NovelYeni Chapter 85: Center of the Forest (2)
Chapter 85: Center of the Forest (2)
chapter 85: center of the forest (2)
the fact that we can fly at close to hypersonic speeds for two hours tells me just how vast this forbidden ancient hunting grounds is. it would take months to go from the outer edge of the middle ring to the inner ring on foot. although, this measurement is heavily influenced by the fact that half of the time we spent flying was not in a straight line but with many detours.
lady yue visits several places in the forest and this is mostly to collect medicinal plants of very high quality or to collect precious ores from the ground though i do not see these ores before she stashes them away, so i do not know what they are.
this makes sense. the last time lady yue left the grotto to collect her familiars, she did not return for a long time it is possible that she has been performing these small tasks in preparation for her departure.
these places have been likely scouted before she chose the grotto as her base of operations who knows how many years ago and these medicinal fields and ore collection points have been prepared by her to be collected when she was ready to leave.
lady yue is a smart and efficient woman and her actions betray her wisdom. even though she looks like she is in her early thirties, or late twenties, her experience is that of someone who has been doing this for a very long time.
the few times that we do get close to the ground, i do not sense any cultivators nearby or find any signs of their presence. even though this forest is now open to the sect for the disciples to explore as they please, we dont cross paths with any of them.
this is not that surprising considering how vast this forest is. the other important factor is population density. most creatures cultivators included will likely spend most of their time near the boundary between the outer and middle ring of the forest, or the middle and inner ring. the reason is that stronger creatures can prey on the weaker ones at the boundary, while the weaker creatures have to compete at the boundary to become the apex predators themselves.
beyond this boundary as was demonstrated to lan xiaohui in the amount of medicinal herbs she found is mostly unexplored territory, with few predators. but even if there were fewer predators, the kind of creature that does not need to compete or hunt at the boundary is surely far more dangerous another incentive not to go beyond the boundary.
the ecosystem of this forest is a marvelous thing and perhaps one day when my spiritual perception exceeds one thousand kilometers, i will return here and study the deeper nature of this world. this is not a hobby or a mere curiosity, but it will surely improve my dao.
life itself follows the dao through instinct and the evolution, growth, and decline of creatures could be said to be the best reflection of the heavenly law that governs life and the inherent desire to overcome this system and become immortal.
lady yue descends at one point, and with a final warning that she will only wait for a week, leaves lan xiaohui in the forest and departs once more on her flying sword.
spring has transformed the forest into a vibrantly verdant environment, with many flowers and blooms in full display. the air is so fresh that it triggers my subroutines to inform me of this rather peculiar trait.
this close to the center of the forest, the qi is rich and saturates everything in color and life. the grade of medicinal plants is not more than earth, but that is likely because the high density of creatures leads to a quick cycle of life and death.
it was a demonic beast, i tell lan xiaohui.
then others looted the bodies?
no, i tell her. from this point forward, it is safer to forget everything you know about demonic beasts.
lan xiaohui considers my words. her first reaction is to categorically deny this suggestion, but another glance at the bodies the savage nature of their deaths causes her to reconsider her initial impulse.
she inhales deeply and then climbs to her feet. she neither acknowledges nor denies my suggestion. instead, she looks over her shoulder and quietly says: you have been following us for a while now.
slowly, lan xiaohui turns around and snatches me out of the air, assuming a proper combat stance. i will give you this one opportunity because i respect the depth of your cultivation. we are not that different. leave now and live.
her sword qi manifests in the air around her, like a black and red corona of glimmering stars.
this reminds me of lan xiaohuis first encounter in this forest. it is as if we have come full circle in our journey of life and death. even right down to the righteous offering of peace which, unsurprisingly, is declined.
into my perception radius comes a fox with a pure white body and bright red markings across its body. the red lines terminate on the bushy tip of each one of its three tails that stand flared out as the three-tailed fox roars towards lan xiaohui.
its cultivation is in the peak of foundation exactly like wukong but to assume that this fox is as powerful as wukong would be an understatement.
immediately, red lightning sparks between each tail, channeling into a point above the foxs head. its claws extend, gouging into the ground, and sword energy rises from them.
cultivators have one advantage over demonic beasts that can easily cultivate the body cultivators have martial arts.
that is no longer true.ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.