C27 The Foolish Duo!

The two were at a loss for words.

"Is it really that bad?" Green Hair asked, filled with skepticism.

Nuo Juan nodded affirmatively, "I guess only the widow at the entrance to the village might appreciate it."

"Is that so? What should I do then?" Green Hair inquired, his face etched with nervousness.

"First off, you need to..."

Nuo Juan naturally began advising Green Hair on how to dress more attractively. Green Hair, in turn, paid close attention, like a diligent student absorbing a teacher's lecture.

Golden Hair: "(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻"

"Damn it! You fool, why do you care so much about her opinion? Just deal with her already," Golden Hair blurted out, unable to contain himself, and smacked Green Hair on the head.

Green Hair was left dazed.

"Oh—I... understand now..." Green Hair, regaining his senses and rubbing the back of his head, looked forlorn. "But she also thinks... we should learn a bit about dressing well..."

"Our attire is indeed terrible..."

Golden Hair: "..."

...

After some time,

"You two are dragging this out way too much," Nuo Juan exclaimed, exasperated as she watched them continue their pointless debate. She had training with Yi early the next morning.

Golden Hair and Green Hair: "..."

"Caw! Go bite them!" Nuo Juan patted the Two-Headed Split Lizard's head and pointed at the odd pair before her.

"Squeak!"

The Two-Headed Split Lizard, upon receiving the command, flicked its tongue irritably and then started to lumber toward the two men.

Seeing this, Golden Hair and Green Hair ceased their bickering. They exchanged glances and each called forth their summoning tomes.

Golden Hair conjured a small, palm-sized yellow bird with sparse feathers.

Green Hair, on the other hand, summoned a rock python as thick as an arm and about a meter long, covered in a rocky exterior.

"Sand-Eating Bird and Rock Snake?" Nuo Juan's eyes sparkled as she recalled the information she had learned.

Sand-Eating Bird: Earth attribute, predominantly found at the edges of deserts, subsisting on sand throughout the year, with a remarkable ability to withstand drought. Its attributes are common, and it has an extremely weak attack. Typical skills include whipping up sand, rapid flight, and leaping.

Rock Snake: Rock attribute, residing in areas with exposed river rocks, primarily feeding on small creatures like rock mice. Its attributes are moderate, and its attack power is ordinary. Common skills include stone traversal, constricting, and tail whipping.

"Caw! Use Ice Breath!" Nuo Juan briefly pondered before decisively implementing Lin Yi's proactive strategy.

"Squeak squeak!" At her command, the Two-Headed Split Lizard's left head opened slightly, releasing a chill from its maw.

"Pfft!"

"Dodge it!" Golden Hair reacted swiftly, shoving Green Hair aside and propelling himself to safety.

"Swish!"

A blue stream of air viciously struck the ground where they had just stood.

"Ka ka ~"

Observing the thin layer of ice that had formed, Golden Hair's pupils contracted. "That's powerful!"

Meanwhile, Green Hair, now on his feet, shivered and exclaimed, "So cold~"

"Missed?" Nuo Juan frowned, impressed by Golden Hair's skill.

"Caw! Again, Ice Breath!"

"Sssii!"

But Golden Hair was quicker to act.

"Sand-Eating Bird, use Flying Sand!"

"Buzz! Buzz!"

Suddenly, the dimly lit path was engulfed in a whirlwind of cold and swirling yellow sand, plunging the surroundings into deeper darkness as if the sky itself was shrouded in sand.

With her vision completely obscured, Nuo Juan had lost track of Golden Hair and his companion.

The field was now a murky haze; even Caw's Ice Breath disappeared into it without a trace.

"Sssii?" The Two-Headed Split Lizard looked back at Nuo Juan, tilting its head in confusion.

"I can't see them..." Nuo Juan admitted, realizing she was at a disadvantage without sight of Golden Hair.

For now, she could only call Caw back to her side; in this blinding yellow fog, wandering alone was too risky.

Yet, Nuo Juan's stillness didn't mean Golden Hair would cease his counterattack...

"Rock Snake!" Green Hair's voice suddenly echoed.

Nuo Juan refrained from looking back, instead issuing a command, "Caw! Use your Sharp Claws!"

"Sssii!" The Two-Headed Split Lizard instantly unsheathed its razor-sharp claws, leaping to slice the incoming rock into fragments.

"Whoosh!"

Tiny stones scattered across the ground.

Nuo Juan turned her head, her gaze heavy as she observed the debris, "They can't possibly keep this sandstorm up forever!"

Suddenly, Golden Hair's voice taunted from behind her, "Hehe, little girl... Just surrender already~ You'll never find us in this yellow sand field domain..."

"Hmph!" Nuo Juan dismissed him, "Caw Caw, to my left... use Ice Breath!"

"Swish swish!" At her command, the Two-Headed Split Lizard unleashed a stream of blue Ice Breath in that direction.

"Haha, you still missed!" Golden Hair's voice echoed from a different direction.

"...Damn it!" Nuo Juan gritted her teeth, frustrated.

But unbeknownst to her, Golden Hair was sweating profusely in his hiding spot.

That was too close!

Seeing the ice mere centimeters from his groin, Golden Hair internally ranted: What kind of monster is this?

"Hey! Blondy, what do we do now?" Green Hair asked, clearly rattled. "This girl's Familiar is incredibly strong! One hit from that skill and we're ice sculptures."

"Pathetic! Are you scared of this little challenge?" Golden Hair slapped Green Hair in annoyance, "We've taken that guy's money! You know how fearsome he is."

"…So," Green Hair winced, "should we give the money back?"

"Idiot! Give him money? You might as well hand over your life." Golden Hair, still not appeased, smacked the back of Green Hair's head once more.

"What do we do then?" Green Hair asked, full of remorse.

Golden Hair was also regretting accepting this job.

"We'll have to go all out!" Golden Hair said to Green Hair, having regained his composure.

Green Hair nodded in agreement.

"Sand and stones!"

The air around Nuo Juan grew thick with swirling sand, stinging her face, "What's happening now?"

As she pondered, Golden Hair's voice challenged her once more, "Just give up! Come with us quietly, or it'll be worse for you if you get hurt."

"Tch!" Nuo Juan scoffed, curling her lips in disdain. "If you can beat me, why bother with all this pointless chatter?"

"You!" Golden Hair snapped, his patience wearing thin. "Then... don't blame me for not holding back!"

But as soon as he finished, Golden Hair's voice vanished, leaving only the whispering hiss of sand skittering across the scattered items.

"Got under your skin, did I?" Nuo Juan asked, her face alight with curiosity. "What kind of trick are you planning now?"

Yet, despite her anticipation, Nuo Juan was met with silence. No sign of a comeback.

"Hmm? Dead? Or maybe just asleep?" Nuo Juan mused aloud, still waiting for a reaction.