Chapter 76 Where's the luck?
Early the next morning, the two, with dark circles under their eyes, left Hunting Soul Town and headed for the Star Dou Great Forest.
Ye Chen hadn't slept a wink last night, constantly agonizing over whether he should act like a beast.
Zhu Zhuqing was much the same, her mood complex. She was worried Ye Chen would turn into a beast at night, but for some unknown reason, she also felt a faint sense of anticipation. Lost in thought, she didn't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning.
...
It was noon when the two officially entered the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Zhuqing, stay alert and don't stray too far from me."
After officially entering the Star Dou Great Forest, Ye Chen cautioned Zhu Zhuqing.
"Mm-hmm."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
She knew that with her level 30 strength, coming to the Star Dou Great Forest meant she could at most wander around the outermost edges.
Even in the outer regions, there were many Spirit Beasts that could threaten her life, so she had to remain highly vigilant.
As for their target this time, the two had discussed it before coming: they needed an agile-type Spirit Beast, roughly three thousand years old.
The age couldn't be too high, or Zhu Zhuqing wouldn't be able to absorb it, nor could it be too low, otherwise, even if Ye Chen could increase the spirit ring's age, the gold coins consumed would be considerable. So, the minimum couldn't be lower than two thousand years.
Beast Spirit Masters might not know which Spirit Beast is suitable to become their spirit ring, but as long as they find a Spirit Beast of the same Spirit as themselves, and with an appropriate age, they definitely won't go wrong.
Just like members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the most suitable Spirit Beast for them is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, or a dragon-type Spirit Beast with a stronger bloodline than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
Zhu Zhuqing was also the same; her most suitable third spirit ring target was a three-thousand-year-old Hell Civet.
However, Hell Civets are neither too numerous nor too few, so they might not encounter one. If they don't, then a three-thousand-year-old dark-attribute, agile-type Spirit Beast would also suffice.
Without further delay, the two headed directly to the border between the outer and inner regions.
Although the Star Dou Great Forest is the largest Spirit Beast gathering place on the continent, in the outer regions, thousand-year Spirit Beasts are not common. Finding a suitable target for Zhu Zhuqing would be extremely difficult.
However, in the border area between the outer and inner regions, thousand-year Spirit Beasts appear more frequently.
...
Three days later.
Early that morning, Ye Chen packed up the tent from their overnight camp and continued searching for Spirit Beasts with Zhu Zhuqing.
Perhaps their luck wasn't great, as they had been in the Star Dou Great Forest for three days and still hadn't encountered a suitable target for Zhu Zhuqing.
When Spirit Masters come to the Star Dou Great Forest to attach a spirit ring, if they're lucky, they can find a suitable target on the same day. If they're unlucky, they might search for a month and still not find one; such situations also occur frequently.
After thinking for a moment, Ye Chen decided not to rely on luck anymore.
Looking at the gold coins in the System Shop, which still had a little over a million, Ye Chen directly bought a Lucky Card.
"Zhuqing, this is for you."
With that, Ye Chen handed over a golden card.
"What's this card for?"
Looking at the golden card in her hand, Zhu Zhuqing was a little confused.
"After using it, it can increase your luck. Use it now; maybe you'll find your target soon."
Ye Chen felt that the Lucky Card from his 'dear son' was quite effective.
When he was searching for his first and second spirit rings, he found two suitable targets within a day.
Even for his third spirit ring, he even got an exceptionally rare external Spirit Bone. The effect of the Lucky Card definitely justified its price of one million gold coins.
Although Zhu Zhuqing was a bit confused about how to increase luck, she still crushed the Lucky Card in her hand.
Instantly, the golden Lucky Card transformed into a streak of light and merged into her body.
"Huh? I don't feel anything!"
After carefully sensing it, Zhu Zhuqing found that there seemed to be no difference from before.
"This isn't to increase your strength, nor to increase your spirit ring, so where would the feeling come from?"
Ye Chen rolled his eyes. If Zhu Zhuqing could detect a difference, that would be truly bizarre.
Something as ethereal as luck, let alone Spirit Masters, even Divinities in the God Realm probably couldn't perceive it, right?
...
Two hours later, Zhu Zhuqing stared at the enormous creature that suddenly appeared not far in front of them, swallowing with difficulty.
"Brother Chen, didn't you say my luck increased? Why did we still encounter this ten-thousand-year-old Vigorous Vajra Bear?"
What about the promised luck? Why did it turn into bad luck?
A ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast's strength corresponds to a Five-Ring Soul King, and in a one-on-one fight, due to the racial advantage of Spirit Beasts, most Soul Kings can't even defeat a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast.
Coupled with the Vigorous Vajra Bear's not-low bloodline, the strength of this ten-thousand-year-old Vigorous Vajra Bear could even rival an ordinary Six-Ring Spirit Emperor.
Just Ye Chen and Zhu Zhuqing alone were definitely no match for this Vigorous Vajra Bear.
"How should I know? Aren't you going to run?!"
Immediately, Ye Chen grabbed Zhu Zhuqing and started running.
Under normal circumstances, ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Beasts would not appear in the outer regions; they are only occasionally seen in the inner regions, mostly living in the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
But who would have thought that they hadn't even entered the inner region yet! And they encountered a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast? This was outrageous! Could this Vigorous Vajra Bear have just broken through?
Ye Chen's guess was correct; this Vigorous Vajra Bear had indeed just broken through.
This Vigorous Vajra Bear was not an ordinary Vigorous Vajra Bear; its personality was very cautious.
Furthermore, its bear parents had told it when it was a cub that the forest depths were very dangerous and not to go live there when it wasn't old enough.
So, it had always stayed in the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest, and after long years of hard work, it finally became a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast a few days ago.
It was recently preparing to go to the inner region of the Star Dou Great Forest to stay for a hundred thousand years and then reach the peak of its bear life! But it unexpectedly encountered Ye Chen and Zhu Zhuqing.
Discovering the 'takeout' delivered to its doorstep, and feeling hungry, the Vigorous Vajra Bear naturally wouldn't be polite. It immediately thought of using the two to fill its stomach.
It just didn't expect that the two would start running away as soon as they discovered it.
"Roar!"
Seeing its dessert about to fly away, the Vigorous Vajra Bear immediately refused to allow it. It slammed its thick, powerful paw against its chest, let out a roar, and immediately extended its bear legs, giving chase.
Looking at the Vigorous Vajra Bear relentlessly pursuing them from behind, Ye Chen couldn't help but curse inwardly.
If this Vigorous Vajra Bear had been under ten thousand years old, he wouldn't have thought of running away.
Because in his storage spirit tool, there was a six-barreled Gatling machine gun with its ammunition belt loaded. The torrent of countless bullets would definitely blow its head off.Chapter 77: The Mighty King Kong Bear
However, the Vigorous Vajra Bear in front of him was ten thousand years old, and Ye Chen was not confident that he could break through its tough fur.
Moreover, the Vigorous Vajra Bear's body was not small; even if a bullet did penetrate, it might not cause much damage, and it wasn't impossible for it to charge forward, enduring a torrent of bullets.
Fortunately, although the Vigorous Vajra Bear was powerful, speed was not its strong suit.
While Zhu Zhuqing's spirit power level was low, she was a Min-attack Soul Master, inherently fast. After cultivating the Creation Body Tempering Art, her physical quality was very strong, and after Spirit possession, her speed was not much slower than Ye Chen's.
Coupled with the complex terrain of the Star Dou Great Forest, using the towering trees along the way as cover, the Vigorous Vajra Bear couldn't catch up to the two for a while.
But if they really couldn't escape, then Ye Chen would have no choice but to use his trump card.
There was still a little over a hundred thousand gold coins in the System Shop, enough to buy a level-nine fixed spirit tool.
With the power of a level-nine fixed spirit tool, which could threaten an ordinary Titled Douluo, a mere ten-thousand-year-old Vigorous Vajra Bear would definitely be no match.
Although Ye Chen would definitely buy high-level fixed spirit tools in the future, that was a matter for later, definitely not now.
Because once Ye Chen's level increased, ordinary firearms would be useless for hunting high-year Spirit Beasts; he would need powerful fixed spirit tools.
After all, when Ye Chen needed to attach his seventh spirit ring, he would require an extremely high-year Spirit Beast. If he couldn't find a master to lead the team, he would have to be capable of hunting it himself.
However, once his level was high, Ye Chen's efficiency in accumulating gold coins would be greater. Currently, he was a four-ring Spirit Ancestor, and it would take him five months to purchase a level-nine spirit tool priced at a hundred thousand gold coins.
But once his spirit power level was higher, he would be able to afford it in a shorter amount of time.
