A vast Black Forest stretched out before them, filled with Sky-Reaching Trees over a hundred zhang tall. Their lush, luxuriant branches blocked out much of the sunlight, making the place seem somewhat dim.
A tall, thin red-shirted youth walked forward at an unhurried pace. From his clothes, he was unmistakably a disciple of the Guo Family.
After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, he came to a stop.
Several hundred zhang away, a Sky-Reaching Tree just over a zhang tall stood out sharply from the surrounding trees.
The Azure Chestnut Fruit tree had round leaves, and its branches were covered in azure spikes. Dozens of pale-azure fruits hung from the tree, their surfaces covered in azure spikes like hedgehogs.
"Azure Chestnut Fruit."
The red-shirted youth recognized this Spirit Fruit. The Azure Chestnut Fruit bloomed after ten thousand years, bore fruit after another ten thousand, and matured after yet another ten thousand. It could strengthen one's qi and blood and toughen the physical body.
He released his divine sense to its fullest, but detected nothing unusual, nor any Demon Beasts. That was strange.
After some thought, he flicked his right hand. A slender strand of red silk shot out, wrapped around an Azure Chestnut Fruit, snapped its stem, and reeled the fruit back.
At that moment, space rippled. A huge black beast claw suddenly materialized and swiped toward his crown, while a streak of black light shot out of the void straight at the red-shirted youth.
The red-shirted youth reacted quickly. The red jade lock on his chest shone with dazzling red light, and a Red Light Curtain appeared from nowhere, shielding his entire body.
The black beast claw and black light struck the Red Light Curtain in succession, producing dull thuds.
The black light flashed, and