Chapter 178

Chapter 178: Illusionary Forest

The deeper one ventured into the Longfeng Mountain range, the more chaotic it became.

Within the dense forest, scenes of cultivators locked in combat could be seen everywhere.

Most cultivators moved in coordinated groups, behaving much like beasts in the jungle; the moment they spotted a lone "prey," they would swarm it.

Zhou Luo, being alone, had tried his utmost to conceal himself, yet he still found himself hunted by several cultivators.

However, he possessed numerous techniques and considerable strength.

Thus, even when ambushed, he managed to escape unscathed.

Three days later, he finally arrived at the area marked by the clues—the Illusionary Forest.

The Illusionary Forest lay nestled amidst steep, craggy mountains, surrounded by towering peaks that pierced the clouds like a natural barrier protecting this ancient site.

The entire forest was blanketed in lush, verdant trees, thick with leaves and branches so dense they blotted out the sky.

Sunlight filtering through the gaps between leaves formed dappled patches on the ground; these patches swayed gently with the breeze, casting an illusory ambiance over the place.

Before this woodland stretched a plain. On this plain, cultivators gathered in small clusters, engaged in lively discussion.

Zhou Luo slipped silently onto the plain, quietly observing their movements.

Judging by their expressions and actions, they too had likely come to explore the Illusionary Forest.

It was simply unknown why they were clustered outside the forest instead of venturing within.

The information he’d received earlier from the jade slips held no record of the Illusionary Forest; even the clues from the Qinyuan sect had made no mention of it.

Everything would require personal exploration.

Zhou Luo retrieved the mask obtained from Wang Tong and placed it over his face.

A shimmer of light flashed, transforming his features into a different visage.

Immediately afterward, he strolled leisurely into view on the plain.

The moment he appeared, he drew sidelong glances from other cultivators.

Just then, a middle-aged man approached swiftly, his face warm with a smile as he greeted, "Friend, have you also come to explore the Illusionary Forest?"

Zhou Luo glanced at the middle-aged man and nodded.

The man’s smile widened, and he extended an invitation: "Perfect! Our group is also preparing to enter the Illusionary Forest as a team. Why not join us?"

Zhou Luo didn’t truly wish to travel with others, but at present, his knowledge of the forest’s situation was limited.

Thus he stated, "This is my first time coming here."

"No matter! My name is Wu Gang. And yours?" the middle-aged man inquired, his smile unchanged.

"Xu Changsheng," Zhou Luo replied.

"Brother Xu, please come with me," Wu Gang said, gesturing for him to follow toward one side.

Several other cultivators stood gathered there.

After Zhou Luo joined them, Wu Gang promptly and enthusiastically began introductions: "This is Brother Xu Changsheng. And these are all members of our group."

Wu Gang’s team consisted of five people in total.

Four men and one woman.

Among them were two young men roughly his own age, and two who appeared middle-aged.

As for the woman, she had bright eyes and white teeth, an exquisite appearance, a graceful and slender figure, and fair skin that glowed like crystal, truly moving.

She held a three-foot long sword in her hand; her white robes fluttered in the wind, revealing a small section of her smooth, jade-like calves.

The entire person radiated an ethereal, transcendent, and refined, almost celestial aura, resembling an untouchable snow lotus, making her exceptionally eye-catching.

Though standing amidst the crowd, she seemed aloof from it, completely out of place in her surroundings.

Even Zhou Luo, who had seen many beauties, felt a slight tremor in his heart.

This woman was quite attractive.

Through Wu Gang’s introduction, he learned the woman’s name: Shangguan Qianxue.

When Zhou Luo looked towards her, she looked back.

Shangguan Qianxue only glanced at him lightly, then withdrew her gaze.

After a brief introduction, they became acquainted with each other.

Then, Wu Gang began explaining the situation of the Illusionary Forest to Zhou Luo.

Due to the restrictions upon it, the Illusionary Forest only permitted Qi Refinement cultivators to enter.

Yet the interior was perilous, containing not only various special areas but also dangers like magical beasts and traps.

An ordinary cultivator wanting to enter had to proceed with utmost caution, step by step.

Therefore, most chose to join exploration teams to enter together.

Every day, many gathered here waiting to go in.

Some succeeded in leaving; others remained inside forever.

Without exception, those inside had never obtained the so-called Hehuan path inheritance.

Even so, countless people continued to rush in, wave after wave.

Because besides that inheritance, the Illusionary Forest held many wondrous Spirit Beasts and rare natural treasures or spiritual herbs.

These Spirit Beasts thrived within this ancient ruin, evolving various elusive abilities aided by the forest’s power.

Successfully capturing one could fetch a good price even if not kept as a companion beast.

The rare natural treasures likewise possessed unique properties; some were the main ingredients for certain potions, while others were materials for crafting spiritual symbols or setting up formations.

Undeniably, the Illusionary Forest was a land riches scattered everywhere.

However, opportunity coexisted with risk; countless cultivators had perished within or become lost in its illusions pursuing these things.

Through the contributions of these predecessors, people gradually mapped out entry routes and the locations of certain special areas within the forest.

Yet very few actually possessed this information.

Wu Gang, however, held one such map of the Illusionary Forest, which was how he had managed to gather these people.

After hearing this overview, Zhou Luo gained a rough understanding of the Illusionary Forest.

He gazed towards the forest shimmering with illusory light, where he could faintly make out the remains of many ancient structures—crumbling pavilions and towers.

They stood silently within the river of time, witnessing the past splendor and vicissitudes of the Hehuan Sect.

These ruins might seem tranquil, but according to Wu Gang, they concealed myriad dangers.

"Can we enter now?" Shangguan Qianxue spoke, her expression indifferent.

Wu Gang smiled faintly: "Dao Friend Qianxue, let’s not be impatient. There’s strength in numbers, and for where we’re heading this time, the more people, the better."

By his account, he had painstakingly acquired information about a special area from a cultivator who had successfully left the Illusionary Forest.

While exceedingly dangerous, this area could be navigated relatively easily with sufficient numbers.

What lay within remained unknown.

But any special area invariably held valuable treasures without exception.

This was a truth proven by the predecessors with their lives.

Shangguan Qianxue’s beautiful eyes slightly darkened, and she said no more.

Beside her, Zhou Luo seemed thoughtful.

From the current situation, Shangguan Qianxue, like him, must have joined this exploration team midway.

Bearing such aura and looks, she was likely a disciple of an Immortal Sect, unless she belonged to one of the long-life families.

Her actual strength was still unknown.

After another half hour, Wu Gang brought over two more cultivators.

They were a brother and sister duo; the man stood tall and straight, while the woman was lithe and graceful.

Their faces held wariness, and a faintly hostile glint shone in their eyes—clearly cultivators accustomed to the dangers of the Longfeng Mountain range.

With their addition, the entire team reached nine people.

Wu Gang seemed thoroughly pleased and gave a grand wave.

"Numbers are about right. Shall we head out?"