Bear School Astartes

Chapter 1039 - 1021: Boundary Line

After nightfall, Tom and Jin Mei arranged guest rooms for the visitors, which were equally warm and lovely houses.

Even the Qilin, which couldn’t fit inside, received a large, soft, and warm blanket pad on the corridor outside.

Lann, the Qilin, and Rong Buqiu all felt a wave of ease and comfort, as if resting here could put them in a state of complete relaxation.

Tom Bombadil, like the most hospitable friend, carefully settled them in and saw them to sleep.

Lann suspected that if he hadn’t asked otherwise, Tom might have told him stories and lulled him to sleep once he lay down.

Though by age standards, Tom Bombadil was old enough to be an elder to any creature in the world.

But Lann still wasn’t quite used to being treated in such a manner.

Upon Lann’s repeated requests, Old Tom left, holding an oil lamp and pouting.

He seemed a bit regretful.

However, the regretful feeling couldn’t linger long in his heart, overshadowed by his cheerful and carefree nature.

After he closed the door for the guests, it wasn’t long before his mouth hummed a happy tune, gradually getting fainter.

Lann sat on the edge of his comfortable bed, looking down at his hands, which were repeatedly opening and closing, gripping and relaxing.

"Enhanced... magical."

Under the warm candlelight, his silver hair also reflected a gentle glow, as he muttered intermittently.

After the feast during the day, he felt his body had finally been satisfied, like after a long absence.

Yet such a situation shouldn’t logically occur.

Although Interstellar Warriors, due to their fortified organs, have nutritional needs far different from ordinary humans.

Eating regular food would indeed lead to malnutrition and hunger for Interstellar Warriors.

But Lann had long developed a substitute of specialized rations and nutritional supplements with his Alchemy, meaning his development was perfect even among the Human Empire’s Interstellar Warriors.

Yet he still felt a sense of ’fulfillment of physical needs’ after just one meal.

"So it’s not material nutrition... but pure life force?"

Lann speculated with interest.

Mentos was refreshing the subject’s body data line by line on the retina.

After a meal at Old Tom’s feast, Lann’s basic strength hadn’t seen much improvement, but cellular activity and organ vitality showed obvious enhancements.

Arguably, it was like giving someone over the age of twenty-five the energy and vigor of eighteen again.

Lann looked up, seeing Rong Buqiu lounging on another small bed, limbs relaxed and sprawled out.

The Elu Cat’s face showed comfort and satisfaction, yet its belly, having feasted for so long, didn’t even rise and fall.

Lann went over to inspect Rong Buqiu’s body.

The little cat showed no hint of caution in the unfamiliar surrounding, comfortably mewing.

"Boss, what’s up meow?"

"Nothing, just checking your condition, how are you feeling?"

Between questions and answers, Lann began to understand slightly.

But because he understood, it felt even more magical.

"With no change in bone age... the body was brought back to a growth phase by the abundant life force?"

Lann couldn’t help but whistle; this was truly a surprising discovery.

The growth phase is the time of greatest and fastest growth for organisms, and this feast had extended their growth phase by several years!

Though he hadn’t yet checked the Qilin’s body, it was assumed the Ancient Dragon’s body was likely in the same situation.

-----------------

This was a rest so comfortable it was beyond words.

Both Lann, Rong Buqiu, and the Qilin felt this way.

Early the next morning, Tom was outside the guest room window, clearing fallen leaves on the lawn while humming a cheerful tune.

This sound was like an alarm clock, waking the resting guests.

"What a pity, it’s raining outside now, Tom."

Lann, dressed and leaning on the window, joked to the short old man sweeping leaves outside.

Tom Bombadil’s yellow pointy hat had gone limp and drooped because of the rain’s moisture and dampness.

But Tom himself quite enjoyed this rainy weather, or rather, he loved all the world’s weather.

"Today’s the day Jin Mei washes up, I forgot to tell you yesterday!"

"She will wash away the summer’s heat and step into the cool autumn."

Old Tom propped the rake used for clearing leaves on the ground, speaking in high spirits.

"Come, let me prepare breakfast for you, then you should set out. Trust me, today’s weather is indeed fine!"

On that polished, shining black wooden table, simple ingredients and dishes were still served.

They feasted, and afterward, Old Tom handed Lann a small package.

"I’m glad you enjoyed the food. I thought these might not suit your tastes. But since you seem to like them, here are some cookies baked by Jin Mei, you should take them with you."

"Don’t refuse, Lann. Today she’s washing up and can’t come out to see you off. If you don’t take these cookies, she’d be very upset."

