"Could this be the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Ground?" No wonder the area had been so eerily quiet. No wonder he had spent all these years shouting himself hoarse for nothing.
A bird shaped like an eagle appeared in the distant sky. Every feather on its body was golden, glinting in the sunlight.
Birds of prey usually had black or gray feathers to avoid giving themselves away by reflecting sunlight. This one was golden all over and looked extraordinary.
The golden bird circled for a while, then suddenly dived into the forest and rose again with its prey.
"This place is too strange. I'd better get out of here!"
Lin Yi muttered to himself and took off running.
"Water?" Lin Yi stopped in his tracks.
It was a spring pool barely a square meter across. Its water was clear and clean, and a dozen or so small trees, each nearly a meter tall, grew beside it.
A translucent red fruit sat atop each tree, like a ruby set among its leaves.
"Screw it. If I'm going to die, I might as well die with a full stomach!"
He quickly picked several red fruits from the trees and stuffed them into his mouth without another word.
Each fruit was about the size of an egg and gave off an enticing fragrance.
After eating the fruits in his hand, he felt a refreshing sensation sweep through his body. His mind cleared, and his spirits lifted.
He went to the edge of the spring, scooped up water, and drank. It carried a faint fragrance too. Though nowhere near as rich as the fruits' aroma, he figured it might do him some good.
Once he had drunk his fill, he climbed straight into the spring to bathe.
The moment he entered the Sacred Spring, before