[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-490":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257494,4404,"Chapter 490: The Humming Tree","above-the-mage-chapter-490",490,"\u003Cp>Splash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The calm surface suddenly rippled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A water beast appeared abruptly, its body hidden beneath the lake water as a dark shadow, darting toward the several floating Gem Berries, moving so fast it left a long trail of spray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost at the same instant, Tuanzi, who had been lurking beneath the surface, reacted even faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its eyes glowed sharp in the darkness, its body like a black lightning bolt, lunging straight at the water beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Water rushed past its sides, forming two white streaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the water beast remained fixated on the Gem Berries, even mistaking Tuanzi for a rival thief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its first instinct was not to flee, but to accelerate, paddling furiously with all four limbs, charging straight to the Gem Berries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then it opened its massive mouth, revealing rows of sharp fangs glinting coldly under the moonlight, swallowing all the lustrous divine berries in one gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before it could savor their sweetness, Tuanzi struck like a cannonball, slamming its body into the water beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water beast was knocked senseless, its body flung uncontrollably through the air like a projectile, churning up a flurry of fine bubbles that bubbled upward with gurgles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuanzi pressed its advantage, lunging again the moment the beast failed to stabilize, opening its jaws to sink its sharp teeth deep into the beast’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overwhelmed by searing pain, the water beast thrashed wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each struggle sent massive waves rippling outward, forming small crests on the lake’s surface that slapped against the surrounding water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Gao De, hidden nearby, had already cast [Water Shaping] to freeze the water, and with [Wolf’s Speed] enhancing him, he leapt across the frozen patches like a martial artist skimming the surface, swiftly reaching the battlefield and striking decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He extended his palm toward the water beast and clenched it slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Tidal Net+].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, countless invisible giant serpents awoke within the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previously calm water surged violently, coalescing into thick, arm-sized whips, like resilient ropes, snapping inward with tremendous force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wrapped around the water beast, binding it from head to tail in a tight, multi-layered restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the constraints of [Tidal Net+], its struggles became agonizingly slow, until it could no longer move, floating helplessly in the water, occasionally twitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Tidal Net+] could only serve as a brief control skill against powerful water beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But against beasts weaker than Gao De, it was extremely effective, capable of restraining them for extended periods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sea Sentinels often failed to kill water beasts not because they were too strong, but because they were too slippery—fleeing at the first sign of trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with Sea Otter assistance and [Ocean’s Touch] boosting speed, water beasts familiar with the terrain could still easily escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Tidal Net+] allowed Gao De to nearly eliminate this problem—unless the beast was stronger than him, it stood little chance of slipping from his grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the beast now restrained, Gao De showed no mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His magic surged rapidly, triggering another spell model.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, three blinding flashes erupted from his right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Magic Missiles].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three magical projectiles, like glowing orbs, stood out vividly against the dark night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They struck the immobilized water beast with perfect precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast let out a piercing shriek, utterly losing the ability to struggle—yet its life force was stubbornly strong, still breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De walked calmly to the beast’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the faint moonlight, he examined its appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its body was rounded, about one meter long, resembling an inflated ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its head was broad and flat, taking up nearly a third of its body; its mouth was enormous, with two rows of jagged, saw-like teeth interlocked, glinting coldly under the moonlight, radiating ferocity capable of easily crushing shellfish shells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, that “bloody maw” struggled weakly to open and close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On its back rose a tall dorsal fin, its spines hard and sharp like blades, extending from the center of its back to the tail, connected by a semi-transparent membrane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sawtooth Puffer,” Gao De glanced and immediately identified the beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, it was not the same Asmir Lake Serpent Monster the local fishermen had reported.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vast Asmir Lake surely harbored more than one serpent monster; some simply hid deeper, were more cautious, and had not attacked villagers, so remained undiscovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Gao De’s “Gem Berry Bait,” he hadn’t caught the serpent monster—but he’d caught a first-rank Sawtooth Puffer instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An unexpected bonus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not the mission target, eliminating water beasts had always been the primary duty of Sea Sentinel mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing a water beast lurking in inland waters, ready to strike civilians at any moment, was eliminating a threat—and earned military merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De drew Bei Feng, its icy chill sharp, and slashed down with one swift stroke, ending its life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood began to gush from the wound, but was instantly frozen by Bei Feng’s extreme cold, crystallizing into crimson ice shards arranged neatly along the cut—strangely beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De had no time to admire it; he turned his blade and cleanly severed the beast’s blade-like dorsal fin—the most valuable part, perfect to take back and sell at Walma Magic Materials Shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, he cut off the Sawtooth Puffer’s head—required as proof of kill; without it, he could not claim military merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Gao De sliced off a piece of the beast’s belly meat and tossed it to Tuanzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the tenderest, most flavorful part of the Sawtooth Puffer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuanzi had been watching intently beside him the entire time Gao De carved the meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the sight, its eyes lit up instantly; it thrashed its body, carving an arc through the water, leaping high into the air, its sharp teeth snapping shut precisely on the flying meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Tuanzi plunged back into the water, tail wagging happily, its teeth rapidly tearing apart the fish flesh, devouring it with loud, contented “wuu wuu” sounds, thoroughly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De picked up the head and dorsal fin, returned to the small boat moored a hundred meters away, stowed the items, and resumed rowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boat sliced through the lake, leaving a gentle wake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky gradually changed—from deep black slowly turning blue, like a vast black silk dyed into profound indigo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the blue softened into a gradient of orange-yellow, the horizon stained with fiery clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unnoticed, the red sun had risen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunlight spilled across the lake, turning its once-still surface into glittering waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lake turned pink-purple, then golden-yellow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough for today,” Gao De called out to the calm water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, the still surface exploded—a nimble form burst upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuanzi surfaced with its round head, its glossy black eyes fixed on Gao