Demon Hunter: School of the Wolf.

Chapter 662 Child of Miracles? No, please call me Child of Nature!

"By Mother Nature, you say you've succeeded?!"

Under the shade of the oak tree, Zebi Ortega happily danced a strange dance, as if it were Zebi Ortega himself, not Erin, who had successfully meditated.

Simmons and Olga grinned, revealing their white teeth, and jumped up with their mentor.

Such pure joy made Erin feel somewhat embarrassed, and he had to use the control of a Witcher's facial muscles to force a bright smile:

“Yes, Master Zebi Ortega, last night, as you taught me yesterday, I tried to forget the goddess Meritelli and meditate like an ordinary person who knows nothing.”

"After several attempts, I finally encountered a loving and magnificent will..."

“That’s right, that’s right,” Zebi Ortega laughed heartily, “majestic and loving, that is Mother Nature, the mother of all living beings, the will of nature, life and death…”

Simmons and Olga didn't join in the devout prayer; they just smiled at Erin and pressed him for an answer:

"What was it like to enter the sacred forest for the first time? Did your whole body, including your soul, feel cleansed by the pure water, and were filled with power?"

It wasn't the first time, and there was no feeling of being cleansed by the pure water or gaining power... Erin thought to himself, then curled the corners of his mouth, about to nod and spout nonsense.

“Don’t be so presumptuous, Simmons, Olga,” Zebi Ortega interrupted Erin, “Erin is already a powerful witcher, a Wolf School witcher master who can be respectfully addressed as Master Erin on any occasion.”

"If I hadn't been drawn to the Way of Nature, I wouldn't have been able to become his mentor..."

“You flatter me,” Erin quickly replied. “Even if I am not drawn to the Way of Nature, your wisdom is still worth pursuing and learning.”

Zebi Ortega shook his head, but inwardly he was increasingly satisfied with his new apprentice.

Few children are as sensible as Arlin at such a young age, understanding early on that humility is the foundation of virtue. He is hardly like a Witcher, even one from the Wolf School.

Although Zebi Ortega now spends most of his time in the Ring of Maidalui, contemplating the ways of nature, he traveled the world in his youth and encountered countless witchers.

Therefore, he knew that a normal Witcher was definitely not like Erin.

Normal witchers who have just passed the trials and descended the mountain, whether they are wolves, bears, cats, griffins, or vipers, all share one characteristic: arrogance and restlessness.

Because of the power they possess that transcends that of ordinary mortals, and because they have embarked on a path of self-sacrifice to save others.

Some schools of witchers, due to the hardships they have endured in training and trials over the years, may even become more extreme, and coupled with their long period of isolation from human society, they may easily go astray.

Therefore, every Witcher school has a three- to five-year trial period, even the most cruel and despicable Cat School.

The mentors who guide the apprentices through trials are less about teaching them knowledge for navigating the world and more about restraining the children to prevent them from harming others and themselves.

But a child as sensible as Erin is extremely rare, no wonder she was able to make such a name for herself in just one year.

“Don’t overthink what Simmons and Olga said about feeling full of power and purification,” Zebi Ortega said earnestly. “That’s just a normal feeling of your body and soul being tempered by the forces of nature. It’s more noticeable the weaker you are, and for you, you might not even feel it at all…”

“The effects weren’t very noticeable, but walking in the Sacred Forest did provide some improvement, which was quite amazing.” Erin smiled sweetly. “However, I thought you would say that it was a gift from Mother Nature.”

“That is the soul resonating with the sacred forest, and the spirit and body will naturally be tempered,” Zebi Ortega nodded and explained. “It is indeed a gift from Mother Nature, but the Druids, especially our Maynadruid Circle, do not, like the Church of the Gods, emphasize anti-devotion to Mother Nature.”

"As I said before, Mother Nature does not require the faith of mortals; we Druids only need to remember to maintain the inherent balance of the world and nature."

"I understand," Erin quickly nodded in agreement.

Zebi Ortega nodded slightly, sat cross-legged in the shade of the oak tree, and began to formally explain the key points of exploring the sacred forest and the essentials of practicing the druidic path.

“What is the Sacred Grove?” Zebi Ortega asked first.

The question wasn't directed at Erin, but at Simmons, who was standing to the side.

