Chapter 8: Secrets of the Dragon Valley

Everything was a blank, white void, with nothing to be seen and nothing to be felt. This place seemed like hell, yet lacked the fabled cold; it also resembled heaven, but no beautiful flowers appeared.

Where is this? Where exactly am I? Mels, who felt as if he were lost in clouds and mist, silently asked himself. Unfortunately, no one could answer his question.

Unable to feel his body or grasp his surroundings, Mels only knew that at this moment, he seemed to be floating in the air, drifting above the clouds and mist like a specter.

"Here, over here!" A call suddenly came from within the distant mist.

"Who are you? Are you calling me?" Mels gazed around blankly, searching for any possible figure nearby. Yet no matter how hard he searched, he found nothing.

"Boss, hehe... it's me! Here, come here!" The familiar voice echoed again, speaking directly to his mind.

"Little One? Is that you, Little One?" Mels suddenly pinpointed the direction from which the voice came.

"Yes, boss, I'm here. Come over!" Urged by Little One, Mels struggled to float forward. The clouds and mist gradually dispersed, revealing a vast grassland before Mels's eyes. A profusion of exotic flora, blue skies and white clouds—a world like a fairyland spread out before him.

"Is this heaven? Am I already dead?" Gazing at the wondrous world spread out before him, Mels asked himself.

"Boss, this isn't heaven. This is the world before humans appeared! Long ago, before gods and humans existed, this was a paradise. There was no war, no slaughter; the creatures existing in this world lived peacefully on this continent according to their different habits.

But one day, gods possessing immense power descended from the heavens in a massive ark! They regarded this place as a paradise, claiming everything here as their own. To create more living space for themselves, they cut down forests, filled in lakes, drove out the creatures originally living here from their homes, and seized all resources. The creatures were displaced, sorrowfully leaving this land that originally belonged to them. The seeds of hatred were planted then and there, slowly taking root."

Little One still hadn't materialized before Mels, but his voice continued to come. The surrounding environment gradually changed with Little One's voice: enormous metal objects glowing red streaked down from the sky, vast tracts of forest went up in flames, and creatures the likes of which Mels had never seen scattered in panic. The world turned from paradise into hell! "Why did the gods do this? Isn't everything in this world created by the gods?" Mels asked in confusion.

However, Little One didn't answer his question, only continuing: "The appearance of the gods disrupted the world's peace and also led to the creatures' rapid evolution. Many different creatures evolved into distinct races in the altered world, and these races united to attack the gods! The war was long and brutal, spanning millennia; both sides paid a heavy price. Yet ultimately, the gods emerged victorious, and the creatures were once again driven from fertile lands into the desolate west!

Perhaps the cruelty of the war made the gods realize they weren't yet powerful enough to control the entire continent. So, to preserve their strength, the gods chose to leave the continent, setting off for a new land across the sea, where they built a new civilization!

Not long after, humans appeared on the continent, carrying on the work the gods had left behind. Although humans were not as eager as the gods to seize control of the continent, the evolved creatures still wouldn't tolerate humans living on their land, so war broke out again. This time, humans gave those creatures a name—the Demon race!

A battle for survival between humans and the Demon race raged for centuries. With the help of the gods, relying on powerful magic and unfathomable ancient technology, humans ultimately defeated the Demon race. However, as humans celebrated their victory, the gods grew fearful that the diligent and intelligent humans, once they acquired advanced technology, might threaten the gods' existence. Therefore, they used the 'Sword of the Gods' to destroy everything on the continent related to technology, forcibly rolling back human civilization."

Accompanied by Little One's voice, images flashed before Mels's eyes, seemingly narrating the evolution of the continent to him.

"What happened next? What happened afterward?" The story, like a fairy tale, had Mels spellbound.

But just then, he heard someone calling his name: "Boss, boss!"

The world before his eyes suddenly vanished, and he could no longer see any scenery around him. No matter how Mels called out, Little One made no further sound. Just as Mels was completely disoriented, a blinding light suddenly appeared before his eyes. In this radiance, his mind gradually cleared.

