I was so scared that I put all my points into health.

After leaving the Adventurers' Guild, Wang Xiaoyi and his group strolled around the city for a while. The merchant's transaction would take two more days to complete, and they had received a follow-up quest to escort the merchant back to the village, so they needed to stay in the city for a day.

The three walked along, discussing their next steps. Their stomachs began to rumble, so they decided to find a place to eat first, and then a place to stay and rest. After all, they had endured plenty of wind and rain during their adventure, and enjoying a moment of peace was a welcome respite.

They arrived at a bustling restaurant, filled with the aroma of various foods. After finding an empty seat, they ordered and began to enjoy their meal. Just as Wang Xiaoyi was savoring his food, suddenly, he heard the unique voice of the Elf King Dragon (in its soul form) in his mind.

"I was busy just now, clearing out those annoying bugs (monsters). I flew to several places today, and they were everywhere, in clumps and clusters. It's so annoying. If we let them get away with it, they'll destroy the village or ruin the town. That would be terrible. Where would I find my delicious food then? It's my favorite food. These human adventurers are so inefficient at clearing monsters. They always have to take on quests and collect rewards. For the sake of the town's peace, they can't even bother to clear out the bugs (monsters). I can't do it alone. Also, I noticed some demonic energy spreading out in one spot. It seems like a crack has appeared. I need to check it out when I have time. Ugh, ugh, it's so annoying. If it weren't for the dragon's breath destroying the forest and town, I would have used my breath to completely shut them up long ago."

The Elemental Dragon King (in its spirit form) kept muttering to itself, its voice seemingly filled with disgust and helplessness towards these insects (monsters). Keep in mind, it was a being of extremely high status; why would it condescend to clean up these low-level monsters?

That's because it has a great love; it loves this world from the bottom of its heart. Every landscape, every living creature, even those tiny insects often overlooked, are part of its love. Of course, the delicious food created by humans is also something it loves. Wang Xiaoyi was deeply moved by the words of the Elf King Dragon (in its spirit form). He clearly felt that the number of monsters had indeed increased significantly recently. Take his family, for example. His father used to go fishing at sea every day, but now, because of the rampage of monsters, he dared not go out to sea at all. Looking around the village, there used to be only low-level slimes, which were a little troublesome but not too dangerous. Although there were goblins in the forest, they were scattered and wandered alone, posing no great threat to the villagers' lives. But now, the situation has become terrible. Even places that were once considered safe are now seeing hordes of monsters. This filled Wang Xiaoyi with worry; he was truly concerned for his parents' safety. He didn't know when these monsters would storm into the village, or whether his parents would be safe amidst the ever-increasing danger. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were filled with worry.

The Elemental Dragon King (in its soul form) paused for a moment, then continued, "Oh right, I forgot the important thing. That SS-rank quest I had you accept earlier actually has a bit of a connection to me. You know what? If I hadn't pulled a little trick on you behind the scenes, you definitely wouldn't have been able to accept that quest. Speaking of which, you wouldn't have been able to accept the quest without me either. So how are you going to thank me?"

Hearing this, Wang Xiaoyi inwardly grumbled. Who wanted to take on such a stupid mission? Several groups were eyeing it because of its difficulty level, and it acted like it could be completed easily. It was infuriating! He hadn't even settled accounts with it yet, and it was already trying to take credit. He thought this, but couldn't say it aloud. This Elf King Dragon (in its soul form) was truly calculating to the core. It was either trying to get praise or wanted some treats; there was no other reason. Actually, since they met, the Elf King Dragon had been incredibly kind to him. The unparalleled, extraordinary, omniscient, generous, far-sighted, and meticulously planned System was the best to him, and the Elf King Dragon was the second best. Of course, Raine's parents were also very good to him, in terms of game progress. Playing to its liking, Wang Xiaoyi paused for a moment and began showering the Elf King Dragon (in its soul form) with praise. Thankfully, he didn't have to read it aloud with emotion, otherwise, it would have been a major social disaster in front of so many people—too embarrassing.

Wang Xiaoyi paused briefly, quickly organizing his thoughts, before expressing his gratitude and praise to the Elf King Dragon (in soul form).

"Lord Dragon King, you are truly the greatest being among all of us!" Wang Xiaoyi's voice was filled with sincerity. "Your thoughtfulness and care are like a spring breeze, making us feel incredibly warm. Every time I encounter difficulties, you always silently support me from behind, giving me strength and courage. Your selfless dedication is like stars illuminating the dark night sky, allowing me to find my way in my confusion."

He paused, then continued, “Your love for this world and your respect for every life reflect your compassion. You not only care about us vulnerable beings, but also have a profound impact on the entire ecosystem. Every decision you make demonstrates your foresight, as if you can see through the fog of time and space and foresee every detail of the future.”

