Li Mo refined the demon core and grew stronger, but he had no intention of leaving this cave.
Because now that he found traces of people living here, Li Mo couldn't let this matter rest until he got to the bottom of it.
This was the heart of the Misty Forest, where demon beasts roamed. Humans that could survive here had to have power beyond his imagination.
If he found something, it might even give Li Mo a pleasant surprise.
But this cave was just as he saw it the first time he came in.
After 20 hours of searching, Li Mo didn't find another passage.
Li Mo checked the walls carefully but found no hidden mechanism.
He couldn't help but feel disheartened. He returned to the side of the Great Sage, who had been lying on the stone platform watching him.
"Sigh!
It's a pity I don't understand what you're saying or I might've found some clues. "
Li Mo said helplessly to Great Sage. He was starting to doubt his previous conjecture.
"Am I overthinking it?
This cave has been here for a long time, with natives living here.
Did they leave after the Misty Forest was formed?
Was this just a cave that had been abandoned for a long time?
It's not as complicated as I think it is? "
A string of questions formed in Li Mo's mind, but he had no answers.
In the end, Li Mo chose to leave after tonight and start his own journey!
But Great Sage seemed to have read Li Mo's mind and pulled him to his feet.
One of his feet stepped on an inconspicuous protrusion at the side of the stone platform.
Rumble!
Rumble!
With a deafening sound, the boulder at the center of the platform sank, revealing a set of pitch-black stone steps.
"Wu …"
Great Sage whimpered and gestured for Li Mo to go down.
"F * ck!
Great Sage, you're too dishonest.
So you knew the cave's secret all along and even watched me for half a day! "
Li Mo's resentment poured out in an instant.
However, the Great Sage ignored him. Instead, he dragged him down the pitch-black stone steps.
The steps weren't long and in a cup of tea's time, they reached the bottom.
A pitch-black tunnel appeared in front of them again.
This place wasn't as spacious as it was above, so the Great Sage had no choice but to return to his original state and walk on all fours.
Fortunately, Li Mo had the fire attribute skill, Monstrous Flames. He held a ball of fire in his right hand to light them up.
But even so, they still walked for half an hour in this tunnel.
"Great Sage, where does this lead to?
How much longer until we reach the end? "
If not for Great Sage's company, Li Mo would've stayed in this dark and strange place for even a minute.
Wu wu wu …
Great Sage whispered in response to Li Mo's question.
He even pointed ahead, hinting that Li Mo was almost there.
Sure enough, after the man and beast walked for about the time it took to brew a cup of tea, the tunnel began to gradually widen, and a faint blue light appeared a hundred meters ahead.
Wu wu wu …
Great Sage was thrilled to see this, with Li Mo right behind him.
When they arrived at the source of the blue light, Li Mo was stunned.
It was a circular stone platform with many strange and complicated patterns carved on it.
Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise were all around it.
The blue light came from their eyes.
This place was full of mystery and strangeness.
"W-what is this?"
Li Mo circled the platform a few times, taking in everything, his heart full of questions.
Wu wu wu …
Great Sage was getting restless again. He grabbed Li Mo's hand and stepped on the platform.
He poured a strand of energy into each of the statues and the strange and complex lump under his feet glowed blue. The statues seemed to come to life as they opened their mouths and a dazzling blue light enveloped Li Mo and Great Sage.
"Ah … Great Sage!
What's going on?
We … "
Before Li Mo could finish, his vision blurred and his body fell into an abyss. A strong sense of weightlessness flooded his brain.
…
When Li Mo opened his eyes again, he and Great Sage were in a desolate plain.
It was said to be a plain, but there wasn't a single plant, just sand and gravel.
Only the occasional roar of an unknown demon beast brought a little bit of vitality to this place.
"I-is this the Plains of Death?"
Li Mo looked on in disbelief, muttering to himself in astonishment.
He stood on the same stone platform as the one in the cave. The statues of the four sacred beasts towered around it, just a bit shabbier.
Wu wu …
Great Sage yelled at Li Mo's words and nodded with all his might.
Li Mo was even more incredulous now that his guess was confirmed.
"That … that circular stone platform, could it be a teleportation array?"
Li Mo never saw a teleportation array, but this was the only explanation for a mystical stone platform that allowed them to cross a thousand li in an instant.
Wu wu …
Great Sage nodded again.
"That's great, if we have this Teleportation Formation.
Can't we go wherever we want? "
Great Sage stopped nodding at Li Mo's words.
Perhaps it only used the teleportation array to go back and forth between the Plains of Death and Misty Forest, never going anywhere else.
"Ha-ha … it doesn't matter if it's as I say, finding this teleportation array is like growing wings …"
"Roar …"
While Li Mo was still immersed in his joy, a thunderous roar came from afar.
The adult Giant Vajra Ape appeared in Li Mo's sight.
"Ah … so your old man is here. I was wondering why I didn't see him in Misty Forest."
Li Mo hid behind Great Sage as he spoke.
This adult giant adamantine ape didn't have the slightest fondness for a human.
In a few breaths, the adult Giant Vajra Ape was before Li Mo and Great Sage.
It first looked at Great Sage, then at Li Mo behind him.
However, the look in his eyes had changed from one of love to one of coldness.
"Wu wu wu …"
Great Sage sensed the ape's hostility towards Li Mo and spread his arms, whimpering a few times.
As for what it meant, Li Mo had no clue.
But Li Mo had faith that Great Sage wouldn't harm him.
"Roar …"
"Wu wu wu …"
…
Just like that, the two Giant Vajra Apes conversed in a language Li Mo didn't understand.
Li Mo couldn't help but cover his ears. These two guys were too loud.
They tried to keep their voices to a minimum, but it still wasn't something a human could tolerate.
"Human, I don't care what your goal is in approaching my son, but I advise you to leave!
If not for him pleading on your behalf, I would've torn you to shreds long ago! "
A woman's voice startled Li Mo.
Looking left and right, Li Mo found that the woman's voice came from the adult Diamond Ape.
"Ah!
Y-you can speak human language? "