Chapter 689: A Squirrelly Introduction
The sun rose on the cultivation realm, chasing the night’s darkness away. As the last stars faded into the soft orange sky, Adam stepped into a forest hundreds of kilometers west of the Order of the Venomous Path’s mountain.
He sighed, a little disgruntled that Misha chose not to accompany him today.
"I’ll bring William the grimoires you prepared for him last night. We must also discuss rules and management. In short, time-consuming matters you don’t need to attend, especially since this is your vacation month. Have fun discovering new things, Adam. I’ll join you soon." She had said before planting a kiss on his lips, then pushed him outside their room.
She wasn’t wrong, though. Just like her with alchemy, he had little interest in managing people, much less a city. Still, he wanted to help her, even if only with his presence. But she was unrelenting in her desire to develop the city on her own. And here he was, in the middle of nowhere and en route to a mage’s dwelling.
Well, not entirely. Xie Lian’s map had an interesting annotation next to her dwelling: the Witch of the West. An evocative name that made him ponder its origin. Were her methods of weaving mana different, or was it just the name of her school of magic?
Both cases promised discovery, and he could hardly contain his excitement.
Twigs cracked and luxuriant leaves ranging from classic green to gold, pink, and purple crumpled beneath his hastening steps. The perfumes of magical woods filled his nose, sometimes with sweetness, others with bitterness.
The vibrant, shifting canopy above cast refreshing shadows on his face, rustling softly with the wind and letting the morning sunlight filter on strange, glowing mosses that clung to roots and rocks.
Immersed in the simple charms of nature, he continued for a few minutes until he reached a bright clearing.