Chapter 259: Dungeon Exploration, Activate!!

"This is."

Having just been summoned, Lucy felt her original body.

"Hehe, you were startled, weren't you?" Yun Mu chuckled, lifting the lid off the stone coffin to reveal the body lying inside.

"This was given to me by the Lady of the Dark Night." Yun Mu briefly recounted her previous meeting with the Lady of the Dark Night.

At the same time, she did not forget the message the other party had asked her to convey.

"That matter back then was my fault; I hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry, and... I will bring all the Blood Clan back, I promise."

Yun Mu imitated the tone of the Lady of the Dark Night: "That is what she said."

"..." Lucy was silent for a moment, then smiled with relief: "It's all in the past, what does it matter now?"

"As for the Blood Clan... let her do as she pleases."

After Lucy finished speaking, her body dissipated into the form of an Ether Body; the scattered Ether gathered into the stone coffin and soon submerged into her original physical form.

"Ugh." When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to her original shell.

"How does it feel!?" Seeing Lucy sit up from the stone coffin, Yun Mu immediately stepped forward and asked.

"Hehe." Hearing her words, Lucy looked at her own hands and clenched her palms tightly.

This familiar yet strange feeling... it really has been a long time.

"I feel great," she replied.

"However..." Changing the subject, Lucy stood up from the stone coffin.

"There is a feeling of being heavily burdened; it seems my current strength cannot match this body."

"But this is my own body after all, so I can probably move for about two hours. By the way."

Lucy raised her hand, and a complex polygonal object with hundreds of faces floated in her palm, changing continuously at a speed of five times per second.

"I can probably exert Champion-level strength right now, but as the intensity of the battle increases, the time the body can move will also shorten..."

"If I go all out, maintaining it for five minutes would be good," she said.

"Five minutes is already quite good!" Yun Mu exclaimed in admiration.

Ultraman can only appear for three minutes each time; for Lucy to be able to maintain Champion-level strength in battle for five minutes was already a very unexpected surprise for her.

"Once I reach the Champion level, I should be able to fully master this body," Lucy judged.

"If you fully master it... to what extent will Lucy's strength recover?" Hearing this, Yun Mu couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Legendary... I suppose," Lucy said with some uncertainty: "I have been dead for too long, and there is actually a portion of Scarlet's gift within my power."

"So I'm not sure if I can recover to Epic..."

"Hmm?!" Catching the key information, Yun Mu raised an eyebrow: "Lucy, were you an Epic-level Transcendental when you were alive!?"

"Yes." Lucy nodded and explained: "I was originally just a Legendary-level Alchemist, but later, after continuously receiving gifts from the Scarlet, I successfully promoted to Epic."

"However, I died not long after I was promoted to Epic."

"Ah, this..."

After thinking for a moment, Yun Mu decided to change the subject: "Come to think of it, your usual appearance is quite different from how you look now."

"That..."

Lucy looked down at her body: "What you usually see is how I looked at 14, because the concept of the Blood Clan has already been devoured by the Scarlet..."

"But as an Epic-level Transcendental, my own information is recorded within the Ether World, and it is very difficult for the Scarlet to completely devour me."

"So I cut off my own Blood Clan concept and hid it, which caused my power to be weakened, and thus I became that appearance..."

"Every time I switch forms, I have to resist the devouring from the Scarlet... so I usually maintain the state of a Bloodline."

"I see." Yun Mu nodded in realization.

"Is there anything Lucy needs to do?" she asked the other party at this moment.

"Hmm, no, why do you ask?" Lucy looked at her with some confusion.

"Then let's try challenging a Dungeon!" Yun Mu chuckled and clicked on the Game Panel: "Dungeon Exploration refreshed today~"

As she spoke, she gently clicked the Dungeon Exploration button, and the next second, a large amount of system information refreshed before her eyes like a waterfall.

【Detected Paths: 【Scarlet】, 【Cat】, 【Oil Painting/Manga】, 【Civilization】, 【Desire】, 【Nuclear Fusion】, creating Dungeon...】【Dungeon 【Blood Thorn Road lv40 (Expert)】 created! Enter Dungeon? Yes/No】【Dungeon 【Dream of the Cat Demon lv25 (Second-tier Elite)】 created! Enter Dungeon? Yes/No】【Dungeon 【Painting Spirit lv20 (Second-tier Elite)】 created! Enter Dungeon? Yes/No】【Dungeon 【Plague Capital lv25 (Second-tier Elite)】 created! Enter Dungeon? Yes/No】【Dungeon 【Flesh and Blood Communion lv20 (Second-tier Elite)】 created! Enter Dungeon? Yes/No】【Dungeon 【???】 Error, 【Nuclear Fusion】 Path loading failed!】 "Blood Thorn Road, Dream of the Cat Demon, Painting Spirit, Plague Capital, Flesh and Blood Communion, which one should I choose?"