Nevertheless, there were compromise solutions, such as a level-eight fixed spirit tool starting at thirty million gold coins, or a level-seven fixed spirit tool starting at ten million gold coins. As for lower levels, forget it, because they might not be effective.
It was just that if he bought a level-seven or eight spirit tool, Ye Chen might not be able to use it in the future, potentially leading to waste.
Of course, if there was truly no other option, for the sake of his life, Ye Chen would not hesitate.
After three minutes of desperate fleeing, seeing the Vigorous Vajra Bear relentlessly pursuing them, Ye Chen decided to give it a taste of something harsh.
Immediately, Ye Chen ran while his Pure Nether Bamboo Staff appeared in his hand, and the Pure Nether Domain, which could amplify Spirit Ability effects, also materialized.
"First Spirit Ability, Imprisonment."
Instantly, Ye Chen activated his first Spirit Ability towards the Vigorous Vajra Bear chasing behind them.
A phantom of the Bamboo Staff quickly flew out from Ye Chen, almost instantly descending upon the Vigorous Vajra Bear's head, then striking down fiercely.
"Dong—"
The phantom Bamboo Staff collided with the Vigorous Vajra Bear's head, emitting a dull thud.
Although there was a significant gap in strength levels between them, with the Pure Nether Domain amplifying the Spirit Ability effect by 50%, one strike yielded a very significant result.
Since the Vigorous Vajra Bear was in pursuit, it was suddenly Imprisoned, immediately falling headfirst to the ground, its body unable to move.
Seizing this opportunity, Ye Chen immediately pulled out a six-barrel Gatling machine gun from his spirit tool, aimed the muzzle at the fallen Vigorous Vajra Bear, and pulled the trigger.
"Puff~ Puff~ Puff~"
In an instant, the six barrels of the Gatling machine gun spun wildly, and dense bullets formed a metallic torrent, sweeping towards the fallen Vigorous Vajra Bear.
The bullet storm descended upon the Vigorous Vajra Bear, and dense blood splattered.
However, just as Ye Chen had expected, although the bullets penetrated the Vigorous Vajra Bear's tough fur, the wounds were not deep; they merely broke through the fur and became lodged in the muscle.
Don't be fooled by the Vigorous Vajra Bear's miserable appearance under the bullet storm; it actually hadn't sustained much damage, not even counting as severe injury.
Of course, pain was certainly present.
Before Ye Chen could finish a single belt of ammunition, the Vigorous Vajra Bear broke free from the Spirit Ability's control.
"Roar~!"
Seeing its body covered in bullet holes, coupled with the pain from the wounds, the Vigorous Vajra Bear roared to the sky, its eyes filled with ferocity, and it shook its bear legs, charging towards Ye Chen and Zhu Zhuqing.
Before, it had simply regarded Ye Chen and Zhu Zhuqing as snacks to fill its stomach, but now Ye Chen's counterattack had caused it considerable damage. At this point, it was basically an endless struggle.
Its perfectly maintained, glossy bear fur, which it had cared for for many years, had been riddled with holes by Ye Chen. This was absolutely unforgivable!
In the Vigorous Vajra Bear's opinion, it could forgo the snacks, but it absolutely had to tear that hateful human to shreds.
However, unfortunately, just as the Vigorous Vajra Bear took its first step, Ye Chen activated another control Spirit Ability.
"Second Spirit Ability, Fixed Awareness."
Instantly, the phantom Bamboo Staff descended again, striking the bear's head once more. The Vigorous Vajra Bear, which had just broken free from control, had its thoughts cease, and it fell into a controlled state again.
"Puff~ Puff~ Puff~"
The six barrels of the Gatling machine gun began to spin wildly once more.
This time, Ye Chen no longer sprayed at the Vigorous Vajra Bear's body, but aimed the muzzle at its head.
As luck would have it, the Vigorous Vajra Bear was not in its previous fallen state but was standing, and its large bear face was directly facing Ye Chen's muzzle.
Even though the Gatling machine gun had no aiming device, the dense bullets still hit the Vigorous Vajra Bear's eyes.
Regardless of the creature, eyes are a fragile part and cannot withstand the impact of bullets.
Just as Ye Chen blew out one of the bear's eyes and was about to blow out the other, he found that the machine gun in his hand had gone silent.
Looking down, Ye Chen realized that the entire belt of ammunition had been used up.
'Damn it~, the bullets are so quickly depleted.'
Muttering a curse, Ye Chen gave up on continuing the attack and immediately took Zhu Zhuqing to continue fleeing.
