Chapter 224: Past and Training

Luo De was never particularly good at pleasing girls.

After all, with his face, he barely needed to try to win them over.

The Rosalia before him was a skilled practitioner—at least at faking it.

Even if her surprise was an act, as a tooth fairy fairy with certain insect traits, her fondness for flowers was surely genuine.

Thinking thus,

the 【Treasure Obsession】 sense suddenly activated.

Luo De paused slightly.

Following the sensation, he shifted his gaze.

Immediately, he spotted a shrub branch on a shelf beside the florist's clerk, amid the blooming flowers at the entrance.

It bore no green leaves, only vivid red petals, sharply upturned like raised flames.

Luo De recognized the flower—it was called Dragon Fang Flower, its meaning being honor.

It wasn't because he was particularly learned.

Once, while buying supplies on the street, he encountered the witch Demia shopping at this same florist.

She came to gather material for her lurid novels.

After all, the hero Ophir was a flower spirit, and many of her stories revolved around flowers.

They chatted briefly about flower meanings, and she mentioned this distinctive Dragon Fang Flower.

Luo De pulled the branch off the shelf.

【Treasure Obsession activated successfully】

【Granted item "Dragon Fang Flower" treasure trait: Spotless】

【Details: The item "Dragon Fang Flower" will never wither and can cleanse dust from any size of enclosed space.】

Hmm.

The phrase "any size" sounded impressive, but couldn't hide the fact that this was a useless treasure.

He himself had no use for it.

But then again, "a treasure held dear in one's heart,"

clearly, our forest warden was interested in flower spirits, not flowers themselves.

So it could only be this tooth fairy fairy beside him.

Interesting.

This skill doesn't just find treasures—it can also guess what someone likes?

Luo De simply handed it to her and smiled:

"The meaning of Dragon Fang Flower is honor. I hope you too may become a warrior fighting for freedom and dignity."

Rosalia froze for a moment.

With her small hand, fingers wrapped in black-purple insect-like exoskeleton, she took the Dragon Fang Flower.

The upward-blooming petals, like torches, made her momentarily dazed.

"Mr. Luo De, have I ever told you about my people?"

She said blankly.

"No, but I heard at city hall about your journey from Gem City to here."

Luo De was confused.

"Fifty years ago, a human mage launched a campaign to capture and exterminate fairies. I, as the most gifted young tooth fairy of my generation, was seen as the pride of my people—yet when my clan suffered devastating blows, I failed to save them, and even because my body resembled a human's, I was not recognized as a tooth fairy."

She stared at Luo De, expressionless, her eyes complex and sorrowful.

"Mr. Luo De, can someone like me still accept such a gift?"

【Anger Points +10】

A tooth fairy fairy burdened with regret and rage...

Luo De offered no comfort.

He desired this lady only physically; he cared little for her deeper self or her emotional state.

"Of course you can. You don't have to become that kind of warrior."

He said casually.

A flicker of shame and anger crossed Rosalia's face, then quickly faded into relief, and she let out a soft laugh.

"Mr. Luo De, you're the first man who's ever fooled me like this."

"How so? I merely offered a second option."

Before he could finish, she shoved the bouquet of roses back into his arms, gripped the Dragon Fang Flower in one hand, lifted her long skirt with the other, and trotted forward a few steps.

Then she turned, her skirt swirling.

"I was wrong. Mr. Luo De doesn't know how to charm girls at all—I hate roses. Dragon Fang Flower is perfect."

Saying this, she ran off, vanishing swiftly down the street.

Luo De watched her graceful retreating figure and clenched his fist slightly.

This might be promising.

Though it might just be another one of her tricks.

He didn't continue wandering the market.

After reporting at city hall, Luo De immediately returned to the forest.

These two days at the 【Cat Fairy Paradise】 had been without training—he felt a pang of guilt.

He needed to rush back and make up for lost time.

Besides, the spoils from this mission—the 【Shatter Jade】, the witch-cat's gift of 【Mana Drain】, 【Yulandi's Ice Blade Domain】, and the discussions and speculations on the Land Naga's Spirit Art "Battle Soul"—were all excellent.

Worthy of study.

As for 【High-Level Shadow Conjuration】

this spell could simulate any non-higher-than-seventh-rank conjuration spell using shadow matter—extremely practical.

It would be better suited for Tally, who excelled in shadow magic.

Arriving at the grassland between Henry's Farm and the forest,

Luo De happened to see the tiefling Lin Saixier practicing spirit arts on her own.

He greeted her, but didn't speak.

Both went about their own training.

Luo De chose to study 【Yulandi's Ice Blade Domain】 first.

Spirit arts and spells aren't ranked purely by power.

Their classification depends more on complexity and the abilities required to cast them.

Clearly, the low-rank spell 【Brighten】 requires no incantation or material components for most mages.

A slightly higher one, the sixth-rank spell 【Spatial Shift】, requires brief incantation and gestures.

Of course, adding spell components enhances the effect.

It can even reach distances of about a thousand meters.

Higher-rank eighth- and ninth-rank spells demand long preparation and casting time, yielding far greater power.

The reason spirit arts are inferior to spells lies here.

Spirit arts were created by humans based on the native spirit arts of various intelligent races, who inherently require no incantation or material components.

They rely more on their own spirit and bloodline.

Thus, spirit warriors also favor techniques that require no incantation.

【Yulandi's Ice Blade Domain】 is a spirit art where "complexity" outweighs "casting requirements."

It primarily involves transforming spirit into something resembling a conjuration spell.

For others, this is a very difficult process.

Spirit warriors are naturally crude; few can achieve such precision before reaching high rank.

But for Luo De, who had swallowed over a dozen spirit seeds, it wasn't too hard.

Less than ten minutes.

Luo De's spirit transformed into frost.

Crack—

Blue ice crystals immediately spread across his palm.

【Yulandi's Ice Blade Domain】—as the name suggests, it's a ranged skill.

Fully mastered, it can extend a blade-like ice zone with at least a five-meter radius.

Yet Luo De had solved the hardest part in under ten minutes.

"Now it's just a matter of time."

(End of Chapter)