CHAPTER 185: CHAPTER 76: TWO WAYS TO SURVIVE

The extraction is complete. Looking at the three epic-level traits bathed in golden light, Lin Rui could only feel his heart pounding intensely.

Epic-level, truly powerful enough to send shivers down your spine!

The last one directly reverses life and death!

You could say that acquiring this trait is equivalent to having multiple lives. After death, it allows you to revive on the spot, with the only cost being a permanent reduction in Soul Value limit. To a gambler in a desperate situation, this is no concern at all.

However, this was quickly dismissed by Lin Rui, as he was already durable enough and wanted to choose an offensive trait this time.

The remaining two are [Palace of Truth] and [Graceful as a Startled Swan], which admittedly makes the decision a bit difficult.

Palace of Truth eliminates an opponent’s Spiritual Energy on each attack based on one’s Wisdom Value + Willpower, and additionally inflicts corresponding True Damage. With Lin Rui’s current attributes, it means removing 160 points of the opponent’s Spiritual Energy Value and extra inflicting 160 points of True Damage with each hit.

It seems like not much, unable to even eliminate the Spiritual Energy of a Tier One melee unit.

But one must know that Lin Rui has Multiple Casting, and every frost aura releases in large numbers—a minimum of three, up to ten. In extreme states, over a thousand Spiritual Energy can be eliminated in one go.

In essence, melee units would have their Spiritual Energy completely emptied.

Even the big bosses with tens of thousands of Spiritual Energy can eventually be drained by Lin Rui.

A boss without any Spiritual Energy? You could refer to that silly Little Fishman Hero.

After contemplating seriously for a long time, Lin Rui decided to choose [Graceful as a Startled Swan].

[Close Combat Attack Speed increased by 100%, Critical Strike Rate increased by 15%, Critical Strike causes weapons to inflict 100% Thunder Damage lasting for 3 seconds, 10% chance to blind the opponent for 0.5 seconds on each hit]

This 0.5-second blindness is extremely crucial in battles with Mirror Images.

If Lin Rui were blinded at that time, he would have absolutely been unable to distinguish the Ghost’s illusions from its true self. Surrounded by twelve mirror images, not finding the real one made it impossible to deal any effective damage, regardless of having extremely powerful output capabilities.

The only skill [Ghostly Shadows] Lin Rui hasn’t reinforced yet, but this blindness from Graceful as a Startled Swan provides significant supplementary benefits.

With this system formed, Lin Rui felt that he could even defeat high-tier strong adversaries above epic-level. It has a miraculous effect both against single bosses and dense armies.

The biggest issue with the Palace of Truth is that against weaker opponents, it’s unnecessary. Against stronger ones, there’s no chance.

For those weaker than Lin Rui, a set of skills will instantly defeat them without needing to drain Spiritual Energy Values.

Against exceptionally strong opponents, Spiritual Energy consumption isn’t the focus; the key lies in maintaining one’s position and wearing down the opponent.

Of course, all of this boils down to Lin Rui’s cautious mindset at play. At the end of the day, there’s not much difference in strength between Graceful as a Startled Swan and the Palace of Truth, but Graceful as a Startled Swan provides additional life-saving and defensive capabilities, so Lin Rui decisively chose it.

Another person might make completely different choices.

Choosing different traits and building one’s own combat system is one of the greatest charms of the Era of Civilization after all.

Having extracted the traits, Lin Rui saw a Horned Owl flying rapidly from the northern sky. Dongg Qingxue had arrived.

Lin Rui personally went outside the territory’s safe zone to greet her.

Upon meeting, Dongg Qingxue jumped down from the back of the Horned Owl Beast and hurriedly bowed in salute, "Hello, big boss, we meet again."

"Hello." Lin Rui smiled faintly.

Dongg Qingxue looked around at the buildings within the territory and exaggeratedly said, "Big boss, this territory is way too prosperous. Is it really a small settlement? There’s a noble manor, a pastoral farm, and even a castle colossus. It feels like it’s on par with a Knight’s Domain."

Lin Rui laughed and said, "Isn’t a Knight’s Domain just a village too? My village is at most a bit more prosperous. It truly is a small settlement. Come in."

Dongg Qingxue thought Lin Rui made a lot of sense... Nonsense!

As she walked into the territory, Dongg Qingxue’s eyes widened. My goodness, what did I just see?

Fully-armed Heavy Knights bathed in light, raising flags and passing by in droves! So many that you couldn’t count them at a glance, and you’re telling me this is just a small village in a Knight’s Domain?

That Life Ancient Tree radiating brilliant, dreamy beauty, why is it appearing in a small settlement?

And that’s not all. What are those buildings shining with divine brilliance and resplendent gold light?

Walking into the elegant and majestic Golden Pansy Manor made of white marble, Dongg Qingxue felt like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

What do I live in? A dark and cramped wooden hut full of rural serfs and the wild, rough aura of a medieval village.

And what do they live in? A manor so elegant and noble it belongs in a Fantasy World.

Are we really living in the same world?

Leading Dongg Qingxue to the manor’s hall, Lin Rui sat on the sofa and casually said, "Sit anywhere. Try this Life Fruit; it’s a specialty of our territory, quite tasty."

"Thank you, thank you, big boss." Dongg Qingxue timidly took a bite, and the next moment her eyes opened wide.

[Ding, Explorer consumed Life Fruit, Life Value Limit +1. (Current use limit 1/1000)]

She was only Tier One, and a Tier One Level 1 Knight’s Life Value was only around 500. Not to mention her, a fragile Ranger whose Life Value hasn’t even broken 1000 yet, and this Life Fruit could directly double her Life Value.

But such a precious item was actually placed in the living room as fruit to entertain guests?!!

She suddenly felt like crying. Struggling in the harsh, cold medieval Devil World while others thrived in the high-magic Fantasy World.