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Chapter 381 379-Moving Forward

Ethan had initially planned to carefully study the Grip of the Underworld and the Jade Scroll he had acquired from Fernard.

He also wanted to delve deeper into the Primordial Light gifted by Peggy.

However, now that Peggy had asked him to leave, Ethan didn't want to overstay his welcome and responded politely, "Alright, Ms. Peggy."

With an awkward expression, Ethan said to Lana, "Let's go outside; it's time to set off."

Lana nodded slightly, pulling her hand slightly.

Her Illusion Magic Circle, astonishingly, was pulled down like a canvas.

Seeing the outside environment again, Ethan let out a deep breath: "King, lead the way."

"Yes, my lord."

King, Ethan's most loyal servant, led the way tirelessly in front.

As for his recent injuries, Ethan rewarded him with a couple of healing potions from his rings, which were enough for a quick recovery.

Along the way, Ethan encountered several formidable beasts.

But in Ethan's current state, none of these beasts lasted more than a second against him.

King's mouth watered at the sight of the materials from the beasts.

Ethan, however, focused on time efficiency and only collected exceptionally rare materials, leaving the rest... to be devoured by vultures in the wilderness.

The journey was unobstructed, and they finally reached the edge of the space surrounding City 32.

At the edge of the space, everything became exceptionally peculiar.

There was no familiar sky or ground here, only an endless void and twinkling lights.

The stars, no longer distant specks, were densely packed together, forming a brilliant sea of stars.

Their lights intertwined, creating dazzling bands of color, like rainbows in the cosmos.

But Ethan could just make out the scenery beyond this space.

On the distant horizon, the Shadow Forest stood tall, like a dark barrier.

Its trees were tall and dense, with lush foliage blocking the sunlight, keeping the interior of the forest perpetually shrouded in dimness.

From afar, it appeared as a pitch-black shadow, sending chills down one's spine.

The edge of the forest was a barren land, devoid of any sign of life.

The soil here was infertile, devoid of vegetation, with only some withered yellow grass and dead tree roots.

This land seemed cursed, a stark contrast to the vibrant forests within City 32.

Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke in a low tone, "This forest looks dangerous; everyone be careful."

Everyone's expressions were tense; they didn't need further prompting from Ethan and were already prepared.

Without hesitation, Ethan stepped across the edge of the space.

Crossing the spatial boundary felt surreal, like passing through a non-existent membrane.

Within the boundary of this space, Ethan felt as if he glimpsed past, present, and future scenes.

It was as if time lost its meaning here.

And space was no longer confined.

Ethan extended his hand, only to find that he could not see it within the space of the Shadow Forest.

As he found this peculiarity intriguing, he still landed on the ground.

Standing before the Shadow Forest, Ethan truly felt the grandeur of this woodland.

The Shadow Forest, shrouded in a mysterious aura, seemed like a forbidden land for all creatures.

Here, sunlight couldn't penetrate the dense canopy, with only faint moonlight and starlight occasionally falling through, casting a mysterious veil over the forest.

The trees were tall and dense, their branches intertwining to form a natural barrier, isolating all the noise and turmoil of the outside world.

It was so quiet, a silence that instilled fear.

Ethan and the two women exchanged glances and nodded slightly, then proceeded forward.

The moment they stepped into the Shadow Forest, it seemed as if all sounds vanished.

The ground of the Shadow Forest was covered with thick layers of fallen leaves and dead branches, soft underfoot, like stepping on a plush carpet.

But in the next moment, this thick carpet began to tremble.

A gigantic head emerged from beneath the ground.

It was a massive python.

Its body was huge and thick, over ten meters in length, making it appear formidable in the jungle. 

Its skin was covered with a layer of thick black scales, shimmering with a faint green luminescence.

The serpent's eyes were like two bright green gems, emitting a strange light.

These bulb-like eyes were fixed intently on Ethan and his companions, a glow in them that Ethan found all too familiar.

It was the excitement of a beast upon seeing its prey caught in its trap.

"We're its prey now..."

"Don't move, it's a Nocturnal Serpent..."

Lana and Ethan spoke almost simultaneously.

