Riding hard all the way, Linghu Xinglang's horse reached Bugui Mountain just as dusk was falling. The forest, however, was blanketed in a thick mist, obscuring everything except the dry, withered branches.
"Grand Commander," an Imperial Guard urged his horse forward, "this forest looks bizarre. Why don't any of the trees have leaves?"
It was autumn, a season when the southern lands should be lush and thriving. Outside Yunzhou City, even the ancient banyan trees that had suffered from flooding still held up dark green canopies casting vast pools of shade.
Chapter 196