“Where are they?” Near the edge of the forest, the bandit leader asked the equally puzzled archer, who was unsure which direction to pursue. The dense black smoke earlier had made visibility nearly impossible, and they had struggled to escape it.
“They escaped. That man possesses many mysterious top-tier potions,” the archer replied somberly.
Hearing this, the bandit leader's expression shifted subtly. Despite Lin Chen's youthful appearance, which made it unlikely he was a powerful alchemist himself, the array of high-grade potions he carried implied a strong alchemist backing him.
In this world, two professions stood above mages and warriors: blacksmiths and alchemists. A powerful weapon could easily boost someone's strength beyond their natural capabilities. Being allied with a great blacksmith could save decades of struggle, a universally acknowledged truth here.
Even a mid-level swordsman, with a perfect-grade weapon, could instantly possess the strength of a high-level swordsman and easily challenge much stronger opponents with the right defensive gear.
Similarly, alchemists were highly sought after for their miraculous potions that could temporarily boost attack, defense, and even add elemental properties. Their products were as coveted as high-quality equipment.
Even if blacksmiths and alchemists weren't strong fighters, their professions' power was undeniable. They could easily command loyalty and attract powerful figures with their wares.
Once, a proud genius mage offended a legendary alchemist. The alchemist, in anger, offered a legendary potion that significantly boosted physical attack as a bounty. The next day, a top assassin delivered the mage’s head to the alchemist and claimed the potion. This incident illustrated the formidable influence of alchemists.
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Hearing the archer's report, the bandit leader realized the seriousness of their situation. Lin Chen's potions weren't just perfect-grade; they were likely epic-grade or higher.
“Could it be that a legendary alchemist backs this young man?” The thought made even the bandit leader uneasy. An epic-grade alchemist was a figure even great empires' noble families would respect, not someone a mere bandit group could afford to offend.
“It seems we’ve stumbled into deep trouble,” he mused, considering the implications of encountering not only a marquis’s daughter but also someone possibly associated with an epic-grade alchemist.
As he hesitated, a deep voice interrupted, “Is it done?” A man with a large sword appeared atop a tree, looking down at the bandit leader with a stern expression.
The bandit leader, startled and respectful, explained the situation, mentioning the young man and his epic-grade potions.
Understanding the situation, the swordsman nodded. He had also noticed the traces of the epic-grade potions. He knew involving an epic-grade alchemist made the situation tricky.
Normally, a marquis’s involvement wasn't a concern, but an epic-grade alchemist’s involvement complicated things. “Since the mission has failed, it’s best for you to leave peacefully,” he said.
“We won’t speak of this, rest assured,” the bandit leader promised, missing the swordsman’s deeper intent.
“No, no. Silence is the best guarantee,” the swordsman replied, drawing his sword. The bandits reacted in shock.
“Perfect-grade Sword Technique — Swordstorm Rain!” Without giving them a chance to speak, the swordsman leapt from the tree. A powerful aura burst forth, pressing down the grass in the vicinity.
Thousands of sword energies rained down like a tempest, leaving only the Lv46 bandit leader barely alive among the screams and carnage.
“You... you’re ruthless…” the dying leader accused, bleeding profusely.
“The involvement of an epic-grade alchemist forced my hand to eliminate future troubles,” the swordsman said, raising his sword for the final blow...
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Lin Chen was barely containing the Sabretooth Boar while Xia Lu seized the opportunity to cast successive fireball spells. The boar finally fell, granting Lin Chen 165 experience points.
“So killing people or beasts both yield experience?” Lin Chen realized, pleased with the significant experience gain for his level.
As the boar died, Xia Lu sighed in relief. The forest's dangers exceeded their expectations.
Suddenly, a system notification chimed, “Task ‘Escape’ completed, 4500 experience gained.”
“Level up, you are now level 12.”
Lin Chen felt a warm surge as his injuries and fatigue vanished. He was momentarily stunned by the sudden task completion. Had the bandits given up?