The pungent smell of medicine mixed with a sweet, cloying scent, like a spark dropped into an oil barrel, instantly ignited the dormant Kanoqiesi Forest.
“Whoosh—”
The Kanoqiesi Forest, which had previously been wary and hesitant to act due to the Saint, was now fully ignited by the medicinal smell.
A deep, painful, low roar seemed to reverberate from the marrow of every twisted tree.
The withered branches that had only been slowly dripping foul-smelling mucus suddenly lashed out violently.
The ground bulged sharply, and countless corrupted roots entwined with black-purple tendrils crazily burst forth, coiling toward Qiansitelin and the unconscious Muxuan in her arms.
Qiansitelin’s expression turned slightly grim.
Then, seeing Muxuan’s face regain some color, she felt somewhat relieved.
She really hadn’t expected that the potion made from the Elf Holy Tree’s leaf veins would have such a strong attraction for the Kanoqiesi Forest.
To the point that the Kanoqiesi Forest would dare to ignore the Saint’s deterrent and launch an attack on them.
Still, there was no need to hesitate.
Her Highness’s condition had improved considerably, and the most important thing was to ensure her safety.
“Your Highness, forgive me!”
Qiansitelin whispered, moving swiftly.
She firmly wrapped one arm around Muxuan’s waist, holding her securely between her chest and body, minimizing her exposure as much as possible.
With her other free hand, she unhesitatingly reached for her Space Ring again.
A flash of light, and the short dagger in her hand transformed back into Lyrasel.
Since the Kanoqiesi Forest had been completely stirred up, there was no need to hold back with Lyrasel anymore.
The withered, twisted branches lashed out madly, and the foul mucus on them almost splattered onto her face.
She couldn’t hesitate any longer.
Qiansitelin’s eyes sharpened, and the light of Lyrasel in her hand suddenly flared up.
This time, it was no longer the soft silver glow but a piercing, bone-chilling cold.
Fine frost formed around the blade, and even the thick Black Mist seemed to freeze.
Qiansitelin’s wrist moved rapidly.
Lyrasel turned into a flowing, icy silver light, tracing countless graceful sword marks around her.
The grating sound of tearing rang out one after another.
The withered branches that approached first, along with their mucus, were instantly severed upon contact with the cold white light.
The cuts of the broken branches were covered with a thin layer of white frost as they fell.
Several roots entwined with black-purple tendrils also had their tips sliced off by the sharp sword light, spraying dark green foul juice from the broken ends, writhing in agony.
However, more attacks surged from all directions like a dense black tide.
The Core of the Kanoqiesi Forest seemed unwilling to let go.
After several attacks, the Saint that had previously intimidated it never appeared again, which only made it more eager to eliminate Qiansitelin.
Holding Muxuan, Qiansitelin knew full well that there was no way she could protect Muxuan completely under the forest’s full assault.
Especially since her Highness was still unconscious with an unknown condition.
She had to leave.
Immediately!
Without any hesitation, Qiansitelin tightened her grip on Lyrasel again.
A slight tremor came from the hilt, and the cold white light suddenly swelled to its maximum brightness.
Then, the dazzling, unbearable cold light abruptly contracted inward, forming a pure white sphere of light radiating bone-piercing chill, completely enveloping her and Muxuan, who was tightly held in her arms.
Silver patterns flowed across the surface of the light sphere, and the space around it distorted unnaturally.
The roar of the Kanoqiesi Forest, the lashing of withered branches, the sounds of roots breaking through the ground—all the noise seemed to be isolated into another world the moment the light sphere formed.
Then, with a soft hum of “whoosh,” the light sphere suddenly collapsed.
When the piercing cold light vanished abruptly, the spot was empty.
Only a few frost-covered withered branch fragments and a few still-writhing corrupted roots remained.
Sensing the target’s disappearance, the entire Kanoqiesi Forest went mad.
All the withered branches began to lash at each other.
In an instant, the ground was covered with a thick layer of withered branches… …and the foul-smelling juices.
At that moment, Qiansitelin and Muxuan had already left the Kanoqiesi Forest, appearing beside a black stream.
Qiansitelin struggled to support herself with Lyrasel on the ground, her other arm still holding Muxuan tightly.
Fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and she was panting heavily.
Lyrasel’s power had recovered to less than one ten-thousandth, so many of its abilities couldn’t be used.
Forcing it only increased the strain on her body.
But… where was this?
Suppressing her fatigue, Qiansitelin slowly looked around.
Although the place was still filled with that dense Corruption Aura, the mist was much thinner, appearing as a translucent gray, no longer the pitch black that made it hard to see the ground.
Behind her was a continuous mountain range, faintly visible in the mist.
The Kostershka Mountains?
Qiansitelin knew that the Kanoqiesi Forest, which could still emit a faint emerald light in the mist, was no longer visible in her field of vision, so she didn’t look toward the other side of the stream first.
It could only be the Elven Forest.
“Hmm… Did this stream block the expansion of the Elven Forest?”
Though the destination was close at hand, Qiansitelin dared not let her guard down, nor did she dare to easily cross the stream.
The fact that it could stop even the expanding Elven Forest was enough to show how strange this stream was.
Moreover, the mist was gray, but the stream itself was black…
That was very abnormal.
After thinking for a moment, Qiansitelin used Lyrasel to scoop up a handful of soil and tossed it directly into the black stream.
The result was about what she had expected.
Before the soil even fell into the stream—just as it appeared above the water—it instantly turned into black droplets, pattering into the stream.
The stream wasn’t wide, but under these circumstances, jumping across directly was clearly impossible.
After a moment of silence, Qiansitelin decided to try again.
Then, she quickly picked up a pebble, infused it with dense Lightforce, and flicked her wrist.
The stone let out a sharp crack as it cut through the air, flying at high speed toward the opposite bank.
But just as the stone reached above the stream, Qiansitelin’s pupils sharply contracted.
The originally fast-flying stone instantly slowed down, as if frozen in place.
Then, the Lightforce quickly dissipated, and the stone eventually turned into black liquid, falling into the stream.
After the stone turned into black liquid and fell, Qiansitelin began to think.
Looking at this…
The stream didn’t have time-stopping power.
If not, that meant this black stream wasn’t as narrow as it appeared…
And space is often easier to shape than time.