Han Ning currently had a total of six Crystal Stones from Iron-toothed Giant Snakes.

One, full of Energy, was from the five-meter-long Iron-toothed Giant Snake he killed outside the South Gate back when Yin Yi evolved.

The other five were from outside the machining center. Four of them were just empty shells, their Energy completely absorbed. The last one was from the Silver-Scaled Python, a Crystal Stone with only two-thirds of its Energy remaining.

He planned to give the fully charged Iron-toothed Giant Snake Crystal Stone to his three classmates and keep the Silver-Scaled Python Crystal Stone, which had the most Energy, for other purposes.

"CHIRP CHIRP~"

Only when things were a little safer did Egg Pancake, who had been hiding in Han Ning’s collar, finally poke its head out. Its large black eyes darted around, observing the situation.

Egg Pancake really wanted to join the fight, but it was too weak right now. ’I have to get stronger!’

The seven-meter-long body of the giant white beetle lay silently in the rain. Dense raindrops hammered against its carapace, creating a spray of tiny splashes.

"Gotta say, this giant beetle looks pretty cool. From a distance, it looks like a Volkswagen Beetle."

"And it’s pretty strong, too. It can shoot Ice Crystals. It’s not much weaker than Han Ning’s Yin Yi."

Listening to the students’ discussion, Han Ning couldn’t help but agree.

Ignoring the fact that the giant beetle liked to pierce people’s heads with its mouthparts and suck out their brains, its appearance alone—a pure, snow-white body—was far more beautiful than the Demon Eye Frogs or giant spiders he had seen. Even the shimmering Silver-Scaled Python paled in comparison.

Of course, none of them were as beautiful as Yin Yi.

Suddenly, a bone-chilling cold erupted from his palm. Han Ning looked down. After holding it for just over ten seconds, his entire right hand had become encased in snow-white Ice Crystals, and a faint, stinging pain radiated from his muscles.

"Hiss... That’s got a kick to it."

He clenched his fist hard, and the Ice Crystals shattered.

Just then, Lü Xiuning’s urgent voice crackled over the walkie-talkie. "We’ve spotted the Insect-man outside Building A! He’s being dragged away by five black beetles and is trying to escape! We’ve still got over fifteen beetles attacking the building on our end. We need backup, now!"

Hearing this, Han Ning turned to the three students beside him and to Teacher Fang’s approaching group. "There’s something happening over at Building A. I’m going to check it out."

The dormitory buildings were separated by at least ten meters, with no skybridges connecting them. Below, a torrent of floodwater raged.

Although he could use Yin Yi’s Vine Whips to cross to the other buildings, it was too dangerous with the black beetles in the air waiting to strike. He didn’t ask the other students to go with him.

"We’ll keep an eye on things from here. Be careful!" Teacher Fang cautioned him.

"Yeah, I will. The wind and rain are too heavy. You all should get inside and warm up so you don’t get sick."

Han Ning noticed faint red splotches appearing on their faces and pointed to his own cheek to let them know.

Then he quickly walked over to Yin Yi, absorbing all the Energy from the white Crystal Stone on the way.

[Energy +46]

HISS~

The Crystal Stone quickly lost its luster. As he reached Yin Yi, he handed the now-dull stone to it. "Take me over to Building A."

"Ling?"

Yin Yi took the Crystal Stone from Han Ning, tossed it among its roots, and looked at him quizzically.

It seemed to be asking, ’How?’

"Umm... tie me up like you did with the giant beetle and fly me over. But be careful," Han Ning said, gesturing to his own body.

"Ling~"

With a dawning understanding, Yin Yi immediately shot out a dozen vines. They wrapped around Han Ning’s body, lifting him through the wind and rain as they drifted toward Building A.

"SQUEAK!"

The gale and rain blasted Egg Pancake right in the face, and it instantly squeaked and ducked back inside Han Ning’s soaking wet collar.

In the Darkness, two black beetles spotted Yin Yi and were about to charge, only to be instantly shattered by two Flower Thorns.

Yin Yi’s vines were wrapped around Han Ning’s upper body and under his arms. He struggled to shield his eyes with his right hand, trying to get a better look at the situation at Building A.

He could faintly make out five beetles to the front-right of Building A. Each had one or two hooked legs latched onto the Insect-man’s body. Much like how Yin Yi was carrying him, they were dragging the motionless Insect-man, whose condition was unknown, and trying to flee into the distance.

A dozen or so slightly larger beetles formed a defensive wall behind the other five, shielding them from the bullets and Silver Thorns coming from Buildings A and B.

"Yin Yi, drop me off at the next building first. Then go kill all the beetles and bring back the Insect-man. Remember, the top priority is that ugly Insect-man."

Han Ning pointed toward the ugly, barely visible silhouette in the distance and spoke to Yin Yi with grim seriousness.

"Lingling!"

Yin Yi nodded in understanding. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

It rode the wind and rain, drifting toward a lit room on the top floor of Building A, and set Han Ning down inside.

Then, locking onto the direction the swarm of beetles was escaping, the two cape-like leaves on its back trembled slightly as it shot off in pursuit at full speed.

Worried that Yin Yi’s drifting speed wouldn’t be enough to catch the beetles, Han Ning immediately used his newly acquired Energy to redeem 10 Body Attribute Points, allocating them to Yin Yi’s Body and agility Attributes.

[

Power: 10

Body: 15 (Maxed)

Agility: 15 (Maxed)

Spiritual Energy: 38.22

]

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~

A brilliant green light erupted from the gliding Yin Yi. The leaves on its back left long, green afterimages as its speed instantly jumped to another level.

Like a green meteor streaking across the night sky, it rapidly closed in on the fleeing swarm of beetles.

It paid no mind to the black beetles that rushed to intercept it from the sides. Without even needing to fire its Emerald Flower Thorns, a simple flick of its dozen or so vines sent the beetles tumbling down in twos and threes, their fate unknown.

And the tip of each Vine Whip would curl back, carrying a small white Crystal Stone.

In a little over ten seconds, the ten beetles blocking its path were completely swept aside.

As it flew, Yin Yi condensed five rapidly spinning Rhombic Crystals in front of itself.

SWISH!

The five Rhombic Crystals blasted through the downpour with a powerful sonic boom, shooting out and instantly killing the five beetles that were trying to escape.

Just as the motionless Insect-man was about to plunge into the raging flood below, a flash of green streaked past.

...

"Han Ning, what exactly does that Insect-man look like? We were too far away, I couldn’t get a clear look at its face."

After Yin Yi’s silhouette vanished into the night sky, Lü Xiuning and the others, who had been taking cover behind the wall, immediately gathered around him.

"I can’t really explain it... It’s... hard to put into words. You’ll understand when you see it."

Han Ning’s expression turned strange as he recalled the Insect-man’s hideous face.

"Did you guys hear it playing a flute just now?"

"I vaguely heard a strange noise, but the rain was too loud to make it out clearly," Lü Xiuning said, taking out an umbrella and handing it to Han Ning.

They had to shout just to be heard standing here, let alone from dozens of meters away.

"Thanks."

Han Ning opened the umbrella, just as he was about to say more.

A green light flashed on the horizon.

Yin Yi burst through the wind and rain, wreathed in mist. Like a falling leaf, it landed lightly on the wall and placed a shriveled body and ten small, white Crystal Stones in front of Han Ning.