227: Chapter 227 Argument

Wuji City.

One week later.

After resting for such a long time, the two people and one bird had finally recovered; they were no longer as guarded against each other as before.

Nie Ning walked to the window of the inn and looked down at the bustling street below.

They were currently in a place called Boyunisi Province.

This was not a single country, but a region where many independent cities gathered.

Due to its remote location, ancient cities, and fragmented governance, its level of development was far lower than that of the Wilbes Republic.

The folk customs of Boyunisi Province were fierce, and there were many warriors who utilized the power of blood and qi.

Warriors were similar to knights, yet they occupied two extremes.

Warriors did not convert their blood-qi power into a Seed of Dou Qi; instead, they continued to temper their own blood-qi to gain greater strength and explosive power.

Knights, on the other hand, leaned toward defense and recovery, possessing stronger survivability.

It was impossible to tell which was stronger; each had its own advantages.

After all, after so many years of development, even the weakest profession proved its value as long as it didn't disappear into the long river of history.

Over the past few days, Nie Ning had roughly calculated the location pointed to by the necklace.

It was in this region, within a great mountain named Narnia.

Narnia was the holy mountain of Boyunisi Province; it was said that some kind of ancient treasure existed within.

However, the place was filled with poisonous insects and fierce beasts, and was shrouded in Toxic Miasma year-round, so few people could enter the mountain's interior.

Most treasure hunters died without a whole corpse; it was rumored that several Fourth-Ring Wizards had died there without finding even a shadow of the ancient treasure.

If Nie Ning didn't have the necklace, he might have already considered turning back.

But with the necklace in hand, the chances of finding the ancient treasure were high.

However, even Fourth-Ring Wizards had died inside; with his current strength, he was still a bit lacking.

After some consideration, Nie Ning decided to wait until he reached the peak of the Third Rank before going.

During these two months at sea, Heloise had reached the early stage of the Second Rank, and he had already advanced to the late stage of the Third Rank.

He only needed to digest the three-colored fluorescent stamen to nearly reach the peak of the Third Rank.

...

Nie Ning came to the door of the next room and knocked on Heloise's door.

"Come in."

Heloise's voice drifted out.

Nie Ning adjusted his state, put on what he thought was a kind smile, and then pushed the door open and walked in.

"What do you want?"

Seeing Nie Ning's eager smile, Heloise, who was fiddling with Alchemy tools, instantly became alert.

Because while Nie Ning usually acted friendly, he never engaged in such fawning behavior.

Now that Nie Ning was acting so abnormally, anyone could tell that nothing good would come of it.

"What do you mean 'what do I want'? Isn't it normal for me to come and check on my own student?"

Upon hearing this, Nie Ning withdrew his smile and assumed the posture of a teacher.

"If you have nothing to do, then leave. I'm going to take a bath and sleep in a bit; you shouldn't be interested in watching that."

Heloise looked away and continued to fiddle with the Alchemy tools in her hand.

A flash of disdain crossed Nie Ning's eyes.

Who the hell wants to watch you bathe!

If he didn't have a favor to ask, he wouldn't even bother coming to find Heloise.

"Ahem, then I'll just be direct."

Nie Ning gave a fake cough twice and then continued, "Don't you still have a three-colored fluorescent stamen? You can't use it right now anyway, so why not lend it to Teacher first? I'll return it to you after a while."

While they were on the sea, Heloise had organized her spatial items when she was bored, and he had seen the three-colored fluorescent stamen inside.

He not only needed to improve his own cultivation but also needed to raise the level of the god-forbidden ring.

The Fourth Rank was a watershed where strength would take a qualitative leap; otherwise, they wouldn't have been chased all over by a Fourth-Rank sea beast back then.

If he improved to the peak of the Third Rank and combined it with the god-forbidden ring, he should be strong enough to rival the Fourth Rank. Then, his confidence in going to the Narnia Holy Mountain would be higher.

"No!"

Heloise didn't even look up as she refused directly.

Hearing this, Nie Ning immediately became unhappy.

"I've been good to you, haven't I? Most of the materials you use to study Alchemy were given to you by me, and I gave you whatever cultivation resources I had. I give you whatever you want."

"I'm just asking you for something you can't use, and it's not like I won't give it back!"

Hearing this, Heloise turned around to look at Nie Ning, a silent, mocking expression on her face.

"Please stop making me laugh. It's because you're incompetent that I need to learn Alchemy, which even wastes my cultivation time. If you think it's bad, I can just stop learning Alchemy."

Nie Ning gritted his teeth in anger, wishing he could swallow Heloise alive.

This annoying brat!

She doesn't understand the meaning of respecting one's teacher at all!

Uh, although he hadn't taught Heloise much about being a Wizard.

But along this journey, he had taught Heloise many principles of social conduct and survival.

For example, last time when Heloise used the demon-breaking dagger he gave her to sneak attack him, he told Heloise that she must stab the heart and the head.

This was all based on experience, even if it was still useless against him.

Nie Ning took a deep breath and put on a smile again: "Let the one who gets strong first lead the one who gets strong later. We are teacher and student; only if I become stronger can I help you better. It's mutually beneficial for everyone, don't you agree?"

"That does make some sense."

Heloise nodded.

Hearing this, a look of surprise appeared in Nie Ning's eyes, but then he heard Heloise continue.

"I'll agree to it, but only if you destroy that puppet of yours. Then I'll give you the three-colored fluorescent stamen."

Heloise said expressionlessly.

A while ago, because she wanted to eat Chi Yu, Chi Yu had tried to divert attention by exposing the fact that she had broken the puppet.

Because of that incident, she had been lectured by Nie Ning for several days.

Nie Ning was somewhat reluctant.

That was his painstaking effort and his longing for his hometown; how could he destroy his beloved puppet for this!

"So there's no room for negotiation?"

Heloise remained silent; her meaning was already very clear.

"The days ahead are long; are you sure there won't be a time when you'll need to ask me for something?"

Nie Ning asked again with an unfriendly look.

After all, she was only a nineteen-year-old girl. Provoked by Nie Ning's unfriendly tone, Heloise puffed out her cheeks angrily: "I'm sure!"

"Choose one of the two: the puppet or the three-colored fluorescent stamen. You choose!"

Hearing this, Nie Ning said nothing and left the room directly.

Shortly after Nie Ning left, Chi Yu emerged from some corner.

"Girl, I have to say this about you. Don't look at how kind your teacher usually is; his heart is actually very black. Watch out that he doesn't play dirty with you. I suggest you just give him the three-colored fluorescent stamen."

...