C8 Evolve!!

In fact, when necessary, Han Feng was prepared to let the Demonic Pet System draw on his lazy trait to power up his grass mud horse.

The very thought sent a surge of excitement through him, spurring him to pick up his pace.

Approaching the cave, Han Feng and the grass mud horse didn't immediately expose themselves. Instead, they stealthily used the dense trees and shrubs for cover.

Han Feng wasn't about to act rashly. The spiritual cat they faced was a formidable level 22 creature. While the grass mud horse had managed to take down a level 20 Human-face Lizard, that was largely due to the lizard's sluggishness—a weakness the spiritual cat didn't share.

Among lower-level spiritual pets, the agility of a feline Demonic Beast was unmatched. The grass mud horse's targeting skills were hardly enough to lock onto it with a High-pressure Rasengan.

Near the cave's entrance, two women and a man were struggling against a snow-white spiritual cat.

Peering through the foliage, Han Feng recognized them as Zhou Xue, Zhou Lin, and Yao Jie.

This spiritual cat was a notch above the Human-face Lizard they had previously encountered, smaller and quicker, making it a tougher opponent. If they couldn't handle the Human-face Lizard, this spiritual cat would be out of their league.

The spiritual cat was lightning-fast, using its speed to toy with the trio. Before long, the Zhou sisters' spiritual pets were visibly flagging, clearly outmatched by the cat.

Yao Jie's Flash Wolf was quick, but lacked physical power. Against the Mutated Human-face Lizard, it had been thoroughly outclassed. Now, facing the spiritual cat, which was two levels higher, the Flash Wolf's speed didn't offer much of an edge.

The Flash Wolf possessed a degree of lightning power, capable of conjuring high-voltage electric arcs within a certain radius, potentially stunning its adversaries.

When the spiritual cat was engulfed by the electric arc field, it shone with a brilliant white light, dispersing a protective halo from its body—its White Light Barrier skill, as identified by the Demonic Pet System.

The White Light Barrier could mitigate negative effects to some extent and also boost the spiritual cat's speed and strength by 10%.

With the White Light Barrier active, the spiritual cat bristled, its tail erect, as it darted towards the Flash Wolf in a swift assault.

"Fate really does love irony," Han Feng mused.

With its attributes amplified and the level advantage, the defeat of Yao Jie's Flash Wolf seemed inevitable.

As the Flash Wolf's resistance waned under the white cat's onslaught, Han Feng remained on the sidelines, choosing not to intervene.

The spiritual cat's claws left deep, bone-revealing gashes on the Flash Wolf. As the wolf's strength ebbed, the spiritual cat decisively executed its second skill—Hundred Kill Claw Strike.

A flurry of claw strikes rained down on the Flash Wolf, a blow that would have been fatal had it landed squarely. Zhou Xue and Zhou Lin quickly directed their own wounded spiritual pets to absorb some of the attack, lessening its impact.

Though the would-be lethal strike was weakened after being distributed among the three pets, the spiritual cat had effectively incapacitated all of their spiritual companions.

Yao Jie and the Zhou sisters lacked any combat prowess, and with their spiritual pets gravely wounded, facing the spiritual cat alone spelled certain doom for them.

"Sister, are we going to die?" Zhou Lin asked, her face ashen and her eyes hollow.

Zhou Xue, despite her fear, remained silent in response to her sister's question.

"Ah, it's time to strut our stuff again. Time for the classic hero to save the day! Charge, grass mud horse!"

Han Feng gave the grass mud horse's sleek back a pat, signaling it to unleash the High-pressure Rasengan while the white cat's guard was down.

The grass mud horse, having spent so much time with Han Feng, seemed to have picked up some of his quirks, such as a penchant for showing off!

With a pout and a whistle, the grass mud horse stealthily launched its High-pressure Rasengan.

The spiritual cat, its guard lowered, sensed the lethal threat, its fur bristling as it quickly employed its third skill to survive.

This skill, known as "Spirit Jump," enabled the cat to bypass space and evade over a distance, narrowly escaping the grass mud horse's High-pressure Rasengan.

The missed attack created a large crater in the ground, and the spiritual cat, now on high alert, fixed its gaze on the hiding spot of Han Feng and the grass mud horse. Seizing the moment, it struck fiercely, amplified by the white light barrier.

Han Feng felt a gust of foul wind, and the next thing he saw were the spiritual cat's razor-sharp claws.

"Swoosh! Swoosh!"

The spiritual cat's claws carved deep gashes into the grass mud horse's back.

In pain, the grass mud horse snapped its jaws, spewing water attacks that the spiritual cat deftly avoided.

Though the grass mud horse's skills were formidable, they were unreliable, particularly against a Demonic Beast like the spiritual cat that excelled in speed. The situation was dire, with the grass mud horse trailing the spiritual cat by a full eight levels.

The sight of his spiritual pet's wounds sent a chill down Han Feng's spine.

"Bro, hang in there. I'm off to score some experience for you!" Han Feng declared grandly before abandoning the grass mud horse and dashing towards the Zhou sisters.

"Got any snacks like sunflower seeds or fruit juice?"

Han Feng's first words to the Zhou sisters left them stunned.

Having witnessed the grass mud horse's might, the sisters didn't know its level but felt an inexplicable trust that it could lead them out of danger. Confused by Han Feng's request yet instinctively, they nodded.

Both girls, in their mid-teens, naturally had a sweet tooth. Even on a hunt for Demonic Beasts, they had brought along some treats.

Zhou Lin pulled a packet of candied fruit from her bag and handed it to Han Feng.

Without a word, Han Feng sprawled out on the ground in what he deemed a supremely comfortable position and began tossing pieces of candied fruit into his mouth.

[You have gained the lazy trait from Han Feng. Experience +100.]

[Received lazy trait from Han Feng. Experience +150.]

[Received lazy trait from Han Feng. Experience +200.]

"Your Spiritual Pet Grass Mud Horse has reached level 15 and is eligible for one evolution. Would you like to evolve?"

The Demonic Pet System's soothing voice echoed in his mind, causing Han Feng to momentarily pause his snacking.

Spiritual beasts are ranked across six tiers: ordinary, superior, martial king, supreme, perfect, and sovereign. It's rare for spiritual pets to evolve, but once they undergo purification, their attributes skyrocket, marking a transformative leap in quality.

"Evolve!"

Without a second thought, Han Feng opted for evolution.

[Evolution complete. Congratulations to the Grass Mud Horse for advancing from ordinary to superior tier!]

As the system's announcement dissipated, the Grass Mud Horse's form started to undergo a remarkable transformation!