Little Ningguang Wants to Grow Up Quickly

All the villagers present were dumbfounded.

One strike!

Had Fang Xun killed the Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard, as tall as a mountainside and covered in thick hide, with just one strike?!

"An adeptus! He's an adeptus!"

"Thank you for saving us, adeptus! Thank you!"

In an instant, all the villagers dropped to their knees,

bowing in gratitude to Fang Xun.

In their eyes,

Fang Xun was undoubtedly an adeptus.

Chapter 28: Little Ningguang Wants to Grow Up Quickly

As the villagers showered Fang Xun with reverence and praise,

Cloud Retainer, standing atop the mountain, fell into deep thought.

Her original plan had been to intervene personally and protect the villagers,

but she hadn't expected Fang Xun to step in before her.

Not only that,

Fang Xun had single-handedly blocked the Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard's attack.

This took Cloud Retainer completely by surprise.

She knew all too well how terrifying Geo-spitting could be.

Cloud Retainer had once seen an Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard's breath level an entire mountain with ease,

so even the adepti wouldn't lightly risk facing its Geo-spitting head-on.

Yet Fang Xun had done something that astonished Cloud Retainer.

He'd blocked the Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard's breath with his body,

and not only had he blocked it,

he'd emerged completely unharmed.

Cloud Retainer found it unbelievable.

That was why, more often than not, she kept her gaze fixed on the Jade Shield in front of Fang Xun.

The Jade Shield was far too powerful.

To Cloud Retainer, the energy it contained rivaled the adepti's arts.

The Jade Shield had surpassed the adepti's arts!

Why did Fang Xun possess power beyond that of the adepti?

In her astonishment, Cloud Retainer sensed a familiar aura from the shield.

That aura bore a striking resemblance to Rex Lapis's!

For a moment, Cloud Retainer was dazed,

mistaking Fang Xun's back for the Lord's arrival.

Could it be

that this young man named Fang Xun had some connection—or even a contract—with the Lord?

Cloud Retainer was left speechless with amazement.

Of course,

what Cloud Retainer found most unbelievable was

that Fang Xun had actually killed the Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard!

Cloud Retainer had lived for thousands of years, after all,

and knew a fair amount about the strength of the monsters in Liyue.

She knew the Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard was covered in thick scales and had incredible defenses.

Ordinary blades and spears were completely useless against it.

Only an adeptus, using adeptal arts, could subdue the monster.

But now,

Cloud Retainer had witnessed it with her own eyes:

Fang Xun had killed the Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard with a single spear thrust!

It was no exaggeration to say that Fang Xun's thrust rivaled the ultimate art of dragon slaying!

Even from atop a distant mountain,

Cloud Retainer could feel the overwhelming pressure rolling toward her.

As an adeptus who had lived through a thousand years of change,

Cloud Retainer had long forgotten what it felt like to be intimidated.

Yet after seeing Fang Xun unleash that ultimate thrust, she felt a long-forgotten stir in her heart.

Cloud Retainer had only meant to judge Fang Xun's character,

but everything that happened that night had brought her an unexpected discovery.

At the very least, Cloud Retainer knew Fang Xun's strength was not to be underestimated.

It was no wonder the villagers had taken Fang Xun for an adeptus.

That thrust of his truly had the bearing of one.

If there was one thing that fell short,

it was the ordinary spear in Fang Xun's hand.

What adeptus would wield such a useless piece of scrap iron?

It seemed

she would have to find an opportunity to give Fang Xun a weapon.

Cloud Retainer had both public and personal reasons for thinking this.

From a public standpoint, Fang Xun had earned merit by protecting Liyue's residents in their time of need.

He deserved a gift from the adepti.

Personally,

Cloud Retainer considered that

if Fang Xun and Ganyu ended up together someday,

it would be rather unbecoming if he didn't even have a decent weapon.

Meanwhile, back with Fang Xun.

Looking at the villagers kneeling before him, their faces full of devotion and respect, Fang Xun said, "You'd better get up. I'm no adeptus, so there's no need to bow to me like this."

Yet the villagers remained on their knees, not daring to rise.

"The adeptus protected us and defeated that monster. With power like that, you're surely an adeptus."

"That's right. Please don't take offense, adeptus. This is our way of showing our gratitude!"

Fang Xun could only rub his forehead helplessly.

He finally understood why Little Ningguang was so stubborn.

It turned out the whole village stuck to its principles.

And nothing could sway them.

Just then,

Ningguang tugged at her mother's clothes and softly introduced Fang Xun to her.

"Mom, this is Brother Fang Xun, the one I told you about."

"Brother Fang Xun treats Ningguang really well."

"He even got Ningguang new clothes and lent her money to buy a house. He also let Ningguang look after that Genshin's Eye."

Ningguang habitually told her mother about everything that had happened that day.

Whenever she talked about Fang Xun,

the little girl's tender face would unconsciously break into a sweet smile.

Happiness practically spilled from her watery eyes.

Ningguang's mother had indeed noticed that her daughter had come home that night wearing a pretty new dress.

She'd been a little surprised at the time,

but after hearing Ningguang's explanation, she understood everything.

"So Mr. Fang has been really good to you."

Hearing this, Ningguang's mother's eyes grew damp.

When she looked at Fang Xun again, her expression was full of gratitude.

Ningguang's mother had been feeling guilty about it for a long time.

Their family was so poor that she had never been able to give Ningguang a happy childhood.