Chapter 204 - 203: Stacked Shields

"Wait! There’s a rock here. I’ll kick it out of the way for you."

"Don’t come over yet. I think there’s some movement up ahead."

"All clear. We can go."

Zhang Qin led the way, jumpy and on edge.

Every time they reached a new spot, he would glance back at Jian Yu.

The doting look in his eyes, combined with his broad back and thick waist, made him seem a little dopey.

His job having been stolen, Teacher Hu followed along with a chuckle.

Wang Hu couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t help but snipe, "You sure changed your tune fast, didn’t you?"

Zhang Qin turned, his gaze sweeping over the group before landing on Jian Yu. "Looks like there’s a small patch of Low-level Beast Plants over there. Want to go pick some?"

Jian Yu looked like she wanted to say something but held her tongue.

Teacher Hu smiled. "We still have plenty of time for the mission. It won’t be an issue. Anyone who wants to go can go."

No one spoke.

Lu Qi, who wanted to go, drew his foot back, too embarrassed to say anything.

Jian Yu was still a bit confused. Zhang Qin’s attitude toward her now compared to before was like that of two different people.

Noticing Lu Qi’s eager gaze, Jian Yu steeled herself and nodded. "I’ll go take a look."

She had barely taken two steps when Zhang Qin eagerly said, "Don’t move. I’ll go check for danger first."

Wang Hu followed and grabbed Zhang Qin, warning in a low voice, "I’d advise you not to get any ideas about her. She’s not someone you can afford to provoke."

Zhang Qin was suspicious. "What ideas?"

Wang Hu was taken aback for a moment. "You don’t have... feelings for her? I thought..."

Zhang Qin shot him a look. "Pervert!"

Wang Hu: "..."

Zhang Qin spotted a few Mid-grade Beast Plants, pulled Wang Hu, and backed away.

He frowned. "There might be something in there."

Jian Yu watched from a distance. It was a lush green patch of Beast Plants, each stalk bearing small fruits.

’Danger?’

Jian Yu took a few steps closer. "I don’t seem to sense any beast auras."

Teacher Hu raised an eyebrow but didn’t get involved, just standing by and watching.

As long as there was no life-threatening danger, the academy advised team leaders to interfere as little as possible and preferably not to give too much guidance.

There were several old hands present who understood not to rely too much on the teacher for help.

Zhang Ziwen saw there were only three stalks and didn’t insist. "Good luck, you guys."

The two sisters bent down and followed the Yan Family brothers to pick the Low-level Beast Plants.

Lu Yi’s eyes darted left and right. "Since we’re already here, I’m going for it. I’ll grab some to sell to the underclassmen."

Zhang Qin rolled his shoulders and turned his head. "Then I won’t be holding back."

Wang Hu chose to charge straight in.

Their powerful spiritual power flared, and several of them swarmed forward.

Jian Yu set her sights on the one in the very center, raised her hand, and used her purple smoke to wrap around it.

She lifted it through the air and drew it into her hand.

Got it.

Lu Yi’s hand, wrapped in spiritual power, instantly grabbed at empty air. "Huh?"

She decisively turned to snatch Zhang Qin’s.

Zhang Qin decisively gave up his and went to snatch Wang Hu’s.

Wang Hu cursed, "I thought we were brothers!"

Jian Yu squeezed the Beast Plant in her hand, her expression a little awkward.

’Did I just steal that from Lu Yi?’

Logically, Jian Yu knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, but emotionally, she felt a little bad about it.

Lu Qi, seeing there was no danger, carefully started picking at the edges.

He knew his own limits and didn’t even look up at the three Mid-grade Beast Plants.

Jian Yu decided to quit while she was ahead and also squatted down to harvest some Low-level Beast Plants, placing them in her Space Ring.

She didn’t lack these things, nor did she have a Contracted Beast to feed.

’But I can take them back and sell them online!’

There wasn’t much, and the patch was quickly picked clean.

Jian Yu wasn’t in a great mood, so she began to observe her surroundings.

It was almost identical to the virtual atlas; she could even clearly see where the small paths were.

By her estimation, if they continued forward another two thousand meters according to the map, they would encounter Mutant Beasts.

"Jian Yu, I got one!" Lu Yi shouted, having successfully snatched a Mid-grade Beast Plant.

Jian Yu looked up and let out a sigh of relief for some reason.

Not wanting to be a spoilsport, she offered a compliment. "That’s amazing!"

The three Mid-grade Beast Plants ended up in the hands of Zhang Qin, Jian Yu, and Lu Yi, respectively.

Lu Yi enthusiastically hugged Jian Yu, lifting her up a bit. Her tone was like she was coaxing a child. "You’re amazing, too."

Teacher Hu’s voice was like background noise. "This little patch of Beast Plants isn’t on the map because this type grows quickly. It can mature in just a few weeks to a month or two."

