Chapter 2668 - 2669: Xiao Ji’s Defensive Stance in the Qi Realm

Feng Yuan didn’t linger near Kui Shan Town for long. After finding Tamur, he bid farewell to Qi Chen and the others and returned to Bian Shui Fort. As for Kui Shan Town? He’s not worried at all. The Empire doesn’t have enough troops to keep a close watch on Maomu City, even if there’s something here they covet.

At Bian Shui Fort, there isn’t a dedicated battle ground, as maintaining such a place is costly and small towns can’t afford to build one.

However, for Feng Yuan, it’s not a big deal. He just needs someone to launch an attack. As for the field? There’s the mirror space, as long as it’s not an extremely powerful ultimate move, it won’t affect the real world.

For Feng Yuan’s needs, Bian Shui Fort is a bit embarrassed because they are just ordinary people, even though they have Beastmasters, their strength is similar to that of Qi Chen.

In fact, compared to Qi Chen, their actual combat experience is almost none. They have no choice, as going out with inadequate strength is like seeking death.

Usually, their Beastmasters’ battles are more for entertainment and don’t even qualify as serious competitions. Therefore, they hesitated at first but were eventually persuaded by Feng Yuan.

No choice, since he couldn’t enlist the people from Bian Shui Fort, Feng Yuan had to consider asking the garrison for help. But doing so isn’t ideal because the deployment of troops in the Cha Mu Town area is already at its limit. If they encounter an unexpectedly strong enemy, problems will arise, not to mention having to draw one or two people from them to help.

Besides, Feng Yuan mentioned that he only needed someone to help launch attacks. As for the strength, it wasn’t particularly necessary. However, the strength should be strong enough since Xiao Ji’s Qi Realm Stance Defense focuses on counterattacks through damage absorption, and Feng Yuan couldn’t measure the strength of the counterattack.

Expecting Xiao Ji to control the counterattack’s power is impossible. Xiao Ji can hardly control normal ultimate moves, let alone automatically counterattacking ones.

"Please open the Mirror Space, and if there’s an emergency, sink directly into the World’s Shadow."

After reminding the person again of what needs to be done, Feng Yuan called out to Veronia since techniques like the Mirror Space were Veronia’s specialty.

With a soft hum, Veronia waved her small hand, and the surrounding space changed. Although the scenery remained unchanged, the sounds of insects and birds completely disappeared.

"Alright, let’s start the test. Xiao Ji, you go first."

Switching to the Qi Realm Stance Defense, Feng Yuan looked at Xiao Ji and said. As for the Fluffy Fire Wolfhound, there was no rush, as he had plenty of time.

Seeing the two Beastmasters beside Feng Yuan simultaneously change their forms, the waiter at Bian Shui Fort was taken aback. Spirit Beasts that could change their form weren’t unheard of, but few could change their aura as well.

The Fluffy Fire Wolfhound was more easily explained, being naturally gentle. As for Xiao Ji, in its original stance and battle-ready state, it felt sharp, but when switched to Qi Realm Stance Defense, it became introverted yet seemed to harbor immense power within, ready to erupt at any time.

This obvious aura change was completely different from a transformation, or rather, even among those that could change aura through transformation, it was exceedingly rare. At least, a combat-oriented Spirit Beast like Xiao Ji shouldn’t have this ability.

Because such abilities leaned more towards reconnaissance.

"When I say ’action’, launch the attack. Be careful to avoid the counterattacks; I probably won’t be able to control those counterattack hits."

Not very familiar with Xiao Ji’s new stance, Feng Yuan had to warn them. With a long howl, Xiao Ji transformed into a Black Sun hanging in the sky, generating an energy-connected barrier. Watching Xiao Ji occasionally chirp, Feng Yuan didn’t wish for them to act immediately.

Like Veronia, Xiao Ji needed to use ultimate moves to enhance the counterattack ability. But after waiting for a while and seeing no pause, Feng Yuan stopped waiting as well.

"Go!"

Upon Feng Yuan’s command, two waiters immediately directed their beasts to attack. Although their beasts were fairly average in strength, their full-force attack still caused the Black Sun in the sky to flicker.

"Is the counterattack initiated from Xiao Ji’s body?"

Seeing this scene, Feng Yuan muttered to himself, since the recent attack landed on their barrier, the energy connection transmitted the damage to Xiao Ji. But how much damage it endured, even Feng Yuan wasn’t sure.

