booktalesy Chapter 46: The Ancient Forest Shrouded in Mist
Chapter 46: The Ancient Forest Shrouded in Mist
The chilling atmosphere of the bloody ambush at Eagle's Beak Gorge seemed to have dissipated with the mountain breeze, yet it permeated every step and breath, transforming into an invisible, heavy layer of vigilance. The group set off again, but grew increasingly silent as they moved, their gazes sweeping over the deep vegetation on either side of the mountain path with a sharp, piercing caution. Until the afternoon of the fifth day, the scenery before them abruptly changed, subtly replacing this somber atmosphere with a more lingering, more palpable sense of dread.
The group stopped at the edge of an ancient forest.
The light in the forest seemed to be suddenly gripped and filtered by a giant hand, leaving only a thin, sparse twilight with a dark green hue, like leftover wine. The branches of the towering ancient trees intertwined into an impenetrable dome high above, and only a few faint rays of light occasionally managed to pierce through, only to be immediately swallowed up by the gray-green mist floating in the forest, casting flickering, almost imperceptible, pale spots of light on the thick layer of decaying leaves that had accumulated for who knows how many years. The air was so thick that it seemed you could wring water out of it, and what you inhaled was a strong, pungent mixture of aged wood and damp moss, interspersed with a faint, cloyingly sweet fragrance that, if inhaled for too long, would make you slightly dizzy.
The most captivating sight was the omnipresent, slowly flowing mist. Unlike the milky white clouds commonly found in the mountains, it carried a faint, almost imperceptible, grayish-green hue, like aged bronze rust, drifting and gathering in the forest like smoke or gauze. Trees further away were reduced to blurry, distorted outlines, appearing and disappearing in the mist like lurking beasts or ghostly figures, silently watching the small group of intruders.
"It's the 'Hidden Ancient Forest in the Mist.'" Lu Ling, who had been leading the way to scout ahead, turned back. His face was more somber than usual, and his sharp eyes, usually sharp enough to track prey, were now clouded with a heavy shadow. "Our original hunter's trail was completely destroyed by a sudden flash flood the night before last. If we want to continue towards Qingzhou Prefecture, right now... the only way is to go through this forest. The old folks in the mountains say: even walking through this forest during the day is like being lost in a maze, and the deeper parts... are even more unclean."
Lin Yan stood at the edge of the forest, not responding immediately. He closed his eyes slightly, and his extraordinary spiritual senses, far exceeding those of ordinary people at the Tongxuan Realm, surged forward into the forest like a tide. However, the gray-green mist seemed to possess some kind of natural, eerie power that could distort and slow down perception. When his spiritual senses probed into it, it was like inserting them into a viscous substance; the returned images were blurry and distorted, the energy chaotic and difficult to discern. Besides the usual auras of lurking birds and beasts, there were also several extremely obscure fluctuations, imbued with a chilling and ancient feel, hidden deep within the mist and ancient trees, appearing and disappearing intermittently.
"Maintain formation, close the gaps, and stay alert." Lin Yan opened his eyes, his gaze calm, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, "Lu Ling, no need to probe far, keep within sight. Li Tie, Wang Dashan, watch the flanks. Zhou Fu, Lu Ling, ensure proper coordination between the front and rear. Miss Su, stay with me."
The group responded immediately, the twenty people shrinking into a tight column, like a short dagger cautiously piercing the unknown fog, slowly stepping into the ancient forest.
Beneath our feet lay a thick, soft layer of humus, each step leaving a silent, throbbing sensation. All around were ancient trees of varying shapes and sizes; some had gnarled roots like coiled dragons, others had twisted branches like ghostly outstretched arms, their eerie presence amplified by the flowing, grey-green mist. The forest was eerily silent; even the faintest chirping of insects and birds had vanished. Only the suppressed breathing of the group, the rustling of clothing, and the occasional "plop" of water droplets falling from somewhere onto the thick leaves were clearly audible, sending a chill down our spines.
