Floating Forest
The Floating Forest was pitch black. At first, Grass Child peeked out of the bamboo basket and looked around, but gradually he found the menacing shadows of the trees frightening and shrank back inside.
Then an unknown bird's call startled it out again.
"Xiangxiang...why do we have to go down this path..."
There was at least some light outside, but it was all blocked by the crisscrossing branches and vines above the Floating Forest, and the cold wind was howling, making people shiver.
"There's something ahead." Mo You pulled Ren Xiangxiang along, squinting her eyes. "I'll go first."
Ren Xiangxiang nodded gently, and then switched places with Mo You.
As they ventured deeper into the mountains, the sky grew darker and darker.
These strange vines, whose age was unknown, gradually multiplied, until finally, Mo You had to forge a new path.
But at that moment, his sixth sense as a demon made him vaguely feel that countless eyes were watching them.
"What's wrong?" Ren Xiangxiang asked when he stopped moving.
Mo You gestured for her to stay put, then walked over to the strange old tree.
The old tree was crooked and twisted, and at first glance it looked no different from other old trees, but just a moment ago, Mo You felt as if it had moved.
The old tree was only as tall as a person, with two thick branches extending upwards from the left and right, and its roots also forked, as if the two trees had become one.
Strangely, there are many of these oddly shaped old trees in this forest.
As soon as Mo You reached the old tree, the tree trembled. Startled, he drew his longsword half an inch from its sheath, unleashing a surge of demonic energy. He was so shocked that he opened his mouth wide and blurted out, "Xiang Xiang!"
On the old tree trunk, a pair of dark red eyes, filled with tears, were staring at him without blinking.
Where a mouth should have been growing, it was stuck to the rough bark. When Ren Xiangxiang tried to tear off the bark, blood flowed out instantly, revealing a row of neat teeth.
Upon seeing this, Ren Xiangxiang couldn't help but gasp.
Following that, Mo You took another stroll around the area and discovered that all the old trees, each as tall as a person, were actually living people.
"Waaah... Xiangxiang..." The little grass child huddled in the bamboo basket, trembling all over, too afraid to show her face.
“All of them.” Mo You’s expression was solemn.
Ren Xiangxiang was at a loss for what to do. While she could treat injuries, this situation...
"What are you doing?" Mo You grabbed her hand in a hurry when he saw her reach out.
“I’ll just give it a try. Nothing will happen. If they’re still alive, at least I’ll know what they went through,” Ren Xiangxiang explained.
"You can use demonic magic like this?" Mo You didn't believe it.
Ren Xiangxiang laughed, "Why not? I don't always need to borrow other people's demon power. Using it this way won't affect me, so don't worry."
Mo You let go of his hand with some doubt.
A gentle demonic power soon emanated from the tree trunk. It was still a clear, cloudless day when countless black dragonflies suddenly entered. At first, they did not understand what they were.
Until someone died under a dragonfly.
"Help--"
"Ahhh!"
A series of piercing screams echoed through the mountains as black dragonflies pierced their heads and began to control their movements. Unable to resist, they eventually turned into strange trees, continuing to nurture the black dragonflies.
These bark-like things are the work of black dragonflies, which then graze on them at night to absorb nutrients.
The gentle demonic power suddenly turned sinister and cold, and Ren Xiangxiang was violently shaken away by that force.
"Xiangxiang!"
Mo You grabbed her and helped her up. As Xiangxiang broke out in a cold sweat, she blurted out, "Run!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the strange tree that was being controlled creaked and moved, and in an instant, three or five dragonflies flew out from the trunk.
Mo You and Ren Xiangxiang turned and ran.
Buzzing—
Startled awake, black dragonflies flew out of the strange tree one after another, forming a dark swarm that rushed towards the two of them.
The forest was dark and the path was rugged. After seeing the true appearance of the strange trees, Ren Xiangxiang dared not get too close to them. No matter which tree she looked at, she felt that it was a person.
In a moment of distraction, she was suddenly pulled by Mo You to the path on the right.
A swarm of dark dragonflies covered her head. She watched as Mo You swept his sword across, and the fierce demonic wind only managed to drive them away for a moment. She then took out the Fire-Chasing Stone from her waist.
"Mo You, come back!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the black dragonfly pounced on Mo You, who quickly retreated.
Bang bang bang!
The fire-chasing stone exploded in the black dragonfly. Unlike the fire-chasing stones used by others, this was an enhanced version improved by He Wenwen. Ren Xiangxiang even scattered several of them like candy, but the force sent her and Mo You flying far away.
Thick smoke billowed, and the remains of black dragonflies were scattered everywhere.
The massive explosion startled Cun She, who had been lost in thought with his eyes closed. He landed from a great height and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Ren Xiangxiang's ears were ringing, and a gust of wind rushed past them.
Ding-dong!
A meteor hammer slammed into the longsword, the icy blue blade gleaming with a cold light. The next moment, Mo You unleashed his demonic power, piercing through the vast darkness with a single strike, accompanied by a cracking sound.
A figure slid out of the sprawling, menacing woods.
Ren Xiangxiang recognized the person at a glance, "Yue Shan Ao Zhi!"
She has spent many years mingling between the demon race and the human race, and has an excellent memory, so she can remember almost everyone she has met.
Upon hearing this, Ao Zhi paused slightly, his dark red eyes glancing almost imperceptibly towards Ren Xiangxiang.
At the same time, Mo You's figure moved like a ghost, and the sword light suddenly passed through the forest, piercing directly into Ao Zhi's back.
Ao Zhi paused, and swarms of black dragonflies rushed in from all directions.
