[Ding~ Congratulations on jointly killing the Level 80 Tier 6 BOSS Cat Demon King with player Liuli. You have received rewards: EXP +400,000,000, Reputation +6000 (already receiving the double bonus from the golden title)!]
Whoosh!
A beam of golden light descended from above Lin Mo's head.
[Ding~ Congratulations, you leveled up! All five attributes +1, Free Attribute Points +3! Current level: 77. EXP required for the next level: 4,000,000,000!]
Although Lin Mo had been helping Ah Li with her growth quests these past few days instead of focusing on his own development.
The EXP he gained from killing monsters during those quests alone was enough to make his level soar. He had now reached Level 77, firmly holding second place on Inferno City's Level Ranking.
Compared with the third-place Level 71 Judge Nether, the fourth-place Level 70 Wang Junjie, and the fifth-place Level 70 Frost Dance, he had left them far behind in level.
As for who was above Lin Mo?
Naturally, it was Ning Xi.
Because in addition to receiving the same normal EXP from killing monsters as Lin Mo.
During this period, Ning Xi had also obtained generous rewards from C-rank, B-rank, and A-rank hidden quests based on Ah Li's several stages of growth quests.
Her level had already reached an astonishing Level 78.
A full 12 levels higher than Inferno City's average player level of 66.
At this moment, Ning Xi spent 220,000 Reputation to increase the Cat Demon King's drops tenfold.
Gold Coins +20000!
Tier 6 Equipment +10!
S-rank Skill Books +10!
S-rank Magic Scrolls +10!
Another huge haul.
Of course, compared to that, these were actually secondary.
At this moment, Ning Xi came to the Cat Demon King's corpse and picked up a blood-red crystal that pulsed like a heart, which the Cat Demon King had dropped.
[Ding~ Congratulations, you have obtained the Cat Demon Race's Racial Core!]
[Ding~ Please note: Pet Ah Li's Stage Six Growth Quest, S-rank Hidden Quest: Seize the Core, is about to be completed! Please use the Racial Core to stabilize the territory of the Celestial Fox race!]
Carrying the Racial Core, Lin Mo and Ning Xi returned to Peach Blossom Mountain.
After so many days of construction.
At this moment, the Celestial Fox race's territory had already taken shape.
Only at the mountaintop was there still an empty formation specially prepared for the Racial Core.
After Ning Xi placed the Racial Core obtained from the Cat Demon race into the formation.
Whoosh!
A burst of light immediately spread from the formation, covering the entire Peach Blossom Mountain.
The Peach Blossom Mountain, which had originally looked lifeless, instantly became full of vitality!
At the same time, a system notification appeared before Ning Xi.
[Ding~ Racial Core merging with territory. Estimated remaining fusion time: 12 hours! During the fusion, the territory will enter self-protection mode. No players may enter the territory during this period.]
After all, this had originally been the Cat Demon race's Racial Core.
Now it was being used to protect the Celestial Fox race's territory.
It was basically like replacing someone's heart.
It was only natural that it would need time to merge and adapt.
And as for Ah Li's final-stage quest, once the Racial Core finished merging, they would only need to submit it.
During this period, Peach Blossom Mountain would be under self-protection.
There was nothing to worry about.
It was seven in the evening now.
All they had to do was wait until seven tomorrow morning, log in, and collect the rewards.
Looking at Ah Li, who had now grown into a Mythical-tier Fox race Saintess.
Ning Xi said happily, "Ah Li, tomorrow will be your coming-of-age ceremony."
Ah Li gently rubbed her head against Ning Xi's cheek, still speaking in that soft, childish voice, "Ah Li will definitely do everything in her power to protect Master for the rest of her life."
Lin Mo looked at Ah Li.
He couldn't help imagining the human form Ah Li would be able to unlock after growing into an Ancestral-tier Heavenly Bewitchment · Fox Race Empress.
One Fox Race Empress.
One Human Race Empress.
With two Female Emperors accompanying him by his side.
