Chapter 53 Path of the Druid — Circle

Chapter 53: Chapter 52: Path of the Druid — Circle

Returning to Biyun Resort.

In front of the corridor leading to the guest rooms, Yu Na fidgeted, blushing as she thanked Han Ning once again before running off like a rabbit.

"The girl is a bit coy..." Han Ning smiled and went to Xu Ming’s room, handing over the materials he had obtained from hunting Vortex Shell Crabs earlier.

"Mr. Han!" Xu Ming said as he carefully stored the snow-white crab meat. "Boss Lin and her exploration team have been out for over two hours."

"Oh? Over two hours already?" Han Ning nodded in understanding, not paying it much mind.

After resting for a while, eating some food, and waiting for his Spiritual Power to mostly recover, Han Ning set out once again with snow cake. This time, he didn’t venture deep into the Fog Area, but instead chose the relatively safe waters on the outskirts of the resort.

In the murky currents, snow cake locked onto a lone adult Crocodile Lizard. As the water levels rose and fell, the average size of the roaming Crocodile Lizards nearby had also grown to around two meters.

A moment later.

"HOWL..." the Crocodile Lizard let out a painful hiss, losing its life under the strangulation of the vines.

[Vine Technique (High Level) Skill Level +1. Current: 83/500]

A small, pale blue Energy Light Group quietly floated out from the Crocodile Lizard’s corpse and entered Han Ning’s body. The corresponding information immediately appeared on the panel.

[Druid Growth Progress +25]

[Basic Druid Level 4 -> Level 5! Current Progress (1/2000)]

"That’s it?"

After waiting for a second or two, Han Ning didn’t notice anything unusual. He originally thought that breaking through to Level 5 would bring a massive boost in his abilities. However, the anticipated warm current washing over him and the sensation of his strength surging did not appear.

Just as Han Ning looked confused, something changed.

SWISH!

Three completely different insignia patterns, seemingly exuding an ancient aura, appeared on the panel before his eyes. They took the shapes of the Earth, stars, and a blurry cloud of green fog. At the same time, a stream of information regarding the three insignias flooded into Han Ning’s mind. The information stream came and went quickly.

"This is... the Druid Association!" Han Ning stood in place, his eyes slightly out of focus.

Joining an association meant a Druid was entering a different "circle," which could also be understood as a "clique" or "school of thought," to obtain different specializations. Generally speaking, there were three "circles" a Druid could join: Earth, Stars, and Spores. The three insignias hovered in front of him like three flickering orbs of light.

1. Earth Society: Unearth the power hidden deep within the forest and the Earth. All things will grow through your hands, and every living creature walking upon the Earth will sing this earthly epic. Earth Druids can more deeply understand and accelerate the growth cycle of plants, guiding them through beneficial, directed evolution. All Skills related to the Earth will be amplified. At the same time, it strengthens the Transformation Technique for terrestrial Beast Forms. When transforming into land creatures, they will gain greater adaptability, tougher Defense, and longer-lasting endurance. Its core lies in taking root in the Earth, absorbing power, and becoming a resolute Guardian and natural shaper of the land.

2. Star Society: The storm is your wings, and Dragon Scales are your Armor. Harness the Thunderbolt and soar through the nine heavens. Druids swear an oath to the stars, sensing the power of the sky and stars to receive stellar blessings, granting themselves more versatile abilities. When transforming into sky fowls, Flying Dragons, or even the legendary Giant Dragon Form, they will gain unparalleled speed, explosive power, strong defensive Scale Armor, and an affinity for the wind and lightning Elements. It pursues ultimate individual power and dominance over the sky, incarnating as the Sovereign of the skies.

3. Spore Association: The flower of life blooming in decay. Demise is not the end, but a hotbed for new life. To control this cycle is to be the Sovereign of life and death. Spore Druids are more like Necromancers. Death, gangrene, fungal growth, and Spores formation are merely a part of life to them. They can freely manipulate these Spores to strengthen themselves while harming enemies. They walk on the edge of life and death, manipulating the power of decay and regeneration.

[Choose one association at Level 5. Upon reaching the corresponding Level in the future, you may continue to choose the other two associations.]

