The Creators: From Night City

Mermaids only look like humans on their faces, while their lower bodies, including their arms, are still ferocious monsters. They have fish-like scales on their arms and lower backs, sharp nails, and pointed teeth like their distant cousins, the Siren.

Often, the more powerful the mermaid is, the more human-like she looks, because they can survive in the sea by relying on their magical abilities rather than their physical abilities.

As for the other person, whose upper body is more human than human and whose lower body is more fish-like than fish, only one kind of creature can reach this level.

That is the nymph of the sea, the elf of the sea, the natural elf that truly only exists in myths and legends - the sea fairy, or it can be called the ocean nymph.

Chapter 381 Druid's Ring

The nymph uttered a series of words, full of unique melody, which was more like singing than speaking.

Jiang Bing could only vaguely hear that the other party's language was actually a variant of ancient language, but he could not understand the specific content at all.

Fortunately, the other party's title of princess was not for nothing. Seeing that the two were confused, she immediately switched to ancient language fluently. Seeing that the two were still stuttering, she simply changed to Skellige. This time, both of them could finally understand.

"A demon hunter and a noble man, thank you for your help?"

Jiang Bing curiously tapped the soft yet resilient water ball floating in the air and replied, "Your little follower, Hordasto, brought us here. He said that if you don't show up, your little octopus pet will tear Skellige apart."

"The Kraken wouldn't do that. It's very well behaved." The sea fairy immediately explained. Even though she spoke in Skellige, a language with short words and direct and concise grammar, it still sounded beautiful and rhythmic with the other party's elegant and gentle voice.

"It almost overturned the Temple of Freya on the island of Indarsfair a few days ago. I don't see how it has behaved."

"It must have been my disappearance that caused it to misunderstand. It always has such a bad temper." The sea fairy explained softly.

"How can I take you out?" Jiang Bing asked with a frown, looking at the other person's fish tail.

"Just push it." The sea fairy touched the wall of the water ball with her hand, indicating that Jiang Bingzhi could just roll this 'fish tank' on his way.

So the witcher led the way, and Jiang Bing directly carried the round glass fish tank.

"I'm curious, is this magic you cast, or is it a method used by those cultists to imprison you?"

"I'm not an adult yet, and I can't stay out of water for a long time, Noble One." The sea fairy swam flexibly in the water ball. When answering the question, she pressed her beautiful face against the wall of the 'fish tank' next to Jiang Bing's ear, causing her soft and boneless voice to sound directly in Jiang Bing's ear.

"As for this, it is Her Highness Hailin's blessing to every mermaid to protect us from danger."

"I am not some noble person, I have a name, you can call me Sabour Lyric."

"Lysianasa" the other party sang her name like an aria.

"Your little follower said you were a princess, so there really is a kingdom of marine life under the sea?"

"Of course," the sea fairy confirmed Jiang Bing's question.

"The narrow landmasses are home to human nations; there's no reason why the vast oceans can't also give rise to civilization."

"makes sense"

Jiang Bing agreed with the other party's point of view.

"But I'm not a princess of some underwater kingdom."

"Then why are you crowned as a princess?"

"Because my father is the King of the Sea."

……

The two chatted about everything along the way and rushed to the beach.

The moment the bubble entered the water, it melted and disappeared quickly like an ice cube encountering boiling water. The sea nymph who had been imprisoned in it broke free from her restraints and stood on the crest of the tide.

"I will repay you."

"As long as you keep an eye on your Kraken and don't let it cause any more trouble, that will be the best reward you can give me." Jiang Bing replied.

"I will." The sea fairy looked deeply at Jiang Bing, who was full of secrets, turned over and merged into the ocean, and disappeared.

Although she was curious about the secrets of Jiang Bing, just as Jiang Bing did not ask why she was easily captured when her magical equipment was so bright that it almost blinded the "craftsman", and did not ask her whether this was a trap carefully prepared for Svalblo, she never mentioned her doubts.

It would be great if everyone could maintain some adult decency and get what they need.

………………

The location of the Druid Circle was as Jiang Bing expected. It was in a dense forest.

And it is a forest that grows exceptionally vigorously.

A large number of 'sacred trees' surround the Druid circle totem at the center, leaving a clearing in the woods and forming a refuge for wild animals.

Druids are world-renowned for their healing abilities. They are also happy to care for and treat injured wild animals, and adopt and help orphans abandoned by their families. These people are also one of the main sources of their apprentices.

