Chapter 102 102 Cultivating the Protagonist Group Ning Changkong then discovered...

September 29, the first year of the Aura Recovery, demiplane Jiuli.

"Here, new books." Ning Changkong hurriedly threw a pile of new books still wrapped in plastic wrap onto Chi You's desk.

Li Gui raised his head and thanked him. He put down the pen in his hand, politely picked up the book on the top and opened it, absent-mindedly flipping through two pages, just waiting leisurely for Ning Changkong to ask questions.

However, Ning Changkong did not ask the question as he expected. Instead, he casually sat down cross-legged on the ground, pulled out a laptop from his bag, and started... typing in Chi You's study?

"You go ahead and do your thing. I have a document to write." Ning Changkong didn't even raise his eyelids. He focused on typing on the keyboard, and the clacking sound of his keys echoed in the study.

Li Gui was silent for a moment, but decided to remind him, "I don't have internet here."

"I know." Ning Changkong answered briefly, with a hint of fatigue in his voice, "I just want to be quiet for a while."

The sound of keyboards continued, accompanied by Ning Changkong's heavy breathing.

Only then did Li Gui notice that the other person did not look very well. His face was unusually pale and his breathing seemed labored. He seemed to be in a state of... exhaustion.

Chi You symbolically continued to turn a few pages of the book in his hand. The sound of the pages was particularly loud in the quiet study, but it could not cover up the rapid rhythm of Ning Changkong tapping on the keyboard.

Li Gu closed the book in boredom, his eyes fell on Ning Changkong again, he couldn't help but ask, "What are you writing?"

Ning Changkong replied calmly: "Will."

The first year of Reiki's revival, September 30th.

The phoenix's pursuit came quickly.

Gu Minghui and several others planned to carry out missions during the National Day to accumulate valuable practical experience.

They packed their gear early, and as soon as the academy bell rang, they set out immediately for the first mission fantasy.

Although the first trial mission was difficult, it was finally completed successfully. Just when they submitted the mission and were about to take a break, the phoenix emerged from the shadows like a ghost, launching a sudden attack with blazing flames.

Before the scorching flames and heat waves swept in, the little fox's ears trembled, and it was the first to sense the danger and sent out a warning signal.

Their team had slowly developed a tacit understanding through training and several actual combats. After hearing the little fox's warning, the other three who were still resting immediately jumped up from the ground and quickly formed a battle formation.

Gu Minghui weighed the new sword in his hand. This was not the sword that his master had promised to forge for him. That sword would take time and effort to forge. The one in his hand was just a ready-made sword that he had bought for temporary use.

But it can also be a sharp weapon in his hand, helping him to win in battle.

Gu Minghui stepped down a little, and shot out like an arrow from a bow. The sword in his hand turned into silver light, and with a sharp sound that tore through the air, it flew straight towards the face of the Phoenix.

The talismans in Yan Xiaoling's hand flew away like snowflakes.

They spun and danced in the air, releasing dazzling flashes, hazy smoke, or deafening explosions, providing perfect cover for Gu Minghui's attack.

Gu Minghui rushed in front of the Phoenix quickly, and the shadows of his swords intertwined in the air, continuously attacking the Phoenix's defense like fine raindrops. His goal was clear - to suppress the Phoenix's magic chanting and fire manipulation through close-range attacks.

After several rounds of fierce fighting, the Phoenix's attack still seemed to be at ease. But for some reason, Gu Minghui always felt that the Phoenix's power was a little weaker than when he saw it in front of the treasure pavilion a few days ago.

The Phoenix's surprising flames were quickly suppressed by Gu Minghui and his teammates, and the rhythm of the battle seemed to be gradually being dragged into the pattern that Gu Minghui was accustomed to.

However, at this moment, the Phoenix's fingertips rubbed lightly. An invisible force of corruption quietly penetrated the defense line constructed by spiritual power, and the evil spirit spread silently like an undercurrent under the night.

Gu Minghui immediately noticed something was wrong. When he swung the sword in his hand, the spiritual power that had been flowing freely became sluggish and unstable, as if slowed down by an invisible weight. Every attack became like a struggle in the mud.

The sudden change forced Gu Minghui and his teammates to quickly adjust their tactics and change the rhythm of the battle.

Su Yunyao's eyes were fixed on the battlefield, and her hands formed seals at an astonishing speed. As the last seal was perfectly completed, her magic burst out like thunder, trying to dilute and consume the evil spirit with her powerful spiritual power.

Wen Qingsheng adopted a more cautious strategy. He danced his sword tightly, building an indestructible defensive wall to buy precious time for his teammates.

Now is not the time to think so much. Gu Minghui gritted his teeth, held the sword across his chest, and tried to use the sword to block the evil spirit, but he was still forced to take a few steps back.

Even though the Phoenix's power has weakened, his fierce attack and control over the battlefield can still give them a heavy sense of oppression, almost suffocating them.

The roar of flames, the light of magic, and the sound of metal colliding intertwined, the situation of the battle was constantly changing, testing the adaptability of several young people.

