Above The Sky -
Chapter 1028 - 1028 116 Forest Ocean Spirit 12
1028: Chapter 116: Forest Ocean Spirit (1/2) 1028: Chapter 116: Forest Ocean Spirit (1/2) [Prophet, we wish to meet you]
In the haze of a shallow dream, Ian heard this voice.
He keenly perceived that the speaker was none other than the legendary Forest Ocean Spirit of the Redwood Natives, who only descended upon the “Chosen One” to deliver divine messages.
Why was he chosen?
Why would he, a White Folk exiled to South Ridge, draw the attention of the Redwood Natives’ Ritual Spirit?
Moreover, judging by the voice, it seemed to be very familiar with him, even knowing of Ian’s identity as a prophet.
This was indeed very intriguing—of course, Ian readily agreed, setting off early and arriving at the Great Redwood Forest west of Harrison Port.
Although the Redwood Natives had been subdued by Harrison Port, and the chiefs of various tribes had sworn loyalty to Viscount Grant, the Great Redwood Forest was far from being completely controlled by the Imperial People… Rather, this primordial forest had accommodated everyone within it from the very start.
The Imperial people residing in South Ridge—did they conquer this land, or were they tamed by it, becoming new “Redwood Natives”?
This was truly something difficult to articulate.
After all, even the Empire, who prided themselves as “Conquerors of All Lands,” instinctively used honorifics when speaking of the Forest Ocean Spirit, unlike their arrogant attitude towards the Rising Tide Spirit and Mountain Tide Spirit, treating those gargantuan beings as mere prey.
Because they knew very well… every grain they harvested, every fruit they obtained, every herb and Sublimation Plant they collected—all were gifts from the Forest Ocean Spirit.
The Great Redwood Forest coexisted with everyone living on this land.
Thus, Ian did not aimlessly search for the existence of the Forest Ocean Spirit upon entering the forest.
Instead, he stood patiently beneath the towering redwoods, awaiting its “guidance.”
Soon, a gentle breeze stirred the white mist, blowing scattered leaves toward Ian’s gaze.
Ian followed the direction of the falling leaves.
Morning light shone upon the dense canopy of the forest, illuminating the outside world, yet within the woods, it remained as dark as night.
The white-haired youth walked naturally on the littered forest floor, clad in a waterproof cloak, venturing deeper into areas untrodden even by the bravest natives, into the remotest parts of the forest.
Ahead of the youth, several leaves swirled forward, guided by the breeze, refusing to land—they were the Forest Ocean Spirit’s guides.
Soon, after a long journey, Ian arrived at a small knoll surrounded by dense woods.
The knoll was draped in lush greenery—unremarkable for South Ridge.
Hunters familiar with the forest knew that such locations were likely habitats of subterranean bears or lairs of savage beasts, so they usually avoided them.
However, Redwood Natives often chose such knolls to construct the core of their tribes.
The knoll before Ian must have been the dwelling of some tribe in the past.
The reason for emphasizing “past” was because this place was now in ruins; Ian could see remnants resembling temple fragments atop the knoll.
They were built with exceedingly rare large stones from the forest ocean.
Though half of an archway had collapsed, the remaining half still stood lofty and magnificent, instilling a sense of sanctity.
Though called ruins, the site was desolate.
Apart from the stones, there was nothing else—not even greedy adventurers could find a jar to kick here, leaving empty-handed and disappointed.
But Ian was no greedy adventurer.
He was a greedy prophet.
He never needed to kick jars—treasure chests containing valuables would appear before him automatically!
So, as he reached this place, he arched an eyebrow in surprise, saying, “It’s actually here—”
With his words, behind the remaining archway, the shrubs and forest on the small knoll seemed to be parted by invisible hands, creating a narrow path.
A distinctly manmade entrance leading underground appeared before the young man.
[——It is here]
Ian once again heard the voice of the “forest ocean”: [We, who exist on this land, now wait for you beneath this nexus]
“I came in haste, didn’t prepare any gifts—don’t think me rude.”
Ian strode inside.
He certainly felt no fear.
Not to mention his combat ability, which leveraged the Ancient Dragon Heart Core and Essence Furnace Core to rival that of the Third Energy Level, he also had other trump cards—the Deceased Monarch, his Dual Sublimation System, Alchemical Potions, and even the Alchemical Bombs he carried, enough to blast this small knoll into rubble…
And add to that the contingency plan already set—he could summon Hua’an or even Viscount Grant for aid at any moment if something went amiss.
Whenever Ian embarked on an expedition, he ensured thorough preparations to guarantee absolute security!
Moreover, he could discern that the forest ocean sought him out with goodwill.
Ian simply didn’t know where this goodwill stemmed from.
The inner section of the knoll was not made of soil—the outermost layers were earthen, but deeper inside, there were peculiar, hollow structures resembling petrified tree roots.
Clearly, the knoll wasn’t naturally formed but was a subterranean hollow forcibly “constructed” by some strange plant roots.
This was presumably the “nexus” the forest ocean referred to.
The deeper he went, the brighter the light became.
