Chapter 192 - 166

He hadn't shown himself for a while, and he wondered how the surrounding environment had changed.Since curiosity had already arisen in his heart, he decided to go and investigate.From the treetop downwards, platforms one to three were uninhabited by creatures; this area was designated as Logan's territory.The Flying Wyverns and Grimalkyne strictly forbade any creature from trespassing, and even insects did not land due to the Thunderbug's patrols.The fourth layer was inhabited by several Rathalos and Astalos, each occupying an outward-extending branch platform.Upon reaching the fifth layer, the canopy here was already quite open, large enough to accommodate a significant Grimalkyne population. They had built many small huts here.However, these Felyne were not flying creatures, so they didn't particularly like high-altitude environments. Coupled with the thin air and biting cold wind, it was even less suitable for most creatures to live.The houses built here were merely temporary dwellings constructed to serve Logan at any time; typically, only one team of Grimalkyne would be stationed there.Similarly, Zhu Peiniang also disliked high-altitude environments and lived in a natural tree hollow in the middle of the trunk, guarding the essential path from the middle to the upper layers.Further down, it became somewhat desolate. A height of nearly three thousand meters already exceeded the limit of most flying creatures. It wasn't until descending to within two thousand meters of the ground that the surroundings became lively again.A large number of creatures began to appear before Logan, in addition to the Grimalkyne and Wingdrake, there were also various insects and small environmental creatures.Although the evolved Thunderbug were very powerful, this world, after all, had the profession of Insect Glaive hunters, and many insects inherently possessed powerful abilities.Not to mention those carrying various toxins, just the scarab beetles and stag beetles were all not to be trifled with.Their thick exoskeletons gleamed with a bright metallic luster, their spines were as sharp as blades, and coupled with spear-like ramming horns and hydraulic-clamp-like mandibles, they looked less like natural products and more like metallic life forms.Even some small monsters dared not provoke them. As the altitude further decreased, the species became even richer.Some agile Aptonoth climbed the tall Ancient Tree to obtain nutrient-rich tree fruits.And on the ground beneath the canopy, a large number of Aptonoth, Apceros, as well as wild boars and Mosswine, were distributed. They survived on the tree fruits that fell from the canopy, and even though the sunlight above was blocked, leading to sparse ground vegetation, they still thrived.And directly beneath the Ancient Tree, the area covered by the undulating tree roots was now completely enveloped by a faint white mist.Just as Logan descended from the sky, a Nargacuga perched on an exposed tree root seemed startled, violently flicking its tail. The energy within its body was released through the sharp spines at the tip of its tail. The normally invisible and colorless energy, however, created an arc-shaped outline in the mist,flying towards Logan.With a crisp 'ding!', this seemingly wind blade-like projectile struck the scales on Logan's chest, then shattered without leaving any trace.Looking back at the Nargacuga, it had already rushed into the mist beneath the tree roots without looking back, leaving only a gradually dissipating red afterglow."A black Nargacuga, yet it can also perform a wind blade tail whip? Logically speaking, this should be a skill only possessed by White Gale.But then again, White Gale seems to be an external characteristic of a Nargacuga entering old age, where its fur turns white, so there's no fundamental difference from a regular Nargacuga.Perhaps because it lived for a long time, and the concentration of Leyline Energy in its body reached a certain level, it gained the ability to release energy.Could this Nargacuga have acquired the abilities typically possessed by older individuals prematurely because it ate enough Aptonoth that fed on tree fruits, and the Celestial Marrow Energy in its body compensated for the lack of Leyline Energy?"Glancing in the direction where the Nargacuga disappeared, such an insignificant minor incident was not enough for Logan to dwell on.He stepped on rolling white clouds, maintaining a low-altitude flight, and began to move towards the forest outside the tree.The enormous Ancient Tree above extended numerous branches and leaves, some of the longer ones stretching for over a thousand meters, almost equivalent to the tree's height.This forced them to drop many aerial roots downwards, like colossal pillars reaching the sky, to support their exaggerated weight.The dim environment, the pervasive mist, and the pillars formed by the tree roots made this area look like the Land of Mists from Norse mythology.So, could such a massive Ancient Tree also be called a World Tree? It's just unknown if toxic dragons that gnaw on tree roots would be born beneath this tree. If so, what kind of monster would it be? Perhaps only the Serpent King could take on such a role.The sunlight overhead was blocked, making the vegetation beneath the Ancient Tree's canopy sparse. Only some vine plants similar to pothos, and ferns, which require less sunlight, managed to survive.In contrast, the fungi here were extremely abundant, colorful and glowing, some even growing up to five or six meters tall.When their outer skin aged and hardened, hollowing out the inside created a natural small house.All of this was thanks to the tree fruits that fell from the canopy. Some were eaten by various animals, while the rest were decomposed by the pervasive mist, transforming into rich organic matter. The Celestial Marrow Energy within seeped into the ground, continuously increasing the life force content of the soil.Even if it was cut off from the Leyline Energy flowing in the underground Leyline corridors, the entire Ancient Forest could still maintain vigorous vitality, having already formed an independent ecosystem in the New World.As Logan walked out of the area covered by the canopy, the dense sea of trees once again came into his view.These already tall giant trees were also affected by the Ancient Tree's roots below. Their photosynthesis was further enhanced, and they gained the ability to absorb Celestial Marrow Energy.This caused the seeds they produced, like the Ancient Tree's fruits, to possess higher nutritional value and contain a trace of Celestial Marrow Energy.When they reached the end of their lives, not only would the nutrients they absorbed from the soil throughout their lives be returned, but even the energy they drew from sunlight over hundreds of years would return to the earth beneath their feet.Compared to those so-called Elder Dragon, the embodiments of nature, and various powerful monsters, and even humans, these are probably the true beneficial creatures for the ecosystem!Because what they give back to the land far exceeds what the land gives to them, which is unmatched by any other creature.The pure white giant beast ambled through the dense sea of trees. Its body, over 40 meters long, did not seem out of place among the colossal trees that were two to three hundred meters tall.As he admired the ecosystem, which was more prosperous than when he first arrived in this world, he unknowingly came upon a wide, long river.The Ancient Forest is close to the coast, with crisscrossing rivers and abundant water resources.The long river before him was one of the wider ones. If seen with ordinary human eyesight, one probably couldn't see its end, spanning at least several kilometers.Because of its proximity to the Ancient Tree, the ecosystem here was also affected. On the riverbank was a wide, shallow area covered with tender water plants, looking like a flat grassland.Here, Logan saw a giant Diablos. It looked like a super-enlarged Apceros, nearly 30 meters long, with strong hind limbs and a thick tail. It had a pair of enormous antlers like an elk on its head, and its thick fur seemed to regulate temperature.This creature not only had almost the largest body size among the Brute Wyverns but also the strongest adaptability.From the Ancient Forest to the Rotten Vale, from ice fields to volcanoes, except for not being able to fly or enter water, their presence could be seen almost anywhere on land.At this moment, this behemoth was grazing on the tender water plants by the riverbank, completely unaware that several rock-like silhouettes were floating on the water's surface.