"Boss, boss!" Sol sat by the sickbed, excitedly shouting: "Boss is awake! Come quickly, everyone!"

"Sol... Sol, where is this? What happened to me?" As Mels gradually opened his eyes, Rek, Akafir, and the others quickly gathered around his sickbed, staring at Mels with excited, emotional eyes.

"Boss, you're awake! That's really great, you scared us to death!" Sol said to Mels. Then he spoke again: "Boss, don't worry, this is the Imperial Medical Center. You were injured by Marandi's poison during the match. Fortunately, Uncle Xiulan treated you with Qi energy and rare medicinal herbs, otherwise..." he trailed off, choking up.

"So that's what happened," Mels murmured to himself. Soon, he seemed to recall the events in the arena and suddenly understood: "Right, that guy Marandi was so despicable, injuring me with a poisoned hidden weapon! What happened to that guy? Did I defeat him?"

"Hehe... Not only did you defeat him, but your final move almost destroyed half the arena center! If I hadn't intercepted that move of yours at the time, even if we saved you now, you'd probably be arrested and executed!" Just as Mels asked, Xiu Lante suddenly walked into the room with a smile.

Upon seeing Xiu Lante's arrival, the youths stepped forward to greet and thank him, all deeply grateful for his rescue of Mels. Then, Xiu Lante explained everything that had happened that day to the now clear-minded Mels.

It turned out that on that day, after being poisoned, Mels unleashed his Qi energy with full force, utterly obliterating Marandi. However, the rampant Qi energy could not be controlled and directly charged toward the spectator stands behind Marandi. Xiu Lante, of course, knew that if struck by Mels's Qi energy, the hundreds of spectators in those stands would surely be killed or grievously injured. Therefore, despite his own injured left arm, he used his own Qi energy to forcefully block Mels's attack, not only saving the lives of thousands of spectators present but also saving Mels from a death sentence for causing mass casualties!

After hearing Xiu Lante's brief account, Mels, as the person involved, was naturally immensely grateful. However, Mels noticed that although Xiu Lante appeared very happy on the surface, there was a faint trace of worry between his brows. Mels was sharp; he knew that Xiu Lante making a point to visit him likely wasn't just for a simple visit. Mels asked: "Uncle Xiulan, do you have something to tell us today?"

"Well..." Hearing Mels's words, Xiu Lante suddenly hesitated. He slowly stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, walked to the window, and said helplessly: "Actually, today I do have very important matters to discuss with you. One is good news, and the other is bad news!"

"What exactly is it? Uncle, just tell us directly!" Rek seemed to sense that the atmosphere was somewhat different and spoke up.

"Sigh... Let's start with the good news. After hearing about your outstanding performance, His Majesty the Emperor has announced that all five of you are directly appointed as Probationary Knights! However, the proposer of this matter was the Right Prime Minister, who has long been at odds with the Duke! At first, I thought he wanted to win you over, but I never imagined his motives were utterly sinister!" Xiu Lante said, clenching his fists in anger.

"What exactly happened? Isn't it good for us to directly become Probationary Knights?" Mels asked in confusion. "Yes, you becoming Probationary Knights was indeed my goal. However, the final outcome differs greatly from my expectations. According to past practice, Probationary Knights would remain in the capital, first entering the Knight Academy as trainees to learn various knowledge and martial arts. But based on the empire's conventions, outstanding Probationary Knights would also be required to complete tasks that safeguard the empire's interests, accumulating military achievements for rapid promotion to full knights in the future.

After the Right Prime Minister recommended you to become Probationary Knights, the Left Prime Minister, who is in cahoots with him, immediately advised the Emperor, arguing that promoting you exceptionally would cause discontent in the court and among the people. The Right Prime Minister then went along with this, proposing that you be assigned a mission. As long as you successfully complete the task, naturally no one would dare to voice opposition anymore.

Under the circumstances, the Duke and I were in no position to object. In the end, the Emperor actually followed their suggestion, ordering that after your recovery, you immediately head to the western border to eliminate the magical beasts infesting Dragon Valley, in order to stabilize the western border!" Xiu Lante said to Mels with a grave expression.

