Chapter Seventy-Two: A Grand Distribution of Treasures

"Captain, I heard all about it! Our mission rewards were docked entirely because of you. How are you going to make it up to us? Hm, cook for a month? Wash our clothes for three months? Or perhaps..." No sooner had Zhou Tian set foot back at their base and barely caught his breath when Afra burst in front of him, brazenly assigning a list of compensatory chores to him.

Hearing Afra's words, Zhou Tian couldn't help but feel relieved at the decision he'd made before. He certainly did not want his teammates to be the sort who would forget all loyalty for the sake of a little profit. If Afra and the others had truly resented him over such a paltry reward, Zhou Tian would never have stayed with them. The fact that Afra could jest as she did showed she wasn't overly concerned about the mission's compensation, which was precisely the attitude Zhou Tian hoped for. However...

Even if you want to comfort me, must you say such things? Zhou Tian had strong suspicions that parts of Afra's speech were her own additions. Cooking and laundry—surely she intended to shirk these chores herself and use this occasion to foist them onto him!

Fortunately, Zhou Tian had already prepared for this. Maintaining a facade of calm, he glanced at Afra, reached into his cloak, and produced ten jade talismans, tossing them to her.

"Your reward is not forgotten!" As Afra caught them, Zhou Tian explained, "These are called Beast-Imitating Talismans. They don't possess much offensive power, but if you crush one, you can create a magical beast of your choosing. Of course, the beast will only resemble the original in form, possessing instincts like flight or swimming, but absolutely no combat abilities. They last only ten minutes before vanishing. You used to be a dragon knight, didn't you? Without a mount, you can't fully display your strength. Though these talismans can't restore all your power, they should be of some help."

"Of course they're helpful!" Afra, delighted, tucked the talismans away like precious gems, then, with eyes gleaming as if she were a wolf eyeing her prey, began patting Zhou Tian down. "These are perfect for me, Captain, I absolutely love you. Are there more? Where are you hiding them? Give them all to me!"

"That's all, really." Zhou Tian, overwhelmed by Afra's enthusiasm and her roaming hands, felt wholly ill at ease and soon regretted handing her the entire batch.

Luckily, someone could rein Afra in. Just as Zhou Tian was at his wit's end, Vivian finally emerged from her room. Seeing Afra almost draped over Zhou Tian, Vivian's face flushed red. Pointing angrily, she exclaimed, "Afra, get over here! Look at yourself—what do you think you're doing, I—"

Afra, well aware of Vivian's temper, shivered instinctively at her shout. To stave off her impending doom, she quickly withdrew the ten talismans and, as if presenting a treasure, explained their use to Vivian.

Vivian, being a combatant herself, understood well how much a mount—even a purely ceremonial dragon—could bolster Afra's strength. Upon hearing the explanation, her intent to scold was instantly forgotten. Watching Afra tuck the talismans away as if they were the most precious of treasures, Vivian's eyes sparkled as she turned her gaze to Zhou Tian.

Zhou Tian, recognizing her look, could only sigh in resignation. "Don't worry, I prepared something for each of you as compensation for this mission. Here—this is yours." He pulled ten more talismans from his cloak.

No sooner had he produced them than Vivian darted forward, snatching the talismans from his hand and stowing them away just as zealously as Afra.

Curious, she soon drew one out again to examine it and quickly noticed a difference. "How come mine aren't the same as Afra's?"

Zhou Tian, intending at first to let her stew after her earlier behavior, held his tongue. But compared to Afra's persistence, Vivian's nagging proved far more formidable. After less than three minutes, Zhou Tian surrendered under her barrage.

"I tailored each gift to its recipient. Afra's talismans help restore her dragon knight abilities. You're a cultivator; beast talismans wouldn't suit you. Instead, I prepared these—Adamantine Talismans, designed to enhance your defense."

"Adamantine Talismans?"

"That's right. The talisman in your hand is called an Adamantine Talisman. It can't conjure creatures, but in peril, if you crush one, it will grant you ten points of defense." Seeing her confusion, he quickly added, "Let me put it this way: a leather coat provides about one point of defense. Using a talisman is the equivalent of donning ten coats at once. Most weapons won't be able to harm you."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie?" Annoyed, Zhou Tian held out his hand. "If you don't believe me, give it back. Even I can't bear to use such luxuries, and today I've gritted my teeth and given you several, yet you still doubt me."

"Only a fool would give them back! I'm keeping these, Captain, you really do have some impressive alchemical products. If I use these up, I'll just come and get more from you!" Shamelessly, Vivian pocketed the talismans and, under Zhou Tian's exasperated gaze, skipped back to her room.

Thanks to Vivian and Afra's chatter, word that Zhou Tian had prepared an "alchemical product" for each member quickly spread through the team. Soon enough, the rest—Anna and Mike—sought him out, their eyes alight with anticipation.

Confronted by Anna and Mike's eager stares, Zhou Tian didn't resist for long. With a practiced gesture, he reached into his cloak and produced the gifts he had prepared for them.

"Anna, I heard about your situation from Vivian. Because of a certain potion with strong side effects, you've lost your battle aura and, unless a miracle occurs, will never regain it. Even I doubt I can restore your former strength." Seeing Anna's downcast expression, Zhou Tian's tone softened. "But though I can't give back your aura, I do know another path—an energy called inner force. While its destructive power doesn't match battle aura, it has its own advantages. For one, it's more enduring: at the same level, an inner force cultivator can fight three times as long. It's gentle in nature, too. Over-training with battle aura can harm the user, but inner force, properly practiced, leaves no hidden injuries and in fact strengthens the body and extends life."

Anna's eyes instantly filled with hope. She had long since abandoned any dream of regaining her battle aura; even the Light Church had failed to help her. Now, hearing of a new path—even if not regaining her old strength—Zhou Tian's offer was like a beacon in her despair.

Anticipating this reaction, Zhou Tian handed her a book while the others looked on eagerly. "This 'Minor Formless Skill' is a unique method for cultivating inner force. If you master it, you can use inner force to simulate various attributes. Whether it can perfectly replicate your former abilities, I can't say, but even if not, I'll help you find the right techniques to enhance your strength in the future." As he spoke, a genuine pang of regret crossed his face. The talismans for Vivian and Afra were valuable, costing a hundred spirit energy each—a total of two thousand for both. But this manual, being a reusable secret art, had cost him a full hundred thousand spirit energy to acquire.

Yet, seeing Anna's excitement, Zhou Tian felt perhaps the expense had not been in vain.

With Anna settled, only Mike remained without a gift. The middle-aged man stood before him, trying to appear calm though his anticipation was plain. Zhou Tian cleared his throat and handed over the final item.

"And this is?" Mike inquired.

"A Mana Restoration Potion," Zhou Tian explained. "Don't underestimate it. Once your mana is depleted, drinking this will restore you to full power within a minute. It may seem trivial, but at a critical moment, it could save your life."

Mike, a seasoned veteran, needed no further explanation. He understood the value of such a potion better than anyone. After Zhou Tian finished, Mike carefully put the potion away for safekeeping.