Su Qingyao followed closely beside Lin Yan, her gaze warily scanning every change in the surrounding mist and ancient trees. Her hand had already quietly rested on a specially made brocade pouch at her waist. She whispered, "This mist is impure, containing extremely faint traces of plant miasma and hallucinogenic spiritual energy. Staying in it for too long may cloud one's mind. Have everyone take the 'Ice Soul Cleansing Pill'."
Lin Yan nodded. The refreshing and invigorating pill was administered, and as he held it under his tongue, a cool sensation penetrated his fontanelle, instantly dispelling the slight drowsiness brought on by the sweet and exotic fragrance, and clearing his mind.
After traveling through the misty fog and shadowy trees for about half an hour, the fog suddenly thinned, revealing a fairly open clearing in the woods. In the center of the clearing stood a huge, awe-inspiring ancient locust tree.
This ancient locust tree was extremely strange. Its trunk was so thick that it would take four or five people to encircle it. Its entire trunk was a somber, dark gray, like cast iron, with deeply cracked bark, like ancient armor torn apart by immense force and dried by the ages. Its crown was enormous, like a dark cloud pressing down, but the drooping branches were not supple; instead, they were twisted and gnarled, baring their fangs and exuding a savage force. Most strangely, within a radius of more than ten feet centered on this tree, not a single blade of grass grew. The ground was bare, with dark, almost brownish soil that looked as if it had been repeatedly soaked in something. The mist above the clearing also appeared exceptionally dense, slowly flowing around the ancient locust tree, its gray-green hue even deeper, as if draping it in an ominous veil.
"Take a detour." A sense of alarm rose in Lin Yan's heart. The aura emanating from this ancient locust tree was ancient and so heavy that it was almost deathly still, but beneath that stillness, his spiritual senses caught a trace of extremely subtle, obscure fluctuations, like the undercurrents of a deep pool, and... a kind of "gaze" that was almost greedy.
The team held their breath, stayed close to the edge of the open space, and carefully moved to the side, trying to avoid the ominous tree.
Just as the group stepped onto the edge of that "barren land"—
Unexpected changes often occur silently.
The earthquake struck without warning, without the sound of earth breaking. All they felt was that the gray-green mist flowing around them suddenly became thick and heavy, as if it were alive and coiling around them! The sweet, exotic fragrance in the mist instantly intensified several times over, and even with a calming pill in their mouths, they felt a slight dizziness.
Immediately afterwards, the scene before my eyes began to distort and change!
"Father...Father? What are you doing here?" A young member in the middle of the group suddenly cried out, his eyes unfocused, stretching out his hands towards the empty space in front of him, his face showing an incredulous joy.
"Silver! So much silver! It's all mine! Hahaha!" Another team member suddenly lunged at the ground, frantically digging and clawing at the dark brown soil with both hands, looking like a madman.
"Demon wolves! Demon wolves are coming again! Hold them off! Hold them off now!" Li Tie's eyes were bloodshot as he roared furiously, swinging his sword fiercely at the empty space beside him, as if he were fighting an invisible enemy.
"Da Ya...don't go...don't leave me..." Zhou Fu looked obsessed and pained, staggering forward to chase after her, ignoring the calls of his companions beside him.
Even Su Qingyao's vision blurred for a moment, as if she saw her father Su Yuanshan's warm yet worried face emerge in the mist, earnestly instructing her on something. Her mind trembled violently, and she only managed to avoid completely succumbing thanks to her strong will and the effects of the drug under her tongue.
The entire team, except for Lin Yan and Lu Ling who had higher cultivation levels, were able to maintain a sliver of clarity. The rest of them were instantly plunged into their own different but equally realistic illusions, causing chaos in their formation and abnormal behavior from everyone!
