She changed into a new outfit: a tight-fitting short blouse, hot pants, and black silk stockings, adding to her shy and embarrassed appearance.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ye Qing stepped forward and pulled the curtains shut.
...........
Rip!
The sound of tearing silk echoed through the room, signaling that a pair of black stockings had met their untimely demise.
...........
</p>
</p>
</p>
Chapter 10: Eight-Armed Fiery Ape!
"What's this? It's almost dawn, and our compatibility hasn't increased yet?"
Ye Qing curled his lips. It seemed that after raising the Tianxiao Vigorous Qi to Tier 6, further progress would be a long-term endeavor!
Forget it, one shouldn't force a breakthrough; things would happen naturally in due time!
Ye Qing muttered helplessly to himself.
An hour or so later!
[Compatibility increased! Tianxiao Vigorous Qi upgraded to Tier 6!]
Here it is!
It's finally here!
Ye Qing looked outside as the sun rose, and a light screen popped up before him once again.
[Weapon Spirit pregnancy detected! Rewarding Infinite Contract skill! The host's origin will not be damaged when contracting multiple Weapon Spirits!]
This!
The Infinite Contract!
As a rule, a Spirit Tamer could only contract a single Weapon Spirit. Attempting to contract multiple spirits simultaneously would overwhelm the body and damage one's very origin!
If that happened, one's future prospects would essentially be sealed, or even regress!
Yet he had actually acquired the Infinite Contract skill.
Doesn't that mean—!
Ye Qing then lay down beside a drowsy Zhou Lingxue.
"Darling, is what you told me about your talent... true?"
Calling him darling, a deep blush spread across Zhou Lingxue's face.
Still, after having shouted it out loud numerous times throughout the night, it wasn't quite as difficult to say anymore.
"It's true. But I've got other talents now, too."
"Huh? Other talents? What kind?"
"The Infinite Contract."
What?
Zhou Lingxue froze for a moment, and then felt as if the sky above her had suddenly cleared up!
The Infinite Contract!
Doesn't that mean Ye Qing could contract other Weapon Spirits as well?!
This!
That's wonderful!
As Zhou Lingxue turned the thought over in her mind, she figured that if anyone else ever found out, they'd surely think she had lost her mind!
No ordinary Weapon Spirit—especially one that had undergone a deep contract—would ever develop a mindset like hers.
And yet!
She had been thoroughly worn down by Ye Qing!
Who could possibly endure being kept awake day after day?
Two days!
It had already been two days!
Moreover, Ye Qing seemed to be chasing after some kind of breakthrough, refusing to let her go for a single moment!
And looking ahead, this kind of routine showed no signs of stopping anytime soon!
How could anyone survive that?!
Right now, she even wanted Ye Qing to hurry up and contract another Weapon Spirit!
"Darling, I'm going to sleep."
Dropping those words, Zhou Lingxue turned around and fell straight into a heavy slumber.
As for everything else, she would deal with it after she woke up.
***
Daytime.
Ye Qing brought Zhou Lingxue straight out of the Barrier.
Practice makes perfect. Experiencing the bloody stench of the outside world a second time, Zhou Lingxue no longer felt the terror of the day before; if anything, she felt a tiny thrill of excitement.
The two of them headed straight into the depths of the jungle!
A short while later.
They arrived at a location much deeper than the day before.
Ye Qing pressed his hand against Zhou Lingxue's collarbone.
Swish!
A beam of light shot forth, and the Xuanyuan Sword materialized in Ye Qing's hand.
With a flick of his toes, Ye Qing soared upward and landed on a thick tree branch.
Then, stepping lightly from branch to branch, he sped off into the distance.
At the same time, keeping his eyes on all six directions and his ears open to every sound, Ye Qing glided through the jungle like a phantom, enhanced by his god-tier hunting skill, as he searched for prey!
.........
Deep within the jungle.
Crack!
The sound of snapping bones suddenly rang out. A Tier 3 Armored Black-maned Boar lay on the ground, its breath completely gone.
Its flesh had been torn wide open.
Three early Tier 4 Seven-Colored Glazed Leopards were crouched over the carcass, enjoying their meal.
Roar! Roar!
The Seven-Colored Glazed Leopards let out periodic growls, as if warning any other beasts drawn by the scent of blood not to come near!
Rustle!
The sound of friction came from the leaves overhead.
One of the Seven-Colored Glazed Leopards instantly froze, looking up into the air with a guarded gleam in its eyes. However, after scanning the area, it found nothing unusual and went back to its meal.
The moment it lowered its head—
Swish!
A sharp arrow pierced directly through its skull!
Cutting through bone as easily as a knife through tofu!
The shaft buried itself to the hilt!
