Chapter 160: To Contend or Not: Which Is Lighter, Which Is Heavier?

Qin Chuan had said his piece, and the person in charge naturally wouldn't continue trying to persuade him to stay.

The person in charge chuckled and rounded up the idle players in the camp, insisting on seeing them off.

Unable to refuse such enthusiasm, Qin Chuan reluctantly went along.

As the group just stepped out of the canyon, a figure came rushing toward them.

It was a trainee player with a tear‑streaked face; his game ID showed he was also from Yanhuang Nation, and his name was Gai Shi Xiao Xia.

"Why are you all here?" he asked blankly, looking at the crowd gathered together, instinctively thinking they had come to welcome him; his expression grew more gloomy. "I've failed again— that damned Thunder‑type Spirit Beast is just too strong."

"Good grief, how can a Juvenile stage be tougher than the Growth Tier?"

"Little Shrimp, don't get the wrong idea—we're not here to welcome you," said a player in the crowd who knew him well, using his nickname without hesitation to throw shade, then pointed at Qin Chuan and Yue Li and said, "Take a look at who this is."

"Huh?" Gai Shi Xiao Xia didn't have time to take offense at being called "Little Shrimp," turned to see Qin Chuan and Yue Li's game IDs, and his mouth hung open. "You… you…"

"Xiao Xia, your timing's off," the person in charge chuckled. "Luo and Yue Li are leaving."

"Huh?"

Gai Shi Xiao Xia's Spirit Beast had already acquired two low‑grade resources and located the third; he was only one step away from becoming an official player.

The reason was simple: this low‑grade resource was unusually rare, guarded by a Juvenile‑stage Level 10 Spirit Beast.

And it was this very step that held him back.

"No rush," Yue Li suddenly said, eyeing Gai Shi Xiao Xia with interest. "What's the deal with that Thunder‑type Spirit Beast?"

The person in charge glanced at Yue Li in surprise, then gave a rough rundown of the situation.

Ridiculous!

Gai Shi Xiao Xia has a chuunibyou‑ish, competitive streak, evident from his game name.

Is Gai Shi Xiao Xia's goal merely that one low‑grade resource?

That low‑grade resource is guarded by a Spirit Beast.

Although the Thunder‑type Spirit Beast guarding that resource is only a Juvenile‑stage Level 10, its skills are exceptionally fierce, its power truly exceeding the norm.

Although she had only heard fragments, the Thunder‑type Spirit Beast mentioned by this player certainly piqued her interest.

After three straight defeats, each leaving him covered in dust and grime, Gai Shi Xiao Xia remained silent, determined to win with his own strength.

He chose to face the beast alone, relying on his own strength to defeat it!

Then… he lost.

Does a resource guarded by a same‑tier Spirit Beast really need reinforcements?

As the camp's person in charge, he knows every player in the camp well— and moreover, Gai Shi Xiao Xia's situation is common knowledge among them.

Hearing this, Yue Li and Qin Chuan exchanged a glance.

Under normal circumstances, Gai Shi Xiao Xia could ask an official player in the camp for help; with an official player's aid, defeating a low‑grade resource's guardian Spirit Beast wouldn't be difficult.

But Gai Shi Xiao Xia didn't seek help.

Her third Spirit Beast goal is the Thunder type.

Not necessarily.

He might still be thinking that, after obtaining the final resource and ranking up to official player, he could then easily tame that powerful Thunder‑type Spirit Beast as his second Spirit Beast.

That's a nice idea.

But evidently, Gai Shi Xiao Xia's strength isn't up to that— otherwise he wouldn't have suffered successive defeats in such a sorry state.

Having learned the full story, Yue Li's eyes flickered with hesitation; noticing this, Qin Chuan smiled, gave her hand a pat, then turned his gaze to Gai Shi Xiao Xia.

"I'm very interested in that Thunder‑type Spirit Beast; could you take me to see it?"

Upon hearing that, Gai Shi Xiao Xia's face changed, and the others' expressions grew a bit strange.

