Chapter 010: The Second Arcane Medium

Wū——

Mallorca, hidden in the burrow, heard Gaia tapping the alchemical syringe with her fingers. For a moment, he felt somewhat puzzled, but he also heard the howling of the snow-backed wolf. At this time, going out to investigate would undoubtedly alert the target, and the cunning snow-backed wolf would certainly not be fooled. He decided to endure for the time being

Thus, this type of beast is extremely sought after in the Abyss, with prices soaring. It is said that in several renowned auction houses within the Abyss, the price of the Snowback Boar Wolf has already reached 10,000 gold coins

Just as Gaia was secretly feeling pleased, suddenly the blood in her veins seemed to boil, bubbling up with gas, and she clearly heard the sound of water boiling in a furnace in her ears

Gaia felt a strange sensation as the three individuals each chose a spot to dig a pit. If they intended to bury themselves, it seemed unnecessary to have three pits, unless they were contemplating dismemberment. However, in the frozen wasteland, where magical beasts roamed freely, a person could be killed, and within half a day, their body would be devoured by these beasts, leaving not even bones behind. It seemed there was no need for such measures.

The three of them nodded in agreement. Along the way, Locke and Marcus had nearly recovered from their injuries. The strength of the trio had returned to its peak.

How are your injuries? Can you still complete this mission?" Mallorca asked his two injured companions. The three of them each possessed strength surpassing Gaia by more than one level, yet they had been left in a state of disarray and embarrassment by Gaia, which was the most frustrating aspect for Locke.

At this moment, amidst the wind and snow, there were only Gaia's anguished cries and the muffled sounds produced by the thrashing of her body

However, this magical beast is exceptionally cunning—wolves are inherently sly creatures, and this is even more true for magical beasts. Countless adventurers have paid with their lives to conclude a method for capturing the snow-backed feral wolf: the simplest and most effective way is to force a living person to drink the blood of a magical face monkey spirit.

Locke! Ten thousand gold coins! They are all on this kid. If you kill him, you will owe me and Marcus this ten thousand gold coins

Gaia turned over, facing up, and clearly saw the appearance of the attacker. The person was not tall, dressed in a neat warrior outfit, holding a slender dagger in hand, standing on a snow slope, and turning back to shout at his companion: "... Marcus is a mid-level silver warrior; in terms of fighting spirit, it is absolutely Marcus who should have shattered his weapon."

His body continues to grow, having already reached a length of 2.5 meters. If it were not for the magical energy medium he previously used, which came from the Bloodthirsty Nightmare Lan and greatly enhanced his physique, Gaia would have surely exploded into a mass of blood by now

The strong man looked at Gaia with pity and said softly, "Kid, surrender. You are still of use to us, and surrendering will give you a chance to live." Gaia, half-bent over, tightened his grip on the long sword that had already been cracked, pressed his lips together, and resolutely shook his head.

Gaia's expression changed: "What you want is the Snowback Wolf!"

After nearly an hour, Gaia's body finally completed its reorganization. The current Gaia appears no different from before, yet profound changes have occurred internally

Not only is he not, but he is also a strong individual with memories of two lifetimes, who understands forbearance

He quickly reached into his pocket to search—fortunately, when he was captured, the few people from Mallorca who searched him did not pay attention to that alchemical syringe. After checking that he had no other hidden weapons on him, they did not investigate further. Perhaps this was an oversight; when the strong face the weak, they often unconsciously make some mistakes. However, what Mallorca and the others did not know was that Gaia was by no means a weakling!

Goo goo goo ... ...

"This kid is at most a novice bronze warrior, how could he possibly shatter Marcus's weapon..." The attacker paused, clearly having concluded that Gaia no longer posed a threat

To the north lies a desolate frozen wasteland, where those who wish to end their own lives cannot possibly be waiting for them, can they? Gaia was utterly perplexed.

A gust of wind suddenly swept from behind his head, and a massive shadow passed overhead. The shadow lingered in the air, and a chilling light rushed toward him. The fierce wind generated by the sharp fighting spirit struck his face painfully.

On this day, Mallorca unfolded a parchment map, glanced at the map, and then looked around at the surroundings. Mallorca nodded and said, "This should be the place."

