The Old Man Takes You Around Zane

Leon felt as if he were witnessing a Great Conferment of Titles of the Six States.

When he learned that You Fei was Professor Jia Paer's daughter, he did consider talking to her about Jia Paer.

However, You Fei remained uninterested in this topic, even pretending not to hear it, which, coupled with the rumors circulating about Jia Paer's discord with his daughter, further fueled her interest.

Sigh, as an outsider, he can't really discuss this kind of thing in depth. He doesn't even know the inside story, let alone advise You Fei.

If I really had to try to persuade him, what would I say? A good child shouldn't argue with his father.

Vomit!

Leon had considered telling Jia Paer what had happened, but unfortunately he couldn't find Japal's contact information and didn't know if informing Jia Paer was a good idea.

Unexpectedly, the other party came to our door today!

And they even made such a huge blunder!

Seeing You Fei already running into the Zane Dungeon and Jia Paer about to follow, Leon felt he had to say something, otherwise he felt the final outcome would be terrible.

"Teacher!" he shouted at Jia Paer, even using magic to muffle his voice so that no one else could hear him. "She doesn't need pity right now!"

Jia Paer paused for a moment, nodded to Leon, and then chased after him.

"."

Leon sighed, unsure whether the other person was even listening.

Hopefully, things will turn out well.

Inside the Zane Dungeon.

As soon as Jia Paer entered the dungeon, he was forced to watch videos that Leon and the others had already seen. Although he was anxious, he could not find the skip button.

However, since the parasites were completely eradicated, the beginning of the Yharnam region has undergone slight changes. The visuals remain almost unchanged, but—

The blood therapy step that everyone used to have to go through at the beginning is gone.

He didn't care about blood therapy or anything like that; all he wanted to do was find his daughter. As soon as the imaging ended, he jumped off the hospital bed and, with his extraordinary senses, immediately locked onto You Fei Agility in Yharnam City.

Before he could even take in the scenery of Yharnam, he dashed out like a gust of wind. The werewolves, who were usually entrenched in the Yharnam Clinic, didn't even notice what was passing by before being slammed against the wall by the wind pressure.

On the other side, You Fei, noticing that Jia Paer was chasing her at high speed, couldn't help but click her tongue. While concealing her presence, she took off and ran towards a secluded and narrow place.

I know this city much better than he does; he'll never find me!

However, You Fei seems to have underestimated Jia Paer now.

Even though she tried her best to conceal her presence, Jia Paer was still able to lock onto her.

She wandered through Yharnam, even deliberately venturing into areas with traps and monsters. There were many traps that even she had encountered before. While they certainly wouldn't injure Jia Paer, they could at least slow her down.

However, it is impossible.

For some reason, Jia Paer's speed in passing through these traps far exceeded that of You Fei, as if he were so experienced that he had already figured out a whole set of tricks for dealing with the Sain-type of traps, and he could remain calm even when he saw a trap for the first time.

How come you seem to know this dungeon better than I do?! You Fei was about to lose it. She glanced back and saw Jia Paer's figure already appearing at the corner at the end of the street!

"You Fei!"

Listen, the sound is already clearly audible; they're probably going to catch up in a few seconds.

"You don't need to come over, I can handle this!" You Fei shouted without turning her head. "I don't need your sympathy again!"

Jia Paer frowned, his white brows furrowed. He hadn't looked so troubled since Execute the Demon King Bloodline and avenged himself. Parents all over the world would feel anxious if their child had turned into an alien, even if you are an unparalleled sword saint.

He was about to offer some words of sympathy and comfort, like any parent in the world, to persuade his daughter to stop, when he suddenly remembered what Leon had said, "What she needs right now is not sympathy."

If what she needs right now isn't sympathy, then what is?

Jia Paer felt he knew, because after taking revenge, he had been keeping an eye on his daughter's activities and had vaguely guessed something from the other party's movements, but he couldn't be 100% sure.

But even if it's uncertain, we have to try now, otherwise we won't be able to calm down the manic You Fei. So Jia Paer shouted:

"Who wants to sympathize with you? Your father is here to issue a challenge!"

"Huh?"

