The two turned to look at the newcomer, who was wearing a midriff-baring short skirt adorned with a red leaf-shaped ornament on her chest and a bow tied at her abdomen.
Her fair feet, clad in white high-heeled sandals, swung back and forth leisurely. A carefree smile hung on her lips, revealing her exceedingly pleasant mood.
However, Lucian noticed the black flower symbolizing the Black Shores tied to her white twin-tails.
After a brief pause, Lucian tested the waters: "Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger?"
The girl sitting on the tree branch froze: "?"
Seeing her silence, Lucian tried again: "Odd changes, even remains?"
"..."
The girl leaped down from the branch, landing lightly on the ground: "You… really are an interesting one."
Changli instantly understood Lucian's intention and smiled faintly: "Seems like your code didn't match."
She had clearly also noticed the black flower on the girl's head: "Are you from the Black Shores?"
The girl covered her mouth with a coquettish laugh: "The Counselor of Jinzhou… has quite the sharp eye, hmm…?"
"But… I'm not here for you today."
Lucian pointed at himself, puzzled: "Is it me, then?"
But he quickly shook his head in denial: "You couldn't even match my code. I'm not the one you're looking for."
A flower bud appeared in the girl's hand, her fingertips gently caressing it: "You…"
"Camellya—that's my name. I'm sure you've heard of me."
Lucian recalled Rover's previous encounter with Camellya, which had even escalated into a fight. Come to think of it, Lucian had once vowed to help Rover "stab her back" in return…
Lucian raised an eyebrow: "So you're Camellya? The one who attacked Rover?"
Camellya chuckled: "Rover? How intimate…"
"As for what happened with her, I couldn't bear to hurt her…"
"It was just a little test, that's all. What, do you want to avenge her?"
"But I'm not in the mood for a fight today."
"I just came to give you a warning—stay away from Rover."
Lucian: "?"
Lucian's expression turned strange. He and Rover had already been "intimate at negative distances." How much further could he stay away?
At that moment, Rover's voice rang out from behind: "My affairs are none of your business, don't you think?"
Lucian turned to see Rover walking over with an indifferent expression before promptly looping her arm through his.
"Rover, what brings you here?"
Rover shot him a glance: "If I didn't come, someone would've stolen my home again."
With that, she grabbed Abby's ahoge and tossed him into her Tacet Mark: "And you—stop being such a turncoat!"
Abby: "..."
Lucian: "..."
Changli: "..."
Abby immediately popped back out of the Tacet Mark: "Abby's not a turncoat! It's just that Lucian offered too much!"
Lucian: "You're just digging yourself deeper."
Across from them, Camellya frowned as she watched their intimate gestures: "Rover, you shouldn't get so close to this man."
Rover instantly bristled: "I already said—my business is none of your concern."
Then, she cupped Lucian's face and kissed him fiercely.
Camellya: "..."
Changli chuckled lightly: "If that's all you came to say, you may leave now."
Camellya's face darkened. She clenched her fists, crushing the flower bud into dust: "Lucian is so unfaithful—he doesn't deserve you."
Lucian: "?"
Now it was Lucian's turn to be displeased: "What do you mean by that?"
Lucian scoffed: "If the world's talent were measured in tons, I, Lucian, alone would account for one ton and two kilos—leaving the rest of the world owing me two kilos!"
"Who exactly do you think I don't deserve?"
Abby, standing to the side, tilted his head in confusion: "Wait, that doesn't sound right. Shouldn't it be Abby who takes one ton, Rover who takes two kilos, and Lucian who owes me two kilos?"
Lucian shook his head slightly: "Abby, as the little Echo brother, confidence is good—but don't be blindly confident."
Camellya's face flushed red: "What nonsense about tons and kilos… Anyway, Rover, I'm only warning you out of goodwill. After all, you used to…"
Rover sneered: "What about my past?"
Camellya snorted coldly: "...Never mind."
"Lucian, I challenge you to a duel! If you win, I won't interfere with you two. But if you lose, you must leave Rover. How about it?"
Originally, Camellya had no intention of fighting—especially with Rover present. But Lucian had provoked her one too many times, and she decided that enough was enough!
[Option 1: Accept Camellya's duel and defeat her. Reward: Blood Saber skill level +1]
[Option 2: Reject Camellya's duel and flaunt your love in front of her. Reward: Talent 'Dual Cultivation of Fortune and Wisdom']
[Option 3: Fulfill your past promise to Rover—stab Camellya back! Reward: Skill 'Thousand Years of Pain']
Lucian scoffed: "Why should I duel you? Even if you interfere, it won't affect my relationship with Rover!"
With that, he lifted Rover's chin and kissed her deeply.
"You—!"
[Ding! Option 2 completed. Talent 'Dual Cultivation of Fortune and Wisdom' acquired.]
[Dual Cultivation of Fortune and Wisdom: Whenever you engage in intimate contact with a woman, both parties' lifespans will slightly increase.]
Lucian's eyes lit up at the reward. He released Rover, who was slightly out of breath.
Lucian: "...And you can't affect my relationship with Changli either!"
Then, he pulled Changli's slender waist close and kissed her tender lips deeply.
Rover: "?"
Camellya: "?"
Abby gasped in horror, his ahoge transforming into an exclamation mark: "Lucian's gone mad—someone stop him!"
He whispered into Rover's ear: "Should we just… stew Lucian?"
Rover expressionlessly tossed Abby back into her Tacet Mark: "How about I stew you instead?"
Abby: "?"
What did I even do?!
Lucian released the lovestruck Changli, then proudly wrapped one arm around her and the other around Rover: "Anything else you'd like to say?"
Camellya's face darkened: "You…!"
"Lucian, you're toying with multiple women's feelings—today, I'll deliver heaven's justice!"
With that, she materialized a crimson blade in her hand and charged at Lucian.
However, Rover reacted even faster. The Emerald of Genesis appeared in her grasp, and with a metallic clang, she blocked the strike.
Seizing the opportunity, Lucian roared: "Let me handle this!"
He formed a tiger-seal hand sign, channeling all his strength into his fingertips: "Take this! Konoha's Secret Finger Jutsu—Thousand Years of Pain!"
With lightning speed, he thrust forward!
Camellya, however, was just as quick, attempting to leap back. But because of this movement, the technique originally aimed at her heart instead struck her exposed navel.
"Ahh~!"
Camellya instantly recoiled in pain, clutching her stomach as her face flushed red with embarrassment.
Rover: "?"
Changli: "?"
Changli was stunned. Among all the martial arts in the world, there actually existed such a… bizarre technique? Truly unheard of.
[Ding! Option 3 completed. Skill 'Thousand Years of Pain' acquired.]
[Thousand Years of Pain: When used on an enemy facing you, damage dealt increases by 50%! When used on an enemy with their back turned, insult potency increases by 50%!]