Loading a new ammunition belt takes time, and the Vigorous Vajra Bear would soon break free from control. For safety, Ye Chen chose to run.
Now that the first and second Spirit Abilities had been used, they were in cooldown and could not be used again in a short period. The only Spirit Ability that could be used to restrict the Vigorous Vajra Bear was the fourth Spirit Ability, Blindness.
As for the third Spirit Ability, Banning God, its effect was to seal mental force, which would not have a restrictive effect on this Vigorous Vajra Bear.
If, after the fourth Spirit Ability had been used, the Vigorous Vajra Bear still hadn't given up chasing the two, then Ye Chen would have no choice but to use his final trump card.Chapter 78 Netherworld Cat
The two hadn't run far when the Vigorous Vajra Bear broke free from its Fixed Awareness state.
"Roar~!"
As soon as it broke free from the control, the Vigorous Vajra Bear immediately let out an earth-shattering roar.
Ye Chen's second Spirit Ability, Fixed Awareness, had the effect of stopping the opponent's thought process.
Now with wounds all over its head and one of its bear eyes blinded, the Vigorous Vajra Bear couldn't figure out what had happened before.
From the Vigorous Vajra Bear's perspective, it was just about to charge forward again to swat those two little snacks to death when the hateful human struck it with a staff, and then in a blink of an eye, it was in this state.
After roaring, the Vigorous Vajra Bear did not pursue them again.
Because it was scared; in just a moment, it was covered in wounds, and one of its eyes was blinded. If it continued to pursue, would it even lose its life?
After a long internal struggle, the Vigorous Vajra Bear, whose body was accustomed to a cautious path, ultimately chickened out.
...
Night fell. In a clearing in the inner region of the Star Dou Great Forest, the two had set up a tent and were eating dinner.
While eating dinner, Ye Chen secretly wondered, why hadn't the Lucky Card taken effect yet?
The two of them had been searching for a day in an area where thousand-year Spirit Beasts frequently appeared. During that time, they even encountered a ten-thousand-year Vigorous Vajra Bear, but they just hadn't found a suitable target for Zhu Zhuqing.
Could it be that Da Mao Mi's luck was too bad? Even with the Lucky Card's boost, it hadn't changed much?
Otherwise, if Da Mao Mi had the Lucky Card's bonus, she shouldn't still be searching by now, should she?
"Zhuqing, you go rest. I'll take the first watch."
Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing had finished eating, Ye Chen motioned for her to go rest first.
The Star Dou Great Forest was not a quiet and peaceful place, and the number of Spirit Beasts active at night was not much less than during the day, so someone had to take turns on watch.
Generally speaking, those who came to the Star Dou Great Forest, unless their strength was exceptionally high, usually didn't come alone.
Because people always get tired. Not resting for a day or two was not a big deal for a Spirit Master, but not resting for a long time was definitely not an option.
A Spirit Beast might take advantage of your sleep to give you a 'little surprise'.
"Alright then, call me when it's time."
Nodding, Zhu Zhuqing entered the tent to rest.
...
Deep into the night, outside the tent, Ye Chen was constantly observing the surroundings.
While on watch, Ye Chen dared not enter a cultivation state, otherwise, if a sudden situation arose, he might not be able to react in time.
Estimating that it was already past midnight, Ye Chen was about to switch shifts with Zhu Zhuqing.
Suddenly, Ye Chen raised his eyebrows. Under his mental perception, which far surpassed Spirit Masters of the same rank, an uninvited guest had arrived at the camp.
Under the bright moonlight, Ye Chen looked into the dark forest ahead.
Soon, a purple-black, agile Spirit Beast silently emerged from the darkness.
"Hmm? A two-thousand-five-hundred-year-old Hell Civet?"
Looking at the uninvited guest that appeared before him, Ye Chen immediately recognized it.
"Zhuqing, come out quickly, your takeout has arrived!"
Immediately, Ye Chen shouted towards Zhu Zhuqing in the tent, but his eyes were still fixed on the Hell Civet.
The Hell Civet was an agility-attack system Spirit Beast, very fast. Coupled with it being nighttime, if he wasn't careful and let the Hell Civet run into the forest and out of his sight, Ye Chen wasn't confident he could find it again.
Inside the tent, Zhu Zhuqing, who was lightly sleeping in her clothes, heard Ye Chen's voice, immediately opened her eyes, got up, and exited the tent.
