Chapter 29: Lunar Phase

Chapter 29: Lunar Phase

[Challenger Notice: The Dizhong Mountain Range is about to transition from the Crescent Moon (Zone Tier) phase to the Last Quarter Moon phase. Prepare accordingly!]

Last Quarter Moon Phase: The second-highest intensity phase among the Five Lunar Phases of Malevolence. Duration: Unknown.

Changes:
- Numerous malevolent entities exclusive to the Last Quarter Moon phase will descend upon the Dizhong Mountain Range as the lunar phase shifts. All Crescent Moon (Zone Tier) entities will vanish.
- Terrain Environment will undergo significant alterations.

…

As the notification echoed in players’ minds, the landscape of the Dizhong Mountain Range began transforming.

Ancient Battlefield:
The skeletal remains littering the ground dissipated amid spatial distortions, replaced by clusters of crimson-furred, bloodthirsty Bloodfiends.

Crimson Plains:
The scarlet flora blanketing the plains faded into the wind, giving way to writhing Twisted Vines, ancient withered trees, and swarms of new malevolent entities.

Spirit Forge Valley:
A Raging River surged through the valley’s heart. Alongside the existing Primordial Monsters, levitating Twisted Cores bristling with tentacles emerged en masse—only to be immediately ambushed by Spiritforged Weapons.

The shift from Crescent Moon (Zone Tier) to Last Quarter Moon felt like folding an unknown dimension into the Dizhong Mountains. The terrain shifted, and the air shimmered with a fivefold increase in volatile energy particles.

Players exploring the region found themselves besieged by swarms of entities. The newly spawned Bloodfiends and Twisted Vines targeted any life signatures within range—players included.

Nowhere was this more devastating than the Ancient Battlefield, where most players had been hunting Cursed Soldiers (Malevolent Entities). Previously, the Cursed Soldiers required time to absorb Black Tide Energy from corpses, limiting their spawn rate. However, relentless player hunting had already strained their respawn pace, forcing adventurers deeper into the battlefield in search of prey.

The lunar phase shift flipped the balance. Bloodfiends, with Hunting Levels ranging from 8 to 15, overwhelmed players in sheer numbers and power. Their resilience and ferocity dwarfed the 1–3-level Cursed Soldiers.

Players’ mortality rates soared. Qi Sheng watched the online count plummet as screams flooded the regional chat:

"So this is the phase shift the newbie guide mentioned! I thought moon phases were fixed per zone. If the Last Quarter Moon is this brutal, what horrors await in the Full Moon or the Great Malevolent Moon?!"

"These Bloodfiends are tanky and deal insane damage! My squad took ages to down one, and before we could breathe, a pack surrounded us. Now I’m just waiting to die…"

"Sos! I’m boxed in! I don’t want a one-hour respawn cooldown (storm crying)!"

"Y’all complained about low spawn rates earlier. Now enjoy the Last Quarter Moon buffet! Can’t wait to see your reactions when the First Quarter Moon hits. :P"

…

Only players within the Gloomspire Caverns remained unscathed. The cavern’s Iron Shellworms persisted unchanged, unaffected by the lunar shift. Outside, however, the massacre continued. Online numbers dropped from over 9,800 to fewer than 1,000 within minutes.

Qi Sheng had anticipated this. The Black Tide’s lunar phases functioned as five distinct spatial strata. When one phase faded, another replaced it—entities tied to the prior phase simply vanished until its return. The Cursed Soldiers, for instance, would reappear once the Crescent Moon (Zone Tier) resumed.

But for now, the Last Quarter Moon’s ferocity was undeniable. The timing of the next phase shift remained unpredictable. While Dizhong Mountain Range was unlikely to escalate to the dreaded Great Malevolent Moon (Zone Tier), Qi Sheng recalled witnessing the Full Moon (Zone Tier) only once in five centuries—a chaos of Abyssal Demon Lords, Void Devourers, and Terror’s Grasp, entities exceeding Hunting Level 100 that left entire regions in ruins. The Great Malevolent Moon, the Black Tide’s ultimate form, remained a myth even the ancient Four Great Vassals had only glimpsed.

“Guide Water Orb,” Qi Sheng murmured, glancing at the orb hovering beside him. “You’re right. This phase shift isn’t all bad.”

The orb pulsed. “Indeed. While the Last Quarter Moon poses greater risks, it also amplifies ambient energy. This phase cultivates potent Black Tide herbs and exotic treasures forged when the Black Tide assimilated other worlds.”

Higher risk, higher reward. Though the lunar shift had decimated player numbers, Qi Sheng knew they’d adapt. Weaker players would form parties; the increased difficulty meant richer spoils. Killing a Bloodfiend yielded over tenfold the Sacrificial Power compared to a Cursed Soldier.

Guide’s calculations confirmed the Last Quarter Moon’s overall efficiency was 1.3 times higher than the Crescent Moon (Zone Tier), a figure destined to rise as players grew stronger.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end