8: How can a mere skeleton be as powerful as a demon god!
"This is clearly the outer perimeter of the Secret Realm, so why are there more monsters here than in the core area!"
"Look over there at the edge of the woods, those are Rank 0, Level 9 Horned Wolves, at least seven or eight of them!"
"Monsters above Level 7 have never appeared in the outer perimeter of the Secret Realm!"
"What on earth is going on!"
Looking at the dense swarm of Secret Realm monsters around them, the two girls' scalps tingled with fear.
"Feifei, something must have changed in the Secret Realm that we don't know about."
"We're not far from the Secret Realm's exit."
"We'll definitely make it out alive!"
Ning Xiwei's gaze was firm.
Although Sun Feifei's Realm was several levels higher than Ning Xiwei's, the worry in her eyes was almost overflowing.
Ning Xiwei patted Sun Feifei's shoulder and glanced at Lu Chen behind her.
She then looked at Sun Feifei's summon, the Variegated Fierce Tiger, and a glint of hope flashed in her determined eyes.
She said to Lu Chen:
"We're surrounded by powerful monsters; I'll pull you back into the Summoning Space."
"If I, I..."
As she spoke, her firm gaze wavered, filled with a sense of longing.
"If I can't make it out of the Secret Realm, I'll dissolve the contract at the last moment and set you free."
"You'll return to your place of birth."
After saying this, she looked at Lu Chen reluctantly and opened the Spirit Contract Space.
From the deepest part of the contract link...
Ning Xiwei's longing and reluctance almost overwhelmed Lu Chen.
She really is a strong and kind Little Girl.
A wave of tenderness rose in Lu Chen's heart.
He shook his now much sturdier skull.
Compared to last time, when the Spirit Contract Space could still slightly restrict Lu Chen's movements...
After his attribute points skyrocketed, the binding force of the Spirit Contract Space was practically zero for Lu Chen.
In two steps, Lu Chen stepped out of the Spirit Contract Space's range, came to Ning Xiwei's side, and patted her delicate shoulder.
Actually, during those three hours of landing finishing blows...
Lu Chen had already secretly compared his physical stats with those Secret Realm monsters.
For example, that Rank 0, Level 7 Marmot Wolf—its average Strength, Constitution, and Agility didn't exceed 50 points.
But now, his Strength, Constitution, and Agility were all around a hundred, with Strength even having a Breakthrough past one hundred and fifty.
He only needed one finger to kill a wolf.
Lu Chen wanted to tell Ning Xiwei not to be afraid.
Unfortunately, he couldn't speak, so he could only let the two girls remain terrified.
The tiny scarlet flames flickering deep in Lu Chen's eye sockets reflected the roaring and snarling Secret Realm monsters around them.
They were nothing more than resources for him to grow stronger.
"Xiwei, your Little Skeleton is quite loyal."
Standing side-by-side with her Best Friend, Sun Feifei wasn't as scared as before.
Ning Xiwei smiled, looking like a crabapple blossom in full bloom.
She whispered into Lu Chen's ear, "Thank you!"
"Watch out, Xiwei!"
As she spoke, a Horned Wolf was the first to charge.
"Little Tiger, go!"
Sun Feifei's Variegated Fierce Tiger was at Rank 1, Level 1, more than capable of handling a Rank 0, Level 9 Horned Wolf.
However, there were simply too many monsters in the outer perimeter.
The Variegated Fierce Tiger had just intercepted three Rank 0, Level 9 Horned Wolves that attacked one after another...
...when three Rank 0, Level 8 Rat-Dogs surrounded them.
At this point, the Variegated Fierce Tiger had no room to intercept any more.
Sun Feifei gritted her teeth and summoned a Rank 0, Level 9 cat-like creature, but because it was so small, it could only block one Rat-Dog.
She herself brandished her staff to Face another Rat-Dog.
Seeing the last Rat-Dog charging straight for Ning Xiwei, who was only at Rank 0, Level 7...
...Lu Chen prepared to act.
Ning Xiwei noticed Lu Chen's intention.
She reached out a small, snowy-white hand to stop Lu Chen and whispered:
"This monster is a bit stronger than the Demon Goat. Let me practice first, and you can handle the monsters after this, okay?"
This Little Girl was clearly implying that since he couldn't even beat a Demon Goat, he shouldn't step in.
However, her words saved him plenty of Face.