"Meow~"
Seeing that she was discovered immediately, the Hell Civet's sharp claws extended from her agile four limbs, and she was about to attack Ye Chen.
"Little one, take this! First Spirit Ability, Imprisonment!"
Instantly, the Pure Nether Bamboo Staff appeared in Ye Chen's hand, and he activated his first Spirit Ability on the Hell Civet.
A phantom of the Bamboo Staff quickly flew out from Ye Chen, descended above the Hell Civet's head, and then struck down fiercely.
With a "dong--" sound, the Hell Civet's head was momentarily dazed. When she reacted, she immediately realized that although her mind could still think, her body could not move at all, being Imprisoned in place.
"Oh? A two-thousand-five-hundred-year-old Hell Civet?"
As soon as she exited the tent, Zhu Zhuqing discovered the Hell Civet, which was Imprisoned in place by Ye Chen.
"Good luck, this little Da Mao Mi came to us on her own. Zhu Zhuqing, go quickly."
"Mm."
Nodding, Zhu Zhuqing directly activated her Spirit Fusion, quickly stepped forward, and sent the defenseless Hell Civet to heaven.
Instantly, countless golden light spots floated out from the Hell Civet's body, and then a purple spirit ring gradually appeared.
'Not bad, not bad, the Lucky Card is useful after all.'
This Hell Civet could be said to be the most suitable for Zhu Zhuqing. If it weren't for its slightly lower age, it could even compare to absorbing a god-bestowed spirit ring.
As for whether Zhu Zhuqing could safely absorb this spirit ring, Ye Chen was not worried. For spirit rings below ten thousand years, as long as the physical quality was strong enough, there was no need to worry about safety issues.
With Zhu Zhuqing's current physical quality, she could even absorb a three-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast's spirit ring, let alone this Hell Civet, which was only two-thousand-five-hundred-plus years old.
...
Time gradually passed, approaching dawn.
"Ah--"
Suddenly, Zhu Zhuqing, who was absorbing the spirit ring, frowned sharply and let out a scream.
'What's going on?'
The sudden change attracted Ye Chen's attention.
Ye Chen was a bit puzzled. Although Zhu Zhuqing's absorption of this third spirit ring exceeded the limit of the optimal spirit ring combination by quite a bit, with her endurance, she shouldn't be unable to absorb it, should she?
Just as Ye Chen was wondering, accompanied by the sound of tearing cloth, a purple-black tail suddenly appeared at Zhu Zhuqing's buttocks, looking exactly like the tail of the Hell Civet on the ground.
"Damn it~, an external Spirit Bone?!"
Looking at the tail that grew out of Da Mao Mi's butt, Ye Chen's eyes immediately widened.
The previous Zhu Zhuqing also had a tail, but that was just an ornament, not the same thing as Xiao Wu's two rabbit ears on her head.
As for why Zhu Zhuqing wore clothes with a tail, Ye Chen had understood before that the tail's function was not just as an ornament, but also to provide balance.
Because agility-attack system Spirit Masters were fast, with a tail, Zhu Zhuqing could maintain balance more easily.
'I just wonder how it feels to touch?'
Looking at the tail that grew out of Da Mao Mi's butt, Ye Chen thought to himself.
After knowing it was an external Spirit Bone, Ye Chen put down his worries. If the spirit ring could be absorbed smoothly, then absorbing the external Spirit Bone would certainly also be fine.Chapter 79 Cat's Tail
However, Zhu Zhuqing was inevitably going to suffer a bit.
Because after an external Spirit Bone is absorbed, it's like gaining an extra part of one's body, so pain is naturally unavoidable.
Of course, this bit of pain is nothing compared to the enhancement brought by an external Spirit Bone.
I believe anyone would choose to have an external Spirit Bone.
Perhaps for ordinary Spirit Masters, the value of an external Spirit Bone isn't as high as a 100,000-year Spirit Bone, but for geniuses who can advance to Titled Douluo and beyond in the future, they wouldn't trade it for even a 100,000-year Spirit Bone.
...
The sun rose and set, then rose and set again. After a full day passed and night fell once more, Zhu Zhuqing finally successfully refined the Hell Civet spirit ring and the tail external Spirit Bone, opening her eyes.
After obtaining her third spirit ring and an external Spirit Bone, Zhu Zhuqing's spirit power level increased from her previous 30th-level quasi-Spirit Elder to a 33rd-level Spirit Elder.
"Excellent, excellent, Zhuqing, your luck is truly good."
