webnovelfull Chapter 406 The Sea of Illusion
Chapter 406 The Sea of Illusion
After simply saying hello to Lei Xiu and declining his request to come along, Le Zhi set off with Mao Qiu and Gui.
The tortoise was a great guide. They didn't encounter anyone else on their way out of the Han Hai Clan's territory, which saved Le Zhi a lot of social troubles. At this time, socializing was the last thing he needed.
Without asking where the turtle was taking him, Lezhi simply followed closely beside it. The leaf beetle, on the other hand, was quite excited, as it was rare for Lezhi to forage with them. It circled around Lezhi almost constantly, its movements in the water resembling those of a graceful dancing sprite. Just watching it was a pleasure. Therefore, even the furry ball, which usually disliked other creatures approaching Lezhi, didn't comment on its clinginess.
Such a beautiful little thing, what's wrong with being a little clingy?
The journey was unexpectedly harmonious. The turtle was taciturn, Lezhi was silent, Maoqiu was mute, and the leaf beetle was simple. They didn't communicate much with each other, but they formed a group of their own, which was exactly what Lezhi needed at this moment.
The tortoise seemed to know that the purpose of bringing Lezhi out was to help him relax, so they moved at a slow pace, almost like taking a stroll. After leaving the territory of the Han Hai Clan, the creatures in the vicinity became more diverse. Some were timid and would hurriedly hide at the sight of the tortoise's silhouette, while others were incredibly bold, not only not hiding, but some would even deliberately fly past Lezhi and his group.
Along the way, they passed through anemone forests and along rocky cliffs until they came to a patch of fiery red seaweed. The turtle slowed down with great interest, occasionally lowering its head to take a bite of the seaweed. For it, this was a favorite snack found on its journey. Encountering it was fate, so it naturally couldn't miss it.
The glossy leaf worm was also very excited. This seaweed was one of its staple foods and tasted quite good. When it returned to Lezhi's side after eating its fill, Lezhi was surprised to find that the glossy leaf worm's entire body was dyed the color of the seaweed and turned fiery red.
After a moment of stunned silence, the memories stored in his mind automatically surfaced, and Lezhi remembered that the turtle had once mentioned to him the characteristics of the leaf beetle. He hadn't paid much attention to the leaf beetle these past few days, so this was the first time he had seen such a sight, and he immediately became interested.
Because he helped the leaf bug kill the conch last time, Lezhi later tried it and found that he seemed to have developed a very strange connection with the leaf bug. This connection allowed him to completely control the leaf bug's behavior and even its thoughts. If his relationship with the fur ball was that of two close but independent individuals, then his relationship with the leaf bug was more like a subordinate relationship.
Considering the Zerg's social structure, Lezhi quickly understood the current situation. Simply put, the Leafhoppers were his subjugated underlings. This subjugation was like his subjugation of the Cocoa Vine and the Mushroom—it was complete control.
It turns out that animals, like plants, can be tamed. I just don't know if this taming is something only he can do, or if other tree spirits can do it too.
This is a question that Lezhi has been pondering in his depression these past two days. If he is the only one who can do it, then obviously, this matter will become his secret again.
However, it's not time to draw conclusions yet. Lezhi manipulated the energy to flow through the body of the leaf worm and was surprised to find that the leaf worm had actually completely integrated the characteristics of the seaweed it had just eaten. Its body structure was now almost identical to that of a plant. Just as the turtle said, if it couldn't find any other food in the next few days, the leaf worm could maintain its vitality by basking in the sunlight, just like a plant.
How amazing! After reaching this conclusion, Lezhi's first reaction was amazement. The more he learned about Jormungandr, the more he felt the wonder of this world.
Especially now, the leaf beetle, a small, soft-bodied insect species, has no hard shell, no sharp teeth, and cannot produce toxins. It can be said that it has almost no offensive power and would definitely be at the bottom of the food chain in the entire aquatic system, but it has such amazing characteristics.
With countless ideas surging in his mind, Lezhi stared intently at the Leafworm, his eyes shining brightly. Perhaps this little guy would bring him and the Treant Clan an unexpected surprise.
