104 Forest Portal

The Star Lake was a large lake inside Star Duo Forest. It's one of the places with the highest spirit energy concentration, making it one of the 5 Death Area of Star Duo Forest. Being one of the Death Area meant that it was warded by a spirit beast of more than 200.000 years old, with the possibility of even more beasts.

The truth was that even as a Death Area, it was the one that more information had been recollected, as more than one person survived after visiting there. This was due to its King, or better said, Queen. Its Queen was the Emerald Swan. It was considered the kindest spirit beast, having let a lot of people alive, even permitting to enter its area as long as they didn't have any ill intention. This spirit beast didn't have offensive capabilities, it mostly focus on support and healing, this didn't make it less frightening, her abilities were incredible and it always followed by a big army of spirit beast that were its guardians. These guardians were powerful beast, at least 5 of them older than 100.000 years.

In theory, if you obtained its permission, you would be able to enter the Star Lake. The problem was how to obtain it.

"Star Lake? One of the Five Death Areas?" I asked incredulously.

Hao nodded "This Sea of Tranquility is nothing more than a tributary of the Star Lake, a subterranean water of it that emerged here. In its way, it greatly lost most of its properties and being in a low spirit energy concentration zone lowered them even more. You can easily think of its true effects"

"Ok, it may be the perfect place, but, how do you expect me to enter there? I would be instantly killed by hordes of spirits beast. I don't think that they would let me walk like nothing" I said.

"That is the problem. You should obtain the recognition of spirit beasts, then be helped by them" Hao made a sad look "Years ago I could go there thanks to her"

(If only Mayi was alive. She could have helped me) I thought, making my eyes teary thinking about Mayi's death.

"So the only solution is walking around searching for one spirit beast in need and intelligent enough to be reasonable. All to luck. It will take a lot of time" I said for myself.

"I doubt that that method would work" said San "Most spirit beast would attack you just seeing you. Anyway, some random spirit beast recognition would at most make the King there leave alive, but I doubt that it would permit you to stay there"

"I'll need to find another way, I can cross out the Star Lake for now" I decided.

"You can try one method" said Hao. I turned to them waiting to continue "The Forest Portal"

"The Forest Portal?" I asked doubtfully.

Hao nodded "The Queen of the Star Lake, the Emerald Swan, is the kindest of the spirit beasts, she rarely orders any killing, she only wants to keep the calm of its place and live in harmony. Her dream is for humans and spirit beast to friendly coexist, for this matter, she created an opportunity for humans to show their sincerity. There's a sanctuary where you won't be attacked by any spirit beast. There some spirit beasts will receive you and test your goodwill towards them. The opportunity for them to let you stay in Star Lake is very remote, but at least there's a chance"

"I friendly approach would be a good opportunity rather than walking around" I said for myself, I turned to Hao "Do you know how they test your goodwill?"

Hao shook his head "I don't have any idea of what test could it be"

"At least is something. Could you tell me where that place is?" I asked. Hao took out a map, signaling our position he marked the place of the Forest Portal and how to get there. For what it seemed it was just before the Central Area of Star Duo Forest.

Having received the indications to arrive, I lightly bowed to them giving my thanks and left towards my destination.

The way to the Portal Forest was without much problem, thanks to my hided cultivation most of the beasts didn't detect me and I evaded any confrontation with them. I doubt that killing spirit beasts would be the best in these circumstances.

Following Hao's indications, I finally arrived at my destination. It was a hill, on the foot of it there were two big rocks. Approaching them, I could see a little space between them which a person could easily pass through. Passing through the way, there were 10 meters of a narrow way that opened in a very spacious cavern. The cavern has a half-sphere form with a diameter of 500 meters. The peculiarity of this cavern was that all its rocky walls were covered by a green moss that for some reason shined with a low-intensity green light, that illuminated the cave, it wasn't like a well-illuminated room, but there wasn't any problem to see your surroundings.

At the center of the cave, there was a statue of what resembled a human figure with some kind of bird beast. Under the statue, there was a plate where it was written "Those human seeking for acceptance, shall submit their strength and show goodwill"

I actively used my skull bone plus my Mind Eye analyzing all the cave around, especially the statue and the plate. In the statue, there was some kind of formation that would absorb the spirit energy given and sent it in another place.

