Chapter 9: Elite Team
The Corpse Mound was the Mystic Spirit that chased Lao Niao and was killed by Rouge in a sneak attack, but that was a mutated Corpse Mound, and not just an ordinary mutated Corpse Mound.
Ordinary mutated Corpse Mounds are of rare quality, level six, while that Corpse Mound was of uncommon quality, and its level should have been seven.
If it weren't for Secret Treasure weapons, ordinary weapons would have difficulty causing significant damage to it. Lao Niao was also unlucky to encounter such a mutated Corpse Mound, which is why he was chased so miserably.
Ordinary Corpse Mounds are around level four or five. Rouge killed them effortlessly. Although she was only level 2, she could kill level four or five Corpse Mounds with a single strike.
However, Chen Guan and their target were not these ordinary Corpse Mounds, but those rare-quality mutated Corpse Mounds. Their blood could make Rouge's level increase faster and take less time.
High-quality Mystic Spirit blood is like a concentrated nutrient solution that is rich in nutrients, pure enough, and easy to absorb, much better than the blood of ordinary Mystic Spirits.
In other places, rare Mystic Spirits need to be fought over, but the rare Mystic Spirits on this island are so numerous that they cannot be killed off. Otherwise, it wouldn't be Chen Guan's turn to come here to kill mutated Corpse Mounds.
The powerful combat strength displayed by Rouge both surprised and delighted Lao Niao. As Rouge's level increased, the level four Rouge was able to unilaterally slaughter mutated Corpse Mounds, not needing Lao Niao's help at all.
"What is Rouge's growth rate? How can she be so powerful? Ji Nanhong and the others also have unique pets, but I feel like they are not as powerful as Rouge?" Lao Niao still couldn't help but ask this question.
"1.89." Chen Guan reported a growth rate that was 0.02 lower.
Don't underestimate this 0.02 growth rate. Only unique pets have a chance of reaching a growth rate above 1.8, and even then, they might not reach it.
Pets that can reach a growth rate of 1.9 can basically be considered the threshold for Peerless pets. The top-tier Peerless pets can reach a growth rate of 2.0, but Chen Guan had only heard of them and never seen one.
Rouge has a growth rate of 1.91, which has already caught up to entry-level Peerless pets. If others knew, they would naturally look at her differently, and if they had impure thoughts, they might become greedy.
Although he only reported 0.02 less, hearing it this way, Rouge is still within the scope of normal unique pets, which won't be so eye-catching and attract unnecessary trouble.
Chen Guan also didn't deliberately report it too low, otherwise, it would seem too fake and easily arouse more suspicion.
"With such a high growth rate, no wonder she's so powerful. Your luck is really good. You got such an excellent pet as soon as you entered the Secret Realm. You can use her for a lifetime without needing to replace her," Lao Niao exclaimed.
While the two were talking, Rouge had already drained the vital blood from the mutated Corpse Mound's body and leveled up again, reaching level five.
Unfortunately, the mutated Corpse Mound was very stingy and didn't leave anything behind. This drop rate is very normal. Even for rare Mystic Spirits, a drop rate of one-tenth is considered good.
In the past few days, they had killed at least a hundred ordinary Corpse Mounds and six mutated Corpse Mounds in the Corpse Mound Forest, only dropping one ordinary Corpse Mound pet and one ordinary quality Secret Method core.
Because they didn't dare to go too deep, fearing they would encounter the level ten Corpse Mound Forest Lord, they could only search in the peripheral areas of the Corpse Mound Forest. They didn't find many mutated Corpse Mounds.
Fortunately, after killing so many Corpse Mounds, Lao Niao's Eternal Stealth Assassination Technique also absorbed a lot of vital energy, and his level increased to 8, not far from level ten.
Lao Niao was now full of confidence, feeling that with Rouge's cooperation, he should have the strength to kill the Corpse Mound Forest Lord. He wanted to go deeper into the Corpse Mound Forest to find more mutated Corpse Mounds, and if he encountered the Corpse Mound Forest Lord, he would kill it as well, which would allow them to level up faster.
