Chapter 14: Return to the Poor Devil

“Black shop! Definitely a black shop!”

“Isn’t there any oversight of the market? This is outright contempt for the kingdom’s laws!”

Luo De stepped out of the shop, muttering curses under his breath.

“Welcome back~”

The two pretty girls at the shop entrance still smiled sweetly, even bowing slightly.

Two spiritual techniques and one treasure.

He had just spent 800 Jin Along!

Luckily, he sold 【Enduring Hardened Body】 for 300 Jin Along, or he couldn’t have afforded it!

I knew you were expensive, but not this expensive!

Tally laughed beside him.

For some reason, she found joy in seeing Luo De embarrassed.

“Don’t be upset~ Spending energy on this is pointless~”

She raised her hand high and patted Luo De’s head.

“Save your strength—use it all on me, okay?”

“.”

During the battle with Ali.

Luo De learned his spiritual perception was too low to detect when Ali was gathering spiritual energy to trigger his spell ring.

So he bought a breathing technique that enhances perception.

Mid-rank, high-quality 【Night Hunter Breathing Technique】.

Also, due to defense issues, he was pierced through the heart by 【Shadow Assault】 and nearly died.

Although he had the growth-capable 【Tree Armor Technique】, even so, its defense and 【Chang’en Seal】 were still insufficient.

So he bought a defensive magic cloak: 【Guardian’s Veil】.

And during the battle with Isabella,

his attack power was severely lacking.

The Giant Acacia’s 【Superb Strength】 couldn’t be triggered at will.

Of course, partly because he hadn’t learned 【Etheron’s Flash】 yet.

Basically, he was anxious!

Firepower deficiency phobia.

Luo De directly spent a fortune to buy a high-quality sixth-rank sword art: 【Giant Slash】.

“Let me tell you something interesting.”

Tally smiled: “While you were haggling, I heard it outside.”

“What?”

“That noblewoman who beat you last night was once jilted a year ago, so she hates men and now prefers women—cross her, and you’re dead.”

“Where did you get this noble gossip?”

“Everyone on the street is talking about it~”

“.”

Why do the people of Shiying Town gossip every single day?

“Let me tell you another.”

Tally, thinking he was bored, added: “That noblewoman is over thirty and still a virgin.”

“Don’t make things up.”

“What nonsense? We succubi are most sensitive to essence—just one look, I can tell if a woman has absorbed essence!”

Luo De bought some seedlings and nutrient solution and brought them to Vivian in Baiyu District.

Vivian showed no expression.

But the obedience level on the enslavement spell increased, showing she was happy.

【Vivian’s obedience to you +2, current obedience: 77】

Unlike Tally’s erratic behavior,

Vivian’s obedience increased in a methodical way.

Whenever Luo De did something beneficial to trees, her obedience always rose by one or two points.

With nothing else to do,

Luo De simply helped Vivian clear the tree ashes.

Tally refused, sneaking off to perch on a tree—but Luo De quickly pulled her down.

“Are you alright?”

Seeing Vivian’s mood was especially low, he spoke up.

“Trees, innocent, died.”

Vivian lowered her head, her expression always tinged with sorrow.

“I feel your pain, Vivian, but please believe—even turned to ash, their lives haven’t ended.”

Luo De gently pressed his hand against the ash on the ground and said: “They may no longer exist as trees, but their energy and vitality still remain in this land.”

Vivian fell silent for a moment, then gradually lifted her spirits.

“Thank you, Luo De.”

【Vivian’s obedience to you +1, current obedience: 78】

She stepped closer two paces.

Toe to toe, she raised her head, her glowing white eyes staring directly into Luo De’s face without hesitation.

The faint, herbal scent of the girl drifted into his nose.

The tree spirit’s chest binding was torn.

Sensing Luo De’s gaze,

Vivian didn’t blush—instead, she gently tugged at the chest binding with her fingers.

“Luo De, want to see?”

“Ah? No, I mean—I’m sorry.”

In front of this innocent girl, Luo De didn’t want to do anything inappropriate.

It made him feel like he was deceiving someone.

He took off his sleeveless linen tunic and handed it to the tree spirit.

“Next time I go into town, I’ll buy you some clothes.”

Vivian hugged the linen tunic.

Suddenly pressed it to her nose and inhaled deeply.

“Mmm.”

Luo De felt embarrassed.

Although Tally often did this, Vivian was different—she was right here.

“Luo De’s… smell.”

“Sorry, I’ll get you a new one when I return to the cabin.”

“No, this one… is good.”

Saying that, Vivian slowly and clumsily put on the linen tunic.

Tally sauntered over, shoulder-bumping Luo De with a mischievous grin.

“Someone’s deceiving an innocent girl~”

“You planted all the trees.”

“Ah—”

After handing the task to Tally,

Luo De, seeing there was still time before nightfall, went to the eucalyptus grove to test the boost from 【Tree Armor Technique】.

As for the earlier Baiyu District, the boost was 【Gao Qiang Endurance】.

Full endurance enhancement—a very useful skill.

Remember, humans are the weakest race in the continent when it comes to resistances.

If it were fire elementals, who have max fire resistance but terrible water resistance, with clear strengths and weaknesses, that’d be fine.

Even with clear weaknesses, they’re aware of them and actively avoid those attributes.

But humans, with universally weak resistances, suffer.

When fighting, you never know what kind of spiritual technique your opponent will cast,

so you can only rely on the most balanced, attribute-neutral defense spells.

Arriving at the eucalyptus grove,

Luo De activated 【Tree Armor Technique】.

【Tree Armor Technique (Enhanced): When an individual with the ‘Tree’s Blessing’ casts Tree Armor, it receives special enhancements based on the type of trees in the surrounding forest.

Current trees: Guldah Eucalyptus

Enhanced skill: Iron Skin Blessing】

Luo De immediately felt a layer of hard spiritual steel enveloping the surface of his skin.

“Whoa, pretty good.”

If the basic version of Tree Armor Art was a fifth-rank defense,

then with the addition of [Iron Skin Blessing], the overall defense level barely reached the high end of sixth rank.

“No wonder no one wants to provoke Tree Spirits in the forest— the synergy between [Tree Armor Art] and [Tree’s Blessing] is simply unmatched by same-rank opponents.”

It took him some time to reach the eucalyptus zone.

The sky was faintly golden, and a light white mist drifted through the trees.

“Oh?”

A puzzled female voice suddenly sounded from above.

Luo De froze instantly, his expression darkening.

His insufficient perception had exposed itself again—even when the opponent had already appeared, he still hadn’t sensed her.

He immediately reached for [Sword of Devotion].

“No need to fear, forest warden.”

The figure on the tree lightly leapt to the ground, standing tall and slender—taller than Luo De.

A scorpion tail, wrapped in black-purple bone, rose high, proudly displaying her identity.

The Scorpion Woman of the Eucalyptus Zone!

(End of Chapter)