Chapter 293 290: Entering the Druid Gathering Place
Qin Feng disguised himself as a youth with a tragic past.
Even if someone followed the information he provided and conducted a search, they would indeed find records of a child named Randy.
Because he had taken several days specifically to search for and finally found a boy in a small rural town who bore a resemblance to himself.
However, the real Randy had already been tortured to death by the Baron's men; he was merely borrowing Randy's identity.
In his quest to find someone who bore a slight resemblance to himself, he endured considerable difficulty, since his appearance still differed from that of the Human Clan in this domain. Luckily, although the majority of the people here were blond-haired and blue-eyed Caucasians, there were also individuals who resembled the Central Asian race, albeit with a rougher appearance.
His features were relatively more delicate and his facial lines softer. But that was not a problem, as he now used the Big and Small Ruyi Changes Divine Power to shrink his stature and concealed most of his face with a head of disheveled, medium-length hair.
Once he settled down, he would gradually increase his height. It was normal for a teenager in the throes of growth to grow quickly, so in a year or two, even if someone investigated, they would not uncover any inconsistencies.
The only issue was that maintaining the Big and Small Ruyi Changes Divine Power for an extended period kept his True Yuan in a constant state of depletion. Fortunately, the Demon Refining Pot continuously supplied Spiritual Energy, so there was no worry that his True Yuan would be exhausted.
Moreover, when everyone was fast asleep at night, he could cancel the Divine Power and restore his size. With his strength, of course, he would not be discovered by others as being amiss.
Throughout the journey, Qin Feng maintained his disguise excellently.
At least the Druid Priest they 'coincidentally' met on the way back to the Demon Beast Forest appeared to like the kind and resilient boy he was impersonating.
This Druid Priest was named Tuck, a Druid who was both good-natured and amicable.
Although most Druids tended to be relatively mild-mannered, this one was even more so.
People of kindness often have an abundance of sympathy and are also more easily deceived.
This was why, after observing several Druids from the shadows, Qin Feng specifically chose him.
The reason he chose Priest Tuck, apart from his exceedingly good nature, was also because Tuck was a Priest.
Druidism is a profession, referring to those Druid Mages in Druidism who can transform. Ordinary cult members who cannot transform are not called Druids.
A Druid Priest, on the other hand, is a clergy responsible for preaching, conducting sacrifices, and communicating with the Forest Goddess. They hold a higher status and a more esteemed position than ordinary Druids.
With Tuck's status as a Priest, once he took a liking to Qin Feng, arranging his initiation into the Church would be much simpler.
After confirming Priest Tuck's character through certain means, Qin Feng deliberately subdued several low to mid-level Demon Beasts in the forest. When the Druid passed by them, Qin Feng commanded the Demon Beasts to attack their group, injuring a few people.
Kind-hearted Priest Tuck naturally could not stand by and watch; hence, he engaged in battle with the Demon Beasts.
Then, his horse was killed by the ferocious Demon Beasts, and he was forced to proceed on foot.
Subsequently, these pitiable villagers, seeing that the Druid not only drove away the Demon Beasts but also healed their wounds, immediately started pleading with this kind and powerful Druid lord to escort them to the Druid Domain, to prevent further attacks by the Demon Beasts that kept emerging from the forest.
Although Tuck was puzzled about why there were so many Demon Beasts on this path, he did not suspect any secret sabotage. He assumed that the emergence of a Super Demon Beast in the forest had driven the weaker low and mid-level Demon Beasts to the periphery, leading to their frequent attacks on passers-by.
It seems that after returning, I should notify the Church Warriors to clean up these woods, or else who knows how many people these Demon Beasts would harm.
As for these villagers, I can't just ignore them.
Since I'm not far from the Druid's domain, and I'm not in a hurry to continue my journey, I might as well take care of these poor villagers along the way.
Thus, Priest Tuck slowed down his pace and started travelling with these people.
Then, inevitably, his gaze was drawn to the equally kind-hearted youth, Little Landi.
From what others had described, Priest Tuck had already learned of the youth's family background.
