The Strongest Talent Tree

Chapter 92: Chapter 90: The Autistic Girl’s Little Notebook

Back at Rongcheng Academy, Yue Linglong had taught a similar course. Generally speaking, modern Demon Patterns are divided into two major systems: universal Demon Patterns and Inheritance Demon Patterns.

Universal Demon Patterns are the hundred-odd types circulated among Mages. Their functions and structures are simple and easy to understand.

Inheritance Demon Patterns, however, were rather special. Their structures were so complex that they couldn’t be taught to others until they were fully comprehended. They could only be preserved and passed down through special Scrolls, which is why inheritance organizations centered around sects came to be.

The six great sects of today each have their own unique Inheritance Demon Patterns, all with different functions and effects. Some are suited for strength-based Mages, some for magic-damage Mages, some for ranged Mages, and some for control-type Mages...

It could be said that these different Inheritance Demon Patterns formed the distinct characteristics of each sect.

The Thief God Hall had become the sixth major power precisely because of its five unique inheritances. Although it was still not recognized by the five great sects, its strength was beyond question.

His big brother, Lin Luo, had been able to perform stealth assassinations right under the noses of a War and Magic Alliance Elder and West Moon Ridge. He had used at least three inheritances—[Shadow], [Silence], and [Hidden Stab]—and possibly even the other two.

In short, all five of the Thief God Hall’s inheritance paths were practically tailor-made for Feng Hao!

’A total of 3000 points. If I work hard, it shouldn’t be a problem.’ As his excitement subsided, Feng Hao began to think about how to get them.

Hearing this, a smile crept across Xiong Tianfang’s grubby face. "It’s relatively faster for us with support professions to earn points. Still, I’d recommend you upgrade your clearance to intermediate first. After all, the intermediate-level jobs are much more efficient for earning points."

"That’s true." Feng Hao nodded thoughtfully. ’First, I’ll spend 1,200 points to become a Fourth-level Thief, then I can take intermediate jobs to grind my way up to 3,000. In theory, that should be faster, since intermediate jobs reward at least 100 points each.’

"So, you’ve seen the inheritances. What do you think? Wanna go grab a couple drinks with me?" Xiong Tianfang asked with a grin.

Feng Hao broke into a smile. "I was just thinking the same thing. Let’s go! Brother Xiong, you lead the way. My treat!"

"Haha, that’s what I was waiting to hear!" Xiong Tianfang let out a loud laugh, slinging an arm over Feng Hao’s shoulder as they walked out.

After leaving the Thief God Hall, they passed through a few bustling streets. Xiong Tianfang, a practical man, chose a small, affordable tavern, and the two began to drink heartily.

They talked and laughed at the table, both feeling like they were kindred spirits who should have met long ago. Loosened by the alcohol, Xiong Tianfang shared a ton of information and gossip about the academy, from which Feng Hao learned a great deal.

"Brother Xiong, I’m actually curious," Feng Hao said. "With your status as an Artifact Refiner, how are you only a Fourth-level Thief?"

Xiong Tianfang, his face flushed, gave a thick laugh. "I’m intentionally staying at the fourth level."

"Why’s that?" Feng Hao asked, confused.

"It’s simple. There’s no real difference between the fourth and sixth levels—it’s all intermediate clearance. Rather than spend all those points on a rank-up, I’d rather trade them for something practical. You know how it is. Artifact Refining burns through cash so fast you can go bankrupt in an instant. If I wasn’t relying on these points, your old bro here would’ve been eating fucking dirt by now!" Xiong Tianfang said between hiccups.

Feng Hao’s eyes lit up. He raised his cup. "Brother Xiong, your words have saved me from making a lot of mistakes. Let me toast you for that."

"That’s a brother from the Thief God Hall for you, always straightforward! Come on, let’s kill another few bottles!"

The more Xiong Tianfang drank, the more excited he became. The two of them drank from the afternoon well into the evening, talking joyfully the entire time. By the time they parted ways, they still felt they hadn’t talked enough.

It was already very late when Feng Hao returned to his hotel. He had used some Magic Power to sober up in the flying taxi on the way back, but he still felt a little dizzy.

’Huh? She’s not asleep yet?’ Just as he entered the hotel lobby, he saw Xiyue Frost sitting on a sofa, hugging one of its pillows.

There was a flustered look in Xiyue Frost’s eyes. When she caught the reek of alcohol on him, she frowned. "I thought you’d been caught stealing. Turns out you just went out drinking!"

Feng Hao felt his eye twitch. "Seriously? Can’t you think something nice for a change? Do I look like some petty thief?"

"Aren’t you?" Xiyue Frost snorted.

"Alright, you win!" Feng Hao was left speechless. He swayed and started heading upstairs.

"Wait."

Feng Hao turned back in surprise. Xiyue Frost was looking down, her face pale, her hands desperately kneading the pillow in her lap as if it had taken all her courage just to speak.

