Lin Wei mounted his stallion and rode swiftly into the forest—a vast land filled with both familiar and unfamiliar dangers. The unknown, however, greatly outnumbered the known.
Back at the ruined city, many people had already noticed the strange phenomenon caused by the appearance of the Primordial Godblood. But by the time they reached the location, Lin Wei had already disappeared deep into the forest.
This was his first time entering the wilderness, and he had no understanding of the terrain or the dangers that lay ahead.
After an hour of nonstop riding, his stallion began to grow weak with hunger. The poor beast hadn't eaten properly since leaving the city, which had no grass or food left due to the destruction that left some properties vaporized.
Realizing this, Lin Wei dismounted and allowed the horse to graze. Though it wasn't a spiritual beast, it was still fast enough to outrun some lower-level spirit creatures in the forest, making it useful for survival—at least for now. As a non-cultivator, Lin Wei had no Qi to defend himself, so the horse was vital for quick escapes.
After an hour of rest and feeding, they continued their journey deeper into the wilderness. The horse galloped swiftly, and most of the beasts they encountered were small and not threatening—thanks to their speed.
The first day passed peacefully. So did the second. But Lin Wei was still at the outer edge of the deeper part of the wilderness. He could already tell that this forest was larger than both Qinghe City and Baishi City combined—perhaps several times bigger.
On the sixth day, problems began. The deeper they went, the more aggressive and tired the horse became. It refused to go further and acted stubborn some time's, clearly sensing something ominous ahead. Lin Wei, frustrated and emotionally worn out, finally lost his patience. He dismounted, drew his sharp spear, and slit the horse's throat.
It's no longer useful for escape, but it can still serve as food," he muttered coldly.
He skinned the horse and packed the meat into one of his storage treasure boxes. These boxes had preservation properties, able to keep herbs and food fresh for long periods. He couldn't risk lighting a fire to cook the meat—it would attract predators. The process took nearly three hours, and by the time he finished, night had fallen. He could already hear howls and strange noises from nearby predators.
Though exhausted from days of no proper rest, Lin Wei couldn't afford to relax. This was no place for weakness. He equipped himself with everything he needed for survival.
His Shadowmeld Cloak, which allowed him to blend into darkness, making him almost invisible at night.
In his grip, his expanding spear hummed with latent power—lighter than air yet sharper than any weapon he'd ever seen. Its origins were a mystery, but its potency rivaled even the divine dagger he couldn't yet command.
His Beast Taming Chronicles, a book that helped him identify and understand various creatures he encountered.
His Serpent Coil, tied around his waist
And finally, he took a bite of the rare Ocean Egg, which instantly replenished his energy and cleared his fatigue and can permanently enhance his strength once he pushed his strength to a limit for what he can handle.
With his strength restored and his gear ready, he set off deeper into the forest, moving silently thanks to his cloak. Along the way, he passed terrifying beasts that could rip a normal human to shreds. Fortunately, they couldn't detect him.
Although he had no intention of staying long in the forest, he was forced to press on just for his survival.
At times, he was tempted to attack some beasts for their meat, which could help his body grow stronger—stronger than an average human, though still not comparable to a cultivator. But something told him to resist. It wasn't hunger that drove him, but craving. And giving in might cost him dearly.
Hours later, something caught his eye. A flower. Not just any flower—this one was stunningly beautiful, more enchanting than anything he had ever seen. It seemed to call to him, pulling his soul closer. He had encountered rare herbs before, but nothing like this.
He approached carefully, his instincts conflicted. Why didn't my spiritual eye activate? he thought. Usually, his hidden ability alerted him to precious treasures. Is this a trap? But who would set a trap so deep inside the forest?
Too late.
Before he could react, roots from the ground lashed out and wrapped around his leg.
A yank sent him sprawling, the ground scraping his skin raw as he was dragged toward the tree's maw. Panic ignited his veins.
The beautiful flower was bait—part of a carnivorous tree that lured prey with its looks.
Lin Wei screamed as he was dragged across the rough ground. Panic flooded him—he had never faced something like this. He slashed wildly with his spear, aiming at the root, but it was hard to hit while being dragged.
Eventually, he managed to cut through it, but not before his clothes were torn and his body covered in bruises and cuts.
Blood ran down his legs, and his clothes were torn, but the cloak stayed untouched. It was so tough that even though he was hurt, nothing could damage the cloak — only his body and the clothes under it were affected.
Before he could breathe, the earth trembled, He didn't have time to inspect his injuries. A loud, thunderous roar echoed throughout the forest, shaking the ground. The tree had sensed his escape and was now unleashing more traps to finish him off.
Realizing he had stepped on the tree's root system without knowing and that was the reason he was almost dragged to his death, he cursed himself for being tricked. But there was no time for regret. He ran, changing direction and plunging even deeper into the unknown—away from the carnivorous tree and toward whatever other dangers the wilderness might hold.
Not toward safety, but deeper into the wild.
But he already learnt his lesson, "Not all that glitters is gold"