In the tranquil depths of the forest, two apprentice brothers, Lin Mo and Wu Di, strolled leisurely, untouched by the punishment for their actions in the city months prior.

When the Sun Sword Sect sought an explanation, the elders brushed off the incident as "mere sparring between disciples."

Unable to take further action since only junior disciples were involved, the Sun Sword Sect elders left in defeat.

"Is it true that this forest is boundlessly vast?" Lin Mo mused aloud. “When will we have the strength to explore its entirety?”

The forest, known as the Eternal Forest, encircled Sword City and the towering peaks surrounding it. Lin Mo had once gazed upon it from a peak, its expanse seemingly infinite.

Their elders had provided only scant information about the forest—it was said to be divided into seven layers, beyond which lay uncharted territory. Inhabited by Monster Beasts, the deeper one ventured, the greater the danger.

Their elders had repeatedly warned against delving too deeply.

Yet, amidst the peril, lay the promise of riches. Rare spiritual herbs and fruits flourished in the forest's depths, tempting disciples to brave its dangers.

The first layer, relatively less perilous after martial arts training, was home to wild beasts, the weakest in the hierarchy. This outermost layer housed the Sword City.

With their current strength, hunting these wild beasts posed no challenge to Lin Mo and Wu Di. Thus, they decided to venture into the second layer, where encounters with spiritual beasts were common.

"We've never ventured this far before," Lin Mo observed, scanning their surroundings. "But since we're still in the second layer, we should be safe."

Wu Di simply followed, his demeanor composed and resolute.

At the end of each month, disciples received their assignments: missions to hunt beasts in both the first and second layers of the forest. Today marked the beginning of one such day.

In a particular area of the forest, multiple groups of disciples had converged. Representatives from the Sky Sword Sect, the Sun Sect, and even the Moon Sect were present.

While the Sky Sword Sect held a lesser reputation, the other two sects wielded significant influence in Sword City, often clashing with each other.

It was unusual to see them gathered without argument. Instead, they all observed their surroundings with a sense of unease.

Standing at the center of a massive crater, at least fifty meters in radius, they exchanged wary glances. Similar craters, arranged in a straight line, dotted the landscape.

"Perhaps it was caused by a passing beast?" speculated one disciple, voicing the concern shared by all.

Seeing the destruction of the surrounding, they all had similar guesses: a beast of enormous size must have passed through here. Yet, according to their knowledge, such creatures shouldn't exist in the first two layers of the forest—unless...

"Order all disciples to evacuate the forest," a senior disciple commanded. "We must alert the sect of this danger."

Due to this peculiar occurrence, disciples from all three sects agreed to cooperate, swiftly exiting the area in unison.

Deep within the second layer, Lin Mo and Wu Di wandered undisturbed, unaware of the meeting unfolding between the three sects.

Their focus lay elsewhere—they searched for spiritual herbs to aid Lin Mo's next breakthrough and hunted beasts to fulfill their monthly quota.

Despite delving deep into the second layer, they encountered no beasts—a peculiar absence that didn't escape Wu Di's notice.

"I don't think we should be here," Wu Di voiced his concern.

"Scared, Brother Wu?" Lin Mo teased.

"Hmph."

Undeterred, they pressed on.

"Look, Brother Wu, an open area," Lin Mo pointed ahead, where the forest seemed to give way.

Approaching, the air filled with enticing aromas, signaling a shift from the forest's dense foliage to an open expanse.

It wasn't the forest's end but rather a flourishing garden of herbs. Lin Mo wasted no time, swiftly gathering each herb within reach.

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Seeing this, Wu Di couldn't shake a sense of déjà vu, a feeling of familiarity that sent shivers down his spine.

"Why is there a garden here?" Wu Di pondered, his thoughts echoing Lin Mo's sentiments.

The presence of such a lush and untouched garden amidst the wilderness was unprecedented. It seemed as if someone had been safeguarding it.

Gradually, Wu Di became aware of the abrupt silence that had descended upon the forest. The chirping of birds and the trill of crickets had ceased, replaced by an unsettling stillness.

"Something's not right," he observed, his tone growing colder.

Hearing Wu Di's unease, Lin Mo halted his herb gathering, scanning their surroundings. The forest had fallen eerily silent, heightening their apprehension.

Without warning, the ground began to tremble violently, as if rocked by an earthquake.

Reacting swiftly, the two sought refuge behind a nearby tree, bracing themselves for whatever imminent danger awaited them.

As an immense silhouette blocked out the sun, casting a shadow over them, Lin Mo and Wu Di cautiously peered out to behold a sight that left them speechless.