They could more or less guess Xiao Xia's thoughts.

"All… right," Gai Shi Xiao Xia said, his expression not great, but after a moment's hesitation he nodded in agreement and turned back the way they had come.

Seeing the two follow Xiao Xia away, the players in the camp immediately began whispering.

"All right, everyone disperse," the person in charge waved a hand. "It's a good thing if Xiao Xia can become an official player sooner."

——

After walking two or three kilometers, a nest appeared on a cliff ahead; at the cave's mouth, a Spirit Beast whose body was formed from several chunks of purple crystal, with lightning constantly crackling and linking the crystals together, appeared before the three of them.

【Spirit Beast Species: Thunder Crystal Spirit】

【Spirit Beast Attribute: Thunder】

【Spirit Beast Rank: Juvenile Stage Lv10】

【Spirit Beast Status: Uncontracted】

【Spirit Beast Description: The Thunder‑type Spirit Beast Thunder Crystal Spirit has a temperament as volatile as its attribute, craving stronger battles and respecting opponents stronger than itself.】

"That's it," Gai Shi Xiao Xia pointed at the beast and stepped aside.

Yue Li glanced at Qin Chuan.

The two had exchanged a few words on the way over.

"Xiao Qing, go."

"Cry—"

Xiao Qing let out a cry, flapped its wings, and in an instant soared into the sky, staring challengingly at the opponent.

The Thunder Crystal Spirit turned its head, its gaze landing on Xiao Qing; although they differed by two full stages, its eyes held only fierce fighting spirit.

"Boom!"

Emitting a low, thunder‑like rumble, a flash of violet lightning— the Thunder Crystal Spirit's body appeared above Xiao Qing's head, it raised a pair of crystal‑formed hands, clasped them together like a hammer, and slammed down heavily on Xiao Qing.

Just that move made Qin Chuan and Yue Li's eyes light up instantly.

Teleport? Or a high‑speed movement skill comparable to teleport?

No wonder it could repeatedly defeat same-tier opponents who had obtained two low-grade resources.

Just this one skill gives it enough confidence to look down on peers of the same rank.

Even Xiaoqing, stunned for a moment by the opponent's rapid movement, then reacted, instantly swinging forth a wall of gathered gale winds, blocking between it and the opponent's double fists.

"Boom—"

Accompanied by the Lightning Crystal Spirit's heavy double-fist strikes smashing into the gale wall, countless electric lights exploded instantly, sweeping the surroundings.

This is obviously an extremely explosive output skill; if the opponent is of the same tier, this strike is enough to severely injure them.

After probing was complete, Xiaoqing finally erupted in earnest under Yue Li's indication.

It flapped its wings, a big slap directly hitting the Lightning Crystal Spirit's head; the brutal force instantly sent the Lightning Crystal Spirit plummeting from high altitude, crashing in a total mess, unconscious in the crater it made.

Yue Li quickly stepped forward, directly contracted with the defeated Lightning Crystal Spirit, while Xiaoqing snatched the opponent's guarded resource, flew down, and handed it to Gai Shi Xiao Xia.

"I..." Gai Shi Xiao Xia received the resource, expression extraordinarily wonderful.

He was both shocked by Xiaoqing's strength and delighted that his Spirit Beast could advance, while also feeling a bit regretful that he missed the chance to contract with this Lightning Crystal Spirit.

Only when a mid-level resource swayed before his eyes did Gai Shi Xiao Xia come to his senses, looking up at the smiling Yue Li before him.

"Thank you for guiding me; this is my gratitude, please be sure to accept it."

After the two left, Gai Shi Xiao Xia, holding the mid-level resource, gradually had a complex expression.

A powerful Spirit Beast that is difficult to subdue at this stage and a mid-level resource worth millions— which is lighter, which heavier, who can say for sure?

——

The illustration of the Lightning Crystal Spirit is still being drawn… damn, the update is too fast, the artist can't keep up.

(End of chapter)