The beautiful mage was kidnapped by the contracted beast again

The night passed.

The heavy rain continued, but the intensity was gentler than last night's thunderstorm, no longer as sudden and violent as if it threatened to take someone's life. The bean-sized raindrops that had once clattered against the windows now made a rustling, almost musical, sound that became particularly soothing after listening for a while.

Miaomiao woke up to the sound of rain and sat at the head of the bed with a blank look in his eyes. He vaguely remembered that he had a dream, but he could not remember the specific content of the dream.

Without that trembling feeling of fear and cold sweat all over my body, it shouldn't be a nightmare, he thought.

After a few brief minutes, he recovered from the lingering effects of the dream. He got out of bed, ate, and then finished his usual magic training early. Strangely enough, today's practice seemed exceptionally smooth. Normally, after a night of training, one would experience a slight sluggishness, but today, there was no such feeling at all.

After finishing his work, he stared at the rain outside the window for a while. When he saw that the rain was getting lighter and lighter and seemed to be about to stop, he told his grandfather that he wanted to go out for a walk.

"It's too boring to stay in the house all the time. I want to go outside and take a look."

The grandfather remembered that his grandson had been in a bad mood last night and took back his original refusal.

He said, "Let Dahei follow you. You must come back within half an hour. Don't go too far."

Miaomiao nodded.

"Take your umbrella too."

Miaomiao nodded twice, grabbed the umbrella at the door, called Dahei and went out.

He wanted to go out for a walk not just to relax, but more importantly, he wanted to confirm whether Baidan was dead or alive.

If he had never had any contact with the egg, then knowing of its demise, Miaomiao might feel sentimental and regretful, but he would not be very sad.

But he had come into contact with the egg, even if it was only for a few minutes, and a real connection had formed between them. He could no longer treat it as just another living being.

The soil outside was soaked by the overnight rain, its soft cracks now filled with brown-black mud, leaving sunken holes with every step. Miaomiao took only a few steps before the clean soles of his shoes were stained with mud. He let out a short "Ah," a little annoyed at his carelessness. He hurriedly used the water element to wash the mud off his soles, then manipulated the wind element to wrap around his feet for thrust.

Two cyan balls of light, like pieces of paper unfolded by a god, spread evenly across the soles of his shoes. Because of their weak power, the light wasn't noticeable. From a distance, it looked like he was walking normally. Only from a very close distance could one see that a gap of wind magic separated his soles from the ground. It wasn't too high, nor too low, but simply allowed his body to remain in a light, floating state.

In this way, the drag of gravity can be reduced, and the movement speed can be much faster than normal walking. However, controlling the body balance is not a simple matter, especially when in motion. He must control the flow and distribution of magic power between his left and right feet. If he is not careful, he will lose his balance and fall to the ground.

Dahei flew slowly beside him, casually instructing him on the key to balance.

"Don't sway your body. Keep your eyes on the road ahead, and don't look down at your feet. Imagine yourself as a balance scale... The magic powers on the left and right are the two ends of the scale. Every movement adds weight to one side and removes weight from the other. Control the frequency of alternating movements so you don't fall..."

This principle applies not only to his current walking, but also to his future use of magic. Beginners are very rigid, only able to control their magic in a straight line to do one thing, such as gathering a water ball or blowing a gust of wind forward. If they are asked to add movement to the process of controlling magic, most novices will be flustered.

Miaomiao is concentrating. His time is precious and he doesn’t have much time to practice. He must succeed quickly!

He took a deep breath, calmed himself, stared straight ahead, and, overcoming the nervousness of the possibility of falling, he gently lifted his right foot and took a tentative step forward.

It was a strange feeling. He knew his feet weren't touching the ground, but rather a void. Yet, the upward wind supported his weight, making him feel as if he were standing on something solid. The wind's support wasn't as stable as the ground itself; it fluctuated in strength with the flow of magic within his body. All he had to do was control his breathing, adjust the flow of magic, and keep everything as stable as possible while controlling his other foot to step forward.

One step, two steps, he walked slowly, then faster and faster... Finally, he started running!

"I did it!"

He waved to Dahei in surprise.

"Amazing! Miaomiao is amazing!" Dahei praised. Success in one go was truly remarkable for a beginner.

Miaomiao was a little embarrassed: "I found that sense of balance, and then I kept adjusting the amount of magic power I released to keep my body in balance... But in order to better control it, I reduced the magic power I released. Although I won't fall, my speed has also become slower."

It is absolutely impossible for him to run a hundred meters in one breath like Grandpa Ajin and the others.

Miaomiao sighed in frustration.

