June!

"You saw my wanted poster in one of the countries that participated in that war of annihilation, didn't you?" Merlin said to him calmly.

Fulvio nodded awkwardly. "In a small port town within the Volgala Kingdom's territory. It's a well-known slave trading town in the North Blue. Almost everyone living there is a criminal, a wanted person, a mobster, or a pauper expelled by the nearby kingdoms. In that town, you can buy and sell people as you please if you have the money. Yes, even parents selling their children is considered a positive trend there. Moreover, it's a place that can hardly be called chaotic, with pirates, bounty hunters, and gangsters appearing freely, and it's the largest underground marketplace in the North Blue. I saw your wanted poster on a bulletin board there. That place is called the Black Pearl."

Merlin's eyes showed thought. He had heard of that place before; it was rumored to be a place for finding treasure and fencing stolen goods. Various shady merchants frequently went there to buy and sell "merchandise," and it was said that Devil Fruits occasionally sold for sky-high prices there.

Seeing that Merlin's expression was calm and showed no displeasure, Fulvio slowly breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't help but blame himself for his loose tongue, but he was still a bit curious. Merlin noticed his curiosity and asked, "What is it? Do you have any more questions? I can consider answering them if appropriate."

Fulvio blinked. "I won't be reopening old wounds, will I? After all..." He didn't finish his sentence. After all, those who understand will understand.

Merlin shook his head. "If you have nothing else, then never mind."

Hearing this, Fulvio quickly spoke up, his eyes showing concern. "I just wanted to ask, haven't you cured your plumbism yet?"

At this, Yol's expression shifted slightly, and her brow furrowed. However, she remained silent. Merlin looked at him and saw the worry in his eyes, furrowing his own brow. "Are you worried that my plumbism will infect you?"

Fulvio waved his hands repeatedly. He realized that Merlin seemed to have misunderstood him and quickly explained, "No, no, no, that's not what I meant. I know from certain channels that plumbism isn't contagious. I'm just worried about your health, as there haven't been any successful cures for plumbism yet. I... I've only heard that patients with plumbism don't live long."

At this, Teresa also spoke up to explain, "Merlin, my brother and I both know the specific effects of plumbism. You don't need to worry; we have no ill intentions towards you."

Seeing this, Merlin looked at them for a few seconds before chuckling lightly. "Mm, I believe you."

As soon as he said it, the siblings looked at each other in confusion. Wait, he believed us that easily? Aren't you going to doubt it anymore? You're someone who crawled out of the death pits of Frevanz, and you believe people this easily? They exchanged glances, seeing the subtle expressions in each other's eyes.

"Are you two exchanging glances in front of me like I'm blind?" Merlin said calmly. The siblings stiffened, becoming involuntarily nervous, like when they did something bad as children and were caught by their father. After all, they had just touched upon someone's sore spot and felt guilty. They both let out awkward laughs.

However, Merlin looked at them and then said calmly, "For some special reasons, our plumbism has already been cured."

As soon as he said this, their eyes widened. Merlin saw this and joked, "What? You don't believe me? Should I take off my clothes for you to inspect?"

Fulvio waved his hands repeatedly and chuckled awkwardly. "Bro, I don't have that kind of hobby, so let's not. My sister is the same."

But just then, he glanced sideways and saw a spark of light appear in his sister's eyes. His mouth twitched. "Sasha! Drool!"

Teresa quickly reached up to wipe her mouth, but there was nothing there. Her face darkened, and then she realized that her foolish older brother was playing a trick on her again. Her pretty face turned red with anger.

Meanwhile, Yol, standing nearby, also had a subtle expression on her face. But she rolled her eyes at Merlin, annoyed. "If you take off your clothes to prove it, should I also take mine off to cooperate?"

Merlin's mouth twitched, and he looked at her with a subtle expression. At this moment, however, Teresa noticed her brother's eyes were a bit unfocused and said with a slight smile, "Brother, you're drooling!"

Fulvio waved his hand. "Stop talking nonsense, my mouth is dry."

Teresa continued in a drawn-out tone, "Nosebleed!"

Instantly, Fulvio quickly reached up to touch his nose, but there was nothing there either. The next moment, he glared at his sister with a darkened face. "How could you prank me like this?"

Teresa raised her head and smiled triumphantly.

"I learned this from you!"

Merlin and Yol exchanged a glance, seeing the exasperation in each other's eyes.

This brother and sister pair were truly quite bizarre!

Merlin looked at them speechlessly, "You really live up to being family."

Instantly, the two coughed dryly and looked away sheepishly.

