The next morning
As the first light of dawn gilded the Academy’s Tower with a golden edge, Little White’s gentle call echoed from below the Dormitory Building.
Lin Xing and Zhao Kai were already prepared, the three meeting right on time downstairs.
Little White carried an overstuffed backpack, filled with Decontaminant, Healing Ointment, and spare Magic Water.
Snowball nestled obediently in her arms, the ice-blue Elemental Resonance Collar scattering tiny glimmers in the sunlight, rising and falling softly with her breath.
Zhao Kai crouched down, carefully applying another Earth Power Patch onto Dundun’s back.
Only Lumiya, seizing the moment while Lin Xing organized his bag, quietly pawed the Fire Bell from around her neck and stuffed it into the inner pocket of his jacket.
After all, that tiny boost to Fireball was barely useful to her, and the constant jingling was annoyingly loud—much better to stash it away for some peace.
Lin Xing watched Lumiya’s sneaky little act of hiding the bell, a smirk curling at his lips, but just as the smile appeared, it was suppressed by the pain in his wallet.
These Night Market trinkets looked flashy, but their actual boost was far inferior to proper Magic Crystal Equipment.
But slap on a label of “Enchantment” or “Contract Beast Exclusive” and the price soared to ridiculous heights—calling them half the price of real Magic Crystal Equipment wasn’t an exaggeration at all.
Lin Xing gritted his teeth, secretly grumbling in his heart.
This Night Market has to be in cahoots with the school! They specifically set up stalls when freshmen first arrive, at their most enamored by these novel gadgets and most willing to pay extra for looks.
Who knows—maybe behind the stalls are upperclassmen earning pocket money!
Tsk, when I become a senior next year, I’ll have to join the fun and earn back what I spent this year…
Wait, no! I’m going to crack down on unhealthy trends, yes, to stamp out those shady outsiders trying to earn future juniors’ money.
What?
You say there are dark forces inside the school too?
What are you saying?!
What are you saying!
That’s called teaching cute juniors their first lesson at the Academy!
Half an hour later
The three arrived at the entrance of the Mist Forest.
The mist here was even thicker than they’d imagined, gray fog almost tangible, making even things ten meters away look blurred and indistinct.
Little White took out the Task Map from her backpack, spreading it out on her palm and sliding her finger across it.
“According to the mission details, the Poison Vine is mainly clustered ahead at the Red Fruit Orchard, about five hundred meters from here. Everyone, stick close to me and don’t get separated.”
She paused, then took out three bottles of pale green Decontaminant from her bag and handed two to the others.
“This is the Academy’s special fast-acting Decontaminant. If any Poison Vine juice splashes on you, drink it immediately to ease the Poison.”
Sure enough, following the forest path for just a while, they saw a patch of brilliant red fruit trees ahead.
But instead of being laden with Red Fruit, the trees were entwined with thick swathes of dark green Poison Vine.
These vines were as thick as a bowl, covered in dense black thorns, and dotted with trumpet-shaped red flower buds.
Purple sap trickled down the edges of the buds, falling onto the yellowed leaves below, immediately hissing and bubbling up with fine white foam.
“This is the spot!” Little White lowered her voice, putting Snowball down from her arms.
“Snowball, get ready to release Ice Mist—not too wide, just enough to freeze the surrounding vines and limit their movement!”
Snowball immediately stood up, a deep growl rumbling in her throat, then suddenly opened her mouth and sprayed out a wave of pale blue Ice Mist.
Like a tide, the Ice Mist swept toward the Poison Vine. Wherever it touched, the air grew sharply colder, and a thin frost rapidly coated the surface of the vines.
The once-wriggling tendrils instantly stiffened, their movement noticeably slowed.
“Lumiya, let’s focus on the vines in the middle!” Lin Xing gently placed Lumiya on the ground, eyes full of expectation.
“Use Fireball to burn through their stalks!”
Lumiya flicked her tail, golden slit pupils sweeping over the Poison Vine before her.