He urged them on, "We need to find a Mutant Beast with an Attack Attribute as soon as possible, before it gets dark."

Wang Hu slung an arm around Zhang Qin’s shoulder. "Why is your face so red? Feeling ashamed for underestimating someone?"

Zhang Qin elbowed him away. "Get lost."

After that, Zhang Qin became much quieter.

He still walked at the front to clear the path, but he no longer looked back frequently.

It wasn’t until they entered an area frequented by Mutant Beasts that he slowed his pace, turned his head, and shushed them.

Their eyes met, and Zhang Qin saw that Jian Yu’s expression was grave.

Jian Yu hadn’t smiled much since they’d met, but while she often looked cold, this was the first time she had looked so serious.

Lu Qi quieted his breathing. "What’s wrong?"

Jiang Fei took out a Poison Beast Needle.

The others went on guard.

Acting like an NPC, Teacher Hu threw out a small pop quiz on the spot. "Take a guess. How many are there?"

Wang Hu took a wild guess. "A lot. Five, six, seven, eight... nine, ten, maybe."

Zhang Qin’s brow was tightly furrowed. "Eight."

Lu Yi probed with her spiritual power. "Seven or eight."

Jiang Fei shook her head. "I don’t know."

The others copied the answer. "Seven or eight."

Jian Yu had used up a lot of Beast Crystals to replenish her energy last night.

Sensing the Mutant Beasts approaching, she became strangely excited. "There might be... twenty-seven."

The calm before the storm lasted for a full thirty seconds.

Several Mutant Beasts of varying sizes swept in, riding the wind.

They were deformed and ugly, with a stellar beast pattern flashing on their heads.

Jian Yu was rubbing her hands together, ready for a fight, but everyone else surrounded her, protectively placing her in the center.

She froze for a moment, and before she could react, she saw Teacher Hu deftly climb a tree to watch from the sidelines.

Teacher Hu’s voice drifted down faintly. "You just picked their favorite Beast Plant to eat."

Lu Yi gulped. "This is bad. Why are there three Level 2S ones?"

She turned her head and threw a Spiritual Power Shield over Jian Yu.

Zhang Qin counted. "It really is 27."

He turned and covered Jian Yu with a shield from his Contracted Beast.

Wang Hu glanced over, hesitated for a moment, and also casually layered another Spiritual Power Shield on Jian Yu.

Zhang Qin didn’t have time for further instructions. "Lu Yi, Wang Hu, you’re with me to take care of those three. The rest of you, split the remainder."

The three of them broke away, and a blue light exploded.

The remaining six people once again formed a circle with practiced coordination.

Jian Yu poked Jiang Fei in the back. "Aren’t we going to fight?"

The sound of tearing viscous liquid, a thick, twisted torso like an alligator’s, slippery purplish skin, and pulsing blue-black veins.

Jian Yu took one look and averted her gaze. ’The little octopus is still cuter.’

Jiang Fei gave Jian Yu a little push. "Healers can’t get injured. Go hide off to the side."

The words had barely left her mouth when the Mutant Beasts at the very front charged over.

The melee began.

Teacher Hu called out to Jian Yu, "Your task is Healing. It’s best if your teammates can handle it. You should only step in if they can’t. The poison from this type of Poisonous Beast is quite vicious, and cleansing it is very difficult. A Healer shouldn’t waste their energy on combat."

Jian Yu’s footsteps halted.

Her energy was too easily depleted, and replenishing it with Beast Crystals was indeed slow.

’If my energy runs out and a teammate happens to get into trouble...’

Looking at the layered soul shield and Spiritual Power Shield on her, Jian Yu still activated the anti-stain setting on her dress, ready to join the battle at any moment.

Compared to the others, Lu Qi was struggling in the fight.

Lu Qi didn’t have a Contracted Beast. Among everyone here, his spiritual power was the lowest, only B-rank.

Dealing with Mutant Beasts of this difficulty was, for him, an arduous task.

He frantically released his spiritual power, but the damage it dealt to the Mutant Beast was negligible.

He quickly shot out a Beast Needle, only for it to be swatted away by the Mutant Beast’s hard, pointed tail.

The needle’s tip curved around and flew back at him!

Lu Qi clutched his arm, on the verge of tears. ’If a Beast Needle hits a person, can it kill them?’

Seeing the beast’s tail about to sweep toward him, Lu Qi hurriedly retreated.

It had marked him and was now in hot pursuit.

He instinctively cried for help, "Teacher Hu! I’ve been hit by the Beast Needle!"

The massive Mutant Beast crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A thick, light purple smoke blurred his vision. Lu Qi’s gaze trembled, and he narrowed his eyes.

A petite figure, the hem of a dress swaying gently.

A faint, fresh fragrance wafted into his nostrils. Lu Qi couldn’t help but take a deep breath, instinctively wanting to catch more of it.