The forest was quiet and peaceful.
As they walked, the girls curiously looked at the scenery around them. Though it was also a forest, this one truly felt different. It was not merely the atmosphere—even the plants were unusual. They saw flowers that emitted a faint glow and strangely shaped trees.
"This place definitely has that kind of atmosphere, but we haven't seen any Vampires or anything."
Ling turned her head to look around as she complained.
"According to the book, Vampires generally appear at night..."
Tio replied while flipping through the Empire Geography in her hands.
"So we have to spend a night here?"
Tita seemed somewhat uneasy. Yesterday had been fine since they were on a mountain, but now they were in a forest—and one with ancient legends surrounding it...
"What does it matter? It has its own kind of charm, doesn't it?"
"That's true, but..."
As he listened to the little girls chatting beside him, Fang Zheng walked onto a path deep in the forest. He stared at the seemingly unremarkable woods ahead, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips. Then, he raised a finger and lightly pointed forward.
The next moment, everything around them was suddenly engulfed in scarlet. All sound vanished without a trace. The three girls beside Fang Zheng seemed frozen in place, maintaining the poses they had held while speaking.
At the same time, a voice rang out.
"What business do you have here, stranger?"
As the voice spoke, the air before Fang Zheng began to warp as though scorched by fire. Then a girl with long golden hair, strange clothing, and scarlet eyes emerged from the distortion, staring directly at him.
"This is the Witch Village. If you have no business here, please leave."
"So people live here?"
Hearing