Wrapped in black arcane robe with black cloth covering the face, Ayrin's group stood at the entrance of a village.
The village was not large and only had a single crossroad. There were only a little over a hundred houses including the shops. The highest building was the windmill.
A big city was located on the mountain not far from the village. There were three huge water pillars in the city, three springs that continuously gushed out. They looked like three white pillars from afar, and the sound of water gushing out could even be heard from the village.
"That's the Three Spring City, then here should be the Spear Spring Village, right?"
Stingham took a look at the map and commented.
"Idiot!"
Rinloran lamented.
A stone tablet stood at the side of the road a few steps before them, and 'Spear Spring Village' was carved on it.
"Are your eyes used for breathing!?" Meraly was completely speechless. He had to check the map for such an obvious fact, yet still unsure.
"Oh? There's actually a stone tablet here." Stingham looked as if he just realized it. Then, he stealthily turned around to look at Ayrin, "What do we do next? Secretly surround the house those two lived in and go inside to capture them?"
"……" Rinloran and Meraly were lost for words.
"Ferguillo, what do you think?" Stingham also asked Ferguillo who kept a low profile.
"Stingham, we obviously can't do that. We are not some bandit team, we are here to ask them for teaching." Ayrin interrupted with a serious answer.
"Yeah, we are not a bandit team…… It can't be helped, we're wearing such suspicious outfits, making me confused about our roles." Stingham laughed embarrassedly.
"Let's go!"
Meraly seriously did not want to waste anymore time with that bunch, she walked at the front moodily.
"Gorin Jam Shop…… It should be here."
The village was small, hence Ayrin's group quickly found the house the old man and handicapped youth lived according to Crane Team's information.
It was a medium-sized yard with a jam shop signboard. However, it was not a standard shop with a hall. It was similar to many goblin shops, with a separated living quarter and a few shop shelves lined up with various jams.
Although it was night, they still operated. Ayrin immediately saw a skinny boy that seemed three to four years younger than him sitting on a bench in the shop.
That youth had a sickly pale complexion. However, due to his skinny build, his eyes looked especially big. In addition to his fixed customer smile, he looked docile and pleasant at first glance.
Seeing the large group of masked people suddenly appearing at the doorstep, that youth was clearly shocked for a moment. However, he immediately squeezed out a smile and bowed on the bench, asking, "May I ask if you want to buy something?"
"No, we are here for some teachings." Ayrin entered the door and spoke in a serious tone while looking at the youth passionately.
"Teaching?" Hearing Ayrin's foreign tone, that youth was shocked again.
"What's the matter?"
At that moment, an elderly voice came from inside. The curtain separating the shop and living quarter was lifted up and an old man with jam stains on his hands walked out.
That old man looked a little fierce. His forehead was longer than normal people, but his eyes were slightly sunken. His hair was short, but the white hair was standing up. His gaze was extremely sharp, like an eagle's gaze.
"Looks like the information is correct!"
Ayrin's eyes immediately brightened. He excitedly spoke, "Gramps, we heard that you two are successors of the Psychic Style, so we rushed over here. Gramps, can you teach us Psychic Style?"
"What!?"
The old man and the youth changed their expressions instantly.
The skinny youth showed no change other than looking scared. However, the old man clearly exuded a much more powerful presence. A suffocating aura instantly filled the entire jam shop.
"Elderly, we mean no harm."
Ferguillo's emotionless voice called out.
He clearly felt the killing intent from the old man. If they did not mend the mood, that old man might just attack first.
Rinloran and the others also felt it. However, at that moment, Stingham mumbled, "The Crane Team is unreliable! They gave us false information. They said that the old man is already heavily injured and about to die!"
"You just have to make it worse!" Meraly almost fainted from anger.
"Who exactly are you people!?" The old man's chest heaved up and down, obviously trying to control his emotions. Stingham's words caused the arcane energy fluctuation to become more violent, just one step away from attacking.
"Gramps, we really aren't bad guys! We are from the Holy Dawn Academy team, I'm Ayrin." Ayrin remained excited and took off his hood and mask.
