2: Chapter 2 Ah Yin

"System, are you skimming off my kickbacks? Where's my Star Dou Great Forest check-in?"

Bai Qi, who had woken up early in the morning, immediately questioned the system.

[Ding! Host, you didn't say you wanted to check in at the Star Dou Great Forest.]

Bai Qi's question gave the system a real fright; it almost thought Bai Qi had discovered its trickery.

"Cut the crap. If I can check in, then do it. Also, do the monthly check-in and the check-in for this small hut!"

Since Bai Qi had fallen asleep when Xiao Wu appeared last night, he hadn't seen her and thus hadn't added her.

[Alright, Host, I'll arrange it for you right away. Ding! Star Dou Great Forest check-in successful. Reward: Demi-god Body (Growable). Ding! Monthly check-in successful. Reward: One Subordinate Summoning Voucher. Ah Rou's Hut check-in successful. Reward: One Villa (Location can be chosen).]

Seeing that Bai Qi really hadn't noticed anything, the system became even more eager to give him rewards. It even used a tiny bit of its skimmed kickbacks to upgrade the hut's check-in reward. Although it upgraded one reward, it took two more kickbacks. At this moment, inside the system space—

"Jie jie jie, when I go back, I'll be able to pick up other female systems."

While it was thinking about how to spend its skimmed kickbacks upon its return, it suddenly felt something watching it.

"Why are you looking at me? Look at the protagonist."

Ahem, back to the story.

"Holy crap, Demi-god Body? System, what does this do? And why is it upgradable?"

Having received the system rewards, Bai Qi looked at them but only noticed the Demi-god Body (Upgradable). He completely ignored the paltry scraps the system had given him.

[...]

"What are you doing? Speak up! I'm asking you a question."

His fantasies interrupted once again, the system was completely speechless, but it still had to maintain a smile.

[I'm here, Host. The current effect of the Demi-god Body is that after fusion, you will become much more resilient.]

[30% resistance to crowd control.]

[Soul Power recovery speed increased by 15%.]

[Cultivation speed increased by 30%.]

[Upgradable means there are three stages in total. This is the first stage. You'll find out about the second and third stages once your Soul Power level is high enough to unlock them automatically.]

"Holy shit, that's amazing! Hahaha, I now have the potential to become a god."

Watching Bai Qi's foolish grin from within the system space, the system felt it had skimmed too little. Seeing how happy the host was, it decided to skim more in the future. Having made up its mind, the system also began to laugh.

After the two fools laughed for a while, they began to discuss the main topic.

"System, what's the current relationship between Tang Hao, Tang Xiao, and Ah Yin?"

Deciding to start planning ahead, Bai Qi asked about the current situation.

[They have just met. The system suggests driving Ah Yin back to the Star Dou Great Forest first.]

"I don't need you to tell me that; I already know I need to drive Ah Yin back. Let's use a Subordinate Summoning Voucher first. Let me think about who would be best to summon."

"Let's go with Lu Bu. What level will he be when summoned?"

After considering his options, Bai Qi chose a famous character from Honor of Kings.

[Ding! The summoned Lu Bu is level ninety-five. spirit ring configuration: two purple, five black, and two red (spirit rings are upgradable). So, Host, where would you like to summon him?]

"Summon him right in front of them. Disguise his level as ninety, looking like he's in need of a ninth spirit ring."

[Understood, Host. Summoning complete, and the mission has been relayed to him.]

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. The Twin Stars of Clear Sky and Ah Yin, who had just saved a village last night, were leaving the village surrounded by villagers, preparing to travel across the Douluo Continent.

"Brother Hao, Sister Ah Yin, where should we go next?"

Not far from the village, Tang Xiao asked Tang Hao and Ah Yin where they should go next, as he didn't have any ideas for the moment.

"Big Brother, if you ask me, we should wander around the nearby villages and see if any others need help."

Driven by lustful intent, Tang Hao proposed this suggestion because he was eager to show off in front of Ah Yin.

"Mm, that sounds good."

Tang Xiao agreed, thinking it was a good idea. After all, he also wanted to show off in front of Ah Yin. He could see that Brother Hao had also taken a liking to Ah Yin; now it was just a matter of seeing who Ah Yin would eventually choose.

After they had walked for a while, an extremely powerful pressure appeared and swept over the three of them. Tang Hao and Tang Xiao immediately activated their Spirits. Two sets of optimal spirit ring configurations—two yellow, two purple, and four black—appeared as they began to resist the pressure.

