97: City Defense Artifact (4/4)

"Whoosh—"

Li Si's figure appeared in the Wind-Sand Stone Forest, over six hundred meters from the Great Bandit Camp, which was the agreed-upon meeting spot with Netherworld Soul Chaser.

"Are you there?"

Li Si sent a private message to his friend.

"Here."

"Follow me closely."

"Okay."

So, led by Li Si, the two, one visible and one hidden, swaggered towards the Great Bandit Camp.

The NPC guards saw Li Si and didn't stop him, letting him enter. The Sword-Wielding Bandit had personally opened the gate for him before, so these grunt NPCs wouldn't dare to block him.

"Where's the Sword-Wielding Bandit?"

Li Si asked as if he were entering his own home.

"The Bandit just returned and is currently in the study."

"Mm."

Li Si nodded, hands clasped behind his back, and walked towards the study within the camp.

"...Awesome." Netherworld Soul Chaser exclaimed in his heart. Was this still a level 99 dangerous area? This was clearly a big shot's backyard.

"Bandit, what are you doing?"

Li Si pushed open the study door with a smile.

"Who let you in?"

The Sword-Wielding Bandit's face showed a panicked expression, and he quickly put away the small blue book on his desk.

"Bandit, don't be so distant. Shall we chat?"

"There's nothing for me to chat about with you," the Sword-Wielding Bandit said coldly. He was truly a bit afraid of Li Si now, worn down to the point of losing all temper.

"Let's talk about why you came to the Wind-Sand Stone Forest?"

"I really came to mine gold. Why don't you believe me? I even showed you the gold mine; it's genuine gold, right?" the Sword-Wielding Bandit said helplessly.

"I still don't believe it." Li Si shook his head.

At the same time, he opened his friends list and sent a message: "Now, steal from him."

"Received!" The invisible Netherworld Soul Chaser quietly crept behind the Sword-Wielding Bandit.

"What will it take for you to believe me?"

"What will it take for me to believe you? Let me think." Li Si pretended to ponder, actually stalling for time.

A few seconds later, Netherworld Soul Chaser's message popped up: "Done! The Sword-Wielding Bandit's diary is in hand. Also, I stole two Skill Slot Expansion Crystals; one for each of us."

Li Si typed a message into the friends interface: "You go quickly, I'll stall him for a bit."

"Mm!"

Netherworld Soul Chaser quickly departed.

Li Si slowly walked towards the bookshelf in the study, then said, "Can I just look around?"

"Look around all you want." Just don't bother me.

The latter half of the sentence the Sword-Wielding Bandit didn't utter.

Time passed, and Li Si pretended to flip through books, feigning perusal. In reality, he was constantly waiting for Netherworld Soul Chaser's message.

After stalling for over ten minutes, Netherworld Soul Chaser's message finally appeared.

"I'm back in the city."

"Okay, wait for me, I'll be there soon!"

Closing the friends interface, Li Si let out a long breath and looked at the Sword-Wielding Bandit: "My dog at home had puppies; I need to go back and check on them."

"Whoosh—"

His figure vanished from where he stood.

At this moment, the strange expression on the Sword-Wielding Bandit's face disappeared, replaced by a somewhat playful look. He pulled out hundreds of small blue books and said coldly, "Who the hell writes a diary, if they're a decent person?"

Chaotic Star City Central Teleportation Plaza.

Li Si's figure appeared behind Netherworld Soul Chaser.

"I'm here!"

"Crazy God, you are simply a God! It's so awesome to follow you!"

"As long as it didn't go wrong, give me the items quickly." Li Si said hurriedly.

He was already impatient to explore the Chaotic Star City Treasure Vault.

"Here you go."

【Ding!】

【Congratulations, you have obtained item — Sword-Wielding Bandit's Diary (Quest), item — Skill Slot Expansion Crystal (Special).】

"Thanks, I'm going to turn in the quest. Next time there's a similar situation, I'll find you again."

"You absolutely must find me! Don't find other rogues."

"Don't worry, I'll definitely find you."

Li Si's tone was extremely firm; he only had Netherworld Soul Chaser, a rogue, on his friends list, so he could only find Netherworld Soul Chaser.

