Grand Return System

Chapter 304: A Promise Beneath a Quiet Smile

A Promise Beneath a Quiet Smile

Leon smiled.

"Of course. If there’s a chance in the future, if Fellow Sister Anna wants to experience my needle technique and wants to learn, I can probably satisfy your request to teach you."

"Really?"

Anna’s beautiful eyes brightened instantly. The surprise in her voice was impossible to hide. A gentle breeze drifted through the courtyard, carrying the faint fragrance of flowers as strands of her long pink hair swayed softly around her face.

"Of course it’s true. When have I ever lied to you?" Leon replied with a meaningful smile.

Anna froze for a brief moment.

She instinctively looked into Leon’s purple eyes. They were calm, confident, and strangely captivating beneath his shoulder-length black hair. His midnight robes, embroidered with delicate amethyst patterns, fluttered gently in the breeze, giving him an elegant yet mysterious presence.

She pursed her lips.

Why does this guy have such a suspicious smile...?

The expression on his face reminded her of a hunter who had just discovered an unexpected treasure. It wasn’t malicious, yet it carried a confidence that made her heart skip a beat.

Anna couldn’t quite describe the feeling.

She unconsciously swallowed.

For a brief second, she felt a little nervous.

Then she quickly shook those thoughts away.

No... I’m overthinking.

He’s kind, talented, and always helps others. Someone like him couldn’t possibly have bad intentions.

She nodded firmly as if convincing herself.

"Yes. Definitely not."

Taking a small breath, she looked at Leon with a serious expression.

"Alright. If you have time... let’s... communicate in depth another day."

The words left her mouth naturally.

Leon, however, nearly choked on his own breath.

A strange feeling crept into his heart.

Why does that sentence sound so dangerous?

Looking at Anna’s completely sincere expression, he suddenly felt oddly guilty.

She clearly meant discussing martial arts and needle techniques.

Unfortunately...

His mind couldn’t help interpreting it differently.

The contrast between her innocent expression and those words made him feel as though he were tricking someone far too pure for this world.

Why do I suddenly feel like the villain...?

A chill ran down his spine.

"Eh..."

He couldn’t help shivering slightly.

Anna didn’t notice anything unusual.

Her attention had already returned to the twelve delicate silver needles resting in her hands.

She carefully examined each one.

Every needle was as smooth as flowing jade, slender beyond imagination, yet astonishingly sturdy. Even under the gentle sunlight, they shimmered with an almost ethereal glow.

The craftsmanship alone was breathtaking.

The more she looked at them, the more she admired them.

Every detail revealed perfection.

Unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, she softly asked,

"Fellow Brother... do these needles have names?"

Leon nodded.

"They’re called the Thunder Floral Pins."

Anna softly repeated the name.

"Thunder Floral Pins..."

Her eyes lit up.

"This name... is really beautiful."

She gently turned one of the needles between her fingers.

Its translucent surface reflected tiny rays of sunlight.

Elegant.

Deadly.

Silent.

Beautiful enough to be mistaken for artwork, yet capable of taking a person’s life before they even realized danger had arrived.

Just imagining dozens of these needles flying through the air like a violent storm was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.

Only a name like Thunder Floral Pins truly suited such a remarkable treasure.

She admired them for several more moments before reluctantly extending both hands and returning them to Leon.

There was obvious reluctance in her movements.

If possible, she would have happily continued studying them for several more hours.

"How wonderful it would be if I owned such an exquisite and powerful treasure..."

Her voice carried unmistakable envy.

Leon accepted the needles with a faint smile but said nothing.

Anna wasn’t someone who envied others out of greed.

She simply admired excellence.

Throughout her years of cultivation, she had collected many treasures.

Among them, the strongest was the Four Symbols Cauldron she had obtained after competing against Drift Sword.

Its power had already reached the Martial Emperor Realm, making it vastly superior to ordinary spiritual treasures.

Yet...

Compared to Leon’s collection...

It seemed almost insignificant.

She couldn’t help recalling everything she had seen.

The First Mist Immortal Sword.

The Celestial Void Cauldron.

The Thunder Floral Pins.

Each one possessed extraordinary origins.

Even among the greatest experts, obtaining a single supreme treasure would already be considered an unbelievable stroke of fortune.

Leon possessed several.

That alone was enough to leave anyone speechless.

Anna quietly observed the calm young man before her.

He wasn’t arrogant.

Nor did he deliberately flaunt his treasures.

To him, they seemed almost ordinary.

That only made the mystery surrounding him even deeper.

She simply couldn’t understand it.

Leon was younger than she was.

He had risen from the Fallen Leaf Domain, a place many powerful cultivators considered remote compared to the great centers of the world.

So how...

How had he gathered so many incredible treasures?

Each answer only gave birth to more questions.

The more she thought about it, the less she understood.

Her gaze unconsciously lingered on him.

His posture remained relaxed.

The corners of his lips carried a calm smile.

His purple eyes reflected quiet confidence rather than pride.

He stood there as naturally as the surrounding scenery, as though everything extraordinary about him was merely another ordinary day.

The breeze stirred once again.

Leaves rustled softly overhead.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

Silence settled comfortably between them.

Anna continued looking at Leon.

Without realizing it, her heartbeat gradually became louder.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

A strange warmth spread through her chest.

Her breathing became slightly uneven.

She quickly looked away, only to find herself glancing back again moments later.

What’s happening to me...?

She had never experienced this feeling before.

Whenever she looked at him, her heart refused to remain calm.

His smile.

His composure.

Even the way he casually explained his techniques...

Everything seemed strangely attractive.

A faint blush slowly climbed across her fair cheeks.

She immediately lowered her head, hoping Leon wouldn’t notice.

Damn it...

That bewitching technique again.