70: Chapter 70, Third Soul Skill, Three Days of Spirit

They spent the entire morning searching to no avail. After a simple lunch, as the sun began to dip toward the west, the group entered a low-lying area.

Zhu Zhuqing retracted her Spirit and retreated to the middle of the group, yielding the scout position to Ning Rongrong, who had volunteered.

However, a support system Spirit Master's perception of Soul Power fluctuations was truly not sharp. Ning Rongrong looked around for a long while without discovering anything, getting so anxious that fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.

"To the left, three hundred meters away, by the stream behind the low bushes."

Unable to watch any longer, Bai Qi finally spoke. Though his voice wasn't loud, everyone heard him clearly.

Hearing that there was a Spirit Beast suitable for her, Ning Rongrong's eyes immediately lit up, and she was about to dash toward the left.

"Stop."

Bai Qi watched Ning Rongrong as she started to run and called out to her, causing her to freeze in place.

Bai Qi looked at her expressionlessly and reached out to flick her forehead.

"You, a support Spirit Master, rushing to the very front? Do you want to be the first one taken out?"

Ning Rongrong covered her forehead and shrunk her neck, retreating a few steps sheepishly while muttering in a low voice.

"I was just too happy."

Bai Qi ignored her and scanned the group, his gaze finally settling on Dugu Yan.

"Yanzi, you take command. Resolve this within two quarters of an hour."

Dugu Yan was startled and exchanged a glance with Bai Qi.

As someone who already held a command position at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, she had no objections.

After leading them closer to see exactly what kind of Spirit Beast it was, Dugu Yan turned to face everyone.

"It's a Lingxi Deer. It excels at Soul Power amplification and has extremely sharp perception. Its antlers can release Soul Power fluctuations to interfere with enemies."

Although Dugu Yan, having just taken command, didn't speak very fast, she became increasingly fluent.

"Zhuqing, hide yourself in the bushes on the right; don't expose yourself. Yiran, get up into that tree on the left and use your throwing knives to seal off its movement."

Meng Yiran spun a throwing knife between her fingers and nimbly leaped onto a branch of the large tree on the left, crouching steadily.

"Lingling, stay by Bai Qi's side and be ready to heal at any time. Rongrong, stand next to me and don't run off. Once we've controlled the Lingxi Deer, you provide the buff to Zhuqing to take it down in one go."

After Dugu Yan finished speaking, she looked at Ning Rongrong and added another sentence.

"Rongrong, don't rush forward again this time."

Ning Rongrong nodded obediently and stood closely by Dugu Yan's side.

Zhu Zhuqing silently disappeared into the bushes on the right.

Ye Lingling stood beside Bai Qi, the green light of the Nine Heart Begonia quietly beginning to glow.

Dugu Yan crouched down and picked up a few small pebbles from the ground, clutching them in her palm.

She chose not to release her poison mist first; the Lingxi Deer's sense of smell was too keen, and the poison mist would only alert the prey.

Bai Qi leaned against a nearby tree with his arms crossed over his chest, remaining silent as he watched them with satisfaction.

By the stream behind the low bushes, an elegantly shaped silver-furred deer was lowering its head to drink water.

Its antlers were crystal clear, with the tips glowing with a faint golden light, and its limbs were slender and powerful.

Suddenly, the Lingxi Deer raised its head, its ears twitching as its nose sniffed the air.

It sensed something and took a step back, the golden light on its antlers intensifying.

"Zhuqing."

Dugu Yan's voice was kept very low, fearing she might startle it further.

Zhu Zhuqing erupted from the bushes, her first spirit ring lighting up as she used 'Hell Rush Stab,' her sharp claws heading straight for the Lingxi Deer's neck.

The Lingxi Deer's reaction was also astonishingly fast; with a kick of its four hooves, its body lunged forward, narrowly avoiding the strike.

It turned around, the golden light on its antlers flaring brightly as a wave of invisible Soul Power fluctuations surged toward Zhu Zhuqing. Zhu Zhuqing felt a buzzing sound in her head, and her movements instantly became sluggish.

"Zhuqing, hold steady!"

Dugu Yan shouted, tossing the pebbles in her hand upward, and immediately sent the tail of her Jade Phosphor Serpent whipping toward the Lingxi Deer.