Before them loomed a colossal elephant, its massive form dominating the garden. Its elongated tusks, shimmering silver in the sunlight, nearly grazed the ground, while its trunk, large enough to suck the air from its surroundings, swayed ominously.

This garden clearly belonged to the giant elephant, but Lin Mo and Wu Di knew that no ordinary elephant could attain such staggering proportions.

This was a beast unlike any they had ever encountered—a creature of unprecedented size and form.

As the giant beast's trunk swept through the garden, gathering herbs with a voracious appetite, it suddenly halted, sniffing the air intently.

In a swift, decisive motion, it headed toward a nearby tree, crushing it effortlessly.

"How did it notice?" Lin Mo cursed, his voice tinged with worry.

Caught in the gaze of the colossal creature, Lin Mo appeared minuscule in comparison, a mere ant before a behemoth.

"Escape!" Shouted Wu Di.

Knowing when to retreat was as crucial as knowing when to fight, and facing this formidable giant was a battle they could not win alone.

In a blur of motion, Lin Mo covered a vast distance, agilely leaping from tree to tree with each bound. Yet, even as he fled, the trees seemed to quiver around him, a testament to the sheer force of his pursuer.

Glancing back, Lin Mo's heart sank as he spotted the giant, its relentless pursuit closing in with alarming speed.

"Why is it so fast?" Lin Mo cursed under his breath, bewildered by the creature's unexpected agility despite its colossal size.

Realizing that he couldn't outpace the relentless pursuit of the giant, Lin Mo's thoughts raced for a solution.

"There's a cave ahead," Wu Di's voice pierced Lin Mo's panic.

Without hesitation, Lin Mo retrieved an object from his spatial pouch and hurled it high into the sky.

As it shattered mid-air, a formation of strange dark clouds materialized—a signal for rescue. Each disciple carried a single such object for emergencies like this.

With the signal sent, Lin Mo dashed ahead into the narrow opening of the cave, hoping it would provide sanctuary from their relentless pursuer.

Outside the cave, the giant came to a halt, its massive frame preventing it from entering the narrow opening.

Inside, the thunderous blast of the giant's trumpet reverberated, shaking the cave to its core. Fortunately, Lin Mo and Wu Di had learned to manipulate their Qi to shield themselves from the deafening noise.

In the dimly lit cavern, with only a faint glimmer of light seeping through a narrow passage, Lin Mo collapsed to the ground, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Suddenly, a sharp sound shattered the stillness.

"What in the world?" Lin Mo exclaimed, his gaze falling upon a human skeleton lying beside him. Just moments ago, it had been intact.

From the skeleton's posture, it was clear that this person had passed away while in meditation. Yet, as Lin Mo examined the remains, a glint caught his eye.

There, on the skeleton's finger, rested a ring.

"I'll dig a grave so Senior can rest in peace," declared Lin Mo, a righteous aura surrounding him as he moved with purpose.

Heading to the end of the cave, Lin Mo began to dig a hole large enough to accommodate all the bones. With determined effort, he prepared the final resting place for the deceased.

"Now, I'll move your body, Senior," Lin Mo stated, still maintaining his righteous demeanor as he carefully lifted the skeleton.

But as he did so, the ring on the skeleton's finger slipped off, landing at Lin Mo's feet. His expression shifted from righteousness to shock.

"This... Senior is rewarding me for my kind act?" Lin Mo murmured, his voice trembling with emotion. "Then I shall accept it with gratitude."

With reverence, Lin Mo retrieved the ring and slipped it onto his second finger, honoring the unexpected gift. Then, as promised, he gently laid the skeleton to rest in the prepared grave.

All the while, Wu Di observed from the sidelines, aware of the significance of the ring. It was a spatial-type treasure, much like his own, capable of storing items within a larger space and easier to carry.

"Be careful, Brother Lin. They say the spirits of the departed are attached to their belongings. You might attract the ghost of the owner," warned Wu Di, his tone playful.

"Don't joke, Brother Wu," Lin Mo replied with a wry smile, though a hint of curiosity tugged at him.

Ignoring Wu Di's jest, Lin Mo focused on the ring, his spiritual sense probing its contents. Within, he discovered a hoard of gold, a scripture, and a mysterious blue orb suspended in a corner.

Intrigued by the orb, Lin Mo approached it cautiously. Yet, as he made contact with it using his spiritual sense, he was violently expelled from the ring.

Startled, Lin Mo watched as a strange blue fog began to seep from the ring, quickly filling the cave.

"Brother Wu, do you see this?" Lin Mo called out, his voice tinged with urgency.

“?” Wu Di appeared puzzled, glancing around, evidently unaware of the blue fog spreading from the ring.

As Lin Mo's vision began to blur, the fog coalesced into a single point, taking on the form of an old man.