Reaching the Edge of the Forest

The moment the four of them left the Central Spiritual Arts Academy, the long-brewing heavy rain finally poured down.

Raindrops cascaded from the sky like a waterfall, as if drawing a grand curtain for their journey.

Because they had plenty of time to prepare, Po Kong used his connection with Ivan to secure a comfortable carriage in advance. It only needed to be returned at the nearest official relay station to the Star-Song Forest.

Two sturdy Bicorns pulled the carriage. These tall creatures, with a pair of horns on their heads, possessed speed and endurance far beyond ordinary horses, making them one of the best choices for such long-distance travel.

Once the carriage smoothly entered the level main road, Moen cast a weakened version of Nature's Blessing on them.

This treatment neither consumed too much of her mana nor caused the horses any discomfort or tension; instead, it made their pace more vigorous and powerful.

Furthermore, with Moen, a Nature Priest, communicating with them, the horses knew exactly what to do without needing manual control, greatly simplifying the tedious operations of the journey.

The four of them could stay comfortably inside the carriage, which significantly enhanced the trip’s overall comfort.

The carriage sped through the rain like a beam of light cutting through the darkness. Its massive hooves thudded against the muddy ground, the rhythmic clatter interweaving with the sound of rain overhead to compose a stirring musical movement.

“I have to say, borrowing Ivan’s carriage was the right call. I didn’t know royal carriages were this comfortable,” Po Kong remarked, leaning back against the cushions and lazily watching the blurred scenery outside the window.

Despite the carriage’s impressive speed through the rain, the interior remained exceptionally steady, with almost no jolts. The slight vibration felt more like a gentle lullaby, making one feel drowsy and relaxed.

After carefully examining the carriage’s construction, Starlight couldn’t help but marvel, “There seems to be some kind of shock-absorbing magic formation engraved beneath the carriage. Creating such fine, small-scale formations must be expensive, not to mention the maintenance costs. For an average person, it would likely be an unbearable expense.”

He estimated that the production cost of the carriage alone could be over a thousand gold coins. Combined with the two fine horses, many people might not earn enough in a lifetime to afford it.

Hearing their conversation, Moen stood up with a smile and looked at the horses galloping in the rain.

“It looks like we’ll have to drive carefully, since our funds aren't exactly overflowing. If any minor accidents occur, maybe we can just use Po Kong’s identity to deal with it, since he’s the one who borrowed it,” she teased.

Po Kong caught the teasing in her voice and replied nonchalantly, “Little Crescent, saying that really hurts my feelings. But speaking of which, we’ve been out for quite a while and haven’t run into any trouble, have we? As for Little Shadow, you’ve been silent this whole way. That’s not like you at all.”

He turned his gaze toward Xia Duo. Since leaving the Central Spiritual Arts Academy, she had seemed preoccupied, silently staring at the rainy view outside as if troubled by something.

Even Po Kong’s teasing failed to rouse her spirit to fire back, something that would have been impossible under normal circumstances.

Xia Duo let out a soft sigh, her voice tinged with a hint of dejection. “Sigh, I’m just a bit anxious. Not only am I worried about the Crimson City-State, but the news we heard from the Dragon Race also makes me feel very uneasy.”

Hearing her sigh, the other three exchanged looks. They understood her concern, but in their current situation, excessive worrying wouldn't help.

Seeing this, Starlight quickly changed the subject to lighten the heavy atmosphere. “Alright, let’s not be so gloomy. Why don’t we eat something? It’s been several hours since we set out; it’s time to recharge.”

Ever since Po Kong discovered Starlight’s storage space, Starlight had become the group’s “walking storage chest.” Every time they returned from a city, Po Kong and Xia Duo would bring back a mountain of supplies and stuff it all into his storage space, regardless of whether it was useful.

Currently, there were virtually no mage-related items in Starlight’s storage space; it was packed with various foods and seasonings.

If other mages knew he was using his storage space as a food pantry, they would likely scold him for lacking the dignity and grace a mage should possess.

But Starlight didn’t care. He believed that the purpose of magic was to make life more convenient and comfortable.

Besides, being able to enjoy fresh and delicious food at any time was undoubtedly a blessing for them during their travels.

With that, Starlight began taking various delicacies out of the storage space one by one and set up a table.

Indeed... Starlight even had a full set of tables and chairs in his storage space, something other mages wouldn't even dream of.

Fortunately, the carriage was spacious enough to accommodate a small square table. Since most of the prepared ingredients were already cooked, the four of them were soon enjoying a sumptuous meal.

It had to be said that good food truly possessed the magic to relax people. After the meal, Xia Duo’s mood noticeably improved.

With her joining the conversation, the atmosphere in the carriage became lively once again.

Everything went exceptionally smoothly over the following period. With the help of the carriage, the four of them managed to cover over two thousand kilometers in just two days.

Finally, on the morning of the third day, they arrived at the relay station on the border of the Violet City-State. The dense forest was already visible at the edge of the horizon.

Even with Moen’s magical assistance, the two Bicorns were exhausted, panting heavily. Fine beads of sweat glistened on their coats under the morning light.

“Thank you for your help on this journey. You can rest well now,” Moen said softly, gently stroking their smooth fur before returning the carriage. The two Bicorns seemed to sense her care and obediently lowered their heads, letting her pet them.

Meanwhile, the relay station staff began carefully verifying their identities and the carriage's information.

“Sirs, just a few more kilometers and you’ll officially enter elven territory. The atmosphere at the border has been a bit subtle lately, so please be careful!” the staff member kindly warned. After all, using a royal carriage was enough to prove their high status.

Hearing this warning, Po Kong raised an eyebrow, thanked the staff member, and returned to his companions.

“A subtle atmosphere? If they’re using words like that... is something about to happen?” Starlight expressed his concern after hearing Po Kong’s report.

Po Kong rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment before replying, “It shouldn't come to a fight, right? After all, both races are still allies for now...” However, his tone carried a trace of uncertainty.

“I hope so...”

Starlight gazed at the forest ahead, which was faintly visible in the morning light. It seemed shrouded in a thin veil, both ethereal and mysterious, inspiring a sense of awe.