Damn it, what is that bastard doing!" Locke was furious, holding back the urge to rush out, but he had already made up his mind. Even if that guy did not die at the jaws of the snow-backed wolf, he would certainly torment him for three days and three nights, letting him perish in endless wails of despair

"Let's get to work!" Marcus said

The three of them looked towards Gaia, whose heart was in his throat, ready for a fight. No matter what, he would not surrender quietly and be killed here without a trace.

In recent days, Gaia has appeared to be getting worse by the day. However, he has been practicing martial energy and magical meditation every night during his rest. In Greenland, he discovered a peculiar phenomenon: during meditation, magical elements inadvertently transformed his body. Although the effects were not immediately apparent, after a few days, Gaia's injuries had nearly healed. The reason he feigned increasingly severe injuries was entirely to deceive these three individuals.

He had already calculated in his mind that if there was a chance to escape, the first thing he would do is steal Mallorca's longsword, thereby eliminating this troublesome leader. The remaining two would be much easier to deal with.

"Alright," said Maloka, "quickly hide, the snow-backed feral wolf should have caught our scent by now." The three of them took out the equipment specifically prepared for capturing the snow-backed feral wolf, burrowed into the pits they had dug, and then covered themselves with a layer of sheepskin.

A large amount of gas suddenly accumulated within the blood vessels, causing Gaia immense pain. He let out a loud roar, fell back onto the snow-covered ground, and his entire body was drenched in crimson.

He has been observing, trying to discern who among these three individuals has been bribed to ambush him. Moreover, how did they know his whereabouts? Is it possible that there is a traitor in Greenland? In a place like Greenland, the presence of a traitor would not be surprising

Wū——

"It's nothing!" the two said through clenched teeth

Lock glanced helplessly at Maloka, angrily pushed Gaia aside, sheathed his sword back at his waist, and spread his hands: "Alright, alright, the principled Maloka, I will listen to you, is that not enough?"

The strong man looked at him, unable to help but frown: "This kid's fighting spirit is somewhat peculiar." Marcus covered his neck, while raising his other hand with his shield, appearing behind Gaia.

"Lock, stop!" A stern shout from the burly man saved Lock's life

Although the method has been established, the strength of a fifth-tier beginner is not to be underestimated. Ordinary adventurers absolutely do not possess such strength; therefore, most of them form teams to capture. Moreover, this method is extremely cruel, as it essentially sacrifices a life for no reason.

The Snowback Wolf is the most valuable magical beast in the frozen tundra. In addition to its initial fourth-tier strength, this magical beast is also one of the few that can be easily tamed among all magical creatures. Therefore, it is highly sought after among the nobility of the Shenglong Dynasty. Regardless of the noble's own strength, possessing a fourth-tier initial magical pet is equivalent to having the strength of an initial-tier Bronze War God.

The strength of these three individuals is indeed formidable. The leader, Maloka, has already reached the level of a high-tier Silver Warrior, while Marcus is a high-tier Bronze Warrior, and Locke has also attained the level of a mid-tier Silver Warrior. Therefore, the magical beasts on the outskirts of the Frozen Earth Wilderness pose no threat to the three of them, allowing this small team to safely reach the depths of the Frozen Earth Wilderness.

Ah... he gritted his teeth, yet could not help but let out a series of anguished cries

After consuming the alchemical potion, Marcus and Locke's injuries healed rapidly. However, the damaged weapons of both could not be repaired and needed to be replenished.

The two took the potion, and Locke grimaced: "Maloka, you are still so stingy." Maloka grinned: "I am clear about public and private matters." After saying this, he turned and walked over to Gaia, who could no longer get up, and struck Gaia's abdomen with the hilt of his sword. Gaia immediately felt as if his internal organs were turning over, and he opened his mouth to vomit.

He carefully drew the remaining blood of the magic-faced monkey spirit, which was left with only the bottom of the bottle, into the alchemical syringe

Gaia could sense that there was a surge of energy within her organs, each organ forming a vortex where magical energy circulated on its own. With each complete cycle, a trace of magical energy from the external world would be infused into her body, gradually settling down.

