Chapter 187: Thorn Valley
Chapter 187: Thorn Valley
Three days later, Lindsey and Red finally arrived at Thorn Valley.
On their journey, they had noticed an increase in encounters with magical beasts, and the forest was filled with signs of battles among the creatures. They even stumbled upon the remains of a fallen Treant.
The sense of danger grew with every step they took.
All the details pointed to the fact that they were approaching a perilous place.
It was dawn, and a thin layer of sunlight struggled to penetrate the dense canopy, creating a hazy view ahead.
Lindsey approached a nearby hill and gazed into the valley.
Thorn Valley lay before them, a natural depression in the hilly terrain. At its heart stood towering ancient trees, their canopies reaching towards the sky like giant umbrellas, or ancient, unyielding guardians.
As Lindsey's gaze shifted downwards, he noticed countless vines and thorns covering the valley floor.
Something seemed to be scurrying through the undergrowth, but upon closer inspection, it was hard to discern.
The sunlight, filtered through the treetops, created a fragmented, dappled scene among the vines and thorns.
"Thorn Valley..." Lindsey murmured.
He stood before a breathtaking natural landscape.
Lindsey furrowed his brows and unfolded a map.
Even without stepping into the valley, he could see red dots scattered around the periphery, indicating hidden dangers.
The peaceful morning concealed a danger they had anticipated.
Behind Lindsey, Red also sensed the impending peril.
Uncharacteristically, the usually impulsive and violent girl frowned, displaying a rare moment of caution as she asked, "Lindsey, something feels off about this place."
Lindsey nodded, "We're getting close to the core of Starlight Forest."
As he spoke, he pointed towards the valley.
The vast Thorn Valley wasn't particularly elevated, but its size was impressive.
From their vantage point, they could see beyond the hills to the landscape behind.
It was a massive Banyan Grove.
The dense green Banyan trees covered the entire mountain range, their aerial roots forming a complex network, intertwining and connecting the entire forest. At the heart of this grove stood a colossal old Banyan tree, towering above the rest, its canopy shading half the sky like a guardian.
"Is that the Treemother's true form?" Lindsey muttered.
According to the information provided by the Treants, the Treemother was a spirit born from within that Banyan tree.
She usually resided within its branches.
Without the power to storm a castle, she stood there, impervious to harm from ordinary people.
This presented an insurmountable challenge for Lindsey and Red.
"Do we lure her out or find a way to destroy her..." Lindsey furrowed his brows, contemplating a strategy.
Attacking such an enormous tree with fire seemed impossible, especially with the Treemother inside, ready to resist.
But how could they draw her out?
What approach should they take against a Six-Stage Treemother?
Lindsey's deep concentration was noticed by Red, who patted his shoulder and asked, "Lindsey, should we take a detour?"
"..."
Lindsey fell silent.
Engaging the Treemother in combat now would be irrational, and he wasn't about to risk his life recklessly.
But what about the future?
Beyond the Black Mountain world, a Seven-Stage Dragon Beast awaited!
The thought gripped Lindsey, his eyes fixed on the distant Banyan Grove.
Ordinary Awakened Ones would train tirelessly, undergoing a long journey of skill growth before facing formidable foes.
But Lindsey's ability logic was different.
Every dangerous encounter and battle he overcame would yield new skills or items, and his unique trait as a Game Player would exponentially enhance his strength.
If he could defeat this Six-Stage Treemother now, the boost to his power would be a significant advantage in his ultimate goal of slaying the Dragon Beast!
Lindsey was determined to kill the Dragon Beast!
So...
Smack! Suddenly, Red slapped Lindsey on the head.
Lin Sai turned his head with a puzzled expression, only to be stunned by the red pupils staring straight at him and the intense gaze in the girl's eyes.
"Lin Sai, didn't you teach me that I shouldn't act impulsively at all costs?"
"What are you trying to do with that look in your eyes!"
Red’s gaze was like a tranquil lake.
The lake reflected Lin Sai’s past thoughts back onto himself, and the cold water seemed to pour into his heart, making him suddenly realize something.
Pursuing strength and improvement was naturally fine,
but he couldn't lose his rational judgment of reality because of it.
Lin Sai chuckled wryly:
"Why do I feel like our roles have been reversed?"
"Red, let's reroute and find a way to bypass this area..."
After accepting Red’s advice, Lin Sai was preparing to minimize his own traces and sneak through the Starlight Forest without anyone noticing.
But as he shifted his gaze,
the scenes that appeared before him and the information he had gathered since entering the Black Mountain World gave him a new idea.
The ultimate goal was to defeat the Dragon Beast;
the Six-Stage Tree Mother, who had been driven mad after being drained of her Essence;
and the Messenger sent by the Dragon Beast to supervise the Tree Mother.
These three elements mixed together.
"Since we’re already here, we should take some local specialties before we leave, right?"
A thought flashed through Lin Sai’s mind:
"Red, wait for me a moment. I’ll go up the tree and check the situation."
With a low voice, Lin Sai walked to a high hill and climbed up a tall oak tree in a few swift moves.
He took out his telescope, which he hadn’t used in a long time, and looked towards the east.
The terrain ahead was actually built on a hilly foundation, shaped like a capital F lying down.
The prominent Thorn Valley was the foremost indentation.
Behind it lay the Banyan Grove where the Tree Mother resided, and to the north, there was an open forest on a hill.
"..."
"Is this where the Messenger lives?"
Lin Sai was analyzing the situation in a low voice when another voice sounded beside him:
"Lin Sai, what new idea do you have now?"
Red hadn’t waited obediently below.
The girl had followed Lin Sai up the tree, and they now hung on the branches, one on each side.
Lin Sai handed the telescope to her directly:
"Take a look at the situation ahead."
Red mimicked Lin Sai’s actions, and when she noticed the magnified view through the telescope, she immediately exclaimed in delight:
"Lin Sai, I can see so far!"
"Where did you get this? Why didn’t you let me play with it before?"
Lin Sai rolled his eyes:
"I told you to take a good look at the situation ahead!"
But Red hugged the telescope tightly, burying it in her chest to express her attitude:
"What’s there to look at? Isn’t it just like what those Treants said before?"
"..."
"Fine, I’ll give it to you!"
Lin Sai was speechless; he hadn’t expected that someone with Red’s personality would like the telescope so much.
He immediately synthesized another one on the workbench.
Then, with one for each of them, they looked into the distance:
"Red, our goal is to kill the Dragon Beast."
The girl nodded without hesitation:
"Right, what’s the problem?"
Lin Sai pointed at the forest ahead and explained his recent thoughts:
"That Dragon Beast is far away, and we have no way of gathering more information about it."
"But now, the situation seems different."
Red, as always, was quick to understand Lin Sai’s meaning:
"You’re talking about its Messenger!"
Lin Sai put away the telescope and nodded vigorously:
"Exactly!"
"We might not be able to defeat the Tree Mother."
"But we can try to bring out this Messenger and pry some information about the Dragon Beast from it!"
(End of Chapter)
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