Ignoring the last message about the Nuclear Fusion Path dungeon refresh failure, Yun Mu kept her gaze on the dungeon names in the five messages above.

First, the Scarlet Path dungeon, Blood Thorn Road, can be ignored for now.

After all, the level of lv40 is a bit too high; she is currently stuck at the limit of Second-tier Elite, which is lv25. The two differ by a full 15 levels, and she has no intention of challenging beyond her rank.

Anyway, the Scarlet has already been dealt with, and as for the Scarlet Curse on her, she can wash it away tomorrow morning by attending the Purification Ceremony hosted by Bishop Muse; there is no need to worry at all.

Hmm... considering the issue of dungeon rewards, the lv20 dungeons, Painting Spirit and Flesh and Blood Communion, can both be temporarily excluded.

But Yun Mu glanced at her advancement quest for promoting to Third-tier Expert.

"At least raise the level of at least one Path related to painting to lv3."

Her current Path 【Oil Painting/Manga】 is at lv2, with progress at 21/30; she is still 9 Destiny Points short.

Judging by her progress of creating one Spiritual Painting every day, she can finish it in just nine days.

This time is not long, and not short... it's actually quite short.

It is only half the time since she transmigrated here.

"I'm going to the Orc Federation in two days, and there's no way to promote my Supernatural rank there."

Considering this, the faster she promotes to Expert, the better, at least before they arrive within the range of the Magic Energy influence of the Orc Federation.

"Phew, it's decided, Painting Spirit!"

With her mind made up, Yun Mu immediately clicked the confirm button on the Game Panel. 【Selected Dungeon 【Painting Spirit lv20 (Second-tier Elite)】!】 【Please select the Path you will use in this dungeon: Scarlet lv4, Cat lv3, Oil Painting lv2, Civilization lv3, Desire lv2, Nuclear Fusion lv1.】 "Hmm."

Yun Mu's gaze swayed back and forth between the effects of the different Paths, and after thinking for a moment, she said:

"Let's choose Desire."

【Desire lv2: Attack +5, Spell Strength +5, when you cast a skill, there is a probability of increasing the value of the skill cast.】【Every battle (including at the end), you can roll a Dice to randomly increase the effect of the next skill cast or increase loot gains.】 The level of the Dungeon 【Painting Spirit】 is only lv20; she should have no pressure exploring it.

Since that is the case, it is better to choose the more profitable Path of Desire.

The mechanic of rolling a Dice to increase loot gains after each battle is quite popular.

As for Scarlet?

I really don't know them, don't come near.

【Selection complete, entering the Dungeon.】【You have entered the Dungeon 【Painting Spirit lv20 (Elite)】!】 The familiar sensation of collapse enveloped her surroundings; the world before Yun Mu's eyes, as well as Lucy standing before her, all twisted and rotated, finally turning into a pitch-black sphere.

Subsequently, this pitch-black sphere expanded continuously and finally enveloped the world before her.

"Hoo."

When Yun Mu opened her eyes again, she found herself in a rather dim corridor; Lucy stood by her side, looking just as bewildered as she was.

The two observed the surrounding environment and found it completely empty; there wasn't even a candle on the walls of the corridor.

The only light source was the window on the right side of the wall; it appeared to be night outside, and a bright, clear full moon hung in the sky, providing negligible light.

However, both Yun Mu and Lucy had the ability to see at night, so the dimness in the corridor had no effect on them.

"There is no path behind us," Lucy said, looking at the wall behind them.

"Then let's walk forward and see," Yun Mu said, summoning the Goblin Brave, Chester, and the Scarlet Knight from the Game Panel.

"Let's distribute the equipment."

Yun Mu squatted down beside Xiaoqie, patted its head, and signaled for it to open its lid.

Previously, she had kept quite a bit of equipment inside Chester's belly; after all, at that time, she did not yet have the Divine Blood Pendant gifted to her by the Lady of the Dark Night.

