48: Second skill, Dingfeng City is opened!

Ye Xiao breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the system message that popped up.

If he hadn't unexpectedly obtained the phantom amulet by taking down the Shadow Death God through Shen Yue, Ye Xiao estimated it would have taken him at least a few more hours to complete this second advancement.

After the second advancement, Ye Xiao once again received two Skill Stone as promotion rewards.

Frozen Boundary: Consumes 300 Mana points, forms a Frozen Boundary around the target, slowing down enemies' movement speed and dealing 300 + 0.6 * (Intelligence) Ice damage, lasting 5 seconds, cooldown 30 seconds.

Star Shield: Absorbs 20% of physical damage, consumes 500 Mana points, duration 3 minutes.

The first, Frozen Boundary, was a water-based crowd control skill.

Its damage was several times higher than the original Fireball, and it was an area-of-effect attack.

Unfortunately, the cooldown was 30 seconds; even with Ye Xiao's 50% cooldown reduction, it would still take 15 seconds.

It was generally used as a mage's auxiliary crowd control ability.

Only mages specializing in water or dual-element mages would use it in conjunction with other skills.

Of course, Ye Xiao naturally didn't have this problem.

He naturally didn't need to think and learned it directly.

The second skill, Star Shield, was a defensive skill of the same type as the Mana Shield given during the first advancement.

However, Mana Shield blocked 10% of all types of damage, while Star Shield could only absorb physical damage.

It seemed pretty good, but while similar shield skills could all be learned, only one could be active at a time.

Most mages, to save Skill Bar slots, would only learn one type of shield.

After Ye Xiao learned it, he tried it out.

Immediately, both the white Mana Shield and the purple Star Shield appeared around Ye Xiao.

Ye Xiao wasn't surprised by this.

This was the effect of the Infinite Skill Bar.

This way, when facing an enemy's physical attack, he could directly negate 30% of the physical damage.

Unfortunately, mage shield-type Skill Stone were only obtained during advancements.

Otherwise, he would have learned all the shield skills from every advancement stage long ago.

With both skills learned, Ye Xiao glanced at the time; there wasn't much time left before the Path of Exile opened.

So, he found his direction, and with Void Phantom combined with Divinity Speed, he instantly vanished from the spot.

--- ---

Meanwhile, in the 702 Novice Zone, in Dingfeng City, which opened only once a year.

This was the only entry point for the Path of Exile.

With little time left before the Path of Exile opened, a large number of new players were already pouring in.

Almost every new player couldn't help but show astonishment in their eyes when they saw Dingfeng City before them.

“Is this the Dingfeng City that every Novice Area has? What a magnificent city!”

“How many people are in our 702 Novice Zone this year? Does anyone know?”

“They say it's 200,000, which is fewer than other Novice Areas, so the competition won't be as fierce.”

“Not fierce? I'd rather go to a fiercer area than stay in the 702 Novice Zone.”

“Yeah! Not to mention we have an SSS-grade Holy Priestess, Bai Xueluo Wusheng, in our zone. Just now, news came that Night Shadow is also in our Novice Area. I just feel a lot of pressure.”

As soon as these words came out, some new players who weren't very well-informed let out a series of gasps.

“Holy cow, Night Shadow is in our zone? Is that true or false?”

“They say someone discovered Night Shadow's real identity, and he's in Yun City, so naturally, he's in our Novice Area.”

“Hiss! Isn't this terrible? With Big Brother Night Shadow around, isn't the top spot on the Path of Exile leaderboard already reserved?”

“Alas! Heaven is too unfair.”

... There were over a hundred Novice Areas in the Eternal World.

Therefore, although tens of millions of new players entered the Novice Area each year.

However, when distributed among different Novice Areas, each area averaged only two to three hundred thousand people.

And while the Path of Exile was an event all new players could participate in.

It was still divided by area.

New players from each area would only enter the Path of Exile in the same space.

They would compete against each other to contend for points.

Finally, rankings would be determined by points.

Therefore, if there were too many strong players in one area, it would be very disadvantageous for weaker new players.

In the past, there had been several instances where several exceptionally talented prodigies appeared in the same Novice Area.

Ultimately, the top spot on the leaderboard was indeed taken by one of these prodigies.

However, the new player who took second place on the leaderboard was far less powerful than several others ranked behind him.

This was also the reason for everyone's lament just now.

“Hmph! A bunch of ignorant people.”

The few people who were originally discussing immediately became angry upon hearing this.

“Who the hell are you talking about?! I...”

