Dharma Ring: Selling dung beetles at the border

Patch and Wuming entered a dark forest. The dense trees blocked the light and shadow, and the entire forest was filled with a gloomy and swaying atmosphere of death.

Looking at the scenery behind Patch's butt, Wuming asked:

Where are we now?

We're back, Patch said. The direction is probably from the royal city to the original camp.

Why are you going that way? Wuming was curious.

You ask me? Didn't you direct it? Patch rolled his eyes.

I can only sense the position of other parts of my body. Wuming said with a trance in his eyes, It's moving again, traveling forward one hundred and eighty meters...

After hearing what Wuming said, Pachi took out the map and drew it.

Wuming's navigation was not for Patch, but to report the location of the bugs in real time.

Patch needs to find shortcuts based on these locations to catch up with the bugs.

To do this, he had to first walk through this forest that was located in a depression.

There are some strange creatures in the forest. They are roughly human-shaped and wear a cloak covering their heads. The face exposed from under the cloak is composed of a huge number of worms.

Although Wuming was curious, his first priority was to find bugs with lots of worms, not people with lots of worms, so he didn't provoke them too much.

I feel that we are getting closer. Those bugs seem to be wandering near the forest. Wuming said, What are they doing here? Are the two bugs working together?

It doesn't matter to you whether they are in the same group or not. Patch said, We'll talk about it first.

Help me! A melodious voice came from afar, diluted by the forest and fog, like the voice of a ghost.

Is anyone asking for help? Wuming asked, It seems to be on the right.

That's not the direction we're going, Patch said.

Save it. Wuming said, After saving it, order some runes. I'm hungry. I've been patient for a long time. Oh, my old man, if there are no more runes, I will definitely bite your ass with my teeth.

Have you ever heard of the story about the siren singing to lure sailors to the rocks? Patch didn't want to go.

Is there such a good thing? I happen to be short of singers. Wu Mingxi said, As for if the singing voice is good but the appearance is not enough for the audience to see, then I can also fill my stomach.

Patch had no choice but to turn to the right.

Hey, it's the other way around. The nameless person named Zhu Pachi.

Didn't you mean the right side?

It's the right side, my right side. Wuming rested his head on Patch's back and looked forward, It's the front now.

Can't you just talk about east, west, north and south? Patch said, Do you understand the unified weights and measures?

I want to say it too, but I can't recognize the direction. Wuming said, You also know that I go everywhere by exhaustion. Anyway, one can't step on the same road twice. As long as I walk enough , always find the right way.”

Oh, you are very familiar with the change of things. Patch turned around and walked towards the direction of his ring finger.

That's right, after all, my hometown was destroyed here. Wuming said.

The two walked for a while, and the cry for help became clearer.

This voice sounds a bit familiar. Wuming said, I feel like I've heard it somewhere before.

When Patch passed through two rows of trees again, Wuming saw the person asking for help, and finally understood why the voice sounded familiar.

Alexander? Wuming said.

A huge warrior pot was stuck in the damp and dark forest, its legs were sunk deep into the soil, and its body was stuck between two large trees, and it was stuck tightly.

It was clearly Alexander who challenged Latan in the Red Lion City and took good care of the unknown business.

Alexander heard a voice coming from behind and shouted:

Help me, brother, I'm Stark.

Pachiti slipped away from Wuming and looked at the warrior pot with Wuming: Do you know him?

This is a big financier. Wuming felt at ease now. In the Red Lion City, Wuming was deeply impressed by Alexander's financial resources.

Alexander also recognized the nameless voice and said in surprise:

Nameless, is that you? I am Alexander! I am Stark. In fact, I am pursuing the way of a warrior. I have a million runes in my body. Now pull me out of this pit and help me become a hero. I’ll give you the runes.”

It's coming, it's coming, is it true? Wuming shook excitedly, the black thread wrapped around Patch's waist loosened, and he pulled his head towards Alexander's side.

The black thread arched up and scraped at the soil to pull Wuming closer. Like a maggot, Wuming's little head came to Alexander's back.

Brother, please use your strength. Don't worry about breaking me. I have been working out and my body is quite strong. Alexander said.

Wuming was not polite, stuck his helmet at the joint between Alexander and the soil, and pushed him hard. Those black tentacles kept pulling at him, trying to push Alexander out.

But no matter how hard he tried, Alexander didn't move.

After working hard for a long time, Wuming couldn't move.

After a while, Wuming said to Patch awkwardly:

Help brother, I'm Stark.

How about adjusting the oil bottle? Lubricate it? Alexander suggested.

Patch sighed and found a bottle of oil from his waist, but after thinking about it, he took it back and stuck the spear and shield behind Alexander's butt. He put Wuming's head on the shield as a fulcrum and stepped on the shield. .

Alexander was pried out and pulled himself out of the soil by two big trees.

It finally came out. The soil fits my body so well. Alexander let out a sigh of relief.

Warrior Pot was a little surprised when he saw Patch: Hey, aren't you Wuming? But I clearly heard Wuming's voice.

