Chapter 18: Friendship
After returning, Ji and Ci recounted in detail the events surrounding the destruction of the Hurricane under Neo’s request. Ji was somewhat reticent but could always hit the mark and summarize things effectively; Ci, on the other hand, was eloquent and vivid in his descriptions, making the account engaging rather than dull. Together, they complemented each other perfectly.
Hearing that Victor had suffered heavy losses with countless casualties and that the scene was extremely tragic, Neo finally felt his anger subside. Though he had appeared calm these past days, he had been deeply guilty, believing he bore responsibility for the suffering of the Migration Group’s people. Yet, since the events had already happened, regret was useless. At that time, Victor’s side was overwhelmingly powerful, and Neo felt he couldn’t turn the situation around. All he could do was try his best. Now, by striking back with equal force, he had avenged the victims.
However, this wasn’t over yet. Victor, the mastermind, wasn’t eliminated, nor were all the members of the Fangtooth Army who participated in the massacre. There were also dark forces behind it—all of these people, organizations, and forces were his enemies. He wouldn’t let them go, and he knew they wouldn’t let him either.
“Huh!” Gazing at the bright starry sky, Neo let out a long sigh. Ever since Tures, the Migration Group had weighed heavily on his heart like a mountain that grew taller by the day. Apart from various challenges, the most pressing issue was the time pressure. Preparing hastily and scrambling to cope was like being attacked by a powerful opponent wielding two axes, forcing him to defend himself rather than launch a strong counterattack. Now, that “mountain,” along with his time in Tures, lay buried in the Snow Valley wilderness. This was a turning point—not only did it mean he was free from constraints and could shift from the open to the hidden, gaining an advantage strategically, but it also signified the end of many emotional ties and a change in his mindset…
“Boye, when are we leaving?” Sbun interrupted Neo’s thoughts. Night had fallen some time ago. If traveling at night was necessary, he hoped to move as soon as possible, as the extreme cold before dawn was unbearable.
Neo turned, smiled at Sbun, and stepped into the earthen hut. Bels and Zar were already ready, waiting for Neo’s command to extinguish the campfire and set off.
“The situation has changed a bit. I think there’s no need to hide anything from you anymore…” Neo sat down by the campfire and briefly explained his background and the situation of the Migration Group. He knew well that for Bels and the others, stories about Victor’s madness and his killing of the Migration Group’s people were just one-sided and exaggerated. So he simply referred to them as “a bunch of villains” and gave a concise account, focusing mainly on the current situation. Previously, he had hired them out of concern for aerial searches, but now that threat was gone. The new threat was that the place he was going to might have many powerful enemies in wait. “So…”
“Is the hiring job over?” Zar asked regretfully.
“That’s true; the road ahead is far too dangerous for you,” Nio said frankly.
“How about we accompany you for a while longer? After all, you paid for the service until noon tomorrow.” It was impossible for Jean Sbun to spit out the single gold coin he had received, but people have hearts. Nio was honest and generous, so Jean felt somewhat embarrassed.
“That’s not necessary. If the three of you could give me some guidance about the terrain in this area, I think that would be enough to cover the cost of the service.”
Hearing Nio’s polite words, Jean Sbun and Zar also exchanged a few polite remarks, then all turned to Bels. When it came to knowledge of this area, Bels was naturally the most authoritative.
Bels, who had remained silent until then, took out three gold coins from his pocket and handed them to Jean Sbun. “Don’t dig for black ore.” Then he said to Nio, “I’ll continue to be your guide for free.”
“Bels, this…” Jean Sbun’s hands trembled, and his eyes reddened. At the current winter food prices, three gold coins might not be enough for his family, but six would definitely suffice—after all, his family couldn’t just sit idle; they could still earn some extra money.
“In summer, ask Elin to pick more cabbages for me.”
Elin was Jean Sbun’s wife. Cabbages were worthless, but all three present understood what Bels meant by that.
“Friendship…” Nio felt warmth in his heart. Although just a few days earlier, Xavier had given him a vivid lesson on ingratitude and breaking promises, and although Victor’s evil remarks at the tavern were highly inflammatory, Nio still believed in true friendship. From the deep bond between his parents to the great love of a parent sacrificing themselves for their child, and many other examples he had seen during his time in Tures… If you were kind to them, they would remember it and repay you when they could. Nio naturally wanted to be friends with people like Bels. In the end, the four of them parted ways—Jean Sbun and Zar returned to their homes, while Bels followed Nio to the bandit lair in the underground city.
