Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3924: Strange Creatures Of The Underground Forest

Meanwhile Lin Mu continued advancing through the subterranean world.

The Ascending Air Steps proved remarkably suited for such terrain. Rather than wasting effort climbing cliffs or navigating the uneven landscape below, he simply crossed the enormous cavern through the air.

His speed remained astonishing.

After traveling a considerable distance from the prisoners, Lin Mu finally released his Immortal Sense. The invisible wave spread outward in every direction. It swept across forests, rivers, rock formations, and underground lakes.

Thousands of living creatures immediately appeared within his perception.

”So many.” Lin Mu quietly muttered.

The prisoners had certainly spoken truthfully. The subterranean forest teemed with life. Spirit beasts occupied nearly every ecological niche imaginable while massive predators stalked beneath the towering trees.

Smaller herbivores wandered in large groups through hidden clearings, entire colonies of insects covered ancient trunks and strange reptiles basked upon glowing stones. Some birds possessing translucent feathers even rested among enormous branches high above.

The ecosystem had developed remarkable complexity.

Lin Mu quickly evaluated their strength and found that most creatures remained within the Spirit Realm. Only a few reached the First Tribulation of the Immortal Realm and even fewer possessed cultivation approaching the Second Tribulation.

Compared to ordinary prisoners those beasts represented overwhelming danger. But compared to Lin Mu they barely warranted concern.

His Immortal Sense continued expanding. And this time he paid attention to the surrounding Qi.

A thoughtful expression appeared upon his face. ”The Qi is rather weak.”

For ordinary mortals, this environment would seem incredibly rich as the concentration exceeded many lower worlds. Yet compared to the Heavenly Stream Guardian World, the difference became obvious.

This world ranked among the finest immortal worlds. Even remote mountains generally possessed denser Immortal Qi than this enormous subterranean forest.

Lin Mu slowly looked around.

’The prison itself...’ He quietly considered the possibility. ’Is the array suppressing the surrounding Qi?’

The idea made perfect sense as the Heavenly Stream Guardian Sect certainly wouldn’t want prisoners cultivating freely. The shackles represented one layer of restriction and the environment itself represented another.

Even if someone somehow removed their restraints, cultivating within this underground world would remain extraordinarily difficult. Lin Mu’s Immortal Sense carefully inspected the surrounding energy once more.

SHUA

Soon he discovered another detail.

’It’s not good.’ Lin Mu muttered.

The Qi carried impurities that were quite subtle. Faint traces of strange energy mixed throughout the ambient Immortal Qi and Spirit Qi. Short term exposure likely produced little effect but long term cultivation presented an entirely different story.

Lin Mu mentally analyzed the possibilities.

The impure energy would gradually accumulate within one’s body and initially, nothing noticeable would occur. But as years passed the contaminants would settle inside the meridians.

Cultivation speed would gradually decrease and breakthroughs would become increasingly difficult. Eventually, meridian blockages could even develop and the damage might permanently cripple future cultivation.

Unless purified in time many cultivators would unknowingly destroy their own foundations.

Lin Mu slowly nodded. ”This place truly was designed to imprison people.”

Every aspect of the environment worked against prisoners whether it be the sealed cultivation, poor quality Qi, dangerous beasts, limited food, or the countless poisons. On top of this, even escape seemed almost impossible.

Fortunately, those same disadvantages barely affected Lin Mu.

His cultivation remained sealed but even so, his Burdenless Dominator Physique already exceeded nearly everything living within these caverns.

His Omnicore Ascendancy Technique constantly refined impurities entering his body, while his Wood Core continuously repaired microscopic damage, and his enhanced liver filtered out all the toxins.

The environment restrained everyone equally but Lin Mu simply began from a much higher starting point.

He continued traveling while repeatedly extending his Immortal Sense and every few minutes another enormous sweep covered the surrounding landscape. He searched specifically for humans.

Time continued to pass and the underground world stretched endlessly. Several beast territories passed beneath him and he even discovered abandoned camps scattered throughout the forest.

Some contained only bones while others had clearly been deserted recently.

Still he found no living humans.

And nearly half an hour later his Immortal Sense finally detected something different: Vitality.

More specifically, fluctuations of vitality created by human heartbeats. There were many of them. Sensing them, Lin Mu immediately halted.

”There.”

Without hesitation he descended toward the forest below and the towering canopy gradually swallowed him. Soon, the pale glow from the ceiling disappeared entirely. The moss continued shining above but its light never penetrated the dense layers of ancient branches and enormous leaves.

Darkness consumed everything and even ordinary cultivators would struggle to see their own hands. Fortunately the Night Eye Trumpet Flower continued enhancing Lin Mu’s vision. The forest gradually revealed itself.

Twisted roots spread across the ground like giant serpents, towering trunks disappeared upward into endless blackness, strange mushrooms emitted faint blue glows and thick vines connected tree after tree.

The air felt damp and heavy while being filled with unfamiliar scents.

Lin Mu had barely walked five steps when something landed upon his arm.

Buzz

A sharp sting immediately followed.

Or rather, an attempt at one.

SMACK!

Lin Mu casually slapped his forearm. His physique had completely prevented the creature from piercing his skin. He opened his hand and saw that a strange insect lay crushed across his palm.

Lin Mu examined it carefully.

”Hmm?” His eyebrows rose slightly. ”What exactly are you?”

The creature possessed an elongated body remarkably similar to a leech. Its skin appeared dark crimson with faint black rings running along its length. Yet, unlike any ordinary leech, two delicate translucent wings extended from its sides.

Its head featured a long needle-like proboscis almost identical to that of a mosquito and several tiny hooked legs protruded beneath its body, allowing it to cling firmly onto living creatures.

Lin Mu gently turned the crushed insect over.

”Is this...” He quietly muttered. ”a mosquito...” His gaze shifted toward the flattened body. ”...or a leech?”

The bizarre creature appeared as though nature had somehow combined the worst characteristics of both into a single species.

Xukong’s amused laughter echoed within Lin Mu’s mind. ”It would seem the subterranean world enjoys creating very unpleasant creatures.”

Lin Mu flicked the insect away before looking deeper into the endless darkness of the underground forest. If this greeted him within five seconds of entering he could only imagine what waited farther inside.