187: Inappropriate breakthrough

The setting sun descended, and the light in the depths of the dense forest gradually dimmed, with the branches and leaves of ancient towering trees intertwined.

The damp air was filled with the scent of decaying leaves and earth, occasionally punctuated by the chirping of birds, making the forest seem even more profound and silent.

Liu Mingyu half-crouched behind a thick oak tree, his palm gently pressed against the ground, as his earth-yellow Dou Zhi Qi quietly seeped into the soil, sensing the movements around him.

He frowned slightly and whispered,

“Yuting, be careful, that beast should be nearby.”

Liu Yuting clutched the short bow in her hand, her fingertips wreathed in a faint blue layer of water-attribute Dou Zhi Qi.

She held her breath, her gaze scanning her surroundings vigilantly, when suddenly, her body trembled slightly, and a peculiar glint flashed in her eyes.

“Brother! My Dou Zhi Qi seems to be surging, I might be on the verge of a breakthrough.”

Her voice was a little tight.

Liu Mingyu spun around, his eyes filled with both shock and joy.

“Now?!”

Liu Yuting bit her lip and nodded, fine beads of sweat already forming on her forehead.

Breaking through to a Dou Practitioner was a good thing, but in this perilous dense forest, if the Tumu Fox seized the opportunity to attack, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“Damn it, why now? Retreat behind that ancient tree, I’ll guard you!”

Liu Mingyu gritted his teeth, making a swift decision.

Liu Yuting shook her head.

“No, that beast is very cunning, what if it takes the opportunity to ambush you!”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

Liu Mingyu growled, grabbing her wrist and pushing her towards the gnarled giant tree behind him.

“The breakthrough is urgent, I can hold it off!”

“Even if Dou Zhi Qi is strong, it is far from as powerful as a Dou Practitioner. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a breakthrough must not be missed.”

Liu Yuting still wanted to say something, but the surging Dou Zhi Qi within her no longer allowed her to delay. Taking a deep breath, she sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, and a faint blue halo gradually emanated from her body.

Liu Mingyu leaned against the tree trunk, his gaze sharply scanning his surroundings, earth-attribute Dou Zhi Qi quietly condensing, ready to respond to any sudden attack.

“Rustle—”

A slight rustling sound came from the bushes not far away. Liu Mingyu’s pupils contracted, and with his palm pressed to the ground, he let out a low roar.

“Rock Barrier!”

“Boom!”

The ground suddenly rose into an earthen wall, and almost simultaneously, a greenish-blue shadow pounced like lightning, crashing heavily against the earthen wall!

“It came, as expected!”

Liu Mingyu sneered, clasping his hands together. The earthen wall instantly shattered, transforming into countless sharp stone spikes that shot towards the Tumu Fox!

The beast was agile, twisting strangely in mid-air, actually evading most of the attacks. Upon landing, it bared its teeth and growled lowly, its emerald green eyes fixed on Liu Mingyu.

“Beast, you won’t escape today!”

Liu Mingyu’s fighting spirit surged, and just as he was about to attack again, a strong surge of Dou Zhi Qi suddenly came from behind him!

His heart trembled, and he looked back. A brilliant blue light erupted around Liu Yuting, her water-attribute Dou Zhi Qi surging like a tide, her aura rapidly climbing!

“It’s going to happen!”

Liu Mingyu was overjoyed, but with this distraction, the Tumu Fox seized the opportunity and pounced fiercely!

Liu Mingyu’s pupils suddenly constricted; the Tumu Fox’s sharp claws were already before his eyes!

He had no time to condense Dou Zhi Qi for defense and could only violently twist his body, taking the blow with his shoulder!

“Rip!”

Sharp claws tore through flesh, blood splattered, and intense pain burned his nerves like a raging fire.

Liu Mingyu grunted, staggering back. He looked down to see his right shoulder a bloody mess, with his stark white collarbone faintly visible!

“Brother!”

Liu Yuting’s startled cry came from behind him, her voice trembling.

“Don’t get distracted! Continue your breakthrough! I can hold on!”

Liu Mingyu gritted his teeth and roared, enduring the severe pain. Earth-attribute Dou Zhi Qi surged wildly, forming a rough rock armor in front of him.

