Chapter Twenty: Defeating the Intermediate Boss in Seconds, Reaching Level Twenty-Nine

All six faces lit up with exhilaration, but the joy was short-lived. As soon as they picked up the equipment floating beside the Guardian Knight, their expressions darkened in an instant.

“What kind of ridiculous requirement is this? You have to be level 35 to equip it?” Qu Zheng muttered irritably, rubbing the back of his head, cursing the development team of Divine Calamity under his breath.

Nightfeather, meanwhile, said nothing. He simply picked up the gear, and a specialized intelligent screen flickered to life before his eyes. An automated voice chimed in his ear, “Do you wish to place the acquired equipment into your inventory?”

“Yes,” he replied mentally, and the items he had collected instantly transformed into streaks of light, shooting straight into his body.

The six advanced slowly on their Abyssal Nightmares. Having cleared the novice stage, their confidence had clearly grown. The enhancements they had received were not insignificant. If not for the fact that all six wore matching sets, this dungeon would have been much harder; but with Nightfeather’s meticulous calculations guiding them, it was difficult for any challenge to truly threaten them.

They had barely traveled a hundred meters when the scene changed. Passing through the ancient bronze gates, they entered an old corridor, its floor forged from crystalline stone, dazzling and opulent. The corridor stretched straight ahead, but the air was frigid and oppressive, the chill slicing through their skin and making all six shudder involuntarily.

At that moment, Nightfeather abruptly halted, tugging the reins to stop his Abyssal Nightmare, and gestured for silence to the five behind him.

“What is it, Third Brother?” the others whispered, taken aback.

Nightfeather raised his right hand, pointing to a shadowy corner ahead. Following his gaze, the group finally spotted a metallic gleam flickering in the darkness—something they would never have noticed without his guidance. The figure was burly, clad in armor more advanced than the previous foe’s, the patterns etched across it glowing with crystalline light. In its right hand, it gripped a spear nearly seven feet long, its eyes narrowed as if trapped in endless slumber. Yet, it was clear: should an intruder step into its domain, it would awaken instantly. This, no doubt, was the Intermediate challenge waiting for them, as indicated by the name floating above its head.

Grand General of Jiushan!

“Wait here. I’ll test it out. Maple, give me full buffs,” Nightfeather instructed. Having already used his Overclocked Mode, he could not rely on it for this intermediate foe. If things went awry, only the healer, Luo Maple, could save him.

Though Nightfeather had studied the relevant strategies and was well-prepared, the Intermediate Grand General of Jiushan was notorious for his overwhelming damage, even if his movements were sluggish. The AI was simple, but if they faced him head-on, the entire party would be annihilated. Victory depended on exploiting the permitted mechanics.

As Nightfeather closed to within fifty meters, the Grand General’s body trembled violently. His spear flared with blinding light, and a thunderous boom echoed through the corridor. In an instant, the General’s name above his head turned blood-red.

Level 40!

Seeing the level indicator, Nightfeather’s face darkened. The gap was more than ten levels.

The Grand General moved—a slow, deliberate advance—but his immense spear swept the air, unleashing a hail of spear shadows that shot forth like arrows loosed from a bowstring.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Nightfeather danced across the floor, shifting left and right, his form wreathed in purple light, afterimages trailing behind him. The most perilous thrust missed his chest by a mere inch, though the edge of the spear’s energy tore cleanly through his clothes and shaved several hundred points from his health bar.

Immediately, a green radiance swirled around him, and his health restored to full in an instant.

Nightfeather’s eyes narrowed, a cold light flashing in the depths of his dark gaze. Black hair streaming behind him, his face betrayed no emotion. In a heartbeat, his slender fingers plucked the strings of his zither.

“Light String, Binding Wind!”

A purple arc shot out, ensnaring the Grand General and pinning him in place.

Beside the General stood a stone pillar, just centimeters away. With a deft step, Nightfeather circled behind it. The General, compelled by the binding, turned with him—so close that, as the effect wore off, his spear plunged deep into the stone pillar. The weapon lodged fast, and the General began furiously trying to yank it free.

Nightfeather had seen this strategy discussed before: the only way to defeat the Grand General was by exploiting the map’s terrain. The General’s attacks were almost always fatal—even level 60 players might not survive a single blow, as each strike was a critical or lethal hit. This instance had once been a brick wall for all players, until a few ingenious gamers discovered the purpose of the stone pillar. Its unique placement was no accident; it was there to allow players to bait the General, causing him to embed his spear and become vulnerable.

That was precisely what Nightfeather had done. The five watching from afar were stunned, unable to believe Nightfeather had once again used a legitimate exploit to trap the Grand General. They knew all too well how deadly this boss could be—even at level 60, surviving his onslaught was nearly impossible.

“All right, damage dealers, he’s yours,” Nightfeather called, clapping his hands and turning with a smile to Huang Hong and Qu Zheng.

Twenty minutes later, under Nightfeather’s direction, the six sustained a relentless assault—though the bulk of the damage was up to Huang Hong and Qu Zheng. As the Grand General’s health dropped from 1 to 0, his armor shattered and crashed to the floor, and a deep, aged voice of anguish issued from his lips.

“At last, I am released... Heroes, be ever wary before the King. The ruler you face is not the wise sovereign of old.”

With these final words, the General’s legs buckled; he fell to his knees, vomiting blood, and crumbled into dust before their eyes. The equipment he dropped was swiftly claimed by the party.

“This was all thanks to Third Brother’s exploit. That made things so much easier,” one marveled. “From what I’ve read about this dungeon, the Grand General’s difficulty isn’t far off from a level-50 raid boss. Of course, he’s a unique exception among intermediate bosses—just a taste of what’s to come later in the game.”

After examining the stats of their new gear, each of the six smiled, satisfied with their spoils.

“That’s because the novice and intermediate bosses can be trapped. The King of Jiushan, though, can’t be cheesed. We’ll have to rely on the distilled strategies I’ve prepared,” Nightfeather explained.

Though they’d reached level 28 and, after slaying the Grand General, pushed into level 29, only clearing the dungeon would allow them to reach level 30. If they failed against the King, they’d lose the final experience and have to start over, wasting valuable time. Nightfeather was determined: win, and nothing less.

“Third Brother, how do we deal with the King of Jiushan? We have your strategy, but it’s best to follow your lead,” Lowe asked, arms folded, brow raised in thought.

“I agree,” Maple nodded. “It’s best if you call the shots, Third Brother. Maybe give us a rundown on how to handle the King.”

“Just fight normally—work together and follow my directions,” Nightfeather replied, spurring his Abyssal Nightmare forward. The others followed, and after a moment’s thought, he added, “The next boss is the last. When we’re there, wait for my instructions outside the hundred-meter mark.”

“Understood.”

“No problem.”

“Got it.”

All five nodded. As the six turned the corridor and entered a vast chamber, they found themselves flanked by hundreds of armored soldier statues, their imposing stone forms radiating a formidable military presence, weapons of crystalline stone glittering with brilliance.

At that moment, a deep, authoritative voice echoed around them, making their faces darken with tension.