Chapter 352: A Million Contribution Points (I)
Chapter 352: A Million Contribution Points (I)
After his forceful evolution, Haoyue’s scales gained thickness, and faintly glowed in a dark purple. His strong and sharp tail gained a conical bulge too, and just by lying down, he faintly radiated a feeling of deterrence. According to Long Haochen’s estimate, the current Haoyue reached the sixth step and controlled four elements, since Little Blue belonged to the water element.
“Haoyue, could there be undead creatures waiting for us when we return to your world?” Long Haochen asked Haoyue.
Closing the eyes on his four heads, Haoyue shook his head as he looked at Long Haochen. But in the meantime Long Haochen could feel the wrath originating from him.
Haoyue’s anger was extremely fierce, to the extent that even Long Haochen was wary of it.
Haoyue’s anger actually was accompanied by contempt and humiliation. His contempt was directed at the undead and his humiliation resulted from the fact that they dared to harm him.
Long Haochen stroke Little Light’s head, saying with a smile, “Don’t be angry. In the future, when we will be more powerful, there will be nothing to fear. This time, it is my fault. If I hadn’t had my awakening, you wouldn’t have been troubled to such an extent.”
Consoled by Long Haochen, Haoyue finally calmed down, gathering his four heads together to rub them against him. Like that, he regained a peaceful look.
“Since there’s no danger there, let’s go then.” Long Haochen activated the Eternal Melody and returned with Haoyue to their original place.
With a flash of golden light, their line of sight became clear, and Long Haochen couldn’t help but let out a breath of relief.
The place where Haoyue and him appeared actually surpassed thirty meters in width; it was a hole of several hundred diameters depth. It was surrounded by charred darkness. The original mountain shape and cave were totally indiscernible.
However, just like Haoyue sensed it before, this place was empty of any undead.
Raising his four heads simultaneously, Haoyue emitted a formless awe-inspiring presence, spreading to the surrounding.
His four heads uttered resonant bellows at the same time. It was as if his mood was leaking out, and he was telling the world, I will be back.
In a purple glint of light enveloping both Long Haochen and him, the transporting contract was triggered, and the two of them returned to the underground of the Priest Temple.
Long Haochen didn’t dare to neglect the others, therefore, he immediately called them out from the Tower of Eternity. After doing that, he finally could take a breather.
This trip to the Southern Mountain’s City could simply be called a thriller, be it for Long Haochen himself or his whole 21st general grade Demon Hunt Squad, who encountered some unprecedented crisis.
It had been even more dangerous than the time they went on their mission to the Desolate Hissing Cavern.
But similarly, their benefits from this trip were immense. To say nothing of their gains in contribution points, the most important gain were their spiritual stoves. Everyone gained spiritual stoves compatible with themselves, and except for Wang Yuanyuan, everyone completed a fusion of spiritual stoves.
On the third day after their return, Sima Xian came back to his senses. Although his wounds were still severe, he finally had recovered under Han Yu and Yating’s healing.
This guy gave his own fused spiritual stove a domineering name, calling it Thunder God Spiritual Stove.
The results of fusion of Chen Ying’er’s spiritual stoves was given the name of Spiritual Stove of Duplicating Light.
Their two spiritual stoves had their own characteristics, and both were extremely powerful existences. In terms of power, they would show their uses during the future battles.
After this military deployment, the 21st general grade Demon Hunt Squad could be said to have reached the strength level of a commander grade Demon Hunt Squad, and quite a powerful one at that.
The large part of reinforcements from the Alliance finally arrived, which signified the end of the crisis inflicted to the Southern Mountain’s City. The demon army had retreated long ago, and on the surface, it looked as if the demons suffered large losses, having lost several successors of demon gods, but was this really the case? At least, Long Haochen didn’t think so. This was something he could see through the pact linking him to Ye Xiaolei. As for the details on this pact, even his teammates didn’t know.
“Is Captain Long here?” Someone knocked on the door, while Long Haochen was thinking about everything that had happened in the Illusory Paradise.
After seven days of rest, he was finally back to normal, and the weak feeling from the use of Soul Ignition had disappeared.
Opening the door, Long Haochen faced Zhang Fangfang who was paying them a visit.
“No need for to be so formal, Brother Zhang. You are my senior, and can just call me by my name.” Long Haochen said with a smile.
Zhang Fangfang sat on the sofa, replying with a smile, “Okay, then I’ll call you Haochen. Haochen, what are your plans for the following days?”
Long Haochen shook his head, “We plan on returning to Holy City to have some rest. You should know well that we gained quite a lot from this trip, but because many of our abilities are newly-obtained, we need some training to familiarize with each other to bring out the best of our fighting strength. At the same time, we plan on returning to the Alliance to get promoted to commander grade, so we can receive more difficult missions.”
Zhang Fangfang revealed some unconcealed admiration, “You are really the most talented Demon Hunt Squad I have ever gotten to see. If I were to have the choice, I’d even be willing to be your retainer knight in the same way as Han Yu.”