"What is it?" Feng Hao asked, walking back over to her.

Xiyue Frost seemed to struggle with herself for a long moment before finally speaking. "Can you... talk with me for a bit?"

"Uh," Feng Hao blinked, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Young Miss?"

"Enrollment is tomorrow, and I’m... a little nervous," she said, her body tense. ’A little nervous? She looks like she’s about to explode!’

Feng Hao slapped his forehead. ’Right.’ He’d almost forgotten that Xiyue Frost had crippling social anxiety. For her, something like starting at a new academy was probably more terrifying than facing an executioner. ’No wonder the ice queen is acting like this.’

"Alright. Let’s go upstairs to talk. It’s kind of empty down here," Feng Hao sighed in resignation.

Xiyue Frost nodded timidly and obediently followed him upstairs, looking nothing like the "ice queen" she was supposed to be.

"Honestly, that aunt of yours. Couldn’t she have stayed a few more days?" Feng Hao grumbled under his breath. With a CLICK, he pushed open his door. "Come in."

Xiyue Frost hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. As soon as she saw him close the door, she tensed up. "What are you closing the door for?"

"Relax," Feng Hao said, exasperated. "With your level of strength, what could I possibly do to you?"

After he spoke, the room fell into a long silence. Xiyue Frost sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed, making Feng Hao feel a little uncomfortable as well. The atmosphere under the soft glow of the Magic Energy Lamp was incredibly awkward.

After a long while, Xiyue Frost took a deep breath and asked, "Aren’t you nervous? Not even a little?"

"Nervous? Of course, I’m nervous. Insanely nervous," Feng Hao said, putting on a sympathetic face. Inside, however, he was cursing. ’Damn it all. If it weren’t for Yao Girl, who the hell would want to deal with this mess?’

As it turned out, his acting had some effect. Hearing that he was nervous too, Xiyue Frost visibly relaxed.

"I got first place on the entrance exam... do you think the other students will be hostile toward me?" she asked, her face full of worry.

Feng Hao frowned in thought. "Hostile is probably too strong a word. At most, you’ll have a few sore losers targeting you. You should be used to that by now. Just handle it the same way you did at Rongcheng Academy."

"But at Rongcheng Academy, nobody dared to target me," she asked, blinking her wide eyes.

"..." Feng Hao slapped his forehead, speechless. "Then just beat them up," he said irritably. "Beat them until they don’t dare target you anymore."

"That makes sense. I’ll write that down." As she spoke, Xiyue Frost pulled a small notebook out of nowhere and began to write in it earnestly.

Feng Hao stared, dumbfounded. His impression of her as an aloof, cold-hearted person shattered in an instant. It took him a long moment to recover. "Dare I ask, Young Miss, what exactly do you have written in that little notebook?"

Xiyue Frost looked up with a solemn expression. "My aunt told me to make a lot of friends at the Advanced Academy. She even gave me a lot of pointers on how to do it."

"Am I allowed to laugh?" Feng Hao asked, desperately trying to hold it in.

"Why would you laugh?" she asked, completely baffled.

"PFFT—" Feng Hao couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. Wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, he gasped, "Oh man... I can’t... Just give me a second."

Xiyue Frost looked completely bewildered, having no idea what he was laughing about. "If you’re interested," she said with a dead-serious expression, "I can share my aunt’s advice with you. My dad says she was very good at making friends back in her day."

"Thank you for the kind offer, but I’ll pass," Feng Hao said, suppressing his laughter and adopting a serious tone. "This isn’t going to work. Some other time, I’ll have Xu Zhenzhen and her friends take you out for some hands-on practice. That’ll be much better than you sitting here taking notes."

"Xu Zhenzhen? That name sounds familiar," Xiyue Frost said, frowning thoughtfully.

"You can’t be serious. You don’t even recognize your opponent from the entrance trials?!" Feng Hao exclaimed in disbelief.

It dawned on Xiyue Frost. "Oh, you mean that girl from the Dance Team? I remember her. She was quite skilled. What, is she at Five Provinces Academy now too?"

"Yes, she’s in the Arts Department," Feng Hao confirmed, at a loss for words.

Xiyue Frost nodded pensively. Suddenly, she looked up at Feng Hao, her expression turning icy. "Wait a minute. How do you know her? I’ll have you know, Feng Hao, before we left, Yaoyao told me to keep an eye on you."

"Give me a break. She’s Miao Feng’s girlfriend, alright?" Feng Hao said, feeling his eye twitch again.

"And who’s Miao Feng?"

"Holy crap... Miao Feng is my junior disciple, a second-year at Rongcheng Academy. Oh, right, he’s a third-year now," Feng Hao said, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

Xiyue Frost nodded, only half-convinced. While jotting something down in her notebook, she huffed, "I guess you have some conscience left after all!"

"..."