Luo Jia nodded, categorizing Maisie as a high-ranking member of the Witch Union. At the same time, the image of an ugly, fierce, and extremely powerful behemoth vividly appeared in her mind.
“Then…what about wearing a God's Stone of Retribution?”
She knew that once the opponent used the God's Stone, her abilities would be greatly restricted, making it difficult to perform a full transformation. Facing ordinary desert warriors would be fine, but against an extraordinary individual like Ashes, there was basically no chance of victory. What's more, the opponent could voluntarily wear the God's Stone, rendering any special abilities meaningless in front of her. Therefore, Ashes was probably the peak of martial power in Neverwinter.
However, the latter did not answer immediately, but paused for a moment before speaking, "Suppose there is a person whose strength and speed are not inferior to an extraordinary individual, who also possesses an almost infinite lifespan, and whose performance is not affected by any injuries, even after suffering fatal injuries. How strong do you think such a person would be?"
Luo Jia couldn't help but gasp.
As a warrior who had been in the dueling arena for a long time, she naturally knew the importance of combat skills and experience.
In sacred duels, the most difficult opponents were not young warriors in their teens or twenties, but tribal stalwarts around thirty years old. They generally served as instructors and censors in their clans, teaching their insights and combat methods to the younger generation. In terms of strength, they were not inferior to young people, and with the understanding gained from life-and-death battles, none of them should be underestimated. However, by the age of forty, the body would become sluggish due to age, and accumulated injuries would gradually worsen. Although their skills were more refined, they could no longer perform as freely as before.
Just being unaffected by pain was enviable enough. It was precisely because Neverwinter had witches who could heal any injury that she decided to go there to further hone her strength. What's more, they possessed an endless lifespan?
This had nothing to do with one's own talent or will. If someone could truly be like what Ashes described, as long as enough time passed, she would eventually become the most outstanding warrior—just thinking about such an opponent was frightening… no, it was exciting.
“Is there such a person in Neverwinter?” Luo Jia asked impatiently.
“A witch named Phyllis,” Ashes replied. “I haven’t formally tested her, but…”
“But what?”
“Once, when I was practicing swordsmanship in the castle courtyard, she happened to pass by and offered two suggestions. After I practiced according to her instructions, I found that my strikes were indeed smoother.” The extraordinary witch said slowly, "Unfortunately, I boarded a ship and left Neverwinter not long after, and I haven't had time to discuss it with her further."
“Just a glance from the side?” Luo Jia's tail wagged even faster. Even the most experienced instructors needed to point out the shortcomings of their apprentices through sparring – which was why large clans would build a dedicated training ground. And the smaller the difference in skill between the opponents, the higher the difficulty of guidance. Ashes was undoubtedly a powerful warrior, but could she directly discover flaws through mere observation? No wonder she was a top warrior who had broken through the age limit!
It seemed that Phyllis was the strongest person in Neverwinter. After all, when truly stepping onto the battlefield, no one could place their hopes on the opponent not wearing a God's Stone of Retribution.
And Ashes, who was also unaffected by the God's Stone, ranked second in strength—infinite life could be regarded as a miracle bestowed by the Three Gods, something that could not be forced. In the wolf girl's mind, this mountain-like figure was already a goal worth pursuing.
Then what about herself?
Luo Jia looked forward to this journey to the West even more.
However, Ashes did not end the topic—as if she had seen through her thoughts, the strange smile appeared on her face again. The extraordinary individual patted her on the shoulder and said in a faint tone, "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, there are more than a hundred witches like Phyllis in Neverwinter."
Eh?
The expression on the Third Princess of Blazing Flames froze instantly. One… one hundred and how many? When did the miracles of the Three Gods become so casual?
“Keep it up,” Ashes raised the corners of her mouth. “The days ahead are long, and you won’t have to worry about not finding someone to test yourself against.”
……
In addition to the extraordinary witch,
Luo Jia also occasionally encountered Andrea, a blonde woman who had demonstrated the power of an arrow at the Blazing Heights – a noble who breathed through the same nostril as the King of Graycastle. Although she hadn't fought her, Ashes' evaluation did have some truth to it. From her, the wolf girl always felt a faint sense of distance, as if the two lived in different worlds.
Whether she was talking with others or standing alone by the sunken bay gazing at the sea, her gestures exuded an indescribable elegance, which made Luo Jia feel the gap in other aspects for the first time.
With a tentative attitude, the Third Princess took advantage of an opportunity when no one else was around to greet her, but Andrea's response was also very bland, not as enthusiastic as Xiluo.Yinyue.
However, when she asked the question that Ashes couldn't answer earlier, the latter's expression immediately became much more lively.
“That question… it’s pointless to ask Ashes, she has difficulty counting from one to a hundred, her head is only filled with muscles, let alone the way to govern a city.” Andrea spoke eloquently, "And His Majesty Roland's policies are much more complicated. It took me repeated thinking to understand a bit of it." She paused. "But do you really want to listen? This is much more difficult to understand than fighting."
“Yes,” Luo Jia nodded seriously. “Father said that there is a common principle in everything, and knowledge in other areas can also promote the growth of one's own martial arts.”
“There’s obviously no such thing…” Andrea rolled her eyes and sighed softly, “Alright, I’ll tell you anyway. If, as you said, gold royals are used to buy blackwater, Neverwinter will spend a portion of its wealth and eventually get the goods it wants, right?”
“The world’s trade is nothing more than that,” Luo Jia affirmed.
“Then, twenty years later, assuming everything goes smoothly, His Majesty will have lost a large sum of gold royals, with no other changes.”
“Lo…st?” She was stunned. “Why say that? Isn’t the cost higher with the current approach?”
“Of course not,” Andrea tucked her hair up, squatted down, and drew a line on the ground with a wooden stick. “Now, the sand people who have migrated to the Southern Territory have become a part of Graycastle. The loss of wealth has become an internal circulation—the materials you need all come from Neverwinter, and the wealth you produce will flow back into His Majesty's hands. In this process, the circulation share will become larger and larger, reaching an amazing amount after twenty years, and the cost is only the initial investment, and even this part of the money has not been lost, but has been circulating among the cities."