Chapter 292: Realm Skills and Sandstorm Protection Commission

【Truth Delusion: Causes the target creature to unquestioningly accept your words as true, even if the information blatantly contradicts common sense or known facts. Note: This skill is invalidated if the target passes a mental resistance and willpower check.】

Wow.

Luo De had already gained insight into this realm a month ago, but back then his understanding was shallow and had not yet spawned any realm skills.

Not a bad skill.

Realms are always powerful.

Even previously, within the Realm of Dread, it was able to affect the healing of a ninth-rank Grand Cultivator's injuries.

I wonder if 【Truth Delusion】 could prove unexpectedly effective in battle.

"This realm should be tied to the sweet nothings you whisper during intimacy—after things get passionate, say more of them."

Then that means—

So the 【Grass Realm】 should be related too, right?

Enhanced physical origin and stamina are also very useful in bed wars with succubi!

The moment the thought crossed his mind, something clicked inside him.

It felt as if something had unlocked.

【Partial authority of the "Grass Realm" has been strengthened】

【Acquired realm skill: Verdant Mutual Healing】

【Details: An ancient and powerful healing skill that enables mutual restoration through close physical contact with allies, restoring various forms of energy, injuries, and negative conditions. The closer and deeper the contact, the stronger the healing effect.】

Uh.

This was Luo De's first healing skill.

But the details felt a bit... inappropriate.

"Then again, it's a realm skill—maybe just holding hands could yield remarkable results."

To determine the extent of this skill's healing power,

Luo De decided to test it with Tally.

He pulled out the 【Whip of Pleasure】 from his spell satchel and without hesitation cracked it across the succubus's body.

"Your turn."

"Huh?"

She stared blankly, confused.

Luo De didn't know what she was thinking.

Since this skill was mutual healing, both parties needed to be injured to test it properly.

The following afternoon.

Beside the southern farmlands of Shiying Town.

A yellow haze blanketed the entire open area.

Luo De sat on a roadside rock, watching faintly as Zombie Selena performed rituals to prepare the fields.

Several farmers and city hall officials stood nearby, indicating the area needing coverage.

In addition, a few local Shiying Town mages were present, though their ranks were low—around third or fourth tier.

The sandstorm's damage was worse than imagined.

It not only caused soil erosion and reduced fertility, but also coated crops, hindering photosynthesis.

In past years it was manageable, but this year the winds were fiercer, and the harbor of Coral Bay—our main import route—had been sealed, leading to food shortages.

This directly made Shiying Town place extreme importance on its southern farmlands.

They were forced to issue a commission, requesting mages to set up sand-blocking spells.

"You've been a tremendous help, Mr. Luo De."

The tiefling Lin Saixier said gratefully.

This tiefling girl didn't spend every day in the forest—she frequently took on various tasks at the Shiying Town Spiritual Guild.

Hunting wild beasts, dealing with magical creatures, confronting the Ruins Brotherhood, and so on.

It wasn't that she needed money—she simply had immense self-motivation and desperately wanted to improve herself.

On the other hand, she was also kind-hearted, often doing things to protect the town.

Just look—this farmland protection mission was something she came to request help for.

Lin Saixier and these mage friends had taken the task, but their efficiency was low and the sandstorm was growing worse, so they had no choice but to ask Luo De for assistance.

"It's nothing."

Luo De was happy to help with such matters.

If these farmlands weren't preserved, the planting of barley, potatoes, peas, and other crops would be severely affected, and food would become extremely scarce this winter.

Besides, it wouldn't take much effort.

Zombie Selena was at least a half-step ninth-rank—setting up these third-tier 【Wind Wall】 rituals was child's play for her.

"I'll deliver your reward to your residence."

"No need—divide it among yourselves."

Luo De didn't care about that small amount of money.

He looked at the tiefling girl beside him.

Compared to other girls, Lin Saixier was clearly more energetic—her pale red skin seemed to pulse like embers.

She wore a simple breastplate, her silver armguards still marked with uncleaned black scratches; the hem tucked into her belt outlined a tight abdomen, and her short, powerful tail swayed gently in the air.

Efficient and full of strength.

More importantly, her face was exquisite.

Even Luo De could clearly see that the other mercenaries and adventurers accompanying her were casting admiring glances her way.

Perhaps they'd been drawn to this tiefling girl during earlier missions.

As a result, he'd received a few slightly hostile glares as well.

But since Luo De was a well-known expert in town, no one dared approach him.

"That won't do! Mr. Luo De has already clearly contributed!"

Lin Saixier objected, determined to fight for his rights.

Luo De waved his hand, not wanting to argue—he let her have her way.

"Master~~~"

Tally ran over from the field path, carrying a stack of fresh fruit.

Today she was dressed as a young farmwife—conservative attire, yet with an exaggeratedly revealing chest, revealing a pure, freckled face.

She dashed into Luo De's arms, nuzzling him happily.

"Look! The farmers here gave us these—said it's thanks for your help!"

Luo De looked toward the distance and indeed saw several elderly farmers and farmwives smiling warmly and waving at him.

【Jealousy +13】

Seeing Tally appear, Lin Saixier's expression grew uneasy.

She stepped back, standing awkwardly to the side.

"New face, huh?"

"These several farmers are refugees from the southern Ke's Plain—they helped the city hall expand these fields two months ago."

The girl explained.

Although she'd only been staying here for about two months, she already knew more about Shiying Town than Luo De, who'd always stayed cooped up in the forest.

But—

"Are there refugees from Ke's Plain too?"

When their rat-hunting team went there, they hadn't seen any signs of war.

"On Ke's Plain there's a large fishing and pastoral town called Guanbei. There's a strange skin disease that only spreads within the town—once you leave, it gradually heals."

"I know!"

Tally, in her current cheerful-girl persona, eagerly raised her hand to answer: "They're fleeing to avoid getting sick!"

Lin Saixier shook her head.

"To combat this disease, the locals spontaneously formed a relief association. Three months ago, this association claimed to have found a cure—this is what these farmers told us, though we can't guarantee its truth."

She paused, her expression bitter:

"They say the association mixed ratman blood into nutrient solutions and injected them into patients, using a treatment method called blood therapy."

(End of Chapter)