Compass

This was troublesome.

Forcing his way through was absolutely out of the question. The aura of that giant vine was far too terrifying; even with his many trump cards, facing it head-on would mean certain death.

He had to outwit it.

Lu Chen observed carefully.

Around the giant vine, faint fluctuations of life emanated from those hive-like structures. Through the gaps in the vines, he could vaguely see things curled up inside—demon beast carcasses, cultivators' skeletal remains, and even living creatures still ensnared by the vines, not yet completely dead, their eyes hollow with despair!

Their life force and souls were being slowly drained away, nourishing the giant vine and the entire forest.

These hives are its food stores and breeding nests? Lu Chen's heart chilled.

What caught his attention even more was the ground near the giant vine's roots, where shattered, dull-colored metal fragments lay scattered alongside several relatively "fresh" cultivator corpses.

Judging by their attire, some were Rogue Cultivators while others were sect disciples. They had likely died within the last few days.

"Someone has already been here and tried to approach the giant vine's roots, but failed." Lu Chen's gaze swept over the corpses. Their deaths had been horrific; each had been pierced through by vines and drained of every last trace of life force and soul, leaving behind nothing but shriveled husks.

Yet one of the corpses drew his attention.

It was an old man in gray robes. His corpse was relatively intact, and clutched tightly in his hand was a damaged, palm-sized dark-gold compass.

Though the compass was broken, its surface was covered in intricate dragon patterns. At its center was an indentation, shaped... somewhat similarly to the fragment of the "Key of Suppression" Lu Chen possessed!

*That is... a locating compass? One specifically used