Chapter 392 - 207: Spirit Realm, Trace of the Ancient Tree Deer Spirit

Chapter 392: Chapter 207: Spirit Realm, Trace of the Ancient Tree Deer Spirit

Countless birds with iridescent plumage perched and flew among the trees.

An ethereal, dreamlike radiance, faint yet present, illuminated the trees and birds, creating a scene of beauty far beyond ordinary imagination.

The more Pei Ze looked, the more amazed he became.

Just then, a song suddenly drifted over from the distance.

The voice was beautiful and soul-stirring, making one feel an involuntary urge to become lost in it.

Pei Ze raised an eyebrow and walked in the direction of the song.

After walking five or six hundred meters, the view suddenly opened up. A babbling brook came into sight, its water clear and pure.

However, what truly captured his attention was the graceful figure in the center of the stream.

It was a young woman in an exquisite long dress. She had snow-white hair that shimmered like water and eyes of the same color. Her lower body was hidden beneath the surface, revealing only her curvaceous torso.

She danced gracefully in the water, her entire being exuding a breathtaking charm.

’A Lake Spirit? How interesting.’

A hint of a smile flashed in Pei Ze’s eyes.

The Lake Spirit was a type of Spirit Creature that resembled a human or half-elf female of astonishing charm. They excelled at using their songs to unknowingly lure targets into a trance, leaving them at their mercy.

The hallucinatory effect of their song was so potent that even a Second-level Wizard could fall victim if not careful.

Pei Ze hadn’t expected to encounter a Lake Spirit here. They were extremely rare Spirit Creatures, not numerous like Flower Fairies or Water Sprites.

In the eyes of the Lake Spirit, Pei Ze’s contemplation was mistaken for him having fallen under her spell. A flash of delight crossed her delicate face.

But when she turned to look at him, she froze.

"A human? Not one of the Aberrant Insects!"

At that moment, a massive figure had already closed in behind the man and lunged at him.

Seeing this, the Lake Spirit’s expression changed drastically. She hurriedly shouted, "Stop, Vikan! That’s not an Aberrant Insect!"

Unfortunately, it was too late. The figure was less than a meter behind the man, its sharp claws slashing viciously at his back.

The Lake Spirit cried out in alarm, but to her astonishment, the expected spray of blood never came. Instead, lightning erupted from the man’s body. With a pained howl, Vikan was thrown backward, crashing hard into a nearby tree and sending leaves fluttering down.

"!!!"

The Lake Spirit stared, dumbfounded at the scene, her mouth slightly agape.

Pei Ze turned around calmly, his expression serene as he faced his attacker.

It was a ferocious beast shaped like a tiger.

But unlike an ordinary tiger, it was three to four times larger and entirely emerald green, composed of small branches and leaves. It looked like a shrub sculpted into the shape of an animal.

"A Plantation Guard!"

Pei Ze murmured in surprise.

The Plantation Guard was a type of plant-based construct, somewhat similar to a golem. Legend said they were alchemical creations of Wizards from the Dark Age.

They were simple and cheap to create, requiring only some common plants and a single Soul Crystal Stone. In the Dark Age, they were common cannon fodder, and many Wizards also liked to use them as guards.

However, with the later invention of more cost-effective golems, Plantation Guards were gradually abandoned. Nowadays, these constructs were rarely seen.

’This thing must have been around for over a thousand years, hasn’t it?’

Pei Ze sized up the Plantation Guard before him with great interest.

The soul within a Plantation Guard was connected to the Elemental Plane, allowing it to continuously absorb energy. As long as it wasn’t completely destroyed, it could keep functioning indefinitely.

RUSTLE!

The sound of rustling leaves suddenly erupted as more Plantation Guards—some shaped like lions, others like tigers—charged out from all sides, surrounding Pei Ze and watching him menacingly.

Pei Ze was completely unfazed. Plantation Guards weren’t very powerful, at best reaching the level of a Tier Two Legendary Knight. They were nothing to be afraid of.

If not for the Lake Spirit’s timely intervention, the Plantation Guard that had ambushed him would have already been reduced to ash.

"Wait!"

The Lake Spirit, who had reached the shore at some point, called out just in time to stop the Plantation Guards.

"This gentleman is not our enemy."

The Lake Spirit wasn’t a fool; she could naturally tell that Pei Ze had been holding back earlier.

Her gaze shifted to Pei Ze, and she said apologetically, "I’m sorry, sir. I thought you were one of the Aberrant Insects, so... I apologize!"

Pei Ze waved his hand dismissively and asked, "Are there a lot of Aberrant Insects around here?"

"Yes." A worried expression appeared on the Lake Spirit’s face. "The number of Aberrant Insects has been increasing recently, and their attacks are becoming more frequent. Everyone is having a hard time defending."

’Everyone?’

Pei Ze grew thoughtful and asked, "Have you seen a herd of Ancient Tree Deer Spirits?"

The Lake Spirit paused, frowning in thought before shaking her head apologetically.

"I’m sorry, quite a few groups of Magical Creatures have passed through here recently. I can’t remember if the Ancient Tree Deer Spirits were among them."

Seemingly feeling bad, the Lake Spirit added, "But my companions might know. They’re always patrolling the forest’s perimeter, so they’d definitely remember which groups of Magical Creatures have passed by."

"Can you take me to see your companions?"

The Lake Spirit hesitated.

Pei Ze understood her hesitation and explained, "I am a Wizard from the Star Realm Alliance. I have an agreement with the Ancient Tree Deer Spirit Race to lead them out of the Ancient Forest Plane, but I don’t know which way they migrated."

’A Wizard from the Star Realm Alliance!’

The Lake Spirit was taken aback. No wonder this person seemed so powerful.

She didn’t doubt the reason Pei Ze gave.

After all, judging by his reaction when mentioning the Aberrant Insects, he was clearly aware of their invasion of the Ancient Forest Plane.