Surely any man would be incredibly envious of Lin Mo by then.
At this moment, Lin Mo was also looking forward to seeing what level Ah Li would reach after completing her final transformation tomorrow.
Leaving it until tomorrow also gave them something to look forward to, along with a surprise.
It just so happened that in order to help Ah Li with her quests these past few days, Lin Mo and Ning Xi had been going to bed at almost one in the morning and getting up at seven every day.
They were truly exhausted.
"Tonight, we can finally get a good night's rest. Once Ah Li completes her final evolution tomorrow, we'll take down the Snake King Island Secret Realm in one go."
Ning Xi nodded, "Brother Lin Mo, let's go see Sister Ling'er later."
"Mm."
Today was the day Zhao Lingyun was having surgery.
Although Lin Mo had arranged for bodyguards to stay with her throughout the entire process, and the surgery had already ended that afternoon and was said to have gone very well, she had already been transferred to a regular ward.
Lin Mo and Ning Xi naturally had to go see her too.
So the two of them crushed their Return Scrolls, returned to Inferno City, and logged off.
Ning Xi changed into a simple, clean outfit.
She went downstairs to the flower shop and bought a bouquet of fresh carnations.
Girls were, after all, more emotional.
Afterward, Ning Xi and Lin Mo arrived at Ning'an First People's Hospital together.
They had just entered the ward.
Ning Fei was sitting beside the hospital bed, peeling an apple for Zhao Lingyun while chatting and laughing with her as she leaned against the bed.
"This kid Xiaofei is actually pretty thoughtful," Lin Mo was a little surprised that Ning Fei had stayed at the hospital with Zhao Lingyun for the entire afternoon until now.
Ning Xi placed the carnations on the bedside table and sat down beside the bed.
"Sister Ling'er, how are you feeling?"
Zhao Lingyun nodded, "Pretty good. The doctor said I'll slowly recover after resting for a few days."
Although she had no family with her.
Seeing Lin Mo and Ning Xi make a special trip to visit her, and Ning Fei had also stayed with her for the entire afternoon, at this moment, in Zhao Lingyun's eyes, these people in front of her were already closer than family.
Zhao Lingyun's eyes filled with tears.
"Lin Mo, Ning Xi, Ning Fei, thank you…"
"I owe you all too much…"
"Get some rest. Don't think too much," Lin Mo said to Zhao Lingyun, "Getting better quickly is the greatest repayment you can give us."
Seeing that Ning Fei was accompanying Zhao Lingyun.
Lin Mo and Ning Xi stayed for a while before leaving first.
They didn't want to disturb the two of them.
Those who understand, understand.
Of course, aside from that, Lin Mo and Ning Xi had a selfish reason too.
That was… their own time together.
These past few days, they had been online for more than 15 hours a day.
The high-intensity work had left both of them physically and mentally exhausted.
They really wanted to let loose.
And tonight, the opportunity was rare.
———
[Outside the Hospital]
Lin Mo and Ning Xi looked at each other.
Lin Mo: "Milk tea?"
Ning Xi: "Barbecue!"
Lin Mo: "Popcorn?"
Ning Xi: "A movie!"
"Let's go! It's all arranged!"
"Okay!"
That ordinary night was destined to be extraordinary.
They stole some leisure time from their busy schedules.
They spent a happy and unforgettable night.
The next morning, after waking from a good night's sleep, they automatically entered workhorse mode.
[Ding~ Esteemed number-one Heavenly Ranking player, Supreme Lord · Rulebound, welcome back to the Divine Oracle world!]
[Ding~ Esteemed number-one Heavenly Ranking player, Famous Throughout the World · Liuli, welcome back to the Divine Oracle world!]
As two beams of white light descended, Lin Mo and Ning Xi appeared in Inferno City.
At the same time, a notification popped up before Ning Xi.
[Ding~ Racial Core fusion completed. Congratulations, you have completed Pet Ah Li's Stage Six Growth Quest, S-rank Hidden Quest: Seize the Core. Please submit the quest to receive your reward!]