The surrounding landscape changes imperceptibly, and the towering, silent black granite cliffs disappear in favor of an open canyon filled with gray mist. In the mist, there was a decaying wood, gray-white branches, like the bark of a short-bearded tree that walked ahead—the tall tree-man took several meters with each step, but it walked very slowly, so that those behind could keep up.

The Treant stared at the withered woodland with a silent and dull gaze, and the woodland was lifeless, like a graveyard of trees. This atmosphere also affected the others, no one spoke, and silence spread among the crowd. The cliffs retreated a few hundred meters away, and some huge, withered roots crossed everyone's heads like bridges.

Walking into the woods, Shortbeard slowly stopped, and it turned to look at the others. "We're safe, but once you're in the woods, you'll have to keep an eye on me, and be careful not to get lost in the woods."

The crowd also stopped.

Amatolan asked, "What is this place?" ”

"This used to be where we lived." Shortbeard said a rough word, and then said no more, it turned, pulled out its pick, and walked on.

At this time, Red walked up from behind and said to the regimental commander, "Mr. Amatolan, since this place is safe, our mission is almost complete. ”

"You're leaving?" Amatolan was stunned, "You're not going to follow?" ”

"We have other things to attend to."

Amatolan glanced at the lion-man paladin a little puzzled, there were crystal monsters all over the outside, and the forest looked so weird, he couldn't think of anything to deal with in such a place.

But that was someone else's business, and he understood that he had no right to ask more, so he nodded and said, "Okay, thank you very much, we won't break our word about the reward." ”

Although these self-proclaimed mercenaries opened their mouths, the conditions proposed by the other party were very tempting - after all, they didn't need to pay with real money, they only needed to use the ore below to compensate. While this vein is also the property of the guild, they are not legitimate income after all.

What's more, the crystal veins below are amazingly rich, and the high-quality crystals are almost like they were picked up for nothing, and it is nothing for the other party to ask for that kind of reward.

In the previous battle, the scene of those crystal monsters overwhelmingly surging over at the end is still palpitating when I think about it now, if it weren't for these people intervening, I'm afraid they would really be unable to get out of trouble.

"I believe that Mr. Amatolan will not break his word."

"But when are you going to pick it up?"

"When you're ready, we'll be around the area."

Didn't you pass by? Amatolan was scornful, but nodded anyway.

Red bowed gracefully to the crowd and left. Amatolan looked at the back of the big cat man, his heart was full of doubts, and he didn't know where to start for a while - when did such a powerful mercenary group appear in the south of Nognes?

Although it was still a question whether the other party was a mercenary, he couldn't even tell whether the other party was the team of the Summoners. At least this lion paladin should be an aboriginal in terms of demeanor and demeanor, and a knight of virtue is really rare today.

He thought he was familiar with the area, and knew most of the famous teams operating in it—but Aitalia was a surprise at all times.

"The knight is gone?"

A soft voice came from behind him.

Amatolan looked back and saw the nightingale girl coming out of the crowd. "Rainbow, where did you just go?" He asked, a little suspiciously.

"I went to take stock of the Nightingale detachment, and seven people were killed and three wounded." Alice frowned, a little worried.

It's time to count the manpower, Amatolan nodded, as a veteran, he likes such a conscientious and responsible detachment leader.

……

"The big cat is back!"

Sky blue eyes are sharp, and he is the first to see the lion paladin coming out of the mist.

Red smiled and gestured at her with his big furry paws. Sky Blue grimaced at him and turned to run, but was grabbed back by the former and slapped her on the head.

Red raised his head and looked at Fang Yuan, "The eyeliner was released?" ”

Fang Yu raised his glove, shook it at him, and nodded. He had already released the clockwork goblin, and the clockwork goblin that had risen into the air at this moment not only had a panoramic view of the entire mist-filled canyon, but also the treemen and Amatolan who were leading the way in front of him were also clearly visible.

It's a pity that he didn't lower his vision a little, otherwise he might have found an acquaintance among those people. However, he found that the level of the Holy White Stone Guild was not bad, and he was worried that the clockwork fairy would be detected by the other party's rangers if he flew too low, so he thought about it or gave up.

The so-called still having something to do is just a pretense, they just don't want to contact these people too early, so that time reflection does not contact their companions for the time being, it is also out of this consideration. After all, their identities are sensitive at the moment, and the lesson of Olenze will not be forgotten by Fang Yu for a while.

Of course, a big cat alone is nothing, and the people of the wilderness are not uncommon in Kaulin-Ishurian. Moreover, human beings often lack an intuitive understanding of races other than themselves, in short, face blindness. Even if the wanted warrant is in front of them, they may not be able to confirm that the lion paladin in front of them is the person on the wanted warrant.

After all, the time of filming on the wanted notice was a year ago, and during this period, the equipment of the big cat people has been changed several times.

"What about the crystal monsters?" Red asked again.

"They're out there." Sylvid said with a smile.