As soon as Zhu Zhuqing woke up, Ye Chen immediately stepped forward to congratulate her.
"Brother Chen, what's with this tail? Is it a Spirit Bone?"
Looking at the tail behind her that had caused her quite a bit of pain, Zhu Zhuqing was a little confused. This Spirit Bone was quite different from the Spirit Bones she imagined.
"Your tail is a Spirit Bone, but it's not an ordinary Spirit Bone; it's an external Spirit Bone."
Ye Chen said with a smile.
"An external Spirit Bone?"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened. She had heard a little about external Spirit Bones, but although she had heard of them before, she had never seen one, so she hadn't made the connection.
"That's right, it's an external Spirit Bone. This is a good thing; you wouldn't even trade it for a 100,000-year Spirit Bone. When you advance to Titled Douluo in the future, this external Spirit Bone will be able to transform into a 100,000-year Spirit Bone.
And if your spirit power level is even higher, then this external Spirit Bone will be incomparable to a 100,000-year Spirit Bone."
As he spoke, Ye Chen couldn't help but grab Zhu Zhuqing's tail and stroke it.
Hmm, the feel was decent, but not as wonderful as Ye Chen had imagined; it just felt quite smooth.
"..."
Her tail was 'attacked' by Ye Chen, and Zhu Zhuqing's face immediately flushed.
Although for Zhu Zhuqing, her tail wasn't as sensitive as an ordinary cat's, it was still a relatively sensitive area, second only to a few key spots.
"Itchy~"
Zhu Zhuqing, her face beet red, lowered her head and whispered almost inaudibly.
"Itchy? Oh~, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Zhuqing, I couldn't help myself~"
Although Zhu Zhuqing's voice was very soft, Ye Chen still heard it and immediately reacted, releasing the tail in his hand.
Listening to Ye Chen's explanation, Zhu Zhuqing rolled her eyes.
"By the way, what is your external Spirit Bone's Soul Bone Skill?"
Ye Chen asked earnestly, completely changing from his previous perverted demeanor.
"It's a Spirit Ability that boosts speed, called Netherworld Assault, which can increase speed by 100%."
"Does it simply boost movement speed, or can it also boost speed in other aspects?"
This is very important, as speed-related attributes are not just movement speed, but also attack speed, reaction speed, Spirit Ability casting speed, and so on.
"It includes everything."
"Hmm~, that's not bad.
And the age of your external Spirit Bone is currently only a thousand years. If its age increases to ten thousand years, or even a hundred thousand years in the future, the amplification will definitely be even greater."
As a Min-attack Soul Master, Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Bone Skill: Netherworld Assault, which can increase agility, is very well-suited to her.
Additionally, this external Spirit Bone is not only capable of increasing agility.
This tail-type external Spirit Bone, even without the boost of a Soul Bone Skill, possesses considerable offensive power, and as its age increases, its offensive power will become even stronger.
Just then, a strange sound entered Ye Chen's ears.
Following the sound, Ye Chen discovered that it was Zhu Zhuqing's stomach rumbling.
Indeed, Zhu Zhuqing had started absorbing the spirit ring last night and hadn't eaten anything all day, so it was understandable that she was hungry.
"Alright, let's eat something first."
"Mm."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded a little shyly.
...
"Brother Chen, let's return to the academy tomorrow morning."
After eating and drinking her fill, Zhu Zhuqing said to Ye Chen.
"No rush. If you're lucky, you might have to stay in the Star Dou Great Forest for a while longer."
The reason Ye Chen wasn't in a hurry to return to the academy was because he planned to buy an Immortal Herb for Zhu Zhuqing to consume.
For Spirit Masters, the earlier an Immortal Herb is consumed, the greater its effect; the sooner you eat it, the sooner you enjoy it.
Previously, Ye Chen and Zhu Zhuqing weren't very close, and at that time, he also didn't have money to buy Immortal Herbs. Now that they were familiar and their feelings had developed, it was the perfect time to strike while the iron was hot and win over Da Mao Mi.
He believed that with the groundwork laid over the past few months, the two of them should be able to become truly 'good' friends.
Currently, Zhu Zhuqing is a 33rd-level Spirit Elder. An Immortal Herb that suits her could boost her spirit power by 7 levels, which is not impossible.
If her spirit power level could directly increase to level 40, it would be just right to attach her fourth spirit ring.
"Uh, what's wrong?"
Zhu Zhuqing was a little confused.