Fine, fine.
He wouldn't act for now.
During the process of landing finishing blows, Lu Chen had seen Ning Xiwei's skills; although her Realm was low at Rank 0, Level 7...
...her movements were extremely agile and experienced.
Jumping one level to deal with a Rank 0, Level 8 was definitely not a problem for her.
The two girls and the tiger were all locked in battle with their respective opponents.
A moment later, the Variegated Fierce Tiger was the first to tear through the throats of the three Horned Wolves.
Having received its master's command, it stayed on guard and did not return to help.
Next, Sun Feifei's Rank 0, Level 9 summoned beast bit through a Rat-Dog's neck.
Then Ning Xiwei spotted an opportunity and killed her Rat-Dog in one blow, and finally, Sun Feifei smashed the head of her Rat-Dog.
After the battle, the two girls and the tiger were all exhausted.
"Let's go, back away slowly."
Seeing that the surrounding monsters were hesitating, Ning Xiwei immediately decided to retreat.
Thus, the three people and the tiger retreated toward the Secret Realm entrance, facing countless pairs of scarlet eyes.
Cold sweat trickled down the foreheads of the two girls.
Suddenly...
Roar—!
An explosive roar echoed from the woods.
Then, as if the ground were shaking and the mountains swaying, several burly figures flew toward them at high speed.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived in front of Lu Chen and the others, standing up on their hind legs.
"That's..."
"Snake-Faced Bears!"
Ning Xiwei saw the creatures clearly: they were black-furred bears standing four meters tall with flat, snake-like heads. Their pitch-black tongues hung from the corners of their mouths down to their necks, and the foul-smelling black saliva dripping onto the grass made a sizzling, corrosive sound.
"Snake-Faced Bears, Rank 1, Level 3!"
Sun Feifei's Face turned pale instantly.
Her strongest summon, the Variegated Fierce Tiger, stared at the several Snake-Faced Bears, its body tensing up as it let out a whimpering growl of warning.
"Xiwei, we're finished!"
Looking at the Snake-Faced Bears' predatory, beady eyes, she was instantly enveloped in despair!
"Snake-Faced Bears love eating their prey alive; they'll eat us bit by bit, waah..."
At the thought of her body being eaten alive, Sun Feifei couldn't help but feel a surge of grief and began to sob.
Is this it?
I'm really not ready for this, especially when I finally have family... Ning Xiwei looked at Lu Chen beside her, at his skeletal frame, her eyes full of regret.
Tears quietly trickled down from her eyes.
Yet she looked at Lu Chen with a smile, as if wanting to imprint her most beautiful self into the tiny flames in his eyes.
She said softly, "Go back to the Spirit Contract Space, okay?"
With her eyes brimming with tears...
this dainty Little Girl...
was truly pitiable.
Feeling a pang of heartache, Lu Chen slowly shook his head.
Whoosh!
The leading Snake-Faced Bear, nearly five meters tall, opened its flat mouth, flicked its tongue, and lunged forward.
Its left and right paws were aimed at Ning Xiwei and Sun Feifei respectively.
Mid-lunge, it merely grazed the Variegated Fierce Tiger, and Sun Feifei's strongest summon dissipated into energy in mid-air.
In the blink of an eye...
the Snake-Faced Bear was upon them, its saliva already dripping near their feet.
Sizzle, sizzle...
The wild grass melted rapidly.
The massive bear paw swung toward them!
"Ah! Why did I have to encounter a Snake-Faced Bear! No, I don't want to die!"
"Xiwei, don't die, please don't die!"
Faced with the crisis of death, Sun Feifei had almost lost her mind and given up all resistance.
Ning Xiwei closed her eyes and murmured...
"It's over."
However, the expected agonizing pain never came.
Ning Xiwei slowly opened her eyes.
She saw a scene she would never forget for the rest of her life!
A small skeleton had reached out a bony palm and pressed it against the leg of the Snake-Faced Bear, which was dozens of times its size.
And that powerful Secret Realm monster, capable of toppling cities...
couldn't move an inch!
It was being held firmly in place!
Was this her Little Skeleton?
Ning Xiwei was in disbelief!
Beside her, Sun Feifei's pupils dilated to the extreme!
That tiny figure was actually withstanding a violent onslaught with just one hand!
So powerful!
So shocking!
Only three hours had passed; how could a tiny skeleton be as strong as a Demon God!