Lin Yan's mind jolted, as if countless fragments of light and shadow flashed before his eyes—the pristine white walls of the laboratory from his past life, the blurred smiling faces of his parents, the bewilderment and despair at the beginning of his transmigration… A torrent of thoughts surged forth, causing turmoil in his heart. However, his Profound Realm cultivation and willpower far exceeding that of ordinary people played a crucial role at this moment. The gray-black Devouring Spirit True Essence within his dantian circulated rapidly on its own, and a warm sensation emanated from the mark on his chest, like a stabilizing force, forcibly suppressing and dispelling those chaotic illusions and inner demons!
"Wake up!" Lin Yan's voice boomed like thunder, a low shout containing pure true essence that resounded like a morning bell and evening drum in the chaotic sea of consciousness of everyone!
Su Qingyao, who was closest to him, trembled first, snapping back to her senses. Her forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and she was filled with lingering fear. Lu Ling also shook his head, his eyes regaining their clarity, but they were still full of horror.
However, in the brief moment when everyone was deceived by the illusion and lost their composure, the real killing move had already arrived!
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
The dark brown, barren earthen ground now surged as if boiling! Countless thick, dark vines and roots, their surfaces covered with disgusting nodules and viscous liquid, burst forth from the earth without warning, like demonic claws reaching out from the deepest hell! Their target was none other than the Black Stone Guards, still trapped in the illusion and completely unprepared!
A vine as thick as a bowl lashed out like a python's tail, striking the back of a team member who was engrossed in digging! Another clump of fine, net-like roots silently coiled around Li Tie's legs, which were exposed from his empty swing of the knife! Several other vines, with sharp, spear-like tips, stabbed towards the throats, hearts, and other vital organs of Zhou Fu, Wang Dashan, and others!
Tragedy is about to unfold!
"How dare you, you wretched creature!"
Lin Yan's eyes widened in horror! He had just dispelled the illusion's influence when he witnessed such a perilous situation. With almost no time to think, he simultaneously pushed his [Swiftness] talent and Profound True Essence to their limits!
His figure left a faint afterimage in place, but his true form was like a gray lightning bolt tearing through the mist, fiercely cutting into the vine roots and the team members!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The dark gray blade light spread out instantly, so fast that only a blurry screen of light could be seen! Lin Yan's long sword transformed into countless deadly cold rays, slashing with unparalleled precision at every vine root that attacked the team members!
Where the blade passed, the unusually tough vines snapped in two, and dark green, foul-smelling sap splattered everywhere! The giant vine that had lashed out at the team member's back was cut in two; the root network that had wrapped around Li Tie was shredded by the blade's light; and the sharp vines that had been stabbing at Zhou Fu and the others were cut down in mid-air!
But the vines and roots were simply too numerous and dense, seemingly endless! Despite Lin Yan's best efforts to intercept them, his blade flashing like a woven tapestry, two or three still managed to slip through, grazing the bodies of his team members, spraying blood, or knocking them down. Li Tie's calf was grazed by a root, leaving a gaping wound; Wang Dashan's parry was slightly slower, and a deep gash appeared on his shoulder from a vine tip; Zhou Fu, staggering to dodge, also had a piece of flesh scraped off his arm. The other team members also suffered injuries of varying degrees, cries of pain and screams filling the air, the scene a chaotic and perilous spectacle.
Fortunately, thanks to Lin Yan's quick reaction and timely interception, no one suffered fatal injuries! The most serious injuries were only sprains and torn flesh, but none of them were in mortal danger.
At this moment, everyone had gradually awakened from the illusion. Seeing the vines and roots all around them dancing like demons, they were all horrified. However, their survival instinct and the discipline formed by their training over the past few days made them suppress their fear, form a circle back to back with their swords and shields facing outwards, and try their best to resist the seemingly endless attacks from all directions.
Lin Yan wielded his sword with lightning speed, severing the approaching vines, while protecting Su Qingyao as they retreated into the formation. His eyes were icy, fixed intently on the ancient, unmoving locust tree in the center of the clearing. The illusion was created by it, and these vines and roots were its limbs! Its true form must be destroyed first!