"Maybe only his basic-level magic has mutated. Who knows what will happen once he reaches the intermediate level?" Mu Lei said with a smile.
Though his tone was casual, envy flickered in his eyes.
A basic-level spell that was already as powerful as an intermediate one—this wasn't just about stronger magic power, but also about casting speed! The time it took to release an intermediate spell was enough to cast two or three basic ones.
That kind of advantage could turn the tide of a battle.
With a high-level mage leading the way, their team of over forty people pressed deeper into the mountain.
The man walking beside Song Jie muttered, "Let's hope we don't run into any Thunder Pattern Wolves."
Thunder Pattern Wolves were common in Xiaokun Mountain—and they hunted in packs. If you were spotted by one, the rest of the pack would surround you before you could even react.
Everyone tensed up, silently praying they wouldn't run into trouble.
The forest grew thicker as they advanced. Towering trees stretched skyward, their canopies so dense that sunlight barely reached the ground.
Song Jie kept alert. He didn't plan on trusting anyone else with his life.
After walking for nearly two hours, the high-level mage in front signaled for a rest.
Song Jie sat down on a flat rock and closed his eyes, quietly entering a state of cultivation.
His control over his stars had improved rapidly—he could almost complete his Light Element star map before the new semester began.
After a short break, the group continued. They encountered a few demons along the way, but they were all slave-level creatures—not enough to pose any real danger.
Mu Lei deliberately slowed his pace to walk beside Song Jie.
"Song Jie," he said quietly, "be careful once we enter that dense forest ahead. Something feels off."
After leaving that brief warning, Mu Lei quickened his pace and returned to the front.
Song Jie frowned and turned his gaze toward the dense forest up ahead.
The trees there were oddly shaped—some with branches that forked like giant claws, others resembling twisted human silhouettes with outstretched arms.
If it weren't daytime, the place would have been terrifying.
The high-level mage leading them called out, "Everyone, stay alert!"
Song Jie immediately understood—they were about to face danger. The others felt it too. Their instincts as hunters told them something was wrong.
The group moved closer together, weapons ready, spells prepared.
"Keep your distance from the trees," the high-level mage ordered.
Everyone quickly obeyed.
They crept forward cautiously. For a moment, it seemed the forest was calm, and people began to relax—perhaps too soon.
Then, something moved.
A dark shadow darted between the trees, stirring up a violent rustling of leaves.
The high-level mage's expression hardened. He sensed the threat instantly, but before he could act—
"Everyone, follow me! Run!" he shouted.
No one knew what was happening, but they trusted him and immediately sprinted after him.
Mu Nujiao and Mu Lei followed closely behind. They trusted this man more than anyone else in the group.
But just as they started moving, the trees around them suddenly began to tremble.
Countless roots burst out from the ground, writhing like monstrous serpents, trapping them in all directions!
"Don't just stand there!" the high-level mage roared. "Any Fire Mages—come with me and clear the way!"
Fire restrains wood—that was basic elemental law.
"Fiery Fist!"
"Boom!!"
A mid-level Fire Mage completed his Star Map and unleashed a blazing punch. Flames erupted forward, burning the roots to ash in an instant.
The others quickly followed suit. Though many were novice hunters, they still knew how to fight.
But some were completely new—like Song Jie—and their panic was obvious.
"Don't panic!" the high-level mage barked. "Listen to my command or you'll die here! Beginner Mages—defend the flanks and the rear! Everyone else, push forward with me!"
There were enough of them to fight back—as long as they cooperated.
"Mu Lei, Mu Nujiao—you two, stay behind me. I'll cover you," said the high-level mage, whose name was Uncle Jin.
Both nodded immediately. Uncle Jin had been assigned to protect the Mu siblings personally.
The rest of the hunters were mostly there as bait—to distract monsters while the Mu Family secured the valuable Plant Stamens hidden in the forest.
That was the truth of this "hunting expedition." It was a transaction. And for most hunters, coming back alive would already count as lucky.
They moved forward slowly, struggling to clear the endless wave of roots.
Mu Lei said anxiously, "Uncle Jin, if this doesn't work, we should use high-level magic to clear a path!"
"Not yet," Uncle Jin replied. "High-level magic drains too much mana. We use it only as a last resort."
Suddenly—
"Help me!!"
A novice mage was caught by a root that burst out of the ground. Before anyone could react, he was yanked from the formation, screaming.
Then came more screams—horrifying, agonized wails echoing from every direction.
Everyone froze. They could imagine what was happening—tree roots piercing straight through hearts and flesh.
Though the roots seemed slow, they could suddenly strike with lightning speed, leaving no time to defend.
That's how the man was killed—an ambush attack!
Now, no one dared to lower their guard.
"Watch out!"
Mu Nujiao had been observing the area closely. She spotted a root lunging toward a hunter and immediately shouted a warning.
But the attack came too fast—the man couldn't dodge in time.
Without hesitation, Mu Nujiao raised her hand. In her spiritual world, seven stars instantly connected into a star trail.
"Vine — Bind!"
A tangle of vines erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around the attacking root and holding it in place.
Mu Nujiao exhaled in relief—until a sharp, spear-like root suddenly shot out from behind her, thrusting straight toward her back like a javelin breaking through bamboo!