"So that's all it is! As long as the boss recovers, the five of us can handle it; we can defeat any magical beast! Uncle, don't worry. Once we complete the mission, those old fellows won't have anything to say, right?" Sol said nonchalantly.

After hearing Sol's words, Xiu Lante shook his head and said: "Sigh, you have no idea how dangerous this is. Since magical beasts appeared in Dragon Valley five years ago, the empire has dispatched forces several times to exterminate them, ranging from a hundred cavalrymen to last year's twenty members of the Imperial Guards Knights. The combat strength deployed has escalated layer by layer!

Originally, with the capabilities of twenty Imperial Guards Knights members, even a thousand-strong bandit group could be easily wiped out. But not a single knight survived! We don't even know how many magical beasts are in Dragon Valley. Precisely because the empire didn't want to sacrifice more strength in vain, no troops have been sent this year until now... In short, this mission is exceptionally perilous. Sigh, it seems I really shouldn't have brought you back to the capital. Here is a deposit slip for thirty thousand gold coins. In the next few days, secretly withdraw all the money, then find an opportunity to flee the capital!" Xiu Lante took out a deposit slip and handed it to Mels.

From his actions, Xiu Lante had already concluded that Mels and the others couldn't possibly complete the mission and return alive, hence his suggestion that the youths leave the capital early to avoid becoming casualties in the empire's internal power struggles.

Looking at the deposit slip in Xiu Lante's hand, Mels smiled slightly, pushed it away, and said: "Uncle, don't you believe in our abilities? We didn't come here with you for money, nor to become knights. We only want to find the mastermind behind the destruction of Blue Whirlwind! For that purpose, we're willing to face any danger, let alone exterminating magical beasts, which also benefits the people! Don't worry, we will definitely complete the mission and not let you and the Duke down!"

Mels's words immediately gained agreement from Sol and the others. Bagina was even more confident, certain she could beat the magical beasts to a pulp. Looking at these fledglings, Xiu Lante could only shake his head with a worried expression.

Seven days later, after being received by Emperor Raelks, the five of them, carrying the emperor's orders and escorted by Xiu Lante, left the capital of the Relkes Empire and headed toward the western border. According to Xiu Lante's instructions, after leaving the capital, they would travel west for about a month and a half, then enter the westernmost "Maxilai Province," from where they would head north into Dragon Valley.

The so-called Dragon Valley doesn't actually have dragons. Although there are many legends about dragons on the continent, no one has ever seen one. People only depicted the image of dragons based on ancient myths and their own imaginations, even considering dragons the most powerful creatures on the continent, almost as inviolable as gods. As for Dragon Valley, it got its name because its geographical shape closely resembles that of a dragon.

With matters on their minds and full of confidence, Mels and the others were eager to complete the mission quickly and return to the capital to begin their search for the mastermind. Therefore, they tried to speed up their journey as much as possible. After forty days, they had already entered Maxilai Province. Following Xiu Lante's advice, they first planned to go to the Maxilai Governor's Mansion, hoping to receive assistance from the local governor!

"Boss, is this really the capital of Maxilai? Why is it so desolate?" Walking on the streets of the Maxilai capital, Sol looked at the lifeless surroundings and couldn't help but ask curiously.

The Relkes Empire is the wealthiest empire on the continent. None of the thirty-seven provinces under the empire are not prosperous and affluent. Yet the capital of Maxilai Province was an exception. Although there were nearly a hundred shops on both sides of the wide streets, only a few were open for business. Some shop signs hanging were already covered in cobwebs, swaying helplessly in the cold wind.

Pedestrians hurried along the streets, purchasing only daily necessities. The open shops had pitifully few customers, with most clerks dozing off at the counter.

Now Probationary Knights, dressed splendidly, Mels and the others wandered the streets while observing their surroundings. The desolate scene puzzled them, but they also vaguely sensed that this desolation was related to their current mission.

"I don't know what happened here either. It's still early; let's go have lunch first, then visit the Governor's Mansion in the afternoon to ask what's going on," Mels turned slightly and said to Sol and the others. His suggestion was naturally not opposed, so they headed toward the only restaurant on the commercial street, "Yunlai Inn."