The Tumu Fox, having landed a blow, did not continue its fierce assault. Instead, its figure flickered, and it once again burrowed into the depths of the dense forest, disappearing from view.

“Damn it, this beast!”

Cold sweat trickled down Liu Mingyu’s forehead, his gaze fixed on the swaying tree shadows around him.

The Tumu Fox was known for its cunning; it wouldn’t confront him head-on but would constantly circle and ambush until its prey lost too much blood and was unable to resist!

“Rustle—”

The bushes on the left stirred slightly.

Liu Mingyu suddenly turned and punched, sending earth and stones flying!

However, there was nothing there!

“I fell for it!”

His heart tightened, and almost simultaneously, a strong gust of wind came from behind him!

“Bang!”

The Tumu Fox’s sharp claws slammed hard onto his back. The rock armor instantly shattered, and Liu Mingyu was sent flying by the immense force, crashing heavily into a tree, a trace of blood spilling from his mouth.

“Cough, cough, you beast!”

He struggled to get up, his gaze growing fiercer.

The Tumu Fox did not pursue, but instead, it once again melted into the shadows, as if toying with him.

Liu Mingyu knew it was waiting, waiting for him to lose too much blood, waiting for him to reveal an opening!

“I can’t drag this out any longer. Yuting still needs time!”

He gritted his teeth, then slammed a palm onto the ground, earth-attribute Dou Zhi Qi wildly pouring into the earth!

“Earth Collapse!”

“Rumble.”

The ground within several zhang suddenly collapsed, instantly swallowing the bushes where the Tumu Fox was hiding!

However, the beast reacted extremely quickly, leaping up the moment the ground collapsed, landing on a horizontally growing branch in the distance, its emerald beast eyes glinting with a mocking light.

“As expected, it’s troublesome!”

Liu Mingyu’s breathing was heavy, blood flowed incessantly from his shoulder wound, and his vision was already somewhat blurry.

Just then.

“Whoosh!”

An ice-blue arrow shot through the air, accurately embedding itself in the branch where the Tumu Fox stood!

“Crack!”

The branch snapped, and the Tumu Fox, caught off guard, fell down!

Liu Mingyu suddenly turned around, only to see Liu Yuting already standing, her Dou Zhi Qi surging around her, and her eyes filled with resolute fighting spirit!

“Brother, let me take over!”

Her voice was icy, and she drew her short bow taut again, the arrow tip pointing directly at the Tumu Fox!

The Tumu Fox let out a low growl, seemingly sensing the reversal of the situation, and with a flicker of its body, it tried to burrow into the dense forest again.

“Trying to run?!”

“Rock Prison!”

Liu Mingyu sneered, stomping his foot heavily.

“Boom!”

Several stone pillars suddenly rose from the ground, instantly blocking the Tumu Fox’s escape route!

Trapped, a trace of panic finally flashed in the Tumu Fox’s beast eyes.

“It’s over.”

Liu Yuting spoke coldly, and the arrow left the string!

“Puff!”

The ice-blue arrow light pierced through the Tumu Fox’s throat, blood splattered, and it twitched a few times before finally falling motionless to the ground.

The two collaborated seamlessly, one controlling and the other swiftly striking to kill.

If not for this stroke of luck, there would have been no chance of injury at all.

The dense forest returned to silence, leaving only the heavy breathing of the brother and sister.

Liu Mingyu staggered two steps, finally unable to support himself, and knelt on one knee.

“Brother! You, how could you be so foolish!”

Liu Yuting rushed forward, supporting him, her eyes red.

Liu Mingyu forced a smile, and though his face was as pale as paper, he still feigned nonchalance.

“Heh, your brother here has thick skin and flesh, I won’t die.”

Liu Yuting bit her lip, quickly tearing off a corner of her clothes to bandage his wound, her voice choked with emotion.

“Don’t ever do that again!”

Liu Mingyu looked at her, his eyes filled with relief.

“It was worth it. Your breakthrough to Dou Practitioner is more important than anything.”

“From now on, the missions we take can be a bit bolder. Today was just a bit unlucky.”

Liu Yuting could no longer hold back, and tears streamed from her eyes.