Chapter 8: Parting Gift

Evening.

Luo De, who had been beaten all day, returned home exhausted.

Dixiya had already been as merciful as possible.

But the gap between them was simply too great.

Without either side using elemental energy, Luo De's movements were as clumsy as a toddler just learning to walk.

Those were Dixiya's exact words.

She didn't mean to mock Luo De; she was just speaking frankly.

Luo De also knew she was blunt and wouldn't say nice things just to placate others.

So he wasn't angry, and spent the whole day earnestly learning Dixiya's combat techniques.

It's just that he got hit a little too much.

Although he had used the Blazing Light Beast Hunters' special ointment for bruises, he would basically be fine tomorrow.

But fatigue was still unavoidable.

Dinner was taken care of at the Blazing Light Beast Hunters' base.

What they ate was the mercenaries' specialty: grilled meat rolls.

To be honest.

The taste was rather ordinary.

Fortunately, the portions were large and filling, and it was a rare fresh meat dish.

After obtaining the Vision, Luo De's appetite had already increased greatly; after being beaten by Dixiya all day, his appetite surged even more, and he had to eat almost five or six people's worth before feeling full.

A night of peaceful sleep.

When Luo De opened his eyes again, the sky had not yet fully brightened.

He didn't go back to sleep, but stared at the mottled ceiling as events from the past month flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

After a long while.

He sighed, got out of bed, and poured himself a cup of cold water to drink.

If the Blazing Light Beast Hunters hadn't picked him up, he wouldn't know what he'd be like now.

He might have turned into monster dung, or become increasingly cold-hearted, eventually ending up as the stereotypical desert dweller.

The window wasn't closed.

A gust of cold wind blew through, lowering the indoor temperature a few degrees.

Desert nights are very cold.

When Luo De first arrived, he genuinely feared he would freeze to death in the icy desert.

Fortunately, he later obtained the Vision of Ice Elemental Power.

The sudden affinity for ice elemental power meant Luo De no longer feared the freezing desert nights.

On the contrary.

He still greatly enjoys this sudden drop in cold.

He couldn't sleep either way.

After finishing his water, Luo De simply went to the courtyard, picked up a wooden stick, and began practicing what Dixiya had taught him that day.

It must be said.

The ointment Dixiya gave Luo De really works well.

Although his body had been faintly aching before bed, after a night's sleep the bruises were gone, leaving only a slight tingling sensation where he had been injured, with no pain at all.

This also led Luo De to remark again that it makes sense the Blazing Light Beast Hunters have no spare money.

Not only because of their high daily expenses, but the medicines, armor, and weapons they use daily are top-notch across the entire Sumeru region.

Under the tranquil night sky.

The courtyard was filled only with the whooshing sounds of Luo De swinging the long stick.

Dixiya excels at using fist techniques and greatswords.

What she taught Luo De naturally were those same skills.

However, before teaching Luo De her martial arts, Dixiya deliberately reminded him of something.

"My entire martial arts skill comes from daily training through battles with monsters and beasts."

"Put in the terms used in Sumeru Cheng..."

"This is called the 'wild way'."

"So I'm sorry, I can't teach you much, and even if you learn everything I teach you, at best it's only enough for self-defense; you won't become a true expert, so don't set your hopes too high."

That said.

But would Luo De mind such a thing?

The answer is naturally no.

According to Dixiya's evaluation of Luo De,

The current Luo De is simply a brute who relies only on brute strength; if it weren't for his ability to use elemental energy, he would have an innate advantage over other brutes, but against a true expert, even if they don't use elemental energy, they could still beat Luo De.

For this reason.

Dixiya also gave a special demonstration.

Then Luo De got thoroughly beaten by her.

This also let Luo De see just how great the gap is between him and the experts Dixiya speaks of.

Strictly speaking.

Dixiya herself isn't really a major expert.

