Chapter 13 – Deep in the Forest

The Central Forest was lush with vegetation, filled with precious herbs and fruits bearing strange effects. However, the deeper one ventured, the more threatening magical beasts became, which is why most mercenary groups limited their activities to the forest’s edge.

In the outermost regions of the forest lived ordinary wild animals, whose fur and flesh held no special value. Further in, one would encounter low-level magical beasts. These creatures were often small in size but possessed a weak affinity for magic, making them a threat to ordinary people. Their bodies contained magic crystals, and their fur, teeth, and other parts were valuable materials, making them the primary target for organized mercenary groups venturing into the forest.

While strong and sturdy mercenaries could handle these low-level beasts, once one moved beyond the forest’s edge, scattered mid-level magical beasts began to roam. These were much larger than their low-level counterparts, agile, and their magical attacks were on an entirely different level.

To deal with mid-level beasts, a mercenary group needed at least one or two powerful fighters. Even then, a single fighter facing a mid-level beast unarmed had little chance of winning—which was why no one believed Talin when she claimed in the tavern that she and her brother had hunted a magic wolf.

“Now that we’ve entered the forest, do you think we might run into Xipo and the others?” Haitie said, peering curiously into the dense woods.

But almost as soon as the words left her mouth, she contradicted herself: “But they’re high-level mages, so they’ve probably gone deeper into the forest. We won’t meet them.”

As they walked, the group could clearly sense the changes in the forest environment. Not only was there a faint sense of dampness, but the ground around them was almost entirely covered in deep green grass, which felt soft underfoot.

Daniel examined the deep green grass beneath their feet.

“The green jade grass is getting sparser… that tree ahead already has dark green grass growing beneath it,” he said, glancing around once more. “Further in, we’ll be out of the edge zone.”

He then let out an exaggerated sigh: “I thought I’d escaped the hardship of going to the Valley of Ice, but now I’m stuck following you kids into this godforsaken place. Let’s go a bit further, but if we don’t encounter any mid-level beasts, we should head back—if trouble arises, you won’t be able to handle it.”

His words didn’t have the intended effect of subtly convincing the kids to turn back. Instead, they piqued Lin Wei’s curiosity: “Why don’t you want to go to the Valley of Ice so badly?”

Daniel shrugged. “That place has become increasingly dangerous in recent years. I don’t want to lose my life, and it’s inconvenient for them to take me along.”

“Increasingly dangerous?”

Daniel gave him a surprised look. “You didn’t know?”

Lin Wei spread his hands.

“Didn’t Duan Yu tell you?”

Now Lin Wei was genuinely confused—what did this have to do with Duan Yu?

He glanced at Haitie, who also seemed to take this for granted.

He moved closer to Duan Yu: “What does Daniel mean? Are you keeping something from me?”

Duan Yu sighed helplessly. “It doesn’t have much to do with me.”

Not much to do with him… so it did have some connection?

Young Duke Lin Wei not only excelled at putting on airs but was also a master at pestering people—especially since he had learned that Duan Yu, who rarely spoke and was hard to read, was most vulnerable to persistent, shameless tactics.

Over the past year, Lin Wei had spent a great deal of time with Duan Yu. When one of them wasn’t in the mood to talk, the other inevitably got bored, so Lin Wei had made it his mission to get Duan Yu to speak as much as possible—a challenging yet noble endeavor that had become a habit.

For example, now that he knew this matter might be related to Duan Yu, Lin Wei immediately ignored Daniel and Haitie, who also knew about it, and began questioning Duan Yu—and, as expected, got his answer.

Lin Wei and Duan Yu walked side by side, with Lin Wei listening as Duan Yu explained:

“You know there are five Elemental Valleys on the continent.”

Lin Wei nodded.

Duan Yu continued: “The Valley of Flame, Valley of Ice, Valley of Stone, Valley of Metal, and Valley of Wind. Each valley corresponds to one of the five magical elements. The corresponding element in each valley is extremely dense and volatile, and it’s ceaselessly replenished, which is why they’re called the Sources of Magical Elements.”

“Wait,” Lin Wei seemed to recall something, “Isn’t your home in the Valley of Metal?”

The magic elements on Siren Island were extremely dense but very calm, as the various elements were almost evenly mixed.

However, if a certain element became too concentrated in a specific area, it would create elemental turbulence. Rampant magic elements were extremely unfriendly even to mages—any mage with half a brain would stay far away.

“It is in the Valley of Metal,” Duan Yu replied. “Although all five Elemental Valleys are very dangerous, each has a family settled deep within it. Every member of these families possesses a magical affinity aligned with the valley’s element, and they can suppress the elemental turbulence in the valley, preventing it from spreading outward.”

