After reaching level 3, Jiang Han's defense increased to 5 points, making the slime's attacks almost ineffective against him, significantly improving his efficiency in farming monsters. However, he noticed that the experience gained from killing them had dropped from 10 points at level 1 to 5 points, effectively halving.

"No equipment drops, no copper coins, and less experience..." Jiang Han took a deep breath, considering challenging more difficult monsters. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to continue farming slimes.

It's not that the Novice Village only had slimes. In fact, he saw many black wild bulls wandering on the distant grasslands. The problem was that the wild bulls' attributes were ridiculously strong. If he got trampled to death by a hoof, it would be quite a joke—

[Wild Bull] (Normal Monster)

Level: 6

Health: 500

Attack: 12-15

Defense: 10

Skill: [Thick Skin]

Description: Although just a wild bull, it has been tainted by death energy, making it far more ferocious than before, definitely not something a group of adventurers who can't even defeat villagers can handle...

Who knows what the game designers were thinking, giving the wild bulls high attack and extremely high defense. With Jiang Han's current attributes, even breaking through their defense was a problem. Even if he could farm wild bulls, the efficiency would be much slower than slimes, making it not worth the effort.

After enduring two more hours of farming slimes, Jiang Han calculated that he was still short of a dozen experience points. He quickly returned to the Novice Village and found the white-haired old man who hadn't given him a good look at the start, saying calmly, "Old man, I've completed the strength proof!"

"Evidence?" the white-haired old man retorted, "Words alone are not proof!"

"This is the evidence."

Jiang Han took out a blue rag-like item from his bag, which was the "corpse" left behind after a slime's death. As for the liquid inside, it had all exploded and seeped into the ground, naturally impossible to bring back.

You old rascal, luckily I planned ahead!

Thinking of how he anticipated the old man might play tricks, Jiang Han couldn't help but feel secretly pleased. Although the task didn't require bringing anything back, he decided to be cautious to avoid any pitfalls.

As the saying goes, "A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit," he was starting to grasp the "quirkiness" of this game.

"……"

The old man looked at Jiang Han with some surprise, snorted lightly, "It seems there are still a few adventurers whose intelligence barely reaches the level of the natives."

"Ding!~"

System Prompt: Congratulations on completing the task [Proof of Strength], gaining 20 experience points!

"Swish!"

Golden light scattered, and Jiang Han felt a warm sensation all over, as if he were bathing in a hot spring, extremely comfortable.

Great, leveled up again!

"Old man, any more tasks?" Jiang Han had no fondness for the disrespectful old man in front of him and asked directly.

In fact, he didn't quite understand why the game designers made the natives' favorability towards adventurers so low, almost hostile.

"There is."

The old man glanced at him indifferently, feeling displeased, "I want you to hunt the Ten Great Demon Gods, dare you?"

"Ding!~"

System Prompt: Do you want to accept the task [Hunt the Demon Gods] (Difficulty: SSS)?

[Hunt the Demon Gods] (Difficulty: SSS)

Description: The Tianheng Continent is divided into the Light Faction and the Dark Faction. The strongest ten beings in the Dark Faction are the Ten Great Demon Gods. Hunt them, and you will gain supreme glory and enjoy the treatment of a savior!

Reward: The old man's mysterious family heirloom!

Deadline: One week!

Failure Penalty: Light Faction Reputation -100,000, Level -50, and submit 10,000 gold coins to the old man as a fine!

"……"

Looking at the task in front of him, Jiang Han was speechless, "Old man, you really think highly of me!"

If there was no task deadline, or if it were one or two years, he might have accepted it. But to hunt the so-called Demon Gods within a week, how could the old man even suggest it?

Where's the face, isn't it shameless?

"Brave adventurers should forge ahead, how can mere Demon Gods stop your progress?" the old man said spiritedly, "Ultimately, it's because you're too cowardly!"

"Oh?"

Jiang Han couldn't help but sneer, pointing at himself, "Me, cowardly?"

"Aren't you?" The old man had a look of "you know the answer" on his face.

"Hehe..."

Jiang Han chuckled, looking at the 10,000 gold coins in the task penalty, suddenly had a clever idea, deciding to go against the grain: "I can accept this task, but you must first give me your mysterious family heirloom!"

Debts don't weigh down on the body!

Since these natives love to trick people, he might as well fulfill their wishes.

"Why should I?" The old man naturally shook his head in opposition, "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Generous natives should fully support adventurers from behind, ensuring they have no worries and can advance bravely," Jiang Han said righteously, "Ultimately, it's because you're too stingy!"

Normally, natives shouldn't be offended, but Jiang Han didn't play games to be played by the game. He wouldn't tolerate the natives' bad temper!

"I'm stingy?" The old man never expected this adventurer to be so foolish, knowingly jumping into a trap, and couldn't help but sneer, "Fine, if you want to die, I'll fulfill your wish, take it!"

He took out a scroll from his bag and handed it to Jiang Han.

"Ding!~"

System Prompt: You have obtained one of the old man's mysterious family heirlooms, the Fire Element Forbidden Spell Scroll [Wrath of the Fire God]!

"Ding!~"

System Prompt: You have successfully accepted the task [Hunt the Demon Gods], with a deadline of one week, please manage your time wisely!

[Wrath of the Fire God] (S-grade Item)

Description: Tear open the scroll to unleash a low-level fire element forbidden spell

Effect: Deals 5,000,000 fixed damage to all enemy units within a 200-meter radius in front

Uses: 1/1

"Your mysterious family heirloom is just a one-time scroll?" Jiang Han was a bit disappointed. He thought it might be some kind of artifact, considering the task of hunting Demon Gods should have a rather generous reward.

The old man's expression remained unchanged, saying indifferently, "Rest assured, this is just part of the advance payment. Complete the task, bring me the head of a Demon God, and I'll grant you a combat profession that ordinary adventurers can't obtain."

"!!"

Jiang Han was truly taken aback.

A combat profession that ordinary adventurers can't obtain, isn't that the legendary hidden profession?

This little old man in the Novice Village, how could he have such a rich background?

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

"Get lost, I want to see how you defeat the Ten Great Demon Gods, who have been invincible on the Tianheng Continent for tens of thousands of years, within a week." The old man waved his hand, looking impatient.

In his view, this somewhat capable adventurer was already a dead man.

Those Demon Gods, each one a terrifying figure, crushing an adventurer who hadn't even left the Novice Village would probably be easier than crushing an ant.

Seeing that the old man was too lazy to pay attention to him, Jiang Han didn't bother to argue, turned around, and left calmly, heading straight for the wild bulls: "Then watch closely, a week later, I'll show you what I've got!"

---

Proofreader: Peter Pan