Chapter 4: The Shifting Form and Stolen Garments

As Gern rested against the tree trunk, she suddenly felt an unusual stir within her body. A faint surge of energy began to spread from her dantian region throughout her entire being. Intrigued, Gern closed her eyes, focusing intently on this new sensation.

She discovered that she had now attained the First Tier of Knighthood, and within her dantian, a mysterious power was slowly coalescing. ‘What is this?’ she wondered.

This power wasn’t the qi and blood energy characteristic of a knight; it felt more akin to the magical energy that mages possessed. In her previous life, Gern had never encountered magic, so she couldn’t yet confirm if this cluster of energy within her was indeed mana.

‘Never mind these details,’ she thought. She had already embarked on the path of a knight, and with the experience from her past life, she was confident her strength would rapidly increase. However, her former cultivation methods were now unusable. They were all linked to the邪神 cult and, to varying degrees, tainted by its influence.

Gern meticulously searched her memories, recalling some martial techniques that held less direct connection to the邪神. Martial techniques differed from cultivation methods; to put it simply, cultivation methods were like internal cultivation arts, while martial techniques were external combat skills. In the early stages, martial techniques weren’t as crucial, but once a knight reached the Third Tier, their importance became undeniable.

The Sacrificial Blade Art, in particular, suited Gern perfectly at this moment. This martial technique allowed her to refine the blood essence of living beings, thereby enhancing her offensive power. Should she breach an enemy’s defenses, she could even siphon their vitality. In her previous life, Gern had relied on this very technique as a life-saving trump card, ensuring her survival.

Knowledge of this blade art swiftly surfaced in her mind. Before long, drawing upon her past life’s memories, Gern had mastered the technique.

Next, she needed to find a reputable cultivation method. A good cultivation method could strengthen her physique and accelerate her body’s recovery rate. Knights with a cultivation method were worlds apart from those without one.

Without a proper cultivation method, an opponent could easily break through one’s defenses, leaving no chance for survival. Yet, it was the perennial problem: cultivation methods were expensive. No one would freely impart their secrets to another.

Gern glanced at the gold coins in her pendant. She could probably afford a cultivation method of decent quality, but truly superior ones would require her to rely on the nobility. The mere thought of this gave Gern a headache. She had already experienced the depravity of the nobles in the Cletus Kingdom in her previous life.

Moreover, in her current state, if she were captured by that group of nobles, she would either be forced into a master-servant contract, forever under their control, or be flayed alive and sold in the black market. Worse still, she might be transformed into a mindless plaything by some twisted individual.

“No, absolutely not. I cannot rely on those nobles.”

Gern shook her head, her long, silver-white hair swaying gently with the motion.

“So, when exactly can I change back?”

As if heaven had heard her plea, she noticed a strand of her silver-white hair begin to turn black. Before long, her entire head of silver hair had transformed into black, and one of her pale golden slit pupils had shifted to violet.

“Eh?!”

Gern’s excitement surged. Did this mean she was finally changing back? Could she truly return to her original form?

Just as Gern had thought, his appearance reverted to its original form. The cluster of magical essence within him swiftly dissipated, though the knight’s blood qi remained intact.

His once-spacious clothes instantly became tight, emitting a straining groan under the sudden pressure.

Gern’s mouth twitched. He was still wearing women’s clothes; he needed to take them off quickly. Staring at his naked form, Gern once again fell into a predicament. He had no clothes to wear, nor could he run out like this.

At that moment, his gaze fell upon the tree leaves nearby.

‘Should I… make do with these?’

****

Night fell. Deep within the forest, inside a makeshift encampment, a lavishly dressed, lewd-looking young man named Glot was mercilessly berating his knights.

All the knights he scolded bowed their heads, daring not to meet his eyes. Just then, a startled cry echoed from the other side of the camp.

“Not good! Young Master Glot, our supplies have been stolen!”

“Hah?!”

The young man, still in a fit of rage, instantly widened his eyes and cracked his long whip.

“What are you good-for-nothings doing?! A bunch of incompetents!”

The whip struck the knight’s armor, leaving only a faint mark. The knight watched him with cold eyes; though displeased, he respectfully remained standing.

“Hurry up, what are you gaping at? Take me to see the supplies.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

A team of men quickly arrived beside the carriage. The interior of the carriage had been thoroughly ransacked, with various items scattered across the ground, creating an exceptionally chaotic scene.

“Did you see who stole them?”

The two knights guarding the carriage exchanged bewildered glances. Recalling the scene, the words they wanted to speak caught in their throats.

“I’m asking you a question.”

“Young… Young Master, the person seemed to be a savage.”

“Hah? Are you mocking me?! Where would savages come from in this secret realm!”

Veins pulsed on Glot’s forehead, and he looked on the verge of another outburst, terrifying the two guards, who trembled uncontrollably.

“It’s true, Young Master. We both saw it with our own eyes.”

“Yes, yes, they were wearing a skirt woven from leaves, and their movements were extraordinarily elusive. We only caught a glimpse of their general silhouette.”

“And, and, after we saw them, they vanished in the blink of an eye, like a ghost.”

Listening to their disjointed accounts, Glot felt a throbbing headache coming on.

“Stop with the nonsense. Quickly check if anything is missing.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Soon, several guards finished inventorying the supplies in the carriage. After cross-referencing them with the ledger, peculiar expressions settled on their faces.

“What’s wrong? Did something important go missing?”

“No, Young Master… it’s just…”

The guard stammered hesitantly, his expression very complex.

“Speak!”

“Yes, yes, we found one of your clothes missing, and we discovered a gold coin on the table.”

“What?!”

Now it was Glot’s turn to look peculiar. Possessing such an elusive technique, they had merely stolen his clothes. He couldn’t wrap his head around it; Glot pondered for a long time, utterly baffled.

****

On the other side of the forest, the young man, previously shrouded in shadows, slowly revealed himself. He looked at the garment of excellent quality in his hand and nodded in satisfaction.

Now he had clothes to wear, and he could escape this damned secret realm. From now on, the ocean was wide for fish to leap, and the sky vast for birds to soar. He didn’t believe Lilia would be able to find him once he was out.

The thought lifted Gern’s spirits considerably. Humming an unknown tune, he leisurely made his way towards the exit of the secret realm.

Not far behind the young man, a blonde girl looked around with a puzzled expression.

“Strange, why is the little dragon girl moving so fast? Could someone be hunting her?”

Lilia grew more worried with each passing thought and quickened her pace, chasing after him.