Chapter 189: Black Soul Forest
Chapter 189: Black Soul Forest
At the mountain summit, the Dead Tree began to glow. A withered butterfly fluttered in the wind, carrying traces of sorrow and longing as it circled through fragments of bygone time.
Dreams stretched across millennia—where did this moment stand? Time flowed eastward like a river, withered yellow hues mirroring autumn’s chill.
Leaves fell one after another, their dried forms withering in the breeze yet soaring through dreamscapes.
Cheng Lingyu rose into the air, his body enveloped in mysterious light. Crackling dead leaves coiled around him, transforming into glowing seals that merged with his flesh.
As the Dead Tree brightened and its remaining leaves dwindled, Cheng Lingyu hovered beneath it, entering a peculiar dreamless state.
The Withered Dream Butterfly plunged deep into his consciousness, where countless buried memories stirred. When the last leaf fell, blazing light erupted across the land.
The mountain peak trembled. The earth cracked. Flames engulfed the Dead Tree as both ancient summit and withered trunk faded into nothingness.
Fang Ruohua and Lan Xiaozhu watched from afar, their eyes wide as they stared at the glowing figure above the vanishing summit.
Soul Gathering Valley quaked. Souls carried news of the disturbance far beyond, prompting the three remaining Immortal Souls to investigate the anomaly.
The Withered Dream Butterfly had been Feixing Ridge’s mightiest presence in Soul Gathering Valley. Its disappearance would spark new battles for dominance.
When the Dead Tree’s ashes settled, Cheng Lingyu descended slowly. His radiant aura dimmed until his feet touched ground and his eyes opened—fleeting amber flickering then vanishing in their depths.
The two women rushed to his side, smiles blooming.
“Congratulations, elder brother!”
Fang Ruohua’s vibrant grin outshone Lan Xiaozhu’s reserved demeanor.
“We should move elsewhere. This place drew too much attention.”
Following Lan Xiaozhu’s advice, the trio departed swiftly.
Half an hour later, they reappeared hundreds of miles away.
Cheng Lingyu raised the Soul Guide Banner. Souls from Soul Gathering Valley’s upper layers swarmed toward the mid-grade spirit artifact.
He harvested only specified targets with measured precision. Among Feixing Ridge’s fifteen soul types listed in Lou Ri City’s long-term tasks, he claimed merely a third—careful to avoid awakening the Soul Gathering Coffin.
The banner’s efficiency saved precious time.
“Others approach,” Cheng Lingyu warned, steering his companions away before strangers arrived.
“Our Feixing Ridge mission concludes successfully. What next?” Fang Ruohua’s bright eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Lan Xiaozhu interjected, “The remaining Immortal Souls here are Beast Souls—unsuited for Sister Ruohua. We shouldn’t linger.”
Cheng Lingyu gestured northwest. “An ancient ruin lies near Soul Gathering Valley. Let’s investigate.”
“Feixing Ridge holds three ruins,” Fang Ruohua countered. “Only Feixing Stone is safe. The others… Are we ready for such danger?”
Cheng Lingyu’s smile held adventure. “Opportunities this rare shouldn’t be wasted.”
The three quietly left Soul Gathering Valley and headed toward an ancient ruin on Feixing Ridge.
This ruin lay between the Eighth Palace and Ninth Palace, nestled within a primitive forest.
Cheng Lingyu stood at the forest’s edge, studying the map.
“This is Black Soul Forest, marked here. Crossing it will likely be dangerous.”
Fang Ruohua frowned. “I don’t see anything wrong. My Immortal Soul isn’t sensing anything either.”
Lan Xiaozhu said, “Since this ancient ruin overlaps with a danger area, Black Soul Forest must have its own peculiarities.”
Cheng Lingyu replied, “Stay cautious. We’ll manage.”
The two women showed no reaction to the forest, but Cheng Lingyu detected faint ripples of energy from it.
For safety, he gripped Lan Xiaozhu’s hand with his left and Fang Ruohua’s with his right, gliding soundlessly through the trees.
Xiyun Divine Mountain’s landscape loomed vast, dominated not by common trees but ancient giants, thick vines, and strange flowers.
Lan Xiaozhu remained composed, while Fang Ruohua’s cheeks flushed pink as she held Cheng Lingyu’s hand, her eyes bright with suppressed excitement.
