Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

The reason he could do without the lightning shield was undoubtedly because the Telekinesis Rune was so versatile. The barrier it created was by no means weak, its only drawback being a significantly shorter duration.

Still, the former's area-of-effect thunderstorm had its merits for clearing out mobs.

Out with the old, in with the new.

If he could trade it for a 'Critical Hit Lv4' or even a 'Flying Skill Lv4', he would definitely make the swap without a second thought.

"By the way, there's something I need to ask. Did you see any monsters while you were fishing earlier?"

At this, Su Chen put aside the plans forming in his mind and began to inquire about the monster situation to the east.

"Yes!"

The gourmand, Bao Fusheng, thought for a moment before answering immediately, "This morning, a herd of hippos came close to the border, almost reaching the warehouse area of the old base. The water was in turmoil; otherwise, I wouldn't have caught only two fish."

'This might actually work!'

Su Chen's eyes lit up at the news.

The swamp to the east wasn't far from the great river. After the torrential overnight rain, the river had swelled and completely submerged the low-lying forest. The entire swamp had likely merged with the river, becoming a vast, open expanse of water.

Considering that the hippos' weight would make it difficult for them to move actively in deep water, it made sense that they would be forced to migrate to the shallower waters near the campsite. Even if they could hold their breath for extended periods, the deep water wouldn't offer them a sense of security.

"Those aren't ordinary hippos... each one is as massive as a moving fortress. Their shoulders alone stand nearly four meters above the water. A single grunt from them sounds like a clap of thunder. And I heard from others that they apparently fought a Titan Python before migrating here," Bao Fusheng added.

"Good. Thanks."

Receiving this information, Su Chen felt a surge of impatience. He hadn't expected the regional lords of the swamp and the river to have already had a showdown.

A clash between apex predators meant there was a good chance they were injured.

The Titan Python would be hard to find submerged in the river, but the hippos were another story.

This was truly a golden opportunity.

"Big bro, is there anything else you need help with?" At that moment, the fiery young man, who hadn't left, saw his chance and chimed in.

Su Chen's decisive and powerful actions earlier had been deeply impressive. Besides wanting to repay him, the camp members also harbored the thought of getting on his good side.

"Have you been to the conference hall used for trading?" Su Chen asked.

Yuan Haotian immediately nodded, saying he had been there three times.

Don't be fooled by the kid's reckless demeanor; while his actual strength was hard to gauge, that muscular physique of his wasn't just for show.

"Good!"

Su Chen wrote out a list and handed it to him. "The left column is what I can provide, and the right is what I need. When you go there over the next two days, you can help me post this or just keep an eye out. If anyone is interested, arrange a time to trade in the conference hall."

Yuan Haotian's eyes widened as soon as he glanced at the list, and his understanding of the powerhouse before him deepened yet again.

What shocked him to the core was the sheer quantity of Fire Element essences required—a cap of thirty.

'This is just absurd,' he thought.

'Is the boss trying to level up to Lv5? Or do his other Runes have a massive need for Fire Element essences?'

Before he could dwell on it, Liao Dahai, who had just returned to the camp after finishing his business, spoke up. "Are you short on Light Element essences? I know there are Light Attribute rhinos that appear at the lake northwest of the forest."

As the saying goes, a just cause attracts much support, while an unjust one finds little.

To a certain extent, this useful information really saved Su Chen a lot of trouble.

...

After some brief pleasantries, Su Chen immediately set out again.

This time, he traveled light and alone, carrying only a canvas backpack as he headed in the direction of the commercial district.

The floodwaters on the downhill path had receded considerably, but it was still impossible to walk on the bridge's surface while wading through.

So...

With no small boats or assault rafts available, Su Chen simply cast a layer of Wind Gauze on himself, activated his Telekinesis to fly, and successfully leaped onto a tree trunk. Before him, a 'path' appeared.

One mustn't forget that the canopies of this lush forest were almost connected, and supporting this dome were countless branches as thick as pillars.

Most of these branches were thicker than an adult's waist and covered in a layer of dense moss. They were solid and stable underfoot, not swaying in the slightest—a natural aerial corridor suspended above the water.