"It's already very good." Dahei rubbed his cheek with his wings. "No one is born knowing how to run or fly. Miaomiao, don't be anxious, take it one step at a time."

As they were talking, the man and the bird had already passed by Crescent Lake.

The azure lake remained as clean and clear as ever, nestled in the forest like a giant, natural gem. The continuous rain had caused the lake's surface to rise significantly higher than usual, and the green moss that once grew along the muddy banks was now submerged in the clear blue water, like tiny gems encased in nectar.

The waters of Crescent Lake contain extremely pure magical energy. Even a small amount consumed regularly can fully exert the effects of a natural treasure, greatly benefiting cultivation. However, falling into the lake presents a completely different situation. The highly concentrated magical waters instantly envelop the mythical beast, then permeate its veins with magical energy. This is an extremely painful process, and the creature's meridians quickly collapse from the overwhelming magical energy. Vast wounds form within the body, which then heals due to the nourishing effects of the magical energy, but often the damage is minimal before it begins to drastically change again.

Back and forth, over and over again... until the speed of repair can no longer keep up with the speed of destruction, and the body's functions are completely destroyed, this torture-like process will end.

Dahei looked out and seemed a little regretful: "It seems that there are no unlucky people who fell into the water. Everyone has learned a lesson."

Miaomiao followed suit. The water was so clear that even the rocks at the bottom were clearly visible, giving the illusion of shallow depth. But in reality, it was probably more than fifty meters. Crescent Lake was devoid of any magical creatures, yet ordinary, non-magical creatures were unaffected. He saw many small, beautiful fish swimming through the swaying grass at the lake's bottom, then swung their golden-red tails and dove into the rocks, quickly disappearing.

He couldn't find any trace of the white egg in the lake. Of course, if it had really fallen in, Miaomiao wouldn't be able to find any remains after a night. Crescent Lake has always been so gentle and cruel to phantom beasts.

Miaomiao didn't think Baidan would be foolish enough to fall into the lake. Although it hadn't hatched, it had shown some intelligence when communicating with her. Spiritual creatures know how to seek benefits and avoid harm. In comparison, it was more likely to be eaten by other animals.

But if it was eaten, there would be some eggshells left.

With this thought in mind, Miaomiao carefully searched the surrounding woods again.

The rain was still falling, and the forest was very quiet. I wondered where the mythical beasts were hiding. Ever since I learned that the mythical beasts had the ability to mimic, Miaomiao could no longer easily look directly at those seemingly ordinary roadside plants. Who knew if their true appearance would be something strange?

He first searched the same patch of bushes where he had encountered the white egg the previous day. The egg was heavy, and even after a night, the bushes still bore the marks of its crushing impact—every tree in that patch had been broken. The withered, brown branches and leaves piled together in a chaotic mess, creating a desolate and dilapidated atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the surrounding landscape.

Miaomiao stopped in the clearing in front of the bushes, half-crouched down, and picked up a fallen green leaf. The leaf surface was shimmering with rain, but it couldn't hide the slightly yellow tint at the edge.

There was a hint of doubt in his expression.

"Big Black." He came back to his senses and called the black bird to his side, holding up the leaf for it to see. "This plant shouldn't wither naturally in this season, right?"

Dahei didn't recognize this ordinary tree, but he answered with certainty, "No."

"The trees by the lake only lose their leaves in winter; the rest of the time they are normally green."

Miaomiao looked around at the withered bushes again and put the leaves in her pocket, instinctively feeling that this was a clue.

He had a vague suspicion in his mind.

Still need to verify it. Miaomiao raised her head and looked into the depths of the forest.

Going into the forest without Grandpa's permission was not an option, but he was running out of time.

Grandpa only gave him half an hour, and including the journey back, he only had ten minutes left to explore freely.

He no longer hesitated, folded his umbrella and walked into the forest.

Dahei wanted to stop him, but paused when he saw the child's determined expression.

Never mind, it's just right here, nothing will happen.

As soon as we entered the forest, the light seemed to be swallowed by a monster and the vision suddenly became dim.

The towering treetops seamlessly connected, and fine, dense raindrops trickled down through the cracks between the branches, only to be swept aside by the gentle breeze before landing on Miaomiao. Invisible cyan wind elements enveloped his arms and neck, following him in a protective posture. Though clearly inanimate, they acted like a knight at the side of a princess.

"Thank you," Miaomiao said softly. These little elves of nature always helped him when he needed them, and accompanied him silently at other times.

He has no parents, no tribe, no companions, yet he never feels lonely. This is inseparable from his grandfather, Dahei, the mythical beasts, and the natural elements.

Regardless of whether they are human or not, whether they have real feelings or not, they all let Miaomiao experience the ubiquitous love.

