Scourge Messenger

Chapter 340 Development
In food videos, there is a major category called "big eater" videos. These videos don't even require eating very delicate or high-end food. Just watching the streamer eat big mouthfuls of noodles and skewers gives viewers a great sense of satisfaction.

Yan Qing has this feeling now.

Whenever he uses a [Blood Sacrifice] card, "Qiongqi" will open its mouth wide and swallow a random puppet card from his hand, causing its attack power and health to surge.

Accompanied by the 'whoosh whoosh whoosh' sound effect, Yan Qing felt that "Qiongqi" was practically sucking on jelly. Compared to the way that dragon servants had to be repeatedly summoned to grow, "Qiongqi's" growth was undoubtedly more realistic, and even a bit addictive.

The effect of [Blood Sacrifice] is already very obvious. He has now used five [Blood Sacrifice] cards, and all the puppet cards' attributes have increased by 500/500. The characteristic of "Ascension Six Ears" is that it allows monsters to absorb double the puppet's stats, which means that "Qiongqi" can now gain at least 1000 stats by eating a puppet!

However, "Ascension Six Ears" is now dead, and Yan Qing only has three puppet slots. "Ascension Six Ears" and "Qiongqi" cannot be moved. Therefore, Yan Qing can only keep changing the third card to help "Qiongqi" share the pressure, but it is obviously just a drop in the bucket.

"Qiongqi" must never die; it must personally kill the demon to trigger its killing trait. Without the "blood sacrifice" it generates, the snowball effect cannot be triggered.

Even though Qiongqi's health increases after it devours a puppet, the increase in health can never keep up with the amount of health lost. Therefore, Yan Qing and the others not only have to assist in the battle, but also have to take the damage for it!

As the last demon fell, Yan Qing immediately seized the opportunity to absorb the spirit jade to replenish the barrier.

Unfortunately, they were out of luck this time. Of the six demons they were facing, two had splash damage (their normal attacks had area-of-effect damage), and one was ranged. Kiting tactics were useless, and "Qiongqi" was hit several times. With an attack power of up to 8,000, "Qiongqi" could easily kill any demon. However, when it attacked a demon, the demon would also attack it. Therefore, Yan Qing and his companions had to rush in to absorb some of the damage to prevent "Qiongqi" from dying instantly.

Hiding in the shelter of the house, Yan Qing raised his bracelet to check his loot. Perhaps due to the killing trait, the demons killed by "Qiongqi" almost never dropped Puppet Cards, and the drop rate of Transformation Cards was also very low. This was probably a hidden mechanism, or it could be an official way to balance the powerful Puppet Cards.

Suddenly, Yan Qing discovered a very interesting puppet card:

"The Third Turn of the Mysterious Ghost: The Wrongfully Killed"

Initial attack power: 700

Initial HP: 300

"Trait - Deathrattle - Vengeful Spirit: Deal 5000 damage to the enemy that killed this puppet."

A very interesting card, it has no value in being developed, but as a surprise weapon it might have an unexpected effect. In this battle, I got another [Blood Sacrifice] card. After using it, "Qiongqi" absorbed the blood, and its stats increased by two thousand, successfully breaking the five-figure mark.

It looks very strong; a normal third-tier demon king's HP is only around this level. If it could be taken out, "Qiongqi" alone could easily destroy a third-tier secret realm. However, it is also very weak; it is not even strong enough to dominate in the Demon Gathering Land. When tens of thousands of damage are applied, each of the two hundred hundred protectors only needs to withstand fifty points, while their group attack can melt "Qiongqi".

“Yellow Dog,” Murong Hui said, hunched over, looking like a candle flickering in the wind, “I’m hungry.”

"Let's find something to eat on the way and take care of the keepsake while we're at it." Yan Qing looked at Ying Rushi: "Your barrier just exploded, are you alright?"

“It’s alright,” Ying Rushi said calmly. “I avoided the situation in time.”

"Qiongqi won't die from a few hits. Even if it does, it will revive tomorrow. You don't need to risk your life like this," Yan Qing advised. "You've been fighting too dangerously in these battles."

"But the more battles you fight, the more time you can develop, bringing you one step closer to your goal, right? And it also relates to the quality of your Foundation Establishment Pill." Ying Rushi looked at him and smiled, "I want to help you more, don't you think that's a good idea?"

Yan Qing's tone faltered. His tone should have been calm and composed, but beneath the surface, there seemed to be a turbid and massive undercurrent, and anyone who was caught in it would only be crushed to pieces.

He vaguely sensed that Ying Rushi was somewhat different, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it, and he didn't even know how to start a conversation. While he was pondering this, Ying Rushi had already pulled Murong Hui away. Murong Hui, who was usually restless and prone to misbehaving, was now obediently leading the way, practically wagging her tail. Sigh, this little rascal isn't stupid; she knows when not to court disaster.

Upon arriving at the snack shop, Ying Rushi casually took out a bottle of water and gulped it down in one go, not caring that some spilled from the corner of her mouth and ran down her neck. Even without turning around, she could sense Yan Qing glancing at her from time to time; women are always very perceptive in this regard.

But she doesn't care.

While she hid away, secretly shedding tears and feeling sad, from some point onward, her tears dried up, her heart stopped aching, and she became devoid of all emotions and feelings. She felt a separation between her body and soul; sometimes her body would walk up to Yan Qing and stand shoulder to shoulder, but her soul would lazily lag behind, unwilling to move; sometimes, even while they were fighting, her soul would numbly watch Yan Qing.

The body and soul seem to belong to two different people; the body remains Ying Ru Shi, responding to everyone's trust, while the soul belongs to the cold and numb Ying Ru Shi.

"arctic fox."

Ying Rushi turned to look at Yan Qing: "What's wrong?"

"You'll be staying at the Thieves' House after the Guiding Lands ends, right?"

"Probably so."

“If you don’t have any plans,” Yan Qing said, “would you like to come to Jiangnan City for a trip together? I have a way to get you there.”

Ying Rushi raised her eyebrows, hinting, "I think Red Serpent will have some objections."

“I can spend a day with her first, and then we can spend another day together,” Yan Qing said with a smile. “How about we revisit the places the Heaven Sword has traveled? It would be quite interesting.”

Ying Rushi glanced at him and said softly, "Let's talk about it later. Maybe everyone will be very tired after leaving the Demon Gathering Land."

Yan Qing also felt that this made a lot of sense. Coming to the Demon Gathering Land had already exhausted his energy for going out, and he might not have the motivation to spend two days sightseeing in Jiangnan City after returning. "Then we'll talk about it later."

Watching Yan Qing turn and leave, Ying Rushi felt a sudden, sharp pain in her heart, as if pricked by needles.

He never once considered spending a day alone with me.

He does care about me, but everyone cares about me. The only people who truly hold a special place in his heart are Red Serpent and Black Wolf.

Perhaps for a fleeting moment he truly felt I was the most important person, and what he said last night might not have been a lie. Like fruit on a tree, it is indeed sweet and delicious when ripe, but from the moment it falls from the tree, it begins its rapid decline. So Yan Qing didn't lie; it's just that after he fell asleep, and after he woke up, his promise expired.

Perhaps after much deliberation and weighing the pros and cons, he still felt that the Red Serpent and Black Wolf were better? If I were in his shoes, I would have made the same choice, but... but...

"Did he ever really love me?" Ying Rushi murmured very softly, as if asking a question or pleading.

Beside her, the cold and numb Yingru used all the harshness in the world to let out a mocking sneer.

(End of this chapter)