The dark forest is eerie and terrifying in the eyes of humans, but in the eyes of adult monsters who have the ability to hunt alone, it is like a spectacular playground.

The various spiritual powers that permeate the atmosphere form a variety of interesting shapes in the vision of the monsters, whether they build a slender arch bridge that guides them from the ground to the treetops, or transform into a colorful river flowing in mid-air, constantly flowing into the depths of the forest.

"The circle of dead wood outside is said to have been planted by the first group of humans to set foot in this mountain range a long time ago." Taro carries tonight's invited forest visitors through the dense trees, "They are not native to the mountains, and many of them have died because they are not adapted to the climate here." ”

"The last plants that are left make up the outer broad-leaved forest, and after the hottest season of each year, they can no longer keep their leaves, so they can only let them fall down with a bang."

"Add to that the strange wind and the wet weather in the forest...... "Taro turned slightly sideways to look at the dead wood forest they had passed through while making sure that the guests on his back would not fall, "and when it comes to this season, they will be like that." ”

"The same goes for the orchard under the witch's house." Xiao Hei, who had been following them all the time, said, "They've been working hard to adapt to their environment, but it's probably nature...... The gorgeous scenery in nature created by humans will always end up in barrenness. ”

"Don't say that, my companion." Taro didn't want the atmosphere to be affected by the topic, "Won't they all be refreshed by the next spring?" ”

"Look, you're ......," the Bird Queen didn't seem to remember the pronunciation of Funor's name, "the Witch's new family, our new friends, and beyond that is our paradise—"

"I see."

Fang Nuo, who knew that he didn't understand the language and didn't bother to intervene in the communication between the two birds along the way, slightly straightened up on the back of the bird queen and looked around.

The reason why these two birds came to bother him in the middle of the night was not because of the discussion of the "beast tide" during the day, nor was it some ridiculous legend of "the witch's self-appointed hearing......

Just to - welcome him.

They wanted to throw a belated welcome party for him.

On the way, he heard the chirping of more than one bird, and the atmospheric spiritual power that was swimming around him at this moment was also pointing out to him the location of those hidden creatures.

Just the day before, on the last "Red Star Shining Day", he had been taken into the mountain village by the witch in a carriage, and his mind was completely on his relatives and friends in Huangxian Ridge, and he was constantly thinking about ways to escape from this human territory.

That night, due to the second "failure to ask for sealing", his mood became depressed for a while, and he only felt tired and didn't want to do anything, and he might have missed the event that the birds wanted to hold in the middle of the night.

And after a new daytime encounter, the two birds, believing that he had recovered his spirits, rushed to him at midnight and invited him into the forest.

But...... Fang Nuo recalled how Hei had behaved when he heard the witch say that she was also preparing to enter the mountain, and couldn't help but wonder if something bad was really going to happen in the mountain.

After all, these happy birds are so eager.

What's the matter, if the witch enters the mountain tomorrow, she won't be able to do it again?

"Little thing, do you know what's in the middle of the Dark Forest?"

Blackie's self-questioning and answering voice interrupted Fang Nuo's thoughts.

"It's a 'house of all souls,' and it's the home of a hundred birds, including us, after they have entered their old age and their flying ability has weakened."

"I ......remember," Taro's voice sounded, "In the legend of the mourning birds, it is called the 'Eternal Trace Tree', and it is the tree of the world, the emperor of the tree. ”

"So?" Fang Nuo had also heard of this name in the clan, however, he didn't expect that the "Eternal Mark Tree" was really a tree, and thought it was the name of a demon beast race outside the family.

"Is that where we are going?"

"Every generation of rulers of the Dark Forest will also make it their own habitat." The two birds sang and harmonized, and went straight to the exchange, "If you want to find the big demon beast that dominates the mountains and forests, you just need to go to the center of the forest." ”

Hey, are they talking about the "mountain rangers" in the mouths of the human brothers and sisters? The hunter who is said to have come from some human kingdom outside the mountains to hunt the "King Bear" but got lost in the forest and was killed in the end?

Fang Nuo had told the two birds what happened to the brother and sister, and it seemed that they were also thinking about it.

It is worthy of being an independent monster!

"Look there, my friend." Just as Fang Nuo was interested in hearing their thoughts, the taro suddenly stopped the topic, slowed down his flight, and gradually fell down.

Her goal was a nearby giant tree that appeared to have been cut off by some force, revealing a "stump platform" to stand on and even walk on.

Despite losing the top half, the landing platform was still a cut above the surrounding forest, and was only matched by the behemoths near the middle of the forest.

