The bond between a ranger and their beast companion was magical—a unique class feature that transcended conventional magic.
Much like how a ranger could perform a special ritual to summon their beast companion from afar without needing any mastery of spatial spells, this ritual was strictly limited to teleporting their beast companion and could transport nothing else.
Anbaixiu had no idea how far apart he and Naomi were; all that mattered was that they could sense each other.
Unfortunately, due to the Dream Barrier, Anbaixiu had no way to summon Naomi directly. He could only use this bond to signal that he had returned from the sea.
Anbaixiu was confident that Catherine would find a way to contact him. As the Elven Queen, she enjoyed far more freedom in this forest than he did.
However, Anbaixiu hadn't expected Naomi to arrive so quickly. Barely three hours had passed since they first sensed each other. As dusk settled, a small black kitten crept into Anbaixiu's room and pounced into his embrace.
Anbaixiu stroked the little black cat's head and asked curiously, "Why turn into a kitten? Don't you prefer the panther form? Can you shift freely in this forest?"
The Dream Barrier had a potent suppressive effect on outsiders. Maintaining a form after shifting was fine, but transforming anew would inevitably disrupt the vine bracelet's ward.
Naomi let out a meow, then said, "I ran here as a panther, but the kitten form is easier to sneak around in. As for the barrier, they gave me this."
Naomi swished her tail, and only then did Anbaixiu notice an oak ring slipped over it.
"Wearing this ring lets me cast spells without being affected."
Sure enough, guests were treated differently based on status. A true VIP like Catherine naturally wouldn't receive the same treatment as Anbaixiu.
"Not bad at all. Looks like Catherine really received preferential treatment. What's the situation now? How have you two been getting along with the druids? Have you learned how to transform into a dragon yet?"
This was what Anbaixiu cared about most. If Naomi couldn't transform into a time dragon, everything was off the table, and Harvey would just have to wait for death.
Naomi shook her head. "Although I've learned a lot from these druids and my shape-shifting ability is much stronger than before, I think turning into a dragon will still be difficult."
"Is it a lack of practice or a lack of technique?" Anbaixiu asked.
Naomi explained, "A druid's Wild Shape is essentially mimicry. To turn into an animal, you have to understand it reasonably well. I can turn into a panther because I spent time with real panthers before. The same goes for cats—I used to keep one. So to become a dragon, I need to come into contact with a real dragon."
Anbaixiu replied, "I know that, but aren't there Archdruids in the Emerald Dream Forest who can turn into dragons? I brought you here precisely to find out how they manage it. Maybe they keep dragon bones or dragon scales—there must be something for them to touch before they can channel nature's power to mimic a dragon's form."
Naomi said, "We actually looked into that. When the Archdruids of the Emerald Dream Forest want to transform into rare creatures, they undergo a special dream ritual. Inside the dream, the forms of these beasts are simulated for the druid to interact with. With enough sessions, they can successfully master the corresponding transformation."
"Entering a dream? I really didn't know that secret. Catherine found that out?"
Naomi nodded. "Sister Catherine probed them with a few questions about Wild Shape while chatting with the druids, and a young druid accidentally let it slip. The scene was terribly awkward, and that young fellow was kicked out immediately under some flimsy pretext."
Anbaixiu imagined the scene. Most likely, it was another poor sod infatuated by Catherine's charms.
"Catherine is useful after all. She's learned to exploit her advantages," Anbaixiu remarked.
Naomi added, "But that caused other troubles too. Many druids became infatuated after meeting Sister Catherine. Someone even proposed to her directly, saying he was willing to marry into the Silvermoon High Court and give up everything."
Anbaixiu sighed helplessly. "Can't help it. A double-edged sword easily cuts the wielder. Still, wouldn't a proposal like that border on sacrilege? How could an Elven Queen be proposed to so casually? Didn't those druids find it terribly rude?"
"The one who proposed seems to be the leader of a druid tribe, a person of very high standing. Word is he's the youngest Archdruid in five hundred years. He's also a member of the council. The other Archdruids aren't his superiors, so no one could really stop him."
In other places, the title of Archdruid could simply mean a tribal leader, but in the Emerald Dream Forest, it signified legendary rank—the basic requirement to join the Druid Council.
It was only natural for a young legendary druid to be a bit arrogant. Such youths usually believed the world revolved around them and that they were the absolute protagonist. To him, an improper proposal like that might even seem romantic—a lovely tale meant to go down in history.
