In the lush green forest, Geng PePe Waccabrada pulled Qi Yuan along as she ran for her life.
A huge rat with serrated fangs was chasing them.
Qi Yuan could not help asking, "Why are we running? You received a Level Six Expert's Legacy, and your strength is already at Level Three."
"This giant rat isn't even Level Three."
Geng PePe Waccabrada's chest heaved as she declared with conviction, "You don't understand. My big brother taught me this."
"I may be Level Three, but this Demon Beast is fast. What if it's carrying deadly poison and catches me off guard? A lovely young girl in the prime of her life like me would be done for."
Qi Yuan could not help glancing at her.
She had received Kurenai Yuhi's legacy, and her Taijutsu was not powerful.
Earlier, the two had found quite a few Level One Demon Beasts. None had been a match for Geng PePe Waccabrada, and they had dug out quite a few grains-of-rice-sized Chakra crystals.
This time, however, they had accidentally encountered a Level Two Peak Demon Beast.
Geng PePe Waccabrada's genjutsu had failed to control it because her technique was lacking. Instead, it had provoked the giant rat and sent it into a rage.
Even Ninja could not match the speed of Demon Beasts in the dense forest.
Qi Yuan could not stand watching any longer and pulled free of Geng PePe Waccabrada's hand.
He spun around and kicked the rat.
The giant rat let out a mournful squeal, then stopped moving.
Congratulations, host. You have subdued a Level Two Mountain Rat. Reward: 10 Enhancement Points.
Qi Yuan frowned. When he had killed Level Two Demon Beasts alone before, he had received only 5 Enhancement Points. Now it had become 10.
Could it be Geng PePe Waccabrada? Had this girl indirectly increased the mission's difficulty?
Was this girl his lucky star?
He glanced at Geng PePe Waccabrada, only to find her standing frozen in place.
Tears welled in her eyes.
"I'm so stupid. I actually thought I could protect you."
Geng PePe Waccabrada was no fool. After spending the day with Qi Yuan, she was certain he was no good-for-nothing.
On the contrary, he was exceptionally capable.
Whether Level One or Level Two, he finished every Demon Beast in a single move. Her clumsy genjutsu made her look like a clown.
If anyone told her now that everyone who received the Sharingan was trash, she would slap them across the face.
Qi Yuan frowned and asked, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and cut open its head to get the Chakra crystal!"
"We're working together, so of course we split the Chakra crystals equally."
He had discovered that when Geng PePe Waccabrada was around, he could actually earn more Enhancement Points from killing these Demon Beasts.
Since that was the case, he did not need to act alone.
Geng PePe Waccabrada wiped her eyes. "Can't you show a girl some consideration? You're actually making a girl like me do this kind of work?"
"It's all sticky and filthy."
Still, she took out her dagger and obediently did as he said.
Qi Yuan explained, "Isn't this training your courage? We'll be dealing with these creatures all the time in the future."
"Don't you want to become strong? This is a necessary step."
"Oh, and from now on, you'll be the bait, and I'll attack."
"That'll make us more efficient!"
Geng PePe Waccabrada looked incredulous. "You want me to be bait? And to think I was kind enough to speak up for you earlier."
But she was only grumbling. Becoming strong and following in Yan Qingqing's footsteps was her wish, too.
This Martial Trial was indeed an opportunity to train.
Qi Yuan looked at the girl with inward admiration.
She's hardworking and capable. I mustn't forget her when something good comes along.
Of course, having Geng PePe Waccabrada serve as bait did not mean he would send her to her death.
He only wanted to increase the mission's difficulty in a roundabout way.
With his Mystical Palm Technique on hand, it would be quite hard for her to die even if she wanted to.
And so, working together, Qi Yuan and Geng PePe Waccabrada practically swept through the mountains.
Congratulations, host. You have subdued a Level One Blue Leopard and earned 2 Enhancement Points. Congratulations, host. You have subdued a Level Two Demon Tiger and earned 10 Enhancement Points.
