Chapter 70: Just Came Out and Went Back In—What

Jiang Chen was right; it happened within the half hour they were running the mermaid Instance.

Outside the Instance, both sides' troops were still facing each other.

In the half hour that just passed, the two sides clashed again.

Neither side gained any advantage.

At this moment they were each about 50 meters from the Instance, and no one could get closer.

Getting any closer would invite a thunder strike.

Suddenly, five figures appeared at the Instance Entrance.

At the same time, ten Skeleton Warriors also appeared.

Jiang Chen and a few others left the Instance under the protection of the Skeleton Warriors.

But now, when they appeared before the crowd outside, everyone's eyes narrowed.

Apparently they hadn't realized they would emerge from the Instance so quickly.

"They've come out."

"That fast, only half an hour, right?"

"Probably couldn't beat it, so they withdrew."

"Heh, these skeletons look pretty tough; I guess they're just tough, can be used as meat shields."

Jiang Chen's summoned Skeleton Warriors simply have higher hardness and defense; inside the Instance they are definitely a shield, and beyond that they aren't considered very useful.

The Shadow Transformation Nation people sneered one after another.

They would never think Jiang Chen cleared the Instance.

Just half an hour is definitely not enough.

Even with a perfectly configured team, without one or two hours, you can't hope to clear a Nightmare-level Difficulty Instance.

The Shenlong Empire, however, reacted differently; seeing Jiang Chen and his group emerge safely, they breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as they return safely, that's all that matters.

"Brother, come back quickly."

"Instance failure doesn't matter; being alive is fine."

"As long as we're alive, there will be plenty of opportunities later."

Lei Ren, cold.

Smiling, "Lucky, you actually managed to come out alive."

His words were full of a sarcastic, ambivalent tone, which made the others even more disgusted at this moment.

Fang Hongxiu scanned both sides' troops and found that the numbers hadn't decreased.

That indicates that no one actually entered the Instance.

"Be careful."

Lin Caier laughed happily.

"Don't worry, with Jiang Chen there, nothing will happen."

"Hmm, I'll wait for you outside."

Zhang Yang and Liu Cui also said, "Good luck."

After speaking, the three returned to the Shenlong Empire's ranks.

Lin Caier and Jiang Chen formed a team of two.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Lin Caier took out a Cooldown Talisman and activated it!

In the faint light, the Instance's cooldown time reset to zero.

The two entered the Instance again.

"Why did they go back in again?"

"What are they trying to do? Two people entering the Instance?"

The people outside stared at the two, their faces full of bewilderment, unable to understand what the pair intended to do.

"Even on Normal Difficulty, two people aren't enough."

"A Basic Cooldown Talisman—this woman actually has such a high‑grade item; she must have a non‑trivial background."

"This is something even the rich find hard to purchase."

The Basic Cooldown Talisman is not easily obtained.

Jiang Chen searched both the Imperial Exchange and the University Exchange, and neither had it.

The item is evidently quite precious.

He had only seen it in Lu Qingyu's hands.

He only asked tentatively earlier, not expecting Lin Caier actually had one.

Like Lu Qingyu's, it's a Basic Cooldown Talisman that can be used ten times.

After ten uses, it requires an energy recharge.

The one Lin Caier holds still has five uses left.

If they bring Fang Hongxiu and the others along, they can only run one more round.

If it's Lin.

If it's Lin Caier and Jiang Chen, then they can run two more rounds.

After discussion, it was decided that Jiang Chen and Lin Caier would go into the Instance to run it.

Anyway, Fang Hongxiu, Zhang Yang, and Liu Cui are all the same, whether present or not.

As long as Jiang Chen is there, that's enough.

After entering the Instance, Lin Caier's little face lit up with a bright smile, as if even the stench inside the Instance was no longer that unpleasant.

"You promised to take me leveling up, I didn't expect it to happen so quickly."

Jiang Chen smiled, "If you promise, you must keep it."

Lin Caier smiled even brighter, "Then keep taking me in the future, and you're not allowed to stop after just one time."

"Alright."

Jiang Chen agreed, noting that Lin Caier, being a simple and lively girl, is also genuinely generous.

As long as there's a chance, Jiang Chen will still take her to level up and grind Instances.

10 Skeleton Warriors emerged at once, sprinting forward along the passage.

After gaining that experience, Jiang Chen no longer wasted time fighting them one by one.

He simply dragged the few monsters in the passage along as he ran.

Skeleton Warriors led, with Merfolk Elite Warriors behind, advancing along the passage.

Five minutes later, the Skeleton Warriors, dragging over thirty Merfolk Elite Warriors, reached the end of the passage and entered the Cave of the Merfolk Queen's pet snake.

The Skeleton Warriors leapt down.

The monsters behind also jumped down in succession.

After they all jumped down, Jiang Chen and Lin Caier appeared at the end of the passage.

The Giant Python, as the Elite Boss, was frantically pursuing the Skeleton Warriors together with the elite warriors.

Skill: Slow Curse!

Accompanied by flickering Red Light, a shackles symbol appeared above every monster's head.

Their speed instantly slowed.