Chen Guan, however, didn't think so. He felt it was better to be conservative. His own level was too low, and if he were surrounded by a large number of Corpse Mounds, his personal safety might be endangered.
Just as the two were about to discuss whether to continue going deeper, they heard the sound of chaotic hooves coming from the direction they came from, quickly approaching from far away. Before long, they saw three cultivators riding different pets rapidly arriving.
Chen Guan focused his gaze and saw that the leading rider was actually a woman. Beneath her was a Ghost Head Black Ox, whose entire body was as black as profound iron, its size comparable to an elephant. She wore a set of flame-red armor, had fair skin, firm eyes, and cheeks that were pinkish-white, as bright and moving as peach blossoms.
Chen Guan's eyes narrowed slightly. Without a doubt, the armor on the woman was a Secret Treasure, and it looked like a set. Being able to gather a complete set of Secret Treasures in this place was no ordinary ability, far beyond a slacker like Lao Niao.
"That woman is Ji Nanhong," Lao Niao said to Chen Guan through gritted teeth after seeing the woman.
Without him saying it, Chen Guan had already guessed. The two riders behind Ji Nanhong, one on the left and one on the right, also had Secret Treasures on them. Their mount pets were a Ghost Head Sheep and a Ghost Head Horse respectively, clearly inferior to Ji Nanhong.
Chen Guan had heard Lao Niao say that the most numerous and common Mystic Spirits on the island, apart from the Evil Cute Rabbit, were the Ghost Head Five Spirits.
The Ghost Head Sheep, Ghost Head Horse, Ghost Head Ox, Ghost Head Wolf, and Ghost Head Vulture, these five types of Ghost Head Mystic Spirits, are stronger than ordinary Evil Cute Rabbits, have much higher levels, and are also more suitable for use as mounts.
However, because their levels are relatively high and they always appear in groups, it is generally not easy for a single person to hunt them to obtain Mystic Spirit pets as mounts.
The difference between them and ordinary cattle and horses lies in their size, but the main difference is that their faces all have black masks like evil spirit skulls, making them look like skeletal evil spirits.
"Lao Niao, why are you here?" Ji Nanhong and the other two seemed a bit surprised to see Lao Niao and Chen Guan. One of the cultivators riding a Ghost Head Sheep looked at Lao Niao and asked.
Chen Guan immediately realized some issues just by hearing this one sentence from him.
Lao Niao said that only over a hundred people were teleported onto this island on that one day, and no one else was found to be teleported in afterward.
Now that he, a new face, had appeared, the focus of Ji Nanhong and the others was actually not on him, nor did they ask who he was. This already explained many issues.
"The people teleported onto the island in the past few days are definitely not just me, and there are quite a number of them. Ji Nanhong and the others have already seen them, which is why they aren't surprised," Chen Guan thought to himself. No one had been teleported in for a year, so why were people suddenly being teleported in again, and in such large numbers?
"Is this place yours, Lu Kai? If you can come, why can't I?" Lao Niao was now overflowing with confidence, and even his words seemed a bit tougher.
Chen Guan frowned slightly, glanced at Lao Niao, and didn't know what he was trying to do.
They were currently weak in numbers and didn't have the strength to confront a group like Ji Nanhong's. Offending them would be harmful and not beneficial.
Moreover, they hadn't said anything, yet Lao Niao immediately retorted like that. Chen Guan felt something was off. He carefully observed Lu Kai, saw that he had a bow on his back and a quiver at his waist, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Lao Niao, you've gotten ahead of yourself, dare to speak to me like that?" Lu Kai's face fell, and he stared coldly at Lao Niao, saying.
"Lao Niao, I'm no longer a member of your Elite Team and not under your control. Don't put on airs here, I don't buy it," Lao Niao said with a cold snort.
"Lao Niao, are you tired of living, you son of a bitch?" Lu Kai's eyes were cold and sinister. He directly took the bow off his back with a backhand, nocked an arrow, drew the bow, and shot it towards Lao Niao.