"Understood, Host."
"Congratulations on using two Proficiency Cards."
"Congratulations, your Space Proficiency has increased to 11%."
Feeling reassured for the upcoming mission, Ye Cang inquired, "System, how many times can I use Teleport now?"
"Eight times," the system responded.
Relief washed over Ye Cang as he made his final preparations. Although he knew this trip would be perilous, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement – not for any particular reason, but simply because he had grown bored since arriving in this world. Aside from that one harrowing encounter, he had never truly explored the surrounding areas.
As he reached the foot of the mountain, Ye Cang surveyed his surroundings before commanding, "System, activate the Treasure Map."
A virtual map materialized in his mind, displaying the terrain within a 1-kilometer radius. He had to explore an area spanning 10 kilometers... Surely, he could accomplish that within the three-day time limit, right?
Pushing aside any distracting thoughts, Ye Cang focused his attention on scanning the immediate vicinity for traces of fierce beasts. To his relief, he detected no signs of their presence near the mountain. According to the Survival Skills book, beasts generally didn't venture far from their territories. The area around the mountain should be relatively safe.
According to the Treasure Map, an A-level treasure lay 1 kilometer to the northwest. Ye Cang chose this as his first target, not out of arrogance but because he felt confident in his ability to escape if needed.
He set off running in the direction indicated by the map. Without the map's guidance, he would have wasted at least three hours navigating the terrain, as the path was riddled with beasts he would have had to fight. Thanks to the map, however, Ye Cang reached his destination within 30 minutes.
Upon arrival, instead of rashly grabbing the treasure, he methodically collected grass stems and leaves from the surrounding area and crafted a makeshift camouflage suit. At night, a large, leaf-covered ball of grass dangled inconspicuously amidst the foliage.
"With this auspicious suit, I won't be afraid of those dinosaurs catching me," Ye Cang secretly took pride in his ingenious idea. It was the first time he had ventured outside at night, as he usually barricaded himself indoors atop the mountain, too afraid to emerge.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Cang decided to revel in the night sky's splendor. As he raised his gaze, however, he was stunned to see not one, but two moons gracing the heavens!
"Very well, this world is not under the control of Grandpa Newton, so it's normal to pop out an extra moon!" Though surprised, Ye Cang had become quite accustomed to these unusual occurrences – if he were to encounter a UFO here, he wouldn't even bat an eye.
At the slightest breeze rustling the nearby grass, Ye Cang remained alert, immediately dropping to the ground and camouflaging himself as a cluster of vegetation. With the forest's dense foliage, as long as he didn't make a sound, his disguise as motionless greenery would be flawless.
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"Ho Ho Ho Ho!" came the grunts of boars.
"Gluck!" sounded the hyenas.
"WooWooWoo!" howled the wolves.
The mountains and forests came alive at night, as large predators were diurnal, making the darkness the prime time for smaller creatures to venture out for sustenance.
As the moon reached its zenith, a few "dark clouds" inexplicably drifted across the night sky.
Initially unfazed by the 'dark clouds,' Ye Cang's curiosity piqued as they drifted closer and closer, revealing an unsettling anomaly. Driven by an inquisitive urge, he climbed a nearby tree canopy to investigate these peculiar clouds floating in the night sky. However, upon discerning their true nature, he nearly tumbled from the branches in sheer astonishment.
Those 'dark clouds' were, in fact, floating boats!
"It's a good thing Uncle Newton doesn't know about this, or he'd climb out of his coffin," Ye Cang mused to himself, the bizarre scene replaying in his mind. He was now certain he wasn't in his original world anymore. Calming himself, he recognized this wasn't the time nor place for such contemplations.
Refocusing on his objective, Ye Cang proceeded towards the treasure's location. As he neared his destination, he spotted a tree bearing three peculiar fruits. He immediately recognized them as a rare variety renowned for enhancing one's physique. If these herbs could be transformed into pills, their value would skyrocket. Despite the tantalizing prospect, Ye Cang didn't rashly pluck the fruits, for he knew this type of treasure was typically guarded by beasts.
Suddenly, a warning sign flashed in his mind, alerting him to an imminent danger!
Instinctively, Ye Cang raised his head and surveyed his surroundings. In an instant, he felt a thick, coiling object strike his back, instantly constricting his midsection like a tightening belt!
Turning around, he saw a massive black python ensnaring him in its coils. Shocked, Ye Cang frantically rolled on the ground, but the python only tightened its grip, wrapping around his neck.
Fortunately, the auspicious camouflage suit he had crafted prevented the python from fully entangling his limbs, at least for the moment.
Feeling the python's coils tighten around his neck, choking him, Ye Cang desperately tried to break free. Suddenly, he remembered his space attribute and the ability to teleport. Without hesitation, he activated the skill, escaping the python's grasp. Reappearing near the serpent, Ye Cang launched into a frenzied barrage of punches.
"Die! Die! Die!" he shouted, raining blow after blow upon the beast.
Had he been an ordinary person, Ye Cang would have undoubtedly met a chilling fate. However, he was no mere mortal but a cultivator of the Qi Condensation realm. With his relentless, forceful strikes, he managed to slay the python within a minute.
In the aftermath of this battle, Ye Cang realized his glaring shortcomings. Firstly, he lacked combat experience. Secondly, he didn't possess a proper weapon. And thirdly, he lacked offensive firepower. While his space attribute granted him mobility, he lacked the raw power to decisively strike down opponents.
Putting those thoughts aside for the moment, Ye Cang approached the tree and collected the spirit fruits. Each fruit was the size of a fist, its pink hue reminiscent of a peach. He carefully stored them in his system's warehouse, intending to refine them into pills once he acquired alchemy knowledge, as consuming them raw would be a waste of such precious natural resources.
Eyeing the python's lifeless body, Ye Cang pondered for a moment before storing it in his spatial inventory. "Try to kill me? Look how I'll devour you after your death... I have a cooking book, and after completing my tasks back home, I'll try cooking you."
The battle had been quite noisy, prompting Ye Cang to start running towards his next destination, 2 kilometers to the east, where a B-level treasure awaited. Glancing at the sky, he estimated he had three hours until dawn and quickened his pace, determined to reach the next location before daybreak.