In just three days, Qi Yuan earned more than 2,000 Enhancement Points in total.
It was an absolute windfall!
"Over 2,000 Enhancement Points. That's enough to upgrade my Sharingan to the Mangekyō Sharingan."
But Qi Yuan still hesitated.
In the end, he chose to put the Enhancement Points into Body Energy, Mental Energy, and the fifth gate of the Eight Gates of Limitless.
"The Mangekyō's side effects might be considerable. I'd better strengthen myself and reach the Level Five Grandmaster Realm first."
Yet after spending all his Enhancement Points, Qi Yuan discovered that he was still at Level Four.
"The Level Five Grandmaster Realm needs this much energy?"
By now, he and Geng PePe Waccabrada had to use two large burlap sacks to hold their Chakra crystals.
But as time went on, he earned fewer and fewer Enhancement Points.
The system seemed to consider what he was doing extremely simple and could not provide many Enhancement Points.
Just then, Qi Yuan and Geng PePe Waccabrada both looked in the same direction.
"Ah! PePe Waccabrada, save me! I don't want to die!"
A terrified girl in tattered clothes came running toward them from nearby.
Geng PePe Waccabrada did not recognize her at first, then exclaimed in surprise, "That's my deskmate, Zhou Xiao."
"What happened to her?"
Behind her, Wang Ke pursued with a backpack slung over his shoulder and a sneer on his face.
Suddenly, his expression changed as he spotted Geng PePe Waccabrada and Qi Yuan.
"PePe Waccabrada, save me! Wang Ke wants to kill me!"
Geng PePe Waccabrada grabbed her. "What exactly happened?"
The girl sobbed as she said, "We encountered a Level Three Mid-Stage Demon Beast. Wang Ke used lots of our classmates as cannon fodder before he managed to kill it."
"But he was afraid we'd tell everyone, and he wanted to keep the Chakra crystal for himself, so he decided to kill those of us who knew!"
Wang Ke's expression turned cold and vicious. "Since you all know, none of you are leaving here alive today."
His experiences over the past few days had greatly increased his strength.
Geng PePe Waccabrada and that useless Qi Yuan happened to be eyesores to him anyway. He would settle his old and new grudges together.
The girl ducked straight behind Geng PePe Waccabrada, then abruptly shoved her forward and ran off out of sight.
Geng PePe Waccabrada froze, never having expected her deskmate to be so ruthless.
Wang Ke's dagger was already in front of her. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she could not dodge in time.
Yet Wang Ke suddenly felt an agonizing pain in his heart as an unremarkable fist struck his chest.
He looked at the hand's owner in terror. "Qi Yuan, you-?"
Then he coughed up blood, collapsed, and died.
Geng PePe Waccabrada finally came to her senses, her whole body trembling slightly.
Had she nearly died just now?
Just as she was about to speak, a tremendous beast's roar rang out.
Qi Yuan's expression also grew grave.
He was not a sensory Ninja, but at his level of cultivation, he could still sense the presence of some people he knew.
Xu Ying's presence was over there, but it was extremely weak now.
"Liu Song, you idiot! You raised this Level Three Demon Beast to Level Four?"
Xu Ying shouted furiously. She had accepted an invitation from Liu Song and the others to hunt a Level Three Late-Stage Demon Beast.
She had never expected Liu Song and the others to use other Demon Beasts' crystals to make this Level Three Late-Stage Demon Beast evolve, all to obtain a high-quality Chakra crystal.
Who could have known the Demon Beast would mutate and ultimately break through to Level Four?
Under normal circumstances, Xu Ying would not have feared this Level Four Demon Beast.
But her Chakra was severely depleted now, and she was nowhere near her peak condition.
Worse still, after reaching Level Four, this Demon Beast had awakened a completely new power.
It could use a kind of Sealing Jutsu!
They could not escape even if they tried!
Before you continue