Chapter 27: A Perilous Path North

Beneath the lingering glow of the scorching sun, Qi Lin ascended into the sky, her wings beating rhythmically as she clutched a person in each hand.

‘They must have escaped now,’ Ailin mused inwardly, his gaze sweeping over the receding forests below.

“Phew, this is wonderful! We’ve finally left the Firefly Forest,” Nia exclaimed with delight, turning her head to watch the sylvan expanse shrink into the distance.

A faint smile graced Qi Lin’s face as Nia’s jubilant cries reached her ears. Then, a thought struck her. “Ailin,” she inquired without delay, “which direction should we head now?”

“Let me get a scent,” Ailin responded, tilting his head back and narrowing his eyes.

Wisps of an unseen essence, perceptible only to Ailin, converged from every direction, gently permeating his nostrils.

Having filtered out numerous extraneous scents, Ailin’s eyes snapped open.

“I’ve got it,” he declared. “Your friend is currently located far to the north.”

“The furthest north? Understood. In that case, let’s proceed at full speed!”

As Ailin’s words resonated in her ears, Qi Lin braced herself, ready to fly with renewed vigor towards the designated location.

Yet, just as she was about to beat her wings and ascend northward, Ailin fixed his gaze upon her, his expression unusually grim.

Perplexed by Ailin’s peculiar stare, Qi Lin questioned, “What is it? Is something wrong, or…?”

“Are you certain you wish to proceed?” Ailin asked, his voice grave. “The north belongs to the Candirac Empire. If we simply fly there, it would be no different from courting death.”

Nia, who had been silently listening to their exchange, felt her pupils contract slightly upon hearing Ailin’s warning, and the fur on her tail bristled instantly.

Nia’s sudden, unusual reaction piqued Qi Lin’s concern. “Nia? What’s the matter?” she asked.

“No, nothing at all,” Nia hastily replied, shaking her head.

A slight frown creased Qi Lin’s brow. What could be happening? Had the Candirac Empire ever harmed them before?

Utterly baffled, Qi Lin could only turn to Ailin, silently hoping he might clarify her confusion.

However, Ailin did not meet her expectations, instead fixing his solemn gaze northward, as if a monstrous, detestable creature lurked there.

“No… could you please just tell me what’s truly going on?”

“…A few months ago,” Ailin began, letting out a heavy sigh, “one of our companions encountered individuals from Candirac—no, more accurately, War Fiends—and was never seen again.”

Ailin’s somber revelation left Qi Lin momentarily stunned.

“In any case,” Ailin continued, “are you certain you wish to press on northward? That region could very well be our undoing.”

After all, they hadn’t even been able to defeat a single knight from Dites. Venturing into Candirac’s territory would mean facing ten, perhaps even twenty, times the number of foes, whose martial prowess might far exceed that of the knight they had already struggled against.

Would going there not be akin to walking straight into a trap? Ailin didn’t know. All he knew was their profound weakness; they couldn’t even overcome a single knight.

Furthermore, the knight named Dilud had not been mistaken; their magical abilities were merely conventional techniques. They had never systematically learned the incantations for higher-tier ‘Shattering’ skills. Should they encounter a stronger adversary, they would inevitably be overwhelmed.

Faced with such a daunting decision, Qi Lin found herself at a loss, ultimately falling into a contemplative silence.

“What should we do now?” After a long, agonizing silence, Qi Lin, still unable to reach a decision, could only turn to Nia and Ailin for their counsel.

“My recommendation would be to grow stronger before attempting this,” Ailin replied, his eyes seemingly dimming with despair, “but… we have no means to achieve that strength.” They were at an impasse. The only beastfolk they knew of were themselves—he and Nia. Whether any others survived, or where they might be, remained a complete mystery.

Even if they were to discover other surviving beastfolk, there was a chance they would be even weaker, perhaps not even possessing conventional skills, though this was not a certainty.

Upon hearing Ailin’s disheartening assessment, Qi Lin’s lips tightened into a grim line.

“What if…”

“What is it?”

“You tell me the precise location, and I’ll go alone!”

Qi Lin had conceived of this solution, and while it might seem somewhat reckless, it appeared to be the only viable path forward.

After all, as a Bloodline with formidable regenerative powers, she believed she could endure there, slowly wearing down any resistance until success was achieved.

