The pickpocket skill leveled up quickly. After reaching level 5, its success rate doubled compared to level 4. Against the bull warriors, out of ten attempts using pickpocket, at least three were successful. Moreover, the quality of the stolen items improved slightly.
After reaching level 5, the skill experience required for leveling up increased fivefold compared to before. However, since there was a 50x skill experience bonus, the progress remained quite fast. Three hours later, Nie Yan’s pickpocket skill advanced to level 6.
At this rate, Nie Yan estimated that reaching level 10 in pickpocket wasn’t far away.
While training his pickpocket skill, he didn’t neglect his other skills. Because each attempt at pickpocket required the use of control skills like stunning strike and bash, those skills also increased by one level and reached level 5.
All his skills were rapidly improving. With such a rate of progress, spending a few days here would make Nie Yan extremely happy.
Once all five free skills reached level 10, even if he encountered a boss-level creature, he wouldn’t have to worry. Combined with level 10 pickpocket, his gains from killing monsters would multiply several times.
Besides the five free skills, there was also the kick skill, which was very practical. While using pickpocket, Nie Yan occasionally kicked the bull warriors to improve his kick skill.
Nie Yan sneaked behind a bull warrior, performed a spine breaker on its back, and began casting pickpocket.
System: Pickpocket failed.
System: Pickpocket failed.
System: Pickpocket successful. You have obtained a skill book and gained 50 points of skill experience.
Nie Yan wasn’t sure what skill book it was. Since he already had many skills and it was difficult to find ones that interested him, he didn’t have high hopes for this skill book. Already, there were more than 160 skill books in his backpack. He glanced at the name of this skill book and couldn’t help but feel a jolt of excitement—it was Advanced Lockdown!
Advanced Lockdown had effects similar to Improved Stun. It could immobilize enemies, preventing them from moving for about 2 seconds.
Such a skill was always better in greater numbers, as it could significantly increase his effective control time. Without hesitation, Nie Yan learned Advanced Lockdown. Looking at his skill bar, he noticed only three empty slots remained. It was about time to start filtering out some skills and forgetting those that were no longer useful.
After learning Advanced Lockdown, Nie Yan continued maintaining control, skill after skill. The bull warrior’s health quickly dropped to zero and it fell to the ground. A bull warrior with hundreds of thousands of hit points was as fragile as a normal monster in Nie Yan’s hands.
Improving skills was a very tedious process, greatly testing one’s patience. During this monotonous grind of killing monsters to train skills, an entire day quickly passed.
As usual, Nie Yan logged out of the game, stepped out of the game pod, and glanced sideways. Xie Yao’s game pod was already empty. From the distant bathroom, the sound of water flowing could be heard. Nie Yan realized Xie Yao was taking a shower.
A string of emotions was gently stirred within him, and Nie Yan couldn’t help but imagine some romantic scenes.
Nie Yan walked toward the bathroom.
Just at that moment, Xie Yao emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Facing each other directly, Nie Yan awkwardly smiled.
Xie Yao gave Nie Yan a disapproving look. “You’re such a pervert with no guts.”
Nie Yan’s advances toward Xie Yao were limited to touching and groping.
Fresh from her bath, Xie Yao’s skin radiated a tempting rosy glow, incredibly alluring. Wrapped in a towel, she revealed a pair of smooth shoulders and long, slender legs, pale pink and smooth, the towel barely covering up to the top of her thighs, leaving tantalizing glimpses that stirred intense imagination and desire.
Nie Yan was just about to act mischievously when Xie Yao pushed him into the bathroom and said, “Go take a shower. I’ll go get you some clothes.”
“Alright,” Nie Yan sighed helplessly as he started to undress, preparing to shower. Xie Yao was so tempting, yet he couldn’t have her, which made him feel frustrated. He had made a promise to Xie Jun, and fulfilling it was proving extremely difficult. He could only restrain himself until Tianxia Group became powerful enough, then he would be able to openly have Xie Yao.
He turned on the water valve, and a stream of warm water poured from the showerhead.
Under the shower’s stream, his thoughts drifted. In just three more days, the Mage Alliance would likely draw its final breath. Then, in the battle for the Grilan Empire, only the Sacred Defense would remain capable of opposing them.
Once this conflict concluded, the Niuren Tribe would solidify its foothold in Moonlight City, steadily expanding until it seized complete control—establishing a new stronghold. Granting the Tianxia Group additional fortresses would propel it toward exponential growth.
Listening to the water sounds from the bathroom, Xie Yao on the bed felt somewhat restless. Thinking about her own thoughts, she couldn’t help feeling ashamed. After hesitating for a long time, she finally made up her mind, stood up, and removed the towel wrapped around her body.
The thick, white towel gracefully drifted to the floor, revealing Xie Yao’s delicate figure. Fresh from her bath, she was incredibly alluring, her fair, full breasts standing proudly. She didn’t believe Nie Yan could still restrain himself under her seduction.
