In the forest, two apprentice brothers, Lin Mo, and Wu Di, strolled leisurely.

The two hadn't faced punishment for their actions in the city a few months prior.

When the Sun Sword Sect sought an explanation, the elders provided the same response: "It was only a sparring between disciples."

Unable to take further action since only junior disciples were involved, the Sun Sword Sect elders left in defeat.

“Is it true that this forest is endlessly vast?” murmured Lin Mo. “When will we have the strength to explore its entirety?”

This forest, known as the Eternal Forest, encircled the entire Sword City and the towering peaks surrounding it.

From atop one of these peaks, Lin Mo had seen the forest stretching to the horizon.

Their elders had provided only a brief explanation of the forest; it was said to be divided into seven layers. Beyond that, it remained uncharted territory, untouched by exploration.

With the forest inhabited by Monster Beasts, as further one ventured the greater the danger, their elder had repeatedly cautioned the disciples against dwelling too deeply into its depths.

Yet, amidst the danger, lay the promise of fortunes. Within the depths of the forest, rare spiritual herbs and fruits grew, which also invoked the disciples' desire to delve deeper.

The first layer became relatively less dangerous after the disciples underwent martial arts training. This layer primarily consisted of wild beasts, which are also considered the weakest in the hierarchy.

The Sword City was situated on the outermost, first layer.

Hunting these wild beasts posed no challenge for the two, given their current level of strength. Therefore, the two decided to venture into the second layer where encounters with spiritual beasts were common.

“We haven’t been this far before,” Lin Mo looked around. “We're still in the second layer, so it should be fine.”

Wu Di simply followed along.

…

At the end of each month, disciples were tasked with missions to hunt beasts in both the first and second layers of the forest. And today marked that day.

In one area of the forest, multiple groups of disciples had gathered. Sky Sword Sect, Sun, and even the Moon Sect’s disciples were gathered here.

Aside from the Sky Sword Sect, which held a relatively low reputation, the other two sects boasted considerable influence in the Sword City, being recognized as powerhouses. Conflict between these three sects was a common occurrence.

It was unusual for them to gather in one place without arguing.

Everyone seemed to be observing their surroundings.

They stood at the center of a large crater that was at least fifty meters in radius. There were other craters similar to the one they were standing in, arranged in a straight line.

“Perhaps it was caused by a passing beast?” speculated a disciple aloud.

Hearing that disciple’s speculation, everyone turned slightly grim.

Seeing the destruction of the surrounding land and forest, they all had similar guesses: a beast must have passed through here, and enormous at that. But from their knowledge, there were not supposed to be any large beasts in the first two layers of the forest, unless…

“Tell all the disciples to evacuate from the forest,” one of the senior disciples directed. “We must notify the sect of this danger.”

Due to this peculiar occurrence, all three sect disciples agreed to cooperate and listen to one another. They all moved out of the area at once.

…

Deep within the second layer, Lin Mo and Wu Di strolled undisturbed, oblivious to the meeting that unfolded between the three sects.

They were searching for spiritual herbs needed for Lin Mo’s next breakthrough, as well as hunting beasts to complete the monthly quota.

So far, they hadn’t come across any beasts, even though they were deep in the second layer.

Wu Di couldn't help but notice the absence of beasts in the vicinity, it was somewhat strange to find none at all.

“I don’t think we should be here.” Wu Di appeared slightly concerned.

“Brother Wu is scared?” Lin Mo joked.

“Hmph.”

The two continued ahead.

“Look, there’s an open area, brother Wu.” Lin Mo pointed ahead, at the area which looked to be the end of the forest.

As they neared the end, various aromas wafted their nostrils.

They soon realized it wasn't the forest's end but rather an open area flourishing with a garden of herbs.

Lin Mo wasted no time, swiftly plucking each herb his hand reached.

Seeing this familiar sight, Wu Di shivered. “Why do I have a feeling of déjà vu?”

“Why’s there a garden here?” thought Wu Di.

It was rare enough to stumble upon spiritual herbs and items, but to find such a sizable garden untouched by beasts was a rare sight indeed. It was as if someone had been protecting it.

After a while, Wu Di noticed that the birds and crickets, which had previously been chirping and singing, had suddenly fallen silent.

“Something’s not right,” remarked Wu Di, his tone slightly cold.

Hearing Wu Di’s concern, Lin Mo stopped his harvesting and looked around.

