Yun Luohe’s hunting knife shot out violently, plunging straight into one of the octopus’s massive eyes. The creature let out a shrill, grotesque screech, and a torrent of black liquid burst from the wound.It was impossible to tell whether it was ink or blood, but it stained the grass beneath it pitch-black.After the eye was stabbed, the octopus writhed in agony, its tentacles thrashing wildly in every direction.It began indiscriminate attacks, ripping up nearby trees by the roots—Tu Xue was nearly struck by one of the flailing limbs.Chen Jin swung his monk staff like a torrential storm, smashing it toward the octopus’s other eye.With a dull thud, that second eye was successfully struck and damaged as well.Blinded, the octopus became even more frenzied. Its tentacles lashed out uncontrollably, affecting even the pangolin and the man-eating flower.At the same time, Du Ruan-tian lit the remaining [crude oil] and hurled the burning torch at another one of the octopus’s tentacles.The flames spread rapidly. The octopus was forced to retract its limbs while spraying water in an attempt to extinguish the fire.Yun Luohe seized the moment and used spider silk to tie one of the octopus’s tentacles to the burning man-eating flower. The flower’s vines were scorched black by the fire.When the octopus finally extinguished the flames, the flower’s remains released a pungent, corrosive gas.Before the toxic fumes could spread further, Yun Luohe issued a warning. The three of them quickly covered their mouths and noses and retreated to a safe distance.Sensing the tide turning against her, Tu Xue’s previously calm and smug expression grew serious.She pulled out a device made of [Symbiotic Crystal], murmured something under her breath, and a powerful surge of energy burst from her hands, flooding into the [Symbiotic Crystals] embedded in the octopus and the pangolin.The man-eating flower was no longer moving, so Tu Xue didn’t bother with it.Injected with fresh vitality, the octopus and pangolin flared with radiant light.Yun Luohe saw the [Symbiotic Crystals] in their bodies suddenly blaze with power.She figured Tu Xue had used the device to stimulate the [Symbiotic Crystals], temporarily forcing the puppets to unleash stronger combat power.But that came with a cost.It would accelerate the combustion of the [Symbiotic Crystals], destabilizing their energy. The puppets would inevitably spiral out of control.Still, as long as Tu Xue maintained her mental link, the puppets remained under her command.But Yun Luohe and the others wouldn’t last that long. The puppets might not go berserk before their own stamina ran dry.No choice but to fight!Yun Luohe looked toward Chen Jin and said in a low voice, “Cover me.”Chen Jin tensed, then nodded lightly. He stepped in front of her, shielding her path, using his monk staff to block every strike from the puppets.Yun Luohe dashed out like a bolt of black lightning, heading straight for Tu Xue.Tu Xue sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but it was already too late.The hunting knife in Yun Luohe’s hand carried a cold and lethal momentum as it stabbed toward Tu Xue. At first, Tu Xue thought Yun Luohe was aiming for a fatal blow.She hurriedly folded her long whip into three segments to block the knife.But that strike was a feint.Yun Luohe’s real target was the [Symbiotic Crystal] control device in Tu Xue’s hand.With a sharp crack, the knife’s tip smashed against the crystal device.A fracture split through the center, and the device shattered into two pieces.The light in the two puppets dimmed instantly. Having just been forcefully overcharged, their energy surged chaotically within them. Disoriented and unbalanced, they began to collapse internally.Chen Jin let out a breath of relief. He had only 5 [Stamina] left and was barely holding on. Any more and he would have collapsed within ten minutes.Good. It’s over.At the same time, Yun Luohe looked at Tu Xue and said coldly, “It’s over.”Tu Xue shouted, “Impossible!”She couldn’t accept defeat. A flicker of grim resolve flashed through her eyes.Suddenly, Tu Xue’s body jerked as her hand dove into her robe. In the next instant, several cold flashes of silver shot toward Yun Luohe.Poisoned silver needles reflected faint light in the darkness.At this distance, she thought Yun Luohe had no way to dodge.But Yun Luohe had already anticipated it the moment Tu Xue reached for her hidden weapon.Her reaction was instantaneous. As Tu Xue released the needles, Yun Luohe’s body instinctively twisted to the side, deflecting most of the projectiles with her hunting knife.Two needles that slipped through were intercepted by Yúntūn’s spider silk.Yúntūn’s sole priority was to protect Yun Luohe. So the moment she charged toward Tu Xue, it abandoned Chen Jin’s side and followed closely behind her.