C16 The Young Lady of the Feather Clan

"I've already accumulated 50 million burn points, so there's no need for a resupply at the moment. This primeval forest is incredibly dense; should I ever run low on burn points, I can always return here."

Lin Mo, now a flickering flame, weaved through the forest while taking in his surroundings.

"I'm curious if the creatures within the Black Mountain Range are tougher than those outside. Leveling up is becoming increasingly difficult. Even with a hundredfold efficiency, the experience points from creatures below Rank Three are barely worth mentioning."

Lin Mo sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration.

As he scoured the area for formidable creatures, a cacophony of wingbeats suddenly filled the air above him.

His heart leapt with excitement—the loudness of the wingbeats indicated a large creature, and not just one. This could be his chance to gain a substantial amount of experience points.

Without hesitation, Lin Mo scaled a nearby centennial tree with swift agility.

Peering through the dense foliage, he caught sight of the noise's origin.

A winged, blonde girl was surrounded by a cadre of human knights in light armor, mounted on griffins.

The Featherman Clan?

Lin Mo instantly recognized the girl's identity.

With her flowing golden locks and piercing blue eyes, her pristine white wings gave her an angelic aura.

The Featherman Clan was among the more aesthetically pleasing of the Beastmen, known for their exceptional magical prowess, making them a unique presence within their kind.

Armed and magically enhanced, the Featherman Warriors were once the bane of many a human soldier, swooping down from the skies with terrifying speed.

Since the Beastmen were exiled to the Wilderness, the Featherman Clan had separated from the larger groups, retreating into seclusion, their whereabouts unknown.

Yet here was a Featherman girl, encircled by human aggressors.

As Lin Mo pondered the situation, the trio of Griffin Knights had the Featherman girl trapped at the center.

"Little Featherman, there's no escape. Surrender peacefully, and we promise no harm will come to you," the lead Griffin Knight called out.

"I'd rather die than fall prisoner to you humans. If it's a fight you want, then let's fight. Enough with the idle threats!"

The Featherman girl was fiercely determined. Drawing a long spear that shimmered with silver light, she cut a striking, gallant figure.

"Don't make me resort to force! Once we've captured you, we'll make you divulge the location of your tribespeople, and then we'll round up every last one of you!" bellowed the Griffin Knight, brandishing his massive war hammer in rage.

"Pah, take this!" The Featherman girl spat disdainfully, thrusting her silver spear at the lead Griffin Knight with a whistling sound.

As he reached out with his war hammer to block, the girl deftly twisted her spear to the left, aiming for the Griffin Knight nearest to her. Caught off guard by her unexpected maneuver, he fumbled, his war hammer failing to intercept her swift attack in time.

The Featherman girl parried the war hammer aside, and her spear's sharp point wounded the paw of the griffin below. Seizing the moment as the griffin reeled in pain, she beat her wings and swiftly broke free from the trio's encirclement, making her escape.

Despite her youth, the Featherman girl's combat prowess was undeniable. Even in such dire straits, she managed to find a way out. Lin Mo watched from a distance, full of admiration.

Yet, the Featherman girl was running on fumes, while the three griffins had energy to spare. The disparity in strength was too great; despite her valiant efforts, escape seemed nearly impossible.

Lin Mo leapt through the forest, keeping an eye on the Featherman girl's trajectory, ready to lend assistance at a moment's notice.