Game of the World Tree

After spending an entire afternoon fighting monsters underground, Meng Zhihan decided to return back to Chosen City.

“Sigh, the speed at which I’m earning contribution points has indeed increased, but now, the amount needed to buy skills and equipment at my level is becoming more and more ridiculous…”

Looking at her pitiful account balance, she couldn’t help but feel a faint sense of melancholy.

“Now that I’m a silver ranker, should I also start exploring deeper into the Elven Forest like Brother Mu and the others to seek out more stronger magical beasts to fight?”

“Although I’m now killing monsters much faster, hunting these weaker mobs as a Silver ranker gives me a penalty, so the rewards I get actually decreased instead.”

This level penalty, of course, was implemented by Evé.

It was designed to prevent players from endlessly grinding low-level mobs after becoming stronger and to further encourage them to seek far new monsters to challenge.

Under this penalty system, the greater the level difference between the player and the monster (with the player being the one higher), the less experience and contribution points are rewarded from the kill.

“Moreover, it’s pretty much the same with tasks. The current daily tasks have become less and less rewarding for me. The only thing that still somewhat interests me is raising my favorability with the NPCs. Sigh, I wonder when there will be daily tasks suited for Silver-rankers…”

Once she reached her home, Meng Zhihan immediately sorted the various materials she had gathered from killing monsters for that day.

Many of these materials would become resources for her blacksmithing practice, while the ones she couldn’t use would be offered to the Goddess in exchange for some contribution points.

However, as she was busy organizing her materials, one strange item suddenly caught her eye.

It was a horn, somewhat like a goat’s, but it emitted an unpleasant aura.

“What is this?”

Meng Zhihan was a little confused.

After a moment of recollection, she remembered that she had acquired it as a reward during one of her battles in the underground.

At the time, she was busy fighting monsters when suddenly, a hideous creature had jumped out from the side out of nowhere which startled her.

Fortunately enough, that creature wasn’t actually very powerful, and Meng Zhihan, in her Pterodactyl form, easily killed it with a single ice breath.

This horn was then left behind by that monster.

Thinking for a moment, Meng Zhihan casted an appraisal spell upon it and the horn’s information shortly appeared in her field of vision:

【Demon’s Horn: This is a horn from a Lesser Flame Demon, a forging material imbued with fire-elemental properties.】

A Demon’s Horn?

Meng Zhihan was slightly taken aback.

That hideous monster that appeared so abruptly… was actually a demon?

Just as Meng Zhihan was processing her surprise, a new system notification popped up within her view:

【❗ 】

【Hidden Quest Activated: Demon’s Horn】

【Quest Description: You encountered a mysterious creature in the underground, a demon that shouldn’t normally have existed there, and obtained one of its horns. What could this mean?】

【Quest Objective: Uncover the origin of the demon】

【Quest Duration: 1 day】

【Quest Reward: 1000 contribution points】

【Quest Hint: Godwarden Zero possesses the most extensive knowledge regarding any mystical matters in the entire Elven Forest. Perhaps she knows something about it.】

Staring at the new system message she got, Meng Zhihan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

A hidden quest?!

Then, pure joy coursed through her entire body after it finally sank in.

“A hidden quest! It’s really a hidden questline! I can’t believe I’ve finally triggered one!”

Rare hidden quests and main storyline quest like these were the most coveted types of tasks in Elven Kingdom for they were either usually part of a secret quest chain or directly linked to the overarching progression of the main storyline.

As such, getting any of these usually meant extremely lucrative rewards!

Excitement filled Meng Zhihan’s heart as she hurriedly grabbed the Demon’s Horn and left her home, heading straight for the Temple of Life in Chosen City.

“Godwarden Zero… If I remember correctly, while this NPC is so elusive and not often seen around, she mostly stays inside the temple. Maybe I should try looking there… well, if I can’t find her, I’ll just ask Alice where she might be!”

After a light jog, Meng Zhihan quickly arrived at the Temple of Life.

And from the looks of it, luck was on her side once again, as soon as she entered the Temple of Life, she immediately spotted a figure standing in the side chamber, albeit one rarely seen in the temple.

Silver-grayed hair and red eyes, as well as that iconic black armored dress radiating an aura of cold authority…

It was definitely none other than Godwarden Zero!

Meng Zhihan took a deep breath and hurried over, putting on the signature fawning smile that players always often use when approaching NPCs.

She greeted the high-ranking elf with respect.

“Good afternoon, Lady Zero~!”

Upon hearing her greeting, Zero turned her head towards Meng Zhihan.

Upon hearing her greeting, Zero turned her head towards Meng Zhihan.

The other person then glanced at her silently before nodding slightly, as the corners of Zero’s curved ever so faintly into a barely noticeable smile.

“Good afternoon, brave Chosen One.”

Of course, Meng Zhihan, being the observant player that she was, quickly caught the other party’s subtle expression.

She smiled!

Lady Zero actually smiled!

This ice-cold beauty within the game can actually do in fact, smile!

Meng Zhihan’s eyes widened, as her heart swelled with emotion.

It was all worth it!

Raising her personal reputation to 90 points had even made this icy NPC smile at her!

“…Is there something you need?”

Zero’s cool voice rang out once more.

“Oh…Yes, yes, there is!”

Meng Zhihan nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at grains, as she pulled out the Demon’s Horn:

“I actually obtained this item after fighting a mysterious monster in the underground. I’ve heard you’re very knowledgeable regarding this stuff, Lady Zero, so I wanted to inquire about this item’s origin.”

Upon seeing the horn, Zero’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“A Flame Demon’s horn?”

She then took the horn from Meng Zhihan, examined it briefly, as her expression quickly turned serious.

“I didn’t expect… that a demon had escaped from that place so soon. It seems the seal there isn’t as complete as we thought. Looks like we’ll need to send new personnel to clean that place up.”

What place?

A seal?

New personnel?

Hearing Zero’s words, Meng Zhihan’s heart began to race.

A hidden quest!

There really is more to this hidden quest!

And it looks like a new map area is involved as well!

Could it be a new storyline quest?

Or maybe even a new dungeon?

Meng Zhihan couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild…

Of course, she didn’t forget to continue asking questions, hoping to trigger the next part of the questline.

“Lady Zero, what is this seal you mentioned?”

“It’s the prison where the Seventh Demon Lord, Azazel is currently sealed. The very same evil god that the Goddess hunted recently during the underground war.”

Godwarden Zero’s expression grew even more serious as she further elaborated.

“After that war, the Divine Matriarch ultimately defeated that Demon Lord and sealed him deep in the underground, within a vast and complex labyrinth…”

“Yet it seems that this demon lord has still not fully given up and still seeking ways to break free. The owner of this demon horn was likely one of the Demon Lord’s servants who somehow managed to escape.”

“Most likely, they are finding ways to free Demon Lord Azazel…”

After finishing, Zero turned to Meng Zhihan and spoke solemnly:

“Chosen One, I have a task for you.”

“Are you willing to venture forth to the underground where this labyrinth stands and purge the demons lurking there, to reinforce the seal of the Seventh Demon Lord?”

Immediately as soon as Zero finished speaking, a new system message promptly appeared within Meng Zhihan’s field of view…

【❗ 】

【You have triggered a dungeon quest: Labyrinth of the Demon Lord】

— 407 —

【 LABYRINTH OF THE DEMON LORD 】

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