“Looks like you’re out of tricks,” Yun Luohe said coldly, eyes filled with contempt as she stepped closer to Tu Xue, one foot at a time.Tu Xue’s heart sank. Her hidden weapon had failed. But she wouldn’t just sit there and wait to die.There had to be a way...Tu Xue took a deep breath—and suddenly changed her expression. The arrogance and haughtiness on her face vanished, replaced by flattery. “Don’t kill me! I can give you all the [Symbiotic Crystals]—even the secrets to puppet mastery—just spare me!”Yun Luohe replied, “Oh? That’s how you beg for your life?”Tu Xue bit her lip, her eyes wide.“Please don’t kill me. Whatever you want, I’ll agree. You can have all my supplies.”Yun Luohe gave a chilling smile. “You really can grovel when you need to.”Seeing she hadn’t been refused, Tu Xue believed there was hope. “The puppet technique... I can teach you. If you learn puppet mastery, you can control multiple puppets like I do, turn them into killing machines. They aren’t just energy sources—they form mental bonds with their master. If you learn puppet—”Before she could finish, Yun Luohe suddenly stepped forward. Her hunting knife drew a clean arc—And slit Tu Xue’s throat.Blood sprayed out as Tu Xue’s eyes widened in shock.A blackened silver needle slipped from her sleeve.The entire scene was broadcast clearly through the live feeds of those present—displayed vividly to all viewers.In an instant, the chat channels for Zones 1, 2, and 3 exploded. Messages rolled like a tidal wave.Zone 1:“What was that puppet secret Tu Xue mentioned at the end? Did Yun Luohe miss something big?”“That was so badass! Yun Luohe completely stole the spotlight from Chen Jin!”“Tu Xue begging like that was hilarious—so arrogant before, and now look at her! Deserved!”“Now that Yun Luohe got her [Points], she’s miles ahead! Poor Chen Jin, stuck as the errand boy.”Zone 3:“That was wild! Who would've thought Tu Xue would get done in by her own move?”“Tu Xue… is she really dead?”“Damn, I thought she had first place in the bag! How’d it end like this?”“She’s really dead—her stream’s offline. Gonna go check Yun Luohe’s Zone 2 perspective now.”Zone 2:“That kill locked in Yun Luohe’s #1 spot. Unreal.”“She just did it. I thought she’d spare Tu Xue for the puppet technique!”“You’d have to be an idiot to let her live! With all those [Points], she’d grab the top spot. Who knows if that puppet stuff was even real? Better to kill her, erase the threat, and collect the top-tier reward!”“Exactly. That kill was satisfying. I’ve wanted Tu Xue dead since her first smug scene!”——After Tu Xue’s death, Yun Luohe’s [Points] shot past 7,000, securing her unshakable position at the top. Unless someone killed her, no one could surpass her in such a short time.Tu Xue’s supplies scattered across the ground, all becoming Yun Luohe’s property.But it was too much for her backpack to carry alone. And since the others had helped in the fight, it was only natural to split the loot.Yun Luohe laid out Tu Xue’s supplies for everyone to see.Items in large quantity were split evenly into three shares.Rarer goods were set aside to be picked in order.——At 10 a.m. the next day, the match officially ended. Yun Luohe returned to the reef after finalizing her score.Her position as first place was uncontested—ever since she killed Tu Xue, it had been inevitable.Du Ruan-tian came in tenth.Chen Jin placed fifth.All three ranked in the top ten.Before parting, Du Ruan-tian distributed the resources she’d promised to Yun Luohe and Chen Jin.She and Yun Luohe were from the same Zone, so they could stay in touch.But Chen Jin was a player from Zone 1. It was uncertain when—or if—they’d meet again.Chen Jin told Yun Luohe he would find a way to reach Volcano Island in five days. If she was free by then, they could officially form a