As soon as Taro gained a foothold on this platform, a chorus of birds erupted in the nearby jungle, and she suddenly burst into joy when she heard it:

"Do you feel welcomed, my friend?"

"I didn't welcome you like they did, little thing." The little black faint on the side interjected, and as soon as he opened his mouth, the bird queen slapped his head with her wings, "That's why I didn't get mixed in with them and engage in this kind of fleshy welcome ceremony." ”

"You just want to experience what it's like to be popular with everyone." Fang Nuo jumped off the taro's back and took a few steps to the edge of the stump platform, listening to the sounds of the birds in the woods.

"In addition to the mourning birds, there are other bird calls......"

"Hey, do you want to go down there and have a look?" Xiao Hei saw that the provocation just now didn't work, and he couldn't understand Fang Nuo's reply just now, so he simply jumped to the other party's side and continued to provoke him, "Stay here, you can only see the tops of those trees below. ”

"Oh, these are redwoods." Another bird, who couldn't understand the words, also came over and introduced himself, "The king of the forest, the evergreen redwood." ”

"If you don't count the tree that grows next to the Eternal Scar Tree and shares the Emperor's nourishment, it's the most powerful plant in this forest...... You see, the sequoia around are also redwoods, but they are not as tall and big as they are. ”

In the Xuancai Mountains, this kind of evergreen tree is only found in this area, at least on the Huangxian Ridge, Fang Nuo has never seen such a tall plant.

In the territory of their Yellow Immortals, there are trees that are easy for Yellow Immortals to climb and jump between branches, and the trunks are not as thick as redwoods, nor are they so straight.

There are no such trees in the vicinity of the mountain village, and most of them are fruit trees or trees with well-developed root systems that have been planted to prevent dust and mudslides.

It can be said that only by crossing the broad-leaved forest on the outskirts of the forest can you immerse yourself in this sea of redwoods...... And then inside, there is another batch of rare plants outside, and the emperor tree that has been named "Eternal Trace".

"I really want to see that Eternal Trace Tree...... Fang Nuoxin said, "First the outside world that I have never been in contact with, then the strange demon beast family, and then, the trees that grow in other regions!" I am gradually broadening my horizons, and I am learning about the world step by step! ”

His heart was unprecedentedly excited, and any uneasiness and confusion were buried by the longing and yearning for the outside world in his heart.

Until this emotion calms down, I'm afraid I won't be able to turn over again.

At this moment, after witnessing the vast and magnificent forest sea in front of him, the only thing that restrained his heart to go to the outside world was "missing his relatives", "the principle of 'repaying kindness'", and "his own meager strength".

"I have to go back to Huangxian Ridge to meet my brothers and sisters, and other relatives...... They raised me, and no matter how many accidents and ten witches I ran into at once, I couldn't sever the connection between us. ”

He needs to wait for the next Red Star Day, get into the witch's carriage, and jump off the Yellow Immortal Ridge when he encounters it—or, on this night, try to cross the forest and return to the territory of the Yellow Immortals?

If you think about it, the latter simply cannot be realized in reality.

Huangxian Ridge and this "dark forest" are separated by a "stone wall at the end".

It was a rocky mountain that spread somewhere, and if he hadn't made the return journey along the path that had been carved out by humans, there was a good chance that he would starve to death and freeze to death in less than half the way...... Even if he dies, he still has the will to turn into a wandering spirit and stay on this land, and it is estimated that he will get lost, trapped in the middle of the road, and die again.

Thinking of this, Fang Nuo leaned out from the platform, trying to see the "end stone wall" in the distance.

He had to get around it before he could get home.

On the side, Taro saw him looking expectant, and couldn't help but quip:

"My friend, don't be so anxious, when everyone finishes singing, I'll take you down to our ......"

Before the Queen of Birds could speak, the chirping of the surrounding birds stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Hei, who was standing on the other side, was a little flustered, fluttering his wings, and looking left and right, "I feel a powerful aura...... It scared away our people! ”

"Who's that?" Blackie spread his wings, intending to go down there to check on the situation.

But suddenly, he found that Fang Nuo next to him was gone!

"Little things? Where did he go? ”

"It seems to go down." The taro pointed to the sea of trees below, "along the trunk...... It's reckless! ”

Taking advantage of the fact that the welcome was interrupted by an unknown reason and the two birds had not yet come to their senses, Fang Nuo slipped off the stump platform and climbed the trunk to a branch that lay beneath the overlapping branches.

He crept into the shadow of the green leaves, pretending to be a slightly unharmonious cloud of snow, holding his breath as much as he could.

Soon, a large black shadow appeared in his field of vision, gasping for unusually obvious heaviness, leaving a bloody smell along the way.