Mistwood

This time, Xia Tong did not bother stripping the Misbegotten of their shabby equipment.

Traveling through the woods was already rough enough.

Making Torrent carry that pile of stinking scrap metal would have been too much for it.

Besides, it was already bearing the weight of both Xia Tong and Irina.

Seeing Torrent slightly out of breath, Xia Tong could not bear it.

He pulled out a handful of bright red Rowa Fruit from his pack.

There were also several dark-colored, dried Rowa Raisins.

Xia Tong was only willing to take these out when Torrent was injured or utterly exhausted.

Torrent chewed with relish, and even its somewhat dull mane seemed to regain some of its luster.

After a brief rest, Xia Tong unfolded the map from the intelligence report again.

"According to the markings, there should be a Spirit Spring not far ahead."

He put away the map, gently squeezed Torrent's flanks, and continued onward into the unknown depths.

About ten minutes passed.

The view suddenly opened up before them, breathtaking and terrifying at once.

Xia Tong arrived at the edge of a cliff. Beneath his feet lay a bottomless gorge, with only dense treetops churning far below.

And before the distant suspension bridge, beneath a break in the cliff face—

A violent white whirlwind, restrained by some unseen law, surged from the ground and shot toward the heavens.

The wind howled without sounding harsh, carrying instead a strange rhythm.

"This is the Spirit Spring."

Xia Tong patted Torrent's neck.

It let out a cheerful whinny, then leaped without hesitation toward the bottomless abyss!

A powerful sensation of weightlessness struck at once, as if his heart had skipped a beat.

"Ah—!"

Irina cried out instinctively, shrinking backward.

Only when she felt Xia Tong's broad, warm chest behind her did she barely manage to stop screaming.

Yet her small hands were still trembling slightly.

"Lord Xia Tong, are we...?"

Just as they were about to plunge into the valley floor—

"Whoosh—!"

A gentle yet unimaginably powerful pressure of wind, like a giant's palm, steadily supported the weight of horse and riders.

Torrent ran upon the wind, elegantly performing a second jump in midair to adjust its posture.

Then it floated gently down to the ground.

"We've landed."

Xia Tong's voice came from above her.

"Mistwood lies ahead."

They traveled through the forest for over half an hour.

The scenery around them began to change in strange ways.

Compared to the woods around Sick Village Outskirts, the vegetation here was so dense it felt suffocating.

Massive ancient trees blotted out the sky, their twisted branches resembling intertwined arms.

A thin layer of mist also drifted through the air like flowing vapor.

Fortunately, it was not completely silent. The occasional birdcall and the rustling of rabbits fleeing through the bushes could still be heard.

Xia Tong kept his nerves taut and moved along the edge of the forest as much as possible.

What he feared most now was running into a Rune Bear. If he did, Xia Tong figured he would be dead meat.

It could be called the strongest individual force on the Weeping Peninsula at present.

It was far more troublesome than the Ancient Hero of Zamor imprisoned in the island's evergaol.

As they walked, a sickly sweet, pungent scent of pollen suddenly reached his nose.

The smell was full of temptation, yet carried the stench of decay.

Xia Tong warily glanced toward the eastern fork.

Within the mist, several enormous, brilliantly colored monster flowers flickered in and out of view.

Miranda Poison Flowers!

Their enormous petals slowly opened and closed, releasing pale green poisonous spore mist that drifted through the air.

Xia Tong quickly left the area and carefully followed the map for several dozen more minutes.

After comparing the surrounding landmarks, he confirmed that their destination lay ahead.

In the map's intelligence section, the mission's key point was written in crimson ink:

"As long as the group's leader—the Demi-Human Queen—is defeated."

"The Demi-Humans' morale will suffer a severe blow, throwing them into chaos and perhaps even stopping their attacks."

"Awoo—!!!"

Suddenly, a sharp, miserable screech tore through the forest's silence.

It sounded like cat claws frantically scratching glass, shrill and grating enough to make one's scalp tingle.

Xia Tong's expression tightened. He immediately dismounted and gently helped Irina down as well.

A mounted target was too conspicuous, and hoofbeats could easily give them away. It was simply too dangerous.

Xia Tong surveyed the terrain.

He settled Irina behind a huge boulder. It was sheltered from the wind and concealed by thick shrubs, making it extremely well hidden.

Torrent was left there too, remaining alert at all times. If anything went wrong, it could take Irina and flee at once.

