The Shadow Night Lynx's strength and speed were no weaker than hers, even with her current buffs.
Under normal circumstances, she would not even qualify to face this Soul Beast.
Although her strength and speed had both been boosted, her Soul Power Level was ultimately too low, leaving her little Soul Power to use.
"Third Soul Skill, Seven Treasures turn forth with glazed brilliance: Soul."
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing fall onto the defensive, Ning Rongrong could not help stepping in as well.
This was also a chance to test her newly acquired Soul Skill.
A beam of glazed light fell upon Zhu Zhuqing.
The Soul Power fluctuations around Zhu Zhuqing suddenly soared.
Feeling the doubled Soul Power within her body, Zhu Zhuqing nodded to Ning Rongrong.
Surging Soul Power burst from the flesh and bones of her limbs. Now she had both explosive strength and speed.
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing stand distracted, the Shadow Night Lynx kicked hard against the ground.
Its body became a streak of pitch-black lightning, lunging straight at her under the cover of the trees' shadows.
Its claw tips carried the power of shadow erosion as they slashed at Zhu Zhuqing's neck.
"Hell Stab!"
Zhu Zhuqing cried out softly. With the Soul Power boost, the black light blazed more fiercely than usual.
Her body left an afterimage as she swept both claws backhanded toward the Shadow Night Lynx's flank.
Unable to twist its body in midair in time, the Shadow Night Lynx could only hastily draw its claws back to block.
Clang!
An ear-piercing collision erupted, and the tremendous force sent both sides reeling backward.
The Shadow Night Lynx glanced at its flank. Zhu Zhuqing had still left two deep, bloody gashes.
"Nice!" Everyone could not help cheering at the sight.
"The outcome is decided," Chu Feng said with his arms folded.
"Among all of you, Zhu Zhuqing is definitely one of the best when it comes to fighting with Soul Skills alone."
Zhu Zhuqing had honed these abilities in the face of death. They were nothing Oscar and the others' usual training could compare to.
Even Tang San could not handle her combat techniques.
Watching Zhu Zhuqing continue battling the Shadow Night Lynx, Tang San nodded in agreement.
He also greatly admired this girl.
Dai Mubai watched the wounds Zhu Zhuqing had suffered when she failed to dodge in time. His brows knitted tightly, and his entire presence instantly grew heavy.
Zhu Zhuqing had gained all this strength through danger.
On the battlefield, Zhu Zhuqing's movements grew increasingly practiced, and successive Netherworld claws cut off the Shadow Night Lynx's routes.
The Shadow Night Lynx was suffering inwardly. It did not want to fight anymore.
But Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had already sealed off the surrounding space, leaving it no chance even to merge into the shadows.
Zhu Zhuqing stuck relentlessly to the Shadow Night Lynx, her claw shadows never stopping.
The Shadow Night Lynx was steadily forced back, crashing into a tree trunk and shaking loose a shower of leaves.
More and more wounds appeared on its body, and its movements slowed as well.
"An opening!"
Zhu Zhuqing leaped into the air, brought her clawed hands together, and used the momentum of her fall to drive down the full might of Netherworld Hundred Claws.
Thud!
With a dull impact, the Shadow Night Lynx was slammed hard into the bushes.
It tried to rise, but its limbs trembled uncontrollably. After several attempts, it finally slumped down helplessly.
Zhu Zhuqing fell to her knees, breathing hard.
That last strike had used up all her strength and Soul Power.
Chu Feng approached and gently raised his hand. A faint light fell upon Zhu Zhuqing, slowly restoring her stamina and Soul Power.
"Go on. Make it your Contract Soul Beast."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded lightly and walked toward the Shadow Night Lynx with Dai Mubai helping her up.
Watching Zhu Zhuqing approach, the Shadow Night Lynx could only whimper softly.
Chu Feng watched and thought, If this Shadow Night Lynx still had any strength, would it be crying 'Old Wu, Old Wu'?