You Fei paused, or rather stumbled, almost falling to the ground. What had she just heard?

Jia Paer made a face as if he were about to blow his beard and glare angrily, shouting fiercely, looking as if he might pull out a feather duster at any moment to beat the child.

"Do you know what people call me because of the good things you've done lately?"

"What's it called?" You Fei asked instinctively, genuinely out of curiosity.

"Last time, a kid from the Warrior Country pointed at me and asked if I was Big Sister You Fei's father!"

Jia Paer, like a mean old man, deliberately shouted, "I struggled my whole life to become the famous Sword Saint that people talk about, and you, girl, only took a few years to make me into You Fei's father in people's mouths. That title has no imposing presence at all!"

"Pfft—"

You Fei finally couldn't help but laugh out loud; she tried to hold it in, but she just couldn't suppress the smile.

It's like this: a child is sulking with their parents because of some conflict, and even plans to turn themselves into an emotionless learning machine so that their parents will regret it, but then at some point they can't help but laugh because of a joke told by the other person.

Once you laugh, you can never go back to your sulking state.

"That's because you're so useless!" You Fei slowed her pace without realizing it. "Besides, how could I possibly do something like that!"

Jia Paer also slowed down, a grin spreading across his face beneath his beard, but his tone remained angry as he shouted:

"It's no use arguing back, it's just some little kid calling me that! I've worked so hard this year, have you worked even half as hard as me?"

"That's not necessarily true!"

Seeing that the opportunity was just right, he called out:

"So I've come to challenge you, little girl, to a duel. Do you dare to fight me?"

You Fei stopped abruptly and turned her head, a smile flashing across her face as she tried to keep a straight expression, saying, "What are you going to compete in? You're not going to do anything like bullying someone from a weaker background, are you?"

She hadn't seen her father's face in a long time, and she felt a little uncomfortable as she turned around.

"Let's compare who's more famous—but you're just as famous as your old man, so there's no point in comparing us," Jia Paer stopped and started panting like a real old man, which showed how much energy he had expended on his journey to get here at high speed.

"That?"

"Let our two disciples compete. I heard from that kid Bontou that you've taken on several disciples in the Warrior Country."

You Fei chuckled upon hearing this and said:

"Are you sure? Although Leon and Da Er are both outstanding talents, they are definitely no match for my apprentice!"

She clenched her fist and said firmly:

"Because my disciples are all dragons!"

"Hmph, speaking of dragons, Leon has chased away countless ones." Jia Paer was referring to the Glintstone Dragon of Lake Liurnia. Ever since a large number of adventurers appeared there, the Glintstone Dragon has never been able to get a good night's sleep in its lair.

"That's nothing compared to my apprentice. Who do you think I am?!"

You Fei took a step forward, crossed her arms, and struck a powerful pose reminiscent of the Tengen Toppa, exuding arrogance.

Jia Paer then took several steps forward and stood directly in front of his daughter, laughing domineeringly, "When it comes to training apprentices, I'm much more professional than you."

"Hmm?" x2

Their foreheads collided violently, their eyes flashing with what seemed like electric sparks. Even when they unleashed Magnetic Field Rotation One Million Horsepower at each other, it didn't feel out of place.

"."

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent. A Beastification Citizen had wandered into the alley and immediately fled in a panic.

The expressions on the father and daughter's faces twitched simultaneously, and then—

"Hahahaha!" x2

They both laughed at the same time.

You Fei bumped her father's shoulder, sending him staggering back half a step, while Jia Paer kicked his daughter Pigu at a tricky angle, only to get pricked by the barbs on the exoskeleton.

"Then the competition is set. We'll see in six months! I'm sure I'll win," You Fei said.

"Ah, it's settled then!"

The two bumped fists simultaneously, the shockwave cracking the surrounding walls. Jia Paer gently patted the You Fei alien's shoulder and said:

"Before that, come with me to get your body treated."

"I'm fine as I am." You Fei shook her head habitually.

"Bullshit, bugs and stuff are ugly as hell."

"Then do you have a way to cure me?"

"Of course."

Jia Paer pulled a silver-white object from his pocket; it was an extremely valuable item well-known to adventurers in the Arnor Kingdom.