"ah--"
Ren Xiangxiang screamed, her foot slipped, and she fell down.
Mo You swayed and grabbed the bamboo basket on her back. The grass baby inside the basket let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. The last thing she saw was countless black dragonflies.
"Ahhh—"
thump!
Black dragonflies swooped down, crashing onto withered branches and leaves on the ground, before flitting back into the air.
Ao Zhi touched his injured chest. In the past, this sword would have definitely killed him, but things are different now.
The sword wound in his chest healed rapidly, at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Deep in the dark forest, Cun She appeared mysteriously.
“They’ve escaped,” Ao Zhi said before Cun She could speak.
Cun She waved away the black dragonfly blocking his way, his expression calm. "It's alright. Now that they're here, they won't be able to leave."
"There are two more places: the Boundless Grove of the Night Crimson Clan and the Rugged Cave of the Flying Squirrel Clan," Ao Zhi reminded him.
Cunshe disagreed.
In a daze, he seemed to have a misconception that he was not the one whose family was destroyed by the demon race back then, or that it was his past life.
"Ah Min, I'm sorry... Live well... Please..."
Blood trickled down their fingers and onto the ground. On the road where no monsters had ever appeared before, a dozen monsters suddenly appeared out of nowhere and attacked them.
Some fled, some died.
His wife was more than seven months pregnant. He had even seen the little one he had never met, puffing out his wife's belly as if he were turning over inside.
He imagined what the child looked like.
But they never got to meet.
He went mad after that day.
“How could you possibly be a match for a demon on your own? However, if you're willing, I can help you, but…”
He might die.
What a joke! He's living a life worse than death, so why would he be afraid of dying?
Here, eat it!
He swallowed it whole without even asking a question.
He felt excruciating pain, as if he were being burned alive; he thought this was death.
Who knew...
He chuckled softly.
"Those two little mice also disappeared around here, so you can stay here!"
In the darkness.
Ren Xiangxiang slid down a few more points, and some mud and sand fell from her head. She shook her hair and heard Caowa wailing not far away.
"Grass Boy?" Ren Xiangxiang called out.
Suddenly, my shoulder tightened.
"Xiangxiang...cough cough..."
Mo You grabbed her from behind. Ren Xiangxiang narrowed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the pair of bright golden vertical pupils in front of her.
"I wonder who dug this hole?" Mo You asked, leading Ren Xiangxiang around the room.
Finally, the two found the grass doll buried in the mound of earth at the bottom of the cave.
The little grass squealed and even took a bite out of Mo You in the chaos. Mo You ignored him and stuffed him back into the bamboo basket.
"This hole is huge," Caowa exclaimed.
Ren Xiangxiang couldn't see clearly and could only imagine what the cave looked like based on the descriptions of the two of them.
"Light the fire, Xiangxiang, you can't see it," Caowa reminded her.
"No."
Caowa grinned at Moyou, "I didn't tell you, you big bad guy!"
“No,” Ren Xiangxiang explained. “We should be careful in case we attract something strange again.”
As she spoke, Ren Xiangxiang turned back to look, though she could only vaguely make out some outlines. "Caowa, do you see that black dragonfly is catching up?"
"No," Grass Boy replied simply. "The hole was blocked when I fell in."
"Watch out!" Mo You suddenly stepped in front of Ren Xiangxiang.
At the same time, swords flashed like shuttles.
Ding, ding!
Mo You swept his sword horizontally and took a half step back.
The newcomer was incredibly fast, almost as fast as Mo You, but the underground space was too small, and neither of them gained any advantage.
"Heavenly Spirit Earthly Technique?" the other party suddenly asked in surprise.
Mo You's swordplay abruptly reversed, abruptly halting. "Who are you?"
The newcomer ripped off his mask and stared at Mo You, looking him up and down. "You're from Fox Mountain? Yan Xiong's son? No wonder you look familiar."
As he spoke, a ball of demonic fire suddenly ignited above his head, and only then could Ren Xiangxiang see clearly their surroundings and the man standing in front of them.
The man had greenish hair and held a strange long knife in his hand, with a dark eye rolling around on the scabbard.
It is the gnarled roots of an old tree, one of the four pure and spiritual things.
The person in front of me was Mie Chenhuan, a traitor from the Red Fox Clan who had gone to Fox Mountain to stir up trouble a while ago. He should be in Mei Mountain now, but who would have thought we would meet here again.
"I've seen you before." Ren Xiangxiang suddenly remembered.
"You little rascal, you like running around like this too." Mie Chenhuan looked Ren Xiangxiang up and down.
Seeing that it was an acquaintance, Mie Chenhuan felt bored and started nagging Mo You, "You came alone? Where's your master? Call Yan Xiong! He can slice any demon or monster flat with one sword!"
As he spoke, he didn't forget to brandish the knife a couple of times.
Mo You was speechless. This was Qiling Mountain. Even if his master was willing to come, did he think the six immortals of the Yin-Yang Hall and the Six Palaces of Qiling Mountain were pushovers? If they let others quell their own troubles, what would become of the reputation of the Seven Great Demon Mountains?
"My master isn't here," Mo You said simply, dismissing him. Then she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Why can't I be here?" Mie Chenhuan answered confidently.
Mo You suddenly realized that his question was completely unnecessary; this guy was a menace wherever he was, that was absolutely true.
"I have a patient here, which of you two knows how to treat patients?" Mie Chenhuan asked eagerly, looking back and forth between the two of them.
His question left even Caowa speechless. Ren Xiangxiang was such a great doctor, and they had even met before.
Mo You simply didn't want to talk to him.
"Where is it? I can take a look." Ren Xiangxiang sighed helplessly.
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