The Road Back

Chapter 22: 21 Journey Home

With everything decided, Yuan Chen and Nedeli began preparing to leave.

Before they departed, Nedeli gestured towards the jar beside them and said, "When will you give it to me? It's no good feeling like I can't even use a bit of strength with my bones broken."

"Not yet."

Hearing this, Nedeli narrowed her eyes--

She could understand why Yuan Chen was unwilling to let her use the item now. Even Nedeli, who knew nothing about appraisal or treasure hunting, could sense the grand and pure Order Power contained within the precious item.

But how to put it... While she understood, Nedeli wasn't Yuan Chen. This feeling of not being trusted wasn't pleasant.

However, considering that she and Yuan Chen had only met by chance, Nedeli didn't say anything more. She simply nodded silently, but this action, without a doubt, created a subtle distance between them.

Noticing Nedeli's attitude, Yuan Chen shook his head and said helplessly, "It's not that I'm unwilling to give it to you, but rather that the lucky idiot who obtained this item wouldn't know how to use it, wasting seven opportunities.

This flame can only be activated three more times at most, and the way to awaken the Dawn Bringer's transfer trial is by activating the flame's own power."

"This flame can suppress the power of a Dragon, so I want to use it when the hunt officially begins...

The moment you use it, you will be restored to your original state, so it won't affect the battle."

Hearing Yuan Chen's words, Nedeli tilted her head suspiciously and then said, "Then place the jar on the ground."

"OK."

Yuan Chen indicated he had no problem with that and personally placed the jar on the ground.

Seeing this, Nedeli closed her eyes. Immediately, a cool Breeze rose from the wilderness. Unlike the coldness and repulsion when Yuan Chen revealed his Demon identity earlier, this cool Breeze was very comfortable.

The wind swirled around the jar, and vines visibly grew from the ground.

Yuan Chen knew that Nedeli was communicating with the will of the wilderness itself. However, Yuan Chen felt a bit puzzled. Could an Epic-grade trait really have such powerful effects and uses?

Putting aside its support role in combat, it could even guide the way, distinguish good from evil, and now it could even help appraise treasures... It was less like a Blessing and more like having a portable old man.

In comparison, his Demon's Blessing, while able to control Water Elements, seemed far less comprehensive than Nedeli's Wilderness Blessing...

Not to mention Mordas's excellent quality "Aura Concealment" trait, which only enhanced stealth effects and added a critical damage bonus when breaking out of stealth.

No... It wasn't that his Demon's Blessing was inferior to the Wilderness Blessing, but rather that Nedeli could completely trust the wilderness. She was born and raised in this wilderness. As for himself...

Whether it was innate traits or acquired ones, if these traits were not awakened for a long time, they would disappear. And if awakened blessings were not frequently used and deepened in understanding, their abilities could not be fully realized.

Realizing this, Yuan Chen shook his head helplessly--he had to find a way to deal with Oshirresh.

A moment later, perhaps only a few dozen seconds, Nedeli nodded in understanding, then snorted and said:

"I misjudged you. This flame has indeed suffered severe Drain. But it's not my fault, it's yours for describing the power of this flame too beautifully."

"Uh... sorry?"

"...No need." Hearing Yuan Chen's straightforward apology, Nedeli coughed lightly, speechless, and changed the subject:

"Speaking of which, which lucky Idiot got this flame?

Using it seven times in a row, this is simply a colossal waste! The Order Power within is enough to revitalize an entire desert!"

"You'll see him soon~" Yuan Chen said, relaxing as he picked up the Jar.

"Has he Awakened?" Nedeli asked curiously:

"Even with the slightest Aptitude, seven consecutive uses should be enough to Awaken into a Dawn Bringer, right?"

"No."

Yuan Chen also felt regret--

He actually quite liked Mordas, not in a furry fetish way, but purely because he sensed a grounded idealism in Mordas.

It's just that character is character, and qualification is qualification. Mordas truly wasn't lucky enough to become a Dawn Bringer.