However, before they could finish speaking, when they turned around and saw the person who had arrived, their faces instantly turned pale, and the words they wanted to curse were swallowed back down.

Although they didn't recognize the young man in front of them, who was the same age as them.

They did recognize the several auxiliary Professionals in high-level equipment standing behind him.

And only people from large families could have such an auxiliary lineup in the Novice Area.

Such people were naturally not ones that ordinary people like them could afford to offend.

The young man saw the reaction of these passersby and sneered disdainfully, “With your measly levels, whether you can even make it onto the leaderboard is still a question, so what does the top spot on the leaderboard have to do with you?”

Although the young man was right, the crowd of passersby still blushed with anger in their hearts.

“Tsk tsk! Su Yu, you couldn't beat us for the Calamity Herald before, and now you're showing off to a bunch of ordinary people. What a grand display of power.”

As the voice fell, several more people appeared behind Su Yu.

It was Wang Cheng and Lin Yong, who had previously teamed up with Bai Xiaoxiao.

And the one who spoke was Lin Yong among them.

At this moment, Su Yu was furious when he heard Lin Yong's sarcasm.

“Lin Yong, last time Bai Xiaoxiao just held back, which allowed you to barely succeed. Do you think you'll have a chance this time?”

Lin Yong heard this and said disdainfully, “Losing is losing, why so many excuses? I think you're just a sore loser.”

“A sore loser?” Su Yu sneered, “If it weren't for Bai Xiaoxiao, how could a good-for-nothing like you, who always hides his head and shows his tail, win against me?”

Lin Yong said calmly, “Alright then, since you've said so, after the second phase of the Path of Exile begins, I, this good-for-nothing, will find you and stare at you constantly. You better watch out.”

Being targeted by a Shadow Assassin who was good at hiding his tracks was never a good thing.

Su Yu hadn't expected Lin Yong to be so crazy, not to go for points himself, but instead planning to fight him to the death. He couldn't help but curse a few times in his heart.

However, his expression remained arrogant, and he was about to speak.

However, just then, a commotion broke out around them, interrupting the confrontation between the two groups.

The two looked over in unison.

It turned out that Bai Xiaoxiao had arrived.

Seeing Bai Xiaoxiao appear, a hint of fervor flashed in the eyes of the usually aloof Lin Yong.

After their last collaboration, the methods and strength Bai Xiaoxiao displayed surprised Lin Yong greatly.

So much so that since then, he had developed some interest in Bai Xiaoxiao.

Although his Talent was not as good as Bai Xiaoxiao's.

Lin Yong believed that with his potential, his future development would not lose to others.

Thus, in his opinion, Bai Xiaoxiao, as an SSS-grade Talent Awakener, was indeed worthy of him.

At this moment, Bai Xiaoxiao also saw Lin Yong and Su Yu.

However, she had never been interested in either of them.

After a brief glance, she walked straight into the city.

This scene made Su Yu feel the humiliation of being ignored.

On the other hand, Lin Yong at the side instead had a slight smile on his lips, thinking to himself: A woman with personality is more exciting to conquer.

Bai Xiaoxiao naturally didn't know what Lin Yong was thinking.

At this moment, beneath her indifferent expression, her mind was in a daze.

Just on her way here.

She had already received news from Bai Shanhe.

Night Shadow's true identity had been discovered.

However, upon hearing that familiar name.

Bai Xiaoxiao felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

No matter how much she racked her brain, she never would have thought.

That Night Shadow, who had repeatedly overshadowed her and thwarted her plans for fame, was actually Ye Xiao, whom she had mercilessly kicked away just a few days ago!!!!

Bai Xiaoxiao's first reaction after receiving the news was: This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!

How could that F-grade Talent Ye Xiao be Night Shadow?

If it were true, then what was she, an SSS-grade Talent Awakener?

Isn't this a joke?

But Bai Xiaoxiao also knew that Bai Shanhe would never joke about such a thing.

In fact, he was very eager for Bai Xiaoxiao to find Ye Xiao immediately.

After all, there had been three years of “relationship” between them.

All the right timing, location, and people were on her, Bai Xiaoxiao's, side.

As long as Bai Xiaoxiao could successfully bring Ye Xiao into the Bai family.

Then his Bai family would soon become the ninth family of the Alliance.

This was something countless aristocratic families and powers dreamed of achieving.

However, facing Bai Shanhe's eager anticipation.

Bai Xiaoxiao had other ideas in her heart.

(The little author wishes all esteemed readers a Happy New Year, good health, and great wealth in the coming year.)