Oh, here it is. Patch put away his spear and shield, and grabbed the already somewhat shriveled helmet and head below.

The nameless head was used as a branch line, bearing the weight that the helmet could not bear, and half of the head was deflated.

Nameless? Alexander was shocked.

Not dead yet, Wuming said to Alexander, but he will be close soon.

Wuming looked at Patch resentfully:

I never thought that one day I would experience this feeling.

How does it feel? Patch asked.

The feeling of being forcibly reduced to firewood. Wuming lamented, The feeling of having your head crushed.

Did you crush the firewood? Patch said.

That puddle of mud. Wuming said, Don't want to burn yourself? Beat him half alive first.

Mud is really annoying. Alexander shook the mud off his body and nodded empathetically.

Wuming said: Brother, where are your runes?

Oh, it's in my body. Just wait for me to get it for you. Alexander raised his hand and tried hard to lift the lid of the pot above his head.

Alexander asked Wuming: How did you become like this?

Don't mention it, it was plotted against me. Wuming said, Why don't we prepare to find our way back now?

Is there a fight? Alexander became excited, Count me in.

That's so embarrassing. Wuming looked at Alexander's pot lid eagerly, like a pet waiting for dinner.

The lid of the pot was removed, and a strong stench crawled out from the lid and spread darkly in the forest.

Patch held his nose and jumped a little farther, throwing Wuming to the ground:

What does it smell like? It feels like it's going to be rotten if you smell it.

It is indeed corruption. Alexander said, grabbing the rune from the pot, with a lot of green and moldy meat residue still remaining on his fingertips, and handed it to Wuming's helmet.

Wuming didn't mind this. The black tentacles grabbed the runes and pulled the pieces of meat into the helmet, squirming continuously.

Alexander touched the lid of the pot: Last time in Galid, I ate a lot of rotten knights, and their remains were still rotten. They probably fermented in my body.

Alexander sighed: Unfortunately, if I want to become a hero and a greater warrior, simply having a large number of corpses of the Rotten Knights is not enough. Without swallowing the remains of the Star-Shattering General, it is still difficult for me to improve my strength. I still need more Keep working out.”

Warrior Pot squatted in front of Wuming, watched Wuming eat, and swallowed.

Wuming looked at the posture of the warrior pot, hesitated for a moment, and pushed some residue over with his tentacles: You want to eat too?

Alexander shook his head: I saw your head, and I was greedy. You are also a powerful warrior. There is no doubt about your strength. If I can eat your body and make you my content, you will definitely be able to destroy me. Pushed to a higher level.”

Eat what I can't digest. Wuming laughed, Believe me, except for rats, I have never seen people like us eat without getting upset.

Alexander said with some regret: Don't worry, since you are not dead, I will not ingest you.

We are going to snatch my body. If there are any leftovers by then, I won't be able to give you a taste of my body. The tentacles stretched out from Wuming's neck teased the bottom of Alexander's pot.

Okay! There are fights, there are meat to eat, the life of a warrior pot is happy! Alexander grabbed Wuming's head, put it on the lid of his own pot, and set off with Patch.

Chong, rush, rush. ​​Wuming said, I feel it, it's nearby!

=========

Millicent and Letina were roaming in the forest.

Mimi, what are we doing here? Letina said.

Find a way to get to the sacred tree. Millicent said.

Shouldn't the Holy Tree go to the north? Why did we go around to the south? Letina asked.

It's not that we can't go to the Royal City now. We can't pass through the restricted area. Millicent said, We have to look for it slowly at the border.

Millicent said: And I have a feeling that this place is familiar and that I might be able to find something.

Okay. Letina said, Stay away from those earthworm faces. The breath they exhale is very similar to the curse frog.

I'll be careful. Millicent said, finding a depression ahead, Go down and have a look.

The two walked into a hidden valley covered by dense forest.

What kind of plant is this? It's so beautiful. Letina found that there were many bright red buds here, Like the ice crystal wood buds in the snowy mountains. Millicent, you can see them when you go to the snowy mountains. There are many such wood buds. very beautiful.

Millicent stared at these buds: I have seen this kind of buds. They are holy blood buds, made by watering with blood...

There is something there... Letina pointed at something hidden among the shadows of the trees with sharp eyes.

Millicent and Letina approached and found that it was a statue.

Now that Millicent sees the sculpture, she will subconsciously feel some resistance.

Malemare had been following them all the time. As Millicent and others rested, Malemare, who was pulling the cart with a driver, was slow but could always catch up with them.

And with the nameless message, Millicent had no choice but to follow Maremmare to learn sculpture.

Fortunately, Millicent was good at swordsmanship and improved rapidly. Every time she learned a little bit, Millicent would find an excuse to take Letina on the road.

But seeing this sculpture, Millicent felt like she was struck by lightning.

There are two people on the sculpture, one who looks like a young boy and one who looks like an older girl. The two are hugging each other and leaning on each other.

The older girl with long hair had her right arm broken.

The sculpture had a strange attraction that made Millicent unable to take her eyes away and wanted to touch it gently.

In addition to the attraction, there is more of a sense of familiarity.

