Chapter 725
Ren Xue
The four left the wasteland that was gradually being covered by black dust and headed towards the ominous black forest in the distance.
The ground beneath my feet gradually transitioned from grayish-white to a deep brown, as if repeatedly soaked in blood and then dried by the winds of time. The scent in the air also changed from the sweet, pungent smell of the miasma to a musty, stale aroma, like a mixture of withered leaves and mold. The closer I got to the forest, the quieter it became—a chillingly absolute silence, where even the sound of the wind vanished.
“This is the Forest of Fallen Gods.” Dai Chengfeng stopped and took out a yellowed bone fragment from his robes. It was covered with dense ancient characters and simplified diagrams. “According to the records left by our ancestors, this forest was formed after the first Ragnarok. The fallen gods, their divine bodies, fragments of their souls, and even their lingering obsessions and resentments accumulated and mutated on this land, eventually giving birth to this forest that defies the laws of nature.”
Tang Wulin looked up. The trees in the forest weren't the usual brownish-red, but an almost pure black. The trunks were rough and twisted, their surfaces covered with raised lines resembling veins. The leaves were dark red, shaped like human hands, trembling slightly even without wind. Most eerie of all, some of the tree trunks bore the blurry outlines of human faces, their features distorted, their eyes tightly closed, as if they were experiencing an eternal nightmare in their slumber.
"Where is the Soul-Devouring Tree?" Qian Renxue gripped the Angelic Holy Sword tightly, her six wings slightly spread, and a divine aura naturally emanated from her, forming a pale golden halo around her.
“They are everywhere,” Bibi Dong said calmly, her gaze sweeping across the edge of the forest. “See the faces on those tree trunks? Those are the Soul-Eating Trees’ ‘sensory organs.’ They have no eyes, but they can perceive all living beings through the fluctuations of their souls. The moment we stepped into the forest, they had already ‘seen’ us.”
As if to verify her words, the nearest black tree suddenly trembled. The blurry human face on the trunk slowly "opened" its eyes—but they weren't eyes at all, but two bottomless holes, emanating a pure thirst for the soul.
"Watch out!" Tang Wulin held his spear horizontally in front, with a golden dragon phantom appearing behind him.
But the face only "stared" at them for a moment before closing its "eyes" again, and the tree returned to its deathly silence.
"Why doesn't it make a move?" Qian Renxue wondered.
“Because we are still standing on the edge of the forest.” Dai Chengfeng pointed to an almost invisible dividing line at his feet—one side of the line was dark brown earth, and the other side was covered with a thin layer of black, ash-like substance. “The Soul-Devouring Trees are territorial. The trees on the edge of the forest are relatively ‘young’ and not very aggressive. They will wait until their prey goes deeper into the forest and enters the territory of those ancient tree kings before attacking them in groups.”
"So we have to cross the entire forest?" Tang Wulin frowned. "That sounds like a trap."
“That’s how it is,” Bibi Dong said calmly. “But it’s the only way. The heart of the wasteland is the God’s Tomb Altar, where something far more terrifying slumbers. In comparison, the Forest of Fallen Gods at least has ‘clear rules’: don’t get caught, don’t linger, and don’t answer any calls.”
“Calling?” Qian Renxue keenly caught the word.
Bibi Dong didn't answer directly, but instead looked into the depths of the forest. Her eyes were complex, containing wariness, a hint of almost imperceptible sadness, and other unreadable emotions. "You'll know once you go in. Remember my three points: whatever you hear or see, don't believe it, don't respond, and most importantly, don't stop. The Soul-Devouring Tree is best at digging into its prey's memories and creating illusions."
The four exchanged a glance, and Tang Wulin took the lead, crossing the dividing line.
The moment he stepped into the forest, the sound of the whole world changed.
The absolute stillness of the wasteland was shattered, replaced by a low, persistent hum, like the whispers of a million people in one's ear, or the sobs of wind blowing through countless hollows. The air became thick, each step feeling like walking on damp cotton. The most noticeable change was in the light—the interior of the forest was darker than it appeared from the outside, the only light coming from the faint, blood-red glow emanating from the dark red leaves, barely outlining the twisted silhouettes of the trees.
"Maintain formation," Dai Chengfeng whispered. "I'll lead the way, Tang Wulin will bring up the rear, and the two ladies will be in the middle. The Soul-Devouring Tree's attacks usually come from underground and overhead, so watch your step and what's above you." They advanced along a seemingly nonexistent path. This path was clearly not naturally formed; it looked as if it had been worn down by the constant movement of some enormous creature. But strangely, there were no footprints on the path, only some dried, decaying black slime.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the surrounding trees became increasingly dense, and the faces on the tree trunks became more numerous and clearer. Some could already be discerned in terms of gender and approximate age, while others even retained the terrified expressions of someone facing death. All the faces had their eyes tightly closed, but Tang Wulin could sense countless "gazes" peering greedily at them through their eyelids.
"What are they waiting for?" Qian Renxue asked in a low voice. Her divine aura was particularly dazzling here, but also particularly "tempting." To the Soul-Devouring Tree, the soul of a god-level expert was nothing short of the most exquisite delicacy.
“Wait until we relax, wait until we get distracted, wait until we make mistakes,” Bibi Dong replied, her gaze always fixed straight ahead, ignoring the distorted faces on the tree trunks on either side.
Suddenly, Tang Wulin stopped in his tracks.
"What's wrong?" Qian Renxue immediately became alert.
"Did you hear that?" Tang Wulin frowned. "It sounds like... someone is calling my name."
“It’s an illusion,” Bibi Dong said decisively. “Don’t listen, keep going.”
But the voice grew clearer and more familiar. It was a gentle female voice, trembling with sobs and urgency: "Wu Lin... Wu Lin... save me... I'm in so much pain..."
Tang Wulin's body suddenly stiffened.
That was Gu Yuena's voice.
"Wu Lin?" Qian Renxue noticed his abnormality and reached out to pull him, only to find that Tang Wu Lin's arm muscles were tense and the Golden Dragon Spear was trembling slightly.
“It’s Gu Yue…” Tang Wulin murmured, his eyes beginning to glaze over, “She’s calling me…she’s here…”
"Tang Wulin!" Bibi Dong shouted sharply, her voice carrying a hint of mental shock, "That's fake! The Soul-Devouring Tree is reading your memories! Gu Yuena isn't here!"
But Tang Wulin seemed not to be listening. He slowly turned his head and looked in the direction from which the sound came—deep in the left side of the forest, where the figure of a silver-haired woman could be vaguely seen, entwined by dark vines, reaching out to him.
"Wu Lin... save me..." the figure cried, her silver eyes filled with tears. (End of Chapter)