Juling Mountain.
Qin Fu and Gu Gu faced the uninvited guest who had appeared out of nowhere. The man wore a tattered fur coat, looking as if he had wandered straight out of some savage tribe. A palpable sense of danger radiated from him, pressing on Qin Fu's instincts.
[Hint: You killed the Flame Wyvern][Gain 2% of the Source of the World, now 3.2%][Your talent "Void Devourer" is activated, permanently increasing intelligence by 1 and mana by 5. Existing mana is now 470. Devoured the enemy's soul to gain a small amount of soul power, though it does not meet the display threshold.]
The prompt from Paradise flickered in Qin Fu's mind. His gaze lingered on the green-and-blue treasure chest hovering above the fallen dragon. He wanted it, but now was not the time. The slow mana recovery weighed heavily on him. If only he had stocked more instant mana-restoring items. Experience was still lacking.
Qin Fu placed a calm hand on Gu Gu's paw. Whether through a counterattack or a sudden teleportation escape, their survival depended on precise coordination.
The savage opposite him spoke with ears fully extended, his tone indifferent.
"Your strength is impressive. Since you killed my flying dragon, stay and play with me."
Before the words were even finished, his figure vanished.
Qin Fu's expression hardened. There was no time to respond. Without hesitation, he teleported, carrying Gu Gu with him. In the blink of an eye, they reappeared deep in the mountains and forests.
Relief was short-lived. A black shadow streaked through the air, closing the distance with frightening speed. Qin Fu flipped onto Gu Gu's back and urged him to fly as fast as possible while focusing every ounce of his energy on restoring mana through meditation.
Whoosh!
A sharp crack of air split the sky, and Qin Fu's meditation shattered instantly. Gu Gu collided with a flying rock, and his wings broke. Both bird and rider plummeted like kites with severed strings.
Qin Fu glanced at his remaining twenty mana points. His heart set, he raised the Secret Scepter with a manic determination.
"Coo! Shrink! Find a safe place! Whether we survive depends on the size of our lives!"
"The Power of the Void, Hegai!"
A massive silver-gray sphere erupted before him with an earth-shaking bang. The force launched Qin Fu in a perfect parabola, moving as fast as a missile. Pain seared his wrist and forearm, as if they were breaking under the strain.
The savage could not keep up. Qin Fu's plan had worked—using the repulsive force of 'He' to blast himself like a cannonball. But the proximity of the eruption had battered his body more than anticipated.
He scanned the surrounding terrain, bracing for the next impact.
Poof!
A sudden blow slammed into his head and back, sending blood spraying into the air before it dispersed as mist. The savage perched on a tree, glaring at the spot where Qin Fu had vanished, irritation clear in his expression.
"Annoying. No toys left. Wonder if there are any more flying dragons out there. Forget it, time to sleep first."
Qin Fu's body collapsed near a stream, pale and unconscious.
Gu Gu, struggling free from Qin Fu's pocket, grew to full size. Enduring the agony of his broken wings, he lifted Qin Fu onto his back and limped toward the mountains and forests, determined to keep him safe.
...
"Death!"
Qin Fu shot upright, eyes sharp and scanning his surroundings.
"Goo!"
Gu Gu returned, a fish clutched in his beak. Seeing Qin Fu awake, he leapt forward, startled and excited.
Qin Fu felt the familiar warmth of Gu Gu rubbing against him and finally relaxed.
"It seems our lives are still pretty big. We escaped safely."
He reached out to touch Gu Gu, but a sharp pain shot through his arm, making him gasp involuntarily. Only then did he remember how badly he had overexerted himself before fainting.
Gu Gu, sensing Qin Fu's intake of breath, stepped back nervously, thinking he had hurt him. Qin Fu endured the pain, patted the little demon owl, and cooed softly.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Gugu, help me with the XT-12 Life Vitality Potion."
His arms were likely fractured, and he didn't know if the potion would work. For now, he could only be a living field doctor.
Gu Gu obediently brought the potion to him. Qin Fu raised his head, drank it, and immediately felt a warm numbness spread through his arms, lifting his spirits.
Taking advantage of the temporary relief, he settled into cross-legged meditation to restore his mana. Gu Gu remained dutifully at his side, standing guard.
After a while, Qin Fu slowly opened his eyes and checked the mission time.
"Have you slept for a whole day? That sneaky savage attacked while I had no mana."
"Coo?"
He had intended to call Gu Gu for revenge, but then he noticed the broken wings and bruised claws. Qin Fu's expression darkened, a surge of uncontrollable anger flashing through his eyes. He forced himself to stay calm and gently stroked Gu Gu's head.
"It hurts. Open your mouth."
He poured the potion into Gu Gu's mouth. The little demon owl fluttered his wings in pain, clearly uncomfortable. Qin Fu's heart tightened when he saw the wounded bird. Only now did it fully register—the wings were broken. To heal them properly, the bones had to be reset.
Without hesitation, Qin Fu stepped forward and held Gu Gu firmly.
Click!
The wings snapped back into their correct positions. Relief flooded Qin Fu. Though he did not understand orthopedics, the crude method worked. It was a little harsh, but effective.
Qin Fu watched Gu Gu lying on the ground, rolling his eyes, and scratched his head sheepishly.
He muttered to himself, "I need to find some books on bird skeletons. Maybe an osteopath is the best choice. Potions in Paradise are plentiful, so treatment isn't an issue, but bones are critical."
"Alright, it's decided. Let's go learn something."
Glancing at Gu Gu, who was still rolling his eyes, Qin Fu nudged him angrily with his foot before turning to leave the cave.
He muttered under his breath as he stepped out. The cave's location was well hidden, but as he emerged, he noticed a huge brown bear trembling behind a tree, peeking cautiously toward the entrance.
"I know where I found the cave..."
Qin Fu slapped his forehead helplessly and waved toward the bear. Seeing no threat, the bear slowly crept out, head poking around cautiously.
Qin Fu couldn't help but sigh. Half of the bear's massive rear was exposed. "No wonder this cave was taken from me. How did this stupid bear get so big?"
Resigned, he approached and gently patted the bear's belly. Surprisingly, it felt satisfying. In the next second, the huge brown bear climbed a tree with lightning speed.
Qin Fu waved his Secret Scepter, a black line streaking across his face as void power surged. The bear fell to the ground along with the tree, clearly terrified.
"Alright, I'm not mad at you. No need to panic. Just take me to catch your nemesis. Your opponent is fine; I'm hungry."
The bear, initially scared, sensed Qin Fu's friendly aura. His tiny, mung bean-like eyes blinked, and he cautiously stood up. Seeing that Qin Fu didn't attack, the bear's courage grew, and he excitedly led Qin Fu toward his rival.