Outside the forest, Yang Qi stopped.
He took out fresh water, dog food, and cat food, distributing them among his Guardian Beasts.
He also drank some water and ate a compressed biscuit for himself.
After a short break, Yang Qi got up and led his Guardian Beasts into the Ancient Goose Forest.
As soon as they entered the woods, the environment changed dramatically.
Towering ancient trees blotted out the sun. Their trunks were so thick it would take several people to encircle them, their mottled bark covered in moss.
The ground was covered in a thick, sound-dampening layer of fallen leaves, accumulated over countless years. It gave off the distinct, damp smell of decaying humus.
The air was fresh, carrying a refreshing scent of plants and trees. But beneath this fragrance, there seemed to be a hidden, indescribable, ancient, and unique "aura."
Yang Qi took out his phone and glanced at it.
Just as he expected, the signal bars had completely vanished.
The Ancient Goose Forest and the areas deeper within had a naturally strong magnetic field that rendered modern communication devices completely useless.
This was one of the reasons the area was so rarely visited.
Bold in his skills, Yang Qi circulated his Magical Power to protect his body and ventured deeper into the forest with his Guardian Beasts.
Xiaojiu leaped gracefully onto a fallen log, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
Bai Wan, Hu Zi, and Leopard fanned out ahead to scout, their noses twitching and ears perked, catching any unusual sounds.
Qi Zai circled low above the canopy, its line of sight unobstructed by the dense woods.
The deeper they went, the taller and denser the trees became. The light grew dimmer, and that unique aura in the air grew more pronounced.
Suddenly—
Bai Wan, Hu Zi, and Leopard, who were at the front, stopped almost simultaneously. Their muscles tensed, and they all turned sharply toward the dense woods to their right, letting out low, threatening whimpers and barks from their throats.
"WOOF WOOF~!"
"GRRR~ROAR!"
The three Guardian Beasts acted as if facing a great enemy. Their fur stood on end, they bared their fangs, and lowered their bodies into a pouncing stance.
Xiaojiu also leaped from the log in an instant, landing in front of Yang Qi. Its fur stood on end, its pupils narrowed into thin slits, and it stared intently in the same direction.
[Master, be careful]
[There’s a dangerous beast]
[It’s very powerful]
Yang Qi’s eyebrow twitched, and he immediately extended his senses outward.
Sure enough, about fifty meters away in the dense woods to his right, he "sensed" a life form. Its vitality was far greater than that of an ordinary beast, even a notch stronger than his own Guardian Beasts, which were just beginning their journey as Spirit Beasts.
And it was emitting a wild aura that carried a faint, oppressive pressure.
However, the owner of the aura seemed to realize that Yang Qi’s group was not to be trifled with. It had no intention of approaching. Instead, it quickly concealed its aura and retreated deeper into the forest, disappearing into the distance within a few breaths.
The oppressive feeling dissipated.
"Woof woof..."
"Whine~"
Bai Wan and Leopard panted heavily and slowly relaxed, but the fear in their eyes had not faded.
Hu Zi was relatively calmer, but its tense body and the lingering apprehension in its gaze showed that it, too, had sensed a great threat.
Leopard, still shaken, called out.
[What kind of beast was that?]
[So scary...]
[I almost turned and ran.]
"Woof~"
Bai Wan also whimpered softly.
[I don’t know]
[But it was really strong]
[Stronger than us...]
Hu Zi said nothing, but its gaze remained fixed on that patch of dense forest.
Meow~
Just then, Xiaojiu spoke.
[Master, I think I’ve encountered a similar aura at the Zoo.]
"At the Zoo?"
A thought stirred in Yang Qi’s mind.
As the "Cat King" of the Zoo, Xiaojiu had wandered through every exhibit and corner, seeing countless animals. Its sensitivity to and memory of auras far surpassed that of the other Guardian Beasts.
[Yes, Master.]
Xiaojiu recalled carefully.
[But I can’t remember what specific beast it was right now.]
[The feeling was very similar, but the one at the Zoo was much, much weaker than the one just now.]
"It’s fine. You can try to find it again when we get back," Yang Qi said.
Meow~
[Okay.]
Xiaojiu responded obediently.
After reassuring the still-nervous Guardian Beasts, Yang Qi said confidently.
"Don’t worry. No matter what kind of beast it is, as long as it dares to show itself, I can handle it."
This wasn’t blind arrogance.
With his Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer cultivation and various Magic, Yang Qi could deal with any ferocious beast.
The Guardian Beasts had absolute faith in Yang Qi’s strength. Hearing his words, they completely relaxed and regained their spirits.
The group continued to advance deeper into the Ancient Goose Forest.
In the afternoon, they arrived at their destination.
A valley in the central region of the Ancient Goose Forest.
The valley entrance was hidden between two steep cliffs, draped with hanging vines. Even at high noon, a faint, grayish-white mist swirled within the valley.
No, it wasn’t mist.
As Yang Qi drew closer, he immediately noticed something was wrong.
This "mist" carried a faint, cloyingly sweet scent. Inhaling just a little made him feel slightly dizzy.
"It’s a miasma!"
Yang Qi immediately held his breath. His Magical Power automatically circulated within his body, creating an internal cycle to seal himself off from the outside air.
At his current level of cultivation, he could hold his breath for one or two hours without any trouble.
"Xiaojiu, Bai Wan, Hu Zi, Leopard, you all stay outside. Don’t go in."
Yang Qi turned and instructed his Guardian Beasts.
"Breathing in too much of this miasma will cause you to pass out, and there might be other dangers. I’m just going in for a quick look. I’ll be out soon."
"WOOF WOOF!"
"MEOW!"
Although the Guardian Beasts were worried, they obediently stayed at the valley entrance.
Yang Qi circulated his Magical Power to protect his entire body and stepped into the valley.
The light inside the valley was even dimmer. The grayish-white miasma drifted between the trees like threads of gauze.
Underfoot were slippery rocks and a thick layer of rotting leaves. The surroundings were eerily silent; not even the chirping of insects or birds could be heard.
Yang Qi walked forward about a hundred meters, his gaze sweeping the area.
Suddenly—
[Warning]
[Spirit Beast breeding valley detected!]
[Preliminary scan indicates the presence of multiple special Spirit Beast life auras in the valley. Suspected to be a natural Spirit Beast habitat or a sanctuary for ancient relict species.]
[Host can report this to the Sect. The Sect’s upper echelon can then organize a professional force to evaluate and formulate a detailed plan to conquer or incorporate this location, bringing it under the Sect’s sphere of influence.]
[This action will expand resource acquisition channels, greatly strengthening the Sect’s power and foundation!]