team.Volcano Island was a place Yun Luohe had long intended to visit. It ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) was a high-risk, high-reward seasonal island. Cooperating with Chen Jin seemed like a solid plan.So she agreed. If nothing unexpected came up, she’d go.From Tu Xue’s supplies, Yun Luohe selected:– A withered seed of the man-eating flower– The shattered [Symbiotic Crystal] device– A water-element [Crystal Core]The flower seed had survived the blaze that consumed its body. There had also been a wood-element [Crystal Core], which Chen Jin took.The broken [Symbiotic Crystal] device was the very one Yun Luohe had smashed with her hunting knife.The water-element [Crystal Core] came from the octopus’s body.Each of them took one [Crystal Core].The fire-element core from the pangolin went to Du Ruan-tian.The pangolin hadn’t died. Yun Luohe already had two pets, and she wasn’t interested in keeping the pangolin. Chen Jin didn’t want it either, so it was given to Du Ruan-tian.The octopus was half-dead. Yun Luohe planned to bring it back and toss it into the fish pond—since she had chosen the water-element [Crystal Core], it might prove useful in the future.As for Tu Xue’s weapon, the long whip, Yun Luohe took it back with her. She intended to give it to Cheng Xuening.The poisoned throwing needles were handed over to Du Ruan-tian.Yun Luohe also picked out some [Life Essence] from the supplies—a high-grade medicine that could rapidly restore [Stamina].She didn’t take much from the loot, since she’d already received all the [Points].She only kept a few items she had a use for. The rest she left for the others to divide. Du Ruan-tian felt she hadn’t contributed much and didn’t want to take too much, so she only accepted a few things as a gesture.In the end, most of Tu Xue’s [crude oil] and [fluorite] were given to Chen Jin. Yun Luohe and Du Ruan-tian each took one-third.——The first thing Yun Luohe did upon returning to the reef was organize the gains from this expedition.She hadn’t expected it to be this much—this trip to Mist Veil Island had turned out to be a massive haul.[Crude Oil ×167L, Fluorite ×298, Pine Wood ×1881, Pine Resin ×598, Flint ×128, Mist Veiled Tea Seeds ×1, Pet Pouch ×1, Mist Veiled Tea ×4, Glow Fern ×19, Oil Moss ×9, Wild Crown Daisy ×5, Mist Honeysuckle ×8, Wild Jujube ×18, Wild Pear ×8, Life Essence ×1, Python Whip ×1, Man-Eating Flower Seed ×1, Broken Symbiotic Crystal Device ×1, Dying Giant Octopus ×1, Water Element Crystal Core ×1]Survival Contest First Place Rewards:[Obsidian ×50, Elemental Watchtower Blueprint ×1, Mist Veil Island Entry Token ×1, Crude Oil ×50L, Fluorite ×100, Mist Veil Pine ×10, Moss Bandage Recipe ×1, Crude Oil First Aid Salve Recipe ×1, Fluorite Compass Blueprint ×1, Anti-Fatigue Tea Recipe ×1][Elemental Watchtower]: Provides disaster warning and defense functions. Different elemental [Crystal Cores] grant different effects.Required Materials: Crystal Core ×1, Obsidian ×20, Iron Ore ×100, Volcanic Ash ×50, Advanced Hardwood ×50[Mist Veil Island Entry Token]: Allows direct travel to Mist Veil Island in any season.[Mist Veil Pine]: A specialty pine from Mist Veil Island. Random rare plants from Mist Veil Island can grow on it, such as: Mist Veiled Tea, High-Grade Medicinal Moss, Oil Moss.[Crude Oil First Aid Salve]: Apply to underarms/groin of heatstroke patients. Uses crude oil’s evaporative cooling to reduce temperature.Ingredients: Refined Crude Oil ×50ml, Sulfur Lichen Powder ×15g, Reed Ash ×5g. Simmer over low heat until thickened and cooled into salve.[Fluorite Compass]: A round disk of fluorite carved with radiative runes. In mist, visibility increases to 20 meters.Ingredients: Fluorite ×20, Obsidian ×10, Pearl ×10, Glow Fern ×10[Anti-Fatigue Tea]: Rapidly increases [Stamina]. Side effect: after effect wears off, user must sleep immediately or suffer extreme fatigue.Ingredients: Mist Veiled Tea ×1, Coffee Beans ×10, Honey ×2ml, Purified Water ×100mlAll of these blueprints and recipes were extremely useful.Yun Luohe only had to glance over them to realize—this was an incredible profit.——It had taken Yun Luohe three days to return. The moment she arrived, Roubao was overjoyed, meowing nonstop, rubbing up against her legs.