This youth was commendable; although he had just experienced a tragic family disaster, he still retained his kind nature, willing to assist his fellow travelers.
But what really caught his special attention was that he 'accidentally' discovered the youth had a special talent.
It was during an attack by a pack of Demon Wolves when one of the beasts was about to kill a mother and her child, and he, engaged in battle with other Demon Beasts, simply couldn't get there in time to help.
Just when he thought the poor mother and child were certainly doomed, the kind Little Landi bravely stood out in front of the ferocious Demon Wolf with his frail arms extended.
His body was so thin, his heart must have been filled with fear, yet his actions were so brave.
Perhaps the sudden appearance of Landi startled the Demon Wolf, or perhaps it was his purity and the utter lack of impurity in his eyes that moved the beast, but, in the end, the Demon Wolf did not continue its assault. It lingered in front of the kind child for a moment before turning away.
This surprised Tuck.
Afterwards, he asked the youth about what happened, but the kind-hearted boy, also revealing shyness, could only mumble with his head down and was unable to articulate much.
He just said that he had been very scared at the time as well, but when he saw the Demon Wolf trying to hurt the poor mother and child, he felt a strong courage surge from within, so he stepped in front of the Demon Wolf, hoping it would not harm them.
After all, the child was still young and needed protection. If the child were to lose his mother, he likely wouldn't survive. So, although he was very afraid, he still stood up.
Tuck felt comforted by his bravery and kindness.
Two days later, he witnessed another miraculous moment from this youth.
This time it was when the youth had entered the woods to gather wild fruits and vegetables and got entangled by a Demon Snake hidden amongst the branches of a large tree. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire
By the time he heard the scream and rushed to the rescue, the youth's body was tightly wrapped by the Demon Snake, with only his head and one arm left on the outside.
Even more astonishing, before Priest Tuck could lend a hand, the Demon Snake that had been ready to devour the youth gradually loosened its grip under the gaze of the youth's pure eyes and the soothing touch of his arm.
Seeing this scene made Tuck lose control of himself.
His heart pounded furiously.
Could it be that this was a youth born with the innate ability to pacify the hearts of Demon Beasts?
If that were the case, then it would be incredibly fitting for him to join their Druid order.
Druids worship the Forest Goddess and esteem nature; they hold no prejudice against Demon Beasts, even living peacefully alongside them in forests overrun with such creatures.
All of this is related to their ability to soothe the souls of Demon Beasts.
In fact, their ability to transform into Demon Beasts is linked to this very capability as well.
But their powers are acquired through cultivation, manifested through the use of special magic. To find someone naturally born with the talent to calm the souls of Demon Beasts, that is truly rare.
In the history of Druidism, there have been quite a few with this ability, but the vast majority were blessed by the Forest Goddess, bearing her aura—no wonder Demon Beasts wouldn't harm them.
Yet, those born naturally with this power are few and far between.
Upon this discovery, Priest Tuck immediately felt as though he had stumbled upon a treasure.
For in the annals of history, those Druids who possessed such a talent all became illustrious figures, commanding the utmost reverence from people everywhere.
Priest Tuck believed he absolutely could not let this youth slip by; he must bring him back to the Druid order and nurture him into a devoted follower of the Forest Goddess.
He believed that the youth would surely grow to be a pillar of the Druid order, and perhaps, might even become a legend of his time.
Once this thought took root in Priest Tuck's mind, he treated the boy even better, keeping him by his side every day, imparting some basic knowledge, and opportunistically infusing him with the greatness of the Forest Goddess, as well as the Druid pursuit of harmony with nature and peace.
Qin Feng was, of course, pleased to see this and chose the right moment to express his own adoration for the great Forest Goddess, his longing for the Druid way of life, which was why he had traveled over mountains and rivers to reach Druid territory in the first place.
His display of intelligence and learning capabilities made Priest Tuck increasingly satisfied.
"You're a promising individual; it would be a true waste if your potential were buried."
Priest Tuck addressed the young man before him, "Would you like to believe in the Forest Goddess and join our Druid order, becoming an official Druid?"
"Ah?"
Qin Feng appeared flustered, "Can I... really do that?"