"Stopped outside?"

"There's an invisible boundary outside this woodland, and when the monsters get there, they stop moving, Mr. Red." Fang Yu adjusted the eyepiece and replied.

"It looks like it's a holy place."

The ship's master looked around, "In Asuka, Shesta and I have been to places like that before. The local lizards have built sanctuaries in the valley, leaving the evil forces of the rainforest afraid to set foot in them. ”

"The Temple of Order, the land of the sages, I've heard of places where the former rejects chaos and the latter resists evil, it's a faction-guarding force," Red twrung his mane with his claws, "but artifacts like constructing creatures don't have a faction bias in themselves. ”

"I see," cried Parker, cried out in a loud voice, "this is a sanctuary of nature, resisting all that is unnatural. ”

"I've never heard of a sanctuary like that, Parker."

"Then you've heard about it now."

"Very well," said Azure angrily, "I suggest that this Paparal be thrown out first, so as not to stain the eyes of the goddess Ameya." ”

"But this is Lady Ameya's woodland." Tang Xin suddenly spoke at this time.

Everyone couldn't help but look at her.

"Do you have a sense?" Fang Yu asked, Sugar Candy is the priest of Milella, and the followers of friendly gods should have some sense when they enter the realm of other gods.

Tang Xin nodded.

"Is it really the reason for the Holy Land?" Kita asked in a whisper.

"Look, I mean." Parker beamed.

"The blind cat just bumped into a dead mouse." Sky Blue immediately retorted.

"But it's not certain," but Sylvid shook her head herself, "and there could be another reason." ”

Fang Yu looked back at his ship's officer, "Sylvide, what did you find?" ”

"The captain knows the concept of the beast's territory, it is possible that there is a more powerful existence here, so that those crystalline beasts do not dare to advance easily."

Fang Yu was slightly stunned when he heard this, and suddenly remembered the voice from the spiritual world that he had heard before entering this place, could the powerful existence here be the owner of that voice?

It's a pity that Miss Tata stayed on the boat, otherwise he could have asked for the other party's opinion, and for a while, without Miss Fairy's assistance, he felt as if his IQ had been reduced by half.

As for Nini, Fang Yu glanced at the little girl who was curled up, holding her tail, and sleeping soundly in her spiritual world with her fingers in her mouth, and after thinking about it, she forgot it.

If she wakes up the little guy, she will probably lose her temper, and Nini, who is still in the babbling stage, may not be able to tell what is going on.

But if those crystallized beasts were so afraid of the powerful existence in this place, how could the owner of that voice ask them for help?

Or is it that only the lower Crystallizers behave? And there may be some more powerful individuals among the crystallized beasts, who are not afraid of their masters?

He couldn't help but think of the mysterious commander behind the crystallized beasts described in the journal. In fact, he remembered the larger crystalloid beasts he had seen not long ago, and although they were far away, Fang Yu could still feel the terrifying aura on each other's body.

And are those the top-level Crystallizers? Fang Yu had a voice in his heart telling him that he was afraid that this was not the case.

The big cat man looked at the others and asked, "What about the walnuts in the ground?" ”

"They're in the back, and they'll be following soon."

Azure replied.

In fact, the walnut people in the ground were carrying the reflection of time, and they made a simple stretcher out of the branches of the trees in the back, and placed the latter on it.

And Betty hangs alone at the back of the group, and in Rhett's opinion, this girl is also surprisingly bold, in fact, she has been much calmer than the others along the way.

"What a strange girl." Red thought to himself.

……

With the help of clockwork elves in mid-air, they always trailed Amatolan's team.

However, it didn't take long for the scenery to change again.

Everyone actually saw a ray of light in the depths of this underground - this underground world gradually became open and wide from the boundary of the valley outside, the canyon on both sides gradually receded, and the rock formations above their heads rose higher and higher, until they disappeared beyond the dark and deep horizon.

And the underground rift here, forming a huge cavity in the rock formation, as if it was self-contained, forming a vast world underneath the ground.

And in the middle of that world, they saw a sun that shone softly.

"Oh my God," Sky Blue's eyes widened, "What's that!?" ”

The ball of light hung high in the air, sprinkling endless light throughout the dark underground space. The withered woodland gradually disappeared, and the surrounding area gradually became green.

The woodland seems to be revival, with young shoots drawn from under the barren land, and green blades of grass sprout from under the gray clods of earth and gradually join together. There are even rivers in the underworld, and after crossing a natural wooden bridge over the babbling river, there is already a golden meadow ahead.

Illuminated by the never-extinguishing sun, the lush shade of trees shrouds the forest paths, the flowers on the riverside, and even butterflies flutter.

Sky Blue even saw the white deer in the woods, the other party stood tall with long horns, black jewel-like eyes, and watched them with a wary gaze that looked at the strange intruder.

Then the forest elf turned and disappeared into the bushes.

She was so surprised that she could barely close her mouth.

"I can't believe it." Kita whispered to herself.

