It's Good to Be Young

"You've gone too far! Denken!"

Dugu Qing got up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and stared at the stains on his body with a lingering unease.

To Dugu Qing, capturing the Meteoric Iron Bird was as easy as Taking an Object from a Bag.

However, if they are caught prematurely, they will likely become the target of attacks and contests by other teams.

Since then, he has never found peace again, so he is now conserving his strength and biding his time!

Dugu Qing couldn't understand why Denken was so rude and out of control, lacking the wisdom and composure Court Mage.

Denken straightened his robes and sighed helplessly, "Sorry, I was too hasty just now."

Dugu Qing used Cleansing Magic to remove the stains from her body, but still felt unclean, so she simply jumped into the lake, took a quick bath, and used Wind Magic to dry her clothes.

At 1:30 p. m., the sounds of fierce fighting echoed through the forest, with Mana Bullets exploding in the distance from time to time.

Dugu Qing caught a fish, carefully grilled it, and shared it with Denken and Laufen. He then lay down on a tree branch, exuding a serene and pure aura, untouched by any worldly dust.

Denken was restless and wanted to leave Dugu Qing several times to search for the Meteoric Iron Bird on his own.

But his hometown of Huangjinhua and his wife's grave haunted his dreams.

If he wants to return to his hometown, he must advance to the level of Level One Mage, and he can only adopt the most cautious approach by staying by the side of the powerful Dugu Qing.

"Whoosh~"

A pale red arc flashed through the air as a Meteoric Iron Bird darted through the jungle and landed steadily on Dugu Qing's shoulder once more.

Denken was overjoyed and shouted:

"Quick, grab it, and we'll pass the test!"

In his half-asleep state, Dugu Qing saw an adorable Meteoric Iron Bird. He reached out his finger, gently stroked its feathers, and held the Meteoric Iron Bird in his palm.

The Meteoric Iron Bird seemed completely unafraid of Dugu Qing, chirping incessantly, seemingly saying something unintelligible.

Laufen covered his mouth, blinked, and his long eyelashes trembled.

"Dugu Qing is amazing! She can attract so many Meteoric Iron Birds. Is it because they are elves? Is that why she is so beloved?"

Dugu Qing felt the bird was hungry, so he picked a handful of grass seeds from the ground, placed them in his palm, and gave them to the Meteoric Iron Bird to eat.

"There's still one day left until the exam ends. If we get the Meteoric Iron Bird, we're likely to be surrounded and attacked by other teams. So, it's best to start our operation tomorrow morning."

Denken suddenly realized that he had been too attached to appearances!

The test has just begun, and none of the teams have a Meteoric Iron Bird yet. If they were to capture one, the news would likely spread immediately, making them the target of everyone's criticism.

The thousand-year-old sorceress Frieren, the wicked girl Ubel who cuts through everything, the multi-faceted Lanto, the genius beauty Fern... all twenty teams participating in the test will surely aim their wands at themselves!

With so many enemies attacking him at once, even someone as skilled as Denken couldn't help but feel intimidated.

"This guy, he seems calm on the surface, but he's actually seen through so much."

Denken was secretly shocked and began to admire Dugu Qing.

To remain calm and composed during a world-renowned exam, performing flawlessly without being affected by external factors...

This person's level of understanding is simply unbelievably high.

If we're really comparing, only a church sage he met many years ago could rival him...

After feeding the Meteoric Iron Bird, Dugu Qing closed his eyes and quickly fell into a light sleep.

The Meteoric Iron Bird lay on its side, closed its eyes, and rested quietly.

Deep in the forest, a girl wearing a purple cloak walked lightly towards them.

Her brown hair was loose and wavy.

Her facial features are rounded, and her chin is pointed.

She wore a white coat and a long, emerald-green skirt, her waist was slender, and her figure was tall and graceful.

She stared at a faint red dot in the distance, her eyes lighting up. She slowed her pace, held her breath, and deliberately let her gaze wander to avoid the Meteoric Iron Bird noticing her hostility, as she slowly approached her target.

Denken sensed something, quietly looked up, and found Ailu's figure in the lush green forest. His mood instantly improved.

Ailu is the granddaughter of his very close friend, Laiern; the two have known each other for many years.

Now that Ailu has her eye on the Meteoric Iron Bird in Dugu Qing's arms, he really doesn't know who to help. He can only pretend he didn't see it and let them fight it out themselves!

"That handsome guy is sleeping! This incredible opportunity will ultimately fall into my hands, Ailu!"

As they drew closer, Ailu got a clearer view of the area around the Meteoric Iron Bird and became even more cautious.

The Meteoric Iron Bird seemed unaware that it was being watched; it rolled over and continued to rest.

Only three meters above the Meteoric Iron Bird, Ailu quietly activated her Flight Magic and lunged straight at Meteoric Iron Bird.

Sensing the magical element, the Meteoric Iron Bird instantly awoke, flapping its powerful wings and fleeing.

Ailu descended from the sky and pounced on Dugu Qing.

Their foreheads bumped, their noses touched, and their cheeks were pressed tightly together without any gap, their warm breaths mingling and intertwining.

Ailu stared at Dugu Qing, who was so close to her, and froze, leaning back as if she had been electrocuted.

"No..."

"Forehead..."

Upon hearing the sound, Laufen stood up, looked at Ailu riding Dugu Qing, and his face flushed red as he covered his eyes with his fingers.

This isn't something a girl like her can openly peek at!

"Young people! It's so good to be beautiful; even when you're asleep, people will throw themselves at you..."

Denken adjusted his glasses on his left eye, a bright smile spreading across his face.

A sudden, heavy pressure came from her abdomen, Dugu Qing's eyelashes trembled as she slowly opened her eyes.

Ailu, standing close by, had a flushed face, her eyes filled with panic and confusion as she stared at him, her slender legs swaying restlessly.

"You..."

Dugu Qing was shocked. Are all girls these days so wild?!

At this rate, he really wouldn't dare to sleep peacefully in the woods anymore...

"I'm so sorry to bother you. Goodbye."

Ailu dared not meet Dugu Qing's gaze. She hastily activated her flight technique, her body unsteady, and she shakily soared into the air and disappeared.

"That girl just now..."

Dugu Qing stood up with a complicated expression, unsure how to address Ailu's strange behavior.

He had always lived in the forest, spending most of his time on adventures, coming and going in a hurry, and had never seen a girl with such a gentle appearance and bold behavior before!

"She seems to like you a lot! Dugu Qing, why don't you two get to know each other sometime!"

Denken's voice softened as he teased Dugu Qing.

Seeing that Dugu Qing looked puzzled, Laufen was afraid that he would misunderstand, so he quickly explained that Ailu's goal was the Meteoric Iron Bird.

Dugu Qing nodded in relief.

He knew it! Ailu looks so dignified, she doesn't seem like that kind of girl at all...

The next day.

A kilometer away, in the dense forest.

Frieren's Party has finally finalized their battle plan.

Lavina unleashed her full magical power, using Ice Magic to freeze the ever-flowing river.

He then channeled magic into most of the pools within the barrier, scaring the Meteoric Iron Bird away. It could only drink from the only magic-free puddle in the forest.

The other squads noticed Frieren's Party's tactics and abandoned the frozen river, heading to the puddles to lie in wait.

A major war is inevitable and is about to break out.