Lu Bu's appearance brought with it an aura like that of a ghost or god. With a configuration of two purple, five black, and one red, combined with the Soul Power pressure of a level ninety, he overwhelmed them once again with even greater momentum.

"Two kids playing with hammers dare to block me? Get lost! This Spirit Beast's hundred-thousand-year spirit ring is mine."

"What? Red! A hundred-thousand-year ring!!!"

If they had only looked at the Soul Power level, the brothers might have dared to fight. But the appearance of that red spirit ring instantly shattered their pride as favored children of heaven.

Ah Yin felt the same; a deep sense of despair began to spread from the bottom of her heart. She looked at the two brothers before her with unease.

Tang Xiao and Tang Hao took a deep breath and exchanged a look. They then looked back at Ah Yin, their eyes filled with reluctance. For the sake of the Sect's future, Tang Xiao bowed and cupped his hands toward Lu Bu.

"Senior, we two brothers did not know she was a Spirit Beast, nor did we know she was Senior's prey. Otherwise, we would never have dared to converse with her."

"If Senior can overlook our ignorance, we hope Senior will let us brothers go."

After saying this, Tang Xiao closed his eyes in frustration.

"Brother."

Tang Hao, standing beside him, wanted to say something more, but Tang Xiao grabbed him and shook his head.

"Hmph, stop acting so noble. I don't believe two level eighty-plus Spirit Douluos couldn't tell she's a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast that hasn't reached maturity yet."

"The little schemes in your hearts are more calculated than anyone's."

After Lu Bu finished speaking, he pointed at Ah Yin behind them and continued.

"You probably wanted to wait until she reached maturity, when only the two of you knew she was a transformed Spirit Beast, and one of you reached the Titled Douluo rank, before killing her to take her spirit ring and Spirit Bone."

"But I, this old man, discovered it first."

Hearing Lu Bu's words, Ah Yin looked at the two of them with a face full of disbelief.

But Tang Hao and Tang Xiao were being suppressed so heavily that they couldn't turn their heads to look at her. Even if they could, they wouldn't have dared. After all, they had only known her for a day; no matter how much they liked her, they had to save their own lives.

Just then, an even more vast wave of Soul Power arrived, dispersing a portion of Lu Bu's Soul Power pressure.

Lu Bu pretended to look at the source of the Soul Power fluctuation in disbelief.

"Hmm? The Sky Azure Bull Python?"

By the Lake of Life, the now-awake Ah Rou was introducing Bai Qi to Xiao Wu and the Titan Giant Ape. Suddenly, three waves of Soul Power fluctuations drifted over, though they were faint due to the distance.

The human and the beasts immediately looked in that direction. Even the Sky Azure Bull Python poked its head out of the water. Only Xiao Wu was still teasing Bai Qi in Ah Rou's arms.

After all, Soul Power fluctuations from three Spirit Masters above level eighty were hard to ignore for both humans and beasts.

Especially the Sky Azure Bull Python. Sensing someone with the same Spirit Beast aura as Aunt Rou, and after Ah Rou nodded, it immediately released its own Soul Power pressure toward them.

Seeing the Sky Azure Bull Python release its aura, Bai Qi knew that everything was set.

Back with Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, they were also shocked to hear Lu Bu mention the Sky Azure Bull Python. After all, any Spirit Master with a bit of common sense had heard of the King of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Even Ah Yin looked toward the direction of the Soul Power in disbelief.

However, the two brothers also breathed a sigh of relief. Ah Yin's life was saved; there would be chances in the future.

"Hmph, consider yourself lucky, little grass. Even if I killed you, I couldn't absorb your spirit ring now. Someone has protected you this time."

Lu Bu gave a light snort and looked at Ah Yin again, pretending to be unwilling.

He then withdrew his Soul Power and left immediately.

After Lu Bu left, the brothers Tang Hao and Tang Xiao immediately turned their heads to look at the woman they had both fallen in love with at first sight.

But they were met only with eyes full of disappointment.

After seeing them for who they were and giving them one last disappointed look, Ah Yin walked toward the direction from which the Sky Azure Bull Python's Soul Power fluctuation had come.

Tang Hao and Tang Xiao just watched silently, not stopping her.

By the Lake of Life, Xiao Wu finally reacted. She looked from her mother to the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape and asked:

"Mama, Da Ming, Er Ming, what are you looking at?"

"It's nothing, Xiao Wu. You're about to have a new friend soon."

Ah Rou replied to Xiao Wu as gently as ever, stroking Xiao Wu's fluffy head.