Reese was the first one up; frankly, he’d barely slept at all the previous night, having been far too keyed up. Yet, despite this, he was alert now, perhaps still running on pure adrenaline.
Angelica and Charlotte emerged shortly after, both quite startled to find Reese already engaged in some sort of frantic, off-kilter warm-up routine.
“Reese, why are you up so early?” Charlotte teased.
“Sister Charlotte, I’m just itching to get outside and look around!” Reese answered honestly. With Charlotte and Angelica, he always spoke his mind directly. It was only when speaking with Zhong Shenxiu and Robin that he found himself hesitating and overthinking things.
“Be careful once we’re outside, and make sure you listen to what your sister tells you, okay?” Charlotte said, half-seriously, half-jokingly.
Reese nodded, then turned to the strangely quiet Angelica. “Senior Sister, is this your first time venturing out into the outer world, too?”
Angelica started momentarily, then slowly nodded, clearly preoccupied with something else.
“Senior Sister, are you feeling unwell?” Reese asked out of concern.
“No,” Angelica murmured, her voice very low. The reason for her odd expression was entirely due to the thought that had surfaced yesterday. She never could have imagined such a notion entering her mind, and even now, recalling it made her heart race wildly!
Reese didn’t press the issue, but Charlotte, standing nearby, observed Angelica with thoughtful intensity. She too had asked Angelica several times, only to receive the same vague answers.
About half an hour later, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin finally emerged from their room.
Before setting out, Zhong Shenxiu dismantled the “Spirit Gathering Array” and the “Gravity Array,” tucking the immortal stones he’d used into a small pouch.
Just before their formal departure, Zhong Shenxiu made a quick stop at the magic shop. After thinking it over yesterday, he felt he absolutely needed to buy a few more magic rings, as who knew what treasures they might encounter on this trip.
It was only then that Charlotte and the others finally understood why Zhong Shenxiu and Robin wore so many magic rings around their necks—it was because they simply ran out of space.
“Woman, lead the way,” Zhong Shenxiu told Charlotte.
He had just purchased four more high-grade magic rings. Though it cost him a considerable amount of money, the thought of the unknown treasures awaiting him made the expense feel negligible.
Upon reaching the Demonic Beast Forest, Zhong Shenxiu summoned his “Swift Eagle,” which he hadn't even flown once, intending to take it along.
Because they traveled on foot, the group moved slowly. Although they encountered several groups of demonic beasts during their journey, Charlotte and the others managed to drive them off without the need for Zhong Shenxiu or Robin to intervene.
Walking and stopping intermittently, nearly five days passed before they finally exited the Demonic Beast Forest, coming face-to-face with a range of tall mountains. The stone composing these mountains was ordinary, holding no collectible value, so Zhong Shenxiu and his companions crossed them without pausing.
Next, a river, perhaps six or seven meters wide, blocked their path. Crossing this river meant they would reach the “Soggy Forest”!
A distance of six or seven meters was trivial for them, especially since many trees leaned across the bank, their thick branches extending directly to the opposite side, making the crossing almost effortless!
However, at this point, Zhong Shenxiu signaled the others to stop, while he himself approached a large tree and halted.
Charlotte and the others exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what had captured Zhong Shenxiu’s attention.
Following the direction of his gaze, they saw nothing on the large tree except for several enormous spider webs. Did this tree itself turn out to be some kind of treasure?
No. What Zhong Shenxiu was focused on were those massive spider webs!
He never would have guessed that such things existed in this world. While others might see mere ordinary webs, Zhong Shenxiu saw incredibly tough silk. Of course, this silk would require some form of processing.
The only reason Zhong Shenxiu didn’t immediately act was that he was searching for the “Sky King Spider” that spun this thread, but after searching for a long time, he found nothing. Clearly, the “Sky King Spider” was no longer present.
In the cultivation world, the Sky King Spider was exceedingly rare; it was no larger than a fingernail clipping, pale green, and extremely difficult to spot amidst the leaves. This particular spider absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, integrating it into the silk within its body. The creature itself possessed no formidable offensive power and was non-venomous. Its only means of survival was its rapid movement, excellent camouflage, and extreme sensitivity to its surroundings—even the slightest sound would alert it.
Since there was no sign of the “Sky King Spider,” Zhong Shenxiu gave up on that pursuit.
Now, he began contemplating how to harvest this “Sky King Silk.”
