Chapter 1209 - 874: A Very Important Person

Chapter 1209: Chapter 874: A Very Important Person

The two followed the underground waterway’s veins, but halfway, they found the veins disappeared.

There were traces of fierce battles here; the surrounding plants were destroyed with residual blood on the ground.

Shen Tang once again sensed the lingering dark aura, her face changed suddenly, "Not good!" She hurriedly mobilized her spiritual power, and the scene before her began to change as if time was rewinding.

A hunting team entered the Dead Fern Swamp.

They wore black cloaks; these beastmen were of common species, nothing seemed unusual. But their eyes were completely black without any whites, their expressions vacant as if controlled by something, faintly emitting a foreboding dark power.

In their hands, they held compasses, unlike ordinary compasses, showing wooden textures and exuding the scent of the Divine Tree—they were actually made from the Divine Tree!

Complex and obscure patterns were engraved on the compass, guiding them to a freshly sprouted Divine Tree.

"This is the seed left by the Divine Tree."

"That Divine Tree is really cunning! We thought it was fully under control, yet we couldn’t unlock the Dark World’s seal. The elders sought the reason for so long, never expecting the Divine Tree secretly bore a seed, hiding origin power within it."

"It thought it could deceive us, but we found it."

The black-cloaked ones tried to dig out the Divine Tree’s offspring to take away.

The plant transformed into a delicately beautiful child with green long hair, who attacked the black-clad ones fiercely like a beast, seizing the chance to dive into the soil and escape.

The beastmen cursed loudly, then pursued him.

They had set traps in advance, and eventually, they captured the child.

Shen Tang suddenly opened her eyes, the illusion realm vanished instantly, but cold killing intent flashed in her eyes, surprised to find she was a step late.

It wasn’t too late, fortunately; it seemed the beastmen searched for a long time, the battle probably happened three days ago.

Dead Fern Swamp was very vast with complex terrain and dangerous plants. After all, it was the plant beastmen battleground, Fu Teng should be able to delay them for a while. With bad luck, those black-cloaked ones might not have exited Dead Fern Swamp yet.

Shen Tang and Jia Lan hurried to follow.

Midway, sounds of battle suddenly came from not far away.

Shen Tang probed with spiritual power; those black-cloaked men were fighting with thick vines while cursing,

"Damn it, that brat dared to use a clone to fool us! Hurry and find out where that brat is hiding?"

"His real body must be nearby, can’t have run far."

Shen Tang raised an eyebrow, turned to look at Jia Lan.

Jia Lan understood her meaning, closed his eyes to sense the underground water vein, then whispered, "Indeed, not far away. But this time, he’s clever, learned to hide his tracks, I can only determine a rough direction."

Shen Tang said, "You follow the underground water vein to find. I’ll stay here to see what these black-cloaked people are up to. Let’s split up."

"Alright, be careful. I’ll return soon."

Jia Lan nodded and left without wasting words.

After handling the troublesome vines, a black-cloaked man shot an ice blade into the air, instantly piercing a beastman’s body, pinning it firmly to the ground.

The remaining black-cloaked men turned pale, quickly launched attacks towards the nearby bushes. However, what they didn’t expect was that the assailant was a beautiful female.

"Damn it, why would a female appear in this hellhole? Is she with that brat? She must have helped that kid escape!"

"Regardless of who she is, dare to oppose us, then kill her!"

The black-cloaked ones launched attacks on Shen Tang.

She moved her fingertips, initially intending to kill them directly. Suddenly caught sight of a flash of green in her peripheral vision, she smiled faintly, abruptly withdrew her power, abandoning resistance.

Just as the attacks were about to hit her, a barrier formed of several vines arose before Shen Tang. Then, a childish voice echoed from the jungle nearby, "Run!"

"That brat appeared! Catch him! They are indeed together!"

The black-cloaked ones quickly changed targets, rushing towards the source of the voice.

In the next second, several ice blades pierced their bodies. They fell in pools of blood, emitting wisps of black gas.

The battle ended swiftly, within a single thought.

The green-haired child hiding behind the tree widened his emerald eyes, astonished.

Amazing... so powerful!

Shen Tang raised her hand, directly obliterating the black gas, approached to inspect the corpses, frowning, "These were ordinary beastmen citizens, controlled by Abyss’s power."

The system responded, [Too strange! According to the latest intelligence from the Main System, the origin land’s destruction a century ago was related to the Abyss. The Abyss’s power was sealed in a world called Dark World, with Abyss Beastmen forever suppressed there, unable to escape. Yet now, they can control beastmen from other worlds. It’s unbelievable.]

Shen Tang’s expression became more serious; initially, the Abyss relied on divine hall power to achieve its goals. Now, the Abyss directly controls beastmen from other worlds, indicating its increasing power...

"By the way, did the Main System mention when the Abyss’s power spread started?"

[According to other agents sent by the Main System, it seems to be... three years ago.]

"Three years ago..." Shen Tang’s expression suddenly shook, realizing the divine hall perished that year. But something else happened, Liu Ye disappeared.

You Huang!

The name suddenly flashed in Shen Tang’s mind, grasping an important clue.

You Huang might really have resurrected.

You Huang sold his soul to the Abyss long ago. Ten thousand years ago, he was the King of Calamity who wreaked havoc, possessing world-destroying abilities. After resurrecting, he would surely assist the Abyss’s return. His power should breach a corner of the Dark World seal, allowing Abyss’s power to seep outside.

In this case, everything makes sense.

The Abyss desperately craves the Divine Tree’s power, perhaps the Divine Tree is crucial to breaking the Dark World seal.

She absolutely cannot let the Abyss succeed!

Elsewhere, the green-haired child hiding behind the tree quickly regained his senses. He hadn’t expected the female to be so powerful; had he known, he wouldn’t have exposed himself! Wait, why didn’t she strike? Could she be pretending or deliberately revealing herself to lure him out?

The child realized he was tricked. He quickly tried escaping underground, but next second, a force suddenly bound him, yanked him back, flung him sideways, captured by Shen Tang.

"Let me go!" He struggled fiercely, glaring at Shen Tang, huffing, "Are you just like those guys, here to capture me!"

Jia Lan arrived, seeing the corpses, knew a battle had occurred, "Tangtang, are you alright?"

He eyed the child in Shen Tang’s hand, raised an eyebrow, snorted, "Fast runner, I couldn’t catch him."

The child saw Jia Lan and grew angrier, "You’re the one tracking me along the waterway! So, you guys are in cahoots! You’re all here to catch me! Didn’t expect I’d fall for your tricks, despicable! Shameless!"

Shen Tang gazed at the child’s delicate face and emerald long hair, indeed identical to Fu Teng. But it seemed he had regrown, transformed into a childhood form, not remembering them.

She tried to soothe his mood, "We’re not with those black-cloaked ones. We won’t hurt you, we’re here to bring you home."

"Home?" Fu Teng’s struggling slowed, blinking his emerald eyes, confused, he was born in the swamp, wasn’t this his home?

Shen Tang looked at his wary and clueless eyes, somewhat helpless, "Don’t you recognize me?"

Little Fu Teng looked at her beautiful, gentle face, hesitant, "I-I don’t know. I feel I’ve seen you somewhere. I recognize but can’t recall..."

Plant beastmen inherently possess no emotions, let alone intervene in battle. Fu Teng was merely pushed here by Jia Lan, seeing Shen Tang made him feel familiar, instinctively saving her.

Subconsciously, he felt he knew this female, this female was immensely important to him...

There seemed to be unresolved emotions, as if something remained unsaid.

No matter what, he cannot let anything happen to her!