Seeing the insecurity on the young man's face, Priest Tuck couldn't help but smile, "Of course, you can. As long as you pledge your loyalty to the Forest Goddess and accept our Druidic teachings, you can join the order, becoming one of us, and then I will arrange for someone to teach you how to become a formal Druid."
"I... I would like that."
Qin Feng hurriedly nodded, "I wish to believe in the great Forest Goddess and become a member of the Druids."
"Hahaha, excellent!"
Priest Tuck's face revealed an even more joyous smile, "In that case, once we return, I will take you to the Druid's gathering place."
The local people nearby, having heard the news, were all happy for Qin Feng, as they had been witnesses to his actions and behavior along the way.
Of course, while happy for Qin Feng, some couldn't help but have other little thoughts.
For instance, a few men in the group with children would always find a way to bring their kids close to Priest Tuck, trying to get him to notice their children's virtues, so he might take their offspring in as members of Druidism.
If their children could become druids too, that would secure their future lives.
Unfortunately, those kids were just ordinary country boys, wooden in character and without a trace of spiritual energy in their eyes, nowhere near the level of Qin Feng, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator with an Azure Dragon Daoist Body.
With this comparison, Priest Tuck even more strongly felt that Qin Feng was extraordinarily outstanding.
So, when he brought this group of over a hundred people to the druids' territory and found the local druids to settle these villagers, he immediately took Qin Feng to head straight for the gathering place within the Demon Beast Forest.
The Demon Beast Forest spread over tens of thousands of miles, teeming with countless demon beasts, and high-level demon beasts were often seen; it was rumored that deep inside hid some super demon beasts.
Due to the sheer number and strength of the demon beasts, even the druids only operated on the periphery of the forest; after all, they had to consider the strength of the ordinary druids.
Although they were close to nature and knew spells to pacify demon beasts, this didn't mean they wouldn't come into conflict with other demon beasts.
The presence of druids was, in itself, an encroachment on the demon beasts' living space, and as their exploration into deeper areas of the Demon Beast Forest expanded, it inevitably led to battles with those highly territorial demon beasts.
Around the periphery of the Demon Beast Forest, there were hundreds of large and small gathering places, each with a temple dedicated to the Forest Goddess for the druids to worship and offer sacrifices.
Priest Tuck brought Qin Feng to a gathering place located in a valley with stunning scenery.
The druids had built wooden houses under towering trees, with some simply carving out a treehouse from dead trunks, creating a look both rustic and natural, quite tastefully distinct.
Here, the druids lived a leisurely life, either practicing magic, immersing themselves in the natural aura of the forest, or venturing into unknown domains, seeking battles with demon beasts to hone their skills.
Each druid was talented in many ways, proficient in combat and magic, adept at gathering herbs to create magic potions, and collecting materials to forge magic equipment—they all seemed to be skilled in every craft.
Of course, in reality, each druid had their preferences and couldn't possibly know everything.
Priest Tuck was quite popular here, as he was one of the few priests in this gathering place.
And the young man he brought was warmly welcomed by the druids—after all, being good-looking was an advantage, and more so for a child as handsome and delicate as him.
When the druids heard from Priest Tuck about Qin Feng's tragic past, they were even more moved with pity, especially the female druids, whose hearts overflowed with love, cradling Qin Feng in their arms, attempting to comfort his young soul with their warmth.
However, Qin Feng always felt that these robust female druids had some ulterior motives, as if they wanted to take advantage of him.
Especially when he saw several young and burly female druids also wanting to hug him, his face immediately flushed, and he quickly hid behind Priest Tuck, refusing to come out no matter what.
Of course, this was him deliberately acting coy.
After all, the persona he was now crafting was that of a quiet and easily shy boy, and by doing so, he would speak as little as possible, avoiding any slip-ups that would give him away.
If it weren't for the fact that learning druid magic still required the chanting of spells, he would have considered pretending to be mute.
His action of hiding behind Priest Tuck, though, caused a burst of laughter among the druids, who saw him as a bashful and shy boy, which in turn made even more people want to tease him.
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