Chapter 132: Dare to Come Over?

The faint golden glow gradually faded away. The pitch-black toxins on Rosty’s skin were rapidly absorbed by the water-blue mist and then purged from his body entirely. Seeing a rare touch of natural color return to Rosty’s face, Vile let out a sigh of relief and slowly stood up from the ground.

The majority of the poison in Rosty’s system had been cleared, and he had regained consciousness. Although he was awake, it would take at least another half-month for him to return to his former physical state.

Vile carefully wrapped his staff in strips of snow-white fur, layer by layer, before turning to look at Rodin. Rodin had clearly been impatient to learn about Rosty’s condition, but to avoid disturbing Vile, he had suppressed his anxiety. Only once Vile had secured the staff onto his back did he hurry forward and ask, "Vile, how is Rosty?"

"He’s doing quite well. Most of the toxins have been cleared. While there are still some minor traces left, it’s not a major issue anymore. In about a day, the rest should be completely purged, though it will take some time before he regains his previous combat prowess."

Vile smiled at Rodin and gave him a detailed account of Rosty’s condition. Upon hearing this, the tension in Rodin’s face finally gave way to a forced smile. Subconsciously, he placed both hands on Vile’s shoulders and said earnestly, "Thank you so much for this. Once Rosty recovers, I’m buying you a drink!"

"Sounds good!"

Vile nodded with a smile, his gaze flickering toward Pepero, who was sitting not far away. Although she appeared to be resting, it was only an appearance; at this distance, she surely must have been able to hear their conversation.

Thinking of this, Vile felt a sudden, intense headache. This woman was truly troublesome.

Rodin seemed to perceive Vile’s thoughts and offered a smile that looked somewhat like consolation. He patted Vile’s shoulder and gestured for him to sit.

"My apologies. This girl is just like that—she’s a real headache, isn't she?"

Rodin remarked, glancing instinctively at Pepero behind him. She was still lying under the tree; though her eyes were closed, her long, trembling eyelashes clearly betrayed that she wasn't truly asleep. Rodin didn't mind, however; he just shook his head helplessly and offered an embarrassed smile.

"It’s alright..."

Vile wasn't sure how to respond, so he muttered something vague. Because Pepero was nearby, he couldn't ask Rodin about the "Qu-Xi." Furthermore, since he had only just met them and wasn't well-acquainted, he didn't know what else to say, and the atmosphere gradually grew stiff. Just then, Rodin broke the silence, glancing at the resting Rosty and speaking as if to himself: "Honestly, if it weren't for you, old Rosty’s life might have truly ended here..."

"Actually, there is something that has been puzzling me. Would you mind explaining it to me?"

Hearing this, Vile recalled a question he had and quickly asked Rodin. Rodin smiled and nodded. "Of course, my friend!"

The phrase "my friend" seemed casual, but it instantly closed the distance between them. Vile nodded, organized his thoughts, and voiced his confusion.

"After Rosty was struck by that lethal poison called 'Ga-Lei,' why didn't he use any healing medicine? Even though that poison is much stronger than ordinary ones—not even in the same league—wouldn't using even a little bit of medicine be better than using nothing at all?"

"As you say, that is indeed true... but..."

Rodin looked at Vile, a strange glimmer in his eyes. "But are you unaware that the effects of medicine can't compare to the healing performed by Soul Masters? That is common knowledge across the entire continent! Besides, the effects of those medicines... hmph, I’m not disparaging them, but they are often worse than useless. And they are incredibly expensive; otherwise, why would mercenaries like us, who live life on the edge without a Soul Master in our ranks, not carry some medicine when we head out?"

"Useless?"

Hearing this, Vile frowned, puzzled. "How is that possible?"

At this, Rodin’s expression became even stranger. "Vile, you are a mage, aren't you? You should be well aware of this, right?"

At Rodin’s retort, Vile suddenly realized that this era was different from his own. This was not an era where magic flourished; the level of magic across this entire continent lagged hundreds of years behind what he knew. A "Magic Apprentice"—who would have been considered barely above a novice in his time—was considered a talent here, even qualified to join the Mages' Guild!

Damn it! In his era, one couldn't even step into the Mages' Guild without reaching the level of an Intermediate Mage!

With this realization, Vile’s confusion vanished. If the standard of the mages themselves was this poor, one could easily imagine the efficacy of the concoctions they produced.

As a mage, Vile couldn't help but feel a wave of melancholy. He sighed inwardly, but then he drew a deep breath. Rather than feeling discouraged, he felt even more spirited than before!

If the situation was truly as Rodin described, then his quest to find the "Qu-Xi" was a promising start. Perhaps he could follow this path and develop something interesting?

As Vile pondered this, Pepero, who had been feigning sleep nearby, suddenly stood up. She walked straight over to Vile and looked down at him as he sat on the ground. "Kid, come with me for a moment!"

Vile frowned slightly. To be honest, he didn't like being called "kid," especially by a woman; it made him feel a sense of aversion.

"Pepero! What are you doing?!"

Rodin scolded her. Based on his past experience, it was clear this girl was up to something.

"Nothing. I’m just injured as well, and it hurts quite a bit. I want him to give me a proper 'treatment'!"

Pepero emphasized the word "treatment," offered Vile a charming smile, and leaned down, bringing her lips close to his ear. After blowing a soft breath, she whispered in a voice only they could hear: "Well? Do you dare to come?"

At that moment, Vile felt this girl was truly interesting. He raised his eyebrows, looked up at Pepero, who was staring at him with a playful expression, and let his mind race through the possibilities. He smiled faintly and said, "Alright. Since that’s what you want, I don’t mind giving you a treatment... Rodin?"

As he spoke, Vile turned to look at Rodin. The man clearly wanted to stop this, but Vile gave him a slight shake of his head and smiled calmly. "We’ll be right back!"

...

The two walked a distance into the depths of the forest, both understanding that this trip was certainly not for a simple "treatment."

Sure enough, after walking only a short distance, they stopped by mutual consent. As Vile began to unwrap the snow-white beast-hide bandages from his staff, Pepero manifested her Soul Beast—a fire fox as vibrant as fresh blood. Like all Soul Masters, the manifestation wasn't the physical summoning of the beast, but rather a pattern appearing on her body like a formation diagram. It was possible to fully manifest the beast, but that was certainly beyond Pepero’s current level of power.

"I didn't think you’d actually dare to follow me. I’m not sure if I should consider that a miscalculation on your part, or if you truly believe you can beat me?"

Pepero turned to look at Vile. Although she wore a smile, Vile read a playful, mocking chill in her clear, water-like eyes.

"It’s simple. You’re injured..."

Vile’s face was expressionless. He watched her as his senses extended, locking onto her body. Not stopping there, he quietly cast several wind-attribute spells on himself, such as *Lightness* and *Gale*. His objective was simple: even if she was injured, she remained a second-rank Great Soul Master. Her strengths were speed and melee combat, while he was a mage—an absolute long-range attacker. If she managed to close the distance for a brawl, he would be at a total disadvantage.

That was why he cautiously layered a mess of agility-enhancing spells upon himself.