Truly Embarking on the Shaman’s Path

Lady Celine was a kind and gentle person, starkly different from the vain, decadent nobles who indulged in lavish parties and ostentatious displays. She despised such gatherings, abhorred the false performances of so-called artists, and loathed the promiscuity that many of her peers engaged in, making her seem like an outlier.

Her husband couldn't tolerate her indifference. A man who reveled in social events and had numerous lovers, it was even rumored he had an affair with a princess consort. If not for Lady Celine's noble birth from the prominent Gene family and her close ties to the royal family, he would have divorced her. Their marriage, lacking any emotional connection, was merely a political alliance. Lady Celine never used her husband's surname, always being addressed as Lady Celine rather than the Marchioness of Delta.

Celine hailed from the Gene family, being the niece of Duke Old Gene, the current head of the family. The Gene family was the most illustrious in the Paddington Kingdom, second only to the royal family, with whom they had close ties. Traditionally, the queen often came from the Gene family, and the current queen, Susan, was Celine's cousin.

The queen and her cousin were very close, sharing similar temperaments. Unlike her cousin's unhappy marriage, Queen Susan and the king had been close since childhood, sharing a deep and affectionate bond. The only time they argued was over Celine's marriage to the Marquis of Delta. The queen opposed the union, but her influence couldn't sway her stubborn father, Old Gene. She hoped the king would use his authority to stop the political marriage, but for some reason, the king remained silent. This led to a period of coldness between the king and queen until Celine herself chose to comply, comforting her cousin and mending the royal couple's rift. Consequently, the queen became even more doting on her cousin.

Despite her cold relationship with her husband, Lady Celine had no children after years of marriage. There were even rumors that she and the Marquis had never consummated their marriage, and at twenty-four, Lady Celine was still a virgin. This was unconfirmed, of course—no one could lift Celine's skirt to find evidence. However, it was an undisputed fact that Lady Celine, having no children of her own, adored children. The queen had four children—three princes and a youngest princess—all of whom were very close to their Aunt Celine, to the point of making their mother, Susan, jealous.

But not everything was perfect. The youngest princess, Claire, was six years old—adorable, pretty, and exceptionally bright. Tragically, she was struck by a hereditary illness within the Paddington royal family. Although rare, affecting perhaps one in a thousand, it was diagnosed on Claire's fourth birthday when she suddenly collapsed during her party. The royal physician identified it as the incurable illness that had plagued the royal family for centuries.

Queen Susan fainted on the spot, while Lady Celine held the tiny princess, weeping uncontrollably. The disease was fatal, typically manifesting in childhood. It caused sudden depletion of mental energy, like water leaking from a broken vessel, leading to eventual death as the mental energy could not be replenished. Attempts by powerful magicians to heal it by transferring their own mental energy only hastened the patient's demise.

From that day, little Princess Claire never rose from her bed again. Lady Celine stayed by her side, never leaving the palace, caring for her most of the time. One day, Claire expressed a wish for a Green Arrow Squirrel as a pet, even if just for a day.

The Green Arrow Squirrel was extinct. The Paddington Kingdom, even with searches in other kingdoms, failed to find one. Unable to bear Claire's disappointed eyes, Lady Celine searched the high library of the Paddington Academy for records of the creature. Such weak magical beasts were rarely documented, so she found no useful information. Just as she was about to give up, a librarian mentioned hearing about a large pine forest in the Trelm Forest where Green Arrow Squirrels might live.

With this glimmer of hope, Lady Celine hurried to Trelm Forest without even taking her servants. Upon reaching Rye City, she realized that even if she found the squirrels, it would take too long—Claire couldn't wait that long. Reluctantly, she sought Baron Julian's help. Julian, eager to ally with a great noble from the capital, deployed all his resources to assist her, even involving Baron Milo from Red River Valley.

The expedition was disastrous. Not only did they fail to find the Green Arrow Squirrel, but they also encountered powerful magical beasts, suffering heavy casualties. Baron Milo, a high-level Dou Qi warrior, was severely injured. If not for the timely rescue by the beastman Baroque, they might have been completely wiped out.

Although Baron Milo regained consciousness, he was too injured to move. His soldiers were terrified of returning to the forest. As for Baron Julian… Lady Celine swore to teach him a lesson if she ever saw him again. The scoundrel had lured a raging ice bear towards her to save his own life, an act of sheer cowardice and disgrace.

Disappointed and heartbroken over Claire's expectant eyes, Lady Celine knew they had no choice but to retreat.