[Tear Drop Larva]

"The Path of Salvation lies within it."

Not long after, in Savis City.

"I... I'm under an illusion?"

Leon froze on the spot when he saw Jia Paer and You Fei, who looked like a dutiful father and daughter.

It's only been ten minutes, right? I hadn't even figured out how to comfort the teacher about her child's rebellious phase, and they've already made up?

Could it be that Professor Jia Paer had You Fei beat him up to vent his anger?

Applying this to his own father-son relationship, Leon felt that if his father let him beat him up ten times, the hatred between them might be completely wiped out—not because Leon forgave him, but because Te Pi probably wouldn't last ten beatings and would probably die.

"I'm taking You Fei to Sain for treatment. I'll leave things here to you for now," Jia Paer said cheerfully to Leon. "Thank you for your hard work these next two days. I'll teach you some new Weapon Skill I've learned later."

Actually, it's a secret Weapon Skill learned from the Warrior Country.

"Teacher, please go ahead and do your work. I'll take care of this."

Even without a reward, Leon would still help.

However...

The next day, watching the father and daughter re-enter the Zane Dungeon, he thought about it all night but still couldn't figure it out.

How exactly did these two reconcile?

One of the main reasons that motivated You Fei to move forward was to do things that surpass her father's.

Jia Paer's earlier feigned challenge was actually a tacit affirmation of You Fei's efforts over the years; neither of them explicitly stated it, but both were well aware of it.

What I'd been holding back for so many years, but was never said, suddenly became easier to say after a truly unexpected event.

But after a night of reflection, Jia Paer realized that if the Zane Dungeon hadn't "coincidentally" appeared and saved Reid from the crisis, he probably would never have been able to say those words to You Fei.

So if you don't want to have regrets in the future, it's better to say some things as soon as possible.

Upon entering the Zane Dungeon, the first thing that shocked You Fei was—

"So I can go to the Arnor Kingdom?"

The gate to the Hunter's Dream is directly connected to Firelink Shrine, as Leon and the others had mentioned before, but this was the first time You Fei had seen it with her own eyes.

The people on Reed's side subconsciously assumed that being able to travel between the two countries through the dungeon was a privilege reserved for foreign adventurers like Leon, so no one even tried to go to Anor. It sounds absurd, but it is indeed a real thing.

After all, even You Fei could be parasitized by parasites due to carelessness, so it's not surprising that there are a lot of makeshift operations in this world.

Firelink Shrine seems to possess a magical power that can calm people's minds. Even Warrior can find peace here. The surrounding scenery also fascinates You Fei, but what fascinates her the most is Jia Paer.

"You Fei, come over here," Jia Paer called out warmly to You Fei from a cliff edge, pointing to the cemetery below. "Guess what's down there?"

"A light spot?" You Fei asked doubtfully. She remembered hearing somewhere that the Firelink Shrine was an absolutely safe place.

Then, in the next second, she was kicked down.

"Crackling sound—" Suddenly, a bunch of skeletons crawled out of the graveyard next to the Firelink Shrine and pounced on her before she could even figure out what was going on.

"The correct answer is, there's a monster hiding inside!" Jia Paer grinned mischievously, truly behaving like a playful old man.

"You old bastard, I'm going to skin you alive!" You Fei's furious roar came from below.

The two's goal is to challenge the boss of the Zane Dungeon, [Full Moon Queen's Mimic Tear]. If they win, they have a chance to obtain a special Tear Drop Larva. Not only can it reset skill points like a regular Tear Drop Larva, but it can also change a person's appearance. This effect is quite powerful and should also be able to change You Fei's alien appearance.

Fortunately, apart from a bunch of exoskeletons, she still maintained a humanoid body shape, which was still within the modification range of the Tear Drop Larva.

However, after taking You Fei into the Zane Dungeon, Jia Paer became more excited than ever before.

"Daughter, look, this is the Gourmet Area. Do you see that mud-like creature over there? That's called a Ditto. Go poke it and see."

"Haha, see that? It's turned into your shape! Isn't that fun!"

"You Fei, are you hungry? Here, try this Electric Banana. It's crispy and numbing, and it's really delicious."