"Holy Dawn Academy team? Ayrin?" The old man clearly looked surprised. Meanwhile, the skinny youth called out in astonishment, "You are the Holy Dawn Academy team's Ayrin who won the Hegemonic Cup of Starry Sky Braves?"
"Ah? You actually know him? Then you must also know me. I'm the most handsome Stingham!" Stingham also became excited. He took off his mask and flicked his hair.
"You're really like the rumor said……" The skinny youth's expression had not completely returned to normal, but showed a smile.
"The Holy Dawn Academy team that was hunted by House Baratheon with a dragon egg as reward? Do you have any proof?" The old man still looked grim. He took a deep breath and the arcane energy fluctuation slightly calmed down.
"Holy Gate of Life can be proof." Ayrin looked at that old man. His surroundings suddenly shook. The powerful arcane particles even generated screeching sound.
The old man's gaze greatly flickered. That terrifying presence of arcane particle flow felt like it was from someone who had opened seven gates. It could only be due to Holy Dawn Academy's Holy Gate of Life.
"Where have you heard that we are the successors of Psychic Style?" The old man paused for a few seconds, then questioned them.
"The Crane Team told us. They said that you have used Psychic Style to kill the Wolf Team members. They encountered the escaped Wolf Team members……" Ayrin quickly narrated Crane Team's explanation to the old man.
"Uncle Rei, there are actually survivors from the Wolf Team! Didn't you kill all of them!?" The skinny youth exclaimed.
"Those two died in a weird way. They became ash and scattered. I had some suspicions at that time, but now it's confirmed. To think that they really escaped, they might have some unique artifacts." The old man's expression worsened.
"You actually thought that the two Wolf Team members who had fallen into the Crane Team's hands are dead? You're too careless." Stingham overheard the conversation between the old man and skinny youth and commented.
"Shut up!" The old man looked furious and shouted.
Whoosh!
Stingham suddenly felt as if he was frozen by a black ice, or getting thrown into a deep black well. He shivered from the feeling and kept quiet.
"It's not safe here anymore, my Liege. We must leave now."
The old man did not show any hesitation and carried the skinny youth on his back.
Rinloran's pupils contracted.
The term 'Liege' should only appear in ancient Houses with ancient traditions.
In such an ancient House, the ranking was clear and the subordinates held absolute loyalty towards the master.
Another point that caused Rinloran's pupil to contract was that he saw the youth's leg area looked empty. Although the legs were still there, there was no sign of muscles growing on the legs. The skin was also pale white.
"Are we leaving immediately again……" The skinny youth was shocked and a little reluctant. His eyes looked teary.
"Since there were survivors, and even the Crane Team found out…… I don't know if the information leaked before the Wolf Team fall into the hands of the Crane Team……" The old man clenched his teeth and quickly explained. He looked as if he wanted to leave immediately without even packing up.
"Danger? Are you hiding from enemies…… or afraid of someone looking for you?" Ayrin looked at the old man and skinny youth in surprise and asked.
"I don't want to say anything anymore, even if I pass the Psychic Style to you, you may also not be able to learn it." The old man did not intend to answer Ayrin. He violently pushed Ayrin aside and left the place.
"Uncle Rei……" The skinny youth powerlessly looked at Ayrin's group. He seemed to want to stay, he also seemed to have heard many of Ayrin's achievements, wanting to become friends with Ayrin and the others. However, he knew what Uncle Rei said was the truth, he could not voice his wish to stay.
"What danger did you encounter? Regardless of whether you will teach us Psychic Style or not, we will do our best to help!" Ayrin did not stop and immediately chased after the old man and the skinny youth.
"Don't get involved with us, the enemies are not people you can oppose!" The old man warned.
"We are true brave warriors. We will not cower before the enemies no matter how strong they are." Ayrin continued.
"Did you not hear what I said!? I don't want to see you again!"
"But…… If you are going to be in danger soon, we can't just sit back and watch."
"Get lost!"
"……"
Ayrin followed the old man and skinny youth out of the Spear Spring Village.