“What’s up? Everything alright while you were home alone these past few days?”Roubao: “Meow meow! All the food’s gone!”Yun Luohe: “I knew you’d say that. I left you so much food. You ate it that fast? Just look at your stomach.”Roubao’s belly sagged with a hefty lump of fat—clearly not starved.Roubao: “Meow! I killed a bunch of fish! Made them all into dried fish!”“Oh really? You made dried fish?”Roubao: “Just had to toss them into that thing.”It pointed to the dryer.“And where’s the dried fish now?” Yun Luohe asked.Roubao: “Of course I ate it all.”Yun Luohe: “...You sound almost proud.”No wonder you’re so fat—you turned all those fish monsters into snacks.She shook her head helplessly and turned to the chicken coop. She had been worried about the chicks while she was gone.But the moment she stepped into the coop, she heard a chorus of clucking.All the chicks had grown. The once nearly bald little things with a few downy tufts were now adorable yellow fuzzballs.They chirped excitedly the moment they saw Yun Luohe—unbearably cute.Before leaving, she had left them enough food for three days. It had all been eaten. She had clearly underestimated their appetite.Most of the feed had probably been devoured by the two barred hens and the two Jinding ducks.The chicks were clearly starving, while the hens and ducks were plump and well-fed.Yun Luohe quickly went to prepare food for the chicks.Now that they had grown, they could eat millet.As for the barred hens, she fed them earthworms. The ducks got earthworms too—along with some vegetables.Speaking of which, the vegetable garden was ready to harvest.Yun Luohe’s head throbbed—there was no rest today.A whole mountain of chores awaited her.The saplings she had planted on the reef had all sprouted—rows of young trees were thriving, their sight alone uplifting her mood.Yun Luohe walked over to the earthworm breeding box—and her eyes went wide.The worms had overpopulated the box!A writhing mass of earthworms squirmed in the fertile soil, twisted together in clumps.They were long. Fat. Honestly a little terrifying.They looked like giant mutant worms.Yun Luohe casually grabbed a handful, their long bodies dangling from her fingers.She dashed over to the coop and dumped the worms on the ground. The barred hen jumped over and gobbled up one fat worm in a few pecks.The chicks rushed forward chirping, pecking the worms on the ground. One worm was torn apart by several chicks at once.Yun Luohe: “Eat up, eat up. The more you eat, the faster you’ll grow.”She looked at the barred hens and Jinding ducks. “You lot better start laying soon, now that you're full.”After feeding the poultry, Yun Luohe made her way to the fish pond.What she saw stunned her.The pond was almost bursting with fry.All the eggs from before had hatched into baby fish.In just three days, hundreds of new fish had appeared, along with several hatched frog eggs.She needed to build two more ponds immediately—or the fish would overcrowd once they matured.The tadpoles had already sprouted hind legs. It wouldn’t be long before they became frogs, so they had to be separated from the fish.If she could get her hands on some lotus, she could turn one pond into a lotus pond. Not a bad idea.Yun Luohe quickly fetched materials to build more fish ponds and began construction right beside the existing one.Next came the harvest.The vegetable garden was a riot of color—everything was ripe.The strawberries were a vibrant red, plump and dripping with juice.The watermelons were about the size of soccer balls—seven or eight of them all together.Tomatoes crowded the branches. Cucumbers had grown long and thick—but Yun Luohe had forgotten to set up a trellis, so they had all fallen to the ground. Some were already rotting.It broke her heart. She hurried to harvest everything.Besides those, there were potatoes and sweet potatoes—all dug up.The cabbages had grown huge—any longer and they would’ve gone bad.Fortunately, she had Roubao and Yúntūn to help. One woman, two pets—they worked for more than two hours in the field before finally finishing the harvest.When she looked back—there were fruits hanging from the apple tree.Yun Luohe: “Looks like there’s no end to this. Let’s get something to eat first.”Just as she was about to rest, the system notification arrived:[Spring Season Countdown...]

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.