Finally, when his body reached a length of 3 meters, everything calmed down. The gas within him ceased to be produced; instead, it gradually dissipated, or rather, it transformed. It transformed into a magical element that slowly permeated into Gaia's body

Lock laughed cruelly, casually tossing the shovel aside, while the dagger sprang forth, dancing skillfully in his hand: "Kid, it's time for you to play your part. Do you think Lord Lock went to such lengths to capture you for no reason? If you weren't of some use, I would have already skewered your heart with this dagger! Drink it quickly! I might as well tell you, this is the blood of the Demon-Faced Monkey Spirit, a powerful tonic, hahahaha..."

His whip had excellent elasticity, cracking against Gaia's body as if Gaia were a mere beast. Covered in numerous wounds, though none were large, it seemed that Gaia could no longer do anything. He held his head in his hands, allowing the assailant to mercilessly strike him, each piercing pain causing the flames of hatred in his eyes to slowly ignite.

The strong man glanced at the attacker, who had just stood up not far away: "Locke, how are you?" The attacker Locke still had a half-buried dagger in him, his face pale as he staggered over, reaching for a dagger at his waist, and viciously said: "I'm fine! Damn it, I will personally skin this bastard!"

Gaia remained silent throughout the journey, showing no signs of cooperation, yet also refraining from any provocative actions, which often led the three members of this adventurer team to forget that such a person was accompanying them

The attacker approached slowly, accompanied by a companion. Upon seeing Gaia already on the ground, he did not pay much attention and turned back to tend to the seriously injured Marcus

Aah! The attacker let out a loud cry of pain as Gaia stomped hard on his groin, then without a glance back, she swiftly grabbed her longsword and fled.

Chirp chirp chirp

The sound of howling echoed again, clearly indicating that the snow-backed ferocious wolf was prowling nearby. Despite being a magical beast, its intelligence was not low; it was evidently using its own reasoning to determine that this was a trap.

The ice and snow on the ground were also melted by his body, and in an instant, his clothes turned to ashes

Mallorca nodded and looked at another companion: "Marcus, tie this kid up, don't let him escape." "Alright, leave it to me." Marcus tied several knots with the rope, securely fastening Gaia's neck as if he were tying up a dog. The other end of the rope was looped around the largest stone, which weighed at least several tons, making it impossible for Gaia to escape.

Unexpectedly, Mallorca casually tossed over a bottle, inside which a light red liquid swayed. The ground was covered with thick snow, and the bottle, having fallen to the ground, did not shatter. The light red liquid contrasted with the white snow, revealing a hint of eerie beauty

"Hurry up!" Marcus, who was also feeling frustrated, kicked Daya in the rear.

The blood of the Masked Monkey Spirit was injected into his veins; this time, unlike the last, his veins did not dry up and shatter. Gaia let out a sigh of relief. If it had been as painful as last time, even if he had gained new abilities, he would not have had the strength to deal with the Snowback Direwolf and those three adventurers.

The heavy snow continued to fall, and soon three pits were covered by the white snow. At a glance, apart from Gaia, no other traces could be seen on the snowy ground

Mallorca whistled, and after taking the potion, Marcus, whose injuries had noticeably improved, walked over, effortlessly tying Gaia up with a rope.

However, Gaia gleaned nothing from eavesdropping on their conversation, as the three men, when together, had almost no topics of discussion other than women and alcohol

Mallorca nodded, taking out two vials from his pocket, each containing a light blue liquid: "This is a healing potion made by an alchemist, which I am lending to you. It will be deducted from your future mission commissions"

With a loud bang, Marcus charged from behind, slamming his heavy shield against Gaia's back, causing her to spit out a mouthful of blood

The three of them did not need to leave a small hole for peeking; with their abilities, they could simply listen with their ears to detect the snow-backed feral wolf

Mallorca jumped into the pit he had dug himself and nodded in satisfaction: "No problem!"