Whoosh!
In an instant, the remaining Seven-Colored Glazed Leopards were startled into action!
The next moment!
Ye Qing dropped low and lashed out with a single kick!
His Tier 6 Tianxiao Vigorous Qi was driven to its absolute limit!
Boom!
Carrying immense power, the kick slammed squarely into the side of the nearest Seven-Colored Glazed Leopard.
Crack!
The sound of breaking bones echoed through the air!
Whoosh!
Instantly, the Seven-Colored Glazed Leopard was sent hurtling backward through the air amidst the howling wind!
Thud! Thud!
It smashed through two giant trees in succession before finally coming to a halt!
However, it was already completely dazed and disoriented!
It tried to stagger to its feet, but bone spurs burst through the flesh of its legs!
Roar!
Overwhelmed by the blinding pain, the Seven-Colored Glazed Leopard let out a fierce howl.
Meanwhile, the last remaining leopard stared at Ye Qing, panic flashing in its eyes.
As a Tier 4 beast, it naturally understood the grim situation.
Without hesitation, it scrambled toward a nearby tree, desperate to find a way out!
Clang!
Just as it began to climb, the whistle of a tearing wind reached its ears!
The Seven-Colored Glazed Leopard turned its head, only to see a sharp sword hurtling straight toward it.
Swish!
The blade nailed itself deep into its flank!
Before the beast could even react, its body continued its upward scramble!
In an instant, its abdomen was ripped wide open, spilling blood, guts, and entrails in a horrifying display.
Ye Qing walked over, wrinkled his nose at the heavy stench of blood, and hastily yanked the Xuanyuan Sword free, giving it a shake.
Then, he advanced toward the final Seven-Colored Glazed Leopard.
"Forget it, I'll put you out of your misery!"
Stepping up to the beast, Ye Qing raised his sword and brought it down in one swift motion; its fine head immediately went flying into the air.
He collected three Tier 4 Beast Cores.
Absorb!
A surge of even more potent energy rushed into his body!
Thud!
A muffled sound echoed from deep within Ye Qing's frame once more.
Following that, a light screen popped up before him.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a check-in opportunity. Would you like to check in now?]
Oh?
A check-in opportunity?
Check in!
[Check-in successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining five God-tier Control Pills!]
God-tier Control Pills?
Examining the description, Ye Qing learned that these pills could control a Spirit Tamer or Weapon Spirit below Tier 6 for seven whole days!
Hmph!
What good was this thing?!
He could achieve the exact same effect simply by holding the Xuanyuan Sword against someone's neck!
As expected, items obtained from check-ins simply couldn't compare to contracts—especially deep contracts.
Then again, he only received rewards when he contracted or deeply contracted Weapon Spirits possessing divinity.
And such Weapon Spirits were exceedingly rare.
With that thought, Ye Qing brought up his status window.
[Name: Ye Qing]
[Spirit Tamer Rank: Early Tier 4]
[Contracted Weapon Spirit: Xuanyuan Sword (SSS-grade)]
[Ability: SSS-grade Divine Awakening]
[Skills: God-tier Hunting Skill, Tianxiao Vigorous Qi 6th Tier, Rapid Core Absorption Skill, Infinite Contract]
[Items: 5 God-tier Control Pills]
Looking at the corpses of the Seven-Colored Glazed Leopards, Ye Qing felt a twinge of regret.
They represented a decent chunk of wealth, but for now—sigh!
Just as those thoughts crossed his mind, a heavy thudding sound rose from the ground.
The earth beneath him began to tremble.
With a flick of his toes, Ye Qing soared upward!
He landed on a tree branch, slung the Xuanyuan Sword across his back, and pressed himself flat against the trunk.
Rumble!
The pounding footsteps grew closer and closer!
Peering out, Ye Qing saw a herd of Armored Black-maned Boars stampeding wildly in his direction!
To call their pace a desperate flight for survival would not be an exaggeration!
What on earth happened to these fellows?
Ye Qing wondered inwardly. Creatures like these possessed thick hides and bred rapidly; usually, they were the ones bullying others. How had they ended up in such a miserable state?
Clearly, they were terrified of something!
With that in mind, Ye Qing chose to sit tight and wait!
Suddenly!
From not far away!
A monkey's screech rang out, traveling swiftly from a distance!
Then, a pure white blur flashed past not far from where Ye Qing was hiding!
Ye Qing's eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze on that white figure!
It was a giant ape!
However, compared to the Silver-Backed Giant Ape he had encountered before, it wasn't nearly as bulky, but it appeared infinitely more bizarre!
Its entire body was snow-white, yet its face was as red as fresh blood!
Protruding from its flanks and back were eight arms!
