[Oke's Magic Workshop]

Let's just call it that.

...

Don't expect any reinforcements from Demon City for now, after delegating his tasks, Luo Yan returned to the routine of leading his underlings in leveling up.

His regular teammates were basically Bond and Sarah, while Octo and Alakdo took turns joining them, as they had other duties to attend to as well.

As for why not to recruit players, that was naturally for the sake of balance.

These guys were far more jealous than Alakdo; even the incident where he used a few little skeletons to lure monsters had almost become a stain that Yiye Zhiqu couldn't erase.

Even if you evaluate it fairly, most of the experience went to himself, and the experience that the players got was about the same as what they would get from grinding monsters on their own.

In any case, since the players wanted to maintain a sense of distance and uphold his BOSS prestige, he might as well satisfy them.

Under Luo Yan's dedicated cultivation, the minions from the Great Graveyard grew rapidly.

Especially Octo, who possessed the "Golden Soul", as he was very active in outputting damage during monster farming, and his strength had already broken through the bottleneck of iron rank, reaching the bronze realm.

Next was Bond, who also performed quite well; with a great sword, he could be both offensive and defensive, making him a balanced type of player.

Then there was Sarah.

As a "cat-type Demon", she enjoyed a special bonus in agility growth.

And as her strength broke through the threshold of the iron rank, her Extraordinary Power potential finally began to show, running so fast like a gust of wind, her daggers seemingly enchanted with a lightness spell!

Sarah was exceptionally excited about the changes happening to her, her excitement mirroring that of adventurers who first awakened their Extraordinary Power.

However, precisely because of this, she acted too rashly in battle and, unsurprisingly, bit off more than she could chew; she narrowly escaped being swallowed whole by a giant worm lurking behind a protruding rock.

The monster didn't have Extraordinary Powers, just an ordinary creature, but there were no few adventurers who had bitten the dust at its hands.

Its digestive fluids could even corrode steel, and the paralytic toxin contained in its saliva could immobilize warriors of bronze rank and even mages of silver rank.

Fortunately, Luo Yan reacted quickly, throwing a wind wall into the monster's mouth just in time. Octo, wielding a scimitar, flashed beside it and cut it in half, allowing Sarah to narrowly escape the ordeal.

Looking at the silly cat sitting on the ground, scared stiff with her fur standing on end, Luo Yan almost lost his cool, barely resisting the urge to give her a few smacks on the head with his magic wand.

If it had been him who made the same foolish mistake, he believed any professor from the Demon King Academy would do just that...even Lilith.

But seeing she had already learned her lesson, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Lessons were a means, not an end.

Gazing coldly at her still-frightened face, he spoke in an emotionless voice,

"You didn't follow my command, I'm very disappointed. I hope this is the last time."

He didn't say what would happen next time.

However, hearing these words, Sarah shuddered, her eyes turning slightly red with tears starting to well up.

Seeing her fearful expression, Luo Yan couldn't help but wonder if she had misunderstood something, thinking he would do to her what was done to those prisoners.

It wouldn't come to that.

Making a mistake was not the same as breaking the law.

If there was a next time, at most he would relieve her from her combat duties and let her go back to being a mascot; he certainly wouldn't throw one of his subordinates into a dark cell over such a triviality.

"Sarah...I won't disappoint you, I promise!"

Living up to Luo Yan's expectations, Sarah, eyes brimming with tears, wiped her eyes with her arm, snorted back the stubborn runny nose, and stood up from the ground with the support of the wall.

After all, she was a tough girl, not to be defeated by such a setback.

Luo Yan nodded approvingly.

"I await your actions to prove it. Now, show me your wound."

Sarah blushed and nodded, extending her right hand.

While dodging the attack earlier, she had accidently scraped her arm against the cave wall.

Although she was protected by Luo Yan's wind barrier, a sharp rock still managed to cut her.

This was the consequence of not being familiar with one's own strength.

Luo Yan softly recited the healing spell and quickly healed the not-so-deep wound.

"Be careful next time."

"Thank you..."

Sarah, whose wound had been healed, expressed her thanks. She carefully retracted her arm, quickly hopped away to the side, and returned to her combat position.

The two perked up ears flicked restlessly, making it hard to tell whether she was being vigilant of her surroundings or lost in her thoughts.

Watching the suddenly distant cat, Luo Yan's face might have been expressionless, but his heart felt somewhat hurt.

After collecting the monster's poison sac, the Demon Crystal, and other useful materials, the group continued their journey, heading south through the second layer of the cave.

While on the move, Luo Yan found a moment to glance at the Lizardman ghoul walking beside him and casually said,

"Octo, perhaps I'm being too harsh on you guys."

Octo's face remained expressionless, and he spoke with respectful tone,

"Not at all. I have learned so much under your guidance; please be even stricter."

"I'm glad you think so."

Luo Yan nodded, feeling relieved.

It seemed his subordinates did appreciate his hard efforts.

Even if they couldn't understand now, they would gradually come to realize it...

Based on Luo Yan's understanding of this world's power system, levels were somewhat like academic degrees on Earth.

The high-level old monsters truly had substance, for the soul's level decreed by destiny was invisible and intangible. The visible, tangible levels had to be achieved through effort and practice.

However, that being said, one should not go to the extreme of seeing one's level as the be-all and end-all of life.

Without even mentioning the examples from the labyrinth, there were countless instances of overconfident female knights being captured by goblins, not to mention Enchanting Demons overturned by encircling human soldiers.

After all, no matter how high your level is, how godlike your attributes are, how many degrees you have, you can't expect your opponent to pay respects before they act, right?

Luo Yan still remembered what Professor Enos had said; many demons from academy backgrounds often made this mistake because they believed themselves superior for graduating from the Demon King Academy and ended up losing to groups of humans adventurers far less powerful than themselves.

It was for this reason that Professor Enos always fervently opposed students, who had not participated in practical combat drills, from going to battlefields.

Presumably, encouraging students to write home was also prompted by this reason.

However, Luo Yan himself did not have the problem of underestimating enemies, as during his time at the Demon King Academy, he was a stubborn bronze, daily tormented by a group of conspicuous silver-level peers.

As for the world's torments, he had already experienced them in his previous life, and he wouldn't be as naïve as a fresh college graduate.

Even when dealing with ordinary-level demons, he would cautiously buff himself and his minions with a dozen spells before taking action, always preferring to strike from behind rather than face an enemy head-on.

Deeply self-aware of his "academia" origins, Luo Yan was even more conscious than most academy-bred demons, particularly as he lacked one year of practical lessons.

Lacking experience could only be compensated with caution.

After all, unlike players, he didn't have countless lives to waste and learn from mistakes...

The group later encountered several more waves of monster attacks, and Sarah, acting as the scout, was very careful not to repeat her earlier mistake; after engaging enemies, she would immediately retreat from the scouting position to the back row, leaving the initiative to Bond or Octo and keeping watch over Luo Yan's surroundings—especially behind him.

It seemed she had indeed learned her lesson.

Luo Yan felt extremely gratified by Sarah's capacity to learn for the future.

The feeling was akin to seeing the stray cat he had taken in, not only learning to use the toilet but also mastering backflips and catching cockroaches.

While he was reflecting on this, Sarah, who was leading the way, suddenly sniffed the air. Her piercing eyes widened like brass bells, and her cat ears stood erect like antennas.

"The scent of humans! Ahead!"

Humans?

Luo Yan immediately raised his hand to signal the group to stop.

"Prepare for battle."

-

(My tendinitis is acting up again. I'm getting old, old. Please help catch bugs, thanks!)

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