Chapter 884: 77. Old Friend
“I led the intruders to the Tranquil Forest…”
The voice sounded like the dying Professor Nuno Alexandrovich.
His curse seems to originate from here.
Rustle—
The large tree swayed its canopy in response.
“This is the guidance of the pioneers…”
The wind whispered softly.
The tree obediently lowered its canopy.
A figure with branched antlers approached Lu Li: “Intruders, follow me…”
It turned and headed deeper into the forest.
The danger seemed to have passed; Lu Li crawled up from the dirt, brushing away the leaves.
“My leg…”
A tearful voice came from behind the twisted mask of the big sister.
“Can it heal?” Lu Li picked up the big sister.
“No…”
“Once this is over, I’ll sew it up for you.” Lu Li placed her in his hood and looked around.
Dense shadows surrounded him; the trees stood vibrant in the fertile soil, ready to transform into powerful warriors if necessary.
No escape.
The model mother’s roaring never ceased but was close to exhaustion, and the sound of falling trees had long faded. It wouldn’t be long before the forest subdued her, turning her into nourishment.
Withdrawing his gaze, Lu Li followed the retreating figure with branched antlers.
Rustle—Rustle—
It tread upon thick leaves and soil, indifferently leading the way ahead.
The deeper they went, the thicker and taller the trees became, like an ancient forest sheltering the sky. Accumulated leaves buried their shins, the rustling sound in the dark, tranquil forest was the only sound.
He wondered if these trees would become guardians of their homeland like those on the outskirts.
The big sister clung tightly to his hood, while Lu Li quietly followed.
A while later, a natural cluster of treehouses appeared deep within the shadows.
The branches naturally formed the outline of the treehouses, dark green leaves dotted their exterior.
Many figures like the branched antlers lived here, their bodies sprouting branches. They wore tattered cloaks, branches growing through the holes, all were young people and children.
The older ones planted themselves at the edges of the clearing, some remained human-like, others had half of their bodies transformed into trees or had completely become part of the forest.
The scene deep within the forest carried an odd serenity and harmony.
Sensing the presence of outsiders, these beings looked in curiosity.
In the middle of the clearing stood a giant tree. Its trunk was thicker, its canopy taller, akin to the giant tree that sheltered Midnight City.
“The pioneers are waiting for you…”
The branched silhouette halted, turning to gaze at Lu Li.
Lu Li looked at the giant tree whose outline faintly resembled an aged face, and stepped forward.
“Can we escape?”
The big sister ceased her screaming, whispering softly by Lu Li’s ear.
“If you could fly.” Lu Li replied, stepping beneath the tree’s canopy.
The face in the wrinkled bark slowly opened an eye.
“I can feel… your presence… I remember you…”
Amidst the trembling branches, a whispered reminiscent voice arose.
“Exorcist… Lu Li.”
“Who are you?”
Lu Li studied the face, trying to recall something from its ravine-marked elder visage.
The pioneer slowly answered Lu Li.
“Twenty-four years ago… Luo Lei Castle… Little Linna… Do you remember?”
The bark face gradually merged with the infected plant plague girl from Luo Lei Castle, whose eye was blinded.
Lu Li nodded gently.
“Glad to see you’re still here…”
Little Linna, or rather the Linna Tree, gently swayed its branches, expressing joy.
“But why has your scent… faded… I almost didn’t recognize…”
“Some things happened.” Lu Li replied briefly.
The big sister poked her head out from the hood: “Do you know each other?”
“Twenty-four years ago.” Lu Li said, looking around: “Are you their leader?”
The branches swayed rustlingly.
“I am not their leader, I am His people.”
“He?”
A branch lowered, softly pointing deeper into the forest: “Residing at the forest’s center, our master, the Ancestral Spirits.”
As Lu Li silently gazed, the Linna Tree summoned the branched shadow from afar.
“Pioneer…”
The branched antlers bowed respectfully.
“Lu Li… will be our… guide…” The Linna Tree spoke slowly.
“I… don’t understand…” The branched silhouette raised its head:”I’ve heard about him… He pruned our branches, keeping us ugly… preventing growth…”
“No… child…” The Linna Tree gazed affectionately:”Pruning makes trees flourish… Lu Li is our gardener…”
This time, the branched figure bowed its head again, addressing Lu Li:”Guide…”
In any case, the crisis was averted, and Lu Li and the big sister would no longer be used as fertilizer, buried underground.
The Linna Tree inquired about Lu Li’s next destination.
“Storm Corner.” Lu Li replied.
The Plant Habitat was some distance from Storm Corner, making it a complicated matter to reach safely.
“Please rest here… night falls soon…” The Linna Tree suggested.
Less than two hours remained till nightfall.
The Linna Tree had the residents of the gathering place clear out the treehouse closest to it and provided Lu Li with branches and grass leaves to start a fire against the darkness.
The plant beings intrigued by Lu Li avoided the treehouse; they detested flames.
The firelight illuminated the treehouse, driving away the dark pervasive in the tranquil forest.
He wasn’t alone. Beside him,
In the midst of crackling flames, the wall of the treehouse slowly revealed the face of the Linna Tree.
“Can we talk…” The old face, like a little girl, asked expectantly.
Lu Li indeed had questions: “Is the leader dead yet.”
“Not yet…” The Linna Tree’s answer revealed how stubborn and tough the strange leader was. “The children are draining its power…”
Lu Li asked about Professor Nuno Alexandrovich’s Cursed Bloodline; the Linna Tree responded she did not recall the name nor the stories about him.
“We mean no intrusion… but winds carry seeds away…”
The Plant Habitat rarely had contact with the outside and would not recklessly attack people, like trees.
“Do I have seeds on me?” Lu Li inquired.
“I’ve already plucked them off…” The Linna Tree said.
Seeds were a blessing to its people but a curse to all humans.
Sadly, if Professor Nuno were still alive, his curse could have been removed…
“Mr. Lu Li… What do you think of this place…”
The old face suddenly looked like a child finishing a project, awaiting adult approval.
Lu Li gazed at the dark, tranquil clearing and forest outside the tree hole, and gently shook his head.
“Lifeless.”
“Why…” The Linna Tree felt puzzled.
“There’s only trees here.”
No animals, insects, or blooming plants.
Besides trees, there was nothing else in this forest.