Chinese professors at the Wizarding Academy

Gu Chen's guess was indeed very correct. Although there was no large amount of blood left behind and only a faint smell of blood in the air, the lingering aura of death was like blood spilled into the ocean, which would then attract sharks.

About 10 minutes after he left, a faint rustling sound came from the nearby bushes.

They appear in groups, without making a sound, as if they emerge directly from the darkness.

They were several creatures, about the size of wild dogs, but with abnormally distorted forms. Their fur was a sickly grayish-white, covered in an unknown slime and filth, and their exposed skin was covered in disgusting growths. Their eyes were cloudy white.

They look like things the Creator just threw out when He was in a bad mood, but... they also possess an unparalleled talent: an incredibly keen sense of smell.

The wolverine, a common scavenger in the Black Forest.

They cautiously approached the corpse, circled it a few times, and their murky white eyes warily scanned the surroundings. Only after confirming that there was no threat from any living creature did they lower their heads and begin to gnaw.

Sharp teeth easily tore through the dry, shriveled flesh, producing a teeth-grinding chewing sound.

Such a feast doesn't happen every day in the Black Forest. The wizard's corpse naturally retains some magic, making this a stroke of incredible luck for these scavenging wolverines.

But just as they were enjoying this feast, a colder and more powerful aura suddenly descended.

An uninvited guest has broken in.

The surrounding air temperature plummeted, and the light seemed to dim. The scavenging wolverines, who were feeding, suddenly raised their heads, letting out threatening growls, but their cloudy eyes were filled with fear.

It was a blurry black smoke, seemingly with a form, looking like a human, yet also like some kind of wild beast, indistinct and unclear, making it impossible to tell what it was.

The moment the black smoke appeared, the venue for the feast visibly darkened, and eerie screams filled the air. The sounds were also difficult to pinpoint, with faint screams rising and falling in the air.

The black mist drifted silently out of the shadows of the woods, with two clusters of scarlet lights flickering faintly in the center.

"Bound Spirit Shadow Beast"

A rarer and more dangerous carrion-eating monster that prefers to devour the magic power and fragmented souls that have not yet completely dissipated from the bodies of recently deceased creatures.

Especially for wizards, consuming the corpse of a wizard, even the lowest-ranking first-level wizard, can enhance the power of the Spirit-Binding Beast more effectively than a dozen people.

Sensing the immense pressure from the Spirit-Binding Shadow Beast, the scavenging wolverines howled resentfully.

But in the end, it tucked its tail between its legs and quickly fled the scene, giving up the food it had almost eaten.

The Bound Spirit Beast ignored the fleeing minor character. It floated above Hans's corpse, its black, mist-like tentacles extending out and gently covering the body. Instantly, the last trace of warmth remaining on Hans's corpse vanished completely, and even the fire-elemental magic contained within the corpse was forcibly extracted, turning into almost invisible wisps of light, which were then forcibly absorbed into the two clusters of scarlet light spots.

It then did the same thing again, disposing of Morris's body and absorbing the faint remnants of water magic.

"call……"

A gust of cold wind blew by, and the small area seemed to grow even darker, with screams echoing everywhere and the shadows growing ever deeper.

The Spirit-Binding Shadow Beast seemed to tremble with satisfaction. Its scarlet gaze lingered for a moment before turning towards the direction Gu Chen had left. In its view, that figure exuded a vibrant life force that it desperately craved.

And a strange fluctuation originating from the depths of the soul, as if some strange attraction was drawing it in, drawing its spirit.

The Bound Spirit Beast floated in the air, seemingly contemplating as if it were a person. For it, tracking a healthy, living creature and waiting for its next natural death or slaughter was far easier and safer.

But it eventually caught up with it.

That figure... gave me a very unique feeling, a natural attraction that made me unconsciously move closer.

at the same time……

Gu Chen had just left the stream. He wandered around a few times, suppressing his magic and mental fluctuations as much as possible, before heading towards his destination based on his previous memories.

He was completely unaware of what was happening behind him, and was now focused on traversing the increasingly rugged forest. The further north he went, the taller and thicker the trees became, their canopies blocking out the sun and making the light under the trees extremely dim. Where he could barely see with the help of the faint light before, now he could see nothing at all without the light of the canopy.

The air was filled with the damp smell of humus, and the oppressive feeling from the unknown was no longer just psychological pressure. The further Gu Chen went in, the heavier he felt his breathing became.

"The magic here... is much more active than in the outer areas, but it's also much more chaotic."

Gu Chen silently sensed it.

"No wonder the Gray Tower Academy stipulates that apprentices cannot leave the outer area. Although I am just an ordinary low-level first-ring, I am still a first-ring. I feel oppressed in this outer edge environment."

"For apprentices, just staying in this kind of environment for even a short while is a burden on their mind and body."

He dared not be careless in the slightest, and continued to operate the Star Gazing Technique, but instead of scanning like a radar as before, he extended it forward a little bit to make sure there were no obvious traps in front of him before relying on his memory to move forward.

Armored lizards disguised as rocks, burrowing ground squirrels, and strange fungi emitting faint paralyzing spores...

Everything is normal.

Why is it so quiet?

Gu Chen moved very carefully, focusing 200% of his attention on observing the road in front of him.

This is done to prevent accidents, and the fewer accidents, the better...

But why is there no surprise at all?

"There are no large magical beasts, no carnivorous magical vines, and no man-eating trees..."

"This isn't right. Is this the Black Forest? I remember that a lot of apprentices die every month when they enter the Black Forest."

There were no surprises at all; it was too quiet.

Gu Chen felt a sudden, inexplicable panic...

However, since we're already here, staying in a shallow spot would make us more vulnerable to disturbances, and our magic wouldn't be strong enough...

Time flew by in the midst of their hurried journey. Based on the route determined by stargazing, Gu Chen finally realized that he was approaching the so-called "Rock Slope".

More gravel began to appear on the ground beneath our feet, and the slope gradually increased.

Finally, after passing through a dense forest of hemlock trees, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A wide slope appeared before him.

As its name suggests, this place is filled with gray-black rocks of all sizes and shapes, some as large as houses, others just scattered pebbles. Sparse but tenacious shrubs and moss grow in the crevices, adding a touch of life to this desolate rocky area. In the distance, the faint sound of flowing water can be heard, as if a stream is flowing through this rocky slope.