From this side of the pass, one could not see the other side, but they could hear a continuous rumbling noise, which must be something hitting the barrier of the pass. Looking at the situation inside the camp, it seemed that the sorcerers had grown accustomed to it.
Without making a sound, Jenny wandered around the camp before stealthily heading towards the other side of the pass.
The protective barrier’s power extended deep underground, but ultimately had an end. She easily bypassed it and soon arrived at the other side of the pass.
When Jenny emerged, she caught sight of what was on the other side of the pass.
The air here was humid and sweltering, a congregation of beast-like creatures gathered there.
Their bodies seemed to be forged from ironstone, solid in appearance, resembling land rhinoceroses or iron bulls, sprawled on the ground like giant stone bollards, mostly Level 2 and Level 3 creatures, innumerable at a glance.
“These ironstone lumps may not look impressive, but their strength is quite formidable. No wonder Ancient Tree Ridge had to exert so much effort to construct the barrier.”
“What is that bright light over there — and — that strange yet familiar scent?”
Jenny didn’t pay much attention to these ironstone lumps as her attention was drawn to a bright light in the distance. She also noticed an unusual scent, and her expression involuntarily turned solemn as she quickly dove towards it.
After a while, she crossed the darkness and came to the place bathed in light, her view suddenly opening up.
A valley plain under a blazing sun.
It abruptly sprung into view.
Most prominently was the small sun in the middle, suspended in the sky, bursting with searing light that illuminated the vast plain below.
“So it’s a divine bird.”
Upon closer inspection, what looked like a sun was actually a golden bird’s nest made from glazed golden threads, housing an unnamed divine bird.
She tentatively called it the ‘Sunbird.’
The Sunbird’s nest was actually wedged in a crevice of rock at the top layer.
Directly below the Sunbird, a column stretching from the ground could be seen, its lower end so thick that five or six people couldn’t encircle it, suspended high in the air. Under the illumination of the Sunbird’s light, it appeared exceedingly holy.
Upon a closer look, this was unmistakably a massive tree root.
Seeing this pillar-like tree root, Jenny was stunned there, her gaze not moving away for a long time.
From above, she sensed a vast, nurturing presence that made one irresistibly drawn to it, even though she had never experienced it, she understood it must be a kind of essence that originated from a maternal source.
Pan Iron Root must have been born here.
“Sadly, she has long since passed away.” Jenny understood even more that this Pillar of Heaven’s Root was merely a remnant left from a very long time ago, now barely distinguishable from the surrounding rocks.
She collected her thoughts and looked around.
Surrounding her were scorching magma, steamy hot springs, dry yellow forests, darkened grasslands, and deep, mysterious passages leading to unknown places, etc., forming a unique underground world.
The magma continued to bubble forth, sparks flying everywhere and dark smoke curling up, dominating much of the plain.
The air grew even more stifling and hot.
Inside the valley plain, apart from those ironstone lumps, there were also various peculiar tree people affected by the suffocating air, becoming somewhat restless.
“Something is amiss; even though the elemental particle density is high here, it shouldn’t nurture so many beasts. Could they have migrated from somewhere else?”
Jenny’s gaze fell on the deep passage, noticing it too was engulfed by magma, with black smoke and dust constantly drifting out.
The tree people were also mostly Level 2 and Level 3 creatures, and facing such numerous beasts, she did not make any rash moves.
Soon, a tree person, seven to eight meters tall and robust, burst out from the soil, lifting a wooden staff and shaking it while making gurgling noises with its mouth.
Upon its command, a vast number of tree people assembled, along with the ironstone lump beasts, together they charged towards the barrier of Ancient Tree Ridge.
The battle erupted.
Seeing this, Jenny stepped out from her hiding spot, avoiding the areas with flowing magma, and directly came beneath the Pillar of Heaven’s Root, standing in the shadow.
Carrying the turbulence within her heart, she couldn’t help but reach out to touch the rough Pillar of Heaven’s Root, a sense of blood connection emerging at her heart.
At that moment, wisps of bright yellow light shone down along the Pillar of Heaven’s Root onto her, draping her in a layer of radiant, holy light, as if a Holy Daughter had descended.
In Jenny’s perception, it felt as though something was gently caressing her.
After a moment, she seeming lost in a daze, then suddenly realized a figure had appeared not far from her side, and her palm instinctively produced a sharp spear.
“Wait, I mean no harm, I just came to meet you,” said the old tree person hurriedly, waving his thin arms to show his non-hostility, his grass-like beard shaking along.
The old tree person wore a crown of flowers and leaves and was dressed in a skirt of branches and leaves, about the same height as a regular person, with a beard reaching past his knees.
He spoke in ancient language, fortunately, Jenny could understand.
“Are you the one truly controlling the beasts, driving them to assault the pass barriers?” Jenny sneered.
