The Mist Forest, located in the heart of the Aifala Continent, holds a high concentration of magic power due to the ancient secrets left behind and its unique natural terrain, setting it apart from other regions.
And naturally, it brings forth dangerous demons born from the pale white mist.
Living long in a high-density magic environment, enjoying the abundant magic's nourishment, these demons either possess bodies far more robust than ordinary creatures or are inherently capable of manipulating natural laws.
They occupy the highest ecological niche in the entire forest.
Yet similarly, their ability to sit stably at the pyramid's top relies heavily on the support of the massive foundation below.
This forest, perpetually shrouded in a thin mist, also houses a vast number of ordinary creatures not listed in the Monster Encyclopedia.
"Rustle."
A gentle breeze brushed by, and leaves floated down.
The brown bark resembled a dried-up waterway, rough and filled with cracks and ruts.
From afar, it seemed just like the most common oak branch in the forest.
But if you were patient enough and observed more closely,
you would gradually discover the fleeting flash of a scarlet snake tongue in the air and the long, slender outline that subtly protruded and extended from the tree trunk's surface.
This was a Rosalind's Viper.
The light brown mottled patterns on its dense scales, along with the patience and sluggishness unique to cold-blooded animals, made it almost blend into the environment.
And its triangular, pointed head naturally hinted at the intense toxicity this type of snake possessed.
It waited silently.
There was never a shortage of prey in the Mist Forest.
Its unique body structure, capable of swallowing creatures several times its size, with a nearly five-foot length and sharp fangs underneath its skull ready to inject venom at any moment,
meant its prey list wasn't limited to frogs and lizards but even included some small to medium-sized mammals.
And should it encounter creatures that were excessively large, the survival instincts born from deep within its bloodline would steer them away from such a venomous danger.
"Squeak."
A long-eared rat, covered in fur, cautiously moved its body among the fallen leaves.
Its clear and foolish rodent eyes seemed to have already foretold its fate.
It gradually approached.
The viper's cold vertical pupils bore no emotion, its neck coiled, and muscles tense.
The explosive muscles beneath its scales allowed it to inject its venom into its target within mere fractions of a second, followed by tightening its coils, waiting quietly for the prey to die.
The small brown scales trembled slightly under the swelling muscles.
This was the precursor to its attack.
Then,
buzz—
An iron-gray sharp glint flickered briefly in the air.
Amidst the fine wood shavings flying from the trunk, the long-eared rat fled into the depths of the underbrush in a panic.
The viper's body remained tensed and coiled, poised to hunt.
But its head had already been severed by the cold, sharp blade.
"Damn! Gave me a scare!"
With lingering fear, Xia Nan exerted slight force with his right hand, pulling the Beheading Longsword out from the tree trunk with effort.
This was already his second day returning to the Mist Forest.
Contrary to what he'd expected, the forest's complex environment, filled with mist and countless similar trees, made it difficult to navigate, even with a professional compass and crude map purchased from the grocery store shelves.
Plus, being alone, every slight sound around him kept Xia Nan on high alert, cautiously advancing.
So much so that his progress was even slower than the Stinky Fish and Shrimp Group before—
Back then, he hadn't felt it, but thinking back now, it was probably because Magi had some kind of Professional Combat Skills for exploring directions.
Luckily, the location of the Firefly Garlic Vine in his memory wasn't far from River Valley Town. After an afternoon and another half of a morning, he pretty much reached it.
Digging a small pit in the ground, Xia Nan disdainfully used his sword's tip to lift the snake head and throw it in.
The cold knowledge he didn't know where he picked up from his past life made him aware that even when decapitated, snakes can still contract their muscles and inject venom due to muscle memory.
So, for safety's sake, it was best to bury its head to avoid getting bitten.
In Xia Nan's eyes, the Mist Forest's most dangerous things, naturally, were those bizarre demons;
But those various snakes and insects encountered everywhere on the road were undoubtedly the most disgusting.