This is a sculpture of Marlenia and her brother Michaela. Millicent had this realization.

Letina and Millicent paid attention to the sculpture.

Under the base of the sculpture, there is a ethereal and strange illusory light, with an amber color.

This seems to be a starlight fragment? Millicent was a little unsure, I only heard about it from the witch in the teacher's caravan, but the color is not the same.

Millicent asked Letina: Can you see it?

I don't understand stargazing. Letina said she was helpless.

I heard that there is a culture of stargazing in the Snow Mountains. Millicent said.

Indeed, there is, but that is the top of the Giant Mountain. Letina said, It is on the east side of the Snow Mountain, where the terrain is the highest and the weather is sunny. We are in the Holy Snowfield to the west of the Snow Mountain. Lady Michaela probably hid the Holy Tree. Location, there are snowstorms there all day long, and it’s almost impossible to see the sky.”

Millicent stared at the amber starlight for a while, then carefully put away the starlight fragments according to the method she heard from hearsay:

Give him to the teacher. The teacher must like it very much. This starlight fragment has the color of the sun.

Letina looked at Millicent collecting starlight with interest:

You call the caravan's magic teacher a witch.

She is indeed a heretic witch.

But calling her that way seems a bit hostile. Letina rubbed Millicent with the big wolf's hair.

Millicent's face was a little red against the amber starlight.

There was a sound of wheels, and the sunset-like red color immediately faded.

The annoying guy is here. Letina and Millicent already knew who the sound of the wheels belonged to.

Letina glanced at Millicent: And the reason why we can't get rid of this guy is because of you, teacher.

This is the challenge on the tour. Millicent put away the amber starlight and faced Malemare.

Oh, my goddess, why are you here? The environment here is not good, it's too humid and dark - Malemare ran over hurriedly, holding her robe, and greeted her with greetings.

He also saw the sculpture and looked surprised:

This seems to be a sculpture of Lady Marlenia? Did you make it?

How is it possible? The corrosion marks on this sculpture are so heavy. Letina choked Maremmare.

Maybe this is fate. Malemare sighed, Why don't we study here? It's very secluded here.

Malemare changed his story on the spot.

Better get out of here. Millicent glanced at the sculpture.

She always felt that this sculpture was strangely attractive and even scary, so she thought it would be better to stay away from it.

My goddess, are you going on your way after studying today? I found a very nice place along the way. The scenery is very good. We can stay for a while and have dinner under the golden tree. Malemare asked.

No, I'm going to explore north. By the way, I can meet the teacher's caravan and give the teacher something. Millicent said.

Hearing that Millicent was still thinking about Wuming, Malemare pinched her leg through her clothes.

Malemare put on a smile: Okay, do you need my help? I'm also going to deliver the mold.

We'll just be together then, Millicent said.

Malemare was not upset. He had already obtained some information on the way here, and he knew that the businessman could no longer pose a threat.

At this stage, Malemare is prepared to be more graceful.

Just as he was talking, the sky, which was already covered by dense leaves, became darker again, as if something had been thrown down from the valley.

Be careful. Millicent reminded the two of them and hid under the tree.

A pile of things was thrown down, clattering in front of Millicent and the others. It seemed to be some iron tools and minced meat.

It was immediately obvious that this was a pile of broken corpses.

What is this? Letina looked solemn.

Millicent was confused at first, and then when she took a closer look, her expression changed drastically.

The nameless armor design is very unique in the border area. Although it is not eye-catching, it can still be recognized at a glance by those who are familiar with it.

Millicent covered her mouth: This is the teacher's...

Millicent's feet went weak and she almost lost her balance and fell to the ground.

As if she had expected it, Malemare smoothly approached Millicent, closed her eyes and stretched out her hand, gently hugged the slender and trembling body, and let out a deep sigh:

Life is really impermanent... Please bear with me and accept the changes. People cannot be resurrected after death... Don't be too sad. You seem to be too sad and have become thinner... Are you a little too thin?

Not necessarily, there are still many beings who can be resurrected. The slender figure in his arms said in a rough man's voice, For example, me.

Malemare opened his eyes and found a noodle man appearing in his arms, with only his head being a shriveled helmet.

Malemare shivered in fright and quickly jumped away.

Patch and Alexander also emerged from the narrow tunnel hidden in the dense forest. Patch impatiently whipped the branches and leaves next to him:

Where did your navigation guide go?

I can only judge the direction, but I can't judge the altitude. Wuming said, It's not wrong either way. A lot of them were thrown here.

Wuming smiled and used the tentacles in his neck to hook the broken parts and slowly pieced himself back together. His head was still rotating at will and he looked at Alexander:

Can you do this at this height?

Alexander laughed boldly: No problem!

Alexander clenched his fists, made a forceful gesture, and smashed an oil can on his fists. Then he rotated his body, leading his body with his fists, smashing the branches and leaves along the way, and hitting the valley with one punch.

The strong fisting wind rubbed sparks, igniting the oil on his hands, and the fisting wind shot straight into the sky like a flaming dragon.