She could only carve out a niche for herself in that barren desert place; upon arriving at the talent-rich rainforest area, her martial prowess seemed insufficient.

But even so.

Luo De was still beaten black and blue.

His Ice Elemental manipulation ability, which he was proud of, couldn't even touch the hem of Dixiya's clothes in front of her.

This also left the formerly confident Luo De feeling a bit disappointed.

But this disappointment quickly turned into motivation, igniting his fervent enthusiasm for learning martial arts.

In the spacious courtyard, Luo De's staff grew faster and faster in his hand, each move becoming more proficient; after practicing the swordsmanship Dixiya taught him over a dozen times in succession, he felt no fatigue.

Ha—ah!

When he reached a point of smooth practice, Luo De let out a shout, his staff like a heavy sword pressing down from above, and with great force and weight he smashed it onto the ground.

Crack—

A loud bang.

The staff and the floor tiles exploded together into fragments flying everywhere.

Whoosh—

Gazing at the ground before him, which he had smashed into a mess, Luo De exhaled a mouthful of hot air.

After obtaining the Vision, his physique improved day by day.

His body used to gasp for dear life after running 400 meters; now he can easily race against the best-running beasts, and he can effortlessly wield Dixiya's heavy sword weighing several tens of jin.

This is a world with extraordinary power.

Luo De, whose breath was utterly steady, sat on the stone bench in the courtyard; raising his hand, he grasped, and the pervasive Ice Elemental Power surged out, condensing in the blink of an eye into the rudimentary form of a flower, without even taking a breath, a flawless delicate ice flower was held in his palm.

Gazing at this ice flower in his hand.

Luo De's expression twitched slightly.

Actually, he had long been able to manipulate Ice Elemental Power with such pure proficiency.

But he did not tell Dixiya about this.

According to Dixiya, even if Luo De were a genius, to manipulate elemental energy this proficiently would still take several years.

However, Luo De achieved this in less than a week.

Genius, that's a good thing.

Being too much of a genius, it's uncertain whether it's a good thing.

So Luo De decided to conceal this, and would not reveal his talent for using elemental energy unless absolutely necessary.

The next two days.

Luo De kept repeating the same thing.

By day he studied martial arts with Dixiya, and by night he practiced diligently.

His progress was swift.

From initially being clumsy, to the next day having some semblance of form.

By the third day, his swordsmanship could already match Dixiya's when she wasn't being serious.

Such rapid progress prompted Dixiya to sigh again.

I casually picked up a person in the desert, and actually ended up picking up a genius.

Just the day before Luo De was about to start work.

The Blazing Light Beast Hunters' recuperation period had ended; they needed to prepare to return to Sumeru Cheng to turn in their commissions and take on new missions.

At the moment of parting.

The mercenaries of the Blazing Light Beast Hunters specially prepared a feast to bid farewell to Luo De.

Having spent so many days together day and night.

They genuinely regarded Luo De as their closest friend.

Amidst the clinking of cups and glasses, Luo De, who usually doesn't drink, was persuaded to have a few cups.

Fortunately.

He wasn't drunk, just felt a bit dizzy.

After the banquet ended, Dixiya found the dazed Luo De.

Upon meeting, she handed him a long object wrapped in a thick length of cloth.

This is a sword I often used when I practiced swordsmanship before.

There's not much else I could give you.

After thinking it over, I decided on this.

Just don't dislike it for being an old sword.

Dixiya's face bore a hint of apology.

No matter what.

After all, it's just an old weapon.

Giving an old weapon as a gift still isn't very nice.

Luo De didn't mind; he grabbed the long sword in one hand, grinning and saying, "How could I? I haven't even had time to thank you yet."

Hehe, that's good.

Dixiya also laughed heartily, patting Luo De's shoulder and saying, "Next time you pass by A Ru Cun, come see me again; I hope by then you'll have grown accustomed to life here."

Hmm, I will definitely.

Luo De also solemnly nodded in response.

(End of chapter)