Chapter 193 (1/2)

After going through the winding mountain path, they finally reached the top of the mountain.

It was the top in name only. For ease of travel, the mountain path was carved through the ridge and the “top” that they were on. It was one of the higher points of an already low-lying altitude. They were surrounded by two massive peaks that marked the Dragonspine Ridge. It almost felt like the two sides were closing in on them. A remarkable scene indeed.

Lily as usual, was at the forefront of the party. Fatigue did not seem to exist in her dictionary. While the strong horses that they rode were already gasping for air, the werehusky was bouncing up and about. “I see the Blood Lake! Over there! Over there!”

Hao Ren and the rest quickened their steps as they heard her cry. From the open area on the mountain where they stood, their destination lay before them. The Beinz Blood Lake. Actually, there was still some distance to go before they reached the lake proper but, the skies were clear that day, and the party could see miles beyond.

A wide open plain and a thick forest lay towards the foot of the mountain. In the middle, was the Beinz Blood Lake, its crimson waters shimmering like rubies. It was just like the legends, the water on the lake was red as blood and it was all the more captivating under the sunlight. It was highly unusual, but nonetheless, still a sight to behold.

“It’ll be much easier going downhill. The road conditions ahead are much better than the eastern ridge. Plus, the elevation is not that steep. After reaching the foot, we’ll head southwest towards Leyton. That’s the last proper town we’ll see before going into the Blood Lake area. Let’s rest up in Leyton for a while. We’ll get into the Blood Lake region after passing through the Leyton Outpost,” Becky said from the back of the party.

“This is really something, isn’t it.” Hao Ren could not help but be amazed by the scene before him. He had wondered how the Blood Lake would have looked like. At first, he thought it was simply a lake filled with red liquid. But, the scenery before him shattered that image. The majestic lake was not only a sight to behold, its effect on its surroundings were equally palpable. The land around the lake had a crimson hue to it, giving the lake a sense of foreboding mystique, almost as if the land was surrounded by some sort of force field. Hao Ren stood awestruck for a good while before noticing that the crimson hue around the lake was not just a reflection of light. “Is that a forest?”

Becky looked in the direction Hao Ren pointed to; a patch of forest between the mountains and the lake. A path that they had to tread to reach the lake after leaving Leyton. The forest was surprisingly uniformed with its layout. With almost each square metre of land covered in the same density of trees. The leaves were an eerie shade of crimson purple. She noticed that Hao Ren and his gang were all astonished by the sight of the forest. An unsurprised look appeared on her face. “There’s always a first time, eh? That’s the forest, the Gnarled Grove. Legend says that when the goddess destroyed the world, her rage was stored within the lake. The Gnarled Grove was formed from the corruption of the plant life. I’ve heard that the Blood Lake has many strange and dangerous creatures. That forest is the most lethal of all. It’s a plant life the size of a plain, and we have to traverse through it.”

“A plant? What do you mean?” Hao Ren was dumbfounded.

“Literally. Don’t tell me you don’t even know this? I thought you might have at least heard of it before?” Becky shrugged. “The entirety of the Gnarled Grove is from the same plant. The trees are pretty much appendages of an ancient lifeform that have broken to the surface. A group of elven researchers finally confirmed this after about a hundred years of research. But don’t you worry, the forest itself isn’t hostile. It’s the flora and fauna within it that we need to be weary of.”

A shiver went down Hao Ren’s spine as he heard what Becky said. He threw his gaze towards the forest by the foothills once again and tried to imagine the patch of forest as a gigantic living plant life. His thoughts then went to the fact that they would need to go through it and goosebumps started to form. Lily did not even bother to hide her nervousness. “Is there any other way?”

Becky then pointed towards the northern part of the forest. The flat plain on that side had a darker hue of crimson purple, and under the sunlight, it was even more pronounced. Connected to the purple plain was another range of mountains. “There is another path towards the Blood Lake but, that means going through the Virulent Flatlands towards the north of the lake. You will then need to pass through the sacred mountains of the mountain folk and the werewolves. It’s way, way more dangerous. Don’t be fooled by the mountain folks’ congeniality, they absolutely abhor foreigners stepping into their sacred lands. The werewolves, even more so.”

“Even though they have their own kind here?” Lily puffed her chest up to press home the point that she was a werewolf.

Truth be told, if her proportions were more like Vivian’s, perhaps the chest puffing would have worked better…

Becky gave Lily a sideways glance. “You sure you’re a werewolf? I feel that I know more about their customs than you. Throughout the years, only a few popes of the Disciples of Glory and the last great king, Baldwin were invited into the sacred mountains. Where did your confidence even come from?”