Chapter 104: High Grade Potion
The entire team had been bathed in his light, and without him, half of them would be corpses already.
But Ling Yu did not waste even a single breath in relief.
Her sharp gaze swept across the battlefield, cataloging the corpses, cores, and opportunities with a cold precision that sent chills down Shen Ming’s spine.
In the middle of it all, Xian Yu swayed. His beautiful, androgynous face was pale, his lips drained of all color, sweat sliding down his delicate jawline. She saw his dedication, the way his trembling hands clutched the talisman-like staff that had become his focus in battle. He had been casting the healing power non-stop: barriers, area-wide heals, single-target blessings, regeneration pulses.
Ling Yu’s lips curved into a faint, almost cruel smile. This was exactly the kind of reliability she needed. He had expended everything, poured his body, mind, and mana into keeping her alive, ignoring his own limits. His S-class potential had never been realized, but Ling Yu had already seen through the veil: he was a rare gem, waiting for the right circumstances to shine.
While the other survivors started scavenging the battlefield for food, rations, and usable supplies, Ling Yu shifted her attention to her own priorities. Her eyes swept across the corpses of the Alpha Ape and its lesser kin, noting the way each monster core pulsed faintly with lingering mana. She knelt down, opening her inventory, and began gathering them with a speed that bordered on unnatural. With each core she lifted, a low hum resonated in the system interface, confirming the absorption.
[System Notification: Alpha Ape Core (Elite) acquired. Mana: +2500. Physical Strength Boost: +20%.]
[System Notification: Monster Core Processing Complete. Added to Inventory Storage.]
Ling Yu’s movements were precise and unflinching, her fingers brushing aside blood and dirt without hesitation. Every step of the procedure was efficient, almost mechanical, but her eyes never left Xian Yu, whose chest rose and fell in shallow gasps.
Fluffy, who had been perched silently on her shoulder during the fight, hopped down and padded cautiously around Xian Yu. Its small, soft paws made no sound, but it sniffed his face, emitting a low coo.
[Fluffy: Master... he’s... exhausted. Are we... feeding him now? Can he... eat?]
Ling Yu glanced at the fluffy little creature and shook her head, voice calm but commanding.
"Not now. First, he needs something stronger. High-grade mana potions are essential for his recovery."
Fluffy gave a small whine but obediently retreated to her side, its tail flicking anxiously.
Ling Yu opened the top compartment of her portable inventory bag, her Universal System Shop storage, extracting several crystalline vials that shimmered with an inner light. The liquid inside glowed faintly, a hue somewhere between sapphire and violet. These were the high-grade mana potions she had purchased earlier from the shop. She moved beside the kneeling Xian Yu and gently tilted his head back.
Without hesitation, she poured the first vial into his mouth. The liquid slid down his throat smoothly, and immediately the faint glow of healing mana began to spread across his body. Limbs that had trembled now relaxed; color slowly returned to his lips. Ling Yu poured in a second, then a third.
[System Notification: Target’s Mana Replenished. Recovery Rate Increased: +80%. Special Healing Buff Applied.]
[Unknown Cosmic Entity expresses approval: "Your choice is wise. Nurturing potential strengthens your stream. I am pleased."]
[System Notification: Unknown Cosmic Entity increased favor.]
[Sponsor contribution: +100 gold coins. Stream observers increased from 80 → 105.]
Even the divine beings in her stream made their presence known. A cascade of shimmering notifications appeared, each tied to an unknown entity, some cosmic, others seemingly angelic, all radiating power far beyond mortal comprehension. They had been observing Ling Yu’s battle, cheering her ferocity, but now their attention shifted to her care of Xian Yu.
[Unknown Celestial Being 1: "Master, your prudence in preserving life strengthens the bond between you and your mortal allies. Exceptional."]
[Unknown Cosmic Entity 2: "Observing the nurturing of potential is... enlightening. Maintain this course."]
[System Notification: Stream Audience: 115. Interest in Unknown Entity (Fluffy) increased.]
Ling Yu glanced down at Fluffy, who was now circling around Xian Yu curiously. The small creature let out a series of coos, almost as if it were analyzing his condition. The system chimed softly:
[System Notification: Unknown Entity desires a name. Bonding potential: +15%. Naming the Unknown Entity will unlock new abilities.]
Ling Yu ignored the prompt once again. Taking responsibility for a living being carried more weight than she was ready to bear, especially amidst a chaotic apocalypse. She let Fluffy play its role for now, sensing that the divine entities were pleased enough with its presence.
Meanwhile, the other survivors began to notice Ling Yu’s actions. Their eyes shifted between her, Xian Yu, and the various items she produced from her inventory. Murmurs ran through the group:
"She... she has mana potions like that?!"
"Where did she even get those?!"
"Are you telling me she’s sitting on a stockpile of rare items and hasn’t shared them?"
One of the more brazen men, a wiry youth with a bronze-class skill book hovering above his head, stepped forward, gesturing at the vials in her hand.
"Hey, can we get some of those, too? Just a few? You know, we fought too!"
Ling Yu’s gaze swept over him. The frost in her eyes silenced him instantly.
"No," she said, voice cold as ice. "Those are for keeping your healers alive. Not for casual curiosity. Don’t ask again."
The youth stammered, eyes wide, immediately retreating into the shadows. The others exchanged nervous glances. Ling Yu’s aura, still bleeding faint red from her battle, combined with the divine backing of Fluffy’s sponsor, made her completely untouchable in the eyes of anyone here.
[System Notification: Stream Audience Excitement +10%. Unknown Cosmic Entity comments: "Observing authority exercised with precision... exemplary."]
[System Notification: Fluffy: "MASTER!!! I WANT TO BITE THE HEADS OF THOSE FOOLS WHO DARED TO ASK FOR THINGS!!!"]
Ling Yu rolled her eyes at Fluffy, a faint smirk forming on her face.