Chapter Six: The Main Quest

For many, the first impression of a primeval forest is one of purity—an untouched land, pristine and unspoiled, where green mountains and clear waters abound. Those with a more vivid imagination might even picture themselves cupping their hands to drink from a mountain stream, savoring the refreshing taste, breathing in the moist air, and picking wild fruits, living a life as carefree as that of the immortals.

Yet reality is always far less poetic. A primeval forest—especially one like the Beast Rainforest—is a place where thickly layered trees keep the air heavy with humidity. Fallen leaves, piled up year after year, form a layer of humus that gives off an odor far from pleasant. As for the water, it is even less inviting. The great river that flows through the Beast Rainforest is called the Dietes, which in an ancient tongue means "the turbid one." The entire river runs with a faint yellow-brown hue, and in some places, it even turns pale red. You would never think it wise to drink from it directly. There are a few clear streams in the tributaries, but such precious sources are usually prime hunting grounds for all manner of fierce beasts. Unless your strength is considerable, venturing there is tantamount to courting death.

But Ling Mo feared none of this. They were still far from the heart of the Beast Rainforest, and even should a wild beast appear, it would hardly pose a threat to him. Leading Katherine through the winding forest paths, he opened his system interface in his mind to check the latest mission prompt:

"System prompt: Mission 'Inheritance of the Martial Genius' completed. Reward received: Super-Energy Compressed Biscuits x3, Grand Portal x1."

With these three compressed biscuits, his range of activity was finally freed to some extent; he would no longer have to circle endlessly around the Beast Rainforest. As he rejoiced, grand, gilded letters thundered before his eyes!

"You have unlocked the main quest!!"
"You have unlocked the main quest!!"
"You have unlocked the main quest!!"
"Main Quest Title: 'To This Beautiful World, Offer the Way of Martial Arts!'"
"Quest Description: As a lone wanderer, your strength has reached great heights and you have ventured far on the path of martial arts. Now, with your first disciple in tow, it is your inescapable duty to bring martial arts to this world. Strive to expand its influence and let more people take up the way!"
"Quest Reward: Resurrection Spell (one time use)."

Resurrection Spell!

Ling Mo swallowed hard, somewhat shocked. To be revived immediately after death—such a reward, the temptation was immense. Could such a wondrous thing truly exist? He hastily asked in his mind:

"System, can the Resurrection Spell be triggered under any circumstance?"

"There is no situation in which it cannot be triggered."

"How much do I need to expand the influence of martial arts to complete the quest?"

"Insufficient permissions to answer this question."

"What the hell! If your standard is the entire world practicing martial arts, how could I possibly achieve that!"

"The system will not issue impossible tasks. Please do your best."

"......"

Exchanging words with the system in his heart, Ling Mo's steps unconsciously quickened. Katherine, though much improved in physique, could barely keep up. Soon enough, she experienced the awkwardness of having no magic at her disposal.

She was accustomed to casting a first-level spell, "Breeze Barrier," around herself—not much protection, but at least it would bounce away the countless vines dangling throughout the rainforest. Most of these vines were far from harmless. Those with rough, scaly bark were the gentlest; the ones with barbs or thorns could leave you stinging and itching, the pain and irritation enough to drive anyone mad.

Katherine kept scratching her arms, gritting her teeth against the discomfort. She stole a glance at Ling Mo, only to find her cheap master completely ignoring her. To distract herself, she began to banter with her livestream audience:

"Magic, to me, is like a first love that grew up by my side. I took all its conveniences for granted, but now that I've lost it, I realize how tenderly it cared for me. So, dear brothers and sisters, in light of my heartbreak, how about sending me a wave of gifts to comfort my wounded soul?"

"It’s here! The streamer’s signature move: reason when the wind’s at her back, flirt when the wind’s against her!"
"Only Katherine dares to openly ask for gifts like this!"
"Firmly resisting!"
"Sorry, I’m single—can't relate to heartbreak, so I can't send any gifts."
"Imagine losing your right hand and you'll understand what heartbreak feels like!"

Though most of the comments spoke of resisting, several blazing fireballs of gifts streaked across the screen. Katherine was quite satisfied. Thinking a moment, she decided to push her luck:

"My dear friends, my wounded heart has felt your love, but the scars run deep—these gestures alone can't heal me. If you can help me recover, who knows, maybe you’ll be rewarded with a bath-time bonus!"