Tang Xin was also looking at the woodland underground-

There are many arguments that Stargate is just another form of existence relative to the human world, and that it is not unreal, but it is also not an imaginary world.

After all, this universe still holds too many unknown secrets for human beings.

But there is no shortage of opposing views, and even in this century, there is still a fairly mainstream view that the study of stargates should be a matter for scholars and governments.

The commercialization of Stargate is just a manifestation of entertaining the originally serious things, which is a regression of the times and a blasphemy against the spirit of human exploration a hundred years ago.

And the Electors are nothing more than a group of speculators, gold diggers, and even gamblers.

Tang Xin is the holder of such a view.

It's just that she deeply understands how persistent the pigeon is to the world, and every time she sees the other party's frustrated look, she can't bear it.

Perhaps this is why she became a third party between her parents and her cousin, sometimes helping him, but sometimes opposing him going into this world.

But everything has already happened-

Tang Xin quietly looked at the source that radiated bright light, and this quiet, but not lacking in life woodland, for the first time, she felt a little throbbing for the magnificence of this unknown world.

But they hadn't been walking long when a little monster stopped their way.

To be honest, it had been a long time since the Phalans had seen these creatures peculiar to Ishurian, these little creatures with low IQs originated in the underground of Eldron like the dwarves, they had been slaves to the dwarves for hundreds of years, and the hot-tempered dwarves did not treat them well, but they were not so good as slaves.

It is only in the last one or two hundred years that they have spread around the world with some of the pygmy, but they are accustomed to a cold climate, which can only be seen in the north of Kaulin-Ihurian.

The little dwarf in front of him should be the one with the purest bloodline in the Eldron Mountains. After all, the Old World Staircase itself is part of the Eldron Mountains, so it's not surprising to see them here.

The fluffy, smelly little guy was nervous when he saw them, and he stared at the people of the Seven Seas Brigade with dark, large, round eyes, and said with a little shudder, "...... Gollum, I've been waiting for you here for a long time, it's Lord Moon Arritt who asked Gollum to wait here for you, don't hurt Gollum, Gollum is a good person. ”

Fang Yu stopped.

He couldn't help but look back at the crowd with some surprise, Moon Arit, he still remembered the name. This is the name of the Elder Treeman, or the Heart of the Tree, and the name that has called them in the spiritual world.

But they had followed Amatolan and the others, and even Shortbeard didn't know that they had been following behind, and the dwarf in front of them said that they had been waiting for them here for a long time.

It seemed that the Elder Tree Man had already noticed their presence here, and the other party was far more powerful than they had imagined.

After exchanging glances with everyone, he turned back and asked:

"Is that your name, little one?"

"Gollum is the little guy Gollum, that's the name of Gollum, yes yes Gollum," the little monster couldn't help but be a little happy when he saw that they could understand it, and nodded vigorously, "You, Gollum, it's your friend." ”

"Who wants to be friends with this stinking fellow," Parker muttered angrily, pinching his nose with his hand and rolling his eyes, "I'm going to die." ”

The dwarfs never bathe, they think that water will take away their souls, and although dwarves rarely bathe, they can't stand these stinky creatures.

This is probably the source of more than half of the dwarves' complaints about their own servants.

Sky Blue was also so smoked that she couldn't stand it, but she still kicked Parker angrily, almost kicking the other man in the heel.

Fang Yu couldn't laugh or cry, but he only took a step back slightly and said, "Goo, you said that Lord Moon Arrit asked you to pick us up, does he know that we have arrived at this place?" ”

Gollum nodded solemnly, though it looked funny when it was serious, "Lord Moon Arrit is the oldest and wisest man here, its roots are rooted in this mountain, it is older than this land, it is more experienced than every tree, every stone, it has more knowledge than the mountain. ”

Fang Ou felt Kita tugging at her sleeve behind her.

He turned around, and Miss Naturalist stretched out her finger and wrote in the palm of his hand:

"The other party is probably the heart of the tree, Brother Ed."

"But what exactly is the Heart of a Tree?"

"We'll understand when we see it."

Fang Plover let the dwarfs lead the way, although the dwarfs don't like to be clean, but they are kind creatures, they live here with the Grey Tree people, at least to prove that the other party should have no ill intentions.

It's just that he didn't expect to come down to this place by himself, and before he saw Tu Yuanjing, he had to meet this Tree Man Elder first. And none of the original plans came in handy, which is really not enough to keep up with the rapid change.

They crossed several more wooden bridges and streams that shimmered with golden light, and entered a valley deep underground.

Fang Yu privately asked Time Reflection if he knew that there was such a place down there. The latter shook his head, indicating that the mine was actually only the upper part of the rift, and that there was a very large part of the lower level, and that the people in front of him had encountered those crystallized beasts while exploring the lower level.

And this subterranean woodland was another place they had never heard of.

Fang Yu couldn't help but look up at the ball of light in mid-air, thinking that this place might not be that simple.

……