Chapter 25: The Unstable Amalgam of Life Essence

In such circumstances, even high-level players are mostly forced to make do with blue-tier equipment. However, this only applies to the majority; the extraordinary, formidable individuals are a different breed.

Take Xiao Yang’s good brother, Redbeard, for instance. This hot-tempered dwarf is clearly not the type to settle for blue gear; he is a powerful dwarven craftsman who possesses his own epic equipment. Of course, Xiao Yang does not have a particularly concrete grasp of this fact; he is still a newcomer, happily wandering through the Heavens Trading Zone.

Having set aside his craving for equipment, Xiao Yang now has two primary needs: various potions—prioritizing health potions due to his pitifully low health pool—and specialized items capable of harming undead creatures. Originally, he had intended to purchase strength potions, but after consuming that cup of Red Logan root extract, he no longer had a need for them.

Interestingly, these two remaining needs could actually be unified, as health potions could be fed into the Jar of Greed to transform them into items effective against the undead. Of course, one shouldn't be too absolute about this, as Xiao Yang had only experimented with minor health potions so far.

At the stall of a shy mushroom-man, Xiao Yang purchased two bottles of regular health potions, two bottles of superior health potions, and two bottles of exquisite health potions. The differences between these three are not vast, primarily concerning the amount of recovery and the time taken: regular potions restore 20 health over ten seconds, superior ones restore 40 health in five seconds, and exquisite ones restore 60 health in five seconds. Naturally, the price difference is substantial: a minor health potion costs 100 Spirit Coins, a regular one costs 1,000, a superior one is 2,000, and an exquisite one is 5,000.

Finding an empty corner, Xiao Yang squatted by the roadside and began drinking his health potions. To an ordinary player, this would be an extreme waste, especially since Xiao Yang’s health was already full. Yet, for him, each bottle down the hatch brought a sense of immense satisfaction. After all, other players couldn't see his health attribute surging.

After a regular health potion, his health rose from 25 to 27. Another superior potion pushed it from 27 to 31. Finally, he drank the best of them all—a crystal-clear, pure exquisite health potion that tasted mellow and devoid of any strange aftertaste. Xiao Yang’s health settled at 38. In general, it had little to do with the quality; for every five points of health restored, Xiao Yang permanently gained one point of maximum health.

Under these circumstances, it seemed entirely unnecessary for Xiao Yang to prepare such expensive, high-quality potions; the cheapest and most cost-effective minor health potions would suffice. Theoretically, with the 290,000 coins he had left, he could buy 2,900 minor health potions, each granting him one point of maximum health. If he were to drink them all, his health would instantly soar to 2,937.

This number was absurdly exaggerated. Xiao Yang felt that with this massive health pool alone, he could go toe-to-toe with Corpse Mushrooms and Dungeon Guardians in a turn-based slugfest! "You hit me once, I hit you once," he wouldn't be afraid at all. However, things were unlikely to go that smoothly; Xiao Yang was worried about potential, unknown restrictions.

He couldn't be too optimistic yet. The next step was to see what changes would occur when feeding these various health potions into the Jar of Greed. Upon tossing in a regular health potion, the Jar of Greed did not show its usual resistance. The metal mouth on the jar chewed for a moment before spitting out a neat, rectangular red bar.

【Concentrated Life Essence
Quality: Fine
Effect: Can be used to enchant weapons or items for an extended duration.
Status: Life essence is slowly dissipating.
Description: Rub it on a weapon, on your body, on a house, or use it to soak in water?】

There were no major changes thereafter; higher-quality health potions simply extended the enchantment and dissipation time, without any earth-shattering differences. Xiao Yang wasn't particularly satisfied; this meant he would still likely have to engage in melee combat with the Dungeon Guardian, which made him feel a bit uneasy.

Smacking his lips, Xiao Yang held the Jar of Greed, wondering if his approach was simply wrong. Shortly after, he purchased another batch of health potions. This time, he began stuffing them into the jar in large quantities, one after another, until the wide, gaping mouth on the jar’s wall bulged significantly.

This time, a new change appeared.

【Unstable Life Essence Amalgam
Quality: Gray
Effect: Upon explosion, performs a round of damage checks and a round of healing checks on all nearby creatures. For undead or shadow-type creatures, it performs two rounds of damage checks. Damage is determined by the total amount of life essence piled inside.
Status: Unstable and collapsing.
Description: If I were you, I'd throw it far away within ten minutes!】

Good, this was exactly what Xiao Yang wanted!

Before long, Xiao Yang’s backpack was completely filled with health potions. Having achieved almost all of his goals for the trading session, he began downing bottle after bottle. He wanted to test the Jar of Greed’s effects and see if there were any limitations or caps.

Returning to the corner of the trading zone, he found that Redbeard had climbed to his feet at some point. The dwarf was lying on the ground with a satisfied look on his face, as if savoring something wonderful. His relaxed state was soon to end, however, as Xiao Yang, struggling to swallow yet another minor health potion, appeared beside him. Truth be told, Xiao Yang still had some lingering questions.

First, regarding the trading zone: after wandering around and buying his health potions, he found that the items sold here weren't as comprehensive as he had expected, which puzzled him.

To this question, Redbeard gave a lazy answer. "Of course, little brother. After all, what sane person would spend all their time in the trading zone? If the God of Blast Furnaces hadn't demanded the Spirit Coins for upgrading the Hell Furnace, I would have gone to the Abyss to dunk on those Fire Demons long ago!"

Xiao Yang realized that Spirit Coins weren't simply currency as he had initially thought. After a brief exchange with Redbeard, the newcomer vaguely understood the true purpose of the coins. They were a universal currency, yet not entirely so. They were "guaranteed currency" born after the God Game anchored the value of various chaotic things like Celestial Spiritual Energy, magical elements, and blood-qi force.

It was complicated and difficult to grasp, and Redbeard couldn't be bothered to explain further. Regardless, the point was clear: they were useful in many strange places, and it was best to stockpile as many as possible. Faced with Xiao Yang’s confused expression, this was all the explanation he received.