Lost in thought while showering, Nie Yan suddenly heard several knocks from outside.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the glass door, discovering Xie Yao standing there gracefully, her cheeks flushed with a charming red. Looking down, Nie Yan felt a rush of blood to his head.
Xie Yao was not wearing any clothes. Her perfect body was bare, exuding a seductive aura that gradually spread. At this moment, she felt nervous and uneasy. Nie Yan’s intense gaze seemed to drain all strength from her body, leaving Xie Yao feeling weak and helpless. Resolving herself, she slipped into the bathroom.
A delightful softness pressed against him. Nie Yan had never experienced Xie Yao’s initiative like this before, which made him feel flattered and surprised.
Xie Yao had a slim figure, yet her curves were full and supple, making her irresistibly enchanting. Water droplets from the showerhead danced on her smooth skin, sparkling with a crystalline glow.
Nie Yan’s hand caressed Xie Yao’s plump, soft buttocks, gently kneading them.
Xie Yao rose on her toes, nibbling Nie Yan’s ear, and whispered, “Nie Yan, take me. Let me be your woman.”
Hearing Xie Yao’s words, Nie Yan’s mind exploded with a surge of intense emotion. In his previous life, countless days and nights, he had been alone in a corner, recalling every moment with Xie Yao with a gentle heart, which made him feel alive. At the moment he sent a bullet into Cao Xu’s head, the only thoughts in his mind, besides his parents, were of Xie Yao. On the day Xie Yao married Liu Rui, Nie Yan had used a sharp dagger to cut his arm, using the sharp pain as a reminder to forget, yet the more he tried, the more he couldn’t let go. After his rebirth, all those burdens in his heart were lifted, and he finally felt true happiness.
He wanted to establish a strong position so that Xie Yao’s family would recognize him, so he waited. However, Xie Yao’s initiative today made it impossible for him to suppress his emotions any longer. A strong urge to cry welled up inside him, and Nie Yan tightly embraced Xie Yao.
How could he possibly reject Xie Yao in this situation?
They indulged in passionate intimacy, leaving traces of their love throughout the bathroom. Under Nie Yan’s intense passion, Xie Yao responded hesitantly, her initial pain transforming into exquisite pleasure.
Xie Yao revealed all her beauty to Nie Yan, giving herself completely to him.
Soon, the battlefield shifted to the bed.
Unknown to them, after a long while, the two fell into a deep sleep on the bed.
After a long while, Nie Yan and Xie Yao awoke. He checked the time and gave a bitter smile. It seemed unlikely he would be able to attend class today. Fortunately, the first military academy sent course materials directly to his email, and he could request leave if necessary.
Looking at the peacefully sleeping Xie Yao beside him, Nie Yan felt a surge of tenderness. She had indeed been exhausted after such a long session of lovemaking.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that Xie Yao got up and started dressing.
As she entered the living room, Nie Yan had already prepared lunch, filling her heart with a warm sense of gratitude.
While having lunch together, Xie Yao’s face remained flushed, like the lingering glow of climax, making her look even more enchanting.
She wore a white dress, its simple elegance highlighting her charm even more. At this moment, Xie Yao was truly a charming young woman.
The previous situation had been hard to control, and Nie Yan had no regrets. However, how to handle the aftermath properly was important. He needed to accelerate the growth of Tianxia Group. At present, he wasn’t yet qualified to propose marriage to Longyue Corporation and Zhengrong Corporation. This was what frustrated Nie Yan the most. Compared to these two massive corporations, Tianxia Group was practically insignificant.
Nie Yan vaguely remembered the sarcastic remarks from Xie Yao’s aunt, Xie Yi. Although Xie Jun didn’t mind Nie Yan, the Xie family was a large clan. If Nie Yan’s strength wasn’t sufficient, the other members of the Xie family would look down upon him, which would place great pressure on both Xie Jun and Xie Yao. They would likely lose face within the family, and in more severe cases, might even be pushed out of the management. This was not what Nie Yan wanted to see.
The Xie family was an old, prestigious family with a history spanning generations. To them, Tianxia Group was merely a newly rich upstart. It would be difficult for them to genuinely accept Nie Yan. As for Longyue Corporation, due to their previous good cooperation, Xie Yao’s maternal grandfather favored her, making it easier to persuade him.
If Xie Yao married Nie Yan, it would mean that the shares of the two major corporations she controlled would fall into the hands of an outsider. It would be hard for those people not to resist this.
“Nie Yan, what are you thinking about?” Xie Yao noticed Nie Yan’s furrowed brow and asked.
“Nothing, let’s eat,” Nie Yan smiled, gently patting Xie Yao’s fair face.
“Nie Yan, I know my family has put a lot of pressure on you. I’m sorry. I will convince them,” Xie Yao said apologetically, her voice firm with determination.
Nie Yan smiled and shook his head. “These are challenges I must face. If I can’t earn the approval of your family, how can I call myself a man? So there’s no need to apologize. Give me some time—I can do it.”
Hearing Nie Yan’s words, Xie Yao felt a wave of emotion. Sometimes, being born into a prestigious family spanning generations wasn’t as free and easy as being born into an ordinary family.
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