Stranger Danger-Chapter 1811: Flesh Forest

Xi Huang was a lonely wasteland.

The wind howled like hurricanes, and yellow sand blotted the sky. At first glance, everywhere was barren and desolate.

The blazing sun scorched the ground, and the air felt like it would combust into flames at any moment. Every gulp was stiflingly hot.

There were only jagged rocks and sand dunes as far as the eyes could see. Not even a blade of grass could be found. It was utterly lifeless.

Occasionally, one could find a withered tree that stretched out into the sky like a ghoul’s claw. When the wind blew across them, they let out this sorrowful whine that made them appear even more pathetic and bleak than they already were.

“Xi Huang is seriously barren. Drawing even a single breath in this place is enough to make the throat feel dry,” White Robe Demon Master remarked with a hint of discomfort while blocking the sand blowing at his face with his sleeve.

“Have you sensed the Endless Lord of Plagues’ location yet, Joyless?”

The Chief Libationist looked at the young man beside him and asked.

“Not yet. Let’s continue a little further.” Ye Qing shook his head.

After slaying the Undying Nether Phoenix, Ye Qing and the Sages decided to catch some rest instead of rushing to their next destination immediately.

The Four Evils were no easy foes. Every battle required their full power and attention. The slightest misstep could result in irreversible loss.

That was why they didn’t rush to the next battlefield immediately after slaying the Undying Nether Phoenix. Instead, they found a quiet place in the Southern Shore and rested for about a month or so. It was both to recover their strength and to replenish the supplies they had used up during the fight against the Undying Nether Phoenix.

Once ready, the group departed to the Westmost Desert to slay the Endless Lord of Plagues.

In terms of strength, the Undying Nether Phoenix was the strongest of the Four Evils. But in terms of endangerment, none was as threatening as the Endless Lord of Plagues.

Although the Nether Phoenix was powerful and definitely capable of becoming a terrible thorn in humanity’s side, the Endless Lord of Plagues was a grave threat who could singlehandedly end countless lives and turn entire realms into wastelands with its plagues.

It could deal far, far more damage to humanity than the Nether Phoenix ever could.

The Westmost Desert was located in the deepest area of Xi Huang.

However, the Westmost Desert itself was incredibly huge. Trying to search for the Endless Lord of Plagues in this endless desert was like trying to fish a needle in the sea.

Therefore, the only way they could find the Evil was to locate the origin power used to suppress it through the Earthly Sovereign Bell.

Unfortunately, this sense was extremely weak. It could not pinpoint the exact location of the Endless Lord of Plagues.

Right now, the Earthly Sovereign Bell was floating in front of Ye Qing and buzzing slightly. It was emitting a low, sonorous chime and spreading its dark yellow qi. It was markedly different from the desolate aura around them.

Following behind the Earthly Sovereign Bell, the group had been flying through the desert for several days straight. So far, they had found nothing but sand. It was as if the desert had no end.

After flying for another half a day, and everyone was feeling a bit tired, the scenery before them suddenly underwent a dramatic change.

They had found an oasis in the middle of this endless desert. The oasis was only several dozen kilometers in radius, but it stood out like a sore thumb in this endless ocean of yellow sand.

The oasis was covered in lush trees and green grass and brimming with life. It was unlike anything they had seen in this desert.

“An oasis?” Xiahou Zun’s eyes widened in astonishment. “There’s an oasis in the Westmost Desert?”

A hint of astonishment flickered in Feng Qingyou’s cool eyes as well. “This oasis is a little strange.”

Ye Qing did not say anything. He simply watched the oasis quietly. The Earthly Sovereign Bell’s chimes had suddenly gotten stronger, and it was pointed straight at the oasis.

“Come. Let’s check it out.”

Ye Qing said heavily with a hint of solemness.

The group quickly arrived

Very soon, the group arrived at the oasis and officially set foot on its soil. The ground felt soft, and the air grew humid. It felt refreshing considering the murderous dryness and heat of the desert behind them.

“What rich spiritual qi!” White Robe Demon Master sucked in a deep breath and exclaimed in surprise, “The concentration of spiritual qi in this oasis is actually greater than the outside world!”

The Chief Libationist also raised an eyebrow. “It is strange that this place boasts such plentiful spiritual qi considering the barrenness of the Westmost Desert.”

Ye Qing paid them no attention. He was scanning his surroundings with a slight frown on his face.

Although the oasis was full of life, it also gave off a strange and inexplicable feeling.

The trees were lush, but they appeared dead and lifeless. The grass was green, but they were an unnatural dark green that looked like poison.

The air was mildly fragrant and refreshing, but Ye Qing also caught a whiff of something unsavory and discomforting.

Besides that, the trees of this oasis were unlike anything in the outside world. Its trunk was purple colored, and so were its thick branches and leaves. They glinted like metal under the sunlight.

The purple trees boasted such big and dense canopies that they blotted out the sun. The entire oasis existed under a purple shadow, mysterious and dark.

“What is this tree? Why have I never seen it before?” White Robe Demon Master examined the strange purple trees around them with curiosity.

Feng Qingyou shook her head to show that she knew nothing about them as well.

Ye Qing had never seen these trees before either, but he had a vague sensation that they contained some sort of inauspicious aura.

At the same time, the fragrance in the air was growing thicker. However, the faint stench was growing more obvious and revolting as well.

“This is no tree!”

Ye Qing and Chief Libationist exclaimed in shock and severity at nearly the same time.

Ye Qing stopped hesitating. The Earthly Sovereign Bell suspended in front of him abruptly exploded with light. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The patterns on the ancient, heavy surface of the bell abruptly came alive and flowed with terrifying power.

Buzz—!

A sonorous and intimidating bell chime shattered the oasis’ silence and shook every inch of the area.

Dark yellow light instantly engulfed the strange purple trees like a tidal wave as well.

It was at this moment something horrifying happened.

Illuminated by the dark yellow light, the once lush and seemingly vibrant purple trees began withering at a rapid pace. They looked like the remnants of a snow that was being baked by the sun.

The purple leaves instantly lost all life and curled up unto itself. They looked like they had been drained of all water.

When the purple barks cracked and peeled off, they revealed not the texture of wood, but a piece of rotten flesh!

The flesh was a revolting dark red color. It was covered in haphazard cracks and patterns that resembled countless screaming mouths.

Sticky, smelly pus water seeped out of the flesh and blood and gathered into a pool on the ground. The sizzles it generated was positively spine-crawling.

The pus water was a disturbing smelly yellow color. It gave off the thick stench of rot and smelled absolutely disgusting.

The next moment, the smelly pus water evaporated into large clouds of vapor. They swiftly spread across the entire area and enveloped the entire oasis.

Even for a third level Sage like Ye Qing, catching a whiff of the vapor instantly inflicted him with a terrible sense of discomfort. His stomach churned like a washing machine, and he felt disgusted enough to throw up on the spot.