I couldn't help to be a little suspicious. I closed place, only with a little exit, there were also some formation that I couldn't know what they could do. Sending my spirit energy would warn of my presence and actual strength, this could be a trap. Knowing in what realm I was it would be easy to send some spirit beasts to kill me, without any chance to escape in this reclusive space. This could be a trap to kill whoever activated it.

After some time thinking, I decided that I would risk it. Anyways, why would someone created all of this only for a simple trap, there were better and easier ways to kill someone. There's also the fact that the one who informed me was Tang Hao, he was a powerhouse in the Continent and I doubt that someone would trick him about this place, however, this created the problem that maybe it was Tang Hao tricking me, but why?

Having decided it, I rested my hand over the statue and concentrate spirit energy in it. The statue absorbed some of my spirit energy and started glowing.

Except for the glow, it didn't seem to be any change. "I supposed that a signal to be received had some delay".

10 minutes later, suddenly the glow increased, green lines where illuminated, they went from the statue to all the walls of the cave.

A rumble was heard and all the cave started trembling. All around the walls the rocks started moving, my previous entrance was blocked and holes started opening all around I could detect that none of the holes had an exit to the outside

From each hole a spirit beasts stepped in, the holes closing after them, growling to me "GRRRR!" More than 100 spirit beasts started growling me. 10 of them were over 10.000 years old, one of them seemed their leader, a Black Gorilla of what it seemed to be 60.000 years old. The other spirit beast weren't that strong, there were even some weaker one of less than 1000 years, but its sheer number in this closed space would make a difficult fight.

"Groawwww!" the Black Gorilla shouted and the crowd of spirits beasts reacted charging towards me.

I invoked my Nine Treasure Sword "<Sword Domain: Protection>" I invoked my domain, strengthening me. I dug my sword at the ground "<Sword Intent: Scatter Protection>" white light surged from my sword all around, creating a shield aura around me.

The spirit beasts crashed towards the shield aura stopping their charge. "GROAWW!" shouted the Black Gorilla. The other nine 10.000 years old spirit beast ran toward me each one striking my shield from a different direction. This was too much for my Intent to endure, breaking.

I lifted my sword and activated my first, second, third and fourth skills. 4 colors shining brightly, weakening my opponent and strengthen me. I pierced my sword to the ground "<Sword Intent: Scatter Protection>". A new wave, this time more powerful, was created pushing all the beast aside.

(Fuck! There's too many, I won't last much defending) I looked at the spirit beast crashing toward the aura, trying to break it.

[Don't defend. Kill them. You have the power] A whisper entered my mind, it was similar to Paul's voice but for some reason, I knew that it wasn't him. At my sword, a black light started shining, its 6th spirit ring shining with it. I could sense a new increase of power, my suppressed Killing Intent surging again [Kill. Kill]

The white shield aura changed to a black one "graaah" the spirit beast cried scared, retracting their attack in fright.

"How easy it would be to kill them" I said in a low voice. "NO!" I shook my head "I don't need this power, I would surpass it. You won't win, Paul!" the 6th black ring stopped shining, my sword returning to the usual colors.

I turned to the Black Gorilla (Maybe winning against it, would cause the others to stop. Or at least to be confused).

The spirit beast seeing that the black aura disappeared started attacking me again. I jumped up, lightning surging from my right foot "<Right Leg Spirit Bone: Air Walk>" I kicked the air jumping over the spirit beasts towards the alone Black Gorilla.

I swung my sword coated in intent to him. The Black Gorilla crossed his arm to block my strike. My sword crashed to his hard skin pushing the Gorilla 5 meter away.

From the Gorilla's shadow a shadow-punch appeared and hit me at my side, I twisted my ankle moving my sword blocking the punch that in contact with my aura disappeared.

This little collision wasted enough time for the other spirit beasts to surround me again.

(Fuck. I can't do anything. I'm only good at defending) I lamented.

Just as the spirit beasts jumped at me "brrrrrrr" a rumble was heard. A new opening at the wall was created and all the spirit beasts stopped and turned to it.

From the new hole, a human figure appeared "Congratulations. For you to pass without killing and gravely injuring any of the spirit beasts, you showe-" the human figure suddenly stopped and looked at me attentively, it tilted its head and said "Bai?"