Cheng Lingyu focused ahead while the two women scanned their surroundings.
Black Soul Forest stood unnervingly still, filled with hundred-zhang trees. Golden vines coiled around trunks, their glowing fruits dangling like lanterns.
Cheng Lingyu moved cautiously. The howling wind carried a mournful tune, like a ghostly lament weaving through the trees.
Fang Ruohua noticed nothing amiss, but Lan Xiaozhu tensed.
“Lingyu… something’s wrong here.”
His voice dropped. “I know. Don’t speak. Stay calm. Don’t let this place into your thoughts.”
No monsters or Giant Birds appeared, yet the air thickened with desolation—a silence that gnawed at the soul.
Cheng Lingyu froze mid-step, staring at the colossal shape ahead.
A thousand-zhang tree rose like a living mountain, its crown supporting a crumbling castle. The trunk’s middle bore a carved face—eyes whirling like dark vortices, lips curled in a timeless sneer.
Fang Ruohua whispered, “Are we there?”
“Quiet.”
The titanic tree dominated a clearing devoid of other vegetation. Even five miles back, its trunk dwarfed them—dozens of zhang wide, bark scaled like a dragon’s hide, etched with ancient patterns.
Lan Xiaozhu shuddered. “This ruin reeks of malice.”
The tree’s carved gaze pinned Cheng Lingyu. Through his Dreamy Magic Eyes, the castle above shimmered with phantom light—a crown of rot and forgotten power.
Around the ancient castle, countless invisible lines intertwined to form circular rings that rotated in all directions, protecting the structure.
“Strange, why has the sky changed?”
Fang Ruohua’s sudden exclamation drew Cheng Lingyu’s attention. He scanned their surroundings and froze – the entire forest had turned pitch black. Though the sky remained bright, the ground and trees now formed stark black-and-white contrast.
Lan Xiaozhu remarked, “This must be the extraordinary phenomenon of Black Soul Forest. Who knows what comes next?”
Fang Ruohua peered around and gasped. Ferocious faces had materialized on every giant tree’s trunk, their ghastly expressions twisting into eerie grins. The eyes resembled bottomless abysses.
“Elder brother! This… this…”
The eighteen-year-old’s face paled at the terrifying sight.
Cheng Lingyu remained silent. His Dreamy Magic Eyes swept across the trees, revealing black vortexes forming on the trunks – exactly matching the faces Fang Ruohua described.
These shifting vortexes emitted strange ripples that spread like mist. The entire Black Soul Forest darkened, leaving only the thousand-zhang giant tree and ancient castle glowing with primordial majesty.
Black mist crept toward Lan Xiaozhu and Fang Ruohua. Though they activated defensive barriers, the eerie mist penetrated effortlessly. Dizziness washed over them, limbs turning leaden.
“Elder brother… so tired… need sleep…”
Fang Ruohua slurred like a drunkard, cheeks flushed mesmerizingly pink. Lan Xiaozhu swayed, eyelids drooping.
“This… mist… poisoned…”
Cheng Lingyu tensed. Both women were Soul Martial Fifth Realm cultivators – ordinary toxic mist shouldn’t affect them. Yet here they stood defenseless, proving Black Soul Forest’s lethal reputation.
The black mist enveloped Cheng Lingyu too. His pores opened wide, absorbing the vapor. Some entered his blood and flesh, but most vanished into his mysterious space.
A faint tingling spread through his body before quickly fading. The mist was clearly toxic, but his unique Constitution neutralized it, even absorbing its energy.
Channeling true essence into both women, Cheng Lingyu watched his energy act as antidote. Their weakness dissipated instantly.
“Amazing! How’d you do that?” Fang Ruohua blinked watery eyes at him.
“I’ve consumed many spiritual herbs. Built resistance.” His half-truth glossed over the real reason.
Lan Xiaozhu asked, “What now? Investigate the castle?”
Cheng Lingyu yearned to explore alone but couldn’t abandon them here. Bringing them posed trouble, but…
“Let’s approach first. Come.”
They soared into the air, hands linked as they flew toward the castle. Reaching the colossal tree within moments, overwhelming danger prickled their senses.
Cheng Lingyu tightened his grip on the women’s hands, shielding them behind him as he edged forward.