"Smiling-face spirit, Angry-face melee…"
"Each expression of these Mask Demons corresponds to a specific power…"
The three suddenly realized—they had already figured out the patterns of the Mask Demons.
At this moment, seeing the Mask Demons swarming toward them, they were not frightened, but delighted.
Although the Angry-Face Demons were extremely fast and powerful, like auto-cruising cannon shells, highly threatening…
Compared to the Smiling-Face Demons' group mental attacks, they were clearly much easier to handle.
Inside the classroom, Xiao Xue was the first to be surrounded, but she did not panic. Her limbs turned into blades, striking swiftly.
Each flash of her blade forced back an Angry-Face Demon, leaving a deep gash across its mask—if she struck the same gash again, the mask would be completely severed, and the demon would fall lifeless to the ground!
In the corridor, Jiang He was even more relaxed.
He remained calm, first locking onto Xiao Xue with his spirit, performing a Tarot Divination, and upon confirming a positive effect, he drew directly.
「Upright High Priestess」
The effect was to enhance reaction and perception, granting intuitive foresight, making it easier to predict incoming attacks and spot weaknesses.
As the card shattered, Xiao Xue felt the world turn clearer and more transparent.
The flight trajectories of every Angry-Face Demon appeared in her eyes so simple, so direct.
She followed the trajectory with her blade, easily striking a two-hit combo that directly slew one Angry-Face Demon!
So this was what it felt like to be "switched on"?
As for Jiang He…
He had never "switched off" to begin with.
After these days of training, his combat experience was already incomparable to before. Paired with the profession bonus of [Inspirer], it was as if he had opened the gates to a transparent world.
He stood in place without moving a step, casually swinging his wooden blade.
Dozens, even hundreds, of Angry-Face Demons flying at him and Chi Zhilei could not even brush the corner of their clothes, easily repelled, at most grazing by!
Jiang He seized the moment, flame spreading from his palm to his blade, carving a trail through the air.
Breath of Fire, First Form.
「Candle Dragon」
A dragon of flame burst forth with his blade, sweeping across half the corridor, engulfing countless Angry-Face Demons.
In the blazing inferno, the demons' cloth robes burned away, their masks charred black like coal, dropping from the air one after another.
With just a single strike, Jiang He cleared half the corridor!
But it wasn't over!
He twisted his wrist, the wooden blade slashing through the air, dragging along roaring flames.
From the left corridor, cleaving to the right.
Breath of Fire, Second Form.
Second Stage 「Candle Dragon」.
The dragon of flame that had just engulfed half the corridor did not dissipate into the air. Instead, as if possessing spirit, it circled back from the far end, surging once again—
As it swept past Jiang He, a second Candle Dragon erupted from the blade, merging with the first, flames surging higher!
Like a dragon's roar, accompanied by explosive sounds, the fiery dragon swept through, countless charred masks tumbling down from the air.
The entire corridor was completely cleared!
"So strong!" Chi Zhilei exclaimed in awe.
She had been lying flat until now, but as the mood-maker, she quickly shouted praises for the boss.
Of course, she didn't forget her own duty—
Jiang He's spiritual strength was only 1000 points, just at the threshold of D-rank. Two powerful techniques to wipe out so many demons consumed him heavily.
She took out a Mental Supplement from her pouch, poured it into his mouth, and released a Refreshing Aroma to swiftly help him recover his spirit.
As part of the team, even lying down had to be done with value!
Jiang He swallowed the potion, but his spirit did not relax.
Although many Mask Demons had been cleared, [Intuition] told him the danger was not over.
In fact, it was drawing ever closer.
Xiao Xue also sensed it, tensing up.
The next moment—
Masks, whether intact, broken, or charred, from both classroom and corridor, all floated into the air!
They gathered together, layer upon layer, fusing into a gigantic mask that filled the entire corridor.
It seemed to smile, to cry, to rage, to fear.
It let out a massive sound, like a baby's wail.
"Waaah—"
The shrill cry resounded through the building.
The trio's minds went blank, nearly fainting.
Jiang He recovered first, decisively speaking.
「Silence」
The Spell Word took effect, but the giant mask only paused for a second before crying even louder!
This was… a C-rank Demon!
Clearly, the Spell Word Jiang He had drawn earlier, crafted only with E-rank Spiritual Blood, was insufficient to control such a powerful demon.
If that was the case…
Jiang He's hair and body began transforming into fire, blazing fiercely.
If it couldn't be controlled, then it would be blown apart!
You think you're the only one with a second stage?
Just as he was about to charge forward—
Chi Zhilei suddenly hung a pendant around his neck.
A cool aura spread, quickly soothing Jiang He's mental pain, dulling the giant mask's shrill cries, calming his mood.
This was…
"A Clear-Heart Pendant. It heals the wearer's spiritual damage and grants immense mental resistance."
Chi Zhilei explained quickly, putting one on herself and tossing another to Xiao Xue.
She smiled brightly: "Go for it!"
Jiang He: "…"
So she was actually a wholesaler of Transcendent Items?
Just how many treasures had Uncle Cui stuffed into her Spatial Storage Pouch?
With so much gear, who dared call her a "freeloader"? Jiang He would be the first to object!
From the distant corridor, the giant mask, realizing its spiritual attack had failed, let out an angry roar.
Its surface split open, revealing spiraling fangs formed of countless smaller masks, like a massive meat grinder, filling the corridor, charging forward rapidly!
Jiang He gripped his wooden blade, flames blazing, refusing to dodge as he advanced to meet it head-on.
Xiao Xue also rushed out of the classroom, her bladed legs carrying her forward, joining Jiang He's charge—
Although her Battle-Energy Ratio was far inferior to Jiang He's, she was still close to a D-rank peak Transcendent.
Her physical strength had already surpassed four thousand, greater than Jiang He's spirit power. Even without as many bonuses, her attack power was not much weaker.
Now, two D-ranks faced a C-rank Demon—yet it was the D-ranks who held the overwhelming advantage!
With crushing momentum, they shattered the giant mask, breaking it apart completely!
As it exploded into countless fragments across the floor, its aura dissipated entirely.
Masks from other floors, seemingly losing control, fell one after another.
In Jiang He's intuition, the surroundings shifted to "safe."
"In the Abyss, intuition is just too useful—it can even tell if something's playing dead…"
Jiang He sighed inwardly, sheathing his wooden blade.
Seeing this, Xiao Xue also deactivated her talent, stepping barefoot onto the floor.
Next came…
Distribution time!
The final giant Mask Demon had reached the level of a mid-tier C-rank.
Which meant that the fragments scattered across the ground were all C-rank materials, usable for forging Transcendent Items!
"I don't need any, you two can split them." Chi Zhilei immediately opted out.
Knowing she came from a wealthy family, Jiang He and Xiao Xue did not hesitate.
After discussion, they agreed on an 80/20 split.
Eighty percent went to Jiang He.
After all, he had dealt the most damage, and his backpack was large enough to hold most of the loot.
In fact, Xiao Xue's twenty percent was also stored in his backpack.
After all, she only had a nine-cubic-meter small pouch. A little extra loot and it would be full.
After dividing the spoils, the three replenished their stamina and resumed their exploration—
With such a big pack, and so many supplies…
Today, Jiang He must leave well-fed, retreating fat and satisfied!
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