Arriving at the restaurant entrance, Mels looked up. The restaurant had three floors. Two huge welcoming pillars at the entrance were uniformly thick, carved with dragons and phoenixes. The left one read, "Clouds and rain gather as esteemed guests arrive," and the right one, "Land and sea delicacies presented for a satisfied return." Clearly, although somewhat old, this restaurant was decorated with care, making it obvious it must have been glorious in its day. However, upon entering, the scene remained desolate, with no customers dining inside.

With their stomachs already empty, Mels and the others didn't mind. After casually choosing a table and sitting down, they called out loudly: "Waiter, what food do you have? Just bring whatever can be served quickly!"

However, after hearing them, the young waiter looked troubled and said: "Young masters, we don't have much edible food here, only some flour and sweet potatoes. I'm afraid..."

"Huh? Such a big establishment, and you only have flour and sweet potatoes? Are you afraid we can't pay?" Sol said discontentedly.

"No, no!" Hearing Sol's words, the waiter hurriedly explained: "You young masters clearly look like wealthy youths; how could I think that! It's just that ever since magical beasts appeared in Dragon Valley three years ago, traveling merchants have been attacked by them multiple times. The imperial court's extermination efforts haven't succeeded, so merchants got scared and rarely come here anymore. Therefore, we now even have problems with basic food supplies, let alone having anything good to serve you!"

"So that's it! Shouldn't those magical beasts be in Dragon Valley? Dragon Valley is over a hundred kilometers from here, and this is the provincial capital. Why is even this place affected?" Mels nodded, then asked in confusion.

"Sigh, young master, you don't know. Although those magical beasts aren't numerous, they can all fly. They don't cause trouble every day, but whenever large merchant caravans pass by, they come out to attack! Precisely because this is the provincial capital and far from Dragon Valley, we can barely have some food. If you go further north, it's completely desolate and uninhabited!" the waiter said.

"Hmm." Mels nodded thoughtfully, then said: "Never mind, just bring whatever edible food you have."

Watching the waiter leave, Mels beckoned to the others and said: "It seems these magical beasts are really formidable, no wonder Uncle was so worried! Later, after we go to the Governor's Mansion, we must first ask about the habits of these magical beasts to avoid any accidents!"

"Yeah, what the boss says makes sense! But I find it strange: why did these magical beasts suddenly appear in Dragon Valley?" Sol first nodded in agreement. Hearing his words, everyone fell silent, seemingly pondering the reason for the magical beasts' appearance.

"Hey, do you think it might be because some treasure appeared?" Bagina suddenly said loudly.

"Treasure?" Everyone was puzzled by Bagina's words, turning to her with confused looks and asking in unison.

"Honestly, you're all such dimwits! Think about it—you know how snakes and toads always guard places with treasures, right? Once the treasure appears, they claim it for themselves!" Bagina said with an air of authority.

"Hmm, that's possible too! Ah well, we'll find out what's going on when we ask at the governor's mansion after eating," Mels replied.

Afterward, they wolfed down some food and made a beeline for the governor's mansion.

The governor's mansion of the Mahilai Province was located in the northern part of the capital. Xiu Lante had instructed Mels and the others to seek out the governor precisely because Governor Park, who managed the region, was a longtime friend of Xiu Lante's. In the Relkes Empire, the highest-ranking official of a province was called the governor, assisted by two generals—one chief and one deputy—and five civil officials. Most provincial affairs were managed by them.

The governor had direct control over troop movements and major policy changes, making his power in the Relkes Empire tantamount to that of a local emperor. Therefore, Xiu Lante believed that with Park's assistance, Mels and the others would have a better chance of completing their mission, which was why he had repeatedly urged Mels to seek out Park first.

Thanks to their status as Probationary Knights and Xiu Lante's letter, Mels and the others were quickly seated in the main hall of the governor's mansion, waiting for Governor Park to appear. Although they hadn't met Governor Park yet, the simple decorations in the mansion told them that he was likely an honest and upright official.