Soon, Ian suddenly felt his vision expand—the narrow underground path within the knoll disappeared with a single step.
In front of the young man was an expansive floor composed of woven, vine-like green roots, while the dome above was supported by numerous petrified root systems, forming a hemispherical vault.
At the center of this expanse was a small amber-like depression, the source of light.
In it sparkled pristine, transparent water, emanating a sacred aura, as though breathing—the vitality of life pulsated through it, gathering the full strength of the root system within the underground cavity.
There was no doubt—what appeared before Ian was the Tree Sea Holy Spring, the legendary life spring of the Redwood Natives, capable of healing any injury.
“Interesting.”
But Ian merely glanced at the Holy Spring once, before shifting his focus to the entire underground environment.
The Holy Spring was indeed precious—its concentration and purity of Life Essence even surpassed the Crystal Lake of the South Sea Great Labyrinth…
Even the waters at the bottom of Dazzling Lake could barely compare.
Certainly, both Crystal Lake and Dazzling Lake had a far larger volume of water than the Holy Spring.
Yet, the Holy Spring provided direct healing capacities, while the other lakes were merely bases for cultivating substances—a distinction between different categories of essences.
But that was all—the natural healing essence didn’t particularly captivate Ian.
What intrigued him more was the underground cavity’s unique environment.
“The atmospheric composition has changed—oxygen is higher, nitrogen slightly lower, and carbon dioxide more concentrated… slightly acidic… This composition resembles that of the Otherworld…”
Silver ripples glimmered in Ian’s eyes as he analyzed the surroundings.
He murmured to himself: “No, this is the Otherworld—this is an ‘Otherworld Ecological Circle’!”
“This is a ‘Miniature Ecological Garden’ constructed underground by the Forest Ocean Spirit!”
The subterranean cavity beneath the Great Redwood Forest was cut off from the outside world.
Here, the atmospheric composition sharply contrasted Terra’s norm.
Besides various elemental differences, the air contained tangible pheromones and spore-like fungal microorganisms, released from the vines forming the forest ocean’s terrain.
And these weren’t just part of the ecosystem—they were a language.
The Silver Chip translated these languages… At the same time, Spiritual Energy fluctuations conveying the same meanings once again communicated with Ian: [Prophet, you have come as promised.
We are delighted]
[Moreover, for thousands of years, apart from the earliest leader of the Redwood People, you are the first Terra human to perceive the truth of this environment]
The forest ocean’s voice carried a trace of gratitude.
Amid soft rustling sounds, Ian saw that large tender leaves, buds, and vines began to sprout from the ground’s surface.
In an instant, these varied plant materials combined into a figure—a vaguely discernible wooden humanoid form resembling a woman.
The figure was extraordinarily tall, akin to a goddess statue of eight feet, its details remarkably refined.
Though composed of leaves, vines, and roots, one could make out its features—a simplistic long dress and a serene face.
This was a sacred, maternal visage, closely matching the subconscious humanoid image of the Forest Ocean Spirit held by most South Ridge inhabitants.
No… rather, it was precisely because everyone believed the Forest Ocean Spirit manifestly resembled this form that the Spirit chose to appear before Ian in such a guise.
“You are…”
Ian examined the wooden humanoid in front of him.
He knew it was a visage condensed by the Forest Ocean Spirit for effective communication.
The Spirit nodded slightly: [I am the Forest Ocean Spirit of this land, the embodiment of all vegetation around the Great Redwood Forest]
[Prophet, ever since we learned of your existence, we have waited for an opportune moment, planning to invite and guide you here within a decade]
[But you grew too quickly, left too soon, and returned so swiftly—it exceeded our expectations.
Therefore, we could not fully prepare and had to seize this chance to engage directly with you]
[Hence, it may seem abrupt]
—A decade?
Your sense of time might be a little off.
Hearing this, Ian couldn’t help but silently retort… Could “within a decade” also be considered “soon”?
Was the time perception of plant spirits truly so peculiar?
Still, this was no surprise.
If the Great Redwood Forest Spirit’s nature aligned with his hypothesis, then differences in time perception might just be the simplest among all disparities.
“I’m glad to meet you—or rather, all of you, Forest Ocean Spirit.”
Raising his gaze, Ian addressed the Spirit: “As you’re aware, my purpose here is to seek the Foreseeing Bifoliate and assess whether it can enhance my prophetic abilities… If not, I wish to study it nonetheless.”
“Since we can communicate, let’s approach this logically—Forest Ocean Spirit, how might I obtain the Foreseeing Bifoliate from you?
What do you need?
Or, what should I do?”
“You extended this invitation, so clearly there’s mutual interest.
We each have our desires—surely collaboration is possible.”
[I can simply give you the Foreseeing Bifoliate, no cost required]
The towering wooden Madonna statue smiled at Ian: [Initially, I sought to invite you for a prediction of future directions, but later, I simply wished to express gratitude]
[Thank you, Ian.
Your groundbreaking technology has expanded the wilderness, allowing our domain to delve deeper into this world—into humanity’s realm]
Ian: “?”
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