348: Chapter 348 The Lost World

The air was thick with the scent of decay—the deathly stillness left behind after the life force of spiritual plants had been plundered. Mixed with the smell of rotting vegetation and parched earth, it was stifling enough to make one choke.

“This is...” Chu Lan’s eyes widened as she stared at the scene before her in disbelief.

What was once a lush forest was now nothing but patches of withered, dead trunks. The trunks were twisted and cracked, their bark peeling away to reveal decaying wooden cores. Some still held their growing postures, but at the slightest breeze, they crumbled into powder and drifted away. The hillsides, once covered in spiritual flowers, were now scorched earth. Occasionally, a few struggling weeds could be seen, but they were yellowed and wilted, their leaves curled and devoid of life.

Yaoguang walked at the front, her pace growing slower and heavier. She reached out and gently stroked a withered giant tree; its rough bark was as cracked as an old person's skin, peeling off at the slightest touch.

“I remember this tree,” she murmured, her voice hoarse. “I used to play under it when I was a child. In the summer, its shade would blot out the sun, and in the autumn, I could pick sweet wild fruits...”

She didn't continue, only staring blankly at the dead trunk as her eyes gradually reddened.

The group followed silently behind her, no one speaking.

Further ahead was a dried-up stream. The water that was once clear to the bottom had vanished, leaving only a cracked riverbed. Scattered across the bed were the white bones of fish, stark and bleached, looking exceptionally piercing under the dim sky.

“I used to catch fish in this stream when I was little,” Yaoguang said softly, her voice filled with deep nostalgia. “Those little fish would swim back and forth in the clear water, their scales shimmering in the sunlight...”

Again, she found herself unable to go on.

Continuing forward, they passed the ruins of a village. It was a human settlement in Yaoguang's memory; though they weren't members of the Yao Family, they had lived in the Green Wood Realm for generations and got along well with the Yao family. Now, the houses were reduced to crumbling walls and broken pillars, overgrown with dead vines. Scorch marks from fires remained on the walls, pitch black and shocking to the eye.

Yaoguang stopped, her gaze vacant as she looked at the pile of ruins. She opened her mouth, wanting to call out those familiar names, but found she couldn't make a sound.

Luo Li walked to her side and gently took her hand. Yaoguang’s hand was ice-cold and trembling slightly.

“Let’s go,” Yaoguang finally spoke, her voice so raspy it was almost inaudible. “To the ancestral lands.”

The group set off toward the depths of the Green Wood Realm, following the direction in her memory.

Along the way, everywhere they looked was desolate. The once-familiar mountain paths were buried under dead wood, and they could only grope their way forward based on Yaoguang's memories. Occasionally, they saw the skeletons of wild animals scattered among the withered grass, long since weathered white.

After walking for about an hour, a sudden movement came from ahead.

Gao Feng became instantly alert and raised a hand in a gesture. The group quickly dispersed, each finding cover to hide.

Ahead was a relatively open woodland. Although the trees were all dead, the dense trunks still blocked their line of sight. A squad of Wood Clan soldiers was patrolling the forest, moving in a single file with rhythmic steps through the dead wood.

Those Wood Clan soldiers were slender, their skin a pale green that stood in sharp contrast to the dead trees. Their hair hung behind them like vines, swaying gently as they moved. They wore armor woven from leaves and vines and carried wooden spears tipped with green crystals that emitted a faint glow.

There were eight soldiers in total, their strength all around the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. The leader was slightly taller with three green markings on his forehead, clearly the captain of this squad.

They didn't walk fast, but their steps were extremely light, making almost no sound on the dead branches and fallen leaves. Their gazes were as sharp as hawks, constantly scanning the surrounding woods, their noses twitching slightly as if they were sniffing for something.

Chu Lan stared at the Wood Clan soldiers, a spark of curiosity flashing in her eyes. This was her first time seeing the actual Wood Clan. The physiology of these creatures, the patterns of the vines on their bodies, and the way they manipulated plants filled her with a desire for research.

But she also knew that now was not the time for study.

The squad of soldiers drew closer, less than thirty zhang away from where everyone was hiding.

At that moment, the captain suddenly stopped, raised his head, and sniffed in the direction of the group. He frowned, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes.

“What is that smell?” he whispered, his voice raspy and harsh. “An unfamiliar scent.”

The other soldiers also stopped, raising their spears and warily scanning the surroundings. A dangerous light flickered in their green pupils, as if they were ready to attack at any moment.

The captain raised his hand, and a ball of green light appeared in his palm. The light spread out, transforming into countless tiny vines that crawled on the ground like living things, spreading in all directions. Wherever the vines passed, dead vegetation was pushed aside and rocks were entwined, searching every inch of the land.