"Pop—"

The Skill Expansion Crystal shattered.

His skill slot count increased to 9.

Current: 8/9.

City Lord's Mansion.

"The diary."

Li Si handed over the quest item.

Bi Xuan quickly checked it. A moment later, he breathed a sigh of relief: "The Qingzhou Thirteen Bandits truly came for the gold mine in the Wind-Sand Stone Forest. It seems I worried too much and was too nervous about them."

"God Craftsman's Disciple, you should take a look too."

"If you say so," Li Si took the Sword-Wielding Bandit's diary and quickly read its contents. As Bi Xuan said, the Thirteen Bandits had indeed come for the gold mine.

【Ding!】

【Congratulations, you have completed the hidden quest — Qingzhou Thirteen Bandits (Star Rating Fluctuates).】

【Congratulations, you have received the quest reward — entry into the Chaotic Star City Treasure Vault, choose two items.】

"City Lord, can I bring someone in?"

If he could bring someone, Li Si wanted to bring Bai Yuèyue into the Treasure Vault to increase efficiency. With Bai Yuèyue's talent activated, she could search for targets.

"No, the Treasure Vault is a vital area of Luanxing City; idlers are not permitted inside. Only you, as the God Craftsman's Disciple, are qualified." Bi Xuan refused with a serious expression.

"Alright, I'll go by myself."

Subsequently, led by an NPC, Li Si successfully saw the much-anticipated Chaotic Star City Treasure Vault.

The entrance to the Treasure Vault was in the backyard of the City Lord's Mansion.

An eighteen-story pagoda building stood on the ground. He slowly stepped through the main gate and entered the first floor of the Chaotic Star City Treasure Vault.

He roughly glanced around.

There was nothing good on the first floor.

"Go straight to the 18th floor first!"

Thinking this, Li Si headed directly for the highest floor of the pagoda.

Unlike the other floors, the hall on the eighteenth floor was empty, with only a single crimson hammer.

【flowing light starfall hammer】 (True God-tier)

Type: Two-Handed Weapon

Level: 101

Attributes: ????

Special Effect: ????

Description: The guardian artifact of Luanxing City. The pinnacle work of the God Craftsman — Wang Shidao. When Luanxing City suffers a cataclysm, the flowing light starfall hammer will automatically revive to protect Luanxing City from harm.

"Holy crap, awesome!"

Li Si was dumbfounded. A level 101 weapon, and it was True God-tier.

An automatically reviving city-guarding artifact, this effect was also invincible.

Is the Blazing Sky Craftsman that amazing?

A Mythical-tier sub-profession, actually able to forge True God-tier weapons!!

"How about this one then?"

Li Si really wanted the flowing light starfall hammer. He would try it first; maybe he couldn't take it? After all, this was a city-guarding artifact; it wasn't certain if it could be a quest reward.

【Ding!】

【Hint: Weapon — flowing light starfall hammer (True God-tier) is a city-guarding artifact and does not fall within the scope of the Chaotic Star City Treasure Vault.】

"As expected, I can't take it."

It made sense; how could a main city's guardian artifact be a quest reward? Li Si went downstairs to the seventeenth floor.

A dazzling array of treasures flooded his vision.

After obtaining Desolate Arrow: Ultra Range, his vision was further and wider, allowing him to observe his surroundings better.

"Trash."

"Level doesn't match."

"Useless!"

"No use at all."

"Legendary equipment, it's alright, but what I want are Second Advancement Scrolls, Third Advancement Scrolls, Mythical Professions."

"Another piece of trash."

"......"

Inside the seventeenth floor of the Treasure Vault, Li Si moved quickly, constantly searching....

Finally, half an hour later, in a hidden corner of the seventeenth floor, he saw a scroll—

【Profession Second Advancement Scroll】 (Special): Can ignore level requirements and forcefully complete a profession's second advancement. However, everything requires exchange; you must complete a specific quest.

"Hehehe...."

Li Si chuckled aloud on the spot, then decisively crushed the scroll.

【Ding!】

【Congratulations, you have selected one item. You can still choose one more item in the Treasure Vault.】

【Ding!】

【Congratulations, you have received quest — Investigate the Source of Disaster (Second Advancement).】

......