Chapter 84: Not a Single Monster Left

"Croak!"

The vertical pupils of the Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad reflected the violent thunder-snakes, its eyes filled with terror.

Good news: its miserable days were coming to an end.

Bad news: its life was also coming to an end.

It thought Ye Lin was going to let it go, but it never expected that Ye Lin was going to send it away!

"Croak! Croak-croak-croak-croak!"

The Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad waved its hands repeatedly, as if begging for mercy.

"What's wrong? Do you still have something to say?" Ye Lin asked with a smile.

The Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad fell silent for a moment, then seemed to have made a certain decision.

It had seen through things during this time; the human before it was a lunatic, and if it couldn't afford to provoke him, couldn't it at least hide?

As long as the green hills remain, there’s no need to worry about firewood; the higher a creature's intelligence, the more it fears death.

The Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad's massive mouth began to move slowly, as if it were chewing on something.

Then, accompanied by a low sound, it actually spat out a weapon that shimmered with a cold light!

The weapon traced an elegant arc in the air before finally embedding itself diagonally into the ground in front of Ye Lin!

It was a staff, and a faint golden luster flowed across it, as if it contained infinite power.

Exquisite patterns were carved into the staff's body, as if flames were burning; every detail revealed mystery and nobility.

Ye Lin was stunned; he hadn't expected that the treasure the Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad had hidden for so long was actually a staff!

He hurriedly checked the staff's attributes.

[Crimson Flame Staff]

[Grade: Epic]

[Attribute: Spirit Power Boost 50%] (Refinable)

[Skill: Crimson Flame Burning Heaven]

[Crimson Flame Burning Heaven: When wielding the Crimson Flame Staff to cast fire-type spells, mana consumption is reduced by 30%, and power is increased by 50%.]

Ye Lin gasped; this staff was actually an Epic-grade piece of equipment!

No wonder this Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad had hidden it so tightly!

However, the bonus of this Epic-grade equipment was truly startling; the bonus of just one Epic-grade item was equal to the sum of three high-grade items.

"If you had cooperated earlier, wouldn't you have avoided suffering so much?"

Ye Lin picked up the Crimson Flame Staff, then swung it violently, casting a common skill.

"Flame Blade!"

[Professional Talent 'Ultimate Sublimation' activated, Flame Blade has been strengthened into Flame God's Wrath Slash.]

Ye Lin brandished the Crimson Flame Staff, and a violent force gathered at the tip of the staff, forming a massive vortex of fire.

Accompanied by a forward point of the staff, the fire vortex erupted instantly, transforming into a scorching giant blade of fire that slashed forward with the force of a thunderbolt.

The air seemed to be split open by this blade of fire, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

Wherever the Flame Blade passed, the ground was instantly melted by the high temperature, forming a long, charred trail.

The Flame God's Wrath Slash was already a Forbidden Spell, and with its power further enhanced by 50% by the Crimson Flame Staff, combined with Ye Lin's level, this slash was enough to easily kill any monster or job-changer below level 35 in seconds.

Seeing this, the Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad's eyes flashed with terror; it hadn't expected Ye Lin to break his promise—it had already spat out the treasure, yet the other party still wanted to kill it.

This strike was something it couldn't possibly resist; the Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad wasn't good at fighting to begin with, so it could only close its eyes and wait for death.

But just at the critical moment, the Flame Blade stopped right in front of it; the Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad could even clearly feel the high temperature radiating from the blade.

"It seems there really is nothing left in your belly."

Ye Lin nodded in satisfaction, then untied the restraints and put the Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad down.

He remembered that if a Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad encountered fatal danger, it would self-destruct along with the treasures in its belly, leaving those who hunted it with nothing.

This Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad hadn't self-destructed even when it was nearly dead, which clearly meant he had squeezed it dry and there was absolutely nothing left inside.

The Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad, having escaped death, stood dazed on the spot; with its brain, it naturally couldn't understand why Ye Lin had looked like he wanted to kill it a second ago, only to let it go the next.

But it knew it was free!

The Treasure-Hoarding Golden Toad wept with joy and scurried away with a 'whoosh,' though due to the torture it had suffered at the hands of Ye Lin and Mi Xue, its speed was clearly not what it used to be.

"Let's go, we'll head straight out; no point wasting time here."

Ye Lin brought Mi Xue to the exit of the Top Scholar Secret Realm.

"Damn it, I don't know what's going on. The secret realm isn't closing for another five days, but it seems like there isn't a single monster left inside!"

"Right! I wanted to say the same thing. Our squad hunted on the outskirts for ten days and only entered the deep inner circle after leveling up, but there was nothing there but traces of fire—not even a single hair left!"

"Exactly! I noticed it too. There are actually more monsters on the outskirts than in the deep inner circle. Does that make sense?"

"Let's wait for Wu Shaoqi and the others. They went in to grind levels after recovering from their injuries; maybe they'll know what's going on."

The crowd gathered and discussed the strange changes within the Top Scholar Secret Realm, but when they saw Ye Lin and Mi Xue, the surrounding people retreated in fear, as if they had seen evil spirits.

They had already heard that the one who had crushed Wu Shaoqi and his dozen companions into meat paste was this seemingly gentle and refined young man before them.

They didn't want to experience the feeling of having their entire bodies crushed and then reassembled into human form.

Ye Lin ignored them and walked straight toward the exit.

"Student Ye Lin, if you walk out from here, it means you've ended your trial in the Top Scholar Secret Realm. There are still five days left; are you sure you want to leave now?" Ceng Canqi asked kindly.

"I'm sure." Ye Lin nodded. The monsters in the Top Scholar Secret Realm had almost all been killed by him; why stay inside?

"Alright, then register your level here," Ceng Canqi said.

Ye Lin directly revealed his level.

[Ye Lin, Forbidden Spellcaster, Level 25.]

Ceng Canqi gasped instantly.

"2... 25?"

He remembered that Ye Lin was only level 18 when he entered the Top Scholar Secret Realm, right? This guy had leveled up a full 7 levels inside the Top Scholar Secret Realm?

In previous years, the highest level reached by someone leaving the Top Scholar Secret Realm was only 24; Ye Lin had already broken the all-time record for the Top Scholar Secret Realm.

The commotion here quickly attracted the attention of others, and their eyes were filled with shock as they looked at Ye Lin.

Looking at Ye Lin's level, they seemed to understand why there were no monsters in the deep inner circle.

Could it be that all the monsters in the deep inner circle had been killed by this guy?

At the same time, Wu Shaoqi, who had wanted to quickly raise his level before the secret realm closed after recovering from his injuries, let out an angry roar.

"Damn it! What the hell is going on? Why is there not a single monster left?"