Chapter 1107 - 798: Blood Clan Ancestor (Part 1)_3

Chapter 1107: Chapter 798: Blood Clan Ancestor (Part 1)_3

Shen Li, as a member of the Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox Clan, was inherently skilled in the Bewitching Technique. Unlike the Mermaid Clan, which leaned towards a spiritual power attack, the Fox Clan’s was more of an illusion magic.

Shen Li rarely used it, only employing it when disguise was needed. Now, bolstered by his Breaking Yuan Rank strength, it was more exquisite than before, even subtly altering others’ perceptions of him.

In the eyes of the Beastmen in this caravan, Shen Tang and several Beast Husbands had taken on another form, appearing ordinary, like any other traveler passing by.

The young Beastman blinked, his expression shifting from suspicion to confusion, as he touched his head in bewilderment, "What did I just say...Forgot it, never mind, it’s not important anyway."

He mumbled a few words but said nothing further.

The middle-aged Beastman snapped back to reality, approached, and sized them up with a look of admiration and teasing, "But speaking of which, you youngsters sure are brave, daring to venture into the Sallos Desert without a guide! If not for meeting us, you’d have ended up in the sand worm’s mouth today."

Shen Tang cupped his hands, "It’s our first time here, indeed unfamiliar with these lands, so we greatly appreciate your rescue... Are you all living off this desert?"

The middle-aged Beastman chuckled, took a sip from a water pouch he pulled from the Sand Beast’s pack, and tossed one to Shen Tang, "My name is Xu Xing, we are a Pioneer Team specializing in traversing the desert, hunting Mutant Beasts. Those shells, claws, and poison sacs are rare commodities outside, fetching a good price when brought back."

Shen Tang accepted the water pouch, thanked him, and asked, "That’s incredibly dangerous, quite a lucrative endeavor, but the risks are enormous; perhaps someday your life could be lost to it. How long have you been in this line of work, senior?"

Her tone was respectful, yet there was a touch of probing in her words.

"Almost thirty years now."

The middle-aged Beastman leaned against the Sand Beast, as if recalling something from long ago, his tone imbued with a touch of nostalgia, "I started rolling through this desert under the last leader when I was a teenager, survived countless close calls, have long since grown used to it."

Upon hearing this, Shen Li’s heart stirred slightly, "To be honest, senior, we are here to seek breakthroughs through training, and heard that this desert is treacherously dangerous, seldom anyone makes it out alive."

"Now that we’re here ourselves, we’ve seen it firsthand, almost perished in that sand worm’s mouth... Seniors must have some special method to walk here for so many years, right?"

The middle-aged Beastman chuckled, lowered his voice, carrying a hint of wily mystery, "Meeting is fate, and I like brave youngsters like you, and since you’ve honored me as a ’senior,’ I’ll tell you: in the desert, the most crucial thing is to never lose your way."

"And to avoid losing your way, you must find a tree!"

Shen Tang and the Beast Husbands exchanged glances, each feeling a slight stirring in their hearts, sensing that perhaps this was the White Bone Tree they were seeking.

The old captain spoke beautifully, yet he was also a fine judge of character.

He instantly saw that Shen Tang and his group bore extraordinary demeanors and prowess, far from being ordinary beastmen.

In the business of pioneering, forming networks was crucial, never knowing when you might encounter a big opportunity. Getting acquainted first is never wrong.

Thus, he did not hide the truth, and said candidly, "When I was younger, I once got lost in this desert, out of water and food and thought I was done for, until I stumbled upon a very peculiar ancient tree."

He reminisced, "That kind of tree, under moonlight, looked like white bones. I don’t know its name; I named it the Lost Tree. That tree can point the way, never erring."

"My superpower is rather special, a marking and tracking type, once I found the tree, I remembered its location."

"Over the years, my ability to come and go freely through this desert, I owe it all to it."

Shen Tang, though inwardly excited, maintained a calm exterior, "Could you take us to see it? We won’t trouble senior without reward, the commission is negotiable."

The old captain’s eyes lit up, his face broke into a broad smile as he chuckled, "Hahaha, straightforward person! Alright, I’ll take this deal."

He added, "But we’ll have to wait till evening, during the day the tree is the same color as the sand, even up close it’s hard to recognize. Wait for the moon to come out, when it shines on it, that’s when it turns into a ghastly white bone color, then it’s easier to find."

So, they rested on the spot for half a day, continuing their journey at dusk.

After another long trek, Shen Tang, following the team, finally found the Lost Tree they spoke of.

On a dune not far away, stood a towering ancient tree, nearly twenty to thirty meters tall, requiring four or five people to encircle its girth.

Moonlight cast upon it, giving the trunk and branches an eerie pale white, cold as bone, bright as frost. From afar, it resembled the lost bones of a colossal beast, a striking yet inexplicable aura of desolation and haunting beauty.

Shen Tang, Shen Li, and the others held their breath unconsciously.

——The branches of the Moonlit White Bones, pointing in every direction.

They found it.

"It’s truly beautiful," Shen Tang couldn’t help but move forward, reaching out to touch the trunk.

However, the moment her fingers touched the tree, the surrounding environment suddenly twisted!