De, brimming with intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a night of patrolling, the only catch had been the Sawtooth Puffer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The serpent monster remained nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By day, the serpent monster entered rest mode—unsuitable for further pursuit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m heading back. Stay here and play, but don’t wander too far. We’ll continue tonight,” Gao De instructed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Gao De’s words, Tuanzi responded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It leaped high, executing a complex mid-air flip, its body tracing a graceful arc; water droplets sprayed off its skin, sparkling gold in the sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching its excitement, Gao De sighed helplessly, said nothing more, refused to be the spoilsport “parent,” and resumed rowing toward shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Gao De reached the shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t leave yet—he still had to return the boat to the nearby fisherman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinarily, Gao De could use his mission status to request a boat free of charge from local authorities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But yesterday, he’d been delayed by the Yili Egg, arriving in Broster City too late—the local officials had already “clocked out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than disturb them for something as minor as borrowing a boat, he’d come directly to Asmir Lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a vast lake must host many fishermen; borrowing a boat from them shouldn’t be hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as expected, scattered along Asmir Lake’s shores were numerous humble huts inhabited by fishermen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De knocked on a door at random; with his Sea Sentinel uniform and a bit of gold, he easily borrowed a small fishing boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now standing on shore, Gao De quickly identified the direction and pinpointed the fisherman’s home where he’d borrowed the boat last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De walked toward that house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the door, the fisherman’s two children played, wearing patched coarse cloth clothes, their faces flushed red from the sun, picking up pebbles to “attack” a small kingfisher perched on the eaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their strength was weak, their aim terrible—pebbles either fell limp before reaching the eaves or were effortlessly dodged by the bird.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirp!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kingfisher chirped mockingly at the two children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The children exchanged glances; then the slightly older boy dashed inside and returned with a slingshot-like device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this “weapon,” their confidence soared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The older boy picked up a pebble, pulled back the slingshot with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slingshot’s rubber band—of unknown material—was incredibly elastic, stretching nearly three times its length without snapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pebble shot out like a bullet, accelerating with startling force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kingfisher had already sensed danger; before the boy released, it flapped its wings and took flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pebble struck the corner of the eave with a dull thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, a middle-aged woman’s voice rang from inside, sharply scolding the two children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two little rascals hung their heads in shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirp-chirp-chirp!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kingfisher flying in the air chirped louder, as if mocking them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De watched this lively scene and found it amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickened his pace and called out loudly from outside the house: “Uncle, I’ve come to return the boat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a dark-skinned man hurried out, jogging briskly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De handed him five silver dragon coins, then pointed toward a nearby shore: “This is the boat fee we agreed on last night—I’ve moored your boat over there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Master Mage, thank you, Master Mage,” the dark-skinned man accepted the five silver dragon coins with some nervousness, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De waved his hand, signaling the man not to bother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he turned to leave, he caught sight of the boy’s slingshot and noticed the rubber band seemed unusually special—especially after seeing how far the child had stretched it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slingshot’s power depends on the tension of the rubber band and its rebound speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Greater tension allows it to launch heavier projectiles; faster rebound imparts higher initial velocity—the heavier the projectile and the higher its initial speed, the greater the impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This slingshot’s materials are good,” Gao De remarked casually. “Using such fine stuff to make toys for children—you’re quite generous. But the power’s too strong; kids play recklessly, and this could be dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given what he’d just seen, if that pebble struck a person, disaster would follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Gao De’s remark, the dark-skinned man looked at his two children, his face darkening, then hastily explained with a pleading tone: “This slingshot wasn’t made by me—it’s what they built themselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Earlier, when I repaired the roof, I collected some bee-humming resin to waterproof it. I had some left over, and they took it to make the rubber bands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bee-humming resin?” Gao De paused, his gaze fixed on the rubber band of the boy’s slingshot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean this rubber band is made from resin?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed it was some kind of animal tendon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Master Mage—it’s made from bee-humming resin,” the dark-skinned man nodded quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bee-humming resin? Could you tell me more about it?” Gao De’s eyes gleamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t understand why Gao De was interested in the resin, he had no time to ponder—he quickly recalled everything he knew about bee-humming trees and spoke nervously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bee-humming trees are a unique species native to our area. When the wind blows, the trunks emit a sound like buzzing bees, so we call them bee-humming trees.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The trunks are full of hollows rich in resin. We peel back the bark, hang containers beneath, and collect the resin oozing from the holes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once hardened, the resin becomes extremely smooth—water droplets slide off instantly—and it doesn’t crack even in winter. That’s why fishermen use it to coat our roofs against rain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, we’ve found it’s highly resistant to stretching—even pulled two or three times its length, it won’t snap. It also dampens vibrations and noise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So we often soften it and make pouches to hold spears, preventing clattering and reducing vibrations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, and one more thing!” The dark-skinned man paused, then added quickly: “This resin also bonds furniture—ants and insects won’t even approach the glued joints.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the dark-skinned man spoke, Gao De’s eyes grew brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where can I find bee-humming trees?” he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just go that way—there’s a grove of them right there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bee-humming trees are noisy—when the wind blows hard, they’re unbearable. And their wood is full of hollows, useless for construction or anything else. No one values them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We used to have many, but one by one they were cut down. Only this small patch remains—because fishermen needed the resin for roof waterproofing, so we kept it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark-skinned man spoke timidly, clearly puzzled why such a noble Mage would care about their “poor folk’s tree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, in his mind, only the impoverished lived in shabby homes that needed extra rainproofing—and only they used bee-humming resin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2212,"2026-06-19T14:28:50.414Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","20595bbe079a19cc0866d71a91a89938ac9dfc3caea485d2e48fdf187df7a714","above-the-mage-chapter-491","above-the-mage-chapter-489",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]