To her, these vines were hardly worth mentioning—a single Dragon Breath could reduce the entire orchard to ash.
But to keep up her “novice Contract Beast” persona, she had to “struggle” as she raised her paw, conjuring a small cluster of golden flame in her palm.
The flame drifted lightly to the nearest Poison Vine.
She thought it would burn through with ease, but the vine only quivered slightly, the thorns curling under the heat, but showing no sign of breaking.
Lumiya raised an eyebrow, understanding at once.
Judging from Snowball’s previous strike, compared to that 0-Star 5-Rank Wind Fox, it was clear.
With her current power as a typical 0-Star 3-Rank, there was no way she could easily burn through this Poison Vine; after all, the vine had absorbed Miasma from the forest for years, gaining a degree of Elemental Resistance.
But that’s only in normal circumstances—wasn’t she, Lumiya, here to play through the dungeon normally?
She, Lady Lumiya, was here to bully the weak!
She quietly increased the power of her flame, and in an instant, the golden fire grew more intense.
With a muffled “pop”, this time the vine finally broke, billowing black smoke from the cut with a strong burnt odor.
“Awesome! Go, Lumiya!”
Lin Xing waved his fist excitedly, eyes glued to Lumiya’s movements, not noticing the subtle change in the flames at all.
Just then, a rustling sound came from overhead.
They all looked up to see a Poison Vine, thicker than a barrel, hanging from the crown of a nearby fruit tree.
The flower bud at its tip opened, revealing a pitch-black hole inside, diving straight toward the unsuspecting Little White.
It was actually the Poison Vine Main Trunk hidden in the treetop! Apparently, it had gained a touch of sentience—after sensing a portion of itself burned, it actively launched an attack!
Seeing Little White in danger, Lumiya’s brows furrowed, her small golden paws flickering quietly as she sighed inwardly,
“Still just a Student, after all.”
Sure enough, Little White stood frozen on the spot, her round eyes wide with terror, clearly stunned by the sudden sneak attack.
Lin Xing reacted in a flash, leaping the instant the Poison Vine struck.
“Look out!”
With all his strength, he shoved Little White hard to the side, rolling forward himself from the momentum.
But even moving so quickly, his back was still raked by the Poison Vine’s thorns, his jacket splitting open with a loud tear.
Strangely, the expected stabbing pain and burning poison never came.
“Huh? What’s…”
Lin Xing paused, reaching to touch his back—his skin was smooth as ever, not even a red mark.
“Lin Xing! Are you alright?!”
Little White, still shaken, scrambled to her feet and rushed to Lin Xing’s side, all thoughts of her image forgotten.
Seeing the intact skin beneath the ripped jacket, her tense body finally relaxed, her tone full of relief.
“T-thank goodness it only tore your clothes…”
She clutched Lin Xing’s arm tightly, her fingertips trembling, her eyes red-rimmed, the tip of her nose flushed pink, her voice soft and thick with tears.
“I’m sorry, I really was scared to death just now… If you hadn’t pushed me, I-I don’t even know what I’d do…”
She gingerly touched the tear in Lin Xing’s jacket, her movements feather-light as if afraid to hurt him, her voice filled with guilt.
“It’s alright, I’m tough.”
Lin Xing smiled and shook his head, turning to look at Lumiya crouched nearby—the little one had her chin raised, golden watery eyes full of “remorse”, her tiny paws anxiously digging at the ground, as if saying,
“It’s all my fault… If only I’d noticed sooner, you wouldn’t have been hurt…”
Looking into those sincerely watery eyes, Lin Xing felt a warmth in his heart. He reached out to gently pat her head.
“It’s really fine, this isn’t your fault—I chose to take the hit.”
Though he was grateful he hadn’t been hurt, Lin Xing couldn’t shake a feeling that something was off.
He was sure he hadn’t dodged in time; the thorns had definitely raked his back, so how was there not a single mark?
A sudden thought flashed through his mind, one he found hard to believe.
Could it be…
Lumiya?
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