"That's a real shame," Nedeli said indifferently--

She didn't know any Mordas, only that a lucky Idiot had wasted seven precious opportunities.

According to what the Mother of the Wilds told her, if used properly, these seven opportunities could have perfectly molded seven righteous souls into guardians of Order.

After ending their conversation, Yuan Chen and Nedeli prepared for the migration.

Noticing Yuan Chen's return, Milio ran over with a look of surprise:

"Master! You're back! I thought you'd abandoned me!"

When Yuan Chen left yesterday morning, Milio was still asleep, so he wasn't aware of Yuan Chen's movements. The only information he had was what Nedeli told him: "Don't follow your master, you're too weak and will be a burden."

Wild Creatures don't understand politeness or tact.

Nedeli, having never interacted with human children before, didn't realize the severe blow her words had dealt to Milio's young heart.

It even made Milio doubt himself, wondering if he was always holding them back, which was why Master Yuan Chen had left him to go on an Adventure alone.

Now, seeing Yuan Chen's figure, Milio's eyes were filled with joy: "Master, don't leave me! I'll work hard! You said I'd become a great hero, I'll definitely work hard!"

"Who's going to leave you?" Yuan Chen blinked in confusion, looking at Milio before him:

"I'm going ahead to scout. The problem is solved now, and our adventure is just beginning. But first, we need to return to the village to resupply."

Yuan Chen didn't reveal the matter of the Dragon Hunt to Milio--

It was better to discuss such important matters directly with Lupe and the others.

"Don't be anxious about becoming a hero. You have the aptitude and ability. More importantly, believe in yourself. Don't be swayed by others' words or doubts. The heart that believes is your magic."

As he spoke, Yuan Chen actually felt some regret. He had prematurely told Milio about his talents and abilities, thinking it would help Milio awaken faster. But now, it seemed to have made Milio even more obsessed with doubting himself.

"Calm your excited heart and recall the process of your spellcasting," Yuan Chen said.

"Your idea of using firelight to illuminate the jungle during your previous adventure was excellent, but you lost control of the flames, causing a large amount of unnecessary drain on your magic. That's precisely why you slept so deeply yesterday."

"I..." Hearing this, Milio scratched his head and said with some inferiority, "I couldn't control the Axiom Constraint... I'll work hard, I'll work hard to control them--"

"Don't try to control them."

"Huh?"

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, Milio was stunned because it was different from the education he had received before.

In Ixialia, the Yuan Chu Axiom was strict and precise, allowing no room for error. The Axiom Constraint was the ultimate iron rule. Failing to grasp the Axiom Constraint was even considered an innate flaw in Ixialia.

"Feel it, familiarize yourself with it," Yuan Chen said. "Just treat it as... your friend."

"My friend?" Hearing this, Milio seemed to recall something and murmured, "...My... Elemental Friend...?"

Beside them, seeing Yuan Chen's gentle words, Nedeli raised her eyebrows with mild interest. "I didn't expect you to be so patient?"

"More than my patience, I'm curious about what you told Milio," Yuan Chen said, glancing at Nedeli speechlessly. "You made Milio doubt himself so much."

"Tch, it's just common knowledge that every wild creature knows."

Nedeli didn't think there was anything wrong with her actions, as she had grown up with the upbringing of a cougar mother.

Yuan Chen just shrugged at this, then picked up his machete and went to the side to chop branches--

Nedeli's hands were fractured, and her other injuries had not fully healed. Without using Azure Starfire for immediate recovery, they could only make a temporary stretcher to carry her.

Without wasting too much time, Yuan Chen quickly fashioned a simple stretcher from branches and cloth strips.

The four handles of the stretcher were padded with hay and leather. He called out to Nedeli, and then the cougars lifted the stretcher, carrying Nedeli and Yuan Chen and the others onto their journey to the village.

Four cougars carried the stretcher, walking unhurriedly through the jungle. Although this was their first time doing so, and it was definitely not comfortable for Nedeli, it had a certain bearing of a landlord's concubine upon sudden sight.

Leading the way, Yuan Chen occasionally glanced back at Nedeli, who was resting on the stretcher.