In the Skellige Islands, druids are a highly respected group. The islanders call them wise men, although their natural philosophy sounds a bit advanced to the islanders.

However, these environmental protection, sustainable development, biodiversity hotspot protection, ecosystem network theory, symbiotic relationship research, resilience ecology, and even animal rights theory are just right for Jiang Bing from the 21st century.

Especially since he had just lived in a cyber world that was in dire need of a druid to save it.

One was interested and the other was willing to discuss, so Jiang Bing and Mossak had a heated conversation for a while.

"You mean, there is a land in the world where all plants have become extinct, and the soil is even infected with a curse, making it impossible for most creatures to survive?" The Archdruid shuddered at the situation described by Jiang Bing.

"Do you have any good ideas to revive nature, Lord Mossak?" Jiang Bing took the opportunity to learn from the scriptures.

"Then you might need a large number of natural grazers, a huge investment of money and energy, or you might leave it to a long time and let it recover on its own. Nature's resilience is beyond your imagination, my friend."

"Or," the Archdruid cast his eyes on the acorn in Jiang Bing's hand, "pray for help from the great ones of nature."

Under the watchful eyes of a group of forest deer, the group came to a living tree house. Its structure was very magical. It grew directly from a tree. The walls of the tree house were covered with lush green leaves, making it look full of vitality.

Mossack knocked on the door.

"Qiannan, stop meditating. I need your help in performing a sacrifice with the spirits of nature."

An old man wearing a brown linen robe, with white hair and a beard that reached his chest, walked out of the tree house.

"By the Holy Oak Forest, Mossak, your presence always brings unrest."

"Stop complaining and look at this."

The acorn was handed to the other party.

"what?"

An expert can tell whether it is there or not with just one look.

The name Druid means "one who understands oak trees". To them, distinguishing the quality of an acorn is as easy as eating and drinking water. However, Qiannan, who is also a mentor of the Skellige Druid Circle, fell into deep confusion when looking at the acorn in his hand.

There was no response when he called out, and he could not find out where the acorn was. He knew that the acorn was extraordinary, but he was not sure what made it extraordinary. The great druid was scratching his head and almost transformed into an old man from Mount Emei on the spot.

Thus, a natural ceremony went smoothly under the promotion of the two people in charge.

Being in the Druid Circle, there was no shortage of materials for the ceremony, but the ceremony did not begin until the moon was above the treetops.

Chapter 382 Druid Ritual

In the center of the natural circle formed by thirteen oak trees, a natural bluestone is placed as an altar.

The druids showed Jiang Bing their best skills from the beginning. These thirteen oak trees were all living tree people. They were urged by Qiannan to slowly move from their original rooted places to the venue of the ceremony and take root again. Two of the trees were obviously in a bad mood and had to be calmed down by the archdruid with great difficulty.

The plain acorn was placed in the center of the bluestone in a bowl made of thirteen green leaves taken from the surrounding oak trees.

Beneath the bluestone lies a deer skeleton, used to mystically connect the souls of the deceased and the earth.

A deer antler cup filled with spring water was held in the right hand of Archdruid Ki'annan, who was wearing a dark brown cloak, a mistletoe-woven belt around his waist, and holding a blackthorn staff.

“A chlann na talún, oscail do bhéal—Anamacha na sean, éistigí lenár nguth!”

("Open your mouths, people of the earth—old spirits, and hear my voice!")

In the eyes of the "craftsman", all the silent things seem to be awakened in an instant, and the stagnant spirit begins to flow.

The wind started to blow in the forest at some point, making the oak leaves rustle, like the footsteps of visiting spirits.

The ceremony began instantly with just one eulogy.

But this is normal. The Druid Circle is a place of great natural beauty and has been prayed to by a group of druids for many years. Its connection with all the spirits of nature is very close and efficient, so it is not surprising.

The sage was lit by a druid apprentice nearby. The firewood mixed with various nut shells did not burn completely, emitting a large amount of smoke, which, contrary to common sense, lingered in the ritual forest for a long time.

Mossak was wearing a crow feather robe and holding a large clay pot filled with clear spring water in his hands.

He chanted the ancient sacrificial text, walked slowly to the bluestone, and poured the spring water in the pottery jar onto the ground.

“Crann síos, fréamh suas!

Scáthán na talún, oscail an doras!”

("The tree is down, the roots are up! Mirror of the Earth, open the door!")