"Lord Dragon King, your wisdom and strength, your selflessness and dedication, all inspire our deepest respect. I know that without your help, I might have long been lost in this complex world. Every time you lend a helping hand, I feel your greatness and selflessness."

Wang Xiaoyi's words were filled with admiration and gratitude for the Elf King Dragon. Although his voice was calm, every word revealed his deep respect and immense gratitude for the Elf King Dragon.

"Lord Dragon King, your existence is like that of a guardian deity of this world. Every action you take is an act of protection and care for this world. Your selfless dedication and foresight allow us all to feel your greatness and nobility."

Wang Xiaoyi silently recited these words in his heart. Although there wasn't much emotional fluctuation, every word revealed his deep gratitude and utmost respect for the Elf King Dragon.

Alpha and Allen stood silently to the side, watching Wang Xiaoyi. They both knew of the powerful and mysterious Elf King Dragon, and they understood why Wang Xiaoyi had stopped eating and was sitting quietly with his eyes closed—he was likely communicating with the Elf King Dragon (in its spirit form). They exchanged a smile, tacitly refraining from disturbing him. They understood Wang Xiaoyi's personality; they knew he sometimes fell into deep thought or communicated with mysterious forces, and at those times he needed quiet and undisturbed surroundings.

There were two tasks: praise and feed. The first task was completed, and now it was time for the second.

Wang Xiaoyi took out some dried fruit, jerky, and rice balls that his mother had prepared in advance from his backpack. The food emitted an enticing aroma that filled the air. Upon hearing about the delicious food, the Elf King Dragon (parrot form) flew to Wang Xiaoyi's side like lightning. It landed casually on Wang Xiaoyi's shoulder and began eating the dried fruit that Wang Xiaoyi had placed on the table without any hesitation. Seeing this, Wang Xiaoyi quickly ordered it a glass of juice. He poured the juice into a bowl, and the refreshing fruity aroma allowed the Elf King Dragon (parrot form) to drink it to its heart's content.

The Elemental Dragon (in parrot form), having eaten and drunk its fill, continued to introduce the SS-rank quest. It cleared its throat and said seriously, "Little one, now we're moving on to the next step. Show me that pointer fragment."

Wang Xiaoyi took out the pointer fragment from his backpack. The Elf King Dragon (in parrot form) gently flapped its colorful wings, and in an instant, a mysterious power of time flowed slowly from the pointer fragment, like a trickle, and flew into the body of the Elf King Dragon (in parrot form).

The Elemental Dragon (in parrot form) closed its eyes, focusing intently on the increasing power of time flowing into its body. After a while, it slowly shook its head, saying with some disappointment, "Sigh, as expected, the energy of this fragment is so thin it's almost negligible. But it's alright, this is just the beginning." With that, it began to ponder other details about this SS-rank mission.

Just as the Elf King Dragon (in parrot form) was about to continue explaining the SS-rank mission, Alpha gently nudged Wang Xiaoyi and then winked in a certain direction. Wang Xiaoyi looked in the direction Alpha indicated and saw two tables of people furtively glancing in their direction from time to time.

The people at both tables had been followed here by the Adventurers' Guild. Their eyes held a malicious glint, as if they were plotting some scheme. The Elf Dragon King (in parrot form), however, merely smiled indifferently, a hint of disdain in its smile. It thought to itself, "Hmph, these fools, they know nothing yet dare to plot against us. I've already set up a powerful barrier spell; within this barrier, they can't see any of our actions. They still think we're just here for a simple meal."

The Elf King Dragon (in parrot form) turned to Wang Xiaoyi and said, "Raine, put that pointer back. I've completely absorbed the last bit of time power left in it. I can use that absorbed power to rewind time in a localized area by 45 seconds."

Upon hearing the phrase "time reversal," Wang Xiaoyi instantly recalled the frustrating experience of charging his NDS. However, he quickly regained his composure. The most important thing now was this SS-rank mission; he could worry about the NDS later after understanding it. The Elf King Dragon (parrot form) then gave a complete explanation of the SS-rank mission.

Quest Name: Finding the Lost Key of Time

Task background:

On a vast and ancient continent, stands an ancient and mysterious temple of time. No one knows the exact location of this ruin; it seems as if a natural barrier isolates the temple of time from the world.

The Temple of Time was once a sacred site for ancient civilizations to explore the mysteries of time, witnessing countless legends and secrets about it. Legend has it that the Temple of Time was a sacred building constructed to commemorate the goddess who governs the adventures of time. The goddess possessed the powerful ability to control the flow of time; under her protection, the world maintained order, and the passage of time was stable and orderly.

However, time is merciless, and from some unknown time, the goddess fell into a deep slumber. During her slumber, dark magicians rose to power and caused great chaos in the adventure world. The dark magicians sought to disrupt the balance of time, using the power of distorted time to achieve their nefarious purposes. As dark magic ravaged the land, the Temple of Time gradually decayed; the once magnificent structure partially collapsed under the erosion of dark forces, and its mysterious internal mechanisms began to malfunction.

