My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The summer breeze gently swept away the dampness in the woods, carrying the slightly astringent scent of grass and decaying leaves as it swept along the winding mossy path.

"The shop is in dire need of some herbs and ingredients, and I plan to go to Summertown to buy them."

"And what about you, Master Xiuqi?"

The elegant lady looked at Xiuqi with great interest, seemingly quite interested in his itinerary.

"I'm preparing to go to the Gray Forest for training; the academy's final exams are at the end of the month..."

"My lifelong ideal is to relentlessly pursue arcane magic..."

Xiuqi's formulaic official statement drew agreement from the other two. Olivia's elegant face, unseen by the others, showed a slight twitch at the corner of her eye.

The elegant lady remained seated by the window, but this time she did not look out the window. Instead, she focused her gaze on Xiu Qi, her purple eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Upon hearing Xiuqi's intention to head towards the Gray Forest, Lina, who was standing nearby, offered a reminder:

"The Grey Forest has been quite unsettled lately. Several groups of low-level adventurers went in a few days ago, but none of them came out unscathed."

"I heard that some monsters I've never seen before have appeared deep in the forest, and they're very aggressive."

Xiuqi understood immediately; this was invaluable information that couldn't be found in library books: "What kind of monster is it?"

"The information isn't entirely accurate," Lina shook her head. "Some adventurers returned terrified, saying that the monsters were extremely fast, covered in black mist, and that any place they touched would fester."

"Some adventurers have even encountered legendary, elven-like beauties, with pure white wings, who sing enchanting songs..."

"I'll kill you after you've become obsessed."

"The town's Adventurers' Guild has issued a high-paying commission to recruit experienced adventurers to investigate, but so far no one has been willing to take on the mission."

A monster shrouded in black mist? ...A winged elf?

Xiu Qi pondered for a moment, and with his memory far exceeding that of ordinary people, he remembered all the monsters in the "Monster Encyclopedia" and "Comprehensive Overview of Common Monsters in the Kingdom Forest" in the library.

However, Lina's description did not match the monsters mentioned above at all.

And... there are even elves?

Based on the description, the elf mentioned by the adventurer could not be a dark elf from the gloomy underground, nor a half-elf.

Rather, they are the youngest son of the supreme god, the high elves who have long since migrated to the land of Cain.

High elves...this was his most precious childhood memory.

It was all the fault of that handsome middle-aged bard; the elves in his tales were so perfect that both the young bard and his six-year-older brother were bewitched by him.

The two young brothers even made a vow to marry the most beautiful high elf woman and to protect her with their lives.

It wasn't until I grew up that I realized that my short few decades were just a lone boat in the endless river of life.

Moreover, there are no more high elves in this world; legend has it that they led their people to hide in the land of Cain.

His brother did not marry an elf, but instead married a half-elf who was as beautiful as an elf.

He recalled his beautiful sister-in-law and the heartbreaking letter from home.

The light on his face instantly dimmed.

However, high elves... don't have wings either!

It might be the drunken ramblings of some drunkard, or the delusions of someone who has been frightened.

Irwin added, "And recently the goblin tribes in the forest have become unusually active, frequently attacking villages and passing travelers, and are much more ferocious than before."

"If you, Venerable Master, are going there, please be extremely careful!"

Xiu Qi silently noted down this information. It seemed that this gray forest was much more dangerous than he had anticipated: "Thank you for the reminder. I will be careful."

The carriage continued its journey along the forest path, the chocobo lizard moving steadily and swiftly.

As time went by, the surrounding woods gradually thinned out, and the outline of a village with wisps of smoke rising from its chimneys could be vaguely seen in the distance.

"Summertown is just ahead!" Old York's voice came from ahead.

Looking out the car window, Xiuqi saw a small town not far ahead.

Summer Town.

Just as its name suggests, the town is bathed in bright sunshine, giving people a lazy and warm feeling.

Summertown has no city walls, but there are guards patrolling the roads.

Most of the houses in the town are wooden structures with roofs covered with blue tiles, and the smoke from the chimneys drifts slowly in the morning breeze.

Once the carriage entered, the atmosphere here was completely different from that of Harbour City.

There were no bustling shops or dense crowds; the streets were mostly lined with blacksmith shops, general stores, taverns, inns, and stalls selling adventure supplies.

Pedestrians on the road can often see adventurers dressed in various armors and carrying weapons moving about.

The air was filled with the aromas of barbecue, beer, and a faint scent of herbs.

The carriage stopped in the town square, and Erwin and Lina got out first.

"Master Xiuqi and Lady Olivia, if you don't mind, we would like to invite you to have dinner with us at the 'Traveler's Rest' tavern tonight!" Erwin said warmly.

Lina nodded in agreement, "Yes, this is just a small token of our appreciation. Please, both of you, come!"

Xiu Qi thought for a moment and nodded in agreement: "Okay, I will go."

He needed to inquire about the recent situation in the Grey Forest from the adventurers, and as a gathering place for adventurers, "Traveler's Rest" should provide him with a lot of useful information.

Seeing that Xiuqi had agreed, the elegant lady hesitated slightly but finally nodded.

"Then we'll take our leave!" Erwin and Lina waved to Hugh and Olivia, then picked up their luggage and headed toward the town hall.

The elegant lady also alighted from the carriage, her small suitcase already hidden away in her storage bag.

She looked at Xiuqi: "I'm going to the Alchemist Association in the east of town. See you at dinner."

"See you tonight." Xiu Qi nodded.

The woman nodded slightly and turned to walk towards the east of the town.

Her steps were light and graceful, as if she were walking on a flat palace corridor, even on a street covered with cobblestones, and she quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Xiuqi watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.

This woman's identity is mysterious, and her strength seems extraordinary. In particular, her purple eyes seem somewhat familiar to him, but he can't quite place where he has seen them before.

"Mr. Xiuqi, where are you going?" Old York asked. "Do you need me to give you a ride?"

"No need," Xiuqi shook his head. "I plan to just wander around this area."

Xiuqi lifted the "princess" off the carriage, but he did not put her back into the card.

It was midday, and he planned to take a stroll and have lunch there.

Then go to the blacksmith shop that Erwin recommended and see how much money you can get for this pile of scrap metal.

You can also take a look and see if there's a knight's longsword that suits you.