Xiao Buli checked his mana; nearly half was consumed. Considering that they might encounter enemies after they emerged, he said to Du Yibo, "I need to go up now. What about you?"
"Do you even have to ask? Of course, we're going together."
The two of them slowly made their way out of the stony area and moved upwards. As Xiao Buli broke through to the surface, his screen suddenly brightened, a line of light appeared at the top, growing larger and more luminous. The world around him became clearer and more whole until he finally emerged from the ground. Strictly speaking, it wasn't bright outside; the Dark Forest was perpetually in a dim state, different from the Misty Forest as if a barrier was blocking out the sunlight.
As soon as he surfaced, he looked around. The area was completely unfamiliar, with decaying trees and lifeless plants everywhere. Some gray and black ferns were spreading like a skin disease across the land, widespread and invasive.