But soon, Fulvio's eyes lit up as he looked at Merlin:

"I wonder which doctor conquered plumbism? They must be a divine physician! Could you introduce us?

We can discuss consultation fees."

Merlin raised an eyebrow, "Do you have some unspeakable ailment?"

Fulvio's face darkened, "Bah, bah, bah, don't talk nonsense. I'm in great health.

Very healthy."

Teresa said faintly, "Indeed healthy. Once, he had three beauties in one night. Truly not afraid of venereal diseases! You shouldn't be called Wave Sword anymore. If you become a sword master in the future, you should be called Kidney Deficiency Sword Master!"

"Haha!" Merlin couldn't help but laugh, "That title is quite fitting."

However, Yol beside him looked at Fulvio as if he were a bug.

Then she turned to Merlin and said, "Lami's class is about to start, I'll take her there."

Merlin took out his pocket watch and glanced at it, then nodded, "Alright. Then you go."

Yol left with a bewildered Lami.

At this moment, Fulvio sighed awkwardly:

"It's just for insurance. After all, no one can guarantee that they or their loved ones won't have any health problems in the future."

Merlin agreed with a nod, "That's true. However, that doctor is very busy right now, and I don't know if he has time.

So, let's talk about it later!"

Fulvio looked a little disappointed but nodded nonetheless.

Teresa then looked at Merlin and said with a grin, "Let's not talk about those things! Are you recovered now? If you've rested well, come and fight me!

You can't show favoritism.

Fohr already had a go with you, so it's my turn."

Merlin looked at her and nodded, "Then let's do it! But I won't hold back."

Teresa chuckled, "I couldn't ask for more!"

When Yol returned after dropping Lami off, she saw Merlin and Teresa fighting back and forth intensely.

So she went to the pavilion and watched quietly.

Time passed.

After Merlin and Teresa finished, Yol also went down and sparred with Fulvio.

She lost without a doubt.

However, Fulvio looked horrified.

This was because during the fight, Yol, who had been defending the entire time, seized an opportunity. Fulvio was struck in the chest with a sword.

After the fight, he clutched his chest, breathing heavily. Merlin observed with Calamity Vision and found that his right rib cage was fractured.

However, Merlin didn't heal him.

After all, the injury wasn't serious.

He'd be fine after a couple of days of rest.

It would also serve as a lesson for him.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, ten days went by. During these ten days, Merlin and Yol trained in the training grounds every morning.

In the afternoon, they sparred with the brother and sister pair. In the evening, they sometimes took Lami with them to go fishing and barbecue on a small boat on a nearby lake.

During this time, Fiore completed the forging of the sword and saber for Merlin and Yol.

Yol's was a silver-white greatsword, 138 cm long and 5.2 cm wide. It was a good quality fast sword.

Merlin's saber was a bit special; it was a Demon Blade, with the main material being a piece of strange metal Fiore had found years ago.

Fiore forged it after Fulvio relayed a message from Merlin and Merlin agreed.

As for why he agreed, it was because no Demon Blade was ever a simple weapon, and as for the legend of Demon Blades devouring their masters?

That was more like a joke!

Only the mediocre would fear a weapon devouring its master.

And the blade's quality, just like Yol's sword, had reached the quality of a good swift blade.

For this, Merlin had spent a total of ten million Belly on forging fees.

And Fulvio and his sister left the dojo ten days later, this morning.

At this moment, standing at the port with Yol, they watched the dojo's merchant ship, which was heading elsewhere for trade, gradually shrink into a black dot on the distant sea before disappearing.

Merlin then glanced at Yol and the greatsword at her waist, "Let's head back too!"

"Okay," Yol nodded with a smile, "Then on our way back, let's pick up some dumplings to eat!"

A short while later, after buying some local snacks from the street, the two ate and chatted as they returned to the dojo.

Afterward, they began to freely wield their weapons and spar in what was now almost their exclusive training ground.

And it wasn't limited to swords; they would occasionally incorporate fist and foot attacks.

Pleasant metallic clangs, mixed with dull thuds of flesh colliding, rose and fell.

Not long after, Fiore arrived at some point, watched from under a tree for a while, then left with a smile.

For the time that followed, it was almost entirely peaceful and comfortable.

Cultivating swordsmanship, meditating when tired, and then exercising the body when mentally fatigued.

Unstoppable through wind and snow.

And from time to time, Teresa and her brother would return from outside, bringing overseas specialties to share with Merlin and the others for eating, drinking, and Cultivation.

After cultivating together for a period, they would leave again to travel outside.

Sea Swallow Island was a standard island with distinct seasons.

Winter gave way to summer.

This peaceful Cultivation life, in the blink of an eye, had quietly passed six months.