The spring water gathered and condensed on the ground like mercury. Not only did it not seep into the soil, but it surrounded and clustered around the bluestone, forming a smooth mirror surface. It just reflected the moon in the sky through the gap in the center left by the oak trees.

The Witcher and Yennefer couldn't help but shudder, and the 'craftsman' was even more shocked.

On the one hand, the moonlight is projected down from the celestial body hanging high in the dome, and then scattered and reflected in all directions by the mirror of the earth.

Of course, these things all happen in higher dimensions, and to witness them with your own eyes requires a higher 'vision'.

The witcher and Yennefer obviously don't have the qualifications, but an eagle flying in the sky can get a glimpse of it.

Seven druid apprentices held highly symbolic ritual items such as dry oak branches, bonewood flowers, mistletoe, birch chips, blackberry and oat seeds, and chanted ancient songs together.

"D'fhás an crannón spéir go talamh,

Marbh agus beo ar aon chrann amháin...”

("A tree grows from the sky to the earth, and the dead and the living live on the same branch...")

These difficult and awkward sentences, like the flourishing of all things and the sprouting of buds on the trees, mixed with the misty smoke, brought the mysterious atmosphere of the ceremony to its peak.

Of course, this is the only way. In higher dimensions, nothing changes on the field and nothing happens.

Jiang Bingxu narrowed his eyes and looked speechlessly at the apprentices who were reciting with all their might, and he couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied.

"So you guys are useless, you're just a professional atmosphere guy."

However, the whole ceremony soon reached the stage where Jiang Bing needed to participate.

The deer antler cup was gently placed on the bluestone altar covered with hazelnuts, apples, and oatmeal cakes. Because the target of this communication was the spirit of plants, elements such as animal blood and internal organs did not appear in the sacrifice.

As the main priest, Qiannan used a flint knife to cut open a plump and juicy rowan berry, squeezed out the black-purple juice that symbolized the "blood of the earth", and dripped it into the deer antler cup.

Next it was Jiang Bing's turn.

Under the guidance of the officiant, he stretched out his fingers and allowed the other party to cut them with a flint knife.

But what was embarrassing was that even though the chief priest had used all his strength, the sharp flint knife only left a red mark on Jiang Bing's tough skin.

Qi Annan could only look at Jiang Bing with shocked and speechless eyes.

Fortunately, the ritual only required Jiang Bing's blood and did not require a flint knife. The great druid then produced a magical spike from the blackthorn wood in his hand, and used the special spike to pierce Jiang Bing's finger with great difficulty, squeezing out a drop of blood that was as thick as mercury and dripping it into the deer antler cup.

“A chuid fola, a chuid croí,

Téigh i dteagmháil leis an gcóras fréimhe!”

("With your blood, with your heart, and with your roots!")

Along with the chanting, the liquid in the deer antler cup turned green, symbolizing plants. However, when Mossak held the deer antler cup and poured it onto the bluestone, the water began to emit a dazzling golden color, which was very eye-catching in the dark night.

So the two knowledgeable druids turned their gaze to Jiang Bing standing aside, their eyes filled with shock.

A liquid mixed with the blood of the 'craftsman' and the 'blood of the earth' was poured onto the acorn. A small amount was absorbed, while a large part slid down the bluestone onto the 'realm of the earth', dyeing the flawless white mirror surface into a green and yellow color.

Mossak walked up to Jiang Bing holding a half-full deer horn cup of liquid.

"Drink, Your Majesty Saber—it is now a link to nature, allowing you to temporarily merge with it."

Jiang Bing didn't care about the other party's sudden change of address. Instead, he looked at the scene and the cup of green liquid in the other party's hand, and couldn't help but ask: "But, Mossak, what is the price?"

Fortunately, this is not the continent of Draenor. Although the one holding the cup is also a wizard, he is just a druid, not a warlock. Except for the fact that he is a little green when casting spells, his skin has nothing to do with green skin.

And in his "eyes", this cup of liquid was indeed as Mossak said, closely connected with the spirits of the earth and the acorn, and was not green bubbling evil energy cola.

So he no longer hesitated, took the glass of liquid and took a sip.

The slightly sour and numbing taste of the mountain ash fruit soaked into Jiang Bing's taste buds, causing him to frown slightly. Fortunately, this ceremony did not require him to drink half a cup of liquid. He only needed the concept of "drinking" to anchor the goal.

The wind grew stronger and stronger, even fading the colors of everything around it.

This is naturally impossible.

When Jiang Bing opened his eyes again, he found himself in another world.