The sound of the pebbles cutting through the air drew the Lingxi Deer's attention for a split second. In that moment, Zhu Zhuqing shook off the dizziness and flickered away, vanishing into the shadows.

The Lingxi Deer lost its target, and the golden light on its antlers began to fluctuate erratically.

Meng Yiran's throwing knives shot down from the tree. The first one grazed the Lingxi Deer's left front leg, the paralyzing Snake Blade toxin from her first Spirit Ability coating the blade as it cut across the surface of its skin.

The Lingxi Deer's left front leg suddenly stiffened, causing its body to tilt to the right. The second throwing knife followed immediately, sealing off its path of retreat on the right.

Gradually, the left side of the Lingxi Deer's body began to go numb, and its speed dropped sharply.

Zhu Zhuqing emerged from the shadows on the right, her sharp claws gouging into its hind leg, leaving three startling bloodstains.

Dugu Yan timed it perfectly, sending her Jade Phosphor Serpent to rush over and entangle it, while whispering to Ning Rongrong.

"Rongrong, begin."

All the spirit rings of Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up.

"One says: Strength! Two says: Speed!"

The two buffs landed precisely on Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing's speed and strength surged instantly, her figure constantly weaving around the Lingxi Deer.

She continuously unleashed her first and second Spirit Abilities, leaving dense wounds all over the Lingxi Deer's body.

Every time the Lingxi Deer tried to release Soul Power fluctuations with its antlers, Meng Yiran's throwing knives would accurately strike them.

The paralysis effect of the Snake Blade made its head go numb, causing its Soul Power fluctuations to be interrupted time and again.

Combined with the entanglement of Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphor Serpent, the close-range poison and Meng Yiran's paralyzing toxin made it feel heavier and heavier, slowing its movements by more than half.

"Zhuqing, now."

Dugu Yan's voice was calm and steady.

Zhu Zhuqing took a step back, her third spirit ring lighting up as a dark purple light slowly condensed in her palm.

Sensing the threat of death, the golden light on the Lingxi Deer's antlers suddenly erupted with unprecedented brightness.

"Rongrong, give her the buff!"

Dugu Yan turned and shouted to Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong shot the beam of augmentation toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Meanwhile, Dugu Yan also controlled the Jade Phosphor Serpent to bite down on it directly.

The Lingxi Deer cried out in pain, the golden light on its antlers faltering, and Zhu Zhuqing's Hell Decapitation had already slashed down. The dark purple light blade struck the Lingxi Deer's neck dead center.

The Lingxi Deer's body suddenly stiffened and slowly collapsed.

Zhu Zhuqing stood over the Lingxi Deer, her breathing somewhat hurried, as she looked at Ning Rongrong.

"Rongrong, come here."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong took out a small knife and walked quickly toward it.

With a swift stroke, a purple spirit ring slowly rose.

Ning Rongrong then sat cross-legged beside the Lingxi Deer's corpse and began to guide the spirit ring to merge into her body.

The Soul Power of a support system spirit ring was relatively mild, but the energy, which exceeded the normal age limit for a third spirit ring, still made her brow furrow tightly.

Zhu Zhuqing retracted her Spirit and stood quietly by Bai Qi's side. Dugu Yan stood with her arms crossed. The green light of Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia remained enveloped around Ning Rongrong. Meng Yiran also jumped down from the tree, retracted her throwing knives, and patted the dust off her hands.

After about a quarter of an hour, the Soul Power fluctuations around Ning Rongrong gradually stabilized. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda bloomed with brilliant light in her palm.

Ning Rongrong opened her eyes and excitedly introduced her new ability to everyone.

"My third Spirit Ability is Consonant Augmentation! It can significantly increase teammates' Soul Power output and recovery speed. Moreover, I've retained the Lingxi Deer's Soul Power fluctuation ability, allowing me to perceive hidden enemies nearby."

Bai Qi stepped forward and spoke, smiling as he rubbed Ning Rongrong's head.

"Not bad, Rongrong."

Ning Rongrong nodded vigorously, her voice trembling with excitement.

She then turned back to look at the girls.

"Let's rest for a while, then we should head to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."