Long Haochen smiled at him, “You are joking Brother Zhang. This time, you managed to break through to the seventh step, and your team also obtained enough contribution points to easily rise to the commander grade, since it seems to me that if someone in a team reaches a whole level above the requirement, the promotion of the Demon Hunt Squad would be less expensive.”
Zhang Fangfang revealed a bitter smile, “That’s right! In bad luck, no one can match our team. I don’t even dare use our contribution points to raise our grade. It’s fortunate that the contact with your light essence helped me break through the threshold of the seventh step. At long last, we can go up to the commander grade. Haochen, I won’t say thank you, but rather, if in the future there is anything we can do to help, as long as it is something I can do, I won’t decline.”
“Okay.” Long Haochen didn’t become too formal and simply agreed. Demon Hunt Squads taking watch over each other was after all a natural matter.
Zhang Fangfang said next, “Since you are also planning to return to Holy City, how about setting off together with us? We also plan on returning to directly promote our grade.”
“Okay, how about tomorrow then?”
After obtaining Long Haochen’s positive reply, Zhang Fangfang clearly looked happy, and they kept chatting for a bit before he took his leave.
Long Haochen closed the door, and Cai’er who stayed in the background all along came out, telling him with a smile, “Did you notice?”
Long Haochen was startled, “What is there to notice?”
Cai’er continued happily, “This Zhang Fangfang has taken a fancy to Yuanyuan. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice that?”
“What?” Long Haochen looked blank, “Are you saying that Brother Zhang and Yuanyuan… But it’s impossible; have you forgotten about what Yuanyuan said before?”
It was only in the presence of Long Haochen that Cai’er showed such an expressive self. Making a grimace to him, she said next, “Can you really believe those words? Those were clearly said on purpose to tell us that she is not interested in the other guys of our team. Don’t believe her and Ying’er’s firm front. Actually, they are just extremely stubborn. When I was in a coma after the battle in the Southern Mountain’s City, I accidentally heard Ying’er ask about the situation of Captain Yang Wenzhao.”
In a flash, Long Haochen replied, “Oh, so it turned out that way. We shouldn’t butt in this, just let nature take it’s course as it should. Things are good as long as they act with accordance to their own feelings.”
Cai’er suddenly said next, “Unless the situation requires it, you are not allowed to let Yating show her true form. Just need to have her shrink to the same small form as before.”
Long Haochen declared with a bitter smile, “I was afraid of you misunderstanding. That’s why I didn’t dare tell you before.”
Cai’er smiled, responding, “Mistaking about what? She’s a light fairy; even if she has a physical body, she’s still an entity made of energy. Why would I misunderstand anything?”
Long Haochen asked with a start, “Then, why do you want her to stay shrunk?”
Cai’er replied, “That’s not the same. Just look at how light her clothes are. You’re always staring at her; if I let you stay this way, you’ll be corrupted from bad examples.”
Long Haochen revealed a smile, “Then, you can also put on that kind of clothes for me to see. I want to see if you will be corrupted by these examples as well?”
“Pah, you have really been corrupted!” In the instant Long Haochen drew closer to Cai’er, she dodged.
Ever since the charming scene in the Illusory Paradise, Cai’er was never willing to share a bed with Long Haochen. At most, the two of them would be sitting close to each other while cultivating. Long Haochen didn’t pressure her in the matter. Actually, even he didn’t sleep in Cai’er’s arms in the same way as in the past.
The matter of that day made them realize that they weren’t little kids anymore, and in spite of the well being of their couple, they were still in the end not officially engaged, and Long Haochen was afraid of harming Cai’er, while Cai’er felt embarrassed. Even the two of them didn’t know for how long this would keep going on.
Long Haochen and Zhang Fangfang’s Demon Hunt Squads were actually not the only ones returning to Holy City. The 22nd general Demon Hunt Squad formed of Luc Xi’s group, as well as the Demon Hunt Squads led by Yang Wenzhao and Duan Yi also returned along with them.
On their way, these few Demon Hunt Squads could be said to have scattered and mixed up quite a bit. On one side, Lin Xin amiably went running off to the side of Luc Xi’s group, accompanying Li Xin, while Long Haochen’s group was joined by two uninvited guests, Zhang Fangfang and Yang Wenzhao.
As an earnest, sincere and rather guileless man, there wasn’t much to say about Zhang Fangfang, who just kept following Wang Yuanyuan closely every day. No matter what Wang Yuanyuan did to drive him away, he remained smiling and silent, only following her quietly. Thus Wang Yuanyuan also remained silent, only letting him follow her.
Yang Wenzhao seemed determined to win Chen Ying’er, and would frequently act more politely than Zhang Fangfang, bringing tasty food or interesting stuff to Chen Ying’er.
Chen Ying’er didn’t go on a fake act, simply accepting his gifts.
Long Haochen and Cai’er rarely had the occasion to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere together on this trip. Long Haochen didn’t restrict his comrades in any way either, because he clearly knew that after returning to Holy City, the following days would be spent cultivating in seclusion for all of them. Giving everyone a rare chance to relax would surely have good effects on their future cultivation. It was simply not necessary to say this to the others.