Without hesitation, the Nocturnal Serpent lashed out with its long tail, attacking Ethan and his companions.

Ethan unsheathed the Dragonblade in his hand, its light flickering as it clashed against the python's tail.

"Boom!"

A loud explosion resonated in the sky, and the thick layer of leaves on the ground of the Shadow Forest scattered. 

Numerous insects with green-shining shells and poisonous snakes scurried away rapidly.

They sensed the threat and wanted to distance themselves from the area.

With the Dragonblade in his hand shimmering, Ethan thought, "Such a hard shell, dealing with this requires the Blasphemous Spear."

The Blasphemous Spear contained the [Slash] effect.

[Slash: A chance to penetrate an adversary's defenses.]

The Dragonblade in Ethan's hand disappeared, replaced by a spear.

The spear, dragon-like, was adorned with the Thunder, Flame, and Frost - the three Languages of Nature.

This time, Ethan was so lucky, as the [Slash] effect activated.

The spear pierced directly into the body of the Nocturnal Serpent, going straight through.

A shower of blood sprayed from the wound.

In the giant eyes of the Nocturnal Serpent, an incredulous, almost human-like expression appeared.

It couldn't fathom how Ethan managed to penetrate its body and that its energy was being continuously devoured.

It twisted its body, attempting to coil around Ethan again.

But Ethan, with his vast combat experience, instantly understood the serpent's intent.

He evaded the Nocturnal Serpent's attacks frantically, but the surrounding trees and plants suffered in the process.

Time slowly passed, and the Nocturnal Serpent eventually collapsed to the ground, powerless. 

Its muscles still twitched, and the blood spewing from its mouth emitted a scorching white vapor.

Ethan's spear remained embedded in the serpent's body, and he unexpectedly felt a sense of being "full."

He knew this was the [Bloodthirst] effect at work.

[Bloodthirst: When killing a monster, it can be converted into energy for storage and absorption.]

This attribute allowed Ethan to stand invincible in combat with enemies.

"Nocturnal Serpent, a demon beast that disappeared from the Azure Empire, now appears here." 

Lana approached Ethan, looking at the ferocious head of the serpent. 

"What exactly is this place?"

Ethan shook his head slightly, catching his breath, "I don't know, but the Shadow Forest is extremely dangerous. We must be fully alert."

The group continued to follow Ethan further into the forest.

Along the way, they encountered numerous attacks from demon beasts, each one previously unheard of or vanished from records.

Each battle Ethan fought was incredibly challenging.

If it had been the Ethan of before, he would have perished at the very first step into the Shadow Forest.

But now, he had undergone a complete transformation.

As they delved deeper into the Shadow Forest, a cold, sinister air enveloped them, as if an invisible force watched every intruder from the shadows.

The forest was permeated with a thick, putrid smell.

The ground was covered with thick layers of dead leaves and rotting branches, making a chilling rustling sound when stepped upon.

Swamps and wetlands were everywhere, with layers of green algae floating on the water, emitting a nauseating, fishy smell.

Ethan's brow furrowed slightly, and then suddenly he yelled, "Watch out!"

His extraordinary senses allowed him to feel even the slightest air movement.

Abruptly, he struck towards his own shadow.

Startlingly, his shadow eerily extended a hand from the ground and engaged in combat with Ethan.

Lana and Daphne found themselves in similar situations, instantly embroiled in battles against their own shadows.

King was quickly overwhelmed. 

The shadow's stealth attack was swift, knocking King unconscious.

Then, incredibly, his shadow started dragging him deeper into the Shadow Forest.

Ethan, observing King's dire situation, felt a chill run down his spine: "What kind of cursed place is this?"

He had no more time to complain.

His shadow attacked him again.

Although it seemed to be only a fist, appearing fragile, the force behind it was immense.

The wind generated by the strike blew Ethan's hair, and his skin tingled with a slight pain.

Ethan quickly drew his sword to defend, but the Dragonblade passed right through the shadow, while the shadow's punch solidly hit Ethan's body.

"Thud—" Ethan was sent flying backward, crashing into a thick tree trunk, dislodging a flurry of leaves.

His eyebrows shot up in alarm as he looked back towards the battlefield in horror.