Chapter 237 - 165: Madman and Liar (3)
After successfully navigating the traps in the swamp, Forgotten Dao let out a "heh heh" and steered toward the small house.
Of course, he didn’t forget to drop his puppets along the way.
There seemed to be no more monsters or traps harassing him from behind, and Forgotten Dao successfully landed at the location of the small house.
The Milestone Spirit Candle appeared once again.
After touching the fire, Forgotten Dao’s gaze shifted elsewhere.
The place appeared to be a small earthen hill, slightly higher than the swamp. The soil was very soft and covered in moss. In front of the small house, a fence enclosed a patch of strange-looking herbs.
There was a flower bud burning with green flames, a grass whose leaves opened and closed as if clapping, and a fruit that grew in the dirt like a pineapple with spiraling patterns...
[Poison Flame Bud] [Joyful Grass] [Nightmare Fruit]
’Magic Potion Seeds?’
’It looks like I can take these back to plant!’
Seeing this, Forgotten Dao’s eyes lit up. He was just about to reach out and pick them when he suddenly heard the wooden door of the house CREAK open.
An old woman with a wrinkled face, dressed in tattered robes and leaning on a cane, took in the whole scene with her murky eyes.
[Old Woman in the Wooden House]
’An NPC?’
Caught red-handed, Forgotten Dao was both embarrassed and surprised, his hand still frozen in mid-air.
But before he could react, the old woman before him spoke, her eyes numb as if she were reading from a script.
"Take it to... the Divine Hall... for worship..."
As she spoke, she handed something to Forgotten Dao. Having said her piece, she hobbled over to the side of the house on her cane and sat down, staring blankly ahead. No matter how Forgotten Dao questioned her, she wouldn’t respond.
[Acquired: Ancient Banner]
[Ancient Banner]
[Type: Weapon]
[Effect: Slightly increases Prayer damage.]
[Explanation: An Ancient Banner that seems to hide a mysterious Power.]
Faced with this situation, Forgotten Dao couldn’t make heads or tails of it. He could only look down at the Ancient Banner she had given him... it looked like a dirty rag.
He stared at it for a long time but couldn’t see anything unusual.
After a moment of thought, Forgotten Dao turned his back and tried using the Banner, but he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.
The old woman didn’t try to stop him, still staring ahead in a daze.
Resigned, Forgotten Dao had no choice but to return to the Milestone Spirit Candle and Teleport back to ask other players about it.
𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
Of course, he was cautious, also asking if any other players had encountered this old woman.
After all, who knew if this was a regular NPC in the instance or some Firewood Thief?
Soon, other players replied, dispelling his doubts.
"I ran into that old woman too, but she didn’t give me anything. She just kept mumbling about the Divine Hall."
"Heh heh, I took all the herbs, and there are even a few Magic Potions inside the house! Remember to loot the place, bros. She won’t say a thing."
"I saw the little house, but I got slapped to death by the Bronze hand in front of it. Damn!"
"A piece of cloth? How’d you trigger that?"
"Hmm... maybe it’s a hidden quest item. You should try it out."
"I’m so jealous of you lucky guys. I’m still lost... (crying)"
"..."
After chatting with the other players, Forgotten Dao basically confirmed that the old woman was indeed an NPC that existed within the instance.
However, Forgotten Dao wasn’t sure why she had only given the Banner to him.
「Back at the small house.」
Forgotten Dao sized up the old woman suspiciously again, even waving a hand in front of her eyes. She didn’t react at all.
"Hah!"
Forgotten Dao suddenly brandished his blade, baring his teeth to startle her.
But the old woman still didn’t react.
Seeing this, Forgotten Dao could only shrug. He then proceeded to loot the entire house and herb garden before walking out satisfied and boarding his Spirit Fire Sail once more.
"Heh heh, hahahaha..."
Just before he left, Forgotten Dao’s character once again began to laugh maniacally in a low voice, completely out of his control.
"Whatever, I’ll just take this Blood Tongue off first."
Forgotten Dao patted his face, muttering as he unequipped the Blood Tongue. Only then did he touch the fire and leave.
But what he failed to notice was that just as he was laughing his low, maniacal laugh, the old woman behind him had suddenly shuddered.
After Forgotten Dao had left the area completely,
the old woman’s facial skin suddenly crumpled, and Le Ti emerged from her back, cursing in the direction of Forgotten Dao’s departure.
"That damn Candle Spirit is so evil! Unforgivable!"
"Is this guy a locust? Damn him!"
Le Ti’s heart ached as he looked at the plundered herb patch.