He also noticed the change in his surroundings. The forest had turned eerily quiet.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble violently, as if shaken by an earthquake.

Reacting swiftly, the two hid behind a nearby tree, bracing themselves for whatever might come next.

As an enormous silhouette eclipsed the sun above.

The two cautiously peeked out to see its appearance, only to be stunned into silence.

Before them stood a colossal elephant, its massive frame towering above the garden. Its elongated, silvery tusks reached the ground, while its gargantuan trunk seemed capable of sucking the air from its surroundings.

This garden, without a doubt, was this giant elephant’s property.

They knew An elephant would never appear this big. A beast, they had never seen before, appeared above them.

They were certain no elephant could cast such a colossal shadow. This beast before them was something they had never before beheld, a beast of unprecedented size and form.

The massive trunk of the giant extended downward, eagerly gathering every herb within reach in the garden until it detected something peculiar.

It appeared to sniff around looking for something.

Suddenly, it headed toward a tree and crushed it.

Lin Mo cursed. “How did it notice?”

The giant’s gaze landed on tiny Lin Mo. He truly looked like an ant in comparison to this giant.

“Run!” shouted Lin Mo.

He knew when to fight and when to withdraw. This giant was not something the two could bring down alone.

In a few breaths, Lin Mo covered a large distance swiftly, leaping from tree to tree with each step.

As he fled, the trees seemed to tremble around him. Glancing back, Lin Mo spotted the giant in hot pursuit, not far behind.

“Why is it so fast?” Lin Mo cursed again.

He hadn't anticipated the giant's agility, despite its massive size. Lin Mo realized that he couldn't outpace the relentless pursuit of the giant.

“There’s a cave ahead,” Wu Di’s voice entered Lin Mo’s ears.

Lin Mo retrieved an object from his spatial pouch and threw it high up in the sky.

It shattered mid-air, creating a formation of strange dark clouds.

It was a signal for rescue. Each disciple was given a single such object to use in case of emergency.

After giving a signal, Without hesitation, Lin Mo dashed ahead inside the narrow cave.

The giant halted just outside the cave entrance, its colossal form stopped it from proceeding any further.

In the narrow cave, the thunderous blast of the giant's trumpet reverberated shaking the whole cave.

Fortunately, the two had learned to manipulate their Qi to block the noise.

In the dimly lit cave, with only a faint glimmer of light seeping through a narrow passage, Lin Mo rested on the ground. Suddenly, a sharp sound of cracking pierced the stillness.

"What in the world?" Beside Lin Mo, a human skeleton lay intact, until just moments ago.

From the skeleton's posture, It seemed this person had passed away while in meditation.

While checking the skeleton, a glint entered Lin Mo's eyes.

There was a ring on the skeleton’s finger.

“I’ll dig a grave so senior can rest in peace,” said Lin Mo appearing righteous.

He went to the end of the cave and dug a hole big enough to fit all the bones inside.

“I will now move your body, senior,” still with that righteous look Lin Mo picked up the skeleton.

Suddenly, the ring on the skeleton fell off.

Lin Mo's expression shifted to one of shock. "This... Senior is rewarding me for my kind act?"

He whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. “Then I shall accept it with gratitude.”

Lin Mo picked up the ring and put it on his second finger and as promised he buried the skeleton.

All the while, Wu Di watched this play from a side. Wu Di knew the ring was a spatial-type treasure, as he had one for himself. It was similar to the spatial pouch but with a larger space and easier to carry around.

"Be careful, Brother Lin. They say the spirits of the departed are attached to their belongings. You might attract the ghost of the owner," said Wu Di, his tone playful.

"Please, Brother Wu, don't joke," Lin Mo replied with a wry smile.

He was curious to see what was in the storage ring. So, he used his spiritual sense to probe inside.

There, he found a pile of gold, a scripture, and a blue ball suspended in a corner.

He was intrigued by the blue ball and went near it.

Upon touching the orb with his spiritual sense, he was forcefully ejected from the ring.

Suddenly, a strange blue fog began to seep out from the ring, swiftly spreading throughout the cave.

“Brother Wu, are you seeing this?”

“?” Wu Di appeared puzzled.

It appeared that Wu Di hadn't noticed the blue fog seeping out from the ring. Just as Lin Mo's vision started to cloud, all the fog gathered into a single point, condensed, and shaped itself into the figure of an old man.