Chapter 5

"Xuan, is this your contracted magical beast?" Aslan asked in surprise. High-level magical beasts could communicate with humans, but this frog... no matter how he looked at it, it did not resemble a high-level magical beast.

"I'm begging you, Lord Aslan," Lin Hanxuan said. "It's urgent. Just tell me already."

"Haah..." Aslan yawned again and said unhurriedly, "The Two-Headed Giant Bird, Teacher Duoduo's magical beast mount..."

"Thanks." Before Aslan had finished speaking, Lin Hanxuan grabbed Kubaka from Aslan's chest and dashed out the door, vanishing in an instant.

"Roar!" Several hairs were torn from Aslan's chest, and the pain made him roar. The sound waves rattled the floorboards, but this time no students dared complain. A lion's roar was no joke—who would dare face it head-on? Better to stay obediently under the covers.

"Seeing how frantic he is, is he going to save his sweetheart? Could he be planning to elope?" Aslan rubbed his aching chest and thought mischievously.

"Teacher, is Teacher Duoduo here?" Using the acceleration spell on his cloth shoes, Lin Hanxuan raced to the base of Duoduo Hobbs's standalone magic tower, with Hal and Kubaka following behind.

"Yi Lin Hanxuan, what is it?" Duoduo had long sensed Lin Hanxuan rushing toward his magic tower while he was meditating, so he interrupted his meditation. Hearing that Lin Hanxuan had indeed come looking for him, he opened the door and asked.

"Teacher, I have an urgent matter and must reach the Rotting Swamp immediately, so I'd like to borrow the Two-Headed Giant Bird," Lin Hanxuan said. Seeing Duoduo frown, Lin Hanxuan quickly assured him, "Teacher, it really is extremely urgent. But don't worry, I absolutely am not going to the Rotting Swamp to do anything bad."

Duoduo looked into Lin Hanxuan's clear eyes and asked, "Do you need me to come help as well?"

Lin Hanxuan thought about it. He truly had no ability to protect Sihaier. If there were many intruders, Hal and Kubaka might not be able to hold them off alone. If his teacher was willing to help, that would be wonderful. Although Sihaier had asked Lin Hanxuan to keep it secret, there was no time to worry about that now.

"Alright. Teacher, it would be wonderful if you're willing to help." Lin Hanxuan raised his head and met Duoduo's gaze directly.

On the back of the Two-Headed Giant Bird, Crow, Lin Hanxuan tactfully explained to Hal and Teacher Duoduo how he had met Sihaier in the Rotting Swamp Forest. He did not reveal that Sihaier was the Elf King, saying only that she was a wondrous creature. He had not told them everything because he vaguely felt that the Elf King's existence might have an impact on the Saint Rune Continent. After all, there had been no trace of the Elf Race on the continent for a long time.

Before they approached the Dead City, Lin Hanxuan noticed a military camp stationed on the ground and let out a surprised sound. He did not know that the Radiant Knights had taken over the task of guarding the Dead City, nor did he expect that Fili, the enemy who had killed his father, was in the camp at that very moment.

Noticing that Lin Hanxuan had seen the Radiant Knights, Duoduo did not explain anything, and Lin Hanxuan did not ask.

After Crow flew above the Rotting Swamp Forest, it kept circling. The trees in the forest were dense, and Crow was too enormous to find a place to land for the moment. Duoduo had no choice but to direct Crow toward the edge of the forest first. They had no idea what had happened inside the forest, and barging in recklessly could be dangerous.

After climbing down from Crow's back, the group slowly entered the forest. The heavy atmosphere made Lin Hanxuan feel somewhat nervous, and Hal was unusually silent as well.

"Be careful. There's something strange about this forest," Duoduo said. "My magical power is weakening, and even my farsight spell cannot see the central area of the Rotting Swamp."

Lin Hanxuan nodded. Perhaps because the World Tree was frantically absorbing energy, the stronger someone was when entering the Rotting Swamp Forest, the faster the vitality within their body would drain away.

They moved cautiously deeper into the forest. Frog corpses lay scattered here and there along the path, while blood and shattered remains were visible everywhere. Kubaka rode Modo, his right hand gripping the hilt of his blade tightly, his eyes sharp enough to seem as though they might spit devouring flames. These had all been soldiers he had trained with his own hands, yet they had suffered such a brutal massacre. Even Modo the lizard placed each foot with particular care, afraid of making a sound. Kubaka led Lin Hanxuan and the others around toward the Star-Language Flower Grove. Hal's body gradually grew taller, and his green skin turned fair.

Lin Hanxuan followed Kubaka closely, having completely forgotten that Hal would take on the appearance of the Elf Race whenever he approached Sihaier. Duoduo walked at the rear, staring at Hal's transformation in astonishment.

"My heavens, it's hereditary bloodline activation." Duoduo asked softly, "Lin Hanxuan, is your friend the Goblin King?"

Lin Hanxuan turned back and looked awkwardly at the handsome Hal. It seemed this secret could no longer be kept.

"Teacher, in a moment, you'll..." Lin Hanxuan answered softly. Before he could finish, there came a whoosh as a heavy weapon tore through the air. Lin Hanxuan alertly leaped aside and warned, "Everyone, be careful."

"Thud!" A spiked mace as long as a person plunged into the mud exactly where Lin Hanxuan had been standing moments earlier. It seemed the enemy intended to kill Lin Hanxuan.

Hal reacted quickly, firing a rapid barrage of stones toward the weapon's point of origin while shifting his position as he threw them. It was precisely the hit-and-run tactic at which he excelled.

Duoduo extended the wand in his right hand, and a magical barrier spread out soundlessly. "Intimidation spell? Battle intent...