Soon, Su Chen was traversing the tree trunks as if walking on flat ground.

Whenever he encountered a broken branch or a gap that was too wide, he didn't even pause. With a mere thought, his body, enveloped in Telekinesis, would soar across the chasm. At other times, he would simply use Shadow Leap to jump into a nearby shadow.

Before long, his field of vision suddenly opened up.

A wide expanse of water shimmered in the morning light. In the center, three giant hippos were half-submerged, revealing only their broad backs and massive heads. Their skin was covered in a rock-like layer of caked mud, and a surging, earth-brown energy fluctuated around them.

Even more alarming was the surrounding scenery.

Several towering ancient trees in the vicinity had been snapped in half at their trunks. The breaks were a mess of shattered splinters, revealing just how terrifying the brutish, destructive force behind the impact must have been.

As for injuries?

Judging by their current appearance, he couldn't detect any sign of weakness in their auras.

'Either that, or this wasn't the group of hippos that fought. Perhaps there's another herd,' he mused.

Just then, Su Chen's gaze narrowed. As if sensing something, he looked toward the branch of a distant ancient tree. He saw at least three figures dressed in modern Archer gear standing there, clearly having staked out the spot for some time.

However, upon noticing another person had entered the scene, two of them turned their sharp gazes to size him up.

They even silently adjusted the bows gripped in their hands, aiming them horizontally so that the scopes on their Recurved Bows cast a cold glint of light.

'So we have some history...' he thought.

Su Chen looked at them coldly. The three were likely masters from the Archery Hall. They had previously schemed with Feng Yuanjie to fight for the Telekinesis Rune but were ultimately forced to apologize and retreat under pressure from Xiaoye and other outsiders.

The only reason he recognized Feng Yuanjie was because the base's strategy guide had used the Feng father and son as a promotional selling point.

Given the strength of the three men before him, they likely wouldn't dare to make a move on the hippos themselves. They were serving more as scouts, undoubtedly waiting for reinforcements to arrive.

In the sudden, strange stalemate...

BZZZT!!

Just then, an abrupt burst of radio static erupted. The communicator on one man's hip automatically connected, and an urgent voice from the other end came through.

"...approximate location!"

The voice wasn't loud, but in the dead silent atmosphere, it was impossible to hide from the giant hippos.

Instantly, one of the hippos in the water stopped dozing. It slowly raised its massive head, its terrifying, slit-pupil eyes cracking open. As its nostrils flared, it locked onto the life-force fluctuations at the source of the sound.

'This is bad...'

The two archery coaches' faces changed drastically. The one on the periphery, however, had a vicious glint in his eye. With a thought, he decided to divert the disaster, unhesitatingly turning his bow and firing an arrow directly at the distant Su Chen.

A Thunder Bomb Arrow, trailing sparks of electricity, shot straight toward Su Chen.

In response, his expression remained calm. A faint ripple appeared in his eyes as he slightly raised his right hand. A surge of invisible Telekinesis formed like an iron wall in the air, causing the incoming Thunder Bomb Arrow to detonate in mid-flight.

But that instantaneous burst of energy also exposed his position.

The next instant, everything changed.

The air density suddenly skyrocketed, and even light itself seemed to warp wantonly.

A terrifying pressure bore down from the canopy, unseen yet as crushing as a mountain, causing the trunks of the surrounding ancient trees to snap one after another.

The archery coach who had been exposed by the radio let out a scream before being instantly pulverized along with the tree trunk beneath him. It was hard to say if the other coach nearby was any luckier; his protective shield was crushed by the pressure, but with a tree trunk partially blocking the force, he managed to fall into the river.

As for Su Chen, who was also caught in the attack's range...

His incredibly sharp Telekinesis Perception was already spread out. The moment he detected the air abruptly condensing and the gravity field beginning its violent descent, he had already activated his Shadow Jumping Skill.

With a second Shadow Leap, Su Chen's figure not only escaped the range of the Gravity Skill but also locked onto the archery coach who was now airborne.

"Trying to run?"

With a single thought, a Strong Thought Burst slammed into the man's waist from across the distance, violently blowing his body in two.

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