Be careful! A companion in the distance suddenly shouted loudly, causing the attacker to be momentarily stunned. Gaia, who had been passively enduring the blows, suddenly seized his stabbing sword—this sword had no blade, was light and swift, and relied solely on its sharp tip to inflict harm. After Gaia grasped his weapon, the weapon's inherent fighting spirit suddenly activated. In a burst of golden light, the highly resilient stabbing sword was violently shaken with his wrist, shattering with a loud crack. Gaia lunged forward like a hungry wolf, knocking the attacker to the ground, and the tip of the sword in his hand fiercely pierced into the attacker's body.

Lock strode forward, the dagger aimed at Gaia's throat, ready to strike. Gaia steeled himself, determined to go all out. ... The powerful martial energy was about to erupt ...

Mallorca unexpectedly glanced at Gaia: "This kid actually has some insight." Recently, Gaia's territory has gradually prospered, and most of the credit goes to the adventurers. He is also somewhat aware of certain secrets among the adventurers.

Mallorca did not delay and immediately continued to head north with the change

This is a massive rock over 5 meters high, resembling a small hill. Surrounding it are two slightly smaller rocks, each over a person's height. The three stones form a triangular shape, and under the white snow, they appear like three gigantic steamed buns

Seeing the contemptuous gaze from Gaia, Locke became even more furious. He lifted his foot, intending to kick him in the face, but was stopped by Maloka.

In the distance, on the vast and desolate land, faintly echoed a few mournful howls of wolves, causing Gaia's expression to change.

A strange taste filled his mouth, and Gaia couldn't help but bend over and retch. Locke laughed heartily, reveling in his misfortune: "How is it? The taste of this supplement is quite nice, isn't it?" Locke raised his knee and forcefully jabbed it into Gaia's lower abdomen, causing Gaia to curl up like a shrimp.

Endure, one must endure! Gaia silently reminded herself that acting recklessly at this moment would be unwise. As long as she gave herself a chance, those who owed her would eventually be repaid in full!

On the ground, there was a profound silence all around, as if Gaia's earlier scream had truly frightened away the snow-backed dire wolf.

This kind of pain is absolutely beyond what an ordinary person can endure, his entire body has swollen up, resembling an overinflated balloon that could burst at any moment

A hint of mockery flashed in Gaia's eyes: How coincidental!

The howling of wolves grew closer.

He looked down and saw that despite the enhancement of his martial spirit, the longsword in his hand had already developed a gap, with the blade covered in cracks, clearly rendering it unusable

As a high-ranking silver warrior, Maloka holds absolute authority within this small group

Gaia cast a faint glance at him, her hand tightly gripping the remaining half bottle of the blood of the Demon-faced Monkey Spirit. She had been suddenly attacked by Locke just moments ago, and the cap had not yet been secured, causing a significant amount to spill out. Only the bottom of the bottle remained filled with the blood of the Demon-faced Monkey Spirit, and she was uncertain whether the remaining quantity would suffice

He seemed to nod reluctantly, slowly twisting open the bottle cap to take a sip

The three of them walked in that direction, and Marcus suddenly yanked the rope, causing Gaia to stumble and awkwardly follow along.

Gaia's body continued to swell—now, his size had reached five to six times that of a normal state, becoming a corpulent figure over two meters tall. His bones and internal organs had been torn apart, and his blood vessels and muscles had blurred into a mass. Gaia had now become quiet, as he could no longer control his body and could not make a sound, silently enduring his own suffering

"Kid," Locke stepped forward, flicking his sword. Before Gaia could react, it was already pointed at his throat: "If you drink, there might still be a glimmer of hope for survival. If you don't drink, you will die right now!"

The three individuals immediately unfastened their bundles and took out small iron shovels to begin digging into the ground

Gaia did not dare to be negligent, gripping the long sword with both hands, fully unleashing his martial spirit. With a loud clang, the surrounding white snow suddenly scattered to the sides. A buzzing sound filled Gaia's ears as he staggered back seven or eight steps, ultimately sitting down on the ground. The originally small wound was torn open, and blood flowed profusely

The assailant stood before Gaia, snorted, and used the dagger in hand like a whip, striking down with force: "Bastard, you actually injured Marcus. If you weren't still useful, I would have killed you right now..."

The last robust man stood resolutely in the snow, holding a sword in one hand. Gaia couldn't help but squint: the shattered patterned steel longsword that Arundor had repaired was unmistakably gripped in the hand of this strong man

Marquis gestured to the two and said, "Do you see those rocks over there? Choose that spot."

