https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-79-The-Sovereign-Bloodline-Multi-Armed-Serpent-Demon/13536286/
Chapter 78: Are You Truly Willing...
Chapter 78: Are You Truly Willing...
"Luo En, long time no see." Cui Xi's voice carried a newfound lightness. "Never thought I'd run into you here."
"Cui Xi, congratulations on your victory." Luo En's smile held genuine warmth despite his surprise. "Your Panther Girl is astonishingly powerful."
Their exchange immediately set off a ripple of hushed whispers among the surrounding apprentices—surprised, envious, and speculative.
"Isn't that..."
"Luo En? You mean the one who—"
"Madame Ellen's new assistant! I saw him at the Herbal Medicine Shop..."
"Cui Xi actually knows him? No wonder her Panther Girl is so strong. She must've used specialized enhancement potions!"
"Look at Xin Xi Ya's face—she looks ready to murder someone..."
Cui Xi's effortless victory and her familiarity with Luo En had instantly elevated her status in the eyes of the crowd. Eyes that once scrutinized her now brimmed with respect.
Standing at a distance, Xin Xi Ya's gaze burned with jealousy and fury. Her stare fixated on Panther Girl, dark and calculating.
"Cui Xi's Panther Girl definitely used enhancement potions", she thought bitterly. "Not ordinary ones either. No regular potion could produce such effects. Where did she get something this high-quality?"
Her frown deepened as she shifted her glare to Luo En, who conversed casually with Cui Xi. A bitter suspicion brewed in her chest.
"That old witch Ai Lun's disciple..." Xin Xi Ya narrowed her eyes. "Could this be the secret behind Cui Xi's sudden rise?"
Meanwhile, Cui Xi smiled warmly at Luo En. "What a coincidence! I was planning to visit you in a few days to commission more potions. Didn't expect to run into you here."
She affectionately patted Panther Girl's shoulder, her pride evident in her eyes. "The Bloodline Activator you helped brew last time worked amazingly well. Li Yue's combat power increased by at least thirty percent. Her recovery ability and pain suppression during battles were particularly impressive."
Luo En's lips curved into a faint smile, though his tone carried slight regret. "I'm sorry, Cui Xi, but I won't be able to take on new potion requests for a while."
Cui Xi's expression shifted to concern. "What happened? Are you in trouble? Let me know if I can help—"
"Relax", Luo En raised a hand placatingly. "I need to prepare for the Potion Master Certification Examination. It'll take significant time to study and practice. I can't handle new Orders right now."
"Potion Master Certification?" The surprise in Cui Xi's widened eyes quickly gave way to admiration. "Makes sense. With your potion-making skills, seeking certification is only natural. Among apprentices like us, you're already in a class of your own."
The two stood by the plaza, conversing as if alone, oblivious to the envious gazes around them. For most ordinary Elementary Apprentices, even being acknowledged by a Backup Mage Sequence prodigy was a privilege. The near-equality in their interaction—so rare in this world—stirred envy in many hearts.
"When's the exam?" Cui Xi asked.
"Next week." Luo En glanced toward the marketplace. "I'm heading to purchase materials to practice potential exam recipes."
"I understand completely", Cui Xi nodded. "Honestly, without your specialized potions, my Li Yue might not have beaten that Half-Beast."
She cast a pitying glance at the dying Half-Beast on the ground. "Berserker Crystals are banned, but among sequence members, such things are... common knowledge. No one reports them."
Nearby, Xin Xi Ya had been ignored for so long her face contorted with rage. Not only had she lost the duel, but she'd been completely dismissed by the victor—an humiliation she, in her pride, could scarcely endure.
"Xin Xi Ya has been scrambling for resources and points since joining the Backup Mage Sequence", Cui Xi murmured conspiratorially to Luo En. "But her performance has always been mediocre. Without Ma Shala's support, her ranking would be even lower. She probably targeted me because I'm newly inducted. Without your potion support, I might've been the one dragged away in a bag today."
As Xin Xi Ya's fury neared eruption, a shadow materialized behind her.
"Xin Xi Ya." A calm, resonant voice halted her. "I wouldn't advise making a scene now."
She turned to see Aolifu standing there, his signature perfect smile unchanged, yet his gaze carried unspoken authority. The fire in her eyes cooled slightly.
"Back off, Aolifu", she hissed, voice trembling with rage. "I lost an important combat slave and got humiliated by that lowborn hunter's daughter!"
"Temporary setbacks aren't worth dwelling on." Aolifu's tone remained even, though his eyes flicked toward Luo En. "Besides, we need to discuss something far more important."
He whispered something in her ear. Her expression shifted from fury to shock, finally settling into a twisted excitement.
"Unbelievable..." she breathed. "You've really decided..."
"Of course", Aolifu nodded. "But not here. Let's return and discuss further."
He departed, leaving Xin Xi Ya glaring murderously at Cui Xi before following him.
Luo En watched the exchange, his instincts prickling with unease.
As they left, two servants emerged, swiftly bagging the dying Half-Beast and dragging it away. No one intervened—no one even looked twice.
"What happens to defeated slaves?" Luo En asked Nuo Li Si casually.
Nuo Li Si pocketed his Witness Gold with a shrug. "If injuries are minor, they're sold. Severe cases go to the school's resource recycling center."
"Resource recycling?"
"They extract anything valuable—Mana Shard Fragments are split with the owner. Half-Beast hides make durable armor. Organs are decent potion ingredients. Bones get ground for rituals."
Luo En nodded, unsurprised by the system's brutality.
After Nuo Li Si left, he studied Panther Girl Li Yue. Her bloodline awakening effects had faded, but her innate elegance and danger remained.
"Your Panther Girl leaves a lasting impression", Luo En remarked. "I've brewed countless Bloodline Awakeners, but never seen such a pure activation effect."
Cui Xi raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk forming as she affectionately stroked Li Yue's shoulder. The distance she'd once carefully maintained seemed to melt away.
"Li Yue is... special", she murmured, pride unmistakable in her voice. "I suppose you're curious about her origins?"
Luo En's eyes brightened. "If you're willing to share, I'm all ears."
(End of Chapter)
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