Chapter 43: The Flame Qilin


    Han Ming had been the closest to the red-robed mage. He clearly heard the man call the flaming beast a "sixth-tier magical beast, the Flame Qilin!"


    He had a vague suspicion that this Flame Qilin was Big Head, but he couldn’t reconcile the two images in his mind. Big Head had been a small, frail figure with an oversized head, always wearing a simple, somewhat foolish expression. The red-haired man before him, however, was strikingly handsome, with an otherworldly aura and an elegant demeanor. How could they be the same person?


    The red-haired man approached Han Ming with a smile. "That’s right, I am Big Head. My real name is Sagus. You’re badly injured, but we’ll talk about that later. Let’s find a place to treat your wounds first." With a flash of light in his eyes, he glanced toward the distant tower where Li Chengfeng and the others stood and called out, "Come with us!"


    Han Ming, still in a daze, allowed the red-haired man to carry him. In a few leaps, they reached the tower. Without waiting for Li Chengfeng and the others to react, the man gathered them up and, with a series of jumps through the night sky, brought them all to the city lord’s mansion.


    Sagus placed Han Ming on a bed and motioned for him to remain silent. He extended his hand, releasing a soft glow that enveloped Han Ming completely.


    Li Chengfeng, Li Zhan, and Bardel stood cautiously nearby, not daring to make a sound.


    A sixth-tier magical beast! What did that even mean? It was equivalent to a sixth-tier demon god! Such a terrifying entity had never appeared in the entire Northern Alliance Continent. A being of this level could dominate the entire continent, destroying any nation—or even the entire landmass—at will. Why had such a powerful being appeared here? They couldn’t understand, nor did they want to think about it. It was pointless. Even if they guessed the Flame Qilin’s intentions, they were powerless to stop him. All they could do now was wait quietly.


    It didn’t take long for Han Ming’s wounds to heal completely.


    Han Ming couldn’t wait to ask, "Sagus, are you really Big Head?"


    Sagus smiled and replied, "Yes. Thanks to that little flower you gave me, my body underwent a complete transformation. I’ve returned to my true form."


    "How is that possible!? You’re a sixth-tier magical beast? You never mentioned this before. Didn’t you say you only had seventy years to live? That even your normal clansmen only lived for about a century? But if you’re truly a sixth-tier magical beast, how could your lifespan be so short?"


    "Not all members of the Qilin clan are like me. We’re similar to humans in that we also have ordinary Qilin beasts. Their lifespans aren’t as long as you might think. As I said, ordinary Qilin beasts live for about a century. For someone like me, with a flawed body, living seventy years was already a miracle. Ordinary Qilin beasts can cultivate, just like humans, advancing from first-tier to second-tier, third-tier, and beyond. But for a Qilin beast like me to leap directly to the sixth tier is extremely rare. Even among the Qilin clan, I’m considered a powerful figure. Naturally, my lifespan has increased as well—I estimate it’s at least a thousand years now."


    Han Ming nodded excitedly. He was thrilled that Big Head had evolved into a sixth-tier magical beast. Most importantly, Big Head could finally return to find his mother.


    Big Head—now Sagus—smiled at Han Ming and said, "Han Ming, I had given up hope, thinking I’d never see my mother again in this lifetime. You gave me hope, encouraged me, and supported me. You even gave me the Miracle Flower, allowing me to leap directly to the sixth tier. I’m so grateful to have met a friend like you in this life. Truly, thank you. For me, there are only two most important people in this world: my mother and you."


    Han Ming laughed heartily. "No need to be so formal with me. Even though your appearance has completely changed and your strength is now unimaginable, to me, you’ll always be Big Head. Come, let me introduce someone to you. Brother, come here." Han Ming called Li Chengfeng over.


    Li Chengfeng approached nervously. Unlike Han Ming, he couldn’t relax in the presence of a sixth-tier magical beast. Such a being was legendary, and it was impossible not to feel tense around him.


    Han Ming took Li Chengfeng’s hand and said, "Big Head, this is my sworn brother, Li Chengfeng. Brother, this is the Big Head I’ve always talked about, the beastman we saw at the beast arena."


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Sagus nodded politely to Li Chengfeng, who hurriedly returned the gesture.


    "From now on, he’s no longer your brother," Sagus said with a smile.


    Everyone except Han Ming was stunned, their hearts tightening. What did this sixth-tier magical beast mean? Did he plan to kill Li Chengfeng?


    Han Ming, however, didn’t think so. He trusted Big Head completely and waited for his explanation.


    Sagus pulled Li Chengfeng closer and said, "From now on, I’ll be the eldest brother. Li Chengfeng will be the second brother, and Han Ming, you’ll be the third brother."


    Li Zhan and Bardel were overjoyed. Li Chengfeng had sworn brotherhood with a sixth-tier magical beast! They knew exactly what this meant. Li Zhan was ecstatic. With such a powerful ally, who in the entire Northern Alliance Continent would dare to provoke him? This was an incredible backer!


