Chapter 100: Teammates

If they slid backward now, it would be disastrous. Yun Qing was already on the chute; the two of them had only been able to stop at this gentler stretch of slope because of her strength. But now her strength could no longer hold them, and they began sliding downward as if someone had pressed the play button again.

A massive boulder above them pressed down, making their descent even faster.

At that critical moment, Yun Qing withdrew her left hand from Xiao Haoran, braced herself with both hands, and shoved against the boulder with all her might. With a final burst of strength, she managed to deflect the path of the tumbling stone.

With the immediate danger averted, Yun Qing turned back to Xiao Haoran and saw him sliding steadily down the slope toward the mud pool like a stone.

She triggered her Tumble skill downward and moved far faster than Xiao Haoran’s descent, catching him before he could plunge into the mire.

With only 49 health left, Yun Qing saw Xiao Haoran’s feet nearing the mud pool, already blurred by repeated afterimages.

More rocks continued to roll down from above, while below was that eerie mud pool, slowly rising.

In her mind, Yun Qing asked, "Liu Liu, is there any way out? I feel like I’m about done for."

"Seems there is a way. Move a little closer to the mud pool."

"Got it!"

Yun Qing dragged Xiao Haoran a few steps higher, then climbed over him from above so that she could get closer to the mud pool. Just then, a boulder the size of a washbasin came crashing down and slammed heavily into Xiao Haoran’s back.

If they had not switched positions, that blow would have landed on Yun Qing. If a stone that large had struck her, she would probably have lost even more health.

Yun Qing let out a long breath of relief. Thank heavens it had not hit her.

Xiao Haoran, struck by the stone, frowned even more deeply. Yun Qing argued defensively, "Immortal Master, there is a strange mud pool below and rolling stones above. I can only protect one side. The mud pool below seems more dangerous. Since I am below, if it rises, let it devour me first!"

"Xiao Haoran’s favorability toward you increased by 40."

System prompt: favorability increased by 400.

Yun Qing clicked her tongue inwardly. His favorability had actually surged. If she had told the truth, that she had moved closer to the mud pool on purpose and it had all been a stroke of luck, and that Xiao Haoran had merely taken the stone for her, there was no way his favorability would have risen. There might even have been hatred points instead.

If Xiao Haoran were to develop hatred toward Yun Qing, she would not need to think twice; she would let go and allow him to slide straight into the mud pool.

"Liu Liu, it really is true that sincere feelings cannot be kept alive, and only schemes win hearts."

Liu Liu did not answer her, likely because it was working hard to calculate a way out.

Soon, Liu Liu’s voice sounded again. "It is the Mud-Transforming Divine Water. In general, caves or tombs that do not welcome intruders will place this substance at the core of the formation. Once the array is activated or damaged, the Mud-Transforming Divine Water flows out and turns everything into mud."

"Turns everything into mud? That powerful? Was Qin Feng killed by it? Is it going to turn the whole mountain, the entire mine, even all of Central Province Continent into this kind of mud pool?"

"There is a limit. After the Mud-Transforming Divine Water transforms everything within a certain range into earth, its effect will weaken until it disappears. The place where it once existed will become a swamp infested with poisonous miasma."

"What is the solution?"

"Spend 900 low-grade spirit stones, and you can use a one-time temporary skill to collect the powerful Mud-Transforming Divine Water here."

System prompt: Use the temporary divine-grade Condensing Water Technique now?

Yun Qing was puzzled. "A divine-grade skill, and using it once only costs 900 low-grade spirit stones?"

Liu Liu said, "Divine-grade skills are usually calculated in high-grade spirit stones. However, after countless calculations, the system determined that you are currently in a situation with no possible survival. There is no other choice."

"What are the conversion rates among spirit stones?"

"One high-grade spirit stone equals 1,000 mid-grade spirit stones, one mid-grade spirit stone equals 1,000 low-grade spirit stones, and one high-grade spirit stone equals 1,000,000 low-grade spirit stones."

"So because you see that I’m doomed, you’re suddenly being so generous? Even changing a strand of my hair costs money?"

"System operation also requires energy. With your current strength, it is difficult to survive in this secret realm, and the system’s energy is almost exhausted."

"Get to the point. The mud pool is rising again."

"The Mud-Transforming Divine Water contains a great deal of energy."

So that was it. The system wanted to take the Mud-Transforming Divine Water from the middle.

"Then can you leave me a little of this Mud-Transforming Divine Water?"

"Yes!"

System prompt: Use the temporary divine-grade Condensing Water Technique now?

Seeing that the mud pool below was still rising, Yun Qing had no time to worry about how much of the Mud-Transforming Divine Water would be left for her. She immediately confirmed, "Yes!"

From the system storage, the water bottle she had drawn with 100 favorability points not long ago flew out, and 900 spirit stones vanished in an instant, leaving only 50 behind.

The bottle cap opened, and faint traces of an unknown liquid rose from the mud pool and flew into the bottle.

Yun Qing kept glancing at the bottle in the air, then at Xiao Haoran above her.

Xiao Haoran still had his eyes closed, his brow slightly furrowed.

The divine-grade Condensing Water Technique was in use, yet the rising speed of the mud pool had not changed at all. It was creeping ever closer to her legs.

Something capable of turning everything into mud was not something Yun Qing dared to touch.

She could either move over Xiao Haoran and continue dragging him upward from above, but then she would be struck by falling stones.

Or, if she pushed Xiao Haoran upward from below, with him blocking the falling rocks above, she would not be injured or lose health, though it would take more effort.

Worried he might object, Yun Qing said, "The mud pool is still rising. Immortal Master, forgive my offense, but we need to move up a little."

Without waiting for Xiao Haoran to respond, Yun Qing grabbed his two legs and pushed upward with all her strength, slowly shifting both of them higher.

Yun Qing was certain Xiao Haoran could absolutely feel it. When her hands clamped onto him like iron tongs, his brow furrowed a little tighter.

After they had moved upward by about a meter, another system prompt appeared:

"Xiao Haoran’s favorability toward you increased by 10."

System prompt: favorability increased by 100.

In this short time, Yun Qing had gained 1,100 favorability points, and the way she looked at Xiao Haoran became a little brighter.

"Xiao Haoran’s favorability toward you has increased to friendly."

"Xiao Haoran has joined the party."

He joined the party? Friendly was enough to form a team? Yun Qing checked the party status.

In the upper left corner were two little figures, indicating party status. She was the leader, and the other was Xiao Haoran. Their information was visible.

Yun Qing: Level 33, HP 49/200, MP 0/15, combat power 32, defense 31.

Xiao Haoran: Level 60, HP 15/400, MP 0/200, combat power 60, defense 60.

After Yun Qing entered the acquired realm, she had once tested it. Fighting against someone of a higher cultivation level granted a threefold damage bonus, and strikes to vital points could critically hit for double damage.

With 32 combat power, not counting weapon bonuses, and assuming the opponent wore no defensive equipment and had not trained the body, her full-force strike against a fully healthy mortal would deal 96 damage. Ordinary people with fewer than 30 health would fall unconscious.

In other words, as an acquired-realm martial artist, if she struck a defenseless mortal with full force, she could kill them.

She had never tested fighting opponents two major realms above her. Xiao Haoran was certainly more than two major realms higher. After triple damage and then another triple damage, even without a weapon and without striking a vital point, a full-force blow could send her, at full health, straight to the grave.

No wonder he had barely reacted no matter how she dragged him. So he had been this badly injured, with only 15 health left.