Chapter 437: The Fifth Spirit Skill
Splash… splash…
The familiar sound of waves reached his ears. Qi Han's body trembled slightly, and his eyes slowly opened.
I… didn't die?
He sat up in a daze and looked around, only then realizing that he was lying on the same reef island as before.
"Of course you didn't die!" Ru Yi's voice carried a hint of resentment. "Are you stupid? Why would you teleport to the eel and engage it in close combat?"
"Why didn't you just stand on the raft and send sword slash at it a few more times? That dragon eel was longer than your raft—chipping it health over and over without getting hurt would've been effortless!"
"And another thing, you—"
"I…" Listening to Ru Yi's nonstop scolding, Qi Han gradually came back to his senses. Memories of the earlier battle surfaced, and a trace of bitterness appeared on his face. "I forgot."
The Azure-Scaled Dragon Eel's main method of attack was water-jet spraying, to the point that he had completely forgotten one crucial fact: overwhelming physical strength was also an advantage Spirit Beasts had far beyond Spirit Masters.
"Why didn't you remind me earlier?" Qi Han scratched his head.
Ru Yi's complaints came to an abrupt halt, and she suddenly fell silent.
"Qi Han." After a long pause, she spoke with a seriousness she had never shown before.
"What's wrong?" This was the first time Ru Yi had addressed him so solemnly, and Qi Han's expression unconsciously grew serious as well.
"Remember this: in critical moments, don't rely on me too much," Ru Yi said softly. "I am a system. Even though I've gained emotions and greater authority, there are still rules I cannot cross. One of them is that while you are completing a quest, I cannot intervene or provide any assistance."
"All dangers must be overcome by you alone."
"I… understand." Qi Han smiled. "Don't be so serious—it's making me uncomfortable. I'll be more careful next time and won't act so recklessly."
"If it weren't for Pururu risking its life to save you, you would already be dead," Ru Yi said with a heavier tone.
"Pururu…" Qi Han suddenly recalled the mass of silver-gray and dark-gray hues he had seen before losing consciousness. So it had been the little guy who saved him at the last moment.
He looked around and couldn't help asking, "Where's Pururu?"
"Pururu used Mist Flash multiple times at long range, and the final teleportation even exceeded its limits. It's currently in a deep coma. I've transferred it to the small world."
"Is it going to be okay?" Qi Han asked anxiously.
"It'll be fine after resting in the small world for a day." Ru Yi paused briefly. "You've been unconscious for about a day yourself. It should be recovering soon."
Unconscious for a whole day?
Qi Han subconsciously touched his tattered clothes. They were still torn, but the many bloody wounds beneath had completely healed—there wasn't a trace left. He also felt no discomfort at all.
"My injuries…"
"Did you forget that you absorbed the Life Crystal? This level of injury can heal on its own," Ru Yi rolled her eyes. Clearly, she was still upset about Qi Han's recklessness.
So that's why.
Ever since the crystal had pierced his forehead back then, Qi Han hadn't really felt the Life Crystal inside him. After so long, he had nearly forgotten that he had even absorbed it.
Feeling secretly relieved, Qi Han opened the quest interface again and looked at the Time-Limited Quest marked as completed.
It was time to claim the rewards.
He reached out and lightly tapped the System Spirit Ring.
The kitchen knife automatically appeared in his right hand, its surface beginning to emit a faint white glow.
Around the knife, four Spirit Rings—black, purple, purple, purple—rotated rhythmically, slowly shifting forward to make room for the fifth Spirit Ring that was forming.
The white light condensed into a ring, its color gradually deepening. Before Qi Han's excited eyes, it first turned yellow, then shifted from yellow to purple, and finally darkened further into a rich, deep violet-black.
This was…
Qi Han was no stranger to that color. Before his knife techniques advanced to the Perfect level, his first Spirit Ring had been the same color. This hue signified that the Spirit Ring was only a hair's breadth away from becoming a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring.
"Ru Yi, what are the spirit skills and the bound technique corresponding to my fifth Spirit Ring?" Qi Han asked.
"Fifth Spirit Skill: Indestructible," Ru Yi replied softly. "Its effect is that your attacks ignore thirty percent of the enemy's defense. The bound technique is thickening and saucing. This technique is divided into five realms—Beginner, Proficient, Mastery, Perfect, and Return to Simplicity—corresponding respectively to Spirit Rings ranging from ten years to one hundred thousand years."
Qi Han was first delighted by the effect of his fifth spirit skill. It was clearly a skill that could be stacked with his other four spirit skills, and its effect was anything but weak. As expected, he was firmly walking the path of the "One Slash Man"—all techniques in the world shattered with a single slash.
Then, upon hearing the technique bound to the fifth Spirit Ring, a look of realization appeared on his face.
So that's how it is.
Thickening involves adding prepared starch slurry near the end of cooking, or pouring it over the dish after it is plated. It is one of the fundamental techniques in culinary procedures. That it could become one of the techniques bound to a Spirit Ring did not surprise Qi Han at all.
Not only does it increase the viscosity and concentration of a dish's sauce—allowing the sauce to better cling to the ingredients so that every bite carries rich, flavorful gravy—it also enhances the dish's sheen. Thanks to the gloss imparted by the starch, thickened dishes appear more lustrous and vibrant, giving diners a more immediately mouthwatering visual impression.
For this reason, the technique has been widely used across countless cooking methods and has endured through the ages.
Among the 3-star dishes Qi Han had already mastered—Jade Dragon Tendon, Dinghu Shangsu, Wensi Tofu, and Furong Chicken Slices—all of them made extensive use of thickening techniques. Being able to control these dishes meant that Qi Han's mastery of thickening was already close to the Perfect level.
After obtaining his fifth Spirit Ring, Qi Han's Spirit Power level rose naturally from level fifty to level fifty-one. He then reached out again to claim the other reward from the time-limited quest.
4-Star Recipe: Zilong Sheds His Armor.
Out of habit, after claiming the recipe, he checked his inventory. Whether it was the previously obtained Peony Fish Fillet or the newly acquired Zilong Sheds His Armor, neither of them still carried the "Cannot Be Learned" restriction. With his advancement to Spirit King, the long-awaited 4-star recipes were finally available for learning.
Instinctively, Qi Han reached out to open one of the 4-star recipes—but suddenly recalled the trouble he had caused himself by acting too hastily before. His hand froze midair.
After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Ru Yi, should I learn it now, or wait until I get back?"
"I recommend waiting until you're back," Ru Yi replied.
Perfect.
Qi Han silently withdrew his hand, casting a reluctant glance at Peony Fish Fillet before closing the quest interface.
This time, he chose to trust Ru Yi.
Sitting on the reef and letting the sea breeze wash over him, Qi Han soon welcomed a fully recovered Pururu. Holding the lively little creature in his arms, he gently scratched the top of its head and under its chin, silently deciding to give it extra food once they returned.
If not for Pururu, he might truly have died this time.
The agreed-upon time with Xu Hai arrived quickly. Seeing the familiar ship appear in the surrounding waters and head straight toward the island, Qi Han stood up, a smile spreading across his face.
It was time to go home.
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