The figure was humanoid in shape, with a lingzhi mushroom cap on its head and a body and limbs resembling ginseng. It moved by means of root-like ginseng tendrils. If Lin Gushi and the others were present, they would surely recognize the figure as Wan Taisui!
At this moment.
Wan Taisui leaped out of the passage and landed in the underground rock cave. It was then that the venomous python flicked its forked tongue at it, its head turning towards Zhang Wei, signaling Wan Taisui to look this way.
Tap, tap, tap.
Wan Taisui also lifted its small feet and tiptoed towards Zhang Wei. Whether it was due to timidity or the incident involving a national-level entity abroad, it proceeded with extreme caution with every step.
"Hiss, hiss..."
The venomous python flicked its forked tongue and hissed a few times at Wan Taisui.
Although not of the same species as the venomous python, Wan Taisui understood its meaning. It was telling itself... this human had been bitten to death by it, poisoned, and was already dead. There was no need to be so afraid; it should trust the python.
Seeing this.
Wan Taisui felt somewhat relieved. It approached Zhang Wei and extended its tendrils to caress the Zhang Wei before it. As its tendrils touched Zhang Wei's backpack, Wan Taisui seemed delighted, its lingzhi mushroom cap bobbing happily as it hopped in place.
At the same time.
Zhang Wei's body was covered in snake mucus, his eyes closed, and his breathing had stopped. However, he was not dead. In fact, under the system's abilities, he hadn't sustained any injuries.
Not long ago, he had been bitten and swallowed by the venomous python. Zhang Wei had originally planned to wait for the venomous python to dive into the lake and, using his own strength, sense the movements outside its belly to see if there were other venomous pythons at the bottom of the lake. If so, he would catch them all in one go.
However.
Before he could sense for long, the venomous python spat him out. Not only that, but he found himself no longer in the lake but in a damp rock cave. Immediately after, he heard a new movement, which was not from the venomous python beside him.
Out of curiosity.
Zhang Wei slightly opened his eyes and, through the slits, saw the situation in the direction of the movement.
Upon seeing this.
Zhang Wei almost exclaimed in surprise. Wan Taisui?! He hadn't expected the Wan Taisui he was searching for to appear. At that moment, Zhang Wei dared not act rashly, deciding to observe the situation and see if he could find an opportunity to capture Wan Taisui.
"Hmm? What is Wan Taisui doing? Does it eat meat?"
Feeling Wan Taisui caressing him, Zhang Wei murmured in curiosity.
However, his confusion didn't last long.
Zhang Wei felt a tug on the backpack he was carrying. He squinted slightly to see that Wan Taisui was pulling it.
At this moment.
Wan Taisui extended two tendrils that resembled hands and tugged at Zhang Wei's backpack. Seeing that it couldn't pull it off, its intelligence seemed quite high. It called for the venomous python to turn Zhang Wei over, exposing the backpack behind him.
Subsequently.
After a period of pulling, Wan Taisui managed to pull Zhang Wei's backpack off. It reached into the zipper opening with its tendrils, and then the zipper was opened under the commotion of its tendrils. It then withdrew its tendrils from the backpack.
It was a Naruto Nine-Tails Fox figurine.
Wan Taisui's tendrils held the figurine, examining it back and forth, its lingzhi mushroom cap tilting curiously like a head.
[Ding! Wan Taisui is confused and curious]
[Host gains System Points +5000]
[Special Reward Triggered]
[Acquired knowledge of a national-level artifact refining master]
"Huh, 5000?!"
Hearing the system's voice in his mind, Zhang Wei was startled. He didn't have time to pay attention to the special reward; his attention was entirely captured by the system points he had gained. This was the first time he had received such a large amount of system points.
"Is the wool from Wan Taisui of such high quality? Is this the legendary wool that can cure all diseases? No, why can I get system points from Wan Taisui? Is Wan Taisui an evil creature?"
Zhang Wei was somewhat puzzled.
At this moment.
Zhang Wei seemed to recall something and looked at the system panel.
[Host]: Zhang Wei
[System Points]: 501000
[Ghost Exorcism Divine Ability]: Ghost Back Mark
[Items]: Forty-meter Great Saber, Infinite Yellow Talismans, One-time Ability 'Brief Bestowal', Fallen Angel Spear and other equipment, Demon God's Heart, Super Saiyan Figurine, One-time Ability 'Sniff Out Power'
Looking at the system points on the panel.
Zhang Wei's pupils contracted sharply... He had reached it! Fifty thousand system points! These points, plus the synchronized points, brought me to a million system points!
Thinking of this.
Zhang Wei channeled all the system points into himself. At that very moment, he felt the changes within his body, a power that even a half-step national-level entity could not compare to. He had felt this power from Hill and the Pope.
This was the power of a national-level entity!
His strength, as he had guessed, had reached a million system points, finally achieving... national-level!
At this moment.
He finally stood at the pinnacle of the world, reaching the top of the ghost exorcist pyramid, becoming one of them.
National-level.
The strength that all ghost exorcists dreamed of, and might not achieve in a lifetime, Zhang Wei had reached silently, and with the help of the world's most miraculous Wan Taisui, he had been promoted to national-level.
At this moment.
Zhang Wei was confident that even if he faced the Boss of the Senluo Division, Senluo, he wouldn't have to worry and could fight him.
Even.
If he wished, the Guard Department would be very happy to let him become a True Dragon Guard defending Great Xia.
"This trip to Yunnan Worm Valley was worth it. Although I encountered some danger, reaching the national-level is definitely not a loss."
"And..."
"Now I don't have to worry about the venomous python hindering my capture of Wan Taisui."
Zhang Wei murmured to himself, his closed eyes sweeping over the venomous python and then settling on Wan Taisui, who was playing with the figurine:
"Wan Taisui, as expected, is a good thing. It brings too many benefits. Not only did it allow me to reach the national-level in one go, but it also gave me artifact refining knowledge. Now, I can also personally refine national-level magical artifacts."
Thinking this.
Zhang Wei felt the surge of vast artifact refining knowledge in his mind, a smile on his face, and murmured:
"National-level has been achieved, and there's an unexpected gain in artifact refining knowledge. If I can capture Wan Taisui, then this trip to Yunnan Worm Valley can end perfectly ahead of schedule."
At the same time.
Unaware that he was being eyed covetously, Wan Taisui was still playing with the figurine. It subsequently took out more figurines from Zhang Wei's backpack, such as Naruto and One Piece figurines.
Looking at these humanoid figurines.
Wan Taisui was very curious. It was the first time it had seen such things. These things were like the human in front of it, but why were they so still?
Out of curiosity.
Wan Taisui continued to reach into the backpack, taking out figurine after figurine, until it pulled out a bag of Lays potato chips, its attention then being diverted.
Just then...
Wan Taisui picked up the chips, sniffed them, and the next second, it leaped joyfully like a child, extending its tendrils to tear open the bag of chips.
...