The Mighty Mage
Chapter 323: Dryad

Chapter 323: Chapter 323: Dryad

Her gaze lingered on the skeleton warrior as if searching for a trace of familiarity that wasn’t there.

Gu Jin felt a chill run down her spine. What does she mean by that?

The Dryad’s eyes softened, and she let her hand drop to her side.

"Who is your master?" She inquired the skeleton warrior as if it would answer.

Logically speaking the skeleton warrior couldn’t speak yet Gu Jin felt unease which was confirmed when the being repeated in a confused voice,

"Gu Jin?"

Gu Jin’s heart pounded rapidly. How the f*ck does she know her name?

The Dryad’s voice sliced through the tense silence, soft but firm.

"Can I reach her through the link?" Her tone was almost conversational as if she were asking a simple question, but the weight behind it made it sound like a command.

Gu Jin froze, her breath catching in her throat. She knows my name...

Her pulse quickened, and her mind raced. How does she know? Why is this happening?

"Come on, move!" she urged silently, but the skeleton warrior remained still, its bones clattering faintly as if it were waiting for some unseen command.

It didn’t budge, its hollow eyes fixated on the Dryad as if it were bound by an invisible thread.

"Why won’t you listen?" Gu Jin’s voice cracked, her mind struggling to make sense of the situation.

The warrior had always obeyed her before, yet now it seemed to stand frozen in place, under the Dryad’s influence.

"No?" The dryad repeated in a sad tone but Gu Jin was delighted to hear those words.

She exhaled sharply in relief, a bead of sweat rolling down her temple.

Good, she can’t teleport to me. That’s one less thing to worry about.

But the Dryad’s next words froze her completely, her body stiffening as if an icy hand had gripped her heart.

"But..." The Dryad’s voice became almost contemplative, her expression pained,

"Can this energy be sent through the link?"

She asked, her gaze returning to the skeleton warrior, who, despite Gu Jin’s desperate attempts to command it otherwise, nodded once, its skull tilting in a barely perceptible motion.

The realization hit like a freight train.

No. The energy. She can transfer her power through the link.

Gu Jin felt a wave of nausea rush through her as her blood ran cold.

If the Dryad could channel her energy through the skeleton warrior’s link to her, it would be devastating.

The weight of the Dryad’s energy could crush her without even needing to physically approach her.

Gu Jin had no idea what kind of power this creature wielded, but she could feel it, seeping through the link, pressing against her mind, like a storm gathering on the horizon.

Her entire body tensed, her heart hammering in her chest as a cold sweat coated her skin.

She instinctively tried to break the link again, her fingers trembling as she gripped her ring, but nothing happened.

It was as if the link had solidified into something unbreakable, something far beyond her control.

A feeling of helplessness washed over her.

The more she struggled, the more the connection felt like a noose tightening around her.

She could feel the Dryad’s presence, its energy rising in the air like an impending storm.

And the worst part was, that Gu Jin wasn’t sure what the Dryad would do next.

Would she unleash that power? Would she hurt her?

She tried to reason with herself.

No. Calm down. Think. She’s not here. She’s not...

But the fact that the Dryad could send energy through the link was terrifying. Gu Jin was caught, unable to break free.

Suddenly, she felt it—a tingle, almost like a ripple running through her skin, starting from the tip of her fingers and spreading like electricity through her veins.

"Enough!" Gu Jin shouted, but her voice sounded hollow, and distant, as if the energy itself was already flooding into her.

A sharp pain blossomed in her chest, followed by a dull hum in her mind.

No... no, this can’t be happening!

Gu Jin thought, struggling against the invisible force, but it felt like her body was betraying her.

The Dryad’s power was flowing through her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

The world around her seemed to dim, the edges of her vision blurring as her body trembled from the energy coursing through her.

Her breath came in sharp gasps, and her knees buckled slightly, her body fighting to hold on.

Then, through the storm of panic and overwhelming power, Gu Jin heard the Dryad’s voice again, slightly excited.

"I was right! You are here! Ah! It’s been such a long time..."

Gu Jin couldn’t hear the dryad’s words. The energy coursing her body caused her to feel dizzy and she soon lost her consciousness.

In her dizziness, she seemed to see a figure rushing toward and then a familiar yet unfamiliar fragrance wafted in her nose.

Before fainting Gu Jin only had one thought in her mind,

’Who is this guy?’

......

Long Yifan found himself in utter darkness. Just as he was wondering where he was, he heard Gu Jin’s shout for help.

Turning around he saw crimson blood flowing out of Gu Jin’s seven orifices, causing his pupil to dilate.

He instantly ran towards her to save her but before he could reach, Gu Jin vanished slowly.

"No!" He shouted and woke up. It took him a few minutes to realize whatever he saw was a dream. He wiped the cold sweat on his forehead calmly.

When even after 5 minutes he didn’t feel good, he decided to exit his tent and roam around the periphery.

On the way he encountered some of the master rank beasts trying to sneak an attack, but Long Yifan dealt them with ease.

If it weren’t for staying low profile, he might have eliminated all the beasts on the island.

He couldn’t deal with the supreme rank beast, not without sacrificing his current cultivation a bit but all the other beasts could be dealt with easily.

Just as he finished a stroll, he noticed Gu Jin sitting some distance away from her tent. She was sitting on a log and looked a bit pale.

His heart tightened for some reason, and he slowly walked up to Gu Jin. Seeing her closed eyes and fluctuating energy around her, he was startled.

Closing the distance, he activated his Divine Eyes, a gift that allowed him to see the invisible flows of energy and life force.

What he saw froze him in place.

A surge of green energy, shimmering like ethereal vines, was weaving its way into Gu Jin’s body. The source seemed to be the west direction.

If this continues, she’ll die!

Long Yifan’s mind flashed to his dream.

The image of Gu Jin bleeding from her seven orifices haunted him anew, and the possibility of it coming true sent a chill down his spine.

He clenched his fists. Not on my watch.

Without hesitation, Long Yifan focused on his Light Element, summoning a golden glow around his hands.

He aimed to sever the invasive energy link while preserving Gu Jin’s fragile life force.

As he directed the light toward her chest, it resisted fiercely.

The energy lashed out like thorns, and he felt an oppressive, foreign presence in the link—a powerful being, far beyond anything he had encountered before.

The force of it was overwhelming, pressing on his consciousness like a tidal wave.

Blood seeped from the corner of his lips.

The backlash was painful, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward.

No matter how powerful you are, you won’t take her.

He concentrated harder, the light from his hands intensifying.

The golden radiance enveloped Gu Jin, purging the invasive energy inch by inch.

After what felt like an eternity, the last vestiges of green energy recoiled and dissipated, severing the link.

Long Yifan staggered back, wiping the blood from his lips.

The presence was gone, but he felt the toll it had taken on his spirit.

"Hang in there," Long Yifan muttered, his voice low but filled with urgency.

He gently pulled her into his arms, cradling her like she was the most fragile thing in the world.

Summoning his healing energy, a soft blue glow radiated from his palm as he placed it against her chest.

The energy seeped into her, mending the damage caused by the invasive force.

Her ashen face regained a slight flush but the energy remained fluctuating.

Unlike others who have elemental restrictions on them, Long Yifan had none. Maybe it was because his cultivation was much higher than others or maybe it was related to her innate talent.

Either way, it helped him a lot today.

Long Yifan held Gu Jin in his arms and coaxed her,

"Gu Jin? Listen to me. Can you feel the energy swirling in your body? Try to drag it into your mana world. This energy would only be harmful if you let it stay in your body. If you absorb it properly your cultivation will soar."

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