"Hehehe, you ate it. How do you feel now? How do you feel!"

You Fei, numbed by the Thunderbolt of electricity contained within the Electric Banana, was also mentally numb.

Following this, Jia Paer did a series of things including but not limited to:

Tell You Fei that the large iron ball is a harmless tool used by ancient people to train for races, that applying lubricant to the Puppet Soldier will earn their gratitude, and that the mist sprayed by terrestrial sea squirts can beautify the skin.

Both the Caria Knight Mugram, and the Heima Magician are weak in melee combat; the Great Lobster has no ranged attack methods; and the Torina Water Lily is delicious when eaten raw.

Like a child showing off his proudest and most beloved toy, Jia Paer walked along the road from Lake Liurnia to the Raya Lucaria Magic Academy, telling You Fei in great detail about every creature and even the interesting details of the buildings, occasionally adding a touch of his own quirky humor.

But this perverse sense of humor is something that anyone who has spent some time in the Zane Dungeon will develop; basically, it's about wanting to see newcomers suffer, and even the Blademaster is not immune.

You Fei had learned her lesson and remained extremely vigilant, refusing to do anything that Jia Paer recommended she do.

She was a little annoyed when she was first "tricked", but she became more and more relaxed as time went on, and now she can even laugh with Jia Paer.

What kind of mentality was this? You Fei herself didn't know, but it felt like she was going to an amusement park with her father after a long time, even though this amusement park was a little more thrilling.

After her mother passed away, her father was depressed for several years and became indifferent to everything, including her.

Later, Jia Paer emerged from the shadow of his wife's death and became obsessed with studying magic everywhere. He still rarely had time for You Fei. It was probably around that time that the two gradually stopped talking to each other. Later, when You Fei went on a journey, the father and daughter would not see each other for a long time.

Jia Paer was definitely in the wrong, but did he realize it?

Judging from his seemingly carefree laughter while he's actually carefully observing You Fei's reactions and racking his brains to take her to do fun things, he's not only realized his mistake but is even trying to make amends.

"Dad, you can't win me over with just one day." You Fei sensed something, a smile playing on her lips as she thought to herself:

We have to repeat today at least ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times!

They both know everything in their hearts, but they just won't say it, and they can still fool each other without a care in the world.

This father-daughter relationship is even stranger than that of Leon and Te Pi.

Perhaps it was because of Jia Paer's example, or perhaps because Saine was really interesting, You Fei seemed to have gradually come to like this place, otherwise she wouldn't have said something like repeating today a hundred times.

"Sean is interesting, isn't he?" Jia Paer said as he stood in front of the entrance to the boss's arena, where the Full Moon Queen's Mimic Tear was making preparations with dozens of others who were also challenging the boss. "Why don't you stay here? You can encounter different interesting things every day. There are also many interesting places here that I haven't told you about yet."

You Fei showed a hint of interest, but quickly shook her head and said, "There are some things waiting for me to deal with in the Warrior Country. I can't stay here to enjoy myself. I'm serious about what's going on there."

"That's a real shame," Jia Paer shrugged helplessly. "But that country does seem to have some problems, though I have no right to interfere."

But You Fei added with a smile:

"If the Zane Dungeon can expand to the Warrior Country, then I might consider coming here every day."

Jia Paer laughed too. "You're dreaming. Why don't you shout it out here and see if Sain responds?"

As a result, under the astonished gazes of passersby, You Fei really looked up and shouted to the sky:

"Sean, if you're so capable, go drive your car all the way to the Warrior Country!"

The sound seemed to make Raya Lucaria tremble.

I wonder if the Zane Dungeon heard it.

Later, perhaps because of the principle that after hardship comes happiness, after a series of bad things, You Fei finally had a stroke of luck and soon obtained the special Tear Drop Larva that could change appearance, successfully turning her alien body covered by an exoskeleton back into a normal human form.

However, there is a small problem: it seems that the Insect King left her some useful things. These things did not disappear with her rebirth, and it is unknown whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

At the same time that You Fei freed herself from her insect body, news arrived that made many adventurers eager to try their luck—

The new region, Yharnam, has finally opened to the public.