Chapter 331 - Stalactite Water

Like an infrared camera, Leng Ning could see every single life form that radiated heat using Frost Gaze. She carefully scanned the space and confirmed that no other living beings were present; only the three of them.

“That’s strange. I thought the ants were supposed to take us to their queen,” Leng Ning murmured.

Meng Qi crawled out of his sleeping bag and suggested, “Well, since they didn’t, we can always find her ourselves.”

Han Wu nodded in agreement. With no other options, Leng Ning accepted the plan. They secured their sleeping bags and moved cautiously toward the cavern’s exit. The corridor ahead was swallowed in total darkness.

Han Wu conjured a Fireball to light their path, while Leng Ning kept Frost Gaze active, scanning for potential ambushes. They chose a direction and soon ran into their first patrol of soldier ants.

These ants were massive, each body stretching fifty centimeters, their mandibles sharp and deadly. Han Wu had no doubt a single bite could sever a human limb.

They carefully skirted the patrol and pressed further into the nest. By fortune, they stumbled upon a cave with a stone pit at its center. Within the pit lay a pool of clear liquid that gave off a faint, pleasant fragrance.

Leng Ning’s eyes sparkled as she caught the scent of the liquid. “This can actually help our cultivation! It’s called Stalactite Water. If you drink it, your Water potential will rise, and you’ll earn Assist Points for Skills with the Water attribute.”

“Really? Let me try a sip.” Meng Qi stepped forward, but Leng Ning slapped the back of his head to stop him.

“You idiot. I’ve been telling you to study harder, but you never listen. If your lips touch the Stalactite Water, you’ll contaminate the entire pit and ruin the whole batch,” she scolded.

Meng Qi rubbed the back of his head where she had hit him. “Then what should I do?”

“You need to use something with a Water attribute to scoop it, like an ice spoon.” Leng Ning exhaled and conjured an icicle. She concentrated and carved it into a rough but usable spoon with her mental strength.

Meng Qi seized the ice spoon eagerly, scooped some of the Stalactite Water, and drank it. The liquid flowed through him seamlessly, and he felt his Water potential surge.

He checked his interface. His Water potential had jumped by 5, reaching 33—a level that would rank him among the top students at any prestigious academy. Yet Leng Ning’s Water potential of 42 still outshone him by a wide margin.

After testing the effects, he scooped another portion to drink. This time, his potential remained unchanged. He only gained more Assist Points for the Water attribute, and with each sip, the bonus became smaller. Meng Qi gave up and decided to let the others try.

Leng Ning shaped another ice spoon and stepped in front of the pit. Meng Qi had already consumed a third of the Stalactite Water, and she rolled her eyes before chastising him for being wasteful.

Meng Qi scratched his head. As a tank who specialized in defense, he indeed didn’t need to drink so much. Unfortunately, he couldn’t regurgitate it, so there was nothing he could do now.

Leng Ning scolded him once more before taking a spoonful herself. Ice was her specialty—a mutated form of the Water attribute—so her affinity with the Stalactite Water was unusually high. After the first sip, she watched her Water potential climb until it reached 54.

At this rank, all her Skills would align with the Water attribute, and their power would surge dramatically. She drank another spoonful and noticed her Water Assist Points increasing. Her Icicle absorbed the points and jumped to Level 29, just one level shy of the Inferior Elite rank. Blizzard and Frost Gaze remained at Level 19 and Level 9, but only a few more Assist Points would push them to a new threshold of strength.

Still, she paused. She had consumed a third of the remaining Stalactite Water, and the rest was meant for Han Wu.

“Han Wu, now it’s your turn,” she said, her voice tinged with reluctance. She was close to growing even stronger, yet she upheld her honor.

Han Wu eyed the remaining water and shook his head. “I’ve already accumulated plenty of Assist Points for Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth. Drinking this won’t help. I need Assist Points for Power, Agility, and Defense. You can take it, but next time, if we find something that boosts the three I need, give me a larger portion.”

He made it clear he had no interest in the Stalactite Water, and Leng Ning felt genuinely touched by his thoughtfulness. With his refusal, the remainder belonged to her. She drank it without hesitation and immediately gained the Assist Points she needed.

Her affinity amplified the effect, sparking remarkable growth. Her Water potential climbed to 59, and all three of her Skills leveled up. She had just reached Superior Disciple rank when the Stalactite Water propelled her all the way to Inferior Elite.

Leng Ning confirmed the three new effects for each of her Skills before turning her attention to her new Skill, Ice Laser. It was a potent single-target attack, finally filling the gap in her arsenal for precise damage.

After verifying her new Skill and effects, she shared her progress with the other two. Their faces lit up with genuine excitement, thrilled by her advancement.

Meng Qi experienced a mix of pride and self-reproach. Han Wu had gained many Assists from the students during the competition and advanced to Superior Disciple with three Skills. Leng Ning had grown even stronger with her fourth Skill. By comparison, Meng Qi had only two Skills and felt like the weakest link.

“Oh, great heavens, please grant me a treasure that boosts my Defense potential or Defense Assist Points so I can quickly gain a new Skill. I am willing to trade ten years of my best friend’s love fortune[1] for it!” he declared.

Han Wu rolled his eyes.

Anyone who becomes his best friend is seriously unlucky. Judging by how often he does this, his best friend won’t just stay single—they’ll probably have a short life too...

Meng Qi suddenly spun toward Han Wu. “Hey now, bestie, let’s keep exploring the cave. We need to find a defense treasure as soon as possible.”

Han Wu almost fainted. He couldn’t believe that the best friend Meng Qi had been referring to was him!

1. Basically whoever his best friend is, they would have to stay single for ten years if Meng Qi gets a treasure like that lol ☜