Magic Beast Mountain Range

Peak Level 6.

Standing at this threshold, Lin Yun clearly felt that relying solely on meditation and carving would make it difficult to break through in a short time. What he needed was actual combat—to touch that invisible barrier amidst the life-and-death struggle and shatter it.

This thought had been circling in his mind for a long time, and finally, on a late autumn evening, he brought it up to Delin.

"Grandpa Delin, I want to go to the Magic Beast Mountain Range for training."

In the woods behind the academy, the setting sun dyed the horizon a golden red. Lin Yun stood under an old tree, his gaze calm and firm. Linley stood by his side, acting as his messenger, though his face bore clear signs of worry.

Delin floated out from the Coiling Dragon Ring, hovering before the two of them, and remained silent for a long time.

"Do you know how dangerous the Magic Beast Mountain Range is?" His voice was calm, neither refusing nor agreeing. "It is not the back mountain of the academy; there are no instructors to step in and save you at critical moments. You might encounter Level 7, Level 8, or even Level 9 magic beasts. A moment of carelessness, and you won't even have a corpse left."

"I know," Lin Yun said.

"Are you not afraid?"

"I am," Lin Yun admitted frankly, "but even if I am afraid, I must go."

Delin looked at him, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

This child had never been like his peers. His calmness, his rationality, and his clear understanding of his own path were far beyond the level expected of a twelve-year-old boy. Sometimes, Delin even felt that he was standing before an adult who had lived for decades, not a boy who had just entered puberty.

"Lin Yun," Delin's voice turned serious, "do you know why I agree to let you go?"

Lin Yun shook his head.

"Because you are right," Delin said slowly. "Great trees cannot be grown in a greenhouse. Your current strength is already top-tier in the academy, but on a real battlefield, it is far from enough. You need actual combat, the tempering between life and death. Only in such an environment can your magic truly transform into a means of killing enemies, rather than a trick used for display in the classroom."

He paused, then continued: "I will not stop you. True powerhouses are never created by being protected."

Linley listened from the side, his expression shifting. He opened his mouth to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words. He knew his younger brother's personality—once a decision was made, not even nine dragons could pull him back.

"However," Delin changed the subject, "you cannot go alone. Let Bebe go with you."

"Ji-ji!" Bebe jumped off Linley's shoulder and onto Lin Yun's, patting his cheek with its little claws, looking as if to say, "Leave it to me."

"Bebe..." Linley felt a bit reluctant, but he nodded nonetheless. He knew Delin was right—with Bebe by his side, Lin Yun's safety would have an extra layer of protection. Although Bebe looked small and delicate, its speed, agility, and defense were enough to rival Level 7 or 8 magic beasts.

"Don't worry," Lin Yun said to Linley, "I will return safely."

Linley took a deep breath and patted his brother's shoulder: "I'll be waiting for you."

The next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Lin Yun carried a simple pack and, with Bebe in tow, quietly left the Ernst Institute.

In his pack were only a few changes of clothes, some dry rations, a few bottles of healing potions, and a Refined Iron Short Blade—a custom piece he had spent a significant amount of money on at the academy's smithy. The blade was narrow and long, suitable for close-quarters combat. Although his magic was enough to handle most situations, he never put all his eggs in one basket.

Bebe crouched on his shoulder, its little claws gripping his collar, its dark, round eyes filled with excitement.

"Ji-ji!" It chirped, as if saying, "Let's go."

The Magic Beast Mountain Range was located north of the Ernst Institute, stretching for nearly ten thousand miles, and was one of the areas with the highest density of magic beasts on the Yulan Continent. Starting from the academy, it would take about a few days of walking.

Along the way, Lin Yun did not use any magic to travel, relying instead on his own two legs. He needed to let his body gradually adapt to the wilderness environment—the changes in temperature, the undulating terrain, the flow of energy; these were things he could not learn in the academy.

Bebe, on the other hand, was quite leisurely, occasionally jumping off his shoulder to chase butterflies or lizards in the roadside grass, then darting back, never tiring of it.

A few days later, Lin Yun finally arrived at the edge of the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

Standing at the foot of the mountains, he looked up—the continuous mountain range stretched across the horizon like a massive barrier. The terrain was steep, the forests dense, and above the mountainside, a faint mist hung in the air. From time to time, the roars of beasts echoed from the woods, deep and long, making one instinctively feel vigilant.

The air was filled with a scent completely different from the academy—damp, musky, and carrying a faint, lingering smell of blood. That was the aura left behind by magic beasts, an imprint that had not dissipated from this mountain range for thousands of years.

Upon arriving here, Lin Yun occasionally saw people forming groups to enter the Magic Beast Mountain Range, ranging from three or four to seven or eight. Those who came to train alone like him were few and far between, unless they were extremely confident in their own strength.

Therefore, many people looked at Lin Yun as if looking at a dead man; after all, Lin Yun, who looked no more than fourteen or fifteen, did not look like an expert at all.

