I'm Not Giving It to You; Consider It an Investment in You!

Inside the apartment, Lin Nuo brought Na'er and Tang Wuling home and asked Na'er to take out the box.

Na'er reluctantly headed to her room. But when she reached her door, she turned back and glared at Tang Wuling in annoyance before going inside. Then she slammed the door shut to show how unhappy she was with her brother.

Seeing Na'er's attitude toward her, Tang Wuling felt a little embarrassed. She didn't know why Na'er seemed so hostile toward her.

"Lin Nuo, did I do something wrong? Na'er seems really hostile toward me."

"That's just how Na'er is. Maybe she reacted so strongly because you were standing too close to me," Lin Nuo answered honestly. That was how kids acted when they got jealous. Though, did Na'er even count as a kid?

Tang Wuling nodded thoughtfully at his answer. "I see." As she spoke, she moved farther away from Lin Nuo.

Lin Nuo couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth at Tang Wuling's move. Then, after hearing what she said next, he fell silent. "Lin Nuo, Na'er shouldn't react so strongly now, right?"

Lin Nuo: "..."

How had he not realized yesterday that Tang Wuling was such a little goofball?

Bang!

The door opened just then.

Na'er came out holding the box. Her gaze fell on the two of them, then she saw Tang Wuling standing farther away from her brother. Half the scowl vanished from her face. At least this perverted woman knew that men and women should keep their distance.

She held the box out to Tang Wuling. "Here."

Looking at the box Na'er was offering her, Tang Wuling asked in confusion, "What's this?"

"Something very important to you," Lin Nuo said. "You can open it and see."

Unable to contain her curiosity, Tang Wuling slowly opened the box. A little snake appeared inside.

"A S-Soul Spirit?" Tang Wuling had gone home the day before and read many of the books her father had given her. Naturally, she knew what Soul Spirits were. They were one of the ways Soul Masters could obtain Soul Rings in this era—or, for ordinary people, the only way.

A single Soul Spirit cost an astronomical amount. Ordinary families simply couldn't afford one. That was the tragedy of this era.

Soul Engineers kept advancing, while ordinary Soul Masters were steadily being pushed off the stage of history.

The top resources had long since been monopolized by the major powers and the Federation. For ordinary people, trying to turn their lives around was harder than ever.

Tang Wuling held the box, both hands trembling. She hurriedly looked at Lin Nuo and Na'er. "Lin Nuo, Na'er, this is too valuable. I can't accept it."

"No, I'm not giving it to you. Think of it as me selling it to you—as an investment in you." Lin Nuo knew that if he simply gave it to her, Tang Ziran and his wife would definitely return it. They'd find an investment much easier to accept.

As for why he hadn't chosen a plant Soul Spirit better suited to the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul—come on, what era was this?

The Dragon King era! Even if Tang San were brought to this age, he'd still get crushed.

Tang Wuling's biggest cheat was the Golden Dragon King Bloodline. As for the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline, she might have had a little of it when she was born, but the moment the Golden Dragon King Bloodline appeared in her, it was already gone.

For the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline to awaken again, Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin would have to help her. But that wouldn't happen until much later.

"An investment?" Tang Wuling didn't quite understand what Lin Nuo meant. After all, she was still young, and there were some things she couldn't make sense of.

Looking at Tang Wuling's puzzled face, Lin Nuo thought for a moment and put it more simply. "An investment means you'll have to help me once in the future, without asking for anything in return. Can you do that?"

Tang Wuling immediately understood.

She nodded at once. "I understand, Lin Nuo!"

She was still a child, without an adult's calculations or ulterior motives, so she simply agreed.

Lin Nuo nodded. "Good. Since you understand, it's about time. I'll walk you home."

"I can get home by myself, Lin Nuo." Tang Wuling's voice was soft, with a hint of embarrassment.

"It's late, and it's not safe out there. I'll walk you home." Lin Nuo's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. He raised an eyebrow and added, "No refusing."

Tang Wuling looked at Lin Nuo's resolute face. Her lips moved, but in the end she didn't argue. She nodded lightly, the tips of her ears quietly turning a little red.

Seeing her agree, Lin Nuo's expression softened. He turned to Na'er, sitting quietly nearby, and asked in a gentler tone, "Na'er, want to come with us?"

"No." Na'er immediately scrunched up her nose, her little face set in a tight frown. Her voice was full of sulky, stubborn pride. "Brother, if you're taking her, go by yourself. Don't drag me into it."

Looking at her puffed-up face, Lin Nuo shook his head helplessly. He didn't press her and turned to Tang Wuling with a gentle smile. "Then let's go."

"All right, Lin Nuo." Tang Wuling answered softly. She couldn't help sneaking a quick glance at Na'er, but when she saw her still scowling, she hurriedly looked away and hurried to catch up with Lin Nuo.

Watching the two of them leave, Na'er finally snapped. She grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it, then jumped right on top of it, stomping furiously. "Damn Golden Dragon King! Damn perverted woman! ε＝ε＝ε＝(#>д<)ﾉ!"

Zi JI suddenly appeared just then. Seeing her Lord venting her pent-up frustration, she immediately decided not to speak. She stood quietly to one side, waiting for her Lord to finish.

A few minutes later, Na'er let out a breath and looked at Zi JI. "What is it, Zi JI?"

"My Lord, that girl has the Golden Dragon King Bloodline inside her. Should we—"

"Silence!" The aura around Na'er suddenly changed. It turned icy, and her voice became utterly commanding. "Without my order, if you dare send word back, I won't hesitate to turn you into my brother's Soul Ring."

Zi JI should have stopped talking after hearing that. But to Na'er's surprise, she replied, "That's an option? My Lord."

Oh no. She'd forgotten that Zi JI was one of her brother's worshippers.

"Forget I said anything."

"Please, my Lord, think it over seriously!"

"Get lost!"

"Waaah ┭┮﹏┭┮, my Lord, you have no heart!"

Na'er: "..."

Watching Zi JI leave in tears, Na'er couldn't help twitching the corner of her mouth. Were any of them even human?

Wait, they weren't actually human...

The stars shone especially brightly that night. Lin Nuo and Tang Wuling walked side by side beneath the starry sky, heading toward her home.

At last, Tang Wuling couldn't hold back her curiosity. She stopped, her gaze falling on Lin Nuo beside her. "Um, well..."

"What's wrong?" Lin Nuo stopped too and looked at Tang Wuling curiously, patiently waiting for her to ask.

"Lin Nuo, why are you so good to me?"

Tang Wuling mustered up her courage and asked. From what he'd said yesterday and the Soul Spirit he'd given her today, she could feel how kind he was to her. But they'd only known each other for a few days. Wasn't that a little strange?