Chapter 865: Half a Month
Chapter 865: Half a Month (Combined)
On the way to the exit of the Hidden Realm.
Various familiar sounds mingled together—some joyful, some curious, and some panicked.
When a group of Wild Beast Companions, usually found deep within the Hidden Realm, appeared, all the novice Familiars took off in a flurry of excitement and fear.
After the commotion, one by one, low-level Wild Beast Companions cautiously poked their heads out from the bushes, the ground, and the leaves, curiously watching the grand procession.
"Who would have thought I'd actually get escorted out of the Hidden Realm by Wild Beast Companions? I'll be able to brag about this for the rest of my life", Yuan Jiewen said with a broad grin, sitting proudly on his Flying-type Companion.
He felt that the best decision he had made this year was agreeing to come to the Hidden Realm with the big shot.
If he hadn't come, he probably wouldn't have experienced such a grand scene in his lifetime.
As he spoke, Yuan Jiewen suddenly thought of something and turned to ask:
"Does anyone have an Electric Familiar that can charge?"
A man with slightly wrinkled eyes responded, "I have a Thunder Rat, but it was injured before I added it to my Beastmaster Codex. Later, I got injured too, and my Brain Domain was in a chaotic state, so it didn't recover well in the Codex. If you need to charge, I can find a Familiar with a Healing Skill to help it recover."
The man's tone was slightly ingratiating.
Despite Yuan Jiewen's seemingly ordinary strength, he was with the mysterious Beastmaster who had rescued their entire group from the Wild Beast Companions.
Just because of this, he had a slightly different status among the group.
The man knew of only one Beastmaster with a Healing Skill Familiar, the young and mysterious one. However, he wouldn't dare ask that person for help. But it wasn't a problem; the Hidden Realm had plenty of Wild Beast Companions, and many teams that came here solved their problems by using local resources.
Or, if this request led to the mysterious Beastmaster offering to heal them, that would be even better...
Healing? We have a Beastmaster with Healing Skills right here, and it's even a Healing Light... Yuan Jiewen glanced at the slender figure on the red Familiar ahead, then looked away and coughed, saying:
"Never mind, let's focus on getting moving."
Clearly, he hadn't mentioned the Healing for a reason, suggesting that his relationship with the mysterious Beastmaster wasn't particularly close... The man didn't press further.
At this moment, Liu Bo spoke up, "You, weren't you the one who teamed up with me last time, the one named Yuan..."
At this point, he showed a look of effort as he tried to recall the full name.
"Yuan Jiewen", Yuan Jiewen said, his lips twitching. "You only recognized me now?"
"Sorry", Liu Bo said, looking a bit embarrassed. "My mind was still a bit confused."
Yuan Jiewen waved his hand, speaking in an understanding tone, "It's not your fault. We only spent three days together before you were captured by a Wild Beast Companion. Luckily, the big shot took on an Evaluation Mission to save you. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't have made it out of there, and neither Qu Yang nor I would have found you."
"You came specifically to save me?" Liu Bo's face was full of surprise.
At this, everyone looked over.
"Of course", Yuan Jiewen nodded, then he got excited. "You don't know how amazing the big shot is. We spent three days getting to that Pond, but he made it in less than a day. He immediately figured out why you were captured by the Wild Beast Companion and came up with a plan..."
"Wait", Liu Bo interrupted. "Why was I captured by the Wild Beast Companion?"
Wasn't it just bad luck?
Yuan Jiewen looked at him with sympathy, "It's because you peed under that fruit tree by the Pond."
Liu Bo: “?!!”
Just because of this?
So, all the inhuman torture he endured was just because he urinated?
“Are you sure?” Liu Bo couldn't believe it.
He would rather believe that he was just unlucky, and happened to be targeted by a wild beast companion.
Before Yuan Jiewen could answer, the others who had also been kidnapped and tortured shouted:
“Damn! So I was taken because I urinated in the Pond?”
“I was in the same spot at the Pond! But I didn’t urinate; I just took a bath!”
“I didn’t bathe; I just soaked my feet!”
“Did you all disappear at the Pond?” one of the men asked.
“No,” the man with wrinkles at the corners of his eyes said, recalling: “I was by a small stream, about two meters wide, and I didn’t do anything.”
“Think again,” Yuan Jiewen said.
The man thought for a moment and then said gravely, “I remember now. I was battling a few familiars there, using Poison Flowers. The Toxin might have sprayed into that stream.”
He paused and continued, “I always thought it was because of those familiars that I was targeted for revenge…”
Suddenly, the room fell silent.
Everyone was speechless, struggling to accept that such a minor action had led them to this dire situation.
Suddenly, one of them spoke up:
“Each Hidden Realm has its own untouchable rules. Last time I entered Hidden Realm 108, you couldn’t laugh there. One laugh, and wild beast companions would swarm and attack you. It was pretty ridiculous.”
