Chapter 14: Back to Being Broke

"Black shop! A total black shop!"

"Isn't anyone regulating the market? They're treating the kingdom's laws as if they don't exist!"

Rod cursed under his breath as he walked out of the shop.

"Welcome to come again~"

The two pretty beauties at the shop door still smiled sweetly, even giving a slight bow.

Two spiritual arts and one treasure.

And it actually cost 800 Jin Along!

Luckily he had sold 【Ascetic Hardening】 for 300 Jin Along, otherwise he couldn't have afforded it!

He knew it was expensive, but he hadn't expected it to be this expensive!

Tally giggled coquettishly on the side.

For some reason, every time she saw Rod looking embarrassed, she felt happy.

"Don't be angry~ It's not worth spending your energy on something like this~"

She raised her hand high and patted Rod on the head.

"Save your energy, and use it all on me, okay~"

"."

In the battle with Ali.

Rod learned that his spiritual perception was not high, so he couldn't detect in time that he was gathering spiritual energy to trigger a spell ring.

So he bought a breathing method with a perception-boosting effect.

Mid-grade, above-average quality 【Night Hunter Breathing Method】.

At the same time, because of the defense issue, he was pierced through the heart by 【Shadow Assault】 and nearly died.

Although he had the growable 【Tree Armor Art】, even so, the current defense of 【Tree Armor Art】 and 【Chang En Fa Yin】 was not quite enough.

So he bought a defensive magic cloak, 【Guardian's Veil】.

And in the battle with Isabella.

His attack power was seriously lacking.

The 【Super Strength】 of the giant pagoda tree couldn't be triggered all the time.

Of course, on one hand, because he hadn't yet learned 【Aetheron Flash】.

Anyway, it's anxiety!

Fear of insufficient firepower.

Rod directly spent a fortune to buy a high-quality sixth-tier sword art, 【Giant Cleave】.

"Let me tell you something interesting."

Tally smiled and said: "Just now when you were haggling, I heard it outside."

"What?"

"That Young Lady who hit you last night was dumped in an engagement a year ago, so she hates men and has taken a liking to women. Offend her, and you're done for~"

"Ugh, where did this noble gossip come from."

"The residents on the street are all talking about it~"

"."

Why do the people of Shi Ying Town gossip about everything every single day?

"Then let me tell you another one."

Tally, thinking he found it boring, said again: "That Young Lady is in her early thirties, right? And still a virgin."

"Don't talk nonsense"

"What nonsense? We succubi are most sensitive to essence. Whether a woman has ever taken in essence, I can tell at a glance!"

Rod bought some saplings and nutrient solution, and brought them to Vivian in the Bai Yu district.

Although Vivian showed no expression.

The increase in obedience on the Nu Yi Zhou showed that she was actually very happy.

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

Unlike Tally's flightiness.

Vivian's obedience increased in a fairly orderly manner.

As long as Rod did something beneficial to the trees, her obedience would always go up by one or two points.

With nothing to do.

Rod simply handled the ashes of the trees together with Vivian.

Tally was unwilling, and secretly flew up to hide in a tree, but was quickly dragged down by Rod.

"Are you alright?"

Seeing that Vivian's mood was really not good, he spoke up.

"Trees, innocent, died."

Vivian lowered her head, always carrying an undercurrent of sadness.

"I can feel your pain, Vivian, but please believe that even after turning to ashes, their lives have not ended."

Rod gently pressed the ashes on the ground and said: "It may no longer exist in the form of a tree, but its energy and vitality still exist in this land."

Vivian was silent for a moment, then gradually cheered up.

"Thank you, Rod."

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

She took two steps closer to Rod.

Toe to toe, she raised her head, her eyes shining with white light, looking at Rod's face without any hesitation.

The girl's scent, mingled with the fragrance of grass and trees, drifted softly into his nose.

The Tree Spirit's tube top was tattered.

Sensing Rod's gaze,

Vivian felt no shame; instead, she gently hooked the edge of her tube top with her finger.

"Rod, want to see?"

"Ah? No, I mean, sorry."

In front of such an innocent girl, Rod didn't want to do anything inappropriate.

It would make him feel like he was deceiving someone.

He took off his sleeveless linen shirt and handed it to the Tree Spirit.

"Next time we go into town, I'll buy you some clothes."

Vivian hugged the linen shirt.

Suddenly, she pressed it to her nose and took a deep breath.

"Mm."

Rod felt a bit embarrassed.

Although Tally often did this kind of thing, after all, it was Vivian standing before him now.

"Rod's scent."

"Sorry, I'll get you a new one when I return to the wooden cabin."

"No need, this one is very good."

Having said that, Vivian slowly and clumsily put on the linen shirt.

Tally came over with a mischievous smile and bumped Rod with her shoulder.

"Someone is deceiving an ignorant girl~"

"You've planted all the trees."

"Ah—"

After handing the matter over to Tally,

Rod, seeing there was still some time before nightfall, ran to the nearby eucalyptus area to test the bonus of 【Tree Armor Technique】.

As for the Bai Yu area just now, the bonus was 【High Resistance】.

A full resistance boost; a very useful skill.

You must know, the human race is the weakest in terms of resistance on the continent.

If it were a race like the Fire Fairies, with maxed-out fire resistance and terrible water affinity, where strengths and weaknesses are obvious, that would be fine.

Although their weaknesses are obvious, they have the awareness to avoid them and will actively guard against those specific attributes.

But for a race like humans, where all attributes are terrible, it's a real struggle.

If you fight an enemy, you simply don't know what attribute of spiritual technique they are about to unleash.

You can only use the most balanced, attribute-less defensive spells.

Arriving at the eucalyptus area,

Rod cast 【Tree Armor Technique】.

【Tree Armor Technique (Enhanced): A special enhancement for individuals possessing the 'Tree Blessing' when casting Tree Armor Technique; depending on the type of trees in the forest they are in, different abilities are enhanced accordingly.

Current Trees: Gurdah Eucalyptus

Buffed Skill: Iron Skin Blessing】

Rod immediately felt a layer of hard spiritual steel wrap around the surface of his skin.

"Wow, quite good."

If the basic version of Tree Armor Technique is a Tier 5 level of defense,

then with the 【Iron Skin Blessing】 bonus, the overall defense level barely reached the high end of Tier 6.

"No wonder no one is willing to provoke Tree Spirits in the forest; the combined bonus of 【Tree Armor Technique】 and 【Tree Blessing】 is simply not something of the same tier can withstand."

It took him some time to get to the eucalyptus area.

At this moment, the sky was slightly dim, and a faint white mist emanated from the forest.

"Oh?"

A puzzled female voice suddenly sounded from overhead.

Rod immediately froze, his expression darkening.

The problem of insufficient perception was exposed again; even though the other party had appeared in person, he still hadn't sensed them.

He immediately reached for 【Sacrificial Body Sword】.

"No need to be afraid, little Forest Warden."

The person on the tree lightly jumped down to the ground, standing tall with a graceful figure, actually a bit taller than Rod.

And a scorpion tail wrapped in black-purple bones rose high, proudly displaying her identity.

The Scorpion Woman of the Eucalyptus Area!

(End of Chapter)