Crunch!
Leilin bit directly into the fruit that had been conjured through witchcraft.
As for poison and the like? Having awakened the ancient Kemosn Giant Serpent's toxin talent, Leilin's constitution was now immune to the vast majority of poisons in the world. Perhaps only those equally ancient and terrifying toxins could still have some effect on him.
As the fruit entered his mouth, an extremely sweet juice began to circulate between his teeth.
"Wonderful flavor! And it seems to be a spiritual power potion as well — even for the spiritual power condensation of a formal Wizard, it has quite a noticeable effect…"
Leilin looked at Xiling with some surprise.
"This kind of Westing Fruit only has an effect on formal Wizards the first time they consume it. Once a Wizard's rank is too high, or they've eaten it multiple times, it can probably only satisfy a craving for good taste…" Xiling gave a wry smile as she pointed out several of the fruit's shortcomings.
"Even so, it's quite remarkable!" Leilin shook his head. This fruit's effect was essentially equivalent to a single spiritual power potion. If placed on the South Coast, it would be enough to trigger a frenzy among numerous formal Wizards. Yet here, any minor faction could produce one — giving Leilin an even clearer understanding of just how rich the underground's resources were.
After demonstrating his strength, Leilin instead grew completely at ease. He casually enjoyed the top-tier delicacies and fine wines that Xiling had served up, along with various other comforts, exchanging a few words with her now and then.
Before long, Xiling took the initiative to bring up the deal Leilin had mentioned earlier.
"My lord, have you truly given no further thought to my previous proposal?" Xiling gazed at Leilin with a pitiable expression.
"I have no intention of joining any faction or allowing myself to be restrained!" On this point, Leilin flatly refused without a hint of courtesy.
"Please rest assured on that count — Nature's Alliance is a very small school, and at present I am the only formal Wizard. We would never require you to do anything!" Xiling assured him.
"Moreover, once you join, our Nature's Alliance's advanced Meditation Methods, along with some of our inherited secret witchcraft materials, will all be made available to you!" Xiling kept raising her offer.
After all, a lone wanderer possessing peak first rank Wizard strength was exceedingly rare in the Dark Polar Region — one could say such a person appeared perhaps once in a century.
To walk ever further down the path of witchcraft, massive resources and knowledge were indispensable, and those were typically held only by large-scale factions.
As a result, wandering Wizards were generally quite low in personal strength. Half-elementalized was already considered impressive, and peak first rank? That was essentially impossible to achieve.
Even if one or two occasionally stumbled into such power through sheer luck, they would immediately be recruited by major witchcraft factions and never continue wandering again.
And now, Xiling felt that an enormous opportunity was sitting right before her eyes!
If she could recruit Leilin, then Nature's Alliance would instantly possess top-tier combat power rivaling any mid-sized school!
Therefore, even knowing the odds were slim, Xiling still wanted to try with everything she had! In the past, she had used her own beauty to lure in a few Wizards, but most of them were mediocre at best and solely interested in possessing her, which was thoroughly repulsive. Still, for the survival of the school, she had forced herself to endure that disgust and deal with them.
If they had a peak first rank Wizard anchoring the school, so many things would be different!
"I'm terribly sorry…" Leilin spoke, immediately causing the color to drain from Xiling's face.
"However, there's still room for negotiation!" But Leilin's next words reignited the light in Xiling's eyes.
"I can nominally join Nature's Alliance, gaining access to the Frigid Ice Caverns, and I want everything you previously promised me. Furthermore, I can also lend a hand to help you expand Nature's Alliance's sphere of influence to a certain extent! In exchange — at some point in the future, you and the entirety of Nature's Alliance cannot refuse any request of mine. Remember, any request!!!"
Leilin slightly modified the terms, sending Xiling into deep thought.
"Agreed!" After a brief moment of contemplation, this clever woman immediately nodded in acceptance.
An opportunity to recruit a peak first rank Wizard did not come along often. And while Leilin said it was only a nominal affiliation, as long as her side performed to the utmost, when Nature's Alliance eventually faced trouble, would he really stand by and do nothing?
"Even… I could also…" Xiling lifted her gaze to glance at Leilin's handsome features, her cheeks flushing slightly before she lowered her head in embarrassment.
But she had weathered enough experiences over the years and quickly composed herself.
"I will prepare and deliver the advanced Meditation Methods and witchcraft materials to you as soon as possible. When would you like to enter the Frigid Ice Caverns? I can make the arrangements for you…"
Xiling placed herself in a deliberately humble position.
This attitude, however, surprised Leilin somewhat: "There's no need to sign some kind of contract? I recall that when ordinary schools take in new blood, they even require a sliver of one's spiritual essence…"