He picked up the big black one that had followed him from the ground and continued to explore. The small figure nimbly shuttled between the bushes, his eyes searching carefully, but they fell on the ground.

Thinking back, the white egg had been special from the start. Miaomiao had lived in the forest for six years and had seen many phantom beast cubs, but none that could respond to his words from within their eggs. Normally, only phantom beasts of at least Rank Four could communicate with humans. Miaomiao didn't know what species it belonged to, to possess such power before it was even born.

And now, Miaomiao has new guesses about its identity.

He thought the white egg might have a similar ability to "plunder." It stayed in the bushes for a while and, in a strange way, deprived the plants there of their vitality.

Of course, it is also possible that some kind of mythical beast that attacked it possessed such ability, but the white egg was so huge and heavy that unless it was eaten on the spot or transported away with magic power, it would definitely leave traces when it was moved.

Miaomiao didn't think the fantasy beasts would choose a good table for dinner—they always ate right there, and even Ah Jin, who had reached the tenth level, had no intention of changing this habit. Only parents who needed to bring food for their cubs would "pack it up."

Holding onto a slim hope of fulfilling his guess, he changed directions several times before finally finding a patch of crushed grass in a secluded corner. It wasn't noticeable due to the lush vegetation surrounding it. He carefully examined the signs of crushing, and sure enough, the edges of the grass blades were also stained with withered yellow. Perhaps because he hadn't been there long, the yellow wasn't as pronounced as on the leaves of the bushes.

Miaomiao's eyes lit up, his guess might be correct!

"Big Black, help me keep an eye out for traces like this around here." He poked the bird's butt, signaling it to look at the blade of grass. Big Black shuddered at the poke of his finger, jumped out of his arms, cackled twice in embarrassment at the child, and reluctantly flapped his wings to fly higher.

The high-altitude view is much better than a child scratching the grass inch by inch. It quickly locked onto the direction: "This way."

It flew forward first, followed closely by Miaomiao.

Following the trail of plant life, they eventually arrived at a rock wall. It resembled a massive rock, split in two, with one half falling to the ground and accumulating over time to its present shape. It was dotted with over a dozen holes, large and small, all seemingly deep. The trail stopped in front of one of the holes, near the ground, which was also the widest.

By the time we got here, the scent of the egg was already very strong. Dahei tilted his head and said, "It doesn't smell like any other mythical beast."

Miaomiao stood at the entrance of the cave, still peeking inside curiously: "Did it run in to hide from the rain? It's so dark, I can't see anything clearly."

But this clearly wasn't a problem for him. He didn't even need a spell. He raised his right index finger, and a small flame popped up at his fingertip. The warm orange light reflected on the stone wall, casting long shadows on them.

"I'm coming in." He greeted politely, but when he heard no response, he boldly walked into the cave.

As he walked deeper, the shadows driven away by the firelight were pushed further inward. Miaomiao thought to herself, "This cave is really deep, much larger than it looks from the outside. Baidan is really good at finding a place." As she looked up happily, she thought to herself, "This cave is really deep, much larger than it looks from the outside. Baidan is really good at finding a place."

Pupils suddenly constricted——

In the deepest part of the cave, half-solidified droplets of unknown liquid mixed with golden and bright red hung all over the stone walls, as if a tragic explosion had occurred here.

Between the uneven cracks in the rocks on the ground, large and small fragmented white pieces were randomly stacked together. The largest piece was arc-shaped, and its smooth curve showed that it originally belonged to the bottom of an egg.

Illuminated by the firelight, the white eggshell was sparkling with red stars, which was so special that it was unforgettable.

It was killed.

They are late.

Miaomiao stood there, motionless, as if frozen. All the previous expectations, surprises, hopes... in this moment, all turned into nothingness.

He stared at the hideous stone wall that looked like a murder scene, his dark pupils solidified into a frozen ink color.

As if sensing his emotions, the magical elements floating around him began to jump in smaller and quieter steps. They gathered into balls of warm light, clinging to his hair and cheeks, as if trying to comfort him.

Dahei also leaned his warm body against him, hoping that he would not be sad.

"I'm fine." After a while, Miaomiao said to them.

It wasn't a big deal, really. Just an egg he'd known for a few minutes, killed outside after trying and failing to follow him home.

In the Lost Forest where the strong prey on the weak, this kind of thing is perfectly normal.

It was just the sudden witnessing of a life-and-death separation that made him suddenly realize how fragile life is.

Getting thinner and thinner, becoming more and more haggard.

Finally, it shattered along with the bubbles in the morning dew one morning without leaving a trace.

He is still moving forward, while some lives have remained in the past forever.