Sailing through the Abyss was, in truth, quite a boring affair.
Yet everyone aboard likely prayed that this "boredom" would last forever.
Boredom was nothing to fear; what was truly terrifying was excitement. The moment things ceased to be boring, real horror began. In the Abyss, even the slightest mishap could spiral into a fatal catastrophe.
Fortunately, Yu Xian and the group had navigated the Abyss for three days without running into any such "excitement."
You got what you paid for. The battleship Aska proved remarkably dependable. Hazards that smaller starships scrambled desperately to avoid, the Aska could simply plow straight through, obliterating the dangers with its sheer, immense reserves of energy.
Over the past few days, Yu Xian and the others had spent their time inside the warship drilling the combat-switching technique.
Two-person teams, three-person teams, four-person teams, five-person teams—they practiced every possible combination. Through round after round of drills, their proficiency and tacit understanding steadily grew.
In the past, Yu Xian had always been the one taking the lead in battle, and he had assumed that was the most suitable approach. But observing repeatedly from a supporting perspective during these switches, he discovered that everyone possessed unique strengths of their own.
Nora excelled at delicate, high-frequency attacks. Her grasp of micro-details was superb, making it remarkably easy for her to deal bursts of rapid-fire damage in an instant.
Especially when she took over after observing the flow of battle beforehand, every single strike aimed straight for the enemy's vitals.
Meanwhile, Niman's fighting style was something he could never replicate—completely unconstrained and imaginative. The effects of her mushrooms were a chaotic, dazzling spectacle, yet shockingly practical; with effortless, playful ease, she could leave her foes riddled with lethal toxins.
As an Abyss doctor, she wasn't just skilled in healing; she was equally adept at brewing poisons. She could even weaponize viruses unique to the Abyss, making her combat prowess truly terrifying.
Yu Xian was one hundred percent certain that in a one-on-one duel, he wouldn't stand a chance against Niman.
Even without Star-rank energy, she remained terrifyingly strong. No wonder so many Star-rank powerhouses in Crescent Bay, despite knowing of her existence, dared not lift a finger against her, leaving them no choice but to seek ways to break through the Star Rank elsewhere.
Moreover, Little Nora had an extraordinary talent for flying.
Whenever it took control of the body to fly, for reasons beyond understanding, it was simply faster than Yu Xian. Even though they drew upon the exact same tier of energy and the same abilities, Little Nora just flew faster and smoother.
It wasn't as if Yu Xian hadn't asked Little Nora why it could fly so much faster.
Little Nora's answer, however, was simple: it didn't know why it was faster than Yu Xian either. It was merely flying by instinct and feeling, yet it outpaced him every single time.
In the end, Yu Xian had to admit that everyone possessed their own innate talent—one that simply could not be copied.
Precisely because of these miraculous talents, switching fighters mid-combat was the true way to utilize the Primordial Blood Pact, and the real foundation behind the pact's boundless potential.
On the morning of the fourth day.
Yu Xian and the others gathered for a meal in the solarium.
Everyone had been drilling the switch-combat tactics relentlessly over the past few days. As the saying went, there had to be a balance between work and rest. Keeping one's nerves perpetually taut would do no good, so today was designated a holiday.
Upon the emerald-green lawn, caressed by gentle breezes, Yu Xian and the group sat on a picnic blanket, feasting on the lavish spread served by Muse.
The ingredients had all been purchased by Yu Xian and the others and handed over to Muse, whose service robots cooked them into delicious delicacies.
As they ate and chatted, Little Huangquan grew curious about what martial intent actually was. Naturally, Yu Xian couldn't explain it himself, so he simply transmitted the visual memories from his mind into the Aska, letting Muse project them inside the solarium.
A light screen expanded before everyone, displaying footage of him sparring with Teacher Wang Xingnuo on the tournament stage.