After all, hakimis all shared the same underlying code.
"I wonder whether Zhu Zhuqing will cry 'Old Wu, Old Wu' when she argues with Mubai."
"Hakimi, hakimi, north-south mung beans." Chu Feng could not help humming.
"Boss Chu, what are you doing? Hurry over and help Zhu Zhuqing form the contract." Dai Mubai gave Chu Feng a shove.
Why did Boss Chu go crazy every now and then?
"Oh, right."
By now, under Zhu Zhuqing's friendliness (threats), the Shadow Night Lynx had agreed to become her Contract Soul Beast.
At least it would have someone to scoop its poop from now on.
Chu Feng raised his hand, and the contract patterns appeared once more.
After a little over ten minutes, Zhu Zhuqing also obtained a Contract Soul Ring, along with a right leg Soul Bone and a Contract Soul Beast.
"Thank you, everyone!" As soon as Zhu Zhuqing stood up, she bowed to Chu Feng and the others in thanks.
At this moment, the heart she had kept closed for years opened completely.
What had just happened let her know that she would no longer be alone.
She, too, had good friends who would fight for her.
[All Shrek members have obtained their third Soul Ring. Rewarding the host with the Complete Martial Dao Manual.]
Chu Feng froze.
A Martial Dao manual? He could already make something like that himself.
"System, are you stealing my rewards?"
[Host, this Complete Martial Dao Manual includes all Martial Dao moves. [What you created before was incomplete.]
"So that's how it is."
Chu Feng examined the Complete Martial Dao Manual the system had just placed in his mind and discovered that it really did contain every martial art that had ever had a name.
"Just the thing for Tang San to practice."
"Zhu Zhuqing." Ning Rongrong threw herself onto Zhu Zhuqing. "Hurry, let me see your Contract Soul Beast."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded with a soft laugh and summoned the Shadow Night Lynx.
"Oh, it's a little kitty!" Ning Rongrong reached out to stroke it, and its soft fur made her smile even more brightly.
"Tch, cool-looking Soul Beasts are the good-looking ones." Ma Hongjun walked over and held out his hand proudly.
A little bird appeared, a flame-colored crest standing upright on its head.
Sparks accompanied each beat of its wings.
"That little bird of yours has been fed so fat it's become a ball. Just put it away." Dai Mubai sneered, then moved closer to Zhu Zhuqing again.
"Zhu Zhuqing, let me show you mine. Mine's a little cat too."
As soon as he finished speaking, a little white cat landed on Dai Mubai's shoulder and stretched lazily.
Catching sight of the Shadow Night Lynx in Ning Rongrong's arms, it immediately assumed its "spinosaurus" form.
"Your Soul Beast doesn't seem to like my Xiao Ying very much."
Zhu Zhuqing had simply named the Shadow Night Lynx Xiao Ying.
Hearing Zhu Zhuqing's words, Dai Mubai hurriedly took his Contract Soul Beast down and gave her a thump on the head.
"Meow."
"Xiao Bai, behave, or your balls are coming off."
With that, he even flicked the little bells behind Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai's fur stood on end, and she vanished with a meow, returning to the Contract Space.
"All right, now that you've all gotten your Soul Rings, head straight back."
Chu Feng felt deeply gratified.
He had finally raised this bunch's strength a notch. It really had not been easy.
"What about you, Boss Chu?"
Ma Hongjun recalled that Chu Feng's Soul Power Level should have reached level 40 too.
Chu Feng shook his head and said softly, "The way I obtain Soul Rings is different from yours."
Tang San and the others froze.
Boss Chu had another new trick?
Judging by Boss Chu's past displays, could his method of obtaining them be even more miraculous than Contract Soul Rings?
But seeing that Chu Feng had no intention of explaining, none of them asked any further.
Everyone had secrets of their own.
After briefly packing up, everyone headed back the way they had come.