After purchasing the horse, Dan Feng rode it with Roxy back to the inn.
They gathered their belongings, checked out with the innkeeper, and prepared to set off.
Dan Feng had learned horse-riding skills back in Millishion when he went to the Holy Sword Highway with Galdaruf once—it was quite simple. As long as you had enough courage, you could manage it.
Dan Feng placed his and Roxy's things on either side of the saddle, then mounted the horse with Roxy sitting behind him.
He had originally considered a carriage, but after thinking it over, he decided it wasn't necessary.
They then set off on the road toward the royal capital, Ars.
Although the prophecy had mentioned a possible mana calamity, Dan Feng felt the likelihood was low.
They would be heading northwest the entire way, with flat terrain all along the route, so a horse would suffice.
Roxy sat behind Dan Feng, lost in her own thoughts. Her cute cheeks were flushed red at the moment, so she was probably thinking about something strange in her mind.
The scenery along the way offered nothing worth stopping to admire—aside from the occasional small village and endless stretches of forest, there was hardly anything noteworthy.
Dan Feng felt that the landscape here was worlds apart from the Millis Continent.
On the Millis Continent, they had still been in the mood to appreciate picturesque views, but on the Central Continent, most places were just ordinary villages that failed to spark any interest.
Along the journey, they encountered quite a few other travelers heading in the same direction—most of them seemed to be bound for Ars as well.
Everyone walked in silence, with little interaction between them.
Thanks to the horse, their travel speed was much faster than walking.
What would have taken half a month on foot could now be covered in about a week.
Even with the horse's help, however, the long journey still left them utterly exhausted.
As night fell, after the horse finished grazing by the roadside, it lay down to rest.
After a full day of travel, even a sturdy horse would feel tired.
A faint flame flickered gently in a hidden corner, as if it might be extinguished by the wind at any moment.
Dan Feng and Roxy leaned against a nearby tree and fell into a deep sleep.
There was no need for anyone to keep watch—Dan Feng's senses were extremely sharp. Any sound that wasn't just the wind rustling the grass would immediately alert him.
So they could sleep peacefully without worrying about danger approaching.
For the past few days, they had been repeating the same routine.
One day, however, Dan Feng suddenly noticed a faint golden light flickering across Roxy's body.
He sensed that Roxy's total mana had increased slightly, and a trace of power similar to Imbibitor Lunae's had appeared.
Dan Feng looked at the scene in confusion, then remembered that when his progress bar had reached twenty percent, he had unlocked a passive skill.
He opened his panel and found the Dragon Vein skill.
"Will continuously affect the status of those around you?" Dan Feng carefully read those words. He and Roxy had been traveling together for so long—only now was it affecting her?
From what he could see now, this Dragon Vein effect was purely beneficial for Roxy. An increase in total mana was extremely valuable for a magician whose mana capacity had been fixed since birth.
With that thought, Dan Feng stopped pondering and closed his eyes to rest.
As Roxy's good friend, being able to help her was already enough.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves and fell on Roxy's face, causing her to slowly open her eyes.
Upon waking, Roxy felt as though every cell in her body had been revitalized, a hard-to-describe sense of comfort spreading throughout her.
She had slept extraordinarily soundly, as if all her fatigue had been dispelled overnight by powerful healing magic.
Recalling the past few days of travel—whether lying on the hard ground she had leveled with earth magic or resting against a tree trunk—her body had been put through torment, and her sleep quality had naturally suffered greatly.
Yet today she had slept as comfortably as if she had been under healing magic.
Roxy slowly stood up from the ground, stretched her somewhat stiff limbs, and let out a gentle yawn.
After stretching, her gaze naturally fell on Dan Feng, who was still sound asleep nearby.
Dan Feng leaned quietly against the tree trunk. His features were sharp and resolute, his black hair cascading like a waterfall over his forehead, adding a touch of mystery to his handsome face.
As Roxy gazed at Dan Feng's face, a strange feeling welled up in her heart.
It was a fluttering sensation, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, sending ripples across the surface.
Roxy's heartbeat quickened involuntarily, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
She hurriedly averted her gaze, not daring to look any longer, as if one more glance would intensify the feeling even more.
Roxy felt somewhat confused by her own reaction—she didn't understand why she was feeling this way toward Dan Feng.
Her body seemed to tremble slightly; it was a palpitation, an irresistible impulse.
However, she had no idea that this was actually the influence of the Dragon Vein.
Under the Dragon Vein's effect, Dan Feng had imparted a trace of Imbibitor Lunae's power to Roxy.
Though faint, this power was subtly influencing her in ways she couldn't perceive.
For living beings, however, the Dragon Vein's influence was negligible—similar to being a dragon's kin, it merely kept one from being disliked.
Her favorability toward Dan Feng shot up like a rocket, a sensation that felt both unfamiliar and a little frightening to her.
Roxy shook her head vigorously, as if trying to drive those strange thoughts out of her mind.
Despite her efforts, the notion stubbornly clung to her.
This struggle wasn't entirely in vain—at least it gradually allowed Roxy to regain some composure.
As her emotions settled, she began to feel that sudden rush of palpitations slowly receding, like the tide pulling back, until it vanished completely without a trace.
Roxy let out a long sigh of relief. To fully wake herself up, she decided to use water magic to splash her slightly flushed cheeks.
The water, under her control, gently patted her face, bringing a refreshing coolness.
This chill not only soothed her cheeks but also calmed her mind further.
This small disturbance, however, unexpectedly woke Dan Feng nearby.
When he slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Roxy using water magic to pat her cheeks.
"Are you washing your face?" Dan Feng asked drowsily, his voice still carrying the hoarseness of just waking up.
Hearing Dan Feng's voice, Roxy's body stiffened abruptly, as if she had been startled.
She turned her head in a fluster toward Dan Feng, a flash of embarrassment in her eyes.
But once she realized that strange feeling had truly disappeared completely, she relaxed a little.
She replied softly, "Mm."
After that brief exchange, neither of them spoke again.
After breakfast, they mounted the horse and continued toward Ars.