Chapter 118: Bloodline and Faith

After seeing off the two reviewers, this minor incident did not affect Luo De's mood.

He continued at his own pace.

Patrol the woods, train, and get to work.

Another week passed.

【Growth Spirit】 increased remarkably, rising by a full 42 points.

Luo De guessed it was because he had strengthened many trees in the Willow Sands area, so the feedback was greater.

This proved his earlier strategy was correct—he must leave some trees untouched.

If one day he could activate every single tree in the Windwall Forest, he dared not imagine how much 【Growth Spirit】 he'd earn daily.

Nighttime.

On the bed.

The succubus and the tree spirit lay face-to-face, entangled, their expressions dazed, kissing each other.

Luo De was behind them.

After using 【Body Proliferation】, everything was perfectly orderly.

Under the effect of 【Elbert's Secret Tome of Pleasure】.

A faint pink spiritual glow filled the entire cottage, like mist, drawn into the nostrils of the three present, not only increasing spiritual accumulation but also intensifying their emotional fervor.

"Including the leftover from before, Growth Spirit has reached 75 points—let's start with ten each, heh!"

After wild cries that shook the soul.

【Growth Spirit Used Successfully】

【Vivian gained skill: Shapeshifting Spell】

【Details: Growth Spirit activated Vivian's innate, unmastered spiritual art—this skill transforms enemies into harmless small animals, temporarily disabling their combat ability】

Luo De had seen Lily use it before.

It was a famous crowd-control skill.

Once a favorite trick of ancient wizards, its secrets had been mastered by mages over time.

Though dispellable by magic, even one or two seconds of disruption could turn the tide of battle.

A mage named Lincoln the Alchemist suffered greatly when facing a spellcaster skilled in this art; unable to learn 【Spell Counter】, he was forced to develop a crystal ball resistant to specific spells—later known as Lincoln's Orb.

"Not bad."

He turned to Tally's information.

He was instantly startled.

【Tally gained skill: Archduke Bloodline】

【Details: Growth Spirit activated Tally's innate, unmastered spiritual art—this skill greatly enhances her demonic spell affinity and grants the skills 'Deceive Gods and Demons', 'Dark Manipulation', 'Demon Body', 'Contract Gift', and 'Negative Emotion Consumption'】

【Notice!】

【Tally voluntarily discarded 'Demon Body'!】

Luo De quickly picked up the still trembling Vivian.

Her tolerance was far lower than Tally's—once pushed too high, she'd go dazed and weak, taking a long while to recover.

At this moment.

The succubus lying on the damp bed emitted intense spiritual fluctuations.

Her skin darkened again, turning purple.

The twin horns on her forehead glowed, expanded, then shrank back to their original size.

Black demonic runes appeared on her face and body.

Yet this in no way diminished Tally's allure—instead, it added a touch of intoxicating allure to her graceful form.

After a long while.

The spiritual energy finally calmed.

Tally suddenly opened her black-red vertical pupils.

She glanced at Luo De with a smile, then crawled toward him on all fours.

She began diligently cleaning her doubled tail.

"You gave up 【Demon Body】? Why?"

【Demon Body】 is one form of demonic transformation, granting superhuman close-combat prowess and partial magic immunity.

"What's the point? It makes my muscles bulk up and covers up my natural sweetness—or do you like the smell of sulfur all over me?"

"I definitely prefer you like this, but without 【Demon Body】, an Archduke demon's power would…"

Tally breathed in and out deeply.

At this, she tilted her head cutely.

"What power? I'm in charge of your lower half, darling. Everything else? Tally doesn't care."

Hmm… fine.

Since she herself didn't care, let it be.

After all, if he ever got 【Archduke Bloodline】 again, it would be a shared skill with full stats.

Luo De cupped her face.

He kissed her deeply.

After a long, tangled kiss.

Tally, lips slick with saliva, smirked:

"What? Does the master want to taste his own essence?"

"No. I want to taste your sweetness forever."

". mph, the master's been saying too many sweet words lately—Tally's become immune."

【Tally's obedience +6, current obedience: 75】

【Obedience surpassed 75—unlock shared skill with Tally】

【Beginning random draw…】

Luo De's heart tightened.

What if, just maybe, he drew 【Archduke Bloodline】!

But if demonic blood was added, his appearance would change—he might turn into a tiefling outright.

Luo De couldn't use shapeshifting; he couldn't hide demonic features.

A human suddenly becoming a tiefling.

He'd likely be suspected of performing dark rituals, inviting unnecessary trouble.

【Draw successful】

【Shared Skill: Negative Emotion Consumption】

【Details: Demons are a sentient race that feed on negative emotions; they have their own methods—consuming overflowed negative emotions grants unique abilities in full state.】

"Absorbing negative emotions? Not bad."

This was a subsidiary skill of 【Archduke Bloodline】.

He hadn't expected to draw it first.

This small incident didn't dampen the trio's mood.

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed through the window into the messy cottage.

Luo De awoke on a bed strewn with bare, supple bodies.

He patiently untangled himself.

He dressed fully and began his morning training.

Today was the day to enter town—supplies from both the farm and the forest were running low; he needed to restock.

The emerald branch's condition was grim; Luo De planned to buy some magical plant nutrients.

Oh, and he needed to take Krista to familiarize her with the town's merchants and trade details.

As he thought this.

He saw the banshee gliding toward him from afar.

"Master, you have a letter."

"A letter? You fetched it?"

Luo De took it, puzzled.

Usually, the hunter Tom kindly brought it to him.

"A hunter delivered it—he meant to deliver it himself, but Pan Ni's untrained underling startled him, so he left this letter."

Krista reported with glee.

She emphasized the words "untrained" to highlight the ghoul's unreliability.

It was her old trick from her con-art days in the countryside—diminishing others to elevate herself.

Luo De paid her no mind.

He took the letter.

It bore the name of the halfling Lily.

"Lily's letter…"

Luo De smiled.

He had just turned over when he noticed the letter had been opened.

"."

Little Tang Mu had delivered the letters several times before, and this had never happened.

Then

Luo De looked at the Banshee, pretending to be unconcerned, gazing up at the sky.

(End of Chapter)