Sunset Forest.
Across a vast stretch of woodland, towering poplars, willows, elms, and pines grew interwoven, their trembling leaves blotting out the sky and shimmering green like an emerald sea.
The boundless sea of trees was lush and densely layered, screening out prying eyes from beyond its borders.
A Holy Dragon Army force from the Spirit Hall Empire marched along a forest trail. Its column resembled an ocher giant dragon, winding and writhing across the pale wilderness. The footsteps of countless soldiers blended, near and far, into a rustling murmur like innumerable whispering streams.
As they entered the forest, towering trees appeared one after another. Along the lakeside path stood a peach tree every three paces and a willow every five, creating an enchanting sight. Most remarkable were the weeping willows, already dancing gracefully at the beginning of spring. Their slender, supple branches swayed in the breeze, budding with tiny green pearls. Tree shadows swirled amid green, mistlike foliage, and flowers bloomed throughout the forest: red peach blossoms, white pear blossoms, purple orchids, and pink roses, each displaying its own colors.
The luxuriant trees radiated a soothing coolness. Sunlight fell like fine golden sand through layer upon layer of branches, scattering over grass carpeted with countless wildflowers that wafted enticing fragrances. Birds flew and sang merrily among the trees, their calls mingling with the burbling water and lingering in the breeze. The enchanting scenery intoxicated the senses, yet it could not halt this Holy Dragon Army force with its iron discipline.
The Holy Dragon Army soldiers marched in two columns, their silvery armor reflecting glittering white light beneath the scattered sunlight. Summer heat distorted the air. Even most soul beasts in Sunset Forest had chosen to rest in the shade, while these soldiers, clad in thick armor, endured an almost