Chapter 73 – Feeling small (1/2)

Translated by Sunyancai

Those giant dragonflies were gentle in temper, or else they would not allow the warriors in the advance group to take a ride on their backs.

Judging from the behavior of the advance group, Shao Xuan knew that this was not the first time that they used this way to go down the mountain. Also, perhaps those giant dragonflies also had vague memories about the people. However, according to Ta’s theory, the dragonflies do not mind taking the others for a free ride, as long as you do not actively irritate or attack them on purpose.

Viewing from the backs of dragonflies, the forests below seemed to be quite calm and peaceful. Of course that was merely an illusion. The place was even more dangerous than the forests that Shao Xuan had crossed during his last hunting mission.

The law of the jungle also applied in here. The competition for sunlight and nutrition was quite fierce in some places with dense trees. Often, Shao Xuan would see some withered trees. Their roots were large and deep, which were obviously hundreds of years old. They had twisted roots and gnarled branches, but also very dead. There was no worm holes, no cracks on the trunks, but the tree had still died. Ta told Shao Xuan that those were ‘killed’ by the joint efforts of the other trees nearby.

The battlefield of the plants was both above and below the surface. If you peeled the surface away, you could see that the roots of the dead trees had all been strangled by the roots of other trees.

“Attention! Prepare to get off!” Ta warned Shao Xuan.

They could not keep following the group of dragonflies, for they had a different destination. After a short ride, they had to go on separate ways.

The group of dragonflies was quite large, and the forty warriors in the advance group were not together. Even if they started the ride almost at the same time, they got separated after the dragonflies changed their flying formation later. Soon they could not see each other.

“Now! Jump!”

Shao Xuan had no time to react, because he was lifted by Ta and he jumped down together with him.

The landing position that Ta chose was a giant plant that stood there like a tall building. They landed on a huge leaf near the top, for the soft leaf helped remove most of the impact. Also, Ta jumped while the dragonfly was flying low, so they weren’t hurt.

It was a safe landing, and Shao Xuan finally got to stand on his own feet.

The leaf beneath his feet felt cold, but not slippery.

The other warriors in the air were also trying to find suitable landing spots, and constantly jumped down too.

“Let’s go.”

Ta told Shao Xuan to follow. This time, he let go of Shao Xuan. But since he promised the Shaman that he would bring Shao Xuan back safe and sound, he needed to keep an eye on him all the time.

“Okay.” Shao Xuan followed behind Ta, jumping down to other leaves beneath them. They had to move from the top to the bottom, while being careful not to slip and fall.

Only the top one third of the plant was covered by leaves, and the other two third of the plant was only a thick stem.

Ta slowed down on purpose, and Shao Xuan closely followed him, sliding down along the stem.

It was not as bright near the ground as it was on the top. There were too many plants, and the dense branches blocked most of the sunlight. Only some of the sunlight reached the ground. Apparently the lower part was more shady and cool, but the light was enough for Shao Xuan to clearly see the surroundings.

Shao Xuan had a feeling that he became smaller in here, or in other words, the world became larger in size.

He had seen a lot of ancient trees and big ferocious beasts during his last hunting trip, but he did not feel himself to be as small like now.

Even the mushrooms were the size of cabins. How could anyone not feel small?

Ta whistled, with his back closely leaning against the stem of the plant. It was a signal for the warriors in the advance group to come together.

Unlike other deer-like or bird-like whistles of the other hunting groups, the whistle was lower in tone. It was especially designed for this place.

Soon enough, similar whistle sounds came from afar. It was hard to capture if you didn’t pay enough attention.

Shao Xuan looked aside, and found some thin straw-like vine stretching towards him rapidly.

Shao Xuan and Ta both stood in the direction it was moving towards, but Shao Xuan had a clear instinct that those vines were targeting him, and him only.

Whoosh!