Anbaixiu had harbored such thoughts once upon a time. He was a reincarnator, after all. But after years of brutal beatings from this other world, he had long realized that a reincarnator without cheats was nothing. He had toiled for centuries just to become a subpar legend—the very type in stories most easily killed by someone punching above their weight class.
"A dream ritual is a bit tricky. To think the druids have no shortcut. Do I really have to send you to the Dragon Tomb?"
Anbaixiu knitted his brows in deep thought. That was the last method he wanted to resort to.
Although the Bone Dragon Eldest Miss was also a member of the Elegy Poetry Society, the Dragon Tomb was not an easy place to enter.
Ever since the Ryan Empire expelled all dragons, the dragon race had become intensely xenophobic. Their attitude toward humans in particular was atrocious, practically mortal enmity. As a human, it wouldn't be easy for Naomi to enter dragon territory, let alone find a dragon to serve as her training prop. That could never be resolved by simply cashing in a favor, and there was no telling how steep the price would be.
"Wait, no, don't I have a dragon?" Anbaixiu suddenly remembered the dragon-shifting brat he had captured earlier. Wasn't that fellow a dragon? Granted, he was a fake, but he could still be considered a true dragon chosen blessed by the Evil Dragon Goddess.
Yet without lifting Geronimo's seal, the boy was just a human. If the seal were broken to let him become a dragon, he would turn into an uncontrollable monster and might swallow Naomi in a single gulp.
Anbaixiu lacked the ability to safely contain a dragon with maxed-out magic resistance.
Weighing his options, he realized he still had to find a way through these druids. Could they perhaps pay for a trial run of that dream ritual?
"Head back for now and discuss this with Catherine. Keep fishing for information from the druids. If possible, have her try to arrange a tripartite meeting."
If Catherine took his side at the negotiating table, duping the druids would be far easier.
Having heard Anbaixiu's instructions, Naomi leaped out the window again, blending seamlessly into the night.
Anbaixiu wasn't worried in the slightest about her being discovered. She shared his power; she might lack some technical finesse, but her rank was legendary. Concealing oneself in a forest was child's play for a legendary druid.
While pondering how to solve the dream ritual problem, Anbaixiu suddenly sensed a familiar presence from below.
It was that dark aura again. It was supposed to be suppressed under powerful natural energy, but as night fell, it seemed to grow active. A peculiar fluctuation just now had triggered Anbaixiu's senses.
Anbaixiu confirmed once more that this thing was not undead, but some other evil entity.
Anbaixiu stroked his chin, wondering what on earth it could be.
Perhaps he simply hadn't read enough, as none of the evils stored in his memory seemed to match it.
Yet in just a few moments, Anbaixiu felt the dark power growing increasingly active—and it felt as though it was coming right for him.
*No way... Why is it targeting me?! Damn it, this power discovered my lich identity!*
Anbaixiu quickly reached a conclusion. No matter how good his disguise was, he couldn't alter the nature of the mana within him. This bizarre power was drawn to Anbaixiu's dark mana and seemed poised to surge straight toward him.
He couldn't cast spells, or it would break the ward's protection and knock him out cold.
Yet if he didn't cast spells and was caught by this power, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Having his identity exposed was secondary; what Anbaixiu feared more was what this power might do to him.
In this crisis, Anbaixiu stepped right out of his room and headed toward the largest house in the hollow—the residence of the tribal elder. Whatever this dark power was, since it had stayed hidden all this time, it was either afraid of exposure or suppressed by the druids.
Whichever the reason, staying with the druids was definitely the right move.
Arriving before the stone house, Anbaixiu banged heavily on the door without hesitation.
The thumping resonated far into the darkness, startling several sleeping birds.
Moments later, a furious Sares opened the door and demanded in a deep voice, "You better have a damn good reason for banging on my door in the middle of the night!"
Taking in Sares's flushed face, disheveled clothes, and dripping sweat, Anbaixiu was secretly astonished. At his age, he was still full of vigor? Druid nature magic really was something.
No wonder he looked so furious; nobody would be in a good mood after being interrupted like that.
Anbaixiu concentrated his senses. Sure enough, once Sares appeared, the restless dark power vanished, as if diving back beneath the earth.
The crisis was averted, but Anbaixiu couldn't just turn back. What if that dark power came knocking again?
Tonight, he was going to cling to this old man no matter what.
Anbaixiu thought for a moment and said to Sares, "I'd like to ask you about a druid by the name of Alina Sanda. Have you heard of her?"
Sares looked puzzled. "Alina Sanda? That name sounds familiar. Wait... That's the name of one of my ancestors! How do you know it?"
Anbaixiu: "..."
*No way, what kind of coincidence is this?*
Chapter 193