Nio wasn’t in a hurry. Along the way, he occasionally chatted with Bels. Nio’s previous actions had won Bels’s approval, and when talking about family matters, Bels didn’t hide anything. As a hybrid of a werewolf and a human, he had been bullied as a child. His father died in battle while serving as a mercenary—a promising profession—and his mother, who was sickly, passed away early. It was Jean Sbun’s family and some other outcasts who often went hungry who raised him…
This was the first time Nio had heard the stories of outcasts. They were ignorant and crude, and some of their actions might seem silly and laughable to civilized people. But clearly, they also possessed simple wisdom worth reflecting on. They understood the importance of unity, cooperation, and interdependence. Especially with people like Bels around, Nio’s view of outcasts changed greatly.
That night’s journey wasn’t peaceful. The two encountered a magical beast—a howling beast.
It was already late at night, with the half-moon high in the sky, its light casting a glow. Though there was no wind, the weather felt exceptionally cold. The wild howl suddenly leaped up from the side of the cliff, its claws and fangs gleaming with a metallic edge—light of energy, a hallmark of magical beasts. Its target was Bels; its nature was to take advantage of ambush opportunities to eliminate an opponent before fighting others. Yet Neo and Bels had already detected the wild howl’s presence. As soon as it leaped, Neo’s crosssword transformed into a streak of brilliant light and slashed downward. This strike was not only enhanced by combat energy but also utilized the Petrify Weapon spell.
Neo was now a level 4 shaman. Although many spells were still in the process of being learned due to his rapid level progression, spells like Petrify Weapon, which he had mastered early on, had reached a power level commensurate with his rank. The golden earth element energy turned dark gold due to the pure blackness of the combat energy, creating a uniquely distinctive appearance—and crucially, there was no sound of wind cutting through the air. This was a new ability Neo had acquired by enhancing his warrior class traits: Wind Piercing.
The wild howl was said to be a product of extreme experiments from the Age of Gods and Demons. It was not only a magical beast but also extremely agile in movement and reaction. Even in mid-air, it could perform continuous rolls, reducing the power of Neo’s strike by 30%. Its skin, though tattered, was as tough as that of a wild boar, and with its energy shield, another 20% of the strike’s power was diminished.
Even with half the power reduced, the wild howl could not withstand the strike unscathed. Blood sprayed forth, and a deep wound appeared on its waist. The wild howl let out a scream—Neo thought it was a cry of pain, but it turned out to be a spell-like ability. Before it even landed, the wound began to glow with a soft, mercury-like light, then healed at a visible speed—this was the wild howl’s spell-like rapid healing.
“Aw!” As soon as it landed, the wild howl let out another scream, this time shrill and terrifying—a scream of fear. When used by the wild howl, this skill was extremely powerful, affecting its target, though the degree of impact could be reduced if the target’s will was strong enough.
Although this was Neo’s first encounter with such a magical beast, he was highly adaptable. As soon as the wild howl started screaming, he immediately activated his skill, Roar of Faith. The initial sense of cold panic was quickly replaced by fierce combat spirit. This Roar of Faith had effects of intimidation, fear, and forcing the enemy to retreat. Affected by this, the wild howl, trying to pounce on Bels again, suddenly twisted and plummeted off the cliff.
The wild howl had significant advantages in stealth and movement through shadows, and climbing was not difficult for it. If left unchecked, it could leap straight down the valley and escape. But Neo wasn’t willing to let it go so easily. With a flash of cold light, a dagger wrapped in icy energy pierced the base of the wild howl’s right front leg. At the same time, Neo leaped forward, falling straight off the cliff alongside the wild howl.
The cliff was over 60 meters high. The Howl of the Wild plunged straight down—sure to be seriously injured if not killed. Under normal circumstances, it would use its limbs to grip the cliff face and slow its descent. But now, with a blade from Neo piercing its chest and one of its front legs frozen, even rapid healing couldn’t help much. It howled and stumbled as it tumbled straight into the valley.
Still, Neo wasn’t done with it. Mid-air, he drew a thorn spear and threw it fiercely. The spear’s tip, glowing with a dark golden light, pierced through the Howl of the Wild’s body. Now, it truly had no ability to slow its fall by gripping anything. It crashed to the bottom of the cliff, while Neo’s steel sword successfully embedded itself in the cliff face, slowing his descent.
The spot where the Howl of the Wild fell was covered in red soil. After a muffled thud, its body emitted a mercury-like glow as it tried one last struggle. Then another spear flew down, piercing its head and neck, pinning it firmly to the ground.
