I Don't Agree to the Terms
Chapter 101 - 82: Trial Completed, Adopting Nature as a Surname_2

Chapter 101: Chapter 82: Trial Completed, Adopting Nature as a Surname_2

Wizards were something Gu Shanhai wasn’t too familiar with, for he had collected some information, but it was too disorganized, mostly revolving around potions and curses. Frankly, they were more akin to the Necromancers in the game Diablo.

After coming up empty-handed, Gu Shanhai naturally left, making haste toward the Elemental Realm exit he had found earlier in the Elemental Region of Wind.

The distance was not short; even by traveling in a straight line, which is the shortest path between two points, it would likely take half a day. It was fortunate that he didn’t have to go to the edge of the Elemental Realm, otherwise Gu Shanhai would have needed to spend even more time.

As he sped on his way, with Kurus Brass’s departure, the once silent Elemental Realm once again became vibrant with life.

On his way back, Gu Shanhai also encountered several small Wind Elementals, but he didn’t pay much attention to them, not even bothering to kill them, instead speeding off.

Since they held no value, why kill them? Stopping to deal with them would be a waste of time.

The small Wind Elementals were somewhat persistent, but Gu Shanhai was fast, and they couldn’t keep up with him. Eventually, they could only leave, cursing as they went. What else could they do?

Although they were capable of ranged attacks, Gu Shanhai easily evaded them with his keen senses.

"Thank goodness, it’s not closed. If it were, I would have had to go back and find another exit," Gu Shanhai thought, looking at the person-high fissure with a sense of relief.

He had no way to determine when the exit would close—that would require ample knowledge.

And Mafas and the others didn’t teach him that. In their eyes, as long as Gu Shanhai could get out, that was enough. Traditionally, apprentice fatalities were due to the inability to find an Elemental Realm exit, not because they were hunting elementals like Gu Shanhai.

Gu Shanhai walked straight into the fissure, and a powerful pulling force forcibly brought him out at a different location, aiming for Deer Plain.

This Elemental Realm exit was naturally not at Deer Plain, but the ritual’s power forcibly changed the outcome of his landing. Gu Shanhai was not panicked about this, as he had been prepared.

Soon after, the scenery before his eyes abruptly changed, and Gu Shanhai knew he was back, back at Deer Plain.

The next moment, a great amount of elementals converged and entered Gu Shanhai’s body. He felt the four elements of wind, water, fire, and earth boiling within him, and then the four Elemental cores in his arms gradually melted.

In his mind, the knowledge and legacy of the Imprint Druid flowed in as the elemental enhancement process continued.

’Sure enough, with one point each of wind, fire, water, and earth and the four Elemental cores, one can obtain a higher-level Elemental blessing.’

The Elemental blessing was nothing but fodder used by the core talent of the Marked Druid to transform. Without the Elemental blessing, one couldn’t obtain the core talent.

This core talent was called Nature Affinity, allowing a deeper understanding of nature and increasing all resistances and affinities by ten points.

If Gu Shanhai had not farmed small elementals, he would probably have only gained five points, and without the four Elemental cores, likely only one point.

Of course, this wasn’t the important part; the key was the ability to feel nature more deeply, akin to a simplified version of Unity of Heaven and Man.

...

"You have succeeded. Now you may choose a surname," Mafas said, looking at the returned Gu Shanhai.

A multitude of surnames appeared before Gu Shanhai’s eyes. After becoming a Druid, he could choose a surname to merge with and receive an enhancement.

Mafas was Wolf Teeth, which gave him affinity and improved his animal companion, the White Wolf, as well as enhancing his Magic Claw Technique and other related Divine Arts.

Flame, Hurricane, Wave, Earth—these four surnames first appeared in Gu Shanhai’s mind, rewards for over-performing in the ritual. Choosing any of these would undoubtedly push his corresponding elemental resistance and affinity to 100 points, but he declined them.

Next came Nature, which provided a boost to all his attributes, though not as much; the only upside was that it could synergize with his core talent, Nature Affinity, and slightly enhance all his Druid Divine Skills and talents.

While it might seem grander than the first four surnames, it was actually a notch lower. One couldn’t judge by the name alone; the enhancement was what mattered.

Further down were surnames like Mafas’s Wolf Teeth. After some contemplation, Gu Shanhai ultimately chose Nature as his primary one.

The first four surnames had better attributes but were limited to a single element, which was far from what he needed.

After making the choice, he felt a significant increase in his natural affinity. It felt as though whispers were incessantly reaching out to him.

This left him somewhat uncomfortable, as anyone would be confused by such a sudden influx of sensation.

Moreover, his mind was filled with a vast amount of knowledge from the Marked Druid legacy, forcefully crammed in, giving him quite the headache.

The legacy knowledge was divided into three parts: prophecy, Divine Arts, and markings.

The core part was the markings, befitting the title of Marked Druid, followed by prophecy, and lastly, the Divine Arts.

After briefly organizing his thoughts, Gu Shanhai found that in the Imprint stream, most had abandoned prophecy in favor of focusing primarily on Divine Arts, with markings as a secondary aspect, leaving only Mafas as a student of the prophetic school.