I'm not a goblin Frankenstein's monster.

Chapter 51 The Druids of the Earth Society

The shop owner, whose sales pitch had failed, stared at their retreating figures as they disappeared around the street corner. He then looked down at the illustrated guide he'd just gotten for free. After a long pause, he muttered resentfully:

"They had their fun but didn't buy anything. These young people these days have no sportsmanship."

On the street, Xia Lin took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to dissipate the unnatural heat on her face.

Woody clicked his tongue, seemingly still wanting more: "Actually, it's quite lifelike. I think the artist's handling of the succubus's body structure and light and shadow is very professional and worth learning from..."

Me too.

"I mean on an artistic level!"

"Me too."

As they walked back to the hotel, the sunlight cast long, thin shadows.

The next day, after completing the two fixed routines of "recharging faith" with cream of mushroom soup and checking in daily favorability, Xia Lin, full and satisfied, once again embarked on his journey as a working man.

Following the information given by Nim, he arrived at the familiar "Stonehammer and Spirits" dwarf tavern.

Pushing open the door, the familiar hustle and bustle and the smell of ale hit me, but the scene around the bar was a little different today.

Captain Targen, the elf Lia, and the halfling Ezio were all there, but there was also an unfamiliar face next to them.

He was a man who looked to be around thirty years old, wearing a simple long robe the color of tree bark, with dark brown hair casually tied behind his head with a vine.

He was talking to Targen and Dwarf Sauce, with a cup of "drink" of suspicious color and a few blades of grass floating in it.

Just as Xia Lin approached, the man turned his head.

His eyes were a gentle hazel brown. When his gaze swept over Xia Lin, he paused slightly, and a friendly smile immediately appeared on his lips.

"This must be Xia Lin?" the man spoke first, his voice deep and soothing. "We were just talking about you. I'm Griffin, an old teammate of Targen and Sauce Explosion."

Targen patted Sharin on the shoulder and smiled at Griffin, "How about it? I told you this kid's not bad, right?"

Griffin nodded, his gaze lingering on Xia Lin for a moment before he suddenly frowned slightly: "Have you recently... suffered a serious injury? Your left shoulder, and the area slightly to the right of your ribs. Although it's been treated, your breathing isn't completely smooth yet."

Xia Lin was taken aback.

The wound inflicted by the gnoll had healed on the surface after the treatment potion was applied, and he felt fine.

"How did you know? I did fight with the gnolls before."

"A gnoll?" Ezio nearly choked on his ale. "You ran into one of those things? And you came back alive?"

Lia also looked at her with surprise.

"Just lucky," Xia Lin said vaguely.

Griffin didn't ask any more questions, but simply put the cup of "herbal tea" in his hand aside and extended his right hand.

His hands were broad and thick, with distinct knuckles, and his palms had a faint sheen similar to the rings of a tree.

He lightly pressed down about an inch above Xia Lin's left shoulder, without making direct contact.

Xia Lin immediately felt a warm and gentle current seep into her shoulder and slowly spread to the injured area.

The feeling wasn't like the scalding heat of a healing potion; it was more like the spring sunshine on frozen ground, quietly melting away the accumulated cold and stagnation.

A few breaths later, the warm current subsided, and he subconsciously moved his left shoulder. The slight stiffness that had been almost ignored before completely disappeared, and his breathing became much smoother.

"Thank you very much," Xia Lin said sincerely. This was much more effective than a bottle of healing potion that cost five gold coins.

"It was nothing." Griffin withdrew his hand, his smile still gentle. "Take care and rest. Natural healing takes time; external help is only an aid."

At this moment, Xia Lin's "portable encyclopedia" came online at just the right time.

Woody's voice carried a hint of boasting: "A druid following the Earth Society's style. Judging from his technique and perception, he's quite skilled. I estimate he'll be able to condense his class and become a full-fledged professional soon."

This group, known as "Nature's Breath," excels at healing and soothing, communicating with plants and animals as if having a casual chat.

He must have sensed a slight blockage in your body's energy flow beforehand.

"Druids are divided into different societies?" Xia Lin asked curiously to herself.

"Of course!" Woody perked up. "The ancient Druid society commands the power of nature. They control animals and plants, manipulate earth, fire, water, and wind, and can heal, fight, and even transform into animals."

Generally speaking, unconventional druids regard nature above all else; their magic either comes from nature itself, from nature deities, or both.

"For example, the Moon Society, these people don't sleep at night, they like to transform into cats, eagles, and bears, and they are especially active on the night of the full moon;

Oceanic societies enjoy dealing with storms and waves; those with good tempers go with the tides, while those with explosive tempers feel they are the embodiment of nature's rage.

The Star Society is like an old scholar, looking up at the stars every day, pondering the secrets of constellations, and trying to borrow the power of the universe...

Xia Lin gasped in astonishment: "There are so many schools of thought?"

"This is nothing," Woody scoffed. "It's just the known mainstream genres; there are many more bizarre and outlandish ones."

Just like you warriors, aren't there a whole bunch of combat masters, rune knights, arcane knights, and psionic warriors? Everyone's starting point and experience are different, and the paths they take to their chosen professions are incredibly diverse. Who knows what they'll ultimately come up with?

The power system of this world is indeed complex and interesting. Xia Lin couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

The topic quickly returned to the main subject.

Targen explained the situation regarding the upcoming mission to clear the kobold lair.

Griffin's expression turned serious after hearing this: "Kobolds are more troublesome than goblins. They may not be strong individually, but they are extremely adept at using the environment and creating traps, often making them insidious and difficult to deal with. You must be extra careful and make thorough preparations."

Everyone nodded and took note.

Targen took a sip of his drink and turned to Griffin: "Hey kid, why aren't you staying in the Upper City? What are you doing back in Elwynn? Don't tell me you came here just to see us old folks."

Griffin smiled, but there was a hint of something else in his smile: "I accepted a secret mission. As for the details... I promised them, so I can't say more."

Targen nodded knowingly and didn't press further. In the adventurer's line of work, who doesn't have some unspeakable secrets?

The three chatted about some old anecdotes, naturally mentioning another former teammate.

"How's Lance doing these days?" Targen asked. "Haven't heard from him in a while."

"Lance," Griffin said casually, "is doing quite well. He joined the Silverflame Church, passed the trials, and is now a full-fledged paladin, serving as a guard in the paladin order."

"The Silverflame Church?" Tagan and Sauce Explosion exchanged a glance and both smiled. "That radical organization that advocates the swift annihilation of evil beings and is keen on proselytizing?"

"It suits him well. That kid has always had a strong sense of justice, just like Xia Lin—young and energetic."

They casually recalled some past events, such as Lance once chasing a child kidnapped by goblins deep into the forest all by himself.

During an exploration of an abandoned temple, he was determined to purify the remains of an ancient knight corrupted by negative energy, nearly triggering a trap...