Chapter 327: Ritual Begins

According to the relevant information about the professional promotion system of this world that Xia Nan now understands.

The improvement of professional level, in addition to paving the way for subsequent promotion and job transfer, is not without other benefits.

While integrating the abilities he has mastered into a fixed system, just like 【Gravity Control】, 【Tide Shaping】, and 【Heart-Sensing Vision】, as the level gradually rises, the professional himself will also benefit from it.

And for a niche profession like 【Meteor Blade Hunting】 whose upper limit is lv5, the key node of change is likely at lv3 and lv5.

This means that Xia Nan, who is already a lv2 professional, as long as he practices 【Gravity Etching】 to full level and raises his professional level to lv3, he will have a high probability of obtaining a corresponding combat technique or specialty.

The latter goes without saying, he has long experienced the powerful effects of 【Tide Shaping】 and 【Heart-Sensing Vision】; and if it is the former, being able to provide him with a brand-new combat technique is naturally better.

Automatically acquired with the improvement of professional level, this means that Xia Nan does not need to consider the fit between the combat technique and the profession itself, nor does he need to worry about whether it will affect his future strength upper limit.

Just practice it, there will be no harm.

And now, the proficiency level of 【Gravity Etching】 has also reached lv3, not far from the full level. As long as he trains daily while stuck in the cooldown time, even if he drags the time, he can push it to lv5.

If he is lucky enough to successfully start 【Dream Weaving Corridor】, this process can be further accelerated.

Of course, this belongs to the medium-term goal.

The most important thing for him at the moment is to complete the Mist Lamp Grass collection mission at hand and pay off the debt to Ba'en.

Dongshu's morning training didn't last long.

Not a professional, the boy's physical fitness was average, and he had experienced such violent emotional fluctuations last night, basically not resting much.

Being able to get up and go out for training was already the result of the dual effect of will and habit, and his physical strength was overdrawn.

In this case, no matter how much he cherished this precious opportunity to be guided by a professional-level powerhouse, wishing he could practice until nightfall.

Seeing that his physical strength had reached the limit and the training intensity exceeded the normal range, Xia Nan still asked him to stop and return to the village to rest together.

"Need to take every training seriously, you did a good job on this point, I can see your focus." Walking on the country path, Xia Nan glanced at the boy whose face was faintly pale due to overexertion, and reminded him.

"But unless it is a planned extreme training, it is best to retain at least 30% of physical strength to deal with possible emergencies."

"I understand, thank you for your guidance, Mr. Xia Nan."

Dongshu nodded seriously and sincerely.

Then, on that face with some freckles, a shy and pure smile unique to country boys appeared again:

"I don't actually do this on weekdays. After all, I still have to work after going back. If I get so tired every morning training, Brother Aspen will scold me."

"It's just that you happened to be watching beside me today, so I thought about practicing a little more to see if I could get some pointers... hehe."

Xia Nan naturally wouldn't mind the little thoughts of this simple boy.

And to be honest, he was not some extraordinary or legendary powerhouse, but just had just obtained a professional level.

The so-called "pointers" were just when he was interested, helping the other party point out some obvious mistakes during the training.

Really asking him to formulate any rigorous training plan for those beginners and plan the professional route... Xia Nan really couldn't do it.

"But the sacrificial ritual in your village is quite solemn. I saw that someone was already arranging it last night?"

Halfway through the walk, Xia Nan asked casually.

Hearing this, Dongshu, who had a cheerful smile on his face, paused, nodded stiffly:

"Yes, after all, this is an ancient tradition passed down for generations in our Mist Lamp Village, and it will be held every once in a while."

"Village Chief said that the ritual prayer can protect the villagers, keep those dangerous monsters away from the village, and make the wheat grow faster."

"Passed down for generations?" Catching the key word in the other party's mouth, Xia Nan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "Has this ritual been held in your village for many years?"

"I... I don't know." The expression on Dongshu's face became harder and harder to maintain, and even his voice became low, "Since I can remember, this tradition has already existed."

"If you want to know more, you might as well ask the elderly in the village, maybe they know some detailed situation."

Xia Nan could perceive that when answering him, Dongshu obviously showed hesitation, and his lips mumbled, as if he wanted to say something, but held it in his heart because of some concerns.

Roughly able to guess the other party's thoughts.

Since this is the case, it is better to speak more openly.

"What is the specific content of the sacrificial ritual? What is the sacrifice? It seems that no one has mentioned it to me."

Ta—

That was the crisp sound of leather boots landing.

Dongshu froze in place.

His gaze moved down subconsciously, not daring to look at Xia Nan's eyes beside him.

His body trembled violently, which was a muscle twitch caused by excessive training, and also the sudden release of suppressed emotions in his heart.

Staring at the boy in front of him with jet-black eyes, seeing the other party's silent performance, Xia Nan pondered for a moment and opened his mouth slowly:

"Her name is Lily'ai... right?"

Hum—

Dongshu raised his head fiercely, his pupils shrank, and the expression on his face seemed to freeze at this moment.

The air fell into dead silence in an instant, and even time seemed to stop.

Only the drop of sweat on the boy's forehead dripped slowly from his cheek and seeped into the soil.

"Y-you, you already know?"

Dongshu's voice trembled, and the emotions surging in his heart made some unnatural blood color appear on his pale face after training.

Xia Nan turned his body and continued to move forward, leaving only a voice echoing in the boy's ear:

"About that 'existence deep in the canyon', what do you know?"

Dongshu followed quickly, his gaze looking at the other party's back was indescribably complex, with a heavy heart, but his mouth was subconsciously answering the other party:

"About Him... I don't know very well either. The canyon is a forbidden area of the village. Let alone me, even Brother Aspen is not allowed to enter."

"The children in the village are warned from childhood not to approach, saying that it will disturb the guardian god sleeping in it, and anyone who violates this rule will be punished most severely."

Xia Nan showed a thoughtful expression on his face, but didn't say anything, while Dongshu seemed to have found a breakthrough to vent his emotions, changing from the previous silence and hesitation, and said excitedly:

"I want to take Lily'ai away!"

"She, she shouldn't bear this, this is not her fault, no, she is innocent!"

"But... but..."

Dongshu's eye sockets became red, but his voice gradually choked, and he couldn't say a word.

Xia Nan waited quietly.

Until the suddenly hurried breathing beside him calmed down, he asked again:

"What about Aspen? He should be your guide. Have you mentioned your thoughts to him?" ===== CHAPTER 328 =====