Three major associations!

Looking at the details of the three associations, Han Ning fell deep in thought. Fierce winds howled in the sky of this world at all times. If he could control the storm and soar freely through the heavens, the Star Society would actually be a pretty good choice. But right now, his strength was weak and he was still human. Flying in the sky would definitely consume Energy. The Earth was his true foundation. The Spore Association seemed overly mystical, and he didn’t quite understand it.

After thinking it over, Han Ning felt that his current situation was best suited for the Earth Society. The Earth Society would not only enhance his ability to cultivate plants but also improve his Transformation Technique. It provided a dual guarantee of logistics and combat power. Although the Earth would gradually be submerged by the Black Tide, it wouldn’t disappear completely. And even if it did disappear, that would be an unknown amount of time in the future.

"I’ll go with the Earth Society. I can always choose the other associations later anyway."

His mind was made up. With his intent, he touched the Earth’s orb of light.

SPLASH!

The orb of light turned into flowing water and merged into his body. A series of knowledge related to the Earth Society entered his brain. He looked around. This place was some distance from the resort, situated on the edge of a flooded, low-lying area. Beneath his feet were soft, wet mud and exposed, freezing rock foundations washed by the rain. The murky rain constantly pelted his body and washed over the land beneath him. This was the very aura of the Earth, a mixture of the scents of dirt, rocks, and rain.

Han Ning strode over to a relatively solid patch of ground where the accumulated water was shallow. He then pressed his body completely against the Earth, face down, and kissed the ground. He thrust his hands deep into the moist soil beside him, his ten fingers tightly gripping the dirt and tiny pieces of gravel. The freezing rain instantly soaked his clothes, the chill piercing his bones. But he didn’t care in the slightest. Instead, he closed his eyes and poured his entire Spirit and all his thoughts into connecting with the Earth beneath him.

He followed the guidance of the knowledge in his mind and began to call out. There were no complex incantations, nor were there any mysterious channeling dances. The core of the Earth Association Ceremony was the most primal, direct contact and resonance. He turned his Mental Power into invisible roots, trying to reach down, down, and further down, to touch the thick, heavy ley line power that nurtured all things. He imagined himself as a seed, eager to break through the soil, eager to absorb the Earth’s nutrients.

HONG LONG!

A muffled clap of thunder rang out in the sky right on cue, as if providing an accompaniment for the ceremony. Han Ning’s body trembled slightly, not from the cold, but because an indescribable, heavy, and majestic power was beginning to slowly surge into his body from the depths of the Earth, flowing through his buried hands and prostrate form.

"HISS..."

Like a loyal servant, snow cake seemed to sense something, imitating its master’s movements and laying flat on the Earth.

This power was not blazing hot; instead, it carried a steady coolness. It washed through his limbs and bones, nourishing his flesh and sinews. His flesh rapidly restructured, becoming tough and resilient. Energy continued Gathering and compressing. His human body was quietly undergoing a transformation.

An unknown amount of time passed.

The center of Han Ning’s forehead grew slightly hot. An earthy-yellow insignia shaped like continuous rolling mountains quietly appeared, flickering with a faint light before quickly disappearing beneath his skin, leaving only a strange sensation of being tightly connected to the Earth beneath his feet.

[Earth Association Ceremony completed]

[Earth Society Exclusive Skill Tree unlocked]

Han Ning lifted his head and opened his eyes. At this moment, an earthy-yellow halo burned in his eyes. From the pores all over his body, wisps of emerald-green and earthy-yellow motes of light emerged from the slippery ground, surrounding him like water vapor. At this moment, the steady Earth Energy and the vibrant Natural Energy gathered together, coloring Han Ning like a son of the Earth, filled with a mysterious aura.

Soon, the light vanished, and he returned to his human appearance.

"This sense of power..." Han Ning clenched his power-filled fist as a series of new Skills appeared in his mind. After joining the Earth Society, he had awakened a full three new Skills, which were—

[Beast Form], [Wild Blessing], and [Crazy Growth].

"Transformation Technique!" The moment he sensed Beast Form, Han Ning couldn’t help but reveal a look of joy on his face.

Transformation Technique was the core combat Skill of a Druid!