The poisonous fog still enveloped the area, but for Lin Fan, it was no longer a threat. With the funds he'd amassed from selling Mid-grade Spirit-Grade Ore, he'd acquired a sufficient supply of low-grade detoxification pills and Spirit Recovery Pills. His current objective was to venture deeper into more perilous regions, where rarer resources and greater opportunities awaited. He understood that calculated risks yielded substantial rewards, and reckless abandon was never part of his plan.
Three in-game days passed. Lin Fan remained concealed within the fog-shrouded zone, continuously mining basic ore from scattered small veins and refining them into mid-grade using his jade pendant. He sold these refined ores steadily on the market, in small quantities each time, ensuring he left no obvious trail. His account gradually swelled, surpassing the 1000 gold coin mark. It was a significant sum, enough to bring a glimmer of reassurance regarding his family's future.
During this period, he also dedicated himself to a deeper study of the Nine Realms Immortal Realm. He didn't just stick to basic guides; he delved into historical documents, ancient legends, and especially the "rumors" of mysterious areas and items not officially listed by the system. He believed these anomalies often held the greatest secrets of the game world.
One particular rumor captivated him: the "Silent Abyss"—a colossal rift deep within the forest, where spiritual energy was said to vanish completely. It was rumored to harbor bizarre monsters and unimaginable treasures. Most players shunned this place due to its harsh environment and the lurking dangers. But Lin Fan saw an opportunity. "Spiritual energy vanishes completely." He recalled how the jade pendant had repelled the mutated Rat Wolf; it seemed to react to something beyond spiritual energy, perhaps an opposing force. This made the Silent Abyss a prime location to further explore the pendant's capabilities.
With meticulous preparation, carrying a full stock of elixirs and his basic gear, Lin Fan began his journey to the Silent Abyss. He moved cautiously, steering clear of areas with high-level players or dangerous monster packs. It took him nearly a full day's travel to reach the abyss's edge.
Standing before the Silent Abyss, Lin Fan felt a chilling, ominous aura wash over him. Just as the rumors claimed, there was absolutely no spiritual energy here. The surrounding trees were withered, the rocks jagged, with no bird song, no sign of life. From a distance, it looked like a giant, terrifying scar on the earth, profound and foreboding.
He checked his status: HP and MP were full, elixirs stocked. He took a deep breath, then began his descent. The abyss wall was steep, riddled with sharp rocks. He had to cling to handholds, one careful step at a time, to avoid slipping.
The deeper he descended, the heavier the air became. An invisible, oppressive sensation weighed down on Lin Fan's chest. His screen continuously displayed notifications: "You are in an area devoid of spiritual energy. Spiritual energy recovery rate reduced by 90%." "You are in an area of immense pressure. Movement speed reduced by 20%."
Lin Fan frowned. This environment was harsher than he'd imagined. It wasn't merely a lack of spiritual energy; there was also a strange pressure that seemed to drain his strength. He took out the jade pendant, placing it in his palm. The pendant remained inert, showing no reaction. This disappointed him slightly, as he'd hoped it would react to the spiritual energy-depleted environment.
After about half an hour, he had descended a third of the way down the abyss. Suddenly, from the shadows ahead, a grotesque, bone-chilling growl echoed. Lin Fan immediately hid behind a large boulder.
A creature emerged. It was a bizarre monster, gaunt and skeletal, its black-grey skin seemingly furless, its red eyes glowing eerily in the darkness. It resembled a wolf but was much larger, and exuded a cold, potent death qi.
Ghost Hound (Level 15): Special monster of the Silent Abyss. Immune to spiritual energy damage. Trait: Life Absorption.
Lin Fan drew a sharp breath. Level 15! More than five times his current level! And it was immune to spiritual energy damage. This meant all his spiritual energy skills were useless. He could only rely on physical attacks, but with his mortal attributes, he'd barely inflict any damage.
Even more terrifying was its "Life Absorption" trait. This meant each of its attacks didn't just deal damage but also drained his vitality, rapidly weakening him.
This Ghost Hound was lurking here, waiting for prey. Clearly, the Silent Abyss wasn't just a place lacking spiritual energy; it was a deadly trap, especially dangerous for spiritual cultivators.
Lin Fan didn't panic. He focused on staying calm, thinking. He couldn't fight it. Run? The terrain was treacherous, and the monster was fast. And without spiritual energy to boost his speed. He looked at the jade pendant. Still no reaction. He recalled how it had repelled the mutated Rat Wolf in his most dangerous moment. Perhaps it needed some sort of trigger? Or perhaps it reacted to "anti-spiritual" energy like death qi?
The Ghost Hound suddenly detected him. Its red eyes flared, it snarled, then lunged with terrifying speed, its gaunt frame surprisingly powerful and agile.
Lin Fan had no time to think. He had only one chance. He held out the jade pendant, facing it towards the Ghost Hound, while simultaneously channeling all the remaining spiritual energy in his Dantian, forcing it into the pendant. He didn't expect it to attack; he only hoped it would create some kind of "counter," similar to how it worked with the Spirit Vein.
There was no brilliant azure light this time. Instead, the jade pendant trembled slightly, and an extremely cold, dark grey aura suddenly emanated from it. It caused no damage, but created an eerie sensation, completely opposite to spiritual energy. This aura didn't seem to be controlled by Lin Fan, but rather a self-reaction of the jade pendant to the Ghost Hound's potent death qi.
The lunging Ghost Hound suddenly froze in mid-air. Its red eyes widened in terror. It let out a piercing shriek, its body trembling violently, like a monster struck by a powerful curse, then abruptly turned and fled, vanishing deep into the abyss at a speed even greater than its initial lunge.
Lin Fan slumped to the ground, panting. He checked the jade pendant. The dark grey aura had vanished. The pendant returned to its inert state, showing nothing special. His MP was completely depleted after that last desperate surge of spiritual energy.
"It... it repelled a death qi monster?" Lin Fan murmured. This implied the jade pendant didn't just work with spiritual energy; it could also counteract "anti-spiritual" entities, creatures formed from death qi or dark auras! This was a completely new ability, transforming the pendant from a cultivation tool into a strategic weapon.
This was a significant discovery! It meant the jade pendant was a versatile item, not just a tool for cultivation or earning money, but also a potential weapon for dealing with unique monsters, especially in harsh environments like the Silent Abyss.
He gazed deeper into the Silent Abyss. This place was indeed a treasure trove of unimaginable secrets, but also a deadly trap without proper preparation and understanding. Monsters like the Ghost Hound could appear at any moment, and he couldn't risk anything further with his MP depleted. He needed a new strategy to exploit this place.
Lin Fan decided to turn back. He wasn't rushed, cautiously climbing the cliff face, taking every precaution to avoid exhaustion or falling. The ascent was even more difficult than the descent, but he persevered. He knew he had found a crucial clue about the jade pendant's true capabilities and the nature of this world.
After several hours of climbing, he finally emerged from the Silent Abyss. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the familiar, thin spiritual energy permeate the air. He sat down, checking his status. His MP was gradually recovering.
He opened the game interface, searching for information on "dark energy" or "death qi." There was very little information about these types of energies in public documents, and what little there was, was very vague. This further confirmed the unique nature of the jade pendant and the Silent Abyss, a place that operated outside the game's usual "rules."
Lin Fan suddenly recalled another rumor he had read: "Nine Realms Immortal Realm is not just an ordinary game. It is an experiment." An experiment? By whom? And an experiment of what? Big questions began to form in Lin Fan's mind. Who created this world? Why could in-game resources be exchanged for real money? Why were there "bugs" like his jade pendant, operating by their own unique rules?