Outside the Hunting Ground.
Downstream of the Silent River surrounding the Hunting Ground, by a secluded water bay.
A lean warlock standing on the shore suddenly turned his head, his vacant gaze directed towards the Hunting Ground, his expression a bit stern. He wore a black robe, his face delicate, with deep brown hair underneath the hood, streaked with gray, looking prematurely aged.
His companion imdiately noticed the warlock’s actions.
"Amber, did you discover sothing?" a short and stout warlock asked in a low voice, extending his hand from wide sleeves, fingers spread, adorned with rings of various colors.
At this mont, the gemstones on those rings were emitting a faint cold light.
"Over there," the diviner of the Ouroboros hunting team gestured faintly, pointing towards the direction of the Hunting Ground: "There are very conspicuous cause and effect lines entangled... a very intense magical fluctuation just broke out."
"Why didn’t I feel it." The small-frad wandering hunter Oga leapt onto a nearby boulder, full of doubt, eyes wide open towards the depths of the Silent River, as if this could help him see the lines the diviner ntioned.
"Because you’re not good at divination." Julian, with black hair and narrow eyes, responded gently: "Besides, in the direction Amber pointed, there’s a half-abandoned hunting ground... maybe there’s a hunting team preparing for next month’s competition, no need to be too tense."
"Can I not be tense," Oga muttered under his breath, instinctively shrinking his neck: "If the academy finds out about this, we’ll definitely be punished... my dad would break my legs."
At this mutter, the waterside imdiately fell into an unsettling silence.
The hunters of the Ouroboros hunting team exchanged glances, ultimately directing their gaze towards their team leader, Andrew Taylor.
The stout hunting team leader waved his large hand dismissively, unconcerned: "What are you afraid of! This was instructed personally by His Excellency Augustus, there won’t be any problems... and the counterpart is also a mber of our hunting team, this counts as internal team trade!"
This explanation was quite convincing, making the companions slightly more assured.
Crash.
Splash.
In the water bay, the originally calm water surface suddenly stirred with ripples, the waves lapping, hitting the pebble and branch-lined shore with a faint but continuous knocking sound.
The four hunters of the Ouroboros hunting team all quickly beca vigilant.
Diviner Amber stepped back a few paces, standing behind his team leader; Andrew tightened his fist, the gemstones on his ten rings all flickered with faint light, while his pupils shrank to a line, his gaze revealing a hint of nace.
Julian flipped open the law book in his hand, his lips moving, silently activating a pre-prepared array; while Oga, who had just been perched on the boulder, leapt back, disappearing into the dark night within the blink of an eye, nowhere to be seen.
Crash crash crash!
The sound of water hitting the riverbank grew louder, Andrew’s little finger trembled slightly, and the ring set with moonstone on it instantly burst with a series of varying sized light orbs, ascending into the air.
Those orbs seed alive, circling the pitch-black river bay before ultimately hovering above the water bay, illuminating the flowing waters of the Silent River brightly.
The four warlocks standing by the shore imdiately noticed several obscure shadows in the river.
"Is it them?" Julian licked his dry lips, turning his head, looking uneasily at his team leader.
Andrew Taylor did not answer, but focused intently on those dark shadows, and after a mont, nodded slightly, answering in a low voice: "Mm... inform that newcor, the guests have arrived."
Julian imdiately flipped through the law book, whispering incantations: "Birdsong murmuring, seeking its friend’s voice!"
Invisible magical fluctuations spread in all directions centered on his law book, the insects that had been vigorously bustling in the thickets seed suddenly choked, falling silent, the world instantly beca tranquil.
Splash! Splash!
The sound of water in the bay peaked, several dark shadows broke free of the river’s bind, striding towards the shore, the splashing, the thudding heavy footsteps, the heavy breathing, all intertwined, making the quiet night suddenly noisy.
Julian watched the familiar figure leading the group, imdiately letting out a breath of relief, though his hands gripping the law book didn’t relax in the slightest.
Andrew Taylor strode forward, quickly reaching the guests, extending his hand, grasping the arm of the leader, shaking it vigorously: "Iseni... you’re slightly late today."
The young Fishman grinned, exposing a row of sharp teeth.
"Encountered a slight mishap... hiss."
Perhaps because he had just erged from the water, his voice carried a heavy frothy texture: "Just as we ca out, hiss, there was a little skirmish between a Fishman and a land warlock in the lake, hiss hiss, related to the longevity tortoise in the eastern mudpond... hiss hiss but it’s no big deal, the problem is resolved, hiss!"
Andrew patted its arm again, concerned: "Need any help? You know, we still have so influence at the academy..."
"No, no need, hiss!" the young Fishman leader imdiately shook his head, its cheeks, and dorsal fins slightly puffing up, a glimr of fierceness flashing in its sowhat dazed gaze: "This small problem, hiss, the lake can handle it personally, hiss!"
Andrew was rely being polite, hearing this, he imdiately sang praises: "That’s what I said, Fishman matters should be resolved by Fishn themselves, warlocks, especially those red robed ones from Jiuyou Academy, ddling in Lin Zhong Lake’s affairs, are fundantally wrong."
Iseni nodded in agreent, the bristling dorsal fins imdiately relaxing.
"So, did you bring everything?" the leader of the Ouroboros hunting team stretched his neck, looking past the tall figure of the Fishman, towards what lay behind it.
"Brought them."
Iseni gestured to the companions behind him, his voice sounding increasingly fluent: "Bring everything up here... mm, one hundred and twenty discarded spell books, mostly intact, basically usable as is; three bags of assorted gemstones, varied in size but exquisite, no problem whether for enchantnt or dicine; other items like Fish bone wood, Siren scales, Fish scale grass, dried Fish Wives, Red carp skull, Chinese perch blood, and so on, everything listed on your list, they’re all there, take your ti to check."
As he spoke, several tall Fishn dragged three heavy wooden boxes, slowly stepping onto the shore.
Bang!
The boxes fell onto the pinkish stone slab on the shore, emitting a heavy thud. As the sound echoed, the box lids sprang open in unison, revealing the chaotic contents inside.
No directive was needed from the team leader.
Julian imdiately pulled out a monocle bordered with brass, holding it up in front of his face, carefully examining the assorted goods within the boxes.
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