C38 The Strengthening of the Goblin's Nest

After slaying over a hundred Mantis Warriors, Qiang Nantie reaped a substantial reward.

His tally of Soul Coins had surged to 5123 points once more.

Furthermore, the treasure chests dropped by these Mantis Warriors were predominantly Black Iron or higher, with a significant number of Bronze Treasure Chests among them.

Wooden chests made up only a small fraction of the loot.

Mantis Warriors, humanoid in form, typically didn't carry much value.

Their limbs, however, were exceptional crafting materials.

"Harvest the arms from these Mantis Warriors," Qiang Nantie instructed.

Even unrefined, the Mantis Warriors' razor-sharp limbs served as formidable weapons.

Qiang Nantie reviewed their properties.

Item: Mantis Blade Edge

Quality: C

Attribute: Sharpness +8

Description: The arms of the Mantis Warriors are premium weapon materials. With minimal crafting, they can be transformed into exquisite weapons.

Undoubtedly, these were excellent for weapon forging and highly sought after in the market.

Hundreds of Mantis Blade Edges equated to hundreds of potent weapons.

To turn these pre-formed weapons into finished ones, he simply needed to incorporate other ores and refine them.

But first, he needed to master the art of weapon refinement.

As they ventured further into the mist, they encountered solitary Mantis Warriors and swiftly overwhelmed them.

The subsequent area was devoid of monsters. They had traversed several hundred meters before coming across a different creature.

This beast towered at least three meters high.

Monster: Earth Violent Bear

Quality: Enhanced Elite

Level: 18

Traits: Berserk, Strength Enhancement

Profile: Known for its volatile nature and formidable strength, it relishes crushing its enemies' skulls.

"It's a level 18 Enhanced Elite," Qiang Nantie noted.

His curiosity piqued. Was this entire region an enclave of Enhanced Elite monsters?

For most, this would be treacherous terrain.

But for Qiang Nantie, it was a primeval hunting ground ripe with rewards.

The higher the monster's quality, the greater the Attribute Points gained with each level—paralleling the progression of heroes.

An Enhanced Elite at level 18 could rival the combat prowess of a monster in its early twenties. Given its innate talents, it might even match the attributes of an ordinary level 25 monster.

Despite the situation, Qiang Nantie remained unfazed. His soldiers were of no less than Grade S quality, ensuring that with each level up, their Attribute Points increased more than those of an Elite.

He boasted heroes like Huamo and Bi Yu, both of the highest RRR grade.

With their numerical superiority, the outcome of the battle was a foregone conclusion.

As the fight commenced, Bi Yu tapped into her formidable Mental Strength to subdue the Earth Violent Bear, lulling it into a deep slumber.

Le Cili and the others, Vine Demons by nature, followed up with a barrage of thorny assaults. The spiky onslaught from the eight of them shrouded the bear within a ten-meter radius.

Then Huamo, graceful as a fairy, executed her Flying Immortal technique. Ethereal lotus-like patterns danced in the air as her sword precisely struck the bear's vulnerable neck. The Earth Violent Bear met its end without even stirring from its induced dream state.

Qiang Nantie's victory over the Earth Violent Bear netted him an extra 56 Soul Coins and a Bronze Treasure Chest. He had a knack for acquiring such chests, especially after defeating Enhanced Elite monsters, and his collection was growing steadily.

"Let's move on!" he commanded.

The expanse of the Fog Zone in the Newbie's Territory was an enigma, with no available data to chart its vastness. It was no surprise, considering that 99.99% of newcomers never ventured into the Fog Zone during their trials.

Given the random nature of these trials, it wouldn't be unheard of for a horde of monsters above Level 90 to lurk just beyond the mist.

Had fortune not smiled upon him, presenting a cluster of lower-level monsters, such bountiful rewards would have been out of reach.

The carcass of an Earth Violent Bear was a valuable commodity, a high-end item that would fetch a handsome sum in this era.

And he had yet to savor bear paw—a delicacy he was determined to experience.

Vigilance was Qiang Nantie's watchword, no matter his location. He was a man of detail, constantly reminding his team to stay alert to their surroundings. They were, after all, in the territory of Advanced Monsters, where a moment's inattention could spell danger.

"Lord, watch out for a trap ahead!"

Le Cili abruptly warned Qiang Nantie.

"A trap?"

Qiang Nantie scanned the area ahead. It looked no different from the rest of the forest.

The ground was covered with a denser layer of leaves, but it was subtle enough that he wouldn't have noticed without careful observation.

As a Vine Demon, Le Cili possessed an exceptional sensitivity to the forest's nuances. Vine Demons could extend their tendrils deep into the earth, which is how Le Cili detected the anomaly.

Le Chunling, Le Yesi, and Le Zhiye stepped forward, brushed aside the leaves, and uncovered a pit that seemed to have no end.

"We should avoid it."

With Le Cili and her sisters' presence, their journey through the forest became significantly safer.

They later came across several Enhanced Elites. The monsters were sparse, but as Qiang Nantie had anticipated, they were indeed a formidable group of Enhanced creatures.

The monsters in this region were generally below Level 20. Given their current capabilities, they found it relatively easy to handle these creatures.

Still, the terrain was complex, and Le Cili's group was adept at spotting various traps. Without their assistance, Qiang Nantie might have been at a serious disadvantage.

Eventually, they came upon a mountain range and sensed movement within it.

Driven by curiosity, they approached to see if there were other gains to be had.

"That looks like a group of monsters."

The fog obscured their vision, but they could make out the movement of creatures.

The number of monsters appeared significant, so they opted to stay concealed and assess the situation before proceeding.

Upon closer inspection, Qiang Nantie exclaimed, "Those are strengthened Goblins, and there's a good number of them."

The Goblins were all around Level 15. With closer scrutiny, they realized that the Goblins had made the mountain range their stronghold, complete with rudimentary fortifications.

These Goblins were markedly more intelligent than the average monster. They wielded weapons and crafted various tools for daily use, setting them apart from other creatures.

They resembled ancient humans who dwelled atop mountains in a bygone era.

"Lord, what are those Goblins up to?"

Bi Yu gestured toward the distance, where a group of Goblins were hauling a cart up the mountain from its base.

"It's ore!"

Qiang Nantie was taken aback. The distance only allowed him to discern that it was ore, but he would need to get closer to identify the type.

Qiang Nantie and his companions scrutinized the Goblins. There were already dozens just on the outskirts.

And these were merely the Goblins they could see.

They had no idea how many more might be concealed within the cave.

These Goblins were unlike ordinary monsters; they wielded decent weapons and possessed the skill to forge them.

The quality of their armaments was a clear indication that these Goblins were formidable adversaries.

Yet, Qiang Nantie found it puzzling; he didn't recall Goblins having the expertise to craft weapons.

Knowing that many of the enemy Goblins were armed with bows and arrows, Qiang Nantie decided against a direct assault. Preferring the element of surprise, he favored attacking from the enemy's blind spot.