“But this Hidden Realm’s rule about not urinating and polluting the water source has never been mentioned,” Liu Bo said.
“Perhaps not all wild beast companions here enforce this rule, or it’s only enforced in certain areas,” someone else said. “Or maybe the wild beast companion who set this rule isn’t powerful enough to capture everyone who breaks it.”
Disappearing in Hidden Realms is quite common.
As long as the number of missing people isn’t too high, no one pays special attention. No one ventures in to investigate the reasons for the disappearances, so the untouchable rules remain unknown.
“Do you remember where we woke up?” the speaker was the middle-aged man who had retained his senses despite the lack of healing.
“Yes,” the others nodded.
“That place is called the Guardian River,” the middle-aged man said. “Many Hidden Realms have a place called the Guardian River, which is said to be the origin of all water sources within the Hidden Realm. It’s usually guarded by the most powerful Water-type Companion Beast.”
“Given how polluted the Guardian River was, it’s likely that people entering the Hidden Realm caused it, which is why they captured us to purify the water.”
Upon hearing this, the others’ lips twitched, and some even cursed inwardly.
Why should they be blamed for the state of the Guardian River?
They had just urinated, bathed, or soaked their feet.
However, with the wild beast companions still escorting them, they didn’t dare to voice their curses.
So, it’s the source of the Hidden Realm’s water. No wonder the location is so hidden… Qiao Sang listened silently to the conversation behind her without turning around.
Under the escort of the wild beast companions, the group reached the Hidden Realm’s exit without any hindrance.
The exit is the entrance.
The Venomfang Insects observed from the shadows, but they didn’t attack.
The escorting wild beast companions called out in unison.
“Thank you for your hard work,” Qiao Sang said, dismounting from Fangy and looking at them. They continued to stare at her.
Qiao Sang sensed something was off.
The next moment, she felt a heaviness in her head.
Then, Lulu’s voice rang out from above:
“Ice Emperor.”
The wild beast companions’ eyes welled up with tears, and they called out again, flapping their wings, waving their claws, and wiping their tears.
Oh, so you weren’t saying goodbye to me, but to Lulu… Qiao Sang felt a numbness in her heart. She turned and prepared to step out of the Hidden Realm.
Just as she was about to step out, she paused, drew back her foot, and turned to give a formal farewell:
"Thank you for escorting us out. We'll be on our way."
The Wild Beast Companions were taken aback for a moment before they called out in unison.
Qiao Sang understood that this time, they were calling out to her.
Finally, they acknowledged me... She couldn't help but smile, then turned and stepped out of the Hidden Realm.
The others quickly followed.
The moment everyone stepped out of the Hidden Realm, the Wild Beast Companions remained in place.
Five seconds later, the Wild Beast Companions reluctantly turned their gaze away and prepared to leave.
At that moment, the barrier of the Hidden Realm rippled.
One figure after another appeared within the Hidden Realm.
The Wild Beast Companions all turned their attention to the newcomers.
"Ah!!!"
Immediately, a series of ear-piercing screams broke through the sky.
The Wild Beast Companions: "..."
...
Outside Mystic Realm 88.
Finally, they were out... The group looked at the familiar surroundings, took a deep breath, and tears welled up in their eyes.
Only now did their hearts truly settle.
The passersby nearby sized them up, shot them puzzled glances, and then covered their noses, quietly moving away.
Qiao Sang didn't pay it any mind. She turned to Liu Bo and said:
"Accompany me to the Beastmaster Center to confirm the mission completion."
Liu Bo already knew that her main mission in the Hidden Realm was for him, so he nodded immediately:
"Sure!"
After a moment, he scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said:
"But can I go home first to let my family know I'm safe and take a shower before we go?"
Qiao Sang replied, "Of course."
He had been missing for so long and was covered in grime; it was indeed necessary to reassure his family and clean up.
The others gathered around, expressing their gratitude at length, leaving their phone numbers, and asking for names, saying they would definitely bring their families to support her at the Regional Tournament.
Qiao Sang smiled and responded to each of them.
As the group bid their farewells and left, Yuan Jiewen and the Grand Patron remained.
Qiao Sang turned to look at them.
Yuan Jiewen quickly smiled, "Boss, about my Healing Light..."
"Lulu." Qiao Sang called out.
"Ice Emperor." Lulu jumped out of the backpack, the gem on her forehead glowing with a blue light.
Unlike before, this time the light was a deep blue.
Almost the moment the deep blue light touched him, Yuan Jiewen felt an instant sense of relief, as if his meridians had suddenly been unblocked.
He couldn't help but let out a contented "Ah~."
Lulu paused.
The blue light faded.
Yuan Jiewen's pale face regained a healthy rosy hue.