Coupled with its towering height, it looked precisely like one of the Eight-Armed Vajras from a temple brought to life!
The Eight-Armed Fiery Ape!
Early Tier 5!
</p>
</p>
</p>
Chapter 11: An Encounter, and a Legendary Cauldron from the Weapon Spirit Rankings!
Renowned for its sheer strength and agility!
At a single glance, Ye Qing recognized it instantly!
Aroo!
Glaring down at the Armored Black-maned Boars below, the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape leaped directly into the air!
Using the momentum of a swinging branch, it landed squarely on the head of an Armored Black-maned Boar.
Clenching its fists together into a massive double-hammer, it smashed down with devastating force!
Boom!
Following a thunderous crash, the boar slammed headfirst into the ground!
It drove its own snout straight into the dirt!
Its entire body instantly went rigid, save for its twitching limbs, which were the only sign that life had not yet fled its body.
Without missing a beat, the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape set about slaughtering the herd!
Slash!
Boom!
Crack!
The sickening sounds of tearing flesh and snapping bones filled the air!
The entire scene resembled a living meat grinder!
A short while later, silence descended upon the clearing.
Eyeing the area, the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape approached one of the fallen boars, reached out with its eight arms, and grabbed the creature's limbs and torso.
With a savage yank!
Rip!
Flesh and gore were torn apart in an instant!
Then, its eight arms began stuffing the pieces directly into its mouth.
As it chewed away, the ape caught a whiff of a different scent of blood. It turned its gaze toward the distance, and—there!
It spotted the carcasses of the several Seven-Colored Glazed Leopards!
While it stood there momentarily dazed!
Swish!
The whistle of a piercing wind struck from directly above!
Raising a boar's leg to block, the ape leaped backward!
However, the moment the heavy leg met the Xuanyuan Sword, it was sliced clean through in an instant. The sword energy extended outward, leaving a deep, bloody gash across the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape's chest!
Hiss!
Staring at Ye Qing, the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape thrashed its eight arms angrily in the air, its expression twisting into something even more ferocious!
One had to admit, those eight arms packed an intimidating presence that was truly formidable.
Howling in rage, the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape charged straight toward Ye Qing!
Aroo! Aroo!
Battle cries echoed through the woods!
A moment later, all eight arms rained blows down upon Ye Qing!
Clang!
The sound of striking metal rang out!
Ye Qing parried with the Xuanyuan Sword!
Then, he threw a punch of his own!
Sonic booms and tearing winds converged, meeting the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape's iron fists head-on!
Boom!
Following the collision, the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape was sent hurtling backward!
It crashed into a massive tree behind it, splintering the trunk and sending wood chips flying into the air!
From amid the rising cloud of dust!
The Eight-Armed Fiery Ape charged out once more, hurtling toward Ye Qing!
Thud, thud, thud!
Crash!
This patch of the forest was utterly devastated!
Farther away!
"Brother Fei, this time we'll really be able to squeeze that old fogey from the Liu Family for all he's worth!"
"I heard that old man from the Liu Family is a Tier 8 Spirit Tamer in Sucheng, and his family wields considerable influence. Since we've got his precious daughter in our hands, his ransom shouldn't be small."
"Definitely. But before that, once we get back to the outpost, we can have some fun first. This Miss Liu is truly as breathtaking as the legends say.
Word is, she's never even been contracted before.
Let alone undergone a deep contract.
Once we get back and that old Liu fellow pays up, sure, we'll hand her over to him—but nobody said she had to be handed back in one piece. At the very least, she shouldn't still be untouched; if she were, it'd make us look thoroughly incompetent!"
With a grin, the bandit leader glanced back at Liu Lianmeng, who was tied to the back of a low-tier spirit beast.
With skin like ice and bones like jade, she wore a tight-fitting outfit that accentuated her slender, graceful curves.
Her long legs made the bandits feel as though they stretched on longer than their own lives.
And moving further up—
There were those magnificent curves, full and turbulent!
Her cherry lips were blocked by a gag, keeping her mostly silent.
All in all, Liu Lianmeng's configuration was maxed out.
Hearing their conversation, she trembled involuntarily. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over, lending her an appearance that easily stirred one's protective instincts.
Resentment burned in Liu Lianmeng's chest as she looked at them.
The guards her father had arranged to escort her from Jinling to Sucheng had all been butchered by these scoundrels!
Now, she was reduced to fish on a cutting board—a hostage used to blackmail her own father!
Though the bandits couldn't claim the very first taste, as An Fei's men had discussed, the later tastes weren't off-limits!
And if all else failed, there were plenty of other ways to amuse themselves!