"You rest first. I'll tell you tomorrow morning."
"Alright then~"
Zhu Zhuqing didn't say much more and returned to the tent to rest.
After all, absorbing the spirit ring and external Spirit Bone earlier had consumed a lot of her energy.
Ye Chen had a reason for planning to buy the Immortal Herb for Zhu Zhuqing from the System Shop rather than picking it from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
If it were just Ye Chen, getting those Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would be quite difficult, because those Immortal Herbs weren't without owners.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo's herb garden. This old Poison Douluo, suffering from severe poisoning himself, often stayed at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, using the water and fire energy emanating from the spring eyes to suppress the toxins in his body.
If Ye Chen were caught red-handed trying to steal Immortal Herbs, he would be in big trouble.
Dugu Bo was, after all, a Titled Douluo-level expert. Even if his strength was a tiny bit weaker, only serving as a unit of measurement for Titled Douluo strength, he was still not someone Ye Chen, with his small arms and legs, could contend with.
Furthermore, even if Ye Chen wasn't caught by Dugu Bo on the spot, most of the Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, with the exception of the Yearning Heartbroken Red, were not suitable for Zhu Zhuqing.
The Yearning Heartbroken Red Immortal Herb is suitable for all Spirit Masters to consume, but whether one can make it recognize them as its master is another matter entirely.
Ye Chen didn't believe that the current Zhu Zhuqing could make the Yearning Heartbroken Red recognize her as its master.
As for the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone that Zhu Zhuqing consumed in the original work, it wasn't actually a perfect fit for her.
The Immortal Herb most suitable for her should be a dark-attribute Immortal Herb, as her Hell Civet Spirit is a dark-attribute, agility-attack system Spirit.Chapter 80 Netherworld Immortal Ganoderma
However, Immortal Herbs with dark attributes have never appeared in the original work, so they should not be in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
But among them, the Qiluo Tulip is very suitable for Ning Rongrong to consume, as it can evolve her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Spirit into a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
However, a few broken Immortal Herbs are not something that Brother Chen, who follows the path of caution, cannot afford in the future, and it's not worth risking his life for.
Besides, in his previous life, he was a good young man who received compulsory education, and he was also a rich person. How could he do something like stealing? No matter which World he goes to, rich people would never steal. At most, they would strong-arm buy and sell, right?
Of course, Ye Chen thought so, but if there was an opportunity in the future, he would not miss it.
After all, the many Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well are invaluable. Each Immortal Herb is a small fortune!
...
Early the next morning.
"Hmm, Zhuqing, your cooking is good. So virtuous~."
Eating breakfast, Ye Chen said to Zhu Zhuqing.
Although the taste of breakfast was not superb, Ye Chen still had this much emotional intelligence. Everyone loves to hear good words.
"As long as you like it."
Listening to Ye Chen's praise, Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed, and she said softly.
"Haha, of course I like it."
Zhu Zhuqing: "..."
After quickly finishing breakfast, Ye Chen greeted Zhu Zhuqing and entered the tent.
"Zhuqing, this Immortal Herb is for you."
Saying that, Ye Chen handed Zhu Zhuqing the youming immortal zhi, which he had just purchased from the system's marketplace.
This youming immortal zhi was a faint black all over, with a dark jade-like stem at the bottom and twelve leaves.
"Immortal Herb? What is an Immortal Herb?"
Looking at the extraordinary black ganoderma in her hand, Zhu Zhuqing was a little confused, but she could also sense that this black ganoderma in her hand would be of great help to her.
"How to put it? Immortal Herbs are special tonic herbs. After consuming them, they can greatly enhance a Spirit Master's cultivation talent and spirit power.
And if one's Spirit and the consumed Immortal Herb have a high degree of compatibility, it might even cause the Spirit to evolve or make up for its deficiencies."
"Improve talent and spirit power, and even make the Spirit evolve?"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief. Is this thing really that magical? She had never heard of it.
"That's right. After consuming an Immortal Herb, there will be no side effects that affect future potential.
And after consuming an Immortal Herb, before your level reaches a certain point, it can also greatly accelerate your cultivation speed.
However, whether it can make your Spirit evolve, I'm not sure, but improving your cultivation talent and spirit power level is definitely possible. Maybe you'll be able to attach your fourth spirit ring later."
"Could it be that Brother Chen, you also consumed Immortal Herbs before?"
Listening to Ye Chen say this, coupled with his ability to increase the age of spirit rings, Zhu Zhuqing had a guess as to why Ye Chen's cultivation speed was so fast.