For the first time, Gu Minghui felt that fighting was such a brain-consuming thing.

His brain is working rapidly, constantly calculating and judging, trying to regain control of the rhythm of the battle and find the key to victory in this game of life and death.

The Phoenix attacked again. Just as the murderous flames were about to lick the corners of his clothes, Gu Minghui skillfully rolled over and dodged, cleverly avoiding the fatal burning.

Before he could stand firmly, Gu Minghui had already quickly issued orders to change formations based on his teammates' positions and the situation on the battlefield.

Fighting consciousness. These four words flashed through Gu Minghui's mind. In this battle with the Phoenix, his fighting consciousness grew rapidly through repeated trial and error and failure.

Phoenix didn't seem to use too many complicated skills. He basically just manipulated fire to attack, mixed with some simple chanting of Western magic.

Can we achieve this with just combat awareness? Gu Minghui thought to himself.

He got up from the ground again. With his vision shaky, Gu Minghui held the sword tightly, his eyes locked on the phoenix involuntarily, and he repeatedly pondered the question that lingered in his mind:

The Phoenix is ​​indeed weaker than before... but in what way?

Where is the key to victory?

Gu Minghui took a deep breath, the air filled with hot smoke and dust filled his chest, and he threw himself back into the fierce battle.

This battle is like walking on a tightrope at high altitude, full of life-and-death crises. Under this extreme pressure, their cooperation becomes more tacit, and every confrontation with the Phoenix makes them more resilient.

A vague inspiration flashed through Gu Minghui's mind. Although the situation was always dangerous, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope that would not lead to their complete failure.

"Gu Minghui!" Yan Xiaoling's voice broke through the noise of the battle, and she quietly made a gesture, asking whether they needed to retreat.

They had already consumed a lot of energy in the first mission, and then they were thrown into this high-intensity battle, and their physical strength had almost reached the limit.

Gu Minghui glanced at the wall of fire maintained by the phoenix. The blazing flames had now become relatively mild, with tongues of fire licking the air, but they no longer had the momentum to devour everything.

An idea suddenly flashed through his mind. That's right! It's the physical strength - the Phoenix's physical strength is obviously running out!

That's why he didn't kill several of them with one strike, even though his combat awareness and strength far surpassed theirs - the Phoenix didn't have enough stamina!

Phoenix hardly ever uses Unholy Energy. Is it because it is a skill that consumes a lot of energy?

Perhaps they could launch another strong attack and pull the Phoenix into their rhythm. Gu Minghui quickly made a few gestures, signaling them to call the Phoenix first, and then he would test the Phoenix's strength.

Wen Qingsheng gently adjusted the phoenix feather pendant around his neck, and Su Yunyao hid his hand behind his back and quietly dialed Phoenix's phone number.

At this moment, Wen Qingsheng and Gu Minghui jumped up in tacit understanding, and the sword light was like a meteor breaking through the sky, pointing directly at Phoenix.

The Phoenix seemed to have relaxed during the continuous fighting and failed to catch the sudden attack in time, only barely avoiding the most fatal blow.

The sword blade slashed through, leaving a scar on the Phoenix's arm, and blood began to slowly seep out.

The Phoenix raised his arm and stared at the bleeding wound in a trance, showing a rare look of surprise. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

But at this moment, the phoenix had already stepped out of the teleportation spell, and the white-haired attendant followed closely behind.

A black spear came in response, and was held tightly in the Phoenix's hand, with the tip of the spear flashing with cold light.

The flames of the phoenix once again scorched the air of the battlefield. His voice was firm and powerful, penetrating the din of the battle, and he issued an unquestionable order: "Send a few of them back to Jinwu Garden."

The white-haired bird demon nodded reluctantly.

Bai Xian simply said "Be careful", picked up a few tired children, and stepped into the teleportation technique again.

In the light of the teleportation technique, their figures gradually blurred and finally disappeared into the air.

The second after their clothes disappeared in the transmission light, the Phoenix—Ning Changkong’s breath of air disappeared, and his legs could no longer support the weight of his body. He fell to the ground, coughing and spitting blood.

The dizziness from losing too much blood made him tremble unconsciously. Phoenix, who was holding up the phoenix shell, reached out his hand in time and supported him steadily to prevent him from falling directly into the pool of blood he had vomited.

"You have a fever," Phoenix said bluntly.

Ning Changkong was completely speechless and could only reply intermittently in the telepathic connection:

"Your focus... is... fever?"

Phoenix controlled the Nirvana Fire and injected endless vitality into Ning Changkong's body, trying to repair the pain hidden under his calm appearance.

It is no exaggeration to describe this body as being full of holes.

The violent conflict between the phoenix's spiritual power and the evil spirit, together with the excessive spiritual power consumption caused by the link [Heaven's Judgment], made the internal organs and meridians like a repeatedly torn silk, with scars everywhere.

The illusion of vitality that was barely maintained by the Nirvana Fire could no longer be maintained, and Lin Jinsong's true lack of vitality was exposed. The vitality was as weak as a candle in the wind, and it was unable to repair the injuries of the body.

