Chapter 104: Nan Jue Comes to Help

Half a month later, Mo Fan arrived at the Sha Wang River, where he found Nan Jue waiting for him, just as he had expected.

At the entrance to the river, the sun shone diagonally across the landscape. Nan Jue had been waiting here for three days, hoping for Mo Fan's arrival. Finally, her gaze locked onto a figure in the distance.

It was, of course, Mo Fan. His silhouette looked slightly thin, but his steps were steady and determined.

Nan Jue was momentarily stunned. The Mo Fan she saw now was entirely different from the one she had known six months ago.

At this moment, Mo Fan's body was covered in scars, each one seeming to tell the story of the hardships and struggles he had endured.

A strange emotion welled up in Nan Jue's heart. She stepped forward, wanting to say something but found herself unsure where to begin. Initially, she had just wanted to repay a favor, but now she suddenly realized that no one becomes strong without going through unimaginable challenges.

For someone to survive in this harsh wasteland for half a year, they must have experienced things far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

At least, Nan Jue knew that she herself couldn't have survived out here for that long, especially with the constant threat of deadly monsters.

"It seems like I'm the one who's slow." Mo Fan's voice was hoarse but still carried his unyielding spirit.

"Not really, I haven't been waiting long." Nan Jue replied, pausing before continuing, "Seeing you like this... I'm honestly amazed. What did you go through?"

Mo Fan smiled faintly, not answering her question directly.

The struggles he had faced were too difficult to put into words.

He simply replied, "Just burning, killing, and looting."

Nan Jue's mouth twitched slightly. Though his words were simple, she could almost picture the brutal scenes he had endured.

In this world, staying safe in the protected zones meant slow progress. Every adventure was a test of one's limits and a chance for growth. Looking at Mo Fan, Nan Jue, regardless of what she had previously thought of him, now felt a deep sense of admiration.

"You'll be participating in the World School Tournament, right?" Nan Jue asked, looking at Mo Fan.

"Unless something unexpected happens, my school will recommend me to go." Mo Fan replied.

Hearing him mention "school," Nan Jue finally realized that Mo Fan was around her age.

Once, she had considered herself a prodigy. But now, in the presence of someone as extraordinary as Mo Fan, she couldn't help but feel like she had wasted her time. Of course, this thought was fleeting, because people like Mo Fan were rare in the world.

"I think this year, our country will get an excellent result." Nan Jue remarked.

"..."

Thanks to Nan Jue's presence, the return journey was relatively uneventful. They crossed the Shā River without trouble and soon arrived back at Dunhuang City. Nan Jue asked Mo Fan if he wanted to visit the local healing center.

After some thought, Mo Fan didn't refuse.

Although Xin Xia could heal him, as a man, he didn't want to worry his woman constantly.

It was clear that Nan Jue had some connections, as she took him to the top-tier healing facility. In just one day, most of Mo Fan's injuries and scars were treated.

"Luckily, your fire magic has given you a strong resistance to fire. If it had been someone else who suffered so many fire-based attacks without seeking treatment for so long, they'd likely be left with long-term damage. The healing spell I used can only heal the surface wounds. There's still some fire residue in your body that will need to be treated with special potions over the next week." said the healer, a high-level recovery mage.

He was a skilled mage, but it had still taken him most of the day to treat Mo Fan's injuries.

Even after all that, there were still many wounds that had not fully healed.

"Thanks." Mo Fan replied casually.

He wasn't worried about lingering issues. After all, his demon system could eradicate any lingering ailments. The constant injuries just required some time to heal completely.

It had to be said—the demon system was truly invaluable!

"By the way, your body seems a bit unusual. Have you used some unconventional method to strengthen yourself?" the healer suddenly asked.

"Is there something wrong?" Mo Fan asked in return.

"Your body has some peculiar traits. It seems like you can heal yourself. If possible, I recommend getting a more powerful recovery mage to check you thoroughly. There's a volatile energy inside you that doesn't seem like regular elemental, white, or dimensional magic. If I had to guess, it feels closer to black magic." the healer explained.

"Yeah, I'm aware." Mo Fan replied.

"..."

After his treatment, as Mo Fan and Nan Jue walked out of the healing center, Nan Jue asked, "Are you sure you don't want to stay another day? Master Hua could heal you completely."

"I know my own body. This is enough." Mo Fan said, stretching and feeling his improved condition.

After cleaning up and getting a fresh haircut, Mo Fan felt rejuvenated. He looked like an entirely different person, much to the surprise of many.

Seeing this, Nan Jue didn't press the matter further. She simply said, "Then I'll see you at the National Team trials."

"You're so sure you'll make it?" Mo Fan stopped and teased her with a playful look.

"Of course." Nan Jue replied confidently.

If there was only one spot on the team, she wouldn't be so sure. After all, Ai Jiangtu, a prodigy of the next generation, would definitely claim it. But with two spots, Nan Jue had every reason to believe she could secure one!

"Alright, see you then."

After that, Mo Fan headed to Hangzhou.

The World School Tournament was fast approaching, which meant he wouldn't be able to see Teacher Tang Yue for a long time.

Meanwhile, Xin Xia had her own path to follow.

So, Mo Fan went back to Hangzhou first. Unfortunately, Teacher Tang Yue wasn't around that day, so Mo Fan went to pick up Xin Xia from her school instead.

When Xin Xia saw Mo Fan return safely, her wise, large eyes filled with curiosity.

This wasn't the Mo Fan she was used to!

Seeing her puzzled expression, Mo Fan didn't hide the fact that he had sustained "just a few" injuries. He explained that he had been treated by the healers at the Western Healing Center and recounted the events after leaving the scorching plains.

After hearing all this, Xin Xia's face was full of concern, and she insisted on checking his condition.

However, Mo Fan wasn't about to obediently let her do that! Holding her hand, he distracted her so much that she couldn't focus on healing him.

It had to be said, Xin Xia, as the leader of white magic, was perfect in every way. Compared to Mu Ningxue and Mu Nu Jiao, she was even more remarkable in certain aspects. Even Teacher Tang Yue, with all her charm, couldn't compare to Xin Xia in this regard. If only Xin Xia could stand, she would definitely be a perfect mature woman!

As Mo Fan checked on her, he asked, "Xin Xia, has anyone been chasing after you at school?"

"No... no one," Xin Xia replied shyly, looking down.

In reality, there had been a few, but Xin Xia had turned them all down firmly.

(End of Chapter)