As for old man Liu, as long as the girl was still breathing when she returned, what could he do even if all eight gates were wide open?
"What kind of spirit can this girl transform into? Judging by her looks, she ought to make a fine Weapon Spirit."
One of the lackeys chimed in.
"Tch, don't even bother thinking about that. This girl's Weapon Spirit is a useless old pot—E-rank or F-rank. You want to keep it around to cook meals?"
"Kill that thought! Just have fun with her a few times and that's it!"
"Damn, a useless pot?" Hearing this, the lackey curled his lip in disappointment. It seemed there was no need to hold back this time!
"Let's go, hurry back to the outpost!" At an order from their leader, An Fei, the group whipped their mounts and galloped toward the base!
Boom!
Just as they accelerated, a thunderous explosion erupted from the opposite direction!
Then!
Thud, thud, thud!
Before their eyes, several tree canopies in the distance violently shook before crashing down entirely!
A cloud of dust billowed into the air!
"Something's happening over there!"
"Sounds like beasts fighting! And the tier shouldn't be low! We've struck gold today! Let's go take a look!" An Fei said with a smirk on his face.
Meanwhile, over here.
The Eight-Armed Fiery Ape had been driven into a bloodthirsty frenzy!
Of its original eight arms, only four remained!
The stump ends were ragged and bleeding profusely.
Fixing its glare on Ye Qing, its eyes burned with absolute rage!
Roar!
It let out a roar unlike any before!
The Eight-Armed Fiery Ape charged straight at Ye Qing!
Its speed had reached the absolute limit!
Lunging at Ye Qing where he stood pressed against the tree, it lashed out with all four remaining fists simultaneously!
As if aiming to pound Ye Qing into a pulp in a single blow!
Thud, thud, thud!
However!
Those four fists sank harmlessly deep into the tree trunk!
The Eight-Armed Fiery Ape wore an expression of sheer disbelief!
Alas, it was already too late.
Flipping through the air, Ye Qing brought his sharp blade down.
"Die!"
Slash!
The sound of tearing flesh rang out!
With a single stroke, half of the Eight-Armed Fiery Ape's head was sheared clean off!
A fountain of blood sprayed into the air as the beast collapsed with a heavy crash!
Thud!
"This creature was certainly tough to kill!"
"As expected, I still prefer the clumsy ones!"
"After all, no matter how thick their hides are, they're no match for the sharpness of the Xuanyuan Sword!"
"Agile beasts like this, on the other hand, are a real pain to deal with—at least they can dodge your attacks sometimes." Ye Qing muttered to himself.
He then set about collecting the beast's core.
Not only did it yield a Tier 5 Beast Core, but there were others besides!
Once he finished gathering them, Ye Qing absorbed them directly!
Whoosh!
An unprecedented sensation swept through Ye Qing's entire body!
This—this terrifying power!
Ye Qing clenched his teeth!
A moment later, a wave of refreshing comfort flooded every fiber of his being.
[Name: Ye Qing]
[Spirit Tamer Rank: Mid Tier 4]
[Contracted Weapon Spirit: Xuanyuan Sword (SSS-grade)]
[Ability: SSS-grade Divine Awakening]
[Skills: God-tier Hunting Skill, Tianxiao Vigorous Qi 6th Tier, Rapid Core Absorption Skill, Infinite Contract Skill]
[Items: 5 God-tier Control Pills]
Mid Tier 4!
Feeling the surging power within him, Ye Qing figured that if he fought that Eight-Armed Fiery Ape again right now, he could probably kill it in a single second!
Looking at the tragic battlefield, Ye Qing couldn't help a sigh of emotion; he really owed a lot of this to Zhou Lingxue.
Alright!
He'd work hard tonight and see if he could push his Tianxiao Vigorous Qi to the 7th Tier!
Hum!
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the whistle of a piercing wind echoed from behind!
Ye Qing turned his head.
Only to see a black bullet hurtling directly toward him.
What is this?!
A bullet?!
No!
That's not it!
Its speed far surpassed any conventional projectile weapon!
Clang!
Parrying with the Xuanyuan Sword, Ye Qing deflected the black projectile away!
His gaze turned sharp and piercing!
He locked his eyes onto a group of figures in the distance!
Then, his gaze shifted to the very back, where a bound young woman sat!
[Name: Liu Lianmeng]
[Height: 168cm]
[Appearance: 99]
[Measurements: D]
[Figure: 98]
[Purity: 100%]
[Transformation: Zhangqiu Iron Pot (E-rank)]
[Remarks: Shennong Cauldron (SSS-rank) that has lost its divinity]
</p>
</p>
</p>
Chapter 12: Crying? Crying Counts Against Your Time, Too
The Shennong Cauldron!
It's her!