Chapter 200: Mermaid Reef 01

Could it be that while he didn't know, another male hit on Ye Xi'an?

"He is… the messenger of Light, and every time he comes he's bathed in light," Ye Xi'an raised her finger at Yi Yang: "Just like him."

The light on Yi Yang's body pulsed a few times, then contracted and sank back into his body.

When the light finally faded, Yi Yang gasped heavily, fell to his knees on the floor, sweat clinging his hair to his forehead, and the bulging veins on the back of his hand looked especially manly.

Yi Yang lifted his gaze to Ye Xi'an, and a fierce light they had never seen burned in his eyes.

His face bore a bewildered, incredulous expression.

Then, he slowly raised one hand, staring at it as if it were something that didn't belong to him.

"I… I…"

He swallowed hard.

"I'm Level Five?"

Those words fell into the attic's deathly silence like stones dropped into a deep well.

A blanket of stillness.

Afterward, Bao Jing, who had just barely reached Level Five, sounded somewhat flat from disbelief.

"Level Five? Straight to Level Five?"

Ji Jiangci stared at him in a daze, because the surprise of leveling up and becoming younger was at this moment washed out by this astonishing change: "This… is unheard of."

Ye Xi'an's jaw actually dropped.

From Level Three to Level Five?

"Whoa!" she finally regained her voice, exclaiming, "Are you serious? Level Five? You've got a cheat on!"

Yi Yang finally broke into a wide, somewhat ecstatic grin that stretched almost to his ears.

He moved his hands, and strands of intense energy coalesced in his palms; Ye Xi'an could even faintly feel the ground beneath her trembling.

"I feel… amazing!" he shouted, his voice echoing among the attic beams, "I feel like I could punch this building down!"

As he spoke, he was about to throw a punch, but fortunately Ji Jiangci and Bao Jing, quick as the eye, stopped Yi Yang; otherwise that big dummy might have actually smashed the house down.

The attic's atmosphere was at its most heated.

Ye Xi'an shook her head, a burst of laughter rising from her chest. "Alright, alright, calm down, look at how smug you are."

Though her words were teasing, a surge of pride welled up inside her.

She hadn't expected the once hopeless Yi Yang to suddenly become this powerful.

But she was a bit worried: "You're leveling up this fast, no problem, right?"

"Too bad Bao Jing isn't here; otherwise he'd check you out."

Yi Yang, always bold, pounded his chest and assured, "It's fine! I'm sure I'm in great shape now."

Ji Jiangci, thoughtful, said, "This shouldn't be an accident. Previously Yi Yang absorbed Ice Grass's energy but couldn't level up; now he can, so I think it's related to that virus."

Yi Yang's eyes lit up: "You mean that the virus infection might have mutated my genes!"

"I think so, otherwise why would you suddenly be this strong."

Ye Xi'an, after hearing Ji Jiangci, also thought that was the case; wouldn't that be like opening the Ren and Du meridians?

She patted his shoulder: "You survived that great calamity; truly you have great destiny!"

Flattered by his wife's praise, Yi Yang shyly scratched his head, then affectionately wrapped his arm around Ye Xi'an's arm; a dog tail sneaked out from his trouser seam, wagging joyfully side to side: "Ah— it's all thanks to my dear wife rescuing me; otherwise I would have died long ago."

Ye Xi'an couldn't stand others being coquettish with her, especially good‑looking ones; Yi Yang's antics made her mouth corners harder to suppress than a New Year's pig.

Ji Jiangci and Bao Jing, seeing this, darkened their gazes; it seemed Ye Xi'an was fond of male coquettishness. The two males exchanged a glance, saying nothing, yet some skill silently ignited between them.

After Ye Xi'an harvested almost all the Ice Grass at home, only the seedlings still being cultivated remained.

At this moment, the others' ability levels also reached unprecedented heights.

Ye Xi'an's ability is now Level Seven, Yi Yang and Bao Jing are Level Eight, and Ji Jiangci is the lowest at Level Six.

If they try to rise further, they can already distinctly feel suppression.

Ye Xi'an: "Looks like we have to go out and take a mission; scheming has its limits."

The group, taking advantage of Lin Zhi Jing's absence, prepared to take a mission; when they opened the door they saw Gu Feng, the whole body rigid, like a Wangqi Stone.

"Gu Feng? Why are you here?"

Gu Feng looked aggrieved; Ye Xi'an not only turned Gu Feng away at the door, but also completely forgot about this person: "I've been here these past days."

Gu Feng, feeling aggrieved, spoke to Ye Xi'an without stammering.

Ye Xi'an was surprised; knowing they'd been absorbing Ice Grass's energy for three days without leaving, Gu Feng couldn't have been guarding her doorstep for three days, could he?

"Where are you going?" Gu Feng steadied himself; his two eyes, red as flames, were almost glued to Ye Xi'an's face.

"Ah! We're about to take a mission, by the way Gu Feng," Ye Xi'an spread her hand, and a few Ice Grass sprouted out of thin air in her palm: "Here, take this."

Gu Feng stared at the Ice Grass in his hand, pursed his lips, and thought that Ye Xi'an would actually give him such a precious resource, so she must still care about herself.

"I'll go with you."

Regarding Gu Feng's words, Ye Xi'an didn't refuse; more people meant more strength, and when the insect race came, Gu Feng would count as one of their side, so improving together would be best.

Since everyone's abilities had risen, they planned to choose a four‑star mission this time.

World: Mermaid Reef.

Mission Details: Wake up from a nightmare, perhaps 10 mermaid tears.

Difficulty Rating: Four stars.

Distance: 900 light‑years.

Contribution Points:.

Space Cost:.

Number: 13th Floor, Room 138.

Turn-in ratio: 10%.

Mission expansion: different-origin stone, Heart of the Ocean, seabed silt.....

Planet overview: The Mermaid Reef is covered by the ocean, and only scattered bits of rock are available for beastmen to set foot on. There lives a highly vigilant school of merfolk; they are beautiful yet ferocious. They will make you see the thing you fear most in this life. Do not be afraid—defeat it, and you have defeated yourself.

After reading the mission brief, a few of them, familiar with the route, quickly grabbed the keys and headed straight for the Space Gate. The once trembling rookies have already transformed; this is the true sign of a family standing tall.

Ye Xi'an stepped through the Space Gate and felt her head spin; when she came to, a blinding white light stabbed her eyes, making them ache.

She tried to rise but found her limbs bound to the bed.

Ye Xi'an was still a little dazed, but this scene, familiar beyond familiarity, jolted her awake!