Half a day later, in Spirit Mountain.
Yang Qing, Jiang Zhizhou, and Bu Er had been walking through Spirit Mountain's dense forest for nearly half a day.
Yet for some reason, they had not seen the slightest trace of any other living creature along the way.
The entire forest was so quiet it seemed like a land of the dead.
Jiang Zhizhou and Bu Er discreetly tightened their grips on their weapons.
When things strayed from the ordinary, something sinister was surely at work.
Protected between the two of them, one ahead and one behind, Yang Qing wore an equally wary expression.
At some point, a wind rose, rustling through the treetops.
Their expressions tense, the three continued forward with even greater caution.
Suddenly, Bu Er, who was leading the way, felt that the leaves beneath his feet were different from those he had stepped on before. Alarm shot through him. "Get back!"
But it was already too late!
Before Bu Er could pull his foot back, the leaves scattered in seemingly haphazard fashion across the ground swept toward him and the others, as though they had received some command.
Bu Er and Jiang Zhizhou exchanged a glance. Each reached out an arm, hoisted Yang Qing between them, and darted off to the side.
But the surrounding trees seemed to have sprouted feet as well. They shifted swiftly, constantly changing their formation.
"So there really is a mechanism!"
Working in perfect harmony, Bu Er and Jiang Zhizhou carried Yang Qing as they twisted and dodged, leaping between the branches.
Yet more and more trees in the dense forest began to move, all converging in the same direction.
"Are they trying to trap us here?"
Bu Er spat under his breath and quickened his pace even further.
Carried forward by the