Some people extended an olive branch to Lin Yun, inviting him to join their teams, but Lin Yun refused them all. Joining an unfamiliar team rashly was more dangerous than being alone.

Lin Yun took a deep breath and stepped into the forest.

After entering the Magic Beast Mountain Range, Lin Yun immediately put away all relaxation. Ancient trees, having grown for who knows how many hundreds or thousands of years, blocked the sky, while all kinds of weeds and thorns grew in abundance. The withered, fallen leaves covered the ground, making sounds with every step, and the surroundings were thick with old vines and weeds.

In these deep, ancient forests that have existed for who knows how long, the weeds and vines are so dense that even if a magic beast were hiding ten meters away, my eyes wouldn't be able to see it, Lin Yun felt a shiver of fear.

To be safe, Lin Yun silently recited a magic incantation.

A gentle breeze spread out from Lin Yun in all directions, eventually dissipating into the world.

Wind Element magic—Wind of Perception!

Generally, once one reached the level of a Level 3 Mage, one could cast Wind of Perception. However, the stronger one was, the wider the range of the Wind of Perception. A Level 3 Mage's Wind of Perception only covered a range of a dozen meters, while a Level 6 Mage's Wind of Perception covered several hundred meters. Wind of Perception could sense the shape and aura of living beings. Within this range, no subtle movement could escape his perception—the rustling of leaves, the chirping of insects, the flow of distant streams, and... several clusters of life energy hidden in the bushes.

Those were magic beasts.

Lin Yun stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed the strength of those auras. Three of them, small in size, with weak auras—likely Level 3 magic beasts. To him, magic beasts of this level posed no threat at all.

But he did not rush to strike.

He needed to adapt—to adapt to real combat, to the life-or-death struggle where it was either you or them. These things were not taught in the classroom, nor could they be clearly written in books. Only by experiencing them personally could one truly master them.

Lin Yun held his breath and quietly approached the bushes.

Parting the branches and leaves, he saw three furry little creatures—Wind Foxes. They were about the same size as ordinary foxes, but their fur was brighter, and the tips of their tails glowed with a faint cyan light. At this moment, they were surrounding a dead rabbit, fighting over the food.

Wind Foxes were Wind Element magic beasts, skilled in short-distance dashes and Wind Blade attacks. For a Level 3 Wind Fox, the power of a Wind Blade was roughly equivalent to a spell cast by a Level 3 Mage.

Lin Yun took a deep breath and raised his right hand.

Mental power surged, and a purple arc of electricity erupted from his fingertips—

"Crackle!"

Thunder Element Level 3 Magic: Thunder Arrow.

This was the first time in his three lifetimes that he had attacked a living creature. Although he had simulated it countless times in his mind, he still felt a bit nervous the moment he actually struck. The trajectory of the Thunder Arrow was an inch off from what he had expected, striking the Wind Fox's hind leg instead of its torso.

The Wind Fox let out a shrill scream, dragging its injured hind leg as it tried to flee. The other two Wind Foxes raised their heads in terror, baring their teeth in Lin Yun's direction.

One of them opened its mouth and spat out a cyan Wind Blade.

Lin Yun dodged to the side, but his movement was half a beat too slow; the Wind Blade grazed his sleeve, leaving a tear in the cuff.

Real combat is completely different from the classroom.

Lin Yun's heart rate accelerated, but he forced himself to calm down. He raised his right hand again, and this time, his fingers were much steadier.

"Thunder Arrow."

The purple arc of electricity struck the first Wind Fox precisely in the head; it didn't even have time to let out a scream before it collapsed.

Seeing the situation turn against them, the remaining two Wind Foxes turned and ran.

Lin Yun did not hesitate. He waved his left hand—a water-blue light flashed, and a palm condensed from the Water Element appeared out of thin air, precisely grabbing one of the fleeing Wind Foxes.

Water Element Level 2 Magic: Hand of Water.

The captured Wind Fox struggled desperately, but the binding of the Hand of Water tightened. Lin Yun took a deep breath, and another Thunder Arrow from his right hand ended its life.

The last Wind Fox had already run far away. Lin Yun did not pursue it, choosing instead to stand where he was.

Three Level 3 magical beasts; he had killed two and one had escaped.

Although he had won, his performance was far below expectations—the first Thunder Arrow had missed its mark, his dodge of the Wind Blade had been slow, and the rhythm of the battle had been entirely reactive. If not for his overwhelming strength, he might have already been injured.

Bebe jumped down from a tree branch and crouched on his shoulder, chirping twice as if to comfort him.

Lin Yun gave a wry smile.

"As expected, theory and practice are two different things," he muttered.

He crouched down and extracted the Magic Crystals from the two Wind Foxes—they were the size of a thumb and of average quality. This was his first time personally removing a Magic Crystal from a magical beast, and the scent of blood on his hands made him feel somewhat uncomfortable, but he did not show it.

A true adventurer would not care about such things.

Lin Yun stood up, took a deep breath, and continued walking deeper into the mountain range.