Chapter 21: Treasure Hunt

In the woodland west of Goldspark Town, bright sunlight pierced through the sparse foliage, dappling the ground with shifting patches of light.

This was the fringe of Moonlight Forest, long ago overexploited by humans. Even forest wolves and bears seldom wandered here anymore, with only rabbits and wild deer left to roam.

“The foundation of being a Spiritbinder lies in your knowledge of living creatures, which means you must study all manner of life firsthand. Generally, the rarer the creature, the more valuable it is for research, since their bodies may contain even more potent legacy factors.”

The pair walked side by side beneath the trees. The young girl in a pale blue dress explained as she nibbled on a piece of braised beef.

After spending a few days together, Charles had already figured out her preferences—she loved mooncakes and braised beef above all else. So, every time he sought her guidance, he’d come bearing these treats as a bribe.

To be fair, the tactic worked wonders. She was somewhat susceptible to flattery, and each time, she would offer him her earnest explanations, leaving Charles with invaluable insights.

She wiped her mouth, then pointed offhandedly at a distant bush. “See that gray rabbit? Have your fox catch it.”

“Go, Firefly!”

Charles gave his command, and the little white fox leapt from his shoulder, becoming almost a blur as it darted straight for the rabbit.

Squeak!

The wild rabbit, startled, sprang up on powerful hind legs, aiming for the safety of the undergrowth. But the white fox was faster; by the time the rabbit dove for cover, the fox was already upon it, jaws closing around its neck.

Unwilling to surrender, the rabbit kicked ferociously at the fox, but the little creature dodged with ease, then slammed the rabbit hard to the ground, stunning it.

Defeated, the gray rabbit ceased its struggle. The white fox picked it up and trotted back, laying it at their feet with a triumphant cry.

“Meow!”

“Well done.” Charles bent down to ruffle its head in reward.

The little fox then climbed up his leg as if scaling a tree, settling back onto his shoulder like a child.

“I taught you how to retract your totem, didn’t I? So why haven’t you done it? And your totem seems a bit odd,” Ricecake remarked, eyeing the fox curiously as she pulled a pale green handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her hands.

“I haven’t figured it out yet. Honestly, I feel like totems are better kept by your side,” Charles replied with an embarrassed smile.

In truth, Firefly the white fox had been forcibly made into a totem through Bruce’s unusual methods, binding its living body. The spirit arts she’d taught could not retract it; he could only carry it around as a pet.

“Suit yourself.” She didn’t press the point. Grabbing the rabbit by its long ears, she continued, “This is a very ordinary rabbit, common as dirt. Their evolution is mostly fixed by now, with little potential for development.”

She casually invoked an analysis rune. Above the rabbit hovered a mysterious legacy factor as she continued her lesson. “See, in this one, there are almost no signs of evolutionary potential in its legacy factor. That means it can only become a first-tier common totem…”

“Wild rabbits have limited evolutionary paths. They’re only good as auxiliary totems; early on, they might be useful, but in the end, they’re always abandoned…”

“There’s no need to stress about auxiliary totems. Most Spiritbinders can have two or three. The gifted can have four or five, and those with extraordinary talent may even reach ten…”

Charles listened intently to her explanation. Despite her youth, she had already been a Spiritbinder for over a year.

Where knowledge is concerned, age is secondary; there’s no shame in learning from her.

They continued walking, capturing and analyzing prey along the way, allowing Charles to test his newly acquired knowledge firsthand.

“All right, that’s enough for today’s lesson. We’ll continue tomorrow,” the girl said, rolling her eyes, growing impatient. Charles had bombarded her with questions all afternoon, leaving her parched.

“And don’t forget what you promised—have your chef make me another serving of that beef stew.”

“No problem. I’ve already sent someone to Stormport to buy the ingredients.” Charles smiled and nodded. If he wanted her to keep teaching him so diligently, he had to spare no effort to fulfill her requests.

He made it sound easy, but the cost was not insignificant.

The beef she’d enjoyed last time came from saberhorn cattle of the Rhinegrass Prairie, a luxury reserved for nobles. These beasts were carnivorous, and the meat cost two gold coins a pound—far beyond the reach of ordinary folk.

Supply was limited, too; if you were late, there’d be none left. That’s why he’d sent someone ahead yesterday to wait for the shipment.

Once they parted ways, Charles glanced around. “Now, it’s time to hunt for treasure.”

He hadn’t forgotten—the late teacher had told him of a laboratory hidden in the wilds, hoping Charles would find it and look after his lost child.

The past days of preparation had finally given him a foothold: he’d learned the most basic spirit arts and gained a thorough understanding of Firefly’s abilities.

He was still a novice, true, but he could now hold his own against Marcus. Such was the strength of a Spiritbinder.

The Moonlight Fox’s defenses were somewhat lacking; its protective aura barely withstood Marcus’ assaults. If he managed to craft one or two more auxiliary totems, Marcus wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on him.

Half an hour later, following the river west, Charles arrived at a thicket of low, lush, dark-red trees.

He stopped, surveying the area. At the edge of his vision stood a tree as thick as a bowl, branching at the base like a pair of human thighs.

“At a bend in the river, there’s a patch of red, low-growing woods. The laboratory entrance lies beneath a Y-shaped tree—this must be the place.”

Charles approached and soon spotted an entrance hidden beneath dense vines, but he didn’t rush in. Instead, he tossed one of the rabbits toward the opening.

Swish!

The moment the rabbit landed on the strange gray vines, they came alive like snakes, instantly binding the rabbit tight. Sharp tendrils pierced its body, and it shriveled at a speed visible to the eye.

“Heh, just as I thought. This must be a first-tier plant totem!” Charles sneered.

Good thing he was cautious; otherwise, he’d have become fertilizer here.

Main totems die with their master, but auxiliary totems—especially plant types—are not so easily destroyed.

These things barely had any consciousness; even if the Spiritbinder died, they merely regained their freedom. That’s why they were often used for traps or as guardians.

With his current strength, he couldn’t possibly deal with such a creature.

Still, even as a totem, fire was its natural nemesis.

Charles began chopping down deadwood with his sword, dragging dry vines and leaves from afar to encircle the totemic plant.

He pulled out a small shard of source crystal, his hands weaving deftly, and a flame sprang to life before him.

Whoosh!

The fire roared up, and the vines shrieked in protest, but rooted as they were, they couldn’t escape. Soon, they were reduced to ash in the blaze.