    "There’s also a fourth sister, Wei’er, though her whereabouts are unknown. But she’s still our sister, and that won’t change," Han Ming said with a hint of sadness. Now that his revenge was complete, he wondered where Wei’er was.


    Sagus naturally didn’t object. He had been exiled from his clan as a child and had only known Han Ming. To him, Han Ming’s friends were his friends, and Han Ming’s brothers were his brothers.


    "Big Head—no, eldest brother, are you leaving soon?" Han Ming asked.


    Sagus nodded. "I’m sorry, third brother. I’ve been away from my clan for too long. I don’t know what changes have occurred during this time. I’ve wandered for seventy years just for this moment. I must return to my clan and see my mother. Second brother, third brother, we’ve just sworn brotherhood, and now we must part. I don’t know when we’ll meet again. I’m sorry."


    Han Ming and Li Chengfeng expressed their understanding, though they couldn’t help feeling a sense of loss. With Wei’er’s whereabouts unknown and Sagus about to leave, only Han Ming and Li Chengfeng would remain.


    After agreeing to share a farewell drink the next day, Sagus asked to speak with Han Ming alone. The others tactfully left, giving them privacy.


    "Before, I didn’t notice, but now I can sense it. Come out," Sagus said, his expression darkening after the others had left.


    "How interesting, a sixth-tier Flame Qilin."


    At Sagus’s words, Catherine’s figure appeared before Han Ming and Sagus.


    "Oh, eldest brother, I haven’t introduced you yet. This is Catherine. She’s helped me many times," Han Ming quickly interjected, fearing the two might come to blows. If these two fought, Wild City would be obliterated in an instant.


    "Elf, I don’t care what your intentions are, but you’d better leave now. Though I may not be as powerful as your race, you’re severely injured. I’m confident I can defeat you," Sagus said coldly.


    Catherine raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Oh? Are you challenging me? A newly advanced little Qilin dares to speak to me like this? I wouldn’t mind teaching you a lesson."


    Sagus’s expression grew even colder, and flames flickered in his eyes.


    "Wait, wait! What’s going on? Why are you two about to fight?" Han Ming felt a headache coming on. While Sagus was clearly looking out for him, Catherine had never shown any hostility toward him. He didn’t want these two to fight, especially since Sagus’s dream hadn’t yet been fulfilled. It wasn’t worth offending the elf race for his sake.


    "Eldest brother, Catherine really means me no harm. She’s helped me many times in critical moments. She’s a friend. Don’t worry, she won’t harm me. If she wanted to kill me, she would have done so long ago."


    "That’s good. If I find out you have any ill intentions toward my third brother, I’ll hunt you down, even if I have to storm the elf forest," Sagus said, his expression softening slightly. Deep down, he didn’t trust this elf woman.


    "Such arrogance! Who I choose to be with is none of your concern!" Catherine’s face was icy. As a noble elf, no one had ever dared to speak to her like this. This sixth-tier Flame Qilin had thoroughly provoked her.


    Han Ming quickly bowed and pleaded, "Please, my dear lady, I beg you. Just go back into hiding. You’re still injured and haven’t fully recovered. It’s not worth fighting over words. Isn’t Calon still looking for you? If he shows up, we’re all doomed."


    At the mention of Calon, Catherine gritted her teeth and glared at Sagus before vanishing. She knew Han Ming was right. In her weakened state, she stood no chance against Calon, and this sixth-tier Flame Qilin was no pushover either. If they fought, she might not come out on top. She had let her guard down recently, not feeding on Han Ming’s blood, which was why Sagus had detected her presence. It seemed she would have to continue feeding on Han Ming’s blood to remain hidden.


    Poor Han Ming, unaware that his blood was once again being coveted.


    Sagus remained silent for a while, then nodded reluctantly. He, too, had his concerns. The elf race was not to be trifled with. Since Han Ming assured him that Catherine meant no harm, he let it go. As Han Ming had said, why would a high and mighty elf have any ill intentions toward a mere mortal like him? It made no sense.


    "Eldest brother, you’re leaving tomorrow. Rest here tonight, and tomorrow, second brother and I will see you off," Han Ming said, relieved that Catherine had finally disappeared. He now valued family and friendship more than ever. Though Catherine’s motives for staying by his side were unclear, she was still one of the few people he knew in this world.


    Sagus smiled and agreed. After instructing Han Ming to rest well and exchanging a few more words, he left the room.


    Han Ming lay on the bed, a satisfied smile on his face. He felt completely at ease. His revenge was complete, and Big Head’s dream had finally come true. After seeing Sagus off, all that remained was to wait for the magic academy’s admissions. Tonight, he had fully realized just how terrifying a mage’s power could be. Even with his superhuman physique, he had nearly died fighting a mere second-tier fire mage. It was a stark reminder of the immense strength of mages.


    "Finally, I’m about to embark on the path of a mage," Han Ming murmured contentedly as he drifted off to sleep.