"Welcome back, Su Yang. How was the harvest? Did you manage to obtain the Devil Blood Ginseng?" Xie Xingfang asked after his return.
"Yes, the Devil Blood Ginseng is in here." Su Yang showed her the preservation box without opening it.
"Now we just need the Purple Qilin's blood, huh…" Lord Xie mumbled with a serious expression on his face.
"I can go to the Abandoned Forest right now if you can't wait," Su Yang said to him.
"I am coming with you, Su Yang!" Xie Xingfang suddenly said.
"Although I appreciate your offer, I think it would be for the best if you stay here with everyone else," Su Yang said to her.
"Su Yang is right, Xing'er. You are only at the first level Heavenly Spirit Realm. It's too dangerous for you to wander in the Abandoned Forest even with Su Yang there. And while he may be able to protect himself, we cannot say the same for you," Lord Xie chimed in.
"Just let Su Yang do his thing, Xing'er. He'll be fine," Xie Wang also said.
"But I… I don't want to feel useless…" Xie Xingfang sighed, as Su Yang has been doing everything for her recently. "And since I have the ability to enter the Abandoned Forest, I want to be there with you, Su Yang!"
"Hmm…" Su Yang slightly narrowed his eyes, and he spoke after a moment of silence, "Well, it doesn't really hurt to have you with me since I am confident that I would be able to protect you no matter the circ.u.mstances. It's just that I'd prefer it if you stayed clear from the dangerous environment in general."
"I am also a Cultivator, Su Yang! A little danger won't stop me, or I am not qualified to be a Cultivator!" Xie Xingfang said with a resolute expression on her face. However, there appeared to be a deeper meaning behind her words, and even Su Yang was barely able to pick up on this hint.
"Well said," Su Yang nodded, and he said, "Can one even be considered a Cultivator if they distance themselves from even the slightest danger for the rest of their life?"
"Since you want to come with me to the Abandoned Forest, I won't say anything else."
Xie Xingfang nodded.
"Haaa… I knew you wouldn't be able to sit still…" Lord Xie sighed, and he retrieved a storage ring before handing it to Xie Xingfang.
"There are a few life-saving treasures inside. Do not hesitate to use them if you are in trouble."
"Thank you, father…" Xie Xingfang accepted the storage ring.
Sometime later, Xie Wang said Su Yang as he prepared to leave with Xie Xingfang.
"The Abandoned Forest consists of three layers, resembling Sects with an outer area, inner area, and the center. The Abandoned Forest is also extremely large with hundreds of millions of acres of land, and the majority of the land is unexplored, especially the inner and center, hence why I have no map for you."
"Furthermore, while the Purple Qilin can be found throughout the Abandoned Forest, it's nest should be within the center of the Abandoned Forest. If you find its nest but not the Purple Qilin itself, don't worry, as it will return at least once a week."
"I shouldn't have to say this, but you must be careful. I am well aware that you used to be an Immortal in your previous life with immense experience, and you may be one of the strongest individuals in this world right now, but you cannot underestimate the Abandoned Forest, and a single mistake will cost you your life."
"I will keep that in mind," Su Yang nodded his head as he jumped onto the flying boat, and Xie Xingfang followed him.
"I am serious, Su Yang! Don't underestimate the Abandoned Forest!"
"Which direction is the Abandoned Forest?" Su Yang asked Xie Xingfang a moment later.
"Towards the east," she replied.
Su Yang nodded before controlling the flying ship to fly towards the east.
Once Su Yang left, Wu Jingjing asked Xie Wang, "I understand the situation after Xie Xingfang told us about her condition but she didn't mention this Abandoned Forest. What kind of place is it? And how dangerous is it really?"
Hearing her question, Xie Wang sighed before speaking, "The Abandoned Forest is one of the most dangerous places in this world with a toxic environment that forces even Cultivators at my level away. It is so dangerous that we have only managed to explore some of the outer areas after a thousand years with anything beyond that barely touched. And while some people have managed to make it to the center area, most of them never came back."
"As for those who were fortunate enough to return alive, they could only recall the things they have experienced there, as making a map for the place was seemingly impossible."
"The place is that dangerous…?" Zhu Mengyi said with a slight frown on her face.
"It may be dangerous, but there's no need to worry about Su Yang. I'm sure he'll stroll through the place like it's his own home or something," Wu Jingjing said with a calm expression on her face.
Meanwhile, a few hundred thousand miles away, Su Yang suddenly stopped the flying ship.
"So this is the Abandoned Forest, huh? No wonder why your grandfather kept on warning me— this place is indeed quite the dangerous place," Su Yang said as he gazed at the boundless forest a few miles in the distance that was also covered in this thick purple mist.
"Despite being immune to the poison mist, my body still trembles before it. The Abandoned Forest… Why does it even exist?" Xie Xingfang sighed.
Su Yang smiled and said, "This is Heaven's way of assisting us, Cultivators. Although it may be extremely dangerous, it is also extremely rewarding for those who dare to challenge it."
"If being a Cultivator was easy, the strong wouldn't be revered as much, and one wouldn't demand respect. Most peak experts in my world are peak experts because they managed to survive the most dangerous situations compared to the rest."
"I see…" Xie Xingfang nodded, finding what he said very logical.