When the recording ended, Niman held a cup of tea in one hand while using a bamboo skewer in the other to spear a diced morsel of meat. Looking at Yu Xian, she asked, "Yu Xian, haven't you ever considered contracting this female teacher directly? Since she has talent, contracting her would mean instantly gaining two forms of martial intent. Besides, since she's a teacher, she could also help foster Little Nora and Little Huangquan's martial intent."
"That's an idea, but Teacher Wang might not agree to a contract. And even if she did, what about the rest of you? I want everyone to like a person before inviting her to join us. Only then can our team truly remain united as one." Yu Xian swallowed a meatball and looked back at Niman as he answered.
Niman brought the meat to her lips, paused, and smiled faintly. "I quite like this Teacher Wang. She strikes me as the genuinely pure, straightforward sort."
With that, she popped the meat into her mouth and smiled as she continued sampling the other dishes.
"Yu Xian, Teacher Wang got married a year ago," Nora chimed in at that moment. "I doubt she'd agree to leave her husband and child behind to go adventuring all over the place with us."
Yu Xian, who had just picked up a cutlet with his chopsticks, instantly jerked his head up, his eyes widening in shock. "Teacher Wang actually got married?!"
For some reason, he recalled Wang Xingnuo's codename from the appraisal—Monstrous-Strength Gorilla...
Who in the world was the brave soul that had married Teacher Wang?
"You're wondering who her husband is, aren't you? Her husband is the crown prince of the dragon clan. She joined the dragon clan," Nora said with a knowing smile.
Little Nora, its mouth stuffed with food, looked up in astonishment. "The dragon clan?!"
"Not the dragon clan you know. Keep eating your meat," Yu Xian chuckled, stuffing another piece of meat toward Little Nora before turning to Nora curiously. "How did Teacher Wang get involved with the crown prince of the dragon clan?"
"When the universal extraordinary program rolled out, the dragon clan's crown prince concealed his identity to become an extraordinary classes teacher. As luck would have it, he met Teacher Wang, who was also teaching extraordinary classes at the school, and sparks flew between them," Nora gossiped.
She had actually been quite shocked when she first heard about it from Chen Ling.
After all, the students at school had always assumed the monstrously strong female gorilla was destined to die alone. Yet right after they graduated, Teacher Wang had gone and tied the knot.
"Fate really is a wondrous thing," Yu Xian remarked with a sigh.
In any case, that meant he certainly couldn't go breaking up someone's happy family.
Nora nodded. "Mm, fate is truly unpredictable. I heard Teacher Wang even received dragon blood, gaining a half-dragon physique, and her lifespan increased dramatically—she can live up to five hundred years."
"If she keeps cultivating and raises her realm, she should be able to live even longer," Yu Xian said with a faint smile, recalling Wang Xingnuo's lifespan.
Speaking of realms, he glanced around at everyone present.
Nora had already reached the end of her vampire bloodline. To grow stronger now, she could only do so through cultivation or by entering that wondrous state with him again. Of course, she could also change her bloodline, such as converting into a Shiny Vampire.
As for Little Nora, it would naturally continue developing its bloodline powers, prioritizing the full inheritance of the Victorious True King Bird's strength. And the method was simple: eat, eat, and eat. As long as it kept devouring food, its bloodline would gradually awaken.
This was the conclusion Niman had reached after studying Little Nora over the past few days. In short, Little Nora, an avid foodie to begin with, had gotten its wish granted and could now gorge itself with complete justification.
Little Huangquan's situation still required careful thought.
Synthesizing information from the Star Ring, Yu Xian was pondering a suitable path for her.
Perhaps he could discuss it with Niman later. After all, even though one was a holy spirit and the other a divine spirit, rounding things out, they were practically close relatives.
And then there was Niman. Well-traveled and knowledgeable, she surely knew which path she needed to take.
Still, after some thought, Yu Xian looked at Niman and asked, "By the way, Niman, what resources do you need for your cultivation?"
"Me? The resource I need is, of course... you." Caught off guard by the sudden turn in conversation, Niman paused for a moment before offering a mysterious smile.
Me?
Yu Xian stared at Niman with wide eyes, a question popping into his mind.
Chapter 263