Several vines spread toward the group's hiding spot, getting closer and closer...

Chu Lan’s eyes lit up. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for.

She quietly took out a seed, held it in her palm, and channeled her Qi. The seed instantly took root and sprouted, turning into a tiny vine that slipped through her fingers and quietly burrowed into the ground.

The vine grew rapidly underground, silently approaching the vines summoned by the Wood Clan soldiers. The moment it touched them, it released a special aura—one Chu Lan had extracted from the Time Holy Vine, which could interfere with the Wood Clan's perception of plants.

The Wood Clan soldiers' vines instantly lost their target, wandering aimlessly in place for a few turns before slowly retracting.

The captain’s frown deepened. He sniffed the air again, but this time he smelled nothing.

“Strange...” he muttered. “Perhaps it was an illusion.”

He waved his hand and led the squad forward to continue their patrol, soon disappearing into the dead forest.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Chu Lan smiled triumphantly and whispered, “How about that? My new invention isn't bad, right?”

Gao Feng gave her a thumbs up and said, “Nicely done.”

Yaoguang gave Chu Lan a grateful look and continued leading the group forward.

But the good times didn't last long. Before they had gone far, they encountered another Wood Clan patrol. This time, the soldiers were even more alert, and their patrol route happened to block the group's path forward.

“We can’t bypass them,” Su Ning said, frowning as she observed the terrain. “There are cliffs on both sides; this is the only way.”

Gao Feng made a split-second decision: “Then we fight.”

Chu Lan was already eager to try. She was the first to rush out, her hands waving repeatedly as seeds shot from her palms, landing around the Wood Clan soldiers. Those seeds instantly took root and sprouted, turning into countless vines that coiled toward the soldiers!

The Wood Clan soldiers were shocked, but they reacted extremely quickly, immediately using Wood-type Spells to counterattack. Streaks of green light shot from their palms, hitting the vines, which instantly withered and snapped!

Chu Lan’s expression changed. She hadn't expected the Wood Clan soldiers' ability to suppress plants to be so strong. Her spiritual plants were actually defenseless before them!

After the soldiers crushed the vines, they immediately launched a counterattack. They formed hand seals, and the surrounding dead wood instantly came to life! Those withered trunks shook violently, and thick branches swung like arms, smashing down toward the group with great force!

At the same time, more vines grew frantically from the ground, attempting to trap everyone!

This was the Wood Clan's innate Spell—Withered Wood Revived! They could control any plant, even dead ones, restoring their vitality for a short time to use as weapons!

Chu Lan gritted her teeth and persisted, desperately using her Spirit Plant Art to fight the soldiers. But her Spirit Plant Art required a vibrant environment to reach its maximum power; in this plundered and desolate land, her strength was greatly reduced!

A massive piece of dead wood smashed down toward her head!

Just then, a golden sword light flashed, and the dead wood was split in two!

Gao Feng rushed to her side, vajra sword in hand, his body radiating intense golden light! He stepped forward and charged into the Wood Clan soldiers; one strike per soldier, they didn't even have time to react before being slain on the spot!

Eight soldiers, all dead in less than ten breaths!

Chu Lan panted, looking at the soldiers' corpses with eyes full of shock. Although she knew Gao Feng was strong, she was still shaken every time she saw him slay enemies with a single strike.

“Your Spirit Plant Art is restricted here,” Gao Feng said, sheathing his sword and looking at Chu Lan. “From now on, I will take the lead in attacking, and you provide support.”

Chu Lan nodded, not trying to be stubborn. She knew Gao Feng was right.

The group continued forward.

Along the way, they encountered several more Wood Clan patrols. Each time, Chu Lan would first test them with her Spirit Plant Art; if it was effective, they would end the battle quickly, and if not, Gao Feng would step in to kill them. Under their cooperation, none of the patrols escaped; all were eliminated.

Two days later, they finally approached the area of the Yao Family's ancestral lands.

The terrain began to look familiar. Yaoguang pointed to a mountain ahead, her voice carrying uncontrollable excitement: “Over that mountain is the Green Wood Valley. The ancestral lands are deep within the valley.”

The group quickened their pace, climbing up the mountain path that was nearly buried by wild grass in her memory. The path was rugged and difficult; many places were completely covered by dead vines and could only be passed by pushing them aside. But Yaoguang didn't feel tired at all; her eyes were only on the mountain ahead and the valley behind it.

Finally, they crossed the ridge and stood at the summit, overlooking the Green Wood Valley below.

Then, everyone froze at the same time.

The valley was still there, but it no longer looked like it did in her memory.

At the mouth of the valley, a massive wood-element castle had risen, occupying the entire entrance to the valley.

The castle was constructed entirely of massive logs, standing dozens of zhang high and covering an area of several hundred zhang.