"My queen, why is this happening?"

Su Ran felt a sense of panic within, unable to grasp why the elf queen would stop him from heading to the Earth Spirit Spring. Could there be hidden reasons he was unaware of?

What is with these elves, and their endless problems? Why is completing a task so difficult?

Reading the expressions of others, Su Ran understood that among everyone present, he was the only one out of the loop. That feeling, it truly sucked!

"This Earth Spirit Spring is located within the forbidden land of the elves and has already been contaminated by the Ghost Clan into a pool of stagnant water. There’s no trace of Heaven and Earth Spirit Liquid there."

Just as Su Ran was feeling distressed, the elf queen began to explain. She didn’t hold anything back, and laid out the whole story for Su Ran, "Not just you, but all elves are forbidden from entering that place. That command is ironclad, and no one can overstep it!"

"A forbidden land?! Damn it, how could the Earth Spirit Spring be in that godforsaken place?"

It was clear to Su Ran that the dark elf Wen Liu had turned into a neither human nor ghost figure for trespassing in the forbidden land, and the thought alone made him shudder with fear.

Su Ran was worried, but he absolutely had to obtain the Heaven and Earth Spirit Liquid. Even if it meant braving a treacherous path filled with blades and flames, he was determined to forge ahead!

But...

This forbidden land was too strange—what if it turned him into a woman? A skeleton sporting two... well, it was an embarrassing thought that sent shivers down his spine just considering it.

"Overturning Water, brother, in my opinion, you might as well give up," Banana warned Su Ran right away, afraid he’d do something foolish again.

"I understand."

Hearing what Banana said, Su Ran felt despondent. Even if he could get past the BOSS, what did it matter if the Earth Spirit Spring was polluted? How would he collect the Heaven and Earth Spirit Liquid...

Wait!

A lightbulb went off in Su Ran’s head, and he quickly asked the elf queen, "My queen, I only need a bit of pure spring water, even just a bottle will do. That shouldn’t be too hard, right?"

"Spring water?"

Seeing that this undead skeleton hadn’t given up, the elf queen was taken aback but after a moment’s reflection said, "A bottle of spring water... there is indeed a way to help you get it, but..."

"But what?"

Su Ran latched onto the elf queen’s words, understanding that there was no free lunch in the system. Ready to be fleeced by the queen, he prepared himself for her demands.

"There is another place in the Elf Forest that contains Spirit Spring water,"

The elf queen looked at Su Ran with an indescribable gaze. After letting the atmosphere build, she spoke deliberately, "In the depths of Black Abyss Lake, there lies a mysterious treasure, and the spring water you speak of is within it."

What?

To think it was hidden within the treasure of Black Abyss Lake!

Su Ran was startled at first, then swiftly filled with excitement. The treasure of Black Abyss Lake was still patiently biding its time within him—hahaha, it seemed he had stumbled upon a new opportunity. Now the manifestation of the Skill Elixir seemed hopeful!

"Black Abyss Lake?"

Banana’s face immediately took on the look of a bitter melon. That was the last place he wanted to visit, especially that guardian BOSS. Dealing with it was like asking for trouble!

"Overturning Water, brother, I’m all in. I’ll draw the BOSS away, and you search for the bottle of spring water at the bottom of the lake,"

After making a significant decision, Banana seemed to see things in a new light and stated his stance on the spot, "So what if I die once, what’s the big deal?"

"Good brother!"

Seeing Banana face death as if it were homecoming, Su Ran felt a warmth in his heart; he decided to give Banana another bottle of monkey wine just for that sentence!

"There’s no rush with this matter, I have a plan."

Su Ran patted Banana on the shoulder and returned a reassuring look before turning to the Elf Queen and asking, "Your Majesty, do you have a golden treasure chest key here?"

"A golden key? No."

The Elf Queen looked at Su Ran with some surprise. "Skeleton Warrior, I didn’t expect you to think so far ahead. Indeed, to open the Black Abyss Lake treasure, a key is needed."

"Well, let’s wait until we get the treasure key then. It would be a real bummer to go through all that trouble to finally get the treasure, only to find out we can’t open it. Your Majesty, do you know where this treasure key might be?"

Seeing that the Elf Queen didn’t have the golden key, Su Ran was a bit disappointed, but since the queen knew information about the treasure, she probably knew where the key was too, right?

"The treasure key is with me, do you think I know about it?"

"What?"

Su Ran was almost choked by the Elf Queen’s words—how could she be like this, saying no at first and then suddenly revealing she had the key? Wasn’t this just stringing someone along?

"You seemed quite astute before, so how come you’re being so dense now?"

The Elf Queen, seeing the dumbfounded look on Su Ran’s face, shook her head with a smile. She took out the treasure key, held it in her hand, and then said to the Undead Skeleton in front of her, "It’s true that I don’t have a golden key, but this treasure key is not a golden key. Is there a problem with it being here with me?"

"Cough cough, I misunderstood."

Although Su Ran said that, his mind had shifted into complaint mode—were the game’s prop designers cutting corners? Such a high-level treasure designed like a common golden chest? No wonder he was mistaken!

"Your Majesty, this key..."

Looking at the key now so close within reach, Su Ran hesitated, already bracing himself for her to name an exorbitant price.

"Skeleton Warrior, bound by the highest rules, this special key must be exchanged for points."

The Elf Queen fiddled with the treasure key using her delicate fingers, her tone very firm with no room for negotiation.

Points only?

Su Ran was speechless. I’m not part of the Elf Clan, where would I have points? Isn’t this obviously making it impossible for me to obtain it?

Which heartless soul set these conditions? Step forward, and let’s see if I don’t thank you properly!!!

"Overturning Water, bro, don’t look at me. I only have a little over one thousand points... far from enough..."

Seeing Su Ran’s gaze sweep over, Banana chuckled bitterly and then said, "I just checked; the exchange price for this treasure key is 20,000 points!"

Damn, this is a rip-off...

By the time Banana has enough points, when would that be?

Do I really have to waste another bottle of monkey wine?

Su Ran was somewhat reluctant to part with the remaining half-barrel of monkey wine left, which he needed to cultivate the Sky-reaching Vine—it couldn’t be squandered.

"I’ll pay for the points."

Wu Qing, who had been standing by without showing an opinion, suddenly stepped forward and spoke in a chilly tone, "My lord, I want to exchange for the treasure key."

"That’s not a small sum, are you sure?"

The Elf Queen didn’t expect Wu Qing to step forward at that moment, and she understood the immense amount of time and effort needed to accumulate those 20,000 points. Wasting them on a key didn’t seem worth it.