Chapter 870: Chapter 434: Coral Association (Part 2)

It’s a pity that she only returned to Suo Yu Bay with the team these past two days and didn’t take the time to inquire about these rumors. Otherwise, with her sensitivity, she should have recognized Xia Nan at first glance. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

At the same time when Hai Yin’s mind was bustling with thoughts, Xia Nan was also observing the Druid beside him.

From the brief exchange in the association meeting room and the casual chats along the way, he could tell.

This spellcaster named Hai Yin is not like him, a lone wolf, but has a fixed adventurer team.

Considering the rarity of spellcasters in the Southern Islands, like the "Flying Fish Oil Barrel" adventurer group which only had a beginner level apprentice who couldn’t even be considered a proper Mage, a professional level spellcaster like Hai Yin should have teammates much stronger than Bern the "Oil Hand" from back then.

It’s worth being cautious about.

With their own thoughts, the two of them walking side by side fell into silence.

"Hiss..."

After enduring for a long time, the Silver Ring Snake wrapped around Hai Yin’s wrist like a bracelet stuck out its little head from the sleeve, flicking its tongue.

Its golden vertical pupils were filled with curiosity, looking at Xia Nan beside him. The diamond-shaped head swayed left and right with his arm’s movement, like a magnet being attracted.

"I’m really sorry, it’s usually very well-behaved, I don’t know what’s gotten into it today."

Feeling the sensation of contraction and movement on the wrist’s surface, Hai Yin quickly pulled back her arm and apologized.

"Ah Yin, come back, be good!"

Her tone carried some sternness as she softly scolded the Silver Ring Snake on her wrist.

"It’s nothing, I don’t mind."

His thoughts interrupted, Xia Nan casually replied. As his eyes turned, his gaze fell towards the direction of the Silver Ring Snake, pausing slightly on those golden vertical pupils. His heart couldn’t help but move, realizing that although the snake seemed curious about him, it was actually interested in something else.

While wondering why the usually obedient ’Ah Yin’ was behaving so erratically today, Hai Yin suddenly sensed the gaze of the black-haired adventurer beside her. As if misunderstanding something, Hai Yin instinctively turned her head, glancing at Xia Nan next to her, noticing that he didn’t seem repulsed or fearful of venomous snakes like ordinary people.

After hesitating for a moment, she slightly reached out her hand.

"If you don’t mind, you can touch it, it’s alright."

"Don’t worry, Ah Yin will absolutely not bite anyone!"

"But of course... be gentle, don’t be too rough."

Obviously, it was impossible to get close to such a venomous snake.

On one hand, even Hai Yin herself has not yet won Xia Nan’s trust; how could he naïvely believe that the snake wouldn’t open its mouth and bite.

On the other hand, it was indeed a misunderstanding, as Xia Nan’s attention was entirely due to the direction of ’Ah Yin’s’ gaze.

So, Xia Nan waved his hand, indicating that it wasn’t necessary.

Yet as he waved his hand, he inadvertently moved a bit closer to Hai Yin’s direction.

And the amplitude of raising his left arm was slightly larger than usual.

"Hiss hiss!"

For some unknown reason.

Just like a moth drawn to a flame, the small, slender silver-black snake’s gaze fixed on Xia Nan’s left forearm, its lively vertical pupils curious at first, but as the arm gradually got closer, it instinctively shrank back its head.

Until the arm broke through a certain critical distance, the little snake suddenly let out a cry of terror.

The slender body suddenly shrunk, silver-black scales flashing, its diamond-shaped head completely retracting deep into the sleeve.

"Ah Yin? Ah Yin?"

Hai Yin felt its behavior incredibly strange, startling and quivering, entirely different from its usual obedient and even somewhat lazy manner.

Beside her, Xia Nan took the opportunity to figure out the reason behind this little snake’s simultaneous curiosity and fear towards him.

It ultimately came from the [Dark Scale Guard] worn on his left hand:

——Effect 4. The bearer gains advantage when interacting with snakes, Nagas, and Snakemen through Charm (Intimidation/Persuasion) checks.

Forged in the Secret Cave using Snake Scale as the primary material, the Blue Arm Shield has a special intimidating effect on snake creatures.

Initially, the small snake might have been intrigued by the scent of its own kind from him, hence the curiosity.

But once close enough, the shield’s chilling effect activated.

After comforting it for a long while, still without any response from the snake, Hai Yin had no choice but to give up.

Turning to glance at Xia Nan, who seemed untroubled, she felt apologetic as if her child had caused trouble for someone else. She wanted to explain further but decided to swallow her words.

Her gaze swept over a passing guard team, and to ease her own embarrassment, Hai Yin instinctively searched for a topic:

"There seems to be an unusually large number of Governor Mansion guards in town today, did something happen to a noble in the White Cliff District?"

Originally, this was special information known only to a few.

But after the bounty post was put up on the task wall of the adventurer association hall, this information lost its time-sensitivity, and there was no longer any point in concealing it.

"Baron Farrow’s daughter is reportedly missing after an attack."

"These guards are likely here because of that. The related task has also been listed at the association, the town will likely be bustling in the coming days."

Xia Nan explained to the other side.

Unexpectedly, as soon as his words fell, an unusually high-pitched woman’s voice exploded by his ear.

"Baron Farrow!?"

Hai Yin’s footsteps suddenly halted, her expression carrying a trace of astonishment.

"Yes." Noticing the peculiarity in the other’s expression, Xia Nan slightly nodded, replying, "Didn’t you notice that there were way more adventurers than usual when you left the association earlier, all here for this matter."

"Why, do you know this Baron Farrow?"

As it turns out, Hai Yin did know the father who had just lost his daughter.

Druids consider themselves as guardians and practitioners of the "natural order," but nature itself is a grand and complex concept.

Due to differences in living environment, source of power, and growth background, Druids have varying perspectives on "how to protect nature."

And the "Association" is the embodiment of these views and beliefs.

The Druids of the Spore Collective focus on the cycle of life and decay, controlling the powers of fungi and undead, believing that nature’s balance exists in the minutiae;

Meanwhile, the Druids of the Wildfire Society adhere to the viewpoint that "destruction is rebirth, a necessary premise for creation," advocating burning forests and lands with flames, nourishing the soil with ashes, and healing ailments through "Fire Therapy."

To Druids, an Association is not only an organizational form or philosophical school but also a source of power and a mode of practice.

As a Level 3 Druid, Hai Yin naturally joined the local natural organization long ago.

But unlike the widely-spread "Earth Society" and "Star Society" on the Aifala Continent, the organization she joined has a geographical limitation due to philosophical differences, confined to the sea, islands, and coastal areas.

——The Coral Association.

Its philosophy resembles the ocean itself, dynamic, deep, and inclusive, believing in maintaining nature’s balance through flow and cycle, and not just protecting a certain fixed species, but the entire region’s dynamic balance.

Any unclean item that might pollute or corrupt the ocean must be purified and reshaped, and appropriate pressure and challenges, like the deep sea, will create mighty lives and resilient souls.

In the Coral Association, Hai Yin was evidently not a Big Shot, and the main area she was responsible for was merely a coral reef southwest of Suo Yu Bay along the coast.

Usually, during breaks in adventures at Suo Yu Bay, she’d go check the local environment.

And the key issue at hand is Baron Farrow.