Ning Rongrong asked another question that sounded incredibly innocent.
"If the Akademiya opens a branch in Heaven Dou City, will they grow a tree this big there too?"
Ning Rongrong thought that having a tree like this in Heaven Dou City would be pretty interesting.
Collei thought of the Akademiya Branch at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. For a moment, she really didn't know how to answer, so she simply stayed silent.
The others exchanged knowing smiles. None of them thought such a thing would happen—except Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan.
If Grand Sage Ouyang Kong could plant a giant tree at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, planting another one in Heaven Dou City wasn't impossible.
Just then, the Sky Screen continued updating.
[She was a mercenary of the desert, belonging to the Blazing Beast-Hunting Mercenary Group. Mercenaries served those who hired them, but the lion of the desert was no one's servant. Her sword followed her heart.] [She, too, had been noticed by a god, but she had never believed a god's attention would make her invincible. She had always believed that what decided a battle was physical strength, decisiveness, judgment, and combat skill.] [She had always believed that a wall's true purpose was not to keep people out, but to protect them. And she was the strongest wall of all. She protected the children of the desert, just as someone had once said of her: a mercenary willing to spend money protecting the desert's children was truly one of a kind.]
The Sky Screen also paired those words with an image of Dehya playing with a group of children at an orphanage.
[She had the eyes of a vulture and the soul of a lion. She was the daughter of the desert.] [The mane and tail of a lion, blazing with firelight; red gold and red sand beneath a shining, scorching sun.] [You could hire her, but whatever you did, don't let her catch you doing anything bad—or you'd be done for.]
The Sky Screen had shown Dehya's strong yet gentle side, moving many people. After all, the vast majority of powerful figures on the Douluo Continent didn't care whether ordinary people lived or died.
"So that's where all your money went—you donated it to those children. You're generous, all right. How come you never mentioned it to me?"
Candace looked at Dehya, who laughed heartily.
"Hahaha, what's there to talk about? It's only Mora. As long as I have enough to spend, that's all that matters."
"Hmph. Everyone has secrets. I suppose that makes us even. Now let's see what your reward is."
"What's the point? It'll definitely be the same reward. We might as well guess who's ranked ahead of me."
"Now that's a bit of a mystery. I'm looking forward to it."
The reward really hadn't changed.
[Congratulations to Dehya. The years of all your Soul Rings have increased by 4,000.]
By then, Ouyang Kong had returned to the Akademiya, only to run into Nefer.
"Grand Sage, I'm terribly bored, you know. The Sky Screen hasn't given us any new information. Shouldn't you give me some funding so I can rebuild the Secret Archive? You're the one who brought me here, after all. You have to take responsibility."
Ouyang Kong spread his hands.
"I don't have any money. I was counting on you to earn funds for the Akademiya. Next, I'm going to open a branch in Heaven Dou City. There's a wealthy sect there called the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Whether you can make any money will depend on your ability. Oh, and bring that swindler along too. I believe the two of you can make a great success of things on this Douluo Continent."
Nefer rolled her eyes at Ouyang Kong.
"I used to be the one making promises to Jahoda. Now it's the Grand Sage making promises to me. Fine, I'm magnanimous, so I won't hold it against you. As for Dori, I'll tell her. Whether she goes or not is up to her."
With that, Nefer walked gracefully past Ouyang Kong.
Ouyang Kong glanced at the Sky Screen.
"She should be next, shouldn't she?"
Perhaps to prove him right, the Sky Screen updated again.
[Rank 5: Nefer]
At the same time, Nefer's alluring figure appeared on the Sky Screen.
Her delicate features, emerald-green hair, and makeup gave her a bewitching yet dangerous air.
Her figure was just as perfect, and her legs were not only beautiful but looked powerful, too.
When Nefer found Dori, she happened to see her own image on the Sky Screen.
"Fifth place? As expected, that Scribe is very powerful."
"Ooh! You're on the Sky Screen too. For the owner of the Secret Archive to be exposed by it can't be a good thing."
"This isn't Teyvat. There's no Secret Archive here, and there's nothing I can do about the Sky Screen anyway. Let it do as it pleases."
"By the way, what did you come to see me for? I can't even sleep well when there's no Mora to earn. Ah!"
"Then I've brought you good news. The Grand Sage is sending us to Heaven Dou City to earn funds for the Akademiya."
"Really? Wonderful! I can finally earn Mora again. I can only sleep well when I hear the sound of Mora."
"There's no Mora on this Douluo Continent, only Gold Soul Coins. Come on, let's go."
Wherever the Akademiya had a branch, there was a teleportation array. But for now, it only had one branch: the one at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
So Nefer and Dori could only teleport to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well first, then continue on to Heaven Dou City.
At the Seven Treasure Hotel in Heaven Dou City, Prince Xue Xing had already left with Xue Beng to help the Akademiya choose a location for its branch.
When Sethos and Tighnari saw Nefer appear on the Sky Screen, puzzled expressions crossed both their faces.
Nefer was the latest character Ouyang Kong had summoned. By then, they had already left the Akademiya's main branch.
And they hadn't crossed paths in Teyvat either, so they didn't know her at all.
Well, it wasn't quite true that they didn't know her at all. As the owner of the Secret Archive, Nefer had information on Tighnari and Sethos.
Noticing the puzzled expressions on Tighnari and Sethos's faces, Qian Renxue asked, "Isn't Miss Nefer from the Akademiya?"
"Judging by her clothes, she should be from the Akademiya. We just don't know her."
"She's probably the type who left Sumeru to make a living in another country. I didn't expect the Grand Sage to bring her here too."
Qian Renxue and the others heard another key word—Sumeru. But no matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn't think of a time when there had been a country called Sumeru on the Douluo Continent.
Next, the Sky Screen continued updating Nefer's basic information.
[Affiliation: Akademiya] [Age: 25] [Martial Soul: True Word Secret Box] [Soul Power Level: 95] [Identity: Owner of the Secret Archive]
Nefer, who was heading to Heaven Dou City with Dori, was thoroughly displeased to see the Sky Screen reveal her age.
"A woman's age is a secret. I hate having my secrets exposed."
"I understand. It's like losing a huge pile of Mora."
"Hehe, this might be an opportunity, too—a chance to make a name for the Secret Archive."
"This isn't Teyvat. Without an information network, can the Secret Archive still make itself heard?"
"It's fine. We still have the Grand Sage and Lesser Lord Kusanali, don't we?"
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