Chapter 379: The Side Effects of the Eerie Item [Frost Blossom Flower] (8/5, Autumn Subscription)

Fang Yue was immediately caught between tears and laughter — had this little brain of hers really spent an entire day just to arrive at the same conclusion as before?

"Aiya! Ye Ge, don't make that face yet, I'm serious! Think about it — the eerie things are still far from us right now. All we need to do is travel light, bring a couple of extra fast horses, and just the two of us run. Leave the people of Gu Yue Cun as cannon fodder — there's a real chance we can escape with our lives.

Even if we get hunted later, we just head straight for Qingsi County, or an even bigger city, or the Capital of Qing Guo. Surely the Wu Yu Clan wouldn't be bold enough to charge head-on into a major city, right?"

Honestly speaking, Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu's idea actually had a certain feasibility. Spending a whole day thinking wasn't for nothing — it's just that…

"Then suppose everything goes exactly as you said — what do we do after that? Hole up in the city every day and never step outside?"

"Of course we cultivate hard, and then beat the Wu Yu Clan's heads in!"

Fang Yue spread his hands: "And so the question is — without leaving the city, how do we cultivate hard enough to actually match the Wu Yu Clan in a fight? Lord Han is already that strong, and even he gives the Wu Yu Clan a three-part measure of caution. When on earth are we supposed to catch up to Lord Han's level?"

Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu grew sullen, scratched at her hair, and stamped her foot in frustration: "Ye Ge, can't you praise me first before dousing me with cold water?"

Saying so, she had already turned and run outside.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to put my character to sleep! Then go chat with the tail!"

Fine, at least Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu was still an optimist — knowing how big a deal this was, she still didn't let her daily routine slip. Truly a big-hearted one, or rather, a thick-skinned, carefree one.

With no one disturbing him, Fang Yue continued his cultivation, and only paused to log off when it was time for dinner.

……

In reality, Fang Yue sat together with Bai Xiaoya and Yuan Jie eating dinner.

When Bai Xiaoya asked about things in Fang Yue's game, Fang Yue didn't hold anything back and told Bai Xiaoya everything.

"That serious? Then isn't your game character done for?"

"I don't know. My head hurts too. I can only trust in Lord Han's strength."

"Fang Yue, since outside help is no longer something we can recruit, why not think of a way to raise the overall strength of Gu Yue Cun?"

"Is last-minute sharpening even useful? And besides… the villagers of Gu Yue Cun are honestly pretty weak on average. In a day or two, they can't be raised by much."

"No, I'm not talking about the villagers of Gu Yue Cun — I'm talking about Lord Han. If Lord Han's strength could be raised a little, there might still be a turning point."

Fang Yue couldn't help but smile bitterly — Bai Xiaoya didn't know Lord Han's situation.

Lord Han had 【Night Cold】 lodged inside his body, and even he himself had no way to resolve it; his strength had fallen to half-step Rain-rank. He couldn't even restore his own body's health — what could Fang Yue possibly do?

Although Bai Xiaoya and the busybody Yuan Jie both offered a few more ideas, none of them were of much help.

Compared to these two, Fang Yue was hoping even more that some fellow — who had been playing dead until now — would at least pipe up.

【Squeak!】

Fang Yue:!!!

Damn! You finally deigned to come out for some air!

Fang Yue gave a sudden start and nearly flipped over his rice bowl.

"Parchment, quick quick quick, hurry and tell me — how do I break this deadlock? If I stay guarding Gu Yue Cun in real life, do I live or die?"

【Sorry, the great Lord Parchment can only squeak for now, can't say more!】

Fang Yue: ……

What good are you!!

Such a coward — it's not like something's got its eyes on you, so why don't you even dare speak up loudly in reality!

Useless Parchment!

【You may not insult the great Lord Parchment!】

Insulting you, insulting you, insulting you — useless Parchment! Useless Parchment!

【Hmph hmph! Angry-angry!!! Very angry-angry!!】

【I am Fang Yue. I am being hunted by the Wu Yu Clan in the game.】

【I chose to hold fast at Gu Yue Cun.】

【I died.】

Fang Yue:!!!

Seeing Parchment's prophecy, his pupils contracted at once and his face darkened.

