This sudden situation left both of them momentarily stunned, staring wide-eyed at each other for a long while. Xi Yi was the first to react, hastily pulling her away before bending down to pick up a leaf and frantically wiping the juice-stained spots on her arm.
Watching him anxiously and hurriedly clean her arm, Sha Yi’s emotions grew complicated once more.
If one were to compare the amount of juice they’d each been splashed with, he had undoubtedly gotten far more than her. When the thick vine had scraped against the bone knife, most of the liquid had spilled onto him. Yet, instead of tending to himself, he was preoccupied with wiping away the small amount that had landed on her.
For a moment, she felt a surge of mixed emotions, her nose tingling as tears threatened to spill. Sha Yi quickly lifted her head to hold them back.
Xi Yi remained bent over, head lowered, and didn’t notice her near-tears. Had he seen, she was certain he would have panicked like an ant on a hot pan—thankfully, he hadn’t.
Once Xi Yi seemed satisfied with cleaning her, she grabbed another leaf and began wiping him down as well.
He was amused by her actions, but it also confirmed one thing—the thick vine’s juice was non-toxic.
After finishing, Sha Yi crouched down again to examine the massive vine.
It truly was bizarre.
Setting aside its unusual appearance, the split opening revealed a pale green interior divided into separate compartments, somewhat like the structure of a bean pod—but different. Each segment was independently sealed, lined with golden thread-like strands that seemed to function as nutrient channels.
The section of vine skin that had been sliced was soft, smooth, and remarkably elastic, yet also thick. Sha Yi suspected that without the sharp bone knife, it would have been impossible to tear by hand alone—its toughness was impressive.
As for the translucent liquid that had spilled out, it felt cool upon contact, while the green specks within emitted a faint warmth and even had a luminescent glow. She could vaguely detect a subtle fragrance emanating from it.
By now, Sha Yi had a general understanding of this thick vine, but she still couldn’t determine whether it was beneficial or harmful—its lightning-attracting nature remained neither confirmed nor denied.
Her main interest lay in its outer skin. If properly processed, its waterproof and airtight qualities would be undeniable. Even its smooth texture would make it ideal for bedding.
For now, with no thunder in sight, carrying it shouldn’t pose a problem. If luck was on their side, they might even haul it out of the forest and back to their cave dwelling before any storms returned—that would be ideal.
But if lightning struck along the way, they could simply discard it.
With this plan in mind, Sha Yi gestured to the burly man beside her, signaling him to shoulder the vine while she picked up the infant in the vine-woven sling.
Xi Yi understood immediately, coiling the thick vine into several loops over his shoulder before gathering their other belongings, pulling the torch from the ground, and leading her onward.
This time, compared to their earlier wasted journey, their luck still wasn’t great—before long, the rain intensified, and the sky darkened from gloomy gray to pitch black.
At this sight, Sha Yi immediately sensed trouble. The rain was likely about to turn torrential, and the sudden darkness, coupled with the churning black clouds, unmistakably signaled an approaching storm.
Xi Yi’s expression grew grave as he unconsciously quickened his pace, pulling her along.
Keeping up with him was exhausting. The path was wet, rugged, and slippery, and with her shorter strides, she had to move her feet faster, making each step a struggle.
Still, Sha Yi didn’t ask him to slow down. She knew well that if she faltered now, the consequences later would be far worse.
Yet, their speed was no match for nature’s fury. A blinding flash of lightning split the sky, followed by a deluge of rain and an earth-shaking clap of thunder.
Sha Yi flinched but reacted instantly, halting the man mid-step. In the next second, she swiftly yanked the thick vine from his shoulder and flung it far away before grabbing the stunned Xi Yi and breaking into a sprint—her movements seamless.
Just then, another thunderbolt struck, landing precisely where the vine had been discarded, not far behind them.
Only after putting distance between themselves and the trees did they dare to glance back, hearts pounding.
Despite the heavy rain, it was clear the vine remained coiled exactly as they’d left it. However, the once-lush greenery in a small radius around it had turned charred—undeniable evidence of a lightning strike.
Now, Sha Yi was certain: this thick vine attracted lightning—and was resistant to its effects.
Undoubtedly, this was the reason their forest settlement had been struck, claiming so many lives.
—That a single vine could cause such devastation was almost unimaginable!
Yet, in this ancient era, people had no recourse. Limited by their understanding and the absence of advanced civilization, certain brutal natural phenomena remained beyond their grasp. In such conditions, death often came without explanation.
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