The Atmosphere Changed

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The light belonging to Intermediate Healing flickered continuously, radiating a gentle aura.

Under that aura, the wound on Song Xiaomei's round, beautiful leg, which had been bleeding nonstop, gradually stopped bleeding.

The wound slowly healed and scabbed over, ultimately leaving behind a small scar.

This scene once again left everyone astonished. Even the well-traveled Blackie could not help but cry out.

"Intermediate Healing! It's actually Intermediate level—how is that possible?"

"Intermediate? Are you sure it's Intermediate? Didn't they say only Black Iron-level summoned beasts could possess Intermediate skills?" the chubby leader asked hurriedly.

"Absolutely sure. Basic Healing can at most stop a wound from bleeding; it simply cannot leave behind a tiny scar like this,

so I dare say this is definitely Intermediate Healing, without the slightest doubt." Blackie assured them solemnly, her eyes filled with shock.

"Th-This is way too powerful, isn't it? This cat is definitely a special summoned beast. It definitely isn't a Wind-Wing Cat!" the chubby leader said seriously.

"Right, right, right. Wind-Wing Cats can't use Healing Arts, let alone be this smart!"

"Today has truly opened my eyes. From now on, I finally have something to brag about—I, too, am a bounty hunter who has seen a special summoned beast!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, all marveling at the little milk cat's extraordinariness.

Even Song Xiaomei, pale-faced from losing too much blood, sat up and raised a hand toward the little milk cat's head.

Whoosh!

Li Xuan gave a light leap, dodging Song Xiaomei's slender hand. He then jumped onto Qin Yue's left shoulder, where he lay sprawled as he secretly examined the left side of her face.

Qin Yue's Transformation just now had benefited Li Xuan immensely, greatly increasing his strength. Naturally, that birthmark had caught his attention.

Most importantly, the birthmark had faded!

Li Xuan clearly saw that the originally pitch-black birthmark on Qin Yue's left cheek had lightened slightly. Even its size had shrunk a little.

The people around them might not have noticed, but with a Wind-Wing Cat's observational ability, even the slightest change could be seen.

The key was that when those strange patterns had appeared earlier, a powerful yearning had risen within Li Xuan, as though the birthmark would be of immense use to him.

Clearly, this birthmark was not an ordinary one, but something containing mysterious power.

What exactly was this?

Li Xuan secretly pondered as he observed it closely, wanting to figure out what was going on.

While he was studying it, Song Xiaomei helplessly stood up. Mainly because she had not gotten to touch the little milk cat, she felt a little depressed.

"Kitty, thank you for saving me. Even though you won't let me touch you, I'm still going to."

Song Xiaomei moved close to the little milk cat and thoroughly rubbed its head with her snow-white, slender hand. Only then did she reveal a happy smile.

"Xiaomei, how do you feel? Does your leg still hurt?" Qin Yue asked with concern.

"It doesn't hurt anymore. I'm completely better. Kitty is so amazing. If it hadn't been for it, I might already be dead."

Song Xiaomei looked at the little milk cat with grateful eyes, feeling that it was her lucky star.

"Kitty really is amazing. It even knocked away so many porcupine quills earlier and saved me."

Qin Yue held the little milk cat in her arms and gently rubbed the left side of her face against Li Xuan's head.

At that very moment, the little milk cat suddenly froze, becoming completely motionless.

[ Ding! Affected by an unknown influence, your contract with Qin Yue has been strengthened. It will never occupy a contract slot, and you will forever receive nourishment from Qin Yue's soul. ]

Ding!

Name: Li Xuan

Species: Wind-Wing Cat [Ordinary Summoned Beast]

Soul: Black Iron Level

Master: Qin Yue

Abilities: Self-Destruction, Intermediate Healing, Intermediate Fireball, Intermediate God's-Eye View, Wind Wings.

It won't occupy a contract slot? Doesn't that mean I can contract another summoner?

Joy welled up within Li Xuan. If he could contract with two masters at once, he could receive twice the nourishment from their souls, and his soul would improve by leaps and bounds.

Thinking of this, Li Xuan was eager to give it a try. He really wanted to return to the summoner world and test whether it would work.

However, they were currently out in the wilderness, and he still had to wait for the Light-Orb Flower to improve God's-Eye View, so Li Xuan needed to wait a little longer.

Roar!

A thunderclap-like roar suddenly rang out, making everyone's ears ache.

They turned to look, just in time to see Big Black Bear furiously pinning down the porcupine.

By now, the porcupine had lost all its quills. It struggled like a ball of meat, but to no avail. Big Black Bear's strength was far too terrifying; it simply could not break free.

Roar!

Big Black Bear roared again and turned to Song Xiaomei, as though asking whether it could kill the porcupine.

"Kill it. Porcupines are too dangerous for newcomers. We absolutely cannot let it live!" Song Xiaomei ordered solemnly, directly sentencing the porcupine to death.

Splurt!

Blood sprayed everywhere. Big Black Bear's paw, carrying terrifying force, smashed the porcupine to death in a single blow, leaving behind a corpse.

"Hm?"

Blackie seemed to have noticed something. She hurried over and carefully examined the porcupine's corpse, then shook her head again.

"What is it?" Song Xiaomei asked.

"Maybe I saw it wrong. I just feel that this porcupine is a little strange. Right, can you sell me its corpse? I want to send it to the laboratory for dissection and see whether there's any problem."

Blackie made a suggestion, wanting to purchase the porcupine's corpse.

"Th-This..."

Song Xiaomei glanced at Qin Yue, and only after seeing Qin Yue nod did she agree.

This time, the two of them deserved all the credit for killing the porcupine. Naturally, the decision was theirs to make. Even if the other bounty hunters were envious, they could not say anything.

"Then thank you. Here's 3,000 yuan. The extra is an apology to Qin Yue and the little milk cat."

Blackie looked apologetically at Qin Yue and the little milk cat, apologizing for her earlier rebuke.

"It's all right. You were worried about Xiaomei's safety too." Qin Yue smiled faintly, and the smile on her face was clearly much happier.

"Qin Yue, you really are kind-hearted. But when you're out in the world, you need to be more careful. You can't be this kind-hearted all the time. Sometimes, people are more terrifying than mutated beasts."

Blackie walked over to Qin Yue, rubbed her bobbed hair, and spoke softly, warning her like an older sister.

"Mhm, mhm, I'll be careful."

Qin Yue nodded her little head, her small face tense as she replied.

Having never truly come to understand darkness, she was still unable to comprehend the terror Blackie spoke of.

When she truly came to understand it, it would mean she had grown up.

That was getting off track. Back to the main subject.

After dealing with the porcupine, everyone continued hunting wolfhounds. With their large numbers and powerful summoned beasts,

they completed the mission with ease and hunted enough wolfhounds.

By dusk, the group returned to Blackstone City, filthy and carrying their spoils.

After receiving the mission rewards, Qin Yue looked at the 4,000 yuan in her hand, overjoyed.

"Are you really giving me 4,000 yuan? Everyone else only got 3,000." Qin Yue asked uneasily.

"Of course it's real. Your pet is skilled in healing. It would be welcomed anywhere, so naturally its price is a little higher."

The chubby leader smiled broadly. His dissatisfaction from that morning was completely gone, replaced by a somewhat fawning manner.