Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 597 I am a Rabbit-Eared Clan 15

The monotonous yellow sand of the wilderness finally faded away at the edge of the horizon, replaced by breathtakingly verdant cliffs.

The towering, dark green line on the horizon is the vast forest that stretches across their eastward route—the "Shadow Forest."

At dawn the next day, without lingering, carrying the lingering scent of the wilderness and sandstorms, the enormous black body of You carried Yun Chu like a steady ship, slowly sailing into this lush, damp greenery, imbued with the weight of time.

The moment you enter the forest, it feels like stepping into another dimension.

The towering trees blocked out the sun, with only dappled beams of light stubbornly piercing through the layers of dark green leaves, casting flickering spots of light on the ground covered with thick, decaying leaves.

The air was damp and heavy, a deep mix of earth, fungi, and decaying wood, each breath carrying moisture.

The howling winds of the wilderness were completely shut out.

Instead, there was an omnipresent yet elusive rustling sound—unknown insects slithered beneath the fallen leaves, and the strange cries of birds in the high branches were sometimes sharp and sometimes long, while the indistinct sound of flowing water in the distance was like a low murmur.

Beneath the tranquility lies the pulse of countless lives.

For You, traversing it was far from the straightforward experience of the wilderness.

The gnarled, exposed tree roots are like the veins of the earth, intertwined and crisscrossing, and at every turn, one might brush past the huge, drooping vines.

The ground is covered with a thick layer of humus, which is soft and silent when you step on it, but also hides trap-like hollows in the rotten wood.

The pace of progress inevitably slowed down, and every step had to be taken with care.

You became a silent predator. His dark figure appeared and disappeared in the dense shadows, his icy blue eyes being the only sharp feature.

He no longer needed the thunderous bursts of power he displayed in the wilderness. In the Shadow Forest, he learned to move silently and stealthily. His heavy, fleshy feet made almost no sound as he stepped on the soft, decaying leaves.

Its tail, as thick as a century-old tree trunk, deftly maintained the balance of its massive body, moving around obstacles like a gigantic ghost. It relied on extraordinary perception and instantaneous, precise bursts of speed.

The plump, juicy forest ape leaping among the treetops was intercepted by a dark shadow that pounced precisely, falling without even having time to scream.

A razor-sharp wild boar with sharp tusks and a tough bristle was drinking water by a stream when its throat was choked by a giant claw that shot out like lightning, and its struggle quickly subsided.

On a bright, moonlit night, as a herd of margays grazed on the tender grass in a forest clearing, a shadowy figure, shimmering in the moonlight, swept past. Its sharp claws precisely sliced ​​across the neck of the leader, the gust of wind startling the entire herd, but the dust had already settled.

Each successful hunt would cause ripples to appear in Yun Chu's space. The beast carcasses, rich in energy and precious materials, along with the special glands, claws, and fur that You Xiao had carefully extracted, were quickly and meticulously collected.

Forests are also a rich treasure trove of resources.

Complementing You's hunting, Yun Chu became a meticulous gatherer in this forest. Her figure was petite and agile, leaping through the trees like a spirit of the forest itself.

Her sharp gaze swept across the dense undergrowth. Her fingertips deftly searched among the thorny branches.

I discovered clusters of moonberry bushes laden with glistening, translucent berries. They radiate a sweet glow and are an excellent source of energy.

Dig up the roots of the star-patterned fern, buried deep under the decaying leaves. The tubers are covered with patterns like a star map and emit an enticing starchy aroma, making it a top-quality source of starch.

The Whispering Grass, with its distinctive serrated edges and veins that seem to murmur softly in the wind, is an excellent ingredient for concocting purifying potions.

They even found several plump and oily **deep shadow morel** next to a fluorescent colony, with a unique shape and a strong, distinctive aroma.

These gifts from nature, along with the tender, juicy wild vegetables, were also carefully collected by Yun Chu. In her space, a corner was specially designated, like a miniature herbarium, where flowers, fruits, roots, and stems were neatly stored and categorized.

Whenever they had a short break, they would find a relatively safe open space near the clear stream.

A campfire will then be lit. Yun Chu will skillfully process some of the fresh meat hunted by the Youhun, slicing it into thin pieces and grilling it over the flames, the dripping oil making an enticing sizzling sound.

Meanwhile, in a pot of clear water, fresh wild vegetables, picked tender leaves, a few fern roots, and precious mushrooms will simmer and cook into a thick and fragrant wild vegetable stew.

The smoky aroma of roasted meat blends with the fresh taste of wild vegetable soup, creating a unique ambiance deep in the forest that soothes the weariness of the journey.

The forest at night is a true danger. A burning campfire circle not only provides warmth but also serves as a beacon to dispel the darkness and potential hazards.

The enormous body cast a huge and steady shadow in the firelight, like a mobile fortress surrounding the small camp.

Half of his eyes were closed in rest, while the other half remained highly alert. His icy blue eyes vigilantly scanned the surroundings in the darkness, and his ears caught any unusual rustling.

Yun Chu would carefully sprinkle insect-repelling and miasma-removing powder around the camp; it had a pungent smell but was effective.

In the firelight, Yun Chu carefully examined the minor scratches or new marks that You had left on his fur while traversing the forest and hunting. These were the small price the forest paid for his great strength.

Time flows silently through the veins of the leaves.

A month passed quickly, like a stream flowing through the forest.

The lush green of the dense forest gradually became familiar through repeated treks, hunting, gathering, and resting. Each day's journey was accompanied by a subtle shift in the path of the sunlight overhead.

As the humus layer beneath our feet becomes less soft and slippery, and as the towering tree community gradually begins to thin out.

When the sky, no longer completely blocked by the thick green can be vaguely seen in the distance, You's huge and slightly mottled body, carrying Yun Chu, which has been tainted by the forest, finally broke through the easternmost edge of this vast, shadowy forest.

Suddenly, the view opened up before me. Behind me stretched a vast, verdant barrier, as deep as the sea. Ahead lay new and unknown territory. The outline of my next destination might already be faintly visible on the horizon.

They paused only briefly. You lowered her head and drank deeply from the sweet, clear spring that had just gushed forth from the forest. Yun Chu, on the other hand, took a deep breath of the fresh air outside the forest, which was drier and more expansive than the forest itself, carrying the scent of distant earth and wilderness.

No words were needed; their eyes met in unison, confirming their agreement. The black beast once again strode forward with steady steps, carrying the girl eastward, and further eastward, leaving behind a trail of complex scents mixed with the stench of beasts, earth, herbs, and plant sap, as well as the vast forest behind them, which had just been conquered and was known as the "Shadow Forest."

The sound of footsteps mingled with the fading birdsong in the woods, disappearing into the forest's last echoes.