Elder behind him had already exploded.

Terrifying green divine light surged outward with a shockwave, blasting out of the cavern!

Yang Ling had no time to dodge left or right. He could only turn around barely and shield himself with both arms in front of his chest.

Vajra Indestructible Body, activate!

Ironclad Fortress, activate!

Fire Crocodile Set's 30% Physical Damage Reduction!

The green light still crashed down upon him, sending him flying backward through the air!

What little Vital Qi he had left was instantly wiped clean!

The entire floor of blue stone slabs turned to fine powder in that moment, as if the path had been run over by a steamroller a hundred times back and forth!

[Damage Calculation: 5000]

[All Damage Reduction: 30%]

[Damage: 3500]

[Physical Damage Reduction: 30%]

[Final Damage Calculation: 2450]

In an instant, Yang Ling's HP was cut in half.

Everyone stared at the scene in utter shock.

In their eyes just now, Yang Ling had been completely engulfed by that green light, with absolutely nowhere to hide!

They themselves had taken cover behind the cliff walls, managing to avoid being touched by the green light.

The green light had already dissipated.

Yang Ling rose from the ground, casually brushing the dust off his clothes.

Then he turned to look at the cavern with a grim expression.

"I activated Vajra Indestructible Body, a tenfold defense boost, and I still got a damage calculation of 5000?!"

"If it weren't for Ironclad Fortress, if it weren't for the Fire Crocodile Set's Physical Damage Reduction..."

"I would have actually been one-shot by the White Bone Elder's Corpse Explosion Scorching Heaven?"

A wave of lingering fear washed over him.

That blasted thing's self-destruction before death packed way too much punch.

Ordinary explosives weren't even close to this fierce. Its power probably surpassed that of a typical missile!

"Its combat power is definitely above Cao Yunlong's. Counting it as Upper Fifth-Rank combat strength, then that explosion just now... its power is probably comparable to the techniques of a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster..."

"Hiss—"

Yang Ling gasped sharply.

He suddenly understood why Zhao State placed such enormous value on Fourth-Rank Grandmasters!

If every technique of a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster could reach that level just now...

Then such an existence... was a human-shaped missile!

No matter where they went, if they wanted to, they could cause catastrophic destruction to the area!

"One person taking apart an entire city wouldn't be a problem, as long as stamina and Vital Qi held out..."

"If I really run into a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster and they hit me with just two of those... no matter what tricks I have, I'd have to kneel on the spot..."

He thought back to the time in the Devour Heaven Palace dungeon when Zhao De had locked onto him.

The man only had to look at him to exert an overwhelmingly heavy pressure.

That one was the strongest below Third-Rank, the number one existence even among Grandmasters!

Someone like that wouldn't need two moves to deal with him.

One move would be more than enough...

At this moment, Yang Ling gained an extremely clear and profound understanding of the gap between himself and the Grandmaster realm.

"I need to break through to Fifth-Rank! First undergo a gene mutation to become a Lesser Master!"

"Then I will become a Grandmaster!"

Yang Ling gritted his teeth inwardly, issuing himself an absolute order.

Such beings were too terrifying. Only by joining their ranks could he feel a sense of security!

Fortunately, he had two Grandmaster masters in the dungeon. Next time he entered the Devour Heaven Palace dungeon, he would have at least some sense of safety.

At that moment, Lin Caiyi and the others rushed over.

Qin Mo was patting Yang Ling all over:

"Boss, are you okay? Any internal injuries!?"

Zhang Shendao and the others also hurriedly checked on him, afraid that Yang Ling might look fine on the outside but be shredded on the inside.

As they examined him, they pulled out all kinds of Healing Pills.

All prepared in advance before entering the dungeon.

"Tian'ai, that's my Centenary Refined Kylin Pickaxe. Don't touch it carelessly."

Yang Ling brushed Jiang Tian'ai's hand away and smiled at the players around him:

"I was stunned by the blast, but I'm fine. It was mainly the shockwave that caught me. If I'd been blown up right in front of the White Bone Elder, I probably wouldn't have made it."

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Jiang Tian'ai turned her back to the group, a gleam of satisfied cunning flashing in her eyes:

"Got it! My mining progress will get a boost now!"

"My level will surpass Lin Caiyi's. Praise the Mining God!"

Just then, a game notification appeared before everyone's eyes:

[Successfully defeated the White Bone Dao Palace BOSS: White Bone Elder]

[Received Hidden Reward]

A hint of anticipation gleamed in Yang Ling's eyes.

[White Bone Body Tempering Pill x2 bottles, White Bone Demon Spirit Pill x2 bottles, White Bone Vital Qi Pill x2 bottles]

[Choose ONE of the above rewards]

Yang Ling's expression turned troubled. He knew that a single White Bone Demon Spirit Pill could grant 5,000 points of Spirit-type cultivation experience.

If he took this reward, combined with the five White Bone Demon Spirit Pills he already had...

He would have twenty-five in total!

That was one hundred and twenty-five thousand experience points!

With that, either Divine Ape Contemplation Diagram or Heavenly Will True Scripture could break through to the Skilled realm!

But right now, he was only one step away from breaking through to Lower Fifth-Rank—accumulating Vital Qi!

The effects of the White Bone Vital Qi Pill definitely wouldn't be weak.

If he chose that reward, his Vital Qi would surge dramatically.

Even if it didn't directly reach his current cap, it would at least save him most of the time needed to accumulate Vital Qi!

"Breaking through to Lower Fifth-Rank is more important."

Yang Ling immediately chose the 2 bottles of White Bone Vital Qi Pills.

The next moment, two porcelain bottles appeared in his hands.

Yang Ling opened one immediately to check:

[White Bone Vital Qi Pill: Increases Vital Qi by 100 points]

"It only increases Vital Qi by 100 points?!"

"Hmm, twenty pills would be equivalent to 2,000 Vital Qi, reaching two-thirds of what the Vital Qi Age Defying provides."

"That's about the same as one Vital Qi Age Defying."

"Looking at it that way, this reward is still pretty decent."

Yang Ling mentally massaged his own ego a little.

No matter what, he could only choose the Vital Qi-enhancing pills this time.

Only by doing so could he close the gap with Fourth-Rank Grandmasters faster.

"Holy crap, one Foundation Consolidation Pill and ten Spirit Nurturing Pills!?"

"We hit the jackpot!"

The players around suddenly erupted in cheers.

Zhang Shendao and the others were absolutely delighted too.

Ten Spirit Nurturing Pills alone were already worth a fortune.

Who would have thought this reward also included one Foundation Consolidation Pill!?

No player could keep their lips from curling upward in front of a Foundation Consolidation Pill!