The tables and chairs in the main hall were simple, store-bought furniture, and the doors and windows, though old, were spotless. The servants in the governor's mansion were amiable and refined in speech, showing none of the arrogance typical of high-ranking households. The only expensive decorations in the entire hall were the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, suggesting that Park was likely a scholar who had risen to the position of governor through his achievements.

Before long, accompanied by two guards, Governor Park, a man around forty years old, tall and dignified with black hair and a black beard, wearing scholarly robes, emerged from the inner hall with a smile and entered the main hall.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!" Mels stood up with the others to greet him as Park arrived.

"Good, good. You are the newly appointed Probationary Knights. Lord Xiu Lante has explained everything clearly in his letter. I am committed to helping you young talents complete the task assigned by His Majesty the Emperor!" Park said with a smile as soon as he entered the hall.

"Since Lord Xiu Lante has already informed you of our purpose, we'd be grateful for your help! We would like to know when these magical beasts first appeared, approximately how many there are, and what their habits are," Mels asked.

"Heh... No need to rush. Now that you're here, I will certainly tell you everything about the magical beasts. Please, have a seat, and let me explain slowly," Park said, gesturing for everyone to sit down. "Originally, there were no magical beasts in Mahilai Province. Although this is a border province, its thriving ginseng trade kept commerce booming, and the residents here enjoyed comfortable, happy lives.

However, since June three years ago, when merchants coming here to purchase ginseng were attacked by magical beasts, the province's reputation has suffered greatly. Many merchants, fearing attacks, no longer dare to enter the province. As for the magical beasts, their arrival is quite strange. Dragon Valley doesn't seem like a place where magical beasts would appear—it's dry, with few animals in the valley, and it doesn't produce ginseng. Yet, the magical beasts have taken a liking to it as their den.

I have sent people to investigate Dragon Valley many times before, but due to heavy casualties and limited information, I stopped sending scouts after His Majesty decreed a temporary halt to attacks on the magical beasts. However, based on the information brought back by earlier scouts, there are about a hundred giant magical beasts in Dragon Valley, with griffins making up the majority. When these beasts are hungry, they fly hundreds of kilometers to attack merchant caravans or towns. Once they're full, they quickly return to Dragon Valley to rest.

What's even stranger is that occasionally, smaller magical beasts entering Dragon Valley will actively attack these larger ones! Perhaps you, living in the capital, are unaware of the habits of magical beasts, but based on my years of experience guarding the border, it's rare for magical beasts to fight among themselves! Currently, the magical beasts in Dragon Valley seem less like they're living there and more like something in the valley is attracting them, or they are being commanded to guard Dragon Valley!"

After hearing Park's words, Mels and the others exchanged glances. Mels said, "Actually, before we came here, we had also speculated about the sudden appearance of magical beasts. Now, hearing your words, it aligns perfectly with our guesses! Could there really be some rare treasure in Dragon Valley? Do you have any insights into this, Governor?"

"This..." Park's expression changed slightly. He stood up, took a few steps forward, and ordered all the servants to leave before saying, "Since you are Lord Xiu Lante's trusted associates, I will tell you. In truth, there is no precious item in Dragon Valley. When I took office here thirteen years ago, I heard from the previous governor that there is a secret of great importance in Dragon Valley, and he had personally witnessed a golden Flying Dragon appearing there!

At first, I believed him and searched Dragon Valley many times, hoping to find traces of treasure or the golden Flying Dragon. But after years of fruitless efforts, I dismissed it as a tall tale and gradually forgot about it. However, thinking about it now, there might indeed be something in Dragon Valley, and those magical beasts might have been drawn here because of it!"

After hearing Park's words, Mels and the others looked at each other. Although Park hadn't confirmed his theory, it at least validated that their earlier speculations weren't entirely wrong. For these young men, the allure of treasure far outweighed the potential dangers, making what had been a dull mission increasingly interesting.

