Yun Juan’s equipment was equally stunning.

  Her pink battle armor featured a pair of short, delicate wings on the back — beautiful yet highly functional. Engraved inside was a full energy-shield formation that could protect her entire body for a full hour once activated.

  On her left arm she wore a miniature Multi?Barrel Rocket Launcher:

  the main barrel fired fire?element attacks, while the smaller surrounding tubes could launch smoke bombs, flashbang rounds, stun grenades, and other tactical distraction projectiles for excellent control and support.

  Her primary weapon was a Light Sword —

  the pinnacle technological creation jointly developed by Mo Jing and Dr. Ao. Its orange-red blade cut through nearly everything, and could operate for two hours on a full charge.

  With their gear fully prepared, all three girls were overjoyed.

  Yun Shu felt bad for how much Mo Jing had done for the team and pulled out a leather pouch.

  “Jingjing, you’ve worked so hard. I don’t have many treasures, but this thing is pretty useful. You can have it for now.”

  With a flick of her wrist, a tamed Level 2 Double-Headed Eagle flew out.

  Mo Jing accepted the eagle, but her gaze locked firmly onto the pouch.

  “What is this?”

  Yun Shu smiled. “It’s a Spirit Storage Pouch. Much rarer than ordinary cosmos bags. It has its own inner space and can hold living creatures, making it easy to carry spirit beasts. Most high?level beasts are too proud to enter willingly, though. I borrowed this from my father, so I have to return it.”

  Mo Jing’s eyes lit up instantly, her voice urgent with excitement.

  “Can I borrow it for just one night? Please — only one night!”

  Night fell, and the world grew quiet.

  A soft light glowed in Mo Jing’s room.

  She held the Spirit Storage Pouch carefully, her eyes burning with the focus and thrill of a true researcher.

  The phantom of Professor Jiu appeared in her consciousness, data streams cascading like waterfalls.

  “Begin scanning and analysis.”

  Nanobots flowed from her fingertips, turning into a fine silver mist that completely enveloped the pouch, attempting to penetrate its surface and decode its internal structure and spatial laws.

  Progress, however, was extremely difficult.

  Professor Jiu’s voice turned grave:

  “Warning: The spatial laws contained within the target are extremely complex, and protected by a powerful bio?energy imprint barrier. Forced analysis risks damaging the stable inner space, killing any creatures inside — or even causing a spatial collapse.”

  Mo Jing frowned.

  The technological level of the pouch far exceeded her expectations.

  “Can we not reverse-engineer its core manufacturing technique?”

  “Core technologies like spatial folding and life support touch upon the fundamental rules of this world,” Professor Jiu replied. “With our current parsing rate, reverse?engineering is not possible. However —”

  Her tone shifted. “We can learn from its design logic and optimize our own solutions.”

  Mo Jing pressed on: “How?”

  “For example, using silicon crystals and nanobots, we could build a large, fixed Spirit Beast Cage or Ecological Simulation Space. It wouldn’t be as portable, but inside a base, it could create a far better environment for researching and raising spirit beasts.”

  An incredibly bold idea took shape in Mo Jing’s mind at once.

  Next to Jiu Ge’s base, she would build her own Spirit Beast Garden!

  “How feasible is this?”

  “Silicon crystals have extremely high compatibility with life energy. Theoretically viable, pending field testing. I recommend prioritizing the capture of live spirit beasts with research value or special abilities.”

  Her goal was now clear.

  Mo Jing carefully stored the pouch, ready to return it the next morning.

  She could not replicate it, but that night’s research had opened a brand-new door for her.

  The next day, Mo Jing returned the Spirit Storage Pouch and sincerely thanked Yun Shu.

  Yun Shu was relieved that Mo Jing had not pressed for more details.

  Summer was nearing its end, and the spirit beast hunting mission was urgent.

  Mo Jing, Ji Wuli, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu officially formed their four?person team and prepared to enter the academy’s designated training zone.

  Before departure, Mo Jing locked herself in her room for half a day.

  When she reappeared, Ji Wuli and the girls stared in awe.

  She wore the gleaming Golden Sacred Armor, held the intricately carved Seven-Star Overlord Spear, and a scarlet cape fluttered behind her without wind.

  Sunlight shone down, and she looked like a war goddess descending — heroic, imposing, and breathtaking.

  Yun Juan gasped: “Wow! Jingjing, you look so cool!”

  Ji Wuli’s eyes were full of admiration as he laughed.

  “Great. We might get mobbed by onlookers before we even find a spirit beast.”

  Yun Shu stroked the Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher fixed to her arm, eager for battle.

  “Perfect — let’s test my new gear on these beasts!”

  Traveling light, the four stored their important items in spatial treasures, chatting and laughing as they left Wensique Academy and stepped into the vast, wild mountain forest.

  Their first target: the Shadow Claw Leopard of Blackwind Mountain, three hundred miles away.

  A beginner?level spirit beast, it moved like the wind, had razor?sharp claws and fangs, and excelled at stealth and ambushes — ideal for testing team coordination.

  Using scout beetles released by Yun Shu, the team quickly locked onto their target.

  A 3D topographic map appeared clearly on their tactical glasses, marking a Shadow Claw Leopard drinking from a stream.

  Mo Jing’s expression turned calm and sharp.

  “Execute the plan.”

  Ji Wuli struck first, casting Mirage Illusion.

  The scenery around the leopard warped slightly, making it hesitate in alertness.

  In that instant —

  Bang!

  Yun Shu’s heavy firepower roared.

  A specially crafted tranquilizer dart sliced through the air and struck the Shadow Claw Leopard’s hind leg with perfect precision.