Bab 303: Chapter 303: Stealth—Nether Abyss, Zhu Zhuqing’s Gratitude
Over the past hour, Su Ming endured extreme exhaustion, his mental power continuously strained to support Zhu Zhuqing. When it finally ended, Su Ming felt so drained that he collapsed backward, expecting to hit the ground but landing instead on something soft and fragrant—Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong had caught him.
"Brother Su Ming, are you okay?" Xiao Wu and Rongrong looked at him worriedly. Su Ming was ghostly pale, barely conscious, and they felt helpless since neither of them could help him recover his mental energy.
"Don't worry," he reassured them weakly. "I'm just exhausted from overusing my mental power. Resting for a while will help. Zhuqing has passed the critical stage; now it's only a matter of sustaining her spirit skill as she completes the absorption."
In Su Ming's spiritual sea, Ah Yin observed the toll on Su Ming's mental strength. The once-vast expanse was now reduced to a feeble stream—a staggering change.
Dugu Bo glanced at Su Ming with a deep respect but remained silent.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong resolved herself. As the only support-type spirit master around Su Ming, she now aimed to acquire a spirit ring to enhance mental power. Though she'd never heard of such a spirit beast, she decided that if necessary, she'd consider using her divine-bestowed spirit ring and seek guidance from her father and grandfathers. They might know something.
The day passed, and Zhu Zhuqing's absorption neared completion.
Su Ming exhaled in relief. "It's almost over. Here, keep these Nine-Turn Spirit Converters. They may come in handy in the future."
The others accepted the tools gratefully, no longer holding back with formalities among close friends.
Dugu Bo examined the converters curiously. From what he knew, such spirit tools didn't yet exist on the continent. Could Su Ming have crafted them? If so, he truly was a prodigy!
A few minutes later, Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes, looking first at Su Ming with a complicated gaze. "Su Ming, are you alright?"
Su Ming, though a bit less pale than before, still looked weary. He forced a smile, "I'm fine. How do you feel after absorbing the ten-thousand-year spirit ring?"
Zhu Zhuqing felt the increase in her spirit power and replied in surprise, "I'm already at level forty-four!"
Su Ming nodded, unsurprised. A ten-thousand-year ring typically provided a two-level boost, and with the previous benefits from the immortal herb, level forty-four was reasonable.
Ning Rongrong looked at her enviously. She had once been on par with Zhuqing but now lagged by two levels. She'd have to work even harder.
Then, Zhu Zhuqing noticed something else. "My martial spirit seems to have changed a little."
She released her martial spirit, revealing that her Netherworld Spirit Cat had grown larger, its color darker, with faint stripes appearing on its body.
Su Ming glanced at Dugu Bo, who remarked, "I'm not certain of the details, but this should be beneficial. There's even a chance her martial spirit could evolve further."
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong sidled up to Zhu Zhuqing, smiling playfully. "So, Zhuqing, what's your new spirit ability?"
With a gleam in her eye, Zhu Zhuqing answered, "My fourth spirit ability is called Stealth—Nether Abyss. It allows me to blend into the environment, entering stealth mode, which increases my speed by two hundred percent and attack by one hundred percent for a short time. After my first attack, stealth ends, but I enter a high-speed state where anyone within ten levels of my spirit power can only see my afterimage."
"Only someone with mental power like Su Ming's could catch me in this state," she added.
Hearing this, Su Ming felt immense relief and joy for Zhuqing. The spirit ability perfectly embodied the Shadow Demon Lizard's abilities, granting both stealth and speed.
"Not bad, not bad! Little girl, you're quite lucky!" Dugu Bo laughed, clearly pleased that Su Ming's efforts hadn't been in vain.
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing approached Su Ming and, in a moment of gratitude, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Su Ming. Without your help, I wouldn't have lasted through the beginning of the process."
Su Ming was stunned, taken completely off guard by Zhuqing's unexpected gesture. He hadn't missed her approach, but her kiss caught him by surprise.
Flustered, Zhu Zhuqing, usually composed and reserved, turned red. "Don't read too much into it, Su Ming! It's just my way of thanking you for helping me get the ten-thousand-year spirit ring. I don't have anything else to offer."
Her voice trailed off, realizing how awkward her words sounded.
Su Ming smiled, finding her slight awkwardness endearing. Zhuqing's voice, usually so calm, now held a hint of warmth—perhaps even a touch of cuteness.
Zhuqing's affection for him seemed undeniable; otherwise, someone with her personality would never kiss him, even as thanks.
The stare—
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong gazed at Zhuqing, wide-eyed. It was the first time they'd seen her so bold!
Trying to regain her composure, Zhu Zhuqing turned to the others and said, "Thank you all for your help as well. I overestimated myself and nearly made a huge mistake."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone