Chapter Forty-Two: The Strange Wind

With a thud, Jiang Feng and Wang Yingying fell from the sky. Luckily, Jiang Feng had cast a spell during their transmission, enlarging the divine beast, which caught them mid-air and prevented the two from stumbling upon landing.

The Mysterious Forest, as rumored, was indeed an enigma. Jiang Feng and Wang Yingying rose and surveyed their surroundings; the forest was vast, filled with sinister trees that seemed utterly lifeless. Deep within, the unsettling cries of monstrous birds echoed. The eerie scene frightened Wang Yingying so much that she soon collapsed to the ground, screaming. Jiang Feng realized something was wrong; perhaps Wang Yingying had not adapted to the time-space transition. If this continued, she might succumb to inner demons, which would be perilous.

Remaining calm, Jiang Feng embraced the struggling Wang Yingying. Despite his efforts, she continued to scream until her voice was hoarse. Finally, Jiang Feng struck her gently, rendering her unconscious in his arms.

He laid her down and began transferring spiritual energy to her, hoping this would prevent her from being devoured by her inner demons. As dusk fell and Jiang Feng finished transferring his power, night had descended. He built a fire nearby, its warmth breaking through the cold gloom of the forest. Watching the sleeping Wang Yingying, Jiang Feng felt uneasy.

The divine beast soon returned with fruit it had found somewhere. Jiang Feng roasted the fruit, preparing to feed it to Wang Yingying when she awoke hungry. In the middle of the night, the sleeping beauty suddenly opened her eyes, startling Jiang Feng. She rose from his arms, feeling a slight headache, and asked what had happened. Jiang Feng recounted the midday events, but Wang Yingying claimed she had no memory of them. Jiang Feng did not press her; he simply feared another invasion of her inner demons, which might leave her trapped.

After eating some fruit, Wang Yingying regained some vitality and asked Jiang Feng what they should do next. Jiang Feng shook his head, troubled. For now, they could only proceed step by step. The Mysterious Forest had never been mapped over countless centuries; legend held that only those fated could encounter the Fire Dragon and glimpse the legendary Sacred Fruit.

Night in the Mysterious Forest was even more terrifying than day. Though the fire illuminated the ground at Jiang Feng’s feet, a chill unlike any he’d known pressed against his mind, as if danger stalked ever closer.

The threat drew nearer. Jiang Feng settled Wang Yingying nearby, took up his weapon, and rose, ready to fight like a warrior. His eyes held neither gentleness nor fear, but a keen discernment, a power seemingly innate.

Howling... A pack of wolf spirits surrounded Jiang Feng and Wang Yingying. These wolf spirits were terrifying, their bodies as large as fierce hounds, glowing blue in the night, which concealed their forms. Guardians of the Mysterious Forest, these low-level monsters existed to protect the land and prey on those who sought the forest’s secrets.

Quick and agile, the wolf spirits, though low-grade monsters, had been steeped in the forest’s evil aura, making them formidable. Jiang Feng estimated there were hundreds around him. A direct fight would exhaust him, but outwitting them seemed impossible.

He struggled with the wolf spirits as the divine beast and the awakened spirit readied themselves for battle. In a flash, Jiang Feng moved Wang Yingying up into a tree.

“Twin Dragons Emerge!” Jiang Feng summoned his fighting spirit, using dark arts to call forth two wild dragon-like spirits. Under his guidance, the dragons charged at the wolf spirits. The wolves began to flee in formation, as if Jiang Feng’s spell was of too low a level to harm them.

The divine beast launched fireballs from its mouth. The wolf spirits, apparently afraid of fire, panicked upon contact. Though the divine beast could continue its barrage, the wolves were too many, like an endless wave of warriors, determined to bring Jiang Feng and his companions down with them.

Wang Yingying, watching from the tree, grew anxious. She remembered the three silk pouches given to her by Yichen and took out the first one. The note inside read: “To control ordinary wolf spirits or low-grade creatures, simply play the Exorcism Jade Flute, which is inside this pouch.”

Wang Yingying quickly took out the jade flute. She had never learned to play an instrument, but in the face of relentless wolf spirits, she had no choice but to try. As she played, all the wolf spirits grew confused and struggled. Jiang Feng saw this was the perfect moment to repel them and unleashed another Twin Dragons Emerge. The combined force of the dragons and the divine beast’s fireballs created flawless synergy. The wolf spirits, once relentless, were now reduced to a few survivors, who scattered, knowing they could not defeat Jiang Feng and his companions.