And the Painted World of the painting Cold Crow... considering the situations where she needed to throw people she had captured inside.

It was safer to keep that important equipment on Chester.

"First, the Immoral Notebook goes to Lucy, then the Tough Mushroom Hat, Meirniya's Music Box, and the Brass Shield."

Spell Strength +5/Defense +10/Toughness +1/Skill Healing Effect +20%/Corrosion Resistance +20%/Speed +15%. Well, all excess defensive equipment goes to Lucy; that is more secure. Also, the active effects of the Immoral Notebook and the Music Box can both be triggered by Lucy.

This allows her to have a few more attack turns herself, so she doesn't have to waste them on active equipment skills.

"Then, the Broken Priest's Flag·Thorn and the Courage Medal both go to the Goblin Brave."

Attack +5/Defense +3/Dodge +3/Precision Correction +5. The Goblin Brave's core skill is 【Command Lock】; every time the marked target is attacked, there is a probability of triggering his follow-up attack.

It fits the effect of the Courage Medal very well. As for the Priest's Flag?

It's a somewhat lackluster control skill, but it's better than nothing; let him carry it.

"Gaba Gaba!" Just as Yun Mu was about to hand the Priest's Flag to the Goblin Brave, the Treasure Chest monster Chester suddenly made a hurried sound.

"Hmm?" Yun Mu looked at it with some confusion: "You want it again?"

"Gaba Gaba!" Chester nodded its head first, then immediately reacted and shook its head.

"Gaba Gaba Gaba!"

"Oh, you mean you want to eat this Priest's Flag?" Feeling the emotion coming through the contract, Yun Mu realized.

"Gaba!"

"Fine, take it, it's useless anyway." After thinking for a moment, Yun Mu handed the Broken Priest's Flag to Chester.

"Gaba Gaba..."

"Hmm?" Feeling Chester's disappointed emotion, Yun Mu was somewhat bewildered.

Didn't I just give it to you? Why are you still disappointed? Wait, she seemed to understand.

This perverted Treasure Chest monster... The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, and Yun Mu simply took off her right boot, revealing her foot wrapped in the nun's foot-binding cloth.

She hooked her toes slightly, then nimbly gripped the wooden handle of the Priest's Flag.

"Come, good doggy, here's a reward for you~" With a slightly joyful smile on her face, she extended her right leg and then hooked it back.

"Gaba Gaba!"

I am your most loyal dog! Although Chester could not speak, judging from the emotion coming through the contract, that was likely what it meant.

"Haha..." Yun Mu gave two dry laughs, the expression on her face nearly failing to hold.

As for Lucy?

She had long since moved her gaze away; it was simply too much to look at, this master and servant.

Ahem, Miss Yun's toes... no, that's not it, Chester's tongue... also not it, in short, it's just... really beautiful... 【Your servant 【Old Treasure Chest Monster lv13 (Elite)】 has devoured the equipment 【Broken Priest's Flag·Forest (Green)】】【 【Old Treasure Chest Monster lv13 (Elite)】 has upgraded to 【Old Thorn Treasure Chest Monster lv15 (Elite)】】【Your servant's Max HP +2, Attack +1, Spell Strength +2, Defense +4, Toughness +1.】【Your servant has gained the skills 【Thorn Entanglement】 【Lash·Thorn】 【Camouflage】】 【Thorn Entanglement: Summons five thorns covered in spikes to entangle the enemy, dealing damage while having a certain probability of applying 【Imprisonment】 and 【Bleeding】 effects.】

【Lash·Thorn: An upgraded version of the Lash skill, using the summoned thorns to attack the enemy, with a certain probability of applying 【Bleeding】 and 【Poisoning】 effects.】

【Camouflage: Able to further blend into the surrounding environment, for example, in a forest, by having the surface of the body covered in moss or stained with dust.】

"Ah, it leveled up just like that?"

Yun Mu had just finished putting on her shoes when a message notification from the Game Panel appeared in her mind.

She turned her head to look and saw that Xiaoqie's appearance seemed much newer than before, as if it had been dug out of the dirt, cleaned, maintained, and refurbished.

Besides that, the patterns on its body were also slightly different from before.

The patterns on it were similar to the Broken Priest's Flag, yet not quite the same; they seemed to have merged with the patterns it originally had.

"It even gained new skills..."

(End of chapter)