Hmm, it's just that Nedeli is too weak right now. Otherwise, if she could gather her strength and sit up on the wooden frame, with four cougars carrying her around to patrol the woodland, it would be a majestic yet cliché sight.

If this were a cultivation novel, there would probably be a legend about a Lion Mother Goddess or something emerging from this primeval jungle before long.

If it were Strange Tales, there would probably be a scholar and a fox spirit making a cameo.

He wasn't moving fast with Yuan Chen and the others, not even heading directly towards the village, but instead took a detour to the main road in the woodland. They waited under the shade of a tree at an intersection for a while. About two hours later, Yuan Chen saw the figures of the Fleshfang Hunters.

Fleshfangs are natural hunters. Their bodies are built to move through the woodland much faster than humans. Even if the ground is muddy, their digitigrade hind legs, similar to those of felines, are enough to support them as they dash and leap through branches like in Naruto.

The main reason they were lagging behind Yuan Chen and the others now was the hunting supplies they were carrying.

Seeing the tracks of the Fleshfangs, Nedeli instinctively narrowed her eyes. The cougars accompanying her also raised their heads, bristling and assuming a predatory stance.

Nedeli's family consisted of six cougars, and there was also a cougar mother before. When Nedeli had not yet become the Lion Pride Leader, the cougar mother was the Beast King of this forest. However, after the cougar mother was killed by poachers, Nedeli took over the position of the Beast King.

Perhaps because Nedeli was not a true cougar, she did not drive away these former siblings. Instead, she turned these solitary feline creatures into a pack, making them more like a feline wolf pack than cougars. However, this "wolf pack" was limited to Nedeli's family members.

Like now, besides the four cougars carrying the stretcher, two cougars were patrolling the perimeter to prevent attacks from wild beasts.

"Don't worry, they are not enemies."

Seeing the pride's wariness towards the Fleshfangs, Yuan Chen soothed her, "See the Fleshfang leading them? It's because of him that you got that flame. If you become the Dawn Bringer, you'll have to thank him."

"He's that lucky idiot?"

Hearing Yuan Chen's words, Nedeli tilted her head curiously to look at Mordas. Looking at the tall guy walking towards them from a distance while smiling and waving, Nedeli couldn't help but curl her lips. "A Fleshfang?"

"You look down on him?" Yuan Chen couldn't help but chuckle at this. "Aren't you a Vastaya too?"

"It's because they attacked me first," Nedeli said with a cold snort. "The camp site they initially targeted was my lair, but I taught them a good lesson... a bunch of ill-mannered bastards."

Clearly, Nedeli's impression of the Fleshfangs was not good. Even though she knew they were going to cooperate, she couldn't help but grumble about them.

In contrast, Mordas, who was leading the supply convoy, laughed heartily, "Haha! Yuan Chen! I didn't expect to meet so soon! Is everything going smoothly on your end?"

"Here."

Yuan Chen gestured towards Nedeli with his chin.

Mordas was taken aback and then said hesitantly, "This is... the Lion Pride Leader? Why is she here? The Dawn Bringer you mentioned... wait."

Mordas seemed to have realized something.

Yuan Chen nodded in response, "That's right, she is the helper I mentioned who is qualified to become the Dawn Bringer."

"Then her injury..."

"Cough," Hearing this, Yuan Chen awkwardly rubbed his temples and mumbled, "The day before we met, I ran into her first... In short, the interaction was a bit intense."

At this, the other Fleshfangs nearby couldn't help but cast surprised glances at Nedeli—they knew how powerful Nedeli was.

Because of the hunting camp, they had clashed with Nedeli before Yuan Chen. The final result was that Nedeli had easily repelled them.

Fleshfangs are indeed natural hunters with extremely strong wilderness combat capabilities, but they couldn't withstand Nedeli, who was the darling of the wilderness...

If Nedeli hadn't wanted to escalate the conflict and attract more enemies, even if this group of Fleshfang Hunters could temporarily occupy Nedeli's lair, Nedeli could have hunted them down one by one within three days.