The divine beast wanted to chase them, but Jiang Feng stopped it: “Now is not the time. We should wait for daylight.”

After battling nearly all night, everyone was exhausted. The two humans and the beast collapsed into sleep. Early the next morning, Wang Yingying had already prepared the leftover fruit.

“You’re awake. Eat. I gathered more fruit just now. We won’t lack food for a while,” Wang Yingying said with a gentle smile that warmed Jiang Feng’s heart.

“Yingying, where did you get that jade flute yesterday? How did you know it could repel the wolf spirits?”

She lowered her head, embarrassed. “When I saw you fighting those wolf spirits to the death, I remembered the silk pouches in my pocket and opened one. It said the jade flute could drive them away, so I tried it. I didn’t expect it to work. I think I need to study this flute carefully.”

Jiang Feng noticed the jade flute at her waist. Perhaps it could serve as Yingying’s weapon. If it could repel low-grade monsters, she now had a means to protect herself, and he wouldn’t have to worry so much.

After eating, they discussed which direction to take. All four sides seemed identical, but each had subtle differences: the north was densely wooded and darker; the east was sparse and seemed safer; the south had a faint light but felt dangerous; and the west stretched endlessly like their current surroundings. After much deliberation, they decided to head east, avoiding unnecessary risks.

They set out eastward. As anticipated, the forest grew less dense the further they went—not that they left the forest, but rather entered another layer. Yichen had said the Mysterious Forest was a vast labyrinth, not all forest, with dangers lurking everywhere. If lucky, they might encounter others skilled in dark arts to aid them, but such luck was rare.

Riding the divine beast, they traveled for about a day and night, arriving at a verdant oasis. Deciding to rest, Jiang Feng observed that beyond the oasis lay a dense desert, vast and seemingly endless, devoid of any vegetation. Crossing it would be a formidable challenge.

“Yingying, let’s rest here today. Tomorrow we’ll have to cross the desert. Are you afraid?”

Yingying shook her head. “With you by my side, I fear nothing,” she replied, her cheeks flushing.

That night, though outwardly calm, both harbored worries. The desert could swallow them whole; one misstep could cost them their lives. Yingying felt the desert held dangers beyond her imagination.

Neither slept much that night; the surrounding silence was so absolute that even the movement of air seemed imperceptible. Such quiet bred a new kind of fear, making them restless. In times of extreme silence, people can grow anxious, and practicing martial arts under such conditions risks losing control.

At dawn, Jiang Feng filled several water bottles, tied them to the divine beast, and together with Yingying, mounted the beast to cross the daunting desert. The divine beast walked on and on; they saw no sign of life, nor any way out. When tired, they rested briefly before continuing.

After a full day’s journey, night fell. Jiang Feng, mindful of the divine beast’s burden, stopped to rest again. He built a sand mound as a natural barrier against the wind and sat beside Yingying. Both were silent, unsure if it was fatigue or uncertainty weighing on them.

They leaned against the divine beast to sleep, its thick feathers serving as their blanket, and nestled together through the night. In the latter half, a sudden wild wind swept through the sky, strange and fierce. Jiang Feng pulled Yingying behind the sand mound, alert.

The strange wind drew closer, unmistakably targeting them. Jiang Feng knew that hiding would only result in them being swept away. He quickly mounted the divine beast with Yingying and sped across the desert, but how could their speed rival the wind?

Five miles.

Three miles.

Two miles.

One mile.

The wind was nearly at their heels. Jiang Feng shouted, “Yingying, run! I’ll try to stop this wind. If we’re separated, return to the oasis. I’ll find a way to look for you!”

“No! If we die, we die together,” Yingying replied stubbornly.

Jiang Feng had no solution for escaping the wind. If it were a monster, perhaps he could resist, but this was a mere wind, beyond human power. He steeled himself; since the wind was coming for them, why not face it head-on? With his dark arts, perhaps he could anchor their bodies and avoid disaster.

He gripped the divine beast’s neck, signaling it to stop, and told Yingying to hold onto him tightly, never letting go. Then, with determination, Jiang Feng charged straight into the approaching wind.