“So you belong to the family in the Valley of Metal?”

“Yes.”

“No wonder you’re so powerful,” Lin Wei muttered softly before asking, “So what’s going on with the Valley of Ice?”

“They’re gone.”

“Gone?”

“The last member of their family died three years ago.”

An entire family, wiped out? How did they die?

Lin Wei voiced his confusion, but Duan Yu remained silent for a long time.

Lin Wei turned to look at Duan Yu’s beautifully sculpted profile: “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Duan Yu gradually slowed his pace, and Lin Wei followed suit.

Then Duan Yu spoke: “I can’t see because of the elemental turbulence.”

“I know that…” But before Lin Wei could finish, Duan Yu’s next sentence left him stunned.

“They died from elemental turbulence within their bodies.”

“They lost their senses, fell unconscious… and then died. The water element in the Valley of Ice was no longer fully suppressed, and it began to spread. The magical beasts nearby almost all mutated and advanced.”

While the initial question was answered, an even deeper mist of doubt enveloped Lin Wei.

“What about you…” Lin Wei looked at Duan Yu’s face.

It was strange. In his previous life, Lin Wei had only seen Duan Yu on the battlefield, and while he found him handsome, he seemed as unyielding as ice.

This life, however, had allowed him to see Duan Yu up close, revealing an extraordinary level of refinement and beauty. Combined with his often half-closed eyes, he seemed almost like something carved from snow—fragile and easily broken.

At this moment, that feeling became all the more real and unsettling.

Lin Wei hesitated, then cautiously asked: “Will you… end up like them?”

Duan Yu detected the faint unease in Lin Wei’s tone and replied, “They were much worse off than me. As long as I become a high-level mage, I can resolve the elemental turbulence in my body.”

Then he added, “You don’t need to worry.”

Lin Wei’s slightly suspended heart finally settled back into place, and a warm feeling spread through him at the words “you don’t need to worry.”

Having lived two lifetimes, this was the first time someone had told him not to worry.

He even forgot to ask about the cause of the elemental turbulence, a faint smile forming on his lips. He was about to say something more to Duan Yu when he noticed Duan Yu’s previously relaxed body suddenly stiffen, his half-closed eyes snapping shut—a sign that he was expanding the range of his spiritual sense.

Seeing this, Lin Wei knew Duan Yu had likely detected something and turned his attention forward.

Haitie and Daniel, who had been leisurely walking behind Lin Wei and Duan Yu, also paused at the sight.

“There’s something,” Duan Yu said in a low voice. “A lot of them.”

A lot?

In the Magic Beast Forest, what else could “something” refer to besides magical beasts?

The beasts that could appear here were almost certainly not low-level!

Two or three of them, they could handle, but a lot… mid-level beasts? What terrible luck!

Daniel’s uncertain voice came from behind: “I just extended my spiritual sense and felt it too. There’s probably a whole pack. I say… we should hurry and leave.”

Lin Wei didn’t turn around, his tone full of disdain: “Leave if you want.”

Daniel glanced back at the dense forest behind them, thought for a moment, and then stepped forward to stand beside Lin Wei.

Lin Wei summoned his Abel Vine, and emerald-green vines emerged from the ground, wrapping obediently around his arm.

Numerous translucent golden blades also began to condense and rotate around Duan Yu, with some splitting off to protect Lin Wei and Daniel.

“Haitie, stay close to Daniel,” Duan Yu said. “We’ll fight for a while before retreating.”

This aligned with Lin Wei’s thoughts—they couldn’t win, but they could hold out for a while. Elemental mages rarely engaged in real combat during their academy sparring sessions, so this was a rare opportunity for Duan Yu and Haitie.

The spiritual sense grew clearer, revealing no fewer than twenty magical beasts with a faint blue aura slowly approaching, even beginning to encircle them.

A moment later, the creatures came into view without the need for spiritual sense—a pack of silver-white magic wolves with water affinity.

The siblings Talin had encountered in the forest were also magic wolves. Could it be that this was the time of year they roamed frequently—and in groups?

Before Lin Wei could ponder the abnormality further, the wolves closed in.

The largest wolf at the front locked its icy gaze on the group, its front legs slightly crouched—a prelude to an attack.

Abel Vine silently extended its branches, encircling the area around Lin Wei and Daniel’s feet.

Daniel, no longer calling for them to leave, pulled out a few small scrolls and some indiscernible items from his ring.

In the blink of an eye, the first wolf lunged forward, its claws glowing with a cold blue light as it surged with water elemental energy, aiming for the seemingly smallest target—Haitie. Meanwhile, the blades around Duan Yu instantly merged into a sharp golden streak, slicing swiftly toward the wolf’s neck.