"Hmm, I might as well tell you, when my Spirit awakened, I only had level 3 innate spirit power. It wasn't until I was nine years old that I obtained my first spirit ring."
"That's impossible, right? Brother Chen, you only became a one-ring Spirit Master at nine years old?"
Zhu Zhuqing was shocked. Ye Chen only advanced to a one-ring Spirit Master at nine years old, but he's not even thirteen yet, right? In just four years, he actually increased his spirit power by more than thirty levels?
This is outrageous! No one would believe it if you told them.
"Why would I lie to you? The reason my spirit power level isn't as high as Xiao Wu's is because my talent was poor when I was young, and I was delayed for a long time.
However, after I consumed an Immortal Herb, my talent is no worse than someone with innate full spirit power, and with the help of the medicinal power latent in my body from the Immortal Herb, my current cultivation speed is even faster than someone with innate full spirit power."
"Then this Immortal Herb is so precious, Brother Chen, you should still..."
"Alright, hurry up and consume it. This youming immortal zhi is specifically for you.
The method of consumption is also very simple. Except for the stem, just eat it directly into your stomach."
Before Zhu Zhuqing could finish speaking, Ye Chen interrupted her.
"Mhm mhm."
Thinking about the little by little they had spent together, and thinking about Ye Chen's meticulous care for her, Zhu Zhuqing no longer refused.
Subsequently, Zhu Zhuqing removed the youming immortal zhi from its stem and began to consume it.
As the medicinal power of the youming immortal zhi dissolved in her abdomen, a faint black light enveloped Zhu Zhuqing.
...
Time gradually passed, and in the blink of an eye, half a day had gone by.
"Meow--" A soft cat's meow attracted Ye Chen's attention.
Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes, as if waking from a long dream. Her beautiful eyes shifted, and her expression was a little dazed.
"How do you feel?"
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing wake up, Ye Chen immediately stepped forward and asked.
"Better than ever before. My spirit power level has broken through to level 40, and it seems even my Spirit has improved a lot."
Saying that, Zhu Zhuqing released her Hell Civet Spirit.
"Hmm, not bad, Zhuqing, your Spirit has indeed evolved."
After a moment of sensing, Ye Chen found that although Zhu Zhuqing's Hell Civet hadn't changed much in appearance, looking not much different from before, it had already transformed into a top-tier Spirit.
The attributes of the youming immortal zhi were highly compatible with the Hell Civet, allowing the Spirit's quality to transform, plus the increase of 7 levels of spirit power, which could be considered normal.
"Brother Chen, thank you!"
Thinking that just a few days ago she was a level 28 Spirit Grandmaster, and now in just a few days, she had become a level 40 quasi-Spirit Ancestor, and would soon be able to attach her fourth spirit ring and become a four-ring Spirit Ancestor, Zhu Zhuqing's heart was incredibly excited.
"Thank me? Zhuqing, if you want to thank me, will you choose to offer yourself to me? Or will you repay me by being a cow or a horse in the next life?"
Well, regarding this matter, if the hero's appearance is online and the girl is very satisfied, then it's offering herself. If the hero's appearance is a bit unique, then it can only be being a cow or a horse in the next life.
"Pfft~."
Listening to Ye Chen's teasing, Zhu Zhuqing blushed and spat softly.
"Zhuqing."
"Hmm?"
"Be my girlfriend!"
Ye Chen said with a look of deep affection.
"You're annoying~"
Zhu Zhuqing's face turned even redder at Ye Chen's sudden confession.
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's face flush, and as she didn't refuse, Ye Chen immediately pulled Da Mao Mi into his arms.
"Zhuqing, from now on, I'll protect you."
"Mhm."
Zhu Zhuqing softly hummed, and if it weren't for Ye Chen's good hearing, he almost wouldn't have heard her.
Looking at the girl's blushing face in his arms, Ye Chen gently kissed her sexy red lips.
"Mmm~"
After a long while, when Zhu Zhuqing was almost out of breath, she finally pushed Ye Chen away.
"Brother Chen, don't bully me in the future."
"Hmm? Bully you? If I don't bully you, we won't be able to have babies~"
Ye Chen said with a smile. If he doesn't bully her, who will he bully?
Oh, right, he also needs to add Xiao Wu. As for whether there will be more bullying targets in the future, Ye Chen said he hasn't decided yet.
Zhu Zhuqing: "..."