Chapter 530: The Black Stone Clan
Upon leaving the Giantwood Forest territory, Anno and his group saw a familiar sight again.
Black rain poured down from above, the surrounding trees had turned withered and decayed, and the ground beneath their feet was muddy and impassable. The occasional spirits of light they saw had almost completely lost their radiance, and Anno would purify them whenever he saw one.
Anno rode on Mao Mao's back, wearing a specially made waterproof cloak with a hood. Caesar sat behind her, covering her completely in his cloak so that not a drop of rain would fall on her.
The group of about twenty people moved slowly through the gloomy forest, with only the incessant patter of raindrops to be heard.
However, in the dimly lit forest, they all shone with a faint glow, like light spirits walking in the dark night.
The purified Shadow Insects would occasionally glance at the Light Insects around them. Although they had been purified, they did not use energy and therefore did not glow like the Light Insects.
They live in a dark environment year-round, but unlike the Shadow Zerg, they love light.
That hazy yet warm light always draws them in.
This time, their gaze towards the Shadow Zerg was no longer hostile and resistant, but much calmer.
The Giantwood Forest is vast, and even with the Shadow Insects, who are familiar with the routes, leading the way, it would take at least two days to get out.
After leaving the territory of the Giantwood Clan, the scenery outside was pretty much the same. The group focused on traveling and, given their physical condition, this hardship was nothing. They only needed to protect their prince.
Anno had been purifying the light spirits all the way, and Feixing said in her mind network, "Anunu, even if you purify them all, they will be contaminated again before long. This is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause."
Anno said, "I understand, but it's good that they're feeling a little better now."
After saying that, she asked Feixing and Anguang, "If they continue to live in this environment, it will only get worse. Is there any solution?"
Darklight didn't give her an answer directly, but instead asked her to think about it herself. "Anunu, what do you think is the best way to solve their problem?"
Anno pondered for a moment. She actually had several solutions in mind, but these solutions did not involve the Shadow Zerg.
Like various interstellar civilizations, once the environment of their home planet becomes uninhabitable, they will move to another planet to live on.
For a civilization that has already reached the level of interstellar travel technology, changing to another planet is not difficult.
But she knew from the Giantwood Clan that changing planets was not a viable option for them.
The Shadow Zerg share one thing in common with the Light Zerg: they can change the planetary environment, rather than the planetary environment changing them. Unless they encounter uncontrollable factors such as major meteorite impacts or violent crustal movements, they will not easily change their environment.
The Shadow Zerg are not incapable of changing planets; if they wanted to, they would have done so long ago. However, their current situation is that they have already changed planets, and it will take them a long time to adapt to the new environment. Changing planets at this time is a dangerous thing for them because they are not strong, and are even in a period of decline.
Anno carefully observed the environment of the Giant Tree Forest and learned some specific details about the planet through communication with Aoki and the others.
Although the pollution is severe now, it has not reached a dead end. Ultimately, the constant infighting over the years has caused them to consume even more of their already limited energy. Without energy minerals, the Shadow Zerg, who rely on energy for survival, cannot purify the environment themselves.
So the root cause is that there are too few energy minerals on this planet, or that the various branches of the Shadow Zerg are in a state of division and hostility. In their current situation, they can only be influenced by the environment, and they cannot modify the environment.
Knowing the reason, Anuo already had a plan in mind.
Because this question has always had an answer, and it's not too difficult.
What's needed here is an Overlord, the core energy of an Overlord, and the Overlord effect. Without external enemies for the time being, the Shadow Zerg will be able to fully recover in no time.
So her going to the Holy Capital now can be said to be preordained.
After she reached a conclusion in her mind, both the dark light and the flying star's consciousness conveyed a sense of relief.
Darklight couldn't help but sigh again. Sevier, at Anunu's age, was still training every day and getting beaten up by her.
She was arrogant and irritable, and since the Zerg were in a critical period at the time, this was the only way to train her.
Sevier didn't formally learn how to govern the Zerg until she was almost a hundred years old; the rest of the time she was fighting on the battlefield.
Fei Xing heard An Guang sighing and laughed, "It's a good thing Seville can't hear you right now, otherwise she would complain about you again."
Shadow smiled slightly and said, "It's fine to complain."
Sevier has been complaining about her since birth, and she would find it strange if Sevier stopped complaining one day.
After traveling for two days through the Giant Tree Forest, Anno and his companions finally reached the edge of the forest.
Without the dense canopy overhead to provide cover, they felt the rain intensify. Large, black raindrops pelted them, and without their armor, their skin would have been stung painfully by the impact.