“Assault? No, no, no, we are just trying to survive. This place will soon be swallowed up by lava; we have to move further away, but those humans have blocked our only way out,” Elder Tree Meg explained angrily.
Jenny was stunned for a moment, considering the fiery air temperature here, it really was a possibility.
“Why do you want to meet me?” she asked, puzzled.
“Because you are extraordinary. Ordinary beings who dare to touch the ‘Root of the Earth’ are immediately thrown out. Look up, even the ‘Son of the Sun’ didn’t dare to build a nest on it and had to choose a crack higher up in the rocks,” Elder Tree Meg said matter-of-factly.
So that was it.
Jenny tried to touch the Root of the Earth again, and just like before, her palm made uninterrupted contact with it, though this time no radiant light descended.
“Meg, my name is Meg. As you can see, I am a Tree Person from the ‘Underground Labyrinth.’ You must be from the surface world, right? You don’t seem to belong with those people.”
Meg eagerly watched her palm and then introduced himself with gravity.
“Jenny, I have some disagreements with those people.” Jenny really didn’t feel any malice from him and responded casually.
“That is wonderful. I wouldn’t want to be your enemy, beautiful Miss Jenny.” Hearing this, Elder Tree Meg clearly relaxed, and then started complaining:
“Those humans are simply too much. We just want to go up to avoid the lava. Once the lava recedes, we will return to deeper underground. As for the surface, no creature would degrade themselves to go to such a barren place.
Uh—no offense, Jenny. I am not saying you are degraded; I just mean to say that the surface is remote and barren, and we won’t stay there long. Those people shouldn’t be guarding against us.”
“The surface is barren? What do you mean by that?” Jenny frowned slightly.
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“It is just so,” the Elder Tree Person didn’t know how to explain better, but emphasized, “As everyone knows, the deeper you go underground, the denser the energy and the richer the resources become. If you could reach the legendary seventh level of the underground, you might even stumble upon a lost throne.”
“According to the elder, there’s more than one level underground?” Jenny asked again.
“Of course, it’s said there are seven or eight levels, each one as vast as a world,” Elder Tree Meg said wistfully.
“How many levels have you been to then?”
“Embarrassingly, I’ve just been roaming around the Underground Labyrinth, because the path to the first underground level is blocked by the Magma Lord, and we Tree People fear fire the most, let alone magma.”
Hearing Elder Tree Meg’s words, Jenny didn’t know whether to believe him or not.
If she hadn’t misunderstood, the Magma Lord should be a Level 4 creature, or even stronger, which was somewhat doubtful.
“Miss Jenny, whether you believe it or not, I’m telling the truth. We just met; I have no reason to lie to you,” Elder Tree Meg said with a wry smile.
“I’ll take your word for it for now, but I have to return to the barren surface world,” Jenny said, shaking her head slightly. The place had been wrecked by magma and wasn’t worth exploring.
As for helping Elder Tree Meg and his people, she remembered promising Sorcerer Ivan not to harm anyone from Ancient Tree Ridge Academy.
So, there was nothing she could do.
“Wait, I’ll give you something interesting as a token of our first meeting. Hopefully, next time, we can journey to the first underground level together.” Elder Tree Meg stopped her, somehow producing a Pan Iron Root.
The Pan Iron Root was smooth as a mirror and of exceptional quality.
“Then farewell, Elder Meg.” Jenny did not hesitate, she took a deep look at the Elder Tree Person, took the Pan Iron Root, and walked to one side. With one step covering a hundred meters, she eventually disappeared between the rocks.
“Miss Jenny, we will meet again for sure,” Elder Tree Meg murmured confidently.
To Meg, once someone understands the reality of the underground, no one could resist the allure of it, especially a being like Jenny, who thrives underground as if born to rule it.
…
Underground Level 1, a dark night kingdom.
It was time to select a Holy Daughter by the dark elf clan; after multiple rounds of selection, a group of young girls had the chance to kneel not far from the statue of the Mother God, waiting for the High Priest to listen and convey the will of the Mother God to appoint the long-vacant position of the Holy Daughter.
“Omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient Mother God, your most devout believer Kolebas implores you to bestow your will, to guide your lost followers on whom among them shall serve as your sanctified vessel,” Kolebas, the aged High Priest, held a blank scroll and chanted the prayer again and again; his voice echoed in the solemn temple.
After a long while, a glint of light finally appeared on the Mother God statue, much to the joy of the High Priest, and settled on the blank scroll.
Kolebas quickly rolled up the scroll and knelt to thank the divine grace.
“Is it done?” Once the dust settled, the Grand Matron swiftly walked in, eager to witness this historic moment.
“It is done,” Kolebas clutched the scroll to indicate.
Encouraged by the Grand Matron, Kolebas slowly unveiled the scroll, revealing a portrayal of a figure. Seeing this unfamiliar visage, both leaders of the dark elf clan were stunned.
Who is this?
A big question mark loomed in their minds.