Chapter 76: The Dream Team (2)

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Dream Team (2)

Meanwhile,

Behind the boulder, Li Jian watched the unfolding fight with a faint smile.

’I didn’t think the request could be used like this. It’s surprisingly effective...’

The reason these three had suddenly become so good at coordinating wasn’t because they had gained years of combat experience or received some miraculous increase in strength.

It was simply the result of a rather straightforward.... request he had made to the system.

He had made a request to the system to turn them into teammates who understood one another exceptionally well, allowing them to coordinate naturally and respond to each other’s needs without having to communicate every little detail.

He had also asked the system to instill in them the courage to stand up for their fellow disciples when they were in danger.

In other words, he wanted them to become a godly team with both exceptional teamwork and courage.

Of course, he could have simply tried to remove their fear, but fear wasn’t always a bad thing.

Sometimes, it was what kept people alive, reminding them to recognize danger and avoid taking unnecessary risks.

What he wanted wasn’t a group of reckless fools who charged into every battle without hesitation.

He wanted teammates who could face danger when necessary while still knowing when to retreat.

And judging by what he was seeing now, the results had exceeded his expectations.

Chen Lei didn’t need to be told when to draw the snake’s attention.

Wang Hun instinctively knew when to attack and when to retreat, while Zhang Zhao could anticipate the openings his companions needed and provide support at precisely the right moment.

Even when their formation was disrupted, they adjusted almost immediately, each understanding how to cover the gaps left by the others.

Their individual abilities hadn’t suddenly become stronger, but the effectiveness of their combined strength had increased tremendously.

’So I can request this kind of stuff too, huh...’

Li Jian rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

The system hadn’t directly increased their cultivation.

Instead, it had improved their ability to work together, allowing their existing strengths to complement one another with far greater efficiency.

Of course, their teamwork wasn’t enough to bridge the enormous gap between their cultivation and the snake’s.

But it had given them a fighting chance.

’Interesting. If I can use the system to improve the coordination of a group, then the potential applications are far greater than I thought.’

A faint gleam appeared in Li Jian’s eyes.

In the cultivation world, individual strength was undoubtedly important.

A sufficiently powerful cultivator could crush countless weaker opponents without needing anyone’s help.

However, that didn’t mean teamwork was useless.

If he could gather a group of reliable companions and use his Favor Debt System to help them develop exceptional synergy, their combined strength might exceed what their cultivation levels suggested.

And if he could do that with a larger group...

Li Jian’s smile widened slightly.

’Perhaps I should experiment with this more in the future.’

For now, however, he had a more immediate problem to deal with.

His gaze returned to the battle.

Chen Lei, Wang Hun, and Zhang Zhao were still keeping the snake occupied, though their situation was becoming increasingly dangerous.

The beast’s attacks were growing more violent, and it wouldn’t be long before their coordination alone could no longer make up for the difference in strength.

Li Jian decided it was time to move.

He quietly slipped away from the boulder and circled around the clearing, using the trees and thick bushes to conceal his movements.

While the snake focused on his three companions, he carefully approached the injured Long Ning.

After a moment, he finally reached her.

Long Ning was now leaning against the tree, one hand pressed against her abdomen.

Her face was pale, and the purple hue surrounding her wound had spread even farther.

When she noticed someone approaching, she instinctively raised her head.

Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Li Jian.

"...Who are you?"

Li Jian crouched beside her, glancing briefly toward the battle before turning back to her.

"I’m here to help, but never mind about me. Do you have any pills or antidotes on you?"

His question came out hurriedly.

He refused to believe that a genius like Long Ning would enter the Fragment Realm without carrying a few life-saving pills.

Even if she didn’t have an antidote specifically meant for this snake’s poison, she should at least have something that could suppress it temporarily.

Long Ning blinked at him, seemingly caught off guard by his sudden appearance and question.

After a brief pause, she nodded weakly.

"I do... They’re in my storage pouch."

She glanced down at the small pouch fastened around her waist before looking back at him.

"Can you help me get them? I can barely move right now or use my spiritual energy to open it."

Li Jian immediately looked toward the pouch.

"Which pill should I look for?"

"The jade bottle... in the inner compartment," Long Ning replied, her voice growing weaker. "It contains a poison-cleansing pill. I’m not sure if it’ll completely neutralize the toxin, but it should at least slow its spread."

"Got it."

Without wasting any more time, Li Jian reached for her storage pouch.

However, just as his fingers touched it, Long Ning suddenly caught his wrist.

Her grip was weak, but her eyes had become noticeably sharper.

"Wait... Don’t take anything else out."

Li Jian paused and looked at her.

Long Ning’s cheeks flushed faintly, though whether it was from embarrassment or the poison was difficult to tell.

"Just... take the jade bottle. The rest of my belongings have nothing to do with this."

Li Jian gave her a strange look, wondering what she was so worried about him finding inside her storage pouch.

However, seeing her pale face and the spreading purple hue around her wound, he decided not to waste time asking questions.

"All right. I’m only interested in saving your life anyway."

He reached into the pouch and carefully searched the inner compartment for the jade bottle.

However, as his fingers brushed against something else, he paused.

"Hm?"

His hand stopped, and he blinked in surprise at that... thing.

He glanced at Long Ning, then lowered his gaze toward the pouch, a strange expression slowly appearing on his face.

’This is...’