Fortunately, all of Zhong Shenxiu’s prior experience and knowledge remained intact. He knew how to collect the silk without destroying its structural integrity. However, this required meticulous work, and he also needed to prepare some medicinal herbs.
To that end, Zhong Shenxiu ordered the group to make camp immediately. Making camp simply involved using branches and leaves to construct simple lean-tos, just enough to shield them from sun and dew.
Zhong Shenxiu and Robin worked busily and finally refined a pot of specialized potion. Once this liquid was evenly sprinkled over the “Sky King Silk,” it would instantly harden the fibers to a steel-like resilience.
This process demanded extensive experience and swift execution. He couldn’t wait until the silk became completely tough, as by then, the strands would have already fused together, making separation impossible. He had to capture the precise moment—the instant they began to harden—and then move quickly.
Because Robin lacked the necessary experience, this most crucial step fell entirely to Zhong Shenxiu to perform personally.
Thus, two more days were spent. Zhong Shenxiu finally managed to collect a sufficient amount of “Sky King Silk.”
Perhaps everyone is wondering what this “Sky King Silk” can be used for?
Its utility is immense! Through special refinement, it can be transmuted into a weapon, possessing absolutely incomparable sharpness, and because it is virtually invisible, it becomes a wholly undetectable threat!
Furthermore, it can be woven into “protective gear.” This clothing would not only offer formidable defense but also excellent ventilation, making it extremely comfortable to wear!
The moment they stepped into the “Soggy Forest,” Charlotte’s expression tightened. She had been here once and knew how terrifying it was. The dense vegetation, the gloom, and the dampness made it an ideal hiding spot for many powerful demonic beasts to set ambushes; a single lapse in vigilance could result in grievous injury or death.
Because of this, Charlotte continually reminded Reese and Angelica to remain constantly vigilant and to maintain formation, never acting independently!
Although it was their first time in such an environment, Reese and Angelica were not foolish. The oppressive gloom immediately told them that danger was everywhere, causing them both to tense up completely. Any rustle of wind was enough to send a cold sweat down their spines!
Don’t laugh at them; they were, after all, new to fieldwork. Simply not having their legs give out beneath them was an achievement!
In direct contrast to the tension of the three women stood the calm demeanor of Zhong Shenxiu and Robin.
A place like this posed no real threat to Zhong Shenxiu; walking here was no different than traversing a wide, open road.
Putting aside the “Swift Eagle,” which served as an aerial radar, was unnecessary.
Zhong Shenxiu’s strength had increased dramatically, and his “Spiritual Wave” was now several times more potent than before. If he swept the area with his “Spiritual Wave,” he wouldn't just have an intimate grasp of the terrain; he would know precisely which hidden beast in the undergrowth was defecating!
Therefore, after Charlotte provided Zhong Shenxiu with the general bearings, the group essentially moved forward under his direct guidance.
Charlotte and the other two women, unaware of Zhong Shenxiu’s capabilities, found the situation increasingly strange. Despite the incessant sounds of demonic beasts crying and howling all around them, they walked for half a day without encountering a single one, nor were they ambushed!
If this was luck, it was an extraordinary amount of luck!
Charlotte found herself looking at Zhong Shenxiu again, her expression complex. The longer she spent with him, the less she felt she understood him.
A truly enigmatic child! Charlotte allowed a subtle, knowing smile to grace her lips.
After walking for over an hour, their pace began to slow. This wasn't due to difficult terrain or any encountered trouble, but rather the constant emergence of rare herbs and exotic flora. Zhong Shenxiu and Robin had to stop frequently to collect specimens before they could continue. This slowed their overall progress by a factor of two or three!
Zhong Shenxiu was now exceedingly pleased with his foresight in buying those four extra magic rings. As continuous surprises emerged, the smile never left his face, and he and Robin were kept thoroughly busy!
Reese and the others grew more bewildered by the actions of Zhong Shenxiu and Robin. Collecting spider silk earlier was one thing, but now they were digging up grass roots. They truly couldn't fathom what use these items possessed!
The sun was already sinking in the west. The already dim “Soggy Forest” grew even darker!
Moving through the dense forest in the dark was dangerous—that was Charlotte’s hard-won experience. Yet, under Zhong Shenxiu’s leadership, they traveled for nearly another hour and still encountered no danger whatsoever!
Finally, Zhong Shenxiu announced they would set up camp and rest.
Just as Charlotte and the others thought they had passed the day safely, one “guest” was already lurking in a dark corner, fixing them with a malevolent glare!