The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix’s Novels Also Desires Happiness - Chapter 273



51. The Unevenness of Life

Ariel returned to her room.

She opened the door.

It was very dark.

Her expression showed no change, as if she had long since become accustomed to this darkness.

She fumbled in her arms for a while and finally found a… candle.

An ordinary candle.

It was only half a piece.

Ariel pinched the candle with her fingertips, igniting it. The crooked candle even bore traces of melted wax that had been pressed back together, and the light it emitted was not particularly bright.

But for Ariel, it was enough.

It was just right to practice her [Night Vision] skill.

Killing two birds with one stone.

She carefully held the candle aloft, walked into the room, and sat down at her desk.

She fell into deep thought.

For a long time.

She touched the warm bills in her palm, revealing a trace of a happy smile.

“Liya, you are so good to me.”

“That little girl is lying.”

A second voice spoke, the dim candlelight flickering, and a faint shadow gradually floated up. Though its form was hazy, it could vaguely be seen as a beauty.

Ariel’s master.

A mysterious soul stronghold.

Her silhouette under the candlelight outlined the figure sitting sideways at the desk, looking down at her disciple.

“I know.”

Regarding her master’s sudden words, Ariel’s expression showed no change as she softly replied:

“Having spent so much time with her, how could I not distinguish her lies? That silly girl can’t even lie properly. The funding for the teachings… how could it be? This money…”

Ariel lowered her gaze to the stack of bills, and tears of emotion began to well up in the corners of her eyes:

“This money must have been earned through Liya’s own hard work, right? Silly girl, sneaking around during this time, did she really think I wouldn’t notice?”

At this point, Ariel’s mind began to imagine Liya’s clumsy and diligent efforts to earn money.

Was she using her skills in Holy Light to heal others? Or was she assisting some professors at the academy?

Making so much money, no matter who it is, must have been very hard work. From the way she came back just now, she must be exhausted.

“… Is this okay?”

“Of course not.”

Ariel took a deep breath, “But since Leah chose not to tell me, if I keep asking, it will only make her feel embarrassed.”

“Since she genuinely wants to help me, I cannot let her down!”

“So the only thing I need to do now is to work even harder to improve myself!”

“I must become strong, strong enough to truly help Leah!”

“And…”

From noble mtl dot com

Ariel looked to the side.

At the other end of the desk was a pile of cash stacked like a small mountain.

In front of the mountain of cash, there was a newspaper stuck.

The most prominent headline on the newspaper reported the most talked-about major news at the moment.

【News from the palace: The son of Duke Campbell and Princess Celicia will complete their engagement ceremony on the princess’s birthday.】

“I will not lose to you, Mu’en Campbell!”

Looking at the newspaper, a determined light burst forth in Ariel’s eyes.

“… Hmm, it comforts me to see you think this way.”

Watching her disciple, who radiated unparalleled fighting spirit and confidence, the beautiful phantom couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.

Although she had experienced significant setbacks during this time, it had not diminished her ambition; instead, it forced her inner self to become stronger and her will more resolute.

This was the necessary quality for walking the path to ultimate strength.

The beautiful phantom increasingly felt her judgment was right; Ariel Bugar, her future would surely influence the direction of the entire world!

“Don’t worry, with your level of effort, that pampered son of the duke will never catch up to you, no matter what.” The phantom comforted.

“I know!”

Ariel clenched her fist, “But I still won’t slack off!”

“Very well, since that’s the case, let’s start today’s lesson.”

“Yes!” Ariel replied loudly with great enthusiasm.

“However, before the lesson begins, you need to prepare a few things.”

The beautiful phantom stroked her chin, “Five ounces of scale powder from a dominator-class magical beast, one ounce of Monel flower pollen, a pure magic crystal, and some auxiliary materials. Hmm… I remember the academy should have these things for sale.”

“Ah? Do we… do we have to spend money again?”

Ariel was taken aback, her spirited expression instantly deflated, and with a mournful face, she said:

“Can we change to a training method that doesn’t burn money?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

The beautiful phantom shot a glance at her foolish disciple, exasperated:

“Is there a logic in this world where you can become stronger without spending money?”

“But… but… those things… are so expensive…”

Ariel lowered her head, looking at the cash in her hand that hadn’t even warmed up yet. She was originally thinking of scraping together some money to add a chicken leg to tomorrow’s lunch, but now…

“Master…”

“Hmm?”

“Black bread…”

Ariel lifted her head, tears streaming down her face, yet smiling as she said:

“It’s really delicious.”

“……”

……

……

On the other side, in Mu En’s dormitory, the lights were bright.

Though it was late at night, he was busy with a piece of paper in front of his custom marble bathtub.

“Powder from a beast king’s scales, five ounces… Hmm? How much is an ounce again? Forget it, just pour it all in.”

“Monail flower pollen, one ounce, hmm, that was one-fifth of the previous amount… Ah, too fast, what was one-fifth of that again? Forget it, just pour it all in.”

“Pure magic crystal, didn’t specify how much, I still have ten pieces on me…”

“And other auxiliary materials… just some worthless stuff, pour in more, pour in more.”

After a flurry of activity, Mu En looked at the thick liquid in his bathtub, which had become somewhat viscous due to the excess materials, and his expression twisted slightly:

“I can’t shake the feeling that the recipe Melra gave me is starting to resemble a soup.”

“But I can’t imagine she would try to trick me in a place like this.”

Without overthinking it, Mu En stripped off his clothes and lay down in the bathtub.

In an instant.

Without strictly following the recipe, the chaotic potency condensed into a violent force, crashing over Mu En’s body like a tsunami, twisting his expression in an instant.

If it were an ordinary person, they might have exploded from this reckless body refining.

But.

“Compared to the ravaging from Teacher Melra and the Mercury Well, you’re still far from it!”

Mu En gritted his teeth.

The blazing fire within him burned fiercely, devouring the chaotic potency completely, transforming it into pure vitality that nourished his body.

“Hu…”

Mu En let out a long breath.

The medicinal effects were gradually being absorbed bit by bit, and with the training and various enhancements over these past days, it was pushing Mu En’s physical realm higher, little by little.

Finally, it stopped before a barrier.

“Peak of the second stage?”

Mu En moved his hand, feeling satisfied with his changes, and exclaimed:

“Truly worthy of the formula that Teacher Meila mentioned, only usable at the third stage; the effects are outstanding.

But…”

Mu En looked down at the liquid in the bathtub that had completely lost its medicinal power, instinctively stroking his chin.

Having been taken advantage of by the intermediary, Chi Yan, the actual absorption was probably not even one-third.

“Just feels a bit wasteful.”

“…Forget it.”

However, this slight sense of guilt over the waste was quickly cast aside by Mu En.

“After all, it’s not expensive…”