Whoohoo!! Whoooo—
The evening breeze occasionally released a chilly howl as it passed through the leaves of the massive canopy above. Cao Yuan squatted on the forest floor, his huge frame focused on harvesting the centipede corpses. The eerie howling only heightened the gloomy and unsettling atmosphere, sending occasional shudders through his body.
Huff! Huff! Huff!
After finishing his harvest, Cao Yuan jogged around the area to get accustomed to his newfound strength. Once he felt comfortable with his increased power, he quickly packed his belongings. His storage bag still held some dried meat and his iron rod. He also carefully selected five corpses of the Human-Faced Insects he had set aside earlier.
Two of them—the last pair that had survived the longest—looked slightly different. They had larger carapaces and more detailed, lifelike human faces. A faint silvery glow emanated from the features on their backs, unlike the duller ones on the rest.
During the refining process, Cao Yuan had deliberately left these five untouched. He planned to use them to carve his second Shamanic Beast Rune. Their ability to release powerful sonic waves had intrigued him, and he hoped the new rune would grant him a similar ability.
Rustle…
A sudden, ominous chill swept through the grove. The damp soil beneath his boots began vibrating faintly once more.
"Damn it," Cao Yuan cursed.
Sensing the suffocating atmosphere stirring again, he didn't dare linger. He bolted from the eerie clearing like a dark gust of wind, racing toward the edge of the giant tree's canopy before another swarm could gather.
He ran without stopping until he had put a good distance between himself and the massive tree. Only then did he continue deeper into the forest, following the path toward the Inner Layer of the Brightmoon Forbidden Forest.
After running for over an hour, he finally stopped in front of a lone tree with a faded white ribbon tied around its trunk. Small words were inscribed on the bark, though most had become unreadable over time. He could only make out the single word: "Inner."
Turning back to look at the path he had come from, Cao Yuan felt a bit amused at himself for fleeing so frantically. It had been nearly an hour, and he hadn't stopped once. With his enhanced strength, he had left that cursed place far behind in the dust.
"That place was more like a graveyard than a resting spot," he muttered, scratching his head. "Whatever."
He turned his attention forward. Squinting through the dim light, he spotted another lone tree in the distance with a similar white ribbon. These markers were clearly meant to guide travelers, though they would be difficult for anyone with poor eyesight.
Cao Yuan stepped cautiously into the Inner Layer, moving one careful step at a time, ready to flee at the slightest sound. After walking for half an hour without encountering any beasts, his tensed body finally began to relax.
At first glance, the Inner Layer didn't look drastically different from the outer region—except the trees here grew even taller and thicker. They stood tall with wide gaps between them. There were almost no shrubs or grass on the ground, only large patches of dry leaves and dirt. The uneven terrain made the forest feel even more desolate and eerie. Only occasional shafts of fading light pierced through the dense canopy, leaving most of the area in deep shadow.
The air felt drier and stuffier. Occasional drafts carried strange, shifting odors—old wood, distant rot, or the sharp metallic tang of blood—that made his nose wrinkle. The silence was oppressive. Unlike the outer areas, there were no buzzing insects, chirping birds, or rustling animals. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath, making every small sound feel amplified.
Despite the unsettling atmosphere, Cao Yuan managed to follow the safe path described by the inn owner and other travelers. The white ribbons tied around the trees served as both indicators and trail markers leading deeper into the Inner Layer.
Following these signs gave him a sense of direction and slight reassurance. He continued along the marked trail at a steady but alert pace. The Inner Layer stretched on, empty and desolate, but he refused to let his guard down. This forbidden forest had already taught him not to trust appearances.
My life…My path…Is broader…Than the daylight seems to cast…
As he walked the hidden path, Cao Yuan hummed softly to himself, reflecting on his progress since leaving Blackscale Village. Nearly three months had passed, yet he felt he had barely begun his journey. Still, thanks to the abundant opportunities he had encountered, his strength had grown tremendously. In a short time, he had broken through multiple minor realms.
His power had increased exponentially, but he knew the further he traveled, the stronger the challenges would become.
Though he had been lucky so far, Cao Yuan wasn't optimistic that his luck would last forever.
Keeping his senses sharp, he slowed his pace to conserve energy in case of any unpleasant surprises.
Two more hours passed. Thanks to the bright moon hanging above the treetops and the sparse layout of the forest, he could still make his way forward. Not wanting to spend the night walking blindly, Cao Yuan decided to rest.
He found a relatively safe spot at the base of a large, sturdy tree. Leaning his back against the rough bark, he let out a long, exhausted sigh. The battles, the ritual, the breakthrough, and the long run had finally caught up to him. Extreme fatigue weighed down every muscle in his body.
"I'll just rest… for a bit," he murmured, closing his eyes for what he intended to be a short moment.
But the moment his eyes shut, sleep claimed him completely. His head drooped forward, and his breathing became deep and steady. Completely unconscious, Cao Yuan fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep against the tree, his iron rod resting across his lap. The exhaustion from the day had finally overwhelmed him, pulling him into oblivion without warning.