Heading to the Magical Beast Mountain Range

Whoosh!

Upon hearing that Moke had robbed Duke Patterson, the visibly tense Hillman finally relaxed.

Influenced by Moke's kind-hearted mother, Lina, Hogg, Hillman, and the others in Wushan Town were all good people.

The taxes imposed in Wushan Town under Hogg's rule were the lowest in the entire Fenlai Kingdom.

"All right, I'll tell your father. I think he'll be very happy to hear this news too."

Moke nodded and added, "Also, don't rush to send Wharton to O'Brien Academy. Wait until I get home before deciding anything."

"Oh?"

Hillman was somewhat surprised. "What are you planning to do?"

"Secret."

Moke chuckled.

"Uncle Hillman!" At that moment, Linley ran over from afar and exclaimed in delight, "Uncle Hillman, why are you here again?"

When Hillman handed Hogg the full twenty thousand gold coins and the magic crystal card containing one hundred thousand gold coins, Hogg was, unsurprisingly, stunned.

Hillman immediately smiled. "Lord Hogg, this money came from a legitimate source. Don't worry."

"This money came from..." He repeated Moke's words to Hogg.

"He robbed Duke Patterson and even cut off one of his arms?"

Hogg was initially excited upon hearing the news, but then he frowned. "Moke is only a fifth-rank warrior. Even after transforming, he is merely at the peak of the seventh rank. Duke Patterson's Mansion must have quite a few seventh-rank warriors.

"Ah, he took quite a risk!" Hogg said with lingering fear.

"Lord Hogg, I think Young Master Moke knows what he's doing."

Hillman speculated, "Perhaps Young Master Moke has broken through again recently? If he is an eighth-rank warrior, then he could come and go with ease."

"Oh?"

Hogg's eyes flickered.

Hillman continued, "Young Master Moke also said that Hiri should wait until he returns from Ernst Institute before taking Wharton to O'Brien Academy, but he didn't tell me the reason."

"Is that so? Then we'll listen to him." Hogg nodded with a smile.

Ever since learning that Moke had become a Dragonblood Warrior and possessed strength beyond his own, Hogg had been willing to fully consider Moke's opinions.

"Big Brother, you're going out? Where are you going? Can I come with you?"

In the Ernst Institute dining hall, Linley blinked as he looked at Moke.

Sitting beside Linley and Moke were their friends Dixie, Yale, George, Reynolds, and Delia, all eating together.

"Next time. This time, I want to go alone." Moke smiled.

"Oh, all right."

Though Linley was somewhat disappointed, he still obediently nodded.

Still, he felt that his brother Moke had been acting rather mysteriously lately, even keeping things from him. Linley could not help feeling a little curious.

In the original story, Wharton grew up safely at O'Brien Academy. But if Father, Linley, and I make a move against the Radiant Church in the future, they may very well send people to the O'Brien Empire to capture Wharton.

And Father... before becoming a Dragonblood Warrior, he will remain a sixth-rank warrior. A sixth-rank warrior... is still too weak. A slight accident could cost him his life.

Moke decided to leave Ernst Institute this time to make a trip to the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

He intended to tame several high-level magical beasts and have them remain by his father's and Wharton's sides in the future. That way, their safety would be guaranteed.

As for Linley, Moke had no intention of interfering.

Linley had his own path to walk. He needed to experience some setbacks.

"Yale,"

After they finished eating and were about to part ways, Moke stopped Yale, who was preparing to leave with Linley and the others.

"Moke, do you need something?" Yale asked with a smile.

Although Moke was currently only a first-rank magus, making him utterly unremarkable at Ernst Institute,

Linley often said that Moke was far more formidable than he was. Linley was already a second-rank magus, so Yale and the others believed Moke possessed strength beyond what he revealed on the surface.

Combined with the calm aura Moke displayed, whenever they were together, they subtly treated Moke as their leader. Yale and the others greatly admired this sort of "reclusive master."

Moke got straight to the point. "Yale, can you help me get a few contract scrolls?"

"Contract scrolls?"

Yale was surprised. "Moke, what do you need those for?"

"Don't tell me you want to contract magical beasts already?"

To contract an adult magical beast, one first had to possess the strength to defeat it.

And Moke, even if he was stronger than Linley, was at most a third- or fourth-rank magus, right?

In Yale's view, contracting third- or fourth-rank magical beasts would not be of much use.

"Yale, there are some things I can't conveniently tell you." Moke smiled and shook his head, handing over a magic crystal card. "Don't tell Linley that I need contract scrolls."

Yale accepted the magic crystal card, somewhat astonished. "You're that rich?"

Linley was Yale's close roommate, so Yale knew that Linley and Moke came from a declining country noble family.

Linley and Moke were usually rather frugal at the institute.

Yet today, Moke had casually produced tens of thousands of gold coins, which surprised Yale.

Still, he knew there were some things he should not ask about, so he said, "All right. You're always so mysterious."

"I'll head out for a bit. I can get them to you tonight."

"Thanks, Yale. Another day, I'll treat you to the prettiest girls at Azure Water Heaven."

"Now that I know you're so rich, don't expect me to be polite with you anymore."

"I want two!" Yale said with a giggle.

6

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was the foremost mountain range on the Yulan Continent. It stretched across the center of the continent, separating the Holy Union, the Dark Alliance, and the Four Great Empires.

Ernst Institute was located less than a hundred miles from the western side of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Moreover, it was customary for upperclassmen at Ernst Institute to venture into the Magical Beast Mountain Range for training.

Although Moke was not an upperclassman, the institute's classes were quite flexible. He could choose whether to attend, and being absent for a few days would not be a problem at all.

Traveling in human form, Moke took only a few hours to see the vast mountain range, towering and stretching for countless thousands of kilometers.

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was filled with magical beasts. There were even many Saint-level magical beasts, all hidden within forests dozens or even hundreds of meters tall.

"The Magical Beast Mountain Range truly is one of the great wonders of the Yulan Continent!"

Moke sighed before plunging headfirst into the dense forest.

For the time being, he did not transform. The outer regions of the Magical Beast Mountain Range were populated by low-level magical beasts, and his strength as a sixth-rank warrior was enough to handle them.

Moreover, Moke had mastered Weightless as a Feather. He could easily crush ordinary seventh-rank warriors.

Whoosh!

Not long after entering the dense forest and walking less than a few hundred meters, Moke sensed a fierce wind attacking from his right, accompanied by a foul stench.

With a flick of his wrist, the Iron Leaf Sword appeared in his hand. Moke gave it a light shake and thrust it forward, slicing through the attacker's body as easily as cutting tofu.

It was a rabbit-type magical beast the size of a piglet, its eyes crimson like gemstones. Its ambush speed rivaled that of a fourth-rank warrior, but it had already been cut in half. Blood sprayed everywhere, and its internal organs had been shattered.

"A third-rank magical beast, a Red Crystal Rabbit. Its third-rank magic core is worth several dozen gold coins."

Moke gave it a casual glance, with no desire to take the Red Crystal Rabbit's magic core.

Holding the Iron Leaf Sword, he headed deeper into the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

This time, his target was ninth-rank magical beasts.