If the energy absorption of damage is true, it might be stronger than anticipated, but... is that possible?

Before Feng Yuan could think more, beneath him, the region covered by the barrier started sprouting rotating and expanding magic circles. From the magic circles emerged black eagle phantoms, and Feng Yuan could clearly see the waiter’s beasts were severely weakened.

Is counterattacking also weakening? Seems understandable, but hold on...

A blood-scented breeze arose, and Feng Yuan noticed the sudden emergence of many blood-colored crystal pillar phantoms. Is this the unfolding of the Crystal Domain? No, counterattacking with a Crystal Domain?

Feng Yuan was taken aback, not expecting Xiao Ji’s defensive stance to be so peculiar. Veronia’s automatic unfolding of the Crystal Domain was understandable, but that Xiao Ji did the same was unexpected. However, Feng Yuan could sense that this Crystal Domain had no special power within it, or rather, it wasn’t Veronia’s conventional Crystal Domain type that could be overlaid with ordinary Crystal Domains.

Although Feng Yuan didn’t know what Xiao Ji intended to do by unfolding the Crystal Domain, given the special nature of the Qi Realm Stance, it wouldn’t produce something meaningless.

As the Crystal Domain unfolded, the attacks during the counterattack finally appeared. Bloodlines like flashes of light struck the waiter’s beasts. Fortunately, with Feng Yuan’s warning, they were already on guard, so the bloodline only hit the barrier and didn’t cause much damage.

Just when Feng Yuan thought that was the end of the counterattack, Xiao Ji gave a cry, and dark red fireballs rose around, orbiting Xiao Ji, then suddenly hurled towards the waiter’s beast.

After a series of tests, Feng Yuan finally roughly understood the situation with Xiao Ji’s Qi Realm Stance Defense.

The core is the Black Sun state. In this state, Xiao Ji directly generates an energy barrier to protect all allies within a certain range and transfers the damage to the barrier.

And that Black Sun is the barrier that protects Xiao Ji’s body. The transferred damage accumulates energy, which resulted in the later fireballs. As the damage it absorbs increases, the accumulated energy will enhance the fireballs released all at once.

As for the bloodline, it is a rapid counterattack associated with the Bloody World Crystal Domain. Its power isn’t strong, but its speed is extremely fast; without a pre-laid barrier, defense is difficult.

At the same time, the bloodline has special energy absorption and draining effects. When intercepted by an energy barrier, it draws energy to replenish itself, and when directly hitting a flesh and blood creature, it has a draining recovery effect.

Aside from the usual bloodline, upon unfolding the unique Crystal Domain, there is also a big ultimate move-like method. It requires prior energy accumulation, and once conditions are met, it’s released, forming a large-scale blood rain that continuously strikes enemies.

As for the counterattack’s attachment of debuff states, these are conventional techniques.

Apart from this regular combat mode, the Black Sun can transform into a Scorching Sun. At this moment, Xiao Ji no longer shelters allies around, but all ultimate moves will change.

In Scorching Sun state, Xiao Ji will continuously consume energy and stamina, while the ultimate moves become powerful attacks with knockback effects.

In the Scorching Sun state, Xiao Ji won’t be affected by negative statuses, and negative statuses on allies will be removed in real-time. Each removal enhances all of Xiao Ji’s abilities once.

Feng Yuan knew the Scorching Sun state targeted those who relied on negative statuses to drain blood since counterattacks couldn’t target status-based ultimates. Scorching Sun effectively counteracts negative status strikes.

If opponents dared to impose negative statuses, Xiao Ji’s heightened abilities might potentially eliminate them instantly.

Because the clearance and enhancement through Scorching Sun have no theoretical upper limit, as long as the physical body can sustain the escalating power.

Of course, this won’t lead to an energy overload explosion, as the natural limit in the Scorching Sun state is the physical body’s sustainable limit.

However, Feng Yuan didn’t expect many opportunities for such a situation to occur since those who manipulate negative statuses should know the right course upon seeing the changes.

In Feng Yuan’s view, although this Qi Realm Stance Defense is defensive in nature, it has no obvious flaws. It’s an interesting thing, but unfortunately, it demands too much of one’s mental state, making widespread adaptation nearly impossible, and it must be ensured that no one falls prey to temptation.