The rings, once distant protectors, now hugged his soul closely, leaving only the slightest gap between them—a near-complete barrier.
"Is this a bottleneck?" Lin Mu pondered, his instincts whispering that this final step would not be easy to take.
Still, he felt a deep satisfaction.
"If it's this much, it's enough." A small smile graced his lips as he closed his eyes. "Time to head back."
His soul returned to his body, and he awoke to the breathtaking beauty of the forest.
But he was not alone.
A towering presence loomed before him—a majestic creature standing over ten meters tall.
Even larger than Shrubby.
Its coat, a tapestry of dark green fur, shimmered with an ethereal glow, vines curling around its muscular frame like living armor. Two piercing green eyes met Lin Mu's gaze, filled with an ancient wisdom that transcended words. A deep and powerful aura surrounded it, exuding both dominance and serenity.
