Herbalist's Forbidden Zone

Ren Qing discovered that the scene around him had changed drastically. He had somehow arrived in a dilapidated courtyard.

All sorts of bizarre plants grew nearby. Even he had become a sapling.

The sapling Ren Qing had turned into was covered in leaves, each one bearing the pattern of Double Pupils and blinking from time to time.

He realized it might have been because of Double Pupils that he had accidentally fallen into the Disaster Aversion Forbidden Zone.

Ren Qing had heard Song Zongwu mention that Forbidden Zones above the Ghost Envoy Realm took on countless strange forms because each contained a different Eerie Object.

But how had this happened so inexplicably?

Rather than rushing to escape, he looked around without restraint.

This courtyard was more like an Herb Garden, its far end enclosed by walls soaring into the clouds.

Unfortunately, even when he stretched his branches with all his strength, his view remained limited. He could only make out the Herb Garden's general layout.

Ren Qing found a total of thirteen kinds of medicinal herbs nearby, though he had no idea what they represented.

Just as he was about to examine them closely, the Forbidden Zone suddenly changed. Shadows shrouded the sky.

Heavy footsteps approached from afar, making the entire Herb Garden tremble as cracks spread across the ground.

A herbalist was striding over.

In Ren Qing's eyes, the herbalist stood thousands of feet tall. Its body seemed to be made of rotten, foul-smelling sludge, and its facial features were nothing but hollows.

Muddy water fell with every step it took.

The medicinal herbs absorbed the muddy water and grew, while fruits marked with twisted Human Faces immediately sprouted from their branches.

The herbalist bent down, pulled out the ripe fruits, and placed them in the basket on its back before skillfully harvesting the remaining fruits.

Once stripped of their fruits, the herbs swiftly withered, turning back into seeds within moments.

Ren Qing was deeply shocked. He noticed that the seeds had roots and stems of their own, connected to a corpse of rotting flesh.

That corpse was probably the Eerie Object itself, creating a strange cycle within the Forbidden Zone.

As for why the Forbidden Zone had taken the form of an Herb Garden, it might have been related to the Art of the possessed Fire Worker.

Perhaps even the core Eerie Object was not necessarily the Disaster Aversion Method...

The herbalist noticed that an extra medicinal herb had appeared in the Herb Garden and started walking toward Ren Qing. Yet before it could approach, the herb had already vanished.

Ren Qing's consciousness returned to his body.

He could not help gasping for breath, scorching tears streaming from his eyes.

Song Zongwu asked worriedly, "How did your soul suddenly leave your body? Even if it was only for one breath, that was enough to scare anyone."

"I don't know either..."

Ren Qing came back to his senses and shook his head. It felt like he had awoken from a great dream, and he only vaguely remembered becoming a sapling.

Mu Yi spoke up. "Any Forbidden Zone above the Ghost Envoy Realm is impossible to predict. I once heard a senior Forbidden Guard speak of one."

"After he entered a Yin Messenger Realm Forbidden Zone, he found himself surrounded by flesh and blood. The passages stretched in every direction, and hurricanes would sweep through from time to time."

"It turned out that the Forbidden Zone had formed into a gigantic corpse that was neither alive nor dead. He had actually been inside the corpse's intricate meridians."

Song Zongwu helped Ren Qing to his feet. "Let's leave first. With two Arts sealing the place, there is no need to worry about anyone breaking into the Forbidden Zone for now."

Ren Qing quickly regained his strength and followed the two back down the mountain by the way they had come.

Under Mu Yi's Art, the vegetation gradually drew together and sealed off the mountain path once more.

Ren Qing took the chance to ask why they needed to excavate the mountain in order to seal the Forbidden Zone.

Song Zongwu did not answer directly, merely saying that Ren Qing would understand once he saw the map.

By the time they returned to the camp, night had fallen without them noticing.

Screeches still echoed from the distant forest, but the beasts' instinct for danger kept them away from the camp.

Mu Yi nodded to Song Zongwu and Ren Qing, then headed toward the military tent.

She did not enter the tent to rest. Instead, countless roots grew from her feet and burrowed into the soil, while her skin transformed into vegetation.

Guo Qing, who was keeping watch, gaped. But remembering Wang Sheng's warning just now, he hurriedly turned his head away and pretended to remain calm.

"I can't see anything, I can't see anything..."

Ren Qing's mouth twitched. The Forbidden Guards would still conceal their Arts while in the Yamen, but once they left Sanxiang City, they became utterly unrestrained.

Though, thinking about it, that made sense.

Outside the city was far more dangerous. If they deliberately hid their strength, they might not react in time when a real emergency arose.

"Ren Qing, come with me."

Song Zongwu led Ren Qing into the Karst Cave. Both possessed night vision, so there was no need for torches.

They passed through the broad tunnel. As they went deeper, the space gradually narrowed.

After passing several forks, Ren Qing arrived at a stone chamber used specifically as a transfer point, where iron picks and similar tools had been placed.

What shocked him most was the map routes carved into the Stone Wall.

Judging by the projected scale of the work shown on the map, the Forbidden Guards intended to excavate two or three tenths of the entire mountain, creating a complicated network of tunnels.

Ren Qing suddenly realized something and could not help asking Song Zongwu, "Senior Song, are you planning to destroy the entire mountain?!!"

Song Zongwu smiled. "Only the part of the mountain near the Forbidden Zone. We will make the rock collapse and bury the Forbidden Zone underground. And this is only the first step."

Ren Qing immediately understood after hearing that. Dealing with a Forbidden Zone directly was simply too difficult; if Forbidden Guards died inside, the situation could spiral completely out of control.

It was better to take a step back and make the trouble smaller.

"Because of Song Rong, some Forbidden Guards will remain at the camp to stand watch, so progress will slow somewhat."

Ren Qing said awkwardly, "Tomorrow, we Yamen Runners will join in excavating the Karst Cave, but..."

Song Zongwu clearly heard the concern in his voice. "What is it?"

"I suspect the other groups of Yamen Runners were attacked by beast packs and have already suffered heavy casualties. We may not have enough manpower."

"I sent Forbidden Guards into the forest to support the Yamen Runners. I just don't know whether they will make it in time."

Song Zongwu let out a long sigh. "Once things here stabilize, new Yamen Runners will arrive soon, and they will be led by Forbidden Guards."

Ren Qing knew that the casualties of Yamen Runners did not fall within the Forbidden Guards' considerations.

Even Song Rong's existence was not particularly important. After all, even if he entered the Disaster Aversion Forbidden Zone, it would not matter much.

Two Arts had already been used to establish temporary measures outside the Disaster Aversion Forbidden Zone, and a Forbidden Guard had been dispatched as well. They could not possibly commit more manpower.

What mattered most now was sealing the Disaster Aversion Forbidden Zone as quickly as possible.

Ren Qing agreed, then returned to the military tent to rest.

He swallowed some Pig Eyes and Wolf Blood, using the moonlight filtering in from outside to cultivate.

Though the efficiency was far lower than direct absorption, he could still feel Werewolf Transformation gradually spreading to his waist.

After restoring his mental strength through cultivation, Ren Qing took out paper and pen and began sketching. He planned to design the single-wheeled dirt cart used at construction sites in his previous life.

The dirt cart's structure was relatively simple. Only the tire was somewhat troublesome, but it should not be difficult if he put in some effort.

That way, transporting rocks and soil would become much more convenient.

Ren Qing could not help sighing. Who would have thought that, as a Fire Worker, he would end up doing a miner's work—and even become a contractor himself?

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