Yansheng Forest was a primeval, dense forest situated between the three prefectures of Lubei, Qinxi, and Celestial Mansion.

According to legend, an ancient "Fiery Saint" had once tasted every herb within this forest, bringing blessings to all life. Thus, it was named Yansheng Forest.

This primeval forest covered more than three thousand square kilometers, preserving the ecology of a bygone age. The forest was vast, and its center was treacherous and fraught with danger, making it inaccessible to ordinary people. Since ancient times, countless bizarre legends have been passed down about it.

Vanishing wild men... mysterious beasts... albino creatures... strange celestial phenomena... a black bamboo forest...

No one knew what strange and arcane secrets lay hidden within this primeval forest.

And now, this primeval forest was the destination for Zhou Yuanjue and his companions.

The Ancestral Land of the Moon Race, Longyue Valley, was located deep within this forest.

At this very moment, Zhou Yuanjue and the others stood at the edge of the dense forest.

As far as the eye could see, the trees and vegetation within the forest were tall and lush. Rolling mountain ranges stretched endlessly into the distance, with no end in sight.

"Longyue Valley is shrouded by the Longyue Magnetic Field year-round. At times, this field might even briefly expand. If a living being is caught in its influence during such an event, they can easily fall into the Glowing Moon Dream Realm and see all sorts of bizarre things. This is the source of many of Yansheng Forest’s legends."

"The creatures living around Longyue Valley are also affected by this magnetic field. They develop the ability to absorb moonlight to some extent, their fur naturally turns white, and their physical prowess surpasses that of ordinary beasts. The most exceptional among them may even gain a certain Spirit Communication Ability."

"And these Spiritual Beasts are trained by the Moon Race to become guardians of their Ancestral Land."

Daoist Bailong explained.

"To think such a magical place exists."

Zhang Zhizhen couldn’t help but marvel. ’Secluded from the world and teeming with strange phenomena...’ The thought reminded him of legends about ancient Immortal Cave Mansions. ’Perhaps those stories weren’t just baseless rumors, but were born from people who had accidentally stumbled into such wondrous places and witnessed extraordinary sights.’

"During the last Kunlun incident, what were the identities of those two members of the Moon Race we saw?"

Zhou Yuanjue asked.

"One of them is the current patriarch of the Moon Race. However, the situation within the Moon Race is complicated. Although he holds the title of patriarch, he actually only manages affairs outside the Ancestral Land—that is, the clan’s secular power. For matters truly concerning the Moon Race’s Ancestral Land and destiny, the patriarch must consult with the clan elders who guard the Ancestral Land to get final approval."

"These elders are either the most powerful members of the Moon Race or former patriarchs who returned to guard the Ancestral Land after stepping down. They hold significant authority within the clan."

"Currently, the Moon Race’s Ancestral Land has three elders."

Daoist Bailong said.

’For a single clan, the Moon Race has quite a few experts.’

Zhou Yuanjue narrowed his eyes. The two he’d encountered last time were already at the Saint Awakening Level. ’And in their Ancestral Land, there are three more elders. Without a doubt, they must also be at the Saint Awakening Level or higher.’

"Of course. Including the two you saw that day, the Moon Race has a total of five individuals at the Spirit Level or above. They account for almost a quarter of the entire Donghua Guardian Spirit Race. If they didn’t have such strength, how could they be considered the leaders of the Donghua Spirit Guardians? How could they defend their Ancestral Land? It would have been conquered by the Celestial Demons long ago during the upheavals."

"Oh, right. ’Spirit Level’ is the Spirit Guardian equivalent of the Saint Awakening Level. Unlike the Martial Dao, they divide their power realms into several grades, such as ’Mortal,’ ’Spirit,’ and ’Celestial.’"

Daoist Bailong said.

"And above ’Celestial’?"

Ji Yunzhou asked.

"Is ’Saint.’ At that level, one has touched the threshold of the Ancient Heroes. Further up is ’Primordial.’ This isn’t a level, but rather a designation meaning the power an individual wields is comparable to their Primordial Ancestor. In ancient times, the weaker Ancient Heroes were probably around the Saint Level in terms of strength."

Daoist Bailong said.

"’Saint’ and ’Primordial’..."

The group mulled over these levels. ’Starting from the Saint Level, it must be a realm that ordinary humans have never been able to reach.’

"Are there currently any Spirit Guardians in Donghua who have reached the Saint Level?"

Jiang Jiushan asked, a bit curious.

"Hard to say. Every family has its hidden secrets. No one knows how deep their foundations truly run."

Daoist Bailong shook his head.

"Alright, enough talk. Let’s get going."

Daoist Bailong said. The others nodded and boarded a helicopter parked nearby.

WHIRRRR!

The helicopter’s rotor blades spun to life, and it flew toward the depths of Yansheng Forest.

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Unlike Daoist Bailong’s group, not all Spirit Guardians dared to travel in such a high-profile manner by helicopter. Most of them still used more primitive methods.

At that moment, somewhere in Yansheng Forest, three figures flashed swiftly through the jungle. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

A middle-aged man led the way. He was dressed in outdoor gear and carried a wooden case on his back. A faint brown light emanated from his body. Though visible to the naked eye, its intensity was only slightly superior to that of a top-tier Martial Artist.

In the world of Spirit Guardians, this degree of strength was known as the Peak of Mortal Level. If such an individual were to forcibly use a Forbidden Secret Skill, burn their own Bloodline, or use a powerful Dharma Artifact, they could unleash an attack at the Spirit Level.

For ordinary Spirit Guardian families, an existence of this caliber was already their strongest combatant and could be considered part of the backbone of the Spirit Guardians.

This middle-aged man’s name was Zuo Pu, patriarch of a Spirit Guardian family known as the Qing Clan. Their Bloodline Power allowed them to adjust, to a certain extent, the weight of their own bodies and objects within a certain range of their touch. The clan’s members were known for their agility.

The wooden case on his back held a massive Heavy Sword. The sword weighed 560 kilograms and was a special Dharma Artifact capable of fully accepting his clan’s Bloodline Power. When the middle-aged man channeled his Bloodline Power, the sword in his hands would feel as light as a normal blade. But the instant he withdrew his power, the sword’s weight would return to its original state.

This was Zuo Pu’s combat style: use his ability to make the Heavy Sword weightless, swing it with terrifying speed, then cancel the ability at the moment of impact. The sword’s immense weight, combined with its inertia and velocity, would produce incredibly destructive power.

With his exquisite skill and ability, Zuo Pu was considered one of the very best among those at the Peak of Mortal Level.

"I brought you two along this time to broaden your horizons. Once we get to Longyue Valley, watch more, listen more, and talk less. Especially you, A Xian. If you dare run your mouth like you do at home, see if I don’t beat you senseless when we get back."

Zuo Pu said to those behind him as he ran at the front, his ability intimidating the forest creatures.

Following him were two figures, a young man and a young woman.

"When have I ever run my mouth? Everything I say is the honest-to-god truth."

Hearing Zuo Pu’s scolding, the young woman behind him, Zuo Xian, glared with her large, sparkling eyes and retorted indignantly.

"You’re just a young girl, what do you know? How dare you talk back?! In this world, without strength to back you up, the more honest the words, the more dangerous they are to speak!"

Zuo Pu bellowed.