Ziye focused her spirit energy with absolute intensity, clutching her sword.

She had just discovered that the Aurora Sword could stretch and shrink freely based on the amount of spirit energy she channeled into it.

If she infused a small amount, the aurora would be faint, making it hard to cleave monsters.

But if she poured in immense spiritual force, the light would surge, allowing her to hack through creatures as easily as chopping melons and vegetables, facing no resistance whatsoever.

The Aurora Sword carved a path through thorns and obstacles, pressing ever onward.

The deeper she ventured, the fiercer and more bizarre the monsters became.

If this had been before, facing such abominations, Ziye would have had no choice but to wait for death.

But now, thanks to Little Sprout’s training and the rekindled fighting spirit within her, she could actually cope.

However, confronting the visual shock of death and blood, she was genuinely struggling to bear it.

Perhaps growing up meant that no matter what difficulty lay ahead, no matter how nauseating or agonizing it felt internally, one still had to grip the sword and hack a bloody path for oneself.

The days of growing up without companionship were undoubtedly arduous, but she trusted that she would mature; she would definitely carve out a way forward! She could not be a coward.

She had to become a powerful warrior capable of controlling her own life, and for that, she was willing to pay any price.

Ziye fought while running, and after quite some time, still saw no end to the Enchanted Forest.

She had been fighting purely on instinct, and her strength was overly depleted; at this point, her physical stamina had plummeted, and she felt parched.

She needed to rest.

But there was nowhere safe to stop in sight.

The Enchanted Forest mirrored the natural ecology of a fully virtual death trap.

Low-lying, shade-loving plants carpeted the ground beneath her feet, while vines parasitized the tall trees, spreading outward to form a solid network, leaving trailing roots and branches hanging in the air.

Snakes coiled within the vines, hiding themselves.

As Ziye passed beneath a tree, she sensed something amiss above her head.

She snapped her gaze upward, meeting the eye of a venomous snake flicking its forked tongue directly at her.

A chill shot up Ziye’s spine.

With a swift sweep, she brought the Aurora Sword down, cleaving the snake.

She carefully avoided stepping into a pit concealed by the twisting vines and resumed her sprint.

The ground was either thick with fallen leaves or a tangle of dense roots, occasionally punctuated by a venomous snake slithering out, its eyes fixed on her small feet, ready to strike at any moment.

Little Sprout was utterly detestable! Ziye battled while trying to regulate the air churning inside her body.

Although this was a simulated space, the physical reactions of her body were not fake; she had to survive this place.

It had to be admitted, Little Sprout was ruthless in this regard.

Running was a huge drain on physical energy.

After approximately three hours of exertion, just as she felt on the verge of collapse from exhaustion, she finally spotted a massive boulder.

This time, Ziye dared not let her guard down, terrified the rock itself might bite.

She cautiously poked it again and again with the Aurora Sword, and only when certain it was safe did she climb onto the stone to sit down.

Phew! She finally managed to catch her breath.

But damn it, she had sweated so much earlier, and the thirst was becoming unbearable.

She looked around and saw several dull, grayish fruits hanging from the canopy of a massive, century-old tree nearby.

They looked like edible tree fruit.

They were sold on the Farmer’s Network; she recalled they cost twenty Silver Talismans each, or something similar.

She paid so little attention back then that she neither remembered the exact price nor could she be entirely sure of their appearance.

She scanned her surroundings, stood up on the boulder, sighted a thick trunk, and with a "whoosh," leaped across, grabbing the trunk and scrambling upward in a blur.

That tree was tall, and if not for its numerous branches, she would have found it almost impossible to continue climbing.

She rested every few meters, and after several stops, she finally reached a height of over thirty meters.

The Enchanted Forest was remarkably real.

Standing at the treetop, she could feel the crisp, cool wind and bask in the sunlight.

Looking forward, her view was an endless expanse of purple canopies stretching beyond sight.

I really wish I could sit here longer, Ziye thought, but she did not forget her objective: she needed to find something to eat quickly.

She tiptoed and plucked one of the fruits.

Examining the rind, it did resemble the fruits sold by farmers; it should be fine.

Peeling it proved difficult.

She ended up gnawing the skin off with her teeth and then took a huge bite.

So sour and astringent! She couldn’t stand it after just two chews and tossed it toward the ground.

Just then, a flash of inspiration struck her mind—perhaps this fruit needed to be roasted? Where in the world was she going to find fire? Ziye let out a mournful cry, took off her outer garment, used it to scoop up the fruit, and retraced her steps.

She wondered if the Aurora Sword could strike a spark against the rock.

Ziye took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and poured her spirit energy into the blade.

She felt the force surge forward, and with a sharp hiss, the aurora expanded like the branches of an ancient tree, brushing against some dry leaves and igniting them.

She was so thrilled she nearly jumped for joy.

Hurrying, she gathered more deadwood, placed it on the nascent fire, and began roasting the fruit.

The fruit cracked open under the heat, releasing waves of rich aroma.

Ziye was starving and stuffed the roasted pieces into her mouth with huge bites.

With renewed energy, Ziye began to contemplate the purpose behind Little Sprout’s actions.

Since this was a training space, it naturally had to hone combat skills.

However, Little Sprout had also mentioned waiting for her at the exit of the primeval forest, which implied that directional awareness was also being tested.

Which way should she be heading? Ziye jumped off the boulder and started walking forward while thinking.

She had initially assumed that merely walking in one consistent direction would lead her out, but now she felt that wasn't quite right either.

Perhaps she should look for a river? Rivers upstream usually originated in high mountains, and downstream led to open fields.

Ziye glanced at the ground beneath her feet; it was very damp.

Maybe she should walk in the direction of the moisture? Whether attracted by the scent of the food or because the smell of blood still clung to her, the surrounding area fell into a dead silence.

Yet, faint, oppressive energy and chilling roars echoed from the depths of the forest.

She had to leave immediately.

Ziye wiped her face, grabbed a few unroasted fruits, and began eating them raw.

It wasn't that she didn't have time, but rather, she desperately needed water; the roasted fruit contained less moisture and wouldn't quench her thirst.

The animals and plants of the forest seemed to have become animated, like zombies during the apocalypse, engaging in indiscriminate attacks.

Ziye held food in one hand and the Aurora Sword in the other, cutting a path forward through the onslaught.

Corpses littered the ground along the trail she hacked through.

Ziye’s inner fortitude had hardened, and she was no longer terribly afraid; it was just that her arms ached from continuous hacking until she started actively seeking the weak points of every creature and plant before striking them down with one swift sword thrust.

She spent roughly a full day wandering the primeval forest, eating when hungry, fighting when attacked, living almost as a savage.

Humans can unleash incredible power in moments of extremity, but they cannot sustain that power for long.

After the burst, they feel far more exhausted than usual, making prolonged combat extremely problematic.

At that precise moment, a colossal "wall" suddenly blocked her path.

Ziye stared at the serpentine markings etched on the structure and suddenly realized: a Dragon-Patterned Lizard!