Watching the riders leave without looking back, Nan Jihong and the others didn't spare him a glance, and Chen Guan actually breathed a sigh of relief.
In a place like this, it's fortunate enough that the veterans didn't turn around to catch him and torture him into relinquishing Yanzhi.
Of course, even if they wanted to catch him, it wouldn't be that easy. The combat power that Yanzhi at level five could unleash, coupled with the Spirit of the Cheerleaders, would definitely be beyond imagination.
Although riding Yanzhi wasn't very comfortable, its speed far surpassed that of Secret Spirits of the same level, making it a great tool for escaping.
As for how strong Yanzhi was under the blessing of the Spirit of the Cheerleaders, Chen Guan couldn't fathom. He hadn't developed the Spirit of the Cheerleaders nearly enough.
Any talent isn't as simple as it appears on the surface. In practical application, many usage techniques and methods can be developed. The same talent can vary greatly in strength depending on the user.
Ji Nanhong and the others were heading towards the depths of the Corpse Lump Forest. Chen Guan unhesitatingly gave up on hunting Secret Spirits there and left in the opposite direction, intending to find another place to hunt Secret Spirits, preferably somewhere with no one else around.
After all, this island was vast and sparsely populated, so finding such a place shouldn't be difficult.
Just because the veterans weren't currently aiming for Yanzhi doesn't mean they wouldn't change their minds. The allure of a unique pet was significant, even here, and Chen Guan didn't want to gamble on human nature.
The journey back was relatively smooth because the corpses on the way had been cleared, and he didn't encounter any danger, yet Chen Guan didn't dare relax even slightly.
This wasn't a game; life only gave one shot, and there was no chance for revival once dead.
As he passed by a large tree, Chen Guan suddenly felt something amiss, as if a cold wind was coming from behind. Instinctively, he dodged to the side but still felt a sharp pain in his back.
Without taking time to investigate his injury, he immediately dove forward while commanding Yanzhi, clearing the path ahead, to turn back and save him.
Chen Guan rolled on the ground and distanced himself. As he turned to look, he saw a black-clad figure brandishing a dagger charging at him with incredible speed, the dagger nearly piercing his chest.
Clang!
A Blood Shadow flew in, and the Pig-killing Saber spinning intercepted the black-clad figure's dagger, forcibly deflecting it.
Chen Guan was astonished as he scrambled backward. The power of Yanzhi was formidable, even at only level five, its strength rivaled that of a typical level ten Secret Spirit.
Moreover, with the sharpness of the Bloodsucking Saber, the dagger in the black-clad figure's hand was merely deflected and not severed or knocked away, showing that the figure's strength was not inferior to Yanzhi's.
As Chen Guan retreated, the black-clad figure charged again. Fortunately, Yanzhi had already leapt in front of Chen Guan. With a huge stomp, the Bloodsucking Saber on the ground was kicked into the air and caught in Yanzhi's claws, swinging it towards the figure.
Although the black-clad figure's strength was not inferior to Yanzhi's, it seemed unwilling to fight Yanzhi head-to-head, using a Body Technique to move swiftly and ghostlike, dodging Yanzhi's repeated strikes while occasionally counterattacking, putting Yanzhi at a disadvantage.
"This Stealth Killer's level seems higher than what the veterans mentioned, and its quality is certainly not ordinary." From a distance, Chen Guan observed, already recognizing the black-clad figure's origin.
In the Corpse Lump Forest, besides the corpses, there was another kind of Secret Spirit, though much rarer. They hadn't encountered any on their way, and unexpectedly, Chen Guan encountered one on his way back.
This kind of Secret Spirit was the Stealth Killer. Normal Stealth Killers were level ten, considered high-level Secret Spirits on the island.
However, ordinary Stealth Killers were weaker in strength and constitution. In direct combat, the Corpse Lump Forest masters at the same level were stronger than Stealth Killers.
Yet, Stealth Killers were adept at ambushes and were very fast. If ambushed, even a level ten Corpse Lump Forest master could easily be killed.
More so, this Stealth Killer didn't seem ordinary; otherwise, they couldn't have pushed Yanzhi into such a dire situation.
The fact that Chen Guan narrowly avoided a fatal blow and wasn't pierced in the heart could only be attributed to his own vigilance and a combination of quick reflexes and good luck.
Seeing the Stealth Killer maneuvering like a phantom, with Yanzhi unable to harm it, and instead getting slashed repeatedly, falling into a disadvantage and likely to be severely injured at any moment, Chen Guan couldn't wait any longer and activated the Spirit of the Cheerleaders' talent.
"Yanzhi... you are the strongest Secret Spirit Pet in the world... a mere Stealth Killer... can be chopped to death with a single strike..." Chen Guan enthusiastically praised, hoping to stimulate Yanzhi's fighting spirit and quickly turn the tide to kill the Stealth Killer.
However, despite his profuse compliments, he found that although Yanzhi was indeed motivated, the effect wasn't as good as imagined, and the situation wasn't reversed, let alone killing the Stealth Killer.
Chen Guan frowned slightly; this wasn't within his expectations. From his previous observations, the Spirit of the Cheerleaders' effect should be more significant. Even ordinary Secret Spirit Pets like the Warring States could be inspired to exhibit formidable combat power.
How could a Secret Spirit Pet of Yanzhi's quality have only such a minor effect?
Chen Guan reviewed the information on the Spirit of the Cheerleaders, pondering for a moment, and a few ideas came to mind.
The Spirit of the Cheerleaders worked mainly by using words or actions to activate the target's potential, putting it into a state of exceptional performance, which evidently related to both the body and mind, requiring a sound mental state.
Reflecting on his past experiences, when he praised the Warring States for loyalty, it immediately enhanced its combat power, while subsequent irrelevant praises had little effect.
The veterans also unlocked potential by being praised on their shooting talent, making their archery incredibly accurate.
Chen Guan once thought the Spirit of the Cheerleaders only worked once, but upon reflection, even praise needs to resonate with the praised person deeply, stirring their spirit, to be effective.
Just like how telling a cripple he runs fast wouldn't make him ecstatic and tap into his potential, but instead, make him feel mocked and insulted, thus how could it be effective?
Thinking this through, Chen Guan quickly recalled how he praised the Warring States and repeated it for Yanzhi, only to find the effect was still negligible.
"I praised the Warring States for loyalty, the veterans for their archery skill, and the Spirit of the Cheerleaders worked, but it doesn't work for Yanzhi. It seems the Spirit of the Cheerleaders requires different praise tailored to different beings, appealing to their preferences. So what does Yanzhi prefer? How should I praise it to activate its potential and put it into a state of extraordinary performance?" Chen Guan mused.