70: Across the forest

Snowflakes swirled as Tree Person Angdem suddenly let out a tremendous cry of sorrow, a sound like an ancient call, piercing the cold air, filled with endless grief.

The strong wind it blew from its mouth swept up countless snowflakes from the ground, like a raging storm, making our clothes flap loudly.

"Thie...thieves..." The Tree Person roared, its voice filled with anger.

It stood up, raised its enormous root-like foot, and stomped down towards us.

At that moment, I felt the breath of death assailing me, and my heart was filled with despair.

"No! He saved them! He saved them!" Fiona kept repeating loudly, her voice filled with anxiety and pleading, as she rapidly retreated with us.

She pointed at me and said, "You grumpy old fellow, did you hear? Ryan saved the tree seeds!"

The four of us also ran and shouted, our voices echoing through the forest: "Ryan saved the tree seeds!"

Black Little Leopard and Dragon King ran silently beside me.

The two Wild Dogs whined, following behind.

My heart pounded like a drum, but my steps dared not falter, fearing that the enormous foot might fall at any moment.

Finally, at the last moment, the Tree Person's root-like foot stopped its descent.

It seemed to have finally heard our shouts, and a hint of confusion flashed in its angry eyes.

"Hoo...rooo...what...are...you...saying?" Tree Person Angdem retracted its foot and asked in its slow and heavy voice.

Fiona seized the opportunity to shout, "Ryan saved the tree seeds from the spider's cave!" Then, she meticulously recounted to Tree Person Angdem how we discovered the tree seeds and how we determined that these two tree seeds were sealed by magical power.

After listening, a hint of guilt flashed in the Tree Person's eyes.

It lowered its head and swayed its enormous tree crown gently, apologizing to us: "So...sorry, Ry...an! For...tunately...you were...not...hurt! Hoo...rooo..."

To express its apology, Tree Person Angdem offered to take us north.

Its voice, though slow, was full of sincerity and determination: "I...will...take...you...to...the...north."

Upon hearing this, we all breathed a sigh of relief.

The setting sun's afterglow spilled over the forest sea, casting a golden glow upon this mysterious land.

We stood in the forest clearing, reluctantly bidding farewell to Fiona.

"When you return, Lilian and I will visit your territory," Fiona said softly.

Her gentle smile appeared especially radiant in the setting sun.

Then, Fiona turned and walked into the forest behind her with light steps.

We watched her leave until her slender figure completely disappeared into the boundless trees.

The forest was filled with the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind, as if narrating the sorrow of parting and the hope for the future.

"These two seeds originally belonged to you," I carefully held the tree seeds in my palm and sincerely said to Ondom, "May they return to your embrace."

Ondom's gaze fell upon the seeds in my hand, and its branches and leaves swayed gently, as if it were contemplating.

After a moment, it let out a low and melodious hum, a sound like the melody of the forest, filled with harmony and tranquility.

Ondom's body leaned slightly forward, slowly placing a dense, branch-like hand beside me.

I carefully placed the two tree seeds in Ondom's palm.

The setting sun poured down like molten gold, painting the sky a brilliant orange-red.

In the snow-covered forest, the four of us—I, Randall, John, and George—were now sitting steadily on the massive Tree Person Angdem, feeling its calm and powerful steps.

Dragon King flew beside me, the four puppies still lay in our four backpacks, and Black Little Leopard and the two adult Wild Dogs ran at a surprisingly fast pace beside the Tree Person's seemingly slow steps.

Tree Person Angdem's body was tall and stout, its skin seemingly composed of countless interwoven vines and ancient bark, every inch revealing the vicissitudes of time and the mighty power of nature.

With every step Tree Person Angdem took, the surrounding trees swayed gently, as if paying high respect to this guardian of the forest.

After Randall regained his Paladin status, his demeanor became even more steady and dignified, his gaze firm and profound, constantly maintaining vigilance to ensure our safety.

John and George, on the other hand, appeared excited and thrilled, clutching tightly to the vines on the Tree Person's body, their faces beaming with the honor and pride of becoming Paladin Squires.

Led by Tree Person Angdem, we rapidly traversed this dense forest.

The scenery along the way unfolded like a scroll, ancient trees, exotic plants, and the occasional roar of wild beasts, all made us deeply feel the vitality and dynamism of this forest.

The last rays of the setting sun gradually sank, and the clouds in the sky were dyed a brilliant violet.