Chapter 54: Relics of the Ancients

In this cold early spring, the foliage on each red tree remained exuberantly lush, their crimson hues so intoxicating that passing through them felt akin to wandering within a world forged of fire.

Rowland had traveled for more than ten miles through the red forest, and the towering red trees around him gradually grew sparse. Through the gaps in the woods, he could see, in the distance, a low verdant hill standing out strikingly amidst the sea of red.

“The ruins of the ancients are within that little green hill ahead,” said Kuss. Ever since he’d caught sight of the red woods, he had not returned to his abode of white stone. He resembled an old man lost in memories, reminiscing about a place from his youth that had left a deep impression upon him. He continued to survey the long-absent surroundings, and upon seeing the green hill, he spoke to Rowland.

Rowland exhaled deeply, his spirits ablaze with excitement. From the moment he’d first heard Kuss speak of this place, it had engraved itself upon his memory, for here lay the means to cure his younger brother’s crippled legs. Over the past two years, Rowland had trained relentlessly, striving to reach the rank of a third-level mage and come to this place as soon as possible. He had never imagined the day would finally arrive.

Steadying his emotions, Rowland called out to Blackie and raced swiftly toward the green hill.

Bang! Bang! Suddenly, as Rowland drew near the hill, a series of muffled thuds sounded from ahead. Rowland and his donkey slowed their pace and advanced cautiously, seeking out a tall, protruding stone as cover, then peered quietly ahead.

Not far away stood a black bear nearly two meters tall, its back turned toward them. It was holding a stone the size of a human head, then bending backward before hurling it forward with its massive paws. The stone whistled through the air, striking the hillside with a dull thud. The bear then picked up another stone from the ground and threw it again.

Rowland breathed out, observing the bear’s movements. It was clearly a third-level magical beast, posing no threat to him. He could easily drive it away. Just as he signaled Blackie to move forward, two more black bears emerged from a cave at the foot of the hill.

These two bears were over three meters tall, their glossy black fur gleaming, and their eyes flashing with fierce light.

As the two robust bears approached, the stone-throwing “cub” put down its stone, nestled affectionately against them. Such a large creature displaying tender behavior was almost comical.

“These are both adult Mighty Bears, fifth-level magical beasts,” Kuss explained. “That cub is their child, still growing, so it’s only a third-level magical beast. When I came here a thousand years ago, I hadn’t seen them. Oh, and the cave they just emerged from is the entrance to the ancient ruins.”

Rowland broke out in a cold sweat. Had he rashly gone up to teach the cub a lesson, only to be discovered by the two adults, his fate would have been tragically grim.

Generally, magical beasts of the same rank are far stronger than human warriors or mages. Never mind two adult Mighty Bears of the fifth level—even a single one would be far beyond what Rowland, a third-level mage, could handle.

“What should I do?” Rowland wondered. “It seems this Mighty Bear family lives here year-round. If I try to enter the ruins, they’ll surely attack me, and I can’t defeat them. How am I supposed to get in?”

He was at a loss. He had overcome countless perils along the way, only to have such a dilemma arise just as he was about to enter the ancient ruins.

Kuss, seeing Rowland’s worried state, chuckled. “Boy, it’s just two fifth-level magical beasts. Why so troubled?”

Rowland glared. “Uncle Kuss, even one is more than I can handle, let alone two. And you’re not much help in your current state. If they insist on staying there, how will we get into the cave?”

“Boy, must you always use force to solve things? Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘When you have strength, use it; when you lack strength, use your wits’?” Kuss laughed at Rowland’s mounting frustration.

Rowland’s eyes widened. “Dear uncle, have you thought of something?”

“Hmph. Are your corpse wolves in the necromancer’s space just for decoration?” Kuss rolled his eyes.

“The necromancer’s space? Corpse wolves?” Rowland replied, “Even if I let them all out, it won’t help. Those are two fifth-level magical beasts! In no time, they’d wipe out all my wolves, and I probably wouldn’t even reach the hill before it was over.”

Kuss was speechless. “Boy, can’t you think beyond fighting? Let me remind you again: Mighty Bears are incredibly strong and well-defended, yes, but their brains aren’t too sharp. They’re the very definition of ‘big, dumb brutes’.”

“Big, dumb brutes…” Rowland muttered the phrase twice, and suddenly his eyes brightened. He slapped his forehead. “Ah, I really was stuck in a dead end!” Since entering the Maya Mountains, for a month and a half, Rowland had either been hunting magical beasts or fleeing from them, so his mind had been focused solely on combat. Now, thanks to Kuss’s reminder, his thoughts began to stir. Of course—if he couldn’t defeat them, he could lure them away. His goal was only to enter the cave and reach the ancient ruins. As long as the Mighty Bears didn’t block his path, it would be fine.

With this in mind, Rowland gave a slight wave of his arm, and two third-level Wind Wolves appeared before him. They swaggered toward the three Mighty Bears.

The Mighty Bear family was playing together when suddenly two intruders entered their territory. The largest Mighty Bear stood up and glared at the newcomers. Seeing they were just two third-level Wind Wolves, it growled angrily at them.

Among magical beasts, rank is strictly enforced. On a normal day, any low-ranking creature foolish enough to trespass would flee as soon as the Mighty Bear displayed its dominance. But today, these two grayish Wind Wolves not only refused to retreat—they strode boldly toward the bears.

The other adult bear and the cub also growled, warning the two intruders.

Yet the Wind Wolves acted as if they hadn’t heard, utterly ignoring the warnings. Worse still, they began circling the bears, occasionally turning around to wiggle their gray, bushy tails at them.

Such provocative behavior finally enraged the Mighty Bears. “Roar!” “Roar!” “Roar!” Three furious cries rang out almost simultaneously, and they lowered themselves, pouncing at the Wind Wolves.

Sensing danger, the Wind Wolves leapt away and ran into the distance. The infuriated bears chased after them, quickly running far off. Seeing that the wolves were swift, the bears eventually halted, roaring angrily after them, preparing to return.

But then, to their fury, the Wind Wolves turned around and launched two wind blades at them—a grave provocation among magical beasts, a direct challenge to their authority. The Mighty Bears were incensed; with another wild chase, it seemed they would not stop until they had torn the wolves apart.

“Uncle Kuss, your way is best!” Rowland clapped his hands and stepped out from behind the rock, striding confidently toward the cave. However, just as he and Blackie neared the entrance, he heard a buzzing sound.

Rowland turned and saw a swarm of fierce giant bees, each over an inch long, flying menacingly towards them. Nearly a hundred in all. Rowland’s heart skipped a beat, and he turned on his heels and fled!