Meanwhile, the colossal time clock within the Temple of Time, a core element maintaining the world's temporal order, is also being destroyed. Its hands are gradually shattering, fragments scattered throughout the ruins, like fragments of time themselves scattered across the world. Now, the world's temporal order is under severe threat; signs of temporal distortion are appearing everywhere, day and night are blurred and chaotic, and the changing of seasons has become irregular. Only by finding and repairing the time clock, and restoring the order of time, can this world be saved from this crisis of temporal chaos.

Task content:

Your mission is to embark on an adventure to find the ruins of the Temple of Time. You will need to traverse vast wildernesses, where beasts mutated by dark magic may lurk; climb treacherous mountains with unpredictable weather and rugged paths; and cross raging rivers where the currents could sweep you away at any moment. Only after enduring countless hardships and overcoming numerous obstacles can you reach the ruins located in the "Valley of Time."

Within the ruins, you will face various challenges and trials. You will need to unravel ancient puzzles related to the ancient civilization's understanding of time, which might involve deciphering ancient scripts or arranging mechanisms according to the positions of specific stars. Each puzzle is like a lock on a time portal; only by unlocking them can you proceed. Simultaneously, you will also need to defeat the ferocious monsters guarding the ruins. These are the former guardians of the Temple of Time, who remained steadfast after the goddess's slumber, but have now been corrupted by dark magic, becoming violent and powerful. They will do everything in their power to prevent you from approaching the fragments of the Time Clock.

During your exploration, you'll need to carefully search for fragments of the broken Time Hand. These fragments are scattered throughout the ruins; some are hidden behind ancient stone walls, whose locations may be marked by ancient runes, requiring careful identification; others are buried beneath layers of dust, possibly mixed with surrounding ancient artifacts, requiring careful excavation to avoid damage. You'll need both wisdom and courage to find all the fragments.

Repairing the clocks requires finding relics of ancient civilizations or seeking help from specific NPCs. Perhaps you'll need to search for the secrets to clock repair in an ancient library, filled with the scent of old paper, its shelves overflowing with ancient scrolls, most of which are illegible due to the erosion of time. You'll need to piece together the repair methods from the remaining inscriptions. Alternatively, you might need to speak with a reclusive master of time, perhaps living in a secluded place deep within ruins, surrounded by time traps that could easily trap you in their vortex. In your conversations with the master, you'll need to impress him with your courage and determination to explore the mysteries of time, gaining his wisdom and support.

Once the clock is successfully repaired, its hands will begin to turn again, and the world's time order will be restored. You will be able to feel the passage of time and the miracle of life, becoming a revered guardian of time.

The three of them sat there, listening intently to the explanation from the Fairy King Dragon (in parrot form), completely absorbed in another fantastical world.

The story told by the Elf King Dragon was like a dream, a fantasy. In this world, there existed both sacred and powerful beings like goddesses, and evil, dark sorcerers. It was as if it had been pulled from ancient myths and legends, presented so vividly before them—a standard template for a hero saving the world.

Alpha and Allen's eyes gleamed with excitement, their hearts pounding with the thrill of this fantastical tale. It was a yearning for unknown adventures, a longing to become heroes. In this story, they seemed to see themselves wielding swords and clad in armor, cutting through perilous paths, ultimately defeating the dark sorcerer and saving the world. This exhilarating feeling filled their hearts, making them eager to throw themselves into this mission.

However, Wang Xiaoyi had a completely different idea. He was perfectly aware of the difficulty of this task. He knew that even a max-level expert wouldn't dare say they were absolutely certain of completing such a task. This task was no simple matter; it not only required a huge investment of time and energy to grind, but also a significant amount of money spent on various resources—a heavy-duty investment, no less.

Therefore, in Wang Xiaoyi's view, this task was just like listening to an exciting story. Goddesses, black magicians, and the great mission of saving the world—none of it seemed to have much to do with him. The world was vast, and there were plenty of brave people. Those with real ability and ambition would naturally defeat the black magician and shoulder the responsibility of saving the world. As for himself, he was like a free-to-play player. Although the system—no, the unparalleled, extraordinary, omniscient, generous, far-sighted, and meticulously crafted system—always gave him cheat codes, he only had basic self-defense capabilities. Right now, it was just the beginning; he was only encountering low-level monsters and adventurers. As the task progressed, he would encounter increasingly powerful monsters and adventurers, and whether he could even survive was uncertain. He shouldn't take it too seriously. Although he had accepted the task, there was no time limit, so he could just leave it there. Anyway, the system wasn't forcing him to complete all the tasks, and he wasn't obsessive-compulsive. He wouldn't feel the need to click on all those colorful numbers, and he could just ignore those dangerous and troublesome tasks.