161: The shadows in the Black Forest

Croak!

Another frog croak rang out, the sound like a booming bell.

Xu Le felt his brain buzzing, and looking at the Tanuki, it had been stunned right on the spot by the roar.

It was hard to imagine that such a tiny frog on the ground could emit such a terrifying sound.

Divine Eye.

【Thunder Drum Frog】

Only a name could be seen.

The Drum Frog flicked out its tongue, coiling toward the Tanuki.

Just as Xu Le was about to step in to help, the Tanuki had already woken up and began to retaliate angrily.

It retreated, dodging the tongue's attack range, then swiped a claw onto the Drum Frog's tongue.

"Croak!"

Another frog croak.

Compared to the last time, this croak was more like a bomb, exploding directly beside the Tanuki's ears.

A pink tongue lashed out like lightning.

However, the Tanuki had gained experience; it withstood the dizziness, dodged the attack, and extended its sharp claws, slashing at the pink tongue.

The tongue was naturally the most sensitive part, and the Tanuki's claw happened to strike the most sensitive tip; with just one swipe, the frog burst into tears.

Tears gushed out like a spring.

They splashed into a small puddle, and the frog jumped straight into it.

The Tanuki followed, jumping in, and whoosh, it disappeared along with the puddle.

Moonlight was like water, casting black shadows over the shacks and the forest.

The night breeze blew by, slightly cold; the ground was empty, as if the previous frog had just been an illusion.

The only evidence was that the Tanuki had disappeared.

Xu Le turned to look at Qin Siyuan, who also looked bewildered: "God, I've encountered similar situations before, but I didn't dare to chase after it."

Xu Le: "..."

Apart from that silly Tanuki, he really couldn't think of anyone else who would chase after it.

What to do now?

Qin Siyuan cast a questioning look.

Xu Le gazed at the pitch-Black Forest, thinking about the encounter Qin Siyuan had described, and countless thoughts surfaced in his mind.

The bolder the person, the greater the yield.

The timid starve to death, while the bold are stuffed to death.

When meeting on a narrow path, the brave one wins!

His eyes narrowed: "Sleep!"

"Ah?" Qin Siyuan was dumbfounded.

Xu Le had already returned to the house, ready to sleep. The spirit of drawing the sword was true, but he believed more in not courting disaster.

...

Deep in the Black Forest.

Beside a clear spring, frog croaks echoed, and black trees formed shadows.

A Tanuki suddenly appeared in the spring, screaming as it jumped out of the water.

After discovering there were no other attacks, it nervously lowered its little paws.

Too terrifying!

Sniffing the surrounding air, it vaguely sensed Xu Le's aura and walked over with silent steps.

Duang!

Its head bumped into an invisible barrier.

What is this?

It extended its paws to test it, but was still blocked by the invisible barrier.

Not just where it left; the invisible barrier surrounded the spring in a circle, without a single gap.

After the Tanuki tried everything without any effect, it couldn't help but feel a bit powerless.

But it didn't lose heart.

In the Void Realm, what it was best at was persistence.

It extended its sharp claws, desperately scratching the barrier, completely unaware that its nails were breaking and blood was flowing out.

"Sigh, you cat are truly stupid. If your claws were useful, wouldn't you at least leave a trace?"

"Who?"

The Tanuki's fur stood on end, and only after looking carefully did it notice there was also a "Thousand-Year Fish" in the spring.

It was less than a palm's length, swimming leisurely, as if the water below were a vast ocean, completely unaware that its world was only the size of a washbasin and a little more than half a meter deep.

Rage!

Such a stupid fish can mock me?

The Tanuki extended its paw, reaching into the spring to try and scoop up the Thousand-Year Fish.

Even if it couldn't escape this world, killing a small fish to vent its anger would be fine.

A trace of disdain flashed in the Thousand-Year Fish's eyes; it flicked its tail, jumped out of the water, and slapped the Tanuki in the face with its tail.

"Meow-ouch~"

The Tanuki whimpered, was sent flying, slammed into the barrier, bounced back, slammed into the barrier on the other side, and then finally landed on the ground.

"Meow-ouch..." (So painful, so painful...)

"Keep chirping and I'll kill you!"

Hearing the familiar voice, the Tanuki shuddered in fear, looked at the spring, and curled its body to the side.

"You can't hit me here, right?" It decided to get some payback.

Looking up to check the position of the Thousand-Year Fish, it prepared to launch a sneak attack.

Before it could move a claw, a water arrow flew out, hitting its body, pinning it tightly against the barrier, its health bar dropping rapidly.

Tanuki: "..."

I'm having such a hard time!

Someone save me!

Right, I just recognized a master, he looks pretty awesome, he must be coming.

Whoosh!

Another water arrow flew over.

The Tanuki wailed.

"Why are you hitting me again?"

"Your master is too cold-blooded; he's actually sleeping and not coming to save you."

Tanuki: "..."

Is this trying to kill the cat and break its spirit?

...

A good night's sleep.

Dawn broke.

Xu Le took out some delicious food to enjoy, and only then did he stretch satisfyingly.

Another beautiful day.

After listening to Qin Siyuan talk about his experience in the Black Forest, the time leisurely passed to noon.

"Let's go, let's go see that stupid cat."

"Very well, God."

Qin Siyuan didn't know why Xu Le was only setting off now, but he nodded respectfully in agreement.

Xu Le sensed the newly appeared call and walked toward the Black Forest.

After hearing about Qin Siyuan's experience, he had no intention of flying at all.

In the pitch-Black Forest, there were trees everywhere; one could only walk on the single path.

However, Xu Le did not walk on the path.

Mr. Lu Xun once said: "Originally there was no road in the world; with many people walking, it became a road."

He snapped his fingers, and Nine Phoenix flew out.

"Master Brother, what is this place? Have we left the Void Realm?"

"Mm, burn this place."

Xu Le nodded, pointing to the Black Forest ahead.

"Giggle, leave it to me."

Nine Phoenix trembled with excitement; looking at the dense forest, it thought about how long it would take to burn!

It didn't even want to summon a Clone, so it spat a large fireball into the forest.

Boom!

The scorching fireball was Phoenix True Fire; even steel could easily be melted into molten iron by it.

But the Black Forest had no reaction, as if what had been blasted at it wasn't a large fireball, but a soap bubble.

"Hmph, it makes me so mad!"

Nine Phoenix flapped its wings, throwing various Skills inside like they were free.

Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens.

Earth Fire Flowing Slurry.

Raise Fire to Burn the Heavens.

Meteor Fire Rain.

...

Ten Phoenixes cast Skills together, and the dense black trees finally began to char.

Xu Le added some fire.

Blazing Blue Lotus.

The terrifying fire elements were all absorbed by the blue flower bud, the blue on the lotus was incomparably deep, and the veins were as if real.

The flower bloomed.

The Blazing Blue Lotus erupted with unprecedented attack power, suddenly unleashing a terrifying high temperature, and the surrounding dense forest finally began to burn.

"Woo woo woo..."

In the raging fire, Xu Le seemed to hear countless people wailing and crying.

Countless black figures escaped from the flames—animals, birds, humans, and even monsters...

After those figures escaped, they reluctantly burrowed into the surrounding black trees.

Visible to the naked eye, those black trees became two shades blacker.