112: Silver-grade Long Rainbow Sword

“The changhong sword and 1,000 credits, it's settled! No more!” Director Liu roared, almost screaming.

“Deal.”

As Xie Ning finished speaking, Director Liu let out another long breath. He had been startled more times tonight than in the entire past year.

Afterwards, Xie Ning took Mo Yu and began preparing the Materials. Ruan Qiong joined them halfway through. The three worked together, preparing various Materials in a few minutes and processing them according to Xie Ning's requirements.

As the door of the Evolution Chamber opened and closed again, everyone stood in front of the glass, watching the monkey that had already calmed down.

“I hope it succeeds this time,” Ruan Qiong said in a low voice, looking at the records in her hand.

Mo Yu, however, wasn't that worried. “It will definitely work. Master has never failed when breeding a Demon Tamers Beast, and every single one is exceptionally strong!”

Director Liu and his son didn't have the luxury of holding a grudge against Xie Ning at this moment; they stared intently at the monkey undergoing changes.

Little Liu: “Jingang...”

What he cared about was his Demon Tamers Beast.

Director Liu: “It must succeed.”

What he cared about was the changhong sword and the 1,000 credits; they couldn't just go down the drain.

A Breeder's work is sometimes like that of a doctor; whether the patient lives or dies, or if the treatment is effective or not, you still have to pay the fee.

Because of this, even though Ruan Qiong's previous evolution attempt had an accident, Director Liu didn't dare blame her. He could only hope this evolution would be successful; otherwise, spending such a high reward only to get back a corpse would be a devastating loss.

Precisely because payment doesn't guarantee results, a Breeder with a high success rate is revered by countless people, while one with a high failure rate is feared like a tiger, even if they are cheaper.

Finally, a burst of white light appeared on the monkey. It snapped its eyes open, revealing a pair of purple eyes. The black Qi all over its body quickly dissolved in the white light, and its golden fur returned. Its three-meter-tall frame also began to shrink back.

After an unknown amount of time, when the white light dissipated, a two-meter-tall monkey with golden fur and purple eyes appeared. Lightning flickered across its body from time to time, and its tail showed a gradient color, transitioning from gold at the base to deep purple at the tip.

“Is this... a success?” Director Liu and his son asked uncertainly.

Xie Ning glanced at it and said, “A Transcendent Medium Grade Golden Thunder Monkey King.”

Meanwhile, Mo Yu and Ruan Qiong tinkered with the equipment for a bit and soon reached the same conclusion as Xie Ning.

“Not only that, its evolution is very thorough, without a single flaw or deficiency. With proper training, it has a chance to Breakthrough to Transcendent High Grade on its own.”

“Really? That's great!” Little Liu was overjoyed.

Director Liu's expression was complicated, but he still took out a longsword and handed it to Xie Ning. “The Silver Medium Grade changhong sword is yours. I'll transfer the corresponding 1,000 credits to your card later.”

This was a fire-element longsword, entirely orange-red, with a three-foot blade and a nearly one-foot hilt. Three glowing red demon cores were embedded in the hilt.

Taking the longsword, it felt warm to the touch. As the sharp blades on both sides moved, it seemed as if ripples were forming.

“This is a fire-element longsword. The blade is forged from Fire-Spirit Pig Iron from Gale Valley. It ignites when it creates friction with the air; the faster the attack speed, the stronger the flames. It's perfect when paired with fire or wind abilities. I spent a lot of money to have a Great Master forge this, and I've barely used it a few times...”

After hearing Director Liu's pained introduction, Xie Ning grew even fonder of the sword.

Holding it in his hand, he flourished the sword, and the blade immediately erupted in raging flames, startling the others into taking several steps back.

“It really is a fine sword!” Xie Ning was delighted. After the flames died down, he reached out to caress it. Although it was a bit hot to the touch, it couldn't dampen his affection for it.

Director Liu looked at Xie Ning and the changhong sword with a complex gaze and couldn't help but say, “I didn't expect you to know some swordplay. In that case, giving it to you won't let it gather dust. Treat it well and study the sword diligently.”

Having said that, he left on his own, not even bothering with his son.

With the matter settled, Xie Ning put away the changhong sword and left the breeding room, taking Mo Yu's Wind-Listening Rabbit with him.

Leaving the breeding room, he couldn't see Yan Ruyu anywhere. He called out a few times, but there was no sign of her, so he carried the Wind-Listening Rabbit and hurried out of the academy.

On the rooftop, Yan Ruyu watched his departing figure disappear from view before turning to leave... Within the cluttered self-built district of Lingnan City, a dark shadow avoided all surveillance and lights, flying into a bungalow with mottled walls.

The bungalow's outer walls were covered in moss, showing that this was a place where light did not reach.

There wasn't much furniture inside: a simple bed and table, two quaint brown stools, and a row of homemade bookshelves filled with books and card bookmarks.

Beside a dim bedside lamp, a woman leaned against a pillow, reading a book.

Hearing a 'thud,' the woman turned her head, her nostrils twitching slightly as she asked, “Are you injured?”

“Yes, I ran into a classmate and was blocked.” The figure in black removed the black mask, revealing a pale face with blood staining the mouth and nose.

This person was none other than Qin Tianyu, the most ruthless and taciturn student in Yan Ruyu's class.

The woman put down her book and walked toward him with weak, unsteady steps. She took a small medicine box from under the table, helped him remove his clothes, and skillfully treated his wounds.

While wiping the wound, the woman whispered, “...I'm sorry.”

“We are already husband and wife; there's no need for those words.” Qin Tianyu was not good at smiling; even when facing the woman, his smile was stiff. He touched her slightly dry hair. “Only while you are alive does my life feel meaningful.”

“How about we just forget it? I can endure it even without medicine...”

“I can't endure it! Seeing you suffer is something I absolutely cannot bear.” Before she could finish, Qin Tianyu interrupted her. “Yiyi, don't worry. Although we can only use medicine to alleviate it for now, the Old Doctor said that as long as we find moke grass, your illness can be cured.”

“Once you're better, I'll take on a few more missions, and we'll soon be able to move into a big house. I'll be responsible for protecting you, and you can take care of yourself and raise some animals. I remember you like cats; I'll bring back a few fierce city rats to scare it.” As he spoke, his eyes filled with longing, flashing with light and conviction.

The woman was not drawn into a dream by these words. Instead, she lowered her head and sighed, “Even if we find it, can we afford it?”

Qin Tianyu showed his stiff smile again and said slowly, “We can! I can do it; I just need to take on more missions!”

“As you wish. If one day I can't hold on, you must live well. If a mission is dangerous, it's okay not to do it; I can endure it. Don't carry a psychological burden.”

“Don't overthink it; I can definitely do it!”

Above the bungalow, Xie Ning sat on the edge of the roof, his legs dangling in the air. He held the Wind-Listening Rabbit in his arms, his eyes closed, and a half-eaten pear in his hand, which he hadn't touched for a while.

After a long time, he opened his eyes, whispered something, and then quietly left.