After leaving the mysterious Royal Third Garden, it did not take long for Taiyinzi and Nero to reach the outskirts of the Land of Emptiness.
They had essentially returned the way they came. Taiyinzi even ran into Elric, who was still squatting to one side and selling maps.
"Oh? You actually made it out safely?" Elric seemed rather surprised as he looked Taiyinzi up and down.
"Why wouldn't I be able to leave?" Taiyinzi looked at him sourly.
"Did you pick any Bloodline Fruits?" Elric suddenly asked.
Taiyinzi kept his guard up and shook his head. "No. I didn't get anything. But it really was dangerous inside. With my current abilities, even protecting myself was difficult, so I gave up."
Elric said nothing. He merely looked curiously at the white-haired girl behind Taiyinzi... His instincts told him that this white-haired girl and Taiyinzi seemed to be the same species.
Nero was also looking at Elric. Unlike Taiyinzi, who was cautious, she walked straight up to him without a care. "Old man Taiyinzi, is this child your friend?"
"He's just the merchant who sold me a trap map of the Land of Emptiness." Taiyinzi shook his head. "I've only met him once."
"Anyone who's done business together is a friend." Elric did not seem to mind being called a child. He laughed heartily and patted Taiyinzi on the shoulder. "Sir, if you come again, feel free to buy the latest trap maps from me. I'll give you a discount."
Taiyinzi had intended to refuse, but then he remembered that Elric had given him the map after he took a back route into the place. Thinking that this would count as a future connection of his... or something like that, Taiyinzi cheerfully chatted with Elric for a few moments.
"By the way,