"D-Duel?"

Zoe widened her eyes, "How exactly do you two get along?"

She sighed again, "Well, whatever, I've been so surprised today that my nerves are almost numb."

"Why delay?" Li Ang asked Zoe.

"Because, I'm not satisfied yet."

Zoe jumped off the chair, left the room, and quickly returned with the Wind Breath Sword.

She stood in a slightly wider area beside the dining table and drew her sword to practice.

The wind from the sword blade blew the lighter food off the table, causing Dorothy's mouth to twitch, but outsiders couldn't see her expression because the wind also blew her light-gold hair mixed with a few strands of rose-red all over her face.

"I endure, I endure..." the half-elf muttered quietly.

Zoe struck again, this time the blade glowed with a brownish-yellow light.

"Is this Earth Swordsmanship?" Li Ang raised an eyebrow.

It's only been a few days, and even though the system panel indicated that Zoe, as part of the Star Soul Greenhouse, shared Xiaohan's Earth's Favor, he was still surprised at her progress.

Her father's Elemental Swordsman was a special profession, so cultivating it wouldn't be easy, but she had already mastered Earth Swordsmanship.

Zoe twirled the sword, and even the sound of the blade slicing through the air was different from before.

When she practiced Wind Swordsmanship, she focused on agility and used the sharpness of the Wind Blade for multiple cutting strikes.

But now, the short sword in her hand felt solid and steady, which is the characteristic of the Earth Attribute. Li Ang, having also reached the 2nd tier of the Swordsman Level, recognized that she could better use the power of the Earth Element for defensive counterattacks.

The downside was that dirt debris would fall off when swinging the sword.

"It's really troublesome," Dorothy muttered while carrying away her favorite bowl of vegetable and fruit stew to sit elsewhere, avoiding the flying dust.

Li Ang initially wanted Zoe to stop, but since he had almost finished eating and because the young girl was filled with a determined forward momentum once she started, he didn't speak up.

The little swordsman went through a full set of Earth Swordsmanship before sheathing her sword.

Li Ang clapped his hands, "You've made great progress. In just a few days, you've mastered Earth Swordsmanship, and your control over Magic Power has become more proficient."

"But, I'm still not there yet."

Zoe pouted, "I still can't resonate with Sister Eden, so I have no idea where to start with Water Swordsmanship."

"No need to rush, you're already impressive."

"No way!"

Zoe was insistent, "As promised, I need to be able to fight alongside you, and this is not nearly enough."

She opened her palm, and an Ice Blue Jade formed, "This power is so close, yet I... I can't demonstrate the strength I should have, I can't prove myself."

"No need to hurry," Dorothy chuckled from the side, "Look at me, I'm just getting started, haven't even begun practice after being inactive for so long."

Zoe leaned beside Li Ang, "Then just stand aside and watch."

The half-elf's forehead throbbed with veins.

"I get it," Li Ang said reassuringly, patting the little cat's head.

After parting ways, various emotions had surged in his heart.

He couldn't help but ponder, what is an individual, what is a team? How to ensure their gains and contributions balance each other?

He sought steady and calm teammates, also considering this aspect.

At this moment, he clearly felt the young girl's affection, that clear and intense sincerity, because she had said she wanted to help him reach the pinnacle, taking this yet-unclear task as a firm goal. The method she executed in this process was setting specific demands on herself.

She aimed to further her origin as a swordsman by advancing in both Earth and Water Swordsmanship; achieving this, she felt she was truly making an effort.

Zoe grounded his heart, giving it a tangible place.

Moreover, a motivation surged within him, intensifying his determination to move forward.

"Alright, don't worry. Here's the promised gift."

Li Ang took out a prepared bag from his pack.

The little cat's eyes lit up as she swiftly clutched the bag to her chest.

She opened the seal and took out stacks of fabric.

"Ah, clothes!"

While on the island, Li Ang thought of getting the child a new set of clothes, so she wouldn't always wear that dress.

Perhaps Eden thought the same, so Zoe was now wearing a Frost Tower Church robe.

However, the robe didn't match her lively personality; with platform shoes and that robe on the square earlier, she almost looked bound.

Li Ang had chosen a complete set of sportswear for her, a popular choice among warrior professions.

The top was a dark short vest that left the waist exposed, and the bottom was multi-pocketed trousers with buckles, paired with a belt for hanging weapons and various adventure tools. The trousers could be pulled up to the knee to form shorts or tucked into boots to seal out sand and mosquitoes.

Besides the outerwear, there were tight sweat-absorbing base layers that some people wore just for training, worn underneath normally as well.

The benefit was that when wearing other equipment, one didn't need to remove the clothes; the top half could just take off the vest, and the bottom pants could provide padding under the leg armor.

Zoe examined the clothes thoroughly, while Li Ang explained their function.

Once she went inside to change under Li Ang's persuasion, Dorothy leaned over and softly said, "You chose the gift with such care."

"What? Didn't I give you a gift in the City of Trade too, and you picked it yourself, how do you even wear that?"

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