The feeling was real; he almost didn't need a full medical checkup to know that his body was now strong enough to venture back into the Hidden Realm.
"Boss, when you participate in the Regional Tournament, I will definitely come to support you!" Yuan Jiewen said excitedly.
Qiao Sang smiled, "I'll be waiting."
Yuan Jiewen didn't leave right away. Instead, he thought of something and lowered his voice to ask:
"Actually, there's something I've wanted to ask you for a long time."
Qiao Sang looked at him, "What is it?"
"At what age did you become a B-Class Beastmaster?" Yuan Jiewen finally asked the question that had been on his mind.
The boss looked young, but in terms of skills and strength, she was clearly much older than her appearance suggested.
Generally, a Beastmaster's appearance only starts to change when they reach C-Class, slowing down the aging process.
By B-Rank, their appearance would almost be fixed.
The boss was so much stronger than him; she couldn't possibly be a C-Class Beastmaster.
Qiao Sang was taken aback, "I'm not a B-Class Beastmaster yet."
Yuan Jiewen was also taken aback, but then he seemed to understand and said, "I get it."
Some Beastmasters who participate in the Regional Tournament have the strength to become B-Class Beastmasters but choose to keep a low profile, often not going to the Beastmaster Center for the corresponding evaluation before the tournament.
The expert definitely feels the same way.
No, what do you understand? Qiao Sang didn't get it.
"Expert, I'll be leaving first, then." Yuan Jiewen said while backing away, waving goodbye.
"Shell Blade!" Bladeclaw synchronized with his Beastmaster, slashing with his claws.
Migala, recalling her current identity, said, "Then I will also—"
Qiao Sang looked at her and interrupted, "S-Class Tear of the Abyss."
Migala: "..."
"I'll send it to you later. Such a valuable item, I don't carry it with me." Migala said.
Qiao Sang was silent for a moment, "Alright, but can you do it within a day? I'll probably leave here tomorrow."
Migala was a bit surprised, "You trust me that much?"
To her, her prodigy student always seemed vigilant, not the type to trust people easily.
Qiao Sang smiled, "I think you're not as simple as you appear, and you won't break your word."
Reflecting on it, the other party's behavior was quite strange. Seeking protection from an intermediate familiar, recognizing an ancient king-level familiar at first sight, and remaining so calm.
And when they entered the Giant Tree, she was even calmer than Qiao Sang, which was very unusual.
Indeed, even if her appearance had changed, her aura was still hard to alter... Migala looked at her with admiration and said, "Alright, give me your address, and I'll have someone deliver what you need tonight."
Qiao Sang immediately gave her the room number at the Beastmaster Center.
...
Ten minutes later.
On the way to the Beastmaster Center, Qiao Sang inexplicably noticed that everyone around her was looking at her with strange and slightly disdainful eyes.
Maybe staying by the Guardian River for a while has really soaked in... Qiao Sang raised her hand to smell, but after some thought, she decided to put it down.
She didn't have the courage to smell it again...
Half an hour later, at the Beastmaster Center's accommodation area.
Qiao Sang placed her Beastmaster Emblem on the scanner.
The sensor beeped twice and then lit up red.
The scan failed.
How could it fail... Qiao Sang was stunned for a moment, then looked up at the room number.
Room 907, this is the right place.
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker, seeing its Beastmaster's scan fail, called out, indicating it would float in and open the door.
Qiao Sang thought it was a good idea.
Just as she was about to nod in agreement, the door suddenly opened, and a woman with a face mask poked her head out, "Who is it?"
Qiao Sang was stunned again, looked up at the room number once more to confirm she hadn't made a mistake, and then looked at the woman, "This is my room. Why are you in here?"
The woman looked at her with an expression that seemed to be seeing a lunatic.
Without a word, she slammed the door shut.
Qiao Sang's brow furrowed slightly. She turned and knocked on the door of Teacher Mikara's room next door.
However, after knocking for a long time, no one responded.
Qiao Sang sighed in frustration. Her mobile phone was out of battery, so she couldn't contact anyone. She had no choice but to take the elevator to the reception area.
On the way, passersby covered their noses and avoided her.
"Hello, I'd like to ask why someone else is staying in room 907, where I originally lived", Qiao Sang said, handing over her ID card and Beastmaster Emblem.
The staff member didn't show any disdain and smiled, "Let me check for you."
She took the ID card and Beastmaster Emblem and began to query.
Soon, she looked up and smiled, "You checked in half a month ago and only booked for five days."
Half a month ago... Qiao Sang was stunned.
She originally wanted to rest today, but now she had a five-star honor and a generous reward from 20220528152750459. Really, she felt very guilty towards the patron, and it was hard to repay such a debt.
Also, do you prefer combined chapters or separate ones?
(End of Chapter)
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