He was once again reminded of the memory from his previous life on that snowy night: it seemed that the final outcome was also being robbed by a group of drunken little rascals. In that life, the only girl who remained loyal to him... left on the very night she heard his confession

Gaia felt a chill in her heart: Could it be that they intend to kill her here?

Gaia looked at the bottle beneath her feet and asked, "What is this?"

The dagger of Locke was pressed against Gaia's neck. Turning around, he unexpectedly looked at the strong man, and Maloka sheathed his weapon: "Have you forgotten why we captured him?" Locke glanced at Gaia on the ground, grunted, and pushed him away, indignantly sheathing his dagger.

A distant howl of a wolf echoed, and Gaia knew that his time was running out. He did not futilely attempt to untie the rope around his neck, for he understood that the knots tied by adventurers like Marcus were impossible for a fourteen-year-old boy, unarmed and empty-handed, to unravel.

Mallorca's heart is sinking deeper and deeper, in the snow cave, his complexion is not good. It is already futile to rush out now; all that can be done is to remain temporarily inactive, hoping for a miracle to occur

Heaven is fair; to gain strength, one must undergo diligent practice and hard work. If one desires quick success, one must endure pains that others have not experienced, as exemplified by Gaia in these two instances

Moreover, the blood of the Demon Face Monkey Spirit has a strong paralyzing effect on the Snowback Wild Wolf, causing its strength to drop by one level, reducing it to a third-tier high-level magical beast

Gaia's fingers were somewhat numb from the cold, red as if they were little carrots. However, at this moment, his hands were remarkably dexterous, each movement flowing smoothly without a hint of hesitation. After drawing the blood, Gaia flicked the syringe, with the needle pointing upwards, expelling the air inside. Then, with a twist of his wrist, he deftly inserted it into his own vein.

Gaia sat on the snow-covered ground, watching the three individuals busily at work. The soil of the frozen wasteland was as hard as iron, but under the hands of the three level warriors, three large pits were quickly dug out

Lock grabbed him by the hair and forcefully pulled him up, gritting his teeth and saying: "Kid, do you really think you have even the slightest hope of surviving? Stop dreaming; I will definitely feed you to the snow-backed feral wolves! Offending Lord Lock, do you think you still have a way out? Hahaha!"

When a living person digests and absorbs the blood of this magical monkey spirit, their body will emit a special scent that is difficult for humans to detect. However, this scent is an irresistible temptation for the snow-backed feral wolf, and it will surely take the bait

What puzzled Gaia was that these individuals, who clearly captured themselves to claim a reward, did not head south but instead continued northward

"I drank it," said Maloka. Gaia was taken aback, and Maloka looked at him coldly. With a flick of his finger, the long sword unsheathed with a clang. The flow of fighting spirit was palpable, and the threat was unmistakable

Clearly, the hint of mockery in Gaia's eyes infuriated the burly man. With a flick of his wrist, the light glinting off the sword blade flashed past Gaia's eyes. In the brief moment Gaia squinted, the burly man was already in front of him

The Gaia's thoughts revolve: The Demon Mask Monkey Spirit is a magical beast with a high level of magical talent, perhaps...

Gaia no longer has the strength to think; the body is continuously reorganizing, with brand new muscles and blood vessels emerging, incorporating the advantages of the new magical energy medium, making it even more perfect than before

Amidst the vast falling snow, Gaia turned back to glance at Roy, who lay motionless in the snow, and helplessly continued on her way

The long sword in Gaia's hand unexpectedly shattered, with fragments flying everywhere. Gaia dodged the debris and was about to take the opportunity to pounce, when the burly man suddenly let out a loud roar. His fighting spirit erupted violently, sending a wave of azure energy that knocked all the fragments away, while also sending Gaia flying out.

Locke's stiletto is not an ordinary weapon; it is not found in the town of Greenland. Therefore, they slightly shifted westward and arrived at the town of Modo. Maloka stayed outside the town to guard Gaia, while two companions whose weapons had been destroyed entered the town. Before long, they emerged with new weapons and supplies.