From the attack to its death, it took less than 30 seconds. The intense and rapid battle left Bers in awe. He released the bowstring he had just drawn and put the arrow back in his quiver. Watching Neo plummet toward the valley bottom, a glint appeared in his eyes. He thought, “Someone like this—most ordinary knights wouldn’t stand a chance against him, right?”
In fact, Bers’s assessment was still somewhat low. While Neo was a Level 4 warrior, he was also a Level 4 shaman. In terms of pure stats or skill strength, Neo might not compare to a Level 8 warrior. But being a dual-class character meant more versatile tactical options. With Neo’s abilities and a superior assistant like Nancy, even a single ordinary Level 8 fighter wouldn’t stand a chance against him. Even a Level 10 fighter, with greatly enhanced strength after overcoming the second class barrier, could still fight him. And that situation would change soon. With 7 Storm Crystals, Neo could complete the Wind Element Monument in just 3 days, achieving balance among the four elements.
After some time, Neo climbed back up from the cliff. Behind him, a thin vine no thicker than a little finger hung the dead Howl of the Wild.
Bers already knew Neo had spellcasting abilities, so he wasn’t surprised by the thin vine or the dark golden light. His attention was now entirely focused on the Howl of the Wild. After all, in the past, encountering such a monster meant running away. Now that he had the chance, he wanted to take a good look at this magical creature known as the “Valley Nightmare.”
The Howl of the Wild resembled a mix of a cheetah and a muscular dog. Its most distinctive features were its spine and tail, with round bone beads connected together, clearly visible and very striking. Then there was its head, which looked like an enlarged vampire bat skull—especially its eye contours and nose, which were very similar. But the Howl of the Wild had thick, sharp fangs, protruding jaws, and exceptionally developed chewing muscles, giving it a terrifying and fierce appearance.
As Neo dissected the Wild Howl on the spot, he chatted casually with Bels. Although Bels hadn’t been of much help in the sudden battle and even seemed a bit of a burden, Neo’s fondness for the man only grew further. Right before the battle, when Neo detected the presence of the Wild Howl, he had already warned Bels. After describing what he had noticed, Bels suspected it might be a Wild Howl. With its combat strength, at least a level 5 professional was needed to have a chance of defeating it. Since Neo claimed he could handle it, Bels had no hesitation in cooperating with his actions. For an ordinary person, such trust might seem foolish—after all, Neo had never shown before that he had the strength to defeat a Wild Howl. Bels’s trust was entirely based on his recognition of Neo’s character, which naturally made Neo feel very good.
The Wild Howl’s naturally rotten skin was worthless, and its flesh, contaminated with magic energy, was best left untouched by ordinary people—let alone eaten. The only useful organs were its heart and stomach; the Wild Howl’s heart was a material for spells, but Neo didn’t need it. His chosen path required plant seeds and crystals, as he had no interest in such bloody things. Another useful part was the Wild Howl’s bones, which could be used as pendants to calm the mind. But Neo wanted bone powder and bone marrow, which were beneficial for growing plants. This knowledge came from Victor’s beautiful adjutant. It had to be said that the knowledge he acquired that time was quite substantial, enough to free Neo from the label of a magic ignoramus.
Butchering was a dirty job, especially when flipping through the contents of a Wild Howl’s stomach—sticky, smelly, and nauseating. Yet Neo didn’t care at all and moved with skill and speed. This small detail won him a bit of Bels’s goodwill. Those who could happily do dirty work usually had endured hardships and weren’t delicate, which made Bels feel closer to them.
Speaking of the Wild Howl, Neo learned from Bels that it was one of the most common magical beasts in Silvanis. Canyons, land fissures, valley mazes, and ruined dungeons—Silvanis was practically a paradise for such beasts. Especially in darkness and shadows, their ability to lurk and hide was astonishing. Their innate talent for secondary teleportation made it extremely difficult for anyone to attack them, unless they used non-visual methods or spells like True Sight to counteract this special ability.
Neo recalled that he had indeed seen a shimmering arc surrounding the Wild Howl before. He thought it was the reflection of moonlight, but it turned out to be the effect of secondary teleportation. Fortunately, as a swordsman, he was already accustomed to locking onto energy flows, and his telepathic abilities and range had improved significantly recently. Combining these two skills allowed him to deliver precise attacks; otherwise, such a magical beast would indeed be hard to deal with.
That night, aside from the howls of wild beasts, the two encountered no other wild animals. There was still an entire hind leg of wild boar from their hunt the previous night, so they didn’t have to worry about meals. Moreover, Bales was clearly much better at traveling long distances than Sbun and Zar. They kept walking until dawn before finding an earthen hut to rest in.