If I choose to hold fast at Gu Yue Cun, I actually die?

He forcibly suppressed the urge to immediately log back into the game and flee Gu Yue Cun alone, and asked in his heart: "Then what if I run away by myself?"

【I am Fang Yue. I am being hunted by the Wu Yu Clan in the game.】

【I chose to flee Gu Yue Cun alone.】

【I died.】

Fang Yue:???

How come I still die even when I run??

So no matter what I do now, something's going to go wrong, huh?

Fang Yue wanted to ask for more details, but Parchment gave no response.

"Playing dead again? Things are about to fall apart over here — hurry up and come out and think of something!"

"Parchment? Parchment!!"

"Sheepy, do something useful, Sheepy!"

【Squeak!】

Squeak your mother!!!

Fang Yue finally couldn't hold back and let loose a string of curses.

No choice — this Parchment really messed with one's state of mind, cowardly as all hell, and couldn't even do a proper prophecy!

He also had no idea what exactly it was afraid of. How would he know there was something hunting Parchment!

Having thoroughly roasted the parchment for a few lines, Fang Yuejian saw that the parchment took the scolding without a word back, playing dead the whole time, so he let it be.

But Fang Yue figured the parchment had definitely taken every word he'd said about her to heart and was holding a grudge.

Fang Yue couldn't care less about her. Once the meal was done, he prepared to get back on the game and figure out a way out.

And just then, Qiu Dugu suddenly came to visit.

"I'm not working overtime!!"

The moment Fang Yue saw Qiu Dugu, he hurriedly shouted.

He was at a life-or-death moment in the game, with a pile of things to do — where did he have the time to work overtime in real life, 996, to realize his life's value?

"You've got the wrong idea. I'm not here to make you work overtime. I came to bring you something."

"Bring me something?"

Fang Yue stared at the basin-sized wooden box Qiu Dugu held out, and couldn't help but freeze.

"What is this?"

"A strange object — Frost Flower."

Frost Flower?!

Fang Yue's eyes immediately lit up, his face full of pleasant surprise.

"You made it this fast? Is it really fine to just give it to me now? Has the Joint Alliance already approved this thing for me?"

Qiu Dugu shrugged: "Act first, report later — same thing. This time you killed another one of the Shadow Society's Thirteen Daoists. The upper echelons of the Joint Alliance are very satisfied with you, they definitely won't have any objections."

That's even better! I just love acting first and reporting later.

Fang Yue opened the wooden box and saw a pale-blue, oversized flower lying inside, shriveled and flat, like a specimen.

"How do you use this thing?"

"Just eat it."

"Well that's perfect!"

Fang Yue's eyes lit up. He picked up the Frost Flower and was about to eat it, scaring Qiu Dugu into hurriedly grabbing his hand.

"What are you doing?" Fang Yue glared at him, annoyed.

"I haven't finished speaking yet!"

"Haven't finished what?"

"Put the Frost Flower down first."

Pressing Fang Yue's hand back onto the box, Qiu Dugu said.

"The Frost Flower is a strange object. You know what strange objects are, right? Generally speaking, using a strange object comes with side effects. The Frost Flower's side effect is: once you eat it, it will parasitize inside your body, absorbing your nutrients and life force, gradually altering your constitution. You can gradually gain the power to use frost.

But as the Frost Flower grows stronger, the frost power becomes increasingly intense. The first symptom is your body gradually growing cold, then numb, and finally losing all sensation.

After that, ice flowers will gradually bloom across your body, expanding into ice sculptures, blocks of ice. Eventually, every part of your body — from cells to skin, every component, every bodily structure — will turn to ice. Your entire being will become a giant ice sculpture, losing all signs of life and dying.

And this process is irreversible!"

That's terrifying?!

Fang Yue was startled.

This strange object, the Frost Flower, was indeed powerful. Having witnessed Frost Fall's methods firsthand, Fang Yue still very much wanted this kind of power.

But hearing about this wretched side effect... Fang Yue began to hesitate.

However, it wasn't long before he thought of something.

He had the Breath of Night!!

PS: Can't take it anymore, going to sleep. Just 8 updates today.

(End of chapter)