His strength and spiritual power were almost exhausted, and he could not draw out spiritual power for self-repair, so he could only let his injuries continue to worsen. He was able to stand and fight with the protagonists until now, all by relying on his willpower.

Until today, using the attack of the Phoenix as an opportunity, a chance for the Phoenix and the Phoenix to meet was finally created, giving Phoenix time to use the Nirvana Fire to maintain this body that was on the verge of collapse.

Although it takes time to prepare for the teleportation spell, it shouldn't take too long for Bai Xian to travel back and forth. To be on the safe side, Phoenix manipulated the fire to create the illusion that the two were fighting fiercely.

The flames flickered and the heat waves rolled, ensuring that even Bai Xian would not dare to intervene in this battle easily, and could only watch anxiously from the sidelines.

The warmth of the flames gradually permeated Ning Changkong's limbs, which had become cold due to blood loss and high fever, and brought a sense of comfort. Ning Changkong's consciousness was drifting in a daze, but his thoughts were unusually clear:

In theory, it is possible to find an opportunity to meet secretly, but with Bai Xian always watching over Phoenix, it is difficult to find enough time.

Now, this might be the longest time he and Phoenix can be alone without being suspected... Well, it can also be considered as a way to help the Phoenix meet its KPI. Hunting down Gu Minghui is also a task assigned by Baril.

Phoenix suddenly asked, "He asked you to link again?"

Ning Changkong was slow to react: "Ah, yes... maybe because I didn't 'die' in front of him when I linked, he felt that the power of the Phoenix had increased, so he linked again yesterday."

Thinking of yesterday, Ning Changkong shuddered involuntarily, as if the pain swept through his body again. It was a pain that almost tore his soul apart. Every nerve was screaming, and the pain came in waves like a tide, almost completely drowning his consciousness.

But it is necessary work.

Phoenix did provide a lot of information about [Destiny], including the research data during the construction process, and the subsequent changes that Baril ordered him to make. There was even information on how to change [Eclipse] into evil.

...From this perspective, keeping Phoenix alive is indeed one of the most important decisions during this mission.

However, as Phoenix said, his duties were limited to "build it, activate it, and maintain it", but it did not involve the answer that Ning Changkong urgently wanted to know at this moment - how to destroy it?

How to destroy this machine called "Destiny" and completely liberate mankind from all possible threats of tyranny, chaos and spiritual decline?

As it stands, there are endless demons to kill.

In other words, those who want to use [Heavenly Judgment] to achieve their selfish desires are endless - whether they are those who attempt to control the resources for cultivation and artificially divide the world into nine heavens with different concentrations of spiritual energy, or those who, like demons, attempt to use the characteristics of [Heavenly Eclipse] that spreads throughout the world to control and rule the world.

The power and potential of [Tian Lu] are so enormous that as long as it exists and as long as people know its true face, people will flock to it.

Therefore, according to the core purpose of this mission "saving the world", the simplest and most thorough method is to destroy [Tianjue].

From the short-term effect point of view, although the fighting power of the 72 demons of Solomon led by Baril is amazing, as long as the [Heavenly Judgment] is sealed, their overall threat level will be greatly reduced, and perhaps it can be reduced to the level that the righteous side - such as the Alien Bureau, or various righteous people in the cultivation world can deal with it independently.

Oh, and there are the protagonists. We don’t know what Gu Minghui’s cheat is—probably Yinglong? We don’t know what kind of power Yinglong’s soul fragments contain…

Anyway, for now, Ning Changkong stared at his hands in a trance.

As long as I can destroy [Heavenly Judgment], even if I die and leave this world, the mission should be completed.

The only difference is that the ending will be "victory after death", but victory after death is still victory, and it sounds pretty good.

A warm force surged into Ning Changkong's body like a tide, and began to repair his wounded body. With the help of Phoenix, the conflict between the phoenix spiritual power and the evil spirit was effectively suppressed. The storm of power in his body gradually subsided, and Ning Changkong slowly exhaled.

Although his hands and feet were still somewhat weak, the pain had returned to a tolerable level. Perhaps due to the recovery of his body, Chu Qingge was able to lower the pain curve slightly.

The heartbeat became strong again, transferring the phoenix's spiritual power to the whole body, balancing the evil energy remaining in the blood.

Another key to destroy [Eclipse], a copy of the Phoenix Spiritual Power - the key to destroy [Destiny], could it be related to it?

Ning Changkong stood up from the ground with some difficulty, and used the Phoenix Fire to dry the blood he had vomited on the ground. He stretched out his arm that had just been cut, and said calmly: "It just so happens that I am bleeding, how about replenishing the Phoenix blood now - ah, I forgot, I injected evil energy into the blood. The blood now cannot be used."

Ning Changkong withdrew his arm in annoyance and scratched his head.

In this way, next time when I want to collect phoenix blood, I really have to replace all the blood in my body before I can bleed again.

Phoenix glanced at his arm, and hesitated to speak: "The wound has healed."

Ning Changkong suddenly realized that the wound no longer hurt.