At that moment the Skeleton Warriors simultaneously turned and counter‑attacked.

Over ten Skeleton Warriors simultaneously targeted an elite warrior.

They launched the attack.

The unlucky Merfolk Elite Warrior was instantly killed.

Skill: Corpse Explosion!

Boom!

An Explosion sound suddenly rang out.

The Cave shook violently, and countless fragments of stone fell.

All the Merfolk Elite Warriors were almost instantly killed.

"Defeated Level 21 Merfolk Elite Warrior, Experience +11300"

"Obtained Fish Skin ×6"

"Defeated Level 21 Merfolk Elite Warrior, Experience +11523"

"Obtained Fish Skin ×10"

A series of prompts appeared; over 30 Merfolk Elite Warriors granted each of them more than 700,000 experience.

Experience rose rapidly for a while.

The Giant Python hadn't yet realized what had happened.

During the Corpse Explosion, it sustained a serious wound.

Jiang Chen repeatedly triggered the skill, causing ten Corpse Explosions within three seconds.

The Giant Python let out a wail and collapsed to the ground.

"Defeated Level 23 pet snake of the Merfolk Queen, Experience +36760"

"Obtained Silver-grade Armor: Snake Skin Light Armor"

"Obtained Intermediate Monster Crystal Core"

The last time they fought here, they cleared monsters one by one, taking over half an hour.

This time, only five minutes.

The speed was several times faster.

"How impressive!"

Lin Caier's eyes narrowed into crescents, looking beautiful.

Jiang Chen stared blankly for a moment, then softly said, "Let's go."

The two leapt into the Cave and continued onward.

Soon they arrived outside the Merfolk Queen's palace.

A large number of Merfolk elite soldiers were patrolling outside the palace.

The Skeleton Warriors quickly ran over.

Soon, amid repeated intense Explosion sounds, the two again harvested plenty of experience and materials.

White Light burst from Lin Caier'er's body.

"Hehe, I've leveled up."

"Finally Level 20."

Lin Caier

Cai Er stretched lazily and let out a sigh.

When Jiang Chen first met Lin Caier, she was already Level 19.

At that time Jiang Chen was only Level 10.

These days have passed, and Lin Caier is still only Level 19.

Jiang Chen could tell how lax this girl is at leveling.

He probably is the type who won't act unless she has to.

As a genius student of Shenlong University, this is a bit too laid‑back, isn't it...

Azure light poured down, and the Mermaid Queen's palace reopened.

The beautiful, noble Mermaid Queen stepped out of the palace.

Having learned from the previous encounter, Lin Caier swooped behind Jiang Chen in an instant.

"If I don't look at her, I won't be bewitched, right..."

With Jiang Chen as a shield, she indeed wasn't confused.

The Mermaid Queen, seeing all her sergeants dead, let out an angry scream.

This time Jiang Chen had experience and preparation.

Skeleton Warriors retreated, each carrying the corpse of a Mermaid elite sergeant.

The corpse wasn't swept away by the shockwave from the scream.

When the scream faded, the Skeleton Warriors ran back with the corpses.

Jiang Chen acted swiftly at the same time.

Skill: Slow Curse!

Under the red cursed shackles, the Mermaid Queen's speed instantly slowed.

The Skeleton Warriors carried a dozen corpses back to the Skeleton Queen.

Skill: Corpse Explosion!

Old‑fashioned, unoriginal, yet highly effective.

Moreover, this Instance truly has aspects Jiang Chen can exploit.

Who placed so many amplified Elite Monsters in front of the palace?

In the Instance, the corpses of slain monsters exist only for a limited time.

Roughly two minutes total.

The Mermaid Queen, however, rushed within that short time

out.

If she emerged later, Jiang Chen couldn't use those corpses.

Corpse Explosion's damage is based on the corpse's vitality.

After Perfect Amplification, the damage becomes 300% of the corpse's vitality—exactly three times the damage.

As the Instance BOSS, the Mermaid Queen's vitality is only twenty‑to‑thirty times that of an amplified Elite Monster.

Amid a barrage of explosions, the Mermaid Queen fell to the ground with a mournful wail.

She didn't even have a chance to use a Skill; it was essentially an instant kill.

"Killed Mermaid Queen, EXP +52304"

"Obtained Silver-level Weapon: Mermaid Queen's Dagger"

"Obtained Silver-level Weapon: Mermaid Queen's Magic Book"

"Obtained Mermaid Tear ×1"

"Mermaid Queen's Dagger: Silver Grade, Agility +50, Constitution +50, Assassin Skill Power +10%, usable after Rank 20"

"Mermaid Queen's Magic Book: Silver Grade, Spirit +100, Mage Skill Power +10%, usable after Rank 20"

At this point, entering the Instance took less than ten minutes.

The speed was hair‑raising.

The efficiency was terrifyingly high.

Lin Caier clapped excitedly beside him.

"Quick, quick, quick, let's do it again."

"Grab all three Mermaid Tears."

She felt an unprecedented thrill—was this the feeling of clinging to a strong leg?

"Really!"

"It's unbelievably satisfying!"