Outside the Giant Tree Forest lies a rolling hill, with only bare, black rain-eroded rocks in sight, not even a single weed in sight.
Caesar wrapped Anno up even tighter, while Aoki and the others continued to lead the way.
Mao Mao quickened her pace, eager to leave the barren area as soon as possible.
After traveling for another day in this rugged wilderness, Anno and his companions finally left the area covered by the black rain and arrived at a valley. The desolate land in front of them was no longer barren, and some green plants appeared sparsely.
After walking for almost three days without stopping, even if they weren't tired, Anno needed to stop and rest for a while.
So the family members found a relatively flat place to settle down and set up tents.
People patrolling nearby also discovered a clean river, which was just the right place for them to wash up.
Caesar and Mingxiao took Anno to a slightly farther upstream area to wash. The water was a bit cold, but Anno was protected by her core energy, so she didn't feel too cold.
As she was washing, Caesar and Mingxiao suddenly drew their swords and immediately retreated to her side to protect her.
She looked up and scanned her surroundings, discovering several figures who had appeared behind the rocks at some point, staring intently at them.
Soon, the other family members also rushed over to protect Anno.
"It's the Blackrock Clan."
Aoki stepped forward and spoke to them.
Anno observed that these Black Stone Clan members were dressed in black clothing, different from the Giant Wood Clan. Their clothing was also quite revealing, with their upper bodies mostly exposed, and their ornaments were mostly black and brown.
Their gazes pierced through the crowd and all turned toward Anno.
"That...that is it!"
A Blackrock tribesman cried out in surprise, and then unconsciously knelt down on the ground.
Caesar thought for a moment, then turned slightly to the side so that they could all see Anno.
After the initial shock, the Blackrock tribesmen all knelt down in a rush.
"It is the divine being, the divine being who connects with the dream!"
Seeing this, Anno went ashore, and Caesar quickly took a cloak and wrapped it around her.
They returned to their encampment.
Anno sat cross-legged on the thick carpet, eating the food Bai Yan had cooked for her while listening to Qingmu negotiate with the Black Stone Clan leader and elders.
They were very excited, but in front of Anno, they tried their best to restrain themselves so as not to annoy the god.
A fire was burning in the tent, and Caesar sat behind her, drying her long, wet hair. Anno, wrapped in a cloak, nestled in his arms.
She listened to Aoki and the Black Stone Clan's conversation for a while and gained a basic understanding of this branch.
The Blackrock Clan's territory is this valley, no, it should be said this mountain range. They all live in caves and underground. Although their territory is not small, their situation is not much better than that of the Giantwood Clan.
"My Lord God, please allow us, the Black Stone Clan, to worship you!"
The Blackrock Clan leaders and elders knelt before Anno, displaying the same utmost piety as the Giantwood Clan.
Anno glanced at Qingmu, who understood her meaning and told the Black Stone Clan that their purpose was to go to the Holy Capital.
Upon hearing this, the Black Stone Clan leader exchanged surprised glances with his clansmen, and then said to Anno, "Since Your Majesty wishes to go to the Holy Capital, you can go through our territory, which will save you a lot of travel time."
Upon hearing this, Aoki's face lit up with obvious joy. He said to Anno, "Your Highness, if we can go through the Black Stone Clan's territory, the journey will be much easier."
The Blackrock Clan is much more savage than the Giantwood Clan, but they are also more friendly. Although they are equally wary of the Shadow Insect Clan, they do not attack them on sight.
After learning that they were Anuo's close relatives, they stopped being wary of them, which made Mingxiao and the others much more agreeable to them.
Anno and his companions were invited to the Blackrock Clan's underground territory.
The valley was damp, cold, and gloomy at night, but it was much warmer underground.
As soon as they entered the Blackrock Clan's underground territory, they were momentarily stunned by the vast underground space.
They built cities underground. Compared to the Giant Tree Clan who lived directly in the trees, the Blackrock Clan was obviously much larger, and they also saw familiar civilized society.
Light spirits also roam this underground city. Perhaps because the underground environment is darker, the light emanating from the light spirits, along with the glowing stones placed everywhere by the Black Stone Clan, illuminates the entire underground city like a sea of stars.
Anno was taken to the best dwelling place of the Blackrock Clan. Knowing that the God had descended, all the Blackrock Clan members were rushing to the central area.
Anno had no intention of staying here any longer; he planned to take a nap and then continue on his journey.
Seeing the Blackstone Clan members arriving one after another, she decided to give them a collective purification.
After learning her intentions, the Blackrock Clan leaders and elders were practically bursting into tears when they embraced her.
Although they live underground, which protects them from the black rain, the pollution on this planet has long since permeated every aspect of life, not just the black rain.
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