Xu Tiancai and the others, carrying the first Pearl of Protection, dashed through the forest toward the second destination. Although the Mysterious Figure had been temporarily repelled, that lingering sense of threat still hung over their hearts, driving them not to slacken for even a second.
They ran among the trees. The ground beneath their feet was soft and springy, with every step kicking up a small flurry of fallen leaves and dust. The surrounding trees stood like silent giants, witnessing their escape and pursuit. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting slanting shafts of golden light that crisscrossed the woods like sharp swords. Yet they had no time to appreciate this scenery, for danger could strike again at any moment.
Suddenly, the woods ahead thinned out, revealing a peculiar clearing. The clearing was strewn with boulders of various sizes, covered in mysterious patterns and ancient characters. These patterns and characters emitted a faint glow, as if recounting a tale from a distant era. In the center of the clearing stood a Sacred Tree of bizarre shape. Its trunk grew upward in a spiral, the bark shimmering with a silver luster like metal. The branches were hung with crystal-clear fruits that released an enticing fragrance, but Xu Tiancai and his companions knew that beneath this beautiful exterior might lurk a fatal danger.
Chapter 126