"Dad, I'll go pick some mushrooms for you today." At noon, Shu Yue suddenly thought of making a fresh meal for Shu Yao.
On normal days, they only ate green food. To put it simply, they were vegetarians and had never tasted meat.
Shu Yao, naturally not very familiar with mortal mushrooms, just let him go. "Okay, go early and come back early. Be careful."
His concern was needless to say, for in this deep mountain forest, there might very well be venomous insects and man - eating flowers.
Shu Yue, just a mortal, couldn't withstand the threats of those invisible dangers even if he fought back.
"Got it, Dad. You just stay in the tree - house and wait for me." After repeated exhortations, Shu Yue finally set off with a basket, feeling relieved, to pick mushrooms on the mountain.
The mountain path was overgrown with weeds and scattered with dead branches. Occasionally, a stone would hurt his feet. Shu Yue took every step very carefully. Sometimes he even had to lift his legs and stride over the uneven leaves brushing against his legs.
He had already covered half of the journey when he faced a steep and winding section of the path. Although Shu Yue was strong - bodied, he was breathing slightly heavily.
He stopped to take a rest, wiped the fine sweat off his forehead. Just as he was about to lift his foot, a sudden pain shot through his leg.
"Ouch..." He gasped and stumbled to the ground. Looking down, he saw a dark red stain on his right trouser leg.
Thinking that he might have been scratched by something, Shu Yue didn't pay much attention. He tried to get up nonchalantly, but fell back again.
Cold sweat was already beading on Shu Yue's forehead. He gritted his teeth and frowned, not wanting this minor injury to delay his mushroom - picking.
After several attempts, he still failed, and the pain in his injured leg became more and more intense.
Soon, the setting sun was like residual blood. A thick cloud silently covered the last ray of light on the horizon, indicating the coming of night.
Shu Yao waited for a long time but didn't see Shu Yue.
The uneasiness in his heart grew stronger. An ominous premonition slowly surged up like a tide.
He couldn't care about anything else. He put on a moon - colored white robe and rushed out to look for Shu Yue.
He had thought of many possibilities for Shu Yue's not coming home, but none of them seemed to hold true. The only reasonable one was that Shu Yue was in danger!
Amid his anxious calls, Shu Yao finally saw the man in black under the hazy night.
However, he was half - propped up in the weeds. His side profile looked so weak, nothing like the energetic look when he left home.
He let out a cry of surprise and rushed towards Shu Yue through the dead branches and leaves. "Shu Yue!"
Hearing a faint voice in his ear, Shu Yue turned his head and saw a figure as bright as the moon running towards him.
"Dad..." It was as if he had found a savior, but his voice was getting weaker and weaker.
"Shu Yue, what's wrong with you? You look so pale."
"Dad, my leg is injured."
Hearing this, Shu Yao's confused gaze fixed on Shu Yue's right leg. If it weren't for the moonlight, he wouldn't have noticed the blood blending with the black fabric.
"Let me take a look." When he lifted Shu Yue's trouser leg, the wound made Shu Yao almost collapse to the ground.
He widened his beautiful eyes, his breathing stopped. He stared at the shocking wound in panic.
The skin where Shu Yue was injured was almost rotten. The flesh was turned out with the skin, and black - purple marks were spreading out menacingly in all directions.
The shape was curved. At first glance, it looked like blood vessels emerging from the leg, but the color was bluish and purple.
It was extremely shocking in the dark night. Shu Yao felt a chill run down his spine.
"This, this is..." He opened his mouth in shock. This was not just an injury; it was clearly the result of being bitten by a venomous insect and poisoned!
And this kind of poison couldn't be cured simply by his magic.
Not to mention that his cultivation was still shallow, even a tree - demon who had practiced for a thousand years would be powerless.
"Dad, it hurts so much..." Shu Yue, who didn't easily cry out in pain, groaned for the first time. His face was as pale as snow. His vision was a blur of shadows. He could no longer support his weak body and fell into Shu Yao's arms.
"Shu Yue, wake up, Shu Yue!" He shook Shu Yue's body, but saw him moaning in pain in his arms.
Shu Yao carried him on his back and ran quickly through the forest. The trees beside him whistled by, and the wind slapped painfully on his face.
"Shu Yue, don't sleep. Don't fall asleep," he said to the Shu Yue on his back while running. "Dad will definitely save you. Don't sleep. Hold on a little longer."
"I, it hurts so much..." A faint groan came from his back. Shu Yao could feel that his breathing was as weak as a thread. The panic in his heart was uncontrollable. He quickened his pace even more, running like a gust of wind.
He didn't take him back to the tree - house. Instead, he came to Hidden Spirit Mountain.
Hidden Spirit Mountain could be regarded as a place in the demon realm exclusively for tree - demons.
It was very inconspicuous, standing quietly in the mist. One might easily mistake it for just a small hill.
On Hidden Spirit Mountain lived a thousand - year - old tree immortal, who was also the leader of the tree - demons.
As soon as Shu Yao arrived at Hidden Spirit Mountain, he saw a little tree - immortal in human form guarding in front of the mountain. The bun on his head was like a green vine. There was a vine around his neck. Only a thin piece of green cloth covered his private parts at his slender waist. His fair wrists and ankles were wrapped with vines respectively.
Before Shu Yao could say a word, the little tree - immortal stepped aside and said slowly, "Master has been waiting for you. Go in."
"Thank you, Tree Immortal." The tree - demons on Hidden Spirit Mountain had all transcended the tribulations and become immortals. In terms of seniority, Shu Yao naturally had to show respect.
Passing through layers of vines, in the mist, he finally saw a thousand - year - old ancient tree towering into the clouds, as if looking down on all living beings proudly.
Shu Yao placed the unconscious Shu Yue on the platform and looked up at the tall and majestic ancient tree. Its branches were thick and gnarled, with lush foliage. The crowns of the trees overlapped, standing upright and adding a mysterious and serene color to the entire Hidden Spirit Mountain.
"Little demon Shu Yao pays respects to the elder." Shu Yao bent down and kowtowed to the ground, giving the most respectful salute to the thousand - year - old ancient tree.
After a while, a hoarse and vicissitudinous voice came from afar, echoing in the entire valley. "Shu Yao, I've been waiting for you."
Shu Yao raised his head. His eyes, scattered with starlight, were full of eagerness and sincerity. "Since the elder has been thinking of this little demon, I have something to ask today."
Suddenly, three bumps protruded from the branches of the thousand - year - old ancient tree, looking very much like a kind - faced human face.
The bump in the middle, like a lip, opened and closed naturally, and the old voice slowly came out again. "You're here for this mortal, aren't you?"
"Exactly."
"You're a tree - demon. You should know what this mortal was injured by."
"Although I know, my cultivation is still shallow. Even if I want to, I'm powerless. So I beg the elder to save him. As long as you can save him, I'm willing to do anything, even if it means sacrificing my life."
At this moment, all his remaining hope was placed on the elder.