I am the Arcane Archer, and all my skills are self-created.

As Li Wu stepped out of the teleportation array, a wave of damp air, mixed with the stench of rotting weeds and mud, instantly filled his nostrils.

Before them lay neither the hard, cold stone slabs of Ironforge nor the dry, scorching yellow sands of Tanaris.

Instead, it was a black swamp that stretched as far as the eye could see.

This is the Blackwater Swamp.

The sky was gray and hazy, as if shrouded in a thick fog that would never dissipate.

Sunlight couldn't penetrate the mist at all, making the entire swamp very dark and creating a depressing atmosphere.

Beneath your feet is soft, black mud; one step and you sink up to your ankle.

Black sewage pooled in the mud, forming puddles of varying sizes. Green duckweed and the rotting corpses of unidentified creatures floated on the surface. Bubbles would occasionally rise from the bottom of the water, then burst with a "pop," releasing an even more foul odor.

Several crooked, withered trees stubbornly stretched out from the mud and water. On their bare trunks hung some vines and moss. Occasionally, a few crows would land on them, emitting hoarse and unpleasant cries, adding to the eeriness.

"This environment is really terrible," Li Wu frowned.

He could even sense a faint toxin permeating the air.

If an ordinary player has no resistance, they will continuously lose health just by staying here.

However, Li Wu now knows the [Holy Healing] spell, so this level of poison has no effect on him.

Li Wu took out the tattered treasure map from his backpack.

The lines on the drawing are very simple, just outlining the contours of a mountain range.

But when Li Wu took it to the Blackwater Swamp, a strange change occurred on the blueprint.

On the originally blank drawing, some new lines gradually appeared.

These lines outline the topographical map of the Blackwater Swamp!

Moreover, in the center of the map, a faint red dot was flashing continuously, as if guiding him in the direction he was heading.

"So that's how it's used," Li Wu said, understanding dawning on him.

This treasure map only reveals its true form in the corresponding areas.

He put away the map, checked the direction, and walked towards the location of the red dot.

Walking in a swamp is much more difficult than walking on flat ground.

Not only must you be careful of the traps under your feet, but you must also be constantly vigilant about any potential dangers around you.

"Hiss—"

Li Wu had not gone far when a faint sound came from the bushes beside him.

Immediately afterwards, a giant black python, as thick as an adult's arm, suddenly sprang out of the grass, opened its blood-red maw, and lunged at Li Wu's calf.

[Venomous Swamp Python (Elite)]

[Level: 40]

Li Wu reacted extremely quickly, without even turning around.

He simply touched the muddy ground with his toes, and his whole body floated back several meters, easily dodging the giant python's attack.

At the same time, the arcane bow in his hand was already drawn.

The level 40 elite swamp python didn't even have time to let out a scream before it was killed by several [Fusion Penetrating Arrows].

You have killed a highly venomous swamp python (elite), gaining 120 experience points.

Your talent 'Soul of Devouring Fortune' has been triggered, permanently increasing your Luck by 0.04 and Intelligence by 0.04.

Li Wu didn't even glance at the python's corpse and continued walking forward.

To him now, elite monsters of this level are no different from roadside weeds.

The deeper you go into the swamp, the harsher the surrounding environment becomes.

The toxicity in the air is increasing, and the level and density of monsters are also increasing.

Besides swamp pythons, there are also highly venomous leeches lurking in the water, and swarms of giant mosquitoes that can spray venom.

These monsters are an absolute nightmare for other level 40 players.

They not only attack highly venomous creatures, but also move erratically, making them extremely difficult to deal with.

One wrong move and you could be surrounded and killed.

But for Li Wu, this place was simply a paradise for leveling up his stats.

Once he activated his [Multi-Arrow Field], combined with [Chain Lightning Arrow], hordes of monsters fell wherever he went, turning into the constantly fluctuating numbers on his attribute panel.

An hour later, Li Wu finally arrived at the area marked on the treasure map.

"The Nest of Giant Crocodiles..."

He looked at the scene before him and muttered to himself.

Before him was a vast lake.

The lake water had an eerie dark green color and was bottomless.

In the middle of the lake, there is a small island made of huge black rocks.

On the island, two identical boulders, like twin brothers, stand side by side.

"Twin Stones..."

found it.

The place mentioned on the treasure map is here.

The so-called treasure should be hidden beneath those two giant rocks.

However, getting to the island is probably not that easy.

Li Wu's gaze fell on the surface of the lake.

Beneath the calm surface of the lake, undercurrents surge.

He could clearly sense that a vast number of dangerous life forms lurked in the bottomless lake.

Just then, a huge dark shadow slowly rose from the bottom of the lake.

It was a giant crocodile, as big as a small boat.

Only half of its head was visible above the water, its cold, emotionless vertical pupils fixed on Li Wu on the shore.

【Ancient Giant Crocodile (Lord)】

[Level: 42]

Health Points: ???

[Description: The overlord of the Blackwater Swamp, a terrifying creature possessing ancient bloodlines.]

A lord-level monster!

And judging by this, there's probably more than one in the lake.

Li Wu's brows furrowed slightly.

He finally understood why this quest required level 40 to complete.

The sheer number of ancient behemoths guarding the island's perimeter is enough to deter any level 40 team from even attempting to enter.

Crossing this lake of death and reaching the island is an almost impossible task.

but……

Li Wu glanced at the two twin stones, then at the treasure map in his hand.

The red dots on the drawing were now radiating an unprecedented light, as if urging him on.

"It seems we have no choice but to force our way in."

Li Wu took a deep breath and gripped the Arcane Bow in his hand.

However, just as he was about to take action and clear away these big guys blocking his way...

The treasure map in his hand suddenly burst into flames!

"Huh?" Li Wu was taken aback.

The drawing, made of some kind of animal hide, quickly transformed into a ball of golden flame without any source of fire.

The flames did not burn Li Wu's hands; instead, they transformed into a golden streak of light and shot fiercely toward the two twin stones in the center of the lake!

"Boom!"

The moment the golden light struck the Twin Stones, the entire Blackwater Swamp began to tremble violently.

The two giant rocks in the middle of the lake began to slowly move to either side, revealing a bottomless cave entrance that exuded an ancient aura.

A huge vortex rapidly formed around the opening, frantically pulling at everything in its path.

The ancient crocodiles in the lake roared in terror. Their massive bodies were pulled by the whirlpool and they were unable to resist, being swept into the cave one by one.

Li Wu, who was on the shore, also felt an irresistible and enormous suction force.

His body was uncontrollably pulled off the ground and flew towards the dark opening.

"Damn it! What's going on?"

Li Wu tried to struggle, but he found that all his resistance was futile in the face of this force.

This is a power that he cannot contend with at his current level.

This is a mandatory transmission originating from the rules!

[System notification: You have triggered a special event and are about to enter the unique hidden dungeon: The Secret Treasure Beneath the Twin Stones.]

[Instance Type: Solo Trial]

[Dungeon Requirements: Solo completion]

[Warning: No consumables can be used in this instance, and there is no communication with the outside world.]

At the last moment before being sucked into the cave entrance, Li Wu heard the system's cold notification in his mind.

It turns out that this treasure map itself is the key to entering this instance.

Moreover, it's a solo trial.

He doesn't need to figure out how to get to the island; as soon as he arrives, he'll be forcibly pulled into the instance.

Li Wu's vision went black, and she completely lost consciousness.