At noon that day, Bales, who had just gotten up, was preparing lunch when he was suddenly startled by the silent appearance of Duomian. Soon after, Nio was also shocked, as Duomian underwent another extremely noticeable change.
Duomian’s overall appearance was now eerily similar to that of a human—it looked like a burly, strong human with its skin stripped off but its tendons and muscles intact. The vines that made up its body came in two colors: dark red and pure black. The dark red fine vines were arranged tightly like muscle fibers, while the black vines formed the tendons. Even more bizarrely, when Duomian moved, those vines functioned just like muscles.
Its flesh color was highly mimicked, showing perfect camouflage—these traits indicated that Duomian was evolving toward greater intelligence and control. But none of this compared to Duomian’s face. Human facial muscles move differently based on emotions. But what if each part of the face displayed effects corresponding to different emotions, all combined together? Nio had never thought about such a trivial question before, and he wouldn’t have to anymore, because Duomian’s face was exactly that combination. It was a grotesque and twisted sight that sent chills down one’s spine. Apart from causing nightmares, it had no positive effect whatsoever. Nio took only a quick glance and decided to stop paying too much attention to it.
What kind of extravagant feast could have caused such a significant change in Duomian? This curiosity existed only in Nio’s mind. Duomian wasn’t averse to opening up to its master, but Nancy said that even she would freeze if she tried to enter Duomian’s extremely twisted thoughts, while Nio would immediately lose himself. So Nio simply took a sample from Duomian’s core vines. This time, he didn’t rush to use the instability of the mutated vines to integrate their properties; instead, he put them in a leather bag made from the wild howl’s stomach. This bag had a “preservation” function. For mages, this wasn’t much of a skill, but for Nio, unless his shamanic level reached 10, the wild howl’s stomach bag was a great choice for keeping things fresh.
After stealing the memories of the beautiful adjutant, Nio planned to establish his own plant research laboratory. As for those dark red vines, he decided to handle them carefully. After all, if they were combined with his thorn vine techniques, even the thorns and spines would be affected. It would be terrible if they turned evil as a result.
The return of this free-roaming war beast is good news in itself, as Nio had previously assigned it the task of protecting Jief and his group as they entered the Continental Road. Victor’s air knights assumed that Jief and the others would hide in the mountains of this region like stray dogs before fleeing to Refuge Valley or joining the Gale Team. In reality, under Nio’s guidance, they headed north along the Continental Road straight to Asia. The road was busy with travelers and vehicles, including many refugees from Erdrite; blending in with the crowd or riding the famous steam locomotives across Aemera were both excellent options for escape.
As usual, Nio replenished Multi-Face with some life energy influenced by the Tree of Construction. This energy is the source of Multi-Face’s special ability, “Vitality.” Its most powerful trait, “Rebirth of Evil Vines,” is regulated by “Vitality.” Multi-Face can also draw life energy from targets, but if that energy isn’t influenced by the Tree of Construction, it lacks the properties of “Vitality,” and without them, Multi-Face’s growth would essentially cease. It would end up like mud deprived of water—stagnant and transformed into a mere puppet corrupted by an increasingly twisted will, a conclusion reached after much analysis by Nancy.
With Multi-Face, Nio’s combat strength increased significantly, and he now had an excellent hunter, ensuring no immediate worries about food. Though seemingly ordinary, this advantage was quite meaningful at such a time. After all, Multi-Face’s energy could be replenished relatively easily, allowing them to stay in this wilderness longer without compromising their combat power.
That day, Nio didn’t rush on his journey but instead rested and recovered. A key part of this was using cultivation methods to absorb plant life energy, feeding it to the Death Vines and a group of young Thorn Heathers. These creatures grew rapidly thanks to the magic arrays and life energy obtained from the Moon Goddess Well. Yet they could never grow as tall and powerful as ordinary battlefield thorns. From the beginning, their purpose wasn’t to provide more fighters, but facts have shown they played a crucial role in a series of events.
Without them, rescuing Milien from the dungeon bandits’ lair wouldn’t have been so smooth, nor would Nio have had such thorough knowledge of the lair’s terrain, let alone carry out the subsequent Hurricane series of sabotage operations.
On the third day after Multi-Face’s return, Nio and Bels set off again. They were now less than three days’ journey from the dungeon bandits’ lair. Before that, however, Nio planned to go somewhere to kill a few people and steal some stuff.