Here, Lu Heng quickly returned to the back of the griffon by following the vines. Overlooking the forest below, Lu Heng felt that this Shenyuan Continent was very worth exploring.
Not only were the creatures in this world peculiar, with many novel species for him, but there were also no disgusting creatures like zombies.
There were quite a few flying birds below. Perhaps the griffon was flying a bit low. After flying for only a short while, Lu Heng saw two waves of flying birds startled.
Fortunately, these flying birds did not actively attack Lu Heng and his companions. After being startled into flight, they all fled in panic.
Since they were flying low now, Lu Heng brought out Lu Bai. For convenience in seating, Lu Heng specifically asked Lu Bai to transform into a human form.
"See if you feel any familiarity below."
"Not yet."
In a short while, the griffon brought Lu Heng and the others to another waterfall.
There was also a very loud sound of falling water. Fortunately, Lu Heng and his companions could communicate telepathically, so they were not disturbed by the outside noise.
"Let's go check the upstream of the waterfall first."
They had overlooked the upstream of the previous waterfall. With such a loud noise from below, most people who practiced cultivation would choose a quiet place, so Lu Heng had overlooked it earlier.
The griffon moved upstream along the water flow from the waterfall's edge. It was not only flying low now but also reducing its speed.
The golden eagle that had been wandering outside earlier also flew back and accompanied the griffon leisurely on its left side.
"Master, there are quite a few flying magical beasts here. I've startled seven or eight types just by myself."
"Didn't you encounter any powerful ones that plucked your feathers?"
"Not yet. Those flying birds are not large. They see me and flee desperately, not daring to come near me at all."
"Then you are truly lucky."
Lu Heng had seen a level ten magical beast below just now. Why hadn't this golden eagle encountered any high-level flying birds?
From the rules of species survival, this was very unreasonable. The level difference of creatures within a forest should not be so large.
"Don't fly around randomly. We saw high-level magical beasts below. This forest is so large, it's impossible that there are no high-level flying birds."
"Mm." The golden eagle responded. It wasn't disobedient. Upon hearing Lu Heng's words, it restrained itself somewhat and obediently followed Lu Heng and the others.
Soon, with its excellent eyesight, it discovered something different below.
"Master, there's a human house below."
"Let's go take a look. Griffon, reduce your size. Just enough to seat the two of us is fine."
To increase flying speed, griffons generally flew at their maximum size. However, in some restricted areas, they would indeed reduce their body size.
There was indeed a human house below, but it was now in a state of disrepair. Half of the roof had collapsed, and half of the wall had also fallen.
The golden eagle flew around the house once. After finding no danger, Lu Heng and the others landed on the ground together.
"Lu Bai, you..."
Lu Heng was about to ask Lu Bai if he felt any familiarity. When he turned to look at Lu Bai, he found Lu Bai's expression to be very strange.
Lu Bai stood there in a daze, as if recalling something, or rather, as if he had found a sense of familiarity.
The wind blew the hem of Lu Bai's robes, and the fluttering robes made some noise from time to time, but Lu Bai seemed not to hear it, gazing at the dilapidated house in a trance.
"Master." Lu Bai's tightly pursed lips trembled as he uttered two words, but Lu Heng knew that he wasn't calling him.
However, these two words were the second words Lu Bai had spoken in human language.
It seemed that if Lu Bai's vocal cords were trained for a few more years, he would be able to speak human languages normally.
"Is this where your previous master lived with you?" Lu Heng walked to Lu Bai's side and asked softly.
"Mm."
"Let's go take a closer look."
"Mm."
Lu Heng took Lu Bai's hand and walked step by step towards the dilapidated house.
The house was built on a slightly elevated dirt slope. Some man-made stone slabs paved a small path leading to the house, but the slabs were covered by weeds and moss from the roadside, making them difficult to find if one didn't look carefully.
It was thanks to Lu Bai leading the way that Lu Heng was able to step on those hard stone slabs.
Stepping onto the dirt slope and standing in front of the dilapidated house, there was a wooden chair and a small table outside. They were also in disrepair, with parts missing from the table and chair. If not for the main structure still being intact, Lu Heng wouldn't have been able to tell what they were.
"Master used to sit here, and I would lie at his feet." Lu Bai communicated with Lu Heng telepathically.
In an instant, Lu Bai seemed to have returned to the past. Everything here looked so full of life.
His master was a middle-aged man with an ethereal demeanor, sitting on the wooden chair, humming a tune. He held a cattail fan, leisurely fanning himself to drive away the surrounding mosquitoes.
There were many small mosquitoes in the forest. Although his master had found some mosquito-repelling plants, they couldn't resist the mosquitoes' craving for human blood, and they would still fly around from time to time.
Lu Bai lay at his master's feet, his tail leisurely swatting away the small insects that flew by. He listened to his master's low humming, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves of the trees warmed his body.
His master picked up the water cup placed on the wooden table beside him, in which a few unknown leaves were floating.
"Xiaobai, tell me, how effective is my cultivation of this mental technique?"
Lu Bai looked up at his master, not understanding.
At that time, he didn't have much intelligence. He just heard his master call his name, so he looked up at his master eagerly.
"Well, when I understand the methods of cultivation, I'll take you to see the immortal realm."
Winter turned to spring, year after year, Lu Bai always stayed by his master's side.
This time, his master stood at the doorway, smiled at Lu Bai, "Xiaobai, I just caught a fish in the river. We'll have fish soup tonight."
Lu Bai suddenly rushed towards his master and rubbed against his master's leg, causing his master to laugh heartily.
Many more years passed, and the scene changed again.
The now elderly master was much thinner. He sat on the bed, propped up by several quilts.
"Xiaobai, master might not be able to cultivate to immortality and take you to see the prosperity of the immortal realm. If you have a chance in the future, you must go see it for me..."
......
The scene returned to its dilapidated state, covered in moss and weeds. The room was even more chaotic, with many roof tiles scattered inside.
"Master." Lu Bai looked at the collapsed bed in the room and softly uttered human words again.
"It's alright, master is here, master is always here." Lu Heng turned Lu Bai around and hugged him tightly, feeling the body in his arms gradually stop trembling.