The towering iron gates of Ironhollow lay far behind Jiang Chen, yet the weight of civilization still clung to him. It wasn't until he took his first step past the jagged, vine-covered stones marking the entrance to the Beastborne Forest that he felt it—a shift, a severing.
The air itself was different. Thicker. Wilder.
Before him stretched an endless sea of towering trees, their massive trunks gnarled with age, their canopies so high that even the morning sun struggled to pierce through. The further he stepped, the quieter the world became, as if civilization itself dared not intrude here.
Jiang Chen exhaled, his breath visible in the dense mist hanging in the air. It was a mist not of moisture, but of pure spiritual energy, so concentrated that it swirled in delicate currents, coiling around the vegetation. Every breath he took filled his lungs with vitality.
"…So this is the Beastborne Forest."
For the first time in a long while, Jiang Chen felt small.
The deeper he walked, the grander the sights became.
Colossal trees, ancient beyond measure, loomed like silent guardians—their roots twisting over boulders, their trunks thick enough to carve entire homes into. Some trees pulsed with a faint glow, their sap shimmering like liquid gold beneath the bark.
Crystal-clear rivers wound through the land, their waters infused with strands of spiritual light. Some hovered mid-air, defying gravity, cascading down unseen paths like floating waterfalls.
Strange, floating luminescent orbs hovered between the branches, flickering like fireflies but radiating an unknown, primal warmth. The air was filled with faint whispers, not voices, but the rustling of leaves, the deep thrumming of unseen creatures, the slow creak of trees that had outlived entire empires.
Jiang Chen glanced up—and froze.
Above the treetops, past the clouds, a floating landmass drifted lazily through the sky. It was no illusion. A true, hovering continent, dotted with waterfalls that poured endlessly into nothingness, its surface shrouded in mist.
Jiang Chen's breath slowed.
What kind of world is this?
Even as a battle-hardened warrior, even as someone who had unlocked the power of Chaos, he had never seen anything so… vast.
For the first time in a long time, Jiang Chen wasn't thinking about battles.
He was simply in awe.
There was no direct resonance with his Chaos Seed, but the Beastborne Forest had an aura all its own.
It was not like the refined, controlled energy found in human sect lands. It was raw. Untamed. Ancient.
Jiang Chen had grown up in the wilderness, raised by nature's cruelty, but even he had never felt something like this. The energy here was not welcoming, nor was it hostile—it simply existed. A force of nature that had ruled long before humanity, and would continue long after.
He reached out, brushing his fingers against the bark of one of the great trees.
It was warm. Alive.
For a moment, he thought he could feel a pulse, like the heartbeat of the forest itself.
Jiang Chen smirked slightly. "It almost feels like the land itself is watching me."
With no immediate dangers in sight, Jiang Chen settled on the thick branch of a tree and pulled out the merchant's guide. The old book called "Ancient Beasts and Lands of the Beastborne Forest" was bound in faded leather, its pages worn with age but still intact.
Flipping it open, Jiang Chen's sharp eyes scanned the inked illustrations of creatures that defied reason.
The Abyssal Sky Serpent – A dragon-like beast that coils within the depths of the floating islands above. Said to possess a venom so potent it can dissolve Qi itself. A mixblood descendant of the Sky Devouring True Dragon. Danger Level: Nascent Soul
The Verdant Monarch Stag – A spirit beast that controls the entire ecosystem around it. Where it treads, the land flourishes, but those who seek its antlers for alchemy… vanish. Said to possess extremely high intelligence, and is capable of communicating with humans. Danger Level: Golden Core
The Prismatic Phantom Ape – A creature that shifts between dimensions, existing between reality and illusion. Only those who comprehend the deeper mysteries of space can even see it. Possesses the bloodline of the Heaven Devouring Ape. Suspected Danger Level: Nascent Soul
The Howling Death – A beast whose roar alone kills. No one has seen its true form and lived. The deeper one travels into the forest, the closer they get to hearing it. Suspected Danger Level:???
The Titanborn Warden – Not a beast, but a colossal living statue, rumored to be a remnant of an ancient civilization. Said to be a creation of the long extinct Titan Race. Suspected Danger Level:???
Jiang Chen's fingers tightened around the guide.
If even half of these are real…
His golden-amber eyes flickered with a mix of caution and excitement.
These weren't mere spirit beasts. These were forces of nature, rulers of a land untouched by man.
The Crimson Blade Sect? The Foundation Establishment realm?
They suddenly felt insignificant. He turned the page and his jaw immediately hit the floor.
The Evernight Valley – A canyon where sunlight never reaches. A constant night shrouds the land, yet the vegetation thrives, glowing with an eerie luminescence. Spirit beasts here are unnaturally strong, rumored to have evolved under the influence of an unknown force. Some say that even time flows differently within the valley. Danger Level: Foundation Establishment
The Celestial Dew Pond – A lake hidden within the heart of the forest, said to be a fragment of an ancient immortal's divine spring. The waters are rumored to purify meridians, enhance Qi, and even grant enlightenment to those who meditate upon its surface. However, it is fiercely guarded by a creature known only as 'The White Guardian.' Danger Level: Core Formation
The Wailing Gorge – A rift in the land that stretches for miles. A haunting wail echoes constantly from its depths, driving weaker cultivators mad. It is said that the gorge was once the battlefield of ancient titans, their resentment lingering even after their deaths. Those who dare enter either find lost treasures or lose their sanity. Danger Level: Golden Core
The Verdant Moon Glade – A secret clearing where a rare celestial flower blooms only under the light of a full moon. This flower is said to be able to refine one's soul, unlocking hidden potential. However, the glade is said to be protected by an invisible force that tests those who seek its treasures. Danger Level: Core Formation
The Broken Sky Ruins – A crumbling remnant of a lost sect that once stood at the edge of the forest. It is said that the sect fell overnight, leaving only fragmented ruins filled with forbidden knowledge. Strange energies still linger, and those who enter often vanish without a trace. Some believe it holds the remains of a cultivation method that defies the heavens. Danger Level: Golden Core
Jiang Chen let out a slow exhale, closing the guide.
"This place… is going to be fun."
As Jiang Chen descended from the branch, his boots barely making a sound against the soft earth, he remained alert.
Though he hadn't encountered any immediate threats, he could feel it.
He was not alone in this forest.
Jiang Chen's smirk widened.
And with that, he ventured deeper into the Beastborne Forest.
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