"I see. Thank you for sharing all this with us today. It's getting late, so we'll take our leave now!" Seeing that he couldn't learn anything more from Governor Park, Mels stood up and gave a fist-and-palm salute. "Haha... Assisting you is part of my duty. Although you are tasked by His Majesty the Emperor, it's already late, and Dragon Valley is still over a hundred kilometers away. Why not stay at my residence tonight and set off at dawn tomorrow?" Governor Park suggested, seeing that Mels and the others were about to leave.

Hearing Park's words and seeing how travel-weary they all were, Mels didn't object and decided to stay at the governor's mansion for the night.

After enjoying Governor Park's warm hospitality and a rare night of peace, Mels and the others left the governor's mansion early the next morning, heading toward Dragon Valley, about 120 kilometers northwest of the Mahilai Province capital. Due to the long distance, Mels decided to take three days to reach Dragon Valley. Although this would be slower, it would allow them ample rest time to stay in top fighting shape for any potential encounters with magical beasts.

However, even though Mels had made thorough preparations, he never expected that they would be attacked by magical beasts on the very first day after leaving Mahilai Province, casting a shadow over their mission to eliminate the beasts.

At dusk that day, after a day of travel, Mels decided to stop and find a sheltered spot to spend the night. After searching, they finally settled on a campsite in a low thicket, backed by a hill and with a small stream nearby.

After setting up their simple tents and gathering plenty of firewood, Mels and Rek, who were in charge of dinner, returned with a small deer. Since they had been surviving on dry rations along the way, Mels always tried his luck hunting small animals whenever they camped in the woods. Although he wasn't always successful, it often provided a welcome change of pace.

"Wow! Boss, you're really lucky today—you actually caught a deer!" Sol exclaimed, drooling at the sight of the prey in Mels' hands.

"Hehe, I think you're the lucky one, aren't you? You get to feast again!" Mels said with a smile.

"Hehe, everyone gets a share, everyone gets a share! Hey, Akafir, let's go gather more branches. This firewood won't be enough to roast the deer," Sol said with a dry laugh before leaving the campsite with Akafir to collect more firewood.

"Ah!" Just as the two had left and Mels was about to prepare the prey, Sol's startled cry suddenly came from the bushes. Hearing Sol's cry, Mels moved like the wind, immediately dropping the prey and rushing toward the thicket. Bagina and Rek, following closely behind, drew their swords and followed Mels.

"Sol, Akafir, where are you!" Unable to pinpoint Sol's exact direction, Mels anxiously shouted into the surroundings. However, the dim thicket remained eerily silent, with no sign of Sol or Akafir.

"Boss, Sol's cry didn't sound like a joke. They might really be in trouble!" Rek said.

"Yeah, Sol likes to joke around, but he wouldn't mess with us like this. Let's split up. You and Bagina search to the left, and I'll go right. Shout as soon as you find them!" Mels quickly instructed Rek before heading off on his own.

It was already past dusk. While the plains were still somewhat bright, the thicket was shrouded in darkness. Though anxious about Sol and Akafir's safety, Mels didn't dare act recklessly. Moreover, the deeper parts of the thicket were overgrown with thorns, and careless movement could easily tear his clothes. Thus, Mels had to slow down and search carefully.

The deeper he went, the more uneasy Mels became. Sol's cry should have been close to their campsite, but after searching for over ten minutes in the thicket, he hadn't even seen a trace of the two. He couldn't help but entertain ominous thoughts. However, despite his doubts, for the sake of Sol and Akafir's safety, Mels pressed on, hoping to find some clue they might have left behind.

His efforts were finally rewarded. Just as Mels cut through the thorns and began to emerge from the thicket, a massive figure came into view. The forest was dim, and Mels couldn't make out the details clearly at first. He quickened his pace, but as he approached the giant figure, he couldn't help but gasp in shock.

In a slightly open grassy area in the center of the thicket, a giant griffin stood over five meters tall. Its body was earth-yellow, with a lion's head, a bull-like body, a long snake-like tail, and eagle-like claws. Its back bore a pair of blue-feathered wings. The griffin was lowering its head, preparing to feast.

Steadying himself, Mels squinted in the dim light and was horrified to see that the griffin's intended meal was none other than his missing companions! Sol and Akafir had likely been attacked by the griffin and were lying unconscious on the ground, with the giant beast about to make a meal of them.

