Chapter 819: Chapter 20 Special Task_5
Xuan Yue muttered to herself, "One copper coin for two steamed buns, a hundred copper coins for two hundred steamed buns, five hundred copper coins for a thousand steamed buns, so the amethyst coin I gave you should be enough."
The chubby proprietor, still flushed with excitement from the recent "magic," nodded vigorously and said, "Enough, enough, and there’s some to spare. I’ll give you the change."
Xuan Yue smiled and said, "Seeing how hard you work, there’s no need for that. I’m not as stingy as some people. Come on, let’s go. I’m tired and need a place to sleep." With that, she took the lead and walked out of the shop.
After a reluctant farewell with the chubby proprietor, Ah Dai finally followed her out. Xuan Yue hadn’t gone far, just strolling ahead slowly. He hurried to catch up and asked, "Miss, where are we going now?"
Xuan Yue replied, "I’ve already scouted a place. Follow me."
Originally, Ah Dai thought that Xuan Yue would definitely choose a luxurious restaurant to stay in, considering she was the daughter of the Red Bishop and accustomed to a life of luxury. Surprisingly, Xuan Yue only led him to an ordinary and affordable inn close to the West City Gate. The place wasn’t luxurious, but it was very clean and comfortable as soon as they walked in.
Seeing the confusion in Ah Dai’s heart, Xuan Yue said, "We don’t have much money left now, and it’s a long way to the Death Mountain Range. We need to save up. If it weren’t for running out of money, I wouldn’t have gone to the Mage Guild for that test. Mages, are they really so rare? Let’s go get something to eat; I’m hungry."
After they got two rooms, Xuan Yue and Ah Dai had a quick meal. Xuan Yue didn’t eat much, less than a third of what Ah Dai ate. After the meal, she went back to her room to rest without saying a word.
Ah Dai paid for the meal with his monthly mage stipend and went to the room next to Xuan Yue’s. Closing the door, he took off his pack and the Tian Gang Sword, feeling lighter. He sighed with relief and sat on a chair, lost in thought. The strong self-healing ability of the liquid life essence had almost restored the meridians in his arm. The Water Element Healing Technique used by Kigg was so effective that it didn’t even leave a scar, and now, he felt no pain as long as he didn’t exert himself.
Although he’d only been in the small town for two short days, so much had happened that Ah Dai felt as if he was living in a dream. He himself couldn’t make sense of how he felt about Xuan Yue. The sweet sleep of the previous night and the deep hurt of the morning were firmly impressed on his mind. Overtaken by weariness, Ah Dai realized it was time for him to start training. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he stimulated the liquid life essence within his body, which had just reached the fifth realm. Clearing his mind of distractions, he soon entered a state of complete focus.
In the room next door, Xuan Yue tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Although she was exhausted, every time she closed her eyes, the events of the past two days would flash through her mind, preventing her from drifting off. Sitting up in frustration, she huffed, "It’s all because of that stinky Ah Dai, always bothering me for no reason, keeping me from getting a good night’s sleep. Just wait and see how I’ll get back at him." As she spoke, she suddenly remembered the sensation of waking up in Ah Dai’s arms that morning. It was a wonderfully comfortable feeling, one she hadn’t slept so soundly in a long time. The full sense of security in Ah Dai’s embrace was truly wonderful. If only she could make Ah Dai into a bed. At that thought, Xuan Yue’s face flushed with shyness. She lay back down, and a strong wave of sleepiness finally overcame her wandering thoughts, and she fell into a hazy sleep.
It was the second half of the night when Ah Dai exhaled deeply, the white glow that radiated from his body gradually retracting. Forty-nine cycles of cultivation made him feel full of energy as if the blood lost the previous morning had been replenished. The liquid life essence within him seemed to have increased slightly, and the feeling of fullness in his dantian filled him with strength.
Looking outside, it still seemed a while before dawn. The advancement to the fifth realm of the life essence was indeed different. In the past, running forty-nine cycles would only finish around dawn, but now it seemed much shorter, indicating that his power had reached a new level.
The night was deep, and Ah Dai wondered how long it would be until dawn. In the dim room, even with his eyesight, he could only see a few meters ahead. Sleep? But having just meditated, he felt no hint of sleepiness. Contemplate? After seeing Xuan Yue’s magic, Ah Dai had lost confidence in his Flame Spell and Fireball Technique, and he couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to contemplate.
Suddenly, Ah Dai remembered the Sword of Hades strapped to his chest, and his body stiffened with realization. Yes! Having reached the fifth realm of the life essence, he could start practicing the Decree of Hades.