Lann smiled and accepted the small cube wrapped in oiled paper, just about the size of an average human hand.

"I never said I wouldn’t take them, Old Tom."

After all, who could resist pure and vast life force?

Seeing Lann take the cookies, Old Tom’s beard twitched with joy in a cheerful smile.

"Alright, it’s time for you to set off. Journeys and melodies don’t create themselves!"

Stepping out of the cozy little house of Tom Bombadil, a cool drizzle began to fall.

Lann and Rong Buqiu both donned waterproof cloaks, while the Magic Rune Cloth on Qilin was so water-repellent that it remained dry even after diving underwater.

Old Tom accompanied them to the end of the cobblestone path. Beyond that was the natural, muddy road.

"Wait, Old Tom."

Just as they were about to step off the cobblestones, Lann lifted the brim of his cloak and turned back to ask Tom.

"Even though you don’t want to tell me where Galadriel is now, surely you should at least share the surrounding terrain and towns, right?"

"I don’t want to wander around like a headless chicken and accidentally bump into something like Old Man Willow."

"Hmm, what?"

Old Tom seemed to have been daydreaming a moment ago. He mumbled something, then came to his senses.

He confidently pounded his chest and said, "No need, no need. You don’t have to know the surroundings, trust me."

"This area is peaceful and safe. Get going! Set off!"

Old Tom always had a reassuring presence, but now Lann scrutinized him with a skeptical eye.

The short little old man excitedly rubbed his hands together, urging them to set off.

Turning back, the look in the Demon Hunter’s eyes became profound under the hood.

He glanced at the boundary between the cobblestone and dirt roads beneath his feet, his body stiffened slightly, then he turned back again with a blank expression.

"Old Tom..."

Lann calmly pointed at the boundary line.

"Why do I feel something’s not quite right here?"

"What’s not right? What’s wrong? Don’t talk nonsense!"

Old Tom’s head shook quickly from side to side, his reddish-brown beard flinging about.

Qilin also curiously came forward, its long neck extending its head to look at the boundary line.

"Whuh~"

It snorted a warm puff of air through its nostrils quizzically.

’It really doesn’t seem like there’s anything here, does it?’

Tom chuckled mischievously.

At the same time, Lann, Qilin, and Rong Buqiu simultaneously felt as if the cobblestones beneath them were coming to life!

The spot where they stood arched up, and with the terrain’s sudden change, the three of them involuntarily moved backward.

"I...!"

"Neigh!"

"Meow?!"

Without any warning or any extraordinary magical fluctuation, the ground beneath them seemed to decide on its own to shake and tease the group above.

Uncontrollably, Lann toppled over the boundary line.

In the Demon Hunter’s turned-back gaze, there was only the sight of Old Tom, wearing a cheerful and expectant smile, waving a pipe at him.

’Set off, young one!’

The short old man’s lips seemed to say.

In an instant, light and shadow distorted and changed.

When Lann, Rong Buqiu, and Qilin steadied themselves, it had actually only been half a second.

The ground shaking just now was akin to someone being lightly pushed, causing them to stagger back a step and regain their balance.

But in that brief backward step...

Lann looked around, extending his hand from under the cloak, realizing the drizzle had ceased.

Instead, bright sunlight filtered through the dense treetops, casting beams of light through the gaps in the leaves and branches.

The ground was covered in leaves and humus, creating patches of light and dark.

Gone was Tom Bombadil’s cozy and comfortable house, along with the hill that housed it and the cobblestone path.

All around were lush, towering trees.

"Where is this...?"

Rong Buqiu also lifted the waterproof hood, its watery eyes wide and round as it looked around.

Qilin did the same, its four hooves moving about, stepping on dry leaves that crunched beneath.

"So, this is what you meant by ’good weather’?"

Lann said as he took off his waterproof cloak. Rong Buqiu followed suit, removing its tiny cloak and placing it in the pouch behind Qilin’s saddle.

The Demon Hunter scratched his head, gazing at the sturdy, towering, endless trees around them.

"Where have we been taken?"

Tom Bombadil refused to tell Lann about the terrain and towns near his house, yet he could claim to the rain-doused sky that it was ’good traveling weather’.

...So he had planned to just teleport us all along?!

Lann internally griped but didn’t bother to delve into Tom’s intentions.

With beings of such high standing like him, ordinary people basically never have the chance to understand what they’re thinking, seeing, or planning.

There’s no point in overthinking. Focus on the here and now.