Seeing the dire situation, Mels ignored the griffin's threat and hurled his sword at the beast with all his might, shouting, "Don't harm my brothers, you monster! Prepare to die!" Then, moving with his intent, he lunged at the monster like a bat taking flight.

Griffins were among the most powerful magical beasts. Their eagle claws and lion jaws posed a significant threat to enemies, and adult griffins could exhale a gas that induced unconsciousness. For this reason, even seasoned bounty hunters avoided confronting them.

It seemed Sol and Akafir had fallen victim to the griffin's hypnotic gas, which was why they had been captured without putting up a fight. If not for the griffin's preference for eating in a safe place, Mels might have found only their bones by now.

However, no matter how dangerous the griffin was, Mels was willing to risk everything to save his brothers. When his sword flew toward the griffin, the unprepared beast was struck. Unfortunately, Mels' throw lacked sufficient force, and the griffin's skin was as tough as steel. The sword merely grazed its skin before falling weakly to the ground. Though the sword didn't injure the griffin, it enraged the fearsome monster. It abandoned its meal and angrily turned to find its attacker. At that moment, Mels, still in mid-air, gathered his strength. Raising his left hand, he shouted, "Little One, restrain it!" In a flash of light, Little One flew out, while Mels swung his right fist, channeling all his condensed Qi energy like a raging wave toward the griffin's head.

The formidable monster clearly hadn't expected a mere human to dare attack it head-on. It swatted Mels' Qi energy away with its left forelimb as if batting a balloon, then angrily opened its maw and lunged at Little One.

Unfortunately, the griffin underestimated Little One's abilities! Since Little One's synchronization rate with Mels had increased, its power was far greater than before. Capable of freely using its strength, Little One deftly dodged the griffin's gaping maw with agile aerial maneuvers. Then, with a light exhale from its dragon-like mouth, a stream of green acidic liquid shot toward the griffin.

Perhaps due to its innate magical beast instincts, the griffin seemed to sense the danger of Little One's acid. It abandoned its playful demeanor and immediately flapped its massive wings, creating a strong gust of wind that blew the acid aside.

Seeing that neither his attack nor Little One's acid could subdue the griffin, Mels steeled himself and shouted to Little One, "Little One, keep it busy! Buy me some time!" Without waiting to see if Little One could manage, Mels stood perfectly still, seemingly gathering energy to unleash a technique from the True Nameless Divine Style.

Little One, sharing a mental connection with Mels, understood his intentions perfectly. Moreover, even if Little One didn't want to engage the griffin, the beast had already identified it as the primary threat. Thus, the two flying monsters—one large, one small—began chasing each other through the air, leaving Mels unattended on the ground.

In truth, Little One's abilities extended far beyond acid spray. However, Little One knew that griffins were unique magical beasts, largely immune to all elemental magic. Even if Little One used energy-intensive attacks like "Magic Bullets," they would be little more than a minor annoyance to the griffin. That's why Little One focused on evasion, hoping Mels could deliver a decisive blow with a powerful True Nameless Divine Style technique at the critical moment.

Little One's efforts paid off. Without any interference, Mels quickly entered the final stage of activating the True Nameless Divine Style. For Mels, unleashing such a technique was still quite taxing. Although he was born with Qi energy others lacked, his age and skill level meant that using such a technique placed a significant burden on his body. That's why he needed time to gather energy, reducing the strain and allowing him to unleash his full power.

Even so, the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes had warned Mels never to use the True Nameless Divine Style with Qi energy too frequently, or it would lead to irreversible consequences. Since leaving the Seven Immortals, Mels had only used it once—against Xiu Lante. This was partly due to his limited skill and partly because of the Seven Immortals' teachings. But today, for Sol's safety, he was willing to die if necessary, let alone use a forbidden technique.

"Boss, I can't hold on any longer!" Little One cried out after being struck again by the griffin's eagle claws, its body now covered in wounds. At that very moment, Mels reached the final stage. A powerful whirlwind of Qi energy began to swirl around him, growing in intensity.