Chapter 513: Chapter 25: Luo Ge Xian Ni (3)
The journey from the port to the Blood Elf Holy Land Cartier, calculated at unicorn speed, takes approximately eight hours.
Along the way, Jones and his group got a preliminary glimpse of the unique geographical landscape of Luo Ge Xian Ni.
When they set out from the port, they entered a vast expanse of ancient forest. Thick trees and sturdy vines filled the area, and even at night, there was an endless presence of animals.
It’s hard to imagine that such a forest could exist right next to a human settlement, especially considering humans tend to cut down trees. Trees that are hundreds of years old, with their thick roots sprawling across the ground, such a scene is virtually unthinkable near human habitation elsewhere on the continent. Yet here, it was a living reality.
In Luo Ge Xian Ni, the most valuable thing is wood. Yes, despite being surrounded by trees, the most expensive commodity is wood. This is because the Elf Clan strictly prohibits the unauthorized cutting of trees. Even though the small town where Jones arrived had quite a few wooden houses.
In Luo Ge Xian Ni, cutting down any tree requires an application and approval from elf-related officials. They must be present during the process, with the number and scale clearly outlined by them. Even after the cutting, it must be ensured that the felled trees continue to grow.
In other words, unlike humans in other places who can simply chop a tree in half, here you must climb the tree and cut off the specific branch approved by the supervising officials. This makes the task significantly more challenging.
The catch is that obtaining approval is not easy.
In fact, the restrictions concerning trees are just the beginning. For humans living here, these constraints are considered the least severe of all.
Near the port, there are no farmlands.
Yes, no farmlands—not even one. Normally, agriculture is not the dominant industry around ports, but generally, some farmland would still exist. Here, however, there’s truly none. The Elf Clan forbids large-scale artificial planting. Growing more than ten of the same type of plant by a single person may result in being summoned before the Elf Court. They believe this disrupts the natural landscape, and the penalties for such offenses are harsh.
The use of land also requires explicit approval.
Then, there’s meat.
This is indeed a port, but interestingly, the mountainous resources it holds are just as plentiful as its abundant fishery resources. So why do port residents focus solely on fishing? Because the Blood Elf Clan prohibits killing the forest’s other creatures—considered "forest companions"—for food. However, marine fish are not protected by the Blood Elves.
Well, no wonder humans choose to live near the port. Under these circumstances, fish seem to be humanity’s only source of food. They should count themselves lucky that the elves haven’t banned gathering mushrooms and fruits for sustenance. Otherwise, humans probably wouldn’t even exist on the island.
Of course, neither would the elves. They are vegetarians, and if even these were prohibited, they’d survive on water paired with a bit of air.
Passing through the forests surrounding the port, the group soon entered a region of "shallows."
Uh... how should this be described?
As you ride your unicorn out of the woods, you would immediately feel as though the whole world had opened up. It’s a place resembling a plain.
In the distance, you can see mountains. But beneath your feet, there’s water. The water was just deep enough to cover one’s ankles.
Beneath the water, plants grew and tiny fish thrived. Occasionally, there were plants that extended above the water’s surface, and from afar, they looked like patches of grass floating on the water.
Shallow water, shimmering under the moonlight, in a state somewhere between a lake and a plain. It felt as though you were walking on a vast lake, creating a dreamlike sensation.
Led by Dariana, the group galloped across on their unicorns.
Soon, they entered a mountainous region. The terrain was riddled with ravines, and the shape of the rocks was extremely peculiar, as if they’d been eroded by wind for countless years in a desert. Yet the land was covered with vegetation—every corner was lush and green. As they raced through the valley, Jones could clearly see large vines hanging from the cliffs on both sides. Normally, such valleys see little sunlight throughout the year and shouldn’t have much vegetation, and yet here, it was thriving and abundant.
Meanwhile, strange creatures began to appear.
The first to catch Jones’s attention was a type of bird with a small fleshy appendage atop its head, from which hung a tiny glowing orb. Jones had never seen such birds before and, at first glance from afar, mistook them for fireflies.
As the unicorns sped past, the glowing birds perched on the cliffs took flight in swarms, soaring into the sky. It was a magnificent sight.
Next came an herbivorous giant beast, about the size of a rhinoceros, but without a horn. Its face resembled that of a salamander, and from its back, stretching from its neck to its tail, were three long lines covered with scales.
These strange beasts were abundant. When Jones and his party rode past them, they didn’t react at all. Only after the group had passed through their herd by about a kilometer did they seem to realize what had happened, scattering and fleeing.
Following that came a kind of enormous lizard resembling a dragon but without wings. These creatures were even larger than any dragons Jones had seen before—by several times, in fact. Even the smallest among them was still massive.