"Melina, I'm counting on you."

Xia Tong spoke softly.

"Take good care of Miss Irina. I'll scout ahead."

With that, he rang the Spirit Calling Bell.

A flash of ghostly blue light appeared, and three Stray Wolves stepped out of the void.

The wolves possessed exceptionally keen senses, and their ability to sniff out danger far surpassed that of humans.

If there really was an ambush, their howls would be the best warning.

"Go. I'm here."

Melina materialized from the forest shadows, her tone calm but certain.

Xia Tong crouched low, keeping his center of gravity down as he held the Lordsworn's Straight Sword.

Following the unnerving screeches ahead, he silently crept closer.

Thanks to the Tarnished's enhanced vision.

Even with the forest as dark as night, he could vaguely make out the outlines of ruined walls and crumbling structures in the distance.

If he was not mistaken, that was the nest occupied by the Demi-Human Queen—the Demi-Human Ruins.

"Jingle, jingle."

Xia Tong rang the bell again.

This time, he summoned two Fanged Imps.

They were small in stature, with stone-gray skin, and were born experts at launching sneak attacks amid ruins and rocks.

Very soon.

Xia Tong spotted the creature standing watch ahead.

It was an ordinary Demi-Human.

It was much shorter than a normal human, hunched over like a large ape walking upright.

Its skin was a sickly blue-black, covered in filth and scars.

It wore nothing resembling proper clothing, merely wrapping itself haphazardly in several pieces of tattered animal hide that gave off a nauseating stench.

Its uneven teeth jutted outward as well.

The weapon in its hand was even more primitive.

It was a crude wooden club, not even as good as the large wooden cudgel Xia Tong had wielded when he first woke up.

Xia Tong held his breath, deliberately even slowing his heartbeat.

One step, then two.

The instant the Demi-Human turned around to scratch itself—

Squelch!

Xia Tong sprang forward like a leopard!

The Lordsworn's Straight Sword in his hand became a flash of cold light, piercing precisely into its back and straight through its heart!

At the same time, his left hand clamped over the Demi-Human's mouth like an iron vice.

He forcibly smothered the scream that was about to escape.

"Mm—!!!"

The Demi-Human's body convulsed violently. Hot, foul-smelling blood sprayed along the blade's groove, staining Xia Tong's hand red.

The two Fanged Imps worked in perfect coordination.

Both leaped up, their Forked Hatchets hacking viciously into the Demi-Human's waist and thigh.

After struggling for only a moment.

The Demi-Human went completely limp and stopped moving.

A faint warm current of Rune flowed into Xia Tong's body.

After dealing with the sentry, Xia Tong swiftly dragged its corpse into the deep grass nearby and covered the bloodstains with dead leaves.

His movements were as practiced as those of a seasoned assassin.

After clearing the scene, he continued deeper into the ruins.

Though it was nearing noon.

The dense canopy still kept the forest dark and gloomy, while the spreading mist made the road ahead even more eerie and unpredictable.

Over the next ten minutes.

Xia Tong repeated the same tactic, silently clearing out five or six lone Demi-Humans with the imps.

Every strike was fatal, clean and decisive.

But paper could not wrap fire forever.

Just as he prepared to deal with the seventh target, an accident occurred.

"Caw—!!!"

A sharp, grating cackle suddenly rang out from the side.

Xia Tong whipped around.

A large, muscular Demi-Human, clearly bigger than the others, stood atop a collapsed wall.

It waved a massive wooden club and pointed toward Xia Tong as it shouted a warning.

They had been exposed!

"Rustle—"

At its shout, more than a dozen short Demi-Humans burst from the surrounding bushes and the shadows of the ruins.

Brandishing rusty short blades and serrated weapons, they bared their teeth and swarmed in like a tide.

Since stealth had failed, he would face them head-on!

Xia Tong no longer hid himself, and his eyes instantly sharpened.

He tossed aside the Lordsworn's Straight Sword and drew the Lordsworn's Greatsword from his back.

From his chest, he pulled out a large lump of Fire Grease that had been prepared in advance and wrapped in layers of leaves.

He swiftly unwrapped it and fiercely smeared it across the blade of the Lordsworn's Greatsword.

Amid violent friction.

Sizzle—boom!

The explosive crackle of burning grease rang through the area.

A bright, scorching flame instantly flared up, coiling around the blade.

Within the dim, cold Mistwood, that blaze was especially conspicuous—and especially domineering!