Having said this, Katherine fully expected a few explosive fireball gifts. Instead, the screen filled with lines upon lines of text, all saying essentially the same thing:

"Don’t believe it!"
"No way!"
"Not buying it—unless you bathe in boiling water!"
"The host is handing out empty promises again. Think about your past record!"
"Right! Last time at the Norvorovi Pine Forest hot spring, you said the same, but the camera pointed straight at the sky!"
"And last time at Blackhorn! Promised a wet look, but all we saw was your giant face!"
"New viewers, don’t be fooled—she’s as conservative as they come!"
"Has anyone noticed? Even though Katherine’s covered in mud, she seems to be running a lot faster than before?"

When her trick failed and her chat began exposing her old tricks, Katherine, long since thick-skinned, showed not a hint of embarrassment. She was about to say something to hook in new viewers when suddenly Ling Mo asked:

"When you took out your clothes earlier, did you use a spatial pouch?"

"Yes, Master," Katherine replied quickly, stopping to unhook a small pouch from her belt. It was barely bigger than an adult's palm. "This is it. Actually, calling it a 'spatial pouch' isn't quite right. The more accurate term should be 'compression pouch.'"

"Oh?"

"Yes, its fundamental mechanism isn’t spatial magic—spatial magic is still in the experimental stage, with energy consumption and stability issues making it impractical. This pouch works mainly through wind magic, specifically 'Compression.' Simply put, it shrinks bulky items so they’re easier to carry."

"How much can you compress with yours?"

"Nothing bigger than a meter in any dimension. In practice, it doesn't hold that much, because while the volume shrinks, the weight stays the same—ten pounds is still ten pounds. I only keep some emergency medicines, clothes, and a few snacks..."

At the mention of snacks, Katherine suddenly slapped her forehead, quickly rummaged through her pouch, pulled out a few pastries, inhaled their aroma, and stuffed them into her mouth. Chewing, she mumbled, "Mmm, not bad. I was so hungry earlier, I forgot I even had these..."

Ling Mo was speechless again, gaining a much clearer sense of how carefree his cheap disciple was. He said nothing more and simply led the way. Once Katherine had finished her snack, boredom set in. Her streamer’s instincts compelled her to make conversation:

"Hey, Master, why did those blood-eyed toads suddenly start fighting each other just now? The one who killed their leader was right nearby—weren’t they worried you’d wipe them all out?"

"They were fighting over mating rights. In blood-eyed toad society, only the biggest and strongest leader gets to breed. These creatures have very simple minds—at any given time, they can only focus on one thing. Once a fight breaks out among them, they quickly forget all about chasing their prey."

"That’s not in any of the books," Katherine said in surprise, looking at Ling Mo. "Master, how do you know so much?"

"If you’d lived in the Beast Rainforest for seventeen years, you’d know just as much as I do. Enough of that—look ahead, we’ve arrived."

Seventeen years? Really? Could anyone truly survive in the Beast Rainforest for seventeen years? As Katherine pondered this, she turned her head and was instantly stunned by the sight before her.

They had merely passed through a row of trees, yet the view suddenly opened up. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, everything was gilded with a golden radiance. A tranquil little lake appeared before them, fed by a modest stream that set the surface shimmering. The surrounding trees stood in graceful disorder, making the scene picturesque from any angle. The water was so clear she could see the fish swimming lazily and even the clams in the lakebed sand opening and closing their shells.

"This... this! Such beauty exists in the rainforest?"

"Of course. There are even more beautiful places than this. I’ll take you to see them if there’s a chance. For now, take a bath—don’t worry about wild beasts. With me here, none would dare approach."

Katherine snapped out of her reverie at his words. She glanced at Ling Mo, saw that he had already turned away, steeled herself, aimed the magic eye fairy’s camera at the sky, quickly stripped, and plunged into the lake with a splash. The chat erupted in frustration:

"Damn! I knew she’d pull this!"
"Ah! The sky of the Beast Rainforest, you are so beautiful!"
"Yeah, look at that cloud—it looks like a little white rabbit!"
"That one's a turtle!"
"That one looks like a kodo beast!"
"Hang in there, guys! Don’t go mad just because there’s no bonus content!"
"This lake is so beautiful! I wish I could visit!"
"Don’t kid yourself. The host is a high-level mage and almost died here. You wouldn’t stand a chance!"
"Not necessarily. I just looked it up—this lake is actually documented. The 'Judgment of Light' expedition once visited and named it Mirror Lake."
"A scholar appears! Serve the master some tea!"
"......"

As she bathed, Katherine reassured her viewers, "I, Katherine, never make empty promises. Stay tuned—there will absolutely be a reward for your patience. Especially for my female viewers—don’t go anywhere! The best shots are coming up soon!"