It was the unmatched Spirit Beast, Swift Wind, that carried Zhang Yang in a mere gust of wind, rocketing from the Dragon Family Palace to the edge of the Dragon Family Plains, right where the forest began. Not only did outsiders fail to notice Zhang Yang’s departure from the Dragon Family Palace, but even the Dragon Family members themselves remained oblivious; everyone still presumed Zhang Yang was resting in his chambers with Mi Xue.

Only upon reaching the forest fringe did Swift Wind finally halt, fixing its gaze upon the dense woods ahead with an air of palpable concern. The two little ones, Shadowless and Lightning, leaped down from Zhang Yang’s body.

They too stared into the forest, both exhibiting expressions of confusion, furrowing their brows and tilting their heads up toward Zhang Yang, as if questioning whether entering this forest was truly necessary. Zhang Yang swung down from Swift Wind’s back.

He hadn't anticipated that the two usually fearless little companions would show such hesitation here; clearly, this forest concealed something significant. “Chirp!

Chirp!” “Squeak! Squeak!” Sensing the thoughts brewing within Zhang Yang, the two little ones, Shadowless and Lightning, immediately let out loud cries, signaling that they weren't afraid of entering the woods, but rather sensed that something was deeply peculiar about the forest.

“Haha, whether there’s something strange or not, we’ll only know once we step inside.” Zhang Yang laughed heartily, completely unafraid, and led the three Spirit Beasts into the forest. Upon entering, Zhang Yang did not rush forward.

He bypassed the first row of trees, walked about two hundred paces to the right, then turned back, walking another hundred paces, before turning again and heading three hundred paces to the right. It was then that a narrow path suddenly materialized amidst the otherwise disordered expanse of massive trees.

Zhang Yang chuckled softly and glanced at the three Spirit Beasts. Shadowless and Lightning instantly leaped onto his shoulders and let out similar happy little chuckles.

It turned out this was precisely what had troubled the three Spirit Beasts: the junction where the forest met the Dragon Family Plains was actually a Qimen Illusion Array. This array differed from the protective grand array guarding the plains; it possessed neither defensive nor offensive capabilities.

Its function was akin to the mesmerizing array that once stood before the Jiang family villa in Yanming Mountain—its purpose was to conceal, to obscure direction and mislead observers. If this illusion array couldn't be broken, any further penetration into the forest would only lead them to a different location.

Fortunately, Zhang Yang had obtained the genuine ancient Qimen Dunjia manual in the Savage Mountains, granting him knowledge of Qimen Dunjia arts, allowing him to immediately recognize the hidden Qimen Illusion Array at the forest's edge and successfully navigate his way out. Yet, despite dispelling the Qimen Illusion Array at the boundary, Zhang Yang dared not relax.

He did not mount Swift Wind to advance but instead led the three Spirit Beasts forward slowly. This forest was the birthplace of the Ten Thousand Year Peach, and moreover, he had confirmation from the Old Master that a powerful guardian Spirit Beast resided here, warranting his utmost caution.

“Chirp! Chirp!” Shadowless's treasure-seeking ability manifested again at this moment, but this time, the ability brought it considerable frustration.

After scanning the surroundings, it drooped its head and called out several listless chirps to Zhang Yang. It wasn't that it hadn't found treasure; rather, it detected the aura of valuables everywhere, and all of them seemed incredibly precious, leaving it momentarily unable to decide which one to pursue first.

Zhang Yang’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected Shadowless to encounter this situation.

It seemed that alongside the emergence of a treasure like the Ten Thousand Year Peach, there were other valuable items present. “We continue onward.” Zhang Yang spoke softly.

After all, their purpose here was twofold: to search for the still-immature Ten Thousand Year Peach, and to explore and seek treasures. Since treasures seemed abundant in every direction, the path they took seemed inconsequential.

Shadowless casually chose a direction and led the way, soon stopping beneath a towering, ancient tree. This colossal tree would require at least five or six men to encircle its trunk, its branches luxuriant—it was undoubtedly the stoutest tree Zhang Yang had seen since entering the forest.

Shadowless paused beneath the tree, chirping incessantly at Zhang Yang. As Zhang Yang approached, he discovered, behind the massive trunk, a fist-sized tree hollow where a jet-black, umbrella-shaped fungus was growing.

“Is this a Thousand Year Lingzhi?” Zhang Yang recognized the fungus parasitizing the tree in the hollow immediately. The spiritual energy it contained suggested an accumulation of at least a thousand years to achieve such concentration.

“No, it’s not a Thousand Year Lingzhi!” But upon closer inspection, Zhang Yang noticed something amiss. This fungus appeared remarkably immature, lacking the aged quality of a true Thousand Year Lingzhi.

“This shouldn't be. Judging by its growth condition, this appears to be only a Hundred Year Lingzhi.” Zhang Yang frowned, muttering to himself as he reached out to pluck the fungus.

“Chirp! Chirp!” Lightning and Swift Wind also approached.

Lightning sniffed the Lingzhi in Zhang Yang’s hand and immediately barked at him—it was confirming that this fungus was only about a hundred years old, yet its spiritual essence truly matched the concentration of a Thousand Year Lingzhi. After a brief contemplation, Zhang Yang instantly understood.

This Hundred Year Lingzhi possessed the spiritual density of a thousand-year specimen purely because a nearly mature Ten Thousand Year Peach was about to emerge nearby. This implied that even absorbing one ten-thousandth of the spiritual energy leaked by that Peach was enough to mature this fungus from a hundred years to a thousand years old.

Placing the Lingzhi into his canvas satchel, Zhang Yang was preparing to proceed with Shadowless, Lightning, and Swift Wind, when suddenly, a powerful surge of energy rushed at him from behind! “Watch out!” Zhang Yang instantly sensed the danger and sidestepped violently.

Shadowless and Lightning reacted with extreme speed, both little creatures leaping from his shoulders onto the branches of the massive tree. A black shadow flashed past Zhang Yang’s eyes, landed on the thick trunk, and zipped upward—the shadow’s target was actually Shadowless, who had taken refuge in the branches!

“Squeak! Squeak!” Seeing Shadowless attacked, Lightning immediately moved closer, then expelled a stream of venom from its mouth toward the black shadow!

“Chirp! Chirp!” Shadowless, realizing the shadow was attacking it directly, became enraged.

Instead of evading, it met the attack head-on, unleashing a burst of internal energy! The black shadow clearly hadn't anticipated Shadowless’s might; the internal energy expelled by Shadowless, combined with the venomous attack from behind, carried energy no weaker than its own!

Forced into a corner, it had to abruptly halt its momentum, dropping from the branch to evade the combined force of Shadowless’s internal energy and Lightning’s poisonous mist. Only then did Zhang Yang clearly see what the black shadow was.

With a pointed snout and simian features, it was unmistakably a monkey, entirely coated in black fur! Zhang Yang was momentarily stunned.

He hadn't expected the guardian of the forest where the Ten Thousand Year Peach grew to be a monkey possessing the strength of the Fourth Layer. “Chirp!

Chirp!” The monkey shifted its attention to Zhang Yang, chattering, and then charged toward him. It was confident that with its speed, it could seize the seemingly weak young man before Shadowless and Lightning could descend from above!

Thud! Before the monkey could reach Zhang Yang, Lightning, which had remained motionless, delivered a swift kick, intercepting the monkey’s charge and sending it flying backward!

“Chirp! Chirp!” The monkey let out a miserable shriek.

After it was thrown clear, Shadowless and Lightning jumped back to Zhang Yang’s side. The monkey scrambled up, glanced once more at Zhang Yang and the three Spirit Beasts, ceased its attack, and immediately turned to flee!

“No! It’s going to fetch reinforcements!” Zhang Yang realized the monkey’s intention instantly.

He couldn't allow it to return for aid. This forest was vast; who knew how many more powerful monkeys lurked within?

Even if they all possessed Fourth Layer strength, a hundred or two of them might prove too much, even for someone at the Great Perfection stage. Zhang Yang’s speed surged, and a layer of white mist suddenly coalesced in his hand, followed by a beam of white light shooting from his fingertip toward the path ahead of the fleeing monkey!

Bang! The white light struck the ground just in front of the monkey, startling it.

In that instant of panic, Zhang Yang closed the distance, seized its scruff, and grasped its black fur! “Chirp!

Chirp!” Upon being caught, the monkey didn't panic; instead, it let out a surprised screech. It was utterly astonished that this young man could project internal energy externally and manifest energy into form!

“Squeak! Squeak!” Lightning ran over and barked loudly at the captured monkey.

“Chirp! Chirp!” The monkey in Zhang Yang’s grasp was equally defiant and shouted back at Lightning.

After the two little ones had exchanged fierce calls for some time, the monkey’s voice gradually faded. Finally, with a sigh of resignation, it stopped confronting Lightning and ceased struggling.

Seeing Lightning look toward him, Zhang Yang, understanding the signal, loosened his grip and released the monkey that had attempted to ambush them. The monkey didn't flee, nor did it attack again.

It looked between the three Spirit Beasts and Zhang Yang, hesitated for a long moment, and then chattered toward Lightning. “Squeak!

Squeak!” After Lightning listened, it turned and barked toward Zhang Yang. Through Lightning’s translation, Zhang Yang finally understood: this monkey was not the guardian Spirit Beast of the Ten Thousand Year Peach.

Its attack was merely an attempt to urge them to leave the forest quickly and not linger. What it hadn't anticipated was the sheer power possessed by Zhang Yang and his companions.

“Chirp! Chirp!” The monkey suddenly shrieked again, raising one paw to point behind Zhang Yang, crying out loudly before turning and fleeing!

Zhang Yang spun around violently. Right behind him, an immense wave of energy swept over everything, vastly more colossal than the energy mobilized by the first monkey.

What kind of Spirit Beast could command such an overwhelming cosmic energy, rushing in like an avalanche?