"Lady Celine, I'm sorry we couldn't help you," Baron Milo said weakly from his makeshift stretcher. "I know of another pine forest on the other side of Trelm Forest. We could try searching there; we might find something."

"No need, thank you for your kind offer, Baron Milo," Lady Celine shook her head. "We've been away too long already. I need to return to Padia; otherwise, I fear I might not see Claire one last time." Glancing at Sera, who seemed somewhat distracted, Lady Celine added, "I will remember your help. Once I return to the capital, I'll speak to the academy's headmaster. I believe... they will admit Miss Sera into the academy. In fact, if the baron trusts me, you can let Sera accompany me to the capital."

Baron Milo's face lit up with joy, and he was about to express his gratitude when Sera suddenly spoke up, "I won't go to the capital, not until my father recovers. I can't leave him like this."

"Foolish child, my injuries are not serious. I'll recover with some rest. Don't miss this opportunity; you might not get another chance," Milo urged, his anxiety evident as he inadvertently aggravated his wounds, causing him to groan in pain. Sera quickly comforted her father, "We can discuss it once you're better. I can't go to the capital with peace of mind until you're fully healed."

Lady Celine admired the girl's filial piety and smiled warmly, "That's fine. We can wait until your father recovers. Just let me know when you're ready, and I'll ensure you get to the academy. I can guarantee that much."

The father and daughter were overjoyed, expressing their gratitude repeatedly. The previously gloomy atmosphere lightened as they chatted and laughed on their way back to the Red River Valley territory. Lady Celine gazed into the distance, unable to hide the sorrow in her eyes... Claire, I'm sorry for disappointing you.

The speed of the Frost Giant Wolf, though not as swift as that of the Wind Wolf, was still like the wind. With rapid strides, it returned to the Red River Valley territory several hours ahead of Lady Celine's party as dusk fell once more. Barok didn't enter the Red River Town; instead, he went directly to the fields, standing by the totem pole disguised as a scarecrow. Eager to complete the Totem Baptism, he sought to break through and become a true Shaman Priest.

The process was incredibly smooth, almost unbelievably so. As Barok chanted the shamanic incantations, the wolf-shaped light shadow reappeared on the totem pole after a long absence. The Frost Giant Wolf, Rack, who had been lounging idly nearby, suddenly stood up, its fur bristling like ice crystals, staring at the rotating wolf-shaped light. It seemed entranced and began running around the totem pole, faster and faster, until it became a blur of white.

Barok's chanting grew louder, almost turning into a roar. If they weren't far from the human settlements, it would have surely alarmed many. A wind picked up, and the totem pole emitted a blinding light, enveloping both Barok and the whirling Frost Giant Wolf. An indescribable force connected them in an instant. A sharp cracking sound echoed, and Barok felt an extraordinary sensation. In his mind, a light sphere formed out of nothingness, and he seemed to enter the body of the Frost Giant Wolf, suddenly understanding its power... he instinctively learned how to activate the ice ring.

The dormant power within him erupted. A ring of sixteen ice blades appeared around him, vibrating intensely before shooting out like arrows, following Barok's will. They flew towards a tree several dozen meters away, shredding it into fragments with a loud crash. A trail of frost marked the path of the ice blades, neatly shaving a layer off the grass and bushes. Barok's ice blades were finally complete! He had surpassed Norman the Shaman by far, as he had first communicated with a Level 6 Frost Giant Wolf, a feat almost unheard of in Orc history. If this were known, it would cause a great stir!

But that wasn't the most exciting part. From the moment he connected with Rack's soul, Barok truly became a Shaman Priest. The unclear aspects of the shamanic arts learned from Norman's scrolls became instantly clear, as if he had acquired a cheat sheet, guiding him on the path ahead. The light sphere in his mind stabilized, softly rotating—this was the source of shamanic power, known to the Orcs as the Totem Power, or Shaman Power!

And it wasn't over yet. After a while, the totem pole's light dimmed, and both Barok and Rack relaxed. Barok had intended to check on the three magic beast eggs and the silver wolf pup, expecting some reaction from them due to the significant event.

To his surprise, the four creatures remained unresponsive. Instead, within his chest and abdomen, a misty energy cluster had formed... clearly a Dou Qi cluster, and a water-type one at that, mutated into the more powerful ice attribute!

Unknowingly acquiring Dou Qi, or Beast Battle Qi as the Orcs called it, Barok found himself both a Shaman Priest and a Beast Battle Qi Warrior. Had there ever been such a dual existence in Orc history?