"Lezhi, what are you thinking about? Let's go. If we don't leave now, we won't be able to get back before dark."
The turtle's muffled sound brought Lezhi back to his senses. They were on their way, and his idea needed some time to take shape. There was no rush. Lezhi smiled and reached out to shove the leaf-eating insect onto his shoulder before quickly catching up with the turtle.
"You seem so happy, something good must have happened?"
"Ah, no, not really, I just thought of some fun things."
Lezhi usually doesn't reveal things before they're done, so he gave a few vague answers. Fortunately, the tortoise didn't really need to know. It noticed that Lezhi seemed to be in a much better mood, and since the purpose of the trip had been achieved, it could be considered to have accomplished its mission successfully.
In this situation, they could actually just head back home, but as the saying goes, since they've come all this way, and the turtle said the place was fun, it must have something to offer. Therefore, Lezhi didn't mention leaving early at all, and the turtle didn't say anything either. When you're out having fun, you should enjoy it to the fullest, and the place it was taking Lezhi to was definitely one he would like.
Based on its experience of raising children for hundreds of years, the tortoise made a positive judgment.
…………
"Is this the place you brought me to?"
Feeling the eerie atmosphere emanating from the sea before him, Lezhi asked with some uncertainty.
"Yes, this is it. This is the deepest part of this body of water. Your tree spirits also call this place the Sea of Illusion."
"The Sea of Illusion..." The name itself reveals the impression the tree spirits have of this place, while the turtle seems indifferent. Could it be that the turtle knows something about this place that the tree spirits don't, which explains the difference in their attitudes?
"Alright, it's getting late, let's go in quickly." As if noticing Lezhi's hesitation, Turtle urged Lezhi to continue, his tone even carrying a hint of excitement.
I have a feeling he might be sold by the turtle, but I have no proof.
By this point, it was too late to back down. Lezhi could only grit his teeth and follow the turtle, slowly entering this eerie sea.
The Sea of Illusion seemed to be a different world from other waters. Once they crossed that boundary, their figures immediately disappeared, leaving no trace.
…………
"...So you let him go out with the turtle alone, just because you thought Lezhi wanted to be alone?" Ji Lin shouted incredulously, and Lei Xiu was so stunned by his shout that he didn't move. Instead, Miao Yin spoke up to speak a fair word for Lei Xiu.
"What else can we do? You've seen Lezhi's personality these past few days. When he makes a decision, do others have any say in it? Or are you going to make Lei Xiu provoke Lezhi at this time?"
Lezhi was already visibly in a bad mood, and who knew that what he said or did would become the trigger. He was being very careful, so how could he expect Leixiu to ignore it?
The fire above his head was extinguished by Miaoyin's words. Ji Lin's originally frizzy hair was also shriveled by the blow. At this moment, the blooming wisteria flower on Lei Xiu's wrist made a sound, "Alright, it's okay. I trust Lei Xiu's judgment and I also believe that Le Zhi will be careful. He is a good boy."
Across from them was Le Chu. Ji Lin and Miao Yin had come together to visit Le Zhi, but upon arrival they discovered that Le Zhi had gone out alone, and Lei Xiu hadn't stopped her. Therefore, Ji Lin immediately asked Lei Xiu to contact Le Chu so he could complain.
Of course, on the surface it was a complaint, but in reality Ji Lin just wanted Le Chu to know that he had not deliberately neglected Le Zhi. As a minor from another tribe, Le Zhi went out alone without their company. If something really happened, Ji Lin didn't even dare to think about the consequences.
The reason for notifying Lechu immediately was to let him know all of Lezhi's movements in a timely manner, since he is currently Lezhi's legitimate guardian.
Everyone present could see through his intentions, and they also knew that Ji Lin had suffered an undeserved misfortune, so no one blamed him.
It's too early to even talk about blaming her. Le Chu understands her child; she's been very calm since hearing the news, and even less worried after learning that the turtle was with her. "By the way, you just called, and I was just about to contact you. There's something I need to let you know first..."