Chapter Forty: Twilight Chant

Wu Xuanyuan spread the five fingers of both hands, now curved like claws, and clamped them atop the heads of the two prisoners. His long, sharp nails pierced through their skulls, and five streams of fresh blood trickled down. He inhaled deeply, his expression one of pleasure, as a surge of power poured into their heads. Then, two wisps of green mist drifted from the prisoners’ crowns, merging in the air into the shadowy image of a skull, which Wu Xuanyuan swiftly swallowed whole.

During this process, the faces of the prisoners gradually twisted in agony. Foam bubbled from their mouths, their bodies convulsed, and their eyes rolled back. In no time, their flesh and magic drained away, leaving them like shriveled tree bark. With two dull thuds, they collapsed onto the floor.

Wu Xuanyuan released his grip, licked the corner of his lips with satisfaction, then slid his hands into his sleeves and drifted out of the hall like a tall, shadowy specter.

In the Twilight Forest, Ling Xiaolei parted a cluster of tall grass to reveal a hidden clearing, where a group of plump little hedgehogs huddled together, sound asleep.

“Just a bunch of hedgehogs. I’ll take care of them—”

“Don’t move!”

Heiyu had just stepped forward when Ling Xiaolei yanked him back.

“These aren’t ordinary hedgehogs. Look, there’s a rare herb growing on their heads, called ‘Soul-Binding Grass.’”

“Soul-Binding Grass?”

A closer look revealed that each adorable hedgehog had a small, faintly glowing blue plant swaying atop its head.

“Soul-Binding Grass can be refined into medicine that heals wounds, stops bleeding, and restores vitality. These hedgehogs are called Bluegrass Hedgehogs. They’re not aggressive, but thanks to the Soul-Binding Grass they protect, they have rapid healing abilities and can survive in this perilous forest,” Ling Xiaolei explained.

“We’ll sneak up quietly and just collect the Soul-Binding Grass, without harming the hedgehogs. Make sure you don’t wake them— even the slightest noise will scare them off, and they’re incredibly fast when they run!”

“Isn’t making the plan supposed to be the captain’s job? Why do you always steal my thunder?”

“I’d be grateful if our captain didn’t slow us down for once,” Ling Xiaolei shot him a glare.

“We’ll see about that…” Heiyu retorted, unconvinced, and stepped out of the grass— only to land on a dry twig, which snapped with a crisp crack.

The hedgehogs woke with alarmed squeaks and scattered, curling into round little balls. The Soul-Binding Grass atop their heads tucked into the spines on their backs, and they rolled away in all directions down the grassy slope.

“Binding Net!” Ling Xiaolei reacted instantly, unfurling a purple, web-like net close to the ground.

“Retrieve!” The hedgehogs who hadn’t managed to escape in time were swept up in the center of the net.

Capture complete, Ling Xiaolei wheeled around and landed a punch on Heiyu’s head.

“What did I say! Can’t you stop dragging the team down?”

“I—” Heiyu rubbed his head.

A dozen hedgehogs squeaked and thrashed about in the net.

Shenzai Guo stepped closer, bending down to observe them. The spirit rabbit in her arms poked its nose out to sniff. “The Soul-Binding Grass is connected to their bodies. Now that they’re panicking, it’ll be hard to harvest.”

“We need to calm them down…” Ling Xiaolei was prepared. She pulled out the spellbook Lin Xi had given her and flipped through its pages.

“Here it is.” She raised her staff in her right hand, cradled the book in her left, and softly chanted the ancient incantation. The spellbook floated up, glowing purple. Her song was gentle and melodious, rising and falling, ethereal and distant.

“Twilight descends, the light recedes, and night blinds the eyes of mortals; fish seek the sea, birds return to their nests, the divine dragon slumbers in the caverns below. All living things on earth sleep in peace, awaiting the voice that will awaken them after a thousand years… Twilight’s Lullaby—Requiem!”

Bathed in the magic of her song, the hedgehogs pricked up their ears, eyelids drooping, and soon succumbed to a deep slumber.

“Ah…” Heiyu let out a yawn.

Ling Xiaolei punched him again. “This is a sleep spell for enemies! If you, as an ally, fall asleep, I’ll knock you out!”

Once the hedgehogs were asleep, Ling Xiaolei and Shenzai Guo tiptoed over to gently collect the Soul-Binding Grass.

“What do you need the Soul-Binding Grass for?” Heiyu asked.

“It’s a rare herb— hard to come by. Actually… I want to give it to Bai Shengye. I overheard him mention it the other day, so I’ll use it to repay him for saving you.”

“I didn’t expect you to be so loyal.”

“Enough nonsense!”

That afternoon’s magic training session was different. Instructor Shi Fangcheng led the students to the village center on the outskirts of Greenfield. At the village entrance stood a notice board that sparkled with starlight.

The area was shaded by trees, filled with birdsong, and in the distance lay orchards and vegetable gardens. Some villagers lounged before their wooden houses, sorting freshly picked, brightly colored wild fruits, while children played carefree nearby.

Heiyu glanced around and suddenly spotted a plump woman beckoning to a boy playing nearby. He quickly averted his gaze and blended into the crowd, pretending to listen intently as Instructor Shi spoke.

“Behind me is the Mage Guild’s bounty board,” Shi announced. “Ever since the profession of mage appeared, there has been a Mage Guild. Outstanding mages from all over the world gather together to safeguard the peace of this continent. The requirements to join the guild are extremely high. After you graduate from the Intermediate Magic Academy, you can consider applying.”

“Meanwhile, the Mage Guild issues bounty tasks at each location through public notices. You can complete these tasks to gain practical experience, and the rewards will supplement your income.”

Everyone crowded around the board, scrutinizing the tasks and choosing which to undertake.

“Tasks are ranked by difficulty: S, A, B, C, D, and E. S-class missions are marked in red on the map, followed by orange and green. When a new task appears, its marker will flash. But S-class tasks are only for advanced mages and above. A-class requires at least a peak intermediate mage, B-class for late-stage intermediate mages. For now, you can only take on C and D-class assignments.

“Most tasks require teamwork. You’ll form groups of three and pick a C-class task to complete together. Remember, cooperation is key!”

As soon as he finished, the students eagerly began forming teams.

“Dismissed!” Instructor Shi Fangcheng waved his hand.

Along the woodland path, several other classes were arriving, each led by their teacher. At the front was Ms. Xia Li from Class D. Heiyu had seen her on the first day of school—she was tall, mature, and alluring, with her pink hair coiled atop her head.