This was Qi Lin’s resolve: to wager on the extent of her own resilience and painstakingly overcome every obstacle.

In essence, she was prepared to gamble her very life on this endeavor.

“Are you serious?” Nia exclaimed, her wide eyes fixed on Qi Lin.

Qi Lin simply nodded, her expression conveying that she was entirely serious.

“Ailin, we should…”

Nia turned to Ailin, about to voice her concerns, but he cut her off.

“I’ve considered it,” Ailin stated firmly. “Since you’re not afraid, then we shall all go together!”

Ailin spoke with profound conviction. He yearned to avenge Dori, even if it meant his own demise.

“But…” Qi Lin began, visibly moved.

“No more ‘buts,’” Nia interjected, gritting her teeth. “Since Ailin has spoken, then… we’ll go together.”

“You all…” Qi Lin murmured, astonishment coloring her voice.

“Since the decision is made,” Ailin continued, ignoring Qi Lin’s surprise, his expression grave, “let me tell you about the Candirac Empire. This way, we can perhaps avoid certain pitfalls.”

“The Candirac Empire lies to the north, as you both know,” Ailin began, his gaze serious. “And that northern region is a desolate expanse of ice and snow, a truly frigid land. If we are to venture there, we must prepare heavy clothing and cold-resistant medicines.”

“We should be able to gather both the cold-resistant medicines and the materials for clothing along our journey to Candirac.”

“Purchase?” Qi Lin questioned, baffled. “With the three great empires reigning supreme, how would we even acquire them? From their people?”

“Not purchase,” Ailin clarified, shaking his head. “I meant we can gather them from the environment itself. Both the cold-resistant herbs and the fabrics for making clothes can be harvested along the mountain paths leading to Candirac.”

“Ah, I see,” Qi Lin responded, nodding as understanding dawned upon her.

“Then let’s fly swiftly,” Ailin urged, gazing downward as he recalled lessons from his elders. “If my memory serves me, a few hundred meters ahead lies a cliff face where cold-resistant herbs grow. As for the fabrics we’ll need for clothing, those are still quite a distance away.”

“Mm,” Qi Lin acknowledged, then unfurled her wings and soared away.

****

On the ground below, emerging from the shadows beside a secluded tree, a figure clad in a black robe stepped forth.

The Black-Robed Figure lifted their hooded head, their gaze fixed on Qi Lin as she flew far into the distance.

“Heh heh, how interesting. Truly, this is most amusing.”

“My Lord,” a short, stout Black-Robed Figure inquired respectfully of the taller one, “what precisely do you find so interesting? Is it the feline and canine folk in the sky, or perhaps the winged girl?”

“Heh,” the taller Black-Robed Figure sneered, offering no direct answer. “Have you already forgotten the Bishop’s teachings?”

“I wouldn’t dare, my Lord, I wouldn’t dare forget anything the Bishop taught,” the shorter figure quickly protested.

“Then why are you still asking?” the taller Black-Robed Figure retorted, a cold smirk playing on their lips as they flicked their sleeve towards the stout one. “The Bishop has already instructed us regarding that girl.”

“This…” The stout Black-Robed Figure watched the taller one slowly depart, then fell into a perplexed silence.

‘The Bishop taught about the winged girl… but why can’t I recall him ever mentioning her?’

“Hey, hey, My Lord, please just tell me! I truly don’t remember the Bishop speaking of her.”

Unable to recall any such teaching, the stout Black-Robed Figure hurried to catch up with the taller one, pressing for an answer.

“Hmph, you blockhead,” the taller Black-Robed Figure scoffed, casting a disdainful glance at their companion.

“Listen closely, and don’t you dare forget this time.”

“Yes, yes, of course!” the stout Black-Robed Figure replied obsequiously.

“That girl is a Bloodline,” the taller figure revealed. “The Bishop once told us that Bloodlines should not exist on this plane of existence.”

“Should not exist on this plane?” The stout Black-Robed Figure pondered for a moment before a realization dawned. “So that’s it, so that’s it! Hahaha, My Lord, no wonder you found it interesting. I understand now.”

“Do not, under any circumstances, relay this information to anyone else. You understand, don’t you?”

Casting a chilling glance at the clapping stout Black-Robed Figure, the taller one swiftly departed.

The stout Black-Robed Figure shivered under the cold gaze, immediately bowing low with deference, then watched the taller Black-Robed Figure vanish from sight.

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