“The Sacred Forest is the divine kingdom of Mother Nature, the embodiment of the laws of nature,” Simmons replied fluently.

“The Sacred Grove is the divine kingdom of Mother Nature, but Mother Nature’s divine kingdom is not entirely the Sacred Grove,” Zebi Ortega added. “With the Mahakam and Kesdra Mountains as the boundary, to the west of this boundary, most of Temuria and Redania, along with some smaller kingdoms like Hidaris, are within the Sacred Grove’s influence.”

“Other regions, such as Cordwin and Skellige, also have their own sanctuaries of the Way of Nature.”

"Some are forests similar to the sacred grove, while others are towering mountains, vast seas, and murky swamps..."

“In every sanctuary, the same source is revealed within, only the outward appearance is different, just as a lush forest is nature, a surging ocean is nature, and a violently erupting volcano is also nature.”

“The origins are all the same.”

So I happened to use the "Element of the Leshen" at the Temple of Meritelli at that time; otherwise, if I had returned to Kaer Morhen to absorb it, it wouldn't have been the Ring of Maidalui... Arlin understood.

Fortunately, to be honest, he didn't know which one the Ring of the Druids of Kordwin was.

Considering the hostility of Ban Adler and the Cordwin royal family towards witchers, Cordwin's Druid Ring is unlikely to be as easy to enter as the Mahinard Druid Ring.

“Furthermore, due to the differences in outward circumstances, druids will comprehend things at different speeds in different sanctuaries,” Zebi Ortega continued. “Some druids find enlightenment in the woodlands, some at the sea, and some in the swamps…”

"This is why druids, after achieving mastery from their apprenticeship, often travel across the continent, moving between the various druidic realms."

"Only after becoming an Archdruid will one choose a Druid Circle to settle in and meditate continuously for a long time in order to delve into the source."

"Most Druid Circle members actually welcome such traveling Druids and treat them like one of their own."

Zebi Ortega looked at Simmons and Olga: "Simmons and Olga have both been to the Skellige Islands, Toussaint, Cordwin and the Dragon Mountains..." "Aerin, you can also travel to the Druid Circles around the world in the future. Even if you can't gain deeper insights in the sanctuaries of other places, it will still be of great benefit to your future path of Druidism."

"After all, nature is not just forests."

“However, most druids have the deepest feelings about the sanctuary they entered for the first time,” Olga added. “I’ve been to several Druid Circles, but I always end up coming back to Mayna.”

Simmons said, "I actually felt more deeply about the Kad Mikvid Druid Ring in Toussaint, but in the end I chose to come back."

"That is also a holy site for druids, and its sanctuary, like the sacred grove, is a woodland, except that Cade Mikvid's sanctuary is a treacherous forest composed of alder and beech."

"Why?" Erin asked curiously.

Simmons and Olga exchanged a glance and smiled proudly: "Because we have the Grand Master, the Grand Master of the Ring of Maidalui, the Druid with the deepest understanding of nature in the entire Northern Continent, known as the Reindeer Druid closest to Mother Nature..."

“Don’t say that!” Zebi Ortega frowned and interrupted Simmons. “Every Grand Master of the Druid Circle is a respectable forerunner on the path of the Druids. Don’t make such comparisons.”

Simmons shrank back, scratched his head, gave Erin a wink, and then fell silent.

“However, the Grand Master is indeed more willing to teach young druids than the senior members of the Druid Circle,” Olga smoothed things over. “So generally, optimistic druids from the Sacred Grove, unless they have a poor understanding of the Sacred Grove, will eventually choose to stay in the Maidaldo Druid Circle.”

“It’s a pity that the Grand Master has been too busy lately in search of the Golden-haired Beast,” Simmons said, looking at Erin with some regret. “You might not make it in time…”

Simmons and Olga, like Zebi Ortega, had grown quite fond of this young but already renowned witcher after spending the past few days with him.

At the bonfire party the night before last, Simmons and Olga inquired and learned that Erin wouldn't be staying in the Ring of Maidalui for long before leaving.

Moreover, Arryn is essentially a witcher, and the druid path is merely a hobby; it's unlikely he'll stay in any particular druid's circle for long.

“Aelin,” Simmons couldn’t help but advise, “compared to the Witcher, the Druid path is actually…”

“Shut up, Simmons!” Zebi Ortega was truly angry this time, glaring at Simmons. “The path of glory of the Wolf School is a respectable path; don’t tarnish it with your words…”

"And who says Erin doesn't have a chance?"

No chance what… Erin was stunned. The Grand Master’s lecture?
"I'm sorry." Simmons apologized readily, as if he were already used to it.

“It’s nothing.” Arlin shook his head, but in his heart he was thinking about the Wolf School Grandmaster in Kaer Morhen, who had dedicated his life to the path of honor, only to be disappointed in it in the end, leading to the collapse of the vessel of his great cause.

“Let’s continue,” Zebi Ortega shook his head, getting back to the main topic, “Entering the Sacred Grove is a requirement for a Druid apprentice to advance to a Druid, and it’s not difficult as long as one has some talent in the Way of Nature.”

"To cross the 'grassland' where you stand and step into the 'dense forest,' it takes at least several years of enlightenment. And within the 'dense forest,' to move from the peaceful 'oak' to the 'asphalt,' step into the 'spruce,' and finally enter the 'banyan' is a realm that may not be reached even after decades, centuries, or even a lifetime..."

Zebi Ortega was somewhat moved.

Erin was somewhat stunned by what he heard.

Does it take an oak tree "several years" to grow from "grassland" to "dense forest"?
In other words, judging from Simmons and Olgado's ages, they are probably at the "Oak Tree" level, the level he is about to cross.

He thought that only after leaving the "grassland" would a druid apprentice be formally promoted to druid...

“Mentor Ortega,” Erin couldn’t help but ask, “may I ask what stage you are at now?”

“There’s nothing I can’t ask,” Zebi Ortega nodded kindly. “I’ve only just entered the spruce area; I can’t see the banyan trees yet…”

The Grand Master is at the Unnamed Lake behind the Banyan Tree, so there is still a great realm of the Banyan Tree between the Grand Master and Zebi Ortega, who has already completed his holy form.
And I'm only one aspen away from mentoring Zebi Ortega...

Erin seemed to suddenly realize something, and with great difficulty managed to control his facial expression, forcing a smile as he said, "Please continue."

Zebi Ortega nodded, oblivious to everything, and continued:
"Druids gain access to the power of nature and the prayer magic bestowed by Mother Nature through walking and climbing in the sacred grove..."

"You should have already felt the former, but for the latter, at each stage of the sacred forest, such as stepping from the 'grassland' where you stand into the 'dense forest,' and then from the 'oak' to the 'asphalt,' Mother Nature bestows a prayer spell..."

"Only one prayer spell?" Erin immediately snapped back to reality, then couldn't help but interrupt, "Won't we gain more prayer spells by traveling through 'grasslands' and 'dense forests'?"

“Of course not. Traveling through the various areas of the Sacred Grove will only enhance a druid’s natural powers,” Zebi Ortega shook his head. “But don’t worry, prayer spells aren’t only obtained from the Sacred Grove. Otherwise, druids wouldn’t be able to travel alone in the Northern Continent…”

“As long as you can step out of the ‘grassland’ and enter the ‘dense forest’, I can teach you a basic prayer spell called ‘Boiled Blood’. You can also obtain ‘Nature’s Vision’ for free from the Ring of Maidalui.”

"These are all quite practical prayer spells that can be of great use to witchers."

"However, other prayer spells can only be obtained by accumulating merits through completing the Druid's Circle quests."

"Of course, self-taught prayer techniques are certainly not as powerful as those bestowed by Mother Nature. We call the prayer techniques obtained from the sacred forest divinely granted prayer techniques, or primordial prayer techniques..."

So, you can learn all of these in the Sacred Grove...? Erin asked again, "Then, for beginners... how many basic prayer spells are there in total?"

Olga answered this time: "Five Paths: Boiling Blood, Nature's Vision, Concealment Mark, Beast Becomes Friend, and Nature's Gift."

I also learned another spell, the most effective and seemingly the strongest curse spell...

Why is there such a big difference?
Mother Nature is not Meritelle; Her consciousness is chaotic, and she has no sense of closeness or distance, likes or dislikes...

Is it because of the "Leshen element", the "Miracle Child", or the "Witcher's Handbook"?
Erin fell silent, his mind racing.

(End of this chapter)