Chapter Fifty-One: Acquiring a Skill Book for Free

After they had run beyond the bounds of the City God Temple, the vines finally gave up their pursuit.

“Xiao Zhang, you can really run!” Qi Guanbei was also exhausted by now, but Xiao Zhang had carried Zhao Bai all that way without the slightest complaint.

Disheveled, Xiao Zhang set Zhao Bai down and muttered, “Are all mythical dungeons this hellish?”

Qi Guanbei took out an energy bar, bit off a chunk, and replied, “What else did you expect? Did you think a mythical dungeon would be a walk in the park? Like a video game where you slash through mobs with a single strike?”

The vines were clearly restricted to a certain area, most likely a local mini-boss.

“So what do we do next?” Xiao Zhang asked.

“First, we find a safe spot. Otherwise, if other players arrive, we’ll be at a disadvantage.”

But what weighed on Xiao Zhang’s mind was Mo Xiaoxiao’s group—Zhao Tai was with someone capable, so he shouldn’t need worrying about, but how was Mo Xiaoxiao faring?

“Your stats must be pretty good,” Qi Guanbei remarked as he scanned their surroundings.

Xiao Zhang laughed awkwardly. How could he explain? He couldn’t just say all his stats were maxed out. “Not bad, not bad,” he hedged.

He accepted an energy bar from Qi Guanbei and, glancing at the unconscious Zhao Bai, asked, “What are we supposed to do about him?”

“Give him an antidote, that’s all,” Qi Guanbei shot him a look. “Don’t tell me you don’t even have an antidote?”

Xiao Zhang could only nod sheepishly. “I don’t…”

“There’s one in the exchange shop.”

Xiao Zhang was mortified—his own shop wasn’t accessible here. “I really don’t have one.”

“Here, catch.” Qi Guanbei tossed him a syringe-like vial.

Xiao Zhang examined it, and was immediately on the receiving end of Qi Guanbei’s incredulous stare. “Don’t tell me you don’t know how to use it?”

Qi Guanbei walked over and sat down in front of Xiao Zhang, lighting a cigarette—who knew how the guy managed to carry so many smokes.

Xiao Zhang nodded. “I know.”

“Just inject it,” Qi Guanbei said, taking a drag.

Xiao Zhang looked at the syringe, pondered for a moment, then tugged down Zhao Bai’s trousers and jabbed the needle into his backside.

Qi Guanbei’s face twitched at the sight—what, did he think Zhao Bai’s arm was off-limits?

“I really don’t know how you managed to deal with those two from Country D,” he muttered.

Xiao Zhang, already helping Zhao Bai back into his pants, replied offhandedly, “It was just one skill, really.”

“Damn, I’ve seen shameless, but not like you.” Qi Guanbei gave him a sidelong glance. “Come on, let’s hide in the temple for now. The other players should be arriving soon.”

Xiao Zhang hefted Zhao Bai onto his shoulders. “It really was just one skill!”

“Fine, fine, let’s just wake your little friend up first.”

Inside, the three statues stood in stark contrast to the ruin outside—as if they had been newly erected.

“They look like the Three Pure Ones,” Qi Guanbei said, producing three sticks of incense from somewhere and offering them to the statues.

Not to be outdone, Xiao Zhang asked for three sticks and made his own offerings.

When he finished, he asked, “The Three Pure Ones? You mean Laozi?”

Qi Guanbei gazed at the statues. “Yes and no. The Three Pure Ones are Yuqing, the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning; Shangqing, the Celestial Venerable of Spiritual Treasure; and Taiqing, the Celestial Venerable of Virtue.”

Truthfully, Qi Guanbei only had a rough understanding himself, but before entering the dungeon he had done his homework—and in a place like this, it wouldn’t be surprising if Primordial Beginning himself showed up.

At that moment, Zhao Bai began to stir, and Xiao Zhang hurried over to check on him.

“He should wake up soon,” Qi Guanbei drawled. “But you, you’re a real puzzle. Are you a mage, a warrior, or some kind of tech freak?”

“How do you even distinguish between them?” Xiao Zhang was genuinely clueless; after all, he didn’t have a skills menu.

“It mainly depends on your skill path,” Qi Guanbei explained. “Just like in games, you pick different roles—some are damage dealers, others aren’t.”

Xiao Zhang patted Zhao Bai’s face. “Like in team runs—DPS, healer, and crowd control?”

“That’s not a bad way to put it. But whether players or awakened ones, their main classification depends on their primary skill path. The problem is, if you’re too specialized, you’re easily countered. What’s your type?”

Xiao Zhang thought for a moment. “I guess I’m a melee mage?” That should be accurate—he usually fought hand-to-hand, and if that failed, he’d burn things. Wasn’t that a melee mage?

Qi Guanbei ignored his comment. “Some equipment also comes with special skills, and using these can help you comprehend new abilities.”

“Special skills can sometimes be learned in actual combat, though the odds depend on the quality of your weapons and gear,” Qi Guanbei went on. “Theoretically, if you wield an F-grade dagger and fight a beast for three hundred rounds, you might pick up an ordinary skill. But if you’re using high-grade weapons—B-grade or above, even A or S-grade—you can pick up special or even exclusive skills in just a single fight.”

“But in general, aside from basic skills, almost all special skills require a skill book to learn.”

“Skill book…” Xiao Zhang remembered he had one. “Are there restrictions on who can learn these skills?”

He knew about skill books—Mo Xiaoxiao had explained the exchange system, where you could swap for all sorts of equipment, weapons, items, potions… and skills.

“For a beginner like you, not really. But you should be careful with mage-type skills—if you pick necromancy, for instance, you won’t be able to learn holy skills, because they conflict.”

Xiao Zhang recalled the system telling him he could learn whatever skills he wanted. Did that mean he had no restrictions? “What happens if you try to learn conflicting skills?”

“Then you’re screwed, that’s what.” Qi Guanbei chuckled. “But with sword or blade techniques, learning more won’t hurt. Do you have a blade?”

Xiao Zhang considered, then produced the Spider Cutter